Zim Update

[Simon Spooner]

More Zanu-PF chefs face axe: More heads are set to roll in Zanu-PF, with the party’s political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere yesterday warning that more purges are looming, as a new wave of factionalism threatens to ravage the former liberation movement. Addressing a campaign rally in Tafara-Mabvuku, where he was drumming up support for the party’s parliamentary candidate for Harare East, Terrence Mukupe, Kasukuwere described himself as the biggest political thug in the party. “I am one of the biggest political thugs in Zanu-PF and some of these people are small thugs,” he said, the clearest sign yet that all was not well in the ruling party. “They should come to the ground and we fight before the people.” Without mentioning names, Kasukuwere hinted that those opposed to him were on the verge of being expelled – NewsDay, Thursday May 21

 

VP Mphoko attends Parliament after outcry: Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko yesterday made a surprise entrance in the National Assembly minutes after his co-VP Emmerson Mnangagwa had taken all questions without notice. Last week there was commotion after opposition MPs complained about Mphoko’s non-attendance of Parliament during question-and-answer sessions. Opposition MPs cheered when the VP entered the House with Kuwadzana East MP Nelson Chamisa (MDC-T) making a short welcome speech. Mphoko sat briefly for about 20 minutes before leaving the chamber. Meanwhile, Mkoba MP Amos Chibaya asked Mnangagwa to explain to the House if failure by the government to fill in the posts of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development minister and other deputy ministerial positions was due to cost cutting measures that Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa recently announced. Rumours have been doing the rounds that First Lady Grace Mugabe was eyeing the post. Mnangagwa avoided answering the question saying it was in Chinamasa’s purview. However, Chinamasa said it was not part of his duties to appoint ministers, adding his mandate was only to provide the resources after new appointments – NewsDay, Thursday May 21

 

Mugabe gets ‘worst leader award’: President Mugabe has been described as one of Africa’s worst leaders and equated to Burundi leader Pierre Nkurunziza who is presently facing fierce resistance to his plans to run for a third term. Addressing stakeholders at the Mandela Washington Fellowship discussion forum on pitfalls of leadership in Johannesburg on Tuesday, renowned South African political analyst Moeletsi Mbeki reportedly said Mugabe and Nkurunziza deserved the “bad leaders’ awards”, as they had proved to be bad in leadership, but good in clinging onto power. Moeletsi, younger brother of former South African President Thabo Mbeki, is the deputy chairman of an independent think-tank, South African Institute of International Affairs. The issue could spark a diplomatic row with Harare, as the US Embassy in Harare tweeted: “Moeletsi Mbeki gives awards on bad leadership (and) the gold awards are shared between Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi sharing with Mugabe.” Media, Information and Broadcasting Services minister Jonathan Moyo reacted angrily to the tweet, describing the move by the US Embassy as undiplomatic – NewsDay, Thursday May 21

 

MP queries Mugabe failure to address state of the nation: Failure by President Mugabe to appear before Parliament to give a state of the nation address for several years now was yesterday questioned by Harare West MP Jessie Majome in the National Assembly. Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa was asked to explain to the House reasons why Mugabe had not for several years adhered to the Constitutional provision (section 140) which stipulated that the president must address a joint sitting of the Houses to give a state of the nation address. Speaker of the National Assembly quickly interjected in Mugabe’s defence saying the Constitution did not say the President “must”, but said “may” attend. Mnangagwa said he was already in discussion with Mugabe over the issue – NewsDay, Thursday May 21

 

MDC-T blasts Moyo ‘terror campaign’: Villagers in Tsholotsho North constituency have accused Zanu-PF parliamentary candidate Jonathan Moyo of coercing them to attend his campaign rallies. The villagers claimed early this week village heads were on Saturday and Sunday summoned to Chief Mathuphula’s homestead, where they were ordered to monitor their subjects’ voting patterns in the forthcoming June 10 by-elections. The village heads were reportedly told to keep a register of their subjects and instruct them to vote for Moyo. However, Moyo yesterday denied the claim, saying: “I have no authority or power or desire to do that.” But MDC-T sources said village heads were ordered to follow the directive or risk unspecified action – Southern Eye, Thursday May 21

 

MDC-T dismisses defections: The opposition MDC-T has dismissed claims that 50 of its youths in Makokoba, Bulawayo, had defected to the ruling Zanu-PF. MDC-T Bulawayo deputy spokesperson Felix Magalela Mafa Sibanda yesterday said there was no way his party members could “opt for a party that is already dead”. State media reports last week claimed that MDC-T youths had defected during a Zanu-PF rally at McDonalds Hall in Makokoba in protest against the opposition party’s decision to boycott the June 10 by-elections – Southern Eye, Thursday May 21

 

Opposition disappointed by slow Constitution implementation: Opposition political parties are disappointed by the Zanu-PF government’s slow pace at implementing the new Constitution 2 years after its adoption, especially with regards to alignment of laws to the charter, devolution of State authority and protection of personal freedoms. MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu said his party, the official opposition in the 8^th Parliament, was disappointed by the Zanu-PF regime’s deliberate decision to slowly implement the Constitution – NewsDay, Thursday May 21

Zanu-PF youths fight as divisions escalate: Tempers are flaring in Zanu-PF ahead of the June 10 Mbizo constituency by-election with some ruling party youths assaulting their colleagues for allegedly supporting the “wrong candidate”. Clever Banda, the Zanu-PF secretary of lands in Chitepo district, together with 4 others on the run allegedly beat up Edmore Mutsigwa for supporting the official Zanu-PF candidate Vongaishe Mupereri. Banda appeared in court last Monday facing assault and malicious damage to property charges after he attacked Mutsigwa at his Mbizo shop over his loyalty to Mupereri. Zanu-PF supporters were torn between the official candidate and former Zanu-PF strongman Onismo Zhavairo who stood in the polls as an independent in protest against alleged imposition of Mupereri – NewsDay, Thursday May 21

 

Kasukuwere goes berserk: Zanu-PF’s deadly factional and succession wars rose a notch higher yesterday when embattled national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere made sensational claims that some of his senior party colleagues were brazen thieves and criminals who were robbing the poor blind. Addressing supporters at a rally in the capital city to drum up support for Zanu-PF Harare East by-election candidate Terence Mukupe, the angry Kasukuwere – reeling from the party’s intractable infighting that has lately seen him being accused of having designs at President Mugabe’s and VP Emmerson Mnangagwa’s positions – shot from the hip, threatening that some officials would be expelled from the party soon. Party insiders last night claimed that it was clear that “the stress is getting to Kasukuwere” and that the diatribe was directed at secretary for administration Ignatius Chombo – given the opposing positions that the 2 men had taken over the party’s representation in the divisive Harare East party primaries – Daily News, Thursday May 21

 

Chiyangwa scoffs at $500k damages suit: Philip Chiyangwa, the Zanu- PF central committee member, has dismissed, as out of hand, two villagers’ accusations that the flamboyant businessman assaulted them. Two Hurungwe villagers are suing the Native Investments Africa Group founder for $250 000 each over an alleged assault they suffered at the hands of the business tycoon. The two villagers said in their letter of demand Chiyangwa assaulted them on April 26 at Nyamhunga Primary School during a Zanu-PF meeting. Through his lawyers Mutangamira and Associates, Chiyangwa said Hurungwe West headman Aleck Munhava and villager Morgan Gora’s allegations were “bizarre and laughable” – Daily News, Thursday May 21

 

Chamisa proposes Parliament relocate to Midlands: MDC-T legislator for Kuwadzana East Nelson Chamisa on Tuesday proposed that Parliamnet be relocated to a central position in the Midlands. Chamisa made the suggestion in Parliament while debating a motion by the Welshman Ncube-led MDC MP Priscilla-Misihairambwi Mushonga calling on government to introduce a quota system at tertiary institutions. Chamisa said in the spirit of devolution of power as enunciated in Section 125 of the new Constitution, there was need for government to revisit the location of national institutions – Daily News, Thursday May 21

 

‘Mugabe to address nation soon’: President Mugabe will deliver his belated state of the nation address to Parliament soon, his deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa told the National Assembly yesterday. Responding to a question by Jessie Majome, the MDC-T MP for Harare West, on when Mugabe would deliver the State of the Nation address which he usually presents to a joint sitting of both houses in December, Mnangagwa said he had consulted his boss over the matter. Mnangagwa said Mugabe would make the presentation as soon as he finds the opportunity – Daily News, Thursday May 21

 

Mujuru case collapses: A litany of criminal accusations that were being pursued against Joice Mujuru and Didymus Mutasa seem to have collapsed before any charges could be preferred against them, an indication that investigations into their conduct might have failed to fish out something that could stick against the former Zanu-PF lynchpins. 2 months after Zimbabwe’s first female vice president was unceremoniously booted out of office at the height of one of Zanu-PF’s biggest internal purges since independence in 1980 over alleged graft and a plot to assassinate President Mugabe, Mujuru is yet to be arrested. Wallowing in the political wilderness along with Mujuru, is Zanu-PF’s former secretary for administration, Mutasa, who is also walking scot-free despite the hullabaloo by his former colleagues in the party who had hoped to nail him on a wide range of allegations. The development appears to confirm suspicions that these were just political charges that were merely meant to hound Mujuru and her allies out of office and into political oblivion. President Mugabe’s spokesperson George Charamba had hinted as much when the purge targeting Mujuru and her contingent of backers gathered storm – Fingaz, Thursday May 21

 

Zanu-PF falls afoul of its own Constitution: The ruling party’s most influential organ, the Politburo, has so far skipped one meeting, while the Central Committee is still to meet ever since it was constituted last December, highlighting the intensity of the confusion gripping Zanu-PF in the wake of infighting among its officials. Despite the undercurrents ravaging the party’s structures throughout the country, the Politburo – Zanu-PF’s highest decision-making organ in between congresses – has not met since March when it expelled former vice president Joice Mujuru on allegations that she was plotting to topple President Mugabe from power. The organ is supposed to meet monthly. The Central Committee, which is the party’s principal decision-making organ, has also not met since it was constituted at congress last December despite the fact that the party’s constitution stipulates that it should meet quarterly – Fingaz, Thursday May 21

 

Poll boycott divides MDC Renewal Team: The MDC Renewal Team was this week thrown into turmoil after the party’s Bulawayo provincial chairperson, Amen Mpofu, threw in the towel because of disagreements over the party’s decision to boycott the upcoming by-elections. Mpofu’s shock resignation, a few months after he was elected chairperson, thrust the year-old party into panic and dampened its bid to claim Bulawayo province, which has been a prized bastion of support for the rival Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) led by Morgan Tsvangirai. Mpofu’s surprise resignation was in protest over the MDC Renewal Team’s decision to boycott by-elections in 14 constituencies, set for June 10. “I’m no longer part of MDC Renewal Team, but I still respect them. I quit because I am an honest person who isn’t power-hungry. I couldn’t continue working with people whom I don’t share the same views with,” he said – Fingaz, Thursday May 21

 

Riot police descend on Green Fuel: Chaos reigned last week at Chisumbanje ethanol plant after Green Fuel called in riot police to disperse its employees who were on strike over the non-payment of salaries. The workers have gone for seven months without pay. Deployed from Changazi Support Unit camp in Birchenough Bridge two days after the strike broke out last week Wednesday, the riot police wasted no time in throwing teargas and using batons to disperse the workers. Over 500 workers had downed tools and camped at the country’s sole ethanol producer demanding their dues.

Though no official number of injured workers could be established, several employees suffered injuries of varying degrees – Fingaz, Thursday May 21

 

President scoffs at Khama ‘tiff’: President Mugabe has dismissed as mere speculation reports by media in Zimbabwe and Botswana of a tiff between him and Botswana President Lieut-General Seretse Khama Ian Khama, saying the two were great friends and colleagues whose relationship has come a long way. Responding to a question by a journalist in Gaborone yesterday, the Sadc chairperson, who is coincidentally deputised by President Khama, said the war between them was a figment of the media’s imagination. “We have had good relations all along. I don’t know where this nonsense comes from. We don’t push each other at all. It’s the journalists who push us out,” President Mugabe said as he laughed off the claim that the two were sworn enemies. Media reports last month had it that the two had an altercation during the Extraordinary Summit held in Harare which allegedly resulted in President Khama leaving in a huff. But President Mugabe said there was no such incident. In fact, he said, President Khama had told him before the meeting that he would need to be excused for another engagement. President Mugabe said his Botswana counterpart used to visit Zimbabwe to meet with him and army generals to exchange notes even before he became president. In fact, the two held a private lunch yesterday at State House when President Mugabe paid a courtesy call – Herald, Thursday May 21

 

 

 

 

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[Simon Spooner]

‘Plot to arrest’ Mnangagwa: A clique in the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) was planning to arrest Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa as factional wars intensified in the ruling Zanu PF party ahead of its December congress, documents obtained by NewsDay allege. Mnangagwa was locked in a fierce battle with former Vice-President Joice Mujuru to succeed President Mugabe, which culminated in an unprecedented purge that cost Zimbabwe’s first female Vice-President her position. Documents show that ZACC was drawn into the battle between Mnangagwa and Mujuru and allegedly plotted to arrest the Justice minister for undisclosed corruption charges. Disgruntled ZACC officials on February 25 wrote to Mnangagwa alerting him to the alleged plot. The officials accused ZACC acting boss Senior Assistant Commissioner Silence Pondo of working with Mujuru to bring down the Vice-President. Mujuru and Pondo yesterday dismissed the allegations contained in the letter saying they were cooked up – NewsDay, Friday May 22

 

Mliswa tears into Mujuru: former Zanu-PF Mashonaland West chairman Temba Mliswa yesterday tore into former Vice-President Joice Mujuru for failing to defend former ruling party officials who were purged for allegedly supporting her. Addressing a Press conference in Harare, Mliswa, who is contesting the Hurungwe West June 10 by-election as an independent candidate following his expulsion from Zanu-PF, blasted Mujuru for keeping her supporters in the dark over her future political plans. Mliswa was fired alongside Mujuru and 16 ministers and deputies on charges of plotting to remove President Mugabe from power unconstitutionally. The purge affected several top party officials including nine provincial chairpersons perceived to be part of the alleged plot. Mliswa charged that Mujuru should have stood up for axed officials and stopped the expulsions. “Mai Mujuru has been quiet, but I believe in leaders who stand up for the people,” Mliswa said. “If you go through a list of the number of people who suffered because of her, they are many. I sat down with my uncle (Didymus Mutasa) and said you were part of the (Zanu PF) politburo and when I was suspended what did you say? What did Mujuru say to defend me if people said I belonged to her? What did Simon Khaya Moyo (Zanu-PF spokesperson) say since he was part of us?” He said leaders should be ready to stand for the people – NewsDay, Friday May 22

 

Zanu-PF Harare East war far from over: The Zanu-PF turf war on who should represent the ruling party in Harare East by-elections on June 10 looks far from being resolved after it emerged yesterday that disqualified candidate Mavis Gumbo had not yet formally withdrawn her candidature. This is despite the fact that the party last week ordered Gumbo to step down and make way for career banker Terrence Mukupe. Zanu-PF sources said yesterday that Gumbo’s supporters were distributing her campaign flyers at Mukupe’s rally in Tafara which was addressed by commissar Saviour Kasukuwere. “She (Gumbo) is yet to withdraw and continues to campaign in the constituency. It’s a difficult situation for Zanu-PF because besides the pronouncements at rallies and in the newspapers, Gumbo has not been notified officially of the party’s position,” a source close to the developments said yesterday – NewsDay, Friday May 22

Zanu-PF expels 7, suspends 13: Zanu-PF yesterday expelled 7 more members, while 13 others were suspended for 5 years as the revolutionary party continues to rid itself of people linked to the sacked Vice President Joice Mujuru-led cabal that sought to topple President Mugabe ahead of the 6th National People’s Congress last year. In Mashonaland East, those expelled from the party were former provincial chairman Ray Kaukonde and former Women Affairs secretary for the commissariat Olivia Muchena, while in Masvingo former secretary for production and labour Dzikamai Mavhaire, former deputy secretary for economic affairs Kudakwashe Bhasikiti and former Central Committee member Claudius Makova were also booted out. In Mashonaland Central, Mbire National Assembly representative David Butau and an official, Kudakwashe Gope, were also kicked out. The expulsions and suspensions were announced by Zanu-PF secretary for information and publicity Simon Khaya Moyo soon after a meeting of the ruling party’s Politburo last night. Khaya Moyo said the seven were expelled after the Politburo endorsed the recommendations of the National Disciplinary Committee. Those given five-year suspensions include former Politburo member Tendai Savanhu, former Central Committee members Noah Mangondo and Munyaradzi Banda, former provincial chairman Amos Midzi and former deputy provincial chairman Christopher Chigumba, while in Manicaland another former Politburo member Munacho Mutezo was also suspended. In Mashonaland Central, Dougmore Chimukoko, a former political commissar in Mazowe District, was also given a 5-year suspension, while in the Midlands former Politburo member Flora Bhuka and former provincial chairman Jaison Machaya were also suspended for the same period. In Masvingo, former provincial chairman Killian Gwanetsa and former provincial political commissar Tranos Huruba were also suspended for 5 years while Chiratidzo Mabuwa, who is the Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce and hails from the Midlands, was given a 3-year suspension. Khaya Moyo, however, said those suspended remained party members. Meanwhile, the Politburo endorsed Terrence Mukupe as the party’s candidate for the Harare East by-election – Herald, Friday May 22

 

Ndlovu leaps to Moyo’s defence: Former Education minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu has leapt to Information minister Jonathan Moyo’s defence saying the Zanu-PF strategist’s sentiments on President Mugabe’s succession were spot on. Moyo ruffled feathers in Zanu-PF on Monday when he told the BBC that Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa was not guaranteed to succeed Mugabe. The minister said Mnangagwa had been handpicked to assist Mugabe fulfil his mandate not to succeed the 91-year-old leader. Moyo’s remarks were condemned by the Vice-President’s allies who said they felt he was ruling the Midlands strongman out of the race to succeed Mugabe who is nearing the end of his political career. Ndlovu, one of the remaining senior former Zapu officials still in Zanu PF, said the talk of a Mugabe successor were premature  – Southern Eye, Friday May 22

 

MDC-T denies bribing MDC Renewal members: The main opposition MDC-T has dismissed claims that it was bribing MDC Renewal Team members in Matabeleland North to defect. MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu yesterday said the MDC Renewal Team had suffered a still birth and was now concocting membership bribery claims in order to divert attention from its problems – Southern Eye, Friday May 22

Zim prisons ‘torture camps’: Main opposition MDC-T MP Alexio Musundire (Zengeza East) yesterday equated the conditions at the country’s prisons to terrorist groups Boko Haram and ISIS torture bases. Musundire made the remarks while introducing a motion on prison conditions. “Our prisoners are fed with soup from boiled pumpkins and sometimes sadza without relish, prison garb is tattered, cells are filthy and are breeding ground for skin diseases and tuberculosis, which contravenes the provisions of the Constitution and United Nations human rights principles,” Musundire said. “If we compare our prison to those in the region, one would find that Zimbabwe’s prisons are equivalent to those of Boko Haram and ISIS which do not abide by international norms and standards.” Musundire said he had evidence that one of the prisoners who was said to have died during the stampede had been tortured – NewsDay, Friday May 22

Media players divided on regulation: Stakeholders in the media industry are currently divided over the type of regulation that should guide them with those in the private media supporting voluntary self-regulation while State media players want co-regulation. The divisions emerged when media players debated the options during a stakeholders’ meeting with the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Media, Information and Broadcasting Services in Harare on Wednesday when the majority in the audience supported self-regulation currently being co-ordinated by the Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ). However, there were others who strongly argued that self-regulation was not effective in enforcing its judgments. They proposed, therefore, to have co-regulation which involves self-regulation and statutory regulation as an appeals body. Recommendations about co-regulation in Zimbabwe were that VMCZ would come in as partner to the State-controlled Zimbabwe Media Commission – NewsDay, Friday May 22

 

Another night of long knives as Zanu-PF boots out more bigwigs: A Zanu-PF politburo member wondered resignedly whether any party official would still be “standing” by the end of the year after the warring ruling party moved to expel and suspend more of its bigwigs from within its ranks on suspicions that they were loyal to ousted former VP Joice Mujuru. As long predicted, among those summarily booted out at the party’s lengthy politburo  meeting in Harare yesterday were former Zanu-PF Mashonaland East chairperson Ray Kaukonde, former Cabinet minister Olivia Muchena, former Masvingo resident minister Kudakwashe Bhasikiti and prominent Mujuru ally David Butau. The luckier targeted members such as former ministers Nicholas Goche, Jason Machaya and Munacho Mutezo, as well as senior officials that include Tendai Savanhu, Flora Buka and Noah Mangondo were suspended from the party for 5 years   – Daily News, Thursday May 22

 

Mliswa reiterates Kasukuwere claims: Firebrand Hurungwe West independent candidate Temba Mliswa yesterday reiterated his allegations against Water minister Saviour Kasukuwere and several other Cabinet ministers that they are homosexuals. Mliswa also claimed while addressing the media in Harare that he had evidence about Kasukuwere’s gay activities, adding that because the 2 men were once close friends and used to travel together, he could furnish the said evidence. The outspoken politician also claimed that he was once a fitness trainer for the youthful minister and quit doing so for reasons that he would present in court – Daily News, Thursday May 22

 

Date set for Muchechetere’s hearing: The Constitutional Court will hear suspended Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation chief executive Happison Muchechetere’s appeal on May 27. Muchechetere is being charged with contravening sections of the procurement Act after purchasing an outside broadcasting van from China without going to tender. His argument is that the charge should fall away because it is defective and invalid since ZBC was not a procuring entity. In submissions field by Muchechetere’s lawyers, he objects to the charge he is facing as disclosing no offence recognizable at law – Daily News, Thursday May 22

 

Maridadi steals limelight from Chombo, Kasukuwere: Mabvuku-Tafara MDC-T legislator James Maridadi stole the limelight from senior Zanu-PF leaders at a Lafarge function in his constituency on Wednesday. Water minister Saviour Kasukuwere and Local Government minister had earlier dominated the proceedings, but soon turned spectators after Maridadi sauntered into the function when it was about to end. Most of the residents at the meeting rose up and chanted “MP MP MP” as Maridadi made his way to the high table. A shocked Chombo chuckled “isupport iyi (this is support)”, with a beaming Maridadi waving to the crowd – Daily News, Thursday May 22

 

Mphoko fights Mnangagwa over Mugabe succession: Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko sought to gather damning dossiers of information to expose and nail co-Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa over his role in Gukurahundi massacres as part of his campaign to discredit potential rivals in the cutthroat race to succeed President Mugabe well before his current appointment. This was after the publishing of an article by Kent State University Professor Timothy Scarnecchia titled Rationalising Gukurahundi: Cold War and South African Foreign Relations with Zimbabwe, 1981-1983, which exposed how Mugabe’s government in the 1980s collaborated with apartheid South Africa on Gukurahundi massacres for different agendas and ends in the context of regional geo-politics and cold war dynamics. In the aftermath of the publication of the article in September 2013 and its re-run by the United Kingdom based NewZimbabwe.com, Mphoko called the editors of the online news site saying he found the article very interesting and revealing. Intelligence sources this week said Mphoko made the calls from South Africa where he was serving as Zimbabwe’s ambassador – Independent, Friday May 22

 

Mnangagwa demands security purges: Amid renewed intense factional fights in Zanu-PF, Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa is reportedly moving to consolidate his power base by piling pressure for security sector changes in addition to the sustained push for Cabinet reshuffle. Sources said security service chiefs, particularly Central Intelligence Organisation Director General Happyton Bonyongwe, Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri, Air Marshal Perence Shiri and Prisons Commissioner General Retired Major General Paradzai Zimondi, are facing purging as Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his allies push for their removal. The most vulnerable of them all appears to be Chihuri and Bonyongwe – Independent, Friday May 22

 

Mujuru charges political banter, says Jonathan Moyo: A series of serious allegations levelled against ousted former Vice President Joice Mujuru in the run up to the Zanu-PF December congress which was rocked by intense succession squabbles appear to have been fabricated as widely suspected following Information minister Jonathan Moyo’s admission that the accusations that there was a plot to kill President Mugabe was “political banter”. In an interview with the BBC’s HARDtalk programme broadcast this week, Moyo dismissed the allegations as “political banter” – Independent, Friday May 22

 

