Three people died after being struck by lightning in Chimanimani. Tragedy struck on Thursday near Machongwe, Chimanimani East when lightning struck and killed three people Miriam Mtetwa, her daughter Tariro and Dorothy Muterei in an incident that also burnt a house and also killed three dogs.

In an interview at the burial of two of the victims, Chimanimani rural ward 14 councilor Johanne Ndiyama and a villager Eliot Machikichi said the deceased were severely burnt.

“The lightning killed three people while a woman and two kids survived. It also killed three dogs. The deceased were severely burnt,” he said.

George Tukutire who is brother to the late Miriam said the news of the tragic incident shocked the whole family as people never imagined burying a mother and daughter on the same day.
Miriam left seven children with the situation complicated by the death of her husband a few years ago.

“Miriam was now the only parent for her children after the passing on of her husband. The family is deeply saddened by the loss,” said Mr Tukutire.
There is consensus, with the increase on the number of cases of lighting more awareness is needed on the dos and don’ts during rainy seasons.

“The number of people being killed by lightning is now worrisome hence the need for awareness programmes,” noted Zanu PF Central Committee member Cde Joshua Saco.
Six people were last November killed by lightning and locals in Chimanimani are now in fear of moving around even when it is drizzling.- state media

By Paul Nyathi

Bulawayo Province ZANU PF candidates for this year’s elections will be announced by the party’s head office in Harare.

The revelation was made by the provincial elections committee to the party’s Provincial Coordinating Committee at the weekend.

The elections committee which is led by the Bulawayo Minister of Provincial Affairs Angelina Masuku received applications from aspiring candidates and deliberated on them over the weekend before declining to disclose the names recommended to take part in the primary elections set for the 5th of May.

The committee told party members that it had completed the verification of all the curriculum vitae provided and sent all its findings to the party’s commiserate in Harare to publish the names of contesting members.

Unlike all the other provinces that received applications over the weekend, verified them and immediately advised contesting candidates, Bulawayo province said that it was not their duty to proclaim the successful names.

Masuku said committee members who will release details on the meeting are not loyal to the party and would not be following party’s procedures.

“We all agreed as a team that details of this meeting will only emerge after the headquarters in Harare has processed their CVs. With your (PCC) approval we request that this report should be submitted as it is. We followed the guidelines, nothing else is being used from the local authority to the Senate. We worked according to the guidelines so that the report to Harare is as it is,” she said.

“Anyone who will announce details of this meeting is not loyal to the party. This report constitutes the party’s security documents. So we don’t expect it to be released.”

Masuku said the national office has the final say in the processing of CVs for aspiring candidates.

“Harare will then tell us as Bulawayo that among the people who submitted their CVs, in our assessment these are the people who should contest in the primaries,” she said.

Aspiring candidates had been milling at the party’s offices yesterday as they waited for the committee to announce the recommendations that had been arrived at.

The decision not to make the report public did not go well with some of the aspiring candidates who claimed that they should have been told of what transpired during the CVs verification process. “I might be wrong but although we are candidates, we are part of the provincial leadership. And I think we should be told of what transpired,” said one of the members.

Makokoba Constituency MP Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube concurred saying it was pointless to try to hide details of the meeting as some people would just release it.

“I will agree with her, I know that before the end of the day today I probably would have received details of the report. Some people are ready to release information,” said Rtd Col Dube.

Bulawayo provincial chairman, Professor Callistus Ndlovu however, said the committee was justified not to announce the recommendations that had been arrived at. 

Source The Chronicle.

George Charamba is the Presidential Press Secretary, and Secretary for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services in the Republic of Zimbabwe. He wrote this article for The Sunday Mail Newspaper – Read Full Article (Part 1)

The multiple initiatives that President Emerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa’s administration has launched may be confusing to a citizenry already buffeted by years of debility and decline.

It is thus important to explain and place in context this flurry of initiatives, a good many of which may involve costs and foreign travel, but all of which are aimed at putting Zimbabwe on an even economic keel.

Key to understanding this broad strategy of many initiatives is appreciating that President Mnangagwa is re-framing the National Question beyond the rhetoric of liberation struggle and land reforms.

Not that both don’t matter to the whole recovery calculus.

No National Question excludes or turns its back on core considerations of national liberation, national sovereignty and the national land issue.

The three form a baseline triumvirate for the modern nation-state.

Yet the key is to restate and reframe these three core issues within a proper, scientific grasp of socio-economic conditions obtaining in Zimbabwe, and at this stage in her evolution.

As I write, such an exercise has become both necessary and urgent, all against challenges which our country Zimbabwe faces.

Economic nationalism

And as the man at the helm, President, Mnangagwa bears the responsibility of this redefinition.

President Mnangagwa’s Zimbabwe-is-open-for-business mantra and punchline summarises the reframing of the National Question under current national social conditions.

His emphasis on anchoring the National Question on business and investment may have inspired his recent remark in Abidjan, Ivory Coast that Zimbabwe has shifted from “hard nationalism” to “economic nationalism”.

There is thus a new vocabulary in the air designed to refocus and redirect national effort towards a pro-business, pro-marketplace culture, but all within strictures of national interest and proper, lawful and ethical business practices.

This, in my view, summarises the re-framing exercise.

But this summary has embedded interconnections which are very easy to miss, and a lot easier to throw pot-shots at for cheap electoral politicking.

National interest, which the President has been emphasising, provides a key link with the liberation ethos. We have been free and independent for nearly 38 years.

Our sense of nationalism and liberation cannot remain as it was in 1980 when we became free.

Those distinct and clear-cut demands and magnitudes of the 1980s today coalesce into this overarching notion we call national interest.

Simply put, it means taking decisions and doing things that positively redound to our common, collective good, all the time assuming that we remain a free and sovereign nation.

Time was when the National Question amounted to a call to arms. Then it morphed to consolidating our nation through national unity which we attained in 1987.

Setting aside the massive national social investments of the 1980s and 1990s, the National Question took us back to the struggle for our land.

That, too, got settled, albeit with great acrimony and at huge national cost.

Beyond or because of land, we found ourselves back in the national trenches, thanks to the second challenge to our sovereignty by the West.

Still we deepened the National Question by raising the broader issue of resource nationalism. But there were serious setbacks and contradictions which precipitated the November 2017 16-day wonder revolution.

Today, and in the context of the new dispensation, we face a new National Question: namely the promotion of business and investment in order to re-jig that same liberation ethos.

Another country

With a past in the national liberation struggle, and given his legal grounding, President Mnangagwa is a perfect human/leadership fit for this badly needed transition whose time has come.

The measure of the transition is in how it at once unleashes the entrepreneurial energy of the nation, while defending and upholding both its interests and its sense of law and morality.

Hence the concurrent, two-track rhetoric of business opportunities on the one hand, and zero tolerance on corruption on the other.

I emphasise this duality to lay to rest a misperception that cracking down on externalisation and some such corporate malfeasances, perforce contradicts the thrust to rally businesses – both local and global – for investments in the country to recover and grow the national economy.

Simply, the new ethos calls for fair, deserved reward to clean, lawful business initiatives by whomsoever.

Simply, too, the new ethos draws a cut-off point with a past where business behaviour was predatory and akin to liquidation, both of which left us anaemic.

We have to break with the bad past, and naming and shaming unorthodox business practices, apart from bidding for restitution, sends a clear signal that the past is another country.

Policy dimension

But the call for greater investments in the economy is not an open cheque. Current adversity must never breed desperation.

We are a well-endowed country, a proud people. We have interests; we ought to have plans and priorities.

The call for investments is thus predicated on key strategic national calculations meant to secure our national interest.

President Mnangagwa’s recent visit to Rwanda put all this to the fore. We need to have a national plan and strategy which is both policy-focused and spatially drawn.

The policy dimension sets out our national priorities based on our competitive edge and where we want to be in the next decade. It motivates players through a raft of incentives we offer to nudge itinerant capital towards desired areas.

Spatially speaking, we need a geographical national masterplan which locates given enterprises in certain parts of our country, consistent with our resource endowments and needs of those enterprises we hope to attract.

