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.

Farai Dziva|Another church leader has “prophesied” that God will usher Emmerson Mnangagwa into the realm of Divine favour.

Reverend Lucy Natasha, the founder and overseer of Prophetic Latter Glory Ministries International declared “divine favour” on Mnangagwa after a meeting with him him at State House on Saturday.

“Great moments with His Excellency Emmerson Mnangagwa, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe in State House earlier today(Saturday).

I prophesy that God will usher you into a new realm of favour, dominion and influence.

God will raise and lift you up. You will dine with Kings and Queens.
OracleInZimbabwe
OracleWithThePresident,” tweeted Reverend Natasha.

This comes after controversial ZCC leader Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi declared last month that Mnangagwa was chosen by God to lead Zimbabwe.

Farai Dziva|Another church leader has declared “divine favour” on Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Reverend Lucy Natasha, the founder and overseer of Prophetic Latter Glory Ministries International declared “divine favour” on Mnangagwa after a meeting with him him at State House on Saturday.

“Great moments with His Excellency Emmerson Mnangagwa, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe in State House earlier today(Saturday).

I prophesy that God will usher you into a new realm of favour, dominion and influence.

God will raise and lift you up. You will dine with Kings and Queens.
OracleInZimbabwe
OracleWithThePresident,” tweeted Reverend Natasha.

This comes after controversial ZCC leader Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi declared last month that Mnangagwa was chosen by God to lead Zimbabwe.

Farai Dziva| Leading South African Retailer PEP has decided to pull out of Zimbabwe after “posting record losses.”

Pep has indicated it is pulling out of Zimbabwe due to losses it has been recording in the country.

The company has recorded a shocking loss of 70 million rand (US $4.8 million) this year.

“The decision to exit Zimbabwe was based on the continued adverse macroeconomic conditions affecting trading and the weakening currency,” said Pep in a statement.

By A Correspondent- War veterans now want government to establish a bank for them and build a specialised hospital to exclusively treat the over 25 000 remaining former liberation war fighters.

The issue was revealed in Parliament by Defence and War Veterans Ministry secretary Mark Marongwe when he appeared before the parliamentary portfolio committee on defence to speak on the 2020 budget last week.

Marongwe’s submission came hard on the heels of a recommendation by the committee that war veterans must be exempted from paying tollgate and parking fees.

“Women have their own bank, which was established for them, but if you look at the war heroes that fought in the liberation struggle they are not well funded in terms of self-help projects and there is need for financing to be availed so that there can be a war veterans bank where they can borrow money for self-help projects,” Marongwe said.

“Even 39 years after independence our remaining liberation fighters are still suffering from different effects of the war and just like in other countries like the United States of America there is need for a specialised hospital to cater for our war veterans, and the hospital can raise money through charging fees to non-veteran clients.”

Marongwe’s suggestions were supported by the parliamentary committee whose report also recommended that the former fighters be given more land and be exempted from taxes.

The committee’s chairperson Levi Mayihlome from Zanu PF said the government should adopt a policy to ensure that once land has been allocated to war veterans, it must not be repossessed.

“The government should establish a war veterans bank which allows members to access loans at low interest rates,” he said.

“Beginning year 2020, government should also exempt war veterans from the following taxes; land, vehicles, industrial machinery, agricultural equipment levies, tollgates and parking fees.

“Widows and surviving children of war veterans must not be dispossessed of agricultural land.

“The Ministry of Defence and War Veterans should allow grass roots war veterans to elect their representatives to the board.

“The government should establish vocational training centres, which offer practical short courses in welding, plumbing, pig farming and poultry to be introduced at the beginning of year 2020.”

The committee report also said that war veterans were being ignored during government events.

“The committee recommends that the Ministry of Defence and War Veterans should craft a policy that recognises war veterans, duly awarding them with liberation war medals, with uniforms and special sitting arrangements at all events that relate to the liberation of Zimbabwe,” the committee added.

