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PART 1 – ZimEye brings our valued readers and viewers the latest updates on the Lomagundi road (off Harare) Mercedes benz accident. [ THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY]

ZimEye is reliably told the accident 6.7 km from Westgate Shopping Centre, Harare. (SEE THE SATELLITE MAP BELOW)

The culprit at the centre of the accident is a garden boy working for a BluffHill family who stole the vehicle while the owner had travelled to Victoria Falls. LIVE SATELLITE MAP:

The suspect has worked for the Harare family for over 3 years.

On Sunday morning at around 4 am, the suspect, Zviito Katsveya (42) seized the vehicle after noticing that the owner (name withheld) had travelled to Victoria Falls on Friday.

Impeccable sources described Mr Katsveya as an on the face of it, usually reliable worker who they did not at all expect to do such a thing.

“He was a hard worker, who you would not think can do such a thing,” said one source.

In the wee hours of the morning, Katsveya allegedly stole the car keys, and drove the car out of his boss’s property  – drove it over to the nearby Tom Farm, and took with him two unidentified passengers. He then drove the car away towards Chinhoyi. It is believed that he went to a place called Stapleford. Luck however ran out on him when while driving back to Harare, he lost control of the vehicle.

Evidence at the scene which ZimEye reveals suggests that Katsveya rammed into three trees before crashing onto the last one severely ripping the car’s bonnet off. Due to the impact, the petrol instantly crept out leading to also the fuel spreading all over the grass. As a result a fire broke out.

One of the passengers died at the spot while Mr Katsveya was taken to Parirenyatwa Hospital. ZimEye could not at the time of publishing establish the whereabouts of the other passenger who is believed to be at large.

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY – REFRESH THIS PAGE FOR THE UPDATES.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is set to retire long-serving Cabinet ministers and deploy them at Zanu PF headquarters — as he comes under growing pressure to dump the deadwood that worked for decades with ousted former leader Robert Mugabe.

At the same time, the ruling party also plans to adopt a modus operandi which gives it more power than the government — akin to the Chinese model.

Well-placed Zanu PF insiders told the Daily News newspaper yesterday that Mnangagwa was “definitely going to re-assign many bigwigs” to the party’s headquarters — commonly referred to as Shake Shake House in Harare street lingo — in a bid both to strengthen its administration and to also breathe new life in government.

The Chinese Community Party (CCP) has a similar model, which seems to have been lately adopted by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa.

“The changes are coming. What we are going to have is a situation whereby the old guard will go to the party and enjoy the same perks as ministers.

“What we are saying is that the party is supreme to the government and the party must therefore have the power to recall some of the ministers from government,” a senior member of the party told the Daily News.

Zanu PF secretary for legal affairs Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana said the move would in practice make the party bigger than the government.

“It is the party that seconds people to the government, and so the party is superior.

“If we were following the South African model, it would have been clearer … any political party should be superior to the government, but we must improve the conditions at the party first,” he said.

Mnangagwa began his new term as president last month following the July 30 plebiscite whose outcome was hotly-contested by opposition leader Nelson Chamisa.

The elections were the first that Zimbabwe had held without the deposed Mugabe — who resigned from office in November last year on the back of a military intervention.

They also marked the first time that the main opposition MDC was not represented by its founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who lost his brave battle with cancer of the colon on Valentine’s Day earlier this year.

However, the peaceful campaigns and a camaraderie spirit that had characterised the run-up to the elections were sullied in the aftermath of the polls when deadly violence broke out in Harare’s central business district (CBD), following clashes between opposition supporters and security agents.

At least six people subsequently died when the army used live ammunition to break the ugly protests.

Following the protests, the opposition also asserted that suspected security agents had been involved in retributive exercises in which they targeted senior MDC Alliance officials and polling agents — following the insistence by Chamisa that he had in fact won the presidential election.

All this was seen by observers as harming Mnangagwa’s quest to mend years of Zimbabwe’s broken relations with key Western governments.

Against this background, political analysts told the Daily News yesterday that the country’s 75 year-old leader needed to come up with “a convincing” Cabinet to demonstrate that he was breaking with Mugabe’s ruinous past.

Piers Pigou, a senior consultant with the International Crisis Group, said Mnangagwa needed to retire the old guard and replace it with “competent individuals” who shared his vision of transforming the country.

“This would certainly address anxieties that have been percolating about the retention of deadwood, which would not inspire confidence in the implementation of Mnangagwa’s proposed reforms.

