Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter

THE Caps United duo of Method Mwanjali and Archford Gutu have appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe with the former facing an attempted murder charge while the latter has been charged with malicious damage to property.

Tonderai Nhunzvi, the man who was allegedly stabbed twice by Mwanjali is battling for his life at a local hospital. According to the State papers, the investigating officer is yet to record Nhunzvi’s statement as he has been unable to talk.

Mwanjali has been remanded in custody to tomorrow while Gutu has been granted $100 bail.

Details to follow…..

Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Cde Saviour Kasukuwere receives a present from chairman of Hubei Province committee of Chinese People’s Political Consultative and head of delegation Mr Zhang Chang’er after the meeting in Harare yesterday. — Picture by Memory Mangombe

Lovemore Chikova in BEIJING and Zvamaida Murwira in HARARE
Government has secured a multi-billion dollar investment from China for the construction of over 320 000 housing units countrywide in line with the economic blueprint Zim-Asset.

The deal includes the expansion of existing towns and construction of new ones under different frameworks that include Build Operate and Transfer (BOT), loan facilities and special economic zones.

China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) general manager in Sadc region Mr George Guan told The Herald in Beijing that discussions on financing of Phase 1 of the project were already underway.

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This comes as another Chinese firm is on the verge of starting work on a housing project known as Magamba 2015 Housing in Harare South worth nearly $2 billion after completing feasibility studies and conducting an environmental impact assessment.

The projects are in line with deals signed between China and Zimbabwe during President Mugabe’s visit to the former in August 2014 which was reciprocated by his counterpart, Mr Xi Jinping in December last year.

Chairperson of Hubei Province, Mr Zhang Chang’er is in the country leading a delegation of businesspersons, Government officials and technocrats to explore ways to implement the projects.

Briefing journalists after meeting the Chinese delegation yesterday, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere said the projects showed practical implementation of Zim-Asset and the 10 Point Plan enunciated by President Mugabe in September last year.

“We are happy that we are starting on a positive note. Now we are moving to the specifics to get the projects running, in housing, construction, sewer,” said Minister Kasukuwere.

He said the projects would be implemented under BOT, loan facility and special economic zones.

“We need high rise buildings that do not eat into our land and our discussion centred on issues like skills transfer,” said Minister Kasukuwere.

He explained Government’s investment policy, particularly President Mugabe’s clarification on indigenisation laws.

He said the bulk of housing units would be constructed in Harare and Bulawayo with other towns earmarked for their share.

During the meeting, Mr Zhang invited Zimbabwe to a business meeting to be held in China in June to further explore how the deals could be implemented.

“You can also bring your investment framework to the forum in June so that we hold further discussions and I am hopeful that we can fall in love. We can engage further and get married to each other,” said Mr Zhang.

China is also expected to construct a state-of-the-art Parliament in Mount Hampden and Mr Zhang is today expected to meet Speaker of National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda and Senate President Edna Madzongwe.

On the construction of housing units in the Harare South district, funding is being discussed between Chinese financial institutions and the Zimbabwean Government, while CCECC, a subsidiary of China Railway Construction Corporation, will undertake the project.

“After signature of the commercial contract of Magamba 2015 Housing Project and with the constructive cooperation of Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, CCECC has accomplished the feasibility study and Environment Impact Evaluation for Phase I of the project,” said Mr Guan.

“The EIA has been submitted to governmental organisations for approval. And financing for Phase I of the project is under discussion among Chinese financial institutions and Zimbabwean Government.”

Mr Guan said his company would not take long before construction starts once the financial issues were put to closure.

“Once the financing for the Phase I is closed, CCECC shall commence the construction of the project with due diligence and without delay,” he said.

“CCECC shall, as we always have, engage qualified Zimbabwean sub-contractors and source construction materials from locally available suppliers to create job opportunities and contribute to the development of the Zimbabwean economy.”

The housing project will enter into phased construction contracts separately, according to progress of the financing.

In an announcement to the Shanghai Stock Exchange last year, CCECC said the value of the contract for the Magamba 2015 Housing Project represented nearly two percent of its operating revenue.

The project, expected to benefit thousands of Zimbabweans, will go a long way in easing the country’s more than one million housing backlog.

CCECC specialises in construction of railway, light rail, expressways, bridges, housing and buildings and municipal works in Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe and the Oceania.

Government has since launched the National Housing Delivery Programme under Zim-Asset that will see more than 300 000 housing units being built throughout the country in the five years up to 2018.

Under Zim-Asset provisions, Harare province is expected to deliver 105 935 houses by 2018, the Midlands (56 760), Matabeleland North (28 772), Mashonaland West (23 819), Manicaland (21 830), Masvingo (20 269), Mashonaland Central (16 607), Bulawayo (15 100), Matabeleland South (12 500) and 11 776 in Mashonaland East

President Mugabe bids farewell to Vice Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, while Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi looks on at Harare International Airport last night before departing for New York. — Picture by Chief Photographer Believe Nyakudjara)

Editor
PRESIDENT Mugabe left Harare last night for New York where he will join other Heads of State and government for the High Level Signature Ceremony of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

The Paris Agreement, in which all 196 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change member states agreed to work to limit global temperature rise to below two degrees Celsius, was adopted at the COP21 indaba in Paris on December 12 last year.

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To keep the global spotlight on climate change mitigation in the wake of COP21, United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon invited representatives of all member states to sign the Paris Agreement at a special ceremony scheduled for Friday at the United Nations Headquarters.

Climatologists contend implementation of the Paris Agreement is essential for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, and provides a roadmap for climate change mitigation through reduced carbon emissions.

The UNFCCC is an international environmental treaty negotiated at the Rio Earth Summit in Brazil in June 1992 with the aim of stabilising greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that does not pose a danger to life on earth.

Greenhouse gases, namely water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone, absorb and retain heat in the atmosphere that at higher concentrations are harmful to the viability of life on earth.

Though ground-breaking, the UNFCCC treaty did not set binding limits on greenhouse gas emissions for individual countries and contains no enforcement mechanisms, an anomaly that the Paris Agreement seeks to rectify through the adoption of a cocktail of legally binding and non-binding provisions on climate change mitigation to succeed the largely unsuccessful Kyoto Protocol.

Developing countries like Zimbabwe that have agro-based economies depend on rain-fed agriculture and have a majority of their population, over 70 percent, living in rural and farming areas, keenly feel the impact of climate change.

And the El Nino-induced drought that has led to massive crop failure countrywide testifies to the vulnerability of the developing world to the vagaries of climate change.

President Mugabe has since declared the 2015 /6 season a state of disaster and Government is mobilising food relief for vulnerable communities countrywide.

Zimbabweans experienced, first hand, the effects of global warming during last year’s heatwave that broke decades-old temperature records throughout the country and that saw some road surfaces melting and livestock dying due to heat stress.

Climate change has also manifested in reduced water inflows from northern Zambia, which feeds the mighty Zambezi River, a development that has reduced the hydro-power station’s generation capacity.

As such Zimbabwe and other developing countries are keen on successful climate change mitigation, particularly as experts contend that global warming is impacting on sub-Saharan Africa more than any other region because of its over-dependence on rain-fed agriculture.

