Correspondent|MDC deputy chairperson and Harare East legislator Tendai Biti was left furious after the President’s Office reportedly seized a consignment of copies of a book he co-authored with two former Presidents of West African states.

The book, titled Democracy Works: Re-Wiring Politics to Africa’s Advantage, was written by Biti, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo as well as Gregory John Barrington “Greg” Mills, who heads the Brenthurst Foundation, based in Johannesburg, South Africa, established in 2005 by the Oppenheimers to strengthen African economic performance. Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf provided a foreword to the book which is set to be launched on 27 March in Johannesburg.

American political scientist Jeffrey Herbst, who is also the President of the American Jewish University in Los Angeles, California, co-authored the book. Picador Africa published the book in January this year.

Narrating his ordeal, Biti said: “In early January our publishers sent to Zimbabwe 18 copies of our book Democracy Works through DHL . We were ridiculously asked to pay duty by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra), which we did. Now the President’s Office, a euphemism for the CIO, has abducted these books.”

Biti said the courier company DHL just told him the books had been seized by the President’s Office. They were meant to act as samples for his own use ahead of the Johannesburg launch.

Democracy Works explores how we can learn to nurture and deepen democracy in Africa to ensure economic growth and political stability. It identifies a ‘democratic playbook’ to meet the threats to free and fair elections.

The authors also argue that substantive democracy demands more than simply regular polls, but that democracy is fundamentally about the inner working of institutions, the rule of law, separation of powers, checks and balances, and leadership in government and civil society, as much as it is about values and the welfare and well-being of its citizens.

The authors also argue in the 266-page book that democracy demands that local leadership has a plan for the country beyond simply winning the popular vote. 

The seizure of Biti;s consignment is not expected to affect the official launch on 27 March, 2019.

The book is expected to be a big hit on the market, with bookshops at OR Tambo International airport as well as leading SA bookseller Executive Books already displaying the copies for sale.

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa is today expected to interface with thousands of youths at the inaugural National Youth Indaba, Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister Kirsty Coventry has said.

The interface will take place at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC) under the theme: “My Future is Today’’.

The Indaba started yesterday with thousands of youths thronging the HICC where they shared their concerns which include youth empowerment among others.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Indaba, Minister Coventry said President Mnangagwa is expected to have some dialogue with the young people today.

“The President will be part of us tomorrow (today) and there will be some dialogue with the young people. The youths raised some real concerns and solutions which they feel they need to share with their President.

“As the Minister, I am really excited about this. I have been speaking to many youth groups here and I am glad the youths will be sharing with the President. It will all not be about concerns alone; the youths will proffer solutions to those concerns and share them with the President,” she said.

Minister Coventry said more than 200 youths from all the provinces are expected today to meet and dialogue with the Head of State.

“We are expecting more than 200 youths tomorrow. As a ministry, we have supplied transportation to all the provinces which will ferry the youths so they can share their opinions, concerns and solutions with the President.

She reiterated that the Indaba is not of political nature but is open to all youths of Zimbabwe.

“And let me be clear on one aspect, this is not a political youth gathering, it’s totally non-partisan. When we started planning this event, some people were saying it’s a politically-related event, but no! This is a platform organised for youths of Zimbabwe,” she said.

Some of the concerns expected to be discussed during the indaba today include youth empowerment, job creation and youth participation in national development.

Amongst Government officials who attended yesterday’s meeting are Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube who challenged youths to be innovative and use their skills to empower themselves.

State Media

By Own Correspondent- Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube said Zimbabweans should accept the new currency, the RTGS Dollar since it is the official currency.

Speaking at the inaugural Youth Indaba, organised by Ministry of Youth and attended by youths from all the country’s 10 provinces, he said:

“We have introduced the RTGS dollar. Citizens have to accept the introduction of the RTGS dollar. Whether you like the name or not, it is the domestic currency now, let’s respect it and support it.

I and the Governor (of the Reserve Bank, John Mangudya) are going to defend it. Defend its value, that’s our job.

Zimbabwe is the cheapest buy in Africa in terms of investment. It has gotten cheaper because there were coming at $1US to $1 bond note, now they are coming at US$1: RTGS$2.50 or depending on where the market is headed.

… But then it (value) can go anywhere. It is the business of the market. Our job is to manage the volatility, but not the level. Those of you who did statistics there is a difference between standard deviation and the mean.

The RTGS dollar was introduced as the new currency by the Central Bank governor John Mangudya as part of the basket of multi-currencies when he presented the Monetary Policy Statement.

Ideal Zimbabwe political party Tinashe Jonas will remain in prison custody after Harare Magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa denied him bail after he was arrested on Monday 11 March 2019 and charged with insulting or undermining authority of President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Magistrate Mugwagwa ruled that Jonas, who is represented by Nontokozo Dube-Tachiona of ZLHR, is not a good candidate to be granted bail as he is likely to abscond attending trial after he allegedly entered the country illegally.

The Youth Interface concept was birthed by former First Lady Grace Mugabe – ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa today attends his own interface rally at the inaugural National Youth Indaba.

This was revealed by Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister Kirsty Coventry who said it will take place at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC) under the theme ‘’My Future is Today’’.

According to the program, Mnangagwa will have some dialogue with the young people today.

Coventry said, “the President will be part of us tomorrow (today) and there will be some dialogue with the young people. The youths raised some real concerns and solutions which they feel they need to share with their President.

“As the minister, I am really excited about this. I have been speaking to many youth groups here and I am glad the youths will be sharing with the President. It will all not be about concerns alone; the youths will proffer solutions to those concerns and share them with the President,” she said.

Coventry added saying more than 200 youths from all the provinces are expected today to meet and dialogue with Mnangagwa.

“We are expecting more than 200 youths tomorrow. As a ministry, we have supplied transportation to all the provinces which will ferry the youths so they can share their opinions, concerns and solutions with the President.

She reiterated that the indaba was apolitical and open to all youths of Zimbabwe.

“And let me be clear on one aspect. This is not a political youth gathering, it’s totally non-partisan. When we started planning this event, some people were saying it’s a politically-related event, but no! This is a platform organised for youths of Zimbabwe,” she said. – state media

Farai Dziva | The president of the United Democratic Alliance, Daniel Shumba has castigated Emmerson Mnangagwa for equating himself to God.

Shumba,whose party withdrew from the Mnangagwa brokered dialogue, was at one point fired from the ruling party for supporting the Midlands godfather.

An irate Shumba said:”That’s clearly an arrogant and vindictive view from a President who claims he wants to promote unity but don’t take him seriously for equating himself to God, that is just a limitation of descriptive English.

That is the best he could do under the circumstances.”

Correspondent|Zimbabwe mining companies – which include units of Anglo Platinum, Impala Platinum and Caledonia Mining – are to award a wage increase of just under 80% to mine workers, with the salary for the lowest-paid worker in the industry rising to about 480 RTGS dollars* per month.

At current rates, this amounts to approximately US$192 or R2 800.

Protracted negotiations between the Associated Mine Workers Union of Zimbabwe (AMWUZ) and the Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines resulted in the salary adjustment for employees in the industry. The cost of living in the country rose dramatically after inflation for January surged to above 50%.

“Following extensive negotiations between the AMWUZ and the Zimbabwe chamber of mines, we managed to cobble out an agreement of 80% wage/salary increase for the mining industry covering the period January to December 2019,” Tinago Ruzive, president of the mine workers’ union, said Thursday.

Hardships

This effectively raised the minimum wage for the industry from 262.32 to 468.58 RTGS dollars at a time other companies in Zimbabwe have been introducing allowances to cushion workers from the current economic hardships Zimbabwe is experiencing.

These include price increases and unavailability of basic commodities, while transport costs have also risen, after President Emerson Mnangagwa instituted a hike in the price of petrol which sparked protests in January.

“This (mine workers’ salary) increase is based on the dollar value increase for those mines who may be paying above the minimum due to various reasons…therefore no employee shall fail to get an increase,” added Ruzive.

Some Zimbabwean miners are said to be paying their workers in foreign currency, although others have been struggling to secure forex earnings from the Reserve Bank.

Zimbabweans have been facing foreign currency shortages and the continued devaluation in the local RTGS dollar unit.

