By A Correspondent-Bulawayo has recorded a fourth diarrhoea outbreak since last year, with 157 cases reported so far in the high-density suburb of Tshabalala Extension.

The last outbreak in the city was in May this year when 50 cases were reported in Emganwini suburb.

In recent years, the city’s worst outbreak was reported in June last year, when 13 people died after nearly 2 000 residents fell ill in Luveve after raw sewage-contaminated drinking water.

Last year in October about 100 people, mostly children, were treated for running tummies in Mzilikazi and surrounding suburbs.
The diarrhoea outbreaks follow the 2020 Auditor-General’s report tabled before Parliament that stated that Bulawayo is among six local authorities at risk of outbreak of water-borne diseases that could lead to deaths due to failure to manage sewer reticulation systems.
According to residents, the latest outbreak in Tshabalala Extension is believed to have started on Thursday last week after their drinking water was contaminated due to a burst sewer pipe.
Bulawayo Provincial Medical Director Maphios Siamuchembu said they are conducting investigations to ascertain what could be causing the diarrhoea outbreak.
“I can confirm that a diarrhoea disease has broken out in Tshabalala extension. The first patients were seen on Monday and so far, we have a total of 157 cases, of which 106 were attended to at local health facilities,” he said.
-Chronicle

By A Correspondent- MDC-Alliance supporters have raised US$109 towards buying an armoured car for opposition party leader Nelson Chamisa.

The supporters want US$120K for the car.

The organiser of the gofundme initiative, T Basvi, says the drive to buy Chamisa an armoured vehicle was triggered by “countless merciless attacks (on Chamisa) by the ruling party, aided by the government security sector.”

He cites an attack on Chamisa’s convoy on 11 October 2021 by a group of suspected ZANU PF youths as evidence that Chamisa’s life was in danger.

The attack left Chamisa’s vehicles damaged and many of his aides seriously injured and hospitalized. The convoy was on its way to engaging the rural community in Masvingo to understand their issues in the aftermath of the pandemic’s 3rd wave. 

Basvi believes that violence will intensify during the 2023 elections is high, hence the need to beef up Chamisa’s security before any unfortunate eventuality occurs. Basvi added:

As concerned global citizens, we have come up with this initiative to raise funds for the purchase of an amour plated vehicle as well as security apparel for his safety and security.

He also said it was clear that the regime wants to continue to frustrate democracy by attacking the main opposition. 

_Online

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF President Emmerson Mnangagwa has promoted Christopher Mutsvangwa to the position of the party’s spokesperson.

Mnangagwa made the appointments Wednesday when he reshuffled the Zanu PF politburo.

  Below are the new appointments made by Mnangagwa:

1. Mike Bimha is the new Political Commissar, replacing Victor Matemadanda.
3. Lillian Zemura will now deputise Bimha in the Commissariat.
4. Chris Mutsvangwa was appointed as the new secretary for information, replacing the late Simon Khaya Moyo.
5. Monica Mavhunga from Mash Central Becomes Deputy Secretary of Education to the Politburo.
6. Alice Dube was Appointed as Politburo member replacing Cain Mathema.
7. Monica Mutsvangwa has been appointed as Deputy Secretary for Transport & Social Welfare.
8. First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa was appointed the Secretary for Environment and Tourism. She was previously the Deputy and now replaces Cde Prisca Mupfumira.
9. Ziyambi Ziyambi replaces Mutsvangwa as Secretary for Science and Technology.
10. Frederick Shava has been appointed as a Politburo Member as a Committee Member.
11. Omega Hungwe and Oliver Chidawu have been appointed Politburo members with immediate effect and these two are coming from Harare Province.
12. Judith Ncube was appointed as a Politburo member representing Bulawayo Province.
13. Josiah Hungwe who was secretary for Production and Labour now becomes a senior member of the Politburo, and he is replaced by Kenneth Musanhi as the Secretary for Production and Labour.

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has directed Government to assist in the funeral of the late Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA) Chief Executive Officer Douglas Munatsi.

Munatsi died in an inferno after his apartment mysteriously caught fire on Monday morning.

In a statement to the press, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda said Government would liaise with the family to ensure Mnangagwa’s directive is effected.

By A Correspondent- In a similar, Robert Mugabe style, Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa has given his wife Auxilia a top position in Zanu PF.

Mnangagwa Wednesday surprised many when he appointed Auxilia to the secretary of the environment post in the Politburo.

 Mnangagwa imposed his wife on the top party post-Wednesday when he made new Zanu PF politburo appointments.

  Below are the new appointments he made :

1. Mike Bimha is the new Political Commissar, replacing Victor Matemadanda.
3. Lillian Zemura will now deputise Bimha in the Commissariat.
4. Chris Mutsvangwa was appointed as the new secretary for information, replacing the late Simon Khaya Moyo.
5. Monica Mavhunga from Mash Central Becomes Deputy Secretary of Education to the Politburo.
6. Alice Dube was Appointed as Politburo member replacing Cain Mathema.
7. Monica Mutsvangwa has been appointed as Deputy Secretary for Transport & Social Welfare.
8. First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa was appointed the Secretary for Environment and Tourism. She was previously the Deputy and now replaces Cde Prisca Mupfumira.
9. Ziyambi Ziyambi replaces Mutsvangwa as Secretary for Science and Technology.
10. Frederick Shava has been appointed as a Politburo Member as a Committee Member.
11. Omega Hungwe and Oliver Chidawu have been appointed Politburo members with immediate effect and these two are coming from Harare Province.
12. Judith Ncube was appointed as a Politburo member representing Bulawayo Province.
13. Josiah Hungwe who was secretary for Production and Labour now becomes a senior member of the Politburo, and he is replaced by Kenneth Musanhi as the Secretary for Production and Labour.

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa has dropped the ailing former Primary Education Minister Cain Mathema from Politburo.

Mathema was dropped Wednesday when Mnangagwa made new Zanu PF politburo appointments

  Below are the new appointments he made :

1. Mike Bimha is the new Political Commissar, replacing Victor Matemadanda.
3. Lillian Zemura will now deputise Bimha in the Commissariat.
4. Chris Mutsvangwa was appointed as the new secretary for information, replacing the late Simon Khaya Moyo.
5. Monica Mavhunga from Mash Central Becomes Deputy Secretary of Education to the Politburo.
6. Alice Dube was Appointed as Politburo member replacing Cain Mathema.
7. Monica Mutsvangwa has been appointed as Deputy Secretary for Transport & Social Welfare.
8. First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa was appointed the Secretary for Environment and Tourism. She was previously the Deputy and now replaces Cde Prisca Mupfumira.
9. Ziyambi Ziyambi replaces Mutsvangwa as Secretary for Science and Technology.
10. Frederick Shava has been appointed as a Politburo Member as a Committee Member.
11. Omega Hungwe and Oliver Chidawu have been appointed Politburo members with immediate effect and these two are coming from Harare Province.
12. Judith Ncube was appointed as a Politburo member representing Bulawayo Province.
13. Josiah Hungwe who was secretary for Production and Labour now becomes a senior member of the Politburo, and he is replaced by Kenneth Musanhi as the Secretary for Production and Labour.

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday announced that the long-awaited by-elections to fill 133 vacant local government and parliamentary seats would be held in March next year.

Mnangagwa made the announcement during an extraordinary session of the ZANU-PF Politburo, where he bemoaned factionalism and intraparty fighting tearing the ruling party apart.

Last month, Mnangagwa only said by-elections to fill 28 National Assembly and 105 local authority vacancies across the country will be held in the first quarter of 2022 but did not mention the exact month. Addressing the Politburo on Wednesday, Mnangagwa said:

As we prepare for the forthcoming by-elections next year in March, and the 2023 harmonised elections, let us focus on mobilising our membership to register as voters.

Stakeholders have been pushing the government to announce the election dates amid reports that opposition MDC-T had written to the president proposing that by-elections and 2023 elections be postponed until after electoral reforms have been implemented.

Some viewed the proposal by the opposition party as fear to lose the elections.

Most of the seats became vacant after MDC-T recalled MDC Alliance legislators and councillors following the 2020 Supreme Court ruling on the MDC leadership crisis. The court ruled that Chamisa’s ascendancy to power was in violation of the party’s constitution therefore it was null and void. 

While Mnangagwa is convinced that ZANU PF will prevail against the opposition in the 2022 by-elections, he also expressed concern over factionalism in the ruling party. 

There have been reports of party members physically attacking each other as they campaigned to land posts in the district and provincial structures.-newsday

Tinashe Sambiri|Scores of civil servants are stranded in the city of Masvingo as they are battling to access their bonuses in US dollars.

Meandering queues were seen by ZimEye.com on Thursday morning in the ancient city with government workers eagerly waiting for cash.

Irate civil servants accuse Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration of reneging on promises made…

” We have been here since morning and nothing has materialized.The bank manager has told us that there is no cash.

