A prominent businessman and mechanic from Gwanda allegedly hanged himself following an argument with his wife over where they should hold a Christmas Day braai. 

“The now deceased stormed out of the house and jumped into his blue Mazda pickup truck. He skidded around the yard before speeding out. The couple’s employee discovered the body at the couple’s new house the following morning.

“The body was taken to Gwanda Provincial Hospital Mortuary for post mortem,” he said.
Insp Ndebele urged couples to resolve their disputes amicably.

A source close to the couple said they argued on where to do their braai on Christmas Day.
“The argument got heated when the two failed to agree on a satisfactory venue. Murdochn grabbed his car keys and stormed out of the house. He skidded a few times in a scary way before he sped out of their Avenues home.

“He did not return home that day. His pregnant wife waited, hoping to see him when they had both cooled down.

“The following morning his wife received the shocking news that her husband had actually killed himself. It’s sad he left her pregnant and the fact that he has died before even having a feel of his new house,” said the source.

A businessman from the town who preferred anonymity said everyone was in shock over Murdochn’s decision to end his life.

“It is hard to believe that one can actually decide to end their life over such petty issues. We have known Murdochn as a strong hard working man and for him to allegedly kill himself is hard to accept. Maybe there was more to their issues than just a braai venue,” he said. chronicle

A syndicate that terrorised Masvingo and many parts of the country, swindling job seekers looking for nurse-training places of more than $60 000 by using fraudulently acquired ecocash numbers to receive bribes has been busted by the Police.

Six suspects including an Econet employee and two nurses were arrested and they appeared in court on Monday. Police believe more suspects could be on the run.

Patricia Magazini, the suspected ring leader based in Bikita and Beauty Dzviti, an Econet employee based at Jerera Growth Point in Zaka were given stiff bail of $300 each and are to appear on December 29, 2017 before Masvingo Magistrate Peter Madiba while four others were released because Police detained them beyond the permissible 48 hours before taking them to court.
Some of the suspects are being represented by Owen Mafa of Mutendi Mudisi and Shumba Legal Practitioners and there are 55 complainants who have so far approached the Police.
Two suspects Jairos Mupamhadzi and Respina Manjeru are nurses at Silveira Mission Hospital in Bikita and Odzi Rural Health Centre, respectively and they are husband and wife.
The other suspects are Hebert Munyikwa, Martha Nyapokoto who stay in Bikita.
This case is probably the worst cyber crime committed in Masvingo where more than 55 job seekers were swindled of a minimum of $840 each through fraudulently registered Ecocash numbers.
Dzviti is accused of issuing out lines to the suspects without following procedures and ascertaining names, ID numbers and addresses. She is also accused of receiving a bribe from Magazini in order to facilitate the release of the lines.
The case became difficult for Police to unravel because the suspects used cellphone lines registered under false names and addresses to commit the crimes.

It is the State case that Magazini, Jairosi Mupamhadzi, Respina Manjeru, Munyikwa and Nyapokoto opened Econet lines using fictitious names and addresses with the help of Dzviti. They then advertised nurse-training places at Masvingo Provincial and other hospitals on social media and The Herald and they used the fictitious Econet lines as their contact numbers.
The suspects demanded bribes of $840 from each of the applicants who expressed an interest in the places and they masqueraded and used names of senior nurses and doctors at Masvingo Provincial Hospital, the Provincial Medical Director’s offices and other clinics and hospitals.
The suspects also published a false list of successful candidates who were going to start their training programme in May 2018 and these names appeared in The Herald in September 2017. The purpose of the publication was to hoodwink the general public into believing that the scheme was genuine.  Many victims narrate heart-rending stories where their poor parents sold several beasts in order to raise money for the bribes.
Victims who soon realised that they were conned could not trace the culprits because the lines used were fraudulently registered and in some cases the lines were deactivated after they were used to swindle a number of people.
The crime was busted on December 15, 2017 when Police detective Power Gwande accompanied by a senior nurse at Masvingo Provincial Hospital who became worried that her name was consistently being used in the commission of the crime phoned one of the numbers pretending that they wanted a place and they were calling from Chipinge when they actually were in Masvingo.
They spoke to Magazini who asked them to meet her but later changed the meeting place .  When the investigating team arrived in Masvingo Magazini tried to change the rendezvous again but said she had heavy luggage and pleaded with her to stop changing meeting places.
Detectives were then deployed at Chicken Inn and they closely monitored the movements of Magazini who was already there arrived and arrested Magazini as she was receiving the bribe money.
She was allegedly found with some of the lines that were used in the commission of the crime. A search at her place revealed more evidence and it is then that she implicated the other five suspects including Dzviti.- Masvingo Mirror

Former Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operative Jevas Masosota has expressed interest in contesting in Chiredzi East constituency, where he is likely to face off with Zanu PF central committee member, Abraham Sithole for the right to represent the ruling party in the 2018 elections.

This was disclosed during a recent Zanu PF district co-ordinating committee (DCC) meeting at Chitsanga Hall.

Incumbent Chiredzi East MP Denford Masiya, who is also a former CIO operative, is unlikely to bounce back after the DCC meeting unanimously agreed to recommend that all the sitting legislators in Chiredzi be fired for allegedly dabbling in the G40 cabal’s politics.

Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting, Masosota said he was confident of winning the Zanu PF primaries and subsequently the parliamentary elections.

“I know I am going to contest with Sithole, who is more senior to me in the party, but I am not worried much about that. I am eagerly waiting for the party to announce the dates for the primaries and the game is on,” he said.

In Chiredzi North constituency, former MP for the area, Ronald Ndava, was hoping to bounce back if he manages to shrug off a challenge from little-known Roy Bhila.

Former Tongaat Hulett agriculture director Farai Musikavanhu could fight it off with incumbent Darlington Chiwa in Chiredzi West.

Former Chiredzi South MP Alois Baloyi is also hoping to take over the constituency from the serving MP, Retired Brigadier General Calisto Gwanetsa.

Despite President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s efforts to mend the cracks in Zanu PF by trying to reconcile party supporters, most Zanu PF members are already jockeying for constituencies currently held by suspected G40-aligned members.- newsday

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo | The empire that former Vice President Joice Mujuru built is crumbling with each passing day as defections continue to rock her party.

National People’ s Party (NPP), secretary for legal affairs Rodney Makausi yesterday resigned following serious divisions and infighting within the party structures while former NPP National Executive member, Shylet Uyoyo also dumped the party.

“I formally resigned from NPP and it would be incorrect to say I dumped the party . I merely exercised my legal and constitutional right to join or leave a political party and in my resignation letter to NPP I clearly stated that I could no longer devote myself to the party because of pressing commitments,” he said.

Sources close to Uyoyo said the former Zanu PF Provincial Women’ s League Chairperson would soon rejoin Zanu PF.

However NPP National Spokesperson Jeffryson Chitando downplayed Uyoyo and Makausi’s resignations saying party programmes would not be affected by the departure of the two officials.

“ I want to make it clear that the departure of the two will not affect the NPP at all. NPP is not made up of two members, but is a mass political party made up of many members who will continue to work tirelessly. We do not make noise when new members join NPP like what they are doing every day and we see no reason why there should be noise when two members decide to quit,” said Chitando.

Talented author and journalist Brian Tafadzwa Penny died in a car accident on December 23 at Wengezi turn off, 68km peg along Mutare-Chimanimani highway, when his younger brother lost control of their vehicle after hitting a pothole and smashed into an oncoming vehicle.

Penny, who was 36, is survived by his wife Monica Chikondowa and two daughters, all of whom were injured in the accident.

He died on the spot together with his younger brother’s wife and daughter and was buried in his rural home in Chimanimani on December 26.

Penny, who also studied journalism with City and Guilds Institute (London), was a regular contributor to NewsDay, writing stories on music, literature and film.

A co-director with the publishing concern, Forteworx Press, Penny had several of his pieces of poetry and short stories published in anthologies that included Garden of Eden, Flowers of a Dry Season, Tsuro Ndisunge (Nduri Dzinotapira), Zviri Mugapu and Dzinonyandura — Svinga Renduri.

Efforts are currently under way to compile a poetry anthology to be published in his honour early next year.- Newsday

As the eagerly-anticipated 2018 national polls beckon, the People’s Rainbow Coalition (PRC) has challenged President Emmerson Mnangagwa to introduce security sector reforms to guarantee the holding of free and fair elections then.

Mnangagwa recently reconfigured the security sector, retiring and promoting several security chiefs who served under former president Robert Mugabe, as he charts a new path.

At the same time, the president has also assured the nation and the opposition that next year’s elections will be peaceful, free and fair.

However, the PRC — a coalition that includes former vice president Joice Mujuru — said earlier this week that it was doubtful that the 2018 national elections would be free and fair because of the heavy presence of military chiefs in Mnangagwa’s government, as well as in the ruling Zanu PF.

“Zimbabwe is currently under the de facto control of a group of generals who operate under a veneer of a civilian Cabinet.

“Viewed from this perspective, the expanded role of the military in politics, economy and government makes Mnangagwa a mere rubber-stamping organ that endorses policies and policy ideas generated from KGVI (now Josiah Tongogara) barracks,” PRC secretary-general Gorden Moyo said.

Moyo said this while presenting a paper on the forthcoming 2018 elections during a discussion forum that was held in the City of Kings.

“Effectively speaking, Zimbabwe has now joined the league of Burma, North Korea, Pakistan and the like. Apparently, the military’s role in forcing Mugabe out and their continuing presence as key political players presents a major challenge to the rule of law, constitutional order and electoral democracy,” he added.

