A MAN from Gwanda lost an eye after he was attacked by four men in an alleged daylight robbery in Mtshabezi last week.

Mr Hloniphani Ncube (36) of Nyandeni Village Mtshabezi district is admitted to the United Bulawayo Hospitals following his transfer from Mtshabezi Mission Hospital.

Mr Ncube was moved to the Bulawayo hospital to undergo an emergency eye operation.

Speaking from his hospital bed, Mr Ncube said he was lucky to be alive as he believes the robbers wanted to kill him.

“I think I am lucky to be alive. I am grateful for that. Those guys are from a neighbouring village so they could have wanted me dead so that no trace would be left of what happened to me,” he said.

“They told the police that we fought over a name because one of them is also called Hloniphani, but I think it was just a cover up. I think they thought I had money because they had seen me carrying some people who had hired my truck. So they decided to pounce on me when I went to use a public toilet at Nyandeni Shopping Centre.”

Mr Ncube said as he was about to get out of the toilet, one of the robbers came from behind and struck him with a log on the face and he fainted.

“When I woke up, my left eye had popped out and I was in so much pain. I know that one of the vendors at the centre witnessed everything and called for people to come and help. Someone called my family and they pursued the gang,” he said.

“They took away my clothes, shoes and a wallet with some money. But I have lost my sight.”

Hloniphani’s father, Mr Regi Ncube, said he was at a loss for words.

“Now what is more disappointing is that these people are from a neighbouring village and we know each other well. The family has not approached us to offer apologies and show any remorse. My son earns a living from driving our family truck, now they want to take that away from him by damaging his eyesight? We want justice,” he said.

Regi said Hloniphani’s sibling Thuli and neighbours drove to Skula village where the suspected robbers were throwing a beer drinking party.

He said they effected a citizen’s arrest and handed them to Gwanda police station.

Matabeleland South police spokesperson Mr Philisani Ndebele was not immediately reachable for comment. – State Media

THREE illegal gold panners are battling for life after two brothers allegedly attacked them with an axe, machete and knife in Fort Rixon.

Casimiya Ngwenya and his sibling who is yet to be identified were accusing the panners of assaulting one of the brothers’ wives.

The duo from Bhibhi area are on the run for the suspected attempted murder cases committed at Pioneer Business Centre on February 13 and 14.

Mr Maxwell Moyo, one of the injured men who was axed, is reportedly in a coma at Gweru General Hospital.  Mr Shepherd Zondwayo (24) and another only identified as Dala are admitted at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH).

Mr Zondwayo, speaking from his hospital bed, said the Ngwenya brothers ripped open his upper back with a knife.  He said he was bleeding internally following the attack.

“They stabbed me from the back and as a result nurses have inserted a tube to drain blood which could clot in my system,” said Mr Zondwayo.

He said he narrowly escaped from his attackers who threatened to chop off his hand.

“They told me that they wanted to chop off my hand and my uncle’s. I don’t know what they wanted to do with our hands,” Mr Zondwayo said.

His uncle who had visited him at the hospital, Mr Wilson Masina, said Fort Rixon has become a war zone where people are randomly assaulted for no reason.

“This has become routine. People are being savaged daily. What is even more worrying is that the people who are involved in these crimes are not originally from Fort Rixon,” said Mr Masina.

Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Philisani Ndebele said they are looking for the suspects.

“We are appealing to members of the public to assist us with information leading to the arrest of the two dangerous men. One of them was identified and we hope the local community cooperates                                                             and help us in apprehending the dangerous beings in their community before they injure more people,” he said.

Insp Ndebele said illegal gold panners in the area unwind through beer binges, resulting in violence at the end of each day.

“Many of them fight over silly issues. Some of the vicious assaults and attempted murders, among other crimes, are not even reported and this must come to an end,” he said.

“Anyone seen walking around armed with dangerous weapons such as machetes and knives will be dealt with by police”.

A villager who preferred anonymity said: “At least two people are stabbed or assaulted on a daily basis at the mine. Where there is gold, there is always chaos and police need to come closer to the community.”

He said the worst part about the behaviour of the illegal miners is that they injure or kill each other over petty issues.

“These panners have seriously polluted our communities. There is a lot of prostitution; marriages are wrecked, young girls engaging in prostitution resulting in the spread of HIV and Aids. Our children no longer see the need for education as they see the illiterate making fast cash in the shafts. We appeal to the police to establish a base in the area,” the villager said.

He said the two brothers alleged that an unknown gang beat up Casimiya’s wife and so they were out for revenge. – State Media

GROUP Five, a South African firm contracted to upgrade the 800km Plumtree-Mutare highway in a $206 million deal, reportedly swindled Government of close to $50 million, it has emerged.The Johannesburg-headquartered construction concern allegedly coerced Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) to pay Value Added Tax amounting to $28 million.

However, Zinara board chairman Mr Albert Mugabe yesterday said there was nothing sinister in the way the deal was hammered.

“It’s not untoward in agreements of this nature for the contracting parties to review and engage on the word and spirit of the agreement. Given the quantum in this set of agreements, it’s prudent to regularly compare processes brought into effect by agreement and ensure that they reflect the intention of the contract. I am aware that such an engagement is underway, but I cannot confirm that it speaks specifically to the issues that you have highlighted.”

However, impeccable sources said the South African firm over stated its bills by over 10 percent, further prejudicing the State.

The Herald is reliably informed that the scandal was picked by an audit ordered by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development.

“According to findings of a recent audit ordered by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Group Five applied undue pressure and bullied Zinara into reimbursing it a $28 million Value Added Tax (VAT) fee which it had paid to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority,” a source told The Herald.

Group Five was liable to pay VAT as per contract.

The company reportedly threatened to abandon the contract if Zinara did not reimburse the VAT it had paid Zimra. Zinara has made several efforts to recover the money from Group Five without success.

In a letter to Group Five project director Mr Ham Coetzee dated January 23, 2017, Zinara chief executive officer Engineer Nancy Masiyiwa Chamisa, demanded a refund from the company.

It reads: “Pursuant to numerous meetings between the parties and a comprehensive review by Infralink and Zinara on matters arising from Group Five’s engagement as EPC Contractor to the project, and as a result have identified that Group Five appears to have been imposing additional billings on Infralink (the employer) and by extension also on Zinara, which are clearly irregular and not permissible.”

Infralink is a 70 and 30 percent joint venture between the Zimbabwe National Road Administration and Group Five Limited of South Africa.

“We note as follows – Group Five claimed reimbursements from Zinara in respect of Value Added Tax levied by Zimra on Group Five’s activities as contractor to the project. Under the EPC agreement, Group Five was employed by Infralink on a fixed contract price basis.”

The EPC contract states that the contractor pay all taxes, duties and fees as required by the laws in relation to the design, execution and completion of the works and the remedying of any defects.

It further states that the contract price “shall not be adjusted for any of these costs, except as adjusted for changes in legislation”.

Eng Masiyiwa Chamisa said “the employer was no under obligation to reimburse Group Five for taxes imposed on Group Five under the Laws of Zimbabwe”.

“Zinara has, in the mistaken but bona fide belief that it was obliged as majority shareholder of the employer to refund the VAT to Group Five, reimbursed and or undertaken to reimburse such amounts to Group Five. It is clear from the express terms of the EPC contract that, in the first instance, Zinara is not party to the EPC contract and bears no liability thereafter. Secondly, the EPC contract does not disclose a legal basis on which Group Five may validly claim reimbursement of tax from the employer,” stated Eng Masiyiwa-Chamisa in the letter to Mr Coetzee.