“As to whether the country will move forward with a raft of new Cabinet appointments, this depends on an array of external and internal variables, and not least, the competencies of those brought into the Executive and the teams they have supporting them,” Pigou told the Daily News.

Political analyst Maxwell Saungweme said Mnangagwa had a golden opportunity to prove that he was serious about transforming the country.

“Having young people on the driving seat of governance and development is not only the right thing to do, but also a democratic opportunity given the surging young population in Zimbabwe and other neighbouring African countries.

“The appointment of new, younger people will be a good indicator that the country is moving forward. It will inspire confidence … not only among locals, but also external investors and other countries.

“Retiring the old guard to the party is also a good move, even though it might cause rumblings and discohesion in Zanu PF. But it is the way to go,” Saungweme said.

Namibia-based scholar Admire Mare said Mnangagwa would need to overhaul the whole system and put Zimbabwe on the recovery path again if he was to perform better than Mugabe.

“Whilst change of personnel in the Cabinet is something everyone is looking forward to seeing, there is also need to look beyond faces and interrogate the system of government — including permanent secretaries, directors and ministers.

“The whole system requires significant cleansing in order to introduce confidence and trust in the public that this is indeed a “new” dispensation.

“New personnel will ultimately bring the much needed confidence and trust from the general public, which can also cascade to regional and international publics.

“Some of the old guard is so discredited to the point that they lack the political standing needed to drive the country forward. News brooms will ultimately sweep cleaner than the old guard,” Mare said.

Analysts have also said previously that while Mnangagwa was credited with presiding over arguably the most peaceful election process in post-independent Zimbabwe — he needed to extend an invitation to the opposition to join his government, a move which they said would unite the deeply-divided country.

While Zanu PF has ruled out reaching to the opposition, Mnangagwa has said he would use his “constitutional” prerogative in deciding who would form part of his next government.

Zimbabwe is in the grip of a huge economic crisis which has seen prices of basic consumer goods skyrocketing, weeks after the July 30 national elections.

Apart from price hikes, most public hospitals have run out of basic essential drugs, which government is struggling to import due to acute shortages of foreign currency.

DailyNews

By Staff Correspondent|The British government has appointed Melanie Robinson as Ambassador to the Republic of Zimbabwe starting in January 2019.

Robinson will take over from Catriona Laing who has been reassigned to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. At the moment Robinson is the executive director for the United Kingdom at the World Bank Group Washington.

She has extensive experience working for the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID).

The U.K says it would strongly support Zimbabwe’s re-entry into the Commonwealth, a 53-nation bloc of former British colonies that could bring economic benefit to the once-pariah African state.

“The U.K. would strongly support Zimbabwe’s re-entry” into the Commonwealth, a press release from the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office, former British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said at a roundtable at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London.

“The historic meeting ushers in a new era in U.K.-Zimbabwe relations and symbolizes Zimbabwe’s commitment to engaging meaningfully with the international community.”

The meeting signified the step in Zimbabwe’s attempt to reinstate its relationships with other countries, after decades of international isolation under former President Robert Mugabe.

Mugabe, who ruled the former British colony for nearly four decades, was ousted in November as part of a military coup. He was succeeded by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, formerly Mugabe’s deputy.

Mnangagwa has been trumpeting a “Zimbabwe is open for business” mantra in an attempt to resurrect the nation’s economy, which has been crippled by hyperinflation and sanctions.

Mugabe withdrew Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth in 2003 in a row over sanctions.

Staff Correspondence|The body of the late Zimbabwean Ambassador to Senegal Mrs Trudy Stevenson who died in Dakar Senegal on 24 August has been repatriated.

The body arrived at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport aboard a South African Airways flight.

It was accompanied by Mrs Stevenson’s son Dr Alex Graham Stevenson and embassy counsellor Louis Chitima.

Director Human Resources, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Mrs Petronella Nyagura and deputy director protocol and conferencing services Shepherd Gwenzi received the body.

Her son Alexander described his late mother as an exceptional person and mother.

He said she died alone watching TV and had been well until the time she died adding that news of his mother’s death came as a shock to him, her diplomatic colleagues, family and associates.

Alexander said his mother had a vast network of friends in the diplomatic corps, at the embassy and all.

He said the Minister of Health and Child Care Dr David Parirenyatwa who was in Senegal said Mrs Stevenson was a great ambassador for Zimbabwe and wanted to ensure the ties would benefit her country.

Charge d’ Affairs in the embassy said she was a hard worker and patriot of her country who always wanted to do the best in her work.

By Paul Nyathi|The much awaited City of Bulawayo mayoral elections public meeting has failed to take place as set out.