Mnangagwa has rung changes to the security sector and retired some key military personnel who played a prominent role in his rise to power. He appointed retired chief air marshal Perrance Shiri and former Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) chief of staff, retired lieutenant general Sibusiso Busi Moyo into his Cabinet, as well as naming retired lieutenant general Engelbert Rugeje as Zanu PF political commissar.

Mnangagwa has also named Zimbabwe Ambassador to South Africa Isaac Moyo as the new boss for the national spy agency, the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) — while cutting loose long serving police chief Augustine Chihuri.

Yesterday, he swore in former commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, retired general Constantino Chiwenga as vice president, together with Defence minister Kembo Mohadi.

However, the PRC’s demands are similar to those made to Mugabe by the opposition before and during the 2009 inclusive government. Civic groups have also been agitating for sweeping electoral reforms ahead of the crunch elections which they say must be held in an environment which doesn’t promote disputes like what happened during the 2008 and 2013 polls.

MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai beat Mugabe hands down in the hotly-disputed 2008 elections.
However, the results of those polls were withheld for six long weeks by stunned authorities — amid widespread allegations of ballot tampering and fraud which were later revealed by former bigwigs of the ruling party.

In the ensuing sham presidential run-off, which authorities claimed was needed to determine the winner, Zanu PF apparatchiks engaged in a murderous orgy of violence in which hundreds of Tsvangirai’s supporters were killed in cold blood, forcing the former prime minister in the inclusive government to withdraw from the discredited race altogether.

Mugabe went on to stand in a widely-condemned one-man race in which he declared himself the winner.

“The recent electoral history of Zimbabwe is replete with acts of electoral terrorism by the members of the armed forces, including acts of violence and intimidation, arson and murder, including a vicious repression campaign against the members of the opposition parties, civil society, academia and labour in 2000, 2002, 2005, 2008 and 2013.

“The rise of the military in November (this year) casts a dark cloud on the 2018 elections. Clearly, the military has emerged as the bedrock of Mnangagwa’s power and political commissars for Zanu PF ahead of the 2018 elections,” Moyo said further.

“To this extent, security sector transformation is crucial if the upcoming 2018 elections are to be seen to be credible, free and fair. This includes ensuring that all public statements and actions of the military reflect a commitment to a strictly neutral political role in accordance with the Constitution and international law,” he added.

Last month, the military launched Operation Restore Legacy, which led to Mugabe and his wife Grace being deposed from power and being placed under house arrest.

Several Cabinet ministers linked to the Generation 40 (G40) faction who had coalesced around Grace were targeted in the operation which ended only recently, with the soldiers only retreating to the barracks after five weeks of executing the operation.

The curtain fell on the veteran former Zimbabwe and Zanu PF leader on November 21 when he resigned moments after Parliament had started proceedings to impeach him.

Source:Daily News

Lawyers from the Veritas organisation speak on the presidium appointments of Gen Constantino Chiwenga and State Security Minister Kembo Mohadi.

BILL WATCH 50/2017

[29th December 2017]

Two Vice-Presidents Appointed and Sworn In

Zimbabwe’s new Vice-Presidents were sworn in by Chief Justice Luke Malaba yesterday morning, Thursday 28th December, in a brief ceremony at State House. They are Retired General Constantino Chiwenga and Mr Kembo Mohadi.

President Mnangagwa made the two appointments in terms of the Constitution’s special transitional provisions applicable to the office of President and the appointment of Vice-Presidents until 2023. Under those transitional provisions, Vice-Presidents, like Ministers, hold office at the President’s pleasure. [The transitional provisions are set out in the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution, paragraph 14].

Vice-President Chiwenga made himself eligible for appointment by retiring from his position as Commander of the Defence Forces.

Mr Mohadi was previously a member of the National Assembly, as the ZANU(PF) MP for the Beitbridge East constituency. His seat became vacant as soon as he became Vice-President [Constitution, section 129(1)(c) – “The seat of a Member of Parliament becomes vacant … upon the Member becoming President or Vice-President”].

Term of office

In the normal course of events both Vice-Presidents will hold office until the assumption of office as President by the winner of the next Presidential election in July-August 2018.

Responsibilities

Although not Members of Parliament, both Vice-Presidents, like Ministers and Deputy Ministers, are accountable, collectively and individually, to the President for the performance of their functions. Each of the Vice-Presidents must also attend Parliament and parliamentary committees in order to answer questions concerning matters for which he is collectively or individually responsible [Constitution, section 107(2)].

One or other of the Vice-Presidents will be Acting President whenever the President is absent from Zimbabwe or is unable to exercise his official functions through illness or any other cause [as provided by section 100 of the Constitution].

Vice-Presidents must not, directly or indirectly, hold any other public office or be employed by anyone else while they are in office.

SIs 150, 152 and 153 will be posted on the Veritas website

www.veritaszim.net as soon as possible.

New Labour Court Rules

SI 150/2017 contains the new rules governing proceedings in the Labour Court, made by the judges of the court in terms of the Labour Act with the approval of the Chief Justice and the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. They replace the previous rules, although there is no provision for their repeal.

Collective bargaining agreement: Textile Industry

SI 151/2017 provides for wages in the industry effective from 1st October 2017 for the next 12 months or “until it is replaced by a substituting agreement”.

Commencement of Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act

SI 152/2017 brings this important Act into force with effect from 1st January 2018, as promised by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning in his Budget presentation.

Retirement Benefits for Former Presidents

SI 153/2017 spells out the services, facilities and allowances which former President Mugabe and subsequent former Presidents will be entitled to use and enjoy. They cover four pages under headings such as Staff, Office and Equipment, Housing and household, Medical, Travel, Transport and Other benefits.

Government Gazette 29th December

Today’s regular Government Gazette contains only one statutory instrument, SI 154/2017, which sets out a collective bargaining agreement for the Transport Industry.

A Budget-related Government Gazette Extraordinary will probably be published late this afternoon, unfortunately too late for inclusion in this bulletin. Its contents will be dealt with a bulletin as early as possible in the New Year.

Zimbabweans based in South Africa have raised concerns over the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority’s (Zimra) random variation of the validity of Temporary Import Permits (TIP) for those driving foreign registered vehicles into the country. The worst affected are those visiting the country and fall under the Zimbabwe Special Permits (ZSP), which was recently replaced with the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP).

Under the country’s customs laws, visitors or Zimbabweans working outside the country who drive foreign registered vehicles, are allowed to bring in the cars duty free for a period of 30 days and renew at the expiry of that window. In case of defaulting, the vehicles are either seized or the owners are fined $500. In addition, motorists are allowed a window period of one week to exit the country from the date of the expiry of the TIP.

However, unscrupulous customs officers take advantage of this misinformation and fleece motorists of money during the one week window. In separate interviews, disgruntled motorists said the customs authority was restricting them to a visit of 10 days instead of the usual 30 days.

“This is despite the Department of Immigration having allowed us a stay of 30 days. In addition, the South African government has made a pronouncement that we can travel with the ZSP pending the finalisation of our new permits, which is likely to be completed in March next year, ”said one motorist. Herald

By Dorrothy Moyo| First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa was last week accused of playing spot plastics inside hospitals in front of cameras while people are dying. (CLICK TO READ MORE). This discussion led to Zimbabweans beginning to compare her with her predecessor, Grace Mugabe (CLICK TO READ MORE). 

She was thus titled “Madam Spot It”, a direct pun from Grace Mugabe’s title “Madam Stop It.” – Auxillia’s own husband, Emmerson in a file video expresses gratitude to Grace Mugabe for facilitating his rise to the presidium as he screams out, “Ndopazobva pauya, Madam Stop It!”

But…. 

Who Is Better MADAM STOP IT vs MADAM SPOT IT?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) December 29, 2017

At least 42 people were killed in traffic accidents during the Christmas and Boxing Day holidays.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) says while more than 50 others were injured in 182 road traffic accidents countrywide, the figure could be higher.

Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba announced saying they are still compiling statistics for the other days.

On Unity Day, 15 people died countrywide in 13 road traffic accidents, while on Christmas Eve, 12 people died in 90 separate road accidents. On Boxing Day, 15 people died, while 34 others were injured in 79 road traffic accidents that were recorded countrywide. She also said an unknown motorist ran over a pedestrian along the Harare-Mutare Road near Genje Business Centre in Ruwa and sped off. She appealed to anyone with information on the whereabouts of the driver to report to the nearest police station.

Senator for Beitbridge Tambudzani Mohadi and a local parliamentarian Metrine Mudau have donated food hampers and blankets to 40 people among them orphans and senior citizens in Beitbridge West constituency.

Speaking during the handover of the donation at House of Hope orphanage in Hwunga area,  Mohadi said the donation was part of her annual programme to help the less privileged members of the community.

The politicians jointly handed over an assortment of food hampers to the beneficiaries on Boxing Day.

The food hampers comprised; sugar, rice, cooking oil, flour, tea leaves, salt, washing and bathing soap.

“It is very critical, this time of the year, that we remember to share the little resources we get with the less privileged of the society,” said Senator Mohadi.

Beitbridge West legislature, Mudau said they will continue identifying more people in need of assistance in the community, especially orphans, child headed families and the elderly.

She called on businesses and other corporates to consider giving back to the communities they operate in as part of their social responsibility.

More than 500 people have so far benefited from Mohadi’s annual charity programme.

