An @impalacarrental employee has told a ZimEye correspondent the real Impala co' owner is a military gen who was promoted to an ambassadorial job after the 1 Aug'18 crackdown. As we reach out to the ex-soldier & the CEO Mr Thompson Dondo, we interview the general's family MORE…

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) September 3, 2020

Cabinet ministers will he held in contempt of Parliament if they continue missing business sittings, Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda warned yesterday.

He issued the warning after only a handful of ministers and deputy ministers attended yesterday’s weekly Question and Answer Session.

Most members of the National Assembly resorted to directing their questions to the Leader of the House, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi who deals with Government business.

“These ministers are undermining the President and Government. There have been no apologies that have been tendered. If next week there are no ministers, there must be someone from the floor who moves a point of order and raise a motion so that we can deal with them for contempt of Parliament,” said Adv Mudenda.

He urged Minister Ziyambi to ensure ministers attended Parliament and take its business seriously.

Some of the ministers that were present included Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Women’s Affairs, Community and Small and Medium Enterprises Development Dr Sithembiso Nyoni, Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation and Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Amon Murwira, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Deputy Minister Mike Madiro, Finance and Economic Development Deputy Minister Clemence Chiduwa, and Energy and Power Development Deputy Minister Magna Mudyiwa.

The ministers who took the trouble to seek official leave of absence are Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe, Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joel Biggie Matiza, National Housing and Social Amenities Minister Daniel Garwe, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Cain Mathema, Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo and Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Sekai Nzenza.

Adv Mudenda said MPs who tested positive for Covid-19 following tests conducted on Monday and Tuesday would be contacted individually and be required to self-isolate.

Parliament would provide the necessary support to those who test positive.

Devex.com

BRUSSELS — Ongoing mismanagement and corruption mean it is “out of the question” that the European Union will resume aid directly to the government of Zimbabwe anytime soon, according to the bloc’s ambassador to the country.

The government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa has “indicated that they would be interested in reverting back to budget support,” EU Ambassador Timo Olkkonen told Devex in an interview last week. “I can’t prejudge, of course, what happens with the [EU’s upcoming development assistance] programming exercise — but I would say, from my personal perspective, I think it would be impossible.”

The EU stopped sending money directly to government coffers in the southern African nation in 2002, citing violations of human rights and democratic principles under then-President Robert Mugabe. Three years ago, when Mnangagwa seized power from his former mentor in a coup and declared the country “open for business,” Brussels offered the prospect of greater assistance in exchange for free and fair elections.

“We have to think about how we can support the country in a situation where the level of governance is not where we would like it to be.”

Instead, soldiers killed at least six people in the aftermath of the 2018 election that was won by Mnangagwa and criticized by international observers. In recent months, a government crackdown has seen the arrest of domestic opponents and journalists, such as Hopewell Chin’ono, who had reported on a corruption scandal involving COVID-19 supplies.

“Is there really a break with the past?” Olkkonen asked. “Security forces are very heavy-handed, and the treatment of many of these government critics just seems very, very unfair.”

Asked whether the country’s judiciary is independent of the ruling ZANU-PF party, Olkkonen said that “there are clearly cases where you can question [whether] there are political motives behind some of those decisions.” Citing unsuccessful bail applications and countercharges against government critics, he said that “many of these cases really look like overreaction, and then there is also a [question] of fairness and equality of treatment.”

Economically, Olkkonen said skyrocketing inflation following the reintroduction of the Zimbabwe dollar was a symptom of structural problems, such as the “dysfunctional” agriculture sector, as well as “large-scale corruption” in the “very opaque” mining sector. More than half of the population requires food aid, he said. And around 90% of people working in the informal sector, the ambassador said. COVID-19, which has yet to peak in the country, has exacerbated the preexisting humanitarian, economic, social, and political crises.

“The expected reforms have not been made,” Olkkonen said of Mnangagwa’s administration. “The country is in a very difficult place. They had discussions with the IMF [International Monetary Fund], but that has also now broken off. … We have to think about how we can support the country in a situation where the level of governance is not where we would like it to be.”

Between 2014 and 2020, the EU focused on health, agriculture, and good governance, steering funds through consultants and NGOs rather than the government. In the coming months, EU delegations around the world will report back to HQ in Brussels on what their priorities should be for the 2021-2027 period.

After more than two years, European Union leaders finally agreed on a new budget for the bloc. But the results for development are mixed.

“What’s happening in the country and where the country is now will also influence our forthcoming programming exercise,” Olkkonen said. “It can’t be disengaged from that fact.”

In July, the EU foreign affairs chief, Josep Borrell, tweeted: “Recent developments in Zimbabwe are deeply worrying. The work of human rights defenders, journalists, and civil society organisations is essential to support reforms that stand the test of time. Upholding constitutional rights is a principle which cannot be compromised.”

However, that is not enough for Thandekile Moyo. During an online panel discussion last month, the Zimbabwean human rights advocate said that she had lost faith in the international community.

“I believe it is up to us Zimbabweans to save ourselves,” Moyo said, citing international inaction over the Gukurahundi massacres in the 1980s, the killings in Harare in 2018 despite the presence of election observers, and the recent disappearance and torture of government opponents. “I don’t think the international community will do anything. They’ve never done anything, and we might have to wake up to that reality and take it upon ourselves to free ourselves.”

Olkkonen said the EU had reacted to abuses in Zimbabwe, suspending aid to the government in the early 2000s and enforcing an arms embargo and an asset freeze on a company close to the military. However, he said he understood the frustration of locals, “seeing that the international community is, yes, condemning the situation, but then that would be the limit of it. Then the question would be, what would they expect the EU or other western countries to do? And obviously there are limitations to that, what is possible and what is not.”

He said the EU had been encouraging regional African bodies to get more involved in Zimbabwe. “So far we haven’t heard much from [the Southern African Development Community], but we did have for the first time quite a critical comment from the African Union Commission, and I think that’s encouraging.”

Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) coronavirus situation report as of 02 September 2020:

New cases: 79
Locals – 59
Returnees – 20
Deaths: 3
Recoveries: 9
Tests Done: 939
PRC – 939
National Recovery Rate: 79%
Active Cases: 1182
Total Cumulative Cases: 6 638
Total Recoveries: 5 250
Total Deaths: 206

THE High Court has given Econet Wireless a 48-hour ultimatum within which to release cellphone records pertaining to the three MDC activists’ movements, tracked through their mobile phones on the day they were allegedly abducted by State security agents.

The order was made on Wednesday by Justice Clement Phiri following an application by the opposition activists Joanah Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova.

“The respondent (Econet Wireless) be and is hereby ordered to, within 48 hours from the date of this order, deliver to the applicants (Mamombe, Chimbiri and Marova) through their legal practitioners, cellphone records for the period between May 13, 2020 and June 9, 2020 together with cellular phone triangulation, cell tower triangulation or GPS tracking data for lines 07*****, 07***** and 07***** for the same period,” Justice Phiri ruled.

The trio was reportedly abducted by State security agents on May 13, 2020, leading to a worldwide condemnation of the incident which government dismissed as stage-managed.

Instead, the State charged the women for falsifying their abduction.

However, as the trio’s trial date was set by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), on charges of publishing false statements prejudicial to the State, they approached the High Court for an order to compel Econet Wireless, whose mobile network they use and has the GPS tracking system, to release the May 13, 2020 records, saying they will show how they were allegedly tracked down by State security agents, leading to their abduction.

The three women, who are currently out of custody on $10 000 bail each, argue that they were arrested by the police at a COVID-19 checkpoint along Samora Machel Avenue after staging a demonstration in Warren Park, Harare.

NewsDay

A 71-year-old security guard in Lupane has been sentenced to 30 months in jail after he used a duplicate set of keys to break into a supermarket on various occasions and stole groceries.

Moses Ndlovu of Mpofu village outside Lupane Centre was employed as a security guard at #57 Bar.

He broke into Friserve Investment supermarket on various occasions between August 18 and last Thursday and stole mealie meal, flour, beans and beef among other grocery items.

Ndlovu, a father of 13, was arrested when workers at the shop who were puzzled by mysterious disappearance of goods, hatched a plan to lay an ambush at night.

He pleaded guilty to unlawful entry in aggravating circumstances when he appeared before Lupane resident magistrate Mr Ndumo Masuku.

The magistrate said the crime was premeditated making Ndlovu’s moral blameworthiness high.

“The accused gained entry in aggravating circumstances which entails violation of other people’s rights. He used a duplicate key to open the complainant’s shop and stole various grocery items on several occasions. The offence was well calculated and premeditated as he used the same modus operandi to open the premises on several occasions.

“At 71 and as a senior citizen, the accused was expected to be a role model to the younger generation and as a watchman he was supposed to display a high degree of responsibility. As such the court is of the view that community service will be too light in this case,” said the magistrate before slapping Ndlovu with 30 months in jail.

Ndlovu will however serve an effective 24 months after the magistrate suspended six months for five years on condition of good behavior.

Prosecuting, Mr Clive Gumbo said the owner of the shop Mr Talent Kembo who is the complainant noticed the anomaly and hatched a plan to catch the thief.

“During the period extending from 18 August 2020 to 27 August 2020 Moses Ndlovu went to Friserve Investment and opened the closed door using a homemade key and gained entry through the door.

He stole 7x10kg mealie meal and 3x2kg flour and went away,” said the prosecutor.

Mr Tembo and Ms Phumuzile Moyo, one of workers, remained in the shop last week Thursday after other workers knocked off and they laid an ambush.

On Friday around 3.30am, they saw Ndlovu approaching the shop and unlocking the front door, the court was told.

While inside, Ndlovu went to the butchery and took 2kg of beef before taking 10×500 grammes of beans.

The court was told that Mr Tembo and Ms Moyo rushed to the door and closed it while Ndlovu was still inside and called for backup.

A security guard from a nearby bar heard the noise and rushed to the scene before arresting Ndlovu who was handed over to the police.

The total value of stolen groceries was $4 450 and $1 050 worth of goods were recovered.

The duplicate key was also recovered.

ZimEye today investigates how government by yesterday potentially opened a loophole to cause over USD91 million to vanish: what began as a noble exercise to compensate white farmers has quickly turned into a massive looting operation.

This is exposed from the time Ministers yesterday responded to the public on the issue of reversing the Land Reform Programme, saying the government is not at all doing that. VIDEO LOADING BELOW..M

https://youtu.be/51VRy1KRi68

The development comes as 2 months ago, Zimbabwe agreed to pay $3.5 billion in compensation to local white farmers whose land was forcibly taken by the government to resettle Black families, moving a step closer to resolving one the most divisive policies of the Robert Mugabe era.

SEE BELOW THE JOIN STATEMENT BY FINANCE MINISTER MTHULI NCUBE AND HIS COUNTERPART IN THE AGRICULTURE MINISTRY.

We are not at all reversing the land reform programme, says @MthuliNcube pic.twitter.com/Y75Fuju7u5

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) September 2, 2020

They said there would be no major disruptions to agriculture as only a few indigenous farmers were likely to be affected by reallocations, while a mere 37 farms covered by Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (BIPPAS) would be offered back to farmers who were dispossessed.

Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Anxious Masuka yesterday said only indigenous farmers who were dispossessed of their properties during the Land Reform Programme and those covered under BIPPAs, would have the opportunity to get their land back.

