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Writings on South African liberation struggle icon Winnie Mandela almost all fall into one of two categories – either hagiography or demonology. These two books “Truth, Lies and Alibis. A Winnie Mandela Story,” by Fred Bridgland [...]

Source: Resign or get expelled, Chamisa orders Masvingo mayor – NewsDay Zimbabwe March 18, 2019

BY TATENDA CHITAGU

MDC president Nelson Chamisa has rekindkled his fight with Masvingo mayor Collin Maboke, ordering him to resign within a week to save his council seat or face expulsion for defying party directives.

Maboke has been accused of defying a party directive after he threw his hat in the ring to challenge preferred party candidate Godfrey Kurauone and went on to win the mayoral post, with the backing of Zanu PF councillors.

The Masvingo council is MDC-dominated, with the opposition party holding seven seats while Zanu PF has three.

The opposition party had wanted Kurauone to be elected Masvingo mayor.

Maboke beat Kuraune by seven votes to three, prompting violence by some party supporters who were waiting for good news outside the Masvingo City Council chambers.

Following Maboke’s ascendency, Chamisa insisted that he should resign, but the latter dug in, hoping the matter would suffer a natural death.

But on Saturday, Chamisa, at a provincial council meeting at Mucheke Hall, demanded that Maboke should step down from the mayoral post.

“On the issue of the mayorship, Maboke has to resign. We are giving him one week to do so and he can remain councillor. If he does not resign, we will expel him from the party,” Chamisa said.

Contacted for comment, Maboke declined to indicate whether he was going to comply or defy the order.

“I am just hearing it from you, I was attending a funeral in the rural areas, so I cannot comment on that,” he said.

Sources in the party said Maboke was likely to step down and contest the by-election as an independent and could still get back the post because of his popularity.

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Source: Cyclone death toll hits 82 … ED cuts short UAE tour – NewsDay Zimbabwe March 18, 2019

Kenneth Nyangani/Tatenda Chitagu/Richard Muponde/Blessed Mhlanga/ Jairos Saunyama

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday cut short his State visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to rush back home and co-ordinate emergency rescue operations following a humanitarian disaster triggered by Cyclone Idai, which has destroyed infrastructure, claimed 82 lives, with 100 people reportedly missing since Friday last week.

Local Goverment minister July Moyo last night said the death toll had risen to 82.

“The deceased were at 64 this morning and the number keeps on increasing and they are now 82, we are looking to bury them as early as possible once we get access into the areas they are. The government is going to assist the deceased’s families with coffins and food, that is our priority,” he said.

The tragedy has since been declared a national disaster.

The Ministry of Information confirmed in a statement that Mnangagwa was expected home earlier than scheduled so that he could oversee rescue operations in Manicaland and Masvingo provinces, where the cyclone has hit most.

Mnangagwa arrived in Abu Dhabi on Saturday for two-day talks with Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Sultan Al Nahyan, according to State media. He was yesterday supposed to visit Dubai, which is about 140km from Abu Dhabi.

“President Mnangagwa has shortened his visit to the UAE to make sure he is directly involved with the national response by way of relief to victims of Cyclone Idai-induced floods. The President has also incorporated in his schedule a plea for assistance for the cyclone victims,” the Information ministry said.

This comes as thousands of people, especially in Chimanimani, Chipinge, Zaka, Bikita and Chiredzi districts were cut off from the rest of the world, with no power, communication, clean water or food as government rescue teams struggled to reach the affected areas because of bad weather.

Moyo and his inter-ministerial team, comprising of Perrance Shiri (Agriculture) and Joel Biggie Matiza (Transport), could not reach Chimanimani after they got stuck at New Year’s Gift after Tanganda, while Public Service minister Sekai Nzenza also failed to get to Tongogara Refugee Camp in Chipinge.

Government officials confirmed to NewsDay yesterday that hundreds of people were still marooned in Chimanimani and Chipinge.

A Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company official said 13 of their workers who escaped from a local lodge were still marooned on a nearby mountain.

He said efforts by an Emergency Medical Rescue Ambulance Service helicopter to rescue marooned villagers hit a brickwall due to bad weather.