Mujuru purge fails to end Zanu-PF’s power struggle: Just 5 months after the controversial Zanu-PF congress and contrary to assertions by the party hierarchy that factionalism would be extinguished following the removal and subsequent expulsion of former vice-president Joice Mujuru and her top allies, fissures are deepening within the party due to swirling speculation President Mugabe will for health or old age reasons fail to complete his term or resign before his tenure expires. It is now patently clear factionalism is deeply rooted in Zanu PF at all levels as a result of succession manoeuvres spawned by the perennial question of who will succeed Mugabe which remains unanswered. While the 2014 congress succeeded in getting rid of Mujuru as Mugabe’s deputy in the party and government, along with ministers and other high-ranking politicians aligned to her through suspensions and expulsions, it did not address the root cause of factionalism – the unresolved succession conundrum  – Independent, Friday May 22

 

Mujuru accused of grabbing land from her neighbours: Former Vice President Joice Mujuru has been accused of annexing 85 hectares of land from neighbours at her Alamein Farm in Beatrice, depriving the owners of their tobacco barns, sheds and farm worker’s houses. Sources in Beatrice said this week Mujuru was in the process of fencing off land at Geluk Farm which borders the property where her husband, retired General Solomon Mujuru died in mysterious inferno in 2011 – Independent, Friday May 22

 

‘Mukupe a smuggled candidate’: The Zanu-PF Harare East Parliamentary candidate saga that has been raging for about a month began after the party’s national elections directorate added Terrence Mukupe unto the list of candidates for primary elections after the provincial election directorate had disqualified him. Documents show Mukupe was disqualified at a provincial meeting on April 8, alongside 14 other party members – Independent, Friday May 22

 

Zanu-PF Youth League in a housing scandal: The Zanu-PF Youth League’s Harare province has been sucked into the Glen Norah Housing Consortium co-operative scandal in which its members led by Godfrey Gomwe are accused of extorting close to $45 000 from the scheme under the pretext of protecting them from rogue party youths. Sources said Gomwe and other youths have been extorting them of thousands of dollars ostensibly for stopping their colleagues from taking over the land that belongs to the consortium – Independent, Friday May 22

[Simon Spooner]

Showdown in Harare South . . . Consortium, Chiyangwa square off: A housing consortium that settled over 8 000 people at Odar Farm in Harare South, commonly known as Southlea Park, has resisted efforts by Philip Chiyangwa’s Pinnacle Property Holdings to demand compensation from it after government returned the farm and two others to the property tycoon. The consortium, comprising 56 corporates, said the decision by the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing to return the farms to Chiyangwa was “null and void” as both the Administrative Court and Supreme Court had confirmed compulsory acquisition of the properties. It questioned Chiyangwa’s authority to reclaim title to the farms, that from the time of acquisition were represented by the Zimbabwe Tobacco Association. This followed a letter written by Chiyangwa informing the consortium’s executive that they stood dissolved, adding that the collection of money from stand holders was illegal from the onset. Chiyangwa had also threatened to evict stand holders that were not willing to subject themselves to Sensene, a subsidiary of Pinnacle Holdings – Herald, Wednesday May 27

 

Jittery Zanu-PF courts Mliswa: In a surprising turn of events, a panic stricken Zanu-PF, apparently acting through VP Emmerson Mnangagwa, has twice dispatched emissaries to outspoken former Hurungwe West legislator Temba Mliswa in a bid to persuade the maverick politician to withdraw his candidature for the seat ahead of the June 10 by-election. Mliswa – who was unceremoniously booted out of the ruling party earlier this year, together with a number of other Zanu-PF bigwigs, on perceptions that he was an ally of former VP Joice Mujuru – is said to still enjoy considerable support in Hurungwe. Well-placed sources yesterday, claimed that this assumed popularity, as well as the fact that Mliswa allegedly had in his possession “deadly arsenal of damning information” against his rival Zanu-PF candidate in the by-election, Keith Guzah, is what had prompted the ruling party to reach out to him – Daily News, Wednesday May 27

 

Tshinga Dube seeks prayers: Makokoba constituency parliamentary aspirant, Rtd colonel Tshinga Dube, on Monday took his campaign a notch up when he invited churches to pray for him to win the seat that has eluded him for the past two decades. About 18 local churches were represented during a poorly-attended rally at Stanley Square where VP Phelekezela Mphoko was the guest of honour. With most of the church members drawn from different denominations, Mphoko pleaded with them to fast and pray to ensure this time around Dube gets the sole ticket to Parliament – Daily News, Wednesday May 27

 

‘Hold Zanu-PF accountable’: Former Finance minister Tendai Biti has accused president Mugabe’s ruling Zanu-PF of crimes against humanity in its three decades-plus rule. Biti, who was the guest of honour in Bulawayo on Monday at the on-going Africa Day roundtable organised by Bulawayo Agenda, said Zanu-PF had a case to answer. Asked whether he felt pity for his successor Patrick Chinamasa who appears to be struggling to bring sanity to the country’s dire financial situation, Biti said; ”I don’t feel pity for a group of people who actually spend every day planning for the lot of Africans to suffer more. You hear politburo meetings lasted 12 hours, Mugabe went home to sleep at 3am discussing no development, no jobs but how to fire the Gamatox and no progress” – Daily News, Wednesday May 27

 

 

Harare Council bans foreign trips: The financially hamstrung Harare City Council has suspended all foreign trips and local workshops by councillors and officials as a cost- cutting measure to save money for workers’ salaries. The city has been struggling to pay workers’ salaries as well as provide basic services, with human capital and public safety director, Cainos Chingombe, last week announcing that they had managed to pay January 2015 salaries for all grades and February salaries for Grades 14 to 16 only. Human resources and general purposes committee chairperson Wellington Chikombo said the move was a cost containment measure to enable the city to channel revenue to pressing areas – Herald, Wednesday May 27

 

Zapu attacks MDC-T boycott campaign: MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s “No Reforms, No Election” campaign in areas where other opposition parties have fielded candidates for the June 10 by-elections could endanger an envisaged grand coalition. A senior official in the Dumiso Dabengwa-led Zapu yesterday warned that the former Prime Minister’s “contradictory behaviour” had serious repercussions on efforts to find common ground by opposition forces ahead of the 2018 elections. “Tsvangirai is sending wrong signals through his ‘No Reforms, No Election’ campaigns in areas he is aware that opposition parties have fielded candidates,” the Zapu official said on condition of anonymity. “If he was a man seeking out others, who wants to co-operate and work together for the democratisation of the country, one would have expected him to either urge his supporters to vote for our candidates or better still stay away and shut up than come in and campaign for ballot spoiling. It is his contradictory nature that at times can be very difficult to understand and for any rational person to put up with” – NewsDay, Wednesday May 27

Tsvangirai claims Zanu-PF is making secret overtures: Opposition MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai has said some Zanu-PF officials are secretly engaging him on his party’s decision to boycott by-elections and future elections before desired reforms are implemented. Tsvangirai made the claim while addressing a No Reforms No Elections rally in Kuwadzana, Harare, on Sunday where he also distanced his party from independent candidates that were reportedly trying to ride on the MDC-T. The MDC-T is boycotting the forthcoming by-elections and any other future polls on the grounds that the electoral process was flawed to produce a credible outcome. According to the MDC-T, their decision is meant to apply pressure on the Zanu-PF government so that it considers amending the Electoral Act to make it acceptable to all political parties. “They will definitely come. They have nowhere to go. I am telling you that soon I will be meeting with some of them who will be saying what should we do now. But our message is without reforms, no elections,” Tsvangirai told the cheering crowd – NewsDay, Wednesday May 27

‘Don’t rule out Mujuru in Mugabe succession’: Top academic Ibbo Mandaza has said people should not rule out the possibility of ousted former Vice-President Joice Mujuru bouncing back as leader of Zanu-PF and the country despite her recent expulsion from the ruling party. Mandaza’s prediction comes as more and more analysts warn that Zanu-PF was headed for a bloodbath if President Mugabe does not address the issue of his succession as age continues to take a toll on the 91-year-old leader. Mandaza said it would be folly to rule out Mujuru in the succession matrix now in the same way that it was not automatic that Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa would take Mugabe’s crown on a silver platter. He said Zanu-PF would go for a special congress to choose a leader in the event Mugabe dies or is incapacitated, warning “blood and thunder” should be expected – NewsDay, Wednesday May 27

 

Exiled judge forms party: Exiled former High Court judge Justice Benjamin Paradza has joined other Zimbabweans in the Diaspora to form a political party to challenge President Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party. Justice Paradza, who is believed to be a practising lawyer in New Zealand, will be vice-president in a new political outfit, Zimbabweans United for Democracy (Zunde), which will be led by Farai Mbira, who had also been working outside the country. Officially launching the party in Harare yesterday, Mbira said his outfit would work to “pull down Gushungo’s wall”. He said Zanu-PF and current opposition parties had failed Zimbabwe and the new political party would provide the solution to the country’s problems – NewsDay, Wednesday May 27

 

Independent candidates cry foul: Some independent candidates in the June 10 by-elections have accused Zanu-PF members of interfering with their campaign programmes by pulling down their posters in order to close them out of the race. In separate interviews yesterday, independent candidates in Harare said their supporters were also being intimidated by Zanu-PF members. Kuwadzana independent candidate Endai Mugonesa said he had filed several police reports against Zanu-PF candidate Betty Kaseke’s campaign teams for allegedly pulling down his posters. He also decried the abuse of Chinese-donated rice which he said was being distributed along partisan lines. In Highfield West constituency, Tafadzwa Dzumbunu, who is squaring off against Zanu-PF’s Psychology Maziwisa, alleged some ruling party members were intimidating his family members and supporters. Harare East and Hurungwe West independent candidates Farai Kuveya and Temba Mliswa have also raised similar complaints – NewsDay, Wednesday May 27

 

Battle for Kaukonde seat looms: Jostling for the Marondera Central constituency held by former Zanu-PF Mashonaland East chairman Ray Kaukonde has already begun with several ruling party bigwigs reportedly already canvassing for the seat. Kaukonde was last week fired from Zanu-PF together with 6 other senior Zanu-PF officials accused of plotting to oust President Mugabe together with axed former Vice-President Joice Mujuru. A by-election is now imminent in Marondera as Zanu-PF was expected anytime to recall from Parliament Kaukonde together with Mbire legislator David Butau and Mwenezi East MP Kudakwashe Bhasikiti who were part of the seven fired last week. Prominent Marondera businessman and educationist Cleopas Kundiona was reportedly leading the Zanu-PF list of candidates interested in the seat, while former Marondera mayor Farai Nyandoro is set to stand as an independent. Other Zanu-PF stalwarts reportedly eyeing the seat were Jerry Gotora, Richard Mavhunga and Harold Gamu. However, all eyes are on Kundiona who was in July 2013 forced to withdraw from competing with Kaukonde during the Zanu-PF primary elections – NewsDay, Wednesday May 27

 

Sikhanyiso Ndlovu says he is only second to Mugabe: Zanu-PF politburo member Sikhanyiso Ndlovu says in terms of seniority based on age, he is second to President Mugabe and cannot retire because he still has a job to do. Ndlovu told journalists at the Bulawayo Press Club that Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa was a “small boy” when he joined the liberation struggle. “I cannot retire because I still have a job to do. I am 78 years old now,” he said. “In the politburo, Mugabe is 91, the next person is me at 78. I am telling you the truth. Others are young breeds and you can count them from Mnangagwa who admits he was a small boy when we sent him to Cairo for training. I feel very pained because my close colleagues – Nkomo (Joshua), Msika (Joseph) and John (Nkomo), are gone together with several others we were in detention with.” – Southern Eye, Wednesday May 27

 

Biti claims Mnangagwa is worse than Mugabe: Former Finance minister Tendai Biti says African diplomats accredited to Zimbabwe are eager to see Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa succeed President Mugabe. Biti, who is also MDC Renewal Team secretary-general, told an Africa Day meeting in Bulawayo on Monday that some diplomats had confided in him that they preferred Mnangagwa because they believed he had the capacity to turn the economy around. However, Biti said he had advised the envoys that Mnangagwa could be worse than Mugabe – Southern Eye, Wednesday May 27

 

I was a top ‘terrorist’, Mnangagwa: Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Monday reminisced over his time as a political prisoner under colonial rule saying he was forced to use toilet paper as an exercise book. Mnangagwa said he was described as a “top terrorist” by Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith regime during his years in prison, adding he spent most of his time doing correspondence courses. “I was among the first ‘top terrorists’ at the time, kept in leg irons in solitary confinement the whole day in prison,” Mnangangwa said. He said he spent two weeks at Grey Prison before he was transferred to Khami Maximum Security Prison on the outskirts of Bulawayo. The Vice-President was speaking during a donation of foodstuffs and rolls of toilet paper – all worth $12 000 – to Grey Remand Prison by businessman Raj Modi – Southern Eye, Wednesday May 27

 

Mangoma ‘sex scandal’ sparks bloody fight: There was drama at the MDC Renewal Team offices in Harare yesterday when the party’s treasurer-general Elton Mangoma was allegedly physically assaulted by an executive member of the party who accused him of adultery. MDC Renewal Team youth leader Believe Tevera accused Mangoma of snatching his 20-year-old wife Yemurai Maravanyika. Scores of people passing by the opposition party’s offices in Eastlea were treated to free drama with the area resembling a “war zone” as Mangoma loyalists fought back after his alleged assault.

Mangoma could not be reached for comment last night, but Tevera denied allegations that he assaulted the former Energy minister, saying he only pushed him away in self-defence. Tevera said he had only gone to the party offices to submit a petition to interim party leader Samuel Sipepa Nkomo calling on him to subject Mangoma to a disciplinary hearing for allegedly wrecking his marriage. Tevera said Mangoma’s supporters pursued him and his friend as they left the offices – NewsDay, Wednesday May 27

 

National Convergence conference hits snag: The much-touted National Convergence Platform (NCP) which was expected to bring together church, political and civil society leaders to resolve the country’s political and economic problems now hangs in the balance due to financial problems. NCP steering committee spokesperson Charles Mangongera confirmed yesterday that lack of funds had caused the convention, which was initially scheduled to take place in June, to be deferred to August. Retired Anglican cleric Sebastian Bakare is convener of the proposed convention – NewsDay, Wednesday May 27

 

Police in contempt of court over Dzamara: Police have in the past month failed to submit two fortnightly High Court-ordered progress reports regarding the search for missing pro-democracy activist Itai Dzamara. Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), who are representing Dzamara’s family, allege police have gone for a month without updating the State on how far investigations into the disappearance of the activist over two months ago have gone. ZLHR spokesperson Kumbirai Mafunda said it was unfortunate police were not respecting a court order which was unheard of in a law-abiding democratic society – NewsDay, Wednesday May 27

[Simon Spooner]

Moyo plotting against Mugabe’: Information minister Jonathan Moyo was again yesterday thrust into the centre of worsening Zanu-PF fights after a ruling party apologist accused him of using the media to destroy the party from within. Goodson Nguni, the leader of the Zanu PF-aligned Federation of Non-governmental Organisations, made a string of allegations against Moyo including that the former Zanu-PF critic had an elaborate plan to tarnish the image of President Robert Mugabe and his deputies. Nguni was reacting to a story in The Herald yesterday claiming that he leaked issues discussed at last week’s meeting of the Zanu PF politburo to NewsDay. This was after the paper published a story on Monday where Zanu PF insiders alleged Mugabe had disclosed that he owed fired Mashonaland East provincial chairperson Ray Kaukonde $30 mln. Nguni told journalists in Harare yesterday that he had since established that Moyo authored the Herald story as part of the alleged ploy to destroy the party from within. He alleged Moyo was co-ordinating the onslaught against Zanu-PF by both the State and private media, an accusation the political scientist vehemently denied last night – NewsDay, Thursday May 28

 

Ex-judge rubbishes Mugabe, Tsvangirai: Former Supreme Court judge and vice-president of the newly-formed party Zimbabweans United for Democracy (Zunde), Benjamin Paradza, has accused Zanu-PF leader President Mugabe and main opposition MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai of being obsessed with power. Paradza, a known Mugabe critic, fled the country hidden in a haulage truck in 2006 after being subjected to a trial, criticised internationally as being trumped up to remove him from office. He is exiled in New Zealand. “Mugabe was presumably great before he started committing acts of genocide in Matabeleland. The world even declared him a statesman and some even knighted him,” Paradza said in a statement yesterday. "Morgan Tsvangirai was equally great before he started enjoying the government of national unity (GNU) power and chasing after every beautiful woman in town. He led a gallant struggle of workers and almost unseated Zanu-PF were it not for the rigging machinery and other reasons. But what has happened to these former great men? Mugabe has become the worst racist dictator ever, albeit worse than Hitler. Tsvangirai went through a crisis in his personal life. He made too many mistakes including the GNU and women.” – NewsDay, Thursday May 28

 

Bulawayo not part of Zim, Zanu-PF: Zanu-PF has begged Bulawayo residents to vote for the party’s candidates at the June 10 by-election, saying the poll presents the city with a perfect opportunity to “be part of Zimbabwe”. The ruling party has not won a single seat in Bulawayo since the formation of the MDC in 1999. Zanu-PF has, however, gone for the jugular ahead of by-elections boycotted by the MDCs, distributing flyers indicating that Bulawayo has not developed because it “is the only province that is outside the government and Zanu-PF”. The flyers have angered the electorate, the majority of who are among thousands that have been thrown out of employment as de-industrialisation in Bulawayo, once the industrial hub of Zimbabwe, continues with no end in sight. “For 15 years, Bulawayo was under the leadership of MDC-T, they separated the people of Bulawayo from the government,” part of the Zanu-PF flyer reads – Southern Eye, Thursday May 28

 

Zanu-PF accused of foul play: Zanu-PF youths in Makokoba high-density suburb, Bulawayo, have been accused of defacing and removing campaign posters of independent candidates vying for the parliamentary seats ahead of the June 10 by-elections. A human rights organisation monitoring the by-election campaigns, Heal Zimbabwe Trust (HZT), said it noted with concern the removal and defacing of campaign posters of independents. It is a crime under the Electoral Act, in particular Sections 152 and 153, to deface, remove or tear any posters displayed by political candidates contesting any election – Southern Eye, Thursday May 28

 

Mangoma denies adultery claims: Under-fire MDC Renewal Team treasurer-general Elton Mangoma has blamed factional fights within his party for his woes after he was brutally attacked by party youths on Tuesday for allegedly bedding the wife of a party official. Mangoma also disclosed that his relationship with the party’s secretary-general Tendai Biti had deteriorated and two distinct camps had emerged within the Renewal group. The former Energy minister denied allegations that he committed adultery with Yemurai Maravanyika, the wife of Renewal provincial youth leader Believe Tevera. Although admitting that he met Maravanyika three times at public functions, Mangoma denied other allegations that he committed adultery with Tevera’s wife. He said there was a coordinated plot to tarnish his name – NewsDay, Thursday May 28

 

Chombo promises Harare residents houses: Local Government minister and Zanu-PF secretary for administration Ignatius Chombo yesterday pledged to give home ownership to residents who have rented council houses for over 40 years. Addressing a campaign rally for Zanu-PF parliamentary candidate for Kuwadzana constituency, Betty Kaseke, Chombo also pledged to rehabilitate all roads in the high-density suburb – NewsDay, Thursday May 28

 

Informal traders fear repeat of Murambatsvina: The Zimbabwe Informal Sectors’ Organisation (Ziso) fears the government will repeat the infamous Operation Murambatsvina/Operation Restore Order of 2005 that left hundreds of thousands homeless if it heeds calls to remove vendors from the streets of Harare. This comes after a call made by Mashonaland Central Senator Monica Mavhunga in Parliament and repeated efforts by the Ministry of Local Government and council to remove vendors from the streets. Ziso said the government had a duty to put appropriate measures in place to ensure that informal traders have alternative and viable means of making a living – NewsDay, Thursday May 28

 

High Court dismisses Matombo challenge: The High Court has dismissed former Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Love more Matombo’s application challenging the outcome of the ZCTU 2011 congress, saying it was unconstitutional. Matombo and 9 other disgruntled unions, who were now calling themselves Concerned Affiliates of the ZCTU, had approached the High Court seeking an interdict barring the George Nkiwane-led executive from accessing ZCTU assets and purporting to be the bona fide leadership of the country’s biggest labour movement. They claimed the then secretary-general, Wellington Chibebe, had doctored the ZCTU constitution to bar Matombo from contesting after serving two terms as the labour body’s president – NewsDay, Thursday May 28

 

Mugabe age insult lands man in trouble: A slur on President Mugabe’s advanced age landed a Bindura man in trouble after he reportedly told a fellow worker that he was “President Mugabe’s baboon” and his mind was as old as that of the 91-year-old leader following an altercation over the accused’s wife. Reuben Gatsi of Wolf Farm in Bindura spent two nights in police detention on allegations of undermining the authority of or insulting the President as defined in Section 33 (2) (b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23. This is despite the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) early in January scrapping the controversial insult law, saying it breached people’s rights – NewsDay, Thursday May 28

 

Knives sharpen for Mnangagwa: The simmering war between VP Emmerson Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF hawks who are referred to as the Gang of Four by their party detractors – and who have apparently enlisted the support of the other VP Phelekezela Mphoko in their nasty fight with the party strongman – is escalating. And lickspittle State media appear to be caught in the middle of the mega brawl, amid growing allegations by Mnangagwa’s supporters that members of the Gang of Four are using government-controlled newspapers and State broadcaster, the ZBC, in this deadly ruckus at whose heart is the ugly fight to success President Mugabe. Generation 40 group – made up of ambitious party Young Turks – says in turn that it is in fact Mnangagwa and his supporters who are leaking sensitive information about the party and Mugabe to the media in a  desperate bid to gain political advantage – Daily News, Thursday May 28

 

MDC Renewal team in tatters: Elton Mangoma, MDC renewal team treasurer-general, has lambasted allegations he had a sexual affair with a married woman, describing the accusations as a grotesque attempt by secretary-general Tendai Biti to destroy him politically. The embattled Mangoma promised Biti’s alleged campaign would fail. The scandal has erupted at a sensitive time for Mangoma, who is already on the back-foot politically and likely lose a vote for the MDC renewal team presidency if the allegations stick. The MDC renewal team yesterday disclosed they were probing whether Mangoma had an affair with 20-year old Yemurai Maravanyika – his party youth activist Believe Tevera’s wife – Daily News, Thursday May 28

 

MPs in looting spree: The shifting political winds in the country’s main political parties has created so much uncertainty among lawmakers that they are now demanding residential stands from a cash-strapped government, among other things, ahead of the tricky 2018 elections. There has been a high-turnover of legislators in the legislative assembly since the beginning of the year due to intense power struggles in Zanu-PF and the MDC-T, which has resulted in the term of office for some Senators and Members of Parliament being cut short. In March, MDC-T recalled 21 legislators from Parliament after they rebelled to form the MDC Renewal Team. Earlier in the same month, Zanu-PF had recalled two MPs (Temba Mliswa and Didymus Mutasa) from the august House. Soon it will recall three more MPs and two Senators for working against party’s leadership. All these developments have necessitated by-elections in the respective constituencies. With turmoil creating havoc in both parties ahead of elections in 2018, the country’s 352 legislators seem to have started preparing for life after the assembly. Lawmakers have requested government to assist them in acquiring residential stands, as they scramble to enhance their net-worth in the midst of the chaos rattling their parties – Fingaz, Thursday May 28

 

Zanu-PF hawks eye $500 mln NRZ loan: Loan facility to the tune of $500 mln being negotiated between the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and the troubled National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) has been mired in controversy amid indications that State bureaucrats are rubbing their hands in glee as they hope to corruptly benefit from the deal. The conclusion of the mega transaction has been met with challenges as some State actors are demanding that the South African development lender release the pledged funding direct into government coffers instead of Spoornet, who are the agreed development partners. Spoornet, now Transnet Freight Rail, is a South African rail transport company, which is headquartered in Johannesburg. In terms of the agreement, only $30 mln should be given directly to NRZ to meet operational costs. Insiders at NRZ said the demands now pose the only stumbling block to the finalisation of the deal amid suspicions that those frustrating the negotiations could be attempting to extract bribes or “facilitation fees”, at the expense of the struggling NRZ, which is desperate for lifelines. Contacted for comment this week DBSA declined to be drawn into the imbroglio, referring all questions to the NRZ – Fingaz, Thursday May 28

 

Chigwedere, Matiza in near fistfight: The fierce race to control Zanu-PF Mashonaland East provincial structures has scaled fresh heights with information emanating from that region indicating that the interim provincial chairman, Aeneas Chigwedere and his deputy, Joel Biggie Matiza, almost exchanged blows at the latter’s offices.

