A PREGNANT student at Hillside Teachers’ College collapsed and later died while doing gymnastics at the institution’s sports ground on Wednesday afternoon.

Kwanele Moyo (36) from Mzilikazi suburb in Bulawayo died at the college’s clinic where she had been taken for treatment.  It could not be established yesterday how advanced her pregnancy was.

Moyo becomes the second person to collapse and die at the teachers training college in a space of a week.  Last Friday an English lecturer, Paul Ndlovu, was found dead in his office after he had allegedly collapsed.

Sources said Moyo collapsed at about 3PM and died a few minutes later.

“She started vomiting and collapsed before being rushed to the Hillside Teachers’ College Clinic where she was attended by a college doctor. Unfortunately she died a few minutes after admission,” said the source.

The Chronicle yesterday interviewed her brother, Mr Nqobizitha Moyo who expressed sadness over her sudden death.  He said she was a first year student.

Mr Moyo said his sister did not show any signs of distress before her death.

HARARE – Little-known Zimbabwe First (ZimFirst) party leader Maxwell Zeb Shumba has threatened to take legal action against Didymus Mutasa and Rugare Gumbo accusing them of “stealing” his party’s name.

Mutasa and Gumbo’s opposition party — formed in 2016, way after Shumba’s — is named Zimbabwe People First (ZPF).

In a March 9 letter, Shumba — through his lawyers, Tsara and Associates — gave the duo a 14-day ultimatum to make a written undertaking to stop using the ZPF name, failure of which he would drag them to court.

Shumba, a former adviser to MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, claims Mutasa has been ignoring his calls to resolve the issue amicably, leaving him with no option, but to take the legal route.

The United States-based politician also claimed that he had advised Mutasa that he registered his party with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) in May 2015 under the names Zimbabwe First, People First and Country First.

“Your actions have severely inconvenienced  our clients and is prejudicial to their business  as a party  and it is not in dispute that  the electorate and the public  in general are confused  as to whether  there are two parties  with the same name  or whether one party is a faction of the other ,” Shumba’s attorneys wrote.

Join ZimEye LIVE to participate in a debate focusing on syndicates that are stealing Gofundme funds meant for good causes.

A power deal between Zimbabwe and South Africa could not sail through this week after it emerged that an inter-ministerial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was meant to be signed on Monday had not been vetted by the Attorney-General (AG).

A local weekly reveals that Energy and Power Development Minister, Samuel Undenge, was meant to seal the MoU in which Zimbabwe was to agree to purchase close to 600MW of excess power daily from Eskom, one of Africa’s biggest power producers, for the next five to 10 years.

The MoU was hurriedly put together over the weekend in Harare and was expected to be signed on Monday at Undenge’s offices.

South Africa’s Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson was represented by the country’s top diplomat in the country, Mphakama Mbete, as well as officials from the Ministry and Eskom.

Undenge was accompanied by Partson Mbiriri, the secretary for the Ministry of Energy and Power Development, while ZESA’s chief executive officer, Josh Chifamba and other senior officials represented the power utility.

Matshela Koko, who replaced Brain Molefe in December last year at the helm of Eskom, led the delegation from the South African power utility.

Matshela Koko, who replaced Brain Molefe in December last year at the helm of Eskom, led the delegation from the South African power utility.

Matshela Koko, who replaced Brain Molefe in December last year at the helm of Eskom, led the delegation from the South African power utility.

Undenge is said to have been advised by ZESA officials and government technocrats to postpone the signing of the power supply deal in order to seek legal advice from the AG.

He had hoped to announce the deal soon after a closed door meeting with senior officials from the South African government and ZESA and Eskom officials, but failed to do so after conferring with the officials.

It was not immediately clear if Undenge had consulted the technocrats and ZESA representatives prior to the meeting or not, but sources said the development later turned into an embarrassment for the Zimbabwe government as it clearly showed they had not prepared sufficiently for the engagement.

Well-placed sources who attended the meeting on Monday told the Financial Gazette that Undenge, who along with Mbiriri could not respond to questions sent to their mobile phones, had prepared to sign the deal, but was advised against the move by senior government officials, who said he should first seek legal advice from the AG’s office.

“The Minister was ready to sign the MoU but was told not to because the AG, who has the legal oversight over government contracts, had not been consulted,” one source who spoke to the Financial Gazette on condition of anonymity, said, adding that “eventually the document was put aside”.

After the meeting, Undenge and Mbete refused to give details of their discussions, despite an invitation to the press to witness the occasion.

Undenge said: “It’s a commercial arrangement. There are various modalities that we are discussing.”

Mbete said: “We are hoping out of this (engagement) there will be stronger consolidated bilateral energy collaborations which will strengthen our economies on a long term basis.”

The Financial Gazette has it on good authority that an inter utilities MoU, which was also hurriedly put together at the weekend in Harare, was signed by ZESA and Eskom, paving way for further discussions on the power deal.

This, however, is dependent on Zimbabwe’s commitment to guarantee the deal.

ZESA already has a power purchase agreement with Eskom which is coming to an end.

Sex workers embraced each other and fought back tears as internationally acclaimed artist Zwelethu Mthethwa was found guilty of murder in the Western Cape High Court on Thursday.

Mthethwa was convicted of kicking and beating to death 23-year-old sex worker Nokuphila Kumalo on April 14, 2013 in Ravenscraig road, Woodstock.

The Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce’s (SWEAT) Sally Shackleton welcomed the guilty verdict: “We are elated with the verdict and believe its fair. We have been monitoring the case and the outcome is very meaningful to us. We hope this will set a precedent for other cases. We eagerly await sentencing.”

Defence lawyer William Booth asked the court to extend Mthethwa’s R100 000 bail until sentencing proceedings, arguing that Mthethwa had cooperated throughout the trial and had handed in his passport.

Bail was revoked, which means Mthethwa will don prison overalls and spend his first night behind bars. He has no previous convictions.

Goliath accepted crucial CCTV footage which captured the kicking and beating of Kumalo in the early hours of April 14, 2013, in Ravenscraig Road, Woodstock.

Describing it as a “silent witness”, she said CCTV footage had become crucial in the collection of evidence and the finding of truth in criminal cases.

She said the case had been largely based on circumstantial evidence that she had weighed up “holistically”.

ThisFlag Pastor Evan Mawarire’s hearing has been postponed again.

Mawarire is challenging being placed on bail.

The hearing was moved forward after the state indicated that it was not ready to proceed.

The Magistrate refused to remove the bail conditions and the matter has since been referred to the High Court on the 21st April 2017.

Mawarire was charged for Subversion of a constitutionally elected government; for organising protests in Zimbabwe and in New York.

Other charges are that he allegedly “insulted the national flag” to brand criminal activities and wearing the flag while subverting the government.

He was granted bail by Justice Clement Phiri in the High Court, the latter who said the state was very weak and Mawarire was granted $300 bail.

National People’s Party leader Joice Mujuru has become the first female African politician to enter a written message into Nelson Mandela tribute book alongside international icons such as former United States President Barack Obama and former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan.

The book, being administered by the British House of Commons and to be sold across the world to raise money for charity, already has over 700 signatures from most prominent people in the world.

Some of the people who have entered their written messages include three British Prime Ministers and hundreds of leading international business and community leaders as well as sports, music and film stars.

David Beckham, Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Richard Branson, the late Maya Angelou, Russell Crowe, Chris Rock, Kylie Minogue, Thierry Henry, Spice Girls and Will Smith were also among a host of global stars who have written messages in the book.

In her message, Mujuru, who was in London last week where she was honoured for her contribution towards community development, said Mandela’s legacy would continue to inspire generations to come.

“Dear father, Thatha, a freedom fighter, selfless leader of our great people. We applaud the sacrifice and indomitable spirit that you showed all of us who fought for democracy,” Mujuru’s message read.

“You inspired us, you showed us what it means to love your people, yes, you showed the world what love is. We know you are always among us, you live in us for heroes never die. We shall forever be grateful to have lived during your time. Siyabonga! Thank you for being one of us, baba. R.I.P.”

According to the invite to Mujuru to enter the written message dated March 8, the book will be printed in China and published and sold around the world with all profits donated towards helping children’s causes in the countries where the book will be sold.