The matter is complicated. We have been told to wait but this has become monotonous,” fumed one government worker.

Civil servants from Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services(ZPCS) expressed dismay at the failure to access their bonuses in US dollars.

“Something is wrong somewhere. We are here at Agribank and nothing is taking place.

We don’t know what’s taking going on…,” said a ZPCS official who declined to be named.

Government assured civil servants they would get their bonuses in US dollars.

However, political analysts and economists say the broke regime does not have the capacity to pay government workers the said bonuses.

If you can afford to flying to the country at this critical time, you sure he can afford to go into a hotel. What’s the purpose of returning for festive seasons, you’re returning for Christmas aren’t you? So clearly you can afford; there’s nothing that stops you from waiting…

If you can afford to flying to the country at this critical time, you sure he can afford to go into a hotel. What's the purpose of returning for festive seasons, you're returning for Christmas aren't you? So clearly you can afford; there's nothing that stops you from waiting… pic.twitter.com/moetWJtmhB

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) December 2, 2021

By Farai D Hove | The Zimbabwean government has taken over the funeral of the late Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency, CEO, Douglas Munatsi, who died unexpectedly on Monday morning 4 hours before meeting the president to whistleblow on corruption.

The development means Munatsi will be buried by armed soldiers.

When his body was discovered, it was taken away by astute police officers who tried to stop journalists from taking pictures of the incident at the car park of the Thornfields flat building where the successful banker died following a highly suspicious explosion, the case which law enforcement officers have recorded as a suspected murder.

The latest development was revealed in a press statement early Thursday morning which read.

“His Excellency, the President, Cde Dr E.D Mnangagwa, has directed that the late Douglas Munatsi who passed on earlier in the week be accorded a State-assisted funeral.

“The Office of the President and Cabinet will liaise with the bereaved Munatsi family to ensure this directive by His Excellency the President is effected, the statement read.

It continued saying:

“The Office continues to stand by the bereaved Munatsi family during this very difficult time.”

https://chat.whatsapp.com/LRgwccgxDeKC3qSnamVNcv

OBITUARY (NewsWire)| Doug Munatsi: ‘It Was Not An Easy Life To Abandon, To Come & Serve My Country’
Douglas Munatsi, the respected banker who died after a fire at his home in Harare, had an option to stay in the private sector, stitching up multimillion dollar deals in private equity.

But he surprised even himself by taking up a job as the man in charge of promoting investment into Zimbabwe.

The CEO of the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency (ZIDA) died in a fire in the early hours of Monday at Northfields, a complex in Harare’s Avenues area, according to the residents’ association.

“The association wishes to advise stakeholders that at approximately 02.50AM, on Monday 29th November, a fire was detected by the occupant of flat C9 in Northfields. There was no electricity at the time due to a cable fault,” the statement said.

“The occupant in C10 heard commotion and noise, and went to his balcony to investigate further. There, he heard from the occupant of C9 that there was a fire and he asked to call the fire brigade. At 02.59, the fire brigade was called, and they arrived at 03.11. They fought the blaze for 2hrs, and despite their efforts, they were unable to save the occupant of C9, who is believed to be Mr Douglas Munatsi.”

Career
Munatsi was born in Highfield and grew up in Mufakose in Harare, before his family lived in Gweru and Masvingo. His father died when he was a teenager, but he endured and made it to the University of Zimbabwe.

His first job after leaving university was with Barclays. He later joined the World Bank’s private sector arm, the International Finance Corporation. But the call of home then, was as loud as it was to be years later in his career.

He returned to Zimbabwe, and began work to set up his own bank.

In 1995, he founded Heritage Investment Bank, one of the first black-owned banks. Two years later, he engineered a daring corporate transaction. When Anglo American, one of the most influential companies in the country, wanted to sell out of First Merchant Bank, the country’s oldest merchant bank, Munatsi led a consortium that outcompeted bigger rivals for the FMB stake.

He did this by traveling to the UK to meet with Philip Baum, then head of Anglo, gambling by signing a deal even without his board back home in the picture.

In 2000, Munatsi merged FMB with udc, a leasing firm, and Bard discount house, to set up the African Banking Corporation, now BancABC, which he listed in Botswana. He later won the backing of Atlas Mara, run by Bob Diamond, a former Barclays executive. Atlas Mara became the significant shareholder, with a promise to shore up the bank’s capital. But that relationship turned sour, when John Vitalo, appointed as an executive without Munatsi’s okay, reneged on a deal to recapitalise the business.

At one meeting, Munatsi told Vitalo: “I am not a house negro”.

In 2014, after the relationship broke down, Munatsi and his partners, Francis Dzanya and Beki Moyo, sold their interest to Atlas Mara for US$210 million and left a business that they had founded.

“At our last function, leaving in December of 2014, people were crying. It was hugely emotional,” Munatsi once recalled. “That’s actually one of the criticisms we received from the new shareholder, to say ‘this is not a business, you’re just friends’. We were a family.”

The three then formed a new private equity outfit, DBF Capital, which is invested in energy, metals and insurance. The company was growing, but, just like in the IFC days, the urge to return home was strong.

Heading ZIDA
In March 2020, he accepted an unexpected offer from President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

ZIDA had just been formed, after new legislation that merged investment promotion agencies, such as the Zimbabwe Investment Authority, the Joint Venture Unit, and the Zimbabwe Special Economic Zones Authority. Mnangagwa needed someone with some private sector experience and, more importantly, someone with market credibility.

Mnangagwa turned to Munatsi, with whom he had had several tough conversations on the economy.

“I said to him, all those things you always lecture me about, come and do them,” Mnangagwa said a the launch of ZIDA.

Why did he leave the cushy life in private equity to take up an inevitably frustrating job working for the government?

“It was not an easy life to abandon, to serve. But we all have to serve,” Munatsi told publisher Trevor Ncube in May.

“We think that there are solutions that we can provide for certain challenges that are in our country and, therefore, when you are called upon to put into practice some of the things that you often lecture other people to do, that’s the real test.”

Living outside the country, he said, “you realise that it does not give you satisfaction to see other countries progressing, to see other people doing the kinds of things that you think we should be doing in our country and you remain not contributing, not putting your hand to the plough or in the skin in the game”.

It was time, Munatsi, said, to put into practice the advice he had been giving the Zimbabwe government.

“So it is really a time to put to practice, to whisper quietly to the leaders to say we think we can do this slightly differently.”

At ZIDA, he set about the tough task of ending the decades-old culture of bureaucracy that frustrated investors. Where an investor previously needed to make stops at multiple offices, now they could have it all processed at ZIDA. It was a good plan, but he admitted in May how frustrating the job had been to cut through the red tape and force a new culture.

Munatsi had in 2019 been appointed to the RBZ’s monetary policy committee, but stepped down to focus on ZIDA after his appointment at the agency.

Munatsi’s farm, Kunatsa, is one of the country’s most successful farms. The farm, which Munatsi bought in 2001, achieves yields above 20 tonnes per hectare, often topping seed company Seed Co’s producer rankings.

Munatsi is survived by his wife, Bindzile, and three children.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has accorded a state assisted funeral to the late Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA) Chief Executive Officer Douglas Munatsi who died when his house caught fire on Monday morning.

In a statement to the press, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda said Government will liase with the family to ensure the Mnangagwa’s directive is effected.

By A Correspondent- The Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) has raised the alarm over the effects of underground coal fires on children in Hwange, urging the government to speedily act on the issue.

In a report released last week titled Effects of Coal Seam Fires and Other Environmental Hazards on Children in Hwange, the CNRG said several children are being burnt by underground fires caused by harmful activities by mining companies in Hwange.

The practices, according to the lobby group, are in breach of section 73 of the constitution, which guarantees every person the right to an environment that is not harmful to health or wellbeing.

“The unmitigated underground coal seam fires present serious hazards for children. Most of them experienced grave accidents in places no-one ever expected such disasters could happen. There were no danger warning signs to keep people away,” the report reads.

For instance, the coal seam fires that swallowed the little boy driving away cattle from their field had never been detected as there was no sign of fire on the surface. The mother who sent the boy to drive away the cattle now lives with a permanent sense of guilt over an accident she is not responsible for.

“Similarly, those who met their fate whilst playing suddenly found themselves trapped in an underground lake of fire with no slightest idea of what was happening or how they ended up there.”

According to the report, the underground coal seam fires are also prevalent throughout the concession owned by Hwange Colliery Company Limited (HCCL), where there are also human settlements for the mine labour.

The organisation said  residents have noted that mine residue dumps found in Number Two area and three other areas of HCCL are some of the most hazardous sites with raging underground coal seam fires.

Questions sent to Hwange Colliery corporate affairs manager Beauty Mutombe had not been responded to by the time of publication.

