EDITOR — I appeal to the City of Harare to reduce the amount that they charge for clamped vehicles.

The amount being charged is just too much in this harsh economic environment.

The council should revise the figure of $57 because that is just too much as many people cannot afford it.

The city fathers have to bear in mind that most people have resorted to using public transport just because they cannot afford parking fees.

Some have even resorted to parking on the outskirts of the central business district just to make ends meet. The amount paid for a clamped vehicle is way too much and should be revised downwards vis-a-vis the economic situation.

It is not just the clamping fees that are too high but even the parking fees should be reduced or at least a dollar should cover one’s parking for more time than just an hour. It is unfortunate that all companies in this country are looking for money but consideration should be shown for the hardships that the individuals or motorists are also going through.

I thought such tissues could have been part of the 100 days plan of action by Harare City Council. This problem affects the ease of doing business as many motorists delivering their consignments are greatly affected.

Besides the money realised is not put to good use as there are potholes all over the parking spaces. Please do something on this one.

Motorist

HARARE - Last week, President Emmerson Mnangagwa extended the deadline applicable to those who externalised money and assets by two weeks in the hope that the cold-hearted among them will mellow and do the right thing before the noose tightens around their necks.

From the recorded cases of externalisation, only 45 percent of the culprits have played ball, and the rest are playing “catch me if you can”.

At the expiry of the two-week deadline next week, focus will shift to Mnangagwa’s government as the nation rightfully follows how the new administration, accused of resembling old wine in new bottles, will deal with those playing hard to get.

Mnangagwa has already pronounced himself clearly on this matter.

When he introduced the three-month moratorium, which expired on February 28, he told those who cared to listen that the long arm of the law will catch up with offenders, regardless of their stations in society. He went further to say he will name and shame offenders.

But if there is one thing the Mnangagwa administration has been good at, it is saying the right things. The 100-day plan, which government has been harping about since it assumed power riding on the cocktails of the military, shows the devil has been in the implementation.

Its anti-corruption blitzkrieg has only seen members of the Generation 40 faction being hauled to the coals, among them Walter Mzembi, Samuel Undenge and Ignatius Chombo, and none in the Team Lacoste faction is yet to face the music.

There is even the curious case of Obert Mpofu who was reported to the Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission and yet nothing is being done to investigate the allegations levelled against the former Mines minister who was in charge of the portfolio when $15 billion in diamond revenue was said to have been funnelled outside the country.

Recent reports suggest that even Team Lacoste-aligned Zanu PF functionaries who are locked behind bars believe that they must now taste freedom now that the “political circumstances” have changed.

Mnangagwa must avoid falling into pitfalls that swallowed his predecessor, Robert Mugabe, who used corruption as a bait to recruit loyalists who, in the end, turned against him when they discovered that he was no longer of use to them. Being a good listener, the message has reached Mnangagwa’s ears.

While in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) last week, Mnangagwa said his government would not consider friendship in its fight against corruption as no one is above the law.

Addressing Zimbabweans based in the DRC, he said the vision of his administration was to ensure adherence to the rule of law. Well said Cde President.

So what are you waiting for?

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BEIJING - China has announced a military budget of 1.11 trillion yuan ($175bn; £126bn) for the coming year.

The figure, an 8% increase on last year, was announced as the annual meeting of parliament got under way in Beijing.

Prime Minister Li Keqiang also set a target of 6.5% growth for the economy.

The National People's Congress (NPC) is also expected to remove the two-term presidential limit, enabling Xi Jinping to remain in office indefinitely.

The move, which was long expected but has been controversial even in China, has helped cement Mr Xi's status as the most powerful leader since Chairman Mao Zedong.

Thousands of Chinese legislators at Monday's meeting burst into applause when the plan to scrap the two-term limit was read out to the chamber. The vote on the proposal will take place on 11 March and is expected to be unanimously approved.

How the 'two sessions' will cement Xi's power
Xi: From princeling to president
Carrie Gracie: The Thoughts of Chairman Xi
The NPC is largely a rubberstamp parliament, endorsing decisions already made by the Communist Party.

Its delegates, about 3,000 of them representing all provinces and regions, are technically elected, but in practice, hand-picked by the Party.

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HARARE - Zimbabweans in the Diaspora are planning to stage a protest at the Zimbabwean embassy in London on Wednesday in a bid to push government to deal with police brutality.

This comes amid calls by civil society activists for authorities to compensate families of two people that were recently shot dead by the police.

The protest is being organised by Restoration of Human Rights Zimbabwe United Kingdom Chapter together with the MDC, Zapu, Women of Justice Arise, Zimbabwe Human Rights Organisation and MaZimbabweans Yes We Can.

This is also happening at a time when social activists are calling for the police to compensate families of the bereaved.

Several organisations have expressed outrage over the killing of the two civilians by members of the ZRP, following a heated scuffle in Harare’s Central Business District (CBD) recently.

Harare’s CBD resembled a war zone as law enforcement agents blocked commuter omnibuses from either dropping or picking passengers in the capital.

This followed an unpopular directive by the Harare City Council to ban commuter omnibus operators from ferrying passengers into the city centre under an operation code-named Clean-up Harare CBD.

Police commissioner-general Godwin Matanga had to issue a formal apology following the incident, even though he insisted the police had been provoked and that they were not aware that the operation had been called off.

Following this incident, the Tendai Biti-led People’s Democratic Party (PDP) said repression and police brutality had no place in modern democracy.

“The deaths are a result of a conflict emanating from the failure to deal with a peripheral issue of congestion.

“A government with no respect for human life must be jettisoned, removing (former president Robert) Mugabe and a few G40 fellows is tinkering with the deck while the titanic is sinking,” PDP said.

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) also criticised the police over the killings.

“CiZC condemns in the strongest sense, the inappropriate and violent law enforcement process which resulted in the death of three innocent civilians as police tried to forcefully enforce an ill-timed ban of commuter omnibuses in Harare’s CBD,” the organisation said.

Ancelmo Magaya’s Zimbabwe Divine Destiny also said: “The horrific pictures of burning vehicles right in front of the ZRP Harare Central Police Station and the stoning of the same which came as a result of public indignation over reckless shooting of at least two people by a trigger-happy police detail, paints a very gloomy and dark picture of the state of governance in our nation”.

