Own Correspondent| The Zimbabwe Banks and Allied Workers Union (ZIBAWU) on Wednesday 27 November 2019 filed an urgent chamber application at the High Court seeking an order to overturn the ban of the labour union’s demonstration by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP).

ZRP through Chief Superintendent Oscar Mugomeri, the Officer Commanding ZRP Regulating Authority in Harare Central District, on Tuesday 26 November 2019 banned ZIBAWU from staging its demonstration in Harare scheduled for Thursday 28 November 2019 from 12:30 PM to 14:30 PM, where the labour union sought to protest and hand over a petition to Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube’s unfavourable policies and austerity measures which have brought immeasurable suffering to workers in the banking sector and the generality of workers in Zimbabwe.

ZIBAWU said workers can no longer afford to pay transport cost, decent meals, medication, rentals, school fees and other basic necessities.

But Chief Superintendent Mugomeri on Tuesday 26 November 2019 banned ZIBAWU from proceeding with its demonstration saying he could not sanction the protest because of the current “volatile” situation in Harare’s Central Business District (CBD) and that the demonstration would be hijacked by some unnamed vendors, political parties and pressure groups.

Chief Superintendent Mugomeri claimed that the volume of both human and vehicle traffic in the CBD has “tremendously increased as we are already in the festive season, hence the chances that your intended demonstration will be taken advantage of by some malcontents and rogue elements are very high”.

After the ZRP ban, ZIBAWU through its lawyer Alec Muchadehama of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, filed an urgent chamber application at the High Court seeking an order to interdict ZRP or anyone acting through them or on their behalf from interfering with the bank workers’ demonstration.

In the application, ZIBAWU argued that Chief Superintendent Mugomeri has no right to ban the labour union’s demonstration as ZIBAWU is allowed to demonstrate and petition under the provisions of the Constitution particularly Section 58, which provides for freedom of assembly and association, Section 59, which guarantees freedom to demonstration and petition, Section 61, which provides for freedom of expression and Section 65 which provides for labour rights.

The labour union argued that the enjoyment of its members’ fundamental rights and freedoms cannot be prevented by the unlawful, whimsical, arbitrary and capricious actions of Chief Superintendent Mugomeri and those acting under his instructions or on his behalf.

The matter is yet to be set down for hearing.

The current bank exchange rates for the ZWL$ today are as follows:

• USD to ZWL$: 16.2249
• ZWL$ to RAND: 0.9099

Data according to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe

Black Market Rates:

• USD to ZWL$ zimrates.com 23
• USD to ZWL$  zwl365.com 22.20 [27/11/19]
• USD to ZWL$ bluemari.info 22.40 [27/11/19]
• USD to BOND: Zimrates.com 16.80

More: marketwatch.co.zw

By Grace Kwinjeh | The opposition movement in its different shades and stripes must never be a laundromat, a cleansing ground for former Zanu PF politicians with a track record of leading violent campaigns against innocent civilians, with impunity.

Savior Kasukuwere’s call to fame in Zanu PF and why there are nostalgic feelings for his ‘heroic’ return, sends chills down my spine, because that call only reminds me of his role in the project to totally annihilate the opposition, it is about a past characterised by violence, torture and killings.

After the mistake of supporting the 2017 coup, one would assume, we have learnt a bitter lesson, we are wiser, are more strategic in our thinking, towards a new narrative, that defines a Zimbabwe led by men and women who have a clean past.

Men and women who will unite the nation, facilitate a process of healing, reconciliation and accountability. Not one person in Zanu PF in its present form or out of it can do that, because Zanu PF by its nature has the DNA of violence, kleptomaniacs who care for no-one else.

I remember during the 2000 elections I was working at Harvest House, when Zanu PF unleashed one of its most violent campaigns in the Mashonaland Central Province.

It was a horror scene only replica of a country at war, with two armed sides, not an attack on innocent civilians. Our support group at the time one evening, brought in truckloads of women, men, children, mutilated, scarred, bloody bodies, open deep wounds, some burnt with open blisters, it was a terrible site. With reports of rape too. We cleared the boardroom for them to find rest and be secure, while we looked for medical help.

Mashonaland Central the Headquarters of the Border Gezi Training Centre, named after the late politician, Border Gezi, became notorious for violence, ‘no go area’ the MDC did not win any of the ten seats in the whole province, in the 2000 Parliamentary elections.

Torture camps had been set up where identified opposition members were targeted, sent there and could only thank their maker if they lived to tell their story.

Not to mention extra-judicial killings, we all remember Trymore Midzi, Pfebve and the well over two hundred well documented cases of our supporters who were mercilessly slaughtered during the violent campaigns.

Kasukuwere must account for the Chaona massacre in 2008, well documented evidence on how on the on the 5th May 2008, he “organized and ferried a group of over 300 youths to Chaona, Mazowe where a lot of people were seriously injured and six people were killed. The youths were wearing Kasukuwere’s campaign T- shirts.”

This pattern would repeat itself in the next elections, over years, in the sealed no go areas, that were closed for opposition campaigns, as Zanu PF sought to totally annihilate the opposition MDC party. The party survived and may Morgan Tsvangirai’s soul rest in peace, the memory of what he stood for not die because of political expediency.

Calling Kasukuwere out in his role in the violence over the years a must, he has to redeem himself, earn the confidence and trust of Zimbabweans.

The pain of witnessing scenes of attacks, hearing testimonies of victims and burying the dead, brings a notch in my stomach, the trauma in these communities is yet to heal, for them to have the source of their grief unleashed on them as their ‘savior’.

It is demonstrably foolhardy that Kasukuwere’s current call to fame is violent, thuggish behavior, which is attracting those supporting him, as the only viable possibility of meeting Zanu PF , ‘fire with fire’ in its bloody onslaught against citizens.

It is desperate and warped thinking, to assume that the very people who tormented and caused untold suffering to us over the past decades, are the ones who should be entrusted with leading us to a democratic Zimbabwe.

As we languish under the new dispensation birthed by a coup many supported under the false illusion we had arrived, two years later nothing has changed, Zanu PF under Emmerson Mnangagwa remains arrogant and intransigent. It’s DNA of violence and looting remains the same.

A slow genocide describes the situation in our country, people are dying not because of life threatening illnesses, but a selfish leadership that simply refuses to take responsibility, be accountable to citizens by appropriating resources to important sectors such as health.

Furthermore, this conversation around Kasukuwere’s Presidential ambitions gives Zanu PF a false sense of comfort, that there is life after killing and torturing innocent civilians, only if one joins the opposition.

Kasukuwere is said to be exiled in South-Africa home to hundreds of victims of violence, home mai Tandare who lost her husband Gift on March 10 2007, after he was shot, point blank in cold blood.

Let future generations judge us correctly, recycling expired Zanu PF politicians would be a serious indictment against us. Not Yet Uhuru.

Own Correspondent | President Donald Trump’s administration has piled pressure on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to end corruption and “work with the people not against them.”

The United States’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement on Twitter:“The economic crisis in #Zimbabwe is causing its citizens great hardship. It’s time for the #Mnangagwa government to work with, not against, its people to end corruption and implement reforms to restore the economy and end the suffering of its people.”

The impasse between the US and Zimbabwe continues, one of the sticky points being the demand by the US that land be returned to its ‘rightful owners.’ A symposium in held Pretoria, last week, to chart the way for South Africa’s intervention in the lifting of sanctions heard that Zimbabwe is not going to accede to this condition.

‘They want us to return the land to those who used to own it, but as the President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) has said, there is no reversal of the land reform,’ Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to SA David Hamadziripi told the meeting.

