By Own Correspondent| Bread prices are expected to go up again as a result of rising production costs.

Last year, the price of bread rose three times, from 90 cents to $1,10 before shooting to $1,40.

In November 2018, Bakers unilaterally increased the price of bread to $2,20 a loaf and the government intervened to reverse the move.

The latest move is being pushed by the National Bakers’ Association of Zimbabwe (NBAZ).

NBAZ vice-president Lucky Zinyama said that the RBZ is failing to meet their foreign currency requirements.

He said:

“We are currently getting pressure from our members, who are saying the cost of producing bread has gone (up) and they want to increase the bread prices. The major challenge now is forex, which is not available. Now, our members will have to go (to) the parallel market.

The initial agreement was that we get 80% allocation from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, but now we are getting just 30% of that. The difference, we have to source on other markets. So our members are giving us pressure to hike prices.”

The government announced that effective January 1, bakers will import raw materials duty-free. The bakers, however, bemoaned the unavailability of foreign currency.

NBAZ president Ngoni Mazango said:

“The biggest issue is not about free duty, but it’s the access to forex itself. Duty is a small component of our problem. Of cause, we appreciate the effort, but at the moment, we can’t get forex to import our raw materials.”-Newsday

By Own Correspondent| Harare City Council has revealed plans to introduce water rationing as it fails to meet demand.

This means water supplies will be rationed in order to ensure that areas that have not received a drop of tap water for years also get water.

Harare’s main water treatment works, Morton Jaffray Waterworks is pumping about 350 megalitres a day to Harare, a drop from 540 megalitres in recent months due to a prolonged drought and shortage of water treatment chemicals.

This is less than half of Harare’s daily water requirements, which currently is at 1 200 megalitres of treated water.

Harare clerk Hosiah Chisango said that the Western suburbs, which have been getting most of the treated water, will receive less water.

Said Chisango:

“In terms of mitigation, we will have to move to water rationing and there are certain areas that have been getting most of the water like our western suburbs. We have to make sure that we start rationing.

Instead of five or seven days, we will have to take away some days and give it to the eastern suburbs. We will share it with other councils so that they appreciate what we want to do.”-Newsday

By Own Correspondent| Opposition MDC deputy president Elias Mudzuri has called on Parliament to hold President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to account over the deteriorating economic situation in the country.

In his New Year message, Mudzuri said the prevailing situation, where people sleep in fuel queues, have no cash and the country has no currency, apart from the ever-rising cost of living, was not acceptable.

Said Mudzuri in a statement:

“Having no designated currency, sleeping in fuel queues, and a shortage of foreign currency is unacceptable. The government must be taken to task and Parliament must seek an agenda to hold the government to account.

With schools opening against the high cost of living, how do you resource well to ensure that the education system delivers when parents have no viable income?

The government must be held to account and as legislators, we have a collective role to play to make this country work again. That is the most viable route for this nation. Leadership is about delivering socio-economic and political goods to the people.

To the youths, Zimbabwe is for you. Lead it from the front, it’s your everyday job to do so. The country needs a people-driven leadership. We are the people. Let us come forth and rebuild our nation for a better future for all.

The toxic politics of hate and violence will only takes us backwards as a country. Zimbabwe is for every Zimbabwean, regardless of race, tribe or social standing. Democracy derives all its strength from the rule of law and respect for other people’s rights.

Race or tribe should have no space in 2019. We are Zimbabweans together. Differences in skin colour, language or ideology are only, but a bonus because they build us.

Our differences must never come between us. Hate speech and violence do not build our country. They must, therefore, remain in 2018.”-Newsday

By Talent Gondo| Zanu Pf member and former minister of State for Masvingo Province Josiah Hungwe has distanced himself from statements attributed to him in a newspaper report that quotes him telling delegates at Gudo Clinic, Chiredzi, that Emmerson Mnangagwa will shoot to stay in power.

