NewsHawks 20 November

WHAT’S INSIDE Friday 20 November 2020 BUSINESS Price

NMEuWgSabe Zim to US$1
business settle huge SPORT
empire debt by
crumbles 2025 Zim backs
Khwanja
Story on Page 4 Story on Page 15 in battle
for ICC

Story on Page 28

Mnangagwa
makes new
military
changes

coup-proofing strategy
at the core of his survival

ALSO INSIDE Mnangagwa bodyguards in Covid-19 scare Was Ginimbi an entrepreneur or dealer?

Page 2 News NewsHawks

Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

Mnangagwa makes new forced military changes

... Coup-proof- CIO boss fired over gold deals 1PG commander, while Lt-Col Ari-
ing strategy at son Chicha took the reigns at 2PG. 
the core of his TICHAFA Victor Hwacha, a International Airport. Prosecutors alleged that Cha-
survival deputy director with the Counter Allegations against Charumbira rumbira unlawfully directed Before taking charge of 1 Presi-
Intelligence unit of the Central Machaka to release Mucheche dential Guard Battalion, which is
TAWANDA MANDIMUTSIRA Intelligence Organisation was are that sometime in June 2019 without confirmation of the exis- next to Mnangagwa’s official resi-
fired on Wednesday this week for detectives from the minerals unit tence of a licence, recording the ex- dence, Murombo was in charge of
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnan- allegedly working with a cartel in arrested one David Mucheche in hibit in any official book and with- 2 Presidential Guard in Dzivarese-
gagwa has made forced cross-cutting the gold sector and undermining Mutare for contravening a section out pressing any changes against kwa.
changes to his Presidential Guard the First Family, The NewsHawks of the Gold Trade Act after he him as well as not ordering the
(PG) Brigade several months after can reveal. was found in possession of gold return of the gold to Mucheche. Murombo was in the news last
his wife Auxillia clashed with one of without a licence. Court papers year in July after an audio record-
the most senior officers in the unit, Hwacha is a relative of the Pres- show that the detectives alleged- It is alleged that Machaka ing of the enraged First Lady was
The NewsHawks can report. ident and hails from Shurugwi. He ly escorted Mucheche to Mutare complied with the order and the leaked, showing her interference
is understood to be linked to a syn- Central Police Station and on ar- suspect was released. Charum- and Grace Mugabe-style political
The changes reflect Mnangagwa’s dicate of gold dealers and influen- rival the detectives briefed their bira’s instructions were allegedly grandstanding.
continued coup-proofing strategy tial officers in the Prosecutor-Gen- officer-in-charge, Inspector Felix unlawful, according to the state.
and search for stability in the mil- eral’s office. The top spy, sources Machaka, about the arrest. While The CID boss was first arrested by Mnangagwa’s wife accused Mur-
itary forces which brought him to said, is also said to be linked to briefing Machaka, the court papers the Special Anti-Corruption Unit ombo of spying on her and plotting
power through a coup in November suspended Criminal Investigation further show gold dealer David (Sacu) in September after his sub- to kill the President. Her outbursts
2017.  Crobsy entered the office talking ordinates alleged he was interfer- betrayed the First Family’s paranoid
Department boss Crispen Cha- on the phone and he handed it to ing with their duties by protecting disposition and concerns about
The PG, responsible for pro- rumbira. Last month, Charumbi- Machaka advising him that Cha- drug and gold dealers after accept- their security.
viding protection to the President ra was charged with defeating the rumbira wanted to talk to him. ing bribes. – STAFF WRITER
and his deputies and securing Ha- course of justice after he allegedly “You are spying on me,” Auxillia
rare district, is a force trained to ordered the release of an illegal railed at Murombo on the audio,
fight in built-up areas such as cities gold dealer. However, other sourc- not giving him a chance to respond
and towns. The unit is also part of es said Hwacha was sacked for to allegations even though he plead-
Mnangagwa’s forceful presidential talking bad things about the First ed with her to hear him out.
motorcade. Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa and her
son in the ongoing gold scandal Auxillia’s rantings had echoes of
The changes in the PG have seen involving Zimbabwe Miners’ Fed- Grace’s shrieks of outrage against
the unit’s second-in-command, eration president Henrietta Rush- military figures.
Colonel David Nyasha, being re- waya.
cently replaced by Mnangagwa’s “Get away! I’m just a mere
former aide-de-camp, Never- “The naturally overzealous CIO woman, a grandmother. Go shoot
operative was dismissed for be- Mnangagwa, I ask for pardon.
Jones Makuyana, while Nyasha is ing the brains behind the soiling Don’t shoot me, I have children.
understood to have been posted to of the First Family’s name in the Just shoot Mnangagwa, because I
army headquarters. Rushwaya gold smuggling saga. know this is all about him.”
The vocal senior officer was caught
Security sources said Nyasha opt- pants down bashing the First Lady Sources said another junior of-
ed out of the yellow beret unit after and her children in an unguarded ficer, identified as Captain Prom-
he clashed with his superior, Briga- speech scenario,” a source told The ise Manjoro, whom the First Lady
dier-General Fidelis Mhonda. NewsHawks. accused of spying on her, was also
redeployed to Wafa Wafa Training
Makuyana, who at the time was Rushwaya is facing a charge of School.  Before his latest redeploy-
a lieutenant-colonel, was deployed attempting to smuggle six kilo- ment, Manjoro was the adjutant
to army headquarters after Mnan- grammes of the precious metal to (senior administration officer) at
gagwa changed his security team Dubai via Robert Gabriel Mugabe 2PG. 
following the White City Stadium
explosion in Bulawayo in 2018 Mhonda took over from An- during his tenure as Commander of media platforms, former officer The Presidential Guard unit,
which claimed the lives of some se- selem Sanyatwe, who was briefly the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. commanding 1 Presidential Guard, which played a key role in toppling
curity personnel and injured several promoted to Major-General before Samson Murombo, who later be- former president Robert Mugabe,
high-ranking government officials.  being posted to diplomatic service The removal of Sanyatwe and came one of Mnangagwa’s aides-de- underwent several changes after the
in Tanzania. Military sources said other top commanders widened the camp, was deployed to the All coup code-named Operation Re-
“Makuyana miraculously escaped Sanyatwe was retired from the army political rift between Mnangagwa store Legacy. Two years ago, a num-
unscathed, but his service pistol because he was seen as too loyal to and Chiwenga who are now strange Arms Battle School in what ber of low-ranking officers from
was damaged by shrapnel from the Vice-President Constantino Chi- political bedfellows. sources said was a result of the clash 2PG were transferred to 1PG.
blast,” a source said, adding Makuy- wenga who engineered the coup with Mnangagwa’s wife. 
ana is now PG second-in-com- Following a spat with the First This, according to sources, was
mander. Lady, which went viral on social Lt-Col Mangezi took over as part of Mnangagwa’s coup-proofing
strategy, while it was also calculated
to contain Chiwenga. Presidential
spokesperson George Charamba
could not be reached for comment
at the time of going to print.

BRIDGET MANANAVIRE Stop accusing us of plots: Kasukuwere organisations to identify the nature
of the bomb that was used, where it
FORMER Cabinet minister in the You can’t run a country on the basis but party systems and processes are in is now no longer just taking things at was manufactured. When the kind of
Robert Mugabe government Saviour of blame game. Each time you make a shambles. face value. There is a young genera- bomb they’re talking about was im-
Kasukuwere says the current regime a mistake, take responsibility and deal tion which will question decisions by ported into the country, which batch
should admit its failures instead of with the challenge than blame some- “What are in existence are legiti- leadership, which will ask for clarity, was it? Where was it kept, who could
blaming everything that goes wrong body. Now it has become ridiculous. mate questions that are being raised which will seek to understand, which have used it?
in the country on Zanu PF’s G40 by all and sundry, including mem- will question any answer you give, be-
faction. President Emmerson Mnan- “Somebody fails to succeed, even bers of Zanu PF. The party has not cause they have questions.” “I thought (Vice-President) Kem-
gagwa’s government and Zanu PF of- in their own constituency, they blame held elections to choose provincial bo Mohadi the other day said that
ficials have routinely accused the G40 G40. They fail in exams, it is G40; chairpersons in terms of the law. You In an interview after the White they found the person and that per-
faction — whose members including they fail to run an economy, it’s G40. can’t start by building DCCs (district City Stadium bombing, Mnangag- son will never be able to talk again,
Kasukuwere were attacked and forced They fail to communicate, it’s G40. co-ordinating committees) before wa accused G40 of being behind the something of that nature. I don’t
out of office during the November And you know the extent to which you’ve renewed the cells, which is grenade attack that left two people know what he meant, maybe they
2017 coup — of plotting to destabi- colleagues see shadows is amazing. done annually. dead and several injured. He said the eliminated the person, I guess they
lise the country. I’ve never seen such insecure admin- logical conclusion would be that the know much better.
istration in a very long time. Perhaps “Branches are done every two G40 wanted a bloodbath after being
Exiled G40 members have been in their homes they blame G40 if years, districts every three years, prov- aggrieved by his government. “I have no need to spill blood.
accused of fomenting dissent, faking they don’t perform well in bed, they inces every four years. And you go to I have no desire whatsoever to get
abductions and masterminding the will say no it’s G40. Don’t blame me congress. There is a political timetable Kasukuwere said they knew who involved in bombing Emmerson
2018 White City Stadium grenade mama, it’s G40. No. Please give us a that must guide the political party. had access to that type of weapon and Mnangagwa or anybody. It’s tragic. In
explosion in Bulawayo which left two break.” But all that has been thrown into the where such arsenal is kept. fact, this is the first time in our coun-
people dead. dustbin. Now, if everybody questions, try I’ve seen arms of war being used
He said G40 has not interfered (they say) he has been sent.” “Why didn’t they call FBI (US at a political gathering, where people
“You see, when they make their with the Mnangagwa government, Federal Bureau of Investigation) di- come to support their political party,
own mistakes, they foul themselves in “There is a huge generation which vision? I mean, various international and they leave that place in body bags.
the 18 area. They’ll blame somebody. No, it’s not supposed to be that way.”

NewsHawks News Page 3

Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

President’s
political
fixers target
Chiwenga

MOSES NGWERE Sources said this week Zacc is Health Care Limited were exorbi- early hours of the following day. John Mangwiro
pressuring the Procurement Reg- tant amounted to US$5.6 million, The deputy minister threatened the
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnan- ulatory Authority of Zimbabwe which was coincidentally the same team with dismissal for failing to per Chimedza on 26 August “in-
gagwa and his political fixers (Praz) officials to say that Mang- amount that was in the ministry award Young Health Care the con- forming him of the pre-payment
are trying to nail Vice-President wiro was acting under instruction coffers, suggesting that the com- tracts,” the report said. issue and seeking guidance on how
Constantino Chiwenga over his from Chiwenga while he was in pany had inside information,” the to proceed”, but received no reply
ally, Deputy health minister John China over the corrupt deal. Zacc report said. Zacc also found that Young “prompting him to decline taking
Mangwiro’s scandal of coercing Health Care had also been given Mangwiro’s instruction to pre-pay
state-owned medical supplies entity “What is happening here is this; Zacc said after NatPharm insist- a purchase order by NatPharm for Young Health Care.”
NatPharm to award a US$5.6 mil- Zacc and Sacu think that Chiwenga ed on a competitive bidding pro- nucleic acid, purification machines,
lion Covid-19 tender to a Chinese is the one behind Mangwiro in the cess, Mangwiro – a medical doc- transport media and reagents. “Given the extent to which the
company in which he had a person- deal. Their story is that when Chi- tor appointed to deputy minister deputy minister was involved in
al interest, The NewsHawks have wenga was in China he brokered in September 2018 – demanded After delivering on two of the the said tender process, indications
found out. the deal and then assigned Mang- that the tender be delayed to allow four purification machines and are that he was acting on his own
wiro to execute,” a source told The Young Health Care to register with about 6% of the other two orders, capacity and not on behalf of the
This is part of the ongoing power NewsHawks. Praz. the company reportedly request- ministry… The conduct of the
struggle between Mnangagwa and ed an advance “contrary to the deputy minister during this tender
Chiwenga who are fighting over “They say Chiwenga wanted to “When NatPharm insisted on terms and conditions of the con- process warrants further investiga-
who should rule the country from bring the supplies through Mang- competitive bidding, Young Health tract signed with NatPharm, which tions for criminal abuse of office for
2023. wiro from China where he had Care Limited subsequently submit- stipulates that payment should be possible violation of Section 174 of
gone for medical review, but since ted a bid price of US$3.6 million made seven days after delivery.” the Criminal Law Codification Act
Mnangagwa and Chiwenga were it was urgent they decided to send for the same items. This saw a re- [Chapter9:23],” the report said.
close allies in 2017 when they a plane to deliver instead of wait- duction of 36 percent in the price,” The equipment received by Nat-
toppled the late former president ing for him to bring the materials, the report said. Pharm was worth US$124 630.40. “Apart from this provision, fur-
Robert Mugabe, but no sooner had which they initially thought of. ther investigations should be con-
their mentor gone than they started Zacc said when the emergency Mangwiro “insisted on pre-pay- ducted to ascertain possible vio-
fighting in a new power struggle. “For that to happen, Mangwiro 48-hour tender was finally floated ment and tasked the technical team lation of Section 14 of the Public
had to prevail over NatPharm to on 5 August and closed on 7 Au- from NatPharm procurement to Finance Management Act [Chap-
Informed sources this week told give Young Health Care a supply gust, 22 bidders including Young visit Young Health Care Limited in ter22:19] by the deputy minister
The NewsHawks that Mnangagwa contract. That’s where the Praz peo- Health Care Limited made bids. their country office and verify avail- through giving ministerial direc-
and his allies, through the Zimba- ple come into the equation over ad- able stock in order to compel the tives having financial implications
bwe Anti-Corruption Commission judication. In a bid to get his way, Young Health Care, according NatPharm acting MD to make a when he demanded prepayment of
(Zacc) and the Special Anti-Cor- Mangwiro became desperate and to the Zacc probe, missed out on prepayment to Young Health Care undelivered goods to Young Health
ruption Unit (Sacu), are pushing to even called them during awkward the tender. Zacc, citing the then Limited”, the report said. Care. There is need for further in-
implicate and nail Chiwenga into times like around 10pm to secure acting NatPharm managing direc- vestigations into the possible vio-
the corrupt deal. the tender. They say this was be- tor Zealous Nyabadza, said this The verification team found lation of the Public Procurement
cause he was under pressure from angered Mangwiro who summoned that items amounting to US$127 and Disposal of Public Assets Act
Mangwiro intervened after Nat- his own boss, Chiwenga. Now Zacc the company’s top managers late at 643.20 were in stock instead of the [Chapter 22:23] as the conduct of
Pharm had blocked the Chinese wants Praz officials to say that Chi- night “to explain why the tender US$922 000 requested for pre-pay- the Deputy Minister might have
company in which he had an unde- wenga was involved; that he is the was not awarded to Young Health ment. compromised the independence of
clared interest – Young Health Care principal in the deal and Mangwiro Care Limited.” NatPharm as a procurement enti-
Limited – from getting a tender to is just a runner.” In the end, Zacc said Mangwiro’s ty.”
supply vital Covid-19 materials. “The deputy minister also de- alleged actions “violated the eval-
Another source added: “This manded that a purchase order be uation process since the technical Sources said this issue shows
This even after Young Health might all be true, but then the issued that same night. The adjudi- team did not have the mandate to that the anti-corruption campaign
Care had reduced its inflated quote problem is that the whole issue cation team was picked from their carry out the verification of sup- has now become the new political
by a staggering US$2.6 million. is now political; it’s now a power homes around 10PM and were in- plies.” battleground between Mnangagwa
struggle issue.” terrogated by Mangwiro until the and Chiwenga.
After an investigation, Zacc rec- Nyabadza wrote to the health
ommended that Mangwiro, Chi- Zacc’s investigation over the ten- ministry permanent secretary Jas-
wenga’s deputy and his personal der, carried out between August 31
physician, be investigated and pros- and September 4, says one of the
ecuted for criminal abuse of office. Health ministry’s directors Dr Gib-
son Mhlanga, then acting health
“The actions of the deputy min- secretary, wrote to NatPharm on
ister signal a personal interest in July 15, 2020, instructing the com-
the tender, and this should have pany to “make direct procurements
prompted him to declare his in- of supplies from Young Health
terest,” a stinging internal Zacc Care.”
memo leaked to online media, first
to ZimLive, said after a review of Zacc said this was in violation
tender NAT TCB FWWK 04/2020 of PRAZ Circular 1 of 2020 which
for the supply of laboratory equip- decrees that “only Praz-listed sup-
ment, reagents and consumables pliers are sources of Covid-19 sup-
for Covid-19 to NatPharm. plies.”

This shady deal came soon after “Initial quotation by Young
the US$60 million Covid-19 sup- Health Care for supply of com-
plies scandal involving Drax Inter- modities under direct procurement,
national, local businessman Delish where prices quoted by Young
Nguwaya and Mnangagwa’s family.

Page 4 News NewsHawks

Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

Mugabe business empire crumbles

NYASHA CHINGONO

THE blistering sun scorches vast Broken down trucks at Gushungo Dairy Estates in Mazowe more attention needs to be put at the
swathes of lush green land in the pic- farm,” a worker at Gushungo dairy,
turesque Mazowe Valley, 40 kilometres A NewsHawks drone picture of the Mugabe dairy plant Mary Mupasiri, said.
north of Harare, as the November heat
takes a toll on the baked surface below. lot empty, with only one delivery truck Monday. ga,” another Gushungo Dairy employ- Gushungo Farm has also been af-
in sight. There is skeletal staff on the “We only made one delivery this ee said. fected by the frequent breakdown of
It is mid-morning on a Tuesday and premises lingering around. boreholes and lack of pasture for the
employees at plots surrounding Gush- week,” an employee said. Gamuchirai Mapako, a former dairy cows.
ungo Dairy Estates are toiling in the The yesteryear hive of activity is The NewsHawks also spoke to a se- worker, said she decided to quit last
fields under the searing heat; sweating gone and workers’ crestfallen faces tell year after a series of unpaid salary pay- At Gushungo Butchery, a security
like a sinner in church, while road a story. The milk-manufacturing plant curity guard, who said delivery trucks ments. guard offered to buy meat on credit
construction workers take turns to dig has gone mute, while the sales depart- have not been dispatching products for The NewsHawks team in exchange
trenches, pounding and cracking the ment that used to welcome hundreds daily due to a scarcity of raw materials. She has had to turn to vending to for US dollars.
earth. of clients daily looks deserted. eke out a living.
“Business has been very low, we His young family is struggling to
Driving on the tarred road that “Not much production happens only have one delivery truck going out “Before I quit, I used to earn $190. survive, he says.
leads to Alpha Omega Dairy, one sees here anymore,” one of the employees weekly, but the fresh milk business is “That money could not get me
a sea of poverty. says. still going well. through the week and I hear that “Just give me your dollars and I will
things are still bad,” Mapako, a former get meat on credit, but you will not get
It is evident from the small grass- When The NewsHawks team, pos- “We have customers from time to security guard, said. a receipt,” he said.
thatched mud houses that most villag- ing as clients, enquired about products time,” the guard said. Another worker, who is selling
ers are living in squalor. like the Appertina yogurt and Alpha kitchen wares for a living, told The The butchery could be mistaken
Omega ice cream, they were met with The downturn in the company’s NewsHawks that the company was for a dumpsite, with old farm equip-
The majority of them have — at evasive and unclear answers as to when fortunes—just like the rest of the struggling to pay salaries. ment that includes tractors, trucks and
one time or another — worked for the the dairy products would become economy—has resulted in employ- “I earn $1 200 and the money al- combine harvesters strewn all over the
dairy company belonging to the late available. ees, including shopfloor workers like ways comes a month after the normal yard.
former president Robert Mugabe and guards and milkers, leaving in droves. pay date.
his wife Grace, who once bestrode and An order of five cartons of Appertina “It used to be better when Amai Our news crew also visited Amai
dominated Zimbabwe’s political land- yogurt would only be available for dis- Most of the workers believe Grace, (Grace) used to frequent this place.” Mugabe High School, an upmarket
scape like colossuses. patch by Monday the following week. Mugabe’s widow, has abandoned the Grace is reportedly staying in Sin- educational institution nestled in the
Most of Alpha Omega’s products have dairy project. gapore, while her business empire Mazowe Valley which looked almost
At one time Grace, whose fami- disappeared from the shelves of major crumbles. deserted.
ly seized more than 20 farms during retail outlets around the country as the The Mugabe family hardly visits the “This project needs someone to re-
Mugabe’s reign — including the one multi-million-dollar business empire farm anymore, workers said. ally focus their energy on it. Only a few students from the ex-
where the dairy is built — once de- faces viability challenges. “A lot needs to be revived at the amination classes could be seen in
scribed her late husband and herself as Grace has actually been out of the farm. the corridors of the school, a result of
farmers, who have installed a state-of- A half-empty refrigerator in the country since before the Covid-19 “There is no way the cattle will get Covid-19 and dereliction.
the-art plant at Gushungo Estate. sales area contained only the Mnandi lockdown early this year. enough to eat without production at
brand of sour milk. the farm. A staffer seemed animated as he
She claimed it was the second-big- Production at Gushungo Farm, “For the process to be complete, took the team on a school tour.
gest dairy in Southern Africa, capable Other products like fruit juices and which supplies critical raw materials
of milking 64 cows at a time. ice cream were out of stock. for the dairy estate, has declined over The state-of-the-art furniture, lec-
the years, villagers around also testi- ture rooms, laboratories and dormito-
She said the Mugabe owned a herd “Yogurts will only be available next fied. ries look deserted as only a handful of
of more than 2 000 cattle. students go about their daily learning
“The cattle have no food, so you routine.
Like a haunted island, Alpha Ome- cannot expect miracles at Alpha Ome-
ga — loosely translated to mean the Amai Mugabe School used to at-
beginning and the end — is now der- tract children of top Zanu PF politi-
elict. cians and civil servants.