A packed Large City Hall waited patiently for the 4pm meeting to take place only for the Town Clerk Christopher Dube to emerge an hour later declaring that the public meeting can no longer take place as the councillors refused to have the meeting in public view.

Chaotic scenes immediately erupted in the city as residents failed to understand why the meeting would not go ahead.

Meanwhile yet to be confirmed reports indicate that the councillors met in isolation and elected the mayor the results of which are still to be made public.

The mayoral election is clouded in huge tribal fights with the council divided into two camps on who the mayor will be.

By Paul Nyathi|White City Stadium in Bulawayo, the venue of June 23 assassination attempt on President Emmerson Mnangagwa has gone up in flames.

The monumental City of Bulawayo facility went up in flames mid afternoon today on Tuesday under unclear circumstances.

The sports precinct has been closed from the public use since the bombing incident.

More details on the fire will be made available as they become available.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa who is currently in China attending the Forum for China-Africa Conference has sensationally claimed that his visit in the eastern economic giant will definitely bring exciting times to the people of Zimbabwe.

Mnangagwa who took to Twitter to share the news appeared in a picture with the Chinese President Xi Jinping while in other images he poses for pictures with other African head of states during the FOCAC meeting.

Representing the new Zimbabwe with pride and honour.

Exciting times ahead! pic.twitter.com/myTXP7KIzq

— President of Zimbabwe (@edmnangagwa) September 4, 2018

Staff Correspomdent|Senzeni Klassen, a sister-in-charge at Beitbridge District Hospital was recently suspend from work for allegedly making remarks on an audio that are deemed to cause negative tribal sentiments.

Klassen allegedly denigrated the Venda people of Beitbridge for voting a Zanu PF MP into power in the July 30, 2018 elections. She is said to have put Venda in low regard as compared to the Shona people.

The audio went viral on social media and some Venda people were already calling for her blood.

Media has established that Klassen was suspended on August 3 in the presence of her lawyers, Tinomuda Shoko and Obey Shava from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.

Part of the suspension letter, which was signed by the District Medical Officer Dr L. Samhere reads;

“Following allegation of an abusive audio circulating on social media, please be informed that you have been suspended from service and attendance at work or continued performance of your duties at Beitbridge District Hospital.”

Masvingo Mirror

BULAWAYO’s newly-elected ward three councillor, Tinashe Kambarami (MDC Alliance) has been taken to court over an $11 000 debt owed to the National Railways of Zimbabwe Contributory Fund (NRZCPF).

Sometime in August 2016, the pension fund filed summons against Kambarami and Rosemary Kambarami demanding payment of an $11 300,64 debt, and the court granted the order, but the duo failed to pay up.

On August 27 this year, NRZCPF applied for Kambarami’s civil imprisonment for defying the court order.

“The Sheriff of the High Court require and direct Tinashe Kambarami and Rosemary Kambarami that you the defendants are called upon to pay the plaintiff the sum of $11 300,64 and taxed costs of $3 421,06. You are required to pay this sum by virtue of a judgment obtained against you at the High Court at Bulawayo on August 2, 2016 under which you were ordered to pay the sum of $11 300,64 interest thereon and were also ordered to pay $3 421,06 taxed costs of the case. The deputy Sheriff has attached and received $20 leaving a balance of $11 300,44,” the summons read.

NRZCPF submitted that the two should be brought before the High Court in Bulawayo to show cause why an order for their imprisonment should not be made.

“You should bring your evidence of your financial position and it will in your interest give the court evidence of your income from wages, salary or other earnings and any other income you may receive from any other sources,” the summons read.

“You are at liberty to approach the judgment creditor before the date of the hearing and make an offer of settlement of the sum due.

“Unless you pay the plaintiff the sum specified or unless the plaintiff accept the offer of settlement which you make, you must appear before the magistrate court on the date and at the time specified. If you do not do so, a writ of personal attachment may be issued against you and you may be committed to prison.”

The latest lawsuit came a few weeks after Kambarami was issued with another summons for civil imprisonment over a debt of nearly $40 000 in unpaid rentals and legal costs by the same pension fund.

Kambarami and NRZCPF entered into a lease agreement in September 2015, but he defaulted in payment of rentals resulting in his eviction and the culmination of a series of lawsuits.

In December last year, Kambarami lost some of his properties after they were attached by the Sheriff of the High Court and auctioned for failing to pay the debt.

NewsDay

By Paul Nyathi|Former police officer Tafadzwa Gambiza who in the 2005 elections arrested now State President Emmerson Mnangagwa for electoral misconduct continues to make headlines after he got a reprieve over his unfair dismissal from the police force.

