President Mugabe

Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter— 
PRESIDENT Mugabe yesterday condemned the high levels of indiscipline characterising zanu-pf and warned leaders sowing seeds of division and engaging in premature campaigning for positions ahead of this year’s National People’s Congress that they will be dealt with decisively. President Mugabe, who is also the revolutionary party’s First Secretary and President, said this while addressing the Politburo at the zanu-pf Headquarters in Harare yesterday.

zanu-pf Secretary for Information and Publicity Cde Rugare Gumbo confirmed the President’s warning soon after the meeting.
“The President Cde R.G Mugabe, in his opening remarks, expressed deep concern at the amount of indiscipline exercised by some party leaders in the provinces,” he said.

“He talked about premature campaigning by some leaders seeking positions at congress and said this thing must stop. Use of money and vote buying in such campaigns destroys the unity of the party and he said this thing must stop again. 

“He felt that this would cause confusion among party members and said that the party must remain united at all times. Stern action or measures will be taken against those members who do not heed the President’s directive.”

President Mugabe’s remarks came in the wake of several of incidents in various provinces, especially in Mashonaland West where provincial chairman Cde Themba Mliswa was involved in a scuffle with another provincial executive member Cde Beauty Zhuwawo on Monday.

Cde Mliswa also addressed a press conference where he made scandalous allegations against various Politburo members, for which he has since been slapped with lawsuits.
At least 12 legislators have also been accused of receiving funding for projects from the United States Embassy despite frosty relations between Washington and Zanu-PF.

“I can’t define what action will be taken,” said Cde Gumbo. “We have a disciplinary committee headed by Cde SK Moyo (national chairman) and if we see some defiance or if we see some incidents where people are doing things which are wrong they can be referred to the disciplinary committee.”

Cde Gumbo said President Mugabe made reference to the disturbances in Mashonaland West, saying such acts were not necessary.
“We didn’t discuss it all, but the President made reference to it that it was not necessary for such things to have taken place. If any action is to be taken it will be done by the national disciplinary committee,” he said.

Cde Gumbo said President Mugabe also spoke against factionalism in the party and the role the media was playing.
“The President went on to denounce factionalism in the party,” he said. “He was very critical of the media…
“He felt the media and also the leaders must focus on issues and not on personalities and abuse of power.”

Cde Gumbo said the Politburo discussed preparations for the forthcoming National People’s Congress that will be held from December 9 to 14 in Harare.
“The venue will be here in Harare at the place we launched the anti-sanctions campaign (the open space between Rotten Row and Rekayi Tangwena streets),” he said.
“We have a congress committee which is headed by the President and made up of the Vice President, the National Chairman and the Secretary for Administration.

“We have the national coordinating committee which is responsible for preparing the work of congress and this is headed by the National Chairman and it has a number of heads of departments assisting him.”

Cde Gumbo said the sub-committee of the national coordinating committee will be headed by secreatry for Legal Affairs Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa, while the organising committee will be headed by Political Commissar Cde Webster Shamu.

Secretary for National Security Cde Sydney Sekeramayi will head the security committee, while Secretary for Health Dr David Parirenyatwa will head the health committee.
The fundraising committee will be headed Secretary for Economic Affairs Dr Obert Mpofu, while Secretary for the Women’s League Cde Oppah Muchinguri will head the women’s committee.

Cde Gumbo

WHILE we do not want to pick fights with our seniors who we respect without any reservation whatsoever, we take great exception to statements made by zanu-pf national spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo who passed his own now well-known personal sentiments on The Herald as the zanu-pf position, and went to the extent of seeking to put words into President Mugabe’s mouth.

After yesterday’s Politburo meeting, Cde Gumbo told journalists that President Mugabe had expressed concern over The Herald which Cde Gumbo claimed was dividing the party.
Cde Gumbo’s exact words were: “He (the President) felt that the coverage in the media, particularly The Herald where the headlines all the time are destructive statements about the party, disparaging the party, exposing the party to unnecessary criticism. He felt that the media must inform on issues and not on personalities.”
Well ,we are not in the business of sparring with politicians, our province are news values.

As The Herald we report on events and do not create the news. It is up to Cde Gumbo and his colleagues in zanu-pf to stop the drama because the moment they make news, it is our duty to report on it as the goings on in zanu-pf, the governing party, do not only interest the public but are of public interest since the party informs Government.

Now as has become the norm, we checked with other Politburo members who attended the meeting and found out that the President expressed concern over some sections of the media that ran a story falsely claiming that his daughter, Mrs Bona Chikore, had grabbed a farm in Goromonzi.

Interestingly, Cde Gumbo did not share this important detail with the media.
The President did not mention The Herald by name. How the media is then crystallised to The Herald, only Cde Gumbo knows.
While we are flattered that the zanu-pf spokesperson considers us the be all and end all of the media, we are hardly amused when he passes his personal sentiments as the party or President’s position.

When Cde Gumbo wears the party hat, we expect him to articulate the party position, not his personal sentiments in pursuit of his own interests.
Given the misrepresentations he made yesterday on the Gono senatorial issue and about Politburo deliberations on September 3 pertaining to the issue of the purges of the youth that were going on in some provinces, we respectfully feel Cde Gumbo needs to revisit his terms of reference as party spokesperson.

Everything, however, becomes clearer as to why Cde Gumbo came out guns blazing in The Standard of last week saying no other party official should articulate the party position except him.

While that may arguably be the ideal situation if Cde Gumbo was doing his duties properly and professionally in the spirit of collective responsibility, the sad truth is the opposite, which is why more and more journalists are going to continue to ferret behind the scenes as to what would have actually transpired. In any event, we know that the Zanu PF Constitution imposes a duty on all its members to defend the party and we do not believe that this can be done in silence.

While we appreciate that Zanu-PF is currently riven by factional politics, Cde Gumbo must know that he speaks for the whole party, and should never misrepresent the position of the President and First Secretary on any issue for any reason.

Lloyd Gumbo Senior Reporter
President Mugabe’s aunt, Magadalene Nyamurima nee Matibiri, has died.
She was 84.Mrs Nyamurima, who was mother to President Mugabe’s aide Wonder Nyamurima, died at West End Clinic on Tuesday.

President Mugabe joined mourners at the Nyamurima family house in Southerton to pay his condolences twice yesterday, first in the morning and then later in the day for body viewing.

Mrs Nyamurima will be laid to rest today at 2pm at her son’s farm in Marondera.

Family spokesperson Mr Noddy Nyamurima said their aunt had not been feeling well for some time, but her condition deteriorated in the last few days.

“To us, she was like a button to a shirt because of the unifying role she played in the family,” he said. “She always wanted to see the family united, so we have lost our pillar of strength.

“She was a firm believer in her Christian walk all her life. She used to fellowship in the Roman Catholic, but when she was married she then joined the Church of God and Saints of Christ.

“She smiled at everyone. She held no grudge against anyone. So, we have lost a very important person in the family.”

Mr Nyamurima said President Mugabe, who addressed mourners in the morning, urged the family to remain united as was always preached by Mrs Nyamurima.

Her body left Harare for Marondera yesterday evening.

Mrs Nyamurima is survived by three children Leticia, Wonder and Margross, 14 grandchildren and several great grand children.

Felex Share Herald Reporter
Nearly 100 000 houses in Harare and Bulawayo have looped connections that are not compatible with prepaid metering technology, making it difficult for Zesa to install new units on them.The houses are found mostly in old suburbs such as Highfield, Mbare, Old Mabvuku, Epworth in Harare while Bulawayo has areas such as Makokoba, Mpopoma and Iminyela. The looped connection is a system where many houses are connected to one bulk meter.

Power theft, according to Zesa officials, is also high in these suburbs.

This comes as the power utility has installed 532 000 prepaid meters countrywide at a cost of $71 million since August 2012 and is preparing to switch to smart meters to curb the circumvention of the billing system by consumers.

According to the Zim-Asset prepaid meter target base, Zesa has to install 800 000 meters, 500 000 of which will be prepaid meters, while 300 000 will be smart meters.

Zesa spokesperson, Mr Fullard Gwasira, yesterday told The Herald that outstanding installations premises were predominantly in old suburbs. “The outstanding installations encompass mostly the older suburbs which have looped connections that are not compatible with the prepaid metering technology,” he said.

“In Harare, there are 32 000 such customers whilst Bulawayo has 55 000 consumers on the looped system. ZETDC is working towards ensuring that those suburbs have electricity systems that are in sync with the prepaid metering technology so that these consumers are serviced.” He said power theft, which is costing Zesa $10 million monthly, would be minimised through the installation of smart meters.

The smart metering technology reports back to the centre any power theft or meter by-passing by consumers unlike prepaid meters.

“The project will commence once due processes by the State Procurement Board have been finalised,” Mr Gwasira said.