It is now a monument to failure. It was highly regarded.
If a name is anything to go by, it is There were reports that senior gov-
apparent that the business came to a ernment officials were cajoled into en-
screeching halt with the end of Mug- rolling their children at the school.
abe’s 37-year-rule in 2017 when his Some of them did as instructed,
longtime ally, Emmerson Mnangag- feigning support and to curry favour
wa, ousted him in a military coup. with the Mugabes.
Before the coup, Alpha Omega But many parents have withdrawn
benefitted from patronage as govern- their children from the school since
ment departments and state institu- Mugabe’s fall.
tions stampeded to order milk, yogurt The tuition fee, although still ex-
and ice cream. pensive, has been cut in the past year
Some of Gushungo’s major buyers to attract students.
included the army, police, parastatals Students are required to pay US$2
and government hospitals. 985 per term for boys, while girls pay
The company, known for scooping US$2 945.
prizes during the Zimbabwe Interna- The multi-million-dollar Gushun-
tional Trade Fair and Harare Agricul- go Holdings, which used to be touted
tural Show, which were part of the as a model of success of the controver-
Mugabe hero-worshipping cult, has sial land reform programme despite
become a pale shadow of its former reeling under a US$20 million debt, is
self. Alpha Omega is a subsidiary of now a ghost project—it is dying with
the former first family’s business em- the decline of the Mugabe political dy-
pire, Gushungo Holdings. nasty.
During Mugabe’s time in power
the company was touted as a model
of success of the chaotic land reform
programme in which Mugabe and his
cronies seized white-owned commer-
cial farms and associated businesses
for self-aggrandisement in the name of
correcting a historical injustice.
Most of the farms grabbed by Zanu
PF leaders and their supporters are
now largely unproductive and derelict.
Only a few are thriving.
However, the multi-million-dollar
business has fallen on hard times and
cannot compete with other dairy com-
panies on the market.
In fact, it now resembles a ghost fac-
tory that stands as an ominous power
symbol capturing the imaginations
and ambitions of the Mugabe family.
Upon arrival, we find the parking

NewsHawks News Page 5

Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

Manager wins US$168 000 case against Mugabes

STANLEY Nhari, a former general which judged that it had no jurisdic- and US$90 000 is upheld. The claim According to the court docu- general manager at Gushungo Farm
manager at Gushungo Holdings, has tion to determine cases pertaining to for US$588 000 delictual damages ments, Nhari had alleged that Mug- from January 2007 to 2015 when
won a Supreme Court appeal against employment and labour law. is remitted to the court a quo to be abe and his wife Grace used the pub- his contract was terminated. In July
the late former president Robert handled in terms of the rules of that lic media to denigrate him, thereby 2018, Nhari sued Mugabe and his
Mugabe and his wife Grace who un- While upholding other claims, court,” court papers read. worsening his chances of gaining wife over the dismissal. At that time,
lawfully terminated his contract of the upper court referred back to the employment elsewhere. The court Nhari argued that Mugabe and his
employment in 2015. High Court Nhari’s US$588 000 upheld Nhari’s U$8 909 claim for wife Grace used illegitimate influ-
“delictual damages” claim, saying it termination of contract. He is also ence, force and might to compel him
The Supreme Court upheld a could not be determined under the owed US$69 492 in accrued leave to relinquish his position. After the
US$168 000 claim this week while Labour Act. days, while at the time of termina- dismissal, he was ordered to contin-
reserving another claim on technical tion of contract he was entitled to ue working until November 2015.
grounds. Nhari filed the Supreme “The remaining portion of the US$90 000 in benefits such as a mo- Lawyer Thabani Mpofu appeared for
Court appeal after losing the case judgement of the court a quo up- tor vehicle. Nhari was employed as a Nhari. – STAFF WRITER
to the Mugabes at the High Court holding the plea-in-bar in respect of
the claims for US$8 909, US$69 492

NYASHA CHINGONO NRZ can’t wriggle out of impasse with DIDG as we had
US$400m deal: DIDG provided all the funding, and
A LOCAL consortium, which sign the joint venture agreement
was initially awarded a US$400 “We are putting some final ic- stone & Cook, the consortium za knew that the courts would be so that NRZ does not contin-
million contract to turnaround ing on the deal. We are finalising has already sued Matiza and the sympathetic to NRZ. ue to suffer. Engaging any new
the financially-troubled Na- something and will let you know NRZ for US$215 million in financier will naturally result
tional Railways of Zimbabwe soon,” Matiza said. damages that the company says “The company also decided to in a process that takes years be-
(NRZ), has moved to block gov- it suffered as a result of govern- take the route of seeking damag- fore actual work can commence,
ernment’s efforts to clandestinely The move is likely to irk ment conduct. es, which has already been done notwithstanding the issues of
engage potential investors, who DIDG, which still retains hopes through the lawyers,” the official lawsuits and claims which, if un-
had expressed interest in shoring of worming its way back into re- In the wake of the controver- said. resolved, will delay the recapital-
up the state-owned entity, The viving the deal. sial termination of the deal, Ma- isation of NRZ further,” Chim-
NewsHawks have learnt. tiza had been warned that there Responding to emailed ques- handamba told The NewsHawks.
Government terminated the would be dire legal implications tions, DIDG executive chair-
Last year, Cabinet terminat- contract on the grounds that the for cancelling the project. man Donovan Chimhandamba Chimhandamba said it would
ed the Diaspora Infrastructure consortium had failed to bank- warned that the NRZ would not be up to any bank to consider
Development Group (DIDG)’s roll the project. After the termination of the get any funding until the rail the NRZ’s plea for funding, but
multi-million-dollar contract af- contract, DIDG was faced with transporter resolved outstanding the rail transporter would be a
ter raising concerns over delays DIDG opposed Cabinet’s de- several options, according to the contractual issues. risky venture.
in consummating the deal. Fol- cision, saying the termination official. DIDG could consider
lowing the cancellation of this was fraught with irregularities walking away from the deal or He also warned that engaging “It is customary for all banks
deal, it is understood that gov- and Matiza accused of unfair ac- pursue litigation over unproce- another suitor could further stall to consider all claims against a
ernment had engaged new suit- tions. The consortium had won dural termination of the con- the project aimed at modernising borrower or the target of bor-
ors, who had promised to invest the tender to recapitalise the tract. the moribund rail sector, which rowings as the risk of funding
US$1 billion in the loss-making moribund rail operator in 2017 has crumbled over the years in an entity, which is facing such
entity. before the deal was overturned “The other option was to pur- the wake of economic collapse. claims could be debilitating to
by Matiza. sue litigation and that is what any financier should the risk of
The NewsHawks understands they expected us to do but Mati- “We would think that the best such claims materialise,” he said.
that the government has been Through its lawyers Ather- route for NRZ is to resolve the
making frantic efforts to engage DIDG is open to dialogue
13 funders that include Afrex- with the NRZ and would wel-
imbank, among other African come a reversal of the termina-
financial institutions, which had tion of contract to necessitate the
expressed interest in funding the recapitalisation project, Chim-
project. handamba said.

“At a meeting held with all “We have engaged the govern-
the banks, it was revealed that ment directly and through NRZ
NRZ was clandestinely engaging via a formal interlocutory pro-
banks who had expressed inter- cess.
est,” a source close to the deal
told The NewsHawks. “We believe the path and op-
portunity for government to in-
Sources close to the botched tervene and reverse the undue
US$400 million deal said NRZ termination by NRZ exists and,
was in a catch-22 situation, at some point, we will find each
struggling to secure another other. We remain open to dia-
funder for the recapitalisation logue and our commitment to
programme. support NRZ and government
remains there,” he said.
“Effectively, NRZ has no-
where to go. So that is effectively NRZ public relations manag-
the strategy. They are stuck un- er Nyasha Maravanyika said he
til they resolve with DIDG. The was unaware of the parastatal’s
strategy is that no one will fund moves to court new funders for
NRZ unless they engage DIDG,” the project.
the official said.
“At operational level, we don’t
The US$400 million deal had have that information. Maybe it
attracted various banks within is still at policy level and yet to
the region with well over US$1 get to us,” Maravanyika said.
billion to bankroll the project.
After the collapse of the agree- The NRZ recapitalisation
ment, Transport minister Joel project is meant to revitalise the
Biggie Matiza moved to order parastatal to match its pre-2000
NRZ to retender the project. peak where the company consis-
tently provided reliable regional
While DIDG is fighting in the transport services.
courts to be awarded damages
following the collapsed agree- The programme consists of
ment, Matiza this week told The rehabilitation of the railway line
NewsHawks that government was network, construction of new
working on a fresh deal. railways lines, replacement of
communications equipment, lo-
comotives, coaches and wagons.

Page 6 News NewsHawks

Presidential Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020
bodyguards
struck by
Covid-19

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnan- rare, last month tested positive for posed a big risk to everyone on the Sanyatwe, a key military officer Camp.
gagwa last month made drastic the coronavirus, prompting their motorcade. To deal with the situ- who played a critical role in the Sources further said cases of
changes to his security team after commanders to deploy securi- ation, 2PG (2 Presidential Guard) ouster of long-time leader Robert
nearly 20 soldiers from the Pres- ty personnel from 2 Presidential had to provide security,” a source Mugabe, was replaced by Fidelis Covid-19 have in the past few
idential Guard Brigade, includ- Guard Barracks in Dzivaresekwa. from the Health ministry told The Mhonda. months been detected at the Rob-
ing some that were deployed to Mnangagwa’s security includes the NewsHawks. ert Gabriel Mugabe School of
his motorcade, tested positive for Central Intelligence Organisation, Following Mhonda’s ap- Intelligence in Msasa Park, Ha-
Covid-19 a few days before the the Zimbabwe Republic Police The drastic security changes pointment, commissioned and rare, where over 50 security ser-
arrival of his visiting Malawian (VVIP Police Protection Unit) and came less than three years after non-commissioned officers from vice personnel tested positive.
counterpart Lazarus Chakwera, the military which includes the Mnangagwa rotated the securi- 1 Presidential Guard Barracks A few months ago workers at
The NewsHawks can reveal. Presidential Guard and the Special ty personnel in the Presidential were moved to the Dzivaresekwa Zanu PF headquarters, including
Air Services. Guard Brigade after the 2017 coup. Barracks in what many security high-ranking officials, were forced
Zimbabwe has in the past few sources said was an unprecedent- into self-quarantine after many
weeks recorded a surge in deaths Soldiers from the barracks Soon after the coup, Mnangag- ed move. The then commander of people tested positive to the dis-
related to the respiratory disease where cases of Covid-19 were re- wa appointed former Presidential 2PG, Samson Murombo, was de- ease which has posed a threat to
after the authorities in Harare corded, sources said, are respon- Guard commander Nhamo An- ployed to 1PG before being briefly global peace and security.
eased regulations to contain the sible for Mnangagwa’s security selem Sanyatwe to serve in the appointed Mnangagwa’s Aide de
pandemic at a time some coun- in around the capital. The yellow diplomatic service in Tanzania. – STAFF WRITER
tries in the West have reintroduced beret military personnel from Dz-
lockdowns. Most of these fatalities ivaresekwa provide security to the
have been recorded in the coun- head of state when he travels out-
try’s second largest city, Bulawayo. side the capital to places such as
his Sherwood Farm in Kwekwe.
Sources told The NewsHawks
that soldiers from the 1 Presiden- “Some officers who form part
tial Guard Barracks, which is lo- of the team, including the dreaded
cated next to State House along rifle-wielding soldiers in the Land
Josiah Chinamano Avenue in Ha- Cruisers, tested positive. This

Insurance companies must compensate pensioners

NYASHA CHINGONO tire spectrum of Zimbabwean life. Tendai Biti addressing the aforesaid conver- ments that worsen the situation of
What is regrettable, is that under sion. “The inquiry established that pensioners.
FORMER finance minister Ten- 10 years we have gone through vi- the conversion process used in the apart from an unfavourable eco-
dai Biti says insurance companies cious loss of value,” he said. conversion of pensions and insur- nomic environment, regulatory “These insurance companies
should compensate millions of ance benefits from Zimbabwean failure on the part of government unbundled and created fancy com-
pensioners whose savings were In 2015, the government insti- dollars to United States dollars to and the regulator for insurance and panies and vehicles to own the
wiped out during the hyperinfla- tuted a commission of inquiry into provide the insurance and pensions pensions was identified as having proceeds of contributions from
tionary era, amid calls for a new industry a transparent process for caused loss of value. pensioners. First Mutual company
law to enforce mandatory restitu- now owns a huge company called
tion. Biti singled out Old Mutual and Dawn Properties. This company
First Mutual Life for investing in has totally been delinked from the
Speaking at an insurance brief- properties while pensioners lan- parent company. The constitution
ing in Harare on Thursday, Biti guish in poverty. says a company is a separate legal
said major insurance companies entity but now we need an Act of
were culpable for the loss after pen- “The chief culprits are the Old Parliament which says we should
sioners woke up to news that their Mutuals, the chief culprits are the track our money. If the money has
life savings had been wiped out. First Mutuals. Old Mutual must gone to small house, we need to
apologise to the people of Zimba- track it,” Biti said.
“Insurance companies must ac- bwe because Old Mutual controls
cept the primary burden of com- more that 70% of the market fol- “It is a gross human rights abuse
pensation,” Biti said. lowed by First Mutual. There were what Old Mutual and First Mutual
capricious activities, omissions did.”
The former finance minister said and commissions by the insurance
the Act of Parliament should also companies. At conversion in 2009, Section 71 of the Zimbabwean
give authority to the Insurance they used their own formula, and Constitution protects pensions
and Pensions Commission (Ipec) that formula had the effect of ze- and Biti urged the government to
to track pension funds tied in im- rorising liabilities. So, they wiped resolve the pensions issue in order
movable assets like buildings, add- out all liabilities. But they had to foster a culture of savings in the
ing that compensation had become their own assets which they hedged country.
a human rights issue. against inflation,” he said.
“It is in government’s best inter-
“This Act of Parliament will en- The vicious cycle of lost value ests that we resolve this issue, more
able the regulator to strip the cor- by pensioners has continued un- so in a situation where we have
porate veil,” Biti said. abated due to hyperinflation and arrears and we cannot access huge
misgovernance where government amounts of grants that we need for
“In my submission the issue of has promulgated statutory instru- our roads and infrastructure,” Biti
pensions must be given promi- said.
nence because it cuts across the en-

NewsHawks News Page 7

Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

Salary scandal rocks Bulawayo council

LIZWE SEBATHA $17 billion 2021 budget also “By so doing, the local author- Ncube accused the BPRA of be- the only arrested official.”
shows that the largest chunk is ity has in actual fact ignored the ing noise makers as he sought to Khumalo was remanded out
BULAWAYO City Council earmarked for salaries and very very reason for their existence, justify council’s disproportion-
(BCC) has overspent on sala- little for service delivery with which is to provide services and ate spending on salaries. of custody on $10 000 bail un-
ries in the seven months to July water and sewerage reticulation has focused on paying its work- der stringent conditions, which
2020, gobbling up 58% of total services, for example, allocated a ers. “They are missing the point. include surrendering his pass-
expenditure instead of the bud- combined 2%. They are correct to be speaking port, reporting twice weekly at
geted 30%, The NewsHawks can “Given this foregoing, there on behalf of residents, and they Bulawayo Central Police Station
report. According to the 2021 pro- is a need to reduce operational must be seen talking. However, and residing at his given address,
posed budget, 30% of the reve- costs,” BPRA said in its budget it is not like we hide the admin- following his initial court ap-
$ 448.6 million nue generated “will be allocated analysis. istrative costs because we have to pearance on 11 October at the
towards paying salaries of which appreciate that it is difficult to Bulawayo Magistrates Court.
The council spent 6% of the 30% total salaries goes “From the snippets, we note meet the 70:30 ratio as workers
58% of its total towards paying administration with concern that administra- keep demanding salary incre- Zacc investigators have re-
expenditure salaries, 12% (health), 4% (civil tion expenses seem to have more ments,” Ncube said. portedly also requested a list of
($ 448.6 million) protection), 4% (infrastructure than two budget lines on the all land sales involving serving
on salaries works), 1% (education services), presented budget. This leads us Incidentally, the BPRA de- and former councillors, includ-
1% sewerage services and 0.2% to speculate that there could be manded to be furnished with the ing current mayor Solomon
The revelation—coming amid towards water purification, retic- window dressing of certain ex- BCC’s 2021 unabridged bud- Mguni and town clerk Christo-
poor service delivery, a crippling ulation and delivery.” penditures that the local author- get proposal, a request that was pher Dube.
water shortage and reports of ity is hiding from the public.” turned down by council.
corruption—will raise eyebrows “However, we realise that as In renewing Dube’s contract,
in a city struggling with serious much as the percentage figures A diarrhoea outbreak, blamed Council has now ruled out council offered him a commer-
difficulties. appear to be in line with the gov- on water shortages and collaps- paying a 13th cheque to its em- cial stand, number 14661, mea-
ernment policy on employee-re- ing water and sewerage infra- ployees, who have declared inca- suring 24 407 hectares in Sel-
Council had budgeted to lated expenses to service delivery, structure, has claimed 13 lives in pacitation. The local authority bourne Park suburb. According
spend only 27% of its $2.8 bil- the past financial performance of Bulawayo. insists it will only be able to in- to council minutes, the stand is
lion 2020 budget on salaries in the council discredits this..,” an crease salaries after its supple- adjacent to another piece of land
line with the government’s 70:30 analysis by the Bulawayo Pro- Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption mentary budget of $550 792 offered to him by the local au-
ratio for the money spent on ser- gressive Residents’ Association Commission (Zacc) investiga- 328 is approved by the govern- thority as part of his perks.
vice delivery vis-à-vis employ- (BPRA) reads in part. tors recently caused the arrest of ment.
ment costs, a target it failed to BCC director of housing Dictor Mguni was allocated a
meet. The actual ratio of salaries to Khumalo on charges of flouting Mlandu said council had 2,5-hectare plot situated in Low-
total revenue was 50.8%:50% in tender and procurement rules. nothing to hide even as Zacc er Rangemore for urban farming
However, an abridged sev- 2017. Council last audited its said it was closing in on dodgy purposes at a paltry monthly
en-month interim financial re- financials in 2017. Zacc commenced investiga- officials. rental of $165 for 25 years.
port shows the council spent tions into council operations on
58% of its total expenditure ($ There are fears city fathers are 16 September following com- Zacc spokesperson John Zacc is also investigating the
448.6 million) on salaries or, al- “window-dressing” certain ex- plaints by residents’ represen- Makamure told The NewsHawks Egodini Mall project. South Af-
ternatively, 47% of revenue gen- penditure to hide the actual sal- tative groups and other stake- that: “So far we have arrested the rican engineering firm Terracot-
erated ($556.5 million on wages. aries bill, a development lobby holders, particularly over issues BCC housing director. ta Private Limited has failed to
groups argued is cause for con- relating to the allocation of make meaningful progress in the
An analysis of the proposed cern in the face of widespread housing stands and flawed ten- “We cannot announce whom construction of the mall despite
graft allegations involving coun- der and procurement processes. we are going to arrest (next) as having won the tender more
cil management and councillors. we are yet to conclude the inves- than five years ago, also under
Contacted for comment, Bu- tigations, but what I can say is controversial circumstances.
lawayo deputy mayor Mlandu that Khumalo is not going to be

Page 8 News NewsHawks

Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

Was Ginimbi an
entrepreneur or
dodgy dealer?

