Zimbabwe’s prolific Multi-Talented  African Roots Music singer and world renowned sculptor-cum-businessman Bryn Taurai Mteki aka Sekurutau, who is back in the country after 16 years in America and Germany is basking in the glory of his newly found fame after two of his masterpieces won the global appeal.

No Doubt Sekurutau has proven he is the all-time greatest artist to hail from Zimbabwe impacted worldwide.

The 41-year-old sculptor had two of masterpieces presented to President Mugabe and another to FIFA president Gianni Infantino at the weekend.

Infantino was in Zimbabwe to attend the belated birthday celebrations for the Council of Southern African Football Associations (Cosafa) and ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa that were held at the Harare International Conference Centre.

However, the World football’s most powerful man paid a courtesy on President Mugabe at State House where he was gifted with the soccer ball stone sculpture as a token of appreciation for his visit.

Returning the good gesture, Infantino presented the Zimbabwean leader with the bronze piece, a realistic three-dimensional sculpture of President Mugabe.

Both sculptures exhibit Mteki aka Sekurutau’s trademark whose multidisciplinary artworks explore his creative genius in the exact form and content.

When you the soccer ball sculpture you do not confuse it for anything else and when you see President Mugabe’s bronze piece you know it is the Zimbabwean president.

Such is his great artistry of Sekurutau which has won him global appeal with some of his artworks found in private and permanent collection of world’s top galleries.

The two pieces will add on to his long list of masterpieces that have been presented to some of the world’s famous leaders including the likes of R.Kelly Jay-Z , Former Super eagles Austin Jay Jay Okocha , Arnold Schwarzenegger , Mike Tyson ,  Kirsty Coventry , Manchester United Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke,  Rev . Jesse Jackson and many more

In 2011, Sekurutau was commissioned to sculpt a piece for former FIFA president Sepp Blatter during his visit to Zimbabwe.

He has also produced the Calabash Women sculptures that adorned Johannesburg’s Sandton Square during the FIFA World Cup in South Africa in 2010.

Sekurutau comes from a family tree of great sculptors with his father Richard Mteki and late uncle Boira Mteki being renowned sculptors of the first generation. Apart from music and sculpture Sekurutau is a Businessman the Founder of BrynBrands Empire with interest in Retail Supermarkets, Bottle stores , Night clubs , Butcheries and fast foods as well as transport, mining and a Clothing line among others.

A Murehwa man who allegedly stabbed his wife more than 15 times leaving her seriously wounded, denied the allegations when his trial commenced last Friday at the Harare magistrates’ court.

Simbarashe Munakamwe (38) of Suka Village, Chief Mangwende, is facing attempted murder charges.

He told the court that he did not commit the crime, but his in-laws were fixing him.

He further said that he was on separation with his wife Rachel Kurwakumire.

When asked by magistrate Mr Themba Kuwanda why he separated with his wife and why her family would want to fix him, Munakamwe confessed that he stabbed his wife’s younger sister to death last year.

The 15-year-old girl was in Form Three and Munakamwe is said to have proposed love to her before killing her for ‘betraying’ him.

Munakamwe allegedly stabbed his wife while on bail for the murder case.

Kurwakumire, the court heard, later went outside the house to relieve herself and Munakamwe suddenly emerged from the dark and tripped her to the ground.

He then stabbed her on the head, the State alleged.

Kurwakumire screamed for help and Munakamwe kept stabbing her mercilessly all over the body until she became unconscious.

Her brother George who was sleeping in his bedroom rushed outside to investigate.

He then saw Munakamwe running away from the scene leaving the kitchen knife he had used to stab Kurwakumire on the ground.

Upon his arrest, Munakamwe told the police that he was in Mutoko on the day in question hence there was no way he could have stabbed his wife.

However, during investigations, the police obtained a printout from Econet which showed that Munakamwe had made calls while in Mhondoro on that day. – State Media

Terrence Mawawa Shurugwi In yet another case of paedophilia behaviour, 32-year-old Sadiki Zhuwao, stepped into his neighbour’s house and fondled a minor who was fast asleep claiming he had mistaken her for his wife.

Zhuwao of Makusha Village in Shurugwi arrived home at midnight and went into his neigbhour’s house where he pulled down the 10-year-old juvenile’s pants. Zhuwao told Shurugwi Magistrate, Tayengwa Sangster, he was excessively drunk such that he mistook the juvenile for his wife.

He further claimed that he had failed to identify his bedroom because he was drunk. The court heard that on January 24, 2017, around midnight Zhuwao gained entry into his neighbour’s house through a french door which had three broken glasses. Upon entering the house Zhuwao went to where the minor was sleeping and pulled her underpants down to her thighs.The minor covered her face with a blanket. The commotion woke up the minor’s mother who found Zhuwao in her daughter’s blankets.

Zhuwao was arrested and brought to court where he pleaded not guilty. Despite his plea of not guilty, Magistrate Sangster sentenced Zhuwao to 12 months in prison.Three months were suspended on good condition of good behaviour. The magistrate also expressed grave concern at the increase of paedophilia tendencies in the country.

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has threatened to relaunch the National Youth Service (NYS) programme — feared for producing Zanu PF terror groups, as the 2018 elections beckon, with opposition parties plotting to field a single candidate against him.

These include Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T, Joice Mujuru’s Zimbabwe People First and Welshman Ncube’s MDC, among others.

Introduced at the turn of the century by the late Zanu PF national commissar, Border Gezi, with the first camp established at Mt Darwin in 2001, the NYS programme churned out several thousand graduates, who came to be known as “Green Bombers” and were accused of gross human rights abuses and brutal crackdowns against opposition activists and supporters, particularly during election time.

But, Mugabe has on numerous forums defended it, saying the training programme was necessary to instil national pride, discipline and moral uprightness among the youths.

But, human rights groups and opposition parties believe the programme is a State-funded platform for Zanu PF youth militia training.

The programme was discontinued a few years ago due to lack of funding.

In 2015, Mugabe told guests at his 91st birthday celebrations in Victoria Falls that he wanted the programme resuscitated soon, and to include O Level graduates.

“We want to get to a stage where every student at O Level has gone through national service training. We want to enhance our national service training,” he said then.

“It is an important training indeed … so we want to build resources towards that,” he said then. – Newsday

A Bulawayo bus accident victim has filed an $86 000 lawsuit against Mzansi Express, after he got injured in a horrific crash that occurred along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road in 2014.

Florence Moyo, who was one of the passengers, claims she sustained multiple injuries when the bus driver, Isaac Mathanti Ncube, lost control of the vehicle, which eventually overturned and injured her on February 25, 2014.

The matter has been set to be heard on March 7 by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Nokuthula Moyo.

In her summons, Moyo submitted that $6 000 was for special damages and $80 000 as general damages.

“Plaintiff’s claim against the defendant is for payment of interest on the total figure of $86 000 at the prescribed rate of 5% per annum from the date of issue of summons,” reads the summons in part.

In her declaration of the claim, Moyo submitted that on February 25, 2014, Ncube lost control of the bus near Mazunga area, resulting in the accident.

“The said accident was caused by the negligence of defendant (Ncube). In one more or all of the following respects, he travelled at a speed which was excessive, failed to stop or act reasonably, where the accident seemed imminent, failed to keep a proper look out in the circumstances, failed to keep the bus under proper control,” she submitted.

Moyo said the accident was due to negligence of the company through failure to service the bus so as to keep it roadworthy. She said she sustained injuries, which included loss of teeth, a double fracture on her right ankle, fractured ribs and damages to her spinal code. She said she is currently receiving physiotherapy and will continue to do so.

“As a result, the injury sustained by Florence Moyo, suffered damages in the amount of $86 000, which is calculated as follows, estimated future expenses $4 000, special damages consisting of cost or damaged items being lost cash in the sum of 12 150 rands, spectacles $300, cellphone $500, bus ticket $22, general damages as a result of pain and suffering, loss of amenities of life and permanent disfigurement $80 000,” reads the declaration of the claim. – Newsday

A mob from Cowdray Park suburb in Bulawayo stripped a self-confessed criminal naked and beat him to death after he was caught red-handed stealing from a house in the area, police confirmed yesterday.

The angry mob was allegedly chanting that Cowdray Park residents were tired of crime as they bludgeoned the thief with an assortment of weapons at around 3AM on Friday.

The man, who identified himself as Prince Dube of Nyamandlovu when residents demanded to know his name, allegedly broke into Mr Onias Nkomo’s house and stole a gas cylinder and a cell phone.

Mr Nkomo (50) told The Chronicle that he caught the heavily built Dube in the act and a fight ensued.

“We grappled and I was overpowering him when he started choking me. He bit me on the mouth and nose. I also sprained my hand in the tussle,” he said.

Mr Nkomo said he heard noise while he was sleeping and thought it was his son who was trying to sneak in a girlfriend.

“I went and sat on a sofa in the dining room. Dube had carried stuff outside and he returned with a torch. He didn’t see me as he concentrated on trying to disconnect my amplifier,” he said.

“My wife coughed from the bedroom and he panicked. He dashed out of the house and I followed him. I grabbed him from behind but he turned around, wrapped his strong hands around my neck and started choking me. He threatened to stab me if I didn’t let him go.”

Mr Nkomo said he screamed, alerting his wife who then summoned two of their neighbours for help.

“When my neighbours Khulekani Khuphe and Tamandiko Mpofu came, I was still wrestling with Dube on the ground. We teamed up to subdue him and tied his hands and legs. We had taken him into the house when a group of residents arrived baying for his blood,” he said.

Mr Nkomo said the residents demanded that Dube should be brought outside.

He said he does not know what happened after Dube had been released to the residents because he remained in the house while his daughter tended to his wounds.

“I was shocked when a police officer later came into the house informing me that Dube had died,” Mr Nkomo  said.

Mr Khuphe said Dube confessed that he had stolen from another house in the same neighbourhood and he led them to where he had hidden the property at a nearby bush.

“Among the loot was a gas cylinder, baby bathing dishes, a bucket with pots, plates and some kitchen utensils. There was commotion. People used various weapons to assault him while others tried to restrain the mob attack,” he said.

Residents who asked not to be named said about 20 people bashed a hapless Dube whose pleas for mercy seemed to make them angrier.

“He was a bloodied mess. They tore off his clothes and hit him with bottles, knobkerries, iron bars, fists and logs,” said a resident.

He said a majority of the residents fled when Dube started gasping for breath.

“They realised he may have been mortally wounded. By the time the police arrived and called an ambulance, the thief was dead,” the resident said.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango confirmed the incident saying police were investigating a suspected murder case but have not arrested anyone.

She said vigilantes would not be tolerated.

Cowdray Park, according to residents, is a crime hotspot because most areas in the suburb do not have electricity. – State Media

A self confessed satanist serial killer from Gokwe who raped and killed a milk vendor after sucking her blood vampire style, has been declared insane by the High Court and referred to a mental health institution for further treatment.

Alois Tapiwa Nduna (28) recently confessed to raping and murdering 13 women in different parts of the country.

On Friday, he appeared before Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Maxwell Takuva facing a charge of murdering Ruth Ndlovu (37).

Nduna of Matanga village under Chief Jiri in Gokwe South is a self-confessed Satanist.

Justice Takuva ruled that Nduna could not be held legally responsible for killing Ndlovu, saying he was mentally ill at the time he committed the offence.

The judge retained a special verdict of not guilty to the charge because of insanity in terms of the Mental Health Act.

“The psychiatrists’ reports depict a disturbing background of the accused person. Although the reports say you are fit to stand trial, they highlight that the accused has a mental disorder and behaves like an animal,” he said.

“There is a probability that you raped the victim either after or before you killed her. From the evidence before this court, we are satisfied that you committed the murder because of insanity.”

Justice Takuva said Nduna was a danger to his family and society and needed to be taken to a mental health institution for treatment.

“The court therefore returns a special verdict of not guilty in terms of section 29 (2) of the Mental Health Act. Accordingly, it is ordered that the accused person returns to prison for transfer to a special institution for treatment. You are a danger to your family and society in general,” ruled the judge.

The State led by Mr Trust Muduma said on 19 March 2015 at about 5PM, Nduna met Ndlovu along a footpath linking Romney Park suburb in Bulawayo and the Bulawayo-Harare road.

He grabbed the woman by her neck and she fell to the ground. “As the deceased lay on the ground, accused tore a piece of a lacing from the woman’s petticoat and used it to strangle her,” said Mr Muduma.

To conceal the offence, Nduna dragged the body for about 131 metres into the bush and searched her handbag. He took a cellphone and disappeared from the scene.

Ndlovu’s husband tried to contact his wife but to no avail. Two days later, he discovered his wife’s body along the footpath and reported the matter to the police leading to Nduna’s arrest

Nduna, who is said to have committed several murders in Hwange, Zvishavane, Bulawayo, Chipinge and Masvingo, claims to be an agent of a satanic cult which thrives on human blood.

According to the psychiatrist’s report, Nduna had episodes of unpredictable behaviour which saw him vomiting blood while admitted to Mlondolozi Mental Health Institution.

He sent police officers fleeing from Mvuma Police Station after he vomited blood and ate it.

Nduna terrorised inmates and wardens at Khami prison using the same method.

He would wake up with 666, the Biblical number signifying the end of the world, inscribed in blood on his back where authorities claimed he could not have done it himself.

Nduna claimed he travelled outside the prison every night using supernatural satanic powers.

Mrs Nikiwe Ncube-Tshabalala of Webb, Low and Barry Legal Practitioners represented Nduna pro deo.- State Media

Scores of villagers in Umguza are defaulting in taking antiretroviral medication due to lack of healthcare services since 2000.

