The disgraced pastor and founder of Kingdom Rulers International Church in Bulawayo, Greatness Tapfuma (37), who turned a 16-year-old congregant into a sex slave, infected her with HIV and genital warts, is on the run after he absconded from court.
Legally, Tapfuma was supposed to have been taken back to prison last year when his appeal at the High Court was dismissed but The Chronicle could not immediately get officials to explain why he has been a free man.
Tapfuma was scheduled to appear before Justices Marie-Anne Gowora, Francis Bere and Antonia Guvava during a Supreme Court circuit in Bulawayo last week to challenge the dismissal of his appeal against conviction and sentence by the High Court.
He however, defaulted resulting in a warrant of arrest being issued against him following an application by the State.
Tapfuma of Cowdray Park suburb made headlines in 2015 after he raped the teenage congregant claiming to be driving out a death demon that wanted to kill her father and infected her with HIV and genital warts.
The disgraced pastor filed a notice of appeal at the Supreme Court soon after Justice Nicholas Mathonsi, who was then a High Court judge, dismissed his application in which he was challenging both conviction and sentence last year.
Tapfuma, who was out on $500 bail pending the outcome of his appeal, was legally supposed to have been taken back to prison following the dismissal of his appeal by Justice Mathonsi.
He was in 2015 convicted of two counts of rape by former Bulawayo regional magistrate Mr Crispen Mberewere and sentenced to an effective 25 years in jail after five years were conditionally suspended for five years.
In his grounds of appeal, Tapfuma argued that in assessing the evidence and the credibility of witnesses, the judge failed to pay attention to the timelines in the matter.
“As a result of this omission, both the learned judge and the trial court reached conclusions of fact that cannot reasonably be supported on the record,” he argued.
Tapfuma said the judge erred by declining to order that the custodial sentences in the two counts run concurrently in light of evidence that the offences were inextricably linked in terms of common intent, locality and time.
He further argued that the judge failed to appreciate the significance and the discrepancies between the evidence of the two witnesses who testified.
Tapfuma said the evidence on record did not support conviction, arguing that it was fraught with contradictions and inconsistencies. He sought an order quashing his conviction and setting aside his sentence.
In dismissing Tapfuma’s appeal, Justice Mathonsi said the interests of justice dictate that “false men of God” should be incarcerated for lengthy prison terms to protect society from their evil acts.
He described Tapfuma as a sexual pervert who sought to quench his sexual appetite by raping an innocent girl in the most callous and unimaginable manner.
According to the State papers, between October and November 2015, Tapfuma called the girl to his home and raped her in exchange for prayers for her father who he said was facing death. After raping the girl, Tapfuma ordered her to keep the sexual act a secret as divulging it would provoke the death spirit to kill her father immediately.
The girl began to notice some blisters on her privates.
As her condition worsened in December, she tested HIV positive and that was when her mother asked how she got infected.
She then revealed what had been happening and a police report was made leading to Tapfuma’s arrest. A church elder approached her and tried to entice her to drop the charges in exchange for a house, a car or cash but she refused.- Chronicle
Dear Editor-Assassinating President Advocate Nelson Chamisa will not solve the Zimbabwe’s problems!
Neither will it kill the MDC ideology!
Neither will it uproot the rampant corruption within your backyard Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa .
Please change your formula before you sink!
Keep the AK47s away from peaceful Zimbabweans! They shall be used against you before you even realise.Concerned Zimbabwean
Dear Editor-Assassinating President Advocate Nelson Chamisa will not solve the Zimbabwe’s problems!
Neither will it kill the MDC ideology! Neither will it uproot the rampant corruption within your backyard Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa . Please change your formula before you sink!
Keep the AK47s away from peaceful Zimbabweans! They shall be used against you before you even realise.Concerned Zimbabwean
Stanley Gama | @edmnangagwa a boy has just been hit by a car along Edinburgh Rd, Vainona. He broke his leg and blood is gushing out from his head& face! He is critical. Ambulance services are refusing to help him saying hospitals hv no doctors. This young man will die if not attended to.
As part of President Chamisa’s smart environment agenda he has a declared December of every year a smart-climate and tree-planting month. This to motivate the nation and the country to plant and preserve trees. The President would like to encourage the people to plant and conserve trees. This would enhance biodiversity and increase chances of food security in the country while mitigating against the impact of climate change on our country and on the globe.
In order to kick start this declaration, President Chamisa arranged to visit Marondera and plant trees, while raising awareness towards the smart environment agenda. The President made appropriate arrangements with the local authority to visit a local school that requires the planting of trees, as it has a open expanse of clear land. However, as morning arrived the school had been barricaded by about 200 heavily armed security personnel that included both uniformed and non-uniformed individuals. When we arrived at the scene we were informed that there had been orders from on-high to the effect that the event should not be allowed to take place.
Under these circumstances the Mayor and the local MP arranged to move the event to areas under their control, which the police hard not barricaded or declared interest in. The police had been fully aware before the event and never said that they were stopping the event because it was an illegal meeting or gathering, they simply said that had then recieved instructions to prevent tree planting from taking place. In fact, they were so crude as to search our car for any seeds or seedlings and almost caused a whole situation after mistaking at tissue paper pack for a secret stash of seeds.
The President started by planting trees at Marondera Municipal offices and then proceeded to Dombotombo clinic where the process continued.
The situation started off very calm and quickly unravelled as soon as a group of heavily armed security personnel, who were in police uniform arrived. The personnel were more armed than those experienced in previous public situations. Almost every one of them had at least a AK47 rifle and those that handled the police dogs also carried with them pistols. They had at least 4 police dogs, in each car and had individuals dedicated to tear gas operations.
These state agents did not talk to anyone even when the were attempts to understand their aggressive approach and demeanour. The shooting of live ammunition, rubber bullets and tear gas began almost as immediately as the vehicles came to a halt.
Let there be no doubt that this event was not a political gathering or a meeting but a tree-planting event to which the President was encouraging our society to take care of mother earth. The callous and unconscionable behaviour and attitudes towards such an event is troubling and, honestly, unredeemable.
The world must now be awake to the dangers of situations of unhinged, insecure, almost barbaric and savage relationship that these state apparatuses want to have with the country. A government whose single purpose and excitement is to harm citizens and to cause the most extreme violence, is a danger to itself, its neighbours and the national security interests of Zimbabwe and continues to bring shame and unnecessary disrepute to Africa and her heroic people.
Farai Dziva|MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has related how ZRP cops fired live bullets at him in Marondera.
Overzealous ZRP cops fired live bullets at Chamisa as he was planting trees at Dombotombo Clinic.
“Gunshots and canisters..So shocked by the behavior of the police, armed with guns and weapons, as they besieged the venue and started taking aim at us as we were planting trees at Dombotombo clinic in Marondera today.Had to take cover.I can’t get this excessive use of violence,” tweeted Chamisa.
Advocate Nelson Chamisa | Gunshots and canisters..So shocked by the behavior of the police, armed with guns and weapons, as they besieged the venue and started taking aim at us as we were planting trees at Dombotombo clinic in Marondera today.Had to take cover.I can’t get this excessive use of violence..
President of the Law Society of Zimbabwe Mr T.M Moyo
Dear Sir
As a private citizen and in terms of Statutory Instrument 37 of 2018, which outlines the code of conduct for legal practitioners in Zimbabwe, I wish to lay an official complaint against one of your members, Obert Chaurura Gutu of Gutu & Chikowero attorneys at Law.
On the 29th of November 2019, Mr Gutu posted the following comments on the social media platform, “Twitter”:
“The son of a Rhodesian-era Selous Scout is crying louder than the bereaved! This guy, together with his racist Rhodesia Front Selous Scout father, most firstly apologise & repent for the murderous & genocidal crimes they committed at Chimoio & Nyadzonia in Mozambique in Nov. 1977”
Mr Gutu’s comments, unsupported by any evidence to substantiate their validity, sought to cast aspersions on the character of Messrs Doug Coltart and his father David Coltart by labelling them as racists and implying that they were part of and responsible for the colonial era massacres that were carried out by the then colonial government.
Although he did not mention the Coltarts by name in his comments, it is a matter of public record that a political narrative, built on a false position (see attached Appendix) of Mr David Coltart’s alleged association with the Rhodesian regime’s Selous Scouts, has been pursued by his political opponents to imply that he was part of the injustices pursued by the colonial government It is therefore clear who Mr Gutu was referring to in his tweet
That said, section 23 of the Legal Practitioners code cautions legal practitioners from “failing or neglecting to treat professional colleagues with courtesy, respect and fairness”.
Mr Gutu’s allegations against the Coltarts, who are registered legal practitioners, calling them racist, murderous and genocidal, was neither courteous, respectful and fair. Mr Gutu was therefore in clear violation of the code to the extent that he also may have brought “the legal profession into disrepute”.
I therefore submit that the Law Society of Zimbabwe considers an investigation into this infringement of the code b Mr Gutu and offer appropriate sanction to this unbecoming behavior by one of your members.
Kind Regards
The struggling national flag carrier, Air Zimbabwe, has announced flight disruptions on Monday 2 December warning passengers in advance early this evening.The airline said in a statement all flights on this day are disrupted, due to “operational limitations beyond our control.”
Respected academic and human rights advocate, Dr Phillan Zamchya, has weighed in on the cries by the MDC Alliance leadership, that there was an assassination attempt on Advocate Nelson Chamisa, earlier today in Marondera. Below is his own account.
Dr Phillan Zamchya| Reader, after the 2018 general election, I interviewed a war veteran and senior security guy at a restaurant in Zimbabwe. He told me that ‘if Chamisa does not come to the table a bullet only costs 32 cents…there has never been political assassination in this country. This will be the first…it will not be coordinated it will just be one rogue element thinking the country can not be put to ransom by one young man who did not go to war…’ He sounded so agitated, then aggressive and later behaved like someone in a frenzy. I was now sensing danger for little me. Fortunately, one senior lawyer walked in, calmed the situation and took me away. The good lawyer warned me not to interview unstable people like that. Thought of this when I heard some bullets were fired at Nelson Chamisa and the people in Marondera today. Barbaric and cowardly act.
MDC-Alliance members have reacted angrily to the attack on their President, Nelson Chamisa, earlier today, taking it as a declaration of ‘war.’
The MDC Alliance was planting trees in Marondera, as part of the National Tree Planting Day, when gunshots were heard, with the party saying live rounds of ammunition were shot directly towards party leader, Chamisa.
Wrote Hon. Shepherd Murehwa Matanhire, on social media, “The gunshots fired on the direction of the MDC President by the state security agencies on its own a clear signal and a Declaration of war.”
Another party leader, Happymore Chidziva linked the attack directly to ZANU PF party leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa, “ED anofunga tinotya pfuti he is pushing us to the corner Zimbabweans will respond accordingly as cornered people.”
Meanwhile, MDC Alliance Vice President, Tendai Biti, came out guns blazing, saying “the regime has de facto banned the MDC.”
Wrote Biti on Twitter, “At a local clinic in Marondera, where the MDC family and President @nelsonchamisa were gathered for a tree-planting ceremony unprovoked police opened fire at unarmed civilians. The continued closure of space & downright abuse & lawlessness continues unabated under Emmerson.”
Tagging the South African Presidency on Twitter, Biti, went on to write, “ For all intents & purposes, the regime has de facto banned the MDC. We can’t breathe march or gather, in Parly our Committees can’t sit, we can’t even plant trees. The truth is Emmerson has failed to uphold & protect the constitution & guarantee the security of all @PresidencyZA“
Veteran actress Rhodha “Mai Sorobhi” Mthembe may be down, but she is certainly not out. A year ago, Mai Sorobhi suffered a stroke which partially paralysed her left side. At some point, she fell on hard times and had to depend on well-wishers. But the seasoned actress, who made a name for herself as Phillip “Paraffin” Mushangwe’s wife in the popular drama series “Paraffin”, said not even failing health will take away her love for the small screen. The actress’ passion for acting remains intact. In fact, Mai Sorobhi is actively searching for fresh roles on television. She also feels that she is now ripe for a directorial role due to her experience in the industry. “I was born an actress and I cannot do away with this part of my life for any reason, health included. Right now, I am ready to take up new roles. I can even direct plays as I have acquired enough experience,” she said. The veteran actress still has her old touch. She remains a bubbly, hilarious, candid and easy-going character. During an interview with The Sunday Mail Society, Mai Sorobhi cracked several jokes and made light of her situation, which is clearly dire. “Kana ipo pano ngachitotsva nekuti zvichirimo (Even now, let’s get down to it because I’m still adept),” she said with a chuckle. Mai Sorobhi started acting during her school days at Mutambara Primary and Secondary schools in Mutare. More than a decade later, she broke into professional circles through “Paraffin”, a drama that propelled her to national acclaim. Her role in the drama series was so financially rewarding that she, together with her late husband Vaxison Mthembe, bought their Kuwadzana Extension home. Mai Sorobhi feels that the stroke that has afflicted her came at the wrong time as she has lost her husband as well as her friends Mushangwe and Lilian Mbirimi from the “Paraffin” cast. Without a shoulder to cry on, she feels that bottled up stress culminated into a stroke. She remembers how her daughter’s illness shortly before the stroke also gave her sleepless nights. “Nomatter is my sixth born child. She lives in South Africa and is the one who sees to my welfare. When she fell sick, I got stressed up, wondering how I would survive if she died. We are very close.” On the day she became paralysed, Mai Sorobhi was at home and her other daughter, Charity, had briefly gone out. She describes having a strange sensation as she was cleaning up after breakfast. “I felt as if I had been electrocuted,” she recalled. At the time, she did not realise that she had just had a stroke. The popular actress describes the time she was admitted at Harare Hospital as the worst days of her life. Doctors had to take her through counselling sessions as her blood pressure remained high, thereby posing a threat to her life. While she is yet to fully recover, Mai Sorobhi still has good memory, a sharp eye for scrutinising things and some intelligence to spice it all up. Mai Sorobhi’s favourite actor is Lazarus “Gringo” Boora. She says she was heartbroken when he was hospitalised a few weeks back. She believes Gringo can still reach dizzy heights in acting. “He has so much to offer. Given the resources, Gringo can make a great difference in the industry,” said Mai Sorobhi, adding that she wishes to pay him a visit despite her own health woes. Whenever she can, Mai Sorobhi watches some local television dramas and feels that she can contribute to the growth of the industry. She believes that the current crop of actors needs to go back to the basics. Sunday Mail
Staff Reporter| President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s deputies, General Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi, seem to have never ending wife problems.
Chiwenga is a source of increasing media speculation, over his young wife Mary who has been conspicuous by her absence from the publiclight. It is already concluded that there is trouble in paradise, after Mary was in a no show at the VP’s homecoming party yesterday. Unconfirmed reports, also indicate that Mary was bundled out of China, were Chiwenga was receiving treatment for idiopathic oesophageal stricture, he revealed for the first time yesterday. The VP made headlines during his divorce with businesswoman, Joycelyn, the ensuing drama, as she opened up in public, “I regret ever marrying him. If I had known he was an abusive husband like this, I would not have married him. I don’t care now, I am out of his system.”
Meanwhile the drama between Mohadi and Tambudzani continues, with the VP reported to have approached High Court seeking to stop his former wife from selling his property following a nasty divorce.
The weekly Standard newspaper, reports that,
Tambudzani Mohadi, a Zanu PF senator, in October successfully obtained two writs of execution against the VP as she sought to recover $259 666 as part of their divorce settlement. The VP, however, is arguing that the two writs of execution issued by the registrar of the High Court on October 14 were “grossly irregular, misleading and misrepresented the facts of the matter.” His lawyer Tafadzwa Muvhami said they wanted the court orders declared null and void. The writs of execution against Mohadi were obtained by Tambudzani who claimed that the VP had failed to comply with a consent paper agreement, which he signed and was registered as a court order by High Court judge Justice David Mangota on March 1, 2019. Mohadi said Tambudzani had failed to interpret the terms of the consent paper. “The respondent’s writs of execution dated October 14, 2019 against the applicant are grossly irregular in that; they are inconsistent with the court order for which they are issued under, they are misleading and misrepresented to the extent that they relate to a non-existent court order and they seek to create terms of the court order which does not exist at all,” Muvhami said in his founding affidavit. “The two writs of execution are clearly misleading, misrepresenting facts and not consistent with the order of this court in HC8128/18, regulated by the consent paper which is now part of the court order.” According to the court papers, Tambudzani had sought to attach Mohadi’s movable goods at lot 1 of Lot 10 Farm, Jompembe in Beitbridge. Mohadi argued that the writs were confusing in that they sought to attach property and interest at the rate of 3% per annum from February 28, 2019, and yet the court order was only granted on March 1, 2019.
