HARARE - The palpable fear among many Zimbabweans that 2019 would become yet another “annus horribilis” — Latin for a horrible year — has become a harrowing reality, with the country’s political and economic situation declining ever more rapidly, the Daily News on Sunday can report.

This comes as the sickening events of the past week have disabused even the most optimistic Zimbabweans that “all will be well soon”, and that “things can’t get worse in the country” — as the economic rot ravaging long-suffering citizens continues to deepen.

So bad is the situation in the country that a senior ruling Zanu PF bigwig who is also horrified by the sudden turn of events for the worse in Zimbabwe lamented in a conversation with a Daily News on Sunday staffer on Friday that “our very lives and future are now in the hands of the gods”.

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“Things are beyond bad, and the worst thing is that people don’t even know half of the things that are happening and that continue to go wrong ... and comrades (Zanu PF leaders) are also not reading from the same script,” he said ruefully.

Prominent Zanu PF member and former Finance deputy minister, Terence Mukupe, later bolstered this view — writing on social media that the country’s worsening mayhem and the State’s much-criticised savage clampdown on protesters and other dissenting voices in the country might be unfolding without the participation of President Emmerson Mnangagwa who is travelling in Europe.

“I’m worried with what’s going on ... The citizens are blind to what’s really going on ... The next 72hrs are going to be crucial regarding the path we are going to take as a nation ... Chokwadi chichabuda (the truth will come out) ... President Mnangagwa is not the issue ... Viva Zimbabwe.

“We as Zanu PF are not irrational ... No one benefits from violence and destruction of properties ... Look closer and pray fervently and what’s really going on shall be revealed to you ...

“I salute the Zanu PF Youth league ... You are truly the last line of defence ... Nyararai kuchema for now tomirira kuuya kwaDaddy!!!! (don’t cry as all will be well when ED returns). They can crush our bones but they can never crush our loyalty to our President!! Even mukatirakasha kusiri kufa ndekupi!! (your thuggery will never defeat us),” Mukupe said in his stunning tweets.

Analysts who spoke to this publication also said the events of the past week represented “one of the saddest moments” of post-independent Zimbabwe — noting further that this had badly affected ordinary citizens, the country’s dying economy, business and the government itself.

Not surprisingly too, Zimbabwe was once again receiving ubiquitous negative coverage around the world, including on influential global satellite television stations such as CNN, BBC and Sky News.

“It’s a disaster for Zim,” the senior Zanu PF official who spoke to this newspaper said, adding: “This is also happening at a time that the president is overseas, working hard to try and convince investors to come to Zimbabwe”.

At the same time, Steve Hanke — the world-renowned author, currency and inflation expert, and professor of applied economics at The Johns Hopkins University in the United States of America — says Zimbabwe is now in a “death spiral” economically.

“Zimbabwe’s annual inflation rate, measured for today, is 234,1 percent. This soaring number spells doom for #Zimbabwe,” he said in a tweet at the weekend.

And writing on Zimbabwe earlier in Forbes magazine, Hanke said Mnangagwa’s pledge that the country was “open for business” was increasingly ringing hollow.

“Indeed, many businesses in Zimbabwe are shuttered. An increase in government controlled fuel prices over the weekend has ignited simmering fury over what is in fact a currency crisis.

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“In response, Zimbabwe’s security forces have launched a violent crackdown on protesters and opposition politicians. The crackdown has been done under the cover of a social media blackout. Yes, the Internet is shuttered, too.

“Zimbabweans realise that Mnangagwa is simply Mugabe in a new suit and with new rhetoric. The reality is one in which the economy is controlled by what in essence is an organised criminal syndicate: the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu PF) party — the same syndicate that has run Zimbabwe into the ground for over 35 years,” Hanke concluded.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) warned government that it had to address the current economic meltdown which it said was behind the current unrest.

“The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission has noted with concern the fast deteriorating socio-economic and security situation in Zimbabwe triggered by an assortment of government policy statements and decisions.

“These have had far reaching effects on the household economy causing losses in incomes and savings thereby worsening poverty levels in the country.

“It is the view of the Commission that most of the austerity measures and decisions are being made with little or no consultation of the relevant stakeholders and citizens and in many instances sound and appear as almost arbitrary,” the rights body said in a statement.

“As a result there is no buy in or support for these new policies leading to implementation challenges with some key players and citizens resisting the changes.

“Related to this, there are no structured policy review mechanisms in place to assess and understand both intended and unintended impact of government decisions and policies on citizens and the economy.

“All policies, no matter how well-meant, can have a negative impact that disproportionately affect the disadvantaged members of society. 

“It is now increasingly difficult for poor families to put food on the table, access medical services, send children to school or enjoy any other socioeconomic rights enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

“The Government of Zimbabwe, outside pronouncing a number of austerity measures, has not provided a clear roadmap to economic recovery and prosperity. Key determinants of economic growth are not being dealt with decisively,” the ZHRC said further in a damning assessment of government’s economic measures.

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HARARE - Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave is one multi-talented woman. 

In addition to being an award-winning musician, Fungisai, a holder of a sociology degree, is also into gardening and designing.

The mother of three, like other women of her age, wakes up early on a daily basis helping her maid with some of the morning chores.

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“I am proud to be a full time housewife. During week days, I start my day with a shower before preparing breakfast for my husband and children.

“My husband is responsible for taking two of our children to school daily and my duty is to pick them from the school in the afternoon,” she said.

Fungisai has three children namely Tawananyasha 13, Matipanyasha, 10 the only girl doing Grade 5 and Wenyasha 7, a Grade 3 student.

Her first born, Tawananyasha attends boarding school and is doing Form Two.

“When my children are at school, I spend much of the time doing gardening. I like flowers and trees mostly,” she said.

The singer, who is set to graduate with a Masters’ degree in Child Sensitive Social Policy mid this year from Women’s University in Africa, often helps her children with homework.  

“I usually assist them with their homework. As a mother I try to be diligent and precise when helping them (children) because there is nothing embarrassing as helping a child to score low marks,” she said.

While Fungisai seemed to be living large, she told the Daily News on Sunday that she is not worried about material things.

“I usually don’t want to talk about my private life in public. However, I am that type of a person who is not worried about material things in life. What I value most in life is that I am breathing in and out.

“In life, I strive to be a good minister of the word of God through my music. I also want to continue having the ability to connect with the society, at large, without problems,” she said.

At home, Fungisai does not keep dogs.

“I hate dogs with a passion. Dogs mess up. I used to have a bull dog but I donated it to my relatives a couple of years ago. Dogs are not smart yet I like cleanliness. 

“I prefer cats to dogs. I used to have a cat but it was bitten by the dog and it died. Unoziva ndakachema kiti iyoyo for three days. Ndakabatikana. I think ndizvo zvimwe zvakaita kuti ndinyatsovenga imbwa,” she said.

Despite spending much of her time in the garden, at times, Fungisai told this publication that she strives to look smart always.

“My favourite colour is white. It helps me to look smart and clean always. I do not like dirt you know,” she said.

On public holidays and weekends, Fungisai enjoys spending the days with her family.

“I just love to be with my family all the time. At times we travel to various centres of attraction such as Victoria Falls but I was taken aback by the Hot Springs in Chimanimani,” she said.

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HARARE - Our News Editor Gift Phiri sits down for a wide-ranging interview with Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition spokesperson and director Tabani Moyo about last week’s shutdown. Find below excerpts of the interview. 

Q:  What is your assessment of the Shutdown in terms of its impact?

A: The shutdown, in my own assessment, was a tipping point of a citizen’s boiling tempers. It expressed a clear pointer that Zimbabwe can and or should do with a process of opening up for dialogue and debate around issues that affect itself structurally, at the economic levels and those things which define her very existence at political levels. 

