BY RICHARD MUPONDE

FIRST LADY Auxillia Mnangagwa is expected to commission the San community irrigation scheme next Saturday, a month after production started, with the project now flourishing with fresh vegetables.

The solar project is situated in Makhulela area, over 100km from Plumtree town.

First Lady, through the Angel of Hope Foundation, visited the remote area in June last year and promised to set up the solar-powered irrigation scheme to benefit 45 families.

This was after she had commissioned a borehole she drilled for the same community the same year.

A year later, the promise was fulfilled after the department of irrigation finished setting up the equipment and is now awaiting commissioning.

Bulilima acting district administrator Nyasha Majonga yesterday confirmed the First Lady’s date with the San people to the Bulililma Civil Protection Unit, and invited government departments to attend the function.

“We are all advised of the First Lady (Amai) Auxillia Mnangagwa’s visit to the San community garden in Makhulela on July 26. We are, therefore, inviting all to attend,” Majonga said.

The irrigation scheme was now functional and flourishing with vegetables watered by the solar-powered pump.

The garden was promised the San people by the First Lady in June last year in the run up to the harmonised elections.

The project has reportedly brought smiles to the San families who would live from hand-to-mouth for over 20 years following their removal from Mabhongwane Game Park in the mid-1990s by the government of former President Robert Mugabe.

Bulilima West legislator Dingimuzi Phuti (Zanu PF) has heaped praise on the First Lady and President Emmerson Mnangagwa for the project which he said would help the San people, who had for long been neglected.

“I’m so elated that this is happening to these people, the San, who most people have not been taking care of. It also amplifies the President’s passion for agriculture and food security. The First Lady is, indeed, a champion,” Phuti said.

BY FARAI MATIASHE/PRECIOUS CHIDA

Women’s groups have called on the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), the Zimbabwe Gender Commission and Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission to launch an inquiry into allegations of sexual abuse against Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries leader Walter Magaya.

Several women who minister at Magaya’s church have levelled sexual abuse allegations against him.

The call by the groups, under the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ), followed reports of increasing number of women who have been opening up alleging that they were sexually-abused or exploited by Magaya.

“As the Magaya allegations have caused public interest and alarm among the women of Zimbabwe and the society at large, WCoZ, therefore, calls upon ZRP, Zimbabwe Gender Commission Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and other relevant authority to commission an inquiry into

Magaya and his church in order to establish the truth behind the allegations,” WCoZ chairperson Ronika Mumbire said at a Press briefing in Harare yesterday.

“Also, (we call upon) the Parliament of Zimbabwe for the development of regulatory framework that ensures that there is human rights oversight and safeguarding in churches.”

Mumbire said church leaders and congregants should exercise collective oversight of the church space to ensure human rights were upheld.

The WCoZ chairperson said women and girls who have allegedly been sexually-abused by Magaya should come forward as they were committed to provide support, security and ensure the cases were reported to the police.

Nude pictures purportedly showing Magaya and an unknown woman have also gone viral on social media, with some members of his church and those who sympathise with him questioning their authenticity and arguing that they had been doctored.

Musasa Project director Netty Musanhu said the general populace must desist from vilifying women who speak out against sexual violence.

“It is highly regrettable that the society thinks every sexual abuse case that is reported is an issue of extortion. Not all women are looking for money, one should wonder why the cases are only circulating around Magaya. Why him? So, let us stop denigrating women and subject these issues to an inquiry,” Musanhu said.

According to Musasa Project, five rape cases against Magaya were reported to them last year.

Gender and Media Connect director Abigail Gamanya chided journalists and police officers for allegedly getting bribes from Magaya to suppress sexual abuse cases.

“Journalists are being bribed to cover up the story, but are we doing justice? We claim to be the watchdog of the society, but are we really playing the role?

We know some of us are on payroll. We should revise our editorial policies and be gender-sensitive,” she said.

But police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said in the case of Charity Dlodlo and Sarah Maruta, there were no records to show that any such charges were brought before the police.

“And what has been disturbing with these accusations is that when the police were ready to pounce, the victims would turn around and say they never made such allegations,” he said in a statement.

“This makes the work of the police difficult, especially that such allegations involve adults. It would have been a different case if minors were involved. For
the justice delivery system to work, we need consistent and reliable witnesses, who will not turn around and say otherwise.”

BY FARAI MATIASHE

WHEN a suspected thief, on a bad day, is caught by ordinary citizens, it is common that the person will be beaten and sometimes left-for-dead.

The public reaction speaks to lack of knowledge that a suspect also has rights and deserves humane treatment.

Constitutionally, police officers play the role of rescuing both the suspect — who can fall victim to mob justice due to public anger — and those whose belongings would have been stolen.