Villagers who were resettled in Umguza’s Wards One to Eight said they have no clinic and for 17 years, they have relied on Nyamandlovu or Bulawayo clinics which required them to use at least $8 for transport.

In an interview during a media tour last Thursday, Mrs Catharine Sithole, one of the six health workers, said most villagers defaulted as they could not afford to travel monthly.

“One of our greatest challenges is that we have not had a clinic ever since we came into this area in the year 2000. This has resulted in most of our HIV positive villagers defaulting in taking their medication and we usually struggle to trace defaulters given the poor road network,” said Mrs Sithole.

“Some children who tested positive have also failed to access ARVs because of the distance to the nearest hospital. We lack awareness campaigns around the issues of HIV and sexual reproductive health rights and some villagers have died due to denial of their status.”

She said about 300 homesteads relied on a mobile clinic which was accessible monthly.

“The mobile clinic has eased the burden though they skip some months without coming to this area. In the mean time we have made use of women’s self-help groups which we formed to curb the health information gap courtesy of Hope for a Child in Christ (HOCIC) and the Community Working Group on Health (CWGH),” Mrs Sithole said.

She said the groups also helped patients to generate income to cover transport costs to the nearest health institutions.

“We now have the privilege of discussing serious health issues like cancer, diabetes and HIV and we organise trips to Bulawayo to get tested. We have even started constructing toilets in the 18 villages so we minimise the risk of contracting cholera and diarrhoea.”

Miss Nomzamo Ncube from HOCIC said the groups were also a way to foster health seeking behaviours among Umguza’s villagers.

“So far we have helped women group themselves and come up with proposals to generate money to cater for their needs. We have trained them on agriculture, craft and motivated them to use the same groups and improve their access to healthcare,” said Ms Ncube.

She said the villagers were now willing to seek healthcare and were helping pregnant women in the area and adolescents access sexual and reproductive health rights.

CWGH securing rights programme officer Mr Mongi Khumalo said they would continue lobbying and encouraging the community to take an initiative in constructing the clinic.

“We have been doing advocacy among the communities and we wish to empower them with health information and skills so that through their own initiatives, they construct a clinic. So far they have sourced land and we will continue lobbying until they have access to proper health care,” he said. – State Media

A WOMAN from Burnside suburb in Bulawayo shocked a court when she refused to have a paternity test done on her two children after her husband claimed to be sterile.

The drama unfolded after Ms Anacleta Tshuma (30) filed for maintenance against Davy Ndlovu (52) seeking $340 for the upkeep of their two children aged seven and five last Friday. Ms Tshuma exploded when the magistrate, Mr Felix Mkhwananzi, said the couple should go for a paternity test asking who would take care of her two children if they turned out not to be her husband’s

“Are you going to assist me to look for the father of the children if he (Ndlovu) discovers that he is not the father? Is he going to change my children`s surname because they are using his surname. Who will take care of the children then?” she asked.

Ms Tshuma said Ndlovu was an irresponsible man and was not contributing to the upkeep of his children.

“Your Worship, l left this man in 2010 because he was not supporting our children. I need the money to buy food, clothes, medication and pay school fees for our children,” she said.

Ndlovu told the magistrate that he had failed to have a child in the first 43 years of his life and ended up seeking medical attention outside of the country.

He said a medical report revealed that he was infertile.

“I know that these are not my children but because of the love l have for her, l have been paying school fees and buying clothes. Since she decided to drag me to this court l want to show her that she is not clever. I demand a paternity test to be carried out next week,” Ndlovu said.

“These are not my children. I was failing to impregnate a woman and then in 2008 when l was 43-years-old l went to Thailand to seek medical attention. The doctors told me that I’m infertile. I got married to this woman but l didn’t tell her my condition. l kept it secret.”

He said he has been maintaining the children and his wife but last week she left their matrimonial home after she hit his mother with a bottle of cooking oil for no apparent reason. Ndlovu offered $150 for the upkeep of the children, saying he would sue Ms Tshuma for the money if the children turned out not to be his. There was further drama after court when Ms Tshuma allegedly disappeared without signing papers to authorise the paternity test.

Threats of retrenchment and delays in payment of salaries continue to haunt the economy as more companies opt for restructuring and downsizing operations in order to remain viable, a survey has shown.

In its national salary survey for 2016, Stratways Management Consulting, a Bulawayo-based labour consultancy firm, indicates that salary increases are unlikely in 2017 as companies are generally struggling to pay their workers on time with many battling salary arrears of up to five years.

Workers continue to be on the receiving end as some businesses are folding and owe large sums of money in unpaid wages and salaries.

The survey findings, which were released during a labour update seminar in Bulawayo on Friday, also show that some workers are being cornered to accept pay cuts in order to save their jobs.

“About 60 percent of companies surveyed have engaged in restructuring and retrenchment and most retrenchments have been guided by the minimum retrenchment package of one month salary for every two years worked.

“There are delayed wages in some cases going back five years. Some businesses have lost the capacity to pay wages completely,” reads part of the survey.

“Most employers and employees associations are unlikely to offer any salary increase in 2017 although unions and labour will continue to press for an increase.

“A number of managerial employees have taken benefits and salary cuts to save jobs. On average managerial salary cuts range from 10-15 percent. A majority of organisations surveyed have wages and salary arrears ranging from a few days to more than a year.”

As at October 2016, neither Government, local government, parastatals, manufacturing nor commerce or mining sectors, had increased salaries.

Recent reports indicate parastatals such as the National Railways of Zimbabwe and Hwange Colliery Company Limited actually have salary backlogs of more than a year.

The survey, however, shows that most companies were not being taken to court over delayed pay due to effective communication mechanisms with their workers over the state of their operations.

Industry capacity utilisation also remains subdued due to a myriad of challenges facing the economy although a positive 13 percent increase from 34 percent to 47 percent was recorded in 2016, according to the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI).

The survey also warns of negative growth due to the persistent foreign exchange shortages which affect input supplies resulting in erratic production with workers, in some instances, being sent on unpaid leave.

The survey further indicates the labour environment in the country is generally hostile to the worker as many employees are earning below the Poverty Datum Line (PDL) estimated at $500 per month.

A poverty datum line (PDL) represents the cost of a given standard of living that must be attained if a person is deemed not to be poor. Basically, a household’s income should be able to buy the quantities of food, shelter, and clothing, deemed necessary for their basic upkeep.

However, a huge margin exists between the lowest paid and executives. Based on the Peterson method of job evaluation, top executives on the E2 grade earn between $10 000 and $20 000 per month with the lowest paid pocketing between $245 and $360 per month.

The situation is not entirely gloomy with the survey showing that benefits and allowances such as housing and transport remain available for many workers, in particular transport allowance, which is available across industries.

As for managerial employees, most benefits have been adjusted downwards to trim costs although some such as children’s school fees, medical aid and housing, have been hardly tampered with. On the bonus question, the survey indicates that where bonuses are not contractual, most organisations have scrapped them or reduced them or put in place an alternative payment plan. – State Media

A RARE bird species is making waves in Victoria Falls with scores of tourists flocking to the resort town to have a glimpse of it.

On Saturday, British Airways and South African Airways, both from Johannesburg, were full when they landed at the Victoria Falls International Airport while a chartered flight was expected as bird watchers flew in to see the pied wheatear and take pictures.

The first group of a dozen tourists arrived in the resort town on Friday after the migratory bird was spotted at the Victoria Falls International Airport on Thursday. Some arrived by road from Botswana after pictures of the bird went viral on social media. The bird, with a dark brown back, black tail, light brown chest and whitish lower part, has been switching positions on the roof of the facility and car park where scores of visitors with big cameras spent the day waiting to take pictures once it emerges.

Mr Charles Brightman of Victoria Falls, who had not returned a Business Chronicle call yesterday after promising to do so, reportedly spotted the bird first and immediately took pictures which he shared on social media.

Birding experts said it is the fourth time the bird species has been seen in Africa after being spotted twice in Botswana in 1984 and in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, some years ago.

Mr Niall Perrins from Bustard Birding in Johannesburg is one of the people who immediately flew into the country.

“We saw pictures after Mr Gavin Hunt sent them to Trevor in Cape Town and we immediately flew in to see it. This is a rare bird species in southern Africa and this is obviously an exciting moment for bird watchers.

“This type of bird is found in Eastern Europe and Asia and I think this one missed its way and did what’s called reverse migration when others migrated back northwards,” said Mr Perrins.

He said the bird could survive and retrace its route since birds have ‘a campus in their brains.’ Another bird watcher from Victoria Falls, who has been organising accommodation for those arriving in Victoria Falls, Mr Daryl Tiran, said this was an important occasion for those involved in birding. He said the bird was spotted on the day South African bird watchers were celebrating Flufftail Festival in Johannesburg, a festival of bird watching.

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief operating officer Mr Givemore Chidzidzi, who was in Victoria Falls on Saturday, said:

“Zimbabwe is endowed with so many resources that we sometimes take for granted of which some of them have potential to attract tourists. Bird watching is a specialised niche market and this is good for us as a country to have people flying in to watch birds. What we have noticed is the power of social media and e-platforms which we should embrace as an industry to appeal to potential tourists out there,” he said.

The pied wheatear is a small migratory songbird with the male and female having very different plumage to one another. In spring, the male has a distinctive white breast and crown, a black face and black wings. In contrast, the female pied wheatear is much duller, with greyish-brown plumage and a white lower breast.

When migrating, experts said, the birds move individually and partner each other during breeding time. – State Media

A MAN from Lupane allegedly committed suicide by drinking a pesticide to avoid arrest after allegedly raping his young brother’s wife.

Ngoneni Ngwenya (49) from Mpahlwa Village 3 under Chief Mabhikwa died at St Luke’s Hospital last Tuesday moments before prosecutors could charge him with rape on his hospital bed.

Neighbours said he behaved like he was possessed a few days before the sex attack last Friday. “Ngwenya continually chanted that he was going to rape someone and commit suicide, in a chilling voice,” said a neighbour.

Ngwenya, villagers said, stayed alone at his homestead after his wife deserted him when she was impregnated by a neighbour. They said the woman disappeared on the day she was supposed to appear in court with her alleged boyfriend for infidelity.

Ngwenya allegedly raped his South African-based young brother’s wife on Friday night.

The woman reported him to his maternal aunt and he consumed a cotton pesticide on Saturday.

The Chronicle heard that Ngwenya’s body was awaiting a postmortem at St Luke’s Hospital mortuary.

Chief Mabhikwa confirmed the incident.

“I am aware there is such an issue in my area although there was no official report. I heard someone was rushed to hospital after consuming poison and later died,” said Chief Mabhikwa.

A neighbour who found Ngwenya writhing in agony in the bush on Saturday said: “We found him in the bush where he had fled to and consumed poison.

We immediately informed police who rushed him to St Luke’s Hospital where he was admitted.

“What happened is that on Friday Ngwenya went to his young brother’s homestead at 10PM and knocked at the door upon which the unsuspecting woman (24) opened for him. He sat on a sofa and harshly ordered her to sit next to him. He started fondling her and raped her while the kids were sleeping,” said the neighbour on condition he remained anonymous.

“The woman went to report the matter to her husband’s maternal aunt in the morning and the case was reported to the police. When he heard that police were looking for him, Ngwenya fled into the bush where he took cotton pesticide.

“That’s when we came across him in the bush,” said the neighbour.

Police provincial spokesperson for Matabeleland North Assistant Inspector Eglon Nkala could not comment on the issue as he was out of office. – State Media

The Government will investigate Gweru City Council to expose dozens of employees who allegedly prejudiced the municipality through false medical aid claims of up to $100 000 per person per month.

A preliminary forensic audit unearthed serious abuse of the council’s lax systems which saw unscrupulous employees making false medical claims from the local authority using fake receipts.

Council has since enlisted the services of Fidelity Life, a medical aid service provider where all council employees will contribute, to plug the loopholes.

Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere said workers who illegally benefited would face disciplinary action.

“We now have a consolidated medical aid scheme for employees thereby ending fraudulent direct payment system for endless dependants with no limits amounting to up to $100 000 a month. We are looking forward to a forensic audit of the former system so that those employees who used the medical aid system for personal profit can be exposed and dealt with.”

Kasukuwere expressed satisfaction with the work which has been done by the outgoing commission which he said managed to restore corporate governance systems.

“Corporate governance is the basis upon which the council operates. I’m happy to report the restoration of systems in the city of Gweru. Some of the terms of reference that I gave the commission was the restoration of systems including the stopping of revenue leakages, extravagant spending, the prevention of double dipping and disciplining of wayward staff,” he said.

“The human resources department of Gweru has been problematic with an old fashioned and bloated staff structure. The coming in of the commission has seen the rationalisation of salaries in line with the 2014 Cabinet directive.”

Kasukuwere’s sentiments follow the firing of former mayor Mr Hamutendi Kombayi and former ward 9 Councillor Mr Kenneth Sithole after the duo were found guilty of corruption and mismanagement.

Seven other MDC councillors were also found guilty but were extended an olive branch and will return to town house together with three Zanu-PF councillors who were cleared of wrong doing. – State Media

Kuwadzana MP and MDC Deputy President Nelson Chamisa today went on a door to door offensive, “listening to people and educating citizens.” PICTURES:

 Terrence Mawawa, Gutu | A senior official in the women’s wing of Joice Mujuru’s Zim PF party has died.

Felistus Guni (45) was the deputy secretary for external affairs in the women’s wing. She succumbed to cancer last week after a lengthy battle with the deadly disease. She was buried at the family home in Guni Village, Gutu South Constituency. Zim PF and MDC-Tsvangirai supporters converged at the family homestead to bid farewell to the affable Guni who was regarded as a key political figure in the area.