Zimbabwe and other developing countries, insist that the industrialised north is not taking a fair share of the burden of climate change given their contribution to the phenomenon and should thus lead by example by cutting emissions and also providing financial support to poorer nations as stated in the Climate Change Convention.

Experts warn that global warming is already halfway to the two degree mark, a possible tipping point that may lead to the melting of glaciers, rising sea and ocean levels, disappearance of some islands and archipelagos, increasing droughts, among other ills.

President Mugabe is accompanied by the Minister of Environment, Water and Climate Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri.

He was seen off at Harare International Airport by Vice Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, Ministers Dr Christopher Mushohwe, Dr Ignatius Chombo, Dr Sydney Sekeramayi, Kembo Mohadi, Joram Gumbo, Saviour Kasukuwere and Miriam Chikukwa, Service Chiefs and senior Government officials.

Innocent Ruwende Municipal Reporter
THE Auditor-General has appointed Price WaterhouseCoopers to conduct a forensic audit of Harare City Council-owned companies and joint ventures, most of which have never declared a dividend to the municipality.

Council has nine companies and joint ventures.

Fears of mismanagement or looting of resources at the enterprises abound.

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The firms are EasiPark, City Parking, Pearl City Limited, Shawasha Business Complex, Mabvazuva Village, Sunshine Meats, High Glen Textile Factory, CC City and Sunshine Development.

The appointment of forensic auditors follows an order last year by Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere.

In recent minutes of the audit committee, acting town clerk Mrs Josephine Ncube told councillors that on September 21, 2015 she wrote to the Auditor-General seeking guidance on the appointment of external auditors.

“On January 25, 2016 the Auditor-General advised council that PriceWaterhouseCoopers were the successful tenderer. The auditor’s terms of reference were set out by the Auditor-General in consultation with the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing,” read part of the minutes.

The audit firm is supposed to obtain and review agreements related to the establishment of the entities as well as carry out detailed reviews of all agreements and contracts signed between each company and service providers or other parties.

It is expected to review the procedures followed, including a review of whether all necessary board or council approvals were sought before contracts/agreements were entered into.

PriceWaterhouseCoopers will also look at governance, performance and operational issues.

It will analyse organisational structures and shareholder dividends.

The audit will take eight weeks and council will pay $160 748.

The audit began last week.

The council has said it will terminate all joint venture agreements whose implementation has not taken off.

It will also cancel joint ventures facing viability challenges.

The city recently parted ways with its former partner, Easihold of South Africa, in EasiPark with the parties accusing each other of diverting funds.

The city will folk out over $200 000 as parting terms.

The deal is also expected to go under forensic audit.

Among the projects under spotlight are the upgrading of Rufaro Stadium, refurbishment of Harare Quarry, capitalisation of the city’s farms and the development of Mupedzanhamo Phase Two.

Councillors expressed concern at the slow pace or lack of implementation of joint venture projects that had been approved and signed with various partners.

The situation in the restive suburbs and compounds in Zambia’s capital Lusaka has improved significantly following the deployment of troops to complement police efforts. This follows two days of rioting and looting that saw foreigners including Zimbabweans seeking refuge at police stations.

The violence that reportedly led to the death of at least two people, was in retribution to alleged cases of ritual murders targeting Zambians that has been solely blamed on Rwandese and Burundian businesspeople.

Sources in Zambia said more than 100 soldiers have been deployed to quell any disturbances.

“The situation is now calm and almost normal after soldiers moved in to patrol the affected areas,” said a source. The most affected areas include George, Lilanda, Chunga and Zingalume areas in the west while in the north, parts of Matero, Chaisa, Kabanana, Mandevu and Chipata compound were affected.

Zambian officials have blamed criminal elements for taking advantage of the riots and looting from foreign-owned businesses.

The riots are said to have been sparked by false reports of the release of a ritual murder suspected.

It emerged that he had been arrested for behaviour likely to disturb peace.

At least 62 shops had been looted by yesterday, while 256 suspects have been arrested.

Looters mainly targeted food stuffs such as mealie meal, sugar, bread, cooking oil and other essential commodities.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representative in Zambia Ms Laura Lo Castro has since expressed concern at the attack on foreigners and refugees. She commended Zambia’s response in a bid to contain the violence and encouraged continued efforts in restoring stability in the affected areas. — Wires\Herald Reporter.

Zambian Police Services spokesperson Charity Munganga-Chanda said two people died contrary to reports putting the figure at seven people.

“The official number of people who have died from the time the looting started is two. These are the ones who were burnt to death on 18th April 2016 in Kanyama compound,” she said.

Ellah Mukwati Herald Reporter
The director of transport at the zanu-pf headquarters in Harare, Cde Rephias Joseph Maraire, who died on Tuesday has been declared a provincial hero.

He was 55.

zanu-pf headquarters director general Cde Dickson Dzora said Cde Maraire was accorded the status because of his contribution in the liberation struggle and after independence.

“We have accorded him a provincial liberation war hero status taking into consideration his contribution in the struggle and after independence,” said Cde Dzora.

He will be buried tomorrow in his rural home in Manicaland province.

Cde Maraire joined the liberation struggle in 1976 and later joined the Zimbabwe National Army.

“Cde Maraire’s death came as a shock to me because we did not hear of his illness. We were together on Thursday and Friday at work, and only to be told on Tuesday that he had died.

“It’s a tragic loss to us as a party and management as a whole,” Cde Dzora said.

“We convey our heartfelt condolences to the family and relatives on the loss of their dear loved one.

“We say to him, go well son of the soil; go well gallant fighter; and, go well our hero.”

Reverand Portia Kanonyangwa described Cde Maraire as a God-fearing man who set a good example.

“The church has lost a leader who was free to everyone. Although he was a war veteran, he was a humble and devoted Christian.

“We have lost a leader, a father, and a friend.”

“Cde Maraire wanted to see the development of the church.

“He fulfilled all the pledges he made to the church,” she said.

Cde Maraire died at Chitungwiza Central Hospital after a short illness.

He is survived by wife Mrs Dorris Maraire and 10 children.

Clr Manyenyeni

Innocent Ruwende Municipal Reporter
Government has suspended Harare Mayor Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni with immediate effect for unprocedurally appointing former NMBZ chief executive Mr James Mushore as the city’s town clerk in violation of the Urban Councils Act.

During his indefinite suspension, Clr Manyenyeni will neither receive allowances nor will he be allowed to conduct council business.

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Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere also threatened to suspend corrupt councillors as he moves in to clean up all local authorities.

Reads Minister Kasukuwere’s letter to Clr Manyenyeni: “I wish to inform you that in terms of Section 114 (1) (d) (ii) of the Urban Councils Act you are hereby suspended from carrying out the functions of the office of Mayor and councillor.

“The grounds for your suspension are that you have, without legal basis, made an employment offer to a person for the position of town clerk without the necessary approval of the Local Government Board as required by the Urban Councils Act as read with Section 265 (1) (b) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

“You went further and defied a lawfully given instruction by implementing a resolution that had been rescinded in terms of the Urban Councils Act Section 314. You will be brought before a competent authority to answer the allegations above.”

Government rescinded the appointment of Mr Mushore soon after a council meeting that announced his appointment, saying council flouted procedures of appointing a town clerk as outlined in the Urban Councils Act and the Local Government Board.

