Category: News Feeds

WASHINGTON — President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government has been urged to stop the current crackdown on people intending to stage public protests over the deteriorating economic situation in the southern African nation.In a statement, Freedom House said Mnangagwa’s government, which promised to usher in a democratic state following the ouster of former President Robert Mugabe in a military intervention in 2017 and subsequent presidential elections in 2018, is violating citizens’ rights and freedoms.

“The government of Zimbabwe must end its violent crackdown on dissent in the country and immediately investigate reports of beatings and torture by state security agents,” said Jon Temin, director of Africa programs at Freedom House.

Temin said, “These attacks violate Zimbabweans’ rights to free assembly, association, and expression, and have continued despite repeated promises by President Emmerson Mnangagwa that his government would usher in a new dispensation that respects fundamental rights. If Zimbabwe truly wants to break with its abusive past, those found responsible for these heinous acts should be held to account.”

Freedom House is an independent watchdog organization that supports democratic change, monitors the status of freedom around the world, and advocates for democracy and human rights.

The attacks come in the wake of protests organized by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change that were expected to be staged in Harare, on August 16, and later in other parts of the country. Suspected security agents reportedly abducted, beat, and tortured activists, civil society leaders, and members of the opposition in the days leading up to the planned protests.

Police subsequently prohibited the demonstrations, but hundreds of Zimbabweans congregated in defiance of the ban on August 16. Police violently dispersed the protesters using whips, batons, and tear gas. Arrests of civil society leaders and human rights defenders have continued since then.

Several countries have expressed concern over human rights violations in Zimbabwe being allegedly perpetrated by Mnangagwa’s government.

In a joint statement recently, the heads of mission of the European Union, France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and the United States of America said the government should respect the Zimbabwe Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression, movement and assembly and the right for people to protest peacefully.

“Intimidation, harassment and physical attacks on human rights defenders, trade union and civil society representatives and opposition politicians-prior to, during and following the demonstrations in Harare on 16 August – are cause for great concern. The Zimbabwean constitution guarantees the right to personal security from violence and prohibits physical or psychological torture. The heads of Missions urge the authorities to respect these fundamental rights and to hold perpetrators of violence legally responsible.”

They urged President Mnangagwa’s government to respect the constitutional rights to freedom of assembly, association and expressions as well as to peaceful protest.

Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has taken the decision that foreign currencies are no longer acceptable as legal tender in the Southern African country.

Fin24 reports Ncube states the Zimbabwe dollar is now the only acceptable medium of exchange for local transactions.

However, the decision should not concern tourists to Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) has issued a statement saying the necessary measures are in place to ensure that travellers are not inconvenienced in any way by the ban on forex.

A Tourism Update report states travellers should be mindful of false social media reports and that “police are not authorised to stop and search people for foreign currency”.

These are the payments methods still applicable in Zimbabwe, according to the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority:

• Credit cards are readily acceptable everywhere in Zimbabwe, where the relevant arrangements have been made with international credit card companies such as VISA, MasterCard and others issued by different banks in the countries of origin of the travellers.
• Service providers do have international credit card-enabled point-of-sale (POS) machines.Visitors may also withdraw local cash from international credit card-enabled Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) of the different banks.
• These will be clearly marked as international and will have the logos of the accepted credit card companies.
• Foreign cash may be exchanged at the bank, bureau-de-change or at any other authorised foreign currency dealers at the prevailing bank rates.
• Visitors are however encouraged to use plastic money and only exchange amounts of money in cash that they anticipate using.
• However, visitors may convert their money back to their foreign currency subject to prevailing terms and conditions.
• Online payments and telegraphic transfers remain acceptable forms of payment in Zimbabwe.Visa fees, where applicable, are payable in foreign currency and may be paid in cash at any port of entry.
• The Government of Zimbabwe has an e-visa system and intending travellers may apply and pay for their visas online.
• Tipping is not a commercial transaction and hence visitors are at liberty to tip as they wish. It becomes incumbent upon the recipient to ensure adherence to the foreign exchange regulations.