Ngezi Platinum coach Rodwell Dhlakhama was left furious with the match officials following their 1-0 defeat to Highlanders in the 2019 Chibuku Super Cup final played at Barbourfields Stadium on Saturday.
Dhlakama feels the near side assistant referee, Salani Ncube, robbed them after awarding Prince Dube a first half goal which he thinks didn’t cross the line. The Bosso striker hit from a range and crashed his effort against the cross-bar before it took a bounce.
Ncube approved the goal and referee Brighton Chimene pointed to the centre.
Speaking after the game, the Ngezi Platinum coach said: “The ball did not even cross the line, it hit the bar, came back into play and the referee had to give that goal. Where have you seen a goal given like that in this world?”
Ngezi were playing in their second Chibuku Super Cup final, having featured in the 2016 edition where they won it.Soccer 24
Controversial opposition politician, Paul Siwela, recently sneaked into Zimbabwe to bury his father.
The leader of the Matabeleland Liberation Organisation, is campaigning for an immediate breakaway of Matebeleland from Zimbabwe, saying that the region remains underdeveloped and marginalised.
Siwela, a thorn in the flesh of the late former president Robert Mugabe, was declared a fugitive, after he skipped the country , escaping continued persecution by the regime. The politician had no kind words for South Africans, who hailed Mugabe as a hero, “What standard are they using to call Mugabe a hero? Its like someone coming here to South Africa and saying Pik Botha, Magnus Malan, Adriaan Vlok, John Vorster and the rest of them are heroes because they created South Africa that you see today, so would you call them heroes?”
Siwela confirms to the local weekly The Standard, that indeed he was in Zimbabwe, “Yes it’s true that my father has passed on in Bulawayo. He was 90 years old and nine months and is survived by four children and 18 grandchildren as well as eight great grandchildren,” he said. Siwela said he had last seen his father in August in neighbouring South Africa where he had gone for treatment. “I am pleased that I have lived up to 57 years having my dad and was last with him in August 2019 when I had taken him for medical attention to South Africa,”he said.
By Farai D Hove| The ministry of information has said no bullets were fired at MDC President Nelson Chamisa in Marondera Sunday morning.
Their announcement flies opposite that of the MDC who say of a truth bullets were fired and several people injured.
Zimbabwe’s largest political party was holding a tree planting session at Dombotombo Clinic when party members fled for cover after armed police officers had swooped in to disrupt it.
Below is the government’s statement following the suspected assassination attack on Chamisa.
“Police in Marondera had to deploy tearsmoke to disperse an aggressive crowd that was closing in on them. This was after leadership of a political party tried to hold a rally at Dombotombo Clinic without notifying police. For the avoidance of doubt, no firearm was discharged”
Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga yesterday held a homecoming party where senior Zanu PF officials were conspicuous by their absence.
Chiwenga, who returned to Zimbabwe on November 23 after spending over four months at a Chinese hospital, did not mention his wife Marry’s name in his 25-minute long address to his relatives and church leaders that attended yesterday’s event in rural Wedza.
This followed reports that the former army commander dumped his wife while on his sickbed under unclear circumstances.
Chiwenga said people that stood by him during his illness were Health and Child Care minister John Mangwiro, who accompanied him to India and South Africa as well as China.
He also mentioned some of his close security details and a female nurse employed by the army.
“There are people who stood by me during all these days when I was battling sickness,” he said.
“Deputy minister Mangwiro, who is not here today was there for me till the end.”
He said if he had not been airlifted to China from South Africa chances were that he was not going to return home alive.
“President Mnangagwa didn’t only act like a leader, but also like a brother,” he said.
“He called Chinese President Xi Jinping so that I could be assisted there. It was bad and at one point I would even forget what I had done.More in Home
“If I had gone for a week or three days in South Africa, I could have been history,” he said.
Mary was also not at the Robert Mugabe International Airport to welcome her husband on his return from China.
Chiwenga, who arrived aboard a Chinese plan in the early hours of the morning was received by his brother and son as well as China’s deputy ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhao Boagang.
There were no government or Zanu PF officials at the airport. At the Wedza event where Chiwenga travelled by helicopter, soldiers outnumbered police officers.
The guests were mainly close family members, army generals, neighbours, villagers and members of the Roman Catholic Church.
Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs minister Aplonia Munzverengi was the highest ranked government official at the event while Zanu PF’s provincial vice chairperson Michael Madanha was the most prominent guest from the ruling party.
During Chiwenga’s absence, there were reports of resurgent factionalism in Zanu PF with some bigwigs allegedly pushing for his removal on the grounds that he was incapacitated because of his health woes.
Meanwhile, Chiwenga revealed that he was suffering from a blocked oesophagus. The oesophagus is a mascular tube that connects the mouth to the stomach.
“After falling sick in October last year, no one thought I would be alive today,” the VP said.
He said he was confined to hospital wards for six months.
“I was in the intensive care unit for several months. I also spent several months in a ward,” he said.
“I was happy to see the sun for the first time in six months (on arrival in Harare) and that was last Saturday,” Chiwenga added, while standing just a metre from his late parents and siblings’ graves.
After the speeches, Chiwenga immediately flew back to Harare by helicopter while others, including villagers remained behind to feast.
Zanu PF supporters were seen trooping to the VP’s home long after he had left.
English side Arsenal have sacked manager Unai Emery.
The club issued a statement on their website confirming that they have parted ways with the Spaniard.
“We announce today that the decision has been taken to part company with our head coach Unai Emery and his coaching team.
The decision has been taken due to results and performances not being at the level required.
We have asked Freddie Ljungberg to take responsibility for the first team as interim head coach. We have full confidence in Freddie to take us forward.
The search for a new head coach is underway and we will make a further announcement when that process is complete,” read the statement.Soccer 24
Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga yesterday revealed he was battling a disease of the oesophagus during his four-month stint in hospital.
The disease made it difficult for him to eat as he could not swallow anything.
He said this at a homecoming Roman Catholic Church mass held for him at his rural home in Wedza.
His recovery, he said, was nothing short of a miracle.
“I was telling colleagues that I spent close to six months without seeing the sun. I only saw it this last Saturday upon returning home,” he said.
“I want to thank you all for your prayers. Those prayers made me to survive. “Since I started falling sick in October last year, there were not many who thought I would heal completely. There were not many who thought I would be standing before you like this.
“The sickness is called idiopathic oesophageal stricture. It means that you cannot take in food and also you cannot even vomit. It involves blocking of the oesophagus and I spent a lot of time in the intensive care unit.”
VP Chiwenga thanked President Emmerson Mnangagwa for facilitating his treatment in China.
He also paid tribute to Chinese doctors and his team, led by Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Dr John Mangwiro, which accompanied him to China and other countries where he sought treatment.
On the striking doctors who are still refusing to return to work, the VP Chiwenga said:
“We are the most educated country in Africa, but I do not understand what has become of the young people . . . Every day, they want to make rich pickings, with little sweat. Where is that spirit coming from?
“Let us put the interests of our country first and have a unity of purpose. That is the Zimbabwe we want.
“Yesterday (Friday), we had a meeting with church leaders, whose leaders included . . . Archbishop Robert Christopher Ndlovu and other church leaders.
“The President said Government had done all it could and it was no longer clear what the doctors really want. They got 30 percent, they refused; they got 60 percent and they refused again.
Government then gave them a 100 percent increment, but again they refused.
“All that time, people were dying because the doctors were not at work. Doctors should respect the sanctity of life.”State media
Suspected Zanu PF supporters yesterday invaded a farm belonging to former president Robert Mugabe on the outskirts of Harare. The rowdy invaders, including a man who was armed with a gun arrived at Pomona Farm near the Pomona army barracks late in the afternoon. They set up barricades at the farm entrance where they searched cars and people who were getting in or out of the farm. Workers at the farm said the invades, some that were wearing President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s 2018 election campaign t-shirts, started trooping in at around 3pm.
At around 8:30pm the invaders had started a fire at the gate and were blocking access to the farm. The armed man searched the car used by our news crew. “Can you open the doors, we want to see what is in the car. One of you should come out and open the boot for us,” one of them said, before they eventually allowed the news crew out. Mnangagwa last week hinted at a Zanu PF rally in Kadoma that Mugabe’s family will be forced to relinquish its farms in line with the government’s one-man one-farm policy. Mugabe, who died in Singapore in September, owned several commercial farms that were seized from white Zimbabweans at the height of the chaotic land reform programme. The former first family is already on the verge of losing a Mazowe farm, which is being parcelled out to small scale gold miners. Soon after Mugabe’s death some Zanu PF officials wanted the ruling party to seize his Blue Roof mansion and another house in Harare. The properties are registered under Zanu PF and calls to seize them were seen as an attempt to hit back at Mugabe’s widow Grace (pictured) after she blocked the government from burying Zimbabwe’s founding leader at the Heroes Acre. Grace was part of a Zanu PF faction that temporarily pushed Mnangagwa out of the ruling party and government in 2017 before he bounced back with the help of the military. Standard
Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga yesterday revealed he was battling a disease of the oesophagus during his four-month stint in hospital.
The disease made it difficult for him to eat as he could not swallow anything.
He said this at a homecoming Roman Catholic Church mass held for him at his rural home in Wedza.
His recovery, he said, was nothing short of a miracle.
“I was telling colleagues that I spent close to six months without seeing the sun. I only saw it this last Saturday upon returning home,” he said.
“I want to thank you all for your prayers. Those prayers made me to survive. “Since I started falling sick in October last year, there were not many who thought I would heal completely. There were not many who thought I would be standing before you like this.
“The sickness is called idiopathic oesophageal stricture. It means that you cannot take in food and also you cannot even vomit. It involves blocking of the oesophagus and I spent a lot of time in the intensive care unit.”
VP Chiwenga thanked President Emmerson Mnangagwa for facilitating his treatment in China.
He also paid tribute to Chinese doctors and his team, led by Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Dr John Mangwiro, which accompanied him to China and other countries where he sought treatment.
On the striking doctors who are still refusing to return to work, the VP Chiwenga said:
“We are the most educated country in Africa, but I do not understand what has become of the young people . . . Every day, they want to make rich pickings, with little sweat.
Where is that spirit coming from?
“Let us put the interests of our country first and have a unity of purpose. That is the Zimbabwe we want.
“Yesterday (Friday), we had a meeting with church leaders, whose leaders included . . . Archbishop Robert Christopher Ndlovu and other church leaders.
“The President said Government had done all it could and it was no longer clear what the doctors really want. They got 30 percent, they refused; they got 60 percent and they refused again.
Government then gave them a 100 percent increment, but again they refused.
“All that time, people were dying because the doctors were not at work. Doctors should respect the sanctity of life.”State media
Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga yesterday revealed he was battling a disease of the oesophagus during his four-month stint in hospital.
The disease made it difficult for him to eat as he could not swallow anything.
He said this at a homecoming Roman Catholic Church mass held for him at his rural home in Wedza.
His recovery, he said, was nothing short of a miracle.
“I was telling colleagues that I spent close to six months without seeing the sun. I only saw it this last Saturday upon returning home,” he said.
“I want to thank you all for your prayers. Those prayers made me to survive. “Since I started falling sick in October last year, there were not many who thought I would heal completely. There were not many who thought I would be standing before you like this.
“The sickness is called idiopathic oesophageal stricture. It means that you cannot take in food and also you cannot even vomit. It involves blocking of the oesophagus and I spent a lot of time in the intensive care unit.”
VP Chiwenga thanked President Emmerson Mnangagwa for facilitating his treatment in China.
He also paid tribute to Chinese doctors and his team, led by Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Dr John Mangwiro, which accompanied him to China and other countries where he sought treatment.
On the striking doctors who are still refusing to return to work, the VP Chiwenga said:
“We are the most educated country in Africa, but I do not understand what has become of the young people . . . Every day, they want to make rich pickings, with little sweat. Where is that spirit coming from?
“Let us put the interests of our country first and have a unity of purpose. That is the Zimbabwe we want.
“Yesterday (Friday), we had a meeting with church leaders, whose leaders included . . . Archbishop Robert Christopher Ndlovu and other church leaders.
“The President said Government had done all it could and it was no longer clear what the doctors really want. They got 30 percent, they refused; they got 60 percent and they refused again.
Government then gave them a 100 percent increment, but again they refused.
“All that time, people were dying because the doctors were not at work. Doctors should respect the sanctity of life.”State media
Staff Reporter | Social media trolls are apparently on the attack, targeting comedian Gonyeti and body shaming her.
Gonyeti (Samantha Kureya), was last week awarded the Human Rights Defender of the Year Award, by The Southern Africa Human Rights Network. Which has apparently attracted a social media backlash.
“After the announcement of the award some ghost accounts have already started trolling Gonyeti and body shaming her, so we are going to be attacked for this award, but we have to be strong and continue doing what we love to do,” Lucky Aaroni told the weekly Standard newspaper.
This is not the first time Bustop TV has been exposed to negative criticism as well as intimidation tactics.
In addition to Gonyeti’s detention with her co-actor Magi earlier this year by the police, suspected state agents
allegedly abducted and tortured the comedienne for one of their comic skits earlier.
According to SAHRDN the courage under such circumstances are one of the reasons why Gonyeti deserves this year’s honours for Southern Africa.
“Despite all these operational challenges and threats, Samantha has continued to use satire to defend the rights of the most marginalised at great personal risk,” read their statement.
Meanwhile, Aaroni said they were honoured to add a prestigious gong to their cabinet in a confirmation of the impact their art has on society.
“Its been five years of doing work and we have won a number of awards before as BustopTV and on her
personal capacity Gonyeti won awards, but this award is special to us because its recognition at another level of artistic content we generate,” he said.
Staff Reporter | Exiled politician Savior Kasukuwere, has announced his intention to challenge ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa in the 2023 Presidential elections, as he revealed that supporters of the late former President Robert Mugabe were funding his campaign.
“People want me to be the leader in leadership renewal, particularly the young people,” the 49-year-old told the Sunday Times this week from exile in SA.
Kasukuwere tells the newspaper that he has buckled to pressure from disgruntled MDC and ZANU PF supporters who want him to lead them.
“People know that I stood by Robert Mugabe right up to the bitter end. I am deeply respected within Zimbabwe and beyond,” said Kasukuwere. “I interacted with former SA Presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma. They know me. I have links with business people in the region as well as former allies of Mugabe across the world, he said.
Kasukuwere’s spokesperson, Ntokozo Msipa, said Kasukuwere’s ten years as Cabinet Minister meant that “he now knows the mistakes that need to be corrected.”
Msipa added: “There’s need to find a solution to the political and economic problems in Zimbabwe. The youth comprise 60% of the total population, and we have been subjected to much suffering.”
Kasukuwere would not be drawn into declaring whether he will contest the 2023 elections as an independent or under a political party. His ally, Jonathan Moyo, also said he would not want to comment on Tyson’s political moves.
Former President Robert Mugabe’s wealth will be revealed in a few days’ time, putting to rest much speculation and conjecture.
This week the Master of the High Court is expected to give the full list of what he owned, including investments, houses, cash and gifts ranging from cattle, precious minerals and even wild animals.
A Government gazette published on November 15 confirmed the registration of the estate.
“Notice is hereby given that the estate of the under-mentioned deceased persons, minors or persons whose whereabouts are unknown, are unrepresented and that the next of kin, creditors or other persons concerned are required to attend on the dates and at the times and places specified, for the selection of an executor, tutor or curator dative, as the case may be,” read the notice, which appeared with Mugabe’s name.
The estate, if published in full, will either confirm or put paid to various truths and untruths held by the public.
Mugabe died in Singapore on September 6 after battling ill-health since April. He was 95.