Civil Protection Unit (CPU) director Nathan Nkomo said they were working flat out to reach the affected areas

“We are doing all processes to clear roads so that we have access to the most affected people. Army is busy clearing the roads as you know Chimanimani is a plantation area. Big wattle trees have fallen onto the roads. We want to reach Ngangu and Charles Luwanga School, where students are still trapped,” he said.

Two pupils from the school died on Friday after their dormitory was crushed by mudslides following heavy rains. The other 175 pupils were still stranded at the school.

Cyclone Idai hit the borderline areas of Zimbabwe on Friday afternoon from the Mozambique Channel, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake, with some families, especially in Manicaland province, seeking refuge in the mountains after their homes were swept away by floods while bridges were washed away, making rescue efforts extremely difficult.

Chimanimani resident Mariam Chikomba, who crossed the Rusitu River before the floods hit, said most homes and cars had been swept, amid fears that some victims could have been buried under mudslides.

“As I speak, there are children and their parents marooned in the middle of water and crying out for help, even at the Zaoga Church close to the banana plantation, there is a man crying out for help, trapped under a tree, but nobody can reach him,” she said.

Japhet Muvhulo said he had learnt that the Roman Catholic bishop from Rusitu Church was trapped in the mountains.

“The bishop from Rutsitu church is fine, but as we speak, he is in the mountains, his car was swept by the rains, nobody has access to the village,” he said.

Government said its rescue efforts were being hampered by bad weather as Air Force of Zimbabwe helicopters could not manoeuvre to rescue those trapped on islands, while most roads were impassable.

“The army is moving in from Chipinge to rescue 197 pupils from Charles Luwanga, so they can take them to Mhandarume. This is a very challenging operation as it is being undertaken as a ground effort because of unsafe weather conditions for air efforts,” the Information ministry said.

Thousands are feared injured and homeless in Chipinge, Chimanimani districts and Masvingo’s Zaka and Bikita districts.

Chipinge was cut off the power grid and the whole town plunged into darkness and without access to clean water since Friday as strong winds uprooted pylons.

The trail of destruction in the suburbs is huge after most houses were destroyed, especially in Gazza O surburb.

Due to the blackout, mortuaries in Chimanimani have been hit hard, raising fears of another catastrophe.

In Masvingo, three children died after their house gave in on Friday night, according to the provincial CPU head and provincial administrator, Fungai Mbetsa, while the roof at Mutimurefu Prison was blown off, leaving the prisoners exposed to the rains.

“The rains are still pouring, but the strong winds have subsidised. The number of those injured is yet to be verified, but bridges like Mujiche is impassable.
We are still gathering more information,” he said.

In Chikomba district, Mashonaland East, an 83-year-old man died after he was swept by a flooded river following the cyclone-induced heavy rains that have been pouring in the area for the past two days.

The floods have also resulted in the destruction of 20 houses in Masasa area in Chikomba’s ward 17, according to acting provincial administrator, Clemence Masawi.

The post Cyclone death toll hits 82 … ED cuts short UAE tour  appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: Chamisa to tour cyclone-ravaged areas | Newsday (News)

BY BLESSED MHLANGA/KENNETH NYANGANI

OPPOSITION MDC leader Nelson Chamisa is reportedly planning to visit the Cyclone Idai-ravaged Manicaland province this week for a first-hand assessment of the disaster and appreciate the needs of the affected families.

“The president is praying for the people in Manicaland and his team is preparing for him to visit affected areas, while through party organs we are also co-ordinating efforts to give a helping hand. We are well aware that this has nothing to do with politics, but the people of Zimbabwe,” said an MDC insider.
Chamisa, through his spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda, expressed empathy and called on well-wishers to assist the families.

“The State has an obligation to support citizens in need. Let us mobilise everything necessary to ensure the safety and comfort of citizens. The latest tragedy is an important reminder of the necessity of the State’s disaster preparedness … Lives have been lost. We empathise with all who have suffered from the natural catastrophe. We appeal to all well-wishers to support our people in need,” he said.

MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume called out President Mnangagwa, saying his trip to the United Arab Emirites (UAE) was irresponsible and showed his lack of care for the ordinary people.