The minister had told the city that the former banker’s appointment was illegal, but the defiant council proceeded to give Mr Mushore the job.

Mr Mushore was still reporting for duty despite the two orders, with Clr Manyenyeni saying he was waiting for the High Court to rule on the matter.

Contacted for comment yesterday, Clr Manyenyeni said: “I am at peace with myself —very relaxed.”

However, MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, in a statement yesterday, said his party would approach the High Court “to protect elected councillors”.

“In view of the minister’s (Cde Kasukuwere) threats to the council in Harare, the MDC is mounting an urgent application to the High Court for an interdict to stop the Minister’s action and protect the elected council from his predatory actions. We acknowledge that the judiciary has been consistent on the issue of non-interference by the Minister in the affairs of elected councils.”

“The MDC is sick and tired of Zanu PF leaders who consistently brush the new Constitution aside as ‘just a piece of paper’ and continue to act as if the country did not have a new dispensation.

“The basis of all progress and stability is founded on the rule of law, the independence of the Judiciary and adherence to the precepts of the Constitution. No State can operate effectively without adherence to such principles and rebuilding confidence in Zimbabwe is critically dependent on this issue,” he said.

Council argued that it was guided by the Constitution and devolution of power when it appointed Mr Mushire, saying council was empowered to appoint the town clerk without first recommending suitable candidates to the Local Government Board.

In terms of Section 132 (1) of the Urban Councils Act, a council may only appoint a town clerk after it has received an approved candidate from the Local Government Board.

The city council was expected to make a submission to the Local Government Board as specified in Section 132 (2) and may only appoint a person when the board has given its approval.

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
The delay by Zimbabwe in constructing infrastructure such as roads, sewer among other preliminary civil works have stalled the construction of a state-of-the-art Parliament building at Mount Hampden by the Chinese government, a visiting official has said.

Construction of the Parliament building was part of several mega deals signed between Zimbabwe and China when President Mugabe went on a State visit to Beijing in August 2014.

His counterpart, Mr Xi Jinping, followed up to seal the deals in December last year.

National committee member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and chairperson of Foreign Affairs Committee Mr Pan Yunhe said there were a few issues related to civil works that they were waiting to be done by Zimbabwe in terms of the agreement before they could move in.

Mr Pan, who was leading a Chinese delegation said this during a meeting held with Senate President Cde Edna Madzongwe and, members of the parliamentary portfolio committee on Foreign Affairs led by Makonde MP, Cde Kindness Paradza (Zanu-PF) at Parliament building in Harare yesterday.

“The new Parliament building is beautifully designed. I am an architect (by profession.) There are three things that we are waiting for: the roads, electricity and water,” said Mr Pan.

The Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Huang Ping, who was also present said it was up to the leadership of Parliament to liaise with their counterparts in the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing to ensure the speedy implementation of the work.

“We have held meetings with the ministry, and we do not know when that will be completed. You can help to push them,” said Mr Huang.

The Clerk of Parliament, Mr Kennedy Chokuda, said they were expecting to raise the issue with Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere today.

“The Minister is coming to our meeting of Standing Rules and Orders Committee. We hope to get an update from that meeting,” said Mr Chokuda.

Cde Madzongwe assured the Chinese delegation that they would work to address the issues so that construction of the building could begin.

The construction of a new parliament building is expected to ease space constraints for legislators particularly those in the National Assembly, whose number was no longer consistent with its capacity, following the increase in the number of legislators.

The current capacity is about 150, but there are 270 legislators, while the new parliament building would have a carrying capacity of 500 legislators.

During yesterday’s meeting, Mr Pan explained how China transformed itself into an economic powerhouse in the past three decades.

He said one of the policies was to open up China to other countries and increase cooperation with all nations including Africa.

Samantha Chigogo Herald Correspondent
Rampant disregard for rules coupled with lack of competency training by motorists fuel chaos and traffic offences on the country’s roads, some of which lead to the death of innocent people, latest findings by the Zimbabwe Statistics Agency (Zimstat) have revealed.

The chaos has also been exacerbated by an influx of cheap Japanese second hand vehicles that have flooded the local market.

Figures released by Zimstat for the first quarter (2016), show that all traffic offences have experienced a sharp increase since 2010 except for drunken driving.

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Zimstat credits the Police General Headquarters (PGHQ) as the source of most of these traffic crime statistics countrywide.

The number of motorists arrested for driving without due care increased from 2 201 in 2010 to 37 419 in 2015 while unlicensed drivers rose to 13 800 last year from 819 in 2010.

Last year, the number of drivers fined for speeding increased to 34 782 from 24 330 in 2010 while cases involving negligent driving were 5 619 against 209 recorded in 2010.

Four hundred and eighteen reckless drivers were fined in 2015 from 29 drivers arrested for the same offence in 2010.

The number of vehicles recorded for operating without insurance in 2010 was 2 678 while in 2015 the figure rose to 28 033 cases.

The number of motorists operating vehicles without the Licensing Act increased from 4 356 in 2010 to 42 615 cases last year.

However, statistics of drunken driving offences recorded a decline from 2010, a situation attributed to police not having breathalysers.

The figures reveal that only 87 drunken driving cases were reported during the whole of last year compared to 2 854 cases in 2010.

Traffic analysts scoffed at the decrease in drunken driving cases saying the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) did not have modern technology in their policing system hence the apparent decrease.

They said the overall statistics of offences was enough evidence of reckless driving on the country’s roads. They also blamed the state of the country’s roads for some of the accidents.

Every year scores of lives are lost on the country’s roads in accidents that experts believe can be avoided if police adopts modern policing methods that involve the strict use of breathalysers at all roadblocks.

The Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe is on record saying most road accidents are a result of human error.

“Speeding, misjudgement, overtaking error, failure to give way, following too close, reversing errors, negligent pedestrians or cyclists and fatigue are some of the human mistakes which can cause fatalities,” it said.

“Human error alone — which is quite preventable — contributed 93,4 percent to the cause of last year’s festive season road traffic accidents,” said TSCZ spokesperson, Mr Tatenda Chinoda.

Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said police were not in a position to comment on the traffic figures from Zimstat.

“At the moment I cannot comment on the statistics from Zimstat because I am not clear on the validity of their statistics. If these figures had been directly from us (ZRP) it would have been easier for me to give a comment on that. As ZRP we provide comments on issues and statistics that we raise or release from our offices,” she said.

Minister Kasukuwere

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere will descend on Bulawayo City Council to inspect land identified for 20 000 residential stands for youths and to rein in the authority for failing to make provision for housing projects.

In an interview, Minister Kasukuwere said Government had to intervene because the authorities had failed to set aside land for that purpose, but were instead allocating themselves land for self enrichment.

The minister attacked Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Martin Moyo for allegedly resisting Government moves to provide land for ordinary people.

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This was after Clr Moyo was quoted in the media saying council did not have the capacity to service 20 000 residential stands on 300 hectares.

Bulawayo’s housing waiting list stands at 100 000.

Clr Moyo was quoted as saying the ministry should instead provide funds to service the stands if they were to issue such a directive.

“Besides, I believe as a local authority, we are already on a positive in terms of availing stands to our residents.

