The MDC Alliance Bulawayo Province has suspended Tendai Masotsha who is the provincial women’s assembly chairperson for her alleged involvement in the abduction of ZimLive editor Mduduzi Mathuthu’s nephew Tawanda Muchehiwa, CITE.org reports.

The suspension which came after Muchehiwa narrated his abduction and how Masotsha might have helped the abductors, was confirmed by MDC Alliance Bulawayo Spokesperson Swithern Chirowodza who said:

After taking note of journalism student, Tawanda Muchehiwa’s statement published by Zimlive, the alleged participation of Tendai Masotsha in Tawanda’s abduction and also the abduction and torture of our Party members in Bulawayo by suspected state security agents, the MDC Alliance Bulawayo Province has suspended and opened investigations into her involvement  in the matter. A concise statement would be issued in the next 48 hours.

When contacted for comment, Masotsha said she was surprised by the allegations levelled against her and said:

Yimihlolo leyi (I am actually surprised by all this). I am also a victim in this. I haven’t been told about the suspension officially but had seen news on the suspension on twitter. There is nothing I can do but my heart is free, I am clean and not involved in any of this. Masotsha said the investigations would clear her name. If the investigations are not polluted and are proper, they will show I am also a victim

Sources that spoke to the publication on condition of anonymity said party members want Masotsha fired from the party:

Party members want her to be removed as the party’s integrity is under stake. We have written to the National Council asking them to expel her immediately from the party. We cannot continue working with someone who was alleged to have involved in abduction and torture

MDC Alliance released a statement that said they are investigating the matter.-CITE

Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) coronavirus situation report as of 30 August 2020:

• New cases: 6
• Locals – 6
• Returnees – 0
• Deaths: 0
• Recoveries: 5
• National Recovery Rate: 78.9%
• Total Cumulative Cases: 6 412
• Total Recoveries: 5 061
• Total Deaths: 196

The Election Resource Centre has said it Is Premature To Proceed With Replacing MDC Alliance MPs Recalled By The Thokozani Khupe led Faction. Do you think the ZEC will listen or it is already a captured institution?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) August 30, 2020

Zimbabwe’s largest lender said the U.S Treasury Department has cleared it of having to pay a $385 million penalty for processing transactions on behalf of a local lender that was under American sanctions.

The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control reviewed more than 15,000 transactions carried out by CBZ Holdings Ltd. for ZB Bank Ltd. between 2009 and 2014. Following the review, OFAC said in a letter dated Aug. 24 that CBZ won’t face a penalty or sanctions.

“This removes a cloud over CBZ, the country and gives comfort to international partners,” bank Chairman Marc Holtzman said in a phone interview on Sunday.

Since his appointment last September, Holtzman, a 30-year banking veteran who has worked at Barclays Plc and ABN Amro Bank NV, has assembled a new management team and hired law firm Dentons to deal with the OFAC case. With that issue over, CBZ is free to develop its international business.

“As a result of the OFAC issues, CBZ has not had any correspondent relationships with any lenders in the western world,” Holtzman said. “Management now will begin to re-engage with them.”

Inside Zim

The Meteorology Services Department(MSD) has released the following weather forecast which states that 5 of Zimbabwe’s Provinces, Masvingo, Manicaland, Midlands, and Matabeleland are likely to receive light showers this week between Sunday 30 August and Tuesday 1 September.

The department further went on to warn people against being outdoors during the showers as it forecasted that lighting and thunder will be a likely occurrence and reminded farmers with winter crops that dry conditions are expected after the showers.

MSD went on to explain that:

A weak cloud band has begun infiltrating the western border of the country, hot, Botswana into both Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South Province. At the same time, relatively cool and moist winds from South Africa are beginning to establish. As such, cloudy, windy and showery episodes are expected on Sunday evening 30 August into Monday 31 August in Matabeleland South, Masvingo, southern parts of the Midlands, Manicaland and Bulawayo Metropolitan into the southern areas of Matabeleland North. These showers may be violent in places (coupled with lightning, hail and strong winds).

Thereafter, the light rains and drizzle should steadily ease off with chilly and cloudy conditions over Matabeleland South, Masvingo, southern parts of the Midlands, Manicaland on Tuesday 01 September 2020.

Leaked audio of MDC-T acting spokesperson Khaliphani Phugeni has exposed the infighting that has become the order of the day in the marriage of convenience between interim president Thokozani Khupe and interim secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora.

Phugeni is also Khupe’s spokesperson and was appointed the party’s director of communications after Khupe abandoned her party to team up with Mwonzora to revive MDC-T whose structures ceased to exist in 2019.

Phugeni is heard lambasting Mwonzora, saying he is tribalistic, divisive and the sponsor of violence in the party, therefore, does not deserve to be elected president at the extraordinary congress. Here are some few takeaways from the audio according to Davis Laque:

• Mwonzora has effectively taken over Harvest House and stands accused of running a terror group.
• Mwonzora’s allies are using tribalism to cripple Dr Khupe’s campaign.
• Mwonzora’s Facebook post calling Gukurahundi “a civil war” hasn’t helped matters and has angered the Khupe faction in the MDC-T
• Mwonzora is basically being treated as a tribalist in the MDC-T party.
• The current contenders for the MDC-T Presidency are Dr Khupe, Mwonzora, Gift Chimanikire, Sen Mudzuri, Sen Komichi
• Key Khupe allies, Phugeni and Ndhlovu are determined to stop Mwonzora from assuming the Presidency at the EOC.
• Mwonzora and Khupe are the current frontrunners.
• A Mwonzora Presidency will slipt the MDC-T with Phugeni saying Mwonzora isn’t fit to run a burial society and lacks national appeal to win the State Presidency.
• Should Khupe win, Mwonzora himself will be crippled as he has become a headache to the Khupe faction.
• Phugeni himself has ambitions to lead the MDC-T.
• The Khupe faction is already sidelining Mwonzora, using his Deputy, Amai Mupariwa and Komichi to handle party matters.
• There is no consensus on recalled MPs replacements with each faction eager to position itself.

More: Davis Laque on Twitter

MDC Alliance secretary-general Chalton Hwende said the party has launched investigations into allegations made against its women assembly chairperson for Bulawayo province, Tendai Masotsha.

Masotsha is alleged to have played a part in the abduction of Tawanda Muchehiwa, an opposition activist, who was seized from a vehicle in broad daylight by five armed men who tortured him for three days before dumping him badly injured near his home.

Hwende disclosed that the party has directed its Organising and Security Departments to look into the issue.

He said:

We have noted the Allegations made against our Chairlady of our Bulawayo Province and we have referred the matter to both our Organising Department and Security Department for further investigation.

— Chalton Hwende MP Chairperson Public Accounts (@hwendec) August 30, 2020

We have noted the allegations made against our Chairlady of our Bulawayo Province and we have referred the matter to both our Organising Department and Security Department for further investigation.

In his account, Muchehiwa said on the day he was abducted, on 30 July 2020, he received a call from Masotsha, who said she had flyers that could be used in the protests the next day and wanted to his help in distributing them. He said:

At around mid-morning on July 30, my cousin Advent Mathuthu was driving to a hardware shop on Fife Avenue Extension. I asked to accompany him.

While in town, I received a call from Masotsha, who said she had flyers that could be used in the protests the next day. She parked her vehicle and jumped into our BMW, carrying only a handbag.

… Advent was in a rush and needed us to secure the material at the hardware shop, so he drove off and we agreed we would drop Masotsha by her car on our return.

Muchehiwa further revealed that after his abduction, his two cousins were arrested and later released yet Masotsha, who had brought all his troubles, was neither charged nor arrested.

This has led to suspicions that Masotsha either voluntarily or under duress led the abductors to Muchehiwa.

Pindula

Paul Nyathi 

The MDC Alliance has just finished an urgent meeting in Bulawayo where they resolved to suspend the women provincial chair Tendai Masotsha. 

She is accused of working with state security agents in effecting abductions on party activists in the City.

Watch video downloading below as party spokesperson Fadzai Mahere explain charges against Masotsha.

A FORMER Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) officer who was recently jailed for 14 years after smuggling 39 cars into the country through Plumtree Border Post, defrauding the revenue collector of more than US$530 000, has been released by the High Court on $10 000 bail pending appeal.

Semkelwe Maphosa committed the crimes between January and July last year by forging Customs Clearance Certificates (CCCs) for different types of vehicles worth millions of dollars.

Maphosa is suspected to be part of a criminal syndicate involving another Zimra official, Norest Ushe (29) who was arrested and has since appeared in court for fraud charges of over US$430 000 and $1,4 million.

The case involving Ushe, who is accused of fraudulently clearing 50 cars into the Zimra capturing system without officially charging duty, is still pending before the court.

Maphosa worked as a records clerk at the Zimra registry and was responsible for typing customs clearance certificates.She allegedly forged her superiors’ signatures on the certificates. Maphosa went into hiding before police officers got wind of her whereabouts and arrested her at her hideout.

She was convicted on 39 counts of fraud and acquitted on one count by Plumtree regional magistrate Mr Bishard Chineke who sentenced her to 14 years imprisonment.

For the purposes of sentencing, the counts were grouped into two.For count 1-20, Maphosa was sentenced to eight years and was acquitted on count 25. She was slapped with six years in jail for the remaining 19 counts.

Of the 14 years, five years were suspended for five years on condition that she doesn’t commit a similar offence within that period. A further three years were suspended on condition Maphosa restituted toZimra $1 305 345,68 by December 30 this year.Maphosa was granted $10 000 bail by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese and ordered to reside at her given address until the matter is finalised.

She was also ordered to report at Plumtree Police Station once a month as part of the bail conditions.The ruling by Justice Makonese follows an application by Maphosa, through her lawyer Mr Zibusiso Ncube of Ncube and Partners, citing the State as a respondent.Justice Makonese said the lower court misdirected itself when it failed to realise that Maphosa did not have to prove her defence. The judge said the appeal carries prospects of success.

“As regards to sentence, while the court a quo has the inherent discretion in matters of sentences, the overall sentence is clearly excessive in all the circumstances. While a custodial sentence would be inevitable in the event that the appeal court dismisses the appeal, the appeal itself against sentence is not by any means a hopeless exercise,” said Justice Makonese.

He said the State failed to advance reasonable prospects of success against both conviction and sentence.

“The State has not advanced any argument that the applicant is likely to abscond pending appeal. In my view, the applicant has discharged the burden of proving that on a balance of probabilities, it is in theinterests of justice for her to be admitted to bail pending appeal,” ruled Justice Makonese.

In her grounds of appeal, Maphosa argued that the magistrate erred by dismissing her defence in which she claimed that any other Zimra officer could have assessed her password or hacked into her profile to commit the offence.

