Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Source: Mbedzi remains in custody despite bail grant over expired passport hurdle —

National Democratic Working Group (NDWG) Matabeleland South provincial chairperson Bhekimpilo Mbedzi remains in custody despite him granted bail by the Masvingo High Court on Monday, after a condition requiring him to surrender his passport became a new obstacle to his release.

Mbedzi was granted US$200 bail by Masvingo High Court Judge Christopher Dube-Banda, overturning an earlier decision by the Beitbridge Magistrates’ Court to keep him in custody. 

The ruling followed an urgent appeal by his lawyer, Patrick Tererai, who argued the activist had been denied his constitutional right to a speedy trial.

However, Mbedzi has not yet been released because his family has been unable to locate his passport, which is also understood to have expired. 

One of his bail conditions requires him to surrender the travel document.

Tererai told CITE that efforts were underway to have the passport-related condition removed, but the process has been delayed because the High Court is currently on vacation.

“The bail conditions had a requirement that he surrender his passport. His wife could not locate the passport at home and the passport is also expired, so we are working on having that condition removed. Unfortunately the High Court is on vacation and there’s a holiday,” Tererai said.

Asked whether this meant Mbedzi would remain in prison longer despite him granted bail, Tererai said: “Unfortunately. But I think Thursday after the holiday the alteration will be done.”

The delay means Mbedzi is expected to remain in custody until the court vacation period ends, despite the High Court having already determined that he should be released on bail.

Mbedzi was arrested at his Beitbridge home on 15 July 2026 before he was charged with incitement to commit public violence.

His arrest followed comments in which he called on Zimbabweans to reject the recently enacted Constitution Amendment Act No. 3 (CAA3) that attracted criticism from many citizens, opposition activists, civil society organisations and some constitutional experts.

The NDWG had earlier indicated it was facilitating payment of the bail amount to allow Mbedzi to reunite with his family after the High Court ruling.

Political activist, Chilumbo Mudenda, criticised the continued detention of Mbedzi despite the bail order, describing the situation as a violation of his rights.

“We are actually dismayed and disgruntled by the way the Mnangagwa administration operates. Bhekimpilo Mbedzi was granted bail by the High Court in Masvingo on 3 August 2026 when he was appearing for the third time seeking bail at Beitbridge Magistrates’ Court. But up to today, he hasn’t been given the freedom he deserves,” he said.

Mudenda said the delay had revived painful memories among some people in Matabeleland of past cases involving political activists who remained detained despite legal developments in their favour.

“We still have the scars of Lookout Masuku, who was deemed and declared innocent of any treasonous charge by the High Court of Zimbabwe. The government denied him his freedom and they continued persecuting Lookout Masuku until he died,” said the political activist.

The political activist also criticised the passport condition, arguing that requiring Mbedzi to surrender an expired document was unreasonable.

“There is no point because they are citing a very useless statement saying, ‘you must surrender an expired passport to Masvingo High Court before they release him’,” Mudenda said.

Mudenda said Mbedzi was reportedly expected back in court on 18 August and called for respect for constitutional freedoms.

“This is a clear abuse of power. When somebody is granted bail, we expect that person to have his freedom, where freedom is not what we are witnessing. It’s absurd,” he said.

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Source: Govt rules out transport fare controls despite commuter concerns —

The government has ruled out regulating public transport fares despite concerns that reductions in fuel prices are not translating into lower commuting costs for ordinary Zimbabweans.

Commuters have raised concern over fare increases following recent fuel price adjustments linked to global increases in fuel costs driven by conflict in the Middle East.

Although fuel prices have since been reduced through government interventions, some transport operators have continued charging higher fares, leaving residents complaining of increased pressure on household incomes. 

In some areas, commuter omnibuses (kombi) fares have risen from R10 to between US$1 and US$2.

Commuters argue that even when the government subsidises fuel, they are not benefiting because transport operators continue increasing fares. They have called on authorities to ensure that fuel subsidies translate into lower transport costs.

However, the government maintains while it can influence fuel prices, it cannot impose transport fares without introducing price controls, which are not part of its economic policy.

The issue was raised in Parliament after legislators questioned whether government measures to stabilise fuel prices were benefiting low-income earners, who continue to face rising transport costs.

