Farai Dziva|Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs have confirmed that Khama Billiat is staying at the club.
The 28-year-old, who was heavily linked with a return to Mamelodi Sundowns, with The Brazilians even reportedly indicating that talks are currently in place to sign the Warriors winger, Amhakhosi have categorically stated that he is staying, via a statement on their website.
“Kaizer Chiefs would like to put it on record that the information being peddled in the media about the club negotiating with Mamelodi Sundowns is COMPLETELY FALSE AND UNCALLED FOR.
“We can confirm that there was an approach by Sundowns during the Afcon for the services of Khama Billiat, but we informed them that we are not selling the player. Following that, there have not been any negotiations with the Chairman, Kaizer Motaung or anyone from Kaizer Chiefs as reported in the media.
“We are concerned that the said Sundowns official can misrepresent us in this manner, causing unnecessary confusion and uncertainty to our supporters and stakeholders. We call on him to refrain from spreading false information in the media and respect the rules.
“Khama Billiat is committed to Kaizer Chiefs and is not joining any other club.
“Following the article published online yesterday quoting a Sundowns official, we are considering taking action to deal with the matter. This unethical behaviour cannot and should not be tolerated.”
Farai Dziva|FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza says the victory against Harare City is a major boost for the team.
The Platinum Boys beat City 2-0 in a match-day 18 encounter played at Mandava Stadium on Wednesday.
Never Tigere and Perfect Chikwende scored in either half as the Zvishavane side opened a four-point gap on top of the log standings.
“The win is good for us considering that we are just coming from a difficult match in Malawi,” Mapeza said after the match.
“We kept our shape and in the second half created so many chances. I am happy with such improvements in the team. This win is important as far as building morale in the team.”
Farai Dziva|ZIFA has booted Chamu Chiwanza out of the executive committee.
Chiwanza is a close ally of former president Philip Chiyangwa.
The administrator was on suspension since July after the association accused him of sabotage which resulted in national team players striking during the Afcon 2019.
“The Zimbabwe Football Association disciplinary committee met on the 14th of August 2019 and deliberated on a matter involving Executive Committee Member Rodrick Chamunorwa Chiwanza.
Mr Chiwanza was found guilty in respect of two charges of fraud and bringing the game of football into disrepute.
Consequently, the Disciplinary Committee verdict is that Mr Chiwanza be expelled from being an Executive Committee member with immediate effect,” said ZIFA in a statement.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police summoned MDC youth assembly vice-chairperson, Cecilia Chimbiri on Thursday, less than a day before the anticipated demonstration slatted for 16 Agust 2019.
The arrest was confirmed by the organ’s spokesperson, Stephen Sarkozy Chuma. He said that Chimbiri will be accompanied by a lawyer from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Jeremiah Bamu.
Meanwhile, Chuma declared that his party will remain resolute in the midst of the arrest of its members, which he characterised as political persecution.
Farai Dziva|ZIFA has banned its former president Philip Chiyangwa and deputy president Omega Sibanda for life.
However Chiyangwa has accused the football association of “running after his shadow.”
Responding to the matter Chiyangwa told ZimEye.com:
“This is a joke and it’ll remain a joke and people here want winners, they don’t want losers. These guys are all losers.”
“They should brace themselves for the worst in terms of a response that they will get out of all this nonsense. I am a Zimbabwean citizen and I’m entitled to mix and mingle I’ve never been involved with ZIFA or with anything to do with Kamanga (sic). I don’t waste my time.
But for them to be concentrating on following through a situation in which think they have been successful on me yet they have failed on the pitch… I am telling you where they are coming, it’s more dangerous than just looking at the pitch. It’s just looking at the pitch, but they have failed, that’s all. They are running after my shadow what have I done? “
Farai Dziva|Transport fare hikes are inevitable as a result of inconsistent fuel prices, the MDC has said.
Below is the party’s full statement on the fuel crisis in Zimbabwe:
MDC statement on fuel price increases
The MDC notes with deep concern, the recent increase in prices of fuel as announced by the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) on Monday 12 August 2019. This increase follows another one less than a month ago.
What therefore becomes clear is that the government remains hell-bent on repeating its January 2019 increase of 150%. However this time around they want to stagger that 150% into batches. This is synonymous with the strategy of killing a frog using hot water. If it is thrown into hot water it quickly jumps off, but if it is thrown into cold water it adapts to temperature changes until it bursts and dies.
While the MDC does not recommend increases in transport fares, the party notes that in times of frequent fuel prices increases, frequent transport fare increases become inevitable. We thus call upon government to be cognizant of this fact whenever the urge to increase prices visits them, more so given the frequency by which it now visits them.
The MDC believes that whatever increase in prices that is not backed by an increase in salaries is thoughtless, uncaring and anti-people, to say the least. The continued insistence by government that prices of fuel in Zimbabwe must match the average United States Dollar (USD) price in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region while not talking about matching salaries of civil servants to that of their regional counterparts further confirms the regime’s anti-people stance.
The MDC is deeply concerned that despite these frequent and punishing price increases, the fuel situation has not improved. Long fuel queues have become a permanent feature in our cities, towns and rural service centers. Spending hours on fuel queues has great effects on the productive time of our citizens and the general culture of business. Businesses find themselves with no option but to either retrench some of their employees or reduce their shifts. Thus the effects of the energy crisis on production and unemployment are growing proportional to the rate of availability of fuel.
The MDC reiterates its call for a state of emergency on the energy issue. Under the state of emergency, government must convene an Energy Sector Stakeholders Conference involving but not limited to fuel companies, independent energy producers, captains of industry, energy sector workers, consumers and parliament. Amongst other issues, this Stakeholders Conference must discuss liberalization of fuel importation and liberalization of petrol blending as major factors affecting fuel availability, price and durability. Furthermore, the Stakeholders Conference must discuss the effects of the currency crisis on the availability and cost of fuel in Zimbabwe.
MDC: Change that delivers.
Hon. Jasmine Toffa
Secretary for Energy and Power Development
Farai Dziva|A Zanu PF sympathizer has warned that those who will participate in the MDC demonstration scheduled for tomorrow will do so at their own risk.
Speaking to Chronicle, National Schools Development Associations and Committees chairperson, Max Mkandla, said:
“Who will be answerable when lives are lost? Thus, we want to urge members of the public that they should not participate in the demonstration as they might even lose their lives yet those who plan these incidents will be moving on with their lives.”
Mkandla is a declared Zanu PF sympathizer.
He urged the opposition MDC to engage the ruling ZANU PF and have a dialogue over the matter.
Farai Dziva|Another MDC official was abducted and tortured by suspected state security agents last night.
See the MDC statement below:
ALERT : Cosmas Mashwa, an MDC Alliance chair of ward 4 in Epworth Suburb was visited by suspected state agents at his home and was badly assaulted and abducted.
This took place last night at 11.45hrs.
Cosmas’ whereabouts are not known.
Three other people who were in the house were also badly beaten.
It is suspected that the abduction has to do with the 16th August 2019 MDC march.
Human Rights Lawyers have been notified for legal assistance.
Farai Dziva|Emmerson Mnangagwa has described MDC leader Nelson Chamisa as a “stubborn person.”
Responding to a call for dialogue between between Zanu PF and MDC -by the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations, Mnangagwa insisted that Chamisa “would not get any preferential treatment.”
“I, as leader of Zanu PF, called for harmony and dialogue in our nation, including pointedly calling on, and inviting the leader of the MDC, Advocate Nelson Chamisa, to come on board in amity and brotherhood, to rebuild our broken peace, and reunite our people in order to take our nation forward.
Specifically and pointedly, I called upon the two of us to lead by example and show Zimbabweans that peace is paramount.
The MDC leader is still to requite my goodwill, so repeatedly and unconditionally expressed and extended. Much worse, he is still to respect the legitimate will of the Zimbabwean people as expressed in the results of the 2018 elections.
Still, I assure you and the Heads of Christian Denominations, that I will not tire of going the extra mile for the sake of peace and unity in our nation.
The doors of national dialogue remain wide open to all political leaders, including the MDC, which dialogue must be without pre-conditions or any sense of preferential entitlement or recognition on any one’s part, including me,”wrote Mnangagwa.
By Dorrothy Moyo| MDC Youth Assembly National Vice Chairperson, Cecelia Chimbiri has been called by CID Law and Order on charges that are yet to be ascertained.
The development came as the upcoming MDC demonstration slated for Friday 18th August drew near.
The MDC Youth Assembly National Spokesperson, Stephen Sarkozy Chuma, reported saying “she is being accompanied to Harare Central Police Station by her lawyer, Jeremiah Bhamu.”
Chuma continued saying the assembly is firm and resolute.
“As an Assembly we remain resolute and unshaken in the face of political persecutions,” he said.
Farai Dziva|MDC Youth Assembly deputy chairperson, Cecilia Chimbiri has been summoned by the police as tension escalates, a day before the much anticipated peaceful march.
See the MDC Youth Assembly statement:
MDC Youth Assembly National Vice Chairperson, Cecelia Chimbiri has been called by CID Law and Order on charges that are yet to be ascertained.
She is being accompanied to Harare Central Police Station by her lawyer, Jeremiah Bhamu.
As an Assembly we remain resolute and unshaken in the face of political persecutions!
No amount of propaganda and threats will stop the will of the people.
The people have will have a peaceful demonstration and ZANU thugs are organising to attack and kill citizens tomorrow.
The government and the security agents are mum on all this dangerous politics. Do we really have a government or Zimbabwe is being presided by a terrorist organisation. Is it now a full confirmation that ZANU sponsors terrorism.
Demonstrations will continue tomorrow Let’s not be cowed by thugs who have robbed us of all our belongings. We need to make it clear to ZANU surrogates and thugs that come tomorrow and try your espionage and terrorist activities then you will realise your leadership has betrayed you and you will be on your own.
The demonstrations are not a security threat because they are to be peaceful and to be held in good spirits. This barbaric conduct by ZANU must stop now. The police and the military heads you need to act responsibly now before it’s too late. It’s not logical to regret things that you could have stopped when you had all the opportunity to do so. -Zimbabwean citizen
By Jane Mlambo| British parliamentarian Kate Hoey has urged her country’s foreign office to demand that President Emmerson Mnangagwa control his army and police ahead of the planned mega demonstration by the opposition MDC.
Responding to human rights lawyer Douglas Coltart who posted pictures of Tatenda Mombeyarara who was tortured by suspected State security agents yesterday, Hoey called on the United Kingdom foreign office to take keen interest in Zimbabwean activities as they could degenerate into chaos if undamaged.unmanaged.
By Tererai Rushwaya| Regarding the demonstration on the 16th of August, it’s prudent to expect the worst from this brutal Zanu regime
Picture taken from REUTERS via BBC website
Zanu is already churning out goebbelsian press statements and direct threats to the people who will protest on the 16th of August. The way I see it, this regime could react in two ways:
1) The regime could allow the demonstration to go ahead and not respond with violence
The regime could surmise that there is not much fire in the bellies of the citizenry and that this demo or these demos will fizzle out quickly, and as such it would be not worth sending out the soldiers to kill people. Also, this way, the regime would hope to get brownie points from the international community for ‘respecting the democratic rights of people to demonstrate as per the Zimbabwean constitution’.
However, this hypothesis is based on the dangerous and somewhat naive assumption that this blood thirsty military junta cares more about its image to the world than its inherent fear of an uprising from the masses. If I am correct, since the coup in 2017, there have been three demonstrations in Zimbabwe and in two of those demos the regime responded by sending gun totting soldiers onto the streets and in the ghettos to torture and kill people.
The one demonstration to which the junta responded relatively tamely was the demonstration in Harare for electoral reforms by the MDC Alliance before the 2018 general election. It’s worth noting that this was during the post coup period when the regime was trying to look benign in an effort to hoodwink the MDC into walking into a rigged election – which they did. Oh yes, those who read my blog will know that in June and July of 2018 I made the point that Zanu is hoping that the MDC sleepwalks into a rigged election. Months following the coup, Zanu was enjoying a whole lot of ‘benefit of the doubt’ even within the intellectual culture of Zimbabwe.
There are numerous ‘intellectual observers’ who were giving ED a chance – god knows on what basis; maybe there were blinded by the scarf which is obviously a PR prop designed to make a scary man look human or approachable.
Or maybe these observers believed the reformist propaganda which ED was putting out on a daily basis on the state owned media. Either way, it’s a damning indictment of these so called ‘intellectuals’ who are now back on the right side of history and rightfully criticising this military junta.
Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, like I said, the first post coup demo was an MDC demo for electoral reforms which happened before the election in 2018. The regime allowed it to go peacefully because they were trying to coax the MDC into a false sense of security and then sleepwalk them into a rigged election.
As for the other two demonstrations, one happened right after the election and the other, after fuel price hikes in January of this year, and as we know both demos were met with a ruthless response by the military. A pattern is observable here. Since stealing the election, the regime has shown a hard-line, draconian, and murderous response to demonstrations.
One could argue that after the election in 2018, the regime really does not care how the international community views its treatment of citizens exercising their right to demonstrate. Therefore, expecting them to react benevolently or democratically to the demonstration on the 16th is extremely optimistic.
2) The regime could respond to the demonstrations with a ruthless and murderous crackdown on the MDC and the public
This second hypothesis takes into consideration the pattern of behaviour by the regime which I have described above.
It also takes into consideration the fact that this is a military junta; a jumpy and mad military junta led by old and cruel men who will not hesitate to kill and crackdown on any dissenting public. Already, we have seen the regime putting out goebbelsian propaganda about the MDC via its ministers, and actual threats via its knuckle dragging cheerleaders in the war veterans association.
I mean, to me, this lot are talking the language of war just as I have opined in numerous posts in my blog, that Zanu pf is in a war mood and has been warring with the Zimbabwean public for the last 3 decades. When they treat the public as a potential insurgency, one is wise to believe that they will treat a peaceful demonstration as if it is an actual insurgency.
So what next? Well, if people want to demonstrate against the rapid deterioration of the economy and much else in the country they should do so.
If people want to rise up against this brutal kleptocracy they should do so. But it’s prudent to know that this is a mad regime that has killed before and will kill again. People need to be adequately prepared.
Now, I’ve heard numerous recommending that the demonstrators should carry cameras and videotape the demo so that they capture any encroachments from the regime. Indeed that is a good idea. But I also, don’t think collecting evidence of the regime’s brutality will result in justice.
At the same time, not having the evidence is also problematic because the regime’s automatic response to accusations of state violence would be ‘show us the evidence’. But last August, there was evidence showing soldiers shooting at a fleeing public, and still, justice was never served – we all remember the egregiousness of that Commission of Inquiry.
I believe adequate preparation for this demonstration should focus a lot more on practical issues such as first aid kits, makeshift bulletproof vests (if that’s possible), tear gas masks, loads of water, identifying and rooting out Zanu provocateurs within the crowds. This is a mad regime, people should always expect the worst from this lot.
By Tererayi Rushwaya @Irreverencesuit, https://theradicalzimbabwean.wordpress.com/
Zimbabwe Republic Police national spokesperson Paul Nyathi says police officers have recovered a number of granite stones, catapults and a host of other weapons delivered into Harare by vehicles without number plates suspected to be intended for use by the opposition MDC during a demonstration tomorrow.
“We are warning people who are driving vehicles without registration numbers or displaying requisite plates that the police will impound such vehicles throughout the country at check points,” said Nyathi.
He said the police would not fold hands and allow MDC Alliance supporters to unleash violence and anyone caught would be arrested.
By A Correspondent- A police disciplinary committee has dismissed an application for discharge filed by a Lupane-based officer who was arrested early this year for allegedly insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa, by imploring the Zanu PF leader to step down in favour of opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa.
Taison Hove (29), who was arrested at Lupane Business Centre on January 3, is also alleged to have said the Zanu PF regalia was only fit for manual labourers, out there in the fields.
Hove was made to appear before a Lupane magistrate early this year, but the matter is currently awaiting the Prosecutor-General’s consent to go on trial.
Hove is also facing police disciplinary action, which has been ongoing since his arrest in January.
His lawyer, Bruce Masamvu, in May filed an application for discharge, arguing the charges against his client were a violation of his rights.
Masamvu yesterday told a local publication that the police disciplinary committee dismissed the application for discharge, saying he had a case to answer.
“Police disciplinary committee dismissed the application for discharge, and we filed an application for review of the proceedings and ruling at the High Court. We are awaiting the High Court dates for the review proceedings,” Masamvu said.
In an application dated May 2, Hove submitted that he was charged with contravening section 35 of the schedule to the Police Act Chapter 11:10, and is denying the charge.
Hove said the basis of his application was that evidence led by the State witnesses during the hearing does not show that he committed the offence.