“The court a quo erred and misdirected itself on the fact that in disregarding that information captured by the appellant in the Zimra systems was processed by other officials who were neither investigated nor called by the State,” she argued.

Maphosa said lower court misdirected itself by disregarding its own findings that there was no direct evidence linking her to the offence.She further argued that the lower court erred by regarding the computer generated data print outs which were human aided as real evidence,Maphosa said the sentence was too harsh and excessive, arguing that the magistrate failed to exercise mercy in passing the sentence given that she was a female first offender of ill-health.

For the State, Mr Khumbulani Ndlovu did not oppose Maphosa’s application for bail pending appeal, saying her appeal against conviction and sentence has prospects of success. According to court papers, it was stated that between January 7 and July 25 last year, at Plumtree Border Post, Maphosa issued CCCs using the Zimra computerised system for 39 cars which had been smuggled intothe country.

This prejudiced Zimra of US$536 980,05 and $768 365,63 in potential revenue.

The luxury cars, worth millions of dollars, which were smuggled include various models such as Mercedes Benz, Isuzu, Landrover Discovery, Toyota Hilux, Nissan, Lexus, Mazda, Hummer H3, Jeep GrandCherokee, Ford Ranger, BMW, Audi Q7, Toyota Fortuner, and Toyota Quantum among others.Maphosa clandestinely captured into the Zimra system information on 39 cars smuggled into the country thereby generating an equipment number which if punched would display the particulars of the vehicle andenable printing CCCs on the serialised forms at any Zimra station or printing of protected format document on bond paper.

It was stated that Maphosa continued capturing data of the smuggled vehicles and facilitated their registration until when her password was deactivated following investigations.

State Media

EIGHT robbers, three clad in police uniforms, three in army uniform and two in civilian attire last week went on a robbing spree in Filabusi, stealing money, property and a car.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident which occurred in Siyaphambili Village on Tuesday night.

He said three of the suspects were wearing police uniforms, three in army regalia while two were in civilian attire. Asst Comm Nyathi said the gang fled with a vehicle which was later recovered after they had dumped it.

“I can confirm that we recorded a robbery case which occurred in Siyaphambili Village in Filabusi. The eight suspects went to three homesteads under the pretext of being members of the security forces. Three of them were in police uniform, another three were in army regalia while two were in civilian attire.

“They went to the first homestead where they took a vehicle which was later recovered after they dumped it in Mbalabala. They went to the second homestead where they stole R70 and proceeded to a third homestead where they stole US$700, R600, $200 and a solar battery before fleeing the scene,” he said.

Asst Comm Nyathi said investigations were underway. He appealed to members of the public with information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects to contact the police. He also urged members of the public to be wary of people that impersonated members of the security forces. Asst Comm Nyathi said if people were suspicious, they had to request identification.

By A Correspondent- With Zanu Pf continuing to reel from its long-standing demons of factionalism and tribalism, its national political commissar Victor Matemadanda has warned that the future of the party is on the line if its bigwigs don’t stop their destructive politickin..

Addressing Zanu-PF structures in Harare last week, the straight-talking Matemadanda – who is also Deputy Defence minister and secretary-general of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) – also demanded warring party officials to show loyalty to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

He warned that the ongoing infighting in Zanu-PF would have serious consequences for the former liberation movement – adding that it was in no one’s interest for the ruling party to return to the anarchy that was witnessed in the last few years in power of the late former president Robert Mugabe, when factionalism, tribalism and succession wars split it through the middle.

This comes as there are widening fissures in the party, which recently jettisoned two politburo members – Cleveria Chizema and Tendai Savanhu – for allegedly showing disloyalty to the party and its leadership.

“There is this habit among party members of labelling each other G40 (a vanquished faction of the party) for example. People are not putting maximum effort to their party work due to this.

“We must know that Mugabe was our leader … for nearly 40 years. All of us wanted to be close even to (Mugabe’s wife) Grace.

“We must forget about the past and start new things so that our party can continue to grow. You must not make unnecessary accusations against each other,” Matemadanda said.

“I want to warn you … this must stop for the good of our party. The MDC is dead and we can’t lose elections to a dead party. But as long as we remain divided we will not go anywhere.

“We are witnessing tribal wars but we can’t run the party through tribal lines,” he added ruefully.
Matemadanda said further that failure to nip factionalism and tribalism in the bud in the party would have serious ramifications for its survival.

“We respected (the late vice president Joshua) Nkomo as our leader. People from Plumtree up to Mutoko sang songs praising Nkomo.

“Our relationship should not be premised on tribalism and regionalism. Some are saying let us wait and see whether we are going to support a certain leader or not.

“That’s what you are doing here in Harare … this habit has grown in Harare. It is now like a huge tree and you are saying we are tribal specialists.

“This is not good for the party and it must stop,” Matemadanda warned.

This comes as Mnangagwa – who ascended to power via a popular military coup – has come under growing pressure from long-suffering Zimbabweans over his government’s failure to mend the country’s broken economy.

It also comes as more and more Zanu-PF bigwigs are bemoaning the resurgence of the party’s factional, tribal and succession demons – which devastated the former liberation movement during Mugabe’s last few years in power.

Then, Mnangagwa was involved in a hammer and tongs war with the party’s Generation 40 (G40) faction – which had coalesced around the nonagenarian’s erratic wife Grace.

The vicious brawling took a nasty turn when Mnangagwa was allegedly poisoned by his rivals during one of Mugabe’s highly-divisive youth interface rallies in Gwanda in 2017.

The then VP’s fate was eventually sealed on November 6, 2017 when Mugabe fired his long-time lieutenant a few days after his allies had booed the irascible Grace during a tense rally at White City Stadium in Bulawayo.

However, tables were dramatically turned on Mugabe when the military rolled in their tanks on November 15 of that year and deposed the long-ruling leader from power – which saw a number of alleged G40 kingpins fleeing into self-imposed exile soon afterwards.

But despite Mnangagwa’s ascendancy to power, some ambitious bigwigs in the former liberation movement continue to stand accused of plotting to unseat the new Zanu-PF leader.-DailyNews

Farai Dziva|President Nelson Chamisa has urged the nation to pray for political prisoners in the country.

Several opposition members and human rights activists have been arrested for allegedly plotting to overthrow Mr Mnangagwa’s administration.

“Let us all remember our fellow cdes and citizens in jail on trumped up charges.

Our God (El Shaddai)overrides all natural laws & worldly systems to fulfil HIS promises & establish HIS purposes.

The Almighty is a way maker, strength-giver &provider of the needs of His people.

#ZimbabweanLivesMatter.
#FreePoliticalPrisoners, President Chamisa wrote on Facebook.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance president, Advocate Nelson Chamisa has warned Zanu PF against spilling the blood of innocent people.

Addressing mourners at the Dzamara family homestead in Mutoko on Friday, President Chamisa said the blood of innocent people would return to haunt Zanu PF bigwigs.

President Chamisa also paid tribute to Itai and Patson Dzamara for mustering the courage to denounce Zanu PF tyranny.

Said President Chamisa:
“This family produced two gallant heroes who were killed for denouncing Zanu PF’s evil machinations.

Let me warn those who are killing innocent people -the blood of those you are murdering will haunt you.

The blood of innocent people shall speak against you.

Are you vampires that thrive on drinking blood? You have your blood so why do you want to kill innocent people?

Don’t abuse liberation war maxims.Zanu PF is using ruthless tactics to silence its perceived opponents but that will not stop the wave of change.

He also urged MDC Alliance members to shun violence: ” Please let’s avoid offensive slogans, we don’t want that in the Movement for Democratic Change. We are not a violent party and let’s prove that we are a people’s movement.”

By A Correspondent- State-owned company Sentech, which distributes broadcast signals for radio and television, is in the market for sophisticated unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to patrol South Africa’s borders.

Ultimately, its request to the market shows, Sentech hopes to create fleet of drones that can take off by themselves, figure out the details of their own flight path, communicate with one another and sensor towers on the ground, and alert human operators to anomalies that could mean an attempted illegal crossing or other incursion.

If that were to happen, it also wants the drones to be able to issue warnings automatically, along the lines of “move away from the boundary, you are entering a restricted area”.

Meanwhile, back in a control room, operators would have access to live, high-definition video of what is going on, possibly augmented with data from sensors using everything from lasers to radar to create a detailed view of any event.

Some of those sensors will be on fixed towers between 15 metres and 45 metres high “similar to radio towers”.

“The system should assist with identifying threats faster and allow operating personnel to instantly spot potential threats with confidence,” says Sentech, with tracking of humans, cars, and “other objects”.

Ideally, Sentech says, its drones will have a range of capabilities making them useful for applications that include “security and defence”, but none of its detailed specifications speak to a weapons platform.

-BusinessInsiderSA

The Meteorological Services Department has warned people in Matebeleland North, Bulawayo, Matebeleland South, Midlands, Masvingo and Manicaland of the possibility of lightning from today Sunday 30 August to Tuesday 1 September.

The department urged people to avoid being caught outdoors or the fields due to the danger of thunderstorms.

Met Department said the areas mentioned are likely to receive light showers which may be violent during the period indicated.

Read the full weather forecast from the MSD

By A Correspondent- The food security situation in most parts of Matabeleland has reportedly worsened amid reports that some families are now only surviving on a single meal a day.

According to the latest survey by Habakkuk Trust, some rural communities in Matabeleland have gone for over two months without receiving food aid from the department of social welfare and non-governmental organisations.

“Incessant rains and recurring droughts resulting from climate change have affected yields in most areas. Covid-19-induced lockdown regulations have further compounded the food crisis as borders are closed,” read results of the survey.

“Most people in the region were dependent on diaspora remittances and would access cheaper basic commodities in Botswana and South Africa with the help of cross-border transporters. However, the lockdown has seen an increase in vulnerable populations.”

The hardest-hit families were reportedly struggling to have a day’s meal with some even spending up to three days without proper staple food such as maize meal.

“The elderly and vulnerable have been the worst affected by the absence of food aid,” reads the report.

In Bubi ward 19 of Matabeleland North, some communities have gone for two months without aid.

“We have been told that there is no maize at the Grain Marketing Board and this is affecting distribution,” said a community member.

The report states that in Matobo ward 19 and Umzingwane ward 5, Matabeleland South, food aid was last distributed in June while Bulilima ward 10 last received in May and other areas have been receiving aid from humanitarian organisations only.

“The absence of adequate social safety nets has worsened the plight of the vulnerable households during the Covid-19 lockdown,” reads the report.

A traditional leader in Insiza, Chief Ndube born Nonhlanhla Sibanda, said the social welfare department had since stopped giving food to the vulnerable elders.