Planning a trip to Zimbabwe: 

Zimbabwe, our neighbour which recently gained a new hope in the form of political change – proves to be a country with so much to offer its own people, as well as South Africans.

Rich in wildlife and nature experiences, bursting with African pride and welcoming of all people, Zimbabwe offers more than just a safari getaway – it offers a slice of an authentic African experience.

From shopping at local markets and sleeping in the wild, to exploring a Natural Wonder of the World and being fully immersed in local cultural activities, there’s so much to do in this small region of Zimbabwe.

To help you delve into the natural and cultural beauty of Zimbabwe, here’s what you need to know when planning your trip.

Visa requirements: No. Zimbabwe is visa-free for South Africans with a valid passport for a stay up to 90 days.

Medical requirements: It’s highly advised to take anti-malaria tablets and carry mosquito repellents. Vaccines for typhoid, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, cholera, yellow fever, rabies, and influenza are recommended.

National Carrier: Air Zimbabwe.

Airport Hub: Harare International Airport.

Flight Route: Fly direct from Johannesburg or Cape Town, with a number of airlines, to Victoria Falls or Harare.

Currency: Zim$25  = R1

Travel adapter: Type D and G.

Time Zone: Same time zone as SA (GMT+2)

Public Transport: South Africans usually drive across the borders, but if you fly instead, then you can rent a car, travel via bus or catch a ride with the National Railways of Zimbabwe. There are two types of buses – express services that run according to a set timetable and local buses that have no schedule and generally wait until it’s full to leave. There are also metered taxi companies that provide transport in major cities. Transport can also be arranged with the hotel where you are staying, or a tour company such as Wild Horizons, to drop and pick you up from your desired destinations.

Climate: Varies by altitude. There is a dry season, including a short cool season during May to October when the whole country has very little rain. The rainy season is typically a time of heavy rainfall from November to March.

Best time to visit: The dry May to October winter season is generally the best time to visit Zimbabwe for game-viewing in mild temperatures and to experience little to no rainfall and a lower malaria risk.

However travel operator Wild Horizons says that “From August onwards, the months of summer provide the perfect opportunity to experience white-water rafting, river boarding and canoe trips up the Zambezi River. Bird life during this time is at its most spectacular, with a huge variety of migrant birds returning south to spend the summer months in and around the Zambezi River. Photography will also be excellent during this time of the year as much of the surrounding wilderness will be in.”

Languages: Zimbabwe has 16 official languages – Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Ndebele, Shangani, Shona, sign language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda, and Xhosa.

Useful Phrases: English is widely spoken and most people living in major cities are multi-lingual. However, it’s vital to get schooled on some of the main phrases and words in Shona – one of the major languages spoken in Zimbabwe – to ease communication when you’re travelling the country. Here are some key words:

• Hello – Mhoro (one person), Mhoroi (many people)
• How are you? – Wakadini zvako? (one person), Makadini zvenyu? (many people
• Goodbye – Sara Zvakanaka (one person), Sariayi Zvakanaka (many people
• Excuse me – Pamusoro (one person), Pamusoroyi (many people)
• How much is this? – Chinoita marii?
• Sorry – Ndineurombo
• Thank you – Waita zvako (one person), Maita zvenyu (many people)
• I don’t understand – Handisi kunyaso nzwisisa

Food to try: Mopani worms and a variety of game meat, including wartog and kudu, as well as crocodile are must try delicacies of Zimbabwe. Tradition foods that you must taste are: Sadza – stiff maize meal served with meat, sauce, gravy, sour milk, or stewed vegetables; Bota – porridge flavoured with peanut butter, milk, butter or jam; Dovi – peanut butter stew with meat or vegetables; Nhedzi – wild mushroom soup; and Mapopo candy – Papaya cooked in and dusted with sugar. Also try Whawha, a traditional maize beer.

