Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

NINETEEN people have been arrested facing a charge of occupying a gazetted land without lawful authority after they allegedly invaded Dandrennam Farm in Lions’ Den.

Chinhoyi magistrate Nyasha Marufu granted the group US$20 bail each on Friday and instructed them to stay at their given addresses.

The group’s lawyer Fortune Murisi argued that all the accused have fixed abode, never tried to interfere with State witnesses or fled from justice.

He said they would always be available when needed and could also deposit bail as surety.

Prosecutor Rutendo Ngambizi did not oppose bail.

The accused were arrested at Brink Bosman Dandrennam Farm on Wednesday last week, while erecting structures despite a government letter written by Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development ministry secretary Obert Jiri indicating that Bosman is the bona fide beneficiary of the farm.

The 19 will be back in court for trial on July 3 this year.

Zanu PF losing candidate for Chinhoyi constituency in the August 2023 elections Thomas Chidzomba invaded the farm in April this year with four other activists before they were chucked out by the courts.

MINING communities in the mineral-rich areas of Manicaland Province are advocating for local policies aimed at prioritising their well-being and ensuring they benefit from resource extraction.

The push was highlighted during the Manicaland Minerals Governance Interface Dialogue meeting organised by Green Governance Trust Zimbabwe (GGTZ) at a local hotel on Monday this week.

Addressing the meeting, GGTZ programmes manager Lewis Marowa said the platform allowed mining communities to express their views on policies related to community development agreements, environmental protection, and local content requirements to maximise their involvement and minimise negative impacts.

“Communities are increasingly vocal about their need for mechanisms that guarantee a fair share of economic benefits derived from mining activities,” he said.

Marowa said this included initiatives like revenue sharing, community development projects, and local employment opportunities.

Zimbabwe Natural Resources Governance Forum representative Freeman Boso stressed the need for transparency and accountability regarding mining revenue.

“We need to see a transparent provincial mining inventory and an independent audit of our mining resources and wealth. It is crucial to know how much is being produced,” he said.

Boso called for greater accountability from mining companies and government bodies concerning revenue management and project implementation.“We are advocating for local policies that tackle these key areas, enabling mining communities to work towards a more equitable and sustainable future,” he said.

Penhalonga Residents and Ratepayers Trust chairperson Weston Makoni echoed the sentiments, calling for stronger environmental regulations to safeguard natural resources.

‘We demand measures that minimise the impact of mining on water sources, air quality, and biodiversity,” he said.

Proud Nyakunu from the Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Workers Union also highlighted the need for policies that prioritise local employment and procurement from local businesses.

“This creates jobs and stimulates the local economy. Meaningful community participation in decision-making processes related to mining projects is essential,” she said.

Marange Development Trust’s Malvern Mudiwa pointed out the challenges communities face when negotiating with powerful mining companies.

Policies must address these power imbalances to ensure fairness and equity. Strong local policies are vital, but effective enforcement and implementation are crucial,” he said.

Farai Mapfumo, a member of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development, noted that Zimbabwe’s constitution allowed for the devolution of power to local authorities, aiming to bring decision-making closer to communities.

“The government is committed to creating platforms for citizen engagement in local governance,” he said, adding that the committee plays a vital role in overseeing the mining sector.

“We will review and monitor the Ministry of Mines’ policies to ensure they align with national goals and promote transparency and accountability.”

BY NIZBERT MOYO

AN inmate serving a life sentence in Khami Prison after being convicted on two murder charges says his life has changed completely after he was baptised in prison recently.

Thirty-four-year old Rodney Tongai Jindu, was baptized last week through the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church, called on those still thinking of committing crimes to find inner peace.

Jindu said he was lured into crime after relocating to South Africa when he completed Form 4 resulting in him killing two people.

“Some people can laugh and say crime does not pay when you are caught, but I say you can be caught because God is watching. You can rob and have millions of cash, but when death comes you go naked as you were born naked and lose eternal life. Those still contemplating committing crimes should find inner peace first,” Jindu said.

“After committing these crimes I did not get anything but only got arrested in 2017. I came to prison after over a year on remand after that I went on trial for the two accounts. I tried to avoid being convicted after getting advice from other inmates by lying that I consumed the body parts so that I could sound insane, but the magistrate saw it and I could not get away with it. He saw that it was fiction and I was convicted and sentenced to death.”

His sentence was confirmed 2021.

“I did not care about my life then, but there are some strange things that happened in my life which included the circumstances involving the death of my father, a former ZBC employee who was discovered dead after four days, but this was not the turning point of my life,” he said.

Jindu said the challenge that hit him hard was the death of his younger brother in 2023 who left a child and a wife behind.

“I said to myself my father passed away in 2022 and my brother in 2023, then who is next in 2024 and 2025. I told myself let me try this thing called Christianity. I was touched when the news of the death of my youngster was announced, the bulk of the people who were comforting me in prison were what are called the prayer warriors.

“I started praying with them from then and started experiencing changes in terms of the way I see things. I started feeling peace in my heart because when you are on death row it’s 23 hours in the cell and one hour of exercise daily. I started to read the Bible, the entire Old and New Testament.

This became my business and I started practising what is written in the Bible and started praying for my niece and her mother who eventually got jobs and I’m happy now because they now have a source of income and they are  supporting my mother, I just got a new lease of life.”

He said when consultations on the abolition of the death penalty were made, he prayed to God for it to be passed.

