HARARE – Former Finance minister Tendai Biti says government’s decision to award civil servants bonuses at a time the country is hard pressed will further strain the deteriorating economy. He said with government’s wage bill totalling close to $300 million, civil servants’ salaries for the months of November and December meant a cash injection of…
HARARE – Civil servants ran amok at Allied Bank yesterday, beating up a branch manager and destroying glass doors as they demanded their money. The chaos began shortly after 9am at Allied Bank branch along Third Street, Harare, when depositors were told that they could not get their money. Witnesses said a group of civil…
BULAWAYO – Political analyst Ibbo Mandaza has cast aspersions on a new economic blueprint that the ruling Zanu PF claims will spearhead the turnaround of the flagging economy. Mandaza described the policy, dubbed Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim Asset), as an ambitious political statement. The 129-page blueprint was on the agenda of the…
HARARE – Zimbabwe’s government is due to announce the National Budget on Thursday, amid mounting unrest. Angry depositors have vandalised property at banks after caps were imposed on withdrawals — a sign of a deepening liquidity crunch in the country. The maiden annual budget speech by Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa comes against a background of…
HARARE – Independent End Time Message founder Robert Martin Gumbura’s lawyer yesterday alleged that police officers coached witnesses to implicate the pastor in rape charges. Rekai Maposa, one of Gumbura’s lawyers, said this while cross examining the mother of a 17-year old girl who claims she was raped by Gumbura this year while staying at…
HARARE – Omani businessman Thamer Al Shanfari who has been slapped with a $2 million lawsuit by fellow countryman, Kamal Khalfan, insists the latter was out to “deprive him of his assets and business opportunities” in Zimbabwe. While the Catercraft (Private) Limited (Catercraft) owner has claimed Al Shanfari had “humiliated and degraded” him through a…
HARARE – Small-scale gold miners have challenged the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to review its depressed gold buying price saying it has spawned a thriving black market. Opening the relaunch of the Gold Miners Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) in the capital, Harare, Irvin Chinyenze, GMAZ chairman said Fidelity Printers and Refineries (Fidelity) — a gold…
HARARE – Home deliveries have gone down in Wedza as traditional leaders fine mothers giving birth in unsafe conditions at home, a village head claims. Village head Simon Musanhu said the move is meant to promote the uptake of antenatal care services in line with the country’s target to eliminate mother to child HIV transmission…
HARARE – A Harare businessman and gospel musician facing charges of swindling the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) a sum of $192 000 in a music equipment deal gone awry has been denied bail. Magistrate Donald Ndirowei remanded Herman Chimusoro in custody to January 16. Chimusoro, who imports and sells music instruments is alleged to have…
HARARE – Zimbabwe Ex-Political Prisoners Detainees Restrictees Association (ZEPPDRA) has passed a vote of no confidence on the Victor Kuretu-led executive amid allegations of corruption and insubordination. An ad hoc committee led by Francis Kunaka has since been set up to run the affairs of the association for three months pending congress. Minutes of a…