Some of the beneficiaries are from Dulivhadzimo, Shabwe, Malala, Dite, Chaswingo and Lutumba areas.- state media

A health time bomb is ticking in Harare’s Mabvuku suburb as raw effluent has been flowing from the sewer system for more than three weeks without any corrective measures being taken.

The putrid stench that greets any visitor to the residential suburb of Mabvuku is the first telltale sign that all is not well in the area.

Raw effluent is flowing from the sewer system, causing a health scare for concerned residents who have endured the smell and generally unhygienic conditions for a period which could not be ascertained, as some said the overflow began three weeks back while others said it started two months ago.

With the rainy season in full swing, the sewage has become a fertile breeding ground for water borne diseases and malaria-causing mosquitoes in nearby swamps, prompting urgent remedial action.

An obsolete sewer reticulation system and the ballooning urban population pose a major challenge for the city of Harare in its efforts to satisfy the standards of proper sanitation.
— ZBC

Terrence Mawawa, Bikita | The mere calling of Retired Major General Englebert Rugeje’ s name in Bikita District sends shivers down local villagers’ spines.

Villagers here have expressed cynicism about the newly appointed Zanu PF Political Commissar, Rugeje’ s sincerity in embarking on a peaceful campaign.

The villagers related how Rugeje tormented and intimidated suspected anti- Zanu PF elements in the area.

A villager from Chikuku Area, Bikita East Constituency, told ZimEye yesterday the appointment of Rugeje as the political commissar was an indication the new government was prepared to subvert the will of the people.

“There is commotion here following Rugeje’ s elevation to the top echelons of the Zanu PF Commissariat,” said the villager.

Another Villager from Bhengura, ward 4 Bikita South Constituency said he was tortured by a group of Zanu PF youths who were instructed by Rugeje to beat up local individuals thought to be sympathetic to the opposition.

“So you expect us to hear no evil, speak no evil and see no evil when we are still nursing injuries and traumatic memories?

The Zanu PF mandarins are busy propagating the message of reconciliation simply because they want our votes.

We are tired of being fooled by the cunning ruling party honchos,”

A local teacher said:” I fled to South Africa because Rugeje and his men wanted to punish me for refusing to be used by the regime to manipulate the voting process. “

An employee with Premier Tobacco Auction Floors has been charged with fraud after she allegedly hacked into the banking system of a local financial institution from which she spirited nearly $10 000.

Lizzie Kandengwa, 40, was released on $50 bail when she appeared before Harare magistrate Josephine Sande charged with fraud.

As part of bail conditions, Kandengwa was ordered to continue residing at her present address and not interfere with witnesses and investigations until the case is finalised.

She was remanded to January 24 next year.

The complainant is a local financial institution.

Prosecutor Sebastian Mutizirwa alleged that on November 21, this year Kandengwa connived with Stanley Mariko, Melody Basera, Hardlife Kafiramani, Tendai Chikumbirike, Erisha Kaitano and Tendai Meki and hatched a plan to defraud the bank by manipulating tobacco farmers’ accounts.

The court heard that Kandengwa then contacted Eustinah Chivige, a farmer from Headlands, and asked to use her bank account on the pretext that she wanted to receive money from a cousin.

At that stage Chivige’s bank account with the complainant had no money and she agreed to supply her bank details and mobile number.

It was alleged that Kandengwa and her accomplices then transferred $4 910 into Chivige’s account using the Zipit platform.

The court was told that Kandengwa then logged into the bank’s system using Chivige’s mobile number and another for Loveness Munzara.

It was alleged that using fraudulent means Kandengwa linked the two mobile numbers to the bank account.

She went on to use Chivige’s phone number and reversed the $4 910 transaction sending the amount into one of her accomplices Basera’s bank account, it was further alleged.

The court heard that Munzara immediately made another reversal of the $4 910 before the complainant had captured the first transaction.

It was further alleged that on November 27, Mariko misrepresented to another farmer Lameck Mukuwaza that Premier Tobacco was offering loans to tobacco farmers.

Mukuwaza wanted a loan and supplied his banking details and mobile number which is linked to the bank.

His account had no money and Mariko transferred $4 990 using Zipit but later reversed the transaction and offered to give the farmer cash.

Using the same modus operandi Kandengwa made a reversal of the $4 990 transfer to Kafiramani’s bank account while Munzara immediately moved the same amount before the complainant had picked the anomaly.

Mukuwaza’s bank account was subsequently overdrawn by $4 990.

The State alleges the complainant lost $9 890.

Source:Daily News

A Gweru man left Chiredzi people shocked when he was caught having sex with another woman during his wife’s funeral service.

Circumstances are that the accused Luscious Chiturumani stayed in Gweru with his wife Sibongile Mthetwa who allegedly died after a short illness.

Since Chiturumani had not fully paid the bride price, it was then decided that the deceased be buried in Chiredzi, her parents’ rural community.On arrival the deceased’s husband was accompanied by a woman whom he claimed to be his sister and he was accorded full respect as a son-in-law of the family.

The two were then given a courtesy room for them to rest as a family and they then retired to bed earlier than other people as visitors. More people were expected to join them in the room but none did and they took advantage of the situation and woke up to some early morning se_x.

Claims are that just before 6am someone smoking outside leaning on the window heard some funny sounds emanating from the room which the two were resting in.

The unidentified man then decided to call others to see what was happening inside. Unfortunately the doors had no locks and the two were found busy having se_x.

A close relative of the deceased identified as Grace Mtethwa confirmed the incident saying that Chiturumani had brought disgrace to their family as the case will remain the talk of town.

“It is very much disgusting what my uncle has done. Humbwa chaiwo.

“He has proven to be a dog and lacking any sense of morality. How can someone come all the way from Gweru to have se_x here aaah? I had never seen anything like such in my entire life.

“Apa haana kumbopedza kubhadhara roora racho but he found the courage to bring a prostitute saying it was his sister.

Mthetwa added;

“We gave them a room to sleep in at around 9pm.

“You know the setup yepanhamo taitoti in that room kwaizopinda vamwe vanhu 6 vozorara navo imomo zvanga zvisina problem coz ma rooms anenge asingakwane.

“You know at a funeral very few people retire to bed and if they do so it will be around 1am vatoneta nekuimba so I guess that is the advantage which the so called brother and sister took because no one joined them in their room.

“At around 5am a certain man came to a place where my aunts and I were sitting saying we should visit the room where he heard some sounds assuming there was a problem.

“Tichingopindamo takaona haasi mashura iyawo bhudhi na sisi vakanamirana, ndakazarirwa nehasha ende ndakanyara, in fact ndichiri kunyara nezvandakaona,” she said.

Mob justice is said to have followed for disrespecting the dead, the in-laws and again for deceiving people that the lady was his sister and agreeing to share a room with her.

The two were force-marched out of the room and Chiturumani was being slapped and kicked as he made the short walk to a car that was waiting for him in the yard.

Chiturumani’s phone has been off up to the time of going to print.

Source-H metro

Ray Nkosi | After President Robert Mugabe’s resignation last November, many escaped total humuliation for a weaker and much emasculated former head of state soon to be subjected to further public humiliation.

However, this has not been the case it seems, for Mugabe and his wife Grace as they have literary walked away without the political power they enjoyed before but with very little changing in their lavish lifestyle – courtesy of new President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The local Daily News reports that Mnangagwa’s government has given the country’s  deposed former leader Robert Mugabe an eye-watering exit package which includes benefits commensurate with those of a sitting head of State.

Details of the frail nonagenarian’s massive golden handshake were announced in the Government Gazette on Friday under Presidential Pension and Retirement Packages Notice 2017.

Meanwhile, the Daily News has also learnt that the publicised exit package does not include the $10 million which was dangled to the soon to be 94-year-old as part of the negotiations which led to his ouster last month — and which also culminated in him being granted immunity from prosecution.

Mugabe, who ruled Zimbabwe with an iron fist for close to four decades, “resigned” from the top office on November 21 this year — hours after Parliament had initiated proceedings to impeach him.

This happened after he had refused to leave office during eight tense days that began with the military intervening in the governance of the country.

“The president, in terms of section 3(1) of the Presidential Pension and Retirement Benefits Act, hereby makes the following notice: “A former president of Zimbabwe, who has at any time since the 31st December 1987, been president of Zimbabwe for at least one full term of office, shall be entitled to the enjoyment of the following services, facilities and allowances — staff (a) the services of — (i) such security personnel as may be determined by the president, but no less than six, and to be increased by such number as may be determined by the  president whenever and for such period as the need arises; and (ii) two drivers and (iii) two private secretaries; and (iv) two aide-de-camp officers or personal assistants; and (v) two office attendants,” read  the notice in Friday’s Government Gazette.

The publicised raft of benefits details the number of staff at Mugabe’s disposal, as well as office and accommodation arrangements, including a private residence on a 5 000 square metres piece of land; comprehensive medical cover for him, his wife and children, as well as transport that includes top-of-the-range vehicles.

Mugabe and Grace are also entitled to diplomatic passports and private, first class international air travel up — to a maximum of four trips per  year. Mugabe will also receive a Mercedes Benz S500 series or any equivalent vehicle, one four-wheel drive station wagon or an equivalent vehicle, and one pick up van.

Apart from maintaining and fuelling the vehicles, government will also be obliged to replace all the vehicles after five years.

The 93-year-old also has the option of maintaining his long motorcade after government notified that Mugabe was entitled to the provision of “such adequate number of vehicles as may be determined by the president and which must be put at the disposal of the security  personnel and other staff serving the former president”.