Lynette Karenyi-Kore said that while fuel prices had fallen, commuters were seeing little relief because transport operators continued increasing fares.

“…with the rising prices of commodities, what is there so that those people are cushioned? On the issue of fuel, what is the Ministry doing to protect those who are low earners?” she asked.

Karenyi-Kore said public transport fares had increased significantly despite fuel subsidies, making it difficult for low-income earners to access transport.

“The commuter omnibuses or buses that get to town, fares have risen from fifty cents to one dollar or two dollars. Since subsidising has been done, what has been done for those low-income people? Fuel has been lowered, so I urge the government to lower fares to enable people to get into town so that low-income earners can benefit. I think the government should initiate this,” said the MP.

Responding, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, said Zimbabwe’s market-based economy meant that transport fares were determined by private operators.

“We have a market responsible for that. We have private players who are active in that market providing transport and, really, as Government, what we can do, which is what we are doing, is to signal the direction of prices, but we cannot go down there and impose price controls,” Prof Ncube said.

The finance minister said forcing operators to charge specific fares would amount to introducing price controls, which the government does not support.

“If we are to go the route that the Hon. Member is proposing, it will mean we have to start instituting price controls and that is not palatable. We signal prices generally through the pump price that the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) publishes. I am sure you see it in various garages, but the impact in terms of fares is an issue for the industry, competition and private players. We cannot dictate that price. We cannot institute price controls,” Prof Ncube said.

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Source: Govt awards weighbridge tenders as Senate demands crackdown on overloaded trucks — CITEZW

The government has revealed that it has awarded tenders for the construction of additional weighbridges at strategic points across the country following calls by senators for tougher enforcement against trucking companies, particularly those transporting minerals.

This development comes amid growing concern that overloaded vehicles are accelerating the deterioration of Zimbabwe’s road network. 

The issue was raised in the Senate on Thursday, where lawmakers said heavy mining trucks were largely responsible for the premature deterioration of newly rehabilitated roads, prompting the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development to outline measures aimed at curbing overloading and shifting more freight to rail.

Responding to questions, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister, Felix Mhona, acknowledged overloaded trucks were accelerating road damage and revealed that the government had already awarded contracts for new weighbridges to strengthen enforcement.

“We have already tendered, we have awarded and you will see new weighbridges along very strategic sections of our roads. In the meantime, mining companies should consider shifting freight to rail. The existing railway infrastructure remains underutilised while overloaded trucks continue to shorten the lifespan of roads,” Mhona said.

He said some transporters were deliberately evading law enforcement by travelling at night to avoid existing checkpoints.

“Instead of complying, some of the mining companies have resorted to travelling at midnight so that they avoid our usual checkpoints. The ministry is considering deploying Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID) officers on a 24-hour shift system to ensure weighbridges and checkpoints remain operational around the clock,” he said.

Mhona said the government’s long-term strategy was to reduce the burden on roads by requiring mining companies to transport bulk cargo by rail.

“The ideal and long-term solution is that we are going to mandate those trucks, especially those mining companies, to transport their goods through the railway line,” he said.

He added that the government was also seeking private sector investment to strengthen the country’s rail freight capacity.

“We are also inviting the private sector to partake in the exercise of making sure that we have the rolling stock on our railway line so that we transport our goods through the railway line. Therefore, we then lessen the burden on our roads,” Mhona said.

The concerns were first raised by Matabeleland South Senator Solani Moyo, who questioned why roads continued to deteriorate despite ongoing maintenance and asked when highways damaged by heavy trucks would be fully rehabilitated.

Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe Senator Jerry Gotora also expressed concern after witnessing what he believed were overloaded trucks transporting lithium along the recently reconstructed Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road.

“There were twelve 30-tonne lorries after the other, bumper to bumper, moving on the newly-constructed road. I suspected that these were not 30 tonnes, there could have been 50 or more tonnes on those lorries. Why are we not having weighbridges on these roads so that we know exactly what is moving on our roads?” Gotora said.