Contacted by phone at his Marondera base, Chigwedere simply said: “It could be true,” before hanging up and switching off his mobile phone. Matiza was not reachable. The two, currently locked in a bitter war to land the provincial chairmanship in elections that are due on Sunday but are now in doubt after the province failed to complete an audit of its structures, nearly got involved in a fist fight at Matiza’s office last week. The elections would now possibly be held before end of June – Fingaz, Thursday May 28

 

Holland hounded out of MDC Renewal: Former MDC Renewal Team interim president, Sekai Holland, who suddenly quit the political outfit at the weekend, was hounded out of the party by its top brass contrary to claims that she voluntarily relinquished power to concentrate on her National Peace Trust project based at the Midlands State University (MSU) in Gweru. Holland who was appointed MDC Renewal Team interim president in September last year quit the party under pressure from her erstwhile colleagues who were uncomfortable with her growing links with Zanu-PF. Former party colleagues have been exerting pressure on her to choose between the party and her project, which she co-chairs with Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a senior Zanu-PF official. Insiders said Holland was showing increasing preference to her project more than the party, much to the chagrin of her colleagues who were expecting her to transform the MDC Renewal Team into a formidable formation. Holland was also under fire for failing to hammer a deal with the MDC led by Welshman Ncube. The unification talks between the two splinter groups have since collapsed. The tipping point was however, the warm relationship she enjoys with Mnangagwa – Fingaz, Thursday May 28

[Simon Spooner]

Zanu-PF suspends 89: Zanu-PF has suspended 87 members from holding any leadership positions within the party for two years, while two others were handed three-year suspensions after the Politburo upheld the recommendations of the National Disciplinary Committee. The latest suspensions were announced by the revolutionary party’s secretary for Information and Publicity Simon Khaya Moyo yesterday. The announcement comes hard on the heels of the expulsion of 7 other members last week when 13 others were given 5-year suspensions. The disciplinary action is being carried out against people that were accused of plotting – together with fired former Vice President Joice Mujuru – to topple President Mugabe in the run-up to the party’s 6th National People’s Congress in December last year. Khaya Moyo said the affected cadres, however, remained party members – Herald, Friday May 29 Grace’s absence raises eyebrows: First Lady Grace Mugabe was conspicuous by her absence at a field day at her farm in Mazowe yesterday, fuelling speculation she may have slipped out of the country again for medical attention in Asia, as she has not been seen in public for a while. The First Lady was in no-show at her Grace Mugabe Foundation Farm in Mazowe where a high-powered delegation of Cabinet ministers honoured her for “outstanding farming activities” in Mashonaland Central province. The Cabinet team was led by Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo. Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs minister and organiser of the event, Martin Dinha, professed ignorance over Grace’s whereabouts. Grace missed last week’s Zanu-PF politburo meeting and has not been to the ruling party’s campaign rallies for the June 10 parliamentary by-elections. It emerged yesterday that several candidates in and out of Harare had wanted Grace to officiate at their campaign rallies, forcing Vice-Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, party national commissar Kasukuwere and administration secretary Chombo to stand in for her – NewsDay, Friday May 29

 

‘First Family deserves more land’: Lands and Land Resettlement minister Douglas Mombeshora says President Mugabe and his wife Grace deserve more land as they have proved to be productive farmers who are able to maximise production. Speaking at a field day at Grace Mugabe Foundation Farm in Mazowe yesterday, Mombeshora said he was not ashamed to parcel out more land to the First Family as they had proved to be “real farmers” putting their land to maximum usage – NewsDay, Friday May 29

 

Govt fumes over ghost leaks: The Constitution “does not protect falsehoods”, Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Jonathan Moyo said yesterday as he warned media organisations that “the law will assist them” if they failed to uphold their “professional responsibilities”. Moyo’s statement follows the publication of a fabricated story claiming that President Mugabe owes businessman Ray Kaukonde $30 mln by NewsDay. When Zanu-PF and the government flagged the story as false, NewsDay – like they have done in the recent past – refused to publish a retraction. The Herald, which exposed the source of the falsehoods as one Goodson Nguni of the Federation of Non-Governmental Organisations, has stood by its story and challenged Nguni to have his day in court. Now Moyo, who has been advocating the relaxation of tough defamation laws, says government is prepared to use legal instruments at its disposal to force journalists to observe ethical practices. He singled out NewsDay, which he said was in the business of using “invented and therefore non-existent” Cabinet or Zanu-PF Politburo sources to support falsehoods, as they did in March when they claimed Cabinet had met just once this year when in fact it had met nine times. The fabrications, the minister said, appeared aimed at inciting public disaffection against President Mugabe – Herald, Friday May 29

 

President leaves for Buhari inauguration: President Mugabe yesterday left Harare to attend the inauguration of Nigerian President-elect Muhammadu Buhari in the West African country today. Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa will be the Acting President. The President will also attend the swearing in of President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir in Sudan in his capacity as chairperson of the African Union. Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi said the President had been invited as AU chairperson after the AU observer missions ruled the recent elections in the two countries as free and fair – Herald, Friday May 29 also in NewsDay

 

‘Mujuru can slay Zanu-PF in 2018’: Analysts say the only way Zimbabwe could get out of its current political and socio-economic mess would be if the opposition formed a coalition ahead of the 2018 national elections, possibly with former VP Joice Mujuru as their presidential candidate, to take on the ruling Zanu-PF which has been weakened by its deadly infighting. Even high-ranking members of the mainstream MDC yesterday warmed up to the idea of a coalition, although many of them still thought their leader, former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, had the best chance to give either President Mugabe or whoever would lead Zanu PF then a run for their money – Daily News, Friday May 29

 

Grace’s absence raises eyebrows: First Lady Grace Mugabe was conspicuous by her absence at a field day at her farm in Mazowe yesterday, fuelling speculation she may have slipped out of the country again for medical attention in Asia, as she has not been seen in public for a while. The First Lady was in no-show at her Grace Mugabe Foundation Farm in Mazowe where a high-powered delegation of Cabinet ministers honoured her for “outstanding farming activities” in Mashonaland Central province. The Cabinet team was led by Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo. Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs minister and organiser of the event, Martin Dinha, professed ignorance over Grace’s whereabouts. Grace missed last week’s Zanu-PF politburo meeting and has not been to the ruling party’s campaign rallies for the June 10 parliamentary by-elections. It emerged yesterday that several candidates in and out of Harare had wanted Grace to officiate at their campaign rallies, forcing Vice-Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, party national commissar Kasukuwere and administration secretary Chombo to stand in for her – NewsDay, Friday May 29

 

‘First Family deserves more land’: Lands and Land Resettlement minister Douglas Mombeshora says President Mugabe and his wife Grace deserve more land as they have proved to be productive farmers who are able to maximise production. Speaking at a field day at Grace Mugabe Foundation Farm in Mazowe yesterday, Mombeshora said he was not ashamed to parcel out more land to the First Family as they had proved to be “real farmers” putting their land to maximum usage – NewsDay, Friday May 29

 

Moyo takes war to Mnangagwa allies: Information minister Jonathan Moyo has launched a vicious attack on unnamed backers of Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, accusing them of creating a competing centre of power as the battle to succeed President Mugabe intensifies. Moyo’s outburst was in response to Zanu-PF apologist Goodson Nguni who on Wednesday accused the minister of authoring a story in The Herald linking him to the leaking of sensitive issues discussed in the politburo. Nguni was accused by the State-controlled paper of leaking a story alleging that Mugabe told the last politburo meeting he owed fired Mashonaland East provincial chairperson Ray Kaukonde $30 mln. Moyo took to microblogging site Twitter to respond to Nguni’s tirade and Mnangagwa’s name featured prominently. “Self-styled pro-VP Mnangagwa successionists like Nguni are actually unprincipled opportunists bent on creating a competing centre of power! It is shocking self-styled pro-VP Mnangagwa successionists are reproducing Gamatox epithets against erstwhile Cdes!” the minister charged. He appeared to take exception to Nguni’s insinuation that he brought gay journalists to Zimpapers – NewsDay, Friday May 29

 

Gumbo gives up on Harare East by-election: Zanu-PF secretary for administration Ignatius Chombo has said Harare East candidate Mavis Gumbo has formally withdrawn from contesting for the seat in the June 10 by-elections in favour of ruling party rival Terrence Mukupe. Chombo said this on Wednesday while addressing a rally in Kuwadzana in support of Betty Kaseke who will contest for the National Assembly seat left vacant by MDC-T legislator Lucia Matibenga when she was fired from Parliament after crossing over to the MDC Renewal Team – NewsDay, Friday May 29

 

Zanu-PF poll car kills boy: A 9-year-old boy died while his friend was left nursing injuries after they were hit by a Zanu-PF campaign vehicle on Monday in Pumula North high-density suburb, Bulawayo. Polite Dube, who was a Grade 5 pupil at Amaswazi Primary School, will be buried today. His father Saulos confirmed the development yesterday. Polite’s classmate Methembe Moyo (10) was discharged yesterday from Mpilo Central Hospital where he had been admitted since Monday. Family sources said the minors met their fate after they had been sent to a supermarket when a Zanu-PF campaign vehicle carrying party supporters veered off the road and hit them – Southern Eye, Friday May 29

 

Chief Seke publicly pledges allegiance to Mugabe, Zanu-PF: Chief Seke, real name Stanley Chimanikire, on Wednesday publicly revealed his allegiance to President Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF, warning that any of his subjects who does not support the ruling party will have problems. Addressing thousands of Zanu-PF party supporters at Dema during the handover ceremony of rice donated by the Chinese government to underprivileged people, Chief Seke, who was tasked to deliver the vote of thanks, said he was aware that traditional leaders should be apolitical, but could not do so because of his love for the ruling party. Chief Seke’s utterances were in violation of Chapter 15, Section 281 of the new Constitution which states that traditional leaders must not be members of any political party or in any way participate in partisan politics, act in a partisan manner, and further the interests of any political party or cause – NewsDay, Friday May 29

Political tension rises in Byo: The intra-party conflicts in the MDC-T camp have reached unprecedented levels with some senior members alleging that their lives are under threat from other party members, a Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) report has alleged. The report said leadership wrangles have once again sucked in MDC-T deputy president Thokozani Khupe who is accused of being at the centre of intra-party clashes in Bulawayo. Acting MDC-T Bulawayo provincial chairperson Dorcas Sibanda who is also the Member of Parliament for Bulawayo Central, was said to be living in fear after some unknown persons smashed windows at her house and wrote hate graffiti in explicit language. Some of the messages which were reproduced in the ZPP report branded her a woman of loose morals while some denounced her position – Southern Eye, Friday May 29

 

MDC-T Bulawayo backs Khupe: MDC-T Bulawayo province has leapt to the party’s vice-president Thokozani Khupe’s defence following allegations that she is sponsoring independent candidates contesting in the June 10 parliamentary by-elections. Khupe was accused of defying an MDC-T 2014 congress resolution to boycott elections until the government implements electoral reforms. 5 parliamentary seats are up for grabs in Bulawayo after the MDC-T recalled legislators aligned to MDC Renewal Team. Khupe has reportedly been at loggerheads with MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai over the boycott. MDC-T Bulawayo deputy spokesperson Felix Magalela Mafa Sibanda yesterday described the accusations levelled against Khupe as unfounded – Southern Eye, Friday May 29

Mangoma faces expulsion: MDC Renewal Team treasurer-general Elton Mangoma could be expelled from the budding political party after he was accused of adultery which led to violence, sources have disclosed. A year after fronting the factional breakaway from the mainstream Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC-T on allegations that the veteran trade unionist was a womaniser and had failed to unseat President Mugabe, Mangoma was this week caught in an alleged lover triangle involving party members. A Harare provincial youth executive member, Believe Tevera, accused the former Energy minister of snatching his wife. A Renewal Team senior member said Mangoma would face charges of fomenting violence and dividing the party – NewsDay, Friday May 29

 

Students, parents demonstrate against Dokora, seek his ouster: More than 100 demonstrators, most of them of school-going age, yesterday demanded the ouster of Primary and Secondary Education minister Lazarus Dokora, accusing him of failing to run the education sector by advocating for anti-poor policies. Dokora is being accused of promoting unpopular policies including his push for Grade 7 pupils to pay examination fees, hiking examination fees for Ordinary Level students and introducing foreign languages at schools. Grade 7 pupils will now pay $3 per subject, while “O” Level fees have been increased from $13 to $15. The demonstration started from the organisers’ ZimRights offices, to Chester House and to the regional education offices where they handed over a petition for onward transmission to President Mugabe, Cabinet, Parliament, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission and Dokora – NewsDay, Friday May 29

Imbiber impersonates Mnangagwa’s son: An unidentified Harare man was yesterday morning arrested during a beer-drinking binge in the capital after impersonating Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s son. The alleged impersonator reportedly stormed a local pub during Sulumani Chimbetu’s birthday celebration and went on to the stage where he claimed to be Emmerson Mnangagwa Junior. However, police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi professed ignorance over the matter and referred all questions to Harare spokesperson Assistant Inspector Simon Chazovachiyi. But eyewitnesses said the impersonator stormed the stage ostensibly to attract the attention of music promoters allegedly in a bid to get some money – NewsDay, Friday May 29

 

Jailed AirZim boss faces fresh $10 mln fraud charge: Incarcerated former Air Zimbabwe company secretary Grace Pfumbidzai was on Wednesday allegedly summoned from Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison to the Serious Frauds Squad for questioning over a $10 mln fraud case involving aviation insurance firm Navistar. Pfumbidzai is currently serving a 7-year jail term for abuse of office while at the helm of the national airline. Impeccable sources close to the development said Pfumbidzai’s woes were not over yet as the police had decided to deal with her together with other former Airzim officials over the alleged misappropriated cash which almost brought the airline to its knees – NewsDay, Friday May 29

 

Chinese duo in court for forex externalisation: 2 Chinese nationals Mozhu Zhang and Tang Cui Juan separately appeared before Harare magistrate Tendai Mahwe yesterday charged with externalising $190 000. Mahwe told the two, who are out on bail, that their trials would commence on June 11, 2015 after the State requested 14 days to secure a Chinese interpreter to facilitate trial. The duo is charged in terms of contravening Section 5 (1) (a)(i) and (ii) of the Exchange Control Act. The State alleges that Zhang on several occasions last year transferred or externalised a total of $105 000 from Zimbabwe without approval from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe – NewsDay, Friday May 29

 

Zapu disowns Mphoko: Dumiso Dabengwa, the Zapu president has disowned VP Phelekezela Mphoko as a representative of Zapu under provisions of the Unity Accord between former liberation movements signed in 1987. Dabengwa disclosed that he never had ambitions of being a VP, stating that he has always been repugnant of the idea of being appointed by an individual. Speaking during the on-going roundtable organised by Bulawayo Agenda on Wednesday, Dabengwa felt the vice presidents should be elected and not appointed – Daily News, Friday May 29

 

Woman dies while dancing for Mphoko: An exhausted female Zanu-PF supporter collapsed and died while dancing to a Tocky Vibes song ahead of VP Phelekezela Mphoko’s rally at Nyakomba Irrigation Scheme in Nyanga on Wednesday. Venenzia Chitanda died at about 1pm, two hours before Mphoko’s arrival for his familiarisation tour of the irrigation scheme. She was rushed to Regina Coeli Mission Hospital and pronounced dead upon arrival. Mphoko later donate $500 to the deceased woman’s family to assist with funeral expenses – Daily News, Friday May 29 also in NewsDay

 

866 000 to vote for Mugabe successor: Almost 900 000 Zanu-PF card carrying members will be eligible to vote through secret ballot in a national primary election to choose the party’s next leader whenever President Mugabe eventually goes. This introduces a new system, with all its advantages and shortcomings, of electing the party’s new leader and changes the dynamics of Mugabe’s explosive succession currently fuelling internal strife and turmoil as Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa battles First Lady Grace Mugabe’s allies to seize the throne after viciously crushing his bitter rival, ex Vice President Joice Mujuru. Zanu-PF had 966 701 card-carrying members as at December 2014, according to the Central Committee report to its controversial congress last December – Independent, Friday May 29

 

…process open to legal challenge: The election of a new Zanu-PF leader after President Mugabe will be vulnerable to legal challenges due to the manner amendments to the party’s constitution were done at the December congress last year, which legal experts say was unprocedural and therefore null and void. The amended Zanu-PF constitution will govern how the party will choose its leader if Mugabe “resigns, gets incapacitated or dies”, but questions on the legality of the amendments could render the succession process messy and  have a destabilising effect on the country already choking under a dire economic crisis and social instability – Independent, Friday May 29

 

Mujuru faces revolt by loyalists: Former vice-president Joice Mujuru is facing a revolt from disgruntled allies and supporters suspended or expelled from Zanu-PF ahead of, during and after the party’s December 2014 congress, forcing former Zanu-PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa to engage in political fire-fighting to keep things under control. Several Zanu-PF officials, including Mujuru, politburo members, central committee members and provincial officials, as well as youths were either suspended or expelled from Zanu-PF for allegedly supporting the former vice-president’s presidential bid, in the largest purges in the history of the party. Mujuru’s allies are still being hounded five months after congress, and many are disappointed that after failing to defend them in politburo meetings which led to their expulsions, Mujuru is now failing to provide leadership from outside as they are itching to challenge Zanu-PF head on. Those close to Mujuru, caught in a catch-22 situation on how to proceed, said this week she has confided in her close associates that she needs time to make up her mind before deciding on her course of action. Mujuru’s sympathisers are pushing for the establishment of a political party, People First, which they want to challenge Zanu PF in the 2018 elections. The former vice-president has been identified as a natural leader for the party, but has not committed herself due to a number of reasons, chief among them, procrastination, fear and personal interests – Independent, Friday May 29

 

Grace Mugabe fails to perform duties: After her dramatic and controversial entry into mainstream politics, President Mugabe’s wife Grace has disappeared from public view and is now failing to fulfil her party constitutional obligations and other duties as the Zanu-PF Women’s League boss amid reports that she is ill. Since the beginning of the year Grace has only made sporadic public appearances. She has been seen in public on a few occasions since the controversial Zanu-PF congress in December last year which endorsed her as head of the powerful Women’s League. Grace was conspicuously absent yesterday at the Mashonaland Central land reform top producers field tour inaugural launch at the Grace Mugabe Foundation Farm in Mazowe, where she was awarded the best agricultural producer for the 2014/15 season. The award was presented to farm manager Stanley Nhari on behalf of Grace by guest of honour, Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo. Her absence at the event has set tongues wagging as Zimbabweans speculate on her whereabouts at a time her husband continues to globe-trot alone. Mugabe left for Nigeria yesterday for today’s inauguration of Muhammadu Buhari as president. Grace was last seen at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo where she toured stands together with her Zambian counterpart Esther Lungu on April 30 – Independent, Friday May 29

 

France re-engages Zim: A high-powered delegation from the French Ministry of Foreign affairs will on June 5 visit Harare to kick-start political dialogue to re-engage the government formally on bilateral issues after over a decade of strained diplomatic relations, the French ambassador has said. French Ambassador to Zimbabwe Laurent Delahouse confirmed on Tuesday that the “political visit”, which is the first after more than 10 years, was geared towards discussing all pending issues to normalise bilateral relations between the two countries – Independent, Friday May 29

[Simon Spooner]

More foreign trips for Mugabe: Serial traveller, President Mugabe, whose penchant for travelling is now legendary despite being 91, will have visited 3 countries in 7 days by the time he returns home this week. Mugabe left for Nigeria last week for the inauguration of Muhammadi Buhari as the nation’s president but instead of returning home, he travelled to Equatorial Guinea to meet his friend Theodore Nguema Mbasogo. Tomorrow, Mugabe will be in Sudan for the inauguration of Omar Hassan al Bahsir as the country’s president following his electoral victory in a poll that was boycotted by the opposition who dismissed it as a “political charade” – Daily News, Monday June 1

 

‘Govt insincere on pay rise’: Civil servants have challenged government to come clean on figures reflecting how much they are collecting and how the revenue is distributed. This follows government’s position paper that it cannot afford to increase their salaries which was released during a recent National Joint Negotiating Council meeting where civil servants were demanding a pay rise. Government cited rising annual employment costs which have shot steeply from $550 mln in 2009 to the present $3 bln against falling revenues at Treasury as the major reason for its failure to improve civil servants’ conditions of service – Daily News, Monday June 1

 

MDC-T youth official survives arson attack: Buhera Central youth secretary for the Morgan Tsvangirai led MD, Tafa Tafanenyasha survived an arson attack last Friday after the hut he was sleeping in, together with his wife and 9-year old daughter, was torched by unknown arsonists. Events leading to the attack have, however, pointed to a political motive as he had been denied district rice hand-outs by Zanu-PF activists on Africa Day. Zanu-PF district youth chairperson Wadzanai Magaisa had insisted that only Zanu-PF members were eligible, an issue that incensed Tafanenyasha who demanded his $1,50 “access fee” back from the village head Chenjerai Nzuwa – Daily News, Monday June 1

 

Mutasa says Mujuru terrifies Mugabe: President Mugabe and Zanu-PF hardliners are scared stiff of ousted former Vice President Joice Mujuru and this apparently started to manifest itself as way back as 2004, former Presidential Affairs minister Didymus Mutasa has said. Mutasa, a former close confidante of Mugabe, also disclosed how hard and maliciously Mujuru’s Zanu-PF enemies had worked ahead of the party’s disputed congress late last year to ensure that the widow of the late liberation war icon, Retired General Solomon Mujuru, would be ousted from power – Daily News on Sunday, May 31

 

Mavis Gumbo backs Mukupe: Zanu-PF member Mavis Gumbo last week attended her former rival Terence Mukupe’s rally in Mukandabhutsu in Harare East constituency to drum up support ahead of the June 10 by-elections. Gumbo was recently ordered by the to withdraw her candidature. Speaking at the rally, Zanu-PF Political Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere said Gumbo had heeded the call by the ruling party to withdraw her candidature and allow Mukupe to stand as the official party candidate – Herald, Monday June 1

 

Relief for Baba Jukwa suspects: Sunday Mail editor Edmund Kudzayi, who together with his brother Phillip stood accused of attempting to subvert a constitutionally-elected government using a Facebook character Baba Jukwa, was a relieved man on Friday after the charges were withdrawn before plea. The State, led by Chief Law officer Tawanda Zvekare, indicated to the court that they were still pursuing extra-territorial investigations and would proceed by way of summons if need be. Harare magistrate Milton Serima advised the brothers that the State was withdrawing charges before plea – Herald, Saturday May 30 also in NewsDay

 

President at Buhari inauguration: President Mugabe on Friday led African leaders in witnessing the swearing in of new Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari at the Eagle Square Abuja, Nigeria in a ceremony that coincided with the country’s National Democracy Day. Buhari was sworn in together with his deputy Professor Yemi Onsibanjo. The African Union and Sadc chairperson was joined by fellow African heads of state and government including South African President Jacob Zuma, Swaziland monarch King Mswati, Rwandese President Paul Kagame, Equatorial Guinea leader Teodoro Obiang Ngema Mbasogo, Chad President Idriss Deby, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Namibia leader Hage Geignob, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi, Congo Brazzaville President Dennis Sassou Nguesso, Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou, Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and Benin President Thomas Boni Yayi among others – Herald, Saturday May 30

 

Mugabe exit row hots up: President Mugabe will not retire before 2023 despite the heightened jostling for his post in Zanu-PF, his nephew has claimed as the debate over the 91-year old leader takes yet another twist. Former Science and Technology minister Patrick Zhuwao said his uncle would only step down after completing 2 consecutive 5 year-terms provided for under the new Constitution. Zhuwao, writing in the Sunday Mail yesterday, said debate on who should succeed Mugabe must be shelved because the long-time ruler “has not even completed 2 years of his first 5-year term”. He lashed out at so-called secessionists in Zanu-PF, in what could confirm a fresh battle to find a post-Mugabe leader for the fractured party. By 2023, Mugabe, who is widely suspected to be battling ill-health and other complications associated with old age, will be 99. Zhuwawo said talk of Mugabe succession was “divisive, counter-revolutionary, regressive and contrary to Zimbabwe’s developmental and transformational aspirations” – NewsDay, Monday June 1

Mnangagwa promises more expulsions: Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday warned that more heads will roll in Zanu-PF as the party seeks to cleanse itself of members allegedly plotting to topple President Mugabe. Addressing hundreds of Zanu-PF supporters at a campaign rally for the party’s Hurungwe West candidate Keith Guzah ahead of the June 10 by-elections, Mnangagwa said Zanu-PF would only respect those who respect its constitution. Guzah is contesting against ousted former Zanu-PF provincial chairperson Temba Mliswa, who is standing as an independent candidate. Mnangagwa said it was only through voting Zanu-PF that people would enjoy their liberation – NewsDay, Monday June 1

 

Makwarimba, Mandava eye Mavhaire seat: Former Masvingo Rural District Council chief executive officer Clemence Makwarimba has been tipped to replace Dzikamai Mavhaire as Senator after the ex-Energy minister was fired from Zanu-PF last week. Besides being a Senator, Mavhaire sat in the Zanu-PF politburo as secretary for labour and production and was also a member of the central committee for Masvingo Province. Zanu-PF insiders said yesterday that Makwarimba, a central committee member, was the frontrunner for Mavhaire’s post with former Senator Maina Mandava also said to be in the race – NewsDay, Monday June 1

