Denford Magora's Latest Zimbabwe News Blog

Intricate plans are being worked on in Zimbabwe to permanently ban Western social media platforms are currently being undertaken in Zimbabwe. A reaction to the massive abuse of social media by Zimbabweans both in and outside the country, this overhaul will completely transform the way in which Zimbabweans interact with each other and the rest of the world. There are two processes currently running in tandem. The first is that, with the blocking of the social media sites currently underway as I write this, the blocked social media sites are being combed methodically in order to for government to put together a comprehensive list of the "radical terrorist" network they say was active on Twitter, Facebook, Whatsapp and other platforms. Timelines and walls are being examined, using a sophisticated algorithm which triggers specific words and phrases. The flagged walls and timelines will then be queued for physical examination. These social media networks will very s...

This qualifies as one of the top of the images from the 2018 Zimbabwean election. The various Mapostori Christian sects in Zimbabwe number more than a million. The Johanne Marange sect, whose Passover celebrations President Mnangagwa is seen here attending is by far the largest, followed by the Masowe sect. Now, just wondering: we all know about the rivalry between these two sects and the many others scattered all over Zimbabwe. Does this mean the other sects will now boycott Mnangagwa and vote someone else because they hate the Marange faction? Not entirely sure if all of them are registered to vote, but this sect has become a stomping ground for ZANU PF leaders and they have tended to support the ruling party. Getting this bloc to support you and vote for you is a prize coveted by every politician in Zimbabwe. Mnangagwa, seen here sitting right in the middle of the throng, sitting on the dusty ground like everybody else, has taken this to another level. Mugabe and Chiwen...

American Senator Jeff Flake, who is due to retire from the Senate this year, under pressure from President Donald Tump. Senator's Jeff Flake and Christopher Coons have already declared to the Foreign Relations Committee in the US Senate that the elections yet to be held in Zimbabwe are not and will not be free and fair, documents at hand show. Sent by staffers and assistants in the two Senators' offices, whose identities we will protect for now, the opinion was submitted as sealed to the main FRC by the Africa Relations sub-committee with the intention of specifically directing Senators' attention to areas unfolding in the Zimbabwe election which the two Senators believe make it a foregone conclusion that the elections will not be free and fair. These areas are: The "failure" by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to give carte blanche to the opposition to inspect and monitor the ballot paper printing. (The Senators wanted the opposition to be given ...

Not one person has actually seen the psychology behind the type of handshake displayed by VP Chiwenga against Nelson Chamisa here. Even Chamisa does not realise he is being pulled down and forced to bow. Those who underestimate the General do so at their own peril. He staged probably the smartest dethronement of a leader anywhere in the world in the last 45 years.  The biggest advantage the MDC ever had was that people believed that they and only they would be acceptable to the West and international community. It led people to believe that only by supporting and voting for the MDC could they see economic improvement in Zimbabwe. That argument and that advantage has been spectacularly demolished by President Emmerson Mnangagwa since November 2017. The president is flying high right now. Very high. The international community is embracing him, much to the consternation of the opposition, especially the MDC-T. The MDC Alliance of Nelson Chamisa has been hoist ...

Harare, Zimbabwe, 27 September 2009

A clearly glum and disappointed Mugabe, sans hair-dye and hence with his white hair showing, and looking bedraggles by his standards, tried to put on a brave face after meeting the European Union Delegation at State House in Harare. Even his long-serving "apostle" (mupositori) bodyguard looks disappointed and glum! Morgan Tsvangirai is still in Matabeleland and the delegation flew off to Bulawayo soon after meeting Mugabe. They can be seen here addressing the media in that city together with Morgan Tsvangirai, soon after they met him. Sanctions remain. Harare, Zimbabwe, 13 September 2009 For a whole hour today, a delegation of 14 European Union officials had to listen to Robert "The Solution" Mugabe go on and on and on and on and on about sanctions and how they are jeopardising the Zimbabwe Inclusive Government. The delegation met with Mugabe at State House, where he now prefers to work, leaving the official Presidential Office complex, Munhumutapa Building, to Mor...

Harare Zimbabwe, 26 August 2009 A one and half metre long crocodile was discovered on Mangwende Drive in the teeming suburb of Highfields in Harare yesterday morning. The reptile was dead but had a large cut just behind its head and some body parts missing. The missing parts included internl organs and limbs. Inspector Terence Matavire of Machipisa Police Station in Highfields confirmed the incident, telling ZBC News: "We have no idea where it came from, we are still investigating." Ms Irene Makukutu of Highfields discovere the reptile around 7a.m. on Tuesday and raised the alarm. Speculation that the croc could have come from Mukuvisi River has failed to allay residents' suspicions. That river is heavily polluted, especially with chemical waste from companies along its banks. And the fact that it is missing body parts only reinforces the suspicions. In these days when water supplies have ceased, most housewives do their washing in that river. No reports have ever been ma...

Robert "The Solution" Mugabe, and The Solutioness, Grace Mugabe, seen here at Heroes Acre about a month ago. His ministers revealed at Heroes Acre yesterday that they haven't the foggiest where the old man is. It just goes to show just hos supremely confident he is in his position. Any other leader as unpopular with the people as he is would not dare pull such a stunt Harare, Zimbabwe, 26 August 2009 Robert "The Solution" Mugabe was on the lips of even his ministers yesterday at the Heroes' Acre, where Vice-President Mujuru presided. Confirming what I told you a couple of days ago that not even his ministers are sure where Mugabe is, I was stunned to hear one of them talking to another and saying Mugabe was in Ethiopia. When asked what he was doing there, the Minister replied "I don't know"!. A Central Committee member contradicted him on the spot, however, saying Mugabe was in Singapore and then would go to Hong Kong to see his daughter...!! H...

A clearly excited Morgan Tsvangirai could be seen leaning forward, rising his seat as he shook hands with General Sibanda of the Army and Air Marshal Perance Shiri of the Zimbabwe Air Force on Defence Forces Day. The Generals have now agreed with Mugabe to implement a strategy for containing Tsvangirai which has worked a charm for Mugabe when he started implementing it. Harare, Zimbabwe, 16 August 2009 Impeccable information I received on Saturday reveals that the Service Chiefs of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, far from adopting a conciliatory approach to Morgan Tsvangirai, are actually implementing a plan agreed on with Mugabe at the last meeting of JOC, which was held in Highlands two weeks before the National Security Council met with Mugabe in the chair and Tsvangirai in attendance. Most people reporting on Zimbabwe still take things at face value and this is working wonderfully for Mugabe and not so well for Tsvangirai. Robert "Tsvangirai's Solution to Zimbabwe's Probl...

"Elections? What are those", President Bashir of Sudan seems to be saying to President Kibaki of Kenya. They were both in Zimbabwe for the COMESA Summit, a trade bloc of most of sub-saharan Africa, which is now chaired by Mugabe. As Mugabe hosted these men, the American government was announcing that they will not be lifting sanctions at all. A month after Morgan Tsvangirai was sworn into office, I overheard a tout in town who was haggling for change with a neatly dressed young woman. The problem was US coins, which the woman wanted as change. The tout had none. As he called out to his friend to see if he had change, the woman started complaining that this was an ill-considered move by government, using US dollars and Rands when there was no change to make the currency switch-over smooth for shoppers. The tout replied: " Don't worry, Morgan is now PM and there are truckloads of money at the border waiting to come in." This is a mentality that was bred and encour...