HARARE - Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi’s political stock is rising amid indications that neutrals in the do-or-die Zanu PF war to succeed President Robert Mugabe are pushing for his elevation to occupy the top office in the event that the incumbent retires or gets incapacitated, the Daily News can exclusively report.

This comes as influential First Lady Grace Mugabe has stunningly challenged her long-ruling husband, aged 93, to name his preferred successor without delay, amid escalating factional fights centred on the unresolved succession issue.

Impeccable Zanu PF insiders told the Daily News this week that the contestation for power has reached its zenith so much that Mugabe is about to give in to demands that he anoints his successor before the party’s December conference so that the ruling party could go for make-or-break elections next year as a united force.

If Mugabe’s recent remarks are anything to go by, his instincts seem to be radiating farther from Zanu PF bigwigs long touted to be the frontrunners in the succession race on account of their attempts to rope in the military to settle the succession debate, without involving its commander-in-chief, who happens to be Mugabe himself.

The Zanu PF insiders said while the race remains wide open, it was quite clear that the Swedish-trained medical doctor — Sekeramayi — could be surging ahead at the moment unless something dramatic happens.

The Defence minister has the distinction of being the only remaining Cabinet minister ever-present since Zanu PF came to power in 1980, having presided over some of the most key ministries in Mugabe’s successive governments — including being Defence minister and State Security minister three times each in the two portfolios.

He has never been demoted.

He has the added advantage of being one of the few politicians less tainted by allegations of corruption and has never lost an election since 1980, when Mugabe’s party swept into power after a brutal liberation war.

Mugabe has consistently said that it was up to the party, and not him, to name his successor. Nonetheless, pressure has been brought to bear on him to anoint a successor, with his wife adding her voice to the calls.

In potentially revealing recent remarks, Mugabe rubbished claims by some within the Team Lacoste faction, which is campaigning for Emmerson Mnangagwa to succeed him that it was now time for Karangas to also “eat”, as Zezurus had dominated the State since 1980.

Mnangagwa is of the Karanga tribe, while Mugabe belongs to the Zezuru tribe, which provided the bulk of the fighting forces and military leaders who fought the successful 1972-1980 Chimurenga war that secured independence and black majority rule.

Mugabe’s remarks at a rally in Marondera came after Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo publicly criticised Mnangagwa’s alleged presidential aspirations at a lecture in Harare, where he also made a not-so-subtle announcement of Sekeramayi as a serious contender for the presidency.

Moyo effusively played up Sekeramayi’s “consensus-style of leadership, political experience, unquestionable stature and his humility” that he contrasted with Mnangagwa’s alleged “arrogance” and “sense of entitlement”.

And speaking in his annual interview with the ZBCTV in February, ahead of his 93rd birthday, Mugabe also appeared to rule out the chances of Mnangagwa succeeding him when he said he would soldier on in power — notwithstanding his advanced age and declining health.

“The majority of the people feel that there is no replacement, a successor who to them is acceptable . . . as acceptable as I am,” Mugabe said.

On Thursday, Mugabe — an intellectual with several degrees who allegedly did not do any fighting – insisted that the “gun cannot lead the politics”.

Political scientist Eldred Masunungure told the Daily News: “Well, he (Sekeramayi) has always been a hidden dark horse, suspected for a long time in uninformed circles to be the president’s blue-eyed boy. It’s feasible that he is surging ahead; he has always had a close relationship with the president, not as public as the other contenders, he has been in the shadows.

“He is coming out of the shadows, out of his shell, projecting himself as the most likely candidate. I would buy the story of him being leading candidate in Mugabe’s eyes.”

Masunugure said Mugabe will have to be around to anoint Sekeramayi.

“He will have to be around long enough, beyond 2018. Sekeramayi’s chances are brighter than any of the contending candidates. He is definitely a leading candidate, look at his demeanour, he has liberation credentials, he is electable, he has won in his home province.

“Well, his strength does not lie in his electability, he is very close to the president, he is the president’s confidante, he is not a megaphone, he is media-shy. He has what it takes for Mugabe to anoint him, but there are so many factors at play, so many variables,” Masunugure said.

But some critics have sledged Sekeramayi as “not assertive enough to lead”, while others say just like Mnangagwa he is also tainted by the role he played in his capacity as Defence minister at the time, when the Gukurahundi massacres took place mainly in Matabeleland and Midlands between 1983 and 1987.

United Kingdom-based legal expert Alex Magaisa recently expounded on this fact in an opinion piece on his blog.

“The pair (Sekeramayi and Mnangagwa) were Mugabe’s reliable water carriers during the early 1980s, probably the dirtiest period on account of Gukurahundi.

“It is therefore hard for most people in Matabeleland, to reconcile the man described by Moyo and the man who performed a key role during this dark patch of Zimbabwe’s history.

“If one of Mnangagwa’s darkest spots in his long political career is his alleged role in Gukurahundi, it is hard to see how the other half of the pair, Sekeramayi, can escape the same charge,” Magaisa said.

Stephen Chan, a professor of world politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, noted the “endless speculation” about Mugabe’s succession yesterday.

“Sekeramayi is 73, only one year younger than Mnangagwa. Either way, Zimbabwe would not be blessed by youthful leadership. In this sense, both men would be transitional presidents as few live as long as Mr Mugabe,” Chan told the Daily News.

Zanu PF has for the past two decades been deeply divided over Mugabe’s succession. Recently, a faction led by the party’s young Turks, Generation 40, has been locked in a life-and-death tussle with Mnangagwa’s backers, Team Lacoste over the succession riddle.

Many observers and Zanu PF insiders have consistently said Mugabe’s failure to groom and name a successor was fuelling the ugly fights in the ruling party.

But Mugabe has so far refused to name his successor, arguing that the Zanu PF constitution does not allow him as it leaves that role to the party to decide who succeeds him, via a congress.

Meanwhile, disgruntled war veterans have repeatedly said Mnangagwa should take over from Mugabe when he leaves office, and at one time warned ominously that blood could be shed if the Midlands godfather does not succeed the veteran leader.

Mugabe and Mnangagwa share a close relationship that dates back to the days of the liberation struggle when the latter was the former’s aide.

Mugabe first met Mnangagwa ,74, when he was working as a teacher in Mapanzure, a remote rural village in Zvishavane from where his deputy hails.

Earlier this year, when there was frenzied speculation within Zanu PF that Mnangagwa’s mooted presidential aspirations were dead in the water, after Mugabe’s birthday interview with the ZBC in which he said there was no one fit to succeed him, former ruling party spokesperson and Cabinet minister, Rugare Gumbo, said the Midlands godfather could not be written off.

Gumbo — who worked with both Mugabe and Mnangagwa for many decades, before and after Zimbabwe’s independence from Britain in 1980 — also said it was “folly” to assume that Mugabe had shut the door on his deputy succeeding him.

He also said it could not be ruled out that Mnangagwa himself was “playing a game of hide-and-seek” with the nonagenarian, adding that the two men had a strong bond and long-standing relationship which was “only fully understood by them”.

