An 85-YEAR-OLD blind man from Plumtree allegedly raped his maid`s four-year-old daughter and suffered a stroke after committing the crime.

Mbizo Walton Ndlovu of Gasavu suburb allegedly raped the girl on February 27 when her mother was preparing lunch outside the house.

Ndlovu appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Chrispen Mberewere facing a charge of rape.

He pleaded not guilty and Mr Mberewere remanded him out of custody to April 20.

Prison guards assisted Ndlovu to a police car outside the court.

He had to be literally carried up and down the stairs to attend court.

Ndlovu was brought by the police from Plumtree to court and after he was remanded out of custody, cops took him back home.

It was not clear why Ndlovu was taken to a court in Bulawayo and not in Plumtree near his home.

Prosecuting, Mr Busani Moyo said Ndlovu lured the girl into his bedroom and raped her once.

“When this happened the complainant`s mother and the accused`s granddaughter were preparing lunch outside the house at a fire place. The complainant`s mother found the accused person naked while the complainant was lying on top of the bed,” said Mr Moyo.

“This made the complainant`s mother suspicious and she reported the matter to the police. The complainant was rushed to the hospital and a medical report will be produced in court as evidence.”- State Media

An 18-year-old man from Shurugwi allegedly raped a 13-year-old church mate after she turned down his love proposal.

The accused person, whose name has been withheld to protect the name of the minor, appeared before Shurugwi magistrate Mr Pride Gomera facing one count of rape.

He pleaded not guilty and was remanded out of custody to May 4.

Prosecuting, Mr Pride Gomera said on December 9 last year, the accused person followed the complainant while she was on her way home from a church service.

“The accused person started to propose love to the complainant but she turned down the proposal. While they were walking, the complainant and the accused person approached a bushy area and the accused person then tripped the complainant who was walking in front of him. He then dragged her into a bush,” said Mr Gomera.

He said the teenager raped the complainant once and fled.

“The complainant then proceeded home and told her grandmother about the incident. The complainant’s grandmother accompanied the complainant to report the matter at the police station the following day leading to the arrest of the accused person,” said Mr Gomera.

The court heard that the complainant was referred to hospital where she was examined and a medical report was compiled.- State Media

Harare socialite Genius Kadungure, who faces allegations of defrauding Chegutu West Zanu PF MP Dextor Nduna of ZAR 1,5 million, has implicated businessman Wicknell Chivayo in the alleged fraud and wants him summoned to court over the same charge.

Kadungure’s lawyers last week wrote to the National Prosecuting Authority challenging its decision to leave out Chivayo. This was after Kadungure was summoned for trial on April 11 this year.

“Our client is surprised that despite his explanation that is corroborated by the witness statement of Dania Kambwebwe, which explains our client’s involvement in the matter, he has been singled out as the only accused person,” the lawyers from Venturas and Samukange law firm, said.

“The statements by Kambwebwe establish the link between the offence in question, herself, Mr W Chivayo, Edward Teka and Blessing Shaya, but the charge sheet has been altered by removal of other accused persons from the proceedings for reasons unknown to our client,” the letter, dated April 10, read.

In her warned-and-cautioned statement, Kambwebwe allegedly submitted that she received the money in question from Kadungure on behalf and at the instance of Chivayo.

The lawyers also challenged the State’s decision to continue with the matter, which is currently before the Alexandra Magistrates Court in Gauteng Province, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Kadungure was arrested in May 2014 on allegations of swindling Nduna, who is the managing director of Badon Enterprises, and a Kadoma miner only known as Gatawa of R1 581 890.

According to the State outline, Kadungure allegedly formed a fictitious company named Transco Civil Engineering purportedly based in South Africa and opened an ABSA bank account for the company.

It is alleged he then contacted the complainants over the phone and misrepresented himself as the chief buyer for Marange Resources looking for mining pumps at competitive prices.

In December 2011, Gatawa allegedly sent his brother Enock to South Africa to purchase the pumps and he was ordered to deposit R1 046 890 for the purchase of 10 flight pumps in the ABSA bank account, and the latter obliged. He allegedly deposited another ZAR 500 000.

After the transfers, Enock was told by Transco Civil Engineering “officials” to go back to Zimbabwe and check for his parcel with DHL in three days’ time, but got shocked after he only received a parcel of cellphone chargers.- Newsday

Joice Mujuru | Fellow Zimbabweans; and countrymen, I am humbled to meet and address you on our historic occasion of celebrating 37 years since we got independence from the colonial rule of Ian Douglas Smith. As National People’ s Party we join the diversity of our country in commemorating this historic day, a day that cuts across political divides, religions, social and economic persuasions, tribes and cultural standings. It is a day that should unite Zimbabweans into one family and its a day that does not belong to a one political party.

As we celebrate 37 years of independence its time to reflect on the revolutionary ideals that the sons and daughters of this country fought for. We have our countrymen who lost life and limb for the liberation cause of our people and as NPP we take this opportunity to also reflect on the tombstone of the unknown soldier. We went to war for one man one vote. As Zimbabweans we were driven to fight the colonial regime by the desire to be treated equally before the eyes of the law. True to that spirit we stood heads, toes and shoulders as equal partners in defeating the oppressive colonial regime of Ian Douglas Smith. It is for the same cause that we lost gallantry sons and daughters of this country whose heroic deeds in liberating our people be it in the first and second Chimurenga remain unparalleled to date.

We equally take this day as an opportune moment to make a peoples audit on whether the government of the day has implemented the revolutionary ideals our people sacrificed their lives for. It is with a heavy heart that our country which was once a bread basket of Southern Africa is now a basket case to the World. All sectors of our country’s economy are plagued with corruption. Rampant police road blocks have turned the country into a police state. Our people live in abject poverty in th midst of vast natural resouces like minerals which are now preserve of the few. A case in point is the looting of mineral revenue amounting to US 15 billion without a trace. That alone demonstrates corruption of th highest order and lack of accountability by ZANU PF government. Unprecedented level of unemployment is now a terminal culture of our country. Disregard of rule of law with impunity is the order of the day. Our country is politically polarised as a result of divisive ZANU PF government which has become an epitome of a failed national leadership.

As NPP we believe that what ought to be 37 years of Independence has been turned into 37 years of slavery and misery to Zimbabweans. We believe we have capacity as Zimbabweans to extricate ourselves out of the social, economic and political mess we find ourselves in as a result of ZANU PF s failed government. It is time that all progressive forces within the rank and file of opposition parties ought to put their differences aside and face the ZANU PF failed government as a united front by every constitutional means necessary come 2018 national elections.

At one point in time of our liberation struggle with Ian Douglas Smith, ZIPRA and ZANLA joined hands to dislodge the colonial regime not withstanding their ideological and political contradictions. What they had to put first was our country and its people. That alone makes an instructive testimony for a case of a grand coalition to constitutionally remove ZANU PF from power.

Our people never went to war so that the destiny of our country can be turned into political dynasties. Zimbabweans deserve to be free and that freedom has to be exercised now. To that end as NPP we urge all the progressive forces within the rank and file of the opposition parties of this country to go back to the basics of the revolutionary ideals of oneness. It is our belief as NPP that what divides us as opposition political parties is smaller than what binds us as a country. Our motto should therefore be ”
United we stand, divided we fall”.

We therefore urge our countrymen that as they celebrate this historic day that is if there is anything to celebrate there should not lose hope and focus that another happy and free Zimbabwe is possible.

May Gob bless you all

I thank you

Doctor Joice Teurai Ropa Mujuru (National Peoples Party President)

Terrence Mawawa | Old, tired and clueless President Robert Mugabe must go, read the placards that were raised by concerned Zimbabweans in the diaspora during yesterday’ s demonstration in London.

The Take2Zimbabwe march was organised by Zimbabwe Citizens’ Initiative(ZCI), Zimbabwe Human Rights Organisation(ZHRO) and Restoration of Human Rights Zimbabwe (ROHR).
Scores of concerned Zimbabweans in exile converged at the Embassy of Zimbabwe in London and marched along the streets as they expressed their grievances.

Speaking after the event, ROHR Zimbabwe (UK Chapter)spokesperson, Farai Nhakaniso said Mugabe’s continued grip on power was a national catastrophe.

“Our message is very clear, the people of Zimbabwe are fed up with tyranny. The Take2Zimbabwe initiative was a direct response to yesterday’ s chaotic independence celebrations held across the country.How can we celebrate independence while we are suffering under Mugabe’s dictatorship?The old and tired man(Mugabe) must go,” said Nhakaniso.

He said the snap announcement by Theresa May to hold the UK 8 June 2017 Elections meant all appointments at 10 Downing Street had been rescheduled.
“We could not go to 10 Down Street because of the changes that transpired but we rescheduled the appointments,” said Nhakaniso.
ZCI chairperson, Promise Sande said Zimbabweans in the diaspora would continue to exert pressure on Mugabe – described by pro-democracy forces as a liability to the troubled nation.
ZHRO director of marketing, Mable Kayiya, said it was vital to hold such events as part of frantic efforts to force Mugabe to step down.

In such circumstances you don’t conclude, you leave room for qualified pple to ascertain cause of death. https://t.co/5crxT7RLOE

— mawarire jealousy (@mawarirej) April 18, 2017

Former NPP Spokesman Jelousy Mawarire has attacked the state owned Herald newspaper for violating legal processes following the sudden death of former Permanent Secretary and Procurement boss, Charles Kuwaza. Mawarire says: “In such circumstances you don’t conclude, you leave room for qualified pple to ascertain cause of death.” ALSO READ  – Kuwaza Assassinated?   

The 2015 Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey Matabeleland says North Province has the highest HIV prevalence among children under 14 in Zimbabwe. The province has a prevalence rate of about 3.2 percent. In second place was Mashonaland East with 2.3 percent. Matabeleland South and Midlands were tied in third place. Mashonaland Central had the lowest prevalence rate with 1.0 percent.

Experts blamed the low uptake of prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) for children living with HIV.  Bulawayo Aids coordinator Mrs Sinatra Nyathi was quoted by the state media saying:

“Our national HIV prevalence stands at 14 percent and that excludes children aged below 14. We have many children who were infected when they were born while others were sexually abused.

“It’s sad to note that we also have young sex workers who got infected while engaging in their trade…”

“It will be impossible for us as a country to reach the 2020 targets if expecting mothers delay seeking healthcare and end up infecting new born babies. We therefore urge everyone to know their status and for families to take their little ones for testing.” – state media

A 33 year old Bulawayo man has been fined $400 for assaulting his ex-wife after she asked for money for the upkeep of their two children as directed by the Maintenance Court.

Frank Muzondiwa of Nkulumane suburb appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Stephen Ndlovu and pleaded guilty to a charge of assault and contempt of court.

Magistrate Ndlovu fined him $400.

“The accused person will pay a $400 fine or spend three months in prison upon failure to pay. The whole amount should be paid up by May 1 2017,” said the magistrate.

Muzondiwa was allegedly ordered by the maintenance court to contribute $90 monthly towards the upkeep of his two children in 2015.

He defaulted paying for some months, but the amount was not stated.

When his ex-wife asked him to pay up, he assaulted her.

Prosecuting, Mr Kenneth Shava said Muzondiwa assaulted his ex-wife Ms Virginia Sibanda of Kensington suburb after a misunderstanding in July last year.

“On July 30, 2016, at 12noon the accused person went to the complainant’s aunt’s place in Nkulumane suburb where he asked to see his daughter. Whilst there, the accused person and the complainant had a misunderstanding at around 3PM.

“The complainant was demanding money for the upkeep of their child that the accused person had been ordered to pay by the maintenance court. The misunderstanding degenerated into a physical attack and the accused person punched the complainant once on the mouth,” said the prosecutor.

The complainant sustained a swollen mouth and did not seek medical attention.- State Media

A MAN, who allegedly fatally assaulted Bulawayo City Council’s assistant director of Engineering Services Engineer Mbuthi Gugu Mkhwananzi, in a fit of jealousy after the two clashed at a girlfriend’s house, appeared in court yesterday.

