Auxilia Katongomara Bulawayo Bureau
THE Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has embraced the new dispensation with an array of changes in its operations, among them reducing roadblocks to just one per 100-kilometre radius and scrapping spot fines.

Following the end of Operation Restore Legacy by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF), the police force is now working on restoring public confidence through a raft of changes. In a memo copied to all stations from the Commissioner Operations dated December 19, 2017, the police are seeking to restore public trust and confidence.

The memo outlines a number of changes in the Traffic Section, which allegedly made the police fall out of favour with the public. It states that all other police stations are to stop traffic enforcement operations and concentrate on increasing police visibility in both urban and rural areas.

Read more:

• UPDATED: We lost public trust due to waywardness: ZRP
• EDITORIAL COMMENT: ZRP must remember motto on return
• Mpofu urges police to reduce roadblocks
• Mpofu to tackle police roadblocks, corruption
• ZRP’s 11-point plan . . . Commits to improve relations with public
• Be professional, police urged

“Traffic enforcement and road safety duties are to be done by Traffic Branch, whose main focus shall be promotion and facilitation of road safety and security through traffic awareness campaigns and other road safety programmes,” the memo reads.

“Traffic police shall ensure a co-ordinated weekly roadblock schedule and roadblock spacing has been revised to not more than one roadblock within 100 kilometres,”said the memo.

Traffic fines, according to the memo, would be collected on the road but where necessary and for serious offences, police are to take the violator to a police station for acceptance or deposit fine in the form of Z69J or compilation of a docket.

“No spot fines are to be imposed on the motoring public, considerations are being made for us to revert to the ticketing system using Forms 265. Our new culture is to serve with a smile and to prioritise premier customer care. There shall be zero tolerance to corruption across the organisation and where it is observed the perpetrator is to appear in the criminal court within 48 hours and in the disciplinary court within 72 hours.

“Commanders at all levels are to enhance supervision and conduct on the job training and monitoring of all operations. A culture of total commitment to duty, team building and maximum supervision must be adopted,” it said.

“Any failure by commanders in this aspect will attract disciplinary action. All commanders must work towards image building through professionalism and a genuine concern to satisfy public expectations. Never shall any room be left for laziness, rudeness, arrogance and half-hearted approach to duty. May all commanders ensure that these directions cascade down to all members under their command,” said the memo.

“In view of the end of Operation Restore Legacy on 18 December 2017, the ZRP has assumed its full constitutional mandate to maintain law and order alone without the military. It is our duty to create an enabling environment conducive to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections by all parties,” read the memo.

“The peaceful environment should boost investor confidence and encourage foreign direct investment for our economy to grow. We should stop all forms of corruption and where it occurs, swift justice must be done.”

Commanders were ordered to take full note of the negative public perceptions and attitude towards the police and endeavour to implement strategies to reverse this.

“This is achievable through a review of how we have conducted business and fully commit ourselves to addressing issues of concern and expectations of the public,” read the memo.

“This means more visible foot, cycle, horse and motorised patrols in both urban and rural areas. We must also endeavour to revamp police public relations through addressing public safety and security concerns so as to reduce fear of crime in view of the coming 2018 elections.”

National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba declined to comment on the latest developments.

Cde Khaya Moyo

Felex Share Senior Reporter
Zimbabweans today celebrate Unity Day, with Zanu-PF urging people to move away from divisive factional politics and focus on economic development. The revolutionary party’s affiliates weighed in saying Zimbabweans should take advantage of the new political dispensation and unite for economic prosperity.

Unity Day is celebrated on December 22 every year in honour of the Unity Accord signed by the country’s two liberation icons, former President Cde Robert Mugabe and the late Vice President Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo. The accord — signed on December 22, 1987 — brought together liberation parties Zanu-PF and PF-ZAPU to form a united Zanu-PF.

The two liberation parties had prosecuted the liberation struggled per their liberation names ZANLA and ZIPRA. Zanu-PF spokesman Cde Simon Khaya Moyo yesterday said the Unity Accord had no provision for factionalism and should be defended at all costs.

“Efforts to derail it must be discouraged. The letter and spirit of the Accord must be respected. The Unity Accord has no provision for factionalism. I have at all party conferences and other fora spoken hard against factionalism, corruption, tribalism, regionalism and racism. The party constitution remains supreme,” he said.

Cde Khaya Moyo said the Unity Accord should be “the heartbeat of our body politic”.

“We have often heard of the existence of factions within our revolutionary party. No one should lead or belong to a faction. A principled cadre can only belong to the party with one leader. In Zanu-PF, our leader is Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa and no one else,” he said.

President Mnangagwa

“The recently held Extraordinary Congress of our glorious and revolutionary party Zanu-PF ratified this fact. It is therefore incumbent upon all of us to celebrate Unity Day by reflecting and stock taking our actions as we endeavour to fully subscribe to our party’s motto; ‘Unity, Peace and Development’.”

He said focus should be on the implementation of ZimAsset.

“Pretenders have no room in Zanu-PF. Corruption has no room in Zanu-PF. Those who give lip-service to the revolution will regret their actions. After the successful hosting of our Extraordinary Congress last week, may I take liberty on behalf of the Zanu-PF leadership to wish you all a happy Christmas and a prosperous 2018,” Cde Khaya Moyo said.

Women’s League secretary Cde Mabel Chinomona said every one should play a part to ensure unity.

Cde Mabel Chinomona

“It’s no longer unity between ZANU and ZAPU, it now involves everyone. The day is a coming at a time when we have just entered into a new political dispensation. There were a lot of disagreements amongst people and the Zimbabwean family had been divided by the G40 cabal. Some were not sure which direction to take but we need to unite and build our country. We do not like unnecessary fights; we have to forgive and accept each other,” she said.

Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association spokesman Cde Douglas Mahiya said Unit Day recognised the fundamental principles of the revolution.

Cde Douglas Mahiya

“It is these fundamentals that must unite people. It must be understood that the initial people who united were ZIPRA and ZANLA forces before the unity reached the political level. It must be noted that united we stand, divided we fall and as such Zimbabweans at all levels must unite. We must leave our differences and forge ahead to see the new dispensation paying dividend,” he said.

