A RULING ZANU-PF faction agitating for Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa to succeed President Robert Mugabe is understood to be frantically working to reclaim critical party organs from its rival, after its clear victory in Masvingo’s provincial elections a fortnight ago.
This comes as public brawls between the factions — Team Lacoste and Generation 40 (G40) — broke out in the aftermath of commemorations for President Mugabe’s 93rd birthday in Matobo.

The clashes involved provincial members in Harare, Bulawayo and Mashonaland Central.
Sources said this week Team Lacoste, which supports Mnangagwa, was mobilising district youth chairpersons in Harare and Bulawayo to gang up against their provincial and national leaders in the league as the faction seeks to destabilise G40.

Ructions are also emerging in the Women’s Leagues, where daggers are being drawn against some national executive members belonging to the G40 faction.

Following a fall-out between G40 and Team Lacoste members who had rallied together to plot the expulsion of former vice president Joice Mujuru in 2014, G40 members had orchestrated the expulsion of Team Lacoste executives in provincial, youth and women’s leagues, resulting in their takeover of the critical organs.

Although this had left Team Lacoste tottering, G40 failed to rally the President to clearly annihilate the faction from the party, giving it latitude to re-organise.

At least three provincial leaders from Team Lacoste, who had been suspended for allegedly destabilising the party, were cleared just before the party’s national conference in Masvingo in December.

Although G40 frustrated their reinstatement as provincial chairmen, Team Lacoste successfully lobbied for an election in one of the provinces, Masvingo, where a G40 candidate received a drubbing.

Results from that election have been withheld by the party on account of the fact that certain districts did not vote because of floods.

But the outcome, which clearly gives a Team Lacoste candidate a wide victory, has buoyed Mnangagwa’s camp, which is now plotting to retake the Women’s and Youth Leagues as well as the provincial structures.

There is already discord in the Women’s League, where members are agitating for the expulsion of treasurer, Sarah Mahoka, and secretary for information, Eunice Sandi Moyo.
Sources said Youth League boss, Kudzanai Chipanga, who is linked to G40, is one of the key targets of Team Lacoste.

Chipanga replaced Pupurai Togarepi, who was relieved of his duties for allegedly supporting Mnangagwa’s bid for power.

According to sources, Team Lacoste is taking advantage of the logistical nightmares surrounding the Matobo event to fight Chipanga.

A source said it was clear Mnangagwa’s faction was “fighting hard to regain control of the Youth League”, but indicated that it may find it difficult to claim a stake in the Women’s League.

District chairpersons in Harare are currently understood to be preparing a petition against the interim Harare provincial youth chairman, Edson Takataka.

“We spent the night sleeping in the open, exposed to mosquito bites. There was no food and when we tried to call our national leaders to air our grievances, they were not answering our calls. They think they are wise and we are fools, but we are getting them,” said one district youth chair who claimed to be speaking on behalf of a number of disgruntled colleagues. -Financial Gazette

The Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe (RDZ) President, Elton Mangoma would like to disassociate himself and the party from the social media scam that is circulating linking him to the provision of scholarships for students.

Mangoma’s name has been mentioned in the scholarship scam despite that he is not in any way associated with it. The scholarship is bogus and fraudulent and students locally and abroad should not register anything with this scholarship. Therefore, anyone who suffers any loss of cash through this scam should not in any way hold RDZ and Elton
Mangoma responsible. There are no such scholarships from RDZ and Elton
Mangoma offices.

Please beware of this scam.
For more info please contact: 0718 924 189
Below is a message which has been circulating on social media…

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CREATING A WORLD OF EXCELLENCE

President Morgan Tsvangirai’s statement to the press

Introduction
The party’s national executive has just met, amid the context of a worsening national crisis and Zanu PF’s attempt to steal the next election, even before that election is held.
I will appraise you on these and other key issues that we have deliberated upon in the national executive, including the people’s views that I gathered during my one-and-half months’ tour of the country’s provinces since the end of January this year. Some of the people’s inputs during my tour were strategic, some informed party policy while others were exclusively internal advice to the party and I hope you will understand if I do not give you the full bouquet of the people’s views.

However, we have mainly called this press briefing to highlight some of the important national issues that are pre-occupying the party and its organs, including the national executive that has just met.

1.  The brazen attempt to steal the next election
A fortnight ago, the nation was startled to hear that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, a supposedly independent Commission, had allowed the Zanu PF government to hijack the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) exercise, in the process casting fresh doubts on the prospect for a free, fair and credible election in 2018.

Given our history of stolen elections, everyone was confident with the process in which the United Nations was involved through the UNDP.

Elections are about confidence and credibility and the involvement of the respected world body had given everyone reason to believe in the freeness, fairness and credibility of the process leading to the 2018 elections.

The government, as currently composed, constitutes of one political party. It is pertinent to note that when a government so-constituted hijacks an important process, it means simply that Zanu PF, an interested party, has unilaterally taken over the work of an independent Commission ahead of a watershed poll. This should be cause for national alarm, given how Zanu PF has in the past used violence and dubious companies such as Nikuv International Projects to steal the people’s vote.

No political party that should be allowed to unilaterally superintend an electoral process as that can only imperil or endanger the people’s will.

We are hearing more disturbing reports about what this government is doing to subvert the will of the people in the next election.For instance, we are aware of teams that have been working and training under the tutelage of a spy agency of a country that shall remain nameless for now. There is also a ploy to have NIKUV International Projects get registered under surrogate names in an attempt to enable the company to win the tender to supply the BVR kits.

If Zimbabwe proceeds to use the BVR system, which Zanu PF is not keen to do, we are also aware of plans to have Nikuv International Projects work with some named Indian companies in hacking or engaging in cyber attacks on the whole electoral system once it becomes clear that the results are not going in Zanu PF’s favour.

We are aware therefore that plans are afoot to either control or derail the BVR process, frustrate voter registration and the actual voting in perceived opposition strongholds. We know as well that there are plans to tamper with silver nitrate and other inks such as UV ink that may be used in order to fudge the result of the next election.

As a party, together with our colleagues in the broader democratic movement, we take great umbrage at the brazen hostile take-over of the electoral process by a political party when such work is solely reposed in an independent Commission. The party’s national executive has just met and I wish to restate its resolution that as a party, we will utilize all legitimate and constitutionally permissible avenues at our disposal to stop this daylight theft. Whether in the courts or in the streets, we shall fight all attempts to steal the next election and we fully endorse the resolution that we took with others under the banner of NERA to mobilize Zimbabweans for a public protest on the 22nd of March!

Indeed, come hail come high water, we will do all we can to stem the subversion of the people’s will.

As MDC, together with our colleagues in the NERA and others in the broader democratic movement, we will continue to demand from ZEC that it takes urgent steps to chlorinate the electoral process and restore national confidence.

Our demands include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. A credible voters’ roll
A credible voters’ roll is mandatory and if there is continued dithering and subversion of the biometric voter registration process, then we can ensure that prospective voters simply produce their IDs, as happened in the election of 1980.

2. Civil servants and traditional leaders to stick to their constitutional roles
There is need to redefine the role of bureaucrats and other civil servants during elections in line with the dictates of the Constitution. Those whose roles should be aligned include the police, the army and intelligence services some of whom have been stuffed into the ZEC secretariat. Apart from civil servants, it is important to re-emphasize the apolitical role of chiefs and headmen as defined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe. I heard sad stories from the chiefs themselves of how they are being politicized, including making them chairpersons of the Zanu PF cell structure to make them frog-march people to influence the vote at rural polling stations.

3. Stern action on vote-buying
Vote-buying by any means should be made a serious, punishable offence. We have seen key government actors associated with Zanu PF overtly buying votes with rice and ZIMRA-confiscated items, among other vote-buying gimmicks. We saw these antics in Norton and Bikita West, as well as in Buhera where ZIMRA goods were donated at the same time when the nation was being threatened with a corpse as a Presidential candidate.  Apart from being a punishable offence, vote-buying should be a basis for disqualification, even before the election is held.

4. Chlorinating the ZEC secretariat
There is urgent need to chlorinate the ZEC secretariat for it to be truly professional. The ZEC secretariat should be de-militarized and de-securotized as it is now common cause that it is heavily stuffed with members of the army, the police and the CIO. This is a key issue and even the 10 provincial officers of ZEC must be professional and must inspire confidence in all the political players.

5. Guaranteed access to the public media by all parties.
This is now a requirement in the Constitution, even where there are no elections. Media reforms remain a key electoral matter that continues to suffer from non-implementation, even where the Constitution is clear and unequivocal as stipulated in section 61 of the supreme law of the land.

6. Agreement on the printing of voting material
There is need for agreement by all parties on who is printing the ballot papers and other voting material. We have seen happening in other countries in the SADC as in the elections held in Namibia and Zambia. There is also need for a forensic testing and examination of ballot papers and other voting material before and after voting.

7. Presence of polling agents from all political parties at polling stations
Every political party must have polling agents at every polling station during the voting process.

8. Safety of candidates
All political candidates must be given the opportunity t campaign freely without fear, coercion or intimidation. Related to this, Zanu PF must disband youth officers, who mainly political agents doing party work in the wards at the expense of the State. This is highly anomalous and illegal as the taxpayer cannot be liable for agents directly carrying out Zanu PF work as is currently obtaining.

9. Diaspora Vote
It is now constitutional for every Zimbabwean to exercise his/her right to vote. The ZEC must ensure that it puts in place administrative and other mechanisms in place to ensure that every Zimbabwean, regardless of their physical location, exercises this Constitutional right.

10. Observers
If we really have nothing to hide, we must ensure that our polls are observed by all and sundry without preconditions—and without exclusionary tendencies towards certain observers. All observers without exception must be allowed to observe both before and after the election.

As the nation converges on a common agenda for progress, growth and development and for democracy to take hold, I wish to applaud war veterans for joining the rest of the country in making the same demands for which they fought a brutal but legitimate armed struggle against racism and repression.

We salute the ex-combatants for converging with the rest of the nation in making key national demands.

Not only are they calling for President Mugabe to step down in the interest of the country, but they have now joined the rest of the nation in the sonorous cry for democracy and for the protection of the right to vote, for which they fought and for which so many paid the ultimate price.

A message to our liberation war icons
On behalf of the party I lead, the broad democratic movement and on my own behalf, I want to assure the war veterans, ex-detainees and restrictees that Zimbabweans sincerely welcome their joining the legitimate national demand for the institution of democracy, beyond mere liberation and political independence. We sincerely welcome their withdrawal of support from the notion of one-man-rule and one-centre-of power which were never the objective of the brutal and protracted liberation struggle.

Together, let us confront those who have betrayed the ethos of that sacred war. Together, we can all complete the unfinished business of the liberation struggle. Indeed, our war veterans, with the support of the generality of our citizens, did not only fight for independence. They also fought for democracy and it was always going to be inadequate to assume the struggle was over merely upon the attainment of independence.

I promise the nation and our war veterans that some of us remain sticklers to the solemn commitments we collectively made in the Constitution, especially on the sanctity of our land and that the land reform programme is irreversible.

Fellow Zimbabweans should heed our assurance that we have no intention of stripping anyone of their land; save only to address issues of inequality in distribution and productivity on the land that genuinely belongs to us as Zimbabweans.

Some of us believe in giving beneficiaries the right to land so that this land, for which so many died, can be both an asset and a legacy that can be passed on to future generations. True, there will be rationalization in the allocation of land without any reversal of the sacred principle that Zimbabweans must own their land.

The Constitution is clear on the value we must attach to the liberation struggle and the war veterans who brought us independence through a brutal and protracted war. Their welfare and their plight are matters that we value and hold in sanctity.

Everything that is happening in our country today, including this despicable attempt to steal the next election, is a divergence from the core values and principles of the liberation struggle.

Our brothers and sisters went to war, not only to liberate the country but also to democratize it. As a nation, we have always placed a premium on the right to vote, then referred to as one-man-one-vote, itself one of the reasons the heroic people of Zimbabwe went to war. Any attack or subversion of the right to a credible vote is an assault on the ethos of the liberation struggle.

I want to assure Zimbabweans that we will do everything we can to protect their vote, even though we cannot do it alone. We appeal to all Zimbabweans to work together in the patriotic quest for this nation to hold free, fair and credible elections.

Indeed, I am encouraged by the growing national convergence in this regard, as well as the current efforts to rally all Zimbabweans beyond political parties to forge an alliance that will inspire the people and assure everyone of a new dispensation, come 2018.

My tour of the provinces
In the past one-and half months, I have been touring the country and listening to community leaders outside the party I lead. I am encouraged by the growing national convergence about what should be done in the interest of the citizens and the future generations. Indeed, I have realized that everyone and ever sector has got a genuine grievance against this regime and I know we are all agreed that 2018 provides us with a perfect opportunity to defeat the authors of this debilitating national crisis by ushering in a new, democratic dispensation.

Since January, I have traversed the length and breadth of this country. For f six weeks, I sat under trees, in village huts and in urban town-halls listening to our pastors, civic leaders and traditional healers. I have had very enriching engagements with our chiefs, headmen, village heads, civil servants, commuter bus drivers, rank marshals and ordinary villagers.

I spent hours with students, vendors, artisanal miners and the unemployed and derived comfort in the national consensus that 2018 is a watershed year for all of us, but more importantly for future generations.

Indeed, everyone and every sector have a genuine grievance against Zanu PF.

I listened to the wise words from my fellow countrymen and countrywomen. I  agree to the clarion call that we must all make for the sake of our country; the call never to allow a 94-year old to mismanage our affairs once again. I heard the appeal from across all sectors, that it would be tantamount to high treason to allow a 94-year old another five years, with some even suggesting they will field him as a corpse. It would be an insult to the people of this country to give this man and this party another five years.

Yes, Mugabe may lead his party but he must not be allowed to lead this country solely on the basis of age and past performance!