“The power utility is determined to ensure that it offers a quality service to all its consumers, and the conversion of power supply from post-paid to prepaid systems in one such initiative which has been implemented.” The smart metering project would be rolled out without the power utility carrying out a pilot project.

Said Mr Gwasira: “ZETDC is going to roll out the installations without going the route of a pilot project as it has been established that the system is already proven and it would be to the advantage of both our consumers as well as having revenue protection mechanism for the power utility.

“Such a win-win position makes it a sound business move to roll out the project.” Smart metering is common in Europe but a number of African countries such as Botswana, South Africa and Malawi have adopted the same technology.

Mr Gwasira said meters were being installed on poles in areas that had high cases of meter tampering.

“In areas that have low tampering of prepaid meters, the utility is not using the pole mounting strategy at the moment, though this position may be reviewed in future,” he said.

“In the meantime, alternative security systems that I am not at liberty to disclose, have been deployed to ensure that meters are tamper-proof and instantly give feedback once any criminal activity has been attempted to consume electricity for free.”

Dr Gono

Felex Share Herald Reporter
Political analysts and legal experts yesterday commended Zanu-PF for upholding the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s decision to stop former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr Gideon Gono’s senatorial bid in Manicaland, saying it showed the revolutionary party respects the rule of law.
The experts said the move showed respect for independent institutions, enhancing democracy in the process.

In its Politburo meeting on Wednesday, Zanu-PF upheld the position of ZEC that legally Dr Gono was not qualified to become Senator as he was not a registered voter in Manicaland.

The party said the law could not be amended to suit the circumstances of an individual.

Mr Terrence Hussein of Hussein and Ranchhod Legal Practitioners said Zanu-PF had set the “bar high” by respecting independent institutions.

“Zanu-PF being the ruling party with a majority in Parliament is setting an example on the issue of the rule of law in the country,” he said.

“It shows that independent institutions are allowed to make decisions and announcements and once they make those announcements they should be respected.”

Mr Hussein added: “This is important when it relates to electoral commissions because it is showing that the party is subservient to the Commission.
“The party has set the bar very high and all other parties are expected to follow. Other independent institutions should also work along those lines.”

Said Advocate Fred Gijima: “It shows that the party has got guidelines and it is also guided by its own constitution as to how it conducts its issues.

“This is what we call observing and respecting the Constitution of Zimbabwe.”

Dr Gono was hoping that the Politburo would overturn the ZEC decision after the electoral body last month wrote to Zanu-PF 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.

Political analyst Dr Charity Manyeruke said politics should comply with the law.

“It shows that the Politburo is not bigger than the law,” she said. “It shows that the law in Zimbabwe is above any individual, institution or political party.

Every citizen has to abide by the law and where we are not clear the courts are there for interpretation.”

Dr Manyeruke said no politics happen in a jungle.

“It happens within the confinements of the law,” she said. “Zanu-PF has told itself that it is not above the law. This enhances democracy in the country.”

Another analyst Dr Nhamo Mhiripiri said laws were made to make lives manageable and Dr Gono was not the only one affected by the development.

“We need order,” he said. “If we have a vacuum that does not explain an action, you do not start by appointing someone and go back to the law in retrospect.

“You need first to formalise issues by establishing a law. Dr Gono is not the only one being affected, but ordinary Zimbabweans are also in that predicament.”

Dr Mhiripiri said it was unfortunate that Dr Gono’s case was being viewed by some from factional politics.

“Some people have showed that they have hidden agendas,” he said. “Some seem to be celebrating this, while others are pushing hard for him to get that post immediately.

“Let us be calm and see how we can legitimise everything. Amendments will improve our systems and make them efficient, credible and accountable.”

Dr Gono had tried to transfer himself as a voter to Manicaland unlawfully through the Registrar General’s Office, but ZEC chairperson Justice Rita Makarau indicated that the purported transfer violated the new Constitution.

Such powers, Justice Makarau pointed out, were no longer vested in the RG’s office and Dr Gono’s certificate of registration of a voter serial number 454601K, issued at Makombe Building on December 5 last year, transferring him to Manicaland was invalid.

Dr Gono was nominated by Zanu-PF Manicaland province to replace Cde Kumbirai Kangai who died in August last year and was declared a national hero.

His nomination was subsequently endorsed by the Politburo, but his hopes of eventually clinching the seat vanished on Wednesday when the Politburo ruled that it stood guided by ZEC’s decision which is final.

President Mugabe speaks to European Union Ambassador Mr Philippe Van Damme after accrediting him at State House in Harare yesterday. — Picture by Regis Nyandima

Lloyd Gumbo Senior Reporter
The British government is feeling the heat from Zimbabwe’s successful Look East Policy and will at the end of this month send a high-powered trade delegation to explore possible areas of investment, especially in energy and infrastructure sectors.
This comes after China and Russia signed multi-billion-dollar deals in various sectors, with Zimbabwe in August and September respectively, showing that the Look East Policy was bearing fruit.

The Chinese deals were mainly in infrastructure, energy and agriculture, while the over $3 billion deals signed by the Russians were concentrated in the mining sector, especially the extraction of platinum.

Watch the video below

Zimbabwe deliberately adopted the Look East Policy after a fallout with Western countries that sided with Britain over the land reform programme which empowered the majority.

No meaningful investment came from Britain in the last decade as the former coloniser sidelined Zimbabwe in its trade deals after imposing illegal sanctions on the country for daring to embark on land reform.

Newly-accredited British ambassador Ms Catriona Laing revealed the impending visit of the delegation after presenting her credentials to President Mugabe at State House yesterday together with four other diplomats from the European Union, Mauritius, South Sudan and Swaziland.

She said the new development was inspired by the need to support Government’s economic blueprint, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation.

“For the first time in many years, we are sponsoring an official trade delegation to Zimbabwe at the end of October,” she told journalists after presenting her credentials.

“A number of different companies will be coming here to look at areas in energy and infrastructure, for example. So, I think that’s a first very positive step forward.”

Ms Laing said during her closed-door meeting with President Mugabe they discussed how the two countries could improve their bilateral relations.

But she failed to explain how trade relations could improve when the illegal sanctions her country imposed on Zimbabwe remained in existence.

Ms Laing claimed the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe were not trade and economic measures, but just “travel restrictions”.

“We want to build on the very good Zim-Asset economic blueprint that has just been developed,” she said. “We are encouraging our investors to come here. What the investors want to see is confidence that when they make investment here their assets will be secured, that the environment is predictable so that they know the returns that they are able to make.

“There are many companies wanting to come to Zimbabwe. Companies will come where economics makes sense. It is the job of diplomats to think about the political environment, but investors do want to come here provided their investment will be secure.”

Ms Laing said it was up to the European Union to review the sanctions regime in February next year based on the progress made by Zimbabwe.

Speaking to the media after presenting his credentials to President Mugabe, new European Union Ambassador, Mr Philippe van Damme said the bloc was interested in normalising relations with Zimbabwe.

“The EU and all its member states altogether have to further enhance our partnership in the interest of this country and that we have to give each other a chance by building measures of mutual trust so that we can help this country forward on a sustainable and equitable trade policies in the interests of its people,” he said.

Mr Van Damme said the EU was there to help Zimbabweans in different ways, among them creating a conducive environment for investment.

He claimed that the EU, Britain and the United States were the highest providers of development aid in Zimbabwe.

“We are engaged in this country,” he said. “Take that, believe us we are engaged. We want to go forward. But we need to create the conditions to go further and these conditions include building a conducive environment for investment, to create confidence also among the people, rule of law. Give us a chance to help Government achieve this.”

Sources who attended the meetings said President Mugabe categorically told Ms Laing and Mr Van Damme that they were supposed to unconditionally remove the illegal sanctions.

Mauritius’ new diplomat in Zimbabwe, Mr Mahomed Ismael Dossa said the two countries enjoyed trade relations, adding that there were a number of possible areas for further trade cooperation.

“We have three more agreements in the pipeline,” he said. “One of them is on the ICT (Information Communication Technology) sector, one on education and one on tourism. But as the ambassador of Mauritius we want to look at more avenues.”

Mr Dossa said one of the possible areas of interest was for Zimbabwe to tap on Mauritius’ comparative advantage in medical personnel and ICT.

Ambassador Gabriel Gai Riak said relations between Zimbabwe and South Sudan dated long back.

He said he looked forward to facilitating trade relations between the two countries during his tenure.

Swaziland’s new diplomat, Chief Senzangakona Dlamini said Zimbabwe and had a lot in common, adding that promoting trade relations between the two countries was high on his agenda.

He said possible areas of cooperation between Zimbabwe and Swaziland was in sharing skills in agriculture.