Zimbabwe Ex-political Prisoners Detainees Restrictees Association chairman Cde Victor Kuretu said: “It is a day we cherish which is coming at an appropriate time we are celebrating the coming in of a new Zimbabwe. This is the right time and a fresh start which should see us uniting and working towards one goal of development.”

Zimbabwe Liberation War Collaborators vice chairperson Cde Josephine Gandiya weighed in: “Today we have a Zimbabwe with a vision that is beyond regional, tribal or sectional interests and we are happy that in this new dispensation, our leader, Cde Mnangagwa is calling for unity. No more Mashonaland, no more Matabeleland. These are mere administrative boundaries and nothing more.”

Provinces have lined up different activities to mark the day.

Dr Made

Herald Reporters
FORMER ministers Joseph Made and Jason Machaya have been arrested for abuse of office. Made, who is a former Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister, is detained at Rhodesville Police Station in Harare.

Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba referred all questions to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC).

ZACC principal public relations officer Ms Phyllis Chikundura said she was not aware of the developments as she was on leave.

Sources close to the investigations confirmed the arrest of Made, while our Midlands Bureau reports that Machaya, a former Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister, is suspected to have abused his office when he reportedly allocated land to private developers.

Machaya’s lawyer, Mr Hillary Garikayi of Garikayi and Company law firm, yesterday said he was still to get details of the case.

Jason Machaya

“I have only heard that my client has been summoned to the police, but I am still to gather the details,” he said.

Sources said Machaya was summoned to Gweru Central Police Station and was later taken to Gokwe Police Station. They said the charges stem from the manner in which he allegedly allocated land to private developers across the province.

“Six private developers were also summoned to the police in connection with the case. They have been asked to avail their papers and explain how they got the land, which they were developing,” said the source.

“He (Machaya) was taken to Gokwe and the allegations levelled against him were handed over to police in Gokwe to start investigations,” said the source.

The Herald saw a list of about 60 land cases in which Machaya is being implicated. Also implicated are senior Government officials in the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing in the Midlands Province.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has made the fight against the scourge of corruption one of his top priorities if the country is to attract investors and achieve prosperity for the majority.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, flanked by Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to South Africa Cde Isaac Moyo (third from left), Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Retired Lieutenant-General Sibusiso Busi Moyo (right), Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joram Gumbo (second from left), and Industry, Commerce and Enterprise Development Minister Mike Bimha, meets his South African counterpart President Jacob Zuma and government officials at the Zimbabwe Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, yesterday. —(Picture by Manfred Takaendesa)

Tendai Mugabe in PRETORIA, South Africa
Zimbabwe is now open for investment in all sectors and the new administration led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa is doing everything possible to create a conducive environment for investors by amending various pieces of legislation.

Addressing a highly-subscribed business meeting on his maiden foreign assignment here yesterday, President Mnangagwa said it was no longer business as usual in Zimbabwe. He appealed to Zimbabweans in the Diaspora to return home and exploit business opportunities presented by the new dispensation.

“Zimbabwe is open for business. Yes, there will be political issues, but primarily it’s economics and trade for Zimbabwe. To achieve that, we need to revisit our own legislation in Zimbabwe to open for business,” he said.

“With my team, we first began to look at the indigenisation legislation. We are in the process of amending and updating that legislation, but we allowed the Minister of Finance (Patrick Chinamasa) to announce a major shift to that policy with regards to extractive industry in Zimbabwe. In the past, the policy was that investors coming to Zimbabwe were required to agree to 51 percent for Zimbabwe and 49 percent for the investor,” he said.

“We have now changed to limit that application to two minerals only which we believe for now we do not have adequate technology or knowhow to access the quantum of those minerals, that is platinum and diamonds. We have reserved those two minerals so that question of 51/49 applies to those but for the rest of other 19 minerals in Zimbabwe is totally open.”

President Mnangagwa said there was still a reserved sector for locals comprising businesses that do not require special skills. He said they had given discretion for special circumstances in cases that could require a Government waiver.

President Mnangagwa outlined several businesses opportunities presented by the new dispensation. He said Government had already awarded a US$400 million contract for the refurbishment of the National Railway of Zimbabwe to Zimbabweans in the Diaspora but the area had other vast opportunities.

“In the area of railway, we need to refurbish, modernise the current network in the country. Secondly, we need to introduce a new network of railways in Zimbabwe and thirdly we need to construct the railways because both Maputo and Beira are now congested. Durban is also congested,” the President said.

“We now have on the cards the construction of another line from Zimbabwe to north of Beira and its open again for bidding. This is with regards to railway,” said President Mnangagwa.

“The comrade who was here who mentioned that we have taken up the dualisation of the South-North highway, that is Beitbridge to Harare-to-Chirundu, the first part has been taken, that is Beitbridge to Harare. We still are open for people to come for the ring road around Harare and the dualisation of the road from Harare to Chirundu and also second phase of road dualisation from Mutare on the east to Plumtree in the west, the third one Beitbridge via Bulawayo to Victoria Falls. All those are open for investment. This is why I say Zimbabwe is open for business and for those who want to make money,” he said.

President Mnangagwa continued: “May I say that I am hopeful, my team is hopeful. There is no business as usual. Things have changed. It is a new era. I am from the military. If it is left turn it’s left turn, if it is right turn, right turn. My ministers are very clear about that stance.

I believe that together we can move forward. I am aware of the abundant skills that rest here among you Cdes from Zimbabwe. I appeal to you to come to Zimbabwe. Whenever you come, look for the opportunities that now present themselves.

“We are almost 16 to 18 years behind others. We do not need to reinvent the wheel. We need to catch up and overtake them and to do that we the politicians must create an environment where you can survive.

To do so and to achieve that there must be continuous dialogue between those in Government and those in the private sector, telling us your challenges that you want us to correct and us, of course, telling you our challenges that we want you to correct. That way we can move our country.”

President Mnangagwa, who flew to South Africa yesterday morning, returned home last night. He was accompanied by his Special advisor Cde Chris Mutsvangwa, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Lieutenant General Dr Sibusiso Moyo, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Jorum Gumbo, Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa and Industry and Enterprise Development Dr Mike Bimha.

Minister of Climate and Water, who also happens to be the Zanu-PF chairwoman Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, was the Acting President.

