Zanu PF says President Mugabe deserves a second term as chairman of the African Union.The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs says African ambassadors and African Union (AU) commissioners based in Ethiopia also want Mugabe to be given a role to guide the current crop of African leaders in fulfilling outstanding goals of the AU. Chairperson of the portfolio committee, Kindness Paradza led a Zimbabwean delegation to Ethiopia recently on a fact finding mission and reported on his return that President Mugabe's leadership is admired by the AU staff."The majority of African ambassadors in Addis Ababa and AU commissioners had a consensus that if it was possible, President Mugabe would be given a second term as chairman or assume any other supreme role to fulfill the Pan-African vision of the continental body," he said.Cde Paradza added that Cde Mugabe was credited for successfully spearheading a number of initiatives which brought back the AU union on the world map in areas such as health where he chaired the Ebola high level conference to curb the epidemic, the Sino-Africa Summit and led the AU to effectively deal with conflicts arising in Africa.
President Mugabe will hand over the AU chair at the forthcoming summit to be held in Addis Ababa this week.
A 19-year-old refugee from Rwanda has defied odds by scoring 25 points in ZIMSEC Advanced level axaminations.
Jeanmarrie Uwimana, who wrote Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Accounting, Physics and Chemistry examinations, was the best student at Nyanga High School.
Born in the DRC to parents of Rwandan origin, the young man never dreamt that Zimbabwe was going to be his home.
After receiving his primary education at Tongogara Refugee Camp in Manicaland province, Uwimana now boasts of 25 points at Advanced level.
The 19-year-old, who is now focusing on studying Actuarial Science, owes his achievements to Zimbabwe for accommodating his family as refugees since the year 2000.
The last born in a family of 11, Uwimana said being a refugee in Zimbabwe opened endless opportunities for him as he was assisted to get school fees through the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.
Teachers have petitioned Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa to intervene and halt the government’s recall of teachers on vacation.Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) said it was seeking an urgent meeting with the VP, and hopes it may stop the “victimisation” that teachers are being subjected to. A fortnight ago, government sent out a circular to all schools directing that teachers on vacation report to their stations for a head count by the Civil Service Commission. The logic behind the recall was to ascertain if those on leave were bona fide employees not ghost workers. In an interview with the Daily News yesterday, PTUZ national coordinator Ladistous Zunde said they hope Mnangagwa would restore sanity. “Maybe he (Mnangagwa) will intervene in our plight,” Zunde said. “Government cannot just disregard a legal directive set out in Statutory Instrument (SI) 1 of 2000 which clearly states that teachers are entitled to their vacation. “If they had revised the SI, we would not even be complaining but that was not the issue. Government is breaking the law and that is not acceptable.” He said government promised them various non-monetary incentives but to date nothing has materialised. Zunde said apart from seeking an audience with Mnangagwa, they also filed a lawsuit against government protesting against the recall. According to the union, government has lost money “auditing and recounting us using fake, uncouth inspectors who are actually ghost workers themselves. “If by now they don’t have the real staff complement under their employ then they must resign en masse,” PTUZ said. “We are surprised that the same people have the audacity to blame parastatals of mismanagement when they equally are just as bad.” Last week, Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) issued a statement saying they were challenging the government in court. “Zimta advises all teachers on leave not to report to work until proper procedures, such as inviting individuals back to work using individual letters, have been followed,” the union said. Zimbabwe Democratic Teachers’ Union and Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe also threatened to demonstrate against the recall.
The outcome of the Zanu PF Midlands provincial hearings into allegations of harassment of ministers by party officials linked to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s faction have been described as “shamelessly partisan”.This was said by the three ministers at the heart of the matter — Makhosini Hlongwane, Tapiwa Matangaidze and Annastancia Ndhlovu — in a joint statement they released yesterday in response to the verdict of the hearings in which Gokwe Nembudziya MP Justice Wadyajena, provincial youth leader Edmore Samambwa and Gokwe-Kana MP Owen Mudha Ncube were acquitted of the harassment claims. The three ministers, initially seen as close to Mnangagwa, are now linked to the party faction known as the Generation 40 (G40), which is said to be rabidly opposed to the embattled VP succeeding President Robert Mugabe. In their statement, they contended that the Daniel Mackenzie Ncube-chaired disciplinary committee had in fact lied to the nation that it had conducted disciplinary hearings into the matter. The trio said the process had been “heavily flawed as no prohibition orders were issued against the accused persons as required by the Zanu PF constitution”. They also allege that the committee was deliberately stuffed with officials loyal to Mackenzie Ncube and Zanu PF deputy secretary for administration July Moyo, who they accuse of being behind their alleged “persecution”. “If the committee has concluded the hearings can it tell the nation, instead of engaging in cheap propaganda, where it carried out its investigations. Did it go to Mberengwa, Mataga for example? “Did they talk to witnesses who were in Victoria Falls during the pre-budget meeting for example? Did they speak to minister A Ndhlovu? In short, did they conduct an inquiry to establish the facts and where did they do so?” they charged. They also produced a recording of the meeting’s proceedings in which they were called by the committee to “an information gathering platform” where the committee chairperson told them “we are going to invite you to submit your evidence and bring your witnesses”. The ministers allege that Ncube revealed, at party meetings held on January 20 and 21 in Kwekwe and Gokwe South respectively, that he and his co-accused were “untouchable”, as they had the committee chairperson on their side. “Clearly, the accused must answer for their sins, including the claim that our appointments were G40-motivated. We therefore dismiss this charade with the contempt it deserves, and we have proceeded to launch an appeal with the national disciplinary committee,” they said.
