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WHAT’S INSIDE Friday 12 January 2021 BUSINESS SPORT

NEWS Ex-CSC worker Govt holds
demands looters’ key to PSL,
New minister’s prosecution Rugby restart
dark past
clouds horizon Story on Page 19 Story on Page 38

Story on Page 4

Chief Justice
Malaba sweats
over looming
retirement
dilemma

...To go or not to go,
that’s the question

ALSO INSIDE Controversial secret arrangement haunts President, minister UK officials owe Zim an apology

Page 2 News NewsHawks

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

Chief Justice Luke Malaba sweats
over looming retirement dilemma

BERNARD MPOFU …To go or not to go, that’s the question of the High Court after consultations
with the Judicial Service Commis-
ZIMBABWE’S Chief Justice Luke President Emmerson Mnangagwa (left) seen here sharing a lighter moment with Chief Justice Luke Malaba. sion. Appointment of other judges
Malaba – who by operation of law remains the same – through public
retires at midnight on 15 May 2021 performance of judges improved un- Robert) Mugabe resigned volun- aba’s legacy, they certainly agree on interviews.
when he turns 70 years old – faces the der him,” a senior judicial officer told tarily – through a coup – in a bid one thing: he must retire. Yet he badly
biggest question of his long profes- The NewsHawks. to legitimise and protect Mnangag- wants to stay on. But then again, there is a new
sional career as a judicial officer: to go wa’s administration after the (Justice problem.
or not to go? “Access to justice also widened and George Chiweshe) ruling also legiti- This was evident in his official
improved. He took the courts to the mising the coup? opening of the 2021 Legal Year on 11 Even if the second amendment is
Current constitutional provisions people through decentralisation and January last month. Despite that be- passed into law, the constitution does
set the maximum age limit of judges improvements of the working con- “Then there is the disputed 2018 ing his last official address, he did not not allow the law to be applied in ret-
at 70 years – meaning Malaba auto- ditions in the courts. For instance, he presidential electoral petition. He re- make it his valedictory speech, show- rospect, meaning incumbents cannot
matically retires on 15 May 2021 opened the Mutare High Court, de- portedly whipped judges into line to ing he is hoping to hang on. benefit. It is for future application.
midnight. This applies across the centralised the Master of High Court help out Mnangagwa again. After that
board, without exception. and Office of the Sheriff, and com- it has been a series of controversies. By contrast, Chidyausiku delivered So there is a serious moral hazard
missioned new courts in townships, For example, that circular to judges a valedictory speech on 16 January and political risk for Malaba in all
However, those close to the calm including in Epworth. which said judgments must first be 2017. this.
and soft-spoken man who currently seen by the head of the court. I know
sits at the zenith of the judiciary, the “He also opened the New Labour the idea was to ensure judgments are But for Malaba to stay on, The Section 328 of the constitution
third arm of the state, together with Court; specialised commercials courts delivered timeously, but he also want- Constitution of Zimbabwe Amend- which provides that “an amendment
the executive and the legislature, say and made renovations of the courts ed supervision as in control and subtle ment (No. 2) Bill [H.B. 23, 2019], to a term-limit provision, the effect of
he is profusely sweating over this issue. around the country, in Harare, Bul- intimidation. gazetted on 17 January 2021, must be which is to extend the length of time
He has lost his cool as he is anxious to awayo, Mutare, Gweru and Masvin- passed into law first. that a person may hold or occupy any
know his fate, informed sources say. go, among other places. Malaba also “There is also the issue of circulat- public office, does not apply to any
introduced e-justice; the integrated ing judgments of the Supreme and Public consultations on the Bill person who held or occupied that
“The Chief Justice is in a big dilem- electronic case management system Constitutional Court benches among were held from 14 June 2020 to 19 office, or an equivalent office, at any
ma,” a top ministry of Justice official that will see Zimbabwe having its first all judges in those courts before they June 2020. The amendment process time before the amendment”.
told The NewsHawks. “The issue is paperless court. Overall, he improved are delivered. This is designed and is still on.
he is supposed to retire in May, but the justice delivery system. calculated to make sure he sees all the A “term-limit provision” is defined
he doesn’t want to go. He wants the judgments before they are delivered If passed, the amendment will al- as “a provision of this constitution
constitution amended – Constitu- “That is on administration and since he is a member of those courts. low the President to extend the ten- which limits the length of time that
tional Amendment (No.2) – for him leadership; yet as a judge he also made It is a subtle way of trying to psycho- ure of a judge who has reached the a person may hold or occupy a public
to benefit and stay on when he is the a number of important judgments – logically and practically pressure and age-limit by up to five years through office”.
incumbent. This is a big constitution- so his contribution is great.”However, control judges, obviously for political options of one-year extensions at a
al and political conundrum.” one senior lawyer said while Malaba purposes. time. The provisions which set the max-
contributed a lot, the downside was imum age limit of judges restrict the
While Malaba, whom lawyers and equally bad. Of late, he has done “This is a bad practice. It under- This further consolidates the power length of time that a person may hold
legal analysts say made significant huge damage to the reputation of the mines the integrity of judges, judicial of the President, while weakening the or occupy office as a judge, which is a
contributions to the judiciary, juris- judiciary through many controversial independence and institutionalises separation of powers and state institu- public office.
prudence and law development in actions. interference and control. Malaba used tions, as well as democracy.
Zimbabwe, despite recent unsavoury to write well-reasoned and interesting This was done to prevent pre-
incidents which showed political in- “I understand all those achieve- judgments, including separate and Already, The Constitution of Zim- cisely what Malaba is trying to do –
terference and judicial capture, can ments, but the negative aspects, first dissenting rulings. But under him babwe Amendment (No. 1) Act, self-serving amendments to benefit
make life easier for himself by just re- of trying to hang onto power, and now there are no separate and dis- published in a government extraor- incumbents. So Malaba can only stay
tiring, the problem is that he wants to second of compromising the judicia- senting judgments anymore. Why? dinary gazette on 7 September 2017, on if Section 328 of the constitution
hang onto power. ry, are serious,” the lawyer said. Because he has allowed capture of the gives the President power to appoint is also amended, which will be un-
judiciary. So for me, he has a mixed the Chief Justice. It reverts to the old precedented.
A veteran legal practitioner said “Since the coup and the elections, record.” authoritarian constitutional dispensa-
Malaba should retire to protect his he came in as a captured judge. Re- tion, rejecting the current democratic Age-limits ensure judges enjoy
legacy and integrity of the judiciary. member his judgment that (the late While lawyers may differ over Mal- one. security of tenure throughout their
The judiciary, which interprets the former president term. When a judge is given exten-
laws and protects the constitution — Overall it allows the President to sions — at the behest of the President
thus entrenching constitutionalism appoint the Chief Justice, the deputy — he loses his or her independence as
— is the cornerstone of democracy. Chief Justice and the Judge President they will always have to pander to the
whims and caprices of the appoint-
“This is an important issue,” the ing authority who has discretion on
legal guru said. “It is as much about renewals for fear of disappointment.
Malaba, the Chief Justice, as it is
about the integrity of the judiciary That judges beyond 70 years would
and constitutionalism; democracy need a certificate of fitness to get an
and the rule of law. extension is academic as the President
retains the power to appoint or dis-
“At a personal level and in terms appoint.
of performance and legacy, Malaba
is a good-natured person and a pro- This translates into heightened vul-
fessional. He has done a lot of good nerability for the judge.
things for the judiciary and this coun-
try. His reforms are significant. His If Malaba is given the extension,
contributions to jurisprudence and that will drive the final nail into the
law development are also important. coffin of judiciary independence, in-
In other words, he has helped to build tegrity of judges and justice delivery
a culture of constitutionalism despite in Zimbabwe.
the current challenges. But what he
is now trying to do will damage his Malaba came into office on 27
reputation and his legacy. It will hurt March 2017 under Mugabe, who ac-
the integrity of judges and the judicia- tually wanted Justice Rita Makarau to
ry, and erode constitutionalism. The take over from Chidyausiku. Before
consequences of his decision will be that, he had been acting chief justice.
far-reaching. That is why he should Chidyausiku’s succession was mired
just retire.” in partisan political battles in a toxic
environment.
Checks by The NewsHawks show
Malaba made many positive contri- Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF mili-
butions. He improved the qualita- tary-backed faction, which later oust-
tive and quantitative performance of ed Mugabe through a coup in No-
judges on delivery. He also demanded vember 2017, wanted to seize control
efficient and quality judgments with of the judiciary for political reasons
strict supervision and accountability. – to underwrite the coup.

“The qualitative and quantitative The adoption of the age-limit was
to ensure certainty and transparency
in judicial retirement and succession
processes as it guarantees security of
tenure from start to finish. Beyond
that, it is a slippery slope.

NewsHawks News Page 3

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

Teargas, gunfire as villagers clash

with police in a volatile gold rush
MORRIS BISHI gold ore from a police syndicate at
Villagers confront a man (in blue shirt), said to be a Colonel in the army, who was among those allowed to mine despite the the hill for US$250.
POLICE fired live bullets and area being sealed off by the police. Villagers deflated tyres of the man’s truck and forced him to leave his gold ore.
teargas canisters to disperse angry Makufa also said it was his first
villagers in the Wondedzo area in One of the alleged gold looters produced a firearm but was disarmed by villagers who edzo Hill on Sunday, but l will in- time at the gold rush cite, but he
Masvingo North amid protests and searched him and found this identity card on him, suggesting he is a member of the vestigate the matter and come back was not coming back after his expe-
clashes over illegal mining and loot- state security services. to you” he said. rience. His vehicle tyres were deflat-
ing of gold by Zanu PF and state ed by the angry youths before they
security agents syndicates from a that he was handcuffed after po- cuffed, but to my surprise the Local Ward 32 councillor Ste- seized the gold.
local mineral-rich hill last Sunday, lice accused him of being one of handcuffs were removed by brave phen Munyenyiwa said villagers
The NewsHawks can report. the ring-leaders of the protest. He members of the community. I gave were angered by the looting of gold The villagers had also gone to the
said he took the handcuffs and an the handcuffs and a teargas canister by police and Zanu PF syndicates hill to confiscate all the gold ore
The clashes over gold degener- unused teargas canister and handed to the (Police) Support Unit de- with impunity. However, he said af- which had been extracted by the
ated into running battles between them over to police details at the tails at the hill on Wednesday,” said ter the fighting a new arrangement pillaging syndicates the night be-
anti-riot police and villagers who hill on Wednesday morning. Tagarira. has been agreed, which will see all fore — on Saturday night.
confiscated unused teargas canisters villagers being given the opportuni-
and handcuffs in the chaos as the “l am just a villager who joined Contacted for comment, Masv- ty to extract ore from the hill. He Police reinforcements were de-
battle for the control of the gold the community to express our ingo police spokesperson Inspector said the community should benefit ployed in the area on Sunday after-
deposits intensified and spun out of displeasure on how resources — Kudakwashe Dhewa said he was ahead of people from other areas. noon after the clashes, but found
control. gold — from our area are being not aware of the incident. “I am not the protest over and villagers hav-
plundered. For sure I was hand- aware of what happened at Wond- “The villagers were angry and ing dispersed and retreated back to
Villagers, including enraged they were right. They were not be- their homes.
youths, women and tradition- ing given a chance to mine gold in
al leaders, ganged up in the early their area, while syndicates from A panner from Mberengwa,
hours of Sunday to confront police outside were mining continuously,” who identified himself as Maxwell
invaders and blocked roads leading said Munyenyiwa. Sibanda, told The NewsHawks that
to Wodzedzo Hill — the explosive he was assaulted by the youths and
site of a recent gold rush. Makufa, who was in the com- had all his gold ore confiscated.
pany of a man who produced a
They dug trenches on the road, “Government of Zimbabwe” iden- “My brother, it is better for you
blocking vehicles from accessing tity card written Mabhiza S, said not to approach that hill, villagers
the gold deposit. They further con- he pleaded with villagers for mercy, are angry and youths assaulted me
fiscated gold ore from a Ford Rang- telling them his home is near Beza and took all the gold ore which I
er single cab owned by an army Mountain in Mutimurefu, but in had extracted from the trench last
officer, only identified as Colonel vain. He said he had bought the night. I paid US$10 to police for
Makufa, who pleaded for mercy me to be allowed into the trench
but to no avail. Villagers prevailed last night, but I lost all the gold ore
over the soldier in their collective after digging the whole night. I’m
rage and aggression, and seized the really disappointed and don’t know
gold. what to do now,” Sibanda said.

Wondedzo B village head Saina Zimbabwe — which is miner-
Chinomwe told The NewsHawks al-rich but poor due to chronic
that villagers were angered by the governance failures and corruption
continued plunder of gold ore from problems — has a lot of artisanal
the hill, while locals are side-lined. and small-scale miners across the
He said the protest was a way of country. Gold is found in every
sending a loud and clear message to province in the country, perhaps
state security agents and provincial in almost every district. Small-scale
leaders that they should not abuse mining in Zimbabwe and elsewhere
their authority for corrupt practices has earned the dubious distinction
and self-enrichment. of being the springboard for peo-
ple-centred development. It holds
“I am here leading my people in out opportunities to eradicate pov-
this protest because this gold is a erty, create employment, generate
natural resource which belongs to income from mineral exports, and
us, the local community,” Chinom- provide social stability.
we said. “We cannot watch while
our resources are being looted. The A thriving small-scale mining
hill is in our grazing lands and it is sector, besides offering direct em-
now difficult for us to head our cat- ployment and real income to the
tle due to police officers camping unskilled rural populace, also helps
there and harassing us.” in stemming the rural-urban migra-
tion, enabling people to stay rooted
After failing to disperse villagers, in their communities engaged in
anti-riot police details, who were complementing agricultural, trad-
outnumbered, fired teargas at the ing and development.
crowd and into a hut occupied by
children at Joshua Mhuka’s home- In effect, the multiplier effects
stead, but one of the police officers of small-scale mining are pervasive
rushed to rescue the children from and significant, providing synergis-
the hut to prevent a disaster. The tic inputs into the local and nation-
move forced the youths to advance al economy. But the main problem
towards the officers who then fired has remained the looting of min-
live bullets into the air, although erals in Zimbabwe by cartels and
the charging youngsters did not their politically connected owners.
back down. Diamonds, chrome and gold are
some of the most looted minerals.
A local villager, Felix Tagarira,
was handcuffed by the police, but A detailed investigative report by
members of the community rescued South Africa’s Daily Maverick pub-
him by removing the handcuffs. lication released this week exposed
how high profile cartels are plun-
Tagarira told The NewsHawks dering the country and impoverish-
ing the people.

Page 4 News NewsHawks

Zanu PF Midlands Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021
leaders panic
as Mliswa goes
back to his roots

OWEN GAGARE Moyos are mostly of Rozvi de- Norton independent MP Temba Mliswa showing off some of the projects he has completed in his home area of Mliswa
scent, tracing their roots to Chan- Village.
CONTROVERSIAL Norton in- gamire Dombo’s Rozvi Empire and
dependent MP Temba Mliswa Great Zimbabwe. They historically ment of Mliswa Village in Shurug- stems from my late father’s wishes against Mukaratigwa, Mliswa’s
has caused a political storm in his consider themselves the autochtho- wi under the stewardship of the to uplift our people; it’s personal.” attacks on Moyo and Ncube sent
Midlands home province by com- nous tribe, like many other clans, Development Committee working the clearest signal yet that he has
missioning various development although the Khoisan really are. with the chief, village heads and Despite Mliswa’s strategic de- entered the Midlands political fray
projects in his village amid growing councillors. nials that he wants to take over where he is reportedly being sup-
speculation and fear that he wants Mliswa originally comes from Shurugwi South, he has quickly ported by Mnangagwa and some
to seize a constituency in the area Shurugwi South under Gamwa “It would appear Honourable drawn political battle lines with senior party officials who want to
during the 2023 general elections. Section, Shamba Circuit, Ward 5 (Edmond) Mukaratigwa is pan- Mukaratigwa. galvanise the province’s grassroots
in an area called Mliswa Village. icking and as a result threatening politics and social base ahead of
Mliswa, arrested yesterday but That is where his rural home is. members of the team. This is how- “Hon. Mukaratigwa was invited 2023, which is even more critical
granted bail today for convening a He says his late father wanted to ever not the way to go about it and to participate in the borehole drill- for the President.
press conference at his Borrowdale go back and develop the area, and it will work against him. His bid ing programme, but unfortunately
home in Harare in alleged viola- now it is the time for him to fulfil for 2023 is likely to be scuppered if declined… this will not deter us as
tion of Covid-19 lockdown regu- his wishes. he tries to stop development. Not the project will come to fruition re-
lations, is former Hurungwe West that I intend to stand. No! gardless,” Mliswa tweeted.
MP and now independent Norton In recent months, Mliswa has
legislator. He was previously Zanu massively invested in the rural “I have made it abundantly clear “His methods of attempting to
PF Mashonaland West provincial area by developing his own home- my intentions are solely to reinvest abuse the CIO won’t work. All he
chair during the late former pres- stead. He has also sunk up to 10 where I come from. I can’t call my- needs to do is to be on the ground
ident Robert Mugabe’s rule. solar-powered boreholes, bringing self successful when my roots re- and be effective in his role. As vil-
huge water relief to the village. main undeveloped. Furthermore, lage head myself, development to
Zanu PF insiders say the party’s my desire to develop the village empower and assist villagers, war
Midlands provincial leadership is While the current rains have veterans, schools, the disabled and
closely watching Mliswa’s politi- helped with water supplies, the others is key. Mliswa Village will
cal manoeuvres as he has in recent boreholes come in handy during prosper.”
months been frequenting his vil- the dry season.
lage and pushing a series of devel- Mliswa and his allies are said to
opment activities which are seen Mliswa is also completing the have seized on corruption allega-
as a precursor to his launch of an construction of Chabvakure Meth- tions against Mukaratigwa who is
assault on Shurugwi South constit- odist Church in his home village. accused of misappropriating the
uency currently held by Zanu PF Last August, he attended service 2019 Constituency Development
MP Edmond Mukaratigwa. there and told congregants the Fund money to push back against
church will be completed. the MP who is hostile to them.
“The Zanu PF Midlands lead-
ership is panicking over Mliswa’s “The church is in my village Tongogara Rural District Coun-
political moves and development and I volunteered to complete its cil chairperson and Shurugwi
activities, which are communi- construction. I was touched when South ward 3 councillor Tamiswa
ty-based yet clearly electoral at the I attended Chabvakure Methodist Njovani has been reported con-
same time,” a senior Midlands rul- Church last week. I am also drill- firming the problem.
ing party leader said. ing more than five boreholes in the
Ward so that the community can “In my ward to be specific, I
“Mukaratigwa is obviously the access safe water,” Mliswa told lo- did not get a single bag of cement
most affected, but even some na- cal community journalists at the from CDF. I have made several
tional leaders from our province, time. follow-ups with the MP, but it has
including the President (Emmer- yielded nothing. The people are
son Mnangagwa)’s allies like July Church members and Shurugwi not happy with that issue because
Moyo and Owen Ncube are pan- villagers have expressed gratitude they feel corruption is at play,” he
icking. They don’t want Mliswa to Mliswa for his development ini- said in one news report.
here. They say he will cause divi- tiatives. But no sooner had Mliswa
sions and chaos – the sort of prob- arrived back home than controver- Apart from his broadsides
lems associated with him when he sy immediately erupted.
was Zanu PF Mashonaland West
chairman. So his political manoeu- In a series of tweets on 17 Au-
vres and development activities in gust last year, Mliswa said:
Shurugwi South are not welcome
by some political heavyweights “I continue with the develop-
here, although the community and
villagers are happy.”

Mliswa this week lambasted
Moyo, who is Local Government
minister, and Ncube, State Securi-
ty minister, over toxic politics and
petty controversies triggered by
public spats with his ex-girlfriend
Susan Mutami.

Mliswa said Mutami was a
Central Intelligence Organisation
(CIO) “project” run by Ncube to
discredit him for political reasons.
He also attacked Moyo, saying he
is now disloyal to Mnangagwa and
in fact has presidential ambitions
as shown by his alleged mobilisa-
tion of Rozvi chiefs to back his am-
bitious bid.

NewsHawks News Page 5

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

Land barons,
dodgy deals:
Controversial
secret agreement
haunts President

BRIDGET MANANAVIRE ons and dodgy land deals. Mnan- signed on 28 May 2019, the City between T&C and Augur for the President Emmerson Mnangagwa
gagwa is entangled in Sharpe’s of Harare was also involved in project.
WHILE cabinet this week set up dodgy land deals, documents legal battles with Augur to get tive spaces at growth points, in
a taskforce to investigate dodgy show. back land it had given the com- Augur also got favours for towns, cities and peri-urban ar-
land deals in local authorities pany as payment. The city want- more land in Harare under what eas.
and deal with land barons, Presi- While the government is blam- ed the land back, arguing Augur the agreement termed “in the
dent Emmerson Mnangagwa and ing local authorities, it has been failed to complete the project as spirit of Zimbabwe being open “The exercise shall be expand-
Local Government minister July interfering with council opera- agreed. for business and to support ed to cover the whole country
Moyo are part of the problem – tions and, in the case of Harare, Augur in its continued invest- in order to draw up a National
they are compromised by a messy it is blocking city fathers from re- Augur in July 2019 filed an ments”. Masterplan of all ecologically
secret land deal which they are ir- gaining the land given to Augur urgent court application for stay sensitive spaces on which human
retrievably entangled in. as payment for the 20-kilometre of execution on a court ruling in The land included Pokuga- settlements and related devel-
project it failed to complete as favour of T&C. It claimed the ra Properties Private Limited opments shall not take place. A
The deal gives millionaire Ken had been agreed. land could not be seized by T&C (stand 19828 Harare Township), National Wetlands Policy and
Sharpe’s Augur Investments un- as it was registered in Mnangag- Electro Properties Private Limit- Guidelines is being formulated
usual and illegal immunity from As a result of the immunity wa’s name. ed (stand  19673  Harare Town- in order to protect the environ-
litigation on disputed vast tracks deal signed by Moyo, it was em- ship), Express Properties Private ment for sustainable develop-
of land he acquired through the phasised that the arrangement “The writ of execution it- Limited (stand  19674  Hara- ment,” cabinet agreed.
Airport Road construction proj- involving Mnangagwa and the self was not served on the cor- re Township), Volin Proper-
ect. minister must be treated with rect domicilium citandi et exe- ty Company Private Limited The taskforce will also identify
“utmost confidentiality”, docu- cutandi(address for legal issues) (stand 144 Northwood, Yellow and qualify settlements in flood-
The NewsHawks in October ments show. of Augur. Instead the writ was Seat Properties Private Limited prone areas and identify land for
last year exposed how Augur simply dropped at the gate to (stand 19345 Harare Township), relocation.
investments controversially ac- Moyo also gave Sharpe assur- immovable property which Seatrite properties Private Lim-
quired vast tracks of land around ances that the local authority T&C seeks to attach, which ited (stand 1989 Harare Town- It will also streamline opera-
Harare as part payment for the and government departments property to date of this applica- ship). tions of co-operatives, “includ-
construction of Airport Road, would expedite licences and per- tion remains in the name of the ing through de-registering all
which the company failed to mits in relation to his other land President of Zimbabwe,” the ap- Other projects which received co-operatives which were cap-
complete. development projects across the plication reads. favours under the agreement are tured by land barons but ensur-
city. Most of the land mentioned the Mbudzi People’s Market, ing that innocent co-operatives
While City of Harare was try- was however irregularly obtained “Further, the immovable Warren Hills Residential and and bona fide home-seekers are
ing to regain the land through through the airport deal, accord- property that T&C wishes to Commercial Development and not unduly victimised”.
the courts, Moyo, representing ing to a 2010 Harare council au- attach in execution is registered Mukuvisi development.
himself and Mnangagwa, signed dit report. in the name of the President of “Implementation of these di-
a secret deal offering Augur and Zimbabwe and no consent has Cabinet said land barons have rectives will be spearheaded by
its associated companies, direc- The agreement for the con- been sought from the President been working in cahoots with the enhanced Cabinet Commit-
tors and representatives immuni- struction of the 20-kilometre for the attachment of such prop- corrupt state and municipal of- tee on Emergency Preparedness
ty from past, present and future Airport Road, also known as the erty.” ficers and fleecing unsuspecting and Disaster Management which
litigation on the land from gov- Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Ex- home-seekers and task teams will be chaired by the Honour-
ernment, council and any third pressway, which was not com- Stand 654 Pomona was Au- would correct the situation by able Vice President Constantino
parties. pleted, was signed in 2008 be- gur’s security as well as for instituting several strategies in- Chiwenga,” the cabinet minutes
tween Harare City Council and payment for future work and cluding mapping of wetlands read.
According to this week’s cab- Augur, although the project was equipment hired for the contract and other ecologically sensi-
inet briefing, ministries, depart- later taken over by the govern- Cabinet also declared a state of
ments and agencies are to “work ment. disaster on the country’s roads to
in concert in order to stem the expedite rehabilitation.
tide of neglect and malpractices The land in dispute – stand 654
around illegal settlements. All Pomona township (273.29 hect-
those who broke the laws and ares) – has opened a Pandora’s
by-laws on urban settlement will Box, showing Mnangagwa and
be brought to book without fear Moyo are deeply involved. The
or favour”. title deed for the land was held
in escrow by Coghlan, Welsh and
“The situation around illegal Guest Legal Practitioners at the
settlement has exposed irregular- time of the secret agreement.
ities and inadequacies in settle-
ment siting, planning and man- A company subcontracted by
agement,” cabinet said. Augur for civil works on road
project — Trucking and Con-
Cabinet said the Zimbabwe struction (T&C) Private Limited
Anti-Corruption Commission — is claiming the land in a bid
and the Special Anti-Corruption to recover its US$4.8 million for
Unit in Mnangagwa’s office will services and equipment provid-
help to crackdown on land bar- ed. Before the dodgy agreement,