Studies have shown that the survivors of burn injuries often suffer from chronic pain and sensory problems, pruritus, and loss of strength. Psychosocially, a certain proportion may develop depression and post-traumatic stress disorder after being discharged from hospital and this can go on for several years after the incident.

The lobby group said the government should set up a dialogue among mining stakeholders in Hwange on reducing and bringing to an end underground fire incidence.

“There is also need to offer various forms of help to the affected children and their families and ensure they get equal opportunities in life. Both the families and the children need psycho-social support to overcome the trauma they now live with,” the report reads.

According to Global Forest Watch, most coal seam fires are ignited by human activity, usually in the process of coal mining or waste removal.

These fires can burn underground undetected for decades, occasionally protruding to the surface, with severe effects on flora and fauna. According to Global Forest Watch, underground coal seam fires cause the ground to become extremely hot and unstable, destroying roads and homes, as well as creating fiery sinkholes that swallow anything from cars to people.

As part of the recommendations, CNRG called on the government to align its progressive climate change response strategy and policy to practical reduction in coal activities in Hwange.

The organisation also recommended that the government come up with rehabilitation programmes for victims of coal seam fire.-Newshawks

By A Correspondent- The battle for the political control of the Midlands pitting rivals State Security minister Owen Mudha Ncube and incumbent Daniel Mackenzie Ncube has continued despite the two front-runners dropping out of the race after President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s intervention.

Following Mnangagwa’s intervention, Midlands Provincial and Devolution minister Larry Mavima was imposed as an uncontested candidate for the provincial chair with both Mudha Ncube and Mackenzie Ncube pulling out of the race for the top post.

 Mudha Ncube’s camp initially set the ball rolling by vigorously campaigning for the State Security boss but in October it had to change tactic after he gave the nod for his group to push for former youth league leader Edison Chakanyuka to contest Mackenzie Ncube.

The camp is now pushing for Mavima to be deputised by Chakanyuka, while also pushing for Mberengwa Zanu-PF member Tsitsi Zhou and youth activist Phineous Makombe to be provincial women and youth league bosses respectively.

“Attention comrades and friends, myself as chief campaign manager Gweru district for Team Mudha (wish to announce) we do have some changes to our team. This is now official,” key Mudha Ncube campaigner Philemon Safalan told faction members a fortnight ago in their WhatsApp group dubbed “Endorsement of Mudha”.

The Mackenzie Ncube faction prefers incumbent deputy provincial chairperson Robson Nyathi to deputise Mavima. The group is also pushing for youth activist Ralph Piki and Zanu-PF Kwekwe proportional representation MP Perseverance Zhou to be the youth and women’s league leaders respectively, saying their preferred choices were “the solution to their problems” (in the province).

All the candidates did not respond to questions from The NewsHawks. However, a party insider who spoke on condition of anonymity, told this publication that the Midlands was in the “spotlight” and nobody wanted to come out in the open expressing interest for provincial positions.

“You would remember that there was intense violence in the province during the district restructuring exercise that placed the Midlands in the spotlight,” he said.

“So people are nocturnally campaigning using their supporters and for now they would not want to publicly declare their interest for the positions. Tactics such as the use of campaign posters on social media platforms have become the order of the day while those being campaigned for remain silent behind the scenes.”

Provincial party spokesperson Cornelius Mupereri did not respond to questions sent to him. But according to a party source, Mudha Ncube and Mackenzie Ncube are fighting “tooth and nail” to outmanoeuvre each other in the province.

 Mudha Ncube reportedly has the backing of Local Government minister July Moyo, while Mackenzie Ncube has the support of the minister of State in the President’s Office, Joram Gumbo. All protagonists claim they are loyal to Mnangagwa.-newshawks

By A Correspondent- The government has urged Zimbabweans living in neighbouring South Africa to adhere to that country’s administration’s decisions of not extending their Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP) beyond 2022.

In a statement Wednesday, the Zimbabwean ambassador to South Africa, said it will assist in implementing the process.

Last week South Africa announced a cabinet decision to suspend the special permits that had kept millions of Zimbabweans across the Limpopo legally.

The permits, which were supposed to expire on 31 December this year, were extended by an extra year and Zimbabweans are expected to leave South Africa or face deportation.

“The Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe takes note of this decision by the Government of the Republic of South Africa, a close neighbour with which Zimbabwe enjoys excellent relations,” reads the statement.

“The Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe urges and encourages all its nationals, beneficiaries of the special dispensation, to comply with this decision and to cooperate in its implementation.

“The Embassy of Zimbabwe has initiated engagements and consultations with the relevant authorities of the Government of South Africa with a view to ensuring the timely dissemination of information and the smooth implementation of this decision which will impact the lives and livelihoods of thousands of individuals and households.

“It is the Embassy’s expectation that this decision will be implemented with the minimum of disruption to the lives and livelihoods of the affected individuals and their families.”

South Africa’s decision is a culmination of heavy rioting, protests and petitions by a section of its citizens who have called for the unconditional flushing out of foreigners whom they blame for a rise in crime rate and increase drug abuse.

They have over the years blamed them for taking all their employment opportunities

By A Correspondent- Project Vote 263, a non-governmental organisation that is pushing for civic education to promote inclusive participatory democracy by encouraging people to register to vote, has expressed disappointment over the postponement of mobile biometric voter registration by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) without a clear reason.

Zec announced through a memorandum that the mobile biometric registration programme, which was scheduled to commence on 6 December “has been rescheduled to a later date to be advised in due course”.

Youngerson Matete, director of Project Vote 263, suggested that the postponement could be a ploy by the government to disenfranchise many youths.

“It is unfortunate that in 2018 we had a huge number of people who were not registered on the day of voting and to address this challenge we have resorted in assisting people in providing them with transport services. We were very happy and relieved to have Zec coming up with such an initiative – only to hear that they have cancelled it without a satisfactory reason,” said Matete.

“We are shattered, but we know it is part of the huge plan to disenfranchise the young people of their right to vote, knowing that 85% of the youth are unemployed and they do not afford transport to and from regional centres. The youths make up 67.5% of the total population, which will be a deciding number come 2023.

“That is why it is difficult for them to get identity cards. Youths are perceived to be members of the opposition.” Matete said voting is a constitutional right, not a privilege, and any theatrics meant to bottleneck the process is a huge disadvantage to the people of Zimbabwe.

He said besides ensuring that the Registrar General’s Office issues identity documents to Zimbabweans, there was an urgent need to educate people on the need to register while also ensuring that services are made accessible.

“The cancelation of the mobile registration has left us with a huge backlog of people who need transport to come and register to vote,” said Matete.

Biometric registration was initiated in Zimbabwe in 2017 in a bid to improve the electoral processes by providing an accurate, efficient and transparent process.

It was hoped the initiative would provide hope for a comprehensive nationwide top-up registration drive that was going to enhance the quality of the voters’ roll ahead of 2022 by-elections and the 2023 general elections.

A quality voters’ roll is important in engendering public confidence in the integrity of elections. Reports on past elections have concluded that the voters’ roll lacks credibility.

A report by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems revealed that the voters’ roll which was used in the 2013 elections contains thousands of names of dead people and double registration and was marred by the under-registration of young voters.-newshawks

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe is set to receive a million doses of the Sinovac vaccine from China, as the two nations cooperation to fight the new Covid-19 variant – Omicron.

South Africa announced the presence of the new variant in its territory last week, although the variant has been circulating in Europe for some weeks.

The donation will be the fifth batch of vaccines to Zimbabwe by the Chinese government, which also includes Sinopharm vaccines.

In September, the country received the fourth batch of Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine doses from China.

Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Guo Shaochun, handed over the consignment to Zimbabwean Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the Minister of Health and Child Care, at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.

The latest donation was announced by Ambassador Shaochun on his official Twitter handle.

“1 million doses of Sinovac vaccine, the fifth batch of China’s vaccine donation to Zimbabwe is coming very soon. Facing the challenge by Omicron, China and Zimbabwe are promoting cooperation on the Medical and Health Program proposed by China in #FOCAC,” tweeted Ambassador Shaochun.

The donation will come as a boost to Zimbabwe as it faces the new Covid-19 variant, Omicron.

newsday

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Open University (Zou)’s Department of Peace, Leadership and Conflict Resolution is rocked by serious allegations of corruption involving foreign students paying tuition fees in foreign currency and attendant arbitrage activities.

Sources at Zou say some lecturers at the university’s Harare learning centres are running a racket for self-enrichment by collecting fees from foreign students, who include locals based outside the country, and then paying for them in local currency a fraction of the fees in real terms due to exchange rate differentials.

This helps them to make money through arbitrage, prejudicing the university. “It’s a clear case of arbitrage. You get one currency in one market and take advantage of exchange rate differentials to make money,” a source said.

