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Tag: Zimbabwe

  • Zimbabwean in court over ‘fake coronavirus contracts’

    A Zimbabwean businessman is due to appear in court for a bail hearing, charged in connection with a multimillion-dollar coronavirus medicine and equipment procurement scandal.

    Delish Nguwaya is facing two charges of misrepresentation and fraud after he allegedly tried to secure contracts to supply a state firm.

    He’s the first person to be arrested in a scandal that was initially exposed on social media.

    People started raising questions about how a controversial businessman, who had failed a vetting process months earlier, had managed to set up a new company and secure millions of dollars’ worth of contracts to supply medicines and equipment – some at hugely inflated prices.

    The government has said it has now cancelled his contract.

    President Emmerson Mnangagwa has long pledged to stamp out corruption, but his government has secured only two convictions in nearly three years despite many prominent arrests.

    Source: bbc.com

  • ‘Tortured’ Zimbabwe politicians charged with lying

    Police in Zimbabwe have charged an opposition Member of Parliament and two activists with lying about being tortured in custody.

    The three women – Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova – had been arrested and charged over their participation in a protest rally in May.

    The women alleged that police had subjected at least one of them to serious sexual violence, and were admitted to hospital with various injuries.

    A spokeswoman for Zimbabwe’s opposition, Fadzai Mahere of the Movement for Democratic Change Alliance, said the three were re-arrested while visiting their lawyer to talk about that case.

    They now face new charges of falsifying their previous ordeal.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Bail for Zimbabwe politicians accused of lockdown breach

    A number of opposition figures arrested for allegedly breaching Zimbabwe’s lockdown rules have been released on $1,000 (£789) bail each.

    Tendai Biti, Lynette Karenyi-Kore, David Chimhini, Gladys Hlatywayo, Lovemore Chinoputsa and Vongai Tome – all of the MDC party – were arrested on Friday for gathering at a building in the capital Harare that had been occupied overnight by a rival faction with the help of military and police.

    The takeover was condemned by the US embassy, which called the security forces’ actions “politicised”.

    All six were freed on bail on Saturday after being charged with “criminal nuisance” and breaching Covid-19 regulations banning gatherings of more than 50.

    Their lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa said she would file a complaint, and called the arrests “ironic” because police themselves did not enforce social distancing rules in her clients’ cells nor supply “masks or any sanitisers despite request”.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Don’t panic over rising cases – WHO to Zimbabweans

    There is no need for Zimbabweans to panic over the spike in confirmed Covid-19 cases, but citizens must continue observing basic hygiene and social distancing recommended by public health experts, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.

    The lockdown will continue at level 2, although President Mnangagwa keeps this under review and will modify it as circumstances change, the government has stressed.

    Zimbabwe’s confirmed cases crept up to 178 yesterday with four more cases, three among returnees from South Africa and one a returnee from Mozambique, to conclude a week that saw the cumulative total of patients rising by over 100, almost all from those living in quarantine centers on their return to Zimbabwe with only a small fraction of the new patients infected within Zimbabwe.

    WHO country representative Dr Alex Gasasira told ‘The Herald’ yesterday that the surge in confirmed cases called for enhanced responses towards combating Covid-19.

    “There is no need to panic. What we would say is that there is need for enhanced vigilance, enhanced compliance with the prevention measures that the Ministry of Health and Child Care and its partners have been sharing with the public,” said Dr Gasasira.

    He said following the spike in cases, particularly from quarantine facilities, WHO was sure that government had started contact tracing and isolating those that tested positive to prevent further spread within the facilities and beyond.

    Zimbabweans needed to comply with guidance given by public health experts, as opposed to what can now be seen, especially in high density areas, where people have started congregating in large numbers, without face masks and not observing the required social distance.

    Said Dr Gasasira: “Every individual must continue to have the highest level of hand hygiene, to keep physical distance from others, to wear a mask whenever one is going to a public place, to look after that mask properly, and to ensure that when you are sick or someone close to you is sick, they report for proper assessment. This is what is supposed to be done and that is what we would highly recommend.”

    People with relatives coming in from other countries must also tell their relatives of the need to go into quarantine, be screened and get tested for Covid-19 before joining the rest of the family so that their families and the returning residents remain safe.

    Zimbabwe will continue under level 2 lockdown until President Mnangagwa announces a review and any changes, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa has said.

    In an interview with The Herald after the periodic review meeting of the Mashonaland West Provincial Taskforce on Covid-19 in Chinhoyi yesterday, Minister Mutsvangwa said, “The review of the lockdown is under President Mnangagwa’s purview and he is going to do so when he addresses the nation.”

    Until the President, after considering the facts, makes any changes, the lockdown would continue at its present level because the disease was still spreading with no cure yet.

    Minister Mutsvangwa criticised those grumbling each time President Mnangagwa extends the lockdown, under the pretext that informal traders and others out of employment would continue to struggle to provide for their families. It was more important to ensure that every citizen was safe from the disease ahead of anything else.

    In terms of schools re-opening, Minister Mutsvangwa said Cabinet continued to assess the situation but emphasized that schools would only re-open when measures to protect pupils, teachers and parents were in place.

    “My grandchildren asked me to talk to the President so that he instructs the opening of schools but I explained to them that the schools will only resume once it is safe for school-children and their parents from the pandemic,” she said.

    Pupils will continue to learn from home for now.

    Since most of the positive cases being recorded at the moment are among the returning citizens, the strict 21-day quarantine will remain in place but returning citizens were in the priority group for PCR tests, the certain diagnostic test. More food, bedding and water was being availed at the quarantine centres, said Minister Mutsvangwa

    The minister is a member of the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on Covid-19 chaired by Vice President Kembo Mohadi.

    Government has warned the country that there may well be more patients as more return home, with a majority of them coming from countries that have recorded high numbers of confirmed cases.

    Disclaimer : “Opinions expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not in any way reflect those of backend.theindependentghana.com.

