Category: News Feeds

*
DOGE
took
Social
Security
data
apparently
in
an
effort
to
assist
group
seeking
to
overturn
election
results.
[Politico]

*
Lindsey
Halligan
departs
job
she
never
held
after
brutal
benchslapping.
[Washington
Post]

*
Eastern
District
of
Virginia
now
accepting
applications
for
U.S.
Attorney.
The
good
news
is
that
you’re
already
a
better
candidate
than
the
last
one.
[National
Law
Journal]

*
ABA
issues
statement
following
weekend
judge
shooting
[ABA
Journal]

*
South
Korea
sentences
former
leader
to
23
years
for
attempting
to
seize
power.
[NY
Times]

*
DOJ
continues
to
press
birthright
citizenship
interpretation
supported
by
neither
text,
precedent,
or
history.
So
they’re
in
good
shape
with
this
Court.
[Law360]

*
Judge
raises
fear
that
immigration
courts
will
not
comply
with
legal
requirements.
[Reuters]

HARARE
–
The
Constitutional
Court
has
dismissed
an
application
by
banker-turned-cleric
Julius
Tawona
Makoni
seeking
to
overturn
a
Supreme
Court
ruling
that
allowed
the
enforcement
in
Zimbabwe
of
a
divorce
and
property
distribution
order
issued
by
a
court
in
England.

In
a
unanimous
judgement
delivered
by
Justice
Bharat
Patel
on
Tuesday,
with
Justice
Rita
Makarau
and
Justice
Anne-Marie
Gowora
concurring,
the
court
found
that
Makoni
had
failed
to
establish
any
violation
of
his
constitutional
rights
and
had
no
prospects
of
success
warranting
direct
access
to
the
apex
court.

The
Anglican
Church
bishop
had
approached
the
Constitutional
Court
challenging
a
Supreme
Court
decision
which
set
aside
a
High
Court
ruling
that
had
declared
unenforceable
part
of
a
2013
English
divorce
order
awarding
his
ex-wife,
Pauline
Mutsa
Makoni,
the
Harare
matrimonial
home
in
Chisipite.

The
parties
were
married
in
Zimbabwe
in
1983
and
later
acquired
substantial
assets
in
both
Zimbabwe
and
the
United
Kingdom.
Makoni
relocated
to
England
in
the
mid-1980s
and
remained
there
for
decades.

In
2010,
Pauline
Makoni
instituted
divorce
proceedings
in
England,
resulting
in
a
decree
that
awarded
her
the
London
matrimonial
home,
the
Harare
house
in
Chisipite,
a
Shawasha
Hills
stand
and
household
goods.
Makoni
retained
extensive
assets,
including
multiple
properties,
offshore
bank
accounts
and
significant
shareholdings
in
National
Merchant
Bank
of
Zimbabwe.

The
English
court
criticised
Makoni
for
failing
to
fully
disclose
his
assets
and
made
the
property
distribution
accordingly.

Instead
of
challenging
the
interim
order
in
England,
Makoni
later
sought
a
declaratory
order
in
the
High
Court
of
Zimbabwe,
arguing
that
the
award
of
the
Harare
house
was
contrary
to
public
policy
and
left
him
homeless.

The
High
Court
ruled
in
his
favour,
finding
that
the
English
court
lacked
jurisdiction
and
that
the
property
distribution
offended
Zimbabwean
public
policy.

However,
the
Supreme
Court
overturned
that
decision,
holding
that
the
High
Court
had
misdirected
itself
and
that
the
English
judgement
was
valid,
fair
and
enforceable.

Before
the
Constitutional
Court,
Makoni
–
who
was
represented
by
Professor
Welshman
Ncube
and
Professor
Lovemore
Madhuku
–
argued
that
the
Supreme
Court
violated
his
rights
to
a
fair
hearing
and
equal
protection
of
the
law.
He
also
claimed
the
ruling
infringed
his
right
to
a
home.

The
court
rejected
all
these
arguments.

On
the
complaint
that
the
Supreme
Court
delayed
providing
reasons
for
its
decision,
the
court
held
that
delay
alone
does
not
amount
to
a
violation
of
the
right
to
a
fair
hearing,
particularly
where
no
prejudice
was
shown.

“The
applicant
did
not
suffer
any
prejudice
that
would
warrant
the
setting
aside
of
the
court
a
quo’s
decision,”
Justice
Patel
said,
noting
that
reasons
were
eventually
provided
and
enabled
Makoni
to
approach
the
Constitutional
Court.

On
the
question
of
equal
protection
of
the
law,
the
court
found
that
Makoni
had
failed
to
show
that
he
was
treated
differently
from
anyone
in
a
similar
position.

A
key
issue
was
whether
the
English
court
had
jurisdiction
to
determine
the
divorce
and
property
dispute.

