Frank Buyanga

Daniel Nemukuyu Senior Court Reporter—
The Supreme Court has confirmed the transaction in which Zimcor Trustees Limited acquired a Mt Pleasant property and later sold it to Boka Investments. Zimcor, under the directorship of businessman Mr Frank Buyanga, acquired shares in Rasar Investments which owned Stand Number 671 Mt Pleasant in Harare.

Mr Buyanga then sold shareholding in the same company to Mr Mathew Boka of Boka Investments.

The original directors of Rasar Investments led by Dr Webster Rushesha contested the transactions at the High Court and obtained an order nullifying them.

He argued that the property belonged to his two minor children who were the registered shareholders for Rasar Investments.

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Zimcor and Boka Investments took the matter to the Supreme Court on appeal where Justice Bharat Patel quashed the High Court decision and validated the transactions.

Justice Patel sitting with Justices Luke Malaba and Paddington Garwe, allowed the appeal with costs.

“The appeals in Case Number SC453 /13 and SC446/ 13 be and are hereby allowed with costs.

“The judgment of the court a quo is set aside and substituted with the following:

“The plaintiffs’ claims are dismissed with costs,” ruled the judge.

Justice Patel ruled that the formation and administration of the original Rasar Investments was marred with misrepresentation and fraud.

“To sum up, the net effect of all the aforementioned evidential deficiencies was to irremediably undermine Rushesha’s case as pleaded in the summons and declaration,” he said.

“They demonstrate that the formation of Rasar Investments and its subsequent control and administration were severely afflicted by misrepresentation, probably fraudulent, rendering it almost impossible to ascertain the precise status and contention that his minor children were the lawfully registered owners of the total issued share capital of Rasar Investments.”

Justice Patel ruled that the High Court erred in nullifying the transactions involving Zimcor.

“The court a quo clearly erred in upholding his claim (Dr Rushesha) and consequently invalidating the sale and transfer of shares to Zimcor and the subsequent sale of the property to Boka Investments,” he said.

Dr Rushesha acquired the property and later relocated to the United Kingdom for professional employment.

According to Dr Rushesha, he asked his brother-in-law Mr Alexio Dera, to set up a company called Rasar Investments.

The property was then registered in the name of Rasar as the company’s sole asset.

The directors of Rasar were Dr Rushesha, his wife and Mr Dera, while the two minor children were registered as shareholders.

When Dr Rushesha moved to UK in 2003, Mr Dera concluded a sale agreement of shares to Zimcor.

Dr Rushesha later tried to nullify the sale arguing that the property belonged to the children who did not consent to the sale.

Victoria Ruzvidzo Managing Editor
SADC chairperson President Mugabe has left Harare for Gaborone, Botswana to visit the regional body’s headquarters. This is his first visit since assuming chairman’s last year. Presidential spokesperson Mr George Charamba said the visit was routine.‘It’s a requirement that the chairperson of Sadc must visit the headquarters during the course of his tenure so he is fulfilling that,” said Mr Charamba.

President Mugabe is accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi.

The Sadc chair is expected to address staff at the headquarters as part of his familiarisation tour. He is also expected to call on the host country President Ian Khama.

President Mugabe was seen off at Harare International Airport by chief secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda, Harare Provincial Affairs minister Miriam Chikukwa, service chiefs and other Government officials.

Details to follow…

President Mugabe being welcomed at Seretse Khama International Airport by that country’s Foreign Minister Dr Pelonomi Venson Moitoi, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Botswana Tommy Mandigora

From Victoria Ruzvidzo in GABORONE, Botswana
SADC chairman President Mugabe, arrived here yesterday for a tour of the regional body’s headquarters, the first such visit since he assumed office last August.

The President was met at Seretse Khama International Airport by Botswana Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Pelonomi Venson Moitoi, Sadc Executive Secretary Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax, Zimbabwe’s Foreign Affairs Secretary Ambassador Joey Bimha and other senior Government officials from both countries.

President Mugabe was also welcomed at his hotel by scores of Zimbabweans youths based here who broke into song and dance praising him as an able leader who made Zimbabwe and the rest of the continent proud.

The Sadc chair, who is expected to attend a luncheon hosted for him by Botswana President Seretse Khama Ian Khama today, is accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and other Government officials.

Last night he held a closed door meeting with the Sadc executive and will today tour the offices to meet with the rest of the staff. President Mugabe is also the chairman of the African Union.

Presidential spokesperson Mr George Charamba said it was mandatory that the Sadc chairperson visits the headquarters for familiarization during his reign.

“It is a requirement that the chairperson of Sadc must visit the headquarters during the course of his tenure so he is fulfilling that,” he said.

The visit comes hard on the heels of an Extraordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government held in Harare last month. The meeting, attended by 10 heads of State and Government and other high ranking representatives, approved the Sadc Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap while reaffirming the importance of industrial development in poverty alleviation and the region’s economic emancipation, among its resolutions.

Sadc’s overall objective is to achieve regional integration and poverty alleviation.

When he assumed office, President Mugabe assured the regional grouping that Zimbabwe would contribute significantly towards ensuring the region focused on interventions that had the greatest impact on the well being of Sadc citizens.

The need for the region 0to beneficiate its natural resources to ensure economic and social development was of utmost importance, he said.

Sadc headquarters were inaugurated in 2010 by Heads of State and Government during a Summit held here.

The Sadc Secretariat is the principal executive institution responsible for strategic planning, facilitation, coordination and management of the regional grouping’s programmes.

Some of its key priorities areas are grouped as trade, industry, finance and investment; infrastructure and services; food, agriculture and natural resources; and social and human development.

These cut across issues of gender and development, science and technology, information and communications technologies and environment and sustainable development.

Preparations are already underway for the Tripartite meeting scheduled Egypt next month to harmonise Sadc, the Common Market for East and Southern Africa and the East African Community.

Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation must scrap listeners’ licences which rake in $5,7 million per year and replace them with subscription fees that can generate up to $15 million annually, a forensic audit carried out on the firm has recommended.

The audit was done by KPMG Chartered Accountants to establish what transpired and what could be done to improve ZBC’s operations following corruption allegations against its board and top management.

The report indicated that top management prejudiced the corporation of nearly $25 million through salaries and inflated allowances.

The ZBC board, led by Dr Cuthbert Dube, has since been replaced, while top managers have been suspended, with some officials in court over mismanagement of the public broadcaster.

The KPMG forensic audit report was presented to Parliament by Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo on Monday.

The report said as part of restructuring, the ZBC licensing department should be abolished.

It said a technical operator, preferably Transmedia, should take over management of the spectrum on behalf of the Government while broadcasters compete on content.

KPMG said ZBC revenues were likely to increase significantly with the scrapping of licences.

“Licence fees, currently amounting to $5 710 428 as per 31 December 2013 financial report, will be removed and replaced by subscription fees currently estimated at $15 million for year one,” reads the report.

The TV licence for the two ZBC channels is $30 per year and KPMG said the ongoing digitisation should result in better quality of content at the same price or less.

“Also, the lowest rate charged by Multi-choice is $10 for 27 channels and ZBC will need to have a fee that is significantly lower so as to attract subscribers,” the report reads.

KPGM said abolishing licence fees and replacing them with subscription fees was part of measures to improve revenue streams.

“The technical operator should have the responsibility of managing the multiplexers and signal distribution,” reads the report.

“The technical operator will be precluded from any form of broadcasting services.