“Doctors are struggling to assist patients with absolutely no support from government. A cyclone is wreaking havoc in the eastern parts of the country. Old problems such as fuel shortages persist, yet Mnangagwa flies out once more. The MDC condemns this kind of behaviour; such opulence of travelling in luxury on the back of taxpayers in the face of crisis and poverty is a clear sign of showing no respect and care for the citizen,” he said in a statement.

Mafume joined hundreds of citizens on social media, who said Mnangagwa should not have flown to the UAE, especially given that the country was aware of the cyclone before he left.

“What kind of person leaves behind dying children, sinking homes, washed away bridges and goes on a dish-sampling mission in the Middle East?”

But Information ministry secretary Ndabaningi Mangwana disputed the opposition claims, saying Mnangagwa’s trip was not a vacation, but critical engagement that would bring lots of benefits to the country.

“The President is not on some working exotic holiday. The purpose of his journey is for the benefit of this country. He has deployed resources to deal with the disaster from the cyclone, unless you wanted him to personally drive the choppers. His presence here would not stop the rains,” Mangwana said.

Civil Society groups rapped the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) for being ill-prepared for the disaster although it had received prior warnings from the Meteorogical Services Department.

Human rights activist Farai Maguwu said the government should have evacuated people living in high risk areas prior to the disaster.

“There was a warning by the Meteorological Services Department days before this devastating cyclone. There was no single disaster preparedness to save the lives of the people. They did not care and the government could have equipped the Civil Protection Unit,” he said.

Meanwhile, several organisations, among them Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) and Econet have started mobilising donations for the cyclone victims.

AMH are publishers of NewsDay, The Standard, Zimbabwe Independent, Southern Eye and also proprietors of online radio and television station, Heart&Soul.

The post Chamisa to tour cyclone-ravaged areas appeared first on NewsDay Zimbabwe.

The post Chamisa to tour cyclone-ravaged areas appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: Wonders never cease | Daily News

AFTER watching the Pfeesident’s sidekick Victor Matemadanda’s soporific homily on one online television, one gets an abiding feeling that indeed Zimbabwe is a God-forsaken country.

Things are likely to get worse before they get better not least because of the hypocritical leaders presiding over our country.
Inordinate amount of airtime is given to vacuous mouths like Matemadanda and his ridiculous analogies.

Besides being the pfeesident’s full-time lapdog, Matemadanda is the deputy minister of Defence and War Veterans who also is moonlighting as “ovets” leader.
Without any sense of irony, Matemadanda heaped blame for the Gukurahundi massacres on Mugabe.

He declared that the old man was a worse killer than Mnangagwa following the latter’s birthday message criticising the pfeesident over the deaths that occurred ever since he assumed the leadership of this country. How so disingenuous!
Was the pfeesident not the minister of State Security at that material time? Why then are his minions trying so hard to exonerate him from Mugabe’s egregious errors?
As if that is not enough, “ovets” leader held the former head of State solely responsible for the economic hardships facing the country following 37 years of misrule.

It really boggles the mind because his current boss was part of the Mugabe regime for years on end since independence and never once did he try to disassociate himself from Mugabe’s misrule. If anything, him and his acolytes egged Mugabe on.
Matemadanda said Mugabe, during his tenure, travelled across the globe inviting sanctions by insulting world leaders.
Phew! Had it not become part of Zany PF culture to ululate every time Mugabe poured his diatribe to other world leaders at international fora? Is Matemadanda suffering selective amnesia?

The scales have fallen
Granted; Mugabe during his tenure was an ineffable ogre.
However, our opinions on him will not be shaped by hypocrites like Matemadanda whose views only changed in the latter part of his rule not least because they had a political axe to grind with him.
Matemadanda and his bogus war vets brigade were Mugabe’s biggest cheerleaders for years on end. They cheered him on when he set on the path to destruction, they were dead blind to his misdeeds only for their scales to fall when they fell out of favour with him.