The
Constitutional
Court
held
that
Makoni
had
lost
his
Zimbabwean
domicile
long
before
the
divorce
proceedings
were
instituted,
having
lived
and
worked
outside
the
country
for
decades.

Applying
section
3(4)
of
the
Immigration
Act,
the
court
found
that
Makoni’s
prolonged
absence
from
Zimbabwe,
establishment
of
a
life
abroad
and
failure
to
rebut
statutory
presumptions
meant
he
was
domiciled
in
the
United
Kingdom
at
the
relevant
time.

“As
a
result,
the
court
in
England
was
vested
with
the
requisite
jurisdictional
competence
to
decide
the
matrimonial
proceedings,”
the
judgement
said.

The
court
also
dismissed
Makoni’s
claim
that
the
divorce
order
violated
his
constitutional
right
to
a
home.

It
held
that
section
74
of
the
constitution,
which
protects
against
eviction
without
a
court
order,
was
irrelevant
to
the
case,
as
the
property
distribution
followed
a
court
process
that
considered
all
relevant
circumstances.

The
court
noted
that
Makoni
retained
assets
worth
significantly
more
than
those
awarded
to
his
former
wife.

“It
seems
almost
risible
to
suggest
that
the
divorce
order
rendered
the
applicant
destitute,
let
alone
homeless,”
Justice
Patel
said.

The
court
concluded
that
Makoni’s
application
for
direct
access
was
without
merit
and
amounted
to
an
attempt
to
relitigate
issues
already
settled
by
the
Supreme
Court.

The
application
was
dismissed,
with
no
order
as
to
costs,
the
court
noting
that
although
the
proceedings
appeared
vexatious,
constitutional
matters
ordinarily
do
not
attract
costs.

Advocate
Thabani
Mpofu
appeared
for
Pauline
Makoni.

The
figures
highlight
the
ongoing
flood
risk
in
the
city
as
heavy
rains
continue
to
disrupt
homes,
roads,
and
schools.

On
19
January
alone,
the
Brigade
attended
six
flood-related
cases,
most
caused
by
poorly
maintained
drainage
systems
clogged
with
diapers,
bottles,
and
clothes.

The
situation
was
more
prominent
in
Njube
suburb
where
residents
say
floodwaters
are
rising
as
drainage
outside
their
homes
has
been
neglected
for
years.
Despite
repeated
complaints
to
the
Bulawayo
City
Council
(BCC),
the
drains
remain
blocked,
leaving
families
trapped
during
heavy
rainfall.

In
an
interview
with
CITE,
one
resident,
who
asked
not
to
be
named,
said
she
first
reported
the
problem
to
the
BCC
WhatsApp
line
on
11
December
2025.

“I
even
sent
a
reminder
later,
but
no
one
has
come
to
fix
the
drainage.
Every
time
it
rains,
water
flows
straight
into
my
house.
We
feel
ignored.
Council
staff
sometimes
come
to
check
the
drains,
but
they
only
fix
a
little
and
leave
most
of
the
problem,”
she
said.

Another
neighbour
expressed
frustration
at
the
council’s
slow
response.

“Some
people
come
from
the
council,
clear
a
little
rubbish,
and
leave.
The
main
problem
remains,
and
after
a
few
days,
it
is
back
to
the
same
situation.
We
don’t
understand
why
the
BCC
cannot
provide
a
permanent
solution,”
the
resident
said.

A
third
resident
added
that
flooding
brings
more
than
water,
it
carries
dirt,
foul
smells,
and
even
raw
sewage
into
homes.

“We
have
been
reporting
this
for
years,
but
nothing
meaningful
has
been
done.
Every
time
there
are
heavy
rains,
the
same
situation
occurs,”
the
resident
said.

Chief
Fire
Officer
Mhlangano
Moyo,
who
oversees
flood
response
in
Bulawayo,
confirmed
the
Brigade
attended
six
flood-related
cases
in
recent
days,
most
linked
to
blocked
drains.

“On
19
January
2026,
the
Brigade
attended
six
flood-related
cases,
most
caused
by
poor
drainage
blocked
with
pampers,
bottles,
and
clothes,”
Moyo
said.
He
urged
residents
not
to
dispose
of
waste
in
drains.

“People
should
never
put
pampers,
bottles,
or
clothes
into
drainage
systems.
These
items
block
water
flow
and
make
floods
worse,”
he
added.

For
many,
the
move
appears
less
like
citizen
empowerment
and
more
like
an
abdication
of
state
responsibility,
shifting
the
burden
of
monitoring
and
accountability
onto
the
public
after
years
of
institutional
neglect
that
have
left
Zimbabwe’s
road
network
in
disrepair.

On
January
19,
2026, the
ministry
rolled
out
hotlines
in
all
ten
provinces,
urging
citizens
to
report
potholes
and
urgent
defects
by
sending
clear
photos
or
videos
and
sharing
exact
locations
to
enable
swift
action.