During Zanu PF’s anti-sanctions march last month the US ambassador to Zimbabwe Brian Nichols dismissed the government’s claims that Western-imposed sanctions were the root cause of Zimbabwe’s economic implosion.
Following an unspecified threat on Nichols by Foreign Affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo, the US Senate committee chaired by Senator Jim Risch (Republican-Idaho) said:

“The US is deeply committed to the people of Zimbabwe. Ambassador Nichols set the record straight that culpability for Zimbabwe’s dire economic situation rests with its leaders, provided the truth about sanctions, and reiterated our strong and lasting commitment to a free and open Zimbabwe.”

LAWYERS representing political activist Josphat Mzaca Ngulube have challenged the incarceration of the aspiring Bulawayo legislator who was last week jailed six years for public violence.

Ngulube was convicted on charges of burning three cars and property at a house belonging to Zanu PF Bulawayo provincial women’s league chairperson Eva Bitu during the violent January protests.

He was convicted alongside Fortune Masuku, Melusi Moyo and Otilia Sibanda by Bulawayo magistrate Tinashe Tashaya.

Ngulube contested last year’s parliamentary elections as an independent candidate in Bulawayo South constituency before joining the MDC early this year.

His lawyer Nqobani Sithole said Ngulube was in “high spirits” despite his six-year conviction.

“He is in high spirits. We knew that regardless of his defence the probability of his conviction was high…he was prepared and not taken by surprise by the unfair conviction…otherwise, we are filing an appeal at the High Court against his unfair conviction,” Sithole told Southern Eye before visiting his client at Khami Maximum Prison.

The State’s case, as presented by Jetro Mada, is that on January 14 at about 7am, Ngulube, acting in connivance with 100 others, unlawfully blocked the free movement of traffic at the intersection of Sizinda Road and Nketa Drive.

Mada said the crew accused Bitu of solely benefiting from taxpayers’ money and pushed her Ford Ranger out of the yard and set it alight.

“Accused persons went back into the yard where they had left a Nissan NP300 and a Toyota Vitz. They set alight the Nissan whose flames destroyed part of the Vitz. The Ford Ranger and Nissan NP300 were burnt beyond repair,” Mada said.

Mada said the cars had a total value of US$95 000.

Daily News|STRIPPED of their aura of omnipotence  first, via the stunning military coup that ousted their patriarch Robert Mugabe from power in November 2017, and then more recently through his death  ever more skeletons are tumbling out of his family’s closet.

It has now been confirmed that Mugabe and his family grabbed a staggering 23 farms in the rich farming areas of Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland West  from both their black and white owners  and all in the short space of two years in the mid 2000s, the Daily News can reveal authoritatively.

This, Mugabe and his voracious family managed to do while hypocritically preaching socialism, egalitarianism and equitable land re-distribution — entailing the official government policy of one person one farm — to hungry, landless Zimbabweans.

But the Mugabes were not alone in this decadence. Many Zanu PF bigwigs were also active and enthusiastic participants in this corrupt “lootocracy”, as a senior government official put it yesterday.

These details come after President Emmerson Mnangagwa also revealed earlier this year that Mugabe’s erratic widow Grace was a multiple farm owner — with Zanu PF party youths threatening to strip her of the land at the time.

Mnangagwa said then that High Court judge, Justice Tendai Uchena’s Land Commission had exposed the former first lady as owning more than 15 farms — although he did not disclose more details, including where the farms are located and their names.

The Daily News now has in its possession the full list of farms and their sizes that the Mugabes grabbed in Mazowe, Banket and around Harare between 2004 and 2006. And it makes for staggering reading.

All the farms were registered in the names of their children Bona, Robert Junior and Chatunga — who were minors at the time the land was grabbed — as well as in the names of the family’s companies and their proxies.

The Mugabes also often grabbed farms adjacent to each other, before consolidating them into one — to mask their greed and multiple land ownership.

For example, the present-day Smithfield Farm in Mazowe is in fact a combination of five farms — namely the initial Smithfield Farm, Willow Plot, Lemon Pool, Lot 5 of Yarrowdale and Mazowe Junction.

“Total hectarage is around 1 300 hectares. They are not farming on this consolidated farm. They have subcontracted and leased it to . . .  (two white businessmen) … and the offer letter for this farm is in the name of the Grace Mugabe Foundation.

“The letter they use to purport ownership is a farm handover letter which is not a standard offer of land and also makes it clear that it is State land which might be required for resettlement,” reads one official document that lays bare how the Mugabes grabbed and sought to hide details of their 23 farms.

Similarly, Iron Mask Farm was consolidated from three farms — namely B of Greater B, Remainder of Iron Mask and a portion of Irene Estate.

“The handover letter is in the name of Grace Mugabe’s Children Home. It also does not have a standard offer letter in terms of the Land Reform Act, but a handover of farm letter which can be legally challenged. This combined farm has a total of 1 399.6 hectares,” another document shows. 

Shockingly, Mugabe did not just use his political muscle to grab the farms, he also sublet many of the farms despite regularly speaking against that practise at Zanu PF meetings and rallies. But his fall from power and recent death has blown the lid on his shady dealings, in addition to triggering a flood of land lawsuits against his widow Grace.

For example, the former first lady is currently locked in a legal tussle for the control of Teviotdale Farm in Pomona, in Harare, which measures a total of 310 hectares.

Among the claimants for that farm are three bona fide land beneficiaries — Adonia Makombe, Sahungwe Hungwe and Nyika Chifamba.

“The Mugabes have a handover letter for the farm which is in the name of their company called Kaseplan Grand Industries.

“The families who had settled on the farm were evicted by the Mugabes who managed to obtain this handover letter in 2011.

“They used police, the military and State security to chase away these people and dump them in Mbare, to enable them to take occupation of the farm,” another document reveals.

“They have also taken 100 hectares of State land next to the farm that was initially meant for a botanical garden.

“The botanical garden project was shelved by the State because of lack of underground water. They call this place Zunde,” the document says further.

The Mugabes’ famous Gushungo Dairy in Mazowe also came into being after former Agriculture minister Joseph Made apparently caused the eviction of the former white owner.

“It was called Folye Farm. Made, the then minister of Agriculture, took it away from the former white owner, and (temporarily) passed it on to Arda.

“It became known as Arda Foyle Farm for about two seasons, before it was handed over to the then president.

“All the infrastructure that was mobilised by Arda was taken over (by the Mugabes) and the farm became known as Gushungo Dairy Estate,” yet another document reveals.

While, admirably, Mugabe used his own resources in 1980 to acquire Highfield Farm just outside Norton, and close to his Zvimba rural home, investigations have revealed that he later kicked out his neighbours and forcefully took over four adjacent farms — Tankatara, Cressydale, John O Groats and Clifford.

“Through the office of the then Agriculture minister, Made, they mobilised State resources and installed 19 centre pivots in all these farms where they had chased away people.

“They never got any paperwork for these farms. Literally, they (the Mugabes) are illegal occupants of those farms. The total hectarage of the farms combined is 4 800 hectares,” yet another document reveals.

Just outside Harare, near Westgate, the Mugabes have another farm known as Mwenewazvo, ostensibly named after Grace’s totem.

“The original farm name is Sigaro. Again, Arda took over briefly, preparing to hand it over to the Mugabes. Arda named it Arda Sigaro.

“They mobilised equipment and handed it over to the Mugabes. It has about 1 300 hectares. There is no meaningful activity taking place on the farm,” an official document reads.

Apart from the land in Westgate, the Mugabes also have two farms in Banket, as well as in Hatcliffe.

