BETWEEN THE LINES Beniah Munengwa

Title: Two Weeks in November Author: Douglas Rogers

Publisher: Short Books (2019) ISBN: 978-1-78072-369-3

The book, Two Weeks in November, has helped many of us understand in finer detail the circumstances around the ouster of former President Robert Mugabe through a “bloodless coup” in November 2017.

The book is centred on events that unfolded during the two weeks from the plotting to remove Mugabe from power up to the time he was eventually shown the door, including the flushing out of the “Generation 40” elements from both Zanu PF and government.

Impressive and compact details emerge on not only how discordant forces in the name of human rights activists and lawyers worked together with Central Intelligence Organisation operatives to dispose Mugabe as well as President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s escape from the country after he was ejected from his job as Vice-President amid accusations of hatching a plot to remove Mugabe from power.

Works like these can be considered as useful in bridging some historical gaps.

The absence of such literature can be attributed to dangers associated with failure to dig deep into national issues as a lot of writers appear afraid to venture into the treacherous waters that usually go with deep political issues.

The game of politics, like Rogers details so well, is often dirty.

You never know who you are dealing with and it is a constant recurrence of the process of doubling tasks and bypassing the institution of trust.

The late founding MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai was a victim of such a system.

It only turned out years later that his South African logistics manager was a spy, doubling as Mugabe’s informer.

This shows that the African intelligetsia remains without control of the manufacturing and moving forward of its knowledge systems.

The developmental praxis of the continent remains as shaky as its capacity, or lack thereof, to decode its own historical events.

From the reading of the text, one realises that former Information minister Jonathan Moyo’s claims that Christopher Mtsvangwa was working alongside Mnangagwa to dispose Mugabe were true, even if no one was prepared to give him an ear.

The process had begun unrolling from as far back as 2015, with the operation being headquartered in Johannesburg.

Essentially, Two Weeks in November details what was happening on the Lacoste faction’s side.

What is, however, evident is that the G40 was rather inaccessible as the author was collecting data.

Rogers had to rely on second and third hand information, but his tact remains outstanding.

Although carrying a story of guns, near-death experiences, humiliation, terror, deaths and rage, the book is not without its apportionment of humour, such as the description of Jonathan Moyo, the exited G40 think-tank: “Tall and thin, with an egg-shelled head that rests large and unsteady atop his lanky frame…”

The text, however, is rosy on the part of its presentation.

It, like the operation that led to the disposal of Mugabe, sounds like a project intended to purify the man, Mnangagwa, and his system and the complete erasure of the term “coup” in “the coup that was not a coup”.

It is reported and also anticipated that the likes of Saviour Kasukuwere and Moyo will come out of the blues with books giving accounts of how all that happened made them opt for exile, leaving at home million-dollar estates that they had accumulated in the years of G40 “looting”.

Over a year after the coup that was anticipated to rescue the country from the brink of collapse following almost three decades of Mugabe’s misrule and economic mismanagement, public disillusionment has set in as the country is now worse off than when Mugabe left it, but at least life is still going on.

Liverpool — The first ever Test meeting between the sides pitted Group B winners New Zealand against Zimbabwe, who finished as runners-up in Group A after a nail-biting 51-49 victory over Northern Ireland yesterday afternoon.

Zimbabwe, who handed a tournament debut to Adelaide Muskwe, once again brought their flair and enthusiasm to the M&S Bank Arena as the Gems sang and danced their way onto court, delivering the vibrancy that has captured so many hearts in the tournament so far.

The Gems translated their pre-game energy into the early stages of the contest as they matched New Zealand, and the score was tied at 5-5 after four minutes, as the Gems’ Pauline Jani and Sharon Bwanali combined to convert their first five goal attempts.

The back-and-forth contest continued as both sides traded goals, but with the scores tied at 8-8, the Silver Ferns scored eight of the next nine goals to build a seven-goal advantage as Maria Folau and Ameliaranne Ekenasio began to find their shooting range.

Despite Zimbabwe’s Pauline Jani and Sharon Bwanali shooting a perfect 10 from 10 in goal attempts, scoring opportunities decreased as the quarter went on as New Zealand stepped up their defence. By the end of the quarter, the Silver Ferns had increased their lead to 21-10.

As has been the case throughout the entire tournament, New Zealand coach Noeline Taurua continued to tinker with her attacking combinations as Bailey Mes entered the game to partner Folau. Together, they scored seven goals in the opening stages of the second quarter to build the Silver Ferns’ lead.