CHRIS MURONZI thrown one of the biggest parties Doug Munatsi’s of this world, the Unlike Ginimbi, the wealthy had founded Econet, the country’s
the country had ever known for a men, who had dominated cor- men who had dominated Zim- largest mobile phone operator.
ALMOST overnight, the late princely sum of US$17 000. porate Zimbabwe in the decades babwe’s corporate scene above
Genius “Ginimbi” Kadungure gone by. were accomplished, their wealth As it turned out, Ginimbi, the
appeared on the horizon like a Until then, he had been a non- largely documented and its source big-spending high-flyer had been
shooting star, spectacularly shin- entity among Zimbabwe’s rich A year after arriving in known. One could easily map how raised poor in Domboshava, a ru-
ing so bright and capturing the at- dominated by old money such as Harare, Ginimbi was they rose to the top. ral area on the outskirts of Hara-
tention of the entire country with Meikles, Van Hoogstratens, Chid- running a gas compa- re’s prime northern suburb of Bor-
his newfound riches, life of bling zivas, the Bokas, the Molais, the ny after some cigarette The late Bredenkamp made his rowdale and had struck gold in the
and a celebrity persona. His star Mutasas and the Kamushindas, smuggling activities. Al- money from tobacco and arms gas business so the story went.
rose and he became well-known among others. most as soon as he had trading, Nicholas Van Hoog-
mainly in social circles – not in arrived, he was import- straten from a modest stamp col- Well, no one cared if his story
business boardrooms – in Zim- He was also nowhere near the ing gas in the region. lection and property investments was true.
babwe and on social media plat- fairly new money such as the Rud- From there, Kadungure in the Bahamas in the 50s/60s,
forms across the region and even lands, the Masiyiwas, Chidawus, rise commenced. Chidawu and Munatsi had ac- The mainstream business pub-
internationally. the Munatsis and Maphosas. quired an Anglo American Plc lications would not have run a
bank, First Merchant Bank now story on private wealth of the
What attracted attention to Gi- To an extent, Zimbabwe was African Bank king Corporation likes of Ginimbi. Not because it
nimbi was his champagne lifestyle: somewhat a new country then for (BancABC) and Strive Masiyiwa was not a good story, but because
mainly his weekends of drinking a number of reasons and offering its business section was for real
binges of expensive champagnes new opportunities to various cit- movers and shakers in the mar-
and his posh cars – Rolls-Royce, izens. With Zimbabwe’s historic ket. The real McCoys engineering
Lamborghini and Ferrari, among hyperinflation, considerable mon- takeovers, pushing mergers and
others. It all boiled down to: etary value had been decimated acquisitions or behind the million
Where was he getting the mon- prior to 2009. A new currency dollar capital raises on the market
ey to fund his conspicuous con- regime headlined by the US dollar for listed companies on the stock
sumption? Some people claimed and other stronger currencies had exchanges.
he was a hard worker and role been adopted in 2009. The US dol-
model, while others said he was a lar was stable and more valuable One could try to put a story like
good example of what was wrong and hard to come by. Against such Ginimbi’s on the pages, but not
with Zimbabwe; a country where a background and by all accounts, without facing dreadful bribery
dodgy dealers like smugglers and US$17 000 was a mini-fortune allegations first.
tax dodgers have become the and enough to buy a house in Ha-
benchmark of success rather than rare’s high density suburbs. As a For other newspapers with a
honest and hard working people. business editor at a local business different kind of readership, he
newspaper then, I took home un- was a good story.
Born and raised in Dombosha- der US$17 000 annually in earn-
va, a rural area about 30 odd ings then. Yet in a night of merry- Authorities too did not pay
kilometres from Harare, he an- making, the amount was blown on attention to the new kid on the
nounced his arrival on the coun- booze, food and other pleasures. block that much until tax issues
try’s social scene when he threw arose.
his first all-white party that made Ginimbi’s lifestyle marked the
front page headlines of a local tab- arrival of new money in town. And year after year, he would
loid, the H-Metro, around 2010. throw an even bigger party than
It was time to forget about the the ones before. He is said to have
The man, as it turned out, had John Bredenkamp’s, Nicholas Van spent US$50 000 on his last party.
hoogstratens, Strive Masiyiwa’s of
Econet, the Oliver Chidawu’s and He would order the coolest
and most expensive vehicle in the
world and have it delivered to his
Domboshava mansion.

Ginimbi’s company, Pioneer
Gases, is a modest operation in the
Ardbennie area that wholesales
LPG gas for resale to retailers.

On my first visit to the site in

NewsHawks News Page 9

Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

2016, he owned no more than a and the image that was out there Thus his car collection boasted By many accounts, his meteoric and offload cargo and be loaded
fleet of four tanker trucks that was always a bit of an oxymoron of three Bentleys, Range Rovers, rise started as soon as he had ar- with water and either turn back
travelled initially to Indeni Petro- of sorts and paradoxical irony at Lamborghini, Ferrari, Rolls-Royce rived in the big city, Harare. with fake papers on the border or
leum Refinery in Zambia’s Copper best. Ghost and Rolls-Royce Wraith, re- simply proceed to destination.
Belt to pick up LPG from a refin- duced to ashes in the fateful acci- One of his partners, Brian
ery in the area. Then around for years ago, he dent all worth an estimated US$5 Nyanyiwa, told the Sunday Mail, As a result, he had so much
got into the bulk fuel business in million. a local weekly, a combination of cash, he did not know what to do
Indeni, which is operated by South Africa. And some of his luck and the desire to succeed with.
Indeni Petroleum Refinery Ltd staff moved to South Africa to of- In 2014, he had more than three made him. A year after arriving in
(IPRL), was established in 1973 fer services to the new company Range Rover SUVs. At the time, Harare, he was running a gas com- Another scheme he was in-
and is located in Ndola in the ostensibly Piko Trading Group. he confessed to being a Ranger pany after some cigarette smug- volved in was of taking deposits
heart of the key copper-producing He was more of a commodity Rover fan. gling activities. for investments in the US. Those
region of Zambia known as the trader than a businessman; a deal- interested had to choose how
Copperbelt. er. Because of his business model, In a video on YouTube wherein Almost as soon as he had ar- much money they wanted to invest
he didn’t have many employees. he parades his house and his car rived, he was importing gas in the from US$1 000 to $10 000. Others
It is fed with crude oil by the It was more of a Ginimbi show collection, he came through as a region. From there, Kadungure’s were invited to Zoom meetings for
1 700km Tazama pipeline, which throughout – a one-man band. man, who lived for the moment. rise commenced. cypto-currency trading.
connects Ndola to Dar-es-Salaam
in Tanzania. His biggest contribution to the Asked if he had favourate songs The rest as they say is history. But after his success, Ginimbi
fiscus was in the form of duty for from yesteryear, he said he had Although many of his friends was at his core nothing of a role
Later on the same trucks, would the fleet of the ultra-luxury cars he none. “I am not like that. I don’t paint a picture of an accomplished model.
travel to Durban to collect LPG imported. Even then, he did not live in the past. Ask me about my businessman, those closest to him
from Natref, South Africa’s only always pay duty. favourate songs now. I am more of knew he was never a formal busi- While his friends and ordinary
inland crude oil refinery, a me- a now person,” he said in the vid- nessman. people were star-struck by his
dium sized technologically ad- Court cases followed him over eo. As a child, he was the “sort of money and lifestyle, he was not a
vanced refinery, highly efficient that. His smuggling activities were child neighbours didn’t want close role model in society.
in refining heavy crude oil. The common tales among those who The way he contemptuously to their children”, he told an inter-
Natref refinery is a joint venture knew him very well. brushed away the question it was viewer in 2014. Wheeling and dealing – includ-
between Sasol  Oil (Pty) Ltd and as if he had a past he did not want His father, Anderson, corrob- ing smuggling - cannot be an ex-
Total South Africa (Pty) Ltd. Hence at the main Harare office, to confront, a ghost that he had orated Ginimbi’s own account of ample of business innovation and
he must have employed no more never fully exorcised. his childhood, saying of his four ingenuity, even in a banana repub-
His sister, Juliet Kadungure, than 20 employees. His business kids, Genius was the naughtiest. lic.
was the managing director of sorts model was wheeling and deal- He had left home as a 17-year- Anderson credits that streak for
at the time. Today, the place looks ing, then conspicuous consump- old in search of a better life in his son’s success. For instance, in January, Ginim-
the same as it did a few years ago; tion and flamboyant lifestyle; not the city and he had found it. His The inclination to break the bi was ordered to pay US$58 655
home to an SME. wealth creation. half-sister said he smuggled ciga- rules did not end in childhood duty on top of another US$81 469
rettes at the beginning. it would seem. Armed with utter for his Bentley Continental GT
His place of business has always disregard for rules in a country model.
been disconnected from the illu- thriving in corruption and where
sion perpetuated by the media and the corrupt do so with impunity, it One of his companies, Piko
social media. was a fertile playground for indi- Trading, was in July fined US$36
viduals like Genius. 000 and ordered to pay US$2,5
To the outside world, he was At Indeni, he discovered lax million that it owes tax collector
Ginimbi, the man who had made systems and a workforce willing Zimra for VAT from February
it. But within his organisation his to earn an extra buck. Instead of 2009 to May 2016.
employees knew he was a small loading, say, 10 000kg of LPG, the
timer, who paid employees and staff would load 20 000kg and cer- The company was also fined
drivers in cash. tify that 10 000kg of LPG had been US$9 000 and ordered to pay
loaded. US$355 559 in outstanding taxes
Even their attempt to defend This was one of the deals that after it recorded sales amounting
him after his death was not based gave him sure and easy money in to US$24,3 million over those sev-
on information and facts, but the early days. Even drivers also en years.
threadbare claims, which could got in on this deal.
not be substantiated by evidence. It was easy money. On sales of US$24 million, he
On the fuel side, the same or an would not have accumulated the
On many occasions, his em- improvised scheme of defrauding car collection on those earnings.
ployees expressed concern over the government was hatched. Fuel
whether the business would con- trucks supposedly destined for the In the US dollar era, mid-caps
tinue as a going concern if any- region would arrive in Zimbabwe on the ZSE raked in sales of US$24
thing happened to the owner. million in any financial year.

For instance, he never created a Big caps or companies consti-
proper payroll system back then. tuting the ZSE Top 10 index made
On various visits in those days, net earnings in excess of US$100
the disconnect between the man million in a single financial year.

Although he was eventually
acquitted, in 2018 was accused of

Page 10 News NewsHawks

Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

defrauding Zanu PF MP Dexter Van Hoogstraten told a story of termine a market value of a prop- fuel in the region, according to his After watching to his heart’s
Nduna and a Kadoma gold dealer how three years ago, his children erty. manager Shaleen Manhire-Nul- content, he decided the winner
of R1 581 890 in a botched mining bought him an Cadillac Escalade len. No evidence of that was ever and called it a night. He says he
equipment deal. so he could attend a parents’ con- In Genius’ case, the mansion shown. never got with the girls afterwards.
Investment portfolio sultation day at their school. was a rare, standalone property or
Ginimbi had no investment port- asset surrounded by not-so-valu- He owned Dreams Nite Club, His fame shot up almost unbe-
folio to speak about contrary to “They didnt want me to show able properties in Domboshava. formerly Sankayi (like the Sankayi lievably. And he led the life of a
the impression he created. up in an old thing, Ford Mustang,” in Johannesburg that he frequent- celebrity.
he said. Any cash-rich investor  would ed) where he held a lavish party
He never ventured on the Zim- actually spend millions for a prop- for Moana on 8 November. “In the streets people have been
babwe Stock Exchange or acquired Another investor who founded erty in Borrowdale or Glen Lorne, singing my name. It’s not just in
a significant chunk of sharehold- a mining group with interest in for instance, before looking at a At the peak of his game, he had Zimbabwe. I have travelled to the
ing in any of the counters in the Zimbabwe, South Africa and the mansion in Domboshava. 600 000 followers on Instagram. US and UK and I was surprised
last decade and a half. He also rest of Africa, never obsessed with when someone recognised me in
did not make a play for any of cars. Instead he spent most of his According to his friend Pokel- To end Covid-19 lockdown-in- a supermarket in London. I am
the commercial real estate in the free time on flights checking out lo Nare, he owned properties in duced boredom, he introduced popular,” Kadungure told an in-
country. new planes and jets in aviation Zimbabwe, South Africa and Bo- a twerking competition on Ins- terviewer last month.
magazines. tswana where he had interest in tagram where women compet-
In a way, the choice of asset the petroleum industry. ed with what their mothers gave “I have a Rolls-Royce. Actually
classes he invested in betrayed his As for Ginimbi, he remained a them for prize money. I don’t have one Rolls my broth-
background to an extent. socialite and not a businessman at He had 26 trucks that moved er. The price of the car is not
heart. really necessary, but all of you
Where Shingi Mutasa had ex- guys know I didn’t buy this in an
cess cash, he swooped on TA To his credit, he built a mansion auction. I bought them straight
Holdings, the conglomerate, when in Domboshava, a rural area. Un- from Rolls-Royce. I can say I am
it was trading at a discount to its der Zimbabwean law, communal the youngest Rolls-Royce owner
book value back in the day and the land has no title. in Africa. If you go to the Rolls-
conditions were right. Royce dealership in South Africa I
He often got a lot of flak from am the youngest client.”
Or how Lishon Chipango, the US-based ‘Prophet’ Passion Java.
former Old Mutual Asset Manage- On the night of the ill-fated
ment boss snapped up Interfresh a Ginimbi’s neighbours lived in party, which police had tried to
decade and a half ago. round huts or four-roomed hous- shut down, he had told his follow-
es roofed with asbestos sheets and ers about the party at Dreams, the
Ginimbi invested in ultra-luxu- drank water from wells. club he owned and how it was go-
ry vehicles. ing to be happening.
This often begged the question
Cars only tend to accumulate of whether the mansion was valu- He partied hard that night like
value if they are limited and old. able or not. he never did before.
That way, they tend to appreciate
value, but generally they are not Ideally, when valuing proper- Instead of hitting the road
an investment. ties, valuers use an approach used around 2am as he was normal-
by financial analysts called relative ly accustomed to, he left at 5am
For Ginimbi, the cars were for valuation of considering market drunk as a sailor and crashed his
social adventures. His friend, Bri- values of other like assets in same Rolls-Royce and died almost im-
an Nyanyiwa, says Ginimbi used sectors. mediately from internal bleeding.
to come and borrow his 7 series
BMW to “charm his girlfriends” Relative valuation looks at price As news of his death circulated,
back in the day. to earnings ratios (P/E) of compa- an outpouring of grief followed
nies operating in the same sector. and he was in the news for more
Ordinarily, ultra-rich people than a week.
like Van Hoogstraten, a British ty- If the P/E is lower than peers,
coon with interests in Zimbabwe, it presents buying potential if the In the end, Ginimbi was just a
have little to interest in cars either business is well managed and has flamboyant dealer and not an en-
as a store of value or investment. the same variables as the others. trepreneur – that can not make
him a role model.
In the case of properties, val-
uers look at the market value of
properties in the location and de-

NewsHawks News Page 11

Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

Obert Mpofu OM: Yes, but most importantly Pres-
speaks on ident Mnangagwa has a very clear vi-
wealth, coup sion about national healing.
and new book Our nation has been torn apart by
many conflicts and we need to recon-
sider frameworks of sustainable peace
so that bad history is replaced by good
history.
NC: You were Mines minister when
the late former president Robert
Mugabe claimed that billions of
dollars could not be accounted for
in the wake of the diamond rush
in Chiadzwa. Did Zimbabwe lose
US$15 billion and can you account
for your time at the helm of the min-
istry?

THE political life of Obert Mpofu , I foresee a continuity trend in this think this has been achieved? Obert Mpofu OM: But you would recall that this
Zanu PF’s secretary for administration, respect for more than 10 years to come. OM: The process of writing facilitates a was an approximate figure, which was
has been marred by controversy since rethink of the conventional. gagwa, was the first person to receive not based on any scientific proof.
the 1980s. The institutional memory of Zanu Through writing, myths should be de- my souvenir copy of the book.
PF is still haunted by the events, which bunked and repressed voices must be Kimberley—the largest diamond
From his wealth, political survival, led to the birth of the new dispensa- freed from the graves and prisons of He congratulated me for contribut- producer on the continent—has never
describing himself as former president tion. memory. ing to the writing of my book. produced that much.
Robert Mugabe’s “ever-obedient son”
and, most recently, his new book titled The post-Mugabe foundation has On the Shoulders of Struggle: He even gave me clearance to in- In all fairness, anyone sincerely
On the Shoulders Of Struggle: Mem- been firmly laid and we are certainly Memoirs of a Political Insider does ex- vite his deputy, the retired General thinks that our little Chiadzwa can
oirs of a Political Insider, in which he not going back where we have come actly that. For too long our history has Dr Constantine Chiwenga, to be the generate that much?
claims he was involved at the famous from. There is no imagination whatso- suffered colonial discrediting; as such, guest of honour at my inaugural book
Zipra/Umkhonto we Sizwe’s Wankie ever linked to any factional inclination. my contribution is part of the many launch. There is another book launch To satisfy your curiosity, you can
campaign in 1967, Mpofu has always The era of factionalism was dead and other truths around the national ques- on the cards and I will seek guidance refer to the Youth, Indigenisation and
been an interesting politician for many. buried in November 2017. tion. from my boss on the guest of honour Economic Empowerment Portfolio
for the next book launch. Committee Report on Marange-Zi-
While he maintains that he was part The top leadership is united towards Beyond challenging some distor- munya Community Share Ownership
of the combatants who fired the first one goal of winning the hearts of the tions, I see my autobiography as an Like I said, the hand knows what Trust.
shots in Matabeleland, some of the people through a total turnaround of entry point for a far-reaching phase of the eye is doing. We are united!
well-known pioneer guerrillas have the economy. idea contestations. It was presented to Parliament in
disputed his narrative. Mpofu’s recent There is no iota of breaching pro- October 2016. That document expos-
comments on the emotive Gukura- His Excellency, the first secretary I am determined to work towards tocol in anything we are doing. Don’t es the real culprits involved in the Ma-
hundi genocide have also irked activists and president of Zanu PF is the face of the continued fight against knowledge read too much into something, which range diamonds issue.
and victims alike. that agenda. Across all the structures of systems, which have kept Africa on does not exist.
the party, we do not doubt his capacity the subjugated zones of realising her NC: You have said the Gukurahun- During my tenure between 2008
The NewsHawks correspondent, to fulfil the vision he has mapped in dreams and her negated capacity to di atrocities were solved at the 1987 and 2013, Zimbabwe recorded the
Nyasha Chingono (NC), caught up guiding Zimbabwe towards prosperity. think beyond the colonial scope and Unity Accord, yet in reality there are highest remittances from the mining
with Mpofu (OM) for a wide-ranging worldview. thousands of families still seeking sector.
interview on his political career, fac- The hearsay about factionalism is answers. Don’t you think this is in-
tionalism in Zanu PF, corruption, his detached from our daily interactions Actually, this book has hit the nerve sensitive to the victims? Gold production increased right up
vast wealth and recent memoirs. through the central committee, the centre of our detractors. Its appraisals to 39.08%, while diamond mining in-
Below are excerpts from the inter- politburo, and the party’s wings right and dismissals depict how it has frus- OM: I argue that the framework tensified to 51% since 1980.
view: up to cell—which is the nucleus of the trated the monopoly of the colonial for post-Gukurahundi peace and rec-
NC: As Zanu PF secretary for ad- party. historical narrative. onciliation was set through the Unity The potential of our mining sector
ministration, what challenges have NC: You are a wealthy man. Are you Accord. remains to be explored for the greater
you faced so far in keeping the party We are united towards rallying be- able to tell Zimbabweans that your good of our development as a nation.
together? hind the goal of our mandate: renewal wealth is clean? This is why today we have bodies NC: During your time as Mines
OM: Thank you for this opportunity under the leadership of my boss the OM: Wealth is relative. In any case, if such as the National Peace and Recon- minister, Zimbabwe discovered vast
you have given me. By keeping the president, Comrade ED Mnangagwa. my wealth was not as clean I will be in ciliation Commission (NPRC) existing diamond deposits. How did the
party together, I assume you are talking NC: In your book, you write about prison by now. to bring full closure to this side of our country fail to benefit from this min-
about enforcement of unity as guided your wartime record. Did you taste past. eral endowment?
by the internal laws of Zanu PF. action during the Wankie campaign At this age, do you still think I am OM: What yardstick are you using to
with the ANC because, curiously, worried about issues of material wealth I have always challenged opportu- measure the failure of our mining sec-
That being the case, I would say the some of the comrades who fired the and the propaganda linked to this so- nistic narratives about Gukurahundi tor beneficiation?
unity of the party, its functionality in first shots think otherwise? called wealth? to undermine sincere initiatives to pro-
delivering the aspirations of our armed OM: My involvement in the strug- mote reconciliation. It was the mining sector, which kept
struggle, is not policed by individuals. gle for liberation predates the Wank- I am more concerned about spiritu- the economy ticking during that peri-
ie-Sipolilo battles where I was among al wealth than anything else. You will recall that the Gukurahun- od, needless to mention other streams
Individuals are answerable to the Zpra’s active collaborators and recon- di issue is a cash cow for some civil so- of revenue we enjoy as a country.
structures and traditions of the party naissance teams. Sipolilo and Wankie Ask me about my spiritual wealth ciety organisations.
as prescribed by the Zanu PF consti- were just one of the many operations, and not vanity. The economic merits of the gov-
tution. I can safely say I have played which culminated in our liberation. Anyone who tries to be constructive ernment of the national unity (GNU)
my part in working towards the fulfil- The Obert Mpofu I see in the mir- about this issue is labelled a Zanu PF were sustained by the revenue from the
ment of the Zanu PF constitutionally I wonder who those comrades are; ror is the one who matters and not the sycophant. mining sector.
defined code of conduct and ensuring when retired Colonel Tshinga Dube other Obert Mpofu, who is a product NC: Following the coup that hap-
that my office remains true to the ob- has confirmed the contrary to their of malicious propaganda. How can I be insensitive when I pened in 2017, President Emmerson
jectives of the party’s constitution. amateur distortions of history? have friends and relatives, who experi- Mnangagwa promised to transform
Those who throw these malicious enced Gukurahundi? the economy and re-engage with the
Under the Second-Republic, Zanu The only people I have heard con- allegations against me have not pre- West. How do you think the govern-
PF has been intensely professionalised testing my credentials are just but a few sented their claims in any institution Whether directly or indirectly, I am ment has fared so far? Has Zanu PF
with former Cabinet ministers heading regime-change-driven social media ac- of law. a victim of Gukurahundi. I lost rela- failed?
certain departments of the party. tivists, who were not even born when NC: You invited Vice-President tives to Gukurahundi. OM: There was never a coup in 2017.
some of us confronted the enemy. Constantino Chiwenga to the book
This has fast-tracked Zanu PF re- launch. Why didn’t you also involve However, beyond victimhood— Instead, there was a civil-aided mili-
branding into a modern political insti- It is laughable that our children are President Mnangagwa to the launch? even in its rehearsed sense on the part tary transition, which was powered by
tution. so fond of disowning their rich history OM: His Excellency, President Mnan- of some compatriots—there comes a cross-cutting institutional consent that
NC: Is factionalism real or imagined by disparaging the people who fought time when we need to find ourselves as the time for our national legacy to be
within Zanu PF? for their freedom. They would rather a nation beyond the post-colonial en- restored had come.
OM: In generic politics the world over, validate books written by Rhodesian trapments of violence, which have rav-
factionalism is real. However, in the security agents like David Coltart. aged the integrity of our independence. The president did not exclusive-
context of Zanu PF, at this very mo- NC: Do you think the Zanu PF gov- ly project a pro-West re-engagement
ment of engaging you, I can safely say Senior veterans such as Gibson ernment is sincere about solving the process, but by declaring the dictum
the hand knows what the toe is doing. Mayisa and the former vice-president Gukurahundi issue? “Zimbabwe is Open for Business”, the
Phelekezela Mphoko, are among some Head of State was inaugurating our
The top leadership of the ruling of the living former High Command country to a new era of our sovereign-
Zanu PF, from His Excellency the pres- members of Zpra you can refer these ty’s cordial integration with the rest of
ident and his two vice-presidents, they unfounded queries to. the world.
are all functioning in one accord. NC: The book, On the Shoulders of
Struggle: Memoirs of a Political In- We have done well in opening up
sider, is meant to correct distortions the economy and sharing our sovereign
of the liberation war history. Do you existence with other nations though
some few powers in the West continue
to subject us to the illegal sanctions.