In Mazowe, where the government chased away poor villagers to pave way for the Mugabes, the former first family owns Manzou Farm, Surtic Ranch, Arnolds Farm, Maggiesdale Farm and Glenbervile — an expanse of land measuring more than 16 000 hectares.

Own Correspondent|Reverend Lucy Natasha of the Prophetic Latter Glory Ministries International, appears to have committed a cardinal sin after visiting Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnagangwa at State House.

This is at least according to her fans on Twitter, most of whom expressed their anger following her post, especially considering recent events at his country.

Rev Natasha posted pictures of herself together with the Zimbabwean president .

She also shared her divine revelations on Mr Mnagangwa’s presidency, saying that he will soon be ushered into a new realm of favour and influence.

“Great moments with His Excellency Emmerson Mnangagwa, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe in State House earlier today. I prophesy that God will usher you into a new realm of favor, dominion and influence,” tweeted Reverend Lucy Natasha.

I prophesy that God will usher you into a new realm of favor, dominion and influence.#OracleInZimbabwe#OracleWithThePresident

Her last statement is what appears to have irked some online users led by Zimbabweans on Twitter.

Many of them bashed Rev Natasha arguing that her prayers and concerns should have been directed to the hundreds of people who were hurt during the recent police riots.

On November 20, police in Harare used force to disperse supporters of the main opposition party who had gathered to listen to a speech by their leader.

“Why are women so heartless? Why is your prophecy so deceitful? This is very wrong. There is no prophecy that endorses wrong. Why has your prophecy not touched lives of bereaved families killed by the army? Why does your church not see blood dripping on these people? Unethical,” wrote @MuzvareBetty.

“New realm of what???? Go back to sender,” said @bee_maqq.

“One of the 400 prophets of Baal or Elijah? May the God, in whose name you claim to prophesy deal with you accordingly!” stated @tmachigidi.

“Can she prophesy him out of office?” asked @Shonamoyo4.

“I was actually contemplating joining your church, thanks God I dodged a bullet,” said @Williamo3391041.

Investigations of former Transport Minister Joram Gumbo’s case of alleged criminal abuse of office involving US$37 million are almost complete and the process to forfeit his relative’s house which was to be used as Zimbabwe Airways headquarters is already underway, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has said.

ZACC spokesperson Commissioner John Makamure said that the anti-graft body had already engaged relevant authorities to speed up the forfeiting process.

“Investigations into former Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development, Joram Gumbo’s cases are underway and are at an advanced stage.

“We have already commenced the process of forfeiting the house of his relative, Mavis Gumbo, which was customised and rented out to Zimbabwe Airways, to use as their headquarters,” Commissioner Makamure said.

Part of the allegations are that Gumbo, now the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs (Monitoring and Implementation of Government Programmes), showed favour to his relative, Mavis, by awarding her a contract to rent out her house to Zimbabwe Airways.

As part of the deal, it is alleged Gumbo directed the release of US$1 million for the refurbishment of Ms Gumbo’s property and customising it into the airline’s headquarters.

The house is located at 1436 Gletwin, Shawasha Hills, just south of Glen Lorne and far from the airport.

Government lost U$1million in refurbishing the property and Mavis received huge amounts of money in monthly rent from a Government investment.

On other charges, Gumbo is accused of corruptly facilitating the awarding of a US$33,3 million tender to Indrastemas & Homt Espana of South Africa for air traffic control equipment without following the procurement procedure.

He allegedly authorised the company to supply the equipment to the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) without going to tender.

Also, Gumbo is accused of disregarding the decision of the CAAZ board to fire its general manager Mr David Chawota after finding he had awarded the air traffic control equipment contract to Indrastemas & Homt Espana without following laid down procedure.

On November 6, Gumbo, was supposed to appear in court but was recalled to ZACC headquarters as whistle-blowers levelled more allegations against the former Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister.

Own Correspondent|Subsidies on maize meal and rice are being restored to ensure that citizens have access to cheaper basic food stuffs and cushion them against the obtaining economic challenges, President Mnangagwa has said.

An announcement was made recently that Government had removed the subsidy on maize sold to millers and the price of mealie-meal immediately increased to more than $100 from about $65 for a 10kg bag.

Addressing youths at the 2019 national youth convention here yesterday, President Mnangagwa said mealie-meal and rice were basic commodities and removing the subsidy would affect many people.

“I want to say there are challenges that we are facing as a result of the austerity measures that we have already announced that we have eased in the 2020 budget because we have achieved what we wanted. We are now focusing on production, employment creation and youth empowerment.

“We must create safety nets to help our people. Two days ago I heard that the subsidy on mealie-meal and rice had been removed, No” said President Mnangagwa.

He said the issue of mealie-meal affects a lot of people and Government could not remove subsidy on these basic commodity.

“So I am restoring it so that the price of mealie meal is also reduced. They are going to publish tomorrow that what we had done we had not consulted the President,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said basic goods must be cheap so that everyone can afford them.

“We have a cheap food policy that we are working on to ensure that basic foods are affordable,” he said.

In the national budget, Minister of Finance and Economic Development Mthuli Ncube said the subsidies on roller meal, standard loaves of bread and cooking oil would remain but was moving from the more general subsidy of offering manufacturers cheap foreign exchange, which distorted markets and saw the products used by the rich subsidised.

State Media

Own Correspondent|Telecoms tycoon Strive Masiyiwa will seek to break a three-month strike by Zimbabwean doctors by offering them an extra ZWL$5,000 (US$310) monthly, his foundation announced.

The doctors will also get a smartphone, a taxi ride from home, uniforms and diagnostic aides.

The Higher Life Foundation, founded by Masiyiwa and his wife, Tsitsi, stressed that the offer was a “unilateral initiative” which it did not develop in consultation with the government or the doctors.

The ZWL$100 million “medical training completion fellowship” fund will cover up to 2,000 doctors – but they must be at work to benefit.

“In order for our healthcare system to continue having this continuous inflow of doctors, it is important for junior and senior resident officers to complete their training within the designated time period,” the foundation said in a statement.

“The scholarship covers those who are currently undergoing a junior or senior resident programme… (and) will last for the duration of six months, with funding contingent upon fellows remaining enrolled in their programme in that period and satisfying all requirements.”

The doctors said the offer from the Higher Life Foundation “will come in useful, especially for juniors.”

“However, it leaves the hospitals still incapacitated. It won’t change flexi-hours, the drug or equipment situation or reinstatement of colleagues. It is a good gesture which members will accept once we have resolved outstanding issues with the government, which must do something reasonable too,” the senior doctors added.

Source: ZimLive

State Media|Zesa will rotate staff, axe those underperforming and fingered in shoddy deals, and rebundle the utility back into a single company as part of measures to weed out corruption, favouritism for selected consumers, and wasteful management structures.

The newly appointed Zesa board wants to curb entrenched corruption and bad management, which some consumers say has resulted in unfair load-shedding schedules, failure to refurbish power stations and delays in implementing agreed power generation projects.

Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi yesterday met members of the new board chaired by Dr Sydney Zukuzo Gata.

Minister Chasi said there was need to transform Zesa into a vibrant entity capable of delivering electricity to citizens and companies without interruption.

“Government and the public wants a complete overhaul of Zesa. Transfers are imminent. People need to be transferred. Power was now being supplied on political grounds; everyone should have access to power.

“Zimbabweans are tired of load shedding regardless of the explanations,” he said.

Minister Chasi said there would be no sacred cows as efforts to revolutionise Zesa gather pace.

“Part of the electricity challenges stem from corruption, especially in the procurement system. We need a tight procurement system. The transformation should be current in terms of the world trends.

“We want to reach to a point where we export electricity. Re-bundling of Zesa and restructuring it is urgent; there is no room for divided loyalty,” he said.

