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For the first time in decades, former President Robert Mugabe’s birthday will be a low key event, without the attendant largesse and extravagance, which had come to characterise it, in spite of the day being declared a public holiday.

The Zanu PF youth league had been planning a do for Mugabe for weeks, but it was not clear whether the former President was part of the process, with suggestions he had snubbed his former party colleagues.

Acting Information minister and Zanu PF spokesperson, Simon Khaya Moyo confirmed there would be no public event this year. “It is a youth event,” he said. “The youth have said they will clean-up the cities.

“But the party will send its well wishes and a cake. “It is a day we treasure and we revere the former President.” Mugabe was every February 21st feted like a deity with public gatherings across the country under the banner of the 21st February Movement.

Zanu PF politburo secretary for youth Pupurai Togarepi confirmed what Moyo said.
“We will celebrate with our former President by visiting him with a cake,” he said. Asked if there will be a public programme for youth and whether the 21st February Movement had died following Mugabe’s removal from office, Togarepi said the “structure still exists”. Newsday

By Own Corespondent | ZBC news reporter Tendai Munengwa, has joined politics.

The 40 year old journalist is eying Mount Darwin South constituency parliamentary seat which was under the former Zanu PF political commissar and former Local Government minister, Saviour Kasukuwere.

Munengwa who is contesting on a Zanu PF ticket is battling with businessman James Makamba, and Zanu PF youth wing political commissar Godfrey Tsenengamu in the party’s primary elections due in few weeks time.

Makamba is being discredited by local villagers for having skipped the country before the finalisation of his externalisation allegations he was arrested on in 2005.

Tsengamu on the other hand is said to be popular in Mount Darwin Central than in Mount Darwin South.

Munengwa at the weekend was in the constituency where he visited the local chief Matope on a familiarization tour.

After visiting Chief Matope, he donated tonnes of cement, roof-sheets, windows and furniture for the completion of a classroom block at Chiunye secondary school.

Below are pictures of MDC leader Morgan Tsvangiirai’s body at his Buhera home Tuesday morning . ALSO FOLLOW THE LIVE UPDATES HERE.

By Farai D Hove| Mnangagwa protege’ Francis Mufambi has said Nelson Chamisa cannot rely on the funeral crowd scenes to claim an election win.

Writing on the “Tsvangirai Send Off” Freedom Square rally yesterday, Mufambi said Chamisa’s crowd cannot be used to analyse an electoral win.

He said,  “some gullible people want to analyse a funeral crowd to an electoral crowd! Oh My Ancestor Tadio. Zimbabwe is fully behind Cde ED…..Even majority of formerly opposition.. Yes we are celebrating MT’s life.

“It is Zanu PF that gave and maintained his dignity in his time of need. The government gave him a proper house, proper medical assistance, a befitting funeral arrangement against the financial constraints he faced in the last lap; And his body was handled in the best manner possible which is reserved for only State Presidents and Senior Officials!! Thank you President ED for your warm heart.

“Now fast forward. The Cdes pretending to be ready to carry MT’s legacy are rushing for the political spoils, they are not concerned about his death but power for it own sake. They start ridiculing MT’s generation by their misplaced Generational Nonsense- a concept borrowed from the poisonous G40 and its apparatchiks. Those who hated Morgan held kangaroo meetings when his body was still warm in death….I never thought power can be that evil.”

By Dorrothy Moyo| The late MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai’s mother, Gogo Lydia yesterday brisked her son’s successor Nelson Chamisa and daughter in law at the Freedom Square rally.

Mbuya Tsvangirai refused to join the Tsvangirai family at the high table at the rally which was to celebrate her son’s life.

She chose rather to stay inside the hearse near her son’s body.  The state media reports how she remained unmoved throughout the function.

There was more drama when her grandson Edwin introduced the whole Tsvangirai family. He skipped his stepmother Elizabeth, Macheka Tsvangirai, raising more emotion. Tsvangirai family members have told reporters the reason they have issues with Elizabeth is that she was no longer living with her late husband. They thus feel her entitlement to the matrimonial property is without merit. Elizabeth is entitled to the state pension for life.

It is believed Gogo Lydia was protesting against Chamisa and Elizabeth’s presence following her video recorded stunt on Saturday when she was filmed by ZBC News, while threatening to commit suicide if Elizabeth and Nelson Chamisa showed their faces.

Afterwards, she flew to Buhera aboard a military helicopter.

Harare City Council has banned commuter omnibuses from the central business district (CBD) and is ordering them to operate from new ranks with effect from Wednesday.

In a statement yesterday, Harare City Council corporate communications manager Mr Michael Chideme said the new development will be implemented tomorrow.

“City of Harare advises residents, the commuting public and commuter omnibus operators that with effect from Wednesday 21 February 2018, no commuter omnibuses will be allowed in the central business district,” he said.

The commuter omnibuses will terminate their journeys at the new peripheral ranks, from Charge Office to Seke Road and Dieppe Road (Coca-Cola), From Copa Cabana and Market Square to Coventry Road and Rotten Row rank.

Mr Chideme said council will only allow shuttle services to be provided into the CBD using specific routes.

“Shuttle services in and out of the CBD will be provided from the new ranks and the buses will follow specific routes,” he said.

Chideme said the routes would be as follows: Coventry Rank – Rotten Row – Robert Mugabe Way – fourth St Rank through Copacabana Rank.
Fourth St Rank – Fifth St – George Silundika Rd – Fourth St – Jason Moyo – through Copacabana – Rotten Row to Coventry Rd Rank.

Seke Rd Rank – Seke Rd – Robert Mugabe Way – S. Muzenda Rank (Fourth St Rank).
Coventry Rd Rank – Rotten Row – Charter Rd – Market Square Rank – Bank St – Kenneth Kaunda – S. Muzenda Rank (Fourth Street) and back.

Seke Rd Rank – Dieppe Rd – Chiremba Rd – Robert Mugabe Way – Robson Manyika –Charge Office.

Coventry Rd Rank – Cripps Rd – Dieppe Rd – Glenara Rd – S. Machel Rd – Rotten Rd – Coventry Rd Rank.

Chideme said the routes will be improved in the long run. “This move was long overdue. We want to restore order in our city like we promised. The routes will continue to be improved as we implement this strategy,” he said. Herald

Government will repossess Wakefield Farm in Headlands, which former Zanu-PF national secretary for youth affairs Mr Kudzanai Chipanga allegedly dubiously acquired after the land was earmarked for the construction of a State university.

Mr Chipanga is alleged to have corruptly acquired the farm with the help of then Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere and former Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Professor Jonathan Moyo.

Though he was allegedly not doing anything meaningful at the farm, Mr Chipanga is accused of levying a monthly fee of $10 000 to the former farmer to continue his activities.
Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said her office was seized with the matter.

