A N’ANGA from Nyanga retaliated and brutally axed and knifed his colleague to death after being accused of using witchcraft.
Wonder Ndowa (59) of Sanyabako Village in Chief Saunyama’s area was arrested soon after committing the heinous act.
He allegedly axed Wilbert Mautse (59) of the same village several times on the head and right hand, before cutting off his right fore-finger.
Mautse allegedly visited Ndowa on June 23 and handed him a letter demanding several properties as compensation for bewitching him.
He threatened to deal with him if he failed to give him his dues.
The axe-wielding Mautse returned the following day demanding his dues. He stabbed Ndowa on his ribs.
His second attempt to stab him was met with resistance.
“The infuriated Ndowa retaliated and tossed him down. He grabbed Mautse’s axe.
Ndowa used Mautse’s axe to hack him three times on the head, twice on his right hand before cutting off his right fore-finger.
“He took a knife and stabbed him on his right cheek. He bled profusely and died on the spot,” said deputy Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Luxson Chananda.
Ndowa rushed to Ruziwa Business Centre and told David Gwezere about the incident who reported the matter to the police. Ndowa was arrested.
Asst Insp Chananda confirmed the grisly murder, which sent tongues wagging in Nyanga District.
“Ndowa is now in our custody and is assisting us with investigations. We are appealing to members of the public to solve disputes amicably by seeking advice from church and village elders or relatives.
“We also have a public relations department which is open to everyone where we can proffer solutions and settle differences professionally and amicably.
“Emotions and overreacting can cause warring parties to regret and often lead to unnecessary loss of lives. We will not hesitate to arrest people who put the law in their hands,” said Asst Insp Chananda.
Acting Chief Saunyama in an interview said the incident was shocking and urged people to solve disputes maturely and always seek assistance at the traditional courts.
“Our courts are also there to solve domestic and marital disputes amicably. We also offer professional counselling to people. This is a great concern to traditional leaders in Nyanga and we urge people to desist from resorting to violence to settle disputes,” he said. – state media
ZRP Cops Captured At Sango Border Post | BREAKING NEWS
Terrence Mawawa, Chiredzi | Three members of the ZRP Support Unit were captured and disarmed by suspected Renamo soldiers near Sango Border Post as unrest continues in neighbouring Mozambique.
As civil conflict continues in the neighouring nation, ZRP officiers have been deployed to patrol the area near Sango Border Post, to protect the Zimbabwean territory.
The incident could create more tension after the three officers were later returned to Zimbabwe without their guns and identity particulars.
The three cops who were captured are Assistant Inspector Sibanda, Constable Nyamukaiwa and Constable Mjele. The three were part of a 14 member Support Unit team deployed to patrol the Sango Border area.
Although the police here were deeply reluctant to comment on the matter and referred questions to ZRP national Spokesperson Charity Charamba, sources at Sango Border Post told ZimEye.com at the weekend the incident happened last week when the three were on duty.
It is understood Sibanda was armed with a pistol while Nyamukaiwa and Mjele had fully loaded AK 47 rifles.
The three were ambushed about two kilometres from Mwenezi River while they were on duty near Sango Border Post. “The three police officers were captured by suspected Renamo soldiers although there are conflicting facts about the incident,” an official based at Sango Border Post told ZimEye.
They continued saying, “they were suddenly surrounded by heavily armed people who asked them to surrender their firearms, identity particulars and handcuffs. They were detained for more than four hours and later released without their particulars,” they concluded.
Man Loses 3 Children Within Days
As a result of an apparent curse the life of Mr Philip Makiwa of Mhokore Village under Chief Njelele in Gokwe has turned into a nightmare after his three children aged two, four and 10 died mysteriously early last month.
Mr Makiwa is now living in fear after the village head, Mr Jorum Kudhela allegedly told his relatives at a joint funeral of the children that he had bewitched them after the former’s two-year-old daughter accidentally killed his three chicks while playing.
Narrating his heart-rending ordeal last week, Mr Makiwa said he had a misunderstanding with Mr Kudhela who is his cousin after his two-year-old daughter killed the latter’s three chicks which had strayed into his yard.
Mr Makiwa said Mr Kudhela then evicted him from the village after he refused to compensate for the chicks but he stayed put arguing that the village head had no authority to evict him over petty matters.
“After I stayed put, my wife started having weird dreams of the three chicks visiting her while she was sleeping. We went to church elders and we were told that Mr Kudhela was responsible to which he admitted. He was then told to bring his suspected goblins so that they could be destroyed but he refused and stopped coming to church,” he said.
“After a few days, my two-year-old daughter just stopped talking and looked like someone who had suffered a stroke. She died two days later. While we were preparing for her burial, our two other children a boy and a girl had the same problem and died three days later.”
Mr Makiwa said Mr Kudhela then called for a village meeting where he barred villagers from attending the funeral. Mr Kudhela, he added, told him and his relatives that his children had died because of the three chicks that his daughter had killed.
“He told me that my children had compensated for the three chicks that one of them killed. We then decided to bring the issue to Chief Njelele,” he said.
Mr Kudhela allegedly admitted at the chief’s court that the children had died because of the three chicks. He also allegedly admitted possessing goblins which he promised to hand over to the prophets from his church.
Chief Njelele fined Mr Kudhela two beasts which he paid and Chief Njelele said he would summon witch-hunters to cleanse the village at Mr Kudhela’s expense if he failed to hand over the said goblins to church leaders so that they are destroyed. sunday news
Mugabe Alerted Deadly Riots Ahead
Zimbabwe could be at the throes of irreversible social unrest President Robert Mugabe and his ruling Zanu PF party have been warned.
The warning comes at a time when deadly riots paralysed the Beitbridge Border Post on Friday signaling the beginning of more social unrest as more protests are planned for the week ahead.
The sirene came as police confirmed to the media that they were on high alert to deal with any disturbances ruthlessly, and at a time that angry civil servants are finalising their plans to embark on a crippling nationwide strikes on Tuesday. Government battles to pay them their salaries.
MDC secretary general, Douglas Mwonzora, said the Beitbridge riots, as well as what he called “simmering discontent” among the populace with Zanu PF’s misrule could be a harbinger of worse things to come.
“The regime of Robert Mugabe is falling apart because of the simmering discontent among citizens. What happened in Beitbridge is only the beginning because there is more to come and we have predicted this in the past.
“We are in support of these revolts and we know the regime will fall before 2018 because government has no solution to what is happening, as well as the myriad challenges facing Zimbabweans,” he said.
Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn (MKD) leader, Simba Makoni, also warned that tension was building up in the country and that ordinary people were feeling justified to hold demonstrations as Zimbabwe’s economy continued to die.
“Clearly, people are very angry not just about their well-being, but also by the clumsy way that those in leadership are treating them. This is especially so if you look at the situation of civil servants where they just wake up to hear that they will not be paid this month, all this without consultation.
“For the ordinary man on the street, the situation is exacerbated by the economic hardships he is enduring, the banning of imports and the introduction of bonds notes. There is no doubt that tension is slowly building up.
“People also feel that they have to demonstrate their unhappiness … hence the Africa Unity Square vigil, the hash tag protests and recently the Beitbridge riots,” Makoni told the Daily News on Sunday.
Analysts also said the ongoing cash shortages and long bank queues, looming food shortages, the ban on the importation of basic commodities, an inevitable rise in basic food prices and the broke government’s failure to pay angry civil servants their June salaries did not bode well for continuing peace and stability in the country.
They said it was telling that normally pliant and peace-loving Zimbabweans were rioting against the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority in Beitbridge, after the cash-strapped government’s ban on the importation of basic commodities, which threatened the livelihood of tens of thousands of people and their families who live off street vending. Daily News
Beitbridge-Blast Flames Spread Into Zimbabwe’s Cities | ZimFirst EXCLUSIVE VIDEO COMMENTARY
“People cannot wait until 2018 to shift this government out”, says Joice Mujuru, ZimFirst party UK leader, Philani Noble. FULL VIDEO:
Mujuru: I Know Mugabe’s Secrets
Former vice-president Joice Teurai Ropa Mujuru (JTM) has addressed two rallies, one in Bulawayo and another in Harare, effectively asserting her position in Zimbabwe’s opposition politics following her controversial expulsion from Zanu PF.
She is set to address Masvingo next weekend before proceeding to other provinces ahead of the launch of her party, Zimbabwe People First on a date to be announced. The Standard Chief Reporter Everson Mushava (EM) caught up with Mujuru last week to discuss various issues regarding her party, elections, the economy and other issues. Below are excerpts of the interview.
EM: What is your response to assertions that opposition parties can only defeat President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF in the next elections if they form a coalition?
JTM: Those that make the assertion have reasons to support their observation. It could be a way, but not a grand narrative. My understanding is that Mugabe will be defeated if anyone can come up with more votes than him. Coalition doesn’t always quantify votes.
You might have a coalition and the majority of people vote for Mugabe, that coalition will have lost the vote. What is needed is to mobilise a popular vote against Mugabe and Zanu PF. If a coalition is what it takes, why not? But there are many things that need to be done and a coalition is only one of them.
We have a lot of things that need to be put in place, like mechanisms to foil electoral chicanery, mobilising our people to register to vote and providing them with plausible policy issues that give them a drive to vote for us. There is a lot of work that needs to be done, not just talking about coalitions.
EM: What plans do you have in place to ensure a free and fair election, considering the history of disputed elections in Zimbabwe?
JTM: Sharing with you publicly our plans, our strategy would be the greatest betrayal I would have done to our people. Suffice to say, we know the shenanigans, and we have put in place plans to counter them to ensure our supporters’ votes are not put to waste.
EM: Prior to the Bulawayo rally, you were criticised for being too quiet on the situation prevailing in Zimbabwe to an extent that some ZimPF supporters staged a demonstration outside your house. What is your comment?
JTM: No People First supporters demonstrated at my house. Demonstrate for what? If they were our supporters, they would never demonstrate because they would have known that their president has an open door policy. I talk to everyone, I am available even on social networks, so why would anyone who claims to be ZimPF demonstrate against a president they can interact with on social platforms?
You see, I am not an attention-seeker. I don’t just talk because I love to hear the sound of my voice or to make a newspaper headline. I was militarily trained to plan, strategise and execute my plan at the appropriate time.
You see, keeping quiet does not mean we are not working. It is not strategic, and a hallmark of a failed politician to be loud-mouthed. I have a work-plan, a strategic work schedule that I follow and I will never be rushed because someone says I have gone quiet. ZimPF is a proactive party, we are not jolted into reacting. We have a clear plan that we follow; that is who we are.
EM: There are allegations that you intend to side-line some ZimPF founder members such as Rugare Gumbo and Didymus Mutasa. Is there any truth in that?
JTM: I am glad you used the word allegations.
They are just that, unfounded and childish allegations. ZimPF is a party that is recruiting, we need everyone and we welcome everybody. We do not ostracise, sideline or push out anyone. I said we are strong in our numbers and we want the numbers, so how could we push out our core-founding elders?
There were speculations to that effect after VaGumbo and VaMutasa failed to attend our Bulawayo rally because they were not feeling well, but did you not see them in Harare? Like I said, these are just allegations with no substance.
EM: What do you consider the most important lessons you have learnt since joining the opposition ranks?
JTM: The lessons that we have learnt so far are part of our strategy, we will keep them to ourselves for now.
EM: You were not happy with the outcome of the inquest into the death of your husband General Solomon Mujuru, what have you done as a family to find closure?
JTM: God knows the truth about what happened and he alone can give us closure. We are praying that one day we will know what really happened. God has his ways and we wait upon him to act.
EM: In a recent interview with the New York Times, you indicated that Mugabe and his wife did not seem to be mourning Mujuru’s death with you. (You said Mugabe told you at the mortuary that you would be acting-president and he left for Angola, while Grace seemed more interested in your house). Why do you think they exhibited such indifference? Do you think the government or someone in a position of authority knows what happened to your husband?
JTM: Certainly someone should know. It is not possible for such a calamity to befall us as a family, as a country and no one knows. It is not possible. If no one knows, God certainly knows.
EM: Mugabe has accused your husband and yourself of being behind Simba Makoni’s Mavambo, what is your reaction to that and do you think the president and Gen Mujuru’s relationship had broken down by the time of his death?
JTM: Mugabe has accused me, my family and my late husband of many things. But does an accusation become true simply because it has been made by Mugabe? But let’s say his accusations were true, constitutionally there wasn’t anything wrong with helping someone to form a political party.
Is that a crime? Anyway, his accusations were false and we are hearing many of Mugabe’s proxies, those that were peddling the same falsehoods publicly claiming that it was political banter.
Some have gone to the extent of giving us details, saying the president bought us suits, gave us money to soil your name. I have heard all this and I forgive them for they know not what they are doing. Some of them are just children, my children, who acted in juvenile ignorance. I don’t hold anything against them. It is heartening that they have seen the light and also that they have the courage to come out publicly to say they are sorry, to say they were used.
We have also heard what the leader of Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn, Simba Makoni, said about the same accusations.
EM: How do you want your husband to be remembered? do you think Zanu PF would have treated you the way it did if he was still alive?
JTM: Solomon was a people’s person. He was their soldier, their commander, their hero. He worked hard to bring together Zipra and Zanla during the liberation struggle. Because he had worked with Zipra before joining Zanla, he had acquaintances in both liberation war armies, hence it was easy for him to bring them together. It is also for the same reason that he had to be called back from Pakistan where he was attending a military course when Gukurahundi started. He had to be called back to try to find ways of ending the fighting that had started in his absence.
In short, Solomon was a people’s person and the people showed it when they came in their thousands to pay their last respects to him, the biggest crowd ever to come to the Heroes Acre for the burial of a national hero.
It is, therefore, not me who should prescribe how he should be remembered. It is up to the people to decide how they want to remember him. As a family, we loved him, we have our special way of remembering him and it remains a family tradition that I wish to keep within the family.
EM: Do you think he would have approved of your decision to turn to opposition politics after you left Zanu PF?
JTM: Certainly yes; there are many decisions that I took that he supported. I don’t see any reason why he wouldn’t support this one.
EM: Jonathan Moyo recently said you are corrupt and you are not yet off the hook. Minister Saviour Kasukuwere said the same and a lot of people said you were responsible for the plunder of diamonds in Chiadzwa. What is your defence to that and can you shed light on how the name “churu chamai Mujuru” [Mrs Mujuru’s antihill] came into being in Chiadzwa.
JTM: I thought he was the same Moyo who talked about all this being political banter. As for churu chamai Mujuru, there was a Cabinet taskforce that had VaMutasa, VaSekeramayi [Sydney Sekeramayi], Mai [Oppah] Muchinguri-Kashiri, VaMushohwe [Chris Mushohwe] and the late [Amos] VaMidzi who investigated that.
They found out that the people of Chiadzwa who are next to Cashel Valley where I was instrumental in setting up a horticulture project were bragging to their Cashel Valley counterparts that now they had their own source of foreign currency when diamonds were found in their area.
The Cashel Valley farmers were exporting their horticulture to London and were getting foreign currency at a time when other Zimbabweans were getting foreign currency through “burning”.
They were getting back at their neighbours, in a jocular way, because for many years the Cashel Valley horticulture farmers bragged about what Mai Mujuru had done for them and when the Chiadzwa villagers discovered diamonds, they too hit back and nicknamed a field “churu chaMai Mujuru”. I have also heard that there were Zupco buses nicknamed ‘zvimai Mujuru’, does it mean I own the buses? That’s what happens when people fall in love with you as a person; you become a subject of their jests. It is normal and I take no offence.
But if there is anyone who insists that I committed any crime, could there be any better time than now to prosecute Mai Mujuru? Let those that have evidence sustainable in a court of law come forward and prove it before all and sundry.-Standard
Mahofa Faces Axe, Loses To G-40
Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Shuvai Ben Mahofa and Psychomotor minister Josiah Hungwe’s face the axe as they lose their political battle to the G-40 faction.
There are reports that at least 20 Members of Parliament from Masvingo have delivered damning reports on the two to President Robert Mugabe, who is now said to be under pressure to wield the axe.
Mahofa, the Zanu PF “Iron Lady” of Masvingo, and her mentor Hungwe are linked to the Lacoste faction in Zanu PF reportedly aligned to Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa in the fight for Mugabe’s throne.
The other faction, Generation 40 (G40) which comprises Young Turks and reportedly enjoys the support of First Lady Grace, is strongly opposed to Mnangagwa taking over the reins.
Last Saturday, 20 Zanu PF legislators out of a total of 26 MPs from Masvingo handed a damning dossier to Mugabe that cited the two as the factional kingpins in the province and alleged that the two were no longer loyal to the 92-year-old veteran leader.
Mugabe had flown to the Lowveld town of Chiredzi to try and douse the factional fires that have consumed his party. His five-hour long meeting with the MPs and senators ended inconclusively and another meeting is on the cards at a date to be advised, according to Home Affairs minister and secretary for administration in the party, Ignatius Chombo.
The 20 MPs, linked to the G40 faction, recommended that Mugabe either fires or re-assigns the two seasoned politicians over their links to the Mnangagwa faction.
The legislators that signed the petition are provincial political commissar Jappy Jaboon, Daniel Shumba, Kalisto Gwanetsa, Tongai Muzenda, Paul Chimedza, Paradzai Chakona, Denford Masiya, Darlington Chiwa, Robson Mavhenyengwa, Kennedy Matimba, Walter Mzembi, Joseph Moyo, Ephraim Gwanongodza, Davis Marapira, Mathias Tongofa, Vincent Mawere, Angeline Chipato, Mafios Utete, Robert Mukwena and Samson Mukanduri.
Only six MPs that are believed to belong to the Lacoste camp did not sign the petition.
“Mahofa and Hungwe are behind the current wave of political instability in the province. It is imperative that His Excellency takes steps to nip this problem in the bud as soon as possible,” the dossier reads.
“As MPs who were democratically elected by the people of Masvingo, we recommend the following to His Excellency, the President and First Secretary of Zanu PF: “There is need to immediately re-assign or remove the current Minister for State for Provincial Affairs in the interest of the party and government and replace her with a member who is loyal and obedient to the President and First Secretary of Zanu PF…. to ensure and assure a clean sweep of all seats in the 2018 elections,” it reads.
The legislators also called for a stop to “factional distribution of land” in the province.
“The ongoing land redistribution should be stopped and offer letters issued should be immediately withdrawn to allow wider consultations with traditional chiefs and other stakeholders,” reads the petition.
Mahofa has since described the allegations as “99,9 percent lies” coming from “over-ambitious and power-hungry” political greenhorns.
Sources said Mugabe has summoned Mahofa to Harare this week so that she explains the controversial awarding of cane plots grabbed from Tongaat Hullet to 196 Zanu PF members, traditional leaders and senior civil servants on alleged factional lines, a move that will leave 2 000 Tongaat Hullet workers jobless.
“She has been summoned to Harare by the president and if she fails to explain herself, that will be her end,” a source said. Mahofa could not be reached for a comment yesterday.
Mahofa and Hungwe have alledgedly made known their political colours in Zanu PF. Mahofa reportedly objected to Grace Mugabe’s presidential candidature ahead of the party congress last year, saying Masvingo Province only observed her (Grace) as the women’s league boss and First Lady.
Soon after the congress, she was taken ill on suspected food poisoning and spent three months in hospital.
Hungwe, upon Mnangagwa’s elevation to be vice-president, described him as “the son of man” and likened him to Jesus Christ, but was forced to make a U-turn following criticism from G40 members in the party, among them Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo. The standard
Salary Crisis : Civil Servants Down Tools
The beleagured government of Zimbabwe, faces a tough week ahead as civil servants down tools in protest at not being paid their full salaries on time.
The Apex Council which represents Government employee unions is to embark on a full-scale industrial action on 5 July over delays in payments of June salaries. Workers said they would not report for duty from Tuesday saying they were incapacitated as they had not received their dues.
The under siege government has failed to pay its employees their June salaries, yet its ministers enjoy lavish lifestyles they openly parade with no shame.
For instance, acting Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Supa Mandiwanzira, recently treated himself to a top class vehicle after stealing from the hungry civil servants $200 000.
When questioned by journalists Mandiwanzira’s arrogant response was, “What is a mere US$200 000 to a Cabinet minister?” Going further to say, ““Am I a garden boy that is expected to go around on foot or on bicycle? I am a Cabinet minister for goodness sake!”
President Robert Mugabe is under pressure to fire all corrupt ministers and replace them with honest accountable men and women who are sensitive to the plight of suffering Zimbabweans. Calls are growing for the corrupt ministers not just to be reigned in but for them to be arrested.
The government claims it is working flat out to ensure its employees are paid their June salaries in batches starting this week, and is appealing to its workforce to be stoic as the State works to ease cash flow challenges.
Mandiwanzira said the Government was aware of the various obligations workers needed to attend to.
Mandiwanzira said: “We continue to appeal to the hard-working servants as we try to meet their salary expectations. The current cash inflow challenges in the country have affected salary payments, but Government is addressing the issue as we are aware civil servants have financial obligations that must be met on time. We are also aware that most of them have running loans that are automatically deducted from their accounts. We are working on paying their salaries as promised by the Ministry of Public Service.”
The Government last week offered each employee US$100 as a cushion until full salaries could be paid. Apex Council chairperson Mrs Cecilia Alexander said: “Today (yesterday) we unanimously agreed with other unions, which include educators, health and other civil servants unions, to stay away from work until our salaries have been paid in full. The reason for our action is that we are incapacitated to go to work because we have not been paid our June salaries by our employer. The US$100 advance salary we were offered is not enough because of other commitments such as loans that need to be paid. So we have resolved to stay away as from Tuesday until our full dues are paid.”
As of yesterday, some medical personnel in Harare and Bulawayo had stopped reporting for duty. Mpilo Central Hospital clinical director Mr Solwayo Ngwenya confirmed that doctors had not reported for duty at the institution.
“The people who wrote in the letter from Harare are the same people that are also here and yes, our doctors have joined the strike as of 1 July and up to now they are still on strike. We are currently attending to emergencies only at Mpilo,” he said.
Mr Ngwenya said he was not sure what the situation will be like in the next few days as some more doctors may join the strike.
“It is not sustainable at all that we have such a scenario, we are waiting for direction from national level and at the moment this is the situation on the ground, the doctors are on strike,” he said.
United Bulawayo Hospitals clinical director Dr Narcisaus Dzanga, however, said doctors at the institution were reporting for work.
“As of Friday 9pm all our doctors were there, they had not joined the strike. In fact we are surprised it is being called a strike, they (doctors) are suggesting that they come to work three times a week until the situation is resolved,” he said.
The Government delayed salary payments of civil servants this month due to shortages of funds with only members of security sectors having been paid. Teachers are expected to get their salaries on 7 July while health workers and the rest of the civil service will be paid on 14 July. Zimbabwe Teachers Association secretary-general Mr John Mlilo said there would be no street demonstrations as alluded to by some quarters.
“We will be on stay-away from 5 July and we will not be holding any marches or protests. We are not able to report for duties because we do not have the money to report for duty,” he said.
The Government is also rationalising the civil service to cut the wage bill, which stands at US$200 million per month — more than 80 percent of monthly revenue.
United Bulawayo Hospitals clinical director Dr Narcisaus Dzanga, however, said doctors at the institution were reporting for work.
“As of Friday 9pm all our doctors were there, they had not joined the strike. In fact we are surprised it is being called a strike, they (doctors) are suggesting that they come to work three times a week until the situation is resolved,” he said.
The Government delayed salary payments of civil servants this month due to shortages of funds with only members of security sectors having been paid. Teachers are expected to get their salaries on 7 July while health workers and the rest of the civil service will be paid on 14 July. Zimbabwe Teachers Association secretary-general Mr John Mlilo said there would be no street demonstrations as alluded to by some quarters.
“We will be on stay-away from 5 July and we will not be holding any marches or protests. We are not able to report for duties because we do not have the money to report for duty,” he said.
The Government is also rationalising the civil service to cut the wage bill, which stands at US$200 million per month — more than 80 percent of monthly revenue. Herald
100 Arrested In Beitbridge Police Blitz
Staff Reporter|Police in Beitbridge have arrested at least a hundred people in connection with the demonstrations that rocked the town on Friday and more are still being picked up.
Sources within the police force in the town claim that a crack unit of the National Law and Order section of the police has been deployed to investigate the disturbances that shook the entire country with an intended crack-down on suspects.
The sources claim that police have rounded up several Beitbridge residents mostly informal traders using tip offs from other residents, pictures circulated on social media platforms and CCTV evidence from filling stations at the border post.
The police are also reportedly on the hunt for several activists and leaders of opposition parties from as far as Harare, Bulawayo, Masvingo and Gwanda who were in the Beitbridge and Messina areas within the days leading to and during the demonstration and are believed to have been part of the wider network that organised the demonstration.
The sources also revealed that several senior police officers at Beitbridge Police have been summoned to Harare to explain why they allowed the situation to get out of hand failing to detect the processes leading to the demonstration.
State security is believed to be accusing the police of deliberately not controlling the demonstration allowing it to turn violent, as they had not received their June salaries.
Several officers at the police station are bound to face disciplinary action and likely to be dismissed from the force if they are found to have dealt with the situation negligently.
Meanwhile, public opinion already blames Beitbridge Police Officer Commanding who is said to have failed to address the crowd while they were still demonstrating peacefully at the border gate.
The senior police officer is said to have dismissed the demonstrating crowd telling them to “go to hell” when they demanded to be addressed by senior immigration officers at the border.
“It was after the address by the officer commanding that people got angry accusing him of not respecting them then everyone turned violent,” said a resident Monica Ndou.
Police are refusing to comment on the matter referring all questions to the national police spokesperson Charity Charamba for comments.
Tsvangirai Mocked on Illness by Mandi Chimene
While most Zimbabweans have shown sympathy to the country’s main opposition leader, Tsvangirai, who revealed his health status last week, the controversial Chimene chose to bluntly wish ill of him.
She made the shocking remarks yesterday in Mutare while addressing thousands of Zanu PF party supporters who were set to be enlisted to get residential stands for free in a move seen by analysts and opposition parties as an irrational political campaign strategy.
Chimene did not only express her happiness about Tsvangirai’s illness but went further to describe him as an ugly person whose facial appearance was not appealing to voters.
She also told the cheering crowd that former Zanu PF activist Ace Lumumba was a homosexual.
“Tsvangirai is suffering with cancer; it’s payback time for wishing President Robert Mugabe to die, but Mugabe does not have cancer. Who are we to questions God’s will? Why opposing our president who is 92 years old? l would even sacrifice for my president by giving him my 20 years and l will die,’’ she said.
“If you look at his [Tsvangirai’s] face, that is what is in his brains. He is not appealing. He is ugly. You should not vote for him because he is a loser,’’ Chimene said. Standard
SOUTH AFRICA VIOLENCE: Zimbabweans Houses Burnt Down
LIVE UPDATES: posted here as they happen- Thousands of Zimbabweans and Lesotho immigrants living in Pretoria East were last night left homeless after their plastic shack houses were burnt down, ZimEye.com reveals.
1541Hrs – “I visited the Pretoria East violence scene and this is what is left.
I have spoken to a lot of people there but.
5 bodies have been collected so far.
“Emergency services are busy erecting temporary homes for the affected.
“High level Gov delegates were also here.
The situation is sad. Most of the affected are Zimbabweans from Chipinge area”. – ZimEye source
0300Hrs – Unconfirmed reports reaching ZimEye.com say the houses were still burning at 1am Sunday morning. The causes of the fire were not known at the time of writing and a comment from the police unfruitful.
Pictures as the flames continued Sunday morning –
More to follow…. Are you in the area? Send your pictures, video and a narration of your experience, to +447426863301
exZifa Boss Demands $85,000 from Chiyangwa
FORMER Zifa chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze says the need to recover over $85 000 he is owed pushed him into fronting a bid to stop the association’s dissolution as well as the proposed formation of the National Football Association of Zimbabwe. In court papers filed at the High Court in Harare, his lawyer, Pauline Kadembo, said Mashingaidze derived his locus standi from being owed by Zifa.