“The aim is to launch the published version of the book later this year. Last July [Mandela Day] at London’s Roundhouse, I organised the first Nelson Mandela Remembered Concert ‘Unite against Hatred’ with some of the world’s top musicians and dancers performing,” read the invite signed by Nic Careem, founder of the House of Commons book to Nelson Mandela.

“To be edited by my dear friend the author Janis Kearney, former White House diarist to President Bill Clinton, the book will be a major tool to help continue Nelson Mandela’s mission to end child poverty and racial intolerance. A global figure will be invited to write the foreword for the book.”

The invite added: “It is important we continue with Nelson Mandela’s desire to end extreme poverty and social injustice, hopefully the book in his honour will help bring awareness to this noble cause.”

“My aim is to set-up Blue Sky Village Charitable Foundations in the countries where the book is sold. The Blue Sky Village Foundation will support a number of causes specifically relating to children.” – Agencies

Tichafa Matambanadzo’s tax evasion case rages on with a Zimra official testifying yesterday that the prominent radio personality — popularly known as Tich Mataz —under-declared his merchandise upon entry at the Harare International Airport from China.

Matambanadzo is standing trial for contravening Section 182 of the Excise and Control Act.

He appeared before Harare magistrate Lazini Ncube this week for commencement of trial on smuggling charges.

The Zimra official, Munyaradzi Mhanda, attested that 48-year-old Matambanadzo was brought to his offices after it was discovered that he had declared lesser goods than he was actually carrying.

“He had declared that he had five pairs of shoes instead of seven and five suits instead of 10. When he was brought to me, our machines were slow and I moved to another office and advised him to follow after me with his luggage so that I could calculate his duty,” Mhanda told the court.

“He did not come to that office and when I returned to check on him, he was gone. We had to file a police report.”

Matambanadzo refuted allegations of smuggling and claimed that he was attended to by an unidentified female official after Mhanda left.

He claimed the Zimra official gave him the green light to leave because their machines were down.

Mhanda disputed that claim and said the alleged female official could have informed him about the development on the day.

The “Midas Touch”, as he is also known, will file his application for discharge at the close of the State’s case today.

Shyleen Mtandwa | President Robert Mugabe has just commissioned a $82 million Pretoria Portland Cement (PPC) plant in in Msasa Harare.

It is expected that the plant will produce 700 000 tons of cement per year and create employment, although the plant will generate less than 100 jobs directly.  Also present were;  Ministers Joseph Made, Mike Bimha, Walter Chidhakwa, Chief Secretary Misheck Sibanda and Deputy Chief Secretaries Katsande and Mupamhanga.

Shyleen Mtandwa | #ThisFlag Pastor Evan Mawarire used his birthday a few days ago as an occasion to raise funds to help the needy.

Mawarire used funds raised to buy starter packs for women in need who have just delivered. Among the beneficiaries were mothers at Wedza Clinic.

Terence Mawawa Masvingo | The deadly malaria disease has killed 20 people in Masvingo Province over the past few months, health officials have said.

Officials at the Ministry of Health and Child Care offices in Masvingo told ZimEye. com this week the 20 deaths were recorded in Chiredzi, Bikita, Zaka and Mwenezi Districts respectively.

The health officials said the disease killed 11 people in Chiredzi, seven people succumbed to malaria in Bikita, one person died in Zaka while the deadly disease also claimed the life of one person in Mwenezi.

Health experts have attributed the increase in cases of malaria to the incessant wet spell this season.

Provincial Medical Director, Dr Amadeus Shamu said health workers were working tirelessly to combat the deadly disease.

“I can confirm that malaria related deaths have been recorded in Masvingo Province. However health workers are on the ground and we hope there will be no more deaths,” said Shamu.

An official at the provincial health offices also said: “There are treatment centres in the affected areas and I can assure you everything is under control.”

Non Governmental Organisations here have blamed the government for a lethargic response to the outbreak of malaria in the province.

” We are readily available to assist the government with medication but the whole thing has been politicised by lazy officials in the Health Ministry. Malaria can be easily treated but there is no commitment from the government,”said a nurse who works for a local NGO.

POLICE have banned members of the public from carrying dangerous weapons in Tsholotsho, Lupane and Umguza for the next three months in the interest of public order.

In a statement, the acting Officer Commanding Lupane District, Superintendent Jadiel Mutepfe, said the carrying of axes, catapults, machetes, swords, knives and daggers was prohibited until June 13.

The order was made in terms of the Public Order and Security Act (POSA).

“I, Superintendent Jadiel Mutepfe believe on reasonable grounds that the carrying of weapons in public whether openly or by concealment is prohibited.

“The weapons include the following items which may be used as weapons in public disorder according to Section 14 of the Public Order and Security Act,” said Supt Mutepfe in a notice of prohibition order.

He said that any traditional weapon was also banned from the area covering Tsholotsho, Lupane and Umguza administrative districts.

“I hereby issue an order prohibiting the carrying of such weapons in the area or any part for a period not exceeding three months, from March 14 to June 17, 2017,” said Supt Mutepfe.

Last year, police in Bulawayo effected a similar order that expired in November saying it had been necessitated by the prevailing volatile political situation.

At that time, the Officer Commanding Bulawayo West District, Chief Superintendent Mthokozisi Manzini-Moyo, said due to incidences of marches and demonstrations, it was his belief that public order would be disturbed.

Chief Supt Moyo said history had proved that such gatherings may be characterised by malicious damage to property, assault and all forms of public violence, hence the ban on carrying dangerous weapons in public.

He said the prohibition was not in violation of freedom of expression guaranteed under the constitution. – state media

Former Education minister Aeneas Chigwedere’s son, Mangwiza, yesterday pleaded with the full Constitutional Court bench to entertain his application, seeking to force the whole Chigwedere clan to undergo a cleansing ceremony, claiming postponement of the case would be disastrous as more family members would perish through witchcraft.

Mangwiza’s plea followed an indication by the court to have the matter postponed after it emerged that four of the 32 cited respondents, had not been properly served with papers inviting them to attend court.

Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza, who was leading the bench, informed Mangwiza that the court would not proceed in the absence of confirmation that the outstanding respondents had been served and were aware that the matter was in progress.

“Are you, therefore, saying this matter cannot proceed just because four other respondents are not here? Are you saying we perish because the sheriff has not served other respondents?” Mangwiza asked, but he was interrupted by the court which postponed the matter “sine die to allow applicant (Mangwiza) to file the necessary certificate of service”.

Last year, Mangwiza approached the court seeking an order to compel his father, step-mother and the whole clan to undergo a cleansing ceremony with a view to exorcise the whole clan against alleged witchcraft activities which he claimed were causing several deaths.

In his application, Mangwiza cited the former Cabinet minister Chigwedere, his stepmother Emilia Zharare-Chigwedere, his aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters and 22 others, including Arts and Culture minister Abednego Ncube, Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere, National Council of Chiefs, Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, Traditional Medical Practitioners’ Council, Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers’ Association and the Zimbabwe National Practitioners’ Association as respondents.

In his founding affidavit, Mangwiza said he was still convinced that his father and stepmother were practicing witchcraft and/or sorcery or incorrect cultural procedures that were tormenting the whole clan. – Newsday

Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on foreign affairs, Kindness Paradza, said during Mugabe’s recent visit to Ethiopia, Mumbengegwi took him to the official opening of the Equatorial Guinea embassy in Addis Ababa, while avoiding the Zimbabwean chancery which is now in a state of dilapidation.

Paradza said this in the National Assembly on Tuesday while moving for the adoption of a motion on the committee’s visits to embassies. The report by the committee showed that the Zimbabwean embassy in Ethiopia had overgrown grass and loose electricity cables, posing a danger to staff members.

“When we were in Ethiopia, we were surprised to see Minister Mumbengegwi taking His Excellency, the President, to go and officially open the embassy which belongs to Equatorial Guinea,” Paradza said.

“It is a marvellous piece of architecture, but he did not take the President to go and view our embassy, which is so dilapidated that you cannot believe it is an embassy.”

In response to Paradza’s motion, Foreign Affairs deputy minister Edgar Mbwembwe said the findings by the committee were disturbing but pertinent.

“With regard to the chancery in Addis Ababa, treasury availed $20 000 for the repair of the leaking roof soon after the esteemed committee members had visited the station. With respect to our embassy in Gaborone (Botswana), the ministry last received $15 000 in 2012 for repairs and maintenance. Currently, we are waiting for funding for the renovation and repairs that need to be undertaken at the chancery,” Mbwembwe said.