She added: “Accordingly, the payment by Zinara was sine causa, and Group Five has been unjustly enriched in the amount mistakenly paid, if any, by Zinara as reimbursement for VAT, alternatively would be unjustly enriched were Zinara to pay any such claims. We further place it on record that Group Five unlawfully threatened to discontinue work on the project as a result of the outstanding VAT and Zinara was accordingly placed under duress to make, alternatively, guarantee, the above payment ($28 million).

Eng Masiyiwa-Chamisa demanded repayment from Group Five.

“In the circumstances, Zinara hereby demands that Group Five repay all amounts it received, if any, from Zinara in respect of VAT reimbursement within seven days of date hereof, together with mora interest at the rate of 10.25 percent per annum from date of this letter to date of payment in full. Alternatively, any claims raised on Zinara or Infralink for such VAT refund claims are, in the circumstances, null and void, and should in future be directed for resolution to Zimra.”

Documents in The Herald’s possession also show that Group Five raised significant charges on Infralink and by extension Zinara that the road administration deems “irregular”.

“Group Five has charged Infralink an amount of $12 312 577.00 for financing charges allegedly incurred as a result of inter alia, delayed payments under the EPC contract. The EPC contract provides for financing charges to be calculated at the annual rate of three percentage points above the discount rate of the central bank in the country of the currency of payment. The currency of payment in terms of the EPC contract is the United States Dollars. The central bank for purposes of calculating the financing charges is accordingly the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States of America. Group Five has erroneously calculated the financing charges using the Zimbabwe Reserve Bank rates. This means Group Five have calculated the financing charges at 16.3 percent and in instances even higher than that, per annum, whereas the rate of 3.25 percent (being the Federal Reserve Discount rate 0.25 percent plus 3 percent) is the appropriate and correct rate of use,” said Eng Masiyiwa Chamisa in her correspondence with Mr Coetzee.

She added: “It is clear that Group Five have over charged Infralink to an extent of at least $9 857 615 in respect of these financing charges. Furthermore, in terms of the contract entered into, the contractor may only level financing charges on the amount unpaid during the period of delay, which is calculated with reference to the due date being 28 days after receipt of a statement and supporting documents in respect of the amount claimed.”

Eng Masiyiwa Chamisa demanded repayment by Group Five within seven days for any payments already made “with regards this claim and which exceed the permissible amounts in accordance to the interest rates aforementioned”. – State Media

Ray Nkosi | President Robert Mugabe says he is ready to face the opposition which includes veteran opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and perhaps #ThisFlag Pastor Evan Mawarire in the crucial forthcoming 2018 Presidential elections.

Asked in an interview by the state media on Zanu PF’s readiness for the 2018 polls, Mugabe responded, “Zanu-PF is ever ready. You know that battery, which is written Everready, always yielding power. We stand ready all the time, but the issue is that of ensuring unity within us.

Zanu-PF infighting won’t stop the revolutionary party from posting a resounding victory, Mugabe said.

In any case, the President and Zanu-PF First Secretary said, all differences were being ironed out through the relevant party structures. He made the remarks in a wide-ranging interview with ZBC-TV to mark his 93rd birthday yesterday. Born on February 21, 1924, President Mugabe will have his official celebrations in Matopos on Saturday.

“The quarrels within the party, suspicions within the party, we are remedying those ones. So, it will not take us time to be in full gear. We do not have differences that can really mar our participation in the election. We have been at this game for a long time and we are not vana Zim (People) First. It’s born in the morning and before sunset, it has become something else.”

He scoffed at accusations by opposition parties that zanu-pf was infiltrating them and causing their disintegration.

“Well, where are we infiltrating them?” he asked.

“Have they given us the persons? Infiltration is an act of getting your people clandestinely into their organisations. Infiltrate MDC-T, kuti tidii? We haven’t done such a thing. It’s failures on their part and quarrels, of course, within them.”

President Mugabe added, “They are not as well organised as ourselves, our party, no definite principles guiding them. Look at the Press. Day in, day out, just attacks on us, Zanu-PF, something about Mugabe, something about the First Lady, to sell their organs. But what do they talk about? Our industries, by way of policies that they envisage, mining industry, agriculture, the utilities, infrastructure? What are the policies that they have in these areas of the sectors of our economy? Hapana!”

Mugabe also ruled out the possibility of a successor at the moment, a statement many viewed as a snub to Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa who had positioned himself as heir apparent.

SEVEN villagers from Plumtree who were part of a 10-men gang that fatally assaulted two border jumpers for stealing mealie-cobs in their fields were yesterday each sentenced to five years in jail.

Gadzanani Dube (49), Musa Ndlovu (29), Norman Dube (64), Twopac Nkomo (36), Vincent Berejena (30), Obedience Ndlovu (41) and Dingumuzi Moyo (42) all from Nxele Village were initially facing a murder charge in connection with the death of Benedict Ncube who was aged 26 and Xolisani Sibanda who was aged 19 in February 2008.

The other two suspects Mbuso Tshuma (34) and Sipho Mdlongwa, whose ages were not given, are still at large while the third one, Godfrey Sebenzo (34) is now late.

The seven were convicted of a lesser charge of culpable homicide by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Maxwell Takuva.

They will each serve an effective three years in jail after two years were suspended for five years on condition that they do not within that period commit a similar offence.

The seven villagers tied the deceased persons’ hands and indiscriminately attacked them resulting in the two men sustaining injuries that led to their deaths.

In passing sentence, Justice Takuva condemned acts of violence saying the courts frowned upon vigilante justice.

“Two young and innocent lives were lost as a result of your negligence. These young people wanted to cross to Botswana through undesignated crossing points to look for employment and it is hunger that forced them to steal.

“This case has all the hallmarks of vigilante justice and the message should go out to the community that people should not take the law into their own hands and hence the need to eradicate vigilante justice,” said the judge.

Justice Takuva said culpable homicide arising from public violence is a serious offence which requires a deterrent sentence.

“The law prohibits anyone from taking away another person’s life. The courts have a duty to protect the sanctity of human life and therefore we will not allow the rule of law to be replaced by the rule of the jungle,” he said.

Justice Takuva blamed the accused persons for failing to take the two border jumpers to the relevant authorities.

“Normally such a crime would attract a sentence in the region of nine to 12 years. In this case we will reduce that range because of the delays and other mitigatory factors,” said the judge.

Prosecuting, Mr Khumbulani Ndlovu said on February 25 in 2008 at about 1PM, Gadzanani and Musa were at a grazing land at Nxele village to look for their cattle when they spotted footprints of trespassers in Norman’s field.

They became suspicious and started tracking the footprints which led them to a bushy area where they found Ncube, Sibanda and their friend Mzingaye Dube roasting mealie cobs.

“They confronted the trio and demanded to know where they got the maize cobs from. They tied their hands and frog marched them to Norman’s maize field where the three men showed them the spot where they had plucked out the mealie-cobs,” said Mr Ndlovu.

He said Gadzanani and Musa were later joined by Norman and Tshuma and they teamed up to assault the three friends all over their bodies using switches.

Berejena, Nkomo and Obedience came and joined in attacking the trio resulting in Benedict collapsing.

He was taken to Plumtree District Hospital where he succumbed to injuries two days later.

Sibanda was also later picked by passers-by at a bushy area where he had been abandoned by his assailants. He was taken to the same hospital where he died on admission.

