Stories

Rhodesia was always a mini replica of its powerful neighbour South Africa. It had its own racial segregation though this was not called apartheid. Ian Smith was elected to stop black rule at any cost and at one time vowed “not in a thousand years”. But the inevitable happened.

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A faction of the Movement for Democratic Change led by secretary-general Tendai Biti today said it had suspended party leader Morgan Tsvangirai, his deputy Thokozani Khupe, national chairman Lovemore Moyo, organising secretary Nelson Chamisa and information secretary Douglas Mwonzora.

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Much ado about Mugabe’s salary – The media was today awash with news about the sacrifices President Robert Mugabe has made to earn a meagre US$4 000 a month, the lowest salary for any Head of State in Southern Africa. While Mugabe’s salary is nothing compared to that of Barack Obama, or Jacob Zuma or Uhuru Kenyatta, sight must not be lost that it is still 13 times that of the average civil servant, who gets his or her salary from the same coffers as Mugabe. It is five times that of a Member of Parliament. It is folly to compare it to that of Happison Muchechetere or Reward Kangai or Cuthbert Dube because these people were earning exorbitant salaries that are essentially criminal. It is the lack of action on these CEOs that is likely to perpetuate corruption because it seems people can get away with it. This has happened before. What is needed is sterner action against one or two big bosses, especially the government ministers that have been fingered in the corruption at the ZBC and Air Zimbabwe, and not the small fry that is being fired for stealing US$2 000 after five months without a salary.

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The United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Bruce Wharton says 75 percent of all start-ups and 90 percent of all products fail but this should not stop anyone from venturing into business because without someone’s failure, there would be no Apple, no Microsoft and no Google.

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Information Minister Jonathan Moyo yesterday said the United States, which is exhibiting at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair after years of boycotting the annual event, should show both hands not just one of pretending to be an honest broker.

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Biti says bringing back Zim dollar the “stupidest”thing– Former Finance Minister today said that bringing that the Zimbabwe dollar would be the “stupidest” thing that the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front government could do but then ZANU-PF was known for doing stupid things. He told SW Radio: “While it will be stupid to bring back the Zimbabwean dollar let us remember that ZANU PF is known for doing stupid things. There is nothing that can stop them from printing the Zimbabwean dollar; they can print trillions of that but how will they get them into the market? They might force it on the civil servants but all service providers will reject that money.” Biti was commenting on reports from the South African media that ZANU-PF might bring back the Zimbabwe dollar to escape the funding crisis that the government is currently facing. Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa has, repeatedly said the local currency is not coming back any time soon and has increased the number of currencies that can be traded in the country. “There is no country in the world that has dollarized involuntarily like we did that has been able to get back to its own currency. They tried it in Cuba that failed,” Biti said. This was particularly so when for every dollar that was coming to Zimbabwe, seven were going out, he said.

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Controversial businessman Billy Rautenbach who is currently embroiled in a wrangle with Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front provincial chairman for Mashonaland West Temba Mliswa has been removed from the United States sanctions list.

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Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai today called on God to intervene in Zimbabwe’s politics as Easter when Jesus Christ died for the people’s sins coincides with independence day when thousands of Zimbabweans died for the liberation of their country from colonial rule.

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A Zimbabwean woman, studying at Amity University, a private university in India, was arrested yesterday morning with 25 kg of ephedrine drugs worth nearly US$2 million.

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We are staying put- expelled MDC four – Jacob Mafume, one of the four members expelled from the Movement for Democratic Change yesterday for insubordination and violating the party’s constitution, today said their expulsion was unconstitutional. “We do not consider ourselves expelled. We have not been expelled and we will continue to do our duties whatever they were and as best as we can for the interest of the party and the generality of the Zimbabwean population using the vehicle of the MDC until the proper procedures are followed.” Mafume who is Elton Mangoma’s lawyer and former director of information in the Prime Minister’s Office when MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai held that post, was expelled together with Mangoma, Last Maengahama and Promise Mkwananzi. “As the spokesperson of the renewal team, we find nothing shocking in the unconstitutional decision made on Thursday by a bogus national council purportedly to expel the deputy treasurer-general Mr Mangoma, the youth assembly secretary-general Promise Mkwananzi and Last Maengahama, a member of the national executive, and myself,” Mafume said. “What is puzzling is that the national council expelled Mr Mangoma who is already on suspension pending a hearing without affording him an opportunity to be heard. This is not only in violation of the party’s constitution, but flies in the face of the principle of national justice.”

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