Prophet Makandiwa

Takunda Maodza and Fidelis Munyoro—
Zimbabweans should not engage in mass protests because such demonstrations cause bloodshed, United Family International Church leader, Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa, has said. Prophet Makandiwa said God revealed to him in a prophecy on June 17 this year that demonstrations would trigger unrest and warned people against taking such action in the national interest.

He explained the prophecy during his Tuesday evening service at the City Sports Centre.
“We come across things and God gives us grace to interpret,” he told his congregation, adding that he had seen thousands of people entering a field to plant seeds, but the timing was wrong.

“They entered into a field and the people were like farmers carrying seeds and they started sowing the seeds in the field.
“The seeds were very good, but the timing was wrong. It was not time for planting. It was not the correct time. I looked at the seed; it might be a good seed but look at the time though the seed might be good.

“So I tried to warn the people. All of a sudden the owner of the field came and said you cannot be putting seeds at this time, but people never listened.”
He went on: “I saw bees walking on foot from the forest from all directions and they started biting people. People started crying and as they were crying other bees from very far places heard them crying and they came flying. These bees started biting each other but in the process, the farmers were in danger”.
“These ones are coming to stop them. It is their responsibility to stop any disorder. They were not attacking the farmers. No, but they were biting other bees.”
Prophet Makandiwa said he saw rivers flowing with blood in the second vision.

“First they were flowing with water which later turned into blood. I saw blood spots on the streets, on the walls, on the road. I would want all of you to hear me well, it is a spiritual thing.”

“If you tell people that things are going to be well they think it’s motivational speaking, but I only say it because I have seen it,” he said.
The prophet said there were so many nations that Zimbabweans admired but when those countries looked at Zimbabwe they “admire us more than we do”.

“Number one is your culture and that is why when they want to help you they say sacrifice your culture and we will give you grants, revisit your marriage definition and if you cannot compromise, we cannot help you. The other thing that makes you admirable is the peace you have, do everything you can to keep that peace for the sake of the next generation,” he said.

“Less talking, more prayer, whoever is going to come in, no matter how perfect, she or he will not be of any help. Let us have a person that we are ready to pray for.”
When The Herald sought his interpretation of the prophecies yesterday, he urged those organising mass protests to call them off.
“This is an issue I saw four months ago before I mentioned it. The people that I saw were people that were gathered. Zvikanzi let us have a campaign that was peaceful. People were in the streets. They were marching,” he said.

“You have security agents coming…We do not want a situation where we end up having peacekeepers here. In most cases, civilians will lose their lives,” said Prophet Makandiwa.
He urged Zimbabweans to pray for the nation.

“That is a matter we have to pray against. That whole process will result in bloodspots in the streets. We just need to pray for our nation. The Bible says iye haabate munondo pasina. Ministers are appointed by God. Presidents are appointed by God.”

“It is something that can be avoided. Whoever is behind whatever it is, is intelligent enough to make a decision. It was a good motive but the timing is wrong. It is like having a good seed on the ground at the wrong time. It will not germinate. It will rot in the ground.”

Added Prophet Makandiwa: “Where we are now, as I pray, I see the President as a person committed to put something in place. There is something he is contemplating. It is still in the pipeline but it is unfortunate there are so many fights even in-house. That will delay the plans. It was supposed to be something…”
He said that when given a prophecy, as a man of God, he was obliged to share it with the nation.

“Whoever is organising the protests, I would tell him what I saw in the prophecy. I would advise not to proceed. It is not the right time,” said Prophet Makandiwa.
“It is a situation we have but we are there to pray for people vaiswa namwari. If we see anything we say it.”
The MDC-T led by Mr Morgan Tsvangirai plans to stage mass protests after its October congress.

For the past month, Mr Tsvangirai has been urging his supporters to demonstrate against what he termed “worsening economic crisis in the country” and jobs.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter—
Government has condemned 12 Zanu-PF legislators accused of personally approaching representatives of foreign countries and humanitarian aid agencies for assistance, saying their conduct was disgraceful and constitutes misconduct since aid should come through recognised Government institutions. Leader of the House and Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa also warned diplomats accredited to Zimbabwe against holding clandestine meetings with individuals and travelling beyond the 40-kilometre radius of Harare without the knowledge of the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

He said legislators should approach the Government if they needed assistance for projects in their constituencies.
The responsibility for development, said Minister Mnangagwa, lay in Government’s hands as evidenced by President Mugabe’s recent State visit to China where he signed mega deals on behalf of the country.

Minister Mnangagwa said this while responding yesterday in the National Assembly to questions from legislators during a question-and-answer session.
He urged foreign Governments, aid agencies and individuals wishing to assist Zimbabwe to come through recognised Government institutions.

The media has been awash with reports that 12 Zanu-PF MPs, now popularly known as the “dirty dozen”, were wining and dining with staff at the US Embassy where they were getting project assistance for their constituencies despite frosty relations between Harare and Washington.

Buhera South MP Cde Joseph Chinotimba (Zanu-PF) asked Minister Mnangagwa what Government policy said regarding ambassadors who moved around the country holding meetings with people who included MPs without the knowledge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Masvingo Central MP Dr Daniel Shumba (Zanu-PF) sought to know what Government policy was on the engagement of diplomats by MPs on constituency projects.
Minister Mnangagwa said he was saddened to observe that some senior Zanu-PF politicians and legislators thought that diplomatic relations with other countries were aimed at begging for assistance.

“The intention is not to bring them here so that we beg from them, but to establish diplomatic relations.
“These incoming ambassadors will convey our wishes to their Governments just as ours in their countries would do the same,” said Minister Mnangagwa.
He said the electorate would be ashamed to learn that their representatives were approaching unfriendly countries for money when there were ministries and Government departments responsible for that.

“You have the right as MPs to seek and discuss with appropriate authorities, but it’s gross misconduct for an Honourable MP to go to a foreign embassy to seek assistance.

“That role is done by the Government. That’s why we had the Head of Government in China to seek aid,” said.
Minister Mnangagwa said even in the United Kingdom and United States of America, a member of House of Common or Lords or even Congressmen would not be allowed to hold meetings with hostile nations.

On diplomats accredited to Zimbabwe, Minister Mnangagwa said some of them were mischievous and were travelling beyond the 40 km radius of Harare without the knowledge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Vazhinji vacho vanemusikanzwa vanongofohla. Vanongopwanya ruzhowa. Have you ever heard members of House of Commons or Lords coming to (Gabriel) Machinga (Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Britain). We have not heard that US Congressmen have done that with our ambassadors,” he said.
Minister Mnangagwa said the rationale for the need to inform Government of trips outside Harare was so that they could have police protection in the event of something happening to them.

He also warned legislators against gullibility, and reading and accepting everything that came out in the media as true as some of this could be unverified information.

“I want to warn that not everything that gets published is true. You must research to find out whether what is published is true,” said Minister Mnangagwa.
The Minister said he was surprised that there were seasoned politicians who were taking everything that they read as true.
“You don’t just swallow, you must take these with a pinch of salt,” he said.

The 12 MPs who had been named as receiving direct US grants have since denied the allegations.
The legislators invited for a handover of $90 000 US grant by the US Ambassador Mr Bruce Wharton recently to be distributed to various groups in the constituencies are: Cde Paul Mavhima (Gokwe Sengwa), Cde Walter Kanhanga (Guruve North), Cde Adam Chamwemurombe (Chipinge West), Cde Enock Porusingazi (Chipinge South), Cde Chriswell Mutematsaka (Guruve South), Cde Batsirayi Pemhenayi (Mutare North), Cde Kindness Paradza (Makonde), Cde David Butau (Mbire), Cde Simbaneuta Mudarikwa (Uzumba), Cde Tapiwa Matangaidze (Shurugwe South), Cde Temba Mliswa (West) Hurungwe, and Cde Paul Chimedza (Gutu South).
However, only Cde Kanhanga, Cde Chamwemurombe and Cde Mutematsaka attended the ambassador’s function.