Guni was diagnosed with cancer at at Morgenster Mission Hospital and she battled with the deadly disease for a long time. Guni’s mother Simbisai said the family had lost an illustrious and indefatigable pillar of strength.

“I am old and she was the one who looked after me.Life is going to be tough for the entire family without her,”said Guni’s mother. Zim PF provincial spokesperson, Jeffryson Chitando, described the late Guni as a dedicated party cadre who was determined to fight for democracy. “Guni was a vital cog in the women ‘s wing. As Zim PF we were saddened by her death.We will continue to strive for democracy and good governance despite the setback,” said Chitando.

Party sources revealed to ZimEye.com Guni’s death was a huge blow to Mujuru’s bid to take firm control of political events in the party following her simmering battle with her former colleagues, Didymus Mutasa, Rugare Gumbo and Kudakwashe Bhasikiti -among other members accused of infiltrating the party. “Mujuru is in a quandary following the energy sapping sparring with her former comrades who are battling to stop her from using the party name,” said a senior party official.

Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa “may be down but he is not out” former ruling party spokesperson and Cabinet minister, Rugare Gumbo, says of the Midlands godfather.

This is despite the frenzied speculation within President Robert Mugabe’s warring Zanu-PF that Vice President Mnangagwa’s mooted presidential aspirations are now dead in the water.

Speaking to journalists the forthright Gumbo who is now a senior official in the troubled Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) said he had no doubt that Zanu-PF’s succession riddle still had many twists and turns to come.

Madyira, as Gumbo is fondly referred to – and who worked with both Mugabe and Mnangagwa for many decades, before and after Zimbabwe’s independence from Britain in 1980 – also said it was “folly” to assume that Mugabe had shut the door on his deputy succeeding him.

He also said it could not be ruled out that Mnangagwa himself was “playing a game of hide-and-seek” with the nonagenarian, adding that the two men had a strong bond and longstanding relationship which was “only fully understood by them”.

“What is increasingly becoming certain is that Mugabe wants to die in office. When we were still in government he never hinted on his preferred successor and we never pressured him because we assumed that he would soon choose his successor,” he said.

Pressed to say whether he thought Mugabe had nuked Mnangagwa’s chances of succeeding him, Gumbo – who was expelled from Zanu-PF in 2014 with many other ruling party bigwigs on untested allegations of plotting to assassinate and topple the nonagenarian from power – said the two men were “sizing and testing each other up”.

“Mugabe has always been a slippery character because of all things he always wanted power the most. While many other liberation movements had a succession plan, Mugabe long decided against coming up with one.

“Still, I wouldn’t say Mnangagwa has been blocked out. However, what I know is that Mugabe and Mnangagwa vakateyanirana mariva (the have set traps for each other). They are playing each other and only time will tell who will win,” he said.

Gumbo, one of only two surviving members of the venerated Dare reChimurenga (liberation war council), also accused Mugabe of having used Mnangagwa “for a very long time”, warning further that continuing to sideline the VP could be “a dangerous game” given Zanu-PF’s current high stakes politics.

Speaking in his annual interview with the ZBC last week, ahead of his 93rd birthday, Mugabe appeared to rule out the chances of Mnangagwa succeeding him when he said he would soldier on in power – notwithstanding his advanced age and declining health – and that he would only step down if Zanu-PF asked him to do so.

“The call to step down must come from my party, my party at congress, my party at central committee … I will step down.

“But then what do you see? It’s the opposite. They want me to stand for elections. They want me to stand for elections everywhere in the party.

“Of course, if I feel that I can’t do it anymore, I will say so to my party so that they relieve me. But for now I think I can’t say so … The majority of the people feel that there is no replacement, a successor who to them is acceptable, as acceptable as I am,” Mugabe said.

His statement was seen as slamming the door shut in the face of his longtime aide Mnangagwa, who until recently had been touted as a front runner to succeed him.

Stung by this damning statement, Mnangagwa’s angry allies, including sacked Mashonaland Central youth leader, Godfrey Tsenengamu, came out guns blazing, warning the increasingly frail nonagenarian that he faced a big fight if he continued to thwart the Midlands godfather’s mooted presidential aspirations.

Tsenengamu also said that they would now openly campaign for Mnangagwa as Mugabe’s successor, raising the stakes high in the succession saga.

He was subsequently nabbed by detectives, a day after he held his press conference in the capital where he let rip at Mugabe and his powerful wife Grace.

Tsenengamu has since appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court where he was denied bail.

He is facing three charges: violating provisions of the draconian Public Order and Security Act (Posa) for holding his press conference without clearance, undermining the authority of the president and subverting a constitutionally-elected government.

Mnangagwa has been under the cosh in Zanu-PF for the past few months for allegedly working fervently to stampede Mugabe out of power before the nonagenarian’s current presidential term ends in 2018.

Things became worse for him when he hosted sacked Zanu-PF officials at his rural home during the festive season, with his party foes alleging that this was in fact a meeting organised to plot the immediate ouster of Mugabe from power.

Grace also recently took a veiled dig at Mnangagwa during her rally in Buhera, when she attacked Zanu-PF bigwigs angling for her husband’s job, and mocked them on their alleged lack of “leadership qualities”.

She went on to tell the gathered crowd that if Mugabe were to die, Zimbabweans would vote for his corpse.

And on the same day that Grace was lynching party bigwigs, Mugabe was being recorded for his annual birthday interview in which he said there was no one worthy of succeeding him in Zanu-PF.

While Mnangagwa’s allies have openly attacked Mugabe, he has repeatedly declared loyalty for the nonagenarian and on Tuesday heaped praises on the country’s long-ruling leader during a surprise birthday party held for Gushungo at his Munhumutapa offices.

However, insiders also say beneath the smiles between the two men lies deep mistrust despite their having been in the trenches together for so long.

Mnangagwa has served as one of Mugabe’s top aides from the days of the liberation struggle until now.

In a previous interview with the Daily News on Sunday, Gumbo has claimed that both Mugabe and Mnangagwa wanted to wipe out freedom fighters that they disagreed with, and in particular leaders of the Dare reChimurenga “so as to assume total control of Zanu-PF.”

“VaMugabe has said it before and even Mnangagwa has also said that they arrested us and threw us in dungeons, but they have not said the whole story,” he said.

Gumbo and other members of Dare clashed with Mugabe over the direction of the liberation struggle, leading to their barbaric detention in Mozambique, together with the likes of the late Henry Hamadziripi, police commissioner general Augustine Chihuri, former ZBC chief executive Happison Muchechetere and Mukudzei Mudzi. – Daily News

ZimPF candidate in the upcoming Mwenezi East by-election, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti-Chuma has likened First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe and ZimPF leader, Joice Mujuru, to the destructive Cyclone Dineo.

On his Facebook page, Bhasikiti said females who are named Dineo, Joice and Grace were like destructive spirits.

He said the cyclone had coincided with Mujuru firing top ZimPF members and the First Lady resuming her rallies.

He urged the people of Zimbabwe to pray hard for divine intervention.

“I am just pondering on why these three great feminine names caused a stir this last week going all over. One is Dineo, the other two are obvious to you doctorates. Coincidence of spirits. Pakaipa.

Namatirai nyika nhasi. I am now fasting,” Bhasikiti wrote on his Facebook page.

Asked to shade more light on the statements, he said it was food for thought and open for interpretation.

The First Lady was in Buhera last week were she took a dig at Mujuru saying she is a nonentity in politics.

She also said the people of Zimbabwe would still vote for President Mugabe’s corpse even if he were to die before the 2018 elections because no one else is suitable to assume the presidency.

THE Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services foiled an escape bid in which an estimated 20 inmates – among them dangerous murder, armed robbery and rape suspects – had planned with the help of an alleged rogue prison officer to break out of Mutare Remand Prison last month.

Had it not been for the department’s intelligence organs that busted the planned break-out a few days before execution, dangerous suspects could have tasted freedom.

The planned escape was allegedly masterminded by two inmates, Dhiniwe Mabaya Bande and Tinashe Ivory Tsenesa.

ZPCS Manicaland public relations officer, Principal Prison Officer Liberty Mhlanga confirmed the case.

“Yes, we are investigating a planned escape alleged to have been masterminded by two inmates, Dhiniwe Mabaya Bande and Tinashe Ivory Tsenesa at Mutare Remand Prison. The plan to escape was busted by our intelligence organs on the ground before it matured. We are expecting to conclude our investigations by March 2017,” he said.

PPO Mhlanga could not be drawn to shed more light on the case as it is still under investigations.

However, sources privy to the case revealed that the inmates who were in a cell without a concrete roof planned to escape through the roof with the assistance of a prison officer who demanded $1 000 for his services.

“For helping them escape, the prison officer demanded $1 000. He provided them with the best possible escape routes and had also organised a vehicle to ferry the inmates once they were out. That vehicle was supposed to transport the fugitives to Masvingo where they were to be dropped and go separate ways.

“The plan did not work out because information leaked before they could execute the break-out. Bande and Tsenesa who knew each other were the brains behind the escape. They roped in other inmates into the plan because it was not possible for them to escape alone,” said the source.

Bande (32) from Chimanimani who was on the run was arrested last year on allegations of committing a series of crimes after detectives tracked him down through his mobile phone.

He, together with an accomplice who is still at large, raped, robbed and attempted to murder a woman. Bande is awaiting trial at the courts. He made the headlines in 2016 following the March 7 incident in which he called a complainant on her mobile phone using his cell number.

He told the woman that he was selling some diamonds and after making several calls they agreed to meet at Kurauone Primary School in Marange.

At around 1am the following day (March 7, 2016), the complainant hired a taxi which belonged to Onismo Magigwana and upon arrival at Kurauone Primary School, they waited for Bande who later arrived in the company of one Trymore, who is still at large.

Bande and his accomplice then attacked the woman and the taxi driver. He is alleged to have fired a shot from a pistol he was holding and hit the driver, while his accomplice sprayed some pepper to the woman’s face.

They then demanded cash from the complainants and later dragged the female complainant from the vehicle. The pair allegedly took turns to rape her.

They grabbed her handbag which contained $950, a Nokia Asher cellphone, an identity card and disappeared into darkness.

Tsenesa is awaiting trial for unlawful entry charges. – Manica Post

A Masvingo man was burnt beyond recognition when a candle lit up the bed he was sleeping on during a weekend out at a small house’s place.

Police confirmed that Langton Mangena (35) was burnt to death at around 4am at his girlfriend’s place in Rujeko C. The girlfriend was only identified as Plax.

Masvingo Provincial Police Spokesperson Inspector Peter Zhanero confirmed the development and said investigations were still underway to establish the cause of the fire.
Sadly, Mangena’s girlfriend who was only identified as Plax was away when her boyfriend died in the inferno.

Sources said the girlfriend stays in Rhodene, another suburb in Masvingo where she works from Monday to Saturday and would join his boyfriend on Sundays.
Neighbours who spoke to The Mirror said Mangena had gone to a darts tournament in Zvishavane and when he came back, he started drinking beer with his friends at Rujeko A Business Centre till late.

It was said that he came back home around 0300hrs and neighbours suspected that he could have forgotten to switch off the candle, resulting in the fire spreading throughout the house.
“His girlfriend was staying in Rhodene where she works so she usually comes on Sundays. He was alone in the room and we were woken by the noise of breaking glasses. We phoned the fire brigade and it came around past four in the morning but Mangena was already dead,” said a neighbour. Barely few weeks ago, the Mangena family lost the deceased’s brother who died in South Africa. – Mirror

President Tsvangirai today kicked off the last leg of his listening tour in Wedza in Mashonaland East where opinion leaders spoke about the endemic fear planted by Zanu PF in their communities.

Traditional leaders, particularly chiefs and headmen, said Zanu PF killed and orchestrated violence against the people in 2008 and was invoking that period to instill fear and intimidate villagers and local communities.

The opinion leaders expressed their lack of trust and faith in the BVR process, saying Zanu PF would use the fingerprints issue to intimidate villagers to say the party would use the fingerprints to see where they had put their vote.

Just as in other provinces, the traditional leaders bemoaned their paltry allowances which were seven months in arrears. They said Zanu PF claimed the allowances were party money when in fact these allowances were State money funded by the taxpayers. “It is not Zanu PF money, and Zanu PF should not misrepresent itself as the State.” President Tsvangirai told the traditional leaders.

The people’s President assured the community leaders that the people’s vote was a secret and it was a lie by Zanu PF that they would be able, through the BVR process, to see where the people had placed their vote.

Fear and intimidation are emerging to be the key issues in Mashonaland East. The community leaders cited names and incidents to explain how fear, coercion and intimidation were the major instruments used by Zanu PF to cow villagers and keep rural communities at ransom.

On alliances, the community leaders said it was important to harness all energies to ensure that Zanu PF is pastured out in 2018.

President Tsvangirai will this afternoon hold a similar meeting with community leaders in Marondera. Tomorrow, he will be in Mutoko and Murehwa, engaging ordinary people on the crisis in the country, the new governance culture post-2018 as well as strategies to ensure that the people’s will is protected.

Luke Tamborenyoka
Presidential Spokesperson and Director of Communications

A week after a Bulawayo building that housed popular fast food outlet Nando’s collapsed and killed one person, it has emerged that 35 more buildings in the city were condemned and need urgent attention to avert similar incidents.

However, it has also emerged that the collapsed building that housed Nandos was not among those that had been condemned, raising further fears that there could be more buildings facing structural defects but that have not been identified.

Bulawayo council spokesperson Mrs Nesisa Mpofu, in written responses, said the local authority has raised a red flag on 35 buildings in the city and immediately ordered occupants and owners to take remedial action on the identified defects.