Offensively, Zimbabwe continued to stutter, struggling to create many scoring opportunities. When they did, however, Jani
— who finished the half with her 100% record in tact — and Ursula Ndlovu kept the scoreboard ticking over.

At the other end, New Zealand continued to dominate the Zimbabwe defence as Mes and Folau scored 19 of their 22 goal
attempts to extend their team’s lead to 40-18 at half time.

Both sides made attacking changes to begin the third quarter as Ta Paea Selby-Rickit replaced Mes for New Zealand and
Joice Takaidza, the top goalscorer in the competition entering stage two, came on for Jani for the Gems. Both players
converted their opening goal attempt.

New Zealand continued to capitalise on any slight Zimbabwe error and the Silver Ferns were clinical in their attacking
play as both Selby-Rickit and Folau shot at 100% before Folau was replaced by Ekenasio.

Taking a 59-26 lead into the fourth quarter, New Zealand continued to control proceedings and despite Sharleen Makusha
keeping the Zimbabwe score moving, the Silver Ferns were never in any trouble as Selby-Rickit and Ekenasio shot a
combined 95% in the final period.

The victory for New Zealand takes them to eight points as they look to secure their place in the top two of Group F and
advance to the semi-finals. Zimbabwe will be determined to get back to winning ways when they take on Barbados in their
next game today.

“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,” Jani said.

nwc

BY HENRY MHARA

WARRIORS star Marvelous Nakamba failed to pitch up at Club Brugge’s training ground yesterday with reports from Belgium suggesting that he is trying to force a move away amid interest from English Premier League returnees Aston Villa and German’s Bundesliga side Cologne.

Villa, who are returning to the Premiership this season after winning promotion, are understood to have made an £8 million offer to Brugge for the midfielder, which the Belgian league side turned down. They want more.

But Nakamba, who was due at training yesterday wants to make the deal happen and has reportedly stayed away to force a transfer.

It is not clear yet where he is heading, with media reports in German suggesting that he was close to joining Cologne, while in England they are saying he will be a Villa player soon.

German’s largest tabloid newspaper Bild yesterday carried an interview with the former Bantu Rovers star, where he is confirming his desire to play for Cologne.

“I want to leave Bruges and prove myself in the Bundesliga with FC Cologne,” Nakamba is quoted saying.
But despite the Cologne confession, Nakamba yesterday followed Aston Villa on its Instagram, in addition to the official
Premier League channel, which fuelled speculation in England that he was heading for the Birmingham-based club.

Aston Villa are said to have made a €10m offer for the midfielder and he feels the Belgian side have “disrespected” him by not accepting it.

Aston Villa signed Wesley Moraes from Club Brugge earlier this summer, and soon after that deal there were claims in Belgium that the Premier League new boys could return for his former teammate.

The reports say Nakamba “will do everything” to make the transfer happen, and that possibly includes going on strike.

The 25-year-old arrived at Club Brugge for just £3 million from Vitesse Arnhem in the summer of 2017, and instantly made
a mark by helping the club to the league title, and qualification into the UEFA Champions League.

An impressive show followed in the Champions League with solid performances, particularly against Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid.

Inevitably, teams from major leagues came knocking for his signature. Premiership giants Liverpool were linked with him last year, while reports suggest that Crystal Palace and Watford made offers which were turned down by Club Brugge who promised their player could only move this summer if a good offer came.

Now that another offer has come through, Nakamba feel the Belgians are “flip-flopping” their stance on the transfer. He is one of several high profile footballers this summer not to have turned up for preseason as they look to force transfers.

Meanwhile, Warriors striker Nyasha Mushekwi has left Chinese Super League side Dalian Yifang, now coached by former Liverpool and Newcastle United boss Rafa Benítez, to join Zhejiang Greentown in the Chinese Division One league.
Mushekwi (31), spent three successful seasons with Dalian Yifang, finishing as the team’s top goalscorer in every campaign.

He made 91 league appearances for Yifang, scoring 53 times, while registering 12 assists. Reports from China yesterday suggested that Mushekwi has been dropped down a division for Newcastle striker Solomon Rondon, who is expected to reunite with his former boss Benitez.

Both Nakamba and Mushekwi played for the Warriors at the Africa Cup of Nations, but their campaigns were ravaged by injuries, which saw the former playing in one game, the opening match against hosts Egypt.

Mushekwi limped off the opener and then missed the second match against Uganda. He came back as a second half substitute against the Democratic Republic of Congo, but could not help his side who were hammered 4-0 to crash out of the competition in the group stage.

BY FORTUNE MBELE

FC PLATINUM coach Norman Mapeza is not happy with the composition of his squad as they head to another Confederation of African Football (Caf) Champions League campaign and has warned that the team needs to add quality.

