NATIONAL People’s Party (NPP) leader and former Vice-President Joice Mujuru has responded to the $5 million lawsuit filed by Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) co-leaders and her former colleagues Rugare Gumbo and Didymus Mutasa.

On March 17 this year, Mujuru, the former ZimPF leader, entered an appearance to defend her controversial statements in which she was reported to have claimed that Gumbo and Mutasa had allegedly solicited sexual favours from her.

The two former Zanu PF heavyweights are claiming $2,5 million each in defamation damages.

A 40-year-old self-styled prophet is a tormented soul ever since having sex with a member of the Nyau cult.

Pachawa Kwanamba yesterday revealed that he now physically engages in anal sex with a snake since bedding a Nyau member Sheila Taibu.

Pachawa said since the encounter, a mysterious snake is in the habit of penetrating him from his behind every day. “Sometimes I feel it is much better for me to die than to continue to live the life that I am living.

“Mysterious things have been happening to me ever since the day I had sex with Sheila and I now regret the decision I made of having sex with her.

“Whenever I explain my situation to people some think I am insane and others would cut communication ties with me.

“I helplessly find myself being a victim of anal sex every day; the snake only comes whilst I am about to sleep and enters me from behind.

“This does not happen spiritually but the snake comes in its physical state and I even have scars on my behind to prove what I am saying,” said Pachawa.

He added that he has since lost his prophetic powers he possessed as a result of being intimate with the woman.

“When I reflect at what is happening in my life, I am reminded of the biblical Samson who lost all his powers after sleeping with Delilah.

“I loved Sheila very much and she was beautiful and above all we had great sex since she would do Chinamwari because of her Nyau background but I am now a nobody because of the love I had for her.

“I have been a prophet all my life and a lot of people would come getting help from me but I have since lost all the powers I had after sleeping with her,” she said.

Pachawo added that he has been looking for Sheila but she has been deliberately avoiding him.

“This has been happening for the past three years and at first I tried to keep it a secret but I have decided to open up hoping to get help.

“I have tried my best to seek audience with her so that she releases me from this curse but she deliberately avoids me.

“I have been to Sheila’s parents’ house and I even offered to pay but they refused my offer.

“I have been to Sheila’s parents’ house and I even offered to pay but they refused my offer.

Meanwhile, Sheila’s Mbuya Taibu said she will only accept Pachawo’s compensation if her daughter who had sex with him approves it.

“I am aware that he (Pachawo) cohabited with Sheila and that is unacceptable.

The battle between Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ), publishers of the Daily News, and its founding editor, Geoffrey Nyarota, continues after the latter won a court battle for condonation to allow him to file his heads of arguments, effectively resuscitating the case.

A Labour Court judge handed down a default judgment against the veteran journalist after his lawyers failed to file his heads of arguments.

ANZ fired Nyarota in 2010 and was supposed to pay him an arbitral award of $90 921 after losing a labour case against their former editor. However, the newspaper group challenged the court ruling and won in 2012.

Members of Parliament yesterday proposed their salaries be pegged at between $4 000 and $10 000 per month, claiming they are now the lowest paid legislators in Africa.

The MPs currently earn a gross salary of $1 124 per month and $1 046 representation allowance.

The issue was raised during a workshop for MPs in Harare which was attended by Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda, President of the Senate Edna Madzongwe and Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda.

The code of conduct for MPs was also discussed at the workshop.

Chairperson of the Sub-committee on Legal and Procedural Services Nelson Chamisa (MDC-T) said MPs had two weeks to look at the draft laws to do with their conditions of service; the Parliamentary Salaries, Allowances and Benefit Act, and the Parliament Pensions Act to see where they could be amended to address their remuneration. He compared MPs’ salaries with other Parliaments.

In South Africa MPs earn approximately $7 000 per month, Kenya $10 000, Tanzania $7 266, Uganda $8 715 and Botswana at $2 000.

If amended, the Parliament Salaries, Allowances and Benefit Act will also ensure ministers do not double dip.

“We have replaced the issue of an independent commission deciding salaries for MPs and put the powers in a quasi-independent body, the Standing Rules and Orders Committee, as opposed to the Finance minister determining the lump sum of MPs and putting it in line with the rest of the civil service,” Chamisa said.

Other entitlements for MPs would be general allowances, housing allowances, committee attendance fees, constituency allowances and others.

Mudenda said MPs would get laptops and stands.

On the code of conduct, MPs will find themselves under scrutiny in terms of their behaviour, drinking habits, corruption, taking bribes, and even extra-marital affairs will be exposed. They will be required to fill in an asset register to be administered by the Clerk of Parliament where they will declare properties, business interests, family, freebies that they are given during visits to companies, fees paid to MPs for consultancy, trips and who has funded them, and even assets such as scotch carts and jewellery. – Newsday

Mutasa Is A Genuine Tsvangirai Supporter Despite Being A CIO Murderer, Agreed?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 23, 2017

Zimbabwean security officials are seized with cases of alleged assaults and torture of Zimbabwean nationals who are illegally settled in neighbouring Botswana.

The country’s Western Region Immigration Department said an average of 2400 Zimbabweans are deported from Botswana every month with a significant number reporting incidents of abuse.

“We receive an average of 2400 repatriations a month from our four ports of entry as the western region. Half of these complain of assault and in some extreme cases we send them back for treatment at the hands of the Botswana authorities. We sometimes receive information on cases of Zimbabweans being shot,” Western Region Assistant Immigration Officer, Mr Blessing Marwa said.

The ZBC News caught up with an alleged victim, Mr Misheck Siziba who claimed that he was inhumanly treated while in a detention camp after he had overstayed.

“I was assaulted while undressed at the hands of Botswana security officials for having overstayed in the neighboring country. The police beat us in detention camps before handing us over to the chiefs who further subjected us to more beatings in front of the community. They also took away my passport,” Siziba said.

These reports come as the world commemorated World Human Rights Day on Tuesday, amid calls for every person to be treated with respect and dignity. – state media/zbc

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is not bothered by threats from opposition political parties that yesterday announced that they were disengaging from voluntary meetings under the banner of ZEC-Political Parties Dialogue Platform. This came up after ZEC chairperson Justice Rita Makarau, together with other commissioners and the ZEC secretariat, walked out of a meeting with the parties in protest against continued “abuse at the hands of some political parties”.

“We accept fair criticism, yes, balanced and fair criticism,” said Justice Makarau at the meeting. We have always welcomed that. We say no to abuse by anybody, political parties or any other stakeholder. And because we are beginning to feel that our engagements are being misunderstood, we believe it is time for ZEC to go back to the drawing board and see how best we can engage with you.

“This platform is not working according to ZEC. Accordingly, there will be no meeting today. You thought we had called you to intimidate you into not demonstrating. We want to give you our assurances that we have not called you to intimidate you from doing anything.

“We called you to dialogue, but you do not want to dialogue with us in good faith. This meeting is aborted and I am asking everybody within ZEC to please follow me outside.”

Justice Makarau cited some articles in the private media where some political parties’ representatives were impugning the commission without restraint.

Some of the articles were titled “Opposition parties lose confidence in ZEC”, “We will not be pacified by ZEC meeting: Nera” and “Tension rises as 2018 looms”.

The parties then resolved to, among other things, discontinue meetings with ZEC, to declare “an electoral stalemate and crisis” and that Justice Makarau steps down, while ZEC is disbanded.

At least $10 million worth of tobacco weighing four million kilogrammes have been sold at auction floors and contract farming since the beginning of the marketing season last week, according to figures released by the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board.

The average price for auction floors and contract farming was $2,53 per kg, 24 percent higher than the $2,03 of the 2016 marketing season.

The highest price was $5,40 per kg, while rejected bales stood at 4 231 compared to 2 981 for last year.

Reasons for rejection of bales included oversized, underweight, badly handled and mixed hands.