“My office is working towards reversing all the anomalies and make sure State land is allocated for the rightful usage,” she said.

Minister Mutsvangwa said this on Sunday while addressing Zanu-PF members attending a provincial coordinating committee (PCC) meeting held in Mutare.

She was reacting to a suggestion by Zanu-PF secretary for finance Cde Patrick Chinamasa that her office should repossess the farm from Mr Chipanga.

“We had set aside three farms, which were gazetted by the then Minister of Lands, Didymus Mutasa,” said Chinamasa.

“This one was set aside for the construction of Manicaland State University.” Cde Chinamasa said in his endeavour to see development taking place in the area, he then engaged Prof Moyo and showed him the piece of land.

“I also went with Mandi Chimene (then Manicaland Minister of State for Provincial Affairs) and showed her the land,” he said.

“I was shocked to hear that they had given the same land to Chipanga. Maybe G40 meant to spite me, but that land remains a national asset.” Minister Mutsvangwa said her investigations had revealed that Mr Chipanga “was doing nothing” at the farm.

“The original farm owner was allegedly told by Chipanga to pay him $10 000 every month and continue farming,” she said. “The farmer ended up paying Chipanga $7 000 every month.

“Chipanga still wants to return to the farm, but there is no activity that he is doing. We made it clear that the farm is earmarked for the university.”

The minister said her office was aware that Mr Kasukuwere fraudulently allocated Ms Chimene another piece of land, which was State land.

“When he was Minister of Local Government, Kasukuwere gave Mandi (Chimene) documents that changed the farm, which appears as State land on Mutare’s master or grand plan,” she said.

“It was changed from State land to peri-urban and given to Mandi (Chimene) as the developer. “There were about 550 people who were paying for stands after she sub-divided the farm. There was a lot of money exchanging hands that happened during that time.” State media

The late MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai’s mother caused a scene at Freedom Square Square in Harare yesterday when she refused to disembark from the hearse carrying the body of her son at a send-off ceremony for party supporters.

Efforts to make her disembark from the vehicle and join other family members and party officials at the high table were fruitless. This came as Mr Tsvangirai’s son, Edwin, in his speech at the venue told MDC-T officials and supporters to respect the family.

Gogo Tsvangirai seemed to stick to her words when she declared at the weekend that she did not want her daughter-in-law Ms Elizabeth Macheka and controversially appointed acting party leader Mr Nelson Chamisa at the funeral. She even said she did not want to hear Mr Chamisa speak.

When the hearse carrying Mr Tsvangirai’s remains arrived at the venue, people were expecting to see Gogo Tsvangirai joining the high-table reserved for family members, party leadership and dignitaries. But this was not to be, as she did not disembark from the vehicle.

This sent conflicting signals in the gathering, with some suggesting that she snubbed the occasion, while others claimed it was for security reasons.

Gogo Tsvangirai could be seen eating bananas in the vehicle, as the casket bearing the body of Mr Tsvangirai remained in the vehicle throughout the proceedings.

Edwin described his father as a man imbued with great humility and unifier, who struggled for democracy.

He urged the MDC-T members to protect his father’s legacy by ensuring a non-violent election this year. “My father was a very powerful man, who fought for democracy,” he said. “MDC, respect us as a family. Desist from violence. My father advocated for unity, let us stop fighting.”

Master of ceremony Mr Abednego Bhebhe seemed to have forgotten to recognise the presence of MDC-T co-vice presidents Engineer Elias Mudzuri and Dr Thokozani Khupe.

He only did so after a reminder. Eng Mudzuri and Dr Khupe are fighting for the control of the party with Mr Chamisa in the wake of the demise of Mr Tsvangirai.

Each of the three claims to be the interim leader of the opposition party. Former Zambian Labour Minister Fackson Shamande, a close friend of Mr Tsvangirai, described him as a courageous man who was committed to democracy.

He said he advised Mr Tsvangirai against joining the inclusive Government in 2008. “He said to me the best way to heal our wounds is to put our differences aside,” said Mr Shamande.

“I told him not to join the unity government. I said to him you will be dribbled. They are going to use you as a shield and come next elections you will not stand a chance.”

When Mr Chamisa took to the podium, he dwelt on the envisaged split of the party.

“We hear some people saying the party will split,” he said. “This old man (Tsvangirai) was a unifier. This party is not for Chamisa, it is not for Khupe, Mudzuri, Moyo, Mwonzora, Komichi or anyone in the leadership. It is the people’s party.”

“Yes there can be fighting among the top leadership but that does not mean that the party is collapsing.”

After the speech most people, including Eng Mudzuri jostled to shake hands with Mr Chamisa.

Dr Khupe remained glued to her seat. When the proceedings ended, Dr Khupe was the first to leave the podium.

Former deputy Prime Minister Professor Arthur Mutambara, Professor Lovemore Madhuku, Dr Munyaradzi Gwisai, former Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Paul Chimedza, MDC Alliance leaders and civic organisations groups attended the ceremony. – State Media

Mrs Elizabeth Tsvangirai captured yesterday together with MDC leader Pamela Vivian Chitimbe and activist Linda Masarira.

Wicknell Chivayo is embroiled in boardroom squabbles with his business partner Mr Yusuf Ahmid, whom he accuses of plotting to elbow him out of Intratrek Zimbabwe (Private) Limited.

Mr Chivayo, who is the founder and managing director of Intratrek, is battling to protect his interests in the firm, arguing that they own 50 percent shareholding apiece.
He claims that a verbal agreement entered between the two parties awarded them equal shareholding in the company.

Intratrek was awarded a tender worth $5 million to set up a 100MW solar project in Gwanda under controversial circumstances and it has been heavily criticised over failure to implement the project in time despite receiving payment from the Zimbabwe Power Company without a guarantee.

The problems arose when Mr Ahmid’s lawyers sought to be provided with documents related to the Gwanda tender, both from ZESA Holdings and Mr Chivayo. It is claimed that Mr Ahmid’s lawyers also had a meeting with ZESA Holdings, a development Mr Chivayo felt was part of his partner’s strategy to topple him.

Prominent Harare lawyer Mr Wilson Manase of Manase & Manase Legal Practitioners has written to ZESA Holdings chief executive officer Engineer Josh Chifamba warning him against entertaining Mr Ahmid and his lawyers in discussions regarding the Gwanda project.

Mr Manase, on behalf of Mr Chivayo, also wrote to Mr Ahmid’s lawyers Bruce Tokwe Commercial Law Chambers, accusing them of roping in ZESA Holdings in their plot for a boardroom coup.
“Your demand (for documents) has been inopportunely made at a time when both your clients and yourself jointly and severally engaged certain officials from ZESA Holdings on or around 25 January 2018 on an inimical attempt to illegally topple our client from his rightful position as a 50 percent shareholder in Intratrek Zimbabwe and its managing director,” he said.