I am heartened by my fellow citizens and the effort we are collectively investing in ensuring that the country delivers a free, fair and credible poll in 2018. I am humbled by our fruitful engagements across political parties, across religions, across social classes, across religions, across gender and across artificial barriers—all for the sake of this dear country that we all love.

I listened to the people on the issue of political alliances and that as a party we must exercise due diligence on who we work with as some of these political parties do not have proper structures and membership while others are surrogates of Zanu PF.

I heard the cries of our chiefs, headmen and village heads, who are abused by Zanu PF; being forced to frog-march people and to engage in partisan food distribution. They said for all this abuse, they were paid a measly allowance of $25, which is now several months in arrears.

They also told me that Zanu PF had already begun to violate the Constitution, subsuming village heads into Zanu PF structures as cell chairpersons in a desperate attempt to control the environment around polling station by illegally creating dual role for village heads.
I heard the cry of the minorities that how they do not feel they are part of the country. The Venda, the Ndebele, the Kalanga, the Ndau, the Tonga and the Shangaan all told me sad stories of abuse that confirm the ignominy of the tyranny of the majority. There is a legitimate concern about exclusion and domination by those that feel they are the majority tribes in our country.

This is shameful, considering that this is the brave 21st century. We certainly cannot afford, in this day and age, to have people with a sense of entitlement by virtue of the fact that they come from a tribe they subjectively regard as a majority tribe.

It was an enriching experience. I will not forget the concerns, the advice and the genuine expectation from across the provinces that in 2018, we will hold a genuinely free, fair and credible poll. Zimbabweans out there expect their vote to count and their will to be respected so that even the skeptics can enjoy comfort and security under a new dispensation.

A message to the change skeptics
The next election holds a key to the future of our country. We will rise or fall as a nation by the choice we make in the ballot.

I have a message to those who have in the past resisted change and who remain keen to subvert the people’s will because of their uncertainty the prospect of political change in the country.

I wish to assure everyone that there is nothing to fear in the change that we seek. We have no intention to engage in retribution and we are only driven by the genuine patriotic spirit to ensure peace, stability and growth. Change will be good for everyone. Change will allow every one of us to pursue and live their dreams under the protection of the State.
In 2008, a large part of our fellow citizens in State institutions were reticent and suspicious about the prospect of change. The people won the election but there was no transfer of power because of the skeptics of change; those whose reticence about a new Zimbabwe cost this country the opportunity to set a new political direction.

I want to say there will be space for every one in the new Zimbabwe that I envision. There will be neither vengeance nor retribution against anyone. There is certainly nothing to fear about a free and fair election and the new political and economic order that it will engender in our country.

This country belongs to all of us and there will be neither retribution nor vengeance against any of our citizens. No one should have any reason neither to fear change nor to be suspicious and uncertain of the new dispensation that is now upon us.

Conclusion
Lastly, I urge fellow Zimbabweans to support the efforts for free and fair elections with our assurance that we do not wish to harm or engage in vengeance against anyone. All we seek is a peaceful country poised for growth, development and democracy.

I am confident that collectively we will not fail the nation and the future generations to whom we must bequeath a stable, prosperous and democratic country underpinned by growth and opportunities for all.

The year 2018 presents us with a perfect opportunity to start afresh and lay the foundation for a prosperous country. We must leave our footprints on the sands of history so that in future, we will be able to boldly stare history in the face and say in 2018, we charted a new direction for our country!
Together, we can do it.

I thank you

The European Union Delegation, the Heads of Mission of EU Member States present in Harare and the Head of Mission of Switzerland issue the following statement in Zimbabwe:

Today, 9 March 2017, marks two years since the abduction of human rights defender Itai Dzamara. The fate of Mr Dzamara remains unknown and his family continues to fear for his life.

The Heads of Mission of the EU and Switzerland remain deeply concerned at the lack of progress in this case and call once again on the Zimbabwean authorities to ascertain Mr Dzamara’s whereabouts and to ensure that justice is served. To express opinion in a non-violent way is a constitutional right for all Zimbabwean citizens, including for Mr Dzamara. It is the obligation of the authorities to protect the rights of all its citizens.

In Harare, on 9 March 2017

National People’s Party leader Joice Mujuru has been slapped with a $5 million lawsuit for allegedly claiming that Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) founding members Rugare Gumbo and Didymus Mutasa solicited for sexual favours from her.

Mutasa and Gumbo have finally approached the High Court demanding $2,5 million each from Mujuru for making the allegation after she spurned an earlier demand to retract her statements.

The two claim Mujuru’s statements, made in Masvingo last month, were deliberately uttered to “defame and injure” their reputation.

According to the two, the occasion which gave rise to the lawsuit was on February 11 this year when Mujuru, while addressing ZimPF structures in Masvingo, uttered remarks concerning Gumbo and Mutasa, saying: “I want you to google, then advise each other. They said Mai Mujuru, we want you to be our queen bee. I was supposed to mate with all men in the party. I was supposed to be their wife.”

Mujuru was meeting the Masvingo structures soon after firing Mutasa, Gumbo and five others from ZimPF on allegations of plotting to unseat her.

In their combined declaration, Gumbo and Mutasa said: “The statement was understood by the addressees and was intended by the defendant (Mujuru) to mean plaintiffs (Gumbo and Mutasa) are unfaithful and immoral in the following respect: That the plaintiffs asked the defendant to engage in sexual activities with multiple men for political benefit; that the plaintiffs asked the defendant to engage in animalistic like orgies; that the plaintiffs asked the defendant to engage in cultic sexual relations for the transfer of leadership skills.”

Gumbo and Mutasa further said after Mujuru made the alleged statement, on February 15 this year, an article was published on the front page of NewsDay under headline entitled Bigwigs wanted to sleep with me: Mujuru, and, above all, they were in possession of Mujuru’s audio recording addressing provincial structures in Masvingo.

“The said words, in the context of the article, are wrongful and defamatory of the plaintiffs in that they were intended to be understood by readers of the newspaper and ZimPF party structures in Masvingo to mean expressly and impliedly, that: The plaintiffs are immoral, lack integrity, are profligate and are debaucherous,” they said.

“The defendant knew fully well at the time she uttered the words that the plaintiffs desired no such activity from her. Her words were malicious and deliberately intended to tarnish the plaintiffs’ reputation and standing.

“As a result of the defendant’s utterances, there have been disturbances in the plaintiffs’ families, and the plaintiffs’ standing as former ministers, statesmen, high public figures and liberation war fighters has been diminished and soiled locally, regionally and internationally.”

Gumbo and Mutasa said notwithstanding their demand for a retraction by February 24, 2017, Mujuru had refused to withdraw the alleged statement.

By yesterday, Mujuru had not yet responded to the summons. – Newsday

Mpilo Central Hospital Clinical Director Dr Solwayo Ngwenya’s 17-year-old son, Nqobile, has been found dead in the United Kingdom and is suspected to have committed suicide.

Nqobile who was born in Zimbabwe, lived with his mother and sister in Huddersfield.

He was a student at Greenhead College where his friends and coaches described him as a promising football star.

Dr Ngwenya was too distraught to speak yesterday, but a family source said his son was found hanging.

Nqobile’s body was not expected in Bulawayo until at least March 13 following his death on February 27.

Messages of condolences have flooded social media since news of the tragedy emerged. Tributes have been led by his former football club Westend FC in Huddersfield.

Pearce Heggie, who coached him, said:”Nqobile was a lovely lad. He gave 110 percent in every training session and match. He made the other team members smile and happy and always picked their spirits up after they lost a match.

“My thoughts and love go out to the family of Nqobile. You were a lovely lad, you were a pleasure to coach and made everyone smile.

“He will be deeply missed by all.”

Friends took to Twitter and Facebook to pay their tributes.

Fellow student Ali Hashemi said: “To live in the hearts of others is never to die #RIP nqobile #greenheadcollege.”

Cherrie Missin said: “Rest in peace! You was lovely, polite and great to work with could never do enough for you x.:

Rifat Nisa posted: “He was studying with my son at Greenhead College and a good intelligent lad. Very, very sad news.”

“So hard to know what to say, really puts everything into perspective. You’ll always be in our hearts bro, never forgotten. RIP Nqobile,” another message from a friend read. – State Media

There was drama yesterday at Worchestershire Farm, about 12km outside Gweru off the Harare highway, when Zanu PF activists blocked party youths who had come for the unveiling of residential stands at the piece of land.

Some of the women protested by lying on the ground blocking two buses carrying the youths, who are beneficiaries of the Zanu PF Midlands Youths Worchestershire Housing Project.

Zanu PF intends to dish out 14 500 residential and commercial stands to youths at the piece of land where ruling party members, including women, were resettled a few years ago.

Midlands Provincial Affairs minister Jason Machaya was unreachable yesterday.

But Zanu PF provincial youth chairperson Prosper Machando dismissed reports of the clash, saying it was just “a slight misunderstanding” with the resettled people, which was quickly resolved.

“Obviously, when someone suddenly comes to your house, you are bound to raise your head,” Machando said.

“But when we arrived with the minister (Machaya) and explained the purpose of our visit, they (resettled farmers) quickly understood and a liaison committee was formed between the youths and the resettled farmers.”

However, the resettled farmers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a storm was brewing as they felt the youths had invaded the land they had been allocated by Zanu PF. – Newsday

Ray Nkosi | There is no love lost between former Vice President Joice Mujuru and her political nemesis Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Mujuru and Mnangagwa have fought over the years to succeed President Robert Mugabe, the latter who in a typical Machiavellian fashion has played one against the other.

For Mujuru the wound of expulsion from Zanu PF is still fresh and hurting after she told an international audience that she was President Mugabe’s natural successor, a position Mnangagwa also claims to have.

Mujuru was fired from Zanu-PF in 2014 together with other senior leaders, on account of gross incompetence and plotting to unseat President Mugabe unconstitutionally.

In her London address Mujuru said: “When it became apparent that I was the clear successor to President Robert Mugabe, men seemed not ready for that, although the nation had fully endorsed my candidature.

“What is sad in most of these cases of persecution and abuse of women is that men find willing accomplices in some of our own fellow women. This was the case in Zimbabwe where those at the forefront of side-lining me were fellow women.”

State media reports that war veteran leader and Manicaland provincial Minister of State Mandi Chimene said: “There is nothing like natural and clear successor in Zanu-PF.

All leaders come from the people and even President Mugabe came from the people. If she thinks it was natural as she wants people to believe, why was she canvassing people to be aligned to her?

“I think she also mistook herself to be the biblical Daniel who was thrown in a den of lions or Jonah who was swallowed by the fish and only to be saved by God. Tell her that the fish that swallowed her is now digesting her instead of taking her to Nineveh.

“She is day dreaming and I shudder to think what was going to happen if she was to become President when she is now warming up to the country’s enemies like this.”

Political analyst Mr Goodwine Mureriwa said the former Vice President should be grateful for the positions she attained both in the party and Government while she was still a member of the ruling party.

“Joice was way beyond number 20 in the Zanu-PF hierarchy and there were other senior and more competent women who could have occupied the Vice Presidency position ahead of her in the party and I think she is one person who should thank President Mugabe for his immeasurable benevolence,” he said.

“She is also a beneficiary of the amendment made to the Zanu-PF constitution to have a woman Vice President in 2004 and she misled herself when President Mugabe said “you should aim higher”. She interpreted that to mean that she was being groomed to be the successor, which was not the case.

“She then began to mobilise party structures against President Mugabe – an exercise which then back fired. Her London speech is a desperate statement propelled by greedy ambitions and if she thinks that Zimbabweans really accepted her as their leader, let her prove herself at the ballot box.

“I think enough test regarding her worth came during the Bikita West by-election, which saw her coiling back in her shell.”

Mr Mureriwa said Dr Mujuru was now a desperate politician, especially after she broke ranks with founding members of her political project. – State Media

Terrence Mawawa, Mwenezi| An estranged man dumped his wife’s suitcase at his neighbour’s homestead claiming the latter had an affair with his wife.

Moses Sirove(35), of Maparara Village under Chief Chitanga, Mwenezi, assaulted his neighbour’s wife after she had denied him permission to drop his wife’s clothes (including her underwear) claiming she had an affair with the woman’s husband.

Sirove appeared before Magistrate Honest Musiiwa facing assault charges.

Facts were that Sirove rode his bicycle to his neighbour’s homestead and found Letween Kwerengwe carrying out her domestic chores.

He then told Kwerengwe-his neighbour’s wife he wanted to leave his wife’s suitcase because she had an affair with her husband.

Kwengwere then refused to let Sirove dump the suitcase. This incensed Sirove who assaulted Kwengwere with clenched fists. He also slapped Kwengwere.

“On February 17,2017, Kwengwere arrived at his neighbour’s homestead around 4pm and approached Kwengwere while carrying the suitcase. The accused person told the complainant he had come to drop his wife’s suitcase at the homestead. When the complainant opposed the accused’s decision, he became violent and assaulted her,” the court heard.

Kwengwere sustained facial injuries after the assault and she was taken to hospital for treatment.

The case was reported to the police leading to Sirove’s arrest.

Magistrate Musiiwa convicted Sirove of assault and fined him $30 or 15 days in prison.

Kariba pastor Phillip Mugadza, who prophesied that President Mugabe will die in October, will stand trial on March 30. Mugadza (46), who is in custody, yesterday appeared before Ms Barbara Chimboza who remanded him to his trial date after the prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa notified the court that the docket was now complete.

He is facing charges of causing offence to persons of a particular race, religion, tribe, colour, creed as defined in Section 42 (2) of the Criminal Law and Codification Act (Chapter 9:23).
Mugadza has been in custody since his arrest in January. His bid for freedom recently hit a brick wall after his application for refusal of further remand was dismissed by Ms Chimboza.

In his application then, Mugadza, through his lawyers Messrs Obey Shava and Gift Mutisi, accused the State of infringing on his constitutional rights.

Said Mr Shava: “When we appeared in court on January 19, we were told that investigations were complete and evidence had been compiled for trial purposes.