A total of 58 910 bales were laid, with 54 679 being sold.

TIMB spokesperson Mr Isheunesu Moyo said they were excited about the prices for this season, which appeared to firm.

He expressed confidence that this year’s marketing season would be better compared to last year.

“We have had a positive start to this season as the average prices are higher than that for last year on both auction and contract floors,” said Mr Moyo.

Farmers last week stagged a demonstration at the auction floors after banks did not allow them to withdraw $1 000 at once for their first sales and $500 per transaction for susbequent sales, in accordance with a facility set up by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

Below are pictures of the NERA demonstration held at the freedom square.

A suspected cholera and typhoid outbreak has killed two people in Hatcliffe and Epworth amid reports that one person was being treated for typhoid. The Hatcliffe outbreak resulted in the decommissioning of four out of seven boreholes in the suburb. Harare City Council Health Services director Dr Prosper Chonzi confirmed reports of typhoid in Hatcliffe, saying six people were so far on their suspect list.

He said a suspected cholera victim died at Epworth Clinic after travelling from Mudzi. The re-emergence of typhoid in Hatcliffe comes after a similar outbreak in Mbare last year which spread to Budiriro and Glen View.

“I can confirm that we have two confirmed cases of typhoid. One person, a man aged 28, died at Harare Central Hospital of kidney failure which we suspect is delayed typhoid treatment. His relative, a 16-year-old girl is receiving treatment after testing positive,” he said.

“We suspect that they were drinking contaminated water from a borehole. Four of the seven boreholes in the immediate vicinity have bacterial growth. The Hatcliffe cases are new and their water situation is quite dire especially in the new settlements around Glen Forest.”

Dr Chonzi said their response teams have been in the area since last week, to monitor the situation and as of yesterday, they were sending water bowsers to relieve residents with safe water.

He said the decision to decommission the contaminated boreholes was the best to stop people from drinking the water, but said they had engaged their water department to increase the weekly water supply.

Questioned if Harare was failing to deal with typhoid after the Mbare outbreak, Dr Chonzi said: “The Mbare outbreak is totally under control. We have even demeaned the treatment centre at Mbare Clinic and our last confirmed case as of yesterday for Mbare was on the 7th of February. The control measures for Mbare really worked.”

Dr Chonzi urged communities to practice good personal hygiene like washing hands after visiting ablution facilities, buying food from licensed premises, using aqua tablets and Water Gard.

FOUR pupils were injured when a commuter omnibus carrying 18 school children crashed into a ditch following a 5km high speed chase by motorbike cops in Bulawayo.

Witnesses alleged the police chased the kombi from Baines Junior School in Northend to Sauerstown suburb.

The incident occurred on Tuesday at about 5PM and the kombi driver who was involved in the high speed chase was ferrying pupils from Townsend, Milton and Eveline High schools to their different destinations.

The four injured pupils were rushed to Mpilo Central Hospital where they were treated and discharged.

The police officers allegedly escaped from the scene after realising that the kombi had plunged into a ditch.

A parent whose child was in the kombi expressed concern over police negligence saying all the children could have died.

The parent who identified herself as Patience said although the driver’s behaviour cannot be condoned, she was disappointed with the police’s response.

‘‘As a parent I look up to the police to protect our children but in this case I felt really let down. They have a duty to prevent crime but in this incident they assisted in its commission. They could have noted the number plates of the vehicle instead of chasing the kombi from Northend suburb to Sauerstown,” said Patience.

A woman from Bulawayo allegedly swindled a Christian Non-Governmental Organisation of more than $80 000 through forging invoices and receipts.

Hazel Chawanda Matenga (43) of Sauerstown suburb and formerly employed by Child Care Ministries appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya facing 49 counts of fraud involving $80 839,54.

She was remanded out of custody to March 29 on $100 bail pending trial at the Regional Court.

Matenga was ordered to reside at her given address and to report at Sauerstown Police Station twice a week.  She was also ordered to surrender her passport as part of the bail conditions.

Zimbabwean security officials are seized with cases of alleged assaults and torture of Zimbabwean nationals who are illegally settled in neighbouring Botswana.

The country’s Western Region Immigration Department said an average of 2400 Zimbabweans are deported from Botswana every month with a significant number reporting incidents of abuse.

“We receive an average of 2400 repatriations a month from our four ports of entry as the western region. Half of these complain of assault and in some extreme cases we send them back for treatment at the hands of the Botswana authorities. We sometimes receive information on  cases of Zimbabweans being shot,” Western Region Assistant Immigration Officer, Mr Blessing Marwa said.

The ZBC News caught up with an alleged victim, Mr Misheck Siziba who claimed that he was inhumanly treated while in a detention camp after he had overstayed.

“I was assaulted while undressed at the hands of Botswana security officials for having overstayed in the neighboring country. The police beat us in detention camps before handing us over to the chiefs who further subjected us to more beatings in front of the community. They also took away my passport,” Siziba said.

Economic experts contend that externalisation of the US dollar, speculative and informal dealings, as well as the strength of the greenback against other currencies, has constrained ability by treasury and the central bank in balancing the act between spending and income inflows.

The introduction of a multiple currency system in 2009 brought hopes for macro-economic stability in Zimbabwe.

However with revelations by monetary authorities that the USs dollar is now accounting for 95 percent of transactions, the trend has created several challenges to the economy due to increased demand for the greenback against limited inflows.

“Rampant externalisation of the US dollar due to its strength against other currencies has resulted in the shortages of the monetary unit in Zimbabwe, forcing the central bank to institute corrective measures in the form of use of plastic money, withdrawal limits as well as export incentives paid through bond notes,” said Mr Persistence Gwanyanya, a financial analyst.

“With the US dollar continuing to firm and emerging as the main source of transactions in Zimbabwe, the trend has resulted in the economy becoming expensive in terms of production costs,” FBC Holdings Group CEO, Mr John Mushayavanhu said.

“With the US dollar becoming attractive to local and foreign investors, speculative deals have seen the world’s reserve currency being saved or stored within informal trading platforms, thereby creating challenges to the economy,” another economist, Mr Zack Murerwa said.

Four people, including an armed police officer and a man believed to be the attacker, have died in a terrorist incident near the UK’s Houses of Parliament, Scotland Yard has said.

A woman was among several pedestrians struck by a car on Westminster Bridge, before it crashed into railings.

Police said an officer protecting Parliament was stabbed by an attacker, who was shot by police. At least 20 people were injured, including three other officers.

Acting Deputy Commissioner and head of counter terrorism at the Metropolitan Police, Mark Rowley, said a major terrorist investigation was under way.

He said the attack started shortly before 15:00 GMT when the car was driven over Westminster Bridge, hitting and injuring a number of members of the public – including the three police officers, who were on their way back from a commendation ceremony.

Mr Rowley said after the car crashed, a man armed with the knife “continued the attack and tried to enter Parliament”.

Witnesses say there was what appeared to be a warning shout and then the crack of three or four shots before the attacker fell to the floor.

Foreign Office minister Tobias Ellwood – a former Army officer whose brother died in the Bali terrorist bombing in 2002 – attempted mouth-to-mouth resuscitation of an injured police officer.

Prime Minister Theresa May is to chair a meeting of the government’s emergency Cobra committee later.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, a Downing Street spokesman said: “The thoughts of the PM and the government are with those killed and injured in this appalling incident, and with their families.”

Metropolitan Police Federation chairman Ken Marsh said: “We offer our deepest sympathy to the family of the officer who has died. This incident shows the dangers our colleagues face on a daily basis.”

The French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said three French school pupils were among the injured and offered “solidarity with our British friends, and full support” for the wounded students and their families.

The Port of London Authority said a woman has been pulled alive from the River Thames near the bridge and was being treated for serious injuries.  – BBC

The horrific killings and assassinations of people from Entumbane, Gukurahundi down to Itai Dzamara need to be brought to a closure. Join in the discussion on Wednesday night, 6pm (London time).