Mr Ban Ki-moon

Caesar Zvayi at the UNITED NATIONS—
The United Nations General Assembly’s annual high-level grand debate officially opened here yesterday with world leaders taking to the podium to tackle a broad agenda centred on the theme “Delivering on and Implementing a Transformative Post-2015 Development Agenda”. The theme couldn’t be more apt given that there are less than 470 days left to the deadline to achieve the eight anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set at the turn of the millennium.

Since 2000, the world agreed targets to reduce poverty, increase access to improved drinking water sources, improve the lives of slum dwellers and achieve gender parity in primary school.

For Zimbabwe, however, while others were fighting poverty, it has been a battle for survival against a ruinous economic sanctions regime that the West has admitted was designed “to make the economy scream”, with deleterious effects on Government’s attempts to achieve the MDGs.

This year, 2014, is the 14th straight year the General Assembly convenes with Zimbabwe reeling from the illegal economic sanctions regime that was imposed outside the purview of the UN system.

The sanctions are estimated to have cost Zimbabwe over $42 billion in revenue, shrinking the economy by over 40 percent with crippling effects on livelihoods and jobs over the past 14 years.

Zimbabwean companies continue to lose funds to the US State Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control that has been intercepting revenue accruing to Zimbabwean companies, most of them reeling from sanctions-induced hardships. Cases in point are the Industrial Development Corporation, which lost over $20 million to Ofac, while a Zimbabwean resident in Botswana had his $1 000 frozen.

The Zimbabwe Fertiliser Company and Olivine Industries, two of IDC subsidiaries, also had their $5 million and $2.1 million frozen by Ofac as part of the US sanctions law, the Zimbabwe Transition to Democracy and Economic Recovery Act while the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe also lost over $30 million in revenue to Ofac. Officially opening the Grand Debate yesterday, the president of the General Assembly, Mr Sam Kutesa, appealed to world leaders to improve the livelihoods of all people and set them on a path to achieving sustainable development.

UN Secretary General Mr Ban Ki-moon, concurred as he warned that the world’s “fasten seat belt” light was illuminated as he called for decisive leadership to tackle the multi-faceted challenges confronting the world.

“This year, the horizon of hope is darkened. Our hearts are made heavy by unspeakable acts and the deaths of innocents,” Mr Ban said.
“Not since the end of the Second World War have there been so many refugees, displaced people and asylum seekers. Never before has the United Nations been asked to reach so many people with emergency food assistance and other life-saving supplies,” he said.

“It may seem as if the world is falling apart, as crises pile up and disease spreads.
“But leadership is precisely about finding the seeds of hope and nurturing them into something bigger. That is our duty. That is my call to you today.”
President Mugabe is scheduled to address the General Assembly today.

Over the next six days up to October 1, the renovated General Assembly hall will host 196 speakers drawn from all 193 UN member states, as well as the Observer States of the Holy See, and Palestine as well as the delegation of the European Union.

Mr Ban today convenes a session to focus on a more robust international response to the Ebola crisis afflicting parts of West Africa for which the world body has committed $1 billion over the next six months.

Among the high-level meetings held yesterday was a Security Council summit that was chaired by US President Mr Barack Obama, whose country holds the body’s presidency for the month, to draw international attention and action to the growing and dangerous phenomenon of foreign terrorist fighters; most of whom are ironically created and sponsored by his country, the likes of Al Qaeda and ISIS.

• . . . questions silence over Israeli atrocities

• . . . urges world leaders to promote peace

President Mugabe addresses the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York yesterday.

From Caesar Zvayi at the UNITED NATIONS
PRESIDENT Mugabe yesterday rapped the western alliance for its deafening silence over Israeli atrocities in Gaza where over 2 200 people, mostly unarmed men, women and children were killed during a four- week Israeli bombardment.

Addressing the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly here yesterday, President Mugabe did not echo the platitudes of Western leaders who pontificated about the “war on terror” and the situation in Iraq and Syria where US-created and sponsored groups have turned weapons against their settler benefactors, but instead drew the world’s attention to the tragedy in Gaza, which the Western leaders skirted like a plague even as they bristled about Al-Qaeda and ISIS.

“We continue to witness the suffering and persecution of the people of Palestine at the hands of Israel. We have witnessed the callous murder of women and children in shelters where they seek refuge from Israel’s bombs.

“We have witnessed the brutal and random destruction of infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, and while these heinous acts were being perpetrated by Israel, the so-called civilised world maintained a deafening silence, and we ask why?” President Mugabe said.

The United Nations Human Rights Council has resolved to probe Israel for possible war crimes in Gaza in the wake of the devastating death toll that in its most recent update, the Gaza Ministry of Health put at 1 893 Palestinians dead, including 430 children; 9 805 wounded, including almost 3 000 children; 10 000 houses and 134 factories destroyed with low end estimates putting the total cost of the carnage at $5 billion.

Despite these shocking statistics and compelling evidence that war crimes were committed in Gaza, Western leaders skirted the issue in their addresses, choosing to toe the US line on ISIS and Al Qaeda.

President Mugabe called for lasting peace in Palestine, which has observer status here, saying there was need to revert to the 1967 borders.
Nearly all UN member-states voted in favour of Resolution 58/292 of May 17, 2004 that says the boundaries of a future Palestinian state should be based on the pre-1967 borders, which correspond with the Green Line.

The Resolution affirmed, in connection with the Palestinian right to self-determination and to sovereignty, that the independent State of Palestine should be based on the pre-1967 borders.

On November 29, 2012, the UN General Assembly passed United Nations General Assembly resolution 67/19 changing Palestine’s observer status at the UN from “entity” to “non-member state” by a vote of 138 to 9, with 41 abstentions.

“Lasting peace in the Middle East can only be achieved through a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders. Any other manoeuvres to change demographic realities through settlements or use of force will only prolong the suffering of the Palestinians,” President Mugabe said.

President Mugabe, who is also Sadc chairman and AU deputy chair, called on the UN to live up to its charter by promoting dialogue to achieve peace, rule of law and common understanding among states.

“Peace, security, stability and welfare of Africa and our sub-region is vital for us. In Africa, the African Union is working tirelessly to push for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Central Africa Republic and Somalia,’‘

A high-level summit on the situation in the Great Lakes region, of which the DRC is a part, was held earlier this week at which President Mugabe called for dialogue between the fighting groups.

President Mugabe urged the international community to remain seized with and support Africa in the maintenance of peace and stability on the continent through provision of training, logistical and financial support.

“Africa also remains seized with the issue of Western Sahara, the last colonial vestige in Africa. The United Nations should not shake off its responsibility to ensure the achievement of self-determination by the people of Western Sahara,” President Mugabe said.

The 69th session of the UNGA convened here at a time of growing debate on the relevance of the world body to the prevailing global challenges given the wanton manner in which the US and its allies trash UN resolutions, and ignore the UN system to victimize smaller and weaker states.

Clr Manyenyeni

Municipal Reporter
Harare residents could soon be without running water in their homes for not paying bills, while defaulting tenants leasing council property risk having their agreements terminated as the city steps up efforts to boost revenue inflows.
Council says it would disconnect water for residents who have not been paying their bills in the last three months and has tasked Mayor Clr Bernard Manyenyeni to pursue high-profile debtors such as the Government, satellite towns, legislators and Cabinet ministers who owe the city millions of dollars.

While the city’s efforts to improve revenue collection are commendable, indications are that much of the money recovered is unlikely to be used for service delivery as it emerged that Harare spends 59 percent of its revenue on salaries and allowances for its employees.

This is in defiance of a Government directive for all councils to attain a 30 percent budget allocation on salaries and 70 percent on service delivery.
The 59 percent expenditure on salaries comes at a time when the city is failing to provide basic services such as clean water, refuse collection and good roads.