Although she could not give the names of the condemned buildings she said the Nando’s building that collapsed was not on the condemned list of buildings as at 31 December 2016.

“Regular building inspections are done to all buildings in the city and should defects be noted on any of these buildings, including those with historic merit, corrective measures that ensure safety, stability and preservation of historic outlook are prescribed to the owners of such buildings. “In the event of any authority for construction works, maintenance or alterations being granted, standard building by-laws, applicable to any and all construction projects are applicable, such as the Model Building By-Laws (1977) in ensuring best design and construction standards are adhered to as well as the safety of the public.

As at the 31st December 2016, 35 buildings were condemned,” said Mrs Mpofu. Regarding the Nando’s incident, Mrs Mpofu declined to comment on council investigations on the cause of the collapse.

“The building had not been condemned. Further information should be obtained from the owners of the business who have engaged a structural engineer to produce a professional assessment on the matter,” said Mrs Mpofu. She said some by-laws which govern the state of buildings in the CBD are the Model Building By-Laws of Zimbabwe 1977, Bulawayo Buildings, Roads and Street By-Laws 1971, the Architects’ Act and the Urban Councils Act. She said whenever council noted some anomalies within buildings they issue notices to property owners advising on the course of action to be done to rectify them.-state media

TRANSPORT minister Jorum Gumbo has been accused of canvassing support for a candidate linked to Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s camp in the inconclusive Zanu PF Masvingo provincial elections for the chairperson’s post where he was the presiding officer.

Gumbo was appointed interim Masvingo Zanu PF provincial chairman with the task of overseeing elections to choose a substantive chairman following months of haggling between Mnangagwa’s Team Lacoste faction and the rival G40, over control of the province.

After Thursday’s elections where some districts failed to vote following incessant rain that made most access roads inaccessible, Gumbo announced the provincial results that showed Ezra Chadzamira scoring a landslide over retired Colonel Mutero Masanganise, who is believed to be aligned to G40. Masanganise is said to be President Robert Mugabe’s uncle.

Gumbo said he would submit the election results to the Zanu PF politburo for a decision on the way forward. According to the results, Chadzamira polled over 12 393 votes against Masanganise’s 4 888, representing 64% of the vote.

But in a statement released yesterday, Masanganise and Masvingo urban MP Daniel Shumba, who is also a deputy politburo member and one of the most senior Zanu PF members in Masvingo, disputed the figures given by Gumbo, accusing him of showing bias towards Chadzamira.

They also accused Gumbo of prematurely announcing the results before other districts voted, allegedly in a bid to influence the outcome.

“We have noted with dismay the misconceptions, misrepresentations and clear bias towards a particular candidate by the presiding officer,” part of the statement read.

“The presiding officer displayed from the onset his bias towards a certain candidate and has continued to canvas the public opinion by going public about a process, which is yet to be concluded.”

Shumba and Masanganise said they wondered where Gumbo got the 63% when the whole of Mwenezi district did not vote while two thirds of Chiredzi members were not involved in the polls.
“In Gutu district, a fragmentation of few districts participated, with Gutu North constituency not having a single vote,” the duo said.

“In Masvingo district, only urban constituencies voted with an average of two districts each having voted. In the other four constituencies, Chivi South was affected by heavy rains, while there was a circus in Zaka East where the Member of Parliament was conducting the elections.”

Shumba and Masanganise said only 34,5% of the eligible voters managed to cast their vote and elections were only held in 210 out of the 435 districts in the province, constituting less than 50% against Gumbo’s alleged 63%.

The duo said most people did not vote because of heavy rains, election officers refusing to visit all voting centres, manipulation of district structures, interference by some politburo members and connivance between supervising provinces and some MPs.

Shumba and Masanganise said only 18 000 people voted out of a possible 52 000 from the whole province, representing a turnout of 34,5% vote.

“The above and other details shall be presented to Zanu PF party headquarters for onward review and determination. Accordingly, the perceptions created shall be dealt with through internal party structures, thus the public must ignore the partisan insinuations that have been created in yesterday [Friday]’s media release.

“It is not in a presiding officer’s position to pronounce and create perceptions on an election process that is still pending and awaiting review,” the two added.

Masvingo has been a battleground for Zanu PF factional wars and several interim chairpersons have been appointed and fired as factions continued to tussle for control.

The elections were called for by the politburo after the Team Lacoste faction toppled the then interim chair, Amasa Nenjana and replaced him with Chadzamira, who had been suspended for undermining first lady Grace Mugabe before he was reinstated.

The coup on Nenjana was overturned by the politburo which then ordered elections to settle the matter once and for all, but the Thursday polls showed the problems were still far from over.
Zanu PF commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere yesterday refused to comment on the matter, preferring to simply say: “We would have wished the process to be complete.”

While addressing thousands of party supporters who gathered in Matobo for the commemoration of his 93rd birthday, President Robert Mugabe castigated canvassing for support by factions for control of provinces.

He urged Zanu PF members to desist from factionalism which has continued to threaten the fabric of the ruling party. – Standard

After years of skirting around the succession issue, President Robert Mugabe finally laid out his cards and came short of declaring that his 51-year-old wife was next in line – after his death.

Mugabe told ZTV in his traditional birthday interview last week that Grace had become acceptable to the people while dismissing senior Zanu PF leaders often linked to his throne as no hoppers.

Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa has of late been linked to the presidency, with some of his vocal supporters publicly declaring their frustration with Mugabe over his reluctance to pass on the baton.

University of Zimbabwe political science guru Eldred Masunungure said Mugabe was paving the way for his wife to take over power. However, he warned that the veteran ruler could have misread local politics after declaring that the volatile Grace was now more mature and popular with the people.

Masunungure said although Grace had showed a great deal of maturity since 2014 when she led the ouster of former vice-president Joice Mujuru, assuming she was popular enough to be accepted as president was overstretching one’s imagination.

“What is obvious is that Mugabe is testing the waters. He is paving way for his wife to take over,” he said. “The president is partly right on maturity. But on acceptability, if Grace is to take over, it should be during Mugabe’s time.

“If you remove the president, her power melts. She is nothing without the president.
“That is her tragedy; she will need the blessings of her husband while he is still alive. Alone, she cannot stand.”

Harare-based political analyst Alexander Rusero said it appeared Mugabe had settled for his wife as his successor, but warned that it would not be smooth sailing for the former typist.
“Zimbabwe politics is grounded on egoistic politics of personalities,” he said.
“We might disapprove of what Mugabe is saying, but what the president is simply saying is, he is the starting and end of Zanu PF and what he says goes and is telling the people to rally behind his wife,” Rusero added.

“It is clear Grace is a juvenile in Zanu PF politics, but with Mugabe around her, she has the power.
“Grace understands that and that is why she is proposing even using Mugabe’s corpse in elections. She knows where she is drawing her power from.”

Ivan Vava, a political commentator said Mugabe had already endorsed his wife, but was misguided in thinking she was now accepted.

“If anything, the people that attended her rallies are either coerced or they are there to collect goodies and freebies,” he said.

Zimbabwe People First spokesperson, Jealousy Mawarire said Mugabe had found a useful tool in Grace as he tries to keep factions angling for his post at bay.

“In terms of political maturity, she is wanting, but Mugabe could be saying she has matured in being an arsenal to use against his perceived political opponents,” he said.
“When Mugabe talks about Grace’s political maturity, the temptation is to understand that in the normative sense of political maturity.

“However, what is likely is that Grace has graduated into the ideal political tool that Mugabe uses to decimate opponents, the garrulous, verbally abusive and uncouth political persona who cares very little about morality, decency and human dignity.

“That is the maturity, the thick-skin that Mugabe inculcated into his wife for her to fight his factional battles.”
Since taking over as the Zanu PF leader in 1976, Mugabe has used cunning tricks to stay at the helm of the party.

Discussion on his successor has been taboo in the national political discourse and indeed, a few who dared challenge his hegemony found themselves languishing in the political wilderness.
After decimating late vice-president Joshua Nkomo’s Zapu using the North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade under the guise of thwarting a dissident movement, Mugabe gave himself majestic executive powers and tried to force the country into a one party-state system.

But late former Zanu PF secretary-general Edgar Tekere immediately saw the dangers of Mugabe’s plans and successfully blocked him by splitting from the revolutionary party and forming the Zimbabwe Unity Movement, although it did not change Mugabe’s plan to be life president.

A decade later, Masvingo legislator Dzikamai Mavhaire shocked all and sundry in Zanu PF by openly telling Mugabe to retire while debating on presidential term limits in Parliament.
Mavhaire’s call was no doubt a confirmation of a rebellion against Mugabe that had started to gather momentum.

Although the maverick MP was sanctioned, the agenda had been set and Mugabe’s retirement remained topical on the minds of many party members, albeit silently.

The 2004 Tsholotsho Declaration, building on the power gap left by the death of Vice-President Simon Muzenda in 2003, marked a watershed period to the open defiance of the 93-year-old leader’s rule after the Mavhaire “Mugabe must go” refrain.

Since then, Zanu PF has been imploding, with factions locked in bitter power struggles as bigwigs prepare for life after Mugabe.

The most serious challenge to Mugabe’s rule took place during Zanu PF’s 2006 conference held in Goromonzi as factions led by Mnangagwa and Mujuru drew lines in the sand.

But Mugabe emerged the winner again and the now wary strongman became more combative on thwarting succession talks, making it treasonous to talk about who would take over from him. Standard

PRESIDENT ROBERT Mugabe has taken the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Lazarus Dokora to task on introducing Islam into the country’s education system.

Responding to a question on the controversies surrounding the new curriculum being implemented by the Government during his birthday interview with ZBC-TV last Tuesday night, Mugabe said Dr Dokora had said to him nothing of that sort was going to be introduced.

He added that Dr Dokora had revealed that he is a Catholic.

“Akaramba yekuti anonzi Ayatollah, akati no, beard yangu iyi ndakangobvira nayo kudhara. I cannot shave it off. Vamwe vachiti ah zvinonzi when you went to Iran ndokwawakabva wava Muslim, akati no I am not Muslim at all. I remain a Catholic.

“Ah isu tanga tanzwa kuti watova muMuslim. Saka ava kutounza chiMuslim kuti anoda some Muslim prayer, akati no he is not introducing anything like that,” Mugabe said.

No Zimbabwean was killed or injured in xenophobic skirmishes that occurred in South Africa over the last fortnight, Harare’s chief diplomat in Pretoria, Ambassador Isaac Moyo, has said.
In an interview with the state media, Ambassador Moyo said the South Africa Government had assured African diplomats that foreigners in that country will be protected.
Violence broke out during Friday’s anti-immigrant march in Pretoria and parts of Johannesburg.

Police used stun grenades, water cannons and rubber bullets to disperse the protestors going by the name “Mamelodi Concerned Residents” who accused immigrants of “taking our jobs, fuelling crime and prostitution”.

The South Africa Police Service later reported that 136 people had been arrested.
South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma condemned the violence and encouraged peaceful co-existence on Friday.

Ambassador Moyo said, “We have not received any reports of any death or injury of a Zimbabwean as a result of the xenophobia-related incidents that occurred in Pretoria and before that, in the south of Johannesburg.

“However, we are advising Zimbabweans to be vigilant whilst maintaining calm. We are reassured by the authorities that they are doing everything needed to stabilise the situation and to deal with the legitimate grievances of the affected communities and that at all times, any xenophobic tendencies will be dealt with.”

On Friday, the “Mamelodi Concerned Residents” delivered a petition to the Home Affairs Ministry alleging that worshippers from Zimbabwean apostolic churches were “destroying our public parks”, and accused them of defecating, urinating and burning trees.

The petition also accused foreigners of being “arrogant and don’t know how to talk to people, especially Nigerians”. President Zuma, however, called for calm and understanding.

Said President Zuma: “I’ve been told people leading the march are saying it’s not an anti-foreigners march, it is anti-crime. Those involved in crime happen to be amongst them, those who come from other countries.

“Let us help to cool down the situation, make people understand, talk to the police and talk to the foreigners. That is what they should do rather than making statements that actually exacerbate the feelings of the people.

“I think we love using phrases in South Africa that, at the times, cause unnecessary perceptions about us. I think we are not (xenophobic), it’s not the first time we’re with the foreigners here.”

Outgoing Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku  is under investigation by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc)  for alleged criminal abuse of office.

Chidyausiku is accused of appointed retired Justice Vernanda Ziyambi to the Supreme Court bench to hear a case in which he was an interested party, state media reported Sunday.

Chidyausiku retires this week.

According to Sunday Mail, Chidyausiku recalled  Ziyambi on February 6, 2017, though she had left the judiciary in 2016 after reaching retirement age.

Section 186 (2) of the Constitution says judges must retire at 70 years.

As such, University of Zimbabwe law student  Romeo Zibani wrote to Zacc, asking the Commission to probe Chidyausiku for “deliberately and intentionally” contravening the law in order to further a particular cause.

Before  Ziyambi’s latest appointment, the High Court had granted  Zibani’s application to suspend public interviews to select the next Chief Justice.

The Judicial Services Commission noted the ruling, went ahead with the interviews and then filed an appeal at the Supreme Court in December 2016.

Chidyausiku later appointed Ziyambi who subsequently sat on the Supreme Court panel that reversed the High Court ruling on February 13.

In his letter to Zacc dated February 24, 2017, Zibani alleges that Justice Ziyambi was brought into the picture as “the majority of judges” had refused to hear the JSC’s appeal.

Prior to this, he had filed court papers challenging the constitutionality of the Supreme Court panel that gave the JSC permission to conduct the said public interviews.

Zacc Head of Investigations Goodson Nguni last Friday confirmed that the corruption-fighting body had received the letter, but refused to disclose further details.