The deputy minister said embassies had not been spared from the economic situation facing the country.

But, Paradza said since the committee’s return from Addis Ababa in 2015 and the availing of the $20 000, up to now, no maintenance work had been done at the embassy in Addis Ababa and elsewhere.

The committee recommended that $1 million be allocated at least every year by Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa towards the building of one embassy.

Meanwhile, Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda said Parliament would introduce biometric registration for MPs to automate Parliament entrances so that their attendance records at Parliamentary debates and committees were properly recorded.

“MPs and staff of Parliament will be able to enter Parliament building without identity cards once registered by the system. Additionally, the system will also generate an electronic attendance register of both sittings of the Houses and committee meetings, thus reducing the prevalence of human error in recording the attendance of MPs,” Mudenda said. – Newsday

By David Moyo| At a time when not much attention is being paid to atrocities committed by the government before the year 2000, including Gukurahundi massacres, ZANU PF MP Lawrence Katsiru has opened wounds saying Ndebele people must first pay compensation for the 19 century Mzilikazi raids before they can receive compensation for the 1980s Gukurahundi massacre.

MP Katsiru is a convicted rapist and once served 9 years in jail for raping a juvenile.

Speaking during consultations for the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) Bill held bat Mbuya Nehanda Hall in Marondera, Katsiru said closure over the genocide cannot be arrived until the Ndebele people have first paid lobola and compensated the Shonas for violating Mashonaland.

In the mid 1800s the Khumalo tribe later to be called Ndelebe, crossed the Limpopo over to present day Zimbabwe and established a kingdom whose throne was in Bulawayo. They were not the only tribe to migrate into the region as Shonas had 900 years before descended from Tanzania and displaced the Khoi San people many who then relocated to Botswana.

But Katsiru said the Ndebeles are foreigners who came and abducted Shona women and raided Shona cattle.

He said, “I agree with the Bill for various reasons, our sisters and cattle were taken in Mashonaland by the Ndebeles. They should pay lobola for kidnapping and forcing our sisters into marriage.

“They should compensate for the cattle they stole from Mashonaland; I was in Bulawayo during the Entumbane uprising in the 1970s and I saw Shonas being murdered in the streets because they could not speak Ndebele. These people should be compensated, then we should consider paying for Gukurahundi,” he said.

He added, “historians know how much was looted during that period. Compensation should start from the beginning, the era of Mbuya Nehanda not 1980 and onwards.”

Meanwhile, in Matebeleland Bulawayo residents have rejected Katsiru’s Bill.

Local people rejected the bill saying it does not address the Fifth Brigade atrocities that left at least 20,000 people dead in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces.

They said there won’t be any peace and reconciliation as long as the Gukurahundi atrocities are not addressed.

The locals slammed the bill for not addressing the issue of the atrocities and others also criticized it for ‘giving too much power’ to the justice ministry in a number of instances.

President Robert Mugabe has ordered a rerun of the Zanu PF Masvingo Provincial elections, which had been resoundingly won by an Emmerson Mnangagwa ally.

Mugabe’s Politburo (which operates under his command since the changing of the Zanu PF constitution in 2013) nullified the February 23 elections which had seen former Masvingo chairperson Ezra Chadzamira thrashing his rival Mutero Masanganise with 12 393 votes against 4 888. Masanganise is touted to be a G-40 candidate in the crucial elections.

As the internecine battle to succeed President Mugabe rages on in the ruling party, Zanu PF leadership blames heavy rains and logistical challenges for the inconclusive election result.

Zanu-PF secretary for administration Ignatius Chombo confirmed the nullification of the Masvingo elections after the party’s 307th Politburo meeting in Harare.

“The elections will be re-done at a date to be announced,” he said.

About 64 percent of the 408 party districts in the province had voted.

Voting was still to be done in 165 districts and out of these, 10 were from Masanganise’s home area, while 40 were from Chadzamira’s home area.

Sources said President Mugabe would soon meet with his two deputies,  Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, to choose the person who would be in charge of the elections.

Politburo member Joram Gumbo presided over the first elections.

“Much time was devoted on the Masvingo issue and there was debate on whether or not to confirm the elections,” said a source. “In the end, it was agreed that elections be held again to give everyone a chance to have a say in the election of their chairperson.

Parliament is set to investigate unidentified opposition MPs who yesterday labelled Highfield West legislator Psychology Maziwisa a homosexual during the question-and-answer session.

Maziwisa had stood up to ask Energy minister Samuel Undenge to explain government policy regarding payment of electricity bills by senior citizens when some opposition MPs lampooned the Zanu PF MP, labelling him gay.

Buhera South MP Joseph Chinotimba (Zanu PF) then raised a point of order with National Assembly Speaker Jacob Mudenda saying the allegation that Maziwisa was gay had come from Musikavanhu MP Prosper Mutseyami (MDC-T).

“In terms of our Parliament Standing Orders, we need to maintain the decorum of the House and avoid name-calling which is unsubstantiated,” Mudenda said.

Court documents have finally shown the significant chunk of properties owned by tycoon Macro-Economic Planning and Investment Promotion minister Obert Mpofu.

This, however, is perhaps just a tip of the iceberg and most certainly points to the fact that many of his colleagues in government and Zanu PF are also owners of vast estates.

A few years back, it also emerged that Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo owned several properties across the country, after his then wife, Marian, filed for the dissolution of their marriage.

Zimbabwe Defence Force Commander General Constantino Chiwenga was also exposed by his then wife, Jocelyn, as the wealthy owner of real estate in upmarket areas of Harare before he applied for a court injunction barring the media from reporting on the matter.

A MAN from Cowdray Park suburb in Bulawayo has been arrested after he allegedly attacked his wife and niece with an axe resulting in the two women being hospitalised.

Absalom Phakathi (35) arrived home at around 1AM on Sunday and demanded some money and when his wife Ms Egnes Shonhe refused to give him, he allegedly hit her with the back of an axe twice.

Phakathi also allegedly struck his niece, Ms Similo Hove, with the same axe on the head.

The two women sustained serious injuries and were rushed to Mpilo Central Hospital where they were hospitalised.

The High Court ruled that workers who lost jobs following a Supreme Court ruling which allowed workers to terminate employment contracts on three months notice will not get anything. This comes after Government relieved workers by amending the labour act to provide for companies to pay workers retrenchment packages in retrospect.

Zimind Publishers (Pvt) Ltd which fired 75 workers on August 20, 2015 following the July 17 Supreme Court ruling, approached the High Court challenging the constitutionality of Section 18 of the Labour Amendment Act Number 5 of 2015. The publishing firm wanted the court to strike down the section which had the effect of declaring all terminations that occurred after the Zuva ruling illegal unless a minimum retrenchment package was paid by the employer.

In a landmark ruling yesterday High Court Judge Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo ruled that Section 18 of the Labour Amendment Act Number 5 of 2015 takes away the employer’s vested rights to terminate worker’s contracts on notice making it unconstitutional in a democratic society.  She also said that the section was inconsistent with sections 3(2)(k), 56(1) and 82 of the Constitution. The matter will now be referred to the Constitutional Court for determination in terms of section 167(3) of the Constitution. READ MORE

Ray Nkosi | An Assistant Commissioner with the Zimbabwe Republic Police has been arrested for wife bashing.

A report received by ZimEye.com from internal police sources indicates that Assistant Commissioner Antony Mangezi, stationed in Hwange has been arrested for assaulting his junior cop wife.

According to the above attached Police Report of the crime, Mangezi (50) last Sunday used clenched fists to batter his wife. The complainant is identified as Ropafadzo Manyande.

Recently a women’s rights group Musasa Project reported an increase in domestic violence cases which it attributed to economic hardships.

A security guard at a tertiary college (name withheld) in Masvingo allegedly raped a female student in return for her Identity Card he had confiscated after finding her with a boyfriend outside campus. Pedzisai Takawira (35) was not asked to plead when he appeared before Masvingo provincial magistrate Mr Langton Ndokera who remanded him in custody to March 21. He faces rape charges.

In denying him bail, the state led by prosecutor Mr James Murambiza, argued that Takawira was likely to interfere with state witnesses since he was employed at the college where the complainant was a student. The state further argued that he could also abscond trial since he was facing a serious offence that could cost him his job and result in his incarceration.

