HARARE - High Court judge Owen Tagu has ordered the government to open Internet access to millions of Zimbabweans who were cut off last week during a three-day stay-away.

In his ruling, Tagu ruled that the State Security minister had no authority to order mobile operators to shut down Internet access to customers.

The ruling comes after two civic society organisations the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights and Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa Zimbabwe chapter) dragged President Emmerson Mnangagwa to the High Court following a government directive to completely shut down the Internet last week.

The applicants’ lawyer Denford Halimani confirmed the ruling yesterday after the matter was heard in chambers yesterday.

“The order is to suspend the directive issued by the government and telecommunications providers to resume providing Internet services to its customers forthwith,” he said.

According to ZLHR’s executive director Roselyn Hanzi, the shutdown was illegal and crippled access to business websites, social media sites, among other Internet services.

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HARARE - South Africa-based raunchy dancer Beverly “Bev” Sibanda on Sunday stormed the stage during Enzo Ishall’s performance in the neighbouring country and performed the controversial Magate song much to the delight of many.

Ever since the release of the song, several women have gone into a frenzy trying to outsmart each other in a twerking challenge titled #MagateChallenge.

Bev is one of the ladies whose video in which she shakes her behind broke the Internet and performing it together with Enzo Ishall was pleasure for all music lovers.

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Popular figures, dancer Zoey Sifelani and music rapper Kikybadass have also gone viral with their videos dancing to the song among other videos.

The latest video has since become popular on social media, with Enzo Ishall sprinkling water on Bev’s rear while performing at Club Africa in Benoni.

Writing on Instgram, Enzo Ishall said he was overwhelmed by Bev’s spirited performance.

“Murandakadzi nezuro pa Benoni, mad performance ndati beverly.sibanda akabva apinda fast… ma1…Ndakaita weak in the knees…Magate ese kuna Bev” he wrote.

The song is about a woman with a twerking spirit, consulting a prophet for healing who in turn prescribes buckets of anointed water.

The two did the rendition on Sunday as shown on the Instagram video.

Enzo Ishall has become popular with his sing along tunes and videos which saw him coming first in the December 31, 2018 Coca-Cola top 50 video countdown with one of his popular tracks Kanjiva.

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BULAWAYO - Bulawayo’s Nhimbe Trust in partnership with Harare-based arts development organisation Savanna Trust will this year embark on a unique project for intercultural dialogue, aptly titled “Relinking Communities Through Culture”. 

The project is supported by Culture at Work Africa (Cawa), a consortium of eight African, European and international partners whose mission is to promote the public value of intercultural dialogue for social cohesion in urban Africa .  

Cawa joins forces with the European Union to create new opportunities and mobilise stakeholders to promote intercultural dialogue and cultural diversity in urban and peri-urban areas in Africa as drivers for social inclusion and sustainable human development.  

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Cawa takes up the challenge raised by the African Union and its vision for 2063 for “an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the international arena.” 

To achieve this, Culture at Work Africa carries out a wide range of activities including the support to innovative on-the-ground projects aiming at developing safe and neutral spaces for intercultural dialogue, active citizenship and intercommunity relations, training and capacity building of cultural operators, public authorities and cultural mediators, networking and exchanges between different stakeholders, as well as awareness raising on the importance of culture and cultural diversity for sustainable human development.  

As part of the “Relinking Communities Through Culture” project which aims to create cultural interventions providing inclusive spaces for sharing and listening and meaningful conversations around ethnic identity, Nhimbe Trust’s production house “Bluez Café” has partnered to host two generational and inter-generational “conversations” in 2019 in Zimbabwe’s two largest cities, Bulawayo and Harare, with Amakhosi Productions and Savanna Trust respectively. 

The dialogue tool that will be used is creative arts, where storytelling is used in the making of a documentary series titled Mayuyu S’banye (Peace, We Are One people), to present questions for the dialogue and conversations on some of the painful wounds of the past that have brought division among the people of Zimbabwe. 

The objective is to use creative arts to stimulate open dialogue and conversations to build social capital and promote social cohesion and, by awareness-raising, to generate debate to foster empathy, tolerance, unity and understanding for the benefit of future generations of Zimbabwe.

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In all, the Relinking Communities Through Culture project will include, across the two cities, the establishment of a network of young cultural and media practitioners, cultural seminars and public discussion platforms, and collaborative festival performance platforms.

Nhimbe Trust (Bulawayo) is a Zimbabwean non-profit non-governmental advocacy organisation working at the intersection of culture and development to foster economic and social justice.

It is founded on the belief that the arts are critical in shaping values in society, and its work includes national, regional and global cultural leadership and advocacy, the Bluez Café platform — a creative space for free expression, the Women in Theatre and Television (WiTT 2011) and Children in Theatre and Television (CiTT 2009).   

Savanna Trust (Harare), Nhimbe’s co-applicant in the project, is a non-profit arts development organisation that achieves its objectives through community engagement using interactive theatre, radio drama and discussions; a training and development programme which imparts critical theatre and arts management knowledge and skills to community theatre groups and individual theatre practitioners, and staging of an annual protest arts festival.

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HARARE - Fans in the United Kingdom have been reportedly pushing to block Jah Prayzah from performing in the European country in April owing to his close links with the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) which stands accused of shooting civilians.