The Government classifies indigenous farmers as people of Zimbabwean origin who were previously marginalised before 1980 and had acquired land either through direct purchase or through Government commercial farm schemes before the land revolution.

These farmers would either get their land back or get full compensation for the agricultural land acquired and improvements that were done on the farms.

Section 295 (1) subsection 2 of the Constitution also provides for the full compensation of persons whose agricultural land was acquired, yet it was protected.

“There is no confusion because the Constitution of Zimbabwe is very clear, Section 295 subsection 1 and subsection 2 that we have an obligation to compensate for land and improvements for indigenous Zimbabweans who constitute only 1,3 percent of the 18 600 farmers that were allocated land.

“We also have an obligation under the Constitution, to consider the BIPPAS and Bilateral Investment Treaty and those constitute just under one percent of the 18 600 beneficiaries. Those fall in the category that the SI 62 of 2020 clearly explains.

“When an application is lodged with the minister, there is consideration whether in the public interest and security of the country there is merit in doing so. Where it is no longer possible then compensation is offered,” he said.

Minister Masuka said former owners, who are still on the farms but had not regularised, should immediately approach the relevant Government offices around the country to lodge their applications.

“This indicates that the land reform programme is irreversible. So those that are there ought to follow the law because the land is vested in the State and that category of farmers is 294 and again about one percent of the 18 600. Altogether the numbers that we are looking at addressing, redressing for the clarity we gave on Monday affects a mere 3,2 percent of the beneficiaries. You will not notice because it’s a minute proportion of the beneficiaries,” he said.

He said the ministry would explain the process in vernacular to ensure everyone understood that land reform was irreversible.

“The Global Compensation Deed clearly articulates that and there is acceptance by both parties that we now want to move to a second stage which is ensuring that we increase agricultural productivity, we increase production and profitability; agriculture becomes a business and this country is way up in into food security territory from now into the future.

“Government is genuine and has done the best under the circumstances and provision of the Constitution which we overwhelmingly adopted in 2013,” he said.

This position was also reaffirmed in Parliament yesterday by Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi after queries from the opposition on the import of the new Government policy which has been misinterpreted in many circles.

Responding to questions from MDC Alliance Harare East legislator Mr Tendai Biti, Minister Ziyambi said the pronouncement on compensation for white former commercial farmers was not a reversal of the Land Reform Programme.

“What we are doing now is to bring closure to the Land Reform Programme so that we move forward and focus on production,” he said.

He shot down suggestions that Parliament should have been involved in discussing the compensation deal.

“That is the role of the Executive and we will only bring it to Parliament for approval. If there is need to use taxpayers’ money, the Appropriation Bill for that will come to Parliament,” Minister Ziyambi added.

In an earlier interview with The Herald , Minister Ziyambi allayed fears of a reversal of the land revolution, saying Government would only offer land back to two categories of farmers who were dispossessed under land reform, namely black indigenous farmers and white farmers who were protected by Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (BIPPAs) signed between Zimbabwe and their countries.

There have been misinterpretations of Statutory Instrument 62 with some people speculating that the Government was reversing the land reform programme.

Meanwhile, Zanu PF acting secretary for Information and Publicity Patrick Chinamasa yesterday said land reform was something that the revolutionary party guarded jealously.

Speaking at the ruling party’s weekly press conference, Chinamasa said: “The issues pertaining to the land question where settled in a referendum in 2013 giving rise to our current Constitution. Section 295 of the Constitution as read with subsections 7 and 8 of section 72 of the Constitution clearly spell out the issues pertaining to compensation for land under three categories: land compulsorily acquired which was owned by indigenous black Zimbabweans, land compulsorily acquired which was owned by citizens of other countries who enjoyed protection under Bilateral Protection Agreements (BIPPAs) and land and falling outside of these two categories

Chinamasa said that land which fell under BIPPAs and compulsorily acquired would not constitute 1 percent of the total hectarage compulsorily acquired.

He warned the MDC-A and the former colonisers to stop lecturing the Government on the land redistribution exercise.

“The MDC and its allies who resisted the land reform process, and begged sanctions for our people to be punished for taking back the land cannot lecture or school us about land reform,” said Chinamasa.

The revolutionary land redistribution programme embarked upon by the Zanu PF Government from 2000 to date has been a most powerful and effective tool of empowering the previously disadvantaged black population of Zimbabwe and had made the Zimbabwean population, post-colonialism, one of the most empowered populations regionally and continentally.

In order to render the land redistribution programme irreversible in practical terms and to bring finality to the land question, it was incumbent on Government to expedite the issuance of permits to the more than 350 000 households who benefited under the A1 scheme and granting of 99-year leases to the more than 19 000 beneficiaries under the A2 scheme. -Herald/additional reporting

NewsDay

GWANDA mayor Jastone Mazhale yesterday pledged undying loyalty to the MDC Alliance and its leadership as he denied reports of crossing the floor to the Thokozani Khupe-led MDC-T.

Mazhale is among five Gwanda councillors who had a meeting with a delegation from MDC-T over the weekend to nudge them to voluntarily quit the MDC Alliance or risk recall from council.

Khupe last month recalled five MDC Alliance councillors in Bulawayo and six in Harare for refusing to recognise her following a Supreme Court ruling which declared her the interim leader of the MDC-T.

“The correct position is that I still remain an MDC Alliance member where at provincial level I am the secretary for policy and research,” Mazhale, who is also ward 7 councillor, said as he confirmed attending the Khupe-facilitated meeting.

“It’s true I attended the meeting agreeing to engage them in my personal capacity. We engaged and they put their side of the story and eventually I had to tell them that no, I do not buy their story.

“It was out of courtesy that I gave them room for dialogue; and even on Tuesday they were saying can we meet again so that we pursue the issue, but I refused because the moment we engage each other, we then spread falsehoods and that affects my principles and personality and it also affects my community role.”

Acting MDC-T spokesperson Khalipani Phugeni, who led the Khupe delegation, refused to reveal the outcome of the meeting.

“What I can only say is that we are trying to put our priorities right and deliver. We are seized with making sure that services to the people are delivered as we focus on alleviating the people’s suffering,” Phugeni told Southern Eye.

The former Deputy Prime minister has also recalled 21 MDC

Alliance legislators on allegations of severing ties with her party.

Indications are that more MDC Alliance members face recall for refusing to recognise Khupe’s legitimacy, instilling panic into some Bulawayo councillors and legislators.

State Media

Ten more carcasses of elephants have been found in the Pandamasue Forests of Matabeleland North, bringing the number of elephants that have died mysteriously in the forest in less than a week to 22.

ZimParks is still investigating the cause of death of 12 elephants whose carcasses were found in the same forest last week, but have ruled out poaching and poisoning since their tusks were intact while no other animal species has been affected.

Most of the dead elephants are juveniles and ZimParks now suspects the stress of overpopulation and lack of food as a likely cause of death.

ZimParks spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo said experts were still waiting for laboratory tests to establish the cause of deaths.

“Most of the elephants dying are young, and we now believe the cause of death is the density of the species. They suffer from stress and inadequate food especially this time of the year. They end up eating anything and some of the things might be poisonous,” said Mr Farawo.

“We have removed the ivory for safekeeping and we have burnt the carcases to avoid more deaths.”

Zimbabwe is struggling with an unsustainable elephant population of around 84 000 against a carrying capacity of around 50 000, the second largest population in the world after Botswana.

Botswana’s herd has also been affected by natural disasters, with an estimated 350 elephants dying between May and August this year.

“We continue to mobilise stakeholder support, and what we are saying is that we should be allowed to sell our elephants and ivory so that the country benefits from its herd.

“The burden on the animals becomes too much especially in these dry months, and we hope the ban on the sale of the jumbos and ivory will be lifted,” said Mr Farawo.

VOA

Botswana says a string of mysterious elephant deaths has come to a halt since June, after at least 281 carcasses were found.

Experts in the southern African country, with the world’s largest elephant population, said there were no signs of poaching or predators. Most of the blood samples sent abroad for testing indicate a toxin caused the deaths.

However, it is not clear if the toxin is man-made or natural, says Botswana’s Ministry of Wildlife and Environment Permanent Secretary Oduetse Koboto.

“We have received most of the results. A lot of variables that we suspected had tested negative. We ruled out any virus, no bacteria. Pathogens (are) also negative,” he said. “The only thing that we are waiting for is toxicology. What is evident is that we are now dealing with a poison.”      

Koboto says they are waiting on one last batch of test results from the United States before reaching a conclusion.

Map of Okavango Panhandle, Botswana
Veterinarian Dr. Mbatshi Mazwinduma says a naturally occurring toxin would explain why no more elephants appear to be dying in Botswana’s Okavango panhandle.

“In the period leading to June, remember this is a dry period, the amount of water is in low quantities. If it is because of a naturally occurring toxin, they would be in high concentration in the waters and those elephants that drink in particular spots get affected. With the rising waters of the Okavango in the last couple of weeks, the toxins are diluted and then washed out,” Mazwinduma said.

Conservationist Neil Fitt agrees that changes in weather conditions could have diluted a natural toxin.

“If it is an environmental toxin, they come and go depending on weather conditions,” he said. “Obviously, the conditions, if that’s the case, have now changed and that’s the reason why the deaths have stopped, which is a good thing. But until we get the results, which are extremely long in coming, we cannot say much more.” 

Koboto says getting quick results on the investigations and test samples was not possible due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“There were lockdowns everywhere, even internationally,” he said. “Mostly, we are dependent on air transport. If there are no flights going outside the country even (to) South Africa here, how could we have taken them (samples) out?”

Botswana’s neighbor, Zimbabwe, recorded its first mysterious deaths last week, with the loss of at least 11 elephants. Wildlife authorities there say the cause appears to be a bacterial infection.

The two countries have the world’s combined largest elephant population at more than 200,000 animals – most of them in Botswana.

Conservationists estimate the number of wild, African elephants has dropped by almost a third in the last decade due to drought, loss of habitat, and poaching.

Open Parly

MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa has reportedly telephoned economist Eddie Cross on how he can engage President Emmerson Mnangagwa as pressure to solve the Zimbabwean crisis mounts.

Zimbabwe according to political commentators is burning due to political differences between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa.

The differences emanates from the disputed July 2018 Presidential elections where Mnangagwa was announced as the winner by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and his victory was further endorsed by the Constitutional Court.

Chamisa disputes both the ZEC announcement and the Constitutional Court outcome claiming that he is the one who was given the mandate by the people but his victory was stolen.

This standoff has reportedly seen some potential investors taking a wait and see approach on Zimbabwe, at a time when the country desperately need foreign direct investment (FDI) to resuscitate the near collapse economy.

In an interview on Tuesday Talk, Cross who is also advisor to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, said Chamisa missed an important opportunity when he declined the opposition leader’s position in Parliament which had been proposed by Mnangagwa, adding that the only way would be for him to accept the 2018 election results.

“Nelson (Chamisa) called me this other day, I hadn’t seen him for about 18 months, he called me and asked me what I think he should be doing and I said you should be talking to Mnangagwa and he said how do we get that started and I said the first thing is you got to accept that he won the 2018 elections end of conversation.

“If you don’t accept that the President is legitimate and that he won elections legitimately then you cant start a conversation and that’s the position and nothing is going to change that.

“No amount of external pressure is going to change that situation, its something we have to do among ourselves,” he said.