Turning to the rebundling, Minister Chasi said it was critical as the status quo of “too many companies” results in everyone wanting “to do their own things”.

The unbundling created five companies — Powertel Communications, the Zimbabwe Electricity and Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), Zesa Enterprises (Zent) and Zesa Holdings.

Government also set up the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the Zimbabwe Regulatory Authority (Zera), which regulates the energy sector.

The rebundling of Zesa is seen as central to reducing inefficiencies at the State-owned enterprise as all the subsidiaries have managing director posts and other top management positions, adding to staff costs as the bosses earn top dollar, over and above the perks such as top-of-the-range vehicles and holiday allowances.

A Zesa forensic audit will be made public soon, while a new electricity model for powering farmers is being structured. Adoption of new energy sources like solar is one of the key focus areas that the new board will tap into, to find lasting solutions to power outages.

Mr Gata expressed gratitude on behalf of the board, for being entrusted with turning around Zesa’s fortunes.

A 75-YEAR-OLD Bulilima village head has been arrested for allegedly striking his wife with an axe in an infidelity row before burying the body in a shallow grave.

Foreman Sibanda of Village 13 in Vulindlela Ward allegedly struck his wife with an axe on November 11 after accusing her of having an extra marital affair.

He carried the body in a wheelbarrow and then dug a shallow grave in the fields about a kilometre from his homestead where he buried her. The village head of Village 12, Mr Moses Moyo said the offence came to light after Sibanda decided to reveal what he had done to his relatives and showed them where he had buried his wife.

He said the woman’s body was exhumed on Tuesday after a report was made to the police by the deceased’s relatives.

“It appears that Sibanda and his wife Petty Sibanda had a misunderstanding after he accused her of having an extra marital affair. The two were now sleeping in separate bedrooms because of the misunderstanding.

“Then on 11 November Sibanda took an axe and went to his wife’s bedroom hut and confronted her over the matter.

They had a misunderstanding and Sibanda struck her with the axe on the head and she died on the spot.

After realising what he had done, Sibanda carried the body in a wheelbarrow and buried it in a shallow grave in his fields,” said Mr Moyo.State media

Farai Dziva|MDC presidential spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda says Emmerson Mnangagwa must swallow his pride and negotiate with the opposition party.

Speaking to the Daily News, Sibanda urged Mnangagwa to “swallow his pride” to enable the country to move forward.

“They must know that Edgar Whitehead’s banning of the National Democratic Party in 1961 led to a more radical Zapu and, later Zanu being formed.

Instead of beating, abducting, torturing and arresting MDC leaders, we implore Zanu PF to put the people of Zimbabwe ahead of its power obsession.

The MDC has been clear that … Mnangagwa must swallow his pride and embark on negotiations to extricate Zimbabwe from its current abyss,” said Sibanda.

Specialist senior doctors, who are helping keep public hospitals running during the two-month strike by junior doctors, have themselves decided to join in the stay away in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe’s public health centres are facing collapse after the specialist senior doctors said on Tuesday that they would stop attending to emergencies in solidarity with the 500 doctors who were sacked by the government for joining the strike.

The country is experiencing its worst economic crisis in a decade, with public-sector workers saying they cannot even afford transport to go to work.

Nurses are now working a three-day week, citing poor salaries.

The government said that in November it had doubled doctors’ salaries to about ZWL2,000 ($130), but the doctors want their pay  to be pegged to the US dollar to stop their earnings being eroded by inflation. At more than 300%, Zimbabwe’s inflation is the second highest in the world after Venezuela.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Senior Hospital Doctors Association (SHDA) said its members have agreed to stop going to work.

“We have noted with grave concern the wanton dismissal of more than 435 doctors, the continued summoning of doctors for disciplinary hearings, and the withholding of the paltry salaries for the doctors,” the union said.

The decision to fire doctors “had not capacitated either the hospitals themselves or the human resource base”, the SHDA said.

“We regret to inform you that the SHDA has agreed with its members, who had remained behind offering emergency services to the hospitals, that we are no longer able to offer any emergency services as from 2pm on November 26 2019, until all the fired doctors are reinstated and there is adequate redressal of their incapacities,” the SHDA said in a letter to the clinical director of the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals — the biggest referral group of hospitals in the country.

The doctors defied a court ruling in October saying that their action was illegal and they should return to work.

Zimbabweans are bearing the brunt of the worst economic downturn in a decade, with shortages of foreign currency, fuel, basic foodstuffs, electricity and medicines. 

The crisis has been worsened by a drought that has left more than half the population in need of food aid and forced the government to scramble for scarce dollars to import grain.Credit-Business Live

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Watch the video loading below. ..

By A Correspondent- A Zimbabwe police officer, Daniel Arutura who is stationed at the Southern Region Transtech in Bulawayo has been arrested after he stabbed his children following a quarrel with his wife.

A local publication reported that the drunk Arutura visited his wife he has been living in separation with for almost a year now, in a bid to see his six-year-old kids on the 24th of this month and a dispute erupted between the duo.

The wife, Fungai Miringani, reportedly fled when Arutura grabbed a kitchen knife intending to stab her and left the kids with Arutura then stabbed them severally out of rage before handing himself to the police.

The incident was confirmed by police spokesperson, assistant commissioner Paul Nyathi who said that Miringani returned home and found the children unconscious and then took them to United Bulawayo Hospital for medical treatment.

-Newsday

By Own Correspondent| The government has temporarily closed four schools in Wedza for health reasons after the schools failed to provide water to students.

A local publication reported that Wedza area was hit by a hailstorm which vandalised electricity poles which in turn affected the pumping of water.

The development was confirmed by Mashonaland East Provincial Medical Director, Simukai Zizhou who told the publication that the affected schools would re-open once the water systems become functional.

He said:

I confirm that we closed four schools in Wedza over health-related issues. The schools will open once power is restored as well as ensuring that the water systems are running smoothly.

We only left exam classes that can be managed given the water crisis in the affected schools.

The report comes after violent winds destroyed properties and also killed a number of people over the past week.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological services department has warned that heavy rains were to fall in the country warning citizens to be very alert to avoid unnecessary loss of lives.

-Newsday

His Excellency President ED Mnangagwa today ordered his security team not to harm or chase away a suspected mentally ill woman who stood in front of his motorcade as he was preparing to leave for a Kadoma rally; delaying the motorcade for some minutes. pic.twitter.com/u2SGecsMip

— Dr Energy Mutodi (@energymutodi) November 27, 2019

"Health care workers to get incentives including car loan schemes that have a duty free component including affordable meals and refreshments at subsidised prices at their workplaces" Says minister of Health Obediah Moyo pic.twitter.com/rIvSJltsti

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) November 27, 2019

"Doctors strike has crippled the health delivery system" says Health Minister #ObediahMoyo while presenting his ministerial statement to parliament (Wednesday) pic.twitter.com/IW4PBa67lA

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) November 27, 2019

By A Correspondent| Higherlife Foundation, an NGO founded by Strive and Tsitsi Masiyiwa has offered to contribute towards doctors’ salaries in a bid to end the current impasse between government and doctors.

The organisation has offered to pay an extra monthly amount of ZWL$5,000 (US$310), a smartphone, transport and some medical equipment.

The organisation said it was not doing this in consultation with government.

Said Higherlife in a statement:

In order for our healthcare system to continue having this continuous inflow of doctors, it is important for junior and senior resident officers to complete their training within the designated time period.

The scholarship covers those who are currently undergoing a junior or senior resident programme… (and) will last for the duration of six months, with funding contingent upon fellows remaining enrolled in their programme in that period and satisfying all requirements.”