Guests: Key Historians and Critics from Matebeleland and Mashonaland.

The Office of the President and Cabinet has failed to account for over $12 000 in funds it had allocated to an unnamed official for travel to India.

The financial improprieties in President Robert Mugabe’s office Appropriation Account has been revealed by an auditor-general (AG) investigation.

The report was made public last week after it was tabled in the National Assembly.

Auditor-general Mildred Chiri said Mugabe’s office had failed to provide the executive committee acquittal for the expense.

Although management in the President’s Office provided an explanation, the AG found evidence that “the funds might not have been used for the intended purposes if no acquittal nor recovery is done.”

The report described Mugabe’s office’s response to be inadequate and Chiri further stated: “The office should ensure that the outstanding amount is cleared and robust dunning procedures are adopted.”

According to the President’s Office, the officer was discharged from service on May 31, 2015 before she had accounted for the Travelling and Subsistence advance.

“We have been trying to contact her so that she could bring a copy of her passport without success. We will submit information as soon as she has been located,” Mugabe’s office said in its management response.

Among the AG findings were that Treasury regulations were flouted by Mugabe’s office.

Other improprieties uncovered by the AG investigation were that there were no specific details about where and how the money was spent, with the unnamed official profiting from taxpayer money. The President’s Office, also, did not have an Audit Committee during the year under review as required by provisions of the Public Finance Management Act (Chapter 22:19) section 84 (i) and (ii).

Travelling on government business is many an official’s wish because of the allowances and other privileges it comes with, and enjoy the privilege of re-entering the country without being searched.

“I noted that an amount of $12 805 for Foreign Travel and Subsistence allowance issued to one of the officers on March 13, 2015 for a trip to India, has been long outstanding, with no evidence that the advance was ever acquitted.

“This was contrary to Treasury Instruction 1504 which stipulates that advances should be cleared immediately upon return from official travel by the member so advanced.

“Treasury Instruction 1505 also directs that any outstanding advance should be deducted from the member’s salary until the whole advance is cleared.

“The non-recovery can be attributed to lack of robust dunning procedures,” Chiri’s latest report for the year-ended December 31, 2015 said.

The details that have emerged do not make it clear what the trip was designed for, but used funds from the government.

Beitbridge border authorities have opened investigations into an incident where one of over 36 security cameras was stolen during a power blackout last week.

The theft came to light on Saturday when security agents discovered that a key area used by smugglers and illegal immigrants had gone off the radar.

Sources at the border said camera number 21 which monitors the area around the duty free shop, a checkpoint manned by soldiers and members of the police support unit, was missing.

The area around the duty free shop is used by conmen, touts, bicycle smugglers and border jumpers to access the border post.

“We suspect the camera was stolen during a power blackout. The suspect(s) are not known yet, but we are certain this was a well-planned job by the criminals.

“Investigations are in progress and nobody has been arrested yet,” said a border official.

ZANU PF women’s league converged at provincial party headquarters in Harare Wednesday to protest against two top wing members accused of undermining First Lady Grace Mugabe.

The demonstrations by placard waving women targeted Grace’s deputy in the women’s league, Eunice Sandi-Moyo and treasurer Sara Mahoka.

About 100 demonstrators converged at the Harare party headquarters singing liberation songs motivating for the dismissal of the two. Reports indicate various provinces also had their own protests with Marondera being particularly noticeable.

The placards carried various derogatory messages: “Makoha Tapedza newe”, “Undermining Amai is treasonous”, “No to Sandi and Sarah parallel structures” among others

According to official sources, Sandi-Moyo was accused of setting parallel structures and taking actions without consulting Grace ,while Mahoka was being targeted for challenging the First Lady during meetings.

The Hurungwe East MP also allegedly misappropriated party funds, charges she reportedly denied.

Zanu PF ex-central committee member and Kadoma businessman Jimayi Muduvuri was alleged to be sponsoring the demonstrations amid reports that over $300 000 had been poured towards the demonstrations by one of the women’s league bosses.

Muduvuri reportedly claimed that he had been sent by the First Lady to mobilise ruling party women to demonstrate against the two.

When asked for comment last night, Muduvuri was evasive.

“I don’t know what you are talking about. I don’t have any instruction from the First Lady,” Muduvuri said. – Newsday

Nera leaders have still not shown up for the demo they called for. Scores of Zimbabweans have started to gather at the venue. Police have put a restriction of 2500 people only who are allowed to gather for the demo. More to follow..

Learnmore Zuze | I recall sometime late last year chatting with former Economic Planning and Investment Promotion minister and also Hatfield constituency legislator Tapiwa Mashakada as the scary story of bond notes was slowly becoming a reality.

Most people had argued that the government, from its conduct, was actually dragging its feet as it knew the infeasibility of its plans and, hence, was unlikely to introduce bond notes.

However, when the first notes where unveiled, Zimbabweans instinctively knew that trouble was around the corner despite government assurances. With hindsight, Honourable Mashakada may have been on the ball on bond notes when he said: “Quite frankly speaking, the market has absolutely no confidence in bond notes. In the minds of the people, they see the return of the Zimbabwean dollar with all its chilling problems. People are not convinced on the 1:1 parity between the bond notes and the US dollar.” It would not be an exaggeration to assert that bond notes were literally forced down the throats of Zimbabweans against a wide public outcry.

There were tremors of resistance as talk of bond notes gained currency. The scepticism and fear of Zimbabweans was not unfounded. Zimbabweans still suffer from the trauma of 2008 when everyone watched helplessly as the Zimbabwean dollar plummeted to record lows. It was a time of suffering which triggered all manner of vice. Zimbabweans naturally feared the back-door return of the Zimbabwean dollar through bond notes.

ZANU PF women’s league will today stage demonstrations at provincial party headquarters in Harare to force the ouster of top wing members accused of undermining First Lady Grace Mugabe.

The demonstrations target Grace’s deputy in the women’s league, Eunice Sandi-Moyo and treasurer Sara Mahoka.

According to official sources, Sandi-Moyo was accused of setting parallel structures and taking actions without consulting Grace ,while Mahoka was being targeted for challenging the First Lady during meetings.

The Hurungwe East MP also allegedly misappropriated party funds, charges she reportedly denied.

Zanu PF ex-central committee member and Kadoma businessman Jimayi Muduvuri was alleged to be sponsoring the demonstrations amid reports that over $300 000 had been poured towards the demonstrations by one of the women’s league bosses.

Muduvuri reportedly claimed that he had been sent by the First Lady to mobilise ruling party women to demonstrate against the two.

When asked for comment last night, Muduvuri was evasive.

“I don’t know what you are talking about. I don’t have any instruction from the First Lady,” Muduvuri said.

However, sources claimed the demos were planned as part of the Zanu PF succession politics and Grace was reportedly targeting people who could derail her ambition to rise to the party’s vice-presidency after women campaigned for a quarter in the presidium.

“Some members have urged Grace to fire Mahoka and Sandi-Moyo because they will threaten her ambition,” a source said.

Sandi-Moyo was viewed as the most senior member to land the VP post. Both Sandi-Moyo and Mahoka were not reachable last night. – Newsday

24 New political parties suddenly formed in Zimbabwe; exactly where are they coming from?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 22, 2017

Chikurubi Female Prison is a state of near explosion after Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals threatened to withdraw services over a $600 000 debt owed by the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS).

One of the resident doctors, Evidence Gaka told members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Women Affairs during a tour of the facility yesterday that Parirenyatwa Hospital was owed $567 000 by ZPCS and might not be able to attend to sick inmates as from next month. One of the inmates that got a chance to speak with the committee complained about poor food and sanitation and said:

We do not have meat, sugar ran out in December and beans also ran out last week. Toilets sanitisers and buckets are scarce. Sinks are not working and there is no running water and pipes are down.