The police then hand over the culprits to the justice delivery system and the courts take over to assess whether or not the suspect is guilty, including meting out the statutory punishment where necessary.

But for many years now, there have been claims that the police often torture, harass and beat up suspects in cells.

Last month, a 30-year-old man from Kambuzuma allegedly stole an edging tape at his workplace in the Graniteside industrial site in Harare so he could sell it and augment his salary, whose value had significantly eroded following the re-introduction of the Zimdollar.

Following his arrest, the man was taken to Braeside Police Station, where a docket was opened. He was locked up in a police cell overnight.

In an interview with NewsDay Weekender, the man recalled: “I was handcuffed. They were interrogating me. Five of them took turns to beat me under my feet, neck and back. Some used open fists and baton sticks, while others used a hosepipe to torture me.”

He said during midnight, the baton stick got broken and he thought they would leave him alone, but they looked for another and continued assaulting him until morning.

He was later released after his employer withdrew the case and sacked him.

“I am left with nothing. I do not even know how I am going to get money for rentals and to buy food for my family,” he said.

His wife did not think he would make it and often cried as she nursed his wounds, sustained from police torture.

This is just one of the many cases of police brutality, with Braeside and Southerton Police stations said to be the worst hellholes.

Another victim, speaking on condition of anonymity, recalled his horror experience at Southerton Police Station.

“They (the police) do not play games … I was beaten to the extent that I could not walk. That is how they treat suspects. They force you to talk,” he said.

“They will beat and torture you, even for a minor crime. I was once arrested and taken there.”

According to the Constitution of Zimbabwe, section 70(1)(a) provides that any person accused of an offence has a right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Section 50(1)(c) provides that any person who is arrested must be treated humanely and with respect for their inherent dignity.

Section 53 guarantees citizens’ freedom from torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

These rights and freedoms are also enshrined in international charters and conventions.

According to the United Nations Convention against Torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment (UNCAT), torture refers to inflicting severe physical or mental pain or suffering deliberately to obtain information or a confession from the person being tortured.

Torture is also done to punish a person for something they have done or suspected to have done.

Article 5 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights provides for freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Police brutality, which had become the hallmark of former President Robert Mugabe’s rule, has remained entrenched even in the “Second Republic”.

Often when suspects are brought to court, their legal representatives raise complaints of torture against the police — and the court can give an order to have those investigated and corrective measures taken.

Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) chairperson Elasto Mugwadi, however, said incidences of torture were minimal in police cells, although there was need to address the few cases of torture by security personnel.

“In order to curb the incidences of torture for suspects of criminal offenses, the ZHRC recommends mainstreaming human rights tenets into the training curriculum of police officers, and the security services at large, refresher workshops on human rights for security personnel, especially the police,” he said.

In a recent statement released at the UN International Day in support of victims of torture, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) said the government should make torture a criminal offence and take adequate measures to combat it.

“We call upon government to criminalise torture, prosecute all cases of torture, ensure full accountability of all perpetrators and guarantee redress and rehabilitation to victims, including taking adequate measures to prevent all forms of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment,” ZLHR said.

ZLHR said the government must investigate and prosecute those responsible for torture, including the ill-treatment of suspects and ensure that all acts of torture are offences under its criminal law, and that government must accept the outstanding request for a fact-finding country visit by the UN special rapporteur on torture and other cruel, In-human or degrading treatment.

The lawyers said torture has, for long, been a problem in Zimbabwe and their organisation had documented numerous cases in which State security agents had been involved.

Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, however, denied that suspects were being tortured while in police custody.

“We do not have such cases. Actually, you are the first person telling me about such an issue. If there are any people who have such concerns with police officers, they must come and make formal reports and we will investigate so that justice can prevail,” he said.

Human rights lawyer Alec Muchadehama, who has represented many political activists in court, confirmed that torture of suspects in police custody was common practice.

“They do it frequently and not only to punish people, but also to extract information. Yet such information, which would have been obtained unlawfully, cannot be used in a court of law. The Constitution is very clear; people should not be treated inhumanely,” he said.

BY CHARLES LAITON

The Prosecutors’ Association of Zimbabwe (PAZ) has petitioned Prosecutor-General (PG) Kumbirai Hodzi, declaring incapacitation to discharge their mandate due to poor conditions of service.

In a memorandum addressed to Hodzi and copied to acting deputy PG, Nelson Mutsonziwa and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) secretariat, the prosecutors yesterday said they were failing to properly discharge their duties due to deteriorating economic conditions.

The prosecutors also said since May 16, 2019 when they raised the same concerns with their employer, their plight has not been addressed.
PAZ said the economic situation in the country has continued to deteriorate to such an extent that they were now proposing that they be allowed to be
accommodated with their families at their respective work stations.