In an interview with ZimEye, Hungwe said while the newspaper report allegedly quoted him, he never read or said the statement that Mnangagwa will shoot to stay in power.

He said:

“I have had so many people ask that, so please don’t worry yourselves about that because I never read it, eeeh, that is what people told me that it was reported in the newspaper, and the newspaper was The Mirror, something like that. Yes. I never read that, I never saw it.”

Quizzed further on the statement since there is a full recorded speech of him speaking and saying so, Hungwe was at pains to explain himself.

He said:

“Aaah, comrade, you don’t do that,” shortly before abruptly ending the telephone call (SEE VIDEO BELOW).

In August last year, Hungwe was quoted denying ever attending the Gudo Clinic function. The function was however covered far and wide by both the private and state media (including the Herald.)

He reportedly told the Daily News:

“You cannot make a story out of it. It is not fair because I was not there when what you are reminding me was allegedly said, it is your creation so look for other people to talk to not me,” he fumed as he hung his mobile phone before switching it off.

In the below recording of the speech revealed by ZimEye.com, Hungwe is heard clearly saying Emmerson Mnangagwa would shoot his way into power.

“Our leader Mnangagwa is a soldier and you know that a soldier is always equipped with a gun to do whatever he wants. If you want to run away from him he can shoot you so you should always know that,” Hungwe said, while commissioning the Gudo Clinic.

He also added:

“Do you know that I am the leader of the new dispensation here in Masvingo and I say ichi chinhu chedu chatakaita (this is our thing; it’s our creation).”

He added to statements by the then Deputy Minister Of Finance Terence Mukupe who said that the uniformed forces will not allow MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa to rule if he wins the 2018 election.

Commenting on the development last night, Amnesty International activist and Masvingo Residents Association, Prosper Tiringindi told ZimEye the development presents an opportunity for citizens to take the Motlanthe Commissioners to court since their report “ignores” the Hungwe statements.

Jane Mlambo| Foreign Affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo has made his first public appearance since he was diagnosed of kidney related ailment.

Minister SB fine and fit..on duty pic.twitter.com/MrWBY3cx4L

— Judith Makwanya (@JudyMakwanya) January 3, 2019

THE newly elected Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) board led by Felton Kamambo is set to move the association offices from controversial predecessor Philip Chiyangwa’s $10,000 per month offices along Enterprise Road to the National Sports Stadium.

An impeccable source at ZIFA indicated Wednesday that Kamambo had already made arrangements to move all operations and staff to the giant stadium over this coming weekend from its current base.

“Arrangements are already in place for the association to move its operations to offices at the National Sports Stadium because returning to ZIFA House is definitely out of the picture,” said the source.

“Returning to ZIFA House will mean that the association is bedevilled by debt collectors which I am sure is what Kamambo is fleeing from like Chiyangwa did when he took over from Cuthbert Dube.”

ZIFA’s January 2016 audit report revealed that one of Chiyangwa’s companies Hansporte Investments had been awarded a $50,000 tender to renovate and furnish ZIFA House.

ZIFA communications manager Xolisani Gwesela confirmed that they will be vacating Chiyangwa’s premises ‘soon’ but declined to confirm whether they were heading to the National Sports stadium.

“Yes, I can confirm that we will be leaving the Chisipite offices soon, but I am not yet in a position to share with you details of where we will be going from here, those will be shared in due course,” said Gwesela.

Chiyangwa moved the association’s headquarters from its 53 Livingstone, Harare offices in 2015 to his private Chisipite offices to flee the growing number of debtors seeking redress by ZIFA.

ZIFA debt ballooned from about $5 million to $8 million between 2015 and 2018 under Chiyangwa.

The flamboyant businessman was toppled in December by Kamambo who was part of his board until February 2017.

His ouster ended a turbulent three years at the helm of Zimbabwean football characterised by accusations of financial mismanagement, bribery, corruption and abuse of office.

Though there was massive approval from sections of Zimbabwe’s footballing circles who believed the ZANU PF Member of Parliament (MP) had personalised the association, very few people know about Kamambo.