“Our housing backlog is just over 100 000, and this is not a crisis figure considering that according to the ZimStat census, we are just above 600 000 in terms of population. I doubt whether there is a need to panic,” said the mayor.

Minister Kasukuwere said Bulawayo city councillors were parcelling out council land to land barons and to themselves, at the expense of ordinary people.

He said Government had moved in and was working with the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Cde Eunice Sandi-Moyo to provide low-cost housing schemes.

“We will visit Bulawayo very soon, to inspect the land that has been made available and monitor the progress that the Minister of State in the province Amai Sandi-Moyo has made to date with regards to the land we have set aside for the young people. The same will be done in Harare and other areas. We have to make land available to people for them to build and own homes,” said Minister Kasukuwere.

Responding to Cllr Moyo said, “I am surprised that the mayor of Bulawayo said we don’t need more land. I thought he was not being serious. The policy of Government is that if we can, let’s provide shelter and housing to all our people. But to boast and say we have a 100 000 housing waiting list, but it’s not an issue, I think it kind of sends a message of a mayor who is not serious about the expectation of the majority. Because, as Government, we are emphasising the need to house all our people. We need to eliminate the challenge facing our people, which is of lodging where they get abused,” said Minister Kasukuwere.

Minister Kasukuwere said it was imperative that people own houses consistent with Government’s economic blue-print, Zim-Asset.

He said: “They (local authorities) have failed to build houses, and we have to intervene as the State. What do we do? They were allocating land to land barons, with chaos all over the city. Right now, there are serious cases of corruption involving almost all the town councillors. Each time a councillor saw a piece of land which is on the market, it would be meant for that councillor.”

Lloyd Gumbo Senior Reporter

Government is committed to creating an environment that promotes investment as evidenced by the recent clarification of the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act by President Mugabe.

Acting President Mnangagwa made these remarks when he officially opened the Third Zimbabwe Accountants Conference in Harare today, saying investment would enable the country to meet its triple objectives of poverty reduction, economic growth and shared prosperity.

He also implored accountants to help Government fish out corruption both in the public and private sectors.

“A lot of confusion had arisen regarding the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment policy with the unfortunate effect of undermining the confidence of the business community, including current and potential investors,” said Acting President Mnangagwa.

“This was owing to conflicting positions regarding the interpretation of the policy. His Excellency, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Cde R.G Mugabe recently clarified Government’s position.

“The policy was introduced to deliberately empower the historically disadvantaged indigenous Zimbabweans and to grant them ownership and control of the country’s means and factors of production. The objective is to enable Zimbabweans to be significant players in the mainstream of the country’s economy.”

The conference is running under the theme: “Partner, collaborate and grow”.

Details to follow…..

Cde Kasukuwere

Tendai Mugabe in Guruve
Zanu-PF national political commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere says he will not resign as he was appointed by President Mugabe, the party’s First Secretary. There have recently been calls from sections of the war veterans for Cde Kasukuwere to resign his post because he is not a war veteran. The war veterans said Cde Kasukuwere’s post in Zanu-PF should be occupied by a war veteran.

Addressing scores of Zanu-PF supporters in Guruve yesterday where he was drumming up support for the party’s candidate, Cde Patrick Dutiro, in the by-election slated for tomorrow, Cde Kasukuwere said he was not going anywhere.

The Guruve South seat fell vacant following the expulsion of Mr Chriswell Mutematsaka from Zanu-PF for his links to sacked former Vice President Joice Mujuru and her cabal who sought to unseat President Mugabe unconstitutionally.

“No room for madness. If you are indisciplined, tough luck. Some thought that they could be indisciplined in Zanu-PF and were expelled,” said Cde Kasukuwere. “Vozoti hanzi pamwe ndiKasukuwere. I will not resign,” he said. “Hapana kwandinoenda. Ndinotofira ipo pano. Political commissar weZanu-PF, political commissar waVaMugabe. Ungandiudza iwewe kuti imbobva ndiende kupi?

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“Ndakapiwa basa naPresident.” He said Zanu-PF was a disciplined party and those who violated its constitution should not cry foul when the National Disciplinary Committee descended on them. Cde Kasukuwere said party members should remain united in following the party’s ideology.

He, however, said no one should claim ownership of the party’s ideology and that it should not be twisted to suit the ambitions of individuals. “Ideology can’t be about going against revolutionary principles. Ideology cannot be about the removal of our leader,” he said.

“Ideology is about standing firm and defending our party leadership. Don’t invent ideology in your own way to suit your own circumstances. Don’t tell us about ideologies as if you defined them. Ideology is ideology. Baba varipo (President Mugabe),” he said.

“We will not be moved; we are Zimbabweans. I am a Zimbabwean. We must defend what is right and not what is wrong.” “Vamwe vanozochema vachiti hanzi disciplinary committee yatitsika. Wange uchiitei pawazotsikwa? Don’t tell us that you are innocent wabatwa pane zvawange uchiita.”

Cde Kasukuwere said the party kicked out former VP Mujuru for going against the party despite being a war veteran. He said Zanu-PF was solidly behind its First Secretary President Mugabe ahead of the 2018 watershed harmonised elections.

He said President Mugabe was the founder of Zimbabwe’s nationhood and a towering African statesman fighting for black emancipation. Cde Kasukuwere said personal differences between party members should not be viewed as instability in a big organisation such as Zanu-PF.

Said Cde Kasukuwere: “Come 2018, President Mugabe is our candidate. “President Mugabe is the founder of our nation. He has elevated us as black people through the land reform programme and several other empowerment programmes.

“We don’t look at his age, but what he stands for. There are some who are younger and mad — real idiots, complete idiots. In President Mugabe we see a leader, we see a father, we see our country, we see the blood and sweat of our people. That is what we call loyalty.”

Cde Kasukuwere said Cde Dutiro was going to win resoundingly. Cde Dutiro pledged to work for the people once elected in tomorrow’s elections. He said roads in his constituency were in a bad state while schools needed to be renovated. He said the Zimbabwe People First fronted by Dr Mujuru had no room in Guruve South.

“We are solidly behind the President and PF has no room here,” he said. “We have a number of challenges here that need to be addressed.”

Clr Manyenyeni

Chief Court Reporter
Suspended Harare mayor Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni has approached the High Court challenging his suspension which he terms to be unlawful and in contravention of provisions of the Constitution. Clr Manyenyeni was suspended this week by Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere for unprocedurally appointing former NMBZ chief executive Mr James Mushore as the city’s town clerk in violation of the Urban Councils Act.

In an urgent chamber application filed in the High Court yesterday, Clr Manyenyeni listed Minister Kasukuwere and Attorney-General Advocate Prince Machaya as respondents. Clr Manyenyeni, who enlisted the services of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights — Mr Dzimbabgwe Chimbwa and Mr David Hofisi, contends that in terms of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, removal of mayors, councillors and chairpersons is done by an independent tribunal in terms of an Act of Parliament.

“There is neither that Act of Parliament nor independent tribunal,” argues Clr Manyenyeni. “The first respondent (Minister Kasukuwere) has thus arrogated to himself powers he no longer has in violation of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.”