Chimene threatens Indian business community: Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister Maniitawei Chimene has threatened to shut down all Indian businesses in the province accusing the Asians of snubbing her various business meetings since her appointment early this year. In her welcome address to Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko during a business meeting in Mutare last Thursday, Chimene gave the Asian community a 5-day ultimatum to meet her or risk closure of their businesses – NewsDay, Monday June 1

 

Zanu-PF youths evict ‘MDC-T supporters’ from stands: Zanu-PF supporters in Harare’s Caledonia settlement have reportedly repossessed residential stands acquired by domestic workers accusing them of supporting the main opposition MDC-T. Hardlife Chitete, chairman of the Eastdale Heights Housing Cooperative whose membership is predominantly made up of domestic workers said last week that ruling party youths had hoisted their party flag at some of the stands and vowed to stay put claiming all the land in the area belonged to Zanu-PF – NewsDay, Monday June 1

 

Zanu-PF extortion scandal exposed: Zanu-PF top officials in Harare have been accused of using First Lady Grace

Mugabe’s name to extort money from at least 10 housing co-operatives from the high-density suburb of Glen Norah. According to a letter written by the co-operatives to Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s wife, Auxilia, who is Zanu-PF’s deputy secretary for environment and tourism, the officials have been collecting money claiming they were doing it on behalf of Grace. The co-operatives named Zanu-PF Harare youth leader Godwin Gomwe, Hariwandi Munyawiri and Mucheneripi Mupindu, among others, as the brains behind the scam. Gomwe on Friday denied the allegations, but said he knew about the letter to Mnangagwa’s wife. He said his political enemies were trying to tarnish his image – NewsDay, Saturday May 30

 

Mutasa lashes out at Zanu-PF for ignoring melting economy: Expelled former Zanu-PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa, who is now fronting the People First project, has lashed out at the carefree attitude exhibited by the ruling party in the face of a melting economy that has left the majority of citizens struggling. Mutasa, who claims to be the secretary for administration in the original and genuine Zanu-PF, said ruling party officials continued with the destructive purges path at the expense or real bread and butter issues affecting many. Since last year, several senior party officials have been expelled from Zanu-PF in the bloodiest purge that also claimed the scalp of former Vice-President Joice Mujuru and several Cabinet ministers. Close to 100 others have been handed suspensions ranging from two years to 5 years – NewsDay, Saturday May 30

 

‘Zim sliding back to 2008 chaos’: The country is slowly sliding back to the political and economic turmoil experienced just before the inclusive government due to high political intolerance by the ruling Zanu-PF party and militarisation of different sectors, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) has said. In a report titled Forward to the Past: Democratisation Stagnation and The Consolidation of Securocratic Zimbabwean State released last week, CiZC said the government needed to make clear and unambiguous policies especially to avoid inconsistencies that have been hurting the economy. The report said several appointments of senior army officials in senior government positions as well as country representatives outside Zimbabwe might be viewed as rewarding them for the partisan conduct during the execution of their duties as senior military officials – NewsDay, Saturday May 30

 

Moyo blames rot in parastatals on Mugabe: Former State Enterprises (SEPs) and Parastatals minister Gorden Moyo on Friday blamed the corruption and chaos at most State companies on the First Family and Cabinet ministers. Moyo said this in Bulawayo during a book launch of four Transparency International Zimbabwe publications on the 2014 state of corruption in Zimbabwe. Moyo said, while Mugabe had a super majority in Parliament, was leader of Sadc and African Union and was friendly to the Chinese who had a very good blueprint on SEPs, he had failed to use those advantages to combat corruption and resuscitate the comatose SEPs – NewsDay, Saturday May 30

 

Chombo blocks Harare budget: Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo has refused to approve Harare’s $272 mln budget for 2015 citing “obscene” salaries still being paid to top managers at Town House. The move by Chombo divided councillors who on Thursday traded harsh words over the matter during a full council meeting. Some councillors accused mayor Bernard Manyenyeni and his deputy Thomas Muzuva of going behind their backs to protect the managers. Other councillors said the two were failing to furnish them with the executives’ salary schedule. At one time council was said to be gobbling more than $500 000 monthly in salaries and allowances for council’s top 18 officials. Councillors demanded to know why the local authority was operating without a budget with others saying it was illegal to do that. They said council should ensure the directive from Cabinet that salaries be slashed should be enforced. However, other councillors felt that slashing salaries and allowances for the executives would invite unnecessary lawsuits – NewsDay, Saturday May 30

 

SA introduces new border rules: South Africa will today start to roll out its new visa rules for children that are set to affect thousands of Zimbabwean travellers. This means children will need an unabridged birth certificate as well as a passport when leaving or entering the country. Home Affairs director general Mkuseli Apleni on Friday said that by June 1, no child will cross South African borders without the documents. In addition to the documents, both parents must provide consent for their children to travel. If the father did not acknowledge paternity, his consent will not be needed. If both parents’ names are entered on the unabridged birth certificate, then the child would not be able to travel without consent from both parents. If a parent has unreasonably refused to give permission for the child to travel, only a court will be able to provide it, according to the department – Southern Eye, Monday June 1

 

Zim vendor shot dead in SA: A Zimbabwean street vendor was killed in the crossfire between security guards and robbers at the Gugulethu Mall in South Africa last Friday. Farai Fambira made a living selling DVDs, CDs and padlocks at the entrance of the mall, to support his wife and three children who live in Zimbabwe. Fambira had just set up his stall when a group of 5 robbers attempted to rob a cash-in-transit vehicle. Witnesses said Fambira hid behind a dairy truck when the shooting started. Witnesses say that the security guards may have mistaken Fambira for a robber – NewsDay, Monday June 1

 

South Africa to pay for Zim lawyer’s border troubles: The South African Home Affairs department has been ordered to pay costs incurred by a Pretoria-based attorney Eucan Gwanangura after officials at the Beitbridge border post barred him entry on his return from Zimbabwe. The ruling by Judge Veyelwa Tlapi followed another ruling ordering Home Affairs to allow Gwanangura into the country. Gwanangura, a South African permanent resident, filed an urgent application while he was stuck at the Beitbridge border post. He was returning from a funeral in Zimbabwe and had passed through the border just a few days earlier – NewsDay, Monday June 1

 

JSC out to demystify courts: Judicial Service Commission (JSC) deputy Walter Chikwana says the commission is seeking to demystify courts of law and make them user-friendly through its open day sessions held across provinces. Addressing an open day in Gweru over the weekend, Chikwana said the sessions gave the public a rare opportunity to interact and get legal advice from lawyers and court personnel at no cost – NewsDay, Monday June 1

 

Electrocuted man claims $505 000 compensation from Zesa: A former security guard who was left paralysed from an electric shock in 2006 has taken the Zimbabwe Electricity and Transmission Distribution Company (ZETDC) to court demanding $505 000 in compensation. Munashe Magwaza, is being represented by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR). His claim is quantified as $100 000 for damages for severe pain and suffering, $200 000 for permanent disfigurement and disability, $50 000 for loss of amenities in life and contumelia, $105 000 for loss of future earnings while $50 000 is for loss expectation of life. According to court papers dated May 13, the defendant is admitting liability, but on the other hand disputing the amount being claimed – NewsDay, Saturday May 30

 

Mutasa supports MDC-T poll boycott: Former Presidential Affairs minister Didymus Mutasa has backed opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s decision to boycott the country’s forthcoming by-elections in 14 constituencies, saying participating in such a flawed system was “not in the best interests of democracy.” Speaking in an interview at the weekend, Mutasa – who identifies himself as the secretary for administration for the “original” Zanu-PF and contemptuously dismisses the post-congress ruling party as dubious – said he was troubled by the presence and active participation of State security apparatus in the running of elections in the country – Daily News, Monday June 1

 

Violence, intimidation stalks Hurungwe West: Scores of supporters belonging to independent candidate for Hurungwe West Temba Mliswa were yesterday thumped indiscriminately by Zanu-PF officials. Mliswa supporters told harrowing tales of how they were beaten by people they once called comrades and socialised with. The Zanu-PF officials were driving a silver pick-up truck with no registration plates – Daily News on Sunday, May 31

 

‘Ditch Zanu-PF, support Mujuru’: Firebrand former war veterans leader Jabulani Sibanda says his erstwhile comrades in Zanu-PF are crassly clinging to the coat-tails of an “old, tired and misled” President Mugabe, describing many of them as “senseless cowards.” Speaking in an interview with - on Friday, and firing from the hip as usual, the outspoken former Zanu-PF kingpin said Mugabe, at 91 years, was now “too old “ and thus subject to “manipulation by malcontents hell bent” on destroying Zanu-PF from within  – Daily News, Friday May 29

 

Mugabe settling power bill: President Mugabe has been pressured to settle his $345 000 power debt to State-owned power firm Zesa Holdings three years after the Daily News’ Zesagate expose, an official at the power utility confirmed. Zesagate, one of the biggest scandal to rock the country in more than a decade, was unearthed by the Daily News in 2012 and showed that in a time the power utility was on a nationwide power disconnections campaign against defaulting consumers in domestic, commercial and industrial categories, Zesa had conveniently ignored the bigwigs, who were stratified under the so-called “sensitive customers” – Daily News, Friday May 29

 

Nguni ordered to stop evictions: Zanu-PF has ordered former minister of State in Vice President Joice Mujuru’s office Sylvester Nguni to stop evicting people in the Msasa suburb of Harare, saying the party is ready to expel him. Addressing Msasa residents, War Veterans minister Christopher Mutsvangwa said Nguni should stop evicting people who failed to pay for their stands – Daily News on Sunday, May 31

 

‘Tsvangirai can go hang’: Zanu-PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere on Friday dismissed opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s call for electoral reforms, saying the MDC leader can go and hang. Addressing Zanu-PF supporters in Harare’s Msasa suburb to drum up support for the party’s candidate in the June 10 by-elections in Harare East, Kasukuwere declared that Tsvangirai will never see the reforms that he is clamouring for – Daily News on Sunday, May 31

 

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[Simon Spooner]

Mutasa says he has damaging information on VP Mnangagwa: Former Presidential Affairs minister Didymus Mutasa, has warned VP Emmerson Mnangagwa to zip up “in his own interest” or risk being exposed as a charlatan who played an insignificant role during the liberation struggle. Responding to Mnangagwa’s frontal attack on him and other liberation struggle stalwarts at a rally in Headlands on Tuesday, Mutasa warned yesterday that he would unleash a “treasure trove on damning information” that he had on the VP if the post-congress Zanu-PF strongman continued to “mouth falsehoods” and act maliciously. Brushing off Mnangagwa’s utterances that Mutasa did not play a significant role during Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle, the former close confidante to President Mugabe said ominously in an interview yesterday that “those who live in glass houses (Mnangagwa) should be extra careful about throwing stones – Daily News, Thursday June 4

 

Temba Mliswa set free: Hurungwe West by-election independent candidate Temba Mliswa, who was arrested on Tuesday on allegations of defacing campaign posters of his rival and Zanu-PF candidate Kieth Guzah has been released. Mliswa was released yesterday after the State felt that the docket needed further management. His lawyer Musindo Hungwe said he was released without appearing in court due to the weakness of the case – Herald, Thursday June 4

 

Abusing President’s name lands man in jail: A Harare conman was yesterday jailed for an effective 2 years, after luring a Harare man to donate his Toyota Vigo to him purporting that it would be handed over to President Mugabe. Tawanda Mavunga of Number 30 George Road, Hatfield, Harare, took the vehicle and sold it for his personal benefit. He pleaded not guilty to fraud charges, but was convicted due to overwhelming evidence. Harare magistrate Tendai Mahwe sentenced Mavunga to 5 years in prison and one year was suspended for 5 years on condition of good behaviour.2 more years were suspended on condition that he restitutes Dairai Kanoyangwa of Number 24 Lemington Road, Greystone Park in Harare of his vehicle. In passing sentence, Mahwe said Mavunga brought the President’s name into disrepute – Herald, Thursday June 4

 

‘Mujuru to face Mugabe in 2018’: Former Vice-President Joice Mujuru has made up her mind to challenge President Mugabe in the 2018 presidential elections, one of her most vocal backers has said. Former State Security minister and Zanu-PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa – who was expelled from his government and party posts together with Mujuru – told Reuters news agency yesterday that the former Vice-President would run for the top office. “She has gone beyond thinking about it. She will contest and I am confident she will be the first female President of Zimbabwe,” Mutasa told Reuters. On Monday, Mujuru apologised to Zimbabweans for her role in Mugabe’s government, in a move seen by allies as a step towards challenging him for power. University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer Eldred Masunungure described Mujuru’s move as “political repentance” – NewsDay, Thursday June 4

 

Mnangagwa tipped to succeed Mugabe: Zanu-PF national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere has hinted that Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa could succeed President Mugabe, saying he is the most trusted by the 91-year-old leader. Mugabe has kept his cards close to his chest on who he wants to succeed him. Speaking in Mutare on Tuesday at a campaign rally to drum up support for Zanu-PF Dangamvura-Chikanga candidate Esau Mupfumi at St Mary’s Secondary School, Kasukuwere said Mnangagwa was Mugabe’s most trusted lieutenant. “In December, President Mugabe announced his deputies and Vice-President Mnangagwa was appointed,” he said. “It was not a mistake because this position is given to those people who are clean. He is trusted most by President Mugabe and he is loyal to the Head of State. He is the commander of commanders.” Kasukuwere continued to gush praises of the VP, saying in Mugabe’s absence, Mnangagwa was in charge. Before calling on Mnangagwa to address the rally, Kasukuwere invited musician Tocky Vibes to perform his popular song Tocky Aenda Nenyika, with some saying this was an indication that the political commissar endorsed the Vice-President’s rise– NewsDay, Thursday June 4

 

Outrage over Mnangagwa remarks: Opposition parties and analysts yesterday criticised Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s utterances that the ruling Zanu-PF is unfazed by main opposition MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s call for electoral reforms. Mnangagwa on Tuesday, while drumming up support for Zanu-PF candidate for Chikanga-Dangamvura constituency, Esau Mupfumi, for the June 10 by-elections, ruled out electoral reforms. He told Zanu-PF supporters that MDC-T leader Tsvangirai would continue to “make noise outside government” while his Zanu-PF party ruled. This followed the decision by the MDCs to boycott participating in by-elections until electoral reforms to level the playing field were made. MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu said Mnangagwa was out of touch and it would be “an unmitigated disaster for Zimbabwe if, somehow, he becomes the President of the country” – NewsDay, Thursday June 4

 

Mangoma forms political party: Former Energy minister Elton Mangoma yesterday announced the formation his own party Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe (RDZ), formally declaring a split with his erstwhile comrade and MDC Renewal Team secretary-general Tendai Biti. Other notable members in the new party’s national executive include former MDC-T Manicaland spokesperson Pishai Muchauraya, former MDC youth secretary-general Promise Mkwananzi, Trust Chikohora and Fidelis Mugari. A day following the announcement by the MDC Renewal Team that he had been suspended pending disciplinary action on charges of violence and divisive behaviour, Mangoma said the process had been anything, but transparent. Mangoma was serving as treasurer-general in the Renewal Team that was formed after another split with Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T. He was yesterday appointed interim president of RDZ and immediately announced the party would pursue a “modern nationalism ideology”. Mangoma accused his former colleagues in the Renewal Team of “deviation from the Mandel declaration (that laid the basis of the party’s foundation) which we hold to be timeless and sacrosanct”– NewsDay, Thursday June 4 also in Daily News

 

Grace Mugabe drawn into vendors’ saga: First Lady Grace Mugabe’s name was drawn into the potentially explosive battle to rid Harare’s central business district of illegal vendors after some representatives of the informal traders argued she gave them the right to operate. A few days after the government and security forces gave vendors a seven-day ultimatum to retreat to legal trading areas, the hawkers have split into distinct camps. At a meeting organised by Harare City Council yesterday, the vendors were divided into pro-MDC-T and Zanu-PF camps. The rival organisations’ representatives almost came to blows at a meeting attended by Harare mayor Bernard Manyenyeni to chart the way forward as the Monday deadline to leave the streets draws near. Some of the groups said they would not move out of the CBD because they had the blessing of the First Lady who during her “Meet The People” rallies last year urged authorities to leave vendors alone. Grace berated the police for allegedly harassing vendors at the series of rallies that she held ahead of the Zanu-PF congress last year. Some of the groups yesterday said they were waiting for direction from “our mother” claiming the First Lady was their protector – NewsDay, Thursday June 4

 

Byo mayor under fire over vendors: Bulawayo councillors have accused mayor Martin Moyo of fuelling illegal vending in the city after he allegedly made a “confusing remark” at a time the city is battling to control an upsurge in hawking it blames on political interference. The councillors made the accusations during a meeting of the health, housing and education committee where they were debating a directive by Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo to remove illegal vendors from the city centre. Some councillors suggested inviting Chombo, Small and Medium Enterprises Development minister Sithembiso Nyoni and vendor associations to a meeting to address the matter. However, Cowdray Park councillor Collet Ndhlovu objected to the proposal to invite ministers, demanding that the mayor clarifies his statements concerning illegal vending – Southern Eye, Thursday June 4

 

We won’t move, says vendors: Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo has announced plans to use the military to drive tens thousands of vendors off the streets by Monday. Chombo was supported by a brigadier-general from the Joint Operations Command, a think tank of top security commanders of the army, air force, police, prisons and intelligence, Nhamo Sanyatwa, who warned against “entertaining the idea of resisting” the move. The decree has caused consternation – Daily News, Thursday June 4

 

Case against Mliswa crumble: Hurungwe West Independent candidate Temba Mliswa has been freed after the State admitted it had insufficient evidence to charge him for defacing Zanu-PF posters and disrupting rallies of his rival in the June 10 by-election. Musindo Hungwe, Mliswa’s lawyer, told the Daily News yesterday that the office of the prosecutor general ordered the release of Mliswa. Mliswa’s lawyer said the case will now proceed by way of summons – Daily News, Thursday June 4

 

Zim on tipping point: Zimbabwe faces a moment of truth in the coming days as all socio-economic fundamentals that are in free-fall collude in what could be the country’s tipping point in its long and torturous journey to return to stability. Fast moving events playing out in the country’s body politic suggest that the nation is sliding fast down a precarious hillside as the government increasingly fails to bring the economy back on the rails. And ultimatums given this week by Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo, to thousands of the country’s former industry and commerce workers who have taken to the streets to join thousands of jobless youths to vend to survive, are the strongest signs yet that government is now clueless on how to put the country back on track – Fingaz, Thursday June 4

 

Zanu-PF poised to tweak Constitution: The ruling Zanu-PF is set for a clean sweep of the 16 constituencies where by-elections will be held on Wednesday in what will not only bolster its Parliamentary majority but pull all the stops that could have impeded President Mugabe’s party from tweaking with the new Constitution. Ever since the new charter was signed into law in May 2013, there have been choruses of disapproval in Zanu-PF over certain clauses seen as inconsistent with the party’s values – Fingaz, Thursday June 4

 

Zim faces unprecedented power crisis: Zimbabwe plunged into an unprecedented electricity supply crisis this week after the country’s power supply company intensified load-shedding due to worsening generation capacity, caused in part by a technical fault at Hwange Power Station. Consequently, the country will endure its darkest winter season in history, as it would be unable to augment domestic electricity supplies with imports. To worsen matters, Zesa Holdings is already faced with a 400 megawatts (MW) plunge in generation capacity at Kariba Power Station occasioned by the fall in water supplies in Kariba Dam. The power utility this week warned “customers countrywide” to brace for “an increase in load shedding outside the publicised schedule due to a technical fault at Hwange Power Station” – Fingaz, Thursday June 4

 

Donated goods pile up at CPU: Goods donated to flood victims in January have not reached their intended beneficiaries nearly six months after disaster struck in flood-prone regions of the country. Zimbabwe’s co-operating partners such as the International Organisation for Migration, World Vision, Red Cross, Red Crescent Societies, church organisations and sympathetic individuals pooled the resources to assist victims of flooding that devastated some parts of the country during the past rainfall period. It has since emerged that some of the goods are still held at the Civil Protection Unit (CPU)’s head office in Harare. The issue has since drawn harsh response from disaster and risk management experts who said it exhibited government’s lack of sincerity in addressing issues affecting the poor and vulnerable communities. Many people fear that the goods could easily be diverted for other purposes such as buying votes in future elections – Fingaz, Thursday June 4

 

Govt, unions cross paths: For the first time in as many years, the country’s rival labour unions – the Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions (ZFTU) and the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) have ganged-up against government in resisting the registration of a third labour movement. This follows the registration of the Zimbabwe Industrial Revolution Workers’ Federation (ZIRWF) by government despite spirited objections from ZCTU and ZFTU. ZIRWF is a culmination of the split in ZFTU that followed months of internal bickering within the union, itself a splinter of ZCTU) – the country’s largest labour movement. It is headed by Pascal Eikem Chakanetsa, a war veteran and former secretary-general of ZFTU. For the first time since their split, ZCTU and ZFTU have been unanimous in their objection of ZIRWF’s registration. Despite lodging their objections through renowned labour lawyer, Timothy Makings, government proceeded to grant ZIRWF a licence to operate – Fingaz, Thursday June 4

[Simon Spooner]

Jabulani Sibanda says Mphoko was a sell-out: Fearless former war veteran leader, Jabulani Sibanda, claims that VP Phelekezela Mphoko sold out during the liberations struggle when he allegedly diverted weapons meant for the late Joshua Nkomo’s Zapu to President Mugabe’s Zanu, a move he says could have led to the needless death of thousands of people. Damningly for Mphoko, a number of Zapu bigwigs who spoke yesterday – including Dumiso Dabengwa and Thomas Ngwenya (a former deputy to Mphoko) – appeared to buttress the claims. Mphoko himself has previously admitted that he diverted weapons meant for Zapu’s military wing, Zipra, to Zanu’s Zimbabwe National African Liberation Army (Zanla) –Daily News, Friday June 5

 

‘Mnangagwa to succeed Mugabe’: VP Emmerson Mnangagwa is likely to succeed President Mugabe should the nonagenarian leave office either through retirement or natural wastage, a US think-tank said in a new report released this week. A report by Strategic Forecasting Inc. (Stratfor) – a Texas-based private global firm that provides confidential intelligence services to large corporations – stated that Mnangagwa has emerged as the front-runner to succeed the 91-year-old Mugabe due to his budding role in ruling the country than any preceding vice president or government leader. According to the report, it was Mnangagwa’s influence among the leaders of Zimbabwe’s security forces that enabled the ruling party to maintain power against challenges by the Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC-T party following the disputed 2008 elections – Daily News, Friday June 5

 

Zanu-PF accused of vote buying: Harare East Independent candidate Zachariah Mushawatu, yesterday attacked a rival Zanu- PF candidate for doling out food hand-outs at campaign rallies, describing the move as blatant vote-buying and a breach of the Electoral Act and a Code of Conduct signed by all political parties. This comes as Zanu-PF candidate Terence Mukupe has been dishing out truckloads of rice at his rallies. According to the Act, anyone found guilty can be liable to a two-year imprisonment. Mushawatu said some of the constituents who reports the issue to him were not willing to come forward as witnesses because they feared for their lives – Daily News, Friday June 5

 

Jonathan Moyo says Mujuru is not yet off the hook: Former Vice President Joice Mujuru is not yet free from prosecution for crimes that led to her expulsion from both Government and Zanu-PF, as the wheels of justice move at their own pace. Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Jonathan Moyo, who is the government spokesperson, said Mujuru, who has been accused of corruption and plotting to assassinate President Mugabe, should bear in mind that the law always catches up with offenders. This comes after the beleaguered former Vice President vaunted in a statement issued to the private media on Tuesday that no charges had been preferred against her 6 months after being expelled from the party and Government. She also claimed that her expulsion was “controversial “and “unjustified”. “Aware of these and related treasonous allegations, Mujuru boastfully, but naively, asks in her revealing statement why no charges have been preferred six months after her expulsion,” Moyo said. “The answer to that is that the wheels of justice move at their own pace and both the arresting and prosecutorial authorities are constitutionally independent. Meanwhile, Mujuru is free to play with fire if she so wishes, but mhosva hairovi.” Moyo said Mujuru was lawfully expelled from both the party and government, otherwise she should have challenged the decision in the courts. He said Mujuru’s unsigned and undated statement, which had been widely published by the private media, had no substance – Herald, Friday June 5

 

