President Robert Mugabe had earlier in the week declared southern Zimbabwe disaster areas after villagers were left marooned as major rivers burst their banks.

“It is apparent that extraordinary response measures to alleviate suffering of citizens of this country in communal, resettlement and urban areas have to be intensified,” Mr Kasukuwere said.

“I am therefore appealing to the development partners, private sector and general public, inclusive of those in the Diaspora, to rally with the government to support the emergency relief programmes in line with policy which requires that every citizen has a responsibility to avert and/or limit the effects of a disaster.”

Zimbabwe was emerging from a prolonged drought that left four million people in need of food aid last year.

The rains associated with the la Nina weather phenomenon, have left 74 schools damaged while 70 dams burst throughout the country, Mr Kasukuwere said.

Transport Minister Joram Gumbo said the government was mobilising funds to repair five bridges on major highways that were swept away by the floods.

“Our roads have deteriorated to the extent that some sections of the national road network have become impassable,” the minister said.

President Mugabe recently declared roads in Harare a state of disaster after incessant rains caused potholes.

Zimbabwe has over the years relied on donors to feed the majority of its population because of the poor performance of the economy.

The country’s once thriving agriculture industry collapsed a decade ago after President Mugabe embarked on a controversial land reform programme that displaced close to 4,000 white commercial farmers.

Source: Today

Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Court has dismissed a case that sought to question the capacity of 93-year-old president, Robert Mugabe.

The court however said the plaintiff could appeal the decision within 30 days. The dismissal centred largely on the premise that due court processes were not followed.

An activist with the Takamuka social movement, Promise Mkwananzi, went to court to seek to prove that Mugabe – who turns 93 this February, was unfit to hold office given his advanced age.

This is just a convenient excuse for the Constitutional Court to bite the bullet, so we are saying that we are going to reapply within 30 days as prescribed by the rule of the constitutional court and relaunch this issue.
Even though most political watchers said they case was bound to fail, he has affirmed that he will appeal today’s ruling.

‘‘This is just a convenient excuse for the Constitutional Court to bite the bullet, so we are saying that we are going to reapply within 30 days as prescribed by the rule of the constitutional court and relaunch this issue,’‘ he said.

He says there was enough grounds to prove that the President lacked the capacity to occupy the office, citing statements that the president had made. Statements he describes as ‘‘clearly not in the spirit of the constitution.’‘

Mugabe is the only man to hold the office of president in the southern Africa country since its independence from the British. The country heads into elections next year and the ruling party wants him to run. The country has been hit by political protests which peaked last year.

A drought in the region has been worsened by a crippling economy which is suffering from acute currency crisis.

Source:

http://www.nan.ng/news/mugabe-fit-rule-93-court-rules/

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe , has finally announced his retirement. The Zimbabwean president has always maintained that he would die in office.

Speaking to a group of war veterans at the weekend, Mugabe admitted that the country’s economy is crumbling and said he would retire.

The Southern African country’s currency is in poor shape and banks running out of cash, the country is also feeling the pinch of a crippling drought.

However, the ruling party, ZanuPF said Mugabe will still be contesting in the country’s next election in 2018 and if he is re-elected, he will only retire in 2023, when he turns 99.

He told “war collaborators” that he believes he had now “defeated the British and Americans and that he understood times were difficult in Zimbabwe.

Mugabe had dismissed demands by once stalwart war veteran supporters to quit, saying he was in power by popular vote and accusing critics of plotting his ouster with longtime Western opponents.

The 92-year-old Mugabe, the only President Zimbabwe has had in 36 years of independence, was addressing thousands of Zimbabweans who rallied to support him, a few days after veterans called him a corrupt dictator.

“As long as the party says continue, I continue…If I still have the energy, I still have the life, the blessings of God, I will continue,” Mugabe said in a 50-minute address.

“There was a time, some years ago, when Zimbabwe seemed important, that it could be a powerhouse in the region, but that moment has long gone, and now it is hard to find anyone who can forecast how it can repay its debts even with a new leadership, let alone attract foreign investment,” said a Harare-based financial analyst.

Mugabe also acknowledged that there were factions within ZanuPF but that they would come together ahead of the next elections.

Veteran Zimbabwe political analyst Brian Raftopoulos says chances that the fractured opposition could win the next elections are “bleak.”

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, 91, has, for the first time, hinted on his retirement, while also admitting that the country’s economy is crumbling, reports said on Monday.

According to the State-owned Sunday Mail newspaper, the nonagenarian said that he had used his time in office to “fend off the West’s spirited machinations to destroy Zanu-PF and the ideals the party stands for”.

Mugabe said that if he were to retire, he would do so “properly”.

It was however, not clear what he meant by “properly”.

Mugabe said this during a meeting with war collaborators in Harare over the weekend.

The veteran leader said he believed he had now “defeated… the British and Americans…”, adding that he understood times were difficult in Zimbabwe, a report by eNCA said.

“We are in a critical time… for regime change”, Mugabe was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, the state broadcaster, ZBC, reported on Monday that several Zanu-PF provinces had endorsed Mugabe as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2018 elections.

Mashonaland West, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West and Matabeleland South provinces “all passed a confidence vote to Mugabe’s leadership”, the report said.

If Mugabe is re-elected, he will only retire in 2023, when he turns 99.