Spencer Sithole (33) of Hillside suburb in Bulawayo punched Mkhwananzi several times before striking him using a dressing table and a wooden stool on Tuesday last week at Josephine Morrow’s — the girlfriend — house in Four Winds.

Mkhwananzi died on Friday at Mater Dei Hospital due to the injuries he allegedly sustained as a result of the attack.

The bespectacled Sithole appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya facing a murder charge. He was remanded in custody to May 2.

Sithole, through his lawyer, Mr David Mhiribidi of Mutuso, Mhiribidi and Partners, told the court that he suffered from arthritis and a fractured wrist which required medical attention.

The magistrate gave him the green light to be examined by doctors for the ailments.

Prosecuting, Mr Alfonce Makonese, said on April 11 this year at around 7AM, Sithole went to his ex-girlfriend, Morrow’s house intending to collect his car keys.

The court heard that on arrival, Sithole opened the front door of the house using spare keys and stumbled upon Mkhwananzi and Morrow in bed.

“The deceased was with his girlfriend when the accused person stormed into the house and found them in bed. Sithole got angry and started assaulting the deceased with fists, dressing table and a wooden stool and he sustained three fractured ribs,” said Mr Makonese.

Mkhwananzi fled from the house as he bled profusely through the mouth and nose.

He was taken to Mater Dei Hospital where he died three days later as a result of multiple injuries sustained during the attack.

A report was made to the police leading to the arrest of Sithole.

Mourners are gathered at Number 1 Cliburn Crescent in Morningside suburb. Mkhwananzi is survived by a wife and two children aged 16 and four.

Mkhwananzi had just returned from abroad to take up the post at the council. He was a holder of a Masters Degree in Project Management from the University of Ireland and a Bachelor of Engineering Honours Degree in Civil Engineering from Leeds University in the United Kingdom.

He also was also holder of a certificate in local government studies from the National University of Ireland and also a member of the Institute of Chartered Engineers of Ireland.

His first stint with council was from 1997 to 1999 when he was a graduate engineer.

He worked as a roads design engineer in the roads branch from 1999 to 2002.

He moved to Ireland from 2009 to 2013 where he worked on a number of projects as an assistant project manager, engineer and consultant.

President Mugabe yesterday said Government was committed to improving the country’s education system and has adopted various initiatives towards that goal.

The President, who is famed for making Zimbabwe one of the top two most literate nations in Africa, was speaking at the 37th Independence Anniversary Children’s Party hosted by the First Family at the City Sports Centre yesterday.

The event was attended by thousands of children drawn from the country’s 10 provinces.

“We continue as you know, to do everything possible to ensure that your education remains Government’s top priority.

“At the beginning of 2017, we introduced an updated competence and skills driven curriculum that should provide every learner with an opportunity to develop their potential. This potential that exists in every learner requires a curriculum that can develop and map it to the maximum extent possible,” President Mugabe said.

He added that the new curriculum ensures a smooth transition from school to work.

“Our goal is to ensure that the updated curriculum supports and sustains the transition from school to the world of work through serious study of a wide variety of subjects that include the sciences, technology and mathematics.

“We must, as we do this, appreciate the profound turn towards innovation and creativity in our nation,” President Mugabe said.

The President added that since May 2016 they had initiated a school feeding programme for infants in all schools to improve learners’ health and further improved the retention of learners in school.

“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has commenced the Zimbabwe Schools’ Water and Agriculture Project that will see secondary schools, in all the eight provinces, commence agricultural study work, programming boreholes drilling through drip irrigation, fish farming and the benefit of solar power system. To date boreholes have been drilled in schools and it is planned that May 2017, a total of 100 boreholes will be drilled every month.

“The project will move to the primary school sector once all 2 500 secondary schools in the country have been accounted for. The same project is expected to contribute significantly to the sustenance of the school feeding programme and competence-based learning by all of you,” President Mugabe said.

President Mugabe urged children to fully utilise the land and all other resources the country is endowed with.

“You must remember that we took our land from our colonisers. Land is like all our country’s resources, our natural God-given resource. You are the inheritors of it and therefore must take pride in making our land productive. Equally so, you must be prepared to cultivate active interest in exploiting all other resources our country is endowed with,” he said.

President Mugabe called on children to work hard at school and thanked teachers for their efforts in educating the nation.

“I wish you all success in your education, behave well in school and avoid bad habits and study hard,” he said.

“God bless you all, may God bless your teachers. I know they have worked very hard to put this up. They work hard to bring you up. I want to thank them on behalf of your parents,” President Mugabe said.

The celebrations were held under the theme, “Children’s Party; Zimbabwe @37: Embracing ease of doing business for socio-economic development.”

State ownwed telecoms operator, NetOne is looking for a new chief executive officer following the dismissal of Reward Kangai last year on allegations of corruption.

Kangai was initially suspended and the company later terminated his contract.

Brian Mutandiro has been acting CEO since then.

In a vacancy notice published on Sunday, NetOne said the incumbent will report to the board of directors and will lead, in conjunction with the board, the development of the company’s strategy to maximise shareholder value and enhance the positioning of the company.

It said the incumbent will lead and “oversee the implementation of NetOne’s long and short-term plans in according with its strategy” and “establish parameters for expanding the range of products and services and for introducing new technologies in the business”.

Interested candidates have up to May 5 to submit their applications.

Last year, ICT, Postal and Courier Services minister Supa Mandiwanzira promised to restructure the management at NetOne in a bid to resuscitate the ailing mobile operator.

The restructuring has seen the appointment of new executives and the company is set to relaunch its mobile money product.

Since his appointment as acting CEO, Mutandiro has steadied the NetOne ship, with the company closing in on Econet in terms of active subscribers.

Latest statistics from the Postal and Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) showed that NetOne’s active subscriber base grew by 14% last year to 4 712 410 when rivals registered a drop in numbers.

Data from Potraz showed that in 2016, NetOne added 577 690 new active subscribers, while Econet and Telecel’s numbers declined by
341 787 and 114 387, respectively.

The growth in active subscribers saw NetOne’s market share increasing to 36,6% in the fourth quarter ended December 31 up from 36,4% in the previous quarter.

Econet’s market share was flat at 49,4%, while Telecel’s share dropped to 14% in the quarter from 14,2% in the previous quarter.
Mobile revenue was up 2,4% to $199,2 million. The growth in revenue was spurred on by Econet, which saw its revenue growing by 4,2% in the fourth quarter of 2016 to $152 383 272.

Telecel and NetOne’s revenues declined by 2,4% and 3,4% respectively. – NewsDay

Convicted fraudster and Bulawayo Ward 23 Councillor Thobani Ncube has been fired from his council position and a by-election to replace him will soon be held, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere has said.
Ncube was last Thursday convicted of defrauding a resident of $12 000 in a housing scam and was sentenced to 36 months in prison.
He will, however, perform 360 hour of community service after a magistrate conditionally suspended the sentence.
Minister Kasukuwere said Ncube had breached provisions of the Urban Councils Act.
“If he has been convicted then he will no longer be a councillor. We will follow procedure and together with the legal team look at the issue but it’s a given he cannot be a councillor anymore,” said Minister Kasukuwere.
“We will work towards having a by-election to replace him though for now I’m not yet sure when as we have to meet and deliberate on that.”
He said Ncube was no longer fit to hold office as he had had been dishonest in dealing with residents he was meant to protect and serve.
According to the Local Government Laws Amendment Bill, 2016, the minister can suspend a councillor from exercising all or any of his or her functions in the event that they are convicted.
“In accordance with section 278 of the Constitution, the chairperson or councillor of a council shall only be removed from office on the grounds of inability to perform the functions of their office due to mental or physical incapacity; or gross incompetence or gross misconduct.
“The same shall be removed from office after a conviction of an offence involving dishonesty, corruption or abuse of office; or a wilful violation of the law, including a local authority by-law,” reads the document.
MDC-T national spokesperson Mr Obert Gutu said his party had a zero tolerance to corrupt officials and that Ncube would face the music.
“As a party we don’t protect corrupt individuals regardless of their position in the party. Anyone who is found to be corrupt will be disciplined according to the MDC-T constitution.
“If any competent court of law has found him guilty then we will not protect him and he will go through disciplinary procedures like everyone else,” said Mr Gutu.
“I’ve not looked at the documents but basically our position is that we don’t tolerate corrupt leaders. We also would like to condemn political victimisation where our councillors are falsely accused but now if inquiries are fair and transparent, we do take action against corrupt party officials.”
Ncube could not be reached for comment on his mobile phone yesterday.
Western Commonage magistrate Ms Nyaradzo Ringisayi convicted Ncube despite his plea of not guilty on Thursday.
“Such behaviour isn’t expected from a leader that communities should look up to. Leaders should be exemplary,” Ms Ringisayi said.
“Accused person is therefore sentenced to 36 months in prison. Six months will be suspended on condition of good behaviour for five years.
“Twelve months of the sentenced will be suspended on condition that accused person restitutes the complainant. The remaining 18 months will be suspended on condition that the accused person will perform 630 hours of community service.”
Ncube conned Ms Vainah Moyo (54) of Barham Green suburb by selling her a stand which he also sold to one Mvangeli Xaba.
Last year in September, Minister Kasukuwere suspended five out of Bulawayo’s 29 councillors for alleged corruption including the city’s former deputy mayor Mr Gift Banda.
Three councillors were later exonerated but Mr Banda together with ward 21’s Reuben Matengu were fired from council following an investigation by an independent tribunal.
Mr Banda has since approached the High Court seeking to be reinstated on grounds that he was innocent.- agencies

Staff Reporter | Zimbabwean girl Hazel Cheuka is shaking UK theatre screens has now expanded her territory into USA theatre.

Cheuka is a 12 year old multi-talented girl living with her mother Lucy Mlotshwa in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, UK. Hazel has had a number of acting roles including playing young ‘Nala’ in the iconic Lion King Musical in London’s the West End.

Hazel recently auditioned for Teen Star along with many other talented acts. She won her way through to the Regional Finals of the UK’s only singing and dancing competition exclusively for teens and pre-teens, and is now one step away from the Grand Final.

But then, who is Hazel Cheuka, and what does the future hold for her?

Hazel is a multi- talented girl who loves acting, singing, dancing and modelling. She has a young brother who is also catching football coaches’ eye on the pitch. Hazel was spotted as a talented girl at the tender age of 9 by her school teachers, and was encouraged to join a drama school (Stagecoach). Since then, she has given all her best into her talents with a particular focus on acting.

She has worked with Warner Bros.Studio – The Making of Harry Potter, and other companies that engage talented young people from diverse backgrounds. Hazel also was due to play the lead role of Annie in the production of Annie at the Waterside Theatre in aylesbury, but has had to pull out due to the upcoming national TeenStar competition.

Currently, Hazel is with Adele Peters’ Performing Arts School. Adele is preparing her for the highly challenging national TeenStar competition. In September this year, Hazel is starting Year 9 at Tring Park Performing Arts School where she successfully auditioned last year. When her talent was spotted, Hazel had auditioned for Disney’s Cub School where she instantly got offered one of the leading roles – “Young Nala”. Hazel has always been a charismatic young actress who catches every judge’s attention. Previous winners of this competition include Luke Friend and Emily Middlemas.

In future, Hazel has the chance to act and impress many guests and agencies from the entertainment industry including judges from BBC Introducing, national radio and regional press. This is no mean feat as previous judges for Future Music competitions include Radio 1’s Annie Nightingale MBE, KISS FM’s Charlie Hedges and four time Ivor Novello award winner Mark Hill, also known as one half of the Artful Dodger, plus A&R reps from Sony, Warner Bros and Syco Entertainment.

This is your chance, along with the entire world, to watch UK TeenStar and see Hazel’s amazing performance in a live showcase on the 30th April 2017.

