Top stories for March 26- 31

Mutambara in trouble– Former Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara is in trouble. According to The Herald he has been taken to court for failing to pay for furniture worth US$87 556.70 that he bought on credit from TN Harlequin. The furniture is reported to have been delivered to House Number 21 Steppes Road, Ballantyne Park, Borrowdale and was purchased on different dates in 2012. Although the paper said Mutambara had not responded to the claim, it shows what type of life our leaders live. US$87 000 worth of furniture alone? Maybe, I am just thinking like a poor ordinary Zimbabwean. Besides, he was using his own money and not the State’s. Was he?

Majome accuses Mugabe of failing to curb corruption
Movement for Democratic Change shadow Minister for Justice Jesse Majome has accused President Robert Mugabe, his deputy Joice Mujuru and Speaker Jacob Mudenda of failing to curb corruption. In a statement today, she said the Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front leadership, including the three, had dismally failed the nation by either muffling or avoiding tackling corrupt activities that were taking place in every sphere of the economy seriously affecting the growth of the economy and the day-to-day lives of the people. Majome was also disturbed by the levels of corruption in the justice delivery sector itself. She said she had established an Anti-Corruption Committee in the Ministry of Justice when she was Deputy Minister and strongly urged the ministry to revive the committee in order to uproot corruption from the justice delivery sector. “The MDC demands that the laws of this country should be urgently realigned with the Constitution of Zimbabwe so that we have a government that abides by the rule of law, delivers justice and protects and promotes fundamental rights. Zimbabwe has for too long endured pariah status in respect of its record of violating the rule of law, constitutionalism and human rights. As the MDC, we therefore demand a democratic constitutional dispensation coupled with a strong, vibrant and accessible Parliament and a pervasive culture of human rights,” she said.

Former ZBC boss Muchechetere quizzed
Former Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation chief executive Happison Muchechetere, who was suspended last year pending investigations, was questioned by police today on allegations of inflating the price of an Outside Broadcast van. According to The Herald, the van which was purchased from China National Instruments Imports and Exports Corporation (Instrimpex) was supposed to cost only US$100 000.but Muchechetere and Instrimpex connived to inflate the price to US$1 050 000. Muchechetere was questioned by the CID Serious Frauds section but police refused to give details only saying this was related to tender procedures and the OB van. Police said they had recorded a warned and cautioned statement and released Muchechetere. The former ZBC boss was suspended after it emerged that he was earning close to US$40 000 a month in a package that included US$3 000 entertainment allowance, a US$2 500 allowance to pay his domestic workers, US$3 500 housing allowance and US$3 000 as a general allowance.

MDC Chitungwiza chairman fired
The Movement for Democratic Change chairman for Chitungwiza Alexio Musundire was expelled from the party today barely three days after party leader Morgan Tsvangirai said squabbles within the party had been resolved. Musundire is also the Member of Parliament for Zengeza East. According to the Herald Musundire was expelled for: contravening the MDC-T rules and regulations by allowing double candidates to represent the party in local government elections in the July 31 (2013 harmonised polls); contravening the MDC-T constitution by allegedly sponsoring, causing or perpetrating violence against other members of the party; violating the MDC-T constitution through sabotaging party programmes and activities, sponsoring factionalism, disunity, and disharmony in the MDC-T Chitungwiza province; and failing to uphold the constitution and working against MDC-T objectives by collaborating with State security agencies by passing on sensitive and classified MDC-T information.

Tsvangirai says Mugabe does not care
Movement for Democratic Change leader today called on people to take action against President Robert Mugabe because he does not care about the problems that they are facing. He said this at a rally in Zhombe adding: “We will soon be mobilising Zimbabweans to take action. Zimbabweans cannot be held hostage by one man.” Tsvangirai said Mugabe must be forced to the negotiating table, not by the MDC but by the people. “We are now a basket case. Mugabe must be brought to the negotiating table, not by the MDC but rather by the masses of Zimbabwe.” Tsvangirai is facing problems within his own party with some of his lieutenants calling on him to step down to save the party.

MDC youth leader fired?
Movement for Democratic Change youth leader Solomon Madzore and secretary general Promise Mkwananzi were fired today according a report by NewZimbabwe.Com. The report said Youth Assembly spokesman Clifford Hlatshwayo confirmed that the assembly had held a meeting but refused to talk about the expulsion of Madzore saying they had to brief the party leadership first. Madzore dismissed expulsion saying: “I have heard that some group of individuals met today but we will not lose sleep because Zimbabweans are free to meet. What I can tell you is it was not the MDC-T youth assembly that met. I will not comment on mickey-mouse issues that was not the MDC-T youth national council because we have not convened such a meeting.” Reports on Saturday said the MDC had also expelled Chitungwiza chairman Alexio Musundire in what appears to be a purge on officials linked to the faction demanding leadership renewal. The purges contradict what party leader Morgan Tsvangirai said on Tuesday that the party leadership had resolved its internal squabbles.

MDC youth leader’s expulsion null and void
Movement for Democratic Change leader Solomon Madzore was not expelled from the party. The meeting of the youth assembly that expelled him was not official and the youth assembly does not have powers to expel anyone, party spokesman Douglas Mwonzora said today. He said standing committee officials like Madzore can only be suspended or disciplined by the national council, according to Article 12 of the party’s constitution. Madzore was reportedly expelled on Sunday together with secretary general Promise Mkwananzi. On Friday Chitungwiza chairman Alexio Musundire was also reportedly expelled. The confusion in the party follows calls for leadership renewal and there seems to be a drive to purge all those calling on party leader Morgan Tsvangirai to step down to pave way for a new leadership ahead of the 2018 elections. Tsvangirai said last week that the leadership had resolved its differences.

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