Zimbabwe

ZIMBABWEAN Judicial officers led by Judge President of the High Court Justice Mary Dube are currently Tanzania observe how the country operates its judiciary with a major focus on Information Communication Technology (ICT).

“We do not know exactly how you go about this, that is one of the reasons why we are here, we want to learn so that when we go back home, we will be able to implement the system. We are also here to know how Tanzania got a way to get people from rural areas become connected easily to the system,” she said.

“As you highlighted earlier on, Tanzania is an old friend of Zimbabwe… and there are so many other African countries in this continent, which are ready on this system, but we choose you (Tanzania) because of your existing good relationship with us,”

“We are here to learn, we have embarked on the system, but we obviously want to make improvements …. before we embarked on the system, we used to hear matters physically, pleadings were being filed physically. We hope that we will be able to learn from your experience(s), we will share the little that we have gathered so far in the past two years,” Justice Dube disclosed.

The First Lady of Zimbabwe, Mrs. Auxilia Mnangagwa has called on all Zimbabwe women to observe three-day fasting and prayer for God to ward of the coronavirus pandemic presently ravaging Zimbabwe and the world.
Mrs. Mnangagwa made this cal in a statement.

“May I as the Mother of the Nation call upon all women in Zimbabwe, and all those abroad who may so wish, to join me in fasting and praying to the Lord the Almighty from tomorrow 21 to Saturday 23 January 2021 for our nation to be spared from further calamity and suffering,”

 “Our country has witnessed a lot of Covid-19 deaths in the past two weeks. Death is within our communities, at our doorstep. There is no family that has not suffered the loss of their beloved ones because of the pandemic.
“Every day we hear of names that are succumbing.
“I thus humbly appeal to all women to commit to a three-day period from tomorrow in which we fast and pray to call for divine intervention to save the nation and our people.
“As women, we play a very important role in our society.”
“As mothers, let us enforce compliance at the family level with measures that reduce the spread of Covid-19 amongst us. We need a plan at the household level for regularly using any means at our disposal to clean and sanitize our homes; to ensure that everyone in the home knows the importance of having a mask and masking up properly; more importantly to organize sharp safe errands for our requirements to get going whilst enforcing the family to stay at home,” she said.
“Let us include the measures against Covid-19 as we play our motherly role of ensuring that every member of the family is responsible for their personal hygiene.

“As we avoid and fight stigmatization, let’s ensure that all members of the family have knowledge of how to help those that have been infected and are willing to assist those that get sick to cope whilst remaining safe from infection.
“As we pray for relief in our nation, we should observe the measures for safe praying. The best is to fast and pray as individuals in our homes, the First lady concluded.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has advised Government to put in place guidelines for the reopening of schools in the country.

As the administration of  Zimbabwe President,  Emmerson Mnangagwa prepares to deliver good governance   women of  Mashonaland  province  have called on government to ensure that the process of decentralizing powers is bereft of political considerations.

This call was made recently by  women from the rural province during an interactive session organized by the Institute for Young Women Development,  for women of Mashonaland and their   representatives in the Parliament , at  Bindura .

 One of the participants from Guruve, stressed that the discussions on devolution must be apolitical saying  "What is required in particular is for national officials (both political and administrative) to commit to a devolution process that respects the rules of the game. Importantly, if devolution is to succeed it should be a shared objective supported by both those with and without power as well as by the general citizenry." 

 Another participant, Margret Chimombe from Shamva  suggested that the lawmakers should educate the women on the aims and objectives of the proposed devolution of power, adding ''"It's only a few people who are aware of what this is about. Some are in the dark so it should the duty of office bearer to come down to us and tell us what this animal is all about before any other engagements."

 In her submission, Member of Parliament for Women's Quota Bindura-Shamva constituency, Dorothy Mashonganyika  warned the women to be wary of politicians who might want to use the process to feather their nets saying ''We do not want political involvement but let us respect political structures as they also play a part in representing our views''.

 President Mnangagwa had indicated that his administration would implement  decentralize power.during his  2018-2022  tenure, but the people of Zimbabwe  have been expressing fears that politicians  would hijack the process  to further their political  agenda.

The Zimbabwe Government has for the past four months withheld  the salaries of three leaders of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), who led protests against the  Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube's austerity policies in January.​

The union leaders and others who  were  arrested in Macheke and charged with criminal nuisance, appeared in court in Marondera before their case was referred to Harare.

Before they could appear in court they were again arrested in Ruwa just 40km outside the capital, however the court  ordered their release.

President of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), secretary general Robson Chere and Mashonaland West chairperson Munyaradzi Ndawana, have however, called on workers not to be deterred by the latest action of government.