A bit about TeenStar . . .

TeenStar is a national singing and dancing competition searching for the UK’s best teen and pre-teen singers, singer/songwriters, rappers, dancers and dance groups of all genres and styles. TeenStar is brought to you by Future Music. Hazel is among the dancers the competition first opened its doors to.

The TeenStar competition has three age categories – ‘Late Teens’ (16-19), ‘Mid Teens’ (13-15) and a special category searching for the stars of tomorrow, the Pre-Teens! All types of singers and dancers are invited to enter TeenStar. Just like every other fellow contestant, Hazel is focused on winning at the forthcoming prestigious Grand Final, where she will also be the centre of attraction and may walk away a proud winner of one of the huge prizes such as: recording an album; shooting a music video; scholarships to the Flawless Dance School; and sponsorship from Squad Dancewear, amongst others.

With your support, Hazel has a chance to make it and enter the global entertainment industry at a young age via TeenStar 2017.

For more information regarding Hazel’s upcoming competition, please go to the website www.teenstarcompetition.co.uk, or better still attend the competition and support her! You can purchase tickets from the website www.teenstarcompetition.co.uk, as well as on the door subject to availability or from: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/teen-star-regional-finals-tickets-32720140822 or call Lucy on +447446076837

Staff Reporter | President Robert Mugabe this morning reminded Zimbabweans his assignment of fully liberating them was not over yet, in a speech that was totally drowned by goat currency jokes.

Blogged one Zimbabwean, mocking Mugabe “Kutonga kusvika school fees yaakubhadharwa nembudzi🐐🐐🐐.”

Speaking during the country’s 37th Independence celebrations Mugabe said speaking in the plural, “We, however, need to be mindful that our assignment is not yet over. We have to constantly defend our independence so that it can have meaning.”

Mugabe celebrated what he termed socio-economic programmes since independence, seemingly oblivious to the fact that even as he was speaking jokes around the ‘goat currency’ had all but drowned everything  Zimbabwe’s independence stood for.

Said Mugabe, “We always remind ourselves, our people, those that fought the battle, those who were in what were known as Keeps, detention centres, villages and prisons ….they all endured untold suffering at the hands of the colonial regime.”

“They were all, therefore, participants in the struggle to liberate the country. Today we want to pay tribute to all our heroes and heroines.” Zimbabweans simply drowned their sorrows in laughter as they shared goat currency jokes.

Christ in Action International Ministries leader, Apostle Trevor Mawoyo, is allegedly pestering a college student for sex.

Prime Minister’s Full Statement

“I have just chaired a meeting of the Cabinet, where we agreed that the Government should call a general election, to be held on June 8.

“I want to explain the reasons for that decision, what will happen next and the choice facing the British people when you come to vote in this election.

“Last summer, after the country voted to leave the European Union, Britain needed certainty, stability and strong leadership, and since I became Prime Minister the Government has delivered precisely that.

“Despite predictions of immediate financial and economic danger, since the referendum we have seen consumer confidence remain high, record numbers of jobs, and economic growth that has exceeded all expectations.

“We have also delivered on the mandate that we were handed by the referendum result.

“Britain is leaving the European Union and there can be no turning back. And as we look to the future, the Government has the right plan for negotiating our new relationship with Europe.

“We want a deep and special partnership between a strong and successful European Union and a United Kingdom that is free to chart its own way in the world.

“That means we will regain control of our own money, our own laws and our own borders and we will be free to strike trade deals with old friends and new partners all around the world.

“This is the right approach, and it is in the national interest. But the other political parties oppose it.

“At this moment of enormous national significance there should be unity here in Westminster, but instead there is division. – the  telegraph.

The case in which a Marondera couple fatally flogged its 18-year-old son, accusing him of taking intoxicating drugs, has taken a new twist, with the parents now facing murder charges following a post-mortem conducted recently.

James Mukwirimba (44) and his wife Nancy (40) of Ruvimbo Park in Marondera are accused of fatally flogging their son, Ashley, a Lower Six student at a local school, following reports that he had taken some unknown illicit drugs.

He was initially taken to Marondera Police Station on April 5 before his parents took him home and assaulted him, leading to his death the following morning. According to a post-mortem report gleaned by this paper, Ashley succumbed to severe celebral cedema and head trauma.

“… post-mortem was done by Doctor Robeto and Doctor Ivian, who then concluded [the] cause of death was due to (a) celebral cedema due to suborrihnoid hemorrhage (b) head trauma due to bleunt trauma.

“Specimens from deceased body were taken and forwarded to the government analyst and outstanding is the toxicology report. Suspects are now being charged with murder as defined in section 47 of the Code,” the report read.

Mashonaland East acting provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Tendai Mwanza was unreachable for comment yesterday.- NEWSDAY

A GWANDA businessman is suing Home Affairs Minister Ignatius Chombo and the police for $20 000 following his unlawful arrest and detention over stocktheft charges.

Mr Puluko Moyo is demanding the money from the minister and the police in damages for deprivation of liberty, loss of self esteem, inconvenience, discomfort, humiliation and anguish while detained in police cells.

Mr Moyo through his lawyers, Samp Mlaudzi and Partners, has filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court citing Minister Chombo, Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri, one Inspector Zhakari and Constables Chengera and Nhandu as defendants.

In papers before the court, Mr Moyo said he suffered public humiliation following an eight hour detention in handcuffs.

“On June 3, 2016 at Heads and Hooves Butchery in Bulawayo, I was wrongfully and unlawfully arrested by Inspector Zhakari and Constables Chengera and Nhandu who are members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police while acting within their scope of employment on a charge of stocktheft,” he said.

Mr Moyo said he was taken to Donnington Police Station where he was detained and paraded for eight hours.

“I was paraded at Donnington Police Station without being charged in full glare of the public from 11AM to 7PM. Thereafter at around 7PM, I was taken to Gwanda Police Station where I was further unlawfully detained until June 4, 2016 shortly after 4PM when I was released without a charge,” he said.

Mr Moyo said the arresting details abused him instead of offering him protection.
“The arrest and detention was aggravated. I was arrested on spurious grounds and malice when there was no apparent reason. The police arrested me and held me in custody for stocktheft and abused me instead of protecting me when they knew the charges were false,” he said.

Mr Moyo said he was a reputable businessman involved in buying and selling cattle. He said his arrest has negatively impacted on his social standing and has also affected his business and reputation.

“As a result of the wrongful and unlawful arrest, I have suffered damages in the total amount of $20 000 for deprivation of liberty, inconvenience and discomfort, contumelia, humiliation, anguish, loss of self esteem and self respect and reputation in the eyes of others,” he said.

He is seeking an order compelling the defendants to pay the money with prescribed interest calculated from June 3, 2016 to the date of full payment. Mr Moyo also wants the defendants to pay the legal costs.

The defendants have not yet responded to the summons.-state media

Police Minister Fikile Mbalula’s penchant for tweets in his new job saw him accused of xenophobia on Sunday, although the minister strongly denied this.

He tweeted late on Sunday afternoon that five Zimbabwean nationals had been arrested in connection with the robbery of a jewellery store at the Hyde Park shopping centre in Sandton on Thursday.

He used the hashtag “#WanyaTsotsi”, which is a bit of a rude way of telling criminals to get lost. It literally means “criminals will defecate” or any other less polite way you can imagine putting it. It’s a phrase Mbalula already tried to popularise in the years when he was deputy police minister.

Twitter users soon took him to task to challenge him on why the suspects’ nationality was relevant, with some going so far as to accuse him of stoking the fires of xenophobia.

The minister was not taking this lying down, as he tweeted two hours later: “Why shouldn’t I mention the nationality Why? When a South African is arrested elsewhere what do refer to him /here Mr And Miss somebody….”

He also said that he would only have been guilty of xenophobia if he had been generalising and making false accusations.

“Fanning flames of xenophobia is falsely accusing people of crime and generalizing as if it’s done by certain people only,” he wrote.

He said the fact that the suspects were Zimbabweans was relevant because of the need to work with law enforcement officials from Zimbabwe.
Mbalula also enjoyed many tweets in support, and others congratulating him. One person identifying as a Zimbabwean even told him that he was in favour of the arrests and how Mbalula had reported it since he had himself fallen victim to Zimbabwean criminals.

It is still not clear how much money or jewellery were stolen on Thursday from the centre, though shots were fired during the crime and getaway.It’s expected the suspects will appear in court soon. – Citizen

OFTEN times when the liberation war story is told, rarely is there mention of instances where civilians cowered in fear as they were caught up in a hail of bullets from opposing forces and the vulnerable position they found themselves in where death would have been as sudden as the sound of the gun shot.

There has also been little narration of the consequences women suffered for either cooking for guerrillas engaged in the protracted armed battle with the white minority rulers before Independence or being linked to the same guerrillas.

Thirty eight years after the 1979 battle of Chenemisa in Hwange, four women recounted to the Chronicle the horror they went through on the day they were caught in between a fight between Zipra and the Rhodesian forces comprised of the Police Anti Terrorism Unity (PATU) the Police Special Brach and the Rhodesian army.

The women, were part of the PF Zapu youth charged with cooking for guerrillas at a homestead situated a few metres from where the guerrillas battled with the Rhodesian soldiers.

It is the same Chenemisa battle where one Sambulo, a member of PATU who had gained notoriety among the Jambezi community for brutally torturing villagers working with liberation fighters met his death.

But before the poignant memory of the battle by the four women, below is an account on how the battle started from former Zipra Sector Commander in Zone Number 1 Davison Ndlovu.

And further, in their words as they recount the horror of being caught up in an armed battle.

The Battle
It was June 1979, I remember it vividly because the trees were beginning to shed leaves. Our unit was coming from Mlonga with the Rhodesian soldiers on our trail. We didn’t have enough ammunition to fight them as we were coming from Botswana to receive supplies from Zambia but because of complications, we couldn’t get the supplies. That is the reason we didn’t fight.

We continued until we reached Mbizha in an area called Ko Mpesu when we decided that if they kept on following us, we will fight them despite shortages of ammunition. By nightfall, we had received intelligence that the Rhodesian Forces were planning an attack in the morning. We had our youths who used to spy on the Rhodesians and we deployed two on a spying mission. However, when they got there, they were captured by the Rhodesian soldiers.

As they made their way to attack us, one of the youths managed to escape and alerted us that the enemy was on its way.

We moved about 500 metres from where we had been camped to set up an ambush on higher ground so that we could spot the enemy forces as they approached.

We lined up with the Bazooka man on the far end because the arrangement was that he would be the first to fire and that would signal the start of the battle. We saw their large unit approaching us in a battle formation and the escaped youth pointed Sambulo out to us saying he should be the main target as he was terrorising villagers in the area.

We watched them approach us and waited for them to get within shooting range and our Bazooka man fired at them. That was to signal the start of an onslaught on the enemy forces and a serious gun battle ensued. We were at a point of advantage so we didn’t have a problem shooting them but those people were prepared because within minutes, we heard the spotter plane coming and then we started withdrawing and within a few minutes two helicopters were also on the scene.

After the shoot out we heard that Sambulo had died on the spot and another notorious man called Nyathi had been shot. We had to withdraw with a number of civilians that we wanted to move from the area.

Collateral Damage
A lot of civilians were caught up in the battle. There was a homestead where youths cooked for freedom fighters and the previous night a beast had been slaughtered so there were many people. Our task became more difficult because as we fought the enemy, we had also to defend the civilians caught up in the middle of the battle because our Commander in Chief and PF Zapu leader (the late) Dr Joshua Nkomo was very clear that no civilians should be killed during the war but this time we were in a tricky position because the civilians were caught up right in the middle of the war. Dr Nkomo didn’t want us to endanger civilians but the situation had become so bad that we had to fight at the same time defending the civilians.

