https://twitter.com/i/status/1186233826877607937

Labour Economists and African Democrats (LEAD) president Ms Linda Masarira-Kaingidza yesterday joined the anti-sanctions drive and pledged to mobilise communities and fellow citizens against the illegal embargo ahead of the Sadc-initiated solidarity day this Friday.

The regional bloc’s 39th summit comprising Heads of State and Government set aside October 25, to conduct various activities in their countries aimed at denouncing illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.

Several countries have used different platforms including last month’s United Nations General Assembly in New York to call for the removal of illegal sanctions.

In a statement, Ms Masarira-Kaingidza said her party had joined the fight against sanctions because they were aware that the embargo was a form of economic warfare against Zimbabwe that had brought immense suffering on the masses.

“As LEAD, we are engaging with local communities and grassroots citizens having meetings discussing the effects of sanctions and the importance of speaking with one voice to push for sanctions to be lifted,” she said.

Ms Masarira-Kaingidza said the most important ways to fight sanctions were to create a national campaign to educate people on the adverse effects of sanctions.

“We also inform people and make it clear that the sanctions which were deployed by a national emergency by the American president are war and defence measures that can be escalated to a military invasion by an instruction by the same president if the Americans do not neutralise that threat that they believe Zimbabwe poses to their national, economic and security interest,” she said.

“We are also teaching them to love the nation and each other to be willing to die for the nation as the first step to fight sanctions. We are making them get to unite as countrymen who understand that they need each other to progress.
“We can’t fix Zimbabwe’s problems if we are divided.”

Ms Masarira-Kaingidza called upon progressive political parties and civic organisations to work with them as they sought to define, establish and build a national interest, identity and common interest to galvanise us to work towards a transformative developmental state.

“We need to address previous pains and divisions that polarised us to build reconciliation through traditional and spiritual means using our traditional leaders, elders and not politicians.
“We should create trust, responsibility and accountability for each other and our nation,” she said.

She implored the Government to call for a national emergency against sanctions.State media

On International Day of the Girl Child

Harare – As the world celebrates International Day of the Girl which is normally observed on 11 October, the Women Advocacy Project is calling for greater investments to improve girls’ education, skills, and job prospects in Zimbabwe.

We stress the importance of creating opportunities and safe spaces for girls’ voices to be heard and listened to in decisions that affect them.

Constance Mugari, the founder and Executive Director of the Women Advocacy Project, said more attention should be given to girls’ education and providing them with the relevant job skills and training. She said such an investment also enables them to participate in the workforce and to move from dreaming to achieving their dreams.

Said Mugari in a statement:

According to UNICEF, UNFPA and the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) one third of all girls in Zimbabwe marry before the age of 18.

Statistics show that approximately 500,000 teenagers fall pregnant every year in Zimbabwe, with 19 percent of the pregnancies in this group a result of child marriages. 48 percent of adolescents confirmed that the pregnancies were unplanned.

Adolescent pregnancy remains a major challenge and contributor to maternal and child mortality and the vicious circle of ill-health and poverty particularly in Zimbabwe.

Poverty remains a key driver of child marriage, and girls from poor families are more likely to become child brides than those from wealthier households.

If we really want to tackle poverty and end child marriage we must give all girls the tools they need to invest in themselves.

That means providing them with the quality education and training they need to earn an income and create a better future for themselves and their family.

Every year, 12 million girls are married globally before the age of 18, depriving them of their rights to education, health and a life of their choice.

Evidence shows that girls who attend secondary school are three times less likely to be child brides. They also have better economic prospects, fewer and healthier children, and are more likely to ensure that their own children are not married before 18.”

https://twitter.com/mawarirej/status/1186346740020056064?s=19

A Chiredzi manager has been dragged to court by his wife after he allegedly refused to pay for welfare of a child that she conceived through a sperm donor.

The defendant agreed for his wife to have a child through a sperm donor after the doctor told him he had a low sperm count.

The couple’s names have been withheld for ethical reasons. 

The defendant and his wife went to South Africa where they got a sperm from an unknown donor and there was artificial insemination resulting in the woman conceiving.

According to The Mirror the baby was born sometime in November 2018

The court was told that the defendant is now neglecting the child, accusing his wife of adultery.

However the defendant later denied the authenticity of the papers. He also distanced himself from the signature on the papers saying he only went abroad on business trips.

The court dismissed the defendant`s claims and said evidence brought by his wife to the court was consistent and the papers from laboratories abroad were genuine since they had contact addresses and the defendant’s signature which he failed to dispute.

The presiding magistrate granted the wife maintenance of $800 per month.

A popular pastor has waded unto the ongoing debate of whether it’s compulsory for Christians to be paying their tithes or not.

The preacher identified as Sam Adeyemi who is the Senior Pastor of Day Star Christian Centre has asked that no Christian anywhere should pay tithe to any pastor or church.

According to him, he has conducted a comprehensive and unbiased research into this controversial topic and has never come across anything that suggests that God would be angry with people who fail to pay tithe and curse them.

He said,

“I have been following the tithe debate. I discovered that it has been an age-long debate and it will be on for a long time. My first observation is that church people are behaving as if we own the word tithe.

“We don’t own the word. It is an English word. I want to say clearly that tithe, as practiced under the law of Moses, has expired. The death and resurrection of Jesus have put paid to it. It has expired.

“All the requirements of the law were satisfied under Christ. It is a gamble to say Jesus never paid tithe. The fact that it was not written that Jesus paid tithe does not mean he did not do it.

“I can also claim that Jesus did not go to the toilet because it is not written. 18 years of his life were not recorded in the Bible. When he was born his parents satisfied the requirements of the law. John 21v25 says there are many things he did that were not recorded. Jesus did not say it was wrong to pay tithe in his day.”

Pastor Adeyemi further quoted Romans 8, saying the chapter “clearly tells us that we are free. No Christian should feel guilty for not paying tithe”.

He said ;

“The law of the spirit of life in Christ has made us free. Romans 8 clearly tells us that we are free. No Christian should feel guilty for not paying tithe. There is nothing you can add to what Jesus did to be qualified before God. When Jesus said it is finished it was finished. Gal 3v13 says Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law.

“A Christian is not cursed because he or she did not pay tithe. A Christian should not give out of fear. A Christian should give out of love. We are free from guilt, from fear. We are in a dispensation of grace.

If you commit murder, you realize what you did and you repent God will forgive you. But bear in mind that Police will arrest you and prosecute you. The forgiveness of God does not remove the consequences of our actions.

You are free to decide what to give. But if you sow sparingly you will reap sparingly. Tithing as practised under the law has expired but tithing as a general principle cannot expire. A Christian is free to give any percentage of his money. But just bear in mind that 10 percent is still part of the number. If somebody chooses to give 10 percent he should not be condemned and if he gives less or more than that he has a right to decide on what to do”

Reports indicate that the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) on Monday morning deployed an anti-riot unit at the Rotten Rowcourt as activists protested the killing of a vendor, Hilton Tafadzwa Mangani whilst in custody.

Zimbabwe Defense Forces Commander Philip Valerio Sibanda is set to succeed President Emmerson Mnangagwa a prominent clergyman Pastor Ian Ndlovu has said.

In a veiled message to Mnangagwa Ndlovu said the lion (a description for General Sibanda) will be loyal to Mnangagwa so that he learns the art of ruling.

Watch the full message below:

Kingdom Embassy church leader, Prophet Passion Java was reportedly forced to abandon his birthday celebrations held at Alexandra Park in Harare on Saturday, early, after angry merrymakers ran riot.

NewsDay reports that the prophet Passion Java’s ‘free for all’ braai and birthday bash ended in chaos after violence erupted, which saw the prophet being rushed to his Jaguar XI vehicle for safety.

His convoy, made up of fancy cars, was forced to leave soon after the angry mob had dispersed.

During the chaos, which lasted for about 10 minutes, some people who were backstage allegedly stole fresh meat meant for the after-party braai.

Artistes from the Mbare based recording stable, Chillspot, who included Enzo Ishall, Bazooker and Pumako entertained hundreds of people who had come to celebrate.

The flamboyant prophet made headlines last week after revealing that he had set aside $320K for his month-long birthday celebrations, spanning 3 continents.

The birthday celebrations which started in Washington D.C, USA will continue to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Los Angeles and Dubai after the Zimbabwean edition.

Prophet Passion Java has offered a reward to anyone who finds his lost expensive Rolex watch.

The prophet’s team claim the watch was lost during the stampede at Alex Sports Club where the prophet threw a free for all braai to celebrate his birthday.

Hello, This is an important update:

In the midst of a stampede the Prophet lost his $20k Rolex Watch. Whoever finds it will get a reward.

Zanu-PF bought its fleet of luxury vehicles and colourful regalia used during last year’s election campaign through a company that was recently blacklisted by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) for allegedly fuelling the illegal trade in foreign currency, it has been revealed.

According to a leaked document authored by Spartan Security protesting the freezing of its bank accounts by the RBZ last month, the firm helped raise as much as US$20 million for Zanu-PF to buy cars in 2017 and last year.

Spartan said it facilitated large payments for Zanu-PF to suppliers in South Africa, China and Dubai. The document was reportedly authored by Spartan director Luka Fabris. President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s nephew David Mnangagwa, who was one ofSpartan’s founders, is said to have resigned in 2016, but still had close links with the company that has interests in mining and security.

“In May 2017 Spartan began facilitating large payments for Zanu-PF party through the then secretary (the late Robert Mugabe),” reads part of the documents in our possession.

“As much as US$20 million worth of predominantely vehicles were paid for in South Africa, through swapping Spartan sourced US dollars cash in Zimbabwe for free funds in South Africa, which was paid to ACH Trading and Lifehouse investments, who in turn supplied 250 vehicles to Zanu-PF party.

“Even the governor of the Reserve Bank was aware of our services at the time.”

Spartan said in 2018 it also provided Zanu-PF with millions of dollars in foreign currency to buy cars from South Africa. The company also supplied the army, police and government departments with foreign currency.

“In 2018, as the RBZ became less and less able to make foreign payments, the volume of payments facilitated by Spartan Security for government increased further as Spartan took several deals emanating from the Zanu-PF party, Zimbabwe Defence Forces and both vice-presidents’ offices,” the document revealed.