Above all, consistent with our wish for growth with justice, indeed for growth which lifts all our communities thereby consolidating our national cohesion.

More critically, the spatial masterplan must be backed up by efficient infrastructures which lower entry/establishment costs for business, thereby improving the ease-of-doing business.

Rwanda ensures that areas zoned for specific enterprise clusters are well enabled by way of infrastructure like roads, rail, electricity, water, information and communication technologies etc.

Equally, land is availed competitively for secure operations.

Both Rwanda and China have offered to assist in this broad planning exercise so sorely needed ahead of luring investments in the country.

This awareness and offer is a key take-away from the President’s recent itinerary. It needs to be actualised on the ground.

By Paul Nyathi

Struggling Nkosana Moyo led Alliance for People’s Agenda opposition party has been hit by an inevitable split in its Bulawayo province structures.

Members of the party’s Bulawayo Province left the party over the weekend to establish a new political set up called the Independent Bulawayo 40 (IB40.)

The provincial executive members resigned from the party to set up their seperate unit claiming that Moyo lacked political acumen to campaign in the election and denying them campaign funds and material ahead of this year’s general elections.

The nine provincial executive committee members who are initiating the new political movement tendered their resignation to APA immediately announcing their intention to stand elections seperate from the party.

“We also renounce our candidature under the APA ticket in the upcoming 2018 elections. The reasons for us departing from the party are; there is value in being an independent candidate, more in touch with the electorate on the ground, lack of party funding for candidates, no clear structure within the party especially at national level, no clear road map for the election campaign,” part of the letter read.

“It has been a pleasure and a joy working with people who have a heart and a conviction for a new Great Zimbabwe! We greatly appreciate the leadership and the guidance afforded to us from the party. We wish you and the party all the best in the upcoming elections.”

Those who resigned are provincial secretary-general, Nkosana Mkandla, Mduduzi Ndlovu (organising secretary), Nhlanhla Moyo, Natasha Karimakwenda (youth secretary-general) , Johane Marufu (committee member, disability), an AC Gula-Ndebele (elections strategist national youth wing), Nqobizitha Mabhena (chairperson, Matabeleland North) and Dave Ncube (a member).

Ncube, the IB40 interim chair, confirmed the development yesterday.

“IB40 isn’t a political party, but a movement for independent candidates under the age of 40 running for council seats in Bulawayo. This movement was formed after the realisation that party politics have failed to deliver proper service delivery with councillors more preoccupied with keeping their political positions as opposed to the expectations of the people,” he said.

“Independent candidates have their mandate only to the people of Bulawayo and as such will focus more on the service delivery. IB40 will contest in the 2018 elections for council seats.”

Other IB40 interim leaders are Mabhena, as co-ordinator, Mkandla (vice-co-ordinator), Marufu (strategist), Ndlovu (secretary-general), Karimakwenda (treasurer), and Gula-Ndebele as spokesperson.

“What we stand for are local jobs to be given to local people and separation of council business from party business. We need a clear separation between the city of Bulawayo and Bulawayo City Council, non-partisan residents’ association. We are residents first before being political beings, service delivery affects all of us despite our political association,” Ncube said.

“We need a united residents’ association, non-partisan ward development committees, to establish ward development committees involving all stake holders in the community including, police, teachers, health workers residents to tackle developmental issues in the community, to frequent ward feedback meetings, councillors to conduct frequent feedback meetings on council business, and questions and answers sessions.”

By Paul Nyathi| Botswana’s newly inaugurated President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi will today be making his first official international visit by making a courtesy call at President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s office in Harare only a week into his inauguration.

According to a Botswana government statement, President Masisi will Monday pay a one-day state visit to Namibia and Zimbabwe.

The statement said the tour aims at deepening and broadening the scope of bilateral cooperation and discussing regional continental and global issues of mutual concern with his counterparts Hage Geingob and Emmerson Mnangagwa.

President Masisi will be accompanied by the International Affairs and Cooperation and with Transport and Communications ministers, Vincent Seretse and Onkokame Kitso Mokaila respectively.

The president and his entourage are expected to return to Gaborone later on Monday evening after short visits to the two neighbouring countries in a state charted flight.

President Masisi, 55, was inaugurated as Botswana’s fifth president last Sunday after President Ian Khama stepped down, ahead of completing the constitutional maximum 10 years in office.

Khama became a friend with Zimbabwe after Mnangagwa successfully executed a smart military coup over former President Robert Mugabe who Khama confessed to disliking for a long time.

Khama disliked Mugabe for what he openly described as impunity on Zimbabweans and dictatorship “which collapsed a once big Zimbabwean economy.”

In sharp contrast to Zimbabwe, Botswana is one of the Africa’s most stable countries and the continent’s longest continuous multi-party democracy.

It is rated as the least corrupt country in Africa by Transparency International and has a good human rights record a huge contrast to Zimbabwe.

The country which is home to tens of thousands of Zimbabwean economic refugees is faced with rising unemployment rate of about 18 per cent and an HIV/Aids epidemic.

“It is because of the peace and tranquillity that our leaders have sustained for so long that Batswana (people) have continued to enjoy relative prosperity,” President Masisi said after taking his oath.

“One of my top priorities as the president of this country will be to address the problem of unemployment, especially amongst the young people,” he said.

Perhaps the strongest sign that the famous, fearless war veteran is joining the MDC party, Jabulani Sibanda met party leader on Saturday on the sidelines of the White City stadium rally. PICTURES

As the opposition MDC party cancelled primary elections, ZANU PF on the other hand has pursued a somewhat democratic path, save for two constituencies. Below is the latest events-roll in the ruling party’s selection process for the 2018 elections according to the state media –

Zanu-PF provinces are today expected to submit to the party headquarters in Harare curriculum vitaes (CVs) of aspiring candidates for the party’s May 5 primary elections with the list of successful candidates out by the end of the week. Most provinces had completed the vetting process by yesterday, with some bigwigs reportedly one foot in for the primaries after candidates who had registered to challenge them failed to meet the basic minimum qualifications.

Other Politburo members, however, breezed through uncontested. Although some provinces have resolved to recommend candidates who should be disqualified, the ruling party’s national political commissar, Lieutenant-General Engelbert Rugeje (Retired), reiterated yesterday that all CVs should be forwarded to Zanu-PF’s national elections directorate (NED) to ensure the process was impartial and transparent.

Provincial structures, he said, had no power to disqualify candidates. “All the names will be sent here and we will do the vetting and verification from this side. There had been complaints from the provinces that the incumbents were shutting others out,” said Rugeje.

“So, in the spirit of fairness, we will do the vetting of candidates from here (party headquarters),” he said. It is believed even uncontested candidates have to be confirmed by the NED.

Notably, in the Midlands province Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo, who is eying the Mberengwa Senate seat, was unchallenged.

Speaking yesterday after compiling the list to be forwarded to party headquarters today, Midlands provincial chairperson Daniel McKenzie Ncube said his province had received many CVs from members aspiring to be councillors, legislators and senators.

He said senior party members, Tafanana Zhou, Chiratidzo Mabuwa and Tsitsi Zhou, whom the provincial executive recommended to be suspended, could contest while waiting for a final determination by the party’s national disciplinary committee.

“We received a lot of CVs from aspiring party members and of note is the CV of Lt-Gen Moyo (Rtd) which was accepted unchallenged for the primary elections to be held soon,” he said.

Meanwhile the Midlands provincial leadership has recommended that suspended Kwekwe Central legislator Masango Matambanadzo be disqualified from the primary elections.

Matambanadzo was suspended for alleged insubordination and creating parallel structures.

First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa attended the meeting.

In Mashonaland West, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi and Central Committee member Philip Chiyangwa were among senior party members who stand a chance to avoid a contest for primaries after prospective candidates were disqualified because they had not served as party district members for the stipulated five years.

Chiyangwa, who recently moved to Zvimba administration district from Makonde, emerged from a pool of six other aspirants – Walter Chidhakwa, Crispen Saidi, Zandile Maseko, Peter Chiridza, Sign Chabvonga and war veteran Jesca Tapfumaneyi – who fell by the wayside.