    Source: allafrica.com

  • Zimbabwe Police to intensify night patrols as robberies surge

    Police have noted an increase in the number of urban commuters who are being robbed, saying night patrols were now being intensified to protect the masses.

    Criminals are now targeting people who would have disembarked from buses and vehicles during this Covid-19 lockdown period.

    Although police could not provide the statistics of the people that have fallen victims to the criminals, reports revealed that robbers were waylaying people during the night, taking advantage that most people would be in their homes.

    Some of the victims have been injured, while others died during the attacks.

    The police and other security agents have since increased patrols, especially in Harare and Bulawayo, where such cases are rampant.

    National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi urged the public to avoid walking in secluded places during the night.

    “Police have noted the occurrence of robbery cases in cities such as Harare, Bulawayo and others as some potential commuters are being targeted by criminals after disembarking from Zupco buses and private vehicles,” he said.

    “Members of the public are urged not to travel at night, avoid boarding private vehicles which are pirating and obviously not observing lockdown measures. They should avoid secluded places and be security-conscious.

    “Police and other security services have since intensified patrols in the said areas.”

    The sentiments come after a Harare man was on Saturday fatally struck with an iron bar on the head and lost consciousness along Leopold Takawira Street at around 7pm.

    Police said an unknown suspect searched him and stole his belongings.

    “He later gained consciousness and was taken to Parirenyatwa Hospital, where he was treated and discharged, but did not report the matter to the police,” said Nyathi.

    “His condition deteriorated during the night and he later died.

    “Police are appealing for information which may lead to the arrest of the culprits.”

    Meanwhile, police in Epworth have arrested two suspects on allegations of fatally assaulting a man and injuring his colleague after accusing them of stealing six bags of maize in Ruwa on Sunday.

    The incident occurred at Mandley Park.

    “The suspects carried out severe instant justice on the victim (name withheld) who had stolen their six bags of maize together with Talkmore Kwaini who is still admitted at Chitungwiza Central Hospital,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

    “The victim sustained bruises all over the body, a deep cut on the leg and he died upon being taken to the Epworth police station by a well-wisher.”

    Asst Comm Nyathi urged the public to desist from taking the law into their own hands.

    Source: allafrica.com

  • 48% of Zimbabwe’s local sanitizers fail standards tests

    Recent laboratory tests have shown that 48 percent of hand sanitisers and face masks produced locally have failed to meet the mandatory health standards and Government is now working with the manufacturers to improve the quality of the products, a Cabinet minister has said.

    Since the gazetting of Statutory Instrument (SI) 92 of 2020, the Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) and Bureau de Veritas were mandated by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to conduct conformity assessment procedures to attest compliance through laboratory testing and certification of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

    The SI in question, sets the standards required for the manufacture, sale and disposal of apparel, materials and equipment intended to be worn or used as protection against any formidable infectious disease by different categories of persons in their interaction with the public.

    Statistics gathered by The Herald revealed that 24 out of 52 companies whose sanitizer samples were tested failed to meet the set standard.

    Eleven companies passed the test while eight others conditionally passed but need to improve on labelling.

    Of the 35 companies manufacturing general face masks, 17 were below the mandatory standards.

    Eighteen companies’ products were up to standard but 15 of them required improvement on labelling.

    Only one company had its gowns and caps tested and the products were up to standard.

    Two companies whose face shields were tested for compliance passed the test while another company that produces face screens also succeeded.

    Industry and Commerce Minister Sekai Nzenza said a number of companies failed the test and Government was now working with them to improve on quality.

    “A number of companies have not met the standards and quality. We are working with the companies that have failed tests and already we have recorded positive improvements from them.

    “SAZ is currently working with the companies whose products were non-compliant, which are at various stages of conducting corrective action to ensure that their products meet the prescribed standards after their PPE failed the initial laboratory tests,” she said.

    Minister Nzenza said her ministry was also engaging manufacturers and suppliers of PPEs to ensure the prices are affordable.

    “As Ministry of Industry and Commerce, we have the mandate to implement standards and quality in order to ensure the health and safety of the people.

    “At the same time, we work with the Consumer Protection Council to monitor the cost of PPEs and sanitizers,” she said.

    Minister Nzenza has set up a taskforce to monitor and ensure compliance with the set standards.

    The team comprises representatives from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Ministry of Health and Child Care, Attorney General’s office, Police Anti-counterfeit & Anti-smuggling unit and SAZ.

    The Ministry of Industry and Commerce, working with key stakeholders like Consumer Council of Zimbabwe and SAZ has embarked on awareness campaigns on the mandatory standards for PPE and sanitizers.

    This is to ensure that the implications are well known to the manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, shipping agents, law enforcement agencies and consumers alike.

    Source: allafrica.com

  • Zimbabwe minister sacked after remarks on MP’s abduction

    Zimbabwe’s deputy information minister has been fired, hours after dismissing the abduction of a female member of parliament and two of her colleagues as a row over payment for sex.

    The government gave no reason for the dismissal of Energy Mutodi.

    A tweet by Mr Mutodi about the opposition MP, Joana Mamombe, has been deleted.

    The deputy minister has also been engaged in a public feud with other Zimbabwean ministers.

    Foreign embassies in Harare, including those of the European Union and the United States, have demanded a swift and credible investigation into what they describe as the abduction and torture of the women.

    They were treated in hospital after being found at the roadside near the town of Bindura.

    Two days earlier they were arrested for taking part in an anti- government protest.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Chinese doctors join Zimbabwe’s coronavirus fight

    A team of 12 Chinese doctors have arrived in Zimbabwe to help in the fight against coronavirus.

    The southern Africa nation has confirmed 36 cases in total and four deaths.

    The doctors, from China’s Hunan Province, arrived in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, on Monday with test kits and protective gear, the state-run Herald newspaper reports.

    The 12 doctors have “front-line experience in the prevention and control of Covid-19”, Chinese state-owned China Global Television Network reports

    It tweeted photos of the delegation’s arrival at the main airport in Harare:

    Source: bbc.com

  • Zimbabwe extends coronavirus lockdown by 14 days

    Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has announced that the lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic will be extended by two weeks.