Page 12 News NewsHawks

Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

Tax storm looms Zimbabwe
over US dollar expects
transactions
high wheat
BERNARD MPOFU cation shows that while most re- to make it easier for tax purposes. arbitrage opportunities. yield
tailers are now accepting payment Mangudya could not be reached In January, the central bank
MANY companies could be in US dollars, they continue to for comment. Confederation of ZIMBABWE is expecting to har-
caught in a tax dragnet after the generate receipts indexed in the Zimbabwe Retailers president froze accounts of several compa- vest 190 000 metric tonnes of
Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) domestic currency. This is now fu- Denford Mutashu’s mobile num- nies after the FIU revealed that wheat, the highest in the 10 years,
launched an investigation into the elling underhand foreign currency ber was unreachable at the time of some companies were engaged in as government seeks to reduce
under-reporting of trade conduct- transactions, sources said. going to print. parallel market transactions that the country’s import bill, Finance
ed in United States dollars fol- were carried out on mobile money Minister Mthuli Ncube has said.
lowing the relaxation of exchange In August, Zimra said it would Last week, Finance minister platforms.
control regulations, The News- continue monitoring business Mthuli Ncube read the riot act to Zimbabwe’s cereal demand rose
Hawks has learnt. transactions following the gazett- public accountants and auditors, Several months later, the apex to 450 000 tonnes after 2015,
ing of a statutory instrument au- accusing them of whitewashing bank capped daily limits on mo- from 400 000 tonnes, due to an
Barely a year after announcing thorising transaction in foreign and rubberstamping underhand bile platforms such as EcoCash increase in the population and
the ban on the multi-currency sys- currency. foreign exchange deals carried out to tame the informal foreign ex- changes in lifestyles.
tem, which had been adopted to by both state-owned and private change transactions, which had
stabilise the economy, an outbreak “Statutory Instrument (SI) 185 companies they should be exercis- piled pressure on the domestic Wheat is the second most im-
of Covid-19 forced the authorities of 2020 was aligned with the pro- ing oversight over. currency. portant strategic food security crop
to allow the use of the US dollar, vision of section 4 (a) of the Fi- in Zimbabwe after maize. The ce-
as the local currency lost ground nance Act, which requires that tax Treasury, the Reserve Bank of Treasury also suspended trading real has become a staple crop given
against major currencies. be paid in the currency of transac- Zimbabwe and its FIU have in on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange the high demand for bread by the
tion. In line with SI 185 of 2020, the past few months tightened the and froze the fungibility of stocks, urban population. Wheat farming
Sources said the FIU is working Zimra issued Public Notice Num- screws on individuals and compa- among other measures, to defend is a major cropping activity and
with the Zimbabwe Revenue Au- ber 40 of 2020 addressing certain nies accused of manipulating the the value of the Zimbabwean dol- the commodity is highly valued,
thority (Zimra) in carrying out the business malpractices, Faith Maza- foreign exchange market seeking lar, which has relatively stabilised particularly its product, bread.
investigation after it emerged that ni, Zimra commissioner-general, in the past few months.
most retailers had not configured told a virtual press conference in “We want to stop importing
the fiscalised registers to record August. food. We want to increase our out-
US dollar cash transactions. This, put for wheat. This year we want
sources said, was prejudicing Trea- “I would like to articulate some to harvest about 190 000 metric
sury of value-added tax, among of them and these include some tonnes of wheat, the highest out-
other taxes, in hard currency. businesses that are not recording put in the last 10 years. So we can
some transactions being tendered see the future. We have seen the
“There is an ongoing probe on for in foreign currency.” import substitution taking place,
all trades in the market, which especially in the food sector,” Ncu-
may even result in large tax ob- John Mangudya, central bank be said.
ligations for those who will be governor, also told the same press
caught,” a source familiar with the briefing that the apex bank was Experts say even if the country
developments said. working on introducing point-of- were to achieve the national re-
sale machines to businesses where quirement, it would still import
An investigation by this publi- nostro bank cards could be used, wheat as the local crop cannot
make quality bread due to condi-
Broke parastatals create huge moral hazard tions in which the cereal is grown
under and is suitable only for mak-
DUMISANI NYONI moral hazard, with many public en- will focus on maintaining the debt- comprehensive public debt reports ing biscuits.
tities approaching government for to GDP ratio below 70% by 2025; detailing the stock of the debt and
GOVERNMENT says there is a debt assumption. Managing public and with zero recourse to central its main features will continue to be Most activities in the agri-
high moral hazard risk arising from debt is critical in order to raise the bank borrowing. regularly published. cultural sector are carried out in
public debt, with many state-owned required amount of funding while summer when rains are available
entities seeking authorisation for at the same time ensuring it is sus- “External debt arrear clearance The continuation of an auc- and temperatures are favourable
debt assumption at a time the coun- tainable,” the NDS1 reads in part. and debt relief to restore sustainabil- tion-based Treasury Bills issuance for plant growth. However, crops
try is faced with unsustainable pub- ity will be considered in line with regime will be informed by the mac- such as wheat and barley and some
lic and publicly guaranteed external The government has inherited a progress made with Government’s ro-economic indicators, especially horticultural crops are grown in
debt and massive arrears. number of state-owned enterpris- engagement and re-engagement inflation and will be based on an winter. The winter crops require
es’ debts amounting to billions of with the international community.” annual borrowing plan and issuance cold weather for successful crop
Zimbabwe’s total debt at the end dollars. Some of these include Zis- calendar, the document said. Cur- development and high produc-
of 2019 was estimated at US$14.3 costeel’s US$500 million debt and The document says managing rently, the government is borrowing tivity. Last year, Zimbabwe scaled
billion (80.8% of Gross Domestic the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s new debt commitments will require mainly short-term, which is costly. down wheat production to 29
Product) against the Public Debt US$1,4 billion. Last year, the gov- a coordinated approach in line with 000 hectares from the initial target
Management Act target of 70%. ernment approved the assumption Public Debt Management Act pro- “In order to reduce the cost of of 75 000 hectares for the 2019
of TelOne’s US$383 million legacy visions limiting the debt-to GDP borrowing and deepen the capital winter wheat season due to  crip-
Of this debt, domestic debt, loans. ratio to 70%. markets, government during the pling  power outages. In 2018,
including non-performing loans NDS1 period will target the issu- Zimbabwe’s wheat output was 160
assumed by the Zimbabwe Asset In the document, the govern- “The debt strategy will focus on ance of medium to long term se- 000 metric tonnes against national
Management Corporation, stood ment also admitted that the country maximising access of concessional curities and listing of Bonds on the demand of 450 000 tonnes.
at ZW$11 billion. Official figures is in debt distress, with unsustain- financing. This debt strategy will securities exchange market.”
show that total publicly guaran- able public and publicly guaranteed ensure consistency between the ca- Agriculture is a critical sector,
teed external debt position stood total external debt and large exter- pacity to service the debt and min- “This will reduce the costs of do- with official statistics showing
at US$8.09 billion and about 74% nal debt arrears. imising costs with the objective of mestic borrowing and create fiscal that it is a source of livelihood to
(US$5.97 billion) constituted ar- fiscal consolidation.” space for social expenditures and approximately 70% of the popu-
rears. “Debt resolution with creditors the capital budget,” it said. lation, contributing between 15%
through the clearance of external “Non-concessional borrowing and 20% of GDP and providing
The government, through its debt arrears and debt relief will open will only be contracted for com- In addition, the document said 40% of export earnings and sup-
newly launched economic blue- new lines of credit for the economy, mercially viable projects with a high the government remains commit- plying 63% of agro-industrial raw
print, the National Development which is critical to the achievement rate of return, such as infrastructure ted to its engagement with interna- materials.
Strategy 1 (NDS1), said worsening of Vision 2030 goals,” it said. projects. The debt strategy will also tional financial institutions through
the country’s debt position is the ac- incorporate private sector-driven fi- the International Monetary Fund Turning to the horticultural
cumulation of external arrears. During the NDS1 five-year peri- nancing options to ensure debt sus- Staff-Monitored Programme to sector, Ncube said the government
od to December 2025, the govern- tainability,” it said. achieve an amicable loan arrears is working on revamping the sec-
“In addition, there is high risk of ment said public debt management clearance agreement. tor, which in the 1990s was a key
To ensure debt transparency, source of foreign currency earn-
ings.

“We want to have a budget for
sustaining our horticulture sector.
We used to be rated in exporting
flowers and so forth in that indus-
try. That industry has disappeared
and it needs to come back,” the Fi-
nance Minister said.

— STAFF WRITER

NewsHawks Editorial & Opinion Page 13

Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020 CARTOON

Bad governance is the
elephant in the room

THE National Development Strategy (NDS) (1), Zimbabwe’s Coups usually lead to renewed repression
new economic blueprint, was launched on Monday this week,
setting the stage for fascinating discussions on the implications AS Zimbabweans go through the third They questioned if the coup would lead in the near future and 
of official policy on socio-economic progress. year after President Emmerson Mnangag- to democracy and a new dawn for Zim- even offer a timeline for the transition.
wa shot his way to power via a military babwe. A number of recent studies argue
As we have previously written in the pages, there is really coup, what has now became evident is the that coups can help usher in democracy. However, they do not always fulfil such and
no shortage of high-sounding blueprints. What has been the army-engineered transition has not led to There have been such cases, but empirical other promises. Recent research, however,
country’s biggest undoing is the abject failure to implement democratisation. Mnangagwa and his allies evidence suggests that usually they do not. suggests that the consequences of coups
plans—an affliction described by policy analysts as a severe bout removed the late former president Rob- may have changed since the end of the
of “implementisis”. ert Mugabe for their self-preservation and A recent study by American political Cold War. Not only have coups declined in
self-interest, not national interest as they scientists  George Derpanopoulos, Erica frequency, but those that occur are increas-
An economic plan may be couched in the most impressive claimed during the time. Frantz, Barbara Geddes and Joseph Wright, ingly followed by competitive elections. 
diction from the best business schools in the world, but if there titled  Are Coups Good for Democracy?,
is no political will to follow through what has been put on pa- The military said it wanted to remove examines this relationship empirically by From 1950 to 1989, 14% of successful
per, everything is bound to flop. some criminals around the president and looking at political regimes that follow coups against dictatorships led to democra-
those who were now exercising executive coups in autocracies, as well as the level of cy within two years, while 40% did so from
It is all about governance failure. Governance determines the power without being elected — referring to repression.  1990 to 2015. Yet several scholars have re-
intricate process through which public policy is crafted, imple- the now subdued Zanu PF G40 faction cently challenged the standard interpreta-
mented and evaluated. In the case of Zimbabwe, governance members, mainly Grace Mugabe. Hawk Eye tion of military coups as anti-democratic. 
failure manifests itself in various ways. The decay of public in-
stitutions can be cited as one obvious example. Parastatals and Mnangagwa and his faction also spoke Dumisani Instead, they argue, a coup can help
government department have become so weakened—at the lev- about restoring the legacy of the libera- Muleya usher in democracy. But new research
el of organisational behaviour and rules—that these institutions tion struggle as part of their narrative to gives pause to such optimism.
are, in the main, no longer serving the interests of citizens. They justify the coup. They found that, though democracies
are largely serving the interests of political elites and their cro- are occasionally established in the wake of To assess whether coups are associat-
nies. In the process, they crafted the narra- coups, more often new authoritarian re- ed with democratisation, the American
tive that they were bringing a new dis- gimes  emerge, along with higher levels of scholars investigated what follows coups
The level of a society’s dysfunctionality can be gauged in the pensation under “The Second Republic”. state-sanctioned violence. against dictators, excluding coups against
manner in which the public institutions are either inclusive or democracies.  They show that coups are
extractive. This is the thesis of How Nations Fail, a seminal Mnangagwa also came up with the This is what has happened in Zimbabwe. not systematically correlated with democ-
book by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson which seeks to mantra that “Zimbabwe is open for busi- After the political and military elites ratisation. On the contrary, the perpetra-
answer a thorny question in economics and political science: ness”. seized power, they came up with a political tors of coups tend to oust dictators only to
Why are some countries prosperous while others are poor? In project of self-preservation and continuity, impose new ones. Further, they also show
the final analysis, it has nothing to do with a nation’s level of An impression was given to Zimbabwe- not reform, that was rooted in brutality. that many coups in dictatorships lead to es-
natural resource endowment, climate, language, geography, race ans and the world that Mnangagwa would Though civilians may support coups, at calations in human rights abuses.
or even the curse of ancestors. It has everything to do with how steward the transition from dictatorship their core coups are a technology that can
prosperity and poverty are determined by the incentives created to democracy in a country traumatised by only be used by the military, police and se- Using a yearly repression measure, they
by institutions, and how politics determines what institutions decades of Mugabe’s repressive, violent and curity forces. show that coups that launch new dicta-
a nation has. A nation can change its fortunes by transforming disastrous rule. A huge wave of support and The most basic goal of a coup is to bring torships are followed by intensification in
its institutions. expectation for Mnangagwa accompanied about a change in leadership, but often state-sponsored violence. With more fine-
his rise to power. coup-plotters also seek more substantial po- grained event data, they note that the year
We must ask ourselves: As Zimbabweans, what types of in- litical transformation. They may announce after a coup against dictatorship usually
stitutions have we built and will they help us attain prosperity? Zimbabweans marched in the streets un- their intention to hold democratic elections brings either an increase or no change  in
der the cover of personal armoured carriers civilian deaths. 
Can the National Railways of Zimbabwe, Air Zimbabwe and and soldiers to force Mugabe out and facil-
the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration transport us to itate Mnangagwa’s ascendancy. In short, the months that follow coups
the promised land? can be bloody, even if the coup itself was
People from all walks of life — ordinary not; 1 August 2018 showed that.
Can the Grain Marketing Board and the Agricultural and citizens, professionals, workers, the unem-
Rural Development Authority provide food security and save ployed, civil society and the opposition — Zimbabweans now know better; the
us US$800 million in food imports annually? Is the Zimba- supported the coup. However, there was a 2017 coup was a fiasco, it removed a dicta-
bwe National Water Authority able to prevent primitive diseases section of society which was either quiet, tor and replaced him with his best student,
from killing the people of Bulawayo? sceptical or critical of the whole process — ensuring renewal and continuity instead of
discerning that is. Some were neutral. reforms.
But it takes much more than just competent and robust in-
stitutions to change the country’s fortunes. The Constitution
spells out the principles of good governance, including transpar-
ency, accountability, integrity and responsiveness.

The calibre of leadership is an important component of the
equation. Leaders must be committed to excellence. They must
show consistency and commitment. These attributes strengthen
public institutions.

In tandem with that aspect is the importance of ensuring that
public institutions are capacitated to ensure that they have the
organisational ability to implement policy.

Related to all this is the vital role of the rule of law. It must be
upheld—not only in the sense of abiding by court judgements
with regards to property rights but also ensuring that the coun-
try’s entire legal, administrative and governance frameworks are
anchored on constitutional values and principles.

The issue transcends the narrow prism through which
self-serving officials pay lip service to the “rule of law”—what
we must pay attention to in the broader context is the “role of
law”. Good governance is the bedrock upon which a govern-
ment can hope to achieve anything meaningful.

We must keep this in mind as the nation embarks on the
important task of implementing the new economic blueprint.
There are no shortcuts.

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 Spencer Mandaza Council of Zimbabwe
dom as the cornerstone of democracy and Media which is owned by Centre for Public Assistant Editor: Brezh Malaba Cell: +263 775387638
as a means of upholding human rights Interest Journalism News Editor: Owen Gagare The NewsHawks newspaper subscribes to the Code
and liberties in the constitution; our mis- No. 100 Nelson Mandela Avenue Digital Editor: Bernard Mpofu Subscriptions & Distribution: of Conduct that promotes truthful, accurate, fair and
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Page 14 Perspectives & Reviews NewsHawks

Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

National Development Strategy One critique

Brett strategy as activity. However, that Tourism has been identified as one of the key drivers of the economy not convincing.
Chulu understanding is implied by an In fact, a separate pillar or the-
explicit subheading of “strategies” capita GNI of US$4 046 - US$12 scorecard. This is the global metric
THE long-awaited National Devel- within each strategy pillar or the- 535. that should loom large on our matic area on funding should have
opment Strategy One (2021-2025) matic area of the NDS1 document. national strategy dashboard. As a been dedicated so that a compre-
(NDS1), the sequel to the Tran- It is more helpful to think in terms The upper middle-income band result, no one was assigned responsi- hensive and well-thought-out fund-
sitional Stabilisation Programme of strategy as opposed to strategies. adopted by the NDS1 needs to be bility for this metric. ing strategy is teased out. Funding is
(October 2018 - December was corrected. The more substantive is- so fundamental to the success of the
launched this week. A third positive is the undertak- sue is that the World Bank frequent- This is a huge weakness in the NDS1 that a thorough Strengths,
ing in the NDS1 to align the annual ly reviews these bands. Three weeks NDS1. We are like a soccer team Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
By inference, based on the per national budgets with the NDS1, ago, in this column, we called on that is invested much in tracking (SWOT) analysis on this matter
capita Gross National Income particularly making sure only those the drafters of the NDS1 to look match performance statistics except should have been done, especially
(GNI), the desired end point activities that drive the intended seriously into how to thoughtfully the scoreline. This needs to be with no external funding expected.
sought by the NDS1 is moving strategy are funded (activity-based frame the upper middle-income corrected. Based on the presentation of the
the economy to within 20% of the budget). It is a point this writer band due to its dynamic nature. funding component in the NDS1,
upper middle-income range. This raised in the inaugural instalment of This is not a trivial matter as it The biggest disappointment we have more of hope than strategy.
should have been explicitly stated in this column. This proposal was tak- impacts on the minimum real GDP for me is the claim in the NDS1 Hope is not strategy.
the NDS1 strategy document since en on board. Indeed, the litmus test growth rates needed to reach the that economic growth will be led
the overarching vision for which for a strategy is funding the activities upper middle-income target. by the private sector. It is not the The NDS1 narrowly looks at the
strategy is being mobilised is the that drive strategy because activities case—the first three years as per the issue of image-building , focusing
attainment of an upper middle-in- consume resources. A strategy that I am afraid, as things stand, we the Pre-Budget Strategy Paper shows mainly on international engagement
come economy by 2030. does not allocate financial resources are not sure about the identity of that government will account for at and re-engagement. It would have
towards the activities that drive our destination. least 70% of the targeted economic been better to look at the concept of
This article is a critique of the strategy is an elaborate wish list. growth. organisational culture or capabilities.
NDS1 in terms of its apparent Secondly, the real GDP growth Capabilities are defined as the things
strengths, weaknesses and risks The 2021 national budget will rate minimum of 5% per year is not There is a huge difference an organisation is good at and is
that may derail the strategy. The give us a clear indication whether accurate in the absence of a proper between aspiration and actual well-known for. Every country has
aim of this article is to help point the NDS1 is a high-sounding cym- calibration of the mobile upper performance. The NDS1 is going in image shortcomings but they seek
out opportunities to improve the bal or a serious commitment to cre- middle-income target the NDS1 has one direction and the forthcoming to outweigh their image challenges
strategy. In the new normal of vol- ate a better future for the country. apparently failed to address. three years where reality takes over by accentuating what it is good at
atility, uncertainty, complexity and from dreams is telling us private and well-known for. Dave Ulrich,
ambiguity (Vuca) at a global scale, A fourth positive is an attempt A corollary to the per capita GNI sector-led growth not supported in a celebrated organisational culture
strategy cannot be static—agility is to address organisational culture matter is the baseline identified. terms of actual activity. thinker, says Organisational Capa-
becoming a hygiene capability. or national culture issues as part The NDS1 identifies a per capita bility = Strategy x Culture. Simply
and parcel of strategy. The desire GNI baseline (2020) of US$1 159, Another huge disappointment is put, organisational capability is the
We begin with the strengths of to institute a culture in the public representing a 19,9% fall from the fact that for all the 302-pages image or brand an organisation
the strategy on paper. It would be service of performance driven by a 2019 (per capita GNI of US$1 detail that is the NDS1 document builds to underpin its strategy.
an act of intellectual dishonesty to strategy-aligned results-based man- 390). The NDS1 baseline informs there is absolutely no costing of the
dismiss the NDS1 as poor. agement system is commendable. us that we will begin the NDS1 as activities that are meant to drive This is the modern way of
Strengths a lower middle-income economy. strategy. looking at values; organisational ca-
A key strength of the NDS1 is the Allocating specific sectors key The baseline for 2020 adopted by pability is built from the outside in,
evidence of broad consultation result areas drawn from strategy, if the NDS1 is an estimate based on a If we are not sure how much it meaning the value required by key
and input. I looked at the strategy followed as intended, will ensure projection a conservative real GDP will cost us in terms of strategic ac- stakeholders is the basis for crafting
from various strategy frameworks different public sector entities focus decline of 4,1%, standing in stark tivity over the period of the NDS1, strategy.
to ascertain any gaps. Proposals by on issues that drive national strategy. contrast with the World Bank’s we have not completed the strategy.
this writer such as the setting up of An explicit commitment to track projection of minus 10,4%. It is It is as good as we have no strategy If this is delivered consistently, a
a warehouse receipting system and corruption via the Corruption very possible that the reality is that at all. brand is built. The NDS1 should
an agricultural commodity exchange Perception Index is a good starting we will open NDS1 as a low-income have clearly defined who the key
were taken on board. point. country. It matters because that We must know upfront how stakeholders for which strategy is
reality will make us not under-esti- much it will cost us to fund the built are and what these stakehold-
There are still some gaps; overall, Identifying the key drivers of the mate the enormity of the task ahead activities that make up the NDS1. ers value.
there is a remarkable improvement economy as agriculture, mining, –it would make us put real GDP Annual budgets should be guided
from the Transitional Stabilisation tourism and electricity as well growth targets well above the 5% by a global figure hived off from the Strategy should have been built
Programme (TSP). This writer—in detailed activities to move these per annum minimum. five-year NDS1 outlook. A concern from this outside in approach. This
evaluating the performance of the primary sectors up the value chain is connected to the financial resources is how you build an image. There
TSP—pointed out that it did not very sound. Another concern is the fact that issue is that the NDS1 just lists is still an opportunity to revisit this
have a properly thought out frame- the per capita GNI is not included that activities will be funded from area with modern insights from this
work. This time around, the strategy Last, a truthful review on some in the Results-Based Management tax, loans, grants and private sector area. This will avoid a weakness in
chose the Integrated Results-Based of the issues we have contested is mobilisation. The funding plan is the NDS1 where there is intention
Management (RBM) framework to refreshing. One such issue is the to institute a performance culture
organise the NDS1. explanation for a positive current but without a supporting reward
account surplus in 2019 and 2020. system for both the public and
There is no guessing; there is In the TSP performance review private sector. The NDS1 focuses on
clarity on key result areas, outcomes, done by Treasury, it was claimed performance culture at the pub-
performance indicators, baselines that policy measures instituted by lic sector level, yet it is a national
(current level of indicator), yearly government were the key drivers of strategy. Organisational capability is
targets and contributing partners (to the current account surplus. This the bridge that will unify both the
achieve the key result area). From writer contested this claim, offer- public and private sectors.
this, a clear scorecard is publicly ing the view that reduced imports,
available—this will help in tracking depressed aggregate demand, low The risks to the NDS1 are
performance and establishing a good disposable income in 2019 and cultural and financial. Corruption is
basis for accountability. 2020 as a result of two years of re- one cultural issue the NDS1 has not
cession were the key drivers behind invested resources to addressing.
The second strength is the the current account surplus. The
apparent definition of strategy as NDS1 has put up this position. The NDS1 has no control over
inter-connected activities aimed That level of candour is business like policy consistency issues. In addi-
at achieving goals aligned to the and commendable—if adopted as tion to these, other key issues such
desired result. This is the under- part of the culture the NDS1 wants as property rights are stated in aspi-
standing of strategy by Michael to develop, nationally we will go a rational terms. In short, the NDS1
Porter, the celebrated Harvard long way as a country in establishing cannot strategise for political will,
business thinker and one of the early evidence-based decision making, not yet political will is the key enabler of
pioneers of business strategy. The political correctness. the NDS1.
NDS1 does not explicitly define
We now turn to fissures and Strategy is intention. Performance
fault-lines in the NDS1. is the real strategy. Eloquence on
Weaknesses paper must translate to eloquence of
First, it is a huge disappointment performance.
that the NDS1 did not correct an
error raised by this writer that the Brett is a management consul-
upper middle-income band indicat- tant and a classic grounded theo-
ed in the Pre-Budget Strategy Paper ry researcher who has published
was outdated. The correct upper research in an academic peer re-
middle-income band for 2021 is per viewed international journal. He
can be contacted through email:
[email protected]

Business

MATTERSNewsHawks

MARKETS CURRENCIES LAST CHANGE %CHANGE COMMODITIES LAST CHANGE %CHANGE
EUR/USD 1.181 +0.003 +0.24 -0.46
USD/JPY 105.12 -0.3 -0.285 *OIL 41.26 -0.19 -1.01
GBP/USD 1.311 -0.011 -0.809 -2.31
USD/CHF 0.915 -0.002 -0.262 *RBOB GAS 1.164 -0.012 +0.709
USD/CAD 1.314 +0.008 +0.6 +0.16
*NAT GAS 2.961 -0.07

*GOLD 1,874.8 +13.2

*SILVER 24.305 +0.038

Zim to settle
huge debt by
2025 — Ncube

BERNARD MPOFU less about settling our debts. But ‘‘Zimbabwe went into do so, we will continue engaging Mthuli Ncube
now that we are almost learning to arrears with them.” In the international financial
FINANCE minister Mthuli Ncu- live with Covid frankly, but also international finan- architecture, the IMF, the World
be has said Zimbabwe will resolve we also we are hopeful for a vac- cial institutions such Zimbabwe is saddled with a Bank Group and the AfDB enjoy
its debt and arrears settlement cine soon, our attention will shift as the World Bank, debt stock of US$16,9 billion, preferred creditor status under a
plan over the next five years after directly towards arrears clearance, the International with external debt accounting for pari passu rule, which means their
blaming the Covid-19 pandemic so you will hear us announce our Monetary Fund and approximately US$7,4 billion. arrears have to be simultaneously
for retarding the process despite roadmap as we move along,” Ncu- African Development cleared first before any other cred-
earlier plans that collapsed along be told The NewsHawks this week Bank at the turn of Out of this, approximately itor can be considered for pay-
the way due to a myriad of prob- after the launch of National De- the millennium. US$5,6 billion is in arrears, even ment.
lems, The NewsHawks have estab- velopment Strategy, a five-year though the country settled its This makes it almost impossible
lished. economic blueprint, which will IMF arrears of US$107,9 million for Zimbabwe to clear its interna-
kick in next year. in November 2016. tional arrears without a payment
Saddled with a debt overhang of plan approved and supported
nearly US$14 billion, Zimbabwe “Re-engagement with IFIs is Zimbabwe still owes the World by countries such as the United
has been struggling to access cheap really two-fold in the sense that, Bank US$1,3 billion, AfDB Kingdom, United States and other
financing for its capital projects. one, we continue to receive sup- US$680 million, and the Euro- Western nations.
port from them. We receive sup- pean Investment Bank US$308
The government has been rely- port from the World Bank, we million.
ing on domestic resources to fund receive support from the African
its projects, thereby crowding out Development Bank and from the
private sector lending. IMF, we continue to receive ad-
visory services, not necessarily fi-
Zimbabwe went into arrears nancial services.”
with international financial insti-
tutions (IFIs) such as the World Ncube said, while Harare had
Bank, the International Monetary not been receiving budgetary sup-
Fund (IMF) and African Develop- port, the government had also
ment Bank (AfDB) at the turn of been relying on bilateral loans and
the millennium. grants from development partners
to finance critical projects.
This has disqualified the south-
ern African nation from accessing “The core of our financing strat-
concessionary funding from the egy is through domestic resources
multilateral lenders. — its tax, revenue from citizens,
from corporates and so far we
Its government sees the suc- have managed to use those taxes
cessful negotiation of a debt and well. We have been running a bal-
arrears clearance programme with anced budget for the last two years
external creditors opening new since we came in. So, looking at
lines of credit for the economy. external support, we continue to
In 2015, Zimbabwe adopted the engage our external partners for
Lima arrears clearance plan, which additional support,” Ncube said.
collapsed due to a lack of political
will in adopting a raft of political “Last year, they gave us quite a
and reforms. bit; just for Covid-19 alone, we re-
ceived more than US$200 million
“Now in terms of arrears clear- and they continue to give more
ance for the debt that we owe, through other angles where they
certainly we will make a lot of go direct to the citizens in terms
progress in the next five years on of cash transfers, in terms of food
that. What had really slowed us support, in terms of infrastructure
down is Covid-19. Covid-19 be- investment, so there is a lot more
came the new issue to deal with, that they are giving us apart from
we had to worry as a government what they are giving us Covid-19.
about feeding people, about keep- We think they will continue to
ing people safe, about keeping
people health, and so forth and

Page 16 Companies & Markets NewsHawks

Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

NRZ loses
$22 million to
‘space barons’
in Harare

DUMISANI NYONI year, NRZ board chairman Martin The National Railways of Zimbabwe has properties countrywide, which include Karigamombe Arcade
Dinha revealed.
THE National Railways of Zimba- He said the NRZ wants to cre- that,” he said. are saying let’s regularise, come di-
bwe (NRZ) has suspended three of NRZ public relations manager ate value out of its diverse property Maravanyika revealed that one rectly to NRZ and get your papers
its real-estate officers for allegedly Nyasha Maravanyika told The New- portfolio. fixed. So far in Harare what we have
conniving with tenants that were sHawks  in an interview that they Nigerian client had actually built done is, we are seeing a lot of peo-
sub-letting the company’s proper- had since suspended the Harare re- The NRZ has properties country- offices and working premises in Ha- ple, who have been sublet, actually
ties at inflated rentals, thereby prej- gional property manager, his assis- wide, which include Karigamombe rare without the parastatal’s knowl- seeing that it’s better to work with
udicing the parastatal of about $22 tant and another person working in Arcade in Harare, guest houses in edge. NRZ directly.
million in rental income annually. that department. the country’s low-density suburbs,
thousands of hectares of forest land, “The issue right now is being “This is just the first step that we
The parastatal, through its pen- “We have seen that some of our vast tracts of idle land, church and tackled with the courts because the started in Harare. What more of
sion fund, has interests in the prop- workers were actually part of this residential stands as well as plots land is ours. So we have many cases Bulawayo, Victoria Falls, Mutare
erty sector. (space barons). They were actually a and farms. of such people, who have gotten to and other places? So it’s a huge task
hand that was supporting these land that level. that we have on our hands, but we
An internal audit recently re- barons. “NRZ can benefit in terms of are not looking back.
vealed that the parastatal is losing revenue from all these. So it (real “So the NRZ is now fighting.
almost $22 million annually, in “Because sometimes you will see estate) had actually become a reve- The board has now taken the fight “We are fighting because it’s the
Harare alone, to space barons who some of these land barons wanting nue stream for the NRZ besides the to these land or space barons to say NRZ workers, pensioners and fami-
lease NRZ properties countrywide to deal with specific officers with- core revenue streams of freight ser- we want our land back and with this lies, which should benefit from these
and then sublet at far higher infor- in the NRZ and those people the vice and passenger services. The real fight we are saying part of the strate- things and we are saying somebody
mal rentals. board has already taken a position estate service had been made one gy is to regularise everyone,” he said. cannot just come from nowhere and
and suspended them to ensure that of the revenue streams because the benefit from NRZ. That is what we
The report notes about 110 ten- we refine our real estate, our system board wants to create value out of “Regularise those who were still have done in terms of real estate.”
ants lease NRZ properties and most and the way things should be done in the system and those who had no
of them sublet the properties at in- when it comes to properties,” he papers, but were being sublet. We
flated rentals in US dollars. said.

A sample survey of 10 of the 110  “We have the regional property
lease holders showed that they pay manager for Harare, we also have an
the NRZ a total of $45 576.33 per assistant to him, who was also sent
month while they earn $28 210 and on suspension in Harare.
US$2 270 ($182 666,90) a month.
“We have a third one who was
What it means is that the lease also in that department, who was
holders earn a total of $210 876.90 actually set up by one of the clients
per month, giving them a profit after learning what NRZ was doing.
of $165 300.57 after paying $45 So this client now feared for his life
576.33. and reported him to us. So we have
three real estate officers and assis-
When the entire number of tants, who have been suspended,”
leaseholders is factored in, the NRZ Maravanyika said, without naming
could be losing more than $1.8 mil- the employees.
lion a month, or $21.8 million a

No taxpayer funds will be spent on bad loans

MERLIN GARWE Legislators have in the past re- them. Once a decision has been riod 2027 through 2033. lars after maturity.
jected the idea of mopping up bad made, payment will be done. The “Though the maturity of the “From Zamco’s balance sheet, the
THE Zimbabwe Asset Management loans, saying this would burden the public is, therefore, assured that no
Corporation (Zamco) has ruled out taxpayer. state funds will be used to redeem TBs is still a number of years away, issue of currency changes is a ze-
drawing funds from the fiscus to the TBs,” he said. Zamco may consider early redemp- ro-sum game. TBs issued to acquire
redeem Treasury Bills (TBs) total- However, Zamco CE Cosmas tion of those TBs at some point in NPLs will be paid in 10 to 20 years’
ling $1.18 billion that were issued Kanhai this week told The News- As at October 31 2020, Zamco the future. The TBs will be paid on time and these have been re-denom-
to mop up redundant loans on the Hawks that no taxpayer funds will had resolved NPLs amounting to maturity. At the moment Zamco inated to RTGS dollars. Contrary to
market, The NewsHawks has learnt. be used to bail out borrowers. $700 million, which translates to a is paying the periodic TB coupons what many people have been made
recovery rate of above 60%. as and when they are due. As at 30 to believe, government has not yet
The two options include either “As I indicated earlier, over 60% September 2020, Zamco had made made any cashflow payment on the
paying the $1,18 billion to the gov- of borrowers have repaid their loans. This means out of the $1,18 bil- payments of TB coupons (interest) TBs,” he said
ernment or to buy back the TBs lion of acquired NPLs, only loans totalling $155 million.” he said.
from banks and cancel them. “In addition, due to prudent in- totalling about $400 million remain “This will be done on maturity of
vestment decisions, Zamco has suf- outstanding. Zamco benefited from currency the TBs whose tenures range from
Zamco’s assumption of non-per- ficient resources to pay off the TBs re-alignment that saw all debts ac- 10 years to 20 years from now. In
forming loans has invited scrutiny, without recourse to state funds. We Kanhai said the TBs mostly had quired before February 2009 being fact, the parties that lost out in this
with the National Assembly de- are in the process of looking at the tenures ranging from 10 years to 18 converted to local currency. equation are the banks, who are
manding the disclosure of the iden- appropriate way to redeem the TBs years, at issuance with a few excep- holding Treasury Bills where pay-
tities of the beneficiaries, who are between two competing options, tions where TBs with shorter ten- Kanhai said the parties that lost ment will be received in RTGS dol-
believed to be politicians and com- namely either to pay the $1.8 bil- ors were issued. The bulk of them, out in this equation are the banks, lars after, for example 10 years. By
panies with close ties to the elite. lion to government or to buy back representing 89% of outstanding who are holding TBs where pay- this time these would be valueless.”
the TBs from banks and cancel NPLs, are maturing during the pe- ment will be received in RTGS dol-

NewsHawks Companies & Markets Page 17

Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

Govt mulls overhaul of sugar industry law

MOSES NGWERE

GOVERNMENT is pushing for said. Sugar Division of Proceeds (DOP) “The purpose of the arrange- try is engaging the Zimbabwe In-
the amendment of the 1964 Sugar “To date, the ministry has met and amendment of the Sugar Pro- ment is to create an even playing vestment Development Authority
Production Control Act (SPCA) to duction Control Act of 1964 to field through bilateral agreements to facilitate and attract new invest-
address several concerns among with sugar farmers’ associations, provide for a role for government between the miller, Zimbabwe ment in the sugar industry. On
sector players, including land ten- millers, and Zimbabwe Sugar Sales in facilitating the negotiations of Sugar Sales and farmers. The new its part, the ministry will facilitate
ancy, distribution of inputs and and has gathered the existing chal- determining Division of Proceeds Act will ensure that all parties are importation of equipment and raw
sharing of proceeds. lenges and proposed solutions, (DOP), period of reviewing DOP, beneficiaries to the sugar by-prod- materials to be used in the sugar
which will culminate in a broad- who will bear the costs of review- ucts. Further, the new sugar strat- industry duty free in line with Sec-
A draft Bill is already in place to based policy framework for an ing DOP, membership and com- egy is targeted at growth and ex- tions 140 and 141 of the Customs
replace the outmoded law which equitable operating environment position of the Zimbabwe Sugar pansion, innovation, sustainability and Excise (General) Regulations.
stakeholders argue is not in sync through the amendment of the Association board and sugar in- and moving the sugar sector up
with the state of the sugar industry 1964 Sugar Production Control dustry agreements,” Nzenza said. the economic value chain.” “The ministry is also engag-
at the moment. Act and crafting of a new sugar ing line ministries to resolve the
strategy.” In addition, she said, the new Nzenza added that her minis- pertinent issues in the sugar in-
Among some of the issues to be policy and legal framework will try was in the process of facilitat- dustry with regards to minimum
addressed by the new law is to en- She said the new law would see bring in a milling agreement be- ing the duty-free importation of hectarage of plots to 50 hectares
sure peaceful coexistence between government playing a significant tween farmers and millers where- raw materials necessary in sugar and rehabilitation of wagons and
sugarcane farmers and millers. role in the highly lucrative sugar in farmers are set to benefit from production in order to enhance locomotives to increase efficiency
industry. by-products such as molasses, eth- competitiveness on the regional in logistics and thus improve the
Currently, agro-industry firm anol and bagasse or, optionally, be market. competitiveness of the sugar in-
Tongaat Hulett (Tongaat), which “Some of the areas, which the remunerated. dustry,” she said.
owns milling plants in Triangle new sugar strategy will address “Within this strategy, the minis-
and Hippo Valley, enjoys the mo- include a review of the level of the
nopoly of sugar milling, which the
proposed new law seeks to end.

Tongaat’s monopoly has often
led to clashes between farmers
after the Johannesburg Stock Ex-
change-listed giant accused some
outgrowers of invading its land
and refused to buy their crop.

Industry and Commerce min-
ister Sekai Nzenza confirmed the
development in an interview, say-
ing she held meetings with local
executives from Tongaat and those
from South Africa, where it is
headquartered.

She said she also had meetings
with farmers and other stakehold-
ers to map the best way forward.