Last month, the RBZ froze bank accounts of several companies that were accused of dealing in foreign currency, including Kuda Tagwirei’s Sakunda.

Tagwirei is one of the businessmen that were said to have bought the luxury cars for Zanu-PF.

Zanu-PF treasurer at the time Obert Mpofu, referred questions to his successor Patrick Chinamasa.

“I am not the treasurer of the party, you have to talk to Cde Chinamasa, he is the one in charge of the books,” he said.

Chinamasa, however, said he was not in a position to comment as he was currently in Botswana where he is part of Zimbabwe’s delegation observing the neighbouring country’s forthcoming elections.

RBZ governor John Mangudya said he was not aware of any deals between the central bank and Spartan.

“The bank is not aware of their transactions. Monitoring of transactions is done by the financial intelligence unit that froze their accounts,” he said.

“They are the best ones to deal with their complaints. The Reserve Bank has never dealt with that company.”

Fabris did not respond to calls yesterday. David Mnangagwa is now part of the president’s close security.

“David Mnangagwa although he resigned as director of Spartan in 2016, remains a lifelong friend,” Fabris said in the document. “He is not the son of President Mnangagwa, but a nephew who currently serves in the president’s personal security detail.”

Mangagwa has in the past decribed people that illegally deal in foreign currency as saboteurs.

The informal trade in foreign currency has been cited by the government and Zanu-PF as the reason behind the country’s economic collapse.

BERLIN – Spendthrift President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has reportedly bought an exquisite massive beachfront villa in Dubai, where he intends to retire or alternatively use the opulent property as an exile bolthole should he be forced out of power by another unavoidable military coup, Spotlight Zimbabwe reported.
Mnangagwa, is allegedly plotting to disappear from the country into exile once toppled from power by the army or his own ruling Zanu PF party by June 2020, high level sources in the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) have revealed.

The multi-million villa, whose actual price has been kept a close guarded secret is situated in Palm Jumeirah island, which is the world’s largest man-made island comprising of a two kilometre long trunk, a crown made up of 17 fronds and a surrounding crescent.

The Palm Jumeirah is an artificial archipelago in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), created using land reclamation by Nakheel which extends into the Persian Gulf. It is part of a larger series of developments called the Palm Islands, including Palm Jebel Ali and Palm Deira, which, when completed, will together increase Dubai’s shoreline by a total of 520 kilometres.

“Shumba Murambwi (Mnangagwa’s totem) has been offered State protection in the UAE should the need arise, hence the acquisition of the villa through an unnamed third party,” said a senior official at OPC last week.

“His personal friendship with the Crown Prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, now makes the UAE his preferred destination for retirement or exile. A lot is taking place and the president’s inner circle are planning ahead for any eventuality. They also think that his money will be safe there, because the UAE’s banking system is very secure.”

Another OPC source told Spotlight Zimbabwe, that there was strong suspicion that Mnangagwa’s Dubai villa, could have been purchased for him as a gift by his business and mining associates in the UAE, amid reports that Mnangagwa is reportedly facilitating for investors in that country to come into Zimbabwe to establish new gold mines.

Bloomberg News reported last week, that Harare was in advanced talks with a “key” foreign investor over the establishment of a gold mine that would be triple the size of the largest gold operation currently in the country. Government has not provided any further details about the origins of the foreign investor.

The gold mine will produce 6 metric tons of gold a year, according to the mines ministry.

“The indigenization law, which requires 51 percent control by locals in the major sectors of the economy has been amended. Who do you think is going to benefit from this?” said the OPC source.

“The amendment means only platinum and diamonds remain nationalised. So in essence, foreign nationals are free to come in and engage in gold mining, and can own stakes as high as 100 percent. Investors from Dubai are clearly going to receive preferential treatment in gold, and believe it or not the West is contemplating to remove sanctions against this administration, because they’re losing out big time.”

A recent Reuters analysis, found that ‘billions of dollars’ worth of gold are being smuggled out of Africa every year through the UAE in the Middle East, which has become a gateway to markets in Europe, the United States and beyond.

Customs data gathered by the news agency shows that the UAE imported $15.1 billion worth of gold from Africa in 2016, more than any other country and up from $1.3 billion in 2006.

The customs data provided by governments to Comtrade, a United Nations database, shows the UAE has been a prime destination for gold from many African states for some years. In 2015, China “the world’s biggest gold consumer “imported more gold from Africa than the UAE. But during 2016, the latest year for which data is available, the UAE imported almost double the value taken by China. With African gold imports worth $8.5 billion that year, China came a distant second. Switzerland, the world’s gold refining hub, came third with $7.5 billion worth.

Most of the gold is traded in Dubai, home to the UAE’s gold industry.

According to Luxhabitat, a high-end real estate brokerage company in Dubai, Palm Jumeirah, is a self-declared eighth wonder of the world, it is a man-made palm shaped island.

“The area around the signature villas in Palm Jumeirah is a very interesting place to live and work. This includes a dazzling five-star resort such as the Atlantis hotel and other luxury dining facilities, as well as sophisticated beach clubs. The 4,000 villas and apartments have beautiful sea views and amazing facilities for its residents,” the company’s website states.

“The various amenities available to residents include, but are not restricted to, restaurants, cafes, beaches and a variety of retail outlets. The exterior facades are very diverse with Arabic, Mediterranean, European, Contemporary, Spanish, Balinese and Italian. This allows for its residents with different architectural tastes to choose from a wide breadth of styles. The villas have spacious rooms, high ceilings, cool deep balconies, large gardens and traditional arabesque design mixed in with contemporary style.”

Some of the amenities of the villa, include: Garage, Private elevators, Package room, Security gate, Doorman, Driver’s quarters, High-speed internet and Video security.

The revelations of the Dubai villa, come at a time when there is growing speculation, that Mnangagwa owns a private jet from Dubai, which he charters every time and again to attend international engagements.

Mnangagwa has sought to deny ownership of the jet, maintaining that it is being provided for him and fully paid by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

“The Crown Prince sent us a huge plane to carry us and it returned us (home). I told him that we have a challenge of planes so every time I want to travel I will just call and he will send us the plane. So those who don’t know were just parroting what they don’t know and I just laughed it off,” said Mnangagwa upon his return from a visit to the UAE in March.

Mnangagwa is the country’s richest man, according to Wikileaks cables wrote in 2001 by a US ambassador, although he did not divulge the wealth in figures.

Sources that comprise of the international community, military and business associates suggest that Mnangagwa is worth about US$10.3 Billion. Mnangagwa has held ministerial positions including security and defence under the late President Robert Mugabe administration since 1980 and currently earns a basic monthly salary of US$18 666 excluding personal and family allowances.

Furthermore he owns a rural mansion built for him by the Chinese in Zvishavane, and is currently building a new costly mansion in Borrowdale, said to include a state of the art underground vault. Mnangagwa already has a home in Borrowdale, which he barely resides.

Image result for Mnangagwa Zvishavane mansion

Mnangagwa’s Borrowdale home

Satellite image of Mnangagwa’s new massive 3.69 hectare Borrowdale mansion

Dubai is increasingly becoming popular with Southern African leaders, as a safe haven to a new life in the aftermath of their presidency. Former South African president, Jacob Zuma, was reported to have purchased a R330 million mansion in Dubai in 2016, allegedly bought for him by the Gupta brothers.

President Mugabe also rented a villa on the same street next to Zuma for his son Robert Junior who was studying in Dubai around 2015, on Lailak Street in Emirates Hills.

The MDC march which was scheduled on the 24th of October to counter the anti-sanctions march has been banned by the ZRP.

In a letter addressed to the MDC, the ZRP acknowledged receipt of the MDC application but stated that it didn’t satisfy the requirements of the Public Order and Security Act.

The ZRP didn’t precisely state the specific requirements which were not met.

MDC Secretary-General Charlton Hwende dismissed this as a selective application of the law as the Zanu Pf is allowed to demonstrate without notice.

The ZRP is on record of denying MDC led demonstrations throughout the country.

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VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

Labour Economists and African Democrats (LEAD) president Ms Linda Masarira-Kaingidza yesterday joined the anti-sanctions drive and pledged to mobilise communities and fellow citizens against the illegal embargo ahead of the Sadc-initiated solidarity day this Friday.

The regional bloc’s 39th summit comprising Heads of State and Government set aside October 25, to conduct various activities in their countries aimed at denouncing illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.

Several countries have used different platforms including last month’s United Nations General Assembly in New York to call for the removal of illegal sanctions.

In a statement, Ms Masarira-Kaingidza said her party had joined the fight against sanctions because they were aware that the embargo was a form of economic warfare against Zimbabwe that had brought immense suffering on the masses.

“As LEAD, we are engaging with local communities and grassroots citizens having meetings discussing the effects of sanctions and the importance of speaking with one voice to push for sanctions to be lifted,” she said.

Ms Masarira-Kaingidza said the most important ways to fight sanctions were to create a national campaign to educate people on the adverse effects of sanctions.

“We also inform people and make it clear that the sanctions which were deployed by a national emergency by the American president are war and defence measures that can be escalated to a military invasion by an instruction by the same president if the Americans do not neutralise that threat that they believe Zimbabwe poses to their national, economic and security interest,” she said.

“We are also teaching them to love the nation and each other to be willing to die for the nation as the first step to fight sanctions. We are making them get to unite as countrymen who understand that they need each other to progress.
“We can’t fix Zimbabwe’s problems if we are divided.”

Ms Masarira-Kaingidza called upon progressive political parties and civic organisations to work with them as they sought to define, establish and build a national interest, identity and common interest to galvanise us to work towards a transformative developmental state.

“We need to address previous pains and divisions that polarised us to build reconciliation through traditional and spiritual means using our traditional leaders, elders and not politicians.
“We should create trust, responsibility and accountability for each other and our nation,” she said.

She implored the Government to call for a national emergency against sanctions.State media

By A Correspondent- The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is investigating a possible case of child abuse at Lukosi Secondary in Hwange where a deputy headmistress allegedly forced a Form One girl to strip naked in the presence of other pupils and teachers.

Mrs Posenta Kwidini, who is also a senior Mathematics teacher at the school, was reportedly punishing the 15-year-old girl for dressing improperly.

She allegedly forced her to remove her skirt in the Fashion and Fabrics class where there were some Form Two pupils and two female teachers.

