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Source: Zipra celebrates Mutsvangwa sacking –Newsday Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (Zipra)  war veterans association has said the sacking of War veterans minister Christopher Mutsvangwa is good riddance after he snubbed their efforts to discuss issues concerning fellow comrades who were killed during the Gukurahundi period.

It is reported that several Zipra members were abducted at the barracks and made to disappear or killed after their integration into Zimbabwe National Army.

Zipra Veterans Association secretary-general Petros Sibanda said they expected the ex-minister to take the initiative to address the issue of their comrades killed during the Gukurahundi era and provide the nation with clarity on how to move forward.

“We expected him to come out and tell the nation what is going to happen to the comrades, who fell during the Gukurahundi era. You remember most of the Zipra comrades…some dismissed from the army are yet to receive their pensions,” Sibanda said.

“Others have already died. We thought Mutsvangwa was going to do something about that. Maybe he was too busy. He still remains our comrade, who slept on duty.”

Sibanda said following the ousting of the late President Robert Mugabe, the ex-combatants had high hopes that Mutsvangwa would use his position to fight in their corner and address the injustices of the past.

“We are not celebrating as such, and we don’t want to be involved in the wars of his political party. But what I can say is since 2017, when he [Mutsvangwa] went near the corridors of power, we celebrated as veterans of the liberation struggle, anticipating that he would fight for our rights,” added Sibanda.

Zipra was the military wing of the Zimbabwe African People’s Union political party.

“We also thought he would make a follow-up on the vetted comrades who are yet to get compensation. We hoped he was going to interfere as one of our comrades on the issue of the property rights, convincing His Excellency (President Emmerson Mnangagwa), that the caveat should be removed and return these properties,” he said.

War veterans groups have described Mutsvangwa as a non-performer with his sacking triggering celebrations from the freedom fighters.

The post Zipra celebrates Mutsvangwa sacking appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: CCC suspends Tshabangu –Newsday Zimbabwe

THE Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) standing committee has suspended interim secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu pending a disciplinary hearing. The suspension is with immediate effect.

In a statement, CCC interim committee deputy chairperson Albert Mhlanga said Tshabangu was suspended after failing to attend crucial meetings.

“The CCC interim standing committee sat on February 21 amid a great concern about the appointed CCC interim secretary-general Tshabangu for not attending our meetings on several occasions (despite) invitations [being sent] to him and further went on to submit a Bulawayo Senate and proportional representation replacement list to Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) that was not agreed upon by the interim standing committee in our last meeting,” said Mhlanga.

“With immediate effect, the CCC party has suspended the CCC interim secretary-general Tshabangu pending a disciplinary hearing.”

Mhlanga added that the CCC camp announced by Harare mayor Jacob Mafume appointing Welshman Ncube as an interim president based on the 2019 Gweru congress is null and void.

“It is a new party of their own (CCC-Welshman) and the formalised CCC that fielded double candidates, constitutionalised, recalled and the one that appointed Tshabangu is the one that was led by the former President Nelson Chamisa who recently resigned from the CCC party leaving us with the interim standing committee now led by the interim chairman Dingilizwe Tshuma.

“Tshuma will lead the party for the next 90 days until a congress date has been set,” Mhlanga said.

He said Tshabangu engaged Mafume, Ncube and Tendai Biti who were not part of the interim standing committee that appointed him as the CCC interim secretary-general.

The CCC camp also announced that it nullified the Bulawayo Senate and Proportional Representation replacement list that was submitted by Tshabangu to Zec.

“All elected Members of Parliament, council and senate in August 23, 2023 to remain in their mandated duty up to the end of the term of office and to further consult the stakeholders and citizens on the way forward,’’ said Mhlanga.

“We have realised that Tshabangu was only looking for positions through securing our signature to endorse him as the secretary. We had agreed that the recalls would only be effected in Bulawayo to deal with those elected but coming from outside Bulawayo but to our surprise Tshabangu decided on his own to go beyond Bulawayo,’’ he said.

Mhlanga accused Tshabangu of going into overdrive recalling some people in Mashonaland provinces who were elected after having signed for them.

“We had complained that President Chamisa had imposed people  from outside Bulawayo and we wanted to correct that but we have realised that Tshabangu is worse than Chamisa by imposing his friends,” he said.

“All parties are formed in Bulawayo be it Zapu, Zanu PF and even the MDC  has its roots in Bulawayo. Any party that is formed outside Bulawayo is bound to fail, so we are an interim national structure pending congress.”

Efforts to get a comment from Tshabangu and his spokesperson Khaliphani Phugeni were fruitless as their mobile phones were not reachable.

The post CCC suspends Tshabangu  appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

In a significant ruling on Friday, Karoi magistrate Moreblessing Makati imposed a fine and eviction order on Chenjerai Kangausaru, a ZANU PF legislator representing Hurungwe East. Kangausaru was found guilty of using forged documents to unlawfully occupy Chitonga Farm, measuring 26 hectares, in Hurungwe. The court sentenced him to three months in prison, with the […]

The post Zanu PF MP kicked out of farm, gets 3 months in prison first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.

Source: ‘Innovation vital to economic development’ -Newsday Zimbabwe

GOVERNMENT wants to close the gap between technology and education to create jobs and alleviate poverty.

Innovation remains one of the strategic plans of the government to attain an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.

Speaking at the unveiling of ZB Financial Holdings Limited (ZBFH) innovation hub last Friday, Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development minister Amon Murwira urged citizens to be innovative.

 “There must not be a gap between technology and education. The technology that you are using should not be far above your level of education. The lower your education, the higher the technology and the higher the poverty,” he said.

“The reason why people continue importing goods from other countries is that they are not innovative. Innovation cannot be fully accomplished in a day, but it is a direction that should be taken. Let’s fight poverty by making our education dominate the technology trajectory such that we can start inventing our own things.”

The innovation hub concept was first revealed in ZBFH’s trading update for its 2023 third quarter performance.

In it, the group revealed that it had partnered local universities to establish sustainable and commercially viable innovations through a “University Innovation Hubs network”.

The plan was to use these hubs to promote the development of new technologies, fintechs, financial products and solutions for the country as part of ZBFH’s plan to grow its business.

“As ZB Holdings, we have worked until now, and do believe that this change that we have worked on is going to establish a partnership which we think is very useful for the future and should be sustained,” ZBFH chief executive officer Shepherd Fungura said, at the launch of the innovation hub.

“It is a great pleasure that I stand before you as we are going to have a groundbreaking launch of this ZB Financial World Innovation Hub. It comes in a rapid wave where the word change is the only constant. Strategically, innovation is necessary for development and cannot be overstated.”

He said this was in line with the government’s “education 5.0” plan of problem solving and creation of value.

In that regard, ZBFH hopes these innovation hubs will contribute to national development through partnerships with higher and post education institutions.

The ZBFH boss said he wanted to formally commit to this through a memorandum of understanding like the ones signed with institutions in the hubs.

“We do believe that this will, in itself, give us a future partnership which is going to provide value for our nation and for its development,” Fungura said.

“We would like to cross-pollinate as innovators, especially with institutions of high-level and post-credit level to solve societal problems.”

He said accelerating research and development within these hubs would help to fight brain drain as it would avail more opportunities to work locally.

The post ‘Innovation vital to economic development’ appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

A devastating incident occurred in the town of Karoi over the weekend, resulting in the death of a fuel dealer and leaving two others with critical injuries. The unfortunate event unfolded when a fuel container exploded inside a residential property, causing a fierce blaze to engulf the house. The deceased has been identified as Tafadzwa […]

The post One burnt to death, two seriously injured in terrifying fuel container blast first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.