HARARE - Convicted rapist and former Member of Parliament for Bikita West Munyaradzi Kereke  has had three years of his 10-year sentence cut by prison officials on account of good behaviour, the Daily News can report.

The businessman has also been removed from the D Class section at Chikurubi Maximum Prison to Connemara Open Prison, which is meant for male inmates.

This emerged in a court application in which Kereke is seeking bail pending appeal based on changed political circumstances.

Kereke, a former advisor to then Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono, was jailed after being convicted for raping his then 11-year-old relative, following private prosecution proceedings.

He was jailed after a long legal battle that took about six years.

Efforts to have him prosecuted through the normal court process had hit a brick wall after the State claimed there was no sufficient evidence to proceed with the matter.

He was eventually prosecuted privately after an order was given to the then Prosecutor-General Johannes Tomana to issue a certificate for private prosecution.

In his latest application, Kereke told the court that the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) has, taking into account his exemplary behaviour, reclassified him from the D Class and he now qualifies to be admitted to Connemara Open Prison.

“That entitles him to occasionally be with his family. The conditions pertaining to the grant of bail have accordingly drastically altered. An applicant who is effectively entitled to serve his sentence at home is surely entitled as well to bail pending appeal,” Kereke told the court.

“The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services has further cut 40 months of the sentence he must serve through remissions. In reality, applicant has now directly served 18 months, 48 months were suspended on condition of good behaviour, a further 40 months have been interfered with on remission which leaves applicant with 38 percent of his sentence to serve. The risk of him absconding under the circumstances has been diminished to the point of extinction,” he added.

He said the new political dispensation has an effect on his political persecution.

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“The court was also duty bound to consider the ‘political’ angle set up by applicant. It was consistent with the nub of his defence and was not an afterthought as wrongly concluded by the court,” he said.

But the complainant’s lawyer, Charles Warara, is challenging the application in court.

Warara, who is representing the girl’s guardian, Francis Maramwidze, told the court that Kereke was getting special treatment because of his political connections, which he said must be investigated.

He alleged the business had told the trial court that he belonged to the Lacoste faction in Zanu PF and that the persecution he was facing was as a result of that.

“He admitted to be very close to the current president of Zimbabwe (Emmerson Mnangagwa) and as such he might be using that influence in prison to continue his political protection,” Warara said.

He further said Kereke was trying to use the current political system to get out of prison, adding that the change of government cannot amount to changed circumstances in his case.

“He wants this court to be collated and be viewed as sympathetic to him because of the political changes that has taken place in Zimbabwe because he submitted that he is in prison because respondent (Maramwidze) benefited from the old and deposed government and now the current government is connected to him, he must be released,” Warara said.

Warara also said there are fears that once Kereke is released on bail he might never taste jail again by pulling political strings.

“Once he is released, he will never again be taken back because he is connected to the leadership in the government and they have openly stated in public that applicant must be helped out of prison because he was taken to prison through a political outfit notoriously called G40 which he claimed in court was responsible for his political persecution.

“Powerful people in Masvingo Province have declared that applicant is a victim of political persecution who must be assisted to come out of jail. That assistance is now manifesting in the form of reduction of his sentence by Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services…,” the court was told.

Warara further told the court that there was no disclosure to the effect that he had been removed from D Class and that there was need for a prison official to provide a sworn statement confirming the process was done lawfully, adding the changes were a manipulation of the system by powerful government officials.

“Again, this is proof that the coming in of the new political dispensation benefitted the applicant. Applicant gets his sentence slashed by three years, just like that and if he has served two years as he claims, the sentence he has served is less than that which he has had remitted.

“All this needs proof and an investigation by respondent why the applicant has suddenly become such an important prisoner to the current hosts in government. It will become meaningless for the justice system to benefit rapists on the basis that a court sentence can be slashed by prison officials just like that,” Warara said.

Kereke’s lawyers from Mutandiro, Chitsanga and Chitima Attorneys have since written to the presiding judge, Davison Foroma, in a letter dated February 22, 2018, to have the bail application postponed indefinitely.

The lawyers said they would need to respond to issues of remission of sentence and Kereke’s removal from D class.

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HARARE - The late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s estate is causing sparks to fly, with the family of the former prime minister accusing his wife, Elizabeth, of tinkering with his valuables and attempting to grab his plush $3 million mansion in Highlands, Harare.

This comes after Elizabeth registered her late husband’s estate with the High Court, which includes a house in Strathaven, Harare, 45 head of cattle and six vehicles.

Family members of the late politician are not convinced that the inventory registered at the High Court in Harare represents all that the MDC leader had acquired during his long, working career, spanning nearly five decades.

Tsvangirai’s brother Manasa, hinted yesterday at what could turn out to be a knight of long knives in the courts of law as the family contest the estate, which they believe to have been grossly understated.

“Is that all that is listed as his properties?” Manasa asked rhetorically.

Upon leaving school, Tsvangirai landed his first job in 1972 as a trainee weaver for Elastics and Tapes in Mutare.

He later worked for Anglo America’s Bindura’s Nickel Mine for 10 years, rising from being a plant operator to plant supervisor before joining trade unionism.

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union, where he was secretary-general between 1988 and 1999 became his launch pad into politics.

According to the estate she registered at the High Court, Tsvangirai has one immovable property in Strathaven, six vehicles — a Mercedes Benz S350, Mercedes Benz GL, Toyota Prado, Isuzu KB 300, Isuzu KB 250, Isuzu KB 250 — and 45 head of cattle.

The Highlands mansion was not included in the estate, possibly because Tsvangirai was yet to take ownership of the title deeds.

The Highlands property has been mired in controversy.

Government gave the MDC leader money to acquire the property when he was prime minister in the government of national unity (GNU) and had been reluctant to give him title deeds for the house.

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Following the ouster of former president Robert Mugabe in November last year, his successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has made an undertaking to transfer ownership into Tsvangirai, including resolving outstanding issues to do with his pension and other benefits that he was entitled to.

Tsvangirai passed on after a long battle with colon cancer before these issues could be finalised.

Tsvangirai’s other brother, Collins, referred questions to Manasa, saying his younger brother is the family spokesperson.

Manasa, who has become the central figure among family members that are up-in-arms with Elizabeth, said he was prepared to fight to the bitter end to ensure that Tsvangirai’s nine children get the lion’s share of their father’s belongings.

“We don’t want anything but those things should go to the children and not anyone else. We know that she (Elizabeth) has no children with Tsvangirai so justice must be done. Ask her where she was staying before his death; we don’t know where she was staying, she knows where she was staying, she cannot cheat herself, you cannot lie to yourself, your conscience should tell you that you are lying or not” said Manasa, implying the couple may not have been staying together towards the end of Tsvangirai’s life.

“As the family, we maintain that these things are for the kids. The children should be the beneficiaries. If she is a mother, she has an opportunity now to show us that. One thing that is clear is that those things belong to his children. The question that should now be asked: akafirwa ndiani? (Who is grieving here?) Is it the Macheka or Tsvangirai family? The tradition in our family is that when a man passes on, the children benefit and the children should then choose to share with whoever they want to,” added Manase.

Elizabeth was not picking up her phone yesterday.

The Tsvangirai family has been at loggerheads with Elizabeth, the wife Tsvangirai married in 2012, for a couple of years now.

While the couple had no children, Tsvangirai had nine children namely: Edwin, Vimbai, Milicent, Miriro, Ethen, Garikai, Rumbidzai, Vincent, and Richard.

Ethen is the only minor.

Elizabeth also had two children with different husbands.

Early this week, Elizabeth, who has taken charge of the former prime minister’s palatial Highlands home held a church service snubbed by her in-laws.

Manasa said he was surprised that Elizabeth convened a church service without input from their side of the family.

“I was not at the church service. No one from the Tsvangirai family knew about the church service. But the question is; who is the owner of the place where the church service was held? It certainly does not belong to us as Tsvangirai’s brothers but his kids. Why have a prayer meeting without the Tsvangirai family, if people want to have a church service why don’t they do it openly,” said Manasa.

Harassed by her in-laws since the time Tsvangirai was admitted to the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre in Johannesburg, Elizabeth, 41, almost considered suicide as a flurry of accusations were thrown her way.

Her in-laws, who took over all the funeral proceedings from the time Tsvangirai’s body landed at the Robert Mugabe International Airport to the day he was buried in Buhera’s Humanikwa, sidelining the wife and making no effort to cover up the differences in public.

In South Africa, she had to be sneaked in, in order to visit her dying husband as the family of the deceased former prime minister maintained that she was no longer staying with their “son”.

The family even went as far as trying to remove her as next of kin — only to be stopped from doing so by Tsvangirai, but as though that was not enough, the family members also threatened to assault her in hospital.

But Manasa said that she was never ill-treated, adding sarcastically that she was actually thanked on January 9 when the family asked her to hand over Tsvangirai to them.

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HARARE - President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration has been plunged into fresh turmoil as civil servants threaten to down tools with only a few months left before make-or-break polls to be held before July 31.