Travel tips

What to pack:

• Your passport, arrival and return tickets, adequate money.
• A camera, notebook/ tablet or smartphone, power-bank to stay charged on the go.
• Comfortable, lightweight, and casual clothes.
• Comfortable sandals, sneakers and strong shoes if you decide to go on hikes.
• A hat, sunscreen, sunglasses.
• An umbrella/ rain coat during the rainy season.
• A warm jacket for evening game drives.
• Hand sanitiser, tissues, wet wipes, insect repellent – sprays and lotions, prescription medication.
• Binoculars for safaris/sightseeing, waterproof bag to store personal belongings when on boat cruises/ water activities.

Tips while exploring:

• Learn the common phrases in the local language and about local culture, and respect cultural norms.
• Take anti-malaria tablets while visiting Zimbabwe which is in a high malaria zone. Be sure to inquire from a travel clinic in your home country well in advance before your trip.
• Organise airport transfers before you depart.
• Don’t take photos at border crossings or of government buildings. Have a positive attitude with authorities.
• Drink bottled water.
• Take note of your safety briefing at game drives and tours.
• Always listen to your guide.
• If you feel unwell while you travel, tell your guide or accommodation hosts.

Post published in: Featured

Ernst & Young said in a newspaper advertisement on Friday that it will oversee offers for all or part of the company’s shareholdings in businesses in Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Zambia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Mauritius, Ghana, Kenya and Dubai.

Econet Media, which operates under the brands Econet Media and Kwese, runs businesses that offer satellite broadcasting, free-to-air television and digital distribution of media content.

Post published in: Featured

The authorities have been cracking down on dissent in the country and preventing opposition-led demonstrations.

Police earlier in the day arrested 10 union officials as they tried to lobby the finance minister over low pay for teachers, witnesses said.

They bundled officials from the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe into a truck outside the finance ministry. They also arrested the group’s lawyer, Douglas Coltart, and a journalist with online news outlet newzimbabwe.com who was filming the arrest, the witnesses said.

The journalist was later released without charge.

The union had been trying to present a petition to finance minister Mthuli Ncube over teachers’ salaries, which average around 500 Zimbabwe dollars ($50) a month.

Police spokesman Paul Nyathi could not immediately comment.

The umbrella group for unions, known as the APEX Council, said the government’s new, higher pay offer would mean the lowest paid civil servants earned 1,023 Zimbabwe dollars per month compared with their demand of 4,750 dollars.

It said that it would consult its members and that talks with the government would resume on Tuesday.

The economy is mired in its worst crisis in a decade, and security forces have in the past week snuffed out five attempts by the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) to hold street demonstrations, dashing hopes that the government might live up to promises of becoming more tolerant of dissent than the one it replaced.

The party’s national organizing secretary Amos Chibaya on Friday appeared before Harare magistrates charged with failing to stop a demonstration the MDC tried to hold in the capital a week ago. He denies the charge.

The protest was planned as the launch event for a nationwide protest movement against the government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Mnangagwa was elected a year ago on a promise of breaking with the strong-arm tactics that characterized Robert Mugabe’s 37-year rule, and engineering an economic upturn.

The MDC accuses Mnangagwa of political repression and blames his government for mismanaging the economy, triggering triple-digit inflation and widespread shortages of fuel, power and bread.

It said in a statement Chibaya’s detention “is testimony that the regime is undertaking a brutal program of persecution by prosecution” of MDC members.

If convicted he faces a one-year jail term or a fine.

State prosecutors opposed his application for bail, saying he would likely commit the same crime. The magistrate said she would make a bail ruling on Monday, which means Chibaya will spent the weekend in detention.

Chibaya is also facing trial on subversion charges linked to violent protests in January that prompted an army crackdown that led to the deaths of more than a dozen people.

Residents say police have increased patrols in Zimbabwe’s cities, where the MDC enjoys more support, since last week.

