BY VENERANDA LANGA

FEMALE legislators on Wednesday complained to Deputy Speaker Tsitsi Gezi over gender-based violence in Parliament in the form of verbal abuse by their male counterparts.

The issue was raised by Chirumanzu MP Barbara Rwodzi (Zanu PF), where she said female MPs were verbally abused in the House to the extent that they were now scared to make contributions.

“As women MPs we join the nation and the rest of the world in commemorating 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,” Rwodzi said.

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

MDC MP Jasmine Toffa (Proportional Representation) supported Rwodzi’s point of privilege, saying that she and Harare West MP Joanah Mamombe (MDC Alliance) were always being verbally abused by Zanu PF male legislators whenever they tried to contribute to debates in the National Assembly.

“I stand in support of the MP that spoke with regards to GBV, particularly GBV verbal abuse against female MPs which continues in Parliament, where women are getting abused by our male counterparts,” she said.

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

Toffa also said the Speaker should protect female MPs, as this week, there was also an attack on two female legislators following social media posts to the effect that they were caught in the Parliament toilets engaging in sex with male MPs.

Gezi said the issues raised by the female legislators were important, adding that they needed protection.

Meanwhile, MDC chief whip in the National Assembly, Prosper Mutseyami, challenged the Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda’s ruling punishing the opposition legislators by docking five months of their allowances and also setting up a privileges committee to investigate them for snubbing President Emmerson Mnangagwa in Parliament.

“The Speaker already ruled that members of the opposition will not be entitled to allowances for five months, but the Speaker has put that issue again for investigation and yet he made a judgment that MDC legislators must be investigated,” he said.

“Madam Speaker, in that regard, I need to put it to your attention that probably the Speaker lapsed with regards to the issue which I stand to oppose clearly because a judgment had already been made and we are suffering the fate of allowances and I seek guidance and a response from the Speaker, which is democratic in respect of the issue at hand.”
Gezi said she would apprise Mudenda in respect of the issue.

But her response did not go down well with the MDC, with Mutare Central MP Innocent Gonese suggesting that instead of saying that Mudenda would give the response at a later date, she (Gezi) must respond instantly to the issue. Gezi then said she would study the matter and give a response at a later date.

BY VANESSA GONYE

THE National Blood Services Zimbabwe yesterday launched its festive season blood collection campaign, with a target to raise 9 400 units of blood by the end of next month.

Speaking at the launch in Mutare yesterday, NBSZ spokesperson Esther Massundah said the campaign was part of plans to ensure that the country does not run out of blood supplies during the festive season.

“We would like to ensure that we maintain five-day stock levels throughout the season,” she said.

Massundah said they were motivated by the fact that schools were their major source of supplies, providing 90% of the contributions to the blood bank per given time.

The launch of the campaign coincided with the handing over of donations worth nearly $170 000 to Cyclone Idai-affected areas, which included sanitary wear, while College Press presented books worth $147 000.

Econet Wireless regional general manager Passion Muranganwa commended schools for their continued support to blood donation initiatives.

He said the telecommunications company would assist in the repair of damaged infrastructure in the Cyclone Idai-ravaged areas in Chimanimani and Chipinge.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Republic Police has urged people to observe traffic rules and regulations to avoid accidents on the country’s roads during the festive season.

National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi urged motorists to avoid travelling at night and desist from speeding, overloading and driving under the influence of alcohol.

He said police would be out in full force to reduce road carnage during the festive season.

BY VENERANDA LANGA

PARLIAMENTARIANS have been urged to grill the Executive over excess spending that has resulted in Finance minister Mthuli Ncube crafting a Financial Adjustment Bill seeking condonation for government expenditure of US$10 billion from 2015 to 2018.

Legal think-tank Veritas this week cast doubt on whether MPs, including the opposition, would be able to demand answers from government given the polarised state of Parliament.

“Investigations by the Auditor-General and the PAC [Public Accounts Committee] have revealed that government’s finances have been mismanaged over the past few years on a scale that beggar belief, and as a result, the Ministry of Finance published a Financial Adjustment Bill seeking condonation for the unlawful expenditure listed in the Bill,” Veritas said in its latest Bill Watch publication.

“MPs must find an answer as to how on earth did government’s public accounting systems allow misspending to occur on such a scale, what are the deficiencies in our public financial management system (PFMS), what can be done to remedy those deficiencies and can any of the misspent money be recovered.”