His widow, Grace, daughter Bona and sons, Robert Jnr and Bellarmine Chatunga, are likely to be beneficiaries of whatever the late former president left behind.State media
Jane Mlambo| Several people have been reportedly injured following an assasination attempt on MDC President Nelson Chamisa in Marondera today.
According to Marondera Central legislator Caston Matewu, Chamisa was attending a tree planting ceremony when people believed to be from the army fired live shots which hit a precast wall close to where the youthful politician was.
This left several people injured though we could not confirm if they were MDC supporters.
Chamisa has since assuming the MDC top job survived a number of assasination attempts including when a marked Toyota Harrier followed him when he was again coming from Marondera rally.
Jane Mlambo| According to Marondera Central Member of Parliament Caston Matewu, live shots were fired at opposition MDC President Nelson Chamisa in Marondera during a tree planting exercise.
“I was beside him. We were missed by a whisker. We were only planting trees for National Tree planting day in Marondera Today,” said Matewu.
Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga yesterday held a homecoming party where his wife and senior Zanu PF officials were conspicuous by their absence.
Chiwenga, who returned to Zimbabwe on November 23 after spending over four months at a Chinese hospital, did not mention his wife Mary’s name in his 25-minute long address to his relatives and church leaders that attended yesterday’s event in rural Wedza.
This followed reports that the former army commander dumped his wife while on his sickbed under unclear circumstances.
Chiwenga said people that stood by him during his illness were Health and Child Care minister John Mangwiro, who accompanied him to India and South Africa as well as China.
He also mentioned some of his close security details and a female nurse employed by the army.
“There are people who stood by me during all these days when I was battling sickness,” he said.
“Deputy minister Mangwiro, who is not here today was there for me till the end.”
He said if he had not been airlifted to China from South Africa chances were that he was not going to return home alive.
“President Mnangagwa didn’t only act like a leader, but also like a brother,” he said.
“He called Chinese President Xi Jinping so that I could be assisted there. It was bad and at one point I would even forget what I had done.
“If I had gone for a week or three days in South Africa, I could have been history,” he said.
Mary was also not at the Robert Mugabe International Airport to welcome her husband on his return from China.
Chiwenga, who arrived aboard a Chinese plan in the early hours of the morning was received by his brother and son as well as China’s deputy ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhao Boagang.
There were no government or Zanu PF officials at the airport. At the Wedza event where Chiwenga travelled by helicopter, soldiers outnumbered police officers.
The guests were mainly close family members, army generals, neighbours, villagers and members of the Roman Catholic Church.
Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs minister Aplonia Munzverengi was the highest ranked government official at the event while Zanu PF’s provincial vice chairperson Michael Madanha was the most prominent guest from the ruling party.
During Chiwenga’s absence, there were reports of resurgent factionalism in Zanu PF with some bigwigs allegedly pushing for his removal on the grounds that he was incapacitated because of his health woes.
Meanwhile, Chiwenga revealed that he was suffering from a blocked oesophagus. The oesophagus is a mascular tube that connects the mouth to the stomach.
“After falling sick in October last year, no one thought I would be alive today,” the VP said.
He said he was confined to hospital wards for six months.
“I was in the intensive care unit for several months. I also spent several months in a ward,” he said.
“I was happy to see the sun for the first time in six months (on arrival in Harare) and that was last Saturday,” Chiwenga added, while standing just a metre from his late parents and siblings’ graves.
After the speeches, Chiwenga immediately flew back to Harare by helicopter while others, including villagers remained behind to feast.
Zanu PF supporters were seen trooping to the VP’s home long after he had left.
Greetings once again. I am sure I find you as you were last week, in fine fettle. We have come to the end of another eventful week.
Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Environment, Concillia Chinanzvavana [MDC], was on Wednesday voted out of her position by Zanu PF members during a post-budget meeting. ZANU PF has reportedly set in motion plans to purge MDC chairpersons of parliamentary portfolio committees using its majority in the august House.
After her ouster from the chair of her committee, Concilia Chinanzvavana commented that her ouster had been unconstitutional, not procedural and contrary to Parliament’s Standing Rules and Orders.It turns out she was correct.
Section 139 of the Constitution states that parliamentary proceedings must be regulated by Standing Rules and Orders, which are drawn up by the Houses on the recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee on Standing Rules and Orders (CSRO).
According to the National Assembly’s Standing Rules and Orders, the chairpersons of all portfolio committees must be appointed by the CSRO – Standing Order 18. The chairing and composition of committees must take into account the number of MPs from each party in Parliament and also gender representation.
It follows that only the appointing authority (the CSRO) may remove a chairperson from office, whether temporarily or permanently.
ZanuPf legislators purport this is in retaliation to MDC legislators not recognising Mnangagwa as the president.A more plausible argument is the Zimbabwe Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee hearing into Command Agriculture and Sakunda.
The Committee and was expected to question Sakunda boss Kuda Tagwireyi over his company’s role in the Command Agriculture, a program which has been used as a vehicle for siphoning public funds to corrupt individuals.
Much whirl was made of the wizardly re-emergence from deaths gallows of coup plotter in chief Constantino Guveya Dominic Nyikadzino Chiwenga.With a spring in his step, disembarking a Chinese jet and welcomed by the Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe[yes you read that right],one was left to marvel at the extent of Chinese ingenuity ,at the same time sceptical if this was a clone or the real thing.Like all Chinese products , they do not last. Let’s ‘’hope’’ this is the exception to the rule.
Zimbabweans have been such a tormented ,abused lot , bereft of hope,that they celebrated the return of the ‘’Ambi one’’,regardless of the glaring fact that he is the central figure in the palace putsch that has left us in such a labyrinth.
COUP TO CURE A COUP?
To a general with a hammer, everything will tend to look like a nail. Officers will view the task of reforming the state as being susceptible to the tools in which they have greatest expertise. Force is then not used only as a means of defeating those taking up arms against the coup, but also to eliminate those with ideological inclinations or political affiliations that don’t match the blueprint followed by the army.
Military power has an affinity with domination that makes it uniquely unsuited to securing people from the face of oppression.
In fact, across the spectrum of cases that are most likely to need urgent, remedial action, the military will often have a very close affinity with precisely those evils that need remedy. If violent oppression is the evil, it is most likely already being perpetrated by means of the armed forces. If so, it seems naive to imagine the army itself as a natural saviour of the people. If the disease is corruption, it is also corruption that frequently motivates plotters in the first place – as Edward Luttwak remarks, corrupt states offer great material rewards to successful plotters – in other states, coups just aren’t worth the personal risk. Likewise, if rebellion is justified against tyrannical, authoritarian rule, then placing hopes in senior figures from what is traditionally the most consistently authoritarian social institution seems misguided.
It’s not just that the cure is worse than the disease; the cure typically is itself an offshoot of the disease. When you start a cure with the wrong diagnosis, there is little chance you will succeed.
WASTED OPPORTUNITY.
Mnangagwa has missed opportunities to “cure the coup”, particularly the failure to create stable transitional mechanisms. Mnangagwa and his co-conspirators unwittingly attempted to “cure” the coup through a manipulated “election” and this strategy has backfired and the sooner they come to terms with this reality the better. Unbeknown to Mnangagwa was that the ball was in his court and he had many options to redeem himself as a unifying leader. However, his lack of vision has exposed him as an unglued kleptomaniac with no strategy of moving Zimbabwe forward.
One of the more obvious options available to him at the time was calling for a genuine national dialogue of all stakeholders, not for the purposes of power-sharing but rather to carve the way forward for Zimbabwe towards political and economic reforms to address the 37-year rot created by him and Mugabe. This kind of dialogue would have come out with clear timelines on fundamental reforms at the same time as one of the main steps in curing the coup. It would have also helped to cool down the political temperatures and depolarise our politics.
However, that did not happen, as Mnangagwa became consumed and intoxicated by power, allegedly building his power around a partisan and parochial tribal agenda. Mnangagwa has been busy focussing on consolidating his power at the expense of building a nation, renaming roads after himself instead of repairing decrepit ones, let alone construct new ones. Bequeathing himself with unconscionable degrees, with Harvey Weinstein perks to boot.
LESSONS FROM ‘’KUITISWA’’
Letting military elites’ interference in the political process go unchecked ultimately undermines norms of civilian control of the military that are a prerequisite for stable, democratic rule. It encourages military officers to see themselves as above the law. Hence, when civilian elites invite military officers to weigh in on politics, it is difficult to get them to stop.
Faith in the military to restore democracy is misplaced. There is, in fact, scant evidence that coups and other forms of military intervention result in more democratic rule. Notwithstanding the recent uptick in the number of “good coups,” coups still more often than not simply replace one dictator with another.
Just as importantly, those military interventions that are followed by elections rarely bring about lasting change. In Egypt, for instance, human rights organizations documented mass, arbitrary arrests, the detention of protesters and human rights workers, new restrictions on nongovernmental organizations and repression of political opposition. The same misplaced optimism followed the 2006 coup in Thailand.
CONCLUSION
Research by the African Development Bank, among other institutions, shows that there have been more than 200 coups in Africa since the post-independence era of the 1960s, with 45% of them being successful and resulting in the displacement of the head of state and government officials, and/or the dissolution of previously existing constitutional structures.
The emergence of a growing culture of the rule of law, constitutionalism and the democratic dispensation has largely taken away the appetite for coups.
With several countries reaping the “democratic dividend”, those that want to disrupt their country’s growth trajectory through coups and acts of bad governance will not only find themselves out of fashion but also risk a revolt from their own people, who are witnessing what political stability and respect for the rule of law have achieved elsewhere on the continent and would similarly want to benefit from them.
So to Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa and your coterie of democracy controverts, political reforms are essentially the only roadmap to curing your coup and any temptation to a short cut will have unimaginable consequences.
Have a wonderful weekend.
By Tim Mutsekwa: Political Science and International Relations [University of Greenwich]
By A Correspondent| Emmerson Mnangagwa’s deputy Constantino Chiwenga has revealed the illness that made him bedridden for several months in China, a condition previously linked to HIV AIDS.
Chiwenga was speaking at his rural home celebrating his return to “good health.”
While criticising Zimbabwean doctors and at the same time praising Chinese medics, Chiwenga revealed more on his illness.
He said he was suffering from a disease called idiopathic oesophageal stricture.
He quoted by the Sunday Mail said,
“I was telling colleagues that I spent close to six months without seeing the sun. I only saw it this last Saturday upon returning home,” said Chiwenga.
He continued saying:
“I want to thank you all for your prayers. Those prayers made me to survive. “Since I started falling sick in October last year, there were not many who thought I would heal completely. There were not many who thought I would be standing before you like this.
“The sickness is called idiopathic oesophageal stricture. It means that you cannot take in food and also you cannot even vomit. It involves blocking of the oesophagus and I spent a lot of time in the intensive care unit.”
An academic reading (below) links the condition to HIV AIDS. FULL TEXT:
https://youtu.be/rrHSMVjgWmo
Idiopathic midesophageal stricture: a new cause of dysphagia in a patient with AIDS.
Shapiro BD, et al. South Med J. 1997.
Show full citation
Abstract
A number of disorders may result in the complaint of dysphagia in HIV-infected patients. These include fungal, viral, bacterial, parasitic, medication-induced, and idiopathic lesions in the esophagus. In the current case, a 32-year-old man with advanced HIV infection had recurrent bouts of esophageal stricture. No ulcer was associated with this stricture. No infectious causes of the stricture could be determined. The patient required multiple upper endoscopies and dilatations for treatment of this stricture and subsequently had a food impaction. This is the first case in the medical literature of an idiopathic stricture in the middle portion of the esophagus in an HIV-infected patient. We postulate that this lesion may have been caused by the patient’s medications. Esophageal strictures should be considered in HIV-infected patients with severe dysphagia or food-bolus impactions of the esophagus.
MATABELELAND South Zanu-PF Member of Parliament (Proportional Representation) Alice Ndlovu-Zulu has died.
She was 63. Her younger brother, Mr Patnas Mazibuko said Ndlovu-Zulu succumbed to kidney failure last Friday, which she had been battling for a long time.
“She was in and out of hospital due to her condition but she finally succumbed to it on Friday. She was in and out of hospital and was on medication but this time around she couldn’t make it. She died at Parkview General Hospital in Harare,” said Mr Mazibuko.
He said due to her condition she developed an infection which affected her health. Mr Mazibuko said Ndlovu-Zulu’s death was a great loss to the family and the country at large as she played a pivotal role in the emancipation of women and rights development. He said she began her political career after having worked in the NGO sector.
He said the burial had been tentatively set for Tuesday and mourners are gathered at her homestead in Msithi in Filabusi.
Insiza South Member of Parliament (Zanu-PF), Spare Sithole said Ndlovu-Zulu’s death had robbed the district, province and country at large of a leader, who had the people’s concerns at heart.
“She was not just in politics but she was a leader. She had a great influence in people’s lives and that anyone can give testimony to. Her death is a great loss to the party and also to the development of the country. Not so long ago we lost cadres in Lupane and Plumtree. We really wonder what this means. She is at rest now and that is all that we can say,” said Sithole.
Africa Report|From the rise of “Gucci Grace” to the fall of “Comrade Bob”, to Emmerson Mnangagwa’s incredible escape, the book ‘Secrets of history’ recounts the riveting story of the presidential couple’s last weeks in power.
Grace Mugabe is hardly ever seen leaving her private villa in Mount Pleasant, in the upscale suburb of Harare, where she has taken refuge with her daughter, Bona, after deserting the cursed Blue Roof mansion. The last time people saw her in public since the coup d’état of November 14, 2017 was just under two months ago, at the family funeral of her husband, Robert Mugabe.
After refusing an official state funeral and burial at the Capital’s Heroes’ Square for her husband, Grace led the funeral procession to Kutama Cemetery, where the father of independence was born 95 years earlier. “If she doesn’t come out anymore, it’s because she’s afraid of being stoned to death,” believes one of Zimbabwe’s many critics of Grace.
“Wrong,” retorts one of the few MPs who still dares to associate with her: “If she lives in a recluse, it is because she can no longer bear to feel the presence of those who betrayed her husband”.
Political life in Zimbabwe is similar to the plot of Game of Thrones, with spectacular outbursts of public anger by actors who accuse each other of the worst deeds.
In exchange for dropping legal proceedings against her – which was demanded by many Zimbabweans – Grace Mugabe agreed to remain silent and to withdraw from the world. The opaque elite who have governed this country for four decades stand united. When you can’t kill yourself, you make compromises.
The secret story of Grace’s rise following Robert Mugabe’s fall is told by Zimbabwean journalist and writer Douglas Rogers in a detailed investigation published on the second anniversary of Operation Restore Legacy (Two Weeks in November, London, Short Books). It begins one day in the austral winter of 2014.
At an extraordinary meeting of the Zanu-PF Central Committee, President Mugabe announces his decision to appoint the first lady to head the female branch of the ruling party and her subsequent entry into the political bureau. Among Zanu-PF loyalists, many of whom were former liberation fighters, they’re aware of the influence that the former secretary has over the leader who is forty-one years her senior.Daily newsletter:join our 100 000 subscribers!Each day, get the essential: 5 things you need to know Sign upAlso receive offers from The Africa ReportAlso receive offers from The Africa Report’s partners
They’re also aware of her escapades. “Gucci Grace” has a taste for luxury, an eruptive temperament and enjoys lavish shopping trips to London and Singapore aboard the presidential Boeing. Everyone fears and, silently, disapproves of her appointment.
The first lady acts like a second president. She summons ministers, attends hearings with a notebook in her hand, and appoints members of her own stable – the “Generation 40” (G40) – to head local federations. The group’s composed of ambitious politicians who were too young to have participated in the glorious “chimurenga” – the armed struggle.
It’s led by the Minister of Higher Education, Jonathan Moyo, an unscrupulous opportunist who, after being a fierce opponent of the regime, has turned into a zealous courtesan of the presidential couple. As head of the universities, he also ensured that Grace obtained a doctorate in sociology in record time: just three months.
Grace’s first target is a woman, who poses a major threat to her ambition of succeeding her husband.