Pending the final resolution of the matter either in the court of first instance or on appeal, Clr Manyenyeni is requesting the court to suspend the letter of his suspension and continue with his mayoral function with full benefits.

He also seeks the court to stop Minister Kasukuwere from suspending, dismissing or engaging in any other activity with a view to removing him from office of Mayor of Harare. Minister Kasukuwere also threatened to suspend corrupt councillors.

In his application, Clr Manyenyeni says, the council resolved to appoint Mr Mushore to the post of town clerk following an open and transparent process of advertising and interviews. Mr Mushore emerged as the highest scorer in terms of the process. Further to the resolution, Clr Manyenyeni argues that Mr Mushore was offered a contract of employment.

Clr Manyenyeni premised his argument on Section 278 (2) and (3) of the Constitution which provides that:

(2) An Act of Parliament must provide for the establishment of an independent tribunal to exercise the function of removing from office mayors, chairpersons and councillors, but any such removal must only be on the grounds of;

(a) inability to perform the functions of their office due to mental or physical incapacity;

(b) gross incompetence;

(c) gross misconduct;

(d) conviction of an offence involving dishonesty, corruption or abuse of office; or

(e) wilful violation of the law, including a local authority by-law.

(3) A mayor, chairperson or councillor of a local authority does not vacate his or her seat except in accordance with this section.

To buttress his case, Clr Manyenyeni also cited Section 2 of the Constitution which states that the Constitution is the supreme law of Zimbabwe and any law, practice, custom or conduct inconsistent with it is invalid to the extent of the inconsistency.

It further reads; “The obligations imposed by this Constitution are binding on every person, natural or juristic, including the State and all executive, legislative and judicial institutions and agencies of Government at every level and must be fulfilled by them.”

In this regard, Clr Manyenyeni argues that the Constitution is binding on all persons including Minister Kasukuwere. “Any conduct, law or practice inconsistent with the Constitution is invalid,” he says.

“The constitution provides for the removal of mayors such as myself. Such removal can only be in terms of Section 278. That section requires an independent tribunal to be set up in terms of an Act of Parliament.

“The power to remove a mayor, chairperson or councillor is no longer vested in a Minister, but in an Independent Tribunal set up in terms of an Act of Parliament,” he argues.

“Thus there is no way that the minister can purport to suspend or remove me from office. His authority to do so can only emanate from an Act of Parliament which provides for the establishment of an Independent Tribunal pursuant to the provisions of the current Constitution.

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That Act of Parliament is yet to be promulgated. “The first respondent’s hands are therefore tied. He should seek legislative intervention to get a lawful basis to set up the independent tribunal contemplated by the Constitution.”

Government rescinded the appointment of Mr Mushore soon after a council meeting that announced his appointment, saying council flouted procedures of appointing a town clerk as outlined in the Urban Councils Act and the Local Government Board.

The minister had told the city that the former banker’s appointment was illegal, but the defiant council proceeded to give Mr Mushore the job.

Mr Mushore was still reporting for duty despite the two orders, with Clr Manyenyeni saying he was waiting for the High Court to rule on the matter.

Dr David Parirenyatwa

Herald Reporters—
Government has embarked on a rehabilitation of hospitals along highways to boost capacity to handle emergencies, particularly emanating from road traffic accidents. Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa said the country’s roads are becoming narrower, therefore, dangerous to users resulting in many accidents, which sadly have to be taken care of at these hospitals.

“There is a real disaster in terms of our roads. Our roads are now too narrow and more accidents are happening. Because of that, many of these accidents come to our institutions,” said Dr Parirenyatwa. Last week he visited Chivhu Hospital along the Masvingo-Beitbridge highway where he observed that the hospital’s emergency room had become smaller compared to the burden of emergencies attended there.

Dr Parirenyatwa said the hospital was a centre of excellence in emergency care. Work has started towards expanding and refurbishing it to cater for the accidents that occur along the Harare-Masvingo highway.

“We have identified Chivhu as one of the hospitals that should be a centre of excellence in terms of emergency care,” said Dr Parirenyatwa. Government, he said, would include all the hospitals along the country’s highways to ensure that they all have the capacity to deal with emergencies.

“We are looking at all the hospitals along the highways. We want to put up better emergency services, bring more cadres of diverse specialties so that all these hospitals are able to handle emergencies and Chivhu is going to be the first example of such a set up,” he said.

Dr Parirenyatwa said apart from poor equipment, most of these institutions were understaffed despite the fact that all posts were fully occupied. He said he also visited Masvingo Provincial Hospital which had 188 nurses in post, a figure that met the hospital’s establishment.

However, he said, in actual fact the hospital required 40 more nurses for it to be more efficient and effective in rendering service. “This situation is not peculiar to Masvingo Provincial Hospital alone. That is the situation in most of our institutions. We have to apply for the opening of all those posts so that we have the required number of nurses per station,” he said.

Dr Parirenyatwa also said Government hospitals require 8 000 additional nurses if they are to effectively respond to the growing demand for health care in the country, Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa has said. He did not reveal the current number of nurses in State hospitals.

Dr Parirenyatwa made the remarks during the hand over of an ambulance donated to Chivhu Hospital by the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce recently. “At one time when we visited Masvingo General Hospital, we were told that the hospital had 188 nurses, but they needed 40 more nurses. “From there we then carried out a research around the country to ascertain the human resources situation in other hospitals,” said Dr Parirenyatwa.

He said the research informed them of the deficit. “We realised that our country needed between 7 000 to 8 000 more nurses to be employed yet currently we have 3 000 qualified nurses that are unemployed,” said Dr Parirenyatwa.

Last week, 12 people died and 45 others seriously injured when a bus and a haulage truck were involved in a head on collision at the 242km peg along the Masvingo-Beitbridge road. The victims were taken to Beitbridge district hospital.

Thirty other people died in March this year and 36 others were injured when a Pfochez bus burst a tyre and side swiped a Mercedes Benz Sprinter commuter omnibus along the Harare-Bulawayo highway.

In a statement yesterday, the Passengers Association of Zimbabwe (PAZ) said conditions at most of the hospitals were deplorable and Government should treat the issue as an emergency.

PAZ president Mr Tafadzwa Goliati said most institutions had an acute shortage of trained trauma medical and emergency staff with the emergency equipment outdated and in most cases defunct. He said Government should ensure that major referral, provincial and district hospitals have both in-hospital and out-hospital triage regimes on standby for emergency uses.

This refers to the sorting out of work protocols at impact site and standardisation of front office emergency room, in-hospital admission and treatment procedures based on medical emergency unity, availability of trained staff, appropriate medical facilities, supplies and proper patient-nurse distribution in any emergency.

“The situation in Zimbabwe’s hospitals has reached a state of emergency as far as emergency preparedness and efficiency are concerned. In the event of a national disaster or a major road accident, the major referral hospitals in Zimbabwe cannot meet the demand. “There are virtually no pre-emergency protocols designed for deployment on the onset of a sudden emergency challenge beyond the mundane or ordinary occurrences,” he said.