Biti confirms cabal links: MDC Renewal secretary-general Tendai Biti yesterday said his party was open to negotiations with the Mujuru cabal as long as they shared the same values. Biti spoke of the need for the creation of a broad front to confront the revolutionary Zanu-PF party. This confirms claims by former MDC Renewal treasurer-general Elton Mangoma this week that Biti was angling for a coalition with the Mujuru cabal. Addressing a Press conference in Harare, Biti confirmed having informally met the Mujuru cabal. Biti confirmed talking to some people in the Mujuru cabal in their individual capacity – Herald, Friday June 5

 

Mangoma defends new party: Former MDC Renewal Team treasurer-general Elton Mangoma says forming a new party, Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe, was not a knee-jerk reaction to his suspension from the opposition outfit early this week. Mangoma was suspended from MDC Renewal on Tuesday over allegations that he snatched the wife of a youth leader, Believe Tevera, while the party accused him of having “unbridled ambition” and employing “unorthodox, illegal and uncouth means to fulfil his perhaps childhood ambition to be a president of something or anything before nature takes him”. The following day, Mangoma announced the formation of RDZ, which he now leads, whose other top members include Messrs Fidelis Mugari, Pishayi Muchauraya, Promise Mukwananzi, Trust Chikobora and Jean Jalif. In an interview at his offices in Harare yesterday, Mangoma said MDC Renewal was dragging its feet on holding its first congress while he also highlighted the fallout with secretary-general Tendai Biti – Herald, Friday June 5

 

Mliswa’s election agent arrested: Hurungwe West by-election independent candidate Temba Mliswa’s chief election agent, Goodwell Zinyama, has been arrested. Zinyama was arrested by police officers from CID Chinhoyi Law and Order to answer to assault charges. He is being held in Chinhoyi and is expected to appear in court today. Mliswa’s lawyer, Musindo Hungwe, confirmed the arrest – Herald, Friday June 5

 

Stop it, Grace tells Zanu-PF: First Lady Grace Mugabe has told the Zanu-PF politburo to concentrate on more serious issues affecting the country instead of purging party members linked to former Vice-President Joice Mujuru. Grace on Wednesday told the Zanu-PF Women’s League national executive council that expulsions and suspensions were now threatening the stability of the ruling party. She was making her first public appearance in over a month and dismissed speculation her absence was due to health problems. The 49-year-old Grace, who is also secretary for women’s affairs, shook Zanu-PF last year when she launched a campaign against Mujuru that thrust her into the race to succeed her 91-year-old husband. Her tough talk on Wednesday could be an indication she was now keen to reassert her authority in post-Mujuru Zanu-PF after the health scare that saw her spending months in Far East Asia – NewsDay, Friday June 5

 

Jonathan Moyo warns Mujuru to venture into opposition politics at her own peril: Information minister Jonathan Moyo yesterday issued a thinly veiled warning to former Vice-President Joice Mujuru not to venture into opposition politics, saying she was free to do so at “her own peril”. Moyo was reacting to Mujuru’s apology to Zimbabweans for being part of President Robert Mugabe’s government for the past 35 years and the reversal of liberation war goals. Mujuru, fired from government last December for allegedly plotting to topple Mugabe, said she was now ready to serve Zimbabweans wherever God deployed her before setting out different scenarios she hoped the country could follow. Moyo, the only government minister who has reacted to the statement on social media, yesterday seemed to take exception to Mujuru’s vision for the country.  “Finally, it is notable that Mujuru’s divergent vision which led to her expulsion is imaginary with no grounding on any reality,” he said in a terse statement. “Her so-called vision has 11 points, including putting people first, all which are imagined. While Mujuru can imagine as many fantasies as she wants, the fact is that Zimbabweans have had enough of imaginary escapades from the likes of (main opposition MDC-T leader) Morgan Tsvangirai whose ranks Mujuru is free to join at her own peril” – NewsDay, Friday June 5

 

Biti says MDC Renewal will talk to Mujuru: MDC-Renewal Team secretary-general Tendai Biti yesterday admitted to talking to “individuals” in former Vice-President Joice Mujuru’s People First project with a view to forming a grand coalition to challenge the Zanu PF government in the next general elections. Biti was addressing a Press briefing that followed a hastily arranged national executive committee meeting following the departure of former treasurer-general Elton Mangoma who formed a breakaway party, Renewal of Democrats Zimbabwe (RDZ), early this week. “We have not talked to them as a collective and we are not sure whether they have formed a party. I have talked to them in my capacity as a lawyer and I cannot deny them that constitutional right,” Biti said. “However, when they finally form a party, we will sit down as a collective and talk to them and we will not make an apology for that. If anyone does not see the rationale of a coalition as the salvation for the people of this country in 2018, then we will leave them to enjoy their right to idiocy.” – NewsDay, Friday June 5

 

Gomwe faces Zanu-PF axe: The Zanu-PF Harare provincial youth executive has made recommendations for the suspension of its leader Godwin Gomwe and three other executive members facing charges of abusing the name of First Lady Grace Mugabe to extort $46 000 from housing co-operatives in Harare. Acting provincial youth chairperson Edson Takataka confirmed the development yesterday saying the recommendations were made on Wednesday with the majority arguing the allegations levelled against Gomwe had brought the name of the party into disrepute. The decision is set to compound Gomwe’s woes. He is currently remanded in custody until June 17 over allegations of extorting $46 000 from eight housing co-operatives in Harare’s high-density suburbs of Glen Norah using Mugabe’s name – NewsDay, Friday June 5 also in Daily News

Mbwembwe joins race to succeed Kaukonde: The race to succeed axed former Zanu-PF Mashonaland East chairperson Ray Kaukonde is getting hotter with some ruling party bigwigs allegedly now backing new entrant Chikomba East MP Edgar Mbwembwe as the election date draws closer. Mbwembwe’s reported entrance into the race brought the number of candidates eyeing the position to three. Interim chairperson Aeneas Chigwedere and his deputy Joel Biggie Matiza have already showed their interest to succeed Kaukonde. Sources said Mbwembwe was ready to surrender his central committee post to contest for the hot seat. For the past 3 days, Mbwembwe’s team was touring the province mobilising support and was reportedly seen in Wedza district on Wednesday. Matiza, who was previously considered the front-runner in the race, now faces a formidable challenger as Mbwembwe was reportedly being backed by some politburo members from the province – NewsDay, Friday June 5

 

Independent candidates bemoan intimidation before by-elections: Several independent candidates in the June 10 by-elections have alleged they are facing serious intimidation in their respective constituencies accusing Zanu-PF of deploying State security agents to instil fear in opposition supporters. They said the situation reminded them of gruesome images of the June 2008 elections that left several people dead allegedly at the hands of State security agents and Zanu-PF Glen View South constituency candidate Michael Chivandire said there was continual intimidation in his constituency – NewsDay, Friday June 5

 

Mphoko project raises stink: Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko has been accused of bulldozing into Bulawayo City Council affairs after he spearheaded the rehabilitation of roads in Cowdray Park without the consent of the local authority.

Mphoko has been leading the rehabilitation of the roads in the suburb ahead of the Luveve parliamentary by-election on June 10 where his Zanu-PF party is seeking to win the seat for the first time in 15 years. Cowdray Park, a sprawling high-density suburb, forms the core of the Luveve constituency and has of late been a beneficiary of the VP’s benevolence. However, a report of the council’s engineering services committee debated at a full council meeting on Wednesday showed that although councillors were willing to welcome donations to rehabilitate infrastructure, they were not happy with Mphoko’s approach. Councillors said Mphoko was only rehabilitating the roads to campaign for Zanu-PF candidates contesting the 5 high-stake by-elections in Bulawayo – Southern Eye, Friday June 5

 

Zanu-PF triggers Bosso hijack fears: Highlanders Football Club is in the eye of a storm after invitation cards, adorned with Zanu-PF campaign messages, for a handover ceremony of a bus, emerged on social media yesterday, with fans reacting angrily that the club was now being used for political purposes. The purchase of bus was facilitated by long-time club benefactor Tshinga Dube, who is eyeing the Makokoba seat, but the Saturday handover ceremony, now seen to resemble a Zanu-PF rally, left a sour test in the mouths of many supporters. One message on an invite posted on social media reads: “Your presence will make us win this election.” The cards also have a Zanu-PF logo, colours and a resized picture of Dube’s campaign posters. There was a huge outcry on social media from football supporters, who wanted their team distanced as far as possible from the ruling party – Southern Eye, Friday June 5

 

Army rules out involvement in driving out illegal vendors: Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi yesterday ruled out the involvement of the army in driving out illegal vendors operating in the central business districts of Harare and Bulawayo, in a strange twist to the emotive issue. Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo, Harare Provincial Affairs minister Miriam Chikukwa and Presidential Guard commander Anselem Nhamo Sanyatwa on Monday gave vendors a 7-day ultimatum to relocate to designated sites. The trio said they were speaking on behalf of the Joint Operations Command (Joc) in Harare and warned of dire consequences if the vendors did not leave the undesignated sites by Monday. Joc consists of the army, Central Intelligence Organisation and the police. The defiant vendors said they were also giving the army seven days to create jobs, setting the stage for a violent confrontation. Sekeramayi told journalists on the sidelines of a campaign rally for Zanu-PF’s June 10 by-election candidate for Kuwadzana, Betty Nhambu Kaseke, in Harare that the army had no business interfering in civilian affairs. Sekeramayi said Chombo’s ministry could enlist the services of the police if it wanted to enforce council by-laws – NewsDay, Friday June 5 also in Daily News

 

New vending sites a health time bomb: Harare City Council is designating vending sites that were either already occupied or do not have ablution facilities, presenting a health time bomb, it has been learnt. Investigations showed council had made little or no effort to prepare the new designated sites for the vendors including the Coventry holding bay, City Sports Centre open space, Tsiga open grounds in Mbare and Seke Road near Graniteside open space to check whether the areas were conducive. At the Coventry holding bay, there were a number of vendors already operating there where council wanted to move more than 2 000 hawkers by Monday next week. According to city health officials, the designated sites did not have the capacity to accommodate the over 100 000 vendors in Harare alone. More than 2 100 people were expected to take over the open space at the City Sports Centre. But as of yesterday, there were no ablution facilities – NewsDay, Friday June 5

 

Chimene, State security agents threaten vendors: Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister Mandi Chimene took to the streets of Mutare on Wednesday with senior army officials and Central Intelligence Organisation officers in a move seen as a tactic to intimidate illegal vendors into moving out of the streets, as ordered by government. Chimene was flanked by commander of Three Brigade in Mutare Colonel Lazarus Gutu, District police officer Winstone Muza and senior CIO officers. A few days after the government and security forces gave vendors an ultimatum to retreat to designated trading areas, Chimene told vendors to move out from the streets as Mutare City Council was going to offer them designated places to sell their wares. The move was, however, not taken lightly with vendors saying the fact that Chimene was in the company of senior army officials and other security chiefs it was a way of threatening them. Mutare mayor Tatenda Nhamarare yesterday said while council would comply with the government directive, city fathers were against the use of outside forces. He said council had already started engaging vendors’ associations – NewsDay, Friday June 5

 

‘Health sector too reliant on donors’: European Union (EU) head of delegation to Zimbabwe, Philippe Van Damme says the recovery of the health sector remains fragile as long as there was still over dependence on donor funding which accounted for 95% of all medicines in rural clinics and district hospitals. The EU head said donors were playing too large a part and there was need for the government to do more in the health sector. “We are funding most of the vital medicines available in rural clinics and district hospitals and are even contributing to the salaries of the health workers,” he said. Van Damme said while the recovery of the sector was undeniably under way, as long the government remained donor dependent, the process would remain weak. He said over the coming years, when external funding starts to decrease, the challenge would be to preserve and further consolidate the gains achieved – NewsDay, Friday June 5

 

Uebert Angel’s Bentley saga takes new twist: Prophet Uebert Angel Mudzanire’s Bentley saga has taken a new twist following an application by his lawyers to have the current lawful possessor of the vehicle, Phibeon Busangabanye, cited as a party to the ongoing ownership wrangle. Mudzanire’s lawyer advocate Webster Chinamora told High Court judge Justice November Mtshiya that it was important for the applicant in the matter, Ndabazinengi Shava, to cite Busangabanye since he was the one who was in lawful possession of the $300 000 vehicle which he bought from Mudzanire. The Bentley saga has taken several twists and turns since the matter was reported to police by Shava who accused the man-of-the-cloth of duping him – NewsDay, Friday June 5

 

 

Jim Kunaka’s property attached: Deposed Zanu-PF Harare youth chairperson Jim Kunaka’s household property was attached yesterday over failure to compensate a man he assaulted 7 years ago. The move was supported by a recent High Court writ granted mid last month to the assault victim, Prince Jack. Kunaka is also supposed to foot all of Jack’s legal bills – Daily News, Friday June 5

 

Simba Makoni says Mugabe needs help: Simba Makoni, the Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn leader has said President Mugabe must accept that he needs help from other political leaders to find lasting solutions to Zimbabwe’s intractable economic and social problems. Makoni, who blamed Mugabe and his cronies for creating current economic problems which the former Finance minister attributed to ill-thought decisions, said it would be extremely difficult for Zanu-PF on its own to solve problems it wrought in the first place. Makoni said he still believes in the grand coalition which seeks to harness workable ideas from people of various political persuasion and preferences targeted at economic revival, given that Zimbabwe brags about a highly educated populace – Daily News, Friday June 5

 

‘$200 mln needed for Harare roads rehab’: Harare City Council needs approximately $200 mln for the refurbishment of its 5 000km stretch of roads, a council official has said. Phillip Pfukwa, the director of Works, said yesterday that the state of Harare’s roads has become pathetic. Pfukwa said the roads have not been attended to in over 15 years due to financial constraints. Ideally, roads require periodic maintenance of three, five and seven years – Daily News, Friday June 5

 

Mutasa claims he confronted Mugabe over Grace’s attacks on Mujuru: Expelled former Zanu-PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa says he confronted President Mugabe more than 3 times ahead of the party’s last December congress questioning his wife Grace’s motive in attacking then Vice President Joice Mujuru. Mutasa said he tackled Mugabe demanding an explanation on Grace’s vicious public attacks which eventually led to the expulsion of several party bigwigs, including Mujuru, on allegations of plotting to oust or assassinate the ageing leader. “I confronted Mugabe more than 3 times and he denied that he was involved in the plot to oust Mujuru and a number of senior officials,” Mutasa said. “At one point the Politburo meeting was delayed for 2 hours while I was with him in his office where he actually failed to explain and exonerate himself from what happened in the party days before and after the illegal congress,” he said – Independent, Friday June 5

 

Infighting divides security sector: The ongoing Zanu-PF purges of officials linked to former Vice President Joice Mujuru, which have been going on since October last year, have left Zimbabwe’s security sector deeply divided, intelligence service chiefs have said. Intelligence bosses say although divisions linked to Zanu-PF’s succession politics have been there for many years, the dramatic entry of First Lady Grace Mugabe into politics ahead of the party’s congress in December and the resultant purges of officials linked to Mujuru had widened cracks and fuelled suspicions in the security establishment. The officers say because of the strategic importance of having the support of the security sector, clashes between the 2 main Zanu-PF factions before the congress, one led by Mujuru and the other by Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa , have split into the intelligence services – Independent, Friday June 5

 

More Zanu-PF bigwigs targeted as purges persist: Political purges in the ruling Zanu-PF party are showing no signs of abating after  it emerged that the Harare provincial leadership, led by Godwills Masimirembwa, is set to be axed as recriminations continue over the highly embarrassing Harare East by-election debacle in which the party initially failed to agree on fielding a single candidate – Independent, Friday June 5

 

Vendors now new security flashpoint: Government, struggling to rescue the sinking economy and contain rising social discontent, has been closely monitoring political flashpoints in the aftermath of disputed 2013 general elections, while bolstering its instruments of repression to combat any possible uprising due to deteriorating socio-economic instability. Senior intelligence officers said this week that the looming battle between the security forces and street vendors was already foreseen as government always feared that when the hordes of unemployed locals, including the poor of the poorest, get desperate there were bound to constitute a hotspot among the population – Independent, Friday June 5

[Nico Nel]

Zanu-PF suspends 39 more top officials: Zanu-PF on Friday suspended 39 more senior officials, including former national political commissar Webster Shamu and expelled Vice President Joice Mujuru’s former personal assistant in government, Sylvester Nguni. Shamu and Nguni will be out in the cold for 3 years, while the other party officials were suspended for two years each. The latest suspensions bring to 141 the number of Zanu-PF officials who have been suspended for their involvement in clandestine activities to illegally remove President Mugabe in support of Mujuru. Apart from Mujuru, 11 other senior party officials have been expelled for their roles. Zanu-PF secretary for Information and Publicity Simon Khaya Moyo announced the suspensions after the 287th Ordinary Session of the Politburo in Harare on Friday. In Bulawayo, members who were suspended for two years are Callistus Ndlovu, Christopher Dube, Elifasi Mashabe, Charles Chiponda, Nicholas Mhlanga, Canaan Ncube, Bertha Moyo, Methusela Ndlovu, Quiet Moyo, Bheki Dube, Calvin Musuta and Noma Mokoena. In addition to Shamu and Nguni from Mashonaland West Province, other members suspended for two years are Kindness Paradza, Joshua Chakona, Adrian Musiiwa, Stephen Karenga, Constance Shamu, Jackson Chizanga, Dominic Muza, Mernard Waneke and Talent Muduvuri. Khaya Moyo reiterated that those suspended remained party members, although they would not be allowed to hold any leadership position in the specified period – Herald, Saturday June 6

 

Reprieve for illegal vendors: Government on Friday gave a reprieve to illegal vendors after it extended the deadline by which they should move out of the streets to June 26 from the initial next Monday as more time is required to provide sufficient decent trading places. Before the vendors move out, they will be asked to clean up the streets and remove all litter in the central business district. The illegal vendors, who recently flooded the streets, especially in Harare, are now expected to be formally registered and those still interested in the trade will then move to designated places. Addressing a Press conference in Harare on Friday, Small to Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development Minister Sithembiso Nyoni said Cabinet had come up with a position paper outlining how illegal vending should be addressed. "From the 26th of June, anybody who is not registered and has no card, has no vendor number and no vendor site, will not be allowed on the streets of Harare,” she said – Herald, Saturday June 6

 

Electoral Court hears Mliswa’s case today: The Electoral Court will today hear an application by ousted former Zanu-PF Mashonaland West provincial chairman Temba Mliswa in which he is seeking postponement of the Hurungwe West by-election. The by-election is scheduled for Wednesday. Mliswa is standing as an independent candidate in the by-election. He claims the army is intimidating his supporters. Justice Tendai Uchena will hear the matter which was brought to the court under a certificate of urgency last week – Herald, Monday June 8

 

VPs say only Zanu-PF constituencies to benefit from govt projects: Co-Vice Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko yesterday told Tsholotsho North villagers that constituencies that would benefit from government funded projects were those under Zanu-PF legislators only. Addressing a joint rally where they were drumming up support for the ruling party candidate and Information minister Jonathan Moyo at Mbiriya Primary School in Tsholotsho North, President Mugabe’s deputies declared that Tsholotsho villagers would only be considered art of the “Zimbabwean family” if they voted for the Zanu-PF legislator  – NewsDay, Monday June 8

War vets, Zanu-PF supporters exchange blows at rally: A fist-fight reportedly broke out at a Zanu-PF inter-district meeting in Chipinge on Saturday after a group of placard waving war veterans gate-crashed and jeered Politburo member Oppah Muchinguri, Manicaland acting provincial chair Samuel Undenge and other senior party officials accusing them of being aligned to former Vice President Joice Mujuru’s Gamatox camp. This, according to party sources, angered Muchinguri and Undenge’s supporters who immediately confronted the war veterans resulting in clashes. Undenge confirmed the disturbances although he denied that violence broke out – NewsDay, Monday June 8

 

Zanu-PF suspends 39 more: Zanu-PF on Friday defied calls by First Lady Grace Mugabe to stop unnecessary Politburo purges and went ahead to suspend 39 more officials, among them former and current cabinet ministers such as Webster Shamu, Sylvester Nguni and Andrew Langa. The politburo sat on Friday to, among other things, suspend former Information and Communication Technology (ICT) minister Shamu and former minister of State Nguni for 3 years. Most of the officials were suspended for 2 years for reportedly being aligned to former Vice-President Joice Mujuru, who was accused of trying to topple President Robert Mugabe from power using supernatural powers. Shamu and Nguni were suspended for 3 years while Mashonaland West secretary for administration Kindness Paradza was suspended for 2 years – NewsDay, Saturday June 6

 

Chief Matupula declares allegiance to Zanu-PF: Chief Matupula in Tsholotsho North Constituency has declared unreserved allegiance to the ruling Zanu-PF party and ordered his subjects to vote for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services minister Jonathan Moyo in the Wednesday by-elections. Moyo is campaigning for the Tsholotsho North seat on a Zanu PF ticket. Addressing a campaign rally at Dibutibu in Tsholotsho over the weekend, Matupula said villagers must rally behind Moyo whom he described as having a lot of potential to develop the constituency – Southern Eye, Monday June 8

 

Youths uphold Gomwe suspension, reverse 3 others: Zanu-PF Harare provincial youth executive has upheld the suspension of its leader Godwin Gomwe, but reversed suspensions of three executive members who had been shown the exit door together with Gomwe. Harare provincial youth secretary for commissariat Innocent Hamandishe said the suspension of Tendai Chirawu (deputy secretary for information), Claris Munyati (deputy secretary for transport) and Spencer Mutero (secretary for legal affairs), have been reversed. But Gomwe remained suspended – NewsDay, Saturday June 6

 

MDC-T authorities rally behind vendors: Opposition MDC-T-run local authorities have vowed to rally behind street vendors and resist any attempts by the Zanu-PF government to forcefully remove them from the streets. The resolution was made at a special MDC-T councillors’ meeting held on Saturday in Harare which was also attended by party leader Morgan Tsvangirai – NewsDay, Monday June 8

 

Mangoma’s party moots regional diplomatic offensive: Opposition politician Elton Mangoma says his newly-formed Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe (RDZ) will soon go on a regional diplomatic offensive targeting selected African countries in a bid to reach out to a broader audience. RDZ was formed last week after Mangoma broke out of MDC Renewal Team following his fallout with Tendai Biti. He was accused of snatching a fellow party member’s wife. Party spokesperson Pishai Muchauraya said on Friday that within 3 months they would have set up proper party structures in preparation for the diplomatic offensive – NewsDay, Monday June 8

 

Grace’s son kills man: First Lady Grace Mugabe’s son Russell Goreraza was arrested on Thursday evening for allegedly killing an unidentified man in a road traffic accident and spent the night at Rhodesville Police Station in Harare. He committed the offence on February 23. On Friday, Goreraza was convicted of the offence and slapped with a fine of $800 or in default to serve a two-month jail term. Russell is the First Lady’s son with former husband Airforce of Zimbabwe wing commander Stanley Goreraza, who was appointed defence attaché at the Zimbabwean Embassy in China. Appearing before Harare provincial magistrate Vakai Douglas Chikwekwe, Goreraza pleaded guilty to culpable homicide charges – NewsDay, Saturday June 6

 

Mine wrangle sucks VP’s son deeper: 2 businessmen implicated in a $10 mln fraud case involving a gold mine in Chinhoyi have filed an application for discharge at the close of the State case and questioned involvement of Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s son, Collins, in the matter. The two men, Chinese national Zhou Haixi and Zimbabwean Tafirenyika Kambarami, pleaded not guilty to defrauding Chen Shaoliang and his daughter Chen Xiandong by allegedly taking over Eldorado Mine when they appeared before Chinhoyi regional magistrate Never Katiyo three weeks ago – NewsDay, Saturday June 6

 

Govt makes climb-down on vendors: The government has bowed to pressure from various sectors and moved the deadline for vendors to vacate the central business district (CBD) to June 26 to allow for systematic relocation of the hawkers to designated areas. Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo this week gave vendors up to Monday to move out of Harare’s CBD, failure of which the army and other security agents would forcibly eject them from the streets. But Small and Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development minister Sithembiso Nyoni on Friday said Cabinet had on Thursday rescinded the decision and extended the deadline to June 26 – NewsDay, Saturday June 6

 

Nigerian journalists say Mugabe looked confused during Abuja encounter: The cheeky Nigerian journalists who recently embarrassed President Mugabe when he attended the inauguration of that country’s new leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, say the nonagenarian was “fast asleep” just before they accosted him so he looked confused. In a hard-hitting posting on Facebook last week by Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara – the online news agency that promotes citizen journalism and reports mainly on corruption and human rights abuses on the continent, and which roasted Mugabe while he was in Abuja – the journalists appeared to rub salt in Mugabe’s wounds – Daily News, Monday June 8

 