According to Finance and Development Committee Minutes of September 11, the city collected $87,9 million of which 59 percent went to salaries and allowances.
Harare is also now considering introducing pre-paid water meters so that residents would only get water upon payment.

As of March 31 this year the city was owed $281 million with commercial and industrial customers owing $172 678 387, 22, domestic $86 115 649, 05, Government $19 597 422, 47, Chitungwiza $2 433 120 04, Norton $716 009, 66 and Ruwa $11 833,34.

According to the minutes, which were endorsed in a special council meeting yesterday, council was failing to pay salaries, fuel for operations of the city, electricity and other statutory bodies.

The city owes various statutory bodies and companies more than $340 million and others are threatening legal action.
According to the minutes, council is targeting to collect $8,5 million from water, recover more than $7 million through issuance of summons and close to $5 million from people leasing council properties and about $34 million through various measures.

During the deliberations in the special council, Glenview Clr Tungamirai Madzokere urged the city to find other means of collecting revenue arguing that the High Court had outlawed water disconnections.

He said every resident had a right to water and water disconnections would lead to the rise of diseases, which would affect even the paying residents.
“Find other means to entice residents to pay their bills,” he said.

However, Ward 9 (Greendale) Clr Stewart Mtizwa, said there was no need to be populist as residents have to pay for services provided by council.
“Disconnections are proper. At the moment Zinwa (Zimbabwe National Water Authority) is closing boreholes for defaulting customers. If residents do not pay they leave us at a very serious position because we will not be able to provide them with the services.

“There is no free water or free service unless you are getting the water from a dam,” he said.
Rugare Clr Peter Moyo, said council should get back its thermal power stations from Zesa because the power utility was busy switching off council when it was not paying council for using the power stations.

He also urged Mbare councillors to ensure that some council buildings which “have been invaded by politicians’’ were retained to council so that it can collect revenue from them.

Glen Norah Clr Herbert Gomba, said council should collect revenue from churches that were mushrooming across the city.
“I am sure that we can agree that the only business that is thriving at the moment is church business yet we are not collecting any revenue from churches. We should ensure that we get something from churches,” he said.

Acting finance director Mr Tendai Kwenda, told councillors that the city was failing to adhere to the ministerial directive for all councils to achieve a 30 percent and 70 percent budget allocation on salaries and service delivery issues respectively.

“He advised that this had not been achieved as revenue collection was not matching the projected revenue collections. He underscored that the city was operating on a cash budget due to cash flow constraints.

“It was also highlighted that council had not managed to borrow to expectations due to capacity as well as the sustainability issues,” read part of the committee’s minutes.

Mr Kwenda told council that the full impact of the recent rationalisation would be experienced in 2015 after the full payment of the respective retirement packages and that the city was facing challenges in raising adequate funding for operational costs and adequate funding for repairs and maintenance.

“There was need to remove accrued interest on debtor accounts for all those who settle their accounts in full by December 31, 2014.
“There was also need to create sustainable partnerships on council businesses and also make monthly appropriations to council. It was prudent to extend a 5 percent monthly discount to compliant ratepayers on a monthly basis,” read the minutes.

He said all stuck water meters should be replaced to ensure billing was based on actual consumption as well as ensured equitable management of water distribution.
Mr Kwenda said there was need for council to ensure that accurate billing and timeous updating of payments was done to build confidence in the city’s residents/ratepayers and all stakeholders.

President Mugabe

From Caesar Zvayi at the UNITED NATIONS—
PRESIDENT Mugabe has called for the expeditious democratic reform of the international financial architecture to improve the legitimacy of the World Bank and IMF to ensure the full voice and participation of developing countries and to achieve the post-2015 Development Agenda. The Post-2015 Development Agenda refers to the UN-led process aimed at defining the future global development framework to succeed the Millennium Development Goals, the set of eight global development targets which come to an end in 2015.

In the year 2000, UN member states agreed on targets on reducing poverty, increasing access to improved drinking water sources, improving the lives of slum dwellers and achieving gender parity in primary school.

For Zimbabwe, however, while others were fighting to end poverty, it has been a battle for survival against a ruinous economic sanctions regime that had deleterious effects on Government’s attempts to achieve the MDGs.

The sanctions are estimated to have cost Zimbabwe over US$42 billion in revenue shrinking the economy by over 40 percent with devastating effects on livelihoods and jobs over the past 14 years.

Zimbabwean companies continue to lose funds to the US State Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control that has been intercepting revenue accruing to Zimbabwean companies, most of whom are reeling from sanctions-induced hardships.

By some agreement, the US and its European allies maintain sole control of the leadership of the IMF and the World Bank with Europe choosing the former while the US fills the latter and by dint of that the US was able to compel its executive directors to all multi-lateral lending institutions to vote against the extension of lines of credit to Zimbabwe in line with the sanctions law now called, the Zimbabwe Transition to Democracy and Economic Recovery Act.

“To support the implementation of the post-2015 Development Agenda, we call for expeditious reform of the Bretton Woods Institutions, particularly their governance structures. It is high time that we addressed the democratic deficit in these institutions and improve their legitimacy.

“These reforms must reflect current realities and ensure the full voice and participation of developing countries in their decision-making and norm-setting,’’ President Mugabe told the UNGA here yesterday as he contributed to the annual grand debate which this year is being held under the theme, “Delivering on and Implementing a Transformative Post-2015 Development Agenda”.

President Mugabe told delegates that the country’s five-year economic blueprint, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation fits into the post-2015 agenda

‘‘We share the view in Sadc that the post-MDG agenda must be informed by national development priorities and that the new targets must better reflect local conditions.

“In this regard, Zimbabwe adopted its own economic blueprint, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset). This is a bold and achievable development programme that has the objective of achieving inclusive economic growth, generation of decent jobs for all, affordable and reliable energy, food security, sustainable agriculture and development of reliable modern infrastructure.

‘‘Through this programme we also aim to expand the industrial base which is key to sustained overall economic development as well as the human development of our country. We continue to push for the leveraging of our diverse and abundant resources through the beneficiation and value-addition of our resources.

“We, therefore, expect that the proposals in the sustainable development goals, which complement these of our national aspirations, will be endorsed and integrated in the post-2015 Development Agenda Framework,’’ President Mugabe said.

The Post-2015 Development Agenda, President Mugabe said, could only be achieved through genuine and committed support for resource nationalism.
‘‘Social justice, political stability and sustainable development in African countries can best be achieved through genuine and committed support for the ownership of means of production that favour the poor, who are in the majority.

“In Zimbabwe, my Government has gone a long way in laying the foundation for sustained food production through our Land Reform Programme. The majority of the rural people have been empowered to contribute to household and to national food security. The possession and exploitation of land has also turned them into masters of their own destiny, thus giving true meaning to our national independence and unquestioned sovereignty,’’ he said.

For daring to empower its citizens, President Mugabe, Zimbabwe invited the wrath of Western countries who imposed a ruinous sanctions regime that with a view to effecting a change of government.

‘‘Because Zimbabwe has been pre-occupied with the empowerment of its people economically, she has become a victim of the evil machinations of Western countries who continue to apply unilateral and illegal sanctions as a foreign policy tool to achieve short-term political objectives, particularly regime change.

“Mr President, regime change is a diabolical illegal policy of interference in the domestic affairs of my country and no good can come from undermining our economy, or depriving our citizens of the necessities of life.

‘‘Why, I ask, should Zimbabweans continue to suffer under the American and British yoke of unjustified and unwarranted illegal sanctions? These evil sanctions violate the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter and should be condemned by the international community. We once again call for their immediate and unconditional removal,’’ he said.

The President said Zimbabwe was a peace-loving nation that was after constructive, mutually-beneficial relations.
‘‘We are a peaceful and peace-loving nation, ready to engage in constructive dialogue for mutually beneficial relations.

