By Lewis Maunze This cartoon is the perfect caricature of what sports enthusiasts (specifically soccer fans) are going through during the continued lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is supposed to share a lighter moment in contrast to what the world is experiencing in reality. The picture depicts the current situation in world sport….
By Norma Tsopo Women have scoffed at the government’s proposal to extend the women’s quota system as a veiled attempt to perpetuate their underrepresentation. They want it to ensure the constitutionally guaranteed 50/50 gender parity instead. Women from a diverse background and women’s rights groups spoke in unison on the need for government to implement…
The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) has urged its members to ensure that African Union (AU) member states allocate adequate funding to cater for healthcare systems when budgets are submitted to Parliaments for consideration. The call follows a briefing to members of the PAP Committees on Health and Gender by the Africa CDC, which revealed that inadequate…
The African Union International Centre for Girls and Women’s Education in Africa (AU/CIEFFA) and the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) have launched the Compendium of international and regional instruments on girls’ and women’s right to education in Africa, on 16 June 2020. The launch also includes the monitoring Report on the implementation of these instruments. The compendium,…
By International Criminal Court The ICC stands firmly by its staff and officials and remains unwavering in its commitment to discharging, independently and impartially, the mandate bestowed upon it by the Rome Statute and the States that are party to it. The International Criminal Court (“ICC” or “the Court”) (www.ICC-CPI.int) expresses profound regret at the…
By Kumbirai Mafunda Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) members on Thursday 11 June 2020 pressed a cocktail of charges including faking abduction and disappearance against three opposition MDC-Alliance party youth leaders, who are victims of abduction and torture after they re-arrested them on Wednesday 10 June 2020. ZRP members charged Harare West legislator Hon. Joana Mamombe…
Staff Writer Nine men have been arrested over a Penhalonga underground gold ore heist. Innocent Chinonzwa, 39, Lovemore Chinonzwa, 37, Maxwell Masamvu, 39, Bright Mabonore, 40, John Mbeu, 42, Wiskes Kovhiwa, 32, Marlon Maringa, 28, Wellington Moyo, 35, and Terrence Mukodza, 34, were not asked to plead when they were arraigned before a Mutare magistrate…
By Anyway Yotamu Judicial Service Commission (JCS) yesterday celebrated 10 years of existence, since formation as well as the Open day under the theme “Transparency and accountability.” Addressing journalists in Harare to mark the day, Head of Corporate Communication Affairs in the Judicial Service Commission, Ms. Rumbidzai Takawira said the Open Day is a reflection of…
By Habakkuk Trust The Covid-19 pandemic has placed the justice system in limbo as traditional courts remain closed in response to the global pandemic. Traditional leaders play a key role in dispute resolution and enabling access to justice for rural communities. Traditional leaders who spoke to Habakkuk Trust recently said they have been postponing most of…
The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) will commemorate Africa Day on Monday, 25 May by hosting virtual engagements with Civil Society Organizations and Africans in the diaspora. Held under the overarching African Union theme of 2020 “Silencing the Guns: Creating conducive conditions for Africa’s Development,” the fora are expected to define the role of the both the Civil Society…
In pursuit of seeking sustainable partnerships with stakeholders in its quest to have a national presence, Jedidiah Trsust has approached Norton Town Council and the Senators in Mashonaland West Province to find ways of establishing a mutual working pact. “On Friday the 15th of May 2020, we had an introductory meeting with Norton Town Council…
By Kumbirai Mafunda High Court Judge Justice Jacob Manzunzu on Monday 11 May 2020 orderedChinhoyi Municipality to stop demolishing vending stalls and repair a shade that was damaged by its employees as they pulled down structures owned by some informal traders. Justice Manzunzu granted the order to stop the demolition of any vending stalls and…
By Veritas Provisional Order Against Ministers About to become Permanent? The last day for filing the response from the Ministers responsible for Information, Health, and Social Welfare was today, Friday 8th May. The Ministers had been ordered to respond to a provisional order served on them on the 23rd April to improve the dissemination of official…
By Veritas On the 3rd of May 2020, the Law Society of Zimbabwe published a critique on the impact and legitimacy of SI 96 of 2020. The Law Society’s critique is reproduced here with the kind permission of the Executive Director of the Law Society, Mr. Edward Mapara. Statutory Instrument 96 of 2020, inter alia, allows for…
By Kumbirai Mafunda Zimbabwean authorities on Sunday 3 May 2020 arrested two men in Rushinga in Mashonaland Central province and charged them with undermining the authority of or insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa after they allegedly shared and made remarks on a video clip in which the ZANU PF party leader brags about the strength of…
By Kumbirai Mafunda Three organisations representing people who are visually impaired and Deaf have sued the government and the state-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) demanding to be provided with information on coronavirus in a format that is accessible to them. Development, Deaf Zimbabwe Trust and Zimbabwe National League Of TheBlind argued that the rights of…