Mliswa confident of thrashing Zanu-PF: Despite having been arrested several times and his supporters being subjected to brutal attacks by Zanu-PF apparatchiks ahead of Wednesday’s by-elections that are being boycotted by the country’s main opposition, Temba Mliswa is confident that he will regain the hotly-contested Hurungwe West seat. In a statement yesterday, the garrulous former Zanu-PF chairman for Mashonaland West before his expulsion from the party, said while he had watched helplessly as his supporters  - including his chief elections officer Goodwill Zinyama – were being arrested and victimised, he was nevertheless confident that he would in the seat – Daily News, Monday June 8

 

Zanu-PF in disarray over Mujuru plans: Former Vice President Joice Mujuru’s statement last week, in which she savaged President Mugabe’s post congress Zanu-PF and also apologised to Zimbabweans for mistakes that she and her erstwhile colleagues had made since 1980, has put the cat among the pigeons within the ranks of her Zanu-PF enemies. Well-placed sources said the statement had rattled senior party big-wigs who had assumed that she no longer had the stomach for a fight and higher political ambitions after she was brutally purged from both the post-congress Zanu-PF and government together with a coterie of her most loyal supporters – Daily News on Sunday, June 7

 

Zanu-PF vultures smelling blood: As succession politics play out in Zanu-PF, vultures and newcomers in the party are smelling blood and continue to eliminate each other through the party’s politburo expulsions and suspensions. So far, Zanu-PF has reportedly suspended 141 officials and expelled several others accusing them of clandestine activities to illegally remove President Mugabe in support of former VP Joice Mujuru. Political analyst Mcdonald Lewanika said the vultures in Zanu-PF smell blood and are eliminating each other in order to be well positioned to take prime positions and have the biggest share of the politics carcass – Daily News, Monday June 8

 

Bootlicking fails to save Shamu: Frantic efforts by Webster Shamu to curry favour with his erstwhile comrades in Zanu-PF were not enough to save him from the ongoing brutal purges as the party’s Politburo suspended him on Friday for a good 3 years. This is despite the fact that Shamu has profusely apologised to President Mugabe and his influential wife Grace and just last week in Hurungwe, he knelt before Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and denounced people who dare oppose the outcome of the party’s damp squib December 2014 congress – Daily News on Sunday, June 7

 

US official says Mugabe is holding Zim back: President Mugabe is holding Zimbabwe back by failing to name a successor, triggering unending succession wars in his ruling Zanu-PF, US Deputy Assistant Secretary Bureau of African Affairs, Shannon Smith has said. She said Zimbabwe’s situation was worsening. Briefing the United States House Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organisations on her visit to Zimbabwe, Smith who supported the current restrictions on Zimbabwean officials said the country was trapped in endless problems – Daily News on Sunday, June 7

 

Grace’s son causes vagrant’s death: First Lady Grace Mugabe’s son Russell Goreraza has escaped a jail term after he was fined $800 for fatally hitting a vagrant with his car along Harare’s Samora Machel Avenue. He was charged with culpable homicide, following claims that he negligently drove his car and knocked down the unidentified man to death. Goreraza is Grace’s son from her first marriage to Stanley Goreraza, an Air Force of Zimbabwe pilot who is believed to be a military attaché in China. Harare magistrate Vakayi Chikwekwe on Friday convicted Russell on his own guilty plea, before slapping him with the fine. Russell will spend two months in prison if he fails to pay the fine – Daily News, Saturday June 6

 

Mukupe accused of assaulting opponent: As tempers flares ahead of the June 10 by-election. Zanu-PF candidate for Harare East constituency, Terrence Mukupe, is at the centre of yet another scandal after allegedly assaulting his opponent’s chief elections officer. David Roddy Takaruza, a Transform Zimbabwe elections officer, left ZiFM Stereo’s premises this Thursday with a sprained left arm, a broken down phone and tattered suit after the alleged assault. He had accompanied Dale Dore, the party’s Harare East candidate, to the radio’s special evening by-elections show, The Platform, where Dore was to speak on election promises together with independent candidate Zachariah Mushawatu and Mukupe – Daily News, Saturday June 6

 

Kasukuwere attacks Mangoma: Zanu-PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere has taken a dig at Elton Mangoma, saying his newly formed party will not do anything but split again. Addressing Zanu-PF supporters during a campaign rally for the party’s Kuwadzana candidate, Betty Nhambu Kaseke on Thursday afternoon, Kasukuwere poured scorn on Mangoma’s party. Mangoma declined to comment on Kasukuwere’s remarks referring all questions to Pishai Muchauraya – Daily News, Saturday June 6

 

MDC-T hits back at Grace: Zimbabwe’s main opposition, the MDC-T has taken a swipe at First Lady Grace Mugabe claiming that she has a short memory as the fallout in the vendors’ saga continues to escalate. Grace, through Zanu-PF women’s league spokesperson Monica Mutsvangwa had denied inciting chaotic vending in Harare and blamed the MDC-T for misleading the nation on the issue saying the Morgan Tsvangirai-led party was playing a dangerous game of encouraging lawless conduct – Daily News, Saturday June 6

[Jakes Louw]

If the baboons just concentrated on running the country instead of on party politics, maybe Zim would have a chance.

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[Simon Spooner]

Rattled Zanu-PF goes for broke: Notwithstanding the fact that the main opposition MDC-T is boycotting tomorrow’s by-elections around the country, a rattled Zanu-PF – severely weakened by debilitating and seemingly unstoppable factional and succession wars – is throwing everything at the electorate in its desperation not to lose some of the seats. This has seen President Mugabe’s party tasking his deputies, Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, to lead its massive and expensive campaigns almost on a full-time basis over the past few weeks – as it fears that any losses that it could suffer to candidates from fringe opposition parties could prove fatal ahead of the eagerly-anticipated 2018 national elections –Daily News, Tuesday June 9

 

Bulawayo abuzz over by-elections: An upswing in last minute campaigns in Bulawayo has set the city abuzz as aspiring parliamentarians try to charm an undecided section of the electorate to vote for them in tomorrow’s by-elections where 5 seats are available for the taking. Aspirant MPs and their campaign aides have bedecked their vehicles and city buildings with posters, in a last ditch effort to attract seemingly election-weary voters who say they are tired of Zimbabwe’s “same old, useless politics” – Daily News, Tuesday June 9

 

Mliswa poll challenge ruling today: The Electoral Court will today rule on aspiring Hurungwe West independent candidate Temba Mliswa’s application seeking the postponement of Wednesday’s by-election, citing intimidation of his supporters. In the application, Mliswa cited the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson Rita Makarau, ZEC, Zanu-PF, Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo, Zanu-PF candidate Keith Guzah, Chiefs Nyamhunga, Dandawa, Nematombo, Dendera, headman Mutatu and President Mugabe as respondents – Daily News, Tuesday June 9

 

Court bars army from driving off vendors: A high court judge has barred members of the security services, including the Zimbabwe National Army, from driving away thousands of vendors from the streets. High Court judge Felistas Chatukuta gave the order by contest yesterday after the Zimbabwe Informal Sector’s Organisation had filed an urgent chamber application seeking to bar the army from moving vendors. In the application, the organisation had cited Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo, defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi and Harare mayor Bernard Manyenyeni as respondents – Daily News, Tuesday June 9

 

MDC-T says Zanu-PF is politicizing food aid: Distribution of food aid in Zimbabwe, where 3 mln face hunger, has become a political hot-potato, much to the chagrin of the political opposition and humanitarian agencies implementing life-saving programmes. Accusations that the distribution of food aid has been politicized – with claims that supporters of the opposition MDC-T have been denied aid due to their political allegiance – have been fuelled by comments by politicians – Daily News, Tuesday June 9

 

Govt waiver user fees for the vulnerable: Government is enacting a legal instrument to enforce the policy of protecting the poor and vulnerable populations from healthcare charges, a Cabinet minister has said. David Parirenyatwa, the Health and Child Care minister last week said government was working on a statutory instrument that exempts the elderly and minors from paying user fees at public health facilities. This comes as State health facilities are refusing to offer exemptions to vulnerable groups, especially pregnant mothers and children under the age of 5 who are in greater chance of being affected by diseases, especially the communicable ones, and citizens aged 65 years and above – Daily News, Tuesday June 9

 

Mujuru, Renewal Team in coalition talks: Former Vice President Joice Mujuru’s putchist cabal has approached the MDC Renewal Team fronted by former Finance Minister Tendai Biti, with a view to forming a coalition to challenge Zanu-PF in 2018 harmonised polls. The cabal, trading under the banner of “People First”, is also understood to have made some overtures to other opposition parties in the country. The cabal is yet to receive feedback from other parties, sources disclosed yesterday. However, Zanu-PF last night dismissed the proposed coalition, saying they had better things to focus on. Sources close to the goings on, said a series of meetings have been held so far between the Renewal Team and the Mujuru cabal, with a lot of shuttling still going on between Renewal offices in Eastlea and Didymus Mutasa’s Umwinsidale residence to consult on the terms of reference for the proposed coalition. Self-imposed spokesperson of the Mujuru cabal, Rugare Gumbo, yesterday confirmed meetings with the Renewal Team at several intervals – Herald, Tuesday June 9

 

Parly resumes sitting: Parliament resumes sitting today with major highlights for debate being the introduction of the General Laws Amendment Bill, an omnibus law that seeks to align several legal statutes with the new Constitution. The General Laws and Amendment Bill was gazetted on May 8, 2015. It seeks to amend about 129 Acts of Parliament including the Electoral Act. The Bill was now due to be tabled for debate. Some of the issues to be addressed include proportional representation which was used in the July 31, 2013 elections under Presidential Powers Act (Temporary Measures). Presidential Powers Act (Temporary Measures) has a six-month lifespan – Herald, Tuesday June 9

 

Mugabe flies out again: President Mugabe yesterday left the country for Egypt, making his 14th foreign trip since returning from a long holiday excursion in the Far East in January. Mugabe is in Cairo to witness the launch of the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) involving Africa’s three regional economic groupings — the Southern African Development Community (Sadc), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) and East African Community. Leaders from 26-member states will sign the TFTA agreement tomorrow that will contribute $1.2 trln, close to 60% of Africa’s gross domestic product. The decision to launch the TFTA, to be the largest economic bloc on the continent, was conceived in Burundi last year. Mugabe is chairman of both the African Union and Sadc. From Egypt, Mugabe is expected to visit South Africa before proceeding to Mozambique, Russia and China – NewsDay, Tuesday June 9

 

VPs utterances spark outrage: The main opposition MDC-T has described as shocking statements by Vice-Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko that the government only developed areas under Zanu-PF control. Mnangagwa and Mphoko told a joint rally in Tsholotsho North on Sunday that Tsholotsho had suffered from over 20 years of neglect because the ruling party lost elections in the area. “This is a shocking revelation that flies in the face of the founding provisions of the Constitution of Zimbabwe that clearly states that ‘Zimbabwe is a unitary, democratic and sovereign republic’,” MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu said. He said Zanu PF’s discriminatory policies had impoverished Zimbabwe – NewsDay, Tuesday June 9

 

Moyo, MDC-T in jumbo meat war: Information minister Jonathan Moyo has accused the MDC-T of trying to bribe Tsholotsho North voters with mealie meal and elephant meat ahead of tomorrow’s by-election, inviting scorn from the main opposition party. Moyo, the former independent MP for the constituency, will tomorrow seek to recapture the seat after he narrowly lost to former MDC-T MP Roselyn Nkomo in 2013. Nkomo was fired for joining the MDC Renewal Team. The minister is contesting against two little-known independent candidates Busani Ncube and Getrude Sibanda, he accuses of being MDC-T proxies. He told Vice-Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko on Sunday ahead of a rally at Mbiriya Primary School that the MDC-T had employed unorthodox campaign tactics in the constituency. The MDC-T is boycotting all the by-elections demanding poll reforms and its leader Morgan Tsvangirai held rallies including in Tsholotsho urging his supporters to stay away – Southern Eye, Tuesday June 9

 

Dzamara rally to ratchet pressure: Fired top Zanu PF officials are set to join opposition parties, churches and civic society organisations next week at a prayer meeting for missing human rights activist Itai Dzamara as pressure mounts on the government to solve the puzzle surrounding his disappearance. Dzamara’s disappeared in March 9 without trace and the government has come under mounting pressure to find him. The former journalist was allegedly abducted by suspected State security agents near his home in Glen View suburb, Harare, shortly after he held a series of solo demonstrations in Harare’s Africa Unity Square calling for President Robert Mugabe’s resignation. Organisers of the prayer rally declined to be named, but posted messages on WhatsApp advising all civic groups and opposition parties to be at the Zimbabwe Grounds on June 14 for the event. Former Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa and the ex-ruling party spokesperson Rugare Gumbo were listed among those likely to attend the event – NewsDay, Tuesday June 9

 

MDC-T demands $10 from top officials: Opposition MDC-T’s Masvingo province has resolved that all provincial executive members should pay their annual subscription fee of $10 or risk losing their posts. The party has of late turned to its members for funding after being ditched by its traditional funders. Ordinary party members are expected to pay a flat subscription fee of $6 per year towards administration costs for the provincial offices. In a statement yesterday, MDC-T Masvingo provincial chair James Gumbi said the resolution was made at their last sitting over the weekend – NewsDay, Tuesday June 9

 

Independent candidates confident of victory: Independent candidates contesting in tomorrow’s parliamentary by-elections yesterday said they were confident of victory although they bemoaned the absence of a level playing field. Coalition of Independent Candidates spokesperson Farai Kuveya expressed concern over the alleged defacing of their campaign posters, intimidation of their supporters by ruling Zanu PF members and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec)’s failure to stop incidents of vote buying – NewsDay, Tuesday June 9

 

Zanu-PF youths warned against abusing Mugabe’s name: Zanu-PF deputy secretary for youth affairs Kudzai Chipanga has told ruling party youths to desist from abusing the First Family’s name by engaging in corrupt activities saying they will face the full wrath of the law. The warning came amid reports that several Zanu-PF officials had resorted to invoking the First Family’s name to demand bribes and intimidate their rivals especially following the unceremonious ouster of former Vice-President Joice Mujuru last year. Chipanga fired the warning shots yesterday following the recent arrest of Zanu-PF Harare provincial youth chairman Godwin Gomwe on allegations of extorting $46 000 from housing cooperatives in the capital claiming the land in question belonged to First Lady Grace Mugabe. Gomwe and his 6 co-accused were last week denied bail when they appeared before Harare regional magistrate Vakai Chikwekwe and were remanded in custody to June 17 – NewsDay, Tuesday June 9

 

‘Zanu-PF purges confirm Mujuru’s total control of key structures’: The increasing number of Zanu-PF politburo and Cabinet members purged on allegations of sympathising with axed former Vice-President Joice Mujuru confirms that the ex-Mt Darwin West MP was in total control of the ruling party’s key structures, analysts have said. This followed Zanu-PF’s suspension from the party of at least 141 top party officials at national and provincial level for reportedly being aligned to the Mujuru camp. These included nine out of the 10 party provincial chairpersons, Cabinet ministers occupying some influential government positions and others holding key party posts namely secretary for administration (Didymus Mutasa), secretary for commissariat (Webster Shamu) and spokesperson (Rugare Gumbo). Academic Ibbo Mandaza said the continued purge of Mujuru allies was clear indication of how her camp was popular within the Zanu-PF structures – NewsDay, Tuesday June 9

 

Vapostori declare war: The war of words between Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries leader Walter Magaya and the apostolic sects escalated yesterday with the leader of the churches vowing to “expose” the charismatic preacher, saying Magaya was “ungodly and worse than local traditional healers”. Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ) president Johannes Ndanga said Magaya had crossed the line after the launch on Sunday of his second book Marine Spirits Part 2. The book, a follow-up to another released early this year, takes a dig at apostolic sects, labelling them ungodly and hubs of sexual immorality. Ndanga said instead of worshipping God, Magaya worshipped “his spiritual father in Nigeria and derived his powers from snakes”. He said churches he leads were ready to expose Magaya for being “worse than traditional healers and those he claimed were using marine spirits” as he uses “sacrificial blood” to perform his miracles. “The people he is saying use marine spirits are better off than him because he worships a god from Nigeria,” fumed Ndanga as he went on a tirade against Magaya – NewsDay, Tuesday June 9

 

Vendors score court victory: Street vendors operating at undesignated sites in all the country’s urban centres heaved a sigh of relief yesterday when High Court judge Justice Felistas Chatukuta interdicted government from forcibly evicting them without following due process. The court order followed an urgent application filed last week by the Zimbabwe Informal Sectors’ Organisation (Ziso) lawyer Chris Mhike. Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo had given vendors an ultimatum to move to designated sites by June 26 or they would face unspecified action. The government initially set yesterday as the deadline before extending it to month end to enable smooth transition. Mhike said the matter was resolved by consent – NewsDay, Tuesday June 9

 

‘Mnangagwa’s dual roles delaying re-alignment of laws’: Zimrights chairman Passmore Nyakureba has raised a red flag over Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s dual roles in the Presidium and as Justice minister saying his heavy workload has caused unnecessary delays in the re-alignment of the country’s laws to the Constitution. Nyakureba’s call came at a time when President Mugabe was expected to replace some Cabinet ministers and deputies who were dismissed last year for allegedly working in cahoots with former Vice-President Joice Mujuru to unseat the President through unconstitutional means. Mujuru has denied the allegations – NewsDay, Tuesday June 9

[Jakes Louw]

How can ZANU-PF lose seats if the main opposition isn't taking part?

Who writes this shit?

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[Simon Spooner]

Sham by-elections: Hordes of voters were stuck in slow-moving queues at some polling stations around the country, with many of them ultimately unable to cast their ballots during yesterday’s by-elections and police being called in to calm the angry crowds. At the same time, civil society organisations have reported a number of alleged malpractices, including damaging claims that some law enforcement agents and traditional leaders were at the centre of some of the electoral malpractices. Heal Zimbabwe Trust claimed that 6 registered polling agents representing independent candidate Herman Karimakwenda in Dzivaresekwa had been blocked from entering some polling stations in the constituency on the pretext that the agents were not registered in the area – Daily News, Thursday June 11

 

Masimirembwa booted out: Zanu-PF Harare Province has passed a vote of no confidence on interim chairman Godwills Masimirembwa, throwing the province into fresh turmoil. The provincial executive committee met yesterday and resolved to relieve Masimirembwa of his duties over a raft of infractions he allegedly committed since his appointment last December. Secretary for Administration George Mashavave said 33 members of the 50-member PEC met and resolved to pass a vote of no confidence in Masimirembwa in terms of Section 150 of the party constitution and co-opted his deputy, Robert Kahanana, as the new chair in terms of Sections 82 and 89. Kahanana said charges against Masimirembwa included failure to respect President Mugabe and misleading Vice President Phelekhezela Mphoko on the Harare East issue concerning the candidature of Terence Mukupe – Herald, Thursday June 11 also in Daily News, NewsDay

 

Bhasikiti‘s utterances baffle fellow legislators: Mwenezi East legislator Kudakwashe Bhasikiti – who was recently expelled from Zanu-PF – on Tuesday took advantage of Parliament’s platform processes to attack the country’s leadership and promote the People First project. In his speech, whose tone was similar to a recent statement by former Vice President Joice Mujuru, Bhasikiti accused the country’s leadership, with the exception of President Mugabe, of corruption and failing to address hardships affecting ordinary Zimbabweans. Zanu-PF Chief Whip Joram Gumbo immediately dismissed the claims by Bhasikiti, saying he was trying to exonerate himself. “It is unfortunate that he took the platform to hit back for his expulsion from the party. It is a sign of desperation on his part. Grapes are sour. He is talking now when he has left office on issues he should have addressed,” Gumbo said – Herald, Thursday June 11

Bhasikiti seeks to bar Parly from declaring his seat vacant: Mwenezi East National Assembly member Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, who was expelled from Zanu-PF recently, has filed an urgent application at the High Court to stop Parliament from declaring his seat vacant if it receives any communication to expel him. This comes after Bhasikiti on Tuesday took President Mugabe and Zanu-PF to the same court challenging his expulsion from the revolutionary party. Bhasikiti, a former Zanu-PF Politburo member and former Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs, was expelled from the party together with several others after their involvement in a plot to unconstitutionally unseat President Mugabe. Bhasikiti contends that Parliament should not act on any letter from Zanu-PF informing it of his expulsion. He argued that the Politburo that expelled him had no powers to do so in terms of the revolutionary party’s constitution – Herald, Thursday June 11 also in Daily News, NewsDay

 

Gamatox, Weevils clash at Midzi funeral: The mysterious death of former Cabinet minister and suspended Zanu-PF Harare provincial chairman Amos Midzi, who was 62, at his Munandi Farm in Beatrice on  Tuesday raised tempers yesterday as rival Zanu-PF factions clashed over control of the proceedings at his funeral wake. Ousted Vice President Joice Mujuru visited the Midzi residence in Mt Pleasant, Harare, to pay her last respects to his family yesterday afternoon. This came amid speculative reports that opposition MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai was last night also expected to visit the Midzi family home in Mt Pleasant to pay his condolences. A tense atmosphere gripped the gathering after fired and suspended Zanu-PF officials, now known as People First, started dictating terms and playing a leading role in the proceedings. Mbare MP Tendai Savanhu led the group linked to People First reportedly fronted by Mujuru in controlling funeral proceedings with Midzi’s family. Zanu-PF Harare political commissar Shadreck Mashayamombe accused the People First grouping of trying to hijack Midzi’s funeral and “wrongfully claiming him as if he was theirs” – NewsDay, Thursday June 11

Voters heed poll boycott call: Voter apathy and several alleged electoral irregularities characterised yesterday’s 16 by-elections held in various parts of the country. The main opposition parties, including former PM Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T, boycotted the polls, citing an uneven electoral playing field in a move analysts say would open space for Zanu-PF in opposition strongholds. The elections were held amid reports of voter intimidation and an unusual number of assisted voters at polling stations in Kwekwe, Mutare, Bulawayo, Headlands, Tsholotsho North and Hurungwe West – NewsDay, Thursday June 11

 

Mugabe faces stiff resistance over ICC pull out at AU summit: President Mugabe is likely to face stiff resistance from other countries at an African Union (AU) summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, later this week in the wake of his call for the continent to pull out of the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing it of bias. African governments are meeting for the 25th summit of the AU, from June 7 to 15 in Johannesburg and Pretoria. Mugabe, who is the AU rotating chair for 2015, threatened in January this year to push for African ICC members to withdraw from the court at the June summit. However, in the days leading up to the summit, Malawian officials told reporters that it would not consider withdrawal. Botswana too has consistently stressed its support for the ICC when the court has come under attack at the AU – NewsDay, Thursday June 11

 

Mnangagwa says it’s not army’s duty to remove vendors: Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday reiterated that the government never ordered the army to remove vendors from the streets. Mnangagwa in reply to a question by MDC-T MP Ronia Bunjira, told the National Assembly that it was not the role of the army to remove vendors as this was the duty of respective local authorities. “Government would assist municipalities in any given set-up only when they ask for assistance from the law and order section, but up to now I am not aware of any request for assistance to deal with the vendors,” he said. Bunjira demanded further explanation saying the army had called for a Press conference giving vendors a seven-day ultimatum to move out of the streets. “I did not see any soldiers moving around with a hailer announcing that they would forcibly remove vendors. The only policy we have is that when there is disorder like what happened during the 2008 MDC’s Final Push rallies, definitely we will unleash security forces. However, whenever there is disorder it is the duty of the police and not the army to bring law and order,” he said. Mnangagwa also claimed himself and co-VP Phelekezela Mphoko never said the government would never bring development to areas which shunned Zanu-PF – NewsDay, Thursday June 11

 

Zanu-PF ‘foul’ tactics mar polls: Zanu-PF was accused of intimidating voters in Tsholotsho North by recording their names while Bulawayo residents largely heeded the call to boycott yesterday’s parliamentary by-elections. Tsholotsho North and 5 constituencies in Bulawayo were the centre of attraction in the region as the country held 16 by-elections to fill seats left vacant after MDC-T recalled rebel MPs early this year. Headlands and Hurungwe West were also up for grabs after Zanu-PF fired its secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa and his nephew Temba Mliswa. Information minister Jonathan Moyo was contesting against two lightweight independent candidates Busani Ncube and Getrude Sibanda for the seat left vacant by Roselyn Nkomo (MDC Renewal). Moyo was expected to romp to victory after an elaborate campaign against candidates that remained invisible in the run-up to the polls, but observers said this did not stop Zanu PF from resorting to unorthodox means. The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (Zesn), which deployed observers in most of the constituencies, said in Tsholotsho and Headlands voters were forced to register their names by Zanu PF officials outside polling stations – NewsDay, Thursday June 11

 

Frustrated voters turned away in Hurungwe West: Dozens of potential voters were turned away in yesterday’s elections in the restive Hurungwe West constituency amid claims by rival candidates of gross irregularities, including bussing of Zanu-PF supporters to polling stations. At Rengwe Primary School in ward 16, a massive 120 would-be-voters had been turned away around 4 pm. At least 35 were assisted to vote. There were also complaints that village heads shepherded their subjects to polling stations – Daily News, Thursday June 11