Acting President Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa shares a lighter moment with Mr Brian Njikizana (right) and Mr Nyasha Zhou (left) during the Public Accountants and auditors board conference in Harare yesterday. — (Picture by John Manzongo)

Lloyd Gumbo Senior Reporter—
Bickering among Government ministers over the implementation of the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act had the effect of undermining business confidence in the country, prompting President Mugabe’s intervention to the policy, Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa said yesterday. He urged Zimbabweans to join hands in the fight against corruption which he said undermined efforts to turnaround the economy.

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Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Minister Patrick Zhuwao, recently publicly attacked his Finance and Economic Development counterpart Patrick Chinamasa for announcing that the financial services sector had fully complied with indigenisation requirements.

Minister Zhuwao argued that his ministry was supposed to confirm compliance, prompting President Mugabe to move in and set the record straight that the Ministry of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment was only there to coordinate at Cabinet level while line ministries were in charge of implementation.

Officially opening the Third Zimbabwe Accountants Conference in Harare yesterday, the Acting President said an investor friendly environment would enable the country to meet its triple objectives of poverty reduction, economic growth and shared prosperity.

“A lot of confusion had arisen regarding the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment policy with the unfortunate effect of undermining the confidence of the business community, including current and potential investors,” said Acting President Mnangagwa.

“This was due to conflicting positions regarding the interpretation of the policy. His Excellency, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Cde R.G Mugabe, recently clarified Government’s position.

“The policy was introduced to deliberately empower the historically disadvantaged indigenous Zimbabweans and to grant them ownership and control of the country’s means and factors of production. “The objective is to enable Zimbabweans to be significant players in the mainstream of the country’s economy.”

Acting President Mnangagwa implored accountants to help Government in fighting corruption both in the public and private sectors. The conference is running under the theme: “Partner, collaborate and grow”.

Acting President Mnangagwa reiterated the implementation matrix with regards to the natural resources sector, non-resource sectors and the reserved sector. He said the 51-49 percentage shareholding between indigenous Zimbabweans and foreign investors respectively was non-negotiable in the natural resources sector.

The Acting President, who is also in charge of the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, said in the non-resource areas such as the financial services sector, the 51-49 percent shareholding did not apply. “Sector-based empowerment credits or quotas will be granted to reflect the contribution of investors in such businesses to the national development efforts.

“This will be agreed upon through negotiations involving the relevant line ministers and the private investors. The role of the Minister of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment is to coordinate the activities of line ministries in the implementation of the policy through the relevant Cabinet committee, which he chairs and not otherwise,” said Acting President Mnangagwa.

Under the reserved sector, he said, the President directed that where there were inconsistencies between the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act and policy, appropriate amendments should be made to align the two.

Acting President Mnangagwa said Government was taking initiatives to improve the investment climate through a battery of measures under the ambit of “Ease of Doing Business Reforms”.

The measures include major legislative and administrative interventions like shortening the time it takes to register a business in Zimbabwe, improving public and private sector governance through a corporate governance framework and equipping the workforce with skills and competencies to contribute significantly in the modern market-place.

He said accountants were therefore uniquely positioned to support the initiatives in both the public and private sectors. “However, corruption, corruption, corruption continues to rear its ugly head and it can render all these strategies unsuccessful if it goes unchecked,” he said. “As professional accountants, you have a constitutional, professional and moral obligation to contribute significantly to the fight against the scourge of corruption. “Corruption works against the fundamentals of good governance, which is clearly stipulated as one of the nine founding values and principles in our Constitution,” he said.

“Corruption increases the cost of offshore and onshore money to both Government and the private sector because of its negative impact on Zimbabwe’ sovereign risk. It also increases the tax burden and the cost of doing business in our country. And that burden rests on us all 100 percent and we must all fight it,” said Acting President Mnangagwa.

He added: “Therefore, this conference should not confine itself to the usual professional niceties but instead seize this opportunity to seriously discuss and strategise on the measures that can be put in place to rid ourselves of corruption.”

Industry and Commerce Deputy Minister Chiratidzo Mabuwa, Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Ray Ndhlukula, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs permanent secretary Mrs Virginia Mabhiza and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Macro-Economic Planning and Investment Promotion Dr Desire Sibanda as well as Members of Parliament attended the official opening.

Also present were chief executive officer of the International Federation of Accountants, Mr Fayez Choudhury, chief executive officer of the Pan African Federation of Accountants, Mr Vickson Ncube and chairperson of the Public Accountants and Auditors Board, Mr Brian Njikizana.

PRESIDENT Mugabe

From Caesar Zvayi at the UNITED NATIONS, New York—
PRESIDENT Mugabe has called on Western countries to drop the course of destructive engagement of punitive economic sanctions in favour of friendship and co-operation to help the world move towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals. SDGs, officially known as “the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” are an intergovernmental set of aspirational goals with 169 targets adopted by the United Nations General Assembly following the lapse of Millennium Development Goals in 2015.

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SDGs, which constitute the post-2015 development agenda, encompass 17 goals with 169 targets covering a broad range of sustainable development issues, among them ending poverty and hunger, improving health and education, making cities more sustainable, combating climate change, and protecting oceans and forests.

Addressing the High-Level Thematic Debate on Achieving Sustainable Development Goals here yesterday, President Mugabe slammed the West’s illegal economic sanctions regime estimated to have cost Zimbabwe over $42 billion in potential revenue since the turn of the millennium, severely detracting from the country’s efforts to achieve the MDGs.

“Sanctions and other unilateral measures, declared and undeclared, are a major impediment to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. They are a contravention of the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, to which we all profess commitment and adhesion,” President Mugabe said.

‘‘If the 2030 objective of ‘leaving no one behind’ is to be achieved, these sanctions should be lifted immediately and unconditionally. “My country continues to suffer under these unwarranted sanctions. We call on those who rely on these blunt instruments of mass punishment, to choose the course of friendship and cooperation, rather than that of punition and destruction,’’ President Mugabe said.

The President, who was tenth on the podium out of 139 speakers scheduled to address the plenary yesterday, urged world leaders to compare notes and inspire each other to achieve the post-2015 development agenda.

Zimbabwe, he said, had through multi-stakeholder consultations encompassing the private sector, civil society and international partners, made progress in establishing the requisite structures for the domestication of Agenda 2030 and Africa’s Agenda 2063, saying the congruence between the domestic agenda (Zim-Asset) and the continental agenda (Agenda 2063) that advocate judicious exploitation of natural resources through beneficiation and value-addition as well as the UN agenda (Agenda 2030) facilitate their alignment and domestication.

‘‘I am pleased to note that the objectives of all these global agendas are in consonance with our own national development blueprint, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset). This will facilitate the aligning of the global agenda with our national vision, as well as their domestication,’’ President Mugabe said.

The President, a staunch advocate of self-reliance, said domestic efforts by member states at resource mobilization should be complemented by external co-operating partners to create an enabling environment for the achievement of the SDGs.

He called for international co-operation in stemming illicit financial outflows that deprive the African continent of an estimated at $60 billion a year.

‘‘For us in Africa, illicit flows, estimated at $60 billion a year, further haemorrhage the limited financial resources at our disposal. This area needs urgent resolution to ensure that an improvement in domestic resource mobilisation efforts contributes to national coffers, and not to lining the pockets of those illegally transferring these resources from our countries,’’ President Mugabe said.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe last year revealed that illicit financial flows cost Zimbabwe over $500 million in 2015.

Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Minister Patrick Zhuwao addresses the youth steering committee while flanked by his deputy Mathias Tongofa in Harare yesterday. — Picture by Tawanda Mudimu

Nyemudzai Kakore Herald Correspondent—
Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Minister Patrick Zhuwao yesterday admitted to bungling on the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment (IEE) Act, saying he could have misinterpreted certain issues.Minister Zhuwao said President Mugabe’s interpretation of the Act was “perfect” and final.

He made the admission of error at a Press conference at his office after the launch of Zimbabwe Youth Empowerment Investment Committees’ Zero Draft Overview. “I am appointed by the President and as l take directions, it is quite possible that l can misinterpret certain things. I must be able to listen to my boss when my boss explains that l am misinterpreting certain things,” he said.

President Mugabe a fortnight ago moved in to clarify the confusion over the interpretation of the indigenisation law, which he said undermined business confidence in the country. Cde Zhuwao said the resultant confusion had increased the cost of doing business while weakening the country’s competitiveness in the wake of a public spat between Cabinet ministers.

Minister Zhuwao had attacked his Finance and Economic Development counterpart Minister Patrick Chinamasa and Reserve Bank governor Dr John Mangudya for asserting that the financial services sector had met the indigenisation requirement ahead of the March 31 deadline.

Asked about the deadlines he had issued to foreign companies to comply with the country’s indigenisation laws, Minister Zhuwao said: “The pronouncement by the President has helped significantly. That is also clarified in the statement,” he said.

Asked to comment on the war of words between him and former chairperson of the recently formed steering committee on the Zimbabwe Youth Empowerment Strategy for Investment, Mr Acie Lumumba, Minister Zhuwao said the reason for Lumumba’s ouster was based on a conflict of interest between his job description and a private company he owned.

He however, said he had not fully investigated Mr Lumumba’s allegations on social media and that if he had known that there was a potential conflict, he could not have appointed him. Mr Lumumba, in a recorded video which has gone viral on social media, said Minister Zhuwao was not fit to hold any public office.

In the video, he alleges that their conflict arose after Minister Zhuwao gave him an ultimatum in front of ministry officials last week to deliver three percent of shares from Old Mutual funds to his office.

“I don’t spend too much time looking at those allegations because l primarily believe in terms of section 61 of the Constitution, which says everybody has a right of expression and freedom of the media. I am not going to focus on that because l am an appointed Minister of Government, and l have a specific responsibility that l must focus on,” said Minister Zhuwao.

He also said that Mr Lumumba’s allegations were ‘false’: “l absolutely have no idea what triggered him to say that. I wish I was a prophet. If there is any impropriety, he must report me to the authorities and I am investigated if there is anything l did wrong. You must never threaten to be a person of integrity. It is something you can never threaten. He has an obligation as a citizen to reveal more,” he said.

Minister Chinamasa

Lloyd Gumbo Senior Reporter—
The International Monetary Fund mission to Zimbabwe is satisfied with the pace of economic reforms being carried out by Zimbabwe, a Government minister has revealed, saying the development could lead to be opening of new lines of credit to finance strategic sectors such as agriculture.Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa said this at a Press conference on Zimbabwe’s preparedness to host the African Capacity Building Foundation 25th anniversary in the first week of May in Harare.

Zimbabwe was under a 15-month IMF Staff Monitored Programme to December last year during which the Bretton Woods institution wanted to see set targets in economic management met.

“The IMF mission team was in the country in February to March to assess whether we had met our targets — structural and quantitative — for end of December as well as to conduct Article IV consultations,” said Minister Chinamasa.

“They came and did those assessments and consultations. Their report is very positive that we met our targets and that we are on course in terms of improving our macro-economic management.

“That is what is going to attract investors into the country, that we are sound managers of our economy. They gave us a clean bill of health with respect to targets that we had set for ourselves to meet at the end of December.”

Minister Chinamasa said the country had gone beyond the IMF mission’s expectations, particularly on activities outside its Staff Monitored Programme. These include evaluation for compensation of farms that Government compulsorily acquired from white farmers under the land reform programme and remapping of land ahead of the issuance of 99-year leases with provisions for collateral.

“As I have always hammered day in and day out, that is, any reforms we carry out are not for anybody, they are not to please anybody. These are for the interests of our country in order to be good, sound managers,” said Minister Chinamasa.

“The IMF board is going to sit on the 2nd of May (in a fortnight’s time) to receive the report of the mission, which is positive. It’s just to receive and not to review or anything else. It’s just to receive the report on the targets and Article IV consultations,” he said.

“We cannot envisage a situation where the board will query the mission with respect to their report. So we are quite optimistic that the report will be received well by the board,” said Minister Chinamasa.

He said thereafter, Government would start operationalising its debt clearance strategy. Zimbabwe owes the African Development Bank about $600 million, the World Bank over $1 billion and the International Monetary Fund about $120 million.

Minister Chinamasa said they expected the three creditors to consider Zimbabwe’s debt clearance strategy by November this year.

“Also, between now and then, we are going to work feverishly to come up with a new financing programme on the basis of which we hope, if we clear our arrears in tandem, as reciprocation, we should get new financing to support those sectors of our economy which we think, if supported, can have a transformative impact on our economic recovery,” Minister Chinamasa said.

“Primarily, we are looking at agriculture. We are also looking at private sector growth. We are now going to give impetus to parastatal reform and to build capacity for all that is done by officials from here (Ministry of Finance), and that capacity was built through the assistance of ACBF,” he said.

He said Treasury and the central bank were also developing a new country financing programme with the assistance of the IMF, the World Bank and the African Development Bank.

“We need to restore our economy to a level where it can pay its debts. Currently we are not paying. This country financing programme is to be able to finance those sectors in order for them to grow and build the country’s capacity to pay its debts both past and current,” said Minister Chinamasa.

The minister said there were positive economic developments happening in the country as alluded to by President Mugabe during his speech at the 36th Independence anniversary celebrations on Monday.

Minister Chinamasa said the current liquidity challenges facing the country were temporary, adding that Government had taken a deliberate move to ensure money was banked, including payments to farmers. He said this was applicable to tobacco farmers, those who will deliver their grain to the Grain Marketing Board and cotton farmers.

Minister Chinamasa implored the media to also focus on positive developments happening in the country instead of being obsessed with negativity.

Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
An official from the Office of the President and Cabinet in charge of the Presidential Scholarship scheme has been arrested on allegations of soliciting for bribes ranging between $500 to $1 500 from prospective students, who wanted to study under the scheme.

Tafadzwa Mafuwu (35), a senior executive to the director of the Presidential Scholarship, reportedly worked in connivance with Paidamoyo Mwandiyambira (44), a receptionist at Masaisai Primary school in Westgate in Harare, and the headmistress of Martin Luther King Junior School, Martha Chigama (57).

Mafuwu allegedly “employed” Mwandiyambira and Chigama, who would then scout for potential students, and the trio would share the proceeds.

The trio was exposed when some of the students who failed to secure places despite having paid the money raised an alarm with the officials.

The three on Friday appeared before Mr Tendai Mahwe, charged with bribery.

They were released on $200 bail each coupled with some conditions among them, surrendering their passports and reporting once a week to the police.