Provincial chairman Ziyambi Ziyambi was also unopposed after aspirants, including Francis Chitewe, Mercy Dinha (wife to Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs Minister Advocate Martin Dinha), Webster Chinomwe and Elvis Mareverwa, were disqualified for not meeting the set criteria.

Chegutu West saw youth chairperson Vengai Musengi going uncontested, while Politburo member Christopher Mutsvangwa is also unopposed in Norton, as is Prisca Mupfumira eying the Makonde senatorial seat.

Dexter Nduna (Chegutu East) was uncontested after three other candidates failed to measure up to the requirements.

In Hurungwe West, Keith Guzah found no challengers, but in Hurungwe East, Tongai Mujenje will face Mary Marumahoko, Ngoni Takundwa Masenda and Patrick Maponga.

Senate President Edna Madzongwe withdrew from the Chegutu Senate race, leaving Anna Guhwa and Lydia Tsomondo to fight it out.

A record 870 Zanu-PF aspiring candidates in Masvingo had submitted their curriculum vitaes to contest in the party’s primary elections slated for May 5.

Among these were CVs ofthose with pending disciplinary cases. According to provincial chairman Ezra Chadzamira said they had accepted the CVs pending a final decision by the NCD.

“We have only made recommendations on some of the aspiring candidates’ CVs because they have pending disciplinary issues,” he said.

Among high-profile people who have joined the political fray ahead of the primary elections in Masvingo are Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education,Science and Technology Development Professor Amon Murwira (Gutu North), his Mines and Mining Development counterpart Winston Chitando (Gutu Senatorial seat), ex-Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries president Mr Callisto Jokonya (Gutu South) and ex-diplomat Ambassador Jonathan Wutaunashe (Gutu South).

All the other provinces were finalising paperwork before submission today.

By Terrence Mawawa| Zimbabwe’s former Cricket coach, Heath Streak received a massive round of support on Sunday after being accused of being racist. Below were some of the reactions:

A Form Three pupil from a secondary school in Mangwe District reportedly hanged herself after school authorities ordered her to bring her parents to school over a scuffle she had with another pupil over a boyfriend.

She was reportedly sent home by school authorities on 22 March to summon her parents to school after she had fought with another girl on the same day. She was buried on Saturday last week in Ezimnyama in Mangwe District.

Matabeleland South acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Loveness Mangena confirmed the suicide.

“Yes, we confirm that we handled a matter of a sudden death by suicide of a Form Three pupil at Mqokolweni High School in Ezimyama. The girl was found hanging by her sister in a kitchen hut on 24 March at about 5.30am. Police attended the scene and the body was conveyed to Plumtree District Hospital. A doctor waivered post-mortem as no foul play was suspected,” said Asst Insp Mangena.

She appealed to members of the public not take their lives but seek counselling in the event of problems or disputes.
“Members of the public should approach elders, police, traditional leaders and churches for counselling. In fact they should involve third parties in trying to solve disputes to avoid unnecessary loss of lives,” she said.

However, according to a source close to the matter who identified the pupil as Inamandla Ncube (17) of Ezimnyama under Chief Wasi, the girl allegedly fought with another pupil at school over a boyfriend.

“After that fight the pair was ordered to bring their parents the following day which was a Friday. However, she did not tell her parents about the issue but came home complaining of a severe headache. The day she was supposed to take her parents to school she woke up complaining of the same problem and did not go to school,” said the source.

He said on the day in question, the pupil woke up early at around 5am pretending to go to school but proceeded to a kitchen hut and hanged herself.

“She was found hanging from the roof truss with a rope around her neck by her sister Vezile Ncube (20) who had gone to the kitchen to do household chores. She alerted the elders and the matter was reported to the police who came and collected the body,” he said.

Recently, a Plumtree District Hospital worker was found hanging in his bedroom, nearly a week after he had allegedly disappeared.

The body of Nathan Ngqabutho Masuku (31) of MaKariba section was discovered after a stench emanating from the house disturbed neighbours.  – State Media

By Paul Nyathi

Prominent writer and critic Hopewell Chinono has laughed off MDC-T President Nelson Chamisa’s promise to turn Matopos National Park into a city when he comes into power.

In a Facebook posting on Sunday, Chinono who refers to Chamisa as “Wamba Dia Wamba” said the thoughts to turn the world heritage site into a city is the most absurd thought in the week.

“So the MDC Alliance leader Nelson “Wamba Dia Wamba” Chamisa spoke about Matopos being turned into a town if he becomes President,” wrote Chinono.

“That to me is a Wambology because Matopos greatest gift is it’s natural and virgin state. Turning it into a town will destroy what makes it unique and attractive as a tourist destination.”

“Foreign and local tourists come to Matopos for its flora and fauna. It has archaeological, historical and cultural sites that should never be tempered with if it is to retain its relevance in the world of tourism,” said Chinono.

Addressing a huge crowd of MDC Alliance coalition supporters at a rally held at White City Stadium in Bulawayo on Saturday, Chamisa promised the people of Matabeleland that was soon as he comes into government he will ensure the development of the tourist attraction into a major city.

Addressing a similar rally in Dete Matabeleland North a couple of weeks ago, Chamisa also promised to turn Victoria Falls into a Las Vegas from its current semi natural state.

“When I say these things people think I am out of my mind,” said Chamisa in Bulawayo.

“It is possible and we will do that. They can’t see these things happening because they have run out of ideas for this country,” he insisted.

Chinono opted to differ with Chamisa imploring that the tourist sites are serving their purpose best under the conditions they are currently being kept in.

“It is also a popular camping destination because of its current status,” said Chinono.

“You can’t turn Harare, London or New York into camping destinations.
So by making it a town, you would have killed that natural beauty that attracts tourists to it.”

“Victoria Falls is what it is today because the visitors want to be in a natural habitat and not locked in modernity.
That is why restaurants in Victoria Falls make money when they have that ancient feel to them as opposed to the modern metropolitan feel.

“That is why I find the Wambology about turning Victoria Falls into a Las Vegas detached from why Victoria Falls is a popular tourist attraction,” said Chinono.

“What Matopos needs is funding to enhance the parks and its virgin status not turning it into a town,” concluded Chinono.

Dynamos Football Club’s new sponsors, NetOne on Sunday morning said they paid Dynamos forward Christian Epoupa Ntouba a gross total of $18,125.00 this year.

This is contrary to reports from Ntouba’s camp claiming that Dynamos is yet to settle the player’s signing on fees in full.

NetOne CEO, Lazarus Muchenje faced the media on the occassion to give the sponsors’ side of the story.

“…in the recent past, the media has been awash with stories surrounding the strained relationship between Dynamos and its foreign player- Christian Ntouba Joel Epoupa; and have read with anguish the various versions of the story.

Whilst, this matter is purely what we would like to believe, a misunderstanding between Dynamos and Epoupa, the prolonged stand-off between the two parties has become a cause of concern for our brand.

To this end, we went over and above our contractual obligations and called for an all stakeholders meeting with Dynamos and Epoupa’s manager, on Friday evening to seek clarity on the matter with a view of assisting both parties to find an amicable resolution that is mutually beneficial to all brands.

To this end, we wish to put on record and categorically state that NetOne is not in any financial breach in terms of its sponsorship agreement with Dynamos and has processed all Epoupa’s allowances and Sign On fees as per the schedules submitted to us by Dynamos.

To date NetOne and Dynamos have paid a gross total of $18,125.00 to Epoupa this year…,” he said.

Source: Gemazo Magazine

Terrence Mawawa| A Chivhu woman, Grace Motsabe is suing Home Affairs Minister Obert Mpofu over police brutality.

Motsabe is demanding $ 8500 from the Home Affairs Minister and the police.

She was attacked by police dogs in Chivhu last year.

Motsabe related her ordeal to Chivhu Magistrate Ngoni Nduna last week.
The matter will be head again on April 11.

Terrence Mawawa

Due to the biting economic hardships people can do all sorts of weird things to beat the crunch crisis.