Mr Liberty Mcijo of Liberty Mcijo and Associates represented the seven men. – State Media

Terrence Mawawa, Chiredzi |In an incident that epitomises the shocking gravity of Zanu PF factionalism, Masvingo State Minister Shuvai Ben Mahofa has called on party supporters to vote against sitting MPs in the area.

The incumbent MPs here are perceived to be members of the G-40 Team ostensibly led by the First Lady, Grace Mugabe. Addressing party members at a district meeting mainly attended by Team Lacoste members, Mahofa openly castigated Darlington Chiwa (Chiredzi West), Kalisto Gwanetsa (Chiredzi South) and Robert Mukwena (Chiredzi North).

She accused the three MPs of calling for the reversal of the Tongaat Land occupation exercise. Mahofa is bitter after losing the fierce battle for the invasion of Tongaat Land. Party sources have revealed to Zimeye.com Mahofa has an axe to grind with the G-40 MPs she accuses of using Mrs Mugabe’s influence to overturn key party decisions.

Mahofa urged party supporters to snub the three G-40 MPs ahead of the 2018 polls. “You should vote all these MPs out because they are incompetent.You can see it for yourself that they are not at this crucial meeting.You cannot elect people who are sabotaging party programmes. There are many potential candidates among you,”said Mahofa.

Responding to Mahofa’s sentiments Chiwa said he did not attend the meeting because he was not invited. “The words came from a crazy person. Mahofa must remember that she has a history of electoral defeats in Gutu South Constituency.We are not like Mahofa because we were elected by the people. Mahofa is leading a clique of misguided elements,”said Chiwa.

An award-winning former Southend headteacher has been fined for sending a fraudulent letter to get a job at a school.

Dr Tawanda Madhlangobe, 47, who was head teacher at Seabrook College on Burr Hill Chase in 2013, was ordered to pay £910 at Colchester Magistrates’ Court on February 14, after admitting committing fraud in Brentwood on September 28, 2015.

When Madhlangobe, who lives in Norfolk, applied to be headteacher at Horton Education and Care school in Hull in 2015, he was asked why he had recently failed to get a job at the nearby Bridlington School.

He had been rejected because of a caution for common assault on his wife in 2009, but he asked Sarah Pashley, who had interviewed him for the Bridlington post, to tell Horton that it was due to personal reasons.

She refused, but while in Brentwood he sent a letter to Horton, which purported to be from her.

Prosecutor Stephen Sparks said: “He used the first school’s letterhead and paper. He was shortlisted and interviewed at the second school.

“After the interview there were concerns, and they wanted to test the letter’s legitimacy.

“When they contacted the first school, it transpired that the letter was fraudulent.”

Madhlangobe, who is unemployed and living on an overdraft, was arrested by police while on a plane that had just landed at Heathrow Airport from his home country Zimbabwe.

The separated father of two, who has a doctorate in education from the University of Hertfordshire, won secondary school teacher of the year at the 2008 London Teaching Awards for work at Pavilion Study Centre in Barnet.

Mitigating, Jemima Ivens said: “The caution in 2009 was for a row with his wife. He kicked an ironing board, but there was no laying of hands. – EssexLive

The six-day strike by doctors has crippled operations in most central hospitals with patients being turned away while hospitals have started merging departments and roping in professionals from the uniformed forces to minimise impact of the strike.

Some referral patients are turning to mission and private institutions after failing to get service at public institutions.

Secretary for Health and Child Care Dr Gerald Gwinji said Government was addressing the immediate needs of the doctors and would continue to encourage them to return to work.

“We will continue engaging with them through various levels so that we get a clear understanding of the impasse,” said Dr Gwinji.

He said to mitigate the effects of the strike, hospital clinical directors were rearranging and merging their departments to maximise coverage by the few doctors at work.

“When some people are not coming to work there is bound to be an impact on service delivery and because these cadres on strike are at the first level of care, the impact is greater.

“Clinical directors are however trying to re-arrange their departments to see how they can continue providing a service although it’s a bit more work on those available,” said Dr Gwinji.

He said in terms of the availed posts, Government had come up with a preliminary list of each hospital’s allocation and that the doctors would soon make their choices for deployment.

Meanwhile, most referral patients are being turned away as the few doctors are struggling to cope with pressure. – State Media

Controversial preacher Pastor Paul Sanyangore says he receives phone calls from God. The preacher says he has a direct line which he can call the heavens and get instructions on how to help his followers and on Sunday he says he got call during his church service at Kingstones House in the capital.

“I have a direct channel, actually I have his number and I can call Him when need rises,” said the preacher. Sanyangore was responding to questions on a video doing rounds on social media yesterday on which he was prophesying on a congregant while on the phone. He addressed the person on the other end of the call as the ‘heaven’ and God- prophesying on a

certain lady telling her of her background.

‘Doubting Thomases’ who spoke to H-Metro argued the preacher could have been on the line with someone with information on the woman.

He responded, “It is possible to talk to God, why would you doubt that I got a call from Him? I actually have a direct line which I can call Him and get instructions on how to proceed. I got this when I was praying and I heard a voice telling me to call direct,” he said.

“I got instructions on the phone on what to do or say and that is what happened on Sunday. If the heavens spoke to Abraham why not us? You are of little faith and people will always have doubts while others are being delivered,” he said.

“I know people say whatever they want, some might feel it is a publicity stunt and it is all fine. We don’t do things for publicity, what will we get from that?” He queried.

The preacher, who is in the process of creating a television channel, said he will actually launch a session called ‘Heaven Online’. “You will actually see more of this. We are hoping that we will be on TV this year and we will actually have a session called ‘Heaven Online,” he said. -H metro

LOCAL safari operator, Emmanuel Fundira, risks losing his immovable property in Cape Town, South Africa, over an undisclosed debt owed to Body Corporate Atlantic Shores, NewsDay has learnt.

According to summons filed at the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court under case number 8976/2015, Body Corporate Atlantic Shores is seeking an execution warrant against Fundira’s flat located in the affluent Atlantic Shores, Beach Boulevard, Bloubergrant, Western Cape.

The matter has been set down for hearing on March 9.

“In the application, the applicant seeks the following order: Declaring that the immovable property owned by the respondent situated at section 23, Flat 7, Atlantic Shores, Beach Boulevard, Bloubergrant, Western Cape, and the description of which is set out more fully on the Deeds Office Search and Conveyancer’s certificate annexed to the affidavit hereto, marked B and C, respectively, specifically executable,” the draft order reads.

Body Corporate Atlantic Shores, represented by Bicarri Bollo Mariano Incorporated, is also seeking cost of the suit.

Alternatively, the company also indicated that it was ready for an out-of-court settlement if Fundira tables a reasonable payment plan to liquidate the debt.

“In terms of section 73 of the Magistrates Court Act of 1944, the court may, upon the application of the respondent or under section 65E (1)(a)(ii) or section 65E(1)(i)(c), and if it appears to the court that the respondent is unable to satisfy the judgment in debt in full at once, but is able to pay reasonable periodical instalments towards the satisfaction thereof, or if the respondent consents to an emoluments attachment order or garnishee order, being made against respondent’s employer, suspend execution against the respondent either wholly or in part.

The respondent is, therefore, invited to make an offer to pay off the judgment debt in instalments as contemplated in terms of section 73 of the Act,” the sought order read. – Newsday

THE strike by public hospital doctors, which until yesterday had remained confined to Harare Central, Parirenyatwa and Mpilo Central hospitals, has reportedly spilled over to United Bulawayo Hospital (UBH) amid fears the industrial action could spread to all the country’s provincial health centres.

