MAGISTRATES in Bulawayo have resorted to going to prisons to handle some cases as the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) has been failing to bring inmates to court after its truck broke down two weeks ago.

Since November 11, magistrates at Tredgold and Western Commonage courts have been going to prisons or further remanding prisoners on remand in absentia. At court, magistrates have only been dealing with matters of suspects who are out of custody.

A prosecutor told a Western Commonage magistrate that an accused person Chelesani Sibanda (34) who is facing attempted murder charges had failed to attend court as the ZPCS truck has been grounded.

Prosecutor Stewart Madzore told magistrate Stephen Ndlovu that Sibanda who is facing attempted murder charges after he allegedly poisoned his three children had failed to get transport.

The magistrate moved the matter to December 5.

Three magistrates told The Chronicle that in some cases they are going to prisons to remand some inmates out of custody in deserving cases.

Questions were sent to the ZPCS national public relations officer, Ms Meya Kanyeze on Tuesday last week over the matter but she had not responded by last night.This is not the first time that ZPCS has faced transport problems compromising the delivery of justice.

Last year in May, inmates were not taken to court for days after the truck broke down. In November 2014, ZPCS failed to bring prisoners to Bulawayo courts for three consecutive days due to a shortage of fuel, forcing courts to indefinitely postpone some trials.

Correspondent|Zimbabwean engineer. Martin Manuhwa has won the World Federation of Engineering Organizations and Service to Engineering award at the just ended World Engineering Convention held in Melbourne.

Eng. Martin Manuhwa is President of the Federations of Africa Engineering Organisations (FAEO), former President of SADC Engineering Organizations, past President of ZIE and former Chairman of the Engineering Council of Zimbabwe.

The World Engineering Convention is the Engineering Olympics that takes place every 4 years. The last two editions were held in Japan and Switzerland respectively!

Also called the ‘Olympics of Engineering’ this international convention is held every four years and this year attracted 1300+ global participants from over 70 countries.
The overarching theme for WEC 2019 was “Engineering a Sustainable World: The Next 100 Years”.

The focus was not only on engineering innovation, but how this can have a positive impact on lives by creating sustainable engineering solutions.

Sustainability is used in the broadest sense – encompassing the management of precious natural resources such as water, renewable energy technologies, frugal innovation, management of natural resources etc., and incorporates values of ethics and social responsibility.

This was a unique opportunity to take an integrated approach to solve many of the problems that the world is facing – all of them requiring engineering. With Engineers Australia celebrating its Centenary in 2019, this convention highlighted Australian engineering on a global scale and exploration of the distinctive and sustaining mindset of our profession; the notion that ‘anything is possible’.

News Of The South

NewsDay|FORMER First Lady Grace Mugabe and her son, Russell Goreraza, have both been ordered to pay US$278 304 to a local law firm which represented them in several court cases, one of which involved a botched $1,4 million diamond ring deal.

The order by the High Court, issued on November 15, 2019, followed an application for rescission of a default judgment that was filed by Mugabe and her son in April this year seeking to overturn the judgment on the basis that it had been issued in error.

According to court papers, the legal firm, Manase and Manase Legal Practitioners is said to have acted for Grace in her cases against a Lebanese national Jamal Ahmed, who she accused of duping her.

In a bid to recover her money, Mugabe is alleged to have “grabbed” three properties namely stand number 409 Harare Drive, Pomona; 18 Cambridge Road, Avondale and 75 King George, Avondale, all owned by Ahmed, but the latter later approached the courts and successfully retained his properties.

On January 15, 2019 High Court judge Justice Felistus Chatukuta ruled in favour of the law firm and ordered Grace and her son to pay the legal fees, before the duo filed for rescission which was recently determined by High Court judge Justice Edith Mushore.

The order by Justice Mushore simply said: “Application is dismissed with costs”.

Prior to Justice Mushore’s order, Justice Alpheus Chitakunye had ordered the duo to pay the law firm’s legal fees with costs as well.

According to Manase and Manase Legal Practitioners, Grace and her son approached them in December 2016 seeking legal services in respect of a number of cases linked to the diamond ring saga.

The firm said the pair also wanted to be legally represented in an urgent chamber application that was before the High Court under case number HC 12497/16. The legal services rendered included attending to all litigation procedures and hearings, the drafting of court processes, consultations, round table meetings over a two-year period.

Correspondent|A Chinese man was found dead in his hotel room in Harare on Tuesday morning.

A hotel cleaner stumbled on the lifeless body of 39-year-old Song Yuan at around 10AM, according to police sources.

Yuan was pronounced dead by an ambulance crew from MARS that was called to the hotel in the Msasa area.

“The ambulance crew estimated that he had been dead for about two hours, which means he died sometime between 7AM and 8AM,” a source said.

Yuan’s body was taken to a local hospital for postmortem procedures.

“He was found sitting on a sofa and had no visible injuries. Only a proper examination of his body by a pathologist will determine how he died,” the source added.

Police spokesman Paul Nyathi was not immediately available for comment.

ZimLive understands a Zimbabwean ID was found on Yuan, indicating that it was issued to him on March 30, 2006. He was a regular at the hotel, although his occupation is unknown.

Zimbabwe issues IDs to foreign nationals on long-term residence permits or who are married to locals. Each card contains a number, the last two digits of which indicate the district of origin. If these digits are “00”, as in the ID found on Yuan, it means that a person has “alien” status and is a non-citizen.

Zimbabwe is hosting thousands of Chinese nationals, most of them in the mining and construction industries.

State Media|A UNITED Arab Emirates-based company, Albwardy Investment, is finalising a purchase of one of Zimbabwe’s prestigious hotels, the Meikles Hotel in Harare, for US$20 million.

Meikles has over the past few years struggled with low occupancy levels and has lacked foreign exchange to refurbish the property, which is situated in the capital’s Central Business District.

Albwardy said the investment has been approved by the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange and the Competition and Tariff Commission, while the shareholders would vote on the transaction next month, Reuters reported.

“The Meikles Hotel provides a unique opportunity to invest in Zimbabwe’s leisure and business markets as a first mover,” Albwardy director of hospitality, Laurie Ward said, in a statement.

The hotel was established in 1915 and has 312 rooms. In a circular to shareholders last week, Meikles Limited said the board assessed and is satisfied with ASB Hospitality Zimbabwe’s capacity to fulfil the terms of the proposed transactions. ASB Hospitality Zimbabwe is a special purpose vehicle of Albwardy Investments, which was recently incorporated in Zimbabwe.

“The board assessed and is satisfied with ASB Hospitality Zimbabwe’s capacity to fulfil the terms of the proposed transactions, including the US$20 million combined purchase price.

“It should also be noted that the previous carrying value of Meikles Hotel (US$26,7 million as at March 31, 2018) was higher than the subsequent independent property valuations undertaken in April 2019 and August 2019,” said Meikles Limited.

It said the principal rationale for the proposed transaction was that the group does not want foreign currency exposure related borrowings to fund the required refurbishment of the hotel to bring it to a five-star property by international standards.

Initial estimates indicate that up to US$30 million is required for the substantial modernisation of guest facilities as well as electro mechanical and plumbing to restore the hotel to international standards.

“Accordingly, the board believes that it is best for the future development of the hotel to be placed in the hands of skilled international hotel operators with the capacity to undertake the requisite refurbishment of the hotel,” said Meikles.

Proceeds from the disposal of the hotel will be ringfenced and earmarked for investments that enhance foreign currency generation capabilities of the group, in particular further investments in hospitality and agriculture sectors.

State Media|Cabinet has ordered the retendering of the National Railways of Zimbabwe recapitalisation project following the cancellation of the US$400 million deal last month.

The deal, involving the Diaspora Infrastructure Development Group (DIDG) and Transnet was cancelled after DIDG failed to provide proof of funding for almost two years.

Already as Zimbabwe moves ahead, a firm deal with a Russian company to provide wagons and locomotives has been signed, with the first 100 wagons expected to arrive in January.

The DIDG-Transnet deal with NRZ was cancelled after the consortium failed to meet contractual timelines two years after winning the tender, principally failing to provide proof of funding despite repeated enquiries from Government.

DIDG was given a six-month grace period to provide the proof of funding which again lapsed, leaving Government with no option except to cancel the tender.

It also emerged that DIDG had won the tender using the financial books of Transnet but they later presented a funding structure based on funds sourced internationally, which excluded Transnet. The exclusion of Transnet complicated the deal, raising legal issues to the initial contract.

Several foreign investors are already expressing interest in Zimbabwe’s rail sector.

Last month NRZ signed the new deal with Union Wagons of Russia for the supply of wagons and locomotives while Indonesia had also expressed strong interest to invest in the same sector.

Under the Russian deal, NRZ is expecting to boost its capacity utilisation through the supply of 5 000 wagons.

The first 100 wagons are expected in January next year at a cost of US$10 million.

Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joel Biggie Matiza said that the recapitalisation tender would be flighted soon.

He said recapitalisation of NRZ was key to the revival of the industry as it would facilitate bulk movement of goods and people.

“We are going to retender the project as directed by Cabinet. Processes are already underway to ensure that we flight another tender. By next week, I will have full details on how much ground has been covered in this regard.

“Recapitalisation of our national railway is key to the revival of our industry. It is also in line with the attainment of the targets that we have set for ourselves in line with Vision 2030,” said Minister Matiza.

He said a vibrant railway system was key in the transportation of minerals from the mines and agricultural produce to ports such as Beira.

Information gathered showed that DIDG was trying to circumvent Government processes in implementation of its deal with NRZ.

It is reliably understood that DIDG by-passed the parent Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development and Government financial advisors Deloitte and Touche to validate its funding structure with Treasury.

The funding structure that DIDG wanted Treasury to validate excluded Transnet and had no input from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and the Government financial advisors.

State Media|All is set for President Mnangagwa’s Youth Interface Rally at Rimuka Stadium in Kadoma today.

A target of 25 000 youths has been set to attend the rally.