    But mining and manufacturing operations will be exempted – to keep the economy running.

    The lockdown was due to expire midnight on Sunday.

    In a live broadcast, the president said the conditions for lifting the restrictions had not been met.

    He described the extension as a hard decision made reluctantly, but one that was necessary and unavoidable.

    Zimbabwe has recorded 25 coronavirus cases and three deaths ,amid warning by the World Health Organization (WHO) that Africa must prepare for an increase in infections.

    The country is still battling to increase mass testing and the number of treatment centres.

    The WHO has warned of difficult times ahead but cautioned countries against lifting restrictions prematurely.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Air Zimbabwe staff to go on unpaid leave

    Zimbabwe’s embattled national airline is to send some of its staff on indefinite unpaid leave later this month following a drop in revenue caused by global travel restrictions.

    Air Zimbabwe, which has just one aeroplane, was already $300m (£237m) in debt before the coronavirus pandemic struck. At the end of March it grounded its flights altogether.

    “This decision has been made after evaluating all the available and possible options,” Air Zimbabwe said in a message to staff, according to Bloomberg News

    Air Zimbabwe is quoted by Reuters news agency as saying it will keep a skeleton staff for the time being

    , and that all empoyees will still receive their April salaries.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Zimbabwe’s govt devotes 26 million dollars towards Coronavirus fight

    The government will spend more than 26 million dollars in the next 12 months on programmes aimed at mitigating the effects of the possible outbreak and spread of the dreaded Coronavirus in the country.

    President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday launched the Zimbabwe Preparedness and Response Plan on Covid-19 strategy which shall see treasury spend 26,388,380 dollars.

    12,144,606 dollars will also be channeled towards logistics, procurement and supply management.

    Surveillance, rapid response and case investigation including ports of entry has been allocated 4,159,890.

    Officially launching the Covid-19 response document at State House on Thursday, Mnangagwa said no country was immune to the virus which has claimed thousands throughout the world.

    “This pandemic surpasses all that we have experienced before. Around 200,000 people have tested positive globally and around 7,000 have died worldwide,” he said.

    The President said business has declined seriously across the globe and Covid-19 has shown to affect everyone including children.

    Speaking at the same occasion, World Health Organisation country representative, Alex Gasasira also said the Coronavirus pandemic could be controlled adding that the UN health agent was grateful for the strong measures already put in place by Zimbabwean authorities to avert the disaster.

    He called for a holistic approach to dealing with the National Preparedness and Response Plan.

    “Your Excellency this is a pandemic that can be controlled we are grateful to you for the strong measures that Zimbabwe has put in place that are in line with the recommendations of the World Health Organisation,” said Gasasira.

    Health Minister Obadiah Moyo said Zimbabwe has not recorded any positive case of Covid-19.

    He commended support from various stakeholders including the Chinese Embassy and the British Embassy in boosting the country’s response to the pandemic.

    Source: allafrica.com

  • Malawi compensates Mozambique for stolen charcoal

    Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared a national disaster over coronavirus even as the country is yet to confirm any case.

    Mr Mnangagwa has also postponed independence day celebrations scheduled for 18 April and banned all public gatherings of more than 100 people.

    The Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) that was to take place in the south-western city of Bulawayo from 21-25 April has also been postponed.

    The ban will affect church gatherings, weddings and sporting events for 60 days.

    The president told a press briefing at his office in the capital, Harare, there would be no travel ban, but discouraged travellers from countries that had confirmed coronavirus cases from visiting Zimbabwe.

    He also advised Zimbabweans against travel abroad until the pandemic was under control.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Man flees Zimbabwe hospital before coronavirus test

    Zimbabwe has no confirmed cases of coronavirus, but the health ministry has confirmed that a man who was due to be tested in a hospital “absconded before testing was done”.

    In a statement on Monday it added that the 26-year-old entered Zimbabwe in February from Thailand, and was referred from a private clinic to Wilkins Infectious Disease Hospital in Harare on 8 March complaining of a fever and sneezing.

    According to Zimbabwe’s health ministry:Quote Message: He did not meet the [World Health Organization] definition of a suspected case but was still earmarked for a Covid-19 test due to intensified surveillance that the country has adopted.”

    He did not meet the [World Health Organization] definition of a suspected case but was still earmarked for a Covid-19 test due to intensified surveillance that the country has adopted.”

    After the man fled the hospital “follow-up efforts to his home address were initiated and a police report was made”, the statement added.

    Latest figures indicate there are 100 confirmed coronavirus cases across Africa.

    They are as follows:

    • Egypt – 55
    • Algeria – 20
    • South Africa– 7
    • Tunisia – 5
    • Senegal – 4
    • Morocco – 2
    • Cameroon – 2
    • Burkina Faso – 2
    • Nigeria – 2
    • Togo –

    Source: BBC

     

  • Guinea president ‘snubs West African leaders’

    Guinea’s President Alpha Condé has refused to meet a delegation of West African leaders as the country heads towards a referendum that could allow him run for a third term, reports Radio France Internationale (RFI).

    A delegation of heads of states from the regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), was scheduled to visit Guinea on Friday, RFI reports quoting high-ranking sources.

    It was to be led by Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou and was to include Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari, Ghana’s Nana Akufo-Addo and Burkina Faso’s Roch Marc Christian Kaboré.

    Guinea has been plunged into political crisis over President Condé’s push for constitutional reforms through a referendum that will be held on 1 March. The opposition has said it will boycott the vote.

    Opponents see the process as a plot to enable the 81-year-old leader, who is nearing the end of the two terms allotted under the present constitution, to stay in power for up to another decade.

    Several protesters have died in various anti-government demonstrations in recent months.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Guinea President Conde hints at third term bid despite protests

    Guinea’s President Alpha Conde has suggested publicly for the first time that he could run for a third term if the constitution is changed, a move likely to fuel further unrest.