The First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe addresses a rally at Chinhoyi Stadium yesterday

Takunda Maodza Assistant News Editor
THE upcoming Zanu-PF congress — slated for Harare in December — must not distract the ruling party from attending to socio-economic issues, the First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe has said.
As the party heads to the elective congress, factionalism has reared its ugly head with senior party officials jostling for positions at all costs.

Addressing thousands of Zanu-PF supporters in her maiden rally since her nomination as incoming Women’s League secretary, the First Lady said factionalism, had no place in a revolutionary party emerging from a resounding victory in the harmonised elections and carries the people’s mandate.

“Instead of concentrating on social services tavakuswera tichirwisana. Tinozviziva tirikuenda kucongress, but inouya ichipfuura kouya imwe.

“Vanhu varikuda mvura nesewage system yakanaka. Tinozviziva matowns anga asina kudhizainwa kutakura vanhu vakawanda asi ngazvigadziriswe.

Tinoda kushanda nevanhu nguva iripo.

“Chinhu (factionalism) chinofanira kukondemwa in the strongest terms. Hachiende, taneta nenyaya yefactionalism. Unoona vanhu vachiti VaMugabe tinovada, inhema. Last night vaiti vachembera. Ngatidzidzei kumira pachokwadi, kumirira nguva yako kana yakwana uchaona vanhu vachiti vanokuda nemabasa ako (Let’s stop fighting among ourselves and focus on the provision of water and better sewage facilities for the country’s growing urban population),” she said.

Dr Mugabe took a swipe at some officials who grew up in the party, but lacked political maturity and wisdom.

“Even vamwe varume vakuru mumusangano vakapihwa zvigaro vari vadiki havakuri pawisdom. Unoona murume mukuru dumbu kudai, vana mudhadhadha but wisdom pasina. Papolitics kana wa accepter kuti unoda kushandira vanhu uri servant yavanhu zvichakunetsa ukada kuzvitutumadza.

Politics zvadziri istorm, ukasaziva kuti istorm warasika.”

Dr Mugabe challenged those in positions of authority in the party to work quietly, but tirelessly for the people.

“Woshanda wakanyarara vanhu vanenge vachiona kuti zvauri kuita zvakakodzera here? Hazvisi zvokufosa uchipa vanhu mari (vote-buying). Kana usina wisdom hapana chinobuda. Kana usina wisdom haukwanisi kuita chinhu chinobudirira,” she said.

The First Lady urged party officials to emulate President Mugabe’s principles.

“Tine leadership iri straightforward. Baba vanegwara, havana musi wavanoti ndinoda kuita mari ndipfume.”

The First Lady said Zimbabwe will never have another leader in the mould of President Mugabe.

“Hatimbofa takawana leadership inenge yaVaMugabe,” she said.

Turning to her nomination as Women’s League boss, Dr Mugabe pledged to work tirelessly for the party.

“Ndakavaudza Mai Muchinguri that I will continue working with you. Ukasimudzira mudzimai wasimudzira nyika yose. Ndinoti veduwe musangano we Zanu-PF musangano wedu tisambotya. Tinoda kugara zvakanaka tichipanana rukudzo. Hatidi izvo zvokurwisana. Ikozvino tirikurwisana pachedu muZanu-PF. Zvinonyadzisa mhani isu takahwina. Ngatishandeyi pamwe chete. Hatidi kunzwa vana vari kurwisana, kurwisana hachisi chinhu chakanaka saka tinoda kuti tishandire nyika yedu yeZimbabwe tidye tichiguta,” she said.

Amai Mugabe said the disturbances in Iraq and Libya were a product of disunity and internal strife saying Zimbabweans must strive to jealously guard the prevailing peace in the country.

In apparent reference to the spy-gate saga where 12 legislators from Zanu-PF were implicated in receiving funding from the US embassy in Harare, Dr Mugabe warned Zimbabweans to be wary of aid from some countries like the US which comes with hidden agendas.

“Nhasi Iraq hakuna runyararo. Tikauya tichipihwa mari nemaAmericans vachiti vanoda kutibatsira tinoerera. Nyika yedu hatidi isvike ipapo. Mari yemaAmericans hatiide. Deno vaitida taisvika 1980 pasina zvikoro? Toswera tichinyeperwa hamuoni kuti varikuda maresources edu? It is not by coincidence that nyika ino ndeyedu maZimbabweans.”

Dr Mugabe said Zimbabweans must remain resolute and steadfast as the challenges before them were not insurmountable.

“Zvingaome sei, ngatirambe takamira,” she said.

Dr Mugabe donated 20 tonnes of maize seed under the Presidential Well-wishers Programme to the province.

She offered a scholarship at Amai Mugabe Junior School to a Hartley Number 1 Primary School Grade six pupil, Kundai Changadzo, after the boy impressed the gathering with a poem on Zim-Asset.

Kundai’s mother Mrs Fiona Changadzo, a teacher at Chegutu High School, could not contain her joy.

“I could feel he was destined for greater heights. I am very happy with the decision by the First Lady to give my son a scholarship at her school. He is an all rounder, plays football, cricket, is a public speaker and good at quiz,” she said.

Several senior Zanu-PF officials including Cdes Oppah Muchinguri, Ignatius Chombo, Josiah Hungwe, Edna Madzongwe, Dr Olivia Muchena, Cde Sandy Moyo, Shuvai Mahofa, attended the rally at Chinhoyi Stadium.

President Mugabe caps Ms Prisca Mbwana who graduated with a first class BSc Honours Degree in Hospitality and Tourism at Chinhoyi University of Technology yesterday. Looking on is vice chancellor Professor David Simbi

Walter Nyamukondiwa Chinhoyi Bureau
President Mugabe yesterday conferred degrees to 1 679 graduands at the tenth Chinhoyi University of Technology graduation ceremony. The graduates excelled in undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes in Agricultural Science and Technology, Creative Art and Design, Business Science and Administration among others.

CUT vice chancellor Professor David Simbi said the university and others offering technology-driven programmes, were key in the successful implementation of Zim-Asset.

“Our ability to move Zim-Asset forward lies in us being able to realise the potential in science, technology and engineering innovations,” he said.

VC Simbi said engineering, technology and innovation were drivers in value addition, which is one of the four clusters in the Zim-Asset economic blueprint.

VC Simbi said there was need to include science-driven programmes in the higher education curricular.

“The importance of these as value addition drivers is too often realised at graduate level, hence our desire to include this in our higher education architecture, particularly in agriculture production, agro-processing and manufacturing sectors of the economy,” he said.

He bemoaned the lack of learning infrastructure and learning space.

He said the university had managed to set up state-of-the-art laboratories under unfavourable economic conditions.

The university has managed to attract 55 PhD holders and is pursuing staff development programmes aimed at equipping junior staff members.

Prof Simbi said the university would soon introduce full-time graduate studies aimed at supporting the productive sectors of the economy.

Funding, he said, was needed to support the Invasive Species Research and Management Unit to spearhead cutting edge research on the water hyacinth, which was suffocating the water sources and the chain fruit or jumping cholla, which was spreading in the dry districts of Matabeleland.

Research is also being undertaken on the Australian Red Claw Crayfish in Lake Kariba, which is suspected to be causing the depletion of the kapenta fish stock.

He said the nation should promote graduate research in technology, engineering and business solutions for home-grown solutions to economic and social challenges facing the country.

CUT council chairperson, Dr Robson Mafoti, congratulated Prof Simbi for receiving the Zimbabwe Institute of Management Manager of the year award in the public sector.

The graduation ceremony was also attended by Higher Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Dr Olivia Muchena, among others.

Herald Reporters
Over 53 000 people were infected with sexually-transmitted diseases in Harare between January and June this year, the National Aids Council (NAC) has said.
Health experts said this might mean that people were not using condoms worth millions of dollars that were being distributed.

Speaking at a full council meeting on Thursday, NAC provincial co-ordinator for Harare Mr Adonija Muzondiona said between the first and second quarter, 20 000 new cases were treated.

He said out of the 20 000 cases in the last quarter, over 6 000 returned for the same treatment after reinfection.

“In Harare, we are getting a lot of people who are being infected with Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).We have about 53 000 people who were being infected with STIs from January to mid – year,” he said.

“While over 20 000 people were treated for STIs in the last quarter, over 6 000 were re-infected. This clearly shows that people are having unprotected sex as a result, paving way to HIV infection,” said Mr Muzondiona.

According to World Population Review, Harare has about 1,6 million people.

Mr Muzondiona said in Harare alone, at least 120 000 people were receiving HIV and AIDs drugs daily, a figure that he was was prudent to maintain.

According to NAC, these figures could be just a tip of iceberg as most men sought treatment from private health institutions, while others preferred traditional concoctions.

Mr Muzondiona urged councillors to take the lead in the prevention of STIs because the rate of increase in Harare was above any other province.