“We call on those who continue to harbour ill will against us to cast away their hegemony-driven hostility as we appeal to them to review their hard positions and open a new chapter in their relations with us based on mutual respect and friendly co-operation,’’ the President said.

Court Reporters
Harare City Council has been taken to court for failure to maintain its road network, while a man has approached the courts suing the city for $300 000 as damages for breaking his leg after falling into an unsecured drain.
Harare businessman Mr Maxwell Murombo Manatsa argued that the city should be forced to maintain roads, citing two roads — Ridge Road and Mount Road in Avondale, Harare, where he resides — which he said were in a bad state and pushed up his vehicle fleet maintenance costs.

He said he frequently uses the two roads.

In an application for a vindication order filed at the High Court on Thursday, Mr Manatsa listed council director of works Engineer Philip Pfukwa and the council as respondents.

Mr Manatsa, who is represented by Mr Tinashe Tanyanyiwa of Manase and Manase law firm, wants council ordered to repair the two roads within 60 days of granting the order sought.

He argued that the condition of the roads made him suffer injury due to the high rate at which his cars were deteriorating.

“It is common cause the effects of frequently traversing a bad road on motor vehicles,” said Mr Manatsa in his papers.

“The tyres are eroded more quickly and suspensions suffer damage as a result of the terrible state of the roads.”

This, he said, resulted in his vehicles being serviced more often and at times parts have to be changed, which would not be necessary if the roads had been fixed.

Mr Manatsa further argued that council should be held culpable for his woes because it is responsible for ensuring that the city is properly run and that ratepayers enjoy a reasonable standard of living.

“It is high time the people we entrust with our money be compelled to do their jobs instead of just twiddling about while paying themselves heft salaries,” said Mr Manatsa.

The city has 10 days in which to respond to the lawsuit.

Four years ago, the Supreme Court paved way for motorists to sue the local authority for damage caused to their cars by potholes on the municipal roads.

This was after the court upheld a High Court ruling ordering council to pay for damages to former Stanbic Bank boss Ms Pindie Nyandoro’s Mercedes-Benz in 2007.

In January 2007, Ms Nyandoro was driving along Enterprise Road towards the city centre when her Mercedes-Benz hit a pothole, damaging the steering rack and a tie-rod end.

In the drainage system case, Mr Evaristo Mungate (40), who allegedly fell into a drainage pipe along Simon Mazorodze Road in March this year and broke his leg, is demanding $300 000 lump sum as compensation.

In his papers filed at the High Court, Mr Mungate is demanding damages for shock, pain and suffering, loss of amenities of life, disability and medical expenses.

Mr Mungate, who is represented by Mr Tafadzwa Christmas from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights NGO Forum, cited Harare mayor Mr Benard Manyenyeni and Town Clerk Mr Tendai Mahachi as respondents.

He alleged that on March 28 he fell into a drain while running to board a motor vehicle along Simon Mazorodze Road and is now unable to walk and conduct his day-to-day work.

He also claims that he was not able to enjoy leisure activities without the aid of crutches or a walking stick.

Mr Mungate claims that the City of Harare was negligent after it left the drainage pipe open and took no steps to put cautionary sign to warn pedestrians of the hazard posed by the deep hole.

The city is yet to respond to the lawsuit.

Innocent Ruwende and Nyemudzai Kakore
Government has struck deals with financial institutions, housing co-operatives and other development partners to build over 300 000 houses in the next three years in line with the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation.
Zim-Asset requires the Social Services and Poverty Eradication cluster to collectively deliver 250 000 housing units/serviced stands in the next four years against an estimated backlog of 1,25 million people on the housing waiting list.

Officially launching the National Housing Delivery Strategy in Harare yesterday, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo said each province had been given a target to deliver a certain number of houses within the three-year period.

Banks are being roped in to mobilise resources for mortgage financing for potential beneficiaries.

“It is estimated that this programme will result in annual mortgage repayments of more than $360 million,” said Dr Chombo.

“This will go a long way in strengthening the depth of the financial markets in Zimbabwe and to generate liquidity in the market.

“Land developers who shall be allocated land as part of the housing delivery system shall work with a bank, which bank shall relate with the beneficiaries.

“All payments to contractors for works undertaken will be scrutinised by a management committee of the housing cooperatives/pay schemes under close supervision by an Inter- Ministerial Technical Committee to be established for that purpose.”

Dr Chombo said the programme would go a long way in reviving the mortgage market in Zimbabwe that had been depressed by the absence of new housing developments.

He said the huge housing backlog was a result of low investments into housing delivery by all stakeholders, but the strategy had come at a time when the economy was showing signs of steady recovery.

“In Harare, 105 935 units will be built, while Midlands will built 56 582 housing units, Matabeleland North will built 28 772 units, with Masvingo accommodating 20 269 housing units,” said Dr Chombo.

“Mashonaland West 23 819, Manicaland 21 830, Mashonaland Central 16 700, Bulawayo urban 15 100, Matabeleland South 12 500 and Mashonaland East 11 776 housing units.”

Dr Chombo said councils issue title deeds and directed the local authorities to sell urban houses to sitting tenants.

He said an implementation guide had been developed outlining the scope and conditions and roles of various players, with local authorities required to have one stop shop to expedite the implementation of the programme.

Dr Chombo said there would be no direct link between land developers and beneficiaries in terms of both stand allocation and payments.

The beneficiaries would instead deal with banks who provide the mortgage.

Speaking at the same event, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Deputy Minister Joel Biggie Matiza said building by-laws needed to be revised to suit modern markets.

“There is a huge gap between supply and demand, but certain statutes of the Constitution should be met for our targets to be realised,” he said.

“Demolitions need to happen. We cannot allow people to build in school yards, that is unacceptable.”

Economist Mr Brains Muchemwa, who was representing the financial sector, said Government should incentivise banks to offer mortgage to more people.

“Currently, mortgage is only taking 11 percent of the total assets under management by the banks, which means that the other 89 percent has been allocated to other competing interests,” he said.

“How do we incentivise banks to ensure that they do much more and be able to provide more mortgages to address the needs of the society?

“The structure of mortgage for low cost houses is attractive because beneficiaries can pay within a short period of time. Government should put the right structures in place.”

Businessman Mr Philip Chiyangwa, who was representing land developers, urged private land developers and cooperatives to co-exist.

Zimbabwe Property Rights Organisation founder and former Cabinet minister Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana said Zimbabweans with properties should be issued with title deeds.

“Most of the properties in Zimbabwe have no value because the owners do not have title deeds,” he said. “We only have two deeds offices, but they should be more because most houses are built without any legal documentation.”

Mines and Mining Development Minister Walter Chidhakwa, Lands and Rural Settlement Minister Douglas Mombeshora, Harare Metropolitan Minister of State Miriam Chikukwa, Deputy Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Tongai Muzenda, senior Government officials, town clerks, mayors and Zanu-PF officials attended the launch.

Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
The South African government says it is now geared up for the processing of the new three-year special permits for Zimbabweans (ZSP) wishing to work or study in that country.
South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister Mr Malusi Gigaba announced on Thursday that all the Visa Facilitation Service centres had been activated for the processing of the permits which begins on 1 October.

“On the 12th of August, 2014, I announced the establishment of the Zimbabwean Special Permit (ZSP) of 2014 allowing Zimbabwean holders of this special permit to work, conduct business or study in South Africa for three years, until the end of December 2017.

“As explained then, only the approximately 245 000 holders of the Dispensation for Zimbabweans Project (DZP) are eligible to apply for the ZSP.

“As the Department of Home Affairs will begin accepting applications via the website for the ZSP on October 1, 2014, we would like to take this opportunity to update stakeholders and the public on the implementation of the ZSP.

“In short, the Department is ready,” he said.

He added that the application processing partner VFS, had completed all the necessary preparations to process all prospective applications for the ZSP.
Mr Gigaba said all the 10 ZSP application centres had been secured by VFS.

