The Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) has raised the flag over the continued politicisation of food aid by especially Zanu PF activists and war veterans revealing that villagers are being forced to reveal the contents of their mobile phones in an operation code named “Muphone mako munei” meaning what is in your phone.

In its latest report, the organisation called on government to address this worrying trend and uphold the Constitution.

Said the ZPP:

“The continued deprivation of food aid to the vulnerable due to political affiliation is a worrying trend that must be addressed immediately. Section 77 in the Zimbabwean Constitution clearly provides for the right to food. The State has the obligation to ensure that right is provided for all citizens whatever their political persuasion.

Conflicting reports from government officials in acknowledging that there indeed is discrimination in food allocation is worrying to say the least. Local Government, Public Works and National Housing minister July Moyo (chairperson of inter-Cabinet committee that deals with disaster and climate change) recently confirmed that government was concerned over reports of abuse of food aid.

However, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare minister Sekai Nzenza recently refuted reports of partisan distribution of food aid.

The 5,7 million Zimbabweans reportedly needing food aid (Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Report) will fail to get the needed assistance if partisan allocation of aid is not addressed. The depressed socio-economic environment in Zimbabwe is increasingly a cause for concern as citizens are frustrated.

It reported that on July 12, Zanu PF youths in Murewa North forced villagers to convene a development meeting at Zihute Hall in ward 30.

The youths, led by Innocent Mhutebwani (45) and Tashupika Mushonga (60), threatened and intimidated villagers suspected of listening to Voice of America Studio 7 radio station.

Villagers were told that Zanu PF members will conduct a local operation called Muphone Mako Munei? (What’s in Your Phone?) in order to bring to book opposition supporters who keep Studio 7 content in their phones.

These threats are a clear indication of the increasingly intolerant landscape. A democratic society is evident through people of different persuasions thriving side by side without confrontation and retribution,

We are also concerned by reports that people have been victimised and intimidated during First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa’s outreach visits. One such case was reported in Mazowe Central at Rosa Rural District Hospital in ward 9, where suspected State security agents reportedly harassed Simbarashe Sithole, a freelance journalist, confiscated his Press card and barred him from conducting his duties.

We urge all leaders in their various capacities to exercise restraint and create an enabling environment for peace, and desist from fermenting contention and strife.

War veterans are an important part of Zimbabwe’s legacy and we appreciate the immense contribution they made to the liberation of Zimbabwe. We are also alive to the fact that this liberation was to ensure that every Zimbabwean thrives in a free society.

We beseech the liberation fighters to dig deep and return to the heroes of old, championing the rights of every Zimbabwean and fostering a free and peaceful country.”

A man on parole is on the run after he allegedly shot and killed his neighbour for R20.

The man, who was released from prison last year after serving half of his jail term for robbery, allegedly shot and killed Xolani Dlamini, 36, in Mofolo North, Soweto last week. The parolee cannot be named until police secure a warrant for his arrest.

He was released from the Johannesburg Correctional Centre last year after serving six years of his 12-year prison sentence in connection with a 2013 armed robbery.

Dlamini’s family told Sowetan yesterday that they were heartbroken by his murder.

The deceased’s sister Lindiwe, 27, said the 39-year-old parolee shot her brother in front of her before fleeing.

The two were friends since they were children so this came as a surprise. They had a disagreement about a R20 that Xolani owed him,” Lindiwe said.

“Xolani’s gripe was that he approached him in front of other people.”

Lindiwe added she was present when the argument broke out and that the 39-year-old man threatened to shoot her brother.

“He persisted that he wanted his money, but Xolani didn’t have it. Xolani asked him why he was hanging their dirty laundry in public and demanding his money from him in front of other people in the community.”

He said Xolani told the parolee that he was not scared of him and that he should do what he deemed fit to recoup his money from him.

“The guy then ran to his house and came out with a gun. Xolani then ran to our house and that’s when he shot Xolani in the back.”

A police source close to the investigation told Sowetan that the money in dispute was for drugs.

Captain Mavela Masondo said a case of murder is being investigated and that police were searching for the 39-year-old man.-SowetanLive

By A Correspondent- Ailing Vice President constantino Chiwenga has sent a message to the people of Zimbabwe wishing them to have blessed Heroes and Defense Forces day commemorations.

Chiwenga who is currently receiving treatment in China is reportedly suffering from multiple organ failure and is being attended to by doctors from Zimbabwe, South Africa, China and India.

Last week Mnangagwa said Chiwenga has completed extensive medical tests in China where he was on a strict regimen that was imposed by Chinese, South African and other doctors almost two weeks ago.

In a statement, Mnangagwa said the retired army general is expected to start receiving specific medication for an undisclosed ailment. 

“… The vice president has now completed extensive tests required by the Chinese medical team attending to him, thus paving the way for the commencement of actual treatment.

“While it is still too early in the treatment proves, I am advised that the vice president’s condition remains remarkably stable, with the initial strict regimen imposed on him at the time of his admission being gradually eased to allow greater access by close family members,” the statement read.

Chiwenga is credited for leading a November 2017 bloody coup that ended 37 years of Robert Mugabe’s iron rule. The coup which was code-named Operation restore order saw a number of Zimbabweans like CIO Boss Peter Munetsi being killed while some were left unaccounted for and others exiled.

By A Correspondent- Movement for Democratic Change leader Nelson Chamisa, who is plotting a #ShutDownZimbabwe protest, has approached former Botswana leader Ian Khama and Namibian President Hage Geingob in a bid to try and broker talks between him and President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

A local publication reported that Chamisa revealed that he had approached regional leaders because he was interested in peace and dialogue.

“We are open to dialogue. Apart from several letters we wrote to him (Mnangagwa), we have also approached former heads of State and sitting heads of State in an effort to dialogue, but Mnangagwa is refusing. 

“Zimbabwe is on fire and nothing is working at the moment. Everywhere there are problems and this points to a shortage of ideas.

“What Mnangagwa is doing is trying to colour a dead donkey and hope that it will resurrect. You cannot put lipstick on a frog and expect it to be beautiful,” Chamisa said.

“The problem in Zimbabwe at the moment is politics. You cannot tinker with fundamental issues. They (Zanu-PF) have to resolve the political questions. 

“No country in the world will succeed with divisions. That must be corrected. Otherwise trying to address the economy will remain a fruitless exercise,” he added.

Charamba confirmed the developments as well. 

“We know for a fact that Chamisa approached former Botswana president Khama and Namibian President Geingob.

“The door for dialogue remains wide open because there is a national consensus that there should be dialogue to resolve the economic challenges.

“But he (Chamisa) was told to move away from political confrontation and acknowledge president Mnangagwa as the head of State.

“Former president Khama advised him to start preparing for the 2023 elections because 2018 is a closed chapter,” Charamba told the Daily News. 

“Coming to the issue of dialogue, he (Chamisa) can’t come with pre-conditions. Even though there is goodwill, that goodwill will be squandered when people negotiate in bad faith.

“Zimbabwe is on the verge of assuming the chairmanship of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) organ on politics, defence and security, and there are spirited efforts to derail that. That does not build Zimbabwe.

“He (Chamisa) should stop the politics of confrontation,” Charamba said further. 

Mnangagwa and Chamisa have been at loggerheads since the country held its watershed elections last year, which were won by Zanu-PF – with the youthful MDC leader hotly disputing the results of the presidential ballot.

Mnangagwa’s victory was upheld by the Constitutional Court which ruled that Chamisa had failed to provide evidence that he had won the election.

Since then, repeated attempts to persuade Chamisa to join other political parties in dialogue with Mnangagwa have come to nought, as he set tough demands which included having “an independent mediator” presiding over the much-talked-about talks.-DailyNews

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) has raised the flag over the continued politicisation of food aid by especially Zanu PF activists and war veterans.

In its latest report, the organisation called on government to address this worrying trend and uphold the Constitution.

Said the ZPP:

“The continued deprivation of food aid to the vulnerable due to political affiliation is a worrying trend that must be addressed immediately. Section 77 in the Zimbabwean Constitution clearly provides for the right to food. The State has the obligation to ensure that right is provided for all citizens whatever their political persuasion.

Conflicting reports from government officials in acknowledging that there indeed is discrimination in food allocation is worrying to say the least. Local Government, Public Works and National Housing minister July Moyo (chairperson of inter-Cabinet committee that deals with disaster and climate change) recently confirmed that government was concerned over reports of abuse of food aid.

However, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare minister Sekai Nzenza recently refuted reports of partisan distribution of food aid.

The 5,7 million Zimbabweans reportedly needing food aid (Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Report) will fail to get the needed assistance if partisan allocation of aid is not addressed. The depressed socio-economic environment in Zimbabwe is increasingly a cause for concern as citizens are frustrated.

It reported that on July 12, Zanu PF youths in Murewa North forced villagers to convene a development meeting at Zihute Hall in ward 30.

The youths, led by Innocent Mhutebwani (45) and Tashupika Mushonga (60), threatened and intimidated villagers suspected of listening to Voice of America Studio 7 radio station.

Villagers were told that Zanu PF members will conduct a local operation called Muphone Mako Munei? (What’s in Your Phone?) in order to bring to book opposition supporters who keep Studio 7 content in their phones.

These threats are a clear indication of the increasingly intolerant landscape. A democratic society is evident through people of different persuasions thriving side by side without confrontation and retribution,

We are also concerned by reports that people have been victimised and intimidated during First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa’s outreach visits. One such case was reported in Mazowe Central at Rosa Rural District Hospital in ward 9, where suspected State security agents reportedly harassed Simbarashe Sithole, a freelance journalist, confiscated his Press card and barred him from conducting his duties.