Abigail Mawonde Herald Correspondent
CHINA has handed over Zimbabwe-China Friendship High School worth $2 million that the Asian economic giant built in Hatcliffe, Harare. The school has capacity to enrol 960 students and employ 50 teachers.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Professor Paul Mavima thanked the Chinese government for the kind gesture.

“I feel a sense of gratitude to be here on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe, receiving this state-of-the-art school, the Hatcliffe China-Zimbabwe Friendship Government High School,” he said.

“This noble project is a gift to us from the People’s Republic of China. It is testimony to the immense friendship that exists between our two governments and indeed the peoples of the two great nations.”

Minister Mavima said he was happy with the speed at which the school was constructed. The ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of the school was done in May last year.

“Hatcliffe barely had any public high school. So, this school is going to provide much needed relief for learners and parents in this area.

“Without adequate infrastructure, the hope for quality, inclusive and accessible education fades,” said Minister Mavima

“Additionally, infrastructure in the form of science laboratories, technical and vocational workshops and Early Childhood Development (ECD) facilities are needed at existing schools.”

Chinese Deputy Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Zhao Baogang pledged more support to Zimbabwe.

“We know that Zimbabwean Government attaches great importance to education and in Zimbabwe, largely 95 percent are literate and it is number one in Africa,” he said.

“We will continue to do more to support the department of education in Zimbabwe.”

Mr Boagang said he was happy with his country’s contribution towards development in Zimbabwe. China is involved in a number of projects in the country, which include construction of the new Parliament Building in Mt Hampden, expansion of Kariba South Power Station and refurbishment and expansion of the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport. The school in Hatcliffe consists of administrative buildings; teaching and learning areas; six science laboratories; auxiliary rooms; specialist room; multi-function hall and staff offices.

It has sporting facilities inclusive of a 400-metre perimeter athletic track, a football pitch and a multi-purpose court covering basketball, tennis, volleyball and other disciplines that require a hard surface.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa chats with Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Philip Valerio Sibanda before his departure for South Africa at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare on Thursday. — Picture by Justin Mutenda

Herald Reporter
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has lived up to his word of promoting the Buy Zimbabwe initiative and on his first foreign assignment to South Africa on Thursday, he chose to use a locally-owned private airline, Fly Africa.

Fly Africa is the only locally- owned airline outside Air Zimbabwe which is owned by Government. Officiating at a Buy Zimbabwe awards ceremony in Harare recently, President Mnangagwa said: “Buy Zimbabwe efforts through its annual Buy Zimbabwe Awards should be applauded. The campaign seeks to actively promote home-grown products for the domestic and global markets.”

In line with this objective, President Mnangagwa walked the talk by using Fly Africa which is a low cost airline wholly owned by locals. Fly Africa executive chairman Mr Cassidy Mugwagwa applauded the move by President Mnangagwa saying it would help to grow the local industry. He said the confidence that President Mnangagwa had expressed in their brand as Zimbabwe’s First Citizen was a seal of approval and a huge milestone in the aviation industry.

“It is an inspirational moment that one will never forget,” he said.
“The President has raised the bar and we will strive for greater heights because in our view, this is a seal of approval from the highest office. When the President talks about Buy Zimbabwe, some think it is mere talk, but with this development, it is clear that he practices what he preaches to the nation.

“One major way we can contribute to the growth of our economy as Zimbabweans is to promote and having confidence in our own products and brands. To us at Fly Africa, this is a brand endorsement and we say thank you Cde President, may you call again.” Mr Mugwagwa said their objective at Fly Africa was to become Zimbabwe’s most favoured mega brand in the aviation sector in the shortest possible time.

“We have been carrying people since August and now we carried our President and this is no mean achievement by any measure. We are hoping to land on our maiden Johannesburg trip on or before January 15, 2018. What has been keeping us is the reservation system linked into the security system, which is the advanced passenger processing system which is linked to the department of Home Affairs in South Africa and our own security agencies here.

“All those systems are now up and our website will also be running by the second week of January, 2018 where passengers can book and buy tickets online,” he said. In line with the Buy Zimbabwe initiative, Mr Mugwagwa said they were putting extra flights for the Victoria Falls route to cater for carnival-goers before the end of this month.

Dr Mangudya

Bulawayo Bureau
THE Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has formally instructed banks not to question people returning externalised funds and assets for the next three months.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa last month gave individuals and corporates a three-month moratorium to return any money and assets they may have externalised. The amnesty period runs from December 1 to the end of February next year.

Last week, the President said he will name and shame culprits who do not heed his call to return externalised funds in March. In a statement, RBZ Governor Dr John Mangudya said the apex bank came up with an administrative arrangement to cater for those returning externalised funds.

Read more:

• 3-month amnesty to return looted $
• Experts hail ED’s stance on externalisation
• Economic cleansing process begins
• Over $3 billion externalised
• EDITORIAL COMMENT: Heed President’s call, return loot

He said those who externalised funds would have to file a confidential report for administrative purposes, while cementing the President’s call that no questions should be asked.

“Pursuant to the amnesty in respect of illegally expatriated foreign exchange and assets (gold, precious stones, currency, securities) granted in terms of the Presidential Powers Temporary Measures (Amendment of Exchange Control Act Regulations, SI 145 of 2017) the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe wishes to advise of the administrative arrangements that will apply for repatriation of the expatriated foreign exchange and assets during amnesty,” said Dr Mangudya.

“The administrative arrangement will also apply to legitimately expatriated foreign exchange and assets.”Dr Mangudya said culprits should not be asked any questions at banks, but would have to fill in a confidential form obtained from financial and exchange institutions. Illegally expatriated foreign exchange and assets should be declared to the bank or affected person’s bankers on a no questions asked basis,” he said.

“An application for amnesty should be filled with the bank or through the affected person’s bankers and such application will be treated with confidentiality.” Dr Mangudya said the application form was available upon request from the bank’s Exchange Control Department or any authorised dealer.

Filling an amnesty confidential form, Dr Mangudya said, was meant to promote financial accountability. He said individuals and corporates who expatriated funds legally would be governed by a new arrangement to promote sound financial administration.

“The administrative arrangements will also apply to legitimately expatriated foreign exchange and assets,” he said.
“The bank requests all persons who may have legally expatriated foreign exchange and assets, for a variety of reasons, to declare such foreign exchange or assets as a way of promoting financial integrity and transparency, and also repatriate all such foreign exchange and assets for investment in the country.”