Jah Prayzah, the ZDF ambassador, is billed to share the stage with Winky D, Jah Signal, Baba Harare, Tocky Vibes and DJ Silence Dosh on April 19 through to 21 in the UK courtesy of Y2K Entertainment Promotions and Impala Car Rentals.

This comes after the soldiers have been accused of killing civilians last year on August 1 in Harare.  

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One of the fans, Philip Sibanda, took to Facebook expressing his feelings about Jah Prayzah.

“I’m sorry I have to stand with others. With effect from today, I won’t be playing Jah Prayzah’s music on my shows because of his support to the government. 
Furthermore, I won’t be attending any of his shows…these military touch of killing people. No. I’m done,” reads the post.

Another social media user Jewel Diane Jacobs concurred with Sibanda saying; “I’m with you. This is painful.”

Efforts to obtain a comment from the promoters were fruitless by the time of going to print yesterday but Jah Prayzah’s manager Keen Mushapaidze told the Daily News the Kutonga Kwaro hitmaker is apolitical.

“It has been always the case that people try to associate Jah Prayzah with politics but he is apolitical. The majority link him to Zanu PF but there are also some incidences where MDC leaders such as Nelson Chamisa and even the late Morgan Tsvangirai were seen in different videos dancing to his song Mdara Vachauya,” Mushapaidze said.

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“Songs can be interpreted differently and can be used by anyone. Remember a song ceases to ‘belong’ to the musician once it found its way onto the market.”

Mushapaidze took the opportunity to clarify and unpack Jah Prayzah’s links with soldiers.

“He was appointed as the Zimbabwe Defence Forces cultural ambassador after he represented the country’s culture well through his music. People went to town with the appointment because it came through ZDF but the truth of the matter is that he is just representing the country’s culture through his music.

“The appointment would have come through any other organisation. Remember there were so any musicians who performed wearing army regalia but were not appointed as ambassadors. Jah Prayzah was unique in sense that his music represents the country’s culture.

“Jah Prayzah does not know how to operate a gun but his music represents the Zimbabwean culture very well,” said Mushapaidze.

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HARARE - Youthful musician Tocky Vibes has released a song in which he voices concern over the conduct of soldiers who beat up his pregnant wife and manager during the recent disturbances.

Tocky condemns the indiscriminate bashing of the public in a song titled Zviri Nani which he said is unjustified. He said the soldiers should be fighting for the people and not fighting the people.

The singer who is naturally non-confrontational was forced to record the song after his pregnant wife was caught up in the skirmishes. 

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His manager was also attacked in Rugare, Harare where he stays and forced to flee in the rain.

“The people who lead these demonstrations are not the ones who get hurt, it is the innocent public and the soldiers should know better.

“I don’t do politics, neither did I support the violence but for soldiers to beat anyone they come across is not good. They have the guns meaning they should be protecting us. My wife is pregnant and she could not run away from the military’s onslaught. She called me and I had no fuel to go where she was, I was hurt.

“My manager was forced to flee in the rain, escaping from the soldiers, who I think should be protecting us,” he said.

Tocky said he can’t win over the military or go in the streets as others do but all he has is his voice. 

“I can’t go in the streets or fight. All I can do is getting in the studio and make my views known.”

And he sings: “…handichina nguva yekubigger masoja vanongotirova zuva nezuva” (I no more have time to salute soldiers who beat us every day)…zvirinani kurasa hunhu pane kuuraya munhu (it is better to lose my dignity than kill someone).”

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Tocky urges the soldiers to use their conscience as they are ending up beating their relatives in the name of fulfilling orders by their superiors.

If this latest development is anything to go by, it adds up to the growing list of singers expressing anger in the current administration.

Winky D came with Kasong Kejecha last year and some quarters have been hostile towards him.

Last week, fellow musicians Hosiah Chipanga, Edith WeUtonga and Reverend Togarepi Chivaviro also spoke negatively of the government’s heavy handedness on citizens.

“You can silence the Internet, you can beat up, kill and silence people… but you can’t silence God! Mwari havapererwe,” Chivaviro wrote on twitter.

The current government is accused of unleashing the army to quell opposing voices with a clear example being the August 1 killing of six people protesting for the urgent release of election results.

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HARARE - The Insurance and Pensions Commission (Ipec) says implementing recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry on the conversion of insurance and pension values from the now-defunct Zimbabwean dollar to United States dollars without reforms would be catastrophic to the local industry.

Ipec’s acting commissioner Blessmore Kazengura said while many insurance and pension stakeholders — particularly prejudiced policyholders and pensioners — regard the compensation for loss of values as the sum total of the recommendations of the Justice Smith-led commission, the findings and recommendations are broader than the issue of compensation.

“Implementation of the recommended compensation framework without the fundamental reforms may result in unintended consequences of destroying the insurance and pensions industry,” he said in a presentation to a parliamentary committee on Budget Finance and Economic Development.

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The paper lists six post inquiry reforms that include policy and institutional, legal, regulatory and supervisory. Others include governance reforms at regulated institutions level, measures to regain lost consumer confidence and compensation.

“Relevant insurance and pension stakeholders would have to plug in the above clusters to support Ipec’s efforts in implementing recommendations under the respective clusters,” he said.

