Farai Dziva|Terror gangs known as MaShurugwi brutally killed MDC vice president Lynnette Karenyi -Kore’s relative last week.

See statement below :

The Zanu PF-sponsored vigilante groups popularly as MaShurugwi have wreaked havoc in the countryside with top MDC leadership losing their close relatives to the politically-connected militia which is certainly enjoying protection from high offices in government.

The machete-wielding vigilante groups have run amok in the countryside and many Zimbabweans have had their kinsmen callously beheaded by the notorious group.

Some in the MDC’s top leadership have lost their close relatives to the vigilante groups who are going around the country demanding money and other largesse from innocent Zimbabweans.

Vice President Lynnette Karenyi Kore has lost her 41-year old uncle Liberty Dadirai Chimwoyo who was murdered in the Hot Springs area near Odzi River in the Nenhowe area of Chimanimani in Manicaland province.

He sustained fatal head injuries following machete-attacks by youths linked to the MaShurugwi terror gangs that have gone on a nation-wide rampage and plunged Zimbabwe into a deep state of national insecurity. VP Kore is currently attending the funeral of his uncle in Chimanimani.

The party’s vice national chairperson, Hon. Job Sikhala has had two of his uncles brutally attacked by these machete-wielding Zanu PF apparatchiks.

One of them, Yeweight Senzere, died on the spot last week in Mvuma and Hon. Sikhala is attending Senzere’s funeral in Chivi in Masvingo province.

Hon. Sikhala’s other uncle, Elvis Matsikidze, is battling for his life in the intensive care unit at Gweru General Hospital.

The machete-toting vigilante groups have gone on the rampage in the country, amid reports of a serious fall-out between Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantine Chiwenga, with the former reported to be banking on Mashurugwi as a personal army to serve personal political interests.

Mnangagwa is reportedly suspicious of the allegiances of the rank and file in the army, despite picking the entire command element of the security forces from his Midlands province.

Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commader Philip Valerio Sibanda, Zimbabwe National Army commander Edzai Absolom Chanyuka Chimonyo, the Air Force of Zimbabwe’s Air Marshall Elson Moyo and the Central Intelligence Organization’s boss Isaac Moyo all hail from the Midlands province.

They are also reported to be Mnangagwa’s close relatives.

MaShurugwi have wrought serious insecurity and if the menace is not stemmed, the country could plunge into chaos. What Zimbabweans desperately need is a true people’s government that can guarantee their personal security, which security is enshrined in the country’s Constitution, which Constitution the people made themselves and affirmed in a referendum.

Luke Tamborinyoka
Deputy National Spokesperson

By A Correspondent- Acting president, Retired General Chiwenga sent a condolence message to families of Saturday’s bus accident victims.

The condolences message reads in part:

It is with great sadness that i learnt of the the death of 16 people in a tragic accident involving a bus and a haulage truck along the Harare Mutare highway.

On behalf of the government i wish to extend sincere condolences to the bereaved families for losing their loved ones in this tragic accident.

Own Correspondent| Zanu PF youth leader Lewis Matutu has taken a dig at Minister of Youth, Arts, Sports and Recreation Kirsty Coventry describing her as a ‘minister who is there but not there’.

Speaking during a sports tournament hosted by Zvimba North Member of Parliament Marrian Chombo in Rafingora on Saturday, Matutu said Kirsty was not a hands-on minister and did not understand the needs of the people.

“At youth, arts and culture ministry, we have a minister who is there but not there. We look up to you deputy minister (Tino Machakaire) to further the agendas of the youths because the honorable minister does not understand the needs of the people,” said Matutu.

Kirsty, one of the technocrats in President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s cabinet is unpopular in Zanu PF circles as she is seen as a person who lacks political gravitas needed to navigate Zimbabwe’s treacherous rough political terrain.

For her party, Kirsty has failed to justify her appointment as she is seen more as a press statement minister who does not understand the needs of her ministry.

While her ministry has four portfolios, the Olympic gold medalist seems to be concentrating more on sport neglecting youths, arts and recreation.

Her deputy, Tino Machakaire is more visible than the minister. He took it upon himself to visit ailing dancehall chanter Bounty Lisa in Kuwadzana recently. He also organized an arts gala in Wedza during the festive season.

He has been in the news recently for paying school fees for 1000 university students and sourcing out mining equipment for small scale miners.

Acting President Constantino Chiwenga on Saturday visited President Mnangagwa, who is enjoying his vacation at his Pricabe Farm in Sherwood, Kwekwe.

The two, who, besides being the first and second citizens of this country, are long-time friends. They spent the whole day chatting and touring the President’s farm.

President Mnangagwa is a passionate farmer, with over 350 hectares of soya and about 400 hectares of maize under irrigation.

He has a 405-hectare farm and is renting pieces of land on neighbouring farms.

Pricabe Farm manager, and young brother to the President, Mr Patrick Mnangagwa, yesterday confirmed the surprise visit by the Acting President.

He said the two were relaxed at the farm while talking farming.

“I took the Acting President Chiwenga together with the President on a tour of the farm starting with the soya,” said Mr Mnangagwa.

“We also toured the maize field and the pump station. It was not a planned programme, so the two had time together as they relaxed at the farm after the tour.”

Mr Mnangagwa said Acting President Chiwenga was impressed by the work being done at the farm.

On Unity Day last year, President Mnangagwa hosted over 18 political party leaders under the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) at his farm at their request. The politicians said they were inspired by the President’s farming prowess.

By A Correspondent- A former accountant in the Ministry of Defence, who is facing charges of stealing US$20 million from the ministry, was last week denied bail.

Simbarashe Zvineyi (36) lost his bail application after Harare magistrate Mr Francis Mapfumo ruled him a flight risk. The court found that the evidence available might induce him to flee.

Zvineyi is alleged to have used the US$20 million to buy four houses in Harare, 25 taxis, four top-of-the-range vehicles and channelled part of the money onto the parallel market for foreign currency. He is being charged with fraud and money laundering.

The State, led by Netsai Mushayabasa, alleged that between January 2010 and December 31 last year, Zvineyi and Danison Muvandi – who was a top accounting officer in the same ministry – hatched a plan to defraud the Ministry of Defence.

On several occasions, Muvandi, who remains at large, allegedly used his position and influence within the ministry to misrepresent that there were classified operations to be carried out and would allegedly instruct the chief accountant, Lameck Jackson, to deposit funds into Zvineyi’s accounts at NMB Bank, CBZ, CABS and Steward Bank, using Zvineyi’s vendor number.

There were no such classified operations to be conducted. Acting on the misrepresentation, Jackson reportedly transferred money ranging from US$40 000 to US$66 000 during the same period into Zvineyi’s bank accounts.

The pair would then allegedly share the loot. Investigations carried out so far reveal that the Ministry of Defence suffered a prejudice of US$20 million.

Only four vehicles have been recovered. Zvineyi, acting in connivance with Muvandi and after they allegedly defrauded the Ministry of Defence, reportedly laundered the proceeds of the offence by acquiring properties that includes more than 25 taxis, a Jeep Wrangler, an Isuzu KB300, a Honda Fit and a Toyota Vitz.

He also allegedly bought houses in Tynwald, Aspindale, Avonlea and Borrowdale. Muvandi allegedly acquired various properties, some of which have been recovered

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- Two jealous Bindura siblings who attacked their fathers’ girlfriend before robbing her of her money were sentenced to 6 months imprisonment by a Bindura magistrate yesterday.

Stephen Mashongedza and Tendai Mashongedza were sentenced by magistrate Moreblessing Makati.

The six month sentence was commuted to 105 hours of community service.

Prosecutor Vincent Marunya told the court that on Christmas day last year the brothers stormed at Sinikiwe Motsi’s place of residence at Zinyama village, chief Musena in Bindura and vigorously knocked at her door demanding her to come out.

Motsi did not open the door, the furious brothers broke the windows and door to gain entry.

Upon gaining entry the suspects accused Motsi who is their fathers girlfriend of squandering his money.

The duo demanded the money and mobile phone which they claimed was bought by their father from their sister’s lobola.

 They assaulted her with open hands and she surrendered the phone to Stephen while demanding $148 bond notes on which she complied

Motsi was force marched out of her house by the suspects during the night as punishment and subsequently released after a few kilometers.

Motsi filed a police report leading to the suspects’ arrest.

By A Correspondent- A police officer who was part of a five-member gang of armed robbers wailed in court after each of them was handed a 60-year jail term for armed robbery.

The cop, Thulani Nkala (38) appeared together with Taurai Matarirano (27), Isaac Kawundura (33), George Chikomberanwa (34) and Dunira Hungwe (33) before Gweru Regional Magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa facing 10 counts of armed robbery.