“The agenda and subsequent deliberations at the aforesaid meeting clearly demonstrate an insatiable appetite on the part of your clients and indeed any party associated with them, to unjustly benefit from the hard work and dedication which our client invested in the operations of Intratrek Zimbabwe, culminating in the winning and signing of the Gwanda Solar 100MW EPC Contract with the Zimbabwe Power Company on October 23 2015.”

Mr Manase added, “It is highly abhorrent on the part of your clients and correspondingly unethical on any person to be part of such an unscrupulous skirmish whose intention is to cuckold our client and swindle his shareholding in Intratrek Zimbabwe”.

The verbal agreement between the parties, Mr Manase said, awarded them 50 percent shareholding apiece in Intratrek Zimbabwe. Mr Manase stated in the letter that Mr Ahmid abandoned Intratrek for three years, only to resurface when the ZESA tender had been won.

“Their conduct is only explained by sheer greed and self-absorbed interests to acquire undeserving gains from the Gwanda Solar 100MW project,” he said.

“It is clear that your clients have conveniently peddled falsehoods in order to unjustly benefit from our client’s exceptional dedication to ensuring that the project is a success.”

In a letter to Eng Chifamba, Mr Manase urged ZESA to stop meddling in the affairs of Intratrek.

“This unwarranted and illegal meddling is without doubt, highly improper, bordering on a scandalous connivance between public officials and a cabal of ill-intentioned schemers purporting to represent Intratrek Zimbabwe, while harbouring hostile interests in our client’s business in general and the Gwanda Solar project, in particular,” he said.

In terms of the contract between ZPC and Intratrek, any official communication should strictly be done between the two companies’ managing directors only. Herald

In #Harare for my first visit following the peaceful transition of power. #Zimbabwe is indeed open for business! Met with President @edmnangagwa and it was an honour to also pay a visit to former President Robert Mugabe. With thanks to foreign minister SB Moyo. #ED100days pic.twitter.com/5quQCEuRRS

— Moussa Faki Mahamat (@AUC_MoussaFaki) February 19, 2018

Flash floods left scores of Bulawayo residents counting their losses, with the city’s Fire Brigade saying it was overwhelmed by distress calls following heavy rains that pounded the city on Sunday.

Some residents in Nketa, Nkulumane, Tshabalala and Cowdray Park suburbs were among the worst affected.

Bulawayo Fire Brigade Chief Fire Officer Mr Richard Peterson said his team attended to numerous flash flood calls from 3PM to 10PM on Sunday.

“We were so overwhelmed by the calls. We were unable to attend to some but we attended to most of them. Nketa 9, Nketa 6, Nketa 8 and part of Nkulumane even in Lobengula we had one or two cases. But I think 90 percent of the flooding occurred in houses in Nketa,” said Mr Peterson.

He said the major cause for flash floods was failure to create weep holes after people erected precast walls, thus interfering with the flow of water.

Mr Peterson said his team also faced resistance from some residents who did not want holes to be drilled into the pre-cast walls.

A Chronicle news crew visited some suburbs yesterday and residents narrated their ordeal.- state media

A form one pupil at Tshazi Secondary School in Filabusi, Matabeleland South, allegedly bit 14 of his classmates, seriously injuring one amid suspicions that he is rabid.

School authorities yesterday took some of the pupils to Filabusi District Hospital for medical tests.

The juvenile (14) who cannot be named for ethical reasons reportedly went on a biting frenzy on Thursday and Friday last week.

Sources at the school yesterday said veterinary officials visited the school as they feared the juvenile could be rabid.

“It just happened on Thursday; the boy was behaving like he had fallen into a trance. He bit his classmates and seriously injured one boy who had to be rushed to hospital bleeding. A chunk of flesh was removed from his arm sending shivers to pupils who witnessed the incident,” said a source.

His classmates, sources said, are now scared of the boy following the incident.

“Pupils in his class were very scared as they had not seen such a strange incident before. Rumour swirled that the boy could either be possessed by ancestral spirits or he is rabid,” said another source.

A Chronicle news crew visited the school yesterday and the school head, only identified as Mr G Ndlovu declined to comment saying they were compiling a report on the unusual occurrence.- state media

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo
Former MDC MP for Masvingo Central Constituency Jeffryson Chitando has appealed for peace and unity during the burial of the late MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai.

Commenting on Facebook yesterday Chitando called on warring MDC parties to pay homage to the late veteran opposition leader in a peaceful way.

“Kuziva kwangu munhu achinge ashaika mumusha
vese vemapolitical parties vanochema nokubatana
panhamo.Vanhu veMDCT truly Dr Morgan Richard
Tsvangirai was your party president but dai
mambomira mashoko akawanda veruzhinji taviga
mwana weZimbabwe.

His death has robbed
Zimbabwe of a hero not only a party hero saka
kutukana kwamuri kuita pasocial media dai
mambosiya gamba ripihwe ruremekedzo
rwegamba,” wrote Chitando.

Chitando is the National People’ s Party(NPP) spokesperson.

Terrence Mawawa |Zanu PF youth league member and political strategist Brian Mudhumi has defended acting MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa saying the youthful politician’ s detractors are determined to soil his reputation.

Commenting on Facebook yesterday Mudhumi said:
“In as much as I may not agree with Chamisa
ideologically,
common sense tells you that it’s only cheap politics or a
smear campaign against him.

Chamisa will never be a stupid person who can be involved
in an affair with his boss’s Wife – that can never
happen Cdes.”

Mudhumi was responding to reports that Chamisa was barred from attending Tsvangirai’ s funeral.

Terrence Mawawa | Firebrand opposition leader, Julius Malema has said the people of South Africa have drawn practical lessons from what happened in Zimbabwe over the past two decades.

Speaking in that country’ s Parliamentary debate on the State of the Nation Address made by President Cyril Ramaphosa, Malema accused the Zanu PF regime of depriving the late MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai of the right to rule Zimbabwe.

Malema made the remarks during the Parliamentary debate in Capetown today.

“We all agree that Morgan Tsvangirai spent his life fighting for democracy in Zimbabwe.

He was deprived of the opportunity to rule Zimbabwe by the regime although he had won the elections in 2008.

I wish to convey my heartfelt condolences to the people of Zimbabwe following Tsvangirai’ s death.

We will never allow the ANC to subvert the will of the people. That will not happen here in South Africa,” said Malema.

By Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo| Sugar producing giant Tongaat Hullet has refused to be involved in the messy Zanu PF factional struggles.