The disciplinary committee was presided over by one Superintendent Mudepfa.
Allegations are that on January 3 this year, Hove was drinking beer with other patrons when an unidentified reveller passed by putting on a Zanu PF T-shirt, emblazoned with Mnangagwa’s picture.
When Hove saw the man, he allegedly said such clothing should only be worn by one going to tend to the fields. Mnangagwa, he allegedly said, had failed to run the country and, as such, should hand over power to Chamisa.
“We are suffering because of ED Mnangagwa, and we are paid money equivalent to US$100,” Hove is alleged to have said.-Newsday
By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) finance director Simon Taranhike has claimed that the allegations that he criminally abused his office were a result of power struggles at the parastatal.
Taranhike made the claims during commencement of his trial before Harare magistrate Hosea Mujaya yesterday.
According to the State, Taranhike allegedly pressured Zinara’s transport clerk Dennis Jakachira to release 1 800 litres of petrol coupons to a local journalist without following proper procedure.
But the Zinara boss said the allegations were false and well-orchestrated by detractors who are desperate to get rid of him. He further said the power struggles emanated from the jostling for the chief executive officer’s post which was temporarily occupied by Mathlene Mujokoro.
“The power struggle brewed animosity and hatred between me and Mujokoro to an extent that she will seize any opportunity presenting itself to ensure that she ends my career at Zinara. That was the order of the day and the animosity emanated from a report I wrote to Zinara’s board chair which resulted in the arrest of 24 employees who were fingered in vehicle licencing fee leakages,” Taranhike said.
“This did not go down well with the people who were benefiting from such corrupt activities, hence concerted efforts were made to oust me from Zinara systems for good as I had become a thorn in the flesh for those who wanted to execute their shady deals,” he said.
On the issuance of fuel to a local scribe, Taranhike said his department is not responsible for initiating and authorising the issuance of fuel and to single him out as an accused person is a clear indication of the political dynamics at Zinara.
The State led by Netsai Mushayabasa led evidence from its witness Frank Hwenhira, who is the Zinara legal officer who also confirmed Taranhike’s testimony, saying there was bad blood between Mujokoro and Taranhike. “I know about the bad blood between Mujokoro and Taranhike. I know this because it was an open secret. It was very topical at Zinara,” Hwenhira told the court.
Hwenhira said the issuance of fuel to journalists was common at the parastatal for the coverage of events which might be out of town.
Mujaya postponed the matter to today for continuation of trial.-Newsday
By A Correspondent- There was drama at Chinhoyi Stadium during the Defence Forces Day celebrations when security and protocol members were reportedly forced to remove top Zanu PF provincial members who had invaded the high table reserved for senior government officials.
This apparent show of friction within the ruling party manifested with Chegutu West MP, Dexter Nduna snubbing the top table and preferring to seat among ordinary people, only to be asked to join the high table by Mashonaland Provincial Affairs West minister Mary Mliswa-Chikoka.
Asked why he was not at the top table as is tradition, Nduna was evasive, insinuating he did not want to be associated with Mliswa-Chikoka, because of her brother Temba, who he is always at war with.
Zvimba Senator Joseph Chirongoma and Zanu PF central committee member Phineas Makumbe were embarrassingly ordered to leave the top table, which included Local Government deputy minister Jennifer Mhlanga.
Nduna, who was seated in a tent, was then ushered to the top table.
But Makumbe and Chirongoma gave a fight, arguing they were entitled to the preferential treatment since they also had close links to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Police were seen persuading a visibly-agitated Makumbe, who was refusing to leave the front seat. He later sheepishly left the tent and resigned to a nearby tent. Chirongoma, realising that security and protocol officer were determined, also followed suit.
Following a coup that toppled former strongman President Robert Mugabe, the security and protocol team led by equally controversial provincial administrator Cecilia Chitiyo has been trying hard to make the Heroes’ Day celebrations in the province apolitical.-Newsday
By A Correspondent- Millers have distanced themselves from the ongoing litigation against government which is seeking to scrap the banning of individuals and companies from buying maize from farmers.
In June, government gazetted Statutory Instrument (SI) 145 of 2019 which restricts farmers from selling maize to private buyers.
According to SI, maize is a controlled product in terms of Section 29 of the Grain Marketing Act. No person or statutory body or company or entity shall sell or otherwise dispose any maize except to a contractor or to the GMB.
Last month, two farmers, through the Harare East legislator, Tendai Biti’s law firm TB Law, filed a court application challenging SI 145, saying the law was ill-timed.
The two in their court application cited Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement minister Perrance Shiri and the Grain Marketing Board as first and second respondents, respectively.
In a statement Wednesday, Grain Millers’ Association of Zimbabwe national (GMAZ) chairman Tafadzwa Musarara said litigation was not going to solve anything.
“Inasmuch as we appreciate, recognise and respect the litigants’ constitutional rights to vindicate their position in the courts, we believe that the so called ‘limitations’ in the SI can be cured through engagement with the Agriculture minister,” Musarara said.
The GMAZ boss said the milling industry had a good working relationship with government and Shiri.
“Minister Shiri is a listening minister and we are forever indebted to him for the various and numerous dispensations he has granted us. With respect to the ongoing litigation, we remain adamant that only dialogue can bring about the necessary legal framework that will regulate grain trading in the country,” he added.
Musarara added that through government’s blessings the milling industry had in the past three years procured local and imported grain worth over US$500 million, hence the need for continuous engagement with the authorities.
“We continue to work with government in coming up with the necessary and effective interventions critical to mitigate on the grain shortages occasioned by the drought and ensure the country is adequately stocked and resourced,” he said.-Newsday
By A Correspondent- Doctors have said they are no longer be able to carry out their duties due to incapacitation in another blow to the already ailing health delivery sector.
Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) said with immediate effect, they would not be able to report for duty since their salaries had not been reviewed despite the rise in prices of basic commodities.
In a letter addressed to the Health Services Board (HSB) chairperson, the doctors said the cost of living had increased tenfold over the past few months, but salaries had been reviewed by less than 10 %.
They also noted that the “meagre” allowances were no longer sufficient for one basic food basket.
“Members are struggling to meet the costs of basic needs in food and shelter let alone clothing and healthcare,” they said.
Among their list of grievances was the issue of living conditions, which they said had become a health hazard and mental condition to both the doctors and the patients
“We request the employer to adjust our earnings to the interbank bank rate which currently sits at 8,7. We, hereby, give notice of total incapacitation with immediate effect giving the employer a grace period of three weeks upon receiving this letter to present practical solutions to our financial crisis,” the doctors said.
Asked if the action was a strike, acting chair for the doctors association, Peter Magombeyi, said it was just incapacitation.-Newsday
By A Correspondent- Zanu PF youth league in Mashonaland East province on Wednesday held an emergency meeting in Marondera to devise ways to thwart tomorrow’s nationwide protests organised by the MDC.
The league’s provincial members met to map the way forward on how to prevent the demonstrations by protesters who are irked by the current economic crisis, which has resulted in the majority of citizens facing survival challenges.
Provincial youth chairperson Kelvin Mutsvairo confirmed the meeting, saying the youth league was prepared for a head-on with violent protesters in the province.
“As the youth league, we are prepared for a head-on with protesters in this province. We don’t tolerate violence as occurred in January, hence the move to defend peace-loving and progressive people of Zimbabwe. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been on record calling political players to come to the table and present their ideas that will benefit the nation, he has an open door policy,” he said.
In January, protesters besieged and pulled down Dombotombo Police Station and overpowered police officers, who scampered for cover, while some of them were injured in the attack. The protesters allegedly ransacked the police station, stealing computers, teargas canisters and destroying dockets.
A man was also shot dead in Dombotombo suburb by suspected police officers who were trying to disperse the crowd before hundreds, including the MDC Alliance councillors, were arrested and charged with inciting the violence.
“The MDC Alliance should take heed to President Mnangagwa’s call for dialogue if they are serious about dealing with the economic crisis, not war. We will match the protestors as we do not tolerate violence,” Mutsvairo added.
Following the announcement of the protest dates, Zanu PF has been responding with threats to block the protesters, with some top officials openly declaring that the army would thwart the demonstrations.
Meanwhile, Zanu PF-linked cleric Obadiah Msindo said, while protesting was a right enshrined in the Constitution, the opposition party should ensure the process is peaceful to safeguard democracy, economic prosperity and national cohesion.
“Yes, demonstrating is their right, but if it turns violent, it ceases to be a right because it violates other people’s rights,” he said.
Alleging that there were criminal elements and other political forces, even in the ruling party and former Zanu PF members booted out of government who are bitter with the presidency of Mnangagwa, he added: “They are itching to use such an opportunity to remove the President through violence.”
Meanwhile, some Zanu PF youths from across the country will gather at the Harare Gardens starting today until tomorrow for “farming lessons” ahead of the Harare Agricultural Show.
Speaking ahead of the arrival of provincial delegates in Harare yesterday, Mashonaland West provincial chairperson Vengai Musengi, who is co-ordinating the event, said Zanu PF youths would not disrupt the opposition MDC protests as long as they are peaceful.
“Our farming lessons were organised last month and had nothing to do with MDC protests. We will not disrupt their activities, but the Zanu PF youth will be forced to interfere if they disrupt our activities,” Musengi said.
But the ruling party’s Mashonaland West youth league issued a statement warning MDC members to shun violence.
“We do, hereby, categorically and unequivocally state that Mashonaland West province is strongly behind President Mnangagwa and government, as such, we will not tolerate, let alone allow violence and chaos to reign supreme in our province. Violence is alien to our province. The youth league will not stand in akimbo and watch as elements of disorder destroy properties. We are ready to defend our vote!” the statement read.
Below is the full text of what MDC MP Tendai Biti said during the supplementary budget debate last week:
Honourable Tendai Biti: Thank you very much Honourable Speaker Sir, for allowing me to contribute to the supplementary budget brought by the esteemed Minister of Finance on 1st August 2019, a very significant date in the country’s history. Hon. Speaker Sir, the country is reeling under the weight of crippling multiple challenges that include the challenge of macro-economic instability, that include interest rates that are so high but still below the rate of inflation; challenges that include the ugly return of hyperinflation. Inflation now as I am talking to you Hon. Speaker stands around 560 percent and challenges that include crippling power shortages, shortages that are lasting 18 hours a day, in some cases 24-hour power shortages, something that is unprecedented in the 100 or so history of modern Zimbabwe from 1888.
The majority of our people Hon. Speaker Sir, are wallowing in poverty, 79% of our people are living below the poverty datum line surviving on less than US$0.35. Hon. Speaker Sir, the supplementary budget, therefore, has an obligation to provide a campus to provide leadership, to provide direction in the face of the existence of these multiple challenges. I want to say Hon. Speaker, that one of the key challenges that is now facing Zimbabwe more than ever is the challenge of corruption. Corruption has become so accentuate, corruption has become so accelerated. Billions and billions of dollars Hon. Speaker Sir, are being lost unlike in the past where the chief infrastructures of corruption were found in the private sector in multi-national corporations, illicit financial flows. The recent character and the recent face of corruption is corruption that is taking place through Central Government itself, the corruption that is being channelled through the Ministry of Finance itself and this is a huge challenge that is affecting our country.
Now, when you measure the Supplementary Budget that was read out by the esteemed Minister of Finance on the 1st of August, 2019, vis-a-vis these challenges, with great respect you find the budget falling short being dwarfed not being equal to the challenges that we are facing. Not only that, the budget itself is a big fraud, it is an entire statement of misrepresentation of the true state of the economic affairs of our country.
I will start by the claim that we are in fact increasing the budget by ZWL$10 billion. In fact, the budget speaks of anticipated revenue of 14 billion dollars, an expenditure of ZWL18 billion. Many of us will sit here and think that we are actually increasing the budget; I actually submit that we are contracting the budget. Our budget in 2019 that we approved in this august House on the 21st of December, 2019 in the early hours was a budget expressed in USD$6 billion. Now, when you now approve a budget that is now ZWL$14 billion and when the black market rate is 1:10, it means you have reduced USD6 billion to 1,4 billion dollars. So, we are in fact shrinking the cake which is regrettable.
When you pronounce a budget, you are providing economic indicators for planners and one of the key figures you must give is the figure for GDP, is the figure for growth rate. This is the first budget in the history of budgets that actually skirts the issue of GDP growth rate. I want to refer to paragraph 68, page 25 of the Budget Statement. On that point, I also want to place on record our complaint that when the Budget Statement was read out on the 1st August 2019, it was not made available to Members on 2nd August, 2019 and we have only been given this budget a few minutes ago in this august Chamber. The practice is that once it is laid before the table, it must be available in our pigeon holes or at least in the Papers Office in the first floor – it was not available. That is not good governance and that is not good hygiene.
However, paragraph 68, page 25, it says, “in view of headwinds, the revised 2019 GDP growth is expected to be negative and even below the -2% projected under the SMP. Treasury will, therefore, keep tracking key developments in the economy with a view of making appropriate adjustments to sectoral growth profiles”.
Hon. Speaker Sir, it is not good enough to say ah! It will be below -2%. This statement must define the figure – what is the figure of the growth rate for 2019 because every planner wants it. The reason why the esteemed Minister did not pin this figure is because it is frightening. In its April Regional Economic Outlook, the IMF projected that our growth rate in 2019 will be -5, 5%. I would like to submit with great respect that our growth rate will be at least -8,5% due to a number of issues including Cyclone Idai, the crippling drought that has affected our country when it is in fact an agricultural-based economy. So, you cannot produce and present a Mid Year Statement without the growth rate, without also the growth rate of the half-year ending January to June 2019. If you are not going to present the growth rate for the half-year ending, there is no point in coming to this august House because the growth rate is the fundamental figure in economic planning.
Another myth is the much-hyped myth about the surplus. The Minister speaks of a surplus of 800 million. Hon. Speaker Sir, with great respect it is a misnomer, an error, a wrong, an omission to speak of a surplus and to boost of a surplus when you are using cash account in the context of expenses and expenditure that accrues. So, unless we graduate to accrual accounting, it is not possible in the middle of a year or in the quarter of a year to speak about a surplus when you are using cash account.
Hon. Speaker, when you are repressing allocations and disbursements to ministries and ministries are starving; there are no drugs in hospitals, there are no textbooks in schools and there are massive deficits in virtually every Ministry, you cannot boost of a surplus when you have kept the tap closed and you are not distributing even the Statutory allocations that you pronounced in your budget.
However, more importantly, Hon. Speaker, we know that the surplus is a myth because the Supplementary Budget itself provides for anticipated revenue of ZWL$14 billion and expenditure of 18 billion dollars. So, the budget itself is budgeting for a deficit of 4 billion dollars which is at least 4% of the total budget. So, there is in fact no surplus to talk about.
I want to go even to expenditure. You will see that in the half-year ending June 2018, the total expenditure was 4,2 billion dollars but if you go to the original budget as of June 2019, the actual expenditure should have been 3.8. So the Minister who is talking about a surplus and austerity in fact exceeded his expenditure limit by at least 15% being the difference between 3,8 billion and 4,2 billion dollars. So it is as smoke-screen budget marinated in this language but obfuscating and hiding the serious flows in the Budget Statement as a technical document but more importantly hiding the structural flows that are affecting our economy.
The third issue I want to speak about which is very disconcerting is the unlawful and unconstitutional devaluation that the Minister has impacted on this economy. You know Hon. Speaker, that in the last five years, this economy has been sustained by Treasury Bills. These Treasury Bills were issued in USD currency and are therefore USD paper. They constitute the bulk of our country’s domestic debt. In one sweep, the Minister has converted the USD9 billion Treasury Bills to ZWL$9 billion. This is a breach of Section 71 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. Section 71 protects the right to protect the right to property and the right against appropriation. I want to make reference in particular to paragraph 34, page 14 of the Budget Statement where the Minister or officials write as follows; “Consequently, adherence to sound fiscal and monetary policy reforms allowed containment of domestic debt stock which stood at ZWL$8.8 billion as at the end of June 2019 down from ZWL $9.5 billion as at 3 December 2018.”
The Treasury Bills were never indexed in Zimbabwean dollar. The Zimbabwean dollar did not exist until the 20th of February 2019 when the Statutory Instrument 33 of 2019 was enacted. You cannot devalue the entire stock of domestic debt and suddenly index it in the Zimbabwean dollar. It is illegal, unconstitutional and it will have serious ramifications to the economy.
Another myth is the myth by the Minister contained on page 15 paragraphs 37 to 41 of the Budget Statement. The Minister says; “the current account for the first time since the adoption of the multi-currency regime in 2009 registered a surplus in the first quarter of 2019.
A surplus of US$196 million was registered in the first quarter of 2019 compared to a deficit of US$491 million for the same period in 2018 constituting a major improvement in the current account.”
