BY Staff Reporters

POLITICAL analysts and opposition parties have questioned First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa’s “philanthropic” work, which has reportedly seen her interfering in government business.

In some cases, she has been accused of using State resources, raising fears that Zimbabwe was sliding back to the ex-First Lady Grace Mugabe era, where former President Robert Mugabe’s wife had literary captured all State institutions.

The analysts cited a recent incident where the First Lady toured the State-run pharmaceutical warehouse, National Pharmaceutical Company (NatPharm), where she was captured on video quizzing officials over stockpiles of undistributed medical drugs at a time most public hospitals were without drugs.

She was also recently recorded threatening to confront mobile network operators over tariff hikes at a gathering in Masvingo province.

But Auxillia yesterday hit back, saying opposition political parties should not remain in election mode and should stop attacking citizens concerned with the well-being of Zimbabweans, including their supporters.

“I have been a health ambassador for quite some time and my role is to help the vulnerable in whatever possible way. When I made a visit to NatPharm, I had asked the Minister of Health (Obadiah Moyo) to accompany me so that I could appreciate their operations. It is unfortunate that he was in a meeting. He sent a representative,” she said.

University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer Eldred Masunungure urged Auxillia to stick to her humanitarian work and stay away from government policy matters.

“During the first days of Mnangagwa’s rule, he promised to keep his family away from State matters and he managed to do so in the run-up to the elections. But now, he might need to reconsider certain things and ensure his wife does not get too much attention and compete with him in State papers,” he said.

“First ladies the world over are known for humanitarian work and giving a human face to the State. They are there to do social work and that is what Auxillia should focus on. She must continue with her humanitarian work and not try to venture into governance issues.”

United Kingdom-based Zimbabwean economic researcher Brighton Musonza also chipped in, saying the First Lady “needs to slow down”.

“Her presence on the political scene brings back the trauma we suffered at the hands of Grace Mugabe. She is interfering with public policy and overcrowding the space meant for bureaucrats,” he said.

“I am not sure in what capacity does she tell her audience that she will personally confront telecommunications companies personally. Her threats to confront telecommunications operators will sway away potential investors, particularly those looking to buy TelOne and NetOne. She must restrict herself to charity work and some low level philanthropically events.”

Opposition MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume said Auxillia was “actually worse” than Grace Mugabe and exposed Mnangagwa’s family leadership skills.

“Grace Mugabe was known for being a political actor and never at all did she go to a State institution and harass professionals like what we are seeing today. This is very dangerous, and definitely, it will not end well,” he said. “It shows that Mnangagwa is just like Mugabe in his last days. He is failing to control his wife. What role does she have on professionals at NatPharm? This is telling, indeed.”

Mafume said Zimbabwe was fast becoming a Banana Republic because what Auxillia was doing was “unconstitutional and illegal”.

“In fact, she has no authority whatsoever to be harassing those professionals. That is the job of the board which reports to the minister,” he said.

“In a normal society, the minister does not interact with management, he interacts with the board. What Auxillia is doing shows that these Zanu PF leaders have failed to provide leadership.”

He charged that she had overstepped her mandate.

“The Minister of Health and other senior government officials should be ashamed of what is happening,” Mafume said.

First Lady Auxillia, however, denied harassing professionals.

“I did not supervise anyone, but engaged them as a mother so that I could understand how they operate, their challenges and how we could solve them as a people,” she said.

“I am not a government employee. I have no powers over ministers, but I just help in my role as the First Lady to raise awareness on health issues. I also take care of their mothers and their supporters.”

The First Lady, who has managed to secure funding for some hospitals in Hwange and Binga, said her hospital visits were informed by a desire to use her advocacy strengths to mobilise supplies for public hospitals through her philanthropic arm, Angel of Hope Foundation.

“I don’t get any cent from Treasury for all the projects I do. There are many people who support us and not even a single cent comes from government. People should appreciate that through my humanitarian work, I assist people across the political divide. I don’t select whether Zanu PF or MDC,” she said.