Mining executives at mining groups such as Metallon Corporation and Zimplats say they are still studying the impact of new currency directives from the central bank, which devalued the country’s local currency and directed that bank accounts earning local funds and those earning forex be separated.

According to Zimplats, the demand for foreign currency – which is necessary for its operations and business capital requirements – tends to fluctuate.

To this end, the company – controlled by Implats – continues “to engage the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe where necessary to ensure that our operations are not interrupted”.

Acie Lumumba on Wednesday sparked confusion when he sent out a congratulatory message to Olinda Chapel and Tytan which suggested Olinda had given birth. While Lumumba suggested Olinda had given birth the business woman was silent on social media, so was her husband Tytan.

Comments were mixed with some congratulating Olinda and Tytan while others queried the athenticity of the image which was posted of Tytan holding a baby and smiling. Some suggested the picture posted by Lumumba was an old one while others even went on to suggest the instagram account used may not be Lumumba’s.

Others criticised Lumumba for the post given the frosty relations he has with Olinda. A nasty social media fight between Lumumba and Olinda erupted on social media recently with Olinda alleging she had turned down love requests from Acie Lumumba who denied this and said he would never have any interest in her.

Olinda recently put out an instagram post which pointed out how difficult it is to go through a 9 month pregnancy as she hinted the birth of her baby should be expected anytime soon. Surprisingly Lumumba has already posted about the couple having welcomed their new baby yet Olinda and Tytan are yet to post anything about it.

Given the fight that erupted between Olinda and Lumumba some question why Lumunba would be sending out his congratulations.

As fans ponder at whether Lumumba’s remarks are true, all eyes will be on Tytan and Olinda’s instagram accounts as it is through their posts that confirmation of their new born baby can be derived from.

WASHINGTON. – Congress plans to scrutinise why the United States waited so many days to ground all Boeing Co 737 MAX jets involved in Sunday’s crash in Ethiopia as other countries and airlines acted more quickly.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the order on Wednesday was the result of “new evidence collected at the site and analysed today” and “newly refined satellite data” that Canada had cited earlier in its decision to halt flights.

The FAA did not disclose the new evidence at the scene but said it was “the missing pieces” that aligned the track of the two fatal Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashes since October.

For decades, the United States has led the world in aviation safety, often setting standards that were later adopted by other countries. The agency came under heavy criticism from US lawmakers and others who questioned why the FAA waited so long to ground the Boeing 737 MAX.

While President Donald Trump announced the ban on television, acting FAA Administrator Dan Elwell said he made the decision with the support of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.

“We were resolute in our position that we would not take action until we had data to support taking action,” Elwell told reporters. “That data coalesced today and we made the call.”

Canada grounded the planes earlier on Wednesday while the European Union acted on Tuesday. China and some airlines ordered the planes not to fly within hours of the crash on Sunday.

As of Wednesday night, regulators in Argentina and Mexico had not grounded planes.

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio, a Democrat, said “it has become abundantly clear to us that not only should the 737 MAX be grounded but also that there must be a rigorous investigation into why the aircraft, which has critical safety systems that did not exist on prior models, was certified without requiring additional pilot training.”

Elwell said Wednesday he was confident in the 737’s certification.

The Senate Commerce Committee also plans to hold a hearing as early as April. Senator Ted Cruz said he plans “to investigate these crashes, determine their contributing factors, and ensure that the United States aviation industry remains the safest in the world.”

The grounding was an abrupt reversal as the United States had repeatedly insisted the airplane was safe to fly even as regulators and airlines around the world grounded the airplane.

Trump spoke to Boeing Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg on Wednesday before the announcement.

United Airlines, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines Co all fly versions of the 737 MAX and immediately halted flights on Wednesday.

American, with 24 737 MAX airplanes, said it will be “working to re-book customers as quickly as possible, and we apologize for any inconvenience.”

Boeing said it supported the action to temporarily ground 737 max operations after it consulted with the FAA, NTSB and its customers. Boeing shares were down 2 percent.

The shift came less than a day after US regulators had again insisted the plane was safe. Even Chao flew aboard a 737 MAX on Tuesday.

The FAA plans to mandate design changes by April that have been in the works for months for the 737 MAX 8 fleet. Boeing said late Monday it will deploy a software upgrade across the 737 MAX 8 fleet “in the coming weeks.”

The company confirmed it had for several months “been developing a flight control software enhancement for the 737 MAX, designed to make an already safe aircraft even safer.”

The FAA said the changes will “provide reduced reliance on procedures associated with required pilot memory items.”

Elwell said Wednesday he was hopeful software improvements “will be ready in a couple months” after testing and evaluation is completed by the FAA of what he called a “software patch.” – Reuters

Ideal Zimbabwe party leader Tinashe Jonas, who is in detention on charges of undermining the authority of the President, has said he stands by his allegations of adultery against President Mnangagwa.

Jonas got into trouble after he claimed that President Emmerson Mnangagwa was bedding Information Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa, has challenged the Zanu PF leader to prove him wrong.

He, according to the state, accused the President of infidelity and having a child with war veterans leader Christopher Mutsvangwa’s wife. 

FILE PICTURE: President Mnangagwa congratulates the new minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa, while vice presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi look on at State House in Harare in September 2018

Jonasi argued that charges brought against him did not constitute any crime. This is contained in his bail application filed by his lawyer Nontokozo Dube Tachiona before Harare magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti on Thursday.

“The court should consider the accused innocent because the state has not placed any evidence against him. The state claims that the accused claimed that the President bedded Monica Mutsvangwa and had a child with her but there is no statement from her disputing that.

“The accused is alleged to have called Vice President (Constantino) Chiwenga a bleaching moron but he has not written any statement disputing that. He also accused Mohadi of being a killer but the same situation prevails,” Jonasi’s lawyer Nontokozo Dube Tachiona told court.

“What has to be done is to prove that what the accused said is false. The people the police say they intend to call as witnesses have nothing to say against the allegations. Chiwenga must come and prove he doesn’t bleach. So should everyone who is involved in the allegations,” said Dube.

The lawyer also told court that her client is not a flight risk since he is a political leader. 

“He wants to stay here and campaign in preparation for elections,” she said.

Prosecutors have opposed bail arguing that Jonasi was a flight risk since he doesn’t have a valid passport. It is argued that the opposition leader sneaked into Zimbabwe after committing the crime in South Africa.

It is the State’s contention that Jonasi is of no fixed aboard since he gave different addresses. According to the State, Jonasi undermined the President’s authority during an interview he had with a South African television station.

Moses Mapanga appeared for the state. Muchuchuti is yet to rule on the matter.

ZoomZim

The Southern African Development Community Climate Service Centre (SADC-CSC) on March 13, 2019, issued a tropical cyclone alert whose forecast period is 13-17 March.

The Tropical Cyclone has been named Cyclone Idai which, as of March 13, was still moving towards central Mozambique with a speed of 176km/h. It has already killed hundreds in parts of Malawi and Mozambique.

Cyclone Idai is expected to make landfall on 15 March 2019.

Tropical Cyclone Idai has regained intensity and is expected to make landfall near Beira City in central Mozambique on the evening of 14 March, with maximum sustained winds of 180 to 190 kilometres per hour. On 14 March at 0.00 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the cyclone’s centre was located approximately 315 kilometres east of Beira in Sofala Province, with maximum sustained winds of 194 kilometres per hour.

Tropical Cyclone Idai is forecast to bring strong winds, heavy rains and storm surge to Zambezia, Sofala, Manica and Inhambane Provinces in Mozambique from 14 to 17 March.

Heavy rain and strong winds could also affect Niassa and Cabo Delgado provinces in the north of Mozambique, as well as eastern Zimbabwe and southern Malawi. Several experts predict that Cyclone Idai could be the strongest cyclone to make landfall in Mozambique since Tropical Cyclone Eline, which struck Mozambique in February 2000.

Flooding caused by the Tropical Cyclone Idai weather system since early March had affected more than 1 million people and caused at least 122 deaths as of 13 March.

