Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

LONDON -British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced he will stand down as prime minister after days of intense pressure from Labour MPs, including cabinet ministers, following the return of Andy Burnham to Westminster.

Less than two years after a historic election victory, Starmer had faced calls from his MPs to set out a timeline for his departure, with many of them spooked by the threat from Nigel Farage’s party ahead of the next general election.

While Starmer insisted on Friday that he would fight any leadership contest, conversations with ministers and time with his wife Victoria at Chequers over the weekend appear to have shifted his thinking decisively.

More than half a dozen cabinet ministers are understood to have privately told him his time is up, while Starmer and his inner circle began work on drafts of a resignation speech on Saturday.

Starmer’s decision to announce his own departure could kickstart a race among Labour MPs to become the UK’s seventh prime minister in 10 years, which Burnham – who saw off a Reform challenge to win the Makerfield byelection – is in pole position to win.

But it could also result in a coronation if no other candidates – who could include the health secretary Wes Streeting – get the 81 nominations required, or if they strike a deal with the former mayor of Greater Manchester.

Starmer will stay in post in Downing Street until any leadership contest – or handover of power – is complete, leaving his successor to take on the serious challenges of the UK economy and a precarious international backdrop.

Some Labour MPs are concerned that Burnham may be unprepared for the role, and want him to face the scrutiny of a full contest, while others fear it would further damage Labour’s ratings with the public, and they should make as swift transition as possible.

Starmer steps down after months of pressure over his leadership, which was first almost derailed in February when Anas Sarwar, the party’s leader in Scotland, called for him to quit. At that point, the cabinet rallied round.

Despite his poor personal approval ratings, he had seemed on firmer ground in recent months with his handling of the Middle East crisis and refusal to do Donald Trump’s bidding by taking the UK into war with Iran.

However, any respite was blown apart when the Guardian revealed in April that Peter Mandelson, his controversial pick for UK ambassador to Washington, had been appointed despite failing his security vetting.

Mandelson’s appointment was the latest in what many inside Labour regard as a long line of political misjudgments by Starmer, including restricting winter fuel payments and welfare cuts, which caused the party to sink in the polls.

His willingness to reverse those decisions only added to his unpopularity among the parliamentary Labour party, large parts of which increasingly came to view him as weak and ineffectual. Some MPs were also concerned about his poor communication skills.

Multiple MPs were shocked by the scale of Starmer’s unpopularity on the doorstep as they campaigned during the May elections, which many believed became a lightning rod for wider frustrations with the political system itself.

As the results rolled in, with significant losses across the country, the scale of the electoral challenge facing Labour became clear, and the trickle of voices from MPs calling for Starmer to name an exit date turned into a steady stream.

The increasingly precarious nature of Starmer’s premiership was underlined by the resignation of Streeting days later – after seemingly failing to get the numbers to launch a challenge – and then a vacancy in the seat of Makerfield which gave Burnham a route back to parliament.

Since then, he has also lost his defence secretary John Healey over military spending plans, and a view settled among Labour MPs that Starmer’s leadership was so fragile that – despite his insistence that he would fight on – his days in Downing Street were numbered.

Starmer’s exit caps a calamitous fall from grace since becoming only the fourth Labour leader to win an election, taking more seats in 2024 than anyone since Tony Blair’s 1997 landslide.

Source – The Guardian

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THE joint Business Rescue Practitioners of South African sugar giant Tongaat Hulett Limited have formally withdrawn the liquidation application against the company following constructive engagements between new investors Vision Group and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).

The latest development strengthens confidence in the business rescue process and improves prospects for the successful completion of the ongoing transaction.

It also removes uncertainty over the regional sugar producer’s future and is expected to provide reassurance to growers, suppliers, customers, employees, financiers and other stakeholders with interests across the sugar industry value chain.

Confirming the development, Tongaat Hulett group chief executive officer Mr Gavin Dalgleish said the withdrawal followed positive engagements between Vision and the IDC.

“Following constructive engagements between Vision and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), I would like to confirm that the joint Tongaat Hulett Limited Business Rescue Practitioners (BRPs) have formally withdrawn the liquidation application.