We urge all leaders in their various capacities to exercise restraint and create an enabling environment for peace, and desist from fermenting contention and strife.

War veterans are an important part of Zimbabwe’s legacy and we appreciate the immense contribution they made to the liberation of Zimbabwe. We are also alive to the fact that this liberation was to ensure that every Zimbabwean thrives in a free society.

We beseech the liberation fighters to dig deep and return to the heroes of old, championing the rights of every Zimbabwean and fostering a free and peaceful country.”

Matemadanda swears 16 Aug demo is not going to happen pic.twitter.com/0nwscSTAii

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) August 12, 2019

Zimbabwe teachers protesting their low wages are threatening to go on strike when schools reopen next month as the country’s deteriorating economy simultaneously faces yet another hike in fuel prices.

The Progressive Teachers’ Union Secretary-General, Raymond Majongwe, issued the warning on Twitter saying it would be difficult to open schools when the third term begins because teachers had been reduced to beggars with the rapid increase in the prices of basic goods.

https://twitter.com/RMajongwe/status/1160550101720477696?s=19

The strike warning followed the government last month providing the civil servants with a cushioning allowance which was dismissed by the teachers as nothing when compared to the rate at which prices were increasing.

In other bad news for Zimbabwe’s ailing economy the price of fuel has gone up yet again after the Zimbabwe Energy Regulation Authority (Zera) on Sunday evening announced the new prices.

Petrol will now cost $9.09 per litre while diesel is now $9.27 per litre. The last price increase was made on August 3, just over a week ago.

The dramatic spike in fuel prices follows the finance and economic development minister stating several weeks ago that he wanted fuel prices to increase by $1.

African News Agency/ANA

State Media|ZIMBABWE has obtained three separate loans of just over US$108,3 million from the Export-Import Bank of China and Export-Import Bank of India to be used for power generation projects and broadband expansion.

Government tied a loan agreement with the Export-Import Bank of China of ¥465 050 000 (US$65 852 350) on June 26, while the Exim-Import Bank of India released two loans of US$23 million and US$19,5 million. 

In an Extraordinary Government Gazette published last Friday, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Professor Mthuli Ncube, concluded the loan agreements.

The Chinese loan has a 20-year tenure at an interest rate of 2 percent per annum and a management fee of 0,25 percent on the outstanding principal amount.

“The loan will be utilised for the purpose of expanding the Zimbabwe NetOne National Mobile Broadband Expansion Project,” said Government.

A copy of the loan agreement will be available for inspection at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development offices in Harare.

The Export-Import Bank of India provided a US$23 million line of credit, which also has a tenure of 20 years, with a grace period of five years at an interest rate of 1,75 percent per annum.

It also has a commitment fee at the rate of 0,5 percent on outstanding principal amount.

A management fee shall be payable once off at the rate 0,5 percent.

Government said the loan will be utilised for “financing renovation and upgrading of the Bulawayo Thermal Power Plant”.

Prof Ncube concluded the loan agreement on April 4, 2019.

Further, the Export-Import Bank of India released a US$19,5 million, which will be used to finance Phase II of Deka Pumping Station and River Intake System.

The loan is for 20 years with a grace period of five years.

It has an interest rate of 1,75 percent per annum, and a commitment fee at a rate of 0,5 percent on the outstanding principal amount. 

A management fee shall be payable once off at the rate of 0,5 percent.

The Swedish loans are expected to improve the country’s power situation which is presently precarious, although Government has been running around to normalise the situation.

Declining water levels in Lake Kariba have plunged most parts of the country into darkness for longer periods per day.

There are fears that if the water levels continue to decline in Lake Kariba, power generation could stop by early October, which will almost complicate the situation.

Last Friday, Kariba Hydropower Station was generating 164MW, against an installed capacity of 1 050MW.

Hwange Thermal Power Station was producing 469MW, and Harare and Munyati 15MW each.

This means the country was generating 663MW against a national demand of 1 700MW.

Williamson Chitiyo was over 9,000 miles from home when he died in July.

A nurturer, educator and member of his country’s main political opposition party, Chitiyo came to the US from his native Zimbabwe after retiring in 2013, fleeing a major economic downturn that left his retirement all but worthless. Now that he has passed, his family wants to send him home, but the expense is so great they cannot shoulder it alone.

Chitiyo’s story begins in Mutare, Zimbabwe, where he was born. He was the eldest son, the second of 10 children. His father passed away when he was in his early 20’s.

“He had to take up the mantle of taking care of the younger siblings because my grandma was a stay at home wife,” said Tariro Chitiyo, his daughter. “He went into teacher training, and he became a teacher. It was one of the professions that would enable him to take care of his mom financially. He put his younger siblings through school.”

He met his wife, Tariro’s mother, in training.

He taught geography and history in high school, then became a principal, and later an administration at the University of Zimbabwe in the capital city, Harare, where their four children were born.

At the university, he worked directly with students as the go-between between them and the school.

“They seemed to love him, because they all just ended up converging in his office,” Tariro said. “I’d sometimes go there on Friday afternoons, and my dad would be sitting there with a bunch of students and they’d be talking. They were so comfortable with him.”

She describes her father as a nurturer, a problem-solver.

“He was a nurturer. You could always go to him, regardless of who you were. You could always go to him with whatever problems you had, and he always would find a way to come up with a solution for that,” Tariro said.

She recalled a particular instance with her father that she thinks of when she gets into trouble.

“My dad always told me, whatever the boys can do, you can do, too. That meant I would go climbing trees. We used to play on the roof of our garage. We had this huge tree that was right next to the roof of the garage. … It was a really sturdy tree, and the branches went on top of the garage. We would climb it … I would play for hours with my brothers up there” she said.

One day, when she was about five years old, she got stuck up there. Her brothers had climbed down the tree and left her.

“I couldn’t get down, and I started crying … My dad came out and he was like ‘I’m not going to tell you to jump. I could tell you to jump and I’ll catch you, but … you need to figure it out’ … He told me ‘If you remember how you got up there, you’ll know how to get down.’”

When she gets into trouble now, she remembers his words.

“Whenever (I) get into trouble, I always try to retrace my steps. How did I get myself into this, and if I got myself into this, I can get myself out of it,” she said.

Life in the Chitiyo family – and in families all across Zimbabwe – got harder after 2008.

“Zimbabwe went through a really tumultuous economic slump around 2007, 2008. (It) wiped out everyone’s retirement plans, so all the retirement money went down the drain. It went from being worth a whole lot to being worth nothing,” Tariro said.

Her father was set to retire in 2013, but was worried the family wouldn’t be able to live off his retirement package, now worth little to nothing.

One of Tariro’s brothers, who had moved to London because of the collapsing economy and large unemployment rate, called their father one day to tell him about a potential way out of Zimbabwe.

“He called one day and was like ‘You know, one of my friends forwarded a green card lottery system thing, so just send me your pictures and you never know,’” Tariro recalled. “It’s like a draw, put your name in a hat and whoever’s name gets picked, and my dad’s name got picked.”

At first, she said, her father didn’t know what it meant.

“He just didn’t get it. ‘What’s the excitement about it? What am I going to go to America and do in my old age?’” Tariro remembered him saying.

Her brother, however, was excited.

“My brother explained this is a green card,” Tariro said. “(He told him) ‘You could go and work if you wanted to. At the same time, you could go visit your family (because he’s got a cousin that lives in Minnesota). Visit with him and see whether you like it or not, and if you don’t, you can always come back home, and we’ll pick it up from there.’”

So when he retired, he left Zimbabwe for the US.

“As painful as it is, it’s either you stay and you die, or you move and try to make it the best way you can,” Tariro said. “For him to move after retiring … someone who’s lived in a country for all their life, for them to then pick up and leave after they retired because they can’t see how they were going to survive … it was heartbreaking. ”

He couldn’t get a job at a university, and he ended up working as a sales associate at Walmart.

“Although it was frustrating, he was always happy. He didn’t let it get him down. He’d be like, ‘Okay, yes I’m disappointed, but life goes on,” Tariro said.

He found his way back to education, albeit not in the capacity he was used to, but as a substitute teacher.

“One of his friends at work was like you should be teaching because I think everyone noticed this man is too educated to be working at Walmart,” Tariro said. “He would work nights at Walmart and come back home, finish work at 7 (am) and be at his substitute teaching job at about 8 (am) or depending on what time his assignments were… sometimes the assignments would be a couple of hours or they would be throughout the day. He would get back home and try to get some sleep from 4 pm and wake up and go to work at 10 pm, so that was really strenuous on him.”

During his time in Dickinson, he was active in the local Zimbabwean community, where he met his friend Tawanda Dzvokora.

“He told me his life story. We kind of connected because he was a teacher … I also was a teacher in Zimbabwe,” Dzvokora said.

They shared something else, too – they were both members of the main opposition party in Zimbabwe – Movement for Democratic Change- and they were involved in their country’s politics even while in the US.

Dzvokora said when he heard Chitiyo’s stories of activism in Zimbabwe, he was excited and looked to him for advice.

“He was an advisor. He was like a father to me,” Dzvokora said. “He would sit down and then tell me ‘If you want to get this done, please do the things this way and that way. That’s how we used to do it back home in Zimbabwe.’”

Activism was common with teachers.

“If you are a teacher in Zimbabwe, you are an agent of change, so you’re bound to talk about what is going on in your country, and what is wrong, and what is not wrong, and how things should be. He was an outspoken person. He would speak out, just like I would,” Dzvokora said.

Speaking out against the Zimbabwean government can be deadly.