They had pleaded not guilty to the charges but were convicted on six counts.

The court proved that the five robbers were each armed with assault rifles when they raided a mine in Gweru. At one time they fired shots at a mine, killing a security guard’s dog.  

Mrs Msipa said due to overwhelming evidence submitted in court, Nkala, Matarirano, Kawundura, Chikomberanwa and Hungwe deserved a lengthy prison stay. She jailed them for 60 years each and suspended 15 years for good behaviour.

However, Nkala who said he had a two-year-old child and an unemployed wife as well as his accomplice Matarirano forced the court to adjourn briefly when they started wailing uncontrollably after Mrs Msipa handed down their sentence.

For the State, Mr Talent Tadenyika said sometime in 2018 Nkala who was wearing an anti- riot police uniform and armed with a 303 rifle went to a local mine run by Camlark Investments with Matarirano, Kawundura, Chikomberanwa and Hungwe.

At the mine, they saw a security guard and identified themselves as police officers who wanted to search the place for firearms.

“They searched security guards and took their cellphones and they stole property valued at US$1 700. They also stole Zhang Dawei`s Chinese passport and US$1 070 and $1 500 at his quarters and nothing was recovered,” he said.

The court heard that on the same day and at the same mine, the gang threatened another Chinese national Mr Chen Yang Yang with firearms and took his cellphone, US$930, $330, R400 and 17 000 Chinese Yuan.  They went to another employee, Mr Jinkai Yu`s room and robbed him of US$900, $150 and 300 Chinese Yuan.

“They further went to the quarters of the manager threatened him with firearms robbed him of US$1 200, $120 and 840 Chinese Yuan.

“The proceeded to the managing director`s room, also ransacked the room looking for valuables and managed to get US$2 000, $5 000, 10 kilograms of silver which was stored in cone and bar shapes. They deflated tyres for two vehicles,” said Mr Tadenyika.

“They stole an Isuzu king cab and drove away from the scene to a point near Old Eastlea and the cab was recovered.”

Nkala was the first to be arrested.

-StateMedia

Dad, it will be a whole year on the 23rd of January and yet my heart still skips a beat when I hear your music played. Hana yangu inorova when they refer to you as “the late”. I still can’t believe it. It is very difficult for me to go through our messages to each other, I can’t stand the thought that saka handichafa ndakaona imwe message futi ichiflasha yakanzi Dad. I miss you so much. Even though I never saw you everyday but just knowing that you are there meant worlds to me. Now you are gone. For good. It breaks my heart. People may have not understood the relatioship we had you and I, and I know how in the last days you wanted so much to let everybody know how much we cared for each other through a song (Coz that’s how we communicate) but I guess God didn’t care what people thought. He took you before we could do it. It’s a year now but still feels like yesterday. I love you so much dad. Rest in peace.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who helped my dad, my family and myself during our father’s career, illness and subsequent death. We as a family together with my band are very grateful to Mr Thomson Dondo and Impala Car Rental Staff for the enormous support they gave us.
Also thank you to Nick Manyame and Family, Mel Pulij, Steve Dyer, Kevin Stuart, Damon Forbes, Rob Cowling, Sheer sound Staff Graeme Gillfillan, Simon and Debbie Metcalfe and family, Keith Farquharson, KennyTlale, Rodrick Chakaipa and the late Doug Chakaipa, the late Robson Ndlovu, Joseph Muusha, Collin Mushunje, Selby Dzengeree, Josh Hozheri, Dave Mwale and team, Team Pakare PAYE, the late Steve Chibune, Mr Mutyandasvika, Mr Vori, Tich Hwingwiri, Alick Macheso and family, Sulumani Chimbetu and family, Steve Makoni and family, Vusimuzi Moyo and family, Doug Mamvura and family, Management and staff at Premier Auto Harare, Chris Cyren and Making Music staff, Dyer tribe Studios and staff, Reginald Chapfunga, Samson Felo, Herbert Kinobe, Zivani Masango, Papa Lodza, Dr Thomas Mapfumo, Bob Nyabinde and family, Cafe Nush staff in Avondale, Mashonganyika Family, Chris Machina and Family, Mtndazo Dube and family, Trust Khosa, All print media houses, Montclair Hotel and staff, Lewis Chasakara and Cutty Sark Hotel, Nyaradzo Funeral Services, Farai Matsika, Richard Mvududu and family, Ezra Sibanda (Uk) Watson Chidzomba and family. A very special thank you to the doctors and nurses at Avenues hospital for the great care you gave to Dr Mtukudzi. My apologies if i have left anybody out, it wasnt intentional.
Finally, a massive thank you to the fans who supported Dr Oliver Tuku Mtukudzi till the end and the amazing support given to me thereafter. Above all we thank the Almighty for the 66 years he gave us with our remarkable father, our hero and musician.
God bless you all.

Love
Selmor

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has revealed that it is now monitoring public hospitals and clinics to curb thefts and ensure drugs are not diverted to the black market.

The development follows checks that were done at the country’s drug procurement and supply entity, the National Pharmaceutical Company (Natpharm) amid suspicions that some of the drugs were being diverted to the black market.

Through its Prevention and Corporate Governance Unit, ZACC is targeting Parirenyatwa, Chitungwiza and Sally Mugabe (formerly Harare Central) hospitals, among other public hospitals and clinics.

In a statement at the weekend, the commission said the operation was an extension of ongoing Natpharm compliance checks on drugs.

“The objective of the operation is to ensure that there are no leakages and abuse in the distribution of drugs to hospitals,” said ZACC.

“The operation is meant to bring sanity to hospitals and improve service delivery and stamp out corruption that has seen patients in some parts of the country being made to pay huge amounts of money for drugs which are sourced by Government funds or donated by the Global Fund, WHO and other international partners.

“The compliance unit is tracking the path of distribution of such drugs from the time they leave Natpharm until the drugs are administered to patients.”

ZACC said it was testing the effectiveness and reliability of the distribution system to ensure that it was not open to abuse.

Some health workers, it said, were being found selling essential drugs which were in short supply in formal channels.

“Some doctors are prescribing alternative drugs which are not in stock and refer patients to their pharmacies where sometimes patients are forced to pay exorbitant prices in US dollars,” said ZACC.

Other areas to be covered by the operation include disposal of expired drugs which are being sold on the streets.

ZACC is seeking to have the hospitals adopt electronic systems of drugs storage and administration to avoid the manipulation and abuse of the stock card system.

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) is paying medical bills for 26 recruits who were involved in an accident that killed two others near Imbizo Barracks, Chief of Staff Administration Staff, Major General Paul Chima has said.  

Maj Gen Chima revealed this last Thursday while visiting the recruits who are receiving treatment at the barracks after they were injured in the Christmas Day crash.

Two of the recruits died when the driver of a military vehicle they were travelling in lost control of the vehicle and it veered off the road and hit a tree, a few minutes after leaving the barracks.

Maj Gen Chima expressed condolences to the families who lost their loved ones.  He said the provision of free medical assistance to the injured recruits is in line with the army’s goal of treasuring human life.

“I have come to console the surviving victims after having experienced this shocking incident in the history of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA).  “As commandants we continue to support our fellow comrades in war time, peace time and in occasions like this one. We must make sure that necessary treatment is given to our victims for their quick recovery,” he said.

“It is an honour for me to inform you that the ZNA will compensate the victims by paying for their medical treatment and admission fees in the ZNA hospital.  “It is however sad that the army has already lost two recruit members under such unfortunate circumstances.”  

Maj Gen Chima donated food hampers comprising among others fruits, drinks and cereals.

Recently in Harare, eleven ZNA officers were injured when the driver of a bus they were travelling in lost control of the vehicle as it descended a slope near Kuwadzana Six.  It veered off the road before landing on its side. Five were critically injured.

-Wires

Own Correspondent|Acting President Constantino Chiwenga on Saturday rushed to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s farm in Kwekwe after a group of female bikers visited the First Lady at the farm.

The unexpected call on Mnangagwa’s farm by Chiwenga is described by state media and ZANU PF loyalists as just a visit by the acting President on Mnangagwa who is supposed to be enjoying his vacation at his Pricabe Farm in Sherwood, Kwekwe.

The sudden arrival of Chiwenga at the farm raises eyebrows as the former Army General stormed in shortly after a group of female bikers rode into the President’s farm.

On Saturday, a nine-member all-women’s biking team comprising five Zimbabweans — Pauline Dana, Chengetai Makawa, Cynthia Ncube, Natasha Mutsvairo, Nomathemba Magwaza — one Belgian, one Canadian and two South Africans paid a courtesy visit on First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa at the First Family’s farm in Kwekwe.

The innocent female bikers took the opportunity to get photos with the country’s leaders though they could not understand how the two leaders happened to be together at the the time they were on their predestined visit to the farm.