This court even made a determination to deny the accused person bail based on those submissions.

“It is surprising that the same State is now saying it is not ready for trial. This has an effect of infringing on the accused person’s right to a fair trial within a reasonable period of time. The same reasons being given by the State in its application for postponement today are the same reasons they have been proffering since proceedings commenced.”

The prosecution opposed the application and sought a further postponement of the matter.
The court then gave the State another chance to put its house in order and furnish Mugadza with his trial date which they did yesterday.

It is alleged that on January 12, Mugadza was interviewed by The Zimbabwe Mail website and said President Mugabe was to die in October according to his prophecy.

In the interview, Mugadza caused an offence and insulted the Christian religion and African tradition. – State Media

A gold panner from Kwekwe died after he was allegedly attacked by six robbers who made off with gold ore which he had extracted illegally from a mine in the town.

Jackson Matambo was killed at Jojo Mine compound on Monday. One person has been arrested in connection with the incident.

Acting Midlands Provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende confirmed the incident.

“I can confirm the death of a male adult who was stabbed to death by suspected armed robbers at Jojo Mine Compound in Kwekwe on March 6,” said Asst Insp Mukwende.

She said on the fateful day, Matambo and his colleagues extracted gold ore from Jojo Mine and loaded it into a pickup truck at around 1AM.

Asst Insp Mukwende said soon after loading the gold ore, another vehicle with six men armed with swords and machetes arrived at the mine.

“Preliminary investigations indicate that the man had extracted gold ore illegally from the mine and loaded it into a vehicle together with his friends when the armed robbers pounced on them,” she said.

“The suspected armed robbers attacked Matambo and his colleagues with the weapons. Matambo was stabbed several times and fell to the ground while his colleagues managed to escape and sought assistance from the mining compound”.

Asst Insp Mukwende said when Matambo’s colleagues returned, they found him lying on the ground in a pool of blood and rushed him to Kwekwe District Hospital.

She said Matambo was pronounced dead on arrival at the health institution.

“Police attended the scene leading to the arrest of one suspect Freedom Ncube of Mbizo 5 Kwekwe who is assisting police with investigations. We have launched a manhunt for the other five suspects,” said Asst Insp  Mukwende.

She appealed to members of the public to respect human life and desist from using violence as a way of solving disputes. – State Media

A day after President Robert Mugabe’s stone-broke government reached a compromise with angry civil servants over their outstanding 2016 bonuses, the State is facing a fresh headache after rural teachers threatened to strike over the decision to pay soldiers their 13th cheque ahead of other government workers.

In the bonus agreement reached on Monday, which ended months of bickering between the two parties, Treasury will somehow have to find a staggering $180 million to pay government workers their 13th cheques.

The bonus payments will be staggered, with members of the defence forces and those in the health sector receiving their dues first — at the end of April — while the police and prisons officials will be given theirs in May.

Long-suffering teachers will only be paid their bonuses in June, while the rest of the civil service will get theirs in August, a decision which has not gone down well with Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz), which is threatening to go on strike to stop the
continuing preferential treatment of the military.

“Unions have collectively refused this structure of payment which prefers to pay security forces first, yet they are also the ones being paid salaries first and are not part of negotiations,” Artuz said yesterday.

It said it had hoped, in the interest of fairness, that the bonus payment dates for the security sector would this time have been pushed to August, while the rest of the civil service would get their bonuses in March and not April.

With the government having unsuccessfully attempted to pay civil servants their outstanding bonuses using residential stands, Artuz dismissed the idea as a non-starter.
“Residential stands must remain as part of non-monetary incentives given that the employer has consistently failed to pay salaries above the poverty datum line, which is currently at $574,” it said.

This comes as the government was last Friday pressured to agree to a raft of demands by public health officials, including doctors and nurses, to end a three-week crippling strike which had been called to protest poor working conditions.

The government has been struggling to meet its key obligations, including paying civil servants on time, leading to several stand-offs with its workers.

On July 6 last year, thousands of civil servants stayed away from work and heeded a call by activist cleric Evan Mawarire to stage a crippling general strike which was described as one of the biggest stay-aways ever held in the country.

Last year, Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa almost lost his job after announcing that the government was going to forego bonus disbursements until this year, a pronouncement that was sharply repudiated by Mugabe a week later.

Despite the government’s depleted coffers, Mugabe said last year that government workers deserved to get their 13th cheque because it was a contractual obligation.

In his last budget statement last December, Chinamasa painted a gloomy outlook for Zimbabwe’s struggling economy, revising downwards the country’s 2016 growth prospects from the previously hoped-for 2,7 percent to a mere 0,6 percent — and thereby pointing to more troubles ahead for long-suffering citizens.

The lawyer-turned-Treasury chief, who has often won industry’s kudos for his pragmatism despite his principals’ destructive policies, was also brave enough to admit openly that the country’s economy was facing “a number of headwinds” that were retarding growth. – Daily News

A 22-YEAR-OLD woman from Cowdray Park suburb in Bulawayo has been sentenced to a wholly suspended three months in prison for sending messages to her ex-husband insulting and threatening to kill him.

Perseverance Ncube was arrested last week on Saturday after a 24-hour spree in which she continuously insulted her ex-husband, Mr Glen Wheeler (56), through WhatsApp messages.

Mr Wheeler, who has an 11 month-old-baby with Ncube, was granted a peace order against her because she is abusive.

According to the protection order, Ncube was ordered not to harass, hurt or insult Mr Wheeler.

Ncube appeared before provincial magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya facing a charge of contempt of court.

She pleaded guilty.

Ncube, through her lawyer Mr Bruce Masamvu of Dube-Tichaona and Tsvangirai Legal Practitioners, said she committed the offence out of anger.

“Ncube committed the offence out of provocation. The anger emanated from the complainant’s neglect of their minor child. She got married when she was 21 and Mr Wheeler left her,” said Mr Masamvu.

“May this court consider a wholly suspended sentence or an option of paying a fine when sentencing the accused person. She is a first offender and she knows that crime does not pay,” said the lawyer. Mr Tashaya said the court would not accept any justification for insulting Mr Wheeler.

In passing sentence, the magistrate said he had considered that Ncube is a first offender and she did not waste the court’s precious time as she pleaded guilty. “You are sentenced to a wholly suspended three months in prison without the option to pay a fine. The whole three months is suspended for five years on condition that you do not commit a similar crime,” he said.

Prosecuting, Miss Leanne Nkomo said on March 3, Ncube spent the whole day sending WhatsApp messages insulting her ex-husband.

Later in the evening she sent a message threatening to cause Mr Wheeler’s death thereby violating the protection order. “The complainant did not reply to any of the accused person’s messages. She was demanding money for rentals notwithstanding the fact that the complainant is paying maintenance for the said minor child,” said Miss Nkomo. – State Media

A Plumtree woman has appeared in court for allegedly assaulting a police officer in a bid to evade arrest.

Rejoice Dube (31) of Madubesi Suburb reportedly punched Constable Tsungai Mabingo (28) who is based at the Plumtree Police Station when he tried to arrest her for malicious damage to property.

Dube pleaded guilty to malicious damage to property charges but denied the assault charge when she appeared before Plumtree magistrate, Mr Joshua Manwere.
She was remanded in custody to today for continuation of trial.

Prosecuting, Mrs Rose Sibanda said on March 3 at around 11PM, Dube smashed the windscreen of Mr Java Marovedze’s car during an altercation with her husband.
“On 3 March Mr Marovedze who is a taxi driver received a call from Dube’s husband to come and collect him at his house. When he arrived, Dube’s husband got into the car and this didn’t please her.
“She smashed the windscreen with her fists and damaged it. The value of the damaged property is $50,” she said.

Mrs Sibanda said Mr Marovedze reported the matter at Plumtree Police Station.
She said at around 3AM the following day, Constable Mabingo and Constable Jerifanos Museva arrested Dube.

Mrs Sibanda said Dube punched Cst Mabingo once on the chest and once in the eye in a bid to evade arrest. She said the police officer sustained a swollen eye as a result of the assault.

In her defence, Dube said she did not damage the windscreen on purpose, but fell on it as she was fighting her husband. She said she does not recall assaulting a police officer as she was possessed by a spirit at the time.

However, Mr Marovedze said Dube destroyed his windscreen on purpose.
“Dube’s husband called me in the middle of the night to collect him from his house as I’m a taxi driver. When I arrived he had packed his bags and he put them in my car as he was fighting with his wife.

“He told me he had found used condoms under their matrimonial bed and he wanted to part ways with his wife. Dube wasn’t pleased to see her husband leaving and in protest she smashed the windscreen of my car,” he said.- state media

Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Lazarus Dokora has been taken to court over an unpaid bank loan to the tune of $21 000.

CBZ Bank Limited extended a loan to Minister Dokora but he failed to pay back.

The bank is now claiming $21 000 plus interest calculated at the rate of 26 percent per annum.

CBZ Bank is also seeking an order declaring the minister’s bonded immovable property, to be executable.

On May 22 2009, Minister Dokora approached the bank seeking advancement of a loan for medication.

The parties signed an agreement and CBZ Bank agreed to extend the much needed loan.

According to the agreement, funds drawn from the minister’s bank account were meant to finance medical requirements.

The bank, as part of the agreement, would be entitled to charge and debit Minister Dokora’s account with interest.

In the event of minister defaulting payment, the bank was entitled to claim legal costs to pay lawyers engaged to assist in the recovery of the debt.

The bank extended thousands of dollars into the minister’s bank account.

As at January 2017, the minister owed the bank $21 194.

Efforts by the bank to recover the debt were fruitless.

That prompted CBZ Bank to instruct its lawyers Muvingi & Mugadza legal Practitioners to issue summons at the High Court.

Minister Dokora is yet to respond to the claim. – State Media

An armed robber yesterday burst into tears in court and begged for mercy after he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Raphael Ngwenya (25) was part of a robbery gang that raided Bulawayo businessman, Mr Rahmn Bhai Patel’s house in Hillside suburb where they looted property and stole $1 000. His accomplices only identified as Bhekani and Shakes are still at large.

The gang of three hit the businessman, who owns DG Patel Fruit and Vegetable Wholesale Market at the corner of Robert Mugabe Way and 4th Avenue in the city centre, twice on the head using the butt of a pistol, covered his bleeding head with a sheet, tied his hands and legs with belts before they fled with the loot.

Ngwenya had pleaded not guilty to an armed robbery charge. However, Bulawayo Regional Magistrate Mr Joseph Mabeza convicted him due to overwhelming evidence. Ngwenya wailed before the magistrate during mitigation.

“Your Worship I’m of ill-health. May this court be lenient in passing its sentence. I won’t be able to survive a lengthy prison term. I was recently diagnosed with a TB infection that affects the bones and was prescribed 90 injections. I still haven’t got any medical attention so I don’t know what will happen to me,” he sobbed.

Ngwenya said he was his family’s sole breadwinner and was also looking after his sister’s orphaned children.
“I have two children. I’m also looking after my sister’s orphans. If I go to prison no one will fend for them. This was my first time to involve myself in such a crime. Please forgive me.”

Mr Mabeza suspended three years from Ngwenya’s sentence on condition of good behaviour.

“You shall serve an effective seven years in prison. Robbery is a grave offence that prejudices victims of their hard earned money and property. Some may even suffer severe injuries. The fact that you were part of a gang shows that you participated in pre-planning the offence. You went on to commit this offence in broad day light to show how daring you were,” he said.

Mr Mabeza said Ngwenya and his two accomplices robbed Mr Patel at his house in Hillside suburb. Ngwenya stood guard in the gang’s getaway car — a Toyota Quantum with South African registration while his counterparts only identified as Shakes and Bhekani, went into the house.

Prosecuting, Mr Tinashe Dzipe told the court that on January 15 this year at 10.30AM, Ngwenya drove his friends to Hillside suburb and parked at corner Pembroke and Weir Roads.

“Shakes and Bhekani jumped over a pre-cast wall. They went into the house through a kitchen door that wasn’t locked. Complainant was watching television in the lounge. Shakes approached him and struck him twice on the head with the pistol butt,” said Mr Dzipe.

He said the duo force-marched Mr Patel into all the bedrooms demanding cash.
“Complainant gave them $1 000 cash he had in the house. He also gave them a Seiko wrist watch, Apple I-pad, Samsung S5 and Samsung Note 1 all valued at $1 400. Ngwenya sold two of the stolen phones to a computer technician in the city centre on January 21,” Mr Dzipe said.

A police officer said to be part of an elite arm of the force has been arrested for an armed robbery that occurred at a Total Service Station in Bulawayo last month.

Detectives arrested Amos Hlori (39) a Sergeant in the crack Police Special Tactics (PST) unit stationed at Fairbridge Police Camp yesterday.

He has been implicated as the lone AK47-rifle wielding robber who hit the service station on February 8 and got away with $154 and a cellphone.

Sources close to the case said Hlori was tracked through the cellphone.

“He was based at Plumtree when he committed the robbery. A tracker on the cellphone sold him out. He had travelled from Plumtree specifically to commit the robbery at 3AM, using his service rifle. He returned to his post after accomplishing his mission,” said the source.

Hlori was allegedly captured on Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) as he committed the robbery.

Detectives allegedly recovered the hooded jacket that he wore on the day, at his home.

Faced with overwhelming evidence, the source said, Hlori confessed.

“He admitted everything and is cooperating with detectives in investigations. He may appear in court tomorrow (today),” said the source.

Mr Munyaradzi Mujajati (35), a petrol attendant who was on duty when Hlori allegedly struck, told The Chronicle he came in leg irons for indications yesterday.

The service station’s manager Mr Amos Nhapi (29) said he was happy the armed robber had been arrested.

“Police were every efficient. I’m pleased the culprit has been arrested. They came for indications in the afternoon. Munyaradzi even identified the suspect in a parade,” said Mr Nhapi.

On February 8, Hlori allegedly demanded cash from Mr Mujajati at gun point.