“These include totally new centres in the provinces of Gauteng (Midrand), Western Cape (Cape Town), Limpopo (Polokwane) and Kwazulu-Natal (Durban).

“The remaining six centres are in George, Port Elizabeth, Kimberley, Bloemfontein, Nelspruit and Rustenburg.

“These six will be operating from the existing visa and permit centres,” said Mr Gigaba.

He said they had 120 dedicated officers to deal with ZSP adjudication.

He said with effect from 1 October the website will be opened to Zimbabweans wishing to apply for the permits online.

The minister said the following website should be used for lodging applications http://www.vfsglobal.com/zsp/southafrica.

“In response to concerns about computer literacy and internet access, we will monitor this closely to see if these become issues, and mitigate accordingly.

We are confident that internet access is sufficiently high in SA.”

He said the application fee for the ZSP had been set at R870.

“We believe this fee is reasonable, when compared with visas and permits of similar duration.

“It is also reasonable, when considering the infrastructure we are setting up to allow applicants to apply here in South Africa, without having to leave the country as would usually be required, with associated travel costs for applicants.”

Senior Reporter
Community radio stations are an important tool for development and should be established expeditiously, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Media, Information and Broadcasting Services, has said.Committee member and legislator for Mazowe North Cde Edgar Chidavaenzi made the remarks on Thursday addressing advocates of community radios and media stakeholders during a community broadcasting conference held in Harare. “Community radio stations are essential tools for development. As parliamentarians we want community radios to operate as soon as possible,” Cde Chidavaenzi said.

He said community radios could be used to create employment and better the lives of people and promote other downstream economic activities.

Cde Chidavaenzi commended the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services and the Information and Media Panel of Inquiry (IMPI) for doing a sterling job. “IMPI has done a good job in checking critical issues regarding to media reforms. IMPI has covered a lot of ground,” he said.

IMPI has completed its outreach phase and is expected to submit a report on its findings to Government soon. Media analyst Mr Takura Zhangazha said Government should urgently come up with a statutory instrument that outlines the requirements for applying for community radio licences and licencing fees.

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Government is looking for money to resuscitate Shabani Mashava Mine and other mines that have closed down over the years, a Cabinet Minister has said.The Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Patrick Chinamasa, also said it would take some time before Zisco became operational as investors were still running around looking for the required money to revive the steel mining firm.

Minister Chinamasa said this in Senate last week while responding to questions from backbenchers.

Midlands Senator Lilian Timveous (MDC-T), asked him what Government was doing to revive Sabi Gold and SMM.

Midlands traditional leader Chief Ntabeni also asked Minister Chinamasa if Zisco would be revived as other Government Ministers had over the years been saying the resumption of operations would be “soon”, yet it remained closed.

“Our major challenge is that of money,” he said. “Sabi Gold collapsed because of financial issues, the same with SMM. That is why we are running around to look for money so that we could lend these companies.”

Minister Chinamasa said a challenge that haunted them was high interest rates that have seen the cost of money to borrow being expensive.

Temba Mliswa

Farirai Machivenyika and Walter Nyamukondiwa—
THERE was drama at a Zanu-PF Mashonaland West provincial executive committee meeting which ended prematurely yesterday afternoon after embattled provincial chairman Cde Temba Mliswa refused to recuse himself when asked to do so over the spy-gate saga in which he is being accused of working with and receiving money from a CIA operative attached to the US embassy in Harare.

Mashonaland West is reportedly seeking guidance from the Politburo over Cde Mliswa’s continued leadership of the province.
Despite admitting to asking for money from the US embassy at a Press conference he convened in Harare in the morning, Cde Mliswa launched into a tirade against senior party members in the province in the afternoon when confronted over the spy-gate saga as he trashed Politburo members Cdes Ignatius Chombo, Patrick Zhuwawo, and Mr Ziyambi Ziyambi and his wife Florence whom he accused of corruption.

Cde Mliswa then had an altercation with Women’s League secretary for finance Mrs Beauty Zhuwawo, wife to Cde Zhuwawo, who slapped him over the insults he was heaping on her husband who was not in the meeting.

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The fallout was reportedly sparked by alleged disparaging remarks made by Cde Mliswa to the effect that Cde Patrick Zhuwawo and his wife Beauty were a “disgrace to the First Family”.
Cde Patrick Zhuwawo does not sit in the provincial executive committee meeting.

Sources said this did not go down well with Mrs Zhuwawo who confronted Cde Mliswa and slapped him right in the face, shouting angrily that she would do more harm to him as he had no right to talk about her husband who was not in the meeting.

Earlier on, according to sources, Mrs Zhuwawo had thrown a bottle of water at Cde Mliswa which, however, missed the target.
Sources said the meeting had shown simmering tensions from the onset.

Some members wanted the “Spy-gate” issue on the agenda.
Cde Mliswa, the sources said, was asked to recuse himself from chairing the meeting in the face of the serious allegations being levelled against him.
“The meeting showed ominous signs from the onset after people argued over the inclusion of the allegations levelled against the chairman of spying for the American Government. Some said they could continue the meeting with Cde Mliswa as chairman,” said a source.

The attack on the Zhuwawos by Cde Mliswa allegedly stems from comments made by Cde Patrick Zhuwawo in articles carried in our sister paper The Sunday Mail.
According to the sources Cde Mliswa also made corruption allegations against Mrs Florence Ziyambi, who is the deputy Attorney General and wife to Mashonaland West deputy provincial chairman Cde Ziyambi Ziyambi.

“He also accused Minister (Ignatius) Chombo of corruption and also said President Mugabe didn’t like Cde Patrick Zhuwawo,” the sources added.
After the altercation, Cde Mliswa went to the police station and The Herald caught up with him as he came out of the station.
He denied knowledge of the altercation and referred all questions to the provincial Secretary for Information and Publicity Cde Simbarashe Ziyambi.

“I don’t know anything about the issue. Talk to the provincial secretary for Information and Publicity,” he said.
Cde Ziyambi would, however, not comment on the issue.
Makonde District police officer Superintendent Moyo, said police had not received a formal report on the matter.

Mrs Zhuwawo referred questions to Cde Ziyambi.
Cde Ziyambi confirmed the meeting was aborted after Cde Mliswa refused to recuse himself from chairing the meeting.
“The meeting was aborted. People were dissatisfied by the conduct of the provincial chairman of taking Americans to the province. It then generated personalities with Cde Mliswa insulting me saying I was a corrupt and useless minister. He also insulted my wife, Minister Chombo and everyone. He said there was nothing wrong with Americans,” he said.
Cde Ziyambi said they were going to take the matter to the Politburo.

“We will compile a report and hand it over to the Politburo. Politburo who will then give us direction on whether he should continue as the provincial chairperson. If he is cleared, that is ok,” he said.

In an interview with our sister publication, The Sunday Mail this week, Cde Mliswa admitted that he had taken suspected US CIA operative, Mr Eric Little, to his constituency (Hurungwe West) in June and allegedly told constituents to stop saying “Pamberi neZanu” and embrace US money.

Party officials on the tour also said Cde Mliswa introduced Mr Little to headmen and villagers, and held meetings in wards 15 and 20 of the constituency with councillors.
In the interview Cde Mliswa said there was nothing wrong with the meeting because security agents in Mashonaland West cleared it.

“We are even using the US dollar . . . that is the biggest infiltration by the Americans because we are using their money.
“The visit by Little was well known by the police and the President’s Office; he was accompanied by two State security agents. I am not stupid; I can prove that by way of producing all the communication to show that everything was above board

“There is nothing amiss about the US funding projects that help the ordinary; they are allowed by Government. Let’s not play cheap politics.
“We know it’s a few months before the (Zanu-PF) Congress and people are plotting a coup against me. It’s a witch-hunt,” he said.