“This creates an environment where the ‘head end” is managed by the signal distributor and allows competition among broadcasters on content. This is also frees up resources and time to broadcasters to concentrate on broadcasting and content production,” it said.

“Preclusion from broadcasting activities will ensure independence and objectivity by the technical operator. Having the technical operator managing the head end will enable subscribers to use one Set Top Box to access the different broadcasters’ programmes.”

KPMG also recommended that Transmedia be responsible for inserting conditional access to all broadcast signals so that customers only access signals they have paid for.

“The technical operator inserts conditional access into all broadcast signals and will allow customers access to channels they have paid for. Conditional access will only allow pay TV for both ZBC and private broadcasters and the spectrum manager will collect subscriptions and remit them to the various broadcasters at the pre-agreed rates,” the reports reads.

KPMG said $3 per month be levied on all viewers. This should cover two ZBC channels with the amount being shared by the broadcaster and the technical partner at rates to be determined.

“Recommended viewers’ fees should be $3 per month and this will cover ZBC’s two channels, one full spectrum channel and another one,” the report read. “This amount will be split between the technical operator and ZBC at rates to be determined. This recommendation will be an alternative to the current licence fees,” it said.

“All viewers should be required to pay the basic $3 per month before they can pay for other channels either from ZBC or from private players.

“Three dollars is a basic viewers’ fee for all viewers and entitles them to watch the two basic ZBC channels.”

The country is going through a digitisation process, with Government committed to beat the June 17 International Telecommunications Union deadline to switch from analogue to digital broadcasting.

This will result in the availability of more broadcasting frequencies and the likely entrance of more private players in the sector.

The payment of ZBC licences is already a contentious issue, with Harare West legislator Jessie Majome recently taking the public broadcaster to court over the matter.

Apart from abolishing the licensing system, KPMG recommended that ZBC cut its staff of nearly 1 000 by 40 percent.

As at February 2014, ZBC had 962 employees.

Daniel Nemukuyu Senior Court Reporter
The electoral reform process is already underway, with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission practically having taken over from the Registrar-General, the responsibility to register voters and conduct all national elections in terms of the new Constitution, Government has said.

Responding to a case in which MDC-T is challenging the constitutionality of holding elections before aligning the Electoral Act to the new supreme law, Government lawyers said while the Electoral Act was yet to be amended, credible elections could be held under prevailing conditions.

President Mugabe, together with Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, were listed in the application as the 4th and 5th respondents, respectively, in their official capacities and lawyers from the AG’s Office are representing them.

In the application filed in January this year, the Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC-T sought to stop by-elections and any other polls before the alignment of the Electoral Act.

The party argued that ZEC, in terms of the new Constitution, was mandated to register voters, compile voters’ rolls and registers, ensure the proper custody and maintenance of voters’ rolls and registers, among others, but that it had not yet assumed those duties.

In the heads of argument filed last week by the AG’s Office, Government urged the Constitutional Court to dismiss the challenge, arguing that the objections raised in the matter were petty and could not stop a democratic electoral process.

“In practice, the first respondent (ZEC) has taken over all the responsibilities assigned to it in terms of the Constitution,” Government said.

“There is thus substantial harmony between the (Electoral) Act and the Constitution such that it is possible to carry out the democratic process of holding elections . . .

“The inconsistencies complained of are not so material as to warrant stopping the holding of any pending election.

“Some of these changes simply entail replacing the word “Registrar of Voters” with “Zimbabwe Electoral Commission” where this exists on paper,” read the heads of argument.

Government said the alignment of the Act had begun and that minor amendments could not stop an election.

“It is worth highlighting that the alignment of all legislation to the Constitution is a mammoth task, which cannot be completed overnight,” it said.

“The Government is, however, committed to the duty of aligning all legislation to the new Constitution.

“It would, however, defeat the very rights protected in terms of the Constitution if a democratic process is to be stopped because of minor changes, which ought to be effected to our law in line with the Constitution,” the papers read.

Government further argued that the holding of elections while alignment of laws was underway was permissible under the current legal framework in Zimbabwe.

The MDC-T, in the application, argued that failure by ZEC to commence voter registration by January 15, 2015, was a violation of Section 17A of the Constitution.

The party argued that the announcement by ZEC on January 24 this year that it was embarking on a voter registration and inspection of voters’ roll did not cure the “fatally defective status” of the current electoral environment.

Graphical portrayal of Professor Jonathan Moyo and his interlocutor the BBC’s Stephen Sackur

Government spokesman, Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister, Professor Jonathan Moyo (JM), on Monday appeared on the British Broadcasting Corporation’s HARDtalk programme where he  was interviewed by  anchor, Stephen Sackur (SS). We  publish the full transcript of the interview . . .

SS: Jonathan Moyo, welcome to HARD Talk

JM: Thank you.

SS: Would you agree with the proposition that Zimbabwe is in desperate need of change?

JM: Well, it depends on what you mean by change. We are a country which is a product of revolutionary change and therefore revolution has always been part of our project, and we are still implementing the agenda of our revolution.

SS: Hard to embrace the notion of Zimbabwe changing very much when you have a President who has ruled this country for three-and-a-half decades and who is now aged 91.

JM: He is the one who led the Independence struggle; led the revolution and, as I just said, the agenda of the revolution is still with us. We are better off as a country with the leadership that understands our revolution and its objectives than with a leadership which may be in fact at odds with the objectives of that revolution.

SS: But I come back to the inevitability of ageing and succession. I mean the fact is that Robert Mugabe, an immense figure in this country and across Africa, is 91 years old and it is quite clear that in the politics of Zimbabwe today there is a real focus on what next, the succession, and it seems to me it is beginning to destabilise politics in this country.

JM: Well, that proposition would make sense if you were not looking at it against the background of a very recent election. Hardly 20 or so months ago, we had a general election and it was up to the people of Zimbabwe to address precisely that question. And it is common cause that in overwhelming numbers they addressed that question in favour of President Mugabe. Which means that as far as the Zimbabwean people are concerned, it is about having a leader who has the wisdom to understand precisely the sort of challenges that our country faces today rather than having a leader who may be young but foolish.

SS: Barely, you know it is barely what, five of six months since one of the vice presidents of this country Joice Mujuru was unceremoniously removed from office with the wife of the President saying that she (Mujuru) was plotting to kill both the President and herself, Grace Mugabe and that, to quote Grace Mugabe, “dogs and fleas would not disturb her carcass”. That is instability, is it not?

JM: No that is political banter . . .

SS: Banter?

JM: …and Zimbabweans as human beings who engage in politics…

SS: But when you accuse the Vice President of trying to kill the President that’s not banter?

JM: Well, the fact of the matter is this is a statement coming from the run-up to our congress and it is a fact that there were quite some serious allegations which were not created by the First Lady but there were all over the place in the body politic. And it was very important to have a courageous person in the form of the First Lady Dr Mugabe to speak to that issue.

SS: With respect, and this is Joice Mujuru’s view on this, not one shred of evidence was produced to back the claims made by Grace Mugabe. Joice Mujuru said “a vociferous attempt has been made to portray me as a traitor, a murderer and a sellout and there is not one iota of evidence to give any credibility to these allegations”. What we see is vicious infighting now inside Zanu-PF, the ruling party.

JM: No, you saw a very spirited run- up to the congress which the ruling party holds every five years and it was very important that all the issues play out in the open and when that happens it is more evidence of a democracy at work rather than the allegation of instability.

