In the news this week

John Deere dangles US$50m deal

WORLD-RENOWNED manufacturer of agriculture, construction and heavy equipment — John Deere — is in talks with the Government with a view to concluding a deal that could see the firm providing agriculture mechanisation equipment worth over US$50 million.

Representatives of the conglomerate met with senior Government officials in Harare on Wednesday led by the Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Mr Justin Mupamhanga, from which they emerged and committed to invest locally. Speaking to journalists after the closed-door meeting, John Deere managing director for Sub-Saharan Africa Mr Antois van der Westhuizen said his firm and Government were working on modalities that will see the former helping in guaranteeing food security through mechanised farming. — The Herald

Cabinet approves AIPPA repeal

CABINET on Tuesday resolved to repeal the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and amend the Police Act as the Second Republic demonstrates determination to embark on reforms through aligning laws to the Constitution.

The repeal of AIPPA will give rise to three legal instruments — the Access to Information Bill, the Zimbabwe Media Commission Bill and the Protection of Personal Information/Data Protection Bill. This was said by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa while addressing the media. — The Herald

‘Dead’ protestor in the dock

NON-GOVERNMENTAL Organisations (NGOs) that are cooking up figures of people who died during last month’s MDC-Alliance-instigated violence were exposed after a man they claimed to have been shot dead by security officers appeared before a Kadoma magistrate on Tuesday.

Tinashe Kaitano (20) was convicted of arson for setting alight a zanu-pf administrative district office here.

Kaitano was convicted together with

MDC-Alliance Kadoma District chairperson and Ward 2 Councillor Michael Gore.

Gore incited violence which led to destruction of property.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum and Amnesty International recently released a list of alleged victims of the fatal shooting, including Kaitano of Ward 2.

They claimed Kaitano had been buried at a cemetery in Kadoma. —The Herald