The doctors, who are affiliated to the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors’ Association, downed tools last week to press the government to, among other issues, retain their contracts upon completion of their internship, review their on-call allowances and allow them duty-free car imports.

The situation at most of the affected hospitals remained dire yesterday with nurses and a few senior doctors only attending to emergencies.

In a letter addressed to health directors at UBH, the striking doctors said: “Due to the ongoing strike by junior doctors, we are finding it difficult to cope with the workload, therefore, we have resolved to attend to ‘dire’ cases and emergencies only. We will only resume duties once the outstanding issues have been resolved. We hope the impasse is resolved immediately for the benefit of our patients.”

The letter was copied to Health minister David Parirenyatwa, who yesterday was reportedly on a tour of some of the affected hospitals to get an appreciation of the situation on the ground.

He could not be reached for comment. – Newsday

Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) leader, Joice Mujuru, has turned down a proposed meeting between herself and the top leadership of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA), saying she had no business dealing with ex-combatants aligned to her rival, Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Mujuru made the remarks in Gwanda on Saturday while addressing her party’s newly-elected Matabeleland South provincial executive.

This follows recent overtures by ZNLWVA secretary-general, Victor Matemadanda and spokesperson, Douglas Mahiya, to organise a separate meeting with Mujuru following her nasty fallout with fellow ZimPF founders, Didymus Mutasa and Rugare Gumbo.

Last week, Matemadanda and Mahiya, met Gumbo and Mutasa in a gesture of solidarity widely believed to be an endorsement of the two politicians, as the legitimate ZimPF leaders.

But, Mujuru said she would not agree to such a meeting.

“You want to see me in your capacity as who? Not me. I have no business meeting with Lacoste,” she said in apparent reference to Mnangagwa’s faction.

“Exactly seven days after we expelled them (Rugare and Mutasa) from People First, they were in a meeting with war veterans aligned to the Zanu PF group supporting Mnangagwa.

“We had been infiltrated by Zanu PF in our leadership through those people who kept calling themselves founding elders. That is why we fired them.”

There is no love lost between Mujuru and Mnangagwa, as they were both said to be leading rival factions of Zanu PF during the former’s time in the ruling party.

Mujuru accused the expelled group of frustrating coalition talks with other opposition parties.

“My co-pilots were interfering too much and the plane could not fly properly. They did not understand the concept of co-piloting,” she said.

“They were dangerous. They wanted to control me as if I was their domestic worker.

“I refused that. For a long time, we thought they were genuine and gave them the benefit of the doubt, but it became clear they did not want anything to move.”

Mutasa and Gumbo have, however, hit back, accusing Mujuru of exhibiting dictatorial tendencies and of being daft.

Turning to the envisaged coalition with MDC-T and other political parties, Mujuru declared that there was no going back, saying the opposition leaders had unanimously agreed to fielding one presidential candidate to challenge President Robert Mugabe in next year’s general elections.

Meanwhile, Matabeleland South became the first ZimPF province to elect a substantive executive, with Bekezela Maduma as chairperson of the main wing, Engel Masiye leading the women, Khulani Ndlovu will lead the youth and Themba Ndlovu will lead the freedom fighters’ wing. Newsday

Sydney Barson| A service station in Lupane was a victim of attack by armed robbers who got away with $65 worthy of petrol, Monday night.

The armed hit men approached Obert’s garage driving a black Toyota Noah masquerading as ordinary clients and had – their tank fuelled for $49 before refuelling another $16.

The number of thieves could not be established.

“They poured a total $65 to the Toyota Noah and two guys helped the attendant to shake it. When the attendant wanted the money, two guys drew out pistols and ordered everyone to lie down. There were two clients one who is a police officer who wanted to pour fuel tried to escape and his car was shot but he was not injured” said one source.

A local mill attendant and a passenger Duduzile Zulu had to run for dear life as two shots were fired.

A night guard who doubles as fuel attendant during the night one Mr Mukute confirmed the incident.

No cash was stolen.

Uncofirmed sources also say the robbers after driving about 200 metres they stopped and changed number plates.

Efforts to get a comment from the police were fruitless.

By Staff Reporter | The Courts have denied freedom to the Kariba based pastor, Patrick Mugadza who is on remand.

Mugadza is being held at the Harare remand prison for over a month now for prophesying the death of President Mugabe, who he said would die this year, on October 17.

According to a Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights official, Mugadza’ lawyer Gift Mtisi had applied for refusal of further remand at Harare Magistrates Court but the application was dismissed.

The matter was postponed to 08 March 2017.

“Shockingly, the lawyer’s efforts to get the transcribed record haven’t been successful as he is being told that it’s not yet available so as to enable him to file a bail appeal at the High Court,”said the official.

Staff Reporter | Villagers from Matobo District in Matabeleland South are terrified after their village heads were ordered to compile registers of all people in their areas and submit them to ZANU PF officials working with members of the notorious Central Intelligence Organisation.

Speaking to ZimEye.com last night the villagers claim that their traditional leaders told them over the weekend, that they had been ordered to submit their names in a register that will be used to target anyone who will not attend President Robert Mugabe’s birthday celebrations at Rhodes Estate Preparatory School in the district.

The villagers further claim that the ZANU PF officials confiscated records of villagers from headmen that included drought relief food registers and dip tank registers to confirm the names of people in the villages with the registers for the birthday celebrations.

A ZANU PF official in Ward 18 of Matobo North who would not have his name mentioned said that the registers were being compiled so as to come up with the precise number of guests to be fed at the celebrations and not to be used to victimise the people in any way.

The villagers claim to be in a panic mode telling their children and relatives who are in the Headmen’s registers but living out of the villages in the cities and even South Africa to rush back home and be present at the birthday celebrations when the registers are checked.

It is norm in the rural communities that people include names of their relatives and children in the headman’s register even if they are not full time resident in the villages.

A headman in Natisa Village who spoke to ZimEye.com said that they have been given specific instruction that they must make sure that everyone in their registers makes it to the President’s birthday celebrations on Saturday. He said they have not been warned or told of any course of action that will be taken against people who will not attend the fiery bash.

Since the preparations for the bash started there had been an usual high presence of state security personnel that include the police, the army and the CIO which villagers claim to be very intimidatory.

The tourism industry is looking ahead with optimistic as a number of agreements signed by the sector are under implementation with Ethiopian Airways set to fly from Madrid to Victoria Falls starting from the 24^th of March.

The coming in of Ethiopian Airlines on the Zimbabwean skies from Madrid Spain to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe is set to increase tourist arrivals from the European country.

The deal came as a result of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) that was signed by the Ministry of Tourism and the airline on the sidelines of Furtur Tourism Expo in Spain in which Zimbabwe was participating.

In an interview ZTA head corporate affairs Mr Sugar Chagonda says the tourism sector has signed a number of agreements across the globe which are currently being worked on and awaiting implementation with the coming in of Ethiopian Airlines giving relief to the European market.

Despite the wrong perception projected on the country by Western countries Zimbabwe’s tourism products and attractions which can attract tourists across the globe. – State Media

A MAN who is brother to Chief Mposi of Mberengwa died on Saturday after a canoe he was using in an attempt to cross a flooded river capsized.

Shepherd Tseisi’s body was found 10km from the Tandavarai Bridge at around 5PM on Saturday.