“We thank the Organisation of Rural Association of Progress [Orap] that is giving some community members food. The social welfare department is currently not giving people food and starvation is in those who depended from it,” Chief Ndube said.

A Gwanda traditional leader, Chief Mathema, said starvation was serious in his area.

“Serious hunger has hit both people and their domestic animals. The social welfare is there, but it only gives food to a limited number of people. The food is so little and not enough for all the people. It’s so serious,” Chief Mathema said.
“Cattle need stock feed.

“We need a permanent solution to this. For now people are buying feeds, but it’s expensive. The prices are in United States dollars which people are not getting.”

Humanitarian agencies estimate that millions face hunger, with the World Food Programme (WFP) on July 31 putting the figure of food-insecure Zimbabweans at 8,6 million.

According to the WFP, the desperate situation faced by many is exacerbated by the combined effects of drought, economic recession and the Covid-19 pandemic.-standard

By A Correspondent- The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) held an extraordinary general meeting last week, which among other issues reviewed the roller-meal subsidy programme and private grain imports targeting to provide food to vulnerable communities during the Covid-19-induced lockdown.

The meeting, which was held online, also discussed elections for a new GMAZ national executive set to take place soon.

GMAZ’s national executive will meet this week and set the virtual election date.

GMAZ members who attended the extraordinary meeting told the Standard, that they agreed that the Tafadzwa Musarara-led executive should be given a fresh three-year mandate.

The current executives’ term expired in June 2020, but the elections could not be held because of Covid-19 restrictions.

The 105-member GMAZ has managed an over US$180 million grain facility under the government’s command agriculture programme.

-Standard

By A Correspondent- An MDC Alliance Member of Parliament (MP) from Bulawayo is baying for his long-time girlfriend’s blood after it emerged at a prophet’s shrine that she locked the MP’s bedroom gun after sensing he wanted to terminate their affair.

According to a reliable source the MP’s marriage had been on the brink of collapse since June last year. The matter has been troubling the legislator. The MP confided to his close friend in the city.

The MP’s friend told B-Metro on condition of strict anonymity.

“So it happened that the MP stumbled on a love message on her phone when they were at a local lodge. After that the MP accused her of cheating on him. Somehow the girlfriend managed to explain her issue and the MP finally forgave her,” said the source.

The source went on to say when the lady in question returned to Harare, the MP occasionally communicated with her. The girlfriend, however, would phone him regularly.

“After the WhatsApp message the MP was no longer interested in the affair and the girlfriend sensed it. In a bid to keep him when he was in Harare for parliament business the girlfriend hosted him, after that the two slept at the girlfriend’s house.

After some sex sessions she locked him. When he returned to Bulawayo he failed to have sex with his wife and that eventually caused a rift in his marriage,” said the source.

In a bid to save his marriage from collapse the troubled MP tried to seek help from a traditional healer in Binga but nothing worked.

“It was terrible. Just imagine not having sex with your wife for a year! He sought help from a traditional healer in Binga but nothing changed. Prominent prophets in the city failed to unlock him,” said the source.

The friend said after reading a story in this publication that there was a popular prophet called Mduduzi Dube who is fondly known as Black Elisha who unlocks fenced men the troubled legislator sought help from the prophet.

The MP reportedly drove to the prophet’s place in the evening to avoid the prying eyes of the public.

“The prophet revealed to him the name of the woman who locked him and also revealed to him when the problem started. He was stunned,” said the source.

The source said after the revelation the MP phoned his girlfriend accusing her of being a witch.

The lady in question stood her ground and shot back saying the MP was “useless in bed and failed to satisfy her”. It is understood that the MP has vowed to beat her up and repossess all the things he bought her.

Contacted for a comment the MP fired a salvo: “Who told you about that? You B-Metro reporters have a tendency of poking your nose in the people’s affairs. Why can’t you write about developmental issues than this crap,” he said before he terminated the call.

Prophet Black Elisha could neither deny nor confirm:

“I cannot reveal the name of my patient. I’m surprised at why you are interested in the name of the MP. I have helped several high profile people suffering from several problems from all over the country but you have never bothered to call me about them.-BMetro

There will not be fair closure to our fabricated cases unless the Old @ZACConline is investigated. They trumped up charges against us in over excitement taking political orders against rivals , in my case Goodson Nguni confessed to @JobSikhala1 recently https://t.co/qwJ0IREz08

— Dr Walter Mzembi (@waltermzembi) August 30, 2020

On it

— nelson chamisa (@nelsonchamisa) August 30, 2020

Paul Nyathi

All six Gwanda Municipality MDC Alliance councillors have been paraded as new recruits into the Thokozani Khupe MDC-T.

The councillors including the Mayor Justine Mazhale were declared as recruited into the MDC-T by party spokesperson Khaliphani Phugeni at a brief ceremony at one of the councillor’s home in Gwanda.

Also present in the group was former MDC Alliance proportional representation MP Lindiwe Maposa who defected into the MDC-T a few weeks ago.

More details to follow.

By A Correspondent- The government’s penchant for making a host of bureaucratic appointments continues unabated with the latest appointment of 10 provincial development co-ordinators (PDCs) for each of the country’s 10 provinces.

The appointments were approved by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, with the PDCs expected to assist Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs with “technical and administrative support”.

The appointments of the PDCs are effective from September 1.

The PDCs are, therefore, critical technical actors in the formulation of provincial growth and transformation strategies that are aligned to National Development Plans and will enable Zimbabwe to realise its vision to become an upper-middle-income economy and society in 2030.

The PDCs are as follows:

• Paul Nyoni – Bulawayo
• Tafadzwa Muguti – Harare
• Abiot Marongwe – Midlands
• Tavabarira Kutamahufa – Mshonaland East
• Timothy Tigere – Mashonaland Central
• Josphat Jaji – Mashonaland West
• Jefter Sakupwanya – Masvingo
• Sithandiwe Ncube – Matabeleland North
• Latiso Dhlamini – Matabeleland South

https://twitter.com/TAWANDA94684480/status/1300044196817010688?s=20

People in this place will vote for a doll as long as it is not ZANU PF, @SupaCollinsM told by constituents pic.twitter.com/6m7VOsH4KP

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) August 30, 2020

On the occasion of United Nations (UN) International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) urges government to criminalise enforced disappearances, investigate and prosecute all those responsible and take adequate measures to combat this heinous crime.

Commemorated on 30 August every year, United Nations International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances is dedicated to raising awareness that enforced disappearances is a crime and to also honour victims and survivors.

The day also serves as a reminder for states to take measures such as preventing the occurrences of abductions and enforced disappearances, ensuring compensation to victims and making perpetrators accountable.

ZLHR reaffirms its solidarity for all victims and/or survivors of torture, and their families who may have been indirectly affected by the impact of this barbaric crime.

Sadly, in 2020, Zimbabwe is marking United Nations International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances at a time when the country is recording abductions of human rights defenders with the latest case being that of Tawanda Muchehiwa, a university student and a resident of Bulawayo.

Recently, the UN disclosed that 49 cases of abductions and torture were reported in Zimbabwe in 2019, without investigations leading to perpetrators being held to account. The UN human rights experts called on government to “urgently prosecute and punish the perpetrators of this outrageous crime, and to immediately enforce a policy of ‘zero tolerance’ for abductions and torture throughout the country” and “to bring those responsible to account.”

However, it is worrying that despite complaints being reported to law enforcement agents about incidences of abduction and enforced disappearances, government has sought to dismiss the reports as fake abductions. This attempt to trivialise the commission of a serious crime shows the audacity of Zimbabwean authorities to perpetuate the commission of heinous crimes at whatever cost.

Government has a responsibility to investigate, prosecute and hold perpetrators accountable for committing such heinous acts. Failure by government to hold perpetrators accountable, let alone acknowledge the outrageous practice of abductions and enforced disappearances places abductees outside the protection of the law and constitute a serious
violation not only of domestic law but of international law too.

It is alarming that citizens continue to be subjected to such ill-treatment as abductions and enforced disappearances at a time when the world is focusing on containing the Coronavirus pandemic.

Sadly, in March 2017, government rejected some recommendations made by several United Nations member states calling for the ratification of the International Convention on Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearances. These recommendations made during the UN Human Rights Council-led Universal Periodic Review Mechanism would, if
fully implemented eradicate the practice of enforced disappearances.

Families of missing persons such as Itai Dzamara, Patrick Nabanyama and Paul Chizuze have the right to know the truth about what happened to their loved ones and this is essential to relieve the suffering caused by the uncertainty concerning their whereabouts.”

In the notable absence of political will to reform laws and institutions fuelling abductions and enforced disappearances, ZLHR calls upon government to;

•       Criminalise enforced disappearances, prosecute all cases of
abduction and take adequate measures to   prevent this inhuman and
degrading treatment;

•       Fully embrace the recommendations to ratify and domesticate the
International Convention on Protection of all Persons from Enforced
Disappearances.

•       Ensure full accountability of all perpetrators and guarantee redress
and rehabilitation to victims.

•       Allow official visits of UN human rights experts with a view to
assessing the human rights situation in the country and particularly to examine some questions relevant to enforced disappearances.-ZLHR

By A Correspondent- A man who is suspected to have rap_ed a lot of women while masquerading as a public transporter, was dragged to court after the long arm of justice finally caught up with him.

On his first count, according to the evidence presented by the state, Mugodi was driving a Toyota Raum registered ABH 2877 and picked up a female passenger together with other passengers.

The other passengers disembarked at Mbudzi roundabout and he was left with the victim.

After lying that  he was going to pick up a passenger at Boka, he then drove along the Harare-Masvingo and turned right at Amalinda road to a bushy area in Ushewokunze, then parked his car.

He rap_d the complainant after threatening her and ejac_ulated in her mouth.

He threatened to kill her and her children if she told anyone.

She told her husband that her phone had been stolen but omitted the ra_pe incident.

She later told a female pastor who advised her to file a police report and which she did at ZRP Glen Norah.

In counts 4 and 5 Mugodi picked up the complainant in Machipisa and lied that  he wanted to pick up his friend at Olivine, then they would proceed to Budiriro, where the complainant stays.

He told her he was a Satanist and a human trafficker so to avoid an ill fate, she had to give in to his demands.

He threatened her with a taser then raped her, before dumping her near Mashwede Complex. She reported the incident immediately.

On another count he tricked the complainant, telling her that there were people who wanted to kill her for rituals before picking her up and ra_ping her.

In another incident, he then threatened to sacrifice the complaint for his rituals, before proceeding to ra_pe her together with his accomplice.

He stole her money and her phone.

On August 23, the complainant’s mother discovered that the missing phone was still being used on Whatsapp and the number was tracked leading to Mugodi’s arrest.