“In fact, we don’t want to see people wearing party regalia at our functions. I am doing my duties as the First Lady, which is social work, helping the needy where possible. I am not into politics.”

Auxillia insisted that her work was restricted to humanitarian activities and had never dabbled in politics or hijacked any government programmes such that she could be compared with Grace.

“I have never instructed any minister to do any work or even summoned anyone to my office. I spend much of my time in rural areas interacting with old people, even parents of these MDC officials who are complaining that I am taking over government business. It is wrong to try and compare me with Grace Mugabe,” she said.

The First Lady last week made an impromptu visit to NatPharm, demanding to see how the group was operating and why it had stocks of medicines in its warehouse, while some rural hospitals did not have drugs.

Her visit reportedly forced Moyo to call for an urgent meeting with NatPharm executives, where he read the riot act before he went on to appoint the First Lady as “health ambassador”.

Besides the visit to NatPharm, the First Lady has been criss-crossing the country, addressing various stakeholders on issues such as inheritance, maternal health and entrepreneurship.

At a public event in Gutu, Masvingo, recently, Auxillia said she would engage telecommunications operators to ensure the community was well serviced.

Moyo said he had spoked to First Lady Auxillia before her tour of NatPharm.

“Indeed, we discussed with the First Lady about her familiarization tour of NatPharm. Because I was engaged elsewhere, I dispatched one of my senior staffers at the ministry to accompany her,” the Health minister said.

“In relation to a meeting I had with NatPharm executives, it was a scheduled meeting which was not influenced by the First Lady. She is merely fulfilling her philanthropic work, nothing more nothing less. In any case, she is now our ambassador for health and child care.”

Information deputy minister Energy Mutodi disagreed with analysts and the opposition, saying the First Lady had the right to be involved in the health sector because she had an organisation whose main agenda was the social well-being of citizens and her actions do not constitute usurping Executive power.

“Any citizen of Zimbabwe can be appointed an ambassador for any organisation, provided that such an individual accepts the invitation. We see no problem with that and her presence and participation in such events, as I have described, does not constitute any interference with government operations,” he said.

Secretary for Information, Ndavaningi Mangwana, also defended the First Lady’s role, claiming it was synonymous with the roles performed by all first ladies across the globe.

“These are people that use their prominence to influence matters of public importance as well as highlight certain causes, which are normally marginalised from public discourse,” he said.

“In the case of Amai Mnangagwa, health is an issue which is close to her heart. That’s why she has just been made health ambassador.”

Mangwana said of Auxillia’s visit to NatPharm, she had the constitutional right to access information.

He said it was an insult to compare Auxillia to Grace, saying the former’s visibility was issues-led as opposed to the former First Lady, who he said wanted power and disparaged her husband’s political allies.

BY Blessed Mhlanga/Obey Manayiti

ZIMBABWEANS cannot afford to wait for the 2023 general elections to correct the socio-economic dysfunction allegedly caused by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s disputed election, MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has said.

Chamisa, who takes his party to a crunch congress set for May 24 to 26, said the MDC would come out with a slew of strategies to face Zanu PF and ensure that the economics, politics and reform agenda are set right ahead of fresh general elections.

“Why wait for five years. We must begin the journey with the July 2018 disputed elections so that issues of legitimacy are dealt with, issues of parliamentary reforms are dealt with, (and that there is) political dialogue. If there is no political dialogue, we say this and we will say it again, we are going to resort to constitutional avenues and platforms around our rights to express ourselves until what we believe to be the legitimate request is acceded,” he said.

The MDC said it was prepared to meet Zanu PF and its government head-on to ensure that the country’s problems are resolved.

Zanu PF and Mnangagwa have continued to ignore the opposition leader and, instead, are pressing ahead with his government’s economic blueprint, the Transitional Stabilisation Programme.

Mnangagwa initiated his own political dialogue with 17 fringe political parties, some of them with no following, and the dialogue will be officially launched on May 17 without Chamisa.

This has not scared the MDC, which says Zanu PF is not Zimbabwe and cannot be allowed to dictate the destiny of the country with their alleged stubbornness.