Read full story in today's paper.

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BULAWAYO - Veteran football administrator Ndumiso Gumede has ruled the Bulawayo giants Highlanders out of this year’s championship race saying the newly assembled youthful side probably needs time to develop before they can fight for honours.

Bosso’s last league title came just over a decade ago under the guidance of former player Methembe Ndlovu and since then, the Bulawayo giants have had to watch from a distance as smaller and now defunct clubs like Monomotapa, Gunners and Motor Action went on to win titles.

And as if not enough during that same period, their fierce rivals Dynamos have gone on to win a further five league champions while neighbours Chicken Inn went on to clinch their maiden championship in 2015.

Following a somewhat lukewarm season under Dutch coach Erol Akabay who quit the giants citing poor working conditions, Highlanders chose to bring back former player, Madinda Ndlovu, who decided to do away with older players in his bid to bring good old days to the club.

Ndlovu’s youngsters fared well in the ZNA Charity Shield beating Chicken Inn 2-1 in the semifinals before humbled by a relatively youthful Dynamos side losing 2-1 in the final.

While their performances in those matches raise a lot of expectations amongst the team’s followers, Gumede who is also the club’s for chief executive thinks otherwise.

“If I were to be realistic I don’t see him (Ndlovu) pulling out a winning league streak,” Gumede told Daily News on Sunday.

“The important thing is that he just avoids relegation and keep the same players for next year. I am almost certain that their year is next year, not this year,” he said.

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While Gumede feels Bosso are on a rebuilding exercise, Ndlovu is on record saying he was not rebuilding but preparing a team that will contest for honours.

Gumede hailed Ndlovu for bringing back at Bosso the youth policy culture.

The former Mochudi Centre Chiefs coach chose to do away with old horses such as Simon Munawa, Eric Mudzingwa, Ralph Matema and Tendai Ngulube among others and opted to promote juniors from the club’s division one side, Bosso 90 and their Under 18.

Apart from retaining some bright young prospects like Brian Banda, Charlton Siamalonga, Godfrey Makruse, Ray Lunga, Bosso have also acquired the services of former Hwange and Bulawayo city striker Newman Sianchali.

Also part of the young blood added into the fold is Nigel Makumbe, Munyaradzi Chitambwe and Ben Musaka.

“It is not a new phenomenon, many times I hear people say we are lost because we don’t have junior policy. Highlanders has always had without failure under 14, 16 and 18, the fact that some coaches who come there decides to concentrate on the first team has been the biggest undoing of the club and the return of Madinda Ndlovu is a welcome one because he knows he grew up there, he is part and a product of the youth policy and I highly recommend that he sticks to that,” said Gumede.

He added: “During his (Ndlovu) time boys were coming from the youth clubs, which unfortunately don’t exist anymore but Highlanders as a club has always returned the semblance of respective youths.”

Asked about the widely held belief among Bosso supporters that most coaches have failed due to constant interference from the executive where some players are made to play even when they are outside the coach’s plan, Gumede chose to differ.

“The coach has absolute control of who plays, we may want as supporters to see the artistry of King Nadolo but if the coach thinks the player is not playing to his instructions, the coach will leave him out.

“It doesn’t matter how much noise you make outside. We must respect the choices of the coach. After all if the team loses it’s the coach who gets the flak, it’s not us on the side-lines,” Gumede said.

Bickering, back biting and power struggle has largely been attributed to the team’s under performance, but the now retired football administrator has a word of advice to the Bosso executive.

“The team doesn’t play well if there is no cohesion in the executive, I can’t explain it too, I don’t know what really happens. But if there is working together and cohesion, sharing the same views, somehow it transcends to the team. I would advise that they iron out whatever the differences they have so that we have a coherent executive with one vision and one focus.”

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HARARE - Harare  City coach Mark Harrison is delighted with his team’s return to the Castle Lager Premiership as he declared themselves ready ahead of the pending 2018 season. 

The Sunshine Boys were relegated from the Castle Lager Premiership last season after finishing in 15th place which ultimately cost coach Philani Ncube his job.

However, City were thrown lifeline by accepting an offer from the Premier Soccer League after How Mine, who went through some difficult moments last season due to some financial challenges, gave up their franchise to focus on core business.

And with the new season set for next weekend, Harrison, who was given the reins following the sacking of Ncube, declared his charges ready.

“It feels really good to be playing in the top flight. I have always said it from the beginning that City deserves to be rubbing the shoulders with the best teams in the country,” Harrison said to the Daily News on Sunday.

“I just have a meeting with players to tell them that we are back where we belong and let’s not waste this opportunity. I believe we have a team that can compete in the PSL and in terms of preparations I think we have done really well.

“We should be ready when the season starts. I have a squad of 28 players. We have a fusion of experienced and exciting youngsters. So we are definitely looking forward to do our best.”

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Upon his appointment, Harrison roped in former CAPS United coach Mark Mathe to be his assistant while former Dynamos goalkeepers coach Tichaona Diya also joined the Sunshine Boys technical department.

On the playing personnel front, the club signed Moses Muchenje from CAPS United after his contract expired at the end of last season.

Muchenje once tried his luck in Egypt at the beginning of the year but opted to return home and joined the Sunshine Boys despite the fact that the club was set to play in the second tier league.

The club also roped in Denzel Chimwemwe from Herentals, Bright Chayambuka from Mufakose United and Ryan Harrison from an unnamed South African club. Ryan is son to coach Harrison and is currently waiting for his work permit.

Harare City chairman Alois Masepe was however quick to emphasise that the team’s core business will remain that of developing talent and will not exert too much pressure on their technical team to fight for the championship this season.

“Our vision remains of development of players,” Masepe said.

“We are not fond of competing for the title. That is why we have team from Under-13 up to Under-18. Under normal circumstances we should have leagues for all those age groups where they would compete.

“We remain loyal to our business of developing sport industry. You will find that recently our women’s team won promotion and will be playing in the Women’s Super League this season.

“So basically we are coming back to continue with our objective of developing players. We are not going to give our coaches any unnecessary pressure. The bulk of our players are Under-18 and some few older players for the obvious reasons to bring stability.”

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HARARE - A number of council clinics are still refusing to attend to pregnant women who are not registered with them notwithstanding the existence of a directive issued by government late last year.

In December 2017, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration scrapped user fees for children under the age of five years; all maternal cases and for senior citizens above the age of 65 years.

That same month, a memorandum was generated to all district medical officers, medical superintendents and chief medical officers, rural district council chief executive officers and town clerks, advising them that the policy was now a requirement.

A survey by the Daily News on Sunday has however, shown that unregistered pregnant women seeking to deliver at their nearest healthcare facilities are still being turned away in spite of the directive.

A case in point is St Mary’s Clinic in the dormitory city of Chitungwiza where residents spoke of women being turned away because they were not registered with the health institution.

One resident who spoke to this publication said pregnant women should be allowed treatment even when they do not have money to pay for the service as their condition was a matter of life or death.

“Last week, a woman was turned away at the clinic by some rude nurses because she was not registered there. They told her to go to Chitungwiza Central Hospital where she could get free treatment. Unfortunately, for the woman her time was due and she ended up delivering her baby by the clinic’s entrance,” said the resident.

Chitungwiza Town Council spokesperson, Lovemore Meya, said the local authority was still charging user fees for the three groups, arguing that only until when they get a clear directive from the ministry of Health will they scrap the requirement.

“There has been no official comment from the ministry. We are still making frantic efforts to get a clear position on the matter regarding the user fees. However, at present they (user fees) are still in place,” Meya said.

A survey by this reporter showed that this is not just limited to Chitungwiza alone.

Pregnant women at several council clinics are still obliged to pay user fees and provide other ancillary requirements such as gloves, surgical razor blades and umbilical cord clamps, while those over 65 also expected to pay for medical services.

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The development shows that Zimbabwe still has a long way to go to eradicate maternal mortality.

Despite the decrease in maternal mortality worldwide, Zimbabwe still remains one of the countries with the highest incidences.

At least 242 pregnant women died in 2017, up from 124 incidents recorded in 2016.

Zimbabwe’s maternal mortality rate stands at 614 deaths per 100 000 live births –one of the highest in the region.

According to the Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey (ZDHS)’s 2015 report, at least one in every 15 live births die before reaching the age of five.

The report further stated that the level of under- five mortality is 69 deaths per 1 000 live births.

A maternal death is any death reported as occurring during pregnancy, childbirth, or within two months after the birth or termination of a pregnancy.

According to reports, the estimate of the maternal mortality ratio for the seven-year period preceding the 2015 ZDHS report was 651 deaths per 100 000 live births; that is, for every 1 000 births in Zimbabwe, there were about seven maternal deaths.

Observers, however, say the number could be higher since some cases are never reported, considering that Zimbabwe records between 500 000 and 700 000 pregnancies every year.

In Zimbabwe, owing to the persistent economic hardships, several people are living on less than a dollar a day and cannot afford basic health care.

The provision of health care is extremely expensive when compared to what obtains in the sub-region, and most of the drugs are unavailable.