The former Bulawayo South legislator added that “I think Chamisa has lost a huge opportunity because I think if he had accepted Emmerson’s (President Mnangagwa) victory in 2018 and accepted his role as leader of the opposition in Parliament, I think the President would have been much more accommodating.

“And I think we would have seen the situation in Zimbabwe moving more or less along the lines of a consensual type of government arrangement than what we have got at the moment.

“You have to remember too that the President is someone who is also under pressure from his own people and he is a not a free agent and neither is Ramaphosa,” he said.

According to Cross, Chamisa should have taken a leaf from the Hilary Clinton and the late Morgan Tsvangirai who despite winning elections respectively, they accepted Donald Trump’s and Robert Mugabe’s victories.

Asked on how Chamisa took the advice, Cross said the youthful MDC Alliance leader maintained his call that Emmerson Mnangagwa and Zanu PF stole his victory and he wants them to first acknowledge that before talks can proceed.

“He (Chamisa) said the precondition for talks is that he wants the government to accept that it was not legitimately elected.

“Therefore the conversation can’t even start, you cant even begin to dialogue if that is the opening statement,” he said.

Cross added “I remember going back to my time with Morgan Tsvangirai, Morgan won the election by a clear margin, a very clear margin.

“But he accepted his role as Prime Minister under pressure from regional states and then he tried to make the best of his role.

“Was the GNU a success, yes it was a rolling success but it was finally undermined by Mugabe.

“In fact, it was destroyed by Mugabe and regional states allowed him to do it,” he said.

Paul Nyathi 

Zanu PF acting secretary for Information and Publicity Patrick Chinamasa yesterday took swipe at the opposition MDC Alliance for speaking against ZANU PF’s reversal odds the land reform exercise.

Speaking at the ruling party’s weekly press conference, Chinamasa warned “the MDC-A and the former colonisers” to stop lecturing the Government on the land redistribution exercise.

“The MDC and its allies who resisted the land reform process, and begged sanctions for our people to be punished for taking back the land cannot lecture or school us about land reform,” said Cde Chinamasa.

Watch Chinamasa’s press conference in the video downloading below.

Paul Nyathi

Government has reiterated that the Land Reform Programme was irreversible and there would be no major disruptions to agriculture as only a few indigenous farmers were likely to be affected by reallocations, while a mere 37 farms covered by Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (BIPPAS) would be offered back to farmers who were dispossessed.

Watch video downloading below as a correspondent unpacks what these agreements entail.

State Media

Government has reiterated that the Land Reform Programme was irreversible and there would be no major disruptions to agriculture as only a few indigenous farmers were likely to be affected by reallocations, while a mere 37 farms covered by Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (BIPPAS) would be offered back to farmers who were dispossessed.

Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Anxious Masuka yesterday said only indigenous farmers who were dispossessed of their properties during the Land Reform Programme and those covered under BIPPAs, would have the opportunity to get their land back.

The Government classifies indigenous farmers as people of Zimbabwean origin who were previously marginalised before 1980 and had acquired land either through direct purchase or through Government commercial farm schemes before the land revolution.

These farmers would either get their land back or get full compensation for the agricultural land acquired and improvements that were done on the farms.

Section 295 (1) subsection 2 of the Constitution also provides for the full compensation of persons whose agricultural land was acquired, yet it was protected.

“There is no confusion because the Constitution of Zimbabwe is very clear, Section 295 subsection 1 and subsection 2 that we have an obligation to compensate for land and improvements for indigenous Zimbabweans who constitute only 1,3 percent of the 18 600 farmers that were allocated land.

“We also have an obligation under the Constitution, to consider the BIPPAS and Bilateral Investment Treaty and those constitute just under one percent of the 18 600 beneficiaries. Those fall in the category that the SI 62 of 2020 clearly explains.

“When an application is lodged with the minister, there is consideration whether in the public interest and security of the country there is merit in doing so. Where it is no longer possible then compensation is offered,” he said.

Minister Masuka said former owners, who are still on the farms but had not regularised, should immediately approach the relevant Government offices around the country to lodge their applications.

“This indicates that the land reform programme is irreversible. So those that are there ought to follow the law because the land is vested in the State and that category of farmers is 294 and again about one percent of the 18 600. Altogether the numbers that we are looking at addressing, redressing for the clarity we gave on Monday affects a mere 3,2 percent of the beneficiaries. You will not notice because it’s a minute proportion of the beneficiaries,” he said.

He said the ministry would explain the process in vernacular to ensure everyone understood that land reform was irreversible.

“The Global Compensation Deed clearly articulates that and there is acceptance by both parties that we now want to move to a second stage which is ensuring that we increase agricultural productivity, we increase production and profitability; agriculture becomes a business and this country is way up in into food security territory from now into the future.

“Government is genuine and has done the best under the circumstances and provision of the Constitution which we overwhelmingly adopted in 2013,” he said.

This position was also reaffirmed in Parliament yesterday by Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi after queries from the opposition on the import of the new Government policy which has been misinterpreted in many circles.

Responding to questions from MDC Alliance Harare East legislator Mr Tendai Biti, Minister Ziyambi said the pronouncement on compensation for white former commercial farmers was not a reversal of the Land Reform Programme.

“What we are doing now is to bring closure to the Land Reform Programme so that we move forward and focus on production,” he said.

He shot down suggestions that Parliament should have been involved in discussing the compensation deal.

“That is the role of the Executive and we will only bring it to Parliament for approval. If there is need to use taxpayers’ money, the Appropriation Bill for that will come to Parliament,” Minister Ziyambi added.

In an earlier interview with The Herald , Minister Ziyambi allayed fears of a reversal of the land revolution, saying Government would only offer land back to two categories of farmers who were dispossessed under land reform, namely black indigenous farmers and white farmers who were protected by Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (BIPPAs) signed between Zimbabwe and their countries.

There have been misinterpretations of Statutory Instrument 62 with some people speculating that the Government was reversing the land reform programme.

State Media

Suspended Registrar-General Clement Masango appeared before a Harare magistrate yesterday facing fresh charges of theft arising from allegations of abuse of fuel coupons worth over $100 000 from the Central Registry.

Masango was remanded in custody to today for his new bail application.

He appeared before magistrate Ms Marehwanazvo Gofa together with two other alleged accomplices, Benjamin Makiwa, who was a transport officer in the department and Arthur Mathews, who was Masango’s personal driver.

Makiwa and Mathews were arrested on Tuesday while Masango was arrested yesterday by a team from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc).

The three were not asked to plead, but the State led by Mr Lancelotte Mutsokoti, opposed bail.

It is alleged that between January last year and early this year, Masango took possession of four pool vehicles of the Central Registry Department for personal errands at his home and farm.

The State is alleging that Masango, acting with his co-accused, would corruptly request for fuel purporting that the vehicles were carrying out official finance and administration duties.

It is alleged that Masango would corruptly alter and issue overstated fuel quantities beyond those that would have been approved by the department’s chief accountant, Mr Peter Bwanya.

The State alleged that the scam prejudiced the department of over 1 400 litres worth more than $100 000.

It is the State case that in some instances, Mathews would redeem the diesel fuel coupons for cash, which he would convert to own use.

Masango is on suspension without salary and allowances after he was charged with criminal abuse of office as a public officer after allegedly instructing CMED to buy a double cab and six single cab pick-up trucks without Cabinet approval, before using them at his farm.

He has denied all the charges saying the process of buying the cars started long before he became Registrar-General and that payments were made before he assumed duty in September 2018.

Masango said he found no reason to seek authority from accounting officers as CMED is mandated to procure vehicles on behalf of Government.

He also denied misusing Government vehicles at his farm saying he only acquired the land in December last year.

A virtual meeting hosted by the Meteorological Services Department National Climate Outlook Forum had to break midway after hackers posted pornographic material on the platform.

Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry permanent secretary Mr Munesu Munodawafa apologised on behalf of the Government, and spoke of the need to expedite the Cyber Security Bill.

The virtual meeting is discussing the 2020/21 agricultural season forecasted weather pattern.

“We had to break the Zoom virtual meeting following the posting of offensive adult material during the meeting by some unidentified hackers.

Government seriously needs to expedite passage of the Cyber Security Bill. We need to create secure virtual platforms where Government business is conducted,” said Mr Munodawafa.

The virtual meeting resumed after about 10 minutes.-The Herald

ONE more person succumbed to Covid-19 while 62 tested positive for the virus in Zimbabwe in the last 24 hours.

To date, 203 deaths have been reported while 6 559 people have contracted the global pandemic in Zimbabwe since the outbreak of the pandemic and many of these cases are from local transmissions.

According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the death was reported in Bulawayo which now has a cumulative 36 deaths.

The new positive cases were reported in Bulawayo, Harare, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West, Midlands and Matabeleland South.

The Ministry said the seven day rolling average for new cases further declined to 51 in the last 24 hours from 61 the previous day.

“As of 1 September 2020, Zimbabwe has now recorded 6 559 cases, 5 241 recoveries and 203 deaths. Sixty-two new cases and one death were reported in the last 24 hours.

Fifty-one are local cases and 11 are returnees from South Africa,” said the Ministry.

The Ministry added that 20 recoveries were reported with the national recovery rate at 79.9 percent while positivity for the 1 013 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests done was 6.1 percent.
Active cases went up to 1 115 from 1074 the previous day.

Bulawayo now has a total of 1 281 confirmed cases, 36 deaths with 1 140 recoveries while Matabeleland North has a total of 114 cases, three deaths and 91 recoveries.

Matabeleland South has a total of 694 cases, six deaths and 501 recoveries while Midlands has a total of 545 cases, eight deaths and 490 recoveries.-Chronicle

More than 20 houses that were illegally built in a cantonment area next to the National Heroes Acre have been demolished by the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) with the endorsement of Harare City Council, almost a year after the house owners ignored a court order to move.

The houses were built on fake stands created and parcelled out by land barons in the area opposite the National Sports Stadium on land assigned to the army.
More than 100 stands were fraudulently created in the open space, with the affected house owners yesterday claiming to have bought the stands from a cooperative they declined to name.

But they were unable to produce receipts or other documents showing proof of purchase, even fraudulent purchase.

A claim that the cooperative was in direct contact with Harare City Council was immediately shot down by the local authority which said it fully supported the demolitions as the houses had been built illegally.

Council said the house owners ignored a court order and repeated warnings for them to vacate.
“Council has a number of court orders to remove illegal structures.

We would like to advise all people who were served with eviction orders to voluntarily move off the illegally occupied pieces of land,” said City of Harare spokesperson Mr Michael Chideme.

A visit to the site yesterday showed that among the destroyed structures, were occupied houses and incomplete buildings at various stages of construction.
There was also a crèche which was operational.

ZNA spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Alphios Makotore yesterday confirmed that the land was a military zone and warned land barons and corrupt council officials against illegally creating and selling stands.

“Some corrupt land barons were parcelling out stands and selling them to desperate home-seekers. If offered a stand near the Heroes Acre, someone should ordinarily be circumspect,” he said.-Chronicle

Farai Dziva|The MDC Alliance has nullified the suspension of Marondera Mayor Chengetai Murowa saying it was done unprocedurally.

Murowa had been suspended for allegedly sympathizing with Thokozani Khupe’s political formation.

In a statement MDC Alliance described Murowa’s suspension as null and void.

Read part of the statement below :

We want to put it clear that the mayor of Marondera, his worship Chengetai Murowa is not suspended as reported.