“Once you do that, there’s no freedom of speech. You cannot criticize the government. You cannot say the government is wrong. Once you do that, you become an enemy of the government, and they come after you. They kill people,” Dzvokora said.

He said he left Zimbabwe because of political persecution.

“They follow the leaders of the protests to their homes and abduct them and even make them disappear. I was one of the leaders, and I was being followed every day and night,” he said.

Tariro said thankfully, her father had not experienced that firsthand.

“My aunt (his sister) was murdered during the war, so he understood what people go through during times of political turmoil, and the one thing he always used to tell us was ‘Make sure you’re safe. Be careful of who you’re talking to when you are talking’, because he understood that it was a matter of life and death,” she said.

Chitiyo didn’t leave Zimbabwe out of fear of the government, but Dzvokora and Tariro said his story is still representative of the plight of many Zimbabweans.

“His story represents the story of millions of other Zimbabweans who would have gone through college and done everything to ensure that they have a successful life, but they never have it,” Dzvokora said.

To Dzvokora, that Chitiyo spent his life working toward something he never saw was painful.

“His story, it’s a painful story. To me, it broke my heart. This is a man who served his country, his community, for 42 years, working diligently and honestly,” he said. “If he was in a normal country like the USA, you know that you’d have retired maybe with a million dollar 401K pension. He retired, and he didn’t have anything to show for it. Maybe you get $100 a month, but that $100, you have to stand in the line, in the queue, for days for you to get that. This is a man who should have been enjoying his life somewhere in Zimbabwe playing with grandchildren, enjoying his sweat, the fruits of his labor.”

Chitiyo had been in remission from prostate cancer, but started getting sick again.

During a colonoscopy, his doctors discovered he had colon cancer that had spread to his liver. After recovering in Bismarck from his kidneys shutting down, he went through chemotherapy. It worked … and then it didn’t.

“He was at the hospital at CHI. He stayed in the hospital for a couple of weeks, then they said that the treatment wasn’t helping, so they stopped all the treatment and he was transferred to St. Benedict’s on a Tuesday two weeks ago, and he passed the following day. It went really quick,” Tariro said.

His family want to return him to his beloved him.

“It’s important for us to get him back home because my brothers didn’t get a chance to say goodbye … He came from a large family and he was the eldest son and took care of his siblings so family would like a way to send him home and get a chance to say goodbye to him. Before he passed, he wanted to be buried at his communal home next to his parents … we wanted to honor that,” Tariro said.

More than just his family are waiting for him.

“This is a man who spent 42 years working in Zimbabwe, went to school there. All his workmates, his friends … Thousands and thousands of people are at their homestead, who have been there since the day he passed, just waiting for him. Like she said, it’s very traditional. For us it’s cultural that you have to be buried in your home,” Dzvokora said.

To repatriate his remains will cost the family between $18,000 and $20,000.

“Although he does have a funeral policy back home, (and) it was supposed to cover his repatriation back home, but because of the recent demonetization of the Zimbabwean dollar and the reintroduction of the currency, they told us that they cannot afford to repatriate, so the family has to handle that,” Tariro said.

The family have yet to receive his life insurance policy, but they have raised a bit of money already.

“I just want to thank the Dickinson community, the Zimbabwean community and some of our African friends. We contributed I think over $4,000 towards the funeral. It takes about – it’s very expensive – $18-20k to repatriate someone to Zimbabwe. The family had some savings … but we’re still really short,” Dzvokora said.

If you would like to help bring Chitiyo home, the family has set up a Go Fund Me page. They still have about $12,000 to raise.

Magaya church Headmaster Jebes Muchapondwa reported to the police.

ref: 306/19 internal investigations pic.twitter.com/O1pJByC1E6

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) August 12, 2019

More details to follow.

By Nelson Chamisa|The Defence forces day, is a day set aside to honour the men and women who have dedicated themselves to defend our nation.

The defence forces form the backbone of any nation and ours is no exception.

Indeed, our national constitution (through Sections 211 and 212) recognises the role and significance of the defence forces in our body politic, in safeguarding our territorial integrity.

Indeed, we salute and duly recognize the unstinting and committed service that our patriotic soldiers continue to render to their beloved country, even under these extremely difficult circumstances.

As a nation, we fought a just war of liberation, and the dedication, sacrifice and patriotism of the sons and daughters of this land deserves our veneration and utmost respect.

We are thankful to the men and women in uniform for the sacrifices and service to the nation in fulfilling their constitutional mandate and national duty.

Over the years, our defence forces have earned accolades for the work they have performed on international duty, in peace-keeping missions across the world.
We honour them for raising the national flag.

They have also done fantastic community work in our rural areas, and their recent efforts in the wake of Cyclone Idai deserve special mention.

This indeed is the kind of work that endears the defence forces to the public.

Whilst our constitution recognises the key role of the defence forces, it also lays down the foundation for a smooth relationship with other branches of our body politic, setting the boundaries of what they can or cannot do.

This is why we continue to encourage our defence forces to uphold the values of professionalism, respect, forbearance and non-partisanship.

We know that the majority of our defence forces are bound and are faithful to their oaths as defenders of the nation.

The few who stray beyond the lines of professionalism should never be allowed to taint the entire institution.

This taint can be cleansed by holding to account those who have strayed away from their constitutional prescriptions.

Regrettably, we have lost innocent lives in the past year at the hands of such elements.

We echo public and international sentiment of accountability for these losses to prevent a culture of impunity and immunity.

Considering the recent killings of civilians on the 1st of August 2018 and around the 15th of January, which has eroded the confidence of our people, I would like to encourage our Defence Forces to swiftly address concerns about impartiality on partisan politics, respect for human rights and subordination to civilian authority as enshrined under our constitution.

To this end, I am quite encouraged by the comments made by the National Army Commander, Lieutenant General Edzai Absolom Chanyuka Chimonyo, and Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander, General Philip Valerio Sibanda.

Both Generals have recently and passionately spoken about the need for a professional, disciplined and non-partisan Defence Force which protects Zimbabwe, its citizens, its national security, its interests, its territorial integrity and more importantly, to uphold the Constitution of the land.

We remember with a profound sense of humility the songs of liberation such as Nzira dzemasoja and Tinoda Zimbabwe neupfumi hwayo hwese, great motivational anthems that also constitute a code of conduct for our defence forces.

The core message is: treat the people with respect.

When our constitution behoves the defences forces to respect human rights and freedoms, it is merely restating these organic commandments with deep-seated roots.

Therefore, as we celebrate and honour the defence forces, we call upon our men and women to uphold, defend and respect the core values that helped our forebears to prosecute the liberation struggle together with and not against the people.

They said they were fish and the people were the water.
It was true then and it is true today and always.

We know our men and women are not spared by the economic and social challenges that we are facing as a nation.

They are our brothers, our sisters, fathers and mothers to some and uncles and aunties to others.

They are our brothers and sisters in law to all of us.

In short, they are people like us, facing the same darkness when electricity is down, the same anxiety when the new school term begins and there is no money for school fees.

They are, like many of us, breadwinners without the bread; wage earners with eroding wages.

When we express ourselves, we are also doing it on their behalf; on behalf of and with their families, friends and neighbours, singing songs of freedom and prosperity that they cannot sing on account of their job.

Poverty, like rain falls upon every roof. However poverty is not a natural phenomenon.

Since it is made by humankind, it can be overcome by humankind too, through working together in unison.

Going forward, in a truly New Zimbabwe, under our new leadership, we envisage a defence forces that is built on a foundation of meritocracy, patriotism and professionalism, where service, merit and excellence take precedence.

We aspire for a new Zimbabwe is which there is mutual respect between our defence forces and members of the public.

In our New Zimbabwe, the military forces will be well-equipped, well-fed and well-remunerated.

The relationship between the military and politicians will be characterised by professionalism, progressiveness and non-partisanship, allowing military men and women to flourish and defend the nation with pride.

Politics will guide the gun.The ballot will manage the bullet.

In a New Zimbabwe, our military will not be owned or appropriated by any political party.

The army is above partisan politics.Our military will be nonpartisan.
Our national army is people’s force.

We salute men and women in uniform.
You are the pride of the nation. God bless our men and women in uniform.

Let me assure you all about my unwavering support for the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and my vision for a great, peaceful and prosperous country for all who live in it.

Change that delivers!

Thank you and God Bless You

MDC President
Adv Nelson Chamisa

12 AUGUST 2019, MRT HOUSE, HARARE.

The Defence forces day, is a day set aside to honour the men and women who have dedicated themselves to defend our nation.

The defence forces form the backbone of any nation and ours is no exception.

Indeed, our national constitution (through Sections 211 and 212) recognises the role and significance of the defence forces in our body politic, in safeguarding our territorial integrity.

Indeed, we salute and duly recognize the unstinting and committed service that our patriotic soldiers continue to render to their beloved country, even under these extremely difficult circumstances.

As a nation, we fought a just war of liberation, and the dedication, sacrifice and patriotism of the sons and daughters of this land deserves our veneration and utmost respect.

We are thankful to the men and women in uniform for the sacrifices and service to the nation in fulfilling their constitutional mandate and national duty.

Over the years, our defence forces have earned accolades for the work they have performed on international duty, in peace-keeping missions across the world.
We honour them for raising the national flag.

They have also done fantastic community work in our rural areas, and their recent efforts in the wake of Cyclone Idai deserve special mention.

This indeed is the kind of work that endears the defence forces to the public.

Whilst our constitution recognises the key role of the defence forces, it also lays down the foundation for a smooth relationship with other branches of our body politic, setting the boundaries of what they can or cannot do.

This is why we continue to encourage our defence forces to uphold the values of professionalism, respect, forbearance and non-partisanship.