Officials at Tongaat Hullet refused to bow down to pressure from Vice President Costantino Chiwenga who wanted them to nail G-40 MPs Darlington Chiwa(Chiredzi West and Denford Masiya(Chiredzi East).

A company official has made claims that Chiwenga ordered Tongaat Hullet to release a statement indicating the two demanded bribes from the company.

“We cannot release a false statement. The two MPs never demanded bribes from us,” said the senior company official.

He added:”We have nothing against Chiwa and Masiya.Whatever has been said is based on political divisions and factionalism.”

Chiwenga is fighting hard to elbow both Chiwa and Masiya out of the ruling party, according to impeccable sources.

Terrence Mawawa, Chivhu
Businesspeople here have declared Tuesday February 20 a ‘public holiday’ in honour of the late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai who died in South Africa last Wednesday.

The former Right Honourable Prime Minister will be buried at his rural home in Buhera tomorrow.

Tsvangirai’ s body has been flown by an army helicopter to Humanikwa Village in Buhera for burial tomorrow.

Businesspeople in the transit town yesterday said they would close their shops tomorrow to join millions of Zimbabweans in mourning the veteran opposition leader and icon of democracy.

“I will travel to Buhera tomorrow to pay homage to the people’ s hero .On Tuesday we will not open our shop for business. However we will resume normal operations on Wednesday,” said a takeaway operator who identified herself as Nancy.

“Tomorrow I will travel to Buhera so I will close my shop,” said a retail trader.

“This is a huge blow to democracy. The people’ s hero will be sadly missed,” said furniture trader by the name Washington.

FORMER Education Minister Mr David Coltart has lashed out at the MDC-T’s top leadership that is entangled in a messy succession battle following the death of party leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai.

Mr Tsvangirai succumbed to colon cancer in South Africa on Wednesday last week and will be buried at his rural home in Buhera tomorrow.
Mr Coltart yesterday took to the micro-blogging site Twitter and lambasted the warring parties, saying their conduct was “shockingly distasteful.”

The politician, who was the opposition party’s founding secretary for legal affairs when it was established in 1999, urged the rival factions to unite and bury Mr Tsvangirai with dignity before deciding on who will fill his shoes in terms of the party’s constitution.

“I find the conduct of the entire top leadership of the MDC-T shockingly distasteful at present. For goodness sake bury Morgan Tsvangirai in unity and with dignity without hurling insults at one another and then decide who will lead the party in terms of the MDC-T constitution,” said Mr Coltart. Mr Tsvangirai’s death has plunged the MDC-T in turmoil.

The MDC-T is locked in a messy succession battle pitting Advocate Nelson Chamisa and two other deputies, Engineer Elias Mudzuri and Dr Thokozani Khupe.
The three are all fighting for the top post.
The intra-party political manoeuvres have also divided not only the MDC-T leaders but also the late Tsvangirai’s family members.

The fissures are also threatening the MDC Alliance, a grouping of opposition parties intending to participate in the coming election under one umbrella.

Adv Chamisa is in favour of the alliance while others led by Dr Khupe feel there is no need to enter into a coalition particularly in Matabeleland region.

Terrence Mawawa| An official from the government controlled Cold Storage Commission(CSC) has accused Masvingo State Minister Josaya Dunira Hungwe of lying to the nation about the state of affairs in the organisation.

Hungwe last week claimed he had contacted investors who were willing to inject capital into the commission’ s coffers.

Hungwe further claimed that CSC was ready to reopen its doors.

The official who declined to be named told ZimEye.com yesterday Hungwe’ s utterances were out of sync with the reality on the ground.

“It is unfortunate to note that the Minister’ s sentiments are divorced from what is happening on the ground. When Minister Hungwe visited the CSC Premises with officials from his offices we briefed him on the state of affairs here but he chose to release a political statement.

He also knows about the $ 30 million debt that is yet to be cleared,” said the official.

Battle lines have been drawn in the fractured MDC with factions lining up thugs to settle the leadership contest even as opposition party leader Morgan Tsvangirai is still to be buried.

The MDC, thrown into mourning following Tsvangirai’s death on Wednesday last week, is sharply divided into three factions led by Nelson Chamisa, Thokozani Khupe and Elias Mudzuri — who are all vice presidents of the opposition party.

Chamisa was controversially appointed acting party president by the MDC national council on Thursday last week, but Khupe and Mudzuri, who both claim to be the bona fide acting presidents, are having none of it.

The Daily News on Sunday can report that the factional fights in the party have degenerated to levels where opposing camps are now threatening to unleash violence on their rivals ahead of Tsvangirai’s burial in Buhera on Tuesday.

Chamisa, accused of using violent MDC youths to block Mudzuri from entering the party’s headquarters recently, tweeted yesterday saying he now fears for his life after he swiftly ascended to the throne.

“I’ve taken note of incessant and increased attacks on my character by agents from across the political divide on account of lies, malice and propaganda. I’ve also observed a real threat to my safety and security after numerous attempts upon my life,” said Chamisa.

Party spokesperson Obert Gutu confirmed that the MDC, formed in 1999, was now on the edge with reports of possible violence.

“People should not fight when he is being interred. We know that there are some people who are planning such things. Let us first bury Save and then determine the way forward later. I am sad that they are planning violence on the day when the president will be interred, sometimes one wonders whether there is a third hand fanning these brawls,” said Gutu.
Save is Tsvangirai’s totem.

Asked who the acting president of the party is, Gutu said he did not want to be dragged into the wild dog fights now threatening the soul of the country’s biggest opposition party.

“I was brought up in a Christian family, in a traditional set-up. Why not first bury the icon and then talk of the leader later. I don’t want to raise emotions, I feel bad. We want to respect the icon, look I take this as a period of mourning and I don’t want to be caught in a political crossfire, this is a difficult period of mourning, let us not fight at this juncture,” said Gutu.

The MDC constitution is silent on who among the three vice presidents would automatically become the acting president in the event that the office holder becomes incapacitated, dies in office or resigns.
It says “in the event of the death or resignation of the president, the deputy president assumes the role of acting president, pending the holding of an extraordinary congress that shall be held to elect a new president… which extraordinary congress to be held no later than a year from the death or resignation of the former president”.

Yesterday, Chamisa said the issue of who is the acting president of the party had been settled by the MDC national council and there was no need to respond to issues raised through social media.
“This is a period of mourning. The national council sat and made a decision that was made public, if there is a problem you don’t go on social media,” he said.

Asked whether he was aware of possible clashes with rivals, Chamisa said it was possible some people would want to create sideshows.

“I know there are some people who would want to create side shows,” said Chamisa.
Those who are opposed to Chamisa say the national council has no authority to elect an acting president.