SS: Let us talk a little bit about Emmerson Mnangagwa. He is now the heir-apparent after the Joice…

JM: That’s your view. Don’t state it as a fact.

SS: Well, he is the Vice President of the country, that’s not my view.

JM: He is a Vice President of the country, one of the two appointed by the President to assist him to implement the President’s agenda related to his pledges to the electorate…

SS: After Joice Mujuru was fired,

JM: No, no , no, I want to explain this . . .

SS: . . . was politically obliterated, Emmerson Mnangagwa by all accounts across this country is seen as the man who will be the next President.

JM: You can ask those who see him that way . . .

SS: Do you not see him that way?

JM: He is an appointed Vice President. The President did not appoint him so that he could succeed him. He appointed him so that he could assist him to implement the policy programme of the Government.

SS: Do you think that a man, and this is Mr Mnangagwa, who will always be associated with the massive abuse of human rights in the military campaign in the early 1980s which saw between 10 and 20 000 Ndebele people killed in Matabeleland, do you think he is the right man to take Zimbabwe forward in the 21st century?

JM: Look, it’s a strawman you are setting up and you are making a lot of assumptions without any evidence to support them. I repeat he has been appointed to assist the President. As for these associations you are alleging this is the stuff that you find in the newspapers. He is …

SS: It’s not just in the newspapers, it’s in the US State Department, it’s in a whole series of human rights reports from international organisations. We know for example that during this campaign, Mr Mnangagwa, he said, that he would shorten the stay on earth of any cockroaches who opposed Mr Mugabe. This now the man who is talked of as Zimbabwe’s next President. I just wonder if that is healthy.

JM: I want to repeat, this reference to him as the next President is yours and it is a burden that you should unravel for yourself and not state as a fact. However, it is also a fact we know as Zimbabweans that between 1980 and 1987 we went through a very dark period and a lot of things were done and said by elements of the political leadership including Emmerson Mnangagwa which are totally unacceptable…

SS: Forgive me for getting personal, but I believe you lost family members in that military campaign?

JM: Yes I did.

SS: And I just wonder whether you, personally, given your history, could countenance a man so closely associated with the mass killings becoming the next President of your country?

JM: What I can tell you is that before he departed, the late former Vice President Joshua Nkomo, who was much more involved with these issues that you are raising than yourself or anyone else who makes reference to them, entered into a Unity Accord which addressed those issues and we have learnt from that Unity Accord that it is far better to build bridges than to harbour grudges. It is not wise in politics to carry grudges with you.

SS: Just a final point on the leadership issue and then I want to move on to substantive policy areas, but on the leadership issue, late last year, I have already mentioned her but she became very significant in political terms that is the wife of the President: Grace Mugabe. She became the leader of the women’s movement inside Zanu-PF, many people began to see her as a potential future leader of the country and yet in recent weeks and months she’s played a very low profile. Is Grace Mugabe in your view as one of the most senior figures in Zanu-PF a future potential leader of this country?

JM: First of all it is a fact that she is a leader today not in future. The position of Secretary for Women’s League or Affairs is a leadership position in the ruling party and senior position at that. But if you are asking me is she a future President or some such thing, then of course you must know that it is always the people who decide that.

SS: Let’s talk about different challenging policy areas for this Government. One is human rights, you know because you have been Information Minister at various points over the last 14, 15 years that this Government, Zanu-PF Government, has been accused consistently of abusing human rights. Now in recent years there appears to have been some recognition in the international community that the record has improved somewhat but only in recent days we have seen another prominent anti-Government activist and campaigner, Itai Dzamara disappear . . . He was walking close to his home (and) he was abducted. He has not been seen for more than 50 days.

JM: Yes that’s very …

SS: Who took him?

JM: … that’s very sad and whoever took him, and we don’t know who took him, perhaps only those who took him and God know where he is. But the fact that one person disappears is obviously of concern to the Government and we have made our position as Government very clear. However, people disappear every day. You are mentioning one person but in fact we have quite some porous borders. A lot of people cross the border without our knowledge.

SS: This is the man who was staging a sit-in strike against the Mugabe government …

JM: Indeed.

SS: …who demanded that the President resign…

JM: Indeed, indeed.

SS: …and you are telling me that it’s just coincidental he’s disappeared and that he may have run off across the border?

JM: Indeed, I mean we know only too well here in Zimbabwe for example that in the UK people are disappearing every day; some who would have been making public statements against the government there. They disappear, cross the borders, many borders and end up in Syria with the British government not know- ing.

SS: This now represents, this case of Mr Dzamara, it represents another dark cloud hanging over your relationship with those countries including the United States and the European Union who currently impose sanctions upon your Government because of your long record of abusing human rights. This is another problem you’ve got.

JM: Well, we do not hold the American government accountable to the very worrying loss of black lives in the United States at the hands of the police. Just right now there is a case going on in Baltimore involving a Mr Grey in some city …

SS: And the US authorities are held to account for that just as I am trying to hold you to account.

JM: …just like we are doing that and we don’t do it in a manner that spoils normal diplomatic relations. We do it in a manner that recognises the mutual responsibilities that states have under international law.

SS: All right, let’s talk about a different aspect of accountability then. Would you accept that your Government must accept responsibility for 15 years of disastrous economic mismanagement?

JM: You know what? It is common cause to everyone around the world that the period you are talking about saw an unprecedented onslaught against this country. And the British government and its allies imposed sanctions seeking to damage the economy in the hope of causing mass disaffection against the government … they wanted a failed state in Zimbabwe but as we see it today against the background of that 15-year period, Zimbabwe is not a failed state. They wanted the President to fail; the President is not a failed leader.

SS: It’s an economically failed state …

JM: No, it’s not.

SS: Seventy-two percent of Zimbabweans living below the poverty line according to the World Food Programme. Eighty percent of people without regular employment. More than 80 percent of people destined to work only in the informal sector. Let me show you this newspaper (brandishing The Daily News). This is today’s newspaper: “Zimbabwe reduced to a nation of vendors”. This is what your Government is delivering.

JM: Well you have picked a well-known opposition newspaper. I can do that in Britain, in America; anywhere in the world there is no shortage of lunatic fringe press in those countries. But let me tell me you one thing…

SS: I don’t need to read the newspapers to see that the economy in Harare …

JM: Well, that’s what you have just done.

SS: I know but it simply confirms what I see with my own eyes …

JM: Stephen.

SS: You go outside this posh hotel…and you see that people in Harare are making a living subsisting in the illegitimate informal economy. It is the only way to survive.

JM: Two points, two points. You have just picked a newspaper and not an economic report. Secondly, you have just been here 24 hours and you are posing as an expert on our economy. Which is the problem with people like you. You do not respect that a country has structures, a country has history. You have been here and you seen vendors but we have farmers here, you have not seen them who are doing wonderful…

SS: With respect I don’t pose as an economist but I read the data that economists produce. Agricultural production today compared with 30 years ago in Zimbabwe is drastically down. Other data…

JM: It is the opposite. The people who…

SS: Let me just finish my point.

JM: Yeah

SS: One more piece of data, more than 80 percent of Government revenues in this country today go on paying public sector wages. That is not sustainable.

JM: No, you know what Stephen, the data, the last one that you are pointing out, the fact that 82 percent of the Budget goes to the wage bill, is our data. This is the data we as Government through our Ministry of Finance have put on the table to say we need to do something about the public service and in general we need to do something about a budget that is a consumer budget in order to be able to fund infrastructural projects. But we are doing this against the background of a sanctions regime that was imposed by the British government and its allies and cost this country, this economy $50 billion.