The First Lady was left spell-bound by the bikers who provided her with escort services from her farm to the main road, while they mesmerised onlookers with their amazing skills.

The female bikers, who are representing their countries, are on a six-day relay covering 2 000 kilometres.

“It’s all-women bikers and they escorted me along Sherwood Road,” said the First Lady.

The First Lady gave the women words of encouragement and wished them well on their journey.

The women bikers, who are on a six-day relay, started off in Botswana last Thursday, rode to Bulawayo, Gweru and Harare. The journey will take them to Nyamapanda then to Tete where they will pass the button to another all-female group of riders from Malawi.

Pricabe Farm manager, and young brother to the President, Mr Patrick Mnangagwa, yesterday confirmed the surprise visit by the Acting President.

He said the two were relaxed at the farm while talking farming.

“I took the Acting President Chiwenga together with the President on a tour of the farm starting with the soya,” said Mr Mnangagwa.

“We also toured the maize field and the pump station. It was not a planned programme, so the two had time together as they relaxed at the farm after the tour.”

Mr Mnangagwa said Acting President Chiwenga was impressed by the work being done at the farm.

Source: State Media

JOHANNESBURG – Mpumalanga police are investigating the circumstances that led to the deaths of two illegal miners at Lily mine near Barberton.

It’s understood the pair was found in a shaft at the non-operating mine on Thursday.

In 2016 the mine halted operations to retrieve the bodies of three mineworkers who have been trapped underground due to financial difficulties.

Illegal miners have become more frequent since operations stopped at the mine.

The police’s Leonard Hlathi said, “We were informed by the community and then we set off. Indeed the bodies were recovered yesterday; hence the operation which we arrested only one person from Mozambique who is undocumented. We are going to charge him with trespassing and we also found dagga on him.”

Pretty Nkambule, Yvonne Mnisi and Solomon Nyarende have been trapped for four years.

Family members and co-workers started going underground in an attempt to recover the bodies of the three, last month.

IOL

By A Correspondent|YOUTHS in the Thokozani Khupe led MDC-T have described as “good riddance”, the announcement made Saturday by Obert Gutu that he was resigning as the Vice President of the party with immediate effect.

MDC–T national youth spokesperson, Alfred Dzirutwe also claimed that Gutu was now a member of Zanu PF and had since ceased to be a leader in the MDC–T.

The politician announced that he was resigning for “personal and private reasons”.

“Obert Gutu was now just a Vice-President by title, otherwise he was now part of a Zanu PF faction which has no care about people’s suffering. I feel vindicated as just a month ago, I issued a statement about his behaviour which was reminiscent of Zanu PF’s behaviour,” said Dzirutwe.

The party’s youth spokesperson also accused the former Deputy Justice Minister of lacking leadership qualities.

“He always showed signs that he lacked leadership qualities. I think his departure is good riddance and we hope who ever ascends to that post will be young, mature and astute. Zimbabwe now needs focused persons who are keen on finding a solution to the current economic and political fiasco,” added Dzirutwe.

Gutu has on several occasions clashed with the party’s youths.

Last year, the youths blasted him for apparently celebrating, on Twitter, the brutalisation of MDC Alliance supporters by the police.

Also last year, the youths openly defied Gutu after he called on the party’s supporters to participate in the government’s organised countrywide anti-sanctions marches.

Party youths felt the the anti-sanctions crusade was useless and a gimmick by Zanu PF to divert attention from government’s mismanagement of the country.

Asked for comment on his Zanu PF status, Gutu described this as a mere rumour.

By A Correspondent- The President and the acting president spent the day together at the former’s farm in Kwekwe on Saturday, The Herald reports.

The 2 spend the day chatting and touring the farm as confirmed by President Mnangagwa‘s brother Tafara who is the president’s farm manager:

I took the Acting President Chiwenga together with the President on a tour of the farm starting with the soya.

We also toured the maize field and the pump station. It was not a planned programme, so the two had time together as they relaxed at the farm after the tour.

The president is taking his annual vacation which is supposed to end this week but from time to time comes back to Harare to carry out his executive duties despite being on leave.

-StateMedia

ONE person was shot dead, while six others were arrested after police intercepted truckloads of smuggled bales of second-hand clothes in Vumba on Saturday night.

The gang, which had a fleet of vehicles, resisted arrest and attempted to run over a police officer, prompting other alert officers to open fire.

Police intercepted a convoy comprising two (7-tonne) trucks, three kombis with bales of clothes and four small escort cars, recovering 170 bales of clothes.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police has intercepted a convoy of two-seven tonne trucks, three commuter omnibuses and four small vehicles laden with bales of smuggled goods along Vumba Road after a shooting which resulted in the arrest of six suspects and the death of one of the suspects,” he said.

“A crack team of detectives picked information as the convoy approached Vumba and laid an ambush. The vehicles were signalled to stop, but the drivers ignored the police directive as the four small vehicles were being used as smugglers’ escort.”

Police fired warning shots before shooting the wheels of one of the trucks which then stopped.

“In the process, a VW Polo, registration number ADA 5492, which was part of the smugglers escort fleet made a U-turn, sped off towards a police officer who ducked and fired some shots,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

“The VW Polo driver and passenger were injured in the process as they tried to flee. The passenger died on admission at Mutare Provincial Hospital, while the driver is admitted under police guard.”

Asst Comm Nyathi said police recovered 170 bales of smuggled clothes from some of the intercepted vehicles.

State Media|Zimbabwe could face increased load-shedding after critical coal mines that supply Hwange Thermal Power Station were flooded following heavy rains that pounded the area on Saturday.

Hwange received heavy rains of up to 139mm in three hours on Saturday, which caused flash flooding, leaving 35 families in two suburbs — Number 1 and Ciderella Village — homeless.

Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi last night tweeted: “The weather has conspired against us. Hwange Power Station Coal Plant flooded. Power station now down to zero megawatts. 400MW lost. Zesa Working to recover.”

Coal miners said delayed payments totalling $100 million for power coal will slow the de-watering of the pits, while Zesa Holdings said poor quality power coal was damaging the station.

Coal mines were flooded, said Coal Producers Association chairman Mr Raymond Mutokonyi in an interview yesterday, with his own Makomo Resources, the largest producer, the worst affected.

Hwange Colliery, the second largest producer, said it will work to remove the flood inflows quickly.

“It is a disaster in terms of coal mining, as the pits are flooded,” said Mr Mutokonyi.

“The situation is made worse by the fact that the de-watering process is expensive and most coal miners do not have money to undertake this mammoth exercise since the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) is not paying us for coal supplied.

“Coal miners are owed in excess of $100 million by ZPC as at January 10, 2020, but we have supplied more coal since then and the figure is now over $100 million.

“All mines are affected and we hope to start the process of de-watering on Monday (today).”

The flooding of coal mines recently significantly cut output at South Africa’s thermal power stations, resulting in the rolling out of power outages from November to December last year.

There are a number of coal miners in Hwange, including Hwange Colliery Company Limited (HCCL), Makomo Resources and Zambezi Gas.

Hwange Colliery’s corporate affairs manager Mrs Rugare Dhobbie said the mine had top-of-the-range equipment for de-watering.

Makomo, which has become the country’s biggest coal miner after taking advantage of operational challenges affecting Hwange Colliery, said it had been hit hard by the flooding.

The miner supplies most of the coal for electricity generation to ZPC, the power generation unit of Zesa Holdings.

ZPC is understood to be struggling to pay for coal since cash flows have been affected by load-shedding, which has seen power consumption plunging.

However, Zesa board chairman Dr Sydney Gata denied last Friday that coal miners were not getting their money.

“They are being paid, even for coal which is out of satisfaction,” he said.

“They are being paid for the poor quality coal they are supplying, which damages equipment.

“I am meeting them (coal miners soon) to tell them that if they continue to supply rubbish coal, we will not pay. I will embarrass them. I was in Hwange yesterday (Thursday last week) and everyone is complaining about the quality of coal. Only Hwange can complain, not all those makorokozas.”

After being told that coal miners were complaining of being owed over $100 million, Dr Gata said he did not have the details.

Mr Mutokonyi denied claims that the coal they supply to Hwange was of poor quality.

“There are quality control aspects that take place on both sides,” he said.

“They can’t talk of poor quality coal.”

State Media|The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) is now monitoring public hospitals and clinics to curb thefts and ensure drugs are not diverted to the black market. This follows checks that were done at the country’s drug procurement and supply entity, the National Pharmaceutical Company (Natpharm).

The Government has been making strenuous efforts to supply medicines to public hospitals and clinics, but there were suspicions that some of the drugs were being diverted to the black market.