In the absence of a people holding regular in-depth debates and national dialogue, when given a chance, as they did in the three days under review, chances are that tempers and emotions will explode beyond expected proportions. If the government is responsive, it should take this as an opportunity to attend to the very reasons that have frustrated and angered the peoples of Zimbabwe, especially the current system of governance which has seen them poorer.

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Q: Do you think it was a success?

A: This is rather a problematic question, when it is directed to the Coalition, which was more of a solidarity partner to the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), which called for the shutdown. Our member, the ZCTU, probably set the objectives and are in a position to better quantify and qualify the success indicators of the action. 

However, from a solidarity point of view, and general point of view, the major towns were successfully shut down in the three-day period under review.

Our position regarding the action is a public manner in as far as we stand in solidarity with the organisers of peaceful and non-violent protest actions to the comatose economic situation in the country as defined by a run-away inflationary regime, failing capacity for industry and manufacturing industries, erosion of income of the citizens due to the multiple pricing regime, pegged to the United States dollar and a failing health education, service delivery and other social services nets for the bulk of the peoples of Zimbabwe. 

It was, however, deplorable that some elements then took the opportunity to vandalise property, loot products in retail shops among other “isms”.

The Coalition went on to issue a strong statement against the State’s heavy-handed response to the protests, including the use of live ammunition through the deployed soldiers and police details. 

This was coming hot on the  heels of the Motlanthe Commission report on the August 1, extra-judicial killings of six civilians by the army. Sadly, innocent souls were lost due to such heavy-handed approaches by the State and many left injured.

Q: Government buckled under pressure and awarded a cushioning allowance and refund of excise duty on fuel to registered firms. Can this be touted as a breakthrough?

A: That is a tokenism approach to the complex structural economic challenges affecting the country which requires a holistic approach rather than knee-jerk interventions. It does not make economic sense for example that the government effects a 100 percent increase in fuel, while on the same footing increase the salaries of doctors by 10 percent. This points to an economy experiencing multiple dislocations, which are slowly grinding the centre to a halt. 

Our economy is broken, there is need to invest in manufacturing and industry, modernise our agriculture, re-position our institution of higher learning into modern-day machinery of innovations and inventions among others.

Q: You have been accused of organising this shutdown through meetings you allegedly held at Wild Geese Lodge. It’s alleged you later convened another meeting in Belvedere. Is this correct?

A: The coalition has already pronounced itself on this matter with clarity. Crisis Coalition held a one-day meeting on December 3 to discuss the role of CSO (civil society organisations) in transitional justice and setting the framework for national dialogue. From the 4th to the 6th, the organisation was on a strategy reflection meeting which feeds towards its strategic plan document. 

This is done annually, around the same time since our formation as an organisation. The organisation did not hold any meeting in Belvedere, we only read it in the State-owned newspapers such as The Herald and the Chronicle and recently in statements by the government. I have been repeating this reality, but out of malice, the State media and the government are ignoring these clear facts.

Q: What did your meetings exactly discuss? May you go into detail?

A: As outlined above, the first day it was about transitional justice and taking steps towards defining the framework for national dialogue. The last three days were strategic planning reflections, which we traditionally engage in outside elective general meetings. 

There is nothing criminal for organisations, registered in the country, to regularly hold internal meetings, as this is provided by the Constitution of the Republic. One of the resolutions of the meeting was that we should proceed to hold a National People’s Convention (NPC) which draws from the women’s movement, students, churches, media, business, farmers and people living with disabilities so that they make their key demands on the issues that form the agenda for a national dialogue process.

These are the partial remedies to issues confronting and knocking our socio-political and economic order at the moment, which if supported by the government, will be a step towards lasting solutions. Sadly, such actions and undertakings are demonised and branded subversion. The government should never forget that the vision of the Coalition is to see a democratic country.

Q: Did you co-ordinate with ZCTU and #ThisFlag in these protests?

A: You are actually identifying the organisers in your questioning! In our entire deliberations in early December, we never planned of organising or co-ordinating protests. The so-called January meeting, was definitely not a meeting of the Coalition. 

The only way to know who the actual conveners of the so-called Belvedere meeting is the government, reverting back to its notes and making a public clarification on how it erroneously attributed another organisation’s meeting to the Coalition.

The State might just as well apportion blame to the Coalition for the clumsy way they handled the doctors’ strike. The teachers were also on strike recently, but rather the government has opted for the easy route of blame-shifting rather than attending to the demands of the citizens.

 Furthermore, evidence before the courts shows that actually members of the ruling party were also implicated in the burning and destruction of State property such as a Zupco bus and (former Information minister Webster) Shamu’s service station. These are stubborn facts at hand which could easily be verified before going on a propaganda overdrive, which can be an embarrassment to the government that wants to be taken seriously.

In essence, the statement produced by the ruling party, through its spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo, was more rational and firmer compared to the one produced by the State, which attributes the source of the protects as the Crisis Coalition meeting in December. In his response to the shutdown, SK Moyo attributed the protests to the failing economy and outlined that the citizens were justified to protest, in as far as they were doing it in a peaceful manner. 

Q: Do you have any association with so-called Democratic Resistance Committee and The Vanguard, both alleged MDC outfits?

A: The Crisis Coalition is a conglomeration of 82 civic organisations which are working in the areas of governance and democracy. We are not affiliated to any political party. Again, the government is mixing up its intelligence. We are not in any way working or have any knowledge on the workings of the MDC structures. 

Q: What’s your comment on the high-handedness with which the State put down the protests, five said to have been killed, scores shot, and many netted in a dragnet arrest after door-to-door raids?

A: We condemn in the strongest of terms the heavy-handed approach by government in dealing with the demonstrators. The move by the government to deploy armed police and soldiers against citizens exercising their democratic right to protests should be condemned in the strongest of terms. 

It has become predictable that the government has a reflex of being disproportionate in their response to citizens expressing their views. 

The use of live ammunition is dangerously gaining traction in this country against regional and international norms of handling riotous situations. The Coalition expresses its heartfelt condolences to those who lost their loved ones out of this rather deplorable approach in handling crowds.

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Q: Do you think the grievances are genuine, given that this was all sparked by an over 100 percent hike in the price of fuel? 

A: As I noted in my introductory remarks, Zimbabwe has been bottling up for a long time, without finding the venting point. The fuel increases are just but a trigger moment. Remember, we are heavily taxed; cost of living is sky-rocketing with the three-tier pricing mechanism wreaking havoc in the economy; failing health system; challenges with accessing clean water and poor service delivery among other key factors that led to the citizens to shut down the country.

Q: Zanu PF has characterised all this as “economic sabotage.” Do you share that opinion?

A: That’s an unfortunate pronouncement, which entails that the party is not a listening party which does not have mechanisms to absorb feedback from its citizens. If the citizens are no-longer affording basic commodities and services they have the right to petition their government.

Q: How do you think this unrest can be resolved given that talks under the tripartite negotiating forum have dismally failed?

A: As the Coalition, we held our December 3, 2018 meeting with the hope that we stimulate debate on a framework for national dialogues. You saw the results for such proactive thinking! That we are saboteurs, for daring to think ahead. An inclusive national dialogue process among all key stakeholders is the panacea to this crisis at hand, rather than scapegoating and stocking temperature on narrow interest positions.

Q: And labour is pushing for US dollar salaries. Is this doable?

A: The economy is now an elite economy, which is “rated” at the going USD value for every transaction. This entails that we are valuing our goods and services at USD value. The major shift to avoid an elite USD rated economy, is to stock up gold reserves and introduce a gold-backed currency and the discipline to maintain the gold reserves. 

Q: It seems this is a currency problem. What do you suggest on the currency front, dollarisation, Rand Monetary Union, demonetising bond notes?