Kazengura said following gazetting of the report in March 2018, Ipec went through the findings and recommendations to come up with a clear implementation roadmap for the recommended reforms.

“While Ipec was given the mandate to spearhead the reforms, the need for further stakeholder dialogue is recommended to facilitate ease of implementation of recommendations of a policy nature and issues that were not fully addressed the commission of inquiry,” he said.

The inquiry was conducted from September 1, 2015 to February 28, 2017 and the report was finalised and submitted to government in May 2017.

Findings of the Commission of Inquiry confirmed loss of value by policy holders and pensioners and recommended a compensation framework by the private sector.

In addition, to that, the commission also find out that policyholders and pensioners did not lose value during the conversion period alone, but has been losing value throughout the investigation period due to other reasons that include poor regulation of the industry as well as lack of clear government policies.

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HARARE - Zimbabwe should dump its discredited bond notes and real time gross settlement (RTGS) system and re-introduce the United States dollar as a way of solving the country’s fragile currency situation and reduce inflation, economist Steve Hanke has said.

The southern African country introduced the surrogate currency, which government pegged at 1:1 with the United States dollar, in November 2016 as an export incentive to ease an acute cash crisis. However, the bond notes — guaranteed by the Afreximbank — have lost value to the greenback and are trading at 1: 4,5 on the parallel market.

This has seen official inflation peaking at 42 percent in December 2018, after prices of basic goods and services skyrocketed in October last year when government introduced a two percent tax.

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Hanke, who rose to fame when he correctly predicted Zimbabwe’s hyperinflationary period in 2008, said there was need for the government to instil confidence in the economy by extinguishing the controversial currency.

“The government must announce that it will not rob the holders of bond notes and RTGSs. They were issued at par to the United States dollar, and they will be redeemed at par by the issuer: the Zimbabwean government.

“The redemption at par will take place over a five-year period. During this period, the government will redeem the bond notes and RTGSs by accepting them as payment for taxes or any other obligations,” he said.

The John Hopkins University lecturer indicated that if credible, the redemption policy announcement will cause the value of the bond notes and RTGSs to climb towards par, creating much-needed liquidity, as well as solvency, in Zimbabwe’s financial system.

“Zimbabwe’s monetary death spiral will come to an abrupt stop. To run down the stock of New Zim dollars to 2016 levels, $1 billion per year should be redeemed over five years. Then, the patient will be deemed to be in remission, and a clean bill of monetary health can be issued,” he said.  

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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 United States 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 the government has not allocated firms adequate funds to import sufficient fuel for the country, leading to the shortages.

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HARARE - The Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) Zone VI president Frederick Ndlovu has revealed plans to take off the burden from beach volleyball athletes by ensuring that they pay all their expenses for this year’s zonal games.

The former Zimbabwe Volleyball Association (ZVA) president made known of their ambitions during a recent beach volleyball coaches’ course that was conducted by Kenyan instructor Samuel Mulengi Metemi under the stewardship of ZVA in Harare.

“In the last events the zone actually helped all the national federations that came. We paid for accommodation and met the full board for all the teams that participated,” Ndlovu said.

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“For the sub zonal that we are going to hold in 2019 we are also planning to pay for the athletes as a zone.”

Ndlovu, said plans were underway to conduct several coaching and referee’s courses as a zone independent of ZVA.

“As a zone, we are also planning to have coaches’ courses under the zone umbrella. We are also planning to have an international candidate referee’s course in beach volleyball,” he said.

“If you look at Zimbabwe currently, it actually has two international beach referees and you don’t find that in many countries.

“In our zone probably only South Africa has an international beach volleyball referee and Zimbabwe has two already so it’s a big step.”

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During the beach volleyball coaching course held at the Celebration Centre in Harare at least 17 local coaches took part in the week-long programme. There were at least 11 male and six female candidates in attendance.

“I’m pleased (women attendance) though not satisfied with the attendance but at least we had six so it shows that ZVA does concentrate on women,” he said.

“The previous week I think I saw 10 ladies participating in the national management course which is a commendable stance by ZVA.

“So in terms of the preparation of women to come into play to take part in the leadership of the sport at least ZVA is playing its part.”

He also said CAVB has similar plans for the indoor qualifiers as well as Africa Games and the World Championships and not only beach volleyball.

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HARARE - As one of the most sought-after free agents during this current transfer window, Gabriel Nyoni has now set his sights on helping CAPS United return to their glory days.

Nyoni signed for Makepekepe towards the end of last month after prolonged negotiations with various clubs which all played out in the public sphere.

After six years at Highlanders, the winger’s contract with the Bulawayo giants came to an end last December.

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However, due to football regulations, Nyoni was effectively a free agent in the last six months of his contract with Bosso allowing him to discuss or sign a pre-contract with other clubs.

Ngezi Platinum Stars were also in the picture offering a possible reunion with his former coach Erol Akbay and even made an enticing offer for him.

Makepekepe, on the other hand, also made the winger one of their top targets in this transfer window ahead of the start of the 2019 Castle Lager Premiership season.

In the end, Nyoni finally chose to go green, joining Makepekepe and going by the modern trends in world football, the winger took to Twitter to announce the deal earlier this month.