Emerging details from within the police indicate that Gambiza has been paid his terminal benefits dating back to 2008 when he was dismissed from the police after he refused to cast his vote in front of his superiors.

The highly controversial Gambiza rose to prominence when he arrested then Zanu PF Kwekwe parliamentary candidate, Mnangagwa together with his then election agent and now Local Government Minister July Moyo.

Gambiza arrested Moyo for allegedly contravening the Electoral Act after he had turned up at a polling station during voting putting on a ZANU PF campaign t-shirt with Mnangagwa’s face.

When Mnangagwa tried to interfere on Moyo’s arrest, Gambiza turned his handcuffs and arrested him too for obstructing the course of justice.

In the 2008 elections Gambiza refused to cast his vote in front of his superiors which led to his immediate dismissal from the police without benefits.

Since the time, Gambiza has been fighting unfair dismissal through his lawyers, Mhaka Attorneys.

Senior Assistant Commissioner Angeline Guvamombe Chief Staff Officer (Human Resource Administration) has advised Gambiza’s lawyers that their client has been accorded his terminal benefits and pay dating back to the time he was dismissed from the force after winning his case at the labour court.

“Your client is at liberty to approach the Office of his former Commanding Police Province who will issue him with a Certificate of Service as provided for in the relevant Police Standing orders,” wrote Assistant Commissioner Guvamombe.

“Copies of your client’s pay slips were issued to him during the period he was reinstated.

“After his discharge, your client may claim his terminal benefits to Pensions Office, Mukwati Building upon completing the appropriate Pension Refund Form.”

Gambiza is also remembered for raising a fraud and corruption case against former police commissioner August Chihuri.

The case, which was reported at Kwekwe Central Police Station was made before Chihuri was fired from his position.

Gambiza who himself had already been dismissed from the police at the time accused Chihuri of illegally printing fake spot fine books which were not prescribed at law and converting the money to his own use, paying his top officers and abusing his position for self-enrichment.

In his papers against Chihuri, Gambiza said he was aware that the matter had Cabinet approval and was debated in Parliament, but this did not make it law and Chihuri, as a law enforcer, was supposed to be competent enough not to implement illegal decisions.

MDC Alliance’s Goromonzi South youth chairperson Davison Chamisa yesterday appeared before Marondera magistrate Arnold Maburo answering to two counts of political violence after he allegedly threatened to destroy a Zanu PF official’s homestead before forcing another person to chant the opposition party’s slogan.

Chamisa (37), a Ruwa Local Board municipal cop denied the charge of threatening to burn Zanu PF Rusike district chairperson Norest Maziya’s homestead during campaigns.

He also denied allegations of forcing villager Peter Madakudya to chant an MDC slogan. The matter will be finalised tomorrow.

According to court papers, on June 23, Maziya was allegedly seated at his homestead in Rusike village when the accused person who was leading a group of MDC Alliance youths approached singing and chanting party slogans.

As they passed the homestead, Chamisa allegedly threatened to burn Maziya’s homestead.

On the same day, the group allegedly stormed Madakudya’s home and forced the complainant to chant the MDC slogan. Lee Gada represented the State.

– NewsDay

By Paul Nyathi|President Emmerson Mnangagwa has set Tuesday next week as the day on which the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Senate President and their deputies will be elected.

In a statement yesterday, Parliament said the Head of State and Government had set Tuesday next week as the day on which presiding officers would be elected.

“The President of the Republic of Zimbabwe has fixed Tuesday, 11th September 2018 at 0900 hours at Parliament Building as the date, time and place for the first sitting of Parliament in terms of Section 145 (1) of the Constitution, mainly to elect Presiding officers,” reads the notice from Parliament.

Section 145 of the Constitution reads: “First sitting of Parliament following general election, (1)The first sitting of Parliament after a general election must take place at a time and date determined by the President, but the date must not be later than thirty days after the President-elect assumes office in terms of Section 94.

“(2) Until the election of a President of the Senate or a Speaker, as the case may be, the first meeting of a House of Parliament must be presided over by the Clerk of Parliament.”

The election of presiding officers will be preceded by swearing-in of Members of Parliament to take place on Wednesday. Both events will be presided over by the Clerk of Parliament, Kennedy Chokuda.

Advocate Jacob Mudenda has been Speaker of the National Assembly in the Eighth Parliament, deputised by Marble Chinomona, while Edna Madzongwe was President of the Senate, with Chen Chimutengwende as her deputy.