Zimbabwe’s police have a history of using excessive force when it comes to enforcing certain statutes.

Some police officers have been previously sued in their personal capacities over these senseless brutal attacks.

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HARARE - Delays by Zanu PF in distributing new party regalia emblazoned with Emmerson Mnangagwa has resulted in continued use of paraphernalia emblazoned with toppled despot Robert Mugabe’s face, it has emerged.

Despite President Mnangagwa’s ruling party prohibiting the wearing of Mugabe’s regalia following his military aided ouster last year, T-shirts bearing Mugabe’s name remain a common sight among Zanu PF supporters

The situation has seen party provincial bigwigs having to repeatedly warn Zanu PF supporters against continued use of paraphernalia inherited from the “ancient regime”.

Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo confirmed that information had not yet reached all of the party’s supporters that the Mugabe regalia is now considered obsolete.

“The commissariat department is the one responsible for ensuring that supporters put on the proper party regalia and I am sure are in the process of communicating that information to the provinces and sooner than later it will be uniform throughout,” Khaya Moyo said.

Zanu PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu told journalists in Bulawayo recently that the party was now done with designing the new regalia that has since been approved by the Zanu PF politburo.

“The regalia will appeal to the majority of our members.

“It is quite a well thought-out design which I think all of us will be happy with,” said Mpofu.

Manicaland provincial chairperson Mike Madiro recently reminded Zanu PF supporters in the province that they needed to start marketing Mnangagwa’s name ahead of elections.

“We have those with old party regalia such as Zambia cloths and T-shirts displaying former president (Robert) Mugabe’s face, we should stop putting them on and wait for the new regalia emblazoned with ... Mnangagwa’s face so that we can market him in districts ahead of the polls.

“We want people to know him,” Madiro reportedly told an inter district meeting at Mutare Hall last week.

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HARARE - Parliament is set to initiate proceedings to charge Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) bosses Basil Nyabadza, pictured, and Willard Mbona with contempt of Parliament for allegedly not taking the business of the Legislature seriously.

On two occasions last month, Nyabadza, who is the board chairperson of Arda, refused to comply with the committee’s directive to be furnished with documents of the parastatal’s strategic partners, arguing they were confidential.

Tempers flared between Parliament’s portfolio committee on Lands, Agriculture and Resettlement chairperson Justice Mayor Wadyajena and Nyabadza as they accused each other of using bullying tactics to extract information.

Nyabadza has since submitted the requested documents to the Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda.

But the committee is still interested in charging Nyabadza with contempt and has notified Mudenda of its intention to charge Nyabadza and Arda chief executive officer Mbona.

“After the meeting, we advised him to study the powers of Parliament which we assume he did since he submitted the documents on the very day.

“He didn’t submit them to the committee but to the Speaker where he cited the confidential parts of the documents,” said Wadyajena, confirming the development on Saturday.

“But as the parliamentary committee, we have powers to study the documents related to government.

“His conduct was contemptuous, he threatened us hoping that we would be scared ...and that we would not request for the documents.

“The documents were requested in January but he lied that they were requested in February.

“The committee will deliberate on his conduct and recommendations will be made to the House as he wanted to undermine the committee.

“If he had issues, there are various ways of raising his issues and how they would affect his work,” said Wadyajena.

Mbona also refused to furnish legislators with copies of agreements that Arda entered with its strategic partners, saying they could not provide “third parties” with the documents since the agreements had a confidentiality clause.

The committee is now questioning Mbona’s professional qualifications and has requested him to furnish the committee with copies of his academic and professional qualifications which he has failed to do.

“The committee feels his qualifications could be dubious,” said the firebrand Gokwe-Nembudziya legislator.

Nyabadza yesterday said he was yet to be informed of the committee’s intention to charge him.

“I have not been informed of such an intention yet, so I cannot comment on it,” he said.

If the committee finds Nyabadza and Mbona guilty, they would be made to pay fines specified in the law.

In the past, Parliament had powers to send anyone found guilty of contempt to jail.

That is what happened when the late former MDC legislator for Chimanimani, Roy Bennett assaulted the-then Justice and Legal Affairs minister Patrick Chinamasa during a debate on land reform in the National Assembly.

Parliament can no longer send offenders to jail as that is unlawful under Section 148 of the new Constitution that fundamentally reduced the powers of Parliament.

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HARARE - Many people might have been left outraged and appalled by the contemptuous behaviour of Home Affairs minister Obert Mpofu in Parliament last week.

But to any keen follower of local politics, the bulky minister was just striding in very familiar territory.

While appearing before the parliamentary portfolio committee on Mines and Energy on February 22, Mpofu caused a storm when he refused to respond to questions on matters that were under his purview when he was Mines minister.

These included the contentious $15 billion in diamond revenues, which former president Robert Mugabe alleged in 2016 went missing.
Mpofu told legislators they could not lecture him on Parliament, as he has been a legislator since 1997.

He then took a swipe at chairperson of the committee, Norton legislator Temba Mliswa, accusing him of pursuing a personal vendetta.

“I have no mandate to speak for the ministry of Mines and you must be aware of that comrade. I have been abused by the chairman (Mliswa), who has been saying things in public, attacking me and maligning me.

“I have been attacked by the chairman in the papers, where he has called me names, yet he nicodemously comes to my house in the cover of the night to talk about things. I live 600 kilometres from here,” Mpofu said; and then stormed out of the august House.

To students of history, it is easy to conclude that history is about to repeat itself.

In 2006, Mpofu was charged with contempt of Parliament after the legislative assembly found out that he had lied under oath.

Mpofu was minister of Industry and International Trade at the time when a scandal involving the plunder of the Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company (Zisco) exploded.

When the issue came up for discussion in Parliament, Mpofu had told legislators that he had names of Cabinet ministers and other influential people behind the scandal. He even committed himself to bringing the report to the committee in a week, heightening national expectations as people waited with bated breathes for the naming and shaming of the said Members of Parliament and ministers.

But, alas, there was an anti-climax.

To everyone’s amazement, Mpofu walked into the meeting only to declare that he had no knowledge of such a report.

“I am not sure of any particular MP or Cabinet minister or senior person or anybody involved in Zisco,” he told the committee.