“On the 21st October 2020, I
met with Tongaat Hulett execu-
tives and discussed pertinent and
long-standing issues affecting the
sugar industry in Zimbabwe. This
meeting is part of the ministry’s
engagements with players in the
sugar industry with a view to in-
crease the competitiveness and
productivity of the sector,” Nzenza

LIZWE SEBATHA Failure to valuate properties were exempted from rate charges.
bleeds councils in Zimbabwe “This was in contravention of
LOCAL authorities are losing mil-
lions of dollars in potential revenue via a statutory instrument. report. Number 782; House Number 783; the Urban Councils Act [Chapter
after negligently allowing many Auditor-General Mildred Chiri, “New properties and improve- House Number 191/1; House Num- 29:15] which only allows exemp-
years to lapse without updating val- ber 1575; House Number 15; House tion to non-profit organisations.
uation rolls and title deeds of com- in her report for the year ended 31 ments that were made between Number 632 and council main of-
mercial and residential properties, December 2018 on local author- 2000 up to the current period were fices. “The board could not provide
making it difficult to levy tax. Valu- ities, revealed that Victoria Falls, not included in the valuation roll or documentation to support exemp-
ation rolls are lists of properties and Zvishavane, Beitbridge, Gwanda, supplementary roll, consequently “The Council was not taxing tion of the council employees,” the
their owners  situated within the Bubi and Lupane’s Kusile Rural Dis- these were not being billed.  Risk/ housing benefit in contravention report says, adding that Kusile RDC
boundaries of a given local author- trict Council (RDC) had not been Implication:- Financial loss due to with the requirements of the In- is yet to submit financial statements
ity compiled for purposes of billing billing a number of properties due loss of potential revenue.” come Tax Act [Chapter 23:06. dating back to 2014.
and taxation. to a lack of valuation rolls or the ab- Risk / Implication:-  Financial loss
sence of title deeds. In terms of the Urban Councils due to interest and penalties from The AG revealed that the Bubi
The Urban Councils Act (Chap- Act, all properties are rateable  un- Zimbabwe Revenue Authority for RDC  “was operating without key
ter 29:15) provides for the creation “The Victoria Falls council did less an application is made and ap- non-compliance with the Income policies and procedures manuals,
of valuation offices by councils. not have an updated valuation roll proved by council. However, the re- Tax Act [Chapter 23:04],” the report which include asset management
in compliance with requirements port shows that councils are failing reads. policy, accounting procedures man-
Under section 237 of the Act, a of Urban Councils Act [Chapter to bill for various reasons. ual and risk management policy.
valuation officer must be appointed 29:15] section 253(a)-(f). The one The Lupane Kusile RDC was
to conduct such duties as the valua- in place was designed in 2000, and “The Beitbridge RDC Council losing potential revenue due to the “…The audit findings warrant
tion of all council and private prop- was no longer compatible with did not have title deeds to some of non-billing of employees in viola- the attention of management and
erties for rating purposes, insur- current economic changes that oc- its properties, which included the tion of the Urban Councils Act. those charged with governance.
ance, acquisition, sale and taxation, curred from 2009,” Chiri said in her following buildings: 104 Impala
among others. Drive; House Number 778; House “Stands owned by employees “The audit revealed that most
weaknesses related to governance,
A valuation roll must be updated service delivery, revenue collection
every 10 years. However, the period and debt management. As present-
can be extended by a further five ed in my analysis, there is need for
years, subject to ministerial consent improvement in accountability and
transparency in the local authori-
ties.”

Page 18 Executive Chat NewsHawks

Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

Tackle mineral smuggling urgently

The mining industry has been try with high criminal activity. So whatever is supposed to be Printers and Refiners side in terms MG: You have in the past point-
grappling with issues of smug- MG: Do you think this could be put in place must be done. But of deposits, but if only they can ed out massive corruption in the
gling, corruption and tax evasion, another case of organised crime if whatever is required to achieve improve on the speed of payment mining industry. Do you think
among other challenges, at a time in Zimbabwe? this target is not in place, it means of artisanal miners. Or if they can there is light at the end of the
the government has set an ambi- SD: What I can say is that smug- it’s not going to be achieved. We incentivise mines, there can actu- tunnel?
tious target to attain a US$12 bil- gling, whether organised or not, have got issues like smuggling, if ally be a boost towards the US$12 SD: There are certain situations
lion mining sector by 2023. Our is bad for the economy. It is not people continue to smuggle we billion economy. that breed corruption in the min-
reporter Merlin Garwe (MG) this good for the county and its peo- will not attain it. If people in the ing industry.
week spoke to the immediate past ple. mining sector continue to mine il- So if all these things are put in
president of the Zimbabwe Pros- MG: The mining sector is tar- legally, it means the creation of an place, the vision can be achieved. To make sure that corruption is
pectors’ Association, Samson Dz- geting to attain US$12 billion in illegal sector where people can do The mining industry needs to tackled, it would be good to en-
ingwe (SD), pictured, who says revenues. Considering the recent all sorts of illegal activities. work towards achieving the target sure that everything is done tim-
the country could find it difficult events, is this achievable? collectively. eously without keeping clients
to achieve the mining target if SD: It is true we are targeting a As long as we still have illegal MG: There have been arguments waiting.
proper mechanisms are not put in US$12 billion mining economy. people operating without licences that porous borders and other
place to curb leakages and ramp The US$12 billion revenue is ac- due to failure to issue out mining security systems were promoting For instance, ensuring that
up efficiency. tually attainable provided certain licences on time, then it means smuggling. What is your com- small-scale miners and prospec-
Below is the interview: issues are put in place so that every they will not meet the target as it ment? tive miners get mining licences
MG: Recently, the media was stakeholder in the mining indus- will lessen production. SD: I think we have authorities on time is important. If it takes
awash with the Henrietta Rush- try participates and supports this that are concerned with con- months and years of waiting,
waya gold smuggling scandal. vision. The less people get licences, the trolling the borders. They should that on its own creates a breeding
What is your comment on all less people mining illegally. ensure that they have sophisticat- ground for corruption.
these issues in relation to the But as long as there are people ed gadgets in line with modern
mining industry? or stakeholders, who are not in The Ministry of Mines needs to technology. That way, they can It means they are likely to be
SD: I will not comment specifi- support of the vision, it is not at- ensure that they issue out mining minimise smuggling. tempted to go into corruption to
cally on the individuals involved tainable. If the small-scale miners certificates to all pending applica- The borders need to equipped to speed up the licence issuance. So
as the matter is now before the are funded, mechanised, support- tions. make sure that they protect our the only way to avoid that is to
courts, but I would want to state ed by the Ministry of Mines, we country and economy so that they ensure that licences are issued on
that smuggling should be con- can attain even more than US$12 Some applications have been don’t get destroyed by these activ- time. Out of desperation and frus-
demned from every angle as it de- billion. waiting for years. If they speed ities. tration, situations may see them
stroys the economy. up the process, it means they getting into corruption.
will have speeded up production
As you know, smuggling is the towards the target of the US$12 If people are not timeously is-
movement of goods, in and out- billion economy. I also think there sued with licences, they end up
side the country, secretly, unpro- is improvement on the Fidelity convincing themselves to get into
cedurally or illegally. illegal mining without the licens-
ing.
That automatically means there
is evading of duties or taxes that As they will be working illegally,
are supposed to benefit the coun- there’s no way they will then take
try. It actually points to loss of their produce to Fidelity Printers
revenue. and Refiners but to the black mar-
ket because they won’t have the
That is the bad thing about proper papers.
smuggling and it should not be
promoted. It destroys the func- This is the reason why Fidelity
tioning of the economy of a coun- hasn’t been getting enough gold.
try. Smuggling is also the source It’s not that people do not want,
of instability or threat to national but circumstances won’t allow
security. them.

All the problems that you see in They have obligations to meet,
most countries are brought about so they work illegally. This is a re-
because of issues related to smug- quest to the Ministry of Mines as
gling. we are looking at the US$12 bil-
lion, that prospective miners must
It also blocks business invest- get their licences on time.
ments in the country, which de-
feats the assertion that Zimbabwe One year to two years without
is open for business. It doesn’t a licence actually promotes closure
matter, who does it, it’s not good of businesses, not opening.
for the people.
We need to open up business so
Above all, it raises the threat of that we can attain the US$12 bil-
instability and national security. It lion economy target.
creates criminal activities due to
the huge amounts of money that We cannot say we want a
is lost through such activities. US$12 billion mining sector with-
out attending to these issues. We
A rise in criminal activity in a will be lying to ourselves. We will
country is an indication of insta- be planning to fail.
bility. Instability on its own is a MG: Approximately how much
factor that blocks business invest- could Zimbabwe be losing to the
ments into the country, including smuggling cartels?
tourism and hospitality because SD: This one is difficult to say,
no one would want to visit such we need facts and figures. There
a country. is actually a percentage of our
economy, which we are losing big
The rise in criminal activity is time to smuggling activities. We
thus a threat to national securi- need corrective ways to make our
ty, which means we are actually country progress, especially in the
talking about countries’ econo- mining industry. Proper paper-
mies and blocking investments in work and monitoring systems will
the tourism and hospitality indus- ensure that the issue of losing out
try. Tourists tend to shun a coun- in terms of duties and taxes is less-
ened.

NewsHawks Taking Stock Page 19

Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

Price Sheet

Thursday, 19 November 2020 A MEMBER OF FINSEC & THE ZIMBABWE STOCK EXCHANGE

Company Sector Bloomberg Previous Last VWAP (cents) Total Total Price Price YTD Market
Ticker Price (cents) Traded Traded Traded Change Change (%) Cap
AFDIS Consumer Goods Volume Value ($) (cents) (%) ($m)
African Sun Consumer Services Price
ART -
Ariston Industrials AFDIS: ZH 2000,00 - 2000,00 12 500 - - - 526,96 2 346,12
Axia Consumer Services ASUN: ZH 183,87 150,00 150,00 18 750,00 -33,87 -18,42 500,00 1 292,66
BNC ARTD: ZH 229,00 229,00 - 1661,54 1 000,68
BAT Consumer Goods ARISTON: ZH 135,00 - 134,00 1 400 - - - 607,12 2 180,71
CAFCA Basic Materials AXIA: ZH 519,90 134,00 520,67 96 600 1 876,00 -1,00 -0,74 764,90 2 837,10
Cassava BIND: ZH 345,00 521,00 345,00 502 964,00 0,77 0,15 2032,26 4 312,01
CBZ Consumer Goods 21700,00 21700,00 - 354,45 4 477,47
Dairibord Industrials BAT: ZH 6100,00 - 6100,00 5 500 - - - 3326,58
Dawn CAFCA: ZH 374,93 21700,00 379,94 1 193 500,00 - - 171,39 532,84
Delta Technology 3707,50 3515,00 - - - 4942,32 9 842,64
Econet Banking CSZL: ZH 890,00 - 886,08 1 211 900 - 5,01 1,34 1972,70 24 156,19
Edgars CBZ: ZH 65,00 380,00 65,00 4 604 476,00 -192,50 -5,19 790,41 3 172,17
FBC Consumer Goods DZL: ZH 2273,23 3515,00 2395,74 2 200 -3,92 -0,44 603,08 1 597,16
Fidelity Real Estate 481,28 900,00 505,38 21 300 77 330,00 - - 238,18 30 772,35
First Capital DAWN: ZH 100,00 100,00 188 735,00 122,51 5,39 376,19 13 092,26
FML Consumer Goods DLTA: ZH 1300,00 - 1300,00 - 24,10 5,01 1892,34
FMP Telecommunications ECO: ZH 150,00 2395,00 150,00 1 905 500 - - - 1541,14 326,99
GBH Consumer Services EDGR: ZH 52,00 577,50 52,00 1 801 200 45 650 875,00 - - 482,31 8 735,35
Getbucks FBC: ZH 420,00 100,00 426,72 9 102 876,00 - - 1193,09
Hippo Banking FIDL: ZH 220,00 1300,00 220,00 23 600 - - 1194,12 163,38
Innscor Financial Services FCA: ZH 17,00 17,00 530 400 23 600,00 6,72 1,60 608,33 1 121,49
Lafarge FMHL: ZH 12,50 - 12,50 6 895 200,00 - - 2 944,98
Mash Banking FMP: ZH 1800,00 52,00 1800,00 - - - 4,17 2 723,95
Masimba Financial Services GBH: ZH 2501,87 425,00 2500,18 368 600 - - - 823,08
Medtech GBFS: ZH 610,00 610,00 191 672,00 - - 605,79 91,22
Meikles Real Estate HIPO: ZH 57,50 - 60,00 2 900 12 375,00 -1,69 -0,07 238,89 145,39
Nampak Industrials 285,00 - 283,66 - - - 669,23 3 474,37
NatFoods INN: ZH - - - 2,50 4,35 1471,52 14 120,43
NTS Financial Services LACZ: ZH 7,90 1800,00 7,90 - - -1,34 -0,47 419,74 488,00
NMBZ Consumer Goods MASH: ZH 1600,00 2500,00 1600,00 - - - 529,92 1 115,44
OK Zim MSHL: ZH - 39 500 711 000,00 - - 18,06 685,47
Padenga Industrials MMDZ: ZH 85,00 60,00 85,00 560 000 14 001 010,00 - - 565,93 240,14
Powerspeed Industrials MEIK: ZH 6000,00 285,00 6000,00 - - - 965,12 4 042,34
Proplastics Real Estate NPKZ: ZH 7,90 - 4 500,00 - - 539,02 642,30
RTG Industrials NTFD: ZH 22,90 - 22,90 7 500 288 480,00 - - 932,98 4 104,01
RioZim Healthcare 262,00 - 262,00 101 700 3 736,70 13,41 2,41 530,34
SeedCo Industrials NTS: ZH 557,21 - 570,62 47 300 - -3,97 -0,25 850,00 58,14
Simbisa Industrials NMB: ZH 1600,30 - 1596,33 - - - 625,61 1 058,93
Star Africa Consumer Goods OKZ: ZH 190,00 262,00 190,00 - - - - 1244,83 7 114,56
Truworths Industrials PHL: ZH 595,00 570,00 595,00 - - - - 262,32 8 645,62
TSL PWS: ZH 195,00 1600,00 195,00 - 26 200,00 - - 1041,74
Turnall Banking PROL: ZH 850,00 - 850,00 - 2 640 809,00 166,67 10,04 444,50 711,06
Unifreight Consumer Services RTG: ZH 1660,12 595,00 1826,79 10 000 5 025 255,00 24,02 3,64 745,07 1 499,02
Willdale RIOZ: ZH 659,98 195,00 684,00 462 800 - - - 855,26 4 866,22
ZB Consumer Goods SEED: ZH 30,00 - 30,00 314 800 329 630,00 -2,70 -12,95 626,07 1 037,25
Zeco Industrials SIM: ZH 20,85 1830,00 18,15 - 975,00 - - 518,18 4 485,28
Zimpapers Industrials SACL: ZH 550,00 684,00 550,00 55 400 - 8,00 13,33 43,89 3 845,34
Zimplow TRUW: ZH 60,00 30,00 68,00 500 569 960,00 - - 614,29 1 414,53
ZHL Consumer Services TSL: ZH 12,95 17,00 12,95 - 6 840 000,00 - - 2331,28
TOTAL Basic Materials TURN: ZH 25,00 - 25,00 31 200 3 540,00 - - 69,71
UNIF: ZH 1750,52 68,00 1750,52 1 000 000 5 535,00 - - - 1 964,06
Consumer Goods WILD: ZH - 11 800 - - - 407,46
Consumer Goods ZBFH: ZH 0,02 25,00 0,02 30 500 680,00 - - 705,77 335,27
Consumer Goods ZECO: ZH 68,00 - 68,00 - - - - 1766,67 13,79
Consumer Services ZIMP: ZH 487,49 - 487,49 1 000 2 950,00
Consumer Goods ZIMPLOW: ZH 280,00 - 280,00 - - 444,50
ZHL: ZH - 11 800 - 3 066,75
Industrials - - -
Industrials - - 0,09
Industrials - - 391,68
- 98 918 489,70 1 162,08
Banking - 4 293,35
Industrials 8 669 400 193 254,84
Consumer Services
Industrials
Financial Services

VFEX Open (US cents) Close (US cents) Change (%) TD (%) Mkt Cap (US$m) Top 5 Risers Price Change % YTD %
SCIL
18,00 18,00 - -17,81 43,40 Turnall 68,00c +8,00c +13,33 +518,18
SeedCo 1826,79c +166,67c +10,04 +1041,74
FINSEC Open (cents) Close (cents) Change (%) YTD (%) Mkt Cap ($m) Delta 2395,74c +122,51c +5,39 +603,08
OMZIL Econet 505,38c +24,10c +5,01 +238,18
3000,00 3000,00 - 150,00 2 490,35 Mash +4,35 +669,23
60,00c +2,50c

Index Close Change (%) Open YTD % Top 5 Fallers Price Change % YTD %

ZSE All Share 1 643,31 +0,66 1 632,50 +614,20 African Sun 150,00c -33,87c -18,42 +500,00
Top 10 1 083,70 +1,15 1 071,43 +432,11 Truworths 18,15c -2,70c -12,95 +855,26
Top 15 1 267,52 +1,03 1 254,58 +517,61 CBZ 3515,00c -192,50c -5,19 +4942,32
Small Cap 6 467,53 +0,78 6 417,61 +914,91 Ariston 134,00c -1,00c -0,74 +607,12
Medium Cap 3 219,49 -0,14 3 223,90 +1031,43 Masimba 283,66c -1,34c -0,47 +1471,52

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Page 20 News Analysis NewsHawks

Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

A blueprint
should not
just be a wish
list for Zim

NYASHA CHINGONO ity; mining; agriculture, Big ambitions...What can he deliver?
food and nutrition secu-
ZIMBABWE this week rity; governance; moving and investments,” Mnan- unattractive investment government should not financial sector stability
unveiled an ambitious the economy up the value gagwa said. destination. make life difficult for the including enhancing an
economic blueprint as chain and structural trans- private sector. open and business friend-
the authorities map out formation; human capital NDS 1 promises dra- The new economic ly environment, which
a new trajectory for the development; environ- matic economic recovery blueprint requires quality Robertson said policy promotes both foreign and
floundering economy over mental protection; climate of 7,4% in 2021; 5,5% in leadership and willing- consistency was needed domestic investment,” the
the next five years, but resilience and natural 2022; 5,2% in 2023 and ness to embrace reforms, for private equity holders policy document reads.
analysts say the economic resource management; 2024, while a 5% growth analysts say. are to find it worthwhile
strategy may come unstuck housing delivery; digi- rate is envisaged for 2025. to fund the new economic NDS 1 also envisages
if the government fails to tal economy; health and Economist Gift Mugano thrust. growth on the back of the
implement the far-reach- well-being; infrastructure Zimbabwe’s economy said while the economic adoption of bold economic
ing reforms necessary for and utilities; image-build- will this year contract by blueprint was largely pro- “Government is not policies.
the country to turn a new ing and international en- -7,5% according to the Af- gressive, the government trusted. The trust they
leaf. gagement and re-engage- rican Development Bank should ensure imple- need should be restored by Gross national income
ment; social protection; and a another drought mentation and quarterly staying out of the way of is expected to reach:
President Emmerson youth, sport and culture; would further cripple the reviews. investors,” Robertson said. US$1 159,80 (2020);
Mnangagwa on Monday and devolution. economy, amid projections US$1 842,20 (2021);
launched the National De- of negative growth. “The NDS is a great Robertson said the new US$2 137,10 (2022);
velopment Strategy (NDS Mnangagwa’s gov- document. It presents economic blueprint was US$2 712,70 (2023);
1-2021-25), a neo-liberal ernment is buoyant in The country last expe- binding constraints to the overly ambitious and the US$2 960,70 (2024); and
economic plan, as gov- portraying NDS 1 as the rienced positive economic goals, which we hardly government should follow US$3 207,30 (2025).
ernment desperately seeks panacea to Zimbabwe’s growth between 2009 and saw in other economic through on its promises
answers to the unrelent- unrelenting economic 2013 when the economy blueprints and there are by way of practical action, Mnangagwa promised
ing problems facing the problems. He promised an recorded 12% average strategies to cater for the which has often lacked in good governance, respect
southern African country improved quality of life for growth. constraints,” Mugano said. the past. for human rights and is
where a humanitarian cri- all Zimbabwean by 2025. anxious to salvage the
sis is brewing, according to The new economic plan “I don’t think the doc- He said NDS 1 will only country’s battered image
United Nations agencies. The blueprint will be aims at creating 760 000 ument is ambitious, it can be successful if the gov- through robust informa-
anchored on the mining formal jobs. Considering be achieved. The devil lies ernment also brings back tion management to the
NDS 1 is among sev- sector. However, critics waning economic fortunes in the implementation. land on the open market. international community.
eral economic blueprints have noted that, given amid the raging Covid-19 Government should give This would encourage for-
launched by the Zanu PF volatilities on the global pandemic, which has over quarterly updates.” eign investors, he said. While image building is
government in the past markets, the concentra- the months led to job loss- a good exercise to restore
decade and it remains to tion-risk of basing hope es, 760 000 jobs is a drop While NDS 1 is essen- “Some of the promises international goodwill,
be seen if Mnangagwa’s on the mining sector may in the ocean in a country tially an ambitious wish are quite brave. They must the arbitrary arrests of
administration will exhibit result in the government where nearly 90% of the list for the next five years, be determined to keep opposition politicians,
a change of attitude in im- missing some of the tar- employable population is the government’s capacity their promises. They say journalists, human rights
plementing the set targets. gets given that Zimbabwe out of work. to marshal resources for they will restore proper- defenders and abductions
is a primary producer. the implementation of the ty rights and the rule of will continue to dent the
The blueprint replaces Mnangagwa’s gov- blueprint will be key. law, it is easy to say these country’s image.
the Transitional Stabili- The smuggling of ernment, which is also things but harder to act
sation Programme (TSP), precious minerals such as grappling with chronic Locked out of the inter- them out,” Robertson said. Already buckling under
an economic stabilisation gold, which according to high inflation, has set national community and international pressure on
plan launched after the Home Affairs minister Ka- an ambitious target of with no hope of accessing The private sector will the issue of human rights
2018 elections, which fell zembe Kazembe is preju- achieving and maintain- funding from internation- be crucial in propelling violations, the Mnangagwa
short in setting Zimba- dicing Treasury of US$100 ing single-digit inflation al financial institutions NDS 1 to success, but an administration needs to
bwe on a path to recovery million in potential annually. The government (IFIs) like the World Bank, investor friendly environ- work hard to gain the trust
despite a glowing review revenue may also affect the sees the stabilisation of Zimbabwe will be looking ment must be created. of erstwhile partners.
from the authorities. recovery plan. the domestic currency as a to local capital to fund the
During the TSP, Zimbabwe pillar for stabilising price NDS 1. “This will be done NDS 1 will remain
also failed to implement “Through the im- hikes. through the creation of a an ambitious wish list if
the IMF Staff-Monitored plementation of NDS 1 With foreign direct thriving private sector-led Mnangagwa does not im-
Programme (SMP) and we, therefore, envision Inflation has been investment dwindling in competitive economy, plement sweeping reforms
the projected double-digit inclusive development, an among the deterrent fac- recent years, domestic implementation of sound to set the country on a
economic growth was not improved quality of life tors to investment where investment is expected to macro-economic poli- sustainable path to stabili-
achieved, among other for our people and shared Zimbabwe remains an spur NDS 1 but economist cies anchored on fiscal ty and growth.
shortcomings. prosperity. Our country John Robertson said the discipline, monetary and
must equally emerge from
NDS 1 is anchored on the strategy period more
14 points, namely: eco- competitive with diverse
nomic growth and stabil- and vibrant trade relations