Through its Prevention and Corporate Governance Unit, ZACC is targeting Parirenyatwa, Chitungwiza and Sally Mugabe (formerly Harare Central) hospitals, among other public hospitals and clinics.

In a statement at the weekend, the commission said the operation was an extension of ongoing Natpharm compliance checks on drugs.

“The objective of the operation is to ensure that there are no leakages and abuse in the distribution of drugs to hospitals,” said ZACC.

“The operation is meant to bring sanity to hospitals and improve service delivery and stamp out corruption that has seen patients in some parts of the country being made to pay huge amounts of money for drugs which are sourced by Government funds or donated by the Global Fund, WHO and other international partners.

“The compliance unit is tracking the path of distribution of such drugs from the time they leave Natpharm until the drugs are administered to patients.”

ZACC said it was testing the effectiveness and reliability of the distribution system to ensure that it was not open to abuse.

Some health workers, it said, were being found selling essential drugs which were in short supply in formal channels.

“Some doctors are prescribing alternative drugs which are not in stock and refer patients to their pharmacies where sometimes patients are forced to pay exorbitant prices in US dollars,” said ZACC.

Other areas to be covered by the operation include disposal of expired drugs which are being sold on the streets.

ZACC is seeking to have the hospitals adopt electronic systems of drugs storage and administration to avoid the manipulation and abuse of the stock card system.

According to the Head of the Operation, Mrs Clara Nyakotyo, a similar operation has been conducted in provincial, district and mission hospitals in Mashonaland Central and Manicaland provinces.

There are Government plans to capacitate local pharmaceutical manufacturers, establish more manufacturing plants, including toll manufacturing and bonded warehouses, to improve availability and affordability of medicines and medical sundries in both the public and private sector.

Own Correspondent|The death toll on Saturday’s bus accident which occurred at the 218-kilometre peg along the Harare-Mutare highway has risen to 16.

Fourteen people died on the spot when a General Bande bus collided with a haulage truck at around 5pm, while two more died on admission to the hospital.

Out of the 40 injured and taken to the hospital, 24 were still admitted by yesterday, with one of them in the Intensive Care Unit.

In her presentation to stakeholders that included Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba, provincial Joint Operations Committee, Civil Protection Unit members and the media, Mutare Provincial Hospital representative Sister Fortunate Sigauke said the hospital was still battling to handle the number of injured people brought to the hospital.

“I received a phone call informing me that there had been a bus disaster,” she said.

“The first casualties came in with well-wishers. The ambulance service providers then chipped in. We are really thankful to those who chipped in.”

“I am concerned about the state of preparedness,” she said. “I am told that the response was not as quick as the injured persons expected, our ambulances, and in terms of all the help that was rendered.

“We need to do more as a nation. We only have one person in the ICU and we pray that the number of those that are deceased remains at 16.

“I think we cannot rely on just one X-ray machine for such a big provincial referral hospital. Right now we have people with multiple fractures.

“Probably what we await at the moment is the pronouncement by His Excellency on the state of disaster which I believe the accident already qualifies for that because we have 16 people who died.”

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is the Acting President while President Emmerson Mnangagwa is on leave at his farm in Kwekwe.

Dr Gwaradzimba said they will contact the Mozambican Consulate in Mutare to assist in linking up relatives of a Mozambican national who was injured in the accident.

Econet, through its Community Social Responsibility anchor partner Higher Life Foundation, provided food for the bereaved during funeral services and pledged further assistance in medication for the injured.

Higher Life Foundation will provide school fees for children orphaned as a result of the accident.

Dr Gwaradzimba thanked Higher Life Foundation for the assistance.

Source: State Media

State Media|GOVERNMENT has said an environmental rehabilitation levy is on the cards targeting the mining sector, which is blamed for severely damaging the environment.

In an interview last week, Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said he had come face-to-face with excessive environmental damage caused by mining activities.

“I was in Matobo (where there is gold mining) and what I saw troubled me big time,” he said.

“The rate at which we are destroying our environment is unprecedented. I can’t even describe what I saw.

“I would be moving to the Midlands. I’m told where there is chrome mining, it’s almost the same again. It’s something that we have identified as top priority. As a Ministry, we are working on certain proposals which will lead to the creation of a sustainable environmental rehabilitation fund.”

Minister Ndlovu said even mining companies had used legal loopholes to extract minerals without rehabilitating the environment they operated from and damage.

He said this caused serious ecological damage needing urgent attention.

Minister Ndlovu said the proposed fund will see mining companies rehabilitating the environment, while continuing with their activities.

“At law, mining companies are mandated to rehabilitate the environment where they are mining after they close or finish mining,” he said.

“It’s a loophole that has been exploited, where a company official says I’m still mining, I haven’t completed. I can mine for 50 years and the law will not be compelling rehabilitation of the environment. That, again, will have to be addressed.

“It has to be an ongoing process. We will also be considering having an environmental insurance. Where the rehabilitation cost is too high, we can then make use of the insurance. However, that would be an option available for the miner.”

Own Correspondent|The Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission, ZACC, has warned senior executives in public institutions to stop victimising their subordinates for assisting it with information that can help to investigate possible cases of corruption.

Targeted subordinates were either being summarily dismissed or redeployed to other departments without following due process.

ZACC said it felt betrayed by the actions of such executives which amounted to unfair labour practice and abuse of office.

A case in point is that of eight ZESA Holdings workers who were fired last year for unlawful job action, breaching of the Official Secrets Act and insubordination.

The workers were however, recently reinstated by the new management at the power utility after they were victimised for outing corruption tendencies that exposed some shoddy deals.

ZACC spokesperson Commissioner John Makamure said last week that they were overwhelmed with reports of victimisation of workers in public institutions for assisting the anti-graft body.

“The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission is inundated with reports from the general public in which there is evidence of victimisation by authorities in the public sector,” said Comm Makamure.

“What is utter disturbing is a situation where an entity is visited by the Zacc, either for the purposes of conducting systems audit, investigations or both and later on, some of the employees are served with suspension letters or are advised that the department is in the process of redeploying them to other departments.

“The procedure is riddled with a lot of questions as to whether or not the authorities are aware that there is a Labour Act Chapter 28.01, Statutory Instruments and various regulations, which legally guide any decision-making by them.

“However, such decisions are promptly arrived at just to catch the targeted employees unawares, leave them confused for some time and pounce on the hapless individuals.

“One would rush to think these are simple labour matters, when in essence it is corruption masked in what looks like labour issues.

“If this sinister practice is allowed to persist, then going forward, nobody will be willing to assist either the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission or Zimbabwe Republic Police during investigations. The continued victimisation of innocent employees leaves nobody safe under the caprices of the vastly corrupt bosses.”

Comm Makamure said the problem was being aided by human resources departments that allowed people to be reassigned without justification.

“The second question is how on earth do the human resources departments, charged with the redeployment of employees, accept and redeploy staff without demanding reasons why the redeployments have to be done,” he said.

“One would have thought that the human resources departments should turn down such unscrupulous ways of subjecting employees to unprofessional movements to other departments. In any case, the employees are transferred without following any legal procedure as required in the Labour Act and supporting regulations.”

This, Comm Makamure said, amounted to unfair labour practices, which is also a form of abuse of office.

Source: State Media

Farai Dziva|Former army officer Dr Daniel Shumba has alleged that Emmerson Mnangagwa wants to eliminate him.

Shumba is the leader of the
United Democratic Alliance (UDA). He is also a former member of the ruling party.

Ironically Shumba was dismissed from ZANU PF for fighting in Mnangagwa’s corner in 2004.

He was involved in the Tsholotsho meeting that sought to elevate Mnangagwa.

“Why do you want to kill me? For dumping Zanu PF? For speaking the truth? You expropriated my farm, businesses, and freedoms. You’re not God. I’ll live to see you gone,” declared Shumba.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW… 

By Simba Chikanza| INVESTIGATIVE |  There is an ongoing plot to plant machetes in the capital city Harare, kill civilians and then blame it all on Nelson Chamisa’s MDC party, for purposes of propaganda.

https://youtu.be/J5LD-h61VKw

This follows Emmerson Mnangagwa’s instruction (video) to his party on the 14th December 2019 when he said members must ensure another military crackdown similar to the January 2019 one is conducted in total secrecy so that the international community does not discover it.

The latest of these is seen in the below posts by Mnangagwa’s ZANU PF party. Just before the police in Harare had raided the MDC offices on Friday in search of machetes, ZANU PF swiftly announced on their Twitter account saying of a South Africa based Border Gezi trainee,

“this is Kumbirai Kanda and he is supplying the machetes to Zim… They will be used in the incoming Demos.
The aim is to attack people with machetes & blame it on ZANU PF.