“In our petition to you on May 16, 2019, we raised several issues that were affecting the welfare of prosecutors in the country. These, among others, include
housing loans, motor vehicle loans, medical aid schemes, hampers, gifts and bonuses, conditions of service, remuneration and allowances,” PAZ said.

“Your office made an undertaking to have the issues addressed. Regrettably, the said concerns are yet to be addressed and even our Christmas hampers which are
long overdue.”

The association also said the welfare situation for the prosecutors countrywide had nose-dived due to the prevailing harsh economic environment, adding the situation had further seen their meagre salaries being drastically eroded by high transport costs.

“As a result, prosecutors are now badly exposed to the extent of even failing to buy lunch. Nonetheless, we are still expected to come to work timeously and
discharge our duties diligently,” PAZ said, adding: “We propose that we report to work twice a week on a rotational basis and that we be accommodated together with our families at the work station.”

The prosecutors urged their employer to review their salaries, retention/hardship allowance, grocery vouchers, housing allowances/subsidised houses, transport allowance and fuel allocation, among other conditions of service.

The penultimate round

South Africa will play its semi-final match against holders Australia on Saturday.

The other African teams are still in contention for the fifth place, and will participate in play-off matches on Friday.

‘‘It’s amazing to have all of us compete again, and it’s a great procedure that allows us to have a hope of getting to fifth. But all I can say is let the best team win, we are going to come in well prepared,’‘ Uganda’s captain Peace Proscovia said ahead of Friday’s games.

Zimbabwe take on Jamaica while Malawi will be relishing the opportunity of taking on Uganda’s She-Cranes.The winners of the two matches will then play the ultimate decider for the the fifth position, while the losers will compete against each other to finish seventh.

July 18: highlights of Day 8

• South Africa 47 – 58 England
• Uganda 48 – 61 Jamaica
• Zimbabwe 43 – Malawi 59
• South Africa lose to England

South Africa lost their group-leader decider match against England, by 58-47, finishing second in Group G.

The result means The Proteas will now face defending champions Australia, who topped Group F in the semi-finals while hosts England will take on New Zealand.

The other African teams are playing to secure the fifth position.

Uganda lose to Jamaica

Uganda lost its match to Jamaica on Thursday by 61-48, a blow to their chances of finishing fifth at the Netball World Cup.

‘‘It’s definitely not the result we wanted, but there were lots of positives to take. With Uganda still being an up-and-coming country in netball, we are pleased with our performance, it is a step up,’‘ said Uganda’s captain Peace Proscovia.

Jamaica, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Uganda still have a chance of finishing in the top five.

Malawi vs Zimbabwe

Malawi on Thursday secured a 59-43 win over Zimbabwe, a match that was a first encounter between both sides at the World Cup.

‘‘We are happy because we wanted to beat Zimbabwe. They are a tough team and they have been doing good in their games so far, so we really wished to win this game,’‘ Malawi’s Towera Vinkhumbo said.

Malawi now has four wins out of six games, their two losses coming against Australia and New Zealand.

Zimbabwe, who are playing in their first ever World Cup, have secured wins against Barbados, Sri Lanka and Northern Ireland, losing to New Zealand, Australia and now Malawi.

Malawi will now play the fourth-placed finishers in Group G to determine who will play-off for fifth place.

“It was sad when we moved down the world rankings, from number six to number nine. We got the news when we were here, so we need to make sure we beat all of the teams around us.

“We have only lost to Australia and to New Zealand, and now we want to maintain our position by winning all the games that are coming up. It would mean a lot to finish in the top six.”

A recap of South Africa’s journey to semis

July 18: Day 7 fixtures

• Zimbabwe vs Malawi
• Uganda vs Jamaica
• South Africa vs England
• African team in semis

South Africa’s Proteas are the only African side in the last four of the competition. They are joined by England (hosts), New Zealand and Australia (reigning champions).

‘‘It’s great news for the development of netball in Africa generally. For South Africa to push up into the top four is amazing, that is all of Africa performing and we are so proud of it,’‘ said Uganda’s Peace Proscovia.

The Vitality Roses (England) go head-to-head with South Africa (Proteas) on Thursday to decide who tops the group. The other African countries in Liverpool are Zimbabwe, Malawi and Uganda.

Day 6: Uganda vs South Africa

African teams, Uganda and South Africa clashed on Wednesday with the game going in favour of the southern Africans by 67 – 40.

The victory confirms a semi-final place for the winners who have this far won all of their four matches at the tournament.

The Proteas now join holders Australia and New-Zealand who on Tuesday qualified for the semis with their fifth victories at the World Cup.