Police in Buhera last week visited Bheghedhe Secondary Schools to investigate a case in which a Form Four girl was spotted selling mbanje.

Authorities at the school refused to comment on the matter.

However Buhera District Schools Inspector, Godfrey Chimbwanda said investigations were in progress.

Sources at the school said the girl was confronted by senior staff members and she disclosed she was working in cahoots with 13 pupils and several staff members in the deal.

Terrence Mawawa, Chiredzi

Workers who were dismissed from work by Sugar producing giant, Tongaat Hullet will soon petition President Emmerson Mnangagwa to intervene in the ensuing fracas.

Tongaat Hullet retrenched 181 workers citing low production of sugar that was triggered by the invasion of its land by Zanu PF supporters last year.

The workers were served with termination of employment letters last Tuesday, according to sources at the company.

The Zimbabwe Sugar and Milling Industry Workers Union has vowed to petition Mnangagwa to intervene in the raging dispute.

“As you know, the President has introduced policies that attract investors so we do not expect the company to dismiss employees arbitrarily,” said a member of the union.

“We are therefore compiling papers for presentation to the President,” he added.

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo

President Emmerson Mnangagwa and members of his government were not happy with the fact that Geiger International, the company that had won the Harare- Beitbridge Road Dualisation Tender flatly refused to be manipulated by ruling party mandarins.

Two weeks ago Masvingo State Minister Josaya Dunira Hungwe told reporters in the ancient city the ruling party would oversee the recruitment of workers in the road dualisation project.

A Geiger International official yesterday revealed there was a standoff between the company and the government pertaining to the administration of funds.

“We refused to be cowed into submission and as a result senior government officials became furious,” said the official.

Mnangagwa announced that his government was unhappy with Geiger International’ s dithering in the project.

Mnangagwa ditched the Austrian company following what he described as mega deals he clinched in China.

We practise Realpolitik,not FAKE and DELUSIONAL politics

Just get in touch with me when the results of the 2018 Presidential elections are announced.

Let’s see who will be mourning and complaining. #ServantLeadershipAndService

— Obert Gutu (@GutuObert) April 8, 2018

By Paul Nyathi

A worker with a telecommunications company died while another is battling for his life after they were electrocuted while pulling a telecommunications cable in Victoria Falls on Friday.

The two employees whose identities are being withheld for the time being were badly electrocuted when the telecommunications line they were drawing accidentally got into contact with a high voltage Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company line in Mkhosana Suburb in Victoria Falls.

The two workers were connecting a WiFi line to a private residence when the incident occurred.

According to the owner of the house the two tried to draw the line over a Mango tree when their cables got into contact with the live electricity lines.

“I heard a loud scream from where the two were working, when I rushed outside to check I saw the two men wriggling in agony with their clothing on fire,” said the home owner.

“I called for help from neighbours but when an ambulance arrived one of them had already died,” she added.

The surviving employee was airlifted to the privately run Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo where he is reportedly in a very critical condition at the Intensive Care Unit.

Police in Victoria Falls confirmed the incident saying that investigations are still on going and the public relations office will issue a statement on the matter soon.

By Paul Nyathi

Opposition MDC-T President Nelson Chamisa has implored Ndebele King designate Prince Bulelani Lobengula Khumalo to prepare for his coronation in September this year when the MDC-T replaces the ruling ZANU PF party in government.

Chamisa made the promise at a hugely attend MDC Alliance coalition rally at White City Stadium in Bulawayo on Saturday.

Chamisa earned himself a thunderous applause from the people of Bulawayo when he promised that if his party wins the landmark elections set for July or August this year he will allow the Ndebele people to go ahead with the coronation of Bulelani Lobengula Khumalo which was blocked by the ruling ZANU PF in March this year.

“I was very disappointed when the ZANU PF government barred the Khumalo family from seating their cultural king in March,” said Chamisa.

“When we come into government we are going to respect the cultural values of our people. The Khumalo’s will be allowed to practise their culture and seat the king the way they want,” he said.

“I want to tell Prince Khumalo that he should not be worried, come September we are going to see his coronation as king and we will all attend and bring all our ministers with us,” he said.

The ZANU PF government got the ire of the people of Matabeleland in March when they declared as unconstitutional the crowning of a Ndebele cultural king.

Transform Zimbabwe president Jacob Ngarivhume’s address at White City Stadium:

I am very happy to address you people of Matabeleland provinces. Thank you very much for coming. We appreciate that and God bless you.

My message today is directed at Mnangagwa who came to power recently through a military coup. We have to be very clear to him. He must know that he came to power through an illegal process.

We are reminding him that when we marched last year for the removal of Robert Mugabe, we did not do it insupport of his ascension to power. What we only wanted was to cross over the Red Sea. You do not choose what you hold on to when crossing such a fearsome sea. You can hold on to anything, be it a snake or a hyena, as long it takes you to the other side. This does not mean that a snake or a hyena has become a good animal. After crossing over you then deal with each of them accordingly.

After the Red Sea, we are now going towards the Jordan river which we must cross together as the MDC Alliance which is led by Nelson Chamisa. We must crossover into the promised land where we all want to be.

We must be very clear to Mnangagwa that we know you are there and you are illegal. We know that an illegal president cannot transform the nation of Zimbabwe. The nation must know that what happened was illegal and not good at all.

The salvation of this country will only come after we have voted and voted for the MDC Alliance. The only thing that we must safeguard is the issue of reforms. Reforms are very crucial for these elections. Do not forget that Mnangagwa was incharge of the violence machinery in the past elections. He was the one who led the Gukurahundi massacres. He was also responsible for the pre-emptive coup of 2008 that denied Morgan Tsvangirai victory. This time we have to make sure that we have all the reforms that we need for free, fair and credible elections.

After voting let us be ready to defend our vote. Let us make sure that we do not give up until the Alliance comes into power.

Thank you very much. God bless you.

#TZ Communications
#IGNITE
www.jacobngarivhume.com

By Dorrothy Moyo| MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa yesterday vowed to compensate Gukurahundi victims.

Speaking at White City stadium, Chamisa said President Emmerson Mnangagwa must apologise.

“Until you admit that you were part of the system that killed people we will not accept you,” said Chamisa.

He then added saying his administration will treat Gukurahundi victims the same way white farmers have been…

“If you compensate white farmers, why should you not do the same to Gukurahundi victims,” said Chamisa.

This follows his previous statements the previous month when he said, “it’s pointless to try to wash away Gukurahundi. The most logical thing is to acknowledge that the massacres left deep scars in survivors’ hearts and there is need to heal those psychological wounds through properly-structured healing processes,” he said.

“My government also promises to come up with a language policy that ensures that non-Ndebele-speaking people are not deployed in such areas as Matabeleland as that stifles development.”

MDC Alliance Spokesman and deputy president likely- Prof. Welshman Ncube yesterday said Zimbabwe will get spaghetti roads soon under an MDC run government.

He made these comments while speaking at the White City Stadium in Bulawayo. VIDEO:

By Dorrothy Moyo| The state owned Sunday Mail reports that President Emmerson Mnangagwa has returned home from China with a bag full of billions of dollars in sealed business deals.

The report published early Sunday morning, had a flashing headline with the text: ” ED RETURNS WITH A BAGFUL.”

The article speaks of for instance the US$1 billion Hwange Thermal Power Station deal which it says was finalised and funds to start work on units 7 and 8 of the plant will be released immediately.

The rest of the report reads: The Kunzvi Project reached financial closure, with Sino Hydro and China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) committing to provide resources for a dam and water treatment plant, and to rollout installation of smart prepaid water meters.

Other projects that will get immediate funding totalling about US$1 billion include Robert Mugabe International Airport expansion, a new Parliament Building, NetOne’s expansion, refurbishment of Morton Jeffrey Water Treatment Plant, and construction of a pharmaceutical factory among others.

Zimbabwe and China also signed a US$1 billion tourism memorandum of understanding.

President Xi Jinping’s government extended a special RMB1 billion (close to US$160 million) facility for Zimbabwe to draw down over three years, and US$20 million to assist President Mnangagwa’s administration.