It was a perfect end to a transfer saga that had gripped local football since the end of last season.

“I remained calm throughout the negotiations,” Nyoni told the Daily News. 

“What people don’t know is that I was in discussions since November.

“I had different offers but I just took my time to make the right decision for my future. CAPS were very forthcoming and honoured everything they were promising me during the negotiations.”

There was also a sentimental attachment to the club which made Nyoni sign on the dotted line for the Green Machine.

He used to turn out for the Makepekepe junior teams about 10 years ago before moving to Bosso.

Nyoni believes he has made the right decision by joining the five-time Zimbabwe champions, who are on a rebuilding exercise after an under-whelming 2018 campaign.

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Makepekepe finished last season in a lowly eighth place on the log, some 30 points behind back-to-back champions FC Platinum.

United were actually closer to the relegation zone than they were challenging for the title last season.

At the end of the season, United showed the exit door to a number of their senior players and have been very active in the transfer market.

Besides Nyoni, the club has also been reunited with winger Phenias Bamusi, who spent last season on the books of Triangle United.

The club has also managed to retain the services of midfielder Joel Ngodzo despite interest from various other clubs.

Midfielder Ronald Chitiyo, who did not kick a ball for the whole of 2018, has also recovered from a knee injury and will probably be like a new signing for United after the long lay-off.

With everything that is happening in and around the club, Nyoni feels Makepekepe are poised for great things in 2019.

“CAPS is a big club and we cannot afford to have two bad seasons. This year, they are doing things very differently at CAPS United,” he said.

“We are starting our pre-season training this week and we need to work hard to put back the club where it deserves to be.

“Our bosses want us to win the league, the coaches want us to win the league and as players that is our goal as well but we need to work hard.”   

Although he is now on the books of United, Nyoni also paid tribute to the wonderful six years he enjoyed at Highlanders.

“I will always be grateful for everything Highlanders did for me. It was a good six years with Highlanders,” he said.

“I do not know how I can repay them back for everything that they did for me during my stay there.”   

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HARARE - Bakers are struggling to meet demand for bread after the national shutdown brought supplies to a halt, this publication can report.

The supply has declined in most retail shops causing hundreds of people to queue for bread in most parts of the country.  While bread price went up last month to $1,45 from about $1,20, its consumption has remained at peak in the country.

A snap survey by the Daily News showed that most retail shops have insufficient supplies of bread from bread manufacturers which have led to a daily routine of endless winding bread queues in most retail shops.  The shortages have also precipitated the black market which has preyed on consumers selling bread between $2 and $3.

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Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) president Sifelani Jabangwe said: “It can be attributed to the shutdown, were they are still trying to stabilise to catch up with supplies.

“The bread making system itself takes time after shutting down for some time because there are a lot of supply chains involved. The other challenge before the shutdown was fuel because most companies need diesel to heat up machines and for the distribution but we should see stabilisation next week,” Jabangwe said.

Zimbabwe consumes 1,8 million loaves of bread per day and needs 400 000 tonnes of wheat per year and is producing less than half of its annual requirement. 

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HARARE - As the situation in the country continues to deteriorate with threats of another complete shutdown, some parents have recalled their children from boarding schools while those with children that attend day schools kept their children at home.

This comes amid the uncertainty in the country with most parents fearing for their children’s safety in view of the aftermath of the three-day violent stay-away.

The country was thrown in turmoil as protesters took to the streets in most urban areas in the aftermath of the fuel price adjustments announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently.

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Some of the schools like Dzivaresekwa High even gave directives to school children to stay at home on Monday as the area is awash with unrest where soldiers are punishing suspected perpetrators of violence.

Speaking to the Daily News, Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general Raymond Majongwe said he has heard reports of parents taking away their children from boarding schools since last week, but he is yet to verify the statistics.

“What happened is that parents with children in volatile areas panicked when there was a communication cut off as they could not get hold of the schools to find out if their children were safe. Hence the only reasonable way was to go and collect them so that they monitor the situation while close to their children,” Majongwe said.

One parent who spoke to this publication on condition of anonymity said she was called by the school (boarding) to come and collect her child as teachers had fled the school after being intimidated by the situation.

“During the weekend I went to collect my daughter from boarding school after I heard people talking about another likely shutdown in these coming days.

“I would rather keep her at home knowing that she is safe than risking it all,” said another parent. ‘‘For now I am still assessing the situation, if I then feel like things have normalised, I will take her back.”

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HARARE - Education minister Paul Mavhima has implored teachers to give the on-going national joint negotiations a chance, cautioning that industrial action will disadvantage the students.

This came after Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) over the weekend had indicated that they had downed tools although yesterday they were singing a different song, saying the non-attendance by some teachers yesterday was not a strike per se, but a result of the incapacitation of its members the association had long warned the employer of.

Sifiso Ndlovu, Zimta’s chief executive officer said the non-attendance by some teachers yesterday was not a strike per se, but a result of the incapacitation that his association had long warned the employer of. “This incapacitation did not begin today but was first announced on the 17th of December last year. Zimta declared incapacitation and this has remained up to today,” he said.

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Ndlovu said those who had managed to source cash had gone back to work, noting that there is, however, no guarantee that they will be able to continue. 