“Mugabe has always been a slippery character because of all things he always wanted power the most. While many other liberation movements had a succession plan, Mugabe long decided against coming up with one.

“Still, I wouldn’t say Mnangagwa has been blocked out. However, what I know is that Mugabe and Mnangagwa vakateyanirana mariva (the have set traps for each other). They are playing each other and only time will tell who will win,” he said.

In December, a respected British magazine, New Statesman, portrayed Mnangagwa as a firm favourite to succeed Mugabe.

It also argued that a Mnangagwa presidency could extricate the country from its current economic rot — going on to highlight his profile rather glowingly.

“He (Mnangagwa) is sharp, organised and business-savvy, more pragmatic and less ideological than Mugabe. And, unlike the president (Mugabe), he understands the urgent need for reform, if only so that he can pay the security forces and fill the trough at which his Zanu PF comrades guzzle,” the New Statesman said.

Former Cabinet minister David Coltart also told the same magazine that Mnangagwa had a better understanding of the economy than most of his Zanu PF colleagues, including Mugabe.

“For all his historical problems he (Mnangagwa) understands the running of the economy better than Mugabe, better than most Zanu PF politicians,” he was quoted saying.

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HARARE - The MDC headquarters was left empty yesterday after the Deputy Sheriff pounced on the opposition party’s offices and seized property in order to settle a $108 000 debt owed to one of the party’s former employees.

The Deputy Sheriff arrived at the MDC offices, along Nelson Mandela Avenue, in Harare, at around 9am.

They disrupted a meeting that was being presided over by party leader Morgan Tsvangirai who, to his credit, ordered his lieutenants to allow the surrogate to do his job, peacefully.

MDC supporters and officials heeded Tsvangirai’s directive hence the exercise was done without incident.

The former prime minister is said to have left his offices soon after giving the directive.

Party spokesperson Obert Gutu said MDC lawyers were proceeding to lodge an urgent chamber application for stay of execution.

“It’s just a small labour issue involving one of the party’s former employees by the name Sally Dura,” said Gutu.

“The matter is now being handled by our lawyers who are proceeding to lodge an urgent chamber application for stay of execution pending the hearing of our appeal in the Supreme Court . . . You can be assured that our party assets would be returned to us very, very soon,” he added.

Dura, along with 15 other MDC employees, won an arbitration award for $600 000 for unfair dismissal.

Following the award, the MDC is said to have appealed and subsequently lost the appeal at the Labour Court.

The applicants then applied for the quantification of the award.

Dura is owed up to 27 months salary arrears, damages for 36 months and other benefits.

MDC Gweru urban Member of Parliament Sessel Zvidzai, who was at the party headquarters watching helplessly as the attachments were being executed, alleged that the development was the work of Zanu PF.

“They (Zanu PF) want to harass us ahead of the 2018 elections. We were having our meeting and they disrupted (it) . . . This is a small issue; they cannot stop us,” Zvidzai told reporters.

Probably expecting resistance from MDC supporters, heavily-armed riot police officers with water cannons were deployed to guard more than eight trucks from the deputy sheriff’s office which were loading furniture.

They blocked Nelson Mandela Avenue for more than four hours while loading the opposition party’s moveable property.

Police officers who were holding guns could be seen at corner Angwa Street and Nelson Mandela Avenue, directing vehicles to avoid using the one way street, named after the former South African president.

Some police officers who were stationed at corner Nelson Mandela and First Street were also blocking pedestrians from using Nelson Mandela Avenue.

Some of the armed police officers were guarding people who were loading the property, fearing that the MDC supporters could harass them.

Interestingly, some of the supporters provided the police with entertainment as they cracked jokes saying “you can’t find a wheelchair in our office”.

Even the police officers who were wearing serious faces started to laugh at the jokes.

Some supporters even bought food, which includes the traditional Mahewu brew and bananas to give the police officers but they refused.

The labour-backed party has a series of disputes with its former employees.

In 2015, the Deputy Sheriff raided Tsvangirai’s residence in Highlands and the party headquarters but failed to attach any property. This was after the MDC reportedly terminated contracts of 13 security aides in August 2010 before the Labour Court reversed the decision and ordered the party to reinstate them with full benefits.

Judge Justice Priscilla Chigumba ordered the party to pay a five percent interest on the varying amounts awarded to the employees in addition to the legal costs.

The Deputy Sheriff left Tsvangirai’s house and the party headquarters empty-handed after the MDC produced a court order staying the execution.

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HARARE - A storm is brewing in the ruling Zanu PF party amid suspicions by members of its youth league that the so-called factionalists could be sabotaging President Robert Mugabe’s youth interface rallies in spite of their success.

Mugabe is currently going around the country’s 10 political provinces to address youths and get to hear their grievances.

Dubbed “youth interface rallies”, the Zanu PF leader has addressed four of them and will be heading to Chinhoyi on Saturday for his fifth rally.

While the interface rallies have been well-attended, some within the Zanu PF youth league are convinced that the turnout could have even been better.

During Mugabe’s rally in Lupane on Friday last week, the party’s youth secretary for the commissariat, Innocent Hamandishe, pointed an accusing finger at senior officials in Zanu PF for sabotaging the rallies.

“President, I want to bring it to your attention that we are having problems in getting the necessary support in terms of resources such as fuel, transport and other logistics for our programmes,” he said.

“We cannot even get access to all the vehicles that the party bought and we are wondering what crime we committed as the youth league,” added Hamandishe.

Zanu PF is presently divided along two factions — Generation 40 and Team Lacoste — that are both angling to position a candidate who will succeed Mugabe.

Because of the divisions caused by the factional fights, it has been difficult for Mugabe to unite his party, even as the country hurtles towards crunch elections next year.

As broke as it is, Zanu PF recently bought 320 vehicles, including off-road trucks, sedans and hatchbacks that have been branded with the ruling party’s colours and have been given to the party provincial structures.

There is, however, opaqueness on the source of funding for Zanu PF projects, with the opposition alleging that the ruling party is using its muscle to commandeer struggling parastatals to finance its rallies before next year’s elections.

It is now emerging that even the Zanu PF youths are not happy with how the vehicles are being allocated, amid suspicions that those in control of these assets may be sabotaging their programmes.

Zanu PF enjoys the power of incumbency and the opposition accuses it of using State resources to finance its programmes.

During the youth interface rallies, Mugabe usually travels by air to the venues while his ministers travel by road.

While these are classified as party activities, it is the government which meets the attendant costs.

These gatherings are also funded from donations from well-wishers and companies, many of which are struggling due to the tough economic situation.

During his youth engagements, Mugabe’s visits are usually preceded by a flurry of activities, including the filling up of potholed roads and refurbishments of dilapidated buildings with the costs being met by government and local authorities.

Ahead of Mugabe’s visit to Chinhoyi on Saturday, the party has mobilised 40 000 litres of fuel to be used to transport Zanu PF supporters to the venue of the interface rally.

Contacted for comment, Zanu PF secretary for youth Kudzanai Chipanga referred questions to the party’s spokesperson, Simon Khaya Moyo, whose mobile phone was switched off.