While waiting shelters have been established in some rural areas for pregnant women to be closer to healthcare facilities, some women still fail to access the facilities because of the long distances involved, leaving them to give birth at home in unsanitary conditions.

Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights executive director, Calvin Fambirai, said the insistence on payment of user fees shows that there is no concordance between the political narrative and the administration of health.

He said while the Mnangagwa’s administration is giving indications of free and improved access to maternal health services, the system is not responding.

“What it then points to is that no attendant funding was channelled to the said facilities in line with the policy directive. As we have stressed before, it is basic that any policy narrative should be supported by a budget. In the absence of funding promises of free access to maternal healthcare remains a mirage to the pregnant and would-be mothers,” Fambirai said.

The Zimbabwe Local Government Association (Zilga), however, believes that while the directive may have been passed, councils do not have the requisite budgets to support it.

Zilga president, Killer Zivhu, said it was important to note that most local authorities pay their own medical personnel and buy their own drugs without governmental support and it would be unfair to deprive them of a revenue source that sustains their operations without providing subsidies to keep them going.

“Let us remember that in 2013 when government wrote-off those debts they did not do the same thing for what councils owed to others. That left many local authorities bankrupt with some even being hauled before the courts,” he said, referring to a populist directive by former president Robert Mugabe’s administration in 2013, ordering power utility Zesa Holdings and councils to write-off debts owed to them by residents.

The 2013 directive resulted in councils failing to deliver services to their residents.

Said Zivhu: “Similarly, this directive cannot be effected without a proper budget. If the directive was there, it should be cascaded down to councils with support”.

In February 2013, under the Government of National Unity, then Health minister Henry Madzorera scrapped user fees for the pregnant women, children under the age of five and senior citizens over 65 years.

The move, which was expected to help the country achieve the Millennium Development Goals, was prompted by a $17 million donation from the European Union.

Nonetheless, it was never implemented.

Last year, as part of his 100 day plan, Mnangagwa scrapped all user fees for pregnant women, children under the age of five and senior citizens over 65 years.

According to a December 2017 memo copied to all district medical officers, medical superintendents/chief medical officers, rural district council chief executive officers and town clerks, the policy was now a requirement.

“With the coming in of the new dispensation, Cabinet has approved a 100-day plan which everyone has to work towards achieving. One of the issues in the 100-day plan, which requires attention, is the removal of all forms of payment for non-paying groups.

“The following groups are supposed to be treated for free: a) children under the age of five years; b) all maternal cases; c) senior citizens above the age of 65 years.

“These groups are not supposed to pay any consultation fees, card fees, table money, administration fees or whatever name the fee might be called. You are therefore expected to advise all your institutions to remove these fees with immediate effect. DMOs (District Medical Officers) are being reminded that the first progress report is due on 25 January,” the memo reads.

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GERMANY - German Chancellor Angela Merkel is hoping for another term after more than a decade in power, but she'll have to get past one major obstacle: a sneaker-wearing 28-year-old named Kevin Kuehnert.

Kuehnert is the millennial behind the NoGroKo campaign, short for No Grand Coalition, which has turned Germany's normally staid politics upside down.

Thanks to Kuehnert, Merkel's proposed coalition government between her conservative party and the Social Democrats (SPD) now hangs on a yes or no vote by the SPD's rank and file. More than 400,000 are casting ballots in a postal vote and the results will be announced on Sunday.

"We cannot continue like this: the cozy politics represented by Angela Merkel which does not decide anything," he told CNN."This is now, slowly, ending. This debate in now breaking through in my own party and I believe in society."

A "Yes" vote would mean Merkel can breathe a sigh of relief and get back to running the country with the coalition government safely in place. A "No" vote would mean Merkel must scrap the coalition and either take her chances with a minority government or face new elections.

Kuehnert has done all this in his spare time for no pay within three short months of being elected as the SPD youth leader.

"No, I don't have a chauffeur who drives me around," Kuehnert said, comparing himself to other full-time politicians, "but I basically do the same as any other politician in Germany -- only that I do it in my free time."

Germany's September 2017 election was supposed to be an easy victory for Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), and she was expected to cruise to her fourth term in office as Chancellor.

Instead, voters revolted against the status quo. Both CDU and the SPD barely maintained their status as Germany's top parties, suffering record losses and losing millions of votes to the far-right nationalist party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), which took nearly 13% of the vote.

That's when Kuehnert swung into action. He believes the SPD needs to reestablish its socialist roots as an opposition party rather than be a part of Merkel's government. To join the coalition would cede the leading opposition role to the AfD.

"The differences between the big political parties have systematically become blurred," Kuehnert told CNN. "That will only end up strengthening political parties like the right-wing populists. Not without reason they have integrated the word 'Alternative' into their name because you get the impression that there are no longer alternatives amongst the traditional German parties."

"I think a new grand coalition is playing right into that and this is more dangerous for democracy than possible new elections."

That attitude caught Germany's political elders by surprise. As Merkel tried to hammer out a coalition agreement with the SPD, a senior member of the CDU's sister party, the Christian Socialists (CSU), dismissed Kuehnert's NoGroKo campaign as a "dwarf uprising," a swipe at Kuehnert's youthful inexperience and his height. Kuehnert is 5 feet 6 inches tall.

Kuehnert may be short in stature, but he's long on ambition. In a rousing speech to the SPD's party congress in January he responded: "It's better for us to be dwarves for now so that we may become giants in the future."

CNN met Kuehnert on a snowy day in Tegelsbarg, a sleepy suburb of Hamburg and a traditional stronghold of SPD supporters. The last stop on his NoGroKo campaign was open to the public and held in a community center brightly decorated with children's paintings.

The mostly elderly audience of 30 or so people had coffee and cakes and listened respectfully to Kuehnert's impassioned appeal for a new brand of socialism in Germany. Many had come simply to see Kuehnert for themselves. The crowd laughed as one woman shouted out to demand his age.

SPD youth member Hesam Jozvebayat, who came to see Kuehnert speak, told CNN he is voting to reject a coalition government.

"I was skeptical but I am impressed with you, Kevin," said Peter Wetzel, an SPD member for 52 years. "But I have a question: We have been already without a government for four months. I worry: What happens if we really say no? Will this mean new elections? What does it mean for our country and Europe?"

But others in the audience were willing to risk new elections. Hesam Jozvebayat, a student member of the SPD, voted to reject the coalition government.

"A grand coalition does not allow for debates that are so important to us here in Germany. Instead, it hushes up the move to the right," Jozvebayat told CNN. "If a grand coalition comes together nothing will be discussed out in public anymore. Everything is set in stone and nothing will be challenged. This will only lead to the far-right forces entrenching even more.''

Kuehnert is hoping the party will reject the coalition on Sunday, but said that a "yes" vote would not deter him from forcing change within the party.

SPD youth leader Kevin Kuehnert argues that the party needs to stay in opposition to return to its socialist roots.

"The most important thing for us is a process of rejuvenation," he said. "Over the next few years this party needs to justify why people need us in the 21st century."

Kuehnert's critics may dismiss him as a millennial upstart. But since January, the SPD has signed up 25,000 new members and Kuehnert has plenty of energy, taking inspiration from the likes of US Senator Bernie Sanders and UK opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn.

"They managed to inspire young people with traditional political answers," he said. "Those who were arguing that socialist democracy no longer has a future -- that their ideas belong to yesterday and would no longer excite anyone -- well, they showed us differently. They were able to light a fire for this political idea."

When asked, however, if he has designs on the Chancellery one day, he laughed.

"Oh no! Not to become Chancellor. I wouldn't have any free time to myself. And I like my free time."

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HARARE - A special kind of women’s waist beads that will make their husbands have multiple erections and literally “lock” them from sleeping with other women has evaded the market.

Most of these beads have been perceived as fashion ornaments or accolades for completing sexual training, popularly known as chinamwari, which is common in Malawian cultures.

However, Mbuya Muchadura Mamoyo, as Sandra Maburuse is affectionately known, does not make the ordinary beads; hers are “cooked” in concoctions containing African herbs (muti) that will lock husbands from promiscuity.

“Most cases I am dealing with women these days are about enhancing their sexual lives as sex is an important element of marriage life. I help women with herbs that increase the heat in their bodies and have a special kind of beads that have saved a number of marriages,” Maburuse said.

“These beads will tickle a man’s sexual appetite and after a sexual encounter if the wife causes the beads to come into contact with her husband’s organ he instantly gets another erection and they can make love again.

“I assure you that your man will not be able to have sex with another woman if you always wear these beads when you sleep together.”

Maburuse who claims to also offer seductive sexual dances as part of her product offering to clients said her customers who include white women always come back for more.

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Most of her clients are married women with ages ranging from 18 to 30, seeking to protect their relationships.

She draws 19 years of experience, assisting people with different life issues and health problems.

“I have had this gift since birth and there were moments when I would actually die and later wake up while people were already preparing for my funeral,” Muchadura narrated.

“I would see witches and hear their plans from a distance and was always sick most of my childhood. I even dropped out of school because of that and my breakthrough came after I got married and had my first child.