According to the State, President Robert Mugabe runs a scholarship programme, which is administered by his Office and Cabinet (OPC), to support financially challenged students who would have excelled in their Advanced Level examinations.

The programme benefits students to undertake their degree studies outside the country.

Mafuwu’s duties among others included processing of the applications.

Prosecuting, Mrs Idah Mateke-Maromo alleges that during the period extending from 2010 to last year, Mafuwu, with an aim of soliciting for bribes from prospective candidates, recruited Mwandiyambira and Chigama.

The two were told to scout for the candidates, the court heard.

The trio, the State alleged, agreed to solicit between $500 and $1 500 from each candidate who intended to benefit from the scholarship.

They also agreed to share the proceeds equally. As a result, Mwandiyambira and Chigama approached and solicited various amounts of money from Kudzanai Hwami, Nyasha Mangwiro, Adele Mandiriri, Kudzanai Mutivu, Wadzanai Mahusha, Wadzanai Mutendereki, Charles Nzunga, Tsitsi Moyo, Rumbidzai Sithole and two others identified only as Magutsa and Mautsa.

It is the State’s case that out of the 11 candidates, only Mutivu and Mutendereki benefited from the scheme and were sent to Monash University in South Africa, where they attained their degrees.

The offence came to light when Mandiriri, who had paid, did not benefit and demanded a refund from the trio.

They allegedly became evasive and failed to give her back her money.

Upon seeing that they had been duped, Mandiriri’s sister approached the Office of the President and Cabinet, and reported the matter to the officials.

A report was made to police leading to the arrest of the trio.

It was not clear how much money they took from the prospective students.

OPEN FIRE . . . Dynamos striker Kudzanayi Nyakasaka (right) drills his side’s opening goal past Mutare City Rovers goal-minder Phillip Nhete during their Castle Lager Premiership soccer match at Sakubva yesterday. — (Picture by Tinai Nyadzayo)

Ray Bande in MUTARE
Mutare City Rovers . . . . . . . . . . (0) 1
Dynamos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 2

DYNAMOS finally remembered how to win when they laboured to this narrow victory over Castle Lager Premiership soccer debutants at Sakubva yesterday to bring smiles on the faces of the legions of their supporters who had seen them win-less in the opening two matches of the new season.

And buoyed by his maiden three points of the season, under-fire Dynamos coach Paulo Jorge Silva says he is unfazed with the three-match ultimatum given to him by the club’s leadership and is now aiming at upsetting old enemies CAPS United in their next league match.

DeMbare finally remembered how it feels to win a match when they laboured long and hard all afternoon to snatch this slender victory, thanks to goals by former Sodbury School pupil Kudzanayi Nyakasaka and Roderick Mutuma.

However, it was Silva who celebrated the most, probably much more than the DeMbare fans in the terraces at Sakubva yesterday, as the Portuguese coach could be seen darting far and wide as he shook hands and hugged his players and the club’s supporters soon after the final whistle.

Silva, who has refused to speak to the print media lately, was given an ultimatum to collect nine points from the next three matches or face the chop, along with his assistants.

This means should Dynamos draw or lose their next match against CAPS United in Harare next weekend or in the match against Hwange away at the Colliery, the Silva-led technical department’s marriage with the Glamour Boys could effectively come to an end.

And when he finally settled for a post-match interview yesterday, Silva said he is not worried about the three-match ultimatum and he was actually hearing it for the first time.

“I am not aware of that (the three match ultimatum). I am hearing it from you. I am working hard for the team to win. I am giving 100 percent effort and I expect everyone else in the club to give 100 percent effort.

“We were playing well, but could not score and I am happy the goals are coming. I have problems in the front — the strike-force. I have 26 players and I hope I will be able to get more players to make them 30 and on those additions I hope I will be able to get strikers. This is the same thing I talked about to the president and the club leadership.

“I do not have any pressure. This is a good club. We play to win. I am looking forward to winning the match against CAPS United. That is all I am looking forward to. I love football. It is my life,” said Silva.

Prior to yesterday’s encounter, the 1998 CAF Champions League finalists were in the depths of despair with only one point from two matches, while they were also yet to find the back of the net this season.

Such was the hopelessness in the DeMbare camp that apart from losing both their Independence Trophy matches, Dynamos were also eliminated early from the Zimbabwe National Army Charities Shield and were so toothless to the extent of failing to get a goal in more than four hours of open play.

Although DeMbare won yesterday’s encounter, their performance was still far from convincing and if anything, it was the hosts who have improved in performance albeit failing to find the net.

Save for a few flashes of brilliance, the Harare giants were clearly a pale shadow of the feared outfit they have always known to be.

Five minutes into the match, Dynamos capitalised on a defensive mishap by the dilly-dallying Munyaradzi Sako, resulting in exciting Nyakasaka dispossessing the Mutare City Rovers defender before shoving the ball between goalkeeper Philip Nhete’s legs to propel DeMbare into the lead.

In the 13th minute, Dynamos could have extended their lead when King Nasama was hacked down a few yards outside the box but the resultant free-kick saw Godknows Murwira carelessly blasting his effort on the wall.

City Rovers had their moments and the hosts could have restored parity 17 minutes into the match when impressive Stephen “Dealer” Sibanda roasted Obey Mwerahari on the right, surged towards goal, but his hard-and-low shot from a tight angle was well saved by national team goalkeeper Tatenda Mukuruva.

Mwerahari was once again left for dead by Sibanda almost in a similar fashion in the 30th minute but the former Highway and FC Platinum forward’s cross went across the face of goal as it found no takers from Mutare City Rovers to tap the ball home.

The visitors could have doubled the lead when second half substitute Mutuma literally passed the ball to Mutare City goalkeeper with a feeble header off a cross from the exciting Valentine Ndaba.

Nonetheless, the self proclaimed “Prince” of the Glamour Boys made amends and got it right in the 81st minute when he cleverly connected a cross from close range to put the game to bed for his side.

Mutare City Rovers then found a facesaver well into added time after a goalmouth melee and Kudakwashe Gurure, in his only meaningful contribution in the match, fired home from a rebound.

Taku Shariwa, the Mutare City Rovers coach said his team need to overcome the psychological challenge of perceiving themselves as inferior.

“I think we played well and we managed to create more scoring opportunities than Dynamos. We only need to overcome this psychological challenge of perceiving ourselves as inferior.

“We are psychologically demotivated. Going into the future it is all about working hard. We just need to work harder and harder in order to start collecting points and ensure that we survive relegation,” said the former Hartley Academy gaffer.

Teams

Mutare City Rovers: P. Nhete; C. Muzawazi; A. Nyakabawo; M. Sako; E. Sinaputa; C. Chandongonda; D. Duri (C. Masocha 61st minute); W. Sithole (T. Chibwana 47th minute); S. Msimbu; S. Sibanda; E. Meleka (K. Gurure 47th minute).

Dynamos: T. Mukuruva; E. Muroiwa; O. Mushure; S. Linyama; O. Mwerahari; S. Alimenda; B. Amidu; V. Ndaba; G. Murwira (K. Bulaji 76th minute); K. Nasama (R. Mutuma 46th minute); K. Nyakasaka (D. Mukandi 59th minute).