“The applicants’ locus standi arise from the fact that they are owed large sums of arrear salaries by Zifa who is their employer or former employer and they were grossly affected by the sudden unlawful dissolution which left them with no employer and no legal remedy to recover their salaries, since Zifa is now a non-existent association,” wrote Mashingaidze.
“I am personally owed the sum of US$85 338,81 in arrear salaries as at end of April 2016, when I ceased to be an employee of Zifa. I also aver that on top of the non-compliance with the constitution the decision by the respondents to dissolve Zifa and form Nafaz was done in bad faith and is against the tenants of natural justice, public policy and labour laws.
“The dissolution of Zifa was designed to evade obligations to creditors and employees especially considering that the new association Nafaz excluded itself from any of Zifa’s liabilities and did not take over the Zifa employees, most of which are the applicants.”
Mashingaidze’s argument has done little to extinguish speculation that the former Zifa chief executive is trying to take advantage of the confusion at the national association to claw his way back into mainstream football administration barely two months after leaving his lofty post.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail Sport, Mashingaidze did not rule out a possible return but said he would only consider one in an environment where he was appreciated.
“I have clearly stated the reasons for my interest in this case but it’s also a fact that I am a servant of football and will always be ready to serve in any capacity. But one needs to work in an environment where they feel appreciated and I think that appreciation was no longer there when I left Zifa.
“While football can never be about personalities, there are some people like (Zifa vice-president) Omega (Sibanda) and (Southern region president Mussa) Mandaza whom I think I can never be able to work with again because of their never disguised disdain of me,” he said. – state media
Mugabe Ditches Parirenyatwa As Health Ministry Woes Mount
As the factional wars in Zanu PF continue Health and Child Care Minister, Dr David Parirenyatwa, has been ditched by his fellow comrades who have left him to deal with the tiff between doctors and medical aid societies, on his own.
Uncharacteristic of a state media report which ran a screaming headline, “Dr Parirenyatwa sleeping on duty,” against a Robert Mugabe appointee shows that all is not well within embattled ruling party.
Zimbabwe Medical Association (ZIMA), had threatened that with effect from July 1, medical aid card holders would be required to pay cash upfront when seeking health services. The association is claiming that health professionals are owed at least US$220 million by medical aid societies.
In a bid to resolve the impasse, Government, through the Health and Child Care ministry threatened not to renew operating licenses for defaulting funders. However, it is not yet clear if this was carried through.
It is understood that the majority of medical aid societies had been issued with temporary operating licenses valid until June 30 for failure to remit claims to service providers within the expected 60-day period. Zima said the minister has failed to deal with the matter decisively as is expected of him.
The Sunday Mail is in possession of minutes from a meeting held between doctors, Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa and Zimra officials last week.
“The Zima secretary general would like members to know that we have been here (in a similar meeting) before, where the Minister of Health and Child Care has promised to deal with delinquent health insurance companies. Instead of taking action, he was given an advance payment of US$100 000 (apparent capitation),” reads the minutes.
“Several engagements with statutory bodies and the minister have taken place with no improvement. “Health insurance companies are breaking various regulations and policies that prescribe the settlement period as well as the amount to be paid for consultations.”
Zima also accused the ministry of not consulting them on important issues.
“The Minister of Health and Child Care has promised that ZiMA will be given the list of health insurance companies that the Ministry intends to license for Zima to give input. The office responsible has informed Zima (through telephone) that he is not going to give such a list,” read the minutes.
Efforts to get a comment from Dr Parirenyatwa were fruitless as his mobile phone went unanswered. The stand-off between service providers and health funders began in 2008 with doctors expressing displeasure on the late payment of claims and prescribed rates.
In May 2014, the Government gazetted consultation fees for general practitioners at US$35, up from US$20 while specialist services were increased to an average of US$120, up from US$80. However, the Association of Health Funders of Zimbabwe (Ahfoz) advised its members to pay doctors US$25 for initial consultation and US$18 for reviews. Government licences medical aid societies annually on the basis of a good record in paying health service providers.
Zima has since adviced its members to accept medical aid cards from Liberty Health, MASCA, Cellmed, Cimas, Generation Health, First Mutual and Northern Medical Aid societies as they have shown commitment in paying service providers within the mandatory 60-day period.
GUN FIRE HORROR: Hundreds Flee Renamo Violence
Rebel terror on civilians continues as hundreds of Mozambican refugees and Zimbabwean emigrants flock into Manicaland, fleeing increased attacks by Renamo bandits in Mozambique.
Media reports estimate that at least 400 families have erected shacks in Mabee, Chipinge South, with United Nations agencies reporting that thousands of Mozambicans had also crossed into Malawi, in what could be a major humanitarian crisis unfolding.
Renamo bandits, led by Mozambique opposition leader Afonso Dhlakama, have been fighting President Filipe Nyusi’s forces after the former scuttled a power-sharing agreement citing “an unfair governance system”.
The rebels are burning villages and social facilities in Tete and Manica, both provinces close to Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe’s security chiefs recently said they would protect citizens and the country’s economic interests.
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Deputy Minister Engineer Tapiwa Matangaidze said 334 Zimbabwean families living in Mozambique side were now at Tongogara Refugee Camp in Manicaland.
He said, “These families are originally from Chipinge, and had migrated to Mozambique. We are now working on identifying their places of origin so that we can reunite them with their families.
“We have not received reports of Mozambicans fleeing to Zimbabwe save for one family of 19 that is at Tongogara Refugee Camp.”
Chipinge South National Assembly representative Cde Enock Porusingazi saidl: “It is happening; over 400 families have crossed into Zimbabwe as they flee ongoing violence by Renamo bandits.
“Most of these families have lost properties, and fled after being forced to denounce the ruling Frelimo government. We have also discovered that many of those fleeing Renamo are Zimbabweans living on the Mozambican side.
“The last time Renamo encroached into Zimbabwe, they looted cattle and food, sending locals into panic. We are also concerned with the refugees’ plight.
“There is no water and there are no toilets; the refugees do not even have food to eat. We are, therefore, appealing for assistance and we hope the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees will also come to the rescue.”
Renamo was created by the Rhodesian Central Intelligence Organisation with collusion of apartheid South Africa West Germany and the United States shortly after Mozambique’s independence in 1975 to destabilise President Samora Machel’s Frelimo government, which strongly supported liberation movements in the region.
Renamo blew up key infrastructure and killed villagers, leading to a full-fledged civil war that cost a million lives and ended with a power-sharing agreement in 1992. But in 2014, Mr Dhlakama refused to accept Frelimo’s electoral victory, once again resorting to arms. Sunday Mail
President Mugabe Forced To Fire Rotten Ministers
Grace Kwinjeh |Demands for President Robert Mugabe to fire corrupt Government ministers and officials were heightened this morning, with a petition calling for Energy Minister Samuel Udenge to go, being signed by hundreds of Zimbabweans, under an initiative led by #FlagPastor Evans Mawarire.
“We are stepping the game up, protests and demonstrations will not end until, issues to do with corruption are dealt with,” said the outspoken Mawarire.
The initiative for corrupt officials to go is gaining momentum as pressure mounts on President Mugabe to fire all corrupt ministers, who are callously draining the economy, enriching themselves while ordinary citizens starve. At the time of writing civil servants are threatening massive strikes over government’s failure to pay their salaries on time, and the country could be headed for a grinding halt in the civil service, which will have further serious repercussions on an already bleeding economy.
Just in a day ZimEye.com this morning covered two cases of serious corruption involving ministers, the first involving Udenge and his Glen Lorne mansion he is renovating with funds apparently acquired under spurious circumstances. Controversial minister of Education, Lazarus Dokora is not to be left out as he once again makes news headlines over a multi-million dollar computerisation dodgy deal.
Speaking in shona vernacular live on his facebook page, Mawarire said, Udenge had stolen too much money, “there are too many stories of corruption and that has killed our country.”
“People are signing the petition so that the President can fire him, he is the one who hired him in the first place, we are saying the first place to deal with corruption, is by handling all existing cases ruthlessly,” said Mawarire.
“We are calling on Government, we are calling on our leaders to deal with corruption without fear, until people like minister Udenge are not dealt with we know you are not serious about corruption,” Mawarire challenged those in authority.
“We want you to know that we are serious about building our country, so respond whereever you see us getting these petitions signed, get involved, do not be afraid, it is our right to petition the President, it is our right to petition Parliament,” Mawarire rallied citizens behind his call.
Dokora Implicated In Multi-Million-Dollar Govt Cash Theft
At a time when government is failing to pay teachers and the electricity crisis continues to cripple the nation, Education Minister, Lazarus Dokora has tacitly encumbered state funds on an unnecessary IT initiative which is claimed to be an e-learning project for school children, an endeavour 1st world governments with strong economies neither have nor need.
As if the aforementioned cringe is not enough, the below investigative report reveals there is more stench enmeshed inside the corruption. ZimEye.com reveals that UK, US, Russian governments have no such thing as a state E-Learning server for school kids. These ministers are getting away with public cash by introducing dodgy cash milking programs, ZimEye.com asserts. Instead of wasting money on unnecessary ethereal software, government should rather put the money to electrify schools the majority of which have no electricity, ZimEye contends.
THE CONTROVERSIAL minister, Dokora, has been sucked into a multi-million-dollar computerisation dodgy deal that further strangles the cash strapped state on unnecessary expenditure.
This comes amid recent reports that he incorporated a privately-owned company which he handpicked without going to tender to work with the state-owned entity Zarnet, in a donor-funded schools computerisation programme.
The Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) has also been dragged into the scandal.
So far US$15 million has been released by donors to computerise 1,384 schools. The programme aims to computerise 8000 schools.
Zarnet is a government–owned entity which provides internet service and ICT solutions for government institutions, companies and other entities in Zimbabwe. The company also offers fibre, VSAT, WiMAX broadband internet, management and server solutions.
Its products include an Online Schools Directory, an online directory for institutions of learning that range from nursery, primary and secondary schools, to universities.
However, despite it being a government entity, Dokora has insisted it should accommodate E-Learning Solutions, a privately-owned digital education solution provider (ESP), founded and owned by Itai Masimirembwa without going to tender.
Itai is suspended Zanu PF member Godwills Masimirembwa’s brother.
According to documents availed, Dokora, in a meeting held on June 6, “made clear the role that E-Learning Solutions and Zarnet would play in the implementation of the ministry’s Wide Area Network (WAN), that is E-Learning Solutions were to concentrate on applications while Zarnet focussed on infrastructure”.
The documents also reveal that E-Learning Solutions was given the opportunity to “independently submit to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) proposals to connect as many schools they wish as long as they can conform to the requirements of the ministry.”
However, in a letter dated June 21, Zarnet chief executive officer Evans Vete questioned the role of E-Learning Solutions in a government operation.
“A noticeable problem is that MoPSE is deviating from its core business by both taking the role of providing a technical solution and of trying to appoint who can do projects, a role that the SPB (State Procurement Board) does,” reads part of the letter.
“Approaching E-Learning Solutions indicates that MoPSE does not appreciate, recognise and or understand Zarnet’s mandate as given by the government of Zimbabwe. MoPSE is seeing E-Learning Solutions, a private content provider company, as competitor to Zarnet, a government internet access provider.”
Education secretary, Sylvia Utete-Masango said her ministry was following a directive from the OPC.
“We are working directly with OPC and some of the decisions are coming from the top,” she said.
Government sources say E-Learning was dictating how the programme should run because of “backing from the top” and had taken over Zarnet’s role.
Sources also said there are many other private companies that can also play the role of E-Learning and questions are being raised on how this company was chosen to partner Zarnet.
“This company did not go to tender to clinch the deal at the same time government has no financial capacity to outsource services which are being offered by a state entity.”
Ministry sources said efforts to stop the unscrupulous deal have hit a brick wall amid revelations E-Learning had Dokora’s support.
“There was a meeting last week on Friday and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education stuck to its guns that E-Learning should be part of the deal,” another ministry official said. “Dokora was supposed to address us, but he failed to turn up and sent the permanent secretary who insisted E-Learning should be part of the deal.” The Independent
Hubby Bashes Wife for Demanding Too Much Sex
Sex deprived wife Noria Garai (20), was bashed by her husband Brighton Madzinga, for demanding to have sexual intercourse with him, the Mbare Magistrates’ Court heard.
The 25-YEAR-OLD Madzinga , yesterday appeared before the court where he pleaded guilty to battering his wife after she demanded her conjugal rights.
Madzinga appeared before magistrate Tafadzwa Miti, who convicted him on physical abuse charges and remanded him out of custody to today for sentence.
The court heard Madzinga and his wife, had had a sour relationship since March this year when Garai, then his girlfriend, claimed she was pregnant.
“She demanded to have sexual intercourse with me on Thursday regardless of the fact that I have denied her the conjugal rights for the past three months,” Madzinga said.
Allegations against him were that on the day in question at around midnight, Garai made sexual advances towards him, but he refused.
The court heard that a misunderstanding then arose between the two, prompting Madzinga to clap Garai in the face and also beat her several times with a belt on her back.
Garai sustained injuries on her lips, but did not go for medical examination.
In mitigation, Madzinga told the court he was not comfortable with having sexual intercourse with Garai because he was disputing responsibility for her pregnancy.
“She also refused to take a pregnancy test earlier that same day, so I was angry,” Madzinga said.
Prosecutor Gerald Date urged the court to impose a heavy fine, saying although Madzinga had been provoked by Garai, he ought not to have taken the law into his own hands. Newsday
Shock As Woman Gives Birth To Twins On The Street
There was drama in Harare last Friday, after a woman went into labour and gave birth to twins on the street.
The woman, according to a local private national radio station, was coming from Chinhoyi, had to be assisted by street vendors to deliver her twin boys.
“I saw the woman struggling to walk and I asked her if she was well, but she could not respond and that is when I realised that she was in pain and was about to give birth,” said one of the vendors who assisted the woman to deliver.
“I then called other vendors who brought some wrapping towels we use to cover our wares and used them as a tent to cover her, and that time she was already in labour,” she narrated.
She said it did not take them time to assist the woman deliver two boys before an ambulance arrived.
“We were shocked but we are glad that we managed to help her deliver her twins safely without any complications,” she said.
The woman was later rushed to a nearby surgery where she was medically examined by a doctor who confirmed that the newly born twins were in good health.
“I have examined them and the boys are in good health, now what is left is for the mother to call her relatives and bring her clothes for the handsome boys,” the doctor told the radio station .
Mugabe Finally Gives Up?| BEITBRIDGE INVESTIGATION
EXCLUSIVE|There was confusion Saturday morning when President Robert Mugabe’s cabinet on Friday night officially pulled away from its import ban on domestic essentials which caused fiery protests at the Beitbridge border post.
This news release was officially published in the Mugabe controlled Herald newspaper, the announcement reading in full print as follows, “Government gave in to pressure and suspended rolling out the new regime which bans domestic vitals from entering Zimbabwe”.
ZimEye.com which toured the Beitbridge border post early Saturday morning at around 8am, carried out a snap investigation following the conflicting statements as Industry Minister Mike Bimha also made the announcement on radio saying the government has lifted the ban.
Bimha did not release any further details.
But the same Minister Bimha was early Saturday morning reported by the state radio in a different news release stating to the contrary, “there is no going back to the implementation of statutory instrument 64 of 2016 which seeks to protect some of the locally produced goods from imports”.
Upon physically going through the border post, ZimEye.com found that there was both a truth and a negation of the government (SI64) import ban.
Commercial cargo which had been stuck on the Beitbridge Border post (South African side) for up to seven days as importers struggled to get permits authorising them to import the restricted goods, were seen now freely passing through.
This led to people posting celebratory messages saying, “Mugabe akaura this time Today can go down in history as ‘People Power’ victory as Mugabe’s Zanu PF regime was forced to lift the controversial ban on imports following protest by Beitbridge residents and business people in South Africa.
“Mugabe’s government realised that the situation was now volatile, considering that the Rural Teachers Union (RTUZ), Zimbabwe Teacher’s Association, Doctors, Nurses and other civil servants had already embarked on downing tools in protest to the delayed wage allocations shifting wage dates for most civil servants into next month, even though the army had been paid”.
But after a vigorous assessment of the situation, ZimEye.com found that while the government gave in, that move was likely only temporary.
The government might have clearly backed down, but ZimEye.com found that Mugabe’s armed police and army were on Saturday afternoon prowling on full patrol amid extra-ordinary order in the town.
ON THE GROUND- EXCLUSIVE : There is no clear cut on the ground proof that government has given in. There is confusion. Ordinary people are not carrying any groceries through the border. The commercial section was still not open when we left the border at midday today. Trucks are flocking in from SA and only those on transit are coming out of the border. There is still heavy police presence and patrol of anti riot heavy artillery. Plain clothes police agents all over the area and people are not even able to take photos on their cellphones. It’s business unusual. There is extraordinary order at the border. In the town people are not allowed to be in groups of more than 5. People are being blocked and searched by plain cloth officers at the border and questioned where they are coming from and where they are going.”
Due to the amount of evidence and conflicting statements, ZimEye would like to inform our valued readers that despite the lifting of the import ban, government is set to resume its forcing of Statutory Instrument 64/2016 on poor citizens.
Beating Poverty: Nyagomo Launches New Jam Brand
Politician and philathropist Barbara Nyagomo has launched a new jam brand which has recently hit shop shelves, at a cost of $1.50 per bottle.
The Jam is being marketed under the brand Freshmo Foods/Jam and is produced by women entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe and South-Africa, as part of an effort initiated by Nyagomo to empower them economically.
In an interview with ZimEye.com, Nyagomo who trains female entrepreneurs to make soap and jam online said, “My aim is to teach people to do small sustainable business projects creating jobs and boosting local economy.”
“my aim is to teach people to do small sustainable business projects creating jobs and boosting local economy.”
Times are hard for the majority of Zimbabweans with many seeking alternative ways of survival outside formal employment. So far Nyagomo who is also founder and President of The Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe, has trained 60 women in Zimbabwe and 15 Refugee women based in South Africa.
Parirenyatwa Hospital Negligence, Mother Seeks Justice
A HARARE woman, Chipo Samoyo, is seeking justice for her 16 year old son, Courage Mambingadya, who was dropped from a hospital operating table, during a botched medical operation, leading to him developing a condition called laryngeal papillomatosis.
Courage was four years old at the time.
Samoyo alleges that her son was neglected by the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals authorities of causing him to develop the condition which is a rough outgrowth formation on his voice box.
She said she suspected there was more to her now 16-year-old son’s condition than just falling off a theatre bed.
“I am finding it hard to believe that my son was paralysed from just falling from a bed. I believe the doctors did not tell us exactly what transpired on the fateful day,” Samoyo said during a function where a local firm, Providence Human Capital, donated a wheelchair for Courage.
She said her son’s life turned upside-down on April 24, 2004 when nurses at Parirenyatwa, who were reportedly carrying him from a theatre bed to a stretcher, accidentally dropped him.
She told a heartrending tale of how the incident had negatively impacted on her husband, Jeremiah Mambingadya’s life, as he was now epiletic due to depression as a result of watching his son’s suffering.
Courage, Samoyo said, was admitted at Parirenyatwa on April 19, 2004 and got into theatre the next day.
The rest is history: April 20 will remain etched in the family’s minds.
“My son got into theatre at 7:30am on April 19, 2004, for a voice box operation with a Dr Marimo and I spent almost 16 hours without seeing him. No one gave me updates about the procedure and around 12 midnight, I was told that Courage had fallen from a theatre bed and he was now in the intensive care unit (ICU),” she recalled.
Courage would spend the next five months in hospital and the day he was finally discharged, the family was told not to pay hospital bills.
The Department of Social Welfare is said to have written a letter to allow him to access free medical services.
“Yes, they might have done this to lessen our burden, but I think it was a cover up,” Samoyo said.
Parirenyatwa chief executive officer Timothy Zigora denied Courage had at any time been admitted at the institution.
“In 2004, the year you refer to, I was at this institution and such a big thing would have come to my attention. It never did. It’s 12 years later now and why is this woman saying these things now?” Zigora queried.
But a letter shows the teenager was admitted at the hospital on the April 23, 2004, and ended up in ICU.
“Thank you for your assistance in the management of the above patient whom we admitted on 23.04.04. He was being followed up in the outpatients department for Laryngeal Papillomatosis. An emergency tracheostomy was performed on 24. 04.04 and he was admitted to ICU,” read a letter signed by one Dr Nyamunda and consultant surgeon, Mr Tumushime, dated June 22, 2004.
When told about the letter, Zigora said the woman should approach the health institution’s public relations department.
“Tell her to go to public relations and tell the people there that I sent her,” he said.
Samoyo, however, said she had approached the said department on several occasions with no success.
“Parirenyatwa refused to give us a helping hand as they said they were not responsible for my son’s paralysis because I signed an indemnity form before his operation,” Samoyo said. Newsday
Hubby Throws Wife Out Of 1st Floor Window
In the ever increasing cases of domestic violence a Glen Norah man, Shepherd Mhako, is reported to have appeared at the Mbare Magistrates’ Court yesterday facing an attempted murder charge after he allegedly threw his wife through their apartment’s first floor window.
He accused her of cheating on him.
Mhako (40) was not asked to plead when he appeared before magistrate Stanford Mambanje.
He was remanded in custody to July 14 and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
The State alleges that on Tuesday, Mhako accused his wife, whose name was not disclosed in court papers, of having an extramarital affair before assaulting her.
Mhako allegedly battered his wife with open hands and fists all over the body and then threw her out of the couple’s first floor’s apartment window.
The court heard that Mhako’s wife sustained a broken right leg and was rushed to hospital for treatment.
Daniel Muchimbiri appeared for the State. Newsday
CORRUPTION – Udenge Exposed In Massive House Splurge
The controversial ENERGY minister Samuel Undenge, has splurged thousands of dollars on massive renovations of his Glen Lorne property in Harare since February, it has been established.
Udenge who has recently been struggling to pay maintenance for his daughter Bongani Tafadzwa Undenge is reported to have received suspicious cash payments of close to US$200 000 from a shadowy depositor in January.
The High Court last December threw out an application in which Udenge wanted to stop paying maintenance for his teenage daughter.
Media reports indicate that construction workers are said to be working round the clock, including under floodlights, to overhaul the main house and build new structures comprising a state-of-the-art gym to turn it into a mansion.
This came as the minister last week ordered state power utility, Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa), which falls under his ministry, to buy him a black Toyota Land Cruiser 200 series worth US$123 000.
The developments show a remarkable change of fortunes for Undenge, who does not earn much as a cabinet minister.
The suspicious cash deposits — unearthed by the media recently — were made at a time the minister was entangled in energy scandals involving hundreds of millions of dollars.
They also came as Undenge irregularly authorised a US$5 million advance payment to convicted fraudster Wicknell Chivayo’s Intratek for the US$200 million 100-megawatt Gwanda Solar Power
Project, shortly before receiving the suspicious payments.
Chivayo, whose dodgy Zesa deals top US$400 million, said last week he would soon get a further US$7 million despite protests over the US$5 million payment.
Government sources and residents around his property situated at number 729 Glen Helen Way, Glen Lorne, told the Independent the massive renovations of Undenge’s house started in February.
Coincidentally, the minister and his wife Letina in January and February received about US$200 000 from a suspicious source which forced the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s Financial Intelligence Unit to investigate the transaction.
Letina received a US$136 000 payment on January 15, and Undenge US$50 000 on February 3 through their Standard Chartered Bank accounts. The money ended up in an Old Mutual unit trust.
Initially, the house was a simple three-bedroomed property but Undenge has so far completed two blocks of what will constitute the main house and is now adding a structure block which will house carports and a gym.
A visit to Undenge’s house this week found contractors busy at work.
Amid lively banter, groups of workers were perched on the rooftop putting finishing touches to one of the structures. Residents around the suburb said the workers were toiling away round the clock to complete the house as the minister wants to quickly come back to his new mansion.
“At least two more buildings have been erected since work started in February,” one resident said. “It is a massive project and upon completion, there will be more structures inside, a bigger garage to accommodate several vehicles the minister is acquiring and recreational facilities such as the gym and other facilities. This will certainly elevate the property to a level of a mansion.”
Another neighbour said: “The minister is clearly in a hurry. He often comes to personally check on the progress.
There is a spot on the road behind (Gainsville Drive) where he loves to come and stand just to view and admire renovations being done. He even ensured floodlights were erected at the construction site to guarantee night shift.”
Undenge and his wife have reportedly moved into a house in Mandara, while the renovations take place at the Glen Lorne property.
It is said they moved together with the VIP guards from the Police Protection Unit usually seconded to provide security to ministers and other senior government officials.
From the vantage point of Gainsville Drive, one could see two blocks of buildings which sources said have recently been completed with new fittings and facilities.
“It’s clear his fortunes have changed, but we cannot say for sure how,” a resident in the neighbourhood said. “We don’t know.”
Sources said that prior to the renovations Undenge’s house, on an estimated 6 000 square metres of land, had become dilapidated over the years as he had no money to refurbish it. His financial dire straits were made public when he went to court to try reverse a US$350 a month maintenance payment ordered for his daughter.
As recently as December last year, he lost his High Court bid to have the maintenance claim overturned, saying his daughter was now over 18, thus no longer legally entitled to his support.
Justice Mwayera, however, ruled that although the daughter was 18, she was still entitled to Undenge’s support to fund her university studies until the age of 35 in terms of Section 20 of the constitution.
In addition, one of his companies, Fartingale Designs (Pvt) Ltd t/a Panashe Fashions, was involved in a legal battle with MIPF Holdings, a Harare-based estates and properties company, which accused him of failing to pay rent and other costs from April 2009 to 2011.
The total amount of the debt was US$40 000.
However, his fortunes dramatically changed for the better after his appointment to the Energy ministry where he is also accused of ordering Zesa to hire Fruitful Communications, a firm linked to Zanu PF Highfield West MP Psychology Maziwisa and former ZBC anchorman Oscar Pambuka, to carry out a media campaign despite the company having an internal public relations department.
Undenge did not respond to calls to his mobile phone for comment. The Independent
LATEST-BEITBRIDGE FIRES: Army Descends on Beitbridge Curfew Imposed
Contrary to statements issued by government, the Beitbridge border post was en-flamed under a state of emergency with heavy police details with their artillery flooding into the town through the night.
State media falsely reported last night that the situation at the border was calm and Beitbridge was going on with business as usual.
ZimEye.com correspondents who spent the night monitoring the situation on the ground, established that the border post remained closed for all travelers exiting the country with the gates chained.
At first a huge contingent of anti riot police arrived in the town in four truck loads from Harare at night accompanied by heavy anti riot artillery.
Other followed suit afterwards accompanied by a helicopter standby force.
According to reports, a semi curfew was imposed in the Dulivadzimu township with police and the army patrolling the streets throughout the night. No one was allowed to be seen walking in the streets at night amid threats of being shot by live bullets if seen pacing the streets.
Meanwhile reports claimed that the local ZANU PF leadership in the town was last night preparing to mobilise for an urgent meeting to be addressed by top ZANU PF and government officials.
Heavy violence rocked the town throughout Friday over the government imposed ban on importing goods from South Africa.
The violence was so far reported to have claimed one life amid property damage running into hundreds of thousands dollars.
A ZIMRA warehouse with impounded vehicles was set on fire during the fracas protest.
Transform Zimbabwe’s Secretary General, Asan Mtembo, on Friday told ZimEye “this is a reaction and it shows people are not happy with the implementation of the new Statutory Instrument (for impounding imported goods)”.
He continued, “People are hungry, people don’t have money. People are unemployed, people are surviving on selling goods and this SI is actually crippling every person who was doing trade”.
Meanwhile, the latest details shown to ZimEye.com states that the border attempted an opening for business at 5am Saturday under supervision of the CIO and police officials deployed from Harare.
Colon Cancer Demystified | HEALTH MATTERS
By Dr Brighton Chireka | Bowel cancer is fairly common and it occurs mostly in Caucasians aged over 50. Studies are sadly showing that it is rising in black Africans. If bowel cancer is diagnosed at an early stage , there is a good chance of a cure. If diagnosed late then the less chance that treatment will be curative. Having said that, treatment does often slow the progress of cancer regardless of its stage. I welcome the announcement by MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai as it helps in raising awareness about bowel cancer. My prayers goes to Morgan Tsvangirai and his family as he fights this bowel cancer. I am optimistic that he will overcome it because studies are in his favour as far as treatment of bowel cancer is concerned.
