Parly pushes for early census

Source: Parly pushes for early census | The Herald Minister Ziyambi Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency should conclude the population census by July next year, instead of 2022, to allow the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to use the information to delimitate constituencies for the 2023 harmonised elections, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs […]

The post Parly pushes for early census appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: Parly pushes for early census | The Herald

Parly pushes for early census
Minister Ziyambi

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency should conclude the population census by July next year, instead of 2022, to allow the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to use the information to delimitate constituencies for the 2023 harmonised elections, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has said.

He said this on Wednesday while steering the Census and Statistics Amendment Bill. Traditionally the population census is held after every 10 years, implying that the next census was due in 2022 since the last exercise was done in 2012.

The Census and Statistics Amendment Bill, which sailed through the National Assembly, seeks to align the decennial national census to enable ZEC take into account census data when delimitating election boundaries.

Minister Ziyambi said in terms of the law, delimitation of electoral boundaries must be completed less than six months before polling day in a general election, and if that fails to happen boundaries that existed before the delimitation would be applicable. He said using old constituency boundaries would not be consistent with the legal requirement that equal number of voters be registered in each constituency.

“It is now seven years into the new Constitution; we are faced with the undesirable prospect of using the same electoral boundaries as were used back in the 2013 general election for two reasons. The first is that the next census is only due to be completed in 2022. Even if all the data for 2022 was availed timeously, that still brings us uncomfortably close within the range of six months of the next election in 2023. Secondly, ZEC will simply not have the time to do the consultation, produce the report and lay before Parliament its preliminary and final delimitation reports to enable Parliament and the President to properly consider them. Remember also Madam Speaker that voter registration is done on a continuous basis by ZEC.”

He said it was important that ZEC depended on reliable, up-to-date data for its delimitation exercise.

“The only achievable one in the short time available to us before the next delimitation, is to amend the Census and Statistics Act so as to align the taking of decennial national census in a manner that will enable the ZEC to take into account census data in timeous fashion,” said Minister Ziyambi.

The post Parly pushes for early census appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

JUST IN: Border authorities intercept 21 smuggling commercial trucks

Source: JUST IN: Border authorities intercept 21 smuggling commercial trucks | The Herald A truck goes through a Zimra scanner Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau AUTHORITIES at Beitbridge Border Post have increased surveillance and anti-smuggling activities during the ongoing lockdown period and have managed to intercept 21 commercial trucks that were smuggling into the country an […]

The post JUST IN: Border authorities intercept 21 smuggling commercial trucks appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: JUST IN: Border authorities intercept 21 smuggling commercial trucks | The Herald

JUST IN: Border authorities intercept 21 smuggling commercial trucks
A truck goes through a Zimra scanner

Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
AUTHORITIES at Beitbridge Border Post have increased surveillance and anti-smuggling activities during the ongoing lockdown period and have managed to intercept 21 commercial trucks that were smuggling into the country an assortment goods worth millions of dollars.

It is understood that the volume of commercial cargo entering or leaving Zimbabwe through its southern border has increased following the closure of other borders in the Sadc region.

Zimbabwe remains the only viable transit route for those countries north of the Zambezi River, including Zambia, Malawi, DRC, Tanzania and Angola.
According to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra), traffic volumes per day increased from an average (import/export) 450 daily in 2019 to 1 000 between March and June this year.

Prior to the lockdown, Zimra was clearing around 500 commercial trucks daily.

Zimra’s regional manager for Beitbridge, Mr Innocent Chikuni recently that the smuggling of groceries and related items remained the biggest challenges to the collection of revenue.

He was speaking during the tour of the border by the Revenue Authority’s senior managers and the Finance and Economic Development Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube.

“Working with other stakeholders we have been able to seize goods from 56 offenders and impounded 22 motor vehicles between April and May at undesignated entry points along the Limpopo River.

“In addition, smuggling activities through the border post are surging because of the increased traffic. Between March and May we recorded 81 seizures including 21 commercial trucks & trailers,” said Mr Chikuni.

The post JUST IN: Border authorities intercept 21 smuggling commercial trucks appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Fuel prices spark public outrage

Source: Fuel prices spark public outrage | Theindependent (Zimbabwe) AS Zimbabwe’s fuel crisis intensifies, we took time to track the number of times the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) formally announced an increase in the price of fuel over the past 12 months. We found the energy regulator had, in the period under review, issued […]

The post Fuel prices spark public outrage appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: Fuel prices spark public outrage | Theindependent (Zimbabwe)

AS Zimbabwe’s fuel crisis intensifies, we took time to track the number of times the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) formally announced an increase in the price of fuel over the past 12 months.