Mr Muzondiona said this year, the African Union (AU) had requested Zimbabwe to host this year’s African commemorations of World Aids Day.

He said the commemorations would be held at Gwanzura Stadium.

Zimbabwe Community Health Intervention Research Programme’s director, Mr Walter Chikanya, said there was need for behaviour change and not to expose their spouses to HIV and Aids.

Harare Mayor Clr Bernard Manyenyeni, said the rise in STIs was worrying and action should be taken with immediate effect.

“The reported rise in the STIs in the city is worrying especially given the relationship this has with HIV infection. Re-education and information sharing must increase. We must react now not later, or we lose past gains in this fight against the bigger epidemic.”

The World AIDS day is commemorated throughout the world and each country has to commemorate at national level on the 1st of December of each year.

Minister Mnangagwa

George Maponga in MASVINGO
ZANU-PF Secretary for Legal Affairs Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday said former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr Gideon Gono’s chances of landing the Manicaland Senate seat were alive, barely a week after saying the issue was a closed chapter.
Speaking during a tour of the Herbert Chitepo School of Law that is under construction at Great Zimbabwe University, Cde Mnangagwa said Dr Gono still had “high” chances of landing the Manicaland Senate seat if the lacuna (a missing section of text) in the law as stipulated by ZEC is filled.

Laws, Cde Mnangagwa said, were not made to suit specific individuals, adding that there were many people who would benefit together with Dr Gono once the gap in the law alluded to by ZEC was dealt with.

He, however, neither specified how the vacuum would be dealt with nor when it would be addressed to enable Dr Gono to fulfil his spirited dream of entering the Senate.

Cde Mnangagwa accused the media of misinterpreting the statement made by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission over the issue.

Zanu-PF nominated Dr Gono to fill the Manicaland Senate which fell vacant following the death of national hero Cde Kumbirai Kangai in August last year.

But Dr Gono’s senate bid was thwarted after ZEC, through its chairperson Justice Rita Makarau, indicated that the former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor was not a registered voter in Manicaland.

Justice Makarau wrote to Zanu-PF indicating that Dr Gono’s attempt to transfer himself as a voter in Manicaland through the Registrar-General’s Office on December 5 last year was a legal nullity since the purported transfer violated the new Constitution.

The Zanu-PF Politburo also upheld Zec’s position at its meeting on Wednesday.

Cde Mnangagwa, who is also the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, took a dig at the media for failing to interpret the statement by Justice Makarau concerning Dr Gono’s bid to become a senator.

“The problem with our press is that they are very uneducated and were not able to correctly interpret what Justice Makarau said with regards to the issue of Dr Gono,” he said.

“Justice Makarau said there was a lacuna, a vacuum that needs to be looked into. She said there is necessity for the vacuum in Dr Gono’s bid to be corrected.

“Dr Gono still has very high chances of landing the Senate seat, absolutely high chances, but the problem with our media is lack of education.’’

Justice Makarau where she clearly indicated that Dr Gono could not fill the Senate vacant in Manicaland because he was not registered as a voter in any ward in the province.

Justice Makarau’s letter also indicated that Dr Gono’s attempt to transfer to the province as a registered voter on December 5 last year was a nullity because the Registrar General’s Office which facilitated the transfer was no longer allowed to play that role by the Constitution.

Dr Gono was hoping that the Politburo meeting on Wednesday was going to overturn the decision by Zec after the electoral body last month wrote to Zanu-PF indicating that the former Reserve Bank Governor did not meet the legal criteria required by the new Constitution.

Dr Gono was nominated by Zanu-PF Manicaland province for the Senate post and was subsequently endorsed by the Zanu-PF Politburo before Zec pointed out that he was not eligible.

Turning to the Chitepo School of Law, Cde Mnangagwa hailed Great Zimbabwe University and its Vice Chancellor Professor Rungano Zvobgo for building a state-of-the-art centre which he said was poised to be a major school of law in Southern Africa.

Cde Mnangagwa paid tribute to Prof Zvobgo for presiding over the rapid transformation and growth of GZU within a space of only two years.

The law school will enroll its inaugural group of 16 students on October 27 and is named after Zimbabwe liberation war icon and former Zanu chairman Cde Herbert Chitepo who was a distinguished lawyer.

Cde Chitepo died in a car bomb explosion in Zambia at the height of the liberation war in 1975.

Minister Mnangagwa

George Maponga in MASVINGO
Government is on course to finalising the realignment of laws with the new Constitution, with Cabinet having already approved amendments to 206 laws out of the 400 that require synchronisation with the new charter.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa said the ministry would hold district workshops early next year to popularise the amendments and the new Constitution.

In an interview soon after delivering a public lecture at Great Zimbabwe University last Friday, Minister Mnangagwa said Zimbabweans should be patient as the realignment process would take more time owing to a number of challenges, chief among them lack of resources for the exercise.

The minister said the Cabinet committee, which he chairs, would scrutinise the amendments approved by Cabinet before sending the laws to Parliament for printing and eventual debate.

He said some of the laws required minor changes such as wording, while others required to be overhauled with substantive amendments.
“The exercise to align our laws with the new Constitution is, of course, being affected by constraints such as lack of resources and limited time under which Parliament will be seated, but we hope to have completed about 90 percent of the exercise in the first or second quarter of next year,” Minister Mnangagwa said.

“At the moment, we want to make sure the new Constitution is available in four official languages, that is Shona, Ndebele, English and Tonga, but we hope to eventually translate it into other official languages such as Numbya that are recognised under the new Constitution.’’

He said about 1,2 million copies of the new Constitution had been printed in the four official languages for distribution to the public, with more copies to be printed to bring the number to at least two million.

He said Zimbabwe’s future was bright owing to the expanded democratic space and personal freedoms enshrined in the new Constitution, which was better compared to the Lancaster House Constitution which it replaced.

Minister Mnangagwa cited provisions such as the creation of commissions to deal with matters like corruption, human rights, gender and the media as an indication that Zimbabwe was on the right path in pursuit of socio-economic development.

He said the creation of the National Prosecuting Authority, an independent body with powers to institute investigations into crime and prosecute, was among the highlights of the new charter.

The Government has been urged to move with speed with the realignment of the laws, with the Constitutional Court risking being clogged with people seeking justice under the new Constitution.

Businessman Mr Mutumwa Mawere was the first to approach the court with a challenge on the Electoral Act, saying the new Constitution allowed dual citizenship and as such he should have been allowed to cast his ballot in the July 31, 2013 harmonised elections despite holding South African citizenship.

In February this year, the Constitutional Court underscored the need to urgently align immigration regulations with the new Constitution to avoid breaches of citizens’ rights to free movement.

This was in the case in which Dr Farai Madzimbamuto – son of the late national hero Cde Daniel Madzimbamuto – sought freedom to travel and live in Zimbabwe with his South African passport without applying for a residence permit.

In his address during the public lecture, Minister Mnangagwa said realisation of the fruits of the new charter was a process and not an event and challenged Zimbabweans not to succumb in the face of Western adversity.

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
ZANU-PF is successfully reclaiming and retaining urban constituencies from the MDC-T, with the party’s massive win in the Chitungwiza Ward 25 by-election over the weekend being the latest show of its strength in cities and towns.
The ruling party’s win in Chitungwiza followed President Mugabe’s recent call in an address to Zanu-PF supporters at the Harare International Airport on his return from the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly last week that Harare province should work towards reclaiming lost seats.

In the latest win, Cde Simpison Mhike garnered 993 votes against a paltry 91 votes for Mr Kenneth Chinyaure of the MDC-T, with the ruling party claiming more than 80 percent of the total votes cast.

The MDC-T was dominant in urban constituencies and wards since its formation more than a decade ago.
The massive wins being registered by Zanu-PF in the urban wards put to shame Zanu-PF’s detractors who accused the party of rigging the 2013 harmonised elections.

The general message coming out of the wins by the ruling party in the former MDC-T strongholds indicates that voters are no longer interested in the opposition party’s illegal regime change agenda.

In the parliamentary elections last year, Zanu-PF won with more than a two thirds majority, with President Mugabe garnering 61,09 percent of the presidential vote to MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai’s 33,94 percent.

In the Chitungwiza Ward 25 by-election, independent candidate Mr Cobbern Marwisa got 63 votes, while another independent, Mr Tapiwa Zengeya, managed 50, in an election in which none of the contestants troubled Cde Mhike, who is popularly known as Madzibaba from the Madzibaba Nzira apostolic sect.

The Chitungwiza by-election was held following the dismissal of Dr Fredrick Mabamba of Zanu-PF on charges of gross mismanagement of council funds and property.
This is the fourth by-election in an urban constituency since the 2013 harmonised elections and in all of them Zanu-PF asserted its authority either by reclaiming or retaining the seats.