In Malawi, more than 922,900 people had been impacted, according to the Government, with 56 deaths and 577 injuries recorded. More than 82,700 people are estimated to be displaced, while rapid needs assessments continue in the hardest-hit areas to verify initial estimates and determine the number of people in need of immediate humanitarian assistance.

Satellite imagery shows Chikawa district as particularly affected. In Mozambique, 141,000 people have been affected with 66 deaths recorded and 111 people injured, according to media reports quoting government officials. More than 17,100 people are estimated to be displaced in Zambezia and Tete, with 10 transit centres established in Zambezia and two in Tete. More than 168,000 hectares of crops have been impacted, according to media reports.

The Mozambican authorities have issued a red alert regarding Tropical Cyclone Idai and humanitarian response is ongoing in Malawi and Mozambique. In Mozambique, assistance is being provided in transit centres for people already displaced by floods, with the government providing food and non-food items, with support from local and international partners, including the private sector.

However, access remains challenging due to extensive damage to roads. In Malawi, delivery of humanitarian assistance, including food and non-food items, is underway in the hardest-hit districts, led by the Government with support from local and international partners.

The direct and extended danger area covers the central part of Mozambique, Malawi, east Botswana, Zimbabwe, central-east Zambia and extreme south DRC.

Parts of northwestern, central and north-east Zimbabwe are likely to receive increased rainfall amounts with direct impact due to Tropical Cyclone Idai around the 15th to 17th March 2019.

East Botswana, extreme south DDRC, Malawi, Mozambique, north South Africa, central Zambia and Zimbabwe are expected to be impacted heavily by the tropical cyclone.

Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has set the cat among the pigeons in his party, after he recently suggested that one of the MDC’s three posts of vice president should be reserved for a woman, amid indications that hardworking women’s assembly chairperson Lynette Karenyi-Kore is being nudged into the position.

This has agitated some of his ambitious lieutenants who intend to go for the posts when the country’s main opposition gathers at its elective congress in May — as their chances of falling by the wayside have just gone a notch up.

This comes as an insane rate race for the posts has ensued in the party, with nearly a dozen heavyweights expected to throw their names into the ring at the eagerly-anticipated elective congress. The MDC will hold the congress from May 24 to 26, to choose a new party leadership — including the substantive successor to its revered founding president Morgan Tsvangirai, who died early last year after losing his valiant battle against cancer of the colon.

The popular and charismatic Chamisa, who narrowly lost to President Emmerson Mnangagwa in last year’s historic elections, could face competition from either Elias Mudzuri or respected secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora at the gathering.

However, it is the three posts of vice president which could ignite real fireworks, with well-placed party sources confirming to the Daily News yesterday that these would be contested by a number of senior officials. But in a new twist to the eagerly-awaited elections, Chamisa appeared to have thrown spanners in the works of some of his powerful colleagues, after he indicated that the party’s presidium needed gender balance.

“We want to advance you. We want to elevate you. That is why we came here to celebrate balance … which is the theme for this celebration. “We want to make sure we have balanced our leadership … as we go to the congress. Let us balance leadership in the party structures,” the MDC leader told women who gathered in Chitungwiza last weekend to celebrate International Women’s Day.

Chamisa went on to heap praise on women’s assembly boss Lynnet Karenyi-Kore, whom he lauded for having provided “inspiring leadership which he was proud of” in the party. “We have known Karenyi-Kore for a long time when she was a councillor in Mutare. She has developed tremendously.

“I know she is going to school, she is advancing herself. All women wherever you are continue to advance and we want you to feel encouraged that MDC is the home for all women who want to develop, including young female leaders,” he said further.

MDC insiders told the Daily News yesterday that while it was “not cast in stone” that Karenyi-Kore would get one of the party’s VP posts, it was “very telling” that Chamisa had praised her at a time that she was actively pushing for promotion.

The MDC’s three current vice presidents are all men — comprising Welshman Ncube, Morgen Komichi and Mudzuri. Thus far, it is also not clear if the party will keep this structure intact or return to its old arrangement where it had only two vice presidents.

Among the notable party bigwigs who are said to be vying for the VPs’ posts include Komichi, Ncube, vice chairperson Tendai Biti, Mwonzora, chairperson Tabitha Khumalo and secretary for elections Murisi Zwizwai. Karenyi-Kore, former Labour minister Paurina Mpariwa, Midlands Senator Lillian Timveos and treasurer-general Theresa Makone are the other women said to be also eyeing the posts.

While none of these bigwigs have openly declared their ambitions yet, preferring to wait until they are officially nominated by party structures for the positions, Karenyi-Kore recently hinted at her higher ambitions by calling for the elevation of women to the MDC’s top decision-making positions.

She also said that she was aware that her supporters wanted to know what position she would contest at the May elective congress, but said cryptically: “I would like to throw the ball in your court my beloved MDC … family”. “What is your advice as leaders and supporters of our party? I will be willing to take up a position of the people’s choice where supporters feel I can best represent the movement.

“In the meantime, speaking on behalf of many women in the movement, my wish is to see a balanced leadership that also puts the issue of gender into consideration. “I also wish to see a reasonable number of women in senior positions, including the standing committee, national executive, provincial executives, district executives, ward executives and branch executives,” Karenyi-Kore said.

Other party sources told the Daily News yesterday that Chamisa’s weekend remarks could spell trouble for many bigwigs among the prospective male candidates for the VP posts — including Biti and Ncube who only returned to the main opposition party in August 2017 when, the late Tsvangirai formed an alliance with their respective parties.

Both Biti and Ncube are former secretaries-general of the original united MDC. In 2005, Ncube walked out of the party accusing Tsvangirai of being a dictator — while Biti similarly packed his bags in 2014 after also accusing Tsvangirai of having dictatorial tendencies.

The sources added that Komichi and Mudzuri, who are already in the presidium, could be favoured by their intimate knowledge of party structures — where Biti and Ncube allegedly had “all to do to win over support”. One of these insiders also said while Ncube appeared “a shoo-in” to retain his post, this could change if the party decided to reserve one of the VP posts for a woman from Matabeleland.

Previously, one of the party’s then two VP posts was occupied by Thokozani Khupe — who later formed her own breakaway party last year, following an ugly leadership wrangle in the MDC.

Another insider said should the party decide to have a woman from the Shona-speaking side of the country as one of its VPs, as was “most likely” given Chamisa’s recent remarks, this would mean that the likes of Biti, Zwizwai, Mudzuri and Komichi would fall by the wayside. — Read more in the DailyNews

Correspondent|STATE broadcaster Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) has lost another senior journalist. The ZBC Masvingo Bureau Chief Desmond Duri has died.

He was 40.

Duri died early today after a short illness.

Duri died just a few hours before the ZBC’s Diplomatic Correspondent Judith Makwanya was laid to rest in Harare on Thursday afternoon at Warren Hills cemetery.

Makwanya passed away early this week at West End Clinic in Harare after blood pressure complications. Her death was also “after a short illness”.

Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo has denied reports that doctors went on strike yesterday telling the media during a cabinet briefing that they were advising him on some issues they were not happy about.

Yesterday, doctors reportedly went on strike complaining that they did not have resources to use in their work including bandages which they said patients were having to recycle due to shortages.

But Obadiah Moyo flatly denied it was a strike.

Below is a the letter doctors wrote to the minister announcing their industrial action;

To: The Group CEO
Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals

Re: Service provision at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals
Dear Sir
Background of problems
As you are aware Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals has been facing challenges since November 2018 with a prolonged industrial action. One of the major grievances which culminated into the industrial action was the persistent shortage of basic essential drugs, equipment and sundries. As consultants who were and are concerned with return to normalcy, we stepped in and persuaded the junior doctors to return to work in good faith that our parent ministry would improve the supply of the basic consumables. However, the situation with regards to medical consumables and equipment is now even worse than it was in December 2018. This has continued to cause severe compromise in the safety and working conditions of staff and a reduced capacity to deliver services to patients. We feel that these compounding factors have compromised patient care, putting patients’ health and lives at risk at the very institution which is supposed to restore health and life.

