Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

A service officer of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) was shot and killed while another sustained life-threatening injuries after an unknown assailant opened fire at a police post in Chivhu yesterday afternoon. The incident occurred after the assailant had approached the police post under the pretence of seeking assistance and later opened fire on the […]

The post Latest on gunman who shot 2 ZNA soldiers in Chivhu, police boss Paul Nyathi reveals more details first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.

Source: Pensioners’ USD concerns resolved | Sunday Mail

Debra Matabvu

Banks will soon issue foreign currency accounts (FCA) debit cards to pensioners for easier access of their allowances.

RBZ Governor Dr John Mangudya told The Sunday Mail that  he had held a productive meeting with banks and they would all comply.

“It was brought to our attention and we recently met with the CEOs of various banks on the issue and they assured us that pensioners would receive their cards any time from now, as the cards are being imported,” he said.

“We are putting pressure on them to fast-track the process and we are confident that in a week or two the problem will be rectified.

“We also reiterated to the banks that the service will be free and the cost will be borne by the Government, so pensioners will get their money in full. All banks need to do is to send the invoice to us and we pay.”

While banks created FCA for pensioners to access their US$30 Covid-19 allowances, getting debit cards to transact has been difficult.

Desperate pensioners have had to opt to liquidate their FCA balances into local currency, a process that is, however, fraught with bureaucracy owing to the paperwork involved and difficulties in travelling during the obtaining restrictions on movement.

There are allegations that some lenders, contrary to Government expectations, were not giving full foreign currency value of nostro allowances from the Government.

For example, most pensioners were only allowed to liquidate US$50 of the US$60 allowances that have accrued over the two-month period of July and August.

The recent meeting between the RBZ and banks follows a directive by the Government for corrective action to ensure civil servants’ and pensioners’ Covid-19 foreign currency allowances were not abused by financial institutions.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Professor Paul Mavima said pensioners’ concerns were being looked into.

“The matter is being looked into and getting the attention it deserves. We are meeting with the Ministry of Finance to rectify the issue.”

Ministry of Finance and Economic Development communications and advocacy director, Mr Clive Mphambela, said the teething challenges were being resolved.

“The funds were paid into the accounts. However, the challenge is on the cards, which cannot be accessed because they have to be ordered from outside the country,” he said.

“We wanted the pensioners to receive the funds in full; that is why the electronic system was introduced.

“The issue is now being handled by the RBZ, which is liaising with local banks.”

In June, Government announced a flat non-taxable Covid-19 allowance of US$75 for civil servants and a flat non-taxable Covid-19 allowance of US$30 for pensioners who retired from the civil service.

To guard against the potential misuse of the US-denominated cushion allowances, which cost the Government more than $32 million per month, Government decided to ring-fence the facility.

The post Pensioners’ USD concerns resolved appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: Court bid to stop Zimpapers ‘bias’ | The Standard

By Staff Reporter

The government has been taken to court in a bid to stop it from interfering in the running of Zimbabwe Newspapers (Zimpapers) in violation of the law.

George Makoni, a human rights activist, lodged a High Court application, accusing the government of usurping the role of the Zimbabwe Mass Media Trust (ZMMT) by appointing the Zimpapers board and interfering in the appointment of senior editorial staff.

The ZMMT was established by government in 1981 to oversee the operations of news organisations owned by the state and act as a buffer to prevent interference by the state.

Makoni said the government has been illegally interfering in Zimpapers operations by sidelining ZMMT.

He said the alleged interference has led to partisan reporting by Zimpapers titles, which was a threat to democracy.

“Applicant seeks declaration to the effect that the various acts of interference with the operations of the first respondent [Zimpapers] by the second respondent [Information minister] and her predecessors and particularly second respondent’s role in the appointment of the current board of directors are inconsistent with the provisions sections of the companies and other business entities act and section 61 (4) (a)of the constitution,” reads part of his application.

Makoni said the government’s involvement in last year’s appointment of the Zimpapers board was illegal and wants the High Court to reverse it.

“The pursuit of a biased editorial policy by the first respondent in favour of some political parties and of the current government to the detriment of the political parties violates sections 61 (4) (a) and (c) of the constitution and therefore invalid,” Makoni added.

He also said the disruption of the shareholding status of the ZMMT at Zimpapers by the government is improper and illegal.

Makoni gave the respondents 10 days to respond to the application.

Zimpapers titles have been used in the past to pursue a ruling Zanu PF agenda to the exclusion of other political players.

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Source: Zim threatens to expel US envoy | The Standard

BY MOSES MATENGA

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesperson says United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Brian Nichols has created a basis to “expel himself” after the envoy urged the region to be more proactive in handling the political and economic crisis in the country.

Mnangagwa’s government has reacted angrily to suggestions that Zimbabwe is facing a crisis after a vicious clampdown against dissent that followed the July 31 protests.

Nichols on Friday told South African broadcaster enca that the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) should help stop Zimbabwe from descending into chaos.

Mnangagwa’s spokesperson George Charamba reacted angrily to Nichols’ statements, saying they were undiplomatic.

“Why would you have an ambassador accredited to Zimbabwe featuring on a station when there is a sitting American ambassador to discuss a country hosting him in another country?

“Does it make diplomatic sense to you? “Actually somewhere it is a basis to expel him,” Charamba fumed.

“You give your letters of credence to President Mnangagwa and you go and discuss the host country in South Africa where there is another ambassador?

“Does it make diplomatic sense? It is very provocative actually.

“How does it arise that a person, who delivers letters of credence to Zimbabwe communicates with Zimbabwe over a foreign media, how does that happen?

“Why are you here then? Why do we need you here at all?”

Nichols had said Sadc can play a critical role in helping Zimbabwe return to normalcy.

“The country is facing yet another drought and food insecurity problems. “Sadc can play a vital role in supporting that effort,” he said.

“There are a tremendous number of challenges, let us talk about three specific areas.

“Promoting national dialogue and an inclusive approach to dealing with the country’s very profound challenges.

“Secondly, let us talk about the economy.

“The economy has seen over 800% inflation over the course of last year, basic incomes have not gone up and over 60% of the people need assistance to afford the basic food and market basket for them and the country is facing yet another drought and food insecurity problems and all three of these things require urgent attention and Sadc can play a vital role in support of that.”

Charamba last week also lashed out at South African politicians from both the ruling ANC and the opposition, who are pushing for a regional intervention in Zimbabwe.

He insisted that Zimbabwe had no crisis to warrant any outside intervention.

South African President Cyril Rampahosa last month despatched four envoys to Harare, but they were blocked from meeting the opposition after they held talks with Mnangagwa.

Ramaphosa, however, insisted last week that the envoys would return to Zimbabwe to meet all the protagonists in the Zimbabwe crisis.

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Commenting on the incident that occurred in Chivhu where 2 unknown gunmen gunned down one soldier and injured another before disarming them, Infomation, Publicity and Broadcasting Services permanent secretary Navaningi Nick Mangwana posted a message saying “we stand with our soldiers”. Drawing a parallel between the incident and what transpired in Canada and the UK, […]

The post Ndavaningi Nick Mangwana speaks on 2 soldiers who were shot by gunmen in Chivhu first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.