Mugabe will also be entitled to a landline telephone, a cellphone, two computers and “such other office equipment and materials as may be determined by the president”.

In terms of accommodation, the former Zanu PF supremo will be provided with “a fully furnished official residence at any place in Harare”.

The housing benefits will also include any such befitting request made by Mugabe within two months of leaving office.

According to the gazette, Mugabe may request the construction of a single private residence at any place of his choice in Zimbabwe, and it will be granted. If he so chooses, he can also request for the payment of a lump sum which is equal or equivalent to the value of the private residence he so desires.

“In the case of his official residence … if the president (Mugabe) dies, his or her surviving spouse, or if there is no surviving spouse, his or her dependent child must continue to be provided with suitable state residential accommodation until – (i) in the case of a surviving spouse, the date on which he or she dies or remarries, whichever event occurs first; and (ii) in the case of the dependent child, the date which he or she dies or the date on which he or she attains the age of 21 years, whichever event occurs first,” the gazette reads.

The private residence is to be constructed on land not exceeding 5 000  square metres and the residence itself may not exceed a reasonably-sized house with five bedrooms, a guest wing with three bedrooms, a study, a swimming pool, two guardrooms and two garages.

In connection with the residence, government will on behalf of Mugabe employ three domestic workers, two gardeners, two cooks, two waiters and two laundry personnel.

Mugabe along with Grace will also be entitled to first class air and rail travel within Zimbabwe as well as first class international travel up to a maximum of four trips a year.

Other benefits will see Mugabe getting an entertainment allowance as determined by Mnangagwa.

Mugabe will also be entitled to payment of telephone expenses, water and electricity charges. The curtain fell on the veteran former Zimbabwe and Zanu PF leader on November 21 when he resigned moments after Parliament had started proceedings to impeach him.

This followed a military intervention code-named Operation Restore Legacy which saw the nonagenarian and his wife being placed under house arrest.

Several Cabinet ministers linked to the Generation 40 (G40) faction who had coalesced around Grace were targeted in the operation which ended only recently, with the soldiers only retreating to the barracks after five weeks of executing the operation.

Mugabe was accused of turning Zimbabwe, which was once the bread basket of Africa, into a basket case due to years of mismanagement and executive corruption.

Today, Zimbabwe is ranked among the poorest countries in the world.

With 2018 harmonized elections now a few months away, the church has already set its sight on a peaceful plebiscite with the Chitungwiza based Victory Power International Ministries’ crossover all night prayer on the 31st of December dedicated to praying for a violence free process.

Victory Power International Ministries led by Bishop Believe Paradise and Pastor Mitchel Paradise believes God’s power will ensure the country remains peaceful during elections, something he reckons will help rebuild Zimbabwe.

In an interview with 263Chat, Bishop Paradise said the crossover night which will be punctuated by manifestation of the spirit of God and prophecy will also be about seeking divine guidance during the forthcoming elections.

“On the crossover night we are expecting the hand of God to move in the church and the purpose of the service is to make God lead our country in the coming year,” said Bishop Paradise.

“A lot of miracles are going to happen on the night, as well as deliverance, healing, thanksgiving and prophetic declarations,” he said.

“There is also going to be performances by our church choir, Africa Praise, as well as surprise guest Artist”

“We are inviting the Christians all over Zimbabwe to come and praise God with us on the night and those who will come will see the hand of God in the life” he added.

The role of the church in a country can never be under-estimated as it has always taken a leading initiative in praying for peace. With President Emmerson Mnangagwa promising a peaceful, free and fair elections in 2018, Bishop Paradise’s effort is a welcome development for the country especially now that the focus is on rebuilding the battered image.263chat

A man from Victoria Falls allegedly slit his throat in a suspected suicide attempt.

He is reportedly battling for his life at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo.

The Officer Commanding Victoria Falls District, Chief Superintendent Jairos Chiwona, confirmed the incident.

“I can confirm there is a case where somebody slit his throat reportedly as a suicide attempt, but the case is still under investigation. He is battling for his life in Bulawayo. We are neither saying there was foul play or not,” said Chief Supt Chiwona.

Tshuma, who attends Zaoga Church, is said to have been fasting and on Thursday he became unusually quiet and refused to sleep in the same room with his wife.

It is said that his wife went to check on him on Friday morning and found the room empty.

A search was carried out and he was later found walking, wearing only underpants.

His family took him to the hospital suspecting a mental illness and they could not get the help they wanted. They then took him to a prophet who prayed for him and he was taken home in Mkhosana, Victoria Falls.

Tshuma reportedly ran away from home.

He was later found crying while holding his neck which was bleeding profusely from a visible cut on the throat.
Tshuma was taken to Victoria Falls District hospital and due to the severe injuries, he was transferred to Mpilo hospital. – state media

The Government will not license a donkey abattoir that is being built in Bulawayo.

Bulawayo SPCA Veterinary Surgeon, Dr Anele Dube said the donkeys which were being kept at a feedlot at Manningdale low density suburb were killed two months ago after the animal welfare organisation noted that they were in a bad condition.

This followed a visit by the SPCA and Veterinarians for Animal Welfare Zimbabwe (VAWZ) officials who recommended that the animals be euthanised as they were severely injured while others were sickly.

“We went there and identified about a dozen donkeys that were seriously sick and those were destroyed, they were euthanised humanely and we didn’t have any problems with (Mr Gareth) Lumsden (owner of the donkey abattoir) and we go there regularly at least once a week,” said Dr Dube.
Battlefront Investments had bought about 200 donkeys from areas such as Kezi, Plumtree, Nkayi and Gokwe for slaughtering at the abattoir in Waterford which was supposed to start operations before the end of October.

Pressure has been mounting on Mr Lumsden to drop the initiative with animal welfare groups considering instituting legal action.

DLVS director Dr Josphat Nyika said:

“We don’t know about the donkey abattoir, when it was constructed or if the construction has been completed. I have never seen any application for the setting-up of a donkey abattoir. We are the registration authority and after all we don’t have laws that allow for the registration of a donkey abattoir.

“It’s not even there on (Abattoir Inspection and Certification) SI (Statutory Instrument) of 1995 of the Veterinary Public Health thus it can never be registered. As the Department of Veterinary Services we report to the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development,” said Dr Nyika.

The other SIs that fall under the Abattoir Inspection and Certification are SI 111 of 1984 and SI 369 of 1998.

The non-licensing of the abattoir means Battlefront Investments’ investment of over $150 000 has gone up in smoke if the company does not convert the infrastructure to serve another purpose.

The company had intended to export donkey meat and hides to China where they are in demand especially the latter, to produce a traditional Chinese product called ejiao.

Efforts to get a comment from Mr Lumsden by the time of going to press were futile as his cellphone went unanswered. – state media

Hehehehe @ZimEye there we go. Thts the thread tht got me arrested… pic.twitter.com/SaniCDw9Fl

— #khuliyo (@NkueNkala) December 28, 2017

Ray Nkosi | Nkululeko Nkala, known as Khuliyo in music circles has come out to share more on the social media joke which got him arrested.

Responding on the ZimEye.com twitter account Nkala said, “Hehehehe @ZimEye there we go. Thts the thread tht got me arrested.”

Nkala, known as Khuliyo in music circles, did not know that his joke would land him in trouble when he posted a fake South African number claiming it belonged to Oskido and claiming that those who wanted cheap tickets could get hold of the Kalawa Jazmee boss.

He had jokingly claimed that people could get tickets for as low as $5, yet the lowest selling ticket was going for $15.

His joke did not go well with the organisers of the most-attended annual show who thought he was illegally selling tickets and promptly reported him to the police.

The organisers, who include SA-based Oskido – the brains behind the famed event – caused the arrest of Nkala who was dragged to Bulawayo Central Police Station yesterday morning.

A video of Nkala seated on the police station benches was circulated on social media yesterday afternoon, with Oskido also pitching up at the station. Nkala is seen trying to justify himself saying it was just a jest.

“I was just playing on the WhatsApp group with one of the guys who was asking if he could get $5 tickets for the Homecoming show. I just randomly put a number saying its Oskido’s so if he wants cheap tickets, he should get in touch with him. It was just a plain joke,” Nkala is overheard explaining at the police station.

At that point, Oskido then interjects saying: “Do you know how much money we put into this gig. We don’t even make money. We’re trying to uplift local people, yet you mess up the show.”

In an interview, local Kalawa Homecoming organiser, Vusumuzi Siqalaba, said Nkala was made to clarify that there were no Homecoming tickets being sold for $5 through social media messages.

“We told him that he had to create another social media message stating that tickets are only being sold at Rainbow Hotel. And that the number he had sent does not belong to Oskido.

“There’re no fake tickets anywhere,” Siqalaba said.

Nkala said he had since apologised and paid a fine, insisting that he was joking. However, he said it seems someone was bitter with him, hence the need to try and embarrass him with an arrest.

A social media joke turned nasty for a Bulawayo artist who was nearly jailed yesterday for claiming to be in possession of cheaper and counterfeit Kalawa Homecoming tickets ahead of the show which took place last night.

Nkululeko Nkala, known as Khuliyo in music circles, did not know that his joke would land him in trouble when he posted a fake South African number claiming it belonged to Oskido and claiming that those who wanted cheap tickets could get hold of the Kalawa Jazmee boss.

He had jokingly claimed that people could get tickets for as low as $5, yet the lowest selling ticket was going for $15.