We know that the majority of our defence forces are bound and are faithful to their oaths as defenders of the nation.

The few who stray beyond the lines of professionalism should never be allowed to taint the entire institution.

This taint can be cleansed by holding to account those who have strayed away from their constitutional prescriptions.

Regrettably, we have lost innocent lives in the past year at the hands of such elements.

We echo public and international sentiment of accountability for these losses to prevent a culture of impunity and immunity.

Considering the recent killings of civilians on the 1st of August 2018 and around the 15th of January, which has eroded the confidence of our people, I would like to encourage our Defence Forces to swiftly address concerns about impartiality on partisan politics, respect for human rights and subordination to civilian authority as enshrined under our constitution.

To this end, I am quite encouraged by the comments made by the National Army Commander, Lieutenant General Edzai Absolom Chanyuka Chimonyo, and Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander, General Philip Valerio Sibanda.

Both Generals have recently and passionately spoken about the need for a professional, disciplined and non-partisan Defence Force which protects Zimbabwe, its citizens, its national security, its interests, its territorial integrity and more importantly, to uphold the Constitution of the land.

We remember with a profound sense of humility the songs of liberation such as Nzira dzemasoja and Tinoda Zimbabwe neupfumi hwayo hwese, great motivational anthems that also constitute a code of conduct for our defence forces.

The core message is: treat the people with respect.

When our constitution behoves the defences forces to respect human rights and freedoms, it is merely restating these organic commandments with deep-seated roots.

Therefore, as we celebrate and honour the defence forces, we call upon our men and women to uphold, defend and respect the core values that helped our forebears to prosecute the liberation struggle together with and not against the people.

They said they were fish and the people were the water.
It was true then and it is true today and always.

We know our men and women are not spared by the economic and social challenges that we are facing as a nation.

They are our brothers, our sisters, fathers and mothers to some and uncles and aunties to others.

They are our brothers and sisters in law to all of us.

In short, they are people like us, facing the same darkness when electricity is down, the same anxiety when the new school term begins and there is no money for school fees.

They are, like many of us, breadwinners without the bread; wage earners with eroding wages.

When we express ourselves, we are also doing it on their behalf; on behalf of and with their families, friends and neighbours, singing songs of freedom and prosperity that they cannot sing on account of their job.

Poverty, like rain falls upon every roof. However poverty is not a natural phenomenon.

Since it is made by humankind, it can be overcome by humankind too, through working together in unison.

Going forward, in a truly New Zimbabwe, under our new leadership, we envisage a defence forces that is built on a foundation of meritocracy, patriotism and professionalism, where service, merit and excellence take precedence.

We aspire for a new Zimbabwe is which there is mutual respect between our defence forces and members of the public.

In our New Zimbabwe, the military forces will be well-equipped, well-fed and well-remunerated.

The relationship between the military and politicians will be characterised by professionalism, progressiveness and non-partisanship, allowing military men and women to flourish and defend the nation with pride.

Politics will guide the gun.The ballot will manage the bullet.

In a New Zimbabwe, our military will not be owned or appropriated by any political party.

The army is above partisan politics.Our military will be nonpartisan.
Our national army is people’s force.

We salute men and women in uniform.
You are the pride of the nation. God bless our men and women in uniform.

Let me assure you all about my unwavering support for the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and my vision for a great, peaceful and prosperous country for all who live in it.

Change that delivers!

Thank you and God Bless You

MDC President
Adv Nelson Chamisa

Tajamuka leader Promise Mkhwananzi appeared in court on Friday on allegations of attempting to unseat the Government after he allegedly called for a national shutdown in July this year.

Mkhwananzi was facing two counts of attempting to subvert a constitutionally-elected Government and another of inciting public violence when he appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Learnmore Mapiye.

Prosecutor Ms Tinashe Makiya told the court that Mkhwananzi was facing a Third Schedule offence and must apply for bail at the High Court.

Mkhwananzi’s lawyer, Mr Tonderai Bhatasara, told the court that he was proceeding with a bail application at the High Court after admitting that his client was indeed facing a Third Schedule offence.

Mrs Mapiye deferred the matter to August 23.

It is the State’s contention that on a date unknown, but sometime between June 1 and June 30 and in Harare, Mkhwananzi allegedly organised a press conference where he urged the public to overthrow the constitutionally-elected Government through unconstitutional means.

During the said press conference, Mkhwananzi allegedly said: “We are calling for a shutdown of Zimbabwe commencing on July 1 to July 5, 2019. During that period, we expect (President) Mnangagwa to address the nation and do something about the rampage political crises and untold economic hardships facing the generality of our people.

“(President) Mnangagwa has two choices before him; to resign and allow Zimbabwe to move forward or to convene an all-inclusive national dialogue under the auspices of an independent and international mediator.”

Through his utterances, the court heard that Mkhwananzi “urged, advocated or suggested for the overthrow or attempt to overthrow the Government of Zimbabwe through unconstitutional means”.

On the second count of incitement to commit public violence, the State alleges that on a date unknown, but between June 1 and June 30, and at the same press conference, Mkhwananzi encouraged members of the public to engage in acts of public violence against the State.

Mkhwanazi’s utterances, the State argues, had the potential of inciting the people of Zimbabwe to commit public disorder scenes.

Ailing Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has sent a message to the people of Zimbabwe wishing them to have a blessed Heroes and Defense Forces day celebrations.

This message was conveyed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa who said, “This morning I was phoned by the Vice President Cde Chiwenga who conveyed his good wishes towards this day.”

Chiwenga who is holed up in China is suffering from multiple organ failure and is being attended by doctors from Zimbabwe, South Africa, China, India and Zimbabwe.

Last week Mnangagwa said Chiwenga has completed extensive medical tests in China where he was on a strict regimen that was imposed by Chinese, South African and other doctors almost two weeks ago.

In a statement, Mnangagwa said the retired army general is expected to start receiving specific medication for an undisclosed ailment.

“… The vice president has now completed extensive tests required by the Chinese medical team attending to him, thus paving the way for the commencement of actual treatment.

“While it is still too early in the treatment proves, I am advised that the vice president’s condition remains remarkably stable, with the initial strict regimen imposed on him at the time of his admission being gradually eased to allow greater access by close family members.” The statement said.

Chiwenga is credited for leading a November 2017 bloody coup that ended 37 years of Robert Mugabe’s iron fist rule.

The coup which was code named Operation restore legacy saw a number of Zimbabweans like CIO Boss Peter Munetsi being killed while some were left unaccounted for and others exiled.

— Byo24

Farai Dziva|Zanu PF Political Commissar Victor Matemadanda has vowed to stop the MDC national demonstration scheduled for August 16.

The MDC has also indicated that the protests are likely to stretch August 20.

” The demonstrations are simply not going to happen,” said Matemadanda during a media briefing at the National Heroes Acre.

Matemadanda would not disclose the method of stopping the protests.

Farai Dziva|Former Zanu PF youth leader, Jim Kunaka, was attacked at the weekend by individuals he described as his political foes.

Kunaka said he was attacked by four people and lost US $2,000 cash and his mobile phone.

“The attack was not about money, I believe there was another agenda.

Nobody knew I was carrying such money.
I drove from Mbare to Seke Road to meet my cousin whom I wanted to give some money. I was then approached by a man who first greeted me and then dragged me out of the car. He searched the car and took away US$2 000, while his accomplices attacked me with empty beer bottles.

They got into their getaway car, a Caravan kombi, and sped off,” said Kunaka.

Kunaka reported the matter to the police.

Farai Dziva|The leader of the Zion Christian Church(ZCC), Nehemiah Mutendi, yesterday described Emmerson Mnangagwa as a leader appointed by God to lead the nation.

Mnangagwa was invited to attend the church’s annual conference in Gokwe on Sunday, 11 August.

Mutendi made the remarks at the church’s annual conference called Zuva raSamuel .

“We invited [Emmerson Mnagagwa] so that we can pray together and thank God the Almighty who put him in the position he is currently holding.”

For him to continue achieving his vision of developing this country, he need spiritual deliverance.

[President Mnangagwa] should be inclusive in his approach and must never lose hope in uniting Zimbabweans for the sake of peace.

Only God has the power to put people in power
ZCC is one of the country’s largest religious organisations,” said Mutendi.

Mnangagwa said:”God saw our troubles and gave us a prophet who has called me here to listen to the word of God.

Your church works with government, we thank you for that….
… even when things went bad for, i had to jump the border but I’m back. Equally so, we might feel hungry & with his guidance we will find grace.”

Farai Dziva|Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday seized the pulpit and described Zion Christian Church leader Nehemiah Mutendi as a great prophet.

Mnangagwa was invited to attend the church’s annual conference in Gokwe on Sunday.

Mnangagwa made the remarks at the ZCC conference known as Zuva raSamuel .

Mnagagwagwa said:
“God saw our troubles and gave us a prophet who has called me here to listen to the word of God.

Your church works with government, we thank you for that….
… even when things went bad for, i had to jump the border but I’m back. Equally so, we might feel hungry and with his guidance we will find grace.”

Farai Dziva|The MDC is deeply concerned about the unfair detention and harassment of political activists in the country.

The recent acquittal of two MDC MPs exposes the Zanu PF regime’ s penchant for persecuting perceived opponents for no reason, the opposition party’s Secretary for Justice and Legal Affairs, Innocent Gonese has said.

See Gonese’s full statement below:

While we welcome the good news of the acquittal of Honourable Settlement Chikwinya and Lloyd Mukapiko on spurious charges of incitement to commit public violence; we have to place it on record that they like numerous other innocent Zimbabweans, should never have been arrested in the first place.