Uganda have won three games so far, only losing to hosts England, and are playing to better their 8th place finish at the 2015 World Cup.

While many observers believe South Africa’s match against England on Thursday will determine the winner of Group, the Proteas had earlier stressed that they are only focused on tonight’s match against the She-Cranes.

‘‘We have Uganda next, and they’re not just another side, they’re a quality side and we’ll have a big game against them, so we are focusing on that. Whatever happens elsewhere in the group, we have to perform to benefit ourselves,’‘ South Africa’s Bongiwe Msomi said.

July 16: highlights of Day 5

• Zimbabwe 66 – 41 Barbados
• Australia 74 – 25 Malawi
• Zimbabwe’s remarkable journey continues

Zimbabwe’s impressive World Cup debut continued on Tuesday with a 66-41 win over Barbados, as they continue to win the hearts of many neutrals with their performances in the competition so far.

The Gems, who have now won four games and lost two, kept alive the possibility of earning what would be a historic top-six finish at their first ever World Cup.

The Zim Gems are now level with Malawi on four points, and play their African rivals in their final Group F game on Thursday.

Malawi loses to Australia

Defending champions Australia booked their place in the semi-finals of the 2019 Netball World Cup, following their 74-25 win over Malawi Queens.

While Malawi came into the game riding a high of three consecutive wins, it was the Diamonds who secured their fifth consecutive win of the tournament.

The 25 goals scored in a match is the lowest ever World Cup score by Malawi.

The win moves Australia on to eight points, level at the top of Group F with New Zealand. The two nations meet on Thursday morning, in the game which will decide the group winners.

July 16 fixtures

Malawi vs Australia
Zimbabwe vs Barbados
July 15: highlights of Day 4

South Africa 66 – 38 Scotland
Uganda 57 – 54 Trinidad and Tobago
Malawi 47 – 43 Northern Ireland
Zimbabwe 36 – 79 New Zealand
South Africa maintains 100% record

South Africa’s Proteas maintained their 100% record at the Netball World Cup, when they defeated Scotland, 66-38.

The wins puts the African team in an elite club that includes hosts England, defending champions Australia and New Zealand, who have won all their four matches at the tournament.

Uganda wins 3 in a row

Uganda defeated Trinidad and Tobago, 57-54 to keep alive their chances of a semi-final berth.

The win means the She-Cranes have now lost one game, against hosts England, and won three including against Scotland and Samoa.

Who are Africa’s representatives?

Malawi gets third win a row

Malawi’s Queens won their first game in Group F, defeating Northern Ireland, 47-43.

The win is Malawi’s third in a row, and the team ranked 9th in the world, have only lost one match at this year’s World Cup, their opening day loss to New Zealand.

‘‘It was a tough game, it was not easy. Northern Ireland played really well. We worked hard as a team. We have the fighting spirit, and that enabled us to win the game,’‘ said Malawi’s captain Joanna Kachilika.

The top two teams in Group F that also includes reigning champions Australia and Barbados, will proceed to the semi-finals.

Zimbabwe lose to New Zealand

Zimbabwe’s bid for a semi-final berth suffered a setback when they lost first game in Group F to New Zealand.

The match that ended 79-36 in favor of the Silver Ferns, means New Zealand have now secured four wins in four games, while Zimbabwe have two wins and two losses so far.

‘‘It was a nice experience to play against New Zealand. We learned a lot, because these girls are good. We are ranked 13 in the world, so we learned a lot from New Zealand,’‘ Zimbabwe’s Pauline Jani said.

July 15 Fixtures

• Zimbabwe vs New Zealand
• Northern Ireland vs Malawi
• Trinidad & Tobago vs Uganda
• South Africa vs Scotland
  Who’s facing who at stage 2?

Following the end of the preliminary stage of the Netball World Cup, 12 teams have now progressed to the next stage.

The 12 teams have been placed in two groups to play for a place in the semi-finals, while the remaining four will compete to determine 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th place.

The groups competing for the semis are as follows;

Group F: Australia, Northern Ireland, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Malawi and Barbados

Group G: Jamaica, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, England, Uganda and Scotland

Previous results against teams within their new groups will carry over, ensuring that the teams who secured three wins at the preliminaries stage go into the next phase with an advantage.

South Africa, along with hosts England, holders Australia and New Zealand all topped their groups with maximum points.

The top two teams in both groups will qualify for the semi-finals, while the remaining eight will contest matches to determine their overall placing (5th-12th) depending on their finishing position in Group F or G.

July 14: Highlights of Day 3

• South Africa 55 – 52 Jamaica
• Zimbabwe 51 – 49 Northern Ireland
• Malawi 65 – 41 Barbados
• Uganda 52 – 43 Scotland
• South Africa wins against Jamaica

South Africa’s Proteas beat Jamaica by 55 goals to 52 to clinch top spot.