NewsHawks Opinion Page 21

Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

TAKURA ZHANGAZHA Zim’s November 2017: National
shock, catharsis and populism
CONVERSATIONS around
the military takeover of the Above: A man walks past an army tank in Harare during the November 2017 coup. Bottom is late former president Robert Mugabe
country in November 2017
now revolve around, at least following: “The crisis around Airport. The subsequent the National Assembly to a a majority of SADC heads establishment decided to go
according to a majority of leadership and succession did events that followed, such as joint sitting of both houses of state and government ahead with.  And all events
pro-opposition opinion lead- not emerge in the villages‚ the war veterans-organised of Parlaiment, the process would be an affirmation of that have occurred in be-
ers, defining popular support not in the townships. It rally at Zimbabwe Grounds of national shock and fear a desire to see the “old man” tween then and now around
for it as “a mistake”.  comes from within the Zanu in Highfield, the attempted had morphed into a national retire.  Or that the main- SADC, African Union or
PF politburo‚ the Zanu PF march on State House, a cathartic moment. Where we stream opposition leader United Nations summits. 
On social media some me- central committee and, in visitation by a South African fast forward from 2017 to Morgan Tsvangirai would
mes have gone relatively viral part, in the first family and delegation to Mugabe and the present, it is now appar- accept Mugabe’s departure In recalling the tumul-
about how the 18 November its involvement in Zanu PF’s his infamous “Asante Sana” ent that with most moments with relative enthusiasm at tuous events of November
2017 march as enabled by succession policies.” And I statement were as eerie as of catharsis the aftermath what he would have con- 2017, we would do well to
the military and calling for flew back that evening to they were unpredictable. By sees an occupation with sidered a new opportunity remember that the ruling
Robert Mugabe’s ouster was a heavily guarded Rob- the time his resignation letter either regret at having been at the presidency.  And, of Zanu PF put our country
“National Dzungu Day”. ert Mugabe International was read by the Speaker of “overjoyed” or high expecta- course, the broader “inter- at great political risk with
Translated into English this tions of what that moment national community” which what it allowed to occur or
would be “National Confu- should have come to mean. viewed Mugabe as too much refused to see coming.  That
sion Day”.  All because of In this, and for emphasis, it of a symbol of Pan-African it eventually got away with
subsequent disappointment is worth recalling a couple resistance to the intentions it via reverse populism and
at the Emmerson Mnangag- of key issues about Zanu of globalisation and global an awkward shared desire
wa successor regime. Mainly PF’s leadership transition in private capital.  by many to see the back of
in relation to the fact that it November 2017.  Mugabe is something we will
won the subsequent 2018 The populist elements have to live with.  And for
elections as well as the fact One of these being the of the events of November historians to eventually give
that a Constitutional Court fact that the ruling party and 2017, therefore, eventually us multiple versions of the
challenge of the results ruled the establishment (includ- worked to confirm Mugabe’s details that led to it.  
in its favour.  ing the military and private lack of popularity across
capital) strategically decided multiple societal and global What we should collec-
With hindsight, what to turn the general lack of interests. tively agree on with hind-
his was fairly evident is that popular support for Mugabe sight and in the present
November 2017 was rather and his wife Grace to its own What is also interesting is that if we improve our
dramatic for many Zimba- populist advantage—at great in the contemporary is our politics, this will never hap-
bweans, almost like a soap risk to the country’s political continued desire for some pen again. And should have
opera and its typical charac- stability.  I am quite certain sort of catharsis, or our never happened.
ter plots. That is, an ageing that they asked themselves apparent search for a seismic
oligarch with a young(ish) the question: Who would event that would hopefully About the writer: Takura
ambitious wife and her not want to see the back of and, once again, change Zhangazha writes in his
hangers-on and the austere, Mugabe?  And they critically everything.   That was the personal capacity and can
sly uncle biding time to take knew that the answer from case with the 2018 general be contacted on: (taku-
over the family business.  elections which the ruling ra-zhangazha.blogspot.
com)
And very few people can
claim to have seen this com-
ing.  Not by a long shot.  

I remember that I was in
Johannesburg the week of 14
November 2017, attend-
ing a Zimbabwe Solidarity
Forum conference on, wait
for it, “Possible Scenarios
as Zimbabwe Heads for the
2018 Elections”.  The night
before my presentation, I
met up with a friend based
in the Diaspora to discuss
issues back home. And he
shared videos from his social
media feed of soldiers driv-
ing into town and raised his
own suspicions as to what
was going on in Harare.  I
refused to believe his imme-
diate conspiracy that there
was a coup d’état underway
in Zimbabwe.  

It turned out the fol-
lowing morning that he
was correct.  He shared the
video of now Foreign Affairs
Minister Sibusiso Moyo’s
early morning statement an-
nouncing that then President
Mugabe and his family were
safe, adding that the military
had moved in to protect
their commander-in-chief
from “criminals” surround-
ing him.

The conference I was
attending changed tone and,
in a media report by South
African newspaper The
Sowetan, I highlighted the

Page 22 Africa News NewsHawks

Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

A GROUP of African jour- Report professionally on visage for all of us.”
nalists from the region this migrants, journalists told Managing editor of Zim-
week met at Kloofzicht Re-
sort in Muldersdrift, north- construct as they are a media on objective and accurate destroyed livelihoods, it is cal advances have left journal- babwe’s new investigative
west of Johannesburg, to issue.  reporting of migrants’ rights easy for people to blame oth- ists without enough capacity journalism project, The New-
discuss the issue of migration and amplifying voices; an in- ers for their social and eco- to cover stories properly, in- sHawks, Dumisani Muleya,
and immigrants in South Af- Political and economic fac- depth understanding in cov- nomic situations,” Mawarire cluding on migration. said the workshop was en-
rica amid growing concern tors are also inherently inter- ering migrant issues; skills to said. lightening and useful.
over how the media is playing twined with that toxicity. elevate the voices and stories “The disruption in the
a negative role in fuelling vir- of migrants in their cover- “So it was crucial to bring media means that editors are “The workshop gave jour-
ulent xenophobia and stereo- The Southern African re- age; and to share a database journalists from the region: dealing with scarce resources nalists from the region an op-
types against undocumented gion, especially South Afri- of expert voices on migra- every country is sending and which has led to low invest- portunity to meet and discuss
migrants. ca, has experienced all types tion issues. The workshop receiving immigrants. We ment in investigative journal- critical issues around media
of movements, including also covered conflict-sensitive want journalists to embrace ism, training and upskilling discourses, migration and
The journalists were drawn mixed and irregular migra- journalism, principles of re- reporting that amplifies the of journalists,” Mhlangu said. experiences of a sense of be-
from Mozambique, Zambia, tion, labour migration and porting on xenophobia, solu- voices of migrants. We also longing. Media doesn’t only
Malawi, Botswana, Zimba- displacement due to conflict tions-based journalism and want to encourage journalists “Unfortunately, we are reflect society in which they
bwe, Lesotho, Eswatini and and natural disasters. There networking modalities. not to write negatively about now dealing with new and operate, they also have their
South Africa. is also the intervention of co- immigrants, but also the complex issues which would own agency and does agen-
lonialism, the lines of longi- The modes of delivery in- good contributions that mi- require new skills. It is upon da-setting, so it is important
The five-day workshop, tude and latitude which have cluded presentation, video grants make to host countries each member of society who that journalists understand
under the topic Changing the shaped countries’ geography clips, plenary discussions and and communities. want to live in a just world that while they have to be
Narrative About Migrants in and history. African societies exchanges, group discussions, and like social justice to as- factual, truth-telling and ro-
South Africa,  was organised and people were divided in case studies and featuring ex- “The workshop went well, sist the media to ensure we bust in their reporting they
by Internews and funded by 1884 at the imperial Berlin perts. it helped in knowledge build- live in an informed society. must also be responsible and
the United States Agency for Conference and that contin- ing and attitude change. For Africa to assist in the AU humane in their reporting;
International Development ues to have a huge impact Internews South Afri- Journalists will now begin to Agenda 2063 and the new avoid fuelling hate and xeno-
(USAID). in how they related to each ca country director Teldah appreciate the need for re- free trade area agreement, phobia in the name of giving
other.  Mawarire said the issue of mi- search, good robust journal- journalists will have to attend a platform to different voices.
USAID is an indepen- gration is pertinent to people ism and ethics on migration to issues around the move- Journalists have to allow all
dent agency of the United Journalists and experts of in the region. and other issues.” ment of goods and people voices to be heard without fil-
States federal government migration discussed  the re- within the African continent. tering, but must not fan the
that is primarily responsible lationship between media “People in this region have South African journalist So we hope this project has flames of nativism, hate and
for administering civilian discourses and experiences of been migrating since time Ngiphiwe (Mapi) Mhlangu, equipped those who attended xenophobia. We have seen
foreign aid and development belonging.  immemorial for different rea- the project coordinator, said with necessary skills to write some stories in the media in
assistance. Internews is an sons. Now with the Covid-19 the workshop’s main take- positive stories about a united different countries in the re-
international media devel- Some of the issues ad- pandemic it becomes even away is that disruptions in Africa and the future we en- gion, of late mainly in South
opment organisation whose dressed by the workshop in- more important which has the media due to technologi- Africa, where journalists write
mission is to empower lo- clude a deeper understanding crudely and nakedly xeno-
cal media worldwide to give phobic stories,” Muleya said.
people information and news
they need. The workshop “Journalists must not for-
discussed  the interesting, get the experiences of  Zim-
complex and often contro- babwe during Gukurahundi
versial issue of migration in and Rwanda and other coun-
the region; that is its history, tries when it comes to ‘other-
patterns of movement and ing’ people, reckless reporting
dynamics. and fuelling hate, be it on na-
tivist, ethnic and xenophobic
While media and journal- grounds. 
ists in general usually reflect
society in which they operate, “Africans are the same peo-
that is the good, the bad and ple, historically and currently.
the ugly, they are not passive The media is not projecting
agents of communication. that reality properly; internal-
They have their own agency ly and continentally.  Media
and agendas, and hence they must not play a negative role
are not only the public face on stereotyping people, for
of society, but shape society’s instance on race, ethnicity,
views, attitudes and culture; gender, religion and migra-
they can influence the social tion. That can easily be avoid-
climate and change for the ed by going back to basics
better or worse. of journalism: reporting in a
professional, factual, impar-
Stereotypes and phenom- tial, truthful, responsible and
ena like xenophobia, closely humane way.”
related to nativism and trib-
alism, are as much a social - STAFF WRITER

Death toll rises in Uganda’s worst unrest in years

AT LEAST 19 people have been forthcoming elections. ings overlooking the protests and car accident, the Observer, a local ticipating in such acts,” said Patrick
killed in Uganda over two days in “This is a war-like situation, so unidentifiable men in plainclothes, newspaper, reported. Onyango, a Kampala police spokes-
the country’s worst unrest in a de- believed to be security personnel, man. “The joint security teams are
cade, as security forces try to quell the army has to deploy,” Brig Flavia firing automatic weapons. More Dr Byarugaba Baterana, the ex- on top of the situation and will han-
protests triggered by  the arrest of Byekwaso, a military spokesperson, than 350 people were arrested, po- ecutive director of the Mulago Na- dle anyone who attempts to destabi-
presidential candidate Bobi Wine. told Reuters. “You can see what is lice said. tional Referral Hospital in Kampa- lise the capital city.”
going on, people are being stoned, la, told reporters that a further nine
Young people burned tyres and people are being killed, vehicles are The exact death toll in the unrest, people who had been admitted at Wine, whose real name is Rob-
blockaded streets in Uganda’s cap- being vandalised, tyres everywhere. which spread to other cities during the hospital ward had died of their ert Kyagulanyi, was detained on
ital, Kampala, on Thursday, and These things are spontaneous on all the day, is uncertain. Kampala’s injuries. Wednesday while campaigning in
soldiers fanned out across the city streets, so police cannot handle such main mortuary reported receiving eastern Uganda after authorities ac-
with armoured vehicles, a day after a situation.” 19 bodies, with postmortems re- The police reported between sev- cused the 38-year old of violating
the arrest of Wine, a popular reggae vealing the causes of death as gun- en and 16 deaths. anti-coronavirus measures by hold-
singer who is the leading challeng- Images posted on social media shots, suffocation from teargas and ing mass rallies.
er to President Yoweri Museveni in showed police in Kampala firing injuries sustained by a “hit and run” “We want warn the youths who
indiscriminately at people in build- have been lured into participating in — Guardian
illegal activities to desist from par-

NewsHawks World News Page 23

Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

Trump mounts all-out assault on election result

DONALD Trump  has press in Michigan has raised The next day both Hart- to certify the Wayne county Donald Trump tion result or, barring that,
mounted an all-out assault on concerns about the integrity mann and Palmer filed af- vote, indicating that he was Wayne county board of can- to spread the false belief that
the election result in Michi- of the state’s election result, fidavits in court seeking to following the process closely. vassers, Democrat Jonathan Biden’s victory was illegiti-
gan, reportedly planning to which has an election certifi- reverse their certification of Kinloch, denied the sub- mate. Polling indicates that
fly state lawmakers to meet cation deadline of Tuesday 23 the Wayne county result, The Michigan secretary of stance of the affidavits, tell- they are succeeding in the lat-
with him in Washington and November. claiming that they had been state, Jocelyn Benson, said ing the Washington Post that ter objective with a majority
phoning county officials in promised internally that the through a spokesperson on the Republican pair under- of Republicans.
an apparent attempt to derail As members of the Wayne vote would be audited, only Thursday that the certifica- stood the process and knew
the certification of Democrat county board of canvass- to discover it would not be. tion was final. “There is no what they were certifying. Trump campaign tamper-
Joe Biden’s 150,000-vote vic- ers, William Hartmann and legal mechanism for them to ing had not caused a serious
tory in the state. Monica Palmer played a cru- The White House did not rescind their vote,” she said. Ever since Trump’s elec- hitch in the process of vote
cial role this week in trans- reply to a request for com- “Their job is done and the tion loss two weeks ago, the certification, however, until
On Tuesday night, forming Michigan’s popu- ment. Neither did Hartmann next step in the process is for Trump campaign has been Tuesday night.
Trump  placed phone calls lar vote into all-important or Palmer. Trump inaccurate- the board of state canvassers filing lawsuits and applying
to two Republican members electoral college votes for ly tweeted on Tuesday night to meet and certify.” pressure on Republican offi- Biden needs electoral votes
of a county-level vote certi- Biden. Michigan has 16 elec- that the board had declined cials in multiple states in an to make his win over Trump
fication board the night be- toral votes. The vice-chairman of the effort to overturn the elec- official, although he defeated
fore the pair tried to reverse Trump in a sufficient number
their previous endorsement But at a meeting on Tues- of states that he still would
of a large chunk of the vote day night, Hartmann and win in the electoral college
in Michigan. Palmer at first refused to even if the Trump campaign
certify the vote in Wayne managed to steal the election
The news emerged as Re- county, which hosts the city in multiple big states such as
publican lawmakers in Mich- of Detroit and where more Michigan and Pennsylvania.
igan prepared to fly to Wash- than 80% of the vote is Af-
ington on Friday to meet rican American, citing minor Separately in Michigan
with Trump at his request, irregularities. Biden won the on Thursday, the Trump
the Washington Post first re- county by more than 330,000 campaign withdrew an elec-
ported. votes – his largest margin of tion-related lawsuit in fed-
any county in Michigan. eral court, making the false
While no explanation for assertion in court documents
the meeting has been given, After three hours of dis- that the Wayne county vote
Trump has been pressuring cussion among communi- had not been certified. The
Republican state lawmakers ty members attending the Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani
to try to hijack the electoral meeting virtually, some of was leading that case.
college by advancing slates of whom accused Hartmann
electors that could compete and Palmer of carrying out a The Trump campaign’s
with those selected by the brazen, racist assault on the legal strategy came un-
states’ voters. right to vote, the pair certi- der question in a separate
fied the Wayne county vote. case in Pennsylvania, where
There was no indication In the past the process has on Wednesday the cam-
that Trump’s strategy, which been treated as routine. paign proposed that the cam-
in addition to the consent paign itself should conduct a
of legislatures would require Trump spoke with Palm- review of mail-in ballots and
a string of highly unlikely er on the phone later that let the court know what it
court victories and ultimately night, she  told the Detroit found. As of this writing the
participation by Democrats Free Press. “He was checking court had not taken up the of-
in Congress to succeed, had to make sure I was safe,” she fer from the campaign, which
any remote chance of over- said. Palmer said that she and has failed to advance any of
turning the election. her family had “received mul- its dozens of lawsuits since
tiple threats”. election night. — Guardian
But Trump’s full-court

AUSTRALIAN special forces Australian special forces involved majority of special forces “did
were allegedly involved in the in murder, war crimes report alleges not choose to take this unlaw-
murder of 39 Afghan civil- ful path”.
ians, in some cases executing which involved prisoners, and trol, giving them the protec- of a “blooding” process to give criminal cases, because it was
prisoners to “blood” junior were deliberately covered up. tion under international law. them their first kill. his duty “to set things right”. The  Brereton report, to
soldiers before inventing cover a large degree, absolves se-
stories and planting weapons Thirty-nine Afghans were Patricia Gossman, senior “Typically, the patrol com- He also foreshadowed nior command of having any
on corpses, a major report has unlawfully killed in 23 inci- researcher in Afghanistan for mander would take a person changes to the army’s organi- knowledge that war crimes
found. For more than four dents, either by special forces Human Rights Watch, urged under control and the junior sational structure and a review were being committed.
years, the Maj Gen Justice or at the instruction of special nations whose militaries have member … would then be into honours and awards. In
Paul Brereton has investigated forces. None of the killings served as part of the US-led directed to kill the person the meantime, the meritorious Instead, it says the crim-
allegations that a small group took place in the heat of battle, coalition in Afghanistan — in- under control,” the report unit citation awarded to Spe- inality was committed and
within the elite Special Air and they all occurred in cir- cluding America and Britain found. “‘Throwdowns’ would cial Operations Task Group covered up by patrol com-
Services and commandos reg- cumstances which, if accepted — to follow Australia’s exam- be placed with the body and a rotations serving in Afghani- manders, usually lower-rank-
iments killed and brutalised by a jury, would constitute the ple and probe their own sol- ‘cover story’ was created for the stan between 2007 and 2013 ing sergeants or corporals, and
Afghan civilians, in some cases war crime of murder. All the diers’ conduct. purposes of operational report- will be revoked. involved a “small number of
allegedly slitting throats, gloat- victims were either non-com- ing and to deflect scrutiny.” patrol commanders and their
ing about their actions, keep- batants or were no longer “It was part of a sick culture “To the people of Afghani- protegees”.
ing kill counts, and photo- combatants. A total of 25 per- that essentially treated Afghans The chief of the ADF, Gen- stan, on behalf of the Austra-
graphing bodies with planted petrators have been identified living in these contested areas eral Angus Campbell, prom- lian Defence Force, I sincerely “While it would have been
phones and weapons to justify either as principals or accesso- as if they were all dangerous ised to act on the Brereton and unreservedly apologise for much easier to report that it
their actions. The findings of ries. Some are still serving in criminals — even the children report’s “shameful”, “deeply any wrongdoing by Austra- was poor command and lead-
Brereton’s report, released on the ADF. — or simply as not human,” disturbing” and “appalling” lian soldiers,” Campbell said ership that was primarily to
Thursday, are confronting and she said. findings about the conduct of during a press conference in blame for the events disclosed
damning. Brereton describes In all cases, the report finds Australian special forces. Canberra on Thursday. in this report, that would be
the special forces’ actions as it “was or should have been Some of the incidents de- a gross distortion,” the report
“disgraceful and a profound plain that the person killed was scribed in the report are deeply Campbell said he accepted “And to the people of Aus- said.
betrayal” of the Australian De- a non-combatant”. The vast troubling. Evidence suggests all 143 recommendations, in- tralia, I am sincerely sorry for
fence Force. majority of victims had been junior soldiers were instructed cluding referring individuals any wrongdoing by members Patrol commanders, the
captured and were under con- by their superiors to execute to the office of the special in- of the Australian Defence report found, were viewed by
The report found: prisoners in cold blood as part vestigator to consider potential Force,” he said, adding that the troopers as “demigods”, which
Special forces were respon- made it impossible to speak
sible for dozens of unlawful out about their actions.
killings, the vast majority of
“They are hero-worshipped
and unstoppable,” one anony-
mous soldier explained.