“What we have today is not a Zimta strike, it is nothing less than the incapacitation of teachers,” he said.

He said while some teachers in the urban areas had reported for duty yesterday, some learners had stayed at home as parents and guardians feared for their safety due to the state of affairs.

Mavhima yesterday told the Daily News that the teachers’ unions that are part of the Apex Council should give dialogue a chance.

“Let’s not disadvantage the children, the government has shown an interest to revise the offer.

“They should participate in the negotiations through the Apex Council; government and the unions will soon find each other. We cannot affect the education of the children; they are the future of the country.”

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ)’s secretary-general Raymond Majongwe maintained that teachers will wait for the 14 days ultimatum given to government to lapse, before taking action. The notice takes effect on Friday.

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HARARE - Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has condemned security forces’ brutality saying heavy-handedness on protesters does not fix the economy.

This comes after Zimbabwe witnessed one of its first ever deadly anti-government protests against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration, which has allegedly claimed more than 12 lives after security forces launched a crackdown on protesters and looters.

Meanwhile, government using the Interception Communications Act compelled Internet  Service Providers (ISPs) to shutdown the Internet  last Monday, following a directive to black out all social media platforms, in a bid to thwart organised protests in the country.

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At the same time, security forces have clamped down on pro-democracy activists, senior opposition officials and others who are reported to have instigated the violence that took place during the national shutdown that was called by Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) last week.  

In a statement in response to the recent uproar in the country, ZHRC said government needs to take due care and diligence to protect the rights and well-being of especially the vulnerable members of society.

“The ZHRC fully understands the dire macro-economic situation in the country and the need to make radical decisions to remedy the situation…

“As the Commission we are of the view that such heavy-handedness on the part of the security sector does not solve the national problems, but only helps to create resentment and anger among the citizens which in turn breeds the violence that we are currently experiencing,” ZHRC said.

Many Zimbabweans, in anger also took the woes to Mnangagwa’s Twitter account where they castigated the actions by his government while others lodged petitions to the international community to bar him from the World Economic Forum (Wef) in Davos, Switzerland.

While the riots are said to have been triggered by the pronouncements made by Mnangagwa on fuel hikes, ZHRC said: “.. most of the austerity measures and decisions are being made with little or no consultations of the relevant stakeholders and citizens and in many instances sound and appear as almost arbitrary.

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“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 affects the disadvantaged members of society.”

Mnangagwa has a hard task to revive the haemorrhaging economy and pressure continues to mount on his government which is running under credibility deficit by failing to appease angry masses with inadequate economic policies.

The country’s economy has been in the throes of shortages of cash and basic commodities and price vexations due to currency distortions causing many businesses to demand the greenback and peg all commodities in t US dollar.

The fuel crisis and steep transport fares have continued to batter the commuting public.

Meanwhile calls for a national dialogue to rescue the country’s dire situation have been bombarding Mnangagwa’s office.

International organisations such as European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) also condemned violence by security forces while calling for an inclusive national dialogue “to ensure reforms that stand the test of time” creating an environment where investors can start trickling in.

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HARARE - Victory World International Ministries church leader Paul Sanyangore is facing jail after a satellite transmission company Viewsat Limited (Viewsat) filed an application for civil imprisonment in a bid to push the pastor to pay a $12 000 debt.

According to the summons filed in December last year, Sanyangore is owing a total of $12 733, 73 to the company.

Sanyangore through the court papers was advised to approach the High Court tomorrow with his financial position to assess whether he is able to settle the debt or not.

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“You, the respondent (Sanyangore) is called upon to pay to the applicant (Viewsat) the sum of $12 733, 73 being taxed costs plus interest at the prescribed rate from the 12th of October 2017 to the date of payment plus collection commission in terms of Law Society by-laws and legal costs on a legal practitioner and client scale recovered by order of this court dated 9th January 2010 April…,” part of the summons read.

According to the summons, Sanyangore was asked to bring evidence of his financial position, including proof of his income from wages, salary or earnings from any other source.

“The court will conduct an inquiry into your financial position and depending on the circumstances, it may not commit you to prison but instead give you further time to pay the sum due or direct you to pay it in instalments over a specified period,” part of the summons read.

According to the summons, the clergyman was further advised that if he cannot meet the requirements of the summons, he should be able to justify himself to avoid imprisonment.

“If you fail to pay the sum specified above, you must appear before the High Court at Harare…to explain why you have not paid it and to show why an order for your imprisonment should not be made on account of failure to pay. You should bring with you evidence of failure to pay.

“Unless you pay the plaintiff the sum specified…or unless the plaintiff accepts an offer of settlement which you may have made to it, you must appear before the High Court on the date and at the time specified…If you do not do so, a writ of personal attachment may be issued against you and you may be committed to prison.”

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HARARE - President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s re-engagement efforts will suffer a huge blow as calls for the United Kingdom (UK) government to withdraw its foreign aid and support to Zimbabwe’s mount.

This comes as UK has been aiding Zimbabwe for years now with 3 000 bicycles being donated last week to girls who walk between five to 15km to school every day.

UK Time party leader Robert Kimbell has urged the British government to suspend its foreign aid to Zimbabwe until self-governance is restored, following violent protests that took place in the country last week.