He is not suspended as councillor, mayor or party member.

The said suspension as reported is dubious, flimsy and void.

Murowa is a member of the provincial executive and national council and in this case, cannot be suspended by a lower structure such as the constituency co-ordinating committee.

All our councillors in Marondera subscribe to the leadership of MDC-A, the party that sponsored them during the 2018 harmonised elections.

If there are any other issues of disharmony of some sort the party leadership has got the capacity to unite our family for the good of Marondera residents and rate payers.

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance is mobilising voters to reject the attempt by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to replace the party’s MPs with nominees from Thokozani Khupe’s political formation.

MDC Alliance Secretary General Chalton Hwende, quoted by NewsDay, accused ZEC of violating the rights of thousands of voters who chose legislators of their choice.

“It is the same as what happened in 2018 when a man who lost the Presidential elections was sworn in as President.

What is happening now is that Zanu PF is using Zec in a subtle process of stealing seats from MDC Alliance and giving them to the MDC-T.

We are not surprised, they can do what they want, but we will not betray the people’s struggle.

They took away the rights of people who woke up at 4am to go and cast their votes.

I am here in Kuwadzana doing projects and residents are already signing their objections to imposition of MPs by ZEC and Khupe.

A number of people will challenge this move throughout the country, but we also know that dictators do not respect the Constitution and will do anything to subvert the people’s vote,” said Hwende.

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance is mobilising voters to reject the attempt by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to replace the party’s MPs with nominees from Thokozani Khupe’s political formation.

MDC Alliance Secretary General Chalton Hwende, quoted by NewsDay, accused ZEC of violating the rights of thousands of voters who chose legislators of their choice.

“It is the same as what happened in 2018 when a man who lost the Presidential elections was sworn in as President.

What is happening now is that Zanu PF is using Zec in a subtle process of stealing seats from MDC Alliance and giving them to the MDC-T.

We are not surprised, they can do what they want, but we will not betray the people’s struggle.

They took away the rights of people who woke up at 4am to go and cast their votes.

I am here in Kuwadzana doing projects and residents are already signing their objections to imposition of MPs by ZEC and Khupe.

A number of people will challenge this move throughout the country, but we also know that dictators do not respect the Constitution and will do anything to subvert the people’s vote,” said Hwende.

Farai Dziva|The State has dropped the Criminal Nuisance Charge against MDC Alliance Youth Assembly organising secretary and Masvingo Urban ward 4 councillor, Godfrey Kurauone.

The State failed to find the required witnesses.

“On Thursday our Organ Secretary, Cllr G Kurauone will be appearing in court for trial.

Police dropped Criminal the Nuisance Charge so he is now being charged with Blocking Traffic.

They dropped the charge after failing to find witnesses.

They can’t prove that he circulated a video clip,” MDC Alliance said in a statement.

Farai Dziva|The State has dropped the Criminal Nuisance Charge against MDC Alliance Youth Assembly organising secretary and Masvingo Urban ward 4 councillor, Godfrey Kurauone.

The State failed to find the required witnesses.

“On Thursday our Organ Secretary, Cllr G Kurauone will be appearing in court for trial.

Police dropped Criminal the Nuisance Charge so he is now being charged with Blocking Traffic.

They dropped the charge after failing to find witnesses.

They can’t prove that he circulated a video clip,” MDC Alliance said in a statement.

A Zvishavane man who faked erectile dysfunction for 17 years to avoid having sex with his wife was exposed after he was arrested for rape.

Custon Jojo Machanja (68)’s wife shocked the court when she said her rape accused husband had not been intimate with her for 17 years, saying he was suffering from erectile dysfunction.

The woman said she was last intimate with her husband in 2003 and only got to know that he had been lying to her when he was arrested for rape and having sexual intercourse with a minor.

She told Gweru Provincial Magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa that for 17 years she lived a lie back in their rural home thinking that her husband had a sexual problem while he was busy “enjoying” other women including a minor in town.

Machanja from Zvishavane town is facing two counts of having sexual intercourse with a minor and rape.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the counts.
Machanja was remanded in custody to September 7 for judgment.

In his defence, he accused the girl of trying to frame him because he once had an affair with her mother.

Machanja said between 2016 and 2017, he had a sexual relationship with the complainant’s mother before having consensual sexual intercourse with the complainant.

“I had consensual sexual intercourse with the complainant and I also had an affair with her mother. They are fixing me,” he said.

Machanja’s wife who appeared as a witness told the court that she was shocked that her husband had a sexual affair with the complainant’s mother and was also having sexual intercourse with the complainant.

She said she thought that he had erectile dysfunction as he had told her back in 2003 when they last made love.

“All these years he would tell me that he can’t sleep with me because he is suffering from erectile dysfunction. I’m really shocked,” said Machanja’s wife.

It is the State case that in February last year, Machanja saw the minor on her way to school and told her that she is beautiful.
He allegedly took her to his dining room where he caressed her but could not have sex with her since she was on her menstrual period.

The court heard that in October, Machanja invited the minor to his house where he allegedly removed her uniform and they had consensual sexual intercourse.

The accused allegedly gave the complaint $6 before she proceeded to school and didn’t tell anyone.
Again, in October he slept with the minor and gave her $4.

The same month, the court heard that the two had sexual intercourse at the accused’s offices before he gave her $5.

On December 6, Machanja allegedly saw the complainant passing through his offices and told her that he wanted to give her some money to buy relish.

The court heard he invited the minor into his office where he wanted to have sex with her but she refused.

The court heard Machanja drew an okapi knife and threatened to stab her before he forcibly removed her jeans and raped her once.

Machanja, the court heard allegedly threatened to send goblins to deal with her if she told anyone about the incident.

The following day, the minor allegedly told her mother about her ordeal before the matter was reported to the police leading to Machanja’s arrest.

Mr Talent Tadenyika appeared for the State.-Chronicle

A Zvishavane man who faked erectile dysfunction for 17 years to avoid having sex with his wife was exposed after he was arrested for rape.

Custon Jojo Machanja (68)’s wife shocked the court when she said her rape accused husband had not been intimate with her for 17 years, saying he was suffering from erectile dysfunction.

The woman said she was last intimate with her husband in 2003 and only got to know that he had been lying to her when he was arrested for rape and having sexual intercourse with a minor.

She told Gweru Provincial Magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa that for 17 years she lived a lie back in their rural home thinking that her husband had a sexual problem while he was busy “enjoying” other women including a minor in town.

Machanja from Zvishavane town is facing two counts of having sexual intercourse with a minor and rape.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the counts.
Machanja was remanded in custody to September 7 for judgment.

In his defence, he accused the girl of trying to frame him because he once had an affair with her mother.

Machanja said between 2016 and 2017, he had a sexual relationship with the complainant’s mother before having consensual sexual intercourse with the complainant.

“I had consensual sexual intercourse with the complainant and I also had an affair with her mother. They are fixing me,” he said.

Machanja’s wife who appeared as a witness told the court that she was shocked that her husband had a sexual affair with the complainant’s mother and was also having sexual intercourse with the complainant.

She said she thought that he had erectile dysfunction as he had told her back in 2003 when they last made love.

“All these years he would tell me that he can’t sleep with me because he is suffering from erectile dysfunction. I’m really shocked,” said Machanja’s wife.

It is the State case that in February last year, Machanja saw the minor on her way to school and told her that she is beautiful.
He allegedly took her to his dining room where he caressed her but could not have sex with her since she was on her menstrual period.

The court heard that in October, Machanja invited the minor to his house where he allegedly removed her uniform and they had consensual sexual intercourse.

The accused allegedly gave the complaint $6 before she proceeded to school and didn’t tell anyone.
Again, in October he slept with the minor and gave her $4.

The same month, the court heard that the two had sexual intercourse at the accused’s offices before he gave her $5.

On December 6, Machanja allegedly saw the complainant passing through his offices and told her that he wanted to give her some money to buy relish.

The court heard he invited the minor into his office where he wanted to have sex with her but she refused.

The court heard Machanja drew an okapi knife and threatened to stab her before he forcibly removed her jeans and raped her once.

Machanja, the court heard allegedly threatened to send goblins to deal with her if she told anyone about the incident.

The following day, the minor allegedly told her mother about her ordeal before the matter was reported to the police leading to Machanja’s arrest.

Mr Talent Tadenyika appeared for the State.-Chronicle

https://twitter.com/ZimEye/status/1301163606067875840?s=20

WATCH- "45 DAYS IN DETENTION WILL NOT DETER US" #JACOBNGARIVHUME SPEAKS pic.twitter.com/1vbSWYqnsN

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) September 2, 2020

By A Correspondent- The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) said it is consulting parents through the School Development Association/ Committees to get their views on the Government’s plans to reopen schools for examination classes this month.

The Government announced on Tuesday that Cambridge examination classes will commence on 14 September while ZIMSEC examination classes will resume on 28 September, with exams starting on 1 December.

In a statement, ARTUZ said the decision by the Government was inconsiderate amid the coronavirus crisis.

The government’s position to open schools on the 14th of September for Cambridge examination classes and 28th of September for Zimsec classes before teachers grievances are fully addressed is inconsiderate.

As Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, ARTUZ we are engaging stakeholders such as parents through the School Development Association/ Committees to give us their view on this inconsiderate decision taken by the government.

We are also engaging the health sector at provincial and district levels to assess the state and preparedness of hospitals in case of the outburst of COVID-19 in schools.

The recommendations by the health sector will determine whether we can encourage our members to report for work.

Basically, the safety of learners and teachers from COVID-19 must be fully guaranteed in schools. The government must first test all learners and teachers, provide PPEs, fumigate all learning facilities that were used as quarantine centres.

The cost of living is beyond the reach of every teacher. All basic needs are priced in USD at a time when teachers are remunerated in useless RTGS$.

To get a detailed view of nearly every teacher concerning the preparedness to report for work, we are running an online poll. An evaluation report on the recommendations will determine our next step.

The teachers, learners and parents should agree on the next steps. Government officials are not part of the school ecosystem, their declarations are not binding.

We will make a decision based on safety, remuneration and right to education.

Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe

MONEY changers in the country are finding the going tough following the ban on mobile money agent lines and the introduction of daily transaction limits.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) recently banned mobile money agent lines as well and set $5 000 as the cap for daily transactions for individuals.

The central bank also introduced a policy that limits mobile wallet users to only one account per individual. Agent lines were being used across the country to cash-in and cash-out as well as for sales transactions. The RBZ suspected that some of the lines were being used to fuel the black market causing a spike in foreign currency rates.

Following the recent daily and monthly limits pronouncement by the central bank, foreign currency dealers had resorted to multiple accounts to sustain their operations.

“Since the lockdown began in March our job has become difficult as authorities are closing all avenues for us. Now this latest ban on agent lines and the cap in daily mobile transactions has totally frustrated our business,” said one money changer in Bulawayo.

Others have since quit the trade and opted for other income generating avenues. “Running battles with police is not a nice thing, worse as a woman. I have since quit ukuphathelisa (money changing) and opted for vending where I now sell products at home. I am not going to town anymore,” said another money changer.

Others said they will remain fighting for their space, claiming that business was still there.

“The squeeze on our operations by authorities is good because it has weeded out chancers and left genuine players.

“We have been in this business for long and know how to survive. It’s good that a few players remain and not have everyone changing money,” said another operator at Tredgold.