The stadium Kamambo is moving the association to also houses the Footballers Union of Zimbabwe (FUZ) and premiership giants Dynamos on its Mezzanine Floor as well as the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) just behind the VIP area.

State Media

By Talent Gondo| Zanu Pf member and former minister of State for Masvingo Province Josiah Hungwe has distanced himself from statements attributed to him in a newspaper report that quotes him telling delegates at Gudo Clinic, Chiredzi, that Emmerson Mnangagwa will shoot to stay in power.

In an interview with ZimEye, Hungwe said while the newspaper report allegedly quoted him, he never read or said the statement that Mnangagwa will shoot to stay in power.

He said:

“I have had so many people ask that, so please don’t worry yourselves about that because I never read it, eeeh, that is what people told me that it was reported in the newspaper, and the newspaper was The Mirror, something like that. Yes. I never read that, I never saw it.”

Quizzed further on the statement since there is a full recorded speech of him speaking and saying so, Hungwe was at pains to explain himself.

He said:

“Aaah, comrade, you don’t do that,” shortly before abruptly ending the telephone call (SEE VIDEO BELOW).

In August last year, Hungwe was quoted denying ever attending the Gudo Clinic function. The function was however covered far and wide by both the private and state media (including the Herald.)

He reportedly told the Daily News:

“You cannot make a story out of it. It is not fair because I was not there when what you are reminding me was allegedly said, it is your creation so look for other people to talk to not me,” he fumed as he hung his mobile phone before switching it off.

In the below recording of the speech revealed by ZimEye.com, Hungwe is heard clearly saying Emmerson Mnangagwa would shoot his way into power.

“Our leader Mnangagwa is a soldier and you know that a soldier is always equipped with a gun to do whatever he wants. If you want to run away from him he can shoot you so you should always know that,” Hungwe said, while commissioning the Gudo Clinic.

He also added:

“Do you know that I am the leader of the new dispensation here in Masvingo and I say ichi chinhu chedu chatakaita (this is our thing; it’s our creation).”

He added to statements by the then Deputy Minister Of Finance Terence Mukupe who said that the uniformed forces will not allow MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa to rule if he wins the 2018 election.

Commenting on the development last night, Amnesty International activist and Masvingo Residents Association, Prosper Tiringindi told ZimEye the development presents an opportunity for citizens to take the Motlanthe Commissioners to court since their report “ignores” Hungwe’s statements.

By Own Correspondent| Police boss Godwin Matanga has revealed that the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) is set to adopt a new structure in the force’s hierachy aimed at rebranding the force to win back public confidence.

Commissioner Matanga said changes to the ZRP hierarchy will be effected in the “next few days”.

Said Commissioner General Matanga:

“Very soon I will be announcing a new ZRP structure which has since been approved by Government through the Police Service Commission (PSC).

In our old structure, we used to have the rank of commissioner and in the new structure we now have the ranks of Commissioner of Police but not the same as we had in the previous structure.

The new police commissioner who is coming is going to replace the rank of Senior Assistant Commissioner.

In the new structure, if I could be allowed to come from the bottom, we will have the Constable, Sergeant, Sergeant Major, Assistant Inspector, Inspector, Chief Inspector, Superintendent, Chief Superintendent, Assistant Commissioner, Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioner General and then Commissioner General.

I should have effected this new setup from December 18, 2018 but because of some logistical considerations I will definitely have to do it within the next few days. But officially it took effect from December 18, 2018.”- StateMedia

By Own Correspondent| Zanu Pf Manicaland Province has implored the party to accord prominent Mutare businessman Mr Hlanganiso Matangaidze, who died over the weekend, provincial hero status.

THE panicky government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa has reportedly put its security arms on high alert as part of measures to clamp down on leaders of opposition parties, non-governmental organisations and labour unions ahead of next week’s mass protests over the deteriorating economic situation in the country, NewsDay has learnt.