The 2019-20 Caf Champions League kicks off in just under a month with preliminary games set to start on the weekend of August 9-11.

But once the club of choice in recent years for local players due to their generous wages, things have drastically
changed at FC Platinum amid reports that they are failing to convince key players whose contracts end this month, to
stay.

“We need to have (good) players. In August the Champions League starts and if we are going to start in this situation, I can foresee disaster,” Mapeza said.

The Moyo twins Kelvin and Elvis are away in South Africa and are reportedly on the verge of joining Chippa United, while Ali Sadiki and Godknows Murwira have not been part of the squad of late with the latter said to be close to a return to Dynamos this month.

“It is always difficult. We are in mid-season now and if you look at the majority of the players they all have contracts which run to the end of December. We will keep looking around and if we find some players who are free and want to join us then we will have to make some deals,” Mapeza said.

Injuries have also rocked the squad so much that they only had 13 players available for their match against Manica Diamonds last week. This week, they managed to assemble a full squad for their match against Highlanders on Sunday, which
ended in a 1-1 draw. But three of the players in the final squad were youngsters Hagiazo Magaya, Keith Madera and Panashe Matimbanyoka, who were making their premier league debut.

FC Platinum, for all their dominance on the local front, have struggled in the African Safari and failed to go beyond the first round in their last participation this year.

BY OBEY MANAYITI

CIVIL servants are today expected to stage a demonstration in Harare to protest government’s reluctance to negotiate a salary deal after the planned National Joint Negotiation Council slated for yesterday failed to materialise.

The meeting between Apex Council and the government was initially slated for last week, but was postponed at the behest of government representatives.

It was then pushed to yesterday, but the leaders were left disappointed after government representatives failed to show up.

Angered by the dilly-dallying by their employer, Apex Council members then met on their own and resolved to stage a demonstration against the government.

The police approved the application by the Council to demonstrate today.

“Yes, we are going ahead with our plan of action to hand over a petition to the Minister of Labour as well as Finance,” Apex organising secretary Charles Chinosengwa said.

The letter, which indicated that the Apex Council leadership would address the demonstrators, read: “The Civil Service Apex Council hereby notify your office of a Civil Service Apex Council cost of living demonstration at New Government Complex (Central Avenue) on Tuesday 16 July 2019 at 1000 hours to 1400 hours.

“People shall gather at Public Service Association Livingstone Ave, where they shall march using Second Street (Sam Nujoma) to Samora Machel Avenue, then turn right on Fourth and lastly, go through Central Avenue to New Government Complex, where our demonstration shall end.

“The demonstration will involve members of the civil services led by Apex Council leadership, who will present a petition to Cabinet, Ministry of Labour and Ministry of Finance.”

Since last year, the Apex Council has been pushing government to review workers’ salaries, but with little joy.

This has created tension within the Apex Council, with others pushing for a full-blown industrial action while a few others have been reluctant, claiming it would be hijacked by opposition elements.

The government has made numerous adjustments, including non-monetary incentives which, however, fall short of the civil servants’ expectations.

At one point, the Apex leadership met President Emmerson Mnangagwa seeking his intervention on the cost of living adjustment.

Government recently offered a ZW$97 increment which was rejected by public workers.

In a letter to the National Joint Negotiation Council chairperson yesterday, the Apex Council said they are not interested in salary increment, but they want their earning as of October last year in United States dollars to be converted using the interbank rate.

This will see the least paid civil servant getting ZW$4 750.

“Civil servants are not asking for a salary increment, but rather, a restoration of the value of their earnings, which fell from at least US$475 to a mere US$47 currently,” read the letter, signed by Apex chair Cecilia Alexander and alternate chair Thomas Muzondo.

“In arriving at the figure for a cost of living adjustment, the interbank rate must apply, bench-marked against the pre-October average US$475 salary for the lowest paid civil servant. This will, therefore, mean the lowest paid worker should earn ZW$4 750 to restore the value of their earnings.

“The negotiation process be informed by the resolutions of the meeting between His Excellency and the Apex Council, where the above situation was communicated and acknowledged by all parties, including the Minister of Finance.”

They also claim the current remuneration would push workers to declare incapacitation.

The Apex leadership also expressed concerns over Finance minister Mthuli Ncube’s public pronouncements.

“Apex Council is concerned with Minister of Finance’s propensity to make pronouncements that ordinarily should be made by the Public Service minister, which in essence undermines the statutory social dialogue framework.”