Zibani tells Zacc in the letter: “Justice Ziyambi had retired last year in November 2016 after having reached the age of seventy (70). The subsequent appointment of Retired Justice Ziyambi was unlawful and unconstitutional as I have indicated.

Retired Justice Ziyambi was no longer eligible for appointment having retired at the age of seventy (70).

“It is my humble submission that the Chief Justice deliberately and intentionally contravened the Section I have referred to above by appointing a retired judge who had reached the age of seventy (70) in contravention of the Constitution.

” This is a clear abuse of the Chief Justice’s office and, therefore, the Chief Justice is guilty of abuse of office. “I say so because the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23) Section 174 (1) reads thus;

“174 Criminal abuse of duty as public officer  ‘If a public officer, in the exercise of his or her functions as such, intentionally,
(a) does anything that is contrary to or inconsistent with his or her duty as a public officer or
(b) omits to do anything which is his or her duty as a public officer to do; for the purpose of showing favour of disfavour to any person, he or she shall be guilty of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer and liable to a fine not exceeding level thirteen or imprisonment for a period not exceeding fifteen years or both.’

“The Chief Justice is guilty of contravening the above Section. I am requesting the (Zimbabwe) Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate this abuse of office by the Chief Justice.” – State Media

A 60-YEAR-OLD general hand at Alan Redfern Primary School in Plumtree Town has appeared in court facing allegations of fondling a Grade Five pupil at the school on Valentine’s Day.

Fanti Moyo who was staying at the school cottages reportedly fondled the 10-year-old who cannot be named for ethical reasons while she was buying a freezit from his home. He appeared on initial remand before Plumtree magistrate, Mr Joshua Mawere facing an indecent assault charge. Moyo was remanded out of custody to Tuesday after he was granted a $100 bail.

Prosecuting, Mrs Rose Sibanda said Moyo allegedly fondled the breasts of the 10-year-old girl on 14 February at about 2pm and he further told her that they now belonged to him.

“On 14 February around 2pm, the juvenile went alone to Moyo’s house during lunchtime to buy a freezit. She gave him a 10 cents bond coin and it dropped on the floor while in Moyo’s hands. Moyo ordered the girl to pick up the coin and she complied. He then started fondling the juvenile’s breasts and told her that she shouldn’t allow anyone to touch her breasts as they now belonged to him,” she said.

Mrs Sibanda said Moyo further tried to force the juvenile to enter his house but she refused. She said the girl went back to class and narrated the story to her friend. Upon arrival at home she reported the matter to her parents who in turn reported the matter to the police resulting in Moyo’s arrest. Moyo is being represented by Mr Prince Butshe of Mathonsi Ncube Law Chambers. In his conditions of bail Moyo was ordered to reside at his stipulated address, not to interfere with witnesses and to stay away from his workplace. – State Media

The Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Dr Christopher Mushohwe has dismissed sentiments by former Industry and International Trade minister Nkosana Moyo who was quoted attacking the Zimbabwean Government.

In a message posted on his Facebook page last week, former Industry and International Trade minister, Moyo, attacked the Zimbabwe Government, accusing it of financial indiscipline and failure to grow the economy.

In a statement last night, Minister Mushohwe said Moyo was seeking political attention as he was positioning himself to join an opposition political party.

“It is common knowledge that Nkosana Moyo is being positioned for a faction of an opposition party.  It is therefore not surprising that in a bid to improve his eventual political showing, he is weirdly seeking political attention hoping to improve his prospects. Many however, remember Nkosana Moyo as a fugitive from a ministerial appointment made by President Mugabe whom he dares to insult today. The nation is fully aware that Nkosana Moyo was given the responsibility to oversee the Industry and International Trade Ministry in 2000 but instead proved himself to be “spineless” and a quitter when he left Government in 2001 in a rush after failing to contribute anything meaningful to the development of Zimbabwe. Instead of joining hands with other patriotic Zimbabweans in the trenches, Moyo could not withstand the heat and cowardly eloped to foreign lands,” Minister Mushohwe said.

The minister added: “While it is his right to join crumbling opposition politics, Zimbabweans have a right not to expect any solution from a person who deserted them in the past and now, quisling-like, seeks to join another party. Any attempt to besmirch an iconic and principled veteran leader like President R.G. Mugabe is bound to boomerang. Having been associated with a few International Finance Institutions, Moyo should be the first one to understand the reasons why Zimbabwe is in its current economic situation.” – State Media

There is no love lost between veteran opposition politician Margret Dongo and former vice-president Joice Mujuru.
Dongo, who was fired by Mujuru from the Zimbabwe People First Party (ZimPF) in a clear out that also claimed the scalps of former senior Zanu PF leaders Didymus Mutasa and Rugare Gumbo, has spoken for the first time about the ugly fallout.

The former Zanu PF MP claimed that although Mujuru had always shown signs of being a dictator, she least expected her drastic move to fire her and other ZimPF founding members who invited her to lead the party.

“Mujuru’s decision to expel me from ZimPF is the culmination of months of self-defeating politics borrowed from Zanu PF’s playbook,” Dongo told The Standard in an interview after days of prodding.

“They are politics of insecurity and a debilitating inability to apply the principles of civility to political conflict. I only learned about my expulsion through the media,” she added.

Dongo said in 2014 she was approached by Gumbo who wanted her to persuade Mujuru to lead ZimPF.

She said on several occasions she drove to the former VP’s farm outside Harare to convince her to enter opposition politics after her dramatic expulsion from Zanu PF on allegations that she was plotting to assassinate President Robert Mugabe.

“She was hesitant,” Dongo said. “Her heart was still with Zanu PF.

“I was forced to assure her that I would come on board and support her. I had a series of meetings with war veterans at my house.

“Later, I invited women from all the 10 provinces to meet her.

“ZimPF women should question Mujuru’s commitment to the empowerment of Zimbabwean women.

“Zimbabweans should question Mujuru’s commitment to gender equality in politics.”

Dongo said her relationship with Mujuru started to deteriorate just after Mugabe’s former protege accepted to lead ZimPF.

“At first she just ignored me. I continued to mobilise people to support her,” she said.

“Mujuru’s growing insecurity immediately morphed into conceited efforts to undermine me.

“While appointing people to positions on the national leadership, she called for elections involving women from all provinces to decide my future in the party.

“I won the elections, held on September 22 2015, forcing Mujuru to grudgingly accept me as ZimPF’s interim [women] national chairperson.

“Thereafter, Mujuru actively and repeatedly undermined my work and authority.

“She made sure that I did not receive all the resources required to implement programmes for the women I was supposed to lead and empower. I financed most of my meetings.”

The former Zimbabwe Union of Democrats leader alleged that Mujuru made it no secret during meetings that she was never comfortable sitting next to her and that she wasn’t personally interested in her contributions.

Dongo alleged that during rallies she was often barred from speaking beyond just introducing Mujuru.

“Mujuru’s strange discomfort found its greatest expression when supporters applauded and chanted ‘Dongo! Dongo! Dongo!’ After I had just introduced myself at the party’s first rally in Bulawayo, and after I had addressed the party’s rally in Mutare,” Dongo added.

“Sensing her growing discomfort I recommended that she appoints someone she would be comfortable to work with.

There was no response.”

In 2016, Dongo said women expressed their discontent with the fact that they were not adequately represented in ZimPF committees.

She said women complained about interference in their operations by individuals from the national leadership and why the party president surrounded herself with men wherever she went.

Dongo said Mujuru last had a meeting with women in September 2015 before she forced a meeting on January 27 2017 after getting concerned about a growing disconnect between her and female leaders from the provinces.

It was during that meeting, according to Dongo, that women took Mujuru to task.

“They presented stories of rampant factionalism, power struggles, meddling by members of the national leadership and frustrated members leaving the party,” she said.

“The provincial leadership from Masvingo reported serious problems, implicating Dzikamai Mavhaire.

“The women reported that the problems, which can also be blamed for the party’s loss in Bikita West, required the attention of the national leadership.

“Mujuru’s solution to these problems was to fire me and make libelous accusations.”

Dongo said she had a long-standing history of fighting for women’s rights and equal opportunities. She challenged Mujuru to show what she had done to fight for women’s cause.

In some of the minutes from the women’s wing meetings that were sent to Mujuru, the women expressed discontent over the ZimPF leader’s leadership style.

A storm was brewing behind the scenes and knives were turning against Mujuru before she pre-emptied those plotting against her by firing Dongo, it has been revealed.

“Mujuru’s insecurity undermines Zimbabwean women’s continuing struggle for genuine representation at the highest levels of the country’s political, social and economic institutions. It undermines the struggle against Robert Mugabe. It undermines Zimbabwean democracy,” Dongo said.

“To be clear, I feel betrayed. But this isn’t just about Margaret Dongo. It’s about a cancer that has ravished our politics across all party lines since independence.”

She added: “The current ZimPF leadership remains stuck in poisonous methods imported from Zanu PF, where the old guard is too hostile to youthful leadership and new ideas.”

Dongo said Mujuru was fast-becoming the female figurehead of a leadership that was isolated from the people it claimed to lead.

However, Marian Chombo, Dongo’s successor in Mujuru’s camp, hit back saying there was no truth in the allegations.
“Nothing can be far from the truth. If you look at the reason why she [Mujuru] was against Gumbo and Mutasa’s queen bee strategy, it was because of its male chauvinistic nature,” she said.

“The queen bee syndrome entails that a woman who has excelled in a male-dominated area is used to suppress other women from reaching the same heights and this is what Mujuru was against.

“Mujuru has done a lot for the women’s movement. Look at the fights she had to ensure equal opportunities for women through legislative pieces that she championed, like the Legal Age of Majority Act of 1982 which allowed women to own properties in their names and the Matrimonial Causes Act of 1985 which recognised, for the first time in the history of this country, a wife’s direct and indirect contribution to family property to be considered when distributing assets at divorce.”

She added: “These are just but a few examples of the many things that Mujuru has done for the women’s movement.”

Mujuru brushed aside charges by Mutasa and Gumbo that they are now the new ZimPF leaders and continues to meet her party’s structures. – Standard

Government is engaging striking junior and senior doctors at public hospitals, with resolution on their grievances likely to be reached soon.

The state media reports that Government officials and Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association representatives met in Harare last week and found common ground on post-internship job security and on-call allowances, while the doctors’ proposal to import personal vehicles duty-free is being considered.

These three issues were at the centre of the job action which saw patients being turned away from referral hospitals in different parts of the country over the last two weeks.

Last week, Government merged some departments and roped in doctors from the uniformed forces to minimise the strike’s impact.

Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa told the National Assembly last Wednesday that Cabinet had deliberated on the matter, and a resolution was expected soon.

VP Mnangagwa said, “Discussions are ongoing with those workers who are on strike. They have grievances, which they would want Government to address.

“(On Tuesday), we were in Cabinet, and we heard their grievances and some of them have been attended to, but others are still outstanding. They are still coming up with a solution.”

ZHDA president Dr Edgar Munatsi is optimistic that the strike will be called off soon.

“The negotiations are still ongoing and we are making headway. We had three grievances — the first one was on post-internship and that one was answered satisfactorily.

‘‘On the issue of on-call allowances, there were indications that we are making headway and agreeing.

“We are still waiting for communication from the Government on the third one, which is duty exemption. As soon as we get communication from the Government, we will chart the way forward.” – State Media

Fast rising musician Ashton Tapiwa Nyahora, better known as Mbeu, has abandoned his matrimonial home to live with a “small house”.

It appears the vocalist and guitarist, whose music is largely influenced by music superstar Oliver Mtukudzi, has been heavily gripped by the very same disease that has threatened careers of extremely talented artistes like Rockford “Roki” Josphats and of late Andy Muridzo.

It is alleged that his private, or rather bedroom life, is in the fast lane.

Information obtained by this publication indicates that Mbeu dumped his family, which includes his heavily pregnant wife, young sister and brother at his yet to be completed family home in Norton late last year.

Reports are that the young man is now staying in a rented apartment in Warren Park with a lady that he hooked up with in one of the popular Harare CBD imbibing joints that he has a regular weekly slot.

Fame, it seems, has exposed him to various blossoms of the world, in the process making him reconsider his first love whom he married late last year.

And his decision to open another “nest”, it is said, has been causing massive strain on the musician’s pocket and subsequently his family.

Sources say because of these developments, the musician has become more of a visitor in Norton.

As a result, his wife Praise Knoway Chipungu now spends more time at her mother’s place who also stays in the same neighbourhood. That is where The Sunday Mail Leisure crew found her after failing to locate her at her home last week.

Mbeu’s manager, Eugine Museredza, has also been fingered as the major contributor to the talented entertainer’s “crisis”.

This publication got hold of Mbeu’s manager through telephone and requested a face-to-face interview with him and his artiste over these issues but he declined, instead opting for WhatsApp. However, they were both cold in their responses and gave minimal details.

“That’s not true. It’s my home, that’s where I stay. I don’t visit where I stay. I am staying with my family,” said Mbeu after we asked about his new Warren Park home and family.

His wife, Praise, who has a clear distaste for Museredza, sings a different tune. She hesitantly confirmed the allegations.

“People are talking and they have been telling me that he moved in with another woman but like I said I am still to come up with proper evidence,” said a visibly troubled Praise.

“He moved to Warren Park in December last year ostensibly to work on his new album that is set to be released. I once travelled to that place and I found the room occupied with guys and with mats but that they stay with a female or not I would not know. Maybe he took me to a wrong place, you wouldn’t know but I spent a whole night at the place and slept on a rug.”

Mbeu’s wife, a holder of a diploma from the Zimbabwe College of Music, went on to divulge more details.