The overspent amounts during former President Robert Mugabe’s era were US$25,3 million in 2015, US$1,5 billion in 2016 and US$4,5 billion in 2017.

In 2018, US$3,5 billion was misspent under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s watch.

“The government admits it spent all this money without authority. By comparison, the total budget amount appropriated for 2019 in the Appropriation (2019) Act, 2019, was only US$6 899 837 000.”

In 2017, the whole national budget was US$4,7 billion, which means that government has been misspending money which could fund the whole country’s budgetary needs for a year.

The ministries that were responsible for some of the over-expenditure include Agriculture (US$5,2 billion), Finance (US$781 million), Energy (US$538 million), Defence (US$479 million), Labour (US$435 million), Mines (US$383 million), Transport (US$335 million), Office of the President and Cabinet (US$223 million) and Health and Child Care (US$204 million).

Veritas said while Ncube brought the Condonation Bill before Parliament in terms of section 307 of the Constitution, the Bill, however, fails to explain how or why the amounts it lists were overspent or misspent.

“The clauses do not indicate whether the amounts represent overspending or spending for improper purposes, and they do not indicate what the amounts were spent on. Presumably, that will be explained by the Minister of Finance and the responsible ministers when the Bill is debated in the National Assembly,” Veritas said.

The legal think-tank said the Bill was carelessly put together which speaks volumes about the competence and diligence of the government’s accounting staff.

“The Bill does not explain how all this unauthorised expenditure occurred. In the interest of public transparency and accountability this should have been done. Even a brief explanation would have been helpful in preparing Members of Parliament for the debate on the Bill,” Veritas noted.

BY Richard Muponde

THE ruling Zanu PF and opposition MDC yesterday said they were unfazed by the launch of a political movement by self-exiled former ruling party stalwart, Saviour Kasukuwere.

Kasukuwere’s movement, known as “Tyson Wabantu”, was launched in Bulawayo on Thursday by a group of disgruntled former Zanu PF members known as G40.

The movement distributed flyers and T-shirts branded “ Tyson Wabantu” in many residential areas in the country’s second capital city.

Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo told NewsDay Weekender yesterday that the ruling party would not spend sleepless nights on Kasukuwere, whom he described as a nonentity.

“The launch of the movement is insignificant and meaningless to us. He is representing nothing. That movement has no bearing on Zanu PF. We are a mass party which has a vast support base. We don’t lose sleep on that nonentity. He is just but a dreamer,” Moyo said.

MDC president Nelson Chamisa’s spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda said Kasukuwere’s movement did not even affect an inch of their space as he was a Zanu PF creation.

“We don’t have to comment on that. Kasukuwere is former Zanu PF or Zanu PF, I think a comment from there would suffice. The MDC has had Kasukuwere as a political opponent. You know how we won elections when he was in politics. Why is that question even relevant?” Sibanda asked rhetorically.

Rose Phiri, former member of the ruling party women’s league, is the co-ordinator of Kasukuwere’s movement.

She said: “Tyson Wabantu movement is meant to unite all Zimbabweans and provide leadership towards a better Zimbabwe.”

Phiri said they were targeting one million people for the movement but admitted that the movement had no proper structures.

Kasukuwere has said he would issue a statement clarifying the position later on.

BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE

THE Constitutional Amendment Bill, incorporating a number of agreed amendments to the existing electoral law, is now set to be brought to Parliament before Christmas, with debate and passage of the Bill expected to be done by June next year, a senior government official has claimed.

Foreign Affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo told diplomats accredited to Harare this week that Cabinet has already endorsed the recommendations of the inter-ministerial taskforce chaired by Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, reflecting agreed positions on many recommendations contained in various international election observer missions’ reports.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration is under pressure to make a number of political and economic reforms demanded by the West as a precondition for re-engagement and lifting of sanctions.

“The Minister of Justice, Ziyambi Ziyambi, has indicated that an omnibus Constitutional Amendment Bill, incorporating inter alia a number of agreed amendments to the existing electoral law, will be brought to Parliament before the annual Christmas recess. He has indicated a completion target date of June 2020,” Moyo told diplomats at an annual reception.

He said the Zanu PF administration had made significant progress in the implementation of the reforms, with the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act now law and the three pieces of legislation to replace Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act at various stages in Parliament.

