Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has reportedly instructed courts not to release journalist Blessed Mhlanga until after 31 March, according to award-winning journalist Hopewell Chin’ono.
If Mhlanga, a senior journalist at Alpha Media Holdings (AMH), is denied bail until April, he will have spent over a month in pre-trial detention. Chin’ono wrote on X:
<blockquote>
The Zimbabwean journalist Blessed Mhlanga, who has been in political detention since Monday, did not commit the crime he is accused of, and the owner of HSTV, where Blessed works, confirms this.
Trevor Ncube says Blessed did not say a word in the said material transmitted and adds that Blessed is neither HSTV, which broadcast the material, nor AMH, the parent company of HSTV.
Mnangagwa’s regime is run by cowards from top to bottom, who targeted Blessed as a soft target.
We now also know that Mnangagwa’s Justice Minister, Ziyambe Ziyambe, instructed the courts not to release Blessed until after 31 March. What a bunch of cowards!
</blockquote>
Mhlanga was arrested on Monday for allegedly sharing information that could incite violence or damage property. He is facing charges under Section 164 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
On Friday, a Harare magistrate, Farai Gwitima, denied Mhlanga bail, saying he might interfere with witnesses and harm the investigation.
The charges against Mhlanga are related to interviews he reportedly had with Blessed Geza, a war veteran from the ruling ZANU PF party, who opposes President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s 2030 agenda.
The police are searching for Geza to answer charges of incitement, undermining the President’s authority, and theft.
Geza has publicly called for Mnangagwa to resign, accusing him of corruption, poor leadership, favouritism, and rewarding friends and family.

Pindula News

Zimbabwe Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi told courts not to release journalist Blessed Mhlanga until end of March. Mhlanga denied bail and facing charges for sharing information that could cause violence. Mhlanga's boss said he didn't commit any crime. Ziyambi is accused of targeting Mhlanga as a soft target. Mhlanga's charges related to interviews with war veteran criticizing President Mnangagwa. Police are looking for the war veteran. The journalist has been in detention for a long time.

Chin'ono Claims Ziyambi Instructed Courts To Deny Mhlanga Bail Until April

Wicknell Chivayo has offered to cover the US$10,000 needed for 4-year-old Manase Jessie to undergo life-saving heart surgery in India.
Chivayo, a socialite known for his lavish lifestyle, stepped in after journalist Hopewell Chin’ono shared the urgent plea for help on his social media pages on Thursday. Reads the appeal:
<blockquote>
Manase is 4 years old, is reaching out to you with a heartfelt plea for funding. Manase was diagnosed with heart failure in May 2024 at Marina Paediatric Hospital in Botswana by Doctor David cardiologist and was referred to Doctor Machawira Heart Surgeon who has made it clear that her condition can only be treated in India. The cost of this surgery in India is 10,000 USD. Your compassionate assistance could be the life that pulls her out of the situation.
You may transfer your donation or direct it to +263 775 640 660 EcoCash Number – Antonia Mabhundu (Mother).
</blockquote>
Commenting on Chin’ono’s post, Chivayo offered to cover the full US$10,000 required for the young girl’s heart surgery. He wrote:
<blockquote>
For the first time, I agree and will support what @daddyhope has posted. I am willing to pay the whole 10 thousand USD directly to the Doctor or Hospital in India. Please get them to contact my lawyer Sikhumbuzo Mpofu at Mnangate &amp; Associates and he will do the needful immediately. God bless.
</blockquote>
Chin’ono acknowledged Chivayo’s response and said he had informed Jessie’s family about the generous offer.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Wicknell Chivayo offered $10,000 to help a 4-year-old girl named Manase Jessie who needs heart surgery. A journalist shared the plea on social media. Chivayo agreed to pay the full amount for the surgery in India. Manase's family can contact Chivayo's lawyer for help. The journalist thanked Chivayo for his generous offer. It's important to help those in need.

Chivayo Offers US$10,000 For 4-Year-Old Girl’s Heart Surgery After Social Media Appeal

Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono suggests that South Africa should document illegal immigrants as a long-term solution to immigration problems, rather than deporting them.
This recommendation follows a statement by South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber, who revealed that 19,750 undocumented immigrants were deported, costing the government R52,817,656 (US$2,995,289.27).
Since January 2022, South Africa has spent almost R200 million on deporting 83,731 illegal immigrants.
Speaking to <a href="https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2024-10-23-r52m-on-deportation-is-a-waste-document-migrants-instead-zimbabwes-hopewell-chinono/">TimesLive</a>, Chin’ono described this expenditure as a “waste of money,” arguing that deported immigrants are likely to return to South Africa.
He suggested that documenting illegal immigrants could address various issues, including unemployment.
This is despite complaints from South Africans about foreigners “taking their jobs,” often due to companies exploiting undocumented workers for cheap labour. Said Chin’ono:
<blockquote>
The only way out, to help South African workers who refuse to work for a pittance in restaurants, and rightly so, is to legalise those already in South Africa so the authorities know who they are.
Implement regulations ensuring these workers can be employed and pay taxes, but also make sure jobs must be offered to South Africans first. They do that in Zimbabwe with the few jobs available, and that is standard practice the world over.
Where no South African is willing to take up the job, it can be offered to a documented migrant who will be paying taxes.
When illegal immigrants are documented and have bank accounts they will begin to pay taxes and can also become entrepreneurial, creating businesses that will employ more South Africans and contribute to economic growth.
</blockquote>
Chin’ono added that documenting illegal immigrants and gathering their biometric data would also reduce crime, as undocumented immigrants could commit crimes without being identified.
He criticized South African politicians for using the issue to win votes without offering practical solutions. 
Chin’ono reiterated that documenting immigrants would facilitate better border control and provide a comprehensive approach to managing immigration. Said Chin’ono:
<blockquote>
These illegal immigrants are deported on a Monday and by Friday they are back. This is known as the revolving door.
The border officials are so corrupt they facilitate this revolving door because they profit from it, so you cannot use immigration control to deal with this on land borders where people come by road.
Some illegal immigrants do not even leave South Africa because the police who arrest them will also accept bribes.
Refusing to document illegals, hoping deportations will solve the problem demonstrates incompetence and ignorance about how illegal immigration works.
It is easy to control the border when you have cleaned up the existing problem. It requires men and women in leadership with a spine.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe tops the list of countries with illegal immigrants in South Africa, with more than 7,000 Zimbabweans deported in 2022/2023.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Hopewell Chin'ono thinks South Africa should document, not deport, illegal immigrants to solve immigration issues. Deporting costs a lot of money and the immigrants may come back. He suggests documenting them to help with unemployment and pay taxes. It will also reduce crime. Chin'ono criticizes politicians for not finding real solutions. He says cleaning up the existing problem will help control the border. Many illegal immigrants come from Zimbabwe. Chin'ono says it's important to have strong leaders to solve this problem.

South Africa Should Document, Not Deport, Illegal Immigrants - Hopewell Chin'ono

Renowned Zimbabwean journalist and filmmaker Hopewell Chin’ono says the country’s land reform programme, which was accelerated by the Robert Mugabe administration around 2000, needs to be redone.
Chin’ono said that productive farmers should receive land, rather than allowing politically connected individuals to acquire large tracts of land that they subsequently lease out.
Chin’ono’s remarks came in response to a statement issued on Tuesday, October 1, by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi concerning allegations that community members invaded Strathmore Farm in Banket and stole potatoes.
Commissioner Nyathi said the farm belongs to Retired High Court Judge Vernanda Cecil Ziyambi and is currently leased to Jonathan Timothy Mackwade for potato farming.
He also said preliminary investigations suggest the farm manager authorised farm workers and locals to collect damaged potatoes from the harvested field the day after the harvest was completed.
In his comments, Chin’ono asserted that land is currently held by the wrong people and should be reallocated to those who will use it productively. Wrote Chin’ono on X:
<blockquote>
To my South African friends and followers on this timeline who are always asking me why Zimbabweans come to South Africa to do menial jobs when they have land in Zimbabwe. Below is your answer.
What you are reading in the document in the quoted tweet (statement by Commissioner Nyathi) explains what went wrong with land reform in Zimbabwe.
Land is given to those connected to ZANU-PF, but they are not necessarily farmers.
They then rent the farms to white farmers who were kicked off the land, so what happened in Zimbabwe is not land reform, but thugs taking over land and renting it out instead of giving it to people with expertise to use it.
In a normal society, a judge who is not a farmer would not have been given land only to rent it out to the real farmer. 
This makes food in Zimbabwe more expensive because the farmer has to pay rent to someone who produces nothing and got the land for free without paying a penny.
Judges receive these farms as a thank you for passing illegal rulings against the regime’s political opponents! 
Land is in the hands of the wrong people. 
If the real farmer had been given access to this state land, the cost of potatoes would be cheaper because they wouldn’t have to factor in rent paid to the “farmer-owner.”
Land reform will have to be redone in Zimbabwe in a way that is sustainable, fair, and economic. 
What ZANU PF did is akin to invading a plane without knowing how to fly it, then asking the pilot to use it for a while in exchange for rentals.
The real farmer can’t develop the farm because it is not in their name, as they can be kicked off by the official owner.
Land is in the hands of a ZANUPF mafia that charges protection fees/rentals to white farmers to allow them to continue farming.
This practice perpetuates historical inequalities and has negative economic consequences for the country.
The cost of food production rises due to this added layer of rent, and the overall productivity of the agricultural sector suffers because experienced farmers are not given the opportunity to fully utilise their skills and resources.
A sustainable and equitable land reform process would prioritise allocating land to those with the knowledge and experience to use it effectively.
This would not only improve agricultural productivity but also help address historical injustices and empower previously disadvantaged communities.
Today, the majority of the previously disadvantaged are still disadvantaged. I was one of the top three Boer goat breeders in Zimbabwe from around 2015 doing it at my ancestral plot.
A former governor for Mashonaland East asked me to join ZANUPF if I wanted land. Of course, I politely said no.
The judge can’t own land, it is state land. She has a lease, and because she is part of the ruling elite, she can rent it out and make money from something she didn’t pay a penny for. Her husband, Tarisai Ziyambi, was also a government minister.
If people who can produce and have the production expertise have to beg people who can’t produce for land, it is a Banana Republic. Zimbabwe is a crime scene!!!!
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Zimbabwe needs to redo land reform because wrong people have land. Land is given to politically connected people who rent it out. This makes farming more expensive and lowers productivity. The real farmers are not given a chance to use the land effectively. Land reform should be fair and give land to those who can use it well. Currently, those with expertise in farming are overlooked. Hopewell Chin'ono says land reform should be redone in a way that helps everyone, not just a few people.