“He usually visits on Sundays but that has also since become subject to his ‘work’ schedule. His support for me, his school-going sister and brother that he left in my custody, has since declined. Perhaps it is because of the room that he is now renting in Warren Park. I don’t know how much he pays for it though.”

But despite all the drama, Praise is still hopeful that her husband will come out strong and get rid of all the negative forces that are threatening to derail his life and promising career. She feels her husband needs time to grow and discover himself. This, she nonetheless opine, will only be possible if he hangs around people that give him sound advice.

And according to her, Museredza, whom she says she knew before Mbeu, is not one of the people that will take his husband to the “Promised Land”.

“I’m told his manager is the one responsible for all this and is the one that is encouraging him to have affairs. I failed to click with Eugine (Museredza) who was once my teacher at school because I’m a no nonsense person. My bone of contention with him stems from the fact that he is overstepping his boundary by trying to manage both my husband as an artiste and our personal life,” she said.

“He is giving Ashton (Mbeu) wrong advice all the time and I have always been correcting my husband until recently when he discovered it and that is why he is now trying to get rid of me. He (Museredza) needs to know Mbeu is the one he manages and Ashton is mine to manage. Actually, I’m told he is the one who looked for a new place for Ashton.”

Museredza, however, defended himself.  “I have nothing to do with his private life,” he said.

But Praise dug in: “Ashton has had issues with ladies before but I don’t blame him, the ladies throw themselves at him, he is a human being and not God, miyedzo inombo muwandirawo (temptations sometimes get too much for him). I can never change him, it has to be a personal decision.”

Mbeu’s music growth can best be described as phenomenal having grown into a household name in a few months.

Getting his first shot on the big stage at Sam Mtukudzi’s commemoration gig last year in March, the artiste struck the right chords and won the hearts of many music lovers with his mesmeric performances.

While sharing the stage with some of the biggest acts in the county who include Oliver Mtukudzi and Jah Prayzah might have greatly contributed to his visibility, it cannot be disputed that he is hardworking and talented.

Doing an average of four shows per week at venues that include Jazz 24/7, Pakare Paye, City Sports Bar, Time & Jazz and most recently Legends Sports Bar in Bulawayo among others, fortune seems not so far from the young man.

But all the gains made thus far could come to naught if he stays on the stray path.

It is hoped that such disturbing developments will not derail his promising career as well as plans to release “The Mhodzi Diaries”, an album which he is finalising and is set to launch both in Zimbabwe and South Africa. – State Media

ROMAN Catholic youths across the country have been encouraged to go on a fast of WhatsApp for 40 days during the Lenten season.

During the Lent season, Catholics relive the experiences that Jesus Christ went through before and after his crucifixion, right up to resurrection.

It therefore leads into and encompasses the Easter holiday.

This year, the period starts from March 1 and ends on April 15.

It is against this background that Tendai Karombo, a representative of youths in the Roman Catholic Church in Zimbabwe, implored youths to abstain from using the free messaging application which has taken smart-phone uses, mainly the youths, by storm.

Speaking on a pre-recorded video during the launch of the 2017 Roman Catholic Church Lenten DVD in Harare last week, Karombo said this was an opportunity for youths to show their commitment.

“Lenten season is that time when we journey together with Jesus, the passion, His crucifixion and His resurrection that is the moment we show Christ our allegiance to Him.

“But as Catholic youths, the concept of fasting is something which is not clear to us. However we do fast. Those who fast mainly fast food following the dictates of their parents but this coming Lenten season we will try and fast WhatsApp. We have never done it but I want to believe that we can do it,” Karombo said.

Concurring with Karombo, Father Reki Mashayamombe from Seke Rural parish said abstaining from WhatsApp as a form of fasting is a prudent idea because most of the youths are spending their time on the platform.

“If they abstain they will concentrate on God during the Lenten season and also it shows an act of sacrifice,” he said.

According to an online source – fin24.com – WhatsApp chief executive Jan Koum was reported to have confirmed that the application had 700 million users by 2015.

Said Karombo, “I must admit that not many of us fast due to various reasons that range from school commitments and peer pressure. But we are slowly but surely getting there,” she said. She added that young people in the Catholic Church are showing interest in participating in church activities.

“We had elders participating most in Lent activities such as alms-giving and fasting. But for the past two years youths have become more active to the extent that even our Lenten campaigns are becoming overwhelming.

“This is because of the teachings we are getting from elderly people in the church. We understand that we are the church of today and the church of tomorrow, hence we also have to be active in campaigns such as the Lenten season,” she said.

Asked about the significance of fasting WhatsApp, Zimbabwe Catholics Bishops Conference (ZCBC) general secretary, Father Frederick Chiromba said it may be the choice of particular individuals depending on how they perceive and use WhatsApp.

He said Lent prepares the believer through prayer, penance, repentance of sins, alms-giving, atonement, and self-denial.

“Lent is a season for prayer, fasting and alms-giving. Individuals may choose specific forms of fasting. I have not heard about Catholic youths choosing to collectively abstain from WhatsApp this Lent. But it may be the choice of particular individuals depending on how they perceive and use WhatsApp,” said Father Chiromba.

He added, “Under normal circumstances platforms such as WhatsApp can be considered neutral, neither good nor bad as the qualification comes with the usage.

“The youths would be correct if their current perception and usage of WhatsApp is bad and needs to be reformed. Yes, fasting can take the form of abstention but beyond that we are also encouraged to revive good Christian practices where we may have lapsed,” he said.

Father Chiromba revealed that the major highlight of Lent in Zimbabwe, as in the universal church, is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent; and the Lent exercises of prayer, fasting and alms-giving.

“This year we can also expect to see Christians reciting and following the way of the cross in churches and in the open, individually and collectively. Many will pay more attention to their spiritual exercises and draw closer to Christ and His church during this season.

“Lent is especially exciting because of what it precedes and leads to, Palm Sunday, which marks the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, followed by the Easter Triduum, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday,” he explained.

Lent is a period of reflection. lt is observed in the Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Methodist, and Roman Catholic churches.

Jesus Christ spent 40 days and 40 nights alone in the desert as Satan tempted him. – State Media

A 35-year-old man who raped his 11-year-old stepdaughter on three separate occasions was yesterday sentenced to 45 years in jail.

The man pleaded not guilty when he appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mr Hoseah Mujaya. However, he was convicted following a full trial. He will serve an effective 25 years in prison.

Mr Mujaya sentenced him to 15 years on each of the three counts. Count one and two will run concurrently leaving the man with a 30-year jail term. Of the 30 years, Mr Mujaya suspended five years on condition that in the next five years the man does not commit a similar offence.

The court heard that on November 27, 2016 at around midnight, the minor was asleep at their home in Kuwadzana Extension, Harare.

The stepfather sneaked into the minor’s bedroom and lowered her shorts. The court that the minor woke up when her stepfather was already on top of her. He raped her. After the offence the stepfather told her not to tell her mother The following day the stepfather sneaked into the minor’s bedroom during the night again.

She woke up while her stepfather was already raping her. He gagged her mouth. On December 1, 2016 the minor was watching television with her stepfather in his bedroom.She fell asleep. he stepfather pulled down her panties and she woke up.

The minor held onto her panties tightly but she was overpowered by her stepfather who then raped her. He ordered her not to tell her mother. The minor later opened up to her mother leading to the stepfather’s arrest. – State Media

VENDORS Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (Viset) has approached the Supreme Court challenging a High Court decision to dismiss their appeal against the removal of hawkers from the central business district (CBD) in Harare.

The High Court over two weeks ago dismissed the challenge by vendors to vacate the CBD.

Harare City Council, in its bid to sanitise the capital, ordered vendors off the streets, but the vendors appealed to the High Court, saying the ban was unlawful.

In its notice of appeal, Viset, represented by Mupanga Bhatasara Attorneys, said it wanted the judgment by the High Court overturned.

It cited City of Harare, Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere and Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri as the first, second and third respondents.

“The court a quo (High Court) erred in fact and in law in finding that the respondents did not violate section 68 of the Constitution in that appellants were said to have been given four days to comply with a prohibition statement to cease vending operations,” the appeal read.

“Specifically, the ban was made without prior consultations with those who were affected by it, who had a legitimate expectation to be heard, making the decision substantively and procedurally unfair.

“The court a quo (High Court) erred in fact and in law in finding that the conduct of the respondents fell within the permissible limitations envisaged in section 86 of the Constitution. The misdirection was compounded by the fact that there was no evidence placed before the court by the respondents to link the outbreak of typhoid and the carrying out of vending by first appellant members,” the application read.

Respondents must have dealt with garbage collection as well as supply water and ablution facilities to deal with the typhoid.

The vendors said the High Court erred in concluding that they came to court with dirty hands when it was established that they did not have permits out of their own fault, especially when Harare City Council had admitted that it had no capacity to accommodate all vendors within its designated vending sites. – Newsday

Shyleen Mtandwa| President Robert Mugabe celebrated his 93rd birthday with a message, wearing a cowboy hat what appeared like a warning shot to his many enemies within the ruling party and in the country, that he is still the only game in town, “ready to shoot”.

In typical Machiavellian fashion, the 93 year old despot Mugabe seems always to outwit his enemies, keeping them guessing as to his next move, playing his cards close to his chest as he ruthlessly crushes dissent.

The highlight of his birthday celebration today was the following quote, “People who are busy forming their own groupings saying vaMugabe must go, I ask myself where should I go?”

The message to desperate Zimbabweans in need of change was simply that the cowboy is going nowhere.

Staff Reporter | Factional wars within the Joice Mujuru led faction of the Zimbabwe People First party took a nasty turn this morning, after conflicting claims on the fate of Women’s chair leader Marian Chombo emerged.

Members of a faction within the faction of the party controlled by Mujuru from the Mashonaland West structures, claimed this morning to ZimEye with video footage, pictures all evidence of a meeting held to apparently give the recently promoted Chombo a vote of no confidence.

Claims soon disputed by party spokesperson Jealousy Mawarire who told ZimEye, “Wanted to tell you that the story on Marian Chombo is a lie. It’s based on a document that is not authenticate. Right now Marian is with the President in Bulawayo where she will address supporters in about 10 minutes. Will send you the video and Marian’s pic with the President in a few minutes.”

The controversial letter above has a list of allegations against Chombo which include; failure to coordinate provincial activities, misrepresentation and alteration of official provincial executive council resolutions, failure to account for card sales cards and or abuse of office and fanning factionalism.

Present at the meeting that fired her were, two national members and the Provincial structure; Women Wing Chairperson for the province. The Youth structure, the Freedom fighters, All the representatives of the 20 constituencies in Mash West; Eternal Affairs Secretary, Itayi Tawona who also also sits in the National Executive under External Affairs Department. Also present is the Information and Publicity Secretary: Chris Mangisani; National Member from the Women Wing (national), Abigail Sauti, and the province’s Vice Chairperson .

The Mayor of Gweru, Councillor Hamutendi Kombayi was sacked because he bought MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai and his party lunch with council funds.

Kombayi spent $1 339 on lunch and drinks without a council resolution. He refused to pay back the money. A tribunal found that Kombayi invited Tsvangirai to Gweru and held a meeting at Antelope Park with his party faithful using the municipality’s funds.

“For him to come to Gweru and benefit or prejudice the rate payer’s money baffled the tribunal. The first respondent (Clr Kombayi) clearly stated that the delegates to the tour composed of Morgan Tsvangirai, Sesil Zvidzai (Gweru Urban MP), councillors who are respondents and other various unidentified people presumably MDC-T supporters and sympathisers. The tribunals analysis unanimously concluded that the March 5, 2015 gathering was a political function and not a council event and as such council has no business in funding such an activity,” reads part of the tribunal finding.

By Staff Reporter | Police have arrested nine members of the Tajamuka social movement for demonstrating against President Robert Mugabe, during his birthday celebrations.

The nine who include Linda Masarira, were arrested this afternoon at Parirenyatwa hospital were they were staging a demonstration against Mugabe.

Thier concern was that President Mugabe was enjoying a birthday bash in the Matopos while doctors are on strike.

They said Mugabe should have rather donated over $2 million he is spending for his birthday to the revive hospitals.

Former Zanu-PF Mashonaland Central youth chairperson Godfrey Tsenengamu, who is facing allegations of subverting a constitutionally elected Government or alternatively undermining the authority of President Mugabe, has approached the High Court seeking bail.

Tsenengamu also stands accused of contravening the Public Order and Security Act by holding a press conference without notifying the regulating authority.

His lawyer, Mr Zivanai Macharaga, yesterday confirmed that they filed their application at the High Court.

“We have filed our application today (yesterday) at the High Court,” said Mr Macharaga, without giving the finer details of the matter.

Tsenengamu was remanded in custody to March 9 after the magistrates’ court advised him to seek bail at the higher court.

His attempt to challenge his placement on remand on the charge of subverting the Government was thrown out.

Charges against Tsenengamu arose on February 20 when he convened a public meeting at the Media Centre in Harare without notifying the responsible authorities.

The court heard that he went on to publicly and unlawfully make statements urging war veterans across the country to push President Mugabe out of office through unconstitutional means.

He was quoted as telling journalists that it was time to go public about the succession “thing because some of us have since identified our candidate and it’s none other than Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.

“If (President) Mugabe does not like him, that is up to him, but we are saying we now want him to lead now”. – State Media

Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ally, Ezra Chadzamira, has taken the lead in the inconclusive elections for the Masvingo Zanu PF provincial chairmanship post against President Robert Mugabe’s uncle, Mutero Masanganise, provisional results released by the caretaker leader, Joram Gumbo, reveal.

Chadzamira had polled 12 393 votes against Masanganise’s 4 888 after 64% of the districts voted. A total of 143 papers were spoilt, while 17 422 votes were cast.