In January 2014, Zanu-PF’s Cde Maureen Nyemba claimed 843 votes against the 835 garnered by Mr Albert Muponda of the MDC-T in Harare’s Mbare Ward 12, with Mr Takura Gadzira of the NCA party receiving 76 votes, while independent candidate Jack Ethen Muzanenhamo got 26.

In June, Zanu-PF’s Cde Charles Simbi polled 556 votes in Gweru’s Mkoba Ward 12 while Mr Fortune Chiokoyo of the MDC-T and Richard Ndlovu of the NCA, who polled 486 and 64 votes respectively.

In the Kadoma Ward 4 by-election in September last year, Cde Godfey Mavura of Zanu-PF got 503 votes, while Mr Fastmore Mandipota of the MDC-T polled 212 votes.
This came after MDC-T councillors in Kwekwe, Victoria Falls and Mutare last year voted for Zanu-PF mayors and/or deputy mayors in a show of lack of confidence in the opposition party after the harmonised elections.

Zanu-PF has also continued to assert its dominance in rural district council by-elections by winning all those that have been held so far.
In an interview yesterday, Cde Mhike said his victory was part of the fulfilment of President Mugabe’s call for Zanu-PF to reclaim its dominance in the urban areas.

“We are reclaiming and retaining all seats that had gone to the MDC-T, consistent with our President’s call that the seats should go back to the rightful people,” said Cde Mhike.

ZANU-PF now controls 1 501 wards against the MDC-T’s 442 throughout the country. There are 92 local authorities countrywide that consists of 1 958 wards.
Political analyst Mr Goodwine Mureriwa said Zimbabweans were beginning to realise that they were taken for a ride by the MDC-T at its inception.

“There was a wave of protest vote against Zanu-PF in the urban areas in the early 2000s, but people have realised that the MDC-T has nothing to offer, he said.
“If general elections were to be held today, MDC-T will be buried for good.”

Another analyst, Mr Goodson Nguni, said people in Chitungwiza realised that the MDC-T councillors had failed to represent them professionally.
“The MDC-T has lost their ground,” he said. “They do not have a good story to tell in Chitungwiza in terms of service delivery to the people.”

VP Mujuru

Brenda Phiri Herald Reporter—
Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru yesterday applauded Zimbabwean filmmakers for taking the lead in telling the true African story from an African perspective. She was speaking during the screening of a documentary, “Camarada Presidente”, which depicts the life and death of the late Mozambican president Cde Samora Moises Machel at the 16th edition of the Zimbabwe International Film Festival in Harare last night.
The screening was graced by Cde Machel’s widow Graça and daughter Josina.

“I am glad that the ZIFF with the theme Universal African recognised the need to tell the African story, using Africa’s great people, our great leaders like Comrade Samora Machel,” said Dr Mujuru.

“Quality films on such African personalities will ensure a larger share of the continent’s film making space.”
Dr Mujuru said while such stories where sensitive, they were not meant to remind the people of the losses, but the gains that came through the sacrifices.

“The documentary ‘Camarada Presidente’ is not here to remind us of the tragic and painful loss, but should inspire us to positively reflect and celebrate the worthy life of Comrade Samora Machel,” she said.

“Let this documentary serve its rightful purpose to educate our people both young and old on the value of nationhood, why other people sacrificed even their lives for it.”

Mrs Graça Machel said she was elated that the first film on the life of her late husband was documented by Zimbabweans, a reflection of the ties between the two countries’ liberation movements.

“It is the first film which is so comprehensive and it is appropriate that it is a Zimbabwean who made this film,” she said. “It is my wish there will be someone to document the strong relationship between Zanu and Frelimo.”

Mrs Graça Machel said this was crucial to ensure the young generation knew their liberation history and also to ensure that past mistakes were never repeated.

The film, which was done by Mosco Kamwendo, documents Cde Machel’s struggles before, during and after the independence of his country and the internal conflicts with Renamo induced by foreign powers.

It also shows his efforts to bring peace to neighbouring countries like Zimbabwe, South Africa, Angola and Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Cde Machel and 33 government officials and crew who were on their way from a Frontline States meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, died on October 19, 1986 when his plane crashed into the Lebombo Mountains in South Africa.

It is believed that apartheid South Africa masterminded the tragedy.

• . . . wants them relieved of their duties
• . . . calls for leaders with new ideas

The First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe arrives at the zanu-pf Conference Centre in Gweru where she addressed a highly subscribed rally yesterday. — (Picture by Justin Mutenda)

Tendai Mugabe in GWERU
ZANU-PF provincial chairpersons in major cities and provinces with major towns who have failed to reassert the ruling party’s dominance in urban areas should be dismissed to pave way for leaders with new ideas, the First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe has said.

Since election 2000, Zanu-PF’s support in the country’s two Metropolitan provinces of Harare and Bulawayo dwindled dramatically, while the party continued to play second fiddle to MDC-T in other major cities such as Mutare, Masvingo and Gweru, except in last year’s harmonised elections were only Harare and Bulawayo remained largely elusive.
Zanu-PF bagged six seats in Harare and failed to win a single constituency in Bulawayo.

Addressing a bumper crowd at the Zanu-PF Conference Centre here yesterday on the second leg of her Thank You Tour following her nomination to be appointed Women’s League Chairperson, Dr Mugabe took a swipe at some senior Zanu-PF members whom she said were working with MDC-T and other outside forces in a bid to destroy the revolutionary party.
Dr Mugabe said it was pointless to retain provincial chairpersons who appeared to have run out of all options to rejuvenate the party in urban areas.

She said even in the private sector, companies fired non-performing managers.
“Ndinonetsekana kumatowns because nyaya yemumatowns musangano wedu uri kuramba kusimba (I am concerned about the urban constituencies where our party remains weak),” she said.

“But chinongondinetsa ndechekuti musangano uchiramba kusimba, zvakadii kuti vanhu varipo ivavo vasiri kugona kuti vasimudzire mapoints vambobviswa nekuti munhu iyeye mumwe chete akambowisira musangano pasi gore rakapera, makore 10, 20 apfuura anongoramba aripo? Aiwaka! (What surprises me is that while the party performs dismally, we don’t we relieve the office holders of their positions and replace them with new teams)

“Mucompany chaimo zvazvinoitwa ukange uripo uchinzi ndiwe chief executive vakatarisa performance yako vakaona kuti you are not performing zvinonzi chimbosuduruka (Even companies fire non-performing chief executives).

“Ini ndiri kufunga kuti ndizvo zvinofanira kuitwa mumatowns. Baba (President Mugabe) vari kunetsekana kuti muHarare maseats hatisi kumbotora, hapana chiri kuitika… ukaona uine company isiri kuenderera mberi iwe wakaisa manager kuti akushandire unoramba uchingomusiya aripo here manager iyeye? (President Mugabe is worried that we are not reclaiming seats in towns. Nothing is happening. If you are an employer and you see that your manager is not performing, do you leave him/her in that position?), she asked to applause.

“Varipo mamwe mamanager anogona kutoita basa iroro. Haisi Harare chete, matowns mazhinji kusiri kuitwa basa rakanaka (There are other managers who can do that job. Its not just in Harare but other cities and towns as well)!”

Dr Mugabe said failure by Zanu-PF to have majority control in towns and cities was affecting development.
She said the MDC-T and its councillors in towns were only after regime change and not national development.

Dr Mugabe said it was unfortunate that some Zanu-PF members were now working with MDC-T to derail the revolutionary party’s economic blueprint, the Zim-Asset, as long as President Mugabe was alive.

“Chiri kutondinetsa ndechekuti tinenge tichitonzwa kuti kune vamwe vedu vave kutoshanda neMDC kuti aiwa programme yese kana Zim-Asset iyoyo ngairege kuenda mberi kana VaMugabe vachiripo (What concerns me is that we hear that some Zanu-PF leaders are working with the MDC-T to sabotage party programmes, and even national ones like Zim-Asset saying they should never succeed as long as President Mugabe is in office),” she said.

“Tinoda kuti isusu kana tazopinda then we will implement it. Ko zvikaramba? Hanzi do unto others as you would want them to do unto you.”
Dr Mugabe said the collusion with MDC-T was manifesting in Zanu-PF where some senior officials were shying away from denouncing the western-sponsored party in public.
“Ndakazviona izvozvo even pari kuitwa slogan hanzi Pamberi neZanu-PF, Pamberi neZanu-PF, Pamberi nechii (I have seen it even where they say Forward with Zanu-PF, Forward with Zanu-PF, forward with what….?,” she said.

