BINGA district development co-ordinator Lydia Banda-Ndethi has been demoted for allegedly boycotting a function where Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga was officiating, the Southern Eye has established.

BY PRAISEMORE SITHOLE

Banda is alleged to have violated sections of the Public Service Regulations by choosing to attend a non-governmental organisation (NGO) programme instead of Chiwenga’s event held in July 2018 at Manjolo Business Centre.

According to a misconduct charge sheet dated December 17 signed by one Z.R Churu (Disciplinary Authority) on behalf of the Local Government permanent secretary, Banda violated section 44 (2) (a) as read with paragraphs 2 and 24 of the first schedule (section 2) of the Public Service Regulations, 2000 as amended.

Investigations against Banda, who is now deputy director local governance in the provincial development co-ordinator’s office, Matabeleland North, were conducted between August 19 and 21, 2019, Churu said.

“You allegedly prematurely left the function that the Vice-President of the Republic of Zimbabwe Chiwenga was officiating in July 2018 at the Manjolo Business Centre opting to attend to a NGO programme. You had lopsided priorities to the extent that the activities of NGOs were taking precedence ahead of government business,” the misconduct charge sheet reads.

Banda also stands accused of failing to hold government-funded national events such as the Heroes Day commemorations among other acts of misconduct.

“Heroes commemorations have allegedly not been held in the district at least since 2015 when you assumed duty in Binga district. During your tenure in Binga district, you allegedly routinely left chiefs to meet on their own during monthly meetings while your prioritised other errands.”

By so doing she allegedly violated paragraph 2 of the Public Service Regulations, 2000 as amended which states, “improper, negligent, inefficient or incompetent performance of duties.”

Her actions were said to be inconsistent with, and prejudicial to the discharge of duties that the Civil Service vested in her.

Banda was given no later than 14 days to respond to the charges from the day of receipt of the letter.
In an interview, Banda said her lawyer had advised her not to give her side of the story yet to the media. “My lawyer advised me not to give my side of the story to the media as it would problematic in the future,” Banda said yesterday.

In response to It’s ‘aluta continua’ in ED’s Zimbabwe, MUTATI says: It is pretty clear that some people were born to make other people suffer. We have heard enough of Zanu PF leadership, torture and corruption. For how long shall the people be under Pharaoh, but it is almost 40 years of people suffering, yet it appears difficult for people to do the correct thing? It appears true that Zanu PF liberated the people to oppress them. It is now two years down the line, all hope is slowly fading. President Emmerson Mnangagwa is leading a deeply-divided nation, plagued by economic challenges which he seem to have found no solution.

In response to We’re trying to stabilise the Zimdollar: Mangudya, CHEDU says: This is purely nonsense, especially when it is coming from Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya, who is clueless on how best to solve the economic hardships he has created. Mangudya promised the whole nation to resign if the bond note failed. Here we are now, inflation rate is at 480%, the worst after Venezuela as if we are in a war situation. As far as we know Mangudya cannot stabilise the Zimdollar because he is clueless. Instead, as the people we should expect more suffering as they continue to allow our resources to be stolen.

IN response to Feed the people not fish, Chamisa tells ED, CHAMBOKO says: MDC leader Nelson Chamisa is not doing enough to show President Emmerson Mnangagwa that he is doing more harm than good to the people, be it Zanu PF or MDC. We are becoming a joke to the world given the way Mnangagwa is leading the nation. Mnangagwa has allowed thieves and con people to flourish. He seems to be enjoying feeding his fish at the farm while people are suffering.

IN response to A chaotic Christmas!, MASHAMBULANI says: The year 2019 has become the worst year which everybody does not even want to hear about. It was not a Christmas to remember in anyway as the working class was hit the hardest. Our incomes were totally eroded and they became useless to an extent that we could not buy anything meaningful with $100. For sure, it was a chaotic Christmas whereby there was no electricity for more than 18 hours a day, no tape water and service stations were dry as motorist failed to travel to their rural areas. Under the Mnangagwa-led leadership, the people will continue to suffer till death because the regime has no solution.

THE breakaway opposition party MDC-T Vice-President Obert Gutu may not have joined the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) for tea and biscuits, but Polad still spends taxpayer’s money to do work that should be done by existing government structures.

By Kennedy Kaitano, Our Reader

Is Gutu seriously telling us that a department that will be created by the useless Polad to manage its communication will be made up of unpaid volunteers?

Is Gutu telling the world that the members of Polad have used their personal resources to travel out of Harare to attend workshops?

Can he honestly say there have been no allowances paid to the participants of these workshops?
Can Gutu prove to us that Polad has not been allocated money from the 2020 budget?

And Polad, from what has been said, is made up of the losing presidential candidates and I wonder why it has now been expanded to accommodate other officials from the parties which sponsored a presidential candidate like Gutu, who was not a presidential candidate? This is the confusion behind the Polad concept, and how corruption is at play to then include persons who were not Presidential elections candidates.

