By Farai D Hove| The same Botswana leader who threw daggers at ZANU PF President Emmerson Mnangagwa saying his country is ‘better than country X where your money is not safe’, a direct swipe at the ZANU PF controlled nation, President Masisi, is flying into Zimbabwe tonight.

Masisi said he is coming over for the Wildlife Economy Summit.

Zimbabweans await what he will say this time as Zimbabwe’s wildlife economy has been rocked by rampant corruption that has seen the Tourism Minister fire a whole board, amid massive looting and smuggling of rhinos and elephants to China. A lot of this has included the selling of wildlife for the purpose of paying salaries, in what has seen questions being raised on the true stock numbers of endangered in wildlife in Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile Masisi said, “The Summit is a new initiative aimed at forging “a new deal for tourism, rural communities and wildlife by 2030” with a view of securing new investments in tourism based sectors to ensure a sustainable future for the continent’s people & wildlife.”

Jane Mlambo| Exiled former cabinet minister Professor Jonathan Moyo has mapped scenarios that can help douse the free falling economy saying only a Government of National Unity can solve the disputed 2018 presidential polls.

Posting on Twitter, Moyo presented four scenarios that can help solve the Zimbabwean problem including a rotational presidency between MDC leader Nelson Chamisa and President Emmerson Mnangagwa, co-presidency or Chamisa taking over as the legitimate winner of the July 2018 elections.

Moyo however ruled out Chamisa being either Mnangagwa’s deputy or becoming a Prime Minister as is the case with the last GNU between Zanu PF and MDC in 2009.

We are meeting at a time when the economic is in the doldrums due to the deleterious nature of Emmerson Mnangagwa administration.

The Dambudzo-Chiwenga political combo that was installed by a military coup is a political disaster which as young people can not afford.

It is this taunting semi military political combo that has deeply sunk Zimbabwe into an economic quicksand.

Emmerson Mnangagwa has never won an election on the shores of this once great nation and such he remains unelectable.

No one was born a war veterans.

In fact we are all going to be war veterans because we have a political and democratic agenda to fight.

It is not a secret that our homes are empty therefore let’s brace ourselves for demonstrations to come.

We are going to occupy streets because our homes are inhabitable.

Prison walls shall be our roofs, but we are not afraid.

Our call for action is influenced by our nervous conditions.

It is those that nervous conditions like hunger that will incite you to take action.

As the commander of the Assembly I’m only giving you insight to our myriad of challenges confronting our generation.

It is Mnangagwa’s iron fist rule that will come to an end not this generation.

Today’s program was organized by the Bulawayo Provincial Youth Assembly led by the able leadership of Tinashe Kambarami.

The Youth Assembly commander was in company of National Youth Assembly leadership, Cecelia Chimbiri (Vice Chair), Gift Siziba (SG), Stephen Sarkozy Chuma (Spokesperson), Netsai Marova (deputy organizer), Judith Tobaiwa (deputy treasurer) and portfolio secretaries, Arthur Masiiwa, Descent Bajila, Mlandu Ncube, Tafadzwa Chirombe, Arnold Batirai, Rodney Jele and Max Dutuma.

Farai Dziva|Fiery MDC youth assembly leader, Obey Sithole has said “illegitimate” Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa must step down to avoid embarrassment.

Sithole made the remarks in Gweru yesterday.

See the MDC youth assembly statement below :

National Youth Chairman Obey Luther Sithole today made it clear that the time to confront Emmerson Mnangagwa regime is now.

Speaking at a Day of African Child gathering attended by the predominantly rural youths from Midlands at the party’s provincial offices, Cde Luther as Sithole is affectionately known declared that the time remove Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration is now.

The maverick youth leader said the only way to save Zimbabwe from the jaws of extinction is by making sure Mnangagwa pack his belongings from Munhumutapa Offices and State House.

Sithole reiterated President Nelson Chamisa’s message that Emmerson Mnangagwa is not the legitimate leader of Zimbabwe.

He said the court of public opinion is the biggest court in Zimbabwe and not the Constitutional Court which installed Mnangagwa as President after a disputed presidential election result.

The fearless Sithole said as young leaders the Assembly will lead from the front in the struggle to reclaim the party’s stolen 2018 electoral victory.

Sithole also made it clear that the Assembly will not seek clearance from the police to demonstrate since it is a constitutional provision.

While the Youth Assembly has declared June a month of radicalization, Cde Luther declared July a month of action.

Speaking at the same event, Youth Assembly Secretary General Gift Siziba said the Assembly has since shifted its lenses towards liberating rural areas from ZANU PF.

Responding to threats by rogue Mashonaland Central war veterans that the province is a no go area for MDC, Siziba said no one has ownership rights for Zimbabwe.

The Midlands belated June 16 Commemorations were also attended by the Youth Assembly Deputy Treasurer, Judith Tobaiwa and the National Spokesperson, Stephen Sarkozy Chuma.

Other notable leaders who attended the event are National Organizer, Amos Chibaya, Deputy Legal Secretary Brian Dube and Women Provincial Secretary Violet Mutusva.