Mr. Speaker. It is not possible to talk of a current account surplus in Zimbabwe when our GDP has shrunk by more than minus 8%. It is not possible to talk of a current account surplus when the economy is not producing; when you go to every supermarket in Zimbabwe whether it is TM or OK Bazaar and find that 60-80% of the goods are imported. It is not possible to speak of a current account surplus when we spend over US$1.5 billion of real money importing fuel when we require at least US$40 million per month to import electricity. You cannot speak of a tiny surplus created by demand suppression methods and difficulties in getting foreign currency and you boast of foreign currency.
I want to say to the Hon. Minister of Finance, do not be concerned with lipstick, mascara and foundation. Do not be concerned about figures. Let the economy itself speak truthfully – what is the proper GDP growth rate? Another lipstick issue is; it is unprecedented in the history of economics and I am not an economist – I am just a poor lawyer but it is unprecedented in the history of economics that a Minister of Finance, a whole educated Professor can suppress inflation figures. It is not possible.
The Minister does not have the power to issue a directive in terms of the Statistical Act of directing the Zimbabwe Statistical Offices (ZIMSTATS) to suspend inflation figures but more importantly from a good governance point of view, it is improper for the Minister to suspend inflation figures. What are you trying to hide? Let the economic figures speak. Disclose GDP, inflation rates and proper debt figures.
On the issue of debt, only last week this august House adopted a report by the Public Accounts Committee on serious non-compliance issues at the Ministry of Finance. One of the issues we raised was that the Minister of Finance was not bringing before this august House consolidated figures of overall debt twice a year as is required by Section 300 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. We note with regret that practice is continuing. I associate myself with the remarks of the esteemed Chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee, Hon. Mhona that it is not good enough. The Minister of Finance must comply with Section 300 of the Constitution and supply a proper schedule of all the debt that is contracted in the name of Zimbabwe.
This is a big issue because we know that the Reserve Bank is busy contracting debt. Two years ago, this august House was forced to pass an RBZ Debt Assumption Bill of US$1.5 billion. I want to assure Hon. Members that unless we stamp our feet and our ground, the next Debt Assumption Bill from the RBZ will be bigger than US$1.5 billion. Hon. Minister Sir, please comply with Section 300 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
I want to move to solutions but there is one governance issue that concerns me. The Ministry of Finance seeks to allocate to itself in an unallocated reserve the sum of $1 192 384 000. Hon. Speaker, this is bad governance. The House must approve every cent in the Blue Book. When the Ministry of Finance becomes at the forefront of mafia and bad governance – it is not acceptable. The Minister must disaggregate this $1.9 billion and then distribute it to the respective ministries and not to hide zvikwambo nezvisenga imo mu $1.9 billion.
I want to move to solutions. I want to say to the esteemed Minister of Finance that this economy will not move without attending to structural reforms both political and economics. We are wasting our time Hon. Speaker, if we ignore the challenge of legitimacy and the fundamental fact that there has to be dialogue in this country.
Secondly, the Hon. Minister must attend to the structural issue of ghost workers. The wage bill is consuming about 85% of the resources. The Government must have the courage and decency of addressing the wage bill.
Hon. Speaker Sir, I want to say to the Minister of Finance and Economic Development that the move to dedollarise the economy was a disaster, a tsunami and I want to submit, Hon. Speaker, that the Hon. Minister must repeal Statutory Instrument 142 of 2019 and immediately redollarise the country. Without redollarising the country, Hon. Speaker, we are going nowhere in the short term, so I submit.
The fourth thing, Hon. Speaker, we need an urgent resolution on the Zimbabwe debt crisis. The country cannot move with a crippling debt of US$17 billion or US$18 billion. Since October 2015, the Government has been doddering with the Lima process. Lima is dead, it must be buried at Warren Hills. The IMF is wasting time with us. We need to carry out serious structural reforms so that this country can move forward, but as I said at the beginning, without political reforms we are wasting our time. I thank you very much Hon. Speaker
Below is a series of reactions by some ZANU PF members as they crashed onto the wall after hearing that there is no MDC regalia during the upcoming demonstration tomorrow.
They have to put on their regalia, people's march? l not part to this, so why shying away from your usual red?
My take is none of these MDCA politicians want to be held responsible when things go wrong and people get killed. Question is who applied for permission to demonstrate?
THE Zanu PF youth league in Mashonaland East province yesterday held an emergency meeting in Marondera to devise ways to thwart tomorrow’s nationwide protests organised by the MDC.
NewsDay is reliably informed that the league’s provincial members met to map the way forward on how to prevent the demonstrations by protesters who are irked by the current economic crisis, which has resulted in the majority of citizens facing survival challenges.
Provincial youth chairperson Kelvin Mutsvairo confirmed the meeting, saying the youth league was prepared for a head-on with violent protesters in the province.
“As the youth league, we are prepared for a head-on with protesters in this province. We don’t tolerate violence as occurred in January, hence the move to defend peace-loving and progressive people of Zimbabwe. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been on record calling political players to come to the table and present their ideas that will benefit the nation, he has an open door policy,” he said.
In January, protesters besieged and pulled down Dombotombo Police Station and overpowered police officers, who scampered for cover, while some of them were injured in the attack. The protesters allegedly ransacked the police station, stealing computers, teargas canisters and destroying dockets.
A man was also shot dead in Dombotombo suburb by suspected police officers who were trying to disperse the crowd before hundreds, including the MDC Alliance councillors, were arrested and charged with inciting the violence.
“The MDC Alliance should take heed to President Mnangagwa’s call for dialogue if they are serious about dealing with the economic crisis, not war. We will match the protestors as we do not tolerate violence,” Mutsvairo added.
Following the announcement of the protest dates, Zanu PF has been responding with threats to block the protesters, with some top officials openly declaring that the army would thwart the demonstrations.
Meanwhile, Zanu PF-linked cleric Obadiah Msindo said, while protesting was a right enshrined in the Constitution, the opposition party should ensure the process is peaceful to safeguard democracy, economic prosperity and national cohesion.
“Yes, demonstrating is their right, but if it turns violent, it ceases to be a right because it violates other people’s rights,” he said.
Alleging that there were criminal elements and other political forces, even in the ruling party and former Zanu PF members booted out of government who are bitter with the presidency of Mnangagwa, he added: “They are itching to use such an opportunity to remove the President through violence.”
Foreign-owned spaza shops in this file picture taken a year ago, were looted after allegations that they sold expired food products. Scenes similar to this played themselves out on Wednesday as foreign-owned shops came under attack.
Foreign-owned shops in Soweto were under siege on Wednesday as residents went on a looting spree in about six townships.
Townships that have been affected so far are said to be Zola, Emdeni, Moletsane, White City, Zondi and Rockville.
The assault on foreigners is reminiscent of a wave of xenophobic attacks that were unleashed in Soweto a year ago. Last year’s attacks on spaza shops left foreign traders counting losses following allegations that they were selling expired products.
Police spokesman Cpt Kay Makhubele confirmed that residents from a number of townships have been looting foreign-owned stores since Wednesday evening.
“At the moment it is not clear what started this. We are yet to determine the widescale of the looting but we have members on the ground monitoring the situation,” he said.
He said it could not be established yet whether any injuries have been reported or if any arrests have been made.
Residents in White City claimed that the looting was the community’s way of showing their anger at the attack in police officers in Johannesburg’s CBD over two weeks ago.
Police were embarrassed by foreign traders who forced them to beat a hasty retreat under a rain of stones as they attempted to force their way into some of the buildings believed to be used to store counterfeit goods.
But last week, they reclaimed control of the Johannesburg CBD through the
“Okae Molao” operation which saw seven assault rifles, three pistols and millions worth of counterfeit goods being confiscated by the police in the inner city.
Hundreds of undocumented foreign nationals were also arrested during the intensified operation.
Resident Tshepo Lehohla told Sowetan that residents felt that they were being disrespected by foreign nationals.
“How can people from out of this country attack our police officers? Police in other countries would not tolerate that. People are angry because of that,” he said.
Another resident said the looting was bound to happen.
Moeketsi Tladi said he was not surprised at what was happening in his area.
“People have been upset with what happened. It was only a matter of time,” he said.
Chief Nhanhlayamangwe Khayisa Ndiweni of Ntabazinduna has called on Zimbabweans to take part in a series of anti-government protests called by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
Ndiweni, who has broken ranks with the largely pro-Zanu PF chiefs’ body, said the protests were “non-partisan” because the economic situation and political paralysis in the country was affecting everyone.
“I’m hopeful that on this occasion these protests will be a family day. Bring out your whole family, let’s all come out on the day of protest; a peaceful legal protest because it’s about engagement, it’s about communication with the current administration,” Ndiweni said in a video message posted on Twitter.
Watch Ndiweni speak on his official Twitter page:
Good afternoon Mahlabezulu! Let’s talk about the upcoming planned demonstration. Part 1 of 3. pic.twitter.com/2MMbgrPySz
In 1918, Eller Wheeler Wilcox the great American author once said “to sin by silence, when they should protest, makes cowards of many” . Subsequently, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has called for public demonstrations which shall commense on Friday the 16th of August 2019. This comes after a long series of threats from the MDC leadership since their loss in the 2018 disputed Elections. In their recent press briefing, they have described their ” Free Zimbabwe March” as a continuous protest whose success or failure is under the onus of its administrative arm. Ceteris paribas, here is why there shall be a huge turn-out on the 16th of August 2019;
*Uniformed Forces* : The MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa has extended his hand to the uniformed forces as witnessed in his Defense Forces speech. He has psychologically roped in the families, relatives and friends of approximately 85,000 members of the uniformed forces in Zimbabwe. He said that the March would represent the men in uniform since their occupation prohibits them from protests. More-so, the Comander of the Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF) General Philip V. Sibanda has also assured the nation that the military will not interfere with the socio-political affairs in Zimbabwe. Nelson Chamisa’s outreach to the uniformed forces can play a major role in increasing the turn-up of protesters on the 16th of August 2019.
*Christian community* : Christians are the majority religious group in Zimbabwe characterised by a staggering 13.6 million (85%) followers, while 15% is comprised of Muslims, African Traditional Religious sects, Atheists inter-alia. The MDC has made efforts to engage Christians through a socio-psychological campaign witnessed by a series of prayer calls, fasting and social media devotion. Beyond doubt, this move cannot be underestimated as the majority of the citizens gave heed to Chamisa’s devotion calls. The MDC is a political party that has evidently captured a huge spectrum of the religious circle. Considering the afore-mentioned insight, the MDC Protest is expected to witness a huge turnout with the Christian group maximising the overall turnout!
*Reactionary Groups* : The Zanu-PF supporters have proved to be the only conservative group in the country whilst the rest of Zimbabweans tend to be reactionary. The conservative groups are comprised of the minority population that is gaining from Zimbabwe’s current socio-economic catastrophe. However on the other side lies millions of reactionary individuals who have been victims of the current economic challenges. The majority of the citizens are currently feeling the agony of unemployment, corruption, poverty and inflation. These millions of aggrieved people are longing for a shift of the saddening current affairs. The MDC has made efforts to reach out to these masses of reactionary supporters and citizens through social media and and on spot rallies. It is from this huge group that the MDC demonstrations shall be anchored!
*Endorsements* : The Movement for Democratic change in its quest for alleviating the current crisis has also enjoyed numerous endorsements from various influential groups in Zimbabwe. These groups include the Tajamuka Pressure group which recently made a public statement that it will be taking part in the 16 August protests. The Tajamuka Pressure group is well known for radical protests that terrorised the Zanu-PF regime during the Mugabe epoch. The MDC also enjoys a defacto endorsement from its metaphoric parent, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union ( ZCTU). ZCTU was founded in 1981 and has amassed tremendous affiliation from 25 employee unions in Zimbabwe including Zimbabwe Domestic and Allied Workers Union (ZDAWU), Zimbabwe Textile Workers Union (ZTWU), Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) et ali. This has a positive impact on the turnout of protesters on the 16th August as most workers are affiliates of the ZCTU. The MDC has also been endorsed by most religious leaders inter-alia Emmanuel Makandiwa who recently warned the Zanu-PF governed against blocking public protests. Talent Chiwenga, a renowned street preacher has also been on record exposing the current government and supporting the young MDC leadership in his sermons. These criticisms of the current government by religious leaders is a green light for their followers to support the Movement for Democratic Change, mutatis mutandis their demonstrations on the 16th of August 2019.
With this religious, political and technological approach, the MDC is likely to witness a huge turnout of its supporters on the 16th of August 2019!
Nemine contradecentre, the MDC must also take note of the following facts lests we witness poor attendance of the much awaited demonstrations.
*Reign of Military Terror:* After the Mugabe epoch, Zimbabwe has devolved from being a police state to a military state. The government has been deploying soldiers to interfere with civil affairs. As a result, a lot of citizens have lost their lives on August 1, 2018 and January 15, 2019 respectively . Abductions of citizens like Dzamara and the recent abduction and torturer of Tatenda Mombeyarara have added more harm to injury. This has degenerated into a general paranoia of the citizens. Zanu-PF big wigs like Mr. Matemadanda are also on record promising the citizens that the military is ready to thwart any public protests. This fear and reign of terror will definitely have a negative impact on the attendance of protesters on 16 August, 2019 .
*Friday is a week day* : Majority of the employed Zimbabweans will be at their workplace on the 16th of August 2019. Due to the current employment hardships, only a few Zimbabweans can risk their jobs due to a national protest. This anomaly has a negative impact in minimising the turn-up of protesters on the first day of the Demonstrations.
*Informal Economy* : Due to the decline of Industrialisation and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Zimbabwe now has 97% unemployment rate. This entails that the majority of the population is now active in the underground economy and informal markets. Therefore, most of the citizens of Zimbabwe are self-employed and rely on daily profits for survival. The call for national protests to them comes as a negative blow to their day’s income. It is therefore hard for them to risk raising money for residential rent, education fees for children and general house welfare because of a national demonstration. This pitiful state of affairs will have a negative impact on the protest attendance .
*Passive citizenry* : Zimbabweans have proved to be passive political actors as compared to their neighboring counterparts in South Africa or Malawi. It is clear from Zimbabwean history that no public demonstrations against the Zanu-PF regime have produced tangible results. Zimbabwe has seen teacher protests (ARTUZ), student demonstrations of 2007, the lawyers march of 2019 and the recurrent Tajamuka protests. Most of these demonstrations however did not result in any meaningful change, but rather resulted in loss of lives. This has discouraged the ordinary citizens from taking part in the demonstrations.
It is however a clear fact that despite all the odds, the MDC demonstration is going to witness a huge turnout. The outcome of these demonstrations may degenerate into civil unrest and chaos, but ultimately, they may push the country’s leaders to the negotiation table! Let’s wait and see
_Erasmus Pongo is a Political Analyst and International HR Consultant_ _( Travel, Talent and Employment Service)_
South African football champions Mamelodi Sundowns have reportedly tabled a R15 million (US$1m) bid to re-land the services of Kaizer Chiefs’ Zimbabwean forward Khama Billiat.
But Kaizer Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung has cast doubt about reports linking Billiat with a R15 million return to Mamelodi Sundowns.
Billiat has been linked with a move back to Sundowns after just one season with the Glamour Boys.
In a report on Tuesday, the Brazilians acting general manager Yogesh Singh revealed that talks were advancing with regard the 28-year-old making his return to Chloorkop.
Nonetheless, Motaung, affectionately nicknamed “Bobsteak” for his love of food and for the fact he controls Chiefs’ purse strings in the transfer market, indicated that Singh’s statement was misleading.
He told Goal: “I’m not going to say anything about those things. As Chiefs, we haven’t said anything.
“There is nothing I am going to say about Khama Billiat. I don’t know what those guys (Sundowns) are talking about. Thank you.”
The Zimbabwe ace scored 14 goals in all competitions in 2018/19 but it was not enough to earn Amakhosi any silverware.
On Tuesday Sundowns’ acting general manager Singh is said to have confirmed that talks between the two clubs were ongoing and negotiations were advancing.
As such, was revealed that the Brazilians have made an offer of R15 million for the forward to make a possible return to Chloorkop.
The 28-year-old spent five seasons of success with Downs before making a big money switch to the Glamour Boys at the start of 2018/19.
However, it seems the player is not content with life at Chiefs and reports suggest he is a major instigator behind wanting a return to his former club.
Public Service, Labour and Social Security Minister Dr Sekai Nzenza
State Media|GOVERNMENT says it is determined to ensure that all criminal offences unearthed by the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) forensic audit report are referred the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Corruption (ZACC) while corporate governance deficit issues are handled internally.
Further, there are efforts to recover some of the losses suffered by NSSA due to lack of good corporate governance by management.