The incident happened last week and the girl, who cannot be named for ethical reasons, filed a report at Hwange Police Station on Friday.

The school authorities had reportedly concealed the matter.

Hwange District Schools Inspector (DSI) Mr Germination Moyo said he had ordered the school head to investigate the matter and submit a report today.

“I received an informal report about the issue late on Friday and I immediately told the school head to institute an investigation of what actually happened and prepare a report. Since the matter involves a deputy head who reports to the head, it’s ideal that we ask the head to investigate and submit a report before we do anything. So I am expecting a report from the head hopefully by Monday,” said Mr Moyo.

He said while there can be many ways of disciplining a child in school, the teacher might be “charged and called to defend herself” if the investigations establish that what she did constitutes an act of misconduct.

Acting Matabeleland North police spokesperson Sergeant Namatirai Mashona could not be reached on her mobile phone yesterday.

The girl was accompanied by her paternal uncle and some community members to file a police report.

Police visited the school on Friday and some pupils told them that they were used to such treatment by the deputy head.

In an interview, the girl narrated how she spent more than five minutes naked.

“I was walking towards the Agriculture block while fixing my skirt as I was coming from the toilet. The deputy head called me to the Fashion and Fabrics laboratory where she was with other teachers. She asked why I was opening my skirt and I explained to her that I was tucking in my blouse,” said the girl.

She said Mrs Kwidini ordered her to remove her skirt and she refused.

The girl finally complied after Mrs Kwidini allegedly threatened to beat her up.

“I unzipped my skirt and it dropped to the floor. I remained naked for more than five minutes,” said the girl.

She allegedly dressed up when one of the teachers told her to do so after Mrs Kwidini’s phone rang and she started talking on the phone.

With tears running down her cheeks, the girl walked to her class where she was swarmed by sympathetic classmates who witnessed the incident.

Contacted for comment, Mrs Kwidini said she could not comment on the issue since it’s in the hands of the police.

A gender activist, Mrs Anna Mandizha-Ncube, who is director of Buwalo Matilikilo Trust (BMT), said the girl’s dignity had been impaired. “We are worried because there is nowhere in the Education Act where a child should be disciplined in that manner. That’s a violation of her right to privacy and dignity in terms of the Child Protection Act, and it’s a case which we will follow with keen interest,” she said.

— StateMedia

Farai Dziva|Zanu PF secretary for administration, Obert Mpofu has challenged his accusers to bring evidence to prove that he looted state resources.

Mpofu dismissed allegations that he looted State resources during his time as a Cabinet minister.

Mpofu told Daily News he feels insulted by “people who have never run a tuckshop.”

Mpofu told Daily News on Sunday during an interview that his wealth was clean and hard-won.

“I am clean, I have invited investigations. I have never and will never take anything from anybody. What I have, I worked for and it is an insult, especially to be told by a nonentity, someone who has never managed a tuck-shop that I am corrupt. What do I need to corrupt anybody? If anything, I would be corrupting people,” Mpofu told the paper.

“I think that is the best time that the country ever had, between 2009 and 2013. But people who want to see us fail think of the negative, look at the economic growth, it shot to two-figure digits, I am proud.

I don’t regret it and I am waiting to see someone surpass what I achieved. Before 2009, there was nothing in mining and after 2013 it just went down.

The graph is going down, but when I was minister, the graph was going up and I don’t see us achieving that in the near future. When you achieve something in Zimbabwe, you become a target, an enemy of the reactionaries,” he added.

Farai Dziva|Zanu PF secretary for administration, Obert Mpofu has sensationally claimed he amassed wealth through hard work.

Mpofu dismissed allegations that he looted State resources during his time as a Cabinet minister.

Mpofu told Daily News he feels insulted by “people who have never run a tuckshop.”

Mpofu told Daily News on Sunday during an interview that his wealth was clean and hard-won.

“I am clean, I have invited investigations. I have never and will never take anything from anybody. What I have, I worked for and it is an insult, especially to be told by a nonentity, someone who has never managed a tuck-shop that I am corrupt. What do I need to corrupt anybody? If anything, I would be corrupting people,” Mpofu told the paper.

“I think that is the best time that the country ever had, between 2009 and 2013. But people who want to see us fail think of the negative, look at the economic growth, it shot to two-figure digits, I am proud.

I don’t regret it and I am waiting to see someone surpass what I achieved. Before 2009, there was nothing in mining and after 2013 it just went down.

The graph is going down, but when I was minister, the graph was going up and I don’t see us achieving that in the near future. When you achieve something in Zimbabwe, you become a target, an enemy of the reactionaries,” he added.

By A Correspondent- Harare City Council has urged residents to be patient with them since they were implementing measures to reduce the impact of water shortages.

The measures include the drilling of boreholes and the carting of water using bowsers.

Councillor Elvis Ruzani said water should be used sparingly in the interim while long term solutions are implemented.

Speaking at a residents meeting convened by Council and Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA), Councillor Ruzani said, “As a city for our short term solutions on water we will continue to drill boreholes in Hatcliffe using support from CDF fund.”

The residents called on council to quickly rehabilitate water infrastructure networks for water to be readily available.

“We do not have a borehole in our area in Harare North, we are buying under the difficult circumstances we are living in,” said another resident Patrine Chikwindi.

Council is working on various projects to address the water situation.

It has engaged Chinese companies, SynoHydro-$237 425 804 for sewer treatment plants, China Gezhouba Group Company -$351 072 913 for water distribution and China Machinery and Engineering Company $280 000 000 for installation of four water pumps.

-StateMedia

A Soweto man has allegedly confessed to hiring hitmen to kill his wife for R70,000.

From this amount, he would pay them R30,000 for the job, according to a confession statement seen by Sowetan.

Thabo Lehloibi, 32, will appear at the Protea magistrate’s court on charges of murder and robbery in connection with the killing of his wife, Matumelo Lehloibi, 30.
Matumelo was killed in their rented room in Dlamini.

In the confession statement, Lehloibi allegedly confessed to hiring Thabang Kwena to do the job. The pair were denied bail last week and the case was postponed to this week for further investigation.

In the statement, Lehloibi detailed how Kwena and an accomplice knocked on their door after the couple’s two children had left for school on October 10.

“I heard a knock on our door and I opened it and saw Jabu who I later came to know that his real name is Thabang. I knew him as I arranged with him to kill my wife two weeks ago and he told me he will get someone to assist him,” the statement reads.

He claims Matumelo was a prophet and was hiding money from him and no longer engaged him in her finances.

“Jabu was in the presence of another black man. Jabu pretended he was fighting with me and the other guy went to my wife and strangled her on the bed and demanded money from her,” reads the statement.

Lehloibi said the struggle led to Matumelo falling to the floor and she stopped breathing.

“After that they asked me where were they going to get the money and I told them that I don’t know where she was hiding the money and I gave them R130 and two cellphones.

“I became confused as to how I was going to give them the money because she was dead having not shown [me] where she kept the money and the banking cards.”

He said he instructed the pair of robbers to tie his hands behind his back and to also tie his feet and gag his mouth before they left.

Lehloibi said Matumelo was killed with the same rope that was used to tie his hands.

“After a while, I shouted for help and the landlord came and he untied me,” reads the statement.

Lehloibi said he confessed to his wife’s murder two days after the incident while he was being questioned by the police.

-Sowetan

By A Correspondent- In a rather bizarre case, a Dzivarasekwa man was dragged to the courts by his wife after he allegedly threatened to kill her.

The wife, Mitchell Nyoni, applied for a peace order at the Harare Civil Court after her husband Life Nyoni threatened to kill her after she stopped him from watching por_no_graphic movies in her presence.

In her application, Mitchel said,

“My husband is threatening to kill me after I told him not to watch his videos in my presence. He is in the habit of assaulting me when the children are around.

On 1 October, my 17-year-old son saw me naked when he was trying to rescue me. My husband assaulted me saying I should not stop him to do what he wants since he is the head of the house.

He is in the habit of insulting me when he comes back from his girlfriend. I have no problem with him going to see his girlfriends but let him not call me names.

In his defence, however, Life claimed that he was actually a romantic movie when his wife mistook it for an explicit movie.

I have no problem with the protection order being granted but I was v romantic movie and she said I was watching por_no. It was a misunderstanding between us which led me to assault her.

Presiding magistrate Noah Gwatidzo issued a peace order against Life. He ordered him not to insult, assault, harass or to make death threats to Mitchel.

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- 10 vendors who were arrested in Harare last week were this morning granted $100 bail each.

The 10 were among the 11 vendors that were arrested near the MDC headquarters in central Harare during a police crackdown that followed the recent discovery of old police helmets at a nearby building.

One of the incarcerated vendors Hilton Tamangani died due to injuries sustained from torture by the police.

Tamangani’s lawyer Marufu Mandevere said the vendor appeared in court last Monday in blood soaked clothes and could hardly walk.

Mandevere said they requested to take Tamangani to a private doctor after they discovered that he was injured but they were turned down.

He revealed that the late vendor was in a bad state when he appeared in court on Monday for initial remand hearing and the state was opposed to bail.

“His shirt was full of blood and he could hardly walk,” said the lawyer.

“Late on Friday, we received a distress call that he was seriously ill and that is when we wrote a letter to the prisons requesting that he be allowed to be treated by a doctor of his own choice.”

According to a letter to the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services dated October 18, Tamangani had developed a “fatal infection.”

In a joint statement released recently, police and the ZPCS said they were investigating Tamangani’s death.

The statement said the outcome of the investigation would be made public once results of the post-mortem are released.

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

By Muchie Shamuyarira – As highlighted in my previous article, experiencing bullying and harassment in the workplace can be devastating, but you do not have to put up with it.

What is bullying at work?

Bullying at work can take many forms. Are you on the receiving end of intimidating, malicious, offensive or insulting treatment, or behaviour designed to denigrate, injure, undermine or humiliate you? Bullying and harassment can be hard to define, is sometimes subtle, and may come from individuals or groups of people.

Bullying and harassment in the workplace can include:
• Being humiliated in front of customers or colleagues • Receiving physical or verbal abuse, unwelcome teasing, practical jokes and banter • Being blamed for issues and problems caused by others • Excessively unfair criticisms, removal of responsibilities • Being unfairly blocked from promotions or denied holiday and training opportunities • Being excluded from team activities, meetings or relevant emails • Receiving baseless threats about your job security or regularly being threatened with the sack • Being routinely overworked and having unrealistic expectations placed on you, which are impossible to achieve

What is discriminatory harassment at work?