“Zanu PF is not Zimbabwe; that is why democracy is there; that is why constitutions are there; that is why people are there because they have to deal with stubborn elements like Zanu PF. They may choose to be stubborn, but we will tame their stubbornness,” he said.

Chamisa said after congress, the fight against Zanu PF would be broadened and street protests might become the centre stage to resolve the enduring national crisis.

Today, Chamisa is expected in Mutasa, Manicaland province, to address a campaign rally for the Mutasa Rural District Council ward 10 by-election set for this weekend.

His visit comes after a high-powered Zanu PF delegation visited Mutasa last weekend to campaign for their candidate, Magret Tindika.

Meanwhile, MDC members fighting to lead the youth assembly have promised to bring radicalism and vibrancy into the wing in the fight against Mnangagwa, with one of them pushing for an early harmonised election, claiming that the current administration has failed to arrest the worsening situation.

Zimbabwe is currently battling an economic turbulence that has seen prices of basic commodities shooting beyond the reach of many. The country is due for the next general elections in 2023.

Ngahan Claude Junior a.k.a Neymar

BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA

HARARE soccer giants Dynamos will be without the quartet of their foreign players for their clash against Yadah FC at the weekend owing to injuries and suspension.

The Glamour Boys were one of the busiest teams on the transfer market, going beyond the country’s borders in search of talent where they managed to secure four players from Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Ghana. However the giants are yet to enjoy the full benefit of their imports.

The foreign contingent include Cameroonians, Claude Junior Ngahan, popularly known as Neymar and Herve Mbega, while the DRC forward Ngandu Mangala, who has been playing in Zimbabwe since 2010 was also recruited alongside Ghanaian Roberty Sackey.

Dynamos coach Tonderai Ndiraya will have to do with a severely depleted squad with Neymar said to be still struggling with an ankle injury, while Mbega has a hamstring strain and will not recover in time for the weekend matches.

Striker Mangala will miss the clash due to suspension after he picked up three yellow cards in previous matches. Besides, the former Green Fuels forward is also down with a bout of flu.

Sackey, who was expected to make his debut for the Glamour Boys this weekend after he finally got his work permit, will also not play a part following reports that he sustained a toe injury.

“All the four foreign-based players are out of the weekend match against Yadah due to injuries and suspension. Sackey got his work permit, but he again picked a toe injury which rules him out of the match. It would have been his first match, but unfortunately he won’t play a part,” a source revealed yesterday.

Ndiraya, who took over from Lloyd Chigowe, has complained about the fitness level of the players and has increased the work load with the team now training twice a day, as he tries to condition the players for the rigours of the topflight.

“Some of the players are picking up injuries because of the low fitness levels. We are doing what we can, but acquiring fitness will take time,” Ndiraya said.

“We are pushing the boys to the limit. Because of the intensity of the training sessions, some of the players are picking injuries, a clear sign that the fitness levels were not up to scratch.”

Dynamos struggled under Chigowe and the coming in of Ndiraya is expected to steer them to greater heights. After drawing against TelOne in his first match, Ndiraya’s side edged ZPC Kariba 1-0 to bag their first set of maximum points.

As the Harare giants prepare for the weekend clash against Yadah, the Dynamos mentor would have wanted to have his strongest side as he fights to end the season in a respectable position.

He has been pleased with the progress his side has made so far, but he still wants certain aspects of the game to improve.

Under Ndiraya, DeMbare have been transformed into a hungry and physical side and at the weekend ZPC Kariba coach Godfrey tamirepi accused the Harare giants of employing rugby tactics.

While Ndiraya dismissed his counterpart’s notions, he warned sides that will face DeMbare that they will face a fighting side that will not give away anything easily.