A: It is not the currency crisis alone, but failing production. We are not producing to earn the money. Hence the need to go all the way in investment on manufacturing and industrial capacity utilisation, value adding our products in agriculture and mining as the major foreign currency earners. When you have economic growth in real terms, it creates jobs and opportunities for the economy to sustain itself and leap into orbits of sustainable growth.

Q: How is your conglomeration of civil society groups helping in all this? 

A: We are a think-tank geared towards stimulating conversations around the national economy, unlocking the political gridlock through a national dialogue policy framework. In addition, we strongly believe that Zimbabwe has various capabilities at resource level, human capital and environmental factors for success, what is required is agile, innovative and competitive leadership to define a path that unites the country in re-building bottom up.

Q: Do you believe there is a political solution?

A: The politics of the country defines the economy and social bearings of the country. If the politics is responsive, through visionary leadership, everything else falls into its correct place.

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HARARE – Zimbabwe football is still operating in the dark ages judging by what transpired last week at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo.

Zimbabwe champions FC Platinum were hosting South African giants Orlando Pirates in a Group B African Champions League match at the venue.

Since the draw for the group stages was conducted in December last year, this fixture had attracted the attention of the entire country.

Pirates have a huge following in Zimbabwe due to their close proximity.

This is the club that some of Zimbabwe’s best players like Innocent Chikoya, Zvenyika Makonese, Ralph Matema and, Gilbert Mushangazhike and Engelbert Dinha have turned out for during their illustrious playing careers.

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In recent years, Takesure Chinyama and Tendai Ndoro has donned the famous black and white Sea Robbers jersey.

At the moment, current Warriors stars Kuda Mahachi and Marshall Munetsi are all on the books of the Buccaneers.

Pirates have also made a name for themselves on the continent by winning the African Champions League in 1955.

They also reached the final as recent as 2013 when they lost on aggregate to Egyptian giants Al Ahly.

Talking a stroll on the streets of any Zimbabwean city, you are bound to bump into someone wearing the Orlando Pirates replica jersey.

In fact, there are more Sea Robbers replicas in this country than those of Highlanders, CAPS United and Dynamos.

There is no denying that Pirates have a big following in Zimbabwe and the situation was made worse by the Confederation of African Football (Caf)’s decision to host the match at Barbourfields.

Caf deemed FC Platinum’s Mandava Stadium unfit to host high-profile matches in the African Champions League.

As a last resort, Pure Platinum Play was forced to opt for Barbourfields for all their three home group matches in the competition.

Highlanders as one of Zimbabwe’s oldest clubs, has modelled itself in Pirates image from their black and white jersey to the famous crossed bone salute their players make before the start of each match.

The announcement was greeted with huge excitement by most Bulawayo-based football lovers since they would now get a chance to watch their beloved Pirates in action.

On match day, thousands of football fans turned up at Barbourfields to witness this eagerly-anticipated encounter.

As the hosting nation, the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) together with FC Platinum were responsible for match day organisation of this big encounter.

Those thousands of fans that turned up at the venue had a torrid time of trying to get into the venue since there was no advance sells of tickets.

The fans had to use electronic payment methods and cash to pay for their entry into the stadium.

Due to the challenges associated with electronic payments in this country, the process became encompassing for the supporters as the queues were long and seemed not to be moving.

It was a depressing sight to see former Warriors captain and striker Benjani Mwaruwari scaling over scaffolding as he tried to gain entry into the venue.

The former Manchester City, Portsmouth and Auxerre striker tried to hurry-scurry over the security screens to gain access into the stadium but his efforts were in vain.

“We can’t do anything,” Mwaruwari is seen talking in the video circulating on social media.

“There’s no VIP (queues), I have been waiting here for 45 minutes I want to watch Pirates versus Platinum; I’m outside and then you say we will go forward, which forward?

“We are going backwards. They should be a place for us (VIPS). You are there you are not even going inside. What kind of nonsense is this, this is rubbish.”

By the time most fans managed to get into the venue, the match had already started. Luckily for them, the two teams played out a goalless draw.

The fans did not miss any goals but imagine what would have happened if either FC platinum or Pirates had scored in those early minutes of the game.

We would have been talking of casualties and probably fatalities as stampedes would have ensured as the fans would have gotten fed up of waiting in the queues and forced their way into the venue.

For many years, local football clubs have resisted printing and selling advanced tickets ahead of matches.

Their argument is that there is a risk of forgers getting hold of these tickets and selling them on the black market. Really?

In this day and age when there are a number of web ticket companies that have sophisticated printing technology that guards against fraudsters, local football should embrace this practice.

This makes it easy to control the crowds at match venues since people will find it easy to access the stadium without waiting for a long period while the cashier tries to complete an EcoCash transaction.

Most local music shows have adopted the practice of pre-sold tickets in order to ease crowd control.

There is no justification at all for football to remain in the medieval times when sungura and Zimdancehall acts are selling advanced tickets for their shows.

Pre-sold tickets also bring a lot of accountability because there is very little room for fraud since the computer system will keep track of all sales and tickets issued out.

Another argument local teams present is that stadia owners – the city councils – want to be paid their percentage in cash on the day of the game.

This is a lame defense since all municipalities have embraced online payments.

Once all the tickets have been pre-sold, the various percentages needed to be paid out to council, Zifa and the sports and Recreation Commission can be worked out.

We cannot continue operating in this manner which is a high risk as it can result in the loss of lives.      
           
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HARARE - Most of the Castle Lager Premiership clubs had their pre-season training programmes interrupted by the violent fuel hike protests that rocked Harare, Bulawayo and other towns last week.

With the 2019 season set to start in March, a number of clubs had already began their preparations in order to be ready by the time the league commences.

However, after President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced a significant increase in fuel prices on January 12, the country descended into total chaos.

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) called for a three-day national shut-down starting last Monday until Wednesday.

The situation quickly disintegrated into anarchy as some of the protestors became violent as they looted shops and attacked public transport operators that that not heeded the stay away call.

To make it worse, the government also reacted violently with the police and the army firing live ammunition to quell the demonstrators.

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The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) revealed that at least 68 people had suffered gunshot wounds during the skirmishes while at least six people had lost their lives.

While the ZCTU had said the shut-down was supposed to last for three days, as of yesterday, most shops had not yet opened their doors while transport was scarce for commuters.

The few public transport vehicles that were on the road were charging exorbitant prices which most commuters cannot afford. 

Premier League clubs were also not immune to the skirmishes as their players could not report for training.

Bulawayo was one of the worst affected areas and Highlanders were not spared either according to the club’s spokesperson Ronald Moyo.

“So far, we last met on Monday and dispersed because of the situation,” Moyo told the Daily News on Sunday. “Our proper pre-season was supposed to start on the 27th of January with medicals for all our players.

“After that we were supposed to go on a training camp on the 3rd of February. As things stands, I cannot comment on whether those dates are going to change or not since we have not been going to work.”

With head coach Joey Antipas away in Germany for a three-week attachment at Bundesliga club Werder Bremen, his assistant Prince Matore was supposed take charge of the Gamecocks pre-season training but nothing materialised.   

“We were supposed to start on Monday but our players were not able to travel for our first training session,” Matore told the Daily News on Sunday.

“Luckily for us, no one from the club was caught up in the violent that ensured on Monday and the following day.

“We are now hoping that we can start be able to start our training this coming week because the situation is much better.  

“Our season is supposed to start probably in mid or at the end of March so we still have about six to eight weeks of pre-season training which is still good.”

In the capital, CAPS united also could not commence their pre-season training last Monday on the day the riots broke out.

“We should have started on Monday but unfortunately we could not do anything because of the protests,” Makepekepe team manager Shakespeare Chinogwenya told the Daily News on Sunday. 

“There were a number of our players that had travelled out of Harare back to their respective homes but they couldn’t get transport to report for training.