SS: How do you work that out?

JM: This is data. $50 billion Stephen.

SS: I mean Zimbabweans it seems to me are being asked to believe by your Government that the economic disaster they are living through is all the fault of sanctions when today the reality is the EU sanctions are simply targeted against two individuals Robert and Grace Mugabe. How can they be destroying the entire economy?

JM: This is a reality which is hardly 12 months out of a period of 15 years within which your, the British government, and its allies systematically sought regime change here in ways that have no example anywhere on our continent.

SS: You rejected my proposition that you, your Government has had a disastrous economic record over the last 15 years, rejected that. So why do you think in recent years up to one and a half million Zimbabweans have voted with their feet and left this country most of them to go and try and find work in South Africa? Why do you think they have done that?

JM: We do not deny that the last 15 or so years bar one or two of the last years have seen quite some structural dislocation in our country and…

SS: You’ve lost more than 10 percent of your population.

JM: Yes, but you know what? That is the bad news. The good news is that many of them are coming back. Many of those are coming back. They are beginning to find opportunities here and some of them are experiencing horrible conditions in some countries most recently in South Africa where they were subjected to xenophobic attacks.

SS: I’ve just been in South Africa for a number of days and I’ve actually spoken to a lot of Zimbabweans and despite the xenophobic attacks that you refer to, they say to a man and woman to me, they want to stay in South Africa because in South Africa they can get work, they can make some money, they can send some money to their families in a way that is absolutely impossible for them in today’s Zimbabwe.

JM: It is their right to be wherever they are. We have millions of Britons outside the United Kingdom and you will not have Zimbabwe becoming the first country that will keep all its citizens. There are reasons why people want to be where they are.

SS: But President Zuma – it is interesting, after the violence, the violence we saw in and around Durban and Johannesburg directed at African migrant workers some of whom were Zimbabwean – he said, “Look we condemn this, this is terrible this is not the South Africa we want to be”, but he also said, our neighbouring countries have their own responsibility to deliver economic and political conditions which will mean their people will not need or want to leave home. Our brothers and sisters, he said, in neighbouring countries, must be in a situation where they no longer need to leave their countries in search of a better life. That means there is a responsibility on you.

JM: Look, the primary responsibility for any government, ours included, is the protection of its citizens and the livelihood of its citizens. But you cannot in one and the same breath say there have been these horrible attacks but you don’t condone them, however why are people here and not in their countries? That is precisely what xenophobia is. If we were talking about South Africans…

SS: No it’s not. That’s not what xenophobia is.

JM: That’s what it is. That’s the…

SS: Why is that xenophobia?

JM: Because you are actually saying “don’t come here, stay in your country”.

SS: No. He is just saying to countries like yours that there is a great need for reform, for change so that Zimbabweans can live in peace and prosperity in their own country.

JM: You know we are exporting a lot of jobs to South Africa. The South African economy is what it is first historically because of cheap labour from countries such as ours.

SS: You have used some extraordinary inflammatory language about the South Africans. You have said, “Xenophobia today in South Africa can easily mutate into genocide tomorrow”. You have accused South Africa of Afrophobia. What is your problem with South Africa?

JM: No, I have, actually we, don’t have any problems with South Africans. In fact, we also don’t have any …

SS: Well to use the word genocide…

JM: You asked to the question isn’t it? I want to repeat, we have no problems with South Africa or South Africans. They are our comrades, our brothers and our sisters. We were in the trenches together. But we have serious problems with those lynch mobs doing what they did in full view of television cameras …

SS: So does Jacob Zuma.

JM: …if you allow that to happen without condemning it outright, without condemning it unconditionally you sow seeds of genocide, this is a fact. If you have a king who is very influential saying that foreigners must pack their bags and go, and likening them to lice and ants, that is what happened. It is similar to what happened in…

SS: Do you think anybody in South Africa is prepared to take lectures from a representative of the Mugabe Government when it comes to allegations of violence, of extraordinary repression of people including people of a different ethnicity inside their own country? Is Zimbabwe in any position at all to take moral high ground on this sort of issue?

JM: It is not about taking moral high ground, it is about defending our people. I myself as Jonathan Moyo come from a constituency in Tsholotsho that was profoundly affected by what was happening in South Africa. I have a responsibility to represent that constituency and I do so without fear or favour and without owing anyone an apology.

SS: Final thought, we have talked a lot about the political situation here, we have talked about the economic situation and we have talked about the fact that there is going to be before too long a transition. Are you confident in the circumstances of today’s Zimbabwe that the transition when it comes is going to be peaceful and stable?

JM: Well, look I don’t know what transition you are talking about…

SS: Well, of course you do!

JM: No, I don’t.

SS: This country has been dominated by one man for 35 years…

JM: But that one man…

SS: … that will soon come to an end it is just nature.

JM: Look, it’s not like we are a monarchy like you. Getting into power here is not by inheritance it is by election, it’s the people. We would be feeling some pressure if we did not have the constitutional means for acquiring power in this country. Power in this country is acquired through a democratic election and when we have those means in place, honestly it boggles the mind as to why anyone would suggest that there is something we somehow should worry about facing us in the near future.

SS: Jonathan Moyo we have to end there but thank you for being on HARDtalk.

JM: You’re most welcome, pleasure.

 From Victoria Ruzvidzo in Goborone, Botswana
Sadc chair President Mugabe this afternoon had a courtesy call and private lunch with his deputy chairperson Botswana President Ian Khama.

The two met in between Botswana Cabinet meetings as the host President sought to meet President Mugabe as he wound up his tour of the Sadc Headquarters here.

Earlier President Mugabe had addressed workers and management of the Sadc Secretariat whom he commended for playing a pivotal role in advancing Sadc’s cause.

He said their concerns and welfare would be addressed expeditiously to ensure they applied themselves fully.

President Mugabe also planted a tree at the Sadc headquarters as a symbol for growth and prosperity.

Sadc chair President Mugabe has arrived back home from Gaborone Botswana where he had gone to visit the regional block’s head quarters.
He was met at the Harare International Airport by his two Vice Presidents Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa and Cde Phelekezela Mpoko, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Misheck Sibanda, Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi, service chiefs and senior Government officials.

On his familiarisation tour, he was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, who is also chairperson of the Sadc Council of Ministers.

SADC Chairperson President Mugabe, flanked by Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi (left) and Sadc Executive Secretary Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax, at a Press conference in Gaborone, Botswana, yesterday. — (Picture by Presidential Photographer Joseph Nyadzayo)

By Victoria Ruzvidzo recently in Gaborone, Botswana
Sadc chairman President Mugabe has said South Africa needs a second liberation to empower its black citizens who remain marginalised despite a political dispensation that brought majority rule more than two decades ago.

Briefing journalists after a tour of the Sadc Headquarters in Gaborone yesterday, President Mugabe said xenophobic attacks against other Africans were a result of the imbalance in wealth distribution, stressing that South Africa should not be condemned but needed urgent help.

“The pressures with people of South Africa are so much that we cannot avoid incidents of that nature (xenophobia).

“People are unemployed, lots of young men and women are in the streets so when they see people from neighbouring countries running small shops they conclude that it’s these people that have robbed them of their chances, which is not the case.

“It’s not the other African, but it’s a factor of the whites that have kept opportunities to themselves. The political dispensation did not address the disparities between white and black with most of the land in the hands of whites and most of the employment opportunities enjoyed by them (whites).”