Page 6 News NewsHawks

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

BERNARD MPOFU British officials owe Zim win Matanga and retired Lieu-
people an apology - Moss tenant-General Anselem Sanyatwe,
A FORMER United States State former commander of the Pres-
Department official says the Brit- you go back to what was called Todd Moss British recognise that that oppor- idential Guard and now Zimba-
ish government should consider the Lima Plan in 2015 it was clear with that, some did not,” Moss said tunity is now gone. bwe’s ambassador to Tanzania,
apologising to Zimbabwean peo- that the British were trying to — in an exclusive interview with The were slapped with travel bans and
ple for supporting a failed bid to a re-engagement process and try- NewsHawks. “On the one hand, I think the asset freeze by the British govern-
back Harare’s debt arrears plan ing to give Zanu PF a window to British government and certain ment.
which underwrote the 2017 mili- show that they could reform. Some “The US was highly sceptical embassy officials owe the Zimba-
tary coup in the misplaced hope of of the power creditors went along and I think history has shown that bwean people an apology for their UK Foreign secretary Dominic
securing transition and reform, The the scepticism was warranted. I behaviour. I doubt that they will Raab said the security sector chiefs
NewsHawks can report. think that this is a signal that the do that, but in a fair world that were responsible for serious human
would happen. But I do think that rights violations, including the
Todd Moss, a former deputy as- the authorities in London have deaths of 23 Zimbabwean protes-
sistant secretary in the Bureau of now come around and now view tors in August 2018 and January
African Affairs at the US State De- Zimbabwe very similarly to those 2019.
partment, said failure by President in Washington DC, which is that
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s govern- the prospects for reforms with this Moss said US President Joe
ment to implement far-reaching set of leadership in Zimbabwe are Biden is expected to tighten sanc-
reforms as part of its re-engage- very poor and putting money in tions on more government officials
ment strategy with the interna- Zimbabwe to support them will accused of human rights violations.
tional community has resulted in not encourage the reform process, Biden in 2001 was one of the spon-
a dramatic policy by the United but will actually encourage the op- sors of the Zimbabwe Democracy
Kingdom. posite, which is to further entrench and Economic Recovery Act, the
the regime in place.” sanctions law on Zimbabwe’s elites
Following the 2017 coup which and state institutions accused of
ousted the late long-time rul- Former British ambassador to perpetuating misrule.
er Robert Mugabe and brought Zimbabwe Catriona Laing, whose
Mnangagwa to power, Britain led tour of duty began in 2014, was at “On the US sanctions front, I
the way in endorsing the coup, the centre of the controversial pro- would also expect US sanctions not
which some Zimbabweans wel- cess. to just stay, but probably tighten.
comed and celebrated. By tightening I mean adding indi-
However, last week, in a major viduals,” Moss said.
Before that, the UK had crafted policy shift, the British govern-
a financial package — underwrit- ment imposed sanctions on four “There is a process for adding
ten by Standard Chartered Bank Zimbabwean security chiefs for people to the sanctions list (indi-
— to help Zimbabwe settle its human rights violations following viduals) and that process is not
US$1.8 billion (US$2.3 billion in- a series of critical pronouncements random; it’s based on hard evi-
cluding the European Investment in recent months. dence and government tries to be
Bank debt) arrears with interna- very careful to gather that evidence
tional financial creditors such as State Security minister Owen first so that they are not putting
the World Bank and the African Ncube, Central Intelligence Or- innocent people on the sanctions
Development Bank. The plan was ganisation director-general Isaac list. So when you see the US add
later aborted following interna- Moyo, Zimbabwe Republic Po- new people on the sanctions list,
tional uproar and failure to raise lice commissioner-general God- you can be very sure that there is
funding. a very thick stack of documents
showing what that person has done
Moss said the British plan raised to deserve to be on that list, but it’s
scepticism in the US. also the reason why sometimes it is
a little bit slow.”
“Going back pre-2017 — if

Mliswa complains about police abuse of law

Temba Mliswa was yesterday arrested while addressing a Press conference at BRIDGET MANANAVIRE ing, knowing that such gathering is all the allegations. If they don’t inves-
his Borrowdale house, in Harare. prohibited”. tigate, they’re part of this project. You
OUTSPOKEN Norton indepen- cannot have a situation where a Presi-
dent legislator Temba Mliswa, who On his warned and cautioned dent’s name is just brought up, where
appeared in court today, says police statement, Mliswa denied the allega- somebody says Temba Mliswa is us-
are abusing the law by arresting him tion, saying his arrest was an abuse of ing the President’s name to extort.
for allegedly violating Covid-19 lock- the legal system. Who have I extorted? At what point?
down regulations following a press Does that not call for the President’s
conference at his Borrowdale home “There were about 20 journalists Office to then interview the person?”
in Harare yesterday. in attendance, which is below the Mliswa said.
threshold of 30 allowed by the law,
Mliswa’s arrest came just after he and this is an abuse of the legal sys- “I’m happy to be a Member of
had accused State Security minister tem by a system bent on silencing Parliament. I do my work effectively.
Owen “Mudha” Ncube and the Cen- me. If this was genuine law enforce- I have no ambition whatsoever. But
tral Intelligence Organisation (CIO) ment all the persons present should knowing me, if I had the ambition,
of plotting to silence him through have been arrested instead of singling why not? I would tell you that this is
a honey-trap using his former girl- me out for arrest,” Mliswa said. not a crime. If I challenge the Presi-
friend Susan Mutami. dent to be president, it is not a crime,
Mliswa had told journalists – who by the way. So don’t make something
He also lambasted Local Govern- he bitterly criticised amid a chilling which is democratic a crime. I speak
ment minister July Moyo over his call for their detention for writing my mind, I speak what I want. But in
presidential ambition manoeuvres. falsehoods, Mutami, who has been essence, I support the President while
giving statements to the media alleg- he’s in power.”
During a press conference, Mliswa ing that Mliswa was, among other
dared the CIO to investigate allega- shenanigans, plotting to kill Zanu Mliswa said accusations of want-
tions by Mutami, concerning Presi- PF officials, engaging in extortionist, ing to assassinate the son of the Presi-
dent Emmerson Mnangagwa and his abusing women and being sexually dent and Local Government minister
family, to prove that the organisation deviant, is part of a CIO “project” July Moyo were meant to discredit
is not involved in the plot. deployed by Ncube. him and smear his name.

Soon after that, police pounced He said the plot to silence him was He said Mutami was in constant
on him. The police said the legisla- a result of Zanu PF factional fights, communication with Ncube and
tor had contravened “section 5 (3) particularly in Mnangagwa’s Mid- moved around with CIO officers.
(a) of provisions of the Public Health lands home province.
(Covid-19 prevention, containment Phone calls by The NewsHawks to
and treatment) (National Lockdown) “I’ve written to the director-gener- seek Ncube’s comment on his alleged
(Consolidation and Ammendment) al of Central Intelligence Organisa- involvement in the plot went unan-
regulations…that is unlawful gather- tion, I am challenging the Central In- swered.
telligence Organisation to investigate

NewsHawks News Page 7

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

Page 8 News NewsHawks

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

Long Read

OWEN GAGARE Fred Shava: New minister’s
criminal past clouds future
NEWLY-appointed Zimbabwean For- sowing the seeds of impunity and
eign Affairs and International Trade Newly appointed foreign affairs and international trade minister, Frederick Shava more corruption.
minister Frederick Shava, who has an
unsavoury dark and criminal past, has the Hansard and several books, includ- the permanent secretary in 1981, just not hurt Shava at the time – he was That was a narrow escape for Sha-
his work cut out for him. ing Stuart Doran’s Kingdom, Power as Frederick Shava took over from Ed- protected in collective succour. va, but the damage had already been
and Glory: Mugabe, Zanu and the gar Tekere as minister,” Mandaza told done. Upon resigning, Shava cut a
Shava replaced retired Lieu- Quest for Supremacy, show Shava was The NewsHawks. It was corruption and perjury – lonely and pathetic figure. “I failed
tenant-General Sibusiso Moyo who one of the most vocal Gukurahundi including his jailing and immediate him (Mugabe). My conscience does
succumbed to Covid-19 on 20 Janu- advocates. He even demanded extraju- “I left the ministry in 1983 on pro- pardon – which then irretrievably not allow me to continue in this office
ary. dicial killings in parliament. motion to the Public Service Commis- damaged his reputation and led to his of high esteem,” Shava said as he disap-
sion just as the Ministry of Manpow- political downfall. peared into the political shadows.
As the country’s top diplomat – the “I advise strongly the Minister of er Planning and Development was
face of Zimbabwe to the outside world Defence that people should be shot combined with that of Labour under Shava was one of the ministers After resigning from the govern-
– the new minister, bouncing back and killed on mere suspicions of be- Shava. implicated in the Willowgate corrup- ment ignominiously, Shava went un-
into cabinet after 32 years, has to grap- ing dissident supporters.… to demand tion scandal which involved officials derground and was in the political
ple with complex internal and external from the dissidents, and to demand “But I am not prepared to com- corruptly buying and selling cars — scrapyard for a long time as a spent
challenges in his new job. from dissidents’ supporters two eyes ment on Shava’s politics, except to effectively wheeling and dealing — force.
for one eye, two ears for one ear, and the extent that Gukurahundi affected acquired on subsidised rates through
This includes dwindling domestic never turn another cheek…Supporters our ministry’s staff and work, directly state-owned Willowale Motor Indus- But later he got a second chance –
and international confidence, good- of dissidents, once identified, I con- and adversely. To begin with, the Min- tries. without repenting, at least in public.
will and support for President Emmer- tend that they must be shot on sight istry of Manpower Planning and De- He was thrown a lifeline and sent to
son Mnangagwa administration over because they are just as bad as facili- velopment was from inception staffed In the corruption frenzy, Shava Beijing, China, in 2007 as ambassa-
its failure to implement political and tators of information…” Shava said by comrades from both Zanu and emerged as the busiest wheeler-dealer dor. After that he continued on. His
economic reforms, combat rising cor- in parliament on 3 February 1983, Zapu by design, notwithstanding ten- at the time. He bought and sold so recovery path with a new posting to
ruption and human rights violations as according to the Hansard. sion already existing between the two many vehicles that the Sandura Com- the United States as Zimbabwe’s am-
well as lack of service delivery. former liberation movements. mission was dismayed and criticised bassador and permanent represen-
Alarmed by the lobby for sum- him for “behaving like a car dealer” tative to the United Nations in New
Zimbabwe is once again the pariah mary executions, Ruth Chinamano, “Therefore, as Director of the Na- after raking in about US$70 000  in York in 2014. He was then elected sev-
state that it was under Mnangagwa’s a Zapu MP and wife of the party’s tional Manpower Survey whose work a year; which amounted to minting enty-second president of the Econom-
predecessor, the late long-time ruler deputy president Josiah Chinamano, covered the entire country, one day I money in the 1980s. ic and Social Council on 28 July 2016,
Robert Mugabe. intervened, saying that was the most woke up to the discovery that as a con- a position he held for a year, marking a
destructive speech she had ever heard sequence of the Gukurahundi scourge The investigation, conducted by further step in his rehabilitation.
Only last week, Britain imposed in parliament, but the Speaker Didy- in western Zimbabwe and Midlands, a three-member commission led by
new sanctions on four state security mus Mutasa intervened to protect and most of my enumerators and field of- Justice Wilson Sandura, climaxed with This week, Mnangagwa once again
officials accused of human rights abus- allow Shava to continue. ficers — most of whom were former the resignations of three cabinet min- rescued him as he appointed him a
es and killings of civilian protestors in Zipra in these two regions — were isters Enos Nkala, Shava and Maurice Foreign Affairs minister; signifying the
2018 and 2019. “I will repeat, supporters of dissi- reported to have either ‘disappeared, Nyagumbo, who went on to commit rise and fall…and resurrection of Sha-
dents, once identified, must be shot on killed or detained’. Others, like Bob suicide. Mugabe promised to take va. At home, Shava is Mnangagwa’s
The United States has maintained sight, because insofar as they facilitate Ndlovu, managed to flee the country action against at least three others ac- long-time ally and homeboy, who will
sanctions on targeted Zimbabweans information to dissidents about the at the time.” cused of similar corruption. support him in his battle for suprem-
and entities. But beyond that the in- security forces, they are just as bad as acy with the military faction led by
ternational community, which initially dissidents themselves,” Shava said. But then on that Shava was not To make matters worse, Shava re- Vice-President Constantino Chiwen-
gave Mnangagwa the benefit of the alone: Most senior Zanu PF officials, signed in shame after giving false tes- ga. He is coming in as one of Mnan-
doubt, has disengaged. The new min- Shava agitated for Gukurahundi de- from Mugabe going down, including timony to the commission. For lying gagwa’s political henchmen. He has a
ister has to fix the diplomatic decou- spite his own ministry being affected ministers and MPs, were Gukura- under oath – perjury – he was slapped lot of political experience and a high
pling. Shava’s task is made even harder by the massacres. hundi agitators. Their remarks in the with a nine-month sentence, without profile to help him consolidate power.
by the fact that he has a heavy monkey media and parliament make shocking, an option of a fine. Mnangagwa, then
on his back. Ibbo Mandaza, a former director appalling and embarrassing reading, like now, sprang to his rescue. After Yet having been away for so long,
and secretary in the ministry before his especially now. The prime minister Mnangagwa’s pleas on behalf of Shava, that will make it difficult for him to
He has an unsavoury reputation. elevation to the Public Service Com- and his ministers, as well as senior Mugabe acted promptly, issuing a par- regain political clout and influence,
His name is associated with abuse of mission, confirmed the abductions Zanu officials, acted like a lynch mob don 24 hours later. especially on the structures amid on-
office and high-level corruption, per- and killings of the ministry’s staff. in their bid to liquidate Zapu and its going power struggles, to make an
jury and genocide, in which he called leader Joshua Nkomo to establish a “Who among us has not lied? Yes- impact.
for extrajudicial killings of real or per- “I was the Director of the Nation- one-party state and political hegemo- terday you were with your girlfriend
ceived government opponents. al Manpower Survey in the Ministry ny. and you told your wife that you were On the international front, for Sha-
of Manpower Planning and Devel- with the Prime Minister. Should you va to gain credibility and succeed as he
It is the sort of record which in rea- opment from the latter’s inception in Yet the blood-letting agitation did get nine months for that?” Mugabe engages the outside world, he needs to
sonably civilised and democratic soci- April 1980, and subsequently became said as he justified freeing Shava, while show that he is now truly rehabilitated.
eties would have morally disqualified He will have to demonstrate that he is
him from public office, just like his no longer the corrupt man of over 30
boss and several of his associates. years ago; that he now respects human
rights and the sanctity of life, and in-
But this being Africa – a continent deed that he is now honest – he no
still struggling with democratic transi- longer lies to a point of being prepared
tion in Gramscian rationale as the old to commit perjury.
order is dying while the new is not be-
ing born, hence political monsters or Government spokesperson Nick
morbid creatures in the interregnum Mangwana said Shava is now a “model
– they are in power. citizen” after learning from his mis-
takes. This remains to be seen.
Shava has a colourful history. He
was considered a rising political star Unlike his predecessor Moyo who
soon after Independence in 1980. was appointed at a time Zimbabwe
No wonder Mugabe appointed him and Mnangagwa had local and inter-
Labour, Manpower Planning and national goodwill soon after the 2017
Development minister in 1981 fol- coup, Shava is coming in when Harare
lowing the dismissal of the outspoken is now a pariah state again amid failure
late Zanu PF secretary-general Edgar to implement reforms and growing
Tekere, who opposed Mugabe’s plans human rights abuses, as well as repres-
for a one-party state and later became sion against opposition, political and
vocal over corruption. civic activists. Journalists, lawyers, ac-
tivists and ordinary Zimbabweans are
Tekere, who had earlier on been ac- under siege.
quitted of murdering a white farmer,
went on to form his own party, Zim- While Mnangagwa’s government is
babwe Unity Movement, to contest claiming progress on reform citing a
the 1990 elections, helping to stop series of piecemeal changes and wants
Mugabe in his tracks over his desired re-engagement, the world is moving
de jure one-party state project. Shava away. Shava has to use his political
held the position until 1987 when capital and diplomatic experience to
he was appointed minister of state turn things around, but with a huge
for Political Affairs, serving in high monkey on his back the question is:
office among a cast of liberation war Will he deliver?
luminaries, although he was not in the
trenches in Mozambique or Zambia.

No sooner had Shava been prom-
inent and influential than he found
himself entangled in undesirable ac-
tivities: first overzealously agitating for
ruthless measures – including summa-
ry public executions – during Guku-
rahundi.

Records in parliament captured in

NewsHawks News Page 9

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

Geoff Nyarota revisits Willowgate scandal

GEOFFREY NYAROTA

I WAS at the time two months was the aforementioned Mu- excessive to their legitimate Bulawayo published full de- evidence, Mugabe executed a
short of 38 years of age and denda. personal needs being sold at tails of the Paweni Case, in- somersault once  The Chronicle
a little-known editor of  The exorbitant prices on the black cluding Kangai’s name. published its first instalment of
Chronicle, the Bulawayo-based By the time the Willowgate market. Also in due course, the Willowgate scandal.
daily newspaper. Scandal hit the streets of Bul- allegations went viral by tele- The idea was thus planted in
awayo and Harare on 21 Oc- phone about the racketeering the public mind that the Bula- “Don’t publish any false-
In a building in our neigh- tober 1988, and effectively put among the President’s top lieu- wayo paper was in the forefront hoods against my ministers,”
bourhood in central Bulawayo paid to their nefarious business tenants in brand new cars.  of the fight against corruption. Mugabe now demanded in the
was the sumptuously appoint- deals, these five cabinet minis- intimidating ambience of State
ed office of Jacob Francis Mu- ters and a provincial governor The campaign against cor- When allegations of illicit House.
denda. Aged 40 at the time, he were wealthy car dealers.  ruption in Zimbabwe, of which motorcar deals at Willowvale
was the affable provincial gov- the Willowgate Scandal be- started to float around, it was I did not reveal to him, but
ernor of Matabeleland North. In the case of the provincial came symbolic, did not occur to The Chronicle that the infor- I had notebooks full of un-
He was very approachable and governor, he purchased a mon- in a contextual vacuum pro- mation was directed. savoury notes about his min-
we got along very well. ster 30-tonne Scania truck and fessionally or politically. It was isters.
trailer. He claimed he invested instigated by none other Mug- Around mid-1988, Mugabe,
Far away, in the capital city in the huge truck and trailer abe himself. With the vocal infuriated by increasing reports “I shall not publish any false-
of Zimbabwe, Harare, was the to replace the donkey cart that support of his Vice-President of brazen corruption, chal- hoods about your ministers,”
office of one of government’s comprised the entire fleet of his Simon Vengai Muzenda, Mug- lenged Zimbabweans to desist was all I said instead.
lesser known but increasingly father’s refuse removal business abe urged the public to submit from peddling spurious allega-
powerful functionaries. Aged in Dete, the small town of his any reports of corruption to tions of corruption among his And, indeed, no falsehood
39, little-known Dr  Frederick birth north of Bulawayo close the authorities, complete with officials without producing any were ever published against any
Musiiwa Makamure Shava was to Hwange. well-documented details. copper-bottom evidence.  of his officials. 
minister of state for Political
Affairs in the government of The Willowgate Scandal This happened in the af- When the Willowgate scan- As more shocking details
President Robert Gabriel Mug- came about as the result of a termath of Zimbabwe’s first dal broke, the pages of  The unfolded, Mugabe was forced
abe. In certain circles of the dubious scheme introduced case of corruption, the Sam- Chronicle were replete with to establish a Commission of
Zimbabwean motor vehicle by the Mugabe government to son Paweni scandal, involving comprehensive details of a Inquiry under Justice Wilson
market, Shava had recently ac- help alleviate a severe short- the inflation of charges for the thoroughly investigated and Sandura, Judge President of the
quired a growing reputation as age of new cars in Zimbabwe. transportation of drought relief well-documented story that be- High Court.  It was for good
a motorcar dealer of note.  Through this Machiavellian maize shortly after Indepen- came the first instalment of an measure that he set up the
arrangement, cabinet ministers dence.  investigation that we had put Sandura Commission to ver-
In June 1988, for instance, and other top government offi- together over a period of many ify the accusations published
he paid $32 780 for a brand cials were entitled to accessing The public was incensed weeks.  by  The Chronicle,  in the hope,
new Toyota Cressida straight new vehicles directly from the when Paweni was found guilty no doubt, that the allegations
from the vehicle assembly country’s two new motorcar as- of making millions out of the The Willowgate scandal had were all false.
plant at Willowvale Motor In- sembly plants.  scandal. While he was jailed, been born.
dustries. This was the luxury his accomplice of record, Kum- Zimbabweans filled the
car of choice for the elite of The bigger plant was Wil- birai Kangai, a government Reacting to the enormity of courtroom for days on end to
Zimbabwe in and outside gov- lowvale Motor Industries in minister, got away scot-free. the scandal that shocked Zim- witness the spectacle of other-
ernment. The amount paid was Harare, which became the ma- While Kangai’s name was men- babwe and rattled the govern- wise haughty and untouchable
the dealers’ price. After regis- jor source of the illicit ministe- tioned in court, newspapers ment, Mugabe hastily sum- Zanu PF ministers being hu-
tering the car in his own name, rial acquisitions.  in Harare covered up for him. moned me to Harare and to miliated right before their eyes.
Shava disposed of the vehicle They did not disclose his name State House. There he subtly
early in July for a whacking In due course, early in 1988, in their court reports.  threatened me. While the Pres- While  The Chronicle broke
$95 000. some of the beneficiaries of the ident had initially exhorted the Willowgate scandal in re-
scheme enjoyed multiple allo- Meanwhile, The Chronicle in Zimbabweans to come forward sponse to the President’s re-
The profit realised on this cations, with vehicles that were with proven cases of corruption quest for well-documented re-
one vehicle was $62 220, or his accompanied by irrefutable ports of corruption, at the first
own gross salary for 31 months veritable evidence that wide-
at the time. Shava was not the
only top government official
involved in this profitable line
of business, buying new ve-
hicles off the assembly line at
factory prices and disposing
of them at extortionate profit.
There were several others.

Also involved was the bellig-
erent minister of Defence, Enos
Mzombi Nkala, now late. The
biggest player was the hum-
ble, but also powerful senior
minister of state for Political
Affairs, Maurice Tapfumaneyi
Nyagumbo, now also late. He
clandestinely processed a total
of 36 vehicles. Then there was
the erudite, but exceedingly
arrogant Professor Callistus
Dingiswayo Ndlovu. As min-
ister of Commerce and Indus-
try, he was the mastermind of
the racket. He is now also late.
May all their souls rest in eter-
nal peace.

The minister of Higher Ed-
ucation, Dr Dzingai Barnabas
Mutumbuka, was one of the
smaller players. Finally there

Page 10 News NewsHawks

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

spread allegations of sleaze among he lacks suitable diplomatic quali- me, it was patently clear that the National Assembly was falsely alleged
his ministers were not fictitious, ties or credentials, but because he is Mugabe administration had not for- by Chitemba to have been the recip-
the President backtracked.  a controversial figure. given us, especially me.  ient of a report about my investiga-
tion.
In the case of Shava, the first cul- By far the greatest victim of the Likewise it remains obvious that
prit nailed for Willowgate-linked Willowgate scandal was Nyagum- despite the oft-repeated anti-corrup- More recently, I was variously nom-
corruption, the President rushed bo, one of the highest officials im- tion sentiments of the Second Repub- inated for appointment to the ZMC.
to spring him out of prison on the plicated. He resigned in shame after lic, I remain unforgiven, essentially. My name was not even short-listed.
very day he was incarcerated.  admitting to selling 36 new vehicles Over the past two years, commission-
and committed suicide through tak- ers have been appointed to two stat- As fate would have it, the neph-
“Who has not lied?” Mugabe ing poison. This was a most painful utory commissions, the Zimbabwe ew of Shava and my own son mar-
asked while pardoning Shava at experience for me. We were related Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) ried into the same family a few years
a hastily convened press confer- through marriage and had enjoyed a and the Zimbabwe Media Commis- ago. So in our Shona custom Shava is
ence. “Yesterday you were with game of tennis a short while before. sion (ZMC). now  Babamukuru or Big Brother to
your girlfriend but you told your me. As such, as soon as the proverbi-
wife that you were with the Presi- As for Davison Maruziva, my dep- Four prominent lawyers, includ- al dust has settled at Munhumutapa
dent. Should you be jailed for nine uty, with whom I worked to inves- ing former Harare mayor Muchad- Building, I propose to pay the new
months for that?” tigate the scandal, we were both re- eyi Masunda, nominated me for ap- minister of Foreign Affairs a visit,
moved from The Chronicle to appease pointment to Zacc. After my name both to welcome him back home and
Then the President turned on those powerful men we dared to in- was short-listed,  The Sunday Mail to congratulate him on his new ap-
me. vestigate and expose. Long before the reporter Brian Chitemba caused the pointment.
Sandura Commission held its first newspaper to publish a fake article to
While the commission’s findings session, we had both been fired. the effect that I had been investigat- Nyarota was Editor of The Chron-
had vindicated both The Chron- ed by the same Zacc for corruption. icle from 1983 to 1988 and found-
icle  and me, confirming that no Long after the Sandura Commis- Zacc promptly issued a denial. The ing Editor-in-Chief of The Daily
falsehood had been published by sion had exonerated Maruziva and News from 1999 to 2003.
the newspaper, Mugabe now start-
ed to display hostility.

“Nyarota suffers from a certain Death Notice
overzealousness,” he suggested
to both the amazement and the Ms Esther Massundah
amusement of those who heard National Blood Service Zimbabwe (NBSZ) Public Affairs Manager
him. It is with great sadness that we announce the passing on of Ms Esther Massundah, the National Blood Ser-
vice Zimbabwe (NBSZ) Public Affairs Manager. Her untimely passing on has been marked as a time of great
The Sandura Commission estab- sorrow, and on behalf of NBSZ Board, Management, Staff members and the blood donor community, we
lished that in just one year, Shava wish to express our heartfelt condolences to the Massundah family.
had made a profit of about $140 Ms Massundah contributed positively to the success of the Zimbabwe blood donor programme in many
000 from buying and selling motor respects. Her larger than life personality, dedication, passion and unquestionable loyalty in executing her
vehicles. This was the equivalent of work will forever be missed.
a government minister’s gross sala-
ry for five years eight months at $2 Her commendable work ethics and ability to produce profitable results are irreplaceable to NBSZ as an
000 per month. organisation as well as the blood donor community. Her career was signified by several notable awards of
excellence in brand management, marketing and public relations. Ms Massundah was not only recognisable
“That sum represents the profits in the blood donor community but she was a member of various professional bodies in Zimbabwe. We will
which Shava admitted in his evi- forever remember her as a commendable pillar of success never to be forgotten.
dence,” the commission’s report Contrary to reports from some sections of the media, that she succumbed to covid-19 related complications,
stated. “In reality, the figures may Esther Massundah tested negative to the PCR test performed at Cimas Medical laboratory carried out on
be much higher. It is obvious from Tuesday 09 February 2021.
the evidence that Shava was behav- Once again, our deepest condolences to Ms Massundah’s family and her beloved ones. We have all lost a col-
ing like a car dealer.” league, friend, sister thus we all wish her eternal rest in the safe hands of the Lord whom she served faithfully
to the very end.
Of the five cabinet ministers and
a provincial governor implicated
in the Willowgate Scandal by the
commission, only three are sur- Ms L M Marowa
viving. Mutumbuka lives in retire- Chief Executive Officer
ment in Maryland, United States. National Blood Service Zimbabwe
He relocated to the US after Wil-
lowgate and worked for the World
Bank.

For him and another two of the
culprits, Willowgate was akin to a
springboard to success. Following
a 25-year period, during which he
pursued further studies and estab-
lished a law firm in Bulawayo, Mu-
denda returned to active politics in
2013. He was appointed as Speak-
er of the House of Assembly. He is
arguably the best Speaker to grace
this office since Independence.

As for the new Minister of For-
eign Affairs appointed this week,
Shava has not looked back since
Willowgate. He served a term as
Zimbabwe’s ambassador to China
and another as representative at
the United Nations in New York.
From this week, he shoulders the
onerous responsibility of mending
Zimbabwe’s sour relations with the
powerful Western nations.