The RBZ in June this year introduced the foreign currency auction system to determine the Zimbabwe dollar exchange rate. Since the weekly auctions were introduced, the foreign exchange rate has stabilised and the black-market rate has been tamed.

Government in June this year ordered the suspension of mobile transactions to allow for investigations in the parallel market.

“Agent wallets are no longer serving any legitimate purpose and were now being used primarily for illegal foreign exchange transactions.

“Agents’ mobile money wallets are therefore abolished, with immediate effect,” the RBZ said recently in its Mid-term monetary policy statement.

When Ecocash was first introduced, agent lines were used for cash-in purposes at a low level. However, some unscrupulous individuals took advantage of cash shortages that the country is facing to fleece members of the public, charging almost 100 percent to cash out. The RBZ said agents who currently had funds in their accounts would transfer them into their bank accounts after providing sources of the money.

“Agents currently holding value in suspended and frozen wallets shall be allowed to liquidate the funds to their bank accounts, upon the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) having satisfied itself of the legitimacy of the source of the funds,” said the Apex Bank.

When the RBZ suspended and froze agent and bulk-payer wallets in June, mobile money operators allowed illegal foreign currency dealers to use multiple individual wallets as a means to bypass the transaction limits and continue with their illicit transactions.

“Mobile money operators shall, with immediate effect, close all multiple wallets, and allow just one wallet per individual,” directed the RBZ.

-New Ziana/Business Reporter

South Africa is evidently dangling a few carrots in front of Zanu-PF’s nose to try to persuade the Zimbabwe ruling party to allow President Cyril Ramaphosa’s special envoys to meet the political opposition and civil society as part of Pretoria’s efforts to help the country resolve its growing political and economic crisis.

The Zimbabwe government wants South Africa’s help with personal protective equipment (PPE) and other equipment to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as support in trying to secure international loans to tide it over its desperate economic crisis.

But Pretoria is evidently withholding the requested support until Zanu-PF drops its opposition to Ramaphosa’s three special envoys meeting all Zimbabwean stakeholders so as to get a broad and true picture of the causes and possible solutions to the crisis.

Special envoys Sydney Mufamadi, a former minister of safety and security and of provincial and local government; Baleka Mbete, a former deputy president and speaker of Parliament; and Ngoako Ramatlhodi, a former public service and administration minister, visited Harare on August 10, hoping to meet a broad range of politicians and civil society leaders to assess the crisis.

But after they had met President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF, he blocked them from meeting anyone else, including the main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change-Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa, as well as a smaller splinter group, the MDC-T lead by Thokozani Khupe. Mnangagwa told the envoys he had understood from his conversations with Ramaphosa that they were presidential envoys and so should meet only him.

Mufamadi protested that the envoys had sent him in advance their list of interlocutors with no objections raised, but Mnangagwa would not budge. He suggested that they should go home and report to Ramaphosa on their meeting with him and if necessary they could return to meet other players.

However, it is understood that Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF are now resisting the idea of a return visit by Ramaphosa’s envoys to meet these other players. Among those on the original agenda of the special envoys were the Zimbabwe Council of Churches, Mnangagwa’s dialogue forum the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD), and the Zimbabwe Institute as well as the two MDC parties.

Pretoria is insisting the envoys should meet whoever they want to meet. Ramaphosa made this clear on Monday when he addressed a press conference after the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting. He said that in the extensive discussion which his envoys had had with Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF on August 10, “it became clear that they would need a process in which they would engage with other people. And it was felt we should give consideration to that.

“And that is obviously something we would want to see happen.”

In the meantime, he said that Mnangagwa had told him that he would like the ANC as a political party to meet Zanu-PF’s Politburo, and so ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule and his Zanu-PF counterpart were now arranging for this visit to take place “within days”.

Ramaphosa added that the NEC had “expressed the deep desire” that the ANC mission should also have the opportunity of meeting other stakeholders.

“Clearly, it’s important we get as broad a view of what is happening as we possibly can,” Ramaphosa said – because South Africa was feeling the impact of the Zimbabwe crisis on its own borders. This was clearly a reference to the large numbers of Zimbabweans illegally crossing the border into South Africa, mainly to escape economic hardship.

Despite the NEC’s wish for the ANC delegation to meet a broad range of Zimbabwean stakeholders, it is understood that Pretoria feels it would be better for the ANC to meet only its ruling party counterpart, Zanu-PF, while Ramaphosa’s special envoys – who have a different mandate as they represent the South African government – should meet the other stakeholders, as they had originally intended to do on August 10.

Zanu-PF would evidently prefer the envoys’ mission to be merged with that of the ANC and for neither to meet the opposition and civil society.

As a result of this intransigence, there are indications that Pretoria might have started to exert economic pressure on Zanu-PF – something it has rarely done before, if at all.

The bankrupt Zanu-PF government has requested South African government support in acquiring personal protection and other equipment to fight Covid-19. It has also asked Pretoria to help it secure private international loans, though what form this assistance might take is not clear yet.

The ANC government’s response to Harare has been to say it cannot justify to its constituency providing such support to Zimbabwe while Harare is preventing it from meeting all stakeholders to try to resolve the crisis which has made such South African support necessary in the first place.

South Africa has another potential lever in that it is also providing Zimbabwe with significant amounts of grain to prevent starvation in a population where about half are suffering food insecurity.

But it is not clear if Pretoria would also use this grain supply – which comes in the form of a donation, not a loan – as a political lever as it is regarded as humanitarian support.

Daily Maverick

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance is mobilising voters to reject the attempt by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to replace the party’s MPs with nominees from Thokozani Khupe’s political formation.

MDC Alliance Secretary General Chalton Hwende, quoted by NewsDay, accused ZEC of violating the rights of thousands of voters who chose legislators of their choice.

“It is the same as what happened in 2018 when a man who lost the Presidential elections was sworn in as President.

What is happening now is that Zanu PF is using Zec in a subtle process of stealing seats from MDC Alliance and giving them to the MDC-T.

We are not surprised, they can do what they want, but we will not betray the people’s struggle.

They took away the rights of people who woke up at 4am to go and cast their votes.

I am here in Kuwadzana doing projects and residents are already signing their objections to imposition of MPs by ZEC and Khupe.

A number of people will challenge this move throughout the country, but we also know that dictators do not respect the Constitution and will do anything to subvert the people’s vote,” said Hwende.

Gangs armed with machetes and knobkerries have resurfaced countrywide, targeting mines and individuals keeping large amounts of cash, prompting police to relaunch “Operation Chikorokoza Ngachipere” and “No to Machete Wielding Gangs”.

A few months ago, police restored order in mining areas after taking on the gangs, arresting large numbers and thwarting a wave of violence. That gangland violence claimed the lives of several people and left many injured.

Police said since January this year, 12 330 machete gang members and other criminal elements have been arrested in mining communities countrywide.

Police launched the “Operation Chikorokoza Ngachipere”, following an outcry from citizens over machete-wielding robbers who were terrorising people in mining communities.

In an interview yesterday, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said they had since intensified the operation.

“We can confirm that the ZRP has intensified an operation code named ‘Chikorokoza Ngachipere/ Isitsheketsha Kasipele’ and ‘No to Machete Wielding Gangs’,” he said.

Police have since been heavily deployed to some of the areas where illegal panning is rampant to ensure peace prevails. Anyone arrested will face the full wrath of the law as some of them are violating Covid-19 regulations.

Asst Comm Nyathi said they arrested two suspects last Thursday, who were part of a gang that was armed with machetes and raided a mine in Inyathi at night.

The two were arrested at Mucklenuck A2 Mine.

“The suspects struck the victim with a machete and stole cash amounting to US$200 and $400. A follow up was made leading to the arrest of the duo and investigations are still in progress,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.

Criminal activities by the marauding gangs of machete attackers have seen reports of murder, rape, assault, housebreaking and stock theft. Police statistics show that in the mineral-rich Midlands Province, reported criminal cases rose 33 percent in the first nine months of 2019 because of the influx of machete attackers.

Recently, machete gangs raided the Circle V mine in Shurugwi and stole a firearm and $5 000 cash, stabbing and injuring one mine employee in the process. Management said the money was part of the float used to buy gold at the mine. Lately, machete gangs have been targeting people dealing in cash around Harare.

Alliance vice chairperson Job Sikhala told a court on Tuesday that he has been arrested on 64 occasions over the years, including being charged with treason, and he never failed to abide by conditions of his release on bail.

Sikhala made the argument as he appeared before Harare magistrate Lazini Ncube in his ongoing bail application.

The outspoken politician who was arrested on August 21 faces charges of inciting Zimbabweans to stage violent mass protests to oust President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime.

Sikhala told court that he is a family man who has been charged with more serious offences before, but did not give the police any trouble while on remand.

“The struggle for social justice has never been fought on the plane of violence, and the State should not invite me to a territory which I’m not part of,” he said.

“I’m not a flight risk and have never absconded even while facing more serious matters such as treason or subversion.”

Sikhala also told court that he was never a fugitive from justice, despite police putting his name on a list of 14 opposition and pro-democracy activists they said were wanted in connection with incitement of public violence ahead of planned protests on July 31.

It was his testimony that he was arrested while resting in his bedroom together with his wife, and not while hiding in a ceiling as alleged.

The legislator also told court that the CID Law and Order officers were aware of all his addresses, as such they could have looked for him there before assuming he was hiding.

He also told the court during cross-examination with the state that the officers including those handling his case knew him personally.

“The police went looking for me at my rural home but they knew my second address. They never bothered to look for me there,” he said.

“Detectives Makore and Mukova know me and they frequent my office asking for money to buy lunch or beer.”

He said the state was opposing bail because it was all planned since they told him following his arrest that he was going to rot in prison.

His bail hearing continues Wednesday.

-ZimLive

WATCH- AT CHIKURUBI MAXIMUM PRISON WHERE #JACOBNGARIVHUME AND #HOPEWELLCHINONO ARE SET TO BE RELEASED #ZimbabweansLivesMatter @MuzvareBetty @MakomboreroH (video credit @SamTakawira ) pic.twitter.com/vAcIN3r6bV

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) September 2, 2020

Zimbabwe is expected to receive normal to above normal rainfall for the 2020/21 season.

This was said by the Environmental, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu this morning through a virtual platform when he presented the 2020-21 seasonal forecast for Zimbabwe.

Region 1, which comprises the bulk of Mashonaland East, Mashonaland Central, north eastern parts of the Midlands and parts of Manicaland, will receive normal to above normal rains from October 2020 to March 2021.

Region 2, which consists of the bulk of Matabeleland North, parts of Midlands, and parts of Mashonaland West will receive normal to below normal rainfall during the period October to December 2020 and receive normal to above normal rainfall for the period January to March 2021.

Region 3, which consists of Masvingo, most parts of Midlands, extreme southern parts of Manicaland and the bulk of Matabeleland South will have normal to above normal rains from January to March 2021.

State Media

JUSTICE, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has filed for divorce saying the relationship with his wife has irretrievably broken down with no prospects of restoration.

Minister Ziyambi has for the past seven years, been estranged from his wife Florence Ziyambi, nee Mhizha, a lawyer and former deputy Prosecutor-General.

In his claim filed at the High Court, Minister Ziyambi is asking for a decree of divorce saying the couple have not lived together as husband and wife since sometime in 2014.