Why soft spot for Morgan Tsvangirai ?
It is common knowledge that I was once heavily involved with the MDC. I was appointed by Morgan Tsvangirai to be his representative in the UK in March 2004. I was involved in organising his meetings in the UK when he visited in November 2004 soon after being acquitted of treason. I had the opportunity to have one on one discussion with him and was initially impressed but the drama that followed made me quit politics. The party split over whether to contest the 2005 senate election, into MDC-T, the larger party still led by Morgan Tsvangirai, and the MDC -Ncube, a smaller faction then led by Arthur Mutambara and currently led by Welshman Ncube.
Raising health awareness
I hanged my political boots in 2005 and I am now focusing on raising health awareness amongst mainly the black communities in the UK as well as Zimbabwe. The message is now spreading to the rest of Africa and the world as well. I have been able to achieve this by using the social media and at times featured prominent people in our community talking about their health. I welcome the revealing by MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai that he was diagnosed with bowel cancer and is undergoing treatment. When prominent people in our communities talk about their health, it raises awareness and end the stigma to some of the diseases that we face.
Bowel cancer
This is sometimes called colorectal cancer and colorectal means the colon and rectum. It is one of the most common cancers in the United Kingdom. It can affect any part of the colon but it’s most commonly found in the lower part of the descending colon, sigmoid colon or rectum as shown below
COMMON SITES FOR BOWEL CANCER
How does cancer begin?
Cancer begins in cells and cells are the body’s basic unit of life. Let me expand on what normally happens in our bodies and what can go wrong . The body is made up of many types of cells. These grow and divide in a controlled way to produce more cells that are needed to keep the body healthy. When cells become old or damaged, they die and are replaced with new ones. However, sometimes this orderly process goes wrong. The genetic material (DNA) of a cell can become damaged or changed, producing mutations that affect normal cell growth and division.
When this happens, cells do not die when they should and new cells form when the body does not need them. The extra cells may form a mass of tissue called a tumour. These cancerous cells can invade and destroy surrounding healthy tissue, including organs and spread to other areas, for example cancer of the bowel (tummy) can spread to the liver or lungs. This process of spreading is known as metastasis.
CANCER IN GENERAL
Bowel cancer in Zimbabwe rising.
In Zimbabwe colorectal cancer is traditionally thought to be rare but the diagnosis of this cancer in MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai gives us a different story. This is not only that Tsvangirai is a public figure but that the studies being carried out in Zimbabwe are calling for us to change our views on bowel cancer.
A retrospective study of colorectal cancer in Zimbabwe by Dr Katsidzira, Prof Gangaidzo and Prof Matenga which looked at cases from January 2006 to Dec 2011, demonstrates that colorectal cancer is as frequent a finding in Africans presenting for colonoscopy in Zimbabwe as it is among Caucasians. These African patients are often younger. The study also found that diverticular disease was present at higher that expected frequency among black African patients. This relatively higher than expected frequency of diverticular disease is possibly as a result of changes in dietary habits.
The “take away home message” is that colorectal cancer is an emerging challenge among black Zimbabweans. The public and doctors should be aware of the common symptoms such anaemia and weight loss in everyone regardless of the age. Bowel cancer in black Africans can present at a relatively young age, and thus young patients with the right clinical picture (symptoms) should be investigated just as thoroughly as older patients.
These findings that colorectal cancer is more frequently than common assumed should lead to the change in clinical practice among doctors in Zimbabwe and also funders should allocate more resources towards the prevention and treatment of bowel cancer. This is one of the reasons that I have decided to compile this article to raise awareness about bowel cancer. We used to think that it was rare but the truth of the matter is that it is rising in our community. The good thing is that it can be prevented and if diagnosed early it can be cured.
This does not apply to Zimbabwe only but there are other studies showing that colorectal is on the rise in Africa. A study on colorectal cancer trends in Kenya by Saidi H, et al showed that there was a 3-fold increase in the number of patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer at a single referral unit in Kenya between the periods 1993-1998 and 1999-2005.
What are the risk factors for bowel cancer?
Bowel cancer can develop for no apparent reason however there are certain risk factors that increase the chance that bowel cancer will develop. These risk factors include:
1- Ageing : In Caucasians bowel cancer is more common in older people . 80% of people who are diagnosed with bowel cancer are old than 60 years. In Zimbabwe it’s a different picture, black Africans are being diagnosed at a young age. One case reported in Zimbabwe is that of a 19 year old who was diagnosed with bowel cancer .
2-If a close relative has had bowel cancer
3-If you have colon disease such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease for more than 8-10 years.
4- Obesity
5- Lifestyle factors : not exercising , drinking a lot of alcohol.
REDUCING THE RISK OF GETTING BOWEL CANCER
Protective factors
People who eat a lot of fruit and vegetables have reduced risk of developing bowel cancer
HEALTHY EATING
So how do you know that you have bowel cancer ?
Let’s look at the symptoms of bowel cancer
At first it does not have any symptoms but as the tumour grows the following appears:
1- bleeding from the cancer . One may see blood mixed with faeces or blood can make faeces turn dark colour. The bleeding is not severe and may not be noticed but can lead to anaemia which will make one feel tired and look pale.
2- can pass mucus with the faeces
3- a change from one’s usual bowel habits causing bouts of diarrhoea or constipation
4- a feeling of not emptying the rectum after passing stool
5- Tummy pains
As the tumours becomes bigger and bigger the following can happen:
1- worsening of all symptoms stated above
2- one can feel generally unwell , tired or lose weight.
3- tumour can become bigger such that it can cause a blockage of the colon. This may results in severe abdominal pain, constipation and vomiting
4- the tumour can perforate the wall of colon resulting in a hole which can allow faeces to leak. This is a medical emergency and if not dealt with quickly can be fatal.
SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS OF BOWEL CANCER
How is bowel cancer diagnosed?
If one has any of the above symptoms they are recommended to see their doctor without delay . The doctor will ask further questions and examine the person. Depending on the findings the doctor may decide to carry out some blood tests or refer the person urgently to the specialist.
A specialist will carry out further tests and the most common one is colonoscopy . Colonoscopy is the looking of the whole of one’s colon and rectum using a long ,thin, flexible telescope called colonoscope. The colonoscope is passed through the anus into rectum and colon.
Other tests such as barium enema or CT colonography can be carried out .
A biopsy is usually taken and sent for examination to confirm whether the tumour is a cancer. A biopsy entails a small sample of tissue being cut from a part of the body in this case the colon.
Staging of the cancer
If one is confirmed to have bowel cancer then further tests will be carried out to find out if the cancer has spread out or its confined to the colon only. This is called staging of the cancer and its aim is to find out:
– Is the cancer only in the colon and how much of the colon is affected
– Whether the cancer has spread to the local lymph nodes
– Whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body such as lungs, liver , bone or brain ( metastasised)
The staging may be finalised after operation and it helps the doctors to decide the final treatment and also to determine the outlook of the condition ( chances of survival).
Treatment of bowel cancer.
Treatment options include surgery , chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Treatment will depend on the stage of the cancer and the general health of the patient.
Please note in the treatment of cancer we do not talk of cure but we use the word remission. Remission means there is no evidence of cancer following treatment. If you are in remission , you may be cured however in some people the cancer can return months or years later . This is why we are reluctant to use the word cured.
I hope you found this article useful and it has added knowledge to you. I urge you to see your doctor without delay if you have some of the symptoms mention in this article. There is no need to panic as some of the symptoms are very common and can be caused by other simple diseases.
I would also love to here from you as always your comments add value to me as well . Also please help me in raising health awareness by sharing this article with your friends.
This article was compiled by Dr Brighton Chireka , who is a GP and a blogger based in Kent in the United Kingdom. Feel free to contact him at [email protected] and you can read more of his work on his blog at DR CHIREKA’S BLOG
Disclaimer: This article is for information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions. Dr Chireka has used all reasonable care in compiling the information but makes no warranty as to its accuracy. Consult a doctor or other healthcare professionals for a diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. Views expressed here are personal and do not in any way , shape or form represent the views of organisations that Dr Chireka work for or is associated with.
References
Saidi H, Nyaim EO, Githaiga JW, Karuri D.
World J Surg. 2008 Feb;32(2):217-23.
CORORECTAL CANCER TREND IN KENYA
Retrospective study of colorectal cancer in Zimbabwe by Dr Katsidzira, Prof Gangaidzo, M Mapingure and Prof Matenga
World J Gastroenterol. 2015 Feb 28; 21(8): 2374–2380.
Published online 2015 Feb 28. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i8.2374
RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF COLORECTAL CANCER IN ZIMBABWE
Grace To Build Robert Mugabe University
THE First Lady Grace Mugabe is working on the construction of a university to be named after President Mugabe as a way of building the nation through education.
Mugabe who was officiating at the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) awards ceremony here on Thursday night, said funds permitting, the Robert Mugabe University would be built in Mazowe where her other projects — the children’s home, dairy farm and school — are flourishing.
The First Lady did not give timelines for the construction of the university but said the country needed a paradigm shift when it comes to education.
She said the Amai Mugabe Junior School was being upgraded and a secondary school was under construction and there were plans to build a hospital and the university.
“Funds permitting I’m planning on building a hospital in future since there’s no major hospital in that area. Funds permitting also, I want to build a Robert Mugabe University because we want continuity and responsibility,” she said to a loud applause.
Mugabe said despite criticism from her detractors, she is a hard worker who has achieved all she has through dedication while carrying multiple roles as a mother, wife and businesswoman.
She said after serious brainstorming, she decided there is a need to shift attention to education.
The First Lady said she was engaging a number of partners towards funding the projects. “As a citizen of this country I just feel that I’ve a responsibility to build Zimbabwe without expecting to get a reward. All these are my ambitions and when I started people were saying I’m mad but where there’s a will there’s a way.
“I work very hard despite what you may have read in the Press and the children’s home speaks for itself as those who have seen it can testify. I’ve the energy… this woman is 60 horsepower. I’ve a good rapport with people who I can sweet talk for resources,” she said drawing laughter from the crowd.
“I had a paradigm shift and zeroed in on education because Zimbabweans are obsessed with it. I’m proud because the infrastructure is beautiful I tell you. I don’t compete with women but with humans.
“The structures are magnificent and solid that even an earthquake of 5.5 magnitude on the Richter scale will not shake it. There is one dormitory for boys which is almost complete and we’re also doing state-of-the-art hostels for girls.
“We all went to boarding school and stayed in dormitories and what I’m doing is introduce a paradigm shift where children should live in hotel style rooms. I got the designs from the First Lady of Equatorial Guinea and mobilised funds from embassies especially the Embassy of China,” said the First Lady.
She said all the projects, including the university will be on 50,000 square metres of land.
“I’m not saying this to make your ears itch but those who have been there know what I’m talking about,” she said.
The First Lady encouraged Zimbabweans to work hard to develop the nation using local resources.
“Zimbabweans I urge you not to despair when chips are down and we can do it our Zimbabwean way since we’re blessed with resources. It’s our responsibility to build Zimbabwe together,” added Mrs Mugabe.
Mujuru Meeting in Leeds, UK on Saturday
Greetings fellow Builders. All members of Zimbabwe People First UK and Europe are kindly invited to come to the People First Europe province`s 3rd REGIONAL MEETING in Leeds (After recently in Birmingham & Leicester). All members are encouraged to bring friends and family.
In Zimbabwe, People First rallies are currently under way in all 10 Zimbabwe provinces and as of today she has addressed well attended rallies in Harare and Bulawayo. Builders in Europe and UK, It is time we put our petty political differences and converge in large numbers. Let us mirror what is happening in Zimbabwe. The ICT has received information to be shared with builders at the meeting in Leeds. Your attendance is of paramount importance.
Please share the leaflet with all those you know in all social platforms like WhatsApp & Face book about the 2nd of July 2016 event in Leeds, Yorkshire that starts at 12 pm-5pm.
A line of speakers in the Leadership of ZPF from UK and Europe will address the event.
There will be light entertainment & Gochi-Gochi afterwards
l thank you in Advance
Asakheni, Hativakeyi Brick by Brick Lets Build our beloved Country Zimbabwe.
Regards
Information & ICT UK & Europe
Chinamasa Begs France For $15bn Cash
Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa has begged France to bail out Zimbabwe on its civil servants salary bill.
Chinamasa blew open President Robert Mugabe’s $15billion scrape as he said the sky is the limit while handing his begging bowl to the Paris Club.
“Right now we literally have nothing,” Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa said in Paris, France, as he sought help for economically stricken Zimbabwe.
President Robert Mugabe has revealed that Zimbabwe is short of $15 billion which went missing,under unclear circumstances.
Asked in an interview with Radio France International (RFI) how much credit he was looking for Chinamasa said: “You know there’s no limit”.
Chinamasa travelled to France to meet with lenders at the Paris Club as well as meet business leaders in a bid to revive a comatose economy back home.
Chinamasa is seeking to strike a deal on Zimbabwe’s debt default – so that the country could try and borrow again.
He has to date struck a deal with lenders on Zimbabwe’s almost two billion dollars of arrears. If finalised, the deal would signal Zimbabwe’s return to financial markets after almost two decades.
The agreement has however, been met with skepticism back home.
“Right now we have such a massive liquidity shortage that you can’t even get money out of the banks,” economist John Robertson told RFI by phone.
“The government did an immense amount of damage … through its land reform policies and indigenization law, but it has never wanted to admit they did any damage at all.”
The indigenisation programme has been blamed by economists for the country’s low foreign direct investment (FDI).
“It’s for this reason no one is coming to Zimbabwe and those companies that are here have not recovered,” says Robertson.
This poor economic outlook may have spurred Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa’s visit to Paris on Thursday.
“I am of course looking for increased lines of credit,” he told RFI.
“We’ve had some French state enterprises who are in the financial sector giving support to our productive sectors through our commercial banks and I’ve come to solicit and also ask that those lines of credit are increased.”
How much credit was he looking for?
“You know there’s no limit,’ Chinamasa replied. RFI
Grace Abruptly Cancels Meeting
President Robert Mugabe’s wife and Zanu Pf Women’s League boss, Grace Mugabe has cancelled her scheduled trip to Neshangwe High School in Chikomba District of Mashonaland East, her home area of upbringing.
Details and explanations of her cancelling the visit to the place where she was expected to address people celebrating Women’s Day, were sketchy and a mystery to the event’s organisers.
Sources claimed to ZimEye.com the reason is that she has other “big business to do”
Many of her supporters who are used to being bused to her gatherings in anticipation of food handouts were left with nothing to say but only disappointment as they had been expecting to feast as they normally do.
Some people in party regalia were seen at Sadza Growth Point some 65 km East of Chivhu town.
At the end of day on Friday, a top ZANU PF source in the area told ZimEye.com Mrs Mugabe at the last minute chose to re-schedule her meeting to Saturday. At the time of writing however, it was not clear if the new meeting will go ahead.
Man Douses Father With Petrol, Kills Him
A MAN from Tsholotsho who allegedly teamed up with his sister-in-law to beat up his 67-year-old father before dousing him with petrol and burning him to ashes, has been sentenced to 15 years in jail.
Bethester Ndlovu (21) of Sihazela Line and his sister-in-law, Onesimo Khumalo (22), appeared before Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Nicholas Mathonsi, on circuit in Hwange facing a murder charge in connection with the death of Kwabokwakhe Khumalo.
Ndlovu accused his father of bewitching him after consulting an inyanga and killed him two years ago. He was convicted of murder with actual intent while Onesimo was acquitted. Justice Mathonsi concluded that Ndlovu meticulously planned to kill his father before forcibly roping in his sister-in-law.
“Ndlovu smoked dagga and drank alcohol to gather enough courage to kill his father. Even after intoxication, he kept a clear mind of his intention,” said the judge.
Justice Mathonsi said Onesimo, whose hubby was in jail at the time of the murder, was forced by Ndlovu to commit the crime.
“Onesimo was left at the mercy of her brother-in-law who was always high on drugs. It’s clear that Ndlovu actually force-marched Onesimo to his father’s homestead where he forced her to contribute by lighting matches. Onesimo found herself in a very tough situation where she could have also been killed if she had refused to comply and accordingly she’s found not guilty of murder and acquitted,” ruled the judge.
In passing sentence, Justice Mathonsi said the fact that Ndlovu was influenced by an inyanga to commit the crime reduced his moral blameworthiness.
“You were only 19 years old at the time of committing the offence. In fact you’re a rural young man living in the slow rhythm of Tsholotsho who believed in witchcraft to commit the most heinous crime against your father. Clearly you were influenced by a traditional healer and that reduces your moral blameworthiness,” said the judge.
He said the courts have a duty to uphold the sanctity of human life.“We can’t ignore the fact that your father died a lonely and painful death when you became an agent of evil. Communities must know that continuing to worship Lucifer and taking instructions from him in order to take innocent lives in such a callous manner will always be rewarded with a lengthy term of incarceration,” ruled Justice Mathonsi.
Prosecuting, Miss Namatirai Ngwasha said on November 27, 2014 shortly after midnight, Ndlovu and Onesimo armed themselves with a knobkerrie, box of matches and a container of petrol before they went to Khumalo’s homestead.
“On arrival they forcibly entered the deceased’s bedroom hut and Ndlovu struck his father twice on the neck with the knobkerrie and he fell down unconscious. He then poured petrol on him and all over the room before they left the hut,” said Miss Ngwasha.
She said Ndlovu ordered Onesimo to light the matches as they set the hut on fire and Khumalo was burnt to ashes.
After committing the crime, the two fled from the scene. Neighbours discovered the incident the following morning and reported the matter to the police leading to Ndlovu and Onesimo’s arrest.
Khumalo’s charred body was taken to Mpilo Central Hospital for a post mortem whose results showed that the cause of death was due to fatal burns and thermal murder.
Onesimo, through her lawyer, Mr Givemore Muvhiringi, said she was coerced by Ndlovu amid threats to commit the offence.-state media
$200 ZRP Fines: Only Courts Can Penalise People
It has emerged that only the courts can fine motorists and pedestrians $200 for picking up passengers or boarding vehicles at undesignated points as the police cannot collect fines above $20.
The clarification was made yesterday as the public was warned against being duped by corrupt police officers. The penalties are under Statutory Instrument 41 of 2016 of the Road Traffic (Traffic Signs and Signals) Regulations gazetted in April.
Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe spokesperson Mr Ernest Muchena recently said: “The fines are up to Level 5 which gives room to the police to charge where one can pay admission of guilt fine which is $20.
“If one decides not to pay admission of guilt and contests the charge, they then go to court. In that case the court will use its own discretion from Level 1 up to Level 5, which is $200.”
Anyone found guilty under the new regulations shall be liable to a fine not exceeding Level 5 or to imprisonment not exceeding six months or to both such fine and imprisonment.
On Wednesday, chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba urged the public and motorists to respect the new regulations.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police would like to inform members of the public that there is new legislation, Statutory Instrument 41/16 which was put in place to deal with the mshikashika menace,” she said.
She said the public was discouraged from boarding pirate taxis or public service vehicles at undesignated points.
She said the Statutory Instrument makes it an offence for one to disregard regulatory markings such as “No hitch-hiking” signs.
“The no hitch-hiking sign indicates to a pedestrian that he or she shall not attempt to secure a lift from a passing vehicle and the driver of the vehicle that he or she shall not pick up passengers. This prohibition on hitch-hiking is effective for a distance of 500 metres beyond such a sign,” Snr Asst Comm Charamba said.
She said the Statutory Instrument further provides that any person who removes, damages, obscures or interferes with any sign or the support thereof, shall be guilty of an offence.
She said anyone found guilty under the regulations shall be liable to a fine not exceeding Level 5 or to imprisonment not exceeding six months or to both such fine and imprisonment.
The sign that prohibits the boarding of lifts at undesignated places has a crossed thumb.
It is also marked R207, indicating that a pedestrian must not attempt to secure a lift from a passing vehicle and the driver of a vehicle must not pick up passengers.
It is the responsibility of local authorities to erect the signs in the cities and towns with some of them already up in line with the sadc Protocol on Transport, Communication and Meteorology of 1999.-state media
Woman Rapes 14 Year Old Boy, Falls Pregnant
A diasporan man’s wife (25) who forced a 14-year-old relative to have sex with her, resulting in her falling pregnant has been arrested.
The abuser Francina Phiri, of Mbamba area under Chief Mahlathini in Tsholotsho, who is about four months pregnant, told investigators she raped the minor because she was starved of sex. She said she failed to contain her desire after her husband stayed for a long time without visiting her.
Police arrested Phiri on Thursday for aggravated indecent assault. Sources yesterday said she is out of custody but will appear in court on Monday.
A family member who preferred anonymity said Phiri whose husband works in South Africa started abusing the boy in September last year. “The boy told a family member that Phiri called him to her bedroom demanding sex.
“Francina told family members that her husband had been away for a long time and she couldn’t hold herself anymore. She said she finally decided to do it with the boy,” said the relative.
The relative said the incident had come as a great shock to the family, considering the age of the boy who is still in school and the fact that the two are related.
A villager, Minyeni Dliwayo said the affair was a disgraceful scandal for the community.
“Falling pregnant was a curse from God who wanted to reveal this woman was abusing the boy. She should have followed her husband although somehow I blame these injivas for leaving their young wives for too long.”
“I’m not condoning her actions but she could have gone for an older man rather than ruin a young boy’s future,” said Dliwayo.
Ward 15 councillor Ishmael Dube said sexual abusers deserved to rot in jail.
“People should learn that sexual abuse is a serious crime. I urge children to always reveal such issues to their parents before it’s too late,” said the councillor.
Cllr Dube said children should not be afraid of threats from “monsters who abuse them” but should tell their parents or guardians as soon as they are attacked. State Media
Grace Mugabe Fit To Lead
The First Lady, Grace Mugabe, widely speculated to be positioning herself to take over her husband’s top job, has won the 2015 Outstanding Value Addition Investment Award in recognition of her work at her Gushungo Dairy and her children’s home in Mazowe.
The honour could be an endorsement of her political feat as Zimbabwe’s next president.
Mrs Mugabe, who was the guest of honour at the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce awards ceremony on Thursday evening, said she was humbled by the recognition and pledged to continue working hard for the development of the country.
Industry and Commerce Minister Mike Bimha read the citation for Mugabe’s award, outlining all the work that she has done from business to philanthropic work.
“She has defied the gender barriers while at the same time not riding on her closeness to the first citizen (President Mugabe) of the country,” said Minister Bimha.
“A simple tour on her projects which range from agro-processing to philanthropy could not go unnoticed. Her passion to entrepreneurship emanates from the early stages of her life. Her impeccable record in infrastructural investments is evidenced by the multimillion-dollar projects, which includes arguably the finest primary and secondary schools, a flourishing dairy project and an orphanage testifies to why she could not be overlooked when the largest business lobby group adjudicated on who could be the deserving recipient.”
Minister Bimha said infrastructural projects on her state-of-the-art children’s home and schools that catered for the needs of Zimbabweans were evidence of her passion and dedication.
“Value addition needs to be noted as she grows her crops to make stockfeeds that she feeds to the cattle that produce dairy milk and not forgetting the land where she has done her project.
“The construction of a dairy processing plant at her farm, which saw the processing of dairy products such as sour milk, yoghurt and ice cream is a clear depiction of how she has contributed to value addition,” read the citation.
In her acceptance speech, Mugabe said her journey in both business and philanthropic work had not always been smooth as she also experienced some false starts.
“My projects began on a modest footing and I expanded them in phases over the years.
“I am especially grateful for the support I received from my husband and the entire family and friends who gave me advice and the encouragement to believe in the projects I set my mind on,” she said.
She said she was a hard worker despite negative stories that were being written about her by the private media.
Mugabe said the dairy farm was one of the success projects that started from scratch, but was now able to produce unique products that were in high demand on the market. She said the children’s home was one project that she was passionate about as she chronicled how she set up the home and the Amai Mugabe Junior School and the secondary school that is currently under construction with support from some well-wishers who bought into her ideas.
Mugabe said the schools have capacities of 1 000 pupils each and state-of-the-art hostels and dining halls.
She said women had been marginalised for too long adding that she did not compete with women, but men.
Funds permitting, she said, she intended to set up a hospital and a Robert Mugabe University in Mashonaland Central.
She hailed Zim-Asset for the emphasis it placed on value addition.
“I have nurtured this policy because I believe in its objectives and I am pleased with the results that we are realising today in the family business.
“My challenge to you is that you revisit the Zim-Asset document and examine ways in which we can stop the losses we continue to suffer as a country because we have not given value addition the seriousness it deserves.
“When I look at our mining sector, for example, I believe we still need to align mineral extraction to beneficiation to stem the loss of earnings that has partly contributed to our liquidity problems.
“I call upon you Mr (Davison) Norupiri (ZNNC president) and your members to vigorously and honestly interrogate the issue of investment and how this can be strengthened,” she said.
She pledged to continue working hard, encouraged by the award that she dedicated to her family and all those who contributed to the growth of the projects.
Mugabe said an undying commitment to the development and growth of the country’s economy would certainly bring dividends in the future adding that big businesses did not always start big.
Other individual winners were Mrs Smelly Dube, who walked away with the Business Woman of the Year Award. She is the chief executive and founder of River Valley Properties based in Gweru.
In the citation, River Valley Properties with a chain of subsidiaries was said to have developed more than 10 000 properties both residential and commercial.
Univern Enterprises chief executive Mr Serge Levy won the Business Man of the Year Award.
The company has partnered the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) in its computerisation exercise.
31 Percent Children Fatherless
THIRTY-ONE percent of paternity tests done at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) over the past 15 months came out negative. This exposes some women as cheats who try to force men to raise kids that are not biologically theirs. The DNA profiling tests, also known as genetic fingerprinting were done at the Bulawayo university’s Applied Genetics Testing Centre (AGTC) between April, 2015 and last month.
DNA testing is the most advanced and accurate technology to determine parentage.
Nust’s AGTC chairperson Mr Zephaniah Dhlamini said a total of 42 paternity tests were done during the period. “The outcomes revealed that there were 29 inclusions meaning the father was positive and 13 exclusions where the results between the father and child were negative. This means 31 percent of the people who were said to be fathers in disputed cases, were not. The paternity test costs $100 per head, so if we’re testing the father, mother and the child the total cost for the tests will be $300,” said Mr Dhlamini.
Doing DNA profiling at Nust costs significantly less than what Zimbabweans pay to have it done outside the country.
A lawyer said it costs about $500 for couples to take their blood samples to South Africa for the test.
Mr Dhlamini said it takes about eight hours to arrive at the results of paternity tests.
“However, it’s more cost effective to do the tests in larger batches. So we’ve resorted to conducting them every two weeks.
“This implies that if you’re lucky and be the last person to submit your samples you can get the required results within 24 hours,” he said.
Nust’s AGTC comes as a relief to some men who were forced to take their samples to South Africa for the test at higher cost.
Historian and social commentator Mr Pathisa Nyathi said some men who fail to raise money to pay for DNA tests might be maintaining other men’s children.
“There are many men who think that they’re parents when they aren’t. They’re many social fathers with social children. This only proves the cultural aspect that says the only person who knows who the father of a child is, is the mother,” said Mr Nyathi.
He said paternity testing is not a new phenomenon as it has always been done traditionally although it was very dangerous.
“Traditionally the child was taken through rituals where they’ll be given some traditional concoction to drink. The father’s family who did the test believed that if the child was one of theirs he/she wouldn’t die after going through the ritual process. But if the child died they won’t be from within that family,” he said.
He said some women chickened out on taking their children through the ritual process.
“This led to their children being called ivezandlebe (children whose paternity is not certain),” said Mr Nyathi.
A local gender activist said women were sometimes forced by “circumstances beyond their control” to cheat.
“We admit that there are women who deliberately cheat men but we must consider that it’s the same men who impregnate women and then deny responsibility. Women who find themselves in this situation can try tricking another man to raise the child considering the costs involved in raising children,” she said.