Machete gangs are now in Harare courtesy of the @mdczimbabwe.

Let’s be vigilant “

ZANU PF also retweeted an allegation saying that the man is MDC leader Nelson Chamisa’s security staff member. In an interview with ZimEye on Friday night, however Mr Kumbirai Kanda revealed he has never at any time been Chamisa’s security and he hasn’t been in Zimbabwe since 2015. He said he is not at all from Buhera as alleged in another of the tweets below.

ZANU PF’s retweet was as follows:

“His name is Kumbirai Kanda from Buhera. He is a security officer of Nelson Chamisa. He was part of the Vanguard strategists responsible for the planning of Jan 2019 violent protests. His new role is mobilization and training of the new militia grp in Gorongosa Mozambique.”

VIDEO LOADING BELOW (please note a mistake on 14th January which should mean 14thDecember…)

…..

ANOTHER ROUND OF LIVE AMMUNITION AGAINST CIVILIANS.

Speaking at his party’s Goromonzi conference on the 14th December 2019, Mnangagwa revealed he will perform another military crackdown but this time involving a method the United Nations would never discover.

In January 2019, the UN in Geneva implicated him for killing 17 people during that month and 6 others on 1 August 2018. In a full statement, the UN said it was without question that the crackdown was a state operation.

This time Mnangagwa said his operation must nip all evidence in the budd. He said he is concerned about propaganda rather than human life losses. He clearly threatened to use the state apparatus to ensure secrecy when he carries out another crackdown. Last January when soldiers protested against the fuel price rise, (even criticised by pro ZANU countries such as Russia), his security minister switched off the internet for 3 days during which period 17 people were shot dead and several women raped. This time speaking at Goromonzi, Mnangagwa described the January 2019 protests where 17 people were killed by state agents as “nonsensical”.

“The January nonsense and periodic mischievous activities by the opposition elements such as those we witnessed this year must be nipped in the bud,” he said. “Never again shall we allow the loss of precious lives of our countrymen to feed the agenda of a notorious few, ” he added.

He appeared to repeat exactly what he told a French journalist earlier in the year, while blaming the MDC party for the mass murders which he did and while denying saying no one was killed.

Show me the graves, said Mnangagwa in the below interview. He also announced that he is hunting down every woman who reported rape.

From his own words, it is without guessing that the Zanu-PF leader is planning a repeat of the same operation this January and yesterday the MDC offices were raided with the police saying they were looking for machetes, the weapons used by the Korokozas.- ZimEye

Former Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Kudakwashe Bhasikiti said he would never rejoin Zanu PF as long as it remains defiant of the principals that led to its formation in the first place.

Bhasikiti was speaking in an interview with The Standard when he called Zanu Pf a party of the mafia and loud mouth cheerleaders he didn’t wish to be part of.

Said Bhasikiti:
That thing called Lacoste is just a small mafia grouping as well as a coterie of thieves, friends, advisers and a few loud-mouthed cheerleaders masquerading as Zanu PF, which is now trying to find support from real Zanu cadres.

I cannot talk of rejoining Zanu PF right now because it’s no longer there. What is left is a just a farce.

But one thing for certain is that economic decay and the chaotic nature of that illegitimate presidency which is built on a daily dose of falsehoods as well as government inertia, are soon going to catch up with the Emmerson Mnangagwa’s denialist government.

Bhasikiti was being interviewed after Zanu PF Political Commisar
Matemadanda said Zanu was extending an olive branch to all party members that were expelled during the Mugabe era.-
Credit :The Standard

Air Zimbabwe will take delivery of one of the Boeing 777-200 aircraft acquired from Malaysia on Monday, almost four years after the deal was negotiated.

Transport minister Joel Biggie Matiza is in Malaysia to conclude the deal for the planes.

The late former President Robert Mugabe personally negotiated the acquisition of four Boeing 777-200 planes which had been retired by Malaysian Airlines in 2016 after one of their fleet disappeared without trace and another was shot down over Ukraine.

Zimbabwe Airways, the ill-fated state-owned successor to Air Zimbabwe whose livery appears on the aircraft, had been quoted $18,5 million each for two of the planes which were then five-years-old, and $16,5 million each for the other two which were 11-years-old, according to former transport minister Joram Gumbo.

A 2017 military coup which ousted Mugabe put the delivery of the planes on the back-burner as Zimbabwe defaulted on payments, amid claims that the plane deal was plagued by corruption.

The new government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa collapsed Zimbabwe Airways, which was headed by Mugabe’s son-in-law Simba Chikore, and transferred its assets – including the planes – to Air Zimbabwe.

To date, Zimbabwe has fully paid only two of the four planes – 9M-MRQ and Z-RGM, formerly 9M-MRP. The latter, set to be delivered on Monday, was named in honour of President Mugabe.

Matiza said the second plane would be delivered within weeks, but offered no information on the other two planes – 9M-MRL and 9M-MRM – which were flown to the United States in November 2018, and are believed to be still in Kansas in the state of Missouri.

Data from online flight tracking website FlightRadar shows that Z-RGM, now a 15-year-old plane, on January 16 went on a test flight from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport located in Subang before returning to the same airport after a one-hour, 49-minute flight over the Strait of Malacca during which it climbed to 40,000 feet.

The test flight was in preparation for its delivery to Zimbabwe on Monday. Matiza will be on the aircraft which is expected to land at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport at 12.30PM.

The Zimbabwe government desperately wants to shore up Air Zimbabwe, which is now operating just one plane and is weighed down by debts of up to US$300 million.

The 777s will allow Air Zimbabwe to resume overseas flights to the United Kingdom and China, which were abandoned in 2011 amid threats to seize their aircraft by some creditors.

Air Zimbabwe last year took delivery of an Embraer ERJ145 from the United States. The airline has struggled to push through the aircraft’s registration, however, after reportedly failing to satisfy know-your-customer requirements over suspicions of money laundering in the original acquisition by Zimbabwe Airways.

HEAVY rains of up to 139mm pounded Hwange Town yesterday in just three hours, resulting in flash floods which damaged homes and properties including a stockpile of coal at Hwange Power Station, the country’s largest thermal power facility.

At least 70 people were affected by the floods with more than 35 in dire situation having been evacuated to temporary shelter set at Hwange Colliery Company guest house.

The rains damaged household property and a number of cars while a major retail shop in the mining town, Pick n Pay had to be temporarily closed after water flooded and submerged some of the groceries and goods in the shop.

Although both the Hwange District Civil Protection Unit chair Mr Simbarashe Kayela and Matabeleland North chair Ms Latiso Dlamini could no be reached for comment yesterday, Minister of State for Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs, Richard Moyo last night told Sunday News that everything was now under control.

“Right now, I am in Hwange to assess the damage, everything is under control, we have not received any cases of injured people but families have been evacuated to safe places, the rains were strong and most rivers in the area are flooded,” he said.

Moyo said the value of damaged property was still being tallied, adding that the floods did not affect operations at the power station. Sunday News also visited some of the affected areas where about 20 residents at Hwange Colliery concession were being evacuated to HCCL guest house. The most affected residents were those from the N-Section.

In Empumalanga township a few low-lying houses and some in the DRC area were also affected by the flash floods.  In Sinderela another area under the Colliery concession about 15 houses were flooded resulting in household properties such as beds and stoves being submerged in water.

Residents told Sunday News that what worsened the situation was that the coal mining company has failed to address the drainage system in the area.

 “This is not something new to us, every time we have heavy rains our houses get flooded before the company reacts. We continue to lose a lot of property worth thousands of dollars because of Colliery’s failure to deal with the poor drainage system. How are we expected to recover the lost and damaged property? Imagine after struggling to acquire such you lose it in a flash as a result of poor planning. Personally, I have lost a lot which includes important documents such as birth certificates for my children,” fumed one of the affected residents.

The residents also said it was not fair that Hwange Colliery had not addressed drainage problems in the areas despite increasing rentals from $70 per room per month to $230.

“This is not fair at all. We have lost a lot of property as a result of the delays by the company to address some of the concerns we have often raised such as damaged doors and leaking roofs. The time they took to respond to this emergency leaves a lot of questions, who knows maybe the damage could have been less. We are paying a lot of money to the company but it is failing to maintain its houses and this is the result of  negligence. Colliery must at least compensate us for the goods we have lost noting that furniture is now beyond reach the reach of many,” said a woman who identified herself as Ms Phiri.

A businessman who operates grocery shops at Pamuzi Shopping Centre Mr Blessing Mumba said he  lost goods worth thousands of dollars.

“I’m in trouble, I’m still trying to come to terms with what just happened. I have lost property worth $8 000 after my shop at Pamuzi was filled with water following the flooding. Books, soaps, electrical appliances and furniture, among other items were destroyed,” he said while he tried to salvage soap from the water.

