adminHome-seekers in trouble
Tichaona Zindoga Herald Reporter
HUNDREDS of home seekers in Hatcliffe extension in Harare face an uncertain future as a group claiming to be war veterans threatened to take over housing consortiums in the sprawling suburb. The Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association, the Greater Harare Housing Union,
Chiefs want to oversee Jomic
Masvingo BureauChiefs have asked the three political parties in the inclusive Government for an oversight role in the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee for the organ to become more effective. Jomic was established as a liaison body among the political parties to ensure there is peace in the country.
Parliament, Women University sign Memorandum of Understanding
Herald Reporter
Parliament and the Women’s University in Africa yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding in which the institution will offer various educational programmes to parliamentarians and staff. The agreement was signed by WUA vice-chancellor Professor Hope Sadza, Speaker of the
Zanu-PF to support Saharawi
Herald Reporter
ZANU-PF will continue to support Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic’s quest for independence from Morocco, national chairman Cde Simon Khaya Moyo has said. Cde Khaya Moyo was speaking yesterday when Saharawi Republic’s ambassador to Zimbabwe, Saleh Mohammed Cheij paid a
Sweden extends US$30m to women and children
Sweden yesterday extended a grant of $30 million to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to finance programmes
War vets reject draft constitution
THE Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association has rejected the draft Constitution released by COPAC,
Biti makes U-turn on elections
Lloyd Gumbo Herald Reporter
GOVERNMENT is mobilising money to pay civil servants bonuses and fund agriculture, making it impossible for Treasury to fund by-elections this year, Finance Minister Tendai Biti has said.
He told The Herald that there were priority areas that needed funding besides elections.
Government, he said, had not budgeted for by-elections this year.
“There are two conflicting issues which are affordability of by-elections versus respect of the court order when we had not budgeted for them.
“At the present moment, our major challenge is bonuses and the 2012/2013 agricultural season. To make matters worse, our August figures (revenue collection) are down by US$24 million.
“We have just spent US$3 million for the urgent restocking in Matabeleland region. We have also paid US$10 million to seed and fertiliser companies that we owe about US$48 million. Our budgetary pressure is very acute.”
Minister Biti said if by-elections were to be held in the three Matabeleland constituencies in line with the court order, Government would compromise and fund the polls.
“However, if they are to be held in all the (28) vacant constituencies, then it is financially impossible.
“About US$60 million will be required for all those vacant constituencies because it is more of a national election because the constituencies are scattered throughout the country.
“This also means that it is financially impossible to have general elections this year,” he said.
Storm over Tsvangirai’s US trip
Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai has come under fire for abandoning a critical meeting of Principals on Monday to attend the Democratic Party Convention in the United States.
The Constitution-making process is now at the level of principals who were expected to, among other things, discuss amendments made to the Copac draft Constitution by the Zanu-PF Politburo in the wake of recent admissions by Copac that it deviated from people’s views.
Copac co-chair Cde Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana (Zanu-PF) made the admission last week.
Mr Tsvangirai hurriedly left for the US, leaving his written response on the Zanu-PF amendments to other principals.
MDC-T spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora confirmed his boss was in North Carolina, at the invitation of the Democratic Party that he said shared the ‘‘same interests and principles’’ with MDC-T.
“He is there with the full mandate of the party as he is on a drive to strengthen our international relationship with other countries.
“The Constitution-making process was completed and we now have a draft Constitution.
“It is President Mugabe and his Zanu-PF party who are trying to rewrite the Global Political Agreement and refusing that document to go the Second All Stakeholders’ Conference.”
Mr Mwonzora said there was no need for Principals to meet to discuss the Copac draft.
“The GPA is clear on what should be done. Before he (Mr Tsvangirai) left, he wrote to President Mugabe about the party’s position on the Zanu-PF draft Constitution.
Met Dept forecasts severe drought in parts of Zim
Elita Chikwati Agriculture Reporter
ZIMBABWE is expected to receive normal to below normal rainfall during the 2012/13 farming season, Meteorological Services Department officer Mr Jephias Mugumbate has said.
However, some parts of Matabeleland South, Midlands and Masvingo provinces are expected to experience severe drought.
Presenting the national climate outlook at a stakeholders’ forum in Harare, Mr Mugumbate said regions 1 and 2 would receive normal to above normal rains, while region 3 was expected to receive normal to below normal rains.
The country is divided into three regions, which differ slightly for the period October, November, December (OND) and for January, February and March (JFM).
The first half is the OND and the last one is the JFM.
“Region one comprises Mashonaland and North of Manicaland while region two comprises Matabeleland North.
“The two regions will both receive normal to above normal rains throughout the season that stretches from October 2012 to March 2013.
“Region three consists of South of Midlands, Masvingo and Matabeleland South provinces and will receive normal to below normal rainfall from October 2012 to March 2013.
This 2012/13 rainfall season is different from the 2011/12 rainfall season, which started late and was characterised by normal to below normal rains in the first half of the season.
Warriors face goalkeeper crisis as Jani picks injury
Grace Chingoma Sports Reporter
WARRIORS’ skipper Tapuwa Kapini remains a huge concern and is now a big doubt while second-choice ‘keeper, Marlon Jani, is out of the 2013 Nations Cup qualifier against Angola at Rufaro on Sunday. Yesterday, Kapini was still holed up in South Africa where he under-went a scan on his left