Tseisi (49), a Mberengwa businessman tried to cross a flooded Mwanezi River using a canoe to assess damage caused to his shops by heavy rains in Jeka area.

In an interview, Chief Mposi confirmed that his younger brother died in the mishap while trying to cross a flooded river.

“It’s sad that people had already started spreading social media reports that I had died and I think they must be corrected.

“I’m alive though hurt because my brother who was a businessman was washed away yesterday (Saturday),” said Chief Mposi.

“He left home at around 11AM and was last seen by some villagers while using a canoe to cross the river so he could go and ascertain the damage on his shops.

“His canoe could have overturned at around 1PM.”

Chief Mposi said villagers suspected that Tseisi had drowned after he could not be located for hours and they started searching.

“At around 5Pm we found his body 10km from the bridge.

“We then took his body to a mortuary in Zvishavane and we are making plans to bury him this Tuesday,” he said.

Chief Mposi said mourners were gathered in Chegato, his rural home.

As the country experiences a tropical storm induced by a downgraded Cyclone Dineo, the Meteorological Service Department (MSD) and the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) have issued flood warnings for some areas including Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South and parts of the Midlands province.

Police have warned members of the public to desist from crossing flooded rivers to avoid loss of life. – State Media

A Chivhu taxi driver who was a witness in a case of theft where a member of the Central Intelligence Office was the complainant collapsed while standing in the witness box and was whisked to Chivhu General Hospital for treatment.

Tichaona Bareta who is also employed by the complainant collapsed while waiting to testify before Chivhu Resident Magistrate, Story Rushambwa.

Dellen Hove (37) who is employed by the Ministry of State Security Chivhu was the complainant in the case.

Bareta started sweating when the State prosecutor led evidence in court. He produced a sharp sound like he was having difficulties in breathing. This happened before cross-examination.

He fell from the witness’s stand where he was standing and landed on the bench and was placed on the floor and then taken to hospital.

It was the State case that sometime in April 2016, the accused, Thomas Paradza (44) of Chivhu received and took into his possession a motor vehicle Honda Fitz registration number ADU 0713 from Bareta who was employed by the complainant.

It was agreed that the accused would hold it in trust for the sole purpose of repairing the gear box and return it to Bareta.

Thereafter, the accused, in breach of agreed terms neither repaired the motor vehicle nor returned it to Bareta but instead stripped 4 coil packs, gear box censors, valve board and gear box seal from the engine.

The complainant discovered the offense when he came to collect the vehicle and the accused person was questioned on the whereabouts of the parts but could not give a satisfactory answer.

A report was made to the Police leading to the arrest of the accused person. Value of the missing parts is $390 and nothing was recovered.
Magistrate Rushambwa found the accused not guilty and acquitted Paradza. He said that there was no evidence produced to show that Paradza stole the parts. – Masvingo Mirror

Zimbabweans were yesterday shocked by new threats from Zanu PF Harare provincial political commissar Shadreck Mashayamombe to expel all Indian nationals from Zimbabwe.

The threats were accompanied by the kind of worrying rhetoric which threatens to place the ruling party in the same league as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin who hounded out the Asian population in the 70s through similar racial and economic unrest.

The Zanu PF Harare South MP said on Facebook:  “Something must be done with this Indian community in Zimbabwe.

“Firstly, they don’t bank their money, secondly, they don’t develop their estates, and thirdly they don’t want to marry our sisters, fourthly, before independence they used to be given special treatment as compared to blacks.”

The Indian embassy was not immediately available for comment over the weekend, but the small community has by and large maintained cordial relations with locals.

By setting its sights on expelling the Indians, Zanu PF appears to be following the well-trodden — but largely discredited — path of Africanisers such as Amin and Mobuto Sese Seko of Zaire.

Amin’s deportation of about 50 000 UK passport-holding South Asians in 1972 failed to bring promised prosperity, and saw the collapse of the commercial sector.
Meanwhile, the economic outcome of Mobutism was the wholesale plunder of Congo’s resources by the ruling elite.

This comes as President Robert Mugabe has increasingly leaned on India and China after being shunned by Western trade and financial partners.
They have been put off by concern over human rights and alleged fraud in elections won by the president and his Zanu PF party.

Speaking at the 11th Zimbabwe International Research Symposium on Friday, Mugabe said more than 23 percent of Zimbabweans were now earning a living through the SME sector and must follow India’s example.

“With success stories having already been recorded around the globe, in China and India for example, there is no need to reinvent the wheel on SMEs development.

“This is especially so given the sound relationship between Zimbabwe and India, especially in the SMEs sector, ICTs, energy, education and the pharmaceutical sectors,” Mugabe said. Daily News

VICE President Emmerson Mnangagwa who has been told by President Mugabe that he is not the man to replace him says the President made him what he is today.

“I would not be where I am if I had not gone through the mentorship of his Excellency for the past 50 years. I am what I am because of him. I have no other way of repaying him except to be loyal and to deliver whatever assignment or deployment I have been assigned to. I must do my best, that is the only way I can satisfy the opportunities he has given me in my life, in the struggle and in the party,” said VP Mnangagwa.

“He is that statesman who says this is what we want to achieve, you go to sleep. You come tomorrow, and he says, this is what we want to achieve.

“Once you agree on a course of action for life or death, that’s the course he will take. He will not be diverted by other things. Principle is principle. This is the President. We have very few who appreciate that, but it’s a blessing.”

Zanu-PF secretary for Administration Cde Ignatius Chombo weighed in and wished President Mugabe good health and prosperity.

“It is the President’s birthday today and as we celebrate with him, we take time to look at his leadership since Independence,” said Dr Chombo.

“He led the liberation struggle and was separated from his family. His son Nhamodzenyika died while he was away, and there was no day that he gave up or backslid.

“His late son’s name, Nhamodzenyika, shows how he was dedicated to the nation. During Independence, he surprised the nation by saying that although we fought, we are one person and let’s forgive each other.”

Dr Chombo said reconciliation was an important phase and President Mugabe healed the nation. “He showed that he was a man of the people and his objective was to move forward,” said Dr Chombo. To find someone with such an understanding is a miracle. He has the ability to see beyond. It’s a special gift not found in many.

“He is a good listener and it is what makes him understand the wishes of the people. He is not crude to his enemies. He is always trying to learn from others for the benefit of the nation and his goals are not in short-cuts to please people. He fought for education and he said education is an equaliser and creates equal opportunities. The land reform programme and indigenisation are the gifts he gave us.”
President Mugabe is a man who is difficult to describe, he is very gifted and intellectually sophisticated, said Dr Chombo.

“He has a sharp memory and remembers things that happened many years ago like they happened yesterday. He is an icon to everyone and the entire region. He never sold out anything that is meant for Zimbabweans. He gave us land, minerals and education and asked us to share among ourselves. – State Media

Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) vice chancellor Professor Primrose Kurasha, who died last Friday, was buried at Glen Forest Memorial Park in Harare yesterday.

The State-assisted funeral was attended by hundreds of people including Cabinet ministers and senior Government officials.

Speakers paid glowing tributes to Prof Kurasha, who was the first woman to become vice chancellor of a university in Zimbabwe.

Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo said the late Prof Kurasha led a university that was open to everyone.

“We have 15 universities in the country and out of these, only four have the name Zimbabwe in them, and ZOU was among them. ZOU is unique in this category of four because it is the one which is open to everyone,” he said.

“Her death has left a void that shall be difficult to fill and her legacy will leave forever.”