“The independent Complaints Mechanism Bill has been drafted, the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency is in the final stages of the parliamentary approval process, and will shortly become law,” he added.

But MDC secretary for elections, Jacob Mafume dismissed the purported reforms, accusing government of misleading the diplomats.

“We do not know what Moyo is saying and there is a common mistake by the government that when they do something on their own, they have reformed,” Mafume said.

“They do not understand the aspect of stakeholder consultation. They think reforms are manna from Zanu PF or hell. We will not accept so-called reforms. Any attempt to push through the said reforms will be dismissed like the footprint of an ant on the Sahara desert. We have not agreed on anything.”

He said Zanu PF had resisted the reforms since the Global Political Agreement era, vowing it would not reform itself out of power.

By Brenna Matendere

THE Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe (Ucaz) has reportedly struck a deal with government which would see councillors from the country’s 32 urban centres pocketing at least
$1 000 in monthly allowances.

The latest development is likely to trigger more demands for salary reviews by ordinary workers at city councils where councillors are policymakers.

The opposition MDC Alliance controls 28 out of 32 urban councils.

Ucaz president Josiah Makombe yesterday told NewsDay Weekender in a telephone interview from Germany, where he is on official business, that councillors starting last month were now entitled to a sitting allowance equivalent to 50% of Members of Parliament’s basic salary.

Councillors, according to the Urban Councils Act, are not entitled to salaries, but allowances only.

Before the latest adjustment, which will see them pocketing about $1 000, councillors were earning a measly monthly allowance of $300.

MPs get about $2 000 basic salary monthly before factoring in sitting allowances.

“As Ucaz, we have been negotiating with (Local Government) minister July Moyo to review the allowances of councillors. I am happy to say that we have been heard and we are grateful to minister Moyo for understanding us,” said Makombe, who is also Gweru mayor.

“We now have a formula or standard of allowances for councillors. Going forward, we will not negotiate for the review of the allowances, but simply stick to the formula where councillors will get 50% of what the MPs will be earning in salaries monthly.”

He said as for councillors with more responsibilities such as committee chairpersons, deputy mayors or mayors, there would be more money for them based on the discretion of their local authorities.

“This development has never happened since independence in 1980. I can, therefore, say this is one of my achievements as president of Ucaz. I have somehow brought dignity to the office of a councillor,” Makombe said.

Last year, councillors, led by the then Harare mayor and Ucaz president Bernard Manyenyeni, engaged Moyo to review their earnings to levels of MPs, saying “their demands were justified in expecting that those who come through democratic processes should be treated along identical principles perhaps varying in the quantum on the major conditions of service”.

Both Moyo and his deputy Marian Chombo could not be reached for comment yesterday.

THE MAN OF THE YEAR … Joel “Josta” Ngodzo

BY HENRY MHARA

CAPS United midfield maestro Joel Ngodzo finally laid his hands on the Soccer Star of the Year gong after he scooped the big award at a banquet held in Harare last night.

Ngodzo missed the title in 2010 when he was voted the second best to Charles Sibanda.

His form took a surprise nosedive after that, but while he has not hit the form that he showed at Highlanders, he has resurrected his career, and he finally scooped the big one.

He was rewarded for an outstanding season in leading his side, who are on the brink of winning the title.

On top of his midfield job, he has also weighed in with 10 goals.

Second runner-up position went to Triangle defensive midfield Ralph Kawondera, who has also led his team from the midfield position. He has also scored 10 goals for his club.

In third position was Highlanders’ striker Prince Dube, who was probably rewarded for his late upsurge of form, and scoring crucial goals for his club.

Dube’s teammate and goalkeeper, Ariel Sibanda, was named the Goalkeeper of the Year, to successfully defend the title he won last year, and also add to being included in the best 11 players of the season.

Sibanda played well for Highlanders, and kept 15 clean sheets for his club. But some critics would feel that there are other goalkeepers who played better than him.

Nelson Chadya of Ngezi Platinum Stars has kept 13 clean sheets in 26 matches and conceded just 16 goals in those matches.

In comparison, Sibanda has conceded 21 goals in 31 matches. FC Platinum has conceded just 15 goals the whole season, but their goalkeepers, Petros Mhari and Francis Tizayi, could not even make the best 11 players of the season.

Joey Antipas was another surprise winner after he was voted the Coach of the Year.