“It is also recommended that government should declare all veterans of the liberation struggle national heroes upon death with equal benefits despite that one is buried at the national shrine, provincial shrine or his home area.”

In 1997 former president Robert Mugabe was forced to pay the former fighters huge but unbudgeted payouts after they started protesting against his government.

War veterans now get monthly pensions and were also given priority during the land redistribution programme that started in the year 2000.

-Standard

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Speaking to journalists soon after his arrival Vice President Constantino Guvheya Dominic Chiwenga thanked Zimbabweans for praying for him during his illness.

Chiwenga, who was received at Robert Mugabe International airport by his close family minus his wife Mary Chiwenga and his security appreciated the treatment he received while he was in China:

He said:

“I feel very good and I would want to thank all Zimbabweans for their prayers whilst I was away. Many people prayed for me and I would really want to appreciate it.

I would also want to thank His Excellency the President who managed to speak to his brother, President Xi, (Jinping) that I manage to get treatment in the People’s Republic of China.

The treatment went on very well, extremely well and I am feeling much better, fit and I think everything possible was done and I am much better and raring to go and join the team in building our country.”

He also implored all Zimbabweans to work towards improving the fortunes of the country.

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- Zanu Pf national political commissar Victor Matemadanda has warned party members against meddlesome behaviour in political processes happening in other provinces as this causes divisions.

Matemadanda made the remarks while addressing party members at Zanu-PF Bulawayo provincial headquarters, Davies Hall, during a meeting to announce the newly elected district coordinating committee (DCC) members.

He said he had received information that some party members from other provinces were trying to influence outcomes of Bulawayo DCC elections.

“There was talk that some party members from other provinces wanted to influence the outcome of DCC elections in Bulawayo. The Bulawayo leadership has complained about this interference from other provinces which is not allowed. Those that think they are better off in Bulawayo must transfer and join Bulawayo.

If you are in Matabeleland South, Midlands, Masvingo and even Matabeleland North be content with politics of your province,” he said.

Matemadanda said there were some members in the province who came up with a list of their preferred candidates in trying to manipulate the party’s electoral processes. 

He said he will recommend to the Politburo to consider the “lists” issue as a form of indiscipline.

“I’ve got the papers and I’m going to submit them to the Politburo to decide on what action to take,” said Matemadanda.

 He said the lists caused unnecessary divisions in the party hence he was taking the matter up with the Politburo. 

Matemadanda said the party was not happy with the conduct of one youth who wanted to cause confusion during the elections.

He said Bulawayo province should do away with factions as this does not build the party.

Matemadanda said the party’s DCC members have a role in rebuilding the party from grassroots and should start mobilising members.

“I know an election does not excite everyone but this is what Bulawayo has decided and all those who were announcing are not from Bulawayo. I know there might have been problems during elections and if that is so let us know so that we correct them in future. But we must have a DCCs structure in Bulawayo and we have been observing your reactions,” said Matemadanda. 

He said Zanu-PF should have a new way of doing things instead of creating fictitious structures to please the party headquarters.

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- The Registrar General, Mr Clement Masango has today clashed with the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission after he accused the independent commission of lacking objectivity and professionalism by commenting on issues that were still under investigations.

This happened when ZHRC led by Mr Elasto Mugwadi invited Mr Masango to respond to several allegations related to challenges citizens were facing in accessing national documents such as birth certificates, national identity cards and passports.

Some of the allegations ZHRC said were made against the Department of the Registrar General include corruption, arrogance, dereliction of duty among others.

But Mr Masango accused ZHRC of conducting the inquiry with a pre-conceived motive, and that he could not give substantive responses as in his view, the Commission had already made conclusions given media reports some of the Commissioners were making against his Department.

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- Home Affairs, Cultural and Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe says there is need to raise passport charges in line with the inter-bank rate to enable the registrar general’s office import consumables required in the production of the travel documents.

He made the remarks after a familiarization tour of the passport office today. Currently an ordinary passport costs $53 while an emergency passport fetches $253. The registrar-general’s office, which has a capacity of producing 4600 passports a day is making only 2000 daily.