This was said by Public Service, Labour and Social Security Minister Dr Sekai Nzenza in an exclusive interview with state media.
The NSSA forensic audit report, conducted by BDO Chartered Accountants, unearthed five key irregularities; corporate governance , human resources, investments, ICT and labour shortcomings.
She said it took her time to table the NSSA report in Parliament because she wanted legal experts to break it down and know how to deal with the criminal elements and corporate governance matters arising from the report.
Dr Nzenza said experts were required given “the complexity of the irregularities in this forensic report”, but hiring them took two months as they had to comply the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) regulations.
“So they (lawyers) had 30 days to give me a summary of their findings. When they gave me the report, I realised there was two ways to look at this; the criminal side that goes to Judge Matanda-Moyo working with Thabani Mpofu (a criminal law expert) and the internal part, within NSSA, which is really now my next step.
“My next step is to look at the internal processes, identify what actually went wrong, where is it broken?”
Dr Nzenza said the main agenda now “is to recover” the losses suffered and deal with cases of maladministration and misconduct that led to the losses.
“I cannot quantify the losses, even now if you ask me. So the aim is to recover some of those losses, may be some of those losses have been done due to bad investments or some of those losses may have happened because we may not have done due diligence when giving out loans.
“We are looking forward to good corporate governance, good, sound investments with transparency and accountability, and I think what happened in the past is regrettable. The losses that happened in the past are regrettable but again that’s being unpacked now by people responsible for looking at what went wrong in the past and can we recover? How much can we recover from the losses?”
Dr Nzenza could not be drawn into revealing some of the measures that would be used to try and recover what NSSA was prejudiced by management.
“I am no expert in recovery but this is why I have to rely on expertise in investment. One of the lawyers we have who identified what I referred to as irregularities in investment, his responsibility now is to unpack what happened?
“He knows how to recover because he is an expert in that field because he has proven that he is capable of knowing what’s criminal and what’s not,” said Dr Nzenza.
She said she wants the experts to inform them how much NSSA lost and what they could be recovered and given “back to the pensioners”.
Some employees who were unprocedurally recruited, included one who came third during interviews but employed after her boyfriend allegedly pleaded with a top official currently being investigated, face the prospect of being sacked if they lack requisite qualifications.
– “…you cannot have people in ZIFA mooting, or muting sanctions against a superior authority, as has happened.”
– It is the ZIFA Secretariat which is guilty.
Phillip Chiyangwa
By Simba Chikanza | The former ZIFA President, Phillip Chiyangwa has responded to an announcement of a lifetime ban from the football body by his successor’s leadership.
The current Cosafa head spoke to ZimEye at length at midnight Wednesday and below is the full transcript of the interview:
“This is a joke and it’ll remain a joke and people here want winners, they don’t want losers. These guys are all losers,” said Chiyangwa.
He continued saying, “and they should brace themselves for the worst in terms of a response that they will get out of all this nonsense. I am a Zimbabwean citizen and I’m entitled to mix and mingle I’ve never been involved with ZIFA or with anything to do with Kamanga (sic). I don’t waste my time. But for them to be concentrating on following through a situation in which they think they have been successful on me yet they have failed on the pitch. I am telling you where they are coming, it’s more dangerous than just looking at the pitch. It’s just looking at the pitch, but they have failed, that’s all. They are running after my shadow what have I done? “
Qu. – If I could ask you, earlier on you said that it is you alone who can fire ZIFA officials…
Chiyangwa: ” ZIFA and COSAFA, one is subordinate to the other, okay?
“COSAFA is the regional body, alright? And you cannot have people in ZIFA mooting, or muting sanctions against a superior authority, as has happened.”
“Especially unsubstantiated claims and making things out of the blues, having… by the way, this guy was assising so and so, was doing this and that. Hey, hey, hey, I am sorry to say but a comprehensive response will follow and when that happens, I am sure they will still be in office to actually stand to answer and defend themselves.
“Those lies are a very big crime it terms of football. You don’t create and cook up lies. Everything you do in football must be viewed by the other person. This is why they have even gone as far as putting machines that can track reality on the pitch, so that you can go and look at it and say oh, this is true. These are damn liars, they’re a bunch of failures that have just decided that I am one of those candidates which they can blackmail in the public on their own performance which is dismal; Personally, domestically here they have just failed. And this is one of those things that defines their failure? talking about Chiyangwa.
“People want to see those success stories, not failure… you know there have been PSL clubs that have been successful in the past week, beating up foreign teams, that is not what is being celebrated. They’re busy wanting people to divert attention, and pay attention to the wrong things.
“What have I to do with the local football scene? In fact I was in PE where they themselves were participating. But look at it this way, I don’t see how myself I get involved in the local scene, what for?
“Once I turn my head and walk away, I walked away from many things in my life. Why so much concentration and making it look like there is something about Zimbabwe football. They are failing in the local scene, they should leave it for those that can handle it.”
Qu. When did you make this submission?… I am referring to the exact charges (against you) by ZIFA. Do you remmeber the time when you made that submission?
Chiyangwa: “Okay here is the story here: It’s very funny that I am having to respond to it but I think what happens, when they do these kind of things there shall be a follow-up investigation, because it has to be done. Somebody here has to answer for what they are saying, truthfully or wrongly you understand what I’m saying? So, before pre-empting the responses that are inevitable with this thing, you must know that everything which happened with respect to whether it’s COSAFA or anything that I am involved in, when it is coming from ZIFA it is the Secretariat. The very same guys who are being made to write letters to me are the same people who handled this matter, not me.
“There has been no change of chief executive officer, it is Mamutse himself who will have to answer about what happened here and here and here, I mean, I know that this matter was handled even after my presidency, you understand?
“And they went through to a disciplinary hearing when they made their submissions, and failed to explain why they would do that. It has absolutely nothing to do with Phillip Chiyangwa but to the public they want to make it look like Chiyangwa was at the forefront, Chiyangwa did this and that. Simply having been president, was merely to direct how things are done, right or wrong, but I certainly in my period I was very successful.So here we come now with these people: every move is designed to fail. Instead of profering a more plausible response to everything, they simply want to use camouflage, hiding behind the finger over anything, and everything so it doesn’t work that way. Things have got to be answered for and I know that the answers are lying straight with the ZIFA secretariat and one of the other board members is there, he was key to all the things that happened with respect to the COSAFA bid. So today I must be busy chasing after these particular issues. I don’t have time to waste like that. Look at the papers that they have concerning COSAFA. Who is there, its Phillip Chiyangwa writing to and from COSAFA.
“I have to look for matches to be played in Zimbabwe you know we are going for AFCON, before I left there was only one game to play for us to qualify for AFCON. I literally qualified for AFCON 2019. So you do not say to me I don’t plan for my team to continue playing, as if you are busy asking me all those silly questions, like I mean, “what happened to the bid?” You have papers there, look at them and say who was writing up to the time I left office, months months months later after I left office, then you turn around and say by the way Chiyangwa is the one who did this. Aaah, do I have to go to the public and show everything? That is not how I operate.”
Qn: Is it not that they are saying you were the authority?
Chiyangwa: “It doesn’t work like this okay. Everything that happens when you have anything going on is executed by the secretariat working together with one of the board members responsible for that particular competitions and or findings; are you with me? It ends there, it does not have to be the president. This is just a lame excuse. You know. People are being taken for a ride. But the truth of the matter is when all the documents are looked at, remember these people went for a hearing and they lost their case and were fined, and not lightly fined.”
Qn: So are you able to give a hint of what measures you were going to take in response to this?
Chiyangwa: “No no no, I am saying to you that I really… (sic) these people are desperate, and it’s a sign of desperation to do this you cannot have a weekly story on a particular individual, person of Zimbabwe who occupies an international office; you are busy talking about him all the time, that is failure, ok? Vakomana ava vapererwa.
“And unfortunately I am sorry to say they are a bunch of failures of the worst type, in terms of Sport. It’s sad I am having to deal with these people hearing them and wasting my time, they are wasting my time, really seriously I have much more to do. And I don’t care what they do, so they mustn’t bother themselves coming my way, because all I am going to do is going to ask my COSAFA secretariat to tell me the story regarding the bid, and simply make it public.”
Qn: Lastly Sir, what do you think is motivating all this?
Chiyangwa: ” failure failure by themselves. They think the public in Zimbabwe will hate Chiyangwa so much for what he has not done. You see(Waona). This is total failure by themselves. If they were winners they would not do this…”
Zimbabwe has once again entered uncharted waters. With an ailing economy and a citizenry that is growing restless by the day, the stakes are higher for the ruling party Zanu PF to deliver on its election promises.
In response to the dire economic situation that the country is facing, Zimbabwe’s main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), has called for mass protests against the government in various cities across the country, starting on Friday, August 16 in Harare.
As is characteristic of the ruling party when it is cornered, it has resorted to violence as a form of oppression and repression to dissent. As we head towards the August mass protests, there will be a marked increase in state sponsored violence by Zanu PF to cower opposition party leaders, members and supporters into submission.
Therefore, it is, necessary to unpack the effects of political violence on the social well-being of the Zimbabwean masses and to stress that no Zimbabwean life or property is worth losing over political expediency. It is also imperative to challenge those who have the political voice to denounce violence to do so, as well as appeal to those who carry out these acts of violence to reform and repent.
In recent days, there have been several reports surfacing pointing to increased threats of violence against opposition party leaders and supporters, an indication that the ruling party has already gone into violence mode. Chances are high and reports indicate that state sponsored militia will be unleashed on poor Zimbabweans in the days leading up to, during, and after the demonstrations. The objective is to punish citizens for exercising their democratic right to peaceful protest.
On August 11, 2019, the Deputy Minister of Defense, Victor Matemadanda, was quoted having said that the protests would not happen. This is despite that these protests have been sanctioned by the authorities. Up to this day there has not been condemnation of his utterances by anyone in Zanu PF. This shows that they support what Matemadanda said and proves that Zanu PF leaders can get away with murder and will never be asked to clarify their statements. The way the state handles cases like these leaves a bitter state in my mouth and is testament to the impunity that has characterized Zanu PF’s leadership since 1980.
It is regrettable that the ruling party has also groomed ‘youngsters’ who are equally blind and have been indoctrinated by the gospel of hate that has left our country more divided than united. In a press conference held on August 14, 2019, Zanu PF youth, through their leader, Pupurai Togarepi, declared war against the protesters, urging ‘all Zanu PF youth to ‘defend our election victory and peace’ and that, ‘the protest will not be a walk in the park for them, because Zanu PF youths ‘will be there to defend democracy’.
This promotion and condoning of violence by the ruling party creates a state of lawlessness and gives license to unruly elements who take advantage of the breakdown in law and order under the protection of Zanu PF to vent their anger and settle personal scores.
On August 14, 2019, Zimbabweans woke up to photos of Tatenda Mombeyarara, a member of the Citizen’s Manifesto, and Blessing Kanotunga, MDC Youth Chairperson for Mufakose District, who were abducted from their homes in the dead of the night and tortured in connection with planning the protests.
The abominable irony is that Zanu PF uses the same tactics as the colonial Ian Smith regime which was brutal and repressive to black Africans who were calling for the end to white minority rule.
State machinery, including the army, police and intelligence were used to quell demonstrations which were led by black nationalists fighting for racial freedom. In similar fashion, 39 years after independence, the Zanu PF-led government continues to use the same tactics of fear and intimidation to maintain its grip on power. This gives merit to the argument that Zimbabwe has never tasted freedom. We only changed oppressors.
The right to peaceful protest is enshrined in our constitution. Therefore, it is distressing that Matemadanda and Togarepi, both representing Zanu PF would respond in the way they have. Their reactions are characteristic of a regime that is at war against its own citizens. It is both deplorable and sad that the Zanu PF youth feel the need to defend a revolution, in the words of Dr. Noah Manyika, ‘…that has already been won’.
Zanu PF must admit who they are, and reform. They are a vengeful lot with misdirected anger who label anybody who demands accountability from them sell-outs who deserve to die. No Zimbabwean, and certainly not Zanu PF has higher claim to Zimbabwe than the other. I find Zanu PF’s arrogance, sense of entitlement, impunity and superiority complex nauseating. Zimbabweans are not their enemies. Their enemies are their corruption and ineptitude!
In the words of Isaac Asimov, “Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.”
The violence sponsored by Zanu-PF and the state is evidence of their incompetence and dismal failure at reviving our once prosperous economy. Our government is clueless at finding solutions to the crisis that is facing our nation, hence they default to violence to assert their power.
As a result, our values and respect for human life have been eroded and replaced with selfishness and greed which are characteristic of our kleptocratic government. A sad reality is that Zimbabweans have come to expect violence and intimidation from Zanu PF whenever they want to register their displeasure against the government. This muddle breeds fear in the hearts of citizens and creates a tense and melancholic atmosphere for opposition political party members and supporters.
This whole gamut of experiences points to the overall breakdown in the moral and social fabric of our nation, and it is time that citizens realize our power and bring our nation back to sanity.
I would like to challenge all politicians to respect our national constitution and allow peaceful protests rather than mobilize political sentiments to justify brutality like Matemadanda and Togarepi did.
Justice must rule and prevail. Political leaders should appeal to the senses of Zimbabweans to shun violence by speaking the language of inclusion and desist from labeling opposition supporters as pro-West and counter-revolutionaries who must be exterminated.
In the same vein, Zimbabweans must refuse and stop accepting falsehoods and indoctrination by political leaders who label Zimbabweans with different political inclinations to Zanu PF as enemies. All leaders, especially Zanu PF leaders, must preach and practice the message of tolerance and co-existence which will eventually filter down to the citizens.
As citizens we must also question our loyalties and allegiances. We need to be pragmatic about addressing political violence as a nation and allow the voice of reason to speak. It is important to stress here that the biggest losers in this matrix are the people of Zimbabwe, as the politicians behind these acts of violence do not themselves have to deal with the consequences.
Zanu PF must understand that every citizen has the right to political participation without fear. Politics is not the preserve of a few but is for all Zimbabweans. Zanu PF knows that in a free environment it will never persevere against the will of the people, so they make sure that citizens do not fully participate in political processes. Without the participation of the majority of the citizens, Zanu PF will remain in power and Zimbabwe will continue the downward trajectory that it is currently on.
During civilian action, our professional forces must not side with the ruling party in a deliberate effort to avoid prosecuting those who are responsible for violence but must be seen to be impartial. No-one is and should be above the law!
Institutions such as the church and the media should create programs that unite the people and encourage the creation of shared identities, promote dialogue, encourage conflict resolution, and foster a sense of patriotism. Our identity as a nation should be built on inclusion by understanding and articulating our common needs as a people. The economic meltdown has not spared anyone regardless of political affiliation. It is Zimbabweans who are suffering, not just Zanu PF or MDC members, or those who are apolitical.
The church and its leaders have a huge part to play in Zimbabwean politics and they should not absolve themselves of the responsibility to address socio-political issues. Churches must stop telling their members to stay away from politics as this is tantamount to siding with the oppressor and promoting apathy. It is the role of the church to establish programs that promote forgiveness and tolerance over anger and revenge.
There is always common ground and we need to bring into the limelight what unites us rather than what divides us. As citizens, we must develop the courage to face this aggression and filter out the negative sentiments from our political leaders and challenge them to promote unity. This demands that we speak truth to power and call out our leaders when they err.
I implore all the citizens who want to protest to exercise their right to protest peacefully, and to the ruling party to exercise restraint, stop fanning violence and allow for freedom of expression.
Lindsey Machona Maenzanise
Lindsey Machona Maenzanise is a Zimbabwean Writer, Blogger, and Personal and Community Development Strategist based in Canada.
By Lionel Saungweme| Suspected ZANU PF youths Tuesday evening assaulted Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) member, Shelton “Zhuga” Tembo, on his way from Bulawayo’s Sizinda Township shops where he had bought relish for supper.
The assault coincides with a warning given by MDC security that “members should be wary of public spaces such as markets as these have been occupied by state security agents.”
“MDC members should be careful of state security agents masquerading as either party members or our erstwhile political opponents,” said Senator Lilian Timveos who is a member of the MDC’s National Executive.
Zhuga was assaulted on the eyes, nose, head, hand, left leg and teeth. He has reported his case to the police and will today be attended to by medical staff at Mpilo Hospital.
The assault on Zhuga coincided with similar if not severe assaults on human rights lawyer, Tatenda Mombeyarara and the abduction of MDC Mufakose Youth Chairman, Blessing Kanotunga in Harare.
According to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Mombeyarara was abducted from his home early morning and severely tortured by six heavily-armed and unidentified men.
ZLHR allege that the during the torture the unidentified men interrogated him about a so called “Maldives training” and also about Harare’s 16 August 2019 protests.