The President said most Sadc countries had overcome most of the challenges that South Africans still experienced in terms of empowerment.

“So we must help them. They need another liberation.”

President Mugabe was in Gaborone on a two-day familiarisation tour of the Sadc Headquarters.

President Mugabe, who is also the African Union chairman, had touched on the same subject earlier when he addressed staff at the Sadc Headquarters, saying it was unfortunate that the first black South African president, Nelson Mandela, had overlooked the need to agree on the transfer of wealth to the black majority when he negotiated for his freedom.

“This is what Nelson Mandela forgot to do. He thought freedom was number one, which was correct but when they negotiated they got freedom but with European rights preserved.

“This was controlled freedom. So that is the problem,” President Mugabe said.

“There has not been as much access (to resources) by Africans as we have here and in our countries.”

Therefore, the wrath of South Africans needed to be more directed towards the whites than the blacks, he said.

“It’s a xenophobia of whites, not of blacks. So okay . . . They will say this Mugabe talks poison. I give poison not for you to swallow but to give to someone else,” he said to much applause from the Sadc staff.

He said the white community had condemned the visit to Zimbabwe by South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters’ leader Julius Malema in 2010 when he was still the ANC Youth League president.

Malema had come to meet President Mugabe, exchange notes with his counterparts in the Zanu-PF youth leadership and to understand and have an appreciation of Zimbabwe’s land reform and indigenisation and economic empowerment programmes.

“I did not give him mustard (substance given to dogs to make them more vicious) but they are (whites), because of their deeds, creating the mustard. You cannot live in palaces while others are living in shanties. Anyway, the ANC should take care of that,” said President Mugabe.

He challenged SADC countries to develop their economies so that their citizens would not need to leave in search of jobs in South Africa.

The Strategy and Roadmap for Industrialisation of the region was meant to ensure economic growth in Sadc, hence the need to expedite its implementation.

President Mugabe, who was in a no-holds barred mood as he departed from his speech to address matters of concern to him as SADC and the African Union chair, implored Africa to desist from courting the West in search of financial support when, in fact, the continent’s founding fathers had spent years fighting Europe and its allies for plundering the continent’s resources.

“This is the story we are trying to tell to the whole of the African continent, that we have deviated from what our founding fathers believed in. They did not allow their organization to be infiltrated by the same people that we fought against,” he said.

“Now we are having them back as NGOs to subvert our system. They tell us we should have good corporate governance, human rights….human rights? Rule of law? When they sent us to prison…I spent 11 years in prison and in South Africa (Nelson) Mandela spent 27. Where was the rule of law? Where was good governance? Where were human rights?” he asked.

“The same people now oppress us, Britain, USA..take care..These are the enemies of our struggle. But if they have repented and want to be with us yes, but come as equal partners.”

President Mugabe challenged the AU to distance itself from funding from Europe.

“They say here is money but you do that..We can’t have 70 percent of our contributions coming from them.” He has previously spoken passionately about the need for Africa to be self-financing so it can dictate its own growth and development agenda.

President Mugabe arrived back home last night.

He was met at Harare International Airport by his two Vice Presidents Cdes Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi, Harare Metropolitan Minister of State Miriam Chikukwa, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda, service chiefs and other senior Government officials.

Ian Khama

Victoria Ruzvidzo recently in Gaborone, Botswana
President Mugabe has dismissed as mere speculation reports by media in Zimbabwe and Botswana of a tiff between him and Botswana President Lieut-General Seretse Khama Ian Khama, saying the two were great friends and colleagues whose relationship has come a long way.

Responding to a question by a journalist in Gaborone yesterday, the Sadc chairperson, who is coincidentally deputised by President Khama, said the war between them was a figment of the media’s imagination.

“We have had good relations all along. I don’t know where this nonsense comes from. We don’t push each other at all. It’s the journalists who push us out,” President Mugabe said as he laughed off the claim that the two were sworn enemies.

Media reports last month had it that the two had an altercation during the Extraordinary Summit held in Harare which allegedly resulted in President Khama leaving in a huff.

But President Mugabe said there was no such incident. In fact, he said, President Khama had told him before the meeting that he would need to be excused for another engagement.

“He told me that Mr President let’s finish our business I want to leave at 2pm.”

Sadc executive secretary Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax, who also attended the Press conference, nodded in agreement over what transpired during the summit.

President Mugabe said his Botswana counterpart used to visit Zimbabwe to meet with him and army generals to exchange notes even before he became president.

In fact, the two held a private lunch yesterday at State House when President Mugabe paid a courtesy call.

“We had a very sumptuous lunch and I want to thank President Ian Khama for the hospitality. The government of Botswana right from President Khama down to his ministers put everything in place.’’

President Mugabe said he had not been in Botswana on a State visit or official trip but had come to tour Sadc Headquarters, but President Khama had extended his hospitality in terms of accommodation and other provisions.

“The state doesn’t have to do all that . . . But the state has extended its facilities, Minister (of Foreign Affairs Dr Pelonomi Venson Moitoi), accommodation. In fact, just now I made a courtesy call with my good friend and counterpart who was kind enough to provide a sumptuous lunch. It’s African hospitality. There are no quarrels.”

However, on the issue of the 2013 harmonised elections, President Mugabe said Botswana’s assertion that the elections were not fair was wrong. Sadc, AU and Zimbabwe’s internal electoral systems concurred that they were free and fair.

“Even if they said they were not free and fair must you hate them for that? So shall we say with the San people here who do not vote, so your elections are not free and fair? They don’t want to vote. They are interested in killing animals and enjoying their lives.”

Addressing Sadc staff earlier, President Mugabe commended Botswana for hosting the regional bloc’s headquarters and for all the support rendered.

He said Sadc was resolute in its quest to ensure increased growth and development in the region.

President Mugabe planted a Rhus Lancea tree at the headquarters as a living gift to Sadc which also symbolised economic growth and prosperity.

Before his departure for home, the Sadc chair held a closed door meeting with former Botswana president Sir Ketumire Masire.

President Mugabe described his visit as successful and fruitful. It is a requirement that the Sadc chairman must visit the headquarters during his term of office. He assumed the Sadc chairmanship last August.

President Mugabe was accompanied on his tour by Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, who is also the chairman of the regional body’s Council of Ministers.

Mr Chokuda

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Acting Clerk of Parliament Mr Kennedy Mugove Chokuda (47) was yesterday made substantive following interviews done last Thursday.

Mr Chokuda, whose appointment is with immediate effect, replaces Mr Austin Zvoma who retired in November last year after serving for 25 years.

Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is also Leader of the House, tabled a report for consideration from the Standing Rules and Orders Committee that settled for Mr Chokuda.

Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda then called on the House to adopt the report recommending Mr Chokuda’s appointment.

The recommendations were duly acceded to unanimously across the political divide.

In tabling the report, VP Mnangagwa — who is also Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister — said 50 candidates had responded to the advert flighted in the media whose gender composition was 16 female and 34 male.

He said of the 50, 24 were disqualified because they were below the age of 35 as the feeling was that they had not yet mastered the requisite maturity and work experience.

VP Mnangagwa said of the remaining candidates, six were duly shortlisted by the full committee of the SROC on May 7 2015, paving way for interviews.

Interviews were held last Thursday by the joint committee on Human Resources and Legal and Procedures, sub-committees of the SROC chaired by Deputy Speaker Cde Marble Chinomona and Kuwadzana East MP, Mr Nelson Chamisa.

