Talk has been going on for almost 15 years as to whether targeted sanctions imposed on the Zanu PF officials must be lifted or not. The sanctions must stay as a reminder to President Emmerson Mnagagwa that the international community is still concerned about reforms in Zimbabwe.

By Innocent Tapo, Our Reader

In the aftermath of the 2008 general elections, if there were no European Union and United States-imposed sanctions, the then Zanu PF government could have resisted the formation of a government of national unity (GNU).

But with the election results of the June 2008 presidential run-off dismissed by both the Africa Union and Sadc as not free and fair, Zanu PF agreed to form an uneasy GNU. So sanctions really worked and can still work.

The present situation where few people are not allowed to go to the United States or Europe to shop, wine and dine is meant to make these people use their influence to implement the much-needed reforms at home.

If they want these sanctions removed, let them open up democratic space in the country. There is need for real reforms, not petty ones.

We have a new Constitution, but our laws and statutes have not been realigned to it, making it ineffective.
Opposition parties are still complaining that the playing field is tilted in Zanu PF’s favour.

State security agents are allegedly dabbling in politics in favour of Zanu PF, negating or compromising their constitutional duties.

The argument that sanctions have hurt our economy sounds comic because even before the Western sanctions were imposed, our economy was going downhill.

As long as human rights abuses persist and reforms remain far-fetched, sanctions must remain in place.

BY Brenna Matendere

Kwekwe’S central business district (CBD) has been hit by rolling 18-hour power cuts during working days, a development that is threatening the viability of businesses.
This comes as Zesa has extended load-shedding from the residential suburbs into the CBD.

City centres in most parts of the country were previously spared from lengthy power cuts in order to promote the ease of doing business.

A snap survey by Southern Eye revealed that several companies and small businesses in the Midlands city were now recording losses due to the power cuts.

Other companies were now relying on diesel-powered generators, which are proving expensive to run due to high fuel costs.

Kwekwe-based Anti-Corruption Trust for Southern Africa (ACT-SA) director Obert Chinhamo said his organisation, together with other small to medium business enterprises, have since started engaging Zesa over the power cuts.

“We have written to Zesa complaining about the incessant power cuts. We are continuing to talk to them to (highlight that) if the city centre (is) in darkness and without electricity (for such extended periods), the town is going under. We heard that Zesa is prioritising a certain electricity line where the people connected along it are said to be paying in forex, but we can’t confirm that,” he said.

Recently, dairy products company, Dendairy, reported that it recorded losses for the year 2019 due to the increased costs of fuel due to the rolling power cuts.

The company’s director, Daryl Archibald said: “The country’s power utility has been rolling power outages which last up to 18 hours. This has increased production costs for companies as they are forced to use generators or risk long hours of downtime.”

Kwekwe district manager for Zesa, Raphael Rupere, was unavailable comment.

BY FIDELITY MHLANGA

RESPECTED United States-based stockbroking firm, Morgan & Co Research, has urged Zimbabwean authorities to join the Rand Monetary Union (RMU) to resolve the prevailing currency volatility and stabilise the southern African country’s economy.

Since government made a surprise announcement of the return of the Zimbabwe dollar as the sole legal tender last year albeit with inadequate foreign currency and mineral backing, the unit has been on a freefall.

With traders increasingly shunning the Zimbabwe dollar, especially the coins, Morgan & Co said this was enough indication that the local currency has failed to ignite confidence in the market.

“Our advice to the government of Zimbabwe in 2020 is to undo Statutory Instrument 142. This policy has not helped businesses in any way as it does not solve the fundamental problem which is the lack of forex. The timing of a return of an unbacked Zimbabwe dollar was premature given the lack of confidence in the monetary system.

“In our view, a more practical way to boost confidence in the Zimbabwe dollar, while the new administration works on economic reforms would be joining the Rand Monetary Union. Namibia, Swaziland and Lesotho all use the South African rand alongside their own currencies. The model has worked and has restored confidence in currencies such as the Namibian dollar,” Morgan & Co Research said.

The stockbroking firm noted that the reintroduction of the Zimbabwean dollar last year, after it was scrapped in 2009 at the height of hyperinflation, was ill timed and disastrous.

“There is clear evidence on the ground that the ZWL has failed as traders and merchants continue to charge in United States dollars despite the effects of Statutory Instrument 142.

This trend is not only evident in urban areas, but has become a norm in rural parts of Zimbabwe,” Morgan & Co said in its market intelligence report.

Analysts see the benefits of adopting a dual currency, especially taking into cognisance the fact that South Africa is also Zimbabwe’s largest trading partner with more than 60% of imports coming from the neighbouring country.

Economist Kipson Gundani pointed out that Zimbabwe could use the rand without necessarily joining the Rand Union.

“I think technically in terms of joining the Rand Union, there are certain benchmarks that the South African government expects from us. That is we need to have a certain budget deficit and this can be difficult to adhere to. However we can adopt the rand by default without joining the Rand Union like what we did with the US dollar in 2009. Government can pay civil servants in rand, businesses can pay tax in rand, but this will just provide a temporary relief to our problems. We might have the rand, US dollar in circulation but that will not wish away serious indiscipline, corruption and appetite for spending the money we don’t have,” Gundani said.