The meeting is expected to tackle a range of issues impacting on the youths including employment opportunities and price increases.

Further, the indaba is expected to endorse President Mnangagwa as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 harmonised elections.

Kadoma has been a hive activity in the last few days as youths, provincial and national party leaders worked around the clock to ensure a flawless event.

It was also brisk business for most guest houses in Kadoma and Chegutu, as they were fully booked last night, for the first time in a long time.

Mashonaland West youths yesterday had a car rally where about 30 vehicles went around Rimuka, Ngezi, Patchway, Rio Tinto, Westview and Mornington mobilising people for the event.

Zanu-PF national youth secretary for external relations Sibongile Sibanda, who was part of an advance team, said.

“In terms of mobilisation countrywide, all provinces are ready to come in numbers including all the affiliates; that is ZICOSU (Zimbabwe Congress of Students Union), NYS (National Youth Service), Ziliwaco, and children of war veterans, among others, are all coming to Kadoma for the youth convention.

“One of the critical issues that the young people want to see addressed is the issue of machetes and criminal activities related to machetes,” said Sibanda.

Many youth groups including youths in mining, youth entrepreneurs, youths in business, environmental youth groups, and youths in tourism, have confirmed attendance.

Machete-wielding artisanal miners are terrorising music shows, demanding free entry and torching violence, making artistes think seriously about going to smaller towns.

They get the name MaShurugwi from the small Midlands town located on a mineral-rich greenstone belt, known in this area as the Selukwe Schist Belt and the centre of a chromite, gold and nickel mining area.

Some of the artisanal miners became aggressive and now have given their name to all groups, usually armed with machetes, who force others off their panning claims or who just cause trouble. And Midlands is just one affected province.

MaShurugwi do not only give musicians laborious tasks of deciding on whether to hold shows in certain areas or not, they have also threatened musicians’ potential income by unleashing violence at shows or forcing their way into gigs without paying.

ZORA musician Leonard Zhakata recalls when he was forced to let people enjoy his show for free after violence sparked by MaShurugwi broke-out at the midst of his show in Chipinge, Manicaland Province.
Zhakata said they rely on spying on these ‘gangs’ and at times engage their leaders in their programmes, as a way of buying safety.

“We sometimes encounter their clashes here and there. We make sure at every show there is police presence, especially in areas associated with artisanal mining gangs.
“There is huge cost involved in trying to deal with issues of security and sometimes in those areas where the situation is very tense, we spy to know the purported gang leaders and try to involve them in some way.

“I remember when there was gold rush in Chipinge some time back and MaShurugwi came there, police officers were out-numbered. We saw police officers taking off their hats running for dear life.

“The situation only normalised after the arrival of military police.

The show became free for all,” he said.State media

Farai Dziva|SHDA has said dismissed medical doctors must be reinstated by mutual agreement.

See full statement :

SHDA Extraordinary Meeting Summary 25/11/19 UPDATES

1. There has been no feedback from the ministry since our meeting on the 15th of November.

The lack of urgency is of great concern.

435 doctors have been dismissed so far by the government including senior registrars who happen to be members of SHDA. These colleagues had not been upgraded from JRMO ship.

1. The government has said doctors who were dismissed must reapply. Our position is they must be reinstated in a mutual agreement.
2. Concerning exams; no exams are being written in the medical schools (UZCHS and NUST) as it will mar the Zimbabwe medical degrees. Members of SHDA are going to ensure this world-renowned quality of our degree quality is not compromised.
3. A consortium of local donors met SHDA, ZHDA and AMSITZ representatives and offered a package which if agreed upon, the doctors are supposed to receive provided they are going to work. The package includes a monthly allowance, WIFI at hospitals, daily three trips by VAYA. A Save-Our-Hospitals foundation would also be set up to address hospital infrastructure issues. We are not sure if this has cabinet authority yet but was presented to the associations for buy-in first.

DISCUSSION

1. The offer from the donors is appreciated and will come in useful, especially for juniors. However, it leaves the hospitals still incapacitated. It won’t change Flexi hours or the drug and equipment situation or reinstatement of colleagues. It is a good gesture which members will accept once we have resolved outstanding issues with the government, who must do something reasonable too. There is a need to continue seeing the bigger picture. The current state of hospitals and all the responses observed so far show a coordinated attack on the medical profession and the profession must stand to uphold itself and keep its integrity. We remain incapacitated.
2. The Min of HCC is continuing to push for PPPs in government hospitals. We maintain this will endanger the vulnerable members of society who are the beneficiaries of services in government hospitals. This system must be rejected.
3. The SHDA will join with its sister organisations and organise for a march to parliament to submit a petition on the state of the health care system in the nation.
4. Retiree members of the profession need to be discussed with to see how best they can help in this situation since they may be having direct access to different offices of authority in government without red tapes.
5. A number of poor outcomes were reported as having been recorded during the ’emergency mode’ that some colleagues had embarked on. This is all because the hospitals remain unsafe for safe delivery of services.
6. It was resolved that we need to actively engage colleagues in the private sector because we are facing a threat to the entire profession, both public and private. Doctors in private practice are to be discussed with so that they can withdraw their service in protest against government decision to leave public hospitals to lie to waste. This will, unfortunately, lead to a complete shutdown of services which is regrettable. More details will be availed on the logistics as we engage our colleagues
7. Members are advised to keep a social media presence to stand and uphold the profession against social media attacks that have been seen. They are to comment platforms to support the profession and help educate the general public on the current situation.
8. Members agreed not to reapply as suggested because they were never on strike, just incapacitated. The members agreed not to worry since they are just not on a salary like their counterparts.
9. The SHDA members who were present have agreed for a total withdrawal of services in government until the 435 doctors who have been fired are reinstated and their incapacitation is addressed.

President Dr Nyaguse-Chiurunge, Vice President Mr Makota, Secretary General Mr Musara
Treasurer Mr Wazara, Committee Members Dr Dube,Dr Gutu, Dr Gidiri, Dr Jira.

Watch the video loading below. ..

By A Correspondent- Mourners gathered at the burial of Zanu PF councillor Edson Chauke in Mwenezi on Tuesday were barred from body viewing because of the corpse’s advanced state of decomposition that left it oozing yellow liquids through the coffin and sending a sharp stench into the air.

The body had spent 24 hours wrapped in a blanket on a hospital bed because Chikombedzi Hospital mortuary is not working due to massive power cuts.The funeral left Zanu PF dignitaries, officers from the President’s Office, heads of Government departments embarrassed as women burnt cow dung to put out the strong odour.

Chauke’s body was kept overnight in a hut far from the rest. No one slept in the hut or stayed there with the body as is the African culture. Burial was hushed and by 8:30am mourners were back from the graveyard.

Indeed, the dying economy and the collapsed health system is sparing no one as Chauke, a Zanu PF guru in Mwenezi and a powerful man by virtue of the fact that he was also a headman was buried in the most undignified fashion; his body was shunned by everyone.

Chauke died at 6pm on Sunday and his body was wrapped in a blanket on his bed until Mwenezi Rural District Council collected it at 6pm on Monday. Decomposition was also accelerated by the soaring temperatures.

Silas Musengi, a young brother who accompanied the deceased to Chikombedzi said he was saddened by the pain and suffering that Chauke went through until he died.

“My brother complained of stomach and chest pains and my uncle and I took him to Chikombedzi and the nurses on duty put him on two drips after promising that a doctor would come and see him.

The doctor never came until he died 12 hours later. Apart from the drips there was no other service rendered to him.

“After his death on Sunday, they said that the mortuary was not working and just wrapped him in blankets and left him the body on the bed until Monday evening when council officials came to ferry his body home,’’ said Musengi.

Mwenezi RDC Chief Executive Officer Albert Chivanga described Chauke as a hardworking man who had the desire to see improvement in social services delivery.

Chauke was a committee member for three committees namely Agriculture and Environmental, Natural Resources committee and Social Services committee.

The village urged people in his community to get funeral policies so that their bodies can be taken to private mortuaries when they die.

– Mirror

By A Correspondent- Opposition MDC Youth Assembly Secretary General Gift Ostalos Siziba has accused president Emmerson Mnangagwa of disregarding Constitutionally guaranteed freedoms and muzzling the democratic space for civilians.

In an exclusive interview with ZimEye Tuesday afternoon Siziba said:

“The government has responded by suppressing our rights. The judiciary is captured, they have failed to deliver and this is why we took our demonstration to the doors of Rotten Row magistrates court where most of our trials are being conducted.”

Siziba accused Mnangagwa’s government of stifling the democratic space for especially young people hence the protest by the youths at the magistrates court where they duct- taped their mouths as a sign to show how it had become a crime to express oneself under the “New Dispensation”.

He added:

“Our leaders in the opposition are arrested and charged over frivolous charges including treason…

I am one of those that are in court but there are no state witnesses to testify in court to date. At one time, the witness was said to be attending to some personal family function before they were said to be attending a ritual process. The next time i appeared at court, the witness was said to have been involved in an accident….

…The fact is that we have become slaves of an incompetent justice delivery system. We are however prepared to surrender ourselves before our freedoms are taken away from us.”

Zesa Holdings Ltd., the utility that’s subjecting Zimbabweans to 18-hour power cuts, is going off the grid.

The electricity producer is inviting bids for a roof-top solar power installation at its head office in the capital, Harare, to ensure that its staff enjoy uninterrupted power.

The bids open today and will close on Dec. 19, according to a Government Gazette published Nov. 22. Solar panels may also be installed at Zesa’s provincial offices, said Fullard Gwasira, Zesa’s spokesman.

The southern African nation has been hit by crippling power cuts as a drought has drained the reservoir at its biggest plant, the Kariba South hydropower station, and a coal-fired generator at Hwange keeps breaking down. Zimbabwe is also struggling to pay for imports from South Africa and Mozambique.

The two power plants on Friday were producing a combined 523 megawatts of electricity, according to the Zimbabwe Power Company, the electricity distribution arm of the utility. That’s a fraction of the country’s demand.