There was simply no evidence against them and putting them to their defence and let alone arresting them was unwarranted and tantamount to political persecution and muzzling them merely for having different views and speaking for the voiceless as elected representatives of the people.

We lament the fact that they remain on remand on stringent conditions such as reporting to the police and restricting their rights on further charges of subversion which we know have no substance.

We remain hopeful that the Judiciary will do the right thing and set them free. However, this cannot be taken for granted as we still have our other MDC leaders like Last Maengahama and Tungamirai Madzokere, languishing in prison for a crime that they never committed.

We also note with consternation the arrest of #Tajamuka leader Promise Mkwananzi who has been detained on the regime’s favourite charges of treason and incitement to commit public violence.

It is our strong view that all this is calculated to muzzle and silence outspoken Zimbabweans who are simply exercising their right to protest against the deteriorating economic crisis brought about by corruption, misgovernance and bad policies.

We also lament the ominous threats issued against us for giving notice that on the 16th August we must exercise our democratic right in terms of Section 59 of our Constitution we have emphasized that this will be a peaceful protest and we do not see why anyone should panic about it.

We are aware of machinations to cause confusion and mayhem but we will not be deterred as Zimbabweans want to get out of our misery but we are dealing with an uncaring regime which is unwilling to accept failure and enter into dialogue for the nation to be extricted out of this quagmire.

Responding by arresting all and sundry as has been the norm which has seen so many people arrested on trumped up charges will not work.

Under an MDC led government, all Zimbabwean will freely enjoy all the rights as provided by our national Constitution.

Innocent Gonese
MDC Secretary for Justice and Legal Affairs

Whose cars could these be pictures getting fuel in the bush? Send us details if you have any information.

GWANDA South constituency is crying out loud for development.

Having provided a passage for thousands of former freedom fighters departing to Botswana, en-route to Zambia and Mozambique for military training, the communities feel they deserve developmental recognition.

The constituency, about 100 kilometres south of Gwanda town, in 1977 grabbed international attention when over 400 pupils were recruited and trooped en masse to Botswana to join the liberation struggle.

The group also included teachers, general staff and nurses from the nearby Manama Mission Hospital.

That landmark event, of which Foreign Affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo is now known to have been part of student recruits, positively turned the view of the world towards Zimbabweans’ quest for emancipation.

It also shocked the settler forces as more blacks started joining the struggle for independence in droves.

Sadly, decades later, it remains the constituency’s only claim to having helped liberate the country from colonial rule.

As the country celebrates Heroes and Defence Forces days this week, the villagers want their lives improved.
In a message to Southern Eye at the weekend, one of the 36 154 members of the constituency appealed to this paper to highlight their plight.

“Maybe, President Emmerson Mnangagwa will hear us through you. We have nothing to show for our faith in the ruling party and visits by our representative in Parliament Abednico Ncube are few and far apart.

“I am a villager from Buvuma village in Gwanda South constituency. As a journalist, I hope you might help us highlight the challenges we are facing as a community in terms of development. The whole constituency has not seen any meaningful socio-economic transformation since the new dispensation, let alone independence,” texted the villager requesting to remain anonymous.

“We are asking for attention and can the President whip our representative to think of home? He has not been here in a long time, despite him being resident minister of the province,” the villager said.

Infrastructure, he said, as a driver of development is non-existent.

Roads are in a terrible state and inadequate water points haunt villagers, who are also facing drought. Health facilities are inadequate.

“The mission-run Manama Hospital is all we have to date and we have inadequate police presence,” added the villager whose area is fraught with numerous cattle theft cases, most unsolved.

“There is no ambulance and our schools have low pass rates due to non-availability of electricity, resulting in extremely high staff turnover. Computers donated by former President Robert Mugabe are gathering dust.

“Above all, mobile phone and radio network connectivity is a nightmare, as there is no single base station, save for one at Manama Mission facilitated by the church elders. Phone communication in the area is horrible.”

Appeals to authorities have fallen on deaf ears and sadly people are now accepting the lack of development as normal, as they are not in touch with developments around the country.

But, Ncube was rude when comment was sought from him.

“Lina lithanda ukubhala amanga (you love writing lies). Should I cut off my phone?” he said before switching off his mobile phone.

Poor radio signals have seen constituents lagging behind current affairs.

Child marriages are a thorn in the flesh and rife in an area where rights of children and women are ignored due to lack of exposure.

“We are in a fix despite that the community is willing to provide labour,” the villager said.

But that does not mean Gwanda South, with seven political wards has no potential.

Thirty percent of the population of the constituency, which borders Botswana in the South is home to some of the country’s finest beef herds, with each of the 7 951 households having the potential to own at least five cattle, according to the Zimbabwe Poverty Atlas 2015, which recorded 80,2% poverty levels in the area.

Poor rainfall patterns have seen the bulk of the people begging for food relief from a variety of agencies.

Those in close proximity to service centres and irrigation schemes have better livelihoods.

There are more women than men in all the wards and considering their willingness to work, self-help schemes are possible, but the leadership appears devoid of initiatives and ideas.

Gwanda South has 28 670 beasts belonging to 30% of the population as at 2015. Farmers are also victim to widespread cattle thefts.

The constituency is home to what is perhaps the country’s most sophisticated cattle heist scheme, whose epicentre at Tshanyaugwe thrives courtesy of the absence of adequate law enforcement agencies.

“We appeal to the government to attend to our needs, facilitate the growth of our business centres by providing electricity service and build water bodies in our area,” another villager who only identified himself as Nyathi said.

“We have no banks and if our road to the new border post at Mulambapere was surfaced it would increase movement in our constituency and spur development,” said a traditional leader in the area, preferring to remain unnamed for fear of being victimised for speaking to the private Press.

“We are appealing for food relief for our livestock and us,” added the traditional leader, whose area has attracted a number of charity organisations probably due to food insecurity and the HIV and Aids pandemic.

Gwanda South constituency has 29 primary schools, with a total enrolment of 10 532 pupils, of which 5 316 are male representing 50,5% and the average teacher/pupil ratio ranges around 44:1 against a desired 28:1.

The primary schools feed nine inferior government-owned secondary schools and one private — the famous Manama.

“We want the government to improve our schools so that we can attract qualified teachers to improve our children’s education,” Nyathi said.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police claims that the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led by Nelson Chamisa has hired some people who participated in the Arab Spring to help the party in staging public protests in the country.

In a tweet on Sunday, police said one of the hired people recently participated in the staging of public demonstrations in Sudan that led to the ouster of then president Omar al-Bashir.

“We are aware that some foreign national are now in the country on the pretext of being tourists yet they are activists who are working closely with the opposition political parties to organize the perceived demonstrations. The foreigners include one who is known for masterminding the Arab Spring and the recent Sudan clashes.”

Home Affairs Minister Cain Matema is quoted as saying foreigners should not cause havoc in Zimbabwe.

He said, “Let me remind foreigners who are clearly dabbling in local political that Zimbabwe is a sovereign state and will not allow people disguised as tourists to come and promote anarchy and destruction of property in the country.”

But MDC spokesperson Daniel Molokele dismissed these remarks saying his party has not hired anyone to help in staging nationwide protests in the country to express its dismay over the deteriorating economic situation.

The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) has announced yet another increase to the price of fuels effective today. The latest price increase comes after the price of fuel went up twice last week.

Diesel has gone up by ZWL$0.21 (21 cents) to retail for ZWL$9.27 per litre up from ZW$9.06 per litre while the maximum price of petrol has gone up by ZWL$0.08 (8 cents) to ZWL$9.09 per litre from ZW$9.01 per litre.

Diesel continues to be more expensive than petrol since last week, because it is used for many industrial purposes at a time Zesa load shedding is wreaking havoc on the economy with power cuts of up to 18 hours a day.

The ruling party, Zanu-PF, has set a target to increase the number of its registered voters to five million to ensure a 65 percent victory in the 2023 elections, Secretary for the Commissariat Victor Matemadanda has said.

Matemadanda, who met Mashonaland Central party leadership at Acardia Dam in Shamva recently, said the vision was to transform Zanu-PF into a five million membership party.

He added that the strategy was not only having five million as potential voters, but people who are loyal to Zanu-PF.

“We have set ourselves a task of having a five million membership strategy that is capable of winning the Presidential election by at least 65 percent in the 2023 election,” said Matemadanda.

“We are starting at two and half million membership and will be evaluating our membership each year. We are going to have a commissariat department that focuses on day to day operations and updating of statistics in all provinces.

“Zanu-PF has maintained its percentage point since independence, with a slight increase during the previous election because we maintained our strongholds. Those who voted for Muzorewa and the whites are the ones at MDC; they are also maintaining their percentage point.

“Our approach is now different, let us go and fish in unknown waters. That is how we can change the colour and composition of our vote. Give people the proper Zanu-PF orientation, the task is not to fight among ourselves, but to mobilise as many people as possible.”

MDC Alliance’s aspiring Glen View South legislator ) says Zimbabweans must unite to save the country from collapse. He expressed confidence that he will win the seat that was left vacant following the death of his sister, Vimbai Tsvangirai-Java following a road traffic accident in June. He told NewsDay (ND) senior reporter of his plans to continue the work that was left hanging by Tsvangirai-Java. Below are excerpts:

VT: Honestly, it’s a mixed bag of emotions for me. Firstly, I’m happy with the reception I’m getting from the party and the people. Secondly, I’m scared that my late father and sister’s shoes may be too big to fill and that the expectations put on me are just heavy. Will I be able to meet them? Thirdly, I am honoured to be given the chance to represent the people who were very dear to my late father (Morgan), mother (Susan) and sister (Vimbai).