Mudzuri yesterday refused to be drawn into the debate while Khupe has since gone on record to highlight that the other two are vice presidents while she is the constitutionally recognised “deputy president”.

“I am the deputy president who was elected at congress and my president appointed two vice presidents. The national council cannot substitute congress. I am a deputy president, the constitution is clear (that) when the president is not there the deputy president acts and I am the deputy president,” said Khupe.

On Thursday last week, MDC vice national chairperson Morgan Komichi who chaired the national council said Chamisa was unanimously elected acting president for a period of 12 months. The meeting was attended by 190 members out of 215.

In terms of the party’s constitution, an acting president will hold the for whenever the president is absent from Zimbabwe or is for any reason unable to perform his or her powers, functions or administrative duties.

It says the acting president will “perform such functions relating to the function of standing committees and other general matters as may be assigned to him or her by the national council”.
Informed sources within the MDC told the Daily News on Sunday that as things stand, “the MDC has effectively split and we are just waiting for the burial of the president and then make the big Daily News

Top MDC official Abednico Bhebhe the National Organising Secretary has thrown his weight behind acting President Nelson Chamisa.

Staff Reporter| President Emmerson Mnangagwa has just spoken on his meeting thee Tsvangirai family at their house where he paid condolences.

The President called every Zimbabwean to come together in mourning. He said in writing, “this morning I went to pay my respects to the Tsvangirai family and to assure them that the whole of Zimbabwe stands with them.

“In this hour of mourning, let us all be united. Let us all be brothers and sisters, and come together to mourn our former Prime Minister. And in this spirit let us move forward as a people and be united for the development of our country.”

Thousands have gathered outside Harvest House to bid MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai farewell.

University of Zimbabwe (UZ) vice-chancellor Levi Nyagura allegedly took the institution’s lecturers to Grace Mugabe’s Mazowe orphanage so she could take oral examinations for her disputed Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree, a Harare court heard yesterday. 

Nyagura (72) was arrested on Friday for alleged criminal abuse of office for his role in the awarding of the degree to the former first lady.

Harare magistrate Tilda Mazhande was told Nyagura single-handedly accepted the wife of former president Robert Mugabe’s application to study for the PhD without the knowledge of the UZ’s sociology department.

Prosecutor Oscar Madhume said in 2011 Nyagura approved Ntombizodwa G Marufu (Grace’s maiden name) application without the knowledge and recommendations of the departmental board and faculty of higher degrees committee in violation of UZ quality assurance guidelines and benchmark.

He said during the same period, Nyagura appointed Professor Claude Mararike and Professor Chaneta to supervise Grace without the knowledge and approval of the department.

Nyagura is accused of usurping the powers of the UZ senate by single-handedly appointing examiners for Mugabe’s research in violation of the UZ Act chapter 25:16 and Ordinance 1998/99.

Nyagura allegedly led supervisors and examiners to Mugabe’s Mazowe orphanage, where the defence oral examination was purportedly done without the knowledge and approval of the academic committee while in actual fact the examination is supposed to be done at the UZ premises.

The prosecution alleged that during the same year, Nyagura recommended to Mugabe that Grace should be awarded the PhD.

This was allegedly done without the knowledge of the UZ council and academic committee.
The sociology department distanced itself from both the candidate and awarding of the degree as it was done without their knowledge. Prosecutors said Grace did not meet the minimum requirements to study for the degree.

Nyagura, who is represented by advocate Lewis Uriri, pleaded not guilty to the charges and was remanded to March 5 on $200 bail.

As part of his bail conditions, Nyagura was ordered not to interfere with State witnesses who include lecturers. Standard

Staff Reporter| President Emmerson Mnangagwa is on his way to Morgan Tsvangirai’s house in Highlands.

The President is expected to pay condolences to the Tsvangirai family. The late MDC leader died during the week after a long battle with cancer of the colon.

MDC Alliance member and party leader, Welshman Ncube claims that Morgan Tsvangirai knew he was dying and appointed Nelson Chamisa his successor.

Ncube is MDC-T Vice President Thokozani Khupe’s nemesis.

He told the Standard that the former prime minister, Tsvangirai realised that he was losing the battle against colon cancer and chose Chamisa to take over from him after his eventual death. Ncube said:

“I got a call during that meeting from Tsvangirai asking me to visit him the following day at his home.

I went to his house; it was a Saturday… that meeting was emotionally draining.In his words, he said let us be realistic, I am losing this battle with cancer and I will not be with you for long.

He said he would not make it and would not be with us during the election campaigns, during elections… I kept telling him not to say such things or ever entertain such thoughts.

I asked how we would go about it when he was not around. He then said ‘I will give you Chamisa to lead the whole process’.

He asked me to assist Chamisa with this important task to give Zimbabweans another fighting chance in the elections, but I said I could not do that unless Chamisa was also told the same.

I called Chamisa and he came and joined us and Tsvangirai said the exact same thing to Chamisa that he had chosen him to lead the MDC-T and MDC Alliance in his absence.”

Chamisa was eventually appointed the party’s acting president of the party. Read more in The Standard report. 

MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora has insisted that his party rushed to appoint Nelson Chamisa the President before due process.

Mwonzora made these statements to the weekly Standard saying he himself also attempted stopping the move.

He said his party violated its own constitution by electing Nelson Chamisa as the acting president of the party, a day after the death of Morgan Tsvangirai.

Mwonzora now demands that the party must hold an elective Congress to choose its presidential candidate.

Mwonzora said: “We noticed there was a rush by some leaders to convene meetings of the organs of the party even before the death of the president. But when the president finally succumbed, there arose another problem on whether we should proceed with the national council meeting or suspend all party business.

“I did the initial discussion with our leaders; we agreed we were calling off any party business to allow for a dignified send-off of our leader.

“But meetings were convened purporting to be meetings of the national council which is the highest decision-making body and decisions were made.

“It is important to note that when the president died, we called off the national council meeting and I personally did that because as the secretary-general, I am responsible for convening that.

“But some leaders decided to disobey that and during the time of the national council meeting, a question arose as to whether we should appoint someone as acting president.

“I had two fundamental problems to that as the administrator of the party. The first one was that other interested people were not there, not because of choice, they were involved in funeral arrangements of the former prime minister.

“It was only fair that everybody be there when such an important question is resolved.

“Secondly, the issue of whether the constitution allowed it. I knew the constitution did not allow the election of a leader by the national council, a leader who is elected outside congress; it can’t be done by the national council.

“Unfortunately for me, when we wanted to raise those issues, I was not allowed to speak and as a result, I left.

“… The meeting was chaired by the deputy national chairman, Morgen Komichi, so I was unable to speak, I was not allowed to speak and I left.