Bloomberg 

Correspondent|Zimbabwean authorities have intercepted a poaching syndicate which was trying to sell a lion’s head to a tourist in Victoria Falls.

Game ranger Kissmore Munsaka, 32, nurses Munashe Murimisa, 32, and Buuya Sikuka, 48, as well as Mascot Muvari, 35, a policeman, soldier Anymore Sikuka, 37, and Victoria Falls resident Verster Chimidzi, 43, were arrested on Monday by Criminal Investigation Department police officers.

The CID received advance information about the crew’s search for a buyer in the resort town.

Using a tourist, a trap was set and the sellers agreed to meet their potential buyer outside a supermarket.

When police rounded them up, the suspects were found in possession of a lion’s head and skin without a hunting permit.

Investigations revealed the lion they killed had been illegally hunted on November 3 in a safari area which is strictly a game-viewing zone.

They are set to appear in court on Wednesday, each on three charges under the Parks and Wildlife Act, including a section that stipulates “no person shall sell any animal or any part of animal which has been hunted in or has died in or has been removed from a safari area”.

A second charge is that of removing an animal or part of it from a safari area. The final charge is that of hunting in a safari area.

Pindula|The opposition MDC led by Nelson Chamisa has accused the Zimbabwe Republic Police of being double-faced after they allegedly blocked MDC demonstrations at the same time assisting the ruling ZANU PF in organising its events.

The accusations were made by MDC youths who yesterday stormed into the Harare Magistrates Court with tape covering their mouths to show dissent to “State-assisted closure of democratic space”.

Gift Ostallos Siziba, the MDC Youth Assembly Spokesperson, who was leading about twenty youths spoke to News Day and said that the party was not happy with the bans on its demonstrations. He also expressed displeasure in the judiciary system which he accused of taking forever to deliver justice. Siziba said:

They staged their anti-sanctions demonstration (on October 25) without even as much notifying the police. They are doing these demonstrations countrywide, including rallies, and in most cases, you actually see police organising these events on behalf of the (Zanu PF) party. We are arrested, beaten and jailed. This is unconstitutional and unacceptable.

His remarks come after the police have blocked over thirteen MDC demonstrations in August and September alone and have also violently dispersed MDC supporters in the event that they would have managed to gather.

Own Correspondent|Reports just in indicate that the army is running operations at Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo Airports following a strike action by Air Traffic Controllers at the two ports of entry into the country.

Sources at the airports said that members of the Airforce of Zimbabwe were rushed in to take over Harare and Bulawayo airports.

On Tuesday morning the Zimbabwe airspace was closed and all flights scheduled to fly in and out of the country were grounded.

The move by the air force has fueled speculations that there might be a more political and sinister agenda behind the said strike and closure of the airspace.

Own Correspondent|The Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe has denied reports that the air space has been closed and that their workers had gone on strike.

In a statement released on Tuesday CAAZ said, “Our attention has been drawn to some reports circulating on various media platforms this morning. Our airspace is open and flights are operating as normal.”

However facts on the ground from the country’s main airports point to the fact that the airports were not functioning for the better part of the morning.

In Bulawayo at the JMN Nkomo Airport, a South African Airlink plane which landed at 7.45AM was due to turn back at 8.05AM but did not take off for almost another three hours without a clear explanation given by authorities.

Air Zimbabwe’s only aircraft servicing domestic and regional routes took off from the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare as scheduled for its morning service to Bulawayo and Victoria Falls.

The Boeing 767 200-ER, due to return to Harare to pick up passengers to Johannesburg, was forced to sit on the tarmac in Victoria Falls for nearly two hours from 8.30AM obviously as negotiations with the air traffic controllers continued.

The plane only took off at 10.15AM.

A Fastjet plane due to fly to Johannesburg and an Airlink flight from Harare to Johannesburg appeared to have failed to get clearance for takeoff.

Data from flight-monitoring website FlightRadar24 shows operations began normalizing at Harare Airport way after midday with a Kenyan Airways plane landing in Harare, closely followed by the Air Zimbabwe aircraft.

Below is the information as at 13:30 hours on 26 November 2019.

Own Correspondent|Zimbabwe officials reportedly intervened on Tuesday to off-set the grounding of flights into and out of the country after air traffic controllers at major airports reportedly downed tools, affecting some flights in Harare and Bulawayo.

Zimbabwe is battling an economic crisis that has seen inflation erode workers’ salaries, leading to various workers unions declaring incapacitation to report for duty. Some bank workers and junior doctors are among employees that have declared incapacitation and the air-controllers were reported to have also complained of poor pay on Tuesday morning.

A travel agent confirmed on Tuesday that there was a slight disturbance in the landing and taking off of morning flights although authorities had quickly moved in to stabilise the situation after instituting contingency measures.

“We just heard there were some disturbances in Harare and Bulawayo and I have been on the phone all morning handling queries from apprehensive customers asking if they should reschedule their itineraries,” said the travel agent.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) however said in a brief statement posted a few hours on Twitter a few hours after the reported disturbances to flights that: “Our airspace is open and flights are operating as normal.”

Moleen Sanyanga who was scheduled to fly to South Africa from Harare, told Business Report that her agent had assured her that any disturbance would have been sorted within two hours. Other travelers at the Robert Mugabe Airport said flights had started to land and take off in the afternoon.

“My agent says any issue of that nature would have been solved in about 1 to 2 hours. He said such a situation would be very risky and rarely happens because it disrupts the flow of flights,” she said.

Nick Mangwana, permanent secretary for the Information Ministry said airports in Zimbabwe “remains busy” although some Twitter users suggested that a flight in Bulawayo had been delayed while another flight in Victoria Falls was also disrupted.

Zimbabwean air traffic controllers appear to have been slowly expressing their displeasure to authorities through various means such as delays in starting shifts. This resulted in them compromising on safety measures on the amount of hours a controller can work.

In a letter dated 11 November 2019, the CAAZ implored for “compliance” with statutory licencing obligations.

“It has been noted that here have been violations … where some air traffic controllers would work more than the stipulated maximum number of hours or continued to work under fatigue,” says CAAZ in the letter to air traffic controllers.

There were suggestions that senior traffic control managers had to intervene on Tuesday by stepping into the control room. The air traffic controllers were reportedly demanding a salary increase pegged to the US Dollar.

Zimbabwe is a prime destination for tourists and other travelers. Regional and international airlines such as South African Airways and Emirates fly into Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

By Own Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has revealed that his government is working hard to protect women from violence as his government strives for a more equal and peaceful society.

He said this as Zimbabwe joins the rest of the world in commemorating 16 Days of activism against gender based violence.

Said Mnangagwa:

“Today is the International Day for the elimination of violence against women #EliminationOfViolenceAgainstWomen.

We must all strive for a more equal & peaceful society, where violence has no place. In Zimbabwe we are working hard to protect women from violence, to eliminate this evil phenomenon once and for all.”

Mnangagwa’s statement comes hardly a week after the media exposed videos and pictures of police details assaulting women near Morgan Tsvangirai house in their bid to disperse civilians who had gathered to hear opposition leader Nelson Chamisa deliver his Hope of the Nation Address.

The police battered women in full glare of the media but President Mnangagwa did not issue any statement regards the development.

We publish some of the reactions to Mnangagwa’s pledge below:

Tsungai Marian Mutasa: Really please don’t start women are abused right under your nose give us a break.

Ash Tayler Van Zyl: Didn’t you guys break a gogos leg just last week.

Tami Makanza: Given what happened a few days ago its hard to see past the ghoulish irony of this post.

Avelyn Corbett: Hmmm and what are your thoughts on the recent violence against women last week by the police force who are meant to protect citizens??

Talentt Kandiyero: Wish you know how much we are praying for your time of suffering, and the spirits of those you have killed to hunt u.

Artwell Chef Muchenje: Mr President,I’m sure you saw what the police did to MDC supporters and some pedestrians caught in the crossfire including the women we celebrating here,what was your response to that police brutality that happened on that day. A honest answer Mr President when u asked……

Simbarashe Mapangera What’s the meaning of thisHide or report this.

Simbarashe Chihoro: Ko zvamunonyarara wani vanhukadzi vachirohwa neZRP zvekutyora gumbo, its easy to say it on Facebook but practically its a different story. We know law has to be adhered to but authorities under your leadership is too heavy handed towards citizens.

Ishmael Hlabangana: Mr President police were brutalising women last week ,what was your roll there of not condemning that?please be the president of the people and be the leader of the the country.

Hon Isaac Butholezwe Mutasa Do the comments posted here mean anything to you Sir?Do you see how angry people are?Is this your idea of a new dispensation.You have no shame at all.

Krystyn Grace Nkomo Go to bed wena Emasoni,You are bored..When will you ever practice what you preach?

Maphia Chemhere: So this is how you and your boys work hard.ita mushe iwe unotibhowa,

Honest Mutusva: We made a big mistake by being part of a coup. Now we are paying for it…

Timothy Gumbi: I don’t think its true ,women are being victimised in Zimbabwe, even your VP Mohadi was captured victimising X wife , lets live the talk Mr President.

Tafara Daitai: Vara rekuti working hard munorida mukuru… Some of us are already confused of what it really mean… Does it mean carrying a scarf everywhere or what.

Taurai Nyikadzino Musoko: Try and not use the word eliminate. It’s too harsh, in mathematics it speaks of subtraction then in human it means subtraction by killing. The word tells a lot given your instinct and background.

Godfrey Viki: The most perpetrators of violence against women and children are nothing else but ZANU PF and its Security forces, ie the police force. Last week a woman had her leg broken by your police officer!

 Lawrence Avant Mutasa: Mr President just check all the comments it’s really sad or even though you may say its a mere facebook post, it does not matter we are the Zimbabweans, the fact is that you violate people’s rights kodzero dzevanhu hamunaba-hwi uye vanhu havakudei kana even one day meaning the people do not love you not even for a day. Believe me or not my best advice you have to resign its not a crime and you have failed (hayisi mhosva zvaramba vamurambiwa woye) give others a chance we deserve better as people of Zimbabwe we can’t continue living in tatters like this !!!Enough !!