Current service provision
Since the beginning of the year we have been unable to resume normal service, especially in the areas of anaesthesia, surgery and critical care due to the above-mentioned constraints. We have tried to make adjustments to no avail. Currently most surgical firms are only operating on elective patients twice a month. Statistics show that for January and February this year, we have operated less than 20% of the elective cases that we were doing in same period in 2018. For emergencies, the time taken before the patient goes to theatre is now unnecessarily to long as their relatives have to privately source for the necessary supplies. Furthermore, patients with simple conditions like appendicitis and diabetic foot ulcers are going for days without the required antibiotics leading to unnecessary complications. This is just one simple example of the dire conditions patients are currently facing.

Way forward
As the consultants of Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, we have decided to rationalize use of the limited and very finite resources that are currently available. We are now forced with immediate effect to further scale down the services which we are offering, to deal with dire emergencies only until the situation normalizes.
The currently available resources might not be able to sustain the emergency service provision beyond the end of the month.

We thank you and the clinical director for giving us some insight into your efforts to address the issues at hand. As consultants, our hearts bleed because of what is prevailing and feels that if we continue pretending we can offer full services we would be complicit in the deaths of our patients. In this vein we have urgently sort for audience with the Honourable Minister of Health and hope he will put efforts to address these grave concerns.

Thank you

Consultants of Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals

MDC President Nelson Chamisa has today met with the Australian ambassador to Zimbabwe Bronte Moules to discuss various issues of mutual interest.

Tweeting soon after the meeting, Chamisa could only say the future is bright.

Farai Dziva| Barely 48 hours after the death of ZBC diplomatic correspondent Judith Makwanya, another journalist from the state broadcaster, Desmond Duri has died.

According to a statement read on ZBC the former Masvingo Bureau Chief died in the capital today after a short illness.

“We can confirm that ZBC News reporter Desmond Duri has died.We are yet to get full details of the cause of his death,” reported the state broadcaster.

Feedback from Chiredzi District Civil Protection Unit meeting:

1. Cyclone Idai is forecasted to reach us this evening or tomorrow morning.
2. It’s causing havoc in Mozambique and up to the noon today it had claimed 66 human lives
3. Parents are advised to exercise discretion tomorrow on whether to allow their children to go to school or not especially where children cross streams and rivers.
4. People should move from low lying areas to high ground areas should they feel threatened
5. Rainfall in excess of 50mm is expected from tomorrow up to Saturday.
6. Let’s all be on standby to assist whoever will be in need.

Thank you

R. Zireva
Secretary General Mkwasine Management Committee (Interim)

Farai Dziva|Health and Child Care Minister Obadiah Moyo has blamed restrictive measures imposed on Zanu PF officials – for the shortage of equipment in government hospitals.

Moyo made the remarks at a post Cabinet briefing in Harare.

“As you know, sanctions are severely affecting us but we are trying our best to resolve the critical shortage of equipment in our hospitals.

We met with several medical experts who expressed their views on the current state of affairs in hospital and we are looking into it,” said Moyo.

A medical expert at Parirenyatwa Hospital, Dr Mashumba described the situation at the country’s largest health institution as pathetic.

Farai Dziva | The president of the United Democratic Alliance, Daniel Shumba has castigated Emmerson Mnangagwa for equating himself to God.

Shumba,whose party withdrew from the Mnangagwa brokered dialogue, was at one point fired from the ruling party for supporting the Midlands godfather.

An irate Shumba said:”That’s clearly an arrogant and vindictive view from a President who claims he wants to promote unity but don’t take him seriously for equating himself to God, that is just a limitation of descriptive English.

That is the best he could do under the circumstances.”

Farai Dziva|The MDC A has described the harassment of Harare West legislator Joanna Mamombe by Zanu PF MPs in Parliament as ” thuggery and barbarism of the worst kind. “

In a statement on Wednesday the MDC A Information and Publicity Department strongly condemned Zanu PF’ s shocking level of misogyny:

Insults hurled at Hon Mamombe reflect Zanu PF’s failure.

The MDC is appalled by the derogatory comments from Zanu PF MPs against Hon Joanna Mamombe.

The use of such derogatory and unprintable language -as that was used on her- does not only set a bad example but reduces the level of Parliament from an esteemed house which sets laws in Zimbabwe to an common house.

The abuse of the young female MP has no place in a democratic society. It reflects Zanu PF’s disrespect of women.

The MDC is also concerned about the level of hatred of Hon Mamombe and this cannot be divorced from her arrest while on Parliamentary duty last week.

There is need for nation building – when the representatives of the people in Parliament are the ones reflecting such hatred then there is a serious problem.
MDC: Defining a New Course for Zimbabwe
Hon Bekithemba Mpofu
MDC Deputy Spokesperson

MDC Secretary-General Douglas Mwonzora is going to contest for the party presidency at the Congress set for May, dismissing recent media reports that he had had a change of heart and was aiming at party vice presidency.

This will be the second time in two successive MDC Congresses that the two — party leader Nelson Chamisa and Mwonzora — will square off. They previously locked horns in 2014, with Mwonzora soundly beating Chamisa for the secretary-general position that year.

In an interview with NewsDay yesterday, Mwonzora said he would not be swayed from contesting any position, but maintained that he would, however, make the announcement at an appropriate time.

“What is being circulated is false,” he said.

“When the right time comes, the people shall know which post I am contesting at congress. There are so many stories being manufactured by people. I am very clear that the MDC is a democratic party, where people chose their leaders.”

Mwonzora said no position would be ring-fenced, including the presidency.

The MDC secretary-general claimed some unknown persons placed suspicious liquid, believed to be juju, in his parliamentary pigeon hole on Tuesday, stroking fears of witchcraft ahead of the party’s elective congress in May.

Mwonzora said he reported the matter to security at Parliament, but was unfazed by the incident.

“I went to Parliament and I then decided to check my mail at the pigeon hole and there were two police officers in that room,” Mwonzora said.

“As I approached my pigeon hole, I discovered that there was a plastic bottle with a strange-looking liquid and it was half full. I asked the police officers about it and they didn’t know who had put it there.

“I then alerted the Parliament security, but I don’t know what they did with it. I didn’t touch it.”

Mwonzora said he does not feel threatened.

“Whoever put it there either intended to threaten me with these superstitions, but it is strange that some people will find time to put that into my pigeon hole. I don’t know what the liquid is,” he said.

NewsDay

MDC Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora has supported a move by his party president Nelson Chamisa to have a female vice President saying it is of no debate.

Posting on Twitter, Mwonzora said appointing a female vice President is the right and progressive thing to do as the party move towards establishing Zimbabwe as a democratic and non sexist society.

Below is a picture of empty seats in parliament today.

WATCH LIVE VIDEO OF PARLY SEATING…

By Own Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) has denied social media claims that it is set to increase electricity tariffs by 150percent starting this Friday.

A notice published by the power utility on Thursday reads:

SOCIAL MEDIA REPORTS ON TARIFF INCREASE FALSE

The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) would like to advise its valued customers that it is not increasing electricity tariffs by 150% starting Friday, 15th March 2019 as is being reported on social media.

ZETDC would like to express its concern over the malicious social media messages that are urging customers to buy electricity in bulk in order to beat a purported 150% increase in the price of power.

The power utility urges consumers to disregard the misleading social media messages that are creating unnecessary panic buying and inconvenience to consumers.

Tariff increase is a process that is not haphazardly implemented but is done through a thorough consultative process in consultation with consumers, the regulator and shareholder, among other key stakeholders.

The inconvenience is sincerely regretted.

A Zimbabwean woman based in South Africa Gugu Ncube who once claimed to be MDC Vice President Professor Welshman Ncube’s daughter continues to make headlines for the wrong reasons and this time claiming her manager asked for sexual favours to keep her in a job, and sacked her when she turned him down .

Welshman Ncube, the deputy president of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), said on Wednesday that Gugu was not his child, as she had convinced herself.

“I don’t know this woman. I read somewhere she was born in 1981. I was in high school at Mzilikazi in 1980 when she was conceived … Her mother is not known to me, there’s just no conceivable possibility she could be my daughter,” Ncube said by phone.

A friend who grew up with Gugu in Gwanda said: “She’s psychotic, she’s delusional and it’s just unfortunate a lot of people will fall victim to her before she gets the help she needs.”