“This is one of the health facilities that we owe. We also owe a number of private hospitals,” Gaka said.

Chikurubi Female Prison currently houses 87 inmates and 13 children.

Inmates who got a chance to speak to the committee expressed concern at the deplorable conditions of prison cells, while others said they could not access medication for conditions such as diabetes, as there was a deliberate focus on HIV and Aids.

Apart from the health challenges, inmates also complained about the poor food that was being served to them and appealed to donors to help in improving their diet.

“We do not have meat, sugar ran out in December and beans also ran out last week. Toilets sanitisers and buckets are scarce. Sinks are not working and there is no running water and pipes are down,” one of the inmates said.

Chikurubi Female Prison officer-in-charge, Mary Misihairambwi said: “We need about 10 court beds for children. The ones that we have are not enough and are old. We have 13 children who are serving with their mothers. We try to give them a special diet, but because of the challenges we do what we can afford.” – Newsday

By Foster Ncube| President Robert Mugabe was well dressed during his trip to Mauritius, the state broadcaster, ZBC says.

In a broadcast Tuesday night, the state company said Mugabe who looked like an infirm, was actually in style during his trip.

The comments come as Presidential spokesman George Charamba said there was nothing wrong with Mugabe’s Cuban shirt.

Mugabe was attending the African Economic Platform Summit in Mauritius on Monday when he was mocked by all and sundry for being scruffy.

But Charamba says it was in line with the prescribed dress code requested by the event organisers.

Charamba said the shirt reflected the President’s ideological thinking.

At the onset of the meeting, the master of ceremonies lauded President Mugabe and said he was one of the high-profile figures who had adhered to the prescribed dress code.

Social media was on fire with messages querying the President’s dress code after pictures of him were captured by journalists.

“The dress code has been prescribed namely that there should be smart, casual and the President indeed adhered to that dress code,” he said.

“The trouble is that we are so schooled in British dress etiquette that any departure from it amounts to scruffiness and its more interesting that the President was putting on a Cuban shirt. In their estimates, those critics’ estimates, anything that departs from British sartorial tradition passes for scruffiness. That’s how colonised we are.”

Mr Charamba’s comments were echoed by the chief operating officer of the African Union Foundation Mr Dumisani Mngadi who said: “We love President Mugabe because he kept to the script. As African, he is among those who have read the prescribed dress code when we ask specifically that we do not want a suit, we do not want a tie, we do not want a jacket. We want accessibility. We want our people to be able to access people. But more than anything, these suits we wear in our meetings do not impact in our communities. When people are wearing the shirt like I am wearing now it means it impacts on the communities of our continent because these things are produced by us.”

Mr Mngadi added: “So if the President is wearing things like this it means the President is greeting, is saying he has confidence in our people. This is about intra-African trade. We want to see us also wearing our own things.

“It is only then that our economies can move forward. It’s about the food we consume. We must begin to consume locally. The suits dress code that we said we don’t want speaks exactly to intra-African trade. It seeks to boost the economies. It makes an impact on the communities because it’s our communities that produce the clothes that we wear not the suits.”

“Islam was Zimbabwe’s 1st religion in April 1980,” Dokora insists

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 22, 2017

ALSO READ: Dokora Gets $20Million to Build Muslim Schools

The Meteorological Services Department (MSD) yesterday warned of potential flooding in Manicaland and Mashonaland provinces as rains continue to fall in most parts of the country. “Flood threats have heightened in Manicaland Province as well as Mashonaland provinces, so be warned,” it said. The MSD said on Monday a number of areas received significant rains.

In Manicaland, Nyanga recorded 85mm, Chisengu 83mm, Chipinge 62mm, Mukandi 55mm, Mutare 48mm and Rusape 36mm.

The MSD said cloudy conditions will persists.

“Drizzle and rain is expected in Masvingo Province, Matabeleland South, south of Manicaland and south of the Midlands Province, while thunder showers are expected for the rest of the country with heavier falls in the Eastern Highlands and Mashonaland provinces.

“Temperatures across the country should remain cool,” said the MSD.

Thursday will be wet and cloudy.

Floods recently claimed several lives and destroyed infrastructure worth millions of dollars.

Government has since declared a state of disaster to help mobilise resources to repair the damaged infrastructure.

Most effected by the floods were Midlands, Masvingo and Matabeleland North provinces.

Well wishers have since started mobilising resources to assist Government in repairing the damaged infrastructure.

Destroyed infrastructure include roads, schools and hospitals.

State media editor, Garikai Mazara has slapped businessman Wicknell Chivayo with a $500 000 lawsuit over alleged defamatory WhatsApp messages. In a claim filed in the High Court today, Mazara is demanding $500 000 damages for injuria and interests.

Chivhayo has 10 days to respond to the summons. He allegedly hurled insults and obscenities at Mazara saying, “Urimbwa yemunhu unofa uchishupika. (You are a dog and you will die poor).”

He went on to critique Mazara’s profile picture insinuating that he was HIV positive.

“On your profile picture muromo wakafunuka. I’m sure inzara and mapundu ese ayo, asi une Aids?” reads part of the messages.

Some of the messages contain unprintable profanities.

Through his lawyer Advocate Edley Mubaiwa instructed by Mr Tichawana Nyahuma of Sengwe Law Chambers, Mazara said the messages were humiliating, degrading and ignominious.

A PENSIONER’s house valued at about $150 000 in Bulawayo’s Sunninghill suburb was reduced to ashes after it was gutted by fire on Monday and its owner is appealing for help to rebuild it.

Mr Samson Makhanda (72) said he was with his wife aged 70 when the fire started. He said he lost everything in the fire which started in his bedroom.

Mr Makhanda said he was disappointed that the Fire Brigade arrived late to save his property.

“We are still not sure what caused the fire but it started in my bedroom. What however disappoints us is the delays by the fire brigade who took about one hour 30 minutes to attend to the scene. And by the time they got here everything had been burnt down,” he said.

“A neighbour had to drive to their station in Famona and come with them. The excuse they told us is that they got lost as they were told that the fire occurred at a house along Old Esigodini Road.”

Mr Makhanda said property worth more than $150 000 was lost in the fire.“I’m appealing to the public to assist me rebuild my home. I’m a pensioner and I thought I was done. But now I’m left with nothing,” he said.

A DETECTIVE stationed at the CID Law and Order section in Bulawayo who was arrested in Victoria Falls while attempting to smuggle firearms into Zambia, was yesterday fined $400.

Detective Sergeant Givemore Nkomo (37) of Old Pumula suburb pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a firearm without a permit. Victoria Falls resident magistrate Ms Lindiwe Maphosa fined Det Sgt Nkomo $400. He will be jailed for three months if he fails to pay the fine by March 31.

Det Sgt Nkomo, who was off duty when he was arrested, told the court that he never benefited from the firearms as he was only sent to deliver them in Zambia.

A form two pupil at Northlea High School in Bulawayo hanged himself after his family allegedly threatened to get him arrested for stealing $5.

A domestic worker who was searching for firewood found Nqobani Ndlovu (15) from Richmond suburb hanging on Sunday afternoon in a bushy area in the same suburb.

Neighbours said he had been missing from home since March 9.

Nqobani allegedly hanged himself with a rope and his body was found in an advanced stage of decomposition with maggots feeding on it.

He was wearing a school t-shirt and khaki shorts.

Sources told The Chronicle that his uncle Mr Christopher Ndlovu had threatened to take him to the police for stealing $5.

“He did not return home following the threat by his uncle. His uncle was worried that he would end up stealing substantial amounts of money,” said the source.

A Bulawayo woman who assaulted her estranged husband with a shovel, breaking one of his ribs, has been jailed for an effective three months.

Velisiwe Maphosa (43) appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Lungile Ncube facing assault charges in connection with the attack on her husband Mr Edward Maphosa (49).