Well-placed government sources have revealed that the country’s security apparatus has been put on high alert to deal with the impending strikes that could pose a serious threat to Mnangagwa’s rule.

The security fears were amplified by threats of crippling demonstrations by teachers, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) as well as the opposition MDC, beginning next week.

According to sources, Mnangagwa fears the protests, mainly involving underpaid civil servants, could be hijacked by his political rivals to effect regime change.

“The security agents are on high alert. There is fear that the proposed protests by teachers, ZCTU and the opposition may force things off hand, especially coming at a time when schools open and parents cannot afford to pay the hiked fees and uniforms,” a source told NewsDay.

“There was a meeting this week by the Joint Operations Command, and one of the major issues was to call on President Mnangagwa to address the deteriorating economic situation in the country to avoid a security crisis. The demonstrations will be met with force from government.”

Mnangagwa is still battling to contain a month-long strike by public hospital doctors, who want to be paid in United States dollar-denominated salaries, among other grievances.

He was forced to abort his annual leave early this week to help his deputy, Constantino Chiwenga, deal with the matter.
Presidential spokesperson George Charamba on Wednesday warned opposition parties and non-governmental organisations to stay out of the impasse between government and the striking doctors.

Mnangagwa last year repeatedly warned the opposition MDC, whose protests have attracted huge crowds, of abusing the democratic space provided by his government, adding he would soon run out of patience.

Home Affairs minister Cain Mathema yesterday, however, professed ignorance on the planned clampdown on protesters.
“I am hearing this issue from you. What do you want government to do? To have them in prison? I don’t know what you are talking about,”Mathema said.

But MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume said his party was not deterred by State threats of a clampdown on opposition leaders.
“It is clear that their own incompetence, inefficiency and cluelessness have become a danger to themselves. They are running away from their shadow,” Mafume said.

“The people of Zimbabwe have a right to protest and express themselves using constitutional means. We are not deterred. We know they have demons of war and like Legion, they will find pigs to possess and fall off the cliff of dictatorship. We remain committed to representing the interests of the people within the confines of the Constitution.”

ZCTU secretary-general Japhet Moyo also vowed to go ahead with the planned protests.

“We want to make it clear that we are not afraid of them. We are ready for them. We know they have been doing this for years so that they could retain power,” he said.

“We are aware that hospitals are waiting for us after being beaten by the police. We are aware that the prisons are waiting for us because this rogue regime, without due care for its citizens, is going to arrest us for exercising our rights”

Added Moyo: “Let it be known that they can kill us, fight us and do all sorts of things, but the economy will not change because of that. Government should direct its energy towards the economy and not unarmed civilians.”

Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe president Obert Masaraure said no amount of threats would deter them.
“We are going ahead; no one is going to stop us. Even if we are going to stay at home, there are worse horrors at home than at [Finance minister] Mthuli Ncube’s office.

We will be looking at our children who can’t go to school because we don’t have school fees, and that there is no food and money,” Masaraure said.

“Even those who want to go to work will be unable to (do so) because they don’t have money.”

-Newsday

By Own Correspondent| Acting President Constantino Chiwenga delivered 90 000 tonnes of maize to the Kanyemba community thanking the electorate for voting for his party.

Chiwenga said his party ZANU PF was grateful for the support it was given by the people of Kanyemba in the July 30 2018 harmonised election.

Chiwenga delivered 90 000 tonnes of grain to the area, which he said was a gift from President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

He also said that the floating bridge on the Zambezi river would be commissioned soon.

Said Chiwenga:

“As Zanu PF, we would like to say Happy New Year; we also want to thank you for voting for us in the just-ended elections. We came here to check on the progress we made since our campaign time.

The President (Mnangagwa) is on leave and I was with him yesterday (Wednesday) and he gave you a Christmas box of 90 tonnes of grain. He said he will come to commission the floating bridge (across the Zambezi River linking Zambia and Zimbabwe).”-Newsday

By Own Correspondent| The Movement for Democratic Change led by Nelson Chamisa will this morning hold a press conference at Morgan Tsvangirai House in the capital Harare.