WATCH VIDEO BELOW…

We publish below the various reactions to the video by a specialist doctor at Parirenyatwa Hospital, Dr Mashumba, who cried while narrating the dire situations at public institutions which has seen the unnecessary loss of life.

The video of the crying doctor has since gone viral on social media. ‏

Nelson Chamisa: This is a disaster we must all urgently fix! Why is it so difficult to deal with our common challenges??

David Coltart: If this heartfelt appeal from a #Zimbabwean paediatrician doesn’t move you nothing will. We desperately need a government which puts the needs of the most vulnerable above it is leadership’s desire for security and obscene wealth.

@RangaMberi: They won’t notice till we put Dr Mashumba on SkyTV.

Fadzayi Mahere: The sad state of the public health sector is cause for @edmnangagwa to hang his head in shame. His Govt will spend money on anything – PR, foreign trips, luxury jets, trips to New York/London, Davos, fairy lights, talk shops anything – BUT the welfare of the people. Disgusted.Z

Zenzele: What happened to the drugs worth $25 million Chiwenga told us about. Was it a satanic narrative?.

Kholwani Nyathi: This doctor’s passionate and tearful plea is likely to fall on deaf ears. The government would rather listen to that doctor who cried at the Gweru rally because those are the things they always want to hear. Those who watch @ZBCNewsonline, did they air this?Alex T Magaisa  

@Wamagaisa: The tragedy is that instead of dealing with the issues she is raising, some members of the regime who earn their living by getting angry on behalf of their bosses will start a witch-hunt against that senior doctor at Parirenyatwa. They will say she’s Western-sponsored.S

Shingi Munyeza: The breaking point of our service delivery when our doctors reach their breaking point. I salute every health worker who is working under these bad conditions. Basics can’t be that unaffordable, we have our priorities wrong here!

Takunda Mandura: It’s so painful, we should not have such situations whereby one goes to the hospital to be worse instead of betterYimbisai weZhira.

Trevor Ncube: US sanctions on Zimbabwe are choking the health services and the economy. They talk about human rights, yet they are infringing on the human rights of ordinary Zimbabweans.

Rashweat Mukundu: Senior Docs protest shortages of medicine in GVT hospitals and poor working conditions. Meanwhile $500 000 USD goes to a US-based PR firm. Sanctions indeed.

By Own Correspondent- MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora says that it is without question that the party’s presidium should have a woman.

Writing on microblogging site, Twitter, Mwonzora said:

“That there should at be at least one woman in the MDC praesidium should admit of no debate. It is the right and progressive thing to do as we move towards establishing Zimbabwe as a democratic, non-racist, non-tribalistic and non-sexist society.

Currently, the MDC praesidium has four members, all are male. The four are Nelson Chamisa as the president, and his three deputies namely Elias Mudzuri, Morgen Komichi and Welshman Ncube.

Mwonzora is said to be harbouring presidential ambitions and his remarks may be interpreted as a way of gaining traction with the party’s Women’s Assembly.

A CONSUMER rights’ watchdog has launched a campaign against high mobile data costs, after recent reports showed that Zimbabwe had some of the most expensive data tariffs on the continent.

This follows a move by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Information and Communication Technology to institute an inquiry into high data fees charged by telecommunication service providers.

The National Consumer Rights Association (Nacora) said it plans to petition Parliament and the Postal and Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) to intervene to promote “data trade justice and fairness”.

“Let us not forget that this low cost data campaign is about justice and fairness. We have a lot of weapons we will deploy against this theft and profiteering.

We will do media campaigns, public meetings, engage Potraz, government and service providers like Econet, Netone, Telecel, Africom, among others,” Nacora advocacy and campaigns adviser, Effie Ncube told Southern Eye.

“There cannot be any justification, whatsoever, why any service provider to maintain these exorbitant prices for data.”

The telecommunications regulatory body has in some instances forced service providers to reduce local mobile data and internet charges.

Ncube accused the country’s telecommunications service providers of robbing poor Zimbabweans of their hard-earned money by charging exorbitant prices for data, with “data bundles expiring before use”.

“It is unfair trade and a bad business practice. Data drives economic activity and is critical to the sustenance for security and livelihoods of poor families throughout the country. There can be no justification, whatsoever, why any service provider can resist unused data to roll over and be transferable like airtime.

“Default out-of-bundle browsing is theft of the highest kind. Millions continue to lose their hard-earned money to this monster. Out-of-bundle browsing must only take place when activated by the consumer,” he added.

A research by Research ICT Africa and Pan African financial institution, EcoBank, recently established that Zimbabwe had the third most expensive mobile data in Africa.

Analysts have said reasons contributing to the country’s expensive data have largely been attributed to monopoly.

-Newsday

MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora said that he discovered a plastic container with a strange-looking liquid when he checked for his mail at Parliament in a suspected case of juju.

The MDC is set to hold an elective Congress between May 24 and 26 this year. There is already jockeying for positions even though nominations have not yet been done.

Mwonzora is expected to contest for the presidency, currently occupied by Nelson Chamisa.

In an interview with Newsday, Mwonzora said: “I went to Parliament and I then decided to check my mail at the pigeon hole and there were two police officers in that room.

“As I approached my pigeon hole, I discovered that there was a plastic bottle with a strange-looking liquid and it was half full. I asked the police officers about it and they didn’t know who had put it there.

“I then alerted the Parliament security, but I don’t know what they did with it. I didn’t touch it.

“… Whoever put it there either intended to threaten me with these superstitions, but it is strange that some people will find time to put that into my pigeon hole. I don’t know what the liquid is.”

MDC co-vice president and senator Elias Mudzuri, when asked, said he was not aware of the incident but if it did happen, should be condemned.

He said: “I haven’t heard anything concerning that, but if he saw something suspicious, I hope he will get assistance to remove that. I hope there is no witch-hunting at Parliament. As parliamentarians, we are honourable members and we must not start looking for witchcraft. It is not proper, why should it happen.

“If it happened, then it is unfortunate that we are stooping so low and we are fighting over useless things. We must be honourable members and that requires certain behaviour.

“This incident is unfortunate and if someone is doing that, they are not serious. We will end up concentrating on suspicion and unknown fears. If there are people doing that, they must stop it. It is not good.”

NewsDay

By Own Correspondent- The Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called upon Southern Africa leaders including president Cyril Ramaphosa to come out clean on President Emmerson Mnangagwa regarding human rights violations and the use of excessive force on unarmed civilians which has seen the deaths of innocent civilians.

The organisation urged the government to hold to account security agents responsible for the death of protestors in January over fuel price increases and the alleged raping of women during the same period.

Said the HRW in a recently released report titled “Zimbabwe: ‘Excessive Force Used Against Protestors”:

“Southern Africa leaders should press Mnangagwa to put an end to security force abuses and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.

Instead of burying his head in the sand when it comes to human rights, (South Africa) President (Cyril) Ramaphosa should publicly urge his Zimbabwean counterpart to deliver on his promise to get to the bottom of these allegations and hold perpetrators to account.

The authorities should arrest and prosecute those responsible for abuses and send a strong message that crimes by the security forces won’t be tolerated.

… Law enforcement officials should not use firearms against people except to protect against the imminent threat of death or serious injury.”

By Own Correspondent- Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on the Zimbabwean government to prosecute state security agents who perpetrated violence, murdered and raped civilians during the January 2019 protests.

The organisation said the arrest and prosecution of the state security agents should be done in order to send a clear message against security forces that violence against citizens will not be tolerated.

HRW released a report on Tuesday titled Zimbabwe: ‘Excessive Force Used Against Protestors’, in which it called for the release of people detained arbitrarily.

Read the report:

“The authorities should arrest and prosecute those responsible for abuses and send a strong message that crimes by the security forces won’t be tolerated.

… Law enforcement officials should not use firearms against people except to protect against the imminent threat of death or serious injury.

Southern Africa leaders should press Mnangagwa to put an end to security force abuses and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.

Instead of burying his head in the sand when it comes to human rights, (South Africa) President (Cyril) Ramaphosa should publicly urge his Zimbabwean counterpart to deliver on his promise to get to the bottom of these allegations and hold perpetrators to account.”