It is clear Gutu wants to mislead the world that people outside Polad only want to complain, but does not proffer solutions to the problems, as if Polad is the only group which has suggested solutions.

Many organisations and individuals have suggested solutions and it could be government which has selectively considered such suggestions.

Polad is unconstitutional, unnecessarily duplicates the work being done by other arms of government and a waste of tax payers’ money.

Lillian Timveous (MDC Midlands Senator) referring to January human rights abuses

“Will the rule of law ever be restored in the country because we see people getting beaten before they get arrested and women are raped? A lot of lawlessness is going on in the country, especially at the moment.”

January 31, 2019

Tichinani Mavetera (MDC Masvingo senator) on police brutality

“We have videos going all over of police brutality with pictures of people that can be identified in police uniform perpetrating heinous crimes against the citizenry. For citizens to have confidence in our law enforcement agents we should have pointers from government on what has been done to bring the culprits to book.”

January 31, 2019

Chegutu West MP Dextor Nduna (Zanu PF) threatening Norton MP Themba Mliswa (Independent) during sitting of the Mines Portfolio Committee

“Don’t call me a thief, I am saying this for the last time, don’t call me a thief, I have people who I killed who I don’t even know.”

February 12, 2019

Nduna apologises for his behaviour

“I want to profusely apologise for the words I uttered and say that I did not mean anything that I said and I take back my words and want to apologise so that the decorum of Parliament can be appraised. I apologise to the Speaker as chairperson of the Standing Rules and Orders Committee, the institution of Parliament, MPs and my party Zanu PF for the fracas which had unintended effect.”

March 5, 2019

Mliswa accuses Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda of corruption

“This institution (Parliament) is faced with losing its credibility. It might as well be a Zanu PF Parliament. Even the decisions made by Mudenda – we are starting to doubt them because we are talking of an institution with high morals, but why bring in a person implicated in $11 million bribe scandal to chair the Transport Portfolio Committee? (referring to Nduna).”

February 11, 2019

Mliswa apologising to Mudenda for labelling him corrupt

“During the debacle, I inadvertently included the name of the Speaker in the furore, mistakenly linking him with the nefarious actions attributed to Nduna. The erroneous accusation was premised on misinformation emanating from Nduna who fabricated a false association with Mudenda in an attempt to shield and seek protection from the underhand dealings he was associated with to make them appear above board.”

March 5, 2019

Job Sikhala (Zengeza West MP MDC) shouting at Mudenda

“Having shown that you do not want to hold this institution as a democracy – you have reduced this Parliament to a kangaroo Parliament. I and my MPs tried to raise a point of order on the constitutionality of your ruling, but you have denied us. As a result, I withdraw my sympathy for you for what happened to you when you were eating ice-cream (in Serbia). You are turning this institution into a dictatorial institution. You are torturing our MPs on a daily basis. It is not allowed. Why are you abusing us – we are not kids.

“I used to have huge respect for you, but today that honour has reduced to a quarter. You have disappointed me, Mr Speaker.”

Mudenda responded:

“I cannot accept to be challenged by an MP. I ask you to leave the House.”

October 23, 2019

Priscilla Misihairabwi Mushonga (MDC-T) on mandatory sentencing of rapists

“Some of us (legislators) are about to leave Parliament and if the issue of mandatory sentences for rape is imposed that will be part of our legacy if this is our last term because we have been advocating for that for a long time. We have been waiting for this for years and nothing was happening. We proposed the issue of mandatory sentences for rapists during the late former President Robert Mugabe’s time and the law never saw the light of the day given the male dominated systems of Parliament.”

October 2, 2019

Edwin Mushoriwa (Dzivarasekwa MP MDC) criticising Finance minister Mthuli Ncube for erroneous figures in 2020 budget statement

“The credibility of the 2020 budget statement has been brought into disrepute by the fact that China and the US yesterday (Tuesday) disputed the figures in the budget statement and as MPs we are now questioning whether all the figures said by the minister are authentic.”

December 4, 2019

Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi (Zanu PF) responding to a question by Mavetera on doctors’ strike

“I fully submit that he has been misled by the doctors on the issues of tools of trade. If you are employed at a road construction site and you are not provided with shovels, you do not run away from your work place because there are no shovels. There is a very clear order of the court that gave a roadmap of what needs to be done and doctors decided to clearly ignore that order. It is wrong for the senator to say that the dispute was about tools of trade.”

December 5, 2019

Barbara Rwodzi (Chirumanzu MP Zanu PF) complaining about gender-based violence (GBV) in Parliament

“As women MPs, we join the nation and the rest of the world to commemorate the 16 Days of activism against gender-based violence (GBV) and on behalf of female MPs, I rise to seek protection against verbal GBV abuse in this House.