Harassment describes unwanted conduct that violates your dignity in the workplace, or makes it a hostile, degrading or offensive environment for you. Harassment is also a form of discrimination under the Equality Act 2010, when it relates to certain ‘protected characteristics’. These include bullying connected to:
• Disability

• Age

• Sex

• Race

• Sexual orientation

• Pregnancy or Maternity Leave

• Marriage or civil partnership

• Gender reassignment

• Religion or belief

Examples of harassment

Examples of harassment and discrimination in the workplace can include:
• Being treated unfairly because of your sexuality, gender, race or beliefs, Receiving unwanted sexual advances from a colleague • Being subjected to homophobic comments • Being teased about a disability • Receiving offensive materials, such as emails with sexual content.

Behaviour doesn’t have to be directed towards you to qualify as harassment. For example, if your colleagues make discriminatory comments or jokes within your earshot, this can count as harassment.

Bullying and harassment doesn’t have to happen face-to-face

It’s important to be aware that bullying and harassment don’t necessarily occur to face-to-face. Communications in writing, including emails, and phone calls are just as relevant.

Not all examples of bullying and harassment are obvious, others are much more subtle – but no less devastating for victims. This means it’s vital that you understand your rights at work and when unfair treatment goes past the limit, so that you are able to respond appropriately.

Anxiety and stress

If you are forced to endure bullying and harassment at work, this can have major implications in terms of your health and wellbeing. It can make you anxious and stressed, and it might also leave you feeling angry or humiliated.

In turn, this could cause your self-esteem and confidence to suffer. Your ability to do your job effectively might also be compromised and you may find that you’re more prone to illness and absences from work. You might even feel forced to resign from your role, with major implications for your career.

What responsibilities does my employer have?

You should never feel as though you simply have to accept bullying or harassment as part of your job. Your employer has a duty of care to prevent you from facing this behaviour in their

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workplace. They have responsibilities to protect your welfare, and they must take action against unlawful harassment.

What should I do if I am being bullied or harassed?

Sadly, many people do experience bullying and harassment in the workplace at the hands of colleagues or managers. Unfortunately, because it is such a horrible experience, many people simply put up with the abuse or in some cases leave their roles without being aware of their legal rights to take action about it.

To ensure this doesn’t happen to you, if you think you are being bullied or harassed, take steps to protect your rights and prove your complaint. It’s a good idea to keep a record of the dates, times and locations of any incidents of negative behaviour.

Document what is said or done and make a note of any witnesses who can back up your claims. It’s also useful to find out if other workers have experienced similar problems.

Make a note of how the bullying or harassment made you feel, including any effects it has had on your work and your health and wellbeing.

If it is safe, ask the harasser to stop

If you think it’s safe to do so, consider speaking to the person who is harassing you and asking them to stop. Make it clear that you don’t like what they are doing, you find it offensive and you will have to take further action if they don’t stop.

One way to do this is to ask the harasser to have an informal discussion with you – and invite a colleague who you trust to be there when the discussion takes place. Make sure you know what you want to say before these exchanges take place, and try to stay calm and polite. Keep a detailed note of the discussion in a safe place.

If you don’t feel able to speak to the harasser, another option is to write to them or to ask someone else to write to them on your behalf. Make sure you keep a copy of all correspondence if you do this.

Speak to your manager

Another approach is to talk to your manager. If your immediate manager is the person who is bullying you, approach a more senior member of staff, or go to the human resources department instead.

Your employer should investigate your complaint and may be able to take a number of actions,

such as requiring the harasser to apologise and stop their behaviour or moving them to another workplace. If you are offered another role within your organisation, this could also be a solution, provided it’s no less favourable than your current job and you are happy to move teams.

Take legal action

Unfortunately, speaking to harassers or escalating these concerns to senior members of staff or HR departments does not always resolve the problem. If your employer fails to take your complaint seriously or the harassment doesn’t stop, you may need to make a formal complaint.

If this doesn’t have the desired effect, you should consider legal action. There are a range of claims which may be available to you, depending on the full circumstances.

Take legal advice as soon as possible since it can be important to act fast. Please be aware that time limits are very tight in the UK Employment tribunal cases, usually requiring you to issue a claim three months less one day from the date on which the detrimental treatment or dismissal occurred.

If you are thinking about bringing forward an employment tribunal claim, note that you will first have to inform the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS), providing it with details of your case. The organisation will offer early conciliation in a bid to resolve the dispute. This period of conciliation can last for up to a month.

If the claim isn’t settled within this time, ACAS will provide a certificate stating that the mandatory process of conciliation has concluded – and you can then proceed with your legal claim.

This mandatory period of conciliation doesn’t count for the calculation of the time limit in which you have to bring your legal case.

If you have experienced harassment and bullying that has caused you a psychiatric injury, you may be able to make a claim in the County Court for the damage to your health. If employment law doesn’t apply to your situation or you are out of time to bring a claim, this may also then be a potential alternative option(the County Court).

What if you resign as a result of bullying or harassment?
If you have to resign because of the way you are being treated at work, you might have a case for unfair constructive dismissal. This is when a worker is forced to resign from their position against their will because of the conduct of their employer.

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Think carefully before you take the step of leaving your job though. Not everyone has the right to claim constructive dismissal, so it’s important to check your legal position before you resign.
Legal advice
The law exists to protect employees and people in a workplace.
Don’t suffer in silence. If you need help and you are not sure about what to do, you are encouraged to seek employment law advice if faced with such situations before things escalate. What usually starts like ‘banter’ may escalate to unwanted conduct and becomes a norm. You can seek legal advice from your Trade Union, Solicitors, Citizens Advice Bureau, Employment Law Consultants etc or contact us.

Muchie Shamuyarira (Chartered Member of CIPD – UK) HR & Industrial Relations Director and also Employment Law Consultant in the UK

Mobile: 077 2385 4713 or 073 6817 5771 Email: [email protected] website: www.employment-rights.com

Disclaimer: This article is written in a personal capacity. It is not intended either as a substitute for professional advice or judgment or to provide legal or other advice with respect to particular circumstances.

By A Correspondent- A form 4 student at Msiteli High School in Bulawayo was found hanging from the roof of a beerhall on Friday in a suspected case of foul play.

A local publication reports that there are strong indications however, that Nhlanhla Radasa (17) may have been killed by his friends who then staged the suicide.

A source who spoke to the publication said that Nhlanhla’s friends ganged up on him and beat him up until he became unconscious after he kept on winning at gambling. The situation got out of hand after the deceased fell unconscious during the attack after the friends had refused to pay Nhlanhla his winnings resulting in the fistfight.

The source added,

We suspect that the friends tried to stage a suicide after realising that they had killed him. He may have been still alive but they must have panicked and hanged him there, thinking that he was dead.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said,

I can confirm that we are dealing with a case where a 17-year-old male from Tshabalala suburb in Bulawayo was found hanging from roof trusses at a beer garden in the suburb. We are still carrying out our investigations.

“The deceased was found hanging there by workers at the beer hall and patrons who notified residents. The beer hall is very close to his home, therefore most of the people that gathered could recognise him and therefore his family was notified and police were called to the scene.

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- A prison officer based at Khami Prison Complex has been arrested with two other accomplices for allegedly stealing household goods worth $14 000 after breaking into a house in Mbundane.

Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Service (ZPCS) officer Cephas Chikutye (34), Caustin Moyo (35) and Thabani Moyo (32) allegedly broke into Ms Limgcineni Sibanda (45)’s home and got away with her property while she was at work.

Chikutye, Moyo and Thabani pleaded not guilty to unlawful entry and theft charges before Western Commonage magistrate Ms Tancy Dube.

The magistrate remanded the three out of custody on $100 bail to today.

For the State, Mr Tapiwa Solani said between September 21 and October 7 last year, Moyo, Thabani and Chikutye allegedly broke an iron padlock to gain entry into Ms Sibanda’s home while she was away.

“The accused persons stole six wooden doors, two washing basins, five 30 Amp circuit breakers, electric meter box, six silver water tapes, six three-way switches, six electric plugs and a cooker socket and loaded it in their vehicle,” he said.

Mr Solani said Moyo and Thabani fingered Chikutye as their ring leader.

“During investigations information was gathered through an informer to the effect that the accused persons stole the property and gave it to Chikutye,” he said.

“Ms Sibanda was alerted by her neighbours that her house had been raided by thieves.”

The matter was reported to police leading to the arrest of the trio.

The total value of goods stolen was $14 000 and nothing was recovered.

— statemedia

By A Correspondent- A self-proclaimed Bulawayo Prophet will spend half a year in prison after he stole his congregant’s passport and used it to travel to South Africa under the guise that he was praying for it.

Shepherd Mbili was convicted by a Bulawayo Magistrate after he pleaded guilty to the charges levelled against him.

It is the state’s case that Mbili:

Asked Mr Godknows to bring his passport and academic certificates for anointing. Mbili took the envelope that had Mr Godknows’ documents and prayed for it. He advised the complainant not to open the envelope fully knowing that he had stolen his passport.

“He told me not to open the envelope until I’m ready to use it On the 6th of October I opened the envelope to check the last date I went to Zambia and I found out that my passport was missing.I went to look for Prophet Mbili and his wife told me that he had travelled to South Africa with my passport and would be back soon” said the congregant whose passport was stolen.

Obtaining a passport nowadays has become an uphill task as the government battles to clear a backlog of 370000 passports. The Minister of Home Affairs is on record saying those with expired passports with blank pages clearly don’t need the passports because they don’t use them.

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- South Africa based Zimbabwe businessman Uncle Roland Muchegwa has opened up on the videos and pictures that have gone viral on social media and even mainstream news sites this week.

Muchegwa who is reported to be a truck operator and fuel dealer says he has been getting numerous positive feedback after the images went viral.

Read the unedited thread below:

“I’m receiving numerous calls from girls in SA, Zim, Nigeria and some from as far as Kenya, asking to hook up with me. Whoever gave them my number want to get me in trouble with their broke boyfriends.