His joke did not go well with the organisers of the most-attended annual show who thought he was illegally selling tickets and promptly reported him to the police.

The organisers, who include SA-based Oskido – the brains behind the famed event – caused the arrest of Nkala who was dragged to Bulawayo Central Police Station yesterday morning.

A video of Nkala seated on the police station benches was circulated on social media yesterday afternoon, with Oskido also pitching up at the station. Nkala is seen trying to justify himself saying it was just a jest.

“I was just playing on the WhatsApp group with one of the guys who was asking if he could get $5 tickets for the Homecoming show. I just randomly put a number saying its Oskido’s so if he wants cheap tickets, he should get in touch with him. It was just a plain joke,” Nkala is overheard explaining at the police station.

At that point, Oskido then interjects saying: “Do you know how much money we put into this gig. We don’t even make money. We’re trying to uplift local people, yet you mess up the show.”

In an interview, local Kalawa Homecoming organiser, Vusumuzi Siqalaba, said Nkala was made to clarify that there were no Homecoming tickets being sold for $5 through social media messages.

“We told him that he had to create another social media message stating that tickets are only being sold at Rainbow Hotel. And that the number he had sent does not belong to Oskido.

“There’re no fake tickets anywhere,” Siqalaba said.

Nkala said he had since apologised and paid a fine, insisting that he was joking. However, he said it seems someone was bitter with him, hence the need to try and embarrass him with an arrest. – state media

By Farai D Hove| President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s personal advisor, Christopher Mutsvangwa has opened the lid saying he was part of the team that organised the booing of former First Lady Grace Mugabe at the Bulawayo Youth Interface Rally last month in November.

The events of the last 8 weeks have been filled with much drama that saw the whole world turning its cameras on Zimbabwe. The highy animated and riveting scenery included President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his former boss, Robert Mugabe. Mnangagwa was humiliated to the extent of being labeled a border jumper when he was eventually forced out of Zimbabwe.

This all began when at the Bulawayo rally on the 4th November when Mugabe screamed out that he was just about to drop Mnangagwa down. It was at that rally that his wife, Grace was booed.

The latest developments have seen a stampede by ZANU PF members as they compete on claiming they were the heroes of the moment. :ast week, former War Vets Minister Tshinga Dube laid claim that he was the one who organised the booing.

But this time, Mnangagwa’s advisor Mutsvangwa has also begun claiming the credits.

Mutsvangwa has been quoted by the NewsDay paper while reportedly giving details on the historic plot to topple Robert Mugabe.

Mutsvangwa said, “we did everything in our power to remove Mugabe, but Mnangagwa was never part of it. He was Zanu PF VP and it became apparent to us that it was impossible to force him to dump the party and Mugabe.

“We could not have spoken on his behalf because we had been expelled, but the booing in Bulawayo was a watershed moment we organised and celebrated. It exposed Mugabe for who he was and opened Mnangagwa’s eyes to what was going on. I must say though that we will always cherish any attempt at unity by the liberation movements or any political parties in our country.”

President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday announced a hefty retirement package for his former boss, Robert Mugabe. The package includes a full private residence with a swimming pool.

With respect to private residence, the property shall be constructed on land which in total may not exceed 5 000 square metres. The residence, if it was to be built, should not exceed a reasonably sized house with five bedrooms, a guest wing with three bedrooms, a study, swimming pool, two guardrooms and two garages.

“There shall be employed in connection with the residence of the former President (i) three domestic employees, and (ii) two gardeners, and (iii) two cooks and two waiters and (iv) two laundry persons,” read the regulations. READ MORE CLICK HERE

Terrence Mawawa | The HIV prevalence rate has dropped significantly while the life expectancy range has risen, a Government Minister has said.

It has emerged the life expectancy in the country has shot up from 37 years to 59 while the HIV prevalence rate has dropped sharply, according to Health and Child Care Minister, David Parirenyatwa.

“Zimbabwe had one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in Africa but we worked so hard and we are seeing the positive results.

New infections have dropped drastically.
The likelihood of an HIV positive mother giving birth to an HIV positive baby was at 40 percent, but because of treatment that we give it is now at 5,4 percent,” said Parirenyatwa.

“Now I am being invited all over the world to talk about prevention. Recently I was in Rome after being invited by the Pope to talk about prevention,” said Parirenyatwa.

“When you want to see the markers of an improving health system you look at issues like the life expectancy and the prevalence of epidemics such as HIV and AIDS. Our life expectancy had fallen to 37 years, but it has shot up to 59 years,” he added.

President Mnangagwa yesterday gazetted pension and retirement benefits which a Zimbabwean former Head of State and Government should enjoy on retirement. The benefits were published in a Statutory Instrument of an Extraordinary Government Gazette in terms of Presidential Pension and Retirement Benefits (Services and Facilities for Former Presidents) Notice, 2017. Former President Robert Mugabe is expected to be the inaugural beneficiary of the entitlements.

“A former President of Zimbabwe, who has at any time since the 31st December 1987, been President of Zimbabwe for at least one full term of office, shall be entitled to the use and enjoyment of the following services and allowances,” read the notice.

Regarding staff, the regulations provide that there will be security personnel as might be determined by the President but not less than six, and to be increased by such number as might be determined by the Head of State and Government whenever and for such period as the need arise.

He/she shall be entitled to two drivers, two private secretaries and two aide-de-camp officers or personnel assistance and two office attendants. On office and equipment, there will be provision of a fully-furnished office accommodation and a landline telephone and a cellphone, two computers and such other office equipment and materials as might be determined by the President.

Regarding housing and household, the former President will get a fully-furnished official residence at any place in Harare. A former President will also be entitled to a housing allowance to be determined by the sitting President, or a single private residence acquired or constructed on his or her behalf at any place of his or her choice in Zimbabwe or payment of a lump sum equal to the value of the private residence.

“In the case of the official residence referred to in paragraph (c) (i) [of the notice] if the former President dies, his or her surviving spouse, or if there is no surviving spouse, his or her dependent child, must continue to be provided with suitable State residential accommodation until (i) in the case of a surviving spouse, the date on which he or she dies or remarries, or whichever occurs first and (ii) in the case of a dependent child, the date on which he or she dies or the date on which he or she attains the age of 21 years, whichever event occurs first,” reads the notice.

With respect to private residence, the property shall be constructed on land which in total may not exceed 5 000 square metres. The residence, if it was to be built, should not exceed a reasonably sized house with five bedrooms, a guest wing with three bedrooms, a study, swimming pool, two guardrooms and two garages.

“There shall be employed in connection with the residence of the former President (i) three domestic employees, and (ii) two gardeners, and (iii) two cooks and two waiters and (iv) two laundry persons,” read the regulations.

There will be an allowance covering medical aid contributions for the former President, his or her spouse and any dependent child. A former President, together with his or her spouse, will be entitled to a diplomatic passport, first class air and rail private travel within the country up to a maximum of four trips per year.

There will be international air private travel up to a maximum of four trips per annum including the spouse if he or she accompanies the former President. On transport, a former President will be entitled to one sedan (Mercedes Benz S500 Series or an equivalent class of motor vehicle), one four-wheel drive station wagon or equivalent, and a pickup van.

An adequate number of vehicles as might be determined by the President should be at the disposal of security personnel and other staff serving the former President. Fuel costs will be borne by the Government and all the vehicles must be permanently at the disposal of the former President and be replaced after every five years.

Other benefits are entertainment allowance to be determined by the President and payment of utility bills such as water, electricity, telephone in respect of the office and official residence of the former President.

Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa has set January 1 2018 as the date on which the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act will come into operation. The law seeks to clip the wings of the State Procurement Board by decentralising procurement.- state media

President Mnangagwa has appointed General Constantino Guvheya Dominic Nyikadzino Chiwenga (Retired) and Kembo Mohadi as Vice Presidents of Zimbabwe. The two will be sworn-in at State House in Harare today. Acting Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colonel Christian Katsande (Rtd) confirmed the development yesterday.

“In terms of Section 14,sub-paragraph 2 of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, upon assuming office, must without delay appoint not more than two Vice Presidents, who hold office at his or her pleasure,” he said.

“Accordingly, His Excellency the President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, has duly appointed Honourable General (Rtd) Dr Constantino Guvheya Dominic Nyikadzino Chiwenga and Honourable Kembo Campbell Dugishi Mohadi as Vice Presidents of the Republic of Zimbabwe. The swearing-in will be held at 1000hrs on Thursday, 28th December 2017 at State House, Harare.”

Gen Chiwenga (Rtd) and Cde Mohadi were last Saturday appointed Zanu-PF Vice Presidents and Second Secretaries. Presidential Press Secretary Mr George Charamba said the appointments were done after extensive consultations.

These consultations, he said, included getting sentiments from the political leadership, war veterans, security arms of Government and traditional leaders. Mohadi was born on November 15, 1949 in Beitbridge. He did his Sub A up to Standard One in Beitbridge, including at Mtetengwe Primary School, before proceeding to Gwanda Primary School for Standard 2.

He proceeded to Manama High School in Matabeleland South province for secondary education and then to Goromonzi High School in Mashonaland East where he was kicked out while doing Form 3. Mohadi joined the liberation struggle in the early 70s when he left the country for military training in Zambia via Botswana.

He later went to Russia for further training and on his return was attested to a department within Zapu called Zimbabwe Intelligence Services under the command of Ethan Dube but was detained at Khami Prison in 1976 until his release at Independence in 1980.