Chinese investors offered to fund construction of roads and railways, while one wants to build a multi-million dollar five-star hotel in Victoria Falls.

Officials from Oriental State Chinese agreed to set up industrial parks in special economic zones.

On the diplomatic level, the two countries agreed to elevate relations to Strategic Partnership Status, the highest level of bilateral co-operation.

Soon after landing in Harare yesterday morning, President Mnangagwa said: “The trip was a huge, massive success. We have now escalated our relations from the all-weather friendship status to the level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and Co-operation.

“This is the highest level which China has with other nations so Zimbabwe has been elevated to that status. When that is achieved it means that there would now be very comprehensive economic relations.

“In that regard, when we looked at our economic relations, there were some challenges facing Zimbabwe in relation to arrears of various loans or contracts or projects or agreements which had been entered into before.

“So we are able, through the wisdom of his Excellency President Xi Jinping, to de-link the past with the present.

“The present is now being opened from a new page where all the projects which we presented have been agreed to and are going to be financed; whilst the old commitments by Zimbabwe to previous projects will be worked on, but separately de-linked from the current process.”

Briefing journalists on the State Visit, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo said President Mnangagwa’s administration had registered huge successes in China.

He said there was “real chemistry” between Zimbabwe’s Head of State and President Xi.

“This, was in summary, what I would call a rejuvenated relation between two brother nations,” said Dr Moyo

“It has been action packed in as far as concretising the economic interest of both countries. The success story is that Zimbabwe was offered Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which is higher level from the usual all-weather friendship which existed over the years.”

Dr Moyo also said China had agreed not to judge Zimbabwe on the failures of the previous administration.

“President Xi’s government accepted to de-link that whole process and gave a new blank check to Zimbabwe’s current administration.

“We pledged to be responsible for the legacy debt, but as far as those debts were going to be an impediment for us to implement the existing projects, at least that has been de-linked. Zimbabwe was given a new life line as far its economic trajectory is concerned.”

Dr Moyo said the visit had created space for major infrastructure investments.

“There were a number of memoranda of understanding that were signed to develop the road infrastructure in Zimbabwe, and these include possible roads like Beitbridge-Bulawayo-Victoria Falls, and also support was pledged to develop the road from Beitbridge to Harare and also to Chirundu, when certain aspects have been finalised.

“There have been issues around the construction and development of railway systems from Zimbabwe to a port in collaboration with Mozambican authorities, and these are infrastructure projects which are already in the pipeline and which are coming through. The success stories from China are numerous.”

Dr Moyo said Zimbabwe had been invited to be part of the Belt and Road Initiative, President Xi’s ambitious project to create a truly global economic village.

Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa said the objectives of the mission to China had been achieved.

“The funding of new projects had stopped because we were required to reach an agreement with China Eximbank and also Sinosure, which guarantees most of the investment signed in China,” he said.

“So, they had stopped disbursing, stopped funding new projects. As a result of this visit we were able to persuade the Chinese authorities that our failure to pay our loans was that these loan were legacy loans; these are legacy arrears and that we should be given time to undertake our reforms.

“The result was that the Chinese authorities have de-linked three specific projects, which could not take off. These had reached financial closure but could not take off.

“For Hwange 7 and 8, the disbursements will start immediately. The NetOne Phase 1 was also de-linked, and disbursement will start immediately. The same for Robert Mugabe International Airport.

“The important outcome was to de-link new things from old things. With respect to the old existing debts, we are taking discussions and the expectations is that the discussions will conclude soon.

“This included the Harare Morton Jaffrey Water Works (refurbishment) which stopped and disbursement stalled and we fell into arrears. The Sino Pharmacy debt, National Defence University debt and Sino cement debt are under discussion.”

Industry, Commerce and Enterprise Development Minister Dr Mike Bimha said there was keen interest from Chinese investors to invest in special economic zones.

Dr Bimha said the representatives of 75 Zimbabwean private companies that went to China with President Mnangagwa also sealed deals.

“There is renewed interest in terms of special economic zones in terms of industrial parks; we have an investor who will soon be coming to Zimbabwe to establish an industrial park,” he said.

“We have an investor interested in special economic zones looking into textiles, looking into the whole value chain from cotton to textiles. There was also interest in tourism.”

On arrival in Harare yesterday, President Mnangagwa was received by Vice-President Dr Constantino Chiwenga, Cabinet ministers and other senior Government officials, and service chiefs.

It’s no photoshop, @nelsonchamisa spent time at Joshua Nkomo Museum bf engaging probably his biggest crowd in Byo pic.twitter.com/hoJ7iVEd73

— MDC Alliance (@MDCAllianceZW) April 7, 2018

The net is closing in on former Cabinet minister Jonathan Moyo, pictured, who has now been indicted for trial next month over serious allegations of corruption which authorities say happened during his time in government.

However, it is not clear whether the garrulous Moyo — who has been living in self-imposed exile ever since long-ruling former president Robert Mugabe was ousted from power in November last year — will return to the country to face his accusers.

But the State says he will stand trial on May 21, together with his former deputy in the Higher Education ministry, Godfrey Gandawa, as well as three executives from the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (Zimdef).

Moyo is facing a slew of allegations relating to corruption which include serious fraud, money laundering and criminal abuse of office charges, as well as claims that he benefited from

Zimdef donations that involved the purchase of bicycles which he donated to his former Tsholotsho North constituency.

“… Moyo has been indicted and will face his day in court on May 21,” Prosecutor-General Ray Goba confirmed to the Daily News yesterday.

Apart from Gandawa, Moyo will be tried together with Shepherd Honzeri, suspended Zimdef chief executive officer Frederick Mandizvidza and its finance director Nicholus Mapute.

According to the State, Gandawa and Moyo recommended and approved a request for the purchase of 10 printers worth $95 800 and a computerised embroidery machine worth $16 000 on November 6, 2015.

It is also alleged that they awarded the contract to Wisebone Trading (Pvt) Ltd, a company that is said to be owned by Gandawa’s uncle — all this without going to tender as required by the law.

Moyo is alleged to have, from November to December 2015, instructed Honzeri to get quotations for tri-cycles for donation to his then Tshlolotsho North constituency, before instructing Gandawa to transfer $19 030 to HIB Rajput Ace Cycle.

The money was said to be the balance of the money from the printers purchased from Wisebone.

Moyo, Gandawa and Mapute, according to the State, also connived to transfer $27 550 from Fuzzy Technologies for the purchase of 10 three-wheeled motor cycles.

The State says Moyo and the officials were, all in all, involved in multiple corrupt activities which prejudiced Zimdef of $450 000.

On his part, Moyo has said that he is not corrupt, and since he fled the country, he has been working hard to discredit the government by repeatedly questioning the legitimacy of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his administration, which has, however, been accepted by Sadc, the African Union and key Western powers.

Moyo has also told international media that his life is allegedly in danger, and that he has no intentions of coming back home until there is what he terms a “return of constitutional government”.

“The military specifically targeted my house and myself with a clear intention to cause harm and that is why I am not in the country, although I left legally.

“I am not at liberty to disclose my whereabouts because they have shown a very clear and determined intention to find me and harm me wherever I am,” Moyo said in an interview with the BBC.

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc), which was repeatedly thwarted by Mugabe in its attempts to have Moyo arrested over the corruption allegations, said yesterday that it expected the former Tsholotsho North MP to turn up at court to clear his name.

“All the witnesses are there and all the evidence is now there for all to see. It’s now up to the judges to deal with the matter.

“As for his (Moyo’s) extradition, that is a matter for the National Prosecuting Authority,” the head of Zacc investigations committee, Goodson Nguni, said.

But well-placed sources to the Daily News last night that they “know” where Moyo was, and that in the event that he did not turn up for court, the government had numerous options at its disposal to deal with him — including activating extradition processes which would see an international arrest warrant being issued against him.

The omens have not been good for Moyo ever since the Constitutional Court (Con-Court) dismissed his application challenging Zacc’s arresting powers.

Sitting as a full bench, the Con-Court ruled in September last year that he had erred when he rushed to the apex court on the issue, when a magistrate could have dealt with the matter.

