Top stories from October 26-31

Small house after small house- President Robert Mugabe today said that his cabinet ministers have become so rich that they cannot stick to one wife. “Upfumi uhwu dzimwe nguwa ndihwo huri kutikataza. Small houses, small houses. Ndaiti kuCabinet: ‘Kukutarisayi imi mose, ndingati asina imomu small house ndiani?’ Let us not follow that. One man, one wife and your marriage will go a long way,” he said today at the wedding of his niece Shammah Chidhakwa.

Zimbabwe fastest growing economy in Africa

Zimbabwe has the potential to become the fastest growing economy in Africa over the next seven years according to Harvard University professor Ricardo Hausmann. It will be the world’s sixth fastest growing economy in the world in the seven years to 2020 behind the world’s economic giant, China, followed by India, Thailand, Belarus and Moldova. The highest placed African country after Zimbabwe is Tunisia at 47. Followed by South Africa at 55, Egypt at 63, Namibia at 72, Kenya at 73, Senegal at 74 and Mauritius at 77.

Britain gave £82m to Zimbabwe’s poor

Britain gave £82 million to support the poorest people in Zimbabwe last year but the money was not channelled through the government because of Zimbabwe’s lack of commitment to Britain’s partnership principles, Under Secretary for International Development Lynne Featherstone said today. The money was channelled through multilateral organisations, including United Nations agencies, international non-governmental organisations and the private sector.

Rigging claim

Reports today said the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front was helped by the Chinese Communist Party and Israeli company Nikuv International to rig the 31 July elections. This was allegedly done through parallel registration of voters with voters aged 18-35 being neutralised while those aged 35-90 were inflated.

Tanker horror

Twenty-one people were killed when an ethanol tanker exploded into flames after it was side-swiped by a Mazda T35 truck carrying a coffin and 30 mourners in Chisumbanje. Nineteen people died on the spot and two others on their way to hospital reports said today.

Sovereign Wealth Fund mooted

Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa today said Zimbabwe is planning to set up a Sovereign Wealth Fund but it may not have the capital to kick it off as it plans to improve the country’s crumbling infrastructure first. He said the legislation to set up the fund should be ready by February.

Concourt scraps repressive laws

The Constitutional Court has scrapped a law against insulting the president and another on communicating falsehoods because they are not in line with the new constitution. Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa was given until 20 November to appeal against the ruling.

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