He argues that the marriage is just a shell as they have not shared conjugal rights since then. The couple has two adult children.

“Since then, the parties have developed diverging interests and have become incompatible and have lost all love and affection for each other,” said Minister Ziyambi in his papers.

During the subsistence of their marriage, the couple acquired movable property and the Minister strongly feels it is just and equitable that upon divorce, each party retains the movable property in his or her possession.

The immovable property which the plaintiff wants distributed includes houses in Westlea and St Martins suburbs in Harare both registered in Minister Ziyambi’s name and a house in Bluffhill, Harare, registered in his estranged wife’s name.

The Minister also prays for the Westlea house to be awarded to one of their daughters, Chido Maureen Ziyambi, while the couple retains ownership of the immovable properties registered in their respective names.

“It is just and equitable that plaintiff (Minister) continues to cater for Chido Maureen Ziyambi’s welfare and educational needs until she graduates or becomes self-sufficient whichever occurs first,” said Minister Ziyambi.

Mrs Ziyambi is yet to respond to the application and has 10 days to file her response to the divorce motion.

Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesperson George Charamba has said the South African nation is a problem.

Charamba made his comments just as President Cyril Ramaphosa sent to Harare a second group of envoys to mediate the current crisis.

The comments also come in at a time when the courts released the two jailed: politician Jacob Ngarivhume, and journo Hopewell Chinono who have endured more than a month in the Chikurubi maximum prison on charges of plotting to overthrow the government or organising a violent uprising.

Writing on Twitter, Charamba said South Africa was deluded in supposing that it has the capacity to deal with the challenges facing the SADC region. He said: “South Africa is no donor State in SADC.

“If anything, its long apartheid legacy makes its post-1994 subregional role quite problematic for the rest of SADC States who know the continued dominance of Afrikaner capital in SADC does not benefit the ANC or blacks in Soweto or Khayelitsha.

“That is the sordid truth.

“South Africa cannot intervene militarily in any SADC country. That lesson was driven home during the Mandela days when it sought to do so in Lesotho. Since that disastrous escapade, South African diplomacy has been tempered and restrained to function within SADC structures, as should be!

“Just what is the logic and implication of Zimbabweans of insufficient history and national consciousness asking for South African intervention in Zimbabwe outside SADC structures?”

THE Government on Tuesday gave the tourism sector the green light to re-open after a five month closure owing to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa told a post-Cabinet briefing the opening up of the sector extends to airports, which will be allowed to resume domestic flights.

The country’s tourism sector, which is expected to contract by -7.4 percent in 2020, took the hardest hit from the outbreak of the coronavirus, which was first recorded in Zimbabwe at the end of March.

The pandemic led to the closure of all hospitality and leisure spots and resultantly loss of income for hospitality firms, workers and vendors whose livelihoods are directly dependent on the sector.

“Cabinet approved the resumption of the rest of tourism operations including boat operations,” Mutsvangwa said. “Government is finalizing on modalities for the re-opening of airports to support the resumption of the tourism sector.”

Zimbabwe’s airports and borders have been closed to foreign tourists since end of March, with citizens only allowed to return to the country. “The plan is to start with the resumption of domestic flights and then move to international flights,” Mutsvangwa said.

Zimbabwe has to date recorded 202 deaths, 6 497 cases of infection and 5 221 recoveries. The high recoveries rate of over 80 percent and the fact that most of the cases of infection were mild to moderate and being managed at home is among factors that influenced the decision to re-open the tourism sector, Mutsvangwa said.

Re-opening of the sector is expected to see a recovery in hotel occupancies, which took a serious hit, declining from 33 percent in January to as low as three percent in March. Government has said recovery of tourism in the last half of the year will focus mainly on domestic tourism as assessments continue to be made on opening the country up to international tourism.

A virtual meeting hosted by the Meteorological Services Department National Climate Outlook Forum had to break midway after hackers posted pornographic material on the platform.

Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry permanent secretary Mr Munesu Munodawafa apologised on behalf of the Government, and spoke of the need to expedite the Cyber Security Bill.

The virtual meeting is discussing the 2020/21 agricultural season forecasted weather pattern.

“We had to break the Zoom virtual meeting following the posting of offensive adult material during the meeting by some unidentified hackers. Government seriously needs to expedite passage of the Cyber Security Bill. We need to create secure virtual platforms where Government business is conducted,” said Mr Munodawafa.

The virtual meeting resumed after about 10 minutes.

The High Court has granted Jacob Ngarivhume $50,000 bail following his arrest in July for organizing a nationwide protest over corruption and the deteriorating economic situation in Zimbabwe.

Justice Siyabona Musitu granted the Transform Zimbabwe leader the bail on condition that he does not use Twitter until his case is finalized, should surrender his passport to the court and report to the police three times a week.

Ngarivhume was denied bail three times together with freelance journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono, who is still detained at Chikurubi Maximum Prison.

Ngarivhume and Chin’ono are facing charges of inciting violence.

The High Court has granted Hopewell Chin’ono $10 000 bail.

Chin’ono, who has spent 43 days in custody, appeared before Justice Tawanda Chitapi. He was charged along with political activist, Jacob Ngarivhume who has also been granted bail today.

Chin’ono and Ngarivhume were charged with incitement to commit public violence or alternatively incitement to participate in a gathering with the intent to promote public violence by posting messages through their Tweeter handles between March 1 and July 20, 2020.

It is alleged that while in Harare city centre, Chin’ono posted numerous messages on Twitter in an attempt to influence many people to engage in public violence or participate in a gathering that would disturb peace.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has, with immediate effect, appointed Dr Nomathemba Ndiweni-Masuku as a commissioner and deputy chairperson of the Public Service Commission (PSC).

Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda said the appointment was made in terms of section 202 (1)(a) of the Constitution read together with section 320(4) of the Constitution.

Dr Ndiweni-Masuku holds several professional qualifications including a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biochemistry from the University of Zimbabwe, a Master of Philosophy Degree in Biochemistry from the University of Cambridge and Post-graduate certificates in Education, Supervisory Management and Higher Education Management.

She has served on various boards including the Health Professions Authority of Zimbabwe, the Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Investment Authority.

“Dr Ndiweni-Masuku’s experience in the public and academic sector will assist the PSC, particularly at a time when government is setting up the Public Service Academy,” he said.

“She brings much needed expertise as a public administrator and a renowned member of the academic society and a member of the National Defence University Council.”

Dr Ndiweni-Masuku will deputise PSC chairman Dr Vincent Hungwe.

New Ziana

Residents Associations and Civic Society Organizations lamented over the possibility of appointment of commissions to run urban local due to the rampant recalls by the MDC and suspension of Councilors on allegations of corruption.

Speaking at the  Webinar National Discussion hosted by CHRA, Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association Director Emmanuel Ndlovu lamented that,‘ the level of corruption in Councils have created a fertile ground for appointment of commissions especially on the allocation of stands.”

Dr Davison Muchadenyika an Independent Local Government Expert highlighted that appointment of Commissions should be the last resort as it contravenes section 265 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe which states, “All members of local authorities must be elected by registered voters within the areas for which the local authorities are established.”

Residents’ representatives were worried that the appointment of Commissions to run local authorities was a threat to representative democracy and the current provisions governing the appointment of Commissions was open to manipulation by the Minister of Local Government.

The Director of Urban Council Association of Zimbabwe, Mr. Mutekede said,‘if commissions are appointed to run the local authorities they will not have powers to  levy rates, taxes,  increase any charge and to levy any charge without approval from the Minister” hence the Minister will be running local authorities.

Whenever there has been people of questionable character appointed to be Commissioners to run local authorities there has been citizens uproar over the appointments ,said Mr Mutekede.

Key recommendations that came out of the discussions were ;

• Alignment of the Urban Councils Act 29:15  and Local Government Act of 2016 with the Constitution of Zimbabwe

v  There is a need to  have by-elections in areas where councilors are removed to ensure representation .

v  Engage political parties  on the mode  to have robust and effective ways of choosing eligible councilors to participate in primary elections.

v  Mobilization of constituencies to ensure that residents are aware of the government intentions in order to defend their vote.

v  Lobbying for the strengthening of municipalities to have clear systems and mechanisms to pluck out corruption.

v  If commissions are to be appointed there must be representatives drawn from rate payers, political parties and associations.

By Ryan Chiwara- Masvingo province registered voters have joined others parts in objecting to Thokozani Khupe party list candidates seeking to replace Movement for Democratic Change Alliance recalled parliamentarians.

The MDC Alliance legislators were recalled by the MDC T led by hope following a supreme court ruling in which imposed Khupe as the acting president of MDC T.

The MDC T has since released a list of individuals they want to replace those whom they have recalled. On the list Khupe is to replace former MDC Alliance legislator Tabitha Khumalo in Bulawayo province.

Masvingo MDC Alliance legislator Muchirairwa Mugido was recalled from parliament by Khupe for siding with MDC Alliance president Advocate Nelson Chamisa.

Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba has invited voters with objections to lodge them with her office before the nominations are confirmed.

“The public is hereby notified, in terms of section 39 (6) of the Electoral Act (Chapter2:13) that the MDC party has nominated party list members of the National Assembly and the Senate listed in the schedules below to fill in the vacancies in the National Assembly and the Senate that occurred following the recall by the MDC-T of the incumbent on the grounds that they had ceased to be members of that party,” reads the notice published by Chigumba.

One of the party list objection affidavits seen by this writer stated the grounds for objections

, “Section 45E of the electoral Act is explicit on the requirements for the identity of the party nominating the party list candidates, specifically, the Name, Party Abbreviation and Distinctive Symbols which should appear on the ballot paper. Accordingly, in the July 2018 Harmonised elections the MDC-A submitted its party list using the name Movement for Democratic Change Alliance, abbreviated as MDC-A and the characteristic distinctive symbol of an open palm and the face Adv Nelson Chamisa inside it.

“It is in this respect that the MDC -A has exclusive right to nominate replacements for the candidates to the party list , and that no any other party has the locus standi to make any such replacements outside the purview of the 2018 Harmonized Elections requirements as stated in section 45 of the Electoral Act.

“At the July 2018 Harmonised elections I voted for the MDC-A constituency candidate and my vote contributed to the cumulative provincial total votes which formed the basis for the allocation of the proportional representation or senate seats as specified in the Eighth schedule of the electoral Act.

“The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has a duty to respect the outcome of the prescribed formula in the Eighth schedule of the electoral act by allocating the MDC-A its right full seats and not allow any other political entity to usurp the party ‘s right to choose its representatives.

“Failure to abide by its duty is an infringement of my Right of Assembly and Association as spelt out in Section 58 of the constitution,” read the affidavit.

WATCH- "45 DAYS IN DETENTION WILL NOT DETER US" #JACOBNGARIVHUME SPEAKS pic.twitter.com/1vbSWYqnsN

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) September 2, 2020

Farai Dziva|The State has dropped the Criminal Nuisance Charge against MDC Alliance Youth Assembly organising secretary and Masvingo Urban ward 4 councillor, Godfrey Kurauone.

The State failed to find the required witnesses.

“On Thursday our Organ Secretary, Cllr G Kurauone will be appearing in court for trial.

Police dropped Criminal the Nuisance Charge so he is now being charged with Blocking Traffic.

They dropped the charge after failing to find witnesses.