    Guineans vote on Sunday in parliamentary elections and a referendum on constitutional reforms that could allow the 81-year-old to stand again, and the prospect of him staying longer in office has already led to months of sometimes violent protests.

    Opponents see the process as a plot to enable Conde, who approaches the end of the two terms allotted under the present constitution, to stay in power for up to another decade. For Conde, who became Guinea’s first democratically elected leader in 2010, the changes will create a “modern constitution”.

    In an interview with Le Figaro newspaper that was published on Wednesday, Conde said the 2010 constitution was bad and needed modernising.

    “The Guinean people will ask this question: Is it the first time that a president changes the constitution to do a third or fourth term? Why would it be impossible in Guinea to do three mandates?” he asked.

    In some other African countries, leaders have used a constitution change as an excuse to reset their term limits.

    “It’s only Guinea that is criticised. Some countries can change constitution four or five times without being criticised,” Conde said, using Chadian President Idriss Deby as an example.

    Western and Chinese businesses are also keeping an eye on how events unfold.

    The West African nation is rich with natural resources including the world’s largest bauxite reserves, as well as in iron, gold, diamonds and oil.

    But investments have stalled due to political instability and a lack of infrastructure and most of its 13 million people live in poverty. According to the World Bank, per capita income in 2018 was just $830. Growth stood at around 10 percent in 2016-2017, falling to 5.8 percent in 2018.

    Conde’s first election victory in 2010 raised hopes for democratic progress in the former French colony after two years of military rule and nearly a quarter of a century under authoritarian President Lansana Conte, who died in 2008.

    But Conde’s critics have accused him of cracking down on dissent and violently repressing protests – charges he has denied. He asked his government last year to draft a new constitution that would permit him to run for office again.

    Conde has been “so disappointing”, said opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo, a former prime minister. He has created “a banana republic – a dictatorship in all but name”, Diallo said.

    An alliance of parties, unions and grassroots groups opposed to the referendum delivered a similarly brutal judgement. “He took himself for Mandela but decided to become Bokassa,” it said, referring to Jean-Bedel Bokassa, the former president of the Central African Republic who declared himself emperor.

    The Paris-based group of French-speaking countries, the Organisation Internationale de la Francophone, which had been due to monitor Sunday’s vote, has suspended its support of the ballot.

    It questioned the credibility of the vote due to 2.49 million “problematic” entries on the electoral register.

    It also called on Guinean authorities “to act quickly to avoid any further loss of human life and to stop any risk of escalation towards violence”.

    Conde said he was surprised by the organisation’s reaction and accused the opposition of calling for violence and hiring young people to throw stones.

    “We will do everything to keep the calm and ensure the population can vote,” Conde said.

    Source: News Agencies

  • Kagame reshuffles cabinet, overhauls Health and Education Ministries

    President Paul Kagame on Wednesday evening reshuffled the cabinet making major changes to key ministries notably Health and Education.

    Dr Daniel Ngamije was appointed Minister of Health, replacing Dr Diane Gashumba who resigned two weeks ago.

    Dr Daniel Ngamije previously worked for the World Health Organisation.

    Valentine Uwamariya was named Minister for Education, replacing Eugene Mutimura. Mutimura was appointed as the Head of Science and Technology Commission.

    Uwamariya was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in Charge of Trainings, Institutional Development and Research at Rwanda Polytechnic and also a senior lecturer at University of Rwanda.

    In the same ministry, Gaspard Twagirayezu was appointed Minister of State in charge of Primary and Secondary Education. He replaced Isaac Munyakazi who also stepped down two weeks ago following corruption-related charges.

    Inès Mpambara who was previously serving as Director of Cabinet in the Office of the President was appointed Minister in charge of Cabinet Affairs.

    There were also changes at the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion where Minister Jeannette Bayisenge takes over from Solina Nyirahabimana.

    Nyirahabimana was moved to serve as Minister of State in Charge of Constitutional and Legal Affairs. She replaces Evode Uwizeyimana, who resigned after he physically assaulted a private security guard on duty.

    Marie-Solange Kayisire, who previously held the docket of Cabinet Affairs, was appointed Minister in Charge of Emergency Management.

    The changes also saw Lt. Col. Dr Tharcisse Mpunga join Cabinet as Minister of State in the Ministry of Health in charge of Primary Healthcare. He replaces Dr Patrick Ndimubanzi, who will henceforth serve as the Executive Secretary of the Human Resources for Health Secretariat.

    Another new entrant is Richard Tusabe, who was appointed Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning in Charge of the National Treasury.

    The reshuffle also saw the creation of Minister of State in the Ministry of Education in Charge of ICT and TVET Education with Claudette Irere assigned to the task.

    Irere was serving as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of ICT and Innovation, a position that was assigned to youthful Yves Iradukunda.

    Other major changes saw Régis Rugemanshuro appointed Director-General of Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB).

    Rugemanshuro is coming from the private sector where he worked as Chief Digital Officer for Bank of Kigali.

    The shake-up also saw Amandin Rugira appointed as Ambassador-designate of Rwanda to Zambia and Dieudonné Sebashongore as Ambassador-designate of Rwanda to Belgium.

    Monique Mukaruliza was previously representing Rwanda in Zambia while Rugira was the envoy to Belgium.

    Source: newtimes.co.rw

  • 82 Zimbabweans arrested for wildlife crimes, 17 pangolins recovered

    At least 82 people were arrested last year while police recovered 17 pangolins and over 1 000kg of pangolin scales, as the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) declares war on wildlife crimes.

    During the same period, ZRP handled 40 cases and of the 82 arrests, 12 people were convicted and jailed effective nine years each, for illegal possession of pangolins.

    In a statement yesterday, Criminal Investigations Department (CID) spokesperson Detective Inspector Portia Chinho warned would-be offenders that it was illegal to kill or traffic any endangered wildlife as the offences attract a mandatory nine-year jail term.