He was appointed Defence, Security and War Veterans Minister last month. He had served as the Minister of State for National Security in the President’s Office (2015 to 2017) and Minister of Home Affairs from 2002 to 2015. Gen Chiwenga (Rtd) was born on August 25, 1956 in Wedza, Mashonaland East.

He attended secondary school at St Mary’s Mission in the same district before joining the liberation struggle as a 17-year-old and received military training in Zambia and Tanzania. In 1974, he was appointed a member of the Zanla General Staff and rose to become a member of the Zanla High Command as deputy commissar in 1978.

During the ceasefire period, Gen Chiwenga (Rtd) was appointed to the ceasefire monitoring team assigned to Manicaland in 1980 and later moved to Masvingo the same year. He was commissioned a brigadier on April 16 1981 and within the same year was appointed Commander of 1 Brigade.

In 1984, he was appointed Commander of 5 Brigade and later as brigadier-general based at Army Headquarters until his promotion to major-general, becoming Chief of Staff (Administration and Quartermaster).

Another promotion in 1994 saw him assume the rank of lieutenant-general and Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army on the formation of the Zimbabwe Defence forces. In 2004, Gen (Rtd) took over as ZDF Commander upon the retirement of the late national hero General Vitalis Zvinavashe.- state media

Government’s plans to revive flag carrier Air Zimbabwe (AirZim) are dead in the water for now after it failed to secure partnerships with reputable airlines that were put off by the massive debts at the struggling airline.

At present government has no money to bail out the haemorrhaging AirZim which this year made a loss of $24 million.

“There is nothing to expect from that front (reviving AirZim) unless we get money. For now, it’s a sinking company.

“For example, AirZim asks government to purchase fuel for it on a daily basis and it cannot run on its own,’’ Transport minister Joram Gumbo told the Daily News in an exclusive interview.

AirZim is currently saddled with a $300 million debt and was said to be making a $2 million loss every month. Gumbo told the Daily News that government had pursued partnerships with reputable airlines but these fell through as a result of the financial problems at the national airline.

He said contrary to widespread reports that the new airline Zimbabwe Airways (Zim Airways) was a government project established to replace AirZim, the airline was privately-owned and had nothing to do with them.

Gumbo said Zim Airways is actually run by a private company known as Zimbabwe Aviation Leasing Company (ZALC) and government’s role was to facilitate the deal after initial efforts to revive AirZim fell through.

He told the Daily News he had personally courted Zimbabweans living in London and Dubai to invest in the Zimbabwean aviation industry.

“Cabinet approved the recapitalisation of AirZim. After the approval, we went around to negotiate with at least 12 airlines which included two African airlines, Ethiopian Airways and Kenyan Airways.

“We also targeted Air Malaysia, Lufthansa, Qatar Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Emirates Airways, Qantas Airways, Singapore Airways and China Air but we discovered that we were not going to succeed in our negotiations because AirZim’s financials are in shambles and they were not attractive to any one of the airlines to try and go into partnership with us,” Gumbo told the Daily News.

“However, I did not get discouraged. I tried to negotiate with Ethiopian Airlines so that we could get into some kind of an agreement where they could even have a higher shareholding structure than us. It did not work.

“Discussions with Air Malaysia however, became very interesting when we gathered that they had grounded some of their planes but after looking at our books and realised our indebtedness as an airline, they were put off but they then offered to sell us their grounded Boeing 777ER planes.

“Six of them had been grounded because of what had happened earlier when they had mishaps where one plane fell into the sea and another was shot down. So they were saying we do not want to have anything to do with them anymore,” Gumbo explained further.

“So our negotiations started with them seriously and since they said we cannot partner with you because of your issues. “We were discussing with Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC). We agreed that they could sell the planes to us.

“So I started negotiating to buy and so I informed government that I had clinched a deal with Air Malaysia to buy four Boeing 777 planes at $70 million for all of them and I thought this was a good deal for Zimbabwe. But again government failed to raise the money. I was buying these for AirZim.

“So after government introduced the policy to engage the Diaspora, to invest in the country, I reached out to them. There was a group in London and another in Dubai. “I engaged them to say here is an opportunity if you are interested. My role as minister of Transport is to ensure that there is activity in the country, therefore I facilitated for one of these groups to negotiate with Air Malaysia through (PWC),” added Gumbo.

This group then formed the Zimbabwe Aviation Leasing Company. Gumbo said ZALC has so far purchased two planes and is currently fundraising to acquire the remaining two under the terms of their agreement which stated the group would buy four planes in total.

“They are also trying to bring smaller planes to service local routes and they want to bring six smaller planes so that we can promote tourism in the country. My interest is that we keep Zimbabwe on the global aviation map,” said Gumbo.

Accusations have been flying since September that government was ditching AirZim for Zim Airways which was at first said to belong to deposed former president Robert Mugabe’s family and his son-in-law Simba Chikore.

Ray Nkosi | Exiled Zanu PF politician Savior Kasukuwere has come out to mourn the late Ezekiel Guti Junior.

Wrote Kasukuwere on twitter, “We begin to remember not just that you died, but that you lived. And that your life gave us memories too beautiful to forget. RIP shamwari.”

The state media reported that Guti Junior the son of the founder of the Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa (ZAOGA) church died while in South Africa.

Guti Jr was in South Africa for the Holiday with his family. ZAOGA’s Acting Secretary General Reverend Misheck Nyambo confirmed the death Wednesday afternoon in a statement.

Government’s fight against corruption has gathered momentum with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) widening its dragnet to include the private sector and local authorities where the anti-graft body is investigating tender scams which might have prejudiced government tens of millions of dollars

This comes as former ministers and senior parastatal officials who served in deposed ex-president Robert Mugabe’s government have been arrested and brought before the courts in a crackdown which could net more former Zanu PF bigwigs in the coming week.

Zacc spokesperson Phyllis Chikundura told the Daily News yesterday she was still on holiday and would know the individuals and companies that are under investigation when she resumes work tomorrow.

However, authoritative sources at Zacc said the anti corruption body was almost finishing its investigation on several executives and council officials.

“We held preliminary investigations early this year but shelved them due to a number of reasons, some which were a matter of public knowledge.

“However, we have now gone back to those cases we had temporarily suspended due to various reasons and you shall know those involved once we have finished our investigations.

“We are not selectively applying the law. So far you have seen politicians but I can tell you we have widened our investigations to include local authorities and private players,” a senior Zacc official told the Daily News.

“You are going to see high profile politicians and well-known businesspeople appearing before the courts soon. So this idea of saying we are pursuing a factional agenda or selectively targeting people is not correct.

“If we have 100 corrupt people and start by arresting five, is that not a starting point? We have begun the fight against corruption in earnest,” added the Zacc official.

The Daily News can reveal that Zacc has been investigating the multi-million dollar tenders at Harare City Council and has been furnished with documentation regarding those tenders.

Last week, Zacc was said to be pursuing former Energy minister Samuel Undenge and his wife, Letina, in connection with the multi-million dollar energy tenders supplied to high-living Harare businessman, Wicknell Chivayo’s company, Intratek Zimbabwe.

Undenge has previously denied having played a role in Chivayo’s tenders by arguing that when he became minister in 2015, the Harare businessman had already clinched the tenders. Undenge took over from Dzikamai Mavhaire who was one of several bigwigs sacked from government and Zanu PF in the run up to the party’s congress of 2014.

Chivayo has been staring down the barrel over the past few weeks over the power deals which he signed with Zesa Holdings and its subsidiary the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) — which have come under the spotlight after his company, Intratek, apparently failed to deliver on them.

Among the deals, the burly businessman — who is often referred to by his associates as Sir Wicknell — was awarded a $200 million tender for the Gwanda Solar Project.

ZPC senior management now stand accused of advancing $5 million to him for this project’s pre-commencement works, despite Chivayo not providing a performance guarantee as required by law.

The performance guarantee acts as financial security and is supposed to be presented by the contractor before the commencement of works. It insulates the client in the event that the contractor fails to fulfil obligations set out in the contract.

Chivayo was also awarded a further $73 million for the refurbishment of the Harare Power Station, $163 million for the restoration of the Munyati Power Station, and $248 million for the Gairezi Power project by the ZPC.

Apart from Zesa board meeting to review Chivayo’s contracts, Parliament has said that it is gathering facts on his projects before making a determination.

Last week, Chivayo was ordered to submit his bank statements, contract documents and cash books to the National Economic Conduct Inspectorate as part of widening investigations into the Zesa deals.

Presenting his State-of-the-National Address (Sona) last week in a joint sitting of the National Assembly and Senate, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said his government would leave no stone unturned in the fight against graft.

“Corruption remains the major source of some of the problems we face as a country, and its retarding impact on national development cannot be overemphasised. The goal of my government is to build a new Zimbabwe based on the crown values of honesty, transparency, accountability and hard work.

“On individual cases of corruption, every case must be investigated and punished in accordance with the dictates of our laws. There should be no sacred cows. My government will have zero tolerance towards corruption and this has already begun,” Mnangagwa said.

A number of individuals who include former Cabinet ministers Joseph Made, Walter Chidakwa and ex-Midlands provincial affairs minister, Jason Machaya, were arrested last week in an expansion of the crackdown against corruption.

Former Finance minister Ignatius Chombo has so far been arrested twice on multiple charges that include fraud and abuse of office, while ex-Mines ministry permanent secretary, Francis Gudyanga was also nabbed on corruption-related charges.

