National

UK issues damning Mnangagwa scorecard

Published

4 years ago

August 17, 2021

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The United Kingdom has given a damning assessment of Zimbabwe under President Emmerson Mnangagwa saying the country has a poor human rights record and corruption is widespread.

Mnangagwa is set to visit the United Kingdom next month and the trip is being touted by Harare as proof that relations between the two countries are thawing.

Zimbabwe has suffered from international isolation for the past two decades due to alleged human rights violations and electoral fraud by the ruling Zanu PF.

The toppling of long-time ruler Robert Mugabe in a military coup in 2017 and Mnangagwa’s rise to power had raised hopes in certain quarters that relations between Harare and London would improve.

However, an overseas business risk guidance on Zimbabwe published on the UK government website on Tuesday showed that Boris Johnson’s government does not agree that the southern African country has turned the corner under the new Zanu PF leader.

“Zimbabwe has a poor record on human rights,” the UK government said.

“Continued abuses have resulted in the placement of targeted sanctions (travel bans and asset freezes) on four security chiefs on 1 February to reflect their role in the most egregious human rights violations (death of six protestors in August 2018 and 17 protestors in January 2019).

Western countries, including the UK, have been piling pressure on Mnangagwa’s government to prosecute members of the security forces behind the 2018 and 2019 killings of protestors.

They have slapped some security chiefs with targeted sanctions.

The UK also believes Mnangagwa’s government has failed to deal with corruption and create an environment that is conducive for investment.

“Corruption in Zimbabwe is widespread,” the guidance says.

“Politically connected individuals are often awarded large state contracts, or allocated state-controlled resources, such as foreign currency.

“For many of the reasons listed above, doing business in Zimbabwe can be challenging, with a number of obstacles and pitfalls.”

It added: “Repatriating profits and paying overseas suppliers is cited as the main challenge, and exporters to Zimbabwe should engage with their customer and/or bank to ensure that this risk is mitigated.

“The high and volatile inflation also makes the business environment more uncertain: many businesses price in United States dollars but as discussed above the supply of foreign currency is erratic.”

Some of Mnangagwa’s 2018 electoral promises were the eradication of corruption and creating an environment that is conducive for business.

National

Coal train in flames: NRZ locomotive damaged in fire incident

Published

7 hours ago

April 16, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

A National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) locomotive suffered significant damage after catching fire while transporting export coal to Zambi. The incident occurred between Kalala and Matetsi sidings, resulting in the explosion of the locomotive’s fuel tanks.

According to the NRZ press statement on Monday, “A National Railways of Zimbabwe locomotive suffered some damages after it caught fire this afternoon while transporting export coal to Zambia.” Fortunately, the crew members on board managed to escape unharmed.

The NRZ responded swiftly to the incident, dispatching a rescue train with crews to the site. The team successfully extinguished the fire, preventing further damage. However, the locomotive itself sustained considerable damage.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, with investigations currently underway. “Investigations are already underway to establish the cause of the fire and the amount of damage to the locomotive,” the NRZ statement read.

National

Ranger killed by elephant in Kariba

Published

1 month ago

March 14, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A 62-year-old ranger, Josphat Mandishara, was tragically killed by an elephant in Kariba yesterday.

Mandishara, who worked for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), was on patrol in the Gatche-gatche area with fellow rangers and police officers.

At around 10 pm, Mandishara returned to the harbor where their boat was docked, and that’s when he encountered the elephant. The elephant charged at him, causing fatal injuries. His colleagues were nearby, resupplying at the Gatche-gatche Irrigation Scheme.

Mandishara’s body was taken to Kariba District Hospital for a post-mortem, and the incident was reported to the police.

ZimParks has sent a team to manage the problem elephant and prevent similar incidents in the future.

The Director General of ZimParks, Prof. Edson Gandiwa, and his team have sent condolences to Mandishara’s family, friends, and colleagues. Mandishara will be remembered for his dedication to wildlife conservation in Zimbabwe.

National

ZIMRA customs officer appears in court for criminal abuse of office

Published

2 months ago

February 3, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

A Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) customs officer, Phillip Kuvenga, has been accused of criminal abuse of office for allegedly assisting in the importation of banned motor vehicles.

Kuvenga, 28, who is stationed at Victoria Falls, allegedly received documents from clients, completed valuation sheets, and carried out the valuation process. However, he is accused of endorsing different chassis numbers to deceive his supervisors during the validation and approval process.

After obtaining approval, Kuvenga would capture the correct chassis numbers in the ASYCUDA World System. He would then alter or replace the documents submitted earlier to his supervisors.

The offense came to light when a motor vehicle that had not yet arrived in Zimbabwe was found to have been already registered. A thorough check by ZIMRA led to Kuvenga’s arrest.

Kuvenga appeared in court on February 1, where he was denied bail by Magistrate Gift Manyka. He is expected to appear in court again today for another bail hearing.