Other districts, like Mwenezi, could not vote due to inaccessibility caused by flooding. In other areas, some members could not vote due to various reasons, including that structures were no longer fully constituted, Gumbo said.

JEYS Marabini, Sandra Ndebele, Clement Magwaza, Iyasa, Sulumani Chimbetu and Mathias Mhere will today entertain delegates at the 21st February Movement Celebrations at the Rhodes Estate Preparatory School The artistes are expected to entertain over 200 000 delegates expected to attend the President’s bash.

Joining the jovial mood instigators will be Derrick Majaivana, Khuliyo, Born Free Crew, Black Umfolosi, Ndux Junior, Sungura Masters, Guluva 7, Ramsy K and Nkwali among others at the celebrations themed: “Honouring our icon, unlocking the value in youth”.

The musicians will be belting out tunes in between speeches as part of the entertainment. Yesterday, the artistes were upbeat about performing for Africa’s most illustrious leader.
Jeys Marabini said people should be ready to be blown away.

“Kuzokulunge will be there in full force to celebrate the President’s birthday. We’ve been hard at work fine tuning our act so that delegates are treated to great music that is mellow and moves the body in joy,” said Jeys.

Black Umfolosi’s Sotsha Moyo said they wanted to remind people about unity during the day.

“As we celebrate the Presidents’ birthday, we want people to remember the unity he always preaches. Therefore that song Unity will be one of the highlights of our performance. We promise nothing but good music,” said Moyo.

Kokotsha Makokotsha hit-maker Clement Magwaza said he was geared to make people dance to his music.

“My speciality is to make people dance and that’s what we’re going to be doing at the President’s birthday. It’s a time to celebrate and we’re looking forward to thrilling people,” said Magwaza.

Yeukai Simbanegavi, who is in charge of entertainment at the bash, said all was set. – State Media

LEGISLATORS on a fact-finding mission of Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund projects have said they will not tour Tsholotsho North where Government Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo is alleged to have diverted money from the fund to buy bicycles.

Prof Moyo, the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Science and Development, is also the Member of Parliament for Tsholotsho North.

Parliament’s committee on Higher Education is touring Zimdef projects at Chinhoyi University of Science and Technology, Kwekwe Polytechnic and Bulawayo Polytechnic, but chose to avoid Tsholotsho North constituency where Prof Moyo was accused of using Zimdef funds to raise his political profile.

During a briefing at Zimdef House on Tuesday, Proportionate Representative MP Dr Ruth Labode (MDC-T), asked why the committee had not included Tsholotsho as one of their areas of fact finding mission.

Dr Labode said it was prudent to include Tsholotsho North, so that the committee would see bicycles bought for the traditional leaders using Zimdef funds.

Committee stand in chairperson and Zaka Central MP Cde Paradzai Chakona (Zanu-PF), shot down the proposal, saying it was not part of their mandate.

In an interview, Cde Chakona said Prof Moyo had given the committee voluminous documents when he appeared before them last week where he responded to some of the issues. “From the oral evidence we had with Zimdef, we asked them if it was a priority and they said they do not know anything and that issue should be directed to the Trustee (Prof Moyo),” he said.

“When the Trustee came, he gave us all the evidence and all the information pertaining to the bicycles, how they were bought, and staff like that, and we have that information, but we have not yet gone through it. We will be calling the Minister after we have gone through it.”

Asked why they did not regard as prudent to include Tsholotsho, Cde Chakona said: “Bicycles are not a project and if you say buying of a bicycle is a project there is a serious problem.”

He said after they interacted with Zimdef, they were invited to tour the project and have an appreciation.

“After we conducted oral evidence from Zimdef, they wrote a letter to Parliament requesting the committee to have a look at Zimdef funded projects,” said Cde Chakona. “Those are some of the issues that came out during oral evidence. This is why we are now moving around at their invitation.”

Prof Moyo and his Deputy Dr Godfrey Gandawa, had been a subject of investigations by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission over allegations that they abused $450 000 from Zimdef.

They have since mounted a constitutional application with the Constitutional Court for the apex court to determine whether or not Zacc has arresting powers. – Agencies

Sydney Barson| The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee public hearing on constitutional amendment number one suffered a still birth in Mutare Friday, it has been learnt.

This came after Hon Ziyambi Ziyambi, who was chairing the process interjected a speaker in order to introduce some parliamentarians Hon. Irene Zindi and Hon. Justice Mayor Wadyajena who had come late.

“Matters then came to a head on when the speaker who had the floor insisted on finishing his presentation instead of being interrupted midway for late comers.

However instead of apologising for the late coming of the MPs Ziyambi went into a tirade declaring that the speaker will not be allowed to speak.” said Endy Ziyera a Mutare resident.

“Ziyambi and the infamous Katsiru were adamant that they will not allow him to speak.”added Ziyera

Another resident Tashaya Mashayahanya said a stand off ensued with residents declaring that unless the speaker was allowed to speak his mind, then noone else will speak.

Said Mashayahanya, ” It was after introductions by Chairman Ziyambi Ziyambi. He then nominated the first five people to participate . The first three made their contributions when the chairman stopped the forth participant to introduce the late comers Wadyejena and Irene Zindi that is when people rejected that order as everyone knew the program started at 2pm and everyone should have been seated”.

“This is what is wrong with our Parliament, they come and pretend they want to hear us, but then they lecture us and try to put us down”. said one resident who declined to be named.

“Some of us were trying to salvage what we could of the meeting by telling people to send their written submissions about the Constitutional Amendment Bill to Parliament by post but noone could listen,” another resident said.

Earlier, residents had asked the two late comers Zindi and Wadyajena to apologise for coming late but Wadyajena chose to declare in ZANU PF style that he won’t apologise.

Thus the die for confrontation with Mutare residents had been cast.

The following legislators attended the process, Honourables Lawrence Katsiro, Mawere Mubvumbi, Innocent Gonese MP for Mutare Central, Hon Matsikenyere, Wadyajena and Irene Zindi.

Marula Primary school is located along Bulawayo – Plumtree road, about 32km from Plumtree town. It is a medium school situated in a rural resettlement area, and has an enrollment of 400 pupils.

The school takes both boarding students and day scholars, but most of the children are from the local community comprised mostly of farm workers. Therefore most of these children have difficulties in paying school levies, meaning the school does not have enough money to cover all the necessary school activities.

Despite these challenges the teachers and children are working very hard academically and in co curricular activities and this has made the school to perform very well in Music.

In 2014, the school choir came second in the province. After that they have consecutively represented Matabeleland South at National Competitions in 2015 and 2016. Appealing for assistance, Mrs Dube, the choir mistress said, “we face financial challenges, especially when it comes to buying choir uniforms, as other schools have beautiful uniforms which make them presentable in front of the judges. Therefore, we are appealing to well wishers out there to help our school choir, because we believe that if we can get this help we can perform much better.

We play Marimba. We also have percussion bands, and we feel that with enough required instruments our bands can do better because most of these children are talented.” Last year we went through a hard time preparing for the national level competitions because we did not have adequate resources, hence our appeal for assistance.”

Last year in the national competitions our choir came 5th out of 9, which was a great improvement compared to the previous year,” recounted Mrs Dube.

Mrs N Dube can be contacted on the following number. 00263 785262959.

Those willing to donate, below is the school bank account.

Marula Primary School. Stanbic Bank.

Account No. 9140 0003 09892.

Controversial Norton MP, Temba Mliswa (independent), who had a nasty fallout with MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai has gone further to insult him in Parliament.

Mliswa was ejected from the National Assembly after clashing with MDC-T legislators after he accused them of being “lazy” and “unelectable”.

The former Zanu PF Mashonaland West provincial chairperson, who normally sides with MDC-T, this time around turned against them as he accused them of being cry-babies whenever they were defeated in elections.

“You always claim rigging; you don’t know how to work on the ground. Stop claiming rigging and go on the ground and campaign,” he shouted at MDC-T MPs, as Zanu PF lawmakers cheered him on as he moved to disrupt a question by MDC-T legislators, who were probing Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa on the biometric voter registration exercise.

“They say if you can’t beat them, join them. You are good at crying, complaining of rigging. Go on the ground and work. People support those who work.”

Mliswa received support from Hurungwe East MP, Sarah Mahoka (Zanu PF), who continuously shouted: “Tell them!”

But the opposition MPs, who during the recent Norton by-election supported him, accused Mliswa of being a “sell-out” and working with a faction in Zanu PF linked to Mnangagwa.

“You are a sell-out, we know that you support Team Lacoste, shut up!” shouted Bulawayo East legislator, Thabitha Khumalo.

Acting Speaker, Reuben Marumahoko, had to send the sergeant-at-arms to eject Mliswa after he continued with his rants.

Mliswa attempted to sneak back into the House after 10 minutes, but Marumahoko ordered him to stay out for the rest of the session.

Mliswa, last week, had a nasty altercation with Hurungwe West MP, Keith Guzah (Zanu PF), which forced Deputy Speaker, Mabel Chinomona, to kick out the latter, before reprimanding the Norton MP.

Before the fracas, MDC-T MPs grilled Mnangagwa on government’s move to take over the acquisition of biometric voter registration(BVR) kits from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Mnangagwa said the government had decided to fund the procurement of the BVR kits, which UNDP had wanted to procure on behalf of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. – Newsday

Senators have moved a motion urging Zimbabweans not to embrace birth control measures saying they do not promote population growth.

According to the 2012 Zimbabwe Population Census, the population growth rate was pegged at 1,1 percent for the last 10 years.

The population growth rate was also at 1,1 percent in the 2002 census.

Senators said this was worrying and one of them suggested that people should have a minimum of eight children and be supported by Government to sustain their families.

The population motion, which was supported by senators from across the political divide, was moved by Mashonaland West Senator, Mike Byton Musaka (Zanu-PF).

The senator said there was a link between investment and low population.

“If you look at the population of Zimbabwe and compare with those countries that are even five times smaller than Zimbabwe, take for example England, it is five times or four times smaller than Zimbabwe. It has got a population of 76 million or more and the dynamics of development is enormous,” said Senator Musaka.

“We have only about 14 million people and even that 14 million may actually be a political figure, we could be less than that. The country is vast with many resources but empty. We have no people. We should be serious about development. The issue here is a very serious one. Let us take development alone which investor would come to Zimbabwe to invest seriously for 14 million people?”

Manicaland Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said she lived in China for five years when her husband Mr Chris Mutsvangwa was the ambassador there and they found it very difficult to attract big Chinese corporations to invest in Zimbabwe because of its population.

She said China’s population which stands at a staggering 1,357 billion was partly the reason why that country has transformed from among the world’s worst performing economies 40 years ago to be the second largest economy globally.

“They have taken advantage of their population. In our efforts as diplomats in China to try and bring a lot of companies to Zimbabwe, the first question they would ask is what the population of Zimbabwe is. The moment you tell them we are about 14 million; they will all look around and say ah, I do not know how I can continue. What we have done as a country in China, we came together as a Sadc group, so that when we spoke to these companies, we gave them a population of 250 million which is the population of Sadc and that is when they got interested. I am talking about the big businesses,” said Senator Mutsvangwa.

MDC-T Midlands Senator Morgen Komichi described the motion as very good and said the decision to have fewer children was due to colonialism.

“If you go to Britain, Germany or any other country, there are a lot of families that give birth to many children because they know that you cannot separate the population and economic development. If you look at countries like Britain, they have a population of nearly 70 million and yet it is a small country.

“They did that because of economic development and also to have a good army for defence,” he said.

“When we de-colonised Africa and won the liberation struggle, they sat down with the IMF and World Bank and they came up with human rights issues and started teaching our women and children that you do not need to have many children because of the cost of living. That is a lie.”

Registrar-General Mr Tobaiwa Mudede has previously urged Government to ban contraceptives.

Mr Mudede urged Zimbabweans to stop using contraceptives arguing that their use was a ploy by powerful nations to retard population growth in Africa. – State Media

TIKI Primary School in Lupane District has been closed and teachers have sought refuge at a police camp following attacks, some of them sexual, by suspected goblins, authorities have confirmed.

The state media was told that both male and female teachers claim to have been sexually abused at night.

Strange happenings such as knocking on doors, banging of tables as well as footsteps including on roofs with no one in sight have been reported.

The school is located between Lupaka and Mzola areas and a cleansing ceremony has been set for tomorrow to chase away the suspected goblins.

Six of the teachers allegedly spent Tuesday night at Lupane Police Station and on Wednesday they reportedly travelled to Bulawayo to seek help from either prophets or inyangas.

The District Schools Inspector Mr Lovemore Ncube confirmed receiving a report on the goblins terrorising teachers. “We received such a report and we have sent it to the Provincial Education Director. It’s true that teachers are not conducting lessons and parents have been assured that on Monday the kids will go back to school after a cleansing ceremony,” said Mr Ncube.

He said the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education will be guided by the community following the problem but teachers will compensate for lost time during the holidays.

“The community has sent a delegation to the chief to seek permission to conduct a cleansing ceremony. It is said that the suspected goblins are sexually abusing both male and female teachers,” Mr Ncube said.

A villager who spoke on condition of anonymity said some of the strange occurrences’ take place during the day. “The latest incident happened on Tuesday morning when a female teacher was in class while pupils were writing an exercise. She went to write something on the board and when she returned to her chair she noticed it was smeared with blood.

“She alerted the headmaster who came to check and he accidentally stepped on some blood stains on the floor and banging of desks started. Teachers and pupils panicked and fled because of the deafening sound yet they couldn’t see any human being. Even at night teachers don’t sleep because of strange things where doors are banged while there are also footsteps,” said a villager from the area.