The compliant positively identified him.-HMetro

By A Correspondent- A leading Harare-based car rental company has been drawn into an abduction and torture saga involving a 22year-old university student ahead of the July 31 protests.

Tawanda Muchehiwa, a Midlands State University student, was brutally tortured by suspected state security agents on the eve of the protests against corruption that were suppressed by the army.

The government has been denying allegations that Muchehiwa, who is also a nephew of Zimlive editor Mduduzi Mathuthu, was abducted by state security agents.

CCTV footage of the abduction in central Bulawayo, however, has given hints on who the abductors could be.

One of the cars involved in the abduction was hired from Impala Car Rental and its owner Thompson Dondo said they were ready to reveal the identity of the people who hired the car.

“Following a social media video clip which implicates one of our rental vehicle (registration No AES 2433) in the alleged abduction of Tawanda Muchehiwa in Bulawayo, Impala Car Rental would like to advise all our valued stakeholders that we are really concerned with this matter,” Dondo said in a statement as anger grew over the case..

“As a service provider, we are limited in controlling where and how vehicles hired out will be used because clients are not obliged to disclose their vehicle hiring purposes.

“It is very possible that some clients may use our vehicle for criminal activities without our knowledge and it is not our intention to cover up such information.”

Dondo added: “As Impala Car Rental, we stand obligated to cooperate with any investigations by the law enforcement agents into this matter so that Tawanda Muchehiwa gets justice.”

Zimbabweans on social media urged the company to make public the names of the people who hired the car.

Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday said he could not comment over the latest revelations as he was out of office.

Meanwhile, a 23-year-old Bulawayo woman who was allegedly abducted and tortured on the eve of the July protests was on Friday forced to seek refuge at a South African police station because suspected Zimbabwean security agents were tailing her.

Noxolo Maphosa, a nephew of exiled Josphat Mzaca Ngulube, was forced to flee to the neighbouring country following her ordeal this month.

Her abductors wanted her to reveal Ngulube’s whereabouts after the activist was also forced to flee the country after police indicated they wanted to arrest him in connection with the protests.

Both Ngulube and Maphosa were interviewed on SABC News’s African Perspective programme about their ordeals.

“I never believed that Zanu-PF had dirty people in South Africa until yesterday [Friday] evening,” Ngulube said.

“I stay in separate places with Maphosa and her child.

“I had to go to a place where they were hiding to give them food. When I approached the entrance of the place, there were two men who looked suspicious,” Ngulube said.

“Maphosa told me that they heard funny knocks at their apartment.

“As I was talking to them, two cars parked nearby with around 11 gentlemen, who were talking like Nigerians.

“I phoned security of the place and we were picked by a guy driving a Volkswagen.

“We realised that an Isuzu and Fortuner vehicle were following us.

“We went into a high-speed chase with them and they were flashing lights on us.

“We hope from our report the cars will be picked by cameras around the place we were being followed.”

Ngulube said he then contacted journalists at SABC, who had interviewed them to raise alarm.

The government denies allegations that security agencies are behind a spate of abductions and torture of its critics-standard

30 August 2020
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) joins the world, the local human rights community and Zimbabweans in commemorating International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances marked on 30 August each year.

The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance states that an enforced disappearance, which is a crime against humanity, occurs when:

“persons are arrested, detained or abducted against their will or otherwise deprived of their liberty by officials of different branches or levels of Government, or by organized groups or private individuals acting on behalf of, or with the support, direct or indirect, consent or acquiescence of the Government, followed by a refusal to disclose the fate or whereabouts of the persons concerned or a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of their liberty, which places such persons outside the protection of the law.”

ZimRights notes with concern the growing frequency of enforced disappearances. There are many people that have not been accounted for among them Itai Dzamara from 2015, despite a high court order to the police to search for him, Patrick Nabanyana in 2000 and many others. ZimRights notes with concern that enforced disappearances are used as a tool to deal with dissent and create fear in communities

#ZimRightsLIVE:

It is with a heavy heart that Patson Dzamara won't be able to see the launching of #BeTheChampion4Rights, a campaign he was in full support of & had granted his approval. We shall continue to honor his memory & desire to find his brother Itai Dzamara. BE A PART! pic.twitter.com/0jMPajIdyX

— #ZimRightsLIVE (@ZimRightsLIVE) August 30, 2020

By A Correspondent- Bulawayo’s informal traders representative organisation has cut ties with the Matabeleland Collective (MC), a grouping of civic groups and the clergy that has been meeting President Emmerson Mnangagwa to discuss the Gukurahundi atrocities.

The MC last Saturday met Mnangagwa at the State House in Bulawayo where the unresolved Gukurahundi issue and systematic marginalisation, among other concerns, were discussed.

Mnangagwa committed to expedite the issuance of identity documents to the Gukurahundi victims while also pledging government support to release funding to ease Bulawayo’s frustrating water woes.

The MC has, however, divided opinion among civic groups and other stakeholders in the region, with some going to the extent of dismissing it as a Zanu-PF-sponsored project, claims that have been denied.

Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) co-ordinator Michael Ndiweni said it was for such a reason that the grouping cut ties with the MC to avoid tarnishing its image.

“BVTA officially left the MC some months ago after our board resolved that there were many disagreements within the MC, and differences on strategy and seemingly shifting from ideals that the MC was established for from the outset,” Ndiweni said in an interview on Friday.

“That is the reason why the BVTA board resolved to take a step back from the MC.”

Critics of the MC argue against having a dialogue with Mnangagwa, particularly on the Gukurahundi issue claiming that he is a compromised party owing to his alleged role in the 1980s mass killings.

Mnangagwa was State Security minister at the time.

However, there are counter allegations that civic groups that have adopted a confrontational approach against Mnangagwa and the MC are being paid by the state to frustrate all processes aimed at resolving the Gukurahundi issue.

Government last year allowed the exhumation and reburial of remains of Gukurahundi victims, but the process was stopped after the authorities made a somersault claiming that a law had to be put in place to guide the process.-standard

By A Correspondent- Bulawayo’s informal traders representative organisation has cut ties with the Matabeleland Collective (MC), a grouping of civic groups and the clergy that has been meeting President Emmerson Mnangagwa to discuss the Gukurahundi atrocities.

The MC last Saturday met Mnangagwa at the State House in Bulawayo where the unresolved Gukurahundi issue and systematic marginalisation, among other concerns, were discussed.

Mnangagwa committed to expedite the issuance of identity documents to the Gukurahundi victims while also pledging government support to release funding to ease Bulawayo’s frustrating water woes.

The MC has, however, divided opinion among civic groups and other stakeholders in the region, with some going to the extent of dismissing it as a Zanu-PF-sponsored project, claims that have been denied.

Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) co-ordinator Michael Ndiweni said it was for such a reason that the grouping cut ties with the MC to avoid tarnishing its image.

“BVTA officially left the MC some months ago after our board resolved that there were many disagreements within the MC, and differences on strategy and seemingly shifting from ideals that the MC was established for from the outset,” Ndiweni said in an interview on Friday.

“That is the reason why the BVTA board resolved to take a step back from the MC.”

Critics of the MC argue against having a dialogue with Mnangagwa, particularly on the Gukurahundi issue claiming that he is a compromised party owing to his alleged role in the 1980s mass killings.

Mnangagwa was State Security minister at the time.

However, there are counter allegations that civic groups that have adopted a confrontational approach against Mnangagwa and the MC are being paid by the state to frustrate all processes aimed at resolving the Gukurahundi issue.

Government last year allowed the exhumation and reburial of remains of Gukurahundi victims, but the process was stopped after the authorities made a somersault claiming that a law had to be put in place to guide the process.-standard

By A Correspondent- Locals and not foreigners, are the only ones who can help to grow the economy and achieve a relatively prosperous society in the next decade as envisioned by President Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030, LEAD president Mrs Linda Masarira-Kaingidze has said.

She said it was time Zimbabweans join forces to recover the country’s breadbasket status.

Government plans to grow agriculture into a US$8,2 billion sector by 2025.

“We all need each other in our diversity. It is time to fix Zimbabwe and make our country an economic giant (again). We cannot do that if we are always running to the West or East asking them to intervene on issues we can resolve amicably as brothers and sisters,” said Mrs Masarira-Kaingidze.

Unity of purpose, she added, was key in resuscitating the country’s economy.

The politician said she had advised some of the organisers of the July 31 demonstrations to seek dialogue rather than be confrontational.

“I had advised Jacob Ngarivhume to make the protests apolitical.

There is no one who is not being affected by corruption; corruption is now engrained in almost every Zimbabwean and we need to have a more robust campaign that is inclusive and sincere.”

Zimbabweans that are trashing their country on social media have an “identity crisis and lack of patriotism”, she said.

“Trashing Zimbabwe on social media by Zimbabweans shows an aspect of identity crisis, lack of patriotism and also exhibits how some of our people are damaged.

“Zimbabwe is not the only country in the world that has socio-economic and political challenges.

“Some countries are in a worse off situation but you never see their citizens insulting their country on social media like that.”-The Sunday Mail

By A Correspondent- The Electoral Resource Centre (ERC) said the Zimbabwean Electoral Commission (ZEC) was violating the law by moving to replace MDC Alliance legislators with those from MDC-T while some court cases challenging the recall of the MPs were yet to be decided.

This comes after ZEC announced 21 vacancies in the Senate and National Assembly after the MDC-T led by Thokozani Khupe expelled from Parliament MPs belonging to Nelson Chamisa’s MDC Alliance.

Khupe and the MDC-T interim secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora have launched an onslaught against Chamisa using a Supreme Court ruling that Chamisa’s elevation to succeed MDC founder Morgan Tsvangirai was null and void.

In a legal opinion, ERC said there is room to challenge the constitutionality of the provisions, which compel ZEC to proceed with the process of filling vacancies even when affected Members of Parliament are still objecting to their recall. It said:

In this case, there is room to challenge the constitutionality of the provisions, which compel ZEC to proceed with the process of filling vacancies even when affected Members of Parliament are still objecting to their recall.

These provisions of the Electoral Act, which leave ZEC with no discretion in the matter, are arguably unconstitutional as they interfere with the rights to a fair hearing and the right to fair administrative justice.

The ERC believes that it is premature for ZEC to proceed, as it has done, to issue a notice of vacancies when there are pending legal cases aimed at determining the legality of vacancies.

There are fundamental rights and freedoms, which are adversely affected by the hasty approach taken by ZEC in these matters.

This right, which includes legitimate expectations, would be meaningless if administrative bodies proceeded to implement decisions that are still under legal challenge.

For the same reason as the right to a fair hearing, the realisation of the right to fair administrative justice requires the legal process be concluded before a challenged decision is implemented.

