National

UN rights chief urges ‘impartial’ probe after Eswatini killing

Published

2 years ago

January 23, 2023

BY STAFF REPORTER

The United Nations human rights chief has called on Eswatini to swiftly and impartially investigate the brutal killing of prominent opposition politician and human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko.

“Thulani Maseko was a stalwart of human rights who, at great risk to himself, spoke up for many who couldn’t speak up for themselves,” Volker Turk said in a statement on Monday.

“His cold-blooded killing has deprived Eswatini, southern Africa and the world of a true champion and advocate for peace, democracy and human rights.”

Maseko was shot through the window while he was inside with his family, the spokesman said.

In his statement, Turk called on the Eswatini authorities “to ensure a prompt, independent, impartial and effective investigation is held into his killing… and to hold all those responsible to account in fair trials”.

Maseko, a leading human rights lawyer and columnist, was the founder of the Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF) – a coalition of opposition parties, associations and churchesIn 2014, he was jailed for contempt of court over articles critical of the government and judiciary, but was acquitted on appeal and released a year later.

And he had a pending court battle with King Mswati III over the monarch’s decision to rename the country Eswatini by decree.

The country’s name was changed from Swaziland to Eswatini to mark the 50th anniversary of its independence from Britain in 2018.

Maseko’s position was that the king had not followed the constitution in the process.

And at the time of his death, he was the legal re presentative for two members of parliament facing trial for offences allegedly committed during the civil unrest that rocked Eswatini in 2021, according to the UN rights office.

Maseko’s death came just hours after the king challenged activists fighting to end Africa’s last absolute monarchy.

“People should not shed tears and complain about mercenaries killing them,” King Mswati had said.

In addition to calling for an investigation of Maseko’s death, Turk demanded on Monday that the Eswatini authorities “ensure the safety and security of all Eswatini people, including human rights defenders, journalists and political activists and protect civic space”.

Meanwhile, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa has bemoaned the death of Maseko, denouncing murders Africa as a breeding ground for murders and violence following the killing of Swaziland human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko.

“My sincere condolences to Eswatini and Thulani Maseko’s family.

“A leading Swaziland human rights lawyer and pro-democracy activist was shot dead at his house and died on the spot. Africa cannot be a breeding ground for murders and violence.

“Cowards and rogues cannot stand good men. Rest In Peace comrade,” Chamisa tweeted.

Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa director Siphosami Malunga also denounced the gruesome murder of Maseko..

“Bambulele! They killed him!” he said.

“But not his ideas, not his passion, Not his desire for freedom and democracy for his country and people!

” That they have turned into a raging force which will consume them… one day soon, they will face justice for this cowardly crime… “TRT World /VicFallsLive

National

Ranger killed by elephant in Kariba

Published

21 hours 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

1 month 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.

National

Retailers send Mnangagwa SOS as shops continue shutting down over operational woes

Published

2 months ago

January 27, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY ZIMLIVE

The Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers (CZR) has implored President Emmerson Mnangagwa to intervene and save the sector which has seen various formal retail and wholesale businesses closing shop countrywide due to operational challenges.

In a statement on Sunday, CZR president Denford Mutashu said the continued closure of formal retail and wholesale businesses is a direct consequence of the tough economic environment that has consistently failed to support formalised sector players who face stiff competition from informal businesses and vendors the majority of whom have no tax obligations to deal with.

Mutashu said his association was concerned that authorities continue to downplay the crisis.

“The recent closure of several outlets under the N. Richards Group, coupled with Spar Zimbabwe’s painful decision to shut down Queensdale Spar, Choppies Zimbabwe’s exit from the market, and Mahommed Mussa’s significant reduction of shop space by 60%, highlights the growing crisis.

“As the representative association for these and other brands, CZR is alarmed that while formal businesses face enormous challenges, the authorities continue to present a different picture of the operating environment,” he said.

Given the situation, Mutashu said, only President Mnangagwa can rescue the troubled sector.

“CZR therefore calls for urgent intervention from His Excellency, President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, to rescue what remains of the formalized retail and wholesale sector,” said Mutashu.

He said the sector was in urgent need of rescue.

“While CZR acknowledges the continued support from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, it is clear that the root causes of these challenges are fiscal and monetary in nature. These require urgent and decisive action to ensure the survival of formal businesses.

“CZR therefore appeals to the Presidium to prioritize interventions aimed at saving jobs and mitigating the ongoing wave of shop closures and retrenchments,” he said.