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Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has set the cat among the pigeons in his party, after he recently suggested that one of the MDC’s three posts of vice president should be reserved for a woman, the Daily News can report. This has agitated some of his ambitious lieutenants who intend to go for the posts when the […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa yesterday dashed hopes that Pretoria would immediately open its wallet and extend critically-needed financial assistance to cash-strapped Zimbabwe, the Daily News can report. However, the leader of Africa’s most industrialised country also made it clear that South Africa was ready to help Zimbabwe to revive its sickly economy — although […]

Source: Chamisa stuns big wigs. . . as he pushes for a woman to be one of his VPs | Daily News

Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has set the cat among the pigeons in his party, after he recently suggested that one of the MDC’s three posts of vice president should be reserved for a woman, the Daily News can report.

This has agitated some of his ambitious lieutenants who intend to go for the posts when the country’s main opposition gathers at its elective congress in May — as their chances of falling by the wayside have just gone a notch up.

This comes as an insane rate race for the posts has ensued in the party, with nearly a dozen heavyweights expected to throw their names into the ring at the eagerly-anticipated elective congress.
The MDC will hold the congress from May 24 to 26, to choose a new party leadership — including the substantive successor to its revered founding president Morgan Tsvangirai, who died early last year after losing his valiant battle against cancer of the colon.

The popular and charismatic Chamisa, who narrowly lost to President Emmerson Mnangagwa in last year’s historic elections, could face competition from either Elias Mudzuri or respected secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora at the gathering.

However, it is the three posts of vice president which could ignite real fireworks, with well-placed party sources confirming to the Daily News yesterday that these would be contested by a number of senior officials. But in a new twist to the eagerly-awaited elections, Chamisa appeared to have thrown spanners in the works of some of his powerful colleagues, after he indicated that the party’s presidium needed gender balance.

“We want to advance you. We want to elevate you. That is why we came here to celebrate balance … which is the theme for this celebration. “We want to make sure we have balanced our leadership … as we go to the congress. Let us balance leadership in the party structures,” the MDC leader told women who gathered in Chitungwiza last weekend to celebrate International Women’s Day.

Chamisa went on to heap praise on women’s assembly boss Lynnet Karenyi-Kore, whom he lauded for having provided “inspiring leadership which he was proud of” in the party.
“We have known Karenyi-Kore for a long time when she was a councillor in Mutare. She has developed tremendously.

“I know she is going to school, she is advancing herself. All women wherever you are continue to advance and we want you to feel encouraged that MDC is the home for all women who want to develop, including young female leaders,” he said further.

MDC insiders told the Daily News yesterday that while it was “not cast in stone” that Karenyi-Kore would get one of the party’s VP posts, it was “very telling” that Chamisa had praised her at a time that she was actively pushing for promotion.

The MDC’s three current vice presidents are all men — comprising Welshman Ncube, Morgen Komichi and Mudzuri. Thus far, it is also not clear if the party will keep this structure intact or return to its old arrangement where it had only two vice presidents.

Among the notable party bigwigs who are said to be vying for the VPs’ posts include Komichi, Ncube, vice chairperson Tendai Biti, Mwonzora, chairperson Tabitha Khumalo and secretary for elections Murisi Zwizwai. Karenyi-Kore, former Labour minister Paurina Mpariwa, Midlands Senator Lillian Timveos and treasurer-general Theresa Makone are the other women said to be also eyeing the posts.

While none of these bigwigs have openly declared their ambitions yet, preferring to wait until they are officially nominated by party structures for the positions, Karenyi-Kore recently hinted at her higher ambitions by calling for the elevation of women to the MDC’s top decision-making positions.

She also said that she was aware that her supporters wanted to know what position she would contest at the May elective congress, but said cryptically: “I would like to throw the ball in your court my beloved MDC … family”. “What is your advice as leaders and supporters of our party? I will be willing to take up a position of the people’s choice where supporters feel I can best represent the movement.

“In the meantime, speaking on behalf of many women in the movement, my wish is to see a balanced leadership that also puts the issue of gender into consideration. “I also wish to see a reasonable number of women in senior positions, including the standing committee, national executive, provincial executives, district executives, ward executives and branch executives,” Karenyi-Kore said.