“We call upon men to be responsible enough and never put women in situations where they’ve to lie to another man to secure a child’s livelihood. Sometimes they fear the social stigma attached to ‘fatherless’ children.”-state media
Lumumba Flees
The whereabouts of controversial former Zanu PF activist populary known as Acie Lumumba but also identified as William Mutumanje, are unknown after he recently openly attacked President Robert Mugabe using an unprintable F word.
The police are said to be after the controversial activist who also recently had sex tapes leaked to the media which he claims are part of a wider plot to destroy him.
ZimEye.com on Thursday afternoon managed to trace Lumumba down and located him in the central business district (SEE THE UPCOMING ZimEye.com INVESTIGATION on Lumumba’s whereabouts).
Public opinion swelled against Lumumba after his obscene utterances with many taking exception to his use of vulgar langauge in attacking the head of state.
According to state media reports Lumumba, is wanted for questioning on charges of undermining the President as defined in Section 33 (2) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act after he insulted President Mugabe on Thursday, has gone into hiding.
He uttered the words while launching his party, Viva Zimbabwe, in Harare on Thursday.
Mr Lumumba pronounced himself as chairman of the party saying that Viva Zimbabwe aimed at bringing change in Zimbabwe.
In rantings, Mr Lumumba used the “F” word to insult the President.
“Mr Mugabe, I guess you have not been really insulted,’ said Mr Lumumba. “You are now used to being insulted by protesters. You are used to being insulted by vendors, you are used to being insulted in the hallways.
“You have never seen Zimbabweans really angry. So, here is the red line. Mr President Robert Gabriel Mugabe f*** you.”
Sources close to the investigations yesterday said they were keen to question Mr Lumumba over the utterances.
“We have been trying to locate him, but failing. His whereabouts are still not known and we have launched a manhunt for him,” said the source.
Mr Lumumba claimed that President Mugabe was responsible for the total collapse of the economy. He said Zanu-PF was responsible for gross mismanagement of funds in Government coffers.
“Where is the $15 billion that just went missing? Right now (Patrick) Chinamasa is looking towards trying to clear a debt of $11 billion in a space of 25 years,” he said.
Mr Lumumba, while addressing a handful of supporters, said Zimbabwe needed new blood to effectively run the country.
He said although he was leader of Viva Zimbabwe he was not going to contest the 2018 Presidential elections. Mr Lumumba said he would support any candidate he considered to be the appropriate for the post.
However, a Harare-based political analyst dismissed Mr Lumumba as an attention seeker saying the authorities should ignore him.
“Remember he is the same guy who once claimed that he had sensitive information implicating Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Minister Patrick Zhuwao, but he failed to produce it,” said the source.
“He is seeking relevance and I think it will be a waste of time and resources for the authorities to pursue such a matter coming from someone who seems to have lost his conscience.”
Before he left Zanu-PF, Mr Lumumba was chairman of a steering committee on the Zimbabwe Youth Empowerment Strategy for Investment.
He was fired for misappropriating funds meant for the Zimbabwe Youth Council. Herald
Buyanga Robbed $530 000 Chalet
Harare businessman, Frank Buyanga has been robbed of a house worth over $530 000.
Police are investigating three suspected fraudsters and a city lawyer on allegations of conniving to defraud Buyanga of his Greendale house in Harare.
Those under probe are Harare lawyer Tamuka Moyo of Tamuka Moyo Attorneys, Tawanda Jakachira, Winnie Jakachira and Simon Charewa. The case numbers are CR Number Harare Central 2005 /4 /16 and DR Number Serious Frauds Squad Harare 16 /5/ 16.
This comes after there had been reports last week that Mr Buyanga had lost his Greendale house which was put up for sale by the Sheriff in a bid to recover $535 000 after “he failed to reimburse” a local couple $132 000 following a botched deal.
Mr Buyanga then made an urgent chamber application at the High Court and a report to the CID Serious Frauds Section over the case.
Mr Buyanga, through his lawyer, Mr Tichavona Mutebere of Mutebere and Company Legal Practitioners, made the application on Wednesday.
In the application Mr Mutebere said: “The first applicant (Mr Buyanga) has filed a police report against the first and second respondents, Simon Charewa and Tamuka Moyo for masterminding a fraud case against him and the second applicant (Rivin Vanam Trading {Pvt} Limited) regarding the purported sale of shares agreement and subsequent arbitration proceedings before Honourable M. H. Chinhengo which culminated in the attachment of first applicant’s immovable property and the pending sale.”
He said Tawanda and Winnie Jakachira alleged that they paid the purchase price to Mr Buyanga, but had failed to proffer proof of payment.
“The alleged proof of payment relied upon by the respondents was signed by Simon Charewa, who purported to write the letter on behalf of Hamilton Property Holdings dated January 2015. The letter is a fraudulent document which is being and was relied upon by the respondents (Tawanda and Winnie Jakachira) because at that time of the letter of confirmation, the Hamilton Property Holdings (Pvt) Limited was already under judicial management,” Mr Mutebere said.
He said it was placed under judicial management on September 12, 2012 and that no other person had authority to sign documents on behalf of Hamilton Property Holdings other than the judicial manager.
“Additionally, the alleged confirmation of payment did not come from the applicants who were parties to the sale of shares agreement, but allegedly from Hamilton Property Holdings.
“This a clear fraudulent proof of payment not confirmed by the applicants and as such the arbitral award and subsequent court order are based on a fraudulent misrepresentation that payment was made to the applicants yet there was no payment at all made to the owners of the property,” Mr Mutebere said.
He said if the judicial sale was allowed to proceed, Mr Buyanga would suffer irreparable harm.
Beitbridge Implosion- Killer Zivhu Slams Govt Import Ban
Terrence Mawawa |Masvingo As chaos continues to rock the Beitbridge border post following the move by the government to ban imported goods,Zimbabwe Cross Border Association President Killer Zivhu has warned of untold mayhem if the government does not take heed and lift the ban.
The review gazetted under Statutory Instrument Number 64 of 2016 has tightened the screws on the importation of basic commodities.
There is widespread resistance from both the South African and Zimbabwean sides following the decision by the government to ban the importation of goods .
Earlier today police in Beitbridge fought endless running battles with angry members of the public who want the ban to be lifted with immediate effect.
Zivhu ,who is also a Zanu PF councillor and chairperson of the Chivi Rural District Council,warned that authorities should think twice after Industry and Commerce Minister Mike Bimha announced the controversial regulations would be effected starting July 1.
“The problem is government hurriedly tried to implement the measures without consulting the concerned stakeholders.People are resisting the move because they are unemployed,and cross border trading is their means of survival,” he said.
“If their source of survival is compromised they will obviously resist.It is not only cross border trading that has been compromised but retailers as well.Government should not therefore protect 27 industries at the expense of the people,”said Zivhu.
Economic analysts have warned of further chaos if the government does not reverse the import ban.
School Bully Kills Pupil
A 15-YEAR-OLD school bully who fatally kicked a peer (13) for jumping into a field of play and disrupting a football match, escaped the agony of jail life after he was sentenced to a wholly suspended prison term.Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Nicholas Mathonsi, sitting in Hwange circuit court, convicted the boy, who cannot be named because of his age, of a lesser charge of culpable homicide.
He sentenced the boy to four years in jail, which he wholly suspended for five years on condition that he does not within that period commit a similar crime.
In passing sentence, the judge noted that the boy lacked maturity and parental guidance which is an essential element in the prime moulding of socially acceptable behaviour among juveniles.
According to a probation officer’s report, the boy comes from a broken family. His parents separated in 2002.
Prosecuting, Miss Namatirai Ngwasha said on November 25 last year at about 10.30 AM, the teenager was playing soccer at Samende Primary School grounds in Binga while the deceased was watching from the terraces. She said the deceased, out of excitement, rushed into the field and kicked the ball much to the anger of the accused.
“Accused was angered by the deceased’s actions and confronted him before assaulting him. He kicked him resulting in him falling headlong on a hard surface,” said Miss Ngwasha.
The deceased became unconscious and one of the teachers tried to render first aid but the boy was already dead.
According to the post mortem, the cause of the death is due to head trauma, universal subarachnoid haemorrhage and severe cerebral oedema.-state media
Australia Reduces Aid to Zimbabwe
The Australian government says it has “restructured” its aid assistance programmes in Zimbabwe with only “forward” funded programmes running until the end of the projects.
Zimbabwe since the year 2000 has been depending on donor funding after economy crashed down following farm invasions sponsored by President Robert Mugabe. Harare was slapped with sanctions by America and the European Union for violently grabbing farms owned by white commercial farmers.
Since then, the country has been unable to produce its own food.
Australia’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Suzanne McCourt told ZimEye.com during a tour of projects her country is supporting in Harare, this week that there is no fresh money for Zimbabwe.
“We have restructured the aid programme, a lot of water and sanitation programmes we have here were forward funded and they will run until that money channeled towards them runs out. We have ongoing scholarship commitments and short courses of midlevel professionals for public servants that are running,” she said.
“We also have ongoing support through Australian NGOs supporting partnering with Zimbabwean NGOs to provide assistance to the communities,” she concluded.
Lumumba Wins Praise Over Mugabe ‘F**k You’ Attack
Maureen Kademaunga|Political vulgarity can be extremely politically useful, it’s a crucial rhetorical weapon for the politically excluded because when crude obscenity is directed at figures of power, their prestige can be tarnished, even in the eyes of the most reverent of subjects. Malicious political japery has always been employed in revolutionary rhetoric.
In the build-up to the French revolution, the much despised Queen was nicknamed Austrichienne, meaning “Austrian bitch,” by the slanderers pamphlet- the Libelles.
Those on the left know this! That the crass, ugly dispensation of judgment with little to no regard for propriety, the rejection of the norms of civilized discourse; the flouting of implicit conventions that create our social decorum, the use of swears and shouts where reasoned discourse is called for is sometimes vital to convey the passion of messaging.
There are arguments to be made over who constitutes a valid target, an appropriate messenger (ideally a morally upright person with a willingness to be disgusting), and it must be a clear response to political circumstances!
To maintain its potency, vulgarity should certainly be the exception rather than the rule….it should be a selfless act and a clear response to political circumstances and never a tact to gain personal political expediency!.
BEITBRIDGE IMPLOSION: Civil Society Orgs Join In
Staff Reporter|Civic organisations and human rights organisations are reportedly flocking to the Beitbridge border post to join hands with thousands of citizens and cross border traders who have started an uprising there against the government ban on the importation of a wide range of goods into the country.
Reports indicate that the situation is extremely tense at the border with citizens on the rampage overwhelming the police and border security forcing the closure of the border.
Social media postings show that several human rights organisations are now on their way from Harare and Bulawayo to join in the fracas and send a clear message to government.
Meanwhile reports also indicate that the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority warehouse at the border post has been set on fire by the striking citizens.
BREAKING NEWS-Police Defeated as Zimra Warehouse Ransacked and Burnt Down
ZRP cops at Beitbridge border post have been defeated by angry crowds whose number continued to swell with the sun’s descent late Friday afternoon.
Gory pictures sent to ZimEye.com reveal the warehouse gutted by fire. The whole building containing seized vehicles was on fire at the time of writing. Unconfirmed reports added saying the Red Star company’s building (used as an additional warehouse) was also torched. SEE PICTURES BELOW. ALSO READ – For the first time in Zimbabwe’s history since that glorious day when former Prime Minister Ian Smith gave up the country instantly liberating Zimbabwe from oppression in 1979, when fuel supplies to Rhodesia-Zimbabwe were blocked, South African citizens have shut down their border with Zimbabwe.
Manyenyeni Wins Court Case | BREAKING NEWS
Harare Mayor Ben Manyenyeni has won a court application for his release.
Harare Magistrate Vakayi Chikwekwe has ordered the (ZACC) Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission to immediately release Manyenyeni, who was arrested on Wednesday 29 June 2016 and charged with criminal abuse of duty as a pubic officer.
Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa is on record officially revealing that the ZACC is a corrupt organisation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW:
Magistrate Chikwekwe today faulted the ZACC and the Zimbabwe Republic Police for violating his constitutional rights by detaining him beyond the prescribed 48 hours before bringing him to appear before the courts.
In a statement the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) said it congratulates Professor Lovemore Madhuku, Dzimbabwe Chimbga, Bellinda Chinowawa and David Hofisi for the legal services rendered to Councillor Manyenyeni during this week of high drama and period of persecution.
I Am Clean – Mandiwanzira
INFORMATION Communications Technology (ICT) minister Supa Mandiwanzira (pictured below) has spoken out over a series of allegations being levelled against him which include that he corruptly handpicked a Chinese company, Megawatt Energy, to investigate overpricing of equipment to NetOne by Chinese Technology company Huawei.
The claims also entail that he improperly authorised the Postal Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) to release money which was used to buy vehicles for him and his deputy Win Mlambo.
Mandiwanzira is also accused of stopping NetOne management from attaching property at Metbank which owes NetOne US$700 000 as well as purchasing Mlambo’s car without going to tender.
Quizzed about the above allegations yesterday, Mandiwanzira denied he was involved in corrupt deals, saying Megawatt was tasked to investigate the US$218 million NetOne project with the approval of the Office of the President and Cabinet.
In 2012, government partnered Huawei in rolling out NetOne’s National Mobile Broadband (NMBB) project as competition in the telecoms sector intensified on the back of massive growth in data and overlay services.
Information gathered shows that the deal was mired in dodgy activities and corruption resulting in the overpricing of equipment.
“It is now public knowledge that Megawatt produced a detailed report which indicated prejudice to NetOne of unbelievable proportions (reports say US$100 million),” Mandiwanzira said.
“Out of that only US$30 million has been recovered. The company that overcharged committed to pay Megawatt for all the work they did and via a success commission.”
Mandiwanzira said for doing work that brought back US$30 million, Megawatt must be applauded and not investigated, adding that they were brought in “with the relevant consultations and approvals from my superiors”.
There was a flurry of letters written between NetOne, Megawatt, Huawei and Mandiwanzira’s ministry between May last year and early this year in an effort to resolve the controversial issue.
Asked why Potraz purchased cars for him and his deputy, Mandiwanzira insisted the deal was above board as it was approved by the OPC and Ministry of Finance. He said in his case the vehicles in question actually belong to CMED and not him personally.
“Anyone suggesting that I borrowed money from Potraz for my personal use either does not know how government functions, has a sinister agenda or is part of a dirty political campaign against me,” Mandiwanzira charged.
“In the case of my ministry, it received written authority from the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda, to purchase two condition of service vehicles for the minister and another for the deputy minister.”
He said Treasury concurrence was sought from the Finance ministry by Sibanda and the ministry’s permanent secretary Sam Kundishora to buy the cars as part of their conditions of service.
Mandiwanzira dismissed as “nonsensical” allegations that Mlambo’s car was bought without going to tender, saying there is documentation from the State Procurement Board approving the purchase of the vehicle.
Correspondence by the ministry seeking the approval to buy vehicles and those granting sought approvals were done between October and November 2015.
“I spent nearly a year using my personal cars for government business until those cars were bought. I am not that wasteful with public funds as some people would like the public to think,” Mandiwanzira said.
The ICT minister also scoffed at allegations that he stopped NetOne from attaching property at Metbank over the US$700 000 debt.
“It is entirely ridiculous to suggest that I would block NetOne from collecting its money from Metropolitan Bank. Why would I do that? I am not a shareholder at Metropolitan Bank and they have no branch in my Nyanga constituency,” Mandiwanzira said.
“Besides, the money they invested in Metropolitan Bank was done when I was not even minister of ICT. After I became minister, I had a meeting with the NetOne CEO Reward Kangai and the bank’s officials where I insisted they should go, discuss and resolve the matter amicably.”
Mandiwanzira said after his intervention and the resultant talks, Metbank subsequently paid nearly US$500 000 of the US$700 000 amount and have offered to pay the remainder using Treasury Bills. He said bank statements are available to prove that. -Independent
FULL TEXT: Acie Lumumba’s Speech
Viva Zimbabwe 1st Press Conference OFFICIAL SPEECH
June 30 2016
Delivered by Party Chairman
Lumumba Lumumba
IF I WAS A MUSICIAN I WOULD SING ABOUT IT all, IF I WAS painter, I would pencil a masterpiece, IF I WAS AN ACTIVIST I would get out on the street and petition, BUT IM NOT that, I am A POLITICIAN, a passion I have held since I was child, politics to me, is the most important conversation our generation needs to take over, not the divisive politics we have become so used to, not the politics that destroys but the politics that’s builds, not the politics that focuses on people who have or want power, but the politics that focuses on what needs to get done with that power, not the politics that creates problems but the politics that solves them, I am passionate about politics that’s kind and not harsh, listens before it attacks, where ideas are exchanged no matter how different, a politics that understands while you may not always be right, you deserve to be listened to, that spends time focused on the future, not just what it looks like but what role we must play in it, THAT is politics this country needs, sadly that politics does not exist, that’s why so many young people struggle to fit in to the political space, because it does not speak to our generation.
Today I am announcing the future of politics in this country. This summer a new political player will be introduced to the country, the only realistic chance we have of constructing a new path for this nation. A path whose roadways speak to the ambitions and ideas of its people.
We are faced with a generational divide between old ideas and new thought, between Rhodesian wounds and democratic messaging, between a generation that has served its purpose and a generation fighting for a chance to serve theirs. It is this disconnect and disregard of our generation that has brought us to a point of forming our own generational consensus and building a youth led political party.
I learnt early on in life that when you are passionate enough about anything it becomes political; this was true when the founding fathers of this country where tested by the clenched fist of the Rhodesian colony, their plight became political, it was true when the land was owned by a minority of Rhodesian farmers at the expense of the black majority, it became political and a generation acted, again when the political founding fathers blocked new ideas it became political and a generation of activists led by Morgan Tsvangirai acted, it is always called on a generation to act when the issues affecting it become so charged they go to the core of politics.
Today it is the state of our economy. We all have a version of a good life that we see when we close our eyes, this version ranges from being able to keep your marriage together, you are working hard but the opportunity to rise or be financially rewarded is dwarfed and looking after your family near the impossible, bringing real heart breaking chaos into many households, for some a good life is graduating from university and being able to apply for a dream job that allows you contribute your skills and talents, for most of us a good life is simply being able to look after our parents, siblings and most importantly our children. Whatever your version of a good life is, today the chances of reaching it are nutured.
Our parents were born in Rhodesia but they lived a better life than we do in current Zimbabwe, look at us, independent on paper but highly dependent in reality, respectful but abused, told we are free but when itai Dzamara was abducted, they said only if he had not acted so free, told to dream, but everyday we wake up to a nightmare reality, we are now so angry so frustrated and so passionate that the issue has become political and so our generation must act, and must act now. It is this generation I am speaking to. The youth of this country. Viva Zimbabwe is the political party we have all been waiting for, not for you to vote for but for you to use as the vehicle to unlock your potential and have a chance of realizing your dreams.
In 25 months we go into the next general election, elections are about the future and what you want it to look like. Your vote is the game changer between opposing visions/ideas and beliefs. So lets talk about the viva vision, its you. The vision is you, not the economy, nor the democracy but you, the idea that you are the most important conversation we should be having as a country, the idea that unlocking your ideas by listening to them, giving them space and supporting them is the single most important expectation you should have from your government.
WE can build our own country, but we will have change our political culture, put measures in place that ensure we can never end up in the place we are in today, and one of the most important ways of doing that is putting in place checks and balances, not everyone who is a good politician should be in government occupying public office.
I will not be contesting for any public office in the next election, but I recognize there are people who can serve this country so much better if they where given the opportunity. Viva Zimbabwe is there to create that chance, there is nothing wrong with this country, that the young people in this generation can not solve, I can not wait until its one of us leading the reengagement process with countries we long since broke relations with, how I dream for one of us to lead the reform of our schooling system, one of us to lead the transition from the old and painful way of accessing a simple birth certificate, to a new and modern way of getting it done.
My ideas are not the best, that’s why we need yours, but if your only idea of politics is crushing the ideas of others because you do not believe it can be done, I only ask that you get out of the way for those of us who believe it can be done.
Our Business community has been overtaxed and under supported for the longest time, you can preform better if government gets out of your way. Enabling structures must be in place, not because you are a special class but because you are to this economy what blood is to the body, we have to look after you if we are to stay healthy, we promise to engage with you at every step of the way, viva Zimbabwe is the answer. Lets transition to a new deal.
We have been taught a racial politics where boxes have been built for us based on the color of our skin, this generation can be the generation to get rid of racism, its ok to go to school with another race, and to do business with them, Zimbabwe is not a race, Zimbabwe is a people. viva Zimbabwe is the answer, lets transition to a new deal.
There are 3 million plus Zimbabwean who are outside this country. They are Zimbabweans before they are anything else, for too long they been left out, they cant vote they cant invest and they cant contribute to the development of their country, not anymore, this country needs not just your ideas but your exposure more than you have been led to believe, we need you! Lets transition to a new deal
To the members of the press, increasingly you have become the game changers who force attention where the old culture of politics have tried to make us turn aside. 1st of all, Thank you. Thank you for keeping the conversation of what is going on in this country in our face and protecting us every time they tried to shut us up. You deserve a better country, viva Zimbabwe is the answer.
To the War veterans like my father, who for almost 40 years has served loyally this country in the military as a civil servant. Under rewarded and now afraid of retirement because he is not sure if his pension will come at the end of the month, viva Zimbabwe is the answer. We honor and respect war veterans for their selfless service, but no one who was willing to give up their life for this country should ever have to be treated the way Zanu Pf has treated you.
To my brothers and sisters, colleagues alike, cdes and friends, youth leaders from other parties – MDC Nelson Chamisa, ZPF- Luckson Kandemiri, ZANU PF Kudzai Chipanga, thank you for the hard work you have been putting in to make sure our generation is not left out, but we lose the battle the moment we start fighting each other, we are stronger together than apart, we are not each others enemy nor are we the oppressor.
I am putting a new deal on the table, tinosvika kupi tichingo shandiswa nemashefu anogara pamba pakanaka, pako hapana gadhi, vano famba nemota dzakana, iwe hauna kana bhutsu, vanodya chkafu chinonaka, isu tichiita zvekubatanidza. Hai hai SOKUKWANILE MADHODHA.
Join viva Zimbabwe and lead me. Lead us in a direction you know better than others how to navigate, if it’s a problem of my leadership. I will make a deal with you,.. You can come and lead instead, but what you can not do is shy away from our generational responsibility. Lets transition into a new deal.
To the civil servants of this country, you are the back bone of this country, you are the most resolute people I have ever come across. You are the midwives munobatsira ana amai zuva nezuva kuzvara vana, ma headmasters, mateacher akatidzidzisa chirungu chatakuvhaira nacho tichidadida pasi rose, mapurisa akatichengetedza kubvira nekubvira , mawuto enyika, pamasana penyu miganhu yeZimbabwe yakachengetedzeka, munyika menerunyararo, you joined because you wanted to serve, ishungu dzenyu nenyika yenyu dzinokutumai.
Through thick and thin you have weathered the storm and no matter the circumstances, you wake up each morning to go to work, to help deliver more children into this country, to put more smiles on the faces of our precious boys and girls, how dare they do this to you. I want to say Thank you. Ndimi ana mai nana baba vakabata hana yenyika. You have educated us, kune tsumo inoti chirere chigokurerawo, thank you educating us, tinokumbira mukana wekukutendai nekukurerai.
Lastly the security chiefs, our fight is not against you. Zanu pf has abused you for too long, they have committed all manners of evil and come to hide behind your protection yet look at the lives of your service men and women. Zanu pf let you down, our police, CIO and military, I am offering a better relationship, one built on common purpose to create a country our children can be proud of. Zanu pf without you are normal men and women, may history remember you as the guardians of the transition and not the obstacle of it. We are not here for chaos, or a revolution, we will not always agree but will listen to your counsel, especially when we disagree. We are here for transition, hope vs fear, faith vs despair, long term economic planning vs short term gains, partnerships vs debt. The road is long and this journey will be hard, today we ask you to take this first step with us. The tide is riding. Welcome to the viva experience.
LATEST- Manyenyeni 10am Update
Harare Mayor Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni is currently at the Prosecutor General’s Office accompanied by lawyer Professor Lovemore Madhuku for a scheduled appearance at Harare Magistrates Court (Rotten Row) at 10 AM today, ZimEye.com is told.
Councillor Manyenyeni who was arrested on Wednesday 30 June 2016, was charged with criminal abuse of duty as public officer in contravention of Section 174 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said.
Harare Mayor Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni is currently at the National Prosecuting Authority’s Office accompanied by his lawyer Professor Lovemore Madhuku , a member of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights for a scheduled appearance at Harare Magistrates Court (Rotten Row) at 10 AM today. Councillor Manyenyeni who was arrested on Wednesday 30 June 2016 and has endured two nights in police cells, was charged with contravening Section 174 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission officers and Zimbabwe Republic Police officers accuse him of committing corruption in the recruitment of companies which were involved in the shortlisting of candidates for the position of Town Clerk for the City of Harare.
LIVE UPDATES:South Africa Border to Zim Shut Down as Police Storm In | BREAKING NEWS
BREAKING NEWS – For the first time in Zimbabwe’s history since that glorious day when former Prime Minister Ian Smith gave up the country instantly liberating Zimbabwe from oppression in 1979, when fuel supplies to Rhodesia-Zimbabwe were blocked, South African citizens have shut down their border to Zimbabwe.
Scores of tourists were on Friday morning blocked from entering Zimbabwe at Beitbridge border after ZRP cops suddenly barricaded the entire area, causing chaos. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW THE VIDEO…
This came as hundreds of Zimbabweans began protesting the banning of domestic goods from entering the country. Last month the draconian customs authority, ZIMRA began confiscating foods and other goods, introducing abrupt duty and tax rules.
ZimEye.com brings our valued readers live updates as the mayhem continues. LIVE UPDATES CONTINUE BELOW THE PICTURES –
19:00Hrs – Another building is torched down. Police helpless as protests continue.
18:05Hrs – Two warehouse buildings have been ransacked and burnt down. Protesters nearly in total control of the border post.
15:00Hrs – While protesters on the SA side continue their singing, those on the Zim side continue burning tyres.
14:45Hrs – Hungry ZRP cops (Zim side) watch as furious protesters close down Zimbabwe’s economic lifeline border post, Beitbridge.
14:10Hrs – Gunshots fired onto protesters on the Zim side for nearly 30 minutes
13:06Hrs – Zimbabwe side protests start
11:15Hrs – Zimra (customs) officials trying to enter South Africa to buy fuel, were chased down by angry South African protesters. They had to seek refuge from their South African counterparts. After a quick meeting with SA officials to obtain protection so that they fill their cars with petrol, they were given passage. A South African business owner is seen in the live ZimEye video update instructing people to continue in the fight until the Zimbabwean government gives up.
1105Hrs – Hundreds of South Africans join in the protest to support Zimbabweans in their plight. It is believed this is due to the massive loss of business due to the Zimra action.
0855Hrs – Tourists (pictured) have been turned away from entering Zim. Who is losing? asked a ZimEye news source.
0845Hrs – Pakistanis and Indian shop owners in Messina have closed their shops to participate in the protest.
0820Hrs – ZRP cops storm the area to block people from entering the border.
0815Hrs – ANNOUNCEMENT from the Beitbridge Crossborder Transporters Association:
Police in Beitbridge have refused to clear a demonstration planned by residents to protest over the recently introduced ban of importation of a wide range of goods,including groceries and building material,from SA without permits.
Beitbridge residents met 2 days ago and resolved to take to the streets to voice their anger at the move by the gvnt,which is likely to leave thousands of families in the border town without any source of income since survival in the border town is hinged on crossborder activities.
Residents have however resolved to defy the police and go ahead with the protest.
Those who are committed to take part in the protest,meeting point is Dulibadzimu Bus Terminus @ 8:00 this morning.
Those who have passports are adviced to carry them since the battle is most likely to end at the South African side.
South Africans in Musina are gathering @ Factory Shop in Musina at the same time and Beitbridge residents have been invited to the South African side to join the protests that side.