He then decided to absent himself from subsequent meetings and, despite persistent efforts by MPs, the public and civil society, government refused to release the report and it died a natural death.

Further investigations into the Zisco scandal were halted, leaving Parliament seized with trying Mpofu for contempt and lying under oath — offences for which he faced jail or fine or both.

He escaped with a ZW$40 000 fine.

This became one of the biggest letdowns for Zisco workers, their families and the nation at large.

Word was that Mpofu had backtracked following an outcry from colleagues in his party and government.

This time around, Mpofu is not alone in being contemptuous of Parliament.

At about the same time when the minister disregarded the Legislature, Basil Nyabadza, the chairperson of the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) was doing the same to the parliamentary portfolio committee on Lands and Agriculture.

Nyabadza’s case was even worse because he completely lost his cool and charged at the committee’s chairperson, Justice Mayor Wadyajena and almost manhandled him.

Twice, Nyabadza and his team refused to bring documents which the committee wanted to assess, something which is tantamount to contempt.

The two cases provide a perfect example of how Parliament is made powerless in executing its oversight function.

Parliament basically has three major functions namely legislative (lawmaking), representative and oversight.

While there has been widespread criticism over the other two roles — legislative and representative — not much has been said about the oversight function, despite it being just as equally important as the other two.

Oversight is a function granted by the Constitution to Parliament to monitor and oversee government actions.

Parliament derives its powers from the Standing Orders that are made in terms of section 57 of the Constitution.

The oversight role is conferred on Parliament and codified by the House of Assembly Standing Order 159(2) and Senate Standing Order 149(2).

Parliamentary portfolio and thematic committees that are formed on the basis of such provisions have powers to summon any person or institution to give evidence or produce documents, and to report to them.

Critics have argued that the truest test of democracy in any nation is the extent to which its Parliament can ensure that government remains answerable to the public.

This is done by maintaining constant oversight (monitoring) of government’s actions.

Parliamentary standing rules and orders (SROs) go further to say any public official that fails to avail himself or herself for a committee meeting could be charged with contempt of Parliament.

When exercising oversight, Parliament ideally tries to ensure implementation and observance of the law, application of budgets as well as effective management of government departments, State enterprises and local authorities.

By so doing, Parliament is able to ensure that service delivery takes place, so that all citizens can live a better life and public funds, as in the case of Nyabadza who runs a statutory organisation, are accounted for.

The major reasons of exercising oversight are to detect and prevent abuse of office, to prevent illegal and unconstitutional conduct on the part of the government, to protect the rights and liberties of citizens, to hold the government answerable for how taxpayers’ money is spent and make government operations more transparent.

Portfolio committees have often been described as “engine rooms” of Parliament’s oversight and legislative work. They also interact with the public.

For example, the parliamentary portfolio committee on Finance annually conducts pre-budget consultations to gather public sentiments before the fiscal appropriation bill is tabled in the National Assembly.

Input from the consultations is incorporated into the budget.

After the presentation of the budget, each committee conducts hearings with the respective government departments over which they exercise oversight.

This serves to determine whether the department has kept its undertakings of the previous year, and spent taxpayers’ money appropriately.

In another example, one of the most important aspects of the oversight function is the consideration by committees of annual reports of organs of State, and reports of the auditor-general.

However, there have been grave concerns about the effectiveness of the entire process.

Some critics have argued, with a certain amount of justification, that oversight has been intrusive and meddling; others think it is short-sighted and counter-productive.

The most critical ones have dismissed it altogether saying it is just another component in the political cockpit of partisan politics from which it should be immune.

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There is also an ample catalogue of examples that help the cause of those vehemently critical of the whole oversight functions who now are convinced that it severely lacks credibility.

Critics point out that Mpofu’s 2006 case clearly stands out as an aborted mission. While some argue that the fact that Parliament actually achieved something by charging and fining him as an oversight milestone, others think it was actually a major letdown because in the end it did not address issues of public interest for which it was intended.

The portfolio committees have also suffered from truant ministers who decide to abscond the meetings or chose not to respond to their reports, a situation which heavily compromises the entire process.

A case in point is the famous clash between former Local Government minister  Saviour Kasukuwere and the then chairperson of the parliamentary portfolio committee on Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment, Justice Mayor Wadyajena.

The committee wanted to interrogate the minister on his dealings during his tenure as minister of Indigenisation, particularly how he handled community share ownership schemes.

It took almost a year, repeated efforts and arrest threats for Kasukuwere to appear before the committee, and when he finally did, the meeting was reduced to a mere drama and exchange of harsh words between the two.

Kasukuwere reportedly saw Wadyajena, who was his political nemesis, as seeking to harm his reputation and discredit him. Far from attending to the critical issue, the meeting became a platform to settle political scores and there was no answer to an eager citizenry — only entertainment to an interested press.

For Parliamentary Monitoring Trust director Sibanengi Ncube, such behaviour renders the parliamentary oversight function worthless.

“Parliament, which is the central institution of democracy and the key institution in oversight, suffers from crisis of credibility. The biggest problem I seem to notice is that because of the highly polarised nature of our politics, MPs are afraid of taking the Executive to task,” said Ncube.

John Makamure, executive director of the Southern African Parliamentary Support Trust, said even though accountability mechanisms are embedded in the parliamentary procedures, which, on paper, means the august House is doing its work, implementation and assurance of accountability mechanisms are not being allowed to work.

“For someone who works with Parliament everyday, I think we can do better through enforcing the provisions of the Constitution and the SRO.

“We have seen presiding officers of Parliament, namely the Senate president and Speaker of the National Assembly, Jacob Mudenda, giving threats to ministers that do not bring bills to Parliament and that abscond sessions. That is good but threats alone will not serve us. There is need for action,” he said.

There have also been complaints about government failing to act on reports produced by these committees.

But one area which has been glaringly lacking has been that of auditor-general Mildred Chiri’s reports that have exposed major shortcomings in State enterprises and local authorities. She has religiously submitted these to Parliament, but her recommendations have never been implemented.

Instead, she nearly lost her job over those reports but was saved by MPs who refused to sanction her ouster.

The Zimbabwe Parliament, like all Westminster Parliaments around the world, should have a vibrant oversight function.