VT: I did, but I never expected myself to enter the arena this early, but life does not always go as we plan.

Following the death of my sister, I felt burdened to continue the work she had started and finish the plans she had. I do not know whether this is my calling or not, but I’m here now and I plan to work to the best of my ability for the people of Glen View South and for Zimbabwe.

VT: Well my father was his own person and I am my own person. The shoes he left behind are great shoes to fill, I will pace myself and be the best I can be. There will never be another Morgan Tsvangirai.

More in Home

VT: I am Vincent Tsvangirai and I am the fifth born in a family of six. I am also a twin and I am 24 years old. My story is a simple one, growing up in the democratic family as a child you learn to grow up fast, so I was always a little bit more mature than my peers. I am a quiet person and I tend to let my actions speak for me. I did my schooling here in Zimbabwe until 2008 when we left for South Africa where I completed my education. Vincent is also a photographer and that is a very important part of my life. Growing up, I always excelled in arts, which seems to be resonating with a lot of youths in Glen View because a lot of them can relate to the creative passion.

VT: My role models are my old man the late former Prime Minister Dr Morgan Richard Tsvangirai and a lot of MDC leadership, knowing that these men and women risked their lives so that Zimbabweans could have a future is just inspirational. Apostle Batsirai Java is another big role model to me. He is a man of integrity and is so full of the Word of God. Men like him are rare these days, especially for us young men looking for great people to look up to.

VT: I have a very cordial relationship with the party leadership. I believe it is in good hands.

VT: One of my father’s last prayers on his hospital bed was that the country would come together and call for unity and progress in our land and I believe that, across the divide, we need to reach out to one another. The state of the country needs us all to come together and find our way out of this hole. People are really suffering.

Personally, I believe we can get out of this hole, but it will take the effort of everyone across the divide.

VT: I believe I will win the seat because the message I am taking to the people is that we will have to work hard together to develop the community. It will not be done overnight, but we will implement small programmes that will make big changes when we are done. I believe people in the country are tired of being promised things that they know may not come to fruition. They are more interested in things that can improve their daily lives.

VT: As I said before, we are going to work on small programmes to help alleviate the problems the community is facing. These are, however, not limited to:

Water: We have single faucet pumping borehole systems where congestion is witnessed due to water shortages being experienced in Harare. We can install solar-powered boreholes with water tanks and 10 faucets to aid with congestion.

Electricity: Finding ways to improve the electricity situation in the constituency and have centres where people can charge their small devices.

Sanitation: Bring in larger skip bins at illegal dumping sites in the constituency so that we can keep the environment clean and we will need to clean our river system as a community.

I have many plans I hope to implement in Glen View South; some were my late sister’s plans that I want to see implemented and others are mine.

NewsDay|The Zanu PF Mashonaland West province yesterday recalled incarcerated former Tourism minister Priscah Mupfumira from Parliament and central committee.

Speaking at the provincial co-ordinating committee (PCC) in Chinhoyi, provincial chairperson Ziyambi Ziyambi said the province saw it fit to recall Mupfumira because she was facing serious charges.

“PCC recommends that we recall Mupfumira as Member of Parliament and we are also recommending that the party reconsider her position in the central committee that as of now she should just be a card-carrying member,” Ziyambi said.

On the politburo position, Ziyambi said President Emmerson Mnangagwa will use his discretion.

But some provincial members said Mupfumira was getting a raw deal from the party since members facing similar charges in other provinces like David Parirenyatwa and Supa Mandiwanzira were still holding their party positions.

By A Correspondent| Former tourism minister Prisca Mupfumira is set to be demoted to a card carrying member following resolutions by Zanu PF’s Mashonaland West province to strip the Central Committee member and Senator of her high position due to graft allegations.

Mupfumira who last week, was relieved of her ministerial post is currently behind bars facing an array of corruption charges.

The resolution to demote Mupfumira was made at a Zanu Pf Mashonaland West Provincial Coordinating Committee meeting Sunday and ZANU PF Mashonaland west chair Ziyambi Ziyambi confirmed the development and said:

The PCC resolved that Priscah Mupfumira be recalled from the position of Central Committee member and Senator in Mash West to an ordinary card-carrying member. This is in support of President Mnangagwa’s efforts to fight corruption in the  country.

We need to build the country and pulling out corrupt seeds among us is important for us to bring economic recovery.

Another committee member Misheck Nyarubere echoed Ziyambi Ziyambi’s statements:

“As Makonde, we have agreed that we relieve Priscah Mupfumira of her duties as a Central Committee and Senator.

This is because we cannot have a leader who is facing charges of corruption of this magnitude.

I, therefore, propose that we recall her and leave her as an ordinary card-carrying member.”

-StateMedia

State Media|Beneficiaries of electrical manufacturers rebate facilities will have to provide full particulars of all the benefits achieved in the utilisation of the facility, failure to which the rebate shall be immediately withdrawn and a penalty imposed, according to a Government Gazette published last Friday.

In his 2019 Mid-Term Budget Review Statement, Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube, added several inputs to the list of electrical components that can be imported duty free.

The inputs will be used for the manufacture of electrical appliances. However, in adding new components, Government now requires beneficiaries to prove that the facilities were put to good use and not abused.

Government inserted additional regulations in terms of section 235, as read with section 120 of the Customs and Excise Act (Chapter 23:02). The new regulations, which are with effect from January 1, 2019, now require beneficiaries, “to present to the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, an annual report in a form approved by the Minister, showing full particulars of all the benefits achieved in the utilisation of the rebate facility granted in terms of these regulations”.

The report is expected to be in a manner that can ascertain or account, to the satisfaction of the Minister, the incremental employment levels achieved by the manufacturer; capacity utilisation levels attained from the use of rebate; value of the new investment received since the employment of the rebate; growth in the manufacturer’s output; and research and development initiatives carried out by the manufacturer.

“If a manufacturer fails to produce the annual report in a manner approved in terms of subsection (1), the rebate shall be immediately withdrawn and any rebated goods received by the manufacturer during the period when the report was not so produced shall be deemed to have been used for a purpose other than that for which the rebate was granted.

“The manufacturer shall be required to pay the rebated revenue forthwith and the penalty for failure to keep records,” reads the Government Gazette.

The annual report by manufacturers shall be submitted within 30 days from the end of the 12 months’ period calculated from the effective date of these regulations in the first year and thereafter from January 1 every year subsequently.

The amended regulations for the electrical manufacturers, under SI 378 of 1999, has a list of goods eligible for rebate such as resin, plastic handles, steel pipes, cable clips, electric fans, among others.

Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce chief executive office Christopher Mugaga is, however, on record saying such a move is nothing short of rent seeking.

“This is another way of stifling enterprise development, because there are many factors that are involved in running a business.

“A manufacturer might receive the rebate but other factors such as the cost of production might increase and prevent the company from employing more or increasing its output.”

“In some cases, the rebate will help the company survive economic turbulences but according to the regulations it would have failed.

“There are many factors and outcomes from a rebate, which might not be part of the new regulations but would have been good for the company, like an improvement in the quality of product or of competition,” said Mr Mugaga.

A Matabelaland civic society organisation Ibhetshu lika Zulu has rejected the notion that Bhalagwe memorial site should be treated as a heroes acre.

In a statement on Sunday issued by the Secretary General Mbuso Fuzwayo the organisation said: Bhalagwe memorial site must be preserved as a genocide site and not a Heroes acre for the following reasons;

1.    Bhalagwe hills are traditionally sacred and should not be established as graveyards and therefore the heroes acre must not be established on sacred spaces. 
2.    The Antelope mine shafts awere used  by the enemy to bury thousands and thousands of our people to hide the crime of genocide hence the need to preserve the evidence. 
3.    By allowing a heroes acre the community will be supporting the genocide and discrimination of victims of Gukurahundi genocide by depriving them rights to be acknowledged and seek justice. 
4.    By celebrating liberation war heroes at Bhalagwe and suppressing Gukurahundi genocide memorial is an insult to both liberation heroes and genocide victims who come from the same communities. 
5.    A heroes acre at Bhalagwe supposedly for the Matobo community violates the memory and legacy of victims who lie in mine shafts. 
6.    Celebrating heroes at Bhalagwe is a denial of Gukurahundi genocide and denialism is  acrime under international law

Recent reports indicate that Matobo Rural District Council (RDC) declared the Bhalagwe  site a Heroes Acre about 20 years ago.

The mass graves are located at the foot of the disused Antelope Mine. When the mining company wanted to resuscitate their activities at the mine, they discovered human remains, which were reburied in mass graves at a site identified by villagers.

It was originally a base for ex-Zipra troops incorporated into the Zimbabwe National Army. But in 1982 the troops there were accused of being dissidents.

The camp was surrounded by paratroop and commando units and shut down.

Children, as well as adults, were kept in Bhalagwe. The detainees were trucked in from all over Matabeleland South. Survivors’accounts consistently refer to daily deaths at the camp. Villagers living near the Antelope mine report there were nightly visits by trucks, with workers tipping the corpses down a shaft, and explosions as hand-grenades were thrown after them.

Here’s an excerpt from the NSSA audit report that explains the matter:

7.1.2 Transactions with Africom

Background

• Africom (Private) Limited had a loan with Afreximbank, where it was failing to meet its repayment obligations.
• The capital amount outstanding was US$15.8 million, with interest accruing at 6.5% per annum. The lender then demanded that shareholders should give guarantees on the outstanding balance.

Requirement

• A Board resolution passed 14 October 2013 authorised management to issue a guarantee to the extent of its 4.5% shareholding in Africom.