MDC spokesperson Obert Gutu alleged this week that some of the money used by Zanu PF comes from the illicit sale of diamonds and other precious minerals.

“We have always stated, rightly so, that the Zanu PF regime is a fully-fledged Mafia outfit. Like in all Mafia organisations, there are always shadowy and opaque ways and means of financing operations,” said Gutu.

“There are credible reports that the Zanu PF regime is actually dealing in illicit oil secured from some parts of the Middle East.

“This is a very well-organised and well-financed scheme that involves international business tycoons who are benefiting from the looting of Zimbabwe’s precious minerals and wildlife,” he said.

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HARARE - Despite frantic attempts by President Robert Mugabe’s publicists to convince the public that the incumbent was as fit as a fiddle, calls by his wife that he must handpick a successor could be out of the realisation that the Zanu PF leader has entered his political sunset.

Addressing members of the Zanu PF women’s league in the capital on Thursday, Grace Mugabe broke with the party’s tradition by publicly imploring her 93-year-old husband to anoint a successor so as to narrow the widening crevices in his party over who should be the next president.

She reasoned that there was nothing amiss about choosing a successor as it was the trend in other countries, including South Africa where Nelson Mandela stood aside to make way for a successor, Thabo Mbeki.

“There is no succession without Mugabe and I have told him that you have a role to play even if I know that he has said that the people will decide; but his word will be final, mark my word,” Grace said as the league’s administration secretary, Letina Undenge broke into song, “uri musoja usatye, (don’t be afraid, you are a soldier).

Afghanistan-based political analyst Maxwell Saungweme, said Grace’s call was an acknowledgement of Mugabe’s advancing age and its impact on his health.

It also exposes the panic and trepidation of the after-Mugabe reality, he said.

“It also shows that Mugabe and Grace are disagreeing on succession. Mugabe prefers Zanu PF to decide its next leader through existing processes while Grace wants Mugabe to anoint a leader. The speech shows schisms within State House, Zanu PF and government,” said Saungweme.

He also reasoned that Grace’s call could be a desperate endeavour to pour cold water on Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa (ED)’s chances of succeeding Mugabe as well as the support that the Midlands godfather is said to enjoy from the security forces.

Mugabe also railed the military for dabbling in politics in violation of the country’s Constitution, which demands that they should be apolitical.

Saungweme warned that with the succession politics now so “dynamic, toxic and perplexing”, the country will likely see political disturbances if Mugabe were to appoint an heir.

Another analyst Gladys Hlatshwayo said the First Lady was basically trying to “make hay while the sun shines” when she called for Mugabe to prepare for a future post his rule.

“Simba rehove riri mumvura zvino dziva zvoropwa hove dzichaita sei? (It’s a fish out of water situation) . . . They (Generation 40) are better off influencing him to appoint a successor while he is still alive . . . someone who will protect the interest of the First Family and G40,” Hlatshwayo said, adding “it is therefore most likely that she is being deployed to signal what Mugabe is about to do”.

Zanu PF is split between G40 and the Team Lacoste faction. The latter is linked to Mnangagwa while the former is a conglomeration of cadres who claim to support a Mugabe life presidency.

Hlatshwayo said the development could also mean that there are disagreements between the G40 faction and Mugabe over how to deal with this issue of a successor.

“If what Grace said is anything to go by, Mugabe is suggesting that the people will decide when the time comes. This might be consistent with the Machiavellian politics that he has used for the past 37 years and his insatiable desire to rule until he joins his ancestors. Grace and G40 might be resorting to public gatherings as a way to push Mugabe to act.

“What can no longer be disputed is the fact that this is the end of an era. A critical discourse analysis of the first lady’s ranting confirms this. From ‘I will push him in a wheelchair’ to ‘he will rule from the grave’ now it’s ‘ anoint a successor’. . . it’s slowly sinking in, he is human after all!”.

Shakespeare Hamauswa, an analyst, weighed in saying Grace is realising that Mugabe, at the ripe age of 93, is no longer able to continue.

“She is the one who stays with the president and is privy to the challenges that old age is posing to the president.

“By demanding a VP post to be reserved for women, she is simply trying to create a position for herself and that depends on how ED and Sekeramayi strategically are going to position themselves”.

However, professor of World Politics at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies, Steven Chan, said with the ever-fluid factions in Zanu PF, “it is almost impossible to speculate about the succession battles”.

“Grace’s latest call simply adds to the complicated picture. She is right in that the country needs to have some certainty about its future.

“Many will suggest she is looking to a transitional period with herself as vice president, poised for the election after the one in 2018,” said Chan.

Grace also claimed that some in the ruling party were being influenced by an unnamed woman based in South Africa into dumping Mugabe.

She also took a swipe at party bigwigs who refuse to acknowledge her when they chant party slogans saying that also would not change the fact that she was in charge.

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HARARE - Former War Veterans minister Christopher Mutsvangwa has rubbished President Robert Mugabe’s “revisionist account” that he went to war earlier than him, claiming the 93-year-old was now forgetting what happened.

Addressing members of the Zanu PF women’s league in Harare on Thursday, Mugabe slammed party bigwigs and affiliate organisations that are calling for him to step aside and make way for a successor including Mutsvangwa, whom the nonagenarian claimed he had received in Mozambique when he joined the liberation struggle.

“Where are these clandestine manoeuvres that are being done by some little-known organisations and some people who were with us during the war coming from when these people are not the ones who chose me?

“People like Mutsvangwa, whom we received at Chimoio as they were coming from university along with other guys, today they now say ‘I must go’, it’s painful but they are not alone, it’s not Mutsvangwa per se, they are being sent,” Mugabe said.

The leader of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) came out guns blazing  yesterday accusing Mugabe of distorting history.

The ZNLWVA has previously threatened bloodshed if their preferred choice of Mugabe’s successor —Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa —is blocked.

Mutsvangwa,  who was fired from both his government and party positions, told the Daily News Mugabe’s “recollection on Chimoio Zhunda Camp is just plainly false.”

“His legendary memory can only now be failing him as advanced age is wont to do. The truth is that I am the one who received ...Mugabe at Chimoio Zhunda Camp; and not the other way round as now claimed by the comrade who became the first President of the Republic of Zimbabwe,” Mutsvangwa said.

“His version is patently a revisionist account. Only G40 Jonathan Moyo could have penned it for him to regurgitate.

“Comrade President, true revolutionaries have that attribute of historical integrity as a cardinal virtue. Let us be true and honest to the Chimurenga II Revolution as it happened. Such integrity is greatest tribute to so many of the fallen heroes of that epochal generation,” he added.

The garrulous former Norton legislator said the correct position is that he arrived at the camp in early July 1975, “soon after Mozambique’s independence day on June 25, 1975 together with Willard Zororo Duri,  John Mayowe, Sobusa Gula-Ndebele, Masimba Mwazha from the then University of Rhodesia.”

“...Mugabe only got to Chimoio Zhunda Camp in September 1975... well after my earlier arrival. He came together with Edgar Tekere, Nisbert Makotsi and a Dengwani.”