By A Correspondent- MDC leader Nelson Chamisa’s spokesperson,  Nkululeko Sibanda, said that the ruling ZANU PF party is copying the repressive tendencies of the Rhodesian regime in the late 1950s and early 1960s which led to the radicalisation of its opponents.

Speaking to a local publication on Monday, Sibanda urged President Emmerson Mnangagwa to “swallow his bride” and negotiate with the MDC.

He said:

They must know that Edgar Whitehead’s banning of the National Democratic Party in 1961 led to a more radical Zapu and, later Zanu being formed.

Instead of beating, abducting, torturing and arresting MDC leaders, we implore Zanu PF to put the people of Zimbabwe ahead of its power obsession.

The MDC has been clear that … Mnangagwa must swallow his pride and embark on negotiations to extricate Zimbabwe from its current abyss.

The MDC has been incensed by the police brutality against in supporters last week in central Harare.

The police have banned countless MDC rallies this year using the draconian Public Order and Security Act (POSA) and its successor, the Maintenance of Law and Order Act (MOPA).

-DailyNews

By A Correspondent- Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has pledged loyalty to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, attacking the opposition as “gangsters”.

The vice president reportedly told aides that he wishes to visit former president Robert Mugabe’s widow, Grace, to pay his condolences following his death on September 6.

Chiwenga was unable to attend the funeral as he was receiving treatment abroad.

He torched a storm after suggesting that government workers had no right to strike adding that they should continue serving the nation.

In his first interview after returning home from China where he underwent medical treatment for four months, Chiwenga said:

“I feel very good and I want to thank all the Zimbabweans for their prayers whilst I was away… I really appreciate it.”

The vice president flew home early Saturday in a Chinese government jet, appearing sprightly and healthier than when he was last publicly seen in May adding that the treatment had gone “extremely well” and he was “much, much better.”

He did not say what he was being treated for, although it has been reported that he was poisoned and underwent surgery on his oesophagus.

“I think everything that was possible was done, and I’m now raring to go and join the team to build our country,” Chiwenga said.

Many Zimbabweans despairing over the country’s economic collapse were waiting to hear from the man who, as army general, led the military coup that ousted the late former president Robert Mugabe in 2017.

Reports of sharp disagreements between Chiwenga and Mnangagwa have persisted for months, with the former army chief – touted as Mnangagwa’s successor – said to be insistent that the Zanu PF leader must serve one term and handover the leadership, if not earlier.

But Chiwenga betrayed no such conflict when he spoke to reporters.

“To our leadership, let’s all work together to achieve the vision which the president gave for 2030. Let’s make sure that that vision the president has got, and that wisdom the Almighty has given him, let’s work with him tirelessly to make sure that everything is achieved,” Chiwenga said, speaking from the VIP lounge of the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport flanked by deputy Chinese ambassador, Zhao Baogang.

Referring to the opposition as “others”, Chiwenga said “it would not help to have that gangster mentality” – an apparent reference to MDC attempts to stage nationwide protests against the deteriorating economic situation.

Chiwenga claimed the MDC was not a superior alternative to Zanu PF, saying they have been controlling urban municipalities for many years, but service delivery had not improved.

“Why haven’t we seen an improvement, if they’re so good? They’re not doing this for the good of our people, but to destroy our people. So, let’s leave that mentality. That mentality should leave their minds as quickly as possible,” he said.

He also maintained his hard-line stance on industrial action by government workers.

“It will not help to every now and again go on strike. Strike against what? Let’s work, and let’s build our economy,” he said.

The government recently fired over 400 doctors who have been on strike demanding better pay since September. Other government workers like nurses and teachers now work two days per week.

When government workers attempted to hand over a petition to the government early this month, police blocked their march.

Chiwenga was driven to his Chisipite home from the airport, avoiding the Borrowdale home he shares with his wife, Mary, who was not at the airport to welcome him.

On Saturday afternoon, the vice president was visited by Mnangagwa and his wife, Auxillia. The two men shared a bear hug and appeared delighted to see each other.

Chiwenga then flew by helicopter to his rural home in Wedza, where his extended family was expected to conduct some traditional rituals “thanking the ancestors for his healing”, a source said.

-Wires

– ZimEye will go LIVE shortly covering this success story – follow this page for more. – 

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The recovery comes after less than a month of ZimEye exposing the criminal who was demanding £4,500 upfront claiming that the goods have incurred storage costs while in customs. The deceitful businessman at the centre of this extreme fraud, took advantage of the victim while she was in hospital to smuggle the goods onto a huge shipment across the oceans from the UK. 

For more than 11 years to date ZimEye.com continues the mission to support struggling members of the Zimbabwe and British community with some of the greatest achievements in the history of investigative journalism.

ZimEye will go LIVE shortly covering this success story – follow this page for more. Meanwhile, below was the man as he produced a flood of hot sweat during the interview. 

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Paul Nyathi|ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa had to personally intervene to save a woman who had blocked his motorcade from his security team.

The woman who Mutodi described as mentally disturbed sat down in front of Mnangagwa’s Motorcade and appeared to be praying.

Her screaming words were: “May Emmerson be protected, may Chiwenga be protected, show your mighty hand Almighty God!”

Mnangagwa’s top right hand man Energy Mutodi made the revelation on his Twitter account:

https://youtu.be/D5USQDRsuXI

His Excellency President ED Mnangagwa today ordered his security team not to harm or chase away a suspected mentally ill woman who stood in front of his motorcade as he was preparing to leave for a Kadoma rally; delaying the motorcade for some minutes. pic.twitter.com/u2SGecsMip

— Dr Energy Mutodi (@energymutodi) November 27, 2019

By Farai D Hove| The minister of health Obadiah Moyo announcing in parliament On Wednesday afternoon promised doctors free ZUPCO transport.

Minister Moyo was reading out his crisis management statement when he said he has availed incentices including, ZUPCO buses, transport to and from work…” WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW

Minister lures doctors with free ZUPCO bus transport. "ZUPCO buses, transport to and from work has been put in place," health minister Obadiah Moyo says pic.twitter.com/M4zIv2npKv

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) November 27, 2019

The move is set to worsen an already critical health situation in the country, where even basic foodstuffs are in short supply

Specialist senior doctors, who are helping keep public hospitals running during the two-month strike by junior doctors, have themselves decided to join in the stay away in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe’s public health centres are facing collapse after the specialist senior doctors said on Tuesday that they would stop attending to emergencies in solidarity with the 500 doctors who were sacked by the government for joining the strike.

The country is experiencing its worst economic crisis in a decade, with public-sector workers saying they cannot even afford transport to go to work. Nurses are now working a three-day week, citing poor salaries.

The government said that in November it had doubled doctors’ salaries to about ZWL2,000 ($130), but the doctors want their pay  to be pegged to the US dollar to stop their earnings being eroded by inflation. At more than 300%, Zimbabwe’s inflation is the second highest in the world after Venezuela.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Senior Hospital Doctors Association (SHDA) said its members have agreed to stop going to work. “We have noted with grave concern the wanton dismissal of more than 435 doctors, the continued summoning of doctors for disciplinary hearings, and the withholding of the paltry salaries for the doctors,” the union said.

The decision to fire doctors “had not capacitated either the hospitals themselves or the human resource base”, the SHDA said.

“We regret to inform you that the SHDA has agreed with its members, who had remained behind offering emergency services to the hospitals, that we are no longer able to offer any emergency services as from 2pm on November 26 2019, until all the fired doctors are reinstated and there is adequate redressal of their incapacities,” the SHDA said in a letter to the clinical director of the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals — the biggest referral group of hospitals in the country.