Farai Dziva|Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights(ZLHR) has described the attack on Douglas Coltart as shocking.

See full ZLHR statement : Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) strongly condemns the despicable conduct of some Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers, who physically assaulted human rights lawyer Douglas Coltart on Saturday 23 November 2019 while discharging his professional duties.

Coltart, a member of ZLHR, was assaulted at Harare Central Police Station by some unidentified police officers after he had attended to offer emergency legal and other attendant support services to Obert Masaraure , the President of Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), who had been arrested on Saturday 23 November 2019 by some ZRP officers and charged with disorderly conduct.

The attack on Coltart is in itself alarming in that it comes three months after some ZRP officers assaulted the same human rights lawyer while executing his professional duties of representing some ARTUZ members, who had been arrested while intending to hand over a petition to Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube’s Office in Harare demanding improved remuneration and favourable working conditions for teachers.

ZLHR strongly condemns the brutal actions of the police. Such conduct puts the integrity and independence of the legal profession at critical risk.
The physical assault of a lawyer while carrying out his professional duties is a clear sign of the police’s outright disregard for constitutional protections and regional and international human rights standards which oblige all state actors to ensure that lawyers are able to carry out their duties without fear or favour and enjoy the same fundamental rights and freedoms as other people of Zimbabwe.

The assault on Coltart is in violation of section 219 of the Constitution which mandates the Police Service to protect and secure the lives of people and also violates section 208 of the Constitution which prohibit police officers from violating the fundamental rights or freedoms of people.

The ZRP officers’ callous actions also contravene Zimbabwe’s obligations under regional and international law.

The United Nations (UN) Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers and the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, provide that lawyers and human rights defenders must be able to carry out their professional functions and work without hindrance, harassment, intimidation or improper interference.

The UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers require adequate protection of lawyers if their security is threatened when carrying out their legitimate professional duties and not to be identified with their clients or their clients’ cause
ZLHR calls upon the government to:
Guarantee Coltart’s safety and physical integrity and to ensure that legal practitioners are able to carry out their work free of fear, harassment or intimidation and to adequately protect the safety and independence of all lawyers and end the culture of impunity.

Promptly and thoroughly investigate the assault of Coltart with the aim of identifying those responsible and holding perpetrators accountable in order to serve justice and to prevent reoccurrence of violations.

Fully comply with and create awareness about the core values underlying the legal profession, amongst others by bringing the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers to the attention of ZRP and other relevant stakeholders.

Expedite the establishment of Independent Complaints Mechanism as provided in section 210 of the Constitution which will be mandated with receiving and investigating complaints from members of the public about misconduct on the part of members of the security services who include the Police Service and for remedying any harm caused by such misconduct.

ENDS

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
Kodzero/Amalungelo House No. 103 Sam Nujoma Street, Harare, Zimbabwe
Phone: (+263 8677005347, +263 242 764085/705370/708118
Email: [email protected]

Watch the video loading below. ..

Own Correspondent| Doctors have warned that incarcerated whistle-blower, Wikileaks founder, editor and publisher, Julian Assange, Zimbabwe’s own Baba Jukwa, could die inside a top British security jail.

Zimbabwean online blogger Baba Jukwa caused a social media frenzy in 2013, as he wrote exposing ‘secret operations’ by the ruling Zanu PF party, he became a favourite follower, number one whistle-blower, the opposition became dependent on for information on the secret on goings in the ruling party and security services.

Cynics, however, dismissed the ghost Baba Jukwa as a decoy created to divert the MDC led by the late Morgan Tsvangirai’s attention, from real issues surrounding the pending harmonised elections, to trivialities, gossip and bar talk.

The more than 60 doctors wrote on Monday advising that Assange, urgently needs medical treatment at a university hospital, they also warned of his fast deteriorating health, “that Assange suffers from psychological problems including depression as well as dental issues and a serious shoulder ailment.”

Sweden last week dropped rape investigations against Assange, who is also battling extradition to the US, which accuses him of espionage for publishing secret documents relating to his WikiLeaks work, which exposed, the extent of US state surveillance in western countries and the conduct of its troops in the Middle East, in which the 48 year old Australian, allegedly proved war crimes had been committed.

The letter, from doctors across UK, Australia, Europe and Sri Lanka, was sent to Home Secretary Priti Patel.
Dr Lissa Johnson, a clinical psychologist in Australia, said an independent medical assessment was needed to determine if Assange was “medically fit” to face legal proceedings.

More The Guardian

Farai Dziva|MDC organising secretary Amos Chibaya has has said Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government is likely to face imminent protests as Zimbabwe’s economic problems intensify.

Chibaya also slammed the Zanu PF regime for attempting to muzzle voices of democracy.Chibaya was acquitted of treason charges by a Gweru magistrate.

Read Chibaya’s statement below :
I would want to take this opportunity to thank the People’s President, The Right, Advocate Nelson Chamisa, the Midlands provincial chairperson Josiah Makombe and the entire provincial leadership, my legal team, the organising department, MDC staff and the dedicated MDC family for the unwavering support I recieved in my trying times in detention and routine court appearances over trumped up treason charges.

Yesterday I had my case of subversion thrown away at the Gweru Provincial Magistrates Court.

The case related to the January fuel price hike protests where children of this land took to the streets to vent their anger over the heinous regime of the increasingly unpopular Emmerson Mnangagwa.

After refusal of further remand by my lawyers , the Prosecution conceded that there was no case against me and they proceeded to withdraw the false charges.

Once again thank you Mkoba family not forgetting our external assembly stuctures- again thanks for your support.

Fellow Zimbabweans, brothers and sisters, my message to you all is that time for change is now. No one can free us but ourselves.

The debilitating crisis of Zimbabwe now demand action.
The rogue regime is taking us down the garden path by promises of a better Zimbabwe.

On January 17 2017 we jumped from a frying pan into the fire after the coup.

It is now time to pour into the streets and send a clear message to the dictator that enough is enough. The country is rooted in entrenched dictatorship which does not require body massaging but real action of sustained peaceful demonstrations.
The Streets should become our second homes. The recent infamous actions by police to crash our demonstrations should not deter us. Let them kill us all but we die saving our future generations.

State security agents should join this struggle and pour into the streets with us. It is a noble struggle.

It shall be indefinite protests.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Farai Dziva|MDC
MDC Secretary for Justice and Legal Affairs Innocent Gonese has said the harassment of legal practitioners is a gimmick meant to silence human rights defenders.

See statement below:

MDC is so shocked and disgusted by yet another senseless attack and harassment of legal practitioners in the course of their duty representing their clients as provided for in terms of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

Messrs David Coltart and Jeremiah Bhamu have a right and in fact obligation to provide legal services to any client who seeks their assistance.

In this regard, the President of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union (ARTU) is no exception notwithstanding what the police and regime might think of him as he is a Zimbabwean citizen who is fully entitled to enjoy the Rights enshrined in the Constitution including the right to engage a lawyer of his own choice.

As the MDC we believe in upholding the Rule of Law and the brazen violation and trampling upon of citizen rights has no place in a modern society and it is disconcerting that police continue behaving in this manner particularly when the Regime wants to mislead the world that we are in a new dispensation but the facts on the ground show that it is worse than the previous one and in fact would not be out of place if placed alongside the Nazi or apartheid regimes.

The assault of Douglas Coltart and the visible injuries seen on his person and the trauma caused to Jeremiah Bhamu is not an isolated incident. In fact for Coltart, it is a repetition as previously he has been arrested for attending to the call of duty.

We call upon the relevant authorities if they have any sense of decency to look into this matter and take appropriate remedial action to prevent any recurrence.

At a time when some people complain about the negative publicity that the country is getting there is no need to score own goals but for this regime it appears that the end justifies the means and they continue trampling upon the rights of those perceived to be enemies of the State.

The MDC is also concerned that this conduct has not received censure from institutions that should be protecting the rights of professionals and this can only inculcate a culture of impunity upon the transgressors and it is high time that all Zimbabweans stand for what is right and just. If it happens to professionals what more of the ordinary people whose harassment and violation of their rights go unnoticed every day.

What has happened to the lofty ideals espoused in the Constitution that the police should be transformed from a force into a service.

Under an MDC government the rights of all the people would be protected without fear or favour and this brazen and wanton behavior inherited from the racist regime brought to an end.

The situation in our country has reached another level. There is widespread injustice, no protection of the law, great insecurity of persons and property and systematic violence against citizens.

Innocent Gonese
MDC Secretary for Justice and Legal Affairs

HARARE City Council has threatened to withhold salaries for striking nurses and take disciplinary measures because their job action was illegal, NewsDay can reveal.

About 600 council nurses are on strike.

In a memorandum seen by NewsDay dated November 20, the council, acting human capital director Matthew Marara cautioned nurses that if they are to receive their salaries they have to discontinue their industrial action.

“I have learnt with sadness that most of these ‘striking’ nurses have not taken heed of my call. I will reiterate that the action by the absenting nurses is illegal and in terms of Labour Act (Chapter 28:01) and section 108 (4), the employer is not obliged to pay employees not reporting for duty to render services as per their employment contracts,” Marara wrote.

Marara’s previous memo to the nurses’ union on November 4, directed them to report for duty while dialogue for better salaries was underway and made reference to the talks in the recent memo.

“Accordingly, council shall proceed and apply the legal principle ‘no work no pay’ and withhold payment of salaries in respect of all the nurses who are not reporting for their duties with effect from the dates they started absconding their duties. Council will continue to withhold the nurses’ salaries up until the time when the striking nurses report for their duty to render services,” Marara said.

“Nevertheless, continued strike action shall inevitably call for disciplinary action.”

Zimbabwe Urban and Rural Council Nurses Workers’ Union secretary-general Tedious Chisango dismissed the threats, saying the only condition for returning to work was when their demand for better salaries was addressed.