Perhaps, like Mudenda at par-
liament, he will become the most
successful minister of Foreign Af-
fairs since Independence.In any
case, the appointment of Shava to
the position of our nation’s top-
most diplomat has become steeped
in controversy, not because he is
perceived as incompetent or that

NewsHawks News Page 11

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

Goodread
Willowgate revisited Published 20
April 1989 – Los Angeles Times

Uproar in Zim:
Just for once,
corruption is
a scandal

MICHAEL A. HILTZIK vehicles, but the law allows ministers ity company would not. The reason is that Zimbabwe sim- The late Maurice Nyagumbo
and members of parliament to jump “The average guy really under- ply does not have the foreign cur- come went to pay off debt; most of
BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe — AS to the head of the line, on grounds rency to import vehicles. Oddly for the rest was spent on oil imports and
with so many good scandals, the one that they need cars for official busi- stands this one,” one Harare diplo- one of black Africa’s more prosperous a highly trained military.
called “Willowgate” began unravel- ness. mat remarked. countries, Zimbabwe is one of the
ling with a misdirected letter. most strapped for foreign exchange. So Willowvale, which has the ca-
Instead of keeping these cars, In part, this is because automobiles pacity to turn out more than 4,500
The letter and an enclosed check however, many officials were resell- are at the center of the scheme. Partly this is because it has chosen cars a year, in 1987 built only 1,400.
landed on the desk of a businessman ing them at mark-ups of as much as Starved for Vehicles to pay off its foreign debt on sched- Meanwhile, the government esti-
here named Obert Mpofu. Mpofu $30,000, in violation of a law con- Zimbabwe is starved for vehicles. It is ule, rather than stretching out interest mates that the country needs more
was mystified as to why he would trolling the prices of second-hand one of the few countries in the world and principal payments over a longer than 20,000 new vehicles a year to
be entitled to a $1,900 rebate from vehicles. where the number of registered auto- period, as have most other African replace old cars and trucks and fill
the Zimbabwean government’s Wil- mobiles has dropped in the last few countries. Thus, last year more than business demand.
lowvale auto assembly plant for a car As it happens, the money made years. 33% of its $1,8 billion in foreign in-
he had not ordered and would not be in Willowgate would barely merit a The car famine has turned Zim-
entitled to buy for many years. cocked eyebrow in, say, Japan, where babwe into a nation of hitchhikers.
the Recruit Co. scandal involves mil- With buses scarce at rush hours,
Then he noticed that both items lions of dollars. people crowd Harare’s bus stops
were actually meant for one A. Mpo- with their arms outstretched into the
fu. This man turned out to be an em- It even pales in comparison to street, palms facing down and fingers
ployee of a leading Bulawayo busi- the millions of dollars socked away waving, trying to cadge a ride from
nessman, who turned out to be up to by some African leaders. One of the passing motorists. Even for those
his ears in shady deals with a number busier participants, Minister of State with money to spend, the tiny out-
of Zimbabwean politicians. Frederick Shava, who bought and put of Willowvale makes buying a car
sold so many vehicles that the Sandu- virtually a lifetime enterprise.
In time, these documents came to ra commission criticized him for “be-
the notice of the Bulawayo Chronicle having like a car dealer,” made about “Most motor dealers have stopped
newspaper, which one day last Octo- $70,000 in a year. taking names for the waiting list
ber, under a huge headline scream- because there’s no point in it,” says
ing, “CARS RACKET,” proceeded Yet the spectacle of ministers and James Brown, head of the national
to make African history. legislators trading in their privileged Motor Trade Assn. “It would be 10
No parallel in region automobiles for cash has struck a or 12 years.”
What followed was a public inquiry chord in the Zimbabwean psyche the
into official corruption that has no way a complicated scheme to siphon Until last year, Zimbabweans were
parallel in sub-Saharan Africa, and money out of, say, a government util- permitted to pool their family vaca-
little enough anywhere else in the The late Enos Nkala tion allowances of foreign exchange-
world. In countries from Kenya to -about $200 per member--to buy a
Zaire, such corruption is institution- used car abroad.
alized, explained away or kept safely Junkers from Botswana
out of the media. People flooded into neighboring
Botswana, paying for anything that
Thus, in a region where few inves- rolled. Many of these cars did not
tigate official malfeasance lest they be roll far, however. The highways back
tossed into jail as dissidents, Zimba- to Zimbabwe became littered with
bwe mounted an inquiry that placed hopeless wrecks that broke down be-
roughly half of its Cabinet under fore reaching the border; those mak-
threat of perjury prosecution. ing it all the way home often ended
up as not much more than decora-
The investigation, conducted by tions of their owners’ yards, for the
a three-member commission led by other great shortage in Zimbabwe is
Wilson Sandura, the chief judge of
Zimbabwe’s second-highest court,
climaxed with the resignations
this month of three cabinet minis-
ters. President Robert Mugabe has
pledged to take action against at least
three others accused of misdeeds by
the Sandura panel.

At the center of the racket uncov-
ered by the Chronicle is the govern-
ment-owned auto plant, Willowvale
Motors (hence the “Willowgate”
label). Willowvale and a sister plant,
which assemble Toyotas, Mazdas and
Peugeots from imported “kits,” are
the only legal importers of cars into
Zimbabwe.

There is a long waiting list for these

Page 12 News NewsHawks

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

of spare parts. Justice Wilson Sandura with President Robert Mugabe (both late)
“They were bringing back rub-
Jacob Mudenda to her employers for about $15,000, times lying in the morning session
bish,” Brown said. and 40 directors and managers of pri- a legal price, but the businessmen and coming clean in the afternoon.
Finally, concerned that the holiday vate companies, generally the buyers forced another $30,000 on her.
of the politicians’ cars. On March 31 The commission’s success was
sprees were costing $5 million a year the panel gave its report to Mugabe, Others showed less than ministeri- symbolized by its dealings with Enos
in foreign currency, the government who ordered it published about a al decorum. As he was being sharply Nkala, perhaps one of the most pow-
closed the loophole. week later. questioned about some mysterious erful, if unpopular, politicians in the
deposits in his private bank account, government.
Public indignation here over the Every day that the commission sat Minister Mutumbuka was interrupt-
car racket also reflects something else in Harare, hundreds of people lined ed by grumbling and catcalls from A week after his first, unconvinc-
that sets Zimbabweans apart in their up outside Zimbabwe’s largest court- the public gallery. ing testimony, Nkala returned to the
reaction to corruption. room for seats. The demand was so commission to face its clear docu-
great that spectators were rotated “One fool at a time, please,” he mentary evidence of his guilt. As usu-
It is almost an article of faith through, like art lovers queuing up to growled. al, there was a standing-room-only
among visitors to Africa that corrup- glimpse the Mona Lisa before being crowd.
tion--from the petty graft of a cus- moved along. At that point Sandura saw fit to
toms officer to the majestic thievery warn both the minister and the peo- “The atmosphere in the public
of some national leaders--is somehow What they saw was a series of cab- ple about their behavior. gallery was very tense,” Robert A.
a natural feature of the landscape, inet ministers threatening the com- Stumbles, one of the commissioners,
like baobab trees and potholed roads. missioners. But Sandura brooked no “A lot of the people had never been recalled. “They were waiting for him
intimidation. Several times he impas- to a courtroom before, and they were to announce his resignation.”
Even aid officials and diplomats sively cut short truculent ministers demonstrating,” Sandura said in an
become inured. Zaire’s President with a reading of the commission’s interview. “I kept having to remind Reduced to mumbling, Nkala
Mobutu Sese Seko, the head of one broad investigative charge. Twice he them it was a courtroom, not a rally.” said, “I come to you as a humble
of the most corrupt African societies, threatened ministers with arrest. sheep to the slaughter.” Then he an-
is said to have spirited so much of his But then he added: “I didn’t expect nounced his resignation, and the gal-
country’s enormous wealth into Eu- Then there were the politicians’ the ministers to behave as they did, lery erupted in cheers. – Los Angeles
ropean mansions and bank accounts by showing contempt. I didn’t expect Times.
that a Kinshasa diplomat was recent- ministers to have to be told how to
ly moved to explain the phenome- behave. I expected them to realize To maintain originality of the
non this way: this inquiry was being undertaken in story, we did not change American
the president’s name.” spellings into British ones where
“Coming from a tribal culture, Af- applicable. We also left the house
ricans believe that their chiefs’ power In almost every case, the commis- style – in fact everything - as it
and status should be reflected in their sion produced documentary evidence originally was in the United States
wealth,” he said. “That’s why they undermining the politicians’ denials; newspaper which first the article.
never complain.” in almost every case, the politicians
stepped forward to recant - some- – Editor.
Willowgate belies this facile theo- Obert Mpofu
ry. seemingly transparent defenses.
One claimed to have been “sur-
“It’s a tremendous testimony to
the fact that average people in Africa prised” when, after surrendering his
don’t like corruption,” said one West- Peugeot sedan as a loan repayment,
ern diplomat in Harare, speaking on he was simply given another $23,000
the condition that he not be identi- by his creditor. (Remarked the report,
fied. “This is an incredible story which
does not deserve serious consider-
In truth, Zimbabwe has the advan- ation.”)
tage of a leader whose personal probi-
ty is unquestioned. Mugabe has gone Higher Education Minister Dz-
so far as to enact a “leadership code,” ingai Mutumbuka called it “coinci-
restricting the number of homes and dence” that he and his wife placed
other possessions top politicians may $55,000 in their bank accounts on
own. (Nonetheless, many here com- the same day they sold their Toyota
plain the code is more honored in the Cressida, which they said they sold
breach than the observance.) for a legal $27,500. (The buyers ad-
mitted paying $55,000.)
It may also be that Zimbabwe’s
struggle for independence, which Several chose to blame their wives.
ended only in 1980, remains fresh “If you do find any racket at the end
enough in its people’s minds for its of the day, I was not in any way in-
slogans of universal opportunity to volved,” Defense Minister Enos Nka-
be taken to heart. la testified. Nkala’s wife, Thandiwe,
said she meant to sell her Cressida
Still, Willowgate has also exposed
the limits of the Zimbabwean gov-
ernment’s tolerance for investigative
reporting. Soon after the Chronicle
began investigating the scandal, its
crusading editor, Geoffrey Nyarota,
was promoted by Zimbabwe News-
papers, the government-controlled
publisher and Nyarota was effectively
silenced by being given a headquar-
ters public relations job.

Despite appeals by prominent
writers and politicians, Mugabe has
refused to reverse the decision, argu-
ing that the new post’s higher salary
should be considered Nyarota’s “re-
ward.”

In many ways Willowgate un-
folded in a way that connoisseurs
of Western scandals would appreci-
ate. The first stories in the Bulawayo
Chronicle produced blustering deni-
als. Callistus Ndlovu, the minister of
industry and technology, called the
first article “a shoddy piece of slan-
der conceived by tricksters and mob-
sters.” Another minister challenged
Nyarota to a fight.

Yet once it became clear that the
allegations had merit, Mugabe acted
to preserve his own reputation for
integrity by appointing the Sandu-
ra commission. Over seven weeks
the commission called 72 witnesses,
including six cabinet ministers, two
deputy ministers, three members of
Parliament, two senior army officers

NewsHawks News Page 13

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

Family demands release of detained student
activist Allan Moyo amid fears of Covid-19

NYASHA CHINGONO

WHEN 22-year-old Alan Moyo Incarcerated Iniversity of Zimbabwe student, Allan Moyo
was arrested last December, his
family thought he would return While in prison, Alan is not al- gated regularly. There are just too of state persecution by prosecu- cy to power in a military coup in
home in time for Christmas. lowed to wear personal protective many living in one cell,” he said. tion. 2017, Zimbabwe has witnessed
clothing in the crammed cells, sweeping arrests of political and
But 67 days later, Allan is still heightening the risk of Covid-19 Zimbabwe’s prisons have be- This week, Alan was denied bail civil society activists, opposition
languishing in Harare Central infection. come Covid-19 hotspots, amid on the basis that he is of no fixed leaders like Job Sikhala, Joana
Prison cells. revelations that prison guards and aboard. His shocked father said Mamombe and Fadzayi Mahere
Alan sleeps with 30 other pris- inmates are contracting the deadly the state should not hold his son and journalists like Hopewell
They are troubled and exasper- oners in one cell. There is hardly virus. any longer, adding that Alan was Chin’ono, who has been jailed
ated. any social distancing, his father not a flight risk. three times in six months.
says. Overcrowding in the country’s
Arrested on 7 December and prisons has become a hazard for “He is young, and he is no The state has also upped the
charged with incitement to com- “Alan says only God is taking prisoners, amid calls to decongest flight risk. Alan stays with me so ante on surveillance, torture and
mit violence allegations, Alan has care of him inside remand prison jails across Zimbabwe. he will not run away. He also does abduction of government critics.
been denied bail several times because there is barely any social not have a passport so there is no
with many believing he is being distancing. About 30 inmates Alan’s imprisonment has cause for worry on the part of the With this happening in the full
punished through a pre-trial de- sleep in a cell and they are almost sparked an online campaign call- authorities. They should give us glare of local and international
tention – the now common mali- 500 in total. There is no PPE for ing for his release. the chance to explain that we stay media, while other violations have
cious application of the law. the prisoners, and they are just with him and nothing will happen happened under the cover of in-
living as if there is no Covid-19. He joins the list of other stu- if he is given bail,” Moyo told The ternet shutdowns and Covid-19
Each visit by his father, Jepheas We had bought him a PPE suit, dent activists like Zinasu presi- NewsHawks. lockdowns, Mnangagwa’s govern-
Moyo, is a tear-jerking moment but the authorities denied him the dent Takudzwa Ngadziore who ment seems unfazed in its bid to
as he watches Alan languish in re- opportunity to wear it. We tried have spent more than 30 days in “I do not understand why the silence critics and retaining state
mand prison, his hair unkept and to engage them, but they refused,” remand prison without trial. authorities would want to keep power. As the crackdown on dis-
in dirty prison garb. Moyo said. him in remand prison. Is it in- sent continues, families of activ-
The #FreeAllan campaign has competence or they are just pun- ists like Alan who dare stand up
He longs for his son’s return Moyo fears his son could con- since December gathered momen- ishing my son? I do not know. I against the government continue
home. tract Covid-19 in prison and he tum as Zimbabweans, including am just confused.” to suffer emotional trauma.
says that is scary. those in the diaspora and human
“He said, he is ok, but I know rights organisations, call for his Alan’s story is one among end- “I just hope they give him bail
my son all is not well. He may “I am afraid that he may get release. less tales of the state’s unrelenting soon. I want my son back home,”
look tough on the outside, but he Covid-19 in remand prison be- repressive bid to silence critics. Moyo said.
is not ok. It breaks my heart to cause the cells are not being fumi- The state, however, remains
see him like that,” Moyo told The stubborn, denying the 22-year-old Since Mnangagwa’s ascendan-
NewsHawks in an interview. bail several times amid allegations

Back home, Moyo has been
struggling to explain Alan’s where-
abouts to his siblings who often
ask after their older brother.

His mother has been struggling
to cope without her son, Moyo
explains.

“It is tough for us at home, we
are used to having him at around.
Having to explain to his siblings
what happened to their brother
is not easy. I am very sad, so are
his mother and siblings. We just
pray he gets bail soon because we
would want him to get a fair trial
from home. I think it is his right,”
Moyo said.

Moyo describes Allan as an obe-
dient child who would never en-
gage in violence.

“Alan is a good boy; he loves
his books. He is an obedient child
and loves hanging out with his
friends. He could never cause any
trouble,” he said.

Alan, a student leader from the
University of Zimbabwe (UZ) al-
legedly addressed commuters at
a bus rank in Harare, calling for
a violent revolt against President
Emmerson Mnangagwa, the state
alleges.

According to his father, Allan
was arrested at Harare Central
Police Station where he had gone
to give lunch to his friends from
the Amalgamated Rural Teachers’
Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz).

“When he started getting in-
volved in student politics, I sat
him down and explained my res-
ervations, but he assured me that
he would be safe. I just told him
to be careful. The day that he got
arrested, we were all shocked. He
had taken food to some of his
friends in Artuz who were at Ha-
rare Central, but the police said
they were looking for him. He
never came back home,” Moyo
said.

Page 14 News NewsHawks

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

Zim Covid-19 research below par

BRIDGET MANANAVIRE shall be analysed so that we see from so-called “red zone” coun- country with a travel ban to the Dubai-based airline Emirates said it
which strain is circulating in the tries to go under mandatory quar- UK, you must quarantine in a would temporarily suspend all flights
FAILURE by Zimbabwe to con- country. Currently Zimbabwe is antine. government-approved hotel for to and from Harare
duct proper research on the working with various manufac- 10 days.
Covid-19 variants in the country tures to have their vaccines regis- “You must self-isolate when
is harming the economy and lim- tered here, so we are gathering the you enter the UK from any for- The travel ban on southern
iting air travel options as airlines data.” eign country except African countries is a measure
and nations are imposing travel to prevent the spread of a new
restrictions to and from the coun- The United Kingdom will from Ireland, unless you have a val- Covid-19 variant first detected in
try based on the virus’ prevalence 15 February require travellers id exemption. From 15 February, South Africa.
in South Africa. when entering the UK from a

The ministry of Health said it
will be able ascertain the different
variants circulating in the country
after genotyping has been done in
South Africa.

This follows an announcement
by RwandAir that it had suspend-
ed flights to Harare effective 8
January owing to global concerns
on the variants in South Africa.

RwandAir this week said: “In
view of the global concerns on
Covid variants prevalent through-
out South Africa,

RwandAir announces the sus-
pension of its flights to Johan-
nesburg, Cape Town, Lusaka and
Harare effective 8 February 2021.
Scheduled flights will resume as
soon as there is more clarity on
the situation”.

Just as it did to South Africa
mid-January, Dubai-based airline
Emirates said it would temporar-
ily suspend all flights to and from
Harare from 13 February to 28
February “due to operational rea-
sons”.

Again, the United Kingdom
imposed a travel ban for 11 south-
ern Africa countries including
Zimbabwe for the same reason.
The UK had also removed Emir-
ates as an option to fly from UK
to Harare.

Zimbabwe has not been quick
in deciding which vaccine as sci-
entists are yet to ascertain which
vaccine would be safer and more
effective for the Covid-19 vari-
ants.

Ministry of Health and Child
Care (MOHCC) spokesperson
Donald Mujiri told The News-
Hawks that samples were being
sent to South Africa for sequenc-
ing and it would take a month to
ascertain which strains are circu-
lating in Zimbabwe.

“The MOHCC in Collabora-
tion with World Health Organi-
sation (WHO) is in the process of
preparing to send samples to the
National Institute of Commu-
nicable Diseases in South Africa
for genetic sequencing so as to
ascertain the current circulating
strains. With those results we will
be able to choose which vaccine
is suitable for our country. With
those results, we will be able to
choose which vaccine is suitable
for our country,” Mujiri said.

“Genotyping is soon going to
be done for us to know the cur-
rent circulating strain.

After we have results of the cur-
rent strain, a scientific committee
will then need to decide from the
available… this we will know in a
month’s time.

“The Ministry is doing every-
thing possible to ensure that citi-
zens are safe from possible side ef-
fects of some Covid-19 vaccines,
currently on the shelf. Specimen

NewsHawks News Page 15

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

NHAU MANGIRAZI Karoi residents fume over
undelivered refuse truck
KAROI Town Council is locked
in a legal battle with vehicle sup-
plier Solution Motors after the
company failed to deliver a refuse
truck ordered by the local au-
thority in 2017.
Solution Motors has been
under the spotlight after being
accused by the Zimbabwean a period of 8 to 12 weeks of the the parties on 20 July 2017,’’ pany reimbursed the council after paid after 10 months and the
government of failing to deliv- date of arbitral award’’. The arbitrator noted that the breaching the contract. (vehicle) model council wanted
er vehicles worth US$207 540 was no longer available. We have
worth by December 2018. Part of the arbitration award claimant (Karoi Town Council) In a telephone interview, Si- since deposited the money to
reads: ‘‘In the event that the re- successfully established ‘‘breach yawamwaya said the company council,’’
This was revealed by the Au- spondent fails to provide the said of contract and entitlement to had failed to access foreign cur-
ditor-General’s 2018 report. The truck as said in this order, it is damages”. rency due to inflation rates by When challenged to avail
department of irrigation in the hereby ordered that the agree- the time they intended to supply proof of payment, Siyawamwaya
ministry of Agriculture bought ment of sale between the two par- However, Karoi council was the car. ‘‘Our main challenge was had not done so at the time of
10 vehicles worth US$518 850 ties is cancelled and respondent directed to pay 100% arbitration that council paid the deposit of writing.
from Solutions Motors. Of the shall pay damages to the claimant fees for the proceedings includ- $109 000 as deposit of the total
ordered vehicles, only six were being equivalent to 70 percent of ing administration to the Com- value of $156 000 of the refuse Asked why his company had
delivered with the remaining the value of the same or similar mercial Arbitration Centre. truck. The deposit part payment shortchanged the government, he
four worth US$207 540 not de- refuse truck as provided in the was done in RTGS then and we defended himself, saying he was
livered as at the end of 2018. agreement of sale entered into by But Solution Motors founder had to source forex. It was only being attacked by detractors.
and managing director Patrick
The ministry of Agriculture Siyawamwaya claimed the com- ‘‘I have suffered enough of bad
was supposed to receive three publicity with allegations that
Toyota Hilux 2.4 (4×4) double I’m related to Kudakwashe Tag-
cabs and three Nissan NP300 wirei of Sakunda Holdings and
(4×4) single cabs within a six- am using his name and political
week period after the tender was muscle to get tenders from coun-
awarded to Solutions Motors in cils and government. This is all
December 2017. Of these, two false as we are a company that
Toyota Hilux and two Nissan ve- abides by the laws of the coun-
hicles remain undelivered. try,” said Siyawamwaya.

According to an arbitration Karoi Town Council has come
award delivered on 12 July 2019 under fire after it revealed that
before commercial arbitrator Su- it will buy another refuse truck
san Mutangadura, Solution Mo- using a disbursement from the
tors was ordered to give a brand government’s ZW$400 million
new Nissan UD truck to the devolution fund, despite winning
council. a court order with regards to the
undelivered truck almost two
Solution Motors was repre- years ago.
sented by Cathew Manyani of
TH Chitapi Legal Practioners Karoi Residents’ Trust (Karest)
while Prince Mahembe of Mang- director Travo Chiwanga blamed
wana and Partners represented the council procurement com-
council during the pre-arbitra- mittee for failing to cross-check
tion proceedings. the supplier’s background.

In her finding, Mutangadu- ‘‘Residents demand account-
ra ordered Solution Motors as ability and transparency for so-
respondent ‘‘to deliver to Karoi cial justice. There was no due dil-
Town Council a brand new 20 igence through investigation on
cubic self-weighing refuse UD supplier’s background. The local
truck or a similar model within council should not have awarded
a tender to a company that had
the temerity to dupe the govern-
ment. You do not enter into a
business with a company that has
a dodgy past if you are doing this
for public office,’’ said Chiwanga.
Karoi Urban Residents’ As-
sociation chairperson Trymore
Chinembiri added his voice, say-
ing the undelivered refuse truck
saga “stinks and must be investi-
gated”.
‘‘As much as the council got an
(arbitration) award in its favour,
it exposes how there are grey areas
where public funds are involved.’’
But council chairperson Abel
Matsika noted with concern how
Solution Motors was not being
honest.
‘‘As council, we won an arbitra-
tion award after Solution Motors
failed to deliver the refuse truck.
It is our hope that the writ will
be executed so that the court at-
taches property for us to recover
the money.
“This is a High Court order
they even agreed with. The time
frame has passed and we want
the law to take its course as these
are public funds that we must ac-
count for through service deliv-
A woman sells the popular Lippia javanica (Zumbani/ Umsuzwane) plant along the Harare-Norton road recently. /Pic: Aaron Ufumeli ery,” said Matsika.

Page 16 News NewsHawks

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

Battle for leadership rocks ZCTU

CHRIS MAHOVE

CRACKS have emerged in the
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade
Unions (ZCTU) ahead of the
labour body’s elective congress
scheduled for December.
Sources within the country’s
largest labour representative body
say two factions have emerged in
the general council, the highest
decision-making body in between
congresses, as the battle for the
control of the country’s largest la-
bour body erupts.
The battle has been politicised
amid contested allegations that
a rival camp linked to the ruling
Zanu PF is plotting to overthrow
the Peter Mutasa-led executive.
The rival faction, which has the
organisation’s deputy secretary
general Thomas Masvingwe de-
nies association with Zanu PF,
arguing the allegations are being
pushed by rivals who want to cling
onto power.
While the ZCTU has always
been perceived to be an extension
of the opposition MDC Alliance
because of its founding back-
ground, a group has reportedly
emerged backing the ruling party,
which has for years been accused
of trying to take control of the la- ZCTU president Peter Mutasa ZCTU deputy secretary-general Thomas Masvingwe

bour body. different sectors. “The article contains defamato- money was looted at the ZCTU. ing class interests,” he said.
The publication quoted Mas- ry and untrue allegations against He said the audit trail of all trans- He said Mutasa, while allowed
ZCTU president Mu- vingwe as the source of the in- me and the ZCTU. I am aware actions showed what was paid to
formation, inviting the ire of that the regime has been looking whom and for what purposes, by the labour constitution to seek
tasa is being accused pro-Mutasa members, who took for incriminating information adding that after the2016 con- re-election, was pre-emptively
of looting funds against me. It seeks to use that to gress, Masvingwe had raised this making false claims through a
arrest me on spurious charges and issue and was allowed to scrutinise fake publication. He alleged the
from the federation, to social media to express their to tarnish my name. It has been all the documents. He said Masv- ZCTU president was actually be-
disgust, describing him as a Zanu tracking my movements and also ingwe was satisfied with the state hind the said article in a bid to
which has 36 affiliate PF mole out to destroy the union seeking cooperation with those of the finances. seek sympathy from colleagues,
close to me at my workplace or a move he said was not clever as
unions from differ- from within. anyone I am associated with. It has “Although I was chairperson there were “gaps in the charade”.
Masvingwe was quoted in the also profiled me from my young of the Finance Committee, I was
ent sectors and Mas- online publication as alleging that age and throughout my adult life not involved in the authorisation ZCTU secretary-general Japhet
vingwe is reported to Mutasa had used his influence as shown in this article,” he said. of that transaction or any other Moyo, however, downplayed the
as the chairperson of the finance transactions authorised at appro- fissures in the labour body, say-
be the source of the committee to unconstitutionally Mutasa said state agents had priate levels,” Mutasa said. ing the issues never came up for
information, inviting authorise the sale of the union’s told him on several occasions discussion at the general council
that they would make sure he was Masvingwe, however, scoffed at meeting held last Friday.
the ire of pro-Mu- property and had used some of out of the ZCTU, alleging they suggestions that he was being used
the proceeds from his loot to regarded the labour body under by Zanu PF, saying it was the joke “That has not been an issue at
tasa members, who buy houses for himself across the the current leadership as terrorist, of a lifetime. all among members. The majority
took to social media country. confrontational and at odds with members still appreciate its histo-
As the debate over the article the pliant labour movement they “It is a false and malicious alle- ry, that it is a diverse organisation
to express their dis- raged on among union members envisage. gation. I have been with ZCTU having been formed by different
gust. in various groups, the general since 1988. I worked full time for national centres that had different
He said he was therefore not the ZCTU from 2003 to 2006. political beliefs,” Moyo said.
council, in which both Masvin- surprised to see such “rubbish My loyalty to the ZCTU is un-
The ZCTU is considered an gwe and Mutasa sit, ordered that coming from an obscure publi- questionable,” he said. He said members had always
influential force in Zimbabwean all social media groups using the cation which clearly is a cover for closed ranks when it came to
politics, making it a battlefield for ZCTU logo and name in their secret services” and was only re- “There are no fissures in the workers’ issues and had always
political parties seeking the sup- groups stop doing so. sponding because the article cited ZCTU. We are approaching our spoken with one voice.
port of thousands of workers. “All affiliates and ZCTU lead- Masvingwe as the source of the elective congress and some in
Affiliate unions and their mem- ership, including structures, are information. leadership would like to stick to “Even after being called a ter-
bers who support the two antag- therefore, advised to inform their positions. There is no beef be- rorist organisation and the leader-
onistic political parties are also members or any union leaders “All the allegations are not factu- tween me and Peter (Mutasa). I ship and membership jailed by the
pushing for candidates from their that may be administering groups al and are completely denied. This nominated and advocated that he ruling party, we are at the Tripar-
respective favoured parties to take where workers interact to remove is clearly the work of the regime’s be president of ZCTU in 2016. I tite Negotiating Forum (TNF),”
control of the labour body with the ZCTU name and logo forth- secret services. This is aimed at do not support his candidature for he said.
the hope they would better repre- with,” reads part of a memo dated influencing the ZCTU Congress the same post in 2021, this is the
sent the interests of workers in the February 1, 2021 addressed to the outcomes and other processes. essence of democracy. I disagree The ZCTU formed the MDC
country. ZCTU leadership, regional offi- The regime aims to interfere with with comrades on working with in 1999, with its then secre-
But things came to a head last cers and structures. ZCTU operations and seek to re- any political party which bash- tary-general, the late Morgan
week when a local publication But Mutasa issued a personal move, at any cost, those viewed to es working class interests. In my Tsvangirai, seconded to lead the
published a story which alleged response to the publication, say- be against it,” he said. view, none of the political parties party, which was to become the
that ZCTU president Mutasa had ing it contained defamatory and currently dominating political biggest opposition party in the
looted funds from the federation, untrue allegations against him and The ZCTU president said no space in Zimbabwe pursues work- country and the biggest threat to
which has 36 affiliate unions from the ZCTU. Zanu PF’s grip on power since In-
dependence in 1980.