The Chicken Inn mentor, who is also the Warriors gaffer, beat competition from the likes of Lloyd Chitembwe, Norman Mapeza, Lizwe Sweswe and Darlington Dodo.

Many had expected the gong to go to either Chitembwe or Mapeza for building a foundation for which log leaders Caps United and second placed Fc Platinum, went on to use in their current title fight.

Mapeza left FC Platinum for South Africa, while Chitembwe crossed the floor to Harare City, but they both left their sides on health ground.

Some thought the two men’s predecessors in Dodo for the Caps United and Sweswe, who now coaches FC Platinum, would be recognised for what they have done to keep their clubs at the top.

Antipas’ team, which started the season well, ran out of steam midway. They are currently third on the log standings, and although it still has a good chance to win the title, it will need Caps United and FC Platinum to stumble in the last two rounds of matches to snatch the Premiership.

The Most Promising Player of the Year award deservedly went to Highlanders defender Andrew Mbeba for the outstanding season the young man has had with Bosso.

The 19-year-old has defied his young age to establish himself in the heart of the Bulawayo giants’ defence. He completed Highlanders’ dominance on the awards podium.

Soccer Star of the Year: Joel Ngodzo

First runner-up: Ralph Kawondera

Second runner-up: Prince Dube

Goalkeeper of the Year: Ariel Sibanda

Most Promising Player of the Year: Andrew Mbeba

Coach of the Year: Joey Antipas

Referee of the Year: Brighton Chimene

Referee of the Year first runner-up: Salam Ncube

Referee of the year second runner-up: Faith Muloyi

Eleven finalists: Joel Ngodzo, Phineas Bamusi, Ariel Sibanda, Prince Dube, Evans Katema, Ralph Kawondera, King Nadolo, Never Tigere, Clive Augusto, Ian Nekati, Wellington Taderera

BY FORTUNE MBELE

ZIMBABWE champions FC Platinum are banking on their past experience in the Caf Champions League as they brace for the Tunisian giants Etoile du Sahel in the Group B league phase of the competition at Barbourfields Stadium today.

FC Platinum lost their last game 2-1 last week to Al-Hilal in Sudan and they have to post a positive result against the Tunisians if they are to retain hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the competition.

Coach Lizwe Sweswe yesterday said their experience in the past will play a major role in today’s game.

“The boys are prepared to fight especially with the experience we have now; taking into consideration that we were in the same competition last year and by now I think everyone in the team knows their roles and responsibilities,” Sweswe said.

Sweswe said they would go straight into attack mode today and stick to their type of play.

“I believe in attacking football and in dealing with how we play and not mind about their type of play. We have to stick to the way we play, our culture and strategy. I think that will carry the day for us tomorrow,” he said.

Sweswe, who took over from Norman Mapeza at FC Platinum, expects to pull a surprise against the highly rated Etoile du Sahel who won the competition in 2007 and have done well in subsequent competitions in which they have taken part.

“On paper they are highly rated but football is changing and becoming dynamic. What is important is that we are in the group stages which shows we are geared to play the so-called giants. I think we have learnt a lot in the previous games that we have played which helps us to have an idea of what to expect in the coming game tomorrow (today),” Sweswe said.

FC Platinum will be looking up to the likes of Never Tigere, Kelvin Madzongwe, Rodwell Chinyengetere (pictured), Gift Mbweti, Devon Chafa and Lameck Nhamo.

Etoile du Sahel coach Juan Carlos Garrido is confident but conceded that playing away from home was a challenge

“Tomorrow is an important match for us. The Champions League is the best competition in Africa with the best teams and the best players. For us we are a big club; top club in Africa and victory is the most important thing. We are playing to win and our supporters are always asking for victory. But we have total respect for the opponents because we know their quality, the players they have and that it is difficult to play in Africa especially away from home,” the Spaniard said.

Garrido’s team beat Al Ahly of Egypt 1-0 in their first game with Yassine Chikhaoui scoring the winner five minutes after the break in Tunisia.

When a patient is initiated on ARVs that becomes the first line treatment and these regimens, which have been recommended in low- and middle-income countries, have successfully treated over 15 million people globally

BY PHYLLIS MBANJE

LAST Sunday, Zimbabwe joined the rest of the world in commemorating World Aids Day, which is always marked with much pomp and fanfare as well as passionate declarations and pledges for enhanced access to treatment.