 “The only problem here is that this involves some corrupt practices of collaboration, deception and lies. But the arbitrage opportunities are huge and profitable in this scam. Students also benefit from the scam as they are asked to pay much less in forex if they agree to the deals. So everyone benefits.”

Foreign students pay as if they are locally registered to be allowed to settle their fees in local currency. Lecturers change their registration in order to pay much less and take the difference through arbitrage.

But arbitrage is just one of the corrupt practices at the university. The sources said some lecturers are also charging students for assignments and dissertations, which they write for them for payment. Some students who do virtual classes are presented as if they are actually physically attending classes to assist them to pass for payment.

Apart from that, Zou lecturers, who work on contract basis, are manipulating the system to give their friends more work to earn more. Those in charge always make sure their associates get more time to teach than others, hence more money.

“There is a lot of corruption going on at Zou in relation to payment of fees by foreign students and other things, such as a virtual classes and writing of assignments and dissertations,” a source said.

“What is more lucrative is lecturers collecting hard currency from foreign students or students outside who pay in forex, but pay for them an equivalent amount in local currency. So instead of remitting the forex, they present them as local so that they pay in RTGS or using a bank card. Given the exchange rate, which is now US$1 to ZW$160 in the informal market, it means they make a lot of money over nothing. All said and done, paying in forex is 99.9% higher than paying in local currency.”

Another source said: “Corruption is also rife in relation to virtual classes which involves foreign students. Some lecturers lie that some students attended lessons locally when they didn’t to justify awarding them marks on subjects they did not actually do.

“Currently there are virtual students’ dissertations being supervised and marked as local students. The virtual students pay for people to do their research.” The sources said this is prevalent at the Peace, Leadership and Conflict Resolution Department at Harare’s main post office chaired by Andrew Mukono. Mukono last week said he was not aware of the corrupt practices in his department. He also distanced himself from any corrupt activities.

“I have nothing to do with payment of fees for foreign students. If you are you to get the truth of the matter , nowhere have I got money from students. That is a fabrication I have never done anything of that sort. If there is anyone who wants to tarnish my image, my hands are clean.”-Newshawks

By A Correspondent- Broadcaster and musician Japhet Masuku has died.

Masuku died last Sunday and he will be buried this weekend at his rural home in eMkhalandoda, Nkayi.

Said John Masuku:

“1960s/70s broadcaster and muscian Japhet Masuku who died on Sunday night was recruited into broadcasting in the early 1960s during the Federation of Rhodesias and Nyasaland by the late Justice John Manyarara who later trained as a lawyer, became a judge in Zimbabwe and Namibia and Edward Moyo who later became ZBC Director General after retiring from UNESCO.

He was then a teacher at Matshetshe in Esigodini after training at Dombodema, Plumtree when Manyarara and Moyo first visited him for school choir recording.Japhet worked at the Bulawayo Studios in 11th Avenue before the Montrose Studios were built with colleagues such as Amon Nyamambi, Joseph Masuku, Cyrus Ntini, Ferdinand Sibanda,Christopher Sibanda, Lazarus Mpofu,Kingsley Banda(Sibanda) and Abbie Dube among many others.

Coming straight from teaching he was allocated the long running “Abancane Qha”/ Children’s Corner show to which he used to invite his favourite ‘brilliant young boys’ Muchadeyi Masunda lawyer who later became Harare Mayor and late war veteran and national hero Absalom Sikhosana.During his short stint at Harare,now Mbare Studios in Salisbury.

Japhet Masuku worked with Oliver Chimenya, Pamenous Nyamurowa, Hwaru Nyathi, Ephraim Chamba,Selby Hlatshwayo, Wilson Chivaura,Jabulani Mangena, Jonathan Mutsinze, Mavis Moyo, Shiyeka Khumalo among many others.

He was popular for his programme “Suka Masuku sizwe ingoma” a hit after hit type of presentation.

Leaving broadcasting on his own accord Jazi Elindizayo formed a music band Izintombi ZikaMthwakazi Labafana Bomdlalo which released the hit song “Thina Siyahlupheka”(We are suffering) which in no time was banned by Rhodesian authorities.

The flipside was “Ikhaya lethu silitshiyile” (We left our home) Band members included uBhaqela, Sibangani Nkomo Jonathan Majola and Bhangalala Mugabe.He also worked as a youth officer with the Bulawayo City Council before deciding in the mid 1970s to cross into Zambia to join late Joshua Nkomo led ZAPU and Zipra forces in the liberation war.

He straight away became a broadcaster of war news and the progress of the liberation struggle with the likes of Joseph Masuku, Jane Ngwenya, Iris Chiratidzo Mabuwa, Andrew Ngonye, Oliver Juru among others.

Returning home at Independence in 1980 and failing to secure a broadcasting job at ZBC Japhet briefly went back to teaching before rejoining Bulawayo City Council until retirement.

Born in eNtunteni, Essexvale now Esigodini Japhet Masuku was educated there and at Inyathi Mission under London Missionary Society.Japhet’s father uMankunku and John Masuku’s grandfather uWulumeni, sons of Phugeni Masuku of eMalungwane, Esigodini (Essexvale) were direct brothers,same father,same mother.

Uncle Japhet will be buried this weekend at his rural home in eMkhalandoda, eNkayi.

Jazi Elindizayo leaves behind two wives uMama uMaNgwenya and uMama uMaDube,several children and grand children.

COURTESY: JM Archives.

By A Correspondent- Victory World International Ministries church leader Paul Sanyangore is facing a three-month jail term after failing to settle a US$10 200 debt with satellite transmission company, Viewsat Limited (Viewsat).
The UK based company filed an application through lawyer Mr Davison Kanokanga for civil imprisonment in a bid to push the pastor to pay a $12 733 debt in 2018.
In 2019, the High Court declared that Sanyangore must pay the company the money owed at the rate of US$350 per month.
“On 23 January 2019, the High Court sitting at Harare ordered the civil imprisonment of the respondent Paul Sanyangore of 514 Houghton Park Drive, Houghton Park, Harare, for a period of 90 days.

“The order will remain in force until the respondent has paid the sum of $10 292.20 which the respondent owes to the applicant by virtue of a judgement of this court together with costs of the application for the order,” reads part of the writ of civil imprisonment.
“You are ordered to arrest the respondent and deliver him, together with a copy of this writ, to Harare Central Prison where he shall be kept until (a) he has paid the judgment debt, together with the interest and costs that are due; (b) the period of 90 days from the date of his delivery to the prison has elapsed, or (c) a court has varied or revoked the order of civil imprisonment,” further reads the writ.
According to the summons filed in December 2018, Sanyangore was advised to approach the High Court with his financial position to assess whether he was able to settle the debt or not.
“You, the respondent (Sanyangore) is called upon to pay to the applicant (Viewsat) the sum of $12 733, 73 being taxed costs plus interest at the prescribed rate from the 12th of October 2017 to the date of payment plus collection commission in terms of Law Society by-laws and legal costs on a legal practitioner and client scale recovered by order of this court dated 9th January 2010 April…,” part of the summons read.

According to the summons, Sanyangore was asked to bring evidence of his financial position, including proof of his income from wages, salary or earnings from any other source.
“The court will conduct an inquiry into your financial position and depending on the circumstances, it may not commit you to prison but instead give you further time to pay the sum due or direct you to pay it in instalments over a specified period,” part of the summons read.

-Herald

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed Christopher Mutsvangwa to the position of the party’s spokesperson.

The Zanu PF spokesman position was left vacant following the death of Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo last month.

Mnangagwa made the appointments Wednesday when he was reshuffling the Zanu PF politburo.

  Below are the new appointments he made :

1. Mike Bimha is the new Political Commissar, replacing Victor Matemadanda.
3. Lillian Zemura will now deputise Bimha in the Commissariat.
4. Chris Mutsvangwa was appointed as the new secretary for information, replacing the late Simon Khaya Moyo.
5. Monica Mavhunga from Mash Central Becomes Deputy Secretary of Education to the Politburo.
6. Alice Dube was Appointed as Politburo member replacing Cain Mathema.
7. Monica Mutsvangwa has been appointed as Deputy Secretary for Transport & Social Welfare.
8. First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa was appointed the Secretary for Environment and Tourism. She was previously the Deputy and now replaces Cde Prisca Mupfumira.
9. Ziyambi Ziyambi replaces Mutsvangwa as Secretary for Science and Technology.
10. Frederick Shava has been appointed as a Politburo Member as a Committee Member.
11. Omega Hungwe and Oliver Chidawu have been appointed Politburo members with immediate effect and these two are coming from Harare Province.
12. Judith Ncube was appointed as a Politburo member representing Bulawayo Province.
13. Josiah Hungwe who was secretary for Production and Labour now becomes a senior member of the Politburo, and he is replaced by Kenneth Musanhi as the Secretary for Production and Labour.