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has resumed work today.

The VP has been away for four months receiving treatment in China. Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet (Presidential Communications) Mr George Charamba confirmed this saying the VP actively participated in all the discussions held this morning during their briefing.

“He arrived at the Office at 8:45AM and we had our long Monday briefing,” said Mr Charamba.

“He was chatty and actively participated in all the discussions that we have.”

This is a developing story. Refresh this page for latest details

By A Correspondent- The Zanu PF national secretary for security and deputy labour minister Lovemore Matuke has taken a defensive position protecting his boss President Emmerson Mnangagwa saying he is not to blame for the current economic crisis but threw the blame on Zimbabweans whom he said are lazy and wait on the President to do everything for them.

Matuke said President Mnangagwa also needs help and support from Zimbabweans rather than for people to just wait to be hand fed when they should take the initiative to move the country forward.

Matuke made the remarks during an interface meeting with tertiary education graduates and students at Mutare Polytechnic College last week.

“This country cannot move forward with the efforts of one person. We all need to play our part. If you say you are waiting for President Mnangagwa to deliver alone then you need to wake up and smell the coffee.

“President Mnangagwa is only there to give us direction but he needs our help and support. We do not want people who just cry and yet they are doing nothing to better their situation,” said Matuke.

Matuke said that the power to economic prosperity of Zimbabwe lies within the hands of Zimbabweans.

“Instead of putting the blame on government, we should blame ourselves for not taking part in the development of our economy because President Mnangagwa cannot develop this economy alone.

“There is no one who was specifically meant to open up a business that creates employment. All of us have potential to establish our own businesses so that our economy improves,” said Matuke.

The meeting sought to create a database of graduates in Manicaland as Zanu PF is working on a programme to address the issue of unemployment in the country.

“The idea is that we want to classify graduates with regard to their area of specialties and government will chip in with funding for them to start up their own businesses.

“The government is going to create a special fund through budget. Through joint ventures or as individuals, you can start your own businesses that can contribute to the development of our economy,” said Matuke.

He said said that there are some youths with initiatives to do projects but they lack capacity.

“We want to create capacity by disbursing adequate funds to ensure that graduates start up their own projects. Each province is going to have a budget that will cater for youths.

“We had problems in the past where funds meant for the youths did not work. We want to make sure that if funds are disbursed, they reach the intended people not relatives of administrators,” said Matuke.

Zanu PF secretary for finance Patrick Chinamasa said they are going to negotiate for policies which gives tax incentives to corporates to facilitate the ease of doing business.

“We want corporates to be given tax incentives and subsidies from government so that they are encouraged to employ graduates from tertiary institutions.

“We also urge the government to put up a law which provides that any tender must require the tenderer to employ a certain number of graduates so as to increase their skills levels,” said Chinamasa.

-TellZim

By A Correspondent- A 78-year-old Bikita granny is battling for her life at Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo after she was gored by a raging ox which was later confirmed to have been infected by rabies.

Most people associate rabies only with snarling mad dogs, foaming at the mouth but livestock are also susceptible to the maddening virus.

The rabies virus can infect all warm-blooded animals and is always fatal. Caused by a virus that affects the nervous system, it is transmitted by saliva of an infected animal – usually via a bite, by saliva coming in contact with mucous membranes (eyes, nose or mouth) or an opening in the skin.

On the fateful day, Angeline Zendere was at her home alone when her neighbour’s ox got into her yard to feed on the dry maize stalks.

Zendere, who is said to have been in her kitchen hut, got out to chase the cattle away but one of the cattle charged and viciously attacked her.

“She was in her kitchen when a herd of cattle entered her yard to feed on the dry maize stalks. The maize stalks are reserved for her own livestock so she got out to drive the other cattle away.