“Some have interpreted that an acting president in an election can act beyond the election date, that is wrong because when the MDC chooses its election candidate, it actually holds a congress and that primary election is called a congress.

“At Congress, while electing the president, you are electing two people: the head of the party and the presidential candidate for the next election.

“It is a democratic process, and that process of Congress involves voting by over 5 000 people. What happened in the national council meeting was simply a declaration of one person as the acting president, but the national council did not elect the presidential candidate.

“So the question remains on who the presidential candidate is and therefore we must hold an extraordinary congress where people would come.

“The Congress would be made up of up to 5 000 people, the national executive has less than 170 people, in fact, it has 155 people.

“That means, if we are to say the national council elects the president and the presidential candidate, we are disenfranchising over 4 800 members of the MDC who want to vote.”

University Of Zimbabwe Vice Chancellor Levy Nyagura who was arrested on Friday is on trial for allegedly assisting Grace Mugabe obtain a fake doctorate degree.

Nyagura (72) was arrested for alleged criminal abuse of office for his role in the awarding of the degree to the former first lady.

Harare magistrate Tilda Mazhande was told Nyagura single-handedly accepted the wife of former president Robert Mugabe’s application to study for the PhD without the knowledge of the UZ’s sociology department.

Prosecutor Oscar Madhume said in 2011 Nyagura approved Ntombizodwa G Marufu (Grace’s maiden name) application without the knowledge and recommendations of the departmental board and faculty of higher degrees committee in violation of UZ quality assurance guidelines and benchmark.

He said during the same period, Nyagura appointed Professor Claude Mararike and Professor Chaneta to supervise Grace without the knowledge and approval of the department.

Nyagura is accused of usurping the powers of the UZ senate by single-handedly appointing examiners for Mugabe’s research in violation of the UZ Act chapter 25:16 and Ordinance 1998/99. – Standard

MDC-T deputy president Dr Thokozani Khupe has reportedly lost support from one of her strongholds — Bulawayo province — with the provincial executive pledging their allegiance to the party’s acting president Mr Nelson Chamisa.

Dr Khupe is among the party’s deputy presidents — together with Mr Chamisa and Engineer Elias Mudzuri who have been fighting for the control of the party before and after the death of leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai.

Dr Khupe has, however, been leading a group of senior party members in the Matabeleland region who have opposed the involvement of the party in the MDC Alliance coalition, which has seen them campaigning against the coalition. Their bone of contention being the allocation of parliamentary seats.

Dr Khupe, the party’s national organiser, Mr Abednigo Bhebhe and Mr Lovemore Moyo are reportedly not happy with events that led to the formation of the MDC Alliance especially the allocation of constituencies in the run up to the agreement with other parties who joined the coalition.

The MDC Alliance is made up of MDC-T, Transform Zimbabwe, Professor Welshman Ncube’s MDC, Zimbabwe People First, the Multi-Racial Christian Democratic Party, People’s Democratic Party, and Zanu Ndonga. It has since emerged that Dr Khupe and her allies have lost grip of their key base of support in Bulawayo with all but two members of the provincial executive making it clear that they were aligned to Mr Chamisa and supported the party’s participation in the coalition.

Among those who have reportedly abandoned Dr Khupe is the provincial chairperson, Bulawayo deputy mayor, Councillor Gift Banda who has long been considered as her close ally. The party’s acting provincial chairperson and Bulawayo Central legislator, Ms Dorcas Sibanda said it was unfortunate that a few of their colleagues had decided to rebel and oppose unity.

“It’s a simple issue of mathematics, ask any ordinary resident in Bulawayo, not just us the executive only and they will tell you that they have always been encouraging us to unite. Besides who are we to oppose what our late president, Morgan Tsvangirai clearly stated.

“We gave the president the mandate to lead and he did, he saw the importance for us to unite and this is what we are doing until the end. It is unfortunate to some of our members who just want to oppose, they will remain by themselves in the open,” said Ms Sibanda.

Efforts to get a comment from Clr Banda were fruitless . Sources revealed that while Dr Khupe was desperately trying to maintain her grip on the province, it was now becoming a futile effort as most of executive members were already campaigning under the MDC Alliance banner.

“The only two provincial executive members who have remained loyal to Dr Khupe and her crew are women’s wing chairperson, Clr Tamani Moyo and the provincial secretary, Ms Nomvula Mguni, but their opposition is not affecting the day to day running of the party in the province as they are not even attending any meetings,” said the source.

Another source who is close to Dr Khupe revealed that the grouping was slowly realising that they were losing grip and were now resorting to approaching individual members with the hope of convincing them not to abandon ship.

“Another option is to just give in and join Chamisa because that could be the only way that they can have any dream of winning in the upcoming elections,” said the source.

Mr Chamisa has declared himself MDC-T acting president for the next 12 months although a number of party bigwigs are against the move. Dr Khupe could not be reached for comment on the issue.- state media

The Hwange Colliery Company has dragged Police Commissioner-General Tandabantu Godwin Matanga to the High Court seeking an urgent order to force him to give orders to the police to eject people who have been protesting at the company’s premises in Hwange.

Wives of employees of the company besieged the company offices protesting that the coal mining firm pay their husbands their outstanding salaries. In the urgent chamber application for an interdict filed through its lawyers, Mawere Sibanda Commercial Lawyers on behalf of the company, Hwange cited Comm-Gen as the first respondent and Officer-in-Charge of Hwange Police Station as the second respondent. In the application, Hwange Colliery is seeking the court to force the police to evict the protestors.

“The applicant having sought the assistance of the police by engaging the second respondent who is in charge of the police station closest to the applicant’s main office. The second respondent having refused to intervene in the demonstrations therefore left the applicant with no other remedy except to approach this Honourable Court, as its business operations are being disrupted by the said demonstrators. The applicant accordingly hereby approaches the Honourable Court for urgent relief as set out in the draft herein,” read part of the chamber application.

The company said they want police bosses to discharge the functions of their office in terms of the Public Order and Security Act (Posa) as the regulating authority by dispersing the “unlawful” gathering of demonstrators. The company wants the protestors to be prevented from disrupting coal mining activities.

According to the application, Hwange’s business activities at the main office have been disturbed since 29 January by a group of demonstrators purporting to be the the wives of the company’s employees.

“The demonstration by the said persons being illegal in that they are on the Applicant’s private property, although not employed by the Applicant and they have no permission for the court or from the Applicant, itself to be to be demonstrating on the Applicant’s private property,” read the application.

In his founding affidavit deposed together with the application, company secretary and legal representative Mr Allen Masiya said the company was also seeking an interdict against the demonstrators.