Zimbabwe’s central bank has also ordered banks to freeze accounts belonging to former Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo and former Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere amid claims that they were involved in corrupt activities while working for the Zanu PF government.

Mnangagwa’s sceptics have accused his government of pursuing a factional agenda by arresting senior officials and former Cabinet ministers in Mugabe’s government who were linked to the Generation-40 (G40)faction.

“The current charade is nowhere near fighting corruption. These are clear retributive attempts to punish those aligned to the now-defunct G40 cabal. No amount of propaganda can hide that fact.

“How else can you explain appointments of thoroughly discredited individuals like Obert Mpofu in this Cabinet. Most of these ruling party leaders including the president himself will have problems explaining their wealth.

“This government has paid lip service to the anti-corruption agenda only to further political goals since the era of Mugabe and nothing has changed. What we need is genuine commitment to anti-corruption as a principle and policies/ legislation that are set up and implemented without fear or favour,” political analyst, Gladys Hlatywayo told the Daily News.

However, other analysts have said it is too early to judge Mnangagwa and have urged caution as he implements his policies.

Some analysts have also said the fact that Mnangagwa’s government is arresting those alleged of corruption is a good start.

They have also argued that his recent moratorium on those who externalised foreign currency and stashed assets in foreign lands should not be looked through the factional lenses as this was targeted at business executives and corporate.

In a statement, early this month, Mnangagwa revealed that Operation Restore Legacy uncovered cases whereby huge sums of money and other assets were externalised by individuals and corporates, thereby prejudicing the country of the much-needed foreign currency.

Operation Restore Legacy refers to a military campaign that targeted “criminals” around the then president, Mugabe.

As a first step towards the recovery of the externalised funds and assets, Mnangagwa’s administration gazetted a three-month moratorium within which those involved in the practice can bring back the funds and assets with no questions being asked or risk charges being preferred against them.

“The period of this amnesty stretches from December 1, 2017 to the end of February 2018. Affected persons who wish to comply with this directive should liaise with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) for the necessary facilitation and accounting.

“Upon the expiry of the three-month window, government will proceed to effect arrests of all those who would not have complied with this directive, and will ensure that they are prosecuted in terms of the country’s laws.

“Those affected are thus encouraged to take advantage of this three-month moratorium to return the illegally externalised funds and assets in order to avoid the pain and ignominy of being visited by the long arm of the law,” said Mnangagwa.

The externalisation of foreign currency is a serious offence in Zimbabwe covered under the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act (Chapter 9:24) and the Exchange Control Act [Chapter22:05].

In the event of a conviction, the courts can impose a fine not exceeding the value of the currency or a sentence of imprisonment not exceeding 10 years, the whole of which can be suspended on condition that the currency is repatriated to Zimbabwe within a specified period.

The statutes also allow the courts to impose harsher penalties unless the convicted person satisfies the court that there are special reasons in the particular case, which shall be recorded by the court, why a lesser fine should be imposed.- Daily News

On A Wednesday afternoon in November, Grace Mugabe stood outside the Zanu PF headquarters in full party regalia before a crowd of thousands.

Her husband’s face was stamped across one sleeve, her wrists stacked with armbands in Zanu green and yellow and red and black. She was smiling.

Her biggest rival, Emmerson Mnangagwa, had been fired just two days earlier.

It had been a year-long campaign of sustained insult and innuendo.

But it was her booing by a crowd at a weekend rally — in front of her husband, no less — that got the job done.

Mnangagwa was out, finally, and she stood in prime position with the backing of both the party’s women and youth leagues to fill his seat.

The police had even launched a manhunt to find and arrest the hecklers from the weekend before.

She was a first lady at the peak of powers, in a seemingly unstoppable trajectory to the top job in the country. And this rally was for her.

Less than two weeks later, Grace was expelled from Zanu PF and her husband removed as party leader.

The reliably fawning state media turned, and first lady Amai Grace Mugabe was suddenly recast in the ignominious role of the crude secretary-mistress whose Lady Macbeth-level ambition brought to an end one of the longest running presidencies on the continent.

That Grace’s showdown with Mnangagwa should have ended so badly must have come as a surprise in a year when she was literally allowed to get away with assault.

“She cornered me and started beating the hell out of me,” South African model Gabriella Engels said of the alleged August incident when she was attacked by an extension cord-wielding Grace in a Sandton hotel room where the wayward Mugabe sons were said to be wasting away the family fortune.

“She just had this sort of look in her eyes, that she was furious,” Engels told News24.

“She was well-dressed and I had no idea who she was. She kept screaming, asking where her son was.”

In her deposition, Grace went on the attack. Again. She called Engels “intoxicated” and “unhinged” and alleged the model came at her with a knife.

Not that it was necessary. On a Sunday morning, the South African government quietly and retrospectively granted Grace immunity. And as journalists waited for her to hand herself over to the police, Zimbabwe’s state press reported that their First Lady had returned home safely.

In ousting Mnangagwa, Grace consulted the same playbook she’d used to get rid of his predecessor, Joice Mujuru, in 2014: hints and light jibes that over the months turned to outright public condemnation and claims of witchcraft, scoring Grace a position as head of Zanu-PF’s women’s league – and a seat at the table of the party’s all-powerful politburo.

The day before Mnangagwa was sacked – the day after his supporters had publicly booed her – the First Lady brought her year-long campaign against him to a crescendo, telling a rally of thousands that he had been plotting a coup for decades. An accusation that would have seemed just her brand of crass political opportunism had Mnangagwa not gone and done exactly that a week later.

The fall, when it finally came, was stunning.

Thousands of Zimbabweans took to the streets in a historic celebration.

But the party that had always remained fiercely loyal to Mugabe did so even as he fell. On carpets. Down stairs. From power. His sins – the destruction of an economy, the fixing of elections, the abduction and torture of dissidents, the crushing of uprisings – were seemingly forgotten behind the glare of Grace’s enormous ambition.

“Grace, a mad woman with no brains, was in charge of the country on behalf of her cohorts,” said war veterans’ leader Chris Mutsvangwa.

“She lacked grooming and true motherhood… it is unfortunate that the president allowed her to usurp executive authority from him thereby destroying both the party and government,” said the turncoat youth league.

“One can only speculate how the legacy of Comrade Robert Mugabe might have ended had his wife not exhibited and indulged her political ambitions in such a crude fashion,”lamented the treacherous state media.

Gone was First Lady Grace.

Gone was Amai Mugabe, Mother of the Nation.

In her place: Lady Grace Macbeth, standing in the middle of a hotel room with a fistful of too-much power, wreaking havoc. – Daily Maverick

The Professor Welshman Ncube-led MDC will not field candidates outside the agreed 32 constituencies allocated to it in the MDC Alliance, the party’s secretary general, Ms Miriam Mushayi, has said.

Ms Mushayi revealed this in a memorandum to the party’s provincial chairpersons which also stated that aspiring candidates should start forwarding their applications for vetting.

“You are hereby notified that the process of candidate selection will commence on January 3, 2018 and is expected to be completed by 31 January 2018.

Accordingly you are hereby requested to receive applications from interested candidates and forward them to my office for vetting. The closing date for the receipt of applications shall be 14 January 2018,” she said. Chronicle

State security agent Rodney Mashingaidze has reportedly relaunched his bid to grab Maleme Ranch in Matabeleland South province, two years after he was blocked by chiefs, civil society and villagers before then Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko ordered him to vacate the property.

Mashingaidze in 2015 attempted to grab Maleme Ranch from Peter Cunningham, sparking protests from the local community, chiefs, civic groups and opposition political parties, forcing him to back off after Mphoko intervened in the wrangle.

Mphoko then directed the Lands ministry to identify a farm for him elsewhere, saying Maleme Ranch should be preserved as it houses key State institutions, Big Cave Camp and Ebenezer Agricultural Training Centre.

Villagers in the area recently wrote to new Lands minister Perrance Shiri, seeking his intervention to stop Mashingaidze’s renewed interests in the property.

“It has come to our attention that Mashingaidze has been telling people that he is planning to come and retake operations of Maleme and Ebenezer,” the villagers’ letter read in part.

“This has been reported over the last two weeks with recent reports that he has been trying to mobilise village heads from the homestead area where he has been paying them monies to support him in his move to grab the farm.”

The villagers claimed the farm was benefiting at least 800 families, with Cunningham being credited for assisting villagers with various projects, including raising chickens and teaching them modern farming methods.

Maleme Ranch offers grazing pastures to the villagers, who were also given pieces of land by Cunningham to do their small-scale agricultural projects, like poultry.

Villagers, chiefs, political parties and civic groups in Matabeleland argue Mashingaidze should go and grab a farm in his home province, saying that they were fed up with situations where people from outside the region were coming to “grab everything” from jobs to farms from them. Newsday

Wilbert Mukori |Zimbabwe is not in this political and economic mess by accident. We are where we are because we, as a people, have not stopped to think through what  it is we want and hence for the last 37 years we have blundered from pillar to post. Some of our social media based protest groups have been have had their share of blundering.

“I think it’s important for us to note that there have to be a moment with which we distil what has happened before we react,” Pastor Evans Mawarire of #Thisflag told New Zimbabwe.

“It’s important for now to just respond and not necessarily react. There is still need for analysis really on which direction are these people (government) taking.”

Pastor Mawarire has never really understood what it is exactly the nation has been fighting for these last 37 years. His understanding of anything has been very superficial at best. Admittedly it is impossible to have an intelligent debate on any subject much less on politics with someone whose starting baseline is zero and stick to the 140 characters maximum twitter limit.