    “In Zimbabwe, the pangolin is one of the specially protected yet most trafficked mammals. Other specially protected mammals include the cheetah, aardwolf, bat eared fox, gemsbok, black rhinoceros and white rhinoceros. The pangolin in its entirety is believed to possess an array of medicinal qualities though no scientific qualification has supported this cultural mythology whose power has justified the poaching and trafficking of the only scaled mammal.

    “Our natural heritage is protected by law and as such the Zimbabwe Republic Police will not hesitate to enforce the law without fear or favour. Law enforcement officials are not going to sit down and fold hands until sanity prevails in the country,” she said.

    She said on February 11, the CID Minerals, Flora and Fauna Unit in Guruve arrested Zuze Tauro (39) of Mushumbi Pools who was selling a live pangolin. Police intercepted Tauro at Chitsungo Business Centre, Mushumbi Pools, while in possession of the pangolin which was in a wooden cage and arrested him.

    In a similar case in Beitbridge, detectives from the same unit last week arrested Plaxedes Sibanda (28) for possessing a live pangolin and she was taken to court where she was sentenced to 24 months in jail.

    Source: allafrica.com

  • Zimbabwe VP’s wife denied access to children

    The estranged wife of Zimbabwe’s Vice-President Constatino Chiwenga, Marry Mubaiwa, has been denied access to their children and their home.

    A high court dismissed Ms Mubaiwa’s application in which she was seeking access to her home and children.

    She was ordered to live in her parents’ house until her case is heard.

    Ms Mubaiwa was arrested in December and charged with attempting to murder Mr Chiwenga, and of being involved in fraud and money laundering.

    She was released on bail on 6 January and ordered to surrender her diplomatic passport and the title deeds of a property registered in her father’s name as part of her bail conditions.

    Since then she has been filing applications to be allowed to access to the house she lived in with Mr Chiwenga.

    Mrs Mary Chiwenga – Picture by Kudakwashe Hunda

    Source: bbc.com

  • ‘Silent genocide’ going on in Zimbabwe’s hospitals

    Zimbabwe’s senior doctors have released a scathing statement explaining why they are joining their junior colleagues in not turning up to work.

    They are protesting against the sacking of hundreds of doctors who have been fired because of their strike over poor wages in the worsening economic situation.

    Read:Attempting suicide not a crime Psychiatrist calls for decriminalisation of act

    In a statement, referring to the bad state of healthcare, the senior doctors said that a “silent genocide continues to be perpetrated upon the people of Zimbabwe”.

    It details the lack of drugs and equipment that doctors have to deal with and says that conditions are no longer safe for treating patients.

    “The hospitals continue to be poorly stocked and remain a death trap.”

    Read:Two commit suicide after misunderstanding with lovers

    The statement adds:

    “We are not slaves. We are not greedy mercenaries. We deserve proper tools of the trade, a living wage, and a safe working environment. The citizens of Zimbabwe deserve a health system they can trust.”

    “We are not slaves. We are not greedy mercenaries. We deserve proper tools of the trade, a living wage, and a safe working environment. The citizens of Zimbabwe deserve a health system they can trust.”

    Source: bbc.com

  • Earth tremor hits Zimbabwe

    Government officials have said authorities are investigating unconfirmed reports that some parts of Chipinge on Friday experienced mild earth tremors.

    Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Munesuishe Munodawafa revealed that there were reports of a mild tremor in an area which previously experienced Cyclone Idai.

    MUnodawafa said the reports were a clear confirmation that Zimbabwe and the region at large are to adapt to climate change strategies including developments which are climate proof.

    Read:Southern California shaken by 6.4 magnitude earthquake

    “There is suspicion that there could have been slight earth tremors again just yesterday (Friday) around 4:30 there about in the Chipinge area, it could be a sad reality that we are now facing.

    “We need to then move forward, even as tourism industry, as we do our projects we now need to take seriously the issue of climate proofing our structures and construction project because it’s a sad reality that we now face.

    Read:Panic reactions from Accra residents as earth tremor rips through city

    “Mauritius is hit by at least four cyclones every single year but we never hear of roofs being blown away because they have now realized that that is reality and they are climate proofing their structures,” he said.

    Cyclone Idai survivors who are still housed in makeshift tents recently sent a distress call after heavy rains pounded Manicaland leaving another trail of destruction.

    Minister of Public Works and Local Government July Moyo toured affected areas in Manicaland, Chimanimani, Chipinge as well as Mutare where two primary school roofs were blown by gusty winds which accompanied the heavy rains.

    Source: allafrica.com

  • Anti-corruption commission in Zimbabwe closes in on 44 top officials

    Forty-four serving and former Cabinet ministers, permanent secretaries, parastatal bosses and legislators are facing “imminent” arrest for corruption, Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) chairperson Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo has said. She said the commission was mainly focusing on criminal abuse of office, theft of funds, bribery and flouting of tender procedures, among other offences.

    “We are working round-the-clock to ensure all the corrupt ones are brought to book. The fight against corruption is real and we will not rest until we arrest all the perpetrators of corruption,” said Justice Matanda-Moyo.

    Justice Matanda-Moyo’s statement comes amid reports that some whistle-blowers yesterday visited ZACC offices with more allegations against the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs in charge of Implementation and Monitoring, Joram Gumbo.

    Gumbo was being quizzed yesterday on further allegations after he and the ZACC team were recalled from court to the ZACC headquarters as whistle-blowers levelled more allegations against the former.

    Read:Campaigners outraged as Zimbabwe exports over 30 baby elephants to Chinese zoos

    The minister will now be released, but be summoned for trial when investigations are complete.

    Justice Matanda-Moyo said her office had received more information with the potential of generating three fresh charges against the minister.

    “Following his arrest, certain informants rushed here with more evidence. We had to recall him from court in order for us to further investigate and verify the new allegations being raised.

    “We are in the process of recording statements from the witnesses and we will then call him to give his side of the story later. He is likely to be charged with additional three charges,” said Justice Matanda-Moyo.

    The ZACC boss said witnesses came from as far as Kariba and if the evidence is proved to be credible, Gumbo will face the extra charges.

    “We will allow him to go home while we prepare the necessary papers for him to go to court,” she said.