“The nurses are not moved by those threats; all they demand is their salaries. If you are trapped between a hard rock and a rough surface, you cannot move and that is the situation with the nurses right now,” Chisango said.

Chisango accused council of being insincere to their plight as it has failed to meet them to address the issues at hand.

“The same excuse, he doesn’t want to recognise us and we have to go through the NEC (National Employment Council) ,” he said.

The union wrote to the NEC and are yet to get feedback, Chisango said.

-Newsday

MAIN opposition MDC is up in arms with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) after its chief elections officer, Utoile Silaigwana, recognised a new political party calling itself MDC Zimbabwe.

Party leader Nelson Chamisa, through the MDC acting secretary-general Jameson Timba, is livid and has written to Zec, accusing them of trying to sabotage their chances of winning elections by creating confusion among the electorate.

“We have been made aware that some individuals purporting to be members have written to you purporting to notify you of their existence as MDC Zimbabwe headquartered in Gweru. We have also been made aware of a letter purportedly coming from yourselves in response to their notification wherein you have acknowledged and, indeed, accepted them as part of your stakeholders,” the letter read.

Timba accused Silaigwana of acting in a manner that is not consistent with his office and violating the constitutional provisions which govern his conduct.

“Firstly, as a key stakeholder represented in Parliament and known to you, we were not given an opportunity to express ourselves on the validity of the claim by any of the said individuals. May we remind you that you are a public officer in charge of a public institution and, as such, you should conduct yourself within the bounds of the Constitution and, in particular, the requirements of administrative justice,” Timba wrote.

The MDC wants Zec to withdraw its recognition of MDC Zimbabwe on grounds that they are illegally using a patented party name and if allowed to be used, can cause confusion.More in Home

“Our party logo and insignia including any variants are registered patents. The said persons have no authority to use our name or have any claim whatsoever. As such, we hold a firm view that the purported registration is null and void and should be withdrawn. We, therefore, expect you to notify the said individuals of our position and expect your offices to act accordingly in terms of the law,” Timba wrote.

Silaigwana said while he had not read the letter from the MDC, he was shocked by the MDC’s attack on Zec given that the electoral management body had no powers to register political parties.

“We have had political parties with similar names in the past and we still do now. We have Zanu PF, Zanu Ndonga, the MDC’s themselves have had MDC, MDC-T, MDC-N, MDC-99, and we have no power to segregate political parties or register them. All we can do is acknowledge their existence and add them to our data base, so I don’t understand really where this is coming from,” he said.

Zec said it could only intervene when a political party uses a party symbol or logo that is prohibited by the Electoral Act, saying it held no other powers apart from those prescribed.

The MDC accused Zec of conniving with the ruling Zanu PF to confuse the voters by putting on the ballot paper similar names just to spoil Chamisa’s party.

“If you look at the 2018 general elections, the MDC-T led by Thokozani Khupe had close to 200 000 votes at parliamentary level, but at presidential, they only had 49 000. This was because there was confusion over party name and logo, allowing them to benefit from that, but at presidential, that confusion was not there and you saw how she performed.

This is a calculated ploy,” Chamisa’s spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda, said.

Zimbabwe Elections Support Network has already proposed a law which will see political parties being registered to ensure that voters are not subjected to fly-by-night parties that just show up during elections.

-Newsday

Registrar-General (RG) Clemence Masango has accused the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) of labelling his department corrupt and inefficient without proof or evidence to back their statements.

Presenting before ZHRC commissioners at a stakeholders hearing on access to documentation inquiry in Harare yesterday, Masango said his department was planning on seeking legal recourse.

“It is our opinion that your inquiry is no longer investigative or that it is seeking to establish the truth or veracity of the complaints that you have received from citizens.

Instead, it has gone on an attacking, confrontational and accusatory mode making judgment of a process that should be an inquiry and this is all against the department,” the RG said.

“Honourable chair, I am compelled to seek legal views on these accusations with a view to report to law enforcement authorities looking for a possible retraction of this opinion.”

Masango said some ZHRC commissioners had been quoted verbatim in the media accusing registry officials of inefficiency.

“This is no longer an inquiry in the sense of the meaning of the word because on many occasions, officials in the department have been labelled corrupt, inefficient and this has been reported in the various newspapers with some of the ZHRC commissioners having been quoted verbatim and as far as I know, those accusations have not yet been refuted,” Masango said.

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the inquiry, chairperson of the committee, Elasto Mugwadi said Masango should engage the commission and get records of what people said pertaining to the department’s officers during their ongoing inquiry.

“We have said if he is keen to find out on what exactly people said, there are records and we can make them available to him and he would see for himself. On the issue of him citing incidences from newspapers (RG officers accused of being corrupt by commissioners), getting information from newspapers is immaterial because newspapers report differently. We are, therefore, disregarding his reactions to the newspaper article,” Mugwadi said, adding that the commission was not confronting the RG’s Office.

“Why on earth would we be targeting him or his office for? None of us would need that office, after all our offices are bigger than the Registrar’s Office so why would we have an issue with him as an individual?” Mugwadi said.

-Newsday

There is a crisis at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe international airport with reports suggesting that planes are not taking off or landing at the giant airport.

According to Zimbabwe Morning Post, Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe employees particularly Air Traffic Controllers have downed tools forcing the airport to grind to a halt.

According the CAAZ, the airport is operating as usual.

But former cabinet minister Jonathan Moyo says it’s a suspected sabotage case where someone crushed the radar system at the airport this morning.

More to follow…

ZIMBABWE Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) strongly condemns the despicable conduct of some Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers, who physically assaulted human rights lawyer Douglas Coltart on
Saturday 23 November 2019 while discharging his professional duties.

Coltart, a member of ZLHR, was assaulted at Harare Central Police Station by some unidentified police officers after he had attended to offer emergency legal and other attendant support services to Obert
Masaraure, the President of Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), who had been arrested on Saturday 23 November 2019 by some ZRP officers and charged with disorderly conduct.

The attack on Coltart is in itself alarming in that it comes three months after some ZRP officers assaulted the same human rights lawyer while executing his professional duties of representing some ARTUZ
members, who had been arrested while intending to hand over a petition
to Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube’s Office in
Harare demanding improved remuneration and favourable working
conditions for teachers.

ZLHR strongly condemns the brutal actions of the police. Such conduct puts the integrity and independence of the legal profession at critical risk.

The physical assault of a lawyer while carrying out his professional duties is a clear sign of the police’s outright disregard for constitutional protections and regional and international human rights
standards which oblige all state actors to ensure that lawyers are able to carry out their duties without fear or favour and enjoy the same fundamental rights and freedoms as other people of Zimbabwe.

The assault on Coltart is in violation of section 219 of the Constitution which mandates the Police Service to protect and securethe lives of people and also violates section 208 of the Constitution which prohibit police officers from violating the fundamental rights or freedoms of people.

The ZRP officers’ callous actions also contravenes Zimbabwe’s obligations under regional and international law. The United Nations (UN) Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers and the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, provide that lawyers and human rights defenders must
be able to carry out their professional functions and work without hindrance, harassment, intimidation or improper interference.

The UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers require adequate protection of lawyers if their security is threatened when carrying out their legitimate professional duties and not to be identified with their clients or their clients’ cause.

On Saturday afternoon the 23rd November 2019 my son Douglas Coltart was severely assaulted by some 6 members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police at Harare Central police station whilst representing the President of the Association of Rural Teachers of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) President Obert Masaraure. The following are the facts surrounding this incident. I apologise for the length of this post but is important to get the facts out in the public domain.

The Facts

On 23 November 2019, Mr. Obert Masaraure was in central Harare with his wife and their two sons (aged 7 and 3 years) to get a family photograph. His wife was driving the family.

Near the intersection of Robert Mugabe Way and George Silundika Avenue, Masaraure got out of the vehicle and sought to direct his wife into a parking bay. Some police officers approached them and accused his wife of blocking traffic.

Masaraure engaged the police officers and pointed out that there was no traffic and he was just directing his wife into a parking bay. One of the police officers identified him and indicated that he was wanted at CID Law and Order and at the Police Internal Security Intelligence department. He was also advised that the police were now going to “fix” him. They let his wife and sons go, and took him to the police station.

At approximately 13.00, Douglas Coltart received a phone call from Masaraure advising that he had been arrested and detained by the ZRP at Harare Central and was requesting legal assistance.

Immediately on receipt of the call, Coltart telephoned Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) to request their assistance. ZLHR deployed lawyer Mr Jeremiah Bamu. Bamu arrived at Harare Central Police Station at 14.15 and went to the Operations Shed where Masaraure was being held. As he was about to explain to police officers at the Operations Shed that he was a lawyer and wanted access to Masaraure, Bamu was intercepted by a visibly inebriated Chief Inspector (now identified as Chief Inspector Majongosi) who became aggressive and ordered Bamu to leave. Bamu introduced himself as a lawyer and requested access to Masaraure.

The Chief Inspector became even more agitated and shouted that the Law Society Practicing Certificate (which Bamu has shown him) gave no right of access. Bamu refused to leave without either seeing Masaraure or of knowing the name of the arresting detail.

The Chief Inspector then introduced himself as Majongosi and advised Bamu to access Masaraure through the cells as he was going to be lodged there.

Bamu then attended on the cell controller who advised that he could not assist as Mr Masaraure had not yet been brought into his custody. Having not had lunch Bamu decided to leave temporarily to get lunch and he phoned Coltart to advise him of this.

At approximately 15.00 Coltart arrived at Harare Central with food for Masaraure, having been briefed by Bamu by telephone and advised that the Chief Inspector was drunk. Coltart attended at the Controller’s office and was given permission to attend to Masaraure at the Operations Shed.

Coltart went to the Operations Shed, introduced himself as lawyer showing his Practicing Certificate, and was given access to Masaraure. Coltart had only just started taking instructions from Masaraure (who at this point had not yet seen a lawyer), when Chief Inspector Majongosi arrived in a belligerent frame of mind.