Fixtures:

Saturday: Harare City v Bulawayo Chiefs (Rufaro), Mushowani Stars v Black Rhinos (NSS), Chicken Inn v Highlanders (B/F), ZPC Kariba v Ngezi Platinum (Nyamhunga)

Sunday: Triangle, Caps United (Gibbo), Herentals v Manica Diamonds (NSS), Yadah FC v Dyamos (Rufaro), TelOne v FC Platinum (Luveve), Hwange v Chapungu (Colliery)

Wednesday: Black Rhinos v Bulawayo Chiefs (NSS)

Thursday; Caps United v Chapungu (NSS)

By Farai Matiashe

Hundreds of commuters in Harare were yesterday left stranded after commuter omnibus operators hiked fares in most part of the city, citing fuel shortages.

The Zimbabwe United passenger Company (Zupco) buses, which were introduced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa early this year to solve transport problems have in the past weeks disappeared from the areas they were supposed to be servicing.

From Kambuzuma to town kombis were charging $2, a rise from $1, the same with Waterfalls, while Chitungwiza was $3,50, up from $2. Mufakose to Mbare was $2 up from $1.

A kombi driver who plies the Chitungwiza-Harare route told NewsDay that kombis would hike their fares further if fuels supplies remain erratic.

“There is no diesel, at the few service stations where it is available, one can spend the entire night in the queue and still not get a full tank, which is enough to carry passengers for the better part of the day,” said the public transport operator who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“We are turning to the black market where it is very expensive. We have to raise the fares for us to make a profit. Otherwise we would be working all day without getting anything.”
Another kombi driver said the fare hikes were necessitated by fuel shortages.

“If fuel shortages worsen, we will be left with little or no option, but to hike the fares,” he said.

A survey conducted by NewsDay in Harare yesterday showed that few service stations had long meandering queues while some had no fuel at all and in most suburbs in the capital city, many kombis were not operating due to shortages of fuel.

In an interview with one of the Harare commuters, Primrose Chitiyo said she went home late trying to secure cheap transport.

“I am no longer able to cope with the situation. Yesterday (Monday) I went home around 8pm because kombis were charging $2 yet I only had a dollar. I tried to look for cheap transport, but there was none and I had to look for someone who could lend me some money after realising that I could sleep in town,” she said.

Tawanda Guze said the prices had gone beyond their reach for someone who has children commuting to school.

“We are calling for the government to address the situation urgently. This is too much for us. We are already struggling to make ends meet and the fare hikes are making us suffer more. Imagine I have pupils who would want to go to school so they can have a better future,” he said.

But Energy minister Joram Gumbo insisted that there were enough fuel supplies in the country and he attributed the shortages to lack of foreign currency.

“Let me make it clear, my job is to facilitate the importation of fuel into the country. As far as I am concerned, there is enough fuel supplies in to the country, but there are shortages of the foreign currency for service stations to buy it,” he said.

BY MISHMA CHAKANYUKA

ZIMBABWE’S mobile network operators (MNOs) spent $59,5 million in capital investments in 2018 compared to $100,9 million in the previous year as the southern African economy deteriorates, pushing operating costs up.

The country is home to three licensed MNOs, two of which are State-owned NetOne and Telecel, while the third one, Econet, is privately run.

Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (Potraz) director-general Gift Machengete on Monday told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Information Communication Technology that total operating costs increased by 23,1% from $657,4 million in 2017 to $809,01 million in 2018, taking into account salaries, rentals, fuel and other expenses.

He said investment by the mobile network operators was mainly in base stations in order to improve national coverage.

“All mobile operators increased (the number of) their base stations. Econet had a net addition of 65 base stations, Telecel had eight and NetOne had an increase of two base stations. The total number of base stations invested by mobile operators in 2018 stood at 75,” he said.

The total number of base stations in the country increased by 5,1% to reach 8 805 as at December 31, 2018, from 8 378 recorded as at December 31, 2017.

“In 2018, Second Generation (2G) base stations increased by 139, Third Generation (3G) base stations increased by 213 and Long Term Evolution (LTE) base stations increased by 75,” Machengete said.

Econet was the only profitable operator in 2017.

“In 2017, Econet recorded $132 million profit after tax, while TelOne posted a loss of $7 million, NetOne a loss of $57 million and Telecel a loss of $18,2 million,” Machengete said.