    Read:Teenage pregnancy spike in Zimbabwe

    So far, two Cabinet ministers — Gumbo and Priscah Mupfumira — have been arrested for criminal abuse of office.

    Mupfumira, who was the first to be arrested, is facing an array of charges mainly related to criminal abuse of office.

    Her trial has been delayed at the request of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

    She was Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister at the time of her arrest, but most of the charges against her arise from offences allegedly committed during her tenure as Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister.

    She is facing seven counts of criminal abuse of office involving US$95 million and her trial failed to take off on Monday due to the State’s unpreparedness.

    Gumbo, was investigated for allegedly issuing corrupt directives during his tenure as Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister.

    He is accused of reinstating fired Civil Aviation Authority (CAAZ) managing director David Chawota and Central Mechanical Equipment Department (CMED) managing director Davison Mhaka after the two had been legally and separately fired for misconduct by disciplinary tribunals.

    Read:Zimbabwean teacher arrested for caning pupils on privates

    He is also accused of showing favour to his relative Mavis Gumbo by arranging for her to rent out her house to Zimbabwe Airways, with the Government paying US$1 million for alterations and renovations despite the fact that she received the full rent.

    Explaining Gumbo’s release, Harare lawyer Mr Gwinyai Shumba said if one is allowed to go home, they can be summoned to court when the investigations are complete.

    “The 48-hour period during which one is supposed to be taken to court upon arrest only applies to those in custody.

    “If one is released after being charged, there is no specific time frame in which you should be taken to court,” he said.

    Mr Shumba, who served as a prosecutor for a long time, said one is considered charged upon the recording of a warned and cautioned statement.

    President Mnangagwa has vowed to deal decisively with corruption which he described as deep-seated in most State institutions.

    Speaking in a special Independence Day interview with ZBC at State House this year, President Mnangagwa said the various hurdles in successfully uprooting the scourge meant “the fight is so wide and deep”.

    Read:IMF: Zimbabwe has the highest inflation rate in the world

    “I now realise that corruption is deep-rooted. I thought that by pronouncing that let’s fight corruption, those who are corrupt will fear and stop; it’s not like that. It’s so rooted that you have to fight it from A to Z. (In) most systems, structures and institutions, there is an element of corruption,” said President Mnangagwa.

    “To fight it, you need the police to unearth, investigate; but also within the police, there is corruption. The next stage, you need prosecution, that is the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

    “They need to prosecute the cases, so once the case passes the corruption in the police, it has to pass the corruption in the NPA; then it must go to the courts and there is an element of corruption in the courts. So the fight is so wide and deep.”

    Fighting corruption, he said, was a collective responsibility.

    The President said his office would not interfere with judicial processes.

    “However, I am happy that you find people who support the fight against corruption in all these institutions. In the police, not everybody is corrupt; in prosecution institutions, not everybody is corrupt; in the Judiciary, not everybody is corrupt. So because of that we are gaining traction slowly, but not as speedily as I had expected.

    As you realise, there are so many cases of corruption now in the courts,” he said.

    President Mnangagwa expressed frustration at the snail’s pace of some of the cases before the courts. A clean society, he added, would help the country to “develop faster” and lead to satisfactory service delivery.

    President Mnangagwa committed to fight corruption by strengthening and restructuring key institutions such as the NPA, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) and the Special Anti-Corruption Unit in the Office of the President and Cabinet.

    Source: allafrica.com

  • Zimbabwe fires striking doctors

    The government of Zimbabwe has fired 77 doctors who have been taking part in a strike since September over pay.

    Last month a court ruled that the strike was illegal and ordered them back to work but they defied the ruling.

    Hundreds of doctors, who are also on strike, are waiting to know their fate as the government looks determined to keep playing hardball.

    Read:Zimbabwean striking doctors launch crowd funding initiative to replace salaries

    It seems unthinkable that they can all be fired because the impact on the already struggling health service would be disastrous, our correspondent says.

    Zimbabwe is in the midst of an economic crisis and high inflation has severely eroded people’s earnings.

    Read:Blaming dress code for sexual abuse in Zimbabwe criticised

    The real value of a doctor’s salary has therefore plummeted to the equivalent of less than $100 (£80) a month.

    With members of the civil service due to take to the streets on Wednesday, the pressure is building on President Emmerson Mnangagwa because the economic crisis is making life harder for Zimbabweans.

    Source: bbc.com

  • IMF: Zimbabwe has the highest inflation rate in the world

    Annual inflation in Zimbabwe was 300 percent in August, according to new data released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). At that level, the troubled southern African nation’s inflation rate is the highest in the world.

    Annualised inflation in Zimbabwe was measured at 175.66 percent in June, up from 97.85 percent in May. In a statement released on Thursday, IMF head of delegation Gene Leon said Zimbabwe was experiencing what he described as severe economic difficulties.

    Leon was a part of an IMF delegation that was recently in the country to assess progress on the implementation of a Staff Monitored Program (SMP) that measures economic performance and Zimbabwe’s commitment to reforms. The programme is a key step towards unlocking IMF funding.

    “Since the February currency reform, the exchange rate has depreciated ,” Leon said. The currency went from one-to-one with the US unit to 1 to 16.5 as of September 23, “fostering high inflation, which reached almost 300 percent (year-over-year) in August.”

    Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube banned the publication of annual inflation numbers in July to allow the country’s statistical agency, Zimstat, to compile new price data, which will only be published in February 2020, Ncube said.

    Read:Zimbabwe: A third of population faces food crisis, says UN

    This is not the first time Zimbabwe has experienced high inflation. Government figures show Zimbabwe’s peak inflation rate was 79.6 billion percent month-on-month and 89.7 sextillion percent year-on-year in mid-November 2009. Hyperinflation only ended the following year with the adoption of the US dollar.

    Sting of inflation

    While Zimstat is not confirming the IMF’s inflation estimate, many Zimbabweans are feeling the sting of the Zimbabwean dollar’s diminishing value.