And the Four Women

Regina Ncube (62)
I was chairperson of the PF Zapu youth in the area and when the battle occurred, we had cooked for a lot of people the previous night and retired to our homes very late. The homestead we used to cook from, a few metres from the battle area, belonged to an old blind woman who lived with her grandchildren. We returned to the homestead in the morning as we used to do.

When we heard that the enemy was coming to attack, we hid our pots so that they would not destroy them. When we were told that they were inching closer, we left the homestead to hide but it later turned out that we hid too close to the battle zone. The fighting was intense and it still haunts me today.

We left the old woman in one of the huts as we fled and she stayed a week without anyone giving her food because we fled from the homesteads to live in the bush. One of the grandchildren was taken by Ndlovu and hidden in the bushes. He survived the battle and now lives in Victoria Falls. There were children who died in the battle, I remember two, belonging to our colleagues in the youth, who were born in 1978, died from choking by smoke during the battle. As we ran, we took turns to carry them and place their faces in our armpits to protect them from the smoke but they didn’t make it. The whites in the helicopters were shooting indiscriminately at everyone, guerilla and civilian and some of our youths also died on the scene. I have heard some excited people say they want war and I really wonder if they know what they are talking about because our experience was painful and we don’t want to ever go back there. Some say these whites are nice people but what we went through was hell and I really don’t see anything nice about them.

Muzina Ncube (60)
On the day of Sambulo’s death who was a real terror here, when you were arrested and Sambulo came, you knew that you were in serious trouble. The youths told us that the whites were on their way because we had been sold out by a fellow villager. The freedom fighters said it was too late to escape as we would be killed by the white soldiers. They made an L formation in their ambush and told us to lie behind them and when we hear the bazooka man firing, we should roll downhill in the opposite direction. It is when the helicopters came that we ran in different directions, some children died because of smoke inhalation. It wasn’t a good day and we spent weeks away from our homesteads. My blood boils as I remember that day because the pain we went through on that day comes rushing back.

Rebecca Ncube (59)
What I saw on that day still raises goose bumps on my skin to this day. I’m still haunted by that day of smoke, bombs, guns and instant death raining from the sky. Earlier in the day, we were enjoying ourselves but things changed when we heard that the white army was approaching. The freedom fighters didn’t seem moved but some of us were so scared that we could have soiled ourselves. In terror, during the exchange of gunfire, I tried to rise but one guerilla pressed his knee on my back so that I remained on the ground. He said he was not going to let me run and be shot to death. The gunfire was so intense that it was really confusing to tell where it was coming from. There was panic everywhere.

Samukeliso Mnkandla (53)
I was one of the youngest in the group and after the gun battle, the freedom fighters told us to flee as the helicopters approached. We ran in panic and terror, falling along the way and getting bruised but little did we know that we were headed in the direction of the helicopters. We crossed two deep rivers.

As we approached the third, a group of guerrillas emerged from the shadows. Gunfire erupted from helicopters that suddenly loomed in the sky. The freedom fighters —God bless them — kept their cool and directed scores of us to relative safety at the banks where we were briefly shielded from the murderous rain of bullets. It became an exercise in quick intervals of running, ducking, hiding, serious injury and death. The helicopters and the spotter plane were firing all over but we managed to cross the river and hid in the bushes.

The Aftermath
The terror was not the last for Muzina and Rebecca as they were picked up by the Rhodesian police and taken to Jambezi and then Victoria Falls where they were systematically tortured.

“There were some villagers who were in the habit of selling out others to the Rhodesian forces. We were taken and beaten up in Victoria Falls by the police and tortured through electric shock. Our crime was cooking for guerrillas and that our husbands had gone to join the war via Botswana,” said Muzina.

“The police were so ruthless that at one point a white one pointed a gun at us and told us he could just shoot us dead on the spot. After our torture, we were forced to walk back home using a route that was planted with land mines. Every step we took could have easily been our last but through the Grace of God we managed to survive and made it home,” she said. – State Media 

A woman from Khumalo suburb in Bulawayo yesterday collapsed in court after a magistrate remanded her son in custody for allegedly stealing their tenant’s car.

Ms Sithembile Mangena was shocked when magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya remanded her son Praise Mangena (37) in custody for allegedly stealing a Datsun car which belongs to Mr Simbarashe Khumbula.

The court heard that Mr Khumbula had made an application to withdraw the case but Mr Tashaya did not accept it and remanded Mangena in custody to April 19.

The woman left the court in tears and immediately fell unconscious.

After 20 minutes, the police called an ambulance but Ms Mangena recovered consciousness before she was taken to hospital.

Prosecuting, Mr Alfonse Makonese said on April 11, Mr Khumbula left his car at home and proceeded to the city centre.

“When the complainant came back, he discovered that his motor vehicle was missing. The complainant enquired about the whereabouts of his car but the accused person did not give him a satisfactory response,” said Mr Makonese.

“After three days the complainant made a police report leading to the arrest of the accused person and recovery of the car in New Parklands suburb.” – State Media

Dub poet, Albert Nyathi’s father – Simon Nyathi who was affectionately known as Sibulawa or Mavuthela has died.

He died at the United Bulawayo Hospitals yesterday morning. He was 81.

The Senzeni Na hit-maker said the family was reeling from the death.

He said:

“My father died of a kidney failure in the morning at UBH. As a family, we’re devastated. This man meant a lot to me.”

He said they were now preparing for his burial on Thursday.

“We’re taking him to our rural home in Gwanda on Wednesday and the burial has been set for Thursday,” said Nyathi.

In an interview years back, Nyathi spoke of how his father took good care of their family. Mavuthela had two wives and 23 children with Nyathi being the first born in a family of 10 children from the first wife.

“My father used to buy goods from villages for resale in Bulawayo in order to fend for his family. I grew up as a herd boy and there were times when I’d sleep in the pen with the goats mainly because the goat’s droppings would be warm,” Nyathi once said.

“At times it’d be because the goats would’ve strayed and got lost, the result of which would be a hiding. No one in my village ever thought that I’d grow up to be a sensible man that I think I am now. I never liked school then and most of the time I’d get beaten for not attending school.”

Mourners are gathered at 13137, Nkulumane 12 in Bulawayo.- State Media

A fishing expedition ended tragically for a Binga man when he died in a blood-soaked battle with a crocodile after it mercilessly attacked him on his privates, hand and leg.

Jack Mutale (34) from Mundabala village under Chief Saba who later died at Binga hospital from the injuries he sustained on his groin, left hand and leg was attacked on Sunday morning at Simatelele Fishing Camp.

Matabeleland North police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Kiglon Nkala confirmed the incident and said investigations were in progress.

According to a witness Collen Mwembe on the fateful day they left home in the morning together with Mutale for a fishing expedition at Simatelele Fishing Camp.

What happened is that on the fateful day we woke up around 5am going to Simatelele Fishing Camp to check on our nets which we had left the previous day. As he was checking on his fishing net, he found a crocodile trapped and when he tried to draw back the crocodile quickly broke out and viciously charged at him.

“He screamed for help and when I rushed to the scene to see what was happening I found him battling with a crocodile. We later rescued him with other fishermen but he had already suffered severe bites on his left hand, leg and privates. As he was writhing in pain we took him to the hospital where he died the following day,”said Mwembe.

Mwembe said Mutale left behind a wife and two sons.

Crocodile attacks are rife in Binga where most villagers survive on fishing in the Zambezi River. – State Media 

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) says it plans to conduct site validation tests for Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits for the first shortlisted companies from April 20 to 26 before government purchases the most suitable equipment.

Zec in a letter dated April 11 this year, invited all stakeholders including political parties and civil society, to observe the process.

“The validation test is part of the procurement process aimed at testing conformity of the kit to specifications, durability and suitability. In view of the important role stakeholders play in the entire electoral process, the commission is inviting you to be part of this process as an observer,” part of the letter read.

Opposition parties affiliated to the National Elections Reform Agenda (Nera) said they had hired international experts to observe the equipment and the process to ensure they were in conformity with international best practices.

“We expected these short notices from ZEC, therefore technical experts were ready. We now have to fight to make sure they are accredited by the 19th of April 2017 and can attend. Let’s keep the fight going, victory is certain as long as we keep fighting,” Nera said in a statement.

Nera members have accused the Zanu PF government of hijacking the procurement of BVR kits in order to manipulate the voter registration process and election results.
United Nations agencies had initially offered to procure the kits on behalf of the government before the Zanu PF regime made a U-turn and snubbed the offer under unclear circumstances.

Government is now expected to raise at least $17 million for the BVR kits. – NewsDay

Zanu PF’s ugly tribal, factional and succession tussles boiled
over into deadly violence in Harare yesterday when party supporters from
opposing camps turned on each other and against police over embattled
national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere.

The clashes occurred despite President Robert Mugabe’s reported calls for
all party structures to end the current push to fire the Local Government
minister and his brother Dickson Mafios, among other targeted officials.

Witnesses said the confrontations took place at the party’s provincial
offices in the capital, as a group that was planning a media conference to
press for Kasukuwere’s ouster ran into the under fire Zanu PF national
commissar’s sympathisers.

Party provincial commissar, Shadreck Mashayamombe, confirmed the clashes
to the Daily News on Sunday and fingered former youth leader Godwin Gomwe
in the violence.

“What I heard was that party youths got word that there were messages that
were circulating from Gomwe who was planning demonstrations, and the
youths decided to confront that group, since the president (Mugabe) has
said there should no longer be any demonstrations,” he said.

“I was told that Gomwe’s team arrived in kombis, but were blocked by the
youths who are the guardians of the party, as they wanted the president’s
message to be followed. I also heard that these people were also targeting
me. How can Gomwe plan demonstrations when he was expelled from the
party?” Mashayamombe said.

“These people are not only defying the president, they are also no longer
in the party. They are in effect targeting the president and are not happy
that we have endorsed him (Mugabe) to be our presidential candidate for
2018,” the Zanu PF member of parliament and Kasukuwere’s ally said.

But the rival group claimed violence had started when the boisterous Mount
Darwin South legislator’s supporters stormed the party’s Harare provincial
headquarters, and press conference venue “demanding to know the other
group’s handlers”.

In the aftermath of the violence, stones and bricks littered the area
around the party’s provincial offices yesterday.

On the other hand, party spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said yesterday he
was “not aware of that (violent clashes) at all (as) nobody came to me
with that”.

In the meantime, Mashayamombe’s claims that yesterday’s foiled
demonstration comprised “rented crowds from other districts or places” and
which resonates with Mafios’ statement that recent demonstrations against
him, and his equally embattled brother in Bindura had been staged by some
Zanu PF dissidents, if not elements expelled from the fractured party, and
linked to the ex-gamatox faction.

As Zanu PF’s succession wars continue to rage, Mashonaland Central
regional minister, Martin Dinha, revealed recently that he had received
death threats from his party enemies.

The alleged threats came days after the trained lawyer had publicly
endorsed Kasukuwere and Mafios’ expulsion.

“First they (his Zanu PF enemies) manufactured a statement purporting that
it was mine . . . and now they are sending threats to kill me on my
roaming lines,” Dinha said.

“A female and a male called me and said usada kufira mahara (don’t die for
nothing) using private numbers. They said `you have a family, be careful
what you say’,” he claimed further.

Although once linked to ousted former vice president and now leader of the
opposition National People’s Party (NPP), Joice Mujuru, Dinha is now said
to be very close to the first family – a development that his associates
claim has displeased some party bigwigs.

In 2015, the Mashonaland Central provincial affairs minister also received
an AK47 bullet and a threatening message telling him to step down or risk
suffering the same fatal fate that befell the late Zanu PF political
commissar, Elliot Manyika – who died in a suspicious car accident in 2008.

Well-placed Zanu PF sources told the Daily News on Sunday at the time that
“the parcel” with the bullet and threatening message was delivered to the
minister’s office just after midnight – forcing the
lawyer-turned-politician, a lightweight in Zanu PF, to go into hiding”.