Apart from currency volatility, the economy is ravaged by power shortages, market confidence dearth, looming drought and runaway inflation recorded at 430% last November.

By Sindiso Dube

AFTER confirming Mark Harrison (pictured) as the club’s new coach earlier this week to replace Hendrikus Pieter De Jong, Highlanders have declared him as the right man to help them reclaim past glory.

Club chairman Kenneth Mhlophe described the appointment of the Englishman as the best for the club.

“I am glad to announce that the club has agreed terms with Mark Harrison to fill the position that has been existing in our technical team. Harrison, who is not new to Zimbabwean football, is the Highlanders technical manager with immediate effect pending granting of a work permit by the authorities. He will be officially unveiled as soon as he arrives in the country to take up his duties,” said Mhlophe in a statement.

“Considering our philosophy as a club, and his style of football, he emerged as the best institutional fit candidate to take up the huge responsibility. He signed a two-year contract which will run up to December 31 of 2021.”

Harrison comes in as a direct replacement to Dutchman De Jong who decided not to renew his contract at the end of the season before resurfacing at three-time champions FC Platinum where he was unveiled on Monday.

Harrison once coached Harare City FC and Caps United.

Harrison will work with the existing club technical structure which includes assistants Mandla “Lulu” Mpofu and Bekithemba Ndlovu.

He will also oversee the juniors and the club’s developmental team.

Harrison will be faced with a huge task of trying to fill the gaps that have been left by some key players in the squad.

Star striker Prince Dube is in China where he is club hunting, and a move is said to be imminent, while midfielder McClive Phiri is linked with a move to South Africa.

Goalkeeper and club skipper Ariel Sibanda has also been rumoured to be on his way out, with reports linking him with moves to South Africa, Zambia and even Mozambique.

Harrison arrives with a wealth of experience. A holder of Uefa A and Caf A licence badges, he has also previously coached Oxford United and Stanford Rangers in his homeland, as well as Mpumalanga Black Aces, African Warriors and Chippa United in South Africa.

BY HENRY MHARA

LA LIGA have said they are “extremely disappointed” following reports suggesting that their donation of soccer balls to Zifa for development of grassroots football, could have been misappropriated by the association’s former boss Philip Chiyangwa (pictured), who is accused of using them for his personal use.

Our sister paper, The Standard, this week published a story — as part of a series by Alpha Media Holdings that exposed how Chiyangwa could have milked the association of thousands of dollars during his tenure through fraud and corruption — whereby the flamboyant businessman is accused by Zifa of converting 1 080 soccer balls meant to kick-start a grassroots soccer development project in the country to his personal use.

Zifa have since reported the matter and numerous others against Chiyangwa, to the police.

La Liga responded angrily to the reports and are also ready to take legal action against Chiyangwa.

“As La Liga we are concerned about this situation. The purpose of the donated balls was to support the implementation of football developing projects in Zimbabwe which is something we really want to do. I say this in line with our objective to grow football at large,” La Liga representative in Africa Enrique Suay said.

“La Liga can confirm that a number of soccer balls were donated to Zifa in April 2018, for the development of the football community in Zimbabwe through the implementation of the #PassTheBall project. We are extremely disappointed with the recent allegations that have risen in regard to this donation and condemn such actions.

“If this donation ended up for other purposes, it would put us in a very unpleasant position as our intentions were completely different. At this stage we are communicating with Zifa in order to get more information on the topic. Our signed memorandum of understanding with them is very clear that in any instance of any behaviour that could be regarded as an offence, according to the provisions under the criminal laws of Spain, or Zimbabwe, that La Liga shall cooperate in so far as possible with the police and or court authorities to clarify the criminal liabilities arising out of the facts reported.

“In the case that the commented accusations were true, we will be saddened that our good intentions would have been tainted and our purpose to elevate grassroots soccer in Zimbabwe would have been derailed.

“Our objective is to work on different projects with Zifa, in order to develop the football industry at large, understanding that this is limited to certain personalities that are not involved with the current Zifa management. We are keen to keep working our relationship with Zifa,” Suay added.

La Liga have said they are taking the allegations seriously and the country manager in South Africa Marcos Pelegrin on Tuesday wrote to Zifa seeking clarification on the reports.

“It is noticed that there are accusations towards former Zifa president Philip Chiyangwa, who might have used the mentioned donation towards other interests rather than the implementation of football development programmes in the region, which was our (intention),” part of the letter read.

Pelegrin said the memorandum of understanding they signed with Zifa states that the association would get football materials from La Liga which “shall be channelled to the grassroots teams.”

“Therefore, we wanted to ask you to provide us a full report on the actual situation, so we can have a better understanding and see how La Liga can react towards it. Also, we stay entirely at your disposal for any documents or information that we can provide towards taking legal actions if needed,” further reads the letter.