Dr Mangudya said the amnesty covered those who exported currency above permissible limits, smuggling of gold and other precious stones, non-return of temporary exports disguised as exports samples. He said the amnesty also catered for those who had manipulated imports and exports of properties for profiteering, as well as trade misinvoicing by importers to evade customs duties, among others.

Adv Mudenda

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Some former ministers, who were recently dropped from Cabinet, are reportedly struggling to come to terms with life outside Government and are suffering from stress-induced ailments like hypertension, legislators have heard.

Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda said he had a relative who was dropped from Cabinet recently and was failing to adjust to life outside the luxurious style that goes with being a member of the Executive after he lost his job. President Mnangagwa named a leaner 22-member Cabinet to cut Government expenditure.

Adv Mudenda made his remarks on Tuesday to support Musikavanhu MP Mr Prosper Mutseyami (MDC-T) who had said there was need to capacitate Parliament’s clinic to offer counselling services, particularly to former ministers who had suddenly become backbenchers. Mr Mutseyami said some of them were suffering from stress-induced high blood pressure and trauma.

“I think that is a valid point to some extent. I have a cousin who lost his ministerial position and he became so stressed up that in the end, he could not recover from the stress.

“So, we will make some arrangements but there are some very serious stresses that might come when you do not win at your constituencies. Now for that one, unfortunately we may not provide services because you will not be part of the system,” said Adv Mudenda, drawing raucous laughter from the floor. Mr Mutseyami had risen on a point of order to say he was concerned with Parliament’s health centre which ought to be adequately equipped.

“My bigger issue is to do with our clinic here. Maybe for the Ninth Parliament as we go along, if we could have this clinic well equipped with regards to managing of stress and all that — the counselling department is not there.

“Currently, we have had challenges as Parliament, as the Eighth Parliament whereby we have had people who have been moved from positions and all that and people have gone through a lot of challenges, pressure, stress and blood pressure,” said Mr Mutseyami.

“It is very professional for this arm of Government of Parliament to have an institution to deal with these challenges or these kinds of trauma in terms of stress through a counselling department so that people will understand that once they lose positions, they are supposed to be backbenchers. As we speak, there are some people who cannot understand why they are in new positions and they do not understand that they are backbenchers, due to lack of counselling. So, it is important to address the counselling department.”

In the Upper House, former Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi had the House in stitches when he reminded Senate President Cde Edna Madzongwe that he was no longer a Cabinet minister. This was after Cde Madzongwe addressed Cde Sekeramayi as “Honourable Minister” in requesting him to adjourn debate.

“Thank you Madam President, I am a former minister,” said Cde Sekeramayi courtly before Cde Madzongwe apologized. Not only have some ministers lost their posts to realignment, but some chairpersons of portfolio committees have also been reduced to ordinary committee members.

They include Chegutu West MP Cde Dexter Nduna who was replaced by Muzarabani South MP Cde Christopher Chitindi. Masvingo Central MP Dr Daniel Shumba lost the chairmanship of the portfolio committee of Mines and Energy to Norton MP Mr Temba Mliswa (Independent).

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is welcomed by his South African counterpart President Jacob Zuma in Pretoria, South Africa, on Thursday. — (Picture by Manfred Takaendesa)

Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
SADC chairman and South African President Jacob Zuma has hailed the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) for the manner in which they handled “a delicate situation” that could have spiralled out of control and led to disaster under a different set of hands.

Further, President Zuma thanked President Emmerson Mnangagwa for guaranteeing the safety of former President Cde Robert Mugabe as the country’s elder Statesman during Operation Restore Legacy mounted by the ZDF in mid-November. The military operation culminated in the resignation of former President Mugabe on November 21 when his own party invoked the Constitution to impeach him.

President Zuma’s sentiments were revealed by Presidential spokesperson Mr George Charamba while briefing journalists after a meeting between President Mnangagwa and President Zuma in Pretoria, South Africa, on Thursday. The meeting was the first of a series that President Mnangagwa is expected to have in the region before moving to the rest of the world.

Also read:

• Operation Restore Legacy ends
• Military intervention legal, court rules
• Sadc hails smooth transition

“He (President Zuma) paid ringing tribute to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces for handling a very delicate situation. He says the army in Zimbabwe behaved in a manner that no one expected and to a point that it was not easy to say was this a coup or was it not a coup. What became very clear is that the region was not dealing with a military issue; it was dealing with a political issue which had invited the involvement of the military,” he said.

“He says let us not run away from it; all our armies are political armies because what came first was politics which then found a gun,” said Mr Charamba.
“He was also thankful that throughout the operation, the ZDF command kept briefing South African Defence Forces to a point that the South African Government, through its defence arm, was always aware of what was happening, adding to the fact that not a single drop of blood was shed but also that there was no overthrow of constitutional order.”

Mr Charamba said President Mnangagwa briefed his counterpart on developments leading to his nomination by the party, his appointment to the Government as President as well as confirmation through Congress.

Said Mr Charamba: “He (President Mnangagwa) also indicated to the South African President that President Mugabe remains not just safe but revered as the founding father and leader of Zanu-PF and that there is no intention to victimise him or degrade his reputation.

“Second issue is that he applauded the Bi-National Commission and that his wish is that the Bi-National Commission fits in neatly with the new emphasis of the new era on economy and that nothing should stand in the way of investment, partnerships and trade between the two countries which after all are biggest trading partners and biggest economies in the Sadc region. If there are any impediments there should be that giveness to talk.

“Third message related to huge population of Zimbabweans in South Africa and he thanked South Africa for looking after Zimbabweans but also for broadening their skills as well as their experience and that time has now come for Zimbabwe to invite back its citizens on the strength of the skills they had acquired for them to contribute to the recovery of their economy.”

In his address to journalists, President Zuma said: “We have the same background that we have to fight for our freedom. So there is more commonality between us. I am very happy that Cde President did come and I am clearer now about the situation in Zimbabwe. It confirms what I could observe from a distance that it looks that there is stability now in Zimbabwe. I also commended the manner in which the army, when they had a concern, how it handled the situation, the situation could not go out of hand. It indicates the maturity of Zimbabweans in handling any situation that could develop and we are very grateful for that because in a number of countries if the army decided to stand up, then they leave a trail of destruction generally but in Zimbabwe I think they were able to control and indeed finally (the) political situation was controlled.”