“The child refused to be breastfed at eight months and my in-laws thought I had an extra marital affair. They started taking me for spiritual assistance and were told that I possess a great spirit. After that incident, my family was accused of conspiring to rape.”

It was alleged that her father had raped a minor, while her siblings held the victim’s legs and hands.

She claims to have performed rituals that secured the family bail and eventually cleared them of the allegations in court.

“I then had a dream in which I was told to perform a ritual that would assist them being cleared of the malicious allegations. I did so and they got bails before being acquitted of the false claims,” Muchadura said.

She now survives on the trade and has a shrine in Harare’s Southly Park suburb where she carries out most of her work.

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HARARE - At a time frustration at Zimbabwe's political class is running high, Nelson Chamisa (NC) who has emerged as the MDC’s presidential candidate is hoping to tap into a desire for wholesale change in the way the country is governing should the MDC Alliance, which he will front, emerges victorious at the forthcoming polls.

Our News Editor Gift Phiri (GP) had the opportunity to sit down for a wide-ranging interview with Chamisa, and below are excerpts of the interview.

GP: Congratulations on your election as MDC president and MDC Alliance presidential candidate.

NC: Thank you.

GP: President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said as part of building political consensus in the country ahead of the harmonised elections, he shall soon be inviting leaders of all 83 political parties for a day-long consultative meeting. Have you received this invitation?

NC: No we haven't. And we don't believe (we) have all those parties. They have formed (some of those) parties so they will say there are many parties. But most those are Zanu PF-sponsored parties. They are Zanu PF in many forms. The multiplicity of Zanu PF in other forms does not make parties that many, we know that.

GP: Your party has been advocating comprehensive electoral reforms in order to have free and fair elections. Are you making headway?

NC: Reforms are very important. There can’t be elections without reforms. ED must stop paying lip service and giving political rhetoric to free and fair elections.

GP: But the president has promised free and fair elections.

NC: He has been calling for free and fair elections but he has been doing nothing about free and fair polls. Free and fair elections is not a slogan but practical substance on the ground. What legislative reforms have been put in place; what institutional reforms have been put in place; what structural reforms have been put in place; what about habitual and cultural reforms (that) have been instituted? This madness has shot off the roof.

GP: The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec)’s Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) mop up exercise has closed with more than 5,3 million people having registered to vote. Zec says it now awaits the issuance of a proclamation for the 2018 harmonised elections and is now seized with the processes of decrypting data from the BVR exercise and preliminary cleaning of data collected during the blitz phases as it awaits the delivery of the de-duplication or voter register audit software. Are you happy with this process so far?

NC: We need a forensic BVR audit of the voters roll by our own experts as players and stakeholders. We are dealing with people who have a reason to fidget with figures and massaging the will of the people.

GP: Have you been furnished with an election timetable. Do you know when elections will be held?

NC: There is guesswork and conjecture on when elections will be held. We managed a celebrated guerrilla warfare against our oppressors for the liberation of our country and should we continue with guerrilla tactics and ambush antics in a post-independent Zimbabwe? It tells you one thing, that our independence has been emptied of its meaning. Our otherwise hard-won independence has been reduced into fluke independence.

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GP: Let’s suppose you don't get the reforms you are pushing for, what will you do?

NC: We will never accept an election where we don't know where ballot papers are printed. Polling material to be used and the ballot printing are key issues that we are not going to leave to conjecture like we did in 2013. In terms of reforms, the ED regime is rabid in media muzzling and partisan reporting. The situation has gotten worse. If there is an area where there is a classical dramatisation that ours is a new error not a new era, it’s in the State media. You don't see any other parties.

GP: Zec chairwoman Justice Priscilla Chigumba has acknowledged that the commission's secretariat is manned by ex or rather retired members of the army or State security forces. But she says its only 15 percent of the secretariat and they are no longer in State employ, so does this settle your long-standing query that for the de-militarisation and total independence of the Zec?

NC: No. We need to chlorinate the Zec secretariat. The software is the biggest challenge. It has some viral load in it and it must be debugged. We have one of the best armies in the world and we are proud of our boys and girls in uniform. But that pride must not be turned into a shame on account of abuse by unpopular and selfish politicians who are not only a threat to the nation but to the future generation.

GP: The Zec chairperson has also told the parliamentary committee on Justice and Legal Affairs that of the 5,3 million-plus number of registered voters, 60 percent of them are between the ages of 18 and 40 years. She has actually said ‘this means this is a vote of young people.’ While your supporters believe this a voter bloc that backs you, Zanu PF supporters claim these are youths they mobilised during the presidential youth interface rallies. What’s your take?

NC: They were not registered during the presidential youth interface rallies. Zanu PF is not capable of mobilising young people because it is not young. Its language and its campaign strategy are analogue and this is a digital generation. Its language is out of sync with the digital generation. It can't be their vote.

GP: What mechanism have you devised to vaccinate the election against ballot fraud and fudging of numbers?

NC: They may be entertaining the idea on how to rig elections, they must abandon such hazardous thoughts. We will not entertain another deceitful election. Four generations have squandered our time as a generation, consumed all opportunities and liquidated all chances of prosperity. Look at the number of Zimbabweans in the diaspora! We want them back to rejoin their families and rebuild their country. Our colleagues in government are clueless, idea-less and energy-less. Their life mileage clock has ticked. We have retirees in government who want to retire us as a young people. Why should retirees in government be prime actors when we have prime actors on forced and imposed retirement? It’s time up, it’s game on. It’s not about the MDC, it’s about Team Zimbabwe. People should forget about parties and think about the future.

GP: Chief Musarurwa told a meeting of Zanu PF Mashonaland East Women's League in Marondera on Monday that they will never allow "pwere ine mukaka pamhuno" or an infant like you to rule the country.

NC: He is very young yet I saw him saying young people must not be in charge. He must begin by dethroning himself. Why should Zanu PF reduce Chief Musarurwa into a political mujibha or commissar? These are some of the things that cause our climatic challenges and unpredictable episodes in life.

GP: You turned 40 last month and you are set to be the youngest presidential candidate in Zimbabwean history - breaking the mould, battling conventions and breaking with traditions. Of course you have served in all three arms of government, in the Executive as a Cabinet minister during the GNU, in Parliament as Kuwadzana East MP, in the Judiciary as an advocate of the High Court. What would you say to those why say you are too young to run for president?

NC: Age is not a badge of maturity. Yes they say age comes with wisdom but at times age comes alone. We have many people who have grown old without growing up. So don't read much into old age. If anything, old age is a disadvantage because you have expended a lot of energy. As young people, we have the age-advantage. We can never have an old person being an instrument of change. The world waits for no late bloomers.

GP: What about those who say you are too inexperienced to have serious presidential ambitions?

NC: I have been in the struggle for 18 years under the able mentorship of one of the most illustrious sons of this country, Dr Richard Morgan Tsvangirai. Whereas at a university you need four years, I can’t be young and inexperienced after an 18-year internship to attain multiple degrees from the school of leadership. This is precisely the generational problem we must resolve. Young people have been considered to be outliers and peripheral to national development. Young people have been promised to be leaders of tomorrow when the older generation is busy jeopardizing tomorrow to an extent that there is no tomorrow to celebrate. For a long time, young people have been regarded with derision and suspicion as snake-holders when in fact they are stake-holders. What is clear is that yesterday's people cannot solve today's problems. Today's problems require today's people and we are here today as today's people.

GP: There is suspicion that you are a "military project" and that you are in bed with Zanu PF. What do you have to say about this?

NC: People mistake my patriotism and love for the country for being an extension of comrades across the river. I am a believer in new politics, fresh politics, politics of respecting and honouring our collective diversity without losing our individual identities. ED is Zanu PF, I am MDC but we are both Zimbabweans. At no point should our partisan numerator identities diminish our universal denominator character being Zimbabweans. We relate as Zimbabweans but differ in style, beliefs and substance. They celebrate what we abhor and abhor what we celebrate. They celebrate corruption, we abhor it, they celebrate entitlement, we abhor it; they celebrate division, revenge and vindictiveness, we abhor it; they celebrate dictatorship, we abhor it; they celebrate command economics, command politics and command elections, we abhor it; they celebrate big government, runaway and galloping appetite for state resources, regularly raiding state coffers, we abhor it; they celebrate state-party conflation, we abhor it. On the other hand, we celebrate inclusive smart politics, smart economics and smart elections, they abhor it;  we celebrate diversity and mosaic manifestation and beauty of our different tribes, regions and races, they abhor it;  we celebrate a genuine new Zimbabwe and real change, they abhor it. Right now they are celebrating fake change.

GP: Some claim you were too cosy with President Mnangagwa, and this was apparent when he was still VP, doubling up as Parliamentary Affairs minister and leader of government business in Parliament. You had some 'bromance' going on in Parliament. What kind of relationship do you have with President ED?