NewsHawks Editorial & Opinion Page 17

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021 CARTOON

Do we still have
a government?

ZIMBABWE’S Covid-19 lockdown elapses on Should judges be forced into retirement?
15 February, bringing the country to yet another
moment of truth as difficult decisions must be IN this digital edition, we carry an there is no mandatory retirement lenged in the US.
made in answering the all-important question: interesting story – our lead - on the age. So can the age limit ceiling be
What happens next? brewing storm looming over Chief
Justice Luke Malaba’s retirement. But in at least 10 states, legis- challenged in the Zimbabwean ju-
There are no easy answers. On one hand, it is lators have in recent years been risdiction?
vital to safeguard the healthcare of our vulnera- Malaba – who by operation of considering raising or eliminating
ble communities from a highly infectious disease law retires at midnight on 15 May mandatory judicial retirement at a But then again Malaba’s case is
that is still posing a massive threat. 2021 when he turns 70 years old certain age, citing longer lifespans different.
– faces the biggest question of his and concerns over too much staff
On the other hand, the economy has already long professional career as a judi- turnover. Section 328 of the constitution
taken a heavy battering from the pandemic-in- cial officer: to go or not to go? prohibits him as an incumbent
duced recession, meaning a perpetual lockdown Fiscal considerations also feature from benefiting from removing the
could decimate the little economic activity that Current constitutional provi- in the debate. age limit that was done to prevent
remains. sions set the maximum age limit precisely what he is trying to do –
of judges at 70 years – meaning he Those who want age limits in- self-serving amendments to benefit
The carnage across all facets of life is fright- automatically retires on 15 May creased say life expectancy has incumbents. So Malaba can only
ening. This week, cabinet convened for the first 2021 midnight. This applies across gone up, so should age restrictions. stay on if Section 328 of the consti-
time since 8 December and declared the coun- the board, without exception. Some say age limits fuel too much tution is also amended, which will
try’s badly potholed roads “a state of disaster”. staff turnover and accelerate loss of be unprecedented.
But that is pointless posturing; Zimbabwe’s However, those close to him say knowledge investments and infor-
economy in its entirety is in a state of disaster. he is profusely sweating over this There is a serious moral hazard
The whole country is a disaster zone. issue. He does not want to go and Hawk Eye and political risk for Malaba in
he is banking on Constitutional all this. Amendment No.2 will
Zimbabwe’s economic policy response to Amendment (No.2) to stay on. Dumisani mainly give President Emmerson
Covid-19 has been dismal, which explains why Muleya Mnangagwa a further grip on the
the private sector is increasingly demanding an But the problem is that even if judiciary. Both amendments to the
explanation from the government as to why the the second amendment is passed mation banks that judges are. constitution, which are poorly jus-
so-called ZW$18 billion rescue and stimulus into law, the constitution does They say no wonder other tified, are designed and calculated
package is nowhere to be found. Which compa- not allow the law to be applied to help Mnangagwa consolidate
nies have benefitted from that kitty? in retrospect. It is for future ap- branches of government have no power, while undermining separa-
plication. age limits. Federal judges are ap- tion of powers, constitutionalism
The threat of bankruptcy is dangling above ev- pointed for life. Arbitrary age lim- and democratic progress.
eryone’s head like the proverbial sword of Dam- The issue of judges being forced its raise challenges, they say.
ocles. to retire due to age limits is moot in That judges beyond 70 in Zim-
jurisdictions like the United States. Some say age limits are costly babwe would need a certificate of
Public and publicly guaranteed debt will shoot as the fiscus has to pay retirement fitness to get an extension is aca-
up. In the absence of a stimulus plan, compa- For many state judges in the US, packages every now and then if demic as the President retains the
nies face financial ruin. Without social safety their 70th birthdays spell unhappi- there are many old judges ap- power to appoint or disappoint.
nets, individuals and families are plunged into ness. It marks the end of their jobs proaching 70.
extreme poverty. and attendant perks. This translates into heightened
Yet others say a mandatory re- vulnerability for judges who would
The floundering economy is screaming out for This has raised the question of tirement age, 70 in Zimbabwe’s benefit from such extensions.
emergency relief. A solid rescue plan is needed whether or not judges must be case, maybe unconstitutional: it is
for individuals, families and companies. forced to retire. discriminatory. This is being chal- If Malaba is given an extension,
that will drive the final nail into the
This recession will not evaporate into thin air; In the US, 33 states have a man- coffin of judiciary independence,
its effects will linger on for years. datory retirement age, and most integrity of judges and justice de-
set it between 70 and 75. Vermont livery in Zimbabwe in the current
What is needed is decisive action by the gov- judges don’t have to retire until circumstances.
ernment in stimulating employment creation, they are 90. On the federal bench,
investment and consumer spending.

Some taxes must be lowered or scrapped alto-
gether, to boost buying power and broaden ag-
gregate demand.
It is unacceptable that the Zanu PF government
is granting scandalous “tax holidays” to dodgy
cartels, yet the taxman continues levying high
taxes on a population that, in the main, is strug-
gling to put a square meal on the table. Covid-19
has ratcheted up hunger. Food prices are increas-
ing.

The government must show leadership by in-
troducing tax breaks, proper social safety nets, a
real stimulus package for companies, as well as
solid support for health, education and public
infrastructure.

Reaffirming the fundamental importance The NewsHawks is published on different EDITORIAL STAFF: Marketing Officer: Voluntary Media
of freedom of expression and media free- content platforms by the NewsHawks Digital Managing Editor: Dumisani Muleya Charmaine Phiri Council of Zimbabwe
dom as the cornerstone of democracy and Media which is owned by Centre for Public Assistant Editor: Brezh Malaba Cell: +263 735666122
as a means of upholding human rights Interest Journalism News Editor: Owen Gagare [email protected] The NewsHawks newspaper subscribes to the Code
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sion is to hold power in its various forms Beverly Court, 6th floor Reporters:
and manifestations to account by expos- Harare, Zimbabwe Bridget Mananavire, Nyasha Chingono, Enoch Muchinjo Subscriptions & Distribution: balanced news reporting. If we do not meet these
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good governance and accountability in Beatrice Mtetwa, Raphael Khumalo, Rd, Milton Park, Harare. Telephone: 024-2778096 or
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Page 18 New Perspective NewsHawks

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

Brett Mini-story: How she made it
Chulu
not get a rooster. She had to get let them reach a month. She US$216, they would use it for the daughter, that is exactly why I did
WHEN thieves broke into our a rooster from someone else to still kept contact with people in home and other expenses: food, it that way.” The eldest child, in
house and escsped with my laptop avoid in-breeding. She was advised town. She advertised that she had school fees, clothes, for example. Form Three, Sisa, chipped in: “You
two years ago, I was devastated. A to get 2 chickens and exchange it one-month-old roadrunner chicks The children were very happy are a very wise woman.” MaDube
completed manuscript for a book for a rooster. She prayed that she straight from emakhaya (country- with this arrangement. MaDube replied: “The Bible makes us wise.
on personal financial management would find someone willing to side), naturally bred and fed. She asked the children what the family Tonight during our evening prayer
disappeared with the laptop. The swap. Her prayer was answered would sell 160 and leave just 20. should use the US$96 for, like they we will study Psalm 119: 97-100.”
project was shelved. As a result of — a woman from another village She got orders. She sold them at did with the initial three chickens.
the pandemic, I took a decision to passed by her home and and ad- US$3 each, totalling US$480. After much consideration, they Nku asked: “So mum, now that
convey the principles of personal mired her chickens. She showed the children. She decided they would acquire goats. we have goats, you will also do
management through story-telling Taking advantage of the interest explained to them why she had So they acquired two female goats like Jacob and buy cows from the
to make the information more shown, MaDube offered her two denied the chickens and eggs and, like they did with the initial goats?” “Yes, sonnie, that is the
accessible. I thought to share the chickens in exchange for a rooster. for this long. The children were chickens, they bought a he-goat plan.”
first part of the story with The The visitor liked the offer; she was amazed and appreciated the reward from a different person. They were
NewsHawks readers. more than willing to offload some of suffering in patience. really blessed; the two female goats As they finished their study of
of her roosters. The following day, MaDube then told the children were already pregnant. Psalm 119:97-100 that night, a
MaDube had a good marriage. the visitor brought a big roost- how they were going to use the soft knock was heard. They asked
She could not have asked for a er and gave it to a very excited US$480. US$48 would be for MaDube thought the children who it was. It’s a voice they all
better relationship. She began to MaDube. tithe, another US$48 would be were now ready to hear her story knew. It was Manu.
notice that Manu, her husband MaDube prayed daily for a for offering, US$24 would be kept of how it all started. She told them
was changing, was coming home blessing from the Lord upon at home and help those in need how she had read Genesis 30 and About the writer: Brett is a
late frequently. He was evasive her three chickens. One day, around their community. how Jacob had refused to be paid management consultant and a
when asked about his where- MaDube’s last born, Nku, who Then US$96 would be set aside in money but in goats. So No- classic grounded theory re-
abouts. It did not take long before was in Grade Two, came running to acquire something that grows kuthula, the middle child, mar- searcher who has published
Manu disappeared from home. and screaming. MaDube was like what the three initial chickens velled: “So because your piece jobs research in an academic peer
MaDube was shaken to the core; disturbed, her motherly instincts did. Another US$48 would be kept did not give enough you decided reviewed international journal.
how could Manu just disappear went into overdrive, leaving the for emergencies. The remainder, to start with the chickens you can He can be contacted through
from her life just like that? She plates she was washing, rushing to afford?” MaDube smiled: “Yes my email: brettchuluconsultant@
cried alone in the refuge of the gmail.com
bedroom. She did not want her
three children to see her trauma. meet her son doing an Usain Bolt
The landlord was patient for two in her direction. Huffing and puff-
months. The landlord asked her ing, Nku broke the news:”The red
to move out. She had not been chicken has laid eggs.” MaDube
the one working — Manu had was relieved, her Nku was safe.
been the one working to feed and She called the other two children
clothe the family. She took the and gave a prayer of thanksgiving.
children and headed for their rural She counselled her children that
home they were in the process of none of the eggs would be for
developing. Fortunately, there was breakfast or relish. It was really
the roundavel kitchen and another hard for Nku to understand; they
hut. It was a difficult time for the could not have the chickens for
three children who were not used a meal and even eggs too. Nku
to rural life. thought it was very unfair. Mum’s
word was final.
MaDube had to put food on One bright morning, visitors
the table. She looked for piece came to the door of the hut where
jobs in the fields of people in the MaDube was. She opened the
community. The little money she door to meet her visitors. Twelve
made, she bought maize and took adorable chicks with an array of
it to the grinding meal, bought beautiful colours. She burst into
some relish, cooking oil and other song. The children knew their
essentials. She was a very prayerful mother loved singing — but this
woman. singing was unusual — it sounded
full of untold joy but engulfed by
On one of her daily personal emotion.
Bible studies, she read through They rushed towards the
Genesis 30. Something caught her direction of the music. MaDube
attention: Jacob refused to be paid was on her knees while in song.
in gold and silver, instead he asked The children did not need to be
to be paid in goats as his wages. It told what the occasion was. They
puzzled her how Jacob would do burst into song, hugging their
such an unusual thing. Then she kneeling mother. Now the ground
continued reading until she came that had been watered with tears
to the last verse of Genesis 30. She from MaDube, received more
could not believe what she had drops from the three. It ended
just read; Jacob ended up having with a prayer of gratitude. Heaven
more than goats, he now had cat- recorded the tears.
tle and other domestic animals. A week later, 11 new chicks ar-
rived. Now they had 26 chickens.
She found comfort in the story God protected the chicks from
of Jacob. predators. Six months later, 18 of
the 23 born six months ago were
She said to herself “I will try ready to start laying eggs. MaD-
this.” The following day she ube sold the six new roosters and
looked for a piece job and she the old rooster for US$15 each.
asked the person giving her the She got US$90. She returned
job if she could work the whole tithe and gave a generous offering.
week and then be paid with four She then bought two new roosters
chickens. So she toiled the whole for US$30. She set aside US$5
week and got her four chickens. to help those around her who
She was very happy and so too were less fortunate than her. This
were her three children; they left her with US$10. She bought
thought they would have a good her children some stationery and
treat. some good treats they would enjoy
during the weekend.
Mum had bad news: these Then things exploded. Boom!
chickens were not for the pot. The 18 chickens hatched. Now
By God’s providence, the person MaDube had 180 chicks! She
who had given the wages of four could not keep all of them! She
chickens had told her she could

Business

MATTERSNewsHawks

MARKETS CURRENCIES LAST CHANGE %CHANGE COMMODITIES LAST CHANGE %CHANGE
USD/JPY
GBP/USD 105.07 +0.35 +0.33 *OIL 58.36 +0.12 +0.21
EUR/USD
USD/CAD 1.382 +0 +0.01 *GOLD 1,818.3 -8.5 -0.465
AUD/USD
1.209 -0.004 -0.289 *SILVER 27.185 +0.138 +0.51

1.274 +0.003 +0.26 *WHEAT 642.25 +8.75 +1.38

0.773 -0.002 -0.284 *COPPER 3.763 -0.009 -0.24

Ex-CSC worker demands prosecution of looters

LIZWE SEBATA scot-free. ernance checks and balances to loot misdeeds. CSC was literally running vague and easy to flout, it leaves one
“The report clearly details how from the state and its people,” Ndl- most of its affairs on a cash basis, a wondering how much was genuinely
A FORMER employee of the Cold ovu wrote. lucrative ground to siphon funds out lost during this period.
Storage Company (CSC) has written a cabal of institutionalised corrupt of its cashbooks. Abated by the fact
to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption CSC stalwarts set to take advantage “The report clearly states how the that the bookkeeping, accounting “As a concerned citizen, prejudiced
Commission (Zacc) urging the unit of the company’s lack of structure, cabal created a chaotic environment and procurement procedures were stakeholder and former employee, I
to investigate former senior managers proper procedure and corporate gov- which was fertile ground for their implore you to investigate the cabal.
accused of looting the firm’s assets. It is difficult to try and go through
the ministry and other investigat-
In a letter dated 3 February, the ing bodies as the current Minister of
ex-employee, only identified as F. Agriculture (Anxious Masuka) was a
Ndlovu, said the ministry of Lands, board member during the period in
Agriculture, Water and Rural Re- question.”
settlement could not be trusted to
take corrective action given that the Masuka was a member of the last
minister, Anxious Masuka, was part CSC board that failed to implement
of the CSC board which failed to the recommendations of the audit
implement recommendations of the report to turnaround the fortunes of
company’s audit and was thus an in- the struggling meat processor.
terested party.
Masuka was appointed to the CSC
A 2016 forensic audit report into board in April 2017 by former Agri-
the operations of the meat processor culture minister Joseph Made along-
by Auditor-General Mildred Chiri re- side Sylvia Khumalo Jiyane (board
leased last year shows massive looting chairperson), Nemrod Chiminya
of assets, corruption and mismanage- (deputy chairperson), committee
ment by CSC management. members Emily Mumbengegwi, Pe-
ter Nyoni, Cecilia Paradza, Bekithem-
The report shows that CSC man- ba Nkomo, Rufaro Mazunze, Khod-
agers were in the habit of allocating holo Setaboli, Unesu Ushewokunze
themselves unsanctioned allowances Obatolu and Reston Muzamhindo.
and long-term leases of assets for a The late Agriculture minister Per-
song while non-managerial employ- rance Shiri dissolved the board in
ees and creditors went unpaid. May 2019.

Zanu PF bigwigs such as the late “It is my or our desire to have your
former president Robert Mugabe, commission look into the findings
late vice-president John Landa Nko- of this report as, on paper, the CSC
mo and Joseph Msika and Zanu PF Company lost USD$2.7 million.
secretary for administration Obert The cabal has escaped the jaws of jus-
Mpofu are some of the beneficiaries tice thus far but your organisation is
of questionable lease agreements. well-positioned to bring them to jus-
tice,” Ndlovu added.
The Zanu PF bigwigs are cited as
long-standing tenant debtors, who Contacted for comment, Zacc
bled the company of much-needed spokesperson John Makamure said:
financial resources, leading to its col- “We will look into it. We don’t throw
lapse. Ndlovu argued former CSC away any complaints we get. We will
senior managers cannot be left to go investigate.”

RONALD MUCHENJE Low purchasing power cy in the formal banking channels
erodes company viability for the greater part of the year. This
ZIMBABWEAN companies have was brought about by induced short-
bemoaned low consumer spending ry. Inflation soared above 400% in abridged results for full-year 2020, complicated business operations,” ages of cereals used in the stock feeds
exacerbated by inflationary pressures December following the re-intro- agrobusiness concern TSL Limited said TSL. manufacturing processes in the last
impacting on their volumes as the duction of the Zimbabwean dollar, said the operating environment was half of the year of the year and the
difficult trading environment re- leaving salaries depressed. characterised by rising inflation, re- Another agro concern, CFI Lim- Covid-19 pandemic,” CFI noted.
mains a key challenge. sulting in continued erosion of in- ited, said the prevalence of multiple
Although inflation ended the year comes and a reduction in consumer exchange rates distorted operat- However, despite the uniform
The country is in the grip of an 2020 down at 348% (year-on-year), spending power. ing costs and product pricing while challenges faced by most companies,
economic crisis as high inflation, market watchers have indicated that the inflationary environment and some have remained hopeful.
low disposable income, compressed the great mismatch between current “The operating environment was drought negatively impacted con-
wages, and general economic hard- prices and the inflation figures, as characterised by limited availabil- sumer disposable incomes, reducing Brick maker Willdale Limited
ships take their toll. The imposition people continue to suffer, pointed ity of foreign currency, unstable discretionary household spending. said despite the operating challenges,
of Covid -19-induced lockdowns to the fact that the figure was still exchange rate and fuel shortages. it was encouraged by the prevailing
since last year has made it difficult too high. A look at recently pub- Rising inflation continued to erode “The trading environment was stability in the economy under-
for companies to push volumes in lished company financials show incomes and reduce consumer marked by operational and econom- pinned by a stable currency and de-
the face of restricted movement. that low disposable incomes had an spending power. The rapidly chang- ic challenges in particular hyperinfla- clining inflation.
impact on company fortunes. In its ing regulatory environment further tion, an unstable exchange rate and
After the hyper-inflationary era limited availability of foreign curren- “We expect this to stimulate prop-
which peaked in 2008 resulting erty and infrastructure development
in the demise of the Zimbabwean in the short to medium term. With
dollar and dollarisation in 2009, sufficient critical mass, our business
the economic crisis escalated again will deliver sustainable profitability
in 2019 when the country re-en- into the near future for the benefit of
tered chronic high inflation territo- all stakeholders including sharehold-
ers,” noted Willdale.

Page 20 Companies & Markets NewsHawks

Yawning Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021
gulf between
exchange
rates risky

BERNARD MPOFU money markets. To wait for an entire Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce chief executive, Chris Mugaga
hell of a week to determine exchange
THE yawning discrepancy between rate makes is a joke. Technology al- auction. mining decline on account of annual system would implode.
the value of the Zimbabwean dollar lows for real-time determination of “As we have written many times shutdowns at major mining houses “This myth will break, there will
against the US dollar on the official exchange rate, not this weekly affair coupled with disturbances of mining
exchange auction system and the par- we are experiencing. There is still a lot before over the years, it would be so activities by the rains. On the other be an implosion as more and more
allel market may soon trigger an im- of work to do regarding transparency much better to allow the private sec- hand, the country normally experi- demand on foreign currency increas-
plosion of the formal market as busi- of trading on the market. On paper tor and the commercial banks to run ences peak demand for foreign cur- es. When the demand on foreign cur-
ness passes a vote of no confidence in it looks transparent, but I believe the foreign exchange markets as hap- rency during this period to support rency increases with a limited supply,
the system, analysts have warned. there are blind spots we are dismally pens elsewhere in the world,” Legat importation of agriculture activities,” the price will shoot up,” Biti said.
failing to notice in the whole trading said. Gwanyanya said.
While official statistics show that system.” “So, the pretence of 80, 81, 79 is
the domestic unit has been stable “One wonders what exporters “Traditionally, these demand and a myth and myth that will be shat-
over the past four months, experts say John Legat, Imara Asset Manage- will do now. With say 100% of their supply matrix would result in some tered very soon. There has been a
a sharp increase in prices during the ment chief executive, expressed scep- revenues earned in US dollars, the temporary shocks, which if not well claim by this regime that the Dutch
festive season is a reflection of how ticism on the current auction system. taxman, employees and suppliers all managed would become embedded. auction system has worked and has
the auction system has performed. want to be paid in those same US In the past we used to rely on the stabilised the prices. We contend that
Over the past week, US$1 has been “Looking forwards into 2021, we dollars. Now that the RBZ is taking Afreximbank facilities to smoothen the Dutch auction system is not an
trading at up ZW$130 compared to remain sceptical of the foreign ex- 40% of them and exchanging ZWL this cashflow gap, but this option is auction system.
an official rate of ZW$83.30 against change auction system as we wrote at ZWL82 to US$1 puts them in a now discouraged as this commercial
the greenbawwck. in our last notes. The fact that the very tough position as they won’t be facility has proved to be very expen- “An auction system is a free mar-
exchange rate has remained stable able to meet their USD obligations sive at a cost of around seven percent ket, with free entry on both supply
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe at around ZWL82 to USD1 for the and will end up with ZWL which per annum. side and on demand side. Regretta-
(RBZ) introduced the new Foreign past four months is enough to gen- nobody in their business dealings bly, as far as the Dutch auction sys-
Exchange Auction System last June erate mistrust in any such system in want. Who would be an exporter in “Measures taken by RBZ to man- tem is concerned, there is only one
to determine the Zimbabwean dol- the developing world,” Legat said in this environment?” age the foreign currency cashflow supply…only the Reserve Bank has
lar exchange rate with captains of a research note. gap during the review period are been supplying foreign currency.”
industry and commerce cautiously Persistence Gwanyanya, an inde- quite commendable. These include
optimistic that the platform would “Speaking with numerous corpo- pendent economist, said the current agreement with banks to immediate- Biti added: “And you will notice
enhance transparency and efficient rates from different sectors who had foreign currency shortages were cy- ly settle foreign currency allocation that the price of the product of the
distribution of scarce forex. been successful in being allocated clical, adding that the situation is ex- from the auction system from their foreign currency on the Dutch auc-
US dollars at the auction, they found pected to improve soon. own position as part of their finan- tion system has remained constantly
“There is a vote of no confidence that receiving actual US dollars for cial intermediation role, requirement at 80, it has been floating between 79
in what is considered the official ex- imports was a different matter. By “Reflecting the seasonality of for Treasury to sell foreign currency to 82 and it has averaged 80.
change rate as determined by a week- December we were hearing of delays Zimbabwe’s forex cashflows, the last collected from mainly taxes and du-
ly auction. The auction shall never be of five weeks in settlement of allocat- quarter of the year and first quarter ties to RBZ for onward supply to the “It’s a controlled exchange rate,
an efficient mechanism in Zimbabwe ed US dollars. That implies that the of the following year is normally the Auction System.” it’s a rigged exchange rate, the (RBZ)
to discover the true price of Zimba- RBZ did not have the dollars avail- most difficult as supply of foreign governor wakes up on the wrong side
bwe dollar on the international forex able to settle. Yet allocations at the currency drops as the tobacco selling Tendai Biti, former Finance minis- of the bed on Tuesday and says today
markets because it is an exclusionary auction system remained at US$30 season comes to an end normally by ter, last year warned that the auction it is going to be 81 or today it is going
platform which only reflects demand million per week on average which end of August and as inflows from to be 79. There is no science; there is
and supply of forex for what are con- made no sense when the supply was no attempt to be sophisticated.”
sidered essential goods,” Chris Muga- limited. As a result of these delays we
ga, Zimbabwe National Chamber of would now expect corporates to use
Commerce chief executive said in an the parallel foreign exchange market
interview with The NewsHawks . should the settlement delays persist.”