On seeing the rifle, the attendant fled into the manager’s office and locked himself inside.

The suspect, who wore a sweater with a hood that covered his face, ordered him to open the door.

When Mr Mujajati failed to comply, the gunslinger fired a shot through a glass door and the bullet ricocheted off a wall.

Mr Mujajati is said to have pressed the panic button that alerted a Fawcett security team.

As the gunman pointed at the attendant with the rifle, seemingly about to take another shot, Mr Mujajati opened the glass door.

“The robber ordered the attendant to hand over his cellphone and cash. After receiving $154 and cell phone, the robber stepped out, removed his hood and disappeared into the dark. The robbery was captured on CCTV,” said Mr Nhapi then.

Minutes after the alert, the Fawcett team arrived at the station to find the gunman gone.

They called the police who allegedly recovered a spent cartridge and the bullet’s copper jacket at the scene.

National Police Spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi could not be reached for comment  as his mobile phones rang without being answered.

On February 22, police arrested a traffic cop who is suspected to be part of a gang of armed robbers that raided West Service Station in Lupane and was allegedly involved in a shootout with detectives in Bulawayo.

Sergeant Alfred Zvapera (31) of Senga 2 suburb in Gweru allegedly surrendered himself at Nkulumane Police Station a day after the heist.

He allegedly claimed three armed men kidnapped him and his girlfriend in Gokwe and forced them to drive around while the trio committed armed robberies.

Police have declared zero tolerance for corruption within the force.

In January, Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri was quoted saying; “We’ve dismissed some officers for engaging in corruption and there are no sacred cows. Anyone caught will be dismissed from the service.” – State Media

Cape Town — The police will fight Afrophobia with everything in their power, Police Minister Nathi Nhleko said on Tuesday.

The ANC was disturbed by Africans attacking fellow Africans, he said during a debate in the National Assembly, intended to promote harmonious existence and respect for all persons.

“We condemn such acts of barbarity with all the contempt they deserve. We regard them as one of the highest and appalling manifestations of mimicking the erstwhile master and doing his dirty ‘divide and rule’ job rooted as it is, in the African’s tragic self-hate syndrome.”

He condemned the hating of “fellow brothers and sisters” from other parts of Africa.

To date, close to 140 people had been arrested on various charges relating to violent attacks, he said. Criminals were hijacking genuine protests.

EFF MP Hlengiwe Hlophe told MPs the party believed no black person could ever be a foreigner in South Africa.

The party put the blame for recent xenophobic attacks squarely at the ANC’s feet and said the party had failed to transform people’s lives.

“There can be no harmonious living together while a tiny minority still own 80 percent of the land. [The] ANC must give our people land [immediately], not tomorrow.”

FF Plus MP Corné Mulder said a no-tolerance message needed to be sent, and it should not be made a race debate.

DA MP Sejamothopo Motau said xenophobia, homophobia, racism, and religious intolerance, bedevilled the nation’s social fabric. “To defeat this scourge, we need to get to the root causes of the problem and eradicate them. Political correctness will not get us anywhere, as experience has shown.”

The ACDP called for all criminals, including illegal immigrants, to be brought to book, and for all brothels to be shut down.

Agang MP Andries Plouamma said the country needed to move away from the premise that foreigners were taking jobs. Foreign governments had been essential to South Africa’s struggle for freedom.

He said people were watching looting on a massive scale in government.

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said the vast majority of foreign nationals in the country were documented and chose to be in the country because of its diversity.

“We are not perfect, but we have a lot to be proud of.”

He would not accept the notion that South Africans were xenophobic.

Unscrupulous businesses were taking advantage of South Africans and hired immigrants for below the minimum wage. Businesses should ensure that no less than 60 percent of employees were South African.

“We are clear and unapologetic that the South African government must prioritise its own citizens for employment opportunities,” he said.

Gigaba said it was impossible and not desirable to close South African borders. It was short-sighted to think of immigrants as only taking jobs from South Africans, he said.

Meanwhile, The ANC on Tuesday cautioned its members and alliance partners against calling for members of President Jacob Zuma’s executive to step down.

“The cacophony of noise for a minister to resign from the structures and alliance of the ANC is not helping the situation,” the ANC’s Zizi Kodwa told News24.

He was responding to growing calls for Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini to resign over her handling of the social grants debacle.

“We have had calls from a number of structures of the alliance. It is not their responsibility,” Kodwa said.

“Let’s leave government to deal with the issues being dealt with around Sassa.”

Dlamini has faced severe criticism of failing to act timeously to ensure that social grants would be paid from April 1, when the current, invalid, contract with Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) ends.

In 2014, the Constitutional Court declared the SA Social Security Agency’s (Sassa) contract with CPS invalid, but suspended the order so that a new arrangement could be put in place this year.

Dlamini told Parliament’s standing committee on public accounts on Tuesday that negotiations with CPS were ongoing.

Last week, trade union federation Cosatu said the saga felt less like “administrative bungling” or a “political own goal”, but instead smelt like corruption.

Kodwa said the ANC had held meetings with various ministers and people involved in the matter. The responsibility to appoint ministers rested solely with Zuma. — AFP

MDC-T continues to count losses over its decision to recall 21 Members of Parliament after it recently lost the right to chair the Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs portfolio committee.

Parliament’s Committee on Standing Rules and Orders chaired by Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda recently announced that Zvimba West MP Ziyambi Ziyambi (Zanu-PF) was now chairperson of that committee, taking over from Harare West MP, Ms Jessie Majome (MDC-T.)

The removal of Ms Majome as chairperson is consistent with the requirement for proportionate representation regarding the way committees are distributed among political parties. “I have to inform  the House that the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders has appointed Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi as chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.” said Adv Mudenda. “The appointment is with immediate effect.”

MDC-T chief whip Mr Innocent Gonese yesterday alleged the decision was politically motivated. “This was clearly a political decision where she was targeted for removal,” he said. “The reduction in the members of MDC-T happened in 2015 and no move was made to reduce the number of committees chaired by the MDC-T, yet when the issue arose in late 2016, Zanu-PF insisted that the Justice Committee could no longer be chaired by us and yet at the beginning there was discussion and consensus.

“Further, we were prepared to surrender another committee, but this was rejected and it was evident that a decision had already been made that she could not be allowed to continue.”

But Adv Mudenda dismissed the assertions, saying Ms Majome and her party knew very well the circumstances surrounding the removal.

“Ask her, she knows the reason. I cannot comment on that because they know the reason,” said Adv Mudenda, referring to both Ms Majome and the MDC-T.

The opposition party is also set to get less amount of money from Government under the Political Parties Finance Act this year over its decision to fire legislators, as the money is proportionately shared in accordance with the number of legislators a political party has in Parliament.

Zanu-PF and MDC-T are set to share $6 million from the fiscus. – State Media

Terrence Mawawa |The commemoration event for missing human rights defender, Itai Dzamara will be held in Manchester, United Kingdom on Saturday.

The event will be facilitated by Zimbabwe Citizens’ Initiative, an organisation concerned about the rampant abuse of human rights. Zimbabwe Citizens’ Initiative’s Farai Nhakaniso (UK Information and Publicity), told ZimEye. com the event would be held to remember Dzamara’s heroics.

Dzamara was abducted by suspected state security agents on March 9 ,2015.He has not been found since that time.

“As citizens we have finally found each other such that we will never let each other down.We will never let another citizen disappear like what happened to Itayi Dzamara. We now know that injustice to one citizen is injustice to all.Today we stand as citizens of Zimbabwe -regardless of political,religious, regional or tribal background.We strongly believe that politicians must be accountable for their actions,” said Nhakaniso.

Zimbabwe Citizens’ Initiative is a converge of Zimbabweans dotted across the globe.
“We have resolved to promote the participation of citizens in democratic processes. We seek to expose gross violation of human rights, political violence and intimidation.

Elections have been characterised by gross irregularities in the past. We are gravely concerned about the recent reports of violence and intimidation ahead of the 2018 polls. Our thrust is to fight for democracy and good governance,” read part of the Zimbabwe Citizens’ Initiative statement.

The United Kingdom House of Commons has said it was deeply concerned by lack of electoral reforms in preparations for Zimbabwe’s key 2018 general poll and called on the government to ensure the vote is peaceful, fair and credible.

Responding to a question from Jim Shannon, the shadow Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) spokesperson for Health and Transport on what the UK government was doing to ensure free and fair elections in Zimbabwe, Tobias Ellwood, the under-secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs said Theresa May’s government had adopted a manifesto that included a “commitment to stand up for the rule of law and human rights in Zimbabwe”.

“Ahead of the 2018 elections, it is essential that reforms are made to the Zimbabwean electoral system, including strengthening the independence of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and removal of unconstitutional legislation which restricts democratic activity and human rights.

“Officials remain in close contact with international partners, including the UN, to co-ordinate support in the run-up to the 2018 elections,” Ellwood said.

British Labour MP Kate Hoey asked Ellwood whether he is “aware of the deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe, economically and politically” and what “role can the British government play over the next six months or so, which will be crucial to the people of Zimbabwe”?

Ellwood said they have engaged the country’s neighbours to keep a watchful eye on the troubled country.

“…who knows what will happen in those six months, but we are working closely with the neighbouring countries to provide the necessary support for the people, who are suffering more than ever before under the current president’s regime,” Ellwood said.

This comes as Zimbabwe opposition parties are up in arms against the Zanu PF government following a contentious decision to go it alone in the securing of the critical biometric voter registration (BVR) kits and the sidelining of the United Nations’ Development Programme (UNDP), which many hoped would ensure transparency in the process.

Academic Pedzisai Ruhanya told the Daily News that the British have a minimal role to play in the country’s internal politics.

“The UK foreign policy is a total failure, especially on Zimbabwe and should not interfere in the affairs of a sovereign country such as Zimbabwe,” he said.

Buttressing Ruhanya’s views, political scientist Maxwell Saungweme said the country was a tinderbox.

“Zanu PF succession fights are a national and regional security early warning threat.  The region must be worried about this. Sadc does have a role to play; mediation where required and dealing with the fallout if there is to be war or strife in Zimbabwe,” he said.

“That (President Robert) Mugabe has no succession plan is a very huge cause for concern. We know what happened in many countries in Africa where long-serving despots had no succession plans. Their reign ends in chaos with bloody civil wars ensuing.  This is a reality we should fear in Zimbabwe,” Saungweme said.

Since last year, there have been allegations that the British are working on sprucing up the image of Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, one of the leading contenders to succeed the ailing Mugabe, who turned 93 last month, but the Brits have rejected the accusations.

Asked specifically on what will happen in the next months given war veterans and other Zanu PF activists assumed position that Mugabe has to hand over power sooner rather than later, Ruhanya said it was clear the centre can no longer hold.

“Mugabe is no longer as powerful as he used to be. It is clear that there is a power vacuum, the current Mugabe is not the one of the 1990s, and while he has the legal power he has lost control of the vital State organs.

“While I said the UK cannot interfere in a sovereign country, Sadc has a role to play because Zimbabwe is signatory to its statutes on good governance. Sadc is the only body that can be listened to by Zanu PF,” said Ruhanya. – Daily News

A man has appeared in court to deny neglecting his three children after a car crash in Bradford.

Blyth Mkonya, 35, of Woodsley Fold, Thornton, pleaded not guilty to three charges of neglect when he appeared at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

The charges relate to a car crash that happened on Leeds Road, Bradford, at about 12.15am on Monday.

The court heard that the three youngsters involved were Mkonya’s children, aged 12 years, five years, and nine months.

Prosecutor Dan Penman said: “It was a single incident of short-term neglect.”

Mkonya also denied a charge of causing an accident, damaging another vehicle, and failing to stop at the scene of an accident.

He also denied charges of driving without insurance and driving while disqualified.

Mkonya pleaded guilty to failing to provide a breath specimen for analysis.

Mr Penman said that Mkonya told police after his arrest that someone else was driving the car.

Shazad Dad, defending, said CCTV from businesses near the scene of the crash would prove whether or not Mkonya was driving.

Mr Dad added that the neglect charges were “questionable”.

“His only sin is he may not have co-operated with the police,” said Mr Dad. “Which he may believe he had good reason to do so.”

Firefighters from Bradford station were on their way back to base from another incident when they came across the crash, which involved a Nissan Qashqai and a parked Mercedes Sprinter van.

Crews treated the three children for minor injuries before they were taken to hospital by ambulance.

Mkonya, who appeared in the dock wearing a red jacket, a light grey top and light grey jogging bottoms, works at a warehouse in Halifax and studies part-time at university in Sheffield, the court heard.

He will stand trial on May 22 at the magistrates’ court. Mkonya was released on conditional bail to reside at Woodsley Fold in Thornton, and to adhere to a 7pm to 7am curfew. – Thetelegraphandargus

A mother in South Africa is pleading for the release of her son and his pregnant fiancé after they were arrested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for unlawful s.ex.

The couple were arrested after visiting a doctor when Iryna Nohai complained of stomach cramps.

The doctor discovered that the 27-year-old woman was pregnant and when the couple couldn’t produce a marriage certificate they were reported to the authorities and arrested in the hospital.

South African national, Emlyn Culverwell‚ 29, and his fiancee from Ukraine have been in detention since January.

“The only thing they did wrong was fall in love,” News24 quoted Mr Culverwell’s mother, Linda as saying.

He’s been working for five years in Abu Dhabi, where he met his future bride. There has been little news since they were arrested.

The Culverwell family want the South African authorities to help secure the couple’s release.

The government has advised the couple to get legal assistance.  Sex outside marriage is punishable by law in the UAE.

If found guilty under the Islamic legal system, they can be locked up for months or even years. – Agencies

Police have blocked a march called to commemorate the disappearance of anti-President Robert Mugabe activist Itai Dzamara scheduled to be held in Harare’s central business district (CBD) tomorrow.

Itai’s younger brother, Patson, told journalists yesterday that the police advised them to hold the commemoration at Freedom Square — an open space way outside the CBD.