“Some of our players are stuck in Gweru where they could not proceed with their journey here. It’s a terrible situation and it has affected us very much.”

Chinogwenya said the delay in starting their pre-season training has greatly affected their plans. 

“By now, if we had started our pre-season training on Monday, this would have given the coaches enough time to assess some of the new players that had indicated they want to join us,” he said.

“By the second week of training, the coaches would have made up their minds and selected the full squad they want to work with.

“After this process that’s when we would have had a chance to organise our pre-season training camp away from the capital so that we can really start to get down to business. Right now all those plans are in disarray because of the current situation across the country.”

Dynamos had already started pre-season training two weeks ago but coach Lloyd “MaBlanyo” Chigowe had to abandon their preparations for the whole past week.

“As you know, we had started our pre-season training last week and everything was going according to plan,” DeMbare team manager Richard Chihoro said.

“However, everything we had done has gone down the drain because since Monday, we have not been able to training or do anything.

“Hopefully, we will be able to resume training this coming Monday but it will be like we are starting from afresh since we have not been able to do anything this whole week.”

Herentals coach Kumbirai Mutiwekuziva said: “We were supposed to start this past Monday but nothing happened because of the protests. I’m just glad that we managed to communicate with all our players and they are OK; none of them were caught up in the skirmishes. 

“I’m hoping that the situation will improve and we can get back to serious business this coming Monday. According to our training programme most of the work we were going to do it here in Harare and as we move towards the start of the league in March, that’s when we are going to travel outside for at least a week for the boys to bond.”

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HARARE - A new musical video, Kwedu, by rising musician Potifa Mopo, showcases the beauty of Nyanga.

Nyanga, located in the eastern highlands of the country, boasts of centres of attractions inform of falls, game parks, forts and mountains.

Nyangombe Falls, Mutarazi Falls, Nyamuziwa, Pungwe Gorge and Falls, Trout Hatchery, Rhodes Museum, Nyanga National Park, Nyangwe, Chawomera Forts and imposing Inyangani Mountain which is one of the largest features in the region are some of the places of attractions found in Nyanga.

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Mopo’s video, Kwedu also known as Nyanga, off the DVD titled Ngaikwane Changamire, captures the beauty of the majority of the above-mentioned captivating features, making the video a marvel to watch.

After watching the video being promoted by Diamond Studios, one will be compelled to visit the area which is located about 260 km from the capital, Harare.

Potifa, son to the musical veteran Mike Mopo, hails from Nyanga hence the inspiration.

In Nyanga, apart from scenic features exhibited in the video, there are also camping sites and dam lodges which include Mare, Rhodes and Udu among others therefore making the life of tourists enjoyable and easier in the wilderness.

Several refreshing activities such as volleyball, Fly Fishing, Pond Fishing, mountain climbing, bird watching, boating, swimming, game viewing, hiking and walks are the order of the day in Nyanga and these activities makes one feel out of this world in Nyanga.

Being the highest mountain in the country and second on the continent, Inyangani Mountain offers a challenging climb as it boasts of an imposing height of 2 593 metres. While on top one can be assured of having a spectacular view of the surrounding areas underneath.

The attention-drawing Nyangombe Falls, with its “talking waters” cascading down the little Nyangombe River, is located some few kilometres from the country’s highest mountain, Inyangani.

Like the Inyangani Mountain, Mutarazi is the highest waterfall in the country and second in the Africa.

At Mutarazi Escarpment one can be awarded an opportunity to clearly view the Honde Valley area which lies some 800 metres below.

Meanwhile, Nyanga remains cool throughout the year with maximum summer temperatures of 26 degrees Celsius and minimum temperatures of as low as -3 degrees Celsius.

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HARARE - Zimbabwe is expected to continue relying on electricity imports for the next eight years due to lack of investment in the sector, a leading international think-tank has said.

The southern African country requires 2 400 megawatts (MW) per day to meet national demand, while it only produces an average of 1 200MW. In order to bridge the gap, Zimbabwe has over the years been importing power from South Africa and Mozambique.

BMI Research, in its Zimbabwe Power 2019 first quarter report said hydropower and coal-fired power will remain the dominant sources of domestic generation, but below average rainfall and coal production challenges will impact power generation.

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“Below-average rainfall caused by an ElNiño weather event will place downward pressure on hydropower in 2019, as the government works to avoid water shortages.

“However, a return to normal rainfall levels towards the end of 2019 will see the sector recover, and generation from the newly completed Kariba South facility will boost total domestic electricity output from 2020,” the research firm said.

BMI Research indicated that exports will help the country meet demand while hydropower and coal-fired power will remain the dominant sources of generation.

However, in 2017, the country completed the extension project of Kariba South Power Station which has enhanced security of internal power supply. As a result, the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) surpassed its energy delivery target for the third quarter of 2018.

ZPC surpassed its production target for the period by 19,10 percent, having sent out a total of 2,521.27GWh of energy against a target of 2,116.99GWh. 

“Performance was 24,21 percent above the output for 3rd quarter, 2017. This positive achievement can be attributed to the increased generation at Kariba Power Station, following the increased water allocation by Zambezi River Authority by 3Bm3 in August, thereby increasing the average output for the remaining months of the year to 831MW. 

“This came as a welcome development to ZPC as it resulted in increased generation at Kariba South Power Station which now has a generation capacity of 1050MW owing to the recent commissioning of the 2 X 150MW additional units. For the year to date, ZPC sent out 6342,54GWh, surpassing the target for the period by 4.92 percent,” ZPC said in its quarterly power production update.

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HARARE - Zimbabwe will struggle to get financial support from international financial institutions due to its high debt levels, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said.

Gerry Rice, the IMF spokesperson, said  the southern African country need policies that would stabilise the economy.

“I would say that of course Zimbabwe is facing major challenges and just in terms of the unrest, we encourage all stakeholders to collaborate peacefully in developing and implementing policies that will stabilise the economy and promote sustainable and inclusive growth,” he said.

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“On the overall economic situation, debt and the IMF, there has been no real change in what I have said here recently which is why Zimbabwe continues to be in a difficult situation regarding debt with protracted arrears to official creditors including multilateral creditors such as the World Bank which severely limits Zimbabwe’s access to international financial support,” Rice added.

The southern African country is battling its worst economic crisis in a decade due to a severe shortage of foreign currency resulting in fuel shortages, labour unrests, temporary company closures and high unemployment rates.

Market analysts say the current fuel crisis is just part of Zimbabwe’s overarching economic decline under President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who briefly inspired hope after taking over from his mentor, longtime ruler Robert Mugabe with the help of the military in November 2017.

Zimbabwe’s economy, which was already struggling when Mnangagwa took over, has dramatically tanked since he narrowly won disputed elections in July last year. Inflation rose to 31 percent in November last year, the highest since 2009, while foreign currency shortages could force some of the few factories still operating to close soon.

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“In terms of the IMF, Zimbabwe has, in fact, cleared its arrears to us, to the Fund, but our rules preclude lending to a country that is still in or under arrears to other international financial situations. So until that particular situation is resolved, we would not be moving forward with financial support for Zimbabwe.

“I said here the last time that the authority’s economic policies we felt were headed in the right direction broadly in terms of addressing the fiscal deficit and monetary policy and so on. I won’t repeat what I said the last time but that’s where we are on Zimbabwe,” Rice said.

Zimbabwe abandoned its own currency in 2009 after hyperinflation reached 500 billion percent, according to the International Monetary Fund. The United States dollar has dominated daily transactions since then.

But due to widespread shortages of dollars, most people must now use a government-issued surrogate currency called bond notes, which are supposed to be equal to a US dollar, as well as electronic money. Both are quickly devaluing against the dollar on the black market.