Zimbabwe’s Land Reform Programme Must Be Redone - Chin'ono

Harare mayor, Councillor Jacob Mafume, has been criticised for attending a ZANU PF indoctrination programme at the party’s Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology.
Mafume is among a group of mayors, chairpersons, councillors, and staff from 92 local authorities across the country who attended the two-day training session at the Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare.
The training was conducted by Munyaradzi Machacha, the principal of the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology and ZANU PF’s National Political Commissar, on behalf of the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.
However, the mayors of Bulawayo, David Coltart, and his deputy, Edwin Ndlovu, did not attend the training. Instead, the city’s Town Clerk and Finance Director attended in their place.
Former CCC MP Job Sikhala, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), suggested that the opposition councillors attending the training may be motivated by greed. He wrote:
<blockquote>
There are more important things in life than money and power. No amount of silver and gold should persuade you to sacrifice your values and principles to be dragged to the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology, to be brainwashed with some redundant ideology.
The ideology that is anti-people, promotion of the persecution of those in disagreement with that moribund ideology and intolerance of opponents of the establishment!
</blockquote>
Hopewell Chin’ono, a prominent government critic, was more blunt in his assessment of Mafume’s attendance at the ZANU PF ideological training.
Chin’ono accused Mafume of “treachery” saying he is now serving his own interests and those of the ruling ZANU PF party. Said Chin’ono:
<blockquote>
Harareans rejected ZANU PF in toto, but here you are, Mayor, using taxpayers’ money to attend an ideological indoctrination workshop at a ZANU PF indoctrination school!
I wouldn’t blame anyone who argues that you are no longer serving the interests of the residents of Harare, you are now serving your own interests and those of ZANU PF!
I can’t imagine that you would leave your office for the whole day to go to a ZANU PF indoctrination school when your residents have no clean drinking water!
It is just irresponsible for any opposition-elected mayor to do such a reckless thing! You have insulted the residents of Harare.
They are powerless because everything in Zimbabwe is captured, but at this point, it is fair to say you don’t represent them anymore!
… History will never forgive you for this treachery Jacob, you have betrayed the residents of Harare.
Our country is broken both politically and economically because of ZANU PF, yet you see it fit to not only go to a ZANU PF indoctrination school but to also use our money as Harareans attending this rubbish!
If Harareans had a way to remove you they would, but of course, ZANUPF courts will protect you, I am disappointed in not only your irresponsible actions, but in you too!
You have undermined the democratic process by participating in a ZANUPF indoctrination workshop while serving as an opposition mayor, you have “legitimised” the ruling party’s authoritarian tactics.
Long live David Coltart, the Mayor of Bulawayo, for rejecting this nonsense!
</blockquote>
Mafume is a member of the opposition Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) and was re-elected as the mayor of Harare following the 2023 general elections.
His re-election came after Sengezo Tshabangu controversially recalled his two predecessors, Ian Makone and Lovejoy Chitengu.
Tshabangu, known for unilaterally recalling scores of CCC MPs and Councillors, defended the mandatory two-day ideological training, describing it as a positive initiative aimed at building the capacity of councillors and aligning local governance with national policies.
The Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology is named after Herbert Chitepo, a prominent nationalist and former chairperson of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU).
The school focuses on topics such as patriotism, national security, and the history of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Harare mayor Jacob Mafume went to ZANU PF training, some people are not happy. They say he is betraying the opposition. Other mayors did not go. Critics say Mafume is serving his own interests, not the people. They think it's wrong for him to go to ZANU PF training. But some say the training is good for learning about important things. The training is about the history of Zimbabwe and being loyal to the country. Some people are mad at Mafume for going. They think he should focus on helping the people of Harare instead.

Mafume Slammed For Attending ZANU PF Ideological Training

Award-winning journalist Hopewell Chin’ono has criticised opposition leader Nelson Chamisa for calling for “proper elections” in Zimbabwe, arguing that holding elections without reforms is a waste of time.
In response to Chamisa’s comments, Chin’ono stated that elections “don’t work when dealing with a political thug like crookED Emmerson”, apparently referring to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Chamisa lamented that since the disputed 2023 harmonized elections, Zimbabweans have not experienced normalcy or peace, as scores of activists have been detained on what some commentators have described as trumped-up charges. Wrote Chamisa on X:
<blockquote>
ZIMBABWE MUST HAVE PROPER ELECTIONS AND FIX BROKEN POLITICS
Following the discredited, illegal and disputed 2023 General Elections, Zimbabweans have not known normalcy or peace.
As of now, 78 families and a one-year-old child are without their loved ones. This is because the 78 political prisoners held different political views and dared to express themselves and exercise their freedom of association.
On the 16th of June 2024, these political prisoners were celebrating Africa Youth Day before being forcibly taken to prison where they remain 45 days later.
In addition, the families of Namatai Kwekeza (a human rights defender), Samuel Gwenzi (Civil society), Robson Chere (trade unionist), Promise Munkuli and Vusimuzi Moyo are without their loved ones for no reason other than their association with wanting a better Zimbabwe, advocating for women, young people, workers and speaking out against injustices.
Robson Chere’s family and friends are faced with the additional burden of fearing for his health given the injuries sustained during his arrest. Robson only wants better for the workers who sustain Zimbabwe.
The family of Bruce Moyo, a young Councillor from Bulawayo is without him because of exercising his political freedom of association as a young citizen and council representative.
Many other people (young and old) are spending nights in the prison cells after being taken abruptly and brazenly for no crime but being targets for simply exercising their constitutional freedom of association.
In Zimbabwe, being an active conscious citizen and being young has become a crime. The citizens, especially the young people, are persecuted for their beliefs and for wanting better lives. 
In Zimbabwe, it has been turned criminal to be young. 
This assault and onslaught on the citizens is a clarion call for unity across the political divide to condemn and rebuke these violations, violence and injustice.
Fellow citizens of SADC and all African countries, this can’t be civilized politics. This is bizarre, and abnormal and must be condemned by all progressives across the world.
</blockquote>
Responding to Chamisa’s calls for “proper elections” in Zimbabwe, Hopewell Chin’ono argued that the country’s “broken politics” cannot be mended “through bogus elections” alone.
Instead, Chin’ono suggested that some other means are required to address the fundamental issues. Wrote Chin’ono:
<blockquote>
We have been talking about elections for the past 24 years, but they don’t work when dealing with a political thug like crookED Emmerson!
Leaders should stop sanitising corrupt rule by repeating the same ineffective strategies of going into choreographed elections!
The only thing elections have provided is a few jobs for opposition members who go to Parliament, fight for cars and salaries, and collect kickbacks from crookED Emmerson as they did with the US$40,000 which I personally exposed in 2022!
Any attempt to railroad citizens into yet another rigged election without reforms will be condemned, and anyone attempting to do so should not complain when we say they are on crookED Emmerson’s payroll!
Nobody will ever be able to fix the broken politics through bogus elections, we must now use other means to deal with crookED Emmerson, elections are not one of those ways!
If there is another election without reforms, we will condemn anyone who gets involved in them and tell our people to stay home.
Let crookED Emmerson contest fake and rigged elections with his poodles!
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Hopewell Chin'ono is saying that having elections in Zimbabwe without changing the way things work is a waste of time. He thinks that the current leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is not fair, so just having elections won't help. Nelson Chamisa also thinks that things are not right since the last elections. Many people are in jail just for speaking up. Chin'ono says that having more elections without fixing the real problems won't change anything. He says other ways are needed to make things better in Zimbabwe. So, having another election without changes won't help, according to Chin'ono.

Elections Without Reforms A Waste Of Time - Chin'ono

Award-winning journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and social media personality Shadaya Knight Tawona have condemned boxer Temba Gorimbo for his unwarranted criticism of Zimdancehall star Winky D.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Gorimbo claimed that Winky D lacks recognition beyond Zimbabwe’s borders and is only famous within the local music scene. He said:
<blockquote>
Winky D ndewe local guys chete. Numbers don’t lie handiti but at least I respect kuti haana kuzotenga ma followers. Maona here vana local, Winky D anozihwa nemi chete maZimbo.
</blockquote>
In a seemingly veiled response to Gorimbo’s comments, Chin’ono said that artists and sportspeople should maintain humility, even as their stature and success grow.
While Chin’ono did not directly name Gorimbo, his message appeared to be a rebuke of the boxer’s disparaging remarks about Winky D’s popularity. Said Chin’ono:
<blockquote>
When you get public support for things like sports, music, or being at the top of your field, remember where you came from and the people who supported you!
It is foolish to insult the very same people who cheered for you and sometimes fought your public battles for you.
If you are not smart enough to distinguish between common sense and being ungrateful and insulting, do what real stars do, let professional people manage your social media accounts!
Why risk alienating your fanbase when you can have someone with a cool head manage your online presence?
You will one day need the people you are antagonising, especially those who have stood by you through thick and thin.
The temptation for public figures to start believing their own hype and lashing out at their supporters is a real danger. 
It is easy to forget that fame is a fickle thing and that public opinion can turn on you.
There are bigger and real stars who have understood this and have lived their lives with respect and dignity.
As a well-known journalist who has had public support when fighting my battles, the last thing I would do is diss other public figures who are minding their own business and have not said anything bad about me.
Unless you are talking about politicians whose actions affect our daily lives, or you are talking about the actions of people in a society, leave people who are doing their own thing alone, as they have also left you alone!
I applaud big names who are insulted but choose to keep quiet, that is the essence of being a real GOAT!
</blockquote>
It appears Gorimbo interpreted Chin’ono’s advice about humility as a direct criticism of his own comments about Winky D. Gorimbo did not take kindly to this perceived rebuke, and responded by lashing out at Chin’ono.
In retaliation, Gorimbo lambasted Chin’ono, labelling him a “man with no brain” and accused him of “bashing” the country through his social media posts exposing corruption. Said Gorimbo:
<blockquote>
You my brother, you don’t have any sense or brains to give life advice to anyone. You don’t know what is behind my jokes.
You are a disgrace to Zimbabwe. You always bashing the country. We love Zimbabwe and take action instead of complaining on Twitter.
</blockquote>
Shadaya, who has made waves on social media with his controversial views on masculinity and gender roles, said Gorimbo should have a professional managing his social media accounts. He said:
<blockquote>
Themba Gorimbo is proof of why most celebrities actually need management, especially to handle their social media accounts
Because let’s be realistic a majority of them are plain idiots, they live in their own imaginary world, out of touch with reality.
For example, Gorimbo is now so out of touch with reality ever since he was adopted by The Rock. The fame has gotten to his head, to a point he feels he can denigrate every other Zimbabwean celebrity, just for the sake of it
At the same time insulting fans, the very people who cheered for him in his grass-to-grace story. At the click of a button, he has lost all the respect the people had for him. Over what?
Social media attention is indeed a drug.
</blockquote>
Gorimbo’s remarks have sparked a debate on social media. Some people voiced support for Gorimbo’s claim that Winky D lacks significant international recognition, beyond his popularity within Zimbabwe.
However, others criticized Gorimbo, arguing that he was wrong to publicly disparage the musician, who has generally maintained a low-profile and avoided saying anything negative about others.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Chin'ono, Shadaya Condemn Boxer Temba Gorimbo's Unprovoked Criticism Of Winky D

The outcry outcry over the quality of new high court judges to be sworn in Monday 17 June continues. Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, in <a href="https://x.com/daddyhope/status/1802308041498362072">a post on X described the appointment</a> of these judges as the burying of Zimbabwe’s judiciary. 
In a notice released by the government days go, Mnangagwa said he had appointed former magistrates Faith Mushure and Ngoni Nduna and lawyers Regis Demure, Philipa Phillips, Gibson Mandaza, Joel Mambara, Naison Chivhayo, Vivian Ndlovu, Sijabuliso Siziba and Mpokiseng Dube as judges of the High Court.
Chin’ono says the president selected judges who would likely rule in his favour, and not based on their qualification for the job.
Said Chin’ono:
<blockquote>
Dear Fellow Africans,
When we say that the Zimbabwean judiciary has collapsed through capture, incompetence, and corruption, this is what we mean.
These men and women you see in this video clip publicly failed their interviews. Some are even crooks who don’t repay debts, yet President Mnangagwa is appointing them as judges tomorrow.
These are the men and women who will be part of Zimbabwe’s high court.
They know they are not qualified, the president knows they are not qualified, but they got the job because they have done things for the regime!
One of them, Ngoni Nduna, who until these interviews was a magistrate, outraged the international legal community when he removed my lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa from representing me in 2020 after I had been arrested on trumped-up charges.
Even the Chinese bar condemned his actions. He doesn’t pay his debts, yet our president ignored all that. From tomorrow, he will be a judge!
This is the quality of judiciary that we will have and have had in Zimbabwe.
Some of them like Nduna were used at the magistrates court to illegally deny opposition figures, journalists and activists bail.
When a person is appointed a judge when they are unqualified, they will seek to return that favour by making illegal rulings which go against the constitution. 
Under the so called Second Republic the judiciary has been buried!
Welcome to my Zimbabwe!!!
</blockquote>
<a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