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“End all bilateral UK foreign aid to Zimbabwe with immediate effect. Prohibit entry by any minister or agent of the Zimbabwean government. Withdraw UK support for the re-entry of Zimbabwe to the Commonwealth. Promise to re-instate all when the democracy resumes,” he said.

He condemned the Zimbabwean government’s response to the demonstrations suggesting that the UK government should compel Mnangagwa’s administration to stop persecuting its people who are now afraid to get out of their homes.

“We must pressurise the government of Zimbabwe to stop harassing, imprisoning, injuring and even, allegedly, killing Zimbabweans. The situation in the southern African country is dire. People are frightened to venture out of their homes. That is a shutdown,” the opposition leader said.

This also comes after the British foreign secretary Harriett Baldwin summoned Zimbabwe’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Christian Katsande, to discuss concerns over reports of violence, killings of demonstrators, Internet blackout and a security crackdown in the country last week.

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In a statement on Zimbabwe recently, Baldwin said reports were received on the widespread unrest and a heavy security force response in Zimbabwe with several people being killed and many others injured. The British foreign secretary slammed government’s response to the violent protests suggesting that it was a violation of human rights.

“While we condemn the violent behaviour of some protesters, and unlawful acts such as arson and looting, we are deeply concerned that Zimbabwe’s security forces have acted disproportionately in response.  In particular, there are disturbing reports of use of live ammunition, intimidation and excessive force,” the statement read.

She called on the Zanu PF led government to investigate human rights violations and restore full Internet access, consistent with citizens’ constitutional right to freedom of expression.

“We call on the government of Zimbabwe to ensure its security forces act professionally, proportionately and at all times with respect for human life and constitutional rights. We further call on the government of Zimbabwe to investigate all allegations of human rights abuses,” the statement read.

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HARARE - South Africa’s main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), has challenged President Cyril Ramaphosa to take urgent steps to stop the on-going crackdown against dissenting voices by Zimbabwe’s security forces.

The party also warned ominously that should Ramaphosa fail to intervene in the matter decisively, the DA would soon call upon the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.

The ICC is an international tribunal that sits in The Hague, in the Netherlands. It has powers to prosecute individuals fingered in crimes related to wanton killings, genocide, crimes against humanity and war transgressions. 

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The DA’s move comes as local rights groups are reporting widespread abuses that are allegedly being perpetrated by soldiers and police, following last week’s deadly riots which left at least 12 people dead and 78 others needing treatment for gunshot wounds.

DA shadow minister for International Relations, Stevens Mokgalapa, also warned Ramaphosa yesterday to ditch his “quiet diplomacy” and order Mnangagwa’s administration to halt on-going rights breaches by security forces.

“If Ramaphosa fails to intervene and advise Mnangagwa to stop the military clampdown on civilians, the DA will be left with no option but to approach the International Criminal Court (ICC) to consider a preliminary investigation into these violations as outlined in the Rome Statute.

“The ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor is empowered by the Rome Statute to … determine whether there is sufficient evidence of crimes of sufficient gravity falling within the ICC’s jurisdiction, whether there are genuine national proceedings, and whether opening an investigation would serve the interests of justice and of the victims.

“The DA strongly believes that the human rights crisis currently obtaining in Zimbabwe is of sufficient gravity to warrant an ICC investigation because, according to the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, at least 12 people have been killed, 78 shot at and 240 have faced assault, torture, inhumane and degrading treatment, ” Mokgalapa said.

“President Ramaphosa and his government seem intent on sitting on their hands over the Zimbabwe crisis in much the same manner as Thabo Mbeki’s failed diplomacy.

“In 2008, people were attacked and murdered with impunity in another State-sanctioned military clampdown targeting innocent civilians after a disputed election,” Mokgalapa added.

Zimbabwe has once again hit global headlines in the wake of the trail of terror left by security forces, following last week’s protests against the recent fuel price hikes.

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Human rights groups and medical doctors have told gory stories regarding the abuse of ordinary Zimbabweans, including women and schoolchildren, by soldiers during last week’s mayhem.

The DA also said it was wrong for security forces to use disproportionate force against lawbreakers, where other alternative means of controlling the situation were available.

“The DA will not stand by while Ramaphosa repeats a ‘Quiet Diplomacy 2.0’ strategy that is sure to produce the same results as (former SA president Thabo) Mbeki’s ill-thought foreign policy.

“Mbeki’s silence only served to worsen the human rights climate in Zimbabwe and led to a collapse of the economy, whose consequences are still being felt to this day, with thousands of Zimbabweans flocking to South Africa to seek economic refuge.

“Like the ANC, the Zanu PF government is quite simply the same bus filled with empty promises being driven by a different driver who has no power to steer the party in the right direction.

“The people of Zimbabwe were promised a new dawn when Mugabe was ousted, much like South Africa when Jacob Zuma stepped down. Both have proven to be myths,” Mokgalapa charged.

“The era of comradeship between Ramaphosa’s ANC government and Mnangagwa’s Zanu PF government while human rights are being trampled on with impunity is over.

“President Ramaphosa is faced with an easy choice, either he intervenes to stop civilian abuse by the military in Zimbabwe or his government will be one of the parties that will answer to the ICC on why they failed to act to stop the human rights violations,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwean government has denied that the security forces are behind the crackdown and instead blamed “deserters and imposters” for the abuses.