Hwange Colliery Company spokesperson, Mrs Rugare Dhobbie said the company was  assisting those affected.

“Hwange today received 139mm rainfall in three hours resulting in the drainage system being overwhelmed by flash floods. 139mm – these are heavy downpours if we are to compare with previous years usually the concession receives 50 mm or less. A total of 35 families have been affected by the heavy rains. We are doing all we can to assist the affected families in two suburbs namely Number 1 and Sinderela villages. We have started moving families to guest houses and other safe accommodation within the concession. Let me highlight that of the affected families no one was hurt and they are being moved to safety,” she said.

A member of the CPC who requested anonymity warned that the number of those who needed to be evacuated could rise as the rains continue to pour.

A worker at the power station said part of the coal stockpile was immersed in water.

“It’s not the entire coal stockpile but just a section which is not likely to affect power generation. The station has mechanisms to guard against such occurrences,” said the worker.

On Friday, The Meteorological Service Department issued a warning that heavy rains that may uproot trees and damage buildings were set to hit the country this weekend. The department warned that the rains could result in flash floods.

Meanwhile, about 30 families whose houses were swept away recently in Gokwe have received aid from the Government. Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs Larry Mavima said the families received temporary shelter and food aid while plans to reconstruct their houses were being looked into.

“We have given the families temporary shelter in the form of tents so that they can have somewhere to put their heads in. We have also managed to supply them with food aid. Our District Civil Protection Unit and our provincial team have since written to the national CPU who have sent assistance. They have also promised more aid which we are expecting anytime from now that is expected to go a long way in assisting the families,” said Mavima.

THE opposition MDC has been invited to the UK-Africa Investment Summit which gets underway in London this Tuesday, a top official has said.

The party’s secretary for international relations, Gladys Hlatshwayo, told the Daily News on Sunday that the MDC will be represented by Elliot-PFebve.

The summit, being hosted by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, will be attended by dozens of African heads of state.

“We are indeed attending the summit and-PFebve will be our representative there. We are registered for the summit because it benefits us as a party,” Hlatshwayo said.

While President Emmerson Mnangagwa has not been invited, leaders of Africa’s economic powerhouses – South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari and Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta – have confirmed attendance at the London summit being held at the same time as the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Zimbabwe, would, however, be represented at Davos – the annual get-together of global leaders in politics, academia and business where delegates pay US$27 000 each for a ticket.

Reacting to the planned summit, presidential spokesperson George Charamba took to Twitter saying: “Let’s see what happens in the United Kingdom and to those invited.

“Methinks the UK uses false diplomacy to steady home nerves arising from Brexit. The UK is no longer an investing global power; long ceased to be thus!”

This comes as Britain is formalising its disengagement from the European Union (Brexit) after Johnson won an overwhelming mandate in December.

The London summit would bring together businesses, governments and international institutions “to showcase and promote the breadth and quality of investment opportunities across Africa.”

“The summit will strengthen the UK’s partnership with African nations to build a secure and prosperous future for all our citizens. It will mobilise new and substantial investment to create jobs and boost mutual prosperity,” the British government said.

The UK-Africa trade, according to Britain, was worth over £33 billion in 2018, and about 2,000 British businesses currently operate in Africa.

Source – dailynews

VIDEO LOADING BELOW

Own Correspondent|ZANU PF has told the MDC to feed its supporters with “sanctions” they invited into the country while they feed theirs with rice they sourced from China.

The remarks were made after the Secretary-General of the opposition MDC, Chalton Hwende posted on Twitter complaining about the “partisan” distribution of rice the Chinese donated rice which President Mnangagwa gave to all rural constituencies. Hwende said:

In response, the ruling party said:

“You asked for sanctions from your friends, we asked for food from our friends, let’s all distribute what we asked for. Your MPs should forget about distributing rice. As for your supporters, as you know we are a good party, we will give them the rice.“

Later Hence tweeted the chaotic distribution of the rice by ZANU PF.

Watch video.

Own Correspondent|POLICE in Harare have suddenly made an about turn and allowed MDC President Nelson Chamisa to launch his much anticipated State of the Nation Agenda (SONA) 2020 mini-rally at Stodart Hall in Mbare, Harare on Tuesday.

Police made the about turn announcement to the opposition party on Sunday afternoon.

The launch was blocked last week after Chamisa had made arrangements to hold the launch at Mai Musonzi Hall also in Mbare.

Police said they were overwhelmed as schools were opening for the first term of 2020. This forced an angry Chamisa to go on Twitter and announce that he would defy any future attempts by the police to ban his public gatherings.

MDC Harare provincial chairperson, Wellington Chikombo confirmed Sunday that his party had been granted permission to hold the launch.

“I am happy to inform you that police have cleared our Presidential SONA to be addressed by none other than President N Chamisa on Tuesday in Mbare at Stodart (Hall),” Chikombo said.

Farai Dziva|Former army officer Dr Daniel Shumba has alleged that Emmerson Mnangagwa wants to eliminate him.

Shumba is the leader of the
United Democratic Alliance (UDA). He is also a former member of the ruling party.

Ironically Shumba was dismissed from ZANU PF for fighting in Mnangagwa’s corner in 2004.

He was involved in the Tsholotsho meeting that sought to elevate Mnangagwa.

“Why do you want to kill me? For dumping Zanu PF? For speaking the truth? You expropriated my farm, businesses, and freedoms. You’re not God. I’ll live to see you gone,” declared Shumba.

Former Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Kudakwashe Bhasikiti said he would never rejoin Zanu PF as long as it remains defiant of the principals that led to its formation in the first place.

Bhasikiti was speaking in an interview with The Standard when he called Zanu Pf a party of the mafia and loud mouth cheerleaders he didn’t wish to be part of.

Said Bhasikiti:
That thing called Lacoste is just a small mafia grouping as well as a coterie of thieves, friends, advisers and a few loud-mouthed cheerleaders masquerading as Zanu PF, which is now trying to find support from real Zanu cadres.

I cannot talk of rejoining Zanu PF right now because it’s no longer there. What is left is a just a farce.

But one thing for certain is that economic decay and the chaotic nature of that illegitimate presidency which is built on a daily dose of falsehoods as well as government inertia, are soon going to catch up with the Emmerson Mnangagwa’s denialist government.

Bhasikiti was being interviewed after Zanu PF Political Commisar
Matemadanda said Zanu was extending an olive branch to all party members that were expelled during the Mugabe era.-
Credit :The Standard

Former Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Kudakwashe Bhasikiti said he would never rejoin Zanu PF as long as it remains defiant of the principals that led to its formation in the first place.

Bhasikiti was speaking in an interview with The Standard when he called Zanu Pf a party of the mafia and loud mouth cheerleaders he didn’t wish to be part of.

Said Bhasikiti:
That thing called Lacoste is just a small mafia grouping as well as a coterie of thieves, friends, advisers and a few loud-mouthed cheerleaders masquerading as Zanu PF, which is now trying to find support from real Zanu cadres.

I cannot talk of rejoining Zanu PF right now because it’s no longer there. What is left is a just a farce.

But one thing for certain is that economic decay and the chaotic nature of that illegitimate presidency which is built on a daily dose of falsehoods as well as government inertia, are soon going to catch up with the Emmerson Mnangagwa’s denialist government.

Bhasikiti was being interviewed after Zanu PF Political Commisar
Matemadanda said Zanu was extending an olive branch to all party members that were expelled during the Mugabe era.-
Credit :The Standard

A circulating message on social media claims that the police has cleared the MDC event set to be addressed by Nelson Chamisa where he is expected to present his State ot the Nation Address.

Last week, the police said they were overwhelmed by schools opening to grant the opposition party permission to hold their activity.

The move incensed the MDC, with Chamisa declaring that his party will proceed with its event with or without police clearance.

Below is the message from MDC Harare Provincial chairperson Wellington Chikombo;

Good Afternoon Harare

I’m happy to inform you that police has cleared our Presidential SONA to be addressed by non other the People’s President ( N Chamisa) on Tuesday in Mbare @Stodart …
I take this opportunity to invite every Hararian to come to the event and support the People’sPresident’s vision on new Zimbabwe .
All roads to Stodart
Wellington Chikombo (MP)
Harare Provincial Chair

Some businesses are defying Treasury’s directive to review downwards the 15% Value Added Tax (VAT) to 14,5% levied on certain goods to stimulate aggregate demand.

Finance minister Mthuli Ncube ushered in the new tax regime when he announced the 2020 National Budget, saying the revised tax brackets were meant to spur demand, amid quickening inflation. Inflation ended the year at 521%.  

A survey done by the Standardbusiness showed that a number of retailing outlets are still levying 15% on a range of their products.