By Veritas The COVID-19 pandemic has reached Zimbabwe with 23 reported cases to date, three of whom have tragically died. After initial delays, the Government has finally enacted laws that give it powers to combat the disease. In this Bill Watch, we shall describe the statutes which give the Government powers to act in an emergency such…
By Kumbirai Mafunda The Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe on Tuesday 31 March 2020 delivered a landmark ruling wherein it declared as unconstitutional the legality of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No.1) Act. The Act sought to amend Section 180 of the Constitution by giving the President sole powers to appoint the Chief Justice, his deputy…
By Veritas Earlier this month the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement gazetted a set of regulations ‒ the Land Commission (Gazetted Land)(Disposal in Lieu of Compensation) Regulations, 2020 (SI 62 of 2020) [link] ‒ which provided for the return of farms to two classes of farmers who had been dispossessed during the land reform…
Norton-based Jedidiahh Trust and their partner, philanthropist, and educationist Gertrude Mandizvidza, have welcomed the fact that President Emmerson Mnangagwa has pardoned all female convicts, juveniles under the age of 18 years, inmates sentenced to life in imprisonment and prisoners aged 70 years and above. Jedidiah Trust, founded by Lovemore Chikwanda, focuses on providing education, psycho-social…
By Lovemore Chazingwa in Kadoma Mega water tanks sourced from funds under the constituency development fund (CDF) for Kadoma Central Constituency were taken delivery of to City of Kadoma (CoK) authorities and are awaiting official handover, this publication has established. That handover was supposed to be done today but for coronavirus crisis that is postponed…
By Lovemore Chazingwa in Kadoma Kadoma magistrate Ruvimbo Murandu dismissed applications for rescission of default judgment and another of stay of execution of default judgment filed by James Sakala at Kadoma magistrates court, civil division. Both applications were dismissed with costs on an ordinary scale. The judgment was passed on the 11th of this month…
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has expressed grave concern and displeasure at the gross violation of rights of a suspect by members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP). The lawyers strongly condemned the use of torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment on any suspect. The human rights advocates said it had come to…
By Lovemore Chazingwa Issues to do with efficient and effective justice delivery system can be strengthened in the wake of a policy dialogue convened for policymakers within the ambit of the Justice, Law and Order Sector (JLOS), convened at Kadoma Hotel and Conference Center, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs…
By Rumbidzai Venge At a fundamental level, a person’s sex is determined by his or her genes. Human beings are born with 46 chromosomes in 23 pairs, the X and Y chromosomes determine a person’s sex. Women carry 46 XX and men carry 46XY chromosomes. Upon birth, sex determination is crucial in assigning gender to…
By Rumbidzai Venge A child is defined as any boy or girl below the age of eighteen. Children have no capacity to enter into contracts and require curatorship and supervision. To this end, the vulnerability of children calls for the adults surrounding them to provide protection from harm, food, health care, shelter, education, and above…
By Anyway Yotamu. One of the country’s energy companies, Sakunda Holdings has told the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament that the total amount spent on Command Agriculture was US$1 Billion in the four years the programme was implemented and not US$3 Billion as widely shared by the committee. Giving oral evidence before PAC on its…
The 2019 Labour Survey and Child Labour Survey (LFSCLS) has been described as a key milestone since it seeks to address the limitations of unemployment statistics and provide measures of labour underutilisation in developing countries. Mr Taguma Mahonde, the Director-General of the Zimbabwe National Statistics Office (ZIMSTAT) made the remarks in his speech at…
By Joyce Mukucha As it continues to take strides in fighting Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) through urging women to speak out, Katswe Sistahood has partnered with Trocaire, Plan International, Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), Adult Rape Clinic and government of Zimbabwe by hosting a girls and women’s symposium in Epworth. The gathering which has come…
Veritas, the organisation that provides information on the work of the Parliament of Zimbabwe and the Laws of Zimbabwe has said there is no moral or practical justification for retaining the death penalty in the country. This emerged during a workshop with journalists to discuss the death penalty that was held at the Bronte Hotel…
Civil society organisations (CSOs) under the banner of Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) have vowed to mobilise citizens to reject the proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill No 2, accusing the ruling Zanu PF party of railroading the legislature to amend the laws to settle its factional fights. The position was taken during a CiZC coordinating committee…
By Joyce Mukucha In an effort to improve visibility of women Members of Parliament in the digital era ,promoting women’s empowerment, equality and diversity, the Gender and Media Connect (GMC) is conducting a two-day media skills coaching workshop with the Zimbabwe Women Parliamentary Caucus in Harare. The training’s main thrust is aimed at creating a…
By Kumbirai Mafunda The hearing and determination of an appeal filed by Harare East constituency legislator Hon. Tendai Biti got off to a false start on Monday 9 March 2020 after the High Court postponed the matter to Monday 11 May 2020. High Court Judges Felistus Chatukuta and Pisirayi Kwenda postponed the hearing of Hon….
Joseph Makamba Busha, the President of FreeZim Congress Party has thrown a tantrum on government for neglecting pressing needs of the populace in preference to programmes that do not change people’s lives positively. Speaking to journalists in Harare today, Makamba singled out government’s prioritisation of a new Parliament building and possibly a new city…
By CiZC Information Department The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) has engaged the media to amplify issues around Constitutional Amendment Bill No.2 in an effort to allow citizens to contribute effectively during public hearings. The Coalition undertook a capacity strengthening exercise for media personnel yesterday in Harare. Members of the media were addressed by…
African Union Chairperson of the Peace and Security Council, H.E. Crisantos Obama Ondo advised Pan-African Parliamentarians to commit to ending the war on the continent to avoid passing current conflicts on to the next generations. He said this in a keynote address on the African Union 2020 theme, ‘Silencing the Guns: Creating a Conducive Environment for Development,’ during the…
Zimbabwe’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Dr. David Musabayana has called upon members of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) to lobby for the lifting of economic sanctions against the Republic of Zimbabwe. In a detailed presentation to the PAP’s Committee on Cooperation, International Relations and Conflict Resolution in Midrand on the first day of the…
By Joyce Mukucha Following the Southern African Parliamentary Support Trust (SAPST)’s ongoing implementation of a one-year programme that seeks to enhance meaningful and inclusive citizen participation in parliamentary business, Members of Parliament (MPs) have been challenged to thoroughly analyse and review the budget through effective allocation of resources. This is in line with the dictates…
Expert groups were commissioned to facilitate the mission of the Catholic Church in promoting justice and peace in Zimbabwe. The Rt. Rev. Rudolph Nyandoro, the Bishop Chairman of the Catholic Commission of Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe (CCJPZ) said the working groups will focus on three thematic areas. “We shall have the advocacy…
The Pan-African Parliamentary Forum on Online Child Sexual Exploitation (OCSE) has started ahead of the Sitting of the Permanent Committees in Midrand, South Africa. Jointly convened by the Department of Social Affairs of the African Union Commission (AUC) and the PAP, the consultation aims to harness the role of Parliamentarians in policy formulation and ensuring…
The Department of Social Affairs of the African Union Commission (AUC) has convened an awareness raising Summit with members of the Pan-African Parliament to tap into their crucial role in policy formulation and ensuring prevention and prosecution of Online Child Sexual Exploitation (OCSE). The meeting is scheduled to take place from 28 to 29 February…
By Kumbirai Mafunda Harare Magistrate Yeukai Chigodora on Monday 24 February 2020 ended the lengthy detention of pro-democracy campaigner Makomborero Haruzivishe and Allan Moyo, who were arrested last week by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers and charged for allegedly participating in an illegal demonstration. Haruzivishe and Moyo were arrested on Thursday 20 February 2020 by…
By Anyway Yotamu. Government says the proposed new Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Bill which is now in Parliament is expected to unlock real and tangible benefits for war veterans. Addressing former freedom fighters at a consultative meeting in Harare on 24th of February 2020 , the Minister of Defence and War Veterans, Cde Oppah…
The President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), the Rt. Hon. Roger Nkodo DANG has arrived in Havana, Cuba on a week-long official visit at the request of the Speaker of the Cuban Parliament, the Rt. Hon. Esteban Lazo HERNANDEZ. PAP President kick-started the engagement by paying homage to Cuba’s National Hero with a wreath-laying at the Jose…
United Nations Resident Coordinator, Ms Maria Ribeiro has said a more encompassing view of migration leads to more appropriate targets and indicators for the the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She made the remarks at the just-ended capacity development workshop on migration management held for Parliamentarians from 14 to 16 February at the Kadoma Hotel and…