Professor Jameson Kurasha described his late wife as a person who wanted everyone to succeed.

“I want to point out a few things about Primrose as an educator. Primrose was not a gatekeeper. In our culture, we have some people who believe that when they succeed, no one else should succeed. She was not like that. She believed that we could all make it in life,” he said.

He added that his late wife had persevered in setting up ZOU despite efforts by some to derail her dream.

“When she set up ZOU, there were efforts from some quarters to shatter her dream. She was investigated five times and five times she was found to be as a clean as whistle,” he added.

Mr Webster Waungana, brother to the late Prof Kurasha, said his sister was ambitious and did not accept failure.

“We grew up hard working and she was an ordinary girl just like any other,. But she had ambitions and she taught us that with the right will, one can achieve anything in life. I have lost a sister and a friend,” Mr Waungana said.

Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Shuvai Mahofa, who was an aunt to the late Prof Kurasha, said her work in the education sector was self-evident.

“Her work at ZOU is there for all to see. ZOU has surpassed other universities in Zimbabwe.

“Even those who dreamt of attaining a degree have managed to do that through ZOU. What pains me the most is that when I was taken ill last year, she assisted me a lot, but now she is the one who has gone ahead of me,” Minister Mahofa said.

Other ministers who attended the burial include Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Mike Bimha; Harare Metropolitan Province Minister Miriam Chikukwa; Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Prisca Mupfumira, together with the ZNA Commander Lieutenant General Philip Valerio Sibanda and president of the Chief’s Council Chief Fortune Charumbira. – State Media

Controversial Pastor Patrick Mugadza has prophesied that President Robert Mugabe will die on October 17, with the latter choosing his 93rd birthday celebration to declare that he is not dying any time soon. Mugabe also contradicts his young wife Grace who told a stunned audience that he might not make it to the 2018 election alive and that Zimbabweans in their millions would vote for his corpse. Below is the state media interview:

President Mugabe (RGM) turns 93 years old today. The following is Part One of the interview the President had with Tazzen Mandizvidza (TM) of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation ZBC.

TM: Thank you very much Mr President for affording us this time to talk to you. We know you have a busy schedule. Let me start by saying congratulations, makorokoto on turning 93.

RGM: Thank you.

TM: Your Excellency, during the Harare Agricultural Show some years back, a palmist once read your palm and predicted that you will live up to 100 years, makore zana. But almost every year we come across the so-called prophets proclaiming that President Mugabe is going to die on this date and that date but you are here, you are alive. What would you want to say to these so-called prophets as you celebrate 93 years?

RGM: So-called prophets. Why don’t you say prophets of doom? Uhhm? They are prophets of doom who prophesy what really are their wishes, so they turn their wishes into prophecies or dreams perhaps, but hardly any dreams. I would want to think. It’s just wishes, that this man must go. This man must go and the man is not going. So year in year out, it’s the same wish. And the same prophesy.

Why do you care about them? I don’t care about them anymore. We have had even some pastors praying for my death. And even a bishop in my church, wekuMatabeleland uya watakazobata anemudzimai akazviregera. So we get such people in society. They won’t see some of them. In fact, the numbers may tend to increase sometimes. Ndakanzwawo chimwe chichiti President arikufa muna October, asi kana asingade kufa ngaataure, nhai? (laughs) So there it is. I don’t pay much attention to them at all.

TM: Meanwhile, Your Excellency, there have been calls for you to step down on account of your age and how do you answer such calls including from non-Zimbabweans like Julius Malema?

RGM: Do you listen anything from Malema? Who is Malema? The call to step down must come from my party; my party Congress, my party Central Committee. I will step down. But then what do you see, get? It’s the opposite. They want me to stand for elections, they want me to stand for elections everywhere in the party. And it’s their voice I heed and the voice of no one else.

Of course, if I feel like 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 and even if I might feel I wanted to rest but with, you know, that volume of wishes for the President to stand, the number of people who will be disappointed is galore and I don’t want to disappoint. More so, that the majority of the people feel that there is no replacement actually nor successor who to them is as acceptable as I am.

But the people, you know, would want to judge everyone else on the basis of President Mugabe as the criterion, but I have been at it for a longer period than anyone else. Leaders will have to be, you know, as it were given time to develop and to have that ability to meet with the people and to be judged by the people.

Silently in the majority of the cases, the people must see and be convinced that yes so and so can be a good successor. Others think because they have been this long in the party or they are this in the party they are capable of succeeding the President. It’s not that easy.

TM: But Your Excellency, are you now changing your mind? You are on record as saying you will not groom a successor, but now you sound like you are saying maybe somebody needs to be given time. Are you now thinking of grooming a successor?

RGM: No, no, no. that doesn’t suggest grooming a successor. A successor is groomed by the people actually. You see. Those around you can get the confidence of the people as they operate around you and gain the confidence of the people. When the people see their leaders, they can trust their leaders beyond corruption, their leader’s knowledgeable, sure, that’s grooming I mean.

TM: Thank you Mr President. Now allow me to move on to the First Lady. When Dr Grace Mugabe was requested to lead the Women’s League, I remember you pointed out that you advised her on what to expect in the political arena. But now, today with so many stories about her, the family and yourself, how do you console her against all that? And don’t you regret maybe you could have advised her not to get into this?

RGM: Against all the what?

TM: The stories that are coming out about her, about you, the criticism and all that.

RGM: The criticism. Well the criticisms, I get are criticisms from the opposition. From the party, well there have been a few criticisms from vananaMutsvangwa and so on and so forth who, you know, I then saw something quite different in her. They thought she was an ambitious woman who would want to work herself into a position of power. But I had my first wife Sally, she organised the women.

We did not have the Women’s League here, the Ghana’s style, the (Kwame) Nkrumah style of the Women’s League which gained acceptance in our region was introduced by my wife and others in Zimbabwe, my late wife I mean. But in fact people were saying aaah the leaders must not disallow their wives from participating in politics, we want their wives to lead us, but what you get nowadays from some quotas is that the leader’s wife should not participate in politics. Why not? Why not? I don’t know what criticism you are referring to? She is very acceptable, very much accepted by the people. I thought you saw her on television today (Friday).

TM: Yes, I did Your Execellency.

RGM: It’s fireworks isn’t it? (laughs)

TM: Yes, it indeed (laughter all round)

TM: Sometimes the media tends to write so many stories and when she is facing all that, how do you comfort her as a seasoned politician?

RGM: I donot know what do you mean? She is well seasoned now, she is a very strong character.

TZ: Let’s move on from the family to look at economic issues. My first question is on the land reform. I remember you once said on his deathbed the late Father Zimbabwe Cde Joshua Nkomo told you to ensure the land is given to the people.

RGM: Two things, land to the people, unity.

TM: Yes, two things but let me focus on the land first. If you were to talk to him what would you say about the land reform?

RGM: Yes, I would say we have continued to give land to the people and most of the land, which used to be in the hands of the settlers is now in the hands of our own people and what there is now for us is to ensure there won’t be any retrogression. That those we have given the land will keep it, use it, cultivate it properly and ensure that its made productive.

So I would say what you wanted me to do I think I have done and done well. And I think our objective earlier on which constituted our first grievance as we fought the struggle, that the people, land that is possessed by settlers must be repossessed by we the indigenous and not just that, but that it should also be defended, protected and never be allowed once again to fall into the hands of the settlers. I think we have done that well.