Findings

• We noted that on 12 December 2013, NSSA, having a shareholding of 4.5%. in Africom, became the sole guarantor to the loan. This action was contrary to the Board resolution.
• We also noted that Fernhaven Investments which had 51% shareholding in Africom indemnified NSSA and provided its property, Longcheng Shopping Mail as security.
• The approval for NSSA become a guarantor was signed by the former Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Minister (Nicholas Goche) on 4 December 2013.
• The authority failed to comply with the Board approval, as it became sole guarantor of the full debt of US $15.8 million when it only had a shareholding of 4.5%

Financial prejudice resulting from the guarantee

• In September 2015 after Africom had persistently defaulted on servicing the debt, payment was demanded from the guarantor (NSSA).
• As per the indemnity agreement, NSSA should have foreclosed on the Fernhaven pledged Longchen property in order to raise the money to settle the debt.
• We were not availed with evidence of the Authority making efforts to foreclose on the pledged property. Instead, NSSA approached Zimbabwe Asset Management Company (ZAMCO) to take over the debt.
• A Board resolution dated 26 September 2017 gave instruction to pay ZAMCO a transaction cost of $600,000 provided that management engaged the Ministry of Defence with the hope of getting them to pay part of the amount. Ministry of Defence is the parent company for Fernhaven.
• ZAMCO subsequently took over the debt on 16 January 2018 after NSSA had paid a transaction cost of $606,279.
• The Ministry of Defence is repaying 50% of the transaction cost ($303,140) over an agreed period. This means the financial loss to NSSA on the transaction has been reduced to $303,140.

By Dorrothy Moyo| A staggering report published at the weekend claims that the exiled professor Jonathan Moyo has flown back to Zimbabwe.

The suspected self serving Zanu-pf rumour, during investigations, was found to have been created by Emmerson Mnangagwa backers in an attempt to shove off blame for the rising public discontentment on Prof Moyo. It came as the upcoming 16th August demonstration drew nigh. Checks by this reporter showed neither Prof Moyo, nor Saviour Kasukuwere, nor Patrick Zhuwao is in Zimbabwe.

It claimed G40 personalities Prof Moyo, Saviour Kasukuwere, Patrick Zhuwao, among others are in Harare preparing to revenge on Mnangagwa. Below were the copies:

Report claims G40 officials ua s flown back to Zimbabwe pic.twitter.com/ojTnyTzyNW

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) August 12, 2019

THE Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander, General Phillip Valerio Sibanda has yet again tried to defend his military officers’ barbaric shooting of innocent citizens during the January protests claiming that the protests were being sponsored by a third external hand which forced the military personnel to intervene in order to bring sanity.

He said there was no way ZDF could fold its arms when some elements were fuelling violence and interfering with other people’s Constitutional right to freedom of assembly and association.

Gen Sibanda said this last Friday in an interview with state media ahead of the Heroes’ and Defence Forces’ Day celebrations today and tomorrow.

“What happened in January was very unfortunate because we had come out of the election period, things were beginning to work out and we were surprised that some of our people decided to go on a violent demonstration, not only destroying property, but also preventing other Zimbabweans from going about their business as they should,” he said.

“That situation could not be allowed to go on. The Constitution says individuals are allowed to demonstrate, they are allowed to show their displeasure, but in a peaceful manner and without interfering with other people’s freedom.

“When you start destroying other people’s properties and interfering with their freedoms, you are already in violation of the Constitution.

“They were organised, the manner in which they acted showed that there was someone who was controlling them. I do not see any other way that violence could have been stopped. It had to be stopped so that people could go about their lives in a normal way. It is unfortunate that it ended up with some lives being lost, but it had to be stopped.”

Gen Sibanda said he was set to assume chairmanship of Sadc Troika Defence sub-committee in August when President Mnangagwa takes over as chair of the regional bloc’s Defence, Politics and Security.

“In this particular case, when the President takes over as Troika chairman, the various sub-committee chairmanship also passes on to Zimbabwe, so I will be chairing the Defence sub-committee which brings together all the Sadc Defence chiefs and we discuss issues from training, terrorism, climate change and so on,” he said.

State Media|President Emmerson Mnangagwa has boasted that he did not grab leadership of the country from former President Robert Mugabe but was thrust in the position by God.

Addressing thousands of Zion Christian Church (ZCC) members attending the annual Zuva Ra Samuel commemorations at Defe Dopota shrine in Gokwe North, President Mnangagwa said he had relegated himself to a boarder jumper position when he fled the country from Mugabe in November 2017 but God brought him back into the country to take over the Presidency.

“I never expected to be President. I was just an aid, but the Lord had His ways. He said I will jump the border but will come back,” said the Mnangagwa.

Mnangagwa quickly forgot how on the 8th of November 2017 in a statement from his hide out in South Africa after skipping the country openly challenged Mugabe and then First Lady Grace, saying they were “resident in the past” hindering the progress of Zimbabweans and was coming in a few days to take over the country.

“You (Mugabe) and your cohorts will, instead, leave Zanu PF by the will of the people and this, we will do in the coming few weeks as Zimbabweans in general now require new and progressive leadership that is not resident in the past and refuses to accept change.”

“I will go nowhere. I will fight tooth and nail against those making a mockery of Zanu PF’s founding principles, ethos and values,” Mnangagwa declared.

Mnangagwa, without specifying how he intended to achieve the change, said he was to soon be back in the country to control all levers of power.

“As I leave this post (Vice President) for now, I encourage all loyal members of the party to remain in the party, to register to vote, as we will, very soon, control the levers of power in our beautiful party and country. Let not your hearts be troubled for peace, love, unity, development and prosperity are around the corner. I will be communicating with you soon and shall return to Zimbabwe to lead you,” Mnangagwa said then clearly indicating that he was going to lead a coup against Mugabe.

Addressing the thousands of the ZCC church, Mnangagwa said that the spirit of the late founding church leader remains alive and running the country.

“I thank you for inviting me to ZCC. As I see all of you here as a church, I see the hand of Samuel. He didn’t die and I am here because of him. Let us love each other, let us be united. We have one national anthem, one national flag, Zimbabwe is a unitary state. If you are asleep and dream otherwise wake up and pray. Ask the Lord to give you the spirit to work for your country and we must be united as a family.”

President Mnangagwa said he was honoured to have been invited to the ZCC conference as he knew that the presence of God was there.

He said there are many people in the country who wish to be invited to speak at such massive church gatherings but circumstances fail them.

“I was touched by the story of the birth of Sekuru Samuel Mutendi. The man of God went through a lot of trials and tribulations but he stood firm, he never lost focus.

“The name Samuel, I want to explain to you today, in the past and in the family of Israel, they had problems amongst themselves, hunger, squabbles and war and God gave them Prophet Samuel who sorted their problems. In Rhodesia we were given prophet Samuel Mutendi who was arrested many times but he remained strong, remained brave, his houses were burnt time and again but he remained strong and today we are gathered here,” the President said.

President Mnangagwa said today the country remembers the gallant sons and daughters of the country who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of the country.

“We must enjoy that freedom. Today we are commemorating the prophet (Samuel) who preached love and unity. Among us, who was forced to come here? Samuel guided us to come here so that we give praise to the Lord. So I say to you today, the God in heaven knows our path, He knows our talents, He knows everything about us before we know anything. I thank the Lord for our prophet who remembered me and I am here at this well of water to receive the word of God,” he said.

The President commended ZCC for working with the Government in developing the country in the provision of education and health services.

He also said the church preaches about unity and love.

“Faith without works is useless. Samuel preached the word and at the same time building. Even today you are preaching and working just like what the word of the Lord says.”

“God has a vision. We welcome everything from the Lord and we ask for goodness and mercy and we know that the Lord is our leader, we take guidance from him. This church you have come to is a church of God. This church plays a critical role in Zimbabwe. It preaches the gospel of peace, justice and forgiveness. This is the desire of the Lord above. In James 2 vs 14, the Bible says faith without works is dead. My Government appreciates the construction of churches, clinics, schools, dams, we would like to say thank you.”

In his address, Bishop Mutendi said the church was happy with the way the Second Republic was working tirelessly to uplift the lives of Zimbabweans.

“I appreciate that you have work to do and you need God’s help. God says you have to be brave to take your people to their inheritance. If God says it then we can do it and that is why we have to be strong. Your Excellency, you are one of the people who were sent by the Lord. We would like to talk about Samuel our prophet. Born as a premature baby with no life expected, they placed him in a goat pan. They wanted to throw him away the next morning but God passed by and breathed life into him. Just like a lot of you are alive,” he said.

“Your Excellency you have heroes commemorations to prepare but you chose to come and pray with us here. We thank God. Zimbabwe will survive. It will live, it will soldier on under your leadership. We must stand firm and trust in God. You can be in power your Excellency but God is in control and He is the one who put you in this position.”

Bishop Mutendi said the wish of the Lord is for Zimbabwe to prosper.

“Let’s look for peace and we must not lose hope, this is a passing phase. God is happy and we must call on Him. You are a very busy man but you managed to spare some time. God is with you. We will pray for you and you must bring the people of Zimbabwe together. You were put by God,” he said.

ZIMBABWEANS should ignore the planned mass protests by the opposition MDC Alliance aimed at toppling the Government as this is retrogressive to development being spearheaded by Zanu-PF across the country, a Cabinet Minister said yesterday.

Defence and War Veterans’ Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, who is also Zanu-PF national chairperson, said this while addressing party supporters in Bulilima East constituency during belated celebrations following the constituency’s MP Mangaliso Ndlovu’s victory in last year’s parliamentary polls.