Allegations against Takawira are that on March 4 he saw the complainant and her boyfriend who is also a student at the college walking outside the college premises after permitted hours.

He allegedly confiscated the complainant’s student ID together with that of her boyfriend and ordered them to return to their hostels. Later that evening Takawira proceeded to the complainant’s hostel and summoned her to the guardroom at the college on the pretext that he wanted to give her the ID back.

Upon arrival at the secluded guardroom near the college dining hall, Takawira allegedly demanded to be intimate with the complainant in return for the ID.

He proceeded to rape the complainant once in the guardroom before giving her back the ID.

About 60 Zimbabwean women who are victims of human trafficking are still literary held hostage  in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said.

The Government has rescued about 161 women who were lured to Kuwait under the pretext of business and job opportunities since last year.

Responding to a motion on a bilateral visit to Kuwait by MPs in Parliament on Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Edgar Mbwembwe said there are still more women who need to be brought back home.

“Our Embassy in Kuwait estimates that approximately 50 Zimbabwean women are still in Kuwait while about 10 could be in Saudi Arabia. Government will continue to assist all our nationals who wish to return home,” said Mbwembwe.

He said the Kuwait Government has been helpful in the repatriation exercise and arrest of kingpins of the human trafficking syndicate.

“A request was made for the Kuwaitis to arrest and deport Zimbabwean criminals who have been identified as members of the criminal syndicates involved in the trafficking of nationals to the State of Kuwait.

A teacher who axed his two granddaughters to death before attempting to kill his wife, abused cocaine and other dangerous drugs leading to insanity, a High Court judge heard yesterday.

Bulawayo High Court Judge Justice Martin Makonese yesterday ruled that Reuben Maphosa (53) of Mafuku Primary School Cottages in Guyu area, Gwanda, could not be held legally responsible for his actions as he was mentally disturbed due to drug abuse.

“From the evidence presented before the court, there is a reasonable possibility that the accused person suffered from mental illness at the time of committing the offence. The accused is therefore not legally responsible for his actions,” said the judge.

Justice Makonese returned a special verdict of not guilty because of insanity in terms of the Mental Health Act.

He ordered Maphosa to be confined to Mlondolozi Mental Institution for further treatment, saying he was a danger to society.

Maphosa was facing two counts of murder and one of attempted murder.

In his ruling, Justice Makonese expressed concern over an upsurge in murder cases committed by mental patients.

FIFTY social welfare officers, deployed by the government to “clean up the mess” following the rescuing of several Zimbabwean women trafficked to Kuwait on the pretext they would get lucrative jobs, have been denied visas by the Gulf country.

This was revealed by the chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs, Kindness Paradza, after Foreign Affairs deputy minister Edgar Mbwembwe responded to a motion on a bilateral visit to Kuwait.

Mbwembwe had told the House that when his ministry intervened in the matter of the distressed women, the Kuwaiti government was co-operative and even assisted in identifying the victims and arresting the human trafficking syndicates.

“What is worrying is that the Kuwaiti embassy has denied visas to social welfare officers from the Ministry of Public Service that are supposed to go there for clean-up operations,” Paradza said. “As MPs, we have set up a committee of Parliament against trafficking of humans and we work together with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to ensure we assist these returnees to embark on income-generation projects and the fund has been set up through IOM.”

In his statement, Mbwembwe said the Kuwaiti embassy estimated that at least 50 Zimbabwean women were still stranded in Kuwait while 10 were in Saudi Arabia. He said Kuwait assisted with identifying Zimbabwean women and collecting their personal belongings.

Mbwembwe said a total of 161 women were repatriated, with 33 assisted by relatives, 28 assisted by Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda’s Young Women’s Christian Association and 32 assisted by businessman Wicknell Chivayo after MPs asked him to do so. One was assisted by her employers and the rest got help from the government.

“Government of Kuwait is identifying Zimbabweans issued with Article 20 visas with a view of returning them to Zimbabwe and facilitate their immediate repatriation, as well as helping in identifying Zimbabwean criminals involved in human trafficking syndicates,” Mbwembwe said.

Mbwembwe said some of the steps government had taken to curb human trafficking were stopping issuance of Article 20 visas by Kuwait.

He said around 200 Article 20 visas were issued, but out of that number only 15 were issued through the Kuwaiti embassy in Harare while the rest were done by criminal syndicates.

Below are pictures of the Emmerson Mnangagwa man, Nathaniel Mhiripiri who was assassinated early this week. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) will not use e-voting in the 2018 harmonised elections although it is intending to procure biometric registration kits to register voters.

In an interview with the state broadcaster, ZBC, ZEC chairperson Justice Rita Makarau said the biometric kits being acquired by government will only be used to capture the usual identity details plus the finger prints in order to improve the credibility of the voters roll and avoid disputed election results.

Biometric voter registration (BVR) is expected to capture voters’ unique biometric features, specifically fingerprints and facial imaging which will be recorded in a database.

When voters check in at their respective polling stations (which will be the same stations they register at) in 2018 these same features will be used to verify if they are part of the voters roll, thereby eliminating ghost voters and increasing the voters’ roll’s accuracy.

Government last week announced that it has secured funding for the purchase of biometric kits and the State Procurement Board (SPB) is in the process of finding suppliers. Initially, the UNDP had offered to fund the equipment.

A 38-YEAR-OLD taxi driver is on the run after he allegedly petrol-bombed his ex-girlfriend’s house in the middle of the night on suspicion she was accommodating another man.

Llyod Tranos of Dzivaresekwa Extension, is now on the police wanted list after he failed to appear at the Harare magistrates’ court answering to attempted murder and assault charges.

Magistrate Lucy Mungwaru has since issued a warrant of arrest. Tranos is accused of attempting to kill Chipo Mburuma using the Molotov cocktail he prepared out of suspicion that she was seeing another man.

It is said that on October 23 last year at around 1am, Tranos visited his former lover in Dzivaresekwa 1 whilst in the company of another woman.

Upon his arrival at Chipo’s place of residence, Trainos knocked on the door and asked his former lover to accompany him to a nearby tuckshop. Chipo reportedly refused arguing that it was too late.

This did not go down well with Trainos who then threatened Chipo with unspecified action.

Trainos is said to have returned to Chipo’s place after an hour, this time armed with a Molotov cocktail.

The 38-year-old is said to have knocked at Chipo’s door before he went to the window, which he tried to forcibly open. Upon realising that it was her former lover who was trying to force open the window, she then switched off the light.

The court heard that Trainos then bombed Chipo’s room resulting in her sustaining burns on her leg. Chipo then took the matter to the police.

On November 5 last year, Trainos went back to Chipo’s place demanding to know why she had lodged a complaint against him with the police. Trainos attacked Chipo with fists and she was only rescued by passersby.

Trainos was arrested and taken to court where he also failed to attend his hearing. – H Metro

A HERD of 200 elephants has reportedly escaped from Hwange National Park and is causing havoc in Tsholotsho North’s Wards 4 and 5.

Radio Dialogue citizen journalist, Norman Ncube said the elephants have destroyed crops from several villages in ward 4 under Headman Mfunda and ward 5 under headman Mcetshwa.

“The elephants have invaded several fields in Mabhandeni, Mfunda, Matshake and Sikali villages, said Ncube.

“They destroyed crops at Gcekeni and Nkwalini villages where a herd of elephants from Forestry area descended to the community fields.”

He said villagers are helpless as they watch elephants feast on their crops as there is nothing they can do to chase them away.

Ncube mentioned that villagers are living in fear of being attacked by the elephants.

“The villagers informed the local authorities and the Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE),” said Ncube.

Efforts to obtain a comment from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (ZimParks) are still underway.

This catastrophe comes amid excessive rains that hit in most parts of the country causing a myriad of problems to farmers where their crops submerged in water resulting in low yields.

Tsholotsho is one of the hard hit areas by the recent cyclone induced floods and international community has intervened to help the affected with foodstuffs and clothing. – RadioDialogue

Shyleen Mtandwa | The Harare City Council has prejudiced the local authority of over $1.5 million it over paid to nine of its former senior executives as part of their retirement packages, a government audit has revealed.

The scam was exposed in an audit which was instituted by government last year and the results came out last week.

