President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s under-fire administration has resolved to legislate a code of conduct for all political parties and to criminalise campaigning against “one’s own country.” The promulgation of this move by government comes at a time when a campaign trending on social media, #ZimbabweanLivesMatter is forcing advocacy networks, celebrities and politicians in Zimbabwe, South Africa and across the world to take the information on rights abuses in Zimbabwe and mount pressure on Mnangagwa’s government to act. Speaking at a post cabinet briefing on Wednesday, Minister Sithembiso Nyoni said Vice President Kembo Mohadi, as Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on National Peace and Reconciliation, presented recommendations from the 2018 And 2019 annual
Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Kudakwashe Regimond Tagwirei (Tagwirei) for providing support to the leadership of the Government of Zimbabwe, as well as Sakunda Holdings for being owned or controlled by Tagwirei. Today’s action corresponds with the second anniversary of the Zimbabwean government’s violent crackdown against its citizens who were protesting flawed government elections and the delayed results of the election, which resulted in the deaths of at least six civilians on August 1, 2018. “Tagwirei and other Zimbabwean elites have derailed economic development and harmed the Zimbabwean people through corruption,” said Deputy Secretary Justin G. Muzinich. “The United States s
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday threw down the gauntlet and declared he had had "enough of the machinations" of opposition political parties and hostile countries plotting his downfall and frustrating government efforts to re-calibrate the economy. In a special televised address from State House in Harare in the wake of fierce local and foreign criticism of his administration following the brutal crackdown on organisers of last week's foiled anti-government protests, Mnangagwa threatened to "flush out bad apples" destabilising government efforts to resuscitate the economy and entrench democracy in the country. "We make no apologies for fixing our systems across political, social and economic spectrum ..." he said. "The dark forces, bot
MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa resurfaced Tuesday with an emphatic endorsement of #Zimbabwelivesmatter and a surprise prison visit to incarcerated journalist Hopewell Chin'ono and opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume. Chamisa last month took a break from work and further disappeared from social media to find time to mourn his mother who died in the opposition leader's rural Gutu home. He appointed one of his deputies, Welshman Ncube to act on his behalf while he was away. Posting on Twitter Tuesday, Chamisa said he visited Chin'ono and Ngarivhume and they are still determined to fight corruption. "Back from the village. Made a surprise visit to comrades Hopewell and Jacob at Harare Remand Prison. They are in high spirits, resolute and inspired to continue the f
The MDC Alliance has welcomed President Nelson Chamisa who has been on compassionate leave also known as bereavement leave following the death of his mother Gogo Alice Chamisa last month. Below is the party’s statement in full. STATEMENT ON THE RETURN OF PRESIDENT NELSON CHAMISA The MDC-Alliance welcomes back President Nelson Chamisa from his leave of absence. President Chamisa took time to mourn his beloved mother and, shortly after, the sudden death of his uncle. President Chamisa will resume his official duties on Friday 7th August. The People’s President extends his sincere and heartfelt thanks to the loving people of Zimbabwe and beyond for standing with the family during this difficult family tragedy. The winds of change are calling. Zimbabwean
Opposition MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa, accompanied by his lawyer Thabani Mpofu, on Tuesday visited incarcerated journalist Hopewell Chin’ono at Harare Remand Prison. “Clearly we must do something about what is happening. … It is time that we take care of Zimbabwean lives that matter … We must be serious about the situation,” Chamisa said. “They are in high spirits and they really want to see a better country,” Chamisa said. On Tuesday President Emmerson Mnangagwa gave a speech calling the main opposition party “terrorist,” and vowed to flush out opponents in an ongoing clampdown. Scores of opposition members and government critics have been arrested and rights groups allege security forces have carried out illega
This morning, I updated the people of Zimbabwe on the situation in our country. Despite the hurdles and challenges we have and continue to face – cyclones, droughts, sanctions and now the Coronavirus – our goal remains constant: To reform, restructure and rebuild in order to improve the lives of our people. We will continue to strive for peace, unity, development and progress. We will continue to reform and to open up, to liberalise and to modernise. The repeal of POSA and AIPPA is just the start. As your president, I vow to continue working harder towards this vision. Let us together cultivate a society of hope, of inspiration, of unity, of love and of peace. Let us pursue with renewed fortitude and zeal our journey of reforming and rebuilding our motherland. In unity an
MDC-T acting secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora has reportedly shut out acting party president Thokozani Khupe and her loyalists from Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House (previously known as Harvest House) as power struggles intensify after the opposition movement failed to hold an extraordinary congress to elect a substantive president on July 31. Police last week barred Khupe from holding the elective congress ordered by the Supreme Court in March citing the spike in COVID-19 local transmissions and lockdown regulations which prohibit gatherings of more than 50 people. Mwonzora was set to challenge Khupe at the congress for the presidency. "Mwonzora's campaign has resorted to violence ... people who are not aligned to his faction are being prevented from entering Harvest Ho
Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa has blamed what he called dark forces for the economic crisis in the country. At a time his government is terrorizing opposition members, Mr Mnangagwa has called for unity, love and tolerance. Below is part of Mr Mnangagwa’s brief SONA: We will defeat the attack on our economy. We make no apology for fixing our economy across the political, social and economic spectrum. We wil continue to strike a balance between peace and stability and protection of civil rights on the other hand. Reforms that will open up the economy and help entrepreneurs are bearing fruits. Corruption at all levels must stop. The dark forces inside and outside our borders have tempered with our growth and development for too long. Let us embrace patriotism, accountability,
The Harare High Court on Monday heard long-delayed bail applications by journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and opposition politician Jacob Ngarivhume, who were arrested on July 20 and accused of inciting public violence. Justice Tawanda Chitapi heard the applications separately and reserved judgement to August 6. Prosecutors say both men incited public violence through social media posts ahead of anti-government protests which had been called for July 31, but their lawyers say the charges are political. The protests were ruthlessly crushed by the security forces who closed all access to towns and forced residents to stay in their homes. Dozens of opposition activists were arrested and some were abducted and tortured. Ngarivhume, through his lawyer Moses Nkomo, disowned the Twit