 

Mnangagwa in parly U-turn: VP Emmerson Mnangagwa made a volte-face in Parliament yesterday, staunchly denying statements he made that maize will only be available through Zanu-PF structures. Grilled by legislators on the controversial move to politicize government food aid, Mnangagwa insisted that he was quoted out of context. He was captured on State television telling villagers in Tsholotsho North during a rally to canvass support for Information minister Jonathan Moyo that only Zanu-PF supporters will be eligible for aid – Daily News, Thursday June 11

 

Ruling reserved in Sibanda’s case: The Constitutional Court yesterday reserved ruling in an application filed by former war veterans’ leader Jabulani Sibanda, in which he is challenging his prosecution on allegations of insulting President Mugabe. Sibanda was arrested last November after delivering a lengthy speech at Herbert Mine in Mutasa where he is alleged to have said Mugabe and his wife Grace were planning a “bedroom coup” to topple former VP Joice Mujuru and replace her with the First Lady. He is alleged to have said he was not prepared for such an arrangement because power is not “sexually transmitted” – Daily News, Thursday June 11

 

Land reform nightmare: Government, battling to stem an accelerating economic crisis that was primarily triggered by its land reform programme, is contemplating returning some underutilised farmlands back to a number of former white owners after failing to compensate them. The move comes as a US judge last week dismissed a bid by ZB Bank against a $25 mln compensation case brought against the financial institution by 40 Dutch nationals whose farms were seized under the country’s 2000 fast track land redistribution programme. This development threatens to open a legal minefield, as there would be the possibility of more claims against government owned institutions for compensation of evicted farmers in offshore jurisdictions – Fingaz, Thursday June 11

 

Mzembi’s proverbial nine lives: Call it fate or pure luck lurking by his side; and hate him or like him, but Tourism and Hospitality Minister Walter Mzembi has the proverbial nine lives of a cat – at least politically. Suspected to be hobnobbing with ousted former vice president Joice Mujuru, the Masvingo South legislator has survived the mighty Zanu-PF axe that has so far claimed the scalps of more than 140 individuals, including the bigwigs. Mujuru, the widow of Zimbabwe’s first army commander, Solomon Mujuru, was fired from government and the party for allegedly trying to unconstitutionally unseat President Robert Mugabe. She has denied the charges. Like his fellow Zanu-PF colleagues purged from both party and government, Mzembi was also on the firing line and many thought his fate was closely tied to their political fortunes. Surprisingly, Mzembi survived the first round of the purges when the rival faction in the Zanu-PF provincial leadership structures recommended to the Politburo that he be expelled or suspended from the party alongside several others, but he was spared although the resolution was endorsed for the others on the hit list – Fingaz, Thursday June 11

[Simon Spooner]

Fear grips Zanu-PF as purges escalate: More heads are set to roll in President Mugabe’s Zanu-PF as its ambitious Young Turks who are known as the Generation 40 group, of which the party’s national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere is said to be a leading member, embarks on a fresh wave of purges targeted at their party foes. Already, the axe has fallen on the party’s acting Harare provincial chairperson Godwills Masimirembwa, while a former close ally of First Lady Grace Mugabe, the notorious Godwin Gomwe, is almost down and out after he was arrested recently on corruption charges – Daily News, Friday June 12

Zanu-PF sweeps 16 seats in ‘sham’ by-elections: President Mugabe’s Zanu-PF swept the “sham” Parliamentary by-elections held on Wednesday, with the party candidates registering “pyric victory” with handsome margins in all the 16 seats. The ruling party also clinched an unexpected victory in Bulawayo, winning all the 5 seats in a special poll boycotted by Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T. The last time Zanu-PF won any seats in Bulawayo was in 1995 before the formation of MDC. Jacob Mafume, spokesperson of the MDC Renewal Team said the people of Bulawayo in particular and Zimbabwe in general will never forgive Tsvangirai and his shameful party for this humiliation – Daily News, Friday June 12 Kaukonde,

 

Bhasikiti booted out of Parliament: Parliament yesterday expelled 3 Zanu-PF Members of Parliament after the revolutionary party wrote to the August House saying the trio had ceased to represent its interests. Messrs Ray Kaukonde (Marondera Central), Kudakwashe Bhasikiti (Mwenezi East) and David Butau (Mbire) lost their seats yesterday after Zanu-PF wrote to the Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda notifying him that the trio no longer represented its interests as envisaged by Section 129 of the Constitution. The 3 were part of 7 members expelled from Zanu-PF after they were linked to the putschist cabal led by former Vice President Joice Mujuru that sought to topple President Mugabe ahead of the 6th National People’s Congress last December. The other 4 are Olivia Muchena, Dzikamai Mavhaire, Claudious Makova and Kudakwashe Gope. Muchena and Mavhaire are Senators and an announcement on their fate was still to be made – Herald, Friday June 12

 

ZESN says irregularities marred the by-elections: The June 10 by-elections were marred by irregularities that compromised the integrity of the electoral process, local observers said yesterday. According to a preliminary statement by the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, apart from the technical incompetence displayed by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, ZESN observers noted several electoral malpractices that compromised the election’s credibility – Daily News, Friday June 12

 

Zanu-PF triggers more by-elections: Expelled Zanu-PF stalwarts Ray Kaukonde, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti and David Butau were yesterday formally ejected from Parliament, setting the stage for more costly by-elections at a time that the government is saddled with massive debts and failing to meet its obligations – Daily News, Friday June 12

 

Mphoko attempts to whitewash Gukurahundi: Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has said Zimbabweans should forget the Gukurahundi “genocide” and concentrate on present problems. Responding to Binga North MDC-T MP Dubeko Prince Sibanda’s question in the National Assembly on Wednesday about measures being taken to heal victims of the 80s massacre, Mphoko said Zimbabweans must forget that era and move on – Daily News, Friday June 12

 

Midzi burial set for tomorrow: Former zanu-pf Harare provincial chairman and Cabinet Minister Cde Amos Midzi, who died on Monday will be buried tomorrow at Glen Forest Memorial Park. Family spokesperson Stanley Midzi, said they would not wait for toxicology analysis results that he said might take more than two weeks to be released. Midzi said they were not aware if Zanu-PF was planning to accord him hero status adding that party plans were not going to stop family plans – Herald, Friday June 12

 

Biti blasts Tsvangirai: MDC Renewal secretary-general Tendai Biti has castigated his former boss and MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, saying he lacks trust and transparency. Biti said Tsvangirai wanted to privatise and personalise the

 

Gomwe freed, re-arrested: Zanu-PF Harare provincial youth chairman Godwin Gomwe was yesterday granted $1 000 bail by the High Court for an extortion case, but his freedom was short-lived as he was re-arrested on fresh charges. Sources said the embattled youth leader was facing seven fresh charges that include assault and violating the Postal and Telecommunications Act. Gomwe was taken to Harare Central Police Station to assist with investigations and is likely to appear in court today. In the extortion case, Justice Garainesu Mawadze granted Gomwe $1 000 bail coupled with stringent conditions. He was ordered not to visit his housing consortium offices and not to talk to any of the members of the housing co-operatives whom he is alleged to have extorted over $46 000 using the First Lady Grace Mugabe’s name – Herald, Friday June 12 also in NewsDay, Daily News

 

Mujuru purges claim more bigwigs: Zanu-PF yesterday engineered the expulsion of 3 key MPs purged from the party for their alleged links to ousted Vice-President Joice Mujuru as it continues with its brutal programme to reassert President Mugabe’s control. Ray Kaukonde, once singled out by First Lady Grace Mugabe as the Mujuru faction cog, lost his Marondera East seat. Before Grace’s crusade against Mujuru late last year culminating in the ouster of Mugabe’s long-time deputy, Kaukonde was considered a Zanu-PF godfather in Mashonaland East. He was accused of oiling the Mujuru camp, which Zanu-PF claims was close to seizing State power and controlling the ruling party. The other causalities were Mwenezi East MP Kudakwashe Bhasikiti and David Butau (Mbire). National Assembly Acting Speaker Melody Dziva told the House that Zanu-PF had notified Parliament through a letter that the 3 had ceased to represent the ruling party’s interests – NewsDay, Friday June 12

 

Zanu-PF says no hero status for Midzi: Former Mines minister and Zanu-PF Harare provincial chairperson Amos Midzi, who died in a suspected suicide at his farm in Marirangwe near Harare, will not be accorded any hero status by the ruling party. Despite serving as an ambassador to the United States from the late 1980s to the early ’90s and as a Cabinet minister, the Zanu-PF Harare province has refused to discuss any honour for him “because he had been suspended”. Acting Zanu-PF chair Robert Kahanana said the provincial executive was not meeting to discuss any honour for Midzi since he had been reduced to an ordinary member due to allegations that he was part of a group working with former Vice-President Joice Mujuru to allegedly topple President Mugabe – NewsDay, Friday June 12

 

‘Zanu-PF declares Zimbabwe its territory’: Zanu-PF has declared Zimbabwe “a Zanu-PF territory”, insisting that come 2018, the party would reclaim all the seats from the opposition MDC-T. This followed the Wednesday by-election victory that saw the party taking all 16 contested seats. The elections have been described by the main opposition parties as a sham and a victory for MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s calls for supporters to boycott. Zanu-PF national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere said the focus was now on development and ensuring the promises from the party were fulfilled – NewsDay, Friday June 12

 

Zanu-PF Bulawayo return downplayed: Voter apathy and accusations of irregularities marred Wednesday’s by-elections across the country, as Zanu PF made a comeback in Bulawayo after a 15-year hiatus. There was a low turnout at most polling stations in Bulawayo, while independent observers cited poll irregularities in Tsholotsho North, where Information minister Jonathan Moyo won. Zanu-PF won all 5 seats contested in Bulawayo, winning a constituency in the city for the first time since 1995 general elections. But political commentators said amid the euphoria of the party’s win, there is little it will do to improve the lives of the people of the region. Political commentator Methuseli Moyo said Zanu-PF’s victory was of no political consequence – Southern Eye, Friday June 12

 

‘Low voter turnout vindicates calls for reforms’: The opposition MDC-T yesterday said the low turnout at most polling stations in all the 16 constituencies where by-elections were held confirmed that the electorate had heeded its call for a boycott of the polls. In a statement yesterday, MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu said the unexpected low figures had sent a clear message to Zanu-PF and the international community that the country needed radical reforms in its electoral system. “The low voter turnout and the paltry votes for the so-called winners tell their own sad story,” Gutu said – NewsDay, Friday June 12

Renewal Team pleads with Mugabe to slow down on ‘humiliating’ trips: MDC Renewal Team interim chairperson Samuel Sipepa Nkomo yesterday pleaded with African Union (AU) and SADC leader President Mugabe to slow down on his international business trips, saying the frequent journeys were humiliating Zimbabwe and the region, plunging it further into economic chaos. Addressing journalists in Harare, Nkomo said the two regional bodies should scale down the 91-year-old politician’s engagements to enable him attend to domestic problems – NewsDay, Friday June 12

Dokora curriculum to ‘force’ pupils salute flag: The proposed new primary and secondary school curriculum will compel children to salute the national flag and recite a pledge of patriotism everyday if approved by Cabinet. This was disclosed by Primary and Secondary Education minister Lazarus Dokora when he appeared before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Education, Arts Sport and Culture chaired by Shurugwi South MP Tapiwanashe Matangaidze. “The proposed curriculum review will include introduction of a national school pledge for the infant school module, junior and secondary school to instil values of pride to be Zimbabweans,” Dokora said. He said the infant school pledge would entail children saluting and reciting the words: “Almighty God in whose hands our future lies, I salute the national flag, I commit to honesty and dignity of hard work” – NewsDay, Friday June 12

 

Chiwenga fumes over Mugabe security lapse: State security service chiefs including Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander General Constantine Chiwenga, are fuming over security breaches in President Mugabe’s chaotic encounter with Nigerian journalists at Muhammadu Buhari’s inauguration in Abuja a fortnight ago, intelligence sources say. This will pile pressure on Central Intelligence Organisation director general Happyton Bonyongwe, already under stress over a number of issues, who was there who the fiasco happened. The sources say the Zimbabwe government is also angry their host failed to provide adequate security for Mugabe, who was there in his capacity as the African Union chairperson, despite limiting his security details – Independent, Friday June 12

 

Presidential Guard boss in hot soup: Commander of the Presidential Guard, Brigadier General Anselem Sanyatwe is facing disciplinary action over his utterances last week that the army would intervene to deal with vendors if they fail to move out of the central business district within a week. Military sources said this week Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi and some top commanders within the Zimbabwe Defence Forces were riled by Sanyatwe’s damaging remarks which have caused national outrage and were apparently not sanctioned by the minister and his superiors in the army – Independent, Friday June 12

 

Charamba calls for succession debate: Controversial State media columnist, Nathaniel Manheru, widely believed to be President Mugabe’s spokesperson George Charamba, has called on Zanu-PF and the public to openly discuss the president’s leadership succession, saying the nonagenarian leader is now in the twilight of his long political career. Manheru, whose real identity was all but previously disclosed by Information minister Jonathan Moyo as Charamba, even threatened to quit if dialogue on succession does not happen – Independent, Friday June 12

 

AU leaders to tackle term limits: African leaders meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, this weekend after diplomats and ministers’ preliminary engagements since last Sunday will have to tackle the complicated issue of presidential term limits which some continental heavyweights now want to be mandatory – Independent, Friday June 12

[Simon Spooner]

zMugabe contradicts self at AU: Zimbabwe’s President Mugabe, has slammed the two-term limit imposed on African leaders, but at the same time made fun of Burundi president Pierre Nkurunziza’s third-term bid. Speaking at the opening session of the African union assembly of heads of State in Sandton yesterday afternoon Mugabe said “we (in Africa) put a rope around our own neck and say leaders must only have two terms.” Mugabe, who is serving his 7th term, but his first under Zimbabwe’s new Constitution which restricts him to 2 terms, added that leaders in Europe did not face the same term limits, yet they are still considered to be democracies. But he warned against causing instability by seeking more than 2 terms. He appeared to make fun of Burundi’s Pierre Nkurunziza, who said his first term shouldn’t count towards his constitutional two term limit because he was chosen by Parliamnet and not by the people – Daily News, Friday June 15

 

Dictator cornered in South Africa: A South African judge has granted an interim order stopping Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who faces a litany of war crimes charges, from leaving the country until the court hears the application calling for his summary arrest. However, unconfirmed reports last night emanating from the Sudanese Information minister suggested that al-Bashir had fled South Africa despite the court order. At the same time, some South Africa-based Zimbabwe and were planning to mount demonstrations against President Mugabe today for his alleged 35 years of misrule, as well as the abduction of journalist-turned-democracy activist Itai Dzamara more than three months ago – Daily News, Friday June 15 also in NewsDay

 

Solomon Mujuru died a ‘pauper’: In a stunning disclosure likely to stump the enemies of ex-VP Joice Mujuru, the executor of her late husband Solomon Mujuru’s estate says it is in debt to the tune of $2 mln plus. This also comes amid reports that the ex-liberation fighter’s family has not been involved in the administration of the estate and in a development, which also dampens claims that the popular politician had a multi-billion dollar fortune. According to an interim report by the estate’s executor Stern Mufara, Mujuru’s “most prized asset” was his Hogetry Hill matrimonial home – worth $350 000 – and which he shared with his widow Joice, the former Zanu-PF and national VP – Daily News, Friday June 15

 

‘Zanu-PF’s Parly majority bodes ill for democracy’: President Mugabe’s new found parliament super-majority allows him to make an array of legislative changes to Zimbabwe’s two-year-old Constitution, with the new 16 Zanu-PF seats won in last week’s by-elections further threatening democracy , analysts have warned. They said results of the June 10 by-elections meant that the ruling party will further trample on the will of the people without any formidable resistance – Daily News, Friday June 15

 

Mujuru ‘allies’ attend Midzi funeral in numbers: A number of expelled top Zanu-PF officials and others still serving in President Mugabe’s deeply divided party, most of them perceived to be allies of former Vice President Joice Mujuru, on Saturday paid their last respects to the former Mines minister, Amos Midzi who died last week in controversial circumstances. Among those who attended Midzi’s memorial service at his Harare house in the low density suburb of Mt Pleasant were Olivia Muchena, Paul Chimedza, Dzikamai Mavhaire, Temba Mliswa, Ray Kaukonde and Munyaradzi Banda. Jessie Majome, the MDC-T MP for Harare West also attended the service. Speaking on the sidelines of the funeral service Kaukonde said he was “enjoying himself outside politics” adding he was “a happy and free man” – Daily News on Sunday, June 14

 

Dzamara prayer meeting banned: Police on Saturday inexplicably banned a church-organised prayer meeting that was scheduled to take place in Harare yesterday to remember the abduction and continued disappearance of journalist turned-democracy activist Itai Dzamara more than 3 months ago. The banned meeting, which had been called by a coalition of church and groups to call for the safe return of Dzamara, who was seized by 5 suspected State agents in March and bundled into an unmarked truck near his home in Glen View Harare, was due to take place at Zimbabwe Grounds. Conveners of the meeting said police had told them that law enforcement agents would “act decisively” to prevent the prayer meeting taking place, which had forced them to postpone it – Daily News on Sunday, June 14

 

‘Mugabe backed diesel n’anga’: In a sensational claim that could embarrass President Mugabe to no end, former Presidential Affairs minister Didymus Mutasa says the nonagenarian was at the centre of the controversial diesel saga of 2007 although Zimbabwe’s long ruling leader later distanced himself from the debacle. Speaking in an interview on Friday, Mutasa, who soiled his name after leading a powerful delegation of Cabinet ministers to meet with the self-styled spirit medium and “diesel n’anga” Rotina Mavhunga in Chinhoyi 8 years ago to witness the impossible spectacle of purified diesel oozing from rocks, said the wild goose chase had been sanctioned by Mugabe and the Cabinet – Daily News, Saturday June 13

 

Manufacture ARVs, UNAids chief tells Zim: Michel Sidibe, UNAids executive director, has said the Zimbabwean government should start manufacturing generic antiretroviral drugs to improve treatment for people living with HIV. While acknowledging Zimbabwe’s innovation in coming up with the Aids Levy, Sidibe, who is visiting Zimbabwe, said the country should look for alternative sources of revenue to compliment the levy – Daily News, Saturday June 13

 

President Mugabe urges Africans to stand up against West: President Mugabe has urged Africans to wake up and realise they are being set against each other by powerful nations that cause wars on the continent and loot resources as citizens fight. Officially opening the 25th Session of the African Union assembly at the Sandton International Convention Centre yesterday, the AU and Sadc chairman said it was time for Africans to be united and principled. In Africa, he cited Libya as an example where citizens were set on each other while the enemy exploited resources. President Mugabe said in the Middle East, the West – led by the US and Britain – deliberately created a lie to kill former Iraq President Saddam Hussein and their companies were busy looting that country’s oil as citizens killed each other. President Mugabe said this should be stopped. Remarks by the AU chair come as some parts of Africa are ravaged by foreign-sponsored civil wars, which once started, are difficult to contain – Herald, Monday June 15

 

ICC slammed over Al-Bashir: South Africa’s ruling party, the African National Congress, yesterday expressed shock at the interim order granted by the High Court in Pretoria, that sought to prevent Sudan President Omar Al-Bashir from leaving Johannesburg pending the hearing of an urgent application brought by the Southern African Litigation Centre, compelling authorities to arrest him on the strength of two warrants of arrest from the International Criminal Court. President Al-Bashir is being accused of committing crimes against humanity and genocide in the Darfur region. He is in South Africa where he joined other African Heads of State and Government attending the African Union mid-term summit at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. Legal and political analysts yesterday slammed the Western machinations and called for Africa to resist the attempts to undermine its leadership. South Africa is a signatory to the Rome Statute, which puts responsibility on the country to arrest persons indicted by the ICC. However, the AU has resolved to pull out of the Western-backed ICC and create the African Court of Justice – Herald, Monday June 15

 

Australia warms up to Zim: Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday met two Australian Trade Commissioners for Africa to discuss investment opportunities in Zimbabwe as more Western countries express interest in reviving economic co-operation. Australian senior Trade Commissioner for Africa John Madew and the Trade Commissioner for Southern Africa Patrick Hanlon, were accompanied by Canberra representative in Harare, Suzanne McCourt. The pair last week held meetings with several players in the private sector amid reports that the Australian government has lined up a number of investors interested in moving into Zimbabwe. Speaking after the meeting, Ambassador McCourt said they discussed the business environment in the country, adding that there were several areas where linkages could be established – Herald, Saturday June 13

 

Mugabe trashes two-term limits: President Mugabe yesterday slammed the two-term limit imposed on most African leaders, saying leaders must be allowed to continue if they were wanted by their people. Speaking at the opening session of the African Union (AU) assembly of Heads of State in South Africa, Mugabe said African leaders had made a mistake by endorsing such legislation. “We [in Africa] put a rope around our own neck and say leaders must only have two terms,” he said in apparent reference to Burundi where President Pierre Nkurunziza’s bid for an unconstitutional third time has thrown the East African country into chaos. Mugabe himself has served 7 terms and the new Constitution restricts presidential term limits to two. However, Mugabe’s first term under the new charter started in 2013 and he is eligible to run for another term in 2018. He said two terms could feel as short as two weeks – NewsDay, Monday June 15

 

Mliswa salutes ‘brave’ voters: Hurungwe West losing independent candidate Temba Mliswa says he prides himself for a brave fight against Zanu-PF’s alleged “rigging machinery” despite his failure to retain the seat in last week’s by-election. The former Zanu-PF legislator saluted the 4 255 “brave” voters who defied intimidation, threats and assaults to cast their votes in his favour. Mliswa last Wednesday narrowly lost the Hurungwe West parliamentary by-election to Zanu-PF candidate Keith Guzah. The former Zanu-PF provincial chairman said the electorate in Hurungwe West desperately needed counselling for trauma after enduring several weeks of terror by Zanu PF supporters in the run-up to the by-election – NewsDay, Monday June 15

 

Dzamara family slams pastor: Missing activist Itai Dzamara’s family yesterday reacted angrily to the police’s last-minute cancellation of a prayer meeting that was scheduled for Zimbabwe Grounds in Harare to mark 100 days since his disappearance. The family accused one of the organisers, Pastors Fellowship of Zimbabwe leader Watson Furayi, of attempting to hijack the programme for alleged financial benefit. Furayi was accused of lying to police that the opposition MDC-T was planning to use the event to advance its political agenda. Several opposition, civic and religious leaders – among them MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai and Mavamba/Kusile/Dawn leader Simba Makoni – had been invited to the meeting. Dzamara went missing after conducting several solo demonstrations calling on President Robert Mugabe to step down over his alleged misrule. His brother, Patson, said Furayi had sabotaged the meeting after he realised he would not make any money from it – NewsDay, Monday June 15

 

Grace blamed for panners menace: First Lady Grace Mugabe has been blamed for the upsurge in gold panning in Bindura that is now threatening the social fabric after she berated authorities for clamping down on illegal miners during her rallies against former Vice-President Joice Mujuru. President Mugabe’s wife took a strong stand against the police during the anti-Mujuru rallies last year accusing them of abusing informal businesspeople including vendors. According to government officials in Mashonaland Central Province, gold panners at Kitsiyatota in Bindura have become uncontrollable. Officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said the First Lady’s sentiments had precipitated chaos in the area with uncontrolled mining operations putting a lot of lives at risk – NewsDay, Monday June 15

 

Mugabe off on 15th trip since January: President Mugabe on Friday left for South Africa for an African Union (AU) summit where he is expected to pile pressure on the continental body to withdraw from the International Criminal Court. The meeting is also expected to tackle the issue of presidential term limits following the chaos that engulfed Burundi after the incumbent Pierre Nkurunziza insisted on running for a third term against the constitutionally mandated two terms. Mugabe returned home on Thursday from Egypt where he witnessed the launch of the Tripartite Free Trade Area involving Africa’s three regional economic groupings – Sadc, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and East African Community. The SA trip becomes his 15th since he returned home from a one-month vacation in the Far East in January – NewsDay, Saturday June 13

 

Mujuru allies fume over Midzi snub: Fired Zanu-PF veterans linked to former Vice-President Joice Mujuru have described the ruling party as vindictive and crude after it denied former Mines minister Amos Midzi hero status. He was buried at Glen Forest Cemetery outside Harare on Saturday since Zanu-PF refused to accord him any hero status, arguing he was just a card-carrying member after he was suspended from holding any position for his alleged links to Mujuru.  The government on Friday informed the former Zanu-PF Harare chairperson’s family he would only be accorded a State-assisted funeral. Rugare Gumbo, one of the expelled Mujuru allies now converging under the People First banner, said despite the Zanu-PF snub, Midzi remained a national hero – NewsDay, Saturday June 13