“Just a few steps from her kitchen hut, an ox charged at her and started attacking her, injuring her badly. The ox hooked her with its horns and threw her into the air and picked her up again numerous times. She was trampled on until she lost consciousness. The ox belonged to her neighbour,” said a source privy to the developments.

Zendere’s daughter-in-law is said to have rushed to the rescue with a wooden log but the cattle is said to have charged at her as well.

“The daughter in law was visiting and she saw the whole incident and rushed to the rescue with a wooden log. The log could not do her any good as she was also attacked by the mad ox. She was fortunate enough to fall onto the ground on the first attack and the ox failed to pick her up with its horns.

“As the ox attacked the daughter in law, she screamed for help from neighbours who alerted other people,” said the source.

The source told TellZim News that the ox charged at the group of villagers who were armed with axes and they fought back until they killed it.

Zendere and her daughter-in-law were taken to a clinic at Nyika growth point where the in-law was treated and discharged while Zendere was immediately transferred to Masvingo Provincial Hospital.

Zendere was later transferred to Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo where she is said to be admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Staff from the district Veterinary Services Department arrived at the scene when the villagers had already killed the ox.

Masvingo provincial veterinary head, Ernest Dzimwasha, as was expected, professed ignorance on the matter saying he had not received a report.

“You are telling me for the first time. I have not received a report on that,” said Dzimwasha, who was recently criticised for sleeping on duty at a time the province was losing hundreds of cattle to tick-borne diseases

-TellZim

By A Correspondent- Political analyst Alexander Rusero has dismissed VP Constantino Chiwenga’s return as a non event adding that the misinformed VP remains Zanu Pf to the core who cannot perform any better than his counterparts.

Rusero said this following the VP’s statements attacking opposition MDC run council and the striking health care workers.

He said:

“General Chiwenga’s return pauses a lot of paradoxes vis-a-vis the practical challenges that Zimbabwe is currently facing. His first shot was to dismiss the justification of striking at workplace, something coming as a blow, especially to the health sector whose grievances remain genuine, but with no urgency to settle from government.

“Yet he is coming from treatment in China which, without proper remuneration of doctors attending him, he could have died. That being said, a lot of hype on Chiwenga’s return and expectations as whispered in corridors of power will soon be demystified with time because he remains simply a Zanu PF functionary who cannot be better.”

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- A police constable based at Beitbridge Border Post has been taken to court for extortion after he allegedly held on to an importer’s car to demand a R40 000 bribe.

Obvious Senior Moyo of Dulivhadzimo in Beitbridge went further to hide the car in Harare to press his demand, it is alleged.

On Saturday, Moyo who faces a charge of criminal abuse of office or alternatively extortion, was granted $1 000 bail by Beitbridge provincial magistrate Perseverance Makhala.

He was not asked to plead.

The State, led by prosecutor Ronald Mugwagwa is alleging that early this month, Taurai Zhou met Bright Moyana and Anyway Kawara at the Beitbridge Border Post seeking their assistance to smuggle his car from South Africa — a Mercedes Benz, with chassis number WDD21034B150056 and registration number ND 78791 into Zimbabwe.

Zhou was to pay Moyana and Kawara R15 000 for the job and a deal was sealed.

Later on, Moyo handcuffed Moyana and Kawara and took them in his car to Zhou.

Moyo allegedly told Zhou that he had arrested the two for attempting to smuggle the latter’s car which was now in his possession.

He produced the keys as proof and then demanded R40 000 bribe to release the two and the car without pressing charges against them.

Zhou allegedly agreed and said he would make arrangements to withdraw the cash from Musina in South Africa the following day.

The next day, Zhou who had since alerted the police, invited Moyo to pick up 50% of the bribe money at a local lodge.

Moyo drove into a trap by his employer and was arrested upon arrival at the lodge, leading to the recovery of the car keys. He then led his police colleagues to Park Lane in Harare, where he had hidden the car.

He is expected in court for routine remand in a fortnight.

Beitbridge lawyer Reason Mutimba appeared for Moyo.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- A Chimanimani man brutally assaulted his father with an iron bar, accusing him of being responsible for his misfortunes.