He aggressively instructed Coltart not to talk to Masaraure and that he could only do so from the cells. He advised that Coltart might as well meet Masaraure in court on Monday as he was definitely being detained for two nights.

Coltart then advised Chief Inspector Majongosi of the dictates of section 50(1)(a) and (b) of the Constitution and that his client had a Constitutional right to consult with a legal practitioner, without delay, and to be informed of the reason for his arrest at the time of his arrest.

(As an aside section 50(1)(b) of the Zimbabwe Constitution states that “Any person who is arrested must be permitted without delay to consult with a legal practitioner of their choice and must be informed of this right promptly”).

Chief Inspector Majongosi refused to say why Masaraure had been arrested and threatened to forcibly remove Coltart. Concerned about the blatant violation of rights and wanting to gather evidence of it, Coltart attempted to record what was happening on his cell phone.

Coltart was then manhandled and forcibly removed by several police officers from the Operations Shed. Coltart advised Chief Inspector Majongosi that he was going to make a report to the Controller’s Office.

Coltart then proceeded to the Controller’s office to make a report, which he did to the officer in charge there. While he was still making the report, suddenly Chief Inspector Majongosi barged into the Controller’s office with some 5 or 6 other police officers in full riot gear, including helmets, heavy boots, shin guards and batons and grabbed Coltart.

He was then dragged out of the Controller’s office by the group of police officers (in full view of the public at the Charge Office front desk) while the
officer in charge at the Controller’s Office looked on and did nothing to prevent the ensuing assault. Coltart was then dragged into a corridor away from members of the public, where he was assaulted by the group of police officers using boot-clad feet, shin-pads and batons for approximately 5 minutes.

He was thrown to the ground and kicked in his back and legs while lying on the ground. A boot was pressed to his head and neck, and his left hand was also crushed. Handcuffs were placed tightly on Coltart and his hands, wrists and arms were then yanked causing deep cuts to his wrists.

He was then forcibly dragged to Chief Inspector Majongosi’s office where he was advised by Chief Inspector Majongosi that he was under arrest and was going to be detained for “disorderly conduct” and only taken to
court on Monday morning after two nights of detention.

Coltart was repeatedly denied an opportunity to phone his lawyer or a family member, until eventually when the other officers had left, one officer assisted him and allowed him to call his wife.

Coltart was handcuffed and detained for over an hour during which time he repeatedly requested that the handcuffs which were cutting into his wrists be loosened but the police officers advised that they could not find the key for the handcuffs.

(It is also important to note that Coltart has not yet fully recovered from his previous illegal assault by the police on 23 August 2019 as he still has loss of sensation in his right hand as a result of damage to the radial nerve caused by overly-tight handcuffs on that occasion). While he was detained, Coltart advised Majongosi that he would be suing Majongosi personally for the
assault and illegal detention.

Eventually it was agreed that if Coltart undertook not to sue Chief Inspector Majongosi he would be released without charge, and Coltart was then released from custody at approximately 16.30.

While Coltart was detained Bamu had been unable to locate him, but upon release Coltart found Bamu and two other lawyers (Mr Mark Rujuwa and Mr Mzokuthula Mbuyisa who had come to provide legal assistance. Bamu and Coltart then engaged the police regarding Masaraure’s detention. Chief Inspector
Majongosi then advised that he would have let Masaraure go without a charge,but he had already been lodged in cells and could then only be released either tocourt or upon paying an admission of guilt fine. Access to him was granted at around
17.00hrs, at which time Mr. David Drury and Ms. Emma Drury had also arrived. Bamu and Coltart then asked the police what charges Masaraure wasacing. They were advised that he was facing charges of “disorderly conduct”. On being pressed regarding what facts the police were relying on they stated that it was alleged that Masaraure had said to his arresting police officers “this is pure harassment – you guys are just being used by politicians”. Apparently, that was considered by the police to be an element of the offence.

Notwithstanding the lawyers’ representations to the police that the charges Masaraure was facing were baseless they were advised that Masaraure would be held in detention over the weekend and brought to court on Monday the 25th November unless he paid an admission of guilt fine.

Bamu and Coltart consulted with Masaraure who advised him that his children (presently aged 3 and 7) have been seriously traumatised by witnessing his arrest, especially following his abductions twice this year (on 18 January and on 6 June 2019) from their family home.

Masaraure advised that he desperately needed to get out of detention so that he could return to his wife and children to console them. Initially police said the fine would be ZWL$40 but upon making payment it was increased by the police to ZWL100.

Masaraure was finally released from custody at approximately 18.45.

After securing Masaraure’s release, Coltart then sought medical attention. Coltart suffered the following injuries as a result of the assault:

• a contusion, cuts and swelling below his right knee;
• bruising and swelling of his left ring finger;
• a deep cut and severe contusion below his right wrist;
• cuts, abrasions and bruising below his left wrist;
• bruising and abrasions to the right side of his neck;
• abrasions and bruising to the outside of his left knee and calf;
• abrasions and bruising to his left ankle;
• abrasions, cuts and bruising to his right ankle, calf and shin;
• bruising in the middle of his back, adjacent to his spine. Coltart has been treated and full medical report will be issued in due course. Photographs of his injuries are attached below.

Comment

The assault of a Legal Practitioner acting in the course of his professional duties is unacceptable and a serious breach of criminal law and the Constitution of Zimbabwe. In the normal course of events such an assault would result in the suspension and possible dismissal of the police officers involved, upon being proved guilty of the offence.

In Zimbabwe police officers in the last few years have been guilty of far worse assaults on civilians than the one perpetrated against Coltart. For example the assaults by police officers of innocent old men and women in central Harare on Wednesday the 20th November 2019 resulted in far more serious, potentially life threatening, injuries being inflicted on victims.

Not a single police officer has been suspended or charged for numerous unlawful assaults on civilians during the last few years. For that reason it is highly unlikely that any action will be taken to investigate the assault of Coltart, nor is there much hope that any disciplinary action will be taken against the officers responsible.

It is in this context that the intervention of the Law Society of Zimbabwe is critically important. Unfortunately the Council of the Law Society of Zimbabwe did not issue any form of complaint, or statement, after the assault of Coltart on the 23rd August 2019.

There is no doubt in my mind that this has contributed to the events of this last weekend where the police clearly feel that they can assault Legal Practitioners at will, without any fear of retribution.

The Law Society of Zimbabwe has clear obligations in terms of section 53 of the Legal Practitioners Act to “deal with all matters affecting the interests of legal practitioners” and “to represent the views of the legal profession and to maintain its integrity and status” .

It also has the implicit obligation to protect the Constitution of Zimbabwe and to ensure that its provisions relating to the rights of accused persons vis a vis their interaction with Legal Practitioners are scrupulously followed and complied with.

In my view the Council of the Law Society of Zimbabwe urgently needs to take strident action in this matter.

I should stress that whilst I am obviously an interested party, as Coltart is my son, I believe that if this assault is not dealt with there is a danger that the profession as a whole will be undermined.

Both of these assaults have been committed whilst a lawyer was representing his clients. If this is allowed to past uncensured no lawyer will be safe to represent clients in future. If the police can wantonly and grievously assault Legal Practitioners, in flagrant breach of section 50 of the Constitution, then all Zimbabweans will be made even more vulnerable to the growing abuse of law and depredations of the Zimbabwe Republic Police.

My concern goes way beyond the narrow interests of my son. If this breach of the law by the police is not dealt with it will have a chilling effect on young lawyers seeking to protect their client’s interests and rights in terms of section 50 of the Constitution.

Young lawyers, particularly in remote police stations, will fear that policemen will be able to assault them with complete impunity if they try to uphold their client’s rights in future.

I should also mention that in my 36 years of legal practice in Zimbabwe I have never heard of any lawyer who has been assaulted trying to represent his or her client. This conduct of the police is accordingly a serious deterioration in Zimbabwe’s human rights situation.

It is also incumbent on churches, civic groups and the international community to speak out against this vile conduct. Zimbabweans are rendered defenceless by an increasingly rogue police force and if the international community in particular does not act against this conduct the culture of impunity within the security forces of Zimbabwe will grow. This in turn will result in all Zimbabweans being rendered ever more vulnerable and abuses of fundamental human rights will escalate.

Senator David Coltart

Senior Partner
Webb, Low and Barry
Legal Practitioners
Bulawayo

25th October 2019

By Own Correspondent| A Presidential bodyguard who protected former Head Of State, Robert Mugabe has died aged 45.

The family has confirmed to ZimEye Mr. Hybe Hwingiri passed on last Friday evening.

Mr Hwingiri traveled around the world with President Mugabe and is seen on several videos going back to more than 10 years ago.

SEE PICTURES (STORY CONTINUES BELOW)

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In a statement a family member told ZimEye, “sekuru was a family unifier. A lot of people would go to him to seek advice and so forth. We will remember him.”

The man who was 45 years old at the time of passing away, struggled from a heart complication which began around 2016, the family told ZimEye.

Mr Hwingiri will be laid to rest at Glen Forest tomorrow, Wednesday.

He is survived his wife and 8 children. – ZimEye

Own Correspondent|Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) National Organising Secretary Amos Chibaya was on Monday acquitted of treason, a charge emanating from the January fuel price hike protests.

Chibaya who is also the National Assembly member representing Mkoba was being accused of trying to subvert a constitutionally elected government based on a statement he is alleged to have made in the media.

Chibaya was quoted in the media as having said that he would mobilise his supporters to march to State House to force President Emmerson Mnangagwa to go “packing”.

The State led by prosecutor Constance Madzudzo made an application before magistrate Edwin Marecha to withdraw the charge.

“The State makes an application to withdraw the charge before the plea. It is also with the consent of the defence counsel.”

Other top MDC officials like Joana Mamombe were also charged by the State for treason over the January 2019 fuel riots that left many injured and dead from clashes with security forces.