Some businesses such as pharmacies are now only accepting United States dollars in cash. In the fuel sector where the government controls prices, fuel companies are forced to accept bond notes and electronic money for petrol and diesel at the official exchange rate.

The government then provides the firms with dollars to import the products, but of late the central bank has not been allocating firms adequate funds to import sufficient fuel for the country, leading to the shortages. 

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HARARE - Retailers have promised that prices will not be going up as long as government expedites the rebate system which provides tax relief to registered businesses.

This comes after people besieged retail shops engaging in panic buying after retailers opened their doors to the public following three days of closure due to the crippling national strike.

Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers president Denford Mutashu told the Daily News that government has made commitments to cushion the manufacturers thereby stabilising prices.

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“Prices are not going to go up as long as the Finance ministry’s rebate system is efficient and expedient.

“As retailers we have a general consensus, not to increase prices by speculation or arbitrage and government proposed a model which will be presented this week by the Finance ministry permanent secretary (George Guvamatanga), who will explain how the rebate system will function.

“Government has also committed an increase in foreign currency allocation and about $400 million to the manufacturers so it is our hope that many are going to open,” Mutashu said.

As fuel extensively has an effect to pricing in every sector, the price hikes announcement by government caused distraught, hence sparking protests.

In a bid to cripple price hikes government endorsed a rebate system which provides tax relief to registered businesses by doing away with the margin of the fuel price hike through the Value Added Tax (VAT) system.

A survey by this publication showed that most retail shops have maintained prices from last December.

In the capital city’s central business district (CBD) hundreds of shoppers have been thronging supermarkets laying their hands on food and water — ostensibly to avoid being caught unawares — in the event that there are further disturbances.

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Thousands who rely on the supermarkets for daily shopping in several towns have remained in the panic mode, escalated by soldiers patrolling and monitoring major cities in the country.

“The panic buying can be attributed to the shut-down but what is required is to build confidence. There has been an environment of uncertainty causing anxiety and most shops were destroyed and most families had run out of supplies in the three days shops were shut.

“Even if prices were to go up, for retailers it will really be a small margin because we don’t solely rely on fuel like those in the transport business where they would increase prices by more than 50 percent.

“Currently we are using stock acquired during the festive season, so our hope is manufacturers will start to restock us with supplies since their opening date on the January 17 2019,” Mutashu added.

Mutashu, however, said that retailers are concerned about some manufacturers who are demanding retailers to use the greenback to purchase stock and this may cause retailers to push the burden to the consumer.

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HARARE - Dozens of MDC officials and civic society leaders have gone into hiding as there is no let up by government against pro-democracy and political activists it accuses of being part of last week’s crippling strike.

Despite the withering criticism of  government by the international  community, security forces were at the weekend accused of abducting relatives of opposition figures and civic society leaders — ostensibly to force them to reveal their whereabouts — although the authorities deny this.

At the weekend suspected security agents allegedly stormed the home of Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiCZ) chairperson Rashid Mahiya’s parents in Chitungwiza and “seized” his mother as they demanded to know his whereabouts.

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Government has accused the CiCZ of having played a part in last week’s chaos although the organisation has robustly denied the claims, which followed after detectives had twice, allegedly harassed its staff.

“Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition national chairperson Rashid Mahiya’s mother . . . Hilda Mahiya was reportedly abducted by soldiers this afternoon at her residence in Unit K, Chitungwiza.

“The soldiers claimed they were looking for son Rashid. As of now we do not have information on her whereabouts, and we are worried about her life.

“We condemn this cowardly and barbaric act by the military which has mutated into a murderous army,” Crisis Coalition regional co-ordinator Blessing Vava said in an alert issued at the weekend.

“In the same vein, we demand her unconditional release, and all other missing persons that have been abducted around the country by the rogue security forces.

“We further reiterate our call to Sadc, AU (African Union) and the international community at large to urgently intervene in the deterioration of human rights and a humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe.

“Also of major concern is the continued criminalisation of civil society work and the wanton threats of closing down institutions advocating for the supremacy of human rights and entrenchment of democratic processes,” he added.

Outspoken leader of the Association of the Rural Teachers of Zimbabwe (Artuz) Obert Masaraure was allegedly seized at his home on Friday by unknown gunmen before he was dumped near a police station after members of the civic society movement sent out distressed calls.

Yesterday the MDC said several of its MPs in Chitungwiza had gone into hiding as they feared being seized in the on-going government crackdown against dissenting voices.

It said its four MPs — Maxwell Mavhunga (Chitungwiza South), Godfrey Sithole (Chitungwiza North), Goodrich Chimbaira (Zengeza East) and Dickson Tarusenga (St Mary’s) — had fled their homes.

In the case of Sithole, his family members and relatives were said to have fled their homes after suspected security agents allegedly threatened to “deal with them” if they refused to reveal his location.

Mavhunga said his life was in danger and would come out of hiding if his safety was guaranteed by government.

“I am aware that State security agents are looking for me…but I have not committed any offence… however I have been duly informed that it is not the police who have been hunting for me but the CIO (Central Intelligence Organisation) operatives and the military.

“I am a law abiding citizen and a Member of Parliament not mentioning that I am also a member of Parliamentary Legal Committee. I therefore request that my safety be guaranteed before I can come back and hand over myself,” a distraught Mavhunga told the Daily News.

Government has been accused of unleashing terror on the opposition and pro-democracy movement following riots which broke out last week as thousands of long suffering citizens protested sharp fuel hikes announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

At least 12 people have been killed, 72 shot and wounded while 17 had to undergo emergence life-saving operations during a vicious campaign blamed on the military and police. However, both the military and police have sought to deflect the blame on imposters and deserters.

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“Some of these uniforms worn by criminals were seized by rogue elements during the recent riots in Epworth and Chegutu. A case in point is a recent arrest of five armed robbers in Epworth, Harare, on January 14, 2019, who were using police and military regalia to commit armed robberies after hiring vehicles from car rental companies.

“We are therefore giving an ultimatum to individuals who have retired, deserted, absented themselves without official leave (AWOL) from service to immediately handover uniforms either to the police or the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.

“All those who do not comply with this directive will be flushed out by already deployed members of the security services,” said police spokesperson Charity Charamba at the weekend — days after security chiefs blamed the MDC and civic society organisations for the violence.

Meanwhile Nobel Peace laureate and well known South African cleric — Desmond Tutu said he was saddened by the current repression in Zimbabwe — which he said the international community thought had ended with the fall of ousted former leader Robert Mugabe in 2017.

“We, the Tutu Fellows, are alarmed by the growing unrest in Zimbabwe and, most worryingly, by the… government’s reaction to it. The unrest by ordinary citizens of Zimbabwe is in response to a hike in the fuel price… which is now the most expensive in the region.

“We have seen the targeting of individuals perceived to be promoting these protests. Some individuals have been arrested, physically injured and even killed. 

“The Internet and social media shutdown has had the inevitable effect of stifling freedom of expression and the dissemination of information within and across the country’s borders,” said the cleric through the Tutu Leadership Fellows of the African Leadership Institute, a diverse group of civic, political and business leaders from 40 African countries, who are concerned with the governance and development of the continent. 

“We call upon the…government to release all civic leaders and activists who have been arrested and detained over the protests. The duty to de-escalate the tensions rests in the hands of the government.

“We urge restraint by the…government in the handling of the situation and the treatment of …citizens. We also call upon the African Union to closely monitor the developments in Zimbabwe and make decisive interventions to ensure the respect for human rights and the rule of law within the mandate of its Charter.

“The Tutu Fellows stand in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe as they look forward to creating a better Zimbabwe for them and their children,” Tutu Fellows said further.

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HARARE - Zimbabwe security forces have reportedly arrested over 700 people over the recent violence and looting that took place in several cities and towns with most of them being teenagers while minors were released into the custody of their parents.