“This development represents a significant step forward and provides increased certainty as we continue working towards the successful completion of the transaction process,” said Mr Dalgleish.

The withdrawal is regarded as a key milestone in Tongaat Hulett’s business rescue journey as it allows stakeholders to focus on concluding the transaction process aimed at securing the company’s long-term future and preserving its strategic role within the regional sugar industry.

Mr Dalgleish said the development reflected progress made through engagements among stakeholders committed to supporting the business.

“The withdrawal of the liquidation application reflects the progress made to date and the collective commitment of all stakeholders involved in supporting a sustainable future for the business.”

Tongaat Hulett plays a critical role in the agricultural economy, supporting thousands of livelihoods through an extensive network of sugar cane growers, contractors, transport operators, suppliers, mill workers and downstream industries that rely on sugar production.

Tongaat Hulett’s investments in Zimbabwe are managed under Tongaat Hulett Zimbabwe (THZ), which serves as the operational and financial anchor of the entire regional group.

It owns 100 percent of Triangle Sugar Corporation, Zimbabwe’s largest sugar producer and 50.35 percent stake in fellow industry player and Zimbabwe Stock Exchange-listed Hippo Valley Estates.

As a result, the withdrawal of the liquidation application is expected to have positive implications across the entire value chain by enhancing confidence in operational continuity and future planning.

Addressing growers, Mr Dalgleish said the latest development should provide greater certainty as efforts continue towards securing a sustainable future for the business.

“For our growers, this milestone provides increased confidence as we continue working towards a sustainable future for the business.

“We recognise the essential role growers play in the broader agricultural value chain and remain committed to maintaining strong partnerships, supporting continuity of operations, and working collaboratively to ensure the long-term success of the industry.

“Existing grower engagements and arrangements continue as normal, and we will continue to communicate any relevant updates as the process progresses.”

For suppliers, the company said the withdrawal reinforces its commitment to maintaining strong commercial relationships and ensuring business continuity.

Customers were also assured that the company remains focused on maintaining reliable operations and delivering products and services without disruption.

The post Liquidation off the table for Tongaat Hulett appeared first on The Zimbabwe Mail.

Betrayal and Burglary: The Inside Story of Harare’s Escalating Cash Heists Harare – In a chilling incident that has sent ripples of concern through Harare’s affluent Avondale suburb, a family was terrorised in their home, losing a staggering US$30,000 in cash. The armed robbers, displaying an unnerving level of insider knowledge, explicitly told the victim, […]

Source: Lithium sector attracts US$3,4bn investment – herald

President Mnangagwa

Oliver Kazunga recently in Victoria Falls

ZIMBABWE’S lithium sector has attracted more than US$3,4 billion in investment despite a global price drop, reinforcing confidence in the country’s beneficiation-led mining strategy.

The investment pipeline comprises US$2 billion already deployed and a further US$1,45 billion earmarked for value-addition projects, positioning Zimbabwe to deepen its role in global battery mineral supply chains.

President Mnangagwa has reiterated the need to scale up value addition and beneficiation of minerals, leveraging growing domestic capacity in science, technology and innovation.

The surge in investment comes against the backdrop of a global correction in lithium markets, where prices plunged from a peak of about US$86 000 per tonne in 2022 to around US$14 300, following the slowdown in electric vehicle demand growth.

Despite this volatility, official Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) data shows the sector is expanding, with lithium sales generating US$178,64 million in the first quarter of this year, a 106 percent increase from US$84,19 million recorded in the same period last year.

Sales volumes also rose by two percent to 240 826 tonnes, from 224 610 tonnes during the comparative period.

Speaking at the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe (CoMZ) annual conference last week, Lithium Producers Association of Zimbabwe chairman Mr Innocent Rukweza said the sector remained firmly committed to Zimbabwe despite difficult market conditions.

“So together we are talking about US$3,4 billion that has been on the table, what has been achieved US$2 billion and what is coming US$1,45 billion.