“Out of the six invited applicants for the interviews, only four, (three male and one female) turned up for the interviews,” said VP Mnangagwa.

“The other two female candidates, Mrs Choice Damiso and Mrs Sibusisiwe Marunda, withdrew at the last minute citing personal reasons. Seven competence-based questions were crafted on the basis of the job specifications and these were used during the interview.”

VP Mnangagwa said it was from that interview that the panel settled for Mr Chokuda to be recommended as Clerk of Parliament.

He said Mr Chokuda was working on his Doctor of Philosophy thesis, while he was a holder of Executive Masters Degree in Business Administration from Midlands State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Politics and Administration.

“Mr Speaker Sir, I therefore move that the House adopts the report of the Standing Rules and Orders Committee on the appointment of Mr Kennedy Mugove Chokuda as Clerk of Parliament with immediate effect in terms of Section 154 (1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe,” said VP Mnangagwa.

After the House adopted the recommendation, Adv Mudenda asked Mr Chokuda to rise and bow in acceptance as per practice.

Other applicants who attended the interviews were former Deputy Clerk of Parliament Ms Helen Dingane, Harare provincial magistrate Mr Vakai Chikwekwe and lawyer Mr Misheck Hogwe.

Parliament retired Mr Zvoma despite his spirited efforts to be allowed to continue serving, arguing that the new Constitution conferred him with a fresh six-year term.

But Parliament refused to buy into his argument, saying the House would be guided by his contract of employment set in terms of the Public Service Commission.

Nyemudzai Kakore Herald Reporter
A special envoy from the State of Qatar headed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Khalid Mohamed Al-Attiyah arrived in Zimbabwe yesterday to deliver a special message to President Mugabe from his counterpart, His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani.

Dr Mohamed Al-Attiyah was received by Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo at the Harare International Air- port.

He is leading a five-member delegation that is expected to meet President Mugabe today.

The visit by the Qatar delegation comes hot on the heels of another 25-member delegation led by Mr LV Xinhua from China that is in the country to explore investment opportunities.

Ambassador Khaya Moyo, who is also the Minister of Economic Planning, said the delegation’s purpose was to meet President Mugabe as they carried a special message for him.

Ambassador Khaya Moyo said the message was meant for the President so he was not privy to the contents.

“I received the special envoy, the Foreign Minister of Qatar who will meet his Excellency President Mugabe tomorrow (today). I am not aware of the purpose of his visit as he will deliver his message to the President,” he said.

Last year it was reported that Zimbabwe and Qatar would sign several bilateral agreements in agriculture and tourism among other sectors to stimulate trade and political relations.

Bulawayo Bureau
WORLD Bank Group executive director Mr Louis Rene Peter Larose has urged international financial institutions to channel more funding to Zimbabwean companies, saying on his part he would push the global bank to bankroll the country’s economic revival.

Mr Larose and his delegation are in the country together with African Development Bank (AfDB) representatives to assess the economic situation with a view to extending funding to the different sectors of the economy.

The delegation was in Bulawayo yesterday where it conducted a tour of several companies and public institutions and had interface with captains of industry.

“Seeing is believing and I’ve been here. For me the Zimbabwean economy has great potential and of course I’ll be making a strong case for Zimbabwe at the World Bank and all the international donor agencies to make sure we bring a total package for Zimbabwe because we believe we’ve a lot to contribute,” said Mr Larose in an interview during the tour.

Zimbabwe is struggling to access lines of credit from global finance houses that include the International Monetary Fund (IMF) following illegal sanctions imposed on the country by Britain and its Western allies.

The sanctions have compromised the country’s global trade and worsened its risk factor – a critical element in attracting foreign direct investment.

Liquidity constraints have adversely affected industrial capacity utilisation which is now about 30 percent, according to the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries. This has forced many companies to close resulting in loss of jobs.

Mr Larose said the World Bank was familiarising itself with the development situation in Zimbabwe to see how best the financial institution could assist in finding solutions to the challenges facing the economy.

“It’s my first time to be in Bulawayo and I’m very impressed by what is taking place. I feel that the World Bank should support these companies and certainly this will create employment as well as boost economic growth,” he said.

The country requires about $27 billion to turn around the economy and create more than two million jobs guided by the Government’s five-year development blueprint, Zim-Asset (2013-18).

The blueprint is anchored on four clusters – value addition and beneficiation, food security and nutrition, infrastructure and utilities, social services and poverty eradication.

Zimbabwe is struggling to clear its foreign debt of close to $10 billion due to poor economic performance.

Meanwhile, the delegation, that was accompanied by Industry and Commerce Ministry Permanent Secretary Ms Abigail Shonhiwa and other senior Government officials, visited Dunlop Zimbabwe, Archer Clothing, the National Railways of Zimbabwe, the Cold Storage Company, Mpilo Central Hospital and Bulawayo Water Works.

Mr Larose said companies such as the NRZ deserved urgent financial support to ensure a vibrant rail transport system.

“I believe the NRZ should be assisted because its services will not only benefit Zimbabwe but neighbouring countries as well,” he said.

Ms Shonhiwa said the visit was crucial as it was part of re-engagement efforts with global financial institutions.

“We’re here to accompany the team from AfDB and the World Bank so that they have an appreciation of what Zimbabwe has to offer, the potential that is there,” she said.

The delegation began its tour in Harare on Tuesday and concludes its visit with a tour of Gweru today.

Happison Muchechetere

Fidelis Munyoro Chief Court Reporter
Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) former chief executive officer Happison Muchechetere has been convicted of a slew of misconduct charges, including financial mismanagement and unlawful acquisition of an Outside Broadcasting Van following a disciplinary hearing by the public broadcaster, The Herald can reveal.

Highly placed sources yesterday revealed that the disciplinary committee, chaired by former High Court judge Justice James Devittie, found Muchechetere guilty of several counts of misconduct.

He is now awaiting sentence.

The tribunal hearing followed the release of a forensic audit report by KPMG Chartered Accountants, which revealed that Muchechetere reportedly profited to the tune of $3,5 million through abuse of office from January 1 2009 to December 31 2013.

The sources said the ZBC was represented by Advocate Linos Mazonde instructed by Mr Isaiah Mureriwa and Ms Rudo Magundani of Scanlen and Holderness while Muchechetere instructed Mr Gondayi Sithole of TJ Mawire and Associates.

Both lawyers were reluctant to give details on the matter when contacted for comment.

Mr Mureriwa said he had no instructions to go public on the case. “Indeed, the hearing was done and completed,” said Mr Mureriwa.

Mr Sithole said: “I am not at liberty to comment on the matter. It is not yet for public consumption. The process is still going on.”

Last year the ZBC instituted disciplinary proceedings against Muchechetere and four members of his top management team on allegations of misconduct, which prejudiced the corporation of more than $7 million.

The four are general manager, finance, Elliot Kasu; acting CEO Allan Chiweshe; general manager, News and Current Affairs, Tazzen Mandizvidza; and head of finance, Ralph Nyambudzi.

Mandizvidza is now off the hook and has since been reinstated after he opted to co-operate in the investigations of the public broadcaster that lost revenue running into millions of dollars under Muchechetere.

The ZBC was prejudiced of close to $25 million by the previous board and management between 2009 and 2013, the forensic report by KPMG Chartered Accountants presented to Parliament revealed last week.

The report was presented by Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Professor Jonathan Moyo in a joint sitting of the Portfolio Committees on Media, Information and Broadcasting Services and Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services.