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Source: “Gunman In Grey Toyota GD6” Vandalises Jacob Ngarivhume House With Abusive Threats ⋆

Pressure group Sungano YeVanhu – Ubumbano Lomphakathi (The People’s Coalition) has condemned what it describes as acts of intimidation and threats directed at its spokesperson, Jacob Ngarivhume.

In a statement, the coalition said Ngarivhume’s residence was vandalised with threatening and abusive messages.

According to the statement, the messages were written by a gunman travelling in a grey Toyota GD6.

The coalition said the incident was a direct attack not only on Ngarivhume as an individual, but also on the constitutional rights of all Zimbabweans to freely express their views, associate peacefully and take part in public affairs without fear, intimidation or violence.

Sungano YeVanhu said the incident does not stand in isolation and follows a pattern of threats, harassment and intimidation against leaders and members of the coalition and its constituent organisations.

It said its convener, Rev. Kupa Mtata, had previously received threatening messages and acts of intimidation.

Other leaders, including Professor Lovemore Madhuku and Tendai Biti, have also faced threats and intimidation while exercising their constitutional rights, the coalition said.

The coalition said it is a peaceful movement committed to constitutional democracy, the rule of law and the sovereignty of the people.

It said its campaign seeks the peaceful restoration of constitutional order through lawful means, including the courts, civic engagement and national dialogue, and that it rejects violence in all its forms.

“No Zimbabwean should be threatened, intimidated or placed in fear because they hold or express constitutional views that differ from those of the Government or any political actor. Such conduct has no place in a democratic society founded upon respect for human dignity and the rule of law,” the statement said.

Sungano YeVanhu called on the Zimbabwe Republic Police and other law enforcement authorities to carry out a prompt, professional and impartial investigation into the matter, identify those responsible and ensure they are held accountable in accordance with the law.

It said every citizen is entitled to equal protection under the Constitution, regardless of political opinion or affiliation.

The coalition also called on political leaders, churches, civil society, regional bodies and the international community to speak out against political intimidation and to support the protection of constitutional rights and democratic freedoms in Zimbabwe.

“Threats will not silence us. Intimidation will not weaken our resolve. Our commitment to restoring constitutional democracy remains peaceful, lawful and unwavering,” the statement said.

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Source: Rural Teachers Union Blames 3% ZIMSEC June Pass Rate On Underfunding And Poor Pay ⋆ Pindula News

The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has blamed the continued decline in Zimbabwe’s education outcomes on structural challenges affecting the country’s education system.

This follows the release of the June 2026 ZIMSEC Ordinary Level examination results, which recorded a national pass rate of 3%.

In a statement, ARTUZ said the results reflected deeper problems, including underfunding of education, poor teacher pay, shortages of qualified teachers, inadequate learning materials and limited support for learners.

“While June examination results have traditionally been lower than November results because they are predominantly written by private candidates, candidates rewriting subjects and those who failed to write November exams due to unforeseen circumstances, the continued decline in recent years highlights the worsening challenges confronting Zimbabwe’s education system,” said ARTUZ.

ARTUZ said the figures should not be treated as statistics alone, but as proof of a deeper crisis facing public education in the country.

“These results should not be viewed just as statistics but as a reflection of the broader crisis affecting public education,” ARTUZ said.

The union said June examination candidates continue to receive little policy attention, even though thousands of learners rely on the session as a second chance to improve their results.

It said many June candidates are victims of the same education system that has failed them, through high examination fees, economic hardship and barriers to accessing formal schooling.

ARTUZ called for targeted support for June candidates, including more affordable examination fees, accessible learning opportunities and programmes to improve their chances of success.

The union also questioned the continued emphasis on five Ordinary Level passes as the main measure of success, arguing that Zimbabwe’s education system should recognise different talents and abilities among learners.

It called for greater investment in vocational education, technical training, talent identification and early specialisation to give learners practical and marketable skills beyond the traditional academic route.

ARTUZ urged the government to urgently address challenges in the education sector by recruiting more teachers, improving salaries and working conditions, properly funding public schools and ensuring learners have access to quality teaching and learning materials.

Over the last three June examination sessions from 2024 to 2026, ZIMSEC Ordinary Level pass rates for candidates writing five or more subjects have remained below 6%, with 4.44% in 2024, 5.87% in 2025 and 3.00% in 2026.

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