By A Correspondent- Two self-styled prophets from a Zionist church in Tsholotsho and a villager from Dete in Hwange have been jailed for nine years each for stocktheft.

Promise Vundla (33) and Hawkins Sibanda (47) are the self-styled prophets from Capuka village under Chief Matupula in the Sipepa area, Tsholotsho.

The duo visited Dete where they rented a house at Ms Hazel Sibanda’s homestead in Chamasichana village under Chief Nekatambe, praying for people and would receive payment in different forms including livestock.

Vundla and Sibanda prayed for Japhet Nyathi (56) of Mphakathi village under Chief Nekatambe in Dete and he offered to pay them using a calf after they charged him US$15 for consultation.
Nyathi led the duo into a bush where he showed them a calf belonging to Mrs Cecilia Nkomo who is the complainant from Chabasichana.
The three slaughtered the calf and shared the meat.
Vundla, Sibanda and Nyathi appeared before Hwange magistrate Ms Barbara Phiri charged with stocktheft.

Vundla and Sibanda pleaded guilty and told the court that they were given the calf by Nyathi as payment for their services, but the latter pleaded not guilty saying he did not know the two.
Vundla and Sibanda told the court that they were approached by Nyathi who wanted help and they charged him US$15 consultation fee which he offered to pay using a beast.
The duo said Nyathi led them to the bush where he showed them a calf and they asked him to slaughter it before they offered him meat but he refused to take a share.
The magistrate said stocktheft is a serious offence as she sentenced each of the trio to a mandatory nine years in jail.
Prosecuting, Ms Nomusa Maseko said the offence was committed last month.
“On the 24 th day of October 2021 in the morning the complainant released her herd of cattle for grazing. In the afternoon the herd came to drink water and she discovered that one male calf was missing. She looked for it but could not locate it,” said the prosecutor.

The court was told that on the following day, Ms Nkomo searched for the calf in the bush and saw a hide and some offals, with footprints around the area which she tracked to where Vundla and Sibanda were staying.
The court was told that the complainant saw some meat hung to dry in a disused kitchen hut and identified a head and hooves which matched the missing calf valued at $30 000.
She reported the matter to the police leading to the trio’s arrest.

-Chronicle

By A Correspondent – The Government Tuesday resolved to put on hold requests from the tourism industry to open up travel further as Harare activated increased monitoring, surveillance and enforcement protocols targeting entry points following the outbreak of the Omicron Covid-19 variant.
Cabinet designated the Omicron variant as a virus of major concern in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) declaration.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said this during the post-Cabinet media briefing yesterday.
Omicron variant was detected in South Africa forcing some global nations to impose travel restrictions on Sadc countries, including Zimbabwe.

Minister Mutsvangwa said in view of the threat posed by Omicron, Government resolved to shelve proposals by the tourism sector to further open up the economy ahead of the festive season.
“Cabinet also resolved to put on hold requests from the tourism industry to further open up travel in order to allow for the monitoring of the situation of the new variant and its impact during the next two weeks,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
At the moment the country’s borders remain closed as part of the Covid-19 prevention measures.
She said the country’s decision to consider Omicron as a variant of concern is informed by the declaration WHO issued indicating that a new variant of concern, SARS-CoV-2 variant: B.1.1.529, named Omicron, had been reported by South Africa.

“The Covid-19 National Committee has since designated Omicron a variant of concern in line with the WHO declaration.
The country will therefore, henceforth, increase surveillance and enforcement of Covid-19 protocols, especially at ports of entry,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
She said Cabinet has resolved that Zimbabwe immediately adopts and implements the recently announced WHO guidance in handling Omicron variant.
Minister Mutsvangwa said the measures include: “Enhancing surveillance and genomic sequencing efforts to better understand SARS-CoV-2 variants that might be circulating in the country; (b) reminding communities and individuals to take measures to reduce their risk to Covid-19 infection through the tried and tested protocols, such as wearing well-fitting masks, physical distancing, improving indoor ventilation, frequent washing and sanitising of hands and getting vaccinated.”
She said the country will heighten screening of returning residents and surveillance of illegal entry points.
“As the country goes into the festive season, and in order to reduce the risk of importing the new variant, in addition to strengthening Covid-19 surveillance and enforcement of protocols, vigilance of returning residents will be enhanced as well as at illegal or undesignated entry points and continued strengthening of the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccination programme in the provinces will also be undertaken,” she said.

-State media

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa accused the United Kingdom (UK) embassy of funding trade unions of pursuing a regime change agenda.

His utterances come at a time when there is a deadlock between government and teachers over the payment of allowances to invigilate ongoing Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) examinations.

The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz) and the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) have refused to invigilate the examinations.

Mnangagwa’s remarks also have the potential to compromise relations between Harare and London further.

Mnangagwa said a foreign hand influenced the conduct of teacher unions and singled out the UK embassy.

“The British extra-territorial concern by a foreign legislature on a sovereign African State, which is a full and equal member of the United Nations, is grossly unwarranted in terms of tenets of international law and practise,” he said.
“Because of this brazen, self-confessed violation of our sovereignty and threat to our national security and stability by the British government, my government will institute full and thorough investigations into this grave matter.
“Zimbabwe is a sovereign State, has been since independence from colonial rule in 1980, which is not even affiliated to the Commonwealth, a body it voluntarily quit over differences related to her just land reform programme.
“Equally, civic groups and teachers employed by the Zimbabwe government to work here in Zimbabwe are not employees of the British government, whether by contract or remuneration. Their activities, singly or in combination, have nothing to do with the British government or any foreign government for that matter.”
But teacher unions dismissed Mnangagwa’s threats as an attempt to gag them from demanding better wages and improved conditions of service.
The educators are demanding US dollar-denominated salaries or the equivalent in local currency.
“We are aware of the African proverb that, ‘when a leopard wants to eat its young ones, it first accuses them of smelling like a goat’,” PTUZ president Takavafira Zhou said.
“Government is such a leopard in this scenario. Such ludicrous hallucinations are not only baffling, but are madness of the worst order.”
Artuz president Obert Masaraure added: “We are no one’s agent, but we have a right to decide to change a corrupt and clueless regime. Our families are starving because of underpayment and our education is collapsing.”

-Newsday

Tinashe Sambiri|Through the rigorous community engagement programmes, President Nelson Chamisa is assisting villagers neglected by the Zanu PF regime for decades.

For instance in Mashonaland West Province, Skei Farm, President Chamisa is drilling four boreholes to assist the community.

Under the Development and Urbanization of Rural Areas( DURA), the MDC Alliance is determined to empower and equip neglected communities with essential services and facilities.

“Today we rolled out the Development and Urbanisation of Rural Areas (Dura) programme at Skei Farm in Mash West. President
@nelsonchamisa
is drilling 4 boreholes in Ward 14.

Under our Government every village household will have tapped water & Electricity #NgaapindeHakeMukomana,” MDC Alliance Secretary General, Charlton Hwende said in a statement on Twitter.

Tinashe Sambiri| Following the brutal murder of Movement for Democratic Change Alliance member Nyasha Zhambe by known Zanu PF hooligans, police on Tuesday surprised all and sundry when they arrested the deceased’s wife and brother.

The two were arrested for positively identified Zanu PF hooligans who abducted and tortured Nyasha to death.

Angry citizens say Zanu PF is a terrorist organization that has to be removed from power through available democratic processes.

Watch video below:

Tinashe Sambiri | Following the brutal murder of Movement for Democratic Change Alliance member Nyasha Zhambe by known Zanu PF hooligans, police on Tuesday surprised all and sundry when they arrested the deceased’s wife and brother.

The two were arrested for positively identified Zanu PF hooligans who abducted and tortured Nyasha to death.

Angry citizens say Zanu PF is a terrorist organization that has to be removed from power through available democratic processes.

Watch video below:

By A Correspondent- Three machete-wielding men reportedly raped two expecting mothers at Maphisa Hospital in Matobo district, Matabeleland South province.

In July, three pregnant women at the hospital were sexually abused, a situation that has shocked the community with some suspecting that the heinous acts could be for ritual purposes.

The recent rape case happened at a time when the country is commemorating 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.

It is alleged that in the latest incident, three machete-wielding men were spotted entering the maternity ward where they threatened and raped the victims.

Matabeleland South provincial medical director Ruth Chikodzore told Southern Eye that security at the hospital would be tightened. Chikodzore said:

We had a meeting as the ministry, hospital officials and community members, and we came up with several measures that will ensure the safety of patients. We decided to increase the number of security personnel at the hospital.

There will be police officers patrolling the hospital during the night. Each ward will now have a guard to protect patients. The windows will also be secured as well as the doors.

Chikodzore said the community had also formed a neighbourhood watch committee to guard the institution.

Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Loveness Mangena said they were investigating the matter. 

More: NewsDay

By A Correspondent- A Mount Plesaesnt family has lost US$48 000 and other valuable to five stone-wielding robbers.