Pastor Mawarire’s latest blunder emanates from his failure to appreciate that the military coup that forced Mugabe to resign and in the purge of all G40 loyalists from Zanu PF had everything to do with the dog-eat-dog factional war that has been raging in that party for the last three years. The coup had nothing to do with advancing the ordinary Zimbabwean’s fight for democratic changes to restore individual freedoms and basic human rights including the right to free and fair elections. 

“Operation Restore Legacy”, as the coup plotter call the coup was about stopping Mugabe handing political power to his wife Grace and her G40 faction and handing it back, restoring it, to the Joint Operation Command (JOC), the Junta comprising of security services top brass and headed by Mnangagwa and Mugabe himself until the coup. JOC has ruled the country all these last 37 years with an iron fist, it has master minders and executed all the corruption, vote rigging, tyrannical oppression and murders. 

All the coup has done is effect a change of JOC leader from Mugabe to Mnangagwa otherwise nothing else has changed. It is only those who are political naïve and gullible who equate the departure of the dictator, Mugabe, with the demise of the Zanu PF dictatorship. 

Mugabe lost the March 2008 elections to Tsvangirai by a staggering 73%, for example. It was Mnangagwa and the other JOC members who told the tyrant not to throw in the towel. They masterminded the six weeks recount to reduce Tsvangirai’s victory to 47% and thus force the run-off. Again, it was Mnangagwa & co. who masterminded and executed Operation “Mavhotera papi!” (Whom did you vote for!) in which the electorate were subjected to barbaric abuse and wanton violence to punish them for having voted Tsvangirai in the March vote. Mugabe won the run-off by a warping 84%.

The most immediate proof of the JOC being perfectly capable of carrying on without Mugabe, is the November coup against the tyrant. It is clear that Mugabe himself never doubted Mnangagwa & co. were capable of staging a successful coup against him because his wife told us the tyrant was “sleeping with one eye open”. 

Mugabe was the figure head of JOC but one the Junta could do without when push came to shove. Mugabe was no more than the tail of the autotomy gecko, when the JOC members were threaten they forced him to resign just as readily as the gecko, captured by its tail, will shed-off the tail to make good its escape.
    
The 2008 to 2013 GNU presented the nation a golden opportunity to implement the democratic reforms necessary to restore the individual freedoms and human rights the Zanu PF dictatorship had systematically eroded away. Sadly, Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends failed to get even one reform implemented and the chance was wasted. 

The dog-eat-dog infighting in Zanu PF has left the party divided and weak, other than the GNU years, the weakest it has ever been in all its 37 years in power. This is another half chance for povo to their demands to implement the democratic reforms.

“I think these are all moments which are helping us to locate ourselves in this new dispensation; how do we posture ourselves in relation to this new government, what is our messaging, what are our key concerns so far in these first 50 or 100 days as we go,” argued Mawarire.

Wait, wait for what? Wait for Zanu PF to regroup and consolidate its power? No, you hit the metal whilst it is still hot, you press for reforms whilst Zanu PF is weak! 

President Mnangagwa has promised “free, fair and credible” to take people’s attention off the demands to implement reforms before elections. Of all the Zanu PF leaders, he knows all there is to know about rigging elections and why the reforms are important because he, unlike the likes of Joice Mujuru who were spectators, masterminded and executed all Zanu PF’s vote rigging schemes in the past. He wants everyone to go into next year’s elections believing the elections will be free because he said so although he has not implemented even one reform. 

President Mnangagwa is aware Zanu PF is already rigging next year’s elections. As Minister of Justice, he delayed the start of the on-going voter registration knowing ZEC will not have the time release a verified voters’ roll before the elections. He also knows that many of the party’s vote rigging schemes would have been exposed if ZEC had produced a verified voters’ roll for the July 2013 elections. The party does not want a verified voters’ roll for next year’s election for the same reason. 

If people are naïve enough to allow Mnangagwa to get away with yet another rigged election; he will willingly take full advantage of their naivety.  

“I think it’s still premature for protest movements to go into the streets and protest because the president has only been there for less than a month now and we have to give him a long rope to hang himself,” chipped in Linda Masarira, another human rights campaigner who heart is in the right place but, sadly, her intellect has not been sound.

“We also have to consider that he has an obligation to try and reform Zanu PF and the system per se and reform does not happen overnight.”

Madam, that is precisely the point; Mnangagwa is not even trying to reform Zanu PF. He and the JOC cabal risked life and limb to stage a coup to restore their iron grip on power; many JOC members are now in his cabinet; those thugs are not going to risk being booted out of power by allowing free election especially when they are not under any pressure to implement any democratic reforms. 

President Mnangagwa is not a democrat and he and his JOC Junta have no intention of reforming themselves out of office. 

We made the mistake of giving Mugabe and his Zanu PF thugs a long rope in 1980 and for the last 37 years they have frog-marched the whole nation into this hell-on-earth; harassing, beating, raping and even murdered over 30 000 along the way. We must not make that mistake again.

If next year’s elections are free, fair and credible; then they will be the country’s first free and fair elections. The nation’s priority then would be to make ensure they are not the last free and fair elections by voting to end Zanu PF’s reign of terror.

If next year’s elections are NOT free, fair and credible; which is a certainty given the party has failed to implement even one reform, there will be no verified voters’ roll, etc.; this will be proof that Zanu PF is not going to change. The nation must unite and demand reform BEFORE elections. The people must have nothing to do with the flawed elections.

SADC leaders advised Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends, and through them the Zimbabwe people, not to contest the July 2013 elections with no reforms. The regional leaders accepted the futility of participating in a flawed process and then complain about it afterwards. If MDC and/or the Zimbabwe electorate had heeded SADC leaders’ advice then the regional grouping would have had no problem declaring the rigged July 2013 elections null and void.

Making sure the democratic reforms are implemented before any elections has been the number one priority on Zimbabwe’s national agenda since the 2008 rigged elections. It was foolish of the MDC leaders to take their eyes off the ball during the GNU. It equally foolish of the nation to do so again when Mugabe resigned because that, in itself, had nothing to do with implement the reforms. If anything, his resignation should have prompted us to push even harder for the reforms.

“Give Mnangagwa a long rope to hang himself,” says Masarira. We made the same mistake with Mugabe and he and his Zanu PF thugs thrived whilst we languished poverty and despair. It is insane to make the same mistake with Mnangagwa with the same team of Zanu PF thugs; they will string us up!

In most cases, when a man is jailed for a long period, his world comes down crashing on him, and all hopes and dreams about life fade away.

And the situation is especially tough for the man’s wife, if he is married.

Left behind to fend for the children, if any, and face the world alone, many try to brave it for a while, but would soon pick their pieces and move on, finding new love.

In the worst cases, the woman simply packs her bags as soon as the husband is caged and sets off.

But not so for Diana Murindi, wife to MDC official, Tungamirai Madzokere, who was last year caged for 20 years by the High Court following his highly controversial conviction for the murder of police inspector, Petros Mutedza, in 2011.

The two are set to wed.

Madzokere — widely known as Tunga in political circles — and Diana are expected to tie the knot this Saturday December 30, 2017 in the prison — Chikurubi Maximum Prison.

The solemnisation of their marriage will illuminate life behind the dark, impenetrable walls of Chikurubi, proving that there is indeed life and hope after jail.

Madzokere, a former Glenview Ward 32 councillor, was jailed in September last year along with two other MDC officials, Last Maengahama and Yvonne Musarurwa.

The couple obtained a marriage licence at Harare Magistrates’ Court on December 13 and preparations are underway for the ceremony to be hosted at Zimbabwe’s largest correctional facility.

They were part of the original group of 29 Glen View residents who were charged with contravening Section 47 of the Criminal Law Act.

Of that original group, some were found not guilty and released at the close of the State’s case in 2013, while one of the MDC activists Rebecca Mafikeni succumbed to ill health while incarcerated at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison.

An excited Murindi yesterday told the Daily News that she was meeting with prison officials to finalise on administrative and other issues ahead of the wedding ceremony.

“Our plans were to get married in September last year but unfortunately he was sent to prison but that did not break our plans. I am still finalising with prison officials and from our church on certain issues before the wedding takes place,” Murindi said.

Madzokere’s lawyer Gift Mtisi, a member of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights who represented the group together with Beatrice Mtetwa said he had been invited to the event.

“I saw him last week when he was collecting his marriage licence with his wife and he extended his invitation to the wedding. He said the plan is to have the wedding at Chikurubi courtyard and hopefully I will attend,” Mtisi said.

When Madzokere and fellow party officials were jailed, High Court judge Chinembiri Bhunu said Mutedza had not provoked the MDC activists when he was murdered, adding that they were liable for the death.

He also said because their co-accused Musarurwa was female, they would be spared the hangman’s noose.

The new Constitution prohibits the death penalty for all women, as well as men who are under 21 at the time of the crime and those who are over 70.

“Mutedza was a gentle giant who requested that they finish what they were doing and disperse. Though armed with anti-riot gear, Mutedza and his colleagues chose to flee the scene and not attack anyone. His conduct did not warrant such a barbaric attack. A stiff and deterrent sentence is called for.

“Both Madzokere and Maengahama have been spared the death sentence because Musarurwa who committed it with them is a female and cannot be given the ultimate punishment. I also did not want to extend the 20 years as none of the three delivered the fatal blow,” Bhunu said. – Daily News