At the time of the offences, the ZBC was chaired by Cuthbert Dube while Muchechetere was the chief executive.

The audit accuses Muchechetere and the four senior managers – Kasu, Mandizvidza, Chiweshe and Nyambudzi – of abusing the broadcaster’s funds.

The managers have since been suspended, while Muchechetere and Kasu also face criminal proceedings in the courts.

“The audit found that the total prejudice to ZBC amounted to $24 968 647,18 and broken down as indicated — the board $274 486 the managers $6 724 322,82,” said Prof Moyo.

“This is what the senior management, executive management, pocketed unlawfully and unprocedurally and then statutory funds and interest instruments amounting to $15 538 658,41 and then there was some other prejudice arising from poor barter deals of $450 055,” he told Parliament.

“On broadcasting archival material, which is a serious source revenue, there was prejudice to the tune of $419 346. Then there was the issue of the OB van pricing, overpricing it to the tune of $786 283 and $133 733 in sundry,” he said.

“The problem areas are six and they are deliberate disregard of statutory provisions, operating losses, and policies for key areas inadequate or non-existent, inconsistent and inefficient procurement, lack of good governance and prejudice to ZBC for personal gain or mismanagement.”

Apart from those amounts, the ZBC also owed Zimra $14 751 567 in the period under review.

Muchechetere received a basic salary of $15 000, retention allowance of 50 percent of basic salary, amenities allowances of 35 percent of basic salary, entertainment allowance of 20 percent of basic salary, 100 percent medical aid contribution cover by the company, gym membership, an annual bonus plus a quarterly performance-related bonus of 12.5 percent of annual basic salary upon meeting set targets.

He also received an S350 Mercedes-Benz and a Toyota Landcruiser that he was entitled to buy if he left ZBC, a $3 500 housing allowance while his housing mortgage of $195 624 was taken over by the organisation.

The other three general managers received a basic salary of $11 000, while their retention, amenities and entertainment allowances were also pegged at 50 percent, 35 percent and 20 percent of basic salary, among other benefits.

Farirai Machivenyika and Nyemudzai Kakore
Zanu-PF yesterday expelled seven more members, while 13 others were suspended for five years as the revolutionary party continues to rid itself of people linked to the sacked Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru-led cabal that sought to topple President Mugabe ahead of the 6th National People’s Congress last year.

In Mashonaland East, those expelled from the party were former provincial chairman Ray Kaukonde and former Women Affairs secretary for the commissariat Olivia Muchena, while in Masvingo former secretary for production and labour Dzikamai Mavhaire, former deputy secretary for economic affairs Kudakwashe Bhasikiti and former Central Committee member Claudius Makova were also booted out.

In Mashonaland Central, Mbire National Assembly representative David Butau and an official, Kudakwashe Gope, were also kicked out.

The expulsions and suspensions were announced by Zanu-PF secretary for information and publicity Cde Simon Khaya Moyo soon after a meeting of the ruling party’s Politburo last night.

Cde Khaya Moyo said the seven were expelled after the Politburo endorsed the recommendations of the National Disciplinary Committee.

They join Dr Mujuru, former secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa and former secretary for information and publicity Rugare Gumbo and former Mashonaland West provincial chairman Temba Mliswa who were also expelled for the roles they played in the botched attempt to topple President Mugabe.

“There are other members who have been suspended from holding any position in the party for a period of two or five years starting from January 1, 2015. All these cases are from six provinces. Mashonaland West, Matebeleland North and South and Bulawayo will be considered at the next Politburo meeting,” Cde Khaya Moyo said.

Those given five-year suspensions include former Politburo member Cde Tendai Savanhu, former Central Committee members Cdes Noah Mangondo and Munyaradzi Banda, former provincial chairman Cde Amos Midzi and former deputy provincial chairman Cde Christopher Chigumba, while in Manicaland another former Politburo member Cde Munacho Mutezo was also suspended.

In Mashonaland Central, Cde Dougmore Chimukoko, a former political commissar in Mazowe District, was also given a five-year suspension, while in the Midlands former Politburo member Cde Flora Bhuka and former provincial chairman Cde Jaison Machaya were also suspended for the same period.

In Masvingo, former provincial chairman Cde Killian Gwanetsa and former provincial political commissar Tranos Huruba were also suspended for five years while Cde Chiratidzo Mabuwa, who is the Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce and hails from the Midlands, was given a three-year suspension.

“There are other members who were suspended for a period of two years and their names would be announced in due course,” Cde Khaya Moyo added.

Cde Khaya Moyo, however, said the Politburo had exonerated some party members who also had their cases brought before the disciplinary committee.

In Harare, the members who were found not guilty are Cdes Ratidzo Mukarate, Miriam Chikukwa, Tsitsi Jadagu, Edith Kagoro and Idah Mashonganyika while in Mashonaland Central Cdes Petronella Kagonye, Beata Nyamupinga, Paddy Zhanda and Lillian Zemura were also absolved.

Cde Khaya Moyo, however, said those suspended remained party members.

“All these people who have been suspended remain ordinary party card-carrying members, including those who are MPs. They remain ordinary card-carrying members.

“We must not think that those who have been suspended are no longer members of the party. They are just not allowed to hold positions within the period of suspensions,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Politburo endorsed Cde Terrence Mukupe as the party’s candidate for the Harare East by-election.

“The national Political Commissar (Cde Saviour Kasukuwere) gave his report on the recent and forthcoming by-elections. All is going well in the affected areas and Zanu-PF is destined for victory in all the constituencies. The Politburo welcomed the report and instructed him to review and strengthen Harare Province.

“The Politburo also endorsed Cde Terrence Mukupe as the Zanu-PF candidate in the forthcoming Harare East by-elections and directed that Cde Mavis Gumbo should withdraw her candidature,” Cde Khaya Moyo said.

The Zanu-PF spokesperson also said they received a report from the party’s Secretary for Legal Affairs, Cde Patrick Chinamasa – who is also the Minister of Finance – on the implementation of Zim-Asset.

“Cde Chinamasa gave a detailed report on measures being implemented by Government to support economic development in Zimbabwe in line with our economic policy Zim-Asset. His brief covered agriculture, mining and housing.

“His focus was on the implementation of Zim-Asset as mandated by Congress and the 2013 elections manifesto,” Cde Khaya Moyo said.

The Zanu-PF Secretary for External Affairs, Cde Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, also gave his report on the recent foreign visits.

“Cde Mumbengegwi also gave his report on the visits by His Excellency to South Africa, Asia-Africa Summit in Indonesia, Mali and his recent visit to Botswana,” he said.

President Mugabe welcomes Qatar Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Khalid Mohamed Al-Attiyah, a special envoy of His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Khalifa Al Thani, at Zanu-PF Headquarters in Harare yesterday

Senior Reporter
President Mugabe yesterday met the visiting special envoy from the State of Qatar, Dr Khalid Bin Mohamed Al-Attiyah, and discussed several ways of improving co-operation between Zimbabwe and Qatar.

Dr Al-Attiyah, who is the Foreign Affairs Minister, was sent by the Emir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, and is leading a five-member delegation.

Speaking to journalists after meeting President Mugabe, Dr Al-Attiyah said the two countries were working towards improving their bilateral relations with the main focus on agriculture and mining.

He said: “I had the honour to meet with President Mugabe. I conveyed to him the regards of the Emir. We have discussed the ways of co-operation between Qatar and Zimbabwe.