Women in this Parliament are now becoming unproductive due to GBV suffered here and as such we ask your office Madam Speaker (Tsitsi Gezi) to protect us and take stern measures against all male MPs that use verbal GBV against us.”

December 6, 2019

Jasmine Toffa (MDC PR) speaking on GBV in Parliament

“For example, there is an incident happening to myself whereby last week in the presence of the Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi an MP abused me and he shouted alleging that my man was snatched from me by (Joanna) Mamombe. As I speak, I am actually looking at those MPs. It ends up attacking the confidence of female MPs.”

December 6, 2019

Buhera South MP Joseph Chinotimba (Zanu PF) suggesting that Parliament must craft a law to jail those that call for sanctions

“This country is now in tatters because of people that are senior politicians that go to Britain, Germany and the United States to tie things so that there is no development in this country. I suggest that now we must craft a law to ensure that such people are jailed with stiff penalties.”

December 17, 2019

Nkulumane MP Kucaca Phulu (MDC) accusing the Speaker of favouring Zanu PF

“As an MP and over the past few weeks, I have been constrained in my privileges and rights and my observation is that the rulings emanating from the chair (Speaker) on many a matter have been totally biased in favour of the other side of the House (Zanu PF).”

December 18, 2019

Mutare Central MP Innocent Gonese (MDC) also accusing the Speaker of bias

“I will refer to Parliament conventions, practices and procedures that when a person occupies the office of Chair, Speaker or President, that person – for the duration or period they are in occupation of that office is supposed to be impartial. I am making this point as I feel that my rights are infringed in the manner that the Chair has been responding to issues with bias.”

December 18, 2019

Mudenda responding to Kucaca Phulu and Innocent Gonese’s accusations that he is biased

“Let me remind you that I and my team of presiding officers have to observe balance in this House where the ratio is 3:1. On a more serious note we need to observe that ratio. You must understand the numerical ratios. You must know that when you have four wives there is a senior wife and three others. Polygamy is a problem.”

THE Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) says the lower energy density of blended fuel is compensated for in the price.

BY TATIRA ZWINOIRA

This comes as Zimbabwe’s motorists have long complained that the current blending ratio of 20% is causing damage to motor vehicles.

“Zimbabwe has blended petrol with ethanol since colonial days and only stopped in 1992 due to a severe drought then. Blending was resumed in 2013 and has been implemented continuously since then,” Zera acting chief executive officer Eddington Mazambani told NewsDay Business in emailed responses.

“There has been a perception of lower fuel economy of E20 blend by some motorists. The fact is the slightly lower energy density of blended petrol is compensated for in the blend fuel price.”

Since earlier last year, motorists have complained that petrol which is being disbursed at the pump stations was finishing faster and at the same time damaging their vehicles leading many to believe that higher blending ratios were being used.

These fears were stoked by Zera, who announced on December 5, 2019 that the ethanol blending ratios had been reduced to 10% only to revert to 20%.

In May 2019, the ethanol blending ratio was 10%.

“The Minister of Energy and Power Development may from time to time grant an exception from blending unleaded petrol in exceptional circumstances. Some of these circumstances include production and availability of ethanol for blending,” Mazambani said.

“The Petroleum (Mandatory Blending of Anhydrous Ethanol with Unleaded Petrol) Regulations, 2013 (SI 147A) stipulates that from 31 March 2014, no fuel procurement licensee, wholesale licensee or retail licensee shall sell unleaded petrol to end users unless that petrol has been blended with 20% locally produced anhydrous ethanol being E20.”

In May 2019, the then Energy minister, Joram Gumbo stated that the National Oil Infrastructure Company (NOIC) did the blending of petrol before it was distributed to fuel operators.

At the time, he explained that when NOIC did its blending it alerted fuel companies on how much blending was being done. This would suggest that if blending ratios are being diluted it would be happening after the fuel is distributed to fuel operators.

According to a May 2009 paper by an American activist group called the Environmental Working Group (EWG), it found out that a blending ratio of E15 or 15% was particularly disastrous to old vehicles.

“Optimal vehicle performance, durability, and emissions require an effective match among engine design, vehicle emission controls and cleaner-burning fuels. Technological breakthroughs achieved in the last decade brought to the market a new generation of low-emission vehicles able to adapt to a wide-range of fuels. But older, legacy vehicles constitute a significant portion of the current fleet (in America at the time),” reads part of the paper.

“These legacy vehicles cannot adjust to operating conditions to accommodate a wide-range of fuels, which leaves their engines and emission systems at risk from ethanol fuel blends. Early catalyst burnout and material damage from incompatibility with ethanol fuels would likely lead to increased vehicle and non-road engine emissions and worsening air quality.”

With most of the estimated 1,4 million to 1,5 million vehicles in Zimbabwe being ex-Japanese cars due to their affordability, higher ethanol blending could damage most of these vehicles.

EWG specialises in research and advocacy in the areas of agricultural subsidies, toxic chemicals, drinking water pollutants, and corporate accountability.