The doctors defied a court ruling in October saying that their action was illegal and they should return to work.

Zimbabweans are bearing the brunt of the worst economic downturn in a decade, with shortages of foreign currency, fuel, basic foodstuffs, electricity and medicines. The crisis has been worsened by a drought that has left more than half the population in need of food aid and forced the government to scramble for scarce dollars to import grain.

Paul Nyathi|Vice President Constantine Chiwenga will this week throw a huge bash for members of his family at his rural Hwedza home.

The bash is tagged to be his homecoming celebration.

Chiwenga has allegedly hired private buses not the state run ZUPCO buses from Harare to Hwedza for people from Harare wishing to party with him and his family.

It is not clear at the moment if his estranged wife Marry and controversial relative Prophet Talent Chiwenga will attend the gathering. There were neither indications if President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been invited.

Specialist senior doctors, who are helping keep public hospitals running during the two-month strike by junior doctors, have themselves decided to join in the stay away in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe’s public health centres are facing collapse after the specialist senior doctors said on Tuesday that they would stop attending to emergencies in solidarity with the 500 doctors who were sacked by the government for joining the strike.

The country is experiencing its worst economic crisis in a decade, with public-sector workers saying they cannot even afford transport to go to work.

Nurses are now working a three-day week, citing poor salaries.

The government said that in November it had doubled doctors’ salaries to about ZWL2,000 ($130), but the doctors want their pay  to be pegged to the US dollar to stop their earnings being eroded by inflation. At more than 300%, Zimbabwe’s inflation is the second highest in the world after Venezuela.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Senior Hospital Doctors Association (SHDA) said its members have agreed to stop going to work.

“We have noted with grave concern the wanton dismissal of more than 435 doctors, the continued summoning of doctors for disciplinary hearings, and the withholding of the paltry salaries for the doctors,” the union said.

The decision to fire doctors “had not capacitated either the hospitals themselves or the human resource base”, the SHDA said.

“We regret to inform you that the SHDA has agreed with its members, who had remained behind offering emergency services to the hospitals, that we are no longer able to offer any emergency services as from 2pm on November 26 2019, until all the fired doctors are reinstated and there is adequate redressal of their incapacities,” the SHDA said in a letter to the clinical director of the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals — the biggest referral group of hospitals in the country.

The doctors defied a court ruling in October saying that their action was illegal and they should return to work.

Zimbabweans are bearing the brunt of the worst economic downturn in a decade, with shortages of foreign currency, fuel, basic foodstuffs, electricity and medicines. 

The crisis has been worsened by a drought that has left more than half the population in need of food aid and forced the government to scramble for scarce dollars to import grain.Credit-Business Live

By Wilbert Mukori| Ten years ago, SADC leaders condemned the 2008 Zimbabwe elections because Mugabe and his Zanu PF thugs had blatantly cheated in the March vote count and used wanton violence in the run-off. Mugabe was told in no uncertain terms that SADC will not recognise his government as a product of the democratic wishes of the people of Zimbabwe and thus legitimate. 

In other words Zimbabwe’s 2008 elections were so flawed and illegal the process failed to produce a legitimate government. 

As a way forward, SADC leaders proposed the Global Political Agreement (GPA) in which the core requirement of a government elected by people was to be suspended. Zimbabwe would be ruled by a Government of National Unity (GNU) whose principle task was to implement a raft of democratic reforms and write a new democratic constitution so ensure the debacle of the 2008 elections will never ever be repeated. 

Sadly not even one reform was ever implemented in the five years of the GNU. Not one.

Mugabe bribed Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends, who were entrusted to implement the reforms, with the trappings of high office and, with their snouts in the feeding trough, they forgot about the reforms. 

“MDC leaders were busy enjoying themselves during the GNU, they forgot what they were there for!” complained one SADC diplomat after Zanu PF, once again, blatantly rigged the 2013 elections.

Mnangagwa promised to hold free, fair and credible elections after the 2017 military coup. Sadly, he was conning the naive and gullible because he did not implement even one reform. Zanu PF blatantly rigged last year’s elections as the facts on the ground proved.

He denied 3 million Zimbabwean in the diaspora the vote; a very significant number since he was declared the winner with 2.4 million votes. The regime failed to produce something as basic as a verified voters’ roll, for Pete’s sake!

It therefore beggared belief why SADC leaders endorse Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF as the legitimate government regardless of all the flaws and illegalities in last year’s election process. But worse still, having endorsed this Zanu PF regime as legitimate SADC cannot force Mnangagwa to agree to anything near the 2008 GPA. 

Unlike in 2008, SADC leaders have no political leverage to force Zanu PF to agree to the need for democratic reforms much less force the party to get the reforms implemented. SADC leaders shot themselves in the foot by endorse last year’s elections as legitimate. 

Those asking SA’s President Cyril Ramaphosa and SADC to play a role in ending the Zimbabwe crisis have no clue what they are talking about; they are just dogs howling at the full moon! By endorsing Zimbabwe’s rigged elections President Ramaphosa shot himself in the head; not in the foot, head! 

Like it or not, if President Ramaphosa is play any meaningful role in Zimbabwe’s crisis; he must tell Mnangagwa that he rigged last year’s elections and is illegitimate, a spectacular volte face in itself. It is almost certain that Mnangagwa will pretend there is a teaspoon full of wax in his ears and thus refuse to hear.   

What Zimbabwe needs to move forward, is to implement the democratic reforms; nothing, absolutely nothing of substance will ever be accomplished until we cure ourselves of this curse of rigged elections, the mother of bad governance. 

SOURCE: zsdemocrats.blogspot.com

Own Correspondent | Democracy is under siege as the stalemate over President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s legitimacy continues, with new Standing Order Rules which will rein in and force the MDC Alliance MPs to recognise and “respect the president” being proposed.

The new rules if adopted are likely to force the MDC Alliance which is slowly being rendered ineffective to consider altogether pulling out of Parliament or accept Mnangagwa’s legitimacy.

The MDC Alliance has in the past argued that its continued presence in Parliament is to defend its democratic space, citing its oversight role on the government through hearings and inquiries.

The new rules also mean the MPs will no longer chant slogans or sing revolutionary songs, only the national anthem will be sung in the August House.

This continued bickering between the MDC Alliance and their Zanu PF counterparts in the Parliament over Mnangagwa’s legitimacy, is leading to a stalemate, that is slowly rendering the August House useless.

MDC Alliance chief whip Senator Lilian Timveos, raised alarm, “we are in hot soup”, as she published the New Standing Order 86 “Respect of the President.”

The Standing Order states that, Members shall observe utmost dignity and decorum during the President’s address and also that a Member shall not disrupt or interrupt the President’s address through disorderly conduct.

Standing Order 76 “Members in the House” meaning Parliament’ It is proposed that an amendment be made to standing Order 76(1) by the insertion of a new paragraph (e) which shall read― (e) not sing except when required to sing the National Anthem.

A bewildered Timveos asks on social media, “Sing national anthem only ?”

New Standing Order 86 “Respect of the President”

We are in hot Soup, Parliament of Zimbabwe

(1) Members shall observe utmost dignity and decorum during the President’s address.
(2) A Member shall not disrupt or interrupt the President’s address through disorderly conduct.

— Lilian Timveos. (@lilimikoro) November 27, 2019

Self exiled former cabinet minister Savior Kasukuwere has moved a gear up in his Presidential campaign with a picture of branded vehicle with his image making rounds on social media.

It has not been ascertained if the vehicle is in Zimbabwe.

View picture below….

Watch the video loading below. ..

Watch video loading below. ..

https://youtu.be/D5USQDRsuXI

Own Correspondent | MDC Alliance Secretary General has been called out over a meeting he held with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s envoys in Germany.