Hardlife Sokisi (26) of Ngorima village under Chief Ngorima appeared before Chipinge magistrate Joshua Nembaware last Friday facing charges of physical abuse as defined by section 4(1) as read with section (3)(1) of the Domestic Violence Act.

He was convicted and remanded in custody to tomorrow for sentence.

Hardlife told the court that he assaulted his father, Tobias Sokisi because he had refused to take him to traditional healers for exorcism

“I wanted to force him to go with me to traditional healers to consult because my children were always dying. I was told to bring my father and aunt. My father was refusing to go to the traditional healers, that’s why I beat him up. He was abusing me,” Hardlife said.

Prosecutor Sesekedzai Mayera told the court that on November 10 at around midnight, Hardlife went to his father’s homestead accompanied by his sibling, Munyaradzi, who is still at large.

They found him asleep and started accusing him of being a wizard who was responsible for their misfortunes.

His father did not respond and remained holed up in his bedroom.

Hardlife then forced open the door and grabbed his father by the collar and pulled him out.

Munyaradzi started assaulting Sokisi all over the body with an iron bar. Sokisi was saved by neighbours who heard his cries for help, leading to the pair running away from the scene.

Neighbours rushed Sokisi to hospital and it was discovered that he had suffered a broken rib which led to his stomach swelling and had a big gush on the forehead.

A police report was made, leading to Hardlife’s arrest.

By A Correspondent- Mnene Mission Hospital, the only referral Hospital in Mberengwa, Midlands Province, is one of the mission hospitals in the country that are now overwhelmed by patients as public health institutions are not operational due to a number of issues including doctors’ industrial action.

This was revealed by Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe (ELCZ) Hospitals advocate, Pastor Patricia Shirichena who told the Herald that Mnene was now overstretched.

She said:

We only have one doctor here, Dr Nyasha Makura, and he is being overwhelmed by patients some of whom are coming from as far as Gokwe and Gwanda in Matabeleland South.

Inadequacy of medicines, equipment and health caregivers, as well as high charges for services by private medical institutions, has compelled patients to seek medical attention at mission hospitals whose charges are modest because they are non-profit organisations.

The state media reports that Karanda Hospital in Mt Darwin is now attending to about 500 patients daily over the past three months, up from between 150 and 200 patients per day since August.

Howard in Chiweshe, All Souls Mission in Mutoko and St Alberts Mission in Centenary have also recorded a significant rise in the number of patients since September.

Correspondent|Home Affairs, Cultural and Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe says there is need to raise passport charges in line with the inter-bank rate to enable the registrar general’s office import consumables required in the production of the travel documents.

He made the remarks after a familiarization tour of the passport office today. Currently an ordinary passport costs $53 while an emergency passport fetches $253. The registrar-general’s office, which has a capacity of producing 4600 passports a day is making only 2000 daily.

Paul Nyathi|A certain section of ZANU PF member is praying for General Constantino Chiwenga to implement a coup against the embattled President Emmerson Mnangagwa Presidential Advisor Trevor Ncube has said.

Ncube’s assertion comes hot on the heels of reports that Chiwenga is plotting coup against President Mnangagwa with the help of the Chinese government.

So G40 chaps are praying Vice -President Chiwenga carries out a hard coup against President Mnangagwa. MDC are praying for same. Certain ZANU-PF elements hoping for same. Civil war once set in motion is irreversible.
We are messed up.
We need Peace Makers!#ZimbabweFirst

— Trevor Ncube (@TrevorNcube) November 23, 2019

The family of suspended Ntabazinduna traditional leader, Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni, has come to the defence of the underfire chief saying he was selected by his own people as per tradition.

The outspoken traditional leader was last week suspended as Ntabazinduna chief at a Matabeleland North traditional leaders’ provincial assembly held in Bulawayo with the meeting suggesting that his selection violated tradition since his elder brother was still alive.