They can’t prove that he circulated a video clip,” MDC Alliance said in a statement.

By A Correspondent- One of the Cowdray Park sisters who were brutality assaulted by ZRP officers enforcing lockdown restrictions adherence reportedly broke down in court on Monday as she narrated that one of her fingers was now deformed as a result of the assault.

A teary Nokhuthula Mpofu reportedly told the court that:

In all my life, I have never been assaulted the way the police officers did to me. They made us sit down and kicked me with booted feet on my thighs. When I managed to get up, I realised that I had sustained serious injuries and there was blood all over. I was left almost out of breath. When our names were called out so that we could be booked, I could hardly walk.

By A Correspondent- MDC Alliance Gweru Urban legislator Brian Dube reportedly used Constituency Development Funds to covert a council cocktail bar into a state of the art clinic, Newsday reports.

The legislator confirmed the development to the publication and said:

We applied to council and we were given the go-ahead to convert the Ivene Cocktail Bar into a standard modern clinic. This was necessitated by the compelling need to relocate the Ivene Clinic.

The current clinic was so small that staff and patients shared one single toilet. There was no medical storeroom and the treatment room was used for three purposes. It was the sister- in-charge’s office, treatment room and storeroom. There was also no TB boom and patients were served from the veranda.

The old clinic was located within houses and not safe as disposals of used medical materials risked being accessed by kids. However, the location of the new clinic is at the far end of the neighbourhood, making it safer.

Giving further details about the new state of the art clinic, Dube said the clinic was proper and modern and said:

We have stand-alone rooms for TB, treatment, sister-in-charge, dispensary, drug and consultation as well as the clerk’s office. We now have a proper modern clinic. The vision is that, since there is still space, we will also develop further to have a maternity ward and day care rest wards.

Gangs armed with machetes and knobkerries have resurfaced countrywide, targeting mines and individuals keeping large amounts of cash, prompting police to relaunch “Operation Chikorokoza Ngachipere” and “No to Machete Wielding Gangs”.

A few months ago, police restored order in mining areas after taking on the gangs, arresting large numbers and thwarting a wave of violence. That gangland violence claimed the lives of several people and left many injured.

Police said since January this year, 12 330 machete gang members and other criminal elements have been arrested in mining communities countrywide.
Police launched the “Operation Chikorokoza Ngachipere”, following an outcry from citizens over machete-wielding robbers who were terrorising people in mining communities.

In an interview yesterday, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said they had since intensified the operation.

“We can confirm that the ZRP has intensified an operation code named ‘Chikorokoza Ngachipere/ Isitsheketsha Kasipele’ and ‘No to Machete Wielding Gangs’,” he said.

Police have since been heavily deployed to some of the areas where illegal panning is rampant to ensure peace prevails. Anyone arrested will face the full wrath of the law as some of them are violating Covid-19 regulations.

Asst Comm Nyathi said they arrested two suspects last Thursday, who were part of a gang that was armed with machetes and raided a mine in Inyathi at night.
The two were arrested at Mucklenuck A2 Mine.

“The suspects struck the victim with a machete and stole cash amounting to US$200 and $400. A follow up was made leading to the arrest of the duo and investigations are still in progress,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.

Criminal activities by the marauding gangs of machete attackers have seen reports of murder, rape, assault, housebreaking and stock theft. Police statistics show that in the mineral-rich Midlands Province, reported criminal cases rose 33 percent in the first nine months of 2019 because of the influx of machete attackers.

Recently, machete gangs raided the Circle V mine in Shurugwi and stole a firearm and $5 000 cash, stabbing and injuring one mine employee in the process. Management said the money was part of the float used to buy gold at the mine. Lately, machete gangs have been targeting people dealing in cash around Harare.

-State Media

By A Correspondent- The government has warned Private schools against hiking school fees without getting approval from parents and the ministry of primary and secondary education.

The matter came to light as the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education director of communications and advocacy, Mr Taungana Ndoro, laid down the procedure for hiking fees and said:

There is a procedure that schools follow for approval of new fees structures by the Ministry and these are done on a case by case base. That procedure normally involves parents and the school before being submitted to the Ministry. once submitted the Ministry gives its response and you can obtain that response from the schools. Parents and schools are involved in the adjustment. Ministry considers an agreed position between parents and the school

We are investigating these schools because any increase must be approved by Government.

According to the publication, The Midlands Christian Group of Colleges (MCGC) which runs Midlands Christian College (MCC), Midlands Christian School (MCS) and Treasure Trove (TT) in Gweru have asked parents to pay what it refers to as “overhead costs” of US$1 410, US$910 and US$400 respectively. Petra College is demanding US$1 400 while Girls college is reportedly demanding $1000 from parents.

Three suspected cattle rustlers have been arrested in Marondera on suspicion of stealing a cow from a police farm just outside town limits.

Wilson Madzudzu (26), Fanwell Munetsi (25) from Epworth and Tichaona Matudza (32) from Marondera are now assisting police with investigations.

Provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tendai Mwanza said the herdman at the ZRP Mashonaland East project farm found one brown cow was missing when shutting up the herd for the night. He then found the carcass of the missing cow, which has been slaughtered and skinned on the farm.

The police attended the scene and used dogs to track the spoor of the suspects leading to the arrest of Madzudzu and Munetsi, who were hiding in the gum plantation nearby. On interrogation they allegedly implicated Matudza, who lives on a farm next to the police project farm.

The cow was worth $24 600 and nothing was recovered. Inspector Mwanza said, “Stock thieves are a menace and their conduct deserves harsh punishment because there are bent on derailing economic gains.”

By A Correspondent- War veterans have written to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government demanding that he shelves his US$3,5 billion compensation pact with white former commercial farmers, describing the move as highly discriminatory, degrading and akin to selling out the liberation struggle.

Mnangagwa last month signed the global compensation agreement with white former farmers displaced during the country’s 2000 land reform programme.

Under the deal, government pledged to cough out US$3,5 billion compensation for infrastructural developments on the seized farms.

The deal followed the commitment by government to return seized farms to black farmers as well as farms protected under Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreements (BIPPAs).

The latest agreement, announced in a joint statement by Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube and newly-appointed Lands minister Anxious Masuka on Monday, has, however, triggered varying reactions with some viewing it as a reversal of the land reform programme.

But the little-known War Veterans Pressure Group wrote to Mnangagwa through their lawyers, Kanoti and Partners, ordering the Lands ministry to issue a public statement withdrawing the compensation offer.

“We act at the instance of our clients, War Veterans Pressure Group, an informal political grouping of veterans of the national liberation struggle. Please note our interest,” part of the letter, dated August 28 to Masuka, read.

“Clients are shocked government acted in the manner it did and view the agreement as a sell-out understanding.”

“Clients instruct that we demand on their behalf, as we hereby do, that you, within 48 hours of receipt of this letter, issue a response to ourselves, together with a public statement admitting that the recent July 2020 compensation for claimed farms improvements agreements between government and the former settler white race progeny citizenry was discriminatory on the grounds of race and constituted cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment upon the indigenous black race, citizens of this nation, coming as the agreement did ahead of or for having prioritised settler white race concerns as against the local black race’s own long outstanding precolonial and also post-colonial sufferances under the mechanisation of the occupying settler white race and, therefore, that government is withdrawing from or suspending performance.”

The war veterans, who form the bulk of beneficiaries of the land reform programme, said the compensation should be suspended, and interests of the indigenous farmers be catered for first.

Yesterday, various stakeholders blasted Mnangagwa’s offer to compensate black farmers and for seized land under BIPPA.

Under the new order, complying with section 295 of the Constitution, indigenous farmers and farmers protected under BIPPA will be compensated for land and developments made on the farms. White former commercial farmers, who form the majority, are covered under the compensation agreement of July 20.

The two categories can be given money or may apply to go back to their farms, and the resettled farmers displaced to alternative farms.

About 116 farms under BIPPA were seized and new farmers resettled, while over 400 indigenous farmers were displaced after their farms were compulsorily acquired.

Norton MP Temba Mliswa (independent) challenged government to come clean on land ownership, saying the new order signalled the reversal of the land reform programme.

Tendai Biti, the MDC Alliance vicepresident said the new law by government was a policy U-turn.

Biti said anything to do with land compensation needed an Act of Parliament.

But exiled former Local Government minister and ex-Zanu-PF commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere said: “This is going backwards. Yes, the Constitution recognises land compensation, but this should be done through an Act of Parliament. The minister should table the Bill before Parliament.

“People suffered to have restoration of land ownership, and now, two ministers without knowledge of the history of the land reform come to make this announcement without consulting critical stakeholders.”-newsday

By A Correspondent- In a very strange case, a man who faked ere_ctile dysfunction (ED) for the last 17 years just so that he could avoid being intimate with his wife was exposed when he was arrested for raping a minor.

iHarare has learned that 68-year-old Custon Jojo Machanja from Zvishavane was last intimate with his wife back in 2003 when he claimed that he was suffering from ED. The wife understood his supposed plight and did not bother him, only to be shocked when Machanja was arrested this year.

Machanja is facing two counts of having sexual intercourse with a minor and rape.

The Chronicle reports that while presenting his defence Machanja denied the rape charges saying that he had consensual se_x with the minor. Ironically, he also accused the minor and her mother of trying to fix him, because he was having se_xual affairs with both of them.

“I had consensual se_xual intercourse with the complainant and I also had an affair with her mother. They are fixing me,” he said.

Machanja’s wife who also appeared in court as a witness expressed her shock at learning that her husband was capable of having se_xual affairs with two women concurrently when she was under the impression that he could not function properly.

“All these years he would tell me that he can’t sleep with me because he is suffering from ere_ctile dysfunction. I’m really shocked,” said Machanja’s wife.

The state went on to say that in October, Machanja invited the minor to his house where they became intimate. After the act, Machanja gave the minor $6. They had two more encounters in the same month, after which Machanja gave the minor $4 and $5.

In December, Machanja invited the minor to his office and tried to become intimate with her again. However, on this occasion the minor refused and Machanja allegedly drew an Okapi knife and forced himself onto the minor. He also threatened her with goblins if she ever divulged that he had raped her.

However, the minor told her mother, who then took her to the police station to file a report.

Machanja was remanded in custody to September 7 for judgment.

#WATCH– Lawyers stage silent demo at the High Court. Demand respect to the country's Constitution #ZimbabweansLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/zX8NLZAB8L

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) September 2, 2020

https://twitter.com/ZimEye/status/1301096475796140033?s=20

By A Correspondent- A Harare High Court Judge this morning granted jailed opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume $50 000 bail after he had been languishing nehind bars for 45 days.

Justice Musithu ended the detention of Transform Zimbabwe party leader Jacob Ngarivhume by granting him $50 000 bail, barring him from sharing messages on Twitter and ordering him to report 3 times per week to the Zimbabwe Republic Police. He was also ordered to reside at his given address and surrender his passport.

Ngarivhume, who was arrested on July 20 over the July 31 protests had been denied bail by the lower courts twice.

The opposition leader had approached the court in his second freedom bid citing changed circumstances where he argued that the reasons which had led to his initial bail denial had changed.

Ngarivhume, is facing charges of inciting citizens to revolt against government when he organised and announced that on July 31, citizens were supposed to protest over corruption and a failed leadership.

He however argued that the planned protests did not take place, hence fears of him influencing violence were no longer existent since the day of the protests had come and gone.