For example, in South Africa, former president Jacob Zuma has had to answer to corruption allegations emanating from reports that he used public funds to upgrade his rural Nkandla home among numerous other cases that later claimed his job.

British Prime Minister Theresa May is weekly subjected to a barrage of questions by the House of Commons while United States of America President Donald Trump reports to both Senate and Congress regularly.

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BULAWAYO - MDC vice president Thokozani Khupe’s vehicle was yesterday attacked while her personal assistant Witness Dube was badly injured after violent scenes broke out at the party’s provincial offices.

According to insiders, Khupe had called the meeting — which  was attended by suspended party national spokesperson Obert Gutu and national organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe — to endorse her as the acting MDC president.

Violence broke out immediately after the meeting began as youths allegedly aligned to acting president Nelson Chamisa violently disrupted the event resulting in the skirmishes that left almost a dozen injured.

Dube, who was driving the Khupe’s Discovery vehicle, tried to escape from the scenes during the clashes, but it was a little too late as the youths smashed its front, rear and side window screens.

He suffered a deep cut to his head in the process.

This was after the youths had thrown stones on top of the office roof, in a move that left window panes broken.

The Daily News witnessed about three party members who had been injured. A pool of blood and shattered pieces of glasses covered the floor. Outside the yard, the road had to be blocked as stones barricaded the way.

Police, who arrived a little bit late, had to cordon off the area to avoid further clashes.

A seething Khupe, who could not stand sight of her damaged vehicle and the ruthless attack on her personal assistant, said: “How do you attack people who are just gathered to organise themselves and campaign.

“Why do you have to beat up people, why do you have to injure people, why do you have to vandalise offices? Why do you have to do that for goodness sake?” Khupe asked.

“We were beaten in Buhera by the same people.  I have never seen such barbarism in my life.”

She also rubbished the seven-day ultimatum that was issued to her by the party, to repent or face dismissal.

“That is what I call absolute nonsense. I am an elected president of MDC. No one gives me an ultimatum except for congress. Congress is the only body that can gives me the ultimatum not any other person.”

Gutu also had no kind words for the hooligans.

“This is deplorable, we had a peaceful political gathering, very lawful,” Gutu said.

“A bunch of thugs armed with stones, iron bars just came from nowhere and started attacking people. Stones were thrown on top of the roof, the window panes were broken, blood is strewn all over the floor. It’s just total mayhem. These are the people who think they can take Zimbabwe to the next step, my foot.”

He, however, declared that he was not on suspension.

“I have not been suspended I am still the national spokesperson of MDC. That bogus national council has absolutely no power to suspend me. I have not received a letter of suspension and no one has a capacity to write me a letter of suspension.”

It is the second time in weeks that Khupe has encountered intra party violence after she was attacked during the burial of MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai at his rural home in Buhera last month.

She was also assaulted last year at the provincial offices for openly expressing her disquiet over the structure of the MDC Alliance.

Khupe has since last year not been attending MDC and MDC Alliance meetings.

Youths who spoke to this paper fingered youth chair Mulandu Ncube for allegedly leading the thugs.

Some also accused provincial chair Gift Banda for sponsoring the act.

Banda yesterday condemned the violence but said the meeting was unsanctioned.

“As a province we did not know there was a meeting at our party offices. If we knew, we were going to put measures to ensure that the meeting proceeds undisrupted, that there is no violence or anything of that nature,” Banda said.

Before yesterday’s skirmishes Khupe had been having running meetings over the past few days with  her close cabal and senior members from the Joice Mujuru led People’s Rainbow Coalition (PRC) in the city. On top of that Khupe had also been meeting people in the wards in what was seen a preparation for yesterday’s meeting.

In a twist of events, party chairperson Lovemore Moyo who recently indicated that he was not part of the camp has not been attending the meetings lately, a sign that he was pulling out of the cabal and eventually from the party.

This has however, weakened the Khupe faction as a number of influential party cadres continue to desert her.

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HARARE - Time is running out for MDC vice president Thokozani Khupe to build bridges with the party’s new leader, Nelson Chamisa, with whom she is fighting a terminal turf war.

The MDC’s national council gave Khupe — one of the founding members of the labour-backed party — a seven-day ultimatum last week to smoke a peace pipe with Chamisa or ship out.

This was after the party’s highest decision-making organ in between congresses resolved to endorse Chamisa, who turned 40 years last month, as the party’s substantive president mid last week.

Khupe is now left with two days before her fate is sealed.

So far, there is no sign that Khupe will give in as she insists that she is the only legitimate leader of the MDC, having been elected vice president at the party’s congress in 2006.

Chamisa, along with Elias Mudzuri, were appointed vice presidents by Morgan Tsvangirai (now late) in July 2016 in what became the genesis of the strained relations between the MDC founding president and his second in command.

Although Khupe could not be reached for comment yesterday, her spokesperson Witness Dube told the Daily News that her boss will not comply with the national council’s decision.

“To say we are complying is rather too strong a word. We are trying our best to make the MDC-T work as a unit. That’s all,” he said.

In the aftermath of the ultimatum, Khupe has been on a frenzied tweeting spree, rubbishing Chamisa’s endorsement.

About 24 hours after she was served with the order for compliance with party decisions, she tweeted:

“It is regrettable and very revealing that while the Guardian Council leadership is yet ceased with sensitive matters in the party, some take pleasure in bullish threats, ultimatums and suspensions. For the record, I have always been acting president of MDC-T in the absence of the late president Tsvangirai since 2006, up until the late president left Zimbabwe on what was to be his last trip to South Africa in January 2018, when he left Hon Mudzuri as acting president.”

In terms of the MDC constitution, the Guardian Council acts as the party’s advisory board.

It is chaired by MDC Senator James Makore.

Career politician and veteran trade unionist, Cephas Makuyana, who once served as Senator, is also a member of the Guardian Council.

Its role is to offer advice and wisdom to the national leadership of the party, including the national executive and the national council.

It also performs and/or carry out any such functions which the national council may from time to time delegate to it, which may include investigations, arbitration and reconciliation in disputes within the party structures and/or among members.

On Friday last week, Khupe had another tweet saying: “This means that by all manner of calculations, when he passed away, I had not been away from party business for eight months as widely claimed.”