Hwende is a delegate in the Internet Governance Forum a multi-stakeholder platform, which brings together various stakeholder groups as equals, in discussions on public policy issues relating to the Internet.

Hwende suffered backlash from angry Zimbabweans who challenged him on his meeting with Ambassador Paul Chikawa, whose appointing authority Mnangagwa the MDC Alliance does not recognise.

Wrote Hwende, “Yesterday I passed through our Zimbabwe Embassy in Germany and was well received by Ambassador Paul Chikawa and his team very fruitful engagement. Many Zimbabweans are based in Germany studying and working.”

Yesterday I passed through our Zimbabwe Embassy in Germany ?? and was well received by Ambasador Paul Chikawa and his team very fruitful engagement. Many Zimbabweans are based in Germany studying and working. During the GNU our very own MDC Ambasador Makuvise was based here ✅ pic.twitter.com/jqvNACqiPm

— Chalton Hwende MP Chairperson Public Accounts (@hwendec) November 27, 2019

In a bid to mitigate his visit, the senior MDC official wrote, “During the GNU our very own MDC Ambassador Makuvise was based here.”

MDC Alliance MPs have refused to recognise Mnangagwa walking out of Parliament, whenever he is present for national events, leading to an impasse that has crippled business in the August House.

Among the Zimbabweans who called Hwende out is politician Setfree Mafukidze, “ An Ambassador appointed by an illegitimate President is illegitimate too. He would have been appointed by a person who is not confirmed to make such appointments. VaHwende you guys either need to accept that @edmnangagwa is legitimate or just remain consistent on your case.”

An Ambassador appointed by an illegitimate President is illegitimate too,he would have been appointed by a person who is not confirmed to make such appointments.
VaHwende you guys either need to accept that @edmnangagwa is legitimate or just remain consistent on your case. https://t.co/masWBIuzXG

— Setfree Nherera Mafukidze ?? (@cdesetfree) November 27, 2019

Zanu PF politician Farai Muvuti challenged Hwende too, “Needless to point out the obvious. If you can see the legitimacy of the good Ambassador then you may want to acknowledge the legitimacy of his appointing authority. Your unexpected excursion appears to have betrayed your party narrative. Food for thought.”

Vakomana ava havanawo kana idea busy kutamba nepfungwa dzedu haa yaas! Help me identify a new political party to support

— te'Humba (@TeteHumba) November 27, 2019

Watch video loading below. ..

https://youtu.be/D5USQDRsuXI

His Excellency President ED Mnangagwa today ordered his security team not to harm or chase away a suspected mentally ill woman who stood in front of his motorcade as he was preparing to leave for a Kadoma rally; delaying the motorcade for some minutes. pic.twitter.com/u2SGecsMip

— Dr Energy Mutodi (@energymutodi) November 27, 2019

His Excellency President ED Mnangagwa today ordered his security team not to harm or chase away a suspected mentally ill woman who stood in front of his motorcade as he was preparing to leave for a Kadoma rally; delaying the motorcade for some minutes. pic.twitter.com/u2SGecsMip

— Dr Energy Mutodi (@energymutodi) November 27, 2019

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has hit the ground running, joining President Emmerson Mnangagwa and vice President Kembo Mohadi on a tour of the new parliament building in Mt Hampden.

Chiwenga who spend 123 days in a Chinese hospital and only returned back home on Saturday morning fully fit and raring to go.

When Mnangagwa visited the powerful former army general, he urged him to take time before resuming work but on Monday he was back at work.

On Tuesday, he attended the cabinet meeting and proceeded to Mt Hampden today.

He is likely to join Mnangagwa in Kadoma for a youth interface rally today.

A Guard Alert security detail who was manning an Econet Wireless Shop along Harare’s First Street in the CBD late Tuesday afternoon shot and killed himself with police saying the unidentified keeper committed the act after he had been exposed for stealing cell phones from the same shop.

Police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident to NewZimbabwe Tuesday evening.

“Yes, a security guard shot himself at a cell phone shop (Econet Shop),” said Nyathi.

According to Nyathi, “the security guard reported for work Tuesday morning and stole some cell phones and hid them.

“Upon realising many of the workers were not yet at work, he took advantage of their absence and committed the crime.

“At the end of the day, the workers checked the CCTV as per routine and it showed the guard had stolen some cell phones.

“After being shown the videos, he requested to go to the toilet and he shot himself.”

Nyathi warned members of the public to desist from committing crimes which he said had consequences.

“It is really unfortunate, but people should also realise that such a crime does not pay. Crime has some consequences,” he said.

He added, “The name of the deceased will not be released until his next of keen are advised. I want to caution the media against publicising his name until his relatives are advised.”

Some vendors who spoke to NewZimbabwe outside the Econet Shop said they knew the guard to be a good man.

“He was such a good person but temptations (to steal) are there. People are struggling to make ends meet at home. It is so sad we have lost a family man,” said one of the vendors who refused to be identified.

A junior police officer who was among the team that attended the scene was overheard saying of the dead security, “Anga aguta kufema (he had had enough of life).”

— NewZimbabwe

By Alice Majola| In this piece, I will try to channel the speech made by His Majesty Emperor Selassie of Ethiopia to the League of Nations many moons ago in 1936. The following is the iconic segment of Emperor Selassie’s speech:

“Until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned, everywhere is war. And until there are no longer first-class and second-class citizens of any nation, until the colour of a man’s skin is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes. And until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race, there is war. And until that day, the dream of lasting peace, world citizenship, rule of international morality, will remain but a fleeting illusion to be pursued, but never attained… now everywhere is war.”

The speech was so iconic in its honesty about the struggles of dark skinned peoples of the world that it inspired Bob Marley to turn it into a song which he called ‘War’. Here is my version of it  which I have edited to address the problems in Zimbabwe:

“Until the philosophy which holds that Zanu leadership and their friends are superior and above the law while the rest of us are inferior and subjected to intentional misinterpretations of the same law, is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned, there will be resentment towards Zanu pf. And until there is no longer vote rigging, corruption, and state violence against political opposition and the general public, until the political affiliation of a person has no significance in their chances of living a decent life in Zimbabwe. And until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to every Zimbabwean regardless of wealth, war veteran credentials, presence of disability, tribe or location, there will be resentment towards Zanu pf. And until that day, the dream of democracy, prosperity  and being the bread basket of Africa will remain but a fleeting illusion to be that will never be attained, which is why there is resentment towards Zanu”

Personally, I will always measure the success and fairness of a Zimbabwean government on the basis of what it will do to help the many women who have to carry their little babies on their backs everyday, walking long distances while hoisting large weights on their heads so they can try to sell a bit of fruit and vegetables in the hot and sometimes cold and dusty streets of Zimbabwe. These women sometimes sit for 15 hours a day waiting hopefully for the next customer, who on some days will not emerge because of the dire economic situation in the country which has resulted in many Zimbabweans ‘living without’.  Sometimes these women make as little as 5RTGs in one day which can’t afford to pay for the baby’s milk. They are part of the most marginalised people in Zimbabwean society.  The morality and uprightness of a government is measured by how it treats the most vulnerable members of society.  

Like I said, the needs of these women and their babies is the yard stick by which I judge the robustness and success of a Zimbabwean government. So here is my yardstick in which I will use elements of Selassie’s League of Nations speech:

 “Until these women and their babies do not have to go through this suffering and humiliation, I will always resent this corrupt Zanu pf government. Until these mothers are given help by the state in the welfare of their children, I will always resent Zanu pf. Until these mothers are able to earn enough money to live a decent life from the difficult jobs they do, I will always resent Zanu pf. Until these mothers and their babies do not have to pay money to receive hospital treatment and don’t have to pay school fees for their children up to A level, I will always resent Zanu pf.  Until they have a viable option to earn a living, I will continue to resent Zanu pf”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-Newsday

In September, Mitchell Matarause delivered her baby boy by candlelight at a clinic in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital.