Other party sources told the Daily News yesterday that Chamisa’s weekend remarks could spell trouble for many bigwigs among the prospective male candidates for the VP posts — including Biti and Ncube who only returned to the main opposition party in August 2017 when, the late Tsvangirai formed an alliance with their respective parties.

Both Biti and Ncube are former secretaries-general of the original united MDC. In 2005, Ncube walked out of the party accusing Tsvangirai of being a dictator — while Biti similarly packed his bags in 2014 after also accusing Tsvangirai of having dictatorial tendencies.

The sources added that Komichi and Mudzuri, who are already in the presidium, could be favoured by their intimate knowledge of party structures — where Biti and Ncube allegedly had “all to do to win over support”. One of these insiders also said while Ncube appeared “a shoo-in” to retain his post, this could change if the party decided to reserve one of the VP posts for a woman from Matabeleland.

Previously, one of the party’s then two VP posts was occupied by Thokozani Khupe — who later formed her own breakaway party last year, following an ugly leadership wrangle in the MDC.

Another insider said should the party decide to have a woman from the Shona-speaking side of the country as one of its VPs, as was “most likely” given Chamisa’s recent remarks, this would mean that the likes of Biti, Zwizwai, Mudzuri and Komichi would fall by the wayside.

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Source: Mphoko fights for his benefits | Daily News

Former vice president Phelekezela Mphoko is now planning to approach the courts to force the government to release his terminal benefits.

This comes one-and-a-half years after his inglorious exit from the government, which was triggered by a stunning military coup in November 2017 — which also ended former president Robert Mugabe’s lengthy and ruinous rule.

Mphoko is demanding, for life, a salary equivalent to that of a sitting VP, bodyguards, an office and a government vehicle. In contrast to the treatment that has been given to the much-derided Mphoko, Mugabe was given an eye-watering exit package when he fell from power — including benefits commensurate with those of a sitting head of State.

Details of the frail nonagenarian’s massive handshake were announced in the government gazette a month after his ouster, in December 2017 — under a presidential pension and retirement packages notice. “We haven’t made any progress at all since the last time. What we have to do now is go to court since we are not making any progress in the discussions with regards to his pension.

“We have been going round in circles and haven’t achieved any progress,” Mphoko’s high profile lawyer, Welshman Ncube, told the Daily News yesterday. Previously, Ncube had said the government was conceding that his client was entitled to a pension, but was haggling over the quantum of his benefits.

“We have been communicating back and forth … the communication we have so far with the ministry of Justice through the advice of the attorney general is that they appear to be conceding that he is entitled to his pension but continue to dispute his entitlement to other benefits like security, office and others,” Ncube said.

Mphoko is said not to be deserving of such benefits because he had been removed from his position before he completed a full term.
His term was supposed to end in July 2018 — the same time that Parliament was to be dissolved to pave way for last year’s elections.
According to Statutory Instrument 86 of 2015, a VP who serves at least one term in office can enjoy exit packages such as those being demanded by Mphoko.

Ncube has argued that provisions in the Presidential Pensions Act contradict provisions in the country’s Constitution, which do not require a former VP or president to have completed a full term.
Mugabe, who ruled Zimbabwe with an iron fist for close to four decades, “resigned” from the top office on November 21, 2017 — hours after Parliament had initiated damaging proceedings to impeach him.

This happened after he had refused to leave office during eight tense days that began with the military intervening in the governance of the country. The now very frail nonagenarian was later given a lucrative golden handshake by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.

“The president, in terms of section 3(1) of the Presidential Pension and Retirement Benefits Act, hereby makes the following notice:
“A former president of Zimbabwe, who has at any time since the 31st December 1987 been president of Zimbabwe for at least one full term of office, shall be entitled to the enjoyment of the following services, facilities and allowances — staff (a) the services of — (i) such security personnel as may be determined by the president, but no less than six, and to be increased by such number as may be determined by the president whenever and for such period as the need arises; and (ii) two drivers and (iii) two private secretaries; and (iv) two aide-de-camp officers or personal assistants; and (v) two office attendants,” read the notice in the government gazette.

The publicised raft of benefits detailed the number of staff at Mugabe’s disposal, as well as office and accommodation arrangements — including a private residence on a 5 000 square metre piece of land; comprehensive medical cover for him, his wife and children, as well as transport that includes top-of-the-range vehicles.