Velisiwe and her husband are both vendors who had been married for more than 10 years before their recent separation.

The pair had an argument early this month over how to share floor polish that they make for sale and Mr Maphosa sustained a broken rib after Velisiwe assaulted him using a shovel.

In his ruling, magistrate Ndhlovu bemoaned the rise in domestic violence cases in which women are the perpetrators.

“Domestic Violence is criminal and will not be condoned whether it is perpetrated by a man or woman. People should live in harmony and find other ways to solve disputes rather than resorting to violence. It is unfortunate that some cases of domestic violence in which men are victims may go unreported. This will send a message to society that the law does not tolerate domestic violence by anyone,” said the magistrate.

“You are therefore sentenced to 90 days imprisonment. No time will be suspended and you will not be given the option of a fine or community service.”

A SUSPECTED serial killer from Bulawayo who allegedly shot dead his friend and a neighbour before burying them in shallow graves in Burnside suburb, was yesterday back in court.

Rodney Tongai Jindu (26) of Glengarry suburb appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya facing a murder charge in connection with the death of Mboneli Joko Ncube (30).

The magistrate did not ask Jindu to plead and remanded him custody to April 5.

Terrence Mawawa Zaka | A school head here has been implicated in an examination registration scam.

Matara High School head, Allen Raisi is allegedly demanding $10 from from every internal candidate and has vowed that pupils will only be allowed to pay their examination fees after paying the said sum.

According to ZIMSEC rules and regulations ,internal candidates are not supposed to pay centre fees.Only external candidates are supposed to pay centre fees.

Irate parents told ZimEye.com Raisi was collecting the money from at least 135 O Level candidates at the school without notifying ZIMSEC. The parents described the move as daylight robbery.

“There are underhand deals at the school. Where on earth does Raisi expect us to get the money? That is totally unacceptable. At first I thought my child was exaggerating matters so I went to the school to find out on my own. I was shocked when I discovered that some parents had already paid the money,” said a local parent.

Another parent claimed Raisi was working with senior education officials to dupe unsuspecting villagers.

Another parent claimed Raisi was working with senior education officials to dupe unsuspecting villagers.

Asked to comment on the matter Raisi was evasive. He said he was not allowed to speak to the media. ” I am not allowed to speak to the press so you can contact my superiors, ” said Raisi.

Provincial Education Director, Zedius Chitiga was not readily available for a comment on the matter.

Three people died on the spot when a Nissan Caravan commuter omnibus they were travelling in swerved to the right lane, overturned and rolled several times before plunging into a stream  along the Bulawayo-Harare highway, 40 kilometres outside Kwekwe from Gweru, while 17 others were seriously injured.

The 17 were taken to Gweru Hospital and the names of the deceased are still being withheld until their next of kin have been advised. Eyewitnesses who spoke to ZBC News said the driver failed to negotiate a curve and lost control of the vehicle  before it rolled several times throwing passengers outside before landing on its side in a nearby stream.

Gweru Fire Brigade sub officer Mr Ephraim Manzera said the vehicle hit a bridge and it burst its front tyre before rolling several times. Midlands police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende confirmed that three people died on the spot and that they were still investigating the cause of the accident. – state media

Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) candidate for the pending Mwenezi East by-election Kudakwashe Bhasikiti-Chuma has threatened to pull out of the race citing gross intimidation of his supporters as well as vote-buying by the ruling party, Zanu PF.

Bhasikiti confirmed the development and insisted that he will withdraw from the race if the Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC) fails to act on the matter as soon as possible.

“We cannot continue to be used by ZEC to rubber-stamp fraudulent elections. My supporters are being intimidated every day; they are being followed to their houses and threatened at night. We raised these issues with ZEC but nothing has been done so should we continue when my people are being harassed and intimidated?” said Bhasikiti.

Though Bhasikiti said he wanted to first consult with his ZimPF party leadership on the way forward, sources from his campaigning team confirmed that they have unanimously agreed to withdraw from the race.

“I am at my home as we are speaking right now; we agreed to pullout because our supporters are being harassed and intimidated. Bhasikiti will make an official statement tomorrow (Wednesday 22 March) but we have since stopped campaigning,” said the source.

Bhasikiti also accused the Zanu PF candidate Joosbi Omar of vote-buying and insisted that there was no point of participating in the elections if ZEC does not suspend him.

They are distributing government food aid and inputs in the name of Zanu PF. The Zanu PF candidate is engaging in vote buying and he must be disqualified. If ZEC fails to disqualify him then there is no reason for us to continue in these elections. We cannot continue to be used by ZEC to rub-stamp their fraudulent elections,” Bhasikiti said.

Addressing bishops and indigenous churches at Rutenga Primary School over the weekend, Omar, however, described Bhasikiti as a mad man and pleaded with men of the cloth to pray for the ZimPF candidate so the he may get back to his senses.

“Bhasikiti does not think properly and he needs prayers. I am using my resources to develop this area; we are repairing a bridge as well as grading dusty roads in the constituency. Bhasikiti has nothing to offer to the people except telling false stories,” said Omar.

ZimPF is however, expected to have a meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) to deliberate on the matter and Bhasikiti would give an official statement thereafter.

Efforts to get comment from ZEC provincial officer Zex Pudurai were fruitless as his mobile went unanswered by the time of going to print. – Agencies

Radio and television personality Tichafa Matambanadzo — popularly known as Tich Mataz — yesterday claimed that Zimra bungled in calculating his duty bill, arguing the tax collector included his personal worn suits he had carried.

The flamboyant 48-year-old is accused of under-declaring 10 suits and seven pairs of shoes to evade a $538 duty bill at the Harare International Airport (HIA), upon return from China.

He appeared before Harare magistrate Lazini Ncube for his defence case, saying he left HIA after an unidentified Zimra official released him.

“I had clothes with me when I left for China and Zimra may have miscounted. I was surprised to hear the Zimra official saying I falsely declared my goods because I filled in the declaration form under his supervision. I also had clothes that I wore in China,” Matambanadzo testified.

Prosecutor Fransisca Mukumbiri maintained that Matambanadzo’s conduct on the day was consistent with attempts to evade duty payment. “When you arrived at the airport you were aware that you had goods to declare but proceeded through the Green Route.“You then filled declaration forms but falsely entered that you had five suits instead of 10 and four pairs of shoes instead of seven,” Mukumbiri argued.

“You did not follow what the Zimra official had instructed and went to the manager’s office to negotiate but, unfortunately for you, he insisted that you must follow procedure and pay duty.”

However, Matambanadzo refuted the claims and said he went to the manager’s office to complain because he had been made to wait for two hours since machines were down.

Mukumbiri emphasised that Zimra would not have charged duty on used clothes and queried why Matambanadzo had failed to identify the “fictitious” Zimra official he claimed to have dismissed him.

Brutally assaulting villagers and denying them food and water while in holding cells has backfired on the police after a court ordered them to pay damages to the tune of $4 700. Six men from Chinyamukwakwa Village in Chisumbanje were rounded up by the police over violence allegations at a local private farming entity called Macdom Estates. The arresting officers approached the six who were working in their fields and indiscriminately assaulted them with batons all over the body, accusing them of masterminding violent acts at Macdom Estates.

As a result of the assault, the six sustained injuries, but they were never taken to hospital. Instead, the police officers took them to Chisumbanje Police Station where they were detained without any food or water.

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights engaged a team of lawyers comprising Mr Langton Mhungu, Ms Peggy Tavagadza and Mr Blessing Nyamaropa to represent the six villagers.

Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri, Home Affairs Minister Ignatius Chombo and a police officer identified as Mazarura were listed as defendants in the summons.

Chipinge magistrate Mr Poterai Gwezhira found that the police had unlawfully attacked the defenceless villagers and injured them.