Last month, MNOs told the same parliamentary committee that tariffs were still way below the cost of delivering services despite a recent hike.

About 65% of the costs were currently denominated in forex.

Nation Dube

By Sindiso Dube

Following a good start to the 2019 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League campaign, where they have surprised many with their top form, Hwange are targeting to win the league title this term.

The coal miners currently sit on third position on the log table with 13 points, the same as second-placed Caps United and one behind leaders FC Platinum.

Hwange retained all their senior players who did the donkey work during their time in Division One last year and they are thriving on the experience of among others Gilbert Zulu, Felex Chindungwe and Tafara Chese.

Coach Nation Dube, who saw his side claim a draw against Highlanders at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo on Sunday, said that his team was not in the league to make up numbers, but to win the title.

“From the first game we have always been targeting the championship. As Hwange, we came to play and compete and not just to add numbers in the league everyone here has got something to compete for and I doubt there is anyone who says they are in the topflight league so that they can play for number eight or a top-four finish,” Dube said.

Hwange was relegated after the 2017 season and made a quick return to the topflight where they are holding their own.

Dube said the standard of football in the topflight had improved from what he experienced the last time he was in the Premier League.

“There has been a great improvement in the topflight league now. There are new teams that are evolving with each day and they play entertaining football.”

This weekend, Hwange have a date with Chapungu at the Colliery Stadium.

Meanwhile, bottom-placed Bulawayo Chiefs coach Farai Mangombe has blamed the player exodus which hit the team during the off season for their poor show so far this season.

Bulawayo Chiefs have gone for five straight games without a point and have so far scored just three goals.

“We lost good players where we had hoped to strengthen the side this year. Our defensive line is made up of new guys and they are yet to gel. We are working tirelessly to get the winning combination with the material we have. We will use the defeats as a learning curve and won’t let that kill our confidence. Bulawayo Chiefs will rise again,” Mangombe said.

BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE

A HARARE magistrate yesterday dismissed an application for refusal of further remand by Kuwadzana East legislator Chalton Hwende (MDC Alliance), who is accused of trying to subvert a constitutional government.

Hwende, who is represented by Harrison Nkomo, had filed an application for refusal of further remand, saying the State was failing to provide them with a trial date within a reasonable period.

But magistrate Barbara Mateko dismissed the application, saying Hwende had been on remand for less than three months and must give the State time to compile the docket and finalise its case.

The State, represented by Sebastian Mutizirwa, had opposed the application, saying the docket was sent to the Prosecutor-General’s Office for perusal and authority.

Mutizirwa further told the court that the docket was brought to court last month and was then referred to the PG’s Office for further management.

The magistrate postponed the matter to June 11.

Allegations are that sometime last December, Hwende posted on his Twitter handle a message that had the effect of inciting the people to revolt against a constitutionally-elected government.

The State alleged that Hwende’s Twitter posts incited the public to attempt to overthrow a constitutionally-elected government through mass protests characterised by violence and hooliganism in January this year.

As a result of the accused’s tweet, nationwide public violence was committed by protesters who caused loss of life as well as leaving members of the police and public injured, the State claimed.

BY VENERANDA LANGA

PARLIAMENT yesterday demanded to know how $9 million, allegedly extended to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) by the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) for the repair of silos, was used.

The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Lands and Agriculture chaired by Gokwe Nembudziya MP Justice Mayor Wadyajena grilled GMB chief executive officer Rockie Mutenha over the issue and the progress made so far in repairing silos that store grain.

Wadyajena said GMAZ chairperson Tafadzwa Musarara had indicated to the committee that GMAZ gave GMB $9 million in 2017 for rehabilitation of silos, and even pointed out that they had an agreement with GMB that the amount would be offset through grain.

GMAZ spokesperson Garikai Chaunza was also mentioned by Wadyajena as having indicated that as GMAZ they were waiting for an audit report indicating how the $9 million was used.

But Mutenha denied that GMB had received money for repair of silos from GMAZ, adding that they never entered into any loan agreement with anyone.