Most recently human rights activist Pastor Evan Mawarire and Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions president Peter Mutasa were acquitted of the treason charges they were facing for the statements they made during the January 2019 fuel riots.

The Chief Elections Officer
Zimbabwe Elections Commission
Mahachi Quantum House
No I Nelson Mandela Avenue
Harare

Dear Sir

RE: PHANTOM NOTIFICATION OF A POLITICAL PARTY (MDC ZIMBABWE)
We have been made aware that some individuals purporting to be members have written to you purporting to notify you of their existence as MDC Zimbabwe headquartered in Gweru.

We have also been made aware of a letter purportedly coming from yourselves in response to their notification wherein you have acknowledged and indeed accepted them as part of your stakeholders. May we kindly have your confirmation of this.

If it is indeed your letter we object to the content of your letter and conduct for the following reasons:

1. Firstly, as a key stakeholder represented in Parliament and known to you, we were not
   given an opportunity to express ourselves on the validity of the claim by any of the said individuals. May we remind you that you are a public officer in charge of a public institution and as such, you should conduct yourself within the bounds of the Constitution and in particular the requirements of administrative justice.
2. Secondly, our Party name (Movement for Democratic Change), logo and insignia including any variants are registered patents. The said persons have no authority to use our name or have any claim to it whatsoever.

As such we hold the firm view that the purported registration is null and void and should be withdrawn. We, therefore, expect you to notify the said individuals of our position and expect your offices to act accordingly in terms of the law.

Yours faithfully,

Hon Jameson Timba
Acting Secretary-General

Paul Nyathi|PASSPORT fees will have to be increased significantly to capacitate the Registrar General’s office to clear the large accumulated backlogs and assure Zimbabweans of rapid processing of applications since the materials used to make the passports are all imported and expensive, Government officials have said.

THE cost of getting the passport could soon hit the roof by over 1 700% if government bows to the Registrar-General Office’s demands for the cost to be at par with the prevailing United States dollar interbank rate.

Currently, the registry is struggling to keep up with demand.

Speaking during a tour of the Central Registry by Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe yesterday, Registrar-General Clemence Masango said his department was talking to government to increase fees for ordinary passports to the equivalent of US$53 on the interbank rate, which could see application fees for an ordinary passport costing $901.

Both Registrar General Clemence Masango and the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Kazembe Kazembe, said yesterday only 2 000 passports a day were now being produced yet if adequate foreign exchange could be made available or bought on the interbank market, that total could be more than doubled to 4 600, allowing the RG’s office to meet current demand and attack the backlog.

Currently an ordinary passport costs $53 while an emergency passport costs $253. These charges were set in 2010 and Minister Kazembe said passports were basically being produced at “zero cost” to applicants.

“US$53 is what was approved and that is what can easily enable us to provide a service, bearing in mind that not every applicant paid US$53. We have seen people who require their passport in three days and they paid US$253 at that time; and those who want it within 24 hours US$318. So these two will help meet us halfway and achieve a win-win with those paying US$53. So if we are to get a review, we must get a review of not less than US$53 equivalent at the prevailing bank rate,” he said.

At the prevailing bank rate of around US$1 to $17, an ordinary passport will cost $901, while a three-day passport will cost $4 301 and an emergency 24-hour passport will ask for $5 406.

According to Masango, even these fees will not allow government to recover all costs related to production of passports.

“The costing excise was done in 2010. At that time, we had fully dollarised and it was done on the basis of US dollars. The $53, is what Cabinet approved as the minimum to be charged to get a passport, but not necessarily the exact cost of producing the passport,” he said.

Kazembe, who was appointed Home Affairs minister recently, faces a mammoth task to ensure quality and effective service delivery at the passports office that is only printing 2 000 passports a day against a daily demand of 1 800 passports and a backlog of close to 300 000.

He told the media that he hoped to address the crisis, end corruption in the department and ensure that there is respectable service delivery.

“I am glad to say that the RG’s Office has been working on this. I am sure you understand that at some point, we were producing 60 passports per day, which was a record low and I am glad now they are now producing

2 000 passports, which should come as a relief to our people,” he said.

“Yes, it’s not good enough, but given the challenges that we are facing, that of consumables and the issue of foreign currency, there are competing demands because the resources are not that much. We need fuel, we need electricity, issues that are beyond our control.”

Own Correspondent|Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe has distanced itself from a statement that circulated on social media yesterday insinuating that millers have increased the price of mealie meal following the removal of subsidies on grain.

GMAZ spokesperson, Mr Garikai Chaunza described the purported statement as “fake”.

“We do not know where the statement emanated from and we are investigating”, he said.

In Bulawayo, some errant retailers had already increased the price of mealie to about $90 for a 10kg bag and $188 for 20kgs while some major retailers had limited stocks but maintained the old price.

Commenting on the matter, Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers (CZR) president, Mr Denford Mutashu, said: “We have not received such reports and a lot of them do not have the product anyway.

“So, you can’t increase the price of a product that you don’t have and it goes back to the shortage of maize that the millers are experiencing. I think the genesis of the matter is not to focus on prices but to focus on improving the supply of maize to the millers”.

State Media|THE Zimbabwe National Roads Authority cannot account for what happened to $241 000 in “petty cash” issued to staff and the new management team has asked the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate and ascertain if there was any wrongdoing.

The “petty cash” was issued during the period when the Zimbabwean dollar was pegged at 1:1 to the US dollar meaning that at the current inter-bank exchange rate, the amount is the equivalent of almost $4 million.

A source at Zinara, who declined to be named, confirmed that a formal report was made to ZACC after suspicion was raised because of the large sums involved as “petty cash” and for which there are no explanations over what it was used for.

Zinara acting chief executive Mr Suston Muzenda could not be reached for a comment by time of writing.

ZACC spokesperson commissioner John Makamure could neither deny nor confirm that the matter was before them.

The Zinara official who spoke to our Harare Bureau said the money could have been converted to personal use but sanitised as “petty cash”. “We are failing to account for $241 000 that was issued as petty cash during the era of the now fired finance director Mr Simon Taranhike,” said the source.

“We have already made a formal report to ZACC and the matter is now before them. The matter was flagged by our audit teams who discovered that there were no proper acquittals that were made with reference to the so-called petty cash allowances. This was brought to the attention of Mr Taranhike then as finance director and other executive directors but it seems they were reluctant to address the issue.”

Another Zinara source added: “The cleansing that is going on has left a number of people uncomfortable. There are some hard questions that are being asked in terms of accountability that certain people are failing to answer.

“Those people are now running to the media making false claims that they are being victimised. A lot of corrupt activities including abuse of the money meant for road development has been going on unabated for a long time. Leaks were also rampant at tollgates but that has been addressed. But some people who have been benefitting from those loopholes are not happy and want to play victim.”

The source said Zinara was going through a massive transformation that would ensure that it becomes a world class road fund that will build the highways and road system over the next decade to meet Vision 2030.

“There is clear policy direction from the President Cde E.D Mnangagwa and right to our parent Minister Joel Biggie Matiza. All our efforts should be directed towards fulfilment of the President’s vision that we should have a world class road network by 2030.”

Mourners gathered at the burial of Zanu PF councillor Edson Chauke in Mwenezi on Tuesday were barred from body viewing because of the corpse’s advanced state of decomposition that left it oozing yellow liquids through the coffin and sending a sharp stench into the air.

The body had spent 24 hours wrapped in a blanket on a hospital bed because Chikombedzi Hospital mortuary is not working due to massive power cuts.

The funeral left Zanu PF dignitaries, officers from the President’s Office, heads of Government departments embarrassed as women burnt cow dung to put out the strong odour.

Chauke’s body was kept overnight in a hut far from the rest . No one slept in the hut or stayed there with the body as is the African culture. Burial was hushed and by 830am mourners were back from the graveyard.

Indeed, the dying economy and the collapsed health system is sparing no one as Chauke, a Zanu PF guru in Mwenezi and a powerful man by virtue of the fact that he was also a headman was buried in the most undignified fashion; his body was shunned by everyone.

Chauke died at 6pm on Sunday and his body was wrapped in a blanket on his bed until Mwenezi Rural District Council collected it at 6pm on Monday.

Decomposition was also accelerated by the soaring temperatures.

Silas Musengi, a young brother who accompanied the deceased to Chikombedzi said he was saddened by the pain and suffering that Chauke went through until he died.

“My brother complained of stomach and chest pains and my uncle and I took him to Chikombedzi and the nurses on duty put him on two drips after promising that a doctor would come and see him. The doctor never came until he died 12 hours later. Apart from the drips there was no other service rendered to him.

“After his death on Sunday, they said that the mortuary was not working and just wrapped him in blankets and left him the body on the bed until Monday evening when council officials came to ferry his body home,’’ said Musengi.

Mwenezi RDC Chief Executive Officer Albert Chivanga described Chauke as a hardworking man who had the desire to see improvement in social services delivery.

Chauke was a committee member for three committees namely Agriculture and Environmental, Natural Resources committee and Social Services committee.
The village urged people in his community to get funeral policies so that their bodies can be taken to private mortuaries when they die.

• Masvingo Mirror

Paul Nyathi|President Emmerson Mnangagwa has provoked the world in a miscalculated post on his social media platforms where he declared that his government is doing well to eliminate violence against women.

“Today is the International Day for the #EliminationOfViolenceAgainstWomen. We must all strive for a more equal & peaceful society, where violence has no place. In Zimbabwe we are working hard to protect women from violence, to eliminate this evil phenomenon once & for all,” Mnangagwa said.

Mnangagwa’s unfortunate statement comes at a time when his government is under attack for unleashing a brutal police force to attack innocent citizens, beating up people, predominantly women and children in the streets of Harare after an opposition MDC gathering.

Human rights activists provided shocking details of the attacks and condemned Mnangagwa’s government for executing brutal violence on innocent women.

With all the details and previous incidents of violence on women by the police and state security available, critics have been left believing that Mnangagwa is not well advised on how to address issues of concern in the country or that the President is choosing to deliberately ignore this.