He added that Mugabe and Tekere came to the front along with about 150-200 other comrades who would form Company D when Nyadzonia was opened as the refugee holding camp.

Mutsvangwa said Mugabe had crossed the border in April soon after the assassination of Zanu chairman Herbert Chitepo.

Upon his arrival in Mozambique, Mutsvangwa claimed, Mugabe was resisted by the occupants of Zhunda Chimoio Camp who argued that he was not their political leader as they had been recruited under the auspices of Bishop Muzorewa’s United African National Congress.

In resisting Mugabe, Mutsvangwa said the camp occupants agitated for his denial of food.

“As university students, the five of us took the lead in diffusing the smouldering confrontation as… Mugabe was only backed by the handful 200 comrades he had recruited from Highfield.

“I remember… Duri roping me to clandestinely arrange for Oppah Muchinguri(-Kashiri) to cook for Mugabe as the two (Duri and Muchinguri-Kashiri) knew each other from their shared home in Manica Bridge, Watsomba.

“Concurrently, we set to work for his acceptance. We used our gravitas as university students to persuade the more numerous refugee occupants of Zhunda Camp to be accommodating of the estranged Mugabe and his group of 150-200 recruits.”

According to Mutsvangwa, Mugabe was only taken from the refugee camp “to go to teaching exile in far north Quelimane.”

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MUTARE - Police have been accused of facilitating the entry of illegal artisanal miners into Marange diamond fields and mobilising them to attack Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) security.

Zimbabwe’s new State-owned diamond miner ZCDC started operations in March last year after the government ordered all mining companies to halt work in the Marange fields.

“Security is the most important aspect of diamond mining. Be true to the objective, be honest, be the true Zimbabwe Republic Police contained in the Constitution. The leadership do not allow those that follow you to be corrupt.  We hear rumours. If they fail, they should be transferred to Zvimba to protect cattle.

“...I rely on you, if you fail who should I look up to? If you fail who will police the police...You should not allow your integrity to be eroded,” Mines minister Walter Chidakwa said at a memorial service at the diamond fields.

Information minister Chris Mushohwe said the continued influx of illegal miners and buyers into the fields should be investigated.

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HARARE - A Harare magistrate yesterday dismissed an application by former Zanu PF youth leader William Mutumanje, popularly known as Acie Lumumba, to have his case of insulting President Robert Mugabe struck off the roll.

Mutumanje appeared before Harare magistrate Nomsa Sabarauta facing charges of undermining the authority of the president.

Sabarauta remanded Mutumanje to August 17, and ruled that “the case would go in circles if he was removed from remand because there was a possibility that the prosecution would summon him back. The State should not be seen to blow hot and cold over this case. It was prosecution that made a promise before the apex court to withdraw charges and it is the same State that is now saying they want to go to trial although at the same time they are saying the docket is held up at the Prosecutor-General’s office,” Sabarauta ruled.

“I will postpone the matter and on that date, either accused person is going to reinstate his application for the matter to be heard at the Constitutional Court (Con-Court) or State is going to have to proceed to trial.”

Lumumba’s case was referred to the Con-Court after he argued that his constitutional right to freedom of expression had been trampled on when he was charged under section 33 (2) (b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform Act) for the alleged presidential insult.

Lumumba’s lawyer, David Hofisi, slammed the State for being unprofessional and unethical, saying there was no way that the accused person could agree to a trial date on such circumstances.

“It is patently unjust and now requires a chamber application for reinstatement by the accused person on basis that the State was not candid with the court . . . an application to hold the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in contempt of court and an action to recover costs from them,” Hofisi said.

“This is treacherous and is indicative of institutional insincerity and absence of due regard of the proper administration of justice... ”

Charges against Lumumba arose on June 30 last year, when he was launching his political outfit Viva Zimbabwe at a Harare hotel.

During his address, Lumumba — referring to Mugabe — reportedly said: “you have not been insulted; you are only insulted by protesters.”

“ . . . Mugabe f**k you, I am drawing the red line, our kids are in trouble so, it’s a red line . . . and my name is Lumumba, Lumumba, Lumumba…,” the court heard.
Lumumba had defended his utterances saying they were a way of expressing his displeasure at how Mugabe has run down the country.

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HARARE - The Zanu PF faction rallying behind embattled Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa could soon be on the backfoot after it emerged that powerful First Lady Grace Mugabe has been asked to resume her high-octane “meet the people” rallies.

Minister of State in Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko’s office Tabetha Kanengoni Malinga asked Grace to resume her countrywide rallies, as the ruling party’s ugly battle to succeed President Robert Mugabe gets into top gear.

“Tiri kukumbirawo interface rally yewomen’s league kuti imimi amai nababa muuye musanganewo nesu sezviri kuita ma youths (we are requesting that you conduct the women’s league interface rallies, which you must hold together with president Mugabe, just like what is happening with the youths),” Kanengoni Malinga said at a women’s league national assembly meeting on Thursday.

Grace first rolled out the political gatherings, dubbed meet the people rallies, soon after she took over as the women’s league boss.

The controversial whirlwind political gatherings were characterised by acerbic attacks on party officials aligned to Mnangagwa.

The rallies, if they materialise, will come after a surprisingly long hiatus.

Her no-show on the political ground had sent the rumour mill into overdrive with all kinds of theories, including claims by some in Zanu PF that Mugabe had moved to stop the rallies because they were serving no useful purpose but fuelling internal party strife.

Some party officials aligned to Mnangagwa claimed Mugabe had himself put the brakes on Grace’s rallies after becoming exasperated by the heightened in-fighting her allies were causing.

They claimed Mugabe met with her outside the country in the aftermath of her rally in Rushinga and ordered her to cancel all rallies she had lined up.

The latest wave of rallies, if they materialise, will take place at a time Mugabe has proposed the idea of appointing a third vice president, a position many believe could be reserved for Grace, with a possibility of even taking over from her husband.

But Grace has previously vehemently denied having presidential ambitions, insisting that she was satisfied with her position as women’s league boss.

Claims by officials aligned to Mnangagwa — who is accused of seeking to stampede Mugabe from power by Zanu PF Young Turks opposed to his presidential ambitions, the Generation 40 (G40) — suggested that the nonagenarian had put the brakes on Grace’s rallies after becoming infuriated by the intensified in-fighting  her rallies were allegedly causing.

Mugabe, during the women’s league meeting, attacked securocrats, warning them against meddling in party politics. The army has been suspected of supporting Mnangagwa’s presidential ambitions.

These new political dynamics, coming as Grace has asked her husband to anoint a successor, are set to make the rallies explosive.

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HARARE - A Harare man was slapped with a nine-year prison term after being busted selling a python skin belt without a licence.

Kingston Gwenzi, 29, of Highfield pleaded guilty to charges of contravening the Parks and Wildlife Act.

Gwenzi said he was unaware that having the snake skin was in breach of the law. He pleaded for the court’s leniency.

He also told the court that he was a first time offender and did not have any savings or valuable assets to his name.

Harare magistrate Nomsa Sabarauta said she was bound by the law which imposed a mandatory nine-year jail term for such offences.