“In other words, there is an arbi- Last month, the apex bank an-
trary standard to determine equilib- nounced that all exporters would
rium. Do away with the language have to hand over 40% of their ex-
of priority list if u want true market port earnings to the RBZ rather than
discovery. 30%, in addition to the 20% taken
from local earners of US dollars,
“Markets are now so developed which we assume is to provide the
worldwide and the forex market is RBZ with more foreign exchange to
the largest and deepest financial mar- allow for improved settlement on the
ket worldwide ahead of equities and

Hwange Power Station fire causes outages across Zim
ZIMBABWE’s power utility, damage to power cables and oth- utes was caused considerable
ZESA Holdings says power gen- er equipment. However, we were damage to part of the Hwange
eration at Hwange Power Station able to isolate all systems in order power station and investigations
has dropped by 300 megawatts, to prevent potential more serious on the extent of the damage are
warning of power outages across damage,” ZESA said in a state- underway.
the country. ment.
“Efforts are also underway to
This follows a fire that broke “The fire outbreak will result in restore services to optimum lev-
out in the unit boiler room at load curtailment of up to 300 MW els by bringing back Units 2 and 5
Hwange Power Station, the coun- at evening peak (1600-2030hrs), at the Power Station. ZESA urges
try’s major power source. Thursday 11 February 2021,” fur- all customers to use the available
ther reads the statement. power sparingly,” ZESA said.
“The fire which broke out in
the Unit boiler room, caused The fire which lasted 40 min- – STAFF WRITER

NewsHawks Companies & Markets Page 21

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

DUMISANI NYONI

Govt’s ZW$18bn Covid-19ZIMBABWE’S industry play-
ers have lost hope of ever
accessing the ZW$18 billion
Covid-19 economic recovery

rescue package a pipe dreamand stimulus package an-
nounced by the government
last year to provide liquidity
support to several sectors of lion). to The NewsHawks this week “The chances of busy looking for Covid-19
the economy. Industry players who spoke revealed that they had lost us getting that vaccines and to roll out the
money are now programme of vaccinating
Equivalent to 9% of the getting slimmer the frontline workers and the
country’s gross domestic and slimmer general population.”
product by then, the stim- given that the
ulus package was meant to government is The government is in the
put Zimbabwe on a recovery now busy look- process of mobilising the
trajectory following the dev- ing for Covid-19 necessary resources to buy
astating impact of Covid-19. vaccines and Covid-19 vaccines.
to roll out the
Out of the amount, agricul- programme of “Given our economic chal-
ture was allocated ZW$6.08 vaccinating the lenges, to think of getting that
billion, industry (working ZW$18 billion, it might be a
capital fund) ZW$3.02 bil- mystery. I don’t think it’s pos-
lion, mining sector (ZW$1 sible at this point given that
billion), small and medi- the government has some
um enterprise support fund budgetary constraints due to
(ZW$500 million), arts sec- the economic environment
tor fund (ZW$20 million), which has been ravaged by
liquidity release from statu- this corona as well,” Muoni
tory reserves (ZW$2 billion), said.
health sector support fund
(ZW$1 billion), broad relief “So, to have the space
measures (ZW$1.5 billion) within their budget to get
and food grant (ZW$2.4 bil- that ZW$18 billion it might
be a tall order. We will keep
Shining Light In The Dark Corners watching and also keep look-
ing at how they are going to
FIGHTING do it, but I don’t think, in my
view, it’s still possible for us
COR NA to get that ZW$18 billion,” he
said.
VIRUS
Zimbabwe’s economy is
REMEMBER TO WASH YOUR HANDS: currently struggling, with
Covid-19 affecting all sectors,
frontline workers yet at the same time inflation
and the general is spiralling out of control.

population. Victor Nyoni, chief execu-
tive officer of the Association
for Business in Zimbabwe
(ABUZ), said their mem-
bers did not benefit from the
package.

“We did not benefit from
that fund as ABUZ. There was
no clarity on how to access it
After coughing or sneezing and a lot of people were then
When caring for a sick person not interested in some cases.
These things also happened
during the time when there
hope of accessing the pack- was the (Covid-19) lock-
Before and after preparing a meal age given the country’s slug- down. There was no interest
gish economic performance, given the experience that it
among other factors. has not helped at all,” he said.
Before you have your meal “We don’t even know where Confederation of Zimba-
that money is, whether it ex- bwe Industries (CZI) presi-
ists or what. At some point dent Henry Ruzvidzo, howev-
After using the toilet last year, we had a follow-up er, believed that some of their
meeting with Industry and members managed to access
Commerce minister (Sekai the fund.
When the hands are visibly dirty Nzenza) on the ZW$18 bil- But CZI’s Bulawayo cham-
lion stimulus package and ber late last year revealed that
we didn’t get much of the joy its members had not received
After they come in contact with an of understanding what could their share of the govern-
have happened and where the ment’s ZW$18 billion rescue
animal or animal waste money is and all other things,” package.

Zimbabwe National Chamber Efforts to get a comment
of Commerce vice-president from Finance minister Mthu-
Golden Muoni said. li Ncube as well as his per-
For further enquiries contact 024 272 1044/5 or email [email protected] “The chances of us getting manent secretary George

Or Visit that money are now getting Guvamatanga were fruitless

slimmer and slimmer given as their phones went unan-
that the government is now swered.
The NewsHawks @NewsHawksLife www.newshawks.com [email protected]

Page 22 Executive Chat NewsHawks

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

Eroded incomes rattle insurance executives
THE insurance sector has been hard hit players, which include commercial
by the rampaging Covid-19 pandemic This will enhance uniformity and com- benefits to policyholders and pension Ipec commissioner Grace Muradzikwa paper and other secured debt in-
as many people default on their pre- parability of industry results on treat- scheme members? insurance and pension penetration lev- struments. Under this category,
miums due to income loss while at the ment of revaluation gains. els. Ipec has been encouraging issuers
same time they have to meet other obli- GM: We don’t believe that we are ii. The adverse reaction of financial to place indexed financial instru-
gations. In light of these developments, Policyholders and pension fund having that situation where insurance markets to the Covid-19 outbreak has ments with positive real returns
our correspondent Moses Ngwere members’ values will be reviewed and companies or pension funds are deliber- affected insurers’ profitability, including so as to preserve value for pension
(MN) interviewed the Insurance, Pen- adjusted from time to time according ately under-valuing their assets because earnings generated from their invest- scheme members and policyhold-
sions and Provident Funds Commission to the movement in asset values backing as professionals they are expected to ad- ment portfolios. ers;
(Ipec) commissioner Grace Muradzik- the same liabilities. here to international accounting stan- iii. The pandemic has disrupted day- • Private equity – the asset class is
wa (GM) to, among other issues, to get dards when valuing assets. With respect to-day operations of business which, in now considered for prescribed as-
a clearer appreciation of the situation in MN: You issued the guidance in to properties, Ipec has been engaging turn, has affected revenues for several set status given its value preserving
the industry. Below are the excerpts of March last year. How has been the the Valuers Council of Zimbabwe for insurers. This has threatened business nature in an inflationary environ-
the interview: response from insurance companies assistance while, for equities, there is continuity for many insurance compa- ment. However, Ipec is insisting
and pension funds in terms of com- guidance from the Securities and Ex- nies. on corporate governance struc-
MN: The Justice Smith Commis- pliance with the guidance and has it change Commission on the valuation iv. However, on the positive side, the tures with policyholder representa-
sion of Inquiry recommended that resulted in a significant increase in of assets. These are the two major asset pandemic has accelerated digitilisation tion are in place.
policyholders and pension scheme benefit? classes dominating the insurance and within the industry, with insurers mak- • Specific projects – Ipec also con-
members be compensated for loss. pensions industry. ing changes to allow digital support and siders prescribed asset status for
What are you doing about it? GM: Initially, we had some teething access to customers. specific projects by insurance com-
problems here and there given the tech- It is equally important to note that v. In order to mitigate the impact of panies and pension funds, provid-
GM: It is important to note that the nical nature of the exercise, but these property values reflect the level of eco- the Covid-19 pandemic, as Ipec we are ed that the projects yield favour-
issue of compensation is only one of were resolved through engagement. It is nomic activities, for instance, low oc- urging the industry to regularly update able returns to policyholders and
the recommendations of the commis- equally important to note that we con- cupancy rates for properties, which is their business continuity plans and that the projects are of national
sion of inquiry. There are a number of sulted all key stakeholders, including in- mostly the case in our industry, lead communicate these to key stakeholders. importance.
recommendations that the commission surance companies and pension funds, to low valuation when using discount- We have also been encouraging them to In response to institutional investors’
of inquiry came up with, among them, in coming up with this guidance paper. ed cashflow methods. Illiquidity in the embrace digitalisation so as to improve increasing preference for private equity
policy and institutional reforms, legal We are to a great extent satisfied by the market, especially in properties, which data, products, and customer relations. investments due to their value-preserv-
reforms, capacitation of Ipec, gover- compliance levels by industry and, yes, are US dollar-denominated, has an vi. Further, we are engaging the indus- ing nature in an inflationary environ-
nance reforms at regulated entities level it has resulted in benefit increases as well overall impact on demand and supply try to consider giving payment breaks ment, government has, of late, been
and compensation. as equitable treatment of insurance poli- where buyers can bargain for lower where possible in order to reduce po- according prescribed asset status on
cyholders as well as pension fund partic- prices and the increasing disparities tential large levels of policy lapses. both public and private equity financial
Great strides have been registered in ipants. For example, some pension fund between the net asset value and market instruments that support the national
implementing the majority of the rec- members had their benefits reviewed capitalisation of listed equities. All these MN: The economic situation has developmental agenda.
ommendations such as policy and insti- upwards by over 500% as a result of this factors have an impact on the valuation not been favourable to the insurance MN: It was revealed last year that
tutional reforms, capacitation of Ipec, guidance paper. of assets. and pensions sector for a while. What funeral assurers in Zimbabwe did
governance reforms at regulated enti- is the progress on broadening pre- not have reinsurance as a risk man-
ties. With respect to legal reforms, the Furthermore, the guidance paper re- MN: Covid-19 has affected econ- scribed asset classes? agement tool and given how far
commission (Ipec) has issued statutory quires creation of sub-accounts, which omies worldwide. What has been the they are strained now with the rising
instruments, guidelines, directives and ensure the ring-fencing of assets and impact on your sector? GM: Traditionally, conferment of Covid-19-related deaths, are people’s
circulars while awaiting amendment liabilities for the old and new genera- prescribed asset status was on financial policies safe or we can end up with a
of the Insurance and Pensions Com- tion of fund members. This ensures that GM: Consumer spending power has instruments issued by the government, situation whereby people have their
mission Act, the Insurance Act and the there is no inter-generational transfer of reduced significantly, which has resulted local authorities and statutory bodies. policies rendered dysfunctional?
Pension and Provident Funds Act. The wealth between the old and new genera- in inability to pay insurance premiums MN: It is true that funeral assurers
Bills on these three Acts are at various tion, as was the case in 2008/2009. and pension contributions by some pol- However, to enhance the attrac- have been predominantly retaining risk,
stages in the law-making process but icyholders and employers respectively, tiveness of instruments that promote which is undesirable because it expos-
we have been assured that they will be MN: You previously raised concern resulting in some funds applying for projects of national importance to the es them in the event of a catastrophe.
passed into law by the second quarter. over the evaluation of insurance and paid-up status or contribution holidays. insurance and pensions industry, Ipec However, while the Covid-19-related
pension assets after de-dollarisation The insurance sector has also experi- has, in consultation with the ministry of deaths have increased significantly since
Ipec is alive to the fact that of all the where, in the past, the industry had enced policy lapses or downgrades as Finance and Economic Development, the beginning of the year, the funeral
recommendations by the commission of assets worth about US$4 billion. policyholders fail to pay premiums and broadened the scope of asset classes assurance sector has remained resilient
inquiry, the major focus by most stake- Why is it that now we are talking of adjust their covers. which can be considered for prescribed as they have settled all Covid-19-related
holders is the issue of compensation. We assets worth less than ZW$200 bil- i. The reduction in consumer income asset status investments upon rigorous claims. Notwithstanding, we still urge
have been engaging all key stakeholders lion, which is equivalent to less than has also translated into significantly low- screening to ensure protection of pen- funeral assurers to have reinsurance ar-
on this matter, which resulted in Ipec US$2 billion? Also are we not having er new business volumes, which impacts sioners to include the following: rangements.
establishing a working party compris- a situation where they are under-valu- negatively on our thrust to improve the • Debt instruments issued by private MN: What is the progress on un-
ing Ipec as the regulator and insurance ing their assets to avoid re-allocating derwriting and declaration of policies
companies and pension funds to bring in foreign currency by insurers?
closure on this matter. The working GM: As you may recall, authorisa-
party has been working even during the tion broadening classes of insurance that
festive holiday and lockdown to address could be transacted in foreign currency
this issue. There is an agreement that was gazetted in November last year. To
policyholders and pension fund mem- this end, it may be too early to measure
bers should be compensated. All things the uptake of forex policies. However,
being equal, this exercise should be fi- Ipec will be receiving and reviewing
nalised by the second quarter. data on this as part of the fourth-quar-
ter returns.
MN: Zimbabwe has experienced MN: The Insurance and pensions
chronic high inflation for the second industry is famed for playing an
time in a decade, resulting in what important role in the Asian Tigers’
some quarters believe is a loss of in- economic boom. How is our own
surance and pension values. As Ipec, insurance and pensions industry con-
you have come up with a revaluation tributing to economic recovery and
guidance in response to this. How development here?
exactly will this benefit pensioners, GM: Indeed, worldwide, the insur-
considering what happened in 2009? ance and pensions industry plays an im-
portant role in economic development
GM: The guidance paper draws les- given that the sector mobilises long-
sons from the 2008/2009 experience term savings. In the case of Zimbabwe,
and provides guidance to the insurance the insurance and pensions industry
and pensions industry on how to man- contributes to economic development
age the currency changes. According by funding projects of national im-
to the Justice Smith Commission of portance through prescribed assets for
Inquiry, the lack of guidance result- projects such as power generation, road
ed in prejudice to policyholders and infrastructure, housing, agriculture and
pension fund members. To this end, health. For instance, in 2020 alone, the
the guidance paper helps in providing insurance and pensions industry sub-
very clear terms to avoid a repeat of the scribed to prescribed asset instruments
2008/2009 challenges. to the tune of about ZW$340 million
and US$9.5 million. The funding was
The guidance paper aims to ensure towards projects under the following
that there is fair and equitable treatment sectors: infrastructure development, ag-
of insurance policyholders and pension riculture, energy and power, health and
fund participants by insurance compa- financial.
nies and pension funds following the
2019 currency reforms.

Further, the guidance paper provides
standards or principles and methodolo-
gies to be adhered to by the industry on
treatment of revaluation gains emanat-
ing from the recent currency reforms.

NewsHawks STOCK TAKING Page 23

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

Price Sheet

Friday, 12 February 2021 A MEMBER OF FINSEC & THE ZIMBABWE STOCK EXCHANGE

Company Sector Bloomberg Previous Last VWAP (cents) Total Total Price Price YTD Market
Ticker Price Traded Traded Change Change (%) Cap
(cents) Traded Volume Value ($) (cents) ($m)
(%)
2900.00 Price -
165.44 41,100
AFDIS Consumer Goods AFDIS: ZH 700.00 - 2900.00 - - - 20.83 3,401.87
African Sun Consumer Services ASUN: ZH 238.42 166.00 168.89 700 69,413.00 3.45 2.09 -0.65 1,455.45
ART ARTD: ZH 1773.08 71,700 4,170.00 -104.29 -14.90 24.81 2,603.12
Ariston Industrials ARISTON: ZH 450.47 600.00 595.71 170,681.00 -0.37 -0.16 77.65 3,874.02
Axia Consumer Services 87500.00 237.00 238.05 6,100 108,575.00 6.84 0.39 94.31 9,698.68
BNC AXIA: ZH 9600.00 1780.00 1779.92 170,000 765,100.00 -0.41 -0.09 18.44 5,625.11
BAT Consumer Goods BIND: ZH 1193.77 451.00 450.06 2,534,600.00 -100.00 -0.11 58.91 18,033.69
CAFCA Basic Materials BAT: ZH 9012.66 87400.00 87400.00 2,900 9,500.00 -100.00 -1.04 5.67
Cassava CAFCA: ZH 2011.76 9500.00 9500.00 100 4,270,010.00 5.67 0.47 84.53 829.84
CBZ Consumer Goods CSZL: ZH 41.65 1200.00 1199.44 207,000.00 844.48 9.37 15.34 31,072.42
Dairibord Industrials CBZ: ZH 4909.15 9900.00 9857.14 356,000 120,000.00 -11.76 -0.58 52.67 67,741.39
Dawn DZL: ZH 1995.16 2000.00 2000.00 2,100 35,147.70 1.11 2.67 -27.61 7,160.02
Delta Technology DAWN: ZH 210.77 6,000 19,093,750.00 -9.55 -0.19 115.36 1,050.69
Econet Banking DLTA: ZH 2504.00 49.00 42.76 12,787,830.00 -10.40 -0.52 110.03 62,933.46
Edgars ECO: ZH 300.00 4800.00 4899.60 82,200 6,886.00 35.16 16.68 104.94 51,416.73
FBC Consumer Goods EDGR: ZH 200.01 2000.00 1984.76 389,700 2,953,375.00 0.98 0.04 66.85
Fidelity Real Estate FBC: ZH 1850.00 250.00 245.93 644,300 1,200.00 57.32 804.17
First Capital FIDL: ZH 574.50 2500.00 2504.98 384,000.00 - - 78.47 16,832.21
FML Consumer Goods FCA: ZH 24.00 300.00 300.00 2,800 7,626,600.00 -3.69 -1.84 71.43
FMP Telecommunications FMHL: ZH 31.05 200.00 196.32 117,900 2,875.00 -50.00 -2.70 77.47 326.77
GBH Consumer Services FMP: ZH 9975.00 1800.00 1800.00 47,296.00 0.50 0.09 -14.46 4,234.07
Getbucks GBH: ZH 5905.76 575.00 575.00 400 -3.47 -14.46 148.40 12,422.58
Hippo Banking GBFS: ZH 2300.00 195,600 - 11.11 7,119.40
Innscor Financial Services HIPO: ZH 102.78 20.00 20.53 423,700 30,000.00 - - 56.63
Lafarge 1750.00 - 31.05 139,200.00 25.00 0.25 139.58 110.16
Mash Banking INN: ZH 10000.00 500 -105.76 -1.79 10.60 361.15
Masimba Financial Services LACZ: ZH 7.20 10000.00 5800.00 230,400 - 56.25 19,302.06
Medtech MASH: ZH 4124.22 5800.00 2300.00 216,832.00 - - -8.86 32,757.03
Meikles Real Estate MSHL: ZH 581.60 102.86 - 0.08 0.08 91.16 1,840.00
Nampak Industrials MMDZ: ZH 10830.00 - 1750.00 300 - 162.87 1,912.24
NatFoods MEIK: ZH 100.00 7.20 2,400 201,190.24 - - 116.22 4,228.94
NTS Financial Services NPKZ: ZH 27.45 4206.37 214,525.00 - - 218.86
NMBZ Consumer Goods NTFD: ZH 610.00 - 600.00 - 82.15 1.99 - 10,627.23
OK Zim 2128.09 7.00 12995.00 210,800 43,200.00 18.40 3.16 49.98 4,533.89
Padenga Industrials NTS: ZH 3297.48 4225.00 27.45 12,995.00 2165.00 19.99 111.11 8,888.59
Proplastics Industrials NMB: ZH 2000.00 600.00 600.00 - - - 47.10 69.69
RTG Real Estate OKZ: ZH 174.35 12995.00 2,794,600 - -10.00 -1.64 97.45 2,425.03
RioZim Industrials PHL: ZH 2115.63 6,000.00 -228.09 -10.72 -11.34 23,689.44
SeedCo Healthcare PROL: ZH 2800.20 - 5,100 19,180,500.00 -206.30 -6.26 47.14 16,741.63
Simbisa Industrials RTG: ZH 2323.25 600.00 7,200 1,122,100.00 -300.00 -15.00 26.07 4,282.91
Star Africa Industrials RIOZ: ZH 42.21 85,000.00 -4.35 -2.49 92.14 4,242.34
Truworths Consumer Goods SEED: ZH 79.25 1900.00 1900.00 100 42,160.00 84.37 3.99 85.19 2,684.65
TSL Industrials SIM: ZH 4495.00 3150.00 3091.18 - 44,000.00 99.49 3.55 163.29 7,119.55
Turnall SACL: ZH 94.47 1700.00 1700.00 1,881,900.00 -14.16 -0.61 160.58 12,981.35
Unifreight Banking TRUW: ZH 222.25 170.00 170.00 1,000 3,537,520.00 7.79 18.46 1.58 2,357.54
Willdale Consumer Services TSL: ZH 50.00 2200.00 2200.00 1,009,500 88,450.00 -1.58 -1.99 1332.80 298.31
ZB TURN: ZH 4000.00 2900.00 2899.69 18,174.50 - - 81.50 16,051.75
Zeco Consumer Goods UNIF: ZH 2300.00 2309.09 36,300 - - 66.67 465.78
Zimpapers Industrials WILD: ZH 0.02 5,000 - 44.25 19.91 283.75
Zimplow ZBFH: ZH 112.00 50.00 50.00 - 8.08 16.16 - 1,032.66
ZHL Consumer Services ZECO: ZH 830.00 76.00 77.67 24,800 7,995.00 - - 14.29 7,007.63
Basic Materials ZIMP: ZH 203.86 2,000 5,285.00 - - 66.00
TOTAL ZIMPLOW: ZH - 4495.00 - - - -31.75 0.09
Consumer Goods ZHL: ZH - 94.47 64,900 - - - 645.12
Consumer Goods 266.50 266.50 153,200 28,784.00 10.10 4.95 1,978.56
Consumer Goods 55.00 58.08 176,900 830.00 3,280.73
Consumer Services 23,400 10,056.00 501,054.36
Consumer Goods - 4000.00 78,114,705.44
- 0.02 -
Industrials 112.00 -
Industrials 830.00 112.00 3,000
Industrials 240.00 830.00 9,100
213.96 -
Banking -
Industrials 25,700
Consumer Services 100
Industrials 4,700
Financial Services 7,304,300

ETFs OMTT.zw 181.53 175.00 179.77 794,028 1,427,438.00 -1.76 -0.97 79.38 143.82

Old Mutual ZSE Top 10 ETF

VFEX Open (US cents) Close (US cents) Change (%) YTD (%) Mkt Cap (US$m) Top 5 Risers Price Change % YTD %
SCIL 18.00 NatFoods +19.99 +116.22
18.00 - 0.00 43.40 Unifreight 12995.00c +2165.00c +19.91 +1332.80
FINSEC Open (cents) Star Africa +18.46 +85.19
OMZIL 2910.00 Edgars 266.50c +44.25c +16.68 +104.94
Close (cents) Change (%) YTD (%) Mkt Cap ($m) Willdale 50.00c +7.79c +16.16 +81.50
Index 2910.00 - 9.81 2,415.64 245.93c +35.16c
ZSE All Share Top 5 Fallers YTD %
Top 10 Proplastics 58.08c +8.08c +97.45
Top 15 ART +24.81
Small Cap Close Change (%) Open YTD % GBH Price Change % -14.46
Medium Cap 4,198.26 +0.50 4,177.19 +59.67 OK Zim 1700.00c -300.00c -15.00 +111.11
2,625.70 +0.35 2,616.46 +58.70 Padenga -104.29c -14.90 +47.10
3,002.47 +0.47 2,988.40 +54.13 595.71c -14.46
+5.69 17,706.18 +57.58 20.53c -3.47c -10.72
18,714.40 +0.68 8,938.25 +61.72 -228.09c -6.26
8,998.66 1900.00c -206.30c
3091.18c

SALES & TRADING: Davide Muchengi: [email protected] | Lungani Nyamazana: [email protected] | Tatenda Jasi: [email protected]

RESEARCH: Batanai Matsika: [email protected] | Precious Chagwedera: [email protected] | Tafara Mtutu: [email protected]

Tel: (+263) 08677008101-2 | Email: [email protected] | Address: 1st Floor, Block D, Smatsatsa Office Park, Borrowdale, Harare

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of its content.

Page 24 News Analysis NewsHawks

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

NYASHA CHINGONO Mnangagwa consolidates power
as Chiwenga faction loses ground
THE appointment of Frederick
Shava to the Foreign Affairs min- Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga while his position was still fragile,
isterial post this week has further despite the ostensible weakening of
entrenched President Emmerson retired Lieutenant-General Martin viewed as a rewarding of loyalists to rotate leadership among the the Chiwenga faction.
Mnangagwa’s hold on power, Chedondo and retired Air Marshal and further consolidation. Zezuru, Karanga, Manyika and
capitalising on political contingen- Sheba Shumbayawonda. Ndebele socio-ethnic groupings. It “But Mnangagwa has not
cy and opportunities triggered by Shava is somewhat indebted to also influenced the coup. consolidated power as we saw with
recent deaths of top government of- In May 2019, Mnangagwa then Mnangagwa who was instrumental Mugabe over the past years. I think
ficials including Sibusiso Moyo who appointed Sanyatwe Zimbabwe’s to his pardon after spending only Shava hails from Mberengwa, his position is still precarious and
was instrumental in his ascendency ambassador to Tanzania, while 24 hours in prison for corruption Mnangagwa’s domain in the Mid- fragile. He is however in a stronger
to power, analysts say. Nyikayaramba was posted to during what is widely known as the lands and, according to political position than when he took over
Maputo, Mozambique. Chedondo Willowgate scandal. analyst Eldred Masunungure, his power and by the time he won the
Shava, a diplomat with a tainted was sent to China. Sanyatwe had a appointment is a continuation of elections in July 2018,” he said.
past from the late 1980s through personal relationship with Chiwen- After spending more than 30 Mugabe’s regional politics.
his involvement in the Willowgate ga to the extent that he flew from years outside central government, Political analyst Ibbo Mandaza
scandal and his robust defence of Tanzania to assist him finalise his mainly heading Zimbabwe’s dip- “He (Mnangagwa) would like said Mnangagwa has taken advan-
the Gukurahundi genocide, replaces divorce proceedings with his wife lomatic missions in China and in someone who is loyal to himself, tage of the demise of his adversaries.
the late Foreign minister Moyo who Marry Chiwenga nee Mubaiwa. the United Nations (UN), Shava from the same province and that
succumbed to Covid-19 a fortnight will be looking to reward Mnan- looms quite high from the appoint- “Whether by convenience or oth-
ago. Another big blow for the Chi- gagwa’s goodwill with loyalty in ment,” Masunungure said. erwise, the appointments are being
wenga camp was the removal of re- government. One of Mnangagwa’s made at a time when some of his
Moyo, an ally of Vice-President tired Lieutenant-General Engelbert key strategies has been to mainly Masunungure said Mnangagwa adversaries have departed. This pro-
Constantino Chiwenga, was a key Rugeje from heading Zanu PF’s appoint his ethnic Karanga home- had entrenched his influence in the vides Mnangagwa with an opportu-
figure in the 2017 military coup critical mass mobilisation political boys, mostly from the Midlands country’s security apparatus since nity to further entrench his position
that toppled Zimbabwean strong- commissariat. Rugeje operated in and Masvingo provinces, into key 2017. by appointing cronies, clansmen or
man Robert Mugabe. Besides being the war room during the coup. positions as part of a power consoli- complete outsiders whom he can
the face of the coup, he played a Soon after the coup, Chiwenga dation strategy. “Mnangagwa is clearly in a pre- control,” Mandaza said.
central role in mobilising resources arm-twisted Mnangagwa to appoint dominant position, especially in the
and planning the coup. Rugeje as political commissar ahead This is widely seen as a con- security sector minus the military. Mandaza said Mnangagwa had
of his preferred candidate Victor tinuation of Mugabe’s ethnic and In the military, Chiwenga has lost conveniently left out Chiwenga’s
Moyo’s replacement, Shava, is Matemadanda, albeit temporarily. regional politics – politicisation hard hitters and people who could allies in the replacements of the
Mnangagwa’s long-standing ally and weaponisation of ethnicity have helped him to get to the apex,” fallen ministers.
and homeboy, and is seen strength- Mnangagwa later removed for political ends. Mugabe mainly he said.
ening the President’s hand while Rugeje from the position before appointed his ethnic Zezuru home- “You have a situation where not
weakening Chiwenga who has been appointing Matemadanda in June boys into key positions throughout “Some were pruned, some were only Chiwenga’s allies are departing
undone by a series of well-calculat- 2019. The appointment of Shava, his 37 years in power. This was the lost as a result of the act of God. He but they are also not being re-
ed purges of his allies. Mnangagwa’s ally from the ‘80s, main reason for the Tsholotsho has lost strategic allies, which has placed,” Mandaza added.
to such a key post has largely been Declaration of 2004 which sought weakened Chiwenga considerably.”
Covid-19 has also conspired He however echoes Masunun-
against Chiwenga and his military Masungure however said Mnan- gure’s sentiments, saying Mnan-
faction. gagwa is yet to consolidate power gagwa was yet to fully consolidate
his power, as Chiwenga still wields
Chiwenga has lost major allies considerable support in the military
like former Agriculture minister and other parts of the country.
Perrance Shiri, who was the Air
Force of Zimbabwe commander “It is too early to say, it depends
during the coup and other security on the extent to which Chiwenga
chiefs who include retired Lieu- still enjoys support in Mashonaland
tenant-General Douglas Nyika- East, Central, West and Manicaland
yaramba who died on Tuesday this and what some might call the
week. While death is immutable, it Zezuru heartland and some might
has considerably weakened Chiwen- call the Manicaland heartland,”
ga’s camp. Mandaza said.