All four of Africa’s representatives at the Netball World Cup have now qualified for the next stage, where they will play for a place in the semi-finals.

Zimbabwe secures second win

Tournament debutants Zimbabwe pulled off yet another positive result, when they edged Northern Ireland 51-49 in the last game of Group A.

The result means Zimbabwe qualifies for the next stage, having secured the second slot behind defending champions Australia, who won all of their three games at the group stage.

South Africa, Zimbabwe in action

The other African teams, Zimbabwe and South Africa are also in action on Sunday.

Zimbabwe’s Gems take on Northern Ireland while South Africa’s Proteas will be hoping to maintain their 100% record when they take on Jamaica.

Malawi qualify

Malawi’s Queens defeated Barbados 65-41 in a battle to separate the two sides that had both beaten Singapore and lost to New Zealand.

Uganda qualify

Uganda’s She Cranes won their second game at the Netball World Cup, beating Scotland by 52-43.

The win ensured the East African nation finishes second in Group A, behind hosts England.

June 13: highlights of Day 2

• South Africa 90-35 Fiji
• Uganda 69-48 Samoa
• Malawi 87-38 Singapore
• Zimbabwe 37-73 Australia
• South Africa beats Fiji

Its two wins out of two for South Africa, who impressed with a 90-35 victory over Fiji.

South Africa will be hoping to maintain their 100% record when they face Jamaica, who have also won both of their matches so far, tomorrow. The winner of that game will finish top of Group C.

Uganda gets first win

Uganda’s She Cranes managed a 69-48 win over Samoa, to ensure that all four African teams at the tournament now have at least one victory.

Hosts England who defeated Uganda in the Group A opening game on Friday, recorded a second win at the tournament, beating Scotland by 70-34.

Uganda, Malawi, Zimbabwe and South Africa have each secured a win at the 2019 Netball World Cup.

South Africa, who take on Fiji later this evening, have a chance to make it two wins out of two.

Malawi secures win against Singapore

Malawi Queens secured their first win at the 2019 Netball World Cup, winning against Singapore by 49 goals.

The match which ended 87-38, puts the Malawi Queens in second position behind New Zealand and ahead of Barbados and Singapore in Group B.

Malawi, Uganda seeking wins

Malawi and Uganda will be playing to secure their first wins of the tournament, having lost against New Zealand and England respectively.

The Malawi Queens are set to take on Singapore, while Uganda’s She Cranes will play against Samoa later in the day.

South Africa, who won their opening game against Trinidad and Tobago, will play against Fiji on Saturday.

Zimbabwe loses to Australia

Tournament debutants Zimbabwe lost to Netball giants Australia in their second game, even though they still impressed the cheering crowd.

The match ended 73-37 in favor of the defending champions, who now have two wins out of two, having beaten Northern Ireland in their first game.

Zimbabwe will hope ti return to winning ways when they take on the European team, that on Saturday secured a 67-50 win against Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka have now lost both of their matches at the World Cup, following their opening day loss to Zimbabwe’s Gems.

July 12: Highlights of Day 1

• New Zealand 64 – 45 Malawi
• Zimbabwe 79 – 49 Sri Lanka
• South Africa 76 – 45 Trinidad and Tobago
• England 64 – 32 Uganda

South Africa wins opening game

South Africa’s Proteas got off to a winning start, recording a 76-45 victory over Trinidad and Tobago.

‘‘At first it was a little shaky. But the second quarter, we stepped up. We did not know what to expect, we did not know how they played. Then the second quarter was better, because we could work things out,’‘ South Africa’s Bongiwe Msomi said.

South Africa will also take on Jamaica and Fiji in Group C.

Uganda loses to hosts England

Uganda’s She Cranes were not a match for the dominant host nation, the England Roses, who are playing to win the tournament in front of an enthusiastic home crowd.

Despite the best efforts of She Cranes shooters Peace Proscovia and Rachael Nanyonga, England ran out 64-32 winners to open their home World Cup in solid fashion.

Uganda will also face Scotland and Samoa in Group D.

Malawi loses to New Zealand

The Malawi Queens put up a brave performance but eventually succumbed to New Zealand’s Sliver Ferns, by a scoreline of 64-45.

The action from Group B also saw Barbados kick off its World Cup campaign with an impressive 69-34 win over Singapore.

New Zealand take on Barbados tomorrow Saturday, while Malawi will hope for better results in their fixture against Singapore.

Zimbabwe’s historic win

Zimbabwe has made history, winning their first ever match at the Netball World Cup. The Gems won their match against Sri Lanka by 79-49, kicking off what could be a thrilling journey.