Prosecutor Fransisca Mukumbiri proved that on July 12 this year around 10am, detectives from Minerals and Border Control Unit were tipped that Gwenzi was in possession of a python skin belt which he was selling.

Gwenzi was at Budiriro 1 Shopping Centre looking for a buyer when he was confronted by constables Banhu, Rimai and Rusakaniko.

The police officers introduced themselves to Gwenzi and began searching him before discovering a python skin belt in his bag.

Gwenzi was asked to produce a permit or licence authorising such possession but he failed.

He was immediately arrested.

The belt was taken to National Parks and Wildlife for assessment and it was valued at $2 000.

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MUTARE  - Over 1 500 workers who were employed by Mbada Diamonds, Jinan and Anjin remain jobless as Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) fears being held in contempt of court if it employs them before the companies’ court action is finalised.

The firms sued government for breach of contract after government banned gem mining in the east of the country by private players, with the State-owned ZMDC taking over the operations.

This was after Mines minister Walter Chidakwa in February last year ordered nine companies operating in the Marange fields to stop all mining activities and leave immediately because their licences had expired.

Chidakwa told Chiadzwa residents this week that ZCDC could not engage employees under companies currently locked in a legal wrangle with government.

“I can’t employ you because I will be held in contempt of court by Mbada Diamonds as their case is still pending in the courts…

“There is an instruction to start to reemploy all former diamond company employees as they are not the ones in the wrong but their directors,” Chidakwa said.

He said they were also unable to mine in the companies’ concessions until the matter is concluded.

“DMC (Diamond Mining Company) offered government to take over their mines, the same we did with the Russians. But Mbada, Anjin and Jinan decided to go to court. Our hope is that the end of their cases will allow us to mine in their concessions,” Chidakwa said.

He said Harare’s decision was not negotiable.

“I knew that once I said stop mining it would cost our people — over 3 000 people jobs, it was a sacrifice worth taking,” the minister said.

President Robert Mugabe has claimed that diamonds worth more than $15 billion were looted in the eastern mining area of Marange.

Speaking in a 92nd birthday interview on State-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation TV, Mugabe said Treasury received less than $2 billion.

Chidakwa has previously stated that the amount which reached the public purse was $600 million.

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HARARE - Religious groups in Zimbabwe are breaking away from social and religious taboos about the use of contraception and taking control of their own bodies — even if they have to do it secretly.

The change is happening as health and human-rights advocates sound the alarm over the number of women and girls losing their lives and wombs to unsafe abortions in a country where abortion is illegal, and as Zimbabwe’s Health and Child Care ministry try to get a grip on the country’s maternal mortality crisis.

Save the Children Zimbabwe programmes manager Linile Malunga said church members, including those from the apostolic sect, were seeking sexual reproductive health interventions from clinics.

“On condoms, you won’t even believe it, in as much as most churches are against the issue; they are coming for contraceptives, including condoms. If you approach them as a group, they might all say ‘no, we don’t want condoms’, but the same people come in the thick of the night, away from the public eye, to say ‘please may we have some condoms, blood transfusions or even contraceptive pills’ and we help them,” Malunga said during a media sensitisation meeting.

“Even some who used to say they don’t go to hospitals to seek medical attention have now changed, probably after seeing the multitudes who are dying as a result of curable ailments.”

In an effort to tackle teenage pregnancies, the Education ministry rekindled the suggestion that contraceptives should be made available in schools.

The proposal was met with hostility by many parents, and the two sides have failed to reach an agreement.

Up to 59 percent of sexually active women in Zimbabwe have access to contraceptives — among the highest levels in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the United Nations Population Fund.

Zimbabwe is aiming to increase this to 68 percent by 2020, based on commitments made at the 2012 London Summit on Family Planning.

But evidence pointing to an increase in abortions among teenagers highlights the difficulties schoolgirls face accessing contraception in the predominantly Christian country where pregnancy out of wedlock is still stigmatised.

Government has stepped up efforts to make contraceptives accessible to adolescents under a recently unveiled National Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy.

“A teenage girl in the rural areas is more likely to be exposed to the risk of pregnancy compared to their urban counterparts. The proportion of teenagers who have begun childbearing decreases as wealth increases,” the strategy reads.

“The 2016 adolescents fertility study revealed that nine percent of the adolescents aged 10 to 19 years had never been pregnant. When broken down to by age group, 17 percent of the adolescents aged 15 to 19 years and 0, 2 percent among the 0-14 years-old had experienced pregnancy. Adolescent pregnancies are more than twice higher among girls with primary education than among those who attend secondary school.”

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HARARE - First Lady Grace Mugabe waded into the succession debate yesterday, imploring her ageing husband, President Robert Mugabe, to anoint a successor now so as to narrow the widening rifts in the ruling Zanu PF.

Over the years, the question of who should succeed Mugabe has caused rifts in Zanu PF between two factions namely Generation 40 and Team Lacoste camps.

Although the two camps have been fighting publicly, none has dared Mugabe in his face to name a successor.

While addressing Zanu PF’s women league national assembly members at the party’s headquarters in Harare yesterday, Grace took the unprecedented step of nudging her reluctant husband to name a successor.

The powerful first lady reasoned it was the trend in other countries for their leaders to handpick their heir apparent, saying that act alone would enable Zanu PF’s warring supporters to rally behind one candidate.

She insinuated that there was need to foil plans by a faction within Zanu PF that was about to enthrone its preferred candidate without Mugabe’s anointing.

Grace said the president had the right to be involved in naming his successor, saying the incumbent’s word was final.

“There is no succession without Mugabe and I have told him that you have a role to play even if I know that he has said that the people will decide but his word will be final, mark my word,” Grace said, as the women’s league administration secretary, Letina Undenge broke into song “uri musoja usatye (don’t be afraid, you are a soldier).

“I am asking him now in front of you and don’t be afraid, tiudzei bhiza ramuri kuda timhanye naro muone henyu (we will rally behind your anointed horse). We will stand up and support that candidate and those whose names that have been thrown around under the cover of darkness are not the candidates. Listen to me when I speak”.

Grace also claimed that some in the ruling party were being influenced by an unnamed woman based in South Africa into dumping Mugabe.

“She says she has money that can translate into power and has gone even to the extent of addressing some women in the party as first lady but that won’t change the status quo, I will remain the first lady and even if the president was to go I will remain former first lady and him former president,” Grace said.

She also took a swipe at party bigwigs who refuse to acknowledge her when they chant party slogans, saying that also would not change the fact that she was in charge.

“Yes, I know them, they are here and they think I will be offended when they don’t say pamberi na first lady. I don’t care. Mumoyo menyu munenge muchiti asi chimbuya chinoshanda ichi (You will be saying but the woman is a hard worker).

“I know you because you are here and you did not mention my name when you did your slogan. I am telling you this now because I don’t rely on rumours. You can do what you are doing but mark my words, when trouble visits you, you will need my help.”

Parroting Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko’s recent thinking on the subject, Grace quoted the biblical story of Adonijah who anointed himself King after realising that David was ill before the plan backfired spectacularly when the King overlooked him and chose Solomon instead.