Dinha has also previously survived several other attempts to oust him from
his ministerial post.

Worryingly for warring Zanu PF bigwigs, this was not the first time that a
minister had received death threats.

Last year, two Cabinet ministers had also received death threats as the
former liberation movement’s seemingly unstoppable ructions become more
intractable.

First, Sports minister Makhosini Hlongwane found a bullet in his hotel
room in Harare. The bullet had been placed on a headboard in the room.

Then Indigenisation minister Patrick Zhuwao – who is Mugabe’s nephew –
also received death threats related to his public criticism of Vice
President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his supporters in the run-up to Zanu PF’s
annual conference which was held in Masvingo late last year.

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo | Opposition National People’s Party (NPP) leader, Joice Mujuru has said the grand coalition deal is between her party and Morgan Tsvangirai’ s MDC.

Mujuru said the grand coalition was not for surrogate parties planted by Zanu PF to destabilise democratic forces.

Addressing members of the party’ s national women executive committee at the Charles Austin Theatre in Masvingo last week, Mujuru said the two parties were involved in serious coalition talks and there was no room for political chancers. Mujuru lampooned other opposition parties and said they were part of President Robert Mugabe’s political tactics meant to neutralise genuine democratic forces.

“We are negotiating with MDC-T. We are under pressure from small political parties that are keen to be part of the grand coalition but we will not entertain them. These parties were created by Mugabe to give a false impression of democracy in the country,” said Mujuru.
The former Vice President added: “The small parties have an agenda to spy on the coalition so that they can report to their boss, Mugabe. We have agreed to come up with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). We want to defeat Zanu PF in 2018, that is our objective.”
Mujuru said the leader of the coalition would be selected by both parties. By saying so, Mujuru has all but quashed reports that she has endorsed Tsvangirai as the leader of the coalition.
“What I can say is work is in progress.I cannot divulge confidential information at this juncture. However, we are looking for a leader who has the potential to unite people. We do not want a selfish leader,” said Mujuru.
A member of Tendai Biti’s People ‘s Democratic Party (PDP), described Mujuru’ s comments as ill-timed and reckless.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has warned the international community from being hoodwinked by Zanu PF into endorsing Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa as a moderate who would likely guarantee economic and political stability in the post-President Robert Mugabe era.

The PDP in a statement yesterday said endorsing Mnangagwa as Mugabe’s successor was tantamount to “accepting mediocrity”.

“PDP is opposed to the notion that Zimbabweans are supposed to accept mediocrity just to buy stability. We recently saw some statements by a gullible section of the international community who suggest that only stability in the post-Mugabe era is important,” part of the statement read.

Western countries and China have been warming up to suggestions that Mnangagwa should take over from Mugabe, arguing that opposition parties have failed to unite against Zanu PF.

“It is important to note that the current crisis in Zimbabwe is not only a crisis of instability but largely a making of incompetence, corruption, evil governance strategies, policy inconsistence and lack of care by the Zimbabwean government,” PDP said.

“We take exception of the sentiments by (top United Kingdom academic) Stephen Chan, his views are consistent with those of Chatham House and other British institutions.
“If you ask the Chinese what is the one big thing that should happen in Zimbabwe, they will say they need stability. Anyone who brings stability, whether it is Mnangagwa or someone else, and has the support to ensure that there is stability going forward, that person will be welcomed by both the West and the East,” PDP said.

Mnangagwa is also facing strong resistance from within Zanu PF, particularly from the members of the youthful G40 faction fronted by under-fire party political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere.

The Zanu PF Midlands godfather, however, reportedly enjoys massive support from the war veterans and sections of the security sector.- Newsday

Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo leads a 19-member delegation on a tour of various leading universities across the globe to learn how to incubate industries in line with STEM objectives.

The process involves growing an industry through scientific innovation.
The delegation, which comprises 10 Vice Chancellors from State Universities and officials from the Higher Education Ministry, left Zimbabwe on Friday on a three-week working trip to universities in South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, India and Cuba.

Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Deputy Minister Dr Godfrey Gandawa said the tour to science universities in Asia and South America is meant to enable the minister and Vice Chancellors to tour industries that are incubated by universities.

Dr Gandawa said the Ministry had rolled out a reform process to re-align current mandates structure, institutional governance and legislative frameworks, programmes, projects and research plans for industrialisation and modernisation through STEM revolution.

“These reforms are aimed at strengthening the capacity of universities to produce quality research, teaching and learning environment where universities incubate industries.
“Incubation of these industries will stimulate economic growth for the nation, facilitate hands-on research, design and technology, industrial attachment and increase revenue streams,” said Dr Gandawa.

He said the ministry was in the process of formulating and drafting a single Act for all sectors.

“Furthermore, and most importantly, the delegation will learn best practices and experiences in industrialised economies. Experiences and lessons to be learnt on industry and incubation resonate with Zimbabwe’s Industrialisation and Modernisation Strategy (ZIMIMROST) and the Zim-Asset goal of socio- economic transformation through value-addition and beneficiation,” said Dr Gandawa.

He said local universities are set to benefit through interaction and collaborations with institutions like the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), All Medical Institutes from India and University of Havana, RWTH Aachen University.
Other universities identified as areas of collaboration include the University Tecknologi Petronas in Malaysia, which specialises in Petro chemicals and National University of Singapore.

Dr Gandawa said collaborations between industry and universities are key in the transformation of the country’s economy.
“As a country we need to pay serious attention to the effectiveness of our national innovation systems, especially the collaborations between universities and industry which have an opportunity to turn around the fortunes of our economy on many fronts,” he said.
The delegation will make its first stop at Chungnam National University in South Korea before proceeding to Singapore.

The Ministry last year introduced the STEM initiative in high schools to encourage the uptake of science learning as the country’s universities were facing a challenge of a shortage in their science and engineering faculties.

Prof Moyo has in the past expressed concern over the high enrolment of students who would have majored in commercial subjects at advanced level into science and technology universities.

He has queried why science universities in the country were neglecting their mandate of science, technology and engineering and majoring in social sciences and commercial faculties.

“Why are we having more students doing commercial subjects at a science and technology institution? Every university you go, there are more commercial students.
‘‘Those in science and technology driven programmes should be the wealth creators and those doing commercial subjects will come in to manage the wealth,” said Prof Moyo.

“Science and technology driven institutions should show that they are knowledge institutions through Patents and Intellectual Property born out of researches that bring solutions to society’s needs”. – State Media

Vendors are back at undesignated selling points in the Gweru Central Business District after defying a council order to relocate to Swift Vendor Mart in the light industrial area.

Two weeks ago, the local authority launched a blitz to rid the CBD of illegal vendors but the vendors are now back on the pavements of leading retail outlets.

The vendors who are involved in running battles with municipal police, are now selling their wares from either vehicles or pushcarts.

Gweru Hawkers and Vendors’ Association representative Mr Arnold Shava said they would not comply with the council’s order because the area that council wants them to operate from is far from their customers.

“The Swift Vendor Mart is far from the CBD where our customers are and there are no toilets,” he said.

Town Clerk, Ms Elizabeth Gwatipedza said while council was not against vending, vendors should operate from designated points.

“We do not want vendors to operate from pavements of retail outlets as doing so is  inconveniencing shoppers and also promotes disorderliness,” she said.

Ms Gwatipedza said vendors should pay some fee to council and this is only feasible if they operate from designated points.

She said council will therefore continue to raid the illegal vendors until they comply with the order to move to Swift Vendor Mart.- State Media

FOUR people have been killed by crocodiles this month alone in Kana River in Jotsholo, Matabeleland North province with the latest victim being an 11-year-old boy who was killed last Thursday.

The boy from Chief Mabikwa was attacked while bathing with two friends.

After the attack, villagers teamed up and managed to kill the crocodile.

Matabeleland North province police spokesperson Inspector Eglon Nkala confirmed the boy’s death.

“The boy was herding cattle with two other boys near Kana River when they decided to bath. The boy was then attacked and killed by the crocodile while his two friends managed to escape,” he said.

Insp Nkala said the boy’s body was found with multiple wounds.

Kana village head, Mr Muziwakhe Ndlovu said four villagers have been killed by the crocodiles this month alone.

“The boy was the fourth victim of crocodiles from this river this month alone,” he said.- State Media

SOUTH Africa police have arrested five Zimbabweans in connection with an armed robbery at a jewellery shop at a Johannesburg mall.

The armed robbers allegedly made off with jewellery worth thousands of rand last Thursday after threatening to shoot the shop’s employees.

Yesterday, South Africa’s Minister of Police Mr Fikile Mbalula announced the arrest through micro blogging site Twitter.

On Thursday, South African media reported that six armed robbers were behind the armed robbery at the jewellery shop, but the Minister mentioned the arrest of five people only.

“We have arrested five Zimbabweans in connection with Hyde Park Robbery #WanyaTsotsi,” reads his post.

The Minister did not provide further details.

There were mixed reactions to Mr Mbalula’s tweet.

Some were of the view that the minister should not have mentioned the nationality of the armed robbers as that might fuel xenophobic attacks, but others said there was nothing wrong with that. “Not that I am defending Zimbabwean criminals, but why include their nationality? Don’t you think that stokes xenophobic fires, Minister?” twitted @PaulSixpence.

The arrest of the five armed robbers follows last month’s heist at OR Tambo International Airport where another Zimbabwean was involved in a multi-million rand robbery.

Prince Raphael Dube (40), who has since been arrested and is believed to have 14 identities, however denies being part of the robbers.- State Media

A 27-YEAR-OLD Bulawayo man who has been described by a magistrate as a terrorist, has been jailed for 23 years for kidnapping, torturing and holding captive his ex-girlfriend in a six-day rape ordeal.

Kudakwashe Antony Mapwevo (27) of New Lobengula suburb also starved his ex-girlfriend  for six days from January 11 this year, a day after he was released from prison for robbery.

Mapwevo cried, knelt and begged magistrate Mr Chrispen Mberewere to reduce his prison term.

“My Lord forgive me I’m your child. I’m a widower and l’ve two children to take care of. May you please reduce the sentence,” said Mapwevo while lifting up his hands.

Mapwevo was convicted of malicious damage to property, assault, rape and unlawful detention.

Sentencing him, Mr Mberewere who described Mapwevo as a terrorist, said he deserved a deterrent sentence. He sentenced him to 20 years in prison for rape but suspended four years on condition of good behaviour and an additional two years for unlawful detention. For assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Mapwevo was sentenced to one year in prison but six months were suspended on condition of good behaviour and he was also fined $100 or in default 30 days imprisonment for damaging his ex-girlfriend’s phone.

Mapwevo will therefore serve an effective 18 and half years in prison.

Mr Mberewere said what was disturbing was that Mapwevo committed the offences a day after his release from prison which means he has not been rehabilitated.

He said Mapwevo decided to turn his ex-girlfiend into a sex slave that he raped, assaulted and starved for six days. The magistrate said it was fortunate that the ex-girfriend survived his barbaric act which cannot be condoned.

Prosecuting Mr Busani Moyo said on January 11, Mapwevo sent a message to the complainant, via her grandmother’s phone, asking to meet her.

He then went to the complainant’s residence in Cowdray Park suburb.

Mr Moyo said Mapwevo grabbed his ex-girlfriend’s phone and smashed it against a wall before force-marching her to his house in New Lobengula.

“He then held her hostage until January 17 and during that period he raped her on numerous occasions,” said the prosecutor.

He said when the complainant told him she was on her menstrual periods, he assaulted her.

Mapwevo would force the woman to take a bath after each sex attack.

Mr Moyo said Mapwevo was arrested when the victim’s grandmother enlisted the help of police officers to raid his home. When police finally rescued the woman, her face was swollen and she had bruises all over her body.

She had also lost weight.

It was not clear for how long Mapwevo had served for the robbery crime before his release.- State Media

Six out of 10 ruling Zanu-PF’s provinces have unanimously passed a vote of no confidence in the party’s national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere, calling for his ouster from both party and Government positions.