TM: The issue of unity we will talk about it later on. Still on the economy, Zimbabwe’s economy is still on a recovery path, but Your Excellency, what else would you want to see done in order to speed up the process and also to ensure that those jobs that were promised by Zanu-PF towards the last election are made available?

RGM: Well the process, you know, it’s a gradual one as we improve the economy sector by sector and bring about employment alongside that improvement. Naturally, we shall also be transforming the overall economic sectors in accordance with our Zim-Asset and transforming means, adding value to the raw materials that might come out of agriculture, mining et cetera.

So we ensure that upon the exportation of goods from these sectors, we shall receive, perhaps, double or even more than double what we might have got if we did not transform them all and add value to the particular goods. That whole process its an economic process. As you transform the economy, you are actually ensuring greater employment sector by sector. It’s the creation of industry, by the way and industry is created in mining, in agriculture and in commerce by that transformative process, which ensures that we can now talk of our country having transformed and a greater part of our people having been employed.

By the way employment, getting a job is not the only thing that we need to look forward to, we would want to see our people turned into entrepreneurs such thats what I was talking about this morning kuma researchers. Is it just the production of tobacco, or production of tobacco and turning tobacco into cigarettes but in the process, if our producers were dependent on foreigners for the production, are we now the main producers.

Have we really become the producers of our own goods? Have we become the masters of our own economy, or are we still, you know, thinking of whites as the best entrepreneurs and Africans as the labourers for these entrepreneurs ? I have my worry in that regard, great worry indeed. Because even where we have said to our people get together form companies, partnerships, collectives as African, Zimbabwean entrepreneurs , you know they would want to see investments made by whites, where they are able themselves to get together and invest in the particular area. They want to see a European invest and then they go and work for that European as director, as managers, the CEOs, yes.

Of course the whites would be happy to see us to continue to work for them. If yesterday they did not, as they held the economy, did not want Africans to be at the management level, today in order to secure their positions no and ofcourse also because they recognised Africans are well educated and well skilled, they would be very happy to stay in the country, run various enterprises with Africans, African young people from universities at the top as accountants, managers CEOS etc be there in the background, after all they are not that many.

They are in the background and they play their game. They have a company here, they like Zimbabwe a lot and they want to stay here and they have something also in South Africa so they are not foolish at all. One leg here and one leg in South Africa but those who were here, I think it’s better here than in South Africa. We are seeing in the agricultural sector quite a number of these surreptious operations where they come and say “you don’t have to worry if you have a farm, we can cultivate for you. Stay where you are, live in town, we will do the work for you”.

At the end of the day of course they cultivate, they have the machines and you are in town and you say, “ah yes, I am using him he is a worker in my farm”. He is a worker on your farm yes, and he will say yes I am just a worker, a manager here. Year in, year out and what happens after five years, he is in the same position. Stupid, stupid we, as indeed we are doing that. Ndozvatirikuita hameno kuti chiiko? Kutadza here basa, kana?

Those who are doing it I know there are some who are really genuine about farming and they are doing farming. Even though they are in town they have some jobs to do at the weekend, Fridays like today they go and ensure that their managers are doing the right thing at the farms and stay on for some time and correct a number of things at the farms and have their own children in some cases. But there are others who really have gone to sleep and the whites have taken over once again, its sad isn’t it? Yataiti tinoda nyika, maida kuti muzope varungu zvakare? Aah!

TM: Your Excellency, you mentioned the concept of weekend farmers vari kumabasa kumatown during the week then voenda kufarm paweekend, are you therefore suggesting a model where if one is farming they should be farming, kana watsvaka basa watsvaka basa kutown? Somebody has argued that Zimbabweans are doing two jobs, one as a farmer and then a banker somewhere else, so should we be moving towards that where we are seriously on the land?

RGM. I think for now that double dealing is necessary because it is those in the banks, those in management areas, those working in town, those employed in the civil service, where we have given them farms, they are the ones with the capacity, financial capacity, with money, you know, really to do something on the farms. Then there are others without that capacity and I would like to believe that those who have financial capacity by and large have been ensured that the farms belong to them and they will become like managers.

Some have their own children who have been to university and done agriculture and it’s not that bad everywhere. But it is bad in some cases. Kozoti vasingagone zvavo including some of our chiefs. Eeh kozoti mamwe maheadman vanofunga kuti if they have an area of control vanokwanisa kusettler wo vanhu, aah nzvimbo iyi ndakaipihwa ndeyangu. So persons coming from elsewhere can be resettled, provided they pay something. That has been happening.

Fanika nyaya yemachiefs, yeah, I know machiefs vanorimirwa nevarungu and who say aah oh today ah oh murungu akanaka uyu, akanaka anotirimira. So especially vamwe vakasaririra varungu vatanga tisati tabvisa, vari juxtaposed to the farms dzema chiefs, nemaheadman and ivavo who are neighbours, you know, the trickery of doing something for their neighbours who are chiefs and headmen yah and then the chiefs say ah, regai kubisa uyu wakanaka.

Nharo chaidzo idzo. Musatibisire uyu and we have had missions, paid to us to ask kuti ah the ministry would want this European who is next to us and who has been doing quite a lot for us yah yah yah, he is also a member of the party. Anoita zvakati, zvakati, zvakati aah tinomuda.

TM: Your Excellency, from that let me take you to the issue of investments. You have signed a lot of investment agreements including mega investment deals with China and recently you met the Chinese President while you were on your annual vacation. From that meeting, Your Excellency we just want to know, what did you focus on?

RGM: We just focused on programmes that we have with them and the programmes which they themselves have offered us so that they can be accelerated and where I think one or two areas like defence. They felt I should raise the issue ye claim yavo yeplatinum yavakapa ku a Chinese company kuti iitwe exploit so the money therefrom can be used to secure and pay the debt which they have rema arms avakatenga kuChina.

I think that was the only fresh one. The rest were just, you know, pushing, pushing. Trying to push so that there is speed in executing and ensuring that the programmes are done. But some are underway actually. They are underway but others have stalled because Finance has not been able to pay mainterest on the funding. They have delayed paying but they been paying but slowly anyway.

The programmes with the Chinese are very good programmes. It was really to ensure that we are strongly together nanaXi Jinping on the programmes they promised us and that the others that come from the $60 billion and we have those which are bilateral, the others in these multilateral grouping and we have so many African beneficiaries mu $60 billion. Isu I think we have gone for about three or four programmes to be funded from mari ye $60 billion. So hushamwarika, kana taendako hamungarege kutaura zvamurikuita.

TM: Asi muchitarisa shamwari dzedu muchiita compare nedzimwe nyika dzirimuAfrica varikutipawo here zvakawanda. In comparison with others in terms of investments?

RGM: I think so. I don’t know what they are giving other countries but it depends on our capacity not only to absorb the funding but to ensure also that we repay what we should repay by way of the refunds. Mamwe mafunds are not gratuitous, they are not grants. They are debts, loans that are being extended to us and we should be able to repay or start repaying them. When then we fail to do so then our friends say ah, but whats happening? And this has been the situation in some cases regarding the Chinese loans.

TM: Let me bring you back home. There were calls made for the establishment of a Women’s Bank I think as far back as 2013, what has been stalling or delaying the launch of such a bank. I know you are championing the empowerment of women

RGM: I push, I just push from the back but I think it’s oncoming. You don’t just establish a bank by word of mouth. It must have funds. It must have depositors. And not just initial little amounts. It must attract on regular basis deposits. I think we have been going through bad times. No liquidity flowing cash was vanishing and I don’t think it has returned yet but we hope it will return.