Head of the Xhosa Royal Council in Zimbabwe, Prince MacLeod Tshawe Nonxoloba, however, backed Ndiweni saying that he was chosen by the people and that the government should not interfere. He said:

Chief Ndiweni is a chief because he was chosen by the people of Ndiweni and to us in the Xhosa community ithole lenkuzi likhethwa ngabazali balo lapha ekhaya (the bull is chosen from the calves by their owners) not an outsider. If the chief has been chosen by other people who are not in the family, that is unacceptable in our community.

Meanwhile, the president of Zimbabwe is empowered by Constitution to appoint, remove and suspend chiefs on the recommendation of the provincial assembly of chiefs through the National Council of Chiefs and the minister of local government and in accordance with the traditional practices and traditions of the communities concerned.

Ndiweni has been very critical of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.

Pindula

Exiled Professor Jonathan Moyo wanted to be ZANU PF Secretary for Administration in 2014 after the removal of Joice Mujuru National Patriotic Front Spokesperson Jealousy Mawarire has alleged.

Said Mawarire, “Zanu-PF collapsed because  of Professor Jonathan Moyo through his unbridled quest for kingmaking. He hounded out JTR Mujuru out of the party hoping to be rewarded with Sec for Admin post. When he didn’t, he waged war with ED, thru G40 resulting in the birth of Junta-PF, goodluck and MDC where he is now.”

Mawarire was commenting after media proprietor Brighton Musonza had accused Mawarire of destroying the #TysonWabantu project which is centred on getting Saviour Kasukuwere to come back and lead ZANU PF.

I am not part of it, it is a people’s movement hence the “wabantu” suffix. My difference with @ProfJNMoyo & @PatrickZhuwao is that am not fighting it or ridiculing it caz am not central to its operationalization. Vanhu ngavabvumidzwe kuita zvavanoda no one owns anyone, simple!

“Is the G40 project collapsing before it sees the day? The likes of Jonathan Moyo and Patrick Zhuwao are distancing themselves from it because they are enjoying the temporary sanctuary of the MDC. What now for Saviour and Walter Mzembi? Anything that Mawarire touches collapses.”

Mawarire further distanced himself from the Kasukuwere project and said it is a peoples project.

I am not part of it, it is a people’s movement hence the “wabantu” suffix. My difference with

Jonathan Moyo and Patrick Zhuwao is that am not fighting it or ridiculing it because am not central to its operationalization. Vanhu ngavabvumidzwe kuita zvavanoda no one owns anyone, simple!”

Moyo has not yet responded to the allegation.

Paul Nyathi|Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has resumed work today.

The VP has been away for four months receiving treatment in China. Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet (Presidential Communications) Mr George Charamba confirmed this saying the VP actively participated in all the discussions held this morning during their briefing.

“He arrived at the Office at 8:45AM and we had our long Monday briefing,” said Mr Charamba.

“He was chatty and actively participated in all the discussions that we have.”

A clique of Zanu PF members was reportedly plotting to oust the ailing Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga on grounds of incapacitation.

Chiwenga had been receiving medical treatment in China after being airlifted from a South African hospital in June, amid frenzied jostling by senior party officials angling to take over his influential positions.

The former commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces was unable to eat when he was airlifted, resulting in him becoming emaciated due to illness and lack of food.

The G40 cabal is slowly turning into a pale shadow of its former self, as founding leaders break ranks, while engaging in public political bickering.

Fresh revelations show sharp divisions in the faction aligned to the late former President Robert Mugabe, which are now evident to have existed from during his time.

Responding to reports that Professor Jonathan Moyo and Patrick Zhuwao are running with MDC Alliance leader, Advocate Nelson Chamisa and not supporting their long time ally Saviour Kasukuwere, Jelousy Mawarire arrogantly says, “He doesn’t need the two, they have joined MDC-alliance. There is no need of taking them away from another pro-democracy movement. @Hon_Kasukuwere got into party politics years before the two, he can be his own man, simple!”