“The number can easily be US$4 billion or US$5 billion, but this is the level of commitment that we are putting through,” he said.

The investment drive follows a turbulent cycle in the global lithium market, which saw a rapid price surge in 2022 driven by electric vehicle demand, followed by a sharp downturn that forced producers worldwide to adjust operations.

Mr Rukweza said the sector experienced unprecedented growth during the 2022 lithium boom.

“That’s when we saw a huge influx of people coming in and the prices reached a high of US$86 000 — that was our peak price,” he said.

The soaring prices triggered a wave of investment into Zimbabwe’s lithium sector as global investors sought exposure to battery minerals critical for electric vehicles and energy storage systems.

However, the subsequent price collapse forced producers to scale back operations, delay projects and adjust workforce levels.

“We got to a point where we had to retrench, there were project delays and I am very happy that the panellists that came through here highlighted that and we were in sync, that we had a lot of project delays, we had to lay off people and we had a low price of US$14 300 up from US$86 000,” he said.

As part of efforts toward promoting value addition and beneficiation, the Government in February this year suspended the export of lithium concentrates and other raw minerals as part of a broader strategy to enhance accountability, promote beneficiation and strengthen value retention across the mining sector.

Following the export ban, authorities introduced a quota system for lithium producers to export concentrate under strict conditions, designed to safeguard production continuity while supporting the transition to full beneficiation.

Mines and Mining Development Minister Dr Polite Kambamura has indicated that the export of lithium concentrates will be phased out entirely by January 2027, by which time all producers are expected to have established processing facilities.

Despite the challenges, producers have continued to invest in expansion and downstream processing.

“As an industry, I think we are an infant, we are taking baby steps but when you look at the numbers or the impact that we have put through, I have excluded the exploration that went in there.

“I have excluded the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) efforts that the lithium producers have gone through and I am just saying so far on the projects that are completed, we’re putting US$2 billion,” said Mr Rukweza.

Zimbabwe currently has five major lithium producers — Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe (PLZ), Gwanda Lithium Company, Kamativi Mining Company (KMC), Bikita Minerals and Maxmind, which owns Sabi Star Lithium Mine in Buhera, Manicaland Province, collectively employing more than 5 000 people.

Other lithium ventures presently under development include Sandawana in Mberengwa, Midlands Province—and Premier African Minerals in Insiza Diistrict, Matabeleland South Province.

Mr Rukweza said the industry remained committed to supporting Government’s beneficiation agenda through the establishment of lithium sulphate plants, concentrators and mineral recovery facilities.

“We remain as an industry committed to the story of lithium and we want to make it better than what it is as a collective and as you can see we have US$1,45 billion worth of projects that are coming online and these are earmarked for nothing else but for beneficiation in compliance with Government policy.”

The planned investments are expected to deepen local value addition, create employment opportunities and boost foreign currency earnings through exports of processed minerals.

Looking ahead, Mr Rukweza said the sector was poised for strong growth, with projected turnover reaching about US$3,2 billion by 2030 under beneficiation-driven production targets.

“Up to 2030 according to our projections the lithium industry will be registering a turnover, a peak turnover based on lithium sulphate in compliance with the beneficiation policy in NDS2, US$3,2 billion,” he said.

Zimbabwe, which holds some of Africa’s largest lithium reserves and ranks among the world’s key producers, is positioning the mineral as a central pillar of its mining-led industrialisation and energy transition strategy.

Production is projected to reach 344 000 tonnes of lithium sulphate at peak output, strengthening Zimbabwe’s ambition to become a major global hub for battery mineral processing.

The mining sector remains a key pillar of the economy, contributing over 12 percent to GDP and accounting for more than 80 percent of export earnings.

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Source: CAB3 lawsuits crumble – herald

Legislators celebrate after the Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 sails through the House of Assembly following the announcement of results by Speaker Advocate Jacob Mudenda in Parliament. – Picture: Memory Mangombe.