‘‘I have goosebumps, this is a dream come true! We didn’t know we had so many people supporting Zimbabwe, to see the whole arena supporting us like that was so exciting, said Zimbabwe goal shooter Joice Takaidza.

Zimbabwe is one of four African teams at the tournament that is being hosted in Liverpool, England. The others are Malawi, Uganda and South Africa.

The Zimbabwe Gems are in Group A, along with reigning champions Australia and Northern Ireland.

‘‘Zimbabwe are something of an unknown quality and will look to capitalise on that against higher ranked teams,’‘ Africanews correspondent, Yvonnie Akonda Sundu told us ahead of the tournament.

In the other Group A game, Australia were leading Northern Ireland at halftime by 45-15. The game eventually ended 88-24 in favour of the Australia diamonds.

BY AFRICANEWS

Tensions are high in the Ethiopian southern city of Hawassa where hospital authorities said on Friday that at least three people have died amid a showdown between state security forces and some local activists who want to declare a new region for their Sidama ethnic group.

The threat of large-scale violence in Hawassa city centre on Thursday was largely averted after a Sidama opposition party agreed to delay declaring their own region and accept a government offer to hold a referendum in five months.

The threat to unilaterally declare a new region was a direct challenge to the authority of the Ethiopian federal government, which oversees nine regions in the nation of 105 million people.

At this moment, we cannot calm our people.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, appointed by the ruling coalition last year, has been widely praised for political reforms in what was once one of the continent’s most repressive nations.

But many Ethiopian activists are now using their greater freedoms to demand more rights, sometimes for their own ethnic groups. At least eight other ethnic groups beside the Sidama also want their own regions. The tensions sometimes spark violence.

Adamant activists

In Hawassa, not all Sidama people accepted the decision to delay the declaration. Some activists were still on the streets on Friday and most shops were still closed.

Local police told Fana Broadcasting that relative peace prevailed in Hawassa and nearby areas and they are working to restore peace in areas affected by the violence.

“Efforts are underway to put under control the violence which started in Hawassa and later spread to the neighboring Sidama woredas (district),” regional state Police Commissioner Tewodros Woldemichael told Fana.

Police arrested individuals who took part in the violence that resulted in loss of life and properties, according to Fana.

Hawassa Referral Hospital has received 12 injured civilians in the last two days, three of whom died, said general manager Zinaw Serniso. Some had fractured bones after being hit with batons and others had been shot, he said.

One man shot in the head died on Thursday, and two more shot in the leg and abdomen died on their way to the hospital on Friday, he said.

“The decision by top Sidama administrators to accept a belated referendum meant the zone didn’t self-declare and so a major confrontation was avoided yesterday,” said William Davison, an analyst from Brussels-based International Crisis Group.

“But that decision was not accepted by all of the youthful activists, who complained they were not consulted and were further angered when security forces prevented public meetings being held to discuss the situation.”

Organised groups in towns outside Hawassa are ransacking houses, business and also robbing people, said Million Tumato, president of the opposition Sidama Liberation Movement.

He confirmed three civilians had been killed in Hawassa and said 15 others had been killed in outlying areas.

Reuters could not immediately confirm the deaths or the circumstances surrounding them.

“At this moment, we cannot calm our people,” he said.

REUTERS

BY AFRICANEWS

Rwanda dismisses Ebola threat

Authorities in Rwanda on Thursday refuted reports that the fishmmonger responsible for Uganda’s renewed Ebola surveillance, had crossed into the border town of Gisenyi.

“There is no Ebola in Rwanda as far as we are concerned. We have a strong surveillance system in place that helps us to prevent its entry,” Malic Kayumba, Head of Communications at Rwanda Biomedical Centre told The EastAfrican.

‘‘We investigate every day and have a system that informs us of all we need to know, and such news would be coming from us. If there was entry of a suspected Ebola victim we would have known.’‘

There had been reports by the Word Health Organisation (WHO) that the fishmonger who vomited at a popular market in Uganda’s border Mpondwe town, might also have done business in Rwanda before returning to DRC where she died.

WHO has since withdrawn the reports which were reportedly published without the knowledge of WHO headquarters in Geneva.

“Two situation reports… have erroneously included unverified information,” a statement from WHO said late on Thursday.

The statement did not explain what was unverified in the reports, or mention Rwanda, which is on high alert after a confirmed case of a pastor who later died in the Congolese border city of Goma.

The city of more than 1 million serves as a regional and international gateway and borders Rwanda, which said on Thursday it was intensifying screening at ports of entry and asked citizens to avoid unnecessary travel to Ebola-affected areas.