“Slogan ini handiizivi because inini slogan ndakadzidziswa ndongoonawo ichiitwa nevamwe, but hapana akandiudza kuti unosimudza ruoko mudenga… hanzi kugara nhaka kuona dzevamwe, but manje ndichidzidza kudaro handichazivi kuti slogan chaiyo chaiyo inoitwa sei nekuti vamwe havachada kuti pasi neMDC nekuti vanenge vaine chiwirirano uko neMDC.
“Unotozviona. Dzimwe nguva vanhu vanenge vachiti munenge makanyarara hamusi kutarisa, munenge muchitoona kuti kune vamwe vanhu vakuru chaivo vasingamboti pasi neMDC.
“Tinoti pasi navo (MDC-T) nekuti ibato riri retrogressive risingadi kuti Zimbabwe ienderere mberi.”

Dr Mugabe said she witnessed a situation in Mazowe where one senior party member chanted the party slogan with an open palm.
“Makamboona slogan yakadaro kupi? Ndoslogan yedu iyoyo yekutaura uchivhura ruoko? Pasi nevanhu vakadaro,” she said.

In some cases, Dr Mugabe said, some members were saying: “Pamberi naPresident, Pamberi nePresidium” as if that was the party’s procedure.
She warned some members who were allegedly engaging in vote buying ahead of the Zanu-PF National People’s Congress in December that such nefarious activities should stop henceforth.

“Hamheno kana chiri chokwadi kana dziri nhema. Tiri kunzwa kuti kuri kuuya mari,” she said.
“Madzimai ari kusarudzwa vamwe vachipiwa vamwe vachinyimwa asi ndoda kuti ndiyambire vanhu kuti dai mazviregera tisati taenda kuCongress nekuti vanhu vari kuona. Ndakaudza umwe munhu kwataive tiri kuMashonaland West ndikamuti iwe watch your step zvauri kuita izvozvo vanhu vari kuzviona. (People are watching while some are being bribed).

“Waona pawanzi simuka utaure vanhu vange vachikuita ‘boo’. Munoziva kuti fuza risina pfungwa rinoramba zvinhu zviri pachena hanzi vanhu vange vatengwa kuti vandiite ‘boo’ ndikati gara uchifunga izvozvo. Vanhu havatengwe nemari zvaunofunga iwewe.”

Dr Mugabe said such people should learn from MDC-T which dismally failed to dislodge President Mugabe despite the massive funding by the Westminster Foundation and other Western governments.

“Asi vanhu vari kuita zvefactionalism hamudzidzi here? “she asked. (Those practicing facitionalism never learn). “Dai mari yaishanda ndinofunga kuti dai nhasi kusisina Mugabe neZanu-PF yake. Vakashandisa mari zvikavarwadza zvinhu zvikarega kuita sezvavaitarisira nekuti urongwa hwaMwari hauputswe nemunhu wenyama.
“Iye zvino vaona kuti zvaramba kuti vavake mapato ‘ana Simba Makoni, vana MDC vakati toda kushanda from within Zanu-PF.

“Ndiri kutaura izvi kuti tive very careful nekuti iye zvino kunoshandiswa mari. Ndakataura ini kuti kune vanhu vanoswera vachiti kana vaona Baba vopfugama vachiti Baba tinozokudai. Murume mukuru anotaurirwa izvozvo. Murume ari intelligent saMugabe, murume ari principled saMugabe?”

Dr Mugabe said such hypocrisy would not serve anything because President Mugabe was an intelligent and tested politician who can not be deceived by cheap trickery.
The First Lady said she was aware that some people were dishing out money to women in an attempt to dethrone President Mugabe saying he was old.

She said it was unfortunate that some of the people who were being used did not have a say when the party makes its resolutions.
Dr Mugabe urged women to be united and work together.

She said it was retrogressive to backbite each other in the party, adding that it was now time to tell each other the truth.
Dr Mugabe requested Zanu-PF at its next Politburo meeting to confront issues affecting it with an open mind.

The highly subscribed rally was also attended by several Politburo members including Cdes Emmerson Mnangagwa, Oppah Muchinguri, Eunice Sandi Moyo, Edna Madzongwe, Rugare Gumbo and several Cabinet Ministers and Members of Parliament.

Dr Mpofu

Daniel Nemukuyu Senior Court Reporter
FORMER Mines and Mining Development Minister Obert Mpofu yesterday revealed for the first time how he acquired some of his much-talked-about wealth, but said the wealth acquisition was aboveboard as it emanated from a golden handshake he got from Tregers.
Minister Mpofu, who is now the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development, was the managing director at the Zanu-PF-owned Tregers company in the 1980s.
Dismissing allegations that he asked for a $10 million bribe from Core Mining director Lovemore Kurotwi at the High Court yesterday, Minister Mpofu said he started acquiring properties as far back as 1989 after resigning from Tregers.

Asked how many properties he owned in Bulawayo, he mentioned his first acquisition as the popular Yolk House.
He said he owned another building along Main Street in Bulawayo and several other properties he acquired through “some other companies”.

Minister Mpofu said he owned number 25061 Greystone Park in Harare, 644 Borrowdale Brooke and many other properties in the city.
In Victoria Falls, Minister Mpofu said he owned a warehouse and several houses that accommodate his workers.

He told the court that he was one of the biggest cattle ranchers in Zimbabwe, with a herd of at least 4 000.
“I am one of the biggest ranchers with 4 000 head of cattle,” he said. “I am also leasing CSC (Cold Storage Commission) farms.”

Minister Mpofu refused to give a cumulative value of his properties in Zimbabwe, which has been a subject of speculation for a long time.
He told the court that he was a successful businessman and that the allegations that he solicited for a bribe from Kurotwi were ridiculous and unbelievable as he was in a position to employ him and his co-accused, Dominic Mubaiwa.

Kurotwi and Mubaiwa are being tried for allegedly defrauding the Government of $2 billion in a diamond mining joint venture.
Minister Mpofu, the State’s last witness in the trial, told the court he was even offered shares in Tregers before he ventured in a property acquisition spree through Bureau de Change businesses.

“I worked in Government for a few years until 1985 when I joined Tregers as a managing director.
“Tregers was a big company and I was offered shares in the firm.

“In 1989, when I left Tregers, I was given a golden handshake, which I used to acquire properties and have never looked back.
“We acquired several properties in the name of a company called Treble and Kays,” he said.

The court heard that the minister became a councillor for Umguza in the late 1980s before being appointed a non-constituency Member of Parliament.
Kurotwi’s lawyer Mrs Beatrice Mtetwa told the court that when Canadile Miners was dissolved, some $140 million worth of diamond stocks went missing together with $10 million cash that was in the company’s bank account.

When Kurotwi and the other shareholders in Core Mining were kicked out, Mrs Mtetwa said some dividend meant for them to the tune of $3,4 million was withheld at the instruction of the then Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation chairman Mr Godwills Masimirembwa.

Asked to comment on the whereabouts of the missing diamond stocks and the cash, Minister Mpofu said he had nothing to do with that and that he was not aware of how they disappeared.

“That is nonsense,” he said. “It is not a minister’s business and I do not know anything about that.”
Justice Chinembiri Bhunu then intervened and reprimanded Minister Mpofu for using unacceptable language in court.

“Minister, you do not use such language in court,” he warned him.
The trial continues today with Minister Mpofu being cross-examined by Mubaiwa’s lawyer Mr Unity Sakhe.

Tendai Mugabe in GWERU
Maize seed donated by the First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe in Mashonaland West province last week under the Presidential Well Wishers Inputs Scheme was stolen by a senior Zanu-PF official who donated it in his constituency.
Speaking after donating 30 tonnes of maize seed to scores of Zanu-PF supporters who attended her second rally following her nomination to be appointed Women’s League Secretary in Gweru yesterday, Dr Mugabe said she knew the politician who stole the seed and would do everything to ensure that he returned it.

“Patakaenda kuChinhoyi ndakenda neseed nekuti ndinoziva kuti Baba (President Mugabe) vane programme yavo yeInputs Scheme programme yavanopa mbeu,” she said. “Tatora mbeu idzi vamwe vedu vanodzinyika vodzigeza nzara yabaya.

“Ngatidyarei. Tikadyara dzinozotiburitsira zvakawanda. Ngationei kuti vanokodzera kuiwana vaiwana. Ngatiregei kuti kana tiri maleaders tokumba, tokumba, tokumba. Zvakashata izvozvo, zvinonyadzisa.

“Ndiri kudaro because patakaenda kuChinhoyi ndakaenda nembeu ndakazonzwa mareports kuti umwe munhu mukuru kuru akatora seed yakawanda akanopa vanhu vekuconstituency kwake.

“Achaidzosa. Ndichakuudzai kuti aidzosa nekuti handifunge kuti chinhu chakanaka ichocho kuti munhu mukuru atore zvinhu achinyima varipo achienda kunopa vasipo.”