"Judiciary Has Been Buried", Chin'ono Decries ED's Appointment Of 'Unqualified' Judges

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been criticised for showing “desperation” during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Konstantinosky Palace in the Petrodvorets district of St. Petersburg, Strelna village, two days ago.
Mnangagwa told Putin that Western countries are consolidating their power in Zambia “in terms of security and in terms of financial support” thereby isolating Zimbabwe.
However, it is not true that the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has a base in Zambia.
Last year, Gen. Michael Langley said that the United States established an Office of Security Cooperation in Zambia but there are no plans to establish a U.S. base in the country.
He said the Office of Security Cooperation is just an office with a desk with an officer manning that desk whose mission is to keep deepening the two countries’ relationship, long-term bilateral security relationship between the United States and Zambia.
Journalist and government critic Hopewell Chin’ono said Zimbabwe is always getting played because the country’s leaders don’t know how to negotiate.
Commenting on video footage of Mnangagwa’s meeting with Putin, Chin’ono said the Zimbabwean President showed desperation in trying to engage with Russia. He wrote on social media:
<blockquote>
You don’t negotiate by selling yourself short, saying that you are lonely and that nobody in the West wants to engage with you.
This approach signals to the other side that you are desperate, revealing that you have no perceived value.
What we saw explains why Zimbabwe is always getting played, our leaders don’t know how to negotiate at all.
He should have said that the West is offering many opportunities to thaw relations, but because of our liberation history with Russia, he prefers to do business with them if they provide a good deal.
By openly stating that Zimbabwe is “desperate” for engagement with the West, the President weakened his position and gave President Putin an advantage in future negotiations.
To get the best deal, it is essential to convey a strong bargaining position and demonstrate the value that Zimbabwe brings to the table.
Highlighting the country’s historical ties with Russia was a good carrot, but emphasising the potential benefits of improved relations with the West was going to be the stick rather than revealing desperation.
What we saw in that video is a glimpse of how Zimbabwe has been sold cheaply in the last 44 years due to incompetent negotiating skills!
</blockquote>
Meanwhile, Mnangagwa on Saturday said he reaffirmed the importance of a multipolar world to achieve air and inclusive global development. He posted on social media:
<blockquote>
I had the honour of addressing the 27th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) alongside President Vladimir Putin.
I highlighted the importance of a multipolar world, advocating for fair and inclusive global development.
Zimbabwe stands by the philosophy of “friend to all, enemy to none,” embracing cooperation, partnerships, and investments to drive mutual growth.
I again called for the removal of illegal sanctions and sought strategic investments in infrastructure, education, and renewable energy to unlock our potential.
Together, we aim to build a just, inclusive, and prosperous world. Zimbabwe is open for business and welcomes partnerships across all sectors.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Zimbabwe's Leaders Lack Basic Negotiating Skills, Putin Will Exploit Mnangagwa's "Desperation" - Chin'ono

Award-winning journalist and filmmaker Hopewell Chin’ono is giving away R100 000 to Zimbabwean mental health patients who cannot afford medication.
On Tuesday night, Chin’ono posted on his social media pages that he received a gift of R50,000 from his personal doctor, Nyasha Maboreke, in Johannesburg, South Africa. He then chose to donate the money to a worthy cause. He said:
<blockquote>
Tonight, I had dinner with my personal doctor, Nyasha Maboreke, in Johannesburg.
A prominent Zimbabwean gave me R50,000 to appreciate my contributions towards Zimbabwe’s journey to democracy. “Imari yedrink mudhara,” he said.
I want to use this money to buy mental health drugs for Zimbabweans who can’t afford them.
If you have a relative who needs mental health drugs but can’t afford them, let me know!
</blockquote>
After Chin’ono’s post, his pages were flooded with messages of support from Zimbabweans, prompting Dr. Maboreke to double his offer to R100,000 Said Chin’ono:
<blockquote>
My doctor, Nyasha Maboreke, has been deeply moved by your comments. He said he is going to match the amount, so we now have R100,000 in the pot for this mental health drug initiative.
</blockquote>
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) mental health in Zimbabwe faces significant challenges.
WHO said the issue is underreported, lacks reliable data, and remains stigmatized. Issues such as depression, anxiety, and suicide continue to be misunderstood and associated with negative connotations.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Hopewell Chin'ono Donates R100, 000 To Mental Health Patients

Schools in Zimbabwe open for the 2024 second term on 07 May, amid reports that some schools, both private and public, are rejecting the local currency, Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG), and insisting that parents and guardians pay all fees and levies exclusively in US dollars.
The Government’s Chief Spokesperson, Ndavaningi “Nick” Mangwana, said Zimbabwe has a multi-currency regime, therefore parents should not be blackmailed to pay fees in only one currency. He wrote on X:
<blockquote>
They should insist on paying fees in the currency of their choice. The law is on their side. They can call on the FIU or the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe to intervene.
</blockquote>
In response to Mangwana, award-winning journalist and anti-corruption activist, Hopewell Chin’ono said the Government should lead by example by accepting ZiG for vehicle number plates, passports, customs duties, and fuel.
He said schools, like other service providers, have to buy fuel which is exclusively sold in forex which banks cannot provide. Below is Chin’ono’s detailed response to Mangwana:
<blockquote>
Dear @nickmangwana, I hope this finds you well. Your statement is misplaced, and I will explain why.
If a school has a bus that uses fuel to move around, that school requires diesel, which can only be bought in US Dollars at fuel stations like ZUVA.
If the parents insist on paying with ZiG, how will the school buy diesel when banks don’t have the US Dollars to sell to schools or individuals?
You see, @nickmangwana, this is how dysfunctional the economy has become, you are forcing people to do what is impossible!
Declare that the ZiG is now and should be acceptable for any transaction, including services provided by your government like number plates, passports, customs duties, and of course, fuel. Once you do that, all these problems will go away, @nickmangwana.
As the Chief spokesman of Mnangagwa’s government, you must communicate things that are logical and practical.
How can it be logical and practical for a government to force schools to accept a currency that the same government is not accepting for goods and services it provides?
How can it be logical to force schools to accept a currency in which businesses in which the president and central bank governor have an interest are refusing to accept the local currency?
I hope you have read Animal Farm, @nickmangwana; that is where we are with your government. Do you want ordinary citizens to accept that they are lesser beings than the political elites who are rejecting the ZiG that they introduced?
I want to end by saying this to you,@nickmangwana: As long as the government and businesses owned by political elites reject their currency, the ZiG will fail, and it will do so spectacularly.
Please let the schools do what they have to do @nickmangwana, don’t force them to do economically stupid things.
They have kids to feed throughout the term, and forcing them to take a currency that has lost 36% of its value on the black market within 14 days is ridiculous!
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

It's Illogical To Force Schools Accept ZiG - Chin'ono

Award-winning Zimbabwean journalist, documentary filmmaker, and international correspondent, Hopewell Chin’ono, has dismissed claims that he plans to run for president in the 2028 elections.
Chin’ono on Sunday said he received inquiries from the South Africa Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) about the allegations.
In a statement posted on his verified social media pages, Chin’ono explicitly denied any plans to run for president or involvement in anyone’s presidential campaign. He wrote:
<blockquote>
Today, I received a call from an SABC television producer asking me about a 2028 Presidential campaign that I am supposedly working on.
I want to make it categorically clear that I have no intention whatsoever of running for the presidency, and I am not working on anyone’s presidential campaign, nor will I be doing so for 2028. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying to you, and you should treat them as such!
I have verified social media handles that I use to make public pronouncements about my immediate and future intentions. 
Don’t believe what you hear about any plans if it is not on my social media handles, all of which are verified.
I am a journalist, documentary filmmaker, and anti-corruption activist. That is my turf and professional terrain. I have no intention of being a politician or working for one, I have said this countless times.
I know that I have many folks who don’t sleep day and night, trying to destroy my professional reputation and are desperate for me to declare that I am joining politics so that they have a better chance to taint me. There won’t be such luck for them anytime soon because I will never run for public office.
We must understand that we can all do our bit for a better Zimbabwe in our respective professions without going into politics. That is a choice I made a long time ago, and it has not changed.
Please be guided accordingly. I don’t do frontline politics; I do journalism, filmmaking, anti-corruption work, and of course, goat farming.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

I Have No Plans To Run For President In 2028 Elections - Hopewell Chin’ono

According to prominent Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, Zimbabwe’s poverty is not inherent; rather, it stems from inadequate governance. This perspective emerged after President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa declared a state of disaster in response to the drought that severely impacted the 2023/24 summer cropping season on Wednesday, April 03.
Zimbabwe becomes the third African country to declare the current drought a national disaster, following Zambia and Malawi.
On his social media platforms, the prominent government critic Hopewell Chin’ono pointed out the irony of President Mnangagwa allocating trucks to traditional chiefs and ZANU PF social media propagandists while the nation grapples with a severe cereal deficit. He wrote:
<blockquote>
The President of Zimbabwe has declared a state of national disaster, a euphemism in this case for saying there isn’t enough food to feed the nation.
This ironically comes after the president distributed 100 trucks to traditional chiefs, and has started distributing cars to ZANU PF social media propagandists who helped in his election campaign.
A surrogate close to the president, convicted criminal, Wicknell Chivhayo, has also been distributing high-end cars to greedy musicians who support the ruling party, ZANU PF.
It is indeed strange that after this obscene public display of misplaced extravagance, the president is now asking ordinary citizens both at home and abroad to donate money towards something caused by his government’s lack of planning, yet he has been splurging on cars.
</blockquote>
Chinon’o boldly exposed the ZANU PF-led government’s deception, revealing that their claim of sufficient grain reserves in the country was far removed from reality. He said:
<blockquote>
The severe impact of the ongoing drought would have been mitigated by maize reserves, but the government lied that it had enough reserves when it didn’t, only to be exposed that it was buying maize weekly from South Africa by that country’s Head of International Diplomacy on Twitter.
Mnangagwa stated that over 2.7 million Zimbabweans need food aid. He added that Zimbabwe will face a grain deficit of 680,000 tonnes.
Zimbabwe’s agricultural industry collapsed when ZANUPF removed land tenure and embarked on its never-ending removal of commercial farmers, both black and white, from farms and handed them over to ZANU PF cronies who couldn’t farm.
</blockquote>
Chin’ono has emphatically stated that Zimbabwe currently grapples with the world’s highest inflation rate. 
Furthermore, the local currency has been rendered virtually worthless due to corruption within the central bank and the glaring incompetence attributed to ZANUPF’s legendary inability to govern, said Chin’ono, adding, “Zimbabwe is not poor, it is only poorly governed!”
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Declaration Of State Of Disaster: Zimbabwe Is Not Poor, But Poorly Governed - Chin'ono