Rwanda has never had a recorded case of Ebola and has trained over 23,000 medical personnel, police officers and volunteers in preparation to fight outbreaks.

Uganda on Ebola alert again

The World Health Organisation (WHO) will work with authorities in Uganda to vaccinate about 590 fishmongers at the Mpondwe market, following the discovery that one of them vomited at the Ugandan market on July 11 before dying in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

“The surveillance teams established that she had four episodes of vomiting on the day she was in the country,” read part of a joint statement on Wednesday.

‘‘We are yet to establish the woman’s movements or who had transported her or her goods,’‘ it added.

On July 12, the trader travelled to Beni in DRC and was admitted in the Beni Ebola Treatment Unit on July 13. She died on July 15 after testing positive for Ebola.

‘‘The health ministry and WHO appeal to all Ugandans to remain vigilant and alert. Avoid handshaking, hugging, mass gatherings and observe infection, prevention and control practices such as washing hands with soap and clean water at all times both at health facilities and communities,” the statement continued.

Uganda had been previously hailed by WHO for containing the spread of the virus after two people died of the Ebola virus in the Western Uganda district of Kasese.

Since then, no other Ebola cases have been reported within Uganda, and authorities reiterated on Wednesday that there are no confirmed Ebola Virus Disease case in Kasese district or any other part of Uganda.

The WHO which declared Congo’s Ebola outbreak an international health emergency, has warned that the nearby countries of Rwanda, South Sudan, Burundi and Uganda are the most at risk, while Central African Republic, Angola, Tanzania, Republic of Congo and Zambia are in a second tier.

The global body has however urged countries not to close borders or restrict trade. Ugandan authorities confirmed that all places of economic and social interaction in Uganda such as national parks and tourist sites are open and accessible to the public.

Over 6,000 people have been vaccinated in Uganda since November 2018.

BY BBC

A strong earthquake has shaken the Greek capital of Athens, knocking out phone networks and power in parts of the city.

The earthquake was registered at 5.1 magnitude with an epicentre about 22km (14 miles) north-west of Athens.

Athenians ran out into the streets and evacuated tall buildings as the tremor shook the capital for some 15 seconds.

There were no reports of serious injuries but several aftershocks have been felt.

The earthquake was particularly felt in the centre of Athens. There were reports that the fire service rescued over a dozen people trapped in elevators, following the power outage.

Residents posted footage on social media of the impact of the quake.

One tourist was slightly hurt by falling plaster and an empty building collapsed, according to Greek reports.

The head of the anti-quake protection agency, Efthymios Lekkas, told Greeks to remain calm.

“There is no reason for concern. The capital’s buildings are built to withstand a much stronger earthquake,” he said.

BY BBC

Former South African president Jacob Zuma will give further testimony to a corruption inquiry, withdrawing an earlier threat to pull out.

His lawyer, Muzi Sikhakhane, had said on Friday that Mr Zuma would “take no further part” in the proceedings.

But the judge overseeing the inquiry later said Mr Zuma had agreed to provide it with written statements.

The inquiry is investigating allegations that the ex-leader oversaw a web of corruption while in office.

The 77-year-old, who began testifying on Monday, was forced to resign as president in February 2018.

He was replaced by his then-deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa, who promised to tackle corruption in South Africa. Mr Ramaphosa described Mr Zuma’s nine years in office as “wasted”.

Mr Ramaphosa was also the subject of a high-level corruption scandal. The country’s corruption watchdog accused him of deliberately misleading parliament over an election campaign donation.

Mr Ramaphosa has denied any knowledge of the payment.

Why did Mr Zuma threaten to withdraw?

The lawyer, Mr Sikhakhane, told the inquiry commission in Johannesburg: “Our client from the beginning… has been treated as someone who was accused.”

He criticised the investigation, led by Judge Raymond Zondo, alleging that it was a “political process where the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing”.

He also said Mr Zuma had been subjected to “relentless cross-examination”.

Mr Zuma had been due to give a final day of testimony on Friday but the inquiry was adjourned.

“I expected that he would cooperate,” Judge Zondo said following Mr Zuma’s withdrawal. “The first purpose was to give him an opportunity to tell his side of his story.”

But shortly after, the judge said Mr Zuma had agreed to provide written statements and then return to the inquiry at a later date.

What is Mr Zuma accused of?
The allegations against Mr Zuma focus on his relationship with the controversial Gupta family, which has been accused of influencing cabinet appointments and winning lucrative state tenders through corruption.

He has also been accused of taking bribes from the logistics firm Bosasa, which is run by the Watson family. All the parties deny allegations of wrongdoing.

The scandal is widely referred to as “state capture” – shorthand for a form of corruption in which businesses and politicians commandeer state assets to advance their own interests.