In the Bible, Adonijah gathered his friends; and among them Joab, the general of the army, and Abiathar, one of the two high-priests, and they had a great feast, and were about to crown Adonijah as king, when word came to King David in the palace.

David, though old and feeble, was still wise. He said: “Let us make Solomon king at once and thus put an end to the plans of these men.”

So at David’s command, they brought out the mule on which no one but the king was allowed to ride; and they placed Solomon upon it; and with the king’s guards, and the nobles, and the great men, they brought the young Solomon down to the valley of Gihon, south of the city and crowned him king.

“Women have also asked me whether we are going to continue making resolutions that are not followed up and we are going to continue demanding that until it sinks in their heads and we get a result that we need,” she said.

In response to his wife, Mugabe said he would consider the recommendations by the women’s league, which also included their demands for a woman vice president.

“We came here to listen to your complaints, your cries and also your recommendations and we are good listeners,” Mugabe said.

“I hope your recommendations will reach us at the central committee level starting with the politburo then we discuss them. Whatever we should take to congress, we should do so because congress is where our constitution was crafted. But I want to say, as a party, we can’t afford to ignore your recommendations in order for you to be in a strong position as an important organ of the party and secondly as women who should be on an equal basis with men; we have heard you. I also hope you will also push hard to the right organs so that it is discussed at central committee,” he added.

Mugabe proposed that in order to fulfil the demand for a return to women’s quota, which the women’s league adopted at the Victoria Fall conference in 2015, the party should either consider having three vice presidents or go for an extra-ordinary congress.

“That would be my preference but you need to go and sit down to think about it. If we can’t have that then we will have to look at our constitution to see if we cannot have a way of amending it because constitutions are there to serve the people not people serving constitutions,” he said.

Turning to the role of members of the military in his succession, Mugabe was unequivocal in emphasising that the men in uniform should be confined to the barracks.

He also told service chiefs who are reportedly backing senior Zanu PF officials to succeed him that while they were entitled to their views, they stand to be led by politicians as doing it the other way round would be tantamount to a coup.

“The principle is that the gun should not lead politics like what we now see happening from that side (military) where they say the president should go. So that who comes next? Ndiani akatarirwa kuti ndiye anofanira kuzotora, haisi nhaka iyi. Isu hatina kutarirwa kuti tichatonga saka anozopinda ndeanenge asarudzwa nevanhu (Who said you only should be next as if it’s hereditary? We were not anointed by anyone when we came in because leadership comes from the people).

“We say no because it doesn’t matter who you are, it’s not within the principles of the party.

“It’s disgraceful to say I am the one now, the president must go. By what virtue or principle do you say it’s you? Aiwa hatidi! Hatidi (No we don’t want that).

Mugabe also warned senior party officials against seeking the ouster of his appointees to the politburo and Cabinet saying they have no power to do so.

Citing provincial ministers for Manicaland, Mashonaland Central and Midlands, (Mandi Chimene, Martin Dinha and Jason Machaya respectively), Mugabe said these were being harassed unnecessarily.

“In Manicaland there is Chimene who is being troubled but she is also stubborn because she is a war veteran, while in Midlands Machaya says the chefs also harass him because they want to give positions to those in their factions who will vote for them.

“Provinces cannot pass votes of no confidence on politburo members and those that we appoint. They can do that to provincial chairpersons but not the politburo”.

This came after Grace had revealed that she had engaged her husband to choose his successor despite his convictions that the people should determine who the next leaders should be.

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HARARE - Legislators across the political divide yesterday forced Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa to rescind the appointment of Mike Ndudzo as the new Auditor-General.

The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) chief executive had been earmarked to replace the illustrious Mildred Chiri, whose term of office has expired.

But in a rare show of independence, Members of Parliament broke ranks with the Executive yesterday by shooting down the proposed appointment.

It was also revealed before the adjournment of debate that Chiri would take up a new assignment in government as head of the internal audit committee.

Chinamasa said he had tried to persuade Chiri to stay, but she refused.

“I went to her last year, and said we need her to continue as the auditor-general; she refused and I went to the president. The president said you must persuade her but she refused. I had a meeting with her for two hours this year and she agreed to extend her term by six months but just after that she texted me saying she needed to rest,” he said.

“After she refused, I said to her, I want you to be the head of the internal audit committee (and) she agreed and we are in a process of setting (up) that internal audit committee,” he added.

Chiri had endeared herself with the masses because of her candid audits that exposed abuse of funds even in the President’s Office.

She unearthed massive financial irregularities, endemic corruption, mismanagement and poor corporate governance in several ministries and State enterprises.

Her proposed replacement has, however, been roundly rejected by legislators from both Zanu PF and the MDC, forcing Chinamasa to go back to the drawing board.

“I think after listening to the sentiments from both sides of the house, I think I need to carry out further consultations on the matter,” Chinamasa said.

This was after MPs had complained that Ndudzo has been in charge of companies that are struggling and was therefore not good enough for the job.

“If you look at Ndudzo’s CV, all the companies he is working for are in trouble. I suspect foul play on this issue. In such a short time, he worked for many companies and most of them are struggling. We need public interviews to choose the new auditor-general. For Ndudzo, his qualifications are good but his performance is not good,” Zanu PF MP for Zvishavane —Ngezi John Holder said.

Another Zanu PF lawmaker, Goodluck Kwaramba, said his view was that Ndudzo was not fit for the post.

“He didn’t do anything for him to qualify to be the auditor-general. I think he was recommended by his friends in government but he is not the best candidate. Chiri must be appointed for another term,” said Kwaramba.

MDC chief whip Innocent Gonese said there was need to look into the history of candidates before appointing them.

“Concerns have been raised across the political divide and I don’t think Ndudzo is the best candidate,” he said.

Another opposition MP, Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, said the minister must appoint the auditor-general after consulting the Public Accounts Committee.

Debate on the matter had to be adjourned to next week after all MPs shouted “Chiri, Chiri, Chiri”, forcing Chinamasa to consult with the Speaker of the National Assembly, Jacob Mudenda, before announcing that he was going for further consultations.

According to the Constitution, the auditor-general is appointed by the president with the approval of Parliament.

He or she must be a Zimbabwean citizen chosen for his or her integrity, and must have been qualified to practice as an auditor for at least 10 years.

The term of office of the auditor-general is a period of not more than six years and a person must not be appointed as auditor-general after he or she has served for one or more periods, whether continuous or not, amounting to 12 years.

Before entering office, the auditor-general must take, before the president or a person authorised by the president, the oaths of loyalty and office in the forms set out in the Third Schedule.

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HARARE - President Robert Mugabe is not happy with ministers who have not been attending the National Assembly to answer and clarify their policies during the weekly crucial Question and Answer sessions.

During this period, MPs, on behalf of their constituents raise questions against relevant ministers who, most of the times are either attending business somewhere or delegate their deputies.

Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa told the National Assembly on Wednesday that Mugabe had directed ministers to field questions from legislators.