Joice Mujuru is a decorated veteran, a minister since 1980, and Vice-President of the Republic for ten years. She’s the widow of General Solomon Mujuru, who died in 2011 during a suspicious fire on her farm. Her nickname during war was “Teurai Ropa” – the one who spills blood. Joice enjoys undeniable legitimacy, to the point that many Zimbabweans see her as the natural heir to “Comrade Bob”.
After her appointment to political office, Grace launches a campaign against Joice Mujuru, calling her a “conspirator” who’s determined to avenge her husband’s death, and seize power. In December 2014, Mugabe gives in.
He dismisses Mujuru and eight ministers deemed close to her. Her successor as vice-president is another veteran: Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa. This will be Grace Mugabe’s second target.
Even more than Joice Mujuru, Mnangagwa is a respected personality among veterans and the leading figure of Zanu-PF’s so-called “Lacoste Group” – a reference to the crocodile-shaped logo of the famous French sportswear brand – which brings together the “liberators” of Zimbabwe. The guerrilla unit, he led, during the liberation struggle was called the “Crocodile Gang”. He was arrested by the police, tortured, and sentenced to ten years in prison for sabotage against Ian Smith’s government. Behind bars, he met Robert Mugabe. Since then, they have never left each other’s side.
North Korean advisors
For three decades, Mnangagwa executed the wishes of his leader without hesitation. As Minister of Security in 1983, he supervised the bloody “Gukurahundi” operation (“the rain that sweeps away garbage”) in Matabeleland, resulting in the deaths of 20,000 people in nine months.
In 1998, he was deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he coordinated the Zimbabwean contingent’s support for the Laurent-Désiré Kabila regime. It allows senior officers to enrich themselves through the trafficking of copper and diamonds. In both 2008 and 2013, as Minister of Defence, he played a key role in the post-election violence and repression that decimated the ranks of the opposition’s leader, Morgan Tsvangirai.
InDecember 2016, as Zimbabwe plunged further into economic and social turmoil, Zanu-PF nominated Comrade Bob, 92, as its 2018 presidential candidate. The plan devised by Grace and her G40 was simple: her husband, once re-elected, will resign in her favour. But first, she must be reappointed as vice-president.
In early 2017, as Grace prepares to take the old leader on an exhausting tour of pre-election meetings, she holds a secret meeting at the Blue Roof Manor. In his room upstairs, Robert Mugabe is asleep. In the living room downstairs, the G40 leaders gather around Grace as she explains why the Lacoste Group must be “neutralized” one by one, starting with Mnangagwa.
The two factions hold the same views, ideology, and vision.. Only the struggle for power matters. During campaign meetings Robert Mugabe falls asleep frequently as Grace and Mnangagwa challenge each other.
Arsenic poisoning?
In mid-August, a lunch is organized in the town of Gwanda on the sidelines of one of these gatherings. After consuming ice cream from Grace Mugabe’s dairy farm (seized about ten years earlier from a white owner), the vice-president collapses. He was evacuated to a hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa. Mnangagwa and his entourage are convinced that Grace laced his food with arsenic. When asked about this accusation a few days later during a talk show on ZBC, Grace laughed, saying “Why would I want to kill Mnangagwa? Who is Mnangagwa on this earth? Killing someone my husband made? It doesn’t make any sense!”.
In this hostile climate, the election campaign continues. At the beginning of October, the First Lady crosses the line: she attacks her rival directly, accusing him of fomenting a coup d’état. Standing with a microphone in her hand, dressed like a rock star, she screams: “Traitors and usurpers will be eliminated!”
Sitting to the right of the old chief, with his eyes half closed, Emmerson Mnangagwa did not react. He replies indirectly a month later, at a meeting in Bulawayo. As Grace gets up from her chair to deliver a new diatribe, the crowd, mostly made up of veterans, explodes in jeers while waving hundreds of toy crocodiles.
The message is very clear. Robert Mugabe, drawn from his sleep by the screams, immediately asks for the microphone. He lifts a boney finger and says, “You insult and denigrate the first lady on behalf of Mnangagwa? All right. I’ll fire him”.On November 6, Mnangagwa was dismissed and excluded from the party. His personal guard is unarmed.
To escape imminent arrest, he takes flight.
Emmerson Mnangagwa at Zanu-PF headquarters in Harare, Wednesday, November 22. Ben Curtis/AP/SIPA
At dawn on November 7, he leaves Harare in a convoy of three vehicles, heading southeast towards the Mozambican border. He puts on his wife’s king-size sunglasses, and a wide-brimmed safari hat. His three sons and a handful of bodyguards accompany him. When he arrives at the Mutare border crossing, police officers recognize him and draw their weapons, forcing the convoy to make a hasty U-turn. After a few kilometres, the three 4×4s take a side road and stop in front of an abandoned earthen hut. Mnangagwa and his eldest son, Junior get off and take shelter under the thatched roof, while the vehicles return to Harare.
At nightfall, they both walk along a smuggler’s trail that will take them to Mozambique. But police equipped with powerful flashlights and sniffer dogs are looking for them. Mnangagwa and Junior – who firmly holds his father’s Louis Vuitton bag containing US$8,000 in small bills – are forced to cross a swamp and crawl through the mud to escape them.
They meet a mystic with amulets, who shows them the way and chases away evil spirits in exchange for a few greenbacks. Next, they stumble upon a garbage collector armed with a rusty AK47. They pay him $500 to leave them alone.
After 24 hours in the bush, they finally arrive in the Mozambican city of Manica, with sore feet and covered in mud. From there, they move to Maputo and Johannesburg, where a disparate group of Zimbabwean opponents take care of them. It’s a strange cocktail of war veterans, Zanu-PF elders, expropriated white farmers, and human rights activists, who help them.
Gun in hand
In Harare, the news of Mnangagwa’s escape is greeted with jubilation by Grace and the G40. “Finally rid of the Crocodile!” says Mugabe. His wife’s official appointment as vice-president is scheduled for 16 November. Euphoric, Grace makes preparations for a grand ceremony but nothing will go as planned.
Mnangagwa’s escape raises Robert Mugabe’s paranoia, who fears a coup d’état. The first on his list of suspects is none other than the Chief of the Army Staff, General Constantino Chiwenga, a relative of Mnangagwa with whom he served during Operation Gukurahundi. Mugabe orders his arrest as soon as he steps on the tarmac at Harare airport after returning from a working visit to China.
In the evening of November 12, a squadron of police officers waits for Chiwenga as he gets off the plane. But, the General is aware of the plan, and takes precautions. Members of the special forces are disguised as airport maintenance staff. They surround the police officers with their weapons drawn. The attempted arrest turns into a fiasco.
The next day, Chiwenga and – from South Africa – Mnangagwa rally most of the senior officers by telephone around Operation Restore Legacy, the code name for what was nothing more than a coup d’état. On the afternoon of November 14, the operation was launched, just as Robert Mugabe began to chair the Council of Ministers. On the agenda: the inauguration of the First Lady, scheduled for the next day.
Zimbabweans celebrate Robert Mugabe’s resignation in Harare on Tuesday, November 21. Ben Curtis/AP/SIPA
It is 6pm when Robert and Grace Mugabe leave the palace. Army tanks have surrounded the barracks of the Presidential Guard, whose leader is secretly aligned to the coup plotters. The couple still have no idea what is going on.
Their convoy heads to the Blue Roof mansion in the Borrowdale suburb. In addition to the 5-ton armoured Mercedes Pullman Guard, there are four other Mercedes filled with Central Intelligence Organization (CIO) secret service agents, six police Land Rovers and two trucks carrying 30 black hooded Presidential Guard personnel.
Standing in front of the Blue Roof entrance gate, three tanks and about a hundred soldiers are waiting for them in combat position. Police officers and CIO agents raise their arms and let themselves be disarmed, while the Presidential Guard watch the scene without moving. It was then that Robert and Grace Mugabe finally understood that a coup d’état had just overthrown them. They are silent. It was only later that night, when the sick old lion had gone to bed, that Grace burst into fury in her living room.
At the same time, the army is arresting the main leaders of the G40.
All were handcuffed without resistance, with the exception of the Minister of Finance, Ignatius Chombo, whose private guard resisted. Three security guards were shot dead by the military. They’ll be the only ones who die from Operation Restore Legacy. Jonathan Moyo has better luck. He manages to escape,taking refuge in the Blue Roof mansion, from where he negotiates his fate with the new authorities: exile in Nairobi in exchange for immunity.
On the morning of 21 November, Zimbabwean deputies, who were only yesterday zealous supporters of the “national hero”, vote to dismiss him. That same afternoon, Robert Mugabe resigns for a $10 million signing bonus, legal immunity, and a promise that the couple’s property would not be seized.
The next day, Emmerson Mnangagwa returns to Harare. His first gesture is to reward the three generals who ran the operation: Chiwenga was appointed Vice-President, Perence Shiri becomes Minister of Lands, and Sibusiso Moyo takes over as Minister of Foreign Affairs. In Zimbabwe, everything moves but nothing changes.
Correspondent|United Nations special rapporteur on the right to food Hilal Elver’s preliminary report following her 11-day fact-finding mission to Zimbabwe is a poignant reminder of everything that has gone wrong with this country.
Elver concluded that Zimbabwe was on the brink of “man-made starvation” with close to 60% of the population now food insecure.
She feared that the crisis would escalate due to political instability and the deteriorating economic situation. Elver said the dire food shortages were worsened by hyperinflation.
She rightly concluded that Zimbabwe’s transformation from being “the breadbasket of Africa to now considered food insecure, with most households unable to obtain enough food to meet basic needs due to hyperinflation” was largely due to failures in governance.
From a chaotic land reform programme that destroyed Zimbabwe’s agriculture-based economy, unchecked corruption by the elite to poor economic policies and human rights violations, the country’s collapse has been well-documented before.
Elver was merely restating what Zimbabweans have debated about and begged their government to correct to no avail.
Even President Emmerson Mnangagwa two years ago acknowledged these issues when he took over from Robert Mugabe following a military coup.
Mnangagwa promised Zimbabweans “a new kind of democracy” and a swift economic revival, which he said would be achieved through a complete shift from the way things were done under Mugabe.
Elver, however, was the second UN expert to raise questions about the so-called new dispensation in less than four months after special rapporteur Clement Voule also made a damning conclusion about the deteriorating situation in the country.
As expected, the government has brushed aside Elver’s report with Information secretary Nick Mangwana insisting on social media platforms that the country’s problems were a result of droughts and sanctions.
During Mugabe’s era, the government never took responsibility for any of the problems the country faced, blaming everything on Western countries.
The destruction of agriculture and corruption that has seen the country lose billions of dollars is being done by the Zimbabwean government and until the country has a responsible leadership, the rot will continue.
Instead of burying their heads in the sand like ostriches when confronted with the truth, government officials need to take stock of the things that the country needs to do differently.
Zimbabwe is a very resource rich country and its citizens do not deserve to be starving and dying of medieval diseases such as typhoid and cholera.
Standard|Transport minister Joel Biggie Matiza has been accused of deliberately misleading cabinet in a bid to scuttle the US$400 million National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) recapitalisation project.
The Diaspora Infrastructure Development Group (DIDG), which won a 2017 tender to recapitalise the ailing national rail service, made the claims in a withering statement Friday after Matiza was quoted by the state-owned Herald newspaper saying government was forced to cancel the tender after the company failed to provide proof of funds.
DIDG, which led the winning consortium that includes South Africa’s rail service Transnet and a syndicate of banks counting Absa and Nedbank among others, is accusing Matiza of lying to cabinet in a bid to push the project to a proxy.
Company chairman Donovan Chimhandamba told The Standard they had instructed Atherstone and Cook Legal Practitioners to take legal action against Matiza in his personal capacity.
“His actions are unlawful and cannot go unchallenged, we intend to pursue this to the end.
“We are going to take legal action against Matiza in his personal capacity for abuse of government office as we can demonstrate that he employed malicious falsehoods to advance a personal agenda,” Chimhandamba said.
“It is shamefully dishonest for him to claim that we did not provide proof of funding when NRZ has already acknowledged, in writing, that it received the proof of funding and sent the same to Treasury for verification.
“The question is why Matiza is so desperate to scuttle this project that he went to the extent of lying to cabinet and the people of Zimbabwe?”
NRZ is reportedly yet to formally communicate with DIDG on the cancellation, amid claims executives are divided over the issue with some accusing Matiza of suppressing NRZ board resolutions and recommendations in his presentation to cabinet.
“The situation is quite sensitive because on one hand you have the minister saying DIDG has not provided the proof of funds and requiring us to communicate the cancellation to the consortium, while on the other hand we had already written to the consortium acknowledging the proof of funds, which has since gone to Treasury for verification,” a source inside the NRZ said, requesting anonymity for fear of victimisation.
“Nobody wants to put their signature to the letter because you expose yourself professionally and legally if you generate two contradictory letters, it’s an administrative stalemate.”
The NRZ deal has exposed fissures in government with the Herald Friday uncharacteristically allowing DIDG a right to respond carte blanche directly to Matiza’s claim.
“Proof of funding was provided timeously. The Herald has been provided with the proof of funds that includes funds from Absa, Nedbank and other banks, with Afreximbank as the lead arranger.
“This a matter of fact, not speculation … No cancellation has been communicated by the authorised legal body (NRZ) dealing with this matter.
“It is unprofessional to purport to cancel commercial agreements through newspapers,” the company said in a nearly 400-word statement..
A source said the publication of the statement was done under the threat of legal action.
“They received the proof of funding and a letter threatening legal action if the paper did not retract the article.
“The paper could not retract the article because the statements attacking DIDG were issued by a competent authority, so the only option was to give them a right to respond,” the source said.
“It was a difficult situation because the usual government channels have not commented in support of Matiza. So nobody is clear if the attack on DIDG was sponsored by government or if it is a personal project that could come back to haunt the paper.” Meanwhile, NRZ advisors Deloitte have been sucked into the scandal after they allegedly started reporting directly to Matiza despite having been contracted by NRZ. DIDG is advised by Atherstone and Cook, Webber Wentzel, EY, Sandama Legal and Costa Madzonga Attorneys.
“The accusation that we avoided the Transport ministry and Deloitte are without merit for the simple reason that the contracting party is NRZ.
“Deloitte is an advisor to NRZ and the there is no basis for us to engage them or the Ministry of Transport,” Chimhandamba said.
“We communicate directly with NRZ and we made it clear to Deloitte after they attempted to communicate directly with us that there was no legal basis for such communication.
“Matiza appears to be dealing directly with Deloitte which is something of a curiosity as their fiduciary responsibility is to NRZ.”
NRZ faces liabilities emanating from the transaction after Transnet delivered 13 locomotives and 200 wagons in 2018 as an interim solution.
At least US$5 million in unpaid lease fees would become due if the transaction falls through. DIDG has reportedly incurred transaction costs in the region of US$8 million in structuring the deal. Efforts to secure comment from the mandated lead arranger, Afreximbank, were unsuccessful.
Africa’s largest online market place for safari holidays on the African continent, SafariBookings, has named Zimbabwe among the continent’s finest safari destinations for the year 2019.
Zimbabwe was awarded a rating of 4,38 out of 5 rating, placing it at number 4 among a list of 12 African countries with the best jaw-dropping safari adventures.
The country is endowed with world famous attractions such as the majestic Victoria Falls, the mystique Nyanga as well as a variety of wildlife species found in a few places world wide.
Despite Africa having several countries endowed with various safari adventures and attractions, Zimbabwe fourth out of more than 4 000 reviews that were analysed by Safari Bookings.
In terms of rankings, Botswana retained the number one slot with a 4,61 rating, followed by Tanzania at 4,55 and Zambia with 4,46 points then Zimbabwe was number four with 4,39 points.
Other that were rated include Kenya, South Africa, Namibia, Uganda, Rwanda, Swaziland, Mozambique and Malawi which came in that order.
Safari Bookings said, “A study in alternating landscapes, from the stark, arid beauty of the Kalahari Desert with its bellowing black-maned lions to the Okavango Delta, famed for its shimmering, winding waterways and profusion of elephants – on average had the highest scores, though Tanzania was not far behind.
“A closer analysis of the results throws up a surprise: when broken down the results tell us that the industry experts rated Botswana the highest, but that there was a preference for Zimbabwe amongst safari-goers.”