Chiwenga, who was the Zimba- However, analysts say Mnangag-
bwe Defence Forces commander wa still wields considerable power
during the coup, was tipped to in the state apparatus, which would
take over from 2023 but has found be critical for his 2023 presidential
himself on the backfoot after being bid. After assuming power, Mnan-
outsmarted by Mnangagwa who gagwa unleashed a wave of purges
has moved to consolidate his power, in the military, police and CIO
influencing Zanu PF structures to targeting Mugabe and former first
push for his candidature in the next lady Grace Mugabe’s allies, before
election. After assuming power, going for Chiwenga’s loyalists.
Mnangagwa unleashed a wave of
purges in the military, police and Mnangagwa’s cumulative ma-
Central Intelligence Organisation noeuvres have shifted the balance
targeting Mugabe and former first of power in Zanu PF Mnangagwa’s
lady Grace Mugabe’s allies, before favour – at least for now, although
going for Chiwenga’s loyalists. Chiwenga had an upper-hand after
the coup.
Key commanders – who pivoted
the coup, including commander The vice-president’s ill-health has
of the Presidential Guard battalion been a major drawback for the mil-
retired Lieutenant-General An- itary faction. On many occasions
selem Sanyatwe – were removed Mnangagwa has purged Chiwenga’s
in February 2019 while Chiwenga allies while he is out of the country,
was battling ill-health in India. Like seeking treatment.
his earlier South African health
mission, the Indian health trip was Chiwenga and his allies have
unsuccessful, and saw him spending been trying to regroup and recover
time in China seeking treatment, al- lost ground with their eyes fixed on
lowing Mnangagwa to consolidate. next year’s congress and the 2023
elections, but the mission would be
Commanders retired ahead of much harder without the likes of
diplomatic assignments includ- Shiri, Moyo and critical players like
ed the late Zimbabwe National Sanyatwe who are stationed outside
Army chief-of-staff retired Lieu- the country.
tenant-General Nyikayaramba,
who was chief-of-staff responsible
for service personnel and logistics,

NewsHawks Critical Thinking Page 25

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

When cabinet has become redundant
amid a growing securocratic culture

President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his first cabinet in office.

Ibbo spectre of Covid-19 and the about fear on the part of the citizenry. fear and arbitrariness. (therefore) the principle of separa-
Mandaza 1000 Zimbabwean lives it took For dictators instil both terror and That is what makes them think tion of powers in the state, appear
while Mnangagwa was away in awe among their followers and subverted beyond recognition in
AT least two references in the me- January 2021. victims. That is their model of constitutional and good gover- contemporary Zimbabwe.
dia last week – “Mnangagwa’s cab- governance: fear-driven arbitrary nance institutions like cabinet are
inet hiatus highlights Zim lead- Otherwise, the last 20 years — rule. virtually superfluous. They think But even at the level of politics,
ership crisis” (The NewsHawks, 5 particularly the last three since they can meet as and when they we have under such circumstanc-
February, 2021); and presidential the coup in 2017 — betrays a Many scholars have researched want, sometimes as a mere for- es the inevitable – but in the
spokesman George Charamba’s as- frightening disdain for consti- and investigated dictators and mality to rubberstamp decisions medium term, self-defeating and
sertion that President Emmerson tutionalism and the rule of law. their henchmen. They have made at home and at farms. perilous – retreat to ethnic collu-
Mnangagwa was back at work to It underscores the reality of the studied their lives, personalities, sion, in a vain attempt to scaffold
a “very hectic start that includes military-security state appara- their rise to power and how they In Zimbabwe, the relegation of the tribal laagar. Ethnicity has
taking far-reaching decisions”. tus: the antithesis of democratic governed once achieving that the cabinet system to the whims always been a pervasive feature in
governance; the abrogation of power. and caprices of dictators in favour Zimbabwean politics, as in most
The “far-reaching decisions” by the principle of the separation of of the monopoly of power and African societies. However, under
Mnangagwa were obviously on his powers; and, therefore, the blatant The one common theme in decision-making by the “Head of the conventional and charismatic
own and, by implication, without reliance on the military-security their theories and practice of State and Commander-in-Chief nationalists of which Mnangagwa
cabinet which had not met for apparatus for the maintenance of governance is fear. It is easier to of Zimbabwe Defence Forces” is certainly not one, it was a prob-
months (The Herald, 3 February law and order. govern and dictate to citizens became the pattern during the lem to be managed and mediated
2021); from 8 December 2020 through fear than good demo- last decade or more of the Robert to the extent that it was always in
until this Tuesday 9 February In the Zimbabwean context, cratic governance. At least that is Mugabe era. the background in countries like
2021 – basically two months. this is euphemistically described what they think. Tanzania and Zambia under Julius
as government on autopilot! Even during the period of the Nyerere and Kenneth Kaunda,
This will have helped the stu- And whether it is Nigeria under Government of National Unity respectively.
dents of governance and politics Second, this state of affairs Abacha, Angola and Dos Santos, (GNU) of 2009-2013, “far-reach-
towards a closer understanding of reflects not only on the nature or Zimbabwe with Mnangagwa ing decisions” and key issues on In Zimbabwe, Mugabe was far
the nature of the current state in of the securocrat state, but also at the helm, the common de- policy were made outside cabinet, less successful in managing the
Zimbabwe and its politics. the style of the man at the helm, nominator and enduring feature often after cabinet meetings, as National Question as the “Nde-
Mnangagwa, as the typical secu- is securocracy and/or the domi- ministers queued outside Mug- bele” factor and its Gukurahundi
First, while shocking, the rocrat himself, with security func- nant role of the military-security abe’s office to have their proposals, corollary is living testimony
revelation that cabinet had not tions having been his obsession all infrastructure, the perfect lair for which ought to have been dis- today. Otherwise, the ethnic issue
met for almost two month, is no of his adult life. an authoritarian strongman. And cussed, debated and concluded in was managed and mediated with
longer a surprise to those of us the common strand in their rule is cabinet, approved by the President some success across Zimbabwe
familiar with how efficiently that That is why it is difficult for arbitrarily. throughout most of the period
apex institution of government him to fully embrace democracy from independence till the coup
operated in the 1980s (and even and democratic governance based So marked the gradual but of 2017. Mistakes were definitely
well into the 1990s), and have on the tenets of constitutionalism, eventual retreat from the good old made, but there was some attempt
witnessed the gradual decline and good governance, rule of law, hu- days when ministerial decisions to manage the situation.
demise of cabinet rule ever since man rights and accountability. were the outcome of considered
the rise of the securocrat state in and researched processes within Significantly, the heady and in-
the 2000s. Like Jose dos Santos of An- the ministry itself; and when ternecine and tribal conflicts that
gola or even Abacha of Nigeria, cabinet committees, of offi- characterised Zanu in exile had
What was glaringly new is the such securocrats are wary of and cials and then ministers, would become almost a thing of the past
uncomfortable with democratic scrutinise proposed policies and in post-independence Zimbabwe.
politics and the social interactions programmes before submission
associated with the latter. to the cabinet secretariat for the Those of us who were engaged
subsequent tabling on the agenda in nation-building and state-craft
Their power is derived from of cabinet. in those early days recall fondly
a contrived (physical or secu- the unwritten guidelines to use
rocratic) invisibility, bordering In short, both the collective the compass when appointing
on a mystique that instils and a policy-making framework and
combination of fascination and

Page 26 Critical Thinking NewsHawks

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

and promoting civil servants, nation-building. The framing and level of anal- nation-building and institu- well in their country.
establishing national institutions The defence on the part of the ysis cannot be in binaries: Shonas tion-building to rebuild a firm So, what is to be done?
or boards of state enterprises, and versus Ndebeles, or Zezurus ver- foundation for a new progressive In the first instance, it is to
including the favourable eth- proponents of this new ethnic sus Karangas – if we only do that nation.”
nic-balancing within government collusion and dominance is that we miss a lot of issues and nuanc- continue doing these kinds of
ministries and departments. There this is a logical reaction to the es. It is far more complex yet the Yes, Ndlovu-Gatsheni, we are analyses, through organised aca-
were serious efforts to manage “Zezuru” hegemony during the main dimensions and fault-lines in a mess and far, far away from demia and media, laying bare the
the ethnic dynamics within the Mugabe era. Yet this is not only of the complicated problem are even the pre-requisites for com- political and economic realities;
bureaucracy. false, but also self-serving. If any also clear at the same time. mencing the process towards the and thereby making our contribu-
ethnic group was short-changed restoration of constitutionalism tion to the fight against the preda-
Regrettably, there has been the during the Mugabe era, it is cer- In this regard, the hegemony and the rule of law, of recovering tory and anti-democratic state.
gradual, but increasingly discern- tainly not the Karanga factor in that Mugabe will have exercised and strengthening the national
ible retreat from a pattern given general, let alone the “Midlands” during his era at the helm was less institutions, and thereby resolving But in doing so, we need to
to nation-building in previous or “Mberengwa” factor. to do with the “Zezuru” ethnic the National Question itself. return to the drawing board, as
decades, towards crass ethnic factor than the political elite and we did as the technocrats of the
collusion, crude clanship, or what There are groups that were gen- security-related one in which For even those in society – like Patriotic Front under the UN/
Tendai Biti once described as the uinely marginalised. Yet for the Mnangagwa was integral. the judiciary and the media – that Patriotic Front-sponsored Zimba-
“Sibanda, Moyo and Associates” latter – Karanga - will have had so should be leading the fight back bwe: Towards a New Orderpro-
with reference to the “Midlands” far a disproportionate share of the Mnangagwa and his associates, against the shrinking democrat- gramme in Geneva in 1979, begin
or Mberengwa “mafia” that char- “fruits of independence”, certainly whether his homeboys or not, ic space, appear captured. And, to produce the policy blueprint
acterises the post-coup dispensa- much more than the “Western” benefited from Mugabe’s rule in a likewise, civic society generally, for the recovery (researching, an-
tion. and “Eastern” regions of Zimba- big way. the church and even academia, alysing and interpreting society is
bwe; Ndebele and Manyika areas seem exhausted, afraid or resigned part and parcel of that effort) and
The rise of ethnocentricism – respectively. Third, the “state of the nation” to the status quo. rebuilding of a new Zimbabwe
belief in inherent superiority of in Zimbabwe explains and high- that we all desire in the months
one’s ethnic or sub-ethnic group; Of course, there were a few lights the deficits to which Sabelo And all this, against the back- and years ahead.
what some anthropologists call elites from the marginalised Ndlovu-Gatsheni made reference ground of an assertive external
cultural ignorance - under the groups who also benefited, which in “Exploring the idea of re-in- factor – the former coloniser, Brit- About the writer: Mandaza
Mnangagwa administration is too tells us that there are many factors venting the intractable Zimbabwe ain, and likewise the United States is a Zimbabwean academic and
brazen and is sabotaging what- to be considered in this analysis: into the future” (The NewsHawks, and European Union – having to publisher. He convenes the
ever progress had been made in political party, positions, status, 5 February, 2021): “Zimbabwe remind both the rulers and the Sapes Trust dialogue series.
class and ethnicity, among others. needs to revisit its state-building, ruled in Zimbabwe, that all is not

NewsHawks Critical Thinking Page 27

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

Black citizenship and problem of coloniality

Sabelo J.
Ndlovu-Gatsheni

THE issue of “black citizenship” inside as subjects – not citizens. Out consciousness and of an African na- lonialism , cutting deals with trans- groups within African nation-states
is both planetary and existential. It of this colonial context we find the tionalism predicated on pan-ethnic national multinational corporations experience exclusion and even
is planetary because it affects black primary and most urgent issues con- unities and solidarities. and, in the process, reducing states statelessness. All of this makes the
people wherever they are located on cerning black people’s positionality in Africa to rentier formations. call for an insurgent and resurgent
the globe; it is existential because in the white-dominated modern Struggles for pan-African unity, decolonisation in the 21st century
it dwells at the very heart of the world, where institutions such as the because of their potential to deal Intra-elite conflicts and compe- very necessary.
meaning of black existence. nation-state reproduce classifications with the issue of black citizenship tition among Africans assumed the
and exclusions in their citizenship directly, were subjected to even form of military coups from the At the centre of current planetary
At the centre of black citizenship laws and practices. more elaborate and intense policing. late 1960s onward, most of which human embroilment is the black
is what Puerto Rican theorist Nelson were sponsored by imperial powers subject as a stateless and rightless
Maldonado-Torres, among others, Colonisation disrupted and Identities such as “peasant,” and engineered by the US Central provider of cheap labour in a global-
has termed the “coloniality of being displaced African communities, “worker” and “bourgeoisie” were Intelligence Agency. Such pan-Afri- ised and racial capitalist economy.
.” The phrase “coloniality of being” their indigenous knowledges impositions of the capitalist world canist leaders as Kwame Nkrumah This reality can be challenged by
refers to the social classification of and cosmologies, their forms of economic system onto Africa. At of Ghana, Patrice Lumumba of the transnational and diasporic black
human populations according to a self-identification, and the organi- the beginning mercantilism helped Democratic Republic of Congo, and solidarity as an essential pre-requi-
racial hierarchy. sation of their social relations. The render African people as “slaves” to Thomas Sankara of Burkina Faso site for a planetary decolonisation.
realities of life in the precolonial labour in plantations and mines. were victims of CIA intrigue and
It explains who counts as human, era, marked by flexible and fluid Industrial racial capitalism, through intervention. This planetary decolonisation
while generating a racialised pyra- identities (pluralities), mobility as dispossession and displacement of has to build on what has been set
mid of modern society, with those a way of life, and compositionality African people from land, result- The dawn of political indepen- in motion by the Rhodes Must Fall
considered “white” occupying the (being human through others and ed in forced peasantisation and dence did not adequately solve the movements, whose influence led not
top, and those designated as black, with others), was swiftly replaced proletarianisation. While African issue of black citizenship mainly only to the removal of arch-colonist
languishing at the bottom. by colonial racial logics and liberal communities had their own forms because African nationalism is Cecil John Rhodes’ statue at the
individualism. of social stratification prior to Euro- structured through the logics of University of Cape Town in South
Martinican intellectual and poet pean colonialism, there was no strict colonialism with its exclusionary Africa but also at the University of
Aimé Césaire captured this existen- The notion of strangers, and class identity which would deter- and inclusionary tendencies. Oxford in England.
tial problem of blackness in terms of indeed insiders and outsiders mine the nature of conflicts.
three tormenting questions faced by who cannot be absorbed by other Postcolonial conceptions of The removals of Rhodes’ statues
black people: Who am I? Who are societies, emerged. At one level, Because of their thirst for cheap citizenship ignored the realities on are positive – though symbolic
we? What are we in a white world? colonial laws were used to classify labour for mines, farms, plantations, the ground, just as new conceptions – signs of a drive to confront the
those considered “people” as citizens and factories, the European colonial of nationhood ignored the visible global coloniality that make black
W. E. B. Du Bois posed these (white settlers) and those considered regimes were flexible when it came pre-colonial pluralities described citizenship impossible.
queries in another way, asking subjects (black natives); at another to the movement of cheap migrant above. For example, the question
of black people in the modern, the laws cast African people as in- labour across borders. And since of labour migration was entangled The ways that the US “Black
white-dominated world the choate, irreconcilable, and compet- African people were not entitled to with that of newly concretised Lives Matter” movement galvanised
soul-searching question: “How does ing“ tribes.” Identity cards were used any form of citizenship, the migrant nation-bound notions of black #ZimbabweanLivesMatter protests,
it feel to be a problem?” to consolidate a colonial paradigm workers remained aliens in places citizenship. The status of black for example, is another indication
of difference. where they worked. workers as immigrants and migrants of the urgent need for a planetary
The issue of black citizenship became accentuated after the end struggle for decolonisation.
concerns the struggle for black life Colonial identifications such as Hence, today Africa is not open of juridical colonialism as territorial
itself. The struggles for black citi- Anglophone, Lusophone and Fran- to the free mobility of the people African nationalisms, with excep- The emphasis of planetary
zenship are fundamentally about the cophone symbolised colonialism’s who live there. Decolonisation did tions , undercut the possibilities of decolonisation is born out of the
decolonisation of the modern world moulding of Africa into a European not succeed in reversing the social pan-Africanism. realisation that planetary problems
because the global condition of possession. The tribal formations orders imposed by colonialism. of racism and global coloniality can-
coloniality – that is, the replication and cleavages invented by colo- African nationalism struggled to not be successfully confronted from
and legacies of colonial domination nialism were further accentuated Significantly, decolonisation lay the foundation of a strong post- a national or continental vantage
in contemporary times – makes through class differentiations – and, struggles – and later postcolonial colonial, pan-ethnic patriotism and point alone.
black citizenship impossible at a in particularly, the production of an nation-building and state-making – horizontal comradeship. Moreover,
planetary scale. African petit bourgeoisie. were constantly undercut by ethnic African nationalism could easily About the writer: Professor
fractures and tribalism. Moreover, degenerate into detestable forms of Ndlovu-Gatsheni is Chair of
Today, in the wake of the recent Colonial power jealously guarded the majority of elites who took over chauvinism, including xenophobia Epistemologies of the Global
George Floyd’s murder in the against the possibilities of the from the colonialists maintained and nativism. South Faculty of Humanities and
United States, the movements for development of an African national their “comprador” roles in that they Social Sciences, Africa Multiple
black lives - #BlackLivesMatter - were willing accomplices in neo-co- The result has been that minority Cluster of Excellence, University
have assumed planetary dimensions. of Bayreuth, Germany.
Their planetary reach and resonance
are a testament to the fact that the
quest for black citizenship is about
black life itself, while they reflect the
reality that it is not only in the US
that the question of black citizen-
ship is an issue.

While such initiatives as the 14th
Amendment to the US constitution
could not deliver substantive black
citizenship to black Americans,
the decolonisation struggles of the
20thcentury in Africa also did not
successfully result in the destruction
of the modern world system of
imperialism.

In the African context, the mod-
ern nation-state is an imposition of
colonialism. Its formal origins can
be traced to the Berlin Conference
of 1884-1885, when the continent
was infamously partitioned by seven
European imperial powers (Britain,
Belgium, France, Germany, Italy,
Portugal and Spain). These domi-
nated territories eventually became
colonies.

Cartography and bordering
marked the boundaries between col-
onies, with African people enclosed

Page 28 The Big Debate NewsHawks

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

The weaponisation of Covid-19 in Zanu PF

factional wars: A new deadly political threat

Jonathan Three national heroes; Sibusiso Moyo, Paradzai Zimondi and Joel Biggie Matiza being buried recently in Harare. the core and spread fear like a
N. Moyo veld fire is that every top military
tions Command in the run up to his cabinet to maroon themselves his cabinet marooned themselves officer from the November 2017
THERE is a new and dangerous the military coup. Moyo and Zi- out of sight; leaving Zimbabweans under the cover of undeserved coup who has died so far, has
security threat in Zimbabwe’s mondi were key Chiwenga allies. alone, as the chatter about the and irresponsible holidays that died of Covid-19. This has been
politically dysfunctional post-No- weaponisation of Covid-19 grew smacked of dereliction of their compounded by the view among
vember 2017 military state, under With Nyikayaramba’s death louder among military securo- constitutional duties, seemingly securocrats that the Covid-19
an increasingly factionalised Zanu this week, the sentiment that crats; the tip of the iceberg is easy unmoved by the covid-19 disaster protocols that have been invoked
PF and a collapsing economy now some securocrats in a Zanu PF to tell by simply unpacking the that consumed the country; based to restrict body viewing, and in
run by feuding cartels fuelled by faction close to Mnangagwa have difference between the govern- on official figures. most cases to also restrict au-
systematic corruption. weaponised covid-19 against ment’s Covid-19 situation report topsies, make the coronavirus a
military-linked supporters of of 31 January 2021 and that of 31 While the fact that the perfect agent of death, hence the
And that threat is the weaponi- Chiwenga reached fever pitch. The December 2020. Covid-19 cases jumped by 141% widespread panic in the corridors
sation of Covid-19, whose capabil- sentiment has not been helped by and the deaths by 235% from 31 of power.The securocrats who are
ities are real and worrying. the fact that Mnangagwa has been From government figures, on 31 December 2020 to 31 January concerned about this say the coro-
shunning in person contact with December 2020 Zimbabwe had 2021 is astounding, it is important navirusis not like most weaponised
The sudden death of Zimba- his cabinet ministers, including 13 867 reported Covid-19 cases to consider that the same period viruses that can be made into
bwe’s Ambassador to Mozambique his two deputies — Chiwenga with 363 deaths, whereas on 31 saw an increase of unreported in aerosols for maximum dispersion,
and former Zimbabwe National and Kembo Mohadi — since early January it had 33 388 reported community cases and deaths, as because they say all it requires is a
Army’s Chief-of-Staff, Retired December; preferring to engage cases with 1 217 deaths. Over the medical doctors started providing simple swab, of an infected corpse
Lieutenant-General Douglas them through digital or virtual last two weeks, Mnangagwa’s pro- homecare to Covid-19 patients in or from an assigned Covid-19
Nyikayaramba who also once communication. paganda apparatchiks have used low density areas in towns, with testing laboratory, to apply for ex-
controversially served on sec- these figures deceptively, based on the cases and deaths in high den- ample on a doorknob, car seat or
ondment from the Army as chief For all intents and purposes, an approach which, like a mini- sity and rural areas going untested armrest, cabinet file, office teacups
elections officer of the Electoral Mnangagwa has become reclusive; skirt, is revealing while it in fact and unattended to. or mugs and the job is done.
Supervisory Commission, abol- apparently afraid of covid-19. conceals the critical point.
ished in 2005 and replaced by the This explains not only why he The second part of the critical The worry among securocrats,
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, went on holiday for a whole In this regard, the critical point concealed by the regime is especially in military circles, is
has triggered wagging tongues month in January, but also why point that Mnangagwa’s regime that it has sought to conceal is that the simplicity with which the
amid a growing sentiment in cabinet did not meet for almost has sought to conceal is twofold. the fact that the government has coronavirus can be captured and
military intelligence circles that a two months since 8 December First, from 31 December 2020 been paralysed into confusion and applied to a targeted surface means
securocratic faction loyal to Pres- 2020 until this week; during the to 31 January 2021, the official inaction by the fear that a section that any agency can weaponise
ident Emmerson Mnangagwa has time when Zimbabwe experienced Covid-19 cases reported by the of its securocracy has weaponised Covid-19 with relative ease, even
weaponised covid-19 to target key the worst devastation from a dead- government, in just four short Covid-19 and is politically using in the most basic of situations.
military figures of a rival faction ly second wave of the coronavirus. weeks, spiked by a shocking the weaponisation capabilities to
who are close to Vice-President 141%, while deaths skyrocketed devastate the targeted political op- The table below highlights the
Constantino Chiwenga and who Although the beleaguered au- by 235%. ponents. It is this fear that caused dangers that have exercised the
played strategic roles in the No- thorities in Harare have sought to the cabinet, politburo and security imagination of the securocrats
vember 2017 military coup that downplay or even to conceal the The regime has sought to sector “chefs” to retreat to their who are concerned about the
toppled the late President Robert untold devastation that Zimbabwe conceal these staggering spikes of farms last month. weaponisation of covid-19 in the
Mugabe and replaced him with suffered from the coronavirus last Covid-19 cases and deaths which system. Also shown on the table
Mnangagwa. month, causing Mnangagwa and happened when Mnangagwa and What has jolted the system to counter measures or steps that
can be taken to minimise those
The anxious sentiment that dangers:
covid-19 has been weaponised by
Mnangagwa’s securocrats against Going forward, the threat of
allies of his deputy, who led the the weaponisation of Covid-19
military coup three years ago as by a section of the securocracy
the Commander of the Zimba- is daunting largely if not only
bwe Defence Forces (ZDF), has because Mnangagwa’s regime
been fuelled first by the deaths does not have a comprehensive,
of former Air Marshal Perence coherent, scientific and credi-
Shiri, who became Agriculture ble national plan or strategy for
minister after the military coup dealing with the pandemic in the
and ZDF spokesperson Colonel national interest.
Overson Mugwisi, who both died
of covid-19 in July 2020. For example, the regime’s
Covid-19 database is fraudulent
This sentiment gained conven- and thus unreliable. Instead of
tional traction last month with the supporting and letting medical
shock deaths from covid-19 of Re- and public health professionals to
tired Lieutenant-General Sibusiso lead the fight against the corona-
Moyo, who was foreign minister, virus as first responders and the
and the regime’s think-tank who frontline base, the Mnangagwa
was famous for announcing the regime has sought to be in front
November 2017 military coup on of them.
national television; and Retired
Major- General Paradzai Zimondi, The regime has used coronavi-
who was a central member of the rus lockdowns as law-and-order
service chiefs in the Joint Opera- lockdowns with no clear cut,
transparent and measurable public
health objectives. It is against this
backdrop that a devious oppor-
tunity for the weaponisation of
Covid-19 has presented itself. The
consequences of this real danger
are too ghastly to contemplate.

About the writer: Moyo is a
former Zimbabwean Member
of Parliament, cabinet minister,
and academic.