The audit said the $1.5 million should be recovered by the local authority in the earliest possible time.

“The minister (Saviour Kasukuwere) should cause through the council further intentions into the over payments and the HCD to be charged with misconduct and be suspended from duty as he processed $1,618,610.63 more than what was agreed on negations.

“Harare City Council should have the executive payroll subject to verification including by its internal audit in compliance with the public finance management,” said the report.

The following are the names and over payment figures of the former Harare City Council nine executives.

Mungofa S,($729,404.80),Chiromo RZ ($24,605.37), Chivavaya J ($203,373.42), Muza E ($4,967.49),Gandiwa M ($10,735.24), Dhliwayo P, ($38,027.00), Chiwanga PC,($278,573.58), Chiyangwa J ($29,881.45) and Zvakaramba C, ($299,042.28).

The report said these individuals should be approached and made to return the money.

Cabinet has approved the payment of civil servants’ bonuses in cash and workers are guaranteed their 13th cheque beginning next month, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Prisca Mupfumira has said.

The Government needs an additional $180 million to pay its workers their 2016 annual bonuses.

Minister Mupfumira yesterday said the issue of residential stands would now be handled under the National Joint Negotiating Council, a platform that brings together the Government and civil servants unions.

“To give assurance to the workers, Cabinet approved the March 6 agreement that was sealed between Government representatives and the workers,” she said.

“It means the move has the support of the country’s leadership and it was also agreed that the issue of residential stands be handled through the NJNC.”

Civil servants representatives were anxious about their bonuses after last year’s incident when Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa sought to suspend payment of the 13th cheque for two years, a decision reversed by Cabinet a few days later.

ONE more person has died following last week’s horrific accident that occurred near the National University of Science and Technology, bringing the death toll to 15.

Enert Sibanda who had been admitted to Mpilo Central Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit died yesterday morning.  Her death came on the same day when seven other victims of the same accident were being buried in moving scenes at West Park Cemetery.

Fourteen people from two families died on the spot on Wednesday night last week when they were travelling in a commuter omnibus to a funeral in Masvingo.

Sibanda suffered serious head injuries and on Sunday, her family sent a plea for $600 for her to undergo a CT head scan.  Her brother, Mr Kenny Sibanda who also lost three children in the crash wept throughout the funeral service and could not hold up even at the cemetery where the other seven accident victims were being buried.

An emotional service was conducted at Kings and Queens funeral parlour where family, residents and friends shed tears as the seven coffins were paraded.

Speaking after the burials, Mr Sibanda said he was devastated by his sister’s death in hospital after the others died on the spot.

“When I thought she would survive, the Lord took her as we laid her fellow kinsmen to rest. I am hopeless, I have lost my children, now it’s my sister…I wonder how I will recover from this tragic loss,” said Mr Sibanda.

His children – Gift, Gracious and Sovia, his younger brother Luke, his ex-wife Magret Dube and her younger sister Rebecca Dube as well as a neighbour Grace Ndemera (48), who was accompanying the mourners to Masvingo when the accident occurred, were buried at West Park Cemetery.

Ray Nkosi | A Facebook group that is run by Zimbabwean mothers has been shut down by the company for allegedly selling firearms.

Zimbabwe’s first women’s group on Facebook Pahushamwari Hwedu is still closed up to now, with the administrators informing members that, ” Ladies : PH main group has been disabled by Facebook. Violation – Selling firearms. We are ‘cleaning’ up the wall, after which we will ask Facebook to review the group and reinstate it. No one has been removed by admins.”

Police have arrested four suspects in connection with last week’s brazen heist at OR Tambo International Airport, but are still searching for the stolen money.

One of the suspects is a police officer.

Acting national police commissioner Lieutenant-General Khomotso Phahlane said last night two of the suspects had appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court yesterday on charges of armed robbery.

Phahlane declined to comment on the identity of the police officer who had been arrested, or his three alleged accomplices.

“The policeman is still being questioned and has not yet appeared in court. At this stage, we cannot rule out whether more officers will be arrested or not.

“The policeman is still being questioned and has not yet appeared in court. At this stage, we cannot rule out whether more officers will be arrested or not.

“What I can say is that none of the money has been recovered.”

The Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs, Shuvai Mahofa last week attacked Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) candidate in the upcoming Mwenezi East parliamentary by-election, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, describing him as an irrelevant empty basket with nothing meaningful to offer.

Addressing Zanu PF supporters at a rally at Rutenga Primary School to drum-up support for the Zanu PF candidate, Joosbi Omar, ahead of the April 8 by-election, a fired-up Mahofa mocked Bhasikiti as a confused political failure whose party exists merely in name.

“Kuno ndinonzwa kuti kuna Bhasikiti, iri ndiro bhasikiti risina kana chinhu zvaro…yangova tswanda yofanzirofa. Look at what happened in Masvingo RDC by-election, ZimPF’s Rosiwetta Madzivire was humiliated and she immediately resigned…that is how Zanu PF operates,” Mahofa said.

She also denied that Zanu PF was thriving on partisan distribution of public resources like farming equipment and inputs, saying anybody who deserves should benefit from the programme.

Ray Nkosi |Former Education Minister and opposition MDC politician, David Coltart has launched an anti -police legal campaign in which he is encouraging motorists to refuse to pay spot fines.

In the campaign, Coltart is inviting all motorists who would have been abused by the police at their roadblocks to come to him so that he represents them in the courts.

“Dear members of the community, have any of the following ever happened to you or any person you know: unreasonably delayed at a police roadblock because you had insufficient funds to pay a fine? and/or the police refuse to issue you a Form 265 to appear before a magistrate so that the magistrate can determine your guilt or innocence? and/or Car keys being confiscated by the police as means of forcing you to pay a spot fine?,”said Coltart .

Coltart who is also a practicing lawyer, said police had no right to force motorists to pay spot fines.

Gokomere High School headmaster Mr Stanley Mutsambiwa has been transferred and demoted after he was found guilty of diverting examination fees for average pupils to academically gifted pupils to ensure a high pass rate.

The pass rate at the Roman Catholic-run school has mostly been above 90 percent for both Ordinary Level and Advanced Level public examinations.

About 30 parents of former pupils who are said to have been prejudiced reportedly made formal complaints to the school and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education’s provincial offices in Masvingo.

Masvingo provincial education director Mr Zadius Chitiga said:

“Mr Mutsambiwa’s matter was finalised and verdict was reached. The position is Mr Mutsambiwa has been transferred to Mutero High School in Gutu as deputy headmaster after he was found guilty of a number of issues. This is a slight demotion from his position as headmaster. For the details on the allegations, you can contact Primary and Secondary Education Ministry permanent secretary Dr Sylvia Utete-Masango.”

Efforts to speak to Dr Utete-Masango were fruitless yesterday as she was said to be locked in a meeting. – state media

Bulawayo residents have rejected the National Peace and Reconciliation Bill for failing to deal with the Gukurahundi killings.

The killing of civilians by a crack army unit in the 1980s – a period referred to as Gukurahundi – took centre stage during a public hearing on the National Peace and Reconciliation Bill in Zimbabwe’s second largest city, Bulawayo.

Local people rejected the bill saying it does not address the Fifth Brigade atrocities that left at least 20,000 people dead in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces.

They said there won’t be any peace and reconciliation as long as the Gukurahundi atrocities are not addressed.

The locals slammed the bill for not addressing the issue of the atrocities and others also criticized it for ‘giving too much power’ to the justice ministry in a number of instances.

BANJUL – The Gambia’s ruling coalition has broken apart ahead of a parliamentary poll next month, dealing a blow to new President Adama Barrow as he overhauls the country’s political system following his shock election victory. Nine political parties will run separately in the April 6 election, seven of which had united last December to oust veteran leader Yahya Jammeh, who ruled the tiny west African nation with an iron fist for 22 years.

Barrow had promised in January following his surprise defeat of Jammeh that the coalition would “continue as a family”.

But documents issued by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on Monday showed that 239 candidates will stand in April, representing nine separate organisations, with some running as independents.

The national assembly was long seen as a rubber stamp for Jammeh’s executive decrees, but the new president has promised to work in tandem with lawmakers, notably on constitutional reform in the former British colony.

The coalition split is likely to embolden Jammeh’s Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC), which remains a major force in Gambian politics although the former president is now in exile in Equatorial Guinea.