He is accused of, among other things, plotting to oust President Mugabe by creating parallel structures and corruption.

Mashonaland West Province became the latest province to pass a vote of no confidence on Kasukuwere yesterday, joining five other provinces; Harare, Midlands, Mashonaland Central, Masvingo and Bulawayo.

“Zanu-PF Mashonaland West provincial executive council unanimously endorses the ouster of Saviour Kasukuwere from all party and Government activities,” reads a document prepared soon after the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) meeting.

According to a petition signed by 38 out of 50 PEC members after a meeting held in Chinhoyi, Kasukuwere is accused of plotting to depose President Mugabe, who is the President and First Secretary of Zanu-PF, by tampering with party structures throughout the country for his personal gain.

Kasukuwere who is also Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, is also accused of corruption at both party and Government levels by demanding bribes in exchange for land allocations.

He also stands accused of imposing a candidate for the National Assembly seat in Norton resulting in Zanu-PF losing the by-election to an Independent candidate.

In Mashonaland Central, the party also wants Kasukuwere’’s half-brother and provincial chairman Dickson Mafios kicked out.

Kasukuwere is also accused of abetting former treasurer of the Women’s League Sarah Mahoka and former deputy secretary Eunice Sandi Moyo to undermine the First Lady and secretary for Women Affairs, as well as destabilising the League’s structures in Mashonaland West Province.

The province also alleges that Kasukuwere distributed land in the province to his cronies such as Mahoka, aborting prior commitments to youths programmes.

“Now, therefore, we the undersigned members of the provincial executive council willingly and voluntarily appended our signatures in support of the above mentioned ouster of Saviour Kasukuwere,” reads part of the petition.

In a letter addressed to the party’s national secretary for administration Ignatius Chombo, the province said it was supposed to hold its Provincial Coordinating Committee soon to endorse the decision.

However, since the party had already received overwhelming support of 38 out of 50 executive committee members supporting the ouster of Kasukuwere, the PCC meeting would just be an academic exercise.

The Zanu-PF Harare provincial executive council on Saturday also passed a no-confidence vote on Kasukuwere and Harare provincial commissar Shadreck Mashayamombe in a day of high drama that witnessed skirmishes at the ruling party’s provincial headquarters.

Three people sustained head injuries and broken arms as party supporters sympathetic to Mashayamombe and, George Mashavave (provincial secretary for administration) ran amok in the city.

Mashavave was among the provincial leaders who called for the ouster of Kasukuwere and Mashayamombe, respectively.

Police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi confirmed the skirmishes.

Our sister paper, The Sunday Mail reports that police briefly detained Mashayamombe for allegedly instigating the disturbances.

On the same day, 28 Harare provincial executive members appended their signatures to a petition calling for the dismissal of Kasukuwere and Mashayamombe over a raft of allegations, including plotting to topple President Mugabe and insulting First Lady and Women’s League Secretary Amai Grace Mugabe. The Zanu-PF constitution says a motion of no-confidence can be passed by a simple majority of an organ’s members. The PEC has 50 members.

The Harare and Mashonaland West provinces’ petition will be submitted to the Zanu-PF national leadership in keeping with the party’s disciplinary code.

Announcing the no-confidence vote, provincial secretary for administration Mashavave said the petition was in accordance with Article 29 (section 251) of Zanu-PF’s constitution. – State Media 

Seventeen people were killed, while 78 others were injured in 120 separate road traffic accidents recorded countrywide during the Easter Holiday, making this year’s holiday one of the bloodiest in years.

Police said during the same period last year, nine people were killed and 43 were injured in 140 traffic accidents.

Thirty-three unroadworthy vehicles were impounded this year, compared to 221 last year.

Although this year’s Easter Holiday was one of the bloodiest, the number of arrests declined from 13 932 last year, to 12 503.

Eight fatal accidents were recorded both last year and this year.

Police national spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi yesterday said the major causes of accidents were speeding, inattention, misjudgement, overtaking errors and failure to give way.

He said the high death toll was triggered by the Chinhoyi accident which claimed six passengers at the spot.

“The (high) death toll has been contributed by the Chinhoyi accident which killed six people, then Chipinge accident where three people perished, the Masvingo accident where two people died as well as Rusape tragedy where two people also died,” he said.

Chief Sup Nyathi urged all motorists and road users to observe road rules and regulations, to avoid accidents.

“Police are urging motorists to be observant, cautious and ensure they do not speed, overtake in dangerous situations and above all safeguard lives on the road.”

“Let us all drive to arrive alive and contribute towards safety on the roads. Drivers should not be reckless and where possible avoid travelling at night,” he said.

Recently, the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe said 220 traffic accident deaths were recorded during Easter Holidays for the previous six years.

TSCZ urged motorists to be observant and ensure safety prevails to curb traffic accidents.

“Easter and Independence holidays are upon us. Be careful on our roads. Avoid speeding; avoid night driving; do not drink and drive; ensure the safety of your vehicle tyres before any trip. Pedestrians, avoid distracted walking. Drivers stay alert, avoid distracted driving,” said TSCZ. – state media

If visibility and predictability are two foundations upon which stable financial markets are built, comments from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) last week on the adoption of bond notes as a primary currency to alleviate cash shortages suggest Zimbabweans should brace for increased currency volatility.

While the RBZ has said bond notes are not Zimbabwe dollars for they are not a currency but financial instruments, ostensibly issued at par with the US dollar, there are renewed worries that the central bank plans to circulate more bond notes to ease dollar shortages in a move that could open the door to rampant printing of cash as happened in 2008 when inflation hit 500 billion percent, wiping out savings and pensions.

RBZ director Economic Research Simon Nyarota waded into the debate over the bond notes and the need to buttress the multi-currency regime with the surrogate currency, drawing rebuffs from economists and casting doubt over the continuity of the current multi-currency foreign exchange policy.

On the one hand, this should come as a  little surprise. A key pillar of the RBZ’s campaign was to address the chronic cash shortages and supplement the dwindling US dollars that have been in circulation for the past eight years that were being externalised.

The RBZ Economic Research director told a public lecture at the National University of Science and Technology in Bulawayo last week that bond notes must be adopted as legal tender, instead of the rand

“The country needs to buttress the multi-currency regime with bond notes towards a full currency board arrangement as part of a de-dollarisation agenda,” he said.

“To migrate to a full currency board, the country needs to cover 100 percent of base money which currently stands at around $1,1 billion with foreign currency reserves.”

Zimbabwe started circulating a $5 bond note in February, as President Robert Mugabe’s government struggles with a deepening liquidity squeeze that has forced people to spend hours at banks queuing for money.

The RBZ first introduced a $2 note and $1 coin last November to ease the cash shortages.

A bond note unit – limited for domestic commerce – has been fixed by the RBZ to trade at par with one US dollar.  But retailers have low confidence in the surrogate currency and place different price tags on goods dependent on the currency used to pay for the item.

Firms’ prices reflect that one US dollar in hard cash is equivalent to $1,30 in bond notes, meaning that the surrogate currency has already lost 30 percent of its value. Zimbabwean firms resorting to the black market to get US dollars pay a premium of up to 25 percent.

For policymakers, the verbal volleys from economists sharpen the focus on the central bank’s commitment to address “the prevailing harsh trading patterns.”

But for investors and economists, increased volatility looks on the cards.

MDC shadow Finance minister Tapiwa Mashakada said partial de-dollarisation was attempted in Latin America by countries that had, like Zimbabwe, previously dollarised.

Zimbabwe abandoned its own hyperinflation-hit currency in 2009 in favour of the US dollar, but a widening trade deficit, lack of foreign investment and a decline in remittances by Zimbabweans abroad have helped to fuel foreign currency shortages.

“Examples are Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Chile. The moment they started partial de-dolarisation, imports fell and this was followed by price distortions and capital flight,” Mashakada warned.

“In our case, partial de-dolarisation will lead to unintended consequences such as shortages of basic commodities and hyperinflation.”

Economist Kipson Gundani said tinkering with money won’t resolve the fundamental challenges in the economy.

“Until we address the cash shortages through increased production, increased exports and significant cut on imports, the cash situation will continue to deteriorate,” he told the Daily News on Sunday.

“In my view, bond notes are contributing to the confusion in the market.  This country is a net importer at the moment, and because bond notes are not functional beyond the borders of Zimbabwe that has led to serious internal market misbehaviour of ratings cash hoarding, price distortions etc.

“There is absolutely no merit on why we have not made the rand our primary currency, despite research and economic indicators suggesting that.

“We are in a crisis that has no visible ending.”

In a ministerial statement on cash shortages to the National Assembly last week, Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa said non-banking of cash by traders was the major cause of cash shortages and queues for cash at banks.

“This indiscipline is counterproductive and cannot continue to be tolerated,” he said.

“Money is like blood, it needs to circulate for the economy to survive. Money should be circulating in order to deal with queues at banks.

“To date, three traders have been hauled before the courts for not banking their sales proceeds in line with the laws of the country from as far back as June 2016. They have all pleaded guilty to the offence and they now await their sentences after the Easter Holidays.”

Chinamasa also said government funds its employees’ salary accounts through electronic transfers over the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) platform — a system for large-value interbank funds transfers.

“On the contrary, employees would want to obtain physical cash from banks. This misalignment is the greatest cause of queues at banks for cash as both the Reserve Bank and banks would be required to withdraw foreign exchange from their Nostro accounts (used to facilitate settlement of foreign exchange and trade transactions) to meet local cash demand,” he said.

The RBZ said on Friday it has been guided by the realities of the prevailing harsh trading patterns to impose new cash-back limits to curb cash hoarding.

“Any cash-back facility made available by retailers and wholesalers shall not exceed an amount of $20,00,” the RBZ said in a statement.

“The Reserve Bank shall collaborate with wholesalers, retailers and their associations to ensure the adequate provision of Point of Sale (POS) machines in order to enhance the use of plastic money for transactions.”

The Reserve Bank is advocating for the use of plastic money in order to ameliorate the mismatch or gap between electronic salary transfers and the demand for cash from banks.

“Embracing plastic money preserves foreign exchange in the Nostro Accounts for use for foreign payments whilst at the same time mitigating against non-banking of cash by traders,” Chinamasa said.

Government is also considering removing the 5c tax on plastic money in order to reduce the cost of transacting.

Retailers and dealers fuelling the three-tier pricing that has emerged as market forces are overpowering the forced parity of bond notes face imprisonment of up to seven years. RBZ deputy governor Kupukile Mlambo has said he was aware that some of the retailers have a three-tier pricing system; for bond notes, swiping and US dollar, “that is illegal; the law doesn’t allow it.”

This comes after President Robert Mugabe last month signed into law the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Amendment Act, 2017 (No. 1 of 2017) which outlines that those who devalue or deface bond notes are liable “to imprisonment for a period not exceeding seven years.”

The non-banking of cash by traders that authorities claim has spawned cash shortages is currently being attended to by the Reserve Bank and the police under the Bank Use Promotion Act (Chapter 24:24) which compels traders to bank their surplus cash on a daily basis when banks are open for business.

Mugabe unwittingly confirmed during his annual birthday interview with the ZBC in February that even he kept money at home fearing bank failures.

“They (ordinary Zimbabweans) carry those earnings into their pillows and briefcases back home and hold funds back home and become reluctant to release them. Then the banks will not have any resource and will continue to talk of illiquid banks in the system.

“That is what has happened. Dzimba idzi dzizere nemari (Many homes are full of cash). Tikati kumapurisa nemasoja (If we instruct the police and soldiers to) go house by house and dig for the funds that are being hidden there . . . You will be guilty and I will be guilty.

“I don’t know who will not be guilty here … Dzimwe nguva ukaona tumari twako wotya kuti aah ndikanoisa uko kuti ndizonoitora mangwana hapana (If you have savings you will be afraid of depositing them in the bank because tomorrow you may not get that money).