By Paul Nyathi|The Confederation Of Zimbabwe Industries CZI, claims that coincidental technical faults at the country’s largest cement makers PPC Zimbabwe and Larfarge are behind the on going shortage of the commodity on the market.

In a real desperate effort to cover up for the shortage which manufactures blamed on the lack of foreign currency to purchase other raw materials from outside the country, Sifelani Jabangwe, president of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI), an umbrella body for the manufacturing sector in the country, claimed that technical failures were the reason behind the shortage of the cement.

“The shortage of cement could be due to the fact that coincidentally there has been a technical fault at both PPC Ltd and Lafarge,” he told state media.

While PPC Zimbabwe managing director Kelibone Masiyane could not immediately substantiate Jabangwe’s claims, Gweru-based Sino-Zimbabwe Cement said their operations were normal. Its sales and marketing manager, Mr Ibiam Sengwe, said they were producing at 100 percent capacity, which translates to 1 000 tonnes per day.

“We are doing exceptionally well. We are offering unhindered service to our customers. Every type of our cement is available on the market and our production is good,” he said.

The temporary shortage of cement has greatly upset the construction sector and shocked the market at large. The few outlets that have the product are reportedly selling it at double the original price. Most hardware stores that normally sell cement have run out of stock, while prices had increased to between $15 and $20 a bag compared to the recommended retail prices averaging $11.50 for PC and $10 for masonry.

The country has a demand of about 1,3 million tonnes of cement annually and local producers have a combined capacity of producing around 1,6 million tonnes per year.

By Paul Nyathi|A huge tribal storm is brewing in Bulawayo as the city prepares for the election of the mayor and his deputy on Tuesday afternoon.

The all opposition MDC Alliance councillors have been guided by the party to elect Ward 12 councillor Solomon Mguni as city mayor but councillors are set to defy the arrangement alleging the party leadership has no say in the choosing of the city’s first resident, it has been learnt.

In a party caucus held last week with the councillors, the party also ordered the councillors to elect ward 1 councillor Mlandu Ncube as the Deputy Mayor.

Party source close to the councillors told ZimEye.com that the decision by the party has divided the council on tribal grounds as some councillors claim that the two are being imposed on them to avoid having a person of Shona orientation as the mayor or deputy mayor in Bulawayo.

The 29 member council is divided into two factions with 17 of the councillors being of Shona orientation while 12 are of Ndebele orientation.

Besides the party efforts to have an only Ndebele people at the helm of the city, the other 11 Ndebele councillors are against councillor Mguni being elected as the Mayor preferring instead Ward 26 councillor, Norman Hlabano and Mguni as his deputy.

According to the highly placed sources, the councillors said to be of Shona orientation are moving to accept the party arrangement to have Mguni elected as mayor but on condition that one of their own, that is Ward 3 Councillor Tinashe Kambarami, is elected as Deputy Mayor.

The stand off has apparently been leaked to the residents of the city and has attracted huge interest from members of the radical pressure group turned political party, Mthwakazi Republic Party who have vowed to make sure that Kambarami is not elected as the Deputy Mayor of the city.

The group has mobilised residents of the city to attend the council meeting which has since been moved from the council committee room to the Large City Hall to accommodate the huge number of residents expected to attend the meeting.

Bulawayo Town Clerk Christopher Dube confirmed that the local authority will conduct the process at the Large City Hall deviating from the norm where it’s done privately at the Committee Room.

“Bulawayo residents want to know what is happening and in promoting transparency, we have resolved to have the meeting at the Large City Hall.

“Normally this should be a Special Full Council meeting which is held not even at the Council Chambers but at the Committee Room in closed doors. But because we want this to be transparent we will allow everyone to come in,” said Mr Dube.

He said the municipality considered that the Council Chambers will be too small to accommodate residents as evidenced by the scores who turned out last Friday at the swearing in ceremony of the councillors.

“We considered that if we hold it at the Council Chambers other people will not be accommodated like what happened during the swearing in ceremony. So we’re going to be conducting the ceremony at the Large City Hall.”

Dube said police will be there to maintain peace during the process.

“And police have confirmed their presence. We want to barricade some areas to ensure that residents do not access a certain area so that they will not interfere with proceedings,” he said.

“We want the process to be done without any disturbance so councillors should be in a position to elect the mayor and deputy mayor of their choice.”

Bulawayo police spokesperson Chief Inspector Precious Simango urged residents to abide by the law during the election process.

“We are appealing to Bulawayo residents to follow the proceedings without any interference. Police will be out to maintain peace.