"This so-called new dispensation is using every trick in the book to curtail trade unionism in Zimbabwe, the freezing of salaries is a desperate attempt to silence our membership. We will not be cowed into submission by such cowardly acts on an anti-worker establishment, we demand salaries in US dollars or market equivalent.  Austerity measures are killing the working class and benefiting the ruling elite, we call upon the working class to rise and crush austerity.

"We are surviving on handouts from well-wishers. It's a difficult situation and cannot even afford paying school fees for our children'' they said.

While other unions seem to have adopted a different tact choosing to negotiate with government, Masaraure and his group have taken the authorities head on.

The Judicial Service Commssion(JSC) in Zimbabwe has dismissed allegations that the Judiciary has been compromised.

The Commission made this known through a statement issued by its Acting Secretary, Mr. Walter Chikwana.

"The allegations that the Judiciary is acting under capture of an external force remain unfounded, baseless and unsubstantiated.

"In the meeting held on 22 January 2019, the Chief Justice gave the Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ) his assurance that no directive or instruction was given by himself or the JSC to magistrates to dispose of cases before them in a particular manner. He maintains this position,"Mr. Chikwana stated.

The Acting Secretary insisted that the Judcial Officers werw abobe board in the discharge of their duties, saying ''The accusation that magistrates countrywide were acting under some form of directive or instructions to influence their decisions is extremely consequential.The Judiciary cannot take it lightly. All courts in the country and all judicial agents within those courts, must never be interfered with in the dispensation of justice. The Constitution demands it''.

"The Chief Justice reminds all and sundry that all judicial officers are required by Section 164(1) of the Constitution to dispense justice expeditiously.

"In doing so, all due process must be followed and rights of accused persons respected," reads the statement.

"The Zimbabwean courts are not, by undertaking expeditious trials, reinventing the wheel. Such trials are common phenomenon across the world in cases involving violence.

"For instance, in England after the 2011 riots, more than 3 000 people were arrested with 1 500 being arraigned before the courts.

"Their trials were fast-tracked. Courts were in session 24 hours until the cases were completed.

"Even juveniles caught up in the riots underwent trial.

"The Chief Justice maintains his position that where suspects are arrested and brought to court, they are entitled to a speedy trial.

"Fast-track trials must, in fact, be the norm, and not a curious exception." Mr. Chikwana concluded.

Government agents  in Zimbabwe have launced a manhunt for Opposition MDC-T National Chiarman Morgan Komichi over his refusal to accept the election results declared by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.

Four unidentified armed men had visited the Harare residence of Komichi on Sunday night searching for him.

However, the Police stated that Komichi and the MDC Alliance principal Tendai Biti are wanted.

Komichi, in a chat with People, confirmed that his life was in danger.

"I now fear for my life and my family because I left home 10 minutes before the armed men pounded on my wife and children looking for me. Luckily, I had just driven out," Komichi said.

Zimbabwe President, Mr. Emmerson Mnangagwa has warned those who intend to instigate the break down of law and order  as  the 2018 harmonized elections in the country draw near to have a rethink as the full wrath of the law will be visited on them.

President Mnangagwa handed down this warning on Tuesday, while  addressing thousands of Zanu-PF supporters at a rally at Mubaira Growth Point.

"If anyone causes anarchy, the rule of law will prevail. We will not allow chaos in our country. We want peace. All those that are contesting are encouraged to contest in peace because we want law and order in our country.

"People should be allowed to do what they want, while respecting others and respecting peace."

"We accept that people have divergent views. People should not be attacked or abused because they differ with you. No, we cannot all think the same," he said.

"We now have a certain party that says it wants to shut down Harare and to shut down the country. God forbid! We have asked ourselves what this small party intends to do and how it intends to do it and on what grounds. Kana wangova mukaka wawadya, ingodya mukaka wako ugute zvakanaka.

"We are preaching peace and we are saying everyone, including this small party, has the freedom to go around the country to woo the people's vote. No one will stop any party from asking the people to vote for them, the President concluded.

In recent times, MDC-Alliance leader, Mr Nelson Chamisa  has repeatedly threatened to "shut down the country" and "cause chaos" if his party loses next week's poll.

Three Journalists were injured when  an explosion disrupted last Saturday's  ZANU-PF  political rally at the Bulawayo White Stadium in Zimbabwe.

The political rally had in attendance President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was there to campaign, ahead of the July 30 general elections in the country.

The three Journalists who were injured work for the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation(ZBC), they are Cameraman Coster Thole, Technician Chipo Five, and Producer Forget Tsododo.

Although President Mnangagwa escaped unhurt, the source of the blast has not yet been uncovered, while security agencies step up investigations