“The
ministry
calls
on
the
public
to
become
active
partners
in
road
maintenance
by
reporting
potholes
and
urgent
defects.
Your
vigilance
is
invaluable.
Prompt
reports
enable
faster
response,
efficient
resource
allocation
and
prevent
minor
issues
from
becoming
hazards,”
the
ministry
said.

It
added
that
the
initiative
aligns
with
President
Emmerson
Mnangagwa’s
development
mantra
of
“leaving
no
one
and
no
place
behind.”

The
appeal
comes
as
urban
roads,
highways
and
rural
routes
across
the
country
are
riddled
with
craters
that
damage
vehicles,
slow
business
and
in
some
cases,
claim
lives.

While
the
approach
is
framed
as
collaborative,
public
reaction
on
social
media
platforms
and
in
offline
discussions
has
been
mixed,
with
many
questioning
whether
the
policy
shifts
responsibility
to
citizens
without
addressing
the
systemic
failures
that
caused
the
potholes
in
the
first
place.

“Kushaya
zvekuita
uku.
Ko
Byo–Vic
Falls
Road
ine
mapotholes
here
kana
kuti
hapachisina
road?  How
do
we
report
it
since
they
want
to
concentrate
on
potholes?”
one
resident
commented
in
a
WhatsApp
group.

Another
added:
“Haaa,
is
there
any
need
to
report
potholes
paroad
yagara
yakatofa
hayo,
e.g.
Tsholotsho–Nyamandlovu
Road?
Hakuchina
road.”

Others
were
cautiously
optimistic.
“Will
test
it
out
tomorrow
morning,”
one
resident
said,
while
another
commented:
“Now
that
the
central
government
realises
the
involvement
of
ordinary
citizens
is
vital,
I
hope
our
cities
will
do
likewise.
We
are
tired
of
numerous
excuses.”

In
an
interview
with
CITE,
Emthunzini
resident
Emmanuel
Sibanda
said
the
deteriorating
road
network
reflects
long-standing
neglect
rather
than
seasonal
challenges.

“The
roads
are
terrible,
especially
urban
roads
and
highways
carrying
heavy
traffic
and
overloaded
trucks.
Yes,
it’s
raining
now
and
drainage
is
poor,
but
potholes
have
always
been
there,
even
during
dry
months,”
he
said.

Although
the
ministry
published
a
list
of
provincial
road
engineers
and
their
contact
details,
several
motorists
argued
that
reporting
has
never
been
the
main
obstacle.

“How
many
times
have
we
reported?
People
post
on
social
media,
tell
councillors,
even
comment
directly
to
officials
online,
but
the
potholes
remain,”
said
Patrick
Ndlovu.

“We
always
hear
there
is
no
money
or
no
resources.
Now
how
will
these
hotlines
change
anything?
Has
the
ministry
found
donor
funding?”
he
asked.

Scepticism
has
also
been
fuelled
by
past
incidents,
including
last
year
when
the ministry
dismissed
as
fake
a
viral
image
of
three
people believed
to
be
tourists
sitting
inside
a
massive
pothole
along
the
Bulawayo–Victoria
Falls
highway.

The
highway,
a
key
tourism
and
freight
corridor,
had
suffered
years
of
neglect
before
the
image
forced
authorities
into
damage-control
mode.

Soon
after,
the
government
intensified
rehabilitation
efforts,
with eight
contractors
reportedly
working
to
repair
the
road,
racing
against
time
and
the
rainy
season.

Political
analyst
Future
Msebele
said
public
trust
will
depend
on
results,
not
announcements.

“If
they
are
sincere
that
they
will
act
quickly,
we
shall
see,
because
sincerity
is
measured
by
outcomes,
not
statements,”
he
said.

“My
view
comes
against
the
backdrop
of
past
pledges,
including
toll
revenues
and
rehabilitation
programmes
whose
impact
has
yet
to
be
fully
realised.
People
therefore
have
a
right
to
question
transparency
and
accountability.”

Msebele
said
citizen
reporting
can
only
work
if
backed
by
guaranteed
funding,
clear
service
standards
and
public
feedback
mechanisms.

“Without
published
repair
schedules,
response
times
and
budgets,
the
initiative
risks
becoming
symbolic
rather
than
operational,”
he
said.

Another
analyst,
Iphithule
Mpahosa,
said
the
crisis
reflects
deeper
governance
failures.

“Many
of
the
most
potholed
roads
are
urban
and
fall
under
local
authorities
whose
finances
are
strained
and
whose
mandates
often
overlap
with
central
government,”
he
said.

“The
statement
directs
reports
to
provincial
engineers
for
regional,
primary,
secondary
and
tertiary
roads,
but
it
does
not
clarify
coordination
with
councils.
The
public
needs
to
know
who
fixes
what,
and
by
when.”

Motorists
interviewed
said
the
hotline
could
be
useful
if
paired
with
routine
preventative
maintenance
rather
than
reactive
patching.

“We
will
send
pictures
and
make
calls,
but
we
know
those
images
may
just
sit
somewhere
or
whoever
is
controlling
the
numbers
labels
you
as
a
troublemaker,”
said
Mthombeni,
a
Honda
Fit
driver.

“At
the
end
of
the
day,
we
just
want
roads
that
don’t
destroy
our
cars.”

Zimbabwe’s
health
sector
remains
heavily
dependent
on
donor
funding,
which
has
been
steadily
declining,
raising
concerns
about
the
country’s
ability
to
sustainably
finance
essential
health
services.

Earlier
this
month,
the
WHO
urged
governments
to
increase
taxes
on
sugary
drinks,
tobacco
and
other
unhealthy
products,
warning
that
weak
tax
systems
are
keeping
harmful
products
cheap
while
fuelling
obesity,
diabetes,
heart
disease,
cancers
and
other
non-communicable
diseases
(NCDs).

The
UN
health
agency
said
well-designed
excise
taxes
can
reduce
harmful
consumption
while
generating
much-needed
revenue
for
health
systems
under
growing
financial
pressure.

“Health
taxes
are
a
cost-effective
but
still
underutilised
tool
that
can
save
lives,
reduce
disease
and
mobilise
much-needed
domestic
resources
for
health,”
Community
Working
Group
on
Health
(CWGH)
executive
director
Itai
Rusike
told
CITE.

“At
a
time
when
official
development
assistance
is
declining,
countries
like
Zimbabwe
have
very
few
options
left
if
they
want
to
sustainably
finance
their
health
systems,”
he
added.

Rusike
said
several
countries
had
already
demonstrated
that
earmarked
health
taxes
can
deliver
both
public
health
and
economic
benefits.

“South
Africa
introduced
an
excise
tax
on
sugary
drinks
in
2018
and
reported
a
significant
reduction
in
purchases
of
taxed
beverages.
Botswana
followed
with
a
sugar
tax
in
2021,
while
Ghana
increased
tobacco
taxes
in
2023
and
earmarked
part
of
the
revenue
for
health,”
he
said.

Zimbabwe
has
also
taken
steps
towards
domestic
health
financing
through
mechanisms
such
as
the
AIDS
Levy,
the
Health
Levy
and,
more
recently,
the
Sugar
Tax.

The
sugar
tax,
officially
known
as
the
Special
Surtax
on
Sugar
Content,
was
introduced
in
2024
and
targets
sugar-sweetened
beverages
to
fund
cancer
diagnosis
and
treatment.

Initially
set
at
US$0.002
per
gramme
of
sugar,
the
tax
was
reduced
to
US$0.001
in
February
2024
following
objections
from
the
beverage
industry.

While
welcoming
the
policy
intent,
Rusike
raised
concerns
about
governance
and
transparency
in
the
use
of
the
revenue.

“The
sugar
tax
is
collected
by
ZIMRA
and
deposited
into
the
Consolidated
Revenue
Fund.
That
creates
a
real
risk
that
the
money
can
be
diverted
to
other
government
expenses
instead
of
cancer
services,”
he
said.

“To
protect
public
trust,
there
must
be
enabling
legislation
to
ring-fence
these
funds
so
that
every
dollar
goes
where
it
was
promised.”

He
added
that
stakeholders
were
increasingly
questioning
whether
money
raised
through
the
sugar
tax
was
being
used
efficiently
and
whether
communities
were
seeing
tangible
improvements
in
hospitals
and
clinics.

The
tax
has
also
had
ripple
effects
along
the
sugar
value
chain,
with
beverage
manufacturers
and
sugar
producers
reporting
declining
volumes
and
revenues.

However,
Rusike
said
the
broader
public
health
context
should
not
be
overlooked,
arguing
that
the
long-term
benefits
of
reduced
disease
burden
and
stronger
domestic
health
financing
outweighed
short-term
economic
adjustments.

Goodbye
McGlinchey
Stafford,
Hello
Womble
Bond
Dickinson!:
This
firm
just
got
a
windfall
of
great
talent!
Reagan-Appointed
Judge
Accuses
Trump
Administration
Of
Conspiracy
Against
The
First
Amendment:
Big
claim,
shouldn’t
be
hard
to
prove.
Willkie
Farr
Hit
With
$735M
Fraud
Lawsuit:
Now
that’s
a
lot
of
money!
University
Of
Arkansas
At
Fayetteville
Students
Protest
Firing
Of
Dean
Emily
Suski:
Is
campus
free
speech
on
its
last
legs?
Not
without
a
fight.