The safari industry is expected to generate at least US$7 billion annually by 2030, which seems quite promising if planned programme to stimulate the industry are implemented.
Tourism promotion body, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) recently participated at the Incentive Business Travel and Meetings (IBTM) World Exhibition to promote the country as a Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) destination extending the country’s potential in harnessing safari returns .
The developments follow Government’s extended incentives to support the tourism industry to reach its full potential.
Tourism is one of the fastest growing industries in the world and many countries rely on it.
The sector’s strategic importance stems from the fact that the tourism sector has some form of resilience to challenges that may affect other economic sectors.
The industry’s earnings reached US$1 billion last year.
by Grace Kwinjeh | The opposition movement in its different shades and stripes must never be a laundromat, a cleansing ground for former Zanu PF politicians with a track record of leading violent campaigns against innocent civilians, with impunity.
Savior Kasukuwere’s call to fame in Zanu PF and why there are nostalgic feelings for his ‘heroic’ return, sends chills down my spine, because that call only reminds me of his role in the project to totally annihilate the opposition, it is about a past characterised by violence, torture and killings.
After the mistake of supporting the 2017 coup, one would assume, we have learnt a bitter lesson, we are wiser, are more strategic in our thinking, towards a new narrative, that defines a Zimbabwe led by men and women who have a clean past.
Men and women who will unite the nation, facilitate a process of healing, reconciliation, justice and accountability. Not one person in Zanu PF in its present form or out of it can do that, because Zanu PF by its nature has the DNA of violence, kleptomaniacs who care for no-one else.
I remember during the 2000 elections I was working at Harvest House, when Zanu PF unleashed one of its most violent campaigns in the Mashonaland Central Province.
It was a horror scene only replica of a country at war, with two armed sides, not an attack on innocent civilians. Our support group at the time one evening, brought in truckloads of women, men, children, mutilated, scarred, bloody bodies, open deep wounds, some burnt with open blisters, it was a terrible site. With reports of rape too. We cleared the boardroom for them to find rest and be secure, while we looked for medical help.
Mashonaland Central the Headquarters of the Border Gezi Training Centre, named after the late politician, Border Gezi, became notorious for violence, ‘no go area’ the MDC did not win any of the ten seats in the whole province, in the 2000 Parliamentary elections.
Torture camps had been set up where identified opposition members were targeted, sent there and could only thank their maker if they lived to tell their story.
Not to mention extra-judicial killings, we all remember Trymore Midzi, Pvebve and the well over two hundred well documented cases of our supporters who were mercilessly slaughtered during the violent campaigns.
Kasukuwere must account for the Chaona massacre in 2008, well documented evidence on how on the on the 5th May 2008, he “organized and ferried a group of over 300 youths to Chaona, Mazowe where a lot of people were seriously injured and six people were killed. The youths were wearing Kasukuwere’s campaign T- shirts.”
This pattern would repeat itself in the next elections, over years, in the sealed no go areas, that were closed for opposition campaigns, as Zanu PF sought to totally annihilate the opposition MDC party. The party survived and may Morgan Tsvangirai’s soul rest in peace, the memory of what he stood for not die because of political expediency.
Calling Kasukuwere out in his role in the violence over the years is a must, he has to redeem himself, earn the confidence and trust of Zimbabweans.
The pain of witnessing scenes of attacks, hearing testimonies of victims and burying the dead, brings a notch in my stomach, the trauma in these communities is yet to heal, for them to have the source of their grief unleashed on them as their ‘savior’.
It is demonstrably foolhardy, that Kasukuwere’s current call to fame is violent, thuggish behavior, which is attracting those supporting him, as the only viable possibility of meeting Zanu PF , ‘fire with fire’ in its bloody onslaught against citizens.
It is a desperate and warped thinking, to assume that the very people who tormented and caused untold suffering to us over the past decades, are the ones who should be entrusted with leading us to a democratic Zimbabwe.
As we languish under the new dispensation birthed by a coup many supported under the false illusion we had arrived, two years later nothing has changed, Zanu PF under Emmerson Mnangagwa remains arrogant and intransigent. Its DNA of violence and looting remains the same.
A slow genocide describes the situation in our country, people are dying not because of life threatening illnesses, but a selfish leadership that simply refuses to take responsibility, be accountable to citizens by appropriating resources to important sectors such as health.
Furthermore, this conversation around Kasukuwere’s Presidential ambitions gives Zanu PF a false sense of comfort, that there is life after killing and torturing innocent civilians, only if one joins the opposition.
Kasukuwere is said to be exiled in South-Africa home to hundreds of victims of violence, home to mai Tandare who lost her husband Gift on March 10 2007, after he was shot, point blank in cold blood.
Let future generations judge us correctly, recycling expired Zanu PF politicians would be a serious indictment against us. Not Yet Uhuru.
Standard|Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga yesterday held a homecoming party where his wife and senior Zanu PF officials were conspicuous by their absence.
Chiwenga, who returned to Zimbabwe on November 23 after spending over four months at a Chinese hospital, did not mention his wife Mary’s name in his 25-minute long address to his relatives and church leaders that attended yesterday’s event in rural Wedza.
This followed reports that the former army commander dumped his wife while on his sickbed under unclear circumstances.
Chiwenga said people that stood by him during his illness were Health and Child Care minister John Mangwiro, who accompanied him to India and South Africa as well as China.
He also mentioned some of his close security details and a female nurse employed by the army.
“There are people who stood by me during all these days when I was battling sickness,” he said.
“Deputy minister Mangwiro, who is not here today was there for me till the end.”
He said if he had not been airlifted to China from South Africa chances were that he was not going to return home alive.
“President Mnangagwa didn’t only act like a leader, but also like a brother,” he said.
“He called Chinese President Xi Jinping so that I could be assisted there. It was bad and at one point I would even forget what I had done.
“If I had gone for a week or three days in South Africa, I could have been history,” he said.
Mary was also not at the Robert Mugabe International Airport to welcome her husband on his return from China.
Chiwenga, who arrived aboard a Chinese plan in the early hours of the morning was received by his brother and son as well as China’s deputy ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhao Boagang.
There were no government or Zanu PF officials at the airport. At the Wedza event where Chiwenga travelled by helicopter, soldiers outnumbered police officers.
The guests were mainly close family members, army generals, neighbours, villagers and members of the Roman Catholic Church.
Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs minister Aplonia Munzverengi was the highest ranked government official at the event while Zanu PF’s provincial vice chairperson Michael Madanha was the most prominent guest from the ruling party.
During Chiwenga’s absence, there were reports of resurgent factionalism in Zanu PF with some bigwigs allegedly pushing for his removal on the grounds that he was incapacitated because of his health woes.
Meanwhile, Chiwenga revealed that he was suffering from a blocked oesophagus. The oesophagus is a mascular tube that connects the mouth to the stomach.
“After falling sick in October last year, no one thought I would be alive today,” the VP said.
He said he was confined to hospital wards for six months.
“I was in the intensive care unit for several months. I also spent several months in a ward,” he said.
“I was happy to see the sun for the first time in six months (on arrival in Harare) and that was last Saturday,” Chiwenga added, while standing just a metre from his late parents and siblings’ graves.
After the speeches, Chiwenga immediately flew back to Harare by helicopter while others, including villagers remained behind to feast.
Zanu PF supporters were seen trooping to the VP’s home long after he had left.
President Hage Geingob and his ruling Namibian South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) party won Wednesday’s election, the country’s electoral commission announced.
The SWAPO party received over 56 percent of the votes for the national assembly, significantly less than during the last elections when the party, which has been in power since independence in 1990, won 80 percent of the vote, Saturday’s results showed.
Independent candidate Itula Panduleni Filemon Bango finished second, with just over 29 percent of the vote.
Disaffection, especially among Namibia’s jobless youth, fueled support for former Swapo member and dentist Itula, 62, who ran as an independent candidate.
Geingob celebrated his win even before the official results were made public.
“I am humbled and commit to serve the Namibian nation with more passion and utmost dedication, to bring tangible improvements in the lives of our citizens,” Geingob wrote on Facebook on Saturday afternoon. “I have heard you.”
Fishrot corruption scandal
Geingob’s win comes days after allegations of corruption and money laundering in the Namibian fishing industry led to the resignation and arrest of two government ministers in the wake of a joint investigation by Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit, the Icelandic State Broadcaster RUV, and the Icelandic magazine Stundin.
Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Bernhard Esau, and minister of Justice, Sacky Shanghala, resigned following the revelations.
The two were accused of taking bribes in return for giving Samherji, one of Iceland’s largest fishing companies, preferential access to Namibia’s rich fishing grounds.
James Hatuikulipi resigned as chairman of the state-owned fishing company, while the CEO of Samherji, Thorsteinn Mar Baldvinsson, stepped aside from his post pending an independent investigation.
Both ministers were arrested following the Al Jazeera investigation, Anatomy of a Bribe, which will be released in full on December 1.
Several businessmen related to the scheme, including Esau’s son-in-law Tamson Hatuikulipi and his cousin James Hatuikulipi, were also taken into custody.
The group of six are accused of fraud and corruption. They deny all wrongdoing.
Slow vote counting
In recent days, Namibians expressed frustration over what they considered the slow pace of vote-counting.
In 2014, provisional results were announced a day after voting took place.
Opposition parties also complained about the use of electronic voting machines, fearing the lack of paper could facilitate fraud.
Despite being one of the most mineral-rich countries in Africa, with diamonds, silver, uranium, copper, zinc and gold representing more than 30 percent of its exports, the nation of some 2.5 million has been hit by an economic slowdown while unemployment – especially among the younger generation – remains stubbornly high.
In addition, economic inequality among the country’s black and white population is glaring. About six percent of the country’s inhabitants are white, with some German-speaking descendants from the colonial era and others originally from South Africa.
The country is also experiencing one of its worst droughts in history, wreaking havoc on crops, scorching grazing lands and threatening the food supply.
Joice Dube | Mary Chiwenga is missing from the public eye, fuelling speculation that all is not well between her and husband General Constantino Chiwenga.
The general’s close family and friends gathered in his rural home Wedza, Saturday, to welcome him back home, after he spent several months in China where he was receiving medical treatment.
Upon his return home, last Saturday, Chiwenga was met at the airport by the Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe and close family and friends, Mary his wife was nowhere in site.
Chiwenga has made other public appearances which include the inspection of the new parliament building, which is being constructed by Shanghai Construction Group, through a grant from the Chinese government.
Speculation has been rife, with several theories being put forward as to why the ‘second First Lady’ was missing from the public eye, with some advancing conspiracy theories on her role regarding her husband’s health.
Socialite William Gerald Mutumanje was equally concerned , “Are we really all going to act like we didn’t notice kuti Mary was not at the Airport to recieve her husband, neither was she at home pauya vaenzi? Rega nditaurire hangu.”
Other theories being advanced, claim that the general did not take kindly to Mary pushing him to formalise their marriage while he was on his ‘death bed.’
It is also reported that the increasingly paranoid general, while still in China had fired his close security from the dreaded Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), also ordering his wife Mary to return home.
Speaking at the Wedza bash Chiwenga instead thanked his boss ZANU PF President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, for his ‘brotherly love’, and Zimbabweans in general for praying for him, no mention made of his likely estranged wife Mary.
State Media|VICE President Kembo Mohadi has warned Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) officers against ill-treating inmates, saying their conscience should be guided by the need to observe human rights.
He was speaking at the 148th ZPCS pass-out parade at Ntabazinduna Prison Training School yesterday, where 553 prison officers, 150 of whom were females, graduated after six months of training.
VP Mohadi said corruption is a cancer, which would not be tolerated in the Second Republic.
“As correctional officers, you should desist from corrupt activities and lead by example. We expect you to treat inmates with utmost fairness, respect and dignity while displaying courage in the performance of your sworn duty. Your conscience should always be guided by the need to observe human rights,” he said.
The Vice President said corruption negates the gains towards the achievement of an upper middle-income economy by 2030.
“The reconstitution and consolidation of the powers of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission by His Excellency the President Cde ED Mnangagwa is testimony of our zero tolerance to corruption. There will be no sacred cows and therefore, you as incoming correctional officers as well as those already serving should read the writing clearly. Boldly join the crusade against corruption,” he said.
VP Mohadi said there is a need to build communities and a society that has strong values through a correctional service that supports the grooming of citizens through a positive penal system.
“Peace and nation building are integral to economic and social development. A positive correctional service therefore is a critical restorative vehicle for the building of peace. Your fight against crime as well as the rehabilitation of the offender is key to guiding the citizen on economic and social development,” he said.
Turning to the graduates, VP Mohadi congratulated the recruits for successfully undergoing a rigorous training programme, in which only nine failed to make the grade and had to drop out.
The areas covered during training included constitutionalism, the criminal justice and prisons penal system in Zimbabwe, prison administration, rehabilitation, drill and weapon-handling, health and hygiene, the Mandela Rules (formerly the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the treatment of offenders) and civic education.
“I am convinced that the training that you underwent will unlock opportunities for further career development. The professional world you are going into is dynamic and competitive and it requires determination and commitment,” VP Mohadi said.
The VP said despite the prevailing economic hardships that the country is going through due to illegal sanctions, Zimbabweans must be patient, as the measures being implemented by the Government were part of the stabilisation process to grow the economy.
ZPCS Commissioner-General Retired Major-General Paradzai Zimondi said the correctional services has transformed from a punitive and retributive approach to a more rehabilitative approach.
“Following the 2013 constitutional developments which saw ZPCS being rebranded and reconfigured, the organisation is embracing and scaling up the offender rehabilitation and reintegration thrust. In this regard, the ZPCS has moved from a retributive approach and embraced the rehabilitation approach in the management of our prisons,” he said.
Rtd Maj-Gen Zimondi said as a result, their training officers must impart to inmates skills that they will utilise upon release from prison in line with international best prison practices.
Correspondent|THE police last night dismissed a video which went viral on social media yesterday as an old footage from the violence which occurred in Harare three years ago when one of its cars was burnt by rioters.
In the video, dated November 26, but without the year, an angry mob could be seen tearing an officer’s hat and later burning a police car from the national quartermaster division.
This led to frenzied speculation that the incident happened on Tuesday along Harare street.
“I can confirm that this is an old video from August 2016 when one of our cars from the Police General Headquarters (PGHQ) was burnt when our officers had been deployed to do their tasks in the city centre.On the same day that one of our vehicles was burnt, the ZBC had also its car set alight. People who are circulating the video are trying to create an impression that it is very recent,” national police spokesman, Paul Nyathi said last night.
The first conference of ZANU was held in 1969 with Chitepo as Chairman.ZANU was formed 8 August 1963 when Ndabaningi Sithole, Henry Hamadziripi, Mukudzei Midzi, Herbert Chitepo, Edgar Tekere and Leopold Takawira decided to split from ZAPU the formation was commenced at the house of Enos Nkala in Highfield.The founders were dissatisfied with the militant tactics of Nkomo.
In contrast to future developments, both parties drew from both the Shona and the Ndebele, the two major tribes of the country. Both ZANU and ZAPU formed political wings within the country (under those names) and military wings: the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) and the Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) respectively to fight the struggle from neighbouring countries – ZANLA from Mozambique and Zambia, and ZIPRA from Zambia and Mozambique. The founding fathers of ZANU grew very impatient with the old way of politics playing at ZAPU. So ZANU was a militant organisation that fought against white minority rule in Rhodesia, formed as a split from the Zimbabwe African People’s Union ZANU founders had grown tired of the games being played by the colonisers who continued to plunder our wealth sharing amongst themselves. However ZANU had to split in 1975 into wings loyal to Robert Mugabe and Ndabaningi Sithole, later respectively called ZANU–PF and ZANU – Ndonga. These two sub-divisions ran separately at the 1980 general election, where ZANU-PF has been in power ever since, and ZANU – Ndonga a minor opposition party faded into History. Dare ReChimurenga was a Zanu War Council that led in the confrontation with the Rhodesian colonial regime as part of the Second Chimurenga. Dare ReChimurenga was initially led by Herbert Chitepo as chairman and Noel Mukono as Secretary of Defence. Dare ReChimurenga was created as a wing of the Zanu party soon after its formation in 1964.