—Guardian

Porsche just got angrier Being a Fashion Model

&Life Style

STYLE TRAVEL BOOKS ARTS MOTORING

Page 24 Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

Covid-19 forces Nama postponement

JONATHAN MBIRIYAMVEKA

ORGANISERS of the Na- 40 years of Independence, legendary creatives who have
tional Arts Merit Awards dubbed NAMA Legends raised high the flag of the
(Nama) have postponed the Awards #NAMAlegends,” country over the stated peri-
annual event to February Nicholas Moyo, the NACZ od, “ he said   
2022  due to Covid-19, say- director, said.   
ing current restrictions aimed   Napoleon Nyanhi, the
at containing the spread of “These Legends Awards Nama executive director and
the pandemic would not al- provide for a strategic post- Jacaranda Culture and Media
low them to stage a ceremo- ponement of the competitive Corporation (JCMC) repre-
ny. 20th  NAMA whose hosting sentative, said they were al-
hung in the balance due to ready planning for the #NA-
This means the 20th  edi- MAlegends. 
tion, initially scheduled for
27 February 2021, will now  “The first thing on our cal-
be held in 2022 under the endar is the Inaugural Annual
theme “Our Legacy, Our Golf Day to be held in two
Pride”. weeks’ time on the 4th of De-
cember 2020 and we are saying
The National Arts Council annual in the hope that it will
of Zimbabwe (NACZ) and happen every year,” Nyanhi
the Jacaranda Culture and said.
Media Corporation (JCMC)
said the outbreak of the re- “Our hope is to see creatives
spiratory ailment which has and corporates coming togeth-
claimed more than 250 lives er and create more synergies
in Zimbabwe, has disrupted in such a setting. We are thus
operations of the arts indus- calling artists and journalists to
try. come on board, register and be
a part of the golf day.”
“This will provide for a
double celebration—firstly to   Elton Kurima from Kayse
mark Zimbabwe’s 40 years of Connect, a promotional com-
Independence through hon- pany, urged more corporates to
ouring 40 legends under the support the awards.
#NAMA Legends Awards,
secondly the National Arts   “We are honoured to be
Council of Zimbabwe marks working with NAMA and the
35 years of existence.  corporate world to uplift the
brand Zimbabwe through Cul-
“This will be a unique tural and Creative initiatives as
event in the sense that on the these,” he said.
night we shall honour forty
(40) legends as we celebrate  Other corporates represent-
ed were Old Mutual, Delta
Above: Ex Q perfoming at the 2019 National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA) Awards ceremony. Left: Enzo Ishall Beverages, Seed Co and Zim-
(centre) whose Song Kanjiva won Song of the Year award at the 2019 Nama ceremony with unidentified women. nat.

the Covid-19 pandemic and create in their usual spaces.”  ations in light of the relaxed
the subsequent lockdowns. He said the integrity of Covid-19 regulations.

“The prestigious com- Nama would be compro- “By hosting the Legends
petitive annual awards are mised in a situation where Awards, we desire to reflect
therefore postponed for a there were significant inhibi- on the developments in the
year owing to the impact tions to creativity created by Cultural and Creative In-
of the Covid-19 disease on the stringent lockdown regu- dustries (CCI) over the past
creativity and the arts sector lations. 40 years and celebrate our
in particular over the past 8 achievements by provid-
months.   “In this regard, the post- ing honorary awards to the
poned NAMA will be held people who were influential
“In reaching the decision in February 2022 and will re- during the period in shaping
to postpone the competitive ward artworks created in the the various subsectors of the
NAMA, NACZ is cognisant period 1st December 2019 to CCIs.
of the fact that a lack of activ- 30th  November 2021. This
ity in the sector has greatly af- extended period is to allow “The awards are a special
fected the ability of artists to artists to resume their oper- honour and recognition to

NewsHawks People & Places Page 25

Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

Journalists from the southern African region at Kloofzicht Lodge & Spa, Muldersdrift in South Africa during a week-long conference on media and migration

Kloofzicht a refreshing holiday resort

WHEN journalists from the re- rooms. suites and 12 family and exec- Zwartkops gorge and mountain. dle of humankind, it is the es-
gion discovered that they would It comprises 18 deluxe suites, utive twin suites, overlooking Nestled at the foothills of the sence of tranquility and luxury.
be staying at Kloofzicht Lodge exquisite dams or the unspoilt
& Spa during a week-long con- 10 superior suites, 20 executive Zwartkops mountains in the cra- Entering the resort area, one
ference on media and migration, is greeted by a stunning vista of
some expressed reservations, say- endless mountains and stretches
ing staying on the fringes of the of water.
City of Gold is not an option.
The small but magnificent
Why go stay in Siberian iso- nature reserve upon, which
lation in a remote place like Kloofzicht is built is home to
Muldersdrift on the margins of kudu, impala, blue wildebeest,
Gauteng province when there eland, red hartebeest, spring-
is Sandton, Rosebank, Melrose buck, gemsbok, zebra as well as a
Arch and other glamorous places fascinating array of bird life.
around in Johannesburg to book
at, journalists asked. The unique combination of
pure, unaffected, textured inte-
Muldersdrift is a picturesque riors are carried throughout the
area situated 27 kilometres lodge.
north-west of Johannesburg
between the city and the Mag- From comfort of the Little
aliesberg mountain range. It falls Foot Bar and restaurant one will
under the West Rand District experience the true effect of the
municipality and is part of Mo- hand-cut sandstone tiles and
gale City. majestic mahogany.

But no sooner had the jour- Natural wood and thatched
nalists arrived at the place than roofs, cobblestone, rich fibres
they started feeling comfy and and leather, bathtubs with ex-
enjoying temporary splendid quisite views, all woven into a re-
isolation like Britain during the sort and attendant environment
Palmerston reign at the height of of luxury.
British imperial power.
It made the conference on mi-
Kloofzicht Lodge & Spa is a gration reporting feel somehow
five-star graded lodge offering like a small holiday - 35 days be-
accommodation in 60 guest fore Christmas.

Property
NewsHawks

Page 26 PROPERTY INTERIORS ARCHITECTURE GARDENING Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

The home of prime property: [email protected]

Property sector to remain depressed

MERLIN GARWE played a huge part in the perfor- 31 March 2020. was also riding on the use of free Phase 1A of Marlborough Sunset
mance of the consultancy unit. The valuations and advisory funds as the stands we being sold Views, measuring on average 2 000
DAWN Properties Limited says on a cash basis in US dollars. square metres each, was completed
the property consultancy business “Covid-19 is not the worst cluster contributed 59% of the to- in July 2020.
may remain constrained across the we have heard to endure. If the tal property consultancy revenue “The use of free funds has thus
board as the economy continues to economy improves, the business compared with 41% during the become a positive on its impact As at 30 September 2020, the
be depressed at a time real-estate improves. When the economy is same period in prior year while the economywise as funds that were group had sold eight stands.
development has also been affect- depressed, the business is also de- property management cluster con- previously held can now be circu-
ed by economic turmoil and the pressed. tributed 32% of revenue compared lated. So on the economy and the In a trading update, the compa-
Covid-19 pandemic. with 49% in the same period prior pandemic, I would say yes and no. ny said the impact of the coro-
“For us, it’s our primary business year. navirus pandemic and the general
The property concern, whose and we have witnessed that over “Yes, in the sense that if it wasn’t decline in economic activity con-
other primary business is real estate time. Should the economy im- At the same time, Dowa said the for the pandemic and the bad tinued to curtail productivity and
advisory and valuation, saw a 10% prove, we will be able to come out Covid-19 pandemic and the poor economy, the absorption rate could growth. Falling aggregate demand
decline in revenues, attributed to of the woods,” he said. economic performance have also have been better. persisted amid tight liquidity in the
the poor performance of the econ- had an impact on the absorption market.
omy coupled with the coronavirus Dawn’s property consultancy rate when it comes to property de- “However, we have also devel-
outbreak. revenue, at $43,7 million, regis- velopment. oped a selective approach on who The Zimbabwean economy is,
tered a 10% decline from prior we deal with in these uncertain however, expected to shrink from
Dawn Properties MD Justin year. The company has now placed on times. So we are selling the stands last year’s level, with the Ministry
Dowa told The NewsHawks that the market the Sunset Views hous- in cash. We are not in a hurry to of Finance and the International
Covid- 19 was not the biggest The lower-than-prior-year per- ing stands, but Dowa said Dawn dispose of them, so as and when Monetary Fund projecting that the
challenge the sector has had to en- formance was mainly due to sub- had adopted a selective approach to they are sold up, we don’t have any Gross Domestic Product growth
dure as the deteriorating economy dued business during the Covid-19 the disposal of the stands. timeline.” rate for full-year 2020 will be
lockdown period as well as the loss -4.5% and -0.4% respectively.
of a significant clientele, effective Dowa added that the company Servicing of 65 stands under

NewsHawks Sport Page 27

Issue 6, 20 Nov 2020

Producing Ashley turns out for Harare
stars by the Sports Club while her young
sweat of the sister plays for rivals Old
brow Georgians.

ENOCK MUCHINJO community service through a Daniel Wasili in his playing days. Inset: Wasili (extreme right, standing) with some members of his academy. “When I go watch them
sport he loves so dearly: rugby. play, I will be supporting rug-
IF you have bought refresh- 1980s and early ’90s. but he was passionate about Njabulo Ndlovu. by, not teams,” chuckles the
ments and snacks on the street Unassuming and socia- “He (Osborne) encouraged grassroots development,” Some 15 years ago, Wasi- proud dad.
around the arc of Highfield ble, most people who come Wasili says. “It was a privilege
Road in the Southerton indus- through to Wasili’s mobile us to remain in the system de- just being in the same dress- li moved to Hatcliffe, where About 10 years ago Wasili
trial area of Harare, you prob- vending store will not know spite the frustration we faced, ing room with him. When we he bought land and built a returned to his roots, Mbare,
ably contributed indirectly to that their favourite meal sup- and the slow pace of racial in- played 15s, he would always house. Before Wasili’s arrival, where he feels he has unfin-
one of the most selfless efforts plier was in fact a one-time tegration in rugby back then,” encourage us to go back to the Hatcliffe was alien to rugby. ished business.
towards upliftment of sport in Zimbabwean top-flight league says Wasili. ghetto, to our roots, to help It is now the second most
Zimbabwe. rugby player who—from his develop raw talent there.” popular sport in the crowded The Mbare Bulldogs Acad-
sweat on the streets—has gone The Zimbabwe Rugby high-density suburb, thanks to emy is now in top gear, with
Daniel Wasili—a stocky on to groom future interna- Union-initiated grassroots Outside club rugby, a high- Wasili’s passion for the sport, hundreds of both boys and
and friendly 42-year-old sit- tional stars more decorated projects gave birth to lower light of Wasili was playing for which saw him setting up girls coming through to re-
ting on an old wooden stool than he was. league clubs in the town- a Zimbabwe second-string teams for both boys and girls. ceive training every week.
behind the mobile vending ships in the ’80s, and Wasili, Sevens team, Goshawks, in
cart—sells an assortment of Wasili got his first taste of a scrumhalf, turned out those 2004 and 2005. Wasili’s efforts are often at “Mbare is a centrepiece
foodstuffs to factory workers rugby in the 1980s through days for a gutsy Mbare Bull- great personal sacrifice, but of black rugby development
and several passers-by in the township development pro- dogs outfit that turned heads His playing career nev- with no hint of regret. in Zimbabwe,” Wasili says.
area. The Southerton terrain grammes sponsored by with its range of skills and nat- er really took off, turning to “There is history in that place,
is one Wasili, known to many such thriving companies as ural ability. coaching at a young age. He “Rugby is my life,” he says. and the parents are so support-
as JB, is familiar with. He was Quench, David Whitehead was one of the founders of “I love to identify and devel- ive of our efforts.”
born and raised in nearby Textiles and Colcom Zimba- With time, some of the Mbare Academy, which has op talent, seeing it progress to
Mbare, where he learnt how to bwe. township’s finest talents began gone on to produce house- levels that I was never able to At Mbare Bulldogs, Wasili
eke out a living peddling from to attract the attention of the hold names in Zimbabwean reach myself. I have passion is ably assisted by former Kyle
street stalls. The initiative resulted in established clubs on the more rugby through monetary assis- for transforming lives through College and Alexandra Sports
quite a number of talented affluent side of town. Wasi- tance and coaching. The most rugby.” Club scrumhalf Chris Tavone-
These days, proceeds from black players emerging from li ended up at Harare Sports notable products of Mbare sa, himself an enthusiastic de-
Wasili’s small enterprise main- the high-density areas—chief- Club, where one of his big- Academy are livewire back The Wasili girls, Kudzai velopment coach with an eye
ly go towards the upkeep of ly Mbare, Mufakose, Mab- gest influence was Zimbabwe’s Manasah Sita—who two years (16) and 12-year-old Ashley, for talent.
his two young daughters, with vuku and Chitungwiza—with first black captain and World ago switched international al- are chips off the old block.
who he has developed an even some developing fast enough Rugby Hall of Fame inductee legiance from Zimbabwe to The two sisters play rugby, and “Our vision is to create
closer relationship following to play international rugby for Kennedy Tsimba. Germany—and experienced are both scrumhalves, just like world-class rugby players
the sad passing of their mother Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe loose forward their father. from these areas,” says Tav-
last year. “Ken Tsimba came from a onesa. “Zimbabwe can be a
A great deal of that effort more privileged background, The two schoolgirls howev- world-beater in this sport. If
A significant chunk of his those days came from British er split the family at club level. our neighbours South Africa
modest earnings also goes to- coach Collin Osborne, Zim- can do it in rugby, and Zam-
wards an abiding dedication to babwe’s director of rugby and bia won the Africa Cup of Na-
later national coach in the tions in football, we can also
do it. There is unbelievable
talent in our country.”

In the true spirit of helping
others achieve their dreams,
training is offered for free at
Mbare Bulldogs Academy
to interested budding rugby
players. And from the little
resources earned from hard
work and effort, Wasili and
his partners continue to forge
ahead in pursuit of better live-
lihoods for the youngsters of
the townships.

Stuttering, but not hopeless start for Logarusic

ALARM bells were already less-gifted coaches from Eu- Algerians on Monday provid- entire unit and kills the team The keepers’ matter aside, limited by his new role in the
ringing loud for Zdravko rope but, to be fair, we have ed that opportunity. spirit. You let yourself and ev- a noticeable feature of the side. Time to time in both
Logarusic after just two also witnessed some Europe- First thing the coach eryone down. Warriors side over the two ties, the Warriors talisman
matches in charge of Zim- ans with CVs more appealing got right was dropping the Chipezeze’s replacement legs has been the success- surged forward and got into
babwe’s football team fol- than Loga’s coming over to blundering goalkeeper El- for the Harare leg on Mon- ful reinvention of captain good positions, adding in his
lowing the defeat to Algeria work in our part of the world. vis Chipezeze, who he had day, Talbert Shumba—fault- Knowledge Musona as an potency from long-range and
last week, and a tame inter- substituted in the away tie set-pieces as testified by that
national friendly with Ma- It is in this regard that Log- after a typical howler by effective deep-lying exquisite free-kick on Mon-
lawi in October. Many had arusic’s overflowing display of the Baroka stopper. It is player in the wake day past the Algerian goal-
expressed reservations about confidence upon arrival here, a bold decision to take HawkZone of the emergence of keeper Azzedine Doukha.
the 55-year-old Croatian’s a thinly-veiled cockiness you off your goalkeeper, but younger and per-
appointment, and for good could say, could be viewed Chipezeze—who should haps quicker offen- While Musona was getting
reason. as some kind of reactive be- not be anywhere near this Enock sive players who can to grips with what appears to
haviour to conceal a weak- Warriors side even in the Muchinjo do the job upfront. be a box-to-box task, Logaru-
Having been to every ness. The 3-1 loss to Algeria forced absence of at least sic must also be commended
corner of the planet for the in the away fixture of Africa two first-choices—is a di- In both legs, the for filling a glaring void in
better part of three decades Cup of Nations qualifiers last saster waiting to happen. 30-year-old skipper the attacking midfield-play-
in search of lowly club jobs, week seemed to fuel that no- When your teammates less for both Algeria goals linked defence and making role with the intro-
Logarusic finally landed in tion. have done a pretty good in the two all draw—had an attacked tirelessly duction of electrifying wing-
Zimbabwe via his only other 32-minute job of containing assured presence in goal for and admirably, his demean- er Kuda Mahachi and other
international coaching post, How fast though can sen- a potent attacking force like the Warriors. He command- our throughout clearly one of attack-minded players.
Sudan— modern-day under- timent change, more so in a Algeria, Africa’s best team, ed his area well and organised a player thoroughly enjoying
achievers despite a rich histo- sport with followers as fickle and you concede so softly af- his defence capably, all quite his newfound responsibility. It is a tactical mind that
ry of years gone by. as football fans. ter all the hard-work of your unlike the ever jittery Chi- Musona’s willingness to toil Loga should continue to
colleagues, it demoralises the pezeze. for the team has never been hone as the Warriors look well
Africa has often been Logarusic needed to re- in doubt, and I also don’t see poised for a third straight Na-
a hunting ground for the deem himself really quick, his offensive abilities being tions Cup finals appearance.
and the home leg against the

Sports Zim backs Producing
Singaporean starsby the
sweat of
the brow

– Page 26

Khwanja in

battle for ICC

Thursday 1 October 2020– Page 27

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Story on Page 3 Story on Page 8 Story o

Khwaja iCnhbatmtleisfoarrICeCach
ENOCK MUCHINJO out to Khupeport from the ICC.
“Look, it’s very simple
ZIMBABWE is backing in- what we are looking at,”
terim International Cricket the insider told The News-
Council (ICC) chairman Hawks this week. “There are
Imran Khwaja to become the two issues: fairer FTP (Fu-
substantive leader of world ture Tours Programme), and
cricket after the completion Unofficial president calls for emergencyalso a fairer financial mod-
of an ongoing electoral pro- el. And then also the ICC
cess. events. These are the issues
that affect us as a country.
Singaporean Khwaja is It’s not only us as the smaller
taking on New Zealand’s full-member nations, but the
Greg Barclay for one of the Associate members. Whoever
most powerful posts in glob- stands for those things is like-
al sport governance, with ly to get our vote. Whoever
the first round of voting this promises these things, we are
week ending in a stalemate inclined to listen. And that
after none of the two contes- person is Imran.”
tants garnered the two-thirds The Zimbabwe official was
majority required to assume confident of a win for Khwa-
office. ja, a 64-year-old lawyer and
former president of the Sin-
If the third round of vot- gapore Cricket Association.
ing produces another dead- Although hailing from a
lock, Khwaja, by virtue of minor cricket nation and rel-
being the acting ICC boss, atively unknown in the great-
will be confirmed the new er cricketing world, Khwaja
substantive chairperson of is an influential figure in ICC
world cricket’s ruling body. corridors.
He heads the Associate
The winner needs 11 votes member bloc of world cricket
to secure a two-thirds majori- and under the previous ICC
ty from the total votes cast by chairman, India’s Shashank
directors sitting on the ICC Manohar, Khwaja played a
board, where Test-playing key role in several sweeping
Zimbabwe has a seat. reforms that gave some of the
smaller nations a big say in
This could turn out to be the affairs of the game.
a tantalising contest for the Khwaja’s rival, Barclay,
leadership of one of the fore- is also a lawyer. A former
most sporting disciplines on chairperson of New Zealand
the planet. Among the 16 voters, In- tAo LbeSfOirmIlNy SbeIhDinEd the FNinewancSeouMthinAifsritcya Imran Khwaja
dia, Australia, England, New tChreicIkCeZtC, imBbao'rascrldlaayitnefirs2st0t1lja4o.ninHdedecontrov
The Board Control for Zealand, West Indies, Ban- sweeimpeunsdoecuidte$d3. .2KBhiwllaiojanvidcteopryo, ascictoorrdsinfgutnods
Cricket in India (BCCI), gladesh, Afghanistan, Ireland Zealander. Pakistan, Zimba- Zimbabwe, meanwhile, have a top source within Zimba- is being supported by most
which wields enormous in- and Malaysia are understood bwe, Sri Lanka and Singa- made their position known, bwean cricket, will guarantee of the top cricket-playing na-
fluence in the cricketing pore have cast their lot with with Khwaja the African na- the country more game-time tions led by India, Australia,
world, has not publicly de- Khwaja while crisis-ridden tion’s unequivocal choice. A and improved financial sup- England and the West Indies.
clared its preferred candidate
although it is understood to
have thrown its weight be-
hind Kiwi Barclay.

ALSO INSIDE Producing stars by the sweat of the brow Loga not a total no-hoper after all