Moyo had gone to the Con-Court in a bid to stall Zacc, which had swooped on him in 2016. He had argued that he could not be arraigned before the magistrates’ courts on the basis that the anti-graft body had no powers to arrest and detain him.

The late retired Chief Justice, Godfrey Chidyausiku, had subsequently stayed Moyo’s prosecution — pending determination of whether or not his arrest was constitutional.

Moyo, who was bitterly opposed to Mnangagwa succeeding Mugabe, also accused the then VP and key players at Zacc of waging a factionally-driven war against him.- Daily News

A Congressional Delegation led by Senator Christopher Coons is in Zim 2 explore ways of strengthening the bilateral relationship. The five Senators met with President Mnangagwa, Members of the opposition and civil society, among others to discuss how best to work together. pic.twitter.com/YxUzdEzycP

— U.S. Embassy Harare (@usembassyharare) April 7, 2018

The People’s Rainbow Coalition (PRC) led by Dr. Joice Mujuru has castigated President Emmerson Mnangagwa for misrepresenting Memorandum of Understandings as closed business deals, to the people of Zimbabwe.

PRC spokesperson, Advocate Gift Nyandoro in a statement said, a memorandum of understanding is an intention of the need to work together between parties subject to execution of suggested requirements.

“PRC, being the government in waiting urges Zimbabweans not to be fooled and misled by the coup President ED Mnangagwa’s falsehoods and propaganda of having signed economic deals in China.

“The Kindergarten and exaggerated praises of ED’s China visits stands out as a classical demonstration of a military administration that lacks primary understanding of definition and meaning of what constitutes a memorandum of understanding.

“MoU is just a statement of wanting to work together between parties subject to fulfilling of suggested requirements. As such, it remains an intention and for a whole military cabal to celebrate the mere appending of a signature to a statement of intention to work together between China and Zimbabwe, would obviously be no different from allowing Satan to run away with a Christian bible from Christian pulpit,” said Advocate Nyandoro.

PRC advised the government to desist from celebrating futile mega deals, as there is nothing called ‘Free Lunch’ in this era.

He said,” ED needs to appreciate that, in this 21st century there is nothing called ‘Free Lunch’ and the military administration needs to desist from celebrating the so called mega deals, which are nothing but a desperate and hopeless walk into extreme borrowing without a backup plan of strategic retreat.”

“The so called China visit is a terrible tragic tale of a scarf man without a clue on how to rescue Zimbabwe from economic turmoil; to the extent that a coup President celebrates mentioning of remote possibilities, notwithstanding absence of tangible evidence to sustain such misplaced expectations for sudden economic recovery for our country.

“In the circumstances, ED and his military handlers need to understand that the country’s economic challenges are not resolved through a borrowing tendency without a backup plan to repay. That applies both to offshore and domestic date,” he added.

PRC said it is a shame that a country, which was once the bread basket of southern Africa, is now a basket case of non-mitigated begging of individual interests, and that citizens need to appreciate that the current military regime is completely clueless, on how to take the country forward.

Lately, Zimbabwe has been engaging the global community trying to lure investors, as the country has been shunned by investors, who since former President Robert Mugabe’s days, cited unpopular investment policies as the major reason for not fulfilling signed MoUs.

Zimbabwe and Belarus recently signed several deals worth millions of dollars across various economic sectors.www.statesman.co.zw

People start to gather for the MDC Alliance rally.

Former Finance Minister Ignatius Chombo and ex-Zanu-PF Youth League secretary Kudzanayi Chipanga yesterday appeared in court for their routine remand.

The duo, who appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Tilda Mazhande, was remanded to May 10. Chombo’s trial date could not be set as his docket is still pending at the Prosecutor-General’s Office.

The former senior Zanu-PF official is facing abuse of office charges from his time as Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing.

It the State’s case that Chombo allegedly connived with Psychology Chiwanga, Rejoice Pazvakavambwa, Iben Fransisco, James Chiyangwa, Theresa Chenjerayi, Elias Choto and Lazarus Chimba to forge documents used to transfer a Glen Lorne, Harare, property from the Harare City Council to Alois Chimeri.

The High Court granted Chombo $5 000 bail coupled with stringent conditions. Similarly, a trial date could also not be set for Chipanga, who is facing charges of making false statements and undermining public confidence in the military. He is on $500 bail.

Chombo and Chipanga are being represented by Professor Lovemore Madhuku.

MDC-T President Adv. Nelson Chamisa’s remarks to the press

Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House, Harare, 5 April 2018

1.Introduction

Almost two months after the untimely death of the national legend and founding leader, the iconic President Morgan Richard Tsvangirai. Notwithstanding the sad loss of our leader, whom the country continues to mourn to this very day, the party remains a strong and formidable unit ready for the watershed polls due in a few months time.

We are a solid family of democrats that is growing stronger every day. Our footprints in all that we do have shown that we are sticklers to constitutionalism and the rule of law. We are the game changers, the movers and shifters.

As a party, we are proud social democrats that eschew the values of empathy, solidarity, tolerance, freedom and justice.

On the national scale, I remain touched by the people’s sorry predicament. The cash shortages persist and citizens are finding it hard to access their hard-earned cash. Unemployment continues to be a huge challenge while the few that are employed are finding it hard to survive due to inadequate remuneration.

Civil servants, including our hard working doctors and nurses are struggling to survive. The paltry salaries of just over $300 do not befit the dignity and status of civil servants who expend sweat and tears to keep our country running.

The national crisis is crying out for a new government that will truly respond to the needs of the people.

2. Redefining the narrative—April is Independence month

Indeed, we are a proud pan-African political formation whose broad mandate is to complete the unfinished business of the liberation of struggle.

It is in line with our character as a proud-African movement and pan-liberation movement that we have declared April the independence month.

For us, as a day is not enough to accord the befitting veneration to our liberation struggle in which so many of our patriotic sons and daughters paid the ultimate price.

April is therefore an independence month in which we will take part in many activities to celebrate our liberation struggle; the bloody and intractable struggle in which we shed blood to rid the country of oppression, subjugation and racism.

It is in line with that redefinition and rebranding that as a party, we will seek to play a prominent role in all national events including the country’s national Independence Day activities.

National days must be inclusive and must not continue to be arrogated or dominated by a single political party. It is demeaning of our independence to ascribe it to the sole efforts of a political party. It was a struggle by all Zimbabweans that must be celebrated by all.

As I have already said, under our leadership, we will set aside the whole month of April—and not just a single day—to the celebration of our uhuru.
April will indeed be an Independence month.

3.Election Preparedness
Within the context of independence, it is important to restate that the party remains strong and ready to participate in the forthcoming polls. Our liberation struggle was mainly about one-man-one-vote and we stand ready to participate in a truly free, fair and credible plebiscite.

To attest to our readiness, the party’s Elections directorate has received CVs from aspiring candidates who wish to stand in the local government and parliamentary polls. We have received a total of 3 911 CVs from aspiring candidates and this attests to the willingness of Zimbabweans to represent the party at both parliamentary and local government level.

Our preparation is well on course and in the next few weeks, we will have a complete panel of candidates that will represent the party at all levels.

We are determined to meet the 50 percent threshold for women and the 20 percent youth quota in line with the constitution and the resolutions of the supreme organs of the party.

3.1 Electoral reforms
Last month, we launched our Plan and Environment for a Credible Election (PEACE). That document has 10 key demands of what we want addressed if we are to have an undisputed election.

We will do all that is possible to ensure that Zimbabweans are given a chance to freely express their sovereign will in fair and credible poll.

Our 10 demands include, but are not limited to:

1.Independence of the Zimbabwean Electoral Commission (ZEC), including the independence and professionalization of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Secretariat.

2.The creation of an authentic biometric voters’ roll properly audited and signed off by all stakeholders.

3.Full disclosure and transparency around the ballot paper, its technical status, its printing and its distribution thereof.

4.The complete de-securitisation of election institutions and the electoral process, incorporating the exclusion of Zimbabwe’s security sector from managing the incumbent ZANU PF’s election campaign.