“We touched all aspects of co-operation, how can we co-operate in agriculture, mining and tourism fields especially that you have a very good scenery in Zimbabwe, for example, Victoria Falls is a place all of the world would like to come and visit.”

Last year it was reported that Zimbabwe and Qatar would sign several bilateral agreements in agriculture and tourism among other sectors to stimulate trade and political relations.

Agriculture is important to oil rich Qatar and the Gulf region, which do not have much arable land and good rainfall patterns.

The two countries last year signed Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASA), which will result in Qatar Airways flying to Harare.

A BASA is an agreement which two nations sign to allow international commercial air transport services between their territories.

The BASA with Qatar had been on the table for seven years despite the fact that Qatar Airways was among several airlines that had expressed a strong interest in flying to Zimbabwe.

Qatar Airways sought to link Zimbabwe to destinations in the Far and Middle East, Indian sub-continent, Europe and Australia via the airline’s hub in Doha.

Columbus Mabika Herald Reported
Africa must fully endorse the role of women’s empowerment and gender equality as a key driver of the process of sustainable development on the continent, the group of African women ambassadors to Zimbabwe has said.

Speaking during a clean-up campaign in Harare yesterday in the build-up to the 52nd Africa Day commemorations, Malawi’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mrs Jane Kambalame, said the group was unanimous in its call to reaffirm the need to dismantle barriers to gender inequality and embrace a dedicated commitment to women’s empowerment to ensure their full participation.

“The African Union’s declaration of 2015 as the Year of Women Empowerment is a great stride towards Africa’s development,” she said during a clean-up at the Simon Vengai Muzenda (formerly Fourth Street) terminus in the capital.

“It is time the African woman is empowered so that we are able to meet Africa’s Agenda 2063. Let’s eradicate poverty in Africa by empowering women with economic opportunities.

“Investing in women is not only a right thing to do, it is the smartest thing to do now in order for us to move forward as African people,” said Ambassador Kambalame.

She said African women cannot continue to be overlooked and targeted policies were needed to help increase women’s participation in the economy, reduce poverty rates and stimulate economic development on the continent.

“Economic empowerment and women’s human rights cannot be overlooked. They have been placed firmly on the agenda along with other rights that are now accepted — the right to vote, to own property, to take leadership positions,” she said.

At the same event, Kenya’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mrs Lucy Chilemo, urged Africa to reaffirm its commitment to the empowerment of women on the continent.

“From the first International Women’s Day in 1911 to today in 2015, advances in areas such as economic empowerment and women’s human rights cannot be overlooked,” she said.

“As we commemorate Africa Day this coming week, let’s take advances in politics and any other aspect in our society. Let’s use this opportunity to affirm our commitment to women.”

To show solidarity to the African Union’s declaration of 2015 as a year of empowering women, the group of women ambassadors to Zimbabwe organised a clean-up campaign.

Africa Day will be commemorated next Monday.

See picture on Page 3

Herald Reporter
The Cold Storage Company should cede some of its farms to the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services to help alleviate food shortages affecting inmates, the National Assembly was told yesterday.

Bikita West MP Dr Munyaradzi Kereke (Zanu-PF) said Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made and his deputy, Cde Paddy Zhanda, had agreed that the CSC had idle farms. Dr Kereke was making a contribution to a motion by Zengeza East MP Mr Alexio Musundire (MDC-T) calling for an improvement in prison conditions.

“We have vast land owned by the CSC. What if Government cedes some of these farms to prisons? Seed money can then be viramented from other areas. Let’s make CSC farms productive,” said Dr Kereke.

He also said there was need to counter the effects of the drought by using irrigation as part of measures to increase agricultural productivity.

“We need to deploy resources in agriculture,” he said.

Dr Kereke rapped Mr Musindire for likening the prison conditions to those of militant groups such as Nigeria’s Islamist outfit Boko Haram and ISIS in Syria.

He said even the so-called first world countries had their blemishes on prison conditions.

Chegutu West MP Cde Dexter Nduna (Zanu-PF) said there was need to use prisons in both agriculture and mining activities to alleviate challenges faced by the inmates.

“We should have land reform programme and mining reform in prison. All unproductive land should be given to prisons. Let’s take those mines and claims being held for speculative purposes,” said Cde Nduna.

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Government has formally engaged the Development Bank of Southern Africa for a $500 million loan to recapitalise the National Railways of Zimbabwe, the National Assembly has heard.

Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Obert Mpofu said Government will, however, continue to cast its net wide and court other investors because it is concerned with the cost of the DBSA loan.

He was responding to a question from Chegutu West MP Cde Dexter Nduna (Zanu-PF) in Parliament on Wednesday who wanted to know what had happened to the DBSA loan.

“My ministry, in consultation with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, the Attorney-General’s Office, NRZ and DBSA have signed the mandate letter that allows the official engagement of DBSA to structure a loan facility to NRZ,” said Minister Mpofu.

“The mandate letter seeks to formalise the engagement between the NRZ and DBSA regarding the transaction and scope of work to be carried out by DBSA and mandates DBSA to mobilise funds for the execution of the project, and also discuss with the identified technical partners for both infrastructure and the rolling stock.”

Minister Mpofu said Government would consider other available options of investment given the cost of the DBSA loan.

“Government has directed that even as we consider the DBSA package, we also step up efforts at any other options available, particularly from China,” he said.

“Government’s concern is on the cost of the loan facility, hence the decision to consider other options.”

Cde Nduna also asked what had stalled the disbursement of $147 million loan from DBSA for the dualisation of Norton-Kadoma road.

Minister Mpofu said the release of $147 million was conditional to the completion of Plumtree to Mutare highway project, and review of fuel levy by 2c per litre on both petrol and diesel to be ring fenced to service the loan facility.

He said the actual rehabilitation of the Plumtree-Mutare road had been completed.

“Further, given the state of the Plumtree-Mutare road compared to other roads, the question is whether it would be prudent to apply that money on dualisation of that road or to apply it to other roads, for example the Chirundu to Harare road where accidents continue to happen particularly in the escarpment area.”

“With regards to the increase in fuel levy by 2c per litre, Government has not finalised its position on the issue.

“We are sensitive to the implications of such an increase on the fuel pump price,” he said.

Kuwadzana East MP Mr Nelson Chamisa (MDC-T) wanted to know what Government was doing to resuscitate railway infrastructure considering that countries like Japan were advanced in that regard.

Minister Mpofu said Government was engaging investors on whether to maintain narrow gauge or wider ones for speedy movement of trains.

“So, that is part of the engagement that we are having with potential investors, depending on regional consultations because our railway line is linked to the region,” he said.

Columbus Mabika Herald Reporter
Over 3 000 Chitungwiza residents received free health care at the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church Revelation of Hope health expo which began last week.

This is part of the SDA crusade dubbed Revelation of Hope, under way in the town until May 30.

Organising chairman of the health expo, Dr Masimba Mwazha, said the event was a holistic approach to the ministry of God.

“People have to perceive God in good health and God wants us to be in good health, hence we saw the need for the expo to complement the SDA crusade,” he said.

Dr Mwazha said the first four days saw over 3 000 people receiving medical attention from 14 clinics catering for different health conditions.

“So far, we have recorded over 3 000 who have received attention,” he said.

The health care, Dr Mwazha said, was open to anyone who felt they had health complications that needed attention.

“The health care is open to everyone in Zimbabwe regardless of their religion, and patients will receive free treatment,” he said.

SDA world president Dr Ted Wilson is in the country.