FORMER Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T is deeply in the red and early this month extended a begging bowl to a group of diplomats, commonly known as the “Fishmongers”, seeking money to oil its administration, NewsDay has learnt.Sources within the opposition party said the MDC-T is in a precarious financial position.“The situation is really bad at Harvest House (MDC-T headquarters). There is no money and for some time now, workers have not been paid. This is despite the fact that in the past year or so since the 2014 October congress, the party has raised over $1,2 million,” a well-placed party insider said.“However, that money cannot be accounted for and now the party wants donors to chip in with assistance.”Diplomatic sources in Harare last week said a team from the MDC-T led by secretary-general, Douglas Mwonzora and party treasurer-general Theresa Makone met with envoys from Britain, the United States, Australia Japan, Germany, France, Sweden, Holland, Norway and Canada to seek financial assistance.The envoys’ group is derisively known as the “Fishmongers” after a restaurant in Harare, where they regularly meet.The meeting, impeccable sources revealed, came after Makone had met former Vice-President Joice Mujuru, as efforts within opposition ranks to form a “grand coalition” gather steam.Mujuru is now fronting the People First outfit that is yet to be launched and made up of former Zanu PF stalwarts kicked out of the ruling party at the end of 2014.“Western countries that have supported the (MDC-T) party technically and otherwise have demanded a coalition of opposition parties, but most of these are holding back because of egos. The MDC-T has been forced into meeting with People First because there has been a pre-condition for any kind of support, which is to form a coalition of opposition parties,” an envoy said last week.MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu could neither deny nor confirm the meeting took place.“As the largest and most popular political party in the country, the MDC is always engaging in meetings and discussions with all concerned and relevant stakeholders as we seek to lawfully and democratically establish a new Zimbabwe,” he said, adding “it would not be proper for us to disclose the identities of each and every stakeholder with whom we consult.“Suffice to say that the MDC has held discussions and, indeed, continues to interact with several diplomats, the Fishmongers included. Let me hasten to say that diplomatic consultations and engagements are part of modern-day political discourse.”Gutu, however, rejected claims the party was looking for financial assistance, but admitted the MDC-T, like all facets of life in Zimbabwe, had been affected by the economic meltdown.“The MDC is a law-abiding party. We do not rely on foreign funding. Our political party is bankrolled by membership subscriptions as well as our share from Treasury, in accordance with the Political Parties Finance Act,” he said.“Let me make it abundantly clear that no money has been unaccounted for in the party. Each and every party expenditure is transparent and above aboard, and, indeed, all stakeholders are always free to verify the transparency and authenticity of our accounting system. We have got absolutely nothing to hide; no skeletons in our cupboards.”
Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Tanzania, Edzai Chimonyo, has approached the High Court seeking an eviction order against a firm, Matanuska (Pvt) Ltd, from his Fangudu Farm in Mutare.In the summons filed under case number HC11599/15, Chimonyo cited Lands and Rural Development minister Douglas Mombeshora as the second respondent.“This is an application for the eviction of the first defendant (Matanuska) and all those claiming occupation through it from Subdivision 1 of Lot 1 of Fangudu in Mutare in the District of Manicaland Province,” Chimonyo said in his particulars of claim.Matanuska has since filed an appearance to defend notice and is geared to defend the ambassador’s eviction application when the matter kicks off.Chimonyo said although the farm was originally owned by Matanuska, it was eventually gazetted by the government sometime in 2006 under the land reform programme and allocated to him.“The farm was gazetted and on the July 17, 2006, plaintiff accepted an offer letter issued by the second defendant to hold, use and occupy Subdivision 1 of Lot 1 of Fangudu in Mutare in the District of Manicaland Province measuring 251,41 hectares in extent,” he said. “Despite this, the plaintiff’s use and occupation of Subdivision 1 of Fangudu Farm has been disturbed by the first defendant.”Chimonyo further said Matanuska was currently occupying his farm without lawful authority and had refused to comply with his demand to vacate the property.“The employees of the first defendant occupy the plaintiff’s farm compound, offices, pack-shed and other infrastructure on the plaintiff’s farm. “Despite demand, first defendant has failed, neglected and/or refused to vacate plaintiff’s farm,” the retired general said, urging the court to grant the eviction order. newsday
THE Zimbabwe National Students’ Union (Zinasu) yesterday expressed displeasure at the University of Zimbabwe’s (UZ)decision to introduce two intakes per year, saying this will only pile pressure on scarce facilities at the State university.Although the demonstration, organised by Zinasu at the UZ campus, flopped yesterday, reportedly due to heavy police presence, the student representative body said they would continue pushing to have the decision rescinded.“We are defending the quality of education and reputation of our institution. As students, we can’t allow a situation where we will be at the receiving end,” Zinasu spokesperson, Zivai Mhetu said.“We say no to the introduction of two intakes unless the university does infrastructure development first on key areas such as lecture rooms, hostels and the library.“Any hurried decision will leave students in a sorry state, where they will be pushed to exchange accommodation for sex with gardeners and maids and other inhumane living conditions that will affect learning.” But in an interview with NewsDay on Friday, UZ director of information, Daniel Chihombori dismissed claims that the introduction of two intakes was a move by the university to raise funds and fight competition from other universities like Midlands State University.Chihombori defended the move, saying it was made to reduce the waiting period for university aspirants, as well as giving an opportunity to deserving candidates.Asked if the university, which has about 4 000 carrying capacity in hostels, will be able to house the students, Chihombori said they would need support from the local communities to arrest the accommodation crisis.Already surrounding neighbourhoods in Avondale, Mt Pleasant, Pomona and Vainona among others are making a killing renting out accommodation to students and might get more if demand increases.However, Zinasu said it would continue mobilising it members until the university rectifies the matter. “The heavy presence of police will not deter us as students and we will continue demonstrating until our plight is heard,” Mhetu said.