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 29

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

Colls Central banks and the sis of whether the public can accu-
Ndlovu art of communication rately predict inflation rate in the
long run.
AS has become ritualistic now, become somewhat transparent question. The point is that com- and interest rates.
the bulk of the arguments in this and open. Monetary policy com- munication should assist central The unpredictability of mone- Uncertainty and related head-
article are to be found in one of mittees around the world are banks to make monetary policy winds usually cause distortions in
my favourite books that I wrote a now adopting transparency and more effective. tary policy gives rise to the need such scenarios thus causing further
few years ago titled “Zeitgeist Eco- open communication without the by central bankers to communi- distortions for wage negotiators.
nomics” which contains a com- shackles of the past. Press confer- Monetary policy deals mainly cate even more transparently to
pendium of compelling economics ences are now called to announce with the use of interest rates as a help market participants to plan Theoretically, central banks can
and financial theoretical models. monetary policies and testimonies tool to control the money supply for the future from an investment release all the relevant information
before parliamentary committees in an economy. perspective. and the public can be expected to
A few days ago, in the run up have become standard procedures accurately measure and predict or
towards the still pending delivery in central banking. Control of interest rates, there- A central bank’s provisioning of forecast future events.
of Covid-19 vaccines, Zimba- fore, is used as a lever to influence information relating to its objec-
bwe’s Finance minister Professor Regular publication of reports asset prices, yields, stock prices, tives, assessment of the economy, But in reality, “specifying a com-
Mthuli Ncube found himself tied on monetary policies, minutes of government and corporate bond and policy strategy is critically im- plete and explicit policy rule, from
and bogged down in embarrassing meetings and community engage- bonds yields and mortgage rates. portant. which the central bank would nev-
communication knots. ments are all accepted boiler plates er deviate under any circumstanc-
nowadays. These variables, whether they Central banks generally do not es, is impractical.” The risk, of
Initially, Ncube issued a state- act in multicollinearity (when enjoy an unfair advantage on in- course, arises from the unlimited
ment through the state media say- Given that central bankers are independent variables in a re- formation relative to the markets number of contingencies that can
ing that “private citizens” of Zim- public servants, it is incumbent gression model are correlated) or they service simply because they derail any such policy rule.
babwe will be required to pay for upon them to give the public rel- multicononllinearity, allow central use similar information as used by
Covid-19 vaccines. evant and timely information with banks to affect the overall course of the markets. Notwithstanding all the hin-
explanations for any actions taken their respective economies. drances pointed above, there are
Later on, within a few days, he thereof because such actions in- The provision of information is, many other things that a central
was forced to contradict his earlier variably affect the livelihoods of Much as central banks are al- therefore, symmetrical. bank can do to improve its com-
statement by asserting through yet ordinary people and their business. ways pre-occupied with short- munication processes.
another formal statement that the term interest rates, these rates have However, in practice, it turns
said Covid-19 vaccines would be Calls for accountability are, an influence on long-term interest out that the markets do not have The central bank should behave
availed for free to all the citizens of therefore, not misguided or mis- rarates. In fact, long term interest access to information to the extent in an orderly and systematic fash-
Zimbabwe. chievous. Openness assists central rates are a function of short term assumed by theory. ion. Monetary policy should have
bankers to educate the public and interest rates. Bernanke has assert- certain standard features that assist
These strange twists and turns they in turn get useful feedback ed that longer-term yields should As highlighted, information is market participants to model their
on the part of the highly erudite from an informed public. This fos- depend on market expectations asymmetrical and sometimes con- positions.
professor served to underscore the ters simultaneous and timeous re- about the future course of short- jectural. In practice, financial-mar-
importance of the art of commu- lease of information to the public term rates. ket participants generally do not Central banks like the markets
nication, especially when dealing on a real time basis. Moreover, this have access to the same informa- they serve, operate in a dynamic
with a life-and-death tragedy like kind of democratic posture reduc- Any negative news that adverse- tion as central banks, which have and ever-changing environment.
the Covid-19 pandemic which has es the risk that market-sensitive ly affects short-term interest rates elaborate research departments. Consequently, explanations by
already decimated part of Zimba- information could leak through tends to cause the market to expect way of words are also a necessary
bwe’s cabinet, judiciary and other inappropriate channels, thus giv- future interest rates to rise. The availability of information part of communication nowadays
high-profile figures, inter alia. ing rise to insider trading to some is therefore asymmetrical, and in- beyond the mechanical rules and
market players. Rising future bond yields (in complete. The extent of asymme- policies.
Communication is an art. And correlation with rising interest try, therefore, calls for the central
on this issue, central bankers are The extent to which central rates) causes bond prices to de- bank to improve its communica- They should make their infor-
very well-placed to assist other banks must release information to crease. The term structure of in- tion drive. mation symmetrical as a gener-
government agencies in this re- the public remains an open-ended terest rates, that is to say, the yield al rule, that is to say, provide the
spect. Central banks are gener- curve, demonstrates this inverse Whether all the information public with the same information
ally perceived to be reclusive and relationship between bond prices provided by central banks im- that they used to reach certain de-
somewhat secretive about their proves the forecastability of policy cisions.
operations. can only be determined on the ba-
In other words central banks
This misperception is fuelled by should be as explicit as possible in
some central banks’ maxim, “nev- their communication, that is eco-
er explain, never excuse”. Former nomic forecasts, its assessment of
governor of the Bank of England the economic risks, and the mod-
Montagu Collet Norman was espe- els or analytical frameworks that
cially notorious for this behaviour. underlie its diagnosis of the econ-
He thus created a perception that omy.
central bankers are generally reclu-
sive and secretive to the extent of More frequent release of eco-
creating some mysticism around nomic statistics could also help to
the functions of a central bank. better inform the public and hence
assist them in the forecasting of
Former US Federal Reserve inflation and interest rates, among
chairman Ben Bernanke asserted other forecastable economic vari-
that there was a time when central ables.
bankers did not talk to the public,
citing Norman as a classic exam- In the pursuit of improved and
ple of the 1930s generation, which transparent communication of in-
perfected this practice. formation, one has to understand
that more information is not al-
To add to this view was the ways better. In these days of fake
opinion of central bankers them- news and the emergence of so-
selves who believed that a certain called alternative facts, informa-
“mystique” attached to their activ- tion has to be managed carefully
ities. To the central bankers, “mak- as distorted information can harm
ing monetary policy was an arcane the business environment.
and esoteric art that should be left
solely to the initiates, and that let- For example, televising mone-
ting the public into the discussion tary policy-making debates can in-
would only usurp the prerogatives jure and discredit the integrity of
of insiders and degrade the effec- policy-makers and the policy-mak-
tiveness of policy”. ing process. Whether the addition-
al or new information will improve
In contradiction to the forego- or harm the public’s comprehen-
ing, modern central banks have sion of the policy-making process
and thus assist it is what matters.

About the writer: Ndlovu is an
award-winning economist and
central banker based in South
Africa. He established the NXC
Currency Index.

Page 30 Africa news NewsHawks

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

Insurgent
attacks low in
Cabo Delgado

INSURGENT activity remained Further information came to light do has led to speculation that the ment can reasonably celebrate, how- Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi
low in Mozambique’s northern Cabo regarding the previously reported 31 government has made significant ever, is last week’s return of Médecins infections. A flow of medical and,
Delgado territory last week, while January attack on Nkonga, Nangade military gains against the insurgency Sans Frontières (MSF) to Macomia potentially, other humanitarian aid
actions by government forces and district. During the attack, insur- in recent weeks, a narrative that has district. to the district will help address those
their allies appeared to increase. gents stole food from the village and also appeared in pro-government problems.
kidnapped two girls. propaganda. There are encouraging The international NGO is provid-
The extent of government Incident Focus: Death of Eugénio signs for the government on the secu- ing medical services in Muagamula, The government is ordering civil
offensive operations remains to be Mussa rity front, and last week’s offensive in on the outskirts of Macomia town, servants who had fled violence in Pal-
seen, but could end up being quite Mozambican President Filipe Nyu- Mocimboa da Praia has the potential where it is tending to 100 patients ma and Nangade districts to return
significant. si’s reshuffle at the top of his security to bring more. per day. MSF teams are also traveling to their jobs.
services hit a major obstacle when further afield in the district to get a
On 1 February, insurgents General Eugénio Mussa died of an However, the lack of insurgent sense of the health challenges civil- The Palma order, which was
attacked Lijungo, Nangade district. undisclosed illness. Nyusi appoint- activity in January is not necessarily ians there are facing. reported earlier, has caused much
Lijungo sits about 15 kilometres west ed Mussa both chief of staff of the indicative of government success. consternation among civil servants,
of Nkonga, where there had been Mozambican military and com- MSF pulled out of Macomia in as the only way to get to the district
repeated insurgent attacks in the days mander of the Northern Operation Rain and lack of resources June 2020 after insurgents attacked is via the frequently-attacked R763
leading up to the Lijungo incursion. Command Post in Mueda in early throughout the province due to the its health center there, citing ongoing road. It is unclear whether the con-
No details have yet emerged about January, making him the leading rhythms of agricultural production is insecurity in the district. Since then, voys that have begun along the road
the Lijungo attack. figure in Mozambique’s counter-in- an annual problem around this time Macomia civilians have been forced will begin taking passengers in order
surgency effort. of year, restraining insurgent action to rely on security forces for medical to allow civil servants a way back to
However, reports indicate that regardless of government gains. As an care or travel long distances to clinics their posts.
most of the civilians in the village The move represented not just a example, in January 2020, ACLED outside the conflict zone.
had already fled to Nangade town change in personnel but a structural records 25 total events involving On the international front, Nyusi
before the attack took place. shift for the government. insurgents resulting in 50 fatalities in That MSF is now able to return to thanked an African Union (AU)
Cabo Delgado. This January, there Macomia suggests a major improve- summit on 6 February for African
On 2 February, in an attempt to Before Mussa’s appointment, it were a comparable 22 total events ment in the prospects for security countries’ support in the Cabo
relieve the supply shortage in Palma was police chief Bernardinho Rafael involving insurgents, resulting in 47 there. It also represents a major quali- Delgado conflict and urged the
town, a military escort accompanied who commanded the Mueda base fatalities. Far from predicting the de- ty of life improvement for civilians in organisation to “reiterate its total
at least 14 vehicles carrying food and his police units that took the cline of the insurgency, the conflict’s the district. rejection [of terrorists]... wherever
on the segment of the R763 road lead in the conflict with insurgents. slow pace in January 2020 preceded they hide in our continent.” The AU
that runs from Nangade town to Moving control of strategic decisions the insurgent’s most successful year MSF teams have reportedly found has condemned the insurgency in
Palma town. The convoy reached to the military — and to a general by far. significant malnutrition among Mozambique but has taken few steps
Palma without incident, and another with whom Nyusi had a working Macomia civilians — especially small toward any military intervention in
convoy of 30 vehicles followed on 6 relationship dating back to Nyusi’s Among the successes the govern- children — as well as a high number the conflict..
February. Insurgents have carried out time as defense minister — appeared of untreated sexually transmitted
frequent attacks along the road in to indicate that the president would – acleddata.com
recent weeks as part of an apparent take a more personal interest in the
attempt to cut Palma off from supply day-to-day conduct of the conflict.
routes. Before the convoys arrived,
the situation in Palma had become so Mussa’s death, which was
desperate that civilians were braving rumoured for days before being
the road to Nangade in hopes of ac- officially confirmed on 8 February,
quiring food. Cabo Ligado reported now throws that plan into disarray.
that rice prices were 120 meticais No new commander or chief of staff
(US$1.59) per kilogramme on 29 has been publicly announced.
January — already quite high. By 1
February, prices had doubled to 240 Mussa’s deputy, Bertolino Jeremias
meticais (US$3.19) per kilogramme. Capitine, is a Renamo member,
and therefore likely poses a political
According to a report, a govern- problem for Nyusi at a time when
ment-backed militia based in Mueda civil society members are already
engaged insurgents near Ntchinga, questioning his management of
Muidumbe district on 5 February. the conflict. Going back to Rafael,
The source described the insurgent however, would return the security
position as a “base”, but no further forces to a state of affairs that Nyusi
reports have emerged to confirm the found untenable barely a month
account. ago. It seems likely that Nyusi will
appoint a new military officer to lead
Reports also began coming in on 5 government forces in Mueda. The
February of a large-scale government new appointee will have to overcome
offensive in Mocimboa da Praia dis- the challenge of being a clear second
trict. The reports indicate a substan- choice to assert themselves in the
tial ground force supported by eight bureaucratic battles over the govern-
helicopters advanced north from ment’s strategic direction. This may
Muidumbe district into Mocimboa delay achieving unified command
da Praia district, making it as far as between the police and the military,
Awasse. even if the military ultimately retains
the lead role.
There are no indications yet as to Government Response
whether the offensive has succeeded
in holding Awasse, which has been The rainy season decline in
the major obstacle to previous at- insurgent attacks in Cabo Delga-
tempts to retake Mocimboa da Praia
town. Road movement is likely to be
slow, as rain has finally reached Cabo
Delgado’s northern districts.

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NewsHawks World news Page 31

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

Goodread

Tackling world’s biggest geopolitical question

THIS is a continuation of the compelling article written by former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd who is now President of the Asian Society in New
York on the geopolitical relations between the United States and China, and how the two super states could avoid a disastrous confrontation going forward.

KEVIN RUDD US President Joe Biden But most in the CCP’s foreign nership and the EU-China Compre- had little grasp of China and even
dealings with Biden. And Xi hopes policy establishment view the re- hensive Agreement on Investment, less grasp of how to make Washing-
MINDFUL of this combination of that greater collaboration on climate cent shift in US sentiment toward which will enmesh the Chinese and ton work. Biden’s advisers also un-
near-term risks and China’s long- will help stabilise the US-Chinese re- China as structural — an inevitable European economies to a far greater derstand that in order to restore US
term strengths, Xi Jinping’s general lationship more generally. by-product of the changing balance degree than Washington would like. power abroad, they must rebuild the
diplomatic strategy toward the Unit- of power between the two countries. US economy at home in ways that
ed States’ Joe Biden administration Adjustments in Chinese policy China is wary of the Biden ad- will reduce the country’s staggering
will be to de-escalate immediate along these lines, however, are still In fact, a number have been qui- ministration’s ability to help the inequality and increase economic
tensions, stabilise the bilateral rela- likely to be tactical rather than stra- etly relieved that open strategic com- US recover from those self-inflicted opportunities for all Americans. Do-
tionship as early as possible, and do tegic. Indeed, there has been remark- petition has replaced the pretence of wounds. Beijing has seen Wash- ing so will help Biden maintain the
everything possible to prevent secu- able continuity in Chinese strategy bilateral cooperation. With Wash- ington bounce back from political, political leverage he will need to craft
rity crises. toward the US since Xi came to pow- ington having removed the mask, economic, and security disasters be- a durable China strategy with bipar-
er in 2013, and Beijing has been sur- this thinking goes, China could now fore. Nonetheless, the CCP remains tisan support — no mean feat when
To this end, Beijing will look to prised by the relatively limited degree move more rapidly—and, in some confident that the inherently divisive opportunistic opponents such as
fully reopen the lines of high-lev- to which Washington has pushed cases, openly — toward realising its nature of US politics will make it im- Pompeo will have ample incentive to
el military communication with back, at least until recently. strategic goals, while also claiming to possible for the new administration disparage any plan he puts forward as
Washington that were largely cut off be the aggrieved party in the face of to solidify support for any coherent little more than appeasement.
during the Donald Trump adminis- Xi, driven by a sense of Marx- US belligerence. China strategy it might devise.
tration. ist-Leninist determinism, also be- To lend his strategy credibility,
lieves that history is on his side. As But by far the greatest gift that Biden intends to prove Beijing Biden will have to make sure the US
Xi might seek to convene a reg- Mao was before him, Xi has become Trump delivered to Beijing was the wrong in its assessment that the US military stays several steps ahead of
ular, high-level political dialogue, as a formidable strategic competitor for sheer havoc his presidency unleashed is now in irreversible decline. He China’s increasingly sophisticated
well, although Washington will not the US. within the US and between Wash- will seek to use his extensive experi- array of military capabilities. This
be interested in re-establishing the Under new management ington and its allies. China was able ence on Capitol Hill to forge a do- task will be made more difficult by
US-China Strategic and Economic On balance, the Chinese leadership to exploit the many cracks that de- mestic economic strategy to rebuild intense budgetary constraints, as well
Dialogue, which served as the main would have preferred to have seen veloped between liberal democracies the foundations of US power in the as pressure from some factions with-
channel between the two countries the re-election of Trump in last year’s as they tried to navigate Trump’s post-pandemic world. in the Democratic Party to reduce
until its collapse amid the trade war US presidential election. That is not protectionism, climate change deni- military spending in order to boost
of 2018–19. to say that Xi saw strategic value in alism, nationalism, and contempt for He is also likely to continue to social welfare programs.
every element of Trump’s foreign all forms of multilateralism. strengthen the capabilities of the US
Finally, Beijing may moderate its policy; he did not. The Chinese military and to do what it takes to For Biden’s strategy to be seen as
military activity in the immediate pe- Communist Party (CCP) found the During the Trump years, Beijing sustain American global technolog- credible in Beijing, his administra-
riod ahead in areas where the People’s Trump administration’s trade war benefited not because of what it of- ical leadership. He has assembled a tion will need to hold the line on the
Liberation Army rubs up directly humiliating, its moves toward decou- fered the world, but because of what team of economic, foreign policy, aggregate defence budget and cover
against US forces, particularly in the pling worrying, its criticism of Chi- Washington ceased to offer. The re- and national security advisers who increased expenses in the Indo-Pa-
South China Sea and around Taiwan na’s human rights record insulting, sult was that China achieved victo- are experienced professionals and cific region by redirecting military
— assuming that the Biden admin- and its formal declaration of China ries such as the massive Asia-Pacific well-versed in China — in stark con- resources away from less pressing
istration discontinues the high-level as a “strategic competitor” sobering. free-trade deal known as the Region- trast to their predecessors, who, with theatres such as Europe.
political visits to Taipei that became al Comprehensive Economic Part- a couple of midranking exceptions,
a defining feature of the final year of As China becomes richer and
the Trump administration. For Bei- stronger, the United States’ largest
jing, however, these are changes in and closest allies will become ever
tactics, not in strategy. more crucial to Washington. For the
first time in many decades, the Unit-
As Xi tries to ratchet down ten- ed States will soon require the com-
sions in the near term, he will have to bined heft of its allies to maintain an
decide whether to continue pursuing overall balance of power against an
his hard-line strategy against Aus- adversary.
tralia, Canada, and India, which are
friends or allies of the United States. China will keep trying to peel
This has involved a combination of a countries away from the US — such
deep diplomatic freeze and economic as Australia, Canada, France, Ger-
coercion — and, in the case of India, many, Japan, South Korea, and the
direct military confrontation. United Kingdom — using a com-
bination of economic carrots and
Xi will wait for any clear signal sticks.
from Washington that part of the
price for stabilising the US-Chinese To prevent China from succeed-
relationship would be an end to such ing, the Biden administration needs
coercive measures against US part- to commit itself to fully opening the
ners. If no such signal is forthcoming US economy to its major strategic
— there was none under Trump — partners. The US prides itself on
then Beijing will resume business as having one of the most open econ-
usual. omies in the world. But even before
Trump’s pivot to protectionism, that
Meanwhile, Xi will seek to work was not the case.
with Biden on climate change. Xi
understands this is in China’s inter- Washington has long burdened
ests because of the country’s increas- even its closest allies with formidable
ing vulnerability to extreme weather tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade,
events. investment, capital, technology, and
talent. If the US wishes to remain
He also realises that Biden has an the centre of what until recently was
opportunity to gain international called “the free world,” then it must
prestige if Beijing cooperates with create a seamless economy across
Washington on climate change, giv- the national boundaries of its major
en the weight of Biden’s own climate Asian, European, and North Ameri-
commitments, and he knows that can partners and allies.
Biden will want to be able to demon-
strate that his engagement with Bei- To do so, Biden must overcome
jing led to reductions in Chinese car- the protectionist impulses that
bon emissions. Trump exploited and build support
for new trade agreements anchored
As China sees it, these factors will in open markets. To allay the fears
deliver Xi some leverage in his overall of a skeptical electorate, he will need
to show Americans that such agree-
ments will ultimately lead to lower

Page 32 World News NewsHawks

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

prices, better wages, more opportu- Former US President Donald Trump (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping violations.
nities for US industry, and stronger Over time, a minimum level of
environmental protections and as- tempered by cooperation in a num- The first step to building such a however, there will be some room for
sure them that the gains won from ber of defined areas. framework would be to identify a cooperation in a number of critical strategic trust might emerge. And
trade liberalisation can help pay for few immediate steps that each side areas. This occurred even between maybe both sides would also dis-
major domestic improvements in ed- The question for both Washing- must take in order for a substantive the United States and the Soviet cover that the benefits of continued
ucation, childcare, and health care. ton and Beijing, then, is whether dialogue to proceed and a limited Union at the height of the Cold War. collaboration on common planetary
they can conduct this high level of number of hard limits that both It should certainly be possible now challenges, such as climate change,
The Biden administration will also strategic competition within agreed- sides (and US allies) must respect. between the US and China, when might begin to affect the other, more
strive to restore the US leadership in on parameters that would reduce the Both sides must abstain, for example, the stakes are not nearly as high. competitive and even conflictual ar-
multilateral institutions such as the risk of a crisis, conflict, and war. from cyberattacks targeting critical eas of the relationship.
United Nations, the World Bank, infrastructure. Aside from collaborating on cli-
the International Monetary Fund, In theory, this is possible; in prac- mate change, the two countries There will be many who will crit-
and the World Trade Organisation tice, however, the near-complete Washington must return to strict- could conduct bilateral nuclear arms icise this approach as naive. Their
(WTO). erosion of trust between the two ly adhering to the “one China” pol- control negotiations, including on responsibility, however, is to come
has radically increased the degree of icy, especially by ending the Trump mutual ratification of the Compre- up with something better. Both the
Most of the world will welcome difficulty. Indeed, many in the US administration’s provocative and un- hensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, United States and China are current-
this after four years of watching national security community believe necessary high-level visits to Taipei. and work toward an agreement on ly in search of a formula to manage
the Trump administration sabo- that the CCP has never had any For its part, Beijing must dial back its acceptable military applications of their relationship for the dangerous
tage much of the machinery of the compunction about lying or hiding recent pattern of provocative military artificial intelligence. decade ahead. The hard truth is that
post-war international order. But the its true intentions in order to deceive exercises, deployments, and manoeu- no relationship can ever be managed
damage will not be repaired over- its adversaries. vres in the Taiwan Strait. They could cooperate on North unless there is a basic agreement be-
night. Korean nuclear disarmament and on tween the parties on the terms of that
In this view, Chinese diplomacy In the South China Sea, Beijing preventing Iran from acquiring nu- management.
The most pressing priorities aims to tie opponents’ hands and must not reclaim or militarise any clear weapons. They could undertake Game on
are fixing the WTO’s broken dis- buy time for Beijing’s military, secu- more islands and must commit to a series of confidence-building mea- What would be the measures of suc-
pute-resolution process, re-join- rity, and intelligence machinery to respecting freedom of navigation sures across the Indo-Pacific region, cess should the US and China agree
ing the Paris agreement on climate achieve superiority and establish new and aircraft movement without chal- such as coordinated disaster-response on such a joint strategic framework?
change, increasing the capitalisation facts on the ground. lenge; for its part, the US and its and humanitarian missions. They One sign of success would be if by
of both the World Bank and the allies could then (and only then) re- could work together to improve 2030 they have avoided a military
International Monetary Fund (to To win broad support from US duce the number of operations they global financial stability, especially crisis or conflict across the Taiwan
provide credible alternatives to Chi- foreign policy elites, therefore, any carry out in the sea. Similarly, China by agreeing to reschedule the debts of Strait or a debilitating cyberattack.
na’s Asian Infrastructure Investment concept of managed strategic com- and Japan could cut back their mili- developing countries hit hard by the
Bank and its Belt and Road Initia- petition will need to include a stip- tary deployments in the East China pandemic. And they could jointly A convention banning various
tive), and restoring US funding for ulation by both parties to base any Sea by mutual agreement over time. build a better system for distributing forms of robotic warfare would be
critical UN agencies. new rules of the road on a reciprocal COVID-19 vaccines in the develop- a clear victory, as would the US and
practice of “trust but verify.” If both sides could agree on those ing world. China acting immediately together,
Such institutions have not only stipulations, each would have to ac- and with the World Health Organ-
been instruments of US soft power The idea of managed strategic cept that the other will still try to Human rights activists in Hong isation, to combat the next pan-
since Washington helped create them competition is anchored in a deep- maximise its advantages, while stop- Kong protest in support of Xi Jin- demic. Perhaps the most important
after the last world war; their opera- ly realist view of the global order. It ping short of breaching the limits. ping’s Uighur community, Decem- sign of success, however, would be
tions also materially affect American accepts that states will continue to ber 2019 a situation in which both countries
hard power in areas such as nuclear seek security by building a balance Washington and Beijing would competed in an open and vigorous
proliferation and arms control. Un- of power in their favour, while recog- continue to compete for strategic That list is far from exhaustive. campaign for global support for the
less Washington steps up to the plate, nising that in doing so they are likely and economic influence across the But the strategic rationale for all the ideas, values, and problem-solving
the institutions of the international to create security dilemmas for other various regions of the world. They items is the same: it is better for both approaches that their respective sys-
system will increasingly become Chi- states whose fundamental interests would keep seeking reciprocal access countries to operate within a joint tems offer — with the outcome still
nese satrapies, driven by Chinese fi- may be disadvantaged by their ac- to each other’s markets and would framework of managed competition to be determined.
nance, influence, and personnel. tions. still take retaliatory measures when than to have no rules at all.
Managed strategic competition such access was denied. Success, of course, has a thousand
The deeply conflicting nature of US The trick in this case is to reduce The framework would need to fathers, but failure is an orphan. But
and Chinese strategic objectives and the risk to both sides as the competi- They would still compete in for- be negotiated between a designated the most demonstrable example of
the profoundly competitive nature tion between them unfolds by jointly eign investment markets, technol- and trusted high-level representative a failed approach to managed stra-
of the relationship may make con- crafting a limited number of rules of ogy markets, capital markets, and of Biden and a Chinese counterpart tegic competition would be over
flict, and even war, seem inevitable the road that will help prevent war. currency markets. And they would close to Xi; only a direct, high-level Taiwan. If Xi were to calculate that
— even if neither country wants that The rules will enable each side to likely carry out a global contest for channel of that sort could lead to he could call Washington’s bluff by
outcome. compete vigorously across all policy hearts and minds, with Washington confidential understandings on the unilaterally breaking out of what-
and regional domains. But if either stressing the importance of democ- hard limits to be respected by both ever agreement had been privately
China will seek to achieve global side breaches the rules, then all bets racy, open economies, and human sides. reached with Washington, the world
economic dominance and region- are off, and it’s back to all the haz- rights and Beijing highlighting its would find itself in a world of pain.
al military superiority over the US ardous uncertainties of the law of the approach to authoritarian capitalism These two people would also be- In one fell swoop, such a crisis would
without provoking direct conflict jungle. and what it calls “the China develop- come the points of contact when vi- rewrite the future of the global order.
with Washington and its allies. ment model.” olations occurred, as they are bound
Washington, Xi believes, is unlike- to from time to time, and the ones to A few days before Biden’s inau-
Once it achieves superiority, Chi- ly to recover its credibility and confi- Even amid escalating competition, police the consequences of any such guration, Chen Yixin, the secre-
na will then incrementally change dence as a global leader. tary-general of the CCP’s Central
its behaviour toward other states, Political and Legal Affairs Commis-
especially when their policies conflict sion, stated that “the rise of the East
with China’s ever-changing defini- and the decline of the West has be-
tion of its core national interests. come [a global] trend and changes of
the international landscape are in our
On top of this, China has already favour.”
sought to gradually make the mul-
tilateral system more obliging of its Chen is a close confidant of Xi and
national interests and values. a central figure in China’s normally
cautious national security apparatus,
But a gradual, peaceful transition and so the hubris in his statement is
to an international order that accom- notable. In reality, there is a long way
modates Chinese leadership now to go in this race. China has multiple
seems far less likely to occur than it domestic vulnerabilities that are rare-
did just a few years ago. ly noted in the media.