According to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) the stone-wielding robbers pounced on a house in Mt Pleasant stole US$48 000 and several valuables:
The ZRP is investigating a case of robbery which occurred on 27/11/21 at about 0155 hours, where five unknown suspects pounced on a certain house in Mount Pleasant, Harare.
The five suspects who were armed with stones and wearing black face masks, demanded cash before being given safe keys. They stole US$ 48 000, iPhone XRS, car keys for a Toyota Mark X vehicle and went away.

By A Correspondent-Midlands Provincial Magistrate Edwin Marecha yesterday remanded in custody to December 17 the five suspects in a case involving theft of US$334 290 from a Fawcett cash-in-transit vehicle.

The alleged culprits including four Fawcett employees charged with theft as defined in section 113(2) of the Criminal Law (Codification & Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23 are Bongani Mapfumo, Blessing Lizhu, Emmanuel Nhamo, Thomas Chisambadzi and Langelihle Moyo.

Allegations are that the accused persons and four others who are still at large hatched a plan to steal Fawcett Security Company cash which they had been assigned to transport from Bulawayo to Harare.
They were using a company vehicle being driven by Mapfumo. In Bulawayo, the accused picked a certain Lizhu who is not their fellow employee and traveled with him in the same vehicle with the cash.

Allegations are that while on the way and near Connemara Open Prison Mapfumo, who was driving the vehicle, stopped. While at that place they were joined by four other accused persons who are at large and were driving a white Honda Fit vehicle.
The accused persons connived and decided to pretend to have been robbed. They broke the three cash boxes using a bolt cutter they had carried for that purpose and took the cash amounting to US$334 290.
Mapfumo, Nhamo, Chisambadzi and Moyo then proceeded to the Police and made a false robbery report.
Upon investigation the police realised that there was never a robbery. They recovered US$18 750 through indications made by accused Lizhu.

The State was represented by senior prosecutors Mr Fredrick Matsheza and Magaret Mukucha.

-Herald

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF President Emmerson Mnangagwa has made new politburo appointments, with Chris Mutsvangwa becoming the new spokesperson.

  Below are the changes he made made:

1. Mike Bimha is the new Political Commissar, replacing Victor Matemadanda.
3. Lillian Zemura will now deputise Bimha in the Commissariat.
4. Chris Mutsvangwa was appointed as the new secretary for information, replacing the late Simon Khaya Moyo.
5. Monica Mavhunga from Mash Central Becomes Deputy Secretary of Education to the Politburo.
6. Alice Dube was Appointed as Politburo member replacing Cain Mathema.
7. Monica Mutsvangwa has been appointed as Deputy Secretary for Transport & Social Welfare.
8. First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa was appointed the Secretary for Environment and Tourism. She was previously the Deputy and now replaces Cde Prisca Mupfumira.
9. Ziyambi Ziyambi replaces Mutsvangwa as Secretary for Science and Technology.
10. Frederick Shava has been appointed as a Politburo Member as a Committee Member.
11. Omega Hungwe and Oliver Chidawu have been appointed Politburo members with immediate effect and these two are coming from Harare Province.
12. Judith Ncube was appointed as a Politburo member representing Bulawayo Province.
13. Josiah Hungwe who was secretary for Production and Labour now becomes a senior member of the Politburo, and he is replaced by Kenneth Musanhi as the Secretary for Production and Labour.

By A Correspondent- Chisipite Junior School has reportedly recorded Covid-19 cases and suspended physical learning activities to protect the pupils.

This also comes after Heritage school Tuesday announced that it was closing immediately, fearing a further spread of the virus.

Hartmann House is also closing for all classes serve for grade sevens who are writing ZIMSEC examinations.

While schools traditionally close in the first week of December, the government directed that they will this time close on the 17th of December to compensate for the time lost when learners were home due to coronavirus.

-Online

By A Correspondent- Several local schools are closing, citing coronavirus detection among members of the schools’ community.

One such school is the Heritage School which announced on Tuesday that it was closing immediately.

Below is the school’s letter to stakeholders:
THE HERITAGE SCHOOL
30 November 2021
Dear Parents and Guardians
This letter serves to inform you that we have just received information that a member of our school community has tested Positive for the Covid-19 virus.
It is therefore prudent that as a school we take immediate action to control the situation by closing the school with immediate effect. It is unfortunate that we have had to take this action, but we feel it Is in the best interest of our community.

Our Year 7 classes will continue with their ZIMSEC examinations. They should be brought to school at 7:45 am. and they should be picked up soon after their exams.
Boarders may be collected from Acacia House starting on Wednesday 1″ December 2021 from 800 am.
The end of year school reports will be sent via email in due course.
We would like to thank you for your support throughout the year.
We wish you happy holidays Stay Safe!

Chisipite Junior School which also recorded coronavirus cases said it had suspended all physical lessons and activities at the school.
Hartmann House is also closing for all classes serve for grade sevens who are writing ZIMSEC examinations.
While schools traditionally close in the first week of December, the government directed that they will this time close on the 17th of December to compensate for the time lost when learners were home due to coronavirus.

-Online

By A Correspondent- The Mutare High Court has ruled against the Anglican Church’s Manicaland Diocese decision to remove St Faith’s High School headmaster Mr Arnold Makamba and his deputy from their positions.

Mr Makamba and his deputy Mr Irvine Mudangwe, had challenged their dismissal from the school by the diocese and the School Development Committee.

After the diocese applied to have the court confirm the dismissal of the pair, Mr Makamba and Mr Mudangwe filed an opposing application seeking to reclaim their positions.

The diocese’s application was , however, dismissed in default on Monday as neither the applicants nor the legal representative, Mr Ashel Mutungura, were in court when the matter was heard.

Mr Makamba and Mr Mudangwe had argued that the diocese had  no legal basis to take that decision against them.

In the notice of opposition to an application by the trustees of the Anglican Diocese of Manicaland Church of the Province of Central Africa and St Faith’s High School’s School Development Committee, the two said they were still the substantive headmaster and deputy of St Faith’s High School.

“Our employer is not the third respondent, but the Civil Service Commission (CSC), formerly Public Service Commission, created in terms of section 202 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

“The CSC has a vested interest in the attempt by the first applicant to force our transfer. The CSC not the third respondent should have been the third respondent.

“The second applicant is not properly before the court. No affidavit has been deposed on behalf of the second applicant. The resolution of the board of trustees of the first applicant does not equate to a resolution of the second applicant,” Mr Makamba said.

He said the interim order obtained as well as the final order sought were incompetent and the court could not bar them from carrying out their duties.-statemedia

“We are employed by the CSC, which has not suspended us, has not instituted any disciplinary action against us, nor has it transferred us. In any event, when the third respondent does that it uses the Public Service regulations to discipline or to transfer us. Accordingly, this application was ill-conceived, lacks merit and must be dismissed with costs on a legal practitioner and client scale,” Mr Makamba said.-statemedia

Tinashe Sambiri|Through the rigorous community engagement programmes, President Nelson Chamisa is assisting villagers neglected by the Zanu PF regime for decades.

For instance in Mashonaland West Province, Skei Farm, President Chamisa is drilling four boreholes to assist the community.

Under the Development and Urbanization of Rural Areas( DURA), the MDC Alliance is determined to empower and equip neglected communities with essential services and facilities.

“Today we rolled out the Development and Urbanisation of Rural Areas (Dura) programme at Skei Farm in Mash West. President
@nelsonchamisa
is drilling 4 boreholes in Ward 14.

Under our Government every village household will have tapped water & Electricity #NgaapindeHakeMukomana,” MDC Alliance Secretary General, Charlton Hwende said in a statement on Twitter.

By A Correspondent- Two Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) officers died Tuesday in a horrific crash after the vehicle in which they were travelling in collided with a haulage truck in Chiredzi.

The two soldiers, who were travelling in a Mazda Primacy, had the fateful accident on the 95km peg along Ngundu-Tanganda road.

Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident to NewZimbabwe.com, and said investigations into the accident are ongoing.

“We are yet to find out the total number of people who were involved in the accident so far it’s not yet clear, but the police are still conducting investigations. You can check with the army for more details and identification of the deceased,” Nyathi said.

However, ZNA public relations director, Lieutenant Colonel Alphios Makotore, could not be reached for comment as his mobile phone went unanswered.

The deceased soldiers have been identified as Tatenda Nyambi and Nehemiah Mabutho who are both stationed at Buffalo Range.

Sources said Mabutho was driving the car and failed to indicate that he was turning right at the Buffalo Range turnoff, whilst the haulage truck was overtaking.

The two soldiers were coming back from Chiredzi town where they had gone to pick up some groceries.

The haulage truck which was being driven Anesu Marume hit the soldiers’ vehicle on the right side before it swerved off the road and hit a tree.