The APRC took 43 of the 48 seats contested during the last parliamentary election in 2012, which was boycotted by the vast majority of opposition parties.

Five seats are also appointed by the president to give an overall 53 seats.

Barrow had barely finished putting his cabinet together before disagreements broke out last week over the poll, with one senior government source warning at the time that talks for an ongoing alliance were close to collapse.

Disagreements over representation and allocation of seats had caused tensions, the source said.

Barrow was formerly a member of the United Democratic Party (UDP), the largest opposition grouping in the Jammeh era, but resigned to run as the coalition candidate.

MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai on Monday beat police and State Security agents in Beitbridge, who were left with an egg in the face after a court freed 10 MDC-T members arrested on allegations of holding an unsanctioned meeting.

In a 12-page judgment, magistrate Trevor Nyatsanza interpreted the Public Order and Security Act (Posa) and how it could not apply against Morgan Ncube and nine others.

Nyatsanza said in the event a meeting had been held, only the convener should have been arrested and not the entire crowd.

Morgan Ncube, the MDC-T 2013 losing parliamentary candidate and nine others, including a woman with a baby, were on March 3 this year arrested on allegations of holding a meeting without seeking police approval.

A row has erupted between rival Zanu PF youth groups in Bulawayo over allegations of mistreatment of Indian and Jewish businesspeople in the city, it has emerged.

One of the groups currently engaged in intermittent protests to force the ruling party to expel Zanu PF interim Bulawayo provincial executive led and Anna Mokgohloa, claim rogue youths who support Provincial Affairs minister Eunice Sandi-Moyo were allegedly behind the harassment.

“We note with concern the abuse of businesspeople, especially those of the Indian and Jewish communities. We demand that these businesses are a no-go area as they have served Bulawayo for many years,” a petition seen by journalists read.

President Robert Mugabe donated biscuits to Tsholotsho cyclone victims. Below is a picture of the document showing who donated what to the people.

Terrence Mawawa, Gweru | Youth Indigenization and Economic Empowerment Minister, Patrick Zhuwao has stressed his support for the National Youth Service saying the programme plays a pivotal role in campaigning for Zanu PF.

Addressing party supporters in the Midlands Capital, Zhuwao praised National Youth Service members also known as Green Bombers for their loyalty to Zanu PF. Despite calls by opposition political parties and members of the civic society for the disbandment of programme, Zhuwao defended the role of Green Bombers. He claimed they were custodians of sovereignty.

The Green Bombers are well known for tormenting perceived Zanu PF opponents, political observers have said.

“Everyone should be reminded that the National Youth Service is clearly stipulated in Section 20 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. Therefore the programme is here stay,” said Zhuwao.

He added: “We are actually in the process of reviving the programme across the country. We look forward to 1260 members this year. Those who are making a lot of noise about the programme will be put to shame.”

He accused the Zimbabwe Peace Project(ZPP) of peddling “falsehoods” about the National Youth Service.

“I know the ZPP has been saying a lot of unfounded issues about the National Youth Service,” said Zhuwao.

At least 80 000 members of the dreaded youth militia have been trained in Zimbabwe since 2007 according to the United States Country Report on Human Rights.

Kwekwe deputy mayor Aaron Sithole (MDC-T) has died, hardly a month after he was released from prison on bail.

Sithole died in Harare yesterday morning at a private hospital, after his health deteriorated while he was held at Hwahwa Prison in Gweru for nearly a month.

Close friend and fellow councillor, Janet Ticharunga confirmed his death.

“This sad news has left our hearts shattered. He was a sober and calm gentleman, who was unwavering in the face of dictatorship,” she said.

Sithole was slapped with a two-year jail term in January by Kwekwe provincial magistrate Ngoni Nduna, after being found guilty of engaging in violence during a demonstration against President Robert Mugabe’s regime.

He denied the charges and instead told the court that he was suffering from hypertension and was not in any shape to engage in demonstrations or throw stones at the police as alleged.

Sithole was, however, jailed together with MDC-T activist Tendai Virimayi and councillor Weston Masiya, who is also battling for life in hospital following his release on appeal.

The two councillors complained of having been exposed to harsh cold weather and poor food during their incarceration, which affected their health.

Kwekwe mayor Matenda Madzoke said his deputy was a sober and hardworking councillor, who was irreplaceable.

“We have lost a man who was driven by the interest of the people of Kwekwe. I worked well with him despite the fact that he was from MDC-T and I am from Zanu PF. It will be very difficult to replace him,” he said.-Newsday

• Mugabe “heroes acre escape.”
• Bulawayo and Mat North reject Gukurahundi Bill again.

By Stella Moyo| In what has been termed a Mugabe “heroes acre escape,” Bulawayo and Matabeleland North provinces have yet again rejected the proposed Truth and Reconciliation Bill now commonly referred to as the Gukurahundi Bill.

The bill has been pushed in this year 2017, 33 years after the Gukurahundi evils of the early 80s, a rush said to portray President Robert Mugabe’s attempt to carpet down the truth.

Residents from the two provinces completely rubbished the bill which is being brought for public consultations for the second time after it was also rejected by both Members of Parliament and members of the public in last year’s consultations.

The consulted residents claim that the redrafted bill still resembles the initial one which they say gives more protection to the perpetrators of former violence and atrocities instead of the victims.

The residents further claim that the bill gives too much room to state security to deny some so called big people room not to be tried in public for their involvements in past injustices and atrocities on the claim that their evidence could be a threat to national security.

In the consultations held in Bulawayo yesterday, residents even demanded for the complete dissolution of the current Parliamentary Committee on Justice claiming that the committee was failing to do its work by repeatedly producing a bill which fails to meet the constitutional expectations on truth and reconciliation.

The hearings move to Matabeleland South in Plumtree Town today where the people from Matabeleland South who were hardest hit by Gukurahundi atrocities of the early eighties are expected to make their contributions on the bill.

A police officer stationed in Beitbridge has been arrested for allegedly conniving with two people in an attempt to sell 27 cattle stolen from South Africa to the Cold Storage Commission in Bulawayo.

Patrick Gwete (34), a police officer based at Tuli police station in Beitbridge, Onius Ndou (46) and Leonard Mangavha (40) all of Swereki area under Chief Stauze, pleaded not guilty to stocktheft charges when they appeared before Beitbridge resident magistrate, Mr Langton Mukwengi.

They were remanded out of custody to March 20 for continuation of trial. Beitbridge Area Prosecutor, Mr Johannes Tlou said on August 3 last year at around midnight, Ndou and Mangavha illegally crossed the Limpopo River into South Africa and stole 27 cattle valued at R244, 000 at Kongo Farm.

They then allegedly drove the cattle back into the country on the same day. Mr Tlou said the pair also bought seven other cattle on August 4 at a cattle auction in Gwanda.

A Harare man who raped his friend’s sister in his car after offering her a lift home on Christmas Day, will spend the next 11 years in jail.

Davison Mutizwa (44) raped the 19-year-old woman in his vehicle while her two-year-old son watched.

The woman reportedly sustained internal injuries in her privates and bled for two weeks, a medical report revealed.

The magistrate Ms Lucy Mungwari sentenced Mutizwa to 16 years in prison, but suspended five years on condition of good behaviour.

Mutizwa will serve 11 effective years.

There was drama in court when Mutizwa’s mother wept uncontrollably soon after Ms Mungwari pronounced the sentence.

When Mutizwa was being led to the court’s holding cells by a prison guard, his mother stood up and raised her hands and wailed uncontrollably in disbelief.

“Maihwee. yohwee kani mwana wangu kani,” she wailed, much to the astonishment of the court and the gallery.

She had to be escorted out of the court room by a court orderly, as she was now disturbing the proceedings.

Ms Mungwari said a lengthy custodial sentence for Mutizwa would meet the justice of the offence, considering that he exposed the victim to sexually transmitted diseases.

She said the court needed to send a strong message to would be offenders.

“The convicted person did not respect the woman’s rights and worse still he exposed three people to sexually transmitted diseases – that is his wife, the victim and her husband,” she said.

“You almost ruined her marriage and her wedding was cancelled due to your actions. It is now uncertain if the wedding will take place.”

In aggravation, the prosecutor Mr Ephraim Zinyandu urged the court to send Mutizwa to jail for a lengthy period.