ZimEye will be livestreaming the presser and giving you live coverage of this event.

Refresh this page for latest updates.

By Own Correspondent| The Officer in Charge at Milton Park Police Station has told Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition’s (CiZC) lawyers that plain clothed police officers who visited CiZC offices yesterday, January 3 2019, were only making a ‘courtesy call.’

The Officer in Charge who initially expressed ignorance over the matter following inquiries by lawyers from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) told the non governmental organisation that the plain clothed police details meant no harm.

He said this a few hours later when he called the organisation to say that he had been alerted of the visit by his subordinates who had confirmed to him that the suprise visit was merely a ‘courtesy call’.

VIDEOS LOADING BELOW….

"The issue here ladies and gentlemen is an issue of betrayal of our liberation struggle…" https://t.co/7apyvnfNtb pic.twitter.com/vxSz3XjhWx

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) January 4, 2019

VIDEOS LOADING BELOW….

"The issue here ladies and gentlemen is an issue of betrayal of our liberation struggle…" https://t.co/7apyvnfNtb pic.twitter.com/vxSz3XjhWx

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) January 4, 2019

https://www.facebook.com/ZimEye/videos/582687215506619

By Own Correspondent| The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers have surrendered a camera which they had confiscated from some journalists while they were covering a protest in Harare in December.

Said the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) in a statement:

“ZRP officers unlawfully seized a Canon 1300 D camera belonging to two journalists Hebert Sithole and Panashe Mukuta, who work for The Mail & Telegraph, an online news agency on 11 December 2018 outside Harare Central Police Station, where the media practitioners were assaulted in full view of the public while covering a protest by some disgruntled MDC party supporters.

The journalists were accosted by some ZRP members, who instructed them to stop covering the protest despite having produced their media accreditation cards, before the law enforcement agents forcefully grabbed their camera and smashed it against the gate at Harare Central Police Station.

This prompted the journalists to engage Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, whose lawyer Kudzayi Kadzere filed an urgent chamber application in the High Court seeking the return of the camera as ZRP officers had no right to confiscate the media practitioners’ camera.

On Monday 24 December 2018, High Court Judge Justice Nyaradzo Munangati Manongwa ordered ZRP officers to surrender the camera to the journalists after declaring the law enforcement agents’ conduct as unlawful.

In compliance with the court order, ZRP officers promptly surrendered the camera to the media practitioners on Monday 24 December 2018.”

The state owned Herald Friday morning reported a breaking news item claiming that junior doctors have called off their strike.

ZimEye however reveals that the same government media reports that doctors have done the contrary and the government gone ahead to invite applications to fill in posts.

FULL TEXT:

First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa today met striking junior doctors at State House where they agreed to call off their month long industrial action while their grievances were looked into.

Briefing journalists after a two hour meeting, the First Lady said she had agreed to take up their grievances to relevant authorities so that they could address those that could immediately implemented.

By Own Correspondent| A 22 year old Gwanda man has been hauled to court for raping his 88-year-old neighbour after he unlawfully gained entry into her bedroom hut in early morning.

Trust Ncube of Kafusi Village raided the woman while she was sleeping before raping her. He was not asked to plead when he appeared briefly before Gwanda magistrate, Mrs Nomagugu Sibanda facing charges of unlawful entry and rape. He was remanded in custody to January 17.

It is the state’s case that Ncube raped the old woman who stays alone on Wednesday at around 4am.

Revealed the state:

“Ncube went to the old woman’s home on January 2 at around 4am where he found her sleeping alone in her bedroom hut. Ncube forcibly opened the door to the woman’s bedroom and gained entry.

“He grabbed the old woman and dragged her out of her bedroom hut and raped her once before running away.

“The old woman fled to her neighbour’s homestead after Ncube had left and narrated what had happened. The matter was reported to the police resulting in Ncube’s arrest.”