“So you tend to keep it. It’s not your fault . . . It’s the fault of a system that has not yielded enough cash. Mind you, the (American) dollar is not our currency,” Mugabe said.

Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce chief executive Chris Mugaga said cash hoarding was done by people who are “lazy.”

He said de-dollarisation proposals by the central bank exposed “lack of policy credibility at the RBZ.”

“What message are they sending?” he asked rhetorically, adding the fiat currency was issued as an incentive to exporters of goods and services.

“Credibility of policy is everything in economics. The RBZ must wait for business to say it. They are not well positioned to say we must de-dolarise, it becomes a contentious issue.”

He said bond notes derive their value from the $200 million Afrexim Bank facility, which caps the amount of bond notes to be issued at the facility amount.

“De-dollarisation musty not be imposed by the RBZ, it must be a gradual process. The market has lost confidence in the local unit.

“It takes long time to de-dollarise, 20-25years, it takes time to rebuild confidence in a local unit after it has been decommissioned,” he said, highlight public’s fear, anxiety and scepticism surrounding bond notes which have dented trust and confidence within the economy

He said the RBZ must be addressed the structural issues, the fundamentals to support the currency, address the trade and fiscal deficit. – Daily News

For a while Tapiwa Daisi believed he would breathe his last on April 7.

Washington Gezana will never forget the day he came face to face with rampaging police offices in central Harare.

Gezana from Hatfield was at the intersection of Julius Nyerere Way and Kenneth Kaunda Avenue in the afternoon of March 23 when all hell broke loose.

“I was walking with my wife Yvonne Magora at the intersection that was being controlled by police officers,” he recounted last week.

“When my wife crossed the intersection, the police officers started insulting her using unprintable words before assaulting her for no apparent reason.”

Gezana rushed to his wife’s side and tried to save her from the beatings.

“I was not given an opportunity to explain myself and their baton sticks started raining on me,” he recalled.

“I could not tell how many police officers hit me but I remember feeling excruciating pain in my right eye as I fell down screaming out for help.”

Gezana was picked up and taken to Harare Central Police Station where a report was filed before he was taken to hospital for medical attention.

His tormentors are still wearing the police uniform with pride but their time is running out as Gezana is now preparing to sue them.

Gezana’s lawyers, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), last week wrote to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officer in charge of Cranborne station seeking the identity of the officers that assaulted him and his wife.

“In light of the above, we are seeking your assistance on the names and ranks of police officers who were stationed at the above mentioned intersection on March 23 2017 manning and controlling traffic,” reads part of the letter.

“We have been instructed to ascertain the names and ranks of the police officers in order for us to assist our clients accordingly.

“We hereby expect your written response within seven working days of receipt of our letter, failing of which we will proceed to institute legal proceedings without further notification.”

The letter was also copied to officer commanding Harare Province and police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri.

ZLHR communications officer Kumbirai Mafunda said his organisation had stepped up efforts to seek justice for the downtrodden and vulnerable in society.

In the past month, the organisation successfully sued police for compensation in two cases that happened in Chisumbanje and Mutare.

In the Chisumbanje case, a Chipinge magistrate ordered the ZRP to pay compensation to seven Chinyamukwakwa villagers who were brutalised by the police in their land battle with Billy Rautenbach’s Green Fuels.

A week earlier a Mutare magistrate had ordered the Salary Services Bureau to garnish $100 each month from constable Crispen Chikazhe’s salary until he finishes paying $570 compensation to a torture victim.

Chikazhe tortured Brighton Sanyanga, a pupil at Pafiwa High School in Mutasa District, during interrogations after pupils held a demonstration at the school that left some property damaged.

In the past, ZLHR has also won compensation for victims of police torture.

Two officers from Nyanga Police Station — only identified as Kapfunde and Kambanje — were ordered to pay $3 000 in damages for torturing hotel security guard Tsitsi Chimhutu when they were investigating a break-in at Montclair Hotel last year.

The country is holding its collective breath to see how much former State Security minister Didymus Mutasa would be ordered to pay as compensation to Jestina Mukoko who was abducted, tortured and held in communicado by state agents in December 2008.

Mukoko is being represented by Beatrice Mtetwa, a ZLHR member.

Analysts argued that the suing of state agents in their personal capacities would curtail human rights abuses. – Standard

THE Bulawayo City Council assistant director of Engineering Services, Eng Mbuthi Gugu Mkhwananzi, died yesterday at Mater Dei Hospital after he was allegedly assaulted by a rival suitor after the two clashed at a girlfriend’s house in the city.

Eng Mkhwananzi succumbed to injuries he allegedly sustained after the brutal attack on Tuesday morning.

Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango confirmed the incident.

“We initially received a report of assault and we arrested the perpetrator for attempted murder and he appeared in court. We later received information that the man had died and we have now arrested the assailant for murder. He is in police custody,” said Insp Simango.

According to sources close to the incident, Eng Mkwananzi was at his lover’s home in Four Winds suburb when he was attacked by the rival suitor.

“He was in bed when another man came to the house and found him at around 9am on Tuesday. The rival suitor struck with a pick and his ribs punctured his lungs.

“He then died yesterday at the hospital,” said the source.

The woman in question whose name could not be immediately established is said to be going through a divorce with her husband and was allegedly double-crossing the late Eng Mkhwananzi with the accused person who was also not indentified.

Sunday News visited the home of Eng Mkhwananzi at Number 1 Cliburn Crescent in Morningside suburb and spoke to his relatives. A woman who refused to be named said she was his mother’s sister.

Staff Reporter | Following six days of dry tapes, two cases of possible Cholera infection have been reported at Gwanda Hospital, with authorities at the hospital covering up the issue.

Very reliable sources within the hospital told ZimEye.com that at least two people from Jahunda Township in Gwanda Town are being treated at the hospital for suspected Cholera infection while about ten more have been treated for confirmed Typhoid all linked to the unavailability of water in the town.

The sources said that hospital authorities he been strongly warned against revealing the information on the Cholera and Typhoid possible outbreak in the town.

Government through the Zimbabwe National Water Authority last week disconnected water supplies in the town for six days as the water authority was demanding for an upfront payment for water before supplying the over 60 000 residents in he town.

The situation was getting worse at the start of the Easter Holidays as several religious organisations visited the town for Easter Meetings. In one such case a church at Phakama Township was host to 600 delegates from all over the country and some from South Africa and all of them resorted to use the nearby bush to relieve themselves.

The council had to pay ZINWA $15 000 worth of water which at current consumption will last the town only up to about Monday before the end of the long holidays.

Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo yesterday said the government will soon introduce a law that will punish people receiving degrees from unaccredited institutions.

Moyo first made the announcement on micro-blogging site Twitter after a follower tagged him in a tweet alleging that the Commonwealth University was bogus.

The institution recently awarded Zimbabwe Tourism Authority CEO Karikoga Kaseke a Ph.D degree.

“Very soon it will be a criminal offence in Zimbabwe to offer, seek or receive a fake degree or to get one from an unaccredited organisation!,” Moyo tweeted.

The minister later told The Standard the proposed law would apply retrospectively, which means that several high-ranking government officials, including ministers, could be arrested for possessing fake degrees.

Moyo said Cabinet had since approved policy principles for the Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Bill, 2017.

“The Bill seeks to regulate under one law, all the country’s academic and policy institutions in higher and tertiary education, science and technology development, which currently total 46 and which are regulated by some 23 constitutive legal instruments,” he said.

“One of the principles approved by Cabinet is that it should be a criminal offence for anyone to offer, seek, purchase or receive a fake degree.”

Moyo said it had become necessary to have such a law given the proliferation of bogus institutions in and outside the country offering fake degrees and the alarming number of persons seeking, purchasing or receiving fake degrees.

“The practice of offering, seeking, purchasing or receiving fake degrees is aggravated by the fact that education is Zimbabwe’s comparative advantage and is of strategic value to the country in the national interest,” Moyo said.

“Therefore, persons who offer, seek, purchase or receive fake degrees threaten and harm Zimbabwe’s national interest with respect to education whose international reputation ranks among the best.”

He said following the approval of the principles for the proposed law by Cabinet, the process of drafting the Bill had started in earnest. The minister said the Bill could be tabled before Parliament as early as July this year.

“Accordingly, questions about the definition of a fake degree and the criminal penalty for offering, seeking, purchasing or receiving such a degree are details yet to be drafted for Cabinet consideration and approval,” Moyo said.

Some of Moyo’s Twitter followers, including former Justice deputy minister Fortune Chasi, said the proposed law was long overdue.

In 2016, former Harare mayor Muchadeyi Masunda rejected an offer to be conferred with a doctorate degree by the little-known International Institute of Philanthropy, which has been doling out post-graduate degrees and other accolades to well-to-do people across the country.

Among those who were conferred with doctorates by the institution were United Family International Church leader Emmanuel Makandiwa’s wife, Ruth, police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri’s wife, Isabel and music legend Oliver Mtukudzi.

Some influential people claim to be Ph.D holders after receiving the degrees from bogus universities from as far as South America. – The Standard

1. Following the petition and recommendation by the Zanu-PF Mashonaland Central Provincial Executive and Co-ordination Committee and peaceful demonstration held on 3rd April 2017 by concerned Zanu-PF party activists which were presented to the party leadership and His Excellency, the President, RG Mugabe;

2. Cognisant of the directive given to Zanu-PF rank and file members at the recent Central Committee meeting held on 7 April 2017 in Harare in particular, that forthwith no party structures or functionaries or membership should engage in demonstrations for whatever reason and cause and, further that the First Secretary and President of Zanu-PF, RG Mugabe, had taken note of grievances, complaints and petitions raised from Mashonaland Central Province against ID Mafios, acting chairman, and the National Political Commissar, S Kasukuwere, and further that the party is seized with this matter and would attend and deliberate on it at Politburo and National Disciplinary Committee level;

3. Taking note of political actions and activities where warring parties ie acting chairman ID Mafios and his secretary for administration, W Mashange, and others on one hand, and the acting chairman, Kazembe Kazembe, and Makunde and others on the other side, are holding competing and parallel Provincial Executive Council and Provincial Co-ordinating Committee meetings and inter-district meetings in the province of Mashonaland Central and aware that such meetings are causing divisions and animosity among party members.

The head of the province and Minister for Provincial Affairs, Advocate MT Dinha, as directed by His Excellency, the President, RG Mugabe, hereby, in the interest of law and order, public good and preservation of party discipline and protocol, while we await due process on matters referred to relevant authorities and in conformity to the Principal’s position aforementioned, direct that:

(a) Until the matter referred to the First Secretary and President, Politburo and National Disciplinary Committee are disposed of and until these organs make a pronouncement on the outcome or resolution of the referred to grievances or petitions, none of the above provincial authorities that is ID Mafios and his Provincial Executive comprising youth, women and main wings of Zanu-PF, and Kazembe Kazembe and his Provincial Executive of the same composition, shall call or convene or cause to be called or convened any Provincial Executive Council or Provincial Council or Provincial Co-ordinating Committee or inter-district meetings in Mashonaland Central province forthwith.

Any such meeting called for the above purposes will be adjudged illegal and unlawful and law enforcement authorities will deal with any breach thereof in accordance to the law.

(b) Further, the province, in particular, and our office will not tolerate any victimisation or intimidation of party members.

(c) Party members should follow the President’s directive and desist from communicating on Twitter, WhatsApp or Facebook or using the Press to discuss or air views on Zanu-PF matters.

Advocate MT Dinha (MP),

Minister of State for Provincial Affairs,

Mashonaland Central Province.

US$900 million in cash and bond notes/coins worth US$136 million are circulating in Zimbabwe; but fiscal indiscipline — principally hoarding and externalisation — continues to curtail market liquidity, a Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe study has established. RBZ data also shows that bank deposits increased from US$6,14 billion in September 2016 to US$6,51 billion last December on the back of reduced grain imports, increased Diaspora remittances and remarkable export growth.