“However, they will arrest anyone who will breach the law. They should also respect police officers who will be deployed on duty,” said Insp Simango.

By Paul Nyathi|The newly elected members of the National Assembly and Senate will be sworn in on Wednesday to kick start work of the ninth parliament of Zimbabwe.

Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda has indicated that all necessary logistics for the swearing in ceremony have been made and a notice of the swearing in given in accordance with Section 128(1) of the Constitution.

“Parliament is geared for the swearing in of Members of the Ninth Parliament on Wednesday September 5 as required by Section 128 (1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
The swearing in will done starting with the National Assembly at 10:00am and the Senate at 1430,” he said.

“Seeing that we have 270 members in the National Assembly the swearing in will done in batches of 10 MPs to expedite the process. Accommodation for members from outside Harare will be at the usual hotels that we have an arrangement with.”

Twelve villagers from Mangwe District have been arrested for allegedly beating up a man to death after accusing him of stealing from a homestead within their community.

Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the incident which occurred on Saturday in Mayobodo area.

He said the gang detained Misheck Ncube for about four hours and during the process severely assaulted him with whips.

“I can confirm that we are investigating a case of murder where 12 people from Mayobodo area ganged up and beat up Misheck Ncube after accusing him of stealing. They detained him for about four hours and beat him up with whips until he bled from the mouth and head.

“They then took him to the village head who ordered them to rush him to the clinic as he was seriously injured. Ncube was taken to Mambale Clinic for treatment where he died two hours later from injuries sustained during the assault. We have arrested 12 suspects and they are assisting police with investigations. They are expected to appear in court facing a murder charge,” he said.

Chief Insp Ndebele urged members of the public to desist from taking the law into their own hands. He said community members must surrender suspects to the police upon apprehending them.

A source who preferred anonymity said Ncube was beaten up after being accused of stealing property that belonged to a villager who works in South Africa.

“ Joshua Dube was assigned by his nephew to watch over his property and homestead as he works in South Africa. When Dube went to check on the house on Saturday morning he realised that some property namely clothes and some appliances were missing,” said the source.

“He noticed some shoe prints around the homestead and he notified 11 other villagers. They teamed up and followed the shoe prints which led them to Ncube’s homestead. They confronted Ncube and accused him of stealing the property which resulted in the assault.” – state media

The majority of more than 2300 Zimbabweans have declared that the environment and tourism minister Oppah Muchinguri is stealing endangered white rhinos and selling them off to foreign Nations. The below were the results from the poll whose accuracy was maintained by a strict IP filter that ensures that only distinct human beings vote:

DOES THIS MAKE SENSE? – Zim Has Less Than 50 White-Rhinos And Muchinguri Says She's Donating 10 Beasts To DRC

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) September 1, 2018

Why Did It Take Muchinguri 3 Days To Admit She's Secretly Exporting 10 Rhinos Out Of Zimbabwe? @edmnangagwa @OppahMuchinguri @SharonHoole @wildlifesociety

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) September 3, 2018

Ten armed robbers pounced on an ice-cream distribution company in Bulawayo and got away with more than $8 300 in the early hours of yesterday after tying up two security guards and three other employees at the premises.

The machete and iron bar-wielding robbers raided Great Flavours Enterprises in Kelvin North and assaulted two security guards and some employees before breaking a locker containing the cash.
The suspects disappeared into the darkness soon after committing the crime and they are still at large.
Bulawayo police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Precious Simango, confirmed the incident saying investigations were underway.

She said the armed robbers made off with more than $8 300 and six cellphones all valued at about $600.

“We’re investigating a robbery case which occurred just after midnight. 10 unidentified robbers wielding machetes and iron bars, pounced on employees at an ice-cream company and robbed them of more than $8 200 and six cellphones.

“They assaulted them with iron bars while they searched them, demanding cash and valuables. In the process, they took away their cellphones worth $600 and a total of $120 cash that was in their pockets. They tied up the five men, proceeded to ransack the place and broke a locker that contained cash amounting to $8 228,” she said.

Chief Insp Simango appealed to members of the public who may have information that may lead to the arrest of the 10 suspects to notify the police.

“We are appealing to anyone who may have information leading to the arrest of the suspects to contact their nearest police station,” she said.

Chief Insp Simango also warned members of the public to desist from keeping large sums of money as this may attract thieves who may injure or kill them.

“People should learn to bank their money to avoid unnecessary cases of robberies. Sometimes such incidents result in loss of lives and injuries,” she said.

Two weeks ago, four masked armed robbers allegedly stormed a house in Bulawayo’s Gwabalanda suburb and got away with more than $18 000 raised from selling a house.