NC: ED is a liberator, I am a transformer. We are already liberated, so this task is done. The outstanding issue is now transformation and its our turn as the young generation. In my whole life and before God, I have not met ED outside Parliament or outside Cabinet. Further, I have never had a discussion or dialogue with him on issues political or personal. Remember, I have been allocated to G40, been allocated to Gushungo, been allocated to Lacoste. Perhaps it’s because I am that inclusive because I don't segregate on the basis of political inclusion. In a new Zimbabwe, we must be able to cast our eyes beyond just parties in search of good men and women who are good for Zimbabwe.

GP: Critics and the ruling party have accused you of having a propensity to lie, pointing to your claim that US President Donald Trump had promised the MDC $15 billion if it came to power, a claim denied by US embassy spokesperson David Macguire who said "we do not make such promises to individuals or political parties.

NC: I know what I am talking about. They should be able to distinguish between a lie and what they cannot achieve. I sympathise with them. We need $14,9 billion for infrastructure rehabilitation, according to the African Development Bank report of 2013. What is clear is that their capacity to associate with $15bn is only limited to disappearing it, not raising it. That's why I told you they celebrate what we abhor. If our colleagues in Zanu PF cannot believe good news that we have such phenomenal goodwill as a people and as a nation, they must be four months patient and see the stewardship of our administration. As president Tsvangirai said, 'we have the keys.' Those who locked without the keys can never understand that Zimbabwe will be genuinely open for business.

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HARARE - The new government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, which has pitched the fight against corruption on top of its agenda, faces its first test in two weeks time when the extended deadline for those who externalised money and assets comes to an end.

Mnangagwa issued a three-month moratorium in December last year — which expired on February 28 — within which period those who funnelled foreign currency and other assets outside the country’s borders must bring them back.

He has since extended the deadline by two more weeks to give laggards more time to comply with the directive or face the full wrath of the law.

But controversy now surrounds the manner in which government is handling the process, amid allegations that Zanu PF bigwigs and other senior government officials who are said to be the chief culprits might get away with it.

Government is seeking to recover a total of $1,3 billion externalised in the form of money and assets, but so far only $250 million has been returned — representing a compliance rate by value of 45 percent.

According to Mnangagwa, the $1,3 billion is from 1 166 recorded cases of externalisation, while the recovered amount relates to 105 cases processed by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ).

“Thirty cases valued at $50 million of immovable assets in various countries were reported to the RBZ whilst 210 cases valued at $287 million pertained to externalised funds that were used to procure imports. These cases processed give a success rate of 45 percent by value,” Mnangagwa said.

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“...The bulk of 771 cases or 55 percent by value that did not take heed of the amnesty pertain to non-remittance of export proceeds (328 cases valued at $215, 8 million), externalisation by foreigners, (213 cases valued at $375 million), non-acquittal of imports (153 cases valued at $75, 1 million) and Panama papers and others valued at $150 million.

“As a result of this positive response, the RBZ has requested for additional time to validate and finalise the amnesty process before government proceeds to name and shame those who did not take heed of the amnesty and to proceed to take legal action against such cases.”

Analysts canvassed by the Daily News on Sunday were adamant yesterday that the $1,3 billion would not be recovered in full because of the legal shortcomings involved and the factional narrative underpinning the way Mnangagwa’s administration has been tackling corruption.

Former Finance minister Tendai Biti said the whole process lacks legal clarity, adding that while externalisation involves the illegal transfer of foreign currency outside the country, in the Zimbabwean context the issue of foreign currency was redefined in 2009 when the country adopted the multi-currency system, which saw the legalisation of the use of the United States dollars, the South African Rand and the British pound among a basket of other currencies.

He said there was therefore need for the government to revisit the law in that respect, adding that without a legal framework, people do not know what exactly they are supposed to do.

He told the Daily News on Sunday yesterday that the public has the right to know the names of the people who were involved in the externalisation process as this did not affect individuals but the country as a whole.

“That is the problem (that government has not been naming those that externalised funds) because the evidence that we have is that top chefs are the ones who externalised the funds they got from diamonds. There is need for full disclosure because the public needs to know. They are simply trying to cleanse themselves through the process,” Biti said.

Economic analyst Christopher Mugaga said there was little hope that all the externalised funds would be brought back into the country because of the controversy surrounding what is meant by externalisation.

“I don’t think a lot of money will come back because when these amounts were reportedly externalised, we had a liberalised system. Government is in a fix here and can only use a carrot not a stick to get the money back. There is no legal instrument to support this process and because of that we cannot look forward to people returning the money,” Mugaga said.

He said the moratorium has the effect of worsening the situation if it’s not handled properly, adding that government cannot use a heavy hand to deal with the perpetrators as this might scare away investors.

Describing the whole process as a poisoned chalice, Mugaga said government cannot also name and shame the perpetrators publicly as this could be interpreted as victimisation, further stating that there might be difficulties for Mnangagwa to deal with his close associates.

Another economic analyst Kipson Gundani said Mnangagwa might not use a heavy hand to deal with those that externalised funds considering that the country is heading towards elections, but will seek to use a polite way of dealing with the issue to create friends rather than enemies.

Gundani, however, posited that the process was a good initiative that will positively assist the country.

“Obviously, it has a positive effect, because it was a leakage, this money is sitting somewhere and if we bring it back, it means growth will take place locally,” he said. 

Political analyst Shakespeare Hamauswa said the main challenge is that no one will be able to know the disaggregated data of the returned funds.

“But I think every dollar counts to the economy and the strategy will work if measures against externalisation are put in place. The culture of doing business also should change to provide incentives for local savings,” said Hamauswa.

“In addition, externalisation was a reaction to a risky domestic environment which requires immediate attention. On the other hand, Ngwena (as Mnangagwa is affectionately known) is not likely to name and shame those in his camp especially those from the military who now consider themselves Kingmakers. In the past, he has protected suspects so he will do the same to those who support him”.

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HARARE - President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration has been plunged into fresh turmoil as civil servants threaten to down tools with only a few months left before make-or-break polls to be held before July 31.

This comes as doctors in major hospitals across the country downed tools on Thursday, protesting low salaries and poor working conditions.

But as government fights to contain the doctors’ strike, the Daily News on Sunday can report that potentially explosive undercurrents are raging among other groups of civil servants.

The Apex Council — the umbrella representative body for civil servants — told the Daily News on Sunday on Friday that they too would soon join the industrial action by doctors if their employer does not address their concerns.

The Apex Council is demanding a salary increase that can cushion civil servants against the high cost of living, fuelled by price increases of basic goods and services experienced towards the end of last year.

George Mushipe, the council’s treasurer, said they were deeply concerned about the plight of public sector workers who have not demanded for a salary adjustment in the past four or so years.

“The three-tier pricing system and the unilateral pension deductions have eroded our disposable income. We demand a poverty datum line (PDL) linked salary now to ameliorate the plight of all civil servants,” he said.

“We also demand that those that have attained higher relevant qualifications be upgraded to levels commensurate with their new qualifications. There is a lot of bunching of salaries which is a worrying scenario,” he added.

The lowest earning civil servant takes home below $300, which is way below the PDL, estimated at about $600.

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Mushipe said leave for teachers remained banished even though the relevant Statutory Instrument (SI) 1 of 2000 has neither been repealed nor amended.

“The welfare of civil servants is pathetic to say the least. Individual unions are trying very hard to improve their membership welfare like in our case we have embarked on a massive housing scheme where members get into their complete houses and pay over long periods depending on their remaining years of service.

“Government should come in and improve working conditions for its workforce. Morale is at its lowest ebb. Confirmation that bonus will be paid, though staggered was accepted. Some felt it is coming late, others took solace in the fact that it’s coming,” Mushipe said.

The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) weighed in yesterday, saying teachers have lost hope in President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration despite his pledges when he took over from Robert Mugabe, whose regime was rocked by frequent job actions.

When he was inaugurated as president on November 24 last year, Mnangagwa promised better working conditions for civil servants and said his government would commit itself to paying annual bonuses.

But 100 days later, there has not been any marked improvement, amid report his government is trying to placate the military which helped him assume power from Mugabe by addressing transport problems, reviewing their salaries and providing better houses for troops as part of sharing the spoils of Mugabe’s toppling.

“We are very disappointed as teachers. The president has seen everyone who matters except workers but for any economy to function the government need workers. There is nothing positive in this new regime; our conditions are worse now. We demanded a salary increment as of yesterday, workers are suffering — the government must engage us,” said PTUZ secretary-general, Raymond Majongwe.

“They are dillydallying with our bonuses. We have suffered enough. They must brace for action from teachers, who are suffering,” he said.

Nurses are also threatening to down their tools, with Zimbabwe Nurses Association secretary-general, Enock Dongo, saying in a terse response: “We are not happy at all.”

Following the industrial action by doctors, government immediately pressed the panic button, with Health and Child Care minister David Parirenyatwa telling the press yesterday that efforts were underway to attend to their grievances.

In a statement, Parirenyatwa said: “Through Statutory Instrument 111 of 2006, the Health Service Board (HSB), as the employer, has put in place a framework — the Health Service Bipartite Negotiating Panel, which guides discussion of all the conditions of service and other issues of mutual interest to both the employer and the employees.