“Until the lion learns how to read and write, every story will glorify the hunter.” Social media people are not concerned about the facts of a story, they only take that part which satisfies their egos. If you don’t have a platform to speak for yourself, they fabricate, fabricate

I’m receiving requests from corporates, clubs, resorts and influential people who want me to help market their products but those same people are calling me names on this social media. I’m not a basher, I really appreciate woman. Let bygones be bygones.

So someone wanted to tarnish my personality by sharing some pictures which are part of my past but it didn’t end well. Now your Uncle is trending

Thank you Twitter family for the love. Love conquers every evil. You’re awesome.”

Members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police have assaulted Harare Ward 16 Councillor Denford Ngadziore and human rights defender Makomborero Haruzivishe at the Harare Magistrates Court, according to Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights spokesperson Kumbirai Mafunda.

The death of Hilton Tafadzwa Tamangani, who was brutally assaulted by the police and died while in prison, last Friday, is testimony to the fact that the real crisis in Zimbabwe is State-sanctioned human rights abuses on innocent Zimbabweans under the Mnangagwa regime.

Since the stolen election of July 2018, 25 people have died in State sanctioned murders at the hands of rogue elements in the police and the army while hundreds others have been assaulted, tortured and abducted by State security agents.

Tamangani, a vendor was part of a group of 11 vendors arrested last week in a choreographed case involving the purported discovery of helmets at a building in Harare, which the police are strangely trying to link to the MDC.

Tamangani died on Friday night at Harare Remand Prison after the State denied his application for treatment at a private hospital. In a week where the illegitimate Zanu PF regime is trying to create some drama on the issue of sanctions, Tamangani’s brutal assault and resultant death while in custody is the clearest evidence that State-sanctioned human rights abuses are at the centre of the crisis in Zimbabwe.

His murder comes at a time when the police have proscribed the MDC from exercising its Constitutional right to hold peaceful protests against the deteriorating situation in the country while selectively allowing Zanu PF supporters to demonstrate.

Tamangani’s murder adds to the long list of innocent citizens who have lost their lives since the Mnangagwa regime stole last year’s elections. Barely hours after the stolen election in July 2018, the Mnangagwa regime killed six people and a further 19 people lost their lives at the hands of State security agents in January 2019.

Tamangani’s death brings to the fore the facts that it is State-sanctioned human rights abuses, and not sanctions, that are the centre of the crisis in Zimbabwe.

Luke Tamborinyoka
Deputy National Spokesperson

By A Correspondent- In a sad development, a man from Chinhoyi committed suicide after learning that his daughter had died before her husband could pay lobola for her.

Gift Muzamarunya who was 35 years of age, was so distraught when he learned that his daughter had died at Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital, that he confided his suicidal intentions to his neighbour.

Muzamarunya told Portifa Kadyamatimba that he did not have a reason to continue living as he was no longer going to receive his lobola payment from his son-in-law following the death of his daughter.

Kadyamatatimba and other neighbours quickly informed Muzamarunya’s wife of her husband’s state of mind, but by then he had already disappeared. He was later discovered dead hanging from a tree.

Mashonaland West provincial spokesperson Inspector Clemence Mabgweazara confirmed the incident.

The deceased daughter’s age and cause of death were not disclosed.

-Newsday

 By A Correspondent- A soldier stationed at 1.2 Infantry Battalion in Hwange who absconded court in 2015 when on remand for allegedly fatally assaulting a fellow villager with a log, has handed himself to the police.

Learnmore Moyo, now aged 28, had been on the run while holed up in South Africa for more than four years until recently when he returned home and handed himself to the police.

Moyo from Chidobe Village 5 just outside Victoria Falls was in 2015 charged with attempted murder of Gabrone Ncube, who was aged 45 before the charge was changed to murder after the victim succumbed to the injuries while at Mpilo Central Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit in Bulawayo. The soldier allegedly fled after being released on bail.

Moyo returned recently and reported at his workplace requesting to be readmitted as a soldier and was told to go to court to finalise his case before he could be considered.

Upon reaching the Victoria Falls court, Moyo was then arrested and charged with murder.

He was not asked to plead when he appeared before magistrate Ms Rangarirai Gakanje.

The magistrate remanded him in custody to October 31.

According to the State, Moyo and Ncube were drinking beer at Chidobe Business Centre with other patrons on June 7, 2015 when the incident occurred. What triggered the attack was not mentioned in court.

“On June 7, while at Chidobe Shopping Centre, the accused struck Gabrone Ncube who was drinking beer with a log,” said prosecutor Mr Bheki Tshabalala.

Ncube allegedly fell down and became unconscious following the assault. He sustained a deep cut on the forehead.

The court was told that patrons and members of the public effected a citizen’s arrest on Moyo and handed him over to the police.

Ncube was rushed to hospital where he was immediately transferred to Bulawayo where he died.

— StateMedia

By A Correspondent- For failing to “let go” and visiting a place where she was barred and ordered not to intefer with farming activities, VP Mohadi’s wife was convicted for violating a court order.

Senator Mohadi reportedly visited the farm and broke some keys and hurled insults at some of the workers at the farm.

The matter came to light as it appeared before the Beitbridge Magistrate who later on convicted her.

Said Mohadi following her conviction:

“It seems she has resolved to cause all sorts of provocations albeit contrary to all these court orders so that I am forced to respond in the similar manner and so that she attracts unnecessary media attention to her benefit

What prompted me to file this particular application is that on August 30, 2019, the respondent went to East Masiel Farm, Insiza in Matabeleland South where I am running an animal husbandry project without my consent and started harassing my employees and ordering them to count all the beasts against their will.”

On September 1, 2019 the respondent then decided to extend her provocation against me and went to stand number 441 Beitbridge where my company, Malindi Storage and Logistics (Pvt) Ltd operates a transit business and she harassed employees there and threatened to break all the doors and windows unless she was given US$10 000, which she claimed was her share.

Last month Senator Mohadi got a court order to prompt the VP to share property with his former wife. Earlier this year the VP went to Senator Modahi’s residence and broke doors with an axe an issue that caused a media frenzy.

They said the state just decided to cut their salaries without consulting them.

JPaul Nyathi|Zimbabwe doctors maintained on Sunday that they would only return to work after government met their demands.

Doctors have been on strike for weeks demanding a pay hike.

They said the state just decided to cut their salaries without consulting them.

Last week, the labour court ruled that the strike is illegal, however, doctors remain defiant, saying they were incapacitated to return to work.

The doctors’ lawyer Doug Coltart said: “The doctors have always insisted that they are not on strike. Their salaries have been reduced by over 20 times to the point where they do not have enough funds to pay their debts or even cover their basic needs. Doctors are earning less than $100 per month.”

Home Affairs Minister Cain Mathema is into his second year staying at a Harare hotel at taxpayers’ expense, ZimLive has learnt.

Mathema has been staying at Rainbow Towers in Harare since September 2018 when he was appointed into the cabinet by President Emmerson Mnangagwa who won a disputed vote.

The broke government previously allocated government houses for use by ministers, but accommodation shortages have meant that ministers who have no properties in Harare are put up in hotels while accommodation is sought.

Former vice president Phelekezela Mphoko faced a public backlash after clocking almost two years at the same hotel.

A source told ZimLive: “Mathema does not own a house in Harare and the hotel is his home since September 2018. In fact he does not own a house anywhere, other than a small flat in Bulawayo which his ex-wife Musa Ncube held onto after they divorced.

“When he was a provincial minister for Matabeleland North, he lived in the village in Tsholotsho and would drive up and down to Bulawayo daily.” Government spokesman Nick Mangwana said there was nothing special about Mathema’s hotel stay.

“My understanding is that he uses it (hotel) in the same way MPs do. That’s when there’s a cabinet, which means a couple of days a week or so. There’s definitely no block booking for a long stretch. So no, he does not stay there but checks in the same way a Harare-based bureaucrat does when he works in Bulawayo,” Mangwana said.

Mathema is staying in one of the hotel’s expensive suites at a rate of about US$250 daily, hotel sources said.

Mathems’s deputy minister Mike Madiro recently told senate that his ministry was struggling to process 370 000 passport applications due to a severe shortage of resources, which Mathema is squandering daily at the hotel.

Madiro had been asked by Chief Shepherd Gundu to explain government plans to address the country’s ever-increasing passports backlog.

“It is government’s position that passports should be accessed by every Zimbabwean whenever they need them, but theproblem we have at the moment are the resources to use in making those passports,” Madiro said.

“As of now, we have very little resources and can only issue 800 passports per day, while a lot of people are waiting to get their passports. We have 370 000 people who are waiting for passports.”

Madiro said among the people who were waiting to get passports were the sick, who wanted to urgently travel outside the country for treatment.

“There are also students, which makes it difficult for the Registrar-General’s Office to issue emergency travel documents,” he said.

Zimlive/ZimEye.com

MUDENDA WITH SIMBA CHIKANZA FOR AN INTERVIEW- Begins with the humiliation Zim is receiving here, a Tanzanian politician says "Zim is now 7 times worse than it was under Bob." Mudenda asks why.He is told it's cause you're torturing MDC MPs and 1Aug victims..FINAL VIDEO ON ZIMEYE pic.twitter.com/23KwitUSSM

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) October 13, 2019

MUDENDA WITH SIMBA CHIKANZA FOR AN INTERVIEW- Begins with the humiliation Zim is receiving here, a Tanzanian politician says "Zim is now 7 times worse than it was under Bob." Mudenda asks why.He is told it's cause you're torturing MDC MPs and 1Aug victims..FINAL VIDEO ON ZIMEYE pic.twitter.com/23KwitUSSM

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) October 13, 2019

BREAKING – JACOB MUDENDA HUMILIATED AFTER SENDING SERBIAN POLICE TO CHASE AWAY JOURNALIST AFTER BEING CONTRONTED OVER MENTALLY TORTURING MDC MPs AND 1 AUG VICTIMS, WHICH WAS DONE TO CHANGE 2018 ELECTION RESULTS | FULL STORY TO FOLLOW pic.twitter.com/RQwnMVX86m

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) October 13, 2019

“That was an abuse of other people’s rights. As Government we condemn the behaviour in the strongest terms,” he said. “We also believe that host governments must accord officials the protection and respect they deserve. This is a case of a thug abusing other people and it is something that we will engage the host countries through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, whenever our officials are out of the country,” said Minister Ziyambi.

https://twitter.com/ZimEye/status/1186165355582017537?s=19

Paul Nyathi|Zimbabwean government authorities have been blasted for claiming that they will approach foreign governments to protect their officials from Zimbabweans while on government duty in those countries.