“It is true that the president felt unhappy that the absence of ministers in the House prompted the Speaker to write to the president, which rarely happens.

“So, he was appealing to members of Cabinet that they should attend Parliament. Where they do not do so, most of our colleagues have deputy ministers; they should have deputy ministers coming to attend on their behalf,” Mnangagwa said, adding there were liaison officers who should be able to inform the House if the minister is engaged.

“So, the president did actually appeal and informed us that we have a duty first to our representatives as we represent constituencies to Parliament and we have a duty in Parliament, a constitutional duty to be present and to explain the mandates which they perform as ministers.

“I thought I would share with you … Speaker, that the president indeed probed us to attend Parliament,” he added.

In the National Assembly, Wednesdays are devoted to questions for ministers to answer; while the Senate holds its question time on Thursdays.

On the set days, there is a session for questions with notice and another for questions without notice.

In the questions without notice session, MPs have the opportunity to pose impromptu questions to Cabinet ministers on issues affecting the nation with each question directed at a particular minister depending on their portfolio.

In the questions with notice session, written questions are forwarded to the ministers prior to the sitting and they are read in the august House for responses.

Yet, in a worrying trend, some Cabinet ministers have decided to leave the entire job to their deputies who have a difficult time when hit by a barrage of questions from the legislators.

Mnangagwa also said as head of government business in Parliament, he was also able to answer all questions.

“I can assure you that ministers are fully aware that on Wednesday like today, they should be here.  This is why I am wearing this, I have just been released to come to Parliament and the rest of my colleagues are at this function of the executive.

“If they are free and whenever they are free, they will do their best to come to Parliament. In most cases you at least have four to six ministers who will come to Parliament and they are adequate to deal with issues of policy covering the spectrum of government,” said Mnangagwa.

“When I am present here, in fact, let the members ask any question, I have the capacity and capability to deal with issues relating to the policies of government which are articulated in cabinet.

“Question time is based on the principle that MPs would want to know government policies on various issues of concern and a policy is not a line ministry aspect alone,” added Mnangagwa.

Successive speakers have raised concern over the issue but that seems to be falling on deaf ears.

Over and above complaining to Mugabe about absconding ministers,  Mudenda has also threatened to slash sitting allowances for absconding ministers and the situation seemed to have improved briefly before the trend of absences resumed again.

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HARARE - A $400 000 dispute between a construction company and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has spilled to the High Court which will hold a hearing in the legal battle stemming from a $4 million borehole drilling project.

According to court papers, Water Logistics offered its services in police projects which include drilling boreholes, water reticulation and provision of water and sanitation at police stations across the country.

The total invoice for the whole project was $4 532 732, 40, and police paid $4 077 899, 59.

In the application, the firm cited police commissioner-general Augustine Chihuri, Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo, deputy commissioner-general and director of finance at police headquarters as respondents.

“After being engaged in January 2012 through a verbal agreement, the plaintiff (Water Logistics) provided its skills, spares, equipment and all other paraphernalia,” the company said.

The court heard that the company carried out work at different police stations across the country and payments were made at various intervals between January 2012 and October 2015.

“From a reconciliation done with the defendant’s legal department and discussions held with representatives of the third and fourth defendants, it was agreed that plaintiff was owed $454 832, 81 for work done in 2014 and 2015,” the court heard.

The company further told the court that several meetings were convened at Chihuri’s offices and the parties agreed on what was to be paid on the job done.

“Despite repeated demand for payment of the balance owing to the plaintiff the defendant have refused, failed and/or neglected to pay the sum owing. No reasonable explanation has been given for refusal to honour dues for services rendered,” the court heard.

According to the company’s chief executive officer Munyaradzi Chifamba, his firm carried out its duties diligently.

“Plaintiff also carried out work at some of the officers’ homes upon their request and their relatives for which charges have not yet been levied as they indicated they would pay separately,” Chifamba said.

In its response, the police denied owing the company saying the claims by the firm were baseless.

“The defendants shall lead evidence from four witnesses and shall reserve the right to call more witnesses should the need arise. The witnesses will state that there was no agreement that was reached between the parties on what Water Logistics was owed.

“The allegation by the plaintiff that there was an agreement is false,” the police said, adding that the amount being demanded had been altered three times.

“The discrepancies in the amount being claimed and with no hope of an agreement being reached called for professional expertise to evaluate for the works undertaken so as to advise ZRP on a fair and reasonable price for the works in the absence of a signed contract between the parties,” the police said, adding that Zunzanyika Associates, who are quantity surveyors, were in the process of evaluating the work done by the company, when the response was filed in February this year.

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HARARE - Government will maintain the $390 per tonne maize price under its Command Agriculture programme in the 2017/2018 agricultural season despite it being the highest in southern Africa.

Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa defended the price.

“You are quite right about raising opportunities for arbitrage, but we had to put in measures so that we minimise any opportunities for arbitrage,” he told delegates at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Zimbabwe winter school in Victoria Falls last week.

“As we go forward, I promise, basically, the $390 per tonne for maize will be maintained for the current and for the 2017/2018 agricultural season, but we may need to start a debate on forms of subsidies.”

This comes as sustainability concerns have been raised, with the government’s Command Agriculture programme set to hike the country’s budget deficit by nearly $120 million if the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) continues paying farmers $390 a tonne for the maize.

Tafadzwa Musarara, chairperson of the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ), said his association was buying 800 000 tonnes of maize from the government for $194 million or $242, 50 per tonne.

At this price, the government is losing $147, 50 for every tonne of maize that it buys from the farmers and sells to the millers.

This comes as International Monetary Fund (IMF) deputy director of strategy, policy and review, Alfred Kammer, said the current funding model could not return Zimbabwe to its breadbasket status because of the fiscal implications of the Command Agriculture programme.

“Our analysis suggests that the current design of the programme creates significant fiscal risks and overall effectiveness could be improved by ensuring that the beneficiaries are those most in need,” he said.

“Excessive government spending, if continued, could exacerbate a cash scarcity, further jeopardise the external and financial sectors, and ultimately, fuel inflation in Zimbabwe.”

Government forecasts a growth of 21, 6 percent in the agriculture sector premised on the strong recovery in maize production which is expected to reach 2, 1 million tonnes from 0,5 million tonnes realised last year.

A good agriculture season implies reduced food import pressures which may help preserve foreign currency despite inflationary pressures on food prices.

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HARARE - The man who allegedly killed businessman Shingirayi Mukandi in a hit and run accident has been granted $150 bail.

Alfred Machipisa’s trial is set to commence on August 29.

Machipisa’s brother Fanwell, who is said to have helped hide the accident-damaged Isuzu KB300 at his place in Mabelreign, was granted $50 bail.

Magistrate Josephine Sande also ordered the two to report at Marlborough Police Station twice a week.

Allegations are that, immediately after the accident (Alfred Takudzwa) Machipisa who resides in Mt Pleasant allegedly drove his father’s accident-damaged Isuzu KB300 to Zambezi Flats in Mabelreign where his brother Fanwell resides and kept the car there.

He later handed himself over to the police following reports that there was a fierce manhunt for him.