Dare ReChimurenga has been likened to the modern day politburo in Zanu-PF. The Dare met regularly with the High Command. It’s role in the liberation war was to deal with administrative issues while High Command comprised commanders responsible for executing the war. Dare ReChimurenga would source materials for the war from all over the world. This Dare was like some central government outside Rhodesia. Members Members of the Dare reChimurenga elected at the biennial conferences and their portfolios. The Dare was expanded from four to eight members in 1969. At the 1971 review conference two people lost their positions and one resigned. Of those elected in 1971, four people were replaced at the 1973 conference and the military was represented for the first time when Tongogara came in. So from the formation of ZANU the conference was held once after every two years. Before the first conference of 1969 Herbert Chitepo led as Chairman. Cde Noel Mukono was the Defence Secretary Cde Henry Hamadziripi was the Secretary for finance he was a Zimbabwean politician, member of the Dare ReChimurenga, member and co-founder of ZANU. Hamadziripi was allegedly involved together with Joram Gumbo, Mukudzei, Joseph Chimurenga and Augustine Chihuri in the 1978 rebellion against the ZANU’s top leadership.
Hamadziripi and Mukudzei Midzi were jailed by Robert Mugabe in Mozambique in 1978 for rebelling against his leadership.Hamadziripi died a pauper and were denied burial at Zimbabwe National Heroes Acre. Secretary for Administration was cde Mukudzei Midzi.
1969 there was the first Biennial Review Conference Herbert Chitepo retained the Chairmanship while cde Noel Mukono took the Defence secretariat with Hamadziripi retaining the Finance position cde Mukudzei Midzi remained at Administration.
The conference agreed to extend the Dare and cde Nathan Shamuyarira was elected as External Affairs Secretary. Cde Taziana Mtizwa was elected publicity secretary with cde Stanley Parirewa as welfare and Social Affairs Secretary with Political affairs given to cde Simpson Mutambanengwe. In 1971 Biennial Review Conference cde Richard Hove was elected external affairs secretary replacing cde Shamuyarira. A new department of publicity was created and was headed by cde Washington Malianga. With the rest maintaining their positions. In 1973 Biennial Review Conference Noel Mukono was elected to be in charge of External Affairs and Cde Kumbirai Kangai was elected to head Labour social services and welfare replacing cde Parirewa. Cde Rufaro Gumbo was elected Information and Publicity while cde John Mataure was elected secretary for Political affairs and cde Josiah Magama Tongogara landing on defence. It has been alleged by some members of the Dare ReChimurenga that some leaders in Dare ReChimurenga were selling information to the Smith regime.
While DareRechimurenga was seized with the sellouts scandal cde Herbert Chitepo was murdered in Zambia. After Herbert CHitepo’s assassination at his home in a car bomb in 1975 in Lusaka, Zambia, some Dare ReChimurenga Gumbo and Kangai were arrested by the Zambian government. Speculation was rife Kangai was involved in the murder of Chitepo, but Gumbo defended him. Later in an interview Gumbo said: We were arrested by the Zambian government on March 18, 1975 over the murder of Chitepo but we put out a position that he was murdered by the Rhodesian forces. We were incarcerated in Zambia at Kabwe Maximum Prison which is just like Chikurubi Maximum Prison here. Kangai was not involved in the killing of Chitepo even though all of us were arrested; none of us was involved. There was nothing of that nature.
The Dare ReChimurenga would coordinate its activities with those who were in prison in Rhodesia using letters that were smuggled into the prisons. These prisoners would help with advice. In 1977 cde Robert Mugabe chaired the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) group from 1975 to 1980 and led its successor political party, the ZANU – Patriotic Front (ZANU–PF), from 1980 to 2017. In 2017 Emerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa took over the reigns of the party and government.
Cde Mnangagwa was born in 1942 in Shabani, Southern Rhodesia, to a large Shona family. His parents were farmers, and in the 1950s he had to move with his family to Northern Rhodesia because of his father’s political activism. There, he became active in anti-colonial politics, and in 1963, he joined the newly-formed Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army, the militant wing of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), and returned to Rhodesia in 1964. Leading a group called the “Crocodile Gang”, he attacked white-owned farms in the Eastern Highlands.
In 1965, he bombed a train near Fort Victoria (now Masvingo) and was imprisoned for ten years, after which he was released and deported back to Northern Rhodesia, by then independent as Zambia. He then studied law at the University of Zambia and later at the University of London, and practiced as an attorney. He soon left legal private practice and went to Portuguese Mozambique to rejoin ZANU. There he was assigned to be Robert Mugabe’s assistant and bodyguard, accompanying him to the Lancaster House Agreement, which resulted in the recognised independence of Zimbabwe in 1980.
After independence, Mnangagwa held a series of senior Cabinet positions under Mugabe. From 1980 to 1988, he was the country’s first Minister of State Security, and oversaw the Central Intelligence Organisation. Mnangagwa was Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs from 1989 to 2000 and then served as Speaker of the Parliament from 2000 to 2005, when he was demoted to Minister of Rural Housing . Mnangagwa served as Minister of Defence from 2009 until 2013, when he became Minister of Justice again. He was also appointed First Vice-President in 2014 and was widely considered to be a leading candidate to succeed Mugabe. He secured his first full term as President in the July 2018 election with 50.8% of the vote.
Mnangagwa is nicknamed “Garwe” or “Ngwena”, which means “the crocodile” in the Shona language,initially because that was the name of the guerrilla group he founded, but later because of his political shrewdness. This conference is the second conference cde Mnangagwa is to preside as the party president and First Secretary.
Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga yesterday revealed he was battling a disease of the oesophagus during his four-month stint in hospital.
The disease made it difficult for him to eat as he could not swallow anything.
He said this at a homecoming Roman Catholic Church mass held for him at his rural home in Wedza.
His recovery, he said, was nothing short of a miracle.
“I was telling colleagues that I spent close to six months without seeing the sun. I only saw it this last Saturday upon returning home,” he said.
“I want to thank you all for your prayers. Those prayers made me to survive. “Since I started falling sick in October last year, there were not many who thought I would heal completely. There were not many who thought I would be standing before you like this.
“The sickness is called idiopathic oesophageal stricture. It means that you cannot take in food and also you cannot even vomit. It involves blocking of the oesophagus and I spent a lot of time in the intensive care unit.”
VP Chiwenga thanked President Emmerson Mnangagwa for facilitating his treatment in China.
He also paid tribute to Chinese doctors and his team, led by Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Dr John Mangwiro, which accompanied him to China and other countries where he sought treatment.
On the striking doctors who are still refusing to return to work, the VP Chiwenga said:
“We are the most educated country in Africa, but I do not understand what has become of the young people . . . Every day, they want to make rich pickings, with little sweat. Where is that spirit coming from?
“Let us put the interests of our country first and have a unity of purpose. That is the Zimbabwe we want.
“Yesterday (Friday), we had a meeting with church leaders, whose leaders included . . . Archbishop Robert Christopher Ndlovu and other church leaders.
“The President said Government had done all it could and it was no longer clear what the doctors really want. They got 30 percent, they refused; they got 60 percent and they refused again.
Government then gave them a 100 percent increment, but again they refused.
“All that time, people were dying because the doctors were not at work. Doctors should respect the sanctity of life.”State media
Former President Robert Mugabe’s wealth will be revealed in a few days’ time, putting to rest much speculation and conjecture.
This week the Master of the High Court is expected to give the full list of what he owned, including investments, houses, cash and gifts ranging from cattle, precious minerals and even wild animals.
A Government gazette published on November 15 confirmed the registration of the estate.
“Notice is hereby given that the estate of the under-mentioned deceased persons, minors or persons whose whereabouts are unknown, are unrepresented and that the next of kin, creditors or other persons concerned are required to attend on the dates and at the times and places specified, for the selection of an executor, tutor or curator dative, as the case may be,” read the notice, which appeared with Mugabe’s name.
The estate, if published in full, will either confirm or put paid to various truths and untruths held by the public.
Mugabe died in Singapore on September 6 after battling ill-health since April. He was 95.
His widow, Grace, daughter Bona and sons, Robert Jnr and Bellarmine Chatunga, are likely to be beneficiaries of whatever the late former president left behind.State media
Tinotenda Kadewere scored a twice on Friday night as Le Havre registered a 2-1 victory at Rodez in the French Ligue 2.
The Zimbabwean striker who now have 4 braces this season struck in the second half to see his side coming from behind to win the match.
Kadewere first found the back of the net a minute into the second half to restore parity for the Sky-and-Navy. He came back again ten minutes later and got the winner after converting from the spot.
The 23-year-old also scored on his return from an injury last weekend against Guingamp. He leads on the Ligue 2 scoring chart with 15 goals from sixteen games.
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s deputy Constantino Chiwenga has revealed the illness that made him bedridden for several months in China, a condition previously linked to HIV AIDS.
Chiwenga was speaking at his rural home celebrating his return to “good health.”
While criticising Zimbabwean doctors and at the same time praising Chinese medics, Chiwenga revealed more on his illness.
He said he was suffering from a disease called idiopathic oesophageal stricture.
He quoted by the Sunday Mail said,
“I was telling colleagues that I spent close to six months without seeing the sun. I only saw it this last Saturday upon returning home,” said Chiwenga.
He continued saying:
“I want to thank you all for your prayers. Those prayers made me to survive. “Since I started falling sick in October last year, there were not many who thought I would heal completely. There were not many who thought I would be standing before you like this.
“The sickness is called idiopathic oesophageal stricture. It means that you cannot take in food and also you cannot even vomit. It involves blocking of the oesophagus and I spent a lot of time in the intensive care unit.”
An academic reading (below) links the condition to HIV AIDS. FULL TEXT:
https://youtu.be/rrHSMVjgWmo
Idiopathic midesophageal stricture: a new cause of dysphagia in a patient with AIDS.
Shapiro BD, et al. South Med J. 1997.
Show full citation
Abstract
A number of disorders may result in the complaint of dysphagia in HIV-infected patients. These include fungal, viral, bacterial, parasitic, medication-induced, and idiopathic lesions in the esophagus. In the current case, a 32-year-old man with advanced HIV infection had recurrent bouts of esophageal stricture. No ulcer was associated with this stricture. No infectious causes of the stricture could be determined. The patient required multiple upper endoscopies and dilatations for treatment of this stricture and subsequently had a food impaction. This is the first case in the medical literature of an idiopathic stricture in the middle portion of the esophagus in an HIV-infected patient. We postulate that this lesion may have been caused by the patient’s medications. Esophageal strictures should be considered in HIV-infected patients with severe dysphagia or food-bolus impactions of the esophagus.
A self-styled prophet from Jahana village in Gokwe under Chief Njelele was dragged to the chief’s traditional court after it was discovered that he was having sexual relations with three of his female congregants who are all married.
The man of cloth, Madzibaba Nathaniel Shumba, confessed to having illicit relationships with Tabeth Moyo, Getrude Shangani and Tambirai Mashoko saying he proposed to them.
The matter came to light when the three women’s husbands reported the matter to Chief Njelele after discovering that the man of cloth was having illicit affairs with their wives.
Chief Njelele in whose jurisdiction the area falls under confirmed the incident.
“Last week l presided over a matter of a prophet known as Madzibaba Shumba who slept with three married women who are his congregants. He confessed before a fully packed court to having extra marital affairs with the women saying he simply proposed love to them and they agreed,” he said.
Chief Njelele said the husbands to the three women reported the matter to him after they stumbled upon various love messages from Madzibaba in their wives’ phones.
“The men came to report the matter after they saw love messages that were from Madzibaba Shumba. The women would tell their husbands that they were going to church, each time they had an appointment with the man of cloth where they would have sex with the prophet in church and sometimes in the bush.”
Chief Njelele said he ordered Prophet Shumba to pay three head of cattle to each of the women’s husbands.
“I ordered him to pay three cows to each man for disrespecting them in such a manner. That means all in all he will part with nine cows.
“I also warned the three women to respect themselves and their husbands by not engaging in extra marital affairs.
If they feel that they are not happy with their husbands they should leave instead of engaging in sexual relationships with other men yet they are married,” he said.B-Metro
Liverpool have confirmed their midfielder Fabinho will be out for the rest of the year after suffering an injury during the 1-1 draw against Napoli in the Champions League.
The Brazilian who has established himself as a core member of the team damaged his ankle ligament after falling awkwardly during a challenge. He was subbed off just 18 minutes into the game.
“Liverpool can confirm Fabinho suffered ankle ligament damage during the Champions League encounter with Napoli in midweek,” reads a statement posted on the club’s official website.
“Further assessment on the injury has discovered Fabinho will be out of action until the New Year.
“The Brazilian will begin a rehabilitation programme with the Reds’ medical team at Melwood as he works his way back to full fitness.”
Fabinho’s injury is a blow to the Reds who are pursuing their first league title in 30 years. They currently lead the EPL standings with an 8-point gap.Soccer 24
The Young African Leaders Forum (YALF) invites interested Africans to submit research articles for publication in the third edition of its Young African Leaders Journal of Development (YALJOD). The journal is aimed at fostering the collective progress and development of the African people, and it provides the blueprint for the development objectives and implementation plans of many international organisations in Africa.
YALJOD is a biennial journal of development established to host scholarly analysis and competing viewpoints about the development of Africa. YALF’s motive for establishing this historic journal is to garner the ideas of young Africans as pertaining the development of the continent. During the official launch of its first edition at the African Union Headquarters in October 2016, Founder and President of YALF, Prince Ifoh, revealed the organisation’s plans to take the strategic journal into all corners of the continent. According to him, there is a strong implementation policy which ensures that ideal solutions published in the journal are practically implemented to have the right impact on the African people. The journal is available at the African Union Headquarters, in several universities’ libraries, civil societies and government parastatals across the globe. A downloadable e-Book version is also available on the digital library of Kennesaw States University, United States.
YALJOD is Africa’s most popular youth-led journal of development, and its multidisciplinary approach makes it more formidable. It accepts papers from varied disciplinary areas – including Social Sciences, Physical Sciences and Humanities – that show direct relevance to the development of Africa. In this sense, it publishes researches understood as highlighting the social, political, cultural and technological processes of positive change in the continent. The specially targeted audience of the journal are the continent’s leadership operators and stakeholders, national governments, civil societies and NGOs, development academics, researchers and youth leaders.
GUIDELINES FOR THE SUBMISSION OF ARTICLES
Articles submitted to YALJOD must be original work that has not been published previously, and is not currently under consideration by any other publication. Any consequences for the violation of copyright laws or infringement will be duly borne by the defaulting author. The journal is scholarly peer-reviewed.
Please carefully read through and ensure you comply with the stated guidelines as any breach of the submission rules may lead to the rejection of your paper.
· Each paper must be accompanied by the Author’s profile summary of no more than 100 words. This should include Author’s qualification and other affiliations.
· Each paper must be accompanied by an abstract of not more than 150 words.
· Article must not exceed 3,500 words.
· All articles must be properly proofread by the author.
· Articles must be double spaced.
· Tables, models, diagrams or photographs should be within the text, and NOT as appendix.
· Citations and referencing should follow the recent APA style.
· Manuscripts should be submitted via regular email, and should take the form of attachment formatted in MICROSOFT WORD (send to [email protected] )
· Author must be willing to participate in the launch or present the paper in any of the YALF Conferences when called upon.
We are regrettably unable to provide individualised critiques of most of the manuscripts that we reject. However, we will ensure we confirm the receipt of articles once they arrive.
The 3rd edition of YALJOD will be officially launched at the African Union Headquarters in October, 2020. For more information, visit www.yalfafrica.org/YALJOD
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF PAPERS IS MARCH 31, 2020.
Emmerson Mnangagwa, in his capacity as the chairman of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation has denounced attacks on civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) a rebel group in Uganda and DRC.
Reports suggest that the attacks resulted in the death of about 80 civilians thereby triggering the violent demonstrations against United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) peacekeepers.
In a statement, Mnangagwa expressed condolences to the government and the People of DRC, as well as the bereaved families. Part of the statement reads:
The attacks in Beni have resulted in the death of approximately 80 people, as well as the injury and displacement of many people.
SADC is resolute in voicing its condemnation of the attacks that the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) continue to perpetrate on the civilian population in the DRC.