The Midlands program was organized by the provincial Youth Assembly leadership headed by Sekai ‘Muchaina’ Marasha.

Stephen Sarkozy Chuma
National Youth Assembly Spokesperson

By A Correspondent- The CIO operative reportedly fought the police officer’s husband after he had confronted him.

Wellington Chikaka (27) of Spitzkop Suburb was hauled before Gwanda magistrate, Lerato Nyathi and charged with indecent assault and disorderly conduct. He pleaded not guilty to both charges.

State prosecutor, Ethel Mahachi narrated before the court the incident involving Chikaka and the female cop.

She said:

On 28 April at around 2 am, the complainant was in a taxi with her husband on their way home while Chikaka was in the same vehicle sitting next to her on the other side.

When they were at Gwanda Police Station residential area where she and her husband were dropping off, Chikaka extended his hand and fondled the complainant’s right breast.

The complainant confronted Chikaka over his actions and in response he uttered vulgar words at the complainant which resulted in a misunderstanding. The complainant reported the matter to the police.

While Chikaka pleaded not guilty to the disorderly charge conduct, the complainant’s husband pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay $100 or face a two-month prison sentence.

Chikaka was placed off remand and both cases will proceed by way of summons.-StateMedia

By A Correspondent| Zanu PF youth league secretary Pupurai Togarepi on Saturday threw his weight behind his deputy, Lewis Matutu after he reportedly received death threats from corrupt ZANU PF officials.

Matutu made the stunning revelations in an interview with a local publication last week when he said that he had been receiving threatening calls from party bigwigs for his crusade against corruption.

His boss, Togarepi told The Standard that any further attack on Matutu will invite a firm response from the youth league.

Said Togarepi:

It has always been our position to name and shame corrupt individuals and saboteurs. Lewis Matutu is a messenger, don’t fight him.

Any further attack on him will invite a firm response from the youth league.

They crossed the Rubicon line by threatening the deputy secretary. We cannot allow them to vandalise the efforts by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to rebuild Zimbabwe.

Togarepi went on as far as threatening a shut down of tuckshops in downtown Harare that are alleged to be involved in illegal foreign currency dealings. He said:

We also want to tell those involved in illegal forex dealings that their days are numbered together with foreign-owned tuck-shops in downtown Harare and other cities.

We are not afraid, it is time we dealt with this crisis.

We can’t be threatened by thieves who want to use non-existing factional fights to further their agenda. We are going to name and shame them.

By A Correspondent- Sex workers in Gweru are receiving HIV prevention education, with most of them being asked to come up with business ideas to ensure that they get a comprehensive package of services to mitigate the impact of HIV.

This was done through the DREAMS project through funding from the National Aids Council (Nac).

DREAMS, which stands for Determined, Resilient, Empowered, Aids-Free, Mentored and Safe, intends to address sexual reproductive health issues, counselling and prevention of gender-based violence among school-going girls and adult women between the ages of 15 and 24.

During the recent visit to the Midlands Province, one of the beneficiaries, Tendai (20) said she has plans to leave thigh vending work once her business starts to bring in some profits.

Tendai got pregnant at a very tender age and never got the chance to go back to school. Her parents died when she was 7 and her grandmother was taking care of her.

When she got pregnant she was taken to her boyfriend who did not accept responsibility and that saw Tendai moving from one house to the other until she gave birth.

A kind aunt then offered to take care of her daughter after delivery and advised Tendai to look for a job as a house maid. Through interactions with other girls her age, she was introduced to thigh vending work.

“I got pregnant at 13 and was forced out of school. I gave birth to my daughter soon after my 14th birthday.

“I then started thigh vending work 15 months after giving birth and was completely clueless. I got treated for a number of sexually transmitted infections because I was not using protection and I also did not know about other preventive methods such as pre-exposure prophylaxis which I now have access to,” narrated Tendai.

She added; “I then met other thigh vending workers as days went by and they introduced me to The Centre for Sexual Health and HIV Aids Research Zimbabwe (CeSHHAR-Zimbabwe) where I got to learn about all the preventive methods I now know.”

“I have access to information now, getting training on projects I can do to empower myself and hoping to retire from thigh vending work soon,” she said.

“My challenge however, is that things are really tough at the moment. My worry is that people may not buy enough firewood and the second hand clothes to sustain me, but I am willing to try hard.

Nac Gweru Urban District Aids Co-ordinator Mr Murari Hwingwiri said they are training and assisting sex workers to come up with their income generating projects that Nac will fund to empower them so that they can better take care of themselves without selling.

“This comes as a result of their lack of income generating projects which exposes them to abuse and other risks associated with their work hence we said we need to train them and assist them in coming up with business ideas that we can support.

“The long term vision is the reduction of these risky behaviours and equips these girls with life skills that can sustain them in the long run,” Hwingwiri said.-Standard

By A Correspondent- Popular musician, Jah Prayzah, has been accused of objectifying women in the song he dedicated to the warriors at AFCON.

The song, called Fambai Nebhora, has lyrics that some have felt are inappropriate.

Women and child rights activist, Nyari Mashayamombe told a local publication:

I was baffled yesterday when I listened to Jah Prayzah’s song for the Warriors Titled Fambai Nebhora. In the song Jah Prayzah says: ‘tovanzvenga sevarandakadzi [we dribble them like women slaves] and later says ‘tovapfekedza pitikoti, mapitikoti’ [we make them wear petticots].  How vile!

I didn’t finish the song as I was taken aback and thought how could such a respectable artist demean women and be so sexist like that in a national song? How could he embarrass women and seek to alienate us from the national pride, our Warriors?

Another child and women activist, Angela Machonesa commented on social media:

Warriors are for everyone — female and male. Our young sons woke up singing along that bad vibe, and they will finish this tournament and live their lives thinking women can be easily dribbled and if you are defeated you have worn a petticoat.-Standard

By A Correspondent- It has been established that there are eight countries without their own currencies besides Zimbabwe, indicating the President Emmerson Mnangagwa was misled.

This follows President Mnangagwa’s remarks that Zimbabwe will soon have its own currency since it is the only country on the face of this planet that does not have its own currency.

However, there are eight countries without own currencies namely:

1. Ecuador
2. East Timor
3. El Salvador
4. Marshall Islands
5. Micronesia
6. Palau
7. Turks and Caicos
8. The British Virgin Islands

Zanu PF youth league secretary Pupurai Togarepi on Saturday threw his weight behind his deputy, Lewis Matutu after he reportedly received death threats from corrupt ZANU PF officials.

Matutu made the stunning revelations in an interview with a local publication last week when he said that he had been receiving threatening calls from party bigwigs for his crusade against corruption.

His boss, Togarepi told The Standard that any further attack on Matutu will invite a firm response from the youth league.

Said Togarepi:

It has always been our position to name and shame corrupt individuals and saboteurs. Lewis Matutu is a messenger, don’t fight him.

Any further attack on him will invite a firm response from the youth league.

They crossed the Rubicon line by threatening the deputy secretary. We cannot allow them to vandalise the efforts by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to rebuild Zimbabwe.

Togarepi went on as far as threatening a shut down of tuckshops in downtown Harare that are alleged to be involved in illegal foreign currency dealings. He said:

We also want to tell those involved in illegal forex dealings that their days are numbered together with foreign-owned tuck-shops in downtown Harare and other cities.

We are not afraid, it is time we dealt with this crisis.

We can’t be threatened by thieves who want to use non-existing factional fights to further their agenda. We are going to name and shame them.

The state owned Sunday Mail claimed that the ongoing misunderstanding was a result of so called “media reports”, although it was Magaya’s own church which first published the claim of healing the man.

The church report even went to the point of alleging that the hospital could not heal the patient. It further alleged that the tumour literally disappeared at the hands of the preacher, Magaya. 

By Own Correspondent- Forty-three-year-old Peter Manganda is not concerned much about the current furore over circumstances surrounding his cure from a 5,3 kilogramme debilitating tumour that had grown on his head.

All he is interested in is that he is now a relieved man — the huge burden has been lifted — literally — off him. Manganda lived with the tumour, which first manifested as a small lump, for many years.

The growth, however, progressively metastasised into a huge growth on his head, which largely made him physically weak and ill.

But over the past two weeks, he has been caught up in the middle of an abrasive publicity battle pitting the Prophet Walter Magaya-led PHD Ministries and Parirenyatwa Group of Hospital.

First, PHD Ministries on their page posted a video clip claiming credit for the man’s healing.

Soon after the PHD video clip testimony, Parirenyatwa Group of Hospital issued a statement claiming the supposed “miracle” was successful surgery undertaken at the medical institution.

The state owned Sunday Mail claimed that the ongoing misunderstanding was a result of so called “media reports”, although it was Magaya’s own church which first published the claim of healing the man.

The church report even went to the point of alleging that the hospital could not heal the patient. It further alleged that the tumour literally disappeared at the hands of the preacher, Magaya.

This is not the first time Magaya has been caught lying and misinforming the public since he pulled the same stunt 2 years ago when he claimed to have healed the singer Soul Jah Love. This is despite that the singer had been attended to by medical experts.

The father of four opened up on his two-year ordeal after the small lump on his head morphed into a cyst in 2017.

To his shock and horror, it later spread all over his head and swelled into a huge tumour. Gradually, it became difficult for him to either walk or talk.

After convincing himself that his problem wouldn’t just disappear on its own, Manganda appealed for assistance and his plea was aired on national television.

His cries for help attracted well-wishers who pooled resources for him to be admitted at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.

Despite being scheduled to undergo an operation to remove his growth, there were inordinate delays, which saw his procedure being postponed thrice.

An anxious Manganda, who suspected he was stalked by bad omen, was then taken by his brother Shingirai Kamuruko to PHD Ministries, where he received prayers from Prophet Magaya.

“As people who had lost hope, after failing to get help from Parirenyatwa Hospital, we visited PHD on three occasions on April 17, 19 and 21. We managed to see Prophet Magaya on the third day and that’s when he prayed for my brother,” said Kamuruko, who is a teacher at Chivake Primary School in Mahusekwa.

“We received a call from Parirenyatwa Hospital on the April 19 to come for the operation. He was admitted from 22 to 26 April 2019 when the operation was successfully conducted.

“I can confirm that we only received prayers at PHD, but the operation was conducted successfully at Parirenyatwa Hospital.

“We passed through PHD when my brother was released from hospital on the 8th of June just to say thank you for the prayers, not because the tumour was removed by Prophet Magaya,” he added.

A short video clip was later reportedly compiled by PHD Ministries, which resulted in media reports alleging the man had been treated by the prophet after the hospital failed to assist him.

Parirenyatwa Hospital had to take the unprecedented move to set the record straight.

“We therefore, find claims that the hospital failed to treat this patient (Manganda), but was healed by a prophet, to be highly misleading and likely to derail efforts of encouraging health-seeking behaviours among fellow Zimbabweans,” said the hospital in a statement last week.

Manganda is, however, thankful to the hospital staff who facilitated the seven-hour medical procedure that healed him.

“I am grateful to the Parirenyatwa Hospital staff who conducted the successful operation, with special mention to team leader Dr Maximilian Dzowa, and all the staff members I cannot remember by name,” he said.

Mr Manganda’s brother was also equally elated.

“I am glad my brother has recovered. I was shocked to see him eating his meal few minutes after the operation. I thank all well-wishers who chipped in through his difficult moments,” said Kamuruko.

Mr Kamuruko said as a family they were grateful to Label Africa and Institute of Golf Africa that assisted the family with financial support before and after the operation.

He, however, said the family still needs more assistance as it is saddled with a $3 870 hospital bill.-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- National Aids Council (NAC) is currently engaging commercial sex workers and artisanal miners in Shurugwi district — better known as “maShurugwi” — as it heightens efforts to combat the scourge in the mineral-rich area and its environs.

Speaking to health journalists during a recent NAC tour of the Midlands province, Shurugwi District Aids Coordinator (DAC) Mr Petros Mazengwa said they have decided to rope in the artisanal miners after rising incidences of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

“As NAC, we have now realised the need to involve the artisanal miners in our HIV programmes after we noticed an increase in STIs and HIV infections from the mining areas.

“There are stories of these machete-wielding artisanal miners demanding unprotected sex from commercial sex workers, so we saw it important to incorporate them in our HIV awareness campaigns to spread the message,” said Mr Mazengwa.

Shurugwi, he said, has arguably one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the country, at 17 percent.

This has prompted NAC to include “maShurugwi” in HIV prevention programmes.

“They are now our condom champions who help with the distribution of condoms in these mining sites as we want to prevent both STIs and HIV at the same time,” said Mr Mazengwa.

Some of the artisanal miners are now working as peer educators.

NAC is also deploying mobile clinics in the affected mining areas.

A senior nurse at Shurugwi District Hospital’s opportunistic infection clinic, Mr Robert Rusere, said there had been an increase in people testing HIV positive in the area, but most of them disappear before they are put on antiretroviral therapy (Art).

He said official statistics from the last quarter of 2018 to the first three months of this year show a worrying trend of HIV patients who are reluctant to seek treatment.

“In the last quarter of 2018, we tested 858 and 77 people were HIV positive, but only 64 percent were put on Art,” Mr Rusere said.

“In the first quarter of 2019, we tested 727 and 51 were HIV positive, but only 74 percent were put on ART. Most of them went back to the mines, declining medication,” said Mr Rusere.

Mr Tichaona Kwashira (47), an artisanal miner, said he has volunteered for NAC’s outreach programmes for the greater good of his peers.

“It is true that some of our members demand free sex and they end up getting HIV. So we are helping NAC with condom distribution and health education at the mines,” he said.

We distribute about 12 000 condoms per month and help those on ART to take their drugs,” he said.

Mokopane police spokesperson Constable Mienkie Ramakgoakgoa said the trio passed on in an accident that occurred on 22 April. She said they were travelling in a BMW from Musina to Gauteng.

“According to the information, police received a report about a culpable homicide that occurred on 2019-04-22 at about 9pm along the N1 in the Mokopane Policing area.

“It is alleged the driver of a BMW Sedan which was travelling from North to South direction with six occupants inside, lost control and collided with a truck travelling from South to North direction. The truck driver was alone,” she said.

Const Ramakgoakgoa said during the accident, three people died on the scene, (two men and one woman) while the other two occupants were critically injured.

She said they were then taken to the nearest hospitals at Mokopane and Polokwane to receive medical attention.

“The truck driver was not injured. The three deceased are still unknown but it is believed that they might be Zimbabwean nationals and the cause of the accident is still being investigated by the police,” said Const Ramakgoakgoa.

She said efforts to locate the three deceased’s families have been fruitless.

Const Ramakgoakgoa said investigations were still underway adding that anyone with information that may assist to locate their families for identification, should contact Detective Sergeant Moshe Maubane on +2776 037 8145 or Mokopane Police Station at +2715 409 1400.

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF youth league secretary Pupurai Togarepi on Saturday threw his weight behind his deputy, Lewis Matutu after he reportedly received death threats from corrupt ZANU PF officials.

Matutu made the stunning revelations in an interview with a local publication last week when he said that he had been receiving threatening calls from party bigwigs for his crusade against corruption.

His boss, Togarepi told The Standard that any further attack on Matutu will invite a firm response from the youth league.

Said Togarepi:

It has always been our position to name and shame corrupt individuals and saboteurs. Lewis Matutu is a messenger, don’t fight him.

Any further attack on him will invite a firm response from the youth league.

They crossed the Rubicon line by threatening the deputy secretary. We cannot allow them to vandalise the efforts by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to rebuild Zimbabwe.

Togarepi went on as far as threatening a shut down of tuckshops in downtown Harare that are alleged to be involved in illegal foreign currency dealings. He said:

We also want to tell those involved in illegal forex dealings that their days are numbered together with foreign-owned tuck-shops in downtown Harare and other cities.

We are not afraid, it is time we dealt with this crisis.

We can’t be threatened by thieves who want to use non-existing factional fights to further their agenda. We are going to name and shame them.

By A Correspondent- It has been established that there are eight countries without their own currencies besides Zimbabwe, indicating the President Emmerson Mnangagwa was misled.

This follows President Mnangagwa’s remarks that Zimbabwe will soon have its own currency since it is the only country on the face of this planet that does not have its own currency.

However, there are eight countries without own currencies namely:

1. Ecuador
2. East Timor
3. El Salvador
4. Marshall Islands
5. Micronesia
6. Palau
7. Turks and Caicos
8. The British Virgin Islands

By A Correspondent- At least 720 000 metric tonnes of maize is being imported by Government to alleviate hunger in drought- stricken areas following high incidence of crop failure during the 2018-2019 agricultural season, the state media has reported.

The country’s strategic grain reserve currently holds about 420 00 metric tonnes of maize with the harvest from last season projected to be slightly above 700 00 metric tonnes. Zimbabwe requires at least I,4 million metric tonnes of maize annually for both human and animal consumption.

Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Deputy Minister Douglas Karoro, told Senators in Parliament last week that Government had devised a plan to mitigate the effects of the drought.

“The ministry is importing over 720 000 metric tonnes metric tonnes of maize to quickly alleviate the effects of the drought as a short term plan,” he said.

“We have also gone further to prepare so that famine cannot occur. Again, we are developing irrigation schemes in each and every constituency so that we have sufficient food supplies from irrigation.

‘‘On a monthly basis, as a nation, we consume close to 120 000 metric tonnes, inclusive of human and livestock.

“We are also expecting some deliveries from farmers and that 720 000 metric tonnes will be augmented by the deliveries that we are expecting) from imports).”-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- Ayanda Ndlovu said on Friday, she served the patron – who wished to remain anonymous – two weeks ago.

“She asked me what I wanted to do [as a profession] and I told her I’ve always wanted to be a paramedic. I still do, I’ve just been hampered by the fact that I had to stop school at an early age because of financial reasons.

“I’m still in conversation with the patron,” said Ndlovu. The initial bill came to R1 320 and the woman decided to make a R20 000 payment.

“I have no want to reverse this, no second thoughts about it and I was of sound mind when deciding to leave this tip,” the mystery benefactor said in a private WhatsApp message to Randolf Jorberg, the owner of Beerhouse.

Ndlovu, in disbelief, “called the duty manager immediately to try and talk the patron out of it, but the patron refused saying that Ayanda’s service was amazing and that she deserved every last bit of that money,” the post read.

Ndlovu said the money would kickstart her dream of becoming a paramedic. She hopes the patron’s good deed will inspire others to help her fulfill this dream.

“I’ve told my boss that I do want to go back to school.”-News24

By A Correspondent- Forty-three-year-old Peter Manganda is not concerned much about the current furore over circumstances surrounding his cure from a 5,3 kilogramme debilitating tumour that had grown on his head.

All he is interested in is that he is now a relieved man — the huge burden has been lifted — literally — off him.

Manganda lived with the tumour, which first manifested as a small lump, for many years.

The growth, however, progressively metastasised into a huge growth on his head, which largely made him physically weak and ill.

But over the past two weeks, he has been caught up in the middle of an abrasive publicity battle pitting the Prophet Walter Magaya-led PHD Ministries and Parirenyatwa Group of Hospital.

First, PHD Ministries posted a video clip taking credit for the man’s healing.

Soon after the PHD video clip testimony, Parirenyatwa Group of Hospital issued a statement claiming the supposed “miracle” was successful surgery undertaken at the medical institution.

But amid the fuss on who did what, where, when and how, the Nyanga man is happy to have gotten “another chance” to move on with his life.

“I am now a relieved person and I thank the people of Zimbabwe who extended their hand for my miraculous healing,” said Mr Manganda in an interview with The Sunday Mail in Mahusekwa, Mashonaland East, where he is currently recovering before moving to his rural home in Nyanga.

“This gave me a new lease of life and I feel a burden has been lifted from me.”

The father of four opened up on his two-year ordeal after the small lump on his head morphed into a cyst in 2017.

To his shock and horror, it later spread all over his head and swelled into a huge tumour.

Gradually, it became difficult for him to either walk or talk.

After convincing himself that his problem wouldn’t just disappear on its own, Mr Manganda appealed for assistance and his plea was aired on national television.

His cries for help attracted well-wishers who pooled resources for him to be admitted at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.

Despite being scheduled to undergo an operation to remove his growth, there were inordinate delays, which saw his procedure being postponed thrice.

An anxious Mr Manganda, who suspected he was stalked by bad omen, was then taken by his brother Shingirai Kamuruko to PHD Ministries, where he received prayers from Prophet Magaya.

“As people who had lost hope, after failing to get help from Parirenyatwa Hospital, we visited PHD on three occasions on April 17, 19 and 21. We managed to see Prophet Magaya on the third day and that’s when he prayed for my brother,” said Kamuruko, who is a teacher at Chivake Primary School in Mahusekwa.

“We received a call from Parirenyatwa Hospital on the April 19 to come for the operation. He was admitted from 22 to 26 April 2019 when the operation was successfully conducted.

“I can confirm that we only received prayers at PHD, but the operation was conducted successfully at Parirenyatwa Hospital.

“We passed through PHD when my brother was released from hospital on the 8th of June just to say thank you for the prayers, not because the tumour was removed by Prophet Magaya,” he added.

A short video clip was later reportedly compiled by PHD Ministries, which resulted in media reports alleging the man had been treated by the prophet after the hospital failed to assist him.

Parirenyatwa Hospital had to take the unprecedented move to set the record straight.

“We therefore, find claims that the hospital failed to treat this patient (Manganda), but was healed by a prophet, to be highly misleading and likely to derail efforts of encouraging health-seeking behaviours among fellow Zimbabweans,” said the hospital in a statement last week.

Manganda is, however, thankful to the hospital staff who facilitated the seven-hour medical procedure that healed him.

“I am grateful to the Parirenyatwa Hospital staff who conducted the successful operation, with special mention to team leader Dr Maximilian Dzowa, and all the staff members I cannot remember by name,” he said.

Mr Manganda’s brother was also equally elated.

“I am glad my brother has recovered. I was shocked to see him eating his meal few minutes after the operation. I thank all well-wishers who chipped in through his difficult moments,” said Kamuruko.

Mr Kamuruko said as a family they were grateful to Label Africa and Institute of Golf Africa that assisted the family with financial support before and after the operation.

He, however, said the family still needs more assistance as it is saddled with a $3 870 hospital bill.-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent- Outspoken Harare lawyer, Fadzayi Mahere, who recently joined the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC outlined her reasons for joining the party she competed against in last year’s harmonised elections.

Asked to explain what persuaded her to join the MDC by a local publication, the Independent, Mahere said:

I have consistently stated my belief in a strong, united position: this is our best shot at fighting tyranny and building a nation that we can be proud of.

From the start, I made it very clear that I was opposed to Zanu PF because the current government does not have what it takes to make Zimbabwe free and prosperous.

The model upon which the ruling party is built — where patronage and ageism are rife — would never appeal to me.

The lesson we learnt during the last election is that the electorate places a high premium on a candidate’s ability to collaborate with a team that can answer the national question.

There is a strong sentiment that the opposition must speak with one voice in opposing the government and I am happy to take that sentiment on board.

The country, not individuals or personalities, must always come first.

Political involvement, in my view, boils down to values and an ability to place the people, democracy and competence back into our politics.

The MDC offers a model that aligns most closely to this and what I wish to see in Zimbabwe’s future, hence my decision to join the party.

Important conversations happened after the election and it was decided that teamwork is the only way to make the dream work.-The Standard

By A Correspondent- Families living here escaped death by a whisker after a Zambian tanker carrying diesel burst its right tyres and veered off the road stopping a few meters from their homes.

The tanker, which was also a few meters from a service station in Sunridge, Harare was involved in the accident along Harare Drive today (Sunday) morning.

By A Correspondent- Newly-appointed MDC vice chairperson Job Sikhala has refuted allegations that he is a womaniser.

Speaking during an interview with a local publication, Sikhala said that it was not his fault to be born with good looks.

He said:

I became a public figure when I was a boy; from student leadership to national politics. I even became a Member of Parliament at a very young age of 25 and I was not married.

I had already found love in 1997 in Ellen Gudo who became my wife in 2000 after I became an MP up to the present. We are blessed with beautiful kids. They are now grown-up.

If these other women existed at all, our marriage would have long collapsed like that of Guvheya Chiwenga or that of Kembo Mohadi. You could have published headlines of me visiting my wife with a troop of bodyguards and armed with an axe to inflict injuries to her.

Secondly, as said above, I became a public figure at a young age. If truly I slept around with women dai ndisina kuridzwawo here nezvirwere zvepa bonde senjovhera?(wouldn’t I have died from sexually transmitted diseases?) People make stupid allegations without evidence.

Some of us laugh at such reckless talk, which is just meant to vilify innocent people. I am a very busy lawyer. I am always in court every day.

I am an MP who attends to his constituency. I am a student of postgraduate law. I am the vice-chairman of the party who is always needed by the president for duties he allocates to me.

I can’t even fulfil appointments with friends and relatives who wish to see me. I also have a family to attend to. And on top, you add women. Women also need attention. Where would I get the time?

Is it a crime to be born with good looks? I love my wife very much. She is the Alpha and the Omega of my heart.

Factional wars dogging Zanu PF have escalated, with the youth league declaring a war against party bigwigs who are allegedly involved in the illegal foreign currency trade.

Zanu PF youth league secretary Pupurai Togarepi yesterday fought in his deputy Lewis Matutu’s corner, saying those who had allegedly threatened him with death had crossed a “Rubicon line”.

Matutu caused a stir recently when he claimed on social media that the parallel market in foreign currency was being driven by children of some ministers.

He has threatened to release a list tomorrow of the party officials that are allegedly behind the black market.

“It has always been our position to name and shame corrupt individuals and saboteurs. Lewis Matutu is a messenger, don’t fight him,” Togarepi charged in an

interview with The Standard.

“Any further attack on him will invite a firm response from the youth league.

“They crossed the Rubicon line by threatening the deputy secretary. We cannot allow them to vandalise the efforts by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to rebuild Zimbabwe.”

In October last year, Mnangagwa’s former advisor Christopher Mutsvangwa accused Kudakwashe Tagwirei, a close ally of the president, of driving the parallel market at the time through a facility where oil firms accessed forex at the 1:1 rate to United States dollars from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ). The government ended the facility in May this year.

Mutsvangwa’s son Neville was accused by an opposition MP early this month of being involved in illegal foreign currency deals.

The war veterans leader yesterday did not respond to questions on whether he was one of the ruling party officials targeted by the party youths.

Former Zanu PF youth leader William Mutumanje, aka Acie Lumumba, who was temporarily hired by Finance minister Mthuli Ncube, also at one time claimed that

there was a cartel in the fuel industry that included top RBZ officials who were behind the alleged cartel driving the forex parallel market.

Togarepi said their crusade would also target informal traders who were allegedly involved in the black market.

“The earlier they shape up, the better. We have everything we want to move forward, but a few charlatans are an impediment to this progress.”

“We also want to tell those involved in illegal forex dealings that their days are numbered together with foreign-owned tuck-shops in downtown Harare and other cities,” he said.

Matutu yesterday said he was going ahead with his plans to expose the alleged Zanu PF bigwigs.

“We are not afraid, it is time we dealt with this crisis,” he said.

“We can’t be threatened by thieves who want to use non-existing factional fights to further their agenda. We are going to name and shame them.”

Matutu, a close ally of Mnangagwa, said he was his own man and had been speaking against corruption within the party in private.

He said he was frustrated that his interventions had not yielded anything, hence his decision to go public.

Meanwhile, Togarepi denied accusations that the threats were linked to factional wars in Zanu PF where some senior party officials are accused of sabotaging Mnangagwa.

Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said the youth league had a right to demand whatever they think was prudent to take Zimbabwe forward.

Standard

Zimbabwe’s military has disposed of its stake in a $4 billion platinum joint venture with Russian investors, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has said.

Mnangagwa revealed this in an interview with Bloomberg in Mozambique during the just-ended US-Africa Business Summit, where he sought to appease the Americans who are insisting on political reforms as a precondition for the scrapping of the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (Zidera).

The law specifically compels US executive directors of international financial institutions to oppose and vote against any extension of loans, credit, or guarantees to Zimbabwe, which is in desperate need of fresh credit lines to kickstart its ailing economy.

Recent reports suggested that the military’s involvement has been the main reason why the project has failed to take off since it was commissioned in 2014 amid

much fanfare as the then president, Robert Mugabe, sought to spite Washington by aligning with Moscow.

The military, through the Zimbabwe Defence Industries, which is under sanctions, and Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC) together hold 30% of the

joint venture, known as Great Dyke Investments, through a company they control, Pen East (Pty) Ltd.

The Russian consortium consists of VI Holdings, Rostec and Vnesheconombank, while 20% is held by undisclosed Zimbabwean investors.

“They have moved out, we have removed the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. It is now owned by a private company,” Mnangagwa said.

“We moved the army out, which had initially been part of the shareholding.

“So it is now 50/50, the other 50% is owned by the Russians and the other 50% by a local Zimbabwean company, which bought out the army.”

He did not give any further detail, only stating that the deal was consummated “a few weeks ago”.

According to the company’s feasibility study report, the mineral resource potential at the Great Dyke site is about 45 million ounces (1,400 t) of PGM, which

is comparable with the largest deposits at the Bushveld area in South Africa, as well as with such deposits in the Norilsk ore region in Russia.

Zimbabwe is home to the world’s second largest deposits of platinum, but the country’s output remains depressed as companies find it difficult to set up andstart operating because of a highly-volatile policy environment.

The Anglo American-owned Unki is one of three platinum miners already operating in the southern African nation.

Last year, the country scrapped local ownership laws which limited foreign shareholding in platinum and diamond ventures to 49% as part of mining sector

reforms to help inject much-needed foreign capital.

In April, government hinted that two new investors would develop separate platinum mining projects in the mineral-rich Mhondoro-Ngezi area, in addition to Cypriot investor Karo Resources, which is already working on a $4,2 billion mining project in the same area.

State Media|Zimbabwe’s world acclaimed five-star hotel, Meikles Hotel, is set to change hands after the Competition and Tariff Commission (CTC) approved its sale to Albwardy Investment, a Dubai-based entity.

In a board resolution released last week, the CTC said it had approved, without conditions, the proposed acquisition of the Meikles Hotel business from Meikles Hospitality by Albwardy Investment through its firm ASB Hospitality Zimbabwe Ltd.

ASB Hospitality Zimbabwe is a special purpose vehicle of Albwardy Investment, which was recently incorporated in Zimbabwe.

“The merger will not lead to acquisition of market power and removal of an efficient competitor,” said the CTC.

The deal might, however, still have to go through other regulatory approvals such as the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe, and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

It will also have to get shareholder approval.

For the past few months, Meikles Limited has been running a cautionary statement advising shareholders of the impending deal.

“Further to the cautionary statement published in the Press on February 22, 2019 and subsequent updates on March 20, 2019; April 12, 2019 and May 2, 2019, the directors of Meikles Limited wish to advise shareholders that discussion to sell certain of its hospitality assets are on-going.

“The company will be seeking the approval of its shareholders for the proposed disposal at an extraordinary general meeting to be convened at a future date,” Meikles said in a statement two weeks ago.

Meikles Hotel, which is owned by the Moxon Family, through Zimbabwe Stock Exchange-listed entity Meikles Limited, is a legendary meeting place for international business executives, dignitaries, leisure travellers and celebrities.

The hotel, which has been in existence for over 100 years, is the brainchild of Thomas Meikles who envisioned a commitment to the “highest possible standard of service and product” — something that has become enshrined in the Meikles culture.

It has always been an iconic landmark of the capital city Harare, one which has constantly and gracefully evolved through the colonial era of Rhodesia into modern-day Zimbabwe.

Its position in the heart of the city has allowed its walls to bear witness to many events that have shaped the nation’s past.

The first parliament of the Colony of Southern Rhodesia met at Meikles Hotel in 1924. Since then leading African nationalists, royalty, Presidents and distinguished guests and celebrities from various nations around the world have met and stayed there.

But the hotel, that Thomas Meikles, who died on February 8 1939, constructed, is set to change hands, after the Moxon family, which married into the Meikles family, decided to sale to Albwardy Investment, owned by Dubai billionaire, Ali Albwardy who founded his own empire in 1976.

While the CTC did not give details on how much the deal is worth, parties familiar with the transaction said its worth US$20 million.

Meikles Limited, under the hospitality business, also operates the Victora Falls Hotel in a joint venture arrangement with African Sun and also has a significant shareholding in the Cape Grace Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa.

As at September 30, 2018, the hotels asset base was worth US$46,9 million while liabilities amounted to US$22 million.

In terms of revenue, the hotel business made US$10,3 million for the half year to September 30, 2018 with EBITDA coming out at US$3,3 million.

On its part, Albwardy Investment, with an annual turnover exceeding US$1 billion, operates in a number of business sectors ranging from food retailing, food distribution, construction, engineering, hospitality and hotel ownership.

Headquartered in Dubai, Albwardy portfolio consists of over 30 highly diversified companies and employs over 5 000 multi-national, multi-lingual staff, supported by a network of global partners.

Its current hotel interests consist of 16 properties on four continents.

“The portfolio is a diverse mix of acquired, refurbished and newly built properties, with its success resting in branding the hotels and resorts with some of the most distinguished, renowned and best in class international hotel chains and operators,” reads a statement on its website.

The Albwardy portfolio comprises of 1 300 rooms, with a further 400 under development. It employs over 2 500 staff with an additional 1 000 jobs created on our project sites. Among other hotel brands, it runs the Four Seasons Hotel across countries including South Africa, Seychelles and Argentina.

In addition to hotels, Albwardy hospitality also includes investments in lifestyle assets within Dubai, namely The Desert Palm Polo Estate & Residences, Taste Kitchen and Pavilion foods restaurants.

The hospitality business is headed by Zimbabwean Laurie Ward.

Laurie worked in the accounting profession before joining Lonrho Africa in 1999, diversifying into the hospitality sector in 2006 until joining Albwardy Investment in 2016 as managing director of the group’s growing hospitality sector and ongoing hotel development projects.