“I last saw president Tsvangirai alive on the 28th of January 2018. I made an effort to resolve issues in the MDC-T by going in person to meet and share notes with Hon Chamisa at his law chambers on the 13th of February 2018, a day before president Tsvangirai passed on,” she said.

But her twitter followers took her to task, some suggesting the need to engage arbitrators in order to solve the issue.

“How do you address allegations of insubordination, absconding meetings, fanning factionalism. With all due respect @DrThoko_Khupe can you seek some mediation and resolve this through internal party structures, have you tried these,” wrote one Brighton Kunaka.

She responded by saying she had written to the MDC’s Guardians Council, asking for their intervention in the impasse but that effort has so far been frustrated by Chamisa.

“I personally went to Hon Chamisa’s Law Chambers on the 13th of February 2018. I wrote a letter to the party’s Guardian Council for them to intervene in terms of our constitution. They are the internal arbiters and are seized with this matter even as ultimatums are being issued,” she wrote in response.

Not to be outdone, Chamisa wadded into the debate and, re-tweeting Khupe’s posts, he wrote: “That ain’t smart Dr. You refused to meet MRT (Tsvangirai’s full initials) in Harare saying it wasn’t safe for you but there you were, in Chamisa chambers.”

He added: “Khupe is just stubborn; it’s all about positioning herself without the people at heart. Greedy and opportunist she is, I can say!”

Khupe responded angrily and accused Chamisa of employing violence and bullying tactics to win power.

“A comment yet more revealing of the characters that support bullish political tactics. With all due respect Mr, I may be a woman, but I am not easily fazed by such. Very resolute and on principle, very unflinching! CONSTITUTIONALISM & DEMOCRACY are not a respecter of any person,” she responded.

The bad blood between Khupe and Chamisa started in 2016 when Tsvangirai elevated the Kuwadzana West legislator to the position of vice president.

Since then, the crafty legislator, nicknamed The Cobra after the menacing serpent, has worked his way to the leadership of the party, effectively dealing Khupe a body blow.

Their relationship soured even more last month when Khupe had to take refuge in a hut during Tsvangirai’s funeral to escape the wrath of MDC thugs who were baying for her blood before she was rescued by sympathisers.

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

As first reported by the Daily News last week, the resignation of retired brigadier general Ambrose Mutinhiri from both his constituency (Marondera West) and the party — a few weeks after Mugabe had briefed African Union (AU) Commission chair Moussa Faki Mahamat that his removal in November last year was “unconstitutional” — has exposed new fault lines within Zanu PF.

His surprise resignation also comes at a time when Mnangagwa has been dragged to the Constitutional Court by a group of Zimbabweans who are challenging his legitimacy.

Mutinhiri, who hand-delivered his letters of resignation to the Zanu PF headquarters and to Parliament on Friday, upped the ante, accusing Mnangagwa of using the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) to grab power, in what analysts said could be representative of the unspoken sentiment in some sections of Zanu PF.

Mnangagwa came to power in November last year through the intervention by the ZDF, which followed his expulsion from both government and party.

Following the takeover by the army, Mugabe resigned in the subsequent days at a time his party had also started instituting impeachment proceedings.

However, there have been concerns over Mnangagwa’s legitimacy, even though regional and international bodies have embraced him.

In his resignation letter addressed to the Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda and copied to Zanu PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu, Mutinhiri, who is a senior Zipra commander, said Mnangagwa’s government was “illegal”.

“As a trained soldier, a former freedom fighter, a former Zipra commander during the liberation struggle, a former diplomat and a former Cabinet minister, I am too aware of not only the values and ethos of Zimbabwe’s armed liberation struggle and the subsequent role the founding commanders of the liberation envisaged for the national army in independent Zimbabwe but also of the functions and limits of the ZDF as enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe authored through a people driven process and adopted after a national referendum as recent as 2013.

“The fundamental values and tenets of both Zimbabwe’s heroic liberation struggle and the Constitution of Zimbabwe dictate that executive authority is derived from the people and not from the gun. In other words, the enduring principle of Zimbabwe’s armed liberation struggle and constitutional democracy is that politics must always lead the gun. The ZDF coup of 15 November 2017 violated a cherished heritage of our liberation struggle and of our hard-won constitutional democracy,” Mutinhiri said.

Efforts to get a comment from Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo could not yield any results as he was said to be in a meeting yesterday.

Political analysts that spoke to the Daily News yesterday said Mutinhiri’s stance could be testimony of the bottled disgruntlement of many within Zanu PF and could have the effect of increasing the momentum within the MDC Alliance, under the youthful leadership of Nelson Chamisa.

“It makes those pro-democracy activists who supported the coup to change their mind given than one of the Zanu PF inner circles confirmed the coup. It’s also a sign that all is not well. It also confirms factionalism in Zanu PF along the lines of seating MPs and those in military aspiring to take over the seats. It also confirms that a coup is not a sustainable power transfer strategy and once a coup is done a precedent is set and another coup will happen,” political analyst Maxwell Saungweme said.

Many of Mnangagwa’s allies were left disgruntled after being snubbed from key government positions despite biting the bullet for the former vice president during the Mugabe administration.

His elevation to presidency, created a crisis as some of his allies felt the spoils only benefitted army officials, who were awarded with key government posts.

A retired army commander and brigadier, Mutinhiri was born February 22, 1944.

He was trained in Russia during the Rhodesian Bush War and was known for training the best calibre of soldiers during this period, even the late general Solomon Mujuru testified that he was trained by Mutinhiri.

He served as minister of Youth Development and Employment Creation and Provincial Affairs minister for Mashonaland East.

Zanu PF is said to have panicked because of Mutinhiri’s resignation, amid unverified reports that its national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri has beseeched party organs to reach out to members of the Gammatox faction who were shunted aside by the party in 2014 for hobnobbing with former vice president Joice Mujuru.

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This comes as retired brigadier general Agrippa Mutambara, leader of the Zimbabwe People First, has issued a scathing statement, dismissing reports that his party officials had defected to Zanu PF.

“Fellow Zimbabweans, it would be more honourable to quit politics than to board a sinking titanic. Zanu PF is a sinking titanic,” said Mutambara, in a statement.