On Monday, Mr Zuma gave a lengthy address in which he claimed the corruption allegations were a “conspiracy” aimed at removing him from the political scene.

“I have been vilified, alleged to be the king of corrupt people,” he said.

He implied that the UK and US had been – and still were – part of an elaborate plot to discredit him, even as he tried to bring about political and economic change in South Africa.

Mr Zuma also said other foreign agents had tried to poison him, without naming them or offering any proof.

“I never did anything with them unlawfully,” he said of the Gupta family. “They just remained friends, as they were friends to everybody else.”

He also objected to allegations that he had allowed the state to be “captured” by the family. “Did I auction Table Mountain? Did I auction Johannesburg?” he asked.

On Tuesday, the former president said he had received death threats following his testimony.

How did ‘state capture’ operate in South Africa?
Many of the revelations from the inquiry concern the relationship between two families – the Zumas, centred on the former president, and the Guptas, three Indian-born brothers who moved to South Africa after the fall of apartheid.

The two families became so closely linked that a joint term was coined for them – the “Zuptas”.

The Guptas owned a portfolio of companies that enjoyed lucrative contracts with South African government departments and state-owned conglomerates. They also employed several Zuma family members – including the president’s son, Duduzane – in senior positions.

According to testimony heard at the inquiry, the Guptas went to great lengths to influence their most important client, the South African state.

Public officials responsible for various state bodies say they were directly instructed by the Guptas to take decisions that would advance the brothers’ business interests.

It is alleged that compliance was rewarded with money and promotion, while disobedience was punished with dismissal.

C-TRADE is focused on creating convenience and increasing participation and activity on the stock market.

It gives an opportunity to the Zimbabwean citizenry to save, invest and earn through investments on the stock markets.

Since its launch a year ago, C-TRADE has been working towards ensuring seamless interaction for investors through further enhancements to the product that was launched.

Within the year C-TRADE has made quite a number of enhancements enabling access and convenience.

For people with busy schedules who cannot afford to be constantly looking out for changes in the share prices to make quick decisions C-TRADE has added another feature; Auto Trading.

This feature allows an investor to instruct the platform to trade on their behalf once the price reaches a certain low if it’s a buy, or a certain high if it’s a sell.

Now an investor can travel knowing that they will not miss out on any opportunities.

Auto trading can be accessed on the same C-TRADE account that an investor currently uses. The only requirement is for the account to be pre-funded with the funds sufficient to meet the set orders.

This funding can be from one’s mobile wallet or bank account.

Auto Trading is available for counters that are trading both on the Financial Securities Exchange (FINSEC) as well as on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange.

It comes with a real time notification service where if the pre-set high/low prices are reached, the investor is notified consequently, as the trade (buy/sell) is executed through an e-mailed deal advise slip.

There are also notifications for deals that would have failed to go through in instances such as when the investor’s account does not have sufficient funds.

C-TRADE has also introduced investment clubs which are aimed at bringing the traditional cooperative clubs to the stock market and enhance financial inclusion.

While co-operative clubs are well known for promoting savings, they have lagged in encouraging investing to earn more from the saved funds.

This is where the C-TRADE investment club platform comes in. By dialing *727# across all mobile platforms and selecting option 8 a group of people can form a club, pool funds and start investing and earning from shares.

There is the potential that the synergy of investment clubs can translate into higher returns than one may not achieve on their own.

Through trading of securities in groups, C-TRADE aims to help individuals grow their wealth and increase income at the push of a button as all this is done electronically.

Investment clubs generally have more buying power as opposed to the case with individual investments thus more shares can be purchased which in turn increases the chance of getting quicker matches and hence, increasing investor satisfaction and in turn confidence in the capital market ecosystem.

Financial education is an important cog for promoting financial technology and within its first year of operation C-TRADE held an inaugural investor day conference.

This conference was a way of encouraging dialogue and interaction amongst capital market participants, policymakers and investors hence bridging the financial literacy gap that has existed for a long time.

The C-TRADE investor day conference was meant to foster interactions on unlocking economic value through capital markets.

Over 300 delegates comprising market intermediaries, government and regulatory bodies, institutional and retail investors and potential investors converged to participate at the conference through presentations, panel discussions and question and answer sessions.

C-TRADE also added Newsfeeds where one can read about the latest capital markets news within the C-TRADE platform. This is meant to assist investors to get more information and make informed decisions as they invest.

C-TRADE remains committed to providing enhanced solutions for broadening capital markets participation by all eligible investors including local and diaspora as well as solidifying the role that capital markets play in a growing economy like ours. As Eleanor
Roosevelt aptly puts it, “We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it is not as dreadful as it appeared, discovering we have the strength to stare it down.”