At that juncture, some people started shouting that it was Mashonaland West provincial chair Cde Temba Mliswa and Zanu-PF political commissar Cde Webster Shamu who stole the seed.

But Dr Mugabe calmed the people saying that the two were not involved in the case. Dr Mugabe took the opportunity to urge police officers to be principled and shun corruption.

She said some police officers were harassing vendors on the streets and in the process stealing their wares.

“Ndakati ini mapurisa please dai tagara (pasi) kunyatsotaurirana nemadzimai zvakanaka nekuti madzimai ari kunetsekana. Pavanenge vave kuda kutengesa zvinhu zvavo vomhanyiswa. Mapurisa aya anoti kana vave kuda matomatoes nemaonions havadi kubvisa mari muhomwe,” she said.

Dr Mugabe said if the women were selling their wares from undesignated points, it was prudent to advise them to use legal vending points.

She urged people to work for the development of the country and shun street protests being agitated for by MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai and his allies in the civic society.

If anything, Dr Mugabe said, Zimbabweans should protest against Mr Tsvangirai, who asked for the imposition of illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe.

She said the sanctions were adversely affecting the economy because they were barring Zimbabweans from trading with the rest of the world.

“Hatidi kuitwa sevana vadiki. Tiri kunzi ngatiendei mumastreet to demonstrate. To demonstrate against who? We can only go in the streets to demonstrate against Tsvangirai kuti ngaaende kwaakakumbira mansanctions abviswe,” said Dr Mugabe.

The First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe flanked by ZCC leader Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi (left) and Senate President Cde Ednah Madzongwe in Mazowe yesterday. — (Picture by Munyaradzi Chamalimba)

Felex Share Herald Reporter
Churches yesterday rallied behind the recommendation to appoint First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe as the Zanu-PF Women’s League secretary, saying the elevation was deserved as the First Lady had uplifted the livelihoods of many Zimbabweans through her charity work.
The Churches made the announcement when hundreds of inter-denominational church leaders, drawn from the country’s 10 provinces, met Amai Mugabe at her Children’s Home in Mazowe.

The church leaders, who gathered under the banner of the Zimbabwe National Pastors Fraternal, denounced and prayed against the planned mass actions by the MDC-T, saying they were behind the Government of the day, Zanu-PF.

The colourful ceremony also saw men and women of cloth praying for a good rainy season and adequate inputs as well as an end to vices such as corruption, homosexuality and moral decadence.

Reverend Munyaradzi Pundo of Word of Faith Ministries (Bulawayo), who spoke on behalf of Matabeleland region, said the elevation of Dr Mugabe was long overdue. He said the province would rally behind Dr Mugabe as she ventured into the world of politics.

“Do not be afraid and never say you are too young in politics,” he said.

“You were chosen by God to lead that Women’s League long back. Do not be afraid because God is with you. Secondly, you have a veteran politician and leader who has led the country for over 30 years and has resisted illegal sanctions imposed by the West because of the land issue.

“You have a lot to draw from the President. Thirdly, as you enter into your position, do not fear because pane hondo yemweya yakakutsigirai inova yamakatarisana nayo — vafundisi nanamai mufundisi (there is an army of prayer warriors interceding for you — pastors and their wives). This is the air force of Zimbabwe, which is there to pray for the King and the Queen.”

Added Rev Pundo: “We thank you for accepting to lead the women. By so doing you have accepted to lead us church leaders. God has ordained you to lead and help the nation.

“We pray for the President to have more years and we have added another leader on our prayer list, Dr Grace Mugabe. We congratulate you for your achievements including the academic ones.”

The church leaders also requested Amai Mugabe to be their matron adding that they were not being fully recognised when it came to inputs distribution and allocation of stands.

Some slammed “powerful politicians” in their provinces whom they said were denying them access to land.

Pastor Clyde Tsiga from Mashonaland East, said Amai Mugabe’s elevation to become Women’s League boss was “deserving.”

“We congratulate you for your contribution to the nation and your devotion to the people of Zimbabwe is unparalleled. We congratulate you for the deserved appointment into the Women’s League, which is a major milestone in your career.

“Amai has proved beyond reasonable doubt that she is able to walk the talk as shown by her projects. Musha mukadzi and just as we were taught through our African culture that if you want something from baba you go through amai and she knows the right time, position and mood to pass these pleas. We are kindly asking you to take all our pleas to the President.”

Pastor Tsiga said the planned protests by the MDC-T were misplaced.

“We want to remind the nation that Governments are installed, ordained and retained by God and if God wants to remove them, he does,” he said.

“The Government we are working with at the moment is Zanu-PF and it was put there by the Almighty and subjects should therefore obey the Government. By obeying the Government we are being faithful to the Almighty God.” Said Reverend Amos Chaniwa of Harare: “Your elevation is not only democratic but a testimony of your good work. You have displayed qualities of a mother. Tinokudai, Tinokufarirai and Tichamira nemi murwendo rwenyu” (We love you, we are happy for you and we will support you along this journey).

Reverend Godwell Khosa (Mashonaland West) and Pastor Andrew Gunha (Mashonaland Central) said Dr Mugabe’s invitation to the Women’s League had come at a critical moment as the country was looking for solutions to turn around the economy.

Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi of the Zion Christian Church, said the proliferation of churches in the country was a result of indigenisation that he said should filter down to all aspects of life including culture.

“We should guard against foreign influence,” he said.

“Some are using money even in churches to disturb our national targets, but if we pray together the vision of empowerment will be realised fully. We are here to bless not to curse the leadership.”

In response, Amai Mugabe said there should be great collaboration between Government and the church adding that it was everyone’s responsibility to ensure that the Government’s economic blueprint, Zim-Asset becomes a success.

She urged Zimbabweans to plan for the future saying she was not carrying out philanthropic projects to get “public adoration”.

“You must know there is a tomorrow,” Amai Mugabe said.
“Your tomorrow depends on yesterday. Let us not forget that retirement comes. Some people have this perception that whatever Amai does should be for free. I am also just like you. If I do not organise and plan properly things do not go well.”

She added: “The State House is a place where it is so nice to live so much that if you succumb to that warmth you can forget about tomorrow. I could have sat on my laurels saying I am the President’s wife, busy doing my nails, hair, having those massages but I said I will have none of that.

“God brought me into the State House for a purpose. I want others to learn from my story. I work hard, I never look back. Life is like walking a tight rope. Focus on what is ahead, if you keep looking back you will fall. I get up kuchiri kutema. If you want to die poor sleep. I also fast and pray hard for guidance.”

Turning to her nomination to head the Women’s League, Dr Mugabe said the move would make her realise her dream of “ministering to people.”
“Somebody asked me what I wanted to do after retirement and I have my answer,” she said.

“I want to minister to people but I realise I may not have the time. They are asking me to lead the women, but I have said that you are giving me a forum to preach. As I move working with women I am also going to remind them of the good works of the Almighty. The women approached me to work with them and I said yes we can work together and I felt honoured that they think that I can work with them and here you are, other groups have come to weigh in their support that Amai we are very happy you have been chosen to work with women.”

Amai Mugabe promised to forward the churches’ grievances to the President and responsible authorities.

“All your grievances I have heard and I assure you that I will take them to the ears that must hear,” she said.

“I am glad you have come to the realisation that you also need land and I am going to take this message to him. I think this will make our legislators to think again on how land should be distributed — it must cater for everybody. We should not hesitate to talk to our legislators.

“The demand for land is going to increase. I have got children and I am going to have grandchildren and great grandchildren and if you do not have land they are going to ask you where you were when others were getting the land.”

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
THE punch-drunk MDC-T has withdrawn from participating in all future by-elections in the wake of heavy defeats at the hands of a resurgent Zanu-PF, party insiders have revealed.
The defeats have whittled the opposition party’s perceived dominance in urban areas where it now largely plays second fiddle to the revolutionary party, Zanu-PF.

The main opposition party, which is seeking an unconstitutional change of Government through street protests, has chickened out of the electoral ring after its latest humiliating defeat in Chitungwiza Ward 25 by-election on Saturday, where Zanu-PF’s Cde Simbiso Mhike polled 993 votes against a paltry 91 votes scored by Mr Kenneth Chinyaure (MDC-T) with the revolutionary party claiming over 80 percent of total votes cast.

Since it’s crashing defeat in the July 31 2013 harmonised elections, MDC-T continued to play second fiddle to Zanu-PF in local authority by-elections that have been held across the country.

The general message coming out of the wins by the ruling party in MDC-T’s former strongholds indicates that voters are no longer interested in the opposition party’s regime change agenda.

This forced the party to converge and reflect on how to deal with its waning support base, a situation that has seen it resolving to stop participating in future by-elections.

MDC-T spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora confirmed yesterday that they had withdrawn from participating in by-elections citing what he called “an uneven playing field’’ skewed in favour of Zanu-PF.