“Following submissions by the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) to the minister of Health and Child Care through a letter dated February 5, 2018, highlighting their grievances, which included locum payments, motor vehicle scheme, availability of equipment and medicines at hospitals, staff establishment, freeze of vacant positions and review of various allowances, government has been attending to these issues.”

Notwithstanding, the doctors insist they are not calling off the strike until they see progress on their complaints.

The doctors gave notice of their intention to strike last month, which they say was ignored by Parirenyatwa.

Their first correspondence to Parirenyatwa was made on February 5.

ZHDA vice president and spokesperson, Mxolisi Ngwenya, said Parirenyatwa should first address their issues and not embark on cheap media propaganda.

“We have had enough. Patients die on our watch because of shortage of equipment. Patients are buying medicines from their own pockets, a clear abuse of the taxpayer’s money. Imali eyanikwa ihealth ingaphi (where is money given to the health sector?) We earn paltry salaries and can’t even afford our own selves. Whoever has that money allocated to health should go to work. Thina asfuni bumbulu (We don’t want nonsense),” Ngwenya charged.

“It has always been said that plans are in progress to resuscitate our health sector by acquiring necessary materials and essential medicines, but little to no progress has been seen on the ground. When will tangible, objective results be seen at our hospitals? We sought clarity as to when the locums will be paid, and that was not mentioned in the response from the HSB,” said Ngwenya.

In a letter submitted to the ministry and HSB, the association highlighted that they needed government to create more posts from the current job freeze to lessen their workload.

“The effort made to create posts in 2017 was noted and appreciated. However, these posts remain in sufficient. Our initial letter implored the ministry to create more posts, not to remind us of those previously created. A promise was made to increase on-call allowance to $720 three years ago. The effort made to increase it by $72 last year is notable, but falls short of the 2014 promise by over 100 percent. Working hours still remain undefined and have seemingly been left to the discretion of hospital administrators,” reads the letter obtained by the Daily News on Sunday on Friday.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) has also warned of imminent industrial action if the government fails to address the civil service’s resistance to its relocation to the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC).

Zimta chief executive officer Sifiso Ndlovu said the shunting of the civil service to the Office of the President and Cabinet, announced on December 27 last year by Information, Media, and Broadcasting Services permanent secretary George Charamba, was an unconstitutional move by the government meant to disenfranchise civil servants.

“We want to create dialogue before conflict but our members are running out of patience. During the (provincial) annual general meetings we recently held they have been speaking very clearly that they are now ready to throw caution to the wind.

“We have tried engage government it looks like they are too busy with the legacy issues instead of addressing some of these fundamental issues affecting the workers in the civil service,” Ndlovu told the Daily News on Sunday.

The Zimta chief executive officer hinted that the transfer of the civil service to the OPC will figure prominently when Zimbabwe’s largest teacher’s union holds its annual general meeting next month.

In response to pressure from its restive membership, Ndlovu said Zimta, which regards the shift of the civil service to OPC as a blatant attack on workers’ rights, has since written to Mnangagwa to register its disapproval of the move.

In the three-page letter dated January 19, signed by Zimta secretary-general Tapson Nganunu Sibanda, the teachers union attacked the Mnangagwa administration for violating the Constitution.

“The shift of the civil service to the OPC will amount to acting in violation of the supreme law of the land i.e the Constitution of Zimbabwe, in that the civil service will be left with no minister. This will be contrary to section 201 of the Constitution which mandates that ‘the President must appoint a minister to be to be responsible for the civil service,” reads part of the letter.

The absence of a minister in charge of government workers, according to Zimta, effectively renders the civil service ineffective.

“In terms of section 203 (3) of the Constitution, the Civil Service Commission also exercises its functions in accordance with general policy directives which the minister responsible for the civil service may give. As announced, there will be no minister responsible for the civil service owing to the reconfiguration.

“This will make the Civil Service Commission, a creature of the Constitution, ineffective since there will no minister to give them policy directives. Any other directive given by any other person who is not a minister to the commission will be unconstitutional,” said the Zimta secretary-general, adding that Mnangagwa has no constitutional mandate to directly superintend the civil service.

“…there is no provision to the effect that the OPC has an active role in the administration of the civil service. The functions are exercisable by the commission and the minister responsible for the civil service.”

Zimta is convinced that the relocation of the civil service to the OPC was motivated by the Mnangagwa administration’s determination to disempower civil servants from engaging in industrial action.

“The civil service is now being placed under the OPC which also houses the security forces who are exempted from the enjoyment of certain labour rights such as collective bargaining, right to organise and to engage in collective job action, strike or sit-ins.

“As it stands, we also submit that our constitutional rights to just administrative action was not respected since there was no consultation and no reasons whatsoever availed to us or our concerned members,” the teachers union said.

HARARE - The glue that had appeared to bind Zanu PF after it got rid of "criminals" around toppled despot Robert Mugabe seems to be peeling off at critical stages when President Emmerson Mnangagwa is about to test his popularity at the forthcoming polls after assuming power in November last year.

Read full story in today's paper.

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HARARE - MBCA Bank reported a 40 percent increase in profit after tax to $7,8 million for the year to December 31 2017 from $5,6 million recorded in 2016.

The Nedbank subsidiary said the profit was achieved due to a 19 percent rise in non-interest income supported by increased volume of transactions on new products and enhancements on the global market.

The bank also benefited from volatility of some currencies as a result of developments on the global market.

Net interest income increased from prior year position of $15 million to $16,5 million.

MBCA managing director Charity Jinya said an increase in Afreximbank Trade Debt Backed Securities (Aftrades) and reduction in interest expenses accounted for the bulk of the improved performance.

“While there was an addition of one branch, improved cost management measures continued to be implemented resulting in a two percent decrease in total operating expenses against revenue growth of percent on prior year,” she said.

During the period under review, MBCA’s total assets grew significantly by 23 percent to $369 068 from $298 896 mainly as a result of the bank’s investment in Aftrades and Treasury bills.

Net loans and advances to clients constituted 27 percent of the total assets compared to 32 percent in 2016 while cash and cash equivalent decreased to 46 percent from 57 percent in 2016.

“Total deposits also registered a significant growth of 26 percent to $297 444 million in line with the bank’s strategic deposit mobilisation initiatives to support asset growth,” Jinya said.

MBCA is this year rebranding to Nedbank Zimbabwe Limited in an effort to leverage on the benefits from Nedbank Group brand equity.

“The rebranding will also position the bank appropriately against other international and regional banks operating in the Zimbabwean market,” MBCA chairperson Willard Zireva said last Friday.

Zireva said the banking sector remained stable last year despite the cash and foreign currency shortages in the economy.

“The resilience of the sector was due to adequate capitalisation, successful adoption of digital payment platforms and improved earnings.

“The economy continued to grapple with limited nostro balance availability and trade deficit challenges. As at November 2017, the trade deficit stood at $1,4 billion,” he said.

In line with market developments, the bank experienced significant growth in the volume of transactions on digital platforms.

This put a strain on the system resulting in the challenges affecting the digital channels.

Year-on-year increase in volumes on card-based channels was over 400 percent.

A number of system upgrades were undertaken last year and developments were carried out to ensure that the system remains stable and is optimised to meet the increased volumes and future growth.

The thrust is to continue to invest in digital platforms so as to continually improve service delivery and increase operational efficiencies.

“Plans are underway to replace the core banking system and internet banking system as well as launching the VISA/Master Card acquiring solution in order to continue meeting the changing demands of customers in 2018,” said Zireva.

The wholesale division accounted for 33 percent of the total operating income for the year ended December 31, 2017.

Some of the clients continued to access part of the off balance sheet Nedbank direct line of credit of $75 million and Afreximbank’s line of credit for commodities of $22,5 million.

“These facilities alongside the bank’s resources permitted the bank to offer sufficient working capital to clients,” he said.

The Treasury division experienced positive variances in comparison to the prior year.

The contribution of 25 percent of the bank’s total operating income realised was mainly attributable to exchange and dealing profits earned as a result of currency volatility experienced over the year. — The Financial Gazette

BULAWAYO - The Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) will this week hold Exhibitor Master Classes in both Harare and Bulawayo as preparations for this year’s edition of the annual multi-sectorial business expo gathers momentum.

In its second year running, the Exhibitor Master Class is a stakeholder responsibility programme by the ZITF meant to ensure that all participants in the company’s trade shows derive maximum value from their exhibition investment.

The events have been slated for March 7 and 8 in Harare and Bulawayo respectively.

Stella Nkomo, the ZITF marketing and public relations manager, said the primary objective of the master class is to provide exhibitors with a refresher course on how to increase their market visibility and drive more qualified traffic to their stands to ensure a productive and profitable exhibition experience.

“The Exhibitor Masterclass Series dovetails into the development of the national tourism sector strategy in which Mice (meetings, incentives, conference and exhibitions) tourism will be a key driver hence it is imperative that local business people are trained in the correct exhibition tactics,” Nkomo said.