“We did not sign any contract with anyone and as far as we are concerned we did not receive money from anyone, other than Treasury and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe,” Mutenha said.

“The funding for repair of silos came from two sources and $6 318 627 came from Treasury through the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe from the grain procurement account and $1 016 281 came from GMB funds, giving a total of money paid for repair of silos at $7 334 909,” he said.

Mutenha said the $7,3 million for silos repairs was paid to a company called Adherechem. But the committee demanded that Mutenha must produce the contract between GMB and Adherechem, and papers which showed the shareholding structure of Adherechem.

The GMB boss said in 2017 they submitted a list for rehabilitation of all 12 silos in the country in Karoi, Magunje, Mukwichi, Lions Den, Banket, Norton, Chegutu, Concession, Chiweshe, Murewa, Bulawayo and Aspindale. The tender was won by Adherechem.

“The job for the first 10 concrete silos was completed by October 12, 2018. For the steel silos in Chiweshe and Mukwichi, they needed to remove old steel and put new sheets, and these were completed in April this year,” he said.

Wadyajena then asked Mutenha to explain how RBZ allocated $27 million to GMAZ for wheat and maize purchases when it was a private entity and not the parastatal responsible for grain purchases.

“The RBZ said we cannot have parallel structures to import wheat and we were told to allow them (GMAZ) to bring wheat. The RBZ governor said GMAZ was already running it and we cannot have two parallel structures,” Mutenha said.

Advocate Phiri

By Freeman Makopa

TALENTED Zimbabwean cyclist Advocate Phiri won this year’s edition of the 100 miler race held in Gweru over the weekend.

The 22-year-old rider completed the 154km race in 3:55:10 minutes to win the race.

Flying Eagles Cycling Club chairperson Clifford Kee-Tui said the competition has grown in terms of turnout as compared to last year.

“The race grew from 40 participants last year to over 60 this year with riders drawn from South Africa, Botswana as well as others from around the country’s provinces. Flying Eagles Cycling Club hosted the 100 miler for the second year,” he said.

“The race started in Gweru’s Antelope Park turn-off, to Cecil Avenue and Gwanda Road. Total distance covered was 154km in the tough and exciting race as the elite cyclists fought for dominance with the younger cyclist coming through in the final sprint.”

Kee-Tui hailed the performance by the athletes which he said shows that the sport is on a growth trajectory.

“The athletes displayed a high level performance and we are on the right track towards building a strong cycling team for the future and also the growth of the sport and we want to give special thanks to all the stakeholders who assisted in different ways. Race winner received $300, while second and third finishers took away $200 and $100, respectively.”

Major sponsors for this year’s edition include PPC, Solomon’s Cycles, Dischem, Crazy Dasies, FUCHS, Creative Centre, B&S Trucks, Ajay Motorways and Poultry Shop.

Gospel diva Jennifer Maneni recently tied the knot with her executive producer Ricky Mayer

BY OWN CORRESPONDENT

POPULAR gospel diva Jennifer Maneni recently tied the knot with her executive producer Ricky Mayer, who is based in the United Kingdom.

Maneni told NewsDay Life & Style after the couple’s honeymoon in Nyanga that the two lovebirds first met in Harare two years ago, after a friend introduced them to each other.

Asked about her new experiences in marriage, the love-struck songstress said: “I can’t say much, it’s just barely a week and everything is perfect. I am enjoying life.”

Maneni said Mayer was supportive of her music career, and as her executive producer, he had great plans for her. Mayer said they were going to release a new album soon as a follow up to the track, My Testimony, released last year.

“I am her executive producer, which entails financing her productions. We heard the pleas of the fans after the My Testimony video, and we are working on two more singles. One of them, titled Blessed, is almost done,” he said.

Maneni said Blessed was a continuation of the single, My Testimony.

“My Testimony is not just a song; I mean any other songs that I wrote before I was testifying of the goodness of the Lord. As I testified, that’s when I started counting the Lord’s blessings upon my life and realised that I am blessed,” she said.

“When people started saying when they look at what has happened to me, they see the hand of God in it, I began to realise that I was a living testimony.”