These remarks have attracted criticism from Zimbabwean observers who said that Mnangagwa was “hypocritical” since he “unleashed a reign of terror” on civilians back home.
Analysts also observed that the democratic space in Zimbabwe has been diminishing lately.Credit:NewsDay
Emmerson Mnangagwa, in his capacity as the chairman of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation has denounced attacks on civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) a rebel group in Uganda and DRC.
Reports suggest that the attacks resulted in the death of about 80 civilians thereby triggering the violent demonstrations against United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) peacekeepers.
In a statement, Mnangagwa expressed condolences to the government and the People of DRC, as well as the bereaved families. Part of the statement reads:
The attacks in Beni have resulted in the death of approximately 80 people, as well as the injury and displacement of many people.
SADC is resolute in voicing its condemnation of the attacks that the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) continue to perpetrate on the civilian population in the DRC.
These remarks have attracted criticism from Zimbabwean observers who said that Mnangagwa was “hypocritical” since he “unleashed a reign of terror” on civilians back home.
Analysts also observed that the democratic space in Zimbabwe has been diminishing lately.Credit:NewsDay
Farai Dziva|Controversial MDC T vice president
Obert Gutu , has described Doug Coltart, as “the son of a Rhodesian-era Selous Scout.”
Gutu further argued that Doug and his father (David Coltart) should apologise for pre-independence atrocities perpetrated by government agents during that time.
Gutu posted the controversial remarks on Twitter.
“The son of a Rhodesian-era Selous Scout is crying louder than the bereaved!
This guy, together with his racist Rhodesia Front Selous Scout father, must firstly apologise & repent for the murderous & genocidal crimes they committed at Chimoio & Nyadzonia in Mozambique in Nov. 1977,” argued Gutu.
Paul Nyathi|MDC Alliance councillor for Marondera Central, Charles Ngwena who was recently arrested with party activist Paul Chikuni for instructing police officers to arrest President Emmerson Mnanagwa instead for organising an anti-sanctions march, were yesterday set free by Marondera magistrate Patience Chirimo.
The pair represented by human rights lawyer Tinashe Chinopfukutwa was initially charged for undermining the authority of the President, but the offence was altered to obstructing the course of justice were acquitted on any wrong doing by the court.
Ngwena is a councillor for ward 4 in Marondera Central while Chikuni is a municipal police officer.
On October 23, at around midday, police officers identified as Constables Nyambisi, Mutiforo and Moyo all from ZRP Marondera Central were on patrol at Marondera Bus Terminus when they arrested Patrick Chabvata (31) who was selling bananas in a push cart.
It is alleged that while escorting Chabvata to the police station, the police officers passed by Ngwena and Chikuni who were in their Toyota Prado parked in central Marondera.
It is alleged that Ngwena shouted at the police officers in vernacular saying: “Mapurisa munopenga munosunga vanhu vanotambura endai munosunga Emmerson ari kuita ma anti-sanctions march (You police officers are insane. You are busy arresting poor people instead of arresting Emmerson who is organising anti-sanctions marches).
Chikuni allegedly disembarked from the vehicle and grabbed Chabvata’s push cart and pushed it away. The altercation attracted attention of passers-by who converged at the scene resulting in the police officers leaving, fearing for their safety.
Farai Dziva|Controversial MDC T vice president
Obert Gutu , has described Doug Coltart, as “the son of a Rhodesian-era Selous Scout.”
Gutu further argued that Doug and his father (David Coltart) should apologise for pre-independence atrocities perpetrated by government agents during that time.
Gutu posted the controversial remarks on Twitter.
“The son of a Rhodesian-era Selous Scout is crying louder than the bereaved!
This guy, together with his racist Rhodesia Front Selous Scout father, must firstly apologise & repent for the murderous & genocidal crimes they committed at Chimoio & Nyadzonia in Mozambique in Nov. 1977,” argued Gutu.
Highlanders clinched the 2019 Chibuku Super Cup after edging out Ngezi Platinum Stars 1-0 in the final played at Barbourfields Stadium on Saturday.
Prince Dube scored a first half disputed goal which gave Bosso their first triumph in the cup since its return in 2014. The Bulawayo giants will represent Zimbabwe in the 2020/21 CAF Confederation Cup season.
The play was concentrated in the midfield in the opening moments but Bosso soon gained the ground and launched a couple of raids.
MacClive Phiri’s strike in the 7th minute went over while Tinashe Makanda’s free-kick from a range almost found its way to the back of the net but Nelson Chadya parried it away to concede a corner-kick.
Ngezi, at the other end, tried to play crosses into the box but Ariel Sibanda was always alert to thwart any danger.
On the stroke of half-time, Dube struck from a range and his effort hit the woodwork before it bounced outside the goal line. Ngezi protested the goal as they felt the ball didn’t cross the line but the referee turned them down.
Madamburo controlled the better part of the second half as Tshilamoya sat back to absorb the pressure.
Dube almost scored his second of the day in the 72nd but was denied 1-v-1 by Chadya.
The game ended with Highlanders leading 1-0.Soccer 24
Staff Reporter | There is public outrage, after Vice President of the MDC-T Obert Gutu, went on Twitter, to attack Doug Coltart referring to him as “the son of a Rhodesian-era Selous Scout” and demanding that he and his father David apologise for pre-independence atrocities by the government first.
Wrote Gutu :“The son of a Rhodesian-era Selous Scout is crying louder than the bereaved! This guy, together with his racist Rhodesia Front Selous Scout father, must firstly apologise & repent for the murderous & genocidal crimes they committed at Chimoio & Nyadzonia in Mozambique in Nov. 1977.”
Gutu was reacting to a lawyers march against police brutality in Harare, following the assault of Coltart at the central police station.
Police inside the station assaulted Coltart while he was representing a teachers’ union leader, Obert Masaraure, who was arrested for taking part in a protest last week.
Zimbabweans did not take kindly to Gutu’s views of the Coltart family, wrote one Zandoto, I’ve deleted my response to this tweet, nine times, because I had loaded unkind words about this shameful behavior of judging others by colors of their skins & history they didn’t participate in. I’m unsettled by this kind of hate on 2019AD. It’s scary to think that these are the leaders waiting to govern this country. Ma1.”
Correcting Gutu, another Twitter user under the name Chibayamoyo wrote, “ I don’t know when people will choose to be truthful. Dave Coltart was never SS. He was BSAP just like Chiyangwa who was a FR. This info is easily available to verify. I wonder what his boy should apologise for? “
Farai Dziva|Controversial MDC T vice president
Obert Gutu , has described Doug Coltart, as “the son of a Rhodesian-era Selous Scout.”
Gutu further argued that Doug and his father (David Coltart) should apologise for pre-independence atrocities perpetrated by government agents during that time.
Gutu posted the controversial remarks on Twitter.
“The son of a Rhodesian-era Selous Scout is crying louder than the bereaved!
This guy, together with his racist Rhodesia Front Selous Scout father, must firstly apologise & repent for the murderous & genocidal crimes they committed at Chimoio & Nyadzonia in Mozambique in Nov. 1977,” argued Gutu.
Hallelujah! I thank God l am still alive. Last night l was involved in a car accident near St Lukes turn-off (close to Lupane) By God’s grace, l escaped with minor injuries. It could have been worse. I was driving from Bulawayo to Whange, when l saw a herd of cattle crossing the road in the darkness of the night. Instead of driving straight into the herd, l swerved off the road. My truck ended up stuck up on a dry and sandy small river bed. The truck is badly damaged but its engine remained intact. I am now recuperating from my home at Whange
Farai Dziva|Controversial MDC T vice president
Obert Gutu , has described Doug Coltart, as “the son of a Rhodesian-era Selous Scout.”
Gutu further argued that Doug and his father (David Coltart) should apologise for pre-independence atrocities perpetrated by government agents during that time.
Gutu posted the controversial remarks on Twitter.
“The son of a Rhodesian-era Selous Scout is crying louder than the bereaved!
This guy, together with his racist Rhodesia Front Selous Scout father, must firstly apologise & repent for the murderous & genocidal crimes they committed at Chimoio & Nyadzonia in Mozambique in Nov. 1977,” argued Gutu.
PUBLIC Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson Tendai Biti yesterday said the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) must be removed from being under the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), alleging that the central bank itself was a “rogue” institution which needs investigation by the unit.
Biti said this during debate in the National Assembly on the second reading stage of the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Bill.
The same issue was raised by the chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Finance, Felix Mhona, during public hearings on the Bill.
Members of the public also suggested that the FIU must be removed from the RBZ so that it becomes an independent institution.
“Two weeks ago, I presented on behalf of the PAC a report on the omissions of the RBZ. We made a recommendation that the footprints of the RBZ were too much in the economy because they are responsible for distribution of foreign currency, export requirements, subsidies and issuance of Treasury Bills, lending and borrowing,” Biti said.
“PAC recommended that section 6 of the RBZ Act should be amended so that their functions are issuance of foreign currency, management of the monetary policy statement, management of the payment system and a banker of last resort.
“The issue of housing the FIU in the RBZ is a problem because they (RBZ) are a player in corruption and they need to be investigated. So, the RBZ is a rogue institution and it cannot house the FIU to investigate its rogueness.”
Biti said, for example, the RBZ released new $5 and $2 notes which were then distributed to the parallel market.
He said the central bank tried to deny its involvement and pin two banks for the shenanigans, but the fact that there were hundreds of thousands of notes disbursed to the streets showed that the RBZ was somehow involved.
“There is a problem in that the RBZ issues banking licences and regulates, which is a contradiction. You cannot regulate and be an overseer. In other countries, there is a financial oversight unit. We need to take out the FIU from RBZ and create a big financial oversight unit and combine it with the Securities Commission so that they look at issues of money-laundering,” Biti said.
African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption chairperson Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga said there was need for the Bill to ensure there was declaration of assets for all public officials.
“Some MPs walk into this House without ever having been to work, but five years later, you hear they own industries. They need to tell us how they got the money. Before anyone says they want to be president, they need to first declare their assets,” she said.
“We also need a Whistleblowers Act because I met someone at the airport, who said there was a lot of corruption and people from Dubai are entering with goods and getting bags of gold. He said he met many ministers doing that, but nothing is done to them.
“When I asked him if I can take him to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission to report, he said that he could lose his job. So there is need for a Whistleblowers Act.”
Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi concurred with Misihairabwi-Mushonga, saying the Anti-Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Bill is a necessary law due to rampant corruption in the country.
“If you drive around Harare, you will not believe the wealth in this country. There is a mismatch between the kind of wealth and people’s salaries,” Ziyambi said.
“You find a clerk earning $1 000, but has three or four mansions. All that we are trying to say is explain your wealth. We need legislation to give us ammunition to fight corruption.”
Emmerson Mnangagwa, in his capacity as the chairman of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation has denounced attacks on civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) a rebel group in Uganda and DRC.
Reports suggest that the attacks resulted in the death of about 80 civilians thereby triggering the violent demonstrations against United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) peacekeepers.
In a statement, Mnangagwa expressed condolences to the government and the People of DRC, as well as the bereaved families. Part of the statement reads:
The attacks in Beni have resulted in the death of approximately 80 people, as well as the injury and displacement of many people.
SADC is resolute in voicing its condemnation of the attacks that the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) continue to perpetrate on the civilian population in the DRC.
These remarks have attracted criticism from Zimbabwean observers who said that Mnangagwa was “hypocritical” since he “unleashed a reign of terror” on civilians back home.
Analysts also observed that the democratic space in Zimbabwe has been diminishing lately.Credit:NewsDay
Self-exiled former Cabinet minister and once-celebrated Zanu-PF propagandist Professor Jonathan Moyo has said those who think Vice President Constantino Chiwenga will pull a coup against President Emmerson Mnangagwa are disillusioned.
Moyo told NewsDay that Chiwenga’s return back from China will have no effect at all, and was being exaggerated o social media by those who hoped he would push his boss out of power.
“Chiwenga’s return is being exaggerated beyond the realm of the possible. Those who think he will pull off another military coup are joking. History does not repeat itself, except as a farce. But Mnangagwa and Chiwenga have a common fate: They are presiding over a political party with a history, but with no future,” Moyo said.
Moyo said Zanu-PF was imploding, nevertheless. “I think Zanu PF is imploding. The writing is on the wall that Zanu PF has lost the army or that the army has lost interest in Zanu PF.
“It is also clear that the post-2017 Zanu PF cannot survive without the army. You saw what happened when the army stayed away from Zanu PF’s so-called anti-sanctions march on October 25, 2019, it was an embarrassing disaster as Mnangagwa addressed an empty National Sports Stadium. Only the army can mobilise for Zanu PF.
“Unlike Mugabe, Mnangagwa has no mobilisation capacity whatsoever. He’s not a leader. But of course, Mnangagwa wants to be a leader, apa haana vanhu (yet he has no support).
“But in real politics, a president does not entertain a vice-president who was his kingmaker. Conversely, a kingmaker, who is a vice-president, does not entertain an ungrateful president, who unleashes his allies against his vice-president.
“The problem for Mnangagwa is that he has no base: He no longer has support in Parliament, no support in Zanu PF, save for his clansmen, no support in the army and no support in the business community.
“On the other hand, Chiwenga has a base in the army and he campaigned for the Zanu PF Members of Parliament. But, like Mnangagwa, Chiwenga does not have the popular support of the people.
“In fact, Chiwenga is seen as the mastermind of the electoral theft of the presidential election from which Mnangagwa benefited after losing to MDC leader Nelson Chamisa,” Moyo, a political scientist, said.
Moyo said that “a very popular revolution” is about to happen in Zanu-PF, but insisted that even if Chiwenga was to replace Mnangagwa, “he (Chiwenga) will still be illegitimate.”
“If Chiwenga succeeds Mnangagwa, he will inherit his illegitimacy. Legitimacy cannot be acquired from illegitimacy. A nullity from the beginning is a nullity throughout, up to the end. So, the end game for Zanu-PF is a dead end.
“Popular revolutions are by definition unstoppable. The ground in Zimbabwe has been shifting towards a popular revolution for more than two decades now,” Moyo said.
Asked if he misses home, seeing he has been holed up in exile for over two years now, Moyo said he was instead praying for Zimbabwe because it is on fire.
“… home is best. But I also know that there is more to home than geography. In any event, right now home is on fire. So, rather than missing home, I am praying for it.”
When asked his opinion of President Mnangagwa’s leadership so far, Moyo said: “There’s no leadership to assess. Mnangagwa has never been a leader and he will never be a leader. This is because leadership is about morality. You cannot be a leader when, like Mnangagwa, you have no moral compass, you never speak to the nation on moral issues because you know you are a disaster on that score; and when you have no regard for human life; and you take pride in shortening the lives of your opponents.
“A leader with a moral compass empathises with the people and their everyday struggles; understands their suffering and is committed to fulfilling their aspirations through people-centred policies, which are not declared at Press conferences, boardrooms or in meetings, but are implemented on the ground.
“So, my assessment of Mnangagwa is that he has proven that he has not risen above his historical role as the Gukurahundi chief instigator and enforcer. As a leader, he is clueless. If leadership were to smack him on his face, he would not recognise it. You cannot say you are a leader, apa hauna vanhu!”
ZimEye has received disturbing news of the Principal Correctional Officer (PCO), Watson Mavhangira, who committed suicide earlier this morning, at Chikurubi .
He was found hanging on a tree by a passerby.
The reason for committing suicide is not yet known, but, we understand that, earlier on he had told his family that he is going to commit suicide ,he even took a piece of electric wire at home and threatened to hang himself. More to follow…
Emmerson Mnangagwa, in his capacity as the chairman of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation has denounced attacks on civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) a rebel group in Uganda and DRC.
Reports suggest that the attacks resulted in the death of about 80 civilians thereby triggering the violent demonstrations against United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) peacekeepers.
In a statement, Mnangagwa expressed condolences to the government and the People of DRC, as well as the bereaved families. Part of the statement reads:
The attacks in Beni have resulted in the death of approximately 80 people, as well as the injury and displacement of many people.
SADC is resolute in voicing its condemnation of the attacks that the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) continue to perpetrate on the civilian population in the DRC.