ZANU PF is reportedly contemplating Constitutional Amendments that would, among other changes, eliminate the direct election of the President and instead adopt a system where Parliament elects the President, similar to South Africa’s approach.
In South Africa, during a general election, voters choose a political party rather than an individual candidate.
All votes from across the nation are tallied up, and each party’s share of the vote determines the number of seats they get in the National Assembly.
Parties then fill these seats with members based on their list of candidates submitted before the election.
The President is chosen from among the members of the National Assembly based on the party’s share of seats. Once elected, the President is no longer a member of the National Assembly.
Investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono reported that a senior government official informed him that the ZANU PF-led government is contemplating replacing the first-past-the-post system with a proportional representation approach for electing the President. Said Chin’ono:
<blockquote>
The proposed constitutional changes to the electoral law, under the pretext of including opposition suggestions from the last parliament, are a precursor for the massive changes that ZANU-PF wants to implement.
A very senior government official has told me that the ZANU PF government is considering a constitutional amendment to remove the direct election of a president, opting instead for the South African system where parliament will elect the president.
This means the party with the most number of MPs gets to take the presidency.
</blockquote>
Chin’ono said ZANU PF intends to introduce constitutional changes because it has recognized that its presidential candidates faced challenges against the opposition in the past six elections. These changes aim to thwart the “Bhora Musango” strategy. He wrote on X:
<blockquote>
This move is clearly driven by the realisation that ZANU PF presidential candidates have struggled in the last six elections, while their MPs have performed much better than them.
Who will defend the current constitutional arrangements, and how will they do it?
The opposition parliamentary candidates have struggled in the last three elections, while the opposition presidential candidate has been more popular than the parliamentary candidates.
A similar change has happened in Togo, where the dictator changed the constitution from a direct presidential election to one where the members of parliament elect the president.
The senior government official said this change will remove the Bhora Musango phenomenon, where ZANU PF parliamentary candidates focus on their reelection and let the president work for his own victory.
</blockquote>
This comes as Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi recently told State media that the government is considering constitutional changes that would include the transfer of voter registration responsibilities from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to the Civil Registry Department.
Ziyambi said the proposed amendments stem from recommendations made by Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislators in the Ninth Parliament ahead of the 2023 general elections.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

"ZANU PF Considering Electoral Reforms To Remove Direct Election Of The President"

Prominent investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono has commended Chimurenga musician Thomas Mapfumo for turning down controversial businessperson Wicknell Chivayo’s car and home gifts.
Posting on his social media pages, Chin’ono said that Mapfumo has shown that he is principled. He wrote:
<blockquote>
Thomas Mapfumo has shown that there are still principled people out there after he rejected gifts worth US$500k from the crooked one.
Thomas Mapfumo even rejected a house in a world where some people now live in mental squalor with immoral and corrupt minds.
Many don’t care that they are taking cars bought with money meant for hospitals, schools, roads, clean drinking water etc.
They have selfish and corrupt minds and only think about their greedy selves and nobody else!!
Their minds are bankrupt and see nothing wrong with praising convicted crooks and criminals stealing from them as Mbinga.
In such a world, it is worth noting the ethical actions of the few like Mapfumo and Shadaya who still have a moral compass and are resolutely principled.
The importance of integrity, principles, and standing against corruption can never be overemphasised, it is the heart and soul of a fair society, one which doesn’t steal from the poor and throws crumbs at them in exchange for immoral applause.
An ethical stance in rejecting gifts that were bought through corrupt means is a powerful statement about the courage to act on one’s principles.
Unshakable and uncompromised, Mukanya to the world!
</blockquote>
Shadaya Knight, also known as Tawona Knight Shadaya, is a popular Zimbabwean social media personality and self-proclaimed anti-feminist.
A holder of a degree in Development Studies from the Midlands State University, Shadaya is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Psychology.
Chivayo recently said he would not give Shadaya a car because of his abrasive nature, particularly towards women.
Shadaya, in response, posted an emoji of a car being thrown into a trash can, indicating his lack of appreciation for Chivayo’s observations.
Speaking exclusively to Nehanda Radio on Monday, Mapfumo firmly denied allegations that he accepted an enticing offer Chivayo saying “I’m not that type to be bribed like that.”
Mapfumo said he was surprised to receive a phone call from Chivayo before he went to bed on Sunday evening. He said:
<blockquote>
Yes I know he likes my music. He called me before I went to bed and told me he was in New York on a visit. I asked him how his family was and that was that.
</blockquote>
It seems that Chivayo captured a screenshot of his phone call with Mapfumo, which several bloggers are now using to falsely assert that Mapfumo initiated the call, even though that was not the actual situation.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Chin’ono Hails Thomas Mapfumo For Rejecting Chivayo’s Car And Home Gifts

Award-winning journalist and government critic Hopewell Chin’ono has advised Tendai Biti to take a break from active politics and focus on his work as a lawyer, author and international public speaker.
Biti (56) was on Monday found guilty of verbally assaulting a Russian woman, Tatiana Aleshina, following a trial that lasted nearly four years.
The CCC vice president was on trial for calling Aleshina “stupid” while leaving court in November 2020.
On Tuesday, Biti was given a wholly suspended six-month prison sentence and also ordered to pay a US$300 fine by Harare magistrate Vongai Guwuriro Muchuchuti following his conviction.
In a post on the social media site X, Chin’ono said Biti has done a lot for Zimbabwe both in opposition and government but of late his efforts have been wasted and his good standing has started to go down the drain. He wrote:
<blockquote>
Zimbabwean politician, lawyer and author, Tendai Biti avoided jail yesterday after a senseless FOUR-year trial over something that is not a crime.
My advice to Tendai Biti is to take a break from politics and concentrate on his work as a lawyer, author and international public speaker.
He has done a lot for Zimbabwe both in opposition and government, and he has written powerful books with luminaries like President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Over and above that he has used his legal skills to get terrible laws removed from our constitution.
He is undoubtedly the best Finance minister that Zimbabwe has had in the last 25 years.
But there comes a time when your efforts become wasted, and your social capital starts going down the drain, at such a time you need to take a strategic break from politics and focus on meaningful things in your life.
Zimbabwe’s opposition politics is in the worst possible shambolic place it has ever been, it is painful to watch someone who has given so much of his time and life to fighting for democracy being dragged into senseless Punch and Judy shows.
At such a time, a break is the wisest thing to grab, a fellowship away from Zimbabwe could allow him breathing space and a time to reflect and reenergise.
He is a highly successful professional, he is marketable anywhere in the world, perhaps this is the time to use his professional capital in that regard.
Everything has a time and place!!!!!!
A move away from the tumultuous world of politics and focus on his other talents and passions would rejuvenate him.
Sometimes stepping back to regain perspective and recharge your batteries can lead to new productive opportunities and directions in both your social and professional lives.
Genuinely honest and respectful Zimbabweans are grateful for the over 30 years of service that Tendai Biti gave in civil society and mainstream politics, and indeed using his professional legal skills to get many innocent pro/democracy folks out of trouble, and also getting draconian laws stuck off our legal statutes.
A time will come when Zimbabwe will need and get a very strong, powerful and indefatigable opposition, people like Tendai Biti will be required to share their experience, wisdom and insights gained in the past 30 years.
From his exploits and mistakes, he has a lot to share, but for now I advise a break to help him heal from the so many years of persecution and being in the trenches!
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Tendai Biti Should Take A Break From Politics - Chin'ono

Investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono claims Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) spokesperson <a href="https://pindula.co.zw/Promise_Mkwananzi">Promise Mkwananzi</a> is working with the Central Intelligence Organization (CIO).
Posting on X, Chin’ono, referring to Mkwananzi by his first name, claimed that the CCC spokesperson is working with the CIO to destabilise the opposition. He said:
<blockquote>
There is nothing dangerous in stating facts, Promise is working with the CIO. He made promises to them about what he could deliver by December and they told him what they could deliver.
The opposition is meant to be docile and allow the regime to get on with its work, then they will let it do opposition work after 2027.
Let him come here and deny it if I am lying! It is either you know what is happening and you support it, or you know nothing in which case you must shut up!
You want to waste people’s time thinking that they are supporting a viable opposition when it is captured!
Let him come and deny it here, let him come and say that Hopewell is lying!
</blockquote>
Mkwananzi, who said he was travelling from his grandmother’s funeral in Zhombe, promised to respond to Chin’ono’s allegations. He posted on X:
<blockquote>
Still travelling from Zhombe. When settled, I’ll come to Hopuwero and those shameless sellouts who are trying to divert attention from themselves by sending Hopewell to write these lies about me President Chamisa and other genuine champions of the CCC.
</blockquote>
Mkwananzi, a former MDC youth leader and founder of the Tajamuka/Sesjikile Movement, was appointed CCC spokesperson by then-party leader Nelson Chamisa just before the August 2023 general elections.
He took over from former Mt Pleasant MP, Fadzayi Mahere under unclear circumstances, and critics say he is not as effective as his predecessor.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

CCC Spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi Is Working With CIO, Alleges Chin'ono

Award-winning journalist Hopewell Chin’no says former CCC leader Nelson Chamisa should engage his MPs, explain his plans and also listen to their concerns following his departure from the party on Thursday.
This comes amid mounting pressure, especially on social media platforms, for CCC MPs to resign from Parliament to prove their loyalty to Chamisa.
Chin’ono claims that several CCC MPs told him that they were not disloyal to “the cause” that Chamisa is championing but need to be consulted on the way forward.
He said the concerned MPs claimed they incurred huge financial debts after funding their own 2023 election campaigns. Said Chin’ono:
<blockquote>
They also argue that the disengagement move was done without consultation, so they were not prepared for it.
Many of them say that the very root cause of not consulting others in the party is what led to this crisis.
They also felt that I and others were being unfair to them when we castigated them for not leaving parliament after Nelson Chamisa’s announcement without paying attention to their financial obligations as these obligations may ruin their lives.
They argue that they don’t even know what is coming after departing from parliament.
</blockquote>
Chin’ono said Chamisa has to engage the MPs to hear their concerns considering that they have publicly backed him since his resignation. He said:
<blockquote>
I think Nelson Chamisa must engage his MPs and make his case based on collective engagement, they are his MPs and they have publicly declared their loyalty to his leadership.
I think they can dump the toxic vehicle called CCC, and instead of walking away from parliament, they should force the regime to push them out, which has more political capital to them and whatever they become in the aftermath.
I also think that since Nelson Chamisa is fighting for democracy, he should encourage his supporters to be loyal to the cause and not just an individual, that way he will have more power to move the political needle where it matters.
We are fighting against ZANUPF’s big-man politics, the world shouldn’t see us replicating it in spaces where we have control.
He must also make an important introspective diagnosis to evaluate his own culpability in all this. 
He can form a dozen political parties, but if he doesn’t self-correct, they will all similarly fall.
He can do this privately and the results can be seen in his new actions without posting a sorry post about his mistakes.
</blockquote>
Chin’ono conceded that ZANU PF engineered the artificial crisis in CCC which forced Chamisa to quit, but he has to learn from the mistakes he made. He wrote:
<blockquote>
Yes, his adversaries Emmerson Mnangagwa and ZANU PF have everything to do with this crisis too, they are the main ingredient, but his political adversary exploited his strategic weaknesses… his Achilles Heel.
It would be extremely naive of him and his supporters to think that they are innocent victims without an iota of contribution to this mess.
A man or woman who doesn’t learn anything in 2 years of making mistakes would have lost 2 years of their lifetime, what is important is what we learn from our mistakes.
I also think that public shaming of these MPs online instead of engaging them in logical arguments creates a toxic environment.
Politics is more effective when you are more strategic than emotional, what I have seen on social media is more emotion and less strategy that looks into what every decision means in the positive and negative.
There are complex dynamics within CCC and its MPs stemming from financial pressures and a perceived lack of consultation.
Engaging MPs collectively, encouraging loyalty to the cause, and strategic planning are paramount for Nelson Chamisa and his group’s future success in whichever form or name they take.
Reflecting on internal weaknesses is a sign of strength, not weakness, emphasising the need for strategic thinking over emotional reactions in political discourse makes you emerge stronger, not weaker.
</blockquote>
Mt Pleasant MP Fadzayi Mahere and Masvingo Urban MP Martin Mureri announced they have resigned from CCC in solidarity with Chamisa.
Senior CCC leaders who allegedly back the party’s defacto secretary general Sengezo Tshabangu have hitherto opted to stay in the shadows.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Chamisa Must Engage CCC MPs, Explain His Plans And Listen To Their Concerns - Chin'ono

Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono has analysed the <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/2024/01/18/fbc-building-society-are-now-selling-townhouses-in-glen-lorne-harare-and-zvishavane/">FBC Building Society houses in Glen Lorne, Harare</a> and compared them to houses in South Africa. He concluded that the FBC deal was not a good one. FBC recently announced the sale of townhouses in Glen Lorne and Zvishavane. The Glen Lorne houses are situated in a gated complex and offer modern living with spacious bedrooms, an open-plan lounge and fitted kitchen, high-end finishes, a double carport, and access to a communal borehole.
According to FBC’s statement, the price for these townhouses is $375,000, including VAT. Interested buyers need to make a mortgage deposit of 25% and have a mortgage tenor of 7 years.

<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/2024/01/18/fbc-building-society-are-now-selling-townhouses-in-glen-lorne-harare-and-zvishavane/">FBC Building Society Are Now Selling Townhouses In Glen Lorne, Harare And Zvishavane</a></li>
</ul>
<a href="https://twitter.com/daddyhope/status/1747657726006628513">Chin’ono</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/daddyhope/status/1747657726006628513">criticised the deal</a>, stating that the mortgage interest rate offered by FBC is 17%, which would result in monthly payments of $6,000. He argued that paying a total of $597,750, including the deposit, for a 202-square-meter property doesn’t make economic sense. He compared the price to what one could buy in South Africa, where the same amount of money could purchase a mansion or multiple apartments.
Chin’ono warned about the potential for money laundering due to the high-interest rate and suggested that those considering the purchase should have a strategic financial mindset and a monthly income of over $20,000. He said:
<blockquote>
This is a 202 square meter property sitting on half an acre and selling for US$375,000 or R 7,125,000 in Harare’s Glen Lorne area after Chisipite. When someone sent this to me, I said I won’t comment about who owns the bank, but just on the deal on offer and what it means in value terms. This deal is a great pathway for money laundering because the mortgage interest rate being offered by FBC is 17% and you will be paying US$6,000 a month. Eventually, you pay US$504,000 or R9,576,000 plus the 25% deposit of US$93,750 or R1,781,250 making it a total of US$597,750 or R 11,357,250. You have to be high on first-grade cocaine to enter into such a deal, that is why I said that it is a great pathway for money launderers who buy cash to clean their money and not a doctor, lawyer, engineer, journalist or pilot who is buying it as their primary residence. It simply doesn’t make any economic sense…
I would never pay US$375,000 cash of my hard earned money for these town houses because in South Africa I would buy a mansion with side apartments for my African relatives when they visit or 8 3-bedroom apartments in Bryanston in Sandton. It is important for individuals to carefully consider all factors like the massive interest rate of 17% before entering into such significant financial commitments. You must have a strategic financial mindset and you must be earning more than US$20,000 plus a month to pay a mortgage of US$6000 a month after paying a down payment of US$93,750. The traditional rule in real estate is that you SHOULDN’T pay more than 28 percent of your monthly gross income to your mortgage payment.
</blockquote>
He also commented on the current state of corruption in Zimbabwe, stating that the exorbitant prices are a result of massive looting and disproportionate sharing of national wealth. Despite his criticism, Chin’ono acknowledged that personal choices in real estate investments vary based on individual circumstances and preferences.
<h3><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h3>

Hopewell Chin'ono's Analysis Of FBC Building Society Houses Deal And Houses In South Africa

American economist Professor <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Steve_H._Hanke">Steve Hanke</a> has declared Zimbabwe’s currency as the weakest in the world adding that the southern African nation has the highest inflation rate globally. According to Hanke’s currency watchlist, on January 12, 2024, the Zimbabwe dollar traded at ZWL$12,500 per US$1 and had lost 92% of its value since January 1, 2023.
<img alt="" class="wp-image-269804 aligncenter" decoding="async" height="326" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 451px) 100vw, 451px" src="https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Steve-Hanke-currency-watchlist-300x217.jpg" srcset="https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Steve-Hanke-currency-watchlist-300x217.jpg 300w, https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Steve-Hanke-currency-watchlist-768x556.jpg 768w, https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Steve-Hanke-currency-watchlist.jpg 936w" width="451"/>

<ul>
<li class="text-4xl border-b-2 border-[#e8e9ea] tracking-tight pb-4 font-bold pt-4"><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/2023/12/29/zimbabwe-experienced-a-sharp-increase-in-food-inflation-in-december/">Zimbabwe Experienced A Sharp Increase In Food Inflation In December</a></li>
<li class="text-4xl border-b-2 border-[#e8e9ea] tracking-tight pb-4 font-bold pt-4"><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/2023/11/27/zimbabwes-month-on-month-inflation-jumps-to-4-5-in-november/">Zimbabwe’s Month-on-month Inflation Jumps To 4.5% In November</a></li>
<li class="text-4xl border-b-2 border-[#e8e9ea] tracking-tight pb-4 font-bold pt-4"><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/2023/11/10/economist-mugano-calls-for-frank-discussion-on-zimbabwes-inflation-exchange-rate-currency/">Economist Mugano Calls For Frank Discussion On Zimbabwe’s Inflation, Exchange Rate, Currency</a></li>
</ul>
Journalist <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Hopewell_Chin'ono/">Hopewell Chin’ono</a> responded to Hanke’s report, stating that it vindicates his previous statements about the poor state of the Zimbabwean currency. Chin’ono argued that Zimbabwe has become the riskiest place to invest in Africa, with an unemployment rate of 95%. He emphasised that the significant depreciation of the Zimbabwean dollar is an undeniable economic fact, reflecting the country’s overall economic performance.
Chin’ono attributed the economic challenges to corruption, incompetence, inconsistent policies, lack of the rule of law, misuse of state institutions, and failure to attract investment. Consequently, Zimbabweans have lost trust in the government, leading them to bank their savings in other countries or keep them hidden to protect against institutional corruption. He said:
<blockquote>
The Zimbabwean dollar lost 92% of its buying power in the last 12 months making it the weakest currency in the world, this is not an opinion, this is an economic fact backed up by data. A currency is a direct reflection of how a country’s economy is performing, as the Ghanaian Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia famously said; “…when in doubt (of how the economy is performing), check the currency.” We can’t run away from the fact that economic indicators such as inflation rates and currency strength or weakness are critical reflections of a country’s economic performance. So naturally the economic challenges faced by Zimbabwe as reflected in the weakening currency and high inflation indicate deep underlying economic issues…
This explains why Zimbabweans mostly bank their savings in South Africa and those who can in Europe and America, they have correctly lost trust in the Government. Those who can’t travel bank it under the pillow to avoid losing it to institutional corruption. Our country is now in the top ten worst governed countries, it is also now officially the riskiest country to invest in Africa according to global risk assessment economic organisations, even riskier than African countries at war. The average Zimbabwean doesn’t keep their hard currency in the bank for fear of losing it simply because the trust between the governing authorities and the citizens broke down after two cycles of citizens losing their savings and pensions in Zimbabwean banks due to corrupt government policies.
</blockquote>
In addition to economic challenges, Zimbabwe struggles with issues such as cholera outbreaks, inadequate healthcare facilities, and the imprisonment of critics and political opponents. Chin’ono highlights the government’s tendency to deflect blame onto external factors like sanctions while ignoring internal issues such as the smuggling of gold by ZANU PF elites and their associates. He says Zimbabwe has transformed into a “mafia state” and unless fundamental changes occur, economic recovery will remain elusive.
The Zimbabwe dollar has a turbulent history. It replaced the Rhodesian dollar when Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980. Initially, it had a similar value to the US dollar. However, economic problems led to excessive money printing and high inflation. In 2008, hyperinflation hit, making the Zimbabwe dollar almost worthless. To stabilise the economy, then-Finance Minister <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Patrick_Chinamasa/">Patrick Chinamasa</a> introduced the multi-currency regime in 2009. However, in June 2019, the Zimbabwe dollar returned as the main currency. The government stated that it was equivalent to the United States dollar. Yet, it faced ongoing challenges, with high inflation and loss of value. Today, it’s considered the weakest currency globally, struggling to regain stability and trust.
<h3><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h3>

Zimbabwe Has The Weakest Currency And Highest Inflation In The World - Professor Hanke

Bulawayo Mayor, David Coltart, has reiterated that local government authorities do not have sufficient financial resources to repair and maintain roads. He made the remarks in response to Information Secretary Nick Mangwana who had argued that the <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/2024/01/05/councils-are-responsible-for-maintenance-of-city-roads-mangwana/">maintenance of city roads falls under the purview of Local Authorities. </a>
Mangwana said since 2000, there has been evidence of serious failure by these Authorities in various service delivery areas, including refuse collection, water treatment and supply, road maintenance, and street lighting. He added:
<blockquote>
To alleviate the suffering urban dwellers, Govt started making interventions such as buying chemicals for water treatment, deploying the ERRP2 program for roads and EMA taking charge of refuse collection and the Geopomona Project. There are always celebrations when Council Election Results are announced. Every ratepayer should ask themselves what they are really celebrating; these urban gullies in the picture?
</blockquote>
<img alt="" class="wp-image-269187 aligncenter" decoding="async" height="767" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 432px) 100vw, 432px" src="https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/road-Poor-state-169x300.jpg" srcset="https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/road-Poor-state-169x300.jpg 169w, https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/road-Poor-state.jpg 462w" width="432"/> 
  