Temba Mliswa

Herald Reporter—
Zanu-pf Mashonaland West provincial chairperson and Hurungwe West legislator Cde Temba Mliswa yesterday thumbed his nose at the revolutionary party, openly insisting that he would continue receiving money from US aid agencies against a party directive. Cde Mliswa also made scandalous allegations against three zanu-pf Politburo members — Professor Jonathan Moyo, Cde Saviour Kasukuwere and Cde Patrick Zhuwawo — whom he claimed were “gay gang- sters.”

Prof Moyo is Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister, while Cde Kasukuwere is Environment, Water and Climate Minister.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa and Leader of Government business in Parliament, told the National Assembly last week that legislators should not seek aid from foreign embassies and Governments, especially those hostile to Zimbabwe.

Cde Mliswa told journalists in Harare yesterday that there was nothing wrong with receiving money from the US.
He said he would accept it if it was offered for development projects in his constituency.

He claimed that reports linking him to the US secret agency, the Central Intelligence Agency, were preposterous in that while he had sought aid from the embassy, his application had been turned down.

Cde Mliswa said the Politburo had not been doing enough to report about its meetings to the Central Committee as required by the party constitution, though he appeared to backtrack when pressed to substantiate the claim.

He admitted that he took suspected CIA spy, Mr Eric Little, to meet local government leaders in Hurungwe West in his bid to secure funding from the US.

“I am not naïve. The Americans and the British have been running programmes in Zimbabwe for the past 34 years. Why has that become an issue now? I am a legislator and one of my roles is to represent my people,” said Cde Mliswa.

During the press conference, Cde Mliswa read to journalists several text messages that he exchanged with Mr Little in his bid to secure the diplomat’s visit to his constituency.
He said allegations being levelled against him were part of a grand plan to smear him ahead of Zanu-PF’s elective congress in December this year.
He said Prof Moyo, Cdes Kasukuwere and Zhuwawo were “gay gangsters” being paid by CIA.

“I will prove it. It’s the whole crew. We will not allow the party to be run by gay gangsters. They are constantly loaded with money because the CIA funds them,” he said.
The trio were not available for comment last night.

Cde Mliswa claimed that some politicians from his province were fighting him because he was not their preferred candidate for the post of chairman.
“They don’t control the province. They have tried a vote of no confidence but they have failed,” he said.

He also attacked the State owned media, particularly The Herald which he said was being used by Prof Moyo whom he said had influence in other private media.
Cde Mliswa said when some senior party officials met ambassadors from Western countries, it was interpreted as Government engagement but the same did not happen when he and other MPs did the same.

He claimed that people disliked him because he was “courageous” to tell the truth.
Cde Mliswa is one of the 12 MPs known as the “dirty dozen” who have been accused of wining and dining with US embassy officials despite frosty relations between Harare and Washington.

However, the 12 MPs who have been named as receiving direct US grants have since denied the allegations.
This was after they were invited for a handover of a $90 000 US grant by US ambassador, Mr Bruce Wharton, to be distributed in various constituencies.

Others are Cdes Paul Mavhima (Gokwe Sengwa); Walter Kanhanga (Guruve North); Adam Chamwemurombe (Chipinge West); Chriswell Mutematsaka (Guruve South); Batsirayi Pemhanayi (Mutare North); and Enock Porusingazi (Chipinge South).

The list also includes Shurugwi South MP Tapiwanaishe Matangaidze, Kindness Paradza (Makonde), David Butau (Mbire), and Uzumba MP Simbaneuta Mudarikwa.
However only Cde Kanhanga, Chamwemurombe and Mutematsaka attended the ambassador’s function.

Municipal Reporter
Illegal settlements are mushrooming between Hatfield and Epworth in Harare, prompting the city council to warn those building on undesignated land that they risk losing their money as the structures would be demolished.Council authorities have said they will soon carry out demolitions of illegal structures sprouting around the city.

Illegal settlers have set up structures near and around the preserved balancing rocks between Epworth and Hatfield, which are a tourist attraction and used to feature on the Zimbabwean currency.

The unplanned settlements are concentrated on wetlands.

Harare’s Environmental Management Committee chairperson, Councillor Christopher Mbanga, said people who had erected illegal structures should approach council before their homes are demolished. The city is also set to demolish more than 300 structures illegally built in Glen Norah after serving the settlers with 48-hour eviction notices. Some illegal housing structures have already been demolished in Chitungwiza and parts of Seke communal lands.

“That exercise is merciless. We have to restore order in the city,” said Mr Mbanga. “We cannot allow people to continue abusing wetlands.

They are our sources of clean water. The clear message to all would be developers, be it business or housing cooperatives, is that they have to visit the relevant council offices starting with district offices where the development is taking place.

“It is no excuse for anyone to first break the law and try to get sympathy after the act. No one in Harare is allowed to construct any structure within the city without getting approval from the city.”

Mr Mbanga said council would not entertain illegal activities as the city was not a village where people could build without approved plans.

Bulawayo Bureau
A 42-YEAR-OLD Chiredzi man lost an arm and sustained multiple fractures on his other hand as he wrestled a crocodile that attacked him and tried to pull him into Chiredzi River.Pascal Dyangwe of Crown Range, Village 8 under Chief Tshovani, is battling for life at Masvingo Provincial Hospital following the attack last Thursday.

Acting Masvingo Police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nkululeko Nduna could neither confirm nor deny the incident yesterday.

Chronicle caught up with Dyangwe at hospital yesterday where he said he was in excruciating pain.

He told of the horrific moment when he came face-to-face with the huge reptile.

He said he battled it with his bare hands and had to pull them out of its jaws several times as the brute tried to drag him into the deeper part of the river.

Dyangwe said he was fetching water from the river to water his vegetable garden at around 3PM when the crocodile emerged from behind and attacked him.

“After I was dragged underwater I fell down but later regained my composure. I fought with the reptile by poking my hand, which was in its mouth deeper into its throat. It was forced to let go momentarily,” said Dyangwe.

He said he used the brief moment to rush closer to shore but the reptile was upon him seconds later.

“I could feel searing pain on my left arm but I continued fighting. The crocodile kept making scary splashing noises in the water and I thought the end had come.”

“I was losing strength and I could see the water around us turning red, showing that I was badly injured. I summoned my remaining energy and made one final push to get out of the river,” said Dyangwe.

He said he only realised the crocodile had gone off with his left arm after he had reached dry ground.

The crocodile had disappeared into the water. Dyangwe said he screamed for help and attracted the attention of a passer-by who rushed him to hospital.

“A good Samaritan then appeared from nowhere as I screamed for help and rushed me to Chiredzi District Hospital after which I was transferred to Masvingo General Hospital. I was bleeding so much that the vehicle I was in became slippery and red with my blood. I thank God that at least I am alive even if I have remained with one hand,” he said.

The hospital report revealed Dyangwe sustained multiple compound fractures on his remaining right arm.

A man from Dyangwe’s village said he was a very brave and lucky man.

Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Deputy Minister Dr Godfrey Gandawa chats with Colonel Jardinous Garira after addressing senior Defence Forces officers at the National Defence College yesterday

Crime Reporter
Security forces should strive to be advanced in technology as countries are confronted with unprecedented and invisible types of technology-driven threats, a Government official has said. Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Dr Godfrey Gandawa said yesterday that some of the threats were cybercrime, terrorism, abuse of social media, laboratory made diseases and possible nuclear and chemical warfare.

He was addressing senior army, Air Force of Zimbabwe and police officers at the National Defence College in Harare.

“The Zimbabwean military and other national security outfits should never allow themselves to be underdogs in advancing science and ICT as key elements of strategic importance in pursuit of guaranteed territorial integrity and sovereignty in an environment of sustained peace, stability and socio-economic development,” Dr Gandawa said.

He said political will was a prerequisite in African governments to invest in research and development to advance hard sciences, engineering technology and information communication technologies.

“African States remain seriously exposed to high security threats related to socio-economic instability, destabilisation and disease burdens if Africa does not embark on its own research and development in bio-medical sciences,” said Dr Gandawa.