BY RUTENDO MATANHIKE

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday called on Finance minister Mthuli Ncube to loosen his purse and prioritise the ailing health services sector, which is facing chronic shortages of drugs and medical equipment.

Speaking at the handover of medical equipment and drugs at National Pharmaceutical Company in Harare, Mnangagwa said government had heeded calls by medical practitioners at public health institutions and purchased required medical equipment and drugs from India to alleviate problems faced by the sector.

“As government, we must give priority to the health sector because it is equally important that our people are healthy. And when you are not well, we should have a health system that should assist our people,” he said.

“I have a Minister of Finance … but I think we should be able to persuade him politically to loosen up so that we give more and more attention to this sector.”

Government has been criticised for not prioritising the health sector which was allocated of $694,5 million (9,3%) in the national budget, a far cry from the target of 15% set in 2001 by members of the African Union during a conference in Abuja, Nigeria.

Mnangagwa said those with chronic ailments like cancer and those in need of dialysis should be able to access medical services free of charge.

“What we have not achieved, which I think is necessary, is that as we go forward we should establish more liberal policies towards giving access to have free health services for children and the elderly,” he said.

The President said people in remote areas should be able to access health services without travelling to urban areas and
should benefit from the donated equipment.

He urged pharmaceutical distributors and government health institutions to ensure drugs are not pilfered, but benefit
patients.

State institutions have been experiencing drug stock-outs attributed to inadequate funding allocated to the health
sector, drug pilferage and leakages in the pharmaceutical supply chain.

Mnangagwa said after his meeting with doctors to hear their concerns, he sourced funds and purchased 85% of the medical
equipment they had requested.

Mnangagwa said government had received drugs and medical equipment from the crown prince of the United Arab Emirates
Sheikh Mohammed, who has also promised to fully equip State health institutions.

He said the country also received and disbursed huge consignments of medical drugs donated to Cyclone Idai victims by
other donors, including Tanzanian President John Magufuli.

He applauded the courageous doctors who met him, saying their act of courage was benefiting several hospitals

The consignment of the medical equipment had 36 infant incubators, 50 multiparameter monitors for adults, 30
multiparameter monitors for paeds, 10 operating theatre tables (electric), 10 operating tables (hydraulic), 20 EEG
electroencephalography machines, 10 respiratory aid ventilator, five video endoscopy sets, five video colonoscopy sets,
five video gastrocopy set, 5 ICU ventilators for adults, five ICU ventilators paeds, four X-ray machines and 10
anaesthetic machines.

BY STAFF REPORTER

ZIMBABWE’S year-on-year inflation rate for the month of June 2019 rose sharply by 77,75 percentage points to 175,66% from 97,85% in May 2019, driven by increases in the price of basic goods, the statistics agency reported yesterday.

“The month-on-month food and non-alcoholic beverages inflation rate stood at 55,07% in June 2019, gaining 37,44 percentage points on the May 2019 rate of 17,63%. The month-on-month non-food inflation rate stood at 31,23%, gaining 21,11 percentage points on the May 2019 rate of 10,12%” the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (Zimstat) said.

The month-on-month inflation rate in June 2019 was 39,26%, gaining 26,72 percentage points on the May 2019 rate of 12,54%.

The annual inflation rate has been on the rise since the beginning of the year. It opened the year at 56,9 % in January, before edging to 59,4% the following month.

Finance minister Mthuli Ncube has maintained that the inflation rate will stabilise by October.

In 2008, Zimbabwe’s inflation peaked at 500 billion percent, forcing government to abandon the local currency for a basket of currencies anchored by the United States dollar the next year.

Last month, authorities in the southern African economy scrapped use of the multi-currency regime and re-introduced the
Zimdollar, but the market continues to be sceptical about the currency.

The Zimdollar has lost about 40% of its value to now trade at US$1:ZWL$8, 95 since June.

BY STEPHEN CHADENGA

MEMBERS of the Midlands provincial Joint Operations Command (JOC) yesterday toured Gweru city’s major water supplier, Gwenoro Dam, to assess the water supply situation.

The tour, led by Midlands Provincial affairs minister Larry Mavhima, also included top council officials and staff from the Zimbabwe National Water Authority, among others.

Mayor Josiah Makombe confirmed the trip to Gwenoro, saying the JOC wanted to gather first-hand information on the situation at the dam.

“They (JOC) want to assess the situation, and we hope as council that government will assist us with the water situation in the province,” he said.

“As you know, Gwenoro can be decommissioned any time soon. There is, therefore, need for concerted efforts from all stakeholders so that we can come up with a
lasting solution to our water woes.”