It was after sunset and the electricity supply had been cut.

“Midwives were using candles and torches for lighting,” said the 26-year-old, holding her second-born. “I delivered in the evening, there was no electricity.

“There was a candle on the table. I heard the midwives say that they could not see properly, so they had to use torches as additional light sources. As one midwife assisted me, the others held the torches.

“I was just praying I deliver well, without complications. I feared the worst and sighed with relief when it was over.”

High-quality maternal healthcare is difficult to access and provide in Zimbabwe, a country struggling with regular power outages — sophisticated equipment relies on electricity.

Women across the country have reported similar experiences to Matarause, relying on a small flame or a cellphone to provide enough light to give birth safely during power blackouts.

Earlier this year, the State-owned Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) introduced 18-hour load-shedding after reducing electricity generation due to low water levels in Lake Kariba, its main source of power.

While the power is not switched off at large referral hospitals in Harare, such as Harare Central Hospital and Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, it is cut at most facilities in residential suburbs and rural areas.

A midwife at Mufakose Polyclinic, where Matarause welcomed her child, said the team usually asks pregnant mothers to provide their own lighting.

“(We) ask them to bring bulbs with batteries as it is difficult to see when using candle lights,” she told Al Jazeera.

Most women in Zimbabwe deliver at State-run hospitals, which charge a small fee, about $200, that goes towards basic equipment.

The cost of giving birth at private hospitals is about $5 000, a sum that is out of reach for most — civil servants earn just $500 on average each month.

Zimbabwe turns to solar energy to reduce maternal mortality rate
Because of power outages, some hospitals purchase fuel at cost price from service stations for generators.

Power blackouts threaten to worsen maternal mortality rates, which the Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey estimates at 651 deaths per 100 000 live births.

According to Unicef, two regions, sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, account for 86% of maternal deaths worldwide.

The United Nations Population Fund describes Zimbabwe’s rate as “unacceptably high”, even as the last five to 10 years show a decline.

Some hospitals and clinics, including private facilities, use fuel generators, but this option is out of reach for many — diesel and petrol are expensive with a 300% inflation rate as of August 2019, according to the International Monetary Fund.

The fuel price is determined by the Zimbabwean dollar and US dollar interbank exchange rate.

At the time of writing, petrol was trading at around $16,6 a litre, while diesel was up at $17,43.
At Chiredzi Hospital, a government-run facility almost 500km southeast of Harare, when authorities fail to purchase fuel for generators, midwives do whatever it takes to save lives.

“Hospitals need to provide comprehensive obstetric (and newborn care), among other things such as responding to emergencies and doing surgery.

“That’s where the power issues come in. With the current cost of diesel to run generators, the situation is dire,” Chiredzi district acting medical officer, David Tarumbwa, said.

“We buy fuel straight from service stations at cost price, no subsidies. It’s not sustainable. You can’t run a generator for 12 hours daily. The next thing is, it breaks down.”

When they do not have generators, the doctors and nurses “explore whatever options will be available”.

Emmanuel Mahlangu, president of the Zimbabwe Confederation of Midwives, explained: “It is important to differentiate between normal pregnancy and childbirth with complicated pregnancy and childbirth. Eighty-seven percent of pregnancies and childbirths are normal.

“A normal childbirth occurring during the day may actually go through without much use of electricity. However, if it were to occur in the night, the priority is lighting.

“A complicated delivery may require electricity for resuscitation of the baby, warmth from radiant heaters, lights and operative delivery.”

Against this backdrop, new technology that does not rely on fuel is being tried out.

Zimbabwe turns to solar energy to reduce maternal mortality rate
Solar panels have been installed at several health facilities across the country in an attempt to overcome the negative impact of power shortages.

We Care Solar, a California-based NGO, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are working with the government to install solar power systems in clinics and hospitals nationwide.

We Care Solar has struck a partnership with local NGO ZimEnergy Eco Foundation, providing compact rugged solar electric systems called solar suitcases.

Designed in 2010, these “suitcases” provide bright lights and foetal heart monitoring.

More than 4 000 health centres in Africa and Asia have been equipped with this technology.

Since 2016, We Care Solar has supported 136 maternal health facilities with reliable lighting and electricity in Zimbabwe, in the provinces of Matabeleland South, Mashonaland East and Masvingo and aims to extend its project to other clinics across the country.

“Before year-end, we aim to officially launch the Light Every Birth campaign in collaboration with the Health ministry,” We Care Solar Zimbabwe programme manager Shamiso Moyo said. “We aim to install the solar system at a total of 1 000 clinics.”

UNDP also partnered with the Health ministry on a Solar For Health Project and installed solar systems at 405 institutions across the country to ensure uninterrupted power, including at maternity wards.

“They are now primarily running on solar and only using the mains electricity grid as backup. The systems vary in capacity, depending on the size of the medical facility. Smaller clinics are now running on 5kW or 7kW, while larger clinics and district hospitals run on 10kW, 15kW or even 40kW systems,” said UNDP Zimbabwe resident representative Georges van Montfort.

He hoped that eventually, no woman would ever have to deliver by candlelight again.

As the rest of the country waits, however, Mahlangu said that while the use of candle and cellphone lights during delivery is not recommended, midwives will continue to use whatever means they have to offer women support during their critical hours in labour.

“Midwives cannot leave a woman unattended because of lack of electricity,” he said, “And childbirth will not stop because there is no electricity.”

— Al Jazeera News

Cabinet received an update on the industrial action by Public Hospital Doctors and City of Harare Nurses. The Minister of Health and Child Care reported that the Doctors’ strike has now gone beyond 84 days, with the doctors continuing to cite incapacitation. As such, health service provision at most Central hospitals remains constrained.

On the situation at Harare City Council clinics, the Minister indicated that 99 out of the expected 179 nurses turned up for duty as of 25th November, 2019. The recent opening of the Edith Opperman Clinic in Mbare has since eased the challenge of home-based deliveries.

Pertaining to disciplinary hearings for striking doctors, the Minister informed Cabinet that 508 disciplinary cases on doctors that have not been coming to work have so far been heard, out of which 498 doctors were found guilty. It will be recalled that from the previous report, 435 doctors had been discharged, and since then an additional 13 doctors have been found guilty and discharged, bringing the cumulative total of doctors discharged to 448. In addition to the 508 disciplinary cases heard by the 25th November 2019, an additional 43 doctors from the Provinces are awaiting hearing. Serving of charge letters for 57 Senior Doctors at Central Hospitals commenced on the 25th November, 2019.

Regarding the recruitment of Doctors, the Ministry of Health and Child Care will publish before the end of this week an advert in the press for all posts that have become vacant as a result of the disciplinary process.

Processes on the recruitment of 700 nurses, 150 Cuban medical staff as well as the training of 6000 Clinical Officers are being expedited.

Once again, Cabinet wishes to assure the nation that all avenues to ensure that the situation in the health sector returns to normalcy are being explored for immediate implementation.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

"Anyone who has got the suitable qualifications is welcome to apply to come and work as a doctor, in our system. I thank you," says @MoHCCZim Obadiah Moyo@ZHDAofficial @DMagombeyi @ZadhrDoctors pic.twitter.com/JrmGihPabQ

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) November 26, 2019

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

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

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

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

The magistrate moved the matter to December 5.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

News Of The South