Mugabe and his erratic wife Grace are also entitled to diplomatic passports and private, first class international air travel, up to a maximum of four trips per year. Mugabe is also to receive a Mercedes Benz S500 series or any equivalent vehicle, one four-wheel drive station wagon or an equivalent vehicle, and one pick up van.

Apart from maintaining and fuelling the vehicles, government is also obliged to replace all the vehicles after five years. The 95-year-old also has the option of maintaining his long motorcade after the government notified that Mugabe was entitled to the provision of “such adequate number of vehicles as may be determined by the president and which must be put at the disposal of the security personnel and other staff serving the former president”.

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Source: Protest organisers liable to compensate victims: Ziyambi | Newsday (News)

BY VENERANDA LANGA

JUSTICE minister Ziyambi Ziyambi yesterday told Parliament that the Public Order Security Act (Posa) compels organisers of demonstrations to compensate for the loss of property and lives.

His charges followed pressure on government to show remorse over the August 1, 2018 and the mid-January killings of protesters by soldiers.

Ziyambi also admitted that President Emmerson Mnangagwa was supposed to inform Parliament promptly after deploying soldiers who brutally crushed last year’s August 1 post-elections violence, which left six civilians dead.

Mnangagwa, through Ziyambi, yesterday finally issued a statement in the National Assembly on the deployment of soldiers on the fateful day, which later resulted in him appointing the former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe-led commission to probe the shootings.

“I acknowledge that,” he said, in response to questions from MPs on the need for Mnangagwa to have briefed Parliament.

“I must indicate that if you go to Posa, there are civil liabilities that accrue to organisers of demonstrations. The issue of compensation; Posa is clear that the organisers of those riotous demonstrations must be held liable.”

Ziyambi read Mnangagwa’s statement in the National Assembly, which said the President’s authority to deploy was derived from section 213(1)(a) of the Constitution, and section 214(b)(i), which requires him to promptly inform Parliament of the deployment.

The statement indicated that it was the Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga who gave orders to soldiers during the operation.

The Justice minister said Matanga had promptly satisfied himself of the riotous situation that occurred in major cities, which violated the rights to life, human dignity, personal security, property rights, freedom of association, and other rights, as well as that the riots were criminal in nature.

He said after satisfying himself that the Zimbabwe Republic Police was unable to handle the riots which culminated in abuse of human rights and destruction of property, including police stations, Matanga, in terms of Posa, which gives him power to use his discretion, then requested the Defence minister to authorise the Defence Forces to assist the police to suppress the violent riots.

“His Excellency, having duly considered the Commissioner-General’s request, then authorised deployment of the Defence Forces to suppress riotous and disruptive conduct that pervaded the country,” Ziyambi said.

Opposition legislators then bombarded Ziyambi with questions, with Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya (MDC Alliance) saying that when the soldiers were deployed, live ammunition was used.

“Can you confirm that the President exercised his powers to authorise use of live ammunition by the Defence Forces on armed civilians?” Chikwinya asked.

Chegutu West MP Dexter Nduna (Zanu PF) then suggested that the opposition instigated the disturbances which caused the army to be deployed and, therefore, must be made to pay for properties destroyed.

Kambuzuma MP Willias Madzimure (MDC Alliance) asked Ziyambi to explain who was going to compensate for the loss of lives, given that innocent civilians going to work were killed.

“Even during former President Robert Mugabe’s reign, no one was ever shot in the streets and we never saw deployment of the army,” Madzimure said.

Mutasa South MP Regai Tsunga (MDC Alliance) said Ziyambi must also speak on the missing link of people that were alleged to have masqueraded as the army, while Nkulumane MP Kucaca Phulu said the Justice minister must explain what the cost of deployment was, the cost of the Motlanthe Commission inquiry to investigate the killings as well as why they hired people to investigate when there was the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC), which could easily do the job.

“We could have saved a lot of money and the appointment of the Motlanthe Commission tends to have undermined the work of the ZHRC and overshadowed its role,” Phulu said.

Ziyambi refused to respond to any questions on the Motlanthe Commission, saying it had no relation to the President’s statement which was specifically on deployment of soldiers.

He said whenever Defence Forces were deployed to assist the police, they would be under the command of the police services and acting as if they were police officers.

“On (the) use of live ammunition, the law (Posa) is very clear of the steps that the Commissioner-General of Police took, and it is the Commissioner-General of Police’s command that will be followed by members of the armed forces,” he said.

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