ZHLR allege that the abductors wanted details of the demonstrations and information on how the protests were being organised.
“Although Tatenda denied any involvement, the men continued their vicious, barbaric attacks on him,” reads a ZLHR message on its Twitter handle.
In an almost similar incident, Mufakose MDC Youth Chairperson, Blessing Kanotunga was abducted from his house and tortured by five unidentified armed men .
The abductors interrogated Kanotunga about the 16 August 2019 protests in Harare and later dumped him near Chitungwiza.
A comment from the police national Spokesperson was not forthcoming as her phone rang unanswered.
However, MDC Youth Assembly National Spokesperson, Stephen Sarkozy Chuma said, “it is … a sign of cowardice and desperation to stop our August 16 mass action program.
In that regard, we would like to make it clear that the August 16 demonstrations will go ahead as planned albeit through peaceful means.”
THE Zanu-PF Youth League in Matabeleland South yesterday slammed the planned MDC Alliance demonstration set for tomorrow, saying it is an unwanted political gimmick bent on causing anarchy in the country.
The party’s provincial Youth League chairman Washington Nkomo said youths stand in solidarity with President Mnangagwa, who has stood firm on economic transformation of the country. He said the President is positioning the country for prosperity hence it is not the time to take matters to the streets.
“We stand in support of His Excellency’s fight against corruption and indeed his efforts to rebuild this great nation. His commitment to fight corruption has resulted in the prosecution of high profile people recently, and so far a whole Minister was relieved of her duties on that account, a record that many countries are learning from,” he said.
President Mnangagwa fired Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira who is facing corruption charges involving US$95 million.
Nkomo said President Mnangagwa has championed reconciliation through promotion of freedom of expression even in matters that were previously discussed in hushed tones.
He said the Youth League is aware of machinations of the opposition who want to destabilise the country’s peace.
Nkomo said MDC Alliance which has failed to get an electoral mandate from the people only understand chaos and violence as a means of remaining relevant.
“We have witnessed for the very first time a President publicly addressing the Gukurahundi issue, the multiparty dialogue among many other engagement efforts he has spearheaded. All these efforts give us hope as the youthful populace of this country. We are very cognisant, however, of the fact that agents of regime change and terrorists do not enjoy the steady progress and peace which we are enjoying, they wish to see our nation slide into anarchy,” he said.
“We have seen previous pseudo-demonstrations turning violent and chaotic at a speed unimaginable. All such fake ‘peaceful demonstrations’ are fronted by mercenaries and criminals. This is very evident in the manner in which shops are looted, civilians are attacked and vehicles burnt.”
Nkomo said the youths will not stand aloof as the opposition attempts to throw the country into turmoil. He urged the public to go about their business.
“We therefore wish to categorically state that the Matabeleland South Youth League is solidly behind the President, his Government and the masses of Zimbabwe, as such we will not tolerate or allow violence and acts of banditry in all our towns and growth points, Beitbridge, Gwanda, Plumtree, Filabusi and Esigodini,” said Nkomo.
State run media claims that divisions and infighting has rocked the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC ahead of the demonstration scheduled for tomorrow.
The media reports that Chegutu mayor Councillor Henry Muchatibaya confirmed the divisions in the party ahead of the demonstration.
“MDC-Alliance is now being run by selfish and power-hungry people who are not working for the people, but for positions. These people have their selfish interests and they are using people to push their selfish agendas. These Friday demonstrations that are being preached by MDC-Alliance leadership are tools being used to push for positions.
“The party is being run as a project and totally different from when we joined. There are people who still do not see that they are being used by this leadership,” he said.
Clr Muchatibaya urged the leadership to go “back to the ground and fix the problems” before the electorate lose trust in them.
He said former party president the late Mr Morgan Tsvangirai was never in the habit of imposing candidates as has become the case now.
Clr Muchatibaya said Mr Tsvangirai would always consult supporters, but Mr Chamisa “relies on rumour mongers who are also eyeing positions in the party”.
He said when the MDC-Alliance leadership recently toured some council projects in Chegutu, he was never informed of the visit as the mayor, but his deputy Mr Mafios Shumba was told.
“These factions that are ruining the party have always been there and even during the primary elections,” he said.
Commenting on the demonstrations, MDC-Alliance spokesperson Daniel Molokele said he could not guarantee their peacefulness.
“I am not a prophet to predict what will happen on Friday. What I can say is that we cannot be stopped from practicing our constitutional rights,” said Mr Molokele to the media.
State Media|MDC-ALLIANCE should stop abusing the democratic space ushered by the New Dispensation through engaging in unnecessary violent demonstrations that infringe other peoples’ rights who want to undertake their socio-economic activities peacefully, Zanu-PF Secretary for Youth Affairs Pupurai Togarepi has said.
Togarepi said Zanu-PF youths would keep a close eye to ensure the demonstrations don’t turn violent and threaten the prevailing peace and tranquillity.
Residents under the banner of Zimbabwe Combined Residents and Ratepayers Association (Zicora) separately said demos were counter-productive.
“We are not going to allow any nonsense. We are prepared to defend our party, our democracy, our peace, the freedom of our people to go about their business without interference.
“So those who want to demonstrate, its enshrined in the constitution that they can demonstrate but to those who give threats that they would want change the Government through demonstrations and anarchy, we will be there waiting for them,” he said.
Togarepi said the country voted last year and a winner declared, with the MDC-Alliance going to the Constitutional Court to challenge the outcome.
He said it was unnecessary for the MDC-Alliance to seek to overturn the people’s will through violence.
“Our Constitution allows us to defend our peace, it allows us in the event that we are violated,” he said.
Togarepi warned MDC-Alliance that demonstrations would not solve the challenges facing the country, adding that they actually worsened the situation and inflicted pain on innocent citizens.
Meanwhile, Zicora has also urged peace-loving Zimbabweans not to participate in tomorrow’s violent demonstrations.
Zicora executive president Mr McStephen Nyabvure yesterday said political parties should always resolve their issues through dialogue and not mayhem.
“While we understand it is a constitutional right to demonstrate or petition, such rights are not absolute and must also be exercised by people who are aware that other people’s rights.” must be respected.
After controversially flooding health centres in Lupane with medication and health equipment ahead of the Lupane South by election held last month, ZANU PF has taken the same strategy to Glenview Constituency ahead of yet another by election.
This time the ruling party is using First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa who they claim is government Health and Child Care Ambassador to distribute medical equipment into the constituency.
Mrs Mnangagwa was in the constituency yesterday where she promised to forward requests by medical practitioners and local leadership to relevant authorities for Glen View Polyclinic to be immediately upgraded to a referral district hospital with adequate equipment for procedures such as cervical cancer screening and treatment.
The First Lady also donated baby blankets and clothes to mothers to boast the ZANU PF campaign through her shadowy charity organisation, Angel of Hope Foundation.
Mrs Mnangagwa toured the maternity ward and donated baby kits to newborn babies in the ward.
She also donated similar items to women who had come for antenatal and post-natal care.
The First Lady also handed over baby clothes to the clinic donated by an apostolic sect — Sungano Yevapositori — to cater for dumped babies and disadvantaged expecting women who come to deliver without adequate materials at the polyclinic and other surrounding clinics.
Addressing the gathering, the First Lady thanked members of Sungano Yevapositori for collaborating with the polyclinic in assisting less privileged mothers and dumped babies.
“As a church you have been working with this clinic for many years donating what you can especially to new-born babies, we salute you for that,” she said.
“Through my Angel of Hope Foundation, we are committed to assisting women, children and the vulnerable in society and you (church) also highlighted that you appreciated my charity works. However, my efforts alone cannot satisfy the demands of thousands of Zimbabweans longing for assistance hence what you are doing as a church is highly commendable.
“I have been briefed on various issues by the clinic’s representative and the local councillor and have also taken down their concerns.
. “I was told that it was their wish to have this polyclinic to be transformed to a referral district hospital.
“I am still leading in the fight against cervical and breast cancer and the authorities here indicated they also required cancer screening equipment put in place here.
“I will take the concerns to relative authorities and plead with them for the benefit of this community and surrounding areas.”
– “…you cannot have people in ZIFA mooting, or muting sanctions against a superior authority, as has happened.”
– It is the ZIFA Secretariat which is guilty.
Phillip Chiyangwa
By Simba Chikanza | The former ZIFA President, Phillip Chiyangwa has responded to an announcement of a lifetime ban from the football body by his successor’s leadership.
The current Cosafa head spoke to ZimEye at length at midnight Wednesday and below is the full transcript of the interview:
“This is a joke and it’ll remain a joke and people here want winners, they don’t want losers. These guys are all losers,” said Chiyangwa.
He continued saying, “and they should brace themselves for the worst in terms of a response that they will get out of all this nonsense. I am a Zimbabwean citizen and I’m entitled to mix and mingle I’ve never been involved with ZIFA or with anything to do with Kamanga (sic). I don’t waste my time. But for them to be concentrating on following through a situation in which they think they have been successful on me yet they have failed on the pitch. I am telling you where they are coming, it’s more dangerous than just looking at the pitch. It’s just looking at the pitch, but they have failed, that’s all. They are running after my shadow what have I done? “
Qu. – If I could ask you, earlier on you said that it is you alone who can fire ZIFA officials…
Chiyangwa: ” ZIFA and COSAFA, one is subordinate to the other, okay?
“COSAFA is the regional body, alright? And you cannot have people in ZIFA mooting, or muting sanctions against a superior authority, as has happened.”
“Especially unsubstantiated claims and making things out of the blues, having… by the way, this guy was assising so and so, was doing this and that. Hey, hey, hey, I am sorry to say but a comprehensive response will follow and when that happens, I am sure they will still be in office to actually stand to answer and defend themselves.
“Those lies are a very big crime it terms of football. You don’t create and cook up lies. Everything you do in football must be viewed by the other person. This is why they have even gone as far as putting machines that can track reality on the pitch, so that you can go and look at it and say oh, this is true. These are damn liars, they’re a bunch of failures that have just decided that I am one of those candidates which they can blackmail in the public on their own performance which is dismal; Personally, domestically here they have just failed. And this is one of those things that defines their failure? talking about Chiyangwa.
“People want to see those success stories, not failure… you know there have been PSL clubs that have been successful in the past week, beating up foreign teams, that is not what is being celebrated. They’re busy wanting people to divert attention, and pay attention to the wrong things.
“What have I to do with the local football scene? In fact I was in PE where they themselves were participating. But look at it this way, I don’t see how myself I get involved in the local scene, what for?
“Once I turn my head and walk away, I walked away from many things in my life. Why so much concentration and making it look like there is something about Zimbabwe football. They are failing in the local scene, they should leave it for those that can handle it.”
Qu. When did you make this submission?… I am referring to the exact charges (against you.) by ZIFA. Do you remmeber the time when you made that submission?
Chiyangwa: “Okay here is the story here: It’s very funny that I am having to respond to it but I think what happens, when they do these kind of things there shall be a follow-up investigation, because it has to be done. Somebody here has to answer for what they are saying, truthfully or wrongly you understand what I’m saying? So, before pre-empting the responses that are inevitable with this thing, you must know that everything which happened with respect to whether it’s COSAFA or anything that I am involved in, when it is coming from ZIFA it is the Secretariat. The very same guys who are being made to write letters to me are the same people who handled this matter, not me.
“There has been no change of chief executive officer, it is Mamutse himself who will have to answer about what happened here and here and here, I mean, I know that this matter was handled even after my presidency, you understand?
“And they went through to a disciplinary hearing when they made their submissions, and failed to explain why they would do that. It has absolutely nothing to do with Phillip Chiyangwa but to the public they want to make it look like Chiyangwa was at the forefront, Chiyangwa did this and that. Simply having been president, was merely to direct how things are done, right or wrong, but I certainly in my period I was very successful.So here we come now with these people: every move is designed to fail. Instead of profering a more plausible response to everything, they simply want to use camouflage, hiding behind the finger over anything, and everything so it doesn’t work that way. Things have got to be answered for and I know that the answers are lying straight with the ZIFA secretariat and one of the other board members is there, he was key to all the things that happened with respect to the COSAFA bid. So today I must be busy chasing after these particular issues. I don’t have time to waste like that. Look at the papers that they have concerning COSAFA. Who is there, its Phillip Chiyangwa writing to and from COSAFA.
“I have to look for matches to be played in Zimbabwe you know we are going for AFCON, before I left there was only one game to play for us to qualify for AFCON. I literally qualified for AFCON 2019. So you do not say to me I don’t plan for my team to continue playing, as if you are busy asking me all those silly questions, like I mean, “what happened to the bid?” You have papers there, look at them and say who was writing up to the time I left office, months months months later after I left office, then you turn around and say by the way Chiyangwa is the one who did this. Aaah, do I have to go to the public and show everything? That is not how I operate.”
Qn: Is it not that they are saying you were the authority?
Chiyangwa: “It doesn’t work like this okay. Everything that happens when you have anything going on is executed by the secretariat working together with one of the board members responsible for that particular competitions and or findings; are you with me? It ends there, it does not have to be the president. This is just a lame excuse. You know. People are being taken for a ride. But the truth of the matter is when all the documents are looked at, remember these people went for a hearing and they lost their case and were fined, and not lightly fined.”
Qn: So are you able to give a hint of what measures you were going to take in response to this?
Chiyangwa: “No no no, I am saying to you that I really… (sic) these people are desperate, and it’s a sign of desperation to do this you cannot have a weekly story on a particular individual, person of Zimbabwe who occupies an international office; you are busy talking about him all the time, that is failure, ok? Vakomana ava vapererwa.
“And unfortunately I am sorry to say they are a bunch of failures of the worst type, in terms of Sport. It’s sad I am having to deal with these people hearing them and wasting my time, they are wasting my time, really seriously I have much more to do. And I don’t care what they do, so they mustn’t bother themselves coming my way, because all I am going to do is going to ask my COSAFA secretariat to tell me the story regarding the bid, and simply make it public.”
Qn: Lastly Sir, what do you think is motivating all this?
Chiyangwa: ” failure failure by themselves. They think the public in Zimbabwe will hate Chiyangwa so much for what he has not done. You see(Waona). This is total failure by themselves. If they were winners they would not do this…”
As the opposition MDC demonstration against the economic downfall in the country gathers momentum, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has told church leaders that he has never refused to talk to MDC leader Nelson Chamisa.
Terrified by the prospects off the demonstration, Mnangagwa said that his doors for national dialogue are still open, and claims to have taken several steps to ensure inclusivity and engagement.
And in response to a pastoral letter from church leaders dated August 9, Mnangagwa assured the Zimbabwe Council of Churches and heads of denominations that he had taken steps to entrench the spirit of dialogue in the country.
‘‘As the ZHOCD (Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations) would be aware, the National Dialogue of all political parties in our country was called and initiated on the 6th February 2019.
“Before then, on 2nd August 2018 soon after the historic July, 2018 harmonised elections and the unfortunate violence that followed, I, as leader of ZANU-PF, and as the President-elect, called for harmony and dialogue in our nation including pointedly calling on, and inviting the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Advocate Nelson Chamisa, to come on board in amity and brotherhood, to rebuild our broken peace and to re-unite our people in order to take our nation forward. Specifically, and pointedly, I called upon the two of us to ‘lead by example and show Zimbabweans that peace is paramount’.
‘‘Beyond that particular call, I also offered to take steps towards officially recognising Advocate Chamisa as the Leader of the Opposition, the first ever such move and in conformity with Commonwealth practice. Sadly, both my personal calls to him, and all political leaders and parties of our nation regardless of status, went unheeded, and are still to be reciprocated by the MDC leader.
‘‘To date, eight meetings on National Political Dialogue involving 19 political parties and leaders have taken place with the Inaugural Dialogue Summit having been launched in Harare on 17th May, 2019. Significantly on 8th March, 2019, just a day before your pastoral call, thematic committees of the National Dialogue had met at State House, again without the participation of the MDC and its leadership.
“Since then, the National Dialogue has consensually appointed two convenors, one who is a retired judge and the other who is a chairperson of the Gender Commission which is appointed through Parliament. The two’s stature as impartial convenors of the National Dialogue can hardly be gainsaid,’’ Mnangagwa said.
‘’At commemorations of Heroes and Defence Forces Day, I again made a passionate call for national dialogue and national unity for the sake of peace and progress of our nation. The MDC leader is still to requite my goodwill, so repeatedly and unconditionally expressed and extended. Much worse, he is still to respect the legitimate will of the Zimbabwean people, as expressed in the results of the 2018 Harmonised Elections, which the MDC unsuccessfully contested through the Constitutional Court. Repeatedly, the rhetoric from the MDC is one of threatening to overturn the constitutional order ushered in by these internationally observed Harmonised Elections,” President Mnangagwa said.