President Mnangagwa responded saying: “I have come to South Africa and a courtesy visit to His Excellency President Zuma for two major reasons. The first is that South Africa is the closest neighbour to Zimbabwe in terms of tradition and history. Secondly, he is the current chairman of Sadc and perhaps thirdly I spent my 16 days of exile here. That aside, I regard President Zuma as my elder brother.

“With that background, I felt on 26th day in Office I must come to my brother and receive guidance. He is a very experienced President and I felt the challenges which I face the first pot of call is to go to my colleague and say Your Excellency I have taken the leadership of Zimbabwe and I seek your guidance in whatever challenge I face and I have no doubt he will give complete and honest guidance.”

President Mnangagwa said he thanked President Zuma and the ANC for holding a peaceful elective conference. President Mnangagwa also met the new ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa and briefed him on political developments in Zimbabwe. President Ramaphosa said he was keen to visit Zimbabwe as a guest of Zanu-PF after which he would also visit other sister liberation movements in the region.

The President and First Secretary of Zanu-PF, Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa, has appointed General Constantino Guvheya Dominic Nyikadzino Chiwenga (Rtd) and Cde Kembo Mohadi as the ruling party’s Vice-Presidents and Second Secretaries.

In a press statement yesterday, Presidential press secretary Mr George Charamba said the appointments were with immediate effect. READ MORE HERE

Tawanda Mangoma in Chiredzi
At least four people died when a South African registered commuter omnibus side-swapped a haulage truck at Lundi Business Centre, nearly 110 kilometres south of Masvingo, along the Beitbridge-Harare Highway yesterday.

Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Charity Mazula confirmed the accident, but said she was yet to get the finer details.

“My office received an update about an accident at Lundi Business Centre along the Beitbridge-Harare Highway,” she said. “Our team has already arrived at the scene and I will give you a detailed explanation when they finish attending to the accident scene.”

A witness Mr Wellington Mudzimiri, said both the haulage truck and the kombi failed to negotiate well as they passed a curve.

“The kombi was heading towards Masvingo and the truck was going to Beitbridge,” he said. “We just heard a loud bang and saw the kombi rolling several times before it landed on its wheels by the roadside.

“When I rushed to the scene, I discovered that the kombi had been hit by the trailer of a Sabot truck.”

Another person who witnessed the accident, Mr Richard Chikomo, said they heard people shouting for help while lifeless bodies were scattered on the road.

“People were screaming for help and we rushed to help them,” he said. “About four lifeless bodies were on the road. Some motorists ferried the injured to Ngundu Clinic, about 12 kilometres from here.” The accident comes barely six days after another accident claimed two lives at the same business centre.

Herald Reporter
The Registrar General’s Office has issued over 680 000 identity documents over the past three months through the ongoing national mobile registration exercise and the programme will continue over the festive season.

The programme, which initially was supposed to end on November 30, was extended to January 13 due to overwhelming response by the public.

Figures from the RG’s Office show that as of December 15, 681 353 national identity cards had been issued across the country with 161 864 given to citizens aged between 16 and 17 years, while 178 982 were issued to those above 18 years of age.

A further 761 113 people made initial applications for birth certificates with 754 429 birth documents being issued.

The exercise is part of preparations for next year’s harmonised elections and to update the national registry.

A statement from the department reads: “The department of the Registrar-General will be operating throughout the festive holiday. Members of the public are kindly requested to visit any of our offices for personal documents throughout the country. However, the passport offices will not be open to the public for the festive holiday.”

During the same period 184 305 people acquired polythene-synthetic identity cards in place of green paper IDs.

About 30 267 had made initial applications for death certificates, while the department had issued 22 178 death certificates as of last Friday.

Metal identity cards are also being replaced during the exercise and the RG’s Office has urged holders of such documents to change to polythene-synthetic identity cards.

Government has waived all charges relating to the acquisition of civil documents during this period.

The RG’s Office normally charges $10 to replace a national identity card and $5 for a lost birth certificate.

Initial documents are obtained free of charge if acquired within stipulated time-frames.

President Mnangagwa and First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa attend a church service at Methodist Church in Zimbabwe in Mabelreign, Harare, yesterday. — (Picture by Tawanda Mudimu)

Innocent Ruwende Senior Reporter
President Mnangagwa yesterday surprised worshippers when he attended a Christmas Eve church service at Mabelreign Methodist Church in Harare. The President and First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa arrived at the church at around 11am and stayed for the whole service lasting more than two hours.

He was introduced to the congregants and was given a chance to address them.

“I am a congregant of this church, I greet you all. We have come to this church which I grew up in. Most of you were not born yet in the 1940s. I attended this church before we migrated to Zambia which was still called Northern Rhodesia,” President Mnangagwa said.

“We went to Kafue Mission, which is also a Methodist institution but I later left to join the liberation struggle. When we came back from war I attended church services here briefly while staying in Tynwald but I stopped again.”

President Mnangagwa said the First Lady convinced him to go to church in Kwekwe, adding that he always told her that God listens to prayers even if you do not make them in church.

“She always insists that we go to church where others are congregating. Today she (First Lady) was successful like she was in Kwekwe where we attended church, I think about three times.”

He said he would continue attending church as only God knew what transpires each and every day. President Mnangagwa said he might have some aspirations, but only God knows what the future holds.

“Shoko rinoti iro, ungaronga zvaunoronga. Uye kana uchida kuti Mwari akuseke, nyora plan yako uti mangwana ndichaita zvakati, svondo rinouya ndichaita zvakati, gore rinouya ndichaita zvakati. Oti Mwari, hona zvandirikuda kuita. Anoseka nokuti iye ndiye anokurongera zvauchava mangwana. Asi ukati, ahh kana Mwari achida ndichaita izvi unenge wakudza kuziva kuti une Musiki. Saka kana Mwari achida, ndichangoramba ndichiuya tichisangana,” he said.

The First Lady said, “I do not have much to say but I came from Kwekwe. I am one of you. Let us congregate together.”