Government claims it is engaging host countries to ensure Zimbabwean public officials receive adequate security when on international duty where they allegedly continue to be hounded by angry Zimbabweans In those countries who government claim to be individuals aligned to the opposition.

According to the government, the latest target being Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, who they claim was harassed last week while attending the 141st International Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Serbia.

Government claims that Adv Mudenda was harassed by ZimEye.com while he was having breakfast at his hotel when the media demanded to know why he directed the deduction of five months’ salary for MDC MPs for boycotting President Mnangagwa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivery early this month.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi told state that Government would engage Serbia to understand the circumstances under which Adv Mudenda was allegedly abused.

“That was an abuse of other people’s rights. As Government we condemn the behaviour in the strongest terms,” he said. “We also believe that host governments must accord officials the protection and respect they deserve. This is a case of a thug abusing other people and it is something that we will engage the host countries through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, whenever our officials are out of the country,” said Minister Ziyambi.

The state mouth piece, The Herald, claims that the interview with Mudenda where he exposed government use of the army to influence the 2018 elections was abuse on Adv Mudenda. The media claims the so called abuse is similar to an incident directed at Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo by angry Zimbabweans in the UK recently.

Moyo who was confronted by a group of Zimbabweans outside the Royal Institute of International Affairs, commonly known as Chatham House, in London in July this year, demanding answers on human rights abuses in the country. One protester sprayed Moyo with water from a bottle when he was getting emotional and violent on the protesters.

Zimbabweans have since responded to the minister’s claims telling government to shut up as it is failing to give Zimbabweans back home the same security they are demanding for their officials abroad.

“You people you want protection from other governments , but you are failing to protect your own people from your ruthless police and army? This is bull***,” said a ZimEye.com reader Bruce Makoni.

Below are some of the comments by Zimbabweans on social media in response to the call by Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi.

Paul Nyathi|Zimbabwe’s cash-strapped government has started printing new banknotes to ease cash shortages that have seen the few notes in circulation being traded at a premium on the parallel market.

Economists, however, warn that the printing of cash might further fuel hyperinflation that is now the second highest in the world after Venezuela.

Zimbabwe has been plagued by cash shortages for the past three years with most ATMs no longer dolling out cash. 

Last week, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) said it had started printing higher denominated notes as part of its currency reforms following the introduction of a quasi-currency in June.

“I am not privy to the dates, but what is happening is that new notes will be available soon so that they meet the required cash demands. Obviously, these notes are going to be printed outside the country and this requires foreign exchange. That is all I can say at the moment,” RBZ’s deputy director for finance and markets, William Manimanzi, told parliament’s budget and finance committee on Wednesday.

He could not give dates when the money will be available.

In an interview with Business Day on Sunday, Harare-based economist John Robertson warned the central bank against excessive money circulation that will drive up inflation.

“There are serious cash shortages at the moment, but the question is ‘Will the government be disciplined enough if it starts to print more money?’ They have to be cautious so that printing of money does not contribute to any further rise in inflation.”

Zimbabwe is experiencing its worst economic crisis in a decade, with inflation at more than 300%, while the country is also plagued by shortages of foreign currency, fuel, electricity and basic foods.

The country is also in the grips of a currency crisis as the local unit, which was at one time pegged at 1:1 with the US dollar, is now trading at 1:20 with the greenback.

THE Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) said on Saturday that the country’s fuel prices remain unchanged for this week, much to the relief of motorists used to weekly price increases.

This is the second week in a roll that the energy regulator had kept fuel prices unchanged. From August, Zera had been increasing fuel prices weekly in tandem with the floating exchange rate, much to the chagrin of motorists.

But in spite of the price increase, the commodity has remained scarce, with long winding queues a common feature at all fuel stations.

In a statement, Zera said fuel prices remained unchanged at $14.97 per litre of petrol and $15.64 for diesel.

“Please be advised that the fuel prices effective Monday 21 October 2019 are as follows: $15.64 per litre for diesel and $14.97 for petrol.

“Accordingly, prices have therefore not changed for both diesel and blend.

“Operators may however sell at prices below the cap depending on their trading advantages,” said Zera.

While the regulator encourages fuel companies to sell at below the set prices depending on their trading advantages, the operators hardly do that. Instead, many actually charge above the set thresholds.

State Media|THE Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is investigating a possible case of child abuse at Lukosi Secondary in Hwange where a deputy headmistress allegedly forced a Form One girl to strip naked in the presence of other pupils and teachers.

Mrs Posenta Kwidini, who is also a senior Mathematics teacher at the school, was reportedly punishing the 15-year-old girl for dressing improperly.

She allegedly forced her to remove her skirt in the Fashion and Fabrics class where there were some Form Two pupils and two female teachers.

The incident happened last week and the girl, who cannot be named for ethical reasons, filed a report at Hwange Police Station on Friday.

The school authorities had reportedly concealed the matter.

Hwange District Schools Inspector (DSI) Mr Germination Moyo said he had ordered the school head to investigate the matter and submit a report today.

“I received an informal report about the issue late on Friday and I immediately told the school head to institute an investigation of what actually happened and prepare a report. Since the matter involves a deputy head who reports to the head, it’s ideal that we ask the head to investigate and submit a report before we do anything. So I am expecting a report from the head hopefully by Monday,” said Mr Moyo.

He said while there can be many ways of disciplining a child in school, the teacher might be “charged and called to defend herself” if the investigations establish that what she did constitutes an act of misconduct.

Acting Matabeleland North police spokesperson Sergeant Namatirai Mashona could not be reached on her mobile phone yesterday.

The girl was accompanied by her paternal uncle and some community members to file a police report.

Police visited the school on Friday and some pupils told them that they were used to such treatment by the deputy head.

In an interview, the girl narrated how she spent more than five minutes naked.

“I was walking towards the Agriculture block while fixing my skirt as I was coming from the toilet. The deputy head called me to the Fashion and Fabrics laboratory where she was with other teachers. She asked why I was opening my skirt and I explained to her that I was tucking in my blouse,” said the girl.

She said Mrs Kwidini ordered her to remove her skirt and she refused.

The girl finally complied after Mrs Kwidini allegedly threatened to beat her up.

“I unzipped my skirt and it dropped to the floor. I remained naked for more than five minutes,” said the girl.

She allegedly dressed up when one of the teachers told her to do so after Mrs Kwidini’s phone rang and she started talking on the phone.

With tears running down her cheeks, the girl walked to her class where she was swarmed by sympathetic classmates who witnessed the incident.

Contacted for comment, Mrs Kwidini said she could not comment on the issue since it’s in the hands of the police.

A gender activist, Mrs Anna Mandizha-Ncube, who is director of Buwalo Matilikilo Trust (BMT), said the girl’s dignity had been impaired. “We are worried because there is nowhere in the Education Act where a child should be disciplined in that manner. That’s a violation of her right to privacy and dignity in terms of the Child Protection Act, and it’s a case which we will follow with keen interest,” she said.

State Media|Zimbabwe Media Commission Bill must have a converged accreditation process, rather than maintaining the state of affairs where there are multiple bodies registering media practitioners, legislators recently heard.

Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services heard that the creation of additional bodies accrediting journalists other than the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) was untenable and created unnecessary bureaucracy.

This was said by Media Institute of Southern Africa legal representative Mr Chris Mhike during a stakeholders’ public hearing consultative meeting in Harare, called by the portfolio committee to solicit views on the ZMC Bill.

“There are too many bodies that deal with regulation of the media. We ought to be moving towards a converged regulatory body mechanism,” he said.

“Let us aim at regulatory convergence and that convergence is not adequately dealt with in this Bill. We will propose that there be a mechanism under the Bill to ensure that we limit bodies that journalists must report to or must be subservient to.

“I have spoken to sports journalists who said when they go to sports events, some of the bodies do not recognise press cards issued by the ZMC, so in addition to the press card, they have to undergo a registration process with various sports bodies.

“During election season, ZEC is the regulatory body and has a separate accreditation process of journalists. That is not acceptable. Even Parliament do have another process of accrediting journalists. I understand there might be administration processes, but what we see in reality is that there is more than just administration procedure, but a multiple layer of registration and accreditation by various bodies.”

Paul Nyathi|Government claims it is engaging host countries to ensure Zimbabwean public officials receive adequate security when on international duty where they allegedly continue to be hounded by angry Zimbabweans in those countries who government claim to be individuals aligned to the opposition.

According to the government, the latest target being Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, who they claim was harassed last week while attending the 141st International Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Serbia.

Government claims that Adv Mudenda was harassed by ZimEye.com while he was having breakfast. This was during an arranged interview early morning on the 13th October at the In Hotel hotel when the media demanded to know why he directed the deduction of five months’ salary for MDC MPs for boycotting President Mnangagwa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivery early this month.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi told state that Government would engage Serbia to understand the circumstances under which Adv Mudenda was allegedly abused.

“That was an abuse of other people’s rights. As Government we condemn the behaviour in the strongest terms,” he said. “We also believe that host governments must accord officials the protection and respect they deserve. This is a case of a thug abusing other people and it is something that we will engage the host countries through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, whenever our officials are out of the country,” said Minister Ziyambi.

The state mouth piece, The Herald, claims that the interview with Mudenda where he exposed government use of the army to influence the 2018 elections was abuse on Adv Mudenda. The state media claims the so called abuse is similar to an incident directed at Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo by angry Zimbabweans in the UK recently.

Moyo who was confronted by a group of Zimbabweans outside the Royal Institute of International Affairs, commonly known as Chatham House, in London in July this year, demanding answers on human rights abuses in the country. One protester sprayed Moyo with water from a bottle when he was getting emotional and violent on the protesters.

Zimbabweans have since responded to the minister’s claims of harassment on Mudenda and Moyo, calling on government officials to do things right while in the country to avoid the so called harassments by Zimbabweans demanding answers from outside the country where their freedom is guaranteed.

Below are some of the comments by Zimbabweans on social media in response to the call by Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi.

Watch video of Sibusiso Moyo being confronted by Zimbabweans demanding answers in London.