The current provisions of the Electoral Act, which compel ZEC to act to fill the vacancies before the resolution of legal disputes over the circumstances leading to the creation of the vacancy, are arguably unconstitutional for the above-stated reasons.-standard

By A Correspondent- The MDC-T, then led by Khupe, participated as a separate party in the 2018 harmonised elections but failed to win a single parliamentary or council seat.

For Gutu, Khupe’s behaviour is politically immoral and shows that she lacks political acumen.

He said:

This is legally correct and bad politics, it is like telling someone who voted for Caps United that the result shows that he had voted for Dynamos.

Next time you still want to go and ask them for your votes. Will they trust you?

This is a completely zero-sum game and I urge all the concerned parties to reach a compromise.

Rashweat Mukundu, a political analyst, said Khupe and Douglas Mwonzora, the party’s interim secretary-general, were taking voters for granted.

Mukundu said by including herself on the list, Khupe had shown that the recalls were motivated by greed and not the interests of voters. Said Mukundu:

This is undermining the interests of voters because the people participated in an election where ballot papers were clearly marked and they knew the party and person they were voting for.-Standard

By Nomusa Garikai: Knowledge is the means used in educating and informing the people and truth, facts and logic are the currency to achieve that objective.

Propaganda is the means used to misinform and brainwash the people and lies and damned lies are the currency.

Let’s just say some of Zanu PF’s lies and damned lies have lost their value, the lies and damned lies associated with the Gukurahundi massacre have completely lost their value!

“There are those who say there is Gukurahundi and all that. Who hasn’t wronged the other?

I am here and I can’t even speak proper Shona or proper Ndebele, but I am here (as the country’s Vice President),” said VP Kembo Mohadi.

“Zimbabweans are one and Zimbabwe is for us all. Let it be Zimbabwe first before it is Shona, Ndebele, Zezuru or Kalanga. We are Zimbabweans first before anything.”

The nation was brainwashed into believing the root cause of the Gukurahundi massacre was the failure of Zanu PF led by the late Robert Mugabe and PF Zapu led by the also late Dr Joshua Nkomo to unite. The two parties did unite marked with the signing of the Unity Accord in December 1987 and the imposing of the de facto Zanu PF one-party state that has ruled the nation with an iron fist to this day.

The nation was brainwashed into believing the unity and de facto one-party system will deliver unity, peace and unparalleled economic development. All the opposition parties that have emerged since were considered a serious threat to national unity, peace and economic development. All damned lies, of course.

Zimbabwe’s economic decline, which started soon after independence in 1980 continued during the Gukurahundi years and thereafter. 40 years of Zanu PF misrule have left the country in economic ruins. Zimbabwe used to produce enough food to feed her own people with plenty left over to feed many others in the region. Ever since Zanu PF seized the former white owned farms to give to party loyalists mostly, the nation has depended on imported food aid – a damning testimonial in bad governance.

The people have been helpless to stop the economic meltdown because they were stuck with the corrupt and incompetent Zanu PF regime which rigged elections to stay in power against the democratic wishes of the people.

Zimbabwe has not known peace since the 1987 Unity Accord. To impose the de facto one-party state Zanu PF has had to ride roughshod of the people, denying them the freedoms and rights including the right to meaningful free vote and even the right to life. Over 30 000 innocent Zimbabweans have lost their lives to establish and retain the de facto one-party dictatorship; 20 000 during the Gukurahundi massacre and 10 000 thereafter.

When Mnangagwa took over from Mugabe following the November 2017 military coup, he promised to end corruption, revive the economy and, most important of all, “a new democratic dispensation complete with the holding of free, fair and credible elections”. He has failed on all fronts and to silence dissent and reimpose the de facto one-party dictatorship ethos, he has resorted to the same dirty tricks of denying the people their freedoms and rights including the cold blooded political murders.

“This is our country; this where we belong. We want a united nation hence our Zanu PF motto, which says ‘Unity, Peace and Development’,” continued VP Mohadi.

“There cannot be peace where there are divisions. There cannot be development where there are divisions.”

The primary purpose of the Gukurahundi massacre was to use it as cover to justify the imposition of the one-party dictatorship. The few who were naive and gullible enough to believe the damned lie that the dictatorship would bring peace and economic prosperity have had their eyes forced open by the reality on the ground 33 years since the signing of the Unity Accord. No one, not even the naive and gullible, believe the damned lie that one-party dictatorship will bring peace and prosperity and hence the reason there is a growing national consensus for meaningful political change.

“Zanu PF motto: Unity (one-party dictatorship), Peace and Development!”

is tantamount claiming Z$1 = US$ 1. With inflation already soaring to 800%, no one will buy that!

By A Correspondent- MDC Alliance secretary-general Chalton Hwende said the party has launched investigations into allegations made against its women assembly chairperson for Bulawayo province, Tendai Masotsha.

Masotsha is alleged to have played a part in the abduction of Tawanda Muchehiwa, an opposition activist, who was seized from a vehicle in broad daylight by five armed men who tortured him for three days before dumping him badly injured near his home.

Hwende disclosed that the party has directed its Organising and Security Departments to look into the issue.

He said:

We have noted the allegations made against our Chairlady of our Bulawayo Province and we have referred the matter to both our Organising Department and Security Department for further investigation.

In his account, Muchehiwa said on the day he was abducted, on 30 July 2020, he received a call from Masotsha, who said she had flyers that could be used in the protests the next day and wanted to his help in distributing them.

He said:

At around mid-morning on July 30, my cousin Advent Mathuthu was driving to a hardware shop on Fife Avenue Extension. I asked to accompany him.

While in town, I received a call from Masotsha, who said she had flyers that could be used in the protests the next day. She parked her vehicle and jumped into our BMW, carrying only a handbag.

… Advent was in a rush and needed us to secure the material at the hardware shop, so he drove off and we agreed we would drop Masotsha by her car on our return.

Muchehiwa further revealed that after his abduction, his two cousins were arrested and later released yet Masotsha, who had brought all his troubles, was neither charged nor arrested.

This has led to suspicions that Masotsha either voluntarily or under duress led the abductors to Muchehiwa.-online

By A Correspondent- Teachers’ unions have called on the Government to defer the opening of schools and writing of the November Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) final examinations to 2021 noting that learners have already lost considerable learning time.

Last week, the Government announced that taking on from the successful holding of the June examinations they were now laying plans to reopen and hold the final exams. In July Government deferred the reopening of schools to a later date from the initial 28 July citing the rising number of Covid-19 cases in the country.

In a statement, Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta) chief executive officer Dr Sifiso Ndlovu said it would be unfair to the learners if Government goes ahead with plans of scheduling the November exams this year, saying there was a need to consider that both the learners and the teachers were ill prepared after losing considerable learning time due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

“These learners have lost approximately 122 learning days and that means the learners have not covered the syllabi, they have not had the opportunity to revise and prepare for the examinations, neither are the teachers prepared to get the learners into examination mode,” said Dr Ndlovu.

He said there was a need for Government to start working on ensuring that schools have in place the required Covid-19 protective equipment so as to protect the learners and teachers when the schools eventually open.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Dr Takavafira Zhou said what was imperative to note was that examinations were a process and not an event, hence necessary measures had to be put in place inclusive of adequately preparing the learners.

“The truth of the matter is that schools are not yet ready to reopen and preside over the writing of the November examinations. There are a lot of preconditions that have to be met before we talk of these exams, this inclusive of ensuring the testing of the learners, teachers and the ancillary staff, and the provision of the necessary Covid-19 PPEs. The only time possible for sitting of these exams will be February next year because for learners to be ready for exams, they require at least two to three months of intense learning, it’s important for us to realise that exams are a process not an event,” said Dr Zhou.

He further called on the Government to address the issue of teacher recruitment noting that the backlog of 50 000 teachers was grossly affecting service delivery.

Zimsec chairperson Professor Eddie Mwenje is on record saying examinations will only be written when students have completed the syllabus and when it is safe to do so, even if it means pushing the examinations to December this year or January next year.

He said Zimsec understands that there was little time for students to prepare for examinations given that schools closed in March this year.-online

State Media

GWANDA Municipality has reduced tariffs by almost 50 percent following an outcry from residents as the charges were now beyond their reach.

The municipality had in July increased fixed water charges to $919,48 for residential areas from $474,89 in June but has since reduced the tariffs to $474,89. Industrial and commercial areas were now paying $3 677,93 but the charges have been reduced to $1 899,56. These charges are with effect from 1 September. Residents have, however, complained that the tariffs are still beyond their reach and called for a further review.

From January and May fixed water charges for residential areas were pegged at $84,50 and $338 for commercials and industrial areas. In an interview, Gwanda Mayor Councillor Jastone Mazhale said the municipality had initially increased the tariffs following an increase of water charges by Zinwa.

“We get our water from Zinwa and they recently increased our water charges by a huge margin which forced us to increase the tariffs. There was an outcry from residents and we had to review the tariffs and see how best to reduce them while at the same time ensuring that we can operate. We decided to compromise mainly on fixed charges but when it comes to water charges it’s difficult as we are billed by Zinwa. We also realised that it was pointless to increase the tariffs when people are not going to be able to pay.

“We have slashed some of the tariffs by 50 percent and we pray that this won’t cause massive gaps. Residents have to understand that as a municipality we get our water from Zinwa which is costly as their charges are high. Zinwa is currently charging us about $14 million per month which is unsustainable. If we were running our own water for the town as a municipality the situation would be better,” he said.

Clr Mazhale said council will continue to lobby Government to ensure the speedy handover of water management from Zinwa to the municipality.

“In June Zinwa increased water charges for a cubic metre to $42 from $7 in May and they further increased to $83 in July and we had to peg our charges at around $120 per cubic metre,” he said.

In an interview after a closed meeting with the municipality management on Wednesday Gwanda Residents Association information and publicity officer, Mr Molvin Dube said while the municipality had reviewed tariffs, they still remained beyond the reach of most residents which called for a further review.

He said members of the association had made it clear to the management during the meeting that residents will not pay the tariffs until they are further reviewed. Mr Dube said there were several other towns where management of water was still under Zinwa such as Beitbridge but Gwanda had higher tariffs. He said residents would continue to engage the Gwanda Municipality management over the matter.

According to the revised water charges schedule residents in the high-density areas have to pay $124,74 per cubic metre for 0-10 cubic metre, while those in the medium density and low-density areas have to pay $132,60 per cubic metre. Other monthly billed charges include refuse fees which have been pegged at $598 for those in the high-density areas and $897 for those in the low and medium density areas while sewer fees has been pegged at $172.

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) is conducting investigations to establish the cause of death of eleven elephants in Pandamasue Forest located between Hwange and Victoria Falls.