Political analyst Shakespeare Hamauswa said the stance taken by Mutinhiri is evidence of the fault lines within Zanu PF.

“I think it shows there are a lot of people within the party who are not happy with what is happening. Although, previously we had retired army personnel joining politics, the situation is now different because serving army generals are influencing the direction of the party.

“We are seeing the military system coming to the centre of politics. As a result, many civilian politicians are left disgruntled. It also looks like G40 members are still within the party. By resigning possibly he (Mutinhiri) knows he was going to be booted out,” Hamauswa said.

Another political analyst and University of Zimbabwe senior lecturer in the department of Social Science Tawanda Zinyama said Mutinhiri’s exit must not be underestimated.

“Yes, indeed it (his exit) does have an impact because Mutinhiri is a very senior guy in Zanu PF and secondly he is a member of Zapu and that affiliation alone has got an impact,” Zinyama said.

He also said Mutinhiri has got followers of his own, who are going to leave Zanu PF because of his exit, adding that in the country’s 10 provinces there are like-minded people, who are also contemplating leaving the ruling party.

“Zanu PF may say, it’s just an individual who has left, but he is not an individual, there are many that follow him. And given that we are heading towards elections, a party cannot afford to lose even a single person, because politics is a game of numbers,” he said.

He however, said the legitimacy issue being raised by Mutinhiri in his letter may not gain traction with regional and international community such as the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) and the AU have already embraced Mnangagwa.

He said what has only been left is for Mnangagwa to win the forthcoming elections to legitimise his position in power.

In his letter, Mutinhiri said an illegality was perpetrated by a “few rogue elements” in the command structure of the ZDF, who abused their positions, resulting in last year’s events.

“Our national Constitution clearly defines the role of the ZDF and outlaws any of its serving members from engaging in partisan politics as was witnessed on 15 November 2017 when some rogue elements in the command structure staged a coup in the name of ZDF under the shocking pretext of averting a Zanu PF electoral loss in the forthcoming harmonised elections,” he said.

Mutinhiri, who has in the past been tipped to be appointed the country’s vice president by virtue of being the most senior surviving member of the Zipra command in line with the Unity Accord signed between PF Zapu and Zanu PF in 1987, said the ruling party has been hijacked and corrupted by fascist elements.

“I am a firm believer, as a disciplined former soldier and product of our nationalist movements, in the sanctity of democratic ethos and constitutionalism that put our people as the only source of legitimacy in the governance structures from local to national levels,” he said.

He further said the situation was also made worse by the Parliament, which he claimed failed to defend the Constitution in a “misguided attempt to justify a military coup”.

“I therefore condemn and despise any attempt at usurping the people’s power by those entrusted with the national duty to protect the country’s citizens and their leadership. I, like many others in the country and particularly in Zanu PF, refuse to be associated with such illegality in the false name of restoring legacy of (ex) President Mugabe, let alone that of our heroic armed liberation struggle,” Mutinhiri said.

He said the turning of guns against Mugabe was tantamount to turning guns at millions of Zimbabweans that voted him into power.

“It is therefore incumbent upon every patriotic, law abiding Zimbabwean to stand up and condemn the coup and make sure that, never again will such an affront on the Constitution be allowed.

“I am aware, as is everyone else who cares to look at the situation closely that Zimbabweans from all the country’s 10 provinces are not happy with the militarisation of our national politics. As such, I have chosen to be on the side of the people and to move forward with the people to restore normalcy, democracy, constitutionalism and legitimacy in Zimbabwe as a matter of national urgency,” he said.

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HARARE - Econet Education has set an ambitious target in 2018 to positively disrupt education within Africa through high-quality, affordable and accessible digital education solutions.

The recent all-Africa focused partnership with Dublin-based online learning giant, Shaw Academy, sees Econet Education establishing a mutually beneficial relationship to exclusively market their highly sought after online educational courses, across the continent.

Shaw Academy is the world’s largest interactive online classroom providing courses on a range of subjects.

Students get to be in an online classroom with students from other countries.

The courses carry a diploma accredited by the European Qualifications Framework.

“We are passionate about overcoming the barriers to quality, affordable education which is continuously faced across Africa, by leveraging online learning platforms such as Shaw Academy,” explained Tendai Mashingaidze, the CEO of Econet Education.

“Given the broad variety of lifestyle and business courses that Shaw Academy provides, we noted an opportunity to provide accredited online opportunities to Africans between 15 to 55 years of age at a very affordable fee.”

According to the Econet Education team, the partnership with Shaw Academy will reaffirm their commitment to empowering and upskilling Africans across the content with in-demand, credible and affordable technological education solutions.

“Responding to the ever changing needs and skills requirements of unemployed, self-employed and working professionals across Africa is what led to the establishment of Econet Education, “he said

Speaking at the announcement John White Chief Strategy Officer at Shaw Academy said: “This partnership demonstrates the ambition Econet Education and Shaw Academy have to transform hundreds of thousands of lives across Africa. Our mission is to develop high quality education that is affordable and accessible to all and by working with Econet we can do this at scale and in an innovative fashion.”

As Econet Education continues on its quest to provide cost-effective, globally competitive online learning to Africans, we look on with eager anticipation to the continued impact their mission will have on the African digital, social and economic landscape. /END/

For more information on the Shaw Academy & Econet Education partnership, please visit: www.shawacademy.com/econet

For further information and/or media interviews, contact: Econet Wireless Zimbabwe Media Relations and Corporate Communications,?Tel: +263 4 486121/6; Mobile: +263 772 222 622/705

HARARE - Suluman Chimbetu’s publicist — Joe “Local” Nyamungoma — will celebrate his 40th birthday tonight with a performance on the decks at a local club marking an entry into the world of the popular nightclub DJs.

Nyamungoma will be celebrating his birthday at Harare’s Club 263 by taking the DJ slots for the first time as he continues to use his different showbiz skills, which eight years ago, saw him being part of the team that brought Akon and Sean Paul to Zimbabwe.

“I am happy to celebrate my birthday in song and music. I have always wanted to be a deejay but I was just procrastinating.

“As life begins at 40, there is no need to procrastinate anymore,” Nyamungoma told the Daily News.

Making part of his playlist would be dendera and sungura golden oldies.