Recently, Makombe said Gwenoro was at 18% capacity and indicated that council was concerned that the Midlands capital could face an unprecedented water crisis
if urgent solutions for alternative supplies were not put in place.

The local authority has already put in place stringent water rationing measures.

Gweru Residents Forum director Charles Mazorodze, however, said the city fathers should stop “bickering” about the water situation and employ practical
measures to avert disaster.

“There is need for council to quickly expedite the decision to switch to Amapongokwe in order to save the situation,” he said.

Town clerk Elizabeth Gwatipedza recently said council had approached the Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe and that the financial institution had
agreed to release money for 20 boreholes to be drilled as a stop-gap measure.

BY NQOBANI NDLOVU

THE National University of Science and Technology (Nust) will be hosting a two-day media summit focusing on fake news, particularly on social media, beginning on Thursday.

The Nust department of journalism and media is co-hosting the media summit with the Zimbabwe Centre for Media and Information Literacy (ZCMIL) to be held under the theme New Media and Democracy: Beyond Fake News, Disinformation Misinformation.

This comes at a time when government has hinted on regulating social media.

According to the organisers, the summit, jointly sponsored by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and the United States embassy, brings together various stakeholders
from the media, academia, government and civil society organisations.

“The conference provides a unique platform for theorising, dialoguing and engaging on how the growing relevance of new media shapes our socio-economic and
political interactions, and changes the way citizens access and process information,” Divine Dube, the summit co-ordinator, said.

“The convention is part of ZCMIL’s mission of using digital media to champion the ideals of democracy and good governance by promoting free and professional
media through digital journalism trainings as well as facilitating networking and dialogue platforms.”

The media summits are an annual event, Dube said, with the inaugural edition held last year in the city.

“The summit will focus on digital misinformation and disinformation or rather fake news, and how it shapes public perceptions, opinions, behaviours and its
impact on political processes. Information from internet sources is fast becoming a mainstream source of information for millions of Zimbabweans,” Dube said.

“For instance, social media shutdown has been adopted by some African governments, including Zimbabwe. A discourse on fake news, digital disinformation and
misinformation and its impact on democratic processes in Zimbabwe and Africa at large is timely because the continent is part of the global village and
uniquely interwoven in the global political economy agenda.”

By Tatenda Chitagu

MDC deputy chairperson and Zengeza West legislator, Job Sikhala, who is facing a subversion charge, was yesterday freed by Masvingo High Court judge Justice Neville Wamambo on ZW$5 000 bail.

The State did not oppose bail, but called for stringent conditions, among them that Sikhala should not address any political gatherings, over and above a ZW$50 000 bail.

But Justice Wamambo thrashed the submissions by the State, saying even though Sikhala was facing a serious crime, he was presumed innocent until proven guilty.

“I am of the conviction that the bail of ZW$5 000 as suggested on behalf of the applicant will meet the justice of this case. I am also of the considered view that it is not necessary at this stage to put up conditions that he should not address a political rally. To that end, I will grant him bail on the following conditions: ‘That he pays ZW$5 000 bail at clerk of Court Bikita Magistrates’ Court; that he resides at his given address until his matter is finalised, that he reports once a week at St Mary’s Police Station in Chitungwiza; that he surrenders his passport and that he will not interfere with State witnesses until this matter is finalised,” Justice Wamambo said.

The ruling threw hundreds of MDC supporters who had packed the court into wild celebrations that brought Masvingo City to a standstill, as they sang songs in celebration. MDC secretary general Chalton Hwende said the party was happy with the ruling.

“As we said from day one, Sikhala did not commit a crime. The court saw it fit to try him from home as he has many days while incarcerated. We are happy that the judge allowed Sikhala to address rallies and mobilise for the party. We had a rally Sunday at Mucheke Stadium, but he could not do his party duties.

“The State’s proposal for ZW$50 000 was a way to try to stop him from getting his freedom. With the bad state of the economy, where would he get such an amount. We are happy that the court saw that it was just an unrealistic demand,” Hwende said.

Sikhala was arrested last Tuesday in Harare, following utterances he made at a rally ahead of the just ended Bikita by-election, where he allegedly said: “We will overthrow President [Emmerson] Mnangagwa before 2023.”

He was secretly whisked away from Harare to Bikita Magistrates’ Court under heavily armed police escort, where he told the court that he was tortured and ill-treated by being denied food and legal representation for two days. Sikhala also said he was stopped from seeing his family and was blindfolded in transit to Bikita.

His trial will commence on July 24 at Bikita Magistrates’ Court.