Reverend Edmore Chiota, superintendent of Trinity Methodist and parliamentary liaison officer, said President Mnangagwa was a humble man who showed that he was a servant of the people.

“He is just showing that he is human. He is a Christian as he declared in front of the congregation. He is humble, further illustrating that he is a servant of the people and is committing everything to the Almighty who is the head and leader of the church,” he said.

“This is what we have been looking for and what we continue looking for- a leader who believes in God. Like he always says “the voice of people is the voice of God”. In a way, he believes so much in God. If you listen to his speeches, at the end of each and every speech he says God bless Zimbabwe.”

He said the church would continue to support President Mnangagwa in prayer.

Deputy Minister Marapira

Herald Reporter
THERE will be no Christmas holiday for all Government departments that deal with inputs distribution, as the authorities push for the winding up of the programme to start serious production.

Nearly 1,6 million farmers under Presidential Inputs Scheme have received all inputs, with Command Agriculture Scheme farmers still getting their inputs during this festive season.

Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Deputy Minister Davison Marapira said inputs distribution was expected to end in the next two weeks to concentrate on production

“Our offices for Command Agriculture and Presidential Inputs will be open throughout the holiday,” he said. “It will be business as usual at all our Grain Marketing Board depots throughout the Christmas and New Year holiday. We kindly ask all our suppliers to leave some of their workers to make sure that all our farmers will access necessary requirements during the holiday.”

Most farmers have received their presidential inputs, including seed and chemicals. Command Agriculture inputs distribution is now proceeding well, with the Government expecting to wind up the process to concentrate on production.

Deputy Minister Marapira said: “What l can tell you is that 85 percent of the presidential inputs have been distributed. We are working flat out on Command Agriculture. Of late, fertiliser and chemical companies got a big support from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe in terms of foreign currency.

“This has seen a very big change in positive movement of inputs in Command Agriculture and seed distribution in Command Agriculture is almost 100 percent. We encourage farmers to take advantage of the current rains to plant maize and soyabeans and those without irrigation should focus on medium to short season varieties, as we are almost into the mid-season for 2017/ 2018. Those with irrigation can still plant medium to long season varieties.”

Deputy Minister Marapira said farmers registered for Command Agriculture could approach departments of Mechanization and Irrigation Development for tillage assistance and repairs of equipment.

Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union (ZCFU) president, Mr Wonder Chabikwa said: “We commend the Government for timely paying the farmers, but there is still a lot of work to be done as far as distribution of inputs is concerned, especially the Command inputs, as some farmers under the programme are still to get basal fertiliser let alone top dressing fertiliser.

“We hope the authorities will move fast to help farmers to get inputs so that they have time to plant as we are already into mid-season. We urge them to plant very short varieties in order to get maximum yield and move along with the season, which had already started a month ago.”

Government has set aside $154 million for the Presidential Input Support Scheme to cater for 1,8 million communal households across the country. Under the scheme, each household got 10kg of maize seed, 50kg of basal fertiliser (Compound D) and 50kg of top dressing (Ammonium Nitrate).

Cotton and soyabeans were also included under the Presidential Inputs Support Scheme.

Meanwhile, under the Specialised Import Substitution Programme known as the Command Agriculture Scheme, Government has set aside around $270 million under the programme, with around 120 000 people expected to benefit from import substitute programmes.

This is in pursuit of the objectives of the food nutrition and security cluster espoused in the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset) and the 10-point plan.

More so, Treasury moves to pay a cumulative amount of $840,45 million before year end to all farmers who delivered grain to the Grain Marketing Board to ensure that they can buy inputs from their own funds.

Government has so far paid $600 million to farmers who delivered 1,6 million tonnes of maize to the GMB. Treasury has upped its weekly disbursements to GMB to about $40 million for farmers to boost their planning in the current summer cropping season.

Government expects maize production to be around 2,2 million tonnes in 2017/2018 season and 2,5 million and 2,55 million in 2019 and 2020 respectively.

Minister Shiri

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Government is pushing the issuance of 99-year leases and will not tolerate fresh farm occupations to ensure Command Agriculture succeeds as envisaged under Zim-Asset, a Cabinet minister has said.

Agriculture, Lands and Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri said Government offer letters should be respected and that the law would come hard on those who seek to disrupt farming activities by legally resettled people.

Minister Shiri said this last Thursday at the launch of Command Livestock, Fisheries and Wildlife in Harare.

“We realise as the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Resettlement that for all our aspirations to be realised we need total stability on the farms and to that effect we shall ensure that (illegal) farm occupations will not be tolerated anymore. Offer letters should be respected. The process of issuance of 99-year leases shall be expedited to allow long-term planning by the farmers and to also allow them to access funding,” said Minister Shiri.

He said the surveyor-general’s office would be expected to work all systems out to ensure that surveying of farms is carried out expeditiously.

“We shall ensure that dispute resolution is done timeously to ensure smooth operations on the farms. On the part of farmers, I would like to encourage you to seriously take farming as a business and also realise that Command Agriculture and farming are all about cost recovery. If you want to remain in this programme, you will have to respect your part of the bargain,” he said.

Bankers Association of Zimbabwe chief executive, Mr Sij Biyam assured Government that financial institutions were ready to provide funding to agriculture.

“Our perspective of agriculture is very clear. One behalf of BAZ, I would like to confirm that all banks, I repeat, all banks, are totally committed to support agriculture and the downstream industries which derive their inputs from agriculture. It is always a question of the balance sheet size of the bank, the spreading of risk, the marketing/off-take arrangements,” said Mr Biyam.

“One of the observations that we make and we have always interacted with the Ministry of Finance and requested that part of the funding that we require to support the various sectors of the economy is sidelined through (the) crowding out activities of the Government where they issue Treasury Bills. To that extent, it then narrows down the amount of resources we can make available to the productive sector of the economy. If you look at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe publication of September 2017, it is actually indicating the extent to which some of those funds that have gone towards the support of other Government activities have militated against the banking sector’s support to agriculture.”

He said their wish as banks was to have support to agricultural sector increased from the current 19 percent to around 30 percent because it is the backbone of the economy.

“We have a lot of faith in agriculture and a lot of faith on what we are launching. Banks could be lending out more if there was no crowding out through the issuance of Treasury Bills,” said Mr Biyam.