Fidelis Munyoro-Chief Court Reporter

In the latest judicial setback for opponents of the Constitution Amendment (No. 3) Bill, the Constitutional Court has struck off an application by former Binga North legislator Prince Dubeko Sibanda, ruling that the challenge was simply too early, effectively removing immediate legal hurdles to the Bill, which seeks to extend President Mnangagwa’s term of office and overhaul the electoral system.

The unanimous decision, authored by Justice Bharat Patel and endorsed by Chief Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza, Deputy Chief Justice Paddington Garwe, Justices Rita Makarau, Susan Gowora, Ben Hlatshwayo and Acting Constitutional Court judge, Justice Antonia Guvava— leaves intact the parliamentary process surrounding the constitutional amendment proposal.

It also reinforces a growing judicial reluctance to intervene before political processes have run their course.

The crumbling of the cases was happening despite spirited attempts by opponents to derail CAB3. For the second time in recent months, the courts have declined to enter the constitutional battlefield at the invitation of those seeking to halt the process before Parliament completes its work.

All this has cleared the path for the President to lead the nation until 2030 despite the emergence of opponents who sought to block him.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly passed the Bill, which would extend presidential and parliamentary terms by two years.

Parliament has taken a big step toward extending the President’s tenure with legislators strongly arguing that this will provide Zimbabweans with political certainty, maintain stability and drive national development. Large indigenous and apostolic church coalitions and groupings have all consistently thrown their weight behind the President and the ruling ZANU PF party.

These religious bodies have actively endorsed national development initiatives and rallied political support for the President.

Central to Sibanda’s case were clauses 4(b) and 9(b) of the proposed amendment Bill. He argued that the provisions sought to sidestep section 328(7) of the Constitution, a safeguard designed to prevent constitutional amendments extending term limits from benefiting those already occupying the affected offices.

According to Sibanda, Parliament had already breached its constitutional obligations by publishing and processing a Bill that purported to operate “notwithstanding section 328(7).”

But the Constitutional Court refused to engage with the substance of the argument. Instead, Justice Patel, writing for the court, focused on a different question: whether the dispute was ripe for adjudication. The answer was a firm no.

The judges noted that the Bill remains deep within the legislative process. Public consultations had only recently concluded. Parliament had not yet debated the Bill.

No votes had been cast. No final text had emerged. The President had not been called upon to exercise his constitutional powers. In short, the constitutional amendment existed only as a proposal.

The court warned against being drawn into what it described as hypothetical constitutional disputes whose outcome remains uncertain. A Bill, the judges observed, can change shape, lose clauses, gain amendments, be rejected outright or even be withdrawn altogether.

In language that echoed constitutional courts across many jurisdictions, the judgment emphasised that courts deal with disputes that have crystallised, not with political possibilities floating in the future.

“The final shape and form of the Bill remain presently unknown,” Justice Patel wrote.

The decision reinforces the doctrine of judicial restraint and separation of powers, with the court stressing that Parliament must be allowed to conduct its legislative business without premature judicial interference.

The judges pointed to existing constitutional safeguards, including the President’s power to refer a Bill back to Parliament or seek an advisory opinion from the Constitutional Court if constitutional concerns arise after passage.

The ruling follows another recent defeat suffered by opponents of the constitutional changes. Earlier, war veterans who sought judicial intervention against the proposed amendments also failed to secure the relief they sought.

Together, the decisions signal a clear pattern emerging from the courts. Challenges aimed at stopping the amendment process before Parliament has completed its work face formidable hurdles.

Parliament wants to be consulted before the appointment of an additional 10 senators envisaged by CAB3. The Bill was passed overwhelmingly after securing 216 votes in the National Assembly, comfortably surpassing 187 votes required for two-thirds majority.

Forty-two legislators voted against the Bill.

This result reflected significant cross-party support, with at least 35 opposition MPs backing Zanu PF lawmakers in supporting CAB3.

CAB3 will be heading to the Senate for debate this week.

At the Senate stage, the Bill must also secure a two-thirds majority before it can proceed further. Given ZANU PF’s dominance in the upper chamber, political analysts say chances are very high that the legislation will pass there as well.

If approved by the Senate, CAB3 will then be presented to President Mnangagwa for assent.

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