The plan on the SA side is to blockade the border and turn back all trucks and other vehicles carrying goods from Zimbabwe.
The Beitbridge Taxi Association(SA),The Musina Metre Taxi Association and residents in Musina have extended an invitation to the Beitbridge Crossborder Transporters Association and Beitbridge residents who are being refused their right to protest by the hostile and repressive state machinery (ZRP) to join them on the SA side.
Wild cat protests are expected in Musina today by South Africans in the shopping town who have also been deprived of business by the recent import ban by the Zanu pf regime.
Pliz note that this innitiative by Beitbridge residents is not being driven by any political party.
It is a response by ordinary people from across the political devide,as well as the Beitbridge Crossborder Transporters Association which represents over 500 crossborder transporters in Beitbridge.
In the absence of a functioning residents association,the people have taken it upon themself to rise up to the challenge.
Ihondo yedumbu.
Tapiwa Tabheni
Secretary for Information and Publicity,
Beitbridge Crossborder Transporters Association.
ZRP SHOCK PICTURES: Masvingo-Beitbridge Road Bricked Up by Povo as Police Officers Watch
ZimEye.com reveals shocking graphic details of how the Masvingo Beitbridge Road was on Friday afternoon bricked up beyond recognition.
Hungry and thirsty police officers this afternoon watched as furious protesters closed down Zimbabwe’s economic lifeline border post, Beitbridge. The development is set to grind Zimbabwe’s economy to a halt, ZimEye.com reveals.
The above pictures were taken at around 1pm. CONTINUE READING ON ….
Manyenyeni Faces More Police Arrests
Harare mayor Bernard Manyenyeni failed to appear in court yesterday because the State is still adding more charges, his lawyer Professor Lovemore Madhuku said.
Addressing journalists at the Harare Magistrate Court, Prof Madhuku said Manyenyeni will appear in court today.
“We are giving State time to add all its charges so that they won’t arrest him, release him and re-arrest him again,” said Prof Madhuku.
“The additional charges are related to the appointment of the town clerk, James Mushore. Other criminal abuse of office charges are emanating from City of Harare subsidiary companies. Manyenyeni is still at Avondale Police Station.”
Prof Madhuku blamed the State for delaying procedures. “It is just an unjustified pre-appearance punishment. The reason for the delay is because of unfortunate state of minds,” said Mr Madhuku.
“It is because of people who think that the powers they have to arrest people can be used for any purpose. That’s unfortunate, and unacceptable, but Manyenyeni has a high esteem and is ready to face the crime.”
Manyenyeni was arrested on Thursday over criminal abuse of office charges.
He is accused of disregarding procedure in the appointment of Mushore as Harare town clerk.
Kasukuwere: “I Have Nothing to Do With Manyenyeni’s Arrest”
Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere has distanced himself from the arrest of suspended Harare Mayor Cllr Bernard Manyenyeni saying his ministry is only concerned with the smooth running of the capital.
Minister Kasukuwere said this in the National Assembly on Wednesday evening during the second reading stage of the Local Government Laws Amendment Bill when he was responding to a barrage of criticism from MDC-T MPs who questioned the coincidence of the order by the High Court to reinstate Mr Manyenyeni and his immediate arrest by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.
The Bill, which seeks to provide for the suspension of mayors and councillors through the appointment of an independent tribunal, sailed through the National Assembly late on Wednesday during an emotionally charged sitting.
Minister Kasukuwere said Mr Manyenyeni’s arrest and his suspension by the Government over maladministration were two different processes that should not be mixed and were being carried out by different State arms.
“As the minister in charge of Local Government, we are only dealing with issues to do with the administration of our local authorities and in this particular case Harare. What has happened (has to do) with the Zimbabwe Anti-corruption Commission (ZACC), which does not report to this Minister. Our hands are clean, we have nothing to do with what has befallen the mayor,” said Minister Kasukuwere.
He said it was strange that MDC-T was silent on the recent arrest of Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation acting chief executive officer Mr Patrick Mavhura.
“Save also to add that a few days ago, ZACC arrested the acting chief executive officer of ZBC. The MDC never made noise, but today because they find that one of their own is in trouble, they want to blame this Government. I think we must allow our institutions to do their work and, in any case, these matters will go to court and we cannot comment on them,” he said.
Turning to Gweru City Council, Minister Kasukuwere said suspended mayor Hamutendi Kombayi was not in office because he had taken Government to court and as the responsible minister he had to defend Government position.
“We suspended the entire council including members of Zanu-PF. We wanted to give them an opportunity to state their case before a tribunal. The same political party rushed to the courts, we also went to the courts. Yes, we lost in the courts, but we are allowed in terms of the law to appeal to the next level in terms of the law. We have appealed to the Supreme Court and that matter stands there. The fact that Kombayi is not in office is as a result of him having taken us to court and we have also gone to defend ourselves,” said Minister Kasukuwere.
He rapped MDC-T MPs for playing succession politics in the wake of reports that some senior members of the opposition party were jostling for leadership positions after it emerged that their leader, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai ,was unwell after being diagnosed with colon cancer.
“The colleagues on the right were not making contributions to help us in crafting a law that helps the people of this country. It was a succession game, in this party, there is a challenge. They are looking for a new leader, hence all the contributors who were coming in front; all they were doing was campaigning,” said Minister Kasukuwere.
Earlier on a scuffle erupted in the House after Zanu-PF MP John Holder (Zvishavane Ngezi) charged at Kuwadzana East MP Mr Nelson Chamisa after he felt that the opposition MP had made provocative statements insinuating that some legislators were not educated.
This was after Mr Chamisa rose on a point of order in which he said he was going to read the relevant section of Standing Orders for the benefit of those who could not read. Initially Holder interjected saying Mr Chamisa should withdraw his coments, but Mr Chamisa was unyielding.
It was at that stage that Holder left his seat more than 10 metres and advanced towards Mr Chamisa. A scuffle then ensued while other legislators restrained the pair after sensing that there could be a brawl. Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Marble Chinomona sat quietly as she waited for chief whips for political parties to calm their members.
After shoving and pushing, Holder was eventually escorted back to his seat. Mr Chamisa then sought to have Holder charged for disorderly conduct.
Chinomona said she would need to study all evidence before making a ruling.-state media
Hospital Nurses Work Days Cut
Some hospitals have reduced working days for nurses from five days to three to cushion the health workers from transport costs following the Government’s postponement of June salary payment dates for civil servants. The Government shifted pay dates for most civil servants to this month.
Nurses at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) told The Chronicle that authorities announced on Wednesday that they had increased shift hours and reduced working days to cut their transport costs and curb absenteeism.
They said they will work from 7AM to 7PM for three days and be off work for the rest of the week. A normal shift starts at 7AM and ends at 4PM. Those on night shift will work the same 12 hours.
Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) secretary general Mr Enock Dongo yesterday said the development was welcome.
He said it was important for the government to come up with strategies that don’t strain and demotivate workers during this difficult time.
“I understand that some hospitals are already doing it but I’m not sure whether the government has implemented it. It’s a suggestion that we brought to the government during negotiations after looking at the financial situation.
“We understand the challenge and we assure the government that nurses are devoted to their work but it’s difficult to work under such circumstances. We therefore recommended that we reduce the working days,” said Mr Dongo.
He said according to the arrangement, the nurses will work less days a week but still cover the stipulated hours.
“Reducing the number of days reduces costs for the nurses. It also minimises absenteeism. The Government has to support this because their workers have to be motivated.
“Apart from transport expenses, they have to pay bills and rentals. Nurses work with a sensitive clientele that requires them to be stress free when they deliver their duties,” said Mr Dongo.
He added that health workers were not different from workers in the security sector since their duty is to save people from dying.
“We made a request and the Government agreed that with effect from July nurses will be recognised as a security sector because of the nature of their job,” said Mr Dongo.
He said the nurses’ association rejected the $100 offered by the Government, describing it as a mockery.
“We refused to accept the $100 because 99 percent of the workers have loans with their banks. The $100 will simply go to the bank and the workers will still remain with nothing.
“The nurses have worked and they simply have to be given their dues accordingly,” said Mr Dongo.
Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa could not be reached for comment yesterday.
UBH chief executive officer Mrs Nonhlanhla Ndlovu was also not available.
The Government changed salary payment dates and proposed to pay members of the
Zimbabwe National Army on June 27 followed by police and prison officers on June 30. The education sector will be paid on July 7 followed by health workers and the rest of the civil service on July 14. Pensioners will get their dues on July 19. – state media
Lumumba: “I’m Too Dirty to Contest Elections”
Staff Reporter|Former ZANU PF youth leader Ace Lumumba says that he will not be contesting elections in the 2018 elections in the banner of his new political party, Viva Zimbabwe, because his character is too tainted.
Lumumba uttered the confusing remarks while officially launching his new youth political party in Harare yesterday morning.
The controversial politician said he enjoyed too much money in the hands of ZANU PF at a very tender age that much that he feels he will not be the best person to stand up and contest elections to lead the country anytime soon.
“I was only 23 when ZANU PF introduced me to its system of corruption. You can imagine a 23 year old being given a million dollars and resources to do as he pleases? That’s what I went through,” he said.
“In ZANU PF you would just click and everything is delivered and those are the things that destroyed this country,” he added.
Asked why then he was forming a political party if he was not going to contest elections, Lumumba said that he will lead it to give young politicians a chance to contest elections against ZANU PF while rebranding his image which was tainted by ZANU PF.
Lumumba lamented at ZANU PF “shefs” who use young people to promote their personal gains. He said this calling on the young people in the country to stand up and refuse to be used by ZANU PF and be the new leaders of the country.
“ZANU PF is very good at using us young people to fill up their rallies and push their agendas for nothing. This is now the time that we must take a stance and refuse to be used,” he said.
Speaking to a loud cheer from the predominantly university students at the press conference, Lumumba said the ZANU PF government has failed to deliver a future for the young people turning university graduates into vendors.
He took swipe at President Robert Mugabe for promising young Zimbabweans two million jobs he has failed to deliver. He warned the president to brace himself for a heavy fight from the young people of Viva Zimbabwe.
Former Vice President Joyce Mujuru who also left ZANU PF to form her own party the Zimbabwe People First was also not spared the wrath as she was accused of retaining the ZANU PF mentality of imposing her will on people.
“I was shocked to hear Mujuru announcing that she was forming a new political party but already carrying a party manifesto which she is imposing on people. That’s an old way of doing things,” he said.
According to him Viva Zimbabwe will draw a manifesto from ideas brought through by its members.
In an interview after the press conference, interim party Secretary General, Agent Gumbo said that the youth party is coming in to usher a new dimension into the politics of the country whereby the young people who are the future of the country will have a decision on how the country should be run. He defended Lumumba’s attack of President Mugabe describing it as exactly what the young people of Zimbabwe are feeling.
“We will not apologise for the presumed insult that Lumumba is said to have lashed at Mugabe because what he said is exactly what every young Zimbabwean is saying to Mugabe deep in their hearts just that they do not have the guts to say it. There is now a sudden out cry because one brave person has said it,” he said.
Midway through his otherwise impressive speech, Lumumba shocked people attending his press conference when he threw an F word insult at President Mugabe.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that Lumumba was whisked away by state security agents. ZimEye.com has followed Lumumba up and the upcoming article will reveal his whereabouts.
Govt Lies About $100 Fake Salary
Government has continued to beguile civil servants dolling out a fake $100 advance salary.
Robert Mugabe’s administration, early this week after failing to pay civil servants salaries announced that it was going to remit what the state media falsely claims are advance salaries.
This comes as the Apex Council, a body that represents all civil servants unions, is also expected to make a final determination today on the way forward after rejecting Government’s offer.
The unions yesterday also distanced themselves from a bogus teachers’ association linked to the MDC-T, the Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, which is planning a demonstration at Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa’s office today.
The workers’ representatives dismissed the planned demonstrations as a publicity stunt by the union, which is not even part of the Apex Council.
Acting Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Supa Mandiwanzira yesterday confirmed the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development was working on meeting its obligations.
“The Ministry of Finance is on it and very soon things will be back to normal,” he said. “We appreciate the role that civil servants play in this country. We appreciate their understanding and Government is doing all it can to ensure that things get back to normal in the shortest period possible. Our workers play a significant role in keeping the wheels of Government moving and we respect that.”
Ahead of the Apex Council meeting today, indications are that the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta), the largest teacher union in terms of membership, has resolved to go on a stayaway on July 5.
Apex Council team leader Mrs Cecelia Alexander said the route civil servants would take would come from resolutions of today’s meeting.
“We are a number of unions and we are going to come up with a consolidated response on Friday,” she said.
Government offered civil servants $100 after meeting their leaders on Monday.
In the face of cash flow challenges, Government has managed to pay members in the security sectors.
Teachers are expected to get their salaries on July 7 while health workers and the rest of the civil service will be paid on July 14.
Zimta chief executive Mr Sifiso Ndlovu said his union had resolved to embark on a stayaway on July 5.
“Our members are saying they are fed up,” he said. “They have resolved to go on a stayaway and that’s the resolution we are taking to the Apex Council. I am not sure what will come out of that meeting. We are going to be part of the position that is taken tomorrow (today).”
Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Mr Raymond Majongwe said unity amongst the unions would force Government to “rethink its position”.
“We have met the members and got their guidance and we are faced with a situation were for the first time all the civil servants continue speaking with one voice,” he said.
“We want this matter addressed holistically one and for all. We don’t want the behaviour by those who are outside Apex Council who are trying to pull a publicity stunt by threatening to demonstrate at Minister Chinamasa’s office. They are politicking at the hands of donors. We want to address our issues with Government with one voice.”
Government is rationalising the civil service to cut on its wage bill which stands at $200 million per month translating to more than 80 percent of revenue collected.
The rationalisation exercise is expected to save $400 million annually. herald
Gukurahundi Horror Replayed On Stage
ULoyiko Team would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who made the launch of our Gukurahundi Play on the 25th June 2016 at Hillbrow Theatre, RSA a success. The support we got and continue to get is amazing and indeed empowering. As we get more support we get more empowered and invariably the voice of the Matebeleland people gets more empowered too. That is the whole game in town. The calls for Truth and Justice on the issue get more powerful.
We are fully aware that the perpetrators of the Horrors of the Gukurahundi Genocide and their agents are getting more frightened and scared and are doing everything to scupper this noble Project. The more they cry foul over the staging of this play the more we get support from the decent and peace-loving people of Matebeleland.
After staging the play at Hllbrow, we feel extremely well connected to our cousins. We feel their support. It’s powerful. We can emotionally connect. The power of the voice of the Matebele people is on our shoulders. We are happy to share the narrative burden of this Genocide. We are one people, one Nation. Borders do not matter. There are no borders that separate one Nation. One people cannot be separated by colonial borders. In any case the fights for human rights for humanity know no boundaries.
Our joint fight against white domination as ZIPRA and Umkhonto weSizwe had no boundaries. We fought together. Our fight against black domination and injustice will never have boundaries. We are in this fight together as one people, one Nation.
Matebeleland’s Horrors of Gukurahundi Genocide are on the theatre stage and we will continue doing our best to expose this Genocide in unity and brotherhood with the people of Matebeleland. Matebeleland’s trials and tribulations are our trials and tribulations, their tears our tears, their psychological trauma our psychological trauma and together we will win this battle, marching side by side to victory. Together we shall triumph over evil.
We are up for the continued staging of the play and raring to go. We are also very happy with the constructive feedback that has come our way after staging the play. We are good listeners and we are going back to the drawing board to improve the quality of the play. We will improve the product working collaboratively with the people of Matebeleland, which many will be pleased to know we are already doing. We have the energy and the spirit to triumph with our cousins. More opportunities for us to stage the play in various places within and outside South Africa seem to be coming our way. The outlook is very optimistic and Gukurahundi Genocide will be exposed around the world via this theatre play. We make no apologies to anyone for embarking on this Project, none whatsoever.
Matebeleland people, together with us are winning the struggle. The tremors are already being felt everywhere. It is a satisfying feeling to observe the tremors being felt far and wide. Gukurahundi Genocide is once more a topical issue. It is in the international radar once again and we are happy to pile the pressure. As Loyiko, we promise to keep it up there on the international radar. It is where it is supposed to be. It is where the people of Matebeleland want it to be. We envisage this theatre play to be like Hotel Rwanda, an internationally acclaimed film that tells a story of Rwanda Genocide.
As uLoyiko, we are telling the story of the Matebele Genocide in Zimbabwe and we are ready to go places without fear or favour. It’s a calling. It’s a duty that falls on us and the people of Matebeleland as brothers and sisters. We will not abandon that duty due to howls of disapproval from the system in Zimbabwe and its appendages dotted around the world including social media. Our duty is first to the people of Matebeleland and the wider world.
The launch of the play did not happen easily. It was a tough challenge as resources were scarce but we give special thanks to umthwakazireview.com, Mthwakazi Review on Radio, Mat Fund for their unwavering support and many individuals who have played a pivotal role in support of the project since it started. The support has been great and long may it continue.
We also take this opportunity to thank the top leadership of Matebeleland from various organizations that blessed and graced the event and gave it maximum publicity needed. The attendance of Dumiso Dabengwa, the former ZIPRA intelligence Supremo who worked closely with ANC in prosecuting the struggle against white domination in both Zimbabwe and South Africa was an icing on the cake. We were humbled by his presence and support.
The presence of Moses Mzila Ndlovu, a former platoon commander of ZIPRA and a former co-Minister of National Healing, Reconciliation and Intergradation who has campaigned fiercely for Truth and Justice for Gukurahundi was pretty significant and appreciated. We are humbled too.
Indeed the presence of Dr Guduza who has written extensively on the Gukurahundi Genocide with his Mthwakazi Action Group on Genocide in Matebeleland and Midlands (MAGGEMM) Project and himself a former ZIPRA cadre and currently the Leader of Mthwakazi Liberation Front and the attendance Chief Gumede and the leader of Mthwakazi Republic Party, Moyo were significant and pleasing too. We are grateful and thankful.
The attendance of all Matebele who numbered 200 to 250 was indeed an excellent start and their presence is appreciated and will remain appreciated. Thank you Matebeleland.
People of Matebeleland, we have got some work to do together in the spirit of exposing the Truth about Gukurahundi and seeking Justice. We have some more work to do together in the spirit of rolling back the frontiers of Genocide and victimization of our people. Long may this unity of purpose, shared brother-hood and a shared burden of our trials and tribulations persist until we attain victory. We did this via ZIPRA and Umkhonto WeSizwe. We are doing it once more today. Victory is certain.
Siphesakhe Youth Organization can be contacted on the contacts provided below:
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 0027717548206/0027627649602/00278449603154
– Source: Siphesakhe Youth Organization, published by umthwakazireview.com
Prophet Shaves Girl’s Pubic Hair, Inserts Manhood To Cast Out Demons
Terrence Mawawa, Zvishavane| A self-styled prophet shaved a 17 year old girl’s private parts and inserted his manhood into her private parts in an apparent bid to exorcise demons.
Silence Matena of Mberengwa ,a self styled prophet, was hired by the girl’s family members to exorcise evil spirits since he used to pray for them.
Matena was arrested after raping the girl and appeared at Zvishavane Magistrate’s Court facing rape charges.
Facts of the state case are that Matena was called by the girl’s family on June 7, 2016, to exorcise evil spirits tormenting her.
Matena started his work by shaving the minor’s pubic hair claiming he wanted to remove tattoos that were associated with the evil spirits.
The girl however claims that Matena shaved her pubic hair after noticing that it was infested with lice so he was afraid of being affected by the parasites. After the deception of shaving her pubic hair, Matena instructed the girl to lie on her back and raped her.
Aware of what had transpired the girl then informed a relative who advised her to report the matter to the police, leading to Matena’s arrest. He was remanded in custody to July 20.
Commenting on the incident, Masvingo based social commentator and sociology graduate Edmore Muchechetere said religious leaders were expected to be influential in preventing moral degradation instead of taking advantage of helpless women running away from societal ills.” It is unfortunate the religious leaders who are expected to be the light of the society are feasting on helpless and innocent women.The essence of the church is to define us so that we can behave in line with the conventional rules of social behaviour,” said Muchechetere.
Mujuru, Zanu PF leaders More Like Snub-nosed Monkeys Of Asia
Patrick Guramatunhu |By seizing white owned farms, Zanu PF leaders cut off their own noses to spite their faces!
“ZIMBABWE’S cash-strapped government could face a US$30 billion bill for compensation of land expropriated from white farmers under the country’s controversial land redistribution exercise that saw the country plunge from being a regional breadbasket to a basket case,” reported the Financial Gazette.
Talk of cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face, well this sure takes the biscuit. So President Robert Mugabe in his infantile wisdom seized the white-owned farms, turned the nation from a breadbasket to a basket case of a nation starving in the Garden of Eden and now the nation has $30 billion bill to pay!
As if that was not bad enough, the nation learnt in March this year from none other than President Mugabe himself that $15 billion worth of Marange diamonds were looted in 2010 to 2015. Minister Kasukuwere has since said shed some more light on the story when he said that former VP Mujuru was responsible for “chunk” of the $15 billion diamond loot.
No one who knows anything about this Zanu PF regime would ever believe that Mai Mujuru was the only who was looting, the whole bloated leadership is corrupt. It is no secret that the Police, Army and CIO plus individuals like Mai Mujuru and President Mugabe himself all had mining concessions in Marange. According to Partnership Africa Canada said the President pocketed $2 billion from the looting of Marange diamonds in 2012 alone.
So if Mai Mujuru pocketed $15 billion in six years and Mugabe pocketed $2 billion a year and the looting has been going on for the last ten years, it is quite possible that over the last decade $100 billion, at least, was looted!
Sadly most of our snub-nosed monkeys will have very little to show for the vast fortunes they stole, seized or looted, it has all been wasted on luxuries pleasure of the flesh.
Still when it comes to who should compensate the white farmers, without even a moment’s hesitation, it must be those who seized the farms and were given the farms and never paid a single penny to the original farmer of the State for them. No stone must be left unturned in the effort to recover what they stole away from the white farmers and the misery they brought on the nation at large. Why should the nation be burdened with $30 billion bill when those who did still benefiting from their ill got fortune.
MDC Mayor, Councillors Sell Out To Zanu PF – Suspended
Terrence Mawawa| Masvingo| Masvingo City Mayor Hubert Fidze and six MDC councillors, have been suspended from participating in party activities -for sympathising with the ruling party Zanu PF party.
As factional battles continue in the crisis torn opposition party,the district executive has suspended the six councillors for working in cahoots with Zanu PF to sabotage the Morgan Tsvangirai led party’s programmes and principles.
Further worsened by leader Tsvangirai’s recent public expose that he has cancer leading to open warfare between two main factions emerging one apparently led by party Vice-President Thokozani khupe against another led by youthful Nelson Chamisa. More party members even in outside structures including South-Africa are being suspended, ZimEye has been receiving reports of increased factional fights there.
The other five councilors suspended by the embattled opposition party are Godfrey Kurauone of ward 4,Daniel Mberikunashe,ward 5,Richard Musekiwa,ward 7,James Chiwara of ward 7 and Babylon Beta of ward 9.
According to minutes compiled by the MDC district executive ,the councilors have dismally failed to represent the party’s principles in the city council.
The six have also been accused of tarnishing the party’s reputation by associating with Zanu PF.
The MDC won six out of the 10 wards contested in Masvingo Urban in the 2013 polls.
“MDC-T has the majority of the councilors at the civic centre but they are not influential. They have failed to influence policy change and our members are being victimized in their presence.”
“Our councilors are working with Zanu PF to amass personal gains at the expense of the suffering people of Masvingo. The councilors have allocated themselves commercial stands and they have failed to come up with a tangible solution to the labour dispute,”read the minutes.
It is understood the district disciplinary committee will present its findings to the provincial executive next month.
Zimbabwe Dodges Environmental Laws
Lovemore Lubinda/Zimbabwe has exceptional environment stewardship policies and legislation, to promote the sustainable utilisation of natural resources and protection of wetlands in particular, but lacks application environmentalists say.
The environmentalists came to this conclusion a few weeks after the nation joined the rest of the world to commemorate World Environment Day. In Harare the celebrations were held at Mukuvisi Woodlands, where participants stressed the need to safe guard the country’s wetlands.
On the 5th of June every year the world celebrates the World Environment Day that was proclaimed in 1972 by the United Nations General Assembly after growing concerns on environmental degradation, with the aim to encourage worldwide awareness and promote sound environmental stewardship. This year the day was commemorated under the theme ‘Go wild for life-Save the environment’.
Environment Africa chief executive officer Charlene Hewat says the country has brilliant laws and policies on environmental protection but lacks proper application. She adds that no matter what the reason may be; wetlands should not be tampered with at all as this will disturb the natural order of things.
“Wetlands are critical for our survival, have countless benefits from freshwater supply, food, flood control, and groundwater recharge among others. Yet we are destroying the very thing that gives us life. We want development however, the question is at what cost?” she queried.
Shopping malls, cluster homes, and offices are some of the uses being proposed on wetlands. The good examples are of the Long Cheng Plaza built on the wetland adjacent to the National Sport Stadium and Borrowdale vlei where construction is currently underway.
Zimbabwe just like the whole region is facing a decline in fresh water supplies, especially in urban areas largely attributed to climate change and environmental degradation.
Birdlife Zimbabwe chief executive officer, Julia Pierini concurs with Hewat that the country’s efforts on environmental protection and conservation is being undermined by the current unsustainable utilisation of wetlands across the country.
“The main causes of the degradation and loss of wetlands are major changes in land use, especially infrastructural development. As a result access to safe water is declining, compounded by climate change, this is bound to get worse if action is not taken to stop the rot,” she says.
In an interview, Director of Environment in the Ministry of Environment Water and Climate, Irvin Kunene, said it is government’s position that wetlandsbe utilised sustainably adding that they are vital for the survival mankind.
“When infrastructure has to built on wetlands, then technology has to come into play, so that the environment is not ruined,” he said.
Asked what measures are there to guard Environmental Impact Assessment (EIAs), from developer manipulation, he said that is not possible because the assessments are carried out in conjunction with EMA, the country’s environmental watchdog.
“EIAs point out the procedures and how they should be taken. If clearly followed and in accordance with the governing laws, there wouldn’t be a problem,” he said.
The Environmental Management Act (Chapter 20:27) and Statutory Instrument 7 of 2007 Environmental Management (EIA and Ecosystems Protection Regulations) govern wetland utilisation in Zimbabwe.
The Act prohibits the disturbance of the natural balance on wetlands by cutting of trees, shrubs and other vegetation.
Grace Mugabe To Award Best Achievers
Zimbabwe’s First Lady, Dr Amai Grace Mugabe is in Victoria Falls where she is expected to hand over awards to companies and individuals who excelled in their respective sectors last year.
Mrs Mugabe is attending the function organised by the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce Congress, sponsored by media outlets that include AMH publishers, the Zimbabwe Independent, Financial Gazette and the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Cooperation.
Last year Mrs Mugabe dived into Zanu PF’s murky succession waters and has had to battle it out within the party with Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa who is also angling himself for her husbands job. Interestingly Mnangagwa will also be addressing the same function.
She was welcomed at the Victoria Falls International Airport by Ministers Mike Bimha, Douglas Mombeshora, Cain Mathema, Clifford Sibanda and National Assembly Speaker Advocate Jacob Mudenda as well as ZNCC president Davison Norupiri.
Meanwhile Advocate Mudenda earlier told delegates here that Parliament was ready to consider and pass legislation that sought to improve the Ease of Doing Business in Zimbabwe.
He implored industry and commerce to identify laws that impede the Ease of Doing Business and bring petitions before Parliament for their consideration and possible repeal.
In his remarks, Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Ray Ndhlukula said the Office of the President and Cabinet was working flat out to make the business environment conducive and attractive to investment.
Some of the interventions included reducing the number of days to register a company as well as amendments to the Procurement Act to decentralise procurement to Government ministries and departments.