While government officials appeared at various press conferences calling those arrested “hooligans and thugs”, analysts accuse the State of criminalising Zimbabweans through its bad-fit policies and cowboy economics.

Images of those being brought to court show that most of them are teenagers and minors whom the tag “hooligan or thug” falls short.

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Political analyst MacDonald Lewanika believes the bulk of the people caught up in the State’s dragnet arrests are far from hooligans and thugs but victims of age profiling by an irresponsible State using its army and police not to police or investigate but to victimise and intimidate.

“Calling those arrested hooligans and thugs when some of them were arrested in their homes the day after the unfortunate destruction of property with no evidence of serious investigation.

“This was meant to criminalise these people.

“In fact the Mnangagwa government is responsible for criminalising Zimbabweans in general through its bad-fit policies and cowboy economics whose dishonesty has forced Zimbabweans into dishonest and illegal dealings,” said Lewanika.

He added that every Zimbabwean is now a black market trader because of these bad-fit policies and cowboy economics and this past week the effects of these bad-fit policies and cowboy economics turned otherwise peace-loving and law-abiding citizens into opportunistic looters whose hunger drove them to loot basic commodities.

“The government must stop both criminalising Zimbabweans and engaging in criminal policies and cowboy economics that turn everyone into the occasional criminal.

“Zimbabweans deserve to live in dignity and there is nothing dignified about austerity for the poor while cushioning the rich and privileged.

“The government must professionalise policing services and stop dragnet arrests based on age profiling, the young people of Zimbabwe are already suffering under the yoke of bad economic and political governance, turning them into criminals just increases what is already a heavy burden and limits their already limited future prospects,” said Lewanika.

Political analyst Piers Pigou said given the widespread concerns about the subjugation of due process and the criminal justice system during this crackdown, it will be some time before we get an accurate profile of the accused.

“The government have accused the opposition and civil society groups of orchestrating the violence, which they now attribute to “thugs and hooligans”.

“The inconsistency of their narrative, and the kind of press statement we witnessed recently about criminals masquerading in police and army uniforms is likely to generate more derision and cynicism.

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“It seems likely an opportunistic criminal element took advantage of conditions this week, but the profile of those arrested will paint a more complex picture. We already know for example, that this included a number of children,” said Pigou.

Analyst Ednah Masanga weighed in saying we the government of Zimbabwe brands any and all protesters as criminals.

“That allows them to use unjustified excessive force with one goal in mind; to silence the people. I have never believed that all the people who took to the streets all ended up looting.

“I think that line of thought is just PR to whitewash the government’s crimes against humanity.

“People are desperate, hungry and impoverished while Mnangagwa eats cake on the tarmac in Belarus, so I can understand if a few would grab commodities from the shops.

“I don’t condone that at all and neither does that justify shooting people with live ammunition. Since when are the police supposed to shoot people because they were stealing?

“People were shot because they were protesting against the government’s failure to deliver on its promises.”

Another political analyst Maxwell Saungweme said as a nation we are reeling from structural violence, all of us including our kids.

“We are a broken society with increasingly desperate people whose avenues for expressing grievances and vending anger in peaceful ways have been blocked over the years over Zanu PF rule.

“So what you saw this week is a manifestation of this frustration through the direct citizen violence. While the direct violence is regrettable, it is not as harmful as the structural violence or the disproportionate State violence that was unleashed on the people which itself is a reinforcement of structural violence.

“Yes, some teenagers were engaged in the violence directly, and it is regrettable and unjustifiable. But they are idle, are hungry, have nothing to do, are disillusioned and face a bleak future and their attempts to reason with the government were futile, their attempts to change the government through elections failed as the elections were stolen.” Saungweme added.

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HARARE - With key defender Elvis Moyo already suspended for FC Platinum next African Champions League Group B match against Horoya, coach Norman Mapeza must be concerned with his side’s disciplinary record.

The Zimbabwean champions are without a win in the competition after two matches and find themselves out of the top two positions to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Pure Platinum Play got their campaign in Group B off to a good start with a goalless draw against South African giants Orlando Pirates at Barbourfields Stadium two weeks ago.

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Last Friday, Pure Platinum Play were in Tunis where they lost 2-0 to defending champions Esperance at the Stade El Menzah.

Yassine Khenissi scored on either side of the half as the visitors exhibited some poor defending on both occasions in a game of little margins.

Although they started the encounter as favourites, the Blood and Gold did not trouble FC Platinum a lot and if the Zimbabweans had been switched on when Khenissi pounced, they could have also emerged with another goalless draw.

Orlando Pirates now top the group on goal difference after their 3-0 destruction of Horoya in Soweto on Friday night with four points.

Esperance are also on four points to sit in second place and together with Pirates now appear to be the favourites to progress from the group.

After the draw with Pirates and the defeat to Esperance, Pure Platinum Play’s chances of making it into the last eight of the competition now rests on the double header with Horoya.

Mapeza’s men host the Guinean champions at Barbourfields on February 2 in what has now been turned into a must-win match.

The Zvishavane-based side will then travel to Conakry 11 days later to take on Horoya at the Stade du 28 Septembre.

With Esperance and Orlando Pirates also going head-to-head during the same period, FC Platinum will do themselves a lot of good if they can win twice in that six-pointer against Horoya.

However, Mapeza’s task has been complicated by the suspension of Moyo after the defender picked up two yellow cards thus far.

The left back was first cautioned in the goalless draw against AS Otoho at Mandava Stadium in the second leg of their final qualifier in December before picking up his second booking from Gambian referee Bakary Gassama on Friday in the second half of the defeat to Esperance.

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This means the defender will be ineligible for the home tie against Horoya on February 2 and with his twin brother Kevin still recovering from a knee injury, Mapeza will have to shuffle his defence.

The FC Platinum coach will probably have to rely on Farai Madhanaga to drop back from his midfield role and operate at left back.

This is not an entirely new role for the 23-year-old, who has played at left back at all his previous clubs Monomotapa and Harare City.

But there is a catch there. Madhanaga is also carrying a yellow card after he was booked in second leg of the final qualifier against Otoho.

He is now just one card away from suspension and could miss the reverse fixture in Conakry if he is booked at Barbourfields.

Another option at left back for Mapeza could be new signing Godknows Murwira, who arrived from Ngezi Platinum Stars at the start of this month.

Murwira is very versatile and can play in any position across the backline and in midfield.

In FC Platinum’s defeat to Esperance, Gassama also brandished his card to strikers Gift Mbweti and Mkhokheli Dube in the first half.

Midfielder Rainsome Pavari was also cautioned for a high boot challenge on Blood and Gold midfield enforcer Franck Kom in the second.

Mbweti, Dube and Pavari are now also on the risk of getting suspended like their teammate Madhanaga.

Midfielder Kelvin Madzongwe and defender Lawrence Mhlanga were also booked in the 1-1 draw with Otoho in the first leg of the final qualifier in Owando, Congo back in December

This risk of suspension to key players will all complicate Mapeza’s life as he tries to plot getting all six points against Horoya in the next two games.

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HARARE - MDC leader Nelson Chamisa on Friday visited hospitals to see victims of the violence that took place during the recent three-day stay-away, which claimed the lives of at least 12 people, according to civil society organisations.

Scores of people were injured during the disturbances that took place on January 14,15 and 16, 2019. 

Chamisa visited Belvedere Medical Centre and laid hands on them, wishing them a quick recovery. 

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He bemoaned the situation in the country in a Twitter post.

“Our country is going through one of its worst moments. My thoughts are with the victims of violence. Despite the vitriol, we maintain a dignified position befitting our role as led by the people. We remain committed to peace in solving the challenges that triggered the turmoil,” he said.