Coltart agreed with Mangwana’s statement that local authorities are responsible for maintaining roads. However, he pointed out that the funds that local authorities used to collect for this purpose are now being collected by the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA). Unfortunately, most of the funds collected by ZINARA do not reach the local government authorities, resulting in insufficient resources for them to effectively carry out their duties and responsibilities. He said:
<blockquote>
The responsibility is but in the past local authorities were able to raise money through car licence fees but that money now goes to Zinara and we only get a pittance back. Local authorities need money to repair and maintain roads but cant do so if little money is paid over.
</blockquote>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/2024/01/05/councils-are-responsible-for-maintenance-of-city-roads-mangwana/">Councils Are Responsible For Maintenance Of City Roads – Mangwana</a></li>
</ul>
His remarks echoed <a href="https://twitter.com/daddyhope/status/1743188669983326239">Hopewell Chin’ono’s sentiments</a>. The journalist did not hold back urging Nick Mangwana not to “LIE to your followers and Zimbabweans in general.” He said:
<blockquote>
You are getting away with these lies because the opposition has no dedicated shadow cabinet minister for Local Government, but we won’t let you lie on a public platform so we I will correct your lies!
LIE Number ONE 1. The Cities of Harare, Bulawayo and the rest of the country were responsible for road maintenance and collection of road levies and taxes, but in order to cripple them and steal public funds, the ZANUPF central Government changed the law using its majority in parliament and left cities without power to collect road taxes but responsibility to fix them. So all road levies, taxes, toll gate fees and the fuel levy which are supposed to fix the roads are collected by central government (read ZANUPF) not the cities.
</blockquote>
Chin’ono raised concerns about the allocation of funds for road maintenance in Bulawayo and Harare. He stated that Bulawayo received only US$800,000 from the central government for roads, despite the central government collecting over US$24 million from Bulawayo motorists. Similarly, Harare collected around US$64 million from motorists, but the city council was given only US$2 million. ZINARA retained the rest, he argued.
Chin’ono highlighted that Bulawayo needs at least US$15 million to maintain its roads and fix issues like potholes. He expressed frustration that the central government is not providing adequate funding despite the funds being available. He said in addition to road motor taxes, other sources such as fuel levies, carbon tax, and toll gate fees are also not being properly accounted for. He added:
<blockquote>
LIE Number TWO 2. The cities were responsible for buying their water chemicals, but you directed them to buy chemicals from only ONE company, Chemplex. That parastatal has old equipment which breaks down regularly. When the machines are not working, the cities are stuck. Secondly, Zimbabwean law says that it is the ZANUPF central government that is supposed to provide water sources, the money meant for these dams has been looted for decades.
</blockquote>
Chin’ono stated that Lake Chivero, which is Harare’s main water source, was built by the colonial government in the 1950s. After gaining independence in 1980, plans were inherited to construct the Kunzvi Dam from the previous regime. Unfortunately, successive governments under ZANU-PF allegedly misappropriated the funds meant for the dam. In 1996, there was another opportunity to build the dam, but the money was once again misused, leading the French company responsible for construction to withdraw.
Chin’ono then mentioned that in 2022, ZINWA (Zimbabwe National Water Authority) awarded a US$132 million contract to construct a dam in Nkayi to a prominent ZANU-PF figure, Kuda Tagwirei, but the project is not complete to date. 
Chin’ono added that although refuse collection is the responsibility of local government authorities, the procurement process is controlled by the central government. As an example, he mentioned that the City of Harare was forced to use trucks owned by a ZANU-PF Member of Parliament and Minister, the late Biggie Matiza. Chin’ono claimed that cities faced difficulties in obtaining foreign currency to purchase equipment, except during the Government of National Unity (GNU) period, while individuals like Matiza had access to foreign currency through the central bank.
Chin’ono further asserted that the Zimbabwean economy is controlled by ZANU-PF, not local authorities. He claimed that when cities applied for foreign currency, they were denied because it was allegedly being misappropriated by ZANU-PF political elites. He also alleged that ZANU-PF elites smuggle gold worth US$6 million daily to Dubai, leaving the money there.
Chin’ono criticized the ZANU-PF government for its alleged misinformation and mismanagement, particularly in relation to road maintenance and water supply operations. He accused Ignatius Chombo, a former Local Government Minister, of exacerbating corruption by making councils pay three times for a single shipment of chemicals during his tenure.
<h3><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h3>

Local Authorities Need Money To Maintain Roads - Mayor Coltart Responds To Mangwana

An employee at <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Mahommed_Mussa/">Mahommed Mussa</a> Wholesalers, a company in Zimbabwe, recently stole a substantial amount of money, totalling $195,000. He used some of the stolen funds to pay for lobola, a traditional marriage payment.
Information Secretary Nick Mangwana said the incident came to light on Christmas day when police officers swooped in and confiscated both the stolen money and the groceries that were purchased with it. He said:
<blockquote>
MAMPARA MUKWASHA So this guy stole US$195k from Mahomed Mussa Wholesalers where he worked, and went to pay Lobola with some of it. Imagine during Christmas detectives pouncing at the in-laws’ homestead confiscating all grocery items brought in and lobola money. Crime doesn’t pay
</blockquote>
Some commentators said while theft is an unquestionably condemnable act, the focus should be on why the company was keeping large sums of cash on their premises instead of depositing it in a bank. They say the case highlights the lack of confidence that exists within the traditional banking sector in Zimbabwe. Award-winning journalist Hopewell Chin’ono aid:
<blockquote>
Chin’ono said the root cause is what the government represented by Nick Mangwana should address, not just the symptoms. Police wouldn’t need to have their time and personnel deployed for these types of crimes if the banking system was working and citizens had confidence in it.
</blockquote>
According to Chin’ono, the government should address the root cause of this issue rather than merely focusing on the symptoms. He said if the banking system was functioning effectively and citizens had faith in it, the police would not need to devote their time and resources to crimes of this nature.
Confidence in the banking sector has been diminishing in Zimbabwe since the hyperinflation crisis in 2008, which resulted in the erosion of depositors’ bank balances. Matters were further exacerbated when the Zimbabwe dollar was reintroduced in 2019. Initially, the government set the local currency at an equal value to the United States dollar, leading banks to convert USD balances into Zimbabwe dollars. However, the Zimbabwe dollar subsequently lost value, causing depositors to suffer losses.
As a consequence of these events, many individuals have resorted to “pillow banking,” whereby they choose to keep their money at home or in alternative locations instead of placing it in banks. This behaviour stems from a fear that changes in government policies could potentially erode their savings. Unfortunately, this trend has made businesses and individuals prime targets for armed robberies, as criminals are aware that substantial amounts of cash are being stored outside of banks.
<h3><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h3>

Mahomed Mussa Wholesalers Employee Steals US$195,000, Pays Lobola With Some Of It

Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono has reiterated his call for the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) to withdraw from Parliament. He stated that they will only make empty noise in parliament as they are unable to stop the ruling ZANU PF party from making decisions due to their majority.
Chin’ono argues that staying would give legitimacy to ZANU PF’s corrupt rule. Fadzayi Mahere, a prominent CCC member, responded by saying that if instructed by the Citizens’ National Assembly, the party’s legislators would withdraw from parliament. However, Mahere highlighted the <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/2023/12/09/ccc-withdrawal-from-parliament-may-be-disastrous-mahere/">potential consequences of withdrawal</a>, such as ZANU PF amending the constitution and creating a one-party state. She also questioned the effectiveness of parliamentary committees and the lack of citizen input in legislation.
Chin’ono remains unconvinced of the opposition’s usefulness in parliament. In a post seen by Pindula News, the journalist said:
<blockquote>
It makes a lot of sense for ZANUPF to want CCC to stay in parliament because an immediate CCC mass withdrawal from parliament will create a massive international political crisis of legitimacy and credibility for ZANUPF and the regime. It will affect reengagement sideshows and international financial debt relief talks. It will also bring back the issue of the sham election on the table, something that ZANUPF has successfully hidden through the Tshabangu fraud by putting CCC in survival mode. Mnangagwa and ZANUPF know that they will immediately become Southern Africa’s North Korea if CCC pulls out! Imagine a parliament with just ZANUPF MPs and a few Tshabangu MPs. ZANUPF is going to bribe anyone who can influence CCC to stay in parliament because it knows that CCC won’t be able to stop anything on the ZANUPF parliamentary agenda now that it has Two-Thirds majority. CCC will be going to parliament just to make empty noises, that is why CCC is needed in parliament by the regime to create a facade of democracy.
</blockquote>
Chin’ono further expressed his belief that countries whose ambassadors have close ties with ZANU PF will persuade the CCC to remain in parliament. He said these countries and their governments would not want to engage with a pariah state without opposition in parliament. They would want to show success back home, so they would encourage the CCC to stay.
In addition to foreign nations’ influence, Chin’ono believes that the CCC will face difficulties from MPs who are primarily motivated by salary, perks, and personal gain, including those using parliament as a stepping stone for international jobs. He argues that few politicians in Zimbabwe’s opposition are genuinely committed to the struggle, and many are more interested in personal opportunities. 
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CCC Will Be Going To Parliament Just To Make Empty Noises - Chin'ono

Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono comments on the High Court judgement nullifying the nomination of recalled CCC candidates to contest in the 23 December 2023 by-elections:
What does today’s High Court judgement mean to Zimbabwean politics if it is not reversed?
Today’s High Court judgement against the recalled CCC Members of Parliament stopping them from using the party-political name “CCC” was predictable for those with a discerning political eye, and for those who fully understand the treacherous Zimbabwean political terrain and how ZANU PF has mastered it against its political opponents using a scary array of tools like State capture, repression, corruption, violence and even murder to retain power.
ZANU PF understands two things too well, Power and how to use it corruptly against its opponents and the ordinary citizens.
It sits down and strategies, and it executes using captured institutions that it ruthlessly controls through patronage or coercion.
Unlike the opposition CCC, people in ZANUPF work across factions for the survival of their corrupt project and ZANU-PF because they understand that politics is business and not necessarily personal, ZANUPF uses its best brains to execute its corrupt agenda.
Political decision-making is not about emotions but strategy, politics requires strategic thinking and decision-making grounded in practical political considerations rather than emotional impulses and reactions.
It involves navigating around complex political scenarios, anticipating contrived political and legal consequences, and formulating plans to achieve specific political goals, and in this case, legal outcomes too.
Embracing a strategic political mindset helps political parties respond effectively to political challenges thrown at them by their crooked and corrupt political opponents, and it also helps political parties to pursue their objectives in a well-calculated manner.
This is what is called SCENARIO PLANNING in organisational management, something that every political party should do when faced with a political crisis of monumental proportions like CCC faces today.
Balancing the importance of party names and the practicalities of navigating around a repressive and captured political system like what we have in Zimbabwe underscores the complex challenges faced by CCC and its legitimate leader, Nelson Chamisa.
The Rhodesian era historical context of these issues that I mentioned in the attached tweet which I put out on November 7, 2023, advising and warning the recalled CCC MPs to run as Independents in the December 9 by-election, highlighted the adaptive nature of political movements and parties when faced with suppression.
The most logical route for CCC to take was for its recalled MPs to run as Independent candidates because as I said in the attached tweet, what matters most are the principles you carry in your political heart, and not a political party name when you are in the middle of a mortal fight for your survival against an oppressive and crude opponent who controls the State and wants to destroy you.
After Sengezo Tshabangu illegally but successfully recalled the CCC MPs, I mentioned that CCC as a political party was finished.
It was clear to any average political thinker that there was a third hand taking advantage of the CCC leadership disharmony created by Nelson Chamisa’s so-called strategic ambiguity, the third hand is facilitating the destruction of CCC to the third hand’s advantage.
It therefore boggles the mind why someone would gift that third hand, which we know to be ZANUPF, a penalty kick instead of making things harder for ZANUPF by making its moves look more ridiculous even if it succeeds in its nefarious actions.
It is the equivalent of a thief coming to your home and asking you to open the door and you oblige arguing that you are doing so because you have done nothing wrong instead of fortifying your door.
Yes CCC is yours, yes the MPs are also yours and yes Tshabangu is playing a game, but don’t you have a logical obligation to protect the people’s right to democratic representation in councils and parliament at any cost including for you to run as Independents so that you block ZANUPF parliament capture?
What is the point of holding on to a name when you will lose it anyway, why play games as if you are on X-Box when it involves people’s lives and democratic political representation?
I have told you twice, I will tell you again for the third time, many in the diplomatic community and many important regional political actors are now asking if CCC is not a front for ZANUPF to calm citizens down.
They ask this pertinent question because of CCC’s many school-boy mistakes that it has continued to make since its formation last year.
Astounding, ridiculous and shocking mistakes one must add if you are going to be genuine and logical in your analytical discourse about the situation!
One of the senior team members of a Western election observer mission team said this to me; “I have covered more than 60 elections across the world, I have never seen a presidential candidate who has done everything possible in the book to lose an election like Nelson Chamisa has done.”
The election observer continued: “We went to see Nelson for a meeting, and yet he was alone, it has been the same with other observer missions,” the election observer said to me in astonishment.
If CCC is not a front for ZANU-PF, then its leader is thoroughly incompetent for having made all these avoidable but now talked about mistakes and for making traditional allies of the democracy movement in Zimbabwe doubt CCC and his political sincerity through his commissions and omissions.
This behaviour speaks to Nelson Chamisa’s disdain for teamwork, and his overreliance on advisors who are and were taking instructions before, during and after the sham elections from counter-intelligence folks who many believe deliberately misled them.
How can you get advice from your opponent under the guise of having so-called “insiders in the system?”
This has been a running joke in the diplomatic community, a community which has almost given up on Chamisa and is now saying that they will try and make things work with the Harare regime, a rogue regime now being seen as an alternative to what was supposed to be a democratic movement.
Diplomats come to Zimbabwe to represent the interests of their countries, if the opposition has failed to prove to them that it is a genuine alternative to the current ZANU PF corrupt order, that is a serious indictment on the opposition leadership.
The concerns about Nelson Chamisa and CCC’s actions and their potential implication for CCC’s credibility both at home and abroad are now extremely serious and shouldn’t be ignored by those genuinely fighting for change in Zimbabwe.
You can’t continue making catastrophic political mistakes and relying on only blaming your opponent for your continued self-evident failures to read the political terrain and get some gains here and there instead of always being on the receiving end of comical political failures.
Chamisa’s ardent supporters point towards CCC’s ability to stop ZANUPF’s two-thirds majority goal during the shambolic August 23 elections, but was that really citizens voting for CCC or it was fed up citizens voting against ZANUPF?
The delusional declarations reflect a tragic understanding of Zimbabwean politics, any main opposition leader would have made things tougher for ZANUPF during a general election, he just happened to be Nelson Chamisa.
Zimbabweans are suffering, Zimbabweans have no jobs, they have no healthcare, they have no clean drinking water, they have potholed roads, they have 20-hour electricity load shedding, they don’t have pensions, neither do they have savings, they only have ONE TV station, they have a captured judiciary and a corrupt government. So Why Would They Vote For Anyone Else Except The Main Opposition?
What has upset many serious Zimbabweans is the astounding move by CCC and Nelson Chamisa of not going into the by-elections as Independents, when they knew too well that all odds were stacked against them in captured courts, something that they correctly sing about daily.
When you know that the judiciary is captured, and when you know that the election board ZEC is also captured, why do you make decisions that play into the regime’s hands like insisting on going into by-elections using a contested name whose dispute will be adjudicated by your adversary’s judiciary poodles?
You can’t expect a Praise and Worship one-man decision-making outfit to remove a military-assisted political party like ZANUPF when it makes such ridiculous decisions and grand political delusions scaffolded by Bible verses and inspirational tweets.
ZANU PF is a corrupt political machinery, it controls the judiciary, it controls the elections management body ZEC, so the best thing which was a no-brainer was to remove any need for CCC to go to captured courts by simply running as Independents.
But someone’s ego was more important than a political strategy that would stop the desired ZANUPF two-thirds majority.
You can’t keep forming political parties and abandoning them and forming more new political parties because you say you are popular, and yet your popularity is leading to nothing except economic survival for yourself and a few others around you.
There are now serious apprehensions in the region about the political credibility of Nelson Chamisa and his ability to bring about any meaningful change to Zimbabwe, his leadership is questionable to many in the region.
Nelson Chamisa and his supporters can ignore those apprehensions at their peril, but he knows that they exist and many have told him face to face.
Only sycophants continue to pretend that there is no political crisis around his leadership style and skills.
Zimbabweans can continue cheering on this one-man decision-making muppet show at their own political cost, they will deserve the outcomes and consequences of such a political muppet show whose failures are now too many to mention in one sitting.
There is no doubt in my mind that Chamisa continues to be the best foot forward in terms of galvanising public support, but you need more than support to remove ZANUPF’s corrupt rule, you need a strong team with a cogent political strategy, and more importantly a political vision.
Sadly many serious regional political players are no longer feeling sorry for struggling Zimbabweans because they say that we are supporting the schoolboy antics of Nelson Chamisa which have emboldened ZANUPF, and that we insult those who call for reason and a sensible political approach to dealing with ZANUPF’s corrupt rule.
Now that Nelson Chamisa has predictably lost this battle to hold on to CCC against the captured political charlatan Tshabangu, there is no longer anything called CCC as Tshabangu can now do as he wishes.
It is sad to watch people’s democratic electoral rights being washed away illegally like what has just happened, but until the same people accept that Nelson Chamisa’s unbridled desire for absolute power has contributed to this, the same people will have learnt nothing at all and will deserve what they are getting.
As French philosopher Joseph de Maistre said, A People Get the Leadership That They Deserve.
Zimbabwe needs an opposition leader who is secure with himself and his talents, and who is not scared of the abilities of his colleagues.
It is in the nature of politics that some will be more talented than others, such talent differentials should not be the reason to shut the door on those more talented than you are.
Zimbabwe needs an opposition leader who is a team player, and not one who relies on advice from shadow and compromised characters, it needs an opposition party which is rooted in constitutionalism, and not Chinhu Changu Chete politics.
The later Dr Alex Magaisa warned the CCC on 24 April 2022 when he said: “I conclude by urging the CCC interim leadership to hasten the pace to establish the set of rules called the constitution, even on an interim basis. These debates and accompanying noises are a reflection of the unsureness that results from a constitutional void.”
This advice fell on deaf ears, and it is the reason that CCC finds itself in this mess, ZANUPF will always take advantage of any created own goals, it is a predatory political animal.
Today Zimbabweans have a choice, to either continue following the Alice in Wonderland opposition fairy-tale politics that define Chamisa, and always blaming ZANUPF, or to start demanding the opposition to be serious and to constitute itself into a solid and respectable alternative to the corrupt and incompetent ZANUPF regime.
Zimbabwe has many educated people whom regional leaders and the diplomatic community look up to, these regional leaders and diplomats have failed to understand why so many smart Zimbabweans remain under the spell of a failed opposition political leader whose signature is Bible verses and inspirational quotes every Saturday morning.
Human beings seek spiritual guidance from churches and not from politicians, they seek economic redemption from politics and not to be told that Joy is coming and given empty promises that are never fulfilled.
Zimbabweans have been stripped of their human and economic dignity, how about putting them first ahead of this unbridled desire for absolute power that has now come to define both the main opposition leader and Emmerson Mnangagwa to the detriment of the suffering citizens living in penury?
Mnangagwa wants a two-thirds majority to be followed by a third term, and Chamisa wants to get rid of all colleagues who are perceived to be competitors to be his crown.
It is all Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me! When will these leaders put people ahead of their desire for power, and when will they choose to lead instead of rule?
ZANU PF is the pits on any given day, but it remains emboldened by CCC’s failures. The sycophants will not want to hear this truth, but they will realise the truthfulness of these cols facts after another shambolic 2028 election.
P/s 
I encourage the youths to leave and better their lives elsewhere through good education or better jobs or both.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Chamisa Is A Failed Opposition Leader; CCC As A Political Party Is Finished - Chin'ono

Journalist and Government critic Hopewell Chin’ono said that the Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) led by Nelson Chamisa blundered in fielding its recalled MPs under the CCC banner.
Posting on X, Chin’ono said it was inevitable that the recalled CCC representatives would not be allowed to use the party’s name and symbols in by-elections, arguing that the recalls were initiated by ZANU PF in its quest to get a two-thirds majority in Parliament. Said Chin’ono:
<blockquote>
I have just read that Sengezo Tshabangu’s application to have the recalled CCC MPs removed from the December 9 by-elections has been granted by the High Court of Zimbabwe.
It means that those re-called CCC MPs will not run in this by-election unless CCC appeals against today’s ruling, and wins that appeal against the High Court judgement.
I and many others publicly gave open advice to these recalled MPs to run as Independent candidates because any average political analyst or reader of Zimbabwean politics would have told you that there is a third hand in this case.
I am astonished by the schoolboy antics and mistakes that CCC continues to make aware of the viciousness of the enemy it is fighting…
ZANU PF has a hand in all this and that should be expected, but the opposition should respond strategically and not just go into courts where could have avoided doing so by just running as Independents to outwit the regime.
</blockquote>
On 04 November, Chin’ono urged all CCC MPs to resign and trigger by-elections, and then contest as independent candidates. He said:
<blockquote>
The real test of commitment to the struggle against ZANU PF tyranny and corrupt rule would be a total withdrawal of all CCC MPs from parliament.
That would trigger by-elections which they would contest as INDEPENDENTS.
… it gives you 100% control over the business of opposing ZANUPF, without that you will have compromised MPs whose only survival is decided by Tshabangu.
</blockquote>
On Thursday, High Court judge Justice Never Katiyo barred the 22 recalled CCC Members of the National Assembly from contesting in the 09 December 2023 by-election after ruling that the move by the nomination court to accept their papers was unlawful. Read the judgement:
<blockquote>
It is ordered that the decision of the Nomination Court sitting at Harare, Bulawayo, Gwanda, Lupane and/or any other location around the country on 7 November 2023 to accept the nomination papers and candidature of first to 22nd respondents for election in the by-elections set to be conducted on 9. December 2023 is unlawful, of no force and effect and hereby set aside.
It is ordered that the respondents are not candidates for election in the by-elections scheduled to be conducted on 9 December 2023 and that 23rd and 24th respondents shall not include the names of first to 22nd respondents in the preparation of ballot papers to be used in the by-elections scheduled to be conducted on 9 December 2023.
It is ordered that the first to 22nd respondents are interdicted from representing or holding themselves out to the general public and electorate in the constituencies concerned or any other place in Zimbabwe, whether physically or through any form of media, as candidates for election in by-elections scheduled to be held on 9 December 2023 and that the respondents shall jointly and severally pay the applicants’ cost on the ordinary scale.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

