Category: zimbabwe

Paidamoyo Chipunza Herald Reporter
As Zimbabwe continues to track down all potential Covid-19 infections within its borders, including any possible transmission from a recent British tourist in Victoria Falls and a Bulawayo woman whose South African doctor recently tested positive, a National Coronavirus Strategic Plan bringing together all upgrades to the nation’s response will be launched on Thursday by President Mnangagwa.

While so far there have been no confirmed infections of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 in Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Health and Child Care is following a safety-first policy with the potential contacts in Bulawayo and Victoria Falls and two travellers who arrived yesterday,

In his briefing yesterday, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo said health authorities have asked a Bulawayo family to self-quarantine after a South African-based doctor consulted by one of the family members tested positive for Covid-19.

After coming home to Zimbabwe, the woman received a call from South Africa that her doctor had tested positive, so the Zimbabwean authorities immediately took specimens from the woman and her family before recommending self-quarantine, which means staying at home with no contact with anyone else, while awaiting release of their results. The woman returned from South Africa on Monday last week.

The Government has also begun contact tracing of workers from a Victoria Falls hotel and other people who could have been in contact with a British tourist who left Zimbabwe early last week for South Africa, where he visited some tourist areas, before testing positive back in the UK after being detected by screening when her plane landed.

Zimbabwean authorities now want to find out if she was infected before arrival in Zimbabwe or when she visited South Africa and this means testing everyone she was in close contact with in Zimbabwe.

Two more travellers who arrived in the country yesterday from Shanghai, China, and London, have been placed at the isolation centre at Wilkins Infectious Disease Hospital awaiting results of laboratory tests for Covid-19.

The developments have prompted Government to recommend protective clothing for workers in the hotel and tourism industry to protect them from potential infection from suspected cases.

All public institutions are encouraged to provide hand sanitisers in line with global recommendations to adhere to basic hygienic practices as prevention of Covid-19.

The launch of the upgraded national plan, which is expected to take place at State House, will outline public health strategies that the country will implement in the fight against Covid-19.

“I want to advise you that we have worked on the national preparedness and response plan for Zimbabwe and this is going to be launched on Thursday and it is going to be launched by non-other than the President of Zimbabwe, Cde Mnangagwa,” said Minister Moyo.

The launch follows a position taken by SADC member States at an emergency meeting held in Tanzania last week where they agreed to come up with co-ordinated national strategic plans against Covid-19.

The national efforts come as the Government continues to screen, isolate and recommend self-quarantine on a number of travellers, including Zimbabweans coming from affected countries.

So far about 8 000 travellers have been screened for coronavirus, a majority of whom passed through the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.

The Government has reiterated that people should limit unnecessary travel and gatherings, especially as the Easter holidays draw close.

Cabinet is also expected to deliberate on more measures the country will put in place for Covid-19 preparedness and response today.

Minister Moyo continued to urge the public to follow basic hygiene.

“In order to reduce the risk of the infection, we want to continue to educate the public. We are working with various international donors in the production of materials so that we can be able to reach out to the rural areas,” said Dr Moyo.

Cases of coronavirus continue to increase in Africa. Egypt is the worst hit with 150 confirmed cases, with South Africa the next worst, reporting at least 64 cases by end of yesterday.

Over 7 000 people globally have since died of coronavirus while almost 180 000 others have been infected. China, where the pandemic is dying back swiftly, Italy and Iran are the worst affected with more than 133 000 or the cases and more than 6 000 of the deaths.

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
The Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) lost over US$40 million in dubious payments approved by former chief executive officer Frank Chitukutuku.

The payments were for substandard work, overpayment for projects without board approval, flouting tender procedures, hand-picking firms, payment for incomplete work and awarding projects to companies linked to a specific individual.

The former chief executive officer, Mr Chitukutuku is alleged to have unilaterally paid contractors without board approval.

Giving oral evidence before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development yesterday, Zinara board chairperson Engineer Michael Madanha said he was curious to know where Mr Chitukutuku derived his powers when he unilaterally authorised payments for poorly done work that prejudiced the parastatal of US39 515 627,66 and R31 452 102,53 respectively.

“Zinara is interested to know the power behind these shenanigans committed by the already fired Zinara executive headed by the then CEO, Mr Frank Chitukutuku, who was the accounting officer,” said Eng Madanha.

The Transport and Infrastructural Development committee is chaired by Shamva North MP, Cde Oscar Gorerino (Zanu-PF).

Eng Madanha gave a breakdown of the projects that proved that contractors were either overpaid, paid for incomplete work, sub-standard work and in some instances paid for no work at all.