She said the topics to be discussed include setting and measuring participation objectives, budgeting, pre-show marketing, stand design concepts, digitising the exhibition experience and essential post-event analysis amongst other exciting issues.

Following the success of the inaugural Exhibitors Master Class in 2017, Nkomo said they have refined this year’s programme to ensure development and follow-through on last year’s discussions and learning.

“The master class is open to both new participants wishing to participate in ZITF for the first time and to seasoned exhibitors seeking to refine their exhibition strategy.

“Insights gathered at the Master Class can be used in any exhibition, anywhere in the world, hence non-ZITF exhibitors are also welcome,” she said.

Meanwhile, Nkomo also revealed that preparations for the ZITF 2018 edition have reached their peak with 75 percent of the space available for sale having been taken up.

“Interest from the international community has been pleasing as potential investors, financiers and business people have heeded government’s invitation to explore the myriad opportunities available to do business with and in Zimbabwe,” she said.

Botswana, Ethiopia, Japan, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia.

Cyprus and India have already confirmed their participation where they will be represented by individual companies from those countries.

“Local interest in the show has also been high, particularly from enterprises who wish to use the event as a showcase for home-grown industrial and technology solutions.”

ZITF 2018 takes place from April 24-28 under the theme, “Sustainable Industrial Development — Inclusive.

Competitive. Collaborative,” a theme which organisers say aligns itself to the national agenda of pursuing industrialisation as the key to economic growth and development.

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HARARE - Tri-listed coal miner, Hwange Colliery Company Limited (HCCL), has revived plans to construct a new coke oven battery, it has been learnt.

HCCL, which is listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange and also trades its shares on the London and Johannesburg stock markets, initially wanted to construct the new coke oven battery using internal resources. This was after it decommissioned the old coke oven battery four years ago after it became too expensive to operate.

HCCL abandoned plans to construct a new coke oven battery last year due to cash constraints.

This week, HCCL invited bids from companies interested in rebuilding the coke oven battery.

“As part of its turnaround plan HCCL has seen it prudent to restore coke oven battery and coke oven gas plant. Therefore HCCL invites bids for the rebuild or complete new construction of a recovery type coke oven battery, by-products plant and gas plant which includes a coke oven gas supply line to Hwange Power Station and financing of the project.

“Bidders should demonstrate their capabilities to offer both a technical and financial solution as a package or offer either a technical or financial package only. All bidders are required to demonstrate their capability to provide the required services and expertise and include their track record in the funding/construction of a recovery type coke oven battery or similar plant. Maintenance of the coke oven battery for a period of 12 months can be offered as an option,” HCCL said in a statement this week.

HCCL engaged Indian firm, Water and Power Services Consultants (WAPCOS), to do a feasibility study to assess the cost of a complete refurbishment of the old plant and construction of a new coke oven battery, which produces high value coke used in smelting plants.

Results from the study confirmed that about $50 million was required to construct a new coke oven battery. A similar amount was required for refurbishment.

HCCL used to export coke to smelters in the Copperbelt, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo but stopped in 2014 because it was no longer viable.

HCCL has been struggling over the years due to debts. As part of its turnaround strategy, the company recently embarked in a scheme of arrangement with its creditors and came up with a plan to liquidate the debts but failed to honour its promise.

HCCL miners’ wives last month embarked on protests over unpaid salaries. — The Financial Gazette

HARARE - Beleaguered national flag carrier, Air Zimbabwe (AirZim), is pleading for a $190 million capital injection from its sole shareholder, government, to fund its revival.

Saddled with a debt overhang of over $300 million, the State-run airline has an ambitious plan to acquire several planes, lease some and retire its debts.

According to a 2018-2019 strategic turnaround document exclusively obtained by the Daily News, AirZim intends to procure three Brazilian assembled 50-seater Embraer jetliners, suitable for domestic and short regional routes, on an urgent basis.

This will significantly reduce overheads incurred on domestic routes, where the airline has been operating the B737s, or even the much bigger B767s.

The airline might expend $6 million for the budget planes, at an estimated cost of $2 million each.

The Embraer ERJ family is a series of twin-engine jets produced by Embraer, a Brazilian aerospace company.

Plans are also afoot to enter into a lease deal, in the short-term, for two planes at a cost of $2 million.

In the long run, the plan is to purchase four lager planes, Boeing B777 at a total cost of $56 million and another ERJ145 within the next 12 months.

AirZim has also budgeted $8 million for two cargo planes — Boeing B737-300Fs — at $4 million each and a further $500 000 for a medical rescue fleet; a Bell 206 BIII whose price is set at $350 000 and Mooney M20R Ovation, costing $150 000.

It also hopes to use $13 million to clear its longstanding debt with European Aviation Safety Agency (Easa) to allow it to start servicing the lucrative European routes from which it was barred on safety grounds.

“The immediate (urgent), immediate (up to three months), short-term, medium and long-term requirements will require an injection of working capital resources amounting to $189,2 million in order to ensure rejuvenation of the national airline.

“A total of $13 million is required immediately to finance the Easa closure of audit findings to enable the airline to resume the European flights, particularly the Harare-London route. The balance of $176,2 million is required in the subsequent period,” the blueprint reads in part.

Some of the money will be used to pay the audit and re-joining fee to the International Air Travel Association.

AirZim was de registered from the global aviation safety organisation registry for failing to comply with regulations in November 2016 and still owes the body $4,6 million.

The airline is also seeking to clear its foreign debt which has ballooned to $26 200 000 over the past few years.

“The total funding requirements are spread over three years and once initial capital is injected, operations revenue will support some of the projects,” the document reads.

In the event that government fails to avail the required funding, AirZim has suggested several other alternative financing options, including seeking private funding; entering into a hire purchase arrangement and arranging a strategic partnership.

Transport and Infrastructural Development minister Joram Gumbo has previously told the Daily News that potential strategic partnerships with other successful airlines such as Air Malaysia, Fly Emirates, Ethiopian Airways and Lufthansa has failed to materialise after they were scared off by the company’s high level of indebtedness.

AirZim contends that if the blueprint is implemented successfully, the airline will return to profitability by the end of the year as it would be able to compete with the regional and global aviation giants.

The document says AirZim has capacity to make a profit of $200 000 by December 2018, gradually rising to $22 million a year by 2020 due to improved load factors.

“Air Zimbabwe is aiming to grow its route network and compete with other established continental and global airlines like Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, South African Airways, Emirates Airlines and British Airways-ComAir,” the document further reads.

Gumbo confirmed the blueprint saying it had government’s support.

“I am happy to advise the nation that the road map for Air Zimbabwe for the next three years to revive and sustain the viability of the airline is now in place. I have no doubt the board, management and employees are all committed to move this process forward. Government, as the shareholder stands ready to support their efforts. I therefore wish them well in their implementation of this strategic turnaround plan,” said Gumbo.

AirZim board chairperson Chipo Dyanda could not be reached for comment.

However, in her foreword to the blueprint, she said the document was a product of wide consultations.

“In order to ensure the development of a responsive strategic turnaround plan, the process was deliberately consultative, involving a wide range of stakeholders and clients. It emerged clearly from these consultations that although lack of recapitalisation appeared to be the main problem, there were other factors that contributed to the downward spiral of the airline,” she said.

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HARARE - The majority of musicians who had carved their careers through bootlicking former president Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF regime are facing a bleak as their compositions are now considered “politically incorrect” by the new government.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has also dealt them a blow as he is on record saying he does not tolerate anyone hero worshipping him.

Since Mnangagwa took over the presidency late last year, he has been all out restraining bootlickers in Zanu PF.

“Do not sing songs about me, but sing revolutionary songs from the liberation struggle and our national anthem. I will be content and overjoyed,” Mnangagwa told party supporters at the extraordinary congress in Harare late last year.

Mnangagwa’s statements have literally come as bad news to musical groups such as Mbare Chimurenga, Born Free Crew and Zvazviri Crew among others.

Several young urban grooves and dancehall musicians who had also joined the Mugabe and Grace praise-singers’ bandwagon whose videos were dominating television have all lost.

Radio and television which used to air these praise-singing musicians have also stopped playing their music and videos, hence silently blacklisted them.

Mbare Chimurenga Choir has, however, continued to compose bootlicking songs but only now that they are dedicating the songs to Mnangagwa.

The group’s founder, Elizabeth Bwanya professed ignorance at Mnangagwa’s order. “We are not aware of the president’s call. Ours are just songs to communicate special messages and boost morale,” she said.

The group has released a CD titled President ED Mnangagwa 2018 with two songs Candidate Yedu and Musangano Kumasero.

Mbare Chimurenga Choir is popular for songs such as Nyatsoteerera, Dairai Dairai, Team and Chibhakera Mudenga among others all which were meant to glorify Mugabe.

Gospel musician Amos Mahendere who used to produce Mugabe-glorifying music recently released a political album titled Our Heritage which, however, does not glorify any politician in particular.