“I have spent much of my time in showbiz hence I know what people enjoy most in terms music. I can’t wait to be on the decks,” he said.

Despite joining the league of nightclub DJs, Nyamungoma, however, will remain loyal to Sulu.

“Suluman is aware that here and there I venture into other activities and he has no problem with that. I will remain loyal to him,” Nyamungoma said.

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BULAWAYO - Effervescent Jeys Marabini has gone back into the studio where he is putting final touches to a new album due for release next month.

His yet to be titled album carries 11 tracks. It succeeds Thula Sana recorded in 2016.

Marabini whose real name is Majahawodwa Ndlovu said this year was a departure from his tradition of releasing albums on annual basis.

“This is my ninth album. I record one album per year… this album was supposed to be released in December but I felt I needed someone to mix it.

“I had to wait for Ramadu from Austria because I needed something professional. He has worked with many international artistes so I believe in him,” said Marabini.

“Every time I work on my album I have to make sure that it is good and of quality. I don’t want to take my fans for granted.

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“This album was produced by Octopus assisted by Rodwel and I will look for someone to master it. I don’t want to do like others who use only one person to produce, mix and master. I want to do things differently. I want my project to be appealing to my fans,” he added.

But never has Marabini been this confident about his works as he has done to this new coming project.

He feels while he has maintained his type of music, it is to some extent unique.

“My album will carry 11 songs and trust me it’s very good music. People are really going to enjoy. When Jeys releases the album it has to be quality.

“I am growing every year; I am aiming to reach international standards that is why I work so hard and also engage experienced people in the industry,” said Marabini.
Marabini will be featuring two local musicians in two separate songs.

The Kozekulunge frontman, who is a  three-time National Arts Merit Award winner said he will decide on the title next month.

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HARARE - Journalist and author Shepherd Mutamba who wrote the book Tuku Backstage, Oliver Mtukudzi's tell-all biography, first published in 2015, has written a second edition to be published in Zimbabwe on Monday next week.

The new book, printed on gloss paper, is full colour throughout with 188 pictures, nearly all of them unseen before.

The orientation of the book is A4 size landscape with 255 pages.

The first book covered 24 chapters.

An additional 11 chapters have now been included in the second edition that also has three pages of references and Tuku’s milestones.

A comprehensive discography of Tuku’s music is included with a full list of titles of tracks, on every album, and the years of release from 1978 to 2016.

Mutamba said he photographed the entire book over a period spanning nearly a decade when he worked closely with Tuku as his publicist.

The veteran journalist angered Tuku with his first edition which bared the life of the lanky Zimbabwean music superstar’s life to the world.

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“Darius T. Mutamba (son) edited the pictures and designed the cover in Harare. Boutique Books of South Africa laid out the book and Digital Action printed it also in South Africa. The publisher is MhotsiUruka and ISBN 978-079747258-7.

“The pictures capture some of Tuku’s key points in music but also familiarise the reader, fan and archivist with some of Tuku’s life experiences as a man, family man, husband, father, grandfather, brother, businessperson and African.

“I reckon the strength of the second edition is demonstrated by the manner that photographs trace and unpack Tuku’s life and colossal music and, in so doing, also elevate music photography in its literary form,” said Mutamba of the second edition.  

Almost every chapter is supported by a selection of pictures that express my own point of view as a photographer.  

“However, a wide spectrum of pictures, based on Tuku’s creative processes, dominate the book. A chapter titled Photographing Tuku — The Body Language narrates my first-hand experience and the intricacies of photographing Tuku. 

“The book shows pictures of Tuku’s intense moments on stage. I interpret his body language to give his fans and readers an understanding of the meaning of some of his gestures, postures and facial expressions when he is communicating non-verbally during a song.

“My close work, of many years, with Tuku, as publicist, gave me a very firm handle on his music, meaning and body language.

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BULAWAYO - Mpopoma and Matshobana residents have sued various government departments, including the ministry of Local Government as well as the city council to compel them to release a report on the findings of the official report on the blasting operations of a granite company in the high density areas.

This was after the Mpopoma–Matshobana Residents Association had engaged all the stakeholders forcing a probe into the operations of Davies Granite Company which they said were causing the collapse and cracking of some residential flats and houses nearby.

The residents complained that thousands of families’ lives in Mpopoma, Tshabalala, Sizinda and Matshobana were endangered as millions of dust particles from blasting activities as a result of rock blasts exposed them to silicosis and other related diseases.

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HARARE - The government has started implementing a programme to phase out diesel 500 through the introduction of diesel 50, this, in a bid to improve the fuel quality and offer affordable prices.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) said the move is in compliance with a government directive issued last year.

“...Zera advises the public that the transition from D500 to D50 is progressing well since the importation of D500 was banned through General Notice 669 of 2017.

“The introduction of D50 prices in the market is a result of use of the cheaper pipeline transportation of D50 into the country as opposed to road and rail,” Zera said.

According to the statement, the retail price for diesel must not exceed $1,22 from yesterday. 

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HARARE - Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (Zuj) registered concern following the hate speech and abuse directed at two journalists by the leadership of the MDC and some rowdy youths.

Zuj said the attacks against the journalists were made at a press conference last Thursday.

Zuj secretary-general Foster Dongozi said: "We call on the MDC together with their youths to shun violence against journalists or anybody for that matter.

"If they have concerns they know who to lodge their complaints with. Currently, some journalists are seriously debating if they should risk their lives by attending events hosted by the MDC."

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HARARE - Twenty security guards are counting their losses after their workmates swindled them of $19 094 in subscription fees for non-existent housing stands.

Security guards Clever Mandaza and Gervas Zanga appeared before Harare magistrate Tilda Mazhande on Thursday facing charges of fraud.

They were remanded out of custody on $100 bail.

Allegations are that sometime in 2012 Mandaza and Zanga who were chairperson and secretary of the workers’ committee at Safeguard Security Company hatched a plan to defraud their fellow workmates by forming an unregistered cooperative and named it Zivanguva Housing Cooperative.

Pursuant to their plan, the duo misrepresented to the complainants that if they joined the cooperative they would be allocated residential stands in Eastview and Nyatsime measuring 200 square metres and valued at $3 500.