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HARARE - Serious fresh ructions have emerged in Zanu PF, resulting in two prominent members of the former liberation movement revealing explosive details over the past few days of an apparent plot to topple President Emmerson Mnangagwa from power, the Daily News can report.

So serious is the plan to remove Mnangagwa from power, that a sitting ruling party Member of Parliament (MP) and a former Cabinet minister say they have been threatened with death for refusing to back the ouster of the country’s increasingly embattled leader.

While the demons of factionalism, succession and tribalism have become synonymous with Zanu PF over the past three decades, what makes this latest planned putsch against the party’s leader more stunning is that Mnangagwa is only a mere six months into his five-year term — after he narrowly won the hotly-disputed July 30, 2018 presidential poll.

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In a stunning tweet on micro-blogging site Twitter yesterday, one of Mnangagwa’s fiercest lieutenants and MP for Gokwe Nembudziya, Justice Mayor Wadyajena, threw the cat among the pigeons when he sensationally claimed that some Zanu PF legislators were planning to impeach their leader.

“They threatened to kill me & harm my family. I stand by @edmnangagwa & wish they knew ours isn’t just a political relationship.

“However they try, we’ll never quit nor be intimidated. The plot is foiled, they lack numbers for impeachment &the devil isn’t @ProfJNMoyo but amongst us!” Wadyajena said.

In separate tweets, former Finance deputy minister, Terence Mukupe, poured oil on the raging fire yesterday, claiming that he had also been threatened with death for backing Mnangagwa.

“I am in Harare ... I will never sellout on my president … you are wasting your time threatening to kill me and my family ... I will never join your sick plot!

“Come get me and do as you please but my president is not going anywhere … We are going to shame you devilish people!” Mukupe similarly wrote on Twitter.

Earlier on, the former Harare East MP had also given a most revealing sneak peek into the Zanu PF ructions when he cryptically suggested that Mnangagwa was not the problem as Zimbabwe experiences myriad crises, but some unnamed dark forces within the government.

“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 defense ... 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 at the weekend.

Mnangagwa, who first swept to power through a popular coup in November 2017, warned mid last year of a plan to impeach him by disgruntled party MPs, following the 2018 national polls.

Addressing Zanu PF supporters after the party’s chaotic primary elections on May 30 last year, Mnangagwa, however, warned the supposed plotters that it would not be easy to impeach him.

“I got intelligence that some of those who have won these primary elections have two minds.

“They have gone to join the Zanu PF wagon using various tricks, money included, to be elected with a possible view that once in Parliament, they will band together and move a motion of impeachment.

“There are two things I would want you to know. First, you must realise that the Constitution provides the basis of impeachment and such basis must be fulfilled before impeachment proceedings begin.

“Secondly, our Constitution provides a tool, an instrument to chuck out from Parliament any member, who we think is not Zanu PF anymore,” he warned then.

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Under the country’s jurisprudence, impeachment is a process that may be used to charge, try and remove public officials for misconduct while in office.

Section 97 of the Constitution says the Senate and the National Assembly, by a joint resolution passed by at least one-half of their total membership, can deal with the question of whether the president or a vice president should be removed from office for various reasons.

But a president can only be removed from office if he or she is found to have engaged in acts of serious misconduct, has failed to obey, uphold or defend the Constitution, and wilfully violates the Constitution or is unable to perform the functions of the highest office in the land because of physical or mental incapacity.

Ironically, Mnangagwa’s predecessor, former president Robert Mugabe, threw in the towel on November 21, 2017 after Parliament had set in motion an impeachment process which was supported by both Zanu and the MDC legislators.

Mnangagwa was expected to return home yesterday after cancelling his trip to this year’s World Economic Forum (Wef) meeting, so that he could come back and deal with the worsening political and economic crises at home.

During his absence, the country was plunged into chaos after deadly riots broke out in Harare, Bulawayo and several other towns, after protesters flooded the streets to demonstrate against steep fuel prices that the president had announced ahead of his trip to Europe.

Rights groups have also, in the meantime, accused the government of unleashing terror on the opposition and the pro-democracy movement, in the aftermath of the riots.

At least 12 people were killed and 78 others seriously injured after being shot by security forces during the protests.

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 myriad 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 similarly used live ammunition to quell an ugly demonstration in Harare’s central business district (CBD) on August 1 — as well as the latest round of deaths and 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 powers.

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HARARE - Zimdancehall chanter Enzo Ishall, popular for his controversial lyrics, is a prayerful man after all!  

Enzo Ishall told radio listeners, television viewers and other musicians at the 2018 ZBC Coca-Cola charts prize-giving event held yesterday at a local hotel in Harare that he is “an example of God’s favour and grace.”

“Pazvese ndinongoda kutenda Mwari nezvaakandiitira mulife mangu. Kana zvonzi Mwari anosimudza marombe kubva muguruva, ini ndini mumwe wacho akasimudzwa (I would like to thank God for what he has done in my life. When people say God raises the poor, I am an example),” Enzo Ishall said while receiving his prize after winning big in the ZBC Coke TV Top 50 videos.