A 41-YEAR-OLD man in Manicaland will spend the next 30 months behind bars after being convicted of malicious damage to property.

Lameck Nyahanana (41), from Musewe village in Mutasa district, was jailed for three years by magistrate Innocent Bepura found him guilty of setting his girlfriend’s home ablaze in a fit of jealous rage.

Six months were suspended on condition Nyahanana restitutes the complainant, Sikhuluhle Sibindi, $1 500 by May 30.

Nyahanana was charged with contravening Section 4(1) of the Domestic Violence Act Chapter 5:16: “Malicious damage to property”.

Terrence Mawawa, Chipinge| Deputy Minister of Information Technologies, Postal and Courier Services, Dr Win Mlambo was forced to flee from a Zanu PF rally as marauding youths bayed for his blood.

Mlambo, a declared G-40 member had to leave the rally in a haste after rowdy party youths said to be sympathetic to Team Lacoste barred him from addressing the rally. The rally was held in Checheche last weekend.

The youths accused Mlambo of belittling Team Lacoste members. Mlambo is the MP for Chipinge East Constituency. Party sources said the angry youths mobbed Mlambo as he took to the podium to address the rally. The youths claimed Mlambo was working with First Lady, Grace Mugabe to disrupt the flow of party programmes.
The legislator said he fled from the scene because the party youths wanted to bash him for speaking out his mind.

“I went to the rally to welcome people who defected from Zim PF.The youths suddenly charged towards me and damaged the PA System in the process. I understand they were hired to cause havoc at the venue,” said Mlambo. However a Zanu PF youth, Betty Kudzai Dhliwayo, said Mlambo was disregarding party structures .

“This man thinks he is important, he will be cut to size. His wings have to be clipped. He is a menace in the constituency,” fumed Dhliwayo.

MBARE’s renowned terror groups linked to Zanu PF have re-emerged with reports of harassment of residents ahead of make-or-break general elections expected in the second half of 2018.

There are reports of violent door-to-door campaigns by hordes of rogue Zanu PF mobs with residents expressing concern at the wanton disregard for human liberties.

Meetings, rallies and late night vigils have begun amid reports that some overzealous party youths were now forcing people to attend and participate in the meetings.

A Mbare resident said the youths were now walking from house to house demanding that people attend their rallies which are designed to ensure that Zanu PF leader President Robert Mugabe retains his post in next year’s elections.

Political parties under the National Electoral Reform Agenda (Nera) banner are pushing for a one-million-signature petition to be submitted to Sadc to push the government into adopting electoral reforms ahead of polls in 2018.

Opposition Transform Zimbabwe (TZ) leader Jacob Ngarivhume yesterday said his party was leading the initiative with the petition set to be taken to neighbouring Botswana in April before South Africa and the rest of the regional bloc’s membership.

Ngarivhume said the priority for democratic forces in Zimbabwe was to have a clean voters’ roll to avoid a disputed election next year.

President Robert Mugabe’s government has once again appealed to domestic, international and multi-lateral donors for $200 million to assist stricken flood victims.

More than 100 000 villagers in most of the country’s southern districts from the east to west were affected by Cyclone Dineo induced floods.

Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko told donor organisations’ representatives and stakeholders at an official domestic and international appeal meeting for humanitarian assistance that aid was most required in the areas of human settlements, water and sanitation, education, health and infrastructure, road network and dams.

“Based on these needy sectors, the government of Zimbabwe requires a total of $188 705 294 for providing humanitarian assistance in the short to medium term also taking into account sustainable measures which will assist in early recovery of affected communities with regards to relocation and establishment of related social amenities as applicable, and restoration of livelihoods in general,” Mphoko said.

Six men from Mashava are lucky to be alive and still battling for life at Masvingo General Hospital after they were allegedly shot and seriously injured following a dispute over the control of the gold-rich Lennox Mine, at the weekend.

Lennox Gold Mine is at the centre of an ownership wrangle between Mr Edgar Mashindi and Mr Tinaishe Hove.

Mr Hove and five of his workers escaped death by a whisker after they were allegedly shot by security guards deployed to the mine.

Mr Hove sustained facial and chest injuries together with his five workers namely, Messers Polite Mawela (28), Godfrey Mutangira (38), Emmanuel Chadzamira (43), Hahlani Muzamani (40) and Mr Farai Mutsiga (32).

The six were shot during the disturbances at the mine on Saturday morning.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police yesterday invoked the Public Order and Security Act and imposed a ban on carrying of dangerous weapons in public for the next three months in Harare Central District and Gwanda District in Matabeleland South, respectively. The decision by the police, which is the regulatory authority, was issued in terms of POSA following planned demonstrations by opposition political parties tomorrow and a meeting by some rogue war veterans.

The High Court has since okayed the meetings after the police had sought to stop them. But in separate prohibition orders yesterday, the police banned the carrying of weapons in Harare Central District and Gwanda District, saying they were likely to occasion public disorder or breach of peace and might also be used to commit serious crimes like unlawful entry.

Officer Commanding Harare Central District Chief Superintendent Jasper Chizemo banned carrying of weapons like catapults, machetes, axes, knobkerries, knives, swords, daggers or any traditional weapons likely to cause disorder and breach of peace.

Chief Supt Chizemo said the prohibition order was in terms of Section 14(1) of POSA (Chapter 11:17) and said he did so because he believed that carrying in public place or public thoroughfare or public display was likely to cause disorder.
“The belief is informed by the notification for public demonstrations lined up in my district of jurisdiction on March 22 2017, March 23 2017 and March 25 2017, I hereby issue an order prohibiting the carrying of such weapons within my district for three months, that is from March 22 to June 22 2017,” reads the notice by Chief Supt Chizemo.

Last week, High Court judge, Justice Alfas Chitakunye allowed some war veterans led by Mr Christopher Mutsvangwa to proceed with their meeting on Thursday without impediment.
In another case, the High Court allowed a demonstration by opposition political parties under the National Electoral Reform Agenda (Nera) banner to proceed.
Nera wants to protest Government’s decision to procure biometric voter registration kits without the involvement of the United Nations Development Programme.

In Matabeleland South, the prohibition order was issued by acting officer Commanding Police in Gwanda Superintendent Stephen Mutema and is set to run until June 15 2017.

“I hereby declare and issue an order prohibiting the carrying of such weapons in Gwanda District for a period not exceeding three months from March 15 to June 15, 2017,” he said.

Supt Mutema said the order has been necessitated by an increase in assault, murder and robbery cases mostly committed by illegal gold panners and at drinking places.
“Our statistics chart indicates assault as the most dominant crime committed within our province and this has become a cause for concern to us as a security force. – State Media

A ZIMBABWEAN man is suspected to be a key figure in the multi-million rand OR Tambo International Airport heist that happened early this month.

Media reports from South Africa name the suspect as Prince Raphael Dube (40), who was responsible for cloning the police vehicle used in the March 7, R200-million heist.  He was arrested in Norkem Park, northern Kempton Park in Gauteng.

Dube together with four other suspects appeared in court briefly yesterday at Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court.

Other suspects arrested together with Dube over the weekend are Thokwane Simon (37), Mathabatha Frans Manaka (30), Sibusiso Job Mnisi (39) and Mosiwa Steven Motani (35).
The matter was postponed to March 28 and March 29 for a formal bail application and they were remanded in custody.
They are charged with armed robbery.

“Three of the men are security guards at Africa’s busiest airport, and one guarded the vault in which the stolen millions were kept,” reports say.
It is believed that one of the suspects was arrested at his luxury Blue Valley home just hours after posting pictures of himself and friends on social media posing with a brand new R5-million Lamborghini.

Reports say lawyers for the accused‚ who were approached to provide clarity especially on which accused was in possession of a Lamborghini sports car said they could only comment further after the bail applications next week‚ as they had not yet had time to fully consult with their clients.