Last year teachers at Sibangani Primary School in the same district fled from the institution claiming goblins were sexually abusing them.

Villagers sought the services of some prophets popularly known as wafa wafa from Tsholotsho for a cleansing ceremony and the problem stopped.

In 2015, teachers at Siyangaya Primary School in Tsholotsho also fled from the school claiming that a baboon was having sex with them at night.

Another school in the province, Nengasha Primary School in Hwange was also last year affected by suspected goblins and was opened days into the third term. – State Media

A ZAMBIAN man has been jailed for six months for possessing an unregistered firearm suspected to have been used for poaching and armed robbery in the country.

Daniel Mudimba Muzamba (20) was arrested on Monday in a bush near Cross Dete in Hwange District.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing a firearm without a licence when he appeared before Hwange magistrate Ms Sharon Rosemani.

Muzamba was slapped with an effective six months jail term and his firearm, a Point 375 rifle, was forfeited to the State.

Asked where he got the rifle from, Muzamba said: “I got it from Zambia and crossed into Zimbabwe on January 24 through Mlibizi in Binga.”

Mlibizi is a crossing point widely used by Zambian traders who cross into the country using canoes after obtaining a day’s pass from the police.

The Zambian admitted that the firearm was used to shoot elephants in illegal hunting activities in Binga and Hwange although no particular incident has been established where he used it.

Muzamba reportedly lived in Chuziya Village under Chief Sinagonde in Lusulu, Binga from where he had been allegedly committing other crimes with an unnamed local who has also since been arrested.

The pair is expected to appear in court soon to face charges connected with using the firearm.

“On February 20 and in a bush area near Cross Dete, the accused person was caught with a .375 rifle serial number 70403. Investigations were carried out with the Central Firearm Registry and it was established that the firearm isn’t registered,” said the prosecutor, Mr Onias Nyathi. – State Media

A man from Gwanda allegedly killed his wife by slitting her throat before hanging himself from a tree by the roadside at a time when the couple was in the process of divorcing, police confirmed yesterday.

Dumisani Siziba (27) of Lushongwe village in Gwanda allegedly cut his wife, Pretty Moyo (19)’s throat and phoned his brother to inform him that he was taking his life at around 8AM on Thursday.

The incident occurred after Siziba’s wife, who had been away at her parents’ home for a week, returned to her home to pick up her two-year-old child and clothes.

Siziba allegedly offered to escort her to her parents’ home to resolve their marital problems, but along the way he allegedly killed her and then committed suicide.

Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson Inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the couple’s death and said investigations were underway.

“We received a report of murder and sudden death by hanging. A man murdered his wife by cutting her throat before taking his life too. He was found hanging in a bush a few metres away from where his murdered wife lay on Thursday morning. His family discovered the bodies,” he said.

Insp Ndebele said the couple’s bodies were taken to the United Bulawayo Hospitals for post mortem.

He appealed to members of the public to share their problems and seek advice from friends, relatives, police and church.

“People should not take their own lives even when they’re having problems. It’s important to engage other people who can assist and they must learn to solve disputes amicably to avoid unnecessary loss of life,” Insp Ndebele said.

Gwanda’s Ward 9 councillor, Mr Mozitha Moyo, told The Chronicle that Siziba phoned his brother, Mehluli, telling him that he was killing himself.

“After hearing about his intention, Mehluli in the company of their father, Judia Siziba went to look for him where he said he was. They found his body and that of his wife a few steps away. She had been butchered; her throat cut.

“The two phoned me and I engaged the police. Together we went to the scene. The weapon used was not found at the scene but surely it was a sharp object which he used to slit her throat,” he said.

Clr Moyo said the couple was having problems and about a week ago, the wife left her in-laws’ home where they lived and went back to her parents’ home.

“Dumisani followed his wife in a bid to resolve issues. After the two failed to mend their relationship, he informed police at a nearby base that his wife had left a two-year-old son at their home. Police intervened and ordered the woman to return and collect her child.

“The two returned to their home. The following morning the couple left their home heading to the wife’s parents home so that they discuss a way forward. When the two left, they seemed well together and no one imagined they would even fight along the way,” he said.

Mr Moyo said it is suspected that the couple had a heated argument, resulting in Siziba allegedly killing his wife.

“In his phone call, Siziba said he was killing himself since he had a misunderstanding with his wife. He also mentioned that he had done something wrong to his wife and they were going to find his body in a foot path at Sonyane area in Lushongwe village,” he said.

The councillor said he knew Siziba as a well-disciplined young man and it was difficult for him to believe that he committed such a gruesome murder.

“This incident is a first of its kind in my area and we are shocked,” he said. – State Media

THE Civil Protection Unit (CPU) has said about 2 000 homesteads have been destroyed by rains leaving 635 families homeless countrywide.

In disaster situation report dating back to October, The CPU indicated that on Wednesday seven pupils were injured when a classroom block collapsed on them at Nakapande Secondary School in Binga.

The extent of injuries was not ascertained.

The report highlighted that 105 people drowned, 593 were marooned while 40 were rescued and three died. In the same report it was highlighted that lightning struck 118 people killing 12.

The CPU stated that 71 schools and five health institutions have also been affected while 71 community dams have burst.

The report shows 2 315 domestic animals died in the same period.

CPU deputy director Ms Sibusisiwe Ndlovu said Sipepa in Tsholotsho remain at high risk of flooding.

She said due to the spilling of Gwayi River children were no longer going to school.

“This is arguably the most severely affected district in the country to date and a considerable number of households have lost their homes to flooding or excessive moisture… The total number of the displaced is 850 to date inclusive of school children and infants. The local school also flooded and children cannot access the school,” she said.

Ms Ndlovu said she was happy with the swift reaction by humanitarian organisations that are already on the ground to assist the affected villagers.

She said human/animal conflicts are emerging in Lupane where animals such as buffalos were terrorising villagers.

Ms Ndlovu said prevalence of fall army worm remained a challenge for communities.

She said in Midland’s Mberengwa District, about 80 homesteads were destroyed while livestock were washed away in the process.

“The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society is making arrangements to deliver tents to the affected households. Efforts are underway by District Development Fund and state roads to repair the damaged bridges. The district is making arrangements to engage responsible authorities to carry out repairs to water supplies in affected institutions and to repair downed power lines,” she said. – State Media

When presidents meet……..

FIFA president Gianni Infantino met with President Robert Mugabe at state house this afternoon.

The UK Supreme Court has upheld British Prime Minister Theresa May’s “harsh” £18 600 minimum income rule for those wishing to bring in non-European spouses in a ruling slammed by Zimbabwean campaigners as perpetuating the separation of thousands of families.
The seven justices at the UK’s highest court announced their decision on Wednesday, ruling that “the minimum income threshold is accepted in principle”.
On top of the £18 600 minimum threshold, one must earn an additional £3 800 for the first dependent child and £2 400 for each further child.
In their full judgment, the justices, however, noted that the Home Office’s rules and instructions failed to take full account of the children involved and “has caused, and will continue to cause, significant hardship to many thousands of couples who have good reasons for wanting to make their lives together in this country, and to their children”.
This comes as the UK has attracted thousands of Zimbabwean migrants, desperate for work and a chance to send money home, with the southern African country now in the UK’s Top 10 asylum receiving nations.
In 2016, Zimbabwe received formal Diaspora remittance receipts of $780 million, a 17 percent decline from $935 million recorded in 2015, in part reflecting the impact of the appreciation of the US dollar against other source currencies, particularly the South African rand, according to Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa.
The ruling means thousands of Zimbabweans that have migrated to the UK cannot bring or remain with their spouses in Britain, because they do not earn enough money.
Taffi Nyawanza of the Zimbabwe Diaspora Investment Group said while the minimum income requirement of £18 600 was harsh, there were three positives from the ruling.
“For the first time, the Home Office will now be required to take into account the income of the spouse coming from abroad. This is significant and a game changer,” he said.
“If there are children involved, potentially there must be flexibility in the assessment of the rules and the Home Office has been ordered to propose how it will take this into account.
“Finally, where the spouse is already in the UK and is an overstayer usually where the couples have met in the UK but there is sufficient income, the court has said there is no need to send that spouse out of the UK for the purpose of making a visa application which would be granted anyway.”
The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) said yesterday the rules were “tearing families apart and significantly harming children.”
“This judgment confirms that the (UK) government’s position is now untenable and they must now take immediate steps to protect the welfare of children in accordance with their legal duty,” JCWI chief executive, Saira Grant, said
The UK government says the minimum income rule is to prevent unqualified spouses coming to the UK and becoming dependent on the State.
The rules were first introduced on July, 9, 2012 by May when she was home secretary.
There is a significant population of Zimbabweans who have been living in the UK for many years without receiving a positive decision on their application for asylum, unable to undertake paid work or receive support from the UK government, with many asylum seekers facing destitution, unable to reunite with their families back home.
Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Brian Paddick said: “ . . . May and (UK home secretary) Amber Rudd seem hell-bent on reducing immigration at all costs regardless of the heartbreak and suffering it results in.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “The current rules remain in force but we are carefully considering what the court has said in relation to exceptional cases where the income threshold has not been met, particularly where the case involves a child.” – Daily News

A group of Bubi villagers were yesterday forced to withdraw their lawsuit against Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko after the ex-ambassador and businessman’s lawyers successfully argued before the Bulawayo High Court that the farmers had no right to stop their eviction.

This was after Vusa Ncube and 67 others had dragged the government number two to court for allegedly annexing nearly 300 hectares of Shilloh Farm, which shares a boundary with his Mdlawuzo farm in Umguza District.

“A preliminary issue was raised . . . in respect of the locus standi of your clients to institute proceedings of this nature taking into account the gazetted land status of the property in dispute as well as the fact that our client is in possession of an offer letter granting… lawful authority to hold, use and occupy a subdivision of the gazetted land,” the VP’s lawyer Gerald Mlotshwa said in a letter deposed before Justice Moyo yesterday.

“The point was emphasised that your clients (villagers), to the extent that they could even be considered to be settled on the sub-division allocated to our client (a point denied by our client), had in reality no lawful authority to occupy . . . the land.

“From the bundle of documents forming . . . founding papers, it was not even manifest . . .  whether or not they were not even on the gazetted land, let alone that portion (of Shilloh) forming a part of our client’s offer letter,” he said.

While emphasising that the parties had agreed that the villagers would withdraw their urgent chamber application by February 23, Mphoko’s Titan Law representatives also stressed the point that Ncube’s application was “riddled with factual and legal errors”.

And as the matter draws to a conclusion or resolve, Mlotshwa has even suggested an inspection in loco to ascertain the true position regarding Mdlawuzo and Shilloh farm’s boundaries.

With Mphoko’s holding lying on the borders of Bubi and Umguza districts, the President Robert Mugabe deputy has been quarrelling with fellow resettled farmers for allegedly encroaching into the adjacent property, in a move that has caused or necessitated the eviction of some of the settlers.

“The writer also suggested that it would be prudent for your clients to withdraw their patently flawed application, and that if this request was acceded to by yours, he would not persist with a claim for costs,” the retail investor and businessman’s lawyers said.

Thus, the villagers were given a “right to pursue the matter if they were not satisfied with the issue of boundaries” and dispute resolution mechanism or settlement, and they should not litigate the matter through the media. – Daily News

Staff Reporter | A Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa ally Ezra Chadzamira is leading in the hotly contested Zanu PF Masvingo provincial elections.

Chadzamira, a strong member of the Team Lacoste said to be firmly behind the Midlands godfather, Mnangagwa took on Retired Colonel Mutero Johannes Masanganise, a member of the G-40 Team in the battle to land the party’s top post in the province.

Chadzamira is leading in the race , with provisional results showing him garnering 12 393 votes ahead of his rival Colonel Mutero Masanganise (Retired) who has 4 888 votes.

Chadzamira was leading with 64 percent of districts having voted, as voting did not take place in other areas because they were inaccessible after heavy rains.

Announcing the provisional results, Interim Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial chair Jorum Gumbo said he will seek guidance from the Politburo on what to do with the inconclusive Masvingo polls. More details to follow….

Staff Reporter |An angry Matobo headman in Natisa Village some 15kms away from President Robert Mugabe’s birthday celebrations venue has defied ZANU PF orders for him to force match his subjects to attend the massive bash quizzing whether the ruling party was rehearsing for Mugabe’s funeral by forcing numbers for his birthday.

The elderly village head was speaking to ZimEye.com in Bulawayo this morning where he claims to have come for refuge to escape abuse by ZANU PF militia gangs who are forcing traditional leaders to frog match people to Mugabe’s birthday.

The headman told ZimEye.com that he will be going back to his home after the weekend when the celebrations are over as he cannot stand being harassed by “young people” who are flocking to his home everyday to check on progress in compiling the list of people from the village who must all attend the celebrations.

“I am old and unwell as you can see, I can no longer manage to do some of the things these people want us to do just for someone’s birthday,” said the emotional old man.

“The way they are doing their things is as if this is Mugabe’s last birthday. We can’t stand the harassment.” he said.

The organisers of the bash have set a target of getting 200 000 people to attend the celebrations and to achieve that number people living within the Matobo district have all been ordered to attend. Each ward in the district has been allocated four trucks to ferry people to the birthday celebrations.

Three trains have also been set out to ferry people from Matabeleland South, Matabeleland North and Harare. The trains which will carry people for free to Bulawayo will leave Harare, Victoria Falls and Beitbridge simultaneously at 7pm tonight destined for Bulawayo’s Heany Junction station where buses and trucks will be on standby to received the passengers and take them to Matopos early tomorrow morning.

All government owned ZUPCO buses from all over the country have been recalled from their normal service to ferry the guests. Government schools have also been ordered to release all their school buses to augment the transport for the guests.