This year was no different and a government convoy made its way to Mucheke Stadium in Masvingo, where presenters made glowing remarks about how the country has done well in combating the spread of HIV and Aids.

It was, however, noted that the HIV prevalence rate currently stands at 12,7% and is one of the highest in sub-Saharan Africa.

Challenges

However, away from the outstanding presentations, stakeholders, activists and those living with HIV are disgruntled and feel the day has lost its lustre in the face of many challenges bedevilling the health delivery system, which include perennial shortages of antiretroviral drugs.

The activists, who protested by laying prostate on the ground as Health minister Obadiah Moyo made his speech, shared the same sentiments. Their demands were simple: consistency in provision of medication and restoration of health facilities.

Besides the drug outages, there are growing concerns over the new HIV infections, especially among young people. And then there is the scarcity of data on key populations which are critical in the management of HIV and Aids.

Currently, over 1,3 million people are living with HIV in Zimbabwe, according to Avert Report for 2018, with 38 000 new infections.

The statistics indicate that the fight against the disease is far from over and authorities should not slacken in terms of programming and sourcing for additional funding.

Charles Kautare from the Zimbabwe National Network of People Living with HIV (ZNNP+) said they were still struggling to get ARVs, especially for second line treatment.

“Challenges still persist for those on second line. There is no abacavir and others are being switched back to zidovudine whose main side effect is bringing down red blood cells in our bodies,” he lamented.

Fungisayi Dube, of the Citizens Health Watch (CHW), proposed a more radical approach in view of the obtaining challenges.

“I think we should stop all these celebrations as there is nothing to celebrate. We have a collapsed (health) system that needs serious efforts to mend. Every cent should be channelled towards saving people who are dying due to lack of drugs,” she insisted.

Dube said anything that required money on travel and accommodation of ministers and staff should be stopped.

“Medical personnel have been on strike for more than three months. We have nothing to celebrate. We need to stop this pretence, this culture of living a lie. We need to start acting to save our people’s lives,” she said.

Senior doctors on Wednesday marched to Parliament where they delivered a petition demanding the axing of Moyo as Health minister, on allegations of running the healthcare system to the ground.

Foreign currency challenges

In September, NAC said it was facing foreign currency challenges to settle a US$6,9 million owed to suppliers, with NAC acting chief executive officer Albert Manenji said the debt was proving to be a challenge to the council.

Every year there is a shortage of ARVs, a situation which can potentially reverse the gains made so far.

This is despite the fact that treatment remains key in viral load suppression and according to WHO restores the immune response, halts disease progression, increases survival rates, and provides for a better quality of life.

New studies have confirmed that once the viral load becomes undetectable it is also untransmutable, making treatment a strong prevention strategy alongside other methods like condom use.

Early this year researchers from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases reviewed clinical trials and studies validating the concept that people living with HIV who have achieved viral suppression cannot sexually transmit HIV.

But the perennial shortages of ARVs in Zimbabwe will result in some defaulting and not realising the full potential of the ARVs.

Government response

In a ministerial statement presented in the National Assembly recently, Moyo acknowledged that the shortages of second line drugs were posing a huge headache for the country.

“Second line medicines are a challenge because there is a global shortage on some of them. Efforts have been initiated to order from the suppliers that have the stock,” Moyo said, adding that for the first line treatment there was enough supply and that they were issuing three months supplies to each patient.

Solutions

Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) executive director Itai Rusike said while the country has battled the HIV and Aids pandemic and registered successes of reduction in both incidents and prevalence, that has not yet stopped Aids deaths.

Rusike said there was need to explore home-grown solutions as a country, which include expanding the Aids Levy to fully capacitate the National Aids Council (NAC) to carry its mandate effectively.

“We should find ways on taking everyone on board including those in the informal sector that are not currently contributing to the Aids Levy because without this inclusive approach NAC’s noble efforts would end up in vain,” he said.

The Aids Levy was introduced in 1999 and became effective in January 2000. Resources for the fund are collected through a Parliament special tax Act, which requires formal employers and their employees to contribute 3% of their monthly income.

Of concern also are the delays in appointing a substantive CEO for NAC which has a huge role of managing the Aids Levy as well as donor funds.

Rusike said NAC should not only become visible during the World Aids Day commemorations as its mandate was not only about organising public events, but to co-ordinate the national Aids response.