Post published in: Featured

Imagine coming home and finding your entire house ransacked, your valuables stolen and your children tied to poles, their backs bleeding from being whipped with a sjambok. The sight rips your soul out and makes you want to find whoever did this to your loved ones and ensure they face justice.

You go and report the matter to the police and the greatest horror greets you. The ones manning the police station are putting on your stolen clothes and sipping tea out of your prized china. Rage fills you as you realize that it was they who violated you and your loved ones. Immediately you launch into a demand for your property, you call out their injustice and demand compensation. Then it happens without warning or shame. The whip cuts across your face and as you cover it in pain, the black boot of the senior cop smashes into your gut. You fall to the ground helpless, unable to scream out in pain or for help. The reality is that you have been robbed by those charged with protecting you — and now they will rob you of your voice too.

It’s August 2019, and there is no doubt about the unbearable magnitude of the economic hardships that ordinary Zimbabweans are facing: no electricity for 19 hours a day, crippling fuel shortages, the rising cost of living and runaway inflation. Basic commodity goods and services such as bread, water and public transport are no longer affordable to ordinary people. These endless struggles put even more pressure on Zimbabweans whose money was lifted directly from their bank accounts by the authorities and replaced with electronic money, which has now lost most of its value.

The attempt to protest against these painful hardships by ordinary people, who have suffered from years of political and economic misrule, has invited yet another season of police brutality. There are countless beatings of civilians, mass arbitrary detentions and more human rights violations.

The main opposition MDC Alliance recently called on all Zimbabweans to march peacefully and petition the government on the deteriorating economic situation. The first of those marches, slated for Aug. 16, was banned by the police — in clear violation of our constitution which guarantees us the right to protest peacefully and petition our government for whatever grievances we might have.

Despite the ban, Zimbabweans decided to exercise their constitutional right regardless – and were met with a display of disproportionate and excessive force by the police. The internet and newswires were awash with pictures and videos of citizens sitting on the ground being bludgeoned with batons and whipped by police officers. Women and the elderly were hit with blows to every part of the body from riot police.

Days before these scenes of brutality, civic society leaders were abducted, interrogated and tortured. Dumped and left for dead, the oozing welts all over their bodies, chemical burns and broken legs told a story of a ruthless regime determined to silence any criticism. This week, one of our best-known comedians, Samantha Kureya, went into hiding after being abducted from her home, beaten, stripped and made to drink sewage.

We have called for peaceful protests in the so-called “new dispensation” of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration, and without fail they have all ended up in bloodshed, brutalized bodies, mass incarcerations and threats of death. There is no political will whatsoever in this government to allow Zimbabweans to exercise their basic freedoms, such as freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Every avenue of protest has effectively been criminalised and once again just as Robert Mugabe did, there is an attempt to abduct, torture and criminalize dissenters.

This is why we march, organize boycotts and speak out continually for the right to protest injustice. We must never give that up for that would be to give up everything.

It is hard to describe the kind of soulless brutality that has and continues to take place in Zimbabwe. But the more powerful scene playing out in all of this, is that in the face of guns, baton sticks and tear gas, people still came out to march. Old, young. Men, women.

Besides the fact that those people were beaten, the undeniable truth is that they were not afraid to show that our hope is stronger than the authorities’ hate. They stood their ground and refused to let it ever be said that we did nothing. Some people, the fearful or the privileged, who have the luxury to tweet and sit out protests, want to claim that it is a waste of time.

What they don’t understand is that hope is not passive or apathetic. Instead it’s like a wave, though it subsides for a moment, it rises again and again. And with hope, we shall reclaim our freedoms one day.

Comedian Samantha Kureya lays in her hospital bed in Harare, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019. Kureya was abducted from her home, stripped naked and tortured by masked men with assault rifles, for performing skits perceived as being anti-government, the latest in a string of alleged abductions of government critics. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

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