MDC-T celebrates poll outcome: The MDC-T is celebrating the outcome of Wednesday’s by-elections in Bulawayo which saw Zanu PF winning with reduced figures after a majority of people heeded the opposition party’s calls to boycott the polls. MDC-T claimed Zanu PF, despite winning all the 5 by-elections in the city, had its support reduced compared to the 2013 election results. MDC-T Bulawayo deputy spokesperson Felix Magalela Mafa Sibanda described the polls as “void by-elections” and wondered what Zanu-PF would do after its pyrrhic win – Southern Eye, Saturday June 13

 

Zanu-PF accused of fuelling conflict in rural areas: Zanu-PF has been accused of fuelling conflict and hindering peace-building initiatives in rural communities that remain politically divided, socially fragmented and economically weak, according to a study by a local independent peace-building civil organisation. The study conducted by the Heal Zimbabwe Trust titled “Peace building, Understanding Emerging Conflict Trends within Rural Districts of Zimbabwe”, blames Zanu-PF for the land and partisan food distribution conflicts in rural communities. The study was conducted between January and March 2015 from 27 rural districts in 6 provinces – Manicaland, Masvingo, the Midlands, Mashonaland East and Central, and Matabeleland North – Southern Eye, Saturday June 13

 

Former MPs to sue govt: Former MPs in the Seventh Parliament have resolved to take the legal route instead of picketing at the Parliament building as they seek to recover thousands of dollars they are still owed in allowances. The former lawmakers met Clerk of Parliament Innocent Chokuda on Thursday to discuss how they could recover their money. But according to the former MPs, the meeting failed to yield much, prompting them to seek legal recourse. Former Glen Norah MP Gift Dzirutwe said a majority of the former MPs failed to raise bus fare to come to Harare, hence the meeting was held between their representatives and Chokuda – NewsDay, Saturday June 13

 

Traditional healers blast vapostori: Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers’ Association (Zinatha) yesterday laid into vapostori, making sensational claims that some of the white-garmented sect goers were their members. This is the second attack on vapostori in a week after Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries leader Walter Magaya claimed they used ungodly spirits as the source of their power. Traditional healers were responding to Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe president Johannes Ndanga’s utterances last week that Magaya was “worse than local traditional healers”. Ndanga’s remarks came after Magaya last Sunday launched a second unsolicited attack on the vapostori in his second book Marine Spirits Part 2. He labelled practices by vapostori sects as ungodly and claimed they use marine spirits. He also said the vapostori were a “hub of sexual immorality”. But Ndanga fumed and said that Magaya used “sacrificial blood” to perform his miracles, derived his powers from marine spirits and was “worse than traditional healers”. Zinatha director-general George Kandiero said some of the vapostori were members of Zinatha and utterances by Ndanga could fuel tension among faith healers – NewsDay, Saturday June 13

 

Judge raps prosecutors for abusing law: High Court judge Justice Garainesu Mawadze yesterday castigated the Prosecutor-General (PG)’s Office for abusing Section 121 of the Criminal Procedure & Evidence Act, which gives the State the powers to provisionally revoke bail granted by magistrates. The judge said the State’s application in a matter in which it was seeking further detention of a Pakistan national, was a clear confirmation of the abuse of the law. On several occasions, the section had been used by the State against several members of opposition political parties, resulting in them languishing in prisons, despite having been granted bail by the Magistrates’ Court – NewsDay, Saturday June 13 also in Daily News

 

Suspected CIO agent seizes flower farm: A suspected Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) official has allegedly invaded a horticulture farm near Goromonzi, threatening jobs of more than 150 workers. Timothy Muyambo allegedly turned up at Little Flower Farm on Sunday and told workers that he had taken over the property from the white commercial farmer. Muyambo’s intrusion brought business at the farm to a halt, with flowers and peas destined for export now beginning to go bad. Little Flower Farm managing director Mathew Hopgood confirmed the development, but refused to shed more light. However, sources said the farm was invaded despite assurance from Provincial Affairs minister Biggie Matiza that it would not happen. According to the sources, a group of 12 men in four vehicles along with the police escorted Muyambo who claimed ownership of the property. The group immediately changed locks on the gate and ordered employees to stop working before occupying the office block – NewsDay, Saturday June 13

 

Dokora defends use of tablets in schools: Primary and Secondary Education minister Lazarus Dokora on Thursday defended the use of smartphones and tablets for learning purposes in schools, saying Zimbabwe should move with technological advances. Dokora was appearing before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Education, Arts, Sport and Culture chaired by Shurugwi South MP Tapiwanashe Matangaidze where he argued smart phones would empower and not endanger schoolchildren. MDC-T proportional representation MP Nicola Watson asked Dokora to explain if allowing children to use smart phones or tablets during classes would not result in them accessing pornographic material or even failing to concentrate on their studies – NewsDay, Saturday June 13

 

Vampire ‘killer’ escapes charges: The case of a suspected serial killer, Alois Tapuwa Nduna – accused of raping and killing at least five women before drawing blood from their bodies – on Friday collapsed after two doctors who examined him declared he was mentally ill. Nduna, now dubbed “vampire killer”, was facing 5 counts of murder and another two counts of attempted murder. Last month, Gweru magistrate Judith Taruvinga ordered that Nduna should be examined by 2 psychiatrists before commencement of his trial after he claimed to be an agent of a satanic cult, which thrives on human blood. Doctors Diamond Chimuchembere and Tafadzwa Mudereri, who examined Nduna, were in agreement that the accused suffered from mental illness – NewsDay, Saturday June 13 also in Daily News

 

Police rope in jailed ex-AirZim boss: Police detectives investigating the Air Zimbabwe $10 mln fleet insurance fraud have reportedly roped in the airline’s jailed former executive Grace Pfumbidzayi and senior official Maxwell Madziwa to turn them into State witnesses to testify against Transport ministry secretary Munesu Munodawafa. Munodawafa is currently on $1 000 bail following his arrest in April after he was linked to the alleged scam. Sources close to the matter confirmed that Pfumbidzai (former AirZim legal secretary) and Madziwa (former human resources manager) were called in by the Serious Frauds Squad for interviews in the last couple of weeks. Pfumbidzai, who is serving a 7-year jail sentence at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison, was summoned to assist police with investigations – NewsDay, Monday June 15

Daily News

[Simon Spooner]

‘Botswana would have arrested Al-Bashir’: Botswana yesterday said it was disappointed that Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir fled arrest in South Africa and poked holes on President Mugabe’s claims that Africa does not want the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Botswana government said the African Union (AU) should assist the international community in seeking justice for victims of the genocide in Sudan’s Darfur region. A South African court ordered Bashir’s arrest on Monday, but Al-Bashir, who is wanted by the ICC for crimes against humanity, sneaked out of the country before the AU summit ended. Mugabe claimed South African President Jacob Zuma had told him that Al-Bashir would not be arrested. The Zimbabwean leader claimed the ICC was not wanted in Africa. Botswana, a signatory to the Rome Statute that created the ICC, and Malawi have openly opposed Mugabe’s campaign to force Africa to abandon the court based at The Hague – NewsDay, Wednesday June 17

 

Mugabes blocked vendors’ eviction: President Mugabe and his wife First Lady Grace blocked the forced removal of vendors operating from undesignated areas in urban centres after a seven-day ultimatum issued by government and a top army officer, a minister said yesterday. Small and Medium Enterprises Development minister Sithembiso Nyoni told members of the shadowy Queen of Grace ZimAsset Trust, which represents a section of vendors that have volunteered to leave the streets of Harare, that Mugabe was against the army and police being used against informal traders. Nyoni said Mugabe and his wife stopped the forced evictions, arguing that “Zanu-PF is for the people” – NewsDay, Wednesday June 17

 

Mudenda warns MDC-T MPs over heckling: Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda has warned MDC-T MPs against heckling Zanu-PF legislators who survived the party’s brutal purge saying “all political parties are not perfect”. Mudenda told MDC-T MPs who were jeering former Cabinet minister Webster Shamu, who is currently serving a 3-year suspension on allegations of being part of a group that was working with ousted Vice-President Joice Mujuru to allegedly topple President Mugabe, to stop it, saying their party was also not immune to the internal turbulence rocking Zanu-PF. Shamu was being heckled by the MDC-T MPs as he debated the Presidential speech with legislators who included Murisi Zvizwai and Tabitha Khumalo saying: “You are singing for your supper” – NewsDay, Wednesday June 17

 

Masvingo residents snub Parliament hearing: Less than 20 people attended the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Finance’s public hearings on the Joint Ventures Bill and the Public Debt Management Bill in Masvingo due to poor publicity. The consultations, held at Masvingo Civic Centre on Monday, only lasted less than an hour despite being scheduled to go for two hours. Only two people asked questions, with the first one asking how residents were going to debate on Bills they had never had sight of – Southern Eye, Wednesday June 17

 

Soldiers go on rampage: Some soldiers allegedly burnt down homesteads of 22 Masvingo villagers and destroyed their crops last week in an operation to drive them away from a farm parcelled out during the land reform programme. The villagers, from Chomufuli Farm in Gutu, yesterday had to seek the intervention of the courts to stop the soldiers from 4:2 Infantry Battalion army barracks at Mpandawana Growth Point from terrorising them. In their application at the Gutu Magistrates’ Court, the villagers want Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi compelled to stop the attacks by the soldiers. The villagers want the soldiers blocked from destroying their homes, harassing or threatening them with violence. Sekeramayi is the first respondent, while the unnamed commander of 4.2 Infantry Batallion is the second respondent. The case is set to be heard today by Gutu resident magistrate Edwin Marecha – NewsDay, Wednesday June 17

 

Kasukuwere fingered in multi-million dollar contract without tender: The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Indigenisation, Youth and Economic Empowerment has summoned Brainworks Capital to appear before it tomorrow to explain how it got a lucrative multi-million dollar indigenisation consultancy contract at Zimplats. The local investment company was in 2013 caught up in controversy over its role in the implementation of the Zimplats indigenisation plan, among other corporates. The company, which was then suspected to have links with then Indigenisation minister Saviour Kasukuwere, was awarded a contract to do consultancy work on the platinum producer’s $970 mln indigenisation compliance deal under unclear circumstances. The deal is now under probe by the Justice Mayor Wadyajena-chaired Parliamentary committee – NewsDay, Wednesday June 17

Mujuru ‘too committed’ to attend Midzi burial: Former Vice-President Joice Mujuru and senior members of her faction were “too committed” to attend the burial of former Zanu-PF Harare provincial chairman and ex-Energy minister Amos Midzi last Saturday. Most top officials of the Mujuru camp, among them former Zanu-PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa and expelled information chief Rugare Gumbo, were conspicuous by their absence at Glen Forest Cemetery where Midzi was laid to rest. Gumbo, who has emerged as spokesperson of a political outfit now going by the moniker “People First” that is coaxing Mujuru to lead it and confront the might of President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF ahead of the 2018 elections, yesterday said there was nothing sinister about their absence. “We paid our condolences to the Midzi family. We respected him (Amos Midzi) as a colleague and committed cadre, but we could not attend the burial because of commitments that could not be postponed,” Gumbo said. Gumbo was, however, evasive on whether the said commitments had anything to do with plans to form a new political party – NewsDay, Wednesday June 17

 

Midzi death mystery remains unresolved: The cause of former Energy minister Amos Midzi’s death last week remains a mystery with no firm confirmation that he committed suicide. The former Harare Zanu-PF chairman’s brother Stanley said the family was still waiting for the police to conclude investigations. Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said the police were still investigating the death – NewsDay, Wednesday June 17

 

Gumbo urges Zimbabweans to confront Mugabe head on: Liberation struggle stalwart and spokesperson of the “original” Zanu-PF that uses the slogan “People First”, Rugare Gumbo, says the only way positive change will take place in the country is if Zimbabweans agitate for this constitutionally but robustly President Mugabe and the ruling party – and not employ “empty boycott protests.” Speaking in an interview yesterday, in the wake of the post congress Zanu-PF’s hollow victories in last week’s by-elections which were boycotted by the main opposition MDC-T led by former prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Gumbo said Zimbabweans needed to do more to foster democracy in the country – Daily News, Wednesday June 17

 

‘Mphoko unfit for national healing’: Former National Healing minister Moses Mzila-Ndlovu says VP Phelekezela Mphoko is unfit to plead the country’s national healing process as seen in his alleged failure to come to grips with “his own Gukurahundi-era culpability.” Mzila-Ndlovu said Mphoko’s recent and controversial utterances on the massacres of an estimated 20 000 innocent people by the army in the early 1980s, mainly in Matabeleland and the Midlands, proved that he should not assume responsibility for reconciliation in the country – Daily News, Wednesday June 17

 

Late hero’s son booted out of farm: The late national hero Leopold Takawira’s son, Samuel, has lost a bid to remain at Earling Farm in Mvurwi, after his Supreme Court appeal was struck off the roll yesterday. Samuel had filed an appeal following High Court judge Priscillah Chigumba’s order that he vacates the farm in July last year. He had muscled out Christopher and Maidei Maswi from plot 15 and 16. The Supreme Court yesterday ruled that his appeal was invalid – Daily News, Wednesday June 17

 

MDC-T youths cleared of bombing Gomwe’s house: 3 MDC youths accused of petrol-bombing sacked Zanu PF youth league chairperson Godwin Gomwe’s Budiriro house were freed yesterday. Tendai Muchekamanzu, Stephen Dalaina, and Victor Munhuwani were facing charges of malicious damage to property. Magistrate Tendai Mahwe removed the trio from remand at the State’s instance – Daily News, Wednesday June 17

 

CIO operative evicted from farm: High Court judge Nicholas Mathonsi has ordered a Central Intelligence Organisation operative and three others to immediately vacate a horticulture farm near Goromonzi. Timothy Muyambo, together with James Chiyangwa, R Kituli and Tendai Bonga, were ordered off the farm following an urgent chamber High Court application filed by the farm owners. Hortbac Limited trading as Little Flower Enterprises, had cited the four together with officer-in-charge Zimbabwe Republic Police Goromonzi and commissioner general of police Augustine Chihuri as respondents – Daily News, Wednesday June 17

[Simon Spooner]

Mugabe turns to Khama for help: President Mugabe has turned to his bitter regional rival Botswana President Ian Khama for a model to exploit diamonds to fuel economic development in Zimbabwe. Khama has consistently rejected President Mugabe’s re-election as fraudulent and has often spoken out about Zimbabwe’s political crisis. Notwithstanding the frosty relationship, Mines and Mining Development minister Walter Chidhakwa will visit Botswana on July 2 to study the diamond model in Botswana, the world’s leading diamond producer by value. Chidhakwa on Wednesday confirmed that he would be visiting Botswana on July 2 – Independent, Friday June 19

 

New Hurungwe West MP Guzah faces Parly recall: The results of the Hurungwe West by-elections face nullification if it is proven that the winning Zanu-PF candidate, Never Keith Guzah, is not a registered voter in the constituency as is being alleged. Guzah was declared winner after garnering 5 997 votes against independent candidate Temba Mliswa’s 4 255 votes. Investigations showed that according to a voters’ roll provided to the contesting parties on June 5 2015, Guzah’s name did not appear. Mliswa yesterday confirmed that Guzah’s name did not appear on the voters’ roll provided to him by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec). Instead, Guzah’s name appears under Ward 10, Magunje constituency, where he contested the party’s 2013 primary elections and lost to Godfrey Gandawa. According to Zec regulations, a person cannot contest in a constituency in which he or she is not a registered voter. Contacted for comment yesterday, Zec deputy chief elections officer Utoile Silaigwana said in the June 10 by-elections, potential voters were only allowed to use voters’ slips if their names were on the voters’ roll – NewsDay, Friday June 19

 

Parly pushes for President to attend Q&A sessions: President Mugabe will be compelled to respond to questions from MPs, while ministers will be punished for bunking the National Assembly if the proposed amendments to Parliament’s standing rules and regulations are approved. Presenting the proposed laws to govern the conduct of MPs, chairperson of the Standing Rules and Orders committee – subcommittee on legislative reform Nelson Chamisa said the recommended regulations would open avenues for Mugabe to be summoned – NewsDay, Friday June 19

 

Bhasikiti case urgent, court rules: The Constitutional Court (ConCourt) yesterday ruled that a case where expelled Zanu-PF Mwenezi East MP Kudakwashe Bhasikiti is seeking to interdict President Mugabe from declaring his seat vacant is urgent. According to Bhasikiti’s lawyer, Tendai Biti, Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku agreed with his client’s argument that the matter should be heard as a matter of urgency – NewsDay, Friday June 19

 

CIO puts Mugabe on the spot: 2 prominent human rights defenders have dragged President Mugabe to the Constitutional Court demanding that he sets up a board to keep State security agents under check. The activists also want Mugabe compelled to investigate the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) over alleged gross human rights abuses dating back 35 years ago. Rashid Mahiya and Hilton Chironga – both of Heal Zimbabwe Trust – are seeking an interdict to force Mugabe to put in place mechanisms to investigate CIO agents over their alleged involvement in the killings and abductions of several citizens since independence. Mahiya is the director of Heal Zimbabwe Trust, while Chironga is an official of the rights advocacy group involved in healing and integration. In an application filed at the ConCourt early this month by their lawyer Tendai Biti of Tendai Biti Law, Mahiya and Chironga argued that Mugabe was in breach of Section 234 of the Constitution and had no reason to fail to introduce a parliamentary Bill to operationalise the “body that should superintend over the excesses of Mugabe’s security apparatus” – NewsDay, Friday June 19

Police still clueless on Dzamara search: Home Affairs deputy minister Ziyambi Ziyambi says police are complying with a High Court order to provide fortnightly updates on progress made in the search for missing journalist-cum-pro-democracy activist Itai Dzamara, Parliament heard this week. Ziyambi said this in the National Assembly on Wednesday in response to a question from MDC-T MP Tetty Banda who had asked why the government had not found Dzamara. “I think it is on record that we have appealed even to the Honourable members in this august House to assist us if they know where Itai Dzamara is, or if there is any lead so that the police can carry out their constitutional duty of searching everywhere in the country,” Ziyambi said – NewsDay, Friday June 19

 

Mboweni demands Moyo apology: Former South African Reserve Bank governor Tito Mboweni has demanded an apology from Information minister Jonathan Moyo after the Tsholotsho North MP called him an “Uncle Tom” and a “charlatan” during a heated argument on social media. Mboweni threatened things “would get ugly” if Moyo failed to withdraw the statements. “I want to close this twar (Twitter war) with Jonathan Moyo, but he must withdraw two statements. He called me “Uncle Tom” and a “charlatan”. Withdraw Jon,” Mboweni tweeted yesterday. “If he does not withdraw his irresponsible statements, unbecoming of a minister of a State, this thing will get ugly. Me a charlatan? Xhaa!” Moyo on Wednesday called Mboweni “Uncle Tom” and a “charlatan” after the former SA Reserve Bank governor said the minister irritated and annoyed him, among many other things writing “fairy tales” – NewsDay, Friday June 19

Vendors suffer court blow: High Court judge Justice Felistus Chatukuta has dismissed an application by street vendors seeking to interdict the government from forcibly evicting them from undesignated vending sites in various cities and towns in the country. The ruling effectively gives local authorities the green light to proceed with evictions by Friday next week. Last week, vendors heaved a sigh of relief after receiving reports that the judge had allegedly barred the government from forcibly evicting them without following due process. But in her order after listening to submissions by the concerned parties, Justice Chatukuta simply ruled: “Application be and is hereby dismissed with no order as to costs.” – NewsDay, Friday June 19

 

Zanu-PF in poll scandal: It appears as if it never rains but pours for President Mugabe’s warring Zanu-PF, after it emerged yesterday that the party’s winning candidate in the recent Hurungwe West by-election, Keith Guzah – who has already been sworn in as a member of Parliament – may have dribbled his way to the seat fraudulently. If this is established to be true, not only will Guzah lose his seat, it will pile further pressure on the country’s beleaguered electoral body, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, as well as on Mugabe and Zanu-PF who for long have had to deal with damaging allegations from the country’s opposition and civil society organisations that they always cheat their way to power – Daily News, Friday June 19

 

Zanu-PF disowns Queen of Grace: Zanu-PF has distanced itself from a vendors’ representative group that goes by the bizarre name of Queen of Grace ZimAsset Trust which is allegedly coercing street traders to buy $5 membership cards from the organisation for protection. This comes as government has ordered vendors to vacate the streets and relocate to designated areas in urban areas. Zanu-PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said yesterday that he had no knowledge of a link between the group and the ruling party – Daily News, Friday June 19

 

Brainworks roasted in Parliament: Brainworks Capital Management Limited, the company at the centre of Zimbabwe’s controversial indigenisation deals says government abandoned the implementation of the transactions almost two years ago. Zimbabwe’s indigenisation law compels foreigners to cede 51% shareholding to locals. The deals were stopped after the Daily News exposed anomalies which would have seen government losing millions of dollars to a private company for “facilitating” the indigenisation deals. George Manyere, Brainworks’ chief executive told the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment parliamentary portfolio committee that because the controversial deals did not sail through, they were not even paid a cent from government through the National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board or from the companies – Daily News, Friday June 19 also in NewsDay

 

Bhasikiti sues Mugabe again: Former Masvingo Provincial State minister Kudakwashe Bhasikiti Chuma has filed an urgent chamber Constitutional Court application seeking to bar President Mugabe from calling for a by-election in his constituency. Bhasikiti, who was Mwenezi East National Assembly member, was ejected from parliament last week, following his expulsion from Zanu-PF – Daily News, Friday June 19

 

Zanu-PF rapped over vendors: The MDC youth assembly has condemned government plans to disperse vendors flooding the streets, saying Zanu-PF should first provide the 2 mln jobs promised during the run-up to the 2013 elections. Speaking during the commemorations of the Day of the African Child, MDC Youth Assembly spokesperson Brian Dube said party youths empathise with poor Zimbabweans who have turned to vending. He added that the army should not intervene in civilian issues which should be dealt with by local authorities mandated to deal with the vendors – Daily News, Friday June 19

 

MDC-T says no members defected: The Morgan Tsvangirai led MDC dismissed claims that 55 of their members defected to Zanu-PF as a “work of fiction.” Trevor Saruwaka, MDC-T’s Manicaland provincial spokesperson said the youths who were paraded on national television recently were not in their registers. The Mutasa Central Member of Parliamnet invited “anyone who cared for the truth to come and inspect it” – Daily News, Friday June 19

 

Government in indigenisation climb-down: Government is gradually climbing down the ladder of the indigenisation policy through special economic zones which will be exempted from complying with the investor spooking empowerment laws. Top government sources this week said the setting up of SEZs, a model adopted from China, is an indirect acknowledgement by the Zanu-PF government that indigenisation is problematic, but for political expediency it cannot be totally scrapped. Cabinet has since instructed Tourism minister Walter Mzembi to run a pilot SEZ project in Victoria Falls, sources said – Independent, Friday June 19

Zisco stripped of $1 mln assets: Defunct steel giant Ziscosteel, now NewZim Steel, is reported to have lost assets worth over $1 mln this year alone in a well-orchestrated looting scam involving top management at the beleaguered company. Sources at the company allege that a cartel of top managers are behind a spat of thefts which have seen the company losing huge electric motors used to power blast furnaces and other spares ordered by Ziscosteel during the time it was still operational – Independent, Friday June 19

 

The ball is now in Essar’s court for Zisco revival: The ball is now in Indian firm Essar Africa Holdings’ court to deliver after government removed all obstacles hindering the $750 mln deal to revive the now defunct Ziscosteel, which was once part of the economy’s backbone. Mines and Mining Development minister Walter Chidhakwa on Wednesday said government has had several meetings with Essar during which all hindrances that were obstructing the implementation of the deal were ironed out. He said it was now up to Essar to start operating after paying the required mining fees of $400 000 – Independent, Friday June 19

 

Pilot land audit confirms farm seizure corruption: The proposed government land audit has hit a snag before getting well underway after a pilot project showed that several top government officials own on average 2 farms each. Sources close to the Lands and Rural Resettlement ministry this week said the preliminary land audit exercise, funded by the United Nations Development Programme, has showed that several top government and Zanu-PF senior officials own on average 4 farms per family – Independent, Friday June 19

 

Zimbabwe ranks lowly on rule of law index: Zimbabwe is one of the countries that trample on the rule of law and tolerates impunity, according to the latest World Justice Project report which ranked the country 100 out of 102 countries. According to the report, Zimbabwe was only ranked ahead of Afghanistan and Venezuela, while Denmark, Norway and Sweden were ranked first to third respectively – Independent, Friday June 19