For all the eccentricities and The US, on the other hand, always
flaws of the Trump administration, has its weaknesses on full public dis-
its decision to declare China a stra- play — but has repeatedly demon-
tegic competitor, formally end the strated its capacity for reinvention
doctrine of strategic engagement, and restoration. Managed strategic
and launch a trade war with Bei- competition would highlight the
jing succeeded in making clear that strengths and test the weaknesses of
Washington was willing to put up a both great powers — and may the
significant fight. best system win.

And the Biden administration’s About the writer: Rudd is the
plan to rebuild the fundamentals of President of the Asia Society in
national US power at home, rebuild New York. He previously served as
US alliances abroad, and reject a sim- Prime Minister of Australia.
plistic return to earlier forms of stra-
tegic engagement with China signals – foreignaffairs.com
that the contest will continue, albeit

Porsche just got angrier Being a Fashion Model

&Life Style

STYLE TRAVEL BOOKS ARTS MOTORING

Page 33 Issue 17,12 Feb 2021

JONATHAN MBIRIYAMVEKA Winky D vided an uplifting soundtrack for
difficult times and has now been
Zim dancehall prodigy — How Winky D fluffed Te’a streamed more than 60 million
Winky D — might have Cooper’s huge endorsement times on Spotify.
fluffed up a huge endorse-
ment for his song Ragga In the same week after followers on Twitter. Cooper is a huge fan of But again, that is not The upbeat song is a lamenta-
Msambo after American Cooper posted her vid- Cooper also follows 663 Winky D’s also means his out of his character as tion to God to take the singer to
NBA Women’s champion eo lip syncing to Ragga music had now reached Winky D is now used to the heavenly city. The track topped
Te’a Cooper gave nod to the Msambo, the song trended people including Winky D far and wide even with- speaking through his man- the South African charts in De-
hit. on #1 on YouTube. on Twitter while Winky D out a single international ager — Jonathan Banda. cember but in February, as lock-
only follows 30 people. collaboration. Other Zim- downs began looking like a possi-
Apparently, not only did Perhaps Winky D’s babwean artists, the likes Sadder still, the man- bility, it was a group of friends in
Cooper give the song the pomposity can be But by and large, of King 98, Jah Prayzah agement believes they have Angola who shot a video dancing
thumbs-up in a video post- justified, con- Cooper’s influ- and Sha Sha, to mention a seen it all and know it all. to the song that sparked the global
ed on her Instagram account sidering that few, only became crossover trend.
but also she wished Winky Cooper com- ence on fans artists after collaborating They appear as though
D a happy birthday when he mands 106 cannot be with international artists. they do not need handlers The Jerusalema dance challenge
turned 38 on 1 February. 100 follow- overempha- anymore to show them the was endorsed by President Cyril
ers against In this day and age of way around. Ramaphosa ahead of the country’s
“@Winkydonline happy Winky sised be- digital media, internation- plan to open up to tourism on 1
birthday,” Cooper tweeted. D’s 149 cause the al artists have learnt how Many are still wondering October 2020.
000 snub be- to use social media plat- how Winky D missed the
But much to the be- forms not only to engage opportunity to promote That said, as at 10 February
musement of his followers, came a with their fans but also the hit which spawned the 2021 the Ragga Msambo dance
Winky D, born Wallace talking promote their music. “Ragga Msambo” dance challenge video on YouTube had
Chirimuko, never respond- point. challenge like what hap- garnered a paltry 8 217 views.
ed in time; in fact, there That Frankly speaking, it ap- pened with the Jerusalema
was an outcry why the Gaffa pears both Winky D and dance challenge. Ragga Msambo is a feel-good
took long to reply. Te’a Cooper his management still have ditty with easy-to-follow lyrics
a long way to reach super- The simple dance rou- similar to some of Winky D’s early
Was Winky D gazing at stardom status. tine to the 2019 hit Jeru- recordings including a song called
some slay queen on Insta- salema by Master KG and Swagga Muchando.
gram as he sang in the song Nomcebo Zikode pro-
Reply? Maybe or maybe not. The Ragga Msambo dance chal-
lenge could have reached viral
“Gimme gimme ragga status had Winky D not fluffed
msambo Blessed thanks,” the chance. Of particular inter-
that was all Winky D said in est is the chorus where he sings:
his reply although Cooper “Gimme Gimme ragga msambo,
had indicated she wanted to Pandinoshaura vandihwa ndab-
learn the lyrics to the song. va ndavapedzera kuti hwa, Pekete
Pekete Pekete, rega ndirekete re-
“@winkydonline this my kete rekete, pattern yadhaka vanhu
song right here lol I like try- kunge mudzepete varikukumbira
na say whatever you saying,” ndavati pe pe pe.”
Cooper wrote and captioned
the tweet with laughing Since he rose to fame, Winky D
emojis. has shunned the media, preferring
to speak through his manager Ban-
According to Wikipedia, da save for backstage interviews.
Te’a Omari Cooper (born
16 April 1997) is an Amer- This has remained a cause for
ican professional player concern for many of his followers
for the Los Angeles Sparks and journalists who have in the
in the Women’s Nation- past tried to engage him for inter-
al Basketball Association views.
(WNBA). She played col-
lege basketball for the Bay- No doubt, Winky D is one of
lor Lady Bears. the best talent exports to emerge in
Zimbabwe but his attitude towards
“On April 17, 2020, the fans and the media is his undoing.
Phoenix Mercury selected
Cooper as the 18th pick The NewsHawks reached out to
in the 2020 WNBA Draft. Banda on why the Gombwe singer
Due to the global pandem- took long to respond to Cooper’s
ic from Covid-19, Phoenix tweet. As usual, the combative
Mercury cut some of their Banda was evasive over issue.
players from the basketball
team in May 2020, which “What do you mean?” he said,
included Te’a Cooper. adding: “I manage the artist and
therefore it follows that (I handle)
“Te’a Cooper is the everything about him?”
daughter of Omar and Kin-
dall Cooper. She has three When pressed further to com-
siblings: Mia (Imani) and ment on who manages Winky
twins Sharife and Omar. D’s Twitter account, he said: “The
Her brother Sharife is a problem is you journalists, you al-
point guard for the Auburn ways misquote me and I am tired
University men’s basketball of that. The truth of the matter is
team. She is also engaged to we all learn from our experienc-
Dwight Howard.” es. What if Winky D responded
to Cooper’s tweet via DM? Isn’t a
DM on Twitter?”

Page 34 Life & Style NewsHawks

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

JONATHAN MBIRIYAMVEKA Bleak Valentine’s Mary Lee Ann Bernard feast day honouring one
Day in the offing or two early Christian
FLORISTS along Africa opportunity to have tender martyrs named Saint Val-
Unity Square in central the spread of the corona- However, those who the lockdown as an excuse moments. entine and, through later
Harare’s Jason Moyo Ave- virus, Valentine’s Day will can afford it have resort- for not buying their loved folk traditions, has become
nue have long closed shop. be commemorated under ed to buying gifts online, ones some gifts. “I believe Valentine’s a significant cultural, reli-
lockdown. This means go- something which people Day is a day to spend time gious, and commercial cel-
The place, located oppo- ing out for shopping or never used to do. Those Mai Chisamba Talk with your loved one. It is ebration of romance and
site the Meikles Hotel, is fine dining on Valentine’s who do not have the mon- Show host Rebecca Chis- not about going out but love in many regions of the
quiet and looks deserted. Days is restricted. ey to spend will surely use amba said the lockdown you can do a picnic in your world.
does not deny lovers the garden and have a sumptu-
Each year around this ous meal with your part- “According to an early
time, the place enjoys brisk ner. Remember love has tradition, Saint Valentine
business as people come to nothing to do with money. restored sight to the blind
place orders for flowers in daughter of his jailer.
time for Valentine’s Day. “But again, people
should not be stingy and “Numerous later ad-
Flowers are considered use the lockdown as an ex- ditions to the legend
a colourful expression of cuse for not spending a bit have better related it to
love and gratitude. And yet for those who can afford.” the theme of love: an
there are more ways than 18th-century embellish-
one to show how much The NewsHawks caught ment to the legend claims
you care about your part- up with ZBC presenter he wrote the jailer’s daugh-
ner. Mary Lee Ann Bernard ter a letter signed “Your
who believes that the most Valentine” as a farewell be-
You could take them on important thing is just fore his execution, another
an expensive dinner date, spending the day with a addition posits that Saint
shower them with gifts or loved one. Valentine performed wed-
go on a trip to Paradise Is- dings for Christian soldiers
land in Mauritius. “What matters most is who were forbidden from
just spending the day with marrying.
But this year, all this ap- the one you love,” said Ber-
pears to be a fantasy, more nard. “The Feast of Saint Val-
so when people ponder entine was established by
the meaning of love under But just how did Valen- Pope Gelasius I in AD 496
lockdown. tine’s Day become popu- to be celebrated on Febru-
lar? ary 14 in honour of Saint
And it is easy to see why Valentine of Rome, who
this year’s Valentine’s Day Well, according to Wiki- died on that date in AD
looks bleak. pedia, Valentine’s Day, also 269.
called Saint Valentine’s
For many, this year’s Day or the Feast of Saint “The day became associ-
Valentine’s Day is like no Valentine, is celebrated an- ated with romantic love in
other and, if anything, it nually on 14 February. the 14th and 15th centuries
will be a long one because when notions of courtly
everything is under lock- “It originated as a mi- love flourished, apparent-
down. nor Western Christian ly by association with the
‘lovebirds’ of early spring.
There are few choices to In 18th-century England,
make on how to spend this it grew into an occasion in
Valentine’s Day which is which couples expressed
celebrated every year on 14 their love for each other by
February. presenting flowers, offering
confectionery, and sending
While it is true that greeting cards (known as
many people would love ‘valentines’).
to spend the day with their
loved ones just the idea “Valentine’s Day sym-
of spending the day quar- bols that are used today
antined at home is simply include the heart-shaped
not fun. outline, doves, and the
figure of the winged Cu-
Seeing that many are pid. Since the 19th cen-
still to recover from the tury, handwritten valen-
festive season, 14 February tines have given way to
is pretty much like a night- mass-produced greeting
mare. It scares you to bits cards
and leaves you miserable.
“In Italy, Saint Valen-
But the situation is dif- tine’s Keys are given to
ferent for those who can lovers ‘as a romantic sym-
afford to celebrate the day. bol and an invitation to
It is well and good to buy unlock the giver’s heart’, as
your partner some flow- well as to children to ward
ers, wine and shower them off epilepsy (called Saint
with niceties. Valentine’s Malady).

Some go as far as buying “Saint Valentine’s Day
new clothes just to ensure is not a public holiday in
they look the part. any country, although it is
an official feast day in the
It is for this reason that Anglican Communion and
many wish there was no the Lutheran Church.
such thing as Valentine’s
Day because the occasion “Many parts of the East-
has been highly commer- ern Orthodox Church also
cialised. Of course, the celebrate Saint Valentine’s
shops, restaurants and the Day on July 6 in honour
florists all look up to the of Roman presbyter Saint
day, expecting brisk busi- Valentine, and on July 30
ness. in honour of Hieromartyr
Valentine, the Bishop of
This is why the day Interamna (modern Ter-
has become significant to ni).”
many; there is a commer-
cial value to it.

Since the government
extended the lockdown by
another 15 days to 15 Feb-
ruary in order to contain

NewsHawks People & Places Page 35

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

Zambesia conservancy
project gets musical boost

THE Commonwealth Music Inter- and its intriguing cultures, whether cated in the central-southern part of tains and amazing topography, the their people, tourists, investors and
national (CMI) and Commonwealth via the media of still or moving im- Africa, stretches coast-to-coast across Zambesia offers diverse and excep- communities.
Youth Orchestra (CYO) have entered ages is something that I’m fervently seven countries from Namibia in the tional wildlife species: the big five
into a new collaboration with the devoted to.” west to Mozambique in the east. (elephant, buffalo, rhino, lion and As the Covid-19 storm was brew-
Victoria Falls-based Zambesia Con- leopard). ing, ZCA was founded close to Vic-
servation Alliance (ZCA) to use mu- The Zambesia is a wildlife-rich It broadly covers the drainage basin toria Falls, on the banks of the Zam-
sic to support its vital conservation area of great environmental and of the Zambezi river. This life-giving But that is not all: hyenas, wild bezi River.
work in the wildlife-rich Zambesia economic importance, stretching water reservoir gives rise to a biogeo- dogs, zebra, hippo, antelope, bucks
region, with specially composed and from the southern shores of Lake graphically distinct zone called the and many others are also. The flora Robin, Luke and Suzanne Brown
performed soundtracks, The News- Tanganyika in the north to the Lim- Zambezian region that houses more and fauna is breath-taking. ignited the flame and since then have
Hawks has established. popo River in the south. It is with- than a dozen of the world’s most sig- been overwhelmed with massive sup-
in this band from the east coast to nificant eco-regions. ZCA - formed in 2020 to bring port from many corners of the globe.
To launch the new collaboration, west coast that ecosystems thrive and together effective frontline conser-
CMI and CYO has commissioned its the river systems drain into the great The Zambesia region specifically vation efforts to combat the loss of In the middle of 2020, they were
composer-in-residence, Simon Haw Zambezi River which features one includes Angola, Botswana, Malawi, natural habitat and its wildlife in joined by a formidable conservation
MBE, a distinguished British com- of the seven natural wonders of the Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, the Zambesia region – is working champion, Nick Holme, a Zim-
poser, to produce music as a main world, Victoria Falls. The region, lo- Zimbabwe. to promote and protect the area for babwean based in the UK, with an
theme to support the ZCA. the benefit of the countries involved, incredible network and passion for
With scenic beauty, rivers, moun- wildlife.
This will be boosted by the stun-
ning videography of Shaun McMinn, Holme heads the ZCA opera-
an African Bush Camps videogra- tions and aims to move back to the
pher/photographer from Bulawayo. Zambesia region in the near future.
Nicky Connolly joined the team late
“Wildlife and photography came in 2020 as public relations manager.
to me at a young age. Growing up She will be working with ZCA out-
in Zimbabwe, surrounded by some reach partners to produce stories for
of the most breath-taking scenery in various audiences.
the work, my affection developed as
my eye evolve in photographing the Simon Hammond, a Zimbabwean
world from an extraordinary per- banker who is CABS former chief
spective,” McMinn says. executive, joined the team last No-
vember as the liaison link between
“The desire to capture the natural ZCA and the business sector in the
world in all its sublime nuances grew, region. Ever Chinoda will handle le-
which led me to the continent of gal issues. Besides music, ZCA also
Australia to study filmmaking. Trav- uses sport to promote its activities,
elling and documenting the world among other things.

– STAFF WRITER

Property
NewsHawks

Page 36 PROPERTY INTERIORS ARCHITECTURE GARDENING Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

The home of prime property: [email protected]

DUMISANI NYONI Investors seek new respite the real estate sector,” the report
says.
REAL estate consultancy firm “This, in a way, confirms the
Integrated Properties says infla- from inflationary pressures assumed position that most pur-
tionary pressures and the cloud chases are cash transactions. The
of uncertainty hovering over the mortgage market is dying, and
currency’s stability will channel its resuscitation is underpinned
more investment towards the by currency stability.”
property sector this year. In its second-quarter report
ary, up from 348.59% recorded remotely, this will also see re- ed and normal working patterns released last year in August, In-
In its latest property mar- in December 2020, according configurations within homes emerge. In the short run, par- tegrated revealed that property
ket report for 2020, Integrated to the Zimbabwe National Sta- to allow for workspaces, thus ticularly in the city centres, of- values could decline by as much
said inflationary pressures and tistics Agency. creating opportunities for ren- fice rentals and occupancy will as 40% by December 2020 as
currency stability will attract In a bid to stabilise the local ovations. continue to decline.” the real estate sector continues
“excess liquidity into the sector currency, the government last “While this enhances val- Integrated also revealed that to feel the pinch of the pandem-
as hedging is a prerequisite for year introduced a foreign ex- ues for properties with study headwinds that confront lend- ic.
astute investors.” change auction trading system. or offices, the downside of it is ers were confirmed by limited Integrated said the undeniable
But ever since the system was that it leads to the decline in mortgages and loans to the con- impact of Covid-19 has been in
“Real estate investors in Zim- introduced, the Zimbabwean demand for office space. Once struction sector in 2020. eroding the capacity of tenants
babwe have found property as dollar has been losing value this phenomenon has become “It was announced during to pay rentals as the lockdown
one of the best alternative hedg- against the US dollar, current- entrenched in people’s lifestyles, the 2021 budget presentation tremendously affected business
es against inflation and with the ly trading at 83.4 against the there may be no going back,” that of the productive loans ad- operations, movement of people
cloud of uncertainty hovering greenback, having started at the report says. vanced, only 2.21% and 0.4% or customers, limited operating
over our currency’s stability, 57.4 on 23 June 2020. “However, overall prospects were directed towards mortgag- hours, restricted international
more investment will be direct- The report notes that as for the office sector will not be es and construction respective- trade and hampered the restock-
ed towards property,” the report more people adapt to working clear until the virus is eradicat- ly, an unfortunate scenario for ing or supply of raw materials.
reads in part.

Zimbabwe’s annual inflation
rate rose to 362.63% in Janu-

NewsHawks Sport Page 37

Issue 17, 12 Feb 2021

JOHN KELLEY Fifty years since Procter’s
six centuries in succession
HERE in England, the sporting large file for the back page following
spotlight last Saturday was firmly career highest. back home, intent on victories so Mike Procter the sixth, I offered a front page story
on their Test cricket captain Joe Procter had been engaged specif- huge that the SACA could not ig- New Year, he continued his century to the duty assistant editor. This hav-
Root. nore any further Rhodesia’s claim to sequence in style “back home”. This ing been declined, I went off to the
ically to assist in Rhodesia’s objec- A Section membership. was not of course Test cricket. But Liberty Cinema in Cameron Street,
Brushed aside in main inter- tive as a B Section Currie Cup side, it was indeed first-class cricket, even Salisbury, present-day Harare, to
est was the US$3.5 million first which until then had tended to be With Procter’s huge scores and though there was some debate about see “A Man For All Seasons.” That
prize at the Saudi International brushed aside by the SA Cricket As- impressive fast bowling averages they that until eventual resolution. seemed rather fitting at the time, but
golf tournament as well as the sociation, to move up against the top made an unanswerable claim. His I was sent for half-way through the
beginning of the annual Six Na- South African teams. first three centuries were racked up Apart from the team manager film to write in haste that front page
tions rugby, featuring England against Bloemfontein at The Ram- Alwyn Pichanick – later to become piece.
and Scotland for the “Sheffield The selected 15 players under blers, North-Eastern Transvaal at Zimbabwe’s national cricket board
Shield”. captain Ray Gripper (father of for- Pretoria’s Berea Park and Griqualand president between 1976 and 1990 – Soon after being appointed sports
mer Zimbabwe Test player Trevor at Kimberley. I was the only person to witness all editor of the Sunday Mail, I engaged
The big talking point followed Gripper) was scheduled to play three six centuries and to write about them Procter to write a weekly column
Root’s third successive Test centu- matches in South Africa and more After a wait of a few weeks in the for the Rhodesia Herald. After my titled “Procter on Sunday.” But he
ry, the latest last Friday in India, rather let me down by not bothering
against Virat Kohli’s generally tri- to actually produce it and so I had to
umphant side. It was also made do so myself. Consequently, it had to
with the flourish of utter confi- be done in a bland fashion, avoiding
dence in his 100th Test match. any controversy appearing below his
This mirrored those by only Col- name!
in Cowdrey and Alec Stewart in
recent years. Another recall of the Procter saga
– he injured an ankle rather badly
Root went on to smash a dou- and was detained at the Harare Hos-
ble century in that first Test in pital in Southerton. I went there to
Chennai, reaching 218 on Sat- check on his progress ahead of the
urday. next match, but the senior doctor
refused me entry, saying “This is a
It also raised the question by sanctuary for the sick Mr. Kelley.”
many avid cricket followers, here A sanctuary? For Mike Procter? For
in the depths of a British winter, years it was others needing sanctuary.
whether Root can go on to make From him!
six first-class centuries and join
the exclusive few who have re- Procter began his cricket by scor-
corded this feat over the decades. ing five centuries for his school at the
age of 12 and ended it as a Match
This astonishing achievement Referee, a nicely rounded career and
has been recorded only by C.B. with a spectacular middle.
Fry in 1901, Australia’s Donald
Bradman in 1938-39, Everton *John Kelley, a journalist and
Weekes of West Indies in 1955- author who wrote this article ex-
56, he of the famous “W” trium- clusively for The NewsHawks, is a
virate that included Walcott and former news editor of the Herald
Worrell. and sports editor of the Sunday
Mail in Harare. Kelley was an in-
Then there was Mike Procter, ternational sports writer in Zimba-
playing in Rhodesia (present-day bwe for nearly 30 years. He is now
Zimbabwe) colours as a “merce- retired and living in England.
nary” in 1970-71, something he
had also done for Gloucester-
shire, Leicestershire and Worces-
tershire.

After slashing spectacular tons
across South Africa, he made
his sixth in a row at the Police B
Ground (in Salisbury, now Ha-
rare) against Western Province,
going on to score 254 runs, his

JULY this year will mark Three decades, two ty and Nakamba might have
30 years since the legendary Warriors, and the Gunners done himself a hell of a lot of
Peter Ndlovu landed in the a league that has not been start by manager Dean Smith favour with that hugely satis-
United Kingdom back in fertile playground for players was a thoroughly refreshing factory performance against
1991 to sign for Coventry from some more established sight for many of the War- the Gunners.
City before becoming, the footballing nations, three, in riors star’s fans back home,
following season, the first a sense, is handsome return a welcome turn of events for 27-year-old Nakamba was
African footballer to feature for a country like Zimbabwe. a player whose future at the not yet born yet when Peter
in the new English Premier It was a bitter- Ndlovu, the best Zimbabwe-
League. sweet moment an footballer ever, was signed
for some of us at without hesitation by Cov-
Ever since Ndlovu’s pio- the weekend to HawkZone entry City from his boyhood
neering feat, countless foot- witness our cho- club Highlanders.
ball players from this con- sen Premiership
tinent have gone on to play team, Arsenal, But, age and era gaps
in the English Premiership suffer yet anoth- Enock aside, it is quite striking that
– quite a number of them er defeat in what the two players’ careers in the
recording success and pop- has become an Muchinjo English Premiership could
ularity eclipsing that of the all-too-familiar both get a huge boost, near-
revered former Zimbabwe tale for the club ly three decades apart, from
captain. these days, this their showing against the
time around to an Aston Vil- Birmingham club had been men from North London.
For Zimbabwe, the three la side featuring Zimbabwe the subject of much specula-
decades have seen the foot- international Marvelous Na- tion. While Nakamba was play-
ball-mad but success-starved kamba. Occasions like this, against ing himself back into the
nation provide three home- Watching Nakamba put- a side of Arsenal’s calibre no hearts of the Villa Park faith-
grown players to the EPL, ting in a solid shift in the matter how floundering, can ful last weekend against Ar-
arguably the best football Marvelous Villa midfield for 90 min- so easily remove any lingering senal – probably securing his
league in the world. Nakamba utes after being handed a rare doubts about a player’s abili- future at the club for the fore-
seeable future – for Ndlovu,
That is an average of one it was his away goal in 1991
Premiership player per de- against the same team, Arse-
cade from this country, with nal, that endeared him to the
Benjani Mwaruwari sand- Coventry fans so early on in
wiched between. his English top-flight career,
securing himself a longer stay
A few more of our players at the club.
should have made the grade
in the Premiership over this A tale of intertwined desti-
period, in my view. But for nies, maybe.

Sports Fifty years Govt holds
key to PSL,
since Procter’s Rugby restart

six centuries www.thenewshawks.com

Thursday 1 October 202i0n succession
– Page 37

Friday 12 February 2021 @NewsHawksLive TheNewsHawks new

WHAT’S INSIDE NEWS CULTURE SPO
Government holds key$60Covid
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visitors & laun
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tourists under review Leag

Story on Page 8 Story o
for PSL,Cruhgabmy irseastraerat chStoryonPage 3
out to Khupe

Unofficial president calls for emergency

Zimbabwean domestic football was last played at the end of 2019 season

ENOCK MUCHINJO this week. The ad-hoc committee is chaired by health and childcare as well. My guess is that halt again following the latest lockdown that
SRC board member Dr Allen Chiura, a top PSL teams may be allowed to commence started on 5 January.
TWO of Zimbabwe’s major codes, football United States-trained neurologist who played training.” Mtongwiza said implementation of the
and rugby, have applied to the highest sports rugby in the early 1980s for Chaminuka, Zimbabwe was last year forced to scrap an cricket model is the key to rugby’s return.
regulatory body of the country for permission Zimbabwe’s first all-black club in that sport. entire season of domestic football following “Yes, we applied (to the SRC) and have
to resume activity following a one-year hia- Chiura’s committee, however, doed not the coronavirus outbreak and subsequent na- been sending reminders to them every 10
tus, but the final decision lies with the gov- have the final say on the matter. tionwide lockdown. days,” Mtongwiza said. “Last November, they
ernment. “The committee makes recommenda- Meanwhile, rugby, which has also been said we could resume, all they wanted was our
tions to the Ministry of Sports which makes starved of action since the outbreak, has medical protocols.
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) this week its own decision, which may or may not be joined football in seeking authorisation to “When we sent that to them, their response
formally submitted its request to the Sports based on the recommendations of the SRC,” kick-start the 2021 domestic season. was slow, then we were caught up by hol-
and Recreation Commission (SRC) in the a well-placed insiAdeLr StoOld TINheSNIDewEsHawkFsinonanciedeZMnitminLboiassbstowynewRMiuptgoebnysgwUoinuzaiotns$ai(3dZ.2RthUBe)iflvelidicoeern-aptrdieosen-poirsde-iatayopspralsniedfdu,tnsheednntsathdeelneegwZatiilmoonc'kstdoloaswetenet.shWte lcearinhcakdveetcontrov
wake of a spirited plea from a legion of lo- Thursday.
cal football lovers and stakeholders, who fear The official added that the Health ministry, has been taking lessons from local cricket’s Covid protocols and we are hoping to engage
for the future of the country’s most popular which falls under Vice-President Constantino model system in a bid to get a seal of approval. SRC again next week once we have that infor-
sporting discipline if competition remains Chiwenga, will make the crucial decision. Zimbabwean domestic cricket had resumed mation from cricket. South Africa, Kenya and
suspended amidst the coronavirus pandemic. “The Ministry of Sports liaises closely with competition after complying with safety and Uganda have been allowed to start, so we are
VP Chiwenga’s office as it is responsible for health requirements, but the season came to a desperate to get on with it.”
An ad-hoc Covid-19 committee of the
SRC was expected to deliberate on the matter

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