Machipisa was charged with contravening the Road and Traffic Act for failure to stop after an accident, render assistance or report to the police within 24 hours.

He is facing culpable homicide charges.

He, however, denied the charges through his lawyer, Anesu Bangidza.

Prosecutor Sebastian Mutizirwa alleged that on July 22 around 9pm, Machipisa allegedly drove a white Isuzu KB300 due west along Harare Drive while trailing a green Kawasaki motor cycle of the now deceased Mukandi.

As Machipisa passed number 201 Mt Pleasant, he reportedly negligently drove his Isuzu at a speed that was excessive in the circumstances and failed to keep a proper look out of the road user ahead.

The court heard that Machipisa failed to keep a safe distance between his car and Mukandi’s motorcycle that was ahead of him and as a result hit him from behind.

It was alleged that due to the impact, Mukandi flew off the motorcycle and landed approximately 70 metres near the yellow line of the left side of the tarmac.

Immediately after the accident, Machipisa allegedly fled from the scene without rendering any form of assistance to Mukandi or inquire about the extent of his injuries.

Mukandi’s body and the damaged motorcycle were discovered by a passer-by, who called for an ambulance.

An autopsy was carried out on Mukandi’s body at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals concluded that he died due to injuries sustained.

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HARARE - Popular pub and grill restaurant Rufaro Shisanyama has been given a reprieve by the Harare City Council after it delayed demolishing its VIP bar to allow management to regularise the anomalies it raised.

Shisanyama was opened in June last year by former HCC top official, Raymond Chiromo, and has grown to become one of the most favoured outdoor places in Harare.

It is situated in the high density suburb of Warren Park.

Council spokesperson Michael Chideme said council does not rush to enforce penalties before giving people a chance to regularise their papers.

“They are being given time to fix their issues, council does not just punish people,” Chideme told the Daily News on Wednesday.

An inspection visit to Rufaro Shisanyama by the HCC noticed that the VIP section at the popular entertainment venue had been illegally built. As a result, the HCC gave management a week to pull down the VIP section, failure of which they would attract severe sanctions from the local authority.

According to a June 23 letter to Shisanyama management signed by the city’s director of works Phillip Pfukwa, the joint had been given up to last Sunday to demolish its VIP section.

Apart from being hit with a demolition order, the management at Shisanyama had been warned it was due to be hit with a huge penalty bill.

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BULAWAYO - Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has been sucked into a dispute between Bulk Cash and Carry Wholesale (BCCW) and one of its employees who has made a report to the police, accusing the company of externalising foreign currency, the Daily News can report.

The allegations, which constitute a serious crime in Zimbabwe under the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act (Chapter 9:24), are contained in an affidavit lodged by BCCW’s operations manager, Oga Chafausipo, who was suspended from the company early this year.

Chafausipo had been employed by the company for 16 years.

In his signed affidavit submitted to investigating officers at Bulawayo Central Headquarters on February 17, 2017, Chafausipo makes serious allegations of externalisation against BCCW, which is in the business of repackaging basic

commodities such as rice, flour and cooking oil before reselling them to retailers in Zimbabwe’s second city.

He claims the company, which dismissed the allegations in their entirety this week, is involved in externalisation of funds, smuggling of goods, tax evasion and sale of substandard or expired goods.

National police spokesperson Charity Charamba confirmed to the Daily News yesterday that investigations were underway.

“The matter is still under investigation. It is being handled by the fraud department. The police need to be thorough in their investigations as we need to build a case that is beyond reasonable doubt,” she said.

“We heard the Pakistani (businessman) was out of the country but the investigations are continuing. Investigations take time; when you investigate you need to be smart (about) the areas to get information. And we will also be expecting Chafausipo to present himself to the police,” added Charamba.

Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson, Precious Simango, also confirmed receiving the affidavit from Chafausipo in February although he could not give details.

“I can confirm that we received the affidavit but unfortunately I cannot give you details,” Simango said.

Chafausipo, who alleges to have been suspended from BCCW after he questioned why his salary had been cut, alleges, however, that he witnessed firsthand on two separate occasions how over $8 million was separately externalised.

“ . . . I had a trip to Botswana with . . . on 14/10/14 on the pretext that we were travelling for business . . . whilst at the border, I was shocked to see the guy declaring $4 which was stashed in clothes that were in a monarch,” he claimed.

Chafausipo further claimed that in November 2014 and February 2016, using the same modus operandi they took out of the country $2,7 million and $2 million respectively, the money which was said to be then banked at an Islamic financial institution.

“The company has been ably assisted to continue its illicit activities after successfully recruiting some government officials into the play,” Chafausipo said, while giving names of officials from the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and the Criminal Investigations Department officials.

“I have it on good authority that (George) Mlala was recently paid $35 000 for onward transmission to honourable Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko for the sole purpose of no interference or protection of the company,” further claimed Chafausipo.

“I have since approached the Honourable Vice President Mphoko over the issue and he denied receiving the ransom from George Mlala. Surprisingly, George Mlala also denied receiving the money but vowed to protect the company directors before the Honourable Vice President,” reads part of the affidavit.

Contacted for comment, the minister of State in Mphoko’s office, Tabetha Kanengoni Malinga, said she was yet to discuss the matter with the Vice President as he was out of office.

The Daily News first contacted Kanengoni Malinga on Tuesday, and made a follow-up on Wednesday, but she said she was yet to discuss the matter with her boss as he was still out of office.

The director of the wholesale, Imran Shahzad, dismissed the allegations saying they had been made out of malice by a jilted employee.

Shahzad said he has since lodged a complaint for criminal defamation against Chafausipo.

“He is bitter man after he lost his job. These are all lies. I have cases against him that I have since opened with the police. I opened a criminal defamation (case) against him two months ago with the police fraud section,” Shahzad said.

“It’s all a joke. Honestly, how can someone carry all that kind of money as he claims. If so, what mode of transport can one use to carry such an amount of money, it’s never easy.

“Besides, do you think Botswana will allow me to carry all that money he is talking about? That’s impossible. But anyway, since he is bitter he is just doing all that to soil my image and my business that is why I have decided to make it a police case so that they can deal with him,” he added.

On Tuesday, the 51-year-old Chafausipo said he stood by his claims and was willing to see who would disapprove his facts.

War Veterans minister Tshinga Dube was the first to make the sensational claims against Mlala early this month as they continued to haggle over the leadership of the former liberation war fighters.

Dube accused Mlala of working with an unnamed Pakistani businessman to externalise foreign currency and that he had evidence to support his claims.

But Mlala dismissed the allegations after being contacted for comment.

The war veteran said he has since instructed his lawyers to respond to the allegations though he had not seen the said affidavit.

“I have heard of such nonsense and I have since instructed my lawyers to attend to those allegations. If Chafausipo is the one who is raising such allegations in an affidavit that he has signed himself mentioning my name in it, so it means I also have to include his name in the list of those who should face the lawsuit that is being prepared by my lawyers,” Mlala said.

“Those are just baseless and misleading allegations but let’s leave it to the courts.”