Zimbabwe’s consul-general to South Africa Mr Bataishe Mukonoweshuro said they had engaged police over the suspected Zimbabwean national but police had neither denied nor confirmed anything.
“There has been a report in one of the papers but we haven’t got verification from the police.  They say they are following the leads. It is believed that Dube was responsible for cloning a police vehicle used in the heist together with four other suspects. But as of now we cannot verify anything, we are awaiting their appearance in court,” said Mr Mukonoweshuro.
Reports say the men had been arrested in a joint operation by the Hawks, the provincial tracking team and crime intelligence on Friday and Saturday.

“One of the suspects, arrested at a luxurious Centurion estate, was found in possession of a Lamborghini and a large amount of cash. Last week, Mosiwa Steven Motani (35), and Khululekani Sibanda (31), also appeared in the same court in connection with the heist,” a report says.

They were both released on bail of R50 000 each.
According to media reports a total of R200m in foreign currency was stolen from an airplane at the airport.

Suspects in a marked police vehicle intercepted the money after a South African Airways flight landed on March 7. A white Mercedes-Benz is believed to have also been used in the operation.
Suspects in a marked police vehicle intercepted the money after a South African Airways flight landed on March 7. A white Mercedes-Benz is believed to have also been used in the operation.

The South African police said a high-level investigation, involving all law enforcement agencies, was underway. – State Media

A MAN from Hwange, who allegedly fatally stabbed his stepmother with a homemade knife before attacking his stepbrother with the same weapon, had allegedly prepared eight knives and a hit list of people he wanted to kill including his former teacher.

Neighbours alleged Reginald Siketa, who is on the run, wasn’t in good books with the stepmother Ms Sibonisiwe Mpofu (30) and had a grudge with his former woodwork teacher identified as Mr Musekiwa.

He allegedly stabbed Ms Mpofu twice on Saturday at Number 5, E Section, before also stabbing his stepbrother in the groin, after an unsuccessful weeklong hunt for the teacher.

Relatives yesterday told The Chronicle that Reginald, who has been staying with his maternal grandmother at Shagari area in Lower Gweru, left the rural area with eight homemade knives that he fashioned from parts of a moldboard plough.
Reginald’s father Mr Ronald Siketa said it was untrue that the late Ms Mpofu abused his son.

“It’s not true that she was abusing him because we stayed with him until he finished his A-Level.  In fact, what we got is that he had a grudge with a teacher at Wankie Secondary School called Musekiwa who he hunted for the whole week wanting to kill him. We heard from the teacher’s wife that Reginald visited their house several times carrying a knife looking for the teacher,” said Mr Siketa.

The teacher is now reportedly teaching at another school (name withheld).
Reginald, who attended high school at Foundation College in Bulawayo, before doing temporary teaching at Kantembwe and Nekabandana schools in Hwange, is 24, contrary to our report yesterday that he is 30.
His father said he was generally not a violent person and is still in shock about his behaviour.
He said the family was shocked that Reginald had spent a week hoping between nightclubs in Hwange after leaving the rural areas as he hunted the teacher.
“He wasn’t a violent person and we are still shocked as a family. We sent him money through his grandmother’s EcoCash number for him to come to Hwange and the grandmother told us that he disappeared soon after withdrawing the money. No one knew of his whereabouts.
“We then heard that he was seen in bars in Hwange but he never came home. That’s the time he was hunting for that teacher,” said Mr Siketa, a Hwange Colliery Company employee.

He said Reginald had argued with his stepmother after she quizzed him about some stolen chickens.

“It’s true that we had a break-in on Wednesday and police arrested a suspect who implicated Reginald. When he came home she (Ms Mpofu) asked him and he got angry as he denied stealing them. He went away and returned just before 6PM armed with a knife. He attacked her without even saying a word,” added Mr Siketa.

“It’s true that we had a break-in on Wednesday and police arrested a suspect who implicated Reginald. When he came home she (Ms Mpofu) asked him and he got angry as he denied stealing them. He went away and returned just before 6PM armed with a knife. He attacked her without even saying a word,” added Mr Siketa.

Reginald was allegedly in the habit of abusing drugs which cost him his job as a temporary teacher as he would go to class intoxicated.  He went to stay with his grandparents soon after that, his father confirmed.

Regis was discharged from hospital yesterday.
A neighbour, Mr Thembinkosi Khumalo, a former cop who rushed Ms Mpofu in his car to hospital said: “All my years as a police officer I never experienced such a thing. The knife is scary like a spear. He dumped it soon after stabbing them and we rushed the woman to hospital as she couldn’t talk but unfortunately she died soon after admission.”

No comment could be obtained from police yesterday but Chronicle understands that a manhunt has been launched for Reginald. – State Media

AN acute shortage of green vegetables has hit Bulawayo, with vendors saying the insufficient supply of the nutritious commodity could push up the price on the market.

A snap survey conducted in the city centre last week revealed that most of the vendors in the market place along Fifth Avenue and at Basch Street terminus, popularly known as Egodini, have gone for close to a month without sufficient supplies of chomolia and spinach vegetables.

Recently, retail shops such as OK and Greens had few vegetables on their shelves and were charging between $0.50 and $0.55 per bundle. In some shops the size of each bundle was equivalent to about two $0.10 bundles sold in the western suburbs and the sizes of the leaves appeared relatively small.

Brutally assaulting villagers and denying them food and water while in holding cells has backfired on the police after a court ordered them to pay damages to the tune of $4 700. Six men from Chinyamukwakwa Village in Chisumbanje were rounded up by the police over violence allegations at a local private farming entity called Macdom Estates. The arresting officers approached the six who were working in their fields and indiscriminately assaulted them with batons all over the body, accusing them of masterminding violent acts at Macdom Estates.

As a result of the assault, the six sustained injuries, but they were never taken to hospital. Instead, the police officers took them to Chisumbanje Police Station where they were detained without any food or water.

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights engaged a team of lawyers comprising Mr Langton Mhungu, Ms Peggy Tavagadza and Mr Blessing Nyamaropa to represent the six villagers.

Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri, Home Affairs Minister Ignatius Chombo and a police officer identified as Mazarura were listed as defendants in the summons.

Chipinge magistrate Mr Poterai Gwezhira found that the police had unlawfully attacked the defenceless villagers and injured them.

Three masked men armed with guns raided Cooland Supermarket in Bulawayo’s Nkulumane 12 suburb and allegedly shot one employee in the leg before getting away with more than $1 000.

The incident occurred at around 6PM on Saturday. A total of $1 155 was allegedly stolen from an ecocash counter and the armed robbers also took an undisclosed amount of money from other supermarket tills as well as three cellphones.

The suspects, who were wearing blue masks, appeared at the Cooland supermarket’s back entrance when the shop’s employees were knocking off.

One of them allegedly opened fire at the security guard but missed and the bullet hit one of the employees, Miss Kathleen Dube, on the ankle.

Miss Dube was later taken to United Bulawayo Hospitals and her condition could not be established immediately yesterday.

A police source who preferred anonymity said the armed robbers struck at around 6PM when employees were heading home. “The robbers, who were putting on blue masks, appeared at the back gate of Cooland Supermarket as 13 employees were coming out. One of the robbers pointed a pistol towards the guard and fired one shot but missed and hit Kathleen Dube who was following behind him on the right ankle,” said the police source.

“The robber who was armed force-marched everyone back into the premises while one of them stood guard at the gate and the other one stood guard in the corridor. Whilst inside, the robber ordered everyone to lie down and grabbed one of the cashiers whom she force-marched to the tills.”

The police source said one of the cashiers was ordered to direct one of the robbers around the supermarket.- Agencies

First Lady Grace Mugabe has refuted allegations that she tried to grab another farm.

Speaking on her behalf the Minister of State for Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs, Advocate Martin Dinha lashed out at the private media for negatively portraying projects involving the First Family in the province.