The assailants, armed with hammers, knives and an iron bar, allegedly raided the couple at their home, torturing the husband as they demanded cash from him while the others ransacked the house.

The man allegedly gave them information about where he had stashed the money after the gang stabbed him multiple times and hit him with a hammer on both hands.
Sources said the suspects broke an iron padlock and forced open a security door at the kitchen to gain entry into the house.

During that same week, two people were attacked with bricks before they were robbed of P800, US$200, $11 bond and a cellphone by unidentified robbers in Bulawayo.

The two were attacked as they walked to board kombis to Pumula South suburb from Old Lobengula suburb along Old Mazwi Road towards Masiyephambili Drive.
No arrests have been made.
– state mediq

Police in Goromonzi have arrested three suspects in connection with the shooting of illegal gold panners at Acturus Mine that occurred on Sunday morning.

This comes as investigations into the shooting incident by security guards at the company.

The three suspects have been identified as Learnmore Matangira (29), Enerst Kavhu (39) and George Mahufa (57).

10 spent cartridges have also been found at the scene of the crime.

The shooting incident occurred around 8.am when five armed security guards belonging to Braising Security, the company contracted to provide security at Acturus Mine, approached about 30 gold panners at Goromonzi RDC offices compound and opened fire, seriously injuring four.

The injured are currently at Parirenyatwa Hospital receiving treatment.

It is not clear what exactly happened that led to the guards opening fire on the panners.

Residents say the mine authorities should find more amicable ways of resolving such conflicts.

“It is not good to see our children having running battles with the mine security guards. A solution which does not involve use of firearms need to be found urgently,” said one, Erica Kamarori.

ZRP Mashonaland East Provincial Spokesperson, Inspector Tendai Mwanza confirmed the arrests and said the suspects are expected to appear in court on Tuesday facing attempted murder charges. – state media

Correspondent|The Movement for Democratic Change Alliance which is contesting the results in 19 national assembly constituencies needs to win only one case to deny the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front a two-thirds majority which allows it to, among other things, change the national constitution.

Although ZANU-PF won five more seats above the two-thirds majority in the 210 elected seats, it only won 35 in the proportional representation seats to give it 180 seats in the 270 member lower house, exactly a two-thirds majority without any single seat to spare.

A single victory by the MDC could therefore reduce the number of seats to 179 which is below the two-thirds majority.

Some ZANU-PF legislators and officials have been talking about amending the constitution to raise the minimum age for one to qualify to contest for president.

Right now the age is 40 which Chamisa attained this year 12 days before the death of Morgan Tsvangirai on Valentine’s Day.

Chamisa went on to wrestle leadership of the party and contested as president losing narrowly to Emmerson Mnangagwa.

He has, however, rejected the result despite losing at the Constitutional Court.

This has led some of his critics to argue that Chamisa is insisting that he won because of immaturity. He cannot handle defeat because of his young age.

ZANU-PF youths have, however, vowed to contest any such proposal saying some of the party leaders like former Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) boss Josiah Tongogara were accomplished statesmen by the age of 40.

“When Gen Tongo died, he was 41. An accomplished war strategist and statesman. He was the leading beacon at Lancaster Negotiations. He unlocked impasses with his mature approach,” Nick Mangwana, the ZANU-PF chairman for the UK said.

“We cannot change our rules because of 1 self-destructive immature 40 year old. Let’s be progressive.”

By Paul Nyathi|The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, ZLHR, has deployed three lawyers to offer emergency legal support services to three opposition MDC Alliance party members arrested in Harare on Monday

The MDC members including Highfield West constituency MP-Elect Happymore Chidziva, Chamunorwa Madya, the Deputy Secretary-General for the MDC Alliance Youth Assembly and Mafaiti Mubaiwa, were arrested on Monday by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers when they handed themselves over to the police after a national search for them.

The police officers accuse Chidziva of inciting public violence after he told MDC Alliance party supporters at a political rally held in July 2018 in Gweru in Midlands province that his party supporters will protest against an unfavourable election outcome and will defend their vote if Zimbabwe Electoral Commission rigs the election in favour of ZANU PF party.

According to the police, hundreds of MDC Alliance took to the streets on August 1 protesting the delayed release of presidential results allegedly on the strength of Chidziva’s inferences.

Six people were killed at the protests when members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces fired live bullets to quell the protests.

By Paul Nyathi|Alderman Herbert Gomba has been elected as the new Mayor of Harare.

Gomba a long serving councillor in the city previously served as deputy mayor in the 2008 to 2013 council.