“Infrastructure should be developed to attract and retain African medical scientists, who in turn become the required critical mass for training African scientists as they collaborate on common health concerns, share expertise and build capacity.”

Dr Gandawa said Africa lagged behind both in civilian and military research and development in strategic and security areas.

He said some of them were nuclear energy technologies and satellite applications for health, agriculture, security, wildlife, parks and environmental and social transition management programmes. The others were combating advance cybercrime and terrorism and drug discovery.

Dr Gandawa said they should embark on a collective Pan-African drive to develop infrastructure for intensive research and development and innovation in strategic sciences, ICT and other technologies.

“Security forces are also called upon to step in, in the event of epidemic outbreaks such as cholera, Ebola, HIV and Aids and malaria,” he said.

“The question that begs an answer is; as we speak, in the event that the evil of Ebola decides to visit Zimbabwe, are you as our national security system adequately trained and equipped to handle such an outbreak of the magnitude seen in West African countries today?”

Dr Gandawa said African economies were paying heavily for the sins of not having developed scientific platforms to deal with diseases.

Temba Mliswa

Tendai Mugabe and Farirai Machivenyika— 
Zanu-PF’s Politburo meets today to discuss several issues, among them the spy-gate saga which triggered the altercation between Mashonaland West provincial chairman Cde Temba Mliswa and provincial executive committee member Cde Beauty Zhuwawo on Monday. Cde Mliswa — who is also the Hurungwe West legislator — stands accused of working with and receiving money from a CIA operative attached to the US Embassy in Harare.

His province is understood to be consulting to approach the Politburo to seek guidance on his continued leadership.
The Politburo is also expected to be seized with discussions on the fate of former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr Gideon Gono whose bid to become a Senator for Manicaland was scuppered recently after it emerged that he was not a registered voter in the province as required by the law.

ZEC chairperson Justice Rita Makarau said even if Dr Gono tried to transfer his registration to Manicaland, there was no legal framework for anyone to do so at the moment.
Zanu-PF national spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo yesterday said though he was not privy to the agenda drafted by secretary for administration Cde Didymus Mutasa, Cde Mliswa and Dr Gono’s issues were likely to be discussed as they were in the public domain.

“Yes, we are going to have a Politburo meeting tomorrow (today),” said Cde Gumbo. “I have not seen the agenda of the meeting, but it is possible that those issues (Dr Gono and Cde Mliswa) will come out because they are in the public domain.”

Cde Gumbo said they were reading about Cde Mliswa’s altercation with Cde Zhuwawo in the media and there was no formal communication that was made to the party.
Fresh details show that the fateful provincial executive committee meeting that was aborted when Cde Mliswa verbally abused Cde Beauty Zhuwawo who in turn slapped him for the insults, had been convened by Cde Mliswa to discuss preparations for the First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe’s rally at Chinhoyi Stadium tomorrow according to fresh details emanating from a source close to developments.

Unbeknown to Cde Mliswa, however, members of the provincial executive planned to pass a vote of no confidence in his leadership.
“Mliswa had not been aware of this move but is aware of the growing disgruntlement with his leadership of the province,’’ said a source who attended the meeting, but who spoke on condition of anotnymity, as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

“Cde Temba Mliswa was literally slapped in the face by provincial executive member Cde Beauty Zhuwawo after a verbal exchange almost degenerated into a physical scuffle. Cde Zhuwawo is wife to President Mugabe’s nephew Cde Patrick Zhuwawo.

“The meeting, which had been convened by Mliswa himself to discuss the First Lady Amai Dr Grace Mugabe’s debut political rally, which will be held at Chinhoyi Stadium on Thursday, 2 October, became chaotic soon after Cde Mliswa revealed that not a single donation in cash had been made by any member of parliament in the province towards Dr Mugabe’s debut rally. In reaction to this comment, provincial youth league chairman Cde Vengai Musengi questioned how Mliswa himself as an MP would fail to make a donation even after receiving money from the Americans,” the source said.

It was after Cde Musengi’s remarks that Cde Zhuwawo moved a motion to have Cde Mliswa’s chairmanship revoked until his name was cleared of links with the CIA.
“The motion was supported by the majority of the members in attendance, but vehemently opposed by Mliswa, Kindness Paradza and a few other members. Cde Zhuwawo charged that as long as Mliswa’s name remained mired in spy allegations, he had no basis to chair any meeting in the province,” he said.

It was after the remarks that a war of words between Cde Mliswa and Zhuwawo ensured.
“Mliswa alleged that he would not be humiliated by a woman whose husband had no political history in the party and had been elevated solely because of his relationship with the President. Mliswa charged that Cde Patrick Zhuwawo held a bogus degree which was worthless and this angered Mai Zhuwawo. However, it was when Mliswa described Mai Zhwawo as “a disgrace to the First Family” that she stood up, picked a bottle of mineral water which she apparently wanted to throw at Mliswa but suddenly put it down and walked over to where Mliswa was standing before daring him to repeat his words. Before Mliswa could say anything Mai Zhuwawo landed a slap on Mliswa’s face, a move which no one had been expecting. Mai Zhuwawo was led back to her seat amid the disbelief and chaos,” the source added.

He added that a visibly angry Cde Mliswa said the meeting could not go on as long as Cde Zhuwawo was in attendance.
“Mai Zhuwawo scoffed at this but was led outside by members of the police and president’s office, who feared the situation would deteriorate further if she stayed in the meeting. Soon after Mai Zhuwawo left a truckload of 12 drunk and rowdy youths, known to be Mliswa’s supporters arrived at the meeting venue but were not allowed entry into the meeting,” he said.
Mr Nyagumbo added that after Cde Zhuwawo had left Deputy Home Affairs Minister Mr Ziyambi Ziyambi, who is also Zanu-PF’s provincial chairman supported her motion that Cde Mliswa needed to clear his name first before he could chair any meeting.

“Mliswa then turned his anger to the Deputy Minister, also alleging that he had no traceable history in the party and also held a bogus degree. Ziyambi shot back, charging that if Mliswa was not happy with his appointment as Deputy Minister, then it showed that he was not happy with the person who had made the appointment.

“In an attempt to quell the rising tempers, Provincial Administrator Cde Christopher Shumba, tried to calm the situation by asking Cde Mliswa to desist from making personal attacks on people whose opinions differed from his own. Mliswa now drenched in sweet, rudely told the PA to leave the room since he was in breach of the constitution by holding posts both as a civil servant and party official.

“Mliswa then left with Kindness Paradza, apparently to make a report to the police about the assault by Mai Zhuwawo, who is also said to have made a report of her own against Mliswa,” he said.

Various committees that were set UP to organise Zanu-PF’s December National People’s Congress would also make their first report back to the Politburo today.

Minister Mombeshora

Felex Share Herald Reporter—
THE 99-year leases issued to new farmers will be accepted by banks as collateral following amendments made by the Government and the Bankers’ Association of Zimbabwe, with the changes to be approved by Cabinet before the end of this month. The development means new farmers can benefit from funding by financial institutions for the 2014-15 agricultural season.

Most banks have in the past demanded collateral in the form of immovable assets, a prerequisite most farmers lack, arguing that the 99-year leases were not clear enough on land tenure.

The financial institutions argued that properties allocated to land reform beneficiaries remained State-owned and could not be sold to recover funds in the event farmers defaulted on payments.

Lands and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora yesterday told The Herald that Government had agreed to amend some sections of the 99-year leases to suit the requirements of the financial institutions.

“We had a meeting with BAZ recently where we looked at the concerns they had raised,” he said.
“This resulted in us going clause by clause together to see where exactly their concerns were.

“We agreed on several amendments to suit their requirements and we have sent the new changes to the Attorney General’s Office and after that we will take the changes to Cabinet.”

Most farmers are preparing for the forthcoming agricultural season and need money to buy inputs.
Minister Mombeshora said by the end of this month, all could be in place for farmers to borrow money from financial institutions using the 99-year leases as collateral.