Harare magistrate Trynos Utahwashe dismissed Ngarivhume’s bail application arguing that he remained a national threat hence should remain behind bars

His lawyers however said they would appeal the decision at the High Court arguing that it was baffling how the state acknowledged that July 31 had come and gone with no violence reports at all but maintained that what was proposed as the July 31 protests had become a movement. The court however did not avail the evidence to back up the state’s claim.

“We are surprised that Jacob Ngarivhume is now said to be the founder of that movement. We are hearing it for the first time in court and we are shocked but we are not discouraged in any way. We will be appealing as soon as possible,” said Nkomo.

Ngarivhume was arrested on July 20 and has been languishing in jail since then.

The High Court denied him bail again on grounds that he called for protests amid the Covid-19 pandemic thereby exposing the public to dangers of contracting the disease.

WATCH- "45 DAYS IN DETENTION WILL NOT DETER US" #JACOBNGARIVHUME SPEAKS pic.twitter.com/1vbSWYqnsN

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) September 2, 2020

By A Correspondent- A Mpilo Hospital nurse reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 posthumously, the state media reports.

Pretty Mpala (36) from Emakhandeni suburb in Bulawayo was reportedly buried on Friday after she tested positive for the novel Coronavirus.

Mpala who was part of the COVID-19 health frontliners was her family’s breadwinner and her family are struggling to come to terms with her death.

Mpala’s aunt spoke to the publication and said:

We are still shocked and in deep pain following the passing of Pretty who was the sole breadwinner in the family. Our hearts are sore and we fear for her traumatized grandmother who raised her following the death of her parents as she is struggling to walk or talk since her death.

Commenting about the death of Sister Petty who was the only child of her late parents, Mpilo Hospital CEO DR Solwayo Ngwenya said:

We are extremely saddened that Covid-19 has taken one of our staff members, her premature death is evidence that this disease is deadly. As health workers are at the forefront, we continue to bear the brunt of this virus but we still must work hard and face it while saving lives.

Most of us will be infected in the line of duty and it is sad that one of our self-sacrificing nurses had to lose her life. I would like to commend all those who come to work despite the risks that come with our jobs, this kind of sacrifice is highly commendable.

Mpala survived by her grandmother and her cousins.

By A Correspondent-  The government of Zimbabwe is reportedly finalising the modalities that will see airports re-opening after 5 months in a bid to boost tourism.

The matter came to light in yesterday’s post-cabinet briefing.

According to the publication:

The Government is finalising on modalities for the re-opening of airports to support the resumption of the tourism sector. The plan is to start with the resumption of domestic flights and then move to international flights.  Cabinet approved the resumption of the rest of tourism operations, including boat operations.

Other countries like Kenya and Tanzania have resumed international flights while South Africa has reopened domestic flights after close to 5 months in lockdown.-Statemedia

By A Correspondent- Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has filed for divorce saying the relationship with his wife has irretrievably broken down with no prospects of restoration.

Minister Ziyambi has for the past seven years, been estranged from his wife Florence Ziyambi, nee Mhizha, a lawyer and former deputy Prosecutor-General.

In his claim filed at the High Court, Minister Ziyambi is asking for a decree of divorce saying the couple have not lived together as husband and wife since sometime in 2014.

He argues that the marriage is just a shell as they have not shared conjugal rights since then. The couple has two adult children.

“Since then, the parties have developed diverging interests and have become incompatible and have lost all love and affection for each other,” said Minister Ziyambi in his papers.

During the subsistence of their marriage, the couple acquired movable property and the Minister strongly feels it is just and equitable that upon divorce, each party retains the movable property in his or her possession.

The immovable property which the plaintiff wants distributed includes houses in Westlea and St Martins suburbs in Harare both registered in Minister Ziyambi’s name and a house in Bluffhill, Harare, registered in his estranged wife’s name.

The Minister also prays for the Westlea house to be awarded to one of their daughters, Chido Maureen Ziyambi, while the couple retains ownership of the immovable properties registered in their respective names.

“It is just and equitable that plaintiff (Minister) continues to cater for Chido Maureen Ziyambi’s welfare and educational needs until she graduates or becomes self-sufficient whichever occurs first,” said Minister Ziyambi.

Mrs Ziyambi is yet to respond to the application and has 10 days to file her response to the divorce motion.

statemedia

ZANU-PF Politburo, will soon hold a meeting in Harare with South Africa’s ruling party, African National Congress (ANC)’s National Executive Committee to discuss issues of interest amongst the two sister revolutionary parties.

The ANC delegation is expected to arrive in the country soon, although the dates are yet to be announced.

While addressing the media soon after the ANC’s NEC meeting on Monday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa revealed that his party will send a delegation to meet Zanu-PF Politburo for a party-to-party discussion.

Last month, Zanu-PF secretary for Administration Cde Obert Mpofu and his South African counterpart ANC Secretary-General Cde Ace Magashule held a virtual meeting, which saw the two revolutionary parties pledging to work together to defend the gains of the liberation struggle.

Of late, there has been a systematic attack on Government, which began with the manufacturing of a non-existent crisis in Zimbabwe by the country’s detractors, who are working with fugitive former G40 functionaries desperate to cast aspersions on the Second Republic’s economic revival and re-engagement efforts.

Cde Mpofu yesterday confirmed that a meeting has been set between Zanu-PF and ANC leaders.

“I can confirm that we will be meeting our counterparts in the usual manner that we have already conferred with each other to discuss issues of interest amongst ourselves. The meeting is not new, ANC and Zanu-PF are sister parties both before and after our independence,” he said.

“The meeting, which will be held soon, is part of the usual dialogue that we have with ANC and this is quite a welcome development.”

Cde Mpofu said the two revolutionary parties were constantly in cordial contact at an inter-party level to confront the cross-sectional attempts to defeat the standing successes towards entrenching democracy in the Sadc region.

Cde Mpofu said there were imperialistic attempts to discredit the country by falsely claiming that there are human rights violations.

“What has been presented as the violation of human rights in Zimbabwe is part of the exhausted script of the MDC Alliance’s failure to come to terms with its defeat in the 2018 Harmonised Elections,” he said.

Cde Mpofu said the misplaced anti-Zimbabwe campaign on social media aligns with retrogressive regime change elements backed by their external neo-colonial handlers.

“We are aware that the purported instability in Zimbabwe is precipitated by disgruntled fugitives and ejected elements from the revolutionary party, Zanu-PF.”

Cde Mpofu said Presidents Mnangagwa and Cyril Ramaphosa enjoy cordial relations, with both Zanu-PF and ANC’s relationship premised on the historical values that have stood the test of time.

Zimbabwe and South Africa enjoy strong cordial relations which date back to the liberation struggle against colonialism and Apartheid.

Last month, President Ramaphosa in his capacity as African Union (AU) chairperson, deployed envoys to Zimbabwe to assess the political situation in Zimbabwe.

The three-member delegation returned a day after meeting President Mnangagwa where they exchanged notes at State House.

Former South African Minister of Safety and Security Dr Sydney Mufamadi was leading the team which comprised former Speaker of Parliament Baleka Mbete and former Minister of Public Service and Administration Advocate Ngoako Ramatlhodi.

The three came to Zimbabwe to assess the political situation in Zimbabwe after a sustained social media onslaught against the Harare administration.

The anti-Zimbabwe crusade follows the flop of the protests that had been planned for July 31, which had been heavily-funded by Western embassies aimed at toppling President Mnangagwa and his Government.

-State Media

JUST IN- JACOB NGARIVHUME BAIL HEARING SET FOR 1030am pic.twitter.com/3RHrqYVHs3

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) September 2, 2020

Watch the live video loading below…….

MPILO Central Hospital has lost a nurse to Covid-19 who died at the institution last week.

Sister Pretty Mpala (36) from Emakhandeni suburb in Bulawayo tested positive posthumously and was buried on Friday.

She is one of the hundreds of frontliners in Zimbabwe who have been infected while trying to save lives. According to a weekly situational report from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, nurses are the most affected workers when it comes to Covid-19 and they constitute 37 percent of total health care workers affected.

As of Monday, there were 6 497 confirmed Covid-19 cases in Zimbabwe and 202 deaths. Bulawayo province has a cumulative total of 1 276 cases, 25 deaths and 1 140 recoveries.

Statistics from the Ministry show that more than 480 health workers have contracted the global pandemic in Zimbabwe.

Bulawayo (137) and Midlands (128) account for a greater proportion of infected front liners.

Healthcare workers have been greatly exposed to Covid-19 due to the global shortage of personal protective equipment.

More than 120 nurses at Mpilo Central and United Bulawayo Hospitals have contracted the virus, forcing them into quarantine, thereby reducing the number of workers who are manning the public institutions.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 1 000 nurses have been infected by Covid-19 in Africa alone.

The outbreak of Covid-19 has seen nurses worldwide making huge personal sacrifices, sometimes attending to patients without adequate personal protective equipment (PPEs) risking their health and that of their families.

The world over, at least 90 000 health care workers had been infected by Covid-19 and more than 260 nurses had died by the end of May according to the International Council of Nurses (ICN).

In an interview, Sr Mpala’s aunt, Mrs Kezzeneth Mpala, said the family had lost its breadwinner and was struggling to accept the nurse’s fate. She said Sr Mpala’s guardian, her grandmother, had fallen sick after receiving news of her untimely death last week.

“We are still shocked and in deep pain following the passing of Pretty who was the sole breadwinner in the family. Our hearts are sore and we fear for her traumatized grandmother who raised her following the death of her parents as she is struggling to walk or talk since her death,” said Mrs Mpala.

“Pretty was a caring person and it was not surprising that she eventually became a nurse. She went through a lot of challenges while growing up but managed to shrug off all discouragement and qualified as a nurse.”

According to Mrs Mpala, Sr Mpala was passionate about serving her people and community which made her a committed and resilient nurse.

Mpala, the only child born to her late parents, started her nursing studies in 2013 and had never looked back. She also struggled with some illnesses which never killed her hardworking spirit as she managed to do her duties at Mpilo while battling the ailment. “We used to meet members of the public in town who would stop and thank her for the care she rendered while they were admitted to Mpilo. She was also a darling to the community and our relatives and would easily give health advice so that everyone around is healthy and fit. Her loss has brought a lot of pain in our lives and we hope one day we will understand why her life had to end this way,” she said wiping away tears.

Mpala is survived by her grandmother and cousins.

Mpilo acting chief executive officer Professor Solwayo Ngwenya sent his condolences to the family saying Covid-19 had cost the institution a hard-working staffer.

“We are extremely saddened that Covid-19 has taken one of our staff members, her premature death is evidence that this disease is deadly. As health workers are at the forefront, we continue to bear the brunt of this virus but we still must work hard and face it while saving lives,” said Prof Ngwenya.

“Most of us will be infected in the line of duty and it is sad that one of our self-sacrificing nurses had to lose her life. I would like to commend all those who come to work despite the risks that come with our jobs, this kind of sacrifice is highly commendable.”

— State Media

Paul Nyathi 

Watch video downloading below as another victim of Zimbabwe state security agents brutality narrates how he was abducted and tortured. Please be patient while the video downloads.

Nickson Mpofu made the claim in the screenshot below hours before he was abducted by state security agents.

Continue reading “Live: Nickson Mpofu Tells How He Was Abducted And Tortured By State Security Agents”