“There was no way we were going to defy President Mnangagwa’s call, hence we have decided to include songs such as the national anthem among others which are more of national building,” he said.

The album is made up of songs; National Anthem (rendition from Solomon Mutsvairo), Tiri Mhuri Imwe Siyi Muli Nye, Asiboneni Indlela Ngatuitarisei Nzira, Mashoko Ekubatana- Amazwi Okubambana, Llizwe Lethu Inyika Yedu and Ngatibatanei Asibambaneni.

Tambaoga, popular for Rambai Makashinga jingle released at the height of the controversial land reform programme told the Daily News that he had since stopped glorifying Mugabe after noticing that his days were numbered.

“If you listened to my music of late you will notice that I have since shifted my thrust. In 2010 I released an album which criticised corruption in the country.

“My music is now focusing more on development in the country. However, even if you listened to my old songs you will see that I wasn’t actually bootlicking Mugabe,” Tambaoga, real name Last Chiyangwa said.

Tambaoga said his main mission in music is not to make money.

“I rely on my music to express what I feel. It’s not all about money. I never enjoyed money from music even during the time of Rambai Makashinga as I only benefitted $200 from it,” he said.

HARARE - In one of its kind in Africa, Dzimbanhete Arts and Culture Interactions Trust has been working towards the establishment of an All Afrika Village; a thematic park, with village structures that are representative of all the African nations’ significant architectural styles.

Having 54 African villages in one place will mean that, this village will be the one and only such feature in the whole world and that alone will make it a major world attraction.

These villages are intended to cater for material culture and artistic displays, cultural interactions and heritage discourse.

Already Dzimbanhete Arts and Culture Interactions has sampled the idea of this village, establishing, the South African which consists of the Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele huts.

Then the Zimbabwean contingent which consists of the Tonga, Zimbabwe-Ndebele and Karanga huts.

The trust’s executive and creative designer Chiko Chikozero said: “Due to lack of adequate space at this current venue we have moved on to secure a bigger space which will enable more space for each village.

“At this new venue, we have drilled a borehole are currently working on the water network. We are also pegging out locations for each country/village and in due course, will be establishing power supply and fixing the roads.

“This new village is just 25km from Harare and 3km from the Harare-Bulawayo highway, located within five massive granite hills which gives it a very favourable cultural environment.”

Chikozero said they believe All Afrika Village will be a powerful business model and a springboard for many other business possibilities, particularly in the recreation, tourism, heritage and cultural industries among others.

“This village will be characterised by 54 villages, layed out on a 12-hectare piece of land. Each village, with an average of two or three structures will be on a 2 000 square metres area.

“The layout of the whole project will have it such that the village of each country will be located on approximately the exact spot as it is on the map of the continent. Each village will further be adorned with its material culture.

“Well-lit pathways connecting each village will allow easy access from one end of the continent to another. Three amphitheatres, restaurants and gift shops will also complement this village,” said Chikonzero who is also an accomplished painter.

The dreadlocked painter said there is need for African traditional cultures to have a platform where they are made accessible collectively, celebrated, discussed and documented, with a view to encourage discourse and exchanges that will in-turn build bridges for unity, tolerance and appreciation.

“The very inception of this project is indeed a celebration of African architecture as the home for indigenous cultures and knowledge systems, a subject that is becoming more and more attractive the world over.

“Tourism has since become more culture based than safari and the idea of creating a one-stop-centre with all the various cultures cannot be over emphasised more so as a recreational, scholarly tourist attraction,” said Chikonzero.

He added that the objectives of All Afrika Village is to establish a one-stop All Afrika Indigenous Village, create a culture-based business model, encourage inter-cultural interactions and appreciation among Africans.

“We want to increase discourse and appreciation of African cultural values and knowledge systems including tangible and intangible heritage. There is need to showcase African indigenous culture in its highest and widest conception, hence the promotion of African cultural industries.

“The All Afrika Village will create a culturally unique destination for culture-based tourism, generate employment and reduce poverty. And yes, create a culture centre accessible to African embassies based in Zimbabwe.”

Chikonzero said at any given time, each village would be occupied by invited guests from the respective country, staying there for a substantial number of days while sharing their ways, showcasing their food, attire, crafts, stories and all that matters to them as a people.

“A festival of culture will be organised bi-annually, (Festival of Afrikan Cultures) whereby countries would be invited to showcase their material culture and where possible bring in an authority on their culture and a group that will act out their village life.

“Embassies will be invited to hold their national days at their respective villages and Africa Day (May 25), Day of the African Child (June 16), Culture Week (March) and many other African special days will have programmes run at the village.

“Restaurants serving foods from various countries will constantly have access to showcase their art of cooking, through indigenous food fairs.

“Cultural camps for visitors will be designed and held at respective villages while cultural information will be documented and collected during all activities,” said Chikonzero.

The creative artist believes tourism remains one of Africa’s major industries, yet as the world has been moving more and more towards culture- based tourism, very few ideas on tourism have gone on to revolutionise the presentation of culture in Africa such as this project.

“This All Afrika Village will attract many cultural endeavors such as the film and broadcasting industries, theatre arts, musical performances, scholarly research fellows and it will also be a major tourist attraction for both domestic and international tourism all seasons. Indeed, countless are the business opportunities which will emerge from this entity.”

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BULAWAYO - Highlanders…………….(1) CAPS United…………… (1) 1

HIGHLANDERS coach Madinda Ndlovu has warned against getting carried away following another convincing display from his youthful charges in a victory against Harare giants CAPS United yesterday here to lift the Kembo Mohadi Shield Cup.

Adrian Silla scored from the spot while MacClive Phiri added the second as Bosso secured a deserved victory despite finishing the match with 10-man after captain and defender Honest Moyo was shown a red card late in the second half.

Former FC Platinum striker Brian Muzondiwa scored for the Green Machine but it was not enough to salvage anything for the Harare giants.

And with CAPS United fielding a relatively experienced side, Ndlovu was left praising his charges, but also spoke with caution as he addressed the media after the win.

“We are not really carried away by the result. What is more important is to see the project going forward,” he said.

“The boys carried on from where they left against Dynamos.

“They really had the hunger to play. Overall, the boys did very well defensively and they had good ball management.

“They showed some good football tactics.”

Yesterday’s match between the two sides was a charity game meant to celebrate the elevation of Mohadi as one of the country’s two vice-presidents with all the proceeds donated to the Mpilo Central Hospital Cancer Unit.

CAPS United coach Lloyd Chitembwe was equally satisfied with his team’s performance despite losing to one of their rival sides, having also lost to bitter rivals Dynamos in the ZNA Commanders Charities semifinal tie.

“I am happy with what I saw. They are a lot of improvements in some aspects of the game.

“Physically, we are ok, tactically I am happy and mentally we are there,” Chitembwe said.

“I think so far so good with our preparations ahead of the new season.

“I am happy with the squad and we are good to compete in the coming season.”

The match started on a high tempo with both teams full of running, however, it was Bosso who went on to find the target 16 minutes into game through Silla, who converted from the spot after CAPS defender Godfrey Goriati had fouled Newman Sianchali inside the box.

CAPS United equalised two minutes later through Muzondiwa who capitalised on some sloppy defending by the Bosso backline.

Highlanders got the winner nine minutes from time when Phiri powered a scorcher after latching onto a loose ball just inside the box.

Highlanders continued to dominate the game but could not add to their tally.

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HARARE - Dynamos coach Lloyd Mutasa insists his charges have a lot of positives to take despite defeat to Zambian side Buildcon in an international friendly match ahead of the start of the 2018 Castle Lager Premiership campaign.

Up until Saturday’s 1-2 defeat to Buildcon, the Glamour Boys had enjoyed a relatively strong pre-season in terms of results especially after they were crowned the ZNA Commander Charity Shield winners at the expense of giants CAPS United and Highlanders.

While the result against Buildcon undoubtedly failed to flatter the Harare giants, Mutasa said he and his technical team could take plenty of positives away from the encounter.

Apart from signs of lack of fitness from some of the team’s senior players Mutasa noted that there were a lot of improvements from numerous individuals as well as the additional competitive game time afforded to them.

“I think it was an important game for us; we needed such kind of competition before the season starts,” Mutasa said to the Daily News.

“I think we are still lagging behind in some certain areas like fitness to the majority of the senior players who have been absent due to circumstances beyond our control.

“But overally, I would say there were a lot of positives to pick from this game.

“I was not happy with the result, of course, but I am happy with the process with players sticking to the way that we want to play. There’s certainly a lot to take out of it moving forward.”

While Mutasa has relied on youngsters during the pre-season, on Saturday he started with most of the senior players who include new signings Raphael Manuvire, Jimmy Tigere and Marvelous Mukumba who were joined by skipper Ocean Mushure, Obey Mwerahari, Quality Kangadze and striker Christian Ntouba.

Mutasa is also hoping to have more practice matches during the course of this week after the Premier Soccer League postponed the start of the season with one week.

The season was scheduled to start next weekend but has since been moved to March 17 while fixtures for the new season are now expected to be out tomorrow.

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