The VAT was reduced from 15% to 14,5% with effect from January this year.

The deduction was supposed to mark a tumble in prices of retailed goods and give respite on price hikes to consumers. On the contrary, prices have been spiralling upward.

Former Finance minister Tendai Biti said there was no excuse for business to continue levying the old tax threshold as it was scrapped through the passing of the finance act by Parliament.

“The finance act was passed by Parliament and it brought into effect all the proposals made in Parliament. There is no excuse for businesses to continue levying the old tax threshold. But the bottom line is it’s a waste of time. It won’t bring relief to consumers. The real issue was supposed to remove the 2% tax and fuel levy,” Biti said.

Insiders have also raised alarm over the fiscal gadgets saying  most businesses were using gadgets which were outdated and could not  reconfigure to the new VAT threshold.

 Consumer Council of Zimbabwe chairperson Philip Bvumbe said there was need to educate consumers about the tax changes so that they may not be prejudiced.

“There is need for education and empowerment for retailers and consumers so that they claim compensation. We need to speak more about it,” he said.

 According to Treasury, VAT was the biggest tax head contributing 25% of total revenue as of June 2019.Trailing behind it was excise duty at 20%.

According to Treasury,   the reduction of VAT was done in order to stimulate aggregate demand.

As announced in the budget, statement   the move sought to ensure affordability of basic goods and services, after noticing aggregate demand on standard rated goods had, shrunk, mainly due to low disposable incomes.

 Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce chief executive officer Christopher Mugaga said the minimal drop in VAT would not be felt by consumers

  “If you were to ask me, it all boils down to a lethargic approach to implementation of government policies. The marginal decline in VAT won’t be a significant boast to consumer demand which has hit rock-bottom thus threatening the prospects of a positive GDP in 2020. There has not been a follow-up on the extent to which the SI is being brought to life notably by the private sector.”

In a nation where the rate of tax evasion is astronomically high like Zimbabwe, the incentive to revise tax levels downwards will not necessarily translate into benefits for consumers, however, the same should not apply on VAT since it is very difficult both to evade and avoid,” he said.

VAT is an indirect tax on consumption, charged on the supply of taxable goods and services. It is levied on transactions rather than directly on income or profit, and is also levied on the importation of goods and services.

This tax was introduced in 2004 to replace the former sales tax regime under Chapter 23:12 Value Added Tax (General) Regulations (Statutory Instrument 273 of 2003).

Generally, all goods and services are standard-rated unless specifically exempted, zero-rated or subject to VAT at a special rate.

Basics such as sugar are VAT-exempted in Zimbabwe.

SI 26 A of 2017 removed some goods from zero rating and standard rating and placed them under exempt supplies.

Examples of supplies include financial services, provision of electricity for domestic use, provision of piped water for domestic use and rates charged by local authorities.

“We are hearing the issue now and we will make necessary investigations with a view to correct the anomaly,” Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers president Denford Mutashu said.

Questions sent to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority were not answered at the time of going to print.

-The Standard

Acting President Constantino Chiwenga’s estranged wife Marry has thrown another salvo at her husband, claiming the retired military commander is a dangerous character who uses the army to deal with perceived personal enemies.

In court papers filed on Thursday opposing Chiwenga’s application for custody of their minor children, Marry said the acting president had also exposed his shortcomings as a leader of a family, let alone a country.

In her response to Chiwenga’s application which is before the High Court seeking custody of their minor children, Marry said she could not be a danger to their children as was being alleged by her husband.

“I only communicated with the security personnel and when I was advised that I was not welcome at my own home, I did not take the law into my hands as he did by deploying his agents with unlawful instructions at the gate,” Marry said.

“If there is anyone who is dangerous, it is Chiwenga. He has proven that he can suborn the army when it suits him and he can use them (soldiers) to deal with perceived opponents.”

Marry said she was shocked to read reports that she was exposing the children to black magic yet it was Chiwenga who was known for using black magic.

She said the black magic issue was even mentioned in his previous divorce proceedings with Jocelyne Chiwenga.

“I deny the allegations that I exposed my children to black magic as alleged. I was shocked when I read those allegations. I deny knowledge of such items and that I exposed my children to any of these items. It is the respondent (Chiwenga) who is on record as having been accused of using black magic in his previous divorce proceedings,” Marry said.

She said Chiwenga could not say she was unable to take care of the children because of ill health, saying the VP was focusing on the speck in her eye while ignoring the log in his.

“He is the one who has globetrotted in search of medical attention and has been to India, South Africa and China. Even after his return from China, he still has a personal doctor and a nurse to take care of him on a daily basis and has the audacity to argue that because of my health, I am not a good parent,” Marry said.

She said despite her suffering from the injuries inflicted by a bombing at White City Stadium in Bulawayo in 2018, she had been taking care of her children while Chiwenga was bedridden.

“It was convenient for me to be with the children when Chiwenga was in hospital for more than 123 days, but it’s now inconvenient because he has fallen out of love with me,” Marry said.

“This type of thinking is intended to take the law back to a period when women had no rights. Chiwenga must be reminded that he does not get custody of the children because he has soldiers to suborn, but can get them through the courts; as it stands, he must return the children to me.”

Online

Independent Norton Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa says the machete-wielding gangs that are terrorising people in most parts of the country are a creation of people in high offices.

Speaking after encountering one of the gangs commonly known as MaShurugwi at a beerhall in his constituency, Mliswa said the menace was a creation of high-ranking officials in government. He did not give any names.

“They have the guts to operate in broad daylight without hiding their identities. They are well-protected by their lords in high government offices,” he said.

Mliswa claimed he was now a target of the criminals but vowed to continue speaking out against the dangerous gangs.

“No one is safe in this country anymore but some of us will not be silenced. I know I am being targeted,” alleged the MP.

Mliswa likened the MaShurugwi scenario with the Somalia and Rwandan genocide where thousands of people killed each other with machetes.

Mliswa comes from Shurugwi in the Midlands province, the place originally associated with the gangs.

-Standard

VICE-President Kembo Mohadi yesterday announced a raft of government drought relief strategies, among them massive mobilisation of grain and an immediate livestock restocking exercise.

Mohadi said a high-powered committee was now in place to procure grain from the world over, making an undertaking that not a single Zimbabwean should starve.

For the first time the government would import genetically modified grain, he said.

Severe food shortages loom in Lowveld areas of Zimbabwe, in particular Matabeleland South where thousands of Zimbabweans are living on less than 50 cents a day as one of the worst droughts in living memory is feared.

Mohadi said government would shelve other projects to concentrate on feeding the nation.

“As government we will do everything within our power to ensure that no one starves. This means we will go out of our way; we will forego certain projects to feed the nation,” Mohadi said.

He was addressing hundreds of mourners at his homestead during the burial of his nephew Admire Mbedzi (34) who died on Wednesday after a long illness.

Mohadi said several other agencies would partner government in drought mitigation with the state taking a front role.

“Have faith, do not feel hopeless because we are even going to have concessionary laws to see how we can rebuild our national herd, which programme will start now,” said Mohadi, who himself has lost more than 200 cattle to the current drought.

“We have to have a way forward. Cattle have died, the drought is here. It is dry and most people believe we will remain with nothing, but it will not be so even though I believe this drought is worse than last year.”

He asked district coordinators (formerly district administrators) and ward councillors to keep their provincial ministers up to date with statistics of affected communities for speedy relief reactions.

He said maize imports would be from as far afield as Mexico and other South American countries complemented by other imports from the region.

Turning to the nagging price increases of basic commodities, Mohadi said government made a deliberate decision not to increase money on the market to curb inflationary reactions.

“I do not want to delve into mathematics, but believe me our rates are cheaper when in comparison with the region. That is why we are losing our fuel to neighbouring countries because ours is cheaper at the equivalent of US$0.83 per litre compared to SA’s US$1.01,” he said.

Domestic consumption of fuel has risen to about four from two to three million litres a day from one and a half million as people from other countries descend into the country to get cheap fuel.

“Yes, goods are expensive in the sense that we don’t have enough bond notes in circulation, but when we look at the rates, our goods are still cheaper compared to other countries in the region,” Mohadi said to a silent crowd.

He said prices of goods were expected to stabilise in the first quarter of the year as government would continue with steady release of money into the market.

Turning to his departed nephew, Mohadi, who in the last 12 months has lost more than eight very close relatives, appealed for unity.

Mbedzi, who was a shipping agent, was a son of Vice-President Mohadi’s sister Catherine.

He was buried at the Mohadi family homestead at Mtetengwe and is survived by his wife and three children.

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GWERU Officer-in-Charge Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Detective Inspector Leonard Gwandu who was recently arrested on allegations of criminal abuse of office after he reportedly released a vehicle suspected to have been stolen from South Africa without following due process has been suspended indefinitely.