    Chenjerai Varugu, a vendor who sells mobile phone chargers and USB cables in Harare’s streets, says high inflation has made life tougher for him.

    “Life is just now harder for me,” he told Al Jazeera. “I am now struggling to buy food. Bread is now $10. Everything has gone up.” When the local currency was pegged to the US dollar a loaf of bread could be bought for $1.

    Read:Zimbabwe drought leaves more than two million people without clean water

    Varugu said he was thinking of leaving the country because most of his merchandise comes from abroad and that makes his livelihood particularly sensitive to exchange rates.

    “The weakening local currency also affects my business in a big way because the wholesalers of the products buy these products in US dollars and increase the prices when the Zim dollar weakens against the US dollar,” Varugu said. When the cost of doing business for him rises, he raises prices, but he admits this is not a sustainable solution. “Customers generally don’t buy as much when you increase the price.”

    Leon said economic difficulties in the country have been exacerbated by severe weather shocks. He foresees a steep drop in the value of all the goods and services produced within Zimbabwe in 2019.

    “Social conditions have deteriorated sharply, with more than half of Zimbabwe’s population [8.5 million people] estimated by the UN to be food insecure in 2019/2020. Weakening confidence, policy uncertainty, a continuation of FX market distortions, and a recent expansionary monetary stance has increased pressure on the exchange rate,” Leon added.

    Read:Zimbabwe to introduce new currency due to dollar shortage

    Worse than Venezuela

    Like Zimbabwe, the Venezuelan government in 2018 once suspended inflation readings.

    This year, annual inflation in Venezuela – the country with the world’s second-highest inflation – was measured at 135.3 percent in August. On a month-on-month basis, consumer prices in Venezuela rose 65.2 percent in the same month, according to the opposition-controlled Congress.

    While inflation in Venezuela has decelerated in recent months because of strict reserve requirements on banks, which reduced the credit available to businesses, Zimbabwe’s rate hike has not slowed down inflation.

    Source: aljazeera.com

  • Zimbabwe doctor ‘electrocuted during abduction’

    The Zimbabwe doctor and union leader who was missing for five days has told the Voice of America (VOA) that he was electrocuted during his abduction.

    “I remember being in a basement of some sort, being electrocuted at some point, that is what I vividly remember,” Peter Magombeyi said

    The US broadcaster said that he was struggling to speak in the interview, saying: “I barely remember anything.”

    Dr Magombeyi, who had organised a series of strikes over poor pay and working conditions in recent weeks, was left in the bush in Nyabira, about 20km (12 miles) north-west of the capital, Harare, on Thursday night.

    Read:Zimbabwe protests: Opposition vows to defy police ban on rally

    He told Zimbabwe’s state-run Chronicle Paper that he recalled being kidnapped by three men on Saturday night.

    The BBC’s Shingai Nyoka in Harare says the authorities had suggested his disappearance was staged or the work of a “third force” wanting to undermine the government.

    There have been a spate of abductions of government critics in recent months.

    Read:Zimbabwe: A third of population faces food crisis, says UN

    The police say they are investigating what exactly happened to Dr Magombeyi, who is the acting president of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA).

    Before he disappeared, he told the AFP news agency that he had received threatening calls and messages on his phone.

    He had been demanding more pay for doctors as inflation is making it impossible for them to get to work as their salary has shrunk to $100 (£80) a month.

    The government had to deploy military doctors to state hospitals this week after medical workers went on strike across the country when he went missing.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Zimbabwe ex-Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko ‘on the run’

    Zimbabwe’s former Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko is being treated as a fugitive after fleeing from anti-corruption officials.

    Mr Mphoko was due at a police station to make a statement on allegations being levelled against him but drove away when his car was approached by the officials, AFP news agency reports.

    His lawyer said Mr Mphoko feared being detained and poisoned.

    He also denied he was on the run, calling the phrase “sensationalist”.

    Mr Mphoko was a co-vice-president under Robert Mugabe.

    Zimbabwe protests: Opposition MDC backs down after police ban

    He served alongside current President Emmerson Mnangagwa when Mr Mugabe was ousted by the military in November 2017, but the two have fallen out.

    Poison fears

    Mr Mphoko was part of a faction that wanted Mr Mugabe’s wife, Grace, to succeed him rather than Mr Mnangagwa, South Africa’s Mail and Guardian newspaper reports.

    The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) wants to talk to him about alleged abuse of office.

    Mr Mphoko’s lawyer, Zibusiso Ncube, told AFP that his client was willing to answer questions, but left when he heard the police “had instructions to detain him”.

    Mr Ncube told the BBC’s Shingai Nyoka that his client feared for his life and was concerned that he would be “injected with a poison”.

    Not a fugitive

    The former vice-president is prepared to stand trial and denies claims he abused his office after allegedly storming a police station demanding the release of an official, Mr Ncube said.

    South African president to talk with Eskom over Zimbabwe energy crisis

    Mr Mphoko “is not a fugitive, and he hasn’t been charged with anything”, he added.

    “He would never run away. The allegations are sensationalist.”

    Earlier this month, the president fired Tourism Minister Prisca Mupfumira “for conduct inappropriate for a minister of government” after her arrest over the disappearance of millions of dollars from the country’s pension fund.

    ZACC alleges the money went missing during her time as minister of labour and social welfare. Ms Mupfumira denies the allegations.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Zimbabwe protests: Opposition MDC backs down after police ban

    Zimbabwe’s main opposition group has called off anti-government protests in the capital Harare at the last minute, after failing to overturn a police ban.

    However, some protesters who had already gathered in the city were violently dispersed by police.

    The opposition said the ban exposed the “fascist” government’s true colours.

    The demonstration was called in protest at the government’s handling of the economy, but police said they had evidence it could turn violent.

    There is a heavy police presence and the city centre is subdued, with most shops closed.

    Zimbabwe after Mugabe: The country where pensions have disappeared

    About five million Zimbabweans are in need of food aid, according to the UN.

    The country has been hit by power cuts and rising inflation.