Paul Nyathi|Latest media reports indicate that MDC Vice President Professor Welshman Ncube, has yet again disowned nude protestor Gugulethu Ncube who claims to be his daughter.

Professor Ncube told online media sources on Wednesday that Gugu was not his child, as she had convinced herself.

“I don’t know this woman. I read somewhere she was born in 1981. I was in high school at Mzilikazi in 1980 when she was conceived and very much in love with a girl I thought I would go on and marry. Her mother is not known to me, there’s just no conceivable possibility she could be my daughter,” Ncube said.

A friend who grew up with Gugu in Gwanda, Matabeleland South, is reported to have said Gugu has a serious mental problem.

“She’s psychotic, she’s delusional and it’s just unfortunate a lot of people will fall victim to her before she gets the help she needs.”

Sources close to Gugu have previously indicated that she had a difficult childhood after her father, a police officer called Lot Ncube from Gokwe in the Midlands, shot and killed her mother, Gladys Dube, before turning the gun on himself sometime in 1986 when she was just five.

“She was raised by her grandmother in rural Gwanda, and moved to the town where she stayed with her aunt while going through her secondary education. Her aunt lived at a police station there because the uncle is a police officer. The aunt now lives in Masvingo, after they were transferred,” the sources said.

“We have to assume that because of that double tragedy early in her childhood, she has these demons following her. Now she does not recognise the uncle in whose house she grew up, she insists he’s not her relative. She has another aunt living in South Africa and a brother, they have given up on her; they’ve no interest in helping her.”

In 2016, having moved to South Africa, Gugu accused two men of sexual assault – one Pastor Acts Aota and a Sinqobile Koboto. Police looked into the allegations and decided not to pursue the cases.

Then, in 2017, Gugu was again in the limelight after accusing an Ivorian man named Marc Gbaffou of raping her. She claimed she was dating Gbaffou, then chairman of the African Diaspora Forum, but she had refused to have sex with him until he divorced his wife. In a hotel room at the end of February, she claimed she got drunk with wine and Gbaffou had sex with her after she passed out – which she only discovered when she woke up the following day. Gbaffou allegedly apologised, and she let it slide.

Then, on April 4 the same year, she claimed Gbaffou raped her a second time at a hotel in Parktown, Johannesburg, after spiking her glass of wine. She called police who did not turn up, she later claimed.

On April 7, she said she was back at the hotel with Gbaffou who gave her wine, and then raped her a third time. She reported Gbaffou for rape on April 8, but the matter was not pursued by the courts. According to Hillbrow Police Station, prosecutors declined a prosecution due to lack of evidence.

Fast forward 2018, and Gugu would accuse Mhlava Edward Shibambu, her boss at Ucece and subject of her nude protest on Wednesday, of “asking for sexual favours in exchange for my job”. Police say they have found no prosecutable case, and Ucece say they reviewed the allegations after Shibambu was suspended but no wrongdoing was found.

Gugu was charged with public indecency following her arrest on Wednesday.

By Own Correspondent- Opposition MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora has claimed that he discovered a plastic container with a strange-looking liquid when he checked for his mail at Parliament in a suspected case of juju.

The MDC is set to hold an elective Congress between May 24 and 26 this year.

There is already jockeying for positions even though nominations have not yet been done.

Mwonzora is expected to contest for the presidency, currently occupied by Nelson Chamisa.

In an interview with a local publication, Mwonzora said:

“I went to Parliament and I then decided to check my mail at the pigeon hole and there were two police officers in that room.

As I approached my pigeon hole, I discovered that there was a plastic bottle with a strange-looking liquid and it was half full. I asked the police officers about it and they didn’t know who had put it there.

I then alerted the Parliament security, but I don’t know what they did with it. I didn’t touch it.

… Whoever put it there either intended to threaten me with these superstitions, but it is strange that some people will find time to put that into my pigeon hole. I don’t know what the liquid is.”

MDC co-vice president and senator Elias Mudzuri however said he was not aware of the incident. He added that if it had indeed happened, should be condemned.

He said:

“I haven’t heard anything concerning that, but if he saw something suspicious, I hope he will get assistance to remove that. I hope there is no witch-hunting at Parliament. As parliamentarians, we are honourable members and we must not start looking for witchcraft. It is not proper, why should it happen.

If it happened, then it is unfortunate that we are stooping so low and we are fighting over useless things. We must be honourable members and that requires certain behaviour.

This incident is unfortunate and if someone is doing that, they are not serious. We will end up concentrating on suspicion and unknown fears. If there are people doing that, they must stop it. It is not good.”

The government has splashed $4.5 million on anti-riot police gear
The recent violent protests that rocked the country has prompted government to pump out a whopping $4.5 million United States Dollars towards the purchase of emergency warning equipment for the Zimbabwe Republic Police anti-riot squad, the Zim Morning Post can exclusively reveal.

The emergency warning equipment was purchased from a South African company called Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement and the ‘buy’ includes teargas, helmets and batons.

Impeccable sources told this publication that the payment was made a fortnight ago through the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

“The ministry of Home Affairs requested for a boost in equipment because they had become incapacitated and remember they had to seek reinforcement from the army in August after the elections last year.

“This new equipment is to quell any form of violence without causing any deaths or maximum damage or injury. RBZ effected payment two weeks ago and the merchandise is expected in the country soon,” revealed our source.

This development comes in the wake of declarations by opposition leader Nelson Chamisa’s threats that his party will unleash more demonstrations to force President Emmerson Mnangagwa into dialogue.

The development is also part of the recommendations by the Mohlanthe Commission Inquiry into the post – election violence that rocked the country and left a dozen people dead.

The recommendation also include the re-training of police officers in crowd control tactics without using excessive force.

Interestingly, the purchase of the equipment seems timeous since South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged R55 million towards the training of the local police officers aimed at boosting preparedness in case of violence.

Ramaphosa extended the gesture during the bi-national commission on Tuesday. The commission seeks to strengthen cooperation between Pretoria and Harare.

Meanwhile, the Zim Morning Post learnt that Zimbabwe has always been a loyal client to Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement as evidenced by the citation on their official website.

The company states that it is ‘ Africa’s leading supplier of effective, reliable and quality emergency warning equipment and traffic management systems to traffic law enforcers, police and military’ and one of its clients is Zimbabwe.

The Reserve bank governor John Mangudya and ZRP acting national spokesperson Paul Nyathi could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

Morning Post

Thousands of villagers in Mutoko yesterday were given United States dollars to help them fight hunger during this lean season.

The programme dubbed Lean Season Assistance (LSA) is being sponsored by the World Food Programme, USAID and United Kingdom’s DFID while the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) are the coordinators. A total of 32 189 villagers from 19 wards were each given US$9 to buy food. About 4 100 beneficiaries were children under the age of five years who were also given Super Cereal, a nutritious porridge.

One of the beneficiaries, Gretchen Katsande (48) from Ndemere village said the programme would help reduce hunger and address the problem of fluctuating food prices.

“We are happy that we have this programme in our area as it will go a long way in ensuring food for my family. I have a family of four and with $72 for two months I am certain that there will be enough food in the house. The shop owners are charging exorbitant prices on groceries, but with United States dollars we are assured of a fair price. I am grateful for the honour from the sponsors,” she said.

The programme has been going on since the onset of the lean season with each beneficiary getting $9 per month which is enough to meet approximately 80% of daily food requirements.

An estimated 5,3 million people are in dire need of food assistance with Mutoko district being one of the worst. The situation is set to worsen following the El Niño weather pattern that resulted in massive crop failure.

Ward 14 councillor Kuziva Majinga said this year there would be massive food shortages, hence the need for food assistance.

“This year is terrible because villagers did not get anything from the fields. We are grateful to have such kind of assistance in this area. We all need food, and villagers are happy about it,” she said.

The cash-based assistance is meant to offer villagers an opportunity to buy foodstuffs of their choice. Traditionally donors would provide aid in the form of maize. Villagers are, however, still getting food assistance in kind.

NewsDay

Glen View Area 8 home industry complex, along Willowvale Road was on Monday gutted by fire for the umpteenth time. Property worth millions of dollars belonging to informal traders was destroyed.

This was the second incident in six months and the source of the fire remains a mystery.