Efforts to save the two were in vain since they were both declared dead upon arrival at the hospital.

Postmortem is being conducted at Chiredzi General Hospital.

By A Correspondent- Children under five are being admitted with COVID19 symptoms to the hospital, according to the Head of Intensive Care at Chris Hani Baragwanath, Rudo Mathivha.

She says the shift in demographics is very worrying. Mathivha said:

The number of ill patients presenting to hospitals has increased exponentially.

We are seeing definitely a change in the demographic profile of patients. We are seeing toddlers under five presenting with symptoms and they are sick enough to require admission and to require supplemental oxygen.

Last month, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association reported that in the United States of America, children represent about 16% of all COVID-19 cases.

While all children are capable of getting the virus that causes COVID-19, they don’t become sick as often as adults. Most children have mild symptoms or no symptoms.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), however, some children become severely ill with COVID-19 and might need to be hospitalised, treated in the intensive care unit or placed on a ventilator to help them breathe.

In addition, children with other health conditions, such as obesity, diabetes and asthma, might be at higher risk of serious illness with COVID-19.

Children who have congenital heart disease, genetic conditions or conditions affecting the nervous system or metabolism also might be at higher risk of serious illness with COVID-19.

Meanwhile, many governments have been reluctant to inoculate children with COVID-19 vaccines prioritising the most vulnerable groups.

By Farai D Hove | The sociallite Madam Boss faces elimination, an analyst has claimed.

Writing on Wednesday morning, Talent Rusere said Tarisai Chikosho has been targeted due to her recent Facebook post in which she complained about outstanding refuse collection in Harare.

In the referenced post, Madam Boss cries out against uncollected bins, and at the end signs off with the emotive Nelson Chamisa, “Ngaapinde Hake Mukomana,” slogan.

Rusere’s comment comes a few days after a sociallite with a long history of hiring bouncers to assault enemies, Mai Titi, published insults against Madam Boss, weeks after claiming she had reunited with her.

It also comes at a time when the diaspora returnee, and CEO for the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency Doug Munatsi was killed in a suspected arson incident at his flat in Harare on Monday morning.

A comment from the State Security ministry was not possible at the time of writing.

Meanwhile, Rusere, who also spoke to ZimEye today, stated in full:

Dear Madam Boss

There is a plot on your life, you have been considered an enemy to the state and marked for elimination before mid 2022 due to this post yawakaita “yemadhodha binhi”, distance yourself from those who pretend to be friends when they are actually your rivals.

Hauna shamwari in entertainment business Taira, they do envy you..

You are a good person and an inspiration to our young women and I won’t sit back and let Zanu pf suck your blood and destroy Muku’s future.

… pliz watch this lady….. you can DM me for full details.

By A Correspondent- The Masvingo provincial Covid-19 taskforce has, together with ministry of Health and Child Care, launched investigations to establish a sudden spike in Covid-19 cases at Masvingo Teachers College.

By Saturday last week a total of 81 students had tested positive to the novel virus at the institution bringing fears that it could be the new Omicron variant which has sent shock waves across the world.

Masvingo provincial medical director Amadeus Shamhu confirmed the developments saying specimens were sent to Harare for clinical tests.

“We are conducting investigations into the issue, we sent specimens to Harare today (November 29) for genomic sequencing so results are being expected this week,” Shamhu said.

More tests are reportedly being conducted at the institution and contact tracing has since been launched.

Masvingo Provincial Covid-19 taskforce spokesperson, Rodgers Irimayi also told this publication that they were investigating the spike in Covid-19 cases but stated that the index case had no history of travelling outside the country.

“The index case has no history has no history of traveling to any other country, it is a local transmission. We are yet to get to the bottom and know how it started but the current position is that this is a local infection at the institution,” he said.

Earlier this year another local institution, Bondolfi Teachers College, was hit by Covid-19 and over 90 students tested positive to the deadly virus.

Last week the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) issued out a statement after 76 returnees from South Africa evaded quarantine risking spread of Covid-19 amongst locals.

By A Correspondent- South Africa-based Zimbabwean social media troll, Tinashe Exevier Mutamiri, has apologised to United Family International Church (UFIC) leader Emmanuel Makandiwa for claiming he was killing people.

Mutamiri pulled down videos, which he had posted on social media attacking pastor Donald Mhandu and other pastors in Makandiwa’s church.

Mutamiri pulled down the videos following a directive by a South African court.

This was after Mhandu had approached the Gauteng High Court on November 9 seeking an interdict to bar Mutamiri from repeating the defamatory statements.

Through his lawyer Henk Horn, Mhandu successfully secured an order to compel Mutamiri to delete the defamatory posts, which accused the pastor of aiding Makandiwa to allegedly kill people opposed to his church.

In a video published online, Mutamiri said he did not apologise under duress. 

He apologised to Mr Donald Mhandu “for all the information that I was made to publish on my account, for all the defamatory statements, I would like to retract it.”

He added:

I would also like to extend my apologies to your father, prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa. You became collateral damage. All I published had no factual background.

Mutamiri also apologised to everyone he defamed on his Facebook account, claiming he was misled by faceless moles who eventually did not turn up to give their testimonies probably “because of fear that what they were saying was false.”

By A Correspondent- Tshabalala Extension in Bulawayo has been hit by diarrhoea, with over 500 families affected after they allegedly drank contaminated water.

Bulawayo City Council (BCC) is struggling to provide potable water to residents.

Tshabalala Extension Residents Association chairperson Webster Tsondayi yesterday told Southern Eye that residents experienced running tummies after drinking council water during the weekend.

BCC adopted a 72-hour water-shedding regime, saying it was necessitated by power cuts.

Residents said when water was restored, it was not clean.

“There are about 500 households that are affected. Most people started falling sick on Saturday. There was no water from Monday to Thursday and when it was restored, people drank it and fell sick.  People are experiencing running stomachs, vomiting, backaches, body weakness and loss of appetite,” Tsondayi said.

He said the matter was reported to council, which promised to visit the affected area to collect samples, adding that arrangements would be made to ensure sick residents are treated at the local council clinic free of
charge.

Sibonginkosi Ngwenya, a resident, told Southern Eye that members of her family were affected, including her 19-year-old son who is set to sit for Advanced Level examinations tomorrow.

“My son is likely to miss the examinations because of the illness.  The worst part is that he is supposed to sit for the Maths paper. I do not know whether he will be allowed to sit in future,” she said.

Paul Makhureya said he and his family were rushed to hospital where they were admitted after the infection.

Council’s health services deputy director Charles Malaba said they were seized with the issue.

“I am aware of the issue, but I cannot comment on whether they (infections) were caused by contaminated water or not. We have collected samples for testing and the results take about two to three days to come out,” Malaba said.

In 2020, a diarrhoea outbreak hit Luveve suburb where it claimed 13 lives and infected over 1 000 others.

In July, reports emerged of a diarrhoea outbreak in Emganwini high-density suburb.  Residents complained of sewage flowing into their homes, exposing them to water-borne diseases.

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) is investigating a theft case in which an unknown suspect who was conducting riding lessons fled with a motorcycle belonging to the driving school that was training him.

Police say the instructor was yet to record the suspect’s identity details. Sid police in a statement:

The ZRP is investigating circumstances surrounding a case of theft of motorcycle which occurred on 29/11/21 at Robert Mugabe Square, near Rotten Row Magistrate Court, Harare where an unknown suspect, who was conducting riding lessons, rode off with a motor-cycle (ADO 7409) belonging to a local driving school.

He left the instructor shocked and waiting. The instructor had not recorded any particulars of the suspect

By A Correspondent- Zanu-PF on Saturday allegedly bussed students from various tertiary institutions to Marymount Teachers College in Mutare for a party event and later paraded them as MDC Alliance defectors.

The event, which was attended by Zanu-PF acting national political commissar Patrick Chinamasa and acting party spokesperson Mike Bimha, was meant to welcome defectors from the MDC Alliance.

The ruling party claimed at the event that 400 MDC Alliance members had defected from the opposition party. Marymount Teachers College students led by their lecturer Joshua Matume were presented as defectors during the event.

The students were transported to the institution by the college bus.

“We were just told that we should attend a Zanu-PF meeting and that is what we are just doing and there is no way you can refuse your bosses’ order,” one student, who was bussed to the event, said.

“I just attended the meeting after I was told to do so by my lecturers.”

Zanu-PF Mutare district co-ordinating committee chairperson Binali Yard told NewsDay that there was nothing wrong with bussing the students to a ruling party event.

“We had a false start because of some logistical challenges which we later addressed. On the issue of students, they have been part of programmes of late, if you are not aware,” he said

Meanwhile, Zanu-PF Mashonaland East province has claimed that about 78 opposition party members drawn from Marondera, Murewa and Goromonzi defected to the ruling party on Sunday.