“We have been talking of the modalites of rolling out the 99-year leases the basis of which was concluded last year. We are amenable to the 99-year leases subject to the issues that we raised being met; obviously the stop-order system which we hope the new Minister will address because we have had cases of side marketing,” he said.

One person died, while 62 others were seriously injured when a Yutong bus they were travelling in side-swiped with a Nissan Primera along Harare-Bulawayo Highway on Saturday. Fire Brigade cut the bus to rescue passengers.

Crime Reporter
FIFTEEN people died countrywide in 13 road traffic accidents recorded on Unity Day last Friday while four others were killed in another accident along the Harare-Beitbridge Highway early yesterday.

The number of those who have been injured so far could not be ascertained at the time of going to print.

Full statistics for Saturday and yesterday’s road accidents were not available and police said they would release a comprehensive report today as they were still compiling figures.

In a statement, national police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi said an analysis of the road traffic accidents revealed that of the 13 accidents, nine were caused by speeding, while four were as a result of inattention and misjudgment.

“Two pedestrians were knocked down at the 132km peg along the Harare-Mukumbura Road while another one died on the spot near Fairbridge, Bulawayo, as they tried to cross the road.

“In yet another incident, which occurred at 2.30am at the 258km peg along Masvingo-Beitbridge Road, one person died after one of the drivers encroached into the lane of oncoming traffic. The same circumstances were also recorded in two other accidents that occurred in Harare and Chivhu. The circumstances point to fatigue/human error,” Chief Supt Nyathi.

He said most accidents were recorded during the early hours of the day.

“As police were are urging motorists to avoid speeding and to exercise extreme caution on the road and to be on the lookout for pedestrians and animals. Pedestrians must check both sides of the road and ensure that it is safe to cross before crossing any road,” he said.

“Encroaching into the lane of oncoming traffic is suggestive of fatigue or sleeping while driving. We urge drivers to take breaks when on long journeys and to desist from taking alcohol and drugs which may impair their judgment,” he said.

Last year, 16 people were killed while 45 others were injured in 106 road traffic accidents that occurred on Christmas Day compared to only four deaths in 2015.

Although police could not release the total number of deaths from December 15 when the festive period officially started, the 16 deaths in one day last year compared to four in 2015 were disturbing given that many motorists failed to travel due to liquidity constraints.

Indications were that speeding and overtaking errors were to blame for most of the accidents. Statistics released by the police indicate that 106 accidents were recorded on Christmas Day last year alone compared to 81 recorded in 2015.

LONDON. — Arrest warrants have been issued by the Zimbabwean authorities for two former bosses of a London-listed mining company over an alleged fraud that has triggered a global manhunt.

Yat Hoi Ning and Yim Kwan, the former chief executive and former finance director respectively of ASA Resource Group, have been missing for several months. One of ASA’s own directors slammed the UK authorities for failing to investigate a possible large-scale “removal of value”.

The company, which is listed on the AIM market in London, has a Zimbabwean gold mine as its main asset. It also has copper mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It revealed in April that $4,3 million (£3,2 million) had gone missing and fired Ning and Kwan.

The firm, which went into administration in July, has been unable to contact Ning since. In a further twist, administrators at Duff & Phelps fear Ning could be linked to a £36 million takeover bid for ASA by a firm controlled by a Chinese copper billionaire. Some investors fear the takeover could lead to them being short-changed.

The arrest warrants centre on $2,76 million which was transferred out of the bank account of one of ASA’s subsidiaries. The affair is just the latest debacle to hit AIM, the UK’s junior stock market. It has suffered a string of scandals, including several involving Chinese companies.

Although the issues are not confined to Chinese firms, the London Stock Exchange issued a warning two years ago. It told the stockbroking firms that oversee companies on AIM to make sure their Chinese clients’ corporate governance standards were up to scratch.

ASA’s administrator, Duff & Phelps, says there are possible links between Ning and a firm called Rich Pro Investments, owned by billionaire Feng Hailiang. They point to a number of transactions between the pair, including a large loan to Ning. In addition, Hailang owns a copper project in the DRC, situated next to ASA’s operation.

Some shareholders are concerned Rich Pro’s bid for ASA is too low. Duff & Phelps has said it is also concerned at the “multiple unexplained connections between (Rich Pro) and Mr Ning”. The firm said the Rich Pro bid may be an attempt by Ning to cover up ‘misappropriations’ by former directors of ASA. Rich Pro disputes the allegations and successfully applied to the courts in London to have a second administrator appointed.

The Mail on Sunday has seen correspondence showing the Takeover Panel — which rules on UK mergers and takeovers — has investigated. A rival, unidentified bidder is also interested in taking over ASA. Administrators will decide the winner but some small shareholders are unhappy with the Rich Pro bid.

Ian “Barry” Dearing, who is a director and shareholder of ASA, said: “How the UK regulators are permitting this bid by RPI to proceed astonishes me. It is sheer daylight robbery of shareholders.

“None of the authorities in the UK nor anybody overseas apart from the Zimbabwean government has recognised the potential large-scale removal of value going on.” He alleged that Rich Pro had not told shareholders the “true value” of ASA’s DRC copper joint venture.

A spokesman for Rich Pro said Ning was not involved in its offer for ASA and that it had no intention of involving him in managing it. The spokesman added that Rich Pro “fully supports” the administrators’ investigations. The Takeover Panel declined to comment. Lawyers for Ning did not respond to requests for comment. — Financial Mail.

Elita Chikwati Senior Agriculture Reporter
The Meteorological Services Department has called for more vigilance and preparedness, particularly for rescue operations, as the country is expected to receive heavy rainfall in excess of 50 millimetres in 24 hours this week.

The country started receiving heavy rains on Sunday.

In a statement on Monday, the MSD said it was disturbing that despite the alerts and warnings, reports of drowning were quite rampant.

“The presented rainy situation is a combination of the presence of a deep low pressure system centred over the country and a frontal cloud system which entered the country through Matabeleland provinces. Added to this combination is the heating around midday which further enhances rainfall activity,” said the MSD.

Some of the high rainfalls received from December 21 to 24 were recorded in Bulawayo Metropolitan on December 21 and 23.

The Goetz Observatory received 73mm and 48mm respectively on the two dates while Joshua Nkomo Airport received 98mm on Sunday.