He is calling for unconditional dialogue.
‘‘The doors of National Dialogue are still open to all political leaders including to the leader of the MDC, which dialogue must proceed without preconditions or any sense of preferential entitlement or recognition on any one’s part, including myself. We are all equal, important and useful in finding solutions to challenges facing our nation,’’ President Mnangagwa said
Turning to constitutional rights, President Mnangagwa noted that Section 59 of the Zimbabwe Constitution guarantees every person the right to demonstrate and present petitions to the governing authorities but these rights must be exercised peacefully.
“This right, which your pastoral letter correctly highlights, has a particular bearing on the MDC as they prepare and embark on their demonstration tomorrow,” he said.
The opposition party is planning a demonstration tomorrow.
State Media| In a move that may jeopardise investigations into the corruption case against ex-Minister of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Prisca Mupfumira, a detective who arrested the politician has been transferred to Karoi Police Station, hundreds of kilometres away from the investigations.
Detective Assistant Inspector Naison Ndlovu, who was seconded to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) as an investigator, has since been moved to Karoi Police Station under unclear circumstances.
Being one of the key witnesses in Mupfumira’s cases, Asst Inspector Ndlovu is billed to give evidence in the case and to assist in the polishing up of the investigations.
Sources confirmed the transfer with others questioning the motive.
“We heard Ndlovu has been transferred to Karoi but the reason is not yet clear to us. It sounds strange considering that he is part of the investigations of a high-profile corruption case involving Mupfumira,” a source said.
“He was one of the arresting details and sending him to Karoi will not help the investigations,” the source said.
Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the redeployment of Ass Insp Ndlovu and said it was part of routine transfers in the police service.
“Yes, he has been transferred together with several other officers. It is not a unique case. Police officers are regularly transferred as a way of rotating and sharing experiences.
“There is nothing sinister or unique about his transfer,” said Asst Commissioner Nyathi.
At least 22 police officers are on secondment at ZACC but Ndlovu was the only one who was transferred despite having a high-profile case to investigate.
Mupfumira, who is facing seven counts of criminal abuse of office involving US$95 million, now faces fresh charges of fraud and money laundering.
People’s right to hold a demonstration is not the only factor that should be considered when a gathering has a potential to turn violent because third parties ought to be equally protected by the law, a Cabinet Minister has said.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said it was pertinent to consider other people’s rights like the need to protect their lives and property should a public gathering become violent.
Minister Ziyambi said this in Senate yesterday during the Second Reading of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Bill which seeks to repeal the Public Order and Security Act as the Second Republic embraces political reforms.
The Bill was expected to sail though last night after Senate suspended automatic adjournment rules to allow extensive debate on the Bill and Finance and Appropriation Bill.
“Government objects strongly to the characterisation of the Bill as undemocratic without specifying in what respect the Bill is undemocratic or how it violates the charter of freedoms of rights in any way not contemplated in a democratic society.
The rights and freedom of demonstrators are not the only rights to be considered when a gathering has a potential to become disorderly. Other human beings have rights and freedoms in particular those who might be victimised in their persons or their property by unruly demonstrators,” said Minister Ziyambi.
He said Government had made several concessions to accommodate concerns that had been raised by Parliament’s Legal Committee and the National Assembly which had expressed reservations in some of the clauses.State media
Government has called on Zimbabweans to shun violence and refuse to be used by negative elements that want to destabilise the country.
This was said by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa while presenting the 29th Cabinet Decision Matrix yesterday ahead of demonstrations planned by the opposition MDC-Alliance from tomorrow.
“In the light of planned demonstrations by the opposition MDC-Alliance, Cabinet implores all Zimbabweans to completely reject the culture of violence and intimidation which is counter-productive and inimical to the full enjoyment of freedom by peace-loving Zimbabweans, as enshrined in the country’s Constitution,” Minister Mutsvangwa said.
“Government calls on all progressive Zimbabweans to desist from being used by negative forces to destabilise their own country, as this will only prolong the hardships which Government is tirelessly working to address in a more sustainable manner. As Zimbabweans, let us shun the culture of violence which brings about the loss of livelihoods, and undermines our peace and unity.”
She said it was imperative that Zimbabweans engage in dialogue to resolve any differences they might have.
“I wish to reiterate the call by His Excellency the President Cde E D Mnangagwa for all patriotic Zimbabweans to resort to dialogue and other constructive forms of engagement as means for resolving the challenges we face as a nation. “Government will nonetheless, ensure that law and order prevails in the country,” she added.-State media
Government has called on Zimbabweans to shun violence and refuse to be used by negative elements that want to destabilise the country.
This was said by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa while presenting the 29th Cabinet Decision Matrix yesterday ahead of demonstrations planned by the opposition MDC-Alliance from tomorrow.
“In the light of planned demonstrations by the opposition MDC-Alliance, Cabinet implores all Zimbabweans to completely reject the culture of violence and intimidation which is counter-productive and inimical to the full enjoyment of freedom by peace-loving Zimbabweans, as enshrined in the country’s Constitution,” Minister Mutsvangwa said.
“Government calls on all progressive Zimbabweans to desist from being used by negative forces to destabilise their own country, as this will only prolong the hardships which Government is tirelessly working to address in a more sustainable manner. As Zimbabweans, let us shun the culture of violence which brings about the loss of livelihoods, and undermines our peace and unity.”
She said it was imperative that Zimbabweans engage in dialogue to resolve any differences they might have.
“I wish to reiterate the call by His Excellency the President Cde E D Mnangagwa for all patriotic Zimbabweans to resort to dialogue and other constructive forms of engagement as means for resolving the challenges we face as a nation. “Government will nonetheless, ensure that law and order prevails in the country,” she added.-State media
A 20-YEAR-OLD man from Bulawayo waded through a pond of raw sewage in a bid to escape an angry mob after he was caught red handed trying to rape a 60-year-old woman.
Thabani Ncube of Entumbane suburb met the victim in a bushy area in their neighbourhood and beat her up with a stick, bit and choked her before attempting to rape her.
The woman fainted but Ncube continued the sex attack, trying to undress her. She was rescued by a passerby who called out to residents to come and witness imihlolo (cultural taboo) that he was seeing.
Ncube jumped into a pond of untreated human waste but angry residents fished him out, meted out mob justice and handed him over to the police.
Ncube appeared before West Commonage magistrate, Ms Gladys Mushowani, facing attempted rape charges and was sentenced to four years in prison.
The magistrate suspended 12 months on condition that Ncube will not commit a similar offence in the next five years.
Prosecuting, Mr Tapiwa Solani said on July 4 this year at around 11AM, Ncube spotted the complainant who was alone fetching firewood in a bushy area in Entumbane suburb.
“Ncube chased the complainant and caught up with her. He struck her with a stick and she fell down. He bit the complainant’s left thumb and strangled her before attempting to rape her,” said Mr Solani.
The prosecutor said the woman screamed for help and Ncube tried to muffle her using a piece of cloth. “The complainant tried to resist and the accused person assaulted her with a stick resulting in her losing consciousness,” said Mr Solani.
He said the complainant was rescued by a passerby who had responded to her screams.
Mr Solani said Ncube threw himself into an overflowing sewer between Emakhandeni and Entumbane suburbs in a desperate bid to evade apprehension.-State media
ZIFA has, with immediate effect, disbanded the Warriors’ structures from the technical bench to the players in what the association says is in sync with its national teams’ policy.
In a statement released Wednesday afternoon by the association’s chief executive officer Joseph Mamutse, the establishment of the new national team set up was to be informed by the association’s national teams policy, code of conduct and philosophy with all future call ups based on commitment, technical and tactical aptitude, patriotism and above all discipline.
“Players and technical personnel with a questionable commitment to national duty shall not be considered for any selection in the future,” reads the statement.State media
THE Zanu-PF Youth League in Matabeleland South yesterday slammed the planned MDC Alliance demonstration set for tomorrow, saying it is an unwanted political gimmick bent on causing anarchy in the country.
The party’s provincial Youth League chairman Washington Nkomo said youths stand in solidarity with President Mnangagwa, who has stood firm on economic transformation of the country. He said the President is positioning the country for prosperity hence it is not the time to take matters to the streets.
“We stand in support of His Excellency’s fight against corruption and indeed his efforts to rebuild this great nation. His commitment to fight corruption has resulted in the prosecution of high profile people recently, and so far a whole Minister was relieved of her duties on that account, a record that many countries are learning from,” he said.-State media
Two men suspected to be behind a spate of thefts from motor vehicles in Bulawayo were arrested after their getaway car collided with a haulage truck during a high speed chase through the city centre on Tuesday.
Thabani Ndlovu (30) and Ronald Chihome (23) who are neighbours in Pumula North suburb have police officers to thank for restraining an angry mob that insisted “they be taught a lesson” before being surrendered to Bulawayo Central Police Station.
Witnesses said the suspects smashed the window of car that was parked along Fife Street between 4th and 5th avenues and stole cigarettes.
“The owner of the vehicle saw them and raised alarm. They threw their loot into a Honda Fit vehicle and sped off with some motorists in pursuit, while some residents followed on foot,” said one of the witnesses.
The witness said the Honda Fit careened into a haulage truck along 5th Avenue.
“The Honda Fit was moderately damaged and motorists blocked the driver as he tried to reverse and speed away. The mob caught up with the thieves as they scrambled out of the car. They rained blows on the thieves who fled into a nearby supermarket,” said the witness.
Vendors told The Chronicle that the mob would not relent and went into the supermarket to drag the suspects out.
They said police officers who were on patrol probably stopped the angry crowd from beating the duo to death and whisked them to Bulawayo Central Police Station.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube yesterday confirmed the incident.
“I can confirm that we are dealing with a case of theft from motor vehicle where suspects were apprehended and are assisting police with investigations,” he said.
Insp Ncube said the suspects allegedly stole 120 boxes of various cigarette brands worth $440.
“Their vehicle was towed to Bulawayo Central Traffic at Drill Hall since it was involved in an accident. However, it could be impounded for being a getaway car from a crime scene,” said Inspector Ncube.
Inspector Ncube said the Honda Fit continued to be a nuisance as it was being used in most criminal activities in the city.
“This also confirms Honda Fit nuisance in the city centre. However this has heightened our activities and deployments in the city centre as a lot of crime is occurring,” he said.
He commended police officers for their commitment and visibility in the city which he said helped to react to criminal activities faster.
“We would like to commend our police officers on patrol duty who reacted swiftly when this crime occurred. We also want to appreciate that the complainant had secured his motor vehicle by locking all doors as we advise in our campaigns. Police officers are commended for visibility. This ensures that we are able to serve the public effectively. Clients have called for more police visibility and we are serving. We hope to clear other cases with the arrest of these two men on Tuesday,” said Insp Ncube.- State Media
BREAKING- Chitungwiza Dep Mayor's house attacked …details coming through "the Chitungwiza Deputy Mayor is being attacked as we speak now. Varikupwanya imba nemota yake," said Clr Godfrey Kurauone @ZLHRLawyers @usembassyharare@mdczimbabwepic.twitter.com/DfAo9HbtXu
The MDC Youth Assembly is highly incensed by state security agents’ uncouth, unprofessional, inhumane and fascist (mis)behavior as evidenced by last night abductions of MDC Mufakose Youth Chair, Blessing Kanotunga and Citizens Manifesto activist Tatenda Mombeyarara.
It is very regrettable that at a time when we as a party are preaching and propagating for peaceful solutions to the current legitimacy and economic crises, the state in their wisdom or lack of it chose the moment to hatch a Night of Long Knives of on our members.
As an Assembly we are not only riled by the latest state manoeuvres but we are deeply concerned that such provocative uncouth behavior will cause chaos as violence begets violence.
As an Assembly we would like to categorically make it clear that such provocative state misbehavior is a clear declaration of war on civilians and like any normal beings we are ready to act in a fashion that safeguards our people interest.
It is no secret that the last time the state pulled such antics on civilians in the 1970s, the country went into a full fledged liberation war.
As an Assembly we reiterate our call for non violent engagement to proffer solutions to the illegitimacy and economic crises and thats the very reason why we have implored peaceful means to register our discontentment in all our 20 years of existence as a party.
It is very clear that the state’s latest new low is a sign of cowardice and desperation to stop our August 16 mass action program.
In that regard, we would like to make it clear that the August 16 demonstrations will go ahead as planned albeit through peaceful means.
Our concerns as young people are very genuine and realistic.
It is no fabrication that our homes are empty, unemployment is rife, fuel prices is high, basic commodities are unaffordable and the country is in darkness because of electricity blackouts.
As young social democrats whose cardinal is solidarity with the downtrodden, remaining silent while our people suffer is not only a great disservice but betrayal.
It is becoming increasingly clear that Emmerson Mnangagwa administration’s vision 2030 is taking us back to stone age era through ruralization of our urban centres.
That the state’s merchants of repression are now resorting to violence and abductions is a clear indication that they have no solution to the current economic challenges.
Violence is never and will never be a panacea to issues of economy.
Stephen Sarkozy Chuma MDC Youth Assembly National Spokesperson
Renowned author Tsitsi Dangarembga has attacked President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government for recent attacks on human rights activist Tatenda Mombeyarara.
Mombeyarara was abducted by heavily armed men and was tortured for allegedly being part of organisers of the planned August 16 demonstrations by the MDC Alliance.
“Unknown men took Tatenda Mombeyarara from his house last night, put a bag over his head, beat him with a metal object and the butt of a gun and pouring a caustic liquid over his body, accusing him of organising the August 16 demonstration. That is an act of aggression, not peace,” said Dangarembga.
She was rebutting Mnangagwa’s Defence Forces Day speech when he said, “let me appeal to all Zimbabweans to cherish the peace that our country enjoys today.
We should be vigilant & reject those amongst us who wish to perpetuate the suffering of the masses through violence disunity divisions and unrest.”
Source – Byo24news
Farai Dziva|The MDC has dismissed a fake letter circulating on social media -claiming the August 16 demonstration has been cancelled.
“The People’s March is proceeding on Friday, 16 August 2019
Zimbabweans are hereby informed to ignore Zanu PF’s misinformation being peddled on social media platforms. The MDC wishes to state that the people’s march is proceeding on Friday as scheduled. Be there,”said the party in a statement.
On the 31st of July 2018, Zimbabweans overwhelmingly voted for President Nelson Chamisa. That election was stolen in broad daylight and since then, the crisis of legitimacy has manifested itself through multi-layered challenges that have manifested themselves through power outages, water and fuel shortages, indecent wages, high prices and the erosion of the people’s dignity, among other challenges.
To express their displeasure at the serious challenges in the country, Zimbabweans will begin a series of peaceful demonstrations that will kick off in Harare on Friday, 16 August 2019. The preparations for the Free Zimbabwe march are at an advanced stage. All the necessary logistical preparations have been done and we are looking forward to a successful peaceful march by Zimbabweans on Friday.
The MDC is a peaceful and law-abiding party. To that end, we have complied with the requirements under both section 59 of the national Constitution and the Public Order and Security Act. There will be no party regalia as this is a peaceful march by the generality of the people of Zimbabwe who are suffering under the current crisis.
Every Zimbabwean will be marching to end this suffering until we achieve a legitimate people’s government that will begin to address the serious challenges facing the country. Until that is achieved, we will not rest and we will continue to exercise our democratic right to demonstrate peacefully.
On Friday, we will be marching for jobs, for affordable health care facilities, for electricity, for affordable education, availability of fuel and water and decent salaries for our civil servants and the ordinary workers of Zimbabwe. We shall march for the restoration of the people’s dignity and for the return of functional industries, for democracy, accountability and the respect of human rights. We will be marching against the culture and ailment of corruption, impunity, abductions, and the erosion of the people’s dignity, looting and embezzlement that have afflicted the country’s entire body politic.
We say no to the killing and torturing of innocent Zimbabweans and civic and democracy activists.
We want to end illegitimacy and ensure that there is a people’s government.
We will be rolling out these peaceful and constitutional protests in all the towns. After Harare, the Zimbabweans citizens will be holding peaceful protests in Bulawayo next Monday, Gweru on Tuesday, Masvingo on Wednesday and Mutare on Thursday. The roll-out for other cities and towns will be announced later.
Our action will be peaceful and constitutional.
We urge everyone to be there and to be involved until we achieve a truly people’s government that will deliver change that delivers.
Farai Dziva|The main opposition party, MDC has said the peaceful protests will spread to all major cities in the coming week- Bulawayo, Gweru, Mutare and Masvingo.
See the party’s full statement below:
On the 31st of July 2018, Zimbabweans overwhelmingly voted for President Nelson Chamisa. That election was stolen in broad daylight and since then, the crisis of legitimacy has manifested itself through multi-layered challenges that have manifested themselves through power outages, water and fuel shortages, indecent wages, high prices and the erosion of the people’s dignity, among other challenges.