The study covered February and March 2017 based on the Kalman filter — a method used to estimate the amount of cash in circulation.

RBZ Governor Dr John Mangudya told The Sunday Mail that greater discipline and increased manufacturing would help resolve cash shortages.

He said, “The RBZ estimates that there is around US$900 million of cash in circulation, and this is measured when you are using the Kalman filter and other methodologies to measure the amount of money in the country. This, together with bond notes, is substantially in line with best practice where the ratio of cash in circulation to deposits is around 10-20 percent. We cannot call it a cash crisis, but a crisis of indiscipline, productivity and lack of business management. We are now evoking provisions of the Bank Use Promotion Act to ensure and encourage people like traders, wholesalers and other dealers to bank their money. There is need for a paradigm shift from a consumption type of economy to a productive one.”

Dr Mangudya said authorities were importing US$60 million per month and promoting “plastic money” as part of measures to make cash available.

He was optimistic more individuals and businesses would bank money in response to law enforcement and bank use promotion.

“It is encouraging to note that in keeping with the thrust of promoting electronic payments, a number of payment service providers and banks have enhanced deployment of devices and access points. Further, the Reserve Bank reduced the charges for using electronic payment platforms to, for instance, one percent for Automated Teller Machines and 1,25 percent for bank counter withdrawals. We have a strong craving to ensure Zimbabwe becomes a cash-lite society by year-end, and we anticipate that this policy direction is critical to minimise mismatches between cash and virtual money, and for preserving foreign exchange in nostro accounts for foreign payments.

“Contrary to some people’s beliefs, the exact situation regarding money supply is that deposits have been increasing over the nine years that the multi-currency exchange system has been in place.

“The growth is attributable to the growth in exports, contracting foreign loans, Diaspora remittances and reduction of imports, especially grain due to the success of Command Agriculture.”

Zimbabwe has been grappling with cash shortages since April 2016 largely due to externalisation, hoarding and a huge external trade deficit.

Last week, the RBZ set the cashback limit at US$20 per day and authorities have deployed 32 540 point-of-sale machines to promote plastic money use.- State Media

The Zim Position club hosts independence celebrations in Sheffield, UK. SEE POSTER:

The Zanu-PF Harare Provincial Executive Council yesterday passed a no-confidence on National Political Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere and provincial commissar Shadreck Mashayamombe in a day of high drama that witnessed skirmishes at the ruling party’s provincial headquarters.

The Sunday Mail understands police briefly detained Mashayamombe for allegedly instigating the disturbances.

Yesterday, 28 Harare PEC members appended their signatures to a petition calling for the dismissal of the pair over a raft of allegations, including plotting to topple President Mugabe and insulting First Lady and Women’s League Secretary Amai Grace Mugabe.

Zanu-PF’s Constitution says a motion of no-confidence can be passed by a simple majority of an organ’s members.

The PEC has 50 members.

The Harare petition will be transmitted to Zanu-PF’s national leadership in keeping with the party’s disciplinary code.

Harare becomes the fifth province to call for Kasukuwere’s sacking, joining Mashonaland Central, Bulawayo, Midlands and Masvingo.

The Zimbabwe Congress of Student Unions has also asked Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration Dr Ignatius Chombo to transmit to President Mugabe their own petition calling for Cde Kasukuwere’s ouster for meddling in their affairs at institutions of higher learning.

Yesterday evening, Zanu-PF Harare provincial chair Charles Tavengwa said he was unaware of the petitions.

“I am not aware of anything of that nature. I haven’t attended any meeting with that issue on the agenda. I only heard that there were people who had gathered at the party offices and police were later called to disperse them.”

Mashayamombe would not go down without a fight yesterday and led a group of youths to lay siege on the party’s provincial HQ on Simon Muzenda Street.

The mob hurled stones at people at the premises as well as at by-standers, leading to a tempowrary closure of the offices and anti-riot police being called in.

Police kept watch throughout the day as the mob milled around.

National police spokespersons Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba and Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi could not be reached to comment on the skirmishes and Cde Mashayamombe’s reported arrest.

Announcing the no-confidence vote, provincial secretary for administration George Mashavave said the petition was in accordance with Article 29 (Section 251) of Zanu-PF’s constitution.

He was flanked by Tafirenyika Nerwande (secretary for security), Dumisani Chipango (treasurer), Moffat Siwizani (secretary for economic affairs), Forward Mazviterera (secretary for transport and welfare), and Shupikayi Nyakawo (deputy secretary for security).

Part of the petition reads: “We, the undersigned members of the Zanu-PF Harare Provincial Executive Council do hereby and irrevocably resolve as follows:

“That in terms of Article 29 (Section 251) of the party’s constitution, we do hereby cast a vote of no confidence on the National Political Commissar  S Kasukuwere and provincial commissar  Mashayamombe. This petition is an expression of our vote of no confidence against the two when it comes to demonstrating honesty integrity and respect for the fundamental values of the party. We believe that they have failed to respect and uphold the party’s principles and values and constitution.

“(1) Cde Kasukuwere and Mashayamombe have been planning and preparing to topple the elected President, His Excellency, President Mugabe, by putting in place party structures that will ensure that their goal is achieved.

“(2) They have been fanning factionalism, running parallel structures and creating divisions in the party by victimising everyone they suspect to be a threat to their mission.

“(3) They have been promoting tribalism. (4) Their leadership has been characterised by dictatorship, as anyone of contrary opinion would be victimised. (5) They have been disrespectful of the party leadership.

“(6)  Mashayamombe insulted the First Lady in the media, which prompted our only First Lady to demand an apology from him.

“The two disrespected the party constitution by imposing candidates wherever there was a primary election; eg the Norton saga. The two have put the party and the province in disrepute.”

Mashayamombe told The Sunday Mail he was unaware of the petition, and blamed former Harare provincial youth chairperson Mr Godwin Gomwe for the violence.

“I am not aware of the petition. I do not know anything about the violence you are talking about either. You should ask Gomwe; he is the one who, I was told, was planning to unleash violence.”

On the other hand, the Zicosu petition alleges that Kasukuwere was victimising student leaders for refusing to be “co-opted into his faction”.

The petition reads, “We condemn the activities of one Saviour Kasukuwere who happens to be the party Political Commissar who we believe is hell-bent on leading Zanu-PF to a disastrous defeat in 2018 by his unpatriotic and reactionary activities.

“Our resistance has resulted in many threats, including physical ones and even attempted bribery on some of our membership. All these failed to bear fruition and this led to the unfair dismissal of many youth activists in our organisation from Zanu-PF.” – State Media

A Glen Norah based sculptor Jephson Matewe has come up with a Zimbabwe Bird sculpture titled ‘My Last Born’ as the country looks forward to the independence celebrations on the 18th of this month.

The 58 year old visual artist says he made the piece of work in appreciation of what President Robert Mugabe has done for Zimbabwe.

The piece of work which weighs 82.5 kilogrammes is made up of serpentine obtained from Mashava.

Among the images that he has done so far include the one on the late Vice President Cde Simon Muzenda, the famous Kariba snake nyaminyami, and another one depicting the land reform programme titled, ‘Dai Mvura Yanaya’.

The stone-carved Zimbabwe Bird is the national emblem of Zimbabwe, appearing on the national flag and coat of arms, as well as on old bank-notes and coins.

It probably represents the bateleur eagle or the African fish eagle.- State Media

Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko says government attaches great importance to the Institution of Traditional Leaders as the custodians of the land and the country’s cultural values.

Mphoko made the remarks during the burial of regent Chief Dakamela of Nkayi Matabeleland North who was laid to rest at her family graveyard in Matopo this Saturday (today).

A sombre atmosphere gripped Brethren in Christ Church in Matopo Mission today where hundreds of people including family, friends, chiefs and senior government officials congregated to give a befitting send off to regent Chief Dakamela who passed away in the United Kingdom on the 31st of March.

Family members described her as a humble and selfless character while Chief Dakamela ‘s children said their mother’s death has left a void that will be difficult to fill.

Traditional chiefs also delivered their messages of heartbreak saying Chief Dakamela’s impeccable work ethic and dedication to duty is worth emulating.

Vice President Mphoko who also gave a rousing tribute and farewell to the late Chief Dakamela said  while the colonial regime undermined the Institution of Traditional Leaders, the government is committed to ensuring that they are held in high regard.

Chief Dakamela who was born Hleziphi Dakamela died in her sleep at the age of 73 at her daughter’s  home in the United Kingdom where she had gone to visit.

She had been the acting chief in Nkayi for 12 years as the rightful successor to the throne was still a minor when she took over the chieftainship in 2004. – State Media

War veteran Jason Joseph Phillimon Mandeya who died on the 13th of this month and was declared a liberation war hero has been buried at Warren Hills Provincial Heroes Acre.

Mandeya who died at Parirenyatwa Hospital has been described as a selfless son of the soil who sacrificed his life for the liberation of the country.

Harare Metropolitan Province Minister of State Miriam Chikukwa who was represented by deputy director in her office Mr Trust Mudzingwa said the country should celebrate the contribution Mandeya made to the development of the country.

Family members said they had lost a pillar of strength while colleagues from Air Zimbabwe hailed Mandeya for inspiring blacks to take up jobs as pilots after independence.

Born on 28 November 1952, Cde Mandeya whose Chimurenga name was Senior Hombarume joined the liberation struggle in 1975 after he was motivated by his failure to secure a job due to segregation of the colonial regime.

He received military training at Chimoio and was posted to Tanzania for further training.

In 1978 he was deployed to Mount Darwin and in 1979 he was posted to Pakistan and later Greece where he trained as a pilot.

After independence in 1981 he was recruited by Air Zimbabwe and became one of the first black pilots.

Mandeya served Air Zimbabwe until retirement on medical grounds in 2012.

He is survived by his wife Alice, two children and three grandchildren. – State Media

Six people died early this morning while 20 others were injured in an accident involving a Honda Fit and a Nissan Caravan vehicle near Chinhoyi.

Zimbabwe Republic Police spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi said the accident occurred at the 111 kilometre peg along the Harare-Chirundu road.

He said preliminary investigations indicate that the driver of the Honda Fit encroached into the lane of oncoming vehicles resulting in the head on collision.

Chief Superintendent Nyathi said the Nissan Caravan, which had 24 passengers on board overturned killing four people on the spot while another one died on admission at Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital.

He said the driver of the Honda Fit vehicle also died on the spot adding 20 people were injured and were taken to Chinhoyi Hospital for treatment.

Chief Superintendent Nyathi said the names of the people who died in the accident will be released in due course once their next of kin have been informed. – State Media

A Prominent Masvingo-based businessman Nicholas Pedzisai Manyumbu (77) has died.
He died last Friday at The Avenues Clinic in Harare after battling prostate cancer for over three years.Manyumbu was a devout Catholic.

The late’s grandson Desmond Manyumbu  confirmed  the  death  to The Mirror.
“We have lost a father figure who was caring,humble and a man of integrity,” said Manyumbu.

Most of the late Manyumbu’s children are based in the UK.

Tens of peoples attended the burial including Catholics from all walks
of life. Prominent businessman Pascal Mudzikisi the owner of fast food outlet Chicken Shake along Mutare Road and Nick Manjoro the Managing Director of Multi –Designs were present.Manyumbu worked for the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) as a fireman then as a train driver and retired in the late 80s’ to concentrate on his butchery at Gutsaruzhinji in Pangolin, Masvingo.

Manyumbu was laid to rest at Mangwandi Cemetery in Masvingo on Monday after a church service at St Theresa Roman Catholic Church in Rujeko Surbub. The mass was conducted by Father Emmanuel Jongwe.
Manyumbu is survived by his wife Susan, two daughters, four sons,
twenty one grandchildren and one great grand-child. – Masvingo Mirror