"Schoolboy Antics" Cost Chamisa's CCC - Chin'ono

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) had an Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government in Angola on Saturday. However, according to the summit’s communique, there was no discussion about Zimbabwe.
Many people were hoping that the summit would address the political deadlock in Zimbabwe, which started after the disputed August 23, 2023, harmonised elections and was made worse by the removal of several opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) lawmakers from Parliament. The communique only stated:
<blockquote>
Summit received an update on the elections in the SADC Member States and noted the report of the SADC Election Observation Mission to the Harmonised Elections in the Republic of Zimbabwe held in August 2023, and the General Elections in the Kingdom of Eswatini in September 2023.
Download: <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/COMMUNIQUE-OF-THE-EXTRA-ORDINARY-SUMMIT-4-NOVEMBER-2023-ENGLISH_1.pdf">COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE SADC EXTRA-ORDINARY SUMMIT of Heads of State and Government 4 NOVEMBER 2023 Angola</a>
</blockquote>
The report mentioned only recommends aggrieved parties use and exhaust domestic remedies, something that journalist Hopewell Chin’ono says “is not possible in Zimbabwe.” He said:
<blockquote>
 Short of a real tangible crisis in Zimbabwe, SADC won’t do much for Zimbabweans, it is up to Zimbabweans to do something for themselves to resolve the 23-year-old crisis of governance.
</blockquote>
After the disputed elections, the CCC party asked SADC to help organise new elections in Zimbabwe. They pointed to a report from a SADC Observer Mission (SEOM) that highlighted irregularities in the previous elections. The CCC believed that fresh elections overseen by an impartial body like SADC, the African Union, or the United Nations should be held instead of relying on the perceived biased Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
The party also reached out to SADC when its members were recalled from Parliament and Local Government Authorities. The CCC has been assuring its supporters that help is on the way, but critics have doubted this, as they believe SADC has historically supported parties like ZANU PF, which were part of the liberation movement.
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SADC Extraordinary Summit Of Heads Of State And Government Didn't Discuss Zimbabwe

Journalist and government critic Hopewell Chin’ono says the conviction of Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) president <a href="https://pindula.co.zw/Henrietta_Rushwaya">Henrietta Rushwaya</a> on charges of attempting to smuggle 6kg of gold out of the country is a “sideshow” adding that the former ZIFA chief executive officer is part of the powerful “Vene” elite.
“Vene” is a Shona word literally translated as “the owners”, that is the owners of the country and its wealth, and is used to derisively describe Zimbabwe’s ruling elite.
Chin’ono said Rushwata is related to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Martin Rushwaya.
He argued that it was too early to comment on the conviction as Rushwaya has not yet been sentenced.
Chin’ono suggested that the courts may give her a suspended sentence, and even if she is imprisoned, she may appeal and a higher court could overturn both the conviction and sentence.
Responding to people who had asked him to comment on the conviction, <a href="https://x.com/daddyhope/status/1720092909196935261?s=20">Chin’ono said</a>:
<blockquote>
I won’t comment because we still have to wait for her sentencing.
Will she get a custodial sentence, or she will get a suspended sentence?
After that is done, she will appeal and apply for bail if she gets a custodial sentence.
Will she get bail or she will be denied bail like Jacob Ngarivhume?
Will her appeal in the High Court be successful or not?
Henrieta Rushwaya is part of the powerful ZANUPF “Vene” political elites, it would be unwise for anyone to make any premature pronouncements now before all the above-mentioned processes have played out.
So for now this is a sideshow, it is not worthy of me commenting on it until the whole saga has been played out.
</blockquote>
Earlier this week, Rushwaya was convicted on charges of attempting to smuggle 6kg of gold out of the country.
She was arrested at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on 26 October 2020 while trying to board a flight to Dubai.
The gold, which was inside her handbag, was valued at approximately US$333 000.00.
Following her conviction, Rushwaya was remanded in custody to 10 November 2023, for sentencing.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

"Henrietta Rushwaya's Conviction For Smuggling A Sideshow"

Harare magistrate Vongai Guriro Muchuchuti has rejected an application for release by <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Job_Sikhala/">Job Sikhala</a>, a detained activist from the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).
In her ruling, the magistrate stated that Sikhala had a case to answer based on evidence, including a video clip where he was present during alleged public incitement, <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200018466/sikhalas-application-for-discharge-dismissed">NewsDay</a> reported. The magistrate emphasised that the court carefully evaluated the witness testimony and found it illogical to argue that Sikhala’s remarks in the video were not intended to incite public violence.
Additionally, the ruling stated that it was evident that Sikhala appeared in the video and that the voice belonged to him. Sikhala was represented by Harrison Nkomo and Jeremiah Bhamu during the proceedings.
<h3>Some context:</h3>
On August 21, 2020, Sikhala was arrested by the police. The allegations against him include inciting people to commit public violence by joining a foiled protest march intended to express dissatisfaction with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.
The police also charged Sikhala with inciting public violence as an alternative charge. It is claimed that between May and July 2020, the former Zengeza West legislator incited people to engage in demonstrations that would lead to violence and disrupt peace through video clips with violent messages. The court was informed that Sikhala even called upon Zimbabweans residing outside the country to participate in the protest scheduled for July 31, 2020.
The foiled protests were meant to express discontent with corruption, misgovernance, and the exploitation of national resources by the political elite. The demonstrations received support from various stakeholders, including political parties.
<a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Jacob_Ngarivhume/">Jacob Ngarivhume</a>, the leader of Transform Zimbabwe and the main organizer of the protests, was arrested in August 2020 on charges of inciting public violence. In April 2023, he was found guilty and <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/2023/04/28/jacob-ngarivhume-sentenced-to-four-years-in-jail/">sentenced to four years in prison</a>, following his conviction for inciting public violence. The trial lasted almost three years, and Harare magistrate Feresi Chakanyuka handed down a sentence of 48 months, with 12 months conditionally suspended, resulting in an effective three-year imprisonment.
Journalist <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Hopewell_Chin'ono/">Hopewell Chon’ono</a> was also arrested on July 20, 2020, on charges of inciting public violence due to his support for anti-corruption protests through social media.
Due to fear of government retaliation, several political activists went into hiding, as they were accused of planning the protests. The government labelled the foiled demonstrations as an insurrection and referred to the organizers as “terrorists.”
<h3><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h3>

Magistrate Rejects Jailed Sikhala's Application To Be Released

Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono has doubled down on his call for young Zimbabweans to leave the country for greener pastures if they can.
Chin’ono said he would not try to persuade young people to remain in the country and “fight” for their future saying if they get arrested, no one, not even the opposition will support them or their families.
He cited the case of journalist Itai Dzamara who was allegedly abducted by State security agents in 2015 and has never been seen since.
Posting on X, Chin’ono claimed that the current opposition leaders are by and large spineless and have no capacity to stand for ordinary people. He wrote:
<blockquote>
My South African followers have asked me why I encourage young Zimbabweans to leave the country instead of staying to fight.
It is because we have a long history of fearless men and women who stood up against the ZANU PF regime and were either killed or jailed and their families got no financial support from the alternative.
There is no leadership structure that has been able to manage and assist the families of these comrades in the past 20 years.
A journalist called Itai Dzamara was killed in 2015 by the regime after his one-man protests angered it, no coherent plan was put in place by the alternative to assist his family, wife and kids.
The opposition and civil society have wealthy men and women, but they never so it fit to build a fund for the families of these slain comrades.
Only this year has a Zimbabwean woman moved by the plight of Dzamara’s wife and kids assisted Dzamara’s wife in getting a job in Britain.
Zimbabwe is a nation where people lie to each other for feel feel-good factor, they are big talkers but very thin on action.
In recent times 2 Zimbabwean opposition politicians Job Sikhala and Jacob Ngarivhime were jailed for protesting against State corruption, their families have struggled financially and have only been helped by ordinary citizens through Go-Fund campaigns and individual handouts.
It should never have been like that. When Robert Mugabe and Nelson Mandela were jailed, their parties took care of their families’ fundraising both locally and internationally.
This had a massive effect on recruiting more fighters to take on the colonial regimes in South Africa and Rhodesia because they knew that if they were jailed or killed, their families would get assistance in their absence.
It would be extremely irresponsible for a voice like mine to encourage young people to do things that might result in their families suffering knowing too well that the alternative has no competence and capacity to stand with them.
Put simply, Zimbabweans are not yet ready to fight for their freedom and to take on risks associated with such pursuits as looking after the families of those who will fall on the battlefield or those who are jailed.
To do so requires fearless leadership, at the moment Zimbabwe has no such leadership in the alternative.
ZANU PF will not be fought and defeated through social media and newspapers, it will need courageous leadership.
So young people must seek opportunities in countries that can sustain their growth in the meantime.
There is no revolution that takes place without leadership, so it is unfair for anyone to blame the young people who are leaving the country expecting them to fight.
How do they fight when the alternative leadership is telling them that it will only fight using constitutional means whose constitution is violated daily?
Life doesn’t stop because there is no plan locally, people grow old and families must be fed. That is why I am saying to young Zimbabweans, to seek a plan to leave that will help you sustain personal growth and assist you in bringing up your families.
A young person who was 20 years old in 2000 is 43 years old today, they have no job, they have no home, they have no future because they have already lived half their life.
How do I tell their son to stay and fight when they have their father as an example of how Zimbabwe is dysfunctional in every aspect including the alternative organising themselves?
I asked young people to register and vote, they voted and their votes were stolen. South Africa defended the election heist, what more can they do?
ANC, PAC and many opposition parties to apartheid thrived because they had leadership that was prepared to take huge risks.
Meanwhile, in Zimbabwe, the alternative is terrified of being arrested, so who will lead the young people?
Whilst we figure out how to answer that question, let us allow the young people to seek greener pastures because life doesn’t stop, they have families to feed, and they have a life to live.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Chin'ono Defends His Call For Zimbabwean Youths To Emigrate, Says Challenging ZANU PF Is Risky

Award-winning journalist Hopewell Chin’ono has advised young Zimbabwe to leave the country for greener pastures if they can.
Posting on his X Page, the 52-year-old said that Zimbabwe is a broken country with no opportunities for young people except for criminals or those linked to political elites. 
Chin’ono said there is nothing wrong with young Zimbabweans migrating to the United Kingdom and starting as carers.
He also said Zimbabwe “is a mess, it will be a mess for a long time unless a miracle happens or someone fearless emerges to take on the corrupt elites and bring revolutionary change.” Wrote Chin’ono:
<blockquote>
My advice to young Zimbabwean people from the bottom of my heart speaking from experience is that if you can leave the country, PLEASE LEAVE NOW!
Don’t waste your youthful days doing nothing when people of your age are progressing elsewhere.
I left Zimbabwe at 23 in 1994 and was able to build the foundation for the life I live today in Britain from my education to my award-winning professional career.
I would never have done it in Zimbabwe with only ONE TV station owned by the Government and a collapsed economy run by corrupt politicians.
I secured visas for all my young family members in the past 20 years so that they could have the same head-start I got in life because I knew that they would grow old with nothing to their name if they stayed in Zimbabwe.
Some have now moved from Britain to Australia because they had an opportunity to build their lives in a country where things worked.
The politicians in Zimbabwe have no viable plan for you, you either choose propaganda or you choose to build yourself.
Zimbabwe is a broken nation with no opportunities for young people except for those of a criminal type or those linked to political elites.
I am 52 years old, there are people of my age who have never had a title deed in their name, and there are people of my age who have never been on holiday, the same will happen to you if you stick around doing nothing hoping for a miracle to happen.
There are many opportunities for young people across the world, to start as a carer in Britain and build themselves up.
Don’t say that nobody didn’t tell you! Life is one big road with loads of signs, you choose which sign to follow.
To those who have left the country, learn something from my journey, DON’T forget those that you left behind.
Sending them money to buy bread is a sign of responsibility, but it won’t change their lives, you will end up resenting them because they will become an irritating financial burden to you. Help them get out!
I want to end by saying this, politicians earn their living by selling dreams, it is up to you whether you want to live in Lala-Land or you want to do something about your sorry circumstances.
Zimbabwe is a mess, it will be a mess for a long time unless a miracle happens or someone fearless emerges to take on the corrupt elites and bring revolutionary change.
The current political actors have no ability to change anything or to help you change your lives. LEAVE and if you do, remember those that you left behind.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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