To express their displeasure at the serious challenges in the country, Zimbabweans will begin a series of peaceful demonstrations that will kick off in Harare on Friday, 16 August 2019. The preparations for the Free Zimbabwe march are at an advanced stage. All the necessary logistical preparations have been done and we are looking forward to a successful peaceful march by Zimbabweans on Friday.
The MDC is a peaceful and law-abiding party. To that end, we have complied with the requirements under both section 59 of the national Constitution and the Public Order and Security Act. There will be no party regalia as this is a peaceful march by the generality of the people of Zimbabwe who are suffering under the current crisis.
Every Zimbabwean will be marching to end this suffering until we achieve a legitimate people’s government that will begin to address the serious challenges facing the country. Until that is achieved, we will not rest and we will continue to exercise our democratic right to demonstrate peacefully.
On Friday, we will be marching for jobs, for affordable health care facilities, for electricity, for affordable education, availability of fuel and water and decent salaries for our civil servants and the ordinary workers of Zimbabwe. We shall march for the restoration of the people’s dignity and for the return of functional industries, for democracy, accountability and the respect of human rights. We will be marching against the culture and ailment of corruption, impunity, abductions, and the erosion of the people’s dignity, looting and embezzlement that have afflicted the country’s entire body politic.
We say no to the killing and torturing of innocent Zimbabweans and civic and democracy activists.
We want to end illegitimacy and ensure that there is a people’s government.
We will be rolling out these peaceful and constitutional protests in all the towns. After Harare, the Zimbabweans citizens will be holding peaceful protests in Bulawayo next Monday, Gweru on Tuesday, Masvingo on Wednesday and Mutare on Thursday. The roll-out for other cities and towns will be announced later.
Our action will be peaceful and constitutional.
We urge everyone to be there and to be involved until we achieve a truly people’s government that will deliver change that delivers.
Farai Dziva|MDC Youth Assembly chairperson, Obey Sithole has described Zanu PF agents as cowards who are afraid of the people of Zimbabwe.
“They are cowards, they abduct because they’re afraid of people.
Last night, pro-democracy activist Tatenda Mombeyarara and MDC Mufakose Youth Chair Blessing Kanotunga were abducted from their homes in Chitungwiza and Mufakose respectively.
They were badly beaten and later dumped. This barbarism is meant to intimidate the suffering masses as we build up towards the August 16 Freedom march.
We will not stop, if anything this strengthens us more so that our future will not record this again.
Never again,” said Sithole in a statement.
ZimEye is bringing the latest on the ZIFA- Chiyangwa saga.
The football body’s former President Phillip Chiyangwa spoke to ZimEye on Wednesday night following the announcement of a lifetime ban on his head Wednesday afternoon.
The current COSAFA president said, “ZIFA officials cannot fire me, in fact, it is me who can fire them.”
Chiyangwa says: "ZIFA officials cannot fire me, in fact, it is me who can fire them…" FULL SPEECH ON https://t.co/eY98GsdO0a
By A Correspondent- Sugar bean farmers at Musikavanhu Irrigation Scheme in Chipinge are fretting over unavailability of buyers for their produce amid fears that the truancy was leading to good-crop poor-price dilemma.
Already the few buyers available are ripping off farmers to the extent that many will not be able to return to the fields next season.
A snap survey carried out by The Manica Post showed that a kilogramme of beans is at the moment fetching $5, which the farmers decry as unfair as it was below the break-even price.
As a result, most farmers are withholding the produce from the market in the hope that this would help them to bargain for a better price.
One of the affected sugar bean farmers Mr Warren Sibiya accused the few available buyers of deliberately “ripping off and impoverishing” farmers.
“We are currently withholding onto our crop because the few available buyers are ripping off and impoverishing farmers. They are taking advantage of the current situation to hoard our produce for a song.
“We tried to engage them, but they are not forthcoming, leaving us with no option other than withholding our produce from the market. Farming is a business, but the farmers’ hopes of getting a return of their investment are being compromised by the buyers’ exploitative tendencies. Many farmers as a result are racking up huge losses due to lower prices being offered by these buyers and will not return to the fields next season. To break-even we should sell at $8 per kilogramme, but the buyers are arguing that the price is beyond their reach,” he said.
Some farmers are shunning the buyers and barter trading sugar beans with other crops.
One such farmer is Mr Zvinei Mutopeya, who is now exchanging sugar beans with maize and urging others to follow suit.
“I did not harvest any maize as the one I had planted was affected by the 2018/19 drought. I wanted to use proceeds from my sugar beans to buy maize for family consumption, but have changed my mind due to the low prices being offered by sugar bean buyers. I am now barter trading sugar beans with maize, and it is working.
“I don’t see why others cannot follow my example of exchanging sugar beans with colleagues from the upper side of Chipinge that harvested a lot of maize. This season very few sugar bean farmers will till their fields because the prices being offered are a mockery to our investment. This is the time sugar bean farmers should be buying inputs for next season, but we cannot afford the inputs,” he said.-ManicaPost
By A Correspondent- Responding to a question on whether government consents to the opposition MDC August 16 demonstration, Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said because the Constitution allows for peaceful demonstrations, the government upheld citizens’ right to peaceful protest .
Said Mutsvangwa:
“First of all government recognises the supreme law of the land which is the Constitution. And the Constitution allows for citizens to demonstrate peacefully.
There are certain procedures to be followed and once those procedures are followed, government upholds the Constitution.”
By A Correspondent- Cabinet has implored all Zimbabweans to completely reject the culture of violence and intimidation which is counter-productive and inimical to the full enjoyment of freedom by peace-loving Zimbabweans, as enshrined in the country’s Constitution.
In a post cabinet press statement issued Wednesday, cabinet described as retrogressive, the forthcoming demonstration organised by opposition MDC set to be held on August 16.
Said information minister Monica Mutsvangwa:
Government calls on all progressive Zimbabweans to desist from being used by negative forces to destabilise their own country. This will only prolong the hardships which Government is tirelessly working to address in a sustainable manner.
As Zimbabweans, let us shun the culture of violence which brings about the loss of livelihoods and undermines our peace and unity.
I wish to reiterate the call by His Excellency the President of the republic of Zimbabwe E.D. Mnangagwa for all patriotic Zimbabweans to resort to dialogue and other constructive forms of engagement as means for resolving the challenges we face as a nation.
The government will nonetheless, ensure that law and order prevail in the country. I thank you.”
Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi’s Statement, Confirmation of the State Duplicity on the Terrorist Attack at my House :
The Statement by one Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Nyathi, insinuating that the person responsible for the terrorist attack at my house on the 12th of August was assaulted on my instigation has clearly brought out the duplicity of the State security agents in a well planned stingy of an assassination attempt against my family.
The Statement misinformed the public that the attacker reported to the police first of his purported assault before I made the report about the deliberate terrorist attack at my house.
This is a statement betraying the state security agents’ involvement on the assassination attempt of my family on the day in question.
Firstly, the statement confirms our suspicion that the attack that destroyed my durawall angle near the sitting room was an attack on my family by agents of the regime who anticipated the assassination of my family members, failure of which might lead to the attack or murder of the assassination agent if he is apprehended by the public so as to find any best way to get at me.
Secondly, by giving their concocted and manufactured assault of the assassination agent, demonstrates the frustrations of the kingpins of the assassination plotters. I challenge Paul Nyathi to a Court of law to repeat his nonsense.
There are legal remedies I am tossing around especially the provisions of Section 50(9), of our constitution, that calls upon people who are alleged of falsehoods to go direct against the purveyors of such falsehoods.
I vow, that the false statement by Paul Nyathi to try and hide the truth behind the assassination attempt of my family and myself by alleging a false assault will be met with the full force of a dynamite.
Let it be known that the behavior of the State security agents as defined by Paul Nyathi’s Statement in the Herald today demonstrate that the victims of state plots and human rights abuses are always not protected by our state security agents.
Rather they desperately turn to manufacturing lies. Not to people like me. I challenge Paul Nyathi today to come to court and lay before it the evidence of the purported assault, failure of which I will take legal action.
The time to temper with the people’s lives is over. Some of us will enforce the protection of our fundamental rights by exhausting all available remedies both in terms of our domestic laws and available international bodies which Zimbabwe is part to.
I demand the full prosecution of the State instigated terrorist attack at my house and the culprits must pay for the restoration of my durawall to its status quo ante.
It’s all systems go for the people’s march on Friday
Zimbabwe is at a crossroads.
On the 31st of July 2018, Zimbabweans overwhelmingly voted for President Nelson Chamisa. That election was stolen in broad daylight and since then, the crisis of legitimacy has manifested itself through multi-layered challenges that have manifested themselves through power outages, water and fuel shortages, indecent wages, high prices and the erosion of the people’s dignity, among other challenges.
To express their displeasure at the serious challenges in the country, Zimbabweans will begin a series of peaceful demonstrations that will kick off in Harare on Friday, 16 August 2019. The preparations for the Free Zimbabwe march are at an advanced stage.
All the necessary logistical preparations have been done and we are looking forward to a successful peaceful march by Zimbabweans on Friday.
The MDC is a peaceful and law-abiding party. To that end, we have complied with the requirements under both section 59 of the national Constitution and the Public Order and Security Act.
There will be no party regalia as this is a peaceful march by the generality of the people of Zimbabwe who are suffering under the current crisis.
Every Zimbabwean will be marching to end this suffering until we achieve a legitimate people’s government that will begin to address the serious challenges facing the country.
Until that is achieved, we will not rest and we will continue to exercise our democratic right to demonstrate peacefully.
On Friday, we will be marching for jobs, for affordable health care facilities, for electricity, for affordable education, availability of fuel and water and decent salaries for our civil servants and the ordinary workers of Zimbabwe.
We shall march for the restoration of the people’s dignity and for the return of functional industries, for democracy, accountability and the respect of human rights.
We will be marching against the culture and ailment of corruption, impunity, abductions, and the erosion of the people’s dignity, looting and embezzlement that have afflicted the country’s entire body politic.
We say no to the killing and torturing of innocent Zimbabweans and civic and democracy activists. We want to end illegitimacy and ensure that there is a people’s government.
We will be rolling out these peaceful and constitutional protests in all the towns. After Harare, the Zimbabweans citizens will be holding peaceful protests in Bulawayo next Monday, Gweru on Tuesday, Masvingo on Wednesday and Mutare on Thursday. The roll-out for other cities and towns will be announced later.
Our action will be peaceful and constitutional.
We urge everyone to be there and to be involved until we achieve a truly people’s government that will deliver change that delivers.
Human rights activist #TatendaMombeyarara and MDC's Kanotunga were abducted and tortured by suspected state security agents over the forthcoming #August16 demo. Do you think @EmmersonMnangagwa represents the #NewDispensation or its a replica of the old order?
By A Correspondent- In a development which has raised questions regarding President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s “New Dispensation” mantra, Tatenda Mombeyarara, a pro-democracy campaigner has been hospitalised after he was abducted on Wednesday 14 August 2019 and tortured by some unidentified men, who seized him from his residence in Chitungwiza.
The 37 year-old Mombeyarara was abducted by six heavily armed men who assaulted and severely tortured him after they seized him from his Chitungwiza residence on Wednesday morning before dumping him at a quarry mine near Hatfield suburb in Harare.
Said the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights:
Mombeyarara’s tormentors wanted him to furnish them with details pertaining to an anti-government protest organised by the opposition MDC party and scheduled for Friday 16 August 2019.
During interrogation, the unidentified men asked Mombeyarara, a well-known Human Rights Defender (HRD), about the number of people expected to attend the demonstration and other details such as how the protest had been organised.
The unidentified men also interrogated Mombeyarara about the training which he allegedly received in Maldives in May.
Although Mombeyarara denied any involvement about organising the anti-government protest and any knowledge of the details of the demonstration, his tormentors continued torturing him using a torture method commonly referred to as Falanga, which entails beating the HRD under his feet.
Over the years, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights has documented several cases, where state security agents used the Falanga torture method against HRDs in a desperate bid to extract confessions during interrogations.
Mombeyarara is one of several people arrested in May and charged with subverting a constitutional government: allegedly plotting to overthrow President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.
He is currently out of custody on remand and his trial is yet to commence on charges on contravening section 22(2)(a)(iii) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.”
By A Correspondent- A Gweru businessman, James Brain Zijena was arrested for shooting and deflating the tyres of his wife’s vehicle after suspecting that she had left the car to see her lover.
Police documents show that Zijena (60), of Lundi Park Gweru, suspected his wife Lucia Tendai Zijena of having an extra marital affair and followed her to the nearby mining town of Shurugwi.
Read the police statement:
“On 8 August 2019 and at around 11 am, the accused person (Zijena) followed his wife, Lucia Tendai Zijena from Gweru to Shurugwi after he suspected her of having extra marital activities.
“While in Shurugwi, Mrs Zijena who was driving a white Toyota Corolla, parked her car at Zimasco Shurugwi parking bay before she locked the doors and went to a nearby bus stop.”
Police said after a few minutes, Mrs Zijena was then picked up by a black Audi vehicle, which was being driven by an unknown man.
The two are said to have driven towards Gweru.
This is a developing story. Refresh this page for latest details.
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has reported that former members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have formed a new political party, called the African Federal Convention (Afco).
The party reportedly had a small launch at the Sunnyside Hotel in Parktown on Wednesday.
EFF leader Julius Malema’s reaction to a tweet from SABC’s current affairs show On Point about the launch of the new party shows a complete and total lack of concern or worry over it.
He replied to the tweet with four laughter emojis and a thumbs up.
The new party is led by Babayi Vusi Mathe, who describes himself as a “co-founder of the EFF”.
When Mathe said this at the party launch, SABC reporter Abongile Dumako responded “Julius says he doesn’t know you, he just said on Twitter now”.
“Julius knows me,” Mathe claimed, before saying he could name all those within the movement he claimed to know.
These included Black First, Land First leader Andile Mngxitama (who was a member of the EFF before himself breaking away to form his new party), EFF MP Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala, EFF KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) provincial chairperson Vusi Khoza, former EFF treasurer Magdalene Moonsamy (who resigned from the party in 2016), and EFF MP Hlengiwe Hlophe.
“I know them, all of them,” he said.
A Twitter user asked Khoza if it he did indeed know Mathe.
“I know him,” Khoza confirmed.
According to him, Mathe was an interim provincial command team (PCT) member before the EFF’s first ever KZN provincial people’s assembly (PPA), which is what the party calls its elective conferences.
“He disappeared after running a scam promising people quick money,” Khoza claims, and then “relocated to Joburg”.
“The man and woman surrounding him are husband and wife” with the surname Mdlalose, he further claimed.
“We expelled as councillors of Ethekwini for stealing EFF funds.”
“This is a day that we’ve been waiting for, it is a historical day in the journey of our country as it heralds the dawn of a new beginning,” Mathe had said earlier at the launch.
“We have heard that desperate call from South Africans who are fed up with the current political order.”
WATCH: And African Federal Convention, AFCO President Vusi Mathe addresses the media as they launch the new party. #SABCNewspic.twitter.com/3px35lphh0
WATCH: African Federal Convention, AFCO leader Babayi Vusi Mathe explains how the new party is funded. He says they have 10.000 members across the country. #SABCNewspic.twitter.com/wDX3Ssfpn8
MDC-T Vice President, Obert Gutu says they will never be part of protests that are meant to topple a constitutionally elected government.
Speaking to the ZBC News, Gutu said while the constitution guarantees the right to a peaceful demonstration, history has taught him that the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC’s organised protests will degenerate into mayhem.
He said his party is therefore opposed to the planned protests, adding that they believe in dialogue.
Consequently; in line with this constitutional mandate, the Local Solutions Council is urging the People of Zimbabwe to ARISE & PROTEST in their millions under the banner of #FreeZimbabwePeacefulProtest on Friday the 16th of August 2019.
The Local Solutions Council advocates for Citizens to ARISE & PROTEST NOW to demand for genuine and irreversible reforms in Zimbabwe and not wait for the 2023 elections.
The #FreeZimbabwePeacefulProtest is not a battle against individuals but a rotten systemthat has survived because of our reluctance as Zimbabweans to exercise our constitutional right to PROTEST under Section 59.
Moreover; the #FreeZimbabwePeacefulProtest is a constitutional right that every patriotic Zimbabwean should ARISE & Get INVOLVED in regardless of political affiliation because what we are standing against is not partisan but a national crisis.