“They (police) said the situation in the CBD is volatile,” he said.
“We were planning to start our march at Africa Unity Square but the move by the police will not deter us. We are going to have the commemoration at Freedom Square,” Patson said.
Itai — who became popular after staging one-man anti-Mugabe protests dubbed “Occupy Africa Unity Square” — mysteriously disappeared in March 2015 and his unknown whereabouts reach exactly two years tomorrow.

The missing activist’s family accuses Mugabe’s government of being involved in his disappearance, with commissioned police investigations pointing to nothing so far.
In May last year, the Dzamaras released a horrifying and grotesque image which they alleged was of Itai taken from captivity by his alleged abductors.

At a media conference where the images were released, Patson claimed that the country’s feared military intelligence had been responsible for the missing social justice campaigner’s brazen abduction last year.

During last year’s commemorations, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai sensationally claimed that State security agents abducted Dzamara because he had intricate details on how the 2013 elections were rigged by Zanu PF.

After his broad-daylight kidnapping, Dzamara’s wife, Sheffra, approached the High Court in a bid to force the police and the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) to search for her husband.

During the hearing, both the police and CIO denied knowledge of his whereabouts, with authorities saying that investigations into the abduction had hit a dead end.- Daily News

Heartened no doubt by the enthusiastic welcome he got in Ghana, ageing President Robert Mugabe is finally back home to a flood-wrecked, restless Zimbabwe.

The state ZBC broadcaster announced the 93-year-old president’s return late on Tuesday night. The official Herald newspaper said “hundreds” of Ghanaian journalists had thronged the president’s Accra hotel to interview him as he attended the west African country’s 60th anniversary celebrations. It was Mugabe’s second foreign trip in a week after a visit to his doctors in Singapore – and that has brought the president criticism from a number of Zimbabweans.

Tweeted prominent journalist @BrezhMalaba: “He’s back on home soil. But how many hours before he flies off again? Just one load of Jet A1 can build new homes for flood-hit villagers.” The CEO Magazine Zimbabwe asked: “Is he aware that there were floods in Zim. A concerned person wld take the time to visit the area & affected [people]”.

The full extent of Zimbabwe’s damage from recent floods is still emerging. At least 900 people are currently being housed in a camp for flood victims in the southern Tsholotsho district, eyewitness reports Wednesday said. A report in the Bulawayo-based Sunday News said that 17 children from a school in Binga district were injured when their classroom fell on them during the recent rains. In Hwange district it’s emerged that two preschoolers drowned in a ditch, the paper said.

Meantime in a move almost certain to intensify anger among poorly-paid doctors, the government’s permanent health secretary Gerald Gwinji announced in a statement that junior doctors who took part in a just-ended strike could be  forced to repeat part of their training and have their holidays docked. News24

A Harare magistrate’s court Tuesday freed 65 residents from Epworth, among them nine juveniles, who had been accused of public violence allegedly committed last year.

The offence emanated from their alleged involvement in last July’s protests against police corruption and a government ban on imports.

The accused were arrested between Mabvuku high-density suburb and Zimre Park medium density suburb and along the Harare-Mutare highway.

Police claimed the group barricaded the road with stones and burning tyres and violently harassed motorists and commuters resulting in their disturbing the peace, security or order of the public.

Police in Harare have dismissed as false, reports in the media that they had allowed war veterans to meet for their indaba in the city. In a statement yesterday, Harare provincial spokesperson Assistant Inspector Tarirai Dube said the war veterans had to comply with the provisions of the law to conduct their meeting.

“The police want to make it very clear that they did not ‘OKAY’ the war vets indaba as alleged. The applicant has to comply with the provisions of the law as enshrined in the Public Order and Security Act Chapter 11:17.

The MDC-T will continue its door-to-door voter education exercise in Beitbridge despite a police crackdown on its members, Matabeleland South spokesperson, Ekem Moyo has said.

Police arrested 11 MDC-T members in the border town, including its 2013 parliamentary election losing candidate, Morgan Ncube and a woman with a baby, while conducting a door-to-door voter registration awareness exercise.

“As MDC-T Matabeleland South province we condemn the barbaric act and cruelty perpetrated on our members as inhumane and unthinkable.

“Our members were doing what is right according to the Constitution, but according to State-sponsored agents the right thing is wrong,” Moyo said yesterday.

The group spent the weekend in custody and was only released on Monday on free bail when they appeared at the Beitbridge Magistrates’ Court. Police accused the MDC-T members of running an unsanctioned voter registration awareness exercise.

The MDC-T Matabeleland South spokesperson, however, described the arrests as intimidation tactics, which he said will not cow them to abandon the voter registration awareness exercise.

Moyo argued that the programme, which is also running in other provinces as the opposition party prepares for next year’s general elections, was a legitimate political exercise

“We are following the dictates of our Constitution which allows us to campaign freely without fear not what Zanu PF wants. The one-sided application of the law by State security agents totally defies logic and it leaves our laws in a sorry and vulnerable state.

“The MDC-T Matabeleland South province will never be intimidated by the inhumane arrests and abuse of power,” he said.

The government has allocated $8,3 million to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission against $29 million the commission had requested to enable it to acquire vehicles for the voter registration exercise.

Independent election observer group, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network said the funding shortfall compromised the voter registration exercise, resulting on a situation where eligible voters could be disenfranchised. – Newsday

Cabinet ministers who had gained notoriety for absconding Parliament have started trooping back to the House after Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda read the riot act and threatened to seek the intervention of President Robert Mugabe.

Mudenda’s threats followed protests by MPs that the continued bunking of Parliament business by ministers was a sign of disrespect to the House.

But following Mudenda’s threat to write to Mugabe complaining about the truancy, some ministers who had not attended the House for months last week showed up.

These included Foreign Affairs minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Women Affairs minister Nyasha Chikwinya and Youth minister Patrick Zhuwao.

“I must say when I walked into Parliament I nearly fainted when I saw the Minister of Foreign Affairs [Mumbengegwi]. True to your (Mudenda) word, he is here and we would like to welcome him to Parliament, especially today when the xenophobia debate is being discussed,” Norton MP Temba Mliswa (Independent) said when Mumbengegwi turned up.

MPs welcomed Mumbengegwi’s presence as there were four important motions on Foreign Affairs issues that have been on the National Assembly Order Paper since 2016. The motions have been awaiting the minister’s response before they are concluded.

One of the motions by the Kindness Paradza-led Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs was discussed in November 2015 and to date Mumbengegwi has not yet responded to the issue.

The motion discussed the decay of foreign missions abroad, and Paradza had to reinstate the motion back into the National Assembly Order Paper so that Mumbengegwi responds to it.

Another motion on Foreign Affairs that had to be reinstated in the Order Paper was on a report of the delegation to the bilateral visit to the Parliament of Kuwait, which was debated in April 2016 and discussed the topical issue of young Zimbabwean women being enslaved in Kuwait.

A motion on the Foreign Affairs committee report on the exchange visit to the Palestine Legislative Council, which discussed Zimbabwe’s position in relation to the disturbances in Israel that was debated last year, had to be reinstated again in the Order Paper to allow Mumbengegwi to respond it.

Several motions that MPs gave notice to move in the National Assembly have clocked several months in the Order Paper without legislators debating them.

Mudenda told MPs that any motion that remained undebated for 21 sitting days would automatically fall off the Order Paper in terms of provisions of Standing Rules and Orders number 103.

Most Cabinet ministers have been absconding Wednesday’s Question and Answer Session where they are expected to respond to the legislators’ questions on government policy. The MPs also blasted the ministers for lacking seriousness in attending to government policy work at a time the economy continues to plummet.

Some ministers had gone for months without attending Parliament, resulting in some questions regarding their respective ministries going unanswered. – Newsday

Police in Bulawayo are appealing for help from members of the public who may have information that can lead to the location of two missing teenagers.

Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango said one of the teenagers, Nqobani Moyo (18) of Northend suburb was last seen by his mother on January 9 this year.

She said Moyo is light in complexion and is of medium height and built.

“He was last seen by his mother at their place of residence at number 10 Gisborne Rd in Northend at 9AM. He is light in complexion and has black hair,” said Insp Simango.

She said anyone who may have information on Moyo’s whereabouts can contact ZRP Bulawayo Central on 09 71515 or any nearest police station.

Insp Simango said the other missing teenager, Previous Nyathi (19), of Emakhandeni suburb is mentally challenged.

“Nyathi was last seen by his aunt Brenda Mathe at 3406 Emakhandeni suburb in Bulawayo. He is 1,6 metres tall, medium built and has brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a striped t-shirt, a navy blue track bottom and a pair of black and white tackies.

“Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts can contact the investigating officer constable Pretty Gadzai on landline 09-418066 , mobile number 0775821789, the missing person’s uncle Leonard Nyathi on 0779252069 or any nearest police station,” she said. – State Media

A 34-YEAR-OLD man who allegedly fatally struck his cousin with a hoe for refusing to lend him P10 to buy beer has appeared in court facing murder charges.

Bongani Mhlanga of Lower Gweru allegedly killed Bright Sibanda (24) while they were drinking beer at a bottle store in Botswana on March 1.

The two worked illegally in the neighbouring country and following the attack their friends helped them to cross back into the country through an illegal entry point, but Sibanda died on his way to a clinic in Mangwe.

Mhlanga appeared before Plumtree magistrate, Mr Joshua Mawere and was remanded in custody to March 20.

Mr Mawere advised him to apply for bail at the High Court if he wished to make such an application.

Prosecuting, Mr Elisha Mazorodze said Mhlanga and Sibanda were working illegally in the neighbouring country at the time when they had a misunderstanding.

Mhlanga allegedly asked his cousin to lend him P10 as he wanted to buy more beer at a bottle store.

Mr Mazorodze said the suspect allegedly promised to pay back the money within a week but Sibanda refused to give him triggering the fatal attack.

“Mhlanga and Sibanda were drinking at a bottle store when they had a misunderstanding over P10. Sibanda struck Mhlanga with a spirit level twice on the head.

“Mhlanga followed Sibanda as he turned to walk away and attacked him with a hoe on the head. Sibanda lost consciousness as a result of the attack,” he said.

Mr Mazorodze said Sibanda and Mhlanga were helped by their friends to cross back into Zimbabwe through an illegal entry point near Maitengwe Border Post.

He said Sibanda died while on his way to Hingwe Clinic resulting in Mhlanga’s arrest.

Mr Mazorodze said Mhlanga and Sibanda were illegally employed as field workers in the neighbouring country. He said upon Mhlanga’s arrest, he was found in possession of blood stained clothes and the hoe which he allegedly used to attack Sibanda was also recovered. – State Media

Two Zanu PF factions are reportedly jostling to field candidates for the post of Gweru mayor, which recently fell vacant following the sacking of MDC-T’s Hamutendi Kombayi on allegations of gross misconduct and abuse of funds.

Well-placed sources said Ward 5 councillor, Simon Chapukira reportedly aligned to Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s camp has shown his interest to contest the post, which is also being eyed by Tiripayi Chipondeni, who is viewed to be loyal to the G40 faction.

The G40 camp is allegedly loyal to First Lady Grace Mugabe and reportedly has, among its ranks, the likes of Local Government minister, Saviour Kasukuwere.

Both camps have, however, repeatedly denied the existence of factions.

The elections, which will also see a deputy mayor and committee chairpersons chosen, were postponed to tomorrow.

“There is jostling within Zanu PF as two camps, team Lacoste and G40, want their preferred candidates to land the top post,” a source in the ruling party said on condition of anonymity.

“The Mnangagwa faction wants Chapukira, while G40’s preferred candidate is Chipondeni.”

The source, however, said there were efforts to unite the two Zanu PF councillors and field one candidate before Thursday’s elections.

Chipondeni, however, said he was not interested in contesting the election.

“These are just words coming from people, given our number (as Zanu PF councillors) that we are few, I can’t be interested,” Chipondeni said.

Chapukira could not be reached for comment.

MDC-T councillor and Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions central region, regional officer, Charles Chikozho is the preferred opposition party candidate. – Newsday

Former Higher and Tertiary Education minister, Olivia Muchena has been dragged to court by Parliament of Zimbabwe which is seeking to recover $32 653 the ex-Mutoko MP still owed under a vehicle loan scheme.

The money is balance of what remained from the $35 000 vehicle loan which was advanced to the former minister after Parliament deducted allowances and fuel amounts due to her before she was expelled from Zanu PF in 2015.

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo| A Chivi man killed his friend and neighbour for calling himself by Soul Jah Love’s “chibaba” street cache-word.

The chant chibaba was coined by popular Zim Dance Hall musician Soul Jah Love.

32-year-old Lameck Charidza of Giri Village under headman Chipundu will appear in the High Court this week. He will be charged with murder as defined in Section 47(1) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9:23.

On June 3, 2015, around 1900 hrs, Charidza was drinking beer with Prosper Chamaona(24) at Mupanguri Primary School and a dispute arose between the two over who should be called chibaba.

The dispute degenerated into a fierce fist fight as Charidza indicated he was supposed to be called chibaba.

Sausseki Nyandoro, a teacher at the school, called Berejena Police after failing to stop the fight.

The two were taken to Matibi Hospital where Chamaona was pronounced dead on arrival.
A psychiatrist at Chikurubi Maximum Prison, Dr Mhaka indicated that Charidza was mentally challenged at the time he committed the offence.

Charidza’ s relatives also said he had a history of mental illness.

“He(Charidza) has a history of mental illness. The incident was very unfortunate. Nobody expected him to kill his friend although it was well known he had a mental problem,” said Charidza’s brother.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Lazarus Dokora has reiterated his comments that Islam was Zimbabwe’s first religion in 1980.

Two weeks ago Dokora ranked Islam as the nation’s first religion in 1980 while placing Christianity at number 4. He even claimed Islam is the nation’s designated religious faith.