Matemadanda says Mugabe does not deserve forgiveness.
Ironically, the same individuals want us to accept their pfeesident, who up until the twilight moments of Mugabe’s rule was widely seen as his chief enforcer, lock, stock and barrel!
Matemadanda says Mugabe is a known hang man or killer.
He also says many people have disappeared during Mugabe’s era including some who are recent (read: Itai Dzamara).
While there is no gainsaying such a view, it behoves us well if Matemadanda were to tell us the names of people who were killed by Mugabe to bring closure to their long-suffering families.
Inevitably, it then begs the question, at what point in

Matemadanda’s life did he realise that Mugabe is a killer?
Was it before or after he got into the old man’s bad graces?
Does this not sound so hypocritical? There you have it, it is impossible for Zanoids to impute the problems facing the country to Mugabe without implicating themselves.

Non-apology apology
We were told that the two MPs who recently turned the Parliament into a kindergarten school apologised for their disorderly conduct.
However, it was Dexter Nduna’s apology that left a sour taste in the mouth.
He said: “When you are fighting, there is no formula, you use a hoe, pick and wheelbarrow or anything at your disposal. I want to profusely apologise for my words.
“I did not mean anything that I meant. I take back my words. I want to be treated in the same way I am presenting this apology so that the decorum of Parliament can be upheld,” he was quoted saying in The Horrid.
This is a textbook definition of what propaganda or PR practitioners call a non-apology apology.
Is this the abiding philosophy in Zany PF to use anything at their disposal when fighting?
Is this not tacit admission to violence? Is it any wonder why our country finds itself in the state it is?
What sanctions?
Donald Trump recently renewed targeted sanctions against the Harare regime. As a matter of course, Zany PF responded with the usual hysterical rhetoric.
Zany PF secretary for information and publicity Simon Khaya Moyo came up with the usual facile statements we have become accustomed to over the years.
The same Khaya Moyo who does not even scruple to serve in the administration of the same man he said is dishonest and lacked probity.

What is worrying is that the Zany PF spokesperson seems to be stuck in a time warp. He still prefixes the word sanctions with the term illegal. What is illegal about the sanctions at all?

Fadzai Mahere’s response could not have been more apposite. She tweeted: “US sanctions against Zimbabwe aren’t illegal. They’re authorised by their legislature.
“They’re not forced by any domestic or international law to associate with Zimbabwe beyond what they’re comfortable with.
“Our opinions on this are irrelevant. If we want them lifted, must play ball.
“If they’re (Zimbabwe government) serious about wanting the sanctions lifted, they must demonstrate serious commitment to meeting the stated conditions.
“The US has no qualms with imposing sanctions for decades (see Cuba).
“Unless there’s reform, we’ll be singing the same tired tune in 20 years’ time.”
It does not look like Zany PF knows the reason why sanctions were imposed in the first place.
If they do, then they are feigning ignorance. Instead of reforming a dead-beat Zany PF, the regime fritters scarce green backs paying PR companies in the US to lobby for their removal.

Marching to the past
Is it me alone feeling that we are marching back to our country’s dark past besides these empty claims of a new dispensation? Zimbabwe’s youngest National Assembly member, Joanna Mamombe and a slew of other MDC MPs are being charged with Mugabe-era trumped up charges of treason.
Mamombe for her part, is being accused of addressing a press conference in her constituency encouraging people to revolt against the government.
This is very sad, it is like Mugabe never left. Where is the new dispensation at all in this?

Ramaphosa can’t have his cake and eat it
While South Africa’s president flew to Zimbabwe to offer moral support to his counterpart, his compatriots and party members back home are fed up with Zimbabweans in that country.
One such person is an ANC member and Premier of the Gauteng Province David Makhura who was last week quoted in the Sowetan saying: “I think there is a degree in which we need to have a conversation with our Sadc counterparts.
“There are countries that must pay for their citizens to use our health services. Those countries must pay. Some of these countries are just running as if they are not governments.
“Think of Lesotho… Swaziland (Eswatini)… Zimbabwe and Mozambique. We’ve governments there but their citizens get almost everything from South Africa. If someone is ill and arrives at a hospital, which is (an institution) about saving lives, you cannot turn them back and say just because they are Zimbabweans (they shouldn’t be treated).
“The nature of health institutions and services is to save lives.
“We must go to the government of Zimbabwe and say we’ve treated so many citizens of your country in our facilities because you are not providing (them with these services and you must pay back the money we’ve spent on treating them).
“We must collect this money from these governments.”

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