Harare mayor, Hebert Gomba, who visited the area yesterday said council had put aside $500 000 to upgrade the complex and ensure the recurrent fire outbreaks becomes a thing of the past.

“It is time we sit down and deal with this situation once and for all. We must find a solution that takes us forward. As council, we are going to invest in this area to the tune of $500 000 from our beer levy and this money will be used to build this area,” Gomba said.

“If you want us to work together and want progress, let us stop what we are doing (starting fires), we can work together. What is happening here is bad, each year we face this situation, it is bad, and as council we are not happy.”

Last year, the complex was burnt at least three times and still the source of the fire could not be established with some suspecting internal fights within informal traders to be the cause.

The latest fire reportedly started at around 5pm and traders battled to put it out and salvage some of their wares.

The Harare Fire Brigade arrived later with two fire tenders, but so aggressive was the blaze that it consumed most of the complex.

Gomba warned informal traders against engaging in personal fights because this was affecting people’s lives.

Council had blamed the fire outbreaks on what they called “space barons” operating at the complex who deny council access to fix amenities like roads as well as inspect and install fire hydrants.

Government, according to Gomba, wanted to remove all informal traders at the site to a new place, but the mayor said the local authority was open to dialogue provided the traders stopped engaging in petty fights.

NewsDay

OPPOSITION political parties have come out guns blazing, accusing President Emmerson Mnangagwa of being blasphemous, stubborn and vindictive after he likened himself to God while equating his rival, MDC leader Nelson Chamisa to Satan.

“How can he dare compare himself to the Creator when he is subjecting everyone in Zimbabwe to a living hell? Surely, God does not deliver suffering to his own people,” MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume said.

“The illusion around dialogue which excludes the MDC has already proven to be a political fallacy, many are pulling out because they are aware that the approach will not create sufficient consensus.”

Mafume said the statements by Mnangagwa could easily cause internal strife, and trigger violence against opposition supporters and the party leadership.

“We have noted with concern a continued pattern of these reckless statements coming from him in succession, a case in point is the remarks he made in Rutenga when he made threats to unleash violence on citizens for exercising their rights provided in section 59 of the Constitution,” he said.

“It is, therefore, premature for Mnangagwa to use extremist metaphors like ‘devil’ simply because the MDC holds different political views from him. In any case, history has shown that these labels can easily incite degeneration and unnecessary loss of life, especially coming from the leader of a militant political outfit.”

Chamisa through his spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda, said he would not engage Mnangagwa in a verbal exchange because he was more concerned with defending the poor and delivering real change to Zimbabweans.

“President Chamisa is a prayerful and God-fearing leader whose interests are to rebuild this country’s economy and society. He does not equate earthly fiefdoms with the Kingdom of God. He is encouraged that Zimbabwe is largely a God-fearing country and will remain so,” he said.

“Those who see themselves as analogous or similar to God, will answer to God. The people’s president does not engage in unnecessary public insults, he remains focused in talking about the issues that affect our country, such as dialogue and all other action that can unlock political illegitimacy and drive us towards economic stabilisation and growth.”

Daniel Shumba, whose party, the United Democratic Alliance, pulled out of talks brokered by Mnangagwa, said the Zanu PF leader had shown his arrogance and vindictiveness in making such a statement.

“That’s clearly an arrogant and vindictive view from a President who claims to want to forester unity, but don’t take him seriously for equating himself to God, that is just a limitation of descriptive English. That is the best he could do under the circumstances,” he said.

Mnangagwa told journalists on Tuesday at the close of the Zimbabwe-South Africa Bi-National Commission summit attended by his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, that he will push on with dialogue despite the withdrawal from the process by a number of political parties.

“We will not be swayed by the negative forces because even the Lord upstairs was not able to keep his house in order, he had Satan. These things happen. He still remains there as creator,” Mnangagwa said.

NewsDay

Government has given civil servants the green light to import cars duty-free as President Mnangagwa’s administration continues to cushion its workers through non-monetary incentives.

Civil servants officially received the good news during a National Joint Negotiating Forum (NJNC) held in Harare yesterday.

This comes amid reports that Government is working on increasing sector-specific allowances for its workers beginning April.

A cost of living adjustment will also be effected next month.

The duty-free scheme is covered by Statutory Instrument 52 of 2019 and will see those with 10 years in the service qualifying.

A vehicle to be imported should not exceed US$10 000 while a person is entitled to import one car within a period of five years.

Apex Council, a body that represents civil servants in salary negotiations confirmed the development after yesterday’s NJNC.

“Government heeded the long standing Apex Council call for motor vehicle duty-free scheme covered by Statutory Instrument 52/2019 which will see all civil servants with 10 years of service being accorded a privilege to import a vehicle worth not more than US$10 000 duty free,” read the statement.

“In fulfilment of the request made by Apex Council, Government is working on increasing the level of a sector-specific allowances for all categories of civil servants with effect from April. Apex Council also welcomes the arrival of the Consumer Protection Bill which goes a long way towards protecting the value of our income.”

The body said negotiations with Government on the cost of living adjustment were in progress and full details will be availed to their membership today.

Apex Council chairperson Mrs Cecelia Alexander said Government had walked the talk on non-monetary incentives.

“We greatly appreciate the fact that Government has delivered a non-monetary incentive of granting a rebate of duty on motor vehicle,” she said.

“This is applicable to any public servant of Zimbabwe who has served for a decade. To us that is very welcome development and we hope that as we move forward Government will also address other incentives with the view of delivering and doing tangible things on the ground.”

She added: “This matter of duty exemption has been on the table for years. As Apex Council we have been pushing it for more than three years and we are happy that it has been granted.”

Government recently unveiled a $60 million housing facility for civil servants as part of non-monetary incentives and a Memorandum of Agreement between the employer and the National Building Society (NBS) on the roll out of the project is in place.

This is part of Government’s commitment to provide decent and affordable housing to the people, mostly civil servants and among President Mnangagwa’s interventions to alleviate hardship among citizens on the back of austerity.

Government has already indicated that it is awarding its workers $300 million beginning next month as a salary increment.

The money is to be shared by workers in the civil service from April to December this year.

President Mnangagwa in January awarded the workers a “cushioning allowance” of 22,7 percent until this month to lessen the impact of recent increases in the prices of basic commodities.

State Media

President Adv. Nelson Chamisa on Wednesday met with the party’s National Guardians’ Council at Morgan Tsvangirai House, the party’s headquarters to discuss party matters and issues affecting the nation.

The Guardian’s Council is the party’s well of wisdom, from time to time the President and the party leadership seek its guidance.

Comprising of 32 members drawn from the country’s 10 provinces, the Guardian’s council is an organ of set up in terms of Article 6.7 of the MDC Constitution to offer advice and wisdom to the national leadership as well as carry out advocacy work, investigations, arbitration and reconciliation in disputes on critical matters of party concern.

MDC Communications

The strike of specialist doctors’ at Parirenyatwa Hospital is an indictment on the failed military government.

It is a high level manifestation of a Nation in crisis. Mnangagwa and his cabal must humble themselves and accept failure.

They must apologise for failing the Zimbabwean people and concede to the convening of urgent dialogue.

Zimbabweans cannot continue to lose lives unnecessarily, the statement released by the doctors makes this point.

They state that lives are being lost while doctors watch because there are no consumables required to do the work.

That emergency cases are now taking longer than normal while patients have to source consumables on their own.

Doctors have also said they would be attending to emergencies only while resources reserved for these situations will last just a month.

This is a national disaster, it cannot be business as usual.

The military government has been committing a soft genocide – loved ones have been lost.

The MDC calls for urgent measures to combat avoidable deaths.

Only dialogue can resolve these issues.

The People’s President, Adv Nelson Chamisa has already availed himself to deal with the challenges bedeviling our country.

MDC: Defining a New Course for Zimbabwe.

Jacob Mafume
MDC National Spokesperson

In a country where hospitals are not functioning, civil servants are paid paltry amounts and children are dropping out of schools it becomes ironic for any government to be prioritizing outsourcing teargas.

It boggles the mind how a Minister Sisulu decided a donation to a death squad.

Even the statements she made at the handover ceremony are suspicious.