INTERVIEW OF ZIMBABWE’S SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT WITH SIMBA CHIKANZA AT THE IN-HOTEL IN SERBIA ON SUNDAY 13TH OCTOBER 2019.

The interview by Simba Chikanza (SC) with Adv Jacob Mudenda was recorded partly on audio and the rest on video. It began with Simba Chikanza showing Adv Mudenda his official name badge presenting himself as a journalist doing research over the Interparliamentary Union ( The Union of all parliaments around the world).

Adv Mudenda was happy doing the brief interview which later became heated.

Watch video below. ..

FULL VIDEO OF INTERVIEW (PLUS AUDIO) LOADING BELOW…

SC: Many of the things that are coming on Zimbabwe; right now, I have just met some Tanzanians who were criticising us, heavily, just here.

Well, we are being told that we are now 7 times worse, more, than when we were during Robert Mugabe times. I think that is one matter that I am going to need a short engagement with you Sir.

Mudenda: There are exigencies (sic)

SC: Excuse me?

Mudenda: There are exigencies (sic)

SC: Let me just, while we are, let me just get a picture with you if you don’t mind Sir.

SC: Right, where are we here? Right so, here. Meeting Advocate Mudenda.

Mudenda: Thank you.

SC: You seem to have forgotten me, I don’t know why.

Mudenda: Yeah, I am trying to recollect.

SC: Splendid. Looking forward, I will be with you shortly.

Mudenda: Yeah

SC: Thank you Sir.

Mudenda: Someone will be joining me soon.

SC: Oh, someone will be joining you?

Mudenda: Yes.

SC: Okay, so someone will be joining you. Okay. So what I will do maybe, once they come maybe, I will go away. I am just having a very light one.

Mudenda: Okay.

SC: Oh, thank you Sir. Yeah, the criticism against us is very scathing, it is very heavy, this gentleman from Tanzania who was saying he runs an NGO, and works between Uganda and Tanzania, and he says your country is now 7 times worse than when Robert Mugabe.

Mudenda: What reasons does he give?

SC: Err, we didn’t go into deep, we didn’t get deeper than that, other than him saying the conduct of both government and institutions. He alleges the judiciary as well, and parliament and he mentioned specifically the withdrawal of allowances. Sir.

Ndokutorerai (shall I get you a ) chair?

SC: Sir, the withdrawal of allowances Advocate Mudenda, that has extremely, extremely criticised yourself. On what basis. You have here a topic, local and international policy analysts here, they say you have caused the deterioration of parliament, and.

Mudenda: I have what?

SC: You have made parliament to deteriorate. The value of parliamentarianism is, should be.

Mudenda: Into what?

SC: You are now a spokesman of a military cartel rather than parliament. And in this case Advocate Mudenda, you have a discussion, a topic, that you yourself, you allowed into parliament, you brought this discussion, and that is the 1 August brutality. It is clear even ZBC broadcast this.

Mudenda: (nod and sound in affirmation).

SC: They broadcast this, announcement that the military would be used to change 2018 election results.

Mudenda: (nod and sound in affirmation).

Mudenda: Yes

SC: The same MPs who are meant to be part of your own parliament Advocate Mudenda, they are part of your parliament. And you are the one who allowed this discussion to get into. You allowed it to be discussed.

Mudenda: No, you see the members of parliament have threatened to go to court, so that matter is subjudice.

SC: Sorry?

Mudenda: The matter is subjudice and I am not discussing that.

SC: Because they have threatened to go to court?

Mudenda: Yeah I’m not discussing that.

SC: But then, Sir, aren’t you concerned?

Mudenda: I am not discussing that.

SC: Aren’t you concerned?

Mudenda: I am not discussing that. I am not discussing that.

SC: That we have a clear matter.

Mudenda: I am not discussing that.

SC: You talked about a threat Sir, you talked about a threat advocate.

Mudenda: I am not discussing that.

SC: You talked about a threat.

Mudenda: Can you stop it. Alright?

SC: Advocate, Advocate, a crime is being committed right now. People are dying.

Mudenda: Go to court. Go to court.

SC: Go to court where? People are dying right now in Zimbabwe advocate.

Mudenda: I am not.

SC: I have got; I have got victims of 1 August.

Mudenda: Can you also respect my point of view. Alright?

SC: Do you also respect the people who are suffering, Sir? Do you respect the victims who still have bullets in their bodies, Sir…the victims who still have bullets in their bodies right now?

Mudenda: Can you stop it. Alright. Can you stop it.

SC: Advocate, Advocate, you are the highest you are the most respected person in Zimbabwe you are here to represent parliamentarianism. What parliamentarianism is. You are the person we refer to; we respect you sir. We respect you. And I’ve come to you to ask you about this thing which we are being criticised for; our nation is being criticised right here, Sir.

Mudenda: Can you still stop it. This is not the forum.

SC: Why is it not the forum Sir?

Mudenda: Can you stop it.

SC: But you are the Speaker of Parliament.

Mudenda: Can you stop it. Haaah.

SC: I have got people who are crying I have got victims. Are you concerned that you are no longer the Speaker of Parliament you are now the Speaker of a military cartel?

Mudenda: Can you stop it.

SC: Stop what advocate, stop what?

Mudenda: Can you stop it.

SC: Stop what?

Mudenda: Can you stop it.

SC: But you are destroying our country. You are destroying a whole community. You are right now, even the perception of our nation (sic) Advocate Mudenda.

Are you happy that parliamentarianism has been violated advocate Mudenda? Tell me.

Mudenda: [NO RESPONSE]

So you are not willing to address concerns about parliamentarianism, you are here to represent parliamentarianism and you are mentally torturing MDC MPs adding to the physical torture to victims of violence on 1 August which was done to change election results and this was broadcast on the ZBC. Advocate Mudenda, you are a respected man. You are the highest, the most respected person Sir.

Mudenda: Can you slow down so I can eat.

SC: I shall slow down, but I hope you realise here, that I have got people who are dying, there is a crime that is being committed.

Mudenda: Can I have my breakfast?

SC: You can sir, you can sir, I shall wait.

A crime is being committed Advocate.

Mudenda: Can you move off can you move off.

SC: I am not Sir.

I have got a legitimate criminal concern here, a legal concern sir;

I have got a legitimate legal concern.

UNKNOWN/ UNNAMED MAN – MUDENDA’S AIDE TRAVELED WITH HIM FROM ZIMBABWE:

Sorry sorry I thought I had given you enough time.

SC: No you can’t do this.

SC: Advocate Mudenda people are dying right now people are dying right now and you are mentally torturing MDC MPs. On what basis do you withdraw their allowances for 5-months merely because they are expressing what you brought before Parliament?

Mudenda: Can you move out.

SC: I am here I am not going to move out I am a guest here and I am also; I am very much here; I am very much here; but I will wait on you because this is important, because you are an employee; you are a civil servant Sir; you are a civil servant. This is your job. This is your job, to be accountable to members of the public; to the international community; to prove that you’re doing the job of a speaker of Parliament not a speaker of a military cartel advocate Mudenda.

ZANU PF MEMBERS SAY JACOB MUDENDA WAS HARASSED DURING SERBIA INTERVIEW | WAS HE HARASSED?— ZimEye (@ZimEye) October 20, 2019

UNKNOWN/ UNNAMED MAN:

No you cannot shut me I’m going to slow down I will allow him to eat but I’m not going to leave here. I am here I am a guest here; I am an invitee to this conference where you are as well; Thank you.

Tine vanhu varikufa right now hamadzedu dzirikufa kuZimbabwe, akomana, varume, mauya kunoku imimi, saka ndanyarara ikozvino. Ndakumirirai. Ndakumirirai.

This is a legal matter, it is also a criminal matter; I am waiting here.

UNKNOWN/ UNNAMED MAN:

I think the honorable speaker has come here to have something to eat.

SC: Yes I will wait for him. I will wait for him Sir

As you can see I have withdrawn, I have withdrawn, I was sitting there when you are sitting so now I have moved away now so we will wait sir. I have got Zimbabweans who are waiting across inside Zimbabwe and around the world. They’re waiting; this is the most respected person; The highest person in the country in Zimbabwe next to Emmerson Mnangagwa.

UNKNOWN/ UNNAMED MAN:

So why are you shouting?

SC: I am not shouting I am waiting sir.

UNKNOWN/ UNNAMED MAN:

I think it is more about threatening than anything.

SC: What threat did you hear? What threat did you hear there?

UNKNOWN/ UNNAMED MAN:

I haven’t heard.

SC: No no no. Please don’t be unreasonable what threat did you hear here? What threat did you hear tell me, can you justify what you said.

UNKNOWN/ UNNAMED MAN:

Know what I am simply saying you know when you are talking on top of your voice if you really want to interview you the Speaker you should interview in a manner that is (sic).

ZANU PF MEMBERS SAY JACOB MUDENDA WAS HARASSED DURING SERBIA INTERVIEW | WAS HE HARASSED?— ZimEye (@ZimEye) October 20, 2019

SC: According to your allegations I am quiet. Thank you.

UNKNOWN/ UNNAMED MAN:

Thank you.

POLICE ARE THEN SUMMONED IN AND DISRUPT THE INTERVIEW THEN THE BELOW HAPPENS….

BREAKING – JACOB MUDENDA HUMILIATED AFTER SENDING SERBIAN POLICE TO CHASE AWAY JOURNALIST AFTER BEING CONTRONTED OVER MENTALLY TORTURING MDC MPs AND 1 AUG VICTIMS, WHICH WAS DONE TO CHANGE 2018 ELECTION RESULTS | FULL STORY TO FOLLOW pic.twitter.com/RQwnMVX86m— ZimEye (@ZimEye) October 13, 2019

LIVE: MUDENDA CONFESSES MNANGAGWA USED MILITARY TO KILL PEOPLE TO CHANGE 2018 ELECTION RESULTS via @ZimEye

Paul Nyathi|Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has come out blasting the people’s media, ZimEye.com, claiming that senior Journalist Simba Chikanza abused and harassed Speaker Of Parliament Jacob Mudenda when he interviewed him in Serbia last week while attending the 141st International Parliamentary Union (IPU).

According to Ziyambi, government is engaging host countries to ensure Zimbabwean public officials receive adequate security when on international duty where they continue to be hounded allegedly by individuals aligned to the opposition MDC a claim which he can not substantiate.