Said Cde Gorerino: “Was the CEO alone or there was someone behind him? The CEO cannot authorise all these projects without a political officer giving him this courage. Was this guy working on autopilot?”

Eng Madanha responded by saying that the board is supposed to regulate the operations of management.

For a CEO to override the board, said Cde Gorerino, meant a close link with the minister.

“There is no way the board can be skipped in the whole process given these huge amounts,” he said.

He said the Transport Minister at the time was Mr Nicholas Goche.

“If I remember well, that was the time of Minister Goche. But it is up to the accounting officer to come and say who was the power behind all this,” said Eng Madanha.

Some of the projects that were paid for include Badon Enterprises, which was paid US$9 million for two separate projects worth US$5,3 million, which were 30 percent and 80 percent complete in Chegutu.

Eng Madanha said Twalumba Associates had prejudiced Zinara of US$11,8 million through nine different road projects, whose completion ranged from five percent to 45 percent.

Other companies linked to Twalumba included Transter, Bermingpools, Arcttechards, and Notify.

In most instances, said Eng Madanha, an order to local authorities to engage Twalumba came from Mr Chitukutuku.

Efforts to recover the money are underway.

The cases will also be reported to the Zimbabwe Republic Police.

Bitumen World however, which was awarded seven projects, is one the companies that completed their projects properly.

But Eng Madanha said while Bitumen’s work was satisfactorily done and that the company had submitted documents showing that costs had escalated above initially agreed charges, there was no proof of a board resolution approving payments above agreed value of contracts.

Shurugwi North MP, Cde Robson Nyathi (Zanu-PF) said it was important that the committee invite Mr Goche and Mr Chitukutuku to give their evidence in order to have full appreciation of the goings on at Zinara at the time.

Fidelis Munyoro and Yeukai Karengezeka
VICE President Chiwenga has said the court cannot place his three minor children in the custody of his estranged wife, Marry Mubaiwa, who requires to be under constant care of a surgeon, physician and a psychiatrist.

High Court judge, Justice Christopher Dube-Banda, early this year granted Mubaiwa custody of the children and restrained the VP from interfering with her access to the Borrowdale Brooke home.

But VP Chiwenga said Mubaiwa should be in hospital for the intricate and life-saving treatment.

This emerged during the appeal in which VP Chiwenga is challenging the High Court decision to allow Mubaiwa to have custody of the couple’s three minor children.

Through his lawyer, Advocate Lewis Uriri, instructed by Mr Wilson Manase of Manase and Manase, VP Chiwenga, told the court that having relied on her medical affidavit to secure her freedom, and without alleging that the condition had been resolved, the balance of convenience was tilted against her.

Mubaiwa was granted bail after submitting a sworn statement confirming that she “must be under the care of surgeon, physician and a psychiatrist”.

“The court cannot as uppermost guardian of the children endanger them in the circumstances,” argued Adv Uriri.

“The court saw the affidavit. Its attention was specifically drawn to it. It is the uppermost guardian of the child.

“It should, once it decided to assume jurisdiction, enquire into the matter and make findings in the interest of the children.”

The three judge panel-led by Deputy Chief Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza heard that the court was mandated by the Constitution to take into account the best interests of the children.

Adv Uriri urged the court to have custody of the children placed on VP Chiwenga on the strength of Mubaiwa’s medical report.

In the High Court, Mubaiwa sought an order of spoliation, claiming VP Chiwenga abducted the couple’s children.

But Adv Uriri told the court that children could not be the subject of spoliation proceedings, as the law provides the proper course to charter and the remedies available where unlawful “abduction” is alleged.

“The children were not abducted,” he said.

“They were in need of care when the respondent was in prison.

“The appellant owes the children a duty of care. His sole custody was thus not unlawful abduction.”

Adv Uriri dismissed as incorrect Mubaiwa’s claims that minor children were abducted.

VP Chiwenga, he argued, took custody of the children as the mother was in prison.

Further, Adv Uriri argued that the lower court judge erred in his judgment when he failed to address the issue of spoliation, which Mubaiwa sought. Arguing for Mubaiwa, Adv Taona Nyamakura said despite having a medical affidavit indicating that his client needed medical attention, the doctor did not conclude that she was incapable of taking care of her children.

It was Adv Nyamakura’s submission that in terms of custodianship of children, Mubaiwa was denied access to children despite formally notifying VP Chiwenga that she was now out of jail.

He said Mubaiwa has the right to have custody of the children as their mother.

After hearing submissions from both parties’ counsel, Deputy Chief Justice Gwaunza sitting with Justices Paddington Garwe and Chinembiri Bhunu reserved judgment.

Her bail order has since been varied and she is now residing at her parents’ home until all her matters are finalised.