“I went back to court for resentencing. The first time I came for sentencing I was telling myself that whatever happens to my life it was going to be fine, but when I came back for resentencing on the new Bill having been passed, it was a really trying time,” he said.

“They were talking about the cases that I committed, it really was evil considering my conduct and that was the reason why I broke down in court when I got a life sentence. When I got here in Khami from Harare I found a Theology course I did it and I’m teaching other students including Form One and Two English lessons for students in the school here.”

He said he planned to work for God in whatever capacity, adding that he was a different person, committed to preaching the message of forgiveness and repentance.

“People rely on me for these earthly things but these things will come to pass. The Bible says all things work together for the good for those who love God and to those who are called by God,” Jindu said.

Meanwhile, Jesus Behind Bars founder and ex-convict Dumisani Nkomo said the organisation had served 6 000 people.

“The challenge is that society does not understand why people commit such crimes. The reasons are that some are influenced by others to commit crimes, for some it is due to lack of parenting for different reasons while on the other hand there is a spiritual connotation,” he said.

“Let’s not judge those people. Jesus Behind Bars is an organisation operating under a church which is yet to be registered. We are taking it from the scriptures which say you saw me in jail and you never visited me, you saw me hungry and you never fed me.

“We are appealing to well-wishers to partner in terms of sourcing resources. The government is doing a lot, more than 90% of the work and we are saying that with a small gap left we have to do something in terms of education and other needs.”

INFORMAL traders, who largely evade taxes and levies, are putting formal retail and wholesale businesses in Zimbabwe, weighed down by a heavy tax burden, at a competitive disadvantage, Parliament has heard.

According to a report tabled in the National Assembly last week by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Industry and Commerce led by Zaka legislator Clemence Chiduwa (Zanu PF) government’s taxation framework imposes multiple charges on formal businesses, accounting for nearly 5% of their total expenses.

Among these, the Intermediated Money Transfer Tax (IMTT) — a 2% levy on electronic transactions, is the highest in the region.

Its steep rate discourages digital payments, pushing economic activity back into a largely unregulated, cash-based system, the report read.

“The committee established that registered businesses are forced to comply with tax laws while the informal sector evades tax, which certainly leaves the former at a price-competitive disadvantage. In addition, the taxation regime is heavy on formal businesses, creating incentives for informalisation,” the committee said.

“The current framework, characterised by numerous taxes and charges, accounts for approximately 5% of the expenditure for most businesses.

“The Intermediated Money Transfer Tax (IMTT), set at 2%, is notably the highest in the region, deterring the adoption of electronic transactions and pushing the economy towards a cash-based system.”

According to the report, the shift undermines financial inclusion and the efficiency of monetary policy measures.

“Additionally, IMTT is not deductible for income tax purposes, adding an extra cost burden for many operators. The informal sector has an advantage over the formal retail and wholesale trader because it is mainly trading in USD cash and only accepting Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) at a premium rate. In contrast, the formal sector is forced to accept the ZiG at the stipulated exchange rate,” it said.

The committee also revealed that before the government reviewed the restrictions on the exchange rate through Statutory Instrument (SI) 34 of 2025, Exchange Control, in April, its impact on the wholesale and retail sectors has not been established.

“Before the introduction of the statutory instrument, the formal businesses were struggling to re-stock because some of the suppliers wanted to be paid in USD, yet the balance sheets of the formal businesses were largely in ZiG,” the report said.

The House heard that the rebasing from the Zimbabwe dollar (ZWL) to ZiG in March 2024, followed by substantial currency devaluation in September 2024, caught many operators off-guard.

“This volatility has led to difficulties in competitive pricing, as unregulated players have become more attractive to suppliers seeking increased USD inflows.

“Consequently, many suppliers have shifted towards selling directly to the informal sector, often shunning local currency transactions due to challenges in obtaining hard currency through the auction system,” the committee said.

The report said the situation resulted in price inflation driven by exchange rate fluctuations, leading to higher consumer costs.

“The formal retail and wholesale sectors are encumbered by an excessive number of licences and permits required to operate legally.

“Running a single supermarket necessitates obtaining over 30 different licences and permits, each associated with significant costs and administrative procedures.

“This complex regulatory framework not only increases operational expenses but also diverts valuable time and resources away from core business activities Consequently, many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are deterred from formalising their operations, opting instead to remain in the informal sector to avoid these burdens.”

The committee said the situation created an uneven playing field, as informal operators could offer lower prices by circumventing compliance costs, thereby attracting a larger customer base.

“Zimbabwe’s licensing and regulatory environment remains overly complex, with businesses required to comply with multiple, often overlapping, regulations.

“There is a proliferation of statutory instruments (SIs) with an SI enacted on average every 1,43 days in 2024 and this creates uncertainty and increases compliance costs.

“The high cost of regulatory compliance, redundant licensing requirements and fragmented enforcement mechanisms are pushing many businesses into informality.”

The House also heard that the committee established that power is unsustainably costly and many supermarkets and retailers are running primarily on generator power due to electricity shortage and even when power is available, the tariffs are extremely high.

“Many businesses now rely on solar power and diesel generators, which are expensive alternatives. Furthermore, businesses seeking to set up solar power plants face licensing and regulatory barriers, with the initial set-up cost estimated at around US$130 000. The high cost of energy remains a major impediment to industrial competitiveness,” the report read.