“The demonstrators did not have any court order or clearance for carrying out their protest. To make matters worse, because they are not the applicant’s employees, they did not have applicant’s permission to enter the premises. However, despite efforts of the applicant’s security personnel to deny the demonstrators access, the groups forcefully entered the premises and surrounded the applicant’s administration building. They began disrupting the day- to-day operations of the applicant, by singing, dancing and making threats against applicant’s managing director. To date, and as I depose this affidavit, the protestors are still stationed at the administrations building, with others scattered around the applicant’s premises,” he said.

The High Court is set to hear the case on Tuesday.

Wives of HCCL employees have been demanding that the coal mining company fulfils its pledge to pay them outstanding salaries, after agreeing to a scheme of arrangement last year. Hundreds of women camped at the management office in Hwange where they used tree branches to block management from entering the premises. Some of them have been sleeping at the premises as part of their demonstration. state media

Former Vice-President Mr Phelekezela Mphoko allegedly threatened the chief executive officer of the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH), Mrs Nonhlanhla Ndlovu, with unspecified action accusing her of directing the institution to stop the salary of one of his daughters who works at the hospital as a medical doctor, Sunday News can reveal.

According to sources at the hospital, Mr Mphoko called Mrs Ndlovu and threatened to “deal with her” when the hospital authorities ceased the salary of his daughter, Dr Sikhumbuzo Mphoko who went Awol during Operation Restore Legacy in November last year when the Zimbabwe Defence Forces launched the exercise targeting criminal elements surrounding former President Robert Mugabe.

A key member of the G40 cabal, Mr Mphoko had left Zimbabwe on an official visit to Japan on 14 November, a day before the defence forces launched the operation and he did not return to the country but instead, flew to Botswana where he was holed up until 1 December. His family including his two daughters who are medical doctors at UHB, Sikhumbuzo and Siduduzo reportedly also left the country and joined him in Botswana. Mrs Ndlovu confirmed that Mr Mphoko threatened her when the hospital ceased the salary of Dr Sikhumbuzo Mphoko.

“When they returned they reported for work but we had ceased the salary of one of the former VP’s daughters as she had not reported for duty for a continuous period of 14 days. We had no problems with the other one as she had followed the correct procedure of doing things here,” said Mrs Ndlovu.

“With regards with the other one, Mphoko contacted me and threatened me with unspecified action accusing me of being behind the ceasing of the salary of his daughter. I felt threatened and disappointed. I felt threatened because he used strong language against me which I can’t repeat. I was disappointed because I expected him to know what happens when someone just stops reporting for duty without following the necessary procedures. I expected him to know better as he once served as the country’s VP.”

After the threats, Mrs Ndlovu was then forced to inform her bosses in Harare. The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Retired Major-General (Dr) Gerald Gwinji, then wrote to Mr Mphoko explaining the circumstances that resulted in the hospital ceasing the salary of his daughter. In the letter dated 31 January 2018 Rtd Maj-Gen (Dr) Gwinji wrote to Mr Mphoko stating that the CEO and her team followed due process in ceasing the salary of Dr Sikhumbuzo Mphoko.

“It is Government policy that salaries for any member who does not report for duty for a continuous period of 14 days be ceased as a way of controlling the wage bill. Dr Mphoko neither applied for leave nor informed the hospital authorities about her absence from work. The chief executive officer did what was expected under the circumstances. Request for the re-instatement on the pay sheet was initiated by the chief executive officer when Dr Mphoko eventually reported for duty and explained the circumstances around her absence from duty.”

When Sunday News contacted Rtd Maj-Gen (Dr) Gwinji he said his letter to the former VP was not acknowledging harassment of staff by Mr Mphoko, but it was meant to explain the fact that when the “doctors in question went absent without official leave the administration at UBH acted procedural by taking them off the payroll and allowing for procedural reconsideration of their case as they presented for duty after this period of absence.”

Efforts to contact Mr Mphoko were fruitless as all his two mobile phone numbers were said to be no longer in service.- state media

President Mnangagwa has implored incoming Zimbabwe Republic Commissioner General Godwin Matanga to hit the ground running by ensuring his officers provide services commensurate with their mandate.

The President said this on Thursday at the official opening of the new Criminal Investigations Department building which also houses a new forensic laboratory in Harare.

Speaking at the event, President Mnangagwa said society had great expectations on Commissioner General Matanga.

“We are equally conscious of the great expectations of society for the newly appointed Commissioner General to hit the ground running, by providing much needed investigative and forensic science laboratory services to the people,” said the President.

“The completion of this massive and magnificent structure, which has nine floors, will no doubt, see the CID and Forensic Scientists move from the dreary, antiquated and modular structures.

“Most importantly, the Forensic Science Laboratory will enhance evidence gathering, processing and analysis.

“This will reduce the time and effort police often devote to searching eyewitnesses of crime, as a lead to identifying a suspect.”

The president took reference to his former offices which were broken into, but police investigations were inconclusive due to lack of forensic evidence.

He said the police should be professional and disciplined.

President Mnangagwa reiterated his pledge to hold free and fair elections and urged the police to maintain law and order before, during and after the polls.

In his address during the same event Commissioner General Matanga said: “Your Excellency, during your inauguration, you promised that it was no longer business as usual.

“Borrowing from that version, allow me to also say that, it will no longer be policing as usual in the Zimbabwe Republic Police.”

“You are on record saying that, the voice of the people is the voice of God, indeed, the people spoke and we had to do deep self-introspection. We had to redeem ourselves and serve our masters well.”- state media

MDC-T deputy president Dr Thokozani Khupe has reportedly lost support from one of her strongholds — Bulawayo province — with the provincial executive pledging their allegiance to the party’s acting president Mr Nelson Chamisa.

Dr Khupe is among the party’s deputy presidents — together with Mr Chamisa and Engineer Elias Mudzuri who have been fighting for the control of the party before and after the death of leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai.

Dr Khupe has, however, been leading a group of senior party members in the Matabeleland region who have opposed the involvement of the party in the MDC Alliance coalition, which has seen them campaigning against the coalition. Their bone of contention being the allocation of parliamentary seats.

Dr Khupe, the party’s national organiser, Mr Abednigo Bhebhe and Mr Lovemore Moyo are reportedly not happy with events that led to the formation of the MDC Alliance especially the allocation of constituencies in the run up to the agreement with other parties who joined the coalition.

The MDC Alliance is made up of MDC-T, Transform Zimbabwe, Professor Welshman Ncube’s MDC, Zimbabwe People First, the Multi-Racial Christian Democratic Party, People’s Democratic Party, and Zanu Ndonga. It has since emerged that Dr Khupe and her allies have lost grip of their key base of support in Bulawayo with all but two members of the provincial executive making it clear that they were aligned to Mr Chamisa and supported the party’s participation in the coalition.