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The Kanjiva hit-maker told the Daily News that he used to lead a life full of destitute characterised by extreme poverty and misery.

“I ventured into music industry in 2014 but I was not popular hence I was getting nothing out of my music. My fortunes changed when I joined a certain prayer group in Mabvuku. I became so prayerful, declaring what I wanted in life hence my breakthrough in music,” Enzo Ishall said.

The singer revealed that he lost his mother at a tender age.

“My mother died when I was five and I had to be looked after by my granny in Shamva for the better part of my primary school. I then completed my primary education in Braeside (Harare) staying with my father. I’m happy that my father supports what I do. He shares my music and posters on social media.

“I’m happy that my granny is there and all I wanted to do for my mother I will do for her,” he added.

Enzo, who did his ordinary levels at Churchill Boys High and Advanced Level at Phoenix College where he attained seven points, is blessed with a son; Nenyasha whom he said he will support whatever dream he wishes to follow.

The singer says Enzo Ishall is a nickname he grew up with.

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HARARE - As the crackdown on anti-government protests escalates, human rights activists have reported the emergence of torture camps in the country following the clampdown on protesters, opposition leaders and other human rights activists, the Daily News can report.

Human rights activists have consensually reported a record 844 human rights violations since January 14, 2018, including 12 deaths, 78 gunshot injuries, 242 incidents of assault, torture, inhuman and degrading treatment including dog bites; 46 of vandalism and looting; and 466 arbitrary detentions.

This follows reports that Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) deployed heavily to contain the protesters, conducting door to door raids and brutally assaulting civilians in their homes while others have been detained for hours without anyone knowing their whereabouts.

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In an updated report released on Monday evening, Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum said although Monday was seemingly calm, activity of State violence against civil society, labour, opposition leaders and residents continued.

“The Forum has received credible reports of Zanu PF torture bases emerging across the country.  In Mutoko, Zanu PF militia noted that they were establishing the infrastructure of violence in order to deal with ‘people sabotaging ED’ and to prepare for future protests,” ZHR NGO Forum said.

This is not the first time Zanu PF and security forces have been accused of establishing torture camps were civilians who are accused of defying government authority are mutilated.

Academic and researcher Pedzisai Ruhanya said: “The report is not surprising because after the fall of (Robert) Mugabe there were no efforts by (President Emmerson) Mnangagwa’s administration to destroy the infrastructure of violence.

“So when the power of Zanu PF was threatened they simply reactivated the structure of violence, which includes vigilante groups such as Chipangano and Top 6 in Mashonaland Province,” he said.

Last year, the High Court ordered the State to pay $150 000 to rights activist Jestina Mukoko as compensation for her abduction and torture which she suffered at the hands of State security agents in 2008.

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Anti-government campaigners like Itai Dzamara are also among those who disappeared after being allegedly abducted by State apparatus.

ZHR NGO Forum added that the atmosphere in communities around Harare has remained tense as people live in fear of the unknown amid government’s clampdown.

“This can be attributed to the visibility of armed soldiers and police in some areas. In Ruwa, masked ZNA officers were seen loitering in the streets. In Highfield and Kuwadzana, water cannons and military armoured vehicles were also strategically positioned in streets near crowded places such as shopping centres. 

“While many opposition leaders and other residents are said to have fled their homes, well-wishers have allegedly built safe houses across the country for people who are running away from torture and security forces harassment and brutality.

“In Domboshawa, men have abandoned their families to seek refuge from the heavy handedness of armed forces. Those left behind by fleeing suspected protesters have also been victimised to coerce them to reveal the whereabouts of the suspected protestors’’.

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BULAWAYO - Former War Veterans minister Tshinga Dube yesterday joined the bandwagon of like-minded Zimbabweans and organisations who have been calling for dialogue between the ruling Zanu PF and the main opposition MDC Alliance as part of the bold move to stem the growing public disenchantment emanating from the deepening economic crisis in the country.

The call by Dube comes after more than a dozen civilians were reportedly shot dead by State security agents while several others were injured during last week’s violent fuel protests.

“I think the best thing is to sit down as the country’s leaders and talk to each other without any pride or prejudice.

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“We should learn from situations from our fellow African countries like in Kenya where the two parties which were at serious loggerheads; one led by (opposition leader Raila) Odinga and one by (President Uhuru) Kenyatta sat down to talk after hundreds of their citizens died because of political conflict.

“They sat down and even today they sit together ... They are now like brothers,” Dube said.

The former Makokoba legislator seemed to suggest that dialogue was the only route President Emmerson Mnangagwa and opposition leader Nelson Chamisa should take to avert the on-going crisis that has led to injuries, loss of life and properties worth millions nationwide.

However, Mnangagwa has previously indicated he does not want any talks with Chamisa’s camp — who unsuprisingly has refused to recognise the Zanu PF leader as the legitimate leader of the country.

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At the height of Zanu PF factionalism under former President Robert Mugabe, Dube shocked many when he called for the then strongman and feared leader to name a successor. 

Soon after saying that, Dube took flak from Mugabe’s sympathisers and bootlickers with some baying for his head.

In the latest development Dube still feels some will not take his opinion lying down. 

He said it was unfortunate that there are some people who hate the truth, yet it’s the only thing that can save this country from further falling apart.

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