Chikanza sought to interview Adv Mudenda while he was having breakfast at his hotel and demanded to know why he directed the deduction of five months’ salary for MDC MPs for boycotting President Mnangagwa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA)delivery early this month.

Ziyambi told state media that Government would engage Serbia to understand the circumstances under which Adv Mudenda was allegedly abused.

“That was an abuse of other people’s rights. As Government we condemn the behaviour in the strongest terms,” he said. “We also believe that host governments must accord officials the protection and respect they deserve. This is a case of a thug abusing other people and it is something that we will engage the host countries through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, whenever our officials are out of the country,” said Minister Ziyambi.

“Why are you mentally torturing MDC MPs?” Chikanza asked the Speaker. “On what basis do you withdraw their allowances for five months merely because they are protesting about what you had brought to Parliament?”

Buhera North William Mutomba (Zanu-PF) tried to calm down Chikanza with little success.

Chikanza also refused to be restrained by hotel staff.

“I have a legal matter here, you have all my details, profile, address, you can call the manager, you can also call the Serbian government,” said Chikanza.

See Video downloading below:

BREAKING – JACOB MUDENDA HUMILIATED AFTER SENDING SERBIAN POLICE TO CHASE AWAY JOURNALIST AFTER BEING CONTRONTED OVER MENTALLY TORTURING MDC MPs AND 1 AUG VICTIMS, WHICH WAS DONE TO CHANGE 2018 ELECTION RESULTS | FULL STORY TO FOLLOW pic.twitter.com/RQwnMVX86m

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) October 13, 2019

Watch video below. ..

Watch video below. ..

Farai Dziva|Government has claimed that the cause of vendor Tafadzwa Tamangani’s death will be ascertained after a postmortem.

“Govt would like to inform the public of the death in custody of an individual who was on remand in the custody of Prisons and Correctional Services.

The individual was remanded in a condition of unwellness and immediate medical care was sought for him and he was hospitalised.

He was attended to by doctors. All deaths in custody are thoroughly investigated. We now await the result of a postmortem to ascertain cause of death.

We wish to convey our condolences to the bereaved family and friends of the deceased. May his soul rest in peace,” the Ministry of Information said in a statement.

Farai Dziva|In a statement clearly meant to dilute the impact of MDC leader Nelson Chamisa’s visits to hospitals, government has claimed that “some politicians are violating patients’ rights.”

Chamisa paid impromptu visits to Harare and Parirenyatwa Hospitals where he described the situation at the country’s major health centres as pathetic.Chamisa also visited popular actor Gringo, real name Lazarus Boora in hospital last week.

In a statement the Ministry of Health and Child Care “warned politicians against unwarranted visits to hospitals.

See below an article that was published by a state run weekly publication:

GOVERNMENT has warned politicians, activists and media practitioners against unwarranted visits to hospitals, adding that such action violates the rights of patients.

In a statement yesterday, the Ministry of Health and Child Care said Section 57 of Zimbabwe’s Constitution provides the right to privacy.

“There has been a recent increase in the number of political actors, activists and the media making unauthorised visits to hospitals under different guises and pretexts,” noted the ministry in the statement.
“These invasions of patients’ privacy are unwarranted and are unacceptable.

When in hospitals, patients expect to have therapeutic encounters with doctors, nurses and other caregivers and not political actors leading media crews to record their most private and vulnerable moments…

“We urge all stakeholders including politicians and members of the media to respect the right of others to privacy as enshrined in Section 57 of our constitution,” reads part of the statement.

The Ministry called those intending to visit patients in hospitals to adhere to stipulated visiting times. Hospitals, the statement further reads, should not be used as venues for political grandstanding.

“Hospitals have stipulated visiting hours and limits the number of visitors to two at a time for the reason of controlling possible cross infections as well as compromising care and security of patients,” read the statement.
“Hospitals need to get authorisation from each and every patient before allowing strangers to have access to patients and their medical information.
“This is an international norm which Zimbabwe upholds.

Hospitals are not and should not be used as a venue for rallies.”State media

Appearances can deceive big-time.

Perusing the South African media before that country’s general elections in May this year, one would have concluded that the ruling ANC was finished and would face annihilation and pulverisation at the polls. But, alas, no such funeral rites were administered as the ANC won again, albeit with a slightly reduced majority.

Although not on a similar scale, the outcome of two by-elections held in Zimbabwe last week was similarly instructive after the pulverisation of the ruling

Zanu PF forecast by some sections of the media did not happen, but, in fact, the complete opposite emerged.

Before the by-elections, MDC secretary for elections Jacob Mafume was cocksure that the polls would be a walkover for his party; that they were merely going

through the motions because victory was certain.

Mafume, in his typical boastful manner, blurted: “It is now clear to all and sundry that Zanu PF has failed. They no longer allow those in rural areas to sell their maize. There are no jobs. There is no education, and there is no electricity. There is also no good

healthcare. With all this, no person in their right mind can vote for Zanu PF.”

But independent opposition politician Margaret Dongo might have identified one of the factors as to why the MDC got it so monumentally wrong, pointing out how

the main opposition party’s allies in the non-governmental organisation (NGO) sector, who have been tacitly doing the political groundwork for the MDC, are now

a force on their own, with competing and rival interests even against the MDC itself.

In an interview conducted by celebrated author, archivist and documentary film-maker Joyce Jenje-Makwenda, published this week, Dongo observed that NGOs had become a self-perpetuating lucrative business; that they now exist for their own sake.More in Home

Dongo said: “You will find that they (NGOs) have money for salaries, travel allowances and posh cars, but they do not have money for projects or to

finish projects despite the fact that the donor has spent millions on women empowerment in every aspect, be it political, maternal health or domestic violence.

They (donors) do not evaluate on the ground to see if they are making any progress. There is a syndicate or a cartel which speaks donor language, and these are

used to write reports. The donors just evaluate the written reports.” Precisely.

As one can see, it’s not a coincidence that these NGOs are double-dipping and carefully navigating between donors and the MDC to maximise from both. To keep

donor funding flowing in, they have to point out that they are filling the gap caused by failings of the government.

But the paradox of it all is that it’s not in their greedy interest for the opposition to replace the government. Victory for the opposition is an existential threat to them; it is a threat to their very existence. The day the government fully delivers, these NGOs are out of a job.

That is why after decades with NGOs on the ground, poverty still rules in rural areas.

The complete eradication of poverty in rural areas, which the MDC has been promising to do, is an existential threat to NGOs.

It is the same operative manipulative logic and business model, so to speak, used by global pharmaceutical cartels to corner the market for some medicines.

For instance, cheaply available insulin, used in the treatment of diabetes, is a big threat to pharmaceutical firms’ profits to the extent that these pharmaceuticals ignore their responsibility to humanity at large in order to make money for their shareholders.

That is why more than a century after its discovery, insulin is still expensive despite the fact that its price should have gone down because

it’s inexpensively made and hundreds of millions use it. Likewise, NGOs have taken the space in rural areas, but want to keep on monopolising it because there

is a lot of money to be made.

Not to mention that the intensity and virulence of attacks on the ruling party by the largely anti-Zanu PF private media has, in the long run, had the

unintended opposite and positive effect of keeping Zanu PF on its toes to quickly rectify whenever it is exposed as falling short. Indeed, the private media

has served as the best adviser to Zanu PF while making the opposition fall into complacency by not similarly admonishing it as and when necessary.

The by-election results also show the folly of linear thinking in politics. People vote for many and varied reasons. Americans who considered themselves to be

non-racist voted for Donald Trump, who has made racist statements, in the 2016 presidential election.

And loyalty does not just evaporate like dew with sunrise. We saw it in South Africa where voters largely stuck by the ruling ANC in the general election held

this year.

Interviewed shortly before the elections, some residents in Marikana in South Africa’s North West province indicated that they would vote for the ANC despite some leaders being “corrupt”.

One of them, Mzwandile Ngqothwana, said although the party had been embroiled in corruption allegations, he would still vote for it. He said: “I am ready to vote for the ANC, although it is a corrupt party. I am ready to give them my vote again.

I am still going to vote for the same government because some of us are employed because of this government… Better the devil you know than the one you don’t know. They are corrupt, but what can we say?”

That’s realism, if you ask me. Tangibles have been delivered to rural folk in Zimbabwe — not that the arrest of MDC MP Job Sikhala had a knock-on effect on the rural voters, resulting in the Bikita loss, as lamely claimed by Masvingo provincial chairperson James Gumbi. We are talking of real sustained deliverables, not the token, piecemeal contributions by corrupt NGOs to keep donor funds rolling in at the expense of the suffering people.

Just like Ngqothwana, Peter Mathonzi said he would vote for the ANC because of its history. Mathonzi joined the ANC in 1994.

“I am a member of the ANC; I am very active,” he said. “I vote for the ANC, no matter what. The leaders are the ones who disappoint us, but I won’t abandon my organisation just because of certain leaders ruining it. The ANC has not failed me; only certain groups within the party have failed me.”

It’s not me who said it, but that is how people, whose collective vote decides election results, see it. And it’s their democratic right to see things the way they want — which is exactly what happened in the just-ended by-elections.

So, Mafume is the one who is completely lost to say “no person in their right mind can vote for Zanu PF”.

That misguided utterance alone, which rubs voters the wrong way – not rigging or corruption — is why the MDC loses to Zanu PF much of the time.

It has been reported that the late former President Robert Mugabe’s widow Grace and daughter, Bona have received title deeds for the land on which the Blue Roof Mansion and Bona’s residence were built.

Last month the Mugabe family embarrassed ZANU PF after snubbing a heroes acre burial opting instead to bury the Late Robert Mugabe in his rural home of Kutama.

The Former President was laid to rest in a private ceremony, comprising of only close family members.

Many speculated that Mnangagwa would exact revenge but recent events have proved otherwise. Speaking to The Daily News Publication, ZANU PF Secretary For Administration Obert Mpofu confirmed the development.

Obert Mpofu, however, said that the dispute between the Mugabes and property owners who wanted part of the Blue Roof back was a private matter.

Said Mpofu:

We have done the process of transferring the properties.

The Mugabes are being persued through Zimbabwe courts by aggrieved parties who where left in the cold when Grace siezed Mazowe farms and Blue Roof property.