Mr Zinyandu proved that on Christmas Day last year, the woman went to a Christmas party with her child in Old Tafara suburb.

At around midnight, she decided to go back home to the nearby New Mabvuku suburb and was accompanied to the bus stop by her brother.

The victim’s brother flagged down Mutizwa’s vehicle after recognising him and he assured his sister that she would get home safely since he knew him.

Mutizwa drove to New Mabvuku and the woman gave him 25 cents which he said was not enough.

He then parked his vehicle and started demanding sexual intercourse as compensation for the other 25 cents, after telling her that the distance cost 50 cents.

Mutizwa proceeded to rape the woman.

VIVA Zimbabwe and former ZANU PF Central Committee member, Acie Lumumba has attacked MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

Writing in on Tuesday, Lumumba said Tsvangirai can never take over the Presidency from Robert Mugabe.

While I want Mugabe gone, there is no way I want him replaced by Tsvangirai or Mujuru. Absolutely NO WAY

— LUMUMBALUMUMBA (@acielumumba) March 14, 2017

“While I want Mugabe gone, there is no way I want him replaced by Tsvangirai or Mujuru. Absolutely NO WAY

Hundreds of people thronged Nyachityu Village in Marange to pay their last respects to former acting Chief Marange Mr Gilbert Chikwadombo, who died on Sunday and was buried at his homestead here yesterday.

He was 49.

Mr Chikwadombo, who is remembered for serving his area with distinction both as a traditionalist and politician, succumbed to suspected malaria.

Addressing mourners, Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Dr Chris Mushohwe said Mr Chikwadombo left a void difficult to fill.

Dr Mushohwe said Mr Chikwadombo dedicated his life to serving the people politically and traditionally, which justifies why President Mugabe accorded him liberation hero status.

He explained that such a status can only be accorded to true patriots, adding that even the likes of former Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru will not get such recognition since she has sold out.

“I know him as someone who was both politically and traditionally correct and worked tirelessly to ensure development of the Marange area. He was shrewd, and a gift to both Government and Zanu-PF. He was a true leader, a humble and servant leader,” said Dr Mushohwe, adding that the departed treated all equally.

A woman from Bulawayo who indiscriminately assaulted her nephew to death for allegedly stealing Z$100 000, was yesterday ordered to perform 360 hours of community service.

Ntombizodwa Ncube (46) of Cowdray Park suburb fatally assaulted Brighton Moyo (10) on suspicion that he stole school fees money which had gone missing in their house in 2005.

Ncube, who was initially facing a murder charge, was convicted of a lesser charge of culpable homicide by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese.

She was sentenced to five years in jail of which three years were suspended for five years on condition that she does not within that period commit a similar crime.

The remaining two years were further suspended on condition that she performs 360 hours of community service at Mahlathini Primary School in Cowdray Park suburb starting from today.

In passing sentence, Justice Makonese condemned Ncube’s conduct, saying it was deplorable.

“The young victim suffered a painful death and the courts frown upon people who take the law into their own hands. The force you used was extreme and you certainly exceeded the bounds of discipline when you brutally and senselessly attacked a 10-year-old boy.

ONE more person has died following last week’s horrific accident that occurred near the National University of Science and Technology, bringing the death toll to 15.

Enert Sibanda who had been admitted to Mpilo Central Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit died yesterday morning.  Her death came on the same day when seven other victims of the same accident were being buried in moving scenes at West Park Cemetery.

Fourteen people from two families died on the spot on Wednesday night last week when they were travelling in a commuter omnibus to a funeral in Masvingo.

Sibanda suffered serious head injuries and on Sunday, her family sent a plea for $600 for her to undergo a CT head scan.  Her brother, Mr Kenny Sibanda who also lost three children in the crash wept throughout the funeral service and could not hold up even at the cemetery where the other seven accident victims were being buried.

An emotional service was conducted at Kings and Queens funeral parlour where family, residents and friends shed tears as the seven coffins were paraded.

“When I thought she would survive, the Lord took her as we laid her fellow kinsmen to rest. I am hopeless, I have lost my children, now it’s my sister…I wonder how I will recover from this tragic loss,” said Mr Sibanda.

His children – Gift, Gracious and Sovia, his younger brother Luke, his ex-wife Magret Dube and her younger sister Rebecca Dube as well as a neighbour Grace Ndemera (48), who was accompanying the mourners to Masvingo when the accident occurred, were buried at West Park Cemetery.

Insiza Rural District Council has temporarily suspended the issuing of stands at the new Bekezela high density area as it requires at least US$2 million to install water and sewer reticulation system for the residential suburb.

The gold mining district has continued to see an influx of fortune seekers in Filabusi, thereby creating a demand for housing stands.

Insiza Rural District Council chief executive officer Mr Fidres Manombe says the local authority’s housing project has been hampered by the lack of funds to install water and sewer reticulation system at Bekezela high density area.

Of the US$2 million required by the council for developing the stands, government through the public sector investment programme has availed US$200 000 which will see the local authority installing collective septic tanks.

Ward 15 Councillor Thembinkosi Ngwenya says the local authority is keen to see the Growth Point expanding, hence efforts to provide stands at subsidised costs.

Filabusi has a total of 2927 stands with over 500 people currently on the council housing list.

Under the ZIM ASSET social services cluster Matabeleland South province had set itself to deliver 12 500 houses by 2018 and recent statistics shows that the province has surpassed its target.-state media

Zimbabwe has the highest teenage fertility rate in sub Saharan Africa. A national study has revealed that one in every 10 girls, aged between 15 to 19 years falls pregnant every year. Cultural and religious practices are being blamed.

The release of a shocking report has found that Zimbabwe records between 500 000 and 700 000 pregnancies annually. The report has also shown that almost a fifth of the pregnancies in this group are due to early child marriage.

Zimbabwe’s fertility is recorded to be twice as high in rural areas as opposed to those living in urban areas. Another concerning factor is the high rate of women dying while giving birth.

In 2016 government recorded that 514 women died while bringing in new life.

“This therefore requires our urgent attention as teenage pregnancy severely curtails girls and young women’s opportunity and hinders their ability to reach their full potential. A young adolescent girl can be an asset for her country if she is not married off during her childhood, if she is not forced to leave school or exposed to an unplanned pregnancy that puts her to high risk of illness, “says the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)’s Zimbabwe Representative Cheikh Cisse.

According to the UNFPA, every day in developing countries, 20 000 young girls under 18 give birth. This amounts to 7.3 million births a year. Southern Africa has the highest level of adolescent pregnancy. It is estimated at 101 births per 1000 woman.

Cisse says teenage pregnancy remains a major challenge around the world.

“Throughout the world pregnancy remains a challenge to young people. Adolescent pregnancy is a major contributor to maternal and child mortality and to the vicious cycle of ill health and poverty. “

Zimbabwe’s health ministry has since called on traditional leaders to respect the country’s laws and move away from some cultural practices that marry off young girls. – SABC

THE MDC T says it has long given up on reporting attacks by their Zanu PF rivals to the police insisting the law enforcement agents have shown little enthusiasm to prosecute President Robert Mugabe’s followers.
Seven MDC-T youths in Harare were left hospitalised weekend for injuries sustained during attacks by Zanu PF youths during the party’s ongoing door-to-door campaign.
But still, MDC-T youth organising secretary, Denford Ngadziore said they will not report the attacks.
“We have not reported the matter to the police because they will not do anything about it.
“It is as if the police belong to a certain group of people,” he said.
Ngadziore accused Highfields West legislator Psychology Mazivisa of instigating the violence.
“I can confirm that seven MDC-T youths were injured and hospitalised in Highfields over the weekend.
“The information we gathered is that Highfields West MP Psychology Maziwisa bussed people from Mbare who attacked the MDC-T youths,” Ngadziore said.
Zimbabwean police have often been accused of being partisan towards President Mugabe’s party.
Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri is an avowed Zanu PF supporter and is often seen together with other service chiefs at some Zanu PF gatherings such as the party’s annual people’s conferences and President Mugabe’s birthday celebrations.
According to the Zimbabwe Peace Project monthly reports on politically motivated violations, the MDC-T often tops the lists of political violence victims while Zanu PF has top the perpetrators list.
Police have often been accused of overzealous pursuit of cases in which Zanu PF supporters fall victim to attacks by rivals, albeit on rare occasions.
Meanwhile, Ngadziore has vowed the attacks by their rivals will not deter the youths from going ahead with the fresh campaigns which aim to lure more support for the main opposition ahead of next year’s harmonised elections.
“This will not stop us; we are definitely going to continue. It is an ongoing programme which will take place every Saturday and Sunday,” he said.
MDC-T rolled out a door to door mobilising campaign as it seeks to target one million voters.