Speaking last week in Norton, Dokora used the word, “peace” a direct antonym of “war” to reflect what people would face if they reject his new controversial curriculum in which Islam is listed as the first national religion at independence.

Dokora claimed to parents and teachers last week Monday that at independence in 1980, Islam was Zimbabwe’s first religion also calling it the nation’s “re-designated indigenous religion.”

The minister last year banned the Bible and voluntary club Scripture Union before reinstating the organisation following protests after falsely claiming that it is part of the education curriculum.

Speaking on the day, Dokora listed the Islamic religion as number one for Zimbabwe while pushing Christianity down to number 4.

While addressing panelists Dokora responded saying:
“And then of course there were the questions raised that: ‘is my my child going to be taught Islam?, is my my child going to be taught indigenous religion?’ said Dokora.

He continued saying, “in 1980 the curriculum that we fashioned for the republic, includes Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Christianity, Bhudiism,” he voiced while using his fingers to elaborate the importance by order.

He emphasised saying, “I was a teacher, I was just a teacher in the classroom, and those were introduced at Grade 2.”

He reiterated his comment saying that the curriculum has always had the religions in the order laid out according to his list.

“Do you think we should take these themes and teach them to ECB?  Can I follow your thread, because you think its a new thing, and I am trying to get you to appreciate that it has always been there in the formula (order) that I have described to you..” WATCH THE FULL VIDEO BELOW:

AT least three Zimbabweans are suspected to be part of 14 illegal miners that were shot dead in Benoni, Ekurhuleni, about 20km outside Johannesburg in South Africa in vicious fights over gold.

Six of the bodies were found lined up in a valley on Monday, while eight were found yesterday.

Johannesburg police spokesperson Colonel Lungelo Dhlamini said the recovered bodies were being kept at Springs mortuary pending a postmortem.

“We’re yet to identify most of the victims and no arrests have been made as yet but investigations are in progress.

“I’m not able to give you the nationalities of the victims at the moment until we exhaust all identification procedures,” he said.

Col Dhlamini said some of the bodies had gunshots wounds while others had sharp stab wounds.

A miner who stays in the Springs area, Mr Gordon Manzou, said he knew three of the victims who hailed from Kwekwe.

He said the killings have been going on in the mine shaft since last week.

“We’re still searching for more bodies. Some of the assailants are still hiding in the mine shaft, while the others escaped through the mine’s various openings.

“The assailants, most of whom are locals, claim to own this place and demand that we pay them R50 as access fees to the mine.

“When we get out we share proceeds on a 50-50 basis,” he said.

Mr Manzou said the gang went berserk and stripped them of the gold they had put together.

A Zimbabwean illegal miner Mr Endurance Kazembe told The Chronicle yesterday that his colleagues were ambushed by an armed gang who killed them while they were mining underground.

He said three of the miners were Zimbabweans.

“The people who were killed were my colleagues and three of them are Zimbabweans. I was at home when they were killed. These gangs always come threatening to kill us.

“They will be demanding gold from us,” said Mr Kazembe in a telephone interview as he walked home from the mine at about 7PM yesterday.

Asked why he went to work at the mine where people have lost their lives, he said:

“The mine is big. My family needs to survive.”

Mr Kazembe cut the conversation short, saying he had come across some suspicious local people and didn’t want to be heard speaking his native Shona language, before switching off his cellphone.

Zimbabwe’s consul-general in South Africa Mr Batiraishe Mukonoweshuro yesterday confirmed the killings.

“We received a report that 14 people have been killed in Benoni. Six bodies were found yesterday while eight were found today. All the bodies had gunshot wounds and they were lined up in a valley.

“Police in the area have said they have collected the bodies. They will screen the bodies to see if there are locals. They will take fingerprints of the remaining bodies and give them to Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Lesotho officials here in South Africa so that we send them to our respective countries for identification,” said Mr Mukonoweshuro.

He said by next week, South African police would have finished screening the bodies and identifying the locals, if there are any.

Mr Mukonoweshuro said he would send the finger prints to the Registrar General and the police back home to try and identify the bodies.

“It’s highly likely that most of the people killed are foreigners but it’s unfortunate that most of these illegal miners never have identity particulars. They even use pseudo names, which makes it difficult to identify them.

“Such incidents happen all the time but it would be one or a few people killed not a big number. We rarely find it easy to identify the victims,” said Mr Mukonoweshuro.

A recently discovered gold mine shaft thought to have a lot of gold is said to be behind the turf war that has left 14 illegal miners dead.

An illegal miner said a newly discovered gold rich shaft number 6 in Benoni was at the centre of the deadly wars.

“The Basothos and Zulus are fighting over this new shaft, no one is willing to part with it as it contains lots and lots of gold. All the other Zimbabweans that were killed were caught in the cross fire,” he said.

He said that zama zamas (amakorokoza) make good money with the gold they sell to the “buyers” he did not want to disclose.

Buyers pay the illegal miners as much as R450 per gram which they sell for almost double on the black market.

In 2015, South Africa emergency workers retrieved 11 bodies of Zimbabweans who were killed when a generator they were using in a disused underground mine in Benoni exploded. The group, which comprised 15 people among them Zimbabweans and Mozambicans, reportedly entered the mine on August 27 using the generator for lighting and drilling.

During the process, they started a fire using planks which produced toxic gases which then mixed with carbon monoxide from the generator and exploded.

The 11 died of asphyxiation (oxygen deprivation) while a few managed to escape and made a report to the police.

The incident came a year after 22 Zimbabweans perished in a disused gold mine in Roodeport in May 2014. – state media

A MAN from Emganwini suburb in Bulawayo allegedly locked himself in a house and committed suicide following an argument with his girlfriend over a WhatsApp profile picture.

Tenants who shared the same house found Ngqwele Sibanda (28)’s body in an advanced state of decomposition yesterday – a week after he allegedly killed himself.

Sibanda and his girlfriend, only identified as Brie, allegedly quarrelled after the former posted a picture of himself with another woman on his WhatsApp profile.

A post mortem conducted at the United Bulawayo Hospitals was inconclusive on the cause of death.

A tenant who declined to be named said she had last seen Sibanda on Sunday last week.

She said they (tenants) became concerned after an unpleasant odour emanated from Sibanda’s room.

“It smelt rotten but we never suspected it was a body. We did not bother checking on Sibanda as it was common for him to go for days without anyone seeing him,” said the tenant.

Sibanda is said to have been living with his younger brother who was away due to work commitments.

The tenant said Sibanda was also a lodger at the house but was responsible for buying electricity.

She said when the house ran out of power, they smelt a bad odour but the other tenants assumed it was meat that had gone bad in Sibanda’s fridge.

The woman said she started receiving calls from Brie who was also worried about him following their fight.

“He had a major fight with his girlfriend after he uploaded a picture of himself with another woman on WhatsApp. They fought and exchanged harsh words resulting in Brie reporting the matter to the police. Sibanda threatened to kill himself,” said the tenant.

She said Brie later called saying she had withdrawn the case against Sibanda.

“Brie joked saying we should check his room because he might have committed suicide. But I laughed it off saying a man doesn’t commit suicide over a woman, it’s something that can only be done by women,” said the tenant.

The tenant said Sibanda’s younger brother arrived home on Sunday but could not access their room.

“On Monday we asked one of the boys to peep through the window. He looked spooked and tried to run away. He struggled to say what he had seen before he eventually told us that Sibanda’s body was in the room,” she said.

She said a report was made to the police who broke into the house.

Sibanda’s relative, Mr Richard Mkandla, said: “When I arrived the police had removed the body but there were some blood stains on the floor. The smell was horrible… we had to use sand mixed with some chemicals to clean the floor. But it took us hours to make the room habitable.”

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango confirmed the sudden death saying investigations were underway.

@nqotshili – state media

President Robert Mugabe has been named the sleeping President who must be retired. A group of CSOs who include Bulawayo Youth Arise, #ThisConstitution, and Tajamuka met in Bulawayo where they swore they will “stop this nonsense.”

Mugabe even sleeps in the toilet (chamber), said BUYA leader, Mthwakazi Ncube. VIDEO:

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has finally resolved a dispute with one of its top managers, Ms Sukai Tongogara, who had threatened legal action, following her reassignment to an inferior post in the organisation. Ms Tongogara is now general manager, prevention and corporate Governance. In terms of the deed of settlement, Ms Tongogara remains on her current salary and benefits.

Her lawyer Mr Joel Mambara of J Mambara and Partners confirmed the parties have hammered a settlement.
“The anti-corruption commission has settled the matter between itself and my client,” said Mr Mambara.

“The initial intention was to transfer her from the post of general manager Investigations to an unauthorised post of general manager External Relations and International Conventions.

“After referring the dispute to the labour office as an unfair labour practice, the parties have resolved that she be transferred from general manager investigation, to a general manager Prevention and Corporate Governance.”

Ms Tongogara was redeployed last year, following her acquittal of two counts of improper conduct in July last year.

She contested the re-deployment and demanded reinstatement to her position of general manager Investigations, arguing her redeployment was victimisation and unfair labour practice.

Ms Tongogara threatened legal action if the commission refused to reinstate her.

In July last year, Ms Tongogara was cleared of charges of misconduct following a disciplinary hearing last month.

She was accused of being part of the secretariat that formed a private company called Private Mortgage Company (PMC), without the knowledge or resolution of the commission.

It was further alleged that Ms Tongogara and three others diverted $1,7 million from Treasury to buy individual shares in a private company. This was said to be tantamount to theft of public funds and making improper use of public funds.

Ms Tongogara denied both allegations.

In a scathing letter, Mr Mambara said his client was maliciously charged with certain acts of misconduct and unlawfully suspended from work.

But a fully-contested hearing absolved her. – state media

State Media – Police in Harare have dismissed as false, reports in the media that they had allowed war veterans to meet for their indaba in the city. In a statement yesterday, Harare provincial spokesperson Assistant Inspector Tarirai Dube said the war veterans had to comply with the provisions of the law to conduct their meeting. “The police want to make it very clear that they did not ‘OKAY’ the war vets indaba as alleged. The applicant has to comply with the provisions of the law as enshrined in the Public Order and Security Act Chapter 11:17.

“Any gathering without compliance to the provisions of the law will be deemed unlawful,” she said.

The sentiments come after the NewsDay carried a story yesterday headlined “Police Okay War Vets Indaba”, in which they alleged that the force had finally allowed war veterans to meet in Harare for their indaba meant to discuss “Zimbabwe’s deteriorating economic, social and political crisis”.

The Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association (ZNLWVA) spokesperson Mr Douglas Mahiya was quoted saying police had given them the greenlight on Monday and that war veterans, Government and Zanu-PF officials were expected to attend.

In an interview yesterday, Mr Mahiya said if police had issued a statement pertaining to the issue, it means that they had denied them permission to conduct the meeting.

“They are the regulatory authority and if they have issued that statement, it means that they have denied permission. What else do you want me to say?” he said.

12 ZRP cops based at Zaka Police Station have been arrested on allegations of circumventing laid down procedures when clearing cattle, in a development that saw villagers losing thousands of dollars to stock thieves. The suspects have also since been hauled before a police internal disciplinary hearing to answer to charges of violating the Police Act. Police chief national spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba confirmed the incident yesterday.

“Have those police officers not yet appeared in court by now? They should have appeared in court, however, if they have not yet, they will appear soon and this is a clear sign that as police we do not condone corruption within the force,” said Snr Asst Comm Charamba.

She could not give further details.

Investigations by The Herald showed that the suspects were yet to appear in court.

Indications are that investigations are at an advanced stage and the cops will soon appear in court.
Police sources said the officers would be charged with criminal abuse of office.

Their dockets were yesterday said to be on the verge of completion.
Several villagers in Zaka and surrounding areas allegedly lost more than 20 beasts to con-men and stock thieves who took advantage of the laxity in the cattle clearing system by the officers at Zaka Police Station.

The sources said the 12 police constables were last week nailed for breaching the Police Act when they appeared before a police disciplinary hearing panel.

‘’They could have been charged with stock theft for abetting theft of cattle by clearing beasts without following clearly laid down regulations but it was hard to come up with tangible evidence that would be admissible in a court of law for them to be charged with stock theft hence criminal abuse of office charges,’’ said a police source.

The sources said some of the arrested police officers would clear cattle while in beer halls or at their homes.
This allowed con-men and stock thieves to take advantage of the loop hole to steal villagers’ cattle.

The matter came to light after the Masvingo Provincial Anti-Stock Theft team reportedly received a tip-off.
Investigations spearheaded by Officer Commanding Crime in Masvingo Province Assistant Commissioner Crispen Makedenge were then launched.

It is suspected the cops were cutting corners in clearing cattle and could have been financially benefiting from the arrangement.

Zaka is one of the districts hardest hit by stock-theft in Masvingo Province. – state media

Over half of Harare residents are not paying their bills while Government and business are also major defaulters, a situation that has seen council being owed over $615 million.

Acting finance director Mr Tendai Kwenda said Harare collects between 45 and 50 percent of what it bills residents.

He said the situation was now unsustainable.

“What it means is that half of the people in Harare are not meeting their obligations to council and the same half still expects council to provide services. I do not know how. We have people who have not bothered to pay a single penny since the debt write off that was in June 2013 and we are in 2017.” – State Media

Businessman Wicknell Chivayo accused of insulting Sunday Mail Features and Opinions Editor Garikai Mazara yesterday handed himself over to Harare Central Police Station on his return from London. Chivayo, who was accompanied by his lawyers Advocate Thabani Mpofu and Advocate Sylvester Hashiti, denied the charges levelled against him and signed a warned and cautioned statement before being discharged.

The businessman yesterday confirmed handing himself over saying he had nothing against the Sunday Mail staffer.

“As a law-abiding citizen who is not above the law I had to hand myself in as soon as I got back from London on Monday. I have nothing against Mr Mazara. My lawyers are handling the matter,” he said.