They were paraded at Zanu-PF provincial headquarters in Marondera.

The group was mobilised by former MDC Marondera mayor Farai Nyandoro and former Harare deputy mayor Emmanuel Chiroto who recently joined Zanu-PF.

Chiroto and Nyandoro left the Nelson Chamisa-led opposition party and joined Douglas Mwonzora’s MDC-T before defecting to Zanu-PF.

“We are here to build a formidable force of Zanu-PF within urban authorities. Moreover, people are now appreciating the works of the second republic, for example the massive infrastructural projects being implemented across Zimbabwe,” Nyandoro told NewsDay.

MDC Alliance Mashonaland East provincial spokesperson Chengetai said the defectors did not belong to the party.

“Those who defected are not our members, they joined Mwonzora’s MDC-T some time back and they are now joining Zanu-PF,” he said.

By A Correspondent- The Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) has started a dialogue with FIFA over the suspension of the Zimbabwe Football Association.

Meanwhile, the suspended Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) board has said it will be taking the SRC to the Administrative Court for recourse.

The SRC suspended the ZIFA board two weeks ago citing irregularities in the handling of finances as well as breaching COVID-19 protocols, among other transgressions.

Zifa has since escalated the case to CAF and FIFA. 
 
On Monday, the SRC announced that it had reached an “agreement” with FIFA on how the ZIFA issue would be addressed following a meeting on Saturday.

According to SRC, dialogue with Fifa is an ongoing process, but the ZIFA board led by Felton Kamambo remains suspended.

Yesterday, Zifa legal advisor Chenaimoyo Gumiro responded to the charges that led to the board members’ suspension, saying SRC took a wrong approach and should have engaged the football mother body the same way it had engaged FIFA.

He said:

We are aware of the engagements of SRC and Fifa and we believe that is the way to go about it. Fifa promotes fair governance and it does not rush to make decisions before engaging all parties involved.

This is what the SRC should have done and if that engagement with Zifa had been done, surely we would not have come to where we are. While the engagements between SRC and Fifa take place, we will seek to get the suspension lifted locally by approaching the Administrative Court.

Other suspended board members, who include Philemon Machana, Farai Jere, Barbra Chikosi and Bryton Malandule, want their suspension to be set aside.

While SRC is saying ZIFA mismanaged public funds at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Egypt, the association says it only got US$53 000 from the government and the money was disbursed to players.

Gumiro challenged SRC to explain what happened to the funds that were raised by a committee established for that purpose ahead of the tournament.

STATEMENT BY THE EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE TO THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA ON THE EXPIRY OF THE ZIMBABWEAN EXEMPTION PERMITS (ZEP)

1. On 25 November 2021, the Ministry in the Presidency of the Republic of South Africa issued a statement on the Cabinet meeting of Wednesday 24 November 2021. Paragraph 6.3 of the statement states that “Following its deliberations, Cabinet decided to no longer issue extensions to the Zimbabwean special dispensations. However, it decided on a 12 months grace period at the expiry of the current ZEP”. The latter acronym stands for Zimbabwean Exemption Permit.

2. This permit. which was due to expire on 31 December 2021, will therefore expire on 31 December 2022 on the basis of the 12 months grace period granted by the Cabinet.

3. The Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe takes note of this decision by the Government of the Republic of South Africa, a close neighbour with which Zimbabwe enjoys excellent relations.

4. The Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe urges and encourages all its nationals, beneficiaries of the special dispensation, to comply with this decision and to cooperate in its implementation.

5. The Embassy of Zimbabwe has initiated engagements and consultations with the relevant authorities of the government of South Africa with a view to ensuring the timely dissemination of information and the smooth implementation of this decision which will impact the lives and livelihoods of thousands of individuals and households. It is the Embassy’s expectation that this decision will be implemented with the minimum of disruption to the lives and livelihoods of the affected individuals and their families.

Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe Pretoria 30 November 2021

For queries please send a message to: [email protected] or [email protected]

By A Correspondent- The late Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA), chief executive officer Douglas Munatsi, invited a Harare young lady in his apartment the night of his death, it has emerged.

Munatsi died early Monday morning after failing to escape from his seven-roomed flat comprising three bedrooms, dining room, lounge, kitchen, and Gym.

Police forensic team is currently working with the Fire brigade to ascertain cause of the explosion.

“On 29 November 2021 at around 0250hours, the informant (Charles Gardner) heard some explosion-like noise and he woke up and went to the balcony to check where the noise was coming from, reads a police memo.
“The informant saw smoke coming from the now deceased’s flat which is directly below his flat and a voice that was shouting ‘Fire please help‘. Informant then phoned fire brigade at the same time running down stairs to the ground floor. A report was made at ZRP Harare Central.”
Police observed that Munatsi’s main bedroom was extensively damaged by fire to the extent that all windows and doors were broken, all the furniture in the bedroom were extensively burnt that only steel frames for the bed and built in cupboards were observed.
“The remains of the deceased was found in a sitting position just beside the tub in the main bedroom with some burns on the hands and legs, he was putting on a red T shirt and a black pair of shorts which were not burnt to suggest that the deceased could have been burnt by the heat of the fire and not direct flames,” police said.
Gardner is said to have told the police that he heard sound as if something had exploded at about 02:50AM and woke up to check and discovered that there was smoke coming from the now deceased’s flat.
He also mentioned that he heard the now deceased calling for help. Same mentioned that he phoned Fire Brigade at about 2:53AM at the same time telling the now deceased to come out. “The informant stated that he then ran down stairs on foot since there was no electricity on the flat since about 1445 hours on Saturday 27 November 2021. He further narrated that Fire Brigade arrived at the scene at about 0311 hours but had some challenges in accessing the flat since it was on the 9th floor. The informant mentioned that Fire brigade only finished extinguishing the fire at about 0530 hours,” police said.
“Also interviewed was Shupai Zifunge aged 47 years NR 04-070519 B 04 of Block 7, C10 Shawasha Flats, Mbare, Harare who is employed by Securico Security Company as a security guard based at Northfields Flats.”
“Same indicated that he last saw the now deceased on 28 November 2021 at about 1820 hours when he (deceased) told him that he was expecting a guest at the flat and he asked the informant to escort the guest to his flat when she arrived. The guard further mentioned that the said guest who was recorded on the security check point book as Coleta NFPK arrived at about 1905 and he escorted her to the now deceased’s flat. The said guest left the flat at about 2118 hours on foot. Shupai Zifunge further stated that on 29 November 2021 around 0300 hours he heard some explosion and he went out of the guardroom and saw the informant running downstairs telling him that there was a fire in flat number C9.”

-Zim Morning Post

By A Correspondent- The High Court has ruled that the US$20 million contract entered between Drax Consult SALG (Drax) the National Pharmaceutical Company (Natpharm) for the supply of medicines and medical sundries by the former to the latter was valid.

Drax is owned by Delish Nguwaya, who is a close friend of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s sons.

The ruling comes after Drax approached the High Court, contesting an arbitral award nullifying the tender it had been granted for the supply of the medicines and surgical sundries.

Justice Webster Chinamora today granted the application by Drax finding that the Procurement Regulations of Zimbabwe Authority Zimbabwe gave authority to Natpharm to act in accordance with a resolution that had been made in procuring the required medicines and surgical sundries.
The contract was brusquely cancelled after a national public outcry following corruption allegations surrounding it.
However, Drax local representative Delish Nguwaya and former health minister Obadiah Moyo who were arrested in connection to corruption charges relating to the contract, have since been cleared of the charges while three Natpharm top executives have since been removed from remand over the same charges.

• Herald

By A Correspondent-Some residents in Bulawayo’s Tshabalala suburb have gone for a week without electricity following the theft of copper cables.

The residents said they intercepted the daring thieves while cutting the cables and they fled in panic, leaving the cables lying on the ground before they hopped into a ZESA branded vehicle and sped off.

A witness, Bongani Dube, told CITE that the incident happened on November 23, 2021, around 2 am.

Dube said he was in the house studying when he heard a loud noise outside and went to investigate.

“Initially I thought maybe it was people trying to break into my car. I got a torch and went outside. I discovered they had actually stepped on my garage roof but it gave in because of their weight because the zinc is now very old,” narrated Dube.

“When I got outside I saw a man running on top of the precast wall. I rushed outside the gate and I saw him jump into a car with ZESA branding which was parked on the road. The car had no number plates.”

Dube said they made a report to the police but they were referred to ZESA.

“The police said this is a ZESA issue. We have been to the ZESA offices countless times but they haven’t come here. We fear for our safety. These cables have been lying here since then and we don’t know if they are live or not. We are also in the rainy season so we fear the worst. My neighbours are now using the back entrance because these cables are right on their gate,” he said.

ZETDC acting spokesperson Prisca Utete could not immediately comment on the issue but asked that the questions be emailed to her.
-CITE