We found the energy regulator had, in the period under review, issued over 30 notices announcing adjustments and notifying business and the public of increases in the price of fuel. There were other unannounced increases, with motorists waking up to be greeted by fuel price hikes implemented overnight and without warning.

It has become impossible for business and individuals to plan given the magnitude and frequency of increases. There is no stability, largely because fuel prices have been trying to keep pace with the ongoing currency volatility in the country.

The fuel crisis is fueling public anger and stoking tensions in a country already experiencing runaway inflation, with large swathes of the Zimbabwean population facing hunger. The shortage has spawned corruption along the entire fuel supply chain, with some desperate motorists resorting to a flourishing black market.

It does not need a rocket scientist to determine that government has failed to resolve the country’s fuel crisis. Zimbabweans are spending long hours in queues, losing productive time in the process. Capacity utilisation is tumbling. Government has repeatedly tried to assure the nation that it is focussed on issues relating to the fuel shortage crippling the country. Its attempts at placating the population in the past year have included wheeling out several officials, ranging from the central bank governor, the Energy minister, the energy regulator and even President Emmerson Mnangagwa, to explain the fuel shortage, with some promising a solution.

In July 2019, government announced it had set up an inter-ministerial taskforce to tackle the fuel and energy crisis, adding to dozens of other different taskforces set up by government to resolve a myriad of problems. Nearly a year after the formation of this fuel taskforce, a restive population and struggling businesses are still facing incessant shortages, long queues and more promises of a resolution.

This week, government announced another shock rise in the price of fuel, pushing the country to the brink of another crisis. Zimbabweans are bracing themselves for a round of steep price increases across the board, including a hike in prices of services, goods and food. Sadly, no employer can award salaries that can keep up with the expected huge increases.

Government has not been short of someone to blame for the fuel problems, with a long list, including saboteurs, political opponents, sanctions and forex shortages said to be responsible. Public debate on the fuel crisis has focussed on allegations of corruption in the sector dominated by a fuel cartel and opportunities for arbitrage.

It is more than two years since Mnangagwa swept to power and sadly his presidency, just like his predecessor, will continue to be tainted by allegations of corruption in the procurement and supply of fuel. Now is the time for government to act decisively to save the country and avoid fuel protests like we have witnessed before.

The post Fuel prices spark public outrage appeared first on The Zimbabwe Independent.

The post Fuel prices spark public outrage appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Arrest Corruption and Looting, Not Trade Unionists! 

The MDC Alliance Youth Assembly condemns the criminalization of trade unionism as evidenced by the illegal arrest of ARTUZ President, Obert Masaraure. Source: Arrest Corruption and Looting, Not Trade Unionists! – The Zimbabwean Masaraure who also doubles up as Chairman of social movement group, Poverty Liberation Movement was picked this morning by ZANU PF thugs […]

The post Arrest Corruption and Looting, Not Trade Unionists!  appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

The MDC Alliance Youth Assembly condemns the criminalization of trade unionism as evidenced by the illegal arrest of ARTUZ President, Obert Masaraure.

Source: Arrest Corruption and Looting, Not Trade Unionists! – The Zimbabwean

Masaraure who also doubles up as Chairman of social movement group, Poverty Liberation Movement was picked this morning by ZANU PF thugs in police robes and is being transferred to Masvingo.

Obert Masaraure’s only crime is that he is the voice of the poorly paid civil servants who are demanding a decent living wage from an extravagant regime.

This is not the first time Emmerson Mnangagwa’s corrupt and illegitimate regime has misdirected its arrows of dictatorship on trade unionists.

Just last year the same regime abducted and tortured the then President of doctors union, Peter Magombeyi for demanding better working conditions for health workers.

Only a week ago the same regime abused its powers and arrested two young female nurses for demonstrating against poor working conditions.

It is clear that the illegitimate Emmerson Mnangagwa does not respect the voice of reason let alone one from the poor and suffering masses.

Obert Masaraure is the Charles Mzingeli and Joshua Nkomo of our time!

He speaks on behalf of the hungry and angry citizens.

Obert is simply confirming that our homes are empty and surely that does not warrant any arrest.

We would like to put it clear that the attack on trade unionism is a direct attack on labour.

Simply put, the arrest and persecution by prosecution of those who speak the language of the poor is a direct attack on the starving masses.

Citizens are in desperate need for food and not arrest of one their own!

Surely Mnangagwa has gone to far and arrest of the voices of the poor is tantamount to asking for civil unrest!

Challenge accepted!

#VaromboTamuka!
#AbayangaSesivukile!
#KushingaMberi!

Stephen Sarkozy Chuma
MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Spokesperson

The post Arrest Corruption and Looting, Not Trade Unionists!  appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.