5.Provision for Zimbabweans residing in the Diaspora to vote in the election.

6.Media reforms allowing for equal access to public media by all contenders in the election.

7.The enactment of major amendments to the Electoral Law and the repealing of restrictive laws such as: the Public Order Security Act (POSA); Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA); and the Broadcasting Services Act (BSA).

8.Allowing entry of international monitors and supervisors at least 3 months before the 2018 election and provision for the United Nations to supervise the poll.

9.Absence of violence and intimidation before, during and after the election.

10. Political impartiality of traditional leaders, including abolition of politicized food aid in election campaigns.

Conclusion: The road to Victory (R2V)

As a party, we are ready to roll. We are fine-tuning our policy programme and our people’s manifesto that will truly respond to the challenges facing the despondent citizens of this nation.

We have rebranded and revamped this movement and in the next few weeks, we will be unveiling the detailed policy programmes of how we will rescue this country from the abyss.

We have done it before and we will do it again. Zimbabweans are under no illusion about the MDC’s capacity to govern, given our record during our stint of delivery between 20019 and 2013.

With our competent hands on the wheel of government, the future can only be bright for the people of Zimbabwe.

The party is ready; Zimbabweans are ready and they continue to show their confidence judging by their participation in the party’s activities. The region and the world are anxious for a truly new dispensation that delivers to the people.

We are truly on the road to victory.

I Thank You.

By Paul Nyathi

Young talented television and radio personality Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa has landed a top Zimpapers group position.

In a statement released on Friday, the Zimpapers spokesperson Ms Beatrice Tonhodzayi announced the appointment of Parirenyatwa to the post of Projects Manager for the Radio Broadcasting Division.

The group also put Simon Mapuranga to the post of general manager for Bold Ads.

Under the new portfolio, Ms Ruvheneko will be overseeing projects for the division’s radio stations, namely Star FM and Diamond FM.

Due to the management agreement between Kingston’s Holdings and Zimpapers, which has seen the latter managing Nyaminyami FM in Kariba and Capitalk FM in Harare on behalf of Kingston’s, Parirenyatwa will also be overseeing projects at the two stations.

“We are expecting to see exciting things happening both at the Radio Division and at Bold Ads,” said Ms Tonhodzayi.

“Zimpapers is a business that does not believe in complacency. The company’s leadership is constantly thinking of new ideas and strategies to keep the business relevant and profitable, hence new skills, faces and changes are something that we shall be seeing a lot more as we move on.”

Parirenyatwa daughter to Health and Child Care Minister David Parirenyatwa, studied journalism at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

She hosts her talk show “Ruvheneko” on Star FM Zimbabwe on Mondays at 7pm, Capitalk 100.4 FM on Wednesdays at 7pm and on her online TV platform every Thursday at 7pm.

A former programming manager of ZiFM Stereo, also worked for the African Leadership Network in Johannesburg and GQ Magazine in Cape Town.

By Paul Nyathi

An overly excited Joice Mujuru led National People’s Party provincial chairman has come trailblazing on youthful MDC-T President Nelson Chamisa describing him as a political toddler who will not be voted for.

Speaking to a handful of his party members in Bindura over the Easter weekend, the Mashonaland Central chairman of the party Godwin Chimombe described Chamisa as a political toddler, who can not be compared to Mujuru.

“You can not compare Chamisa to Mujuru, he is still a political toddler who even failed to respect the constitution of his party and rushed himself to the leadership of the MDC-T,” said Chimombe.

Speaking in the presence of his party leader, Mujuru and other senior party leaders, Chimombe said Zimbabweans should not entrust Chamisa with the running of the country as he will disregard the country’s constitution.

He further castigated the young MDC-T leader claiming that young people can not be trusted to lead the country as they are intoxicated in drugs.

“How do you expect him to follow the Constitution of the country?” he said.

“He thinks the election can be won by youths, but the youths are intoxicated by dagga. Our election will be won by women.”

Chimombe is himself a former MDC-T youth leader. He left the MDC-T to join Mujuru’s party at its formation in 2015.

Mujuru has also previously castigated Chamisa also describing him as very immature and not a befitting replacement of the late MDC-T founding President Morgan Tsvangirai.

CHIEF Nyangazonke of Maphisa in Kezi, Matobo District has warned people who are descending on his area in search of amacimbi to stay away or risk being charged at his court for looting a resource that belongs to locals.

Speaking in a telephone interview with the state owned Chronicle newspaper on Thursday, the chief said the mopani worm harvesters were also bathing and relieving themselves in or near rivers.

He said amacimbi are meant to augment locals’ food supply and to be sold to help communities pay for children’s school fees, among others.

“If there is anyone who is still in my area harvesting amacimbi and does not belong here, they should leave with immediate effect. If they cannot abide by our community rules, then they face arrest. Non-locals who are coming Nicodemously for our natural resource are not welcome. This is a natural resource that should be benefiting the community as a whole, especially in these tough economic times,” said the chief.

“Locals should harvest them in abundance and raise money for school fees, and for barter trade with other basic commodities. Most people in my community have serious challenges in paying fees and providing for their families. It is our gift from Mother Nature and locals should benefit. We never go to other areas for their gold or diamonds or whatever natural resource that they have, they should leave us alone with our food.”

The chief said the mopani worm harvesters were living in makeshift camps under squalid conditions that could prove to be a breeding ground for diseases.

“These people who have come to squat in our area are posing a major health risk to the community and livestock. They are defecating in the open, littering the bush with plastics and this is not good for our livestock. Our cattle now eat faeces and plastic and get sick and we have to foot the bills for veterinary treatment. They are bathing upstream in the rivers that we drink from,” he said.

Matobo District Administrator Mr Robert Muzezewa shared the chief’s sentiments.

He said the campers were cutting down trees indiscriminately, leading to massive deforestation in some parts of Matobo.

“People come to harvest worms and wild fruits and they don’t do it while considering conservation methods that the locals do. They just destroy and go because it is not their place. A lot of umnyi trees have been cut down by urbanites who do not consider that next year that tree would have borne more fruit.

They are also cutting down mopane trees for the worms that would be in higher branches; it’s just bad for the environment and is unfair to locals,” he said.

Source: The Chronicle

State Media- A man from Bulawayo committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a pistol for yet unclear reasons.

Mr Dominic Magava (59), a divorcee who lived with his elderly mother in Woodville suburb, was found dead inside his car yesterday morning.

Relatives suspect he shot himself on Thursday at around 8PM. Mr Magava’s younger brother discovered the body and alerted the police.

He allegedly shot himself under the chin and the bullet went through his head, damaging the skull in the process.

Bulawayo Metropolitan province police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango confirmed the incident.

“I can confirm that we received a report of sudden death by shooting of a 59-year-old man. The deceased was seen by his younger brother seated on the driver’s side of his car and there was a revolver in between his thighs.

“The deceased had gunshot wounds on the chin and head and as police we are still investigating so that we are able to establish circumstances leading to his death,” she said.

The revolver believed to have been used in committing the alleged suicide was registered under Mr Magava’s name.

Insp Simango said the body was taken to the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) for a postmortem.

By Talent Gondo | A 46 year old man has died from cholera in Stoneridge, Harare, the Harare City Council (HCC) ZimEye can reveal.

Michael Chideme, Harare City Council Corporate Communications Manager confirmed the death adding that the local authority was making frantic efforts to curb the spread of the disease.

“A 46 year old man died in Stoneridge but we are making frantic efforts to trace all those whom we think may have been in contact with the deceased,” said Chideme.

He revealed that council had deployed water bousers to Stoneridge while at the same time setting up emergency mobile clinics so that residents have easy and quick access to health services.

“We have set up emergency tents so that anyone with suspected cholera symptoms can be screened,” said Chideme.

Commenting about the cholera death on their website, HCC said Stoneridge is an illegal settlement.

“Council has been making frantic efforts to bring sanity in the area without much success because illegal settlers there have been resisting,” said the HCC.

“Council has always argued against illegal settlement because of the problems they present such as the spread of diseases.”

Caused by the bacterium called vibrio cholerae, the disease leads to dehydration and even death if untreated.