 A Chipinge woman has been hacked to death with a machete for shaving her pubic hair without her husband’s consent.

Now Kudzai Ndongwa (35) of Mbeure Village under Chief Musikavanhu, Chipinge has been convicted by High Court Judge, Charles Hungwe of murder. He was slapped with a 25-year jail term.

Justice Hungwe condemned Ndongwa for being ruthless towards his wife and cutting her life short in cold blood.

He said: “The matter constitutes the worst case scenario of domestic violence at a time where we are fighting day and night against such violent acts.

“It has been proved beyond reasonable doubt that the deceased had not provoked you in any way, but you went ahead and murdered her. As your wife and dependant, your main duty was to protect her, but you acted otherwise and killed her in cold blood and therefore you deserve an even stiffer jail term.”

In his defence, however, Ndongwa told the court that his wife’s action was taboo in their culture and that she had to get his nod before shaving off her pubic hair.

“I did not intentionally kill her My Lord. My main aim was to discipline her as she had disrespected me by shaving off what belonged to both of us. Instead of asking for permission, she went ahead and shaved off the pubic hair behind my back. This angered me.

“I, however, do not know what happened next as I was no longer myself after I begun assaulting her. It might not have been me who committed the heinous crime because up to now I do not remember how everything happened. I was not in my normal senses,” he defended himself.

The State led by Mrs Jane-Rose Matsikidze alleged that on April 3, 2016, Ndongwe who was in his bedroom hut, noticed the late Tendekai Mabika burying something in a disused pit within their homestead.

After Mabika had left the pit, Ndongwe went to check on what had been thrown away by his wife. He concluded that the buried plastic bag contained what seemed like human hair.

The angry Ndongwa then confronted his wife on why she had shaved without his consent and even went further to throw away the pubic hair secretly. This led to a heated argument between the couple.

Mabika is alleged to have asked Ndongwa on whether he was labelling her witch, thereby making the latter much angry.

Ndongwa went back into his bedroom hut and came back armed with a machete.

In the middle of the heated argument, Ndongwa struck Mabika with the machete. Mabika took to her heels, but Ndongwa was in hot pursuit.

Ndongwa struck her on the head, chest and neck multiple times with the machete. After committing the heinous offence, Ndongwa went and changed his blood-stained clothes and hid the machete.

By Staff Reporter A Germany based organization, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, (KAS), has pledged to give technical support to the Parliament of Zimbabwe, by inviting regional and international intellectuals to engage with local law makers in various political and economic discourses which inform legislative processes.

The intellectual capacity of some of the current local Members of Parliament is questionable as evidenced by the ill-informed discussions and debates they engage in, in parliament.

The poor quality of parliamentary debates is exacerbated by lack of stipulated minimum qualifications required for one to become a law maker.

Emerging from his closed door meeting with the Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Mudenda, at his government offices at the weekend, KAS director, David Mbae, said they intended to strengthen the intellectual capacity of Zimbabwe MPs.

“ The most important part is working on capacity building of Parliament portfolio committees  and briefing members of parliament on several issues , for example bringing in local experts ,regional experts and even  people from Germany ,where we as an organization come from , bringing them in order to brief local legislators on questions that they might need in order to put the right legislation in place  and be informed and also inform their constituencies and communities about issues that affect them,” said Mbae.

Mbae, said they were also interested in intensifying climate change awareness campaign programmes , which   most communities in Zimbabwe were  yet to get a full appreciation of.

“ We are looking at sustainable development issues which make the country’s economy blossom  and  my meeting with the speaker of parliament was focused on our cooperation  we are trying to have with parliament and portfolio committees   on several issues,” said Mbae.

The ANC Youth League supports the party’s Mpumalanga chairman David Mabuza’s position that EFF leader Julius Malema should be brought back to the governing party.

ANCYL leader Collen Maine told Sowetan that people who were expelled from the ANC, including Malema, must come back.

“The ANC is a home for everybody. We need each other in the ANC. The ANC is a big elephant, but if many people leave, the elephant will collapse. We must do everything in our power to prevent the elephant from collapsing,” Maine said.

“If bringing [back] people who were expelled will assist the ANC, let us bring them back.”

This comes after Mabuza told the ANCYL provincial general council in Mbombela at the weekend that the ANC was weaker without Malema.

Mabuza, a close ally of President Jacob Zuma, also said he was considering bringing Malema back into the ANC.

But the EFF will have none of this. EFF spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi described the remarks by Mabuza as a “selfish attempt to raise his profile and make news”.

“Mabuza, who represents nothing ideologically, has taken a decision to use the name of the CIC [commander-in-chief] in his campaign towards the ANC conference,” Ndlozi said yesterday.

“We know for sure that he does not mean any of the things he is saying, just like those in the ANC who are talking about land. They are all claiming that they believe in land expropriation without compensation, but we are not fooled because they only use this to gain public attention for their aims to take over the ANC.”

Mabuza is reported to have ambitions to become the ANC deputy president when the party holds its national elective conference in December.

Ndlozi said Malema would never be recruited into any political formation by a “kleptocrat” like Mabuza.

“DD Mabuza represents everything that is wrong with the ruling party,” Ndlozi said.

Malema was ANCYL leader before he was expelled from the ANC in 2012. Sowetan

A CHITUNGWIZA woman allegedly stole a baby in Pretoria, South Africa where she was employed as a maid before misleading her Zimbabwean based boyfriend that she had just given birth.

Sarudzai Mutingondo, 33, was nabbed by police in Chitungwiza’s St Marys on Saturday and is currently in police cells as she waits to appear in court.

According to a source, Sarudzai stole the baby in October 2016 in Pretoria before escaping to Zimbabwe where she lied to her boyfriend that she had given birth while in South Africa. The baby’s real mother is believed to be a Zimbabwean from Masvingo.

Sarudzai is said to have been pregnant when she left Zimbabwe for South Africa last year but had a miscarriage, which she presumably didn’t inform the boyfriend about.

The 33-year-old is said to had got a job in Pretoria where she worked as a maid and when her employer left her with the baby, she took advantage and escaped with the baby to Zimbabwe.

Sources suspect that the baby is about 10-months-old as Sarudzai does not know the exact age of the child.

“Sarudzai was left with the baby by her employer in Pretoria before she stole the baby and escaped back to Zimbabwe. She brought the baby to her boyfriend and they have been living with the baby as theirs since October.

“It was just recently when we heard that she was on the run in South Africa for stealing the baby. She was picked by police on Saturday,” a source said.

Sources added that Sarudzai had been handed over to the Harare Central Police’s Law and Order from Chitungwiza and she is set to appear in court. – State Media

A two-year-old boy has been admitted to Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo after his mother, who is a psychiatric patient, allegedly chopped off his manhood.
The woman from Magwegwe North suburb, who cannot be named for ethical reasons, was alleging that her son’s privates were too big for his age.

The baby was rushed to Mpilo Central Hospital where he has been admitted for the past two months.

Authorities are reportedly now looking for a Children’s Home where he will be taken to when he is discharged.

A family member who spoke on condition of anonymity said the baby’s mother was taken to Ingutsheni Central Hospital following the incident.

“We were shocked when we heard that she had cut her son’s privates. Neighbours said she called them screaming for help after chopping the manhood which she described as too big for his age,”she said.

“We’re equally shocked and sad that the boy will live without his manhood for the rest of his life. It was a traumatic incident and we hope both him and the mother will recover.”

She said a police report was made.

Mpilo acting clinical director Dr Xolani Ndlovu said: “I’m sorry I’m not in a position to confirm or deny if there is indeed such a patient as it involves a minor.”

A nurse who spoke on condition of anonymity said the child had suffered a traumatic amputation.

“This child came here sometime in January and we didn’t see the piece of the cut manhood. We have been treating and nursing him since then as his mother had to be taken to Ingutsheni Central Hospital. She had become a hazard to the child and other patients as she exhibited violent tendencies,” said the nurse. -State Media