Ndlovu is also the Minister of Industry and Commerce.
Muchinguri-Kashiri’s call for people to shun protests come at a time when the MDC-A and its sympathisers are planning demonstrations on Friday.

“The hard-won Independence that you are cherishing today was brought by the living and fallen gallant sons and daughters who fought during the liberation struggle. Therefore, you should defend the freedom that you are enjoying today and us as the living heroes and heroines of the liberation struggle, we will defend the gains of the liberation struggle,” she said.

“There are some people (opposition political elements) who are mobilising the masses to stage demonstrations on the 16th of August to go about killing people, bombing and destroying infrastructure to cause despondency in our country so that they overthrow the constitutionally-elected Government.”

The economic saboteurs, Muchinguri-Kashiri said, were also working in cahoots with the opposition to increase prices of basic commodities in the country to effect regime change.

“As Government, we urge the citizens not to take heed of the planned mass protests. Such barbaric acts are predisposed to retard economic and social development being advanced by the Government in sync with the aspirations of the national vision to transform the country into an upper middle income economy by 2030,” she said.State media

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Farai Dziva|Emmerson Mnangagwa has urged opposition leader Nelson Chamisa to join the POLAD discussion forum.

In a statement on Friday Mnangagwa said dialogue should be used as an instrument for durable peace.

“In working for durable peace, I pledge to keep the hand of dialogue and goodwill outstretched to all Zimbabweans, including those I raced against in the July polls.”

“Never again should electoral contest be allowed to degenerate into open conflict that mars our peace.

The national dialogue, through which the majority of the national political leadership has sought to find one another, and to work together on national issues, is now underway.

I continue to urge the few parties which have shunned the national dialogue to please reconsider by joining in the consolidation of national peace, and in working in harmony for economic recovery and growth.”

Farai Dziva|A caretaker at the war veterans provincial offices in Bulawayo has said he did not see the person who threw a petrol bomb at the building.

This effectively indicates there is no evidence to prove that opposition elements threw the petrol bomb.

The provincial offices of war veterans located in Entumbane Suburb, Bulawayo, were reportedly petrol -bombed on Saturday morning.

The caretaker, Ntokozo Ncube, said he did not see the person who threw the bomb.

“I was doing rounds at the offices at about 2am when I noticed a fire coming from the back office and I alerted Mr Lucas Ngwenya, who lives in a nearby house, to assist me in putting out the fire . . . We opened the office from the front and found documents that were on the office desk and curtains already burning, and we used water to extinguish the fire,” he said.

However, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Ambassador Cain Mathema claimed Government was aware of the unfolding plot to stage violent demonstrations around the country.

He further claimed that :” foreigners masquerading as tourists are working closely with the MDC to roll out demonstrations.”

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1980 marked the end of an era. Yes an era of direct British domination and sustained pillage of Zimbabwean resources. An era of dehumanization and disenfranchisement of the Zimbabwean people. The question is what brought this period to an end?

We as LEAD political party recognise and appreciate that it took a generation of young patriotic Zimbabweans who decided to forsake their person freedoms and gave themselves up not only to emancipate themselves but the whole Zimbabwean kindred past, present and future.

Children joined the struggle whether willingly or through call ups. They realised that if they did not take it upon themselves to liberate this country noone will. We also understand that of those who joined the struggle a good number did not come back to enjoy the fruits of their struggle.

Now, as we commemorate this year’s heroes generations we are reminded of the reason and the premises of the struggle. Our fallen heroes and heroin gave their lives so that they could usher in a Zimbabwe that accords all its basic human rights and freedoms.

They fought for social, economic and political freedom. It is therefore regrettable that we find ourselves living in a society which is characterised by hunger, starvation, unemployment and serious political polarization.

If the departed heroes were to work up today they will be burdened when they here that we as Zimbabwean people are failing to sit down to talk through our political differences.

They will be surprised that some of the children for whom they died to liberate are going to the erstwhile enemy to seek assistance to Demonize Zimbabwean. They will be surprised to note that the one man one vote they fought for is failing to usher us a credible government.

They will be surprised to find a people’s army is turning against the very people it’s supposed to protect. They will be surprised to findout that the economy they fought to liberate is still in the hands of the whites.

They will be surprised to find out that millions of sons and daughters of the Zimbabwean soil are living and toiling in foreign lands under deplorable conditions.

We in LEAD join the rest of the country in a sombre mood crying for a day when Zimbabweans will rise above party or tribal differences and unite for the good of our motherland.

It’s is our vision to usher a world class governance system premised on good governance and creating an egalitarian society in which all citizens live out their lives free from fear and want.

Tinashe Chinomona
LEAD National Spokesperson

High profile financier Jeffrey Epstein has been found dead in his prison cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

His body was discovered at 06:30 local time (10:30 GMT) on Saturday at a facility in New York.

Officials said his death was an apparent suicide. The FBI is investigating the incident.

Epstein, 66, pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking and conspiracy charges last month and was being held without bail.

“[He] was found unresponsive in his cell in the Special Housing Unit from an apparent suicide,” a statement from the justice department said.

“Mr Epstein was transported… to a local hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries, and subsequently pronounced dead,” the statement added.

Last month, shortly after he was denied bail, Epstein was found semi-conscious in his cell with injuries to his neck. He was treated at a nearby hospital, reports said, before being returned to the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York.

The facility is considered to be one of the most secure in the country.

There are conflicting reports as to whether Epstein was placed on suicide watch following that incident, which prison officials have been investigating as a possible suicide attempt.

But US media report that, despite the apparent warning signs, the financier was not on suicide watch at the time of his death.

Attorney General William Barr said there were “serious questions that must be answered”. He added that he was “appalled” by the news and said the justice department had opened its own investigation.

Epstein’s death comes a day after hundreds of pages of court documents were released that revealed new allegations against him and some of his associates.

What was he charged with?

Epstein was accused of paying girls under the age of 18 to perform sex acts at his Manhattan and Florida mansions between 2002 and 2005.

He was arrested on 6 July after landing in New Jersey on his private jet. He avoided similar charges in a controversial secret plea deal in 2008, and instead pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.

That plea deal was closely scrutinised in recent weeks and, last month, US Labor Secretary Alex Acosta resigned over his role in it.

Prosecutors also accused Epstein of paying large amounts of money to two potential witnesses ahead of his trial, which was scheduled to take place next year.

He faced up to 45 years in prison if convicted.

What reaction has there been?

Politicians and other senior officials have reacted with shock, asking how Epstein’s death was allowed to happen given his high-profile status and the apparent suicide attempt in July.

Michael Bromwich, a former inspector general at the justice department, called for an “immediate and comprehensive… investigation to determine who is responsible”.

One union leader for federal prison workers, Joe Rojas, told NBC News that Epstein “should have been on suicide watch”.

“You don’t have to be a psychologist. It’s common sense,” he told the network on Saturday.

Elsewhere, Epstein’s alleged victims have expressed disappointment that he will no longer stand trial. “I am extremely mad and hurt thinking he once again thought he was above us and took the easy way out,” Jena-Lisa Jones said in a statement.

“I am angry Jeffrey Epstein won’t have to face the survivors of his abuse in court,” another alleged victim, Jennifer Araoz, told CNBC.

“We have to live with the scars of his actions for the rest of our lives.”

A lawyer for some of the alleged victims, Lisa Bloom, said she would still seek compensation for them.

“We would have preferred he lived to face justice. Our civil cases can still proceed against his estate. Victims deserve to be made whole for the lifelong damage he caused,” she wrote on Twitter.

“I’ve sat with my clients as they have cried and talked about how their lives were changed forever,” she told MSNBC. “They deserve compensation.”

US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Geoffrey Berman, said the news of Epstein’s death was “disturbing”.

“We are deeply aware of their potential to present yet another hurdle to giving Epstein’s many victims their day in court,” he said in a statement. “We remain committed to standing for you, and our investigation… remains ongoing.”

Who was Jeffrey Epstein?

New York-born Epstein worked as a teacher before moving into finance.

Prior to the criminal cases against him, he was best known for his wealth and high-profile connections.

He was often seen socialising with the rich and powerful, including President Donald Trump, former President Bill Clinton and the UK’s Prince Andrew.

In a 2002 profile in New York Magazine, Mr Trump referred to Epstein as a “terrific guy”.

But he later said the pair fell out “12 or 15 years ago” and reiterated last month that he was “not a fan of Jeffrey Epstein”.

Reports of Epstein’s wealth vary, with his Virgin Islands-based firm generating no public records.

History of the allegations

2002: The earliest allegations of abuse covered by the recent case take place.

October 2002: Donald Trump tells New York magazine he has known Epstein for 15 years, and that he is a “terrific guy…. it is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side”.

2005: One of Epstein’s alleged victims, aged 14, reports him to the police in Palm Beach – sparking the first investigation.

May 2006: Epstein is charged with unlawful sex acts with a minor. Later in the year, the case is referred to the FBI.

2007: A plea deal is struck with Alex Acosta, the US attorney in Florida. Instead of facing federal sex-trafficking charges, he pleads guilty to two charges of soliciting prostitution, including with a minor.

June 2008: Epstein is sentenced to 13 months in prison – a private wing of a county jail. He is also allowed to leave for work – up to 12 hours a day, six days a week. He does, however, have to register as a sex offender.

April 2017: Alex Acosta is appointed labor secretary by now-President Donald Trump.

November 2018: The Miami Herald publishes its explosive investigation into Epstein, the plea deal, and the dozens of women alleging abuse.

July 2019: Epstein is arrested on new sex-trafficking charges, which he denied. Alex Acosta resigns.

-BBC