“We are trying to push that by the end of this month everything will be in place to make the leases bankable and allow farmers to borrow money from financial institutions to finance their operations,” he said.

“As you are aware, free agricultural inputs cover A1 and communal farmers and A2 farmers have to source funding, hence the need to speed up the process to enable them to source the money ahead of this new season.”

Minister Mombeshora could not be drawn into discussing the amendments, but BAZ once revealed that banks wanted a special purpose vehicle to be set up, which would pay off loans in the event farmers defaulted.

Such a scenario would mean none of the resettled farmers would lose their land in the event they failed to pay back their loans.
But the system could be prone to abuse as farmers could willfully default in the knowledge that there was a facility to pay off the loan.
There was also a call for banks to consider project viability as collateral.

BAZ president Mr Sam Malaba confirmed that they had agreed on some amendments with Government, with a view of making the 99-year leases bankable.
“All I can say at the moment is that we have an amended draft in place and this is with the (Government) legal department,” he said. “We have agreed to some amendments on the leases and I will be able to comment further after the legal department finalises them.”

The unacceptability of the 99-year leases has starved thousands of farmers of funding from banks, prejudicing the country of millions of dollars in potential revenue from agriculture at a time when virtually all banks have tightened credit conditions due to the liquidity crisis.

Further, the cash crisis has constrained the potential for agriculture, which accounts for about 16 percent of Gross Domestic Product, to contribute to accelerated economic growth.
Ideally, Agribank should be the foremost agriculture loan provider, but has failed to effectively carry out its mandate owing to sanctions-induced constraints, among other factors.

The bank is yet to receive Government funds for onward lending, while the Infrastructural Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ) has earmarked $4 million for the summer farming season.

The Presidential Inputs Support Scheme will continue this season and will benefit 1,6 million households which will receive seeds and fertilizers of various quantities.

Minister Chidhakwa

Herald Reporter—
Government intends to regulate the conduct of gold millers to ensure small-scale miners benefit and reduce leakages in the informal market, Mines and Mining Development Minister Walter Chidhakwa has said. Minister Chidhakwa said this last week during a tour of Mingchang Sino-Africa Mining Private Limited’s US$4 million-gold mill plant in Shamva, which was established to assist small-scale miners in the area.

The tour was attended by Mines and Mining Development Deputy Minister Fred Moyo and small-scale miners.
“We will speak with milling companies scattered across the country and we should set a standard that applies to all of them in Zimbabwe and it has to be complied with so that small-scale miners benefit,” said Minister Chidhakwa.

“We will deploy technical capability to ensure that miners are not taken for a ride by milling companies. We appreciate gold milling companies for assisting small-scale miners with brilliant ideas and Government should be involved in their day-to-day business. People from Fidelity should be here to ensure there is a greater account of the gold that is produced.”

Minister Chidhakwa said the standards would be set after Government conducted discussions with milling companies after there were several complaints from small scale miners who alleged were getting a raw deal from milling companies after the ore was processed.

“It is an urgent matter, which we must address as quickly as possible, but we will look at the issues of logistics and I would want Fidelity to be located at all milling points across the country. That seems to be the problem across the country and the miners say they are not getting a fair deal from the milling companies,” he said.

Minister Chidhakwa hailed the company saying it established a plant which was of good quality and international standards.
One of the workers who cited anonymity, said they did not have safety wear at the milling plant and were given them prior to the Ministers’ visit.

“We are treated unfairly and there is poor accommodation for us yet they are enjoying a good life. Our children are not offered transport to school like they promised us and they travel to and from school for 16 kilometres,” he said.

One of the miners, Mr Ernest Manyara said the costs of bringing gold ore to the mill were exorbitant.
“We appreciate having the mill in our area, but their costs are expensive considering the transport and milling services they provide for us.

“We hope Government intervenes on our behalf since several efforts to engage them have been fruitless,” he said.
Mingchang managing director, Mr Ming Chang Xing, said they had plans of building a school and a clinic at the site, which he said would benefit employees and the surrounding community.

Dr Gono

Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter— 
Former Reserve Bank Governor Dr Gideon Gono’s spirited bid to land the vacant senatorial seat in Manicaland is now a closed chapter after the Zanu-PF Politburo yesterday upheld the position of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission that legally the aspiring senator was not qualified for the post because he is not a registered voter in the province. The party maintained that the law could not be tailored to suit the circumstances of an individual.

Dr Gono had pinned his hopes on the Politburo after ZEC wrote to Zanu-PF on September 15 indicating that although Dr Gono had been nominated for the post by the party, he did not meet the legal criteria required by the new Constitution.

Speaking in an interview after the Politburo meeting yesterday, Zanu-PF secretary for Legal Affairs Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa said the Politburo agreed that ZEC’s decision was final.
“There is no issue,” he said.

“ZEC has made its decision and we as the party are not contesting that decision.” ZEC chairperson Justice Rita Makarau indicated that the purported transfer of Dr Gono to Manicaland as a voter done by the Registrar General’s Office on December 5 last year was unlawful since in terms of the new Constitution such powers were no longer vested in the RG’s office by the time of the purported registration. 

Dr Gono had been earmarked to succeed Cde Kumbirai Kangai who died in August last year.
However, addressing journalists after the Politburo meeting, Zanu-PF’s Secretary for Information and Publicity Cde Rugare Gumbo sought to misrepresent the party position saying that Dr Gono’s bid could still be salvaged.

Cde Gumbo said the Politburo had directed the party’s legal department to look into the case with a view to finding out how Dr Gono could be accommodated.
“We did discuss about the issue of Cde Gono,” Cde Gumbo said. “The decision of the party was made clear that for the time being we go along with what the chairperson of Zec Justice Rita Makarau said, but we will also look at other avenues of finding a way of ensuring that perhaps he can be nominated to that position.”

Asked to clarify his statement, Cde Gumbo re-affirmed Zec’s position saying: “We go along with what the chairperson of Zec said, but the legal committee has been directed to look into other ways of finding a way forward.”

But Cde Mnangagwa, the party’s secretary for legal affairs, differed saying the Gono issue was a closed chapter. This was confirmed by several other members of the politburo who spoke to the Herald on condition of anonymity because they are not authorised to speak for the party.

Dr Gono was nominated by Zanu-PF Manicaland province to replace Cde Kangai who was declared a national hero and his nomination was endorsed by the Politburo.
But Justice Makarau said Dr Gono was not registered in any ward in the province in a letter to Zanu-PF national chairman Cde Simon Khaya Moyo.

This, Justice Makarau pointed out, was notwithstanding a certificate of registration of a voter serial number 454601K, issued at Makombe Building on December 5 last year, transferring Dr Gono to Manicaland.

“Now that the function to register and transfer voters is vested in the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, the most practical way around the current difficulty would have been for Dr Gono to apply to the commission to transfer his vote from Harare to Buhera West,” she said.

“Again, Honourable chairman, we regret to advise that whilst we now have the constitutional mandate to register and transfer voters, and are willing and ready to register and transfer voters, there is no legal framework on voter registration and allied matters as envisaged in Section 157 (1) of the Constitution, a vacuum that has made us hold back on voter registration, thereby prejudicing not only Dr Gono in this case, but the generality of the electorate in Zimbabwe.”

Dr Gono then alleged that individuals pursuing factionalism in Zanu-PF had played a role in denying him an opportunity to ascend to the senatorial seat.
He also said he belonged only to a ‘’faction’’ led by President Mugabe in Zanu-PF.

His allegations were dismissed by the Government which indicated that Dr Gono did not meet the criteria for voter registration purely and only on legal grounds and that his disqualification by Zec had nothing to do with alleged factionalism.

Dr Gono was also criticised for claiming that President Mugabe leads a faction in Zanu-PF, when it is common knowledge that he leads the government and nation without segregating against anyone on factional or any other lines.