The party’s MP for Kuwadzana East constituency Chalton Hwende also spoke about Chamisa’s visit to hospitals.

“The president has just finished another round of visit to the injured and prayed for every patient he visited,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chamisa also visited families that lost their beloved ones in Chitungwiza yesterday to pay his condolences. 

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HARARE - Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe has condemned acts of violence, while calling for dialogue to end the political and economic dilemma in the country.

In a statement, the church fellowship said while citizens have rights to register their concerns in the form of demonstrations and petitions, any unlawful conduct can never be applauded.

“We strongly urge our governing authorities to urgently convene a round-table dialogue platform with all concerned players, actors and citizen representative groups to discuss the root causes of the unrest and the way forward that is inclusive and sustainable in the immediate to mid-term,” read the statement.

Acts of violence have been witnessed in the country since the beginning of the national protests last Monday.

“We strongly reiterate that violent expression and or violent repression will not help the situation and anyone affected, including both the governing authorities and citizens.” 

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HARARE - The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) will on Wednesday auction 200 bales of clothes, shoes and other items in Graniteside, Harare.

According to a notice issued by KM Auctions (Private) Limited, the items will be sold to the highest bidder.

“Duly instructed by the Zimbabwe Republic Police Lost and Found, we shall sell by public auction the following assets to the highest bidder on January 23, 2019, at our premises No. 20 Edison Crescent Graniteside at 10am,” the notice reads.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) is also set to sell a number of items through auction at Nyamapanda Border Post tomorrow. In a notice, Empire Auctions, which was instructed to sell the items on behalf of the tax collector, said two motor bikes and a Toyota Wish are among some of the items that will be sold. 
Other items include cooking oil, flour, shoes, vests, blouses and shirts. 

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HARARE - The African Medallion Group (AMG) is expediting the establishment of its humanitarian department to help victims of Zimbabwe’s deadly fuel riots, which have left 12 people dead and hundreds of others injured.

This comes as the South African-based gold trader’s sister organisation Hamilton Foundation (Hamilton) – also owned by Frank Buyanga – has previously made similar interventions by offering transport for thousands of regional folks displaced by xenophobic attacks in 2015.

“AMG… is deeply saddened by the violence that took place in… Zimbabwe. We believe the entire community shares the same sentiment (for)… utmost peace to prevail in that beloved nation,” it said, adding “management has taken urgent steps to set up its humanitarian division to help with medical or even funeral assistance”.

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“(The company) is strongly against the violence that occurred (and) it is in the same spirit that we urge the people of Zimbabwe to strive for peace, and unity during these troubled times,” AMG said.

Following the announcement of steep fuel price hikes by President Emmerson Mnangagwa last weekend, the troubled southern African nation has been engulfed in deadly anti-government riots as its poverty-stricken urbanites feared worsening hardships and a further deterioration of living conditions or standards.

As it is, civic organisations such as the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition and the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights say about 844 rights violations were recorded and 172 people have been treated for serious injuries, with 68 of them sustaining gunshot wounds.

In the meantime, the Community Working Group on Health says scores of people have been barred from accessing medical services countrywide.

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Under his Rand 500 000 philanthropic act and gesture to thousands of foreign nationals affected by the barbaric attacks in South Africa (SA) four years ago, Buyanga’s Hamilton worked with Gift of the Givers in that mission.

Around the same time, the flamboyant businessman also rallied his compatriots and fellow Africans to “know their rights by acquainting themselves with international law, and so that they do not suffer the indignity of constant harassment and resentment, if not hate-linked ill-treatment”.

Recently, Buyanga also set tongues wagging with an audacious Rand 500 million facility to help Mnangagwa’s troubled administration to import basic commodities, including sugar, maize meal, medicines and fuel, but the Zimbabwean authorities have been dilly-dallying on the offer.

And as the Harare administration responded with disproportionate force to last week’s protests, which have seen 600 people being arrested, global bodies such as the United Nations have condemned the clampdown and Zimbabweans in SA have also called on the African National Congress to help break the impasse.

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HARARE - Questions have been raised over government’s claims that police and army deserters were responsible for the riots and mayhem that characterised a three-day stay-away, which reportedly led to the death of at least 12 people.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, police spokesperson Charity Charamba told journalists deserters were behind the riots.

This is despite claims by State security minister Owen Ncube, who blamed the MDC and civil society organisations of causing the disturbances.

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Observers have criticised the latest statement by government, claiming the explanation leaves a lot to be desired.

UK-based Kent University law lecturer Alex Magaisa expressed dismay over government’s explanation on social media, accusing President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime of being dishonest and lacking probity.

“Their default setting is to blame the MDC and NGOs. Security minister simply followed this tired script. It was implausible, absurd and laughable. So they came up with another theory — our uniforms were stolen, deserters and retired officers kept uniforms. It’s amateurish and worse.

“Their theory does not explain how thousands of them ended up with military and police trucks plus guns and ammunition. Did the criminals steal these too? Did retired officers take them home when they left? It’s completely absurd but that’s what makes them a laughing stock,” Magaisa said.

The police presser, which they jointly held with the army, came as dozens of people are being treated of gunshot wounds, while others were shot dead.

The police’s heavy-handedness has received widespread condemnation from human rights and international organisations. The organisations have asked the government to exercise restraint and investigate cases of human rights abuse.

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Amid this condemnation, Zimbabweans, have however been left with more questions than answers, especially after the police claims.

MDC official David Coltart described the explanation as bizarre.

“…Kafkaesque happenings in #Zimbabwe. If you find yourself in a hole stop digging! Having been caught red handed it now appears rogue elements in uniform are now accused of fomenting the violence this week. This can only complicate things even more for the regime,” Coltart wrote on Twitter.

Another observer Pedzisai Ruhanya said the joint statement by the army and police was an embarrassment.

“The joint statement by Zimbabwe’s police and army/security services is the greatest embarrassment and tomfoolery in Africa South of the Sahara in this sector since Idi Amin!” he said on Twitter.

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HARARE - As government battles to contain growing civil unrest in the country, the nation’s biggest teachers’ union — the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) — says its members will go on strike with effect from today, due to the worsening local economic rot.

Zimta’s announcement yesterday was made as other unions also warned that they would embark on a nationwide strike at the lapse of their 14-day notice on Friday this week.

This comes after the government dangled a $300 million total incentive to its agitated workforce last week, which unions said translated to measly increments for their individual members.

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On their part, civil servants have demanded to be paid a minimum of $1 700 a month — a figure which they say matches the current economic situation in the country.

“The situation remains the same and we remain incapacitated. Government has not done anything to address the plight of teachers.

“So come tomorrow, Monday (today) teachers will not report for work because they are incapacitated … that is the official position,” Zimta chief executive officer Sifiso Sibanda told the Daily News yesterday.

“We have totally rejected the offer that the government has made as it is insignificant and does not address our needs. The employer must understand that we are workers and we need to survive. 

“Some of the teachers have to spend $10 per day on transport and that takes away all their earnings. It is the duty of the government to source for money to pay its employees,” Sibanda added.

The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) also said its members were preparing to go on strike at the expiry of the two-week ultimatum which they gave to the government a fortnight ago.

“We had given government a 14-day ultimatum and that will lapse this Friday. Come Monday, we are definitely going to take action.

“What government is doing is simply fire-fighting. We don’t think they have a solution. Some of the issues being raised by teachers can be solved using nonmonetary means.

“Government is failing the teachers by coming up with micky-mouse improvements ... There are some teachers who are going into retirement and they have nothing, which is worrying,” PTUZ secretary-general Raymond Majongwe said.

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“Government has several resources that it can use to gratify teachers. It can consider issues like tax exemption, exemption of school fees payment for teachers’ children and availing housing or farms for teachers.