Among those who have reportedly abandoned Dr Khupe is the provincial chairperson, Bulawayo deputy mayor, Councillor Gift Banda who has long been considered as her close ally. The party’s acting provincial chairperson and Bulawayo Central legislator, Ms Dorcas Sibanda said it was unfortunate that a few of their colleagues had decided to rebel and oppose unity.

“It’s a simple issue of mathematics, ask any ordinary resident in Bulawayo, not just us the executive only and they will tell you that they have always been encouraging us to unite. Besides who are we to oppose what our late president, Morgan Tsvangirai clearly stated.

“We gave the president the mandate to lead and he did, he saw the importance for us to unite and this is what we are doing until the end. It is unfortunate to some of our members who just want to oppose, they will remain by themselves in the open,” said Ms Sibanda.

Efforts to get a comment from Clr Banda were fruitless . Sources revealed that while Dr Khupe was desperately trying to maintain her grip on the province, it was now becoming a futile effort as most of executive members were already campaigning under the MDC Alliance banner.

“The only two provincial executive members who have remained loyal to Dr Khupe and her crew are women’s wing chairperson, Clr Tamani Moyo and the provincial secretary, Ms Nomvula Mguni, but their opposition is not affecting the day to day running of the party in the province as they are not even attending any meetings,” said the source.

Another source who is close to Dr Khupe revealed that the grouping was slowly realising that they were losing grip and were now resorting to approaching individual members with the hope of convincing them not to abandon ship.

“Another option is to just give in and join Chamisa because that could be the only way that they can have any dream of winning in the upcoming elections,” said the source.

Mr Chamisa has declared himself MDC-T acting president for the next 12 months although a number of party bigwigs are against the move. Dr Khupe could not be reached for comment on the issue. Sunday News

Join us LIVE as we discuss the Mbuya Tsvangirai complaint against her son’s widow, Elizabeth and the new MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa.

Mbuya Tsvangirai has been fed with Truth Or Gossip Poison? | CHAMISA ZBC VIDEO REVIEW

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) February 17, 2018

Woes continue to mount for ex-Cabinet minister Ignatius Chombo after he was dragged to court on fresh corruption charges yesterday.

Chombo is facing a slew of charges relating to some of the transactions made during his tenure as Local Government minister.

The State insists millions of dollars were misappropriated, as a result of his alleged abuse of office.

In the latest case, Chombo appeared before Harare magistrate Victoria Mashamba charged with criminal abuse of office.

This was after he allegedly demanded a 25 percent shareholding from a Chirundu-based fish farmer who had approached his office seeking the release of title deeds for a property he was leasing.

Prosecutor Edmore Nyazamba alleged that in 2001 the complainant, Chargan Vithal Rama, got a 60-year lease to stand number 554/547 Chirundu Fish Farm, expiring in 2054.

Rama intended to practice fish farming on the farm and, in 2007, after he had made developments worth $500 000 on the property, he ran out of money and approached banks for funding.

The court heard that banks needed surety in the form of title deeds for the land on which fish farming was being practiced.

It was alleged that Rama’s brother Amrat Vithal who had been a councillor in Chirundu arranged a meeting with Chombo to persuade the then Local Government minister to facilitate release of the title deeds for Rama to qualify for loans.

The court heard that Chombo advised Rama to meet him at his residence along Mazowe Road to discuss the issue.

In February 2008, Rama, Amrat and son Vinodhai went to Chombo’s house on a Sunday and presented their request before being told that title deeds could be released on condition that they would declare 25 percent share of their business.

Chombo reportedly made it clear that 25 percent was for his facilitation of the issue of title deeds and Rama advised the minister that he would consider the condition and get back to him.

It was alleged that Rama never returned to Chombo and he caused withdrawal of the businessman’s lease illegally before giving verbal instructions to his subordinates to allocate Glory Boost (Private) Limited the same lease.

According to the State, Chombo had no right to issue instructions to the deputy director State Lands to allocate the farm to Glory Boost and showed favour.

After the State applied for bail yesterday, the prosecutor did not oppose Chombo’s admission to bail and applied that he continues abiding by conditions that were imposed on him by the High Court in previous matters.

Chombo is on $5 000 bail with conditions to report once a day at Marlborough Police Station, surrender passport and continue residing at his present address.

Chombo is already facing another similar case, in which property developer Eddies Pfugari is a complainant, the State alleged that sometime in 1997 Pfugari purchased White Cliff Farm from Fredrick John William Smith and the property was transferred under Deed of Transfer number 10444/2000.

The court heard that prior to acquisition of the property, government had a certificate of “no present interest” in respect of the land and Pfugari was granted a subdivision permit.

Pfugari subsequently divided the farm into residential stands and began selling to prospective home owners.

Sometime in 2000, Chombo used his authority and allegedly allocated the residential stands to illegal settlers within Pfugari’s property.

According to the State, Chombo’s conduct disrupted a lawful housing scheme, he abused his office and acted unlawfully.

Pfugari subsequently lost property valued $200 million.

It was further alleged that Chombo appeared to be sympathetic to Pfugari for his loss and reportedly invited him to his office assuring him he would remove the illegal settlers from his land.

Chombo claimed he would use his political muscle on condition that Pfugari gave him a consideration or reward in the form of a piece of land from his property in Norton where he was selling residential stands.

Since Pfugari was desperate at that time he gave Chombo stand number 5841 Knowe Norton measuring 3 712 acres valued at $310 150.

Pfugari was advised to transfer the stand into Ronchelle Trading (Pvt) Ltd a company whose directors are Nimrod Chiminya(Chombo’s brother) and Kumbirai Mubwandarika under Deed of Transfer number 10761/02.

The shelf company was allegedly bought and used specifically for this transaction.- Daily News

MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai’s burial has been moved to Tuesday.

This follows announcements by the party leadership Saturday afternoon. Party Spokesman Luke Tamborinyoka called journalists to Tsvangirai’s house in Highlands.

Tsvangirai’s brother, Collins had said that the burial was likely going to take place on Monday.

But following the Saturday presser, the burial is now taking place next week Tuesday in Tsvangirai’s rural home, Buhera.

MDC-T Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora announced saying, “for the avoidance of doubt, the burial of President Tsvangirai is taking place on Tuesday in Humanikwa Village in Buhera. This is now final. We regret the inconvenience caused by any earlier contrary announcements.”

Tsvangirai will be buried next to his late wife, Susan.

President Mnangagwa’s administration has said Tsvangirai will get a State assisted funeral.

Mourners who are this weekend gathered at Tsvangirai’s Highlands house include his ex-wife Locardia Karimatsenga.