The matter was reported under case number CR 2607/2/2017 at Harare Central Police Station last week. Reports say on Tuesday February 14, 2017 at 13.52 hours, Mazara sent a set of questions to Chivayo inquiring about progress of the Gwanda national solar project that his company, Intratek, is implementing.

Chivayo then referred Mazara to his project manager. Mazara proceeded to write a story, which was published on February 19, under the headline, “Chivayo explains progress”, in which the project manager outlined work so far carried out on the project.

In some WhatsApp massages revealed to The Herald, Chivayo hurled insults and obscenities at Mazara. “Urimbwa, unofa uchishupika. (You are a dog and you will die poor),” read one of the messages.

He went on to critique Mazara’s profile picture insinuating that he was HIV positive.
“On your profile picture muromo wakafunuka. I’m sure inzara and mapundu ese ayo, asi une Aids?” reads one of the messages. Some of the messages contain unprintable vulgar language. -state media

Police in South Africa have recovered eight more bodies with gunshot wounds which are believed to be of illegal miners, near an area where other six bodies were found in an open veld next to a railway line in Benoni, Ekurhuleni on Sunday.

According to South African Police Service (SAPS) website, the eight bodies were found on Monday.

In a statement SAPS said the Acting National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, Lieutenant General Khomotso Phahlane, condemned in the strongest terms the senseless murder of the 14 people whose bodies were found over the past two days.

“The discovery of these bodies comes at a time when generals from all levels within the South African Police Service have gathered for two days at a strategic session in Mpumalanga, deliberating on operational interventions and measures to further reduce the incidents of crime in affected areas of our country,” read part of the statement. – State Media

By Shyleen Mtandwa | Lawyers representing human rights activist, Linda Masarira, are filing papers with the High Court challenging both the conviction and subsequent sentencing of the activist on Tuesday.

Masarira was on Tuesday sentenced to 385 hours of community service after she was found guilty of public violence.

Her lawyer, Kudzayi Kadzere from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said he was challenging his client’s conviction.

“We are going to appeal against both conviction and sentence. The State failed dismally to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and we have no doubt that an appeal court will set aside this conviction. We will certainly file our appeal in the coming days at the High Court in Harare, “he said.

FIVE people were seriously injured while several others escaped with minor injuries when the driver of a 30-seater mini bus travelling from Harare to Mutare lost control of the vehicle about five kilometres outside Rusape after one of the rear tyres had burst, forcing the mini bus to veer off the road and overturn.

The injured were ferried to Rusape hospital by an ambulance and a Ministry of Health vehicle which arrived at the accident scene after about 40 minutes. One of the seriously injured women cried and groaned, complaining of a back injury.

A male passenger travelling to Rusape who was aboard the mini bus said the vehicle was speeding and the driver lost control after a tyre burst.

The number of passengers on the mini bus was not readily available as traffic police officers who attended the accident referred The Manica Post to the provincial spokesperson who was not available for comment. – State Media

Shyleen Mtandwa | A Mbare magistrate has sentenced Linda Masarira, a pro-democracy activist to 385 hours of community services.

Handing over the sentence the magistrate who noted that Linda has five children who she looks after said ruled the activist should perform 385 hours of community service at Malborough clinic.

“I have been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment. However 7 months have been suspended on condition that I do not commit a similar offence for five years. The remaining 11 I have been given an option to perform 385 hours of community service at Malborough clinic on a on a daily basis from 0800hrs to 1600hrs for 12 weeks”, she told ZimEye.com Tuesday soon after the court session.

Linda was facing charges if political violence emanating from last year’s national protest which led to the total closure of business in Harare.

The state found her guilty of barricading the roads in Mufakose, with the intention of discouraging motorists from entering the city centre.

“This is a Micky Mouse sentencing from a bogus conviction in a kangaroo court in a failed state”, said a commentator.

A bid by Dendera maestro Sulumani Chimbetu for a downward variation of maintenance for his two minor children was dismissed at the Harare Civil Court.

Harare magistrate Mrs Barbara Mateko dismissed the singer’s application in which he sought an order to reduce maintenance fees for his children with former wife Marygold Mutemasango.

Chimbetu argued that the court had previously granted an order that he pays $500 for his two minor children without taking into account his modest income.

He also said that Mutemasango was gainfully employed and led a comfortable life,a sign that she can afford to cater for the children.

Chimbetu also told the court that he was dependent on his current wife for his sustenance.

However, Mrs Mateko argued that Chimbetu had failed to provide the court with proof of his income or his standard of living as there were misdirections in some instances.

It was also noted that although the musician’s livelihood was mainly supported by a well-wisher, he still has other substantial sources of income and was, therefore, misdirecting the court with regards to his earnings.

Chimbetu failed to convince the court or justify his claims, hence the dismissal of his application. – State Media

President Robert Mugabe’s government announced a deal this afternoon to hand its employees $180 million in 2016 bonuses, only just managing to head off a planned strike.

With an election due next year, the Mugabe government is keen to keep a lid on passions, at whatever cost.

As news of the bonus deal broke, statutory pension fund National Social Security Authority (NSSA) announced the government had given it treasury bills worth $181 million, primarily to clear arrears for the three years when the state could not remit its contributions to the fund as an employer.

It is no secret that government has been struggling to meet payroll and, equally, not surprising that it has defaulted on its employees’ pension contributions and medical insurance.

Last year, it took government six months to eventually pay off all 2015 government bonuses.

Even so, this came at a price as government defaulted on the June payroll, triggering a civil servants’ strike that was seized upon by some anti-government activists to create the biggest protest against Mugabe in recent years.

The situation is similar this year, with payments staggered over five months to August.

There are compelling arguments against the payment of automatic bonuses to a bloated workforce of a government whose fiscal position is, at best, fragile. But that’s not an argument a wasteful government which splurges on luxury cars and avoidable foreign travel can make.

Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa, who has fought a losing battle to at least suspend the bonuses over the past two years, put on a brave face on Monday as he told reporters “government will certainly mobilise the resources”.

Recent history points to one obvious source of funding: paper. Government paper.

Money on trees. Literally.

As it has done with reckless abandon since 2012, government will issue treasury bills, mop up cash from the domestic financial market and crowd out the productive sector, as Chinamasa himself admitted during his 2016 mid-term budget statement.

At the time, the Treasury chief had also warned about a runaway budget deficit as government was a third into $1.2 billion budget deficit for the year.

For a government which had virtually no domestic debt between 2009 and 2011, the explosion of local borrowings from around $300 million in 2012 to $3.7 billion by October 2016 is alarming.

The bulk of the debt is in the form of government paper which, according to central bank governor John Mangudya, currently stands at $2.1 billion.

Analysts have criticised the government for going into overdrive with its treasury bill issues, worsening a liquidity crisis that has hobbled the economy.

Not that government will listen to any advice to curb its appetite to spend, or institute the necessary reforms that will see it moving away from the current ridiculous situation where 97 cents out of every dollar the state raises go towards employment costs.

Last year, Mugabe’s Cabinet publicly rebuked Chinamasa for proposing 25 000 job cuts and suspending bonuses among other cost-reduction measures which he said would save $355 million over two years.

As Zimbabwe heads to next year’s election, government’s instinct will be to spend more, not less.

And, over the years, Mugabe has shown that he is not averse to making bold, costly promises to segments of the electorate he views integral to his electoral ambitions.

But there are limits to kicking the can down the road each time you’re faced with difficult decisions.

This is why Zimbabwe’s current path to financial ruin is worryingly familiar.

The economic meltdown which reached its peak in 2008 was the outcome of a series of poor decisions — price controls, unrestrained money printing — by a government which insists on turning economic orthodoxy on its head.- The Source

Ray Nkosi | Former Minister for Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, David Coltart  has castigated President Robert Mugabe’s government move to pay civil servants their bonuses, saying the nation cannot afford such a move.

This is after government on Monday gave in to the demands by civil servants to have their bonuses paid in cash and not residential stands as previously proposed.

Coltart questions where the money to pay the bonuses is going to come from, “We already know that government expenditure to the end of November last year exceeded revenue by over US$ 1 billion . These bonus payments simply add to that deficit.”

Wrote the former minister, “whilst I am sympathetic towards teachers in particular who desperately need to be paid more, the Nation cannot afford the payment of bonuses at present. Inevitably the decision to pay bonuses, announced yesterday, is ultimately going to make things even harder for civil servants.”

Coltart sides with Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa who he says recognized this but it was overridden by populists who don’t have a clue how to run an economy.

Terrence Mawawa, Mwenezi| A daring man dragged his neighbour’s wife into a nearby bush and raped her at knife point.

The incident happened on February 13, 2017. The man, Isaac Moyo(30 ), of Maheresa Village, under Chief Mutusi, entered his neighbour’s bedroom, dragged the wife into the bush and raped her.

Moyo appeared before Magistrate Honest Musiiwa, facing rape charges last week. He was not asked to plead. Facts by the State Case were that Moyo took advantage of the absence of the woman’s husband and entered the couple’s bedroom.

He then grabbed the woman by the neck and dragged her into the bush. Moyo threatened to stab the woman with the knife he was holding if she screamed. Moyo tripped the woman, removed her clothes and had sex with her.

After the act Moyo vanished into the darkness. He was later arrested in his field.
Local villagers also recovered a torch Moyo had stolen from his neighbour’s bedroom.

He was remanded in custody to March 9.

Local villagers said they apprehended Moyo and took him to police station.

“We apprehended him and took him to the police station. Moyo took advantage of his neighbour’s absence and raped his wife,” said a local villager.

THE MDC-T has taken a potshot at First Lady Grace Mugabe’s lavish spending as citizens grapple with devastating floods across the country.

“If individuals in high places can afford to spend $1,3 million in anniversary rings, it means we can afford to do more for deserving situations such as the disaster in Matabeleland,” the statement read.

“It is sad that the rains pounding the country have led to a humanitarian crisis of great magnitude, particularly in Matabeleland North province where we have lost villagers and livestock while some of the human and animal life has had to be evacuated.”

Instead of attending to the desperate flood situation in the country, President Robert Mugabe has been traversing the globe reportedly to seek medical attention. Mugabe passed through Zimbabwe at the weekend and was yesterday attending Ghana’s 60th independence anniversary celebrations.

The main opposition party said it was saddened by the statistics of flood victims.

“The statistics make for sad reading that speaks to a national catastrophe: the floods have claimed six lives, 855 marooned villagers have been airlifted, while among those rescued were 86 terminally ill people and 501 school-going children,” the MDC-T said.

The flash floods have swept away crops and key infrastructure such as bridges, roads and houses.

The MDC-T said key institutions such as the Civil Protection Unit were severely incapacitated to deal with the dangerous situation facing mainly rural peasants, urging citizens to help out. – Newsday

A sinister plot to ambush former Vice President Joice Mujuru when she arrives in the United Kingdom has been exposed.

Mujuru is in the UK at the invitation of the Firoz Lalji Centre for Africa, London School of Economics and Political Science.

The last time the former VP and now leader of the National People’s Party (NPP), she was leader of the united Zimbabwe People First party, which has now split.

According to leaked WhatsApp chats, a plot by the Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) led by her erstwhile comrades, Rugare Gumbo and Didymus Mutasa, to embarrass her in front of an international audience likely to include British MPs, was underway.

Mujuru dumped ZimPF last week and formed the NPP after her former allies-turned-arch-rivals Mutasa and Gumbo threatened a bruising legal fight over the use of the party name. The trio fell out last month after Mujuru expelled seven senior ZimPF officials over an alleged plot to unseat her.

While the change of name might have cooled tempers, reports of the UK plot show the fight is still on.

Mujuru arrived in London yesterday morning where she is expected to address British MPs, African ambassadors and non-governmental organisations beginning today.

The event is part of celebrations to mark International Women’s Day.

The leaked chats between one Fungai Murisa, a Mutasa ally, Margaret Dongo, Mujuru’s former women’s league boss, and Marakia Bomani, who reportedly heads the ZimPF UK branch, showed Gumbo and Mutasa loyalists have hatched a plot to confuse her in front of the international audience and steal her glitter.

“I think in Britain there should be a team of questioners to make her sweat unconditionally,” Murisa suggested.

“Bomani, your territory cannot be messed by Runaida [Mujuru]. Be as journalist ikoko (there) (sic), Haanonoki kutiza akawandirwa nemibvunzo (She is quick to flee if she is bombarded by too many questions.”

Another official, Andrew Muranda, agreed Mujuru could be easily overwhelmed.

“During the Chatham House invite, she made the land compensation blunder. What now? However, publicity is publicity. There is nothing like bad publicity,” he said.

Although Dongo was not picking calls yesterday, in the chats, she asked Bomani to arrange women to go and challenge Mujuru during question time about her dictatorship.

Bomani queried the purpose of Mujuru’s London visit, saying: “That she is coming here for International Women’s Day celebrations is nonsense. This is just a cover-up.”

He confirmed the chats, although he said he would not attend the Mujuru function.

“Whoever is giving you the information is mischievous and wants to solicit support and sympathy for Mujuru,” Bomani said yesterday.

“I won’t go there because I am not an NPP member, but ZimPF. So I don’t have any business there. You can see from the chats, I was only asking whether Mujuru was no longer on the sanctions list to frequently visit London.”

NPP spokesperson Jealousy Mawarire accused the rival group of being State agents.

“We have always known these characters are not genuine opposition elements. They are Zimbabwe government secret agents who are there to create false revulsion of opposition political parties.

“That people like Margaret Dongo are in it is not surprising since they are the ones who, last time, fabricated false reports that Dr Mujuru was using a Zimbabwean embassy Mercedes Benz when it is clear Zimbabwean embassies have no such vehicles, are broke and can’t even pay rentals for their offices,” Mawarire said. – Newsday|Agencies

Commander In Sleep, Robert the dozer, Zimbabwe’s President caused a scene in Ghana yesterday sparking an international mockery of Zimbabwe with the West African country’s journalists taking turns to literally spit on the 93 year old. That ambush left Zimbabweans with no choice but to cover run for cover and the only way was to talk about it all openly, face it and brace it! Below were some of the comments:

A MBERENGWA High School teacher who fell in love with a Form Two pupil (15) and impregnated her has been fined $200.