More than his unfortunate statement issued on Tuesday, Mnangagwa may have done very well had he apologised to the world for his security apparatus’ continued brutality on citizens in general and women in particular as 16 days against violence on women begin.

Zimbabwe security forces have been carrying out killings, rape, torture and other grave abuses since Mnangagwa came to power through a military coup in 2017.

Mnangagwa’s security forces use the crackdown after citizen protests or gatherings to commit numerous cases of rape.

Eight women from Hopley, Southlea Park, and Epworth in Harare province told Human Rights Watch in separate interviews in January that they were raped by uniformed and armed soldiers and police, some concealing their identities with masks. A 46-year-old woman said that nine armed men, six in army uniform, came to her house in Epworth on January 15 at about 9 p.m. Two soldiers raped her without condoms in front of her teenage son. At the local police station, the police refused to record her complaint, telling her, “these things happen, these things are happening all over the country, so we cannot receive your report or open a police case docket.”

If Mnangagwa is committed to his statement, the authorities should arrest and prosecute those responsible for abuses and send a strong message that crimes against women and citizens by the security forces won’t be tolerated.

Watch video downloading below:

Paul Nyathi|The State run Herald Newspaper has bared it all in an editorial comment accusing government, through state security agents, for needlessly beating up and injuring opposition MDC supporters in Harare last week.

The state media, though without justification, believes that the MDC gathering for President Nelson Chamisa’s Hope for the Nation Address, HONA, was a deliberate provocation of state security.

The state media however, concedes and declares that the subsequent move by the police was brutal and uncalled for.

Below is an extract from the editorial comment:

There is need for a smarter approach in dealing with the political opposition agenda.

Last week’s clashes outside Harvest House, in Harare, demonstrated a failure by police to read, anticipate the importance of change in tactics by the opposition, understand the bigger picture, and how to manage public protests in changed circumstances.

On Wednesday last week anti-riot police clashed with supporters of the opposition MDC-Alliance outside the party’s headquarters along Nelson Mandela Avenue, resulting in some of the supporters being seriously injured. At least seven supporters were arrested and have since appeared in court.

The clashes followed refusal by the police in Harare to sanction a proposed meeting in Africa Unity Square in the Central Business District (CBD), dubbed Hope of the Nation Address (HONA), at which the MDC-Alliance leader was scheduled to address supporters. The party was, instead, advised to hold the meeting at the open ground next to the Rainbow Towers Hotel.

Since 2001, the European Union has imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe, arguing that this is “in relation to the escalation of violence and intimidation”.

Ever since then, a pattern has emerged that each time the EU prepares to review its position on Zimbabwe — usually at the beginning of each year — the opposition has gone out of its way to provoke the authorities, all in order to present and sustain a narrative of recurrent violence and human rights abuses in the country.

On Thursday last week, the second session of the Zimbabwe-European Union dialogue began in Harare. The security authorities did not connect the dots — that is the aborted MDC-Alliance meeting in Africa Unity Square was staged for the EU delegation that was in the country. The party knew its meeting at the proposed venue would be turned down and that the offshoot of that would be generalised chaos, which is the impression they wanted as the take-away message for the EU delegation.

But there is also need on the part of political players to be mindful of how they schedule their programmes. In the context of the current environment, how does a political party organise an open meeting right in the middle of the central business district during peak business hours and in the process disrupting business activities?

And so the subsequent clashes outside Harvest House became a windfall for the MDC-Alliance because it perpetuated the narrative that the new dispensation is no difference from the former administration.

The motive being that when the time comes for the EU to review its position on Zimbabwe at the beginning of 2020, its officials who were here for the dialogue, will conclude that they are still concerned with the economic and humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe, therefore, providing the bloc with justification for continued sanctions against the country.

Regrettably, it appears the security authorities did not see this bigger picture to the actions of the MDC-Alliance and that the clashes provided evidence enough that rights abuses, freedom of assembly and demonstrations in the country continue to be violated.

Therefore, there is need, going forward, for a smarter approach and a change in tactics when dealing with or responding to actions or initiatives of the opposition parties.

Although the authorities cited violence that has ensued in the past such as the MDC-Alliance January 2019 protests that became an orgy of destruction of shops and looting, among reasons for refusal to allow the Africa Unity Square meeting to proceed, in hindsight, it would have been a positive in the eyes of the EU delegation if the Africa Unity Square meeting had been given the green light.

The EU’s position is that dialogue is now central to Zimbabwe and EU relations and that it wishes to support Zimbabwe’s political and economic reform agenda.

Paul Nyathi|The late Former President Robert Mugabe’s demise began with what he called Youth Interface rallies that saw young suffering Zimbabweans, even within ZANU PF, get a chance to express and vent their anger on him.

Perhaps Mugabe thought that by meeting with the youth he would be able to appease them at a time of economic meltdown.

As it turned out, the rallies were never about interfacing and hearing the plight of youths but were a disguised initiative to target the enemy, Mnangagwa and other ZANU PF cadres with impeccable liberation war records by the G40 cabal in their succession agenda.

This time, a beleaguered incumbent, Emmerson Mnangagwa appears to be going exactly the same way as he begins to hold similar Youth Interface Rallies.

Mnangagwa will hold a Zanu-PF National Youth Interface rally at Rimuka Stadium in Kadoma tomorrow which might weigh on him exactly the same way as did the November 6 2017 youth rally in Bulawayo on Mugabe.

According to the youth league, Mnangagwa will address the youths on various issues, including economic challenges and party programmes ahead of the forthcoming Zanu-PF 18th National People’s Conference set for Goromonzi next month.

In a statement, published in the state media, the Zanu-PF Youth League national commissar Godfrey Tsenengamu said: “Notice is hereby given of the Zanu-PF National Youth Convention which shall be held on Wednesday 27th of November 2019 in Kadoma, Mashonaland West Province, where Zanu-PF First Secretary and President Cde E.D Mnangagwa shall be the guest of honour.

“The gathering provides youths with an opportunity to interact with the President and share ideas on how Zimbabwe can be developed.

“This interaction also provides an opportunity for youths to appreciate and exploit economic opportunities at their disposal and is a chance not to be missed.”

“We are also appealing to the main leadership of the party across the provinces to support and help the youths in making this event a success.

“We are also expecting students from all tertiary institutions to attend the convention and are appealing to the authorities to help the students in travelling to Kadoma,” said Cde Tsenengamu.

Invitations have also been extended to mining and agriculture groups; young entrepreneurs and environmentalists; and churches, among others.

Chairman Vengai Musengi said about 25 000 youths were expected on the day.

“We have conducted meetings in Kadoma, Chegutu West, Chakari, and Chegutu East, among others, and we are expecting more than 25 000 youths to attend.

“We have currently received 30 buses from Zupco as Mashonaland West and we expect other provinces to mobilise people as well.

“Mashonaland West youths have also brought forth issues they want the President to address, which include unemployment, and some want him to address land distribution as well as mining claims and other issues,” said Musengi.

Additional reporting: Herald

State Media|The welfare of teachers should be addressed if they are to effectively deliver on their mandate, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Ambassador Cain Mathema has said.

Ambassador Mathema made the remarks during the ministry’s 2020 strategic workshop here yesterday.

He said some teachers were living in squalid conditions and this needed to change.

“The ministry, I am informed, has 130 000 teachers. They are my soldiers and as far as l am concerned, these are my troops. I cannot accept a situation where my troops live in hovels, where 10 teachers share a house.

“Each teacher must live separately with the necessary privacy. We can’t have a situation where teachers can’t even have privacy.

“Before a new school is built, we must make sure that there is piped water and secondly at a new school, we build the school head’s house and after that we build teachers’ cottages, then classroom blocks,” said Ambassador Mathema.

He said without motivated teachers, the Government could falter on delivering a world class education system.

“It is so embarrassing to see teachers going to fetch water from Gwayi River with water carriers on their heads in the morning before they go to school and expect them to perform.

Ambassador Mathema said teachers should be assisted to build their own homes and buy properties through mortgage facilities and Public Private Partnerships (PPP).

He said several schools had been damaged by storms and talks were underway for devolution funds to be used to rehabilitate the infrastructure.

Ambassador Mathema said he would engage the Public Service Commission (PSC) to fill vacancies in the ministry as those in acting capacities could not effectively execute their duties.

“I will write to the chairman of the Public Service Commission so that we fill those posts,” he said.

One person was killed by lightning and several homesteads were damaged when a violent storm tore through Silobela last Friday, acting chairperson of the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) Kwekwe District Mr Clemence Muduma has confirmed.

This brings to nine, the number of people killed by weather-related mishaps this rainy season.
He said Silobela and part of Nkayi District were plunged into darkness after the strong winds uprooted electricity poles.

Mr Muduma said Mr Chamu Msipa (47), was at his homestead in Hozoli area, Silobela, together with his family when he was killed by lightning.
Other family members were not hurt.

“His homestead was also destroyed by the strong winds that followed, leaving his family stuck with the body in the open,” said Mr Muduma.

He said many other homesteads had their roofs blown off and the CPU was already on the ground to assist the victims.

Silobela Constituency Member of the House of Assembly Mthokozisi Mpofu said the most affected areas were wards 20, 21 and 22.

He appealed for swift reaction from the district CPU, saying the situation on the ground was dire.-State media

Farai Dziva|The formation of a Gweru based political party by the name MDC Zimbabwe could be a political ploy meant to confuse the electorate, political analysts have said.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has written a letter acknowledging the existence of the party.

However, political observers believe the move is calculated to dilute the impact of the Nelson Chamisa led MDC.

See below the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission letter of acknowledgement:

RE: NOTIFICATION OF EXISTENCE OF MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC) ZIMBABWE

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) acknowledges receipt of your party profile documents, the contents of which have been noted.

Your organisation has been included on ZEC’s stakeholder data base and mailing list for notification when appropriate meetings that require your input arise.