It is spread by eating food or drinking water contaminated with the cholera bacterium.

Namibia has described the political transition in Zimbabwe as the best in SADC and beyond.

This comes as more countries are coming to partner Zimbabwe in various economic activities.

The new government of Zimbabwe has opened doors to other countries willing to invest in the country, a development which has opened the floodgates of potential investors.

The development has given hope to Zimbabweans whose policies over the years have been scaring away potential investors.

After paying a courtesy call on Acting President Retired General Constantino Chiwenga, the Namibian representative in Zimbabwe Ambassador Balbina Daes Pienaar revealed that her country is happy with the developments in Zimbabwe and is willing to strengthen the already existing relations.

Ambassador Pienaar said Zimbabwe and Namibia can further explore bilateral relations in agriculture, education, mining and tourism among other areas.- state media

Staff Reporter | Lawyer Job Wiwa Sikhala has secured the release of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), District Youth Chairman Victory Mufambirwi, from St. Marys Police station after he was arrested earlier this afternoon.

The vocal lawyer and MDC politician said Mufambirwi and others were arrested after riot police came to Zengeza 2 Shops this afternoon,” looking for MDC people accusing them of having taken part in the Chitrest demonstration that took place few days ago.”

“They have however refused to release the trio of Bonanza, Julius Marambakutongwa and Serio Billiard,” explained Sikhala while still at St Marys police station.

Sikhala also explained that, “Some culprits at Zengeza 2 started to identify our party cadres who were going about their business at Zengeza 2 and rounded them off accusing them of having been the ones who participated in the demonstration.”

Terrence Mawawa, Gutu | A senior government official severely assaulted his wife for refusing to have unprotected sexual intercourse with him last Friday.

According to court records, Memory Potera is a Provincial Veterinary Officer based in Gwanda and his wife, Letween Chimbi, is a teacher at Mupandawana High School in Gutu.

“Potera wanted to have unprotected sexual intercourse with his wife but the latter declined.

This angered Potera who assaulted his wife with clenched fists,” read the State outline.

However, Potera claimed a strange man knocked at the house and vanished when he realised that Chimbi’ s husband was around.

Gutu Magistrate Edwin Marecha sentenced Potera to three months in prison with the option of paying $ 150 fine.

Terrence Mawawa

Villagers in Gwanda have expressed dismay at the influx of outsiders who are flocking to the area to harvest Mopane worms, it has emerged.

Local villagers are unhappy with the fact that hundreds of people from different parts of the country have literally camped in the area to collect Mopane Worms.

Truckloads of Mopane Worms have been spotted in the area and local villagers feel they are no longer direct beneficiaries of their natural resources.

“I will approach the Forestry Commission very soon because our people are longer benefitting from the natural resources in the area.

People from Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare and Masvingo have flooded our area so we will impose some regulations very soon,” said Village Mandla Khumalo.

By Talent Gondo

A Harare Magistrate, Lanzini Ncube has ordered the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to provide escort and security to participants of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) peaceful demonstration for electoral reforms.

Magistrate Ncube, set aside a prohibition order which had been issued by ZRP stopping CiZC from holding a public procession in Harare to demand the implementation of electoral reforms and issue petitions to both government and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).

In a press statement issued today by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), the court ordered CiCZ to go ahead with their public procession on Wednesday 11 April 2018.

“The ZRP should provide escort and security to participants of the public procession and members of the general public,” ordered the court.

“The ZRP should also ensure free movement of human and vehicular traffic.”

The ruling follows a ZLHR challenge over the ZRP’S prohibition of CiCZ’s public procession to demand implementation of electoral reforms.

Through the ZLHR, the CiZC hauled the ZRP to court seeking an order to stop the law enforcement agency from interfering with a demonstration which was held on Thursday 05 April 2018.

The ZRP, through Chief Superintendent Ncube, the Officer Commanding Harare Central District, barred CiZC from marching from the central business district to the offices of the ZEC, where the coalition intended to hand over a petition to the election management body and to Parliament, demanding the speedy implementation of electoral reforms.

In a letter written to CiZC Acting Director Thulani Mswelanto, Chief Superintendent Ncube said CiZC should shelve the march because “violations of other road users’ freedoms are highly likely during the march” and that the flow of traffic along the proposed route will be “highly disturbed”.

Chief Superintendent Ncube said CiZC could only gather at Africa Unity Square from 1000hrs to 1200hrs from where the civil society organisation could then hand over its petition to Parliament.

This prompted CiZC to engage the ZLHR who filed an exparte application at Harare Magistrates Court, which was heard early on Thursday 05 April 2018.

In the application filed on Wednesday 04 April 2018, human rights lawyer Noble Chinhanu of ZLHR, argued that the conditions and amendments set by Chief Superintendent Ncube of confining the protesters to Africa Unity Square only, takes away the right of CiZC to hold a procession.

Chinhanu argued that the decision by Chief Superintendent Ncube was made without inviting CiZC representatives to a consultative meeting to explore options to prevent any threat if any and to allow the coalition to proceed with its march.

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo

A local magistrate has dismissed claims by a Zaka man that he sells mbanje to raise money to support vulnerable children.

Taruvinga Chavingira(68) of Chapfuwa Village in Zaka appeared before Masvingo Magistrate Peter Madiba on Wednesday facing charges of growing and selling the dangerous drug.

Chavingira pleaded guilty to the charges and asked for clemency from the court.

“My Lord I grow and sell mbanje to raise money to take care of orphans and vulnerable children in my home area,” said Chavingira in mitigation.

Magistrate Madiba however dismissed Chavingira’ s argument and sentenced him to three years in prison.

“Not only are you growing a dangerous drug but the plant is not under the Command Agriculture Programme as well,” said Magistrate Madiba.

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo | Zanu PF fat cats are alleged to be dangling cash in a bid to buy loyalty ahead of the party’s primary polls.

Party insiders disclosed that the primary elections, set for May 5, would be characterised by the battle of the pockets.

Business tycoon and former Confederation of Zimbabwe Industry (CZI) president Calisto Jokonya will take on Jonathan Wutawawunashe in the battle to represent the party in Gutu South Constituency.

Higher Education Minister, Amon Murwira is eyeing Gutu North Constituency while former Mimosa Mining Company boss Winston Chitando is hoping to land the Gutu District Senatorial Post.

Masvingo State Minister Josaya Hungwe’ s stranglehold on the Chivi Mwenezi Senatorial Seat is likely to come to an end as he faces stiff competition from a businesswoman in the same area.

“We are in the process of collecting CVs from aspiring candidates and we will then proceed to the next stage, ” said Zanu PF Provincial Chairperson Ezra Chadzamira.

– As splinter ZimFirst distances itself from CODE launch

By Talent Gondo | ZimFirst President, Doctor Maxwell Shumba has threatened to take the Coalition of Democrats (CODE) leader to court over the continued use of his party’s name in CODE activities.

Dr Shumba, who also distanced ZimFirst from the planned CODE launch set for April 14 2018 at the Freedom Square in Harare said CODE President, Elton Mangoma should stop soiling his party’s name by communicating falsehoods and portraying ZimFirst as one of the parties within his coalition.

Dr Shumba, who fell out from the Mangoma led coalition which now has only 4 political parties revealed that he will soon take CODE to court over the continued use and association of his party’s name in CODE activities and as a member of the coalition.

“We will be taking Mangoma to court for his continued soiling of our name,” said Dr Shumba.

“ZimFirst is not party to the April 14 CODE Rally and any mention of ZimFirst name on any CODE flier is a fraud and is the reason why we are taking CODE and Mangoma to court.”

Efforts to get a comment from CODE President or it’s spokesperson, Mjobisa Noko were futile.

CODE is however set to launch its coalition and election campaign on April 14 2018 at the Freedom Square in Harare.

The parties set to participate at this launch are the Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe (RDZ) led by Mangoma, Derek Lupemba’s (ZimFirst), Marceline Chikasha’s African Democratic Party, Dumiso Dabengwa’s ZAPU and the Simba Makoni led Mavambo Kusile Dawn.