He takes over the opposition MDC Alliance run council from outgoing mayor Bernard Manyenyeni who did not seek re-election.

The EU, one of Zimbabwe’s biggest donors has suspended funding of a US$14 million conservancy project in Save Valley in Chiredzi because thousands of Zanu PF supporters illegally settled in the area are resisting eviction.

The EU project is meant to erect a fence around Save Valley Conservancy which is famed for the second largest black rhino population in Africa. The project is not only important for Zimbabwe’s wildlife and tourism industry but is aimed at reducing people-wildlife conflicts that are a perennial problem in Chiredzi and parts of Bikita.

The Conservancies were invaded by landless Zimbabweans at the height of land invasions in 2002.
Both Chiredzi District Administrator (DA) Lovemore Chisema and Joseph Shoko, the chief environment officer in the Ministry of Environment confirmed the move by EU. They said they received directives to stop any further programs on the project.

“We received a directive from EU to stop any further programs regarding implementation of a project in Save Valley funded by EU. We have not been furnished with reasons,” said Chisema.
Apart from erecting the fence, the Fund is meant to build schools, sink boreholes and build dams for people in the area.

Newly elected Zanu PF MP for Chiredzi North, Roy Bhila buttressed the fear when he vowed that he would not allow the 10 000 families settled in the conservancy to be moved because they voted for him. Chiredzi North is one of the constituencies where Zanu PF performed exceptionally well garnering 36 00 votes against MDC Alliance’s 3 000.

“During my tenure in office, I will not in any way allow the relocation of people from Save Valley. Wildlife is not more important than people. I am their representative and they told me that they don’t want to move,” said Bhila in an interview with The Mirror.

Chisema said EU told him to stop any program to do with the implementation of the project carried out by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). In addition to erecting the fence, part of the funds were going to be used to establish infrastructure in the conservancy.
Chisema said that he was now waiting for communication from Government on how to proceed.

It is also believed that EU suspended the funding over Government’s questionable respect for Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (BIPPA).

“They stopped the program indefinitely, they didn’t tell us but it might be due to elections. We are hopeful that we will continue since the implementing partners, FAO were on the ground and their roadmap will be presented to Cabinet,” said Shoko.

Masvingo Mirror

Patients on tuberculosis (TB) treatment have expressed fears of developing drug resistant TB following shortages of a key combination drug in most health institutions in the past two months.

Some patients from Chitungwiza interviewed claimed that the drug – rhzefdc – was in short supply since June and they have been travelling to as far as Mvurwi and Shamva to get their supplies.

“We have been experiencing this shortage for the past two months and some adults have been taking paediatric formulations. Some of us have had to go as far as Shamva just to get these drugs,” said one of the patients who spoke on condition of anonymity.

She said with this interrupted treatment, they were now fearing for multi-drug-resistant TB.

Deputy director for Aids and TB Unit in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Dr Charles Sandy confirmed the shortages but was quick to point out that the Medicines San Frontiers (MSF) and the embassy of South Sudan had since chipped in to avert the crisis.

“Yes, our deliveries were delayed resulting in a temporary shortage of some drug combinations but MSF quickly chipped in with the required medication thereby averting the crisis,” he said.

Dr Sandy said Government was also expecting further supplies from the embassy of Sudan this weekend as well as its own shipment.
“We have received MSF supported medicines last week and are anticipating our own deliveries to start coming in this weekend as well as the

South Sudan delayed donation. We anticipate the situation to have improved after the weekend,” said Dr Sandy.
TB is treatable, but drug interruptions increase chances of development of drug resistant strains which are difficult to treat, takes longer and expensive compared to ordinary TB.

TB remains one of the country’s major public health problem and with the emergence of drug resistant TB, the country risks eroding gains already made in reducing the general TB burden in the country.

Zimbabwe is among the 30 high TB burdened country’s in the world.

State Media

By Paul Nyathi|President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has delayed announcing his Cabinet to give talks with youthful MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa a chance, highly-placed sources have revealed.

Zimbabwe has been without a Cabinet since August 26, when Mnangagwa took oath of office after Chamisa’s Constitutional Court application, challenging his electoral victory.

According to the sources, Mnangagwa has invited Chamisa this talks in having some MDC Alliance members included I the cabinet.

Chamisa and the MDC Alliance have however dismissed the claims that they are involved in any talks with President Mnangagwa. In a media briefing last week, Chamisa completely ruled out any possibilities of him working with and within the ZANU PF governemnt claiming that the ruling party will “swallow him. “