The court heard that between June 30 2012 and January 31 2017, complainants were requested to pay a deposit of $1 000 for them to be allocated the stands.

The balance was to be paid in monthly instalments ranging from $32 to $100 towards the purchase of the residential stands.

The offence came to light after the 20 complainants had paid the required deposit and requested for allocation of the residential stands only to realise that the stands were non-existent.

Complainants also made an effort to check the housing cooperative bank account only to discover there was $40 prompting them to make a police report leading to the arrest of the duo.

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HARARE - Former Cabinet minister Samuel Undenge yesterday petitioned the court to relax his bail conditions to allow him time to hunt for a job.

The plea was granted by Harare magistrate Tilda Mazhande, who relaxed Undenge’s reporting conditions from once a week to once a fortnight.

He reports at Highlands Police Station.

Undenge had wanted the reporting conditions completely scrapped but prosecutor Michael Reza argued that he had not presented special circumstances as required.

“There are no changed circumstances and the accused person has been coming to court precisely because of those conditions,” Reza said.

“When he was ordered to continue residing at his present address the accused person gave a Harare address and for him to now say he is being inconvenienced because he has to be in Chimanimani means he is breaching the bail conditions.”

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Undenge’s lawyer Alec Muchadehama said his client had been religiously attending court sessions and should not be prejudiced by prosecution whose case is weak and staggering to proceed to trial.

“Since January the accused person has been coming to court and the State has not indicated when the trial will commence.

“The passage of time indicates that the State is not ready and their case is weak,” Muchadehama said.

“The accused person is having challenges in raising money for transport to continue coming to court from Chimanimani where he is now doing farming.

“He is job hunting and hence the reporting condition is an unnecessary burden on his part.”

Prosecutor Michael Reza alleged that on January 14, 2016, Undenge gave a directive to Zimbabwe Power Company to engage Fruitful Communications without going to tender.

Fruitful Communications was supposed to disseminate information of all ZimAsset-based projects.

“As a result Fruitful Communications fraudulently invoiced $12 650 to ZPC which they were paid without doing any work,” reads part of Undenge’s charge.

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HARARE - Oxlink Capital will tomorrow host an investment conference whose aim is to provide a platform for potential investors, business and government to come up with ways to increase the flow of investment into the country.

The conference is coming a week after Zimbabwe hosted the Zimbabwe Mining Indaba where International investors got a chance to consider the vast investment opportunities in Zimbabwe’s growing mining sector.

The Financial Gazette Online Editor Paul Nyakazeya spoke to Oxlink Capital Commercial liason executive Nyasha Pedulu about the Investment conference.

Q: I notice there are a number of investment conferences going on in the country, how different is yours from those that have been done lately?

A: We are in that time of national renewal, so I believe it follows that there should be a buzz for investment.
The Zimbabwe Investment Conference is being hosted to provide a platform to discuss opportunities and the ideal policy environment that will attract meaningful investment.

So in terms of how different it is, our thrust is to provide an open platform for investors to engage policy makers in order for them to have input in the creation of the ideal business environment and  related policies that should make businesses thrive.

As you know, we are at a time where Zimbabwe is having high unemployment rate and very low levels of gross fixed capital formation. There is no better time than now for business and policy makers to work together for this common good.

Q: How exactly will this conference achieve that?

A: The conference gives a day-long opportunity for open dialogue guided under four main thematic areas, namely the ease of doing business, opportunities in infrastructure, incentives for investment and the supportive legal framework on mining, land and indigenisation which are central in creating confidence and attracting long term capital.

We believe these form the key pillars in driving the growth agenda and we have no doubt they will generate good debate.

Delegates will therefore have the opportunity to engage on a national and sector-wide platform with the different stakeholders as represented by our diverse panelists.

To add to this, our guest list includes some household international investors with interest in Africa who will provide the investors views on operational guidelines in preparation for re-engagement with the country.

Q: What is the theme of this conference and I see a number of ambassadors on the panel, those from India, Japan and Italy?

A: The theme of the conference is “Zimbabwe, towards a preferred investment destination” On ambassadors, you see, they are the custodians of our international ties.

They reflect the views of investors from their respective countries. It is critical at this point that we get their sentiments and input on how we can attract and retain investment.

Q: People want to know what’s in it for the ordinary Zimbabwean investor. Are you not being elitist focusing on the big international investors?

A: We recognise the importance of the investors that have been in Zimbabwe during the good and bad times, the very investors that even lost capital during hyper-inflation and the subsequent demonetisation exercise.

We understand that they have stood the test of time and that they are the businesses that are creating jobs and paying taxes in Zimbabwe today.

This is why we have made an open invitation to the conference. We acknowledge that in discussing the pertinent question of what needs to be done for business to thrive, it is these same businesses that can best highlight the policy challenges that need to be addressed.

This conference therefore is their chance to signpost the legal framework and policies that will support the economic environment they operate in and the recovery of our economy.

However, we cannot ignore the need for foreign direct investment in some sectors that is why we have invited investors from across the globe including from Asia, the United States and the United Kingdom to participate at this conference and familiarise with the current opportunities for investment. 

Q: Is the focus of this conference therefore to support local policy makers?

A: No, not exclusively. The way we are looking at it, this conference is part of our nation’s regeneration and is designed to create the dialogue that instils confidence in investors that Zimbabwe is a safe destination for investment.

The conference is sets up to be an inclusive process, bringing together all interested parties, for our development as a country.

In so doing, the discussion will benefit policy makers in as much as it will benefit our local business community as part of this economic revival trajectory that the country has embarked on.

In addition, to this it will also showcase to investors that the terms of doing business in Zimbabwe are changing and that indeed we are open for business.

Q: Which politicians are we expecting to give key note addresses?

A: We have invited minister of Energy and Power Development Simon Khaya Moyo, July Moyo, minister of Local Government and National Housing, ICT minister Supa Mandiwanzira and deputy minister of Finance and Economic Planning Terrence Mukupe.

Q: What are your expectations for the conference?

A: I think the main focus for us is the exchange of ideas. We look forward to an open and objective dialogue which will contribute to the process of re-engagement for our country.

It is also going to be a huge platform for networking on several levels, so needless to say, those who will attend will benefit immensely from this conference.