“The problem is that government is not thinking outside the box. They should engage people with ideas that will proffer solutions to the teachers’ problems.

“Just like they dealt with the issue of land with war veterans, they can do the same to address the problems faced by teachers. There are also many teachers in mining or farming areas and they can benefit from those resources,” Majongwe added.

The Apex Council, which represents hundreds of thousands of civil servants across the public sector, is adamant that the government should pay its workers a minimum of $1 733 a month, or the equivalent in US dollars.

The civil servants are also not happy with the government’s decision to pay their bonuses on the basis of their basic salaries, as well as making them pay vehicle import duty in US dollars.

This comes as President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his government have come under growing pressure to breathe life into the country’s sickly economy.

The current economic crisis was further underlined by last week’s deadly riots which broke out in Harare and other towns, as angry protesters flooded the streets in protest at the recent fuel price hikes.

More than 70 people were shot and injured by security forces when they used live ammunition during the riots which left 17 people needing life-saving surgeries, and at least 12 others dead.

The riots were sparked by Mnangagwa’s surprise decision to treble the prices of petrol and diesel ahead of his trips to Eastern Europe.

Meanwhile, and despite the sharp fuel price increases, the government has failed to end the fuel crisis as motorists and transporters are still spending endless hours queuing at dry garages.

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HARARE - President Emmerson Mnangagwa has cancelled his planned trip to the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (Wef) in Davos, Switzerland — which starts tomorrow — and will return back to the country this morning to deal with Zimbabwe’s growing political and economic crisis, the Daily News can report.

The under pressure Zanu PF leader was due to join other political leaders at the annual Wef jamboree, whose participants include leading international businesspeople and influential global opinion makers.

“In light of the economic situation, I will be returning home after a highly productive week of bilateral trade and investment meetings.

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“We will be ably represented in Davos by minister of Finance, Mthuli Ncube. The first priority is to get Zimbabwe calm, stable and working again,” Mnangagwa announced on his verified Twitter account early evening yesterday.

As exclusively reported by the Daily News at the weekend, this announcement came as Mnangagwa’s opponents were planning to confront and embarrass him in Davos — in a bid to scuttle his re-engagements efforts with Western powers, following the government’s brutal clampdown on dissenting voices during last week’s deadly riots.

Earlier in the day, speculation had swirled that Mnangagwa would no longer attend the Davos jamboree, as he felt compelled to return back home to deal with the country’s escalating political and economic crises.

“ED has chosen to return home, not because he fears the mooted demos against him in Davos, but because he feels that he needs to be back to resolve the challenges that the nation is currently facing,” a well-placed source had told the Daily News. 

This year’s Davos meeting, from tomorrow to Friday, is being held at a time Zimbabwe is reeling from a mega economic crisis which has been exacerbated by the steep increases in the prices of fuel which were announced by Mnangagwa last week.

Pressure had also been mounting on the president to return home ever since riots broke out in the country last week, after thousands of fed-up citizens heeded calls by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) to stay away from work in response to the unpopular decision.

Political analysts said yesterday that what might have also made it more difficult for Mnangagwa to go to Davos were the last minute cancellations of trips to the Swiss resort town by some prominent world leaders — who had chosen to focus on burning problems in their countries.

Among these leaders are United States President Donald Trump — who cancelled his trip to the Wef due to the current shut-down of government business in his country — as well as France’s Emmanuel Macron who is dealing with growing unrest at home.

Among African leaders, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta had also cancelled his trip to Switzerland to deal with the security situation in his country, following last week’s barbaric acts of terror in Nairobi which killed 21 people.

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Meanwhile, Mnangagwa and his government have come under renewed pressure from churches and others to halt the brutal crackdown on civilians by security forces — and to also enter into immediate talks with opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, to stop the country from plunging into total chaos.

This comes as several opposition and civil society leaders have gone into hiding following the vicious clampdown on dissenting voices by security forces, following last week’s deadly violence which broke out in urban areas when Zimbabweans went onto the streets to protest the recent steep fuel price hikes and the country’s worsening economic rot.

It also comes as authorities have become increasingly confused about who to blame for last week’s anarchy — first fingering the opposition and non-governmental organisations, and later laying the blame on the mayhem on military deserters and retirees.

At least 12 people are said to have died at the hands of security forces over the past week, while a further 72 suffered serious gunshot injuries during the three-day ZCTU-organised strike.

The leader of the Devine Destiny Network church, Bishop Ancelimo Magaya, said pointedly that the government was responsible for the country’s current crises, further imploring authorities to engage the opposition in talks to save the nation.

“The government of the day has created this crisis. They should not point fingers at the opposition because it is not the one that hiked prices … and it is not responsible for the violence that has erupted.

“We encourage the government to climb down their high horse and admit that we are in a dire situation that requires national dialogue. It is a situation that cannot be 
solved by one party but needs everyone to be involved,” Magaya told the Daily News yesterday.

“Securocrats should also desist from beating people and stop inflicting pain on a nation that is already suffering,” he added.

On its part, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) also said it was time for Mnangagwa to engage the opposition and other key stakeholders to end the country’s deepening crisis.

“The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission … calls upon government to take the lead in convening a platform for national dialogue with partners in all sectors, including captains of industry, labour unions, independent commissions, civil society, the opposition and ordinary citizens in order to find lasting solutions to the prevailing economic challenges, to ensure respect and observance of human rights and promote peace and security in the country.

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“We urge the government to be a listening and caring administration, not worried about perceptions of weakness or a climbdown because of accommodating various sectors and viewpoints in addressing the national crisis that Zimbabwe finds itself in.

“Lastly, as Zimbabweans, let us all remember that this is our country together, and we must all work to ensure a… society where everyone enjoys their rights and where citizens can thrive and prosper whilst building a better country for future generations,” the ZHRC said.

The Elders — the respected international group of former leaders who use their collective experiences to promote peace in the world — also said at the weekend that it was important that Mnangagwa embarks on inclusive dialogue to resolve Zimbabwe’s deepening crisis.

“The Elders reiterate … their belief that an inclusive national dialogue is the best way to defuse tensions and ease the political and social polarisation the country has seen since … Mugabe was removed from office in November 2017,” the group said.

Zimbabwe is in the grip of a ginormous economic crisis which has seen prices of basic goods rising sharply and the government failing to end a biting fuel crisis that triggered last week’s riots when Mnangagwa hiked the prices of petrol and diesel.

Apart from the shortages of fuel and other basic goods, the government has also had to contend with a myriad of problems in the health and education sectors, as well as shortages of critical medicines.

Many government critics say the economic measures that were unveiled by authorities in October last year are at the centre of the country’s troubles.

Mnangagwa, who was feted like a king when he replaced Mugabe in November 2017, initially lifted the mood of crisis-weary Zimbabweans who were hopeful at the time that he would turn around the country’s economic fortunes.

However, the post-July 30 election shootings — which left at least six civilians dead when the military used live ammunition to quell an ugly demonstration in Harare’s central business district (CBD) on August 1 — and the latest round of deaths, as well as the vicious clampdown of dissenting voices — are seen as having dented his international image significantly, in addition to harming his chances of getting financial support from Western countries.

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MUTARE - A 26-year-old epileptic man drowned in a shallow pool as he took a bath in Nyanyadzi River last Friday.

Manicaland provincial police spokesperson inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa said Samuel Gwata of Zimunda Village under Chief Muusha was found floating in the pool face down.

He was pronounced death on arrival at Shinja clinic.

“Chipinge resident magistrate Gwatidzo waived the need for a post-mortem,” Kakohwa said.

Police spokesperson said Gwata was found in the shallow pool by Chinoramba Munyebvu who resides in a neighbouring village who had gone to the same spot to also bath.
He pulled him out of the river and rushed to inform Gwata’s mother who then rushed her son to the clinic where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

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