Some of the major problems that were identified as impediments to the Ease of Doing Business in Zimbabwe include too many police road blocks, bureaucracy and corruption. Herald
Tsvangirai Replacement Battle Explodes
FINGAZ-MOVEMENT for Democratic Change (MDC-T) leader, Morgan Tsvangirai is under immense pressure to step down immediately following his public disclosure that he is suffering from the cancer of the colon.
Tsvangirai, who is recuperating from a recent operation at a private South African hospital, disclosed on Monday that he has been laid low by colony cancer, a diseases health experts say is deadly if not treated in its early stages.
While “get-well soon messages” have been awash since Monday, including from ZANU-PF politburo members such as Jonathan Moyo and Saviour Kasukuwere, MDC-T insiders intimated this week that a covert succession war is brewing as senior officials prepare to succeed the former trade unionists who burst into the local political scene in the late 1990s with the formation of the then united MDC in September 1999.
Names of Tsvangirai’s deputy Thokozani Khupe, party secretary general Douglas Mwonzora and youthful politician Nelson Chamisa are being suggested in the corridors at Harvest House.
The Financial Gazette has it on good authority that several suggestions are being bandied around to ensure a flawless exit strategy and preparations for a new leadership ahead the crunch 2018 polls.
Top among these suggestions is that Tsvangirai should step down now.
Some hardliners suggests Tsvangirai should move with speed to initiate the succession matrix in the MDC-T before internal fights engulf the party while he recuperates in hospital or at home.
This, according to information obtained by this newspaper, is intended to avoid another damaging split reminiscent of the infamous October 2005 break-up with Welshman Ncube which was later followed by the Tendai Biti-led breakaway after the 2013 loss to ZANU-PF.
Party insiders claim there is a general consensus Tsvangirai has been a pale shadow of his former self since his controversial loss to President Robert Mugabe and ZANU-PF in 2013 and the latest hospitalisation had compounded the situation, rendering him no longer fit to spearhead and run in 2018 despite his bravado while in his hospital bed.
It also emerged this week that proponents of a broad grand coalition firmly believe the MDC-T leader’s exit could offer hope for a united front against President Mugabe and his ZANU-PF administration which has been in power since independence from Britain in 1980.
Rightly or wrongly, Tsvangirai has been viewed as an impediment to a proposed opposition coalition of the various MDC formations, which include Ncube, Biti, Elton Mangoma, former finance minister, Simba Makoni and former vice president, Joice Mujuru, among other so-called democratic forces.
But in an interview with the Financial Gazette, MDC-T national spokesperson Obert Gutu, said there was no leadership crisis yet that has been sparked by Tsvangirai’s perceived incapacitation.
“(President) Morgan Tsvangirai is our leader. He is our best foot forward and we are praying to God the Almighty that he be completely healed,” said Gutu. “There is absolutely no leadership crisis in the MDC.”
He said party programmes are continuing.
“Everyone is more than determined to deliver democratic change to long-suffering Zimbabweans. God is on our side. The darkest hour is just before dawn, but we are certainly getting there. There is absolutely no doubt about that.”
While Gutu appeared to be rubbishing the alleged looming leadership crisis, party hardliners firmly believe it is time he passed on the baton.
Brighton Musonza, an MDC-T supporter based in the United Kingdom, charged that the party needed to immediately set in motion a deliberate and methodical leadership change process by establishing a leadership transition committee.
“The earlier (they set up a transition committee) the better, while Morgan (Tsvangirai) is still fit to lend his weight to iron out any challenges. A late show for this will cause intense (and) bitter rivalry as a power vacuum ensues threatening the stability and unity of the party,” said Musonza.
“The road is not gonna be easy, but I am sure those with Morgan at heart in these difficult moments of his life will not let this indefatigable warrior down. I know for some this may seem being insensitive, but let me assure you; the best person to referee this is Morgan.
“A good leader should be assessed on the benchmarks of honesty, respect, fairness, clarity, openness, collegiality, decisiveness, humility, diversity and bravery. One who knows that principles require determination, modesty and resilience — you don’t have to be a founder of the MDC, although that may only be an added advantage.”
Dinizulu Mbiko Machaphulani, a Zimbabwe political analyst based in South Africa, said Tsvangirai should not wait to be pushed. He said the MDC-T leader should move with speed to initiate the succession process at a time he has also appeared to have lost both financial and moral support from the international community.
“This is the time for a dignified and heroic exit. His exit should indeed promote good chances for alliance talks that need external facilitators, the players themselves are too involved and interested to facilitate the talks,” said Machaphulani.
“There is a belief Tsvangirai is incapable of delivering regime change after so many attempts and personal fumbling. But sadly he still commands some popular support but it is believed a new opposition agenda is impossible with him around. Further to others, he does not seem to want a coalition that is not led by him. That is why some dark forces might want him dead,” he added.
The MDC-T has, however, repeatedly denied accusations their leader is vehemently opposed to a coalition of forces against ZANU-PF. Financial Gazette
VIDEO: Lumumba Insults President Mugabe
CEOs Steal US$1 Billion
FINGAZ-CHIEF executive officers (CEOs) of at least 28 State-owned firms salted away nearly US$1 billion between 2014 and 2015 through corporate crimes related to tax evasion, as well as mismanagement of public funds, official documents have revealed.
Some US$800 million was siphoned between 2014 and 2015 by bosses in charge of State-owned enterprises through fraud and mismanagement, now the greatest threat to government’s ability to emerge out of its current financial crisis.
According to a report by the country’s auditor general, over half of the US$800 million was in various forms of unpaid taxes due to the government’s tax collecting agency, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), as well as millions diverted as untaxed benefits by the CEOs and their colleagues.
In addition to parastatals executives, administrators in 47 local authorities awarded themselves huge educational loans and holiday allowances while their institutions accumulated tax liabilities that have crippled government operations, with the State battling to pay its staff. Extravagance on holidays and top-of-the-range cars were also rampant, resulting in an unprecedented plunge in revenues to the State.
The auditor general’s reports point to disaster as government operations increasingly come under threat. Government, lurching towards bankruptcy, this week announced that it would pay the bulk of its workers US$100 as part payment for their June salaries due to cash constraints.
In her reports for the year ended December 31, 2015, the auditor general, Mildred Chiri, raised concern over the huge amounts of funds being salted out of the tax system by State CEOs.
“A number of entities were paying board fees, management salaries and benefits which were not authorised or which were not subjected to tax,” said Chiri.
“Allowances were paid outside the payroll and were not being taxed, contrary to the Income Tax Act, resulting in penalties for non compliance,” she said in the report.
State enterprises control about 40 percent of the country’s US$14 billion gross domestic product.
At the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (ZINARA), officers deleted files and massaged accounts to hide fraud at toll gates. The auditor general said ZINARA had US$2,5 million worth of transactions that were not supported by documents.
A further US$1,1 million disbursed by ZINARA to the department of roads was not supported by documents, raising auditors’ fears that public funds could have been expended on services not rendered.
“Some vehicles passing through tollgates and roads access collection points were reflecting as heavy vehicles on the tollgate system while they had discs confirming that they were light vehicles. Toll operators deleted computer records to force the systems to accept manual capturing of the right weights,” said Chiri.
The report said US$36 800 was paid to CMED board members for mileage without approval from the Minister of Transport.
At the Civil Aviation Authority (CAAZ), executives diverted a dump truck purchased for the US$150 million expansion of the Victoria Falls International Airport to a mine in Bindura. Two vehicles meant for the same airport were also allocated to managers at CAAZ head office in Harare.
“Two Toyota Hilux vehicles for the Victoria Falls project with registration numbers ADA 3509 and ADR 1014 were allocated to two senior CAAZ employees resident in Harare,” the report said.
“The vehicles were being used in Harare and not in Victoria Falls, while the employees in question had their personal issued vehicles. The authority provided accommodation for its employees and paid the same employees housing allowances…there is a fundamental issue in that employees have received double benefits,” said the report.
The report says 209 CAAZ workers received tax free accommodation in violation of the Income Tax Act, prejudicing the cash-strapped government.
Despite clear evidence of the existence of tax evasion, law enforcers have treated offenders with kids’ gloves, while hitting hard on those caught on the wrong side of the law in the private sector.
The report exposed fraud at fixed line telephone operator, TelOne, where officers stole US$700 000 last year. The firm had a US$100 million net liability.
Chiri said the acting director general of the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority approved holiday allowances for managers without approval from the parent ministry, while he and his deputy bought fuel for domestic generators using the telecommunications regulator’s funds.
At ZIMRA, fraudulent Value Added Tax (VAT) refunds, relating to presumed false input tax claims, prejudiced government of close to US$1 million, while an additional US$1,2 million was lost through “illegitimate” VAT refunds last year, and in the prior years.
These two amounts were enough to pay one month’s wages for about 7 300 civil servants.
The auditor general has previously requested ZIMRA to review its relationships with clearing agents to avoid losses, but the tax collection agency has failed to do so.
Now, US$42 million in non-acquitted Removal in Transit entries could be lost as many of the agencies closed before clearing their paperwork.
Chiri said ZIMRA continued to pay workers who had long left the organisation, while workers on suspension without benefits continued to receive their incomes.
ZESA Enterprises had about US$6,7 million in unremitted taxes, while the Zimbabwe Power Company’s tax liability stood at US$18,6 million at the end of 2014 .
The National Social Security Authority spent US$16 000 on its luxurious lodges in Nyanga, where its employees take holidays, but only generated US$563 from the lodges.
The Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZNPWMA) failed to remit US$5,6 million to various statutory bodies including ZIMRA resulting in US$530 000 being charged as penalties.
Full time ZNPWMA staff were not subjected to Pay As You Earn (PAYE) after teaching at the agency’s college on part time.
Close to 900 litres of fuel received by ZNPWMA executives during the year to December 31, 2013 violated State tax laws.
“The authority’s management received during the year ended December 31, 2013, monthly fuel allowances which were processed outside the pay roll system and were not subjected to PAYE in violation of the Income Tax Act. All benefits and allowances should be processed through the payroll and subjected to PAYE in line with the Income Tax Act,” said Chiri.
At the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe, management were not taxed for benefits and allowances, including night security at their homes.
The National Railways of Zimbabwe did not remit US$2,2 million to various statutory bodies in 2014. At the Environmental Management Agency, the agency’s board received performance-based bonuses during the year under review based on a resolution that the board had passed.
The board resolution stated that approval should be sought from the minister, but there was no evidence to show that the minister had approved the payment of bonuses to the board members.
The total amount of bonuses paid to the board members amounted to US$11 992 in 2014 and US$2 350 in 2013.
At the Competition and Tariff Commission, benefits to management were not taxed, while overtime was not processed through the payroll, evading PAYE.
Many parastatals are showing signs of serious illiquidity.
For example, NetOne did not service its loans resulting in penalty charges of US$1 696 748 and its current liabilities exceeded its current assets by US$55 616 801 as at December 31, 2014.
ZESA’s current liabilities exceeded its current assets by US$65 321 490 as at December 31, 2014; ZPC did not service its overdue foreign long term loans which amounted to US$324 314 133 as at December 31, 2014; and TelOne had a net liability position of US$163 431 710 as at December 31, 2014.
“The Harare City Council did not reconcile its cashbook overdrawn balance of US$208 430 777 as per financial statements to the bank overdraft balances of US$7 590 828 giving a significant variance of US$200 839 949,” said Chiri.
“(Gweru) senior council employees were being paid holiday and education allowances outside the payroll, as a result the allowances were not being taxed. The (Mutare) council could not avail supporting documentary evidence for acquittals of travel and subsistence allowance advances amounting to US$13 617 given to the city council’s town clerk in various months of the 2013 financial year,” she said.
On Redcliff, Chiri said one resident had deposited US$5 to purchase a stand.-FINGAZ
“F*** you Mugabe” Says Lumumba In New Party Launch
Staff Reporter|The controversial leader of the just launched Viva Zimbabwe youth political party Acie Lumumba, has openly told President Robert Mugabe “F*** you” in front of a packed press conference at a Harare hotel.
Lumumba said this while announcing the launch of the new political party for the youth which he leads as interim chairman. STORY CONTINUES BELOW…
Lumumba bravely said the swear words claiming to be drawing a red line against him and President Mugabe whom he claims his new party is out to dethrone come 2018.
“President Robert Gabriel Mugabe, f*** you. I have drawn the red line come and get me if you want to. I am here and my name is Lumumba, Lumumba, Lumumba, am saying it three times so that you hear it clearly,” said the 26 year old former ZANU PF youth leader and member of the notorious gang Chipangano.
Lumumba went further to threaten that if Mugabe gets him arrested and tortured for his statement the same fate will meet his own children later in life when the President is gone.
“I am a son of a brave war veteran and am not afraid. Whatever happens to me after this will happen to your children after you are gone,” said Lumumba. “This is not a threat at all.”
The unapologetic young leader reiterated his sentiments in a question and answer session claiming that what he said is exactly the feeling of all young people of Zimbabwe and he is saying it on behalf of all other young Zimbabweans.
The meeting ended prematurely with state security agents storming into the conference room demanding for an end of the conference. Lumumba was immediately whisked away from the hotel through the back door by people who at this stage remain unclear if they were his fellow party members or state security agents. His whereabouts were also not clear at the moment as his Secretary General Agents Gumbo who was still surrounded by journalists would also not disclose.
WARNING-HORROR ACCIDENT IN HARARE – PICTURES
An accident has just occured in Harare close to the South African Embassy which is situated between Belgravia and Mount Pleasant suburb, ZimEye.com is told.
While a police report was not forthcoming at the time of going to press, it appeared the driver of the above vehicle veered off the tracks as it crashed. The facts were still sketchy at the time of writing as the police investigation was underway, and so neither details on casualties could be obtained. More follows….DID YOU WITNESS THIS ACCIDENT? Contact ZimEye with your pictures and videos right now on +447426863301.
Mugabe To Fall Before 9th August- Pastor Mugadza Prophecy
As more churches join in the anti-President Robert Mugabe campaign, the Kariba based Remnant Church Pastor Philip Mugadza, famous for staging a one-man demonstration against Mugabe in Victoria Falls last December, says he is
staging a 40 Day Spiritual Warfare Prayer Push for Mugabe’s fall.
It is time to pray Robert Mugabe out, says pastor Mugadza.
Mugadza says the massive over one month long anti-Mugabe prayer to be launched in Africa Unity Square in Harare starts Friday, 1 July, stretching all the way up to the 9th August 2016.
“It will be held under the code #Mugabemustfall, because Mugabe has failed the country and therefore he and his government must step down before the Heroes Day holidays”, Mugadza told ZimEye.com in Harare Thursday.
“We will be holding prayers from 1700hrs to 1800 hrs every day and we shall be having different pastors taking turns in preaching until the final day”.
“We have deliberately chosen to hold this national prayer up to the Heroes holidays, hoping and praying that the President is going to do the honourable, that is, announcing his stepping down on the Heroes day, if he is a true hero,” said the clergyman.
“We are calling on like-minded pastors and churches to join us from their areas to serve the people and this process should not be treated as a church but as a national thing.
“We have been misinterpreting the scriptures when we were praying for the leaders. We have been saying God help our leaders and now they have proved beyond reasonable doubt that they have failed and it is high time to pray them out,” he said.
Mugadza, who was in December last year in Victoria Falls, arrested for demonstrating against President Mugabe said he was not afraid of the police.
Mujuru Sex Tapes | INVESTIGATION ON STORY
A viral rumour claiming that former Vice President Joice Mujuru has been exposed in a sex tape that has leaked hit social networks on Wednesday.
The development led to wild claims that former ZimPF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo has been having an affair with Mrs Mujuru. Others laid alternative allegations that Mujuru has been secretly dating her aide, Sylvester Nguni and the latter is the man she is seen in the footage.
This reporter has carried out a snap investigation on the development.
The report read in part, A senior member of the ever-ruling ZANU-PF party is said to have uttered claims that they are “allowing the former Vice President, Joice Mujuru, to cover as much political ground as she can before they destroy her permanently—political that is—by releasing a video footage of the widow of the late general Solomon Mujuru—purportedly in a compromising situation with one former government minister who is now a member of her Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) movement.
“We are not at all worried about her… we are just giving her a long rope, when the time comes, we will put her in the right position,” the official said. “The system keeps huge files on almost everyone who matter in this country… and in most of these files are sex tapes—especially of those that have once stayed in state properties or that have had state security,” the official was said to have vocalised stating.
The report circulated on the Zimbabwe Patriots Facebook page continued quoting the unnamed official saying, “these are some of the things that come handy when one decides to betray the party and its leadership like what Mujuru and others have done….We have a lot of things on almost everyone—both living and the dead—and that is the reason why many of those that were either suspended or fired from the party are reluctant to readily cross over to the opposition… they know that the party cannot allow them to walk away just like that.”#
No other Mujuru secret tape
ZimEye.com which first singularly revealed the Mujuru secret tape fiasco in 2014, can reveal there is no other Mujuru sex tape matter other than that mentioned by First Lady Grace Mugabe in 2014.
This reporter yesterday checked with State House files and found no other charges against Mrs Mujuru of a moral (bedroom) nature other than the above.
Serving CIO officers also added commentary on the matter. “This internet article is the figment of a content creator’s imagination”, a State House source in Harare said late yesterday.
While Presidential spokesperson, George Charamba’s phone rang without being answered, a family source close to Mrs Grace Mugabe widely known for her bitter attacks on Mujuru also expressed shock at the charges.
“Zvinyiko izvozvi zvauri kuvhunza,” the source who is female said.
She continued, “Please keep me out of your nonsense. I may not agree with Runaida but this is utter hogwash,” she added.
It also turned out no media house paid attention to the rumour.
In November 2014 ZimEye revealed that the Mugabes have secret tapes of a voice said to be of Joice Mujuru insulting Robert Mugabe, the President’s wife, Grace, spoke of Vice President Joice Mujuru saying that she trapped Mujuru when she was in her bedroom having her private intimate time with her husband wearing a mini skirt.
Grace said she recorded Mujuru speaking ill of the First Couple.
Speaking of Mujuru at her Mazowe farm, Grace said of Mujuru,
“Why did she inherit things that were not properly acquired,” she said while also calling her a demon.
The demons must return to Dotito – “Mademon ngaadzokere kuDotito, we exorcise those demons in the name of Jesus,” she said,.
Speaking on the secret tapes, Grace said her husband is in control and will have the last laugh.”
“I trapped Mujuru and I now have recording of her in a mini-skirt, speaking ill of me and the president. We are tired of this stupidity, ngaaende izvozvi, she said.”
GUNFIRE HORROR:600 Mozambicans Pushed Into Zimbabwe
OVER 600 Mozambican villagers have been pushed into Zimbabwe, as gun battles intensified in the neighbouring country.
Last week ZimEye.com revealed how bandits and soldiers have led attacks on civilians in that country which include beheadings.
“As government we do acknowledge the presence of Mozambican nationals in this province who are running away from political instability in Mozambique, Provincial Minister Mandi Chimene said.
She continued, “as government we are providing the necessary support to those arriving in Zimbabwe as the numbers are expected to increase.”
Despite the formation of a Joint Commission between the Mozambican government and the Renamo rebels to prepare a meeting between President Filipe Nyusi and Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama, Renamo gunmen have continued to ambush traffic on the main roads in the centre of the country.
The police say there were three attacks in Sofala province between Saturday and Monday. According to Sofala police spokesperson Daniel Macuacua, cited by the independent television station STV, over the weekend Renamo gangs blocked roads and attacked trucks.
In one of these incidents, seven men, armed with AK-47 assault rifles, stopped a truck carrying timber, travelling from the town of Inhaminga to the port city of Beira. The gunmen threatened the occupants of the truck and stole their mobile phones, clothes and 58,000 meticais (about 950 US dollars) in cash. Later that day a Renamo group, possibly the same one, blocked this road with tree trunks.
On Monday, Renamo attacked a convoy under armed escort travelling on the main north-south highway (EN1) between the small town of Muxungue and the Save river. Macuacua said they opened fire on a Toyota Coaster minibus that was carrying passengers to the town of Maxixe.
The defence and security unit guarding the convoy returned fire. In this incident nobody was killed or injured, and minor damage was done to the minibus.
In the neighbouring province of Manica, Renamo on Monday attacked a convoy travelling on the main road between the cities of Tete and Chimoio. The head of the Manica police public relations department, Leonardo Colher, said the gunmen opened fire on several vehicle in the convoy, and hit the driver of a bus in the arm.
The driver lost control of the bus, which swerved off the road and overturned. 20 people were injured in this incident, eight of them seriously, but there were no deaths. Some of the injured received bullet wounds, while others suffered broken bones and other injuries when the bus crashed. The eight severely injured were treated in the Manica provincial hospital in Chimoio.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday in Maputo, the spokesperson for the General Command of the police, Inacio Dina, promised that the military escorts for the convoys will be strengthened in the areas most at risk.
If it was necessary to increase the number of convoys, the police would do so, he added, “because our greatest interest is the safety of the people travelling along the roads”.
Dokora Uses Pastor Thugs to Dodge Court Verdict On “National Pledge”
Primary and Secondary Education Minister Lazarus Dokora has secretly deployed thuggish pastors to dodge the Constitutional Court’s highly expected landmark ruling on the militant vow (the National Pledge) he imposed on Zimbabwe’s school children, it has emerged.
Last week ZimEye.com revealed Minister Dokora used pastors led by a little known so called “Dr.Apostle” Alexander Chisango to announce backdoor claims that churches had reached an agreement with his anti-Christian plot exposed by ZimEye.com early this year in which Dokora was later forced to reverse his ban on the voluntary Bible club, Scripture Union in schools. (ALSO READ- Dokora Hides Behind Pastors). In another expose on the same matter, Dokora would deny his violation of the constitution to the point of accusing not only ZimEye.com journalists but also State Media scribes of what he claimed was “lying.”
“Fatima Bulla (State Media journo) lied,” Dokora would deny while lashing at ZimEye’s Simbarashe Chikanza.
The Constitutional Court yesterday postponed indefinitely an application by a Harare man seeking to challenge the government’s decision compelling all schoolchildren to recite the national pledge following claims that minister Dokora was engaged in consultative meetings with various churches.
The application was filed by a father (name withheld) of three school-going children, who is a member of the Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe (AFM).
In his application, the man argued the national pledge was a prayer which exalted various secular phenomena, including the national flag, mothers and fathers who lost their lives during the liberation struggle.
Through his lawyer David Hofisi of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), the man further argued the national pledge was unconstitutional and against his religious beliefs and as such, did not want his children to recite it.
However, when the matter was set to be heard by a full bench, Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku pointed out that the Registrar had received correspondence from the Attorney-General (AG)’s Office seeking postponement of the matter on the basis of ongoing consultations.
Part of the letter addressed to the Registrar Constitutional Court by one M Chimombe of the AG’s Office read: “. . . The basis for seeking a postponement is that our client, the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, is currently engaged in consultative meetings with various churches, who have raised their concerns regarding the national pledge. The leadership of the applicant’s church is among the churches that are being engaged. We believe the engagement will resolve the matter that is before the court.”
But Hofisi was reluctant to have the matter postponed as his client had nothing to do with the on-going consultations.
Hofisi further said since the AG’s Office official dealing with the matter had suffered bereavement, he had no option, but to concede to the application sought by prosecutor Olivia Zvedi.
The matter was postponed indefinitely and parties directed to approach the Registrar for a new set-down date after 30 days.- Newsday
Businessman Pays 4 Beasts For Snatching Married Woman
Terrence Mawawa, Shurugwi| A prominent local businessman tycoon has been ordered to pay four beasts by Chief Ndanga for having an affair with a married woman.
Daniel Hapazarihwo, who runs a supermarket in Shurugwi was summoned to Chief Ndanga’s traditional court last week.
Chief Ndanga ruled that Hapazarihwo was guilty of snatching Admire Magocha’s wife, Tsitsi Makonese.
He ordered the businessman to pay four beasts but the defiant Hapazarihwo has since taken the matter to the civil court.
In his application to the civil court Hapazarihwo indicated the Chief’s court had no jurisdication to make such a ruling. He also said he was not given time to respond to the issue. He further stated that Chief Ndanga’s court did not have the evidence he had an affair with Tsitsi.
In his affidavit Magocha said he grilled his wife about the affair and she conceded she was in love with the business tycoon.
“I asked my wife about her relationship with Hapazarihwo and she denied at first but she later admitted. After her admission, I called Hapazarihwo to my house and we discussed the matter. He then agreed to pay $5000,00
Hapazarihwo asked for some days while he looked for the money but he later on denied everything,” said Magocha in his affidavit.
Land Reform Over, Minister Made Says
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Dr Joseph Made has urged developmental agencies to concentrate on assisting farmers, stressing that their penchant to debate the land issue was a lost cause.
Speaking at the launch of a project on strengthening the national sanitary and phytosanitary institutional framework in Zimbabwe, funded under the European Union support to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Dr Made said the land issue was a closed chapter.
Sanitary and phytosanitary refers to measures taken to ensure human, animal and plant health.
“The land issue in Zimbabwe is totally irreversible. In another forum, jointly with the EU, we are addressing the matter relating to security of tenure.
“Government is addressing the land tenure issues. Farmers who benefited from the land reform will get A1 permits or 99-year leases for A2 farmers. There is an exercise underway in relation to land compensation.
“This debate should not concern us but total focus should be put on supporting those farmers to produce. We have A1, A2 and old resettlement farmers who benefited under the land reform.
“Anyone who comes to work with us from a developmental point of view can choose the sector to work with. No one is forced to support any of our sectors. We do not want anybody to enter our land reform debate. It is a matter already put to rest. We should be clear and unambiguous on that because we want to move on,” he said.
He said the phytosanitary project would boost Zimbabwe’s capacity for implementing the EU-ESA interim Economic Partnership Agreement.
Other parties to the agreement are Madagascar, Seychelles and Mauritius.
This agreement seeks to enhance trade with the EU through elimination of quotas and duties for imports from parties to the agreement as well as gradual liberalisation of exports to them.
Zimbabwe ratified the interim Economic Partnership Agreement in 2012 but is yet to implement the agreement due to a number of challenges which include the absence of a legislative framework and procedures to facilitate the implementation of the agreement and the requisite capacity.
This project is being implemented by the National Sanitary and Phytosanitary Committee, which is currently chaired by the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development.
Beneficiaries of the project include Plant Quarantine Services, Division of Veterinary Services, National Biotechnology Authority, Government Analyst Laboratory and Environmental Health Department.
EU Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Phillipe Van Damme said to access EU markets, exporters should conform to the technical and safety standards and should meet high quality standards.-state media
ZIFA Closure Opens Door for Rushwaya
Harare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe yesterday deferred to today the remand ruling for former Zifa chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya and her accomplices Edzai Kasinauyo and Nation Dube, accused of organising the “Limpopogate” match-fixing scandal.
The three are challenging further remand arguing that the dissolution of Zifa by its president Dr Philip Chiyangwa clearly meant there was no complainant in their case.
The trio, through their lawyers, submitted that the State’s allegations and facts did not reveal an offence against them.
They are on $100 bail each.
Dube’s lawyer, Mr Simon Simango, told the court that the dissolution of Zifa meant there was no complainant in the matter, leaving the trio with no one to sue.
“If the trio was to be acquitted today, whom will they sue? Right now as we speak, there is no complainant in this matter after the dissolution of Zifa,” said Mr Simango
Mr Simango further stated that the State had no case against the trio.
Mr Harrisson Nkomo, who is representing Kasinauyo, added that the charge and the facts presented to the court against the trio did not form a legal basis for them to continue being on remand.
“What is just mentioned is that there was a plan that unnamed characters who were supposed to represent Zimbabwe in that particular match were going to be given bribes to influence the outcome of the match but no exchange of money was revealed,” said Mr Nkomo.
Mr Nkomo further stated that the facts of the State as currently presented did not establish reasonable suspicion that the trio committed a crime.
“The State has made unnecessary and psychological detention of the trio which are devastating,” he said.
As part of their bail conditions, they were ordered to report once a week at CID Serious Frauds, not to interfere with State witnesses and to reside at their given addresses.
Allegations are that between January and February this year, Rushwaya — working in cahoots with Kasinauyo, Dube and Ian Gorowa — was involved in acts of soccer match-fixing targeting South African Premier Soccer League teams.