Conditional People Support
The Local Solutions Council reminds the nation that there is social contract between Zimbabweans and the Government that is premised on the grounds that the Government of the Day must deliver a sustainable standard of goods and services to the people in exchange for loyalty and support, failure of which the people must demand recourse and action
Thus, the Local Solutions Council in conjunction with other pro-democracy organisations and civil society enjoins Zimbabweans to ARISE and PROTEST against:
State Capture
Government’s incompetence
NSSA Looting
Mismanagement of the economy
Command Agriculture Looting
Corruption
Nepotism
Power Shortages
Chiadzwa Diamond Looting
Dilapidated & crumbling public infrastructure
Government induced abject poverty
Hyperinflation
Low salaries
ZINARA Looting
Scarcity of drugs in clinics and hospitals
Security Services Appeal
The Local Solutions Council is making a public appeal to the country’s security services to exercise restraint and protect peaceful protestors.
Infact, protesters are encouraged to adequately make use of mobilephone cameras to film and record any acts of violence meant to disrupt the peaceful protest
Protest Caution
The Local Solutions Council is urging Citizens to desist from acts of violence & looting but to remain peaceful and be ready for months of rolling peaceful protests.
Protest Goal
Lastly but not least: the #FreeZimbabwePeacefulProtest is a FIGHTagainst: 18hrs of load shedding, against passport shortages, against poverty, against exorbitant kombi fares, against exorbitant tollgate fees, against unaffordable school fees, against looting of state resources, against inability to protect pensioners and the elderly and against graduating to be a vendor or a money changer.
In the end, the Local Solutions Council is championing Zimbabweans from around the World and in Zimbabwe to ARISE & PROTEST NOWin their millions and demand for genuine and irreversible reforms in Zimbabwe and not wait for the 2023 elections.
Masvingo Provincial Development Coordinator (PDC) formerly known as Provincial Administrator (PA) Fungai Mbetsa has said newly-revived chieftainships in formerly white settlements have no power to distribute land.
Some of the newly-revived chieftainships in the province are Bere, Nemamwa and Neromwe and Musara.
These chieftainships are in resettlement areas that were created after the Land Reform Programme displaced white settler farmers.
Mbetsa said the chieftainships were there only to uphold cultural values and harmony through solving social and cultural disputes between people in his area of jurisdiction.
“The Ministry of Lands through relevant departments is responsible for giving people land and the chief will only solve disputes among people who were put under his area by the ministry. He has no power to give land because it is feared the resettlement areas will be turned into communal areas,” said Mbetsa
He said the chiefs, however, had power over the selection of village heads and headmen in their area of jurisdiction. He said the village head and headmen will have similar roles to play but only at village level.
“The chiefs can appoint village heads or headmen through the required procedures and they will also bring peace among their subjects through presiding over domestic disputes in their areas of jurisdiction,” said Mbetsa.
Chiefs and village heads in many areas are being reported to be selling land especially those near growth points and main roads.
Village heads around Nemamwa area have been accused of doing so and those around Jerera in Zaka are also said to be selling stands in areas meant for the expansion of the growth point and efforts by the local authority to stop them seem be failing.
ZIMBABWE is indeed not only going through painful times, but an extra-ordinary period as the southern African nation grapples with very difficult socio-economic and political circumstances.
Last week the troubled nation was afforded a rare peek into the belly of the country’s public finances when the Finance ministry’s Accountant-General Daniel Muchemwa appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) led by Tendai Biti to answer to allegations of unauthorised allocations of funds to the Command
Agriculture programme, the centre of a trending controversy involving some US$3,2 billion.
Through Biti, PAC asked the following to Muchema: “How do you feel when you offend the Public Finance and Management Act and the Constitution, and all laws?
How does a country function when there are bureaucrats in the Ministry of Finance that do not respect the laws of the country? You are supposed to be the
enforcers of good governance and how do we have a country where the enforcer is the one committing the bank robberies, and what is the point of a budget when
the Ministry of Finance is at the forefront of derailing those allocations?”
To which Muchemwa replied: “I think we have accepted that for three years, we did not comply with the law. Lack of respect of the law will be consistent
throughout your questions.” If this issue is not fit to immediately land in the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc)’s in-tray, and marked “extremely
urgent”, then the country’s fight against corruption may as well be called off before the country’s money is wasted on wild goose chases.
What has been happening at the Finance ministry is more than a cause for concern. What has been allowed to happen there does not need Zacc to look too far for
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juicier corruption cases. Zimbabwe ill affords to have people at the Finance ministry who tell us — without even batting an eyelid, that “we did not comply
with the law”.
Honestly, here are people who are admitting, and not before the courts, but before the nation that they broke the law. And in the process of breaking the law
US$3,2 billion simply vanished into thin air, and these blocs at the Finance ministry are still sitting comfortably in their jobs; swinging lazily in their
office armchairs, while exuding an abundance of confidence that nothing will ever happen to them.
If the country is indeed serious about stabbing corruption at its very heart, it should zero in at the Finance ministry because what has been happening there,
and probably still taking place, makes the National Social Security Authority scandal involving fired and incarcerated Environment, Tourism and Hospitality
Industry minister Priscah Mupfumira kids’ play.
At the Finance ministry, we are talking of the equivalent of the entire 2017 National Budget allocation vanishing in the twinkling of an eye.
It would be very disconcerting if Zacc does not refocus all its energies into this matter because this issue has all the potential and ingredients of exposing the real big fish in Zimbabwe’s massive corruption lake.
Opposition MDC has called on its supporters not to wear their party regalia at the demonstration set for Harare on Friday.
Party National Organising Secretary, Amos Chibaya told reporters on the sidelines of the party leadership press conference in Harare on Wednesday that the party is discouraging the wearing of party regalia as the demonstration is not limited to the MDC but it’s for all Zimbabweans.
Party insiders told ZimEye.com that the stance by the party is also meant to counter efforts by rival ZANU PF to tarnish the MDC by ddressing thugs in the opposition party regalia and get them to destabilise the demonstration.
ZANU PF has been accused of printing MDC t-shirts meant to be supplied to hired thugs who would cause mayhem in the demonstration and incite violence which will eventually be blamed on the MDC.
Chibaya urged party members to remain peaceful throughout the demonstration and guard against any elements trying to disrupt the peaceful march.
Mr Johnson should press hard for fair and credible electoral practices in Zimbabwe and to see to it that those electoral practices are implemented.
ByAndy Kapfumvuti|When he was the UK foreign secretary, Boris Johnson said: “The UK stands ready to support a Zimbabwe that embraces the rule of law, human rights and economic reform.”
He reiterated the same statement as the British prime minister a few days ago, which means that if there are no fundamental electoral and economic reforms in Zimbabwe, mending the broken relations with the UK will be an impossible task.
If what Zimbabwe requires to re-establish good relations with the UK is to embrace the rule of law, human rights and economic reform, why not do just that?
This is a golden opportunity that Zimbabwe should embrace to improve ties with the UK, when there is the goodwill that has been brought about by the coming of a new leader in the UK.
I think Mr Johnson means well for Zimbabwe, and will go some way to pull Zimbabwe out of its economic and political quagmire.
Zimbabwe’s fractious relationship with its colonial master was man-made and can be amended.
Remember the unhealthy relationship started when Britain and its politicians opposed Mugabe’s disastrous land reform, his persecution of white farmers and his calamitous management of the economy.
In this regard if drastic political and economic reforms are implemented, good ties with the UK will be restored because that is all the UK wants. This will be good for both countries as Zimbabwe needs the much needed economic stability and Britain will benefit from our mining and agriculture sectors.
However the current breed of rapacious Zimbabwean politicians will find it difficult to implement these reforms as this will expose the corrupt deals they are engaged in.
Since some or all of them are deeply rooted in corruption and have accumulated tonnes of wealth, and manipulating the security entities to their advantage, all the intended reforms will simply come to nothing.
Zimbabwe’s current crop of leaders will never let that happen. They fear for their lives.
They think the tide will turn against them, and they will rot in jail.
Mr Johnson should tread carefully when it comes to African politics in general, and Zimbabwean politics in particular.
It is no secret that Zimbabwean politicians would want a friendlier UK, and many expect Britain to come to Zimbabwe’s aid without having them to take responsibility for the broken country that they have created.
If relations are restored our covetous leaders stand to benefit from years of plunder and torture of innocent people.
They will also benefit from the proceeds of the new dispensation. They then will regard themselves as the ones that delivered prosperity. Nuh.
There is another contentious issue emanating from Western politicians, that is, determining the kind of leadership they want installed in African countries.
Western countries have a known tendency of having their preferred candidates, yet they, on the other hand, preach reforms and the rule of law.
The whole situation is confusing.
Mr Johnson should press hard for fair and credible electoral practices in Zimbabwe and to see to it that those electoral practices are implemented.
Any perpetrator of dirty tactics should suffer the consequences of such misdemeanor.
Zimbabwe has wonderful natural resources and if that is properly managed and utilised, Zimbabwe will once again be a prosperous country, even in a very short time.
This is what the new UK prime minister should capitalise on. Britain will benefit from the resources we have and Zimbabwe will establish nomalcy and benefit from foreign investment.
As for Mr Johnson, he should capture the moment and emerge as the prime minister of the UK who brought sanity to a once-prosperous corner of Africa. I think he will be proud of his efforts, and will generate a lot of respect from the Zimbabweans.
As the Zimbabwe National Party we see a golden opportunity which should not slip off our hands. The ruling party should heed the voice of Britain to implement these reforms.
Being proud and of difficult nature will serve no-one’s purpose, and especially where there is a chance to mend fences with the new British leadership will not serve any purpose for the UK’s African interests at large, and those of Zimbabwe.
Andy Kapfumvuti is President: Zimbabwe National Party.
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The United States Embassy in Harare has slammed the abductions and torture of MDC youth leader Blessing Kanotunga and human rights activist Tatenda Mombeyarara which occured on Wednesday morning.
Heavily armed men broke into their houses and abducted them in unmarked vehicles. The two were tortured before being dumped.
Writing on social media, the US Embassy said,
The U.S. government is concerned about renewed reports of abductions and assault of civil society members and opposition party members. Harassment and intimidation have no place in a democratic and pluralistic society. #RespecttheConstitution #humanrights
We will be visiting victims of the latest violence against civil society and opposition activists to hear their stories and document their injuries. We call on the GOZ(Goverment of Zimbabwe) to condemn these attacks and hold those responsible to account.
The U.S. government is concerned about renewed reports of abductions and assault of civil society members and opposition party members. Harassment and intimidation have no place in a democratic and pluralistic society. #RespecttheConstitution#humanrights
We will be visiting victims of the latest violence against civil society and opposition activists to hear their stories and document their injuries. We call on the GOZ to condemn these attacks and hold those responsible to account. #RespecttheConstitution#humanrightshttps://t.co/UJNPecOwtM
GOVERNMENT has exempted 12 food and beverages companies from paying duty in foreign currency when importing certain raw materials quantities necessary for their production processes.
Also on the list of the companies is Medent Private Limited that is in the business of protective clothing as well as clothing accessories of leather or composition leather.
This is expected to boost production and consumption of locally manufactured goods, at a time Government is pushing for the industrialisation agenda under the “Zimbabwe is Open for Business” mantra.
Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube, made the announcement on the amendment of the Customs and Excise (Designation of foreign Currency Dutiable Goods) that exempts dairies, beverages, protective clothing and baking companies from paying duty for some imports in foreign currency.
The changes are contained in Statutory Instrument 170 of 2019 published in the Government Gazette on Friday.
“With effect from date of gazetting, the persons designated in the second schedule to this notice shall be allowed to import goods with the listed commodity codes being imported entirely for use in their production process in quantities not exceeding the quantities specified against each person listed in the second schedule, and pay for the duty in any currency acceptable in Zimbabwe as legal tender,” reads part of the Statutory Instrument.
Among the companies Schweppes Zimbabwe is exempt from paying duty in foreign currency when importing fruit mixes, orange juice, juice of any other citrus fruits, juice of other single fruit or vegetable, unfermented and not containing added spirit, all in varying quantities.
Dairibord’s list of products include fresh unripened cheese, raw groundnuts, sugar cones or waffles and wafers, other fruit as well as fruit mixes.
Spirits and wines maker, Afdis, has on its list other wine of alcoholic strength by volume not exceeding 14 percent alcohol.
Other companies to benefit from the development include Kefalos, Cairns Foods, Associated Foods, Kershelmar Dairies, Dendairy, Alpha and Omega, Machiareer Investments and Lobels Biscuits.
Among other imported goods needed by the listed companies for their production include raw groundnuts and coating chocolate.
Last year, Minister Ncube invoked the Customs and Exercise Act and imposed duty in foreign currency on an array of goods that include vehicles and meat, in line with his 2019 National Budget Statement.
The other affected products include horticultural products, cosmetics and selected fruits.
Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association has written to the Health Services Board informing them that they are incapacitated from offering their services with immediate effect.
In a letter in possession of this publication the doctors said:
• Our living conditions have become a health hazard and mental condition to both us and the patients • We request the employer to adjust our earnings to the inter-bank bank rate which currently sits at 8.7. • We hereby give notice of total incapacitation with immediate effect giving the employer a grace period of 3 weeks upon receiving this letter to present practical solutions to our financial crisis.
The Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) says it has banned its former president Philip Chiyangwa for life for “bringing Zimbabwean football into disrepute.”
In a statement, Zifa accused Chiyangwa of “unilaterally submitting an incomplete bid document” to host this year’s Cosafa Cup “without getting a government guarantee.”
Zimbabwe reneged on an agreement to stage the event, with South Africa taking over as hosts.
Zifa now faces a ban and a hefty fine from Cosafa for pulling out of hosting the southern African tournament.
Chiyangwa lost his position as Zifa president last year, but is currently the president of Cosafa, the southern African regional body.
His Zifa ban, which comes into immediate effect, means he will no longer be allowed entry into all Zifa sanctioned football matches played in Zimbabwe, football meetings, conferences and any football related activity in the country.
There has been no response so far from Chinyangwa to Zifa’s statement. — BBC Sport
Tivonge Rushesha took another step towards his dream of breaking into the Swansea senior side after he was included in the team that beat Northampton Town 3-1 in the first round of Carabao Cup on Tuesday.
Rushesha was among the five academy players who were named in the match-day squad. The 17-year old, however, was an unused substitute in the encounter.
The Zimbabwe-born full-back made a name for himself with the development side in March when he got his Premier League 2 debut.
He hasn’t been capped at any level by his adoptive country Wales and is still eligible to feature for Zimbabwe.
PRO-DEMOCRACY CAMPAIGNER MOMBEYARARA HOSPITALISED AFTER BEING ABDUCTED AND TORTURED
ZLHR – TATENDA MOMBEYARARA, a pro-democracy campaigner has been hospitalised after he was abducted on Wednesday 14 August 2019 and tortured by some unidentified men, who seized him from his residence in Chitungwiza.
The 37 year-old Mombeyarara was abducted by six heavily armed men who assaulted and severely tortured him after they seized him from his Chitungwiza residence on Wednesday morning before dumping him at a quarry mine near Hatfield suburb in Harare.
Mombeyarara’s tormentors wanted him to furnish them with details pertaining to an anti-government protest organised by the opposition MDC party and scheduled for Friday 16 August 2019.
During interrogation, the unidentified men asked Mombeyarara, a well-known Human Rights Defender (HRD), about the number of people expected to attend the demonstration and other details such as how the protest had been organised.
The unidentified men also interrogated Mombeyarara about the training which he allegedly received in Maldives in May.
Although Mombeyarara denied any involvement about organising the anti-government protest and any knowledge of the details of the demonstration, his tormentors continued torturing him using a torture method commonly referred to as Falanga, which entails beating the HRD under his feet.
Over the years, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights has documented several cases, where state security agents used the Falanga torture method against HRDs in a desperate bid to extract confessions during interrogations.
Mombeyarara is one of several people arrested in May and charged with subverting a constitutional government: allegedly plotting to overthrow President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government. He is currently out of custody on remand and his trial is yet to commence on charges on contravening section 22(2)(a)(iii) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
South African champions Mamelodi Sundons have confirmed that they are in talks with Kaizer Chiefs to sign Warriors winger Khama Billiat.
Speculation around the future of the 28-year-old has dominated South African media for weeks and even though Amakhosi have downplayed the potential deal, Masandawana Acting General Manager Yogesh Singh has confirmed that negotiations are in place.
“This is a sensitive matter, and we have mutual respect for Kaizer Chiefs – so I won’t be disclosing too much information. But what I can tell you is that we have been in ongoing discussions for some time now about Khama Billiat,” explained Sing according to South African publication Soccer
“What I can say is that the transfer window ends on August 31 and obviously all over the world players are moving during this period and it is no different here. If there’s no movement beyond that, then it is what it is. And the respect between the two clubs will remain,” he added.