Insp Gwandu, who first appeared before Gweru magistrate Tavengwa Sangster facing criminal abuse of duty charges as a public officer will be back in court tomorrow. He is on $1000 bail.

The State alleged that Gwandu released a Toyota Hilux Raider to businessman Mr Shepherd Tundiya without following due process.

The court heard that Mr Tundiya was arrested in October after having been suspected of driving a stolen vehicle which did not have registration numbers.

The vehicle was taken to CID Gweru where the accused is the Officer-in-Charge. It is alleged that the accused and other junior police officers checked the vehicle in the Interpol database which is installed in his office.

The database showed that the vehicle might have been stolen from Mr Thomas Blom in South Africa.

Mr Tundiya was subsequently charged with theft of motor vehicle. However, Mr Tundiya was acquitted on 13 December but was not given an order as to the disposal of the vehicle.

It was heard that the police had not initially handed over the vehicle documents and information to the Clerk of Court to enable the court to issue the order of disposition.

On 14 December, the court heard, the accused person released the vehicle which the South African Police Service were coming to identify.

Mr Tundiya has told the court that he bought the vehicle from a car dealer Mr Patrick Mutodi in Harare. He said he was also a victim in the event that the car was stolen.

Tundiya was recently accused of trying to extract a bribe from Bulawayo businessman, James Goddard ostensibly on behalf of Temba Mliswa with three other MPs.

The other MPs, who were implicated were Binga North MP Prince Dubeko Sibanda (MDC), Magwegwe MP Anele Ndebele (MDC), and Gokwe Kabuyuni MP Leonard Chikomba (Zanu PF), but they have all since been cleared by Parliament.

The MPs were then members of the mines portfolio committee, and it was alleged that they had promised to award Goddard lucrative contracts with Hwange Colliery Company Limited (HCCL) on condition he parted with $400 000.

Parliament’s privileges committee chairperson Fortune Charumbira who presented the report on investigations into the issue in the National Assembly said during the probe Tundiya was described as a ‘conman’.

Tundiya was also implicated in a forensic audit report on HCCL carried out by Reynolds Tendai Muza.

He was accused of extorting HCCL of1003 tonnes of coal worth US$17 000, which he was supposed to deliver to the Zimbabwe Power Company but he converted it to personal use.

Tundiya also allegedly masqueraded as an official in the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) who was sent by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to sort out the mess at the coal mine.

GWANDA Rural District Council (RDC) will introduce licences that will be issued to individuals intending to harvest amacimbi under areas of its jurisdiction as a way of monetising the venture.

In an interview, chief executive officer Mr Ronnie Sibanda said this came after a realisation of how much amacimbi harvesters were also contributing to environmental degradation.

“People coming to collect mopane worms for the past years have been damaging the environment by cutting down mopane trees in order to access amacimbi resulting in massive deforestation. By introducing licences this will be a conservatory measure to the trees because if they continue acting in the same manner, we might not have these delicacies in the coming 10 years,” said Mr Sibanda.

He said the licences will also speak on issues to do with hygiene.

“People collecting amacimbi throw waste randomly. They throw litter everywhere and this does not only affect the environment but it also affects our livestock as cattle sometimes eat plastics,” said Mr Sibanda.

He said this year there has been a low number of people who have come to the district to harvest amacimbi.

“Gwanda is known as the hub of amacimbi but this year there were very few harvesters compared to the previous years because of low rainfall that also came late. We usually harvest these delicacies in early December but this time we started beginning of January with harvesters from other provinces as well. We are hoping that in April it will be better since they are two phases,” said Mr Sibanda.

Since the beginning of this hundreds of Bulawayo residents have also besieged Mophani area along the Bulawayo-Solusi Road on the outskirts of the city to harvest amacimbi. The amacimbi were discovered by villagers from Danstaal area in Umguza District. By last week people were still flocking to the areas although some indicated that the edible mopane worms were running out in the area.

State Media|THE Government, working with other agencies has unleashed monitors to track the movement and selling of subsided mealie-meal as concerns grow over the continued channelling of the commodity to the black market.

It has also emerged that some retail shops, after receiving subsided mealie meal, will instead of selling it to the public, use it to cook isitshwala/sadza and sell to customers at their “restaurant” sections.

Sunday News discovered that some of the shops also work with informal traders who get first preference and “loot” the commodity and sell it on the streets and makeshift shops for cash.

The Government announced a mealie-meal subsidy to cushion the general public, resulting in retailers being compelled to sell a 10 kilogramme bag at $50.

However, despite constant supply, the subsidised mealie-meal is rarely found in most shops but is readily available on the black market where it is sold for between $70 and $75 in cash only.  In Bulawayo, the mealie-meal is readily availed at the vegetable market area in the city centre.

The development has seen long queues in major retail shops in the city centre on occasions when the subsidised mealie-meal is sold.

Both the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers confirmed yesterday that they were on the ground and shops found on the wrong side of the law will be blacklisted.

“The Ministry of Industry and Commerce is also working closely with the Confederation of Retailers Association of Zimbabwe and the president, Mr (Denford) Mutashu has assured that in order to protect the consumer they are monitoring the retail shops to ensure that mealie-meal is not only available but is also sold at the subsidised price of $50 per 10kg and is distributed to all Zimbabweans fairly,” Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Sekai Nzenza said in a statement released to Sunday News. CZR president Mr Mutashu said the association was visiting some of its members to see how they were selling the commodity.

“We are working together with the ministry to monitor the movement of mealie-meal, roller meal to be specific from the time it leaves the miller up to the time the retailer receives it. So, we are working on a joint programme where we also engage grain millers.

“Also, on our part basically what we will be doing we will also visit some millers to check on accountability and also visit some of the retailers and wholesalers to check on transparency, on how they are selling the mealie meal to the public.

“We will also come up with a monitoring system by designing a form that the miller will enter the quantities that they have dispatched. They will indicate the store that the mealie-meal will be delivered to and the store will also fill-up (a form) to confirm receipt of same quantities, just to make sure we remove the blame game (between the two parties) that has been going on before. We will know if there is side marketing of the product in a locality. We can easily identify that it is either the retailer, wholesaler, trader or it is the miller who has diverted the product but so far we are basing our trust in ensuring that we are all in for the people to benefit out of our actions and ensure fair distribution of the product across the country,” he said.

Mr Mutashu said it has come to their attention that management at a number of shops were deliberately diverting the mealie-meal to the black market without shop owners’ consent.

“We have also identified that in some areas there were some malpractices that do not involve the owner of the store but involved managers who divert the product without the knowledge of the owner. For most of the formal big chain stores it is very easy to check because they have in their system a list of bags that they would have sold in their till just like the system that Zimra (Zimbabwe Revenue Authority) has implemented in collecting revenue through the fiscalisation device.

“So the store system can be used to pick the number of bags, which could have gone through every till and from that end we can easily go to a retailer, request a stock sheet that highlights the number of bags received and sold and you can also be able to pick where the manager or store has sold more than the  expected quantity to an individual trader or individual customer, so these are some of the issues that we have discussed and agreed with the Minister, Dr Nzenza,” he said.

Mr Mutashu said any retailer and miller found liable to any malpractice would be black-listed from receiving supplies.

“We have also agreed with the millers that a retailer who will be found wanting will not receive the commodity. The retailer will be black-listed while the millers have also confirmed to us that if a miller has been found side marketing the product, that miller will also be black-listed and will not receive the grain. These are some of the areas that we feel if we work together as a country, we can be able to ensure that mealie-meal as a subsidised product and key to food security gets to the people of Zimbabwe,” he said.

Zimbabwe’s annual maize consumption stands at 1,8 million tonnes and by October this year, the country needed 800 000 tonnes to cover a gap in maize supplies until the next harvest.  In September last year the country took delivery of the first batch of the 17 000 tonnes of the 100 000 tonnes of maize imported from Tanzania that Government paid for as part of its efforts to alleviate food shortages brought about by the drought.

However, there has been a critical shortage of mealie-meal in the country with Government attributing it to failure by some companies to deliver, leading to panic buying and hoarding.

“However, this has since been resolved as Government is augmenting local production with maize grain imports. As of yesterday, the Ministry verified with GMB (Grain Marketing Board) that maize grain is available. The import deliveries have been coming on a daily basis and are expected to alleviate the mealie-meal shortage,” said Dr Nzenza.

Independent consumer rights organisation, National Consumer Rights Association (Nacora) advocacy advisor, Mr Effie Ncube said reports of hoarding and over pricing of mealie-meal by some unscrupulous businesses was tantamount to unethical business conduct, urging the Government to institute an investigation and bring the perpetrators to book.