Washing more dirty linen in the public, Mawarire takes a swipe at “Toxic” Moyo and Zhuwao, “ I was never in G40 so have never touched G40. Your obsession with my person is colossal. I am NPF, Jonathan & Zhuwao were told by RGM never to spoil NPF by their toxicity.” He writes while responding to social media inquiries about his G40 links or association.

Mawarire, the National Patriotic Front spokesman, is running Kasukuwere’s campaign to challenge President Emmerson Mnangagwa in the next election under the hashtag #SaviorWabantu#.

Responding to local media about his imminent return home Kasukuwere said,“Am I not Zimbabwean? I have a democratic right to participate in politics if people want me to represent them.”

To add oil to the fire, in the noticeable ructions, the late former Mugabe’s nephew Zhuwao has under unclear circumstances distanced himself from the G40 cabal he is famed to have been a key player in, prompting South African based businessman, Mutumwa Mawere to further probe the divisions on social media.

“Patrick Zhuwao distances himself from the so-called G40 self-serving political project,” writes Mawere quoting from a letter recently penned by Zhuwao.

He quotes from the letter written to South Africa’s opposition leader, Julius Malema last October by Zhuwao, in which he apparently sought to pacify Malema after his ‘maligning’ and ‘abuse’ by Mngangagwa’s administration, in his bid to honour the late Mugabe’s legacy.

In the letter to Malema, Zhuwao concludes by writing, betraying the divisions in his group, “It is also unfortunate that some individuals have also given hostage to fortune by injudiciously seeking to publicise the so-called Zimbabwe Generation 40 political party as being associated with some of us who are labelled as G40 stalwarts.”

“ Whilst I acknowledge that individuals have a right to harbouring and furthering their own personal political ambitions, I also have a right to dissociate myself from such ambitions as I hereby do. Apart from which, I am still mourning and grieving for my uncle, President Robert Gabriel Mugabe, to engage myself in such political shenanigans.”

Mawere also links Zhuwao’s denial to recent reports in the state controlled media, quoting Zanu PF officials who claimed that the G40 party linked to the late Mugabe is a security threat.

Furthermore, Mnangagwa has not hidden his disdain to this grouping as he recently fired warning shots to his party members suspected of interacting with members of the G40 faction, whose top leaders are now based in exile after the 2017 coup that removed Mugabe from power.

Mnangagwa is reported to have made the warning during the party’s politburo meeting.

Party spokesperson Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo is reported to have also made the announcement adding that G40 members are a National security threat.

A suspected robber who was on the run after a robbing spree was, over the weekend, dragged to court for murdering a policeman who wanted to arrest him at his house.

Godfrey Mututu (30) was not asked to plead when he appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Francis Mapfumo facing murder charges.

Allegations are that Mututu attempted to disarm Detective Sergeant Hove resulting in the firearm discharging a bullet that went on to hit the now deceased Detective Constable Munyaradzi Mudenda just above the eye.

He was remanded in custody and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
The matter was remanded to November 8.

Prosecutor Tinashe Makiya alleged that on Thursday last week around 10pm a team of Detectives from Marondera raided Mututu’s residence who was wanted for a spate of robberies in Mrondera.

Upon arrival at Mututu’s residence, the Detectives knocked the door and identified themselves as Police Officers.H-Metro

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.

Farai Dziva|Another church leader has declared “divine favour” on Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Reverend Lucy Natasha, the founder and overseer of Prophetic Latter Glory Ministries International declared “divine favour” on Mnangagwa after a meeting with him him at State House on Saturday.

“Great moments with His Excellency Emmerson Mnangagwa, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe in State House earlier today(Saturday).

I prophesy that God will usher you into a new realm of favour, dominion and influence.

God will raise and lift you up. You will dine with Kings and Queens.
OracleInZimbabwe
OracleWithThePresident,” tweeted Reverend Natasha.

This comes after controversial ZCC leader Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi declared last month that Mnangagwa was chosen by God to lead Zimbabwe.