Zimbabwe which has the world’s second largest population of elephants estimated at around 85 000 is conducting tests to establish the cause of death of eleven elephants in Pandamasue with preliminary investigations having ruled out poaching and cyanide poisoning.

Samples taken from the carcasses have been sent to local laboratories for further investigations with results expected to be released soon.

Zimparks Public Relations Manager Tinashe Farawo confirmed the development.

“We can confirm that eleven elephants were found dead in Pandamasue Forest between Hwange and Victoria Falls. We are investigating the cause of the death but we have already ruled out poaching and cyanide poisoning.”

According to the authority, the positioning of the dead animals’ carcasses point to sudden deaths. The jumbos which were found close to water holes had their tasks intact.

The death of eleven elephants in Zimbabwe, comes at a time neighbouring Botswana is still to establish the cause of mysterious death of 281 elephants in the Okavango Delta.

Southern African countries have in the recent past raised concern over the increase in elephant population which poses a threat to the habitat.

In 2019, a total of 200 elephants succumbed to drought in the country’s largest game reserve, the Hwange National Park.-statemedia

Econet Wireless will on Monday increase its data bundle prices.

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State Media

THE exercise to officially launch the issuance of civic documents in communities affected by post-independence disturbances in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces will be held at Maphisa Growth Point in Matobo District, Matabeleland South, before the end of September.

The launch was initially scheduled for Tsholotsho (Matabeleland North) but was switched to Maphisa after consultations with community leaders from the region. Government is also in the process of crafting a legal instrument — which will take into account views canvassed from around the country — that will pave way for exhumations of victims of the disturbances caused by Gukurahundi. Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Permanent Secretary Aaron Nhepera confirmed that President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to headline the event.

“They (community leaders) wanted the exercise to be launched in Matobo District, which is something that emerged in a meeting that the Minister of Home Affairs (Kazembe Kazembe) chaired on the 2nd of July. From there on, we have been liaising with them over the issue and have agreed with them that before the end of September, the registration exercise will be launched by His Excellency, the President,” said Mr Nhepera.

“Basically, for us it has been the issue of ensuring that those who, because of the Gukurahundi disturbances, did not have registration documents were actually given the documents.”

Government is presently engaging the United Nations Children Fund (Unicef), which had made a commitment to fund the exercise in Tsholotsho, to redirect the resources to Matobo.

“What has happened so far is that with regards to the issue of documentation, we have put in place a programme, working with Unicef, which would have seen us commence issuance of death certificates and birth certificates in Tsholotsho. But this arrangement had omitted to communicate with the Matabeleland Collective group and the communities in that region because they had a different view and different priorities altogether. As I have indicated, Unicef had committed to funding the exercise in Tsholotsho, so now we are in the process of engaging them to see if they can redirect resources to the Matobo programme; if they are not, it means we have to find other resources for Matobo,” added Mr Nhepera.

As part of efforts to ensure restorative justice to the affected communities, Government is actively working on the legal framework that will enable exhumations and reburials. Consultations with key stakeholders such as the Matabeleland Collective — a network of civic society organisations and churches based in the region — and the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) are already underway.

Mr Nhepera said: “We have had meetings with them with regards a policy we are trying to come up with that speaks to the exhumation of human remains, which initially was only for mass graves from the liberation struggle.

“But the NPRC had to advise that we also had to include the disturbances that happened post the liberation struggle. We are in the process of amending our draft policy, which we will eventually take to the community in that region, but also throughout the country to get everyone’s views on it. When we are through with that, then we are informed on how we should proceed in terms of exhumations that are related to the Gukurahundi period.”

NPRC chairperson Justice Sello Nare could not be reached for comment. President Mnangagwa, who has continued to reiterate that the country should confront its ugly past, met members of the Matabeleland Collective for the third time on August 22 at State House in Bulawayo. The engagements are also meant to prioritise developmental projects such as the Zambezi Water Project in the region.

Paul Nyathi

New Energy Minister Soda Zhemu says that the current load shedding being experienced in the country is set to continue as experts who are meant to fix technical problems at some of the country’s power generating stations are failing to travel due to restrictions put in place to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Hon Soda Zhemu told state media on Saturday that the major challenge was in Hwange where two units were now out of service as they were due for their annual overhaul. He said technical experts who were contracted to service the units had been failing to travel to Zimbabwe due to the Covid-19 necessitated lockdown restrictions.

“Unit three and six are due for their annual overhaul. Unit three is meant to be serviced by South Africans while Unit six by Italians, I am confident that with the easing of lockdown regulations these experts can travel to the country to undertake the work that needs to be done. Engineers are also working on a tube leak that was experienced at Unit two of which if it’s fixed it will see the power supplies being vastly improved because our current deficit is just between 50 and 70 megawatts,” said Minister Zhemu.

He commended Zesa engineers who had moved swiftly to address a technical fault that was noted at Hwange’s Unit five which saw a further 150 megawatts being added to the national grid on Friday.

“If you realised as of Friday the load shedding period had considerably decreased, that is because of the additional 150 megawatts that we got from the repaired Hwange Unit five. Regarding Kariba Power Station the technical challenges have been addressed as it is now feeding 925 megawatts into the national power grid,” said the minister.

In a statement, Zesa had said the technical challenges at the two power stations had resulted in the limited power supplies to the national electricity grid.

“Zesa would like to advice its valued customers countrywide of the continued limited power supply on the national electricity grid as a result of technical faults at Hwange and Kariba power stations. Load curtailment will continue being exercised during the morning peak (5am to 10am) and the evening peak (4pm to 8pm) across the country. Customers are advised to use the available power sparingly as the power utility works towards restoration of service to optimum levels. Customers will be updated as the situation improves,” Zesa said.

Zimbabwe has been enjoying uninterrupted power supply since end of March.

Source: State Media

Full Statement

We are seeking nominations for HRDs – an individual or organization working in any of the 16 Southern Africa region  – who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to human rights defending. In these COVID-19 times,  human rights defenders are continuously under pressure globally, it’s never been more important to raise the profile and honor the work, of brave women and men around the world fighting to promote human dignity usually at great personal risk. To nominate individuals or organizations, please download the nomination forms below. Please use the language of your choice as the nomination forms are in English, French, and Portuguese.

The deadline to submit the nomination forms is 31 August 2020

Paul Nyathi

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has unwittingly regretted firing former Energy Minister Fortune Chasi, who he says was very efficient and ensured the country had uninterrupted power supplies during his tenure.

Chasi was fired by Mnangagwa early this month for “conduct inconsistent with his expectations as president”and replaced by Soda Zhem.

Addressing a gathering at a field day at Kunatsa Farm in Matepatepa, Bindura on Saturday, Mnangagwa said Chasi worked very hard to ensure there were constant power supplies in the country which worked in favour for the farmers.

“This time the situation has greatly improved because we had uninterrupted power supply because of the hard work by the young man Chasi who was the minister of Energy at the time and we are thankful about that,” Mnangagwa said.

Chasi’s sacking, which came as a surprise to many as he had improved power supplies in the country after Zimbabweans were grappling with 18 hour-long load-shedding periods everyday. Since the removal of Chasi, Zimbabweans have realised an increase in power cuts across the country which ZESA blames on technical fault at the Kariba and Hwange power stations.

ZANU PF’s secretary for finance and acting spokesperson, Patrick Chinamasa, has all but shown the IMF, the World Bank and other global financial institutions the middle finger saying that the country’s economic problems could only be solved internally.

Quoted in the State Media, Chinamasa said relations with these institutions only helps push perceived sanctions against the country

“Zimbabweans need to stop self-hurting efforts meant to please sanctions-imposing countries in order for us to be acceptable to them. It does not matter who is the leader of ZANU PF, no one is ever going to be acceptable.

“It is not about individuals but about the ideology and legacy ZANU PF represents, which will always be a problem for those that have shunned us,” he said.

“To contain this onslaught and to regain momentum, it needs to sink in the minds of our people that Zimbabwe is on its own and our economic problems are only going to be solved by none other than ourselves, leveraging on our internal natural resources and endowments.”

Zimbabweans, Chinamasa said, should not expect or rely on financial aid from international organisations but instead find home-grown solutions to achieve Vision 2030.

“Zimbabweans need to understand that there will be no cent from IMF, the World Bank or African Development Bank, or such, despite the fact that Zimbabwe is a shareholder in all these organisations.

“So the dance with foreign capitals must now be limited to only those serving our mutual interests.

“On the domestic front, we must give focus to the localisation of our economy, and to do so on a sustained, phased basis sector by sector,” he said.

“The country’s economy is not performing to expectations owing to external and domestic challenges. Sanctions remain a key reason for the economy’s troubles, as do natural disasters like Cyclone Idai, two successive drought seasons and the current Covid-19 which has impacted negatively on economic activities across all sectors of the economy.

“To get our country on a growth trajectory and to sustain that growth Zimbabweans, first and foremost, need to understand that Zimbabwe is on its own; the onslaught against our President, Cde Mnangagwa, is at an all-time high and international forces (the usual culprits) are converging to take ZANU PF out of power,” said Chinamasa.

Paul Nyathi

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has approved the appointment of 10 provincial development co-ordinators (PDC) who will assist Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs with “technical and administrative support.”

The appointments which are effective from September 1 come at a time when there is an ongoing debate on the legality of the Provincial Affairs Ministers which itself is a violation of Section 268 of the Constitution.

Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Judith Ncube will be assisted by Mr Paul Nyoni, who has extensive experience from both the public and private sector.

In Harare, Mr Tafadzwa Muguti, an Information Technology and investment specialist, will be assisting Minister Oliver Chidau.

Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs Larry Mavima will be assisted by Mr Abiot Marongwe.

In Mashonaland East, another career civil servant, Mr Tavabarira Kutamahufa, will be assisting Minister Apollonia Munzverengwi.

Minister Monica Mavhunga will be assisted by Mr Timothy Tigere in Mashonaland Central.

Mr Josphat Jaji, Dr Jefter Sakupwanya, Ms Sithandiwe Ncube and Ms Latiso Dhlamini would be assisting Ministers Mary Mliswa-Chikoka (Mashonaland West), Ezra Chadzamira (Masvingo), Richard Moyo (Matabeleland North) and Abednico Ncube (Matabeleland South), respectively.

Paul Nyathi

Government will this week announce the date when schools will reopen specifically to carry out public examinations following an assessment done by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education on their preparedness to reopen under new conditions and health protocols.

Schools are likely to open in September, while public examinations would take place in December and January.Exam dates will only be announced after the date when schools will reopen has been determined.

Speaking to the Sunday Mail the Primary and Secondary Education Minister Ambassador Cain Mathema said consultations on the new term were ongoing.

“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education got approval from Cabinet to start preparing for public examinations,” he said.