“The package that comes from myself is to assist through you minister in the training of the police and in making sure that they have the necessary protective gear to make sure they are equipped. We have realized they are very busy,” she said.

There is an insinuation to the effect that the citizen is troublesome therefore the police must be equipped to fight them.

The past few months have seen close to 30 lives being lost at the hands of both the military and the police.

Today Abel Toronga was found dead in a mortuary in Chitungwiza after an abduction which took place in Highfield on 24 January 2019.

Police did not do anything to investigate his whereabouts, even when he was found, no details were shared.

They have reneged from the stipulated conduct provided in section 208 of the Constitution and calls to set up an independent complains mechanism provided in section 210 have fallen on deaf ears.

The point we make is that if there is any funds required, they must focus on reform of law enforcement institutions.

There must be training on respect and protection of the exercise of human rights,the word “busy” for now has been on an unconstitutional attempt to take the rights away and also violate the people’s rights.

We also make the point that teargas cannot be front and centre when Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals has no painkillers.

MDC: Defining a New Course for Zimbabwe.

Hon Bekithemba Mpofu
MDC Deputy Spokesperson

By Own Correspondent| The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has filed a High Court application denying a debt worth over $92 million allegedly owed to RioZim.

This comes after RioZim sued the central bank for breaching provision of the exchange control directives whereby the mining company is supposed to be given access to utilise the foreign currency it generated externally.

RioZim alleges it only received $26 130 967 of the $84 297 364 in hard foreign currency, This constituted 15 percent of the amount due since 2016.

Representing the central bank and Fidelity Printers, lawyers Gerald Mlotshwa and Wellington Magaya respectively, have denied the debt saying all payments were made by bank transfer in USD.-DailyNews

The ZANU PF president Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday announced in Parliament that he truly deployed the army on the 1st of August 2018 during the period election results were delayed. The revelation comes over 5 months later and members of Parliament complained yesterday that the deployment was done against constitutional stipulations which say that the head of state must promptly inform parliament. More questions were also raised because the then head of state blew hundreds of thousands of dollars paying foreign commissioners for the Motlanthe hearings to ascertain what he already knew. This also comes against the backdrop of live broadcast evidence which shows Mnangagwa’s office planning and announcing in his presence nearly a year before that they shall deploy the army for the purpose of changing election results in July 2017. This was back on the 15th of December 2017.

Notwithstanding the zanu PF government has made allegations claiming the MDC is responsible for the military violence crime, which was all committed in order to change election results.

Meanwhile, below was the state media broadsheet narration of the story.

Mnangagwa yesterday notified Parliament of his decision to deploy members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces to assist the police in the wake of riotous and unlawful demonstrations on August 1, 2018 and January 14 to 16, 2019.
The demonstrations saw lives lost and left a trail of destruction. The notice was read by Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi in the National Assembly in terms of Section 214 of the Constitution.
Section 214 of the Constitution read: “When the Defence Forces are deployed; (a) in Zimbabwe to assist in the maintenance of public order; or (b) outside Zimbabwe; the President must cause Parliament to be informed, promptly and in appropriate detail, of the reasons for their deployment and;
(i) where they are deployed in Zimbabwe, the place where they are deployed;
(ii) where they are deployed outside Zimbabwe, the country in which they are deployed.
Minister Ziyambi said the deployment by the President who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces was also made in terms of the Public Order and Security Act. 
“The Commissioner-General of Police having satisfied himself of the riotous situation existing in all major cities and towns in Zimbabwe and having satisfied himself that the riotous conduct had violated the right to life, right to human dignity, right to personal security, right not to be compelled to belong to an association, or to attend to a meeting or gathering, right to freedom of movement, right to hold, occupy, use or dispose of property, right to freedom of movement, right to education, right to education, of ordinary citizens and residence as enshrined in the Constitution and having satisfied that the conduct of riotous was criminal in nature and recognised offences under the criminal justice system of the Republic of Zimbabwe and having satisfied that the Zimbabwe Republic Police was unable to contain the riotous situation as aforementioned which resulted in the loss of life, brazen violation of basic human rights, personal security and destruction of private and public property including police stations, the Commissioner-General in terms of Section 37 (1) of the Public Order and Security Act requested the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage to use his discretion and request the Minister responsible for Defence to authorise the Defence Forces to assist the police in the exercise of their function in terms of the Act in order to suppress the violent, riotous and destructive conduct that was occurring throughout the country which conduct was undermining the rule of law and citizens’ rights as afore-stated,” read the notice.
“The Minister of Defence following upon the request and guided by Section 213 (1)(1)(b) of the Constitution which provides that only the President as Commander-in-Chief of the ZDF has the power to authorise the deployment of the Defence Forces in Zimbabwe to support the police service in maintenance of public order.
“His Excellency having duly considered the request and having applied his mind to the situation, authorised the deployment of Defence Forces to suppress the riotous and destructive conduct that pervaded the country.”
The August 1, 2018 illegal demonstrations were perpetrated by MDC-Alliance claiming that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission had delayed announcing presidential results despite the fact ZEC was still within its five-day threshold to announce the results. 

By Own Correspondent| Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) manager of consumer affairs, Phibion Chaibva said the parastatal is still conducting stakeholder consultations in response to the mobile network operators’ demands to hike their tariffs.

Chaibva said this when he addressed journalists on the sidelines of the Potraz consumer education and awareness campaign road show at Chinotimba Shopping Centre, Victoria Falls on Sunday.

Said Chaibva:

“What I understand on the issue of mobile tariff hikes is that Potraz is still conducting stakeholder consultations to get a better understanding of the matter at hand. A cost based pricing method is a fixed sum or a percentage of the total cost added as income or profit to the cost of the product to arrive at its selling price. The reason why we base our decisions on this method is because it is the easiest way to calculate what a product should be priced at, taking into consideration both variable fixed costs and a percentage mark-up,”-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent| Students sitting for the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) Ordinary and Advanced Level exams in November will get a final mark that will be computed using a practical and examination mark.

This was said by ZIMSEC public relations manager Nicky Dlamini.

Said Dlamini:

“Last year candidates wrote ordinary exams that constituted a 100 percent mark. However, this year they will be doing projects that will supplement their examinations. Informal students will also do their projects if they decide to sit for the November examinations.”

By Own Correspondent| Delta Corporation, has outlined reasons behind the recently effected price increase on assorted soft drinks and beer.

Amongst the reasons Delta is citing operational costs as well as foreign currency shortages for inputs. 

In January the firm was forced to sell in local currency following a Government intervention. 

Delta Beverages corporate affairs executive Patricia Murambinda said:

“On February 14, the company increased price of 350ml pints from $1 to a recommended retail price of $1,50 while 750ml moved to $4 or more from $2. The company continues to review its wholesale prices to take into account the value chain costs.

Most of the local production materials and services have increased substantially in the recent months. These include a barley price top up to align with the gazetted wheat price and hardship allowances paid to employees. It is apparent that local suppliers have factored in the prevailing foreign currency premiums into their pricing.

As indicated before, our businesses are experiencing disruptions arising from the shortages of foreign currency for imported raw materials and services.We are, however, currently running at full capacity on lager beer and Chibuku, while the soft drink plants are on shutdown due to an outage of concentrates.”

Farai Dziva|MDC A leader Nelson Chamisa has responded to the assertion that he should plead with the United States of America to remove sanctions against ruling party cronies.

On Monday Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo urged the youthful opposition leader to call for the removal of restrive measures imposed on Zanu PF honchos.

“With rigging of elections and state sanctioned violence in place, imagine lives lost due to human rights abuses, crimes against humanity, unconstitutional and unlawful use of state institutions.

Sanctions must go and it begins with the cause,” tweeted Chamisa.

By Own Correspondent- Precision Cannabis Therapeutics Zimbabwe has revealed that it received approval for its cannabis license on March 7, pending payment of a $46,000 fee.

The company shared a copy of its approval letter from the Ministry of Health with Marijuana Business Daily. 

Precision Cannabis Therapeutics Zimbabwe is located on a 110-hectare farm (272 acres) about 45 minutes from Harare.

The company said it possesses water rights to a large agriculture dam to service the area’s farmers.

Below is the letter: