*Morning News: Friday 14 February 2025* *Headlines* *Kasukuwere Claims Mnangagwa ‘At An End’ After War Veterans Turn On Him* *Mutsvangwa Avoids Tackling ZANU PF Factionalism Head-on, Claims Vocal Geza Being "Used"* *Mnangagwa Appoints New Deputy Ministers In Key Ministries* *Mnangagwa Declares Beitbridge Accident Which Killed 24 A National Disaster, Offers State-assisted Funerals* *Zimbabwe’s Bullion-backed ZiG Is Missing Out On Gold’s Record Run* *Pensioner’s Retirement Package Wiped Out After Hackers Cloned SIM Card* *European Parliament Seeks Freeze On EU Aid To Rwanda Over Congo Conflict* *US States Say Trump Illegally Appointed Elon Musk To Head DOGE* *Arsenal Say Havertz Out For Rest Of Season & Needs Surgery* https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaDbHKp3GJOtlMM4PA39 https://wa.me/263718497005?text=advert *Stories in Detail:* *Kasukuwere Claims Mnangagwa ‘At An End’ After War Veterans Turn On Him* Emmerson Mnangagwa’s days as president are numbered, former Zanu PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere has claimed. The ex-local government minister who self-exiled in South Africa after the collapse of Robert Mugabe’s government in a 2017 military coup says the Zanu PF leader has lost a key constituency from which he cannot recover – the war veterans. “Once those war veterans say your job is done, that’s the end. He’s hanging around, but the truth of the matter is he’s gone. The most critical branch in Zanu PF is that thing called the war veterans,” Kasukuwere said in an interview with HStv released on Tuesday. Kasukuwere spoke as a group of outspoken war veterans revealed plans for a nationwide shutdown to force Mnangagwa to step down. The group is led by Blessed Geza, who denies that they are a stalking horse for Mnangagwa’s ambitious deputy, retired army general Constantino Chiwenga. Police said Wednesday that Geza was wanted on three charges – incitement to commit public violence, undermining the authority of the president and allegedly selling three vehicles without the owner’s consent. “We have called upon Mnangagwa to step down and immediately, but he ignored. The people are going to force him to step down in line with the provisions of the constitution. Mnangagwa must just go,” Geza said on Tuesday as he ratcheted up his rhetoric which has garnered him national attention. Geza, until recently a member of Zanu PF’s central committee before his suspension, said their plan was to mobilise all Zimbabweans to reject Mnangagwa. Zimbabweans are wary of jumping into Zanu PF factional fights after they backed the military coup against Mugabe, only for the party to regroup and continue its ruinous rule to the exclusion of the opposition. Geza says that mistake will not be repeated, without disclosing further details. He said: “We have put mechanisms to make sure the revolution will not be hijacked again. All stakeholders from various parties and civic groups will be consulted on every step we take. “We want to liberate all, so this should never be viewed as a Zanu PF internal fight. It should never be converted into such.” Geza did not say when the shutdown would take place, only saying “soon.” “We’re going to call for action soon. Stock up in preparation for a national shutdown as we march to a free Zimbabwe. Fellow Zimbabweans get ready for action, be ready for action once you receive the signal,” he said. A strong push by Mnangagwa’s supporters to extend his term beyond 2028, when his second and final term is due to end, has ignited a firestorm across the country including inside his Zanu PF party. Such an extension, which lawyers say is almost improbable as it would require at least two public referendums, would almost definitely end Chiwenga’s dream of becoming president. His supporters are now pushing *ZimLive* *Mnangagwa Declares Beitbridge Accident Which Killed 24 A National Disaster, Offers State-assisted Funerals* The government has declared the accident which claimed 24 lives along the Masvingo-Beitbridge highway on Thursday a national disaster and has pledged to assist bereaved families with funeral expenses. The tragic accident occurred near Lutumba tollgate when a Beitbridge-bound Urban Connect bus collided with a truck transporting magnesium to Chirundu. 17 died on the spot, while seven others succumbed to their injuries upon admission at Beitbridge Hospital. More than 30 passengers were injured with 12 in critical condition. In a statement, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said, “The death of 24 Zimbabweans in a head-on collision between an Urban Connect bus and a commercial haulage truck, along the Beitbridge-Masvingo Highway this morning, left me horrified and heartbroken. “Fellow Zimbabweans, our nation does not deserve this at all, let alone experiencing such a tragic incident at the beginning of the year. We must do everything possible to prevent such unjustified loss of life. “I therefore appeal to all motorists to exercise extreme caution on our roads, for the sake of both their fellow road users and themselves. “All arms of government responsible for ensuring road safety are reminded to work tirelessly and use all legal means and powers available to them to reduce and ultimately end such carnage. “Government has therefore declared this incident a national disaster and will accord victims of this horrendous crash state-assisted burials,” Mnangagwa said. He also wished those injured a speedy recovery. *NewZW* *Zimbabwe’s Bullion-backed ZiG Is Missing Out On Gold’s Record Run* Zimbabwe’s bullion-backed currency is missing out on an impressive gold rally, because of a liquidity squeeze that’s choking the economy and difficulties in exchanging the unit for dollars. Since the ZiG, short for Zimbabwe Gold, started trading on April 8 the gold price has rallied 24% to a record high, while the local currency has weakened 95% to the dollar. “No rationale market player is really looking at the gold price, but money supply,” said Shelton Sibanda, the chief investment officer at Imara Asset Management, the nation’s oldest brokerage, which manages $100 million. “We have seen money supply tightened in the past few months and that really is what has sway on the local currency.” The central bank has curtailed money supply and kept the key interest rate at 35% since devaluing the ZiG by 43% in September to help it stabilize. It was launched last year to supersede the dollar in domestic transactions after previous attempts to stand up a local currency failed. Tight monetary policy has also negatively impacted stocks. Governor John Mushayavanhu said last week the central bank’s tight policy stance “comes with inevitable liquidity squeeze, necessary to instill market discipline and curtail disruptive speculative behavior in the economy.” Difficulties in being able to exchange ZiGs for dollars have also excluded it from gold’s gains by casting doubt over the local currency’s viability, Sibanda said. It also points to the southern African nation “not having enough hard currency foreign reserves to support a stable, freely convertible currency,” said Hasnain Malik, an emerging markets strategist at Tellimer in Dubai. The only real benefit it’s getting from bullion’s record run is in the value of the country’s gold reserves, said Sibanda. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s stockpiles have risen to 2.67 tons from 1.5 tons at the ZiG’s debut. *Bloomberg* *Mnangagwa Appoints New Deputy Ministers In Key Ministries* President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has appointed two new Deputy Ministers, effective immediately, in a move aimed at strengthening Zimbabwe’s governance and strategic sectors. Caleb Makwiranzou has been appointed as the Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development, responsible for Oil and Gas Research, including other Strategic Minerals Exploration. The appointment comes at a time when Zimbabwe continues to focus on harnessing its mineral resources and expanding its energy and mining sectors. In a separate announcement, Honourable Albert Tawanda Mavunga has also been appointed as the Deputy Minister of Local Government and Public Works, with a focus on Local Authorities and Traditional Leadership. This role will see Mavunga working to enhance the functioning of local governance structures and ensuring the empowerment of traditional leadership within communities. Both appointments were made in accordance with Section 104, Subsection 2 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe and will be effective immediately, as President Mnangagwa continues to ensure efficient leadership across key government ministries. *zimbabwemail* *Mutsvangwa Avoids Tackling ZANU PF Factionalism Head-on, Claims Vocal Geza Being "Used"* AS the Zanu PF internal fissures worsen, party spokesperson, Christopher Mutsvangwa, on Thursday sidestepped the elephant in the room—factionalism. ZANU PF is currently divided, with one faction pushing for the suspension of the 2028 elections to enable President Emmerson Mnangagwa to remain in power until 2030, while another believed to be backing Vice President Constantino Chiwenga insists on maintaining the constitutionally stipulated two-term limit. Neither Mnangagwa nor Chiwenga has publicly acknowledged the emerging factions. Addressing the media at the ZANU PF headquarters on Thursday, Mutsvangwa professed ignorance of the simmering tensions within the party. “That question is new to me. I am trying to focus on things which have consequences,” said Mutsvangwa when questioned by the media. National events have laid bare the fractures within the ruling party, with supporters displaying clear internal divisions. Recently two factions of ZANU PF supporters were heard chanting pro-Mnangagwa and another, pro-Chiwenga songs at Heroes Acre. Another faction of war veterans, led by the outspoken Blessed Geza, has been calling for Mnangagwa to step aside, accusing him of overseeing a corrupt government. Mnangagwa’s term ends in 2028, and he has stated that he will not run for another term, contrary to the sentiments of some of his supporters within ZANU PF. Without mentioning names, Mutsvangwa suggested that Geza was being used to further a certain agenda within the party to unseat Mnangagwa. “I have a lot of angst about the way he is being used by people who have a certain agenda. Comrade Geza, I do not know what other issues might be bothering you, but we, the war veterans, always remember… I wish he would not follow fools who are misleading him. I am deeply concerned about what is happening with him,” said Mutsvangwa. The factional battles within ZANU PF are reminiscent of the internal politics that rocked the revolutionary party, resulting in the ousting of long-time ruler Robert Mugabe, who was replaced by Mnangagwa. *NewZW* *Pensioner’s Retirement Package Wiped Out After Hackers Cloned SIM Card* A pensioner lost a huge chunk of his retirement package after hackers obtained a duplicate SIM card and used it to access his bank accounts, the Harare Magistrates Court heard on Thursday. Edson Chisina, 54, retired from the civil service on November 26, 2023. He was expecting his retirement payout on December 21, 2023, but his phone which is connected to two bank accounts suddenly stopped working and was showing a network error message. Anesu Chirenje, prosecuting, said: “On the same day, his retirement packages were deposited into his accounts, totalling ZWL370,759,874.73. “The accused unlawfully replaced the complainant’s SIM card before transferring the funds to various bank accounts.” From December 21, 2023, to December 23, 2023, ZWL50,000,000 was transferred to a company called Bluelight Logistics; ZWL50,000,000 to Wembly Investments and ZWL30,000,000 was transferred to one Sibusiso Nleya’s bank account, along with additional transfers to various other CBZ accounts. On December 23, Chisina was able to get a replacement SIM and after restoring it he received notifications of the transactions which he never authorised. His accounts had been debited by ZWL172,349,999 and US$733. Prosecutors say Chisina was a victim of a sophisticated con run by Miriam Matiyenga of Chitungwiza, 47, Chipo Moyana of South Chishawasha, 45, and 35-year-old Oswald Nyika from Seke. Investigators were able to link the payment to Bluelight Logistics to Nyika. Nyika evaded arrest until February 11 when police received a tip-off about his location. He implicated the two women. Harare regional magistrate Marewanazvo granted the trio US$300 bail each. They will return to court on March 26. *ZimLive* *European Parliament Seeks Freeze On EU Aid To Rwanda Over Congo Conflict* The European Parliament urged the European Union on Thursday to freeze direct budget support for Rwanda until it breaks links with Tutsi-led M23 rebels and allows humanitarian access to areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo where they advanced. The parliament also called for the suspension of a memorandum of understanding between Rwanda and the EU that aims to support Rwandan supplies of strategic minerals, until Rwanda stops interfering in Congo. "MEPs strongly condemn the occupation of Goma and other territories in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by M23 rebels and the Rwandan defence forces as an (unacceptable) breach of the DRC's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the body said in a statement. The parliament adopted the resolution, an attempt to raise political pressure on the European Commission and EU member states, in a 443-4 vote. Another 48 lawmakers abstained. Such resolutions are not binding, though the parliament can claim some authority as the EU's only directly elected institution. Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo did not immediately respond to a request for comment. M23 rebels seized Goma, eastern Congo's largest city, last month and have been inching south ever since in an advance that a local official has said threatens to trigger a humanitarian catastrophe in an area already housing thousands of displaced people. Rwanda has been accused by Congo, the United Nations and several Western countries of supporting M23 with its own troops and weapons, a charge Kigali denies. In comments to a European Parliament panel on Thursday, Rwandan ambassador to Belgium Igor Cesar said: "Rwanda is not the source of this conflict nor is it responsible for solving it alone." The conflict has led to concerns of a return to a wider regional war. At play in the conflict are Congo's vast mineral reserves, many of which are concentrated in the east. Congo is a top producer of tantalum and has significant tin and gold deposits in the area. However, Congo is also the world's most aid-dependent country, though humanitarian operations, which were 70% funded by Washington last year, have taken a big hit since U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a pause on foreign aid last month. *ZimLivee* *US States Say Trump Illegally Appointed Elon Musk To Head DOGE* A group of state attorneys general on Thursday sued to halt Elon Musk's efforts to slash federal spending as head of President Donald Trump's new government efficiency agency, escalating the legal fight over the billionaire's influence in the White House. The lawsuit in Washington, D.C., federal court filed by the attorneys general of New Mexico and 13 other states alleges Trump has given Musk "unchecked legal authority" without authorization from the U.S. Congress. Musk's team has swept through federal agencies since Trump, a Republican, became president last month and put the CEO of carmaker Tesla and the world's richest person in charge of rooting out wasteful spending as part of a dramatic overhaul of government. Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, have been hit with several privacy lawsuits over their access to government computer systems. The new lawsuit alleges Musk was illegally appointed and seeks an order barring him from taking any further government action. "Oblivious to the threat this poses to the nation, President Trump has delegated virtually unchecked authority to Mr. Musk without proper legal authorization from Congress and without meaningful supervision of his activities," the states said, calling Musk an "agent of chaos" in the government. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Two federal judges overseeing ongoing privacy cases against DOGE will consider on Friday whether the agency will have access to Treasury Department payment systems and potentially sensitive data at U.S. health, consumer protection and labor agencies. In Manhattan, U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer will consider a request by Democratic state attorneys general to extend a temporary block on DOGE that he put in place on Saturday, which prevented Musk's team from accessing Treasury systems responsible for trillions of dollars of payments. The states allege that Musk's team has no legal power to access the payment systems that contain sensitive personal information on millions of Americans. The lawsuit also argued Musk and his team could disrupt federal funding for health clinics, preschools, climate initiatives and other programs, and that Trump could use the information to further his political agenda. In Washington, U.S. District Judge John Bates will consider a request by unions to prevent the DOGE team from accessing sensitive records at the Departments of Health and Human Services, the Labor Department and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Most of Trump's initiatives that have been legally challenged have been blocked by the courts, which has prompted Musk and other Trump allies to call for judges to be impeached, although the president said he would obey court orders. Despite some initiatives being blocked in court, Trump's administration has pushed ahead with mass firings of government workers and has sharply curtailed America's foreign aid program. The cost-cutting appears to be focused on programs opposed by political conservatives. *Reuters* *Arsenal Say Havertz Out For Rest Of Season & Needs Surgery* Arsenal say forward Kai Havertz will miss the rest of the season after sustaining a hamstring injury during the team's Dubai training camp. The Premier League club say the 25-year-old will require surgery and is expected to continue his rehabilitation into pre-season for the 2025-26 campaign. Havertz's absence will leave the north Londoners without a recognised striker for the remainder of this season. The Athletic first reported a torn hamstring and that his season was likely to be over, external. Arsenal said, external: "We can confirm that Kai Havertz has sustained a hamstring injury during a training session in Dubai last week. "Subsequent assessments and specialist reviews have confirmed that the injury will require surgery, which will take place in the coming days. "Soon after surgery, Kai will begin his recovery and rehabilitation programme, which is expected to extend into pre-season preparations for next season. "Everyone at the club is fully focused on supporting Kai to ensure he is back to full fitness as soon as possible." Manager Mikel Arteta is likely to be asked about Havertz's injury lay-off at Friday's news conference before his side take on Leicester City on Saturday. Striker Gabriel Jesus has also had surgery on an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, while star forward Bukayo Saka has had surgery on a hamstring injury sustained in December. Gabriel Martinelli injured his hamstring last week in the Carabao Cup defeat at Newcastle and is reportedly out for "more than one month". Havertz has made 34 appearances this season and is the club's top scorer with 15 goals and five assists. The addition of Havertz to that injury list will leave Arteta seriously short of goal scorers after the club were unable to sign attacking reinforcements in the January transfer window. The Spanish boss said he was "disappointed" with the lack of activity with an offer for Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins rejected. Rumours linking them to Newcastle's Alexander Isak, Wolves' Matheus Cunha, Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko and Brighton's Evan Ferguson went nowhere. Criticism had already been levelled at Arsenal even before these injury problems with many pundits and fans suggesting they needed a striker to maintain hopes of competing for a trophy. Arteta said last week that Havertz might have to start every game for the rest of the season, adding that his other options to play in the position would be wingers Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling and Ethan Nwaneri. Arsenal flew out for warm-weather training last Thursday after being knocked out of the EFL Cup by Newcastle in the semi-final. They were not involved in this weekend's FA Cup fixtures following their third-round defeat by Manchester United. Last season, after a similar break, Arsenal went on to win 16 of their next 18 games. They are second in the Premier League, seven points adrift of leaders Liverpool. *BBC*