Harare Metropolitan received 53mm on Sunday, Wedza 52mm on December 22, Mutoko 46mm and Kariba 58mm on Sunday.

Buffalo Range in Masvingo received 32mm, Mutare fire station 64mm on December 22 and Nkayi 69mm on Sunday.

The highest rainfall recorded in Midlands was 32mm in Kwekwe on Sunday while West Nicholson in Matabeleland South received 25mm on Saturday.

Due to these incessant heavy rains, MSD urged the public to avoid crossing flooded rivers and swollen streams where the depth is unknown.

“Avoid driving on a road covered by water and even so, driving at night since flood dangers become difficult to recognise. In case of heavy rain and severe thunderstorms, if possible stay indoors and off the roads; if outdoors seek shelter immediately, but do not seek shelter under a tree or in isolated sheds.

“Furthermore, the public is urged to regularly follow weather forecasts on television and radio,” said the MSD.

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Sakunda Holdings has unveiled a $10 million funding package to kick-start Command Livestock and will also bankroll the production of up to two million chickens per month as the fuel firm maintains its partnership with Government in strategic policy interventions to revive the national economy.

The firm’s director, Mr Kudakwashe Tagwirei, urged the private sector to join Government in funding agriculture as it is the backbone of the economy. Mr Tagwirei said this last Thursday during the launch of the Command Livestock, Fisheries and Wildlife attended by Cabinet ministers and captains of industry among others.

“From a Sakunda perspective, we want to provide sound funding, we have something which can kick-start the programme, we are thinking of providing about $10 million to kick-start your programme in livestock,” said Mr Tagwirei. The event was attended by Agriculture, Lands and Rural Resettlement Minister Chief Air Marshal Perrance Shiri (Rtd).

“Secondly, we also think that we can participate on the poultry side because we believe that Government does not need to give guarantees on that programme because it is a short programme, two months or so. We can be able to assist you as Government in providing the necessary support to do with poultry, maybe up to one million to two million (dollars) a month. That is what we are going to support initially.” He implored other private players to work with Government to support agriculture saying there were downstream benefits.

“Let me say to my friends in the industry, if there is a better way of helping this economy to grow it is to support agriculture. If you do not support agriculture, whatever you might want to embark on will be a futile exercise,” he said. Mr Tagwirei said the participation of his firm in the Command Agriculture had yielded benefits for the country in the form of a bumper grain harvest.

“In the last programme, we believe that $200 million went into the economy because farmers were on their farms and as a result of that, a lot of them bought fuel, which is my core business, and that is how the economy grows. I am in the fuel sector, and if you look at it from my side, I am already benefiting on the fuel side because of farmers. Most probably you are also going to benefit in your business, so let us come and support this programme,” said Mr Tagwirei.

“If anyone tells you that Government will not support you or there are delays, it is not true because Government is willing to support anyone who comes up with a good idea and I am a testimony to that. So, I am encouraging you as friends in business to come and work with Government.”

Mr Tagwirei said with the success of Command Agriculture, Zimbabwe was set to reclaim its status as the breadbasket of the Sadc region. Speaking at the same occasion, Grain Millers Association chairperson, Mr Tafadzwa Musarara said his organisation would fund 100 hours of air quelea birds control in the Middle Sabi. He said they would also enhance their efforts in production of stockfeeds and making sure that they were correctly priced.

First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa shares a lighter moment with inmates at Chikurubi Female Prison during a tour of the complex on Christmas Day in which she donated goodies to the inmates and their children. – Picture by Tawanda Mudimu.

Nyemudzai Kakore Herald Correspondent
First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa on Monday urged the public, including serving prison inmates, to avoid settling disputes through emotions as this would lead to incarceration, stalling progress in life.

Addressing inmates at Chikurubi Female Prison in Harare after celebrating Christmas Day with the female inmates following her donation of groceries worth thousands of dollars, Amai Mnangagwa said it was not easy to be imprisoned as this separated inmates from the community as well as from their loved ones.

“Prison is not a favourable place that one wishes to be in. Let us avoid solving arguments when we are angry as we will live to regret it. You do not wish to be here as most of you are young mothers who have children and families to look after,” she said.

“This is a correctional facility which teaches you not to repeat the same mistakes. Upon your release, you should educate the outside world the norms and values that you learn here of living harmoniously in communities and desist from committing crimes.

“Today is the day where we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Most people plan on how they will spend the day but for me, l did not plan to visit you beginning January. I thought of it yesterday to spend and celebrate time with you on this special day.”

The First Lady was accompanied by Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Cde Ziyambi Ziyambi, Finance and Economic Development Deputy Minister Terrence Mukupe and Commissioner-General of Prisons and Correctional Services Rtd Major-General Paradzai  Zimondi. Amai Mnangagwa urged Government to renovate prison facilities which she had toured saying they were not favourable conditions for human habitation. She also called for a review of living conditions for mentally challenged prisoners.

The First Lady promised the inmates that she will convey the message to President Mnangagwa for their appeal for an amnesty as the prisoners said they have reformed. Maj-Gen Zimondi (Rtd) thanked Amai Mnangagwa for her gesture saying this was the first visit by a First Lady since his appointment as the Commissioner General for Prisons.

Meanwhile, Amai Mnangagwa also visited Harare Children’s Home where she fed the children and donated goods worth thousands of dollars to 25 children’s homes as well as five foster homes. She was accompanied by Harare Provincial Affairs Minister Miriam Chikukwa. She said her visits should not be regarded as a political stunt only reserved for the festive period but a continuous exercise as their plight had touched her heart.

“This visit comes at a time when my visits and subsequent interface with orphans and other disadvantaged groups in Bulawayo and its surrounding areas opened my eyes to the simple but difficult lives they live,” she said.

“We need to work hard in this new dispensation to improve the lives of our people. On a day when the world celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, l take pride in being not only with orphans and other disadvantaged people but in giving and sharing with them various goods as a symbol of love and care.” Amai Mnangagwa also appealed to the corporate world to assist Government institutions in looking after the vulnerable groups.

The First Lady donated blankets, cases of rice, washing powder, soaps, sanitary wear, salt, beans, sugar and other necessities to Chikurubi Female Prison as well as the children’s homes.