Dinha’s remarks follow last Saturday’s  headline story alleging that the First Lady, Dr Grace Mugabe has renewed her bid to evict villagers at Arnolds Farm in Mazowe.

Addressing a media conference, Advocate Dinha said in 2012 the province requested the First Lady to assist in the resuscitation of Manzou Game Park which encompass Arnolds  Farm.

Describing the Newsday story as misleading, malicious and very untruthful, Advocate Dinha said the area is not for human habitation and the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe declared it a national heritage site years ago.

“It is disturbing that instead of highlighting the philanthropic work Dr Mugabe is doing in Mazowe, the private media continue to demonise the First Family,” he said.

LIVE at 6pm (GMT) Monday 20 Mar 2017: “Emmanuel Makandiwa has insulted God Almighty” – Join ZimEye on Monday night 6pm as Zimbabwe’s most controversial preacher is probed following his shocking statements and actions.

Terrence Mawawa Mwenezi | Controversial Masvingo State Minister, Shuvai Ben Mahofa has threatened that traditional leaders who do not campaign for the ruling party in the Mwenezi by-election will be fired from their respective positions.

Mahofa made the remarks at a Zanu PF rally held at Rutenga Primary School last week.

The controversial state minister also boasted that all traditional leaders were sympathetic to the ruling party.

“All traditional leaders belong to Zanu PF and I know they will campaign for Joosbi Omar in the coming by-election. Those who do not campaign for Zanu PF will be sacked. You must remember that you occupy those positions because of Zanu PF,” said Mahofa.

Mahofa said traditional leaders had received many fringe benefits such that they were expected to campaign vigorously for the ruling party.

“You have received a lot of benefits such that we expect you campaign for Zanu PF.You were given farming inputs so we expect you to work hard.If you do not campaign for our candidate we will deal with you,”said Mahofa.

As the April by-election beckons,political observers have already cast aspersions on the possibility of a free and fair election in Mwenezi East Constituency.

“There is widespread intimidation of key participants in the electoral process such that the whole thing is a fiasco,”said Masvingo based political writer ,Batsiranayi Ngungama.

Shyleen Mtandwa | MDC-T Member of Parliament for Bulawayo East, Tabitha Khumalo, is mobilizing women throughout the country with the aim of suing government for not aligning electoral laws with the new constitution.

The country adopted a new constitution in May 2013, but up to now there are more than 400 laws which government is yet to align with the new charter.

“As women collectively we have a right to take the Government of Zimbabwe to the Constitutional Court demanding implementation of our rights that are enshrined in the constitution,” Khumalo told a local commercial radio station at the weekend during a show to commemorate the belated International Women’s Day.

“We should not beg them to implement the wills of the people and this time we are holding the bull by its horns,” she said.

The International Women’s Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. This year’s campaign theme was  #BeBoldForChange.

Shyleen Mtandwa | The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) boss, Rita Makarau, has  snubbed a stakeholders meeting which was organized by civil society organisations to discuss the Biometric Voter Registration process (BVR).

The issue of BVR is highly topical with citizens wanting to know how the new voting system works.

Government announced that the country was going to adopt the new voting system in the next elections in 2018 with most political parties agreeing that the BVR was the way to go if the country was to hold an uncontested election.

Biometric voting involves the use of computerized identification documents such as finger prints, Passports, National Identity Card or driver’s license when casting the ballot.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) had offered to fund the procurement of   BVR equipment  after consulting with the ZEC and opposition political parties, but surprisingly government rejected the offer and instead demanded that the administration was better positioned to procure the equipment.

At the weekend, civil society organizations had invited Makarau, to interface with them and answer several questions pertaining to the new voting system but none of the electoral body’s officials turned up.

“We want to inform you that ZEC which we had invited to be with us tonight has sent us some apologies saying that they were committed somewhere and we could not be with them here,” the meeting convener, Dr Charlton Tsodzo, told the meeting at a local hotel.

Last week the state controlled daily, The Herald, which usually spells out government policy and position, ran a story which was dismissing the adoption of BVR.

The news paper said BVR was expensive and the country had better priorities than opting to the process.

ZEC has requested $29 million for BVR, including procurement of the kits the funding which UNDP said was willing to provide.

A POLICE officer stationed at CID Law and Order Bulawayo was arrested in Victoria Falls for allegedly attempting to smuggle firearms into the neighbouring Zambia.

Sergeant Givemore Nkomo (37) of Bulawayo’s Pumula suburb was intercepted at Victoria Falls Border Post with a rifle and a revolver which he intended to handover to someone across the border.

Nkomo travelled to Victoria Falls with the two guns and two temporary firearm permits which were all registered in the name of Mr David Butcher, a former magistrate in Matabeleland who is now based in the United Kingdom.

The permits were issued on December 28, 2016 and would expire on March 29. 2017.

A source close to investigations said Nkomo had been sent by Mr Butcher to give the firearms to his son who was expecting him on the Zambian side.

Heartless gangsters shot and killed this young mother while she walked with her six-month-old son in a pram, in the street where she lives.

Mishkah Hendricks, 21, also known as Michaela, had been walking with her baby and her two siblings aged 13 and 16, when gunmen opened fire in Rio Grande Street, Manenberg, just after 8am on Saturday.

Mishkah, who worked at a clothing factory, was on her way to the bank in Cape Town when her life was brutally snuffed out.

Family members say Mishkah flung the pram with her son in it out of harm’s way when the gunshots rang out.

The young mom was struck in the spine and suffered a wound to her lungs.

She was rushed to hospital where she later died.

Mishkah was laid to rest hours after she died, according to Muslim rites.

Her distraught aunt, Charlotte Hendricks, 55, describes in horror what happened: “I was washing myself when I heard the gunshots going off.”

“When I heard the people screaming, I knew someone had been shot.”

The picture below has gone on social media of President Lungu talking to his Minister of Livestock & Fisheries yesterday.

Buhera South legislator Joseph Chinotimba is fighting to retain control of the Zimbabwe Urban and Rural Council Workers Union as the president and is challenging national congresses held in Masvingo and Mutare in 2014 which ushered in a new executive.

In matter pencilled for the High Court, Chinotimba has dragged the union, one Bernard Dhanda the secretary general of the union and one referred to as Tazvitya who he accuses of masquerading as the union’s president and the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare to court.

He claims he is the legitimate president of the union and seeks the nullification of the purported national congress held on 26th of April 2010 in Masvingo and Mutare.

Chinotimba additionally seeks the cancellation of constitution date stamped by the union on the first of February 2014.

He argues that he is the custodian of the original registration certificate of the union and never handed over the same to the defendants as he retains the support of union’s national executive committee and national council.  – Agencies

ZimEye.com brings our valued readers and contributors the latest updates in the case of Gillian Zvomuya in which her husband, Norbert Chikerema is on trial for her alleged murder.

The trial is going on at the Birmingham Crown Court.

Norbert Chikerema has pleaded NOT GUILTY, as court documents availed to ZimEye show.

Three important dates were listed in the hearing; The 20th April which will be a Further Directions hearing. By that date, Judge Trudy demanded that he be notified if there are still any problems.

The next date will be the 18th May which will be a plea hearing, and then then final trial which is slisted for the 31st July 2017.

The sentencing if appropriate, will then be announced in due course.

The case opened Monday 20th March. For the second time now, Chikerema appeared in court not physically but via video link. In the last case held in February, Chikerema’s appearance was also arranged via a video link which however became faulty.

As the clock hit 10am this morning, throngs of Zimbabweans mainly friends and relatives arrived for the trial however only to be told that the court papers were neither complete nor ready. The hearing has thus been moved up to May. After May, there will be another date which will conclude the case. Last month, ZimEye was told by the court clerk the final trial will be on the 31st July. It was not clear at the time of writing if the July schedule is still functional.