Analysts fear that Chiyangwa’s alleged shenanigans could jeopardise the agreement and scare away other potential sponsors for Zifa.

However, La Liga have committed to work with the new Zifa management. “Lastly we are looking forward to reengage with you in this 2020 to look for working on projects that can benefit both entities,” Pelegrin said.

Zifa in 2018 signed a partnership agreement with La Liga in Africa in which the two agreed to work together to develop football in Zimbabwe.

The deal was, among other things, expected to open avenues for local footballers to ply their trade in the Spanish top-flight league.

In return, La Liga would get publicity through Zifa. The agreement, which was signed by Chiyangwa and head of La Liga in Africa, Antonio Barradas, saw Zifa receiving a first consignment of over 1 000 soccer balls to kick-start a grassroots soccer development project in the country.

Documents show that La Liga donated a total of 1 080 soccer balls, with a goods received voucher by Zifa, dated May 7, 2018, confirming receipt of the order.

However, it has since emerged that the donation did not reach its intended target, and Zifa are now accusing their former boss of allegedly converting the soccer balls to his personal use.

Sources said Chiyangwa allegedly used the soccer balls to campaign ahead of the July 2018 general elections in which he was vying for the Zvimba South Member of Parliament seat.

The sources said he hosted a number of tournaments in the constituency in the build-up to the elections with the winners rewarded with soccer equipment. He went on to win the seat in the National Assembly.

Zifa wrote to Chiyangwa seeking an explanation on how the balls were used and a list of beneficiaries, a letter which he ignored.

After drawing a blank from Chiyangwa, Zifa reported Chiyangwa to the police over the matter.

A police report was made to the Commercial Crimes Unit at the Harare Central Police Station on November 20, and the case’s DR number is 40/11/19.

This is not the first time Chiyangwa has been accused of converting the association’s donations for personal use.

Zifa are also alleging that the flamboyant businessman converted two twin-cab vehicles donated to the association by Wicknell Chivayo, to his personal use.

The vehicles were part of the US$1 million donation to Zifa by Chivayo, but were both registered in the names of Chiyangwa’s companies which took them when he lost the elections.

Zifa are battling to reclaim the vehicles, and have also reported the matter to the police.

Chiyangwa is also accused of embezzling thousands of dollars from the association through fraud and corruption, which involve withdrawing US$30 000 from a Zifa nostro account, months after he had ceased to be a Zifa official.

He also allegedly ordered the broke association to meet the costs of his lavish birthday party in 2017 – which was attended by Fifa president Gianni Infantino.

The documents also show that he leased the Zifa Village to one of his companies, Hansporte Investments, to keep creditors at bay, an agreement which he allegedly later used to loot funds from the association.

Chiyangwa is refuting all the allegations.

By Richard Muponde

GOVERNMENT is yet to identify soldiers who shot and killed six civilians in the post-election violence on August 1, 2018.
The Kgalema Motlanthe commission of inquiry set up by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to probe the matter revealed that the victims were, indeed, shot by soldiers and recommended that the perpetrators be brought to book.

However, nothing has been done to bring the culprits to book, raising fears that Mnangagwa would rather sweep the matter under the carpet than prosecuting the military, which has been his biggest support base since his ascent to power through a November 2017 coup.

Contacted for comment over the delays, Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi yesterday said investigations were still ongoing.

“The commission didn’t specifically pinpoint who are the individuals behind the shootings. The investigations were inconclusive,” he said.

“Recommending prosecution is very welcome, but how do you prosecute someone who you don’t know or hasn’t been identified? We have to ascertain who exactly was responsible. That way, it could be asked why they are (still walking) scot-free.”

Ziyambi also claimed children of the victims were being looked after by the government.

“What we have so far implemented is that the children of the victims are being taken care of by the Department of Social Welfare and paying their school fees,” he said.

But political analyst Eldred Masunungure believes the issue might die a natural death as Mnangagwa was afraid to touch the security sector, which forms the backbone of his rule.

“It should be passionately understood that this is a very sensitive sector which was the case even in Ian Smith’s days and Robert Mugabe maintained and consolidated it. Mnangagwa is here to just maintain that posture. Considering this attitude on security sector, I must say even if (MDC leader) Nelson Chamisa comes into power, he will tread carefully,” Masunungure said.

“We are talking of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, who are untouchable — whether top brass or the lower ranks. This heinous crime was done by the lower ranks, but he can’t touch them. It’s a systemic problem that makes politicians reluctant to meddle into the security sector, be it police, prisons and the military itself. It’s not Mnangagwa alone, but whoever goes to State House will find the constraints.”

MDC chairperson, Tabitha Khumalo said Mnangagwa could not do anything about the issue simply because his administration was failing to solve the Gukurahundi issue in which the same military was involved.

“This regime failed to deal with Gukurahundi. These people preach peace and practise war. They have made lies look like the truth and the truth like lies. They indicate left and turn right, so they are there to protect each other and will always sell the people a dummy,” she said.

After receiving the Motlanthe report, Mnangagwa said the use of live bullets by the military to quell the country’s post-election protests was “disproportionate and unjustified”.