These remarks have attracted criticism from Zimbabwean observers who said that Mnangagwa was “hypocritical” since he “unleashed a reign of terror” on civilians back home.
Analysts also observed that the democratic space in Zimbabwe has been diminishing lately.Credit:NewsDay
Emmerson Mnangagwa, in his capacity as the chairman of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation has denounced attacks on civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) a rebel group in Uganda and DRC.
Reports suggest that the attacks resulted in the death of about 80 civilians thereby triggering the violent demonstrations against United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) peacekeepers.
In a statement, Mnangagwa expressed condolences to the government and the People of DRC, as well as the bereaved families. Part of the statement reads:
The attacks in Beni have resulted in the death of approximately 80 people, as well as the injury and displacement of many people.
SADC is resolute in voicing its condemnation of the attacks that the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) continue to perpetrate on the civilian population in the DRC.
These remarks have attracted criticism from Zimbabwean observers who said that Mnangagwa was “hypocritical” since he “unleashed a reign of terror” on civilians back home.
Analysts also observed that the democratic space in Zimbabwe has been diminishing lately.Credit:NewsDay
Staff Reporter| President Emmerson Mnangagwa was this afternoon conspicuous by his absence at his deputy’s welcome back bash held in Wedza.
Mnangagwa’s absence in Wedza, after he was also last week missing at the airport to welcome back General Constantino Chiwenga, from China where he was receiving medical treatment, will only fuel the rumour mill of existing bad blood between the two.
Mnangagwa was instead pictured, earlier today while in Bulawayo with his wife Auxillia interacting with artists.
The state media reports that Chiwenga pleaded with striking doctors to return to work to save lives. His remarks come at a time when health caregivers in public health institutions have been on industrial action since the 3rd of September this year citing unsustainability of salaries and poor working conditions.
Chiwenga said, while also thanking Zimbabweans for praying for him, “ we will leave no stone unturned as we thrive to make Zimbabwe tick. Zimbabwe will never be the same again.”
He also thanked Mnangagwa for his ‘brotherly love’, “ I want to thank the President for being there for me. I also urge striking doctors to go back to work and save lives.”
Highlanders clinched the 2019 Chibuku Super Cup after edging out Ngezi Platinum Stars 1-0 in the final played at Barbourfields Stadium on Saturday.
Prince Dube scored a first half disputed goal which gave Bosso their first triumph in the cup since its return in 2014. The Bulawayo giants will represent Zimbabwe in the 2020/21 CAF Confederation Cup season.
The play was concentrated in the midfield in the opening moments but Bosso soon gained the ground and launched a couple of raids.
MacClive Phiri’s strike in the 7th minute went over while Tinashe Makanda’s free-kick from a range almost found its way to the back of the net but Nelson Chadya parried it away to concede a corner-kick.
Ngezi, at the other end, tried to play crosses into the box but Ariel Sibanda was always alert to thwart any danger.
On the stroke of half-time, Dube struck from a range and his effort hit the woodwork before it bounced outside the goal line. Ngezi protested the goal as they felt the ball didn’t cross the line but the referee turned them down.
Madamburo controlled the better part of the second half as Tshilamoya sat back to absorb the pressure.
Dube almost scored his second of the day in the 72nd but was denied 1-v-1 by Chadya.
The game ended with Highlanders leading 1-0.Soccer 24
BRIGADIER General George Chisvo was on Tuesday abandoned by his official driver while in the Eastern border town of Mutare where he commands 3 Brigade.
The driver disappeared into neighbouring Mozambique without the knowledge of his superior, Chisvo.
A source within the army in Mutare confirmed to Zim Morning Post that the army driver later called his commander, informing him that he was now in Mozambique, adding that he would no longer return to Zimbabwe.
He is also said to have told Chisvo to make up for the military’s loss by processing his pension.
Recently, an army private operative based at 1 Presidential Guard at State house in Harare allegedly fired into the air, emptying a full AK47 rifle magazine.
The soldier was reportedly detained, with his whereabouts currently unknown.
Efforts to contact the Zimbabwe National Army spokesperson, Alphios Makotore, did not yield any result as his cellphone was continuously unavailable.
Renowned gospel musician, Mechanic Manyeruke, has fallen on hard times, according to a state media report. Journalists from the state media visited Manyeruke, last week, at his house, and report that he was pre-occupied with his car — a Nissan Terrano — which he was thoroughly cleaning, preparing to sell it. Manyeruke, according to the report, wants to sell the Nissan Terrano to raise money to purchase roofing materials for the house he is building in Chiundura, Masvingo. He has been failing to raise the money for quite some time and selling the car is the only option left for him.The renowned singer is married to Hellenah Manyeruke, who was also busy with laundry when we arrived at their house.Mai Manyeruke also told of how she and her friends called Baba Manyeruke Mr Two Dollars after he gave her a $2 note in the Harare Gardens when they were on a date. “I first met him in Mabvuku at a church conference where he was a guest singer. We then went on a date and it was when he gave me $2. I was so annoyed and went to tell my friends, who then nicknamed him Mr Two Dollars after the incident,” she said.
Liverpool have confirmed their midfielder Fabinho will be out for the rest of the year after suffering an injury during the 1-1 draw against Napoli in the Champions League.
The Brazilian who has established himself as a core member of the team damaged his ankle ligament after falling awkwardly during a challenge. He was subbed off just 18 minutes into the game.
“Liverpool can confirm Fabinho suffered ankle ligament damage during the Champions League encounter with Napoli in midweek,” reads a statement posted on the club’s official website.
“Further assessment on the injury has discovered Fabinho will be out of action until the New Year.
“The Brazilian will begin a rehabilitation programme with the Reds’ medical team at Melwood as he works his way back to full fitness.”
Fabinho’s injury is a blow to the Reds who are pursuing their first league title in 30 years. They currently lead the EPL standings with an 8-point gap.Soccer 24
Sungura genius, Alick Macheso caused an earthquake in Beitbridge last night. Tonight he stages in Masvingo at the Club Lagoon formerly Ritz. Vana Wezhira Wenjere muriko here? VIDEO LOADING BELOW…
ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa was today pictured in a rare show of public love for his wife Auxillia.
The First Family was in Bulawayo at the National Gallery, when Mnangagwa spoilt his wife to locally made jewellery of her choice.
Wrote Presidential Spokesperson, George Charamba : “His Excellency the President spoiled his wife, First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa, by allowing her to pick as much as she pleased, including locally-made ear-rings. The First Lady picked items – all of them hewn from local material – which the, President proceeded to pay for!! The sales lady couldn’t believe her luck for the brisk business she recorded during the historic visit.”
A distressed mother has complained that she was in a very difficult situation and has since lost respect for her 21-year-old daughter who had threatened to poison her over boyfriends.
Thobekile Masuku from Norwood Resettlement area on the outskirts of Bulawayo claimed she was fed up of her flirting daughter Bekezela Masuku who had many boyfriends adding that she just can’t be stable with one man.
She said whenever she tried to reprimand her, she became violent and started physically assaulting her.
Thobekile revealed her daughter’s bad behaviour at the Bulawayo Civil Court where she was seeking a restraining order against her.
“Bekezela Masuku is my biological daughter and I am applying for a protection order against her. I want to be protected because she is constantly physically and verbally abusing me. She calls me names and labels me a pr0stitute.
“She also does not like to do house chores and all she wants is to have time with her boyfriends. Another problem with my daughter is that she does not want to be reprimanded, if one reprimands her, she gets violent. She also physically and verbally abuses my mother who is her grandmother,” complained Thobekile.
She said her daughter who is a single mother started giving her problems in 2013.
“She has also threatened to poison me. As a result of her threats, I want her to move out of the house as I am now living in fear of being poisoned. She should also be ordered not to physically, verbally and emotionally abuse me together with my mother,” begged Thobekile.
In response, Bekezela confirmed the toxic relationship existing between her and her mother. She however, said her mother was the one who was constantly abusing her.
“She is the one who always assaults me. The reasons being that she doesn’t like me as her daughter,” said Bekezela amid sobs.
She also produced a medical report with evidence of injuries she sustained as a result of her mother’s alleged beatings. In a bid to maintain peace between the two parties presiding magistrate Lesego Ngwenya referred them for counselling.
TWO people died while three others were injured on Monday when a Honda fit they were travelling in veered off the road before overturning two times after a rear tyre burst at the 51 kilometre peg along Harare-Mukumbura road.
The deceased were identified as James Mafiku (43) of Ridgeview, Mount Darwin and Patience Rusinamwana of Kandeya Seconadry School in Mount Darwin died upon admission at Concession hospital.
Mashonaland Central police spokesperson Inspector Milton Mundembe confirmed the incident.
“I can confirm a road fatal accident at the 51 kilometer peg where a Mount Darwin bound red Honda fit registration number AES 7711 over turned after a tyre burst over tuned and killed two passengers the other three passengers are being treated at Concession District Hospital,” Mundembe said.
In an unrelated case a Bindura man was fatally struck by a bolt of lightning while taking a bath in Chingwara village, Bindura.
According to the police Forget Machungwa (23) died in a bathroom after being ravaged by lightning and was identified lying on the floor by his wife Rudo Matsai (19) who also informed the deceased’s brother Delight Muchemwa, Muchemwa subsequently filed a police report.
Inspector Mundembe warned people to avoid getting in conduct with water during storm and to be removing metal objects on their bodies.
“We are appealing for people to avoid getting in conduct with water during storm because it is an excellent conductor of lightning, we are also warning people to avoid wearing metal objects like jewellery and belts during thunderstorm as they risk being struck by lightning,” Mundembe said.
– Byo24
Freeman Chari| I am not asking MDC to do extra-ordinary things. All I am saying is, if an MDC member’s house is burnt down, we should be there to rebuild it with a better and stronger one in 3 weeks. If one of ours is killed, their family should never want for anything. That should be priority.
“Unofira mahara!” should never be a statement that touches an MDC member. MDC should be the best friend of its resilient members. When we were student leaders and were expelled many people laughed at us but when Nordic countries offered scholarships perceptions changed.
This is not an out-of-this-world idea. With the power of his word @nelsonchamisa can team up with @advocatemahere and we can have a solid Foundation that helps victims through schools etc. It should be a mark of dignity to have been persecuted for a better Zimbabwe.
South African and Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed sugar producer Tongaat Hulett (THL) yesterday said it intends to institute civil claims against former and current top executives at Hippo Valley Estates Limited and Triangle Limited, over misstatements in its financial reports.
Zimbabwe-based executives facing civil claims include John Chibwe (Hippo Valley Estates Finance Director), Mr Sydney Mtsambiwa (former managing director of THL’s Zimbabwean operations), Mr Raphael Pfunye (Zimbabwe Sugar Sales Finance Executive) and Mr Steve Frampton (former Zimbabwe Sugar Sales General Manager).
From a criminal law perspective, Tongaat is engaging South African Police Services and the National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa to “assist them in pursuing those parties who the NPA determines should be prosecuted”. “Equivalent authorities will be engaged in Zimbabwe and Mozambique where applicable,” said Tongaat.
The decision to prosecute and recover assets comes after the JSE-listed company received the results of a six-month forensic probe into its finances carried out by auditors.
Auditors, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), found that profits and assets had been overstated in earnings reports. The PwC report was released on Friday last week.
“Certain senior executives initiated or participated in undesirable accounting practices that resulted, among others, in revenue being recognised in earlier reporting periods than it should have been, and in expenses being inappropriately capitalised to assets,” PWC said.
“This resulted in profits in the respective years being overstated, and in the overstatement of certain assets in THL’s financial statements.”
The PwC investigation identified that certain agreements in Zimbabwe which, in substance, were financing arrangements, were structured as sales of significant sugar stocks, and accounted for as sales every six months, at financial half year and year-end.
Furthermore, even though at least part of the sugar stocks comprised raw sugar, these “sales” were accounted for as sales of refined sugar, and priced accordingly. As a result, revenue pertaining to sugar sales was overstated.
The PwC investigation also revealed that there were a number of governance failures pursuant to which internal policies, guidelines and frameworks were not followed, creating an environment in which “senior executives could initiate or participate in the financial reporting misstatements”.
From the PwC investigation, it appears that personal financial enrichment of key senior employees was largely limited to the financial incentives paid to them during the years in which they achieved their employment targets.
Zimbabwean executives were mentioned as some of the individuals “involved in some or all of the above practices, to a greater or lesser extent.”
“Disciplinary action has been or is being taken in relation to certain of the senior executives referred to above and other individuals.
“The Board is considering the institution of civil actions against the senior executives referred to above and other individuals, including, among others: actions to recover bonuses and benefits paid to specific executives and other individuals for the relevant periods; and applications to court for orders declaring relevant people to be delinquent directors or otherwise incapable of occupying fiduciary positions.”
The Board is considering the institution of civil actions against the senior executives referred to above and other individuals, including, among others “actions to recover bonuses and benefits paid to specific executives and other individuals for the relevant periods; and applications to court for orders declaring relevant people to be delinquent directors or otherwise incapable of occupying fiduciary positions”.
Hippo Valley shares on the ZSE are currently suspended from trading after the firm had missed three deadlines to publish its financial results.
Allegations of financial misappropriation against South African-headquartered parent company Tongaat Hulett Limited (THL) had forced Zimbabwean subsidiary, Hippo Valley Estates Limited to postpone publication of its FY2019 results.
A Grade 7 pupil was killed, while at least two others and two adults were critically injured after being hit by a speeding Mercedes-Benz at Shawasha Grounds in Mbare yesterday morning.
The deceased, who was identified as Kudakwashe Mabhande, was pushing a cart and was dragged under the wheels of the Benz.
He had just passed his Grade 7 examinations with eight units.
When The Herald arrived at the scene, his father was seated a few metres away from his son’s body and in shock.
After hitting the boy, the car swerved to avoid a parked lorry, but hit the driver standing by the vehicle, before swinging to the other side of the road and ploughing into a group of vendors, injuring at least two children and one more adult.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, giving details, said the Benz, which was being driven by a woman, was heading towards the central business district and had just passed Rufaro Stadium when the multiple accidents occurred.
Asst Comm Nyathi said the driver could have accelerated accidentally instead of the braking, losing control of the vehicle, resulting in it running over several people, including vendors who were selling their wares by the roadside.
One of the witnesses, Mr Tendai Linde, said: “I was parked on the side of the road and when I was about to start off , I checked my rear view mirror and noticed that there was a speeding car coming behind me.
“So I decided to stay put and let it pass. When I was about to check my mirror again, I heard a loud bang at the back of my car. I then saw a boy who had been pushing a cart behind me being dragged for a few metres under the speeding car. When we got to him, he was already dead,” he said.
Mr Linde said the driver then swerved to avoid hitting a lorry that was parked on the side of the road and hit the driver instead.
The driver was tossed into the air and he fell head first on to the tarmac.State media
Staff Reporter | There is public outrage, after Vice President of the MDC-T Obert Gutu, went on Twitter, to attack Doug Coltart referring to him as “the son of a Rhodesian-era Selous Scout” and demanding that he and his father David apologise for pre-independence atrocities by the government first.
Wrote Gutu :“The son of a Rhodesian-era Selous Scout is crying louder than the bereaved!
This guy, together with his racist Rhodesia Front Selous Scout father, must firstly apologise & repent for the murderous & genocidal crimes they committed at Chimoio & Nyadzonia in Mozambique in Nov. 1977.”
Gutu was reacting to a lawyers march against police brutality in Harare, following the assault of Coltart at the central police station.
Police inside the station assaulted Coltart while he was representing a teachers’ union leader, Obert Masaraure, who was arrested for taking part in a protest last week.
Zimbabweans did not take kindly to Gutu’s views of the Coltart family, wrote one Zandoto, I’ve deleted my response to this tweet, nine times, because I had loaded unkind words about this shameful behavior of judging others by colors of their skins & history they didn’t participate in. I’m unsettled by this kind of hate on 2019AD. It’s scary to think that these are the leaders waiting to govern this country. Ma1.”
Correcting Gutu, another Twitter user under the name Chibayamoyo wrote, “ I don’t know when people will choose to be truthful. Dave Coltart was never SS. He was BSAP just like Chiyangwa who was a FR. This info is easily available to verify. I wonder what his boy should apologise for? “