“We have stopped participating in by-elections. We feel that the playing field is largely uneven.

“We need electoral reforms; we need access to election material like an electronic voters’ roll among other reforms. When the resolution was reached, some of the candidates had already been nominated and therefore appeared on the ballot paper particularly in Chitungwiza,” said Mr Mwonzora.

Despite the MDC-T‘s claims of an uneven playing field, the by-elections have been held under the same conditions in which the harmonised polls for July 31 2013 were held.

In Chitungwiza’s ward 25 two other independent candidates, Mr Cobbern Marwisa and Tapiwa Zengeya got 63 and 50 votes, respectively in an election in which the MDC-T in some polling stations got less votes than theindependent candidates.

For example, Mr Chinyaure (MDC-T) got a single vote while Mr Marwisa (Independent) got three votes at DDF Seke Hall B. At Seke Teachers’ College the MDC-T candidate polled five votes against Mr Marwisa’s nine.

The Chitungwiza by-election was held following the dismissal of Dr Fredrick Mabamba on charges of gross mismanagement of council funds and property.

This is the fourth by-election in an urban constituency and in all of them Zanu-PF has asserted its dominance either by reclaiming or retaining seats.

In January 2014, Zanu-PF’s Cde Maureen Nyemba polled 843 votes against the 835 garnered by Mr Albert Muponda of the MDC-T, with Mr Takura Gadzira of the NCA party receiving 76 votes, while independent candidate Jack Ethen Muzanenhamo got 26 votes.

In June, Zanu-PF’s Cde Charles Simbi polled 556 votes in Mkoba’s ward 12 while Mr Fortune Chifokoyo of the MDC-T and Richard Ndlovu of the NCA polled 486 and 64 votes, respectively.

Last month in Kadoma Ward 4, Mr Godfey Mavura of Zanu-PF got 503 votes while Fastmore Mandipota of the MDC-T polled 212 votes.

Zanu-PF has also continued to assert its dominance in several rural district council by-elections that have been held across the country.

The most recent one is where the revolutionary party’s Cde Typewriter Chiuswa won in Chivi ward 14 uncontested after MDC-T’s Mr Tawanda Chitagu withdrew from the race.

It has been the same story in Masvingo province where in Ward 32 in Zaka, Zanu-PF retained its leadership position with candidate Cde Togarepi Toruvanda scoring 861 votes in the by-election held last month.

The MDC-T’s Elias Mutava got 107 votes, while NCA candidate Enock Chikamhi received 62.

Mildred Chiri

Zvamaida Murwira and Nyemudzai Kakore
AUDITOR-General Ms Mildred Chiri has unearthed serious irregularities in local authorities’ operations that include the corrupt allocation of stands, payment of ghost workers and management awarding themselves salary increments without following laid down procedures.
In her 2012 report, Ms Chiri noted that Harare City Council was collecting rentals for its properties in foreign currency when the tenants had their lease agreements denominated in Zimbabwe dollars, creating room for fraud through connivance and understatements.

In Chitungwiza, the audit observed that management irregularly awarded themselves car loans to the tune of $300 000, while in Chipinge salaries for ghost workers were deposited in some senior council officials’ accounts.

In Mutare, the town clerk usurped the powers of the housing department to allocate stands in circumstances that smacked of corruption.

This comes against the backdrop of deteriorating service delivery in most local authorities that are failing to provide basic services like garbage collection, provision of clean water and sanitation.

According to the audit report, management at Chitungwiza awarded themselves car loans amounting to about $300 000 without any supporting documents like application forms and loan agreements.

Ms Chiri noted that management in the town granted themselves loans without formalising them, a situation that she said raised the risk of loss in the event of disputes, and a recipe for fraud.

“Council’s management were granted car loans totalling $284 000 at five percent interest per annum repayable over three years. However, these loans were not supported by loan application forms and loan agreements, but were simply given following a council resolution,” read the report.

Ms Chiri noted that the municipality had long-standing bank reconciling items.

“Some of the amounts were deposited but did not reflect in the account and some amounts were withdrawn,” she said.

The audit showed that over $1 million was withdrawn at different intervals, but no supporting documents were produced to show the purpose for which the money was withdrawn or transferred.

“The Treasurer’s department failed to justify the validity or occurrence of such transactions and they were not traceable to the cash book,” read the report.

With respect to Mutare City Council, the audit report showed that the town clerk, whose name was not given, usurped the role of the housing department to administer commercial, institutional and industrial stands.

The audit could not authenticate the basis used to select beneficiaries since there was no waiting list maintained by the local authority.

“There is potential risk of corruption in the disposal of stands when there is no clear basis of allocation and the checking of irregularities in stands sales is highly compromised when this mandate is maintained in the hands of one person,” read the report.

In his response, the town clerk said conferring the role to the housing department would result in work overload and a further downfall as the department was already experiencing problems in administering stands.

“As the town clerk, I will appoint a more senior council official who will be responsible for the sale of these stands,” said the unnamed town clerk.

On Chipinge town council, the audit unearthed ghost workers where 13 people were on the payroll whose existence could not be validated through personal files or letters of appointment.

“Salaries for these people were collected by members of management rather than credited to bank accounts as other employees,” read the report.
All the employees had the designation of gardeners.

First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe is flanked by zanu-pf Secretary for Women’s League Cde Oppah Muchinguri (left) and Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Minister Cde Eunice Sandie Moyo at her “Meet the People” rally at the City Sports Centre in Harare yesterday

Farirai Machivenyika and Felex Share
Zanu-PF Secretary for Women’s Affairs Cde Oppah Muchinguri yesterday said the decision to ask the First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe to lead the party organ was meant to stem factionalism that had taken root in the party.
She said the divisions had reached alarming levels that some office bearers were no longer able to carry out their official duties in some provinces.
Cde Muchinguri said this at Amai Mugabe’s “Meet the People” rally at the City Sports Centre in Harare yesterday.

“Isu seWomen’s League, ini ndoda kutaura saMai Muchinguri taona kuti zviro zvanga zvanetsa nenyaya yefactionalism vanhu vanga vasingachatarisani,” she said.

“Ndikamira nachairwoman zvonzi ava kufaction yanhingi ndikada kumira navaMidzi zvonzi urikufaction yanhingi. Pasi nefactionalism! Ndinodaira kuti pavanaAmai pava neaccess. Muchinguri anga ati akada kuita meeting wonzi hatikudi kuprovince kwedu. Ndichitadza kuita mameetings asi ndiri mukuru weWomen’s League. Interference ichiitwa.

“Machairwoman pasi anga asingachabvumidzwe kuita musangano. Aaah regedzai machairwomen aite mameeting avo.”

Cde Muchinguri said in some provinces she found some of her subordinates holding meetings behind her back.

She also said even the party’s organs were not being respected and the coming on board of the First Lady would end the practices.

“Zvino zvapana Amai Mugabe muchaita twuma meeting twepaside here veduwe?,” she said. “Hatuchagoneke zvaoma izvi, zvabinder izvi, ndo dhiri rakarongwa iri.

“Tine maorgans anozivikanwa kuti kuWomen’s League tine national conference toita national assembly toenda national executive tozouya paprovince zvichidaro, ndomastructures edu. Respect us as the Women’s League,” Cde Muchinguri said to applause and cheers from the crowd.

She urged members to respect the party’s constitution and castigated rumour mongers that were sowing divisions in the party.

“Munhu ngaamire panzvimbo pake,” she said. “Ndozvirikuputsa musangano weZanu-PF. Makuhwa muite mashoma. Mai Mugabe havana makuhwa unodaidzwa wonzi mira apa, mira apo, wanga uchitii? Hauzonyara here?”

Cde Muchinguri said Amai Mugabe was chosen to lead the Women’s League because she was the mother of the nation and had a track record of taking care of orphans, widows and other vulnerable communities.

She said a First Lady’s motherly role should be felt in every part of the country and that Amai Mugabe was God-fearing, adding that some party officials pretended to be Christians when they were the opposite.

She said such pretenders were gradually destroying the party.

“Kune vamwe vanopfeka mauniform asi vachityisa,” she said. “Kune vamwe vanopfeka mauniform asi vari vemakuhwa, vamwe vachiputsa misha dzevanhu, vamwe vachipopota, zvinobuda mumukanwa umu, sorry. They have no respect, dignity hapana.

“Tinodzinga vanhu mumusangano. Tikaita meeting kutuka vanhu chete. Vanhu vanotizaka. Rudo rwakazara pana Amai vedu.

“Munhu anoda kushanda nemunhu wese. Munhu anoda kubatanidza vanhu vese munhu anoda kuyananisa.”

Cde Muchinguri, who is also the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development, handed over $3 000 to Ruvimbo Stone Sculptures under her ministry’s revolving fund for women projects.