The court heard that Rushwaya, together with Leeroy Kundishora Waguta, who turned out to be the whistle blower, were working in connivance with Chan Sankran, a well-known Asian match fixer who was the financier.
In February, it is alleged that Rushwaya and her accomplices agreed to fix the AFCON qualifier matches between Swaziland and Zimbabwe scheduled for March 25 and 28, 2016 in Mbabane and Harare respectively. They agreed to offer bribes to Zimbabwe national soccer team players as an inducement to lose the game.
It is alleged that they agreed to implement their plan after announcement of the team selected to play against Swaziland. It is the State’s case that as a result, Kasinauyo was tasked to put pressure on Warriors coach Kallisto Pasuwa to prematurely announce the list of players or leak the list to the syndicate.
It is alleged that they agreed to target three players — a goalkeeper and two defenders.
The court heard that Waguta alerted the coach of the plot to bribe the players and fix the matches.
He assured the coach that he would constantly update him with the progress of Rushwaya’s plans. The court heard that after the delay in announcing the players, Rushwaya identified Tatenda Mukuruva as the probable goalkeeper. Gorowa phoned Mukuruva inviting him to South Africa purporting that he wanted him for trials with the aim of luring him into their deal.
It is alleged that Mukuruva informed Pasuwa of the plan.
Pasuwa, it is alleged, constantly received information from Waguta and at the same time Kasinauyo kept on pressuring him for the release of the list of players. As a result, Pasuwa could not contain the pressure and finally informed Zifa president Dr Chiyangwa. The court heard that on March 10, then Zifa chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze reported the matter to the police leading to Rushwaya’s arrest.
Brexit May Never Happen, says US Secretary of State
Independent|US Secretary of State John Kerry has reportedly said that Brexit might never happen.
According to Agence France-Press (AFP), Kerry told the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado that there were “a number of ways” in which the UK could walk back from Brexit.
Speaking a day after meeting David Cameron in Downing Street, Kerry reportedly said the Prime Minister was very reluctant to invoke “Article 50” of the Lisbon treaty, which would trigger a two-year timetable for departure from the EU.
“This is a very complicated divorce,” he was quoted as saying.
According to AFP, Kerry said that he thought Cameron “feels powerless — and I think this is a fair conclusion –- to go out and start negotiating a thing that he doesn’t believe in, and he has no idea how he would do it.”
“And by the way nor do most of the people who voted to do it,” Kerry reportedly said, possibly referring to “Leave” campaigners such as former London mayor Boris Johnson.
In the immediate aftermath of the Brexit victory in the EU referendum, Johnson, now considered by many to be the favourite to replace Cameron as Prime Minister, had said there was “no need for haste” in triggering Article 50.
Kerry, when asked by the panel moderator if a Brexit decision could be “walked back”, reportedly told the ideas festival audience it could be done, although he didn’t at this stage want to say how.
“I think there are a number of ways,” he was quoted as saying. “I don’t as Secretary of State want to throw them out [publicise them] today. I think that would be a mistake. But there are a number of ways.”
Kerry’s suggestion that Brexit might not happen comes after demonstrations in the UK against Britain leaving the EU and after thousands signed petitions for a second referendum.
UK constitutional lawyers have also said that MPs still had the legal right to vote down any move to trigger Brexit, with Geoffrey Robertson QC saying the referendum had been “purely advisory”.
EU Commission President Jean Claude Juncker, however, has made clear his view that “It is not an amicable divorce” and Britain should start negotiating exit terms immediately.
The Obama Administration has long been clear in its opposition to Brexit. In April, while visiting the UK, Barack Obama said Britain would be at the “back of the queue” in any trade deal with the US if it left the EU.
However on Tuesday Obama sought to calm diplomatic and financial market fears about Brexit by telling American National Public Radio: “I would not overstate it. There’s been a little bit of hysteria post-Brexit vote, as if somehow NATO’s gone, the trans-Atlantic alliance is dissolving, and every country is rushing off to its own corner. That’s not what’s happening.
“I think the best way to think about this is, a pause button has been pressed on the project of full European integration.”
Cop ‘Steals’ $100 000 from Mugabe
Terrence Mawawa, Beitbridge| President Robert Mugabe’s administration has been hit with shame after a cop cunningly deprived it of $100,000.
The cop who is part of the contingent that provides the Head Of State with security in Matebeleland, faked the ZRP date stamp and stole at least $100 000 state cash meant for the payment of fines.
ZRP officer, Admire Sibanda, connived with Walter Komboni and another accomplice, said to be on the run, to produce a fake ZRP date stamp which they used to defraud the state. Sibanda collected the money and never deposited it to the bank.
Sibanda and Komboni appeared before Beitbridge Magistrate Godwill Mavenge facing fraud charges. They were granted $400 bail each.
From December 2015 to June 2016,Sibanda who was in charge of the finance section at Beitbridge Police station, received cash collected from different police posts.
Sibanda connived with Komboni and another man to produce the fake date stamp and fake bank slips. The trio did not remit any cash to the bank.
The two who were remanded in custody to July 11 this year, but after being granted bail, were ordered to surrender their passports and ordered to remain confined at their given addresses in Beitbridge. They were also ordered to report once a week at Beitbridge Police Station.
“The investigating officer in this case also said the fears by the state might be cured by strict conditions accompanying the bail,” said Magistrate Mavenge in granting the duo bail.
The magistrate also said the granting of bail was a constitutional right.
EU told Mnangagwa Only Person to Replace Mugabe | MLISWA EXCLUSIVE
EXCLUSIVE: Temba Mliswa EU meeting updates – PART 1
By A Correspondent | Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa is the only person befitting to replace President Robert Mugabe, (Youth Advocacy for Reform and Democracy) YARD leader, Temba Mliswa has told the EU.
Briefing politicians and bureaucrats at meetings organised by ZimEye at the European Union at the EU Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday, Mliswa’s strong message to them was that they should recognise Mnangagwa as he is best placed to offer leadership that will give Zimbabwe a smooth transition to final democracy.
Mliswa who also upholds that Morgan Tsvangirai is the only viable challenger to Zanu PF, argued his case saying “Mnangagwa commands respect of the security forces” and the increasingly restive war veterans. He said “to avoid war,” this is the best option for Zimbabwe.
He dismissed first lady Grace Mugabe as just having the power but no authority over the strategic arms of the State.
It was not clear at the time of writing whether Mliswa’s message had found resonance in the EU which in the past has supported Morgan Tsvangirai. The man however conducted high level briefings at the European Parliament.
Below is an exerpt from a snap interview outside the parliament building:
More Churches Call for Mugabe’s Removal
More churches are joining the call for President Robert Mugabe to relinquish power forthwith in the wake of the country’s ever-deteriorating economic situation.
And in a major departure from the mild positions that faith-based organisations usually take with regard to politics, churches under the ambit of the Zimbabwe Divine Destiny (ZDD) even threatened to embark on “mass action” to help force Mugabe to leave office.
ZDD’s announcement also came as public sector workers ratcheted up their threats to embark on strikes if their salaries were not paid in full now.
Addressing a media conference in Harare yesterday, ZDD executive director, Ancelimo Magaya, said churches would soon embark on peaceful demonstrations to help force Mugabe to step down.
“This is the right time for action. There is no better time than this. I am saying President Mugabe should step down and Zimbabweans should mount pressure to make sure that the president steps down. But the pressure must be violent-free.
“I believe strongly that there is an emergence of a prophetic force that is going to be unstoppable. The church is ready to confront Mugabe, but when I say confront I am not talking about violence.
“When the prophets confronted the king, they did not hold swords. It’s simply prophetic confrontation. The church is ready to do that. All what we need to do is to harness and coordinate that prophetic voice,” Magaya said.
He emphasised that while Zimbabweans should remain peaceful, they should not be docile, but must resist all forms of oppression.
“What I am saying right now is something that I can never reverse even in the courts of law. It is in the public domain (Mugabe’s failures). If I were given an opportunity to meet Mugabe I will tell him exactly what I am saying right now.
“I believe that when one approaches the complex monster of dictatorship, one can never prescribe one approach. Yes, we do recognise diplomatic engagements which are very important.
“But I also believe that confrontation cannot be ruled out as long as it is not violent. We need to use all methods to make sure that this machinery is dismantled,” Magaya said.
Speaking while commemorating the UN Convention against Torture, Magaya also said Zanu PF had started to intimidate people ahead of the eagerly-anticipated 2018 national elections.
“People must not dread elections, but our history as a nation is that fear and consternation grip us when elections come. Why?
“This is because those in power especially, use violence and torture to intimidate the electorate and this has already started to unfold almost two years away from 2018. Shame on all the perpetrators of violence,” he said.
Magaya’s sentiments come after other churches recently called on Mugabe to resign, including the influential Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference (ZCBC).
Meanwhile, Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary general, Raymond Majongwe, said yesterday that the government was lying that it was broke, as it could afford to pay the army and military their full salaries.
He said the government was being “selective” in its treatment of its workers, warning that could prove disastrous in the long run, including facing a likely stay-away.
“The action will mean withdrawal of our labour. We learnt from the war veterans that if you want anything from government use your feet, run on the street, get arrested and get beaten.
“If that is what government wants us to do, the flesh is here, ready to be beaten. We are not just fighting and making unnecessary noise, but are demanding what is legitimately ours.
“Any workers who do not stand up to fight for their cause will only have themselves to blame, because we are talking of a government that knows how to consume money by buying expensive vehicles, staying in hotels and flying all over the world,” Majongwe thundered.
He said if the government was sincere about paying them their salaries, they should borrow the money for this purpose.
“Government should understand that we cannot survive on piece-meal offers. The money they want to give us will have deductions incurred through the withdrawal process. Government is also setting a dangerous precedence.
“Once we are told the June salaries will be paid in July and so forth we may actually end up having three months of unpaid work. Many companies and parastatals such as National Railways of Zimbabwe and the Grain Marketing Board collapsed because workers were promised their salaries in such a way,” Majongwe said.
Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president, Obet Masaraure, said the government wanted workers to report for duty without it looking after their welfare.
He said the government knew very well that workers’ monthly obligations such as rentals
could not be deferred to another month.
“We reject this callous move and we are calling on all affected workers to sit-in with us in protest, at the ministry of Finance’s offices in Harare on the 1st of July. We will protest until our salaries are paid in full, failure of which we will call for our members to engage in a massive nationwide strike,” he said.
Apex council chairperson Cecelia Alexander said the government should not hold the union accountable for what its members could decide to do.
“Government makes it hard for us to believe them because they are not upfront with their issues. We just speak on behalf of our constituency and whatever they decide will prevail.
“Hutsi hweteargas hukanga hwatosvora ticharamba takasvinura nekuti ndizvo zvatakazvipira (We are prepared to be choked by police teargas as we are determined to get our money),” Alexander said.
Zimbabwe Democratic Teachers Union president, George Mushipe, said even prior to last Monday’s meeting between the government and civil service union representatives, pay slips with the July date had already started circulating without consultations.
He said it was in that light that they felt that talk of workshops and regular consultation between the employer and the employee was just “academic jargon to silence the workers”.
“We need a living salary because we have expenses. Demonstrating is outlying anger at what government is doing to its dedicated workers. This is not the time for workshops while our families are starving. Workshop talk is a ploy to divert our attention from real issues,” Mushipe said. daily news
Remove Logo, Makarau Orders Mangoma
RENEWAL Democrats of Zimbabwe (RDZ) President Elton Mangoma has been ordered to change his party’s logo by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) as it resembled that on the national flag.
The fledgling opposition party, which was formed June last year, uses a black eagle with wings spread across the Zimbabwean map as its symbol.
ZEC has summoned the former MDC-T treasurer general to inform him the symbol clashed with that on the Zimbabwean national flag.
The Justice Rita Makarau chaired electoral body insists the eagle was a national symbol and could not be reproduced by any political party for its own identification purposes.
Mangoma has since been asked to provide a different logo to allow a party candidate to contest the Mazowe North by-election which is due mid next month.
The correspondence, also seen by RadioVOP, was signed by ZEC chief election officer Constance Chigwamba.
“The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is requesting you to report to our head office polling and training department in connection with the symbol used by your candidate in the Mazowe North by-election to be held on July 23, 2016,” read the letter.
“In this regard, your office is to assist by adhering to the above request as a matter of urgency and no later than June 17, 2016 so that the process of ballot printing is not delayed.”
Mangoma, on his part, remained defiant, insisting he was not going to take the matter seriously. He vowed to approach the courts in attempts to block any arm-twisting by ZEC.
“RDZ contested 3 elections last year, all conducted by yourselves using the same logo. We have spent substantial resources promoting that same logo.
“We take this as electoral harassment by you on behalf of Zanu PF. If there is anything wrong, then please have the courts settle it,” Mangoma in his written response to ZEC. radio vop
BREAKING NEWS- Manyenyeni Arrested After Defeating Kasukuwere
In a shocking move, the Mayor of Harare His Worship, Ben Manyenyeni was arrested this morning shortly after defeating Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere at court.
Manyenyeni was picked up by officials of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and at the time of writing was detained there.
Sources told ZimEye.com the declared reason for the arrest is what the officers say were offences of a financial nature in the MDC-T run council.
The Chair of Chra Harare reportedly Mr. Simbarashe Moyo has visited the Mayor. “He is OK but detained. Prof. Madhuku his legal representative is handling the matter and has assured us all will be well,” political analyst Mfundo Mlilo said.
Meanwhile the MDC-T party announced saying, “The High Court today ordered the reinstatement of Harare Mayor, Bernard Manyenyeni who had challenged his suspension by Local Government minister, Saviour Kasukuwere over two months ago.
Soon after his court ruling,and in strange and suspicious circumstances, the mayor was picked up for questioning by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission for unclear reasons.
Justice Lavender Makoni ordered Kasukuwere to pay the costs of the suit and interdicted him from suspending Manyenyeni who is now allowed to continue with his duties.
Mayor Manyenyeni was initially suspended on April 20 this year on allegations of insubordination and unprocedurally appointing James Mushore as Harare town clerk.”
Kasukuwere Defeated
Local Government Minister, Saviour Kasukuwere was this morning defeated in a landmark ruling that saw Harare mayor, Ben Manyenyeni walking out with the last laugh.
Manyenyeni was contesting his suspension early this year.
The court also ordered Kasukuwere not to further suspend Manyenyeni on any other related matter.
Representing him was top constitutional lawyer, Lovemore Madhuku who argued Kasukuwere’s suspension of Manyenyeni is illegal. More to follow…
Lumumba Officially Launches Political Party| BREAKING NEWS
Former ZANU PF tongue twister, Acie Lumumba, is within 24 hours dropping his bombshell political outfit, ZimEye.com can reveal.
Lumumba who has in previous weeks signaled the intention, is tomorrow making his first official debut at the New Ambassador Hotel in Harare.
The event has been cleared by the police, Lumumba told ZimEye.com Wednesday morning.
While it was not clear what name and DNA the outfit is to be under, Lumumba flighted an advertorial flyer inscribed, “Viva Zimbabwe, Reset, Restore, Reform”. The meeting is being held between 10.30 and 12.30pm.
Lumumba was fired from a government job by President Robert Mugabe’s nephew Patrick Zhuwao and has ever since then been campaigning against his former boss.
Grace Silences Jonathan Moyo | SECRET TAPES
President Robert Mugabe’s wife, Grace has reportedly silenced leaders of her party faction, G-40 which is pushing for her to succeed her aging husband, in a Déjà vu of the Mujuru ouster days.
Sources close to the First Lady told ZimEye.com that the disciplined are Higher and Tertiary Education Minister Jonathan Moyo and Local Government Minister, Saviour Kasukuwere, who is also the party’s national political commissar, over what CIO agents say is a secret tape recording.
In 2014, former Vice President Joice Mujuru was kicked out of ZANU PF after CIOs presented to President Mugabe what they claimed were audio recordings of Mujuru insulting Mugabe saying: ” He is now resting on his faeces, he must go.”
The two, Moyo and Kasukuwere are leading the G-40 factional group which is in a fierce succession battle with Vice President Emerson Mnangagwa .
The sources said recently while the First Lady was in the far East where her daughter Bona was giving birth, she received a “secret tape recording” from her spies which recorded one of the G-40 leaders saying that they wanted to deal with her (Grace) after having finished with the Mnangagwa faction.
“After listening to the tape one of the G-40 bosses called the First Lady wishing her good health for her newly born grandson Simbanashe, and he was told not communicate with the First Family again,” said the sources.
“This is the reason why you are not hearing them (G-40) saying anything because they were silenced and now they do not know where to start from and neither do they know their future in the party,” they told ZimEye.
Moyo and Kasukuwere were part of the Mnangagwa camp before the ouster of the former Vice President, Joice Mujuru and they played a big role which led to the dismissal from both government and Zanu PF of Mujuru and her aides.
Mugabe Recalls Senate for Local Govt Bill
President Robert Mugabe has recalled the upper house of parliament from its break to come back and debate his proposed Local Government Amendments Bill.
In a statement to the media issued by the Clerk of Parliament, members of the senate have been called to meet on Thursday to deliberate on the greatly condemned bill.
Local government minister Saviour Kasukuwere last week pushed the bill through the house against fierce resistance from opposition parliamentarians who felt that the process to consult on the bill was not yet over.
The bill which gives the Minister of Local Government overwhelming powers in the adminstration of local authorities was rejected throughout the country.
The special senate will seat this week to discuss the one item and the ruling ZANU PF expected to use its majority to force the bill through.
Analysts say ZANU PF is doing this in order to obtain “unfair advantage” in the run up to the 2018 elections.
Meanwhile Harare West MP Jessie Majome has called for Harare residents to sign a petition to force Kasukuwere to remove his hands from Harare City Council. The petition can be signed here –
MDC Official Arrested for ‘Plotting To Kill Mugabe’ – Police
Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo|MDC National Youth Assembly leader Happymore Chidziva is facing treason charges for allegedly attempting to unconstitutionally remove President Robert Mugabe from power.
As state security agents remain alert, fearing what they say is a looming popular uprising against Mugabe’s government, Chidziva popularly known as’Cde Bvondo’ was arrested in Masvingo last week. He was charged with incitement and treason following claims by the police that he threatened to remove Mugabe from power by force.
Chidziva who was on the police wanted list for two months was arrested after he handed himself over to the police. The treason charges stem from a youth meeting he addressed in Chiredzi last month. The police accused him of attempting to unseat Mugabe through violent means.The police also accused him of inciting Gutu villagers to grab food aid.
Chidziva who was later released after being interrogated by the police said he was not intimidated by the incident.
“The police are being used by Zanu PF to derail the train of change.I heard the police in Masvingo were looking for me so I decided to go there .I was arrested and they leveled atrocious charges against me. Zanu PF is using all state apparatus at its disposal to crush dissent but we will not be intimidated.They think if they arrest me,I will be intimidated. They can slow the process but they will never stop us.We will never remove Mugabe from power by force,” said Chidziva.
As the nation continues to grapple with socio-economic woes,the government could face widespread protests across the nation,analysts have warned.
Civil Servants Reject Govt’s $100 Salary
Civil servants’ representatives yesterday said they were finalising consultations on the $100 advance payment offered by Government amid indications that the majority of workers had rejected the proposal.
Government on Monday met civil servants’ unions and offered them $100 for transport while they awaited their June salaries to be paid in a fortnight. The employer offered to pay the advance payment by Friday, but civil servants said they would give their position today after consulting their membership.
Apex Council team leader Mrs Cecilia Alexander said they were finalising consultations to make a determination.
“Unions are still on the ground and it is only after their compilations that the Apex Council will sit down and come up with a position,” she said. “Our position will be informed by the input from the unions and tomorrow (today) everything will be clear on which route we will be taking.”
Government, which is facing cash flow challenges, has managed to pay members of the Zimbabwe National Army and Air Force of Zimbabwe while police and prison officers will get their dues tomorrow. Teachers will get their salaries on July 7 while health workers and the rest of the civil service will be paid on July 14.
Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) chief executive Mr Sifiso Ndlovu, said their members “were ready for anything.” “We are in the middle of consultations, people are very angry and we don’t know how to control them,” he said.
“It looks like they are ready for anything and what is coming out clear is that when Government came for that meeting they had a position and they are processing the money. What is coming out is anger and we have to manage that anger such that it is not converted into something else. My fear is that Government may shut down if we are not careful. It does not need to be handled with arrogance.”
Zimbabwe Rural Teachers Union national spokesperson Mr Gibson Mushangu, said for rural workers, the $100 would be eroded by expenses.
“Members are saying the money will be spent on transport other than taking care of their welfare,” he said.
“To access that money it means travelling to withdraw it and on arrival at the bank one might even fail to get it. So they are saying come last day of the month we won’t be able to go to work.”
Said Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary general Mr Raymond Majongwe: “People are arguing that if we start off like this, it will continue like this forever. Workers want their lump sum for food, rentals and other liabilities. They are saying Government should come back to the table with a better offer or they go on strike.”
Government is rationalising the civil service to cut on its wage bill which stands at $200 million per month translating to more than 80 percent of revenue collected. The rationalisation exercise is expected to save $400 million annually.-state media
Mujuru Stole $15Bill Diamonds, says Kasukuwere
Zimbabwe People First leader Joice Mujuru stole a chunk of the missing 15 billion diamonds, Zanu-PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere says.
Mujuru has skeletons in her cupboard among them diamond smuggling and must not pretend to be clean, Kasukuwere has said.
Kasukuwere warned Dr Mujuru to stop boasting that she will not be arrested as she has cases of abuse of office and corruption allegations to answer for. He said that was the reason Dr Mujuru and members of her ZimPF party were ousted from the ruling Zanu-PF party.
Kasukuwere, who is also the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, said this while addressing people operating businesses at Glen View Area 8 Home Industries in Harare yesterday.
“Mujuru knows that she committed the offences. You (Dr Mujuru) know that you will be arrested for committing the offences. Mujuru and some of her senior members were dismissed for corruption and they would steal during day time.
“For example, they are aware that in Masvingo all the money that was channelled for dam construction disappeared during their tenure in office. Zinwa also collapsed because of them and where are the irrigation schemes in Dande?” he said.
This comes in the wake of statements made by Dr Mujuru recently that the real reason she was sacked from Zanu-PF was because she had spoken out against corruption.
Kasukuwere said: “Musadenhe zvirere. Kana uri mbavha better utaure hako zvimwe. We are aware of the diamonds that were taken to Kenya and by the way, in whose name were these diamonds taken to Kenya?
“That party (ZimPF) also has diesel n’angas who lied about the Chinhoyi diesel issue. My question is where on earth would you see or obtain diesel from a mountain? he asked.”
Kasukuwere was accompanied by Minister of State for Harare Provincial Affairs Miriam Chikukwa, Small to Medium Enterprises Development Minister Sithembiso Nyoni and Harare provincial administrator Mr Alfred Tome, among other senior party and Government officials.
He first held a closed door meeting with officials at Glenview Home Industry Complex and later toured the complex. Kasukuwere said plans were underway to ensure that the complex was improved to create a better environment for business.
This comes after he was briefed that there were no toilets and electricity at the complex, among various other challenges. Kasukuwere warned some councillors not to abuse their offices by involving themselves in corrupt activities.
“Let’s shun corruption. We don’t want any councillors who move like a peacock and steal money from people to enrich themselves. If we catch you, you will have yourself to blame,” Kasukuwere said.
Minister Chikukwa took a swipe at people erecting illegal structures in the city which she said were mushrooming without proper documents. She said people should follow the normal procedures whenever they want to acquire land and that they should not be duped by land barons.
Minister Nyoni said she would continue taking new steps and measures to change the conditions of SMEs countrywide.-state media
Zimra Threatens to Seize Cross Border Buses
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority has threatened to seize cross border buses which carry into the country goods banned under statutory instrument number 64 of 2016 which sought to tighten screws on imports of basic commodities.
The parastatal has since written to cross-border transporters warning them against carrying goods which are restricted under the open general import license.
Zimra has been forced to suspend rolling out the new regulations which made the importation of food items, building material, furniture, toiletries and cooking oil among other things virtually impossible without permits due to resistance by travelers.-state media
“Every Shona Guilty of Gukurahundi!”, exMinister Mzila Ndlovu Lashes Out Again
Staff Reporter |The controversial former MDC-Ncube Secretary General, Moses Mzila Ndlovu has been described as “directionless” following his performance at the weekend in South Africa, when he attempted to launch his new political outfit.
The suggested name of his party is Bukalanga People’s Party and will only target the Kalanga people of Zimbabwe in only seven constituencies.
Mzila Ndlovu says: “Every Shona person is guilty of Gukurahundi.”
ZimEye.com sources who attended the meeting addressed by Mzila in the heart of Johannesburg at the weekend lamented that, after a near one hour of address they were left confused as to what exactly the veteran politician was selling to them.
The sources further claim that Mzila spent ninety percent of his address throwing tribal insults at Shona speaking people of Zimbabwe and declaring them all gukurahundi killers.
Zimbabweans had been invited to the meeting to hear Mzila announce the formation of a new regional political party but the former liberation war fighter went on to divert and concentrate on tribal slurs that left them with no direction on what he was proposing as a way forward.
Prior to the meeting, Mzila’s agents in Johannesburg had mobilised mainly the Kalanga speaking people from Zimbabwe on the promise that he was coming to launch a Bukalanga People’s Party.
The party which is being planned as a regional party will be focused only in seven of the two hundred and ten constituencies in the country.
The constituencies which they believe are only dominated by the Kalanga speaking people are Tsholotsho North and South, Matobo North and South and the three Plumtree constituencies of Bulilima East and West and Mangwe.
Mzila is believed to be back in the country preparing to go on a tour of the seven constituencies to announce his intended Bukalanga People’s Party.
The sources said that they did not find any logic in the running of a regional party as it will not get rid of the ZANU PF government which is the problem faced by Zimbabweans.
“We couldn’t make sense what Mzila was really on about,” said one of the sources. “How will the Kalanga only party help us remove ZANU PF from power?”
Theresa May beats Boris Johnson in poll for next Prime Minister
The Independent |Theresa May narrowly beats Boris Johnson as the politician the public think would make the best Prime Minister, according to a YouGov poll.
The Home Secretary was the most popular to succeed David Cameron: as the chart by Statista shows, she is backed by 19 per cent of the public, compared to 18 per cent who backed the former Mayor of London.
Michael Gove came thir
Could be next PM…Theresa May
d with five per cent – while no other potential candidate received more than three per cent.
Jeremy Hunt, who announced his intention to run for leader, received one per cent.
Ms May is favoured by 31 per cent of Conservative voters, compared to 24 per cent for Mr Johnson.
She also leads among Labour and Lib Dem voters, by 18 per cent to 9 per cent and 31 per cent to 13 per cent respectively.
However, Mr Johnson has a clear lead of 48 per cent to 9 per cent among Ukip voters.
Nominations for the Tory party leadership open on Wednesday and close the following day, with a new prime minister and Conservative leader in place by 2 September.
Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb and Business Secretary Sajid Javid are reportedly considering standing on a joint ticket – Mr Crabb had two per cent while Mr Javid was on three per cent.
Other contenders include Education Secretary Nicky Morgan and former frontbencher Liam Fox, who was on three per cent.
Prominent Brexit campaigners Andrea Leadsom, minister for energy and climate change, and work and pensions minister Priti Patel are expected to stand, according to reports.
Additional reporting by Press Association
Tsvangirai Can Be Replaced – Mzumara
Maggie Mzumara| If the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) keeps on with its current trajectory, it may well be on its way to doing away with personality politics.
Since the inception of the democratic movement, it had appeared as if outside of Tsvangirai the party had no life. And with his undeniable ability to move the masses, those that left Tsvangirai’s big tent have withered and formed party formations that continue to struggle to register themselves as forces to reckon with. As if proof that without Tsvangirai the going is not so easy for them.
By standing and succeeding in the absence of party leader, the MDC-T has effectively “moved the centre” of power from one person and vested it in the party’s executive, which collectively led the marches. To her credit, deputy president of the party Thokozani Khupe, ably addressed the multitudes.