    What happened when the ban was introduced? Police announced they were banning the protests on Thursday evening.

    The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) applied to the High Court to overturn the ban, but it was upheld by a judge on Friday morning.

    Speaking to journalists after the court decision, MDC deputy leader Tendai Biti said the party would not appeal, but added that the ban had exposed the government’s “true colours”.

    “The constitution guarantees the right to demonstration… yet this fascist regime has denied and proscribed this right to the people of Zimbabwe,” he said, quoted by Reuters news agency.

    “We have jumped from the frying pan into the fire after the coup… We don’t accept the conduct of this regime, the conduct of [President Emmerson] Mnangagwa.”

    2019 Netball World Cup: Uganda, Malawi, Zimbabwe battle for 5th position

    Mr Biti said that protests planned for next week in other cities would still go ahead.

    Some opposition supporters had already gathered by the time the MDC announced the suspension.

    But police quickly moved in to disperse the crowds.

    Video and still pictures from the scene show officers beating protesters with batons as they chased them from the streets.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Zimbabwe protests: Opposition vows to defy police ban on rally

    Zimbabwe’s main opposition group has said it will hold anti-government protests in the capital Harare, in defiance of a police ban.

    The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has called for protests against the government’s handling of the economy.

    The MDC has said it has given the authorities assurances the protests will be peaceful.

    But police say they have evidence the protests will be violent.

    A “prohibition notice” banning the demonstrations has been issued by authorities in Harare’s central district, police spokesman Paul Nyathi said.

    “The police will be conducting patrols, surveillance, stop-and-searches to ensure law and order is maintained in all areas of the country,” he added.

    In response, an MDC official told Reuters news agency that the party was not aware of the prohibition order and the demonstrations would take place as planned.

    The official said, given the party had complied with law by notifying police of the protests, it expected them to “ensure there is peace”.

    What’s the background?
    If the protests do go ahead, they will be the first since rallies against fuel price increases in January led to deadly clashes with troops.

    In recent months, Zimbabwe’s economy has deteriorated, feeding into wider grievances with the ruling Zanu-PF party under President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

    Mr Mnangagwa swept to power in November 2017 after long-time leader Robert Mugabe was ousted in a military coup.

    He called elections, held the following year on 30 July, which he won. On the campaign trail, he promised democratic reforms and economic recovery after years of decline under Mr Mugabe.

    But the mood of hope and change in the wake of Mr Mugabe’s removal from power has diminished as Zimbabwe’s economy has faltered.

    Opposition groups feel that the president is failing to live up to his promises following his election in disputed polls.

    There are fears, however, that protests in Harare and other major cities will lead to another police crackdown akin to January’s.

    In those protests, at least 12 people were killed and ma

    Source: bbc.com

  • Zimbabwe protests: Opposition MDC backs down after police ban

    Zimbabwe’s main opposition group has called off anti-government protests in the capital Harare at the last minute, after failing to overturn a police ban.

    However, some protesters who had already gathered in the city were violently dispersed by police.

    The opposition said the ban exposed the “fascist” government’s true colours.

    The demonstration was called in protest at the government’s handling of the economy, but police said they had evidence it could turn violent.

    There is a heavy police presence and the city centre is subdued, with most shops closed.

    About five million Zimbabweans are in need of food aid, according to the UN.

    The country has been hit by power cuts and rising inflation.

    Zimbabwe after Mugabe: The country where pensions have disappeared

    What happened when the ban was introduced? Police announced they were banning the protests on Thursday evening.

    The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) applied to the High Court to overturn the ban, but it was upheld by a judge on Friday morning.

    Speaking to journalists after the court decision, MDC deputy leader Tendai Biti said the party would not appeal, but added that the ban had exposed the government’s “true colours”.

    “The constitution guarantees the right to demonstration… yet this fascist regime has denied and proscribed this right to the people of Zimbabwe,” he said, quoted by Reuters news agency.

    “We have jumped from the frying pan into the fire after the coup… We don’t accept the conduct of this regime, the conduct of [President Emmerson] Mnangagwa.”

    Mr Biti said that protests planned for next week in other cities would still go ahead.

    Some opposition supporters had already gathered by the time the MDC announced the suspension.

    But police quickly moved in to disperse the crowds.

    Video and still pictures from the scene show officers beating protesters with batons as they chased them from the streets.

    UN launches appeal for US$331 million to help 3.7 Zimbabweans

    Life ‘worse than under Mugabe’ The demonstrations were called to protest at Zimbabwe’s worsening economic situation. Power cuts last for up to 18 hours a day and inflation is on the rise.

    “Life in Zimbabwe today is worse that it was under [former president] Robert Mugabe,” MDC politician Fadzayi Mahere told the BBC.

    “People are marching against the continued hardship that they face. The cost of living has soared exponentially. We’re back into hyperinflation.”

    She said that democratic freedoms were also under threat.

    Earlier this week, at least six civil society and opposition members were allegedly abducted and tortured.

    The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum says the victims were accused of mobilising people to demonstrate.

    Human rights groups blame state agents for their disappearance, but the authorities have denied their involvement.

    The UK and US have expressed concerns about the reports.

    What’s the background? The protests would have been the first since January, when rallies against increases in the price of fuel ended in deadly clashes with troops, in which 12 people were killed.

    The worsening economy has fuelled wider grievances with the governing Zanu-PF party under Mr Mnangagwa.

    The current president swept to power in November 2017 after long-time leader Robert Mugabe was ousted in a military coup.

    Mr Mnangagwa, a long-time ally of Mr Mugabe, won an election in July 2018 on a platform of democratic reforms and economic recovery after years of decline under Mr Mugabe.

    But the mood of hope and change has diminished as Zimbabwe’s economy has faltered.

    Inflation is at a 10-year high, shrinking Zimbabweans’ salaries and pensions. Shortages of fuel, power and water are widespread, and the price of bread has increased five-fold since April.

    There have been fears, however, that protests in Harare and other major cities would lead to another police crackdown akin to January’s.