In her warned and cautioned statement, the complainant said her woodwork teacher at Mpandashango High School Zibusiso Msindazi had sexual intercourse with her since last year until she fell pregnant.

Msindazi appeared before Mberengwa resident magistrate Mrs Evia Matura facing charges of having sexual intercourse with a young person. He pleaded guilty to the charge, but said the two were in love.

Mrs Matura fined him $200 or alternatively the teacher faces a three month imprisonment term if he defaults on the fine.  It was not said in court if the girl had delivered. Prosecuting, Mr Stanley Ncube told the court that Msindazi proposed love to the pupil in 2015 and she agreed.

“On May 26 last year, the accused person invited the complainant and her friend to sleep at his house. The complainant agreed and she was accompanied by her friend.

“The complainant’s friend was told to sleep in the same room with the accused person’s sister whilst the complainant slept in the sitting room on a sofa,” said Mr Ncube. He said the teacher who was sleeping in his bedroom woke up at around midnight and went into the room where the complainant was sleeping.

The court heard that the two had consensual sex twice that night. On May 31, Mr Ncube said, the accused person asked the complainant and her friend to come to sleep at his house again and they agreed.

“When the complainant’s friend was asleep, the accused person had sexual intercourse with the complainant twice with her consent. “The accused person and the complainant continued to have sexual encounters until her grandmother discovered that she was pregnant.

“She asked her who was responsible but the complainant refused to tell her grandmother. The complainant’s friend who was questioned by the complainant’s grandmother told her that the complainant’s teacher was responsible and the complainant confirmed it,” said Mr Ncube.

He said the complainant’s grandmother accompanied the complainant to make a report to the police leading to the arrest of the accused person. – State Media

MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai’s coalition bid in 2013, when he tried to mobilise opposition forces to challenge President Mugabe, continues to haunt him as the Labour Court is set to rule on allegations that he reneged on a pledge to pay emissaries who facilitated talks with his prospective allies.

Labour Court judge Justice Lillian Hove yesterday heard how Mr Tsvangirai allegedly engaged Voice of People leader Mr More-precision Muzadzi and Zimbabwe Development Party leader Mr Kisnot Mukwazhi to facilitate fellow opposition parties to throw their support behind him to avoid splitting votes during the 2013 harmonised elections.

Mr Muzadzi approached the Court to compel Mr Tsvangirai to pay $7 000 as well as hand over a vehicle that he promised him for bringing opposition parties together to rally behind him.

In yesterday’s hearing, Justice Hove reserved judgment on a preliminary point on whether the Labour Court was the proper tribunal to hear the case.

In his papers, Mr Muzadzi said he hailed from the same village in Buhra as Mr Tsvangirai, making it easier for him to work with the MDC-T leader in the task that was at hand.
Mr Muzadzi detailed how he travelled the length and breadth of the country and convened several meetings with MDC-T and Western embassies for funding, in a bid to form a grand coalition for Mr Tsvangirai’s presidential bid.

Mr Muzadzi said he used his links with fellow opposition parties and his strategic position as Mr Tsvangirai’s homeboy and approached the latter’s younger brother, Manasa and sold them the idea of a coalition.

“After Manasa conferred with Morgan Tsvangirai, they engaged me to negotiate with all opposition presidents to rally behind Tsvangirai against President Mugabe. The project was named One Zimbabwe, One presidential candidate,” reads the summons.

He chronicled that several meetings were held with opposition parties and Western embassies, where it was agreed that he would get cash and a Nissan NP 200.

“With almost all opposition presidents on board, our project was now complete and Morgan Komichi (MDC-T national deputy chairperson) took us to meet Tsvangirai at his residence on April 20 2013.

“Mr Tsvangirai was happy and said ‘I endorse it’ and then appointed his technical team to draft a Memorandum of Understanding, and also told us to make a budget to reimburse us of the costs we incurred and also include our allowances saying, ‘hamuna mari ndozviziva.’ We made the budget, which stated our allowances at $7 800 each and two vehicles, and submitted them to him,” said Mr Muzadzi.

“A week before the general elections, I brought coalition leaders to Tsvangirai’s Harvest House office at his request for a press conference with Tendai Biti (the then MDC-T secretary- general). Some voiced their displeasure over Tsvangirai’s technical team and some wanted assurances over positions in the event of a coalition victory.

“Komichi was arrested that day over those lost 2013 special ballot papers at Rainbow Towers, and my partner (Mr Mukwazhi) got mad with Tsvangirai over our unpaid allowances and vehicles and then jumped ship and went on to support President Mugabe. I disagreed with my partner in negotiations and remained, keeping the philosophy of complaining after work.”

Mr Muzadzi said he has had several heated exchanges over the unpaid allowances with Mr Tsvangirai, intimating that he (Tsvangirai) was broke, and that the coalition did not eventually win as the excuse for not paying him. – State Media

A High Court judge has slammed alcohol and drug abuse saying they were fuelling murders with some of the killings being committed brazen in full view of witnesses.

Officially opening the Hwange High Court session here yesterday, Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Maxwell Takuva bemoaned moral decay in society.

Seven out of 11 murder cases set down for trial at the Hwange Circuit were committed by people abusing alcohol.

“Eleven murder cases have been set down and seven of these were committed after alcohol abuse by accused persons. This is a worrying trend as people are butchered at business centres where they will have gone to make merry with friends and relatives,” he said.

“What is more worrying is that the murders are committed brazenly in full view of witnesses.

“Dangerous weapons like axes, knives, knobkerries and iron bars are used to inflict fatal injuries targeting the head and chest.”

Justice Takuva also bemoaned an upsurge in drug abuse saying it was leading to violent behaviour.

“According to psychiatrists, there has been an undeniable upsurge in illicit drug use in Zimbabwe and this has directly or indirectly led to an increase in mental health issues,” he said.

The judge said some of the substances being abused include Broncleer also known as bronco, cannabis, maragada, diazepam, musombodia, steroids, tegu-tegu, zed and tetankau.

“Drugs cause a lot of excitement in those who abuse them and leads to violent behaviour among other effects,” said Justice Takuva.

The judge said most young people who abuse drugs often have social, family, academic and violence-related challenges.

He called for strategies that address drug abuse among all age groups.

Justice Takuva slammed corruption saying it was a cancer the country can’t afford to fold its hands on while it prevails as it scares away investors.

“The judiciary plays a key role in the administration of justice. This role is thrust on it by the constitution which requires judges to exercise judicial power and functions impartially, promptly and in a manner that embraces public confidence.

“It appears that there is a perception that Zimbabwe is past the tipping point and heading to a point of no return with regards to corruption. In my view, it’s not so deep that we can’t do anything about it anymore and we as Zimbabweans mustn’t pay lip service to corruption but concentrate on ways of getting rid of it,” he said.

“We can’t afford to give up and let this evil win. If everyone plays their part we can win. Indeed humanity will judge us harshly if we were to surrender and allow the country to be devoured by this cancer.

“It’s been said that corruption is a cancer that erodes a citizen’s faith in democracy, diminishes the instinct for innovation, creativity and scares away both foreign direct and domestic investment”.

Justice Takuva also called for stiffer measures against poachers saying the country was fast losing wildlife to illegal hunters.

The Hwange High Court Circuit opening ceremony started with a procession from the Magistrates’ Court to the social centre led by the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services Band.

Justice Takuva then inspected a quarter guard mounted by the Zimbabwe Republic Police before his address.

Present were Chiefs Shana, Whange, Nekatambe and Dingane-Nelukoba all from Hwange district, service chiefs, prosecutors, magistrates, lawyers and Judicial Services Commission staff as well as company executives, heads of government departments and officials from Hwange and Victoria Falls local authorities. – State Media

South African Police are investigating murder cases after six bodies, all with gunshot wounds and believed to be illegal miners, were found in an open veld next to a railway line in Benoni, Ekurhuleni.

There are fears that among the deceased were Zimbabweans as the area is known to be frequented by foreigners who engage in illegal mining.

Many Zimbabweans live in South Africa with the majority of them doing menial jobs.

According to Gauteng Police, a passer-by called police after he came across the bodies at about 9am on Sunday.

SAPS is still investigating the case and is in the process of identifying the bodies.

“Police found that all (the) bodies have gunshot wounds on the upper body. It is suspected that the deceased were killed elsewhere and taken to where they were found as they were put in a pattern. It is also suspected that the deceased are illegal miners.

“The motive for the killings is still unknown and the bodies have not yet been identified.

“Police have opened six cases of murder, and the investigation is continuing,” SAPS said in a statement.

In 2015, South Africa emergency workers retrieved 11 bodies of Zimbabweans who were killed when a generator they were using in a disused underground mine exploded in Benoni, 35km outside Johannesburg, South Africa.

The group, which comprised 15 people —among them Zimbabweans and Mozambicans — reportedly entered the mine on August 27 using the generator for lighting and drilling.

During the process, they started a fire using planks which produced toxic gases which then mixed with carbon monoxide from the generator which also exploded.

The group died of asphyxiation (oxygen deprivation) while a few managed to escape and made a report to the police.

The mine is located in the Springs area of Benoni.

The incident also came a year after 22 Zimbabweans perished in a disused gold mine in Roodeport in May 2014.

Zimbabwe’s Consul-General to South Africa, Mr Batiraishe Mukonoweshuro, recently appealed to Zimbabweans living outside the country to avoid engaging in dangerous activities.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Republic Police and their Botswana counterparts are still looking for 10 of the 18 prisoners who escaped from lawful custody at Gerald Estates Centre for Illegal Immigrants in January.

According to media reports from the neighbouring country, some of the fugitives are believed to have fled to Zimbabwe and their whereabouts are still unknown.

Botswana police recently acknowledged that the search for the 10 prisoners wass proving difficult. They have since engaged their counterparts to help find the fugitives.

The prisoners who have been classified dangerous by the Botswana authorities escaped after destroying a fence with a manhole cover.

So far only eight have been arrested.

The escapees were on remand and were facing charges for dangerous offences such as murder and robbery.

Botswana police, prison officials and soldiers have been working around the clock to bring the culprits to book.

Gerald Estates Police Station commander Superintendent Edward Leposo was quoted as saying that the leads provided to the police had turned cold.

Those still at large are Chakalani Barati, Musa Willy, Elvis Ndlovu, Dzikhamani Ndebele, Innocent Nyoni, Edwin Ncube, Sunganai Tafiraushe, Givemore Chaloba, Brilliant Thabisani and Bruce Masuku.

Two escapees are Botswana nationals while the rest are Zimbabweans.

“We have been getting various leads about the whereabouts of the prisoners, but they have produced nothing.

“We are on the ground trying our best, but the search is proving to be difficult. What is key is that we are getting many leads from the public and we remain optimistic that they will lead to more arrests,” Supt Leposo said.

One of the escapees, Thabani Ncube, was arrested in Zimbabwe where he is facing a theft charge and authorities are processing his extradition to Botswana.

Other prisoners who have been arrested are Rowland Moyo, Gaomodimo Molosiwa, Mlindeli Moyo, Sicelo Sibanda, Godwin Mapunganyika, Charlotte Ndlovu and Methuli Sibanda.

The prisoners were arrested in Francistown, Masingwaneng and Tutume. – State Media

An ex-cop has been jailed for nine years for stealing four beasts worth $1 450 from a farm in Figtree.

James Muleya (63), who is also involved in farming activities in the area, pleaded not guilty to stock theft charges but was convicted due to overwhelming evidence by Plumtree magistrate, Mr Joshua Mawere.

Muleya stole the cattle from two farmers at Sizanani Farm and transported them in his truck in the middle of the night.

He was intercepted by police detectives.

In his defence, Muleya, a retired police officer, alleged that he was hired by Mr Fanekiso Ncube who is also a farmer to transport the beasts to Dombodema.

He said he did not know that it was necessary for him to have documents authorising him to transport the cattle.

Passing sentence, Mr Mawere said it was clear that Muleya chose to transport the cattle at night as he knew that he was committing an offence.

“You transported the cattle in the middle of the night to evade police as you hadn’t cleared the cattle. From the evidence given it’s clear that you knew that the cattle were stolen and you were transporting them,” he said.

Mr Mawere sentenced Muleya to an effective nine years mandatory jail term.

Prosecuting, Mr Stanley Chinyanganya said Muleya was intercepted on October 22 at around 2AM along the Plumtree-Dombodema road while transporting the four beasts.

“Muleya went to Sizanani Farm in Figtree area and stole four beats belonging to Mr Michael Ngwenya and Mr Mbekezeli Mpofu who are both farmers in the area. He loaded them into a Mazda B1600 truck and proceeded with them to Dombodema area in Bulilima.

“He was intercepted by police detectives at the seven kilometre peg along the Plumtree-Bulawayo Road. Police asked him to produce a police stock clearance form and stock movement permit but he didn’t have any,” he said.

Mr Chinyanganya said police questioned Muleya and he failed to give a satisfactory answer on why he was transporting the beasts. He also failed to produce proof that he was the owner of the beasts.

The prosecutor said Muleya was arrested immediately and investigations revealed that the beasts had been stolen from Sizanani Farm.

Mr Chinyanganya said Mr Ngwenya and Mr Mpofu were called to the Plumtree Police Station where they positively identified their missing cattle.

In mitigation, Mr Prince Butshe of Mathonsi Ncube Law Chambers, who was representing Muleya, begged the court to be lenient with his client.

“Your Worship my client is married with six children and he is the sole bread winner of his family. One of his children is disabled and requires special attention. My client is aged, he is now 63.

“He is diabetic and is due for a prostate cancer operation. I’m aware that the court’s hands are tied with regards to penalties in such cases but I pray that you make an exception,” said Mr Butshe. – State Media