While, Tsvangirai may still enjoy popularity, it is very key for him and observers to note that he is not the be all and end all of his party. In essence, the standing up and running of the show without him, gives a glimpse of the succession trajectory beyond Tsvangirai if he were for whatever reason to exit the stage. It has become imaginable that the ship may and could be steered by others, which is more than what can be said for the ruling party.
Of course, beyond Tsvangirai, the onus would then be on those left to maintain the momentum and not drop the ball.
That the centre is not fixated on any one “big man” is healthy for the MDC-T because really a political party should not exist as a private property of any one man. It should never be in the pocket of one man and his family. For any revolution to be sustainably healthy in the long term, it should belong to the membership. Led by some chosen leader, but belonging to the card-carrying masses.
This gives broad-based ownership of that revolution.
Another crucial advantage for what the MDC-T has demonstrated is that what glues them together or what focuses them as a party is not a person, a being, but the issues, the ideology and the policies of that movement as they evolve and as understood and interpreted by the membership.
For long, talk has been that the MDC-T is not very different from its nemesis, Zanu PF, but doing away with personality politics, if it successfully and continuously demonstrates this, could very well mark a distinct departure from the “politics as usual” we continue elsewhere on the political landscape.
While this development could be great for the party as an entity, for Tsvangirai as a person it may very well show him that he is expendable and that the days where he was the life and blood of that democratic revolution are behind him.
How he lives with the realisation that whether he is there or not, the party can thrive, is a litmus test whose results remain to be seen.
In the past, in the MDC-T, as in Zanu PF, promise and ambition in others other than the “big man” himself have been punishable, we wait to see if there won’t be any backlash for anyone.
Whichever way one slices it, MDC-T is breaking new ground for itself and Tsvangirai could soon be put on notice by these developments, if poor health has not already and naturally done so.
Has it taken ill-health to usher in a glimpse of succession politics? Could this also be seen elsewhere anytime soon? Time will tell.
But whatever happens, the centre should not be eternally rigid, but be movable and let the ideas, issues, ideologies, policies and indeed the struggle be that which holds a party together, not a mere mortal. Heaven forbid, mortality should be the deciding factor. We will all, including the likes of Zanu PF deputy youth secretary Kudzanai Chipanga, who may or may not believe otherwise, do well to remember that people are, but mere mortals, let us not deify them. Reality has, but a way of checking in.
Maggie Mzumara is a media, communication and leadership specialist. She writes this as a socio-political analyst.
Mujuru Faces Arrest – Jonathan Moyo
ZANU PF politburo member and Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo has warned that former Vice-President Joice Mujuru could still be dragged to court for offences she allegedly committed during her tenure as a government official.
Mujuru, who now leads the opposition Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) party, was stampeded out of Zanu PF and government at the tail-end of 2014 on a litany of charges among them corruption, extortion and plotting to assassinate President Robert Mugabe.
However, she has denied the charges, and told her party supporters at a campaign rally in Harare last Saturday that she was hounded out of the ruling party and government over her anti-corruption stance.
At the weekend, Mujuru dared her rivals to prove the graft allegations levelled against her.
“Up to this day, we have not gone to jail, neither have we been stopped by police at the numerous roadblocks that we go through on a daily basis. Everything they said about me was a lie,” she said.
But Moyo, on Twitter, took a pot shot at Mujuru, saying her past criminal activities would subsist until the law has taken its course.
“The whole world knows that’s a lie,” he said.
“Mujuru did not want corruption exposed. Have you forgotten her Chinhoyi audio?”
Moyo was referring to a February 2014 speech made by Mujuru at the Zanu PF women’s league conference in Chinhoyi months following the explosion of what became known as the salary-gate scandal.
Mujuru at the time said the anti-corruption fight then and the salary-gate scandal were meant to destroy Zanu PF from within.
ZimPF spokesperson, Jealousy Mawarire yesterday accused Moyo of misinterpreting Mujuru’s speech.
“He (Moyo) should have picked Mujuru’s speech in its context. What Mujuru meant was that there was a danger that the anti-corruption fight could be used by those in power and influence in political battles,” he said.
“Now, given the events in Zanu PF in the aftermath of the February 2014 speech, it could be argued that Mujuru was actually vindicated.” – Newsday
Grace Mugabe’s Cancer Compared with Tsvangirai’s
This week First Lady Grace Mugabe’s colon cancer was paired with MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s.
The development came after Tsvangirai came into the public revealing his struggles with the disease.
Early last year the First Lady was diagnosed with the ailment causing her to be confined in hospital for weeks during the First Family’s annual holiday.
But Mrs Mugabe kept it a secret while Tsvangirai was bold enough to come out into the public about it all, analyst David Dube said. Tsvangirai yesterday released his statement to the effect that he is under going chemotherapy(Click here to read more). But Grace Mugabe has kept hers under carpet for over 4 months now. Below was an array of reader comments on the matter.
TelOne Profits Tumble to $49,9mil
Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa has told TelOne management to diversify the state owned fixed network operator’s product offerings after it announced a dropped in revenue to $49,4 million for the first half of 2016, sliding from $60 million last year.
TelOne managing director, Chipo Mtasa, told the company’s second annual general meeting on Friday that the dip in revenue was primarily due to a 20 percent slide in voice service earnings, hit by a rise in use of over the top services (OTTs).
“We recorded a 10 percent increase in broadband revenue but this has not matched the 18 to 19 percent drop decline in voice revenues,” she said, adding OTTs were driving the demand for broadband services.
In the six months, TelOne’s broadband subscriber base jumped by over 25 percent to 76,303.
Operating costs eased to $48 million from $58 million in the comparable period last year but earnings before interest and depreciation remained flat at $1,3 million.
The telco spent $2,7 million in capital expenditure, down from $6,5 million last year, as it sought to contain costs.
Mutasa said the firm cut salaries by 15 percent across the board and froze bonuses in August last year to cut costs, saying these would only be re-instated “if the business responds.”
Mutasa told the meeting, which Chinamasa attended representing government as the shareholder, that the telco was struggling, but making efforts to recover $264 million owed to it by players in the economy.
Corporates and small to medium enterprises owe TelOne $92,2 million, households $82, million, government $41,1 million, parastatals $36,9 million and local authorities $10,6 million.
On the other hand, the firm’s creditors stood at $129 million with the top two, the Postal and Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe and Econet, owed a combined $54,4 million.
Mutasa appealed for the reinstatement of a debt “offset arrangement” between parastatals which would help cancel out debts among state owned enterprises.
“(Tax agent) Zimra garnished our accounts and collected $6,7 million and we now owe them about $2,6 million, but the money they took was meant to service other creditors,” Mutasa said.
She bemoaned legacy debts amounting to $348 million as at the end of last year, which she said continued to impact negatively on the business.
The telco has in the last few years emerged as one of the most profitable parastatals, not relying on government bailouts.
TelOne recorded a net profit of $12,8 million for the full year ended December 2014, which however slumped to $5,8 million last year.
In response, Chinamasa said TelOne must widen its revenue streams to boost income.
“My interest in state enterprises in the telecommunications business is that they should be cash cows and should contribute significantly to government revenue,” he said.
“Your business is too heavily dependent on voice and you should make significant progress into the internet business.”
Chinamasa lauded TelOne for the salary cut and bonus freeze, urging government and other private sector companies to take a cue from the state owned firm.
“Cutting salaries by 15 percent needs to be emulated not only in the private sector but in government. It was a very courageous and brave decision to align employment costs to the operating environment.”
He said government was still looking at ways to address legacy debts, a problem that most parastatals were battling.-TheSource
Magaya rel’ Steals Wicknell Chivayo’s Shoes
A Magaya family man has been hauled before the courts for stealing ex-convict and businessman Wicknell Chivayo’s shoes.
The 40 year old, Ignatius Magaya, was caught wearing a pair, one of Chivayo’s many shoes.
After the arrest, Magaya was discovered with 29 more pairs and other clothing items belonging to Chivhayo. He had hid the items at his farm house in Kutama, police records say.
Prosecutor, Sebastian Mutizirwa said that Magaya also stole 9 large screen televisions, 3 generators, 2 radios, 30 pairs of shoes, 7 mobile phones, a solar panel, 4 Ipads, computers and clothing from other complainants.
Magistrate Vakai Chikwekwe remanded Magaya in custody pending a soon to be announced bail ruling.
The prosecution says the total value of the stolen clothes reach $60,660.
The other complainants include Michael Cain, Lovemore Madembo, Lee Mugoni, Musa Gumede, Regina Mawere, Agnes Kunaka, Tamlyan Birket, Koumides Kynaros and one Richard Wild.
Mphoko Lied About Rainbow Hotel Ownership | INVESTIGATION
The Source – Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko, under attack for staying at the Rainbow Towers hotel for close to two years, has justified his stay by suggesting no tax dollars are being lost because he is staying in hotel owned by the government.
“I live in a government hotel. It’s as good as staying in a government house,” Mphoko was quoted as saying on Monday.
Government does indeed own the Rainbow Towers building, but it does not own Rainbow Tourism Group (RTG), which runs the hotel. RTG is not a parastatal, even though 
government appears to treat it as such, most likely on the basis of its ownership of the building.
RTG history
RTG does have its roots in government. Its history can be traced to 1981, when the Zimbabwe Tourism Board was formed. In 1985, the government completed construction of a five-star hotel and conference centre in Harare, operating under a Harare Sheraton Hotel management contract. In 1991, the Zimbabwe Tourism Investment Company (ZTIC) was established to house government’s tourism interests, and the venture was soon renamed Rainbow Tourism Group.
The year 1999 was eventful for RTG. The Sheraton management contract was renegotiated and the hotel was renamed Sheraton Harare Hotel and Towers. RTG was privatised and listed. The government sold 70 percent of RTG to private and institutional investors.
In 2005, the Sheraton contract ended and management was localised. The businesses of Sheraton Harare Hotel and Towers and Harare International Conference Centre were merged.
The company was short of cash and had to go to shareholders for more money, via a rights issue. If a shareholder fails to follow their rights and raise money for the extra shares, they get “diluted” or their shareholding is reduced when the shares on offer are bought by someone else. This is what happened to what had remained of government shareholding then.
In 2011, one of the shareholders, Econet Wireless, sold its 11 percent shareholding to NSSA. RTG in 2012 held another rights issue and government shareholding was diluted even further. The shareholding of NSSA, which was the underwriter of that rights offer, went up.
Current shareholding
As of today, NSSA holds 36.21 percent of RTG. Hamilton & Hamilton Trustees, owned by investor Nicholas Van Hoogstraten, owns 32.08 percent. Stanbic Nominees owns 19.96 percent. The government, through the Ministry of Tourism, owns no more than four percent.
RTG owes NSSA some $13,6 million.
Often, NSSA is seen as a parastatal. In strict terms however, NSSA is a statutory body, and only holds investments on behalf of paying workers, both private and public. NSSA money cannot therefore be treated as government money.
It is therefore not true that government owns RTG, either through direct shareholding, or through NSSA.
While RTG was once a parastatal, government’s control of the firm ended once it sold 70 percent to private shareholders in 1999, and subsequently saw its shareholding reduced because it could not fulfil its obligations as a shareholder.
But in practise the government has never let go of RTG, almost 20 years after privatising it. As demonstrated by Mphoko, the government still treats RTG as a parastatal, and one that officials can use for their own ends as they do with most state-owned enterprises.
At the core of the poisonous relationship between government and RTG is the ownership of the Rainbow Towers and Conference Centre. Government has retained ownership of the building, and RTG leases it from the Ministry of Local Government. The government pays nothing for using the Rainbow Towers and the conference centre. The costs are offset against RTG’s leasing costs.
According to various sources, government also refuses to pay for services at the other hotels that RTG actually owns, including the Bulawayo Rainbow. Government insists on using these for free, using RTG’s lease costs. There is no detail about the agreement, although RTG’s 2014 annual report disclosed annual operating lease expenses at $1.7 million.
This arrangement has been to the detriment of all the company, and to the shareholders of RTG, who have had to take a string of losses, partly caused by the company’s failure to detach itself from government.
Mphoko’s “it’s a government hotel” justification also betrays the attitude of government officials towards state owned enterprises, and why many of them are in a deep financial hole. Government officials do not treat parastatals as the commercial enterprises that they should be, accountable to competent boards and taxpayers. Instead, they are only seen as tools for the personal convenience of those in senior positions.
Even if RTG was a parastatal, which it is not, there cannot be justification for its abuse by the government or its officials, however senior. – The Source
Mugabe Flies Off to Botswana, Leaves Zim Burning
President Robert Mugabe yesterday flew off to Botswana.
Mugabe whose own country is burning, arrived in Gaborone last night to attend today’s Sadc Double Troika Summit on Lesotho which will review the political and security situation in the Mountain Kingdom.
He flew away with Ministers Simbarashe Mumbengegwi (Foreign Affairs), Kembo Mohadi (State Security), Sydney Sekeramayi (Defence) and Ignatius Chombo (Home Affairs), the state media reported saying.
Mugabe left the country burning under a myriad of problems as his office fails to pay civil servants this week offering to pay them $100 each.
The Double Troika comprises the Troika of Summit (Botswana, Zimbabwe and Swaziland) which steers Sadc affairs in between General Assemblies of Heads of State and Government, and the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation (Mozambique, South Africa and Tanzania).
It convenes to thwart lingering regional security threats, and Lesotho figures on its agenda following political uncertainties emerging from the killing of the country’s former defence forces commander Brigadier Maaparankoe Mahao.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Ambassador Joey Bimha told The Herald: “Lesotho committed to doing a number of things in line with the report of the Sadc Commission of Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Brigadier Maaparankoe Mahao.
“The Sadc Double Troika will, therefore, focus on developments in that country and review progress on those commitments.”
Brig Mahao was shot dead by his former subordinates on June 25, 2015 while allegedly resisting arrest on a charge of mutiny.
There had been reports of an attempted military coup after then Prime Minister Dr Thomas Thabane fired LDF commander Lieutenant-General Kennedy Tlali Kamoli and elevated Brig Mahao to the post in 2014.
However, the army denied the reports, and Dr Thabane’s successor, Dr Pakalitha Mosisili, was to reinstate Kamoli after taking office in 2015.
Dr Thabane, Basotho National Party leader Thesele Maseribane and the Reformed Congress of Lesotho’s Keketso Ranso fled the country as political violence surged.
In July 2015, President Mugabe, then Sadc Chair, presided over a Double Troika Summit that assembled a 13-member Commission of Inquiry to investigate Brig Mahao’s killing.
The Commission has recommended the following, among other points:
The Government of Lesotho should ensure criminal investigations on the death of Brig Mahao are pursued vigorously. The finality of the investigations should lead to a transparent course of justice;
In the interest of restoring trust and acceptance of the LDF to the Basotho nation, Lieutenant-General Kamoli should be relieved of his duties as LDF Commander, and all LDF officers implicated in cases of murder, attempted murder and treason should be suspended while investigations on their cases proceed in line with international best practice;
Deficiencies and overlaps in the Constitution of Lesotho with regards to mandates of security institutions need to be looked into urgently with a comprehensive strategy to reform them; and
An amnesty covering detained mutiny suspects and ensuring the safe return of LDF members who fled Lesotho in fear for their lives should be facilitated.
Last week, Sadc Facilitator and South Africa Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa met PM Mosisili and other stakeholders in Lesotho to review progress.
Mr Ramaphosa told journalists afterwards: “We will table that (progress) report (before the Double Troika) and I can say we have been very pleased with the fact that the government has come up with a response.
“We are going to deal with it at the Sadc level and we will look at how government has taken steps to implement the recommendations.” -state media
Drunk Friends Kill Colleague Over Footpath Argument
Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo|A drinking binge ended in tragedy in Chivi when two men murdered their friend over an argument on which footpath to take to reach home.
The two men, Tobias Manzwengarufu and Radios Shereni of Foroma Village killed Trymore Wathi over a heated argument on the footpath to take to reach home following a drinking spree at a local bar.
The two appeared before Chivi resident magistrate Bishard Chineka facing murder charges after they assaulted and killed their friend.
The Incident happened on June 13 2016 as the three were coming from the local bar where they were drinking beer.They picked an argument over the path they were to use to go home. Wathi argued with his friends until the situation got tense resulting in a fight.
Manzwengarufu and Shereni then assaulted Wath with a log,taking turns to hit their hapless friend and left him unconscious.
On the following morning Wathi was rushed to Masvingo Provincial Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.The two were remanded in custody to July 1.
Shocked relatives said the incident was unfortunate since the three always drank beer together without any arguments.
“We cannot believe what happened because these guys always drank beer together.We were shocked when we heard what happened. The two murdered Wathi over an agument on the footpath to take to reach home.It is really shocking and unfortunate,” said a local villager.
Govt Chucks Out $20 million to Private School Teachers
GOVERNMENT is paying teachers in Trust and private schools about $20 million annually when those institutions are supposed to meet their staff costs. This was revealed by Auditor-General Ms Mildred Chiri in her 2015 Civil Service Audit presented to Parliament last week.
She stressed that Government must stop using taxpayers’ money to subsidise private institutions. Government, Ms Chiri said, was paying 3 000 teachers in private and Trust schools. Ms Chiri also indicated that there was over-staffing of teachers in schools by 5 500.
These are mainly relief and student teachers.
“The audit established that a total of 2 888 teachers were being paid by Government while working at Trust and private schools, drawing a salary of $1 650 048 per month, which translates to $19 800 576 per annum,” said Ms Chiri.
“Trust schools levy relatively higher tuition fees than Government and mission schools and are therefore capable of paying salaries of teachers currently employed by Government.”
Masvingo Province has the highest number of Government-funded teachers (680) at private primary schools.
Manicaland comes second with 419 teachers. Matabeleland North Province has the least number of Government-funded teachers at private primary schools with 32.
Manicaland has the highest number of Government-funded teachers at private secondary schools with 279 followed by Masvingo which has 229.
Mashonaland West Province has the least number of Government-funded teachers at private secondary schools, with six followed by Matabeleland North with 14.
Mrs Chiri recommended that Government should stop paying the salaries.
“Since Government is spending $19 800 576 per annum in payment of salaries to Trust Schools, Government should forthwith cease payment of salaries to these teachers because it is an unfair charge to public funds to subsidise a private entity.
“Notwithstanding the withdrawal of Government assistance in the payment of salaries of teachers in private schools, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education should intensify and strengthen the supervision of Trust and Private Schools in line with the provisions of the Education Act (Chapter 25:04),” she said.
The audit also revealed that there was overstaffing of teachers in Government primary and secondary schools.
Of the 127 091 teachers found at schools during a head count, 12 554 were students teachers while 12 371 were relief tutors.
“Total pupil enrolment for the same period stood at 3 696 779 for both primary and secondary schools. Using a teacher-pupil ratio of 1:40 for primary schools, the 2 838 235 pupils at primary schools required 70 956 teachers.
“Using a teacher-pupil ratio of 1:33 for secondary schools, the 858 544 pupils at secondary schools required 26 017 teachers.
“With the above ratios, the total number of teachers required should stand at 96 973 excluding student teachers and relief teachers totaling 24 925. The overall over-staffing situation at the time of the audit for the teachers was 5 588,” said Mrs Chiri.
She said Government was paying about $33, 5 million annually due to overstaffing. She said the situation was as a result of the failure by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to put mechanisms in place to reduce the wage bill.
The report recommended that the Ministry must address the overstaffing issue. It also suggested that recruitment of temporary and relief teachers be stopped as well until the excess staff was obsorbed.
The AG said the Ministry’s establishment must not exceed 102 600 teachers at any given time to avoid excess expenditure to the fiscus.
She said the Ministry was expected to adhere to the stipulated teacher-pupil ratios of 1:40 and 1:33 in both primary and secondary schools, respectively. The audit also established that there were 170 primary schools with deputy headmasters despite having less than 281 pupils. This contravenes the Ministry’s Circular 15 of 2006.
The deputy headmasters were drawing about $1, 2 million annually. There were also 170 secondary schools with less than 600 pupils but with deputy headmasters. The deputy headmasters were also drawing about $1, 2 million a year.
“The commission established that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education deployed two heads per school at 32 schools and two deputy heads per school at 63 schools drawing about $1, 3 million per annum,” said Mrs Chiri.
The report also revealed that there was over-staffing of more than 700 teachers in both primary and secondary schools where there were enrolments of less than 100 pupils per school.
The over-staffing cost Government about $4, 2 million annually.-state media
Zim Parks Boss Kicked Out
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority director-general Mr Edson Chidziya was yesterday suspended to pave way for investigations following anomalies identified in rhino horns stockpiles.
In a statement yesterday, the ZPWMA said Mr Chidziya would be on forced leave for the next 60 days in order for him not to interfere with the probe.
“Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority announces the sending on leave of the authority’s director-general Mr Edson Chidziya. The move has been taken to allow for an audit.
“Mr Chidziya will be on full benefits for the 60 days. Meanwhile, Mr Wilson Mutinhima who is a non-executive board member and chair of the Conservation and Human Resources committee will be in charge,” reads the statement.
Reports say the country has over five tonnes of rhino horns that it cannot sell because of the Convention on International Trade in Endangers Species (CITES) restrictions.
Recently, Mr Chidziya was quoted by our sister paper the Sunday News as saying the country’s ivory stockpile was continuously increasing from many sources such as culling of problem animals and natural deaths.-state media
Pay Crisis – Government to pay civil servants $100 each
Staff Reporter |Government has resolved to pay all civil servants $100 each to cushion them until rescheduled pay dates.
In a press statement issued late Monday night, an official with the Public Commission said that government will advance all the government employees the $100 following discussions held with the employees in Harare earlier in the day.
The finalisation of the arrangement awaits feed back from the employees who asked to report back to their unions before passing a final agreement.
Zimbabwe Teachers Association is reported to have already rejected the offer setting the stage for a huge stand off between the teachers and government.
The teachers body has already given government notice that it will stop attending work until they are paid their June salaries in full.
The salaries were due on the 22nd of June but were deferred until July 17 as government claims to be having a financial crisis to meet its wage bill.
‘BREXIT’ Iceland knocks England out of Euro 2016, Hodgson resigns
The Guardian | It’s all over! Iceland 2- England 1
England have been eliminated from Euro 2016 by Iceland. For the second time in a week, England suffer an ignominious exit from Europe. They’ve been awful tonight and thoroughly deserved to lose. Hats off to Iceland, though. They’re a limited team, but played to their own strengths and thoroughly deserved their win.
For Roy Hodgson, it was a desperate and ignominious way to end his four years as England manager. Whatever else happened in that time, his period in charge will probably always be remembered for the full-on humiliation that accompanied this defeat and the knowledge it will rank among the more infamous results in the history of the national team.
How can it not when the suffering comes against a country with a population roughly the size of Croydon and absolutely no history of tournament football? What heroes Iceland were: brave, organised, superb. They have established themselves as the greatest story of Euro 2016 and it feels almost like a trick of the imagination that it is only four years since they were ranked 133rd in the world. Yet that will not reduce the embarrassment for England, their departing manager and a set of players who chronically under-performed after Wayne Rooney’s early penalty.
Iceland played with courage, skill and togetherness. England, in stark contrast, dramatically lost their way once their lead had been wiped out and Hodgson must know now there is no way his contract will be renewed. England will have another manager for the next World Cup, Hodgson’s reign will be defined by a result comparable to losing to the United States in the 1950 World Cup and the now-familiar inquest will begin about what it wrong with football in the country that likes to think it invented the sport.
The bottom line for England is that no team can defend this generously and expect to get away with it. England’s back four has been a legitimate source of concern for some time and it was startling to see the way they capitulated at the back when the team had made such an encouraging start.
Iceland’s first goal came from precisely the kind of long-throw routine that had apparently been uppermost in England’s thoughts during their training sessions. The second was another reminder that the modern-day England side simply do not have the outstanding centre-backs of previous tournaments and, once again, it was a personal ordeal for the increasingly accident-prone Joe Hart.
Hart may bellow the words to the national anthem with more vigour, possibly, than anyone else in the tournament, but in the rather more important issues for a national team goalkeeper he has become a danger to his own side. Hart’s mistake for Kolbeinn Sigthorsson’s goal was not quite as wretched as the one that saw Gareth Bale’s free-kick squirm past him in the Wales match but, to put it kindly, it was another shot he should have kept out. His carelessness is becoming a recurring theme and, just like the Bale goal, this was another one where he dived to his left and let the ball beat him despite getting his gloves to it.
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All of which felt nothing short of remarkable bearing in mind only three minutes had elapsed when Daniel Sturridge’s curling pass sent Raheem Sterling running into the penalty area and Iceland’s goalkeeper, Hannes Halldorsson, brought him down for a clear penalty. Rooney aimed the penalty, low and hard, to the goalkeeper’s right and at that stage England’s followers might have been lulled into thinking their team would win with something to spare.
Instead, the equaliser arrived within two minutes and was bordering on tragicomedy given that it was the first time Aron Gunnarsson had hurled in the ball from the touchline. England, Hodgson had told us, knew all about this trick and would be drilled to guard against it. Yet it was difficult to see any hard evidence. One Icelandic centre-half flicked the ball on, the second ran in and applied the final touch. Rooney had been beaten by Kari Arnason for the first header but Kyle Walker was even more culpable in the way he failed to cover Ragnar Sigurdsson’s run into the six-yard area.
Iceland’s second goal followed in the 18th minute and, in fairness to Hart, he was not the only one to blame. Gary Cahill and Chris Smalling both stood off as Gylfi Sigurdsson, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and Sigthorsson exchanged passes in the front of the area. Sigthorsson moved in between them both, took aim with his right foot and watched the ball sneak into the bottom corner.
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England were rattled and, by half-time, they were starting to look a little desperate. Rooney could be seen slashing wildly at a volley that needed control. Dele Alli had resorted to diving to try to win a penalty and the first boos arrived when the whistle sounded for the interval. England were still threatening to get behind their opponents but Iceland did not simply retreat when they had the lead. They gave everything to hold on but, when they had the chance to break forward, this tough, obdurate side advanced with confidence.
Ten minutes into the second half, there was almost a second goal for Ragnar Sigurdsson, this time with an overhead kick. Hart kept that out but it must have been alarming for Hodgson that for long passages his players had two-thirds of the ball without managing to look the better side.
One moment summed it up midway through the second half. England had a free-kick 40 yards out and Harry Kane insisted on shooting from an almost implausible distance, aiming his effort harmlessly wide. Again, there was voluble dissent from the England fans packed behind their goal. Kane had looked well short of his best, in keeping with how he has played throughout the tournament.
By that stage Hodgson had brought on Jamie Vardy in place of the largely ineffectual Sterling. Jack Wilshere had come on at half-time for Eric Dier, who might have been suffering an ankle injury.
England certainly had the attacking personnel to save themselves but Rooney, Sturridge and particularly Kane had a wretched night. Marcus Rashford was brought on and Cahill finished the game playing in attack. None of it worked and England will never live it down.
Chaos Hits Beitbridge Again
Staff Reporter| Beitbridge border post is today yet another war zone between government and members of the public over imported goods from South Africa.
ZimEye.com sources at the border indicate that goods worth hundreds of thousands of dollars were today confiscated by Zimbabwe Revenue Authority officials under the new customs regulations promulgated last week.
According to the sources, none of the cross border transporters known as Malaisha crossed the border into Zimbabwe as they preferred to go back to South Africa with their goods than have them taken away by the state.
The chaotic situation has forced a huge congestion of confused Zimbabwean shoppers and transporters stranded in Messina South Africa not knowing what to do next.
Heavy police and state security agents patrolled the border post to quell any disturbances similar to the unrest that took place last week.
“Goods are being taken away without any negotiations even from people offering to pay customs duty for their goods, ” said a source.
“The officials are refusing to even allow us to go back with the goods to South Africa after refusing them entry into the country,” added the source.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed rumours allege that the South African border authorities have also immediately banned entry of Zimbabwean products into South Africa leaving several trucks stranded at the border.
On the other side, smugglers known as magumaguma are reportedly making a killing smuggling goods across the Limpopo River. Police and soldiers manning the borders on both sides of the river are reported to be working with the smugglers for a killing too.