“We are using experience from the June 2020 examinations, which went on well as there was no Covid-19 case that was detected. Our teams from the ministry are now consulting both private, public schools, as well as parents on the reopening of schools. We are meeting teachers’ unions to consult on the dates. Later next week (this week), we will announce the dates of reopening of schools. However, we will be opening strictly for examinations.”

Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) chairperson Professor Eddie Mwenje said public exams might spill into January.

“Schools are likely to be opened in September and the announcement is probably to be made next week (this week). So, after they have made the announcement, we will then meet with the Ministry and finalise how learners should catch up. Our thinking is examinations can start in December and overlap into January 2021.”

That as it maybe, the big question remains, will children be ready for the examinations?

Source: State Media

Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) coronavirus situation report as of 29 August 2020:

• New cases: 18
• Locals – 18
• Returnees – 0
• Deaths: 1
• Recoveries: 13
• National Recovery Rate: 78.9%
• Total Cumulative Cases: 6 406
• Total Recoveries: 5 056
• Total Deaths: 196

MDC-T leader Thokozani Khupe and her ally Douglas Mwonzora face a legal and political minefield following the crackdown against MDC Alliance legislators and councillors as part of their turf war against the party’s leader Nelson Chamisa.

Khupe and Mwonzora have in recent months recalled 21 MDC Alliance legislators and scores of councillors using a Supreme Court ruling that Chamisa’s elevation to succeed MDC founder Morgan Tsvangirai was null and void.

The ruling saw Khupe claiming control of the MDC Alliance despite the fact that the party defeated her MDC-T in harmonised elections two years ago.

Mwonzora, who was the MDC-T secretary-general before the 2018 split, is now the party’s interim secretary-general.

The two have joined forces to launch an onslaught against Chamisa’s base and one of the strategies is to strip him of legislators and councillors that have refused to dump him.

Khupe and some of her allies are lining up to replace the recalled legislators with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) already in the process of facilitating the former deputy prime minister’s return to Parliament through the back door.

Lobby groups and political analyst, however, say the MDC-T leaders risk falling foul of the law.

In a legal opinion, the Election Resource Centre said ZEC was violating the law by moving to replace MDC Alliance legislators with those from MDC-T while some court cases challenging the recall of the MPs were yet to be decided.

“In this case, there is room to challenge the constitutionality of the provisions, which compel ZEC to proceed with the process of filling vacancies even when affected Members of Parliament are still objecting to their recall,” the ERC said.

“These provisions of the Electoral Act, which leave ZEC with no discretion in the matter, are arguably unconstitutional as they interfere with the rights to a fair hearing and the right to fair administrative justice.”

Some of the recalled MPs argued in court cases that the MDC-T could not legally cause their ejection from Parliament since it was not the one that sponsored them in the previous elections.

“The ERC believes that it is premature for ZEC to proceed, as it has done, to issue a notice of vacancies when there are pending legal cases aimed at determining the legality of vacancies,” the ERC added.

“There are fundamental rights and freedoms, which are adversely affected by the hasty approach taken by ZEC in these matters.”

The lobby group said the replacement of MPs when there were still pending cases in the courts was a violation of the right to fair trial as enshrined in section 69 of the constitution as well as an assault on administrative justice as provided in section 68.

“This right, which includes legitimate expectations, would be meaningless if administrative bodies proceeded to implement decisions that are still under legal challenge,” the ERC said.

“For the same reason as the right to a fair hearing, the realisation of the right to fair administrative justice requires the legal process be concluded before a challenged decision is implemented.”

ERC argued that while ZEC can claim to be bound by section 39(4) to issue a notice of vacancies once notified by the speaker of the National Assembly and the president of the Senate, affected legislators still had a right to fair trial.

“The current provisions of the Electoral Act, which compel ZEC to act to fill the vacancies before the resolution of legal disputes over the circumstances leading to the creation of the vacancy, are arguably unconstitutional for the above-stated reasons,” it said.

ERC said the most important question ZEC should answer was whether the MDC-T was the right party to sponsor replacements for the recalled MPs.

“In the 2018 elections, the office-bearers who presented the party-list candidates to the nomination court did so on behalf of the MDC Alliance,” it said.

“It is, therefore, the party-list of the MDC Alliance.

“In addition, according to section 45E(2), a nomination paper is required to state the name of the political party and the address of its main office in Zimbabwe; the abbreviation of the political party’s name, which will appear on the ballot paper; and any distinctive symbol, which may accompany the name.

“The names, abbreviations and symbols that were put on the nomination papers of the affected Members of Parliament belonged to the MDC Alliance.”

ERC added: “Fourth, section 45D(1)(b) provides for the disqualification of a candidate where he or she has been nominated as a party-list candidate by more than one political party in the same election.

“Consequently, a candidate can only be on the party-list of one political party. In this case, that political party was the MDC Alliance. They could not have been nominated by the MDC-T in the same election.

“If that were so, they would have been disqualified in accordance with the Electoral Act.”

ERC said proportional representation MPs were awarded to the MDC Alliance candidates on the basis of votes obtained by the party as a single political party.

“Any separation could have produced an outcome that is wholly different from the current Parliament,” ERC said.

“There can be no doubt that the political party in question was the MDC Alliance, not any other party.

“It is common cause that ZEC recognised the MDC Alliance as a political party for purposes of the 2018 elections.

“ZEC is required to invite the political party to submit a nomination to fill the vacancy.

“It has already been argued that based on the facts arising from the 2018 elections, the proper party that ZEC should invite to fill the vacancy is the MDC Alliance.”

The ERC said the reason why party-lists were filed was to ensure that the political party that fielded the candidate has the right to replace the MP if incapacitated.

“The ERC posits that the situation cannot be different if the vacancy arises after the election result is known,” the ERC said.

Ten residents’ associations from across the country have condemned the recalling of councillors by Khupe and Mwonzora, which they described as an attack on democracy.

“The rampant recall of elected councillors is a direct attack on representative democracy and seeks to throw away residents to the periphery of local governance, which has serious implications on both service delivery and answerability of officials to the electorate,” the residents’ associations said in a joint statement on Friday.

“Political parties must not act supreme over the voter; residents are the number one stakeholder in every political process and should be treated with respect.”

They said the recalls do not benefit the voters as they were motivated by a fight for power.

Combined Harare Residents’ Association, Guruve Residents and Ratepayers’ Association, Ruwa Residents’ Association, Marondera Progressive Residents and Ratepayers’ Association and the Mvurwi Residents’ Association signed the statement.

Others were Kadoma Progressive Residents’ Association, Masvingo Residents and Ratepayers’ Association, Simukai Residents’ Trust and Chitungwiza and Manyame Residents and Ratepayers’ Association.

Obert Gutu, Khupe’s former deputy in the MDC-T, said although the recalling of MDC Alliance MPs was lawful, replacing them with members of a party they defeated in the last elections was morally wrong.

-Standard

Paul Nyathi

News just received indicate that renowned author, poet, and actor David Mungoshi has died.

According to sources close to the family, Mungoshi died on Saturday night at the age of 71.

More details to follow…

Heads of seven diplomatic missions accredited to Zimbabwe have called on the Government to stop blaming diplomatic missions and deliver on its long promised reforms which they if implemented will make a difference to the life of all citizens.

In a statement, the heads of Mission of Canada, Germany Netherlands, Norway, Poland the United Kingdom and the United States of America called on the Government to move away from such language and deliver on their promises.

“Two years ago in his inaugural speech, President Mnangagwa vowed to serve the country and all of its people. It is in this spirit that the Heads of Mission express their deep concern with the current political, economic, social and health crisis that most Zimbabweans are facing today.

“Zimbabwean people have the right to engage in dialogue to build a better future of their country. But the necessary discussions have so far been hindered by unhelpful rhetoric and blame assigned to several groups including diplomatic missions and non-state actors. We ask the Government to move away from such language and instead to deliver on its long promised reforms and reach across the divides. Implemented to the benefit of all, they will make a difference to the life of all Zimbabweans,” read the statement

The Heads of Mission implored the Government not to hide with the Covid-19 pandemic to restrict citizen’s rights.

“But Covid-19 must not be used as an excuse to restrict citizen’s fundamental freedoms. Freedom of the press, of opinion, of expression and of assembly are all universally recognised human rights and are guaranteed by the Zimbabwean constitution. The government also has a responsibility to investigate and prosecute those responsible for violating human rights.

“The heads of Mission further reiterate their calls for Government to address corruption and illicit extraction of Zimbabwe’s wealth for personal gain, which continue to undermine Zimbabwe’s development and the well-being of its people. If Zimbabwe is to reach its potential, its wealth and resources must be used to serve all Zimbabweans.” said the Heads of Missions

Zimbabwe has been under spotlight following alleged human rights violations that has seen arbitrary arrests of journalists and political activists.

-263Chat

Ten mansions and 22 luxury vehicles worth US$8 million were recently seized by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) from high-profile figures who failed to account for their source of wealth.

The yet-to-be-named suspected criminals will soon be prosecuted.

ZACC’s head of legal department Commissioner Jessie Majome said the ill-gotten wealth will be forfeited to the State.

“We seized and are holding 22 high-value motor vehicles worth approximately US$2 million. Applications for civil forfeiture (separately from the criminal trial process) regarding the vehicles are pending at court. We have a total of 10 high-value houses whose civil forfeiture we have had referred to court. The approximate value of the houses is US$6 million,” said Comm Majome.

She said seven asset forfeiture applications had been sent to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for onward filing to the High Court in terms of the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act.

Of the seven cases, four are pending at the High Court and these include applications for properties belonging to former Foreign Affairs Minister Walter Mzembi; Gender Commission chair Margaret Sangarwe; Russel Mweye, a former staffer at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals; and former Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) chief executive officer Frank Chitukutuku.

The ex-ZINARA boss is facing allegations of siphoning US$3 million from the parastatal through civil works projects.

“The estate of the late Nkululeko Sibanda is involved in this over non-existent roadworks in Umguza and Bubi. This case was erroneously reported  . . . as being pursued by the State, yet it is not (as it is not a criminal matter which the State prosecutes), but it is a ZACC matter being argued by the NPA because the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act gives NPA the right of audience in such cases, so we pass on files to it,” said Comm Majome.

The corruption-fighting body believes that forfeiting proceeds of crime is the most effective way of fighting the vice as it makes commission of offences not worthwhile.

“We want the public to understand that the recovery of assets gained through corruption is not actually a fleeting operation — a ‘flash in the pan’. The bad news for crooks and looters is that asset recovery is not something they can hide from until it passes. It’s here to stay as a twin device to prosecution in order to make corrupt criminals accountable before the law by making them pay back the loot and not just go to jail then come out to enjoy their loot.”

The Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act, she added, was amended to permanently enable asset recovery nothwistanding a criminal conviction.  Comm Majome encouraged members of the public to actively contribute to fighting the scourge.

“We therefore appeal to the public to tip us off. Members of the public can whistle-blow anonymously and we promise to protect the confidentiality of the reports about wealth acquired through illicit means. I am sure you will agree that disclosing the identities of the people on our radar now will jeopardise investigations.”

ZACC is targeting to recover assets worth $300 million by year-end.

A national anti-corruption strategy was recently launched to fight corruption at all levels as the Second Republic takes a zero-tolerance approach to graft.

The commission has entered into collaborative efforts with the NPA and the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) to enforce unexplained wealth orders.

There are agreements with reputable international partners who specialise in asset tracing and recovery.

President Mnangagwa recently said his Government will clampdown on corruption as it pursues Vision 2030 Vision, which entails making the country an upper middle-income economy within the next 10 years.

The pledge has been followed through by arrests of high-profile individuals such as former Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo, former Environment Minister Priscah Mupfumira and former Ministry of Agriculture Permanent Secretary Ngoni Masoka.

Former principal director of State Residences Douglas Tapfuma is serving a four-year jail term for criminal abuse of office.

-State Media

Obert Gutu, who is a former MDC-T (Tsvangirai) spokesperson, and later became vice president of the now-defunct MDC-T (Thokozani) party, said it would be immoral for the other MDC-T, created by a Supreme Court ruling in March, to replace MDC Alliance MPs and Councillors with its own people.

The Khupe-led party recently forwarded a list of 15 candidates it has nominated to fill Senate and National Assembly Proportional Representative seats to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).

Gutu believes that even though the recalls of the Nelson Chamisa-aligned MPs and councillors was lawful, it is immoral and incredulous to replace them with Khupe’s nominees. Gutu wrote on Twitter:

Recall of MPs and councillors resonates with law’s dictates. However, a moral issue arises: It’s morally unsound and incredulous to replace the recalled MPs with people from another faction. Politically, it’s also not smart. Recall enforcing discipline, yes. Show class, don’t replace.

Khupe nominated herself, her spokesperson Khaliphani Phugeni, Yvonne Musarurwa, Lindani Moyo, January Sawuke, Memory Munochinzwa, Lwazi Sibanda, Sipho Mokone, Molly Ndlovu, Tamani Moyo, Gertrude Moyo, Piniel Denga, Chief Ndluvu, Nomalanga Khumalo and Teti Chisorochengwe as MPs.

TEACHERS’ unions have called on the Government to defer the opening of schools and writing of the November Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) final examinations to 2021 noting that learners have already lost considerable learning time.

Last week, the Government announced that taking on from the successful holding of the June examinations they were now laying plans to reopen and hold the final exams. In July Government deferred the reopening of schools to a later date from the initial 28 July citing the rising number of Covid-19 cases in the country.

In a statement, Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta) chief executive officer Dr Sifiso Ndlovu said it would be unfair to the learners if Government goes ahead with plans of scheduling the November exams this year, saying there was a need to consider that both the learners and the teachers were ill prepared after losing considerable learning time due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

“These learners have lost approximately 122 learning days and that means the learners have not covered the syllabi, they have not had the opportunity to revise and prepare for the examinations, neither are the teachers prepared to get the learners into examination mode,” said Dr Ndlovu.

He said there was a need for Government to start working on ensuring that schools have in place the required Covid-19 protective equipment so as to protect the learners and teachers when the schools eventually open.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Dr Takavafira Zhou said what was imperative to note was that examinations were a process and not an event, hence necessary measures had to be put in place inclusive of adequately preparing the learners.

“The truth of the matter is that schools are not yet ready to reopen and preside over the writing of the November examinations. There are a lot of preconditions that have to be met before we talk of these exams, this inclusive of ensuring the testing of the learners, teachers and the ancillary staff, and the provision of the necessary Covid-19 PPEs. The only time possible for sitting of these exams will be February next year because for learners to be ready for exams, they require at least two to three months of intense learning, it’s important for us to realise that exams are a process not an event,” said Dr Zhou.

He further called on the Government to address the issue of teacher recruitment noting that the backlog of 50 000 teachers was grossly affecting service delivery.

Zimsec chairperson Professor Eddie Mwenje is on record saying examinations will only be written when students have completed the syllabus and when it is safe to do so, even if it means pushing the examinations to December this year or January next year.

He said Zimsec understands that there was little time for students to prepare for examinations given that schools closed in March this year.

-State Media

GOVERNMENT will this week announce the date when schools will reopen following an assessment done by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education on their preparedness to reopen under new conditions and health protocols.

Schools are likely to open in September, while public examinations would take place in December and January.

Exam dates will only be announced after the date schools will reopen has been determined.

Speaking to the Sunday Mail the Primary and Secondary Education Minister Ambassador Cain Mathema said consultations on the new term were ongoing.

“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education got approval from Cabinet to start preparing for public examinations,” he said.

“We are using experience from the June 2020 examinations, which went on well as there was no Covid-19 case that was detected. Our teams from the ministry are now consulting both private, public schools, as well as parents on the reopening of schools. We are meeting teachers’ unions to consult on the dates. Later next week (this week), we will announce the dates of reopening of schools. However, we will be opening strictly for examinations.”

Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) chairperson Professor Eddie Mwenje said public exams might spill into January.

“Schools are likely to be opened in September and the announcement is probably to be made next week (this week). So, after they have made the announcement, we will then meet with the Ministry and finalise how learners should catch up. Our thinking is examinations can start in December and overlap into January 2021.”

-State Media

LOCALS, and not foreigners, are the only ones who can help to grow the economy and achieve a relatively prosperous society in the next decade as envisioned by President Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030, LEAD president Mrs Linda Masarira-Kaingidze has said.

She said it was time Zimbabweans join forces to recover the country’s breadbasket status.

Government plans to grow agriculture into a US$8,2 billion sector by 2025.

“We all need each other in our diversity. It is time to fix Zimbabwe and make our country an economic giant (again). We cannot do that if we are always running to the West or East asking them to intervene on issues we can resolve amicably as brothers and sisters,” said Mrs Masarira-Kaingidze.

Unity of purpose, she added, was key in resuscitating the country’s economy.

The politician said she had advised some of the organisers of the July 31 demonstrations to seek dialogue rather than be confrontational.

“I had advised Jacob Ngarivhume to make the protests apolitical.

There is no one who is not being affected by corruption; corruption is now engrained in almost every Zimbabwean and we need to have a more robust campaign that is inclusive and sincere.”

Zimbabweans that are trashing their country on social media have an “identity crisis and lack of patriotism”, she said.

“Trashing Zimbabwe on social media by Zimbabweans shows an aspect of identity crisis, lack of patriotism and also exhibits how some of our people are damaged.

“Zimbabwe is not the only country in the world that has socio-economic and political challenges.

“Some countries are in a worse off situation but you never see their citizens insulting their country on social media like that.”-The Sunday Mail

Farai Dziva|A member of the MDC Alliance Youth Assembly was assaulted by rowdy Zanu PF members as she was returning from Patson Dzamara’ s funeral service in the capital, Harare on Thursday.

The marauding Zanu PF youths brutally assaulted Chengeto Mafendu.They also ordered not to wear a face mask bearing Advocate Nelson Chamisa’s name.

In a statement on Friday, MDC Alliance said :

Our Youth Assembly member Chengeto Mafendu was severely assaulted by Zanu PF youths in Chitungwiza for wearing a CCC mask.

They also took her national flag.

She was coming from Patson Dzamara’s funeral in Glen View 7.”

Farai Dziva|A member of the MDC Alliance Youth Assembly was assaulted by rowdy Zanu PF members as she was returning from Patson Dzamara’ s funeral service in the capital, Harare on Thursday.

The marauding Zanu PF youths brutally assaulted Chengeto Mafendu.They also ordered not to wear a face mask bearing Advocate Nelson Chamisa’s name.

In a statement on Friday, MDC Alliance said :

Our Youth Assembly member Chengeto Mafendu was severely assaulted by Zanu PF youths in Chitungwiza for wearing a CCC mask.

They also took her national flag.

She was coming from Patson Dzamara’s funeral in Glen View 7.”

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance president, Advocate Nelson Chamisa has warned Zanu PF against spilling the blood of innocent people.

Addressing mourners at the Dzamara family homestead in Mutoko on Friday, President Chamisa said the blood of innocent people would return to haunt Zanu PF bigwigs.

President Chamisa also paid tribute to Itai and Patson Dzamara for mustering the courage to denounce Zanu PF tyranny.

Said President Chamisa:
“This family produced two gallant heroes who were killed for denouncing Zanu PF’s evil machinations.

Let me warn those who are killing innocent people -the blood of those you are murdering will haunt you.

The blood of innocent people shall speak against you.

Are you vampires that thrive on drinking blood? You have your blood so why do you want to kill innocent people?

Don’t abuse liberation war maxims.Zanu PF is using ruthless tactics to silence its perceived opponents but that will not stop the wave of change.

He also urged MDC Alliance members to shun violence: ” Please let’s avoid offensive slogans, we don’t want that in the Movement for Democratic Change. We are not a violent party and let’s prove that we are a people’s movement.”

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance president, Advocate Nelson Chamisa has warned Zanu PF against spilling the blood of innocent people.

Addressing mourners at the Dzamara family homestead in Mutoko on Friday, President Chamisa said the blood of innocent people would return to haunt Zanu PF bigwigs.

President Chamisa also paid tribute to Itai and Patson Dzamara for mustering the courage to denounce Zanu PF tyranny.

Said President Chamisa:
“This family produced two gallant heroes who were killed for denouncing Zanu PF’s evil machinations.

Let me warn those who are killing innocent people -the blood of those you are murdering will haunt you.

The blood of innocent people shall speak against you.

Are you vampires that thrive on drinking blood? You have your blood so why do you want to kill innocent people?

Don’t abuse liberation war maxims.Zanu PF is using ruthless tactics to silence its perceived opponents but that will not stop the wave of change.

He also urged MDC Alliance members to shun violence: ” Please let’s avoid offensive slogans, we don’t want that in the Movement for Democratic Change. We are not a violent party and let’s prove that we are a people’s movement.”

The car rental company, named at the center several abductions around the country, Impala, has spoken out over the kidnapping of young journalism student and activist Tawanda Muchehiwa. Muchehiwa who is also a ZimEye contributor, was abducted a few weeks back allegedly by suspected state agents who used a vehicle that had been rented from Impala Car Rental.

This has seen the car rental company come under pressure from Zimbabweans on social media, who want the company to divulge the details of the people who rented the vehicle. CEO Thompson Dondo is interviewed by the SABC below: