Residents in Bulawayo’s Entumbane suburb have encountered a stunning situation of an aunt and nephew who decided to get married amid reports that the woman is now two months pregnant in what the man also claims was a pre-planned arrangement with his late uncle so that they could safeguard the family’s wealth.

Antony Mawewe (25) and his aunt, Chipo Mugati believed to be in her 40s decided to steal the limelight for all the wrong and unbiblical reasons when they got married following the death of his uncle Mike Mawewe on 3 December last year.

Antony’s father, Mawewe-Munyaradzi and the late Mike Mawewe were biological brothers, making the aunt his “mother” in a traditional sense. Mugati and Mike’s eight-year-old marriage was blessed with one child.

According to a mole close to the development, Mugati decided it was better to marry her nephew because she didn’t want to marry her late husband’s brothers, who had been reportedly looking to get her as a wife.

Antony was also more than willing to marry his “mother”, and even told his aunt’s family he was going to pay off part of the lobola his uncle still owed them when he passed away.

“What makes the two’s sins so obnoxiously unforgivable is that Mugati invited Antony from the village to come and assist her to nurse Mike when he was not feeling well. Mugati also claimed she wanted to teach Antony to sew since she is self-employed as a dressmaker.

“Shockingly, when Mike died and a few weeks after his burial, the family was stunned when they discovered that the two-Antony and Mugati — were now staying as husband and wife.
“When they were confronted by family members the two confessed that they were madly in love and were now staying together as husband and wife with Mugati saying that it all started at work during a joke which led to sex later in the night when they returned home.State media

A MAN from Bulawayo has called off a planned wedding after discovering his girlfriend has been sleeping with a Roman Catholic Priest behind his back.

Catholic priests take a vow of celibacy and are not supposed to have sex.
Mr McDonald Majaya (32) told The Chronicle that he was shattered when he came across WhatsApp chats between Father Itai Mangenda, who once stayed in Bulawayo but is now based in Mutare, and his sweetheart, Miss Rutendo Mudzingwa (24).

Mr Majaya said Father Mangenda has been sleeping with his girlfriend since February last year.
“I discovered that the two were in a relationship since last year and we have been having misunderstandings with my girlfriend over the issue. This is unacceptable, how can a priest who vowed not to marry interfere with my relationship?” he asked.

Mr Majaya said he had been committed to the relationship and was planning to pay lobola in two weeks.
“I don’t know what to do because right now, l’m really hurt. This is disturbing especially considering that l was putting my all into the relationship and was thinking of paying something ( lobola ) in April,” he said.

Mr Majaya said the clergyman’s brother, also a priest from Bulawayo staying in Matsheumhlope suburb, Father Joe Mangenda, tried to bribe him to stop him from exposing the illicit relationship.

“His brother first offered me US$300 and l rejected it. He even increased the offer to $500 but l could not trade my life for that. This is my life for goodness’ sake,” he said.State media

WARRIORS midfielder Ovidy Karuru says they have a responsibility to win tomorrow’s 2019 AFCON qualifier against Congo-Brazzaville to cheer the spirits of the people whose lives have been shattered by Cyclone Idai.

The Warriors need just a point to ensure a second back-to-back appearance at the biannual continental contest.
But, as cruel as fate would have it, Cyclone Idai destroyed lives and left a trail of destruction in the country’s eastern highlands.

Karuru, one of the key members of Sunday “Mhofu” Chidzambwa’s squad, sobbed as he emphasised the need for the team to win for those affected by the tragedy.

The Warriors have already, as confirmed by team manager Wellington Mpandare, started mobilising resources they intend to donate to the victims.

Farai Dziva|Controversial war veterans leader Victor Matemadanda has been roasted on twitter for his remarks about restrictive measures imposed on Zanu PF honchos.

Matemadanda has said he will lead a “massive” march to the United States Embassy in Harare to confront the administration over the imposition of restrictive measures imposed on Zanu PF functionaries.

Matemadanda told Zanu PF supporters in Bindura the targeted measures were hurting ordinary Zimbabweans.

He also accused MDC A leader Nelson Chamisa of taking a back seat while all progressive organizations were calling for the removal of the restrictive measures he described as sanctions.

“You think that we are afraid of Donald Trump ? Not at all, this time we will march straight to the US Embassy because our people have suffered for too long as a result of these sanctions,” said Matemadanda.

“We are therefore mobilising support for the march from our sympathisers in Zimbabwe and abroad. We want to send a loud and clear message to Theresa May and Donald Trump- enough is enough,”added Matemadanda.

” If you want to rule this country then you have to speak out against sanctions. “

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

Farai Dziva|Contrary to a statement released by Masvingo State Minister Ezra Chadzamira- in which he pointed out that three people were killed by Tropical Cyclone Idai, the department of Social Welfare has said in actual fact eight people died as a result of the natural disaster in Bikita District.

Chadzamira said only three people died as a result of Tropical Cyclone Idai.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

Impeccable sources at the department of Social Welfare said Chadzamira could have been misinformed about the figure.

“I think the Minister was somehow misinformed about the actual number of people who died in Bikita District.

The actual figure is eight not three, so I do not know how he(Chadzamira ) arrived at the latter number,” a senior Social
Welfare official told ZimEye.com yesterday.

“We got the figure on Tuesday so I think the Minister was misinformed,”added the official.

Farai Dziva|Contrary to a statement released by Masvingo State Minister Ezra Chadzamira- in which he pointed out that three people were killed by Tropical Cyclone Idai, the department of Social Welfare has said in actual fact eight people died as a result of the natural disaster in Bikita District.

Chadzamira said only three people died as a result of Tropical Cyclone Idai.

Impeccable sources at the department of Social Welfare said Chadzamira could have been misinformed about the figure.

“I think the Minister was somehow misinformed about the actual number of people who died in Bikita District.

The actual figure is eight not three, so I do not know how he(Chadzamira ) arrived at the latter number,” a senior Social
Welfare official told ZimEye.com yesterday.

“We got the figure on Tuesday so I think the Minister was misinformed,”added the official.

A suspect believed to be the Mayor of Newcastle Ntuthuko Mahlaba has been arrested on a murder charge.

When asked to confirm that Mahlaba, who was sworn in this month, had been apprehended in connection with the murder of ex-ANC Youth League member Wandile Ngobeni and linked to the attempted murder of another member, police minister Bheki Cele’s spokesperson Reneilwe Serero would only confirm that a “senior official of the municipality” had been arrested.

This suspect would appear in court within the next 48 hours.

Serero confirmed the arrest related to murder, but refused to divulge if it was one or more charges.

Mahlaba is also the chairperson of the ANC’s Emalahleni region.

The arrest comes days after Harry Gwala District Mayor Mluleki Ndobe’s apprehension for the murder of former ANC Youth League (ANCYL) secretary Sindiso Magaqa.

Ndobe, 44, Sbonelo Myeza, 39, Mbulelo Mbofana, 34, and Zweliphansi Skhosana, 48, appeared in the Umzimkhulu Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday on a count of murder and two of attempted murder.

Ndobe, who is third on the ANC’s provincial list, did not plead and the matter was postponed to March 25 and 26 for formal bail applications.

Magaqa died in hospital in September 2017, around two months after he was shot in Umzimkhulu.

Umzimkhulu councillors, Nonsikelelo Mafa and Jabu Mzizi-Msiya, sustained gunshot wounds on the day of Magaqa’s murder.

ANCYL KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary Thanduxolo Sabelo said Ngobeni was killed in 2017 when he and other members of the regional youth league leadership had been at a restaurant after a meeting.

The group was ambushed, Sabelo told News24.

Ngobeni died at the scene while the regional secretary suffered serious injuries but survived.

The others escaped unharmed.

Ngobeni and others thought to have been killed in political assassinations were murdered in carefully considered, well-planned hits, Sabelo said.

He hailed the work of the Hawks task team probing the unresolved cases, urging them to continue to arrest without fear of affiliation or social standing.

“We expect no member of the ANC to support any of those accused of political assassinations. They must be removed form their positions and replaced with immediate effect,” he insisted.

Sabelo maintained that he “without fear of contradiction” welcomed the arrest of both mayors.

“We have no sympathy for anybody involved.”

News 24

Own Correspondent|Passengers aboard a fastjet Airways flight, which landed at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on Wednesday went into a panic mode after one of the passengers complained of a headache and body weakness, symptoms synonymous with the dreaded Ebola virus.

The unidentified man, believed to be a cross-border truck driver, was coming home for his holiday when he suddenly fell ill.

Director of epidemiology and disease control at the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Portia Manangazira said they made arrangements to have him carted in an ambulance for further assessment.

“Actually, by the time he arrived at the hospital his temperature had lowered. We are not worried, tests were conducted and correct procedures followed,” she said.

The plane was disinfected as per the standard procedure.

“There is no need to panic. Actually it showed that our surveillance system is functional,” Manangazira said.

Harare city health director, Prosper Chonzi said the man had no critical symptoms synonymous with Ebola and his temperature was normal as of Wednesday.
“He was just complaining of a headache. It could be anything. The symptoms are not typically those of Ebola. He has no fever, there was no bleeding anywhere on his body and his temperature is normal,” he said.

“The patient flew in from South Africa after he had been to Lubumbashi where he left his delivery truck. Lubumbashi has no known cases of Ebola, but the northern cities.”

Chonzi said they had engaged a specialist to look into the matter and the truck driver was still hospitalised at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals awaiting results of more tests.

As flood waters began to recede in parts of Mozambique on Friday, fears rose that the death toll could soar as bodies are revealed.

The number of deaths could be beyond the 1,000 predicted by the country’s president earlier this week, said Elhadj As Sy, the secretary-general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

In addition to worries about the number of dead, Mr As Sy told The Associated Press that the humanitarian needs are great.

“They are nowhere near the scale and magnitude of the problem,” Mr As Sy said.

“And I fear we will be seeing more in the weeks and months ahead, and we should brace ourselves.”

One eyewitness told CNN as many as “300 to 400” bodies line the banks of a road out of the city of Beira in Mozambique.

Zimbabwean Graham Taylor said the bodies were located on a 6 kilometre track of highway, where flood waters had created an inland ocean, submerging entire villages around a “densely populated” sugarcane plantation.

The High Commissioner for Mozambique in the UK, Filipe Chidumo told CNN on Wednesday, “this is a big tragedy of biblical proportions”.

Thousands of people were making a grim voyage toward the city of Beira, which although 90 per cent destroyed has become a centre for frantic rescue efforts throughout the region.

Some walked along roads carved away by the raging waters a week ago.

Others, hundreds of them, were ferried in an extraordinary makeshift effort by local fishermen who plucked stranded people from small islands.

Helicopters set off into the rain for another day of efforts to find people clinging to rooftops and trees.

For those who reach Beira with their few remaining possessions, life is grim.

Waterborne diseases are a growing concern as water and sanitation systems were largely destroyed.

“The situation is simply horrendous, there is no other way to describe it,” Mr As Sy said after touring transit camps for the growing number of displaced. “Three thousand people who are living in a school that has 15 classrooms and six, only six, toilets. You can imagine how much we are sitting on a water and sanitation ticking bomb.”

What moved him the most was the number of children without their parents, separated in the chaos or newly orphaned.

“Yesterday (we) did a reconnaissance and we found another (inland) lake. So we are still very early in the phase of identifying what the scope of this is, for who is affected and how many are lost,” Emma Batey, co-ordinator for the consortium of Oxfam, CARE and Save the Children, told the AP.

Luckily, the area is a national park and less densely populated, she said.

Still, “there were devastatingly small amounts of people.” She estimated that another 100 people would be flown out on Friday: “We’re only picking up those in absolute dire need.” No one is still clinging to roofs and trees, she said.

Pedro Matos, emergency co-ordinator for the World Food Program, said that what rescuers are seeing now is “sometimes it’s just a hut completely surrounded by water.”

“If islands are big enough, we can even see smoke coming out, meaning that they’re cooking,” he said, adding that it remains “super difficult” to estimate a death toll or even the number of missing.

For residents of Beira, life staggered on. People salvaged the metal strips of roofs that had been peeled away like the skin of a fruit. Downed trees littered the streets. And yet there were flashes of life as it used to be. White wedding dresses stood pristine behind a shop window that hadn’t shattered.

Zimbabwe was also affected by the cyclone and as roads began to clear and some basic communications were set up, a fuller picture of the extent of the damage there is beginning to emerge.

The victims are diverse: a mother buried in the same grave with her child, headmasters missing together with dozens of school students, illegal gold and diamond miners swept away by raging rivers and police officers washed away with their prisoners.

The Ministry of Information said 30 pupils, two headmasters and a teacher are missing.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa said Thursday that officers and prisoners were washed way.

In Mutare, fear gripped residents even though they are more than 140 kilometres from Chimanimani, the worst-hit part of Zimbabwe.

Maina Chisiriirwa, a city resident, said she buried her son-in-law, who had left the city to go to Chiadzwa diamond fields to mine illegally.

“There are no jobs and all he wanted was to feed his family. He was with his colleagues. They thought it would be easier to mine since the rains would keep the guards and the police away from patrolling,” Chisiriirwa said.

His colleagues survived but her son-in-law was swept away, she said.

A man who travelled several kilometres to a reception centre for survivors in Chimanimani said several of his colleagues were swept away as they tried to cross a river while fleeing from a mountain known for rich gold deposits and frequented by hordes of illegal miners.

In downtown Beira, a sidewalk is Marta Ben’s new home. The 30-year-old mother of five clutched a teary child to her hip as she described the sudden horror of the storm.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” she said, barefoot, a cooking pot bubbling nearby.

“We were not warned. Suddenly the roof flew away.” She said she and neighbours in their home near the beach hurried their many children away but “we lost some of them.” Hers survived.

Now they claim a patch of sidewalk among others newly homeless. They beg passers-by for aid.

They say they have received nothing from the government or aid groups, “not even bread.” And yet she knows others have suffered more.

She described seeing the ragged people who had been ferried by fishermen from communities outside the city. “They looked sad,” she said.

The survivors from inland Mozambique arrived by the boatload, some 50 at a time, mostly children, witnesses said.

“Some were wounded. Some were bleeding. Some had feet white like flour for being in the water for so long,” said Julia Castigo, who watched them arrive Friday morning.

The 24-year-old said the cyclone came as a surprise to her, her husband and two children. It blew away the roof, the door, the windows. Water filled the home. She looked resigned.

“We survived. We’re still here,” she said simply.

“The people didn’t even have clothes, nothing to cover them,” said Ignacio Dango, who watched them arrive on the beach.

The 24-year-old boat builder said he saw sick, wounded and very young. “Like 5 years old.” They came from Buzi, he said.

Residents of Beira muttered “Meu Dio!” (”My God” in Portuguese) as they went about the city and came across new scenes of destruction.

A Michigan man allegedly accidentally shot himself after he threw his gun at a cockroach to squash the insect.

The unnamed 50-year-old man told Detroit police that he tried to kill the bug on Tuesday morning by throwing a shoe at it.

But a revolver was hidden inside the shoe and went off, sending a bullet flying in his direction, reports Metro.

The bullet struck the man in his foot.

It’s not yet clear whether the man was badly injured or not.

Metro reports that in January 2016, a man was badly burned after he tried to light bedbugs on fire in his apartment.

He allegedly doused his furniture with alcohol and lit a cigarette, which he used to try to burn one of the tiny bugs, but he ended up burning the couch and himself.

The incident also destroyed four apartment units and caused water damage in more than 20 other units.

Source: Fox 8.

“Blessings upon more blessings!”

The younger Mugabe Bellarmine Chatunga is now the owner of yet another expensive luxury cars.

Chatunga, who is well known for his flashy lifestyle recently acquired a new posh Mercedes sports car which he gladly showed off on his social media.

The EFF leader has never hid his support for Zimbabwe’s disastrous land reform plans, and Julius Malema made some bold comparisons on Thursday.

Hundreds of EFF supporters gathered at Dlomo Dam in Sharpeville on Thursday, to pay tribute to the 70 people who were massacred by apartheid cops during a peaceful protest 59 years ago. Julius Malema delivered a rambunctious speech and, well, you know how it goes from here.

The party leader was at his vociferous peak on Human Rights Day, going on to explain that he only calls the public holiday “Sharpeville Day” – he told the crowd that the “human rights” part washes over the atrocity itself.

Julius Malema quotes from the Sharpeville rally

Malema made several eye-catching statements during his address, claiming that white people must never be forgiven for what happened in Sharpeville. He also turned on the electioneering charm, telling supporters that only the red berets could return the land and create jobs for unemployed black citizens.

Julius Malema compares South African to Zimbabwe… unflatteringly:

Juju is no stranger to causing a stir, but it would be his comments about Zimbabwe that fetched the most scrutiny. South Africa’s land redistribution proposals have found themselves (somewhat unfairly) compared to the disastrous policies of Robert Mugabe, who incited black citizens to invade the land of white farmers.

The economic disaster that followed has been a huge cause for concern for the South Africans who disagree with non-compensatory land expropriation. However, it would seem Julius Malema is ready to embrace the chaos that came before, claiming he’s happy to tell people that Mzansi is already “worse than Zimbabwe”.

“We are not here to please white people. When you leave here, they are going to say to you, ‘Malema will turn South Africa into Zimbabwe’. Tell them we are worse than Zimbabweans.”

“Firstly both ourselves and Zimbabweans are poor. Secondly, Zimbabweans own their land and finally, Zimbabweans are literate and we are illiterate.”Julius Malema

Land reform done the Zim -way

Malema himself has previously shown support for the way Zimbabwe ruthlessly implemented their land policy. His comments at the Sharpeville event will do nothing to calm his detractors, but Juju isn’t a man who’s out to please his critics. In fact, he’s probably at his happiest when he’s winding up those particular opponents.

Correspondent|The situation in the port city of Beira in Mozambique was “boiling” as residents suffered shortages of food, water and other essentials one week after a devastating cyclone, the head of a South African rescue operation said on Friday.

Hungry residents besieged a warehouse owned by a Chinese business and helped themselves to bags of rice and other foods as resources run dry while the incoming help is not matching up with the needs of the residents.

Cyclone Idai battered Beira, a low-lying city of 500,000 residents, with strong winds and torrential rains last week, before moving inland to neighbouring Zimbabwe and Malawi.

In Mozambique, 242 were killed in the storm and resulting floods, according to the official death toll, although this is expected to rise. In Malawi, around 56 were killed while Zimbabwe has recorded 142 deaths.

Around 15,000 people were still missing in Mozambique, Land and Environment Minister Celso Correia said late on Thursday. The government is expected to give a briefing on Friday morning to update the number of people missing and dead.

Briefing his team late on Thursday night, Connor Hartnady, rescue operations task force leader for Rescue South Africa, said Beira residents were becoming fed up with shortages.

“There have been three security incidents today, all food related,” he told his team, without giving further details.

Cartnady also said a group of 60 people had been discovered trapped by flood water in an area north of Beira during a reconnaissance flight. Rescue teams and the government were deciding how best to help them, he said, either by airlifting them to safety or dropping supplies.

The storm’s torrential rains caused the Buzi and Pungwe rivers, whose mouths are in the Beira area, to burst their banks.

Roads into Beira were cut off by the storm, and most of the city remains without power. The Red Cross has estimated 90 percent of the city was damaged or destroyed in the storm.

Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Information said at least 30 students, two headmasters and a teacher from three schools were missing in the eastern region of the country.

In the capital Harare there were shortages of diesel, leading to long queues following reports earlier this week that a control room for the pipeline in Beira that transports fuel to Zimbabwe had been damaged.

ZIMBABWE’S local currency, the RTGS dollar, has plunged by as much as 16% since it was introduced last month. But Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor John Mangudya is not losing sleep over it. At least not yet.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe scrapped its discredited 1:1 dollar peg for surrogate bond notes and electronic dollars last month, merging them into a lower-value transitional currency called the RTGS dollar as part of monetary policy measures to address the country’s currency challenges.

The RTGS dollar made its debut at 1:2,5 to the greenback on the official interbank platform, but on the parallel market, rates were as high as 3,5 to 3,8.

While parallel market rates have somewhat held steady, the official rate for the RTGS dollar has dipped to 2,8 to the greenback.

Economist Ashok Chakravarti said every new market takes time to settle in order to be fully functional, which is why the market was performing the way it was. But he called on the market to be free of controls that were determined by traders.

“When we proposed the interbank foreign exchange market, we did so with the mind that it would be liberalised in the sense of allowing the market to determine the rates free of controls,” he said.

“But I think those are issues that will be sorted as time goes on. But we need to have transference rules that can govern the interbank platform, like how the stock exchange has trading rules. This is because some banks have nostro accounts, while others do not have. I would encourage the Ministry of Finance and the central bank to quickly put these rules.”

Chakravarti added that transfer rules would also encourage trust among exporters and sellers so that they come onto the market in order to trade their foreign currency.

“The rate has devalued as a result of the Reserve Bank just increasing the exchange rate because all banks are depending on them for the supply of foreign currency. The bulk of foreign currency is being supplied by the Reserve Bank because generators of foreign currency are holding onto their foreign currency,” financial expert Persistence Gwanyanya said.

“The reason why they are holding onto their foreign currency is because the exchange rate would be deemed to be less attractive compared to the exchange rate they have been getting from their individual structures. So the Reserve Bank has deliberately increased the rate at which the banks are accessing foreign currency from it because the market is not releasing foreign currency; suppliers are not ‘coming to the party’.”

Gwanyanya said the central bank was not too keen on the “big bang” approach in dealing with currency distortions as the bank believes this would negatively impact the economy.

“As I have advised previously, we are reaching equilibrium on the interbank forex market. I think you are using the term ‘devaluation’ in the wrong context. Equilibrium between the supply and demand for forex based on willing buyer, willing seller basis,” Mangudya told NewsDay.

However, Gwanyanya was of a different view about the effect of foreign currency on tobacco sales, as buyers and sellers were already trading among themselves using the more lucrative parallel market rates.

“To me, it is not about the availability of foreign currency. It is about the attractiveness of the rate to the suppliers of foreign currency.

Remember, the suppliers are going to supply into the interbank market from their retentions. They are retaining the foreign currency and others are continuing to hold onto the foreign currency,” Gwanyanya said.

“Until the price discovery mechanism is arrived at, we shall see a situation where we have foreign currency that may seem to be enough to cater for the needs of the market, with generators of foreign currency continuing to hold onto their foreign currency.”

Gwanyanya said too much control from the central bank was exacerbating the problem. — NewsDay

A Bulawayo Magistrate Franklin Mkhwananzi has freed journalist Zenzele Ndebele after he described the arrest illogical.

Dismissing the case the Magistrate Mkhwananzi said, “It beats logic that a used canister and an empty cartridge could be defined as dangerous weapons if weapons at all”

Ndebele was charged with possession of an offensive weapon after he was found with two used tear gas canisters found in his vehicle at Bulawayo State House on Thursday.

A lot of media organizations including Media Institute for Southern Africa and the Committee for the protection of Journalists condemned the arrest and called for Ndebele’s immediate release.

He was attending a meeting where President Emmerson Mnangagwa was meeting members of Bulawayo civic society.

The MDC Congress is on course with proceedings going on smoothly and peacefully throughout the country as the party continues to confirm its democratic credentials.

The branch congresses have now been completed and the ward congresses in the 1 958 wards across the country taking place this weekend. By Sunday, 24 March 2019, there will be newly elected ward executives across the length and breadth of Zimbabwe.

District congresses are slated for 29-31 March while the provincial congresses will take place from 7-16 April 2019, starting with Matabeleland South province.

The process so far has gone on peacefully and without incident. Notwithstanding misleading press reports of chaos, our congress is living true to the democratic culture and character as encapsulated in chapter 4 of the MDC constitution.

Our Congress to be held on 24-26 May will be a festival of ideas. It will prioritize propositions and not positions. So far, the people across the country continue to elect leaders of their choice at various levels and our Congress process is well on course.

MDC 5th Congress: Defining a new course for Zimbabwe.

Hon. Amos Chibaya
MDC National Organising Secretary

The MDC contends that all tobacco farmers must be paid in US dollars in full for all the sales they are making at the auction floors.

We reiterate the point we always make that the forex retention scheme pronounced in Mangudya’s monetary policy statement is not only unfair but unconstitutional and disrespectful of property rights.

The government cannot continue to be the bank robber which pick pockets unsuspecting citizens who are being productive especially to the benefit of the Zimbabwean economy.

The government must be focused on addressing the disequilibrium on the relationship between Zimbabwean exports and imports.

Tobacco farmers are helping improve the country’s trade position, they ought to be incentivized not punished.

The current arrangement is a deterrent to more farmers venturing into the tobacco business, it is retrogressive.

The fact that there is visible confusion which resulted in the RBZ releasing clarification statements reflects on the policy itself.

A bad policy must be jettisoned not clarified.

Instead of robbing the tobacco farmers, the government must be focused on the following:-

I. Financing agricultural infrastructure, In order to fully empower tobacco farmers a majority of whom are newly resettled and beneficiaries of the land reform.
II. Decentralisation of the tobacco marketing floors
III. Regulating against the middlemen who are in the business of prejudicing farmers of value.
IV. Innovation and use of technology. promote and facilitate the uptake of new technology including the use of sustainable energy sources such as solar energy in the agricultural sector
V. Agricultural markets, reintroducing the Zimbabwe Agricultural Commodity Exchange(ZIMACE) which will help to moderate prices and also serve as a secondary bourse in the country for agricultural commodities.
VI. Agro Processing and Value Addition, promote agro-processing by attracting both local and foreign investments in order to enhance creation of decent employment.
VII. Investment in equipment, ensuring that all farmers have access to mechanized farming equipment for tillage, harvesting, transportation and storage.

MDC: Defining a New Course for Zimbabwe

Mr Valentine Ziswa
MDC Secretary for Land

Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister Kirsty Coventry has expressed outrage over the barring of the Zimbabwe Warriors from the National Sports Stadium yesterday.

The Warriors were denied the opportunity to train at the facility by Ministry of Local Government Public Works and National Housing officials over alleged fees owed to them by the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA).

In a tweet, Minister Coventry vowed to get to the bottom of the issue and added that the athletes should be prioritised as without them there would be no federations or stadia.
“The kind of behaviour that happened yesterday is disgusting. Our national players need to be prioritised!

“Federations and Stadium Management need to understand that without our athletes there will be no Federations and no Stadiums! I will be getting to the bottom of this!” her tweet read.

Warriors team manager Wellington Mpandare confirmed to The Herald that the national team were barred from training at the National Sports Stadium by ministry officials ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo on Sunday.

“When I arrived at the stadium, I was shocked to be advised that the team would not be allowed to use the ground for training because, I was told by an official from the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, identified only as Dzukwa, that some complications had arisen.

“The officials from the ministry which is in charge of the stadium said they were not happy that ZIFA had not provided them with access to the electronic system the association is using to sell tickets because, since they get a percentage from the gross amount realised from the sale of the tickets, they felt they needed to monitor the electronic process.” he said

Zimbabweans on social media have also expressed their disappointment and anger over the Warriors being denied the opportunity to train.
In a Facebook post, former Warriors forward Alois Bunjira said the Ministry needed to consider the importance of the occasion on Sunday.

“We have a task at hand for the nation. Couldn’t the matter be discussed and solved while the national team was training so that we don’t jeopardise our chances of qualification?”
The Warriors need to win or draw their match on Sunday to qualify for the continental tournament to be held in Egypt later this year.State media

The MDC is shocked by the revelation of a baseless ban on Hon Charlton Hwende who intended to visit the Mabvuku fuel reserve Depot as part of his parliamentary duties.

Hon Hwende is a full member of the portfolio committee on energy and power development and has an obligation to fulfill the oversight and representational roles around the sector.

Barring his attendance is a serious disservice on the part of citizens and his constituency. We sense a naive view which ends with an attempt to fix Hwende the person or MDC the political party.

The roles and interests he serves are beyond the two.

There is public expectation in respect of which their elected representatives must serve their interests. We have however expressed executive overreach in which state apparatus are used to coerce or arm twist both the Judiciary in the quest to fulfill their mandates.

In respect of this issue, the Government Protection and Security Inspectorate is obstructing the role of an arm of the State when it must be facilitating.

We are however aware of a systematic attempt to annihilate the MDC caucus.

MDC MPs have been arrested, jailed and given shocking bail conditions including bans on addressing the public and the use of the social media when part of their job is to communicate with the people and gather their views.

All these Acts are condemned with the contempt they deserve – they are retrogressive and breed unnecessary aggression in society.

MDC: Defining a New Course for Zimbabwe!

Jacob Mafume
MDC National Spokesperson

https://www.facebook.com/ZimEye/videos/2304587579602427

By Own Correspondent| A tobacco farmer was captured live on camera at one of the auction floors in Harare fuming over the pricing model by buyers which she claimed aimed at further impoverishing farmers while they “grew huge bellies” from tobacco proceeds.

The woman, speaking in vernacular (Shona) vowed to cause chaos at the floors adding that her tobacco cannot be bought for a dollar per kilogram.

Watch the video above for this and more.

Farai Dziva|Contrary to a statement released by Masvingo State Minister Ezra Chadzamira- in which he pointed out that three people were killed by Tropical Cyclone Idai, the department of Social Welfare has said in actual fact eight people died as a of the natural disaster in Bikita District.

Chadzamira said only three people died as a result of Tropical Cyclone Idai.

Impeccable sources at the department of Social Welfare said Chadzamira could have been misinformed about the figure.

“I think the Minister was somehow misinformed about the actual number of people who died in Bikita District.

The actual figure is eight not three, so I do not know how he(Chadzamira ) arrived at the latter number,” a senior Social
Welfare official told ZimEye.com yesterday.

“We got the figure on Tuesday so I think the Minister was misinformed,”added the official.

Farai Dziva| A senior Zanu PF official stunned the court when he admitted that he stole several bags of grain from the GMB because doing so was part of the ruling party culture.

Mwenezi district chairperson, Rennias Muchoko (42) had the court gallery in stitches when he claimed that stealing was part of the ruling party culture.

The case was heard before Magistrate Honest Musiiwa.The Zanu PF official was charged with stealing bags of maize and millet from Rutenga Grain Marketing Board (GMB) Depot.

According to court documents, Muchoko was sentenced to 10 months in prison, four of which were suspended on condition that he restituted GMB by March 22.

The remaining six months were suspended on the basis that he would perform 210 hours of community service at ZRP Rutenga.

According to court documents on August 12, 2017 at around 08:45hrs, Muchoko went to Rutenga GMB Depot and stole 10 x 50 kgs bags of maize and 2 x 50 bags of millet.

By Own Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has condemned the arrest of CITE ZW Director and journalist, Zenzele Ndebele.

Ndebele was arrested on Thursday in Bulawayo at State House where he had gone to attend a meeting between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and civil society leaders.

In a statement issued on Friday, the ZCTU said:

“We strongly condemn the arrest one of our fearless journalist Zenzele Ndebele the Director of CITE ZW. This is in no way different from the repression, intimidation and abuse trade union leaders and civil society leaders have been facing since independence. We shall overcome.”

Ndebele has produced two documentaries on the 1980s Gukurahundi genocide.

Last year, he was summoned by the police for questioning at the Bulawayo Central Police Station over the launch of his documentary on Gukurahundi.

By Own Correspondent- Public transporters here have hiked transport fares in Harare, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded.

The move, attributed to the disappearance of makeshift ZUPCO buses plying the majority of urban routes has seen the kombi operators cashing in on desperate commuters.

Commuters who spoke to ZimEye called on government to ensure the availability of fuel for the ZUPCO buses plying urban routes.

Said Florence Vhiriri from Chitungwiza:

“Kombi operators are in the habit of taking advantage of commuters especially when transport is scarce. The ZUPCO buses were regulating the transport fares and if they are to stop plying these routes, very soon, we will be back to the old days where one can just wake up and tell you that the kombi fare is $5.”

Added another commuter only identified as Mai Takunda:

“The hike in kombi fares makes coming to work useless because we are not getting any salary increment. Things are harder for us because then it means you are simply working for transport.”

Fears of fuel shortages due to the disruption of key oil infrastructure at Beira in Mozambique by Cyclone Idai-induced floods has plunged motorists in panic mode, a development which has seen fuel queues resurfacing.

In some Harare suburbs, the kombis have increased fares from $1.00 to $1.50. Chitungwiza commuters are paying between $2.50 to $3.00 per trip. However, the ZUPCO buses charge $1.50 per trip for the same route.

By Own Correspondent- Zanu-PF Politburo member Chris Mutsvangwa said the party is aiming to reclaim support in urban constituencies as it sells President Mnangagwa’s transformational vision of growth and industrialisation.

Mutsvangwa is part of the team leading the ongoing restructuring in Harare after President Mnangagwa recently disbanded party structures in the capital and in the second city of Bulawayo.

He Mutsvangwa is leading the exercise in Zone Four comprising of the northern suburbs, Hatcliffe and parts of Westgate in Harare.

Mutsvangwa said previously, there had been no package for urban dwellers as Zanu-PF mostly addressed issues to do with people in rural areas.

Mutsvangwa said Mnangagwa is the first Zanu-PF leader to offer a package for urban dwellers.

Said Mutsvangwa:

The first President to put a package (for the urban populace) is ED, essentially by being pro-business, going for Special Economic Zones, by reforming the currency sector. Houses are not the distinguishing factor of urbanisation because in rural areas there are also houses. The distinguishing factor of urbanisation is industry — factories. What is a town? A town is a place where you process goods on a scale which makes it possible to supply a market through mass production. That’s what a town is. If you miss that point, then it’s not a town.

Tobacco farmers have withdrawn 98 percent of their tobacco auctioned on the first day of the opening floors yesterday (Wednesday) as they protest against poor prices being offered by merchants.

Confusion and disgruntlement have rocked the auction floors with reports by Tobacco Association of Zimbabwe (TAZ) showing that farmers withdrew 98 percent of their leaf on the first day of sale.

“It is worrying that our members had to withdraw their leaf, 98 percent of the tobacco auctioned on the first day was withdrawn owing to a number of factors chief among them, poor prices,” said the president of TAZ Mr George Seremwa.

Investigation by this news crew which were confirmed by TAZ show that the situation has been further compounded by merchants who reportedly boycotted buying the gold leaf in protest against the two percent levy put in place by government.

“Out of 38 registered merchants only four are buying, they are offering very low prices due to lack of competition, but the big concern is that they are protesting against the two percent levy. So if not addressed they will pass the cost to the farmer,” Mr Seremwa revealed.

The statement by the central bank that farmers will be paid 100 percent RTGS also sparked outrage with farmers threatening to hold on to the crop until they get 50 percent foreign currency retention announced by the RBZ.

“It’s confusing now because we heard on radio and newspapers that we will be paid 50 percent in RTGS and 50 percent in US dollars but all of a sudden we are told we get 100 percent RTGS and buy US dollars, this is not fair. As farmers we are being short changed, and if not addressed we will be left poorer,” complained the farmers.

The first bale fetched $4.50 but the bulk of the tobacco was sold at between $2 and $0.50 during the two days of sale.

Asked for comment, the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board could not confirm or deny reports that merchants are boycotting sales but said they will issue a comprehensive report this Friday (tomorrow) on the situation prevailing at the floors.

-State Media

By Own Correspondent- Energy and Power Development Minister Jorum Gumbo says the Cyclone Idai devastating effects did not affect the Feruka pipeline which pumps fuel from Beira to Zimbabwe as being reported.

Minister Gumbo made the remarks on Friday at the presentation of a forensic report into the operations and affairs of ZESA Holdings to the new board led by Collins Chihuri.

Said Gumbo:

“It is the docking terminals at Beira port in Mozambique which were damaged not the pipeline itself.”

Minister Gumbo said it will take at least a week to reconstruct the terminals but the country has sufficient stocks to last 62 days for petrol and 32 days for diesel.

This is contrary to reports by a private fuel supplier alleging that the pipeline was heavily damaged.

By Own Correspondent| The High Court has acquitted Harare businessman Wicknell Chivayo of any criminal liability in the alleged US$5.6 million fraud and violation of the exchange control charges.

Harare High Court judge Justice Ephraim Tagu has upheld an application for exception to the $5.6 million fraud charges against the Intratek Zimbabwe Director.

In his 21-page ruling, Justice Tagu held that the judgement of Harare Magistrate Lazini Ncube given on 19 January 2018 dismissing Chivayo’s application for exception to the charges of fraud was faulty as the facts could not sustain a criminal suit.
He proceeded to dismiss the state case for lack of merit and upheld Chivayo’s application for exception, quashed the charges and acquitted both Chivayo and his company.

Advocate Lewis Uriri said the findings of the court had been in sync with their argument that the matter was purely a contractual one which should not be turned criminal as all contractual disputes are dealt with in civil proceedings.

Chivayo said he was apologetic for the inordinate delay in the 100 megawatt solar generation project necessitated by the legal battle and also said Intratek Zimbabwe will now proceed to work on the project immediately.

The Gwanda Solar Power Project deal generated a lot of public emotions with the disbanded Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy breathing fire on the alleged violation of good corporate governance practice, tender manipulation, corruption and fraud.

The ruling of the High Court puts a lid on all criminal proceedings at the Harare Magistrates Court over the Gwanda Solar Power Project deal.-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent- Seven touts from Chivhu who were last week arrested for touting have been sentenced to five months in prison, while six others were fined $100.

The seven, who appeared before a Chivhu magistrate on Monday, will, however, serve an effective three-month jail term each, after two months were suspended on condition of good behaviour.

The incarceration follows a police blitz in Mashonaland East province to remove touts from ranks.

Provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tendai Mwanza yesterday said more touts will be rounded up as they move to bring sanity at commuter ranks in all towns and growth points in the province.

Said Mwanza:

“ZRP Mashonaland East is on an overdrive to rid the province of any lawlessness. Recently, touts in Chivhu were arrested after frequent reports of harassment and theft against citizens at ranks. This prompted the police to embark on an operation targeting ranks and those operating the illegal Mushikashika.

We applaud the judicial system for the stiffer penalties, because this will go a long way in bringing sanity to the bus ranks. We urge members of the public, who may fall victim to such rowdy behaviour, to report to police so that those behind the act are brought to book.”-Newsday

By Own Correspondent- The Air Force of Zimbabwe reportedly deployed a faulty helicopter to Chimanimani.

The helicopter failed to do anything on its first day after the weather finally cleared to permit an aerial assessment of the Cyclone Idai-hit Chimanimani and Rusitu valley.

A source who spoke to a local publication confirmed AFZ deployed a faulty helicopter.

A private Bob Henson-owned helicopter working with Chimanimani Tourist Association (CTA) managed to do an aerial assessment.

Said the source:

“There was a plan to fly in formation with the AFZ … to Mutambara at their request then see if any doctors arrived to take them to where they are needed. Sadly, this didn’t happen because of a fault with their helicopter, so the private chopper flew off without patients deciding to go ahead with assessing roads. The AFZ later flew off to Chipinge, without any patients.”

The private helicopter, however, also later managed to assess the Wengezi to Chimanimani road as well as getting medical personnel to Mashonjowa where they were needed.-DailyNews

Firebrand Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has fumed over his removal from the parliamentary committee on mines saying it smacks of a plot to muzzle him from unearthing and exposing corruption in the mining sector.

Below is Mliswa’s Twitter thread on the matter….

1/The Standing Rules&Orders Committee has resolved to dissolve the Parly Mines Committee in order to reconstitute it. Initially the Hon. Speaker said that those who went with Hon. Mukaratigwa shouldn’t return. But Hons. Ziyambi&Togarepi intervened&surprisingly Mukaratigwa’s Chair

2/Myself&Hon.Nduna have been removed. I don’t mind not Chairing,as I’m restricted&obliged to behave in a certain manner as Chair but Committees should be comprised of all parties. What was the point of dissolving the whole Committee&wasting time not sitting just to get rid of me?

3/ I was looking forward to being an Ordinary Member of the Mines Committee& submitting my contributions to the fight against corruption in the Mining Sector as I’ve lots of info that’d be very beneficial. But I suppose they have their own plan with the Committee.

4/ Either way I’ll still bring up the mining matters in the August House whilst I investigate the constitutionality of my removal. I’m Independent&not whipped&therefore views from all angles are imperative. Removing me weakens the Independent views I bring in

5/ With the monies changing hands behind the scenes, the Committee had become compromised, I had recommended it’s dissolution for the good of Parly. I know that the good Lord has something better for me & my resolve for the fight against corruption has been doubled

6/My unprocedural removal, besides the fact I had initially step down to allow room for investigations sets a negative precedence. The outcome of those same investigations are yet to be revealed so you can see that they were really after me. I’ll keep soldiering on though

Econet Zimbabwe has harnessed the power of technology to help survivors of tropical Cyclone Idai.

Two drone pilots, Charles and Michael have been deployed to assist in search and rescue efforts to locate people in remote areas. Once identified helicopters will be sent to bring them in.

Meanwhile, as at 2 pm yesterday, 18,955 people had contributed RTGS$162,915.10 towards the Cyclone Idai fund. Econet will match dollar for dollar all individual contributions made towards this cause.

The donation EcoCash Biller code is 320041

 At least 139 people have been confirmed dead, while 189 are missing. Many others are marooned in areas that are hard to access, hence the use of drone technology to help with the rescue.

NB Graphic Pictures below!!

Norton member of Parliament Temba Mliswa has posted pictures of three men who were electrocuted while trying to steal copper cables in Chegutu saying natural justice was served.

Zimbabwe has lost millions of dollars worthy of copper cables to vandalism in the process affecting power supply and Mliswa appeared untouched by the fate that met the three Chegutu culprits.

1/ Graphic pictures warning. 3were electrocuted in Chegutu while attempting to steal copper conductors. 2 died instantly,the 3rd was seriously injured. Theft of cables&vandalism of transformers has caused power outages&untold suffering to the economy&many. pic.twitter.com/ZmlozJpv8c

— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) March 22, 2019

2/ No-one celebrates death but is this natural justice? Tweet your thoughts let’s hear…..

— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) March 22, 2019

S
THE Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Kirsty Coventry has reacted angrily to the shocking, embarrassing and close to sabotage action that led to the barring of the Warriors from training at the National Sports Stadium yesterday.

The national team is preparing for a do or die African Nations Cup qualifier against Republic of Congo tomorrow where victory or draw will see Zimbabwe book a ticket to the finals in Egypt.

Minister Coventry took to her official macro blogging site Twitter to express her disgust at the unfortunate incident.

“I will get to the bottom of this,” said Minister Coventry describing the behaviour by those responsible as ‘disgusting’.

“The kind of behaviour that happened yesterday is disgusting. Our national players need to be prioritized! Federations and Stadium Management need to understand that without our athletes there will be no Federations and no Stadiums! I will be getting to the bottom of this,”

The Stadium is owned by the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing.

State Media

Energy and Power Development Minister Dr Jorum Gumbo says the Cyclone Idai devastating effects did not affect the feruka pipeline which pumps fuel from Beira to Zimbabwe as being reported.

Dr Gumbo made the remarks this morning at the presentation of a forensic report into the operations and affairs of ZESA Holdings to the new board led by Mr Collins Chihuri.

“It is the docking terminals at Beira port in Mozambique which were damaged not the pipeline itself,” said Dr Gumbo.

Minister Gumbo said it will take at least a week to reconstruct the terminals but the country has sufficient stocks to last 62 days for petrol and 32 days for diesel.

This is contrary to reports by a private fuel supplier alleging that the pipeline was heavily damaged.

-State Media

Responding to reports that President Emmerson Mnangagwa chartered a plane from Dubai to come and take him to Bulawayo, a Twitter user has gone ballistic lashing out at the Zanu PF leader for spending big at a time the nation’s attention is focused on Cyclone Idai which hit parts of Manicaland and left a trail of destruction and loss of lives.

I think Mnangagwa was dying to get on a plane as if he was never in one. His appetite has just gone from a mere once in a while desire to a serial flyer, sadly at taxpayers money. Let's hope he will hire one for his final journey to H gates. Hell or Heaven no idea.

— Sanyaz (@Sanyaz101) March 22, 2019

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appealed for unity as the nation comes to grip with the devastating loss of lives and property as a result of cyclone idai which hit Zimbabwe last weekend.

Writing on Twitter to announce the declaration of two days of mourning, Mnangagwa said the unity and love shown during this challenging time should guide the nation through and months ahead.

Let me again thank all Zimbabweans and our friends abroad for their help, support & prayers. Above all, thank you for the unity and sense of community activism which has been on display this week. Let this unity and love continue to guide us through the weeks and months ahead

— President of Zimbabwe (@edmnangagwa) March 22, 2019

I have declared Saturday & Sunday days of national mourning to honour those we have lost over the past week and support the injured, displaced, missing and grieving. Let the prayers and support of a loving nation bring comfort to those in need

— President of Zimbabwe (@edmnangagwa) March 22, 2019

Former Energy minister Samuel Undenge has been taken to High Court by CBZ Bank Limited over a US$121 062 debt.

The financial institution recently issued summons against the former minister, who is yet to respond to the litigation.

According to the bank, Undenge approached the financial institution on November 12, 2009 and was offered a loan facility which he duly accepted and utilised.

The bank said some of the terms of the offer letter for the loan facility, which Undenge accepted were that the granted amount would not exceed US$48 000 and that the working capital facility would expire on April 30, 2010 and the input facility on June 30, 2010.

As part of the agreement, the bank reserved the right to give notice of any alteration in the rates of interest and thereafter the bank would be entitled to charge such other rates as it may prescribe.

“That all interest payable in terms of any credit facilities provided by the bank to the borrower (Undenge) will be calculated on the balance outstanding each day at the close of business and the interest outstanding at the end of each calendar month shall be capitalised and interest thereafter, shall be charged on such increased capital,” the bank said.

“That all cost and other charges incurred by the bank and arising out of or by reason of the grant or recovery of the facilities, including legal costs on a legal practitioner/ client scale and collection charges which the bank may incur in taking action of the recovery of any amount due to it will be recoverable by the bank on demand, from the borrower.”

However, as of February 5, 2019, the bank said, the balance outstanding on Undenge’s account was US$121 062,79 and despite repeated demands, the ex-minister had failed and/or neglected to pay the bank prompting the latter to approach the court for recourse.

The matter is pending.

-Newsday

Seven of the 13 Chivhu men who were last week arrested for touting have been sentenced to five months in prison, while the other six were fined $100.

The seven, who appeared before a Chivhu magistrate on Monday, will, however, serve an effective three-month jail term each, after two months were suspended on condition of good behaviour.

The incarceration follows a police blitz in Mashonaland East province to remove touts from ranks.

Provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tendai Mwanza yesterday said more touts will be rounded up as they move to bring sanity at commuter ranks in all towns and growth points in the province.

“ZRP Mashonaland East is on an overdrive to rid the province of any lawlessness. Recently, touts in Chivhu were arrested after frequent reports of harassment and theft against citizens at ranks. This prompted the police to embark on an operation targeting ranks and those operating the illegal Mushikashika.

“We applaud the judicial system for the stiffer penalties, because this will go a long way in bringing sanity to the bus ranks. We urge members of the public, who may fall victim to such rowdy behaviour, to report to police so that those behind the act are brought to book,” Mwanza said.

The jailed touts were arrested at the weekend, while the other six who were fined were arrested on March 12.

Touting is prevalent in most towns and cities in the country, with most perpetrators oblivious that it is a crime chargeable under criminal nuisance.

-Newsday

A VIDEO of the late music superstar and national hero Oliver Mtukudzi promoting the Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) scheduled for March 29 has appeared online, stirring people’s emotions.

Posted on the official Tuku Music social media pages, the video seems to expose cracks in the late musician’s family as it is promoting the South Africa gig at the expense of the Selmor Mtukudzi-led gig set for the same day at Andy Millar Hall.

While Selmor has the sympathy of the fans and the old Black Spirits band members, the other faction has used the video of the late musician inviting people to the festival, a video which was done before his death.

The video has seen the late musician’s followers being taken back into mourning, remembering Tuku’s music while others take it as a plot to scuttle the scheduled Selmor gig.

Black Spirits manager Walter Wanyanya was not picking his phone when contacted for comment.

After the musician’s death, a number of events were held as tribute to him with Selmor and her sister participating at one of the events in South Africa.

However, a message appeared on the Tuku social media pages, trashing all the other events saying the first of such events will be the Cape Town Jazz Festival where Tuku was supposed to showcase.

They announced that the late musician’s band, the Black Spirits, will participate at the festival.

“We are still trying to come to terms with the loss of our pillar of strength and as such, we have not engaged any organisation or individual to organise, plan any events on behalf of and for the Mtukudzi family here in Zimbabwe and elsewhere. 

“We would like to distance ourselves from any events or gatherings that are being held in the name of the Mtukudzi family as we are still grieving.

“All events that have the endorsement of Tuku Music and the Mtukudzi family will be posted on the official Tuku Music social media pages, the first such official event being the Cape Town Jazz Festival that Dr Mtukudzi was meant to have performed at this year and the show will now be a celebration of his life in music by his backing band, the Black Spirits,” read the message.

Tuku was supposed to be part of the festival where he was supposed to perform with singer-songwriter Vusi Mahlasela.

CTIJF management confirmed the line-up for the commemorative tribute, billed as Tuku Music: A Celebration of Oliver Mtukudzi’s Life through his Music, will fill Mtukudzi’s original slot on Saturday, March 30.

Mahlasela will be joined on stage by rising crooner Mbeu, Maduvha and Berita. 

G

Own Correspondent|Residents in Bulawayo’s Entumbane suburb have encountered a stunning situation of an aunt and nephew who decided to get married amid reports that the woman is now two months pregnant in what the man also claims was a pre-planned arrangement with his late uncle so that they could safeguard the family’s wealth.

Antony Mawewe (25) and his aunt, Chipo Mugati believed to be in her 40s decided to steal the limelight for all the wrong and unbiblical reasons when they got married following the death of his uncle Mike Mawewe on 3 December last year.

Antony’s father, Mawewe-Munyaradzi and the late Mike Mawewe were biological brothers, making the aunt his “mother” in a traditional sense. Mugati and Mike’s eight-year-old marriage was blessed with one child.

According to a mole close to the development, Mugati decided it was better to marry her nephew because she didn’t want to marry her late husband’s brothers, who had been reportedly looking to get her as a wife.

Antony was also more than willing to marry his “mother”, and even told his aunt’s family he was going to pay off part of the lobola his uncle still owed them when he passed away.

“What makes the two’s sins so obnoxiously unforgivable is that Mugati invited Antony from the village to come and assist her to nurse Mike when he was not feeling well. Mugati also claimed she wanted to teach Antony to sew since she is self-employed as a dressmaker.

“Shockingly, when Mike died and a few weeks after his burial, the family was stunned when they discovered that the two-Antony and Mugati — were now staying as husband and wife.

“When they were confronted by family members the two confessed that they were madly in love and were now staying together as husband and wife with Mugati saying that it all started at work during a joke which led to sex later in the night when they returned home.

“Chipo told the family gathering that she agreed to her nephew’s demand for sex and thought it was just to satisfy his sexual feelings, but somehow, it became a daily thing until they decided to get married,” said the mole.

In an interview Mugati, who said she was not ashamed or rattled by the development, promised to take their relationship to another level by walking down the aisle.

She said they would not allow anyone to derail their plans to solemnise their “illicit” relationship.

“We started staying together in December last year when his uncle died. I don’t see anything wrong with that since the practice of a son inheriting his widowed mother is prevalent in my home area in Bikita.

“Antony has always been there for me, when his uncle was ill and even after his death. That’s why I saw it better for me to marry him because my late husband’s other brothers were also looking to get me as a wife,” said Mugati unashamedly.

She said her family had since endorsed Antony as their “new” son-in-law.

“People, especially some men at our workplace are just jealous that I have moved on with my nephew as a husband. This is because I turned down their proposals. Before we got married Antony was single and searching and I don’t see any reason why people are casting aspersions on me as if I snatched him from another woman,” said Mugati.

“Nothing will separate us and we are planning to wed anytime soon,” said Mugati while expressing her undying love for Antony who had accompanied her to the B-Metronewsroom to set the record straight on their “weird” relationship.

Antony also echoed his wife-cum-aunt’s sentiments saying the marriage was a pre-planned arrangement with his late uncle so that he could look after the family.

“My uncle was the one who proposed that I take her in as my wife when he was ill at that time. This is because upon his death, he didn’t want her (Mugati) to go back to her family. When he died my family also saw it fit that I take over. I really love her and nothing will separate us. People should just come to terms with the news that I am the one who is now in charge. We are also not the first to have such a marriage arrangement,” boasted Antony.

“This rare act of a man sleeping with his aunt is the reason why it is no longer raining favourably in our city,” a neighbour who refused to be named tersely said as she threw her hand helplessly into the air.

Contrary to claims by Antony that his family blessed the marriage, his father in a telephone interview from his rural home in Muzarabani, breathed fire over the two parties’ marriage describing it as an abomination and disgrace to the family.

“I’m distressed. I don’t know how to handle this matter. It would have been better for her (Mugati) to get another man to satisfy her rather than going into a love affair with Antony who is culturally her son. It is a very shameful thing and an abomination,” fumed Antony’s father.

He added: “The whole family is against the marriage and as a biological father I have since disowned him as my son. Anything that happens to him I am not involved. I am suspecting the two started sleeping together when my brother was still alive.

“It is really an embarrassment to the family and when we reported the matter to the chief he said it was an abomination and that the two should pay 10 beasts for putting the name of the family and area into disrepute”.

Views from Zimbabwe Traditional Healers Association (Zinatha):

Zinatha president George Kandiero: “This is not allowed in our culture, makunakunachaiwo aya, (This is an abomination). In the past they would have been killed but today we cannot do it because we are afraid of the law. They should immediately break off their marriage or they risk experiencing a bad omen in their lives.”

View from a traditional leader:

Chief Mpakwa: “The whole act is evil and not part of tradition. As one of the traditional leaders from Bikita where the woman claims the practice is allowed, let me say we don’t have such a weird practice where a son is allowed to marry his mother.

“The man might not be the woman’s biological son but the nature of their relationship does not allow them to sleep together and they should be severely punished for what they did.”

View from a pastor: “Pastor Jacob Katsekera of Apostolic Faith Mission of Zimbabwe (AFM): “This is an abomination and not acceptable at all. The two should face the wrath of God. The prohibition of their marriage is found predominantly in Leviticus 18:8-18 and the chapter in question specifies punishments for incestuous unions.”

Own Correspondent|MOURNERS at a funeral gathering in Emncwazini Village in Figtree, about 40 kilometres south east of Bulawayo had the shock of their lives when body viewing was cancelled amid claims that the corpse was bleeding.

The burial of Ncenga Ndlovu reportedly left tongues wagging as people came up with different theories on what happened on the burial day.

A reliable source from the village said they were told that there was no body viewing due to some circumstances beyond control.

“Surprisingly even family members did not view the body. The matter was kept a secret, but some people close to the family then got word that the corpse was bleeding,” said the source.

It is reported that even mourners who attended the burial were ordered to control themselves and not weep too much.

“We do not understand the way things were handled at that funeral. It ended up happening as if the old woman had committed suicide. People are usually ordered not to cry at a funeral of a suicide victim and even the barring of body viewing left a lot of questions,” said the source.

One of the deceased’s sons, Ephraim Ndlovu, could neither confirm nor deny the reports.

“There is no story there. Whoever told you must be on a mission, why is she bothered that we did not have body viewing? I think she wanted to bewitch us.

“Anyway, whatever we did at the funeral, it was my mother’s wish. As a family we agreed to handle things the way we did. And my mother was very old (92) and she had been ill for a long time, that is the reason people were encouraged to control themselves,” he said.

He revealed that when an elderly person dies, his or her life is also celebrated because she would have lived a long and full life.

Own Correspondent|State media has sensationally claimed that arrested journalists Zenzele Ndebele was yesterday arrested at the Bulawayo State House with grenades.

Ndebele was actually arrested for possessing used tear gas canisters at State House where President Mnangagwa was meeting Matabeleland civil society leaders.

The government run media claimed that police arrested Ndebele for conduct likely to breach the maintenance of public peace, in an incident with a chilling reminder that President Mnangagwa was bombed at White City Stadium last year.

Sources said alert security officials recovered items that could threaten public peace as Ndebele drove into the State House.

Ndebele, is a journalist and director of Centre for Innovation and Technology (CITE), an online media organisation.

A security source said he was found with suspicious articles used by security agents, but could not elaborate further according to the media.

“(His arrest) it has to do with his conduct that was likely to breach the maintenance law and order. He was likely to breach maintenance of public peace considering that this was a public gathering. So he had no reason at all to go into that gathering carrying some items which in actual fact are items which are used by security services and he is not a member of the security services.”

The security source added: “The law is very clear no one should go into any public gathering carrying items which legally no one would be allowed to be in possession of. He had no reason at all to carry those items to the gathering. Whatever he was carrying he had no reason to be in possession of those items.”

He said Ndebele is likely to appear in court today.

Agribank has approached the courts seeking to recover a real time gross settlement of a (ZWR) $33 720 loan advanced to former Finance minister Ignatius Chombo six years ago.

The former minister was issued with the court summons recently and he is yet to respond to the litigation.

According to Agribank, sometime in January 2013, Chombo applied for and was granted a loan facility of US$30 000 by the bank and in terms of the facility agreement he was supposed to settle the debt by October 31, 2013.

“In terms of the loan facility agreement, payment of the full amount fell due on October 31, 2013. Penalty interest began to run at the rate of US$18 per annum from the date of maturity. In default and, therefore, in breach of the agreement between the parties, the defendant has failed to pay the capital sum and interest thereon in the sum of ZWR$33 720,55,” the bank said.

“Despite demand, the defendant (Chombo) has refused to and/or neglected to pay the amount due to the plaintiff (Agribank).”

Just recently, the High Court dismissed Chombo’s application for permanent stay of prosecution in a matter in which he is facing a plethora of criminal cases involving corruption, fraud and criminal nuisance.

High Court judge Justice Nicholas Mathonsi said Chombo’s abduction by the members of the Zimbabwe National Army, during operation restore legacy in November 2017 was not meant to extract a confession for criminal offences against him.

Following his arrest and subsequent appearance in court on criminal charges, Chombo last year sought a High Court order to compel the National Prosecuting Authority and its boss Prosecutor-General Kumbirai Hodzi, to permanently suspend his prosecution alleging violations of his constitutional rights as enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

But, in his judgment dismissing Chombo’s application, Justice Mathonsi said the violation of Chombo’s rights by the army appeared to have been undertaken for no discernible reason at all, adding that excessive force and violence was used to capture him, leaving a trail of destruction.

The Judge further said Chombo was not subjected to physical assault and neither was there an attempt to extract evidence or a confession from him in respect of the offences he is now facing, hence he must face trial at the magistrates’ court.

NewsDay

Former Energy minister Samuel Undenge has been taken to High Court by CBZ Bank Limited over a US$121 062 debt.

The financial institution recently issued summons against the former minister, who is yet to respond to the litigation.

According to the bank, Undenge approached the financial institution on November 12, 2009 and was offered a loan facility which he duly accepted and utilised.

The bank said some of the terms of the offer letter for the loan facility, which Undenge accepted were that the granted amount would not exceed US$48 000 and that the working capital facility would expire on April 30, 2010 and the input facility on June 30, 2010.

As part of the agreement, the bank reserved the right to give notice of any alteration in the rates of interest and thereafter the bank would be entitled to charge such other rates as it may prescribe.

“That all interest payable in terms of any credit facilities provided by the bank to the borrower (Undenge) will be calculated on the balance outstanding each day at the close of business and the interest outstanding at the end of each calendar month shall be capitalised and interest thereafter, shall be charged on such increased capital,” the bank said.

“That all cost and other charges incurred by the bank and arising out of or by reason of the grant or recovery of the facilities, including legal costs on a legal practitioner/ client scale and collection charges which the bank may incur in taking action of the recovery of any amount due to it will be recoverable by the bank on demand, from the borrower.”

However, as of February 5, 2019, the bank said, the balance outstanding on Undenge’s account was US$121 062,79 and despite repeated demands, the ex-minister had failed and/or neglected to pay the bank prompting the latter to approach the court for recourse.

The matter is pending.

NewsDay

Own Correspondent|First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa is reported to have cut her prolonged stay in New York allegedly to return home and attend to cyclone Idai crisis ravaging the country.

Women Affairs, Community and Small to Medium Enterprise Development Minister Sthembiso Nyoni said this at a CSW side presentation on Tuesday where the First Lady was expected.

“As Minister and leader of this delegation, I saw it fit to invite our First Lady to this year’s CSW to come and share her most humbling and wonderful works which she is doing through her Angel of Hope Foundation back home.

“I also want to convey an apology from our First Lady who could not be here with us today as we all know that our country was hit by a cyclone which affected parts of our country and our First Lady, as a responsible leader, had to fly back home to see to it that the affected citizens are assisted,” said Minister Nyoni.

Mrs Mnangagwa left the country over a fortnight ago a week ahead of the UN women conference with a delegation of women drawn from across the country. She was heavily criticised for leaving the country far too early ahead of the meeting which she has since failed to attend.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday held discussions with Matabeleland civic groups at the State House in Bulawayo, stressing the need for national cohesion and collective efforts in taking the country forward.

The meeting saw the President interfacing with some organisations that had previously been hostile towards the Government expressing commitment to contribute towards the development of the country.

He heeded calls for engagement by the Matabeleland Collective, a grouping of non-governmental organisations, faith-based organisations, community-based organisations, trusts, savings clubs and social movements from Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South.

The closed meeting discussed among other things, compensatory development, national healing, devolution and inclusivity.

After the meeting, President Mnangagwa hailed the interaction which he described as the first of its kind in terms of social dialogue.

He also revealed that he had not brought a prepared speech but came with an open mind to listen to the people’s concerns.

“I came here with an open mind to listen and I am satisfied that I made the correct decision because non-interaction creates fear, suspicion where there ought to be no fear, where there ought to be no suspicion at all.

“I go back today knowing that the social groups, non-governmental organisations, civic organisations have their country at heart. We have different perspectives on the issues that affect our different communities where we stay or where we operate, not to make things worse but to make things better,” said President Mnangagwa.

“What the Government would not want to hear are persons who would not want to make things better. I think we had heads in the sand, our heads are out now, I’m afraid you may begin to run away from us when we look for you,” he chuckled.

President Mnangagwa said after yesterday’s meeting, the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Dr Sekai Nzenza is going to create a platform so that dialogue and interaction can continue and where necessary he would attend when invited.

“Most importantly, let me congratulate the Matabeleland Collective for initiating and beginning this process which of course other sectors and sections of our community are going to follow but you are the leaders. I congratulate you and I say thank you,” said President Mnangagwa.

Dr Nzenza said the Matabeleland Collective has set the pace for social dialogue.

“I want to thank Jenni Williams for her openness in what she has done for us today and also to say what she represents and the President’s response clearly shows the way forward for the Zimbabwe that we want it to be,” she said.

Speaking on behalf of Matabeleland Collective, Ms Williams who is also director of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (Woza) before and after the meeting hailed the President for lending them an ear saying the country’s economy was a top priority for any sober thinking Zimbabwean.

She expressed hope that relevant ministries would open their doors as swiftly as the President did his when they called for dialogue.

“I think this is God’s blessing on Zimbabwe. I think we should realise as Christians that this is a time for us to talk, a time for us to come together, a time for us to realise that if this horrible economy where there is such suffering is to be fixed, it will be fixed by all of us together,” said Ms Williams.

“It is now time to realise that what divides us must be put aside and let’s concentrate on what unites us.”

Giving introductory remarks before the closed meeting, Ms Williams said:

“Realising that we could not continue to cry tears of destitution and despondency, we decided instead to raise our heads and out them together to develop a new approach to development work for the betterment of our region.”

Ms Williams said the country is stronger together and Matabeleland Collective is working to help citizens look ahead for hope and energy than looking backward with sadness.

“The people you see in front of you have cracked their heads and debated together on how we can lead our communities towards a lived sense of peace and healed hearts. We talked about economic renewal and pointed fingers at Government but when you point a finger there are three fingers pointing back at you, reminding you that you have a role to play,” she said.

MDC-T legislator Mrs Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga paid tribute the President Mnangagwa for his patience and openness.

“I’m happy for two things,” she said, “firstly that we started a new phenomenon that the President is not only seen in Harare but comes down to the people, even this State House. I last came here when my uncle (the late Canaan) Banana was still President. People have never come here. The mere fact that people came here and held a meeting is important.”

She said she was also happy with the frank discussion around the need for healing in the country.

“The President did not rush anyone to speak or said he was in a rush to go somewhere, he came here, sat and listened patiently to all the contributions,” said Mrs Misihairabwi Mushonga.

Habakkuk Trust director Dr Dumisani Nkomo said:

“It was a good meeting and we are thankful that the President has said for example issues such as Gukurahundi should be openly discussed in the media. He was very open to issues of compensatory development and devolution, issues to do with infrastructural development, healing and the importance of ensuring that people tell their story.”

State Media

Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, pictured, believes that President Emmerson led government could have prevented the loss of lives in Manicaland and Masvingo if it had evacuated people well before these areas were hit by Tropical Cyclone Idai.

More than 500 people are feared dead after winds of up to 170 kilometres per hour — accompanied by heavy rains — swept buildings in Chipinge and Chimanimani, triggering landslides and causing floods. Roads and bridges were swept away by the powerful cyclone which did not spare people’s homes.

On Tuesday, Chamisa — leader of the MDC — said since it was clear that a natural disaster was on its way, government should have acted much-much earlier to save lives. The 40-year-old lawyer said what did not help matters was that help took long to reach victims of the cyclone due to the country’s poor infrastructure and unplanned settlements, especially in rural areas.

“The response of the people was better than the response of the State which came like an afterthought when cyclones are a scientific phenomenon whose formation and trajectory can be detected and forecast. Although we all saw the cyclone coming, the State did little to warn and remove people from harm’s way.

“With the advent of climate change, cyclones have become regular in our part of the world. Citizens would have thought by now the State has learnt something about how to save lives and to protect the people during these deadly cyclones.

The sad reality is that the disaster preparedness of the entire infrastructure of the State is itself a disaster. Indeed, devastation caused by Idai, especially the tragic loss of life, has exposed the clear and present danger that the State itself is a disaster,” said Chamisa.

Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri early this week admitted that government’s response in the face of the cyclone that has left a trail of destruction in Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi, was slow.

“We had heard that floods were coming and a cyclone, but we had not moved or done anything to help ourselves.

I think we as people of Manicaland (province) have learnt a lesson and next time we will protect lives and urge people to move knowing what will happen, and we move into camps together with the government’s help,” she said after visiting victims of the floods.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who toured the area on Tuesday, has declared the devastating cyclone a national disaster.
On Tuesday, deputy minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Energy Mutodi said government has done everything it can to contain the natural disaster that has left over a 1 000 people homeless and destroyed food stocks.

“…Mnangagwa has done what a reasonable Head of State and government would do in the face of Cyclone Idai. He cut short his United Arab Emirates trip, set up a Cabinet team to assess the damage, deployed the army to rescue survivors and will today (Tuesday) tour the affected areas,” Mutodi said on Tuesday.

But Chamisa said the problem is not about the current response but rather the state of the country’s roads and other infrastructural facilities that are in a state of disrepair and a nascent danger to users. “Most of our road infrastructure and bridges are substandard and of poor workmanship.

What we want here is a national infrastructure plan for the whole country spanning into 20 to 50 years that speaks to national focus on … roads and rail networks, bridges and bullet trains,” said the MDC leader. Chamisa described the haphazard settlements in the countryside as a ticking time bomb, calling for an integrated national settlement plan for rural areas.

“We must put in place effective disaster preparedness and early warning systems to be put in place through a revamp of the current inadequate mechanisms.

“We need an accelerated industrialisation and urbanisation upon an integrated upgrade of rural facilities to state-of-the-art level in health, energy, communication and housing,” said Chamisa. — DailyNews

Own Correspondent|NORTON member of the House of Assembly Temba Mliswa (INDEPENDENT) has been kicked out of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development Committee by the no-nonsense Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda.

The portfolio committee had been dissolved by Parliament’s Committee of Standing Rules and Orders on 18 February to pave way for investigation into allegations that Mliswa and three other MPs demanded a $400 000 bribe from a private contractor intending to mine in Hwange.

All members except for Mliswa were reappointed to the Mines and Mining Development Portfolio committee, the Speaker announced, much to the chagrin of Mliswa whose face could not betray that he was shell-shocked by the decision.

“I would like to inform the House that all members of the dissolved Mines and Mining Development Committee have been reappointed to the same Committee except Hon. T. Mliswa,” Mudenda announced in Parliament yesterday.

He added: “For the avoidance of doubt, the following are the Members of the Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development — Hon. R. Bhila; Hon. S. Bhuda; Hon. L. Chikomba; Hon. S. Chikwinya; Hon. M. Chombo; Hon. Dzuma; E. Gwanongodza; Hon. N. Kachepa; M. T. Karimazondo; Hon. C. Kashiri; Hon. T. Khumalo; Hon. P. Machando; Hon. C. Machingauta; Hon. B. Majaya; Hon. T. R. Matangira; Hon. S. Matsunga; Hon. D. Mawite; Hon. E. Mkaratigwa; Hon. M. M. Mpofu; Hon. S. Mudarikwa; Hon. M. Mugidho; Hon. E. Musakwa; Hon. C. P. Mutseyami: Hon. E. Ncube; Hon. A. Ndebele; Hon. T. Nyabani; Hon. J. Paradza; Hon. E. Samambwa; Hon. A. Samson; Hon. T. Saruwaka; Hon. P. D. Sibanda; Hon. S. Sithole; Hon. D. Svuure; Hon. F. Taruvinga; Hon. J. Toffa; Hon. Zhou.

“The newly constituted Committee shall be chaired by Hon. Mkaratigwa.”

Edmond Mkaratigwa is the Zanu PF Shurugwi South legislator.

Mliswa interjected: “On a point of privilege Mr. Speaker…”

But the Speaker was in no mood to entertain Mliswa. “There is no debate on the announcement,” Mudenda said, before proceeding with other announcements.

Mr Mliswa, who chaired Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development, was implicated with three other members — Cde Leonard Chikomba (Gokwe Kabuyuni, Zanu-PF), Mr Anele Ndebele (Magwegwe, MDC-Alliance) and Mr Prince Sibanda (Binga North, MDC-Alliance).

The Speaker also announced that Chegutu West MP Dexter Nduna had been relieved of his post as chairperson of the Transport and Infrastructure Development Portfolio Committee.

Said Mudenda: “I also wish to inform the House that Hon. Gorerino has been appointed Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development. The Committee membership remains unchanged except that Hon. D. Nduna is no longer a member of that Portfolio Committee.”

Nduna was recently appointed as chairperson of the portfolio committee which he leaves before presiding over as chairperson.

Known to the MPs as “The Headmaster” over his no-nonsense approach to parliamentary rules, Mudenda had previousyl said Section 194 (1) (a) of the Constitution required that Members of Parliament demonstrate high standards of professional ethics.

It read as follows: “Public administration in all tiers of Government including institutions and agencies of the State and Government-controlled entities and other public enterprises must be governed by the democratic values and principles enshrined in the Constitution, including the following principles, (a) a high standard of professional ethics must be promoted and maintained”.

Mliswa and Nduna had a brawl in Parliament in February during which Mliswa accused Dexter Nduna of illegitimately benefiting $11 million from the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration.

Mliswa also accused Nduna of not taking his Anti-Retroviral treatment which he alleged were causing him to be mentally ill. He challenged Nduna to go and get tested for HIV/Aids.

Nduna would not take it lying down and threatened to deal with Mliswa “outside of Parliament.”

The two later apologized to Mudenda.

A 62-year old self-proclaimed prophet burst into tears in court after he was arraigned for allegedly raping and impregnating a 22-year-old woman.

Columbus Christopher Gangata of Mzilikazi suburb appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Franklin Mkhwananzi and pleaded not guilty to a charge of rape and was remanded in custody to April 2 for trial.

The magistrate ordered him to go for mental examination as he showed signs of being unstable.
Gangata said he did not rape the woman but instead he proposed love and wished to marry her.
“After proposing love to the woman, she came to my house demanding money. I gave her $10 and she stripped naked before touching my body, begging me to have sex with her.

“We had unprotected sex because l told her l would not make her fall pregnant. I am a prophet and cannot do such a shameful thing,” he said, tears streaming down his cheeks.

The prosecutor, Mr Mufaro Mageza said sometime in January at around 1PM, the woman was walking from Sibantubanye Jairos Jiri training centre in Nguboyenja towards the Baptist Church in Mzilikazi.

“She found the church gate locked and decided to go to Makokoba to see a church elder. The woman passed by Gangata’s house and asked for water to drink.

“Gangata led the woman to his kitchen and while she was in the kitchen, he locked the door. He ordered her to undress but she refused,” he said.

The court heard that Gangata dragged the woman to his bedroom, pushed her onto a bed and had sex with her while covering her mouth with his hand.

He gave the woman $10 and told her not to tell anyone about the matter before releasing her.
On March 13, the woman went to her rural home and was suffering from stomach pains. Her sister took her to a clinic where they were told the woman was pregnant, said Mr Mageza.

“Nurses referred her to the police. She made a police report and was referred to Mpilo Central Hospital for medical examinations,” he said.

A medical report was produced in court as an exhibit.- state media

Farai Dziva|In spite of the ensuing tension between Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa and his former boss Robert Gabriel Mugabe the former still adores his mentor.

Speaking at a media briefing in the United Arab Emirates at the weekend, Mnangagwa described Mugabe as a champion of the liberation struggle.

Mnangagwa has repeatedly refused to utter negative words about his former boss and he has elected to be evasive when asked about his relationship with the former strongman.

“President Mugabe is our father.He is the founding father of the struggle for black empowerment, he is a living legend,” said Mnangagwa.

“We will never forget the role he played during and after the liberation struggle. He pioneered the land reform programme and up to now we are still enjoying the fruits of his efforts,” said Mnangagwa.

Farai Dziva|Declared Zanu PF sympathiser, Jimaya Muduvuri has claimed Emmerson Mnangagwa has been anointed by God to lead Zimbabwe.

Muduvuri’ s blasphemous remarks have angered the people of Zimbabwe.

Barely a week after Mnangagwa equated himself to the Creator, his fervent follower Muduvuri has sensationally claimed that “the President” is a God given leader.

Muduvuri has further claimed that efforts to remove Mnangagwa from office are futile.

“You see, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been anointed by God to lead Zimbabwe and nobody can force him out of the country’ s highest office.

God knows what President Mnangagwa is the leader of this country- as such he will not be pushed out of office by noisemakers,” declared Muduvuri.

“We have to thank God who gave us such a leader.Everything happens in a the right season and we have to be cognisant of the fact that President Mnangagwa has been appointed by God to lead the nation,” added Muduvuri.

By Own Correspondent- Responding to a question on government policy regarding the distribution of inputs to farmers under Command Agricuture, Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Dougas Karoro told parliament that inputs were supposed to be distributed on time in order to allow farmers to make informed decisions.

Karoro said Command Agriculture was adequately funded.

He said:

“Government’s position is that inputs must be distributed early and on time to allow farmers to make informed decisions.  If inputs are distributed late, it will seriously inconvenience farmers.  The position is that inputs must be distributed early before the onset of the season.

The programme (Command Agriculture) was adequately funded. I want to make it clear to the other Members that Government allocated various inputs to specific companies, individuals and private sector.  As such, according to our records, all the inputs that we have requested the private players to supply have been met.”

KADOMA Cemetery has been turned into a booze and sex haven by some people who have defied the sacredness of the place.

The city’s youths are among those enjoying quality time in the graveyard while beer guzzlers and drug addicts also using the cemetery located in Westview Suburb to the west of Kadoma.

Kadoma City Council decommissioned the cemetery adjacent to Kadoma General Hospital a few years back after it ran out of space and it now only has reserve graves.

Socialites and residents came out guns blazing attacking the city council on social media for failing to at least fence the graveyard which is now a sex haven.

“Kadoma cemetery. No fence…looks like teenagers are partying there weekly. If the council aren’t doing anything maybe the funeral homes can,” said a socialite.

A resident, Tinarwo Mafukidze (63), however spared council blame instead blaming fellow residents for failing to respect the dead.

“It is shocking how people can have intimacy inside the graveyard, they should at least show some respect for the deceased. During our days it was unheard of that people can have sex in the graveyard,” he said.

Kadoma Mayor, Alderman Action Nyamukondiwa yesterday said council was seized with the matter and plans were underway for the construction of a security wall as a way of curbing the shameful deeds.

“The housing department is going to clean up the cemetery and in our 2019 budget we have put money for construction of ‘durawall’ (security wall),” he said.

Culturally a cemetery is a sacred place, but that phenomenon is not the same in urban areas where residents see nothing sinister about graves.

H-metro

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared two days of national mourning this coming Saturday the 23^rd and Sunday the 24^th after the worst ever weather related disaster and flooding killed 139 people so far, with the death toll expected to reach several thousands.

The President made the announcement at State House this evening, where he was giving an update on Cyclone Idai.

Zbc News online

By Own Correspondent| President Emmerson Mnangagwa has commended civil society organisations (CSOs) that turned up at the CSOs/ Government Interface in Bulawayo today (Thursday).

He said that the interface presented opportunities for both government and CSOs to communicate openly.

Mnangagwa who ironically is on record threatening CSOs following the January 14 fuel protests accusing them of supporting the regime change agenda expressed optimism of further engagements adding that today’s deliberations were fruitful.

He said:

“Today, we engaged in important dialogue with faith organisations, NGOs and civil society groups from Matebeleland. No issue was left untouched as we listened to each other in the spirit of unity. Thank you to all those who took part and I look forward to further such meetings.”

Media Statement By Total Zimbabwe|Following the devastating effect of cyclone Idai experienced in Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, the fuel supply chain logistics into Zimbmabwe have been negatively affected.

Based on the information we have received, the following has since been established:

The jetty in Beira has been damaged and can’t receive vessels to discharge.

Pumping House roof has been blown away, the electrical board was affected, and the status is not yet known (damage yet to be established).

The condition of the pipeline from Beira to Zimbabwe is yet to be established and we still await NOIC update on the same.

Given the above, the stocks in the tank in Msasa may not be replenished in due time as is required and this is likely to put pressure on the supply chain.

We are seized with finding a quick supplying option and we will keep you posted on the developments and any cost structure implementations as we progress.

Malaysian Airlines has repossessed four planes which had been sold to Zimbabwe Airways, the ill-fated Air Zimbabwe proxy, informed sources said.

Former President Robert Mugabe personally negotiated the acquisition of the four Boeing 777-200 planes which had been retired by Malaysian Airlines after one of the fleet disappeared without trace and another was shot down over Ukraine.

Zimbabwe, seeking to build a debt-free airline under the pretence that it was privately-owned to avoid inheriting Air Zimbabwe’s $300 million debt, negotiated to buy the four planes for a discounted $70 million.

But aviation sources said on Wednesday that the planes, two of which are in Malaysia and the other two in the United States, had been repossessed after the Zimbabwe government failed to meet the terms of payment.

“Here’s how aviation purchases are structured. One, you have the seller; two you have the buyer; three you have the seller’s bank; four you have the buyer’s bank and five you have the owner. In the case of these four planes, Zimbabwe negotiated directly with the seller only to be referred to number three (seller’s bank),” a source familiar with the deal said.

“Once the Zimbabwe government made a payment for two planes that you see branded, and made a commitment for the other two, they were then removed from the sales portal. But months down the line the Zimbabweans failed to collect what they had paid for. They failed to pay the balance after the commitment fees.

“Storage and maintenance costs started piling up until this point. There are other costs that the Zimbabweans had not calculated that made the planes actually more expensive.”

Two of the planes, bearing registration 9M-MRL and 9M-MRM, were flown for checks in the United States last year, and are believed to be still in Kansas in the state of Missouri. Two others, 9M-MRQ and 9M-MRP, only conducted test flights in 2017 and remain in Malaysia.

“The government of Zimbabwe wanted the planes delivered to Harare, I’m not sure what changed. What has happened though is that the planes were eventually all repossessed.”

Our source added that “no money was made” by Zimbabwe. “It was a huge loss.”

Transport Minister Joel Biggie Matiza could not be reached on Wednesday after travelling with President Emmerson Mnangagwa to cyclone-hit Manicaland. His deputy, Fortune Chasi, declined to answer questions on the planes, insisting only the minister could provide an update on the matter.

Only in February, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa told a post-Cabinet briefing with journalists that the Ministry of Transport had been directed to “rebuild Air Zimbabwe by acquiring four Boeing 777 aircraft from Malaysia and to seek delivery of Embraer aircraft from the United States.”

The Zimbabwe government desperately wants to shore up Air Zimbabwe, which is now operating just one plane.

The mishandling of the acquisition of the Malaysian planes, which took the back-burner after Mugabe was ousted in a military coup in November 2017, will invite fresh questions into the deal.

Commercial pilot and aviation blogger Jerry Haas, writing on Twitter on Wednesday, said the four planes had already been sold on for $12.5 million each. Zimbabwe Airways had been quoted $18,5 million for two of the planes and $16,5 million for the other two, according to former Transport Minister Joram Gumbo.

“Unfortunately for Zimbabwe Airways or Air Zimbabwe they were repossessed for obvious reasons,” Haas tweeted.

Some aviation experts have argued that the four planes are not what Air Zimbabwe currently needs, pointing out to high fuel and maintenance costs.

Instead, they have suggested smaller planes like the Brazilian-made Embraer ERJ as agile alternatives to ply regional routes to regrow the airline before it secures bigger aircraft to resume overseas flights

Correspondent|Three women spent nearly 24 hours hanging onto a tree naked before they were eventually rescued after Cyclone Idai-induced floods swept away 80 houses at Dzingire Growth Point, popularly known as Kopa in Chipinge.

The houses were washed away when three rivers, Rusitu, Nyahode and Chipita flooded, confluenced and changed course, washing away all the houses and a police station situated between the rivers.

Several of the houses where owned by agricultural extension workers. Kopa possibly experienced most of the devastation.

One of the three women, Majiva Magweva (32), lost her two children to the floods as well as her mother. She also lost a niece and is now the only survivor in a family of three.

In a heart-rending account, Magweva said she hung onto her two-year-old child while she was being swept way by the floods, but was hit by debris and lost grip of the baby in the process.

“It was around 9pm on Friday when water started entering our house. I took my two-year-old child and went outside to look for a secure place,” Magweva said.

“I walked a few steps and was knocked down. I tried hard to keep a tight grip on my child, but was hit by a rock on the chest and forced to let off the child.”

She added: “I was thrown onto the river bank and I realised I was marooned and more water was coming. That time, I saw another woman. We rushed and helped each other up a tree, pushing and pulling each other. One more woman came and in no time, we were up three branches. We were all naked; we had been stripped naked by the floods.”

The women were forced to brave the rains for the whole night and tried to look for help after day break, which did not come until around 3pm.

“Around 3pm on Saturday, rescue came, but in a very difficult way. A group of men with three ropes, which did not reach us. One of them volunteered to have a rope tied around his waist and dived into the water while the other men held the rope to ensure that he does not drown. He arrived at the tree and went up, tied the rope on the branch to allow us to hold on it before they dragged him out using the same rope.

“When we were up the tree, we prayed the whole night for rescue. We wanted to join others, we didn’t know they had all been washed away. My two kids, my sister’s child and my mother are gone. I don’t know where they are,” she said, tears racing down her frail cheeks.

After the rescue, that is when Magweva realised hundreds of people had been washed away by the floods. What used to be their residential suburb is now littered with huge rocks, leaving no sign that it was a residential place.

“I am sure our relatives are trapped under these stones. Just there (pointing to a place littered by the rocks) was were our house was.”

Harryman Kazembe, a teacher, said his wife and daughter were woken by the sounds of the flood water at around 10pm and they attempted to move out of
the area to higher ground.

“I briefly got stuck in the mud and my wife and children continued to go up. But suddenly, a wave of floods came and swept my wife and my five-year-old daughter away right in front of me. I was briefly swept away too and I had to hold onto a tree, where I was marooned for nearly 24 hours when local rescuers came with ropes and pulled me and others who had hung onto trees, to safety,” Kazembe said.

“One of my daughters, who survived, sustained burns on the neck after she got into contact with (live) electricity cables as she had taken refuge on poles that were carrying a transformer.”

As professional and State rescue took long to come, locals ended up taking matters into their hands because they could not continue to watch their fellow residents stuck up on trees as the water levels took long to subside.

It took five days for the first police and army trucks to reach Kopa and by that time, some who could have been rescued, had been swept away downstream.

My fellow Zimbabweans

I am appealing to you all to set aside your differences, especially political differences, so that together we can tackle the huge task before us that needs our attention in all our millions. This is no time for politics. This is no time for apportioning blame.

There will be plenty of time for us to sit down as a Nation family and draw lessons from this most unfortunate and unforgettable calamity. We can learn where we went wrong and who was supposed to do what so that if God forbid there is a next time, we will be best prepared.

I can tell you first hand that the situation is desperate indeed. The devastation was unforgiving and typically of nature, indiscriminate.

For now the focus is on massive humanitarian and relief requirements and needs. The job of cleaning up after this disaster falls on each and every one of us and it is a responsibility that can only and easily be executed through our collective efforts.

The world’s eyes are fixed on us. Let us show one spirit through one love.

May God bless Zimbabwe

Farai Dziva|Respected political analyst Dr Pedzisai Ruhanya has pointed out four factors that influence election results in Zimbabwe.

“Elections in Zim are never determined or won by votes. To win elections one needs FOUR THINGS 1. Money 2. Security apparatus 3.ZEC 4.Judiciary. This is the view of the Zaka villager after analysing electoral outcomes in Zim especially after 2000,” argued Dr Ruhanya.

“There4 MONEY, SECURITY APPARATUS, ZEC and JUDICIARY are the four centres of ZANU PF electoral gravity that the opposition led by @nelsonchamisa need to work on apart from controlling the VOTE/VOTERS in order to defeat ZANU PF in 2023. Centres of manipulation must FALL.”

By Own Correspondent| Deputy Minister for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Energy Mutodi said that evacuations of villagers in Manicaland could not be carried out as they were likely going to resist.

Mutodi asserted that this would have necessitated the involvement of the army which would naturally apply minimum force to overcome the resistance.

Such a move would then result in reports of fake rape, fake torture and fake abduction claims.

Writing on Twitter on Thursday. Mutodi said:

Evacuations would do for those who complied but in this case, it would’ve been eviction as villagers would resist moving. The exercise would have required the police & the army to use minimum force & as usual, there were going to be fake rape, torture & abduction claims.

Meanwhile, journalist Mduduzi Mathuthu has ‘corrected’ the Honourable deputy minister, saying that ‘you wouldn’t know the difference, but it’s significant. It’s EVACUATE not EVICT‘.

Own Correspondent|Prominent Bulawayo journalist Zenzele Ndebele was on Thursday morning taken away by state security agents at State House in Bulawayo when he was found with tear gas canisters in his car.

Ndebele who heads innovative Bulawayo media CITE had his car searched as he entered State House to cover the dialogue between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Bulawayo Civic Society Organisations.

On searching the vehicle, state security discovered, what sources close to him say were used tear gas canisters in the boot of his car.

The sources claim, Ndebele kept the canisters in his car after picking them up in the streets of Bulawayo during the January citizen protests and may have forgotten to get rid of them before going to State House.

Details on his where abouts were still sketchy at the time of writing but reports indicate that he was whisked away by army and CIO operatives.

Own Correspondent|President Emmerson Mnangagwa has held high profile closed door dialogue with Matabeleland based Civil Society Organisations under the Matabeleland Collective banner.

Representatives of over fifty organisations met with Mnangagwa at the Bulawayo State House for a dialogue on which the Gukurahundi atrocities issue was paramount.

The civic organisation groups demanded that Mnangagwa decriminalize the Gukurahundi discussions and open the issue for national dialogue. The group also demanded that Mnangagwa gives urgent attention to having a closure on the matter.

In response, Mnangagwa guaranteed the region that his government is giving the Gukurahundi issue a priority through the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission.

On the issue of the implementation of the devolution of power, Mnangagwa also assured the region that the constitutionally provided for matter will be sorted within the time frame of the current parliament.

Mnangagwa further promised Matabeleland that he will prioritise infrastructural development of the region after years of marginalisation by the previous government.

This is a developing story……