So unless we can say there is now the possibility of having the bank resourced financially and then you will be paying lip service to it. And I think this is what we have tended to be doing. it’s still the talk on the lips of the women. Mai SME, Nyoni, I call her Mai SME, yah she has been very very very interested in having a bank, a women’s bank and we back her in that, but ka interest yake, yemadzimai ndokunge vaine mafunds to be deposited.

But if they say we have a bank and at the same time from their earnings and there is the informal sector and they carry what they carry those earnings into their pillows and briefcases back home and hold the funds back home and become reluctant to release them, then the bank will not have any resource and will continue to talk of illiquid banks, illiquidity in the system. Thats what has happened. Dzimba idzi dzizere nemari. Tikati kumapurisa nemasoja go yee house by house and dig for the funds that are being hidden there.

Don’t take them as yours but dig them up and tell us who and who have them. You will be guilty, I will be guilty, I don’t know who will not be guilty here nekuti tinotya . . . (laughs) . . . dzimwe (laughs) ukaona tumari twako wotya (claps) kuti aah ndikanoisa uko kuti ndizonoitora mangwana hapana. So you tend to keep it. it’s not your fault, its not his fault. It’s the fault of a system that has not yielded enough cash. Mind you the dollar is not our currency we are actually using it.

MaAmericans vari kuti aah we will not impose sanctions on that one we want them to use our dollar and make it more popular but then they will say aah that is as far as we can go but we can’t issue them fresh piles of dollars when they need them. Ndopouya masanctions ipapo and that’s how we have been restricted, that’s the cause of most of the liquidity that we have, illiquidity that we have because we have not been able to replenish the dollars.

If you look at some of the dollars that have gone round tsvina (laughs) ine mari yacho, goodness me! Kana ari madollars, one dollar I think they are the dirtiest of all, the smaller ones, one dollar, two dollar.

TM: Your Excellency, talking of the dollars, we have the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries they are calling for the adoption of the rand as the official currency and I know right now we also have the bond notes they are also in circulation but does it appear like Zimbabweans are not confident of having their own currency, what is the solution to having our own currency in Zimbabwe?

RGM: (Laughs) . . . My you don’t seem to know the history we had with our own currency, that galloping inflation and we thought of giving it up and adopting the dollar. That’s how it all happened, the rand, we are a multi-currency country.

Well, I don’t know why the Ministry of Finance together with the Reserve Bank have not wanted to use other currencies. I have asked actually again and again kuti why not have euros, why not have yen, why not have rand alongside with the dollar? Ah tichazviita, tichazviita. At least if we had the euro, I don’t think we have sanctions on the euro but the euro is slightly more expensive than the dollar but the difference is minimum.

TM: That’s okay Your Excellency, last year you lamented over how diamond mining has not benefited the nation, you even spoke about how Zimbabwe had been prejudiced of up to $15 billion but now we have the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company in place but why is it that the benefits are not yet apparent?

RGM: Oh! Oh! Oh! These various companies which operated alongside the ZMDC operated for quite a long period. We don’t know how the earnings, you know, from their operations were accounted for and they just regarded them as their own earnings and nothing seems to have come to the ZMDC, which was partner. In turn nothing seems to have come to Government as revenue.

Then we decided, after studying how the diamond sector was controlled in two countries, perhaps three, Botswana, Namibia and Angola, and there just one company. It may have two operations or so, the system in Botswana, system in Namibia those two, I looked at they were satisfied that there was need for consolidation, they don’t allow anyone else, no small company, hakuna makorokoza so the diamond industry is in the hands of the state and maybe the State and the private company together in this case and I was told by Khama how they are very strict about the earnings dzemadiamonds because that the resource they depend upon in the main for their survival.

So anyway we offered the other companies, the Chinese one, the Lebanese one and neyanaMhlanga all the three, the choice do you want to join Government in a consolidated company or do you want to stay out and go? Make your choice, the Chinese said they wanted to go, the Lebanese said they wanted to go, the South Africans said they wanted to go, Mbada ndeyema South Africans yana Mhlanga they wanted to go. Aaah, we said think again. They didn’t want consolidation hmmmm, so we said why would you resent consolidation it’s a get together, working together and then you share a product.

Because they used to pocket everything they got ivo anaMbada ivava. Alright your question is why has there been no change, well ah it’s because it’s much more recent, getting you know this new company together, the consolidated company together has taken time yet it had to have the machinery and in a number of cases also it has been taken to court and it tended to delay the process of its operations. It affected the speed with which it could begin its operations.

TZ: Thank you very much Your Excellency for being with us on this special programme. That brings us to the end of part one of the programme President Robert Mugabe at 93. Viewers note that we shall be bringing you Part Two where we will continue with this discussion. – State Media 

THE family of a man who was allegedly killed by Rodney Tongai Jindu in an apparent calculated ritual murder in Bulawayo recently has said their relative was lured by his alleged killer with promises of capital to resuscitate his business.

Mboneli Joko Ncube (30) was last seen on January 12 and his family reported him missing on January 15, only for his remains to be exhumed on February 10 at a vacant residential stand in Burnside suburb.

Ncube’s remains were found six days after the body of Jindu’s friend from Queens Park suburb, Cypran Kudzurunga (28), was exhumed from the same stand.

It has been suggested that Kudzurunga apparently stumbled on evidence incriminating Jindu in Ncube’s murder, prompting him to silence him by fatally shooting him on January 31.

DNA test results are still pending to certify if indeed the remains belong to Ncube.

A spokesperson for the Ncube family, Mr Clifford Mhlophe, yesterday said Jindu and the deceased were not friends, but had somewhat become business acquaintances as the murder suspect had offered to assist his would-be victim financially to resuscitate his travel and tourism company.

Mr Mhlophe — who is Ncube’s maternal uncle — said although Jindu had lived a stone’s throw from Ncube’s house in Glengarry suburb, the two only got to interact through a mutual friend.

“Two days before my nephew went missing, we talked one-on-one as he related how he aspired to resume his tourism business which he had run for a short while last year. He told me he needed capital injection to manage the tour business for schools and through the link of a common friend between them, Jindu had offered to help.

“Last year he attempted to run the business where he would offer transport to schools on tours, whether to resort areas, historical places and others.

However, because of financial constraints, the business was short lived. Two days before he disappeared, he mentioned that Jindu had offered to help him and that’s the only connection we know of between the two,” he said.

Mr Mhlophe said Ncube had his own set of friends while Jindu had his own and the two had become more of business acquaintances.

“Jindu isn’t someone I knew much except that he was a neighbour of many years and my sister lived four houses away from him in Glengarry suburb,” he said.

Mr Mhlophe said they were shocked and confused by the fact that no member of Jindu’s family had approached them in the wake of the alleged murder.

“According to our culture, ubuntu bethu buthi if there’s any rumour or ill word on your child, you talk about it as a parent or as parents. I must say, we expected to see the Jindus because we cannot be found going to them. The least they could do was to pay us a courtesy call, maybe in the escort of a church pastor, police or even a community leader,” he said.

Mr Mhlophe said his family was still trying to come to terms with the horrific murder of Ncube.

“Although the police and the media have fully reported on the confessions by Jindu of murdering my nephew Mboneli for whatever reasons, police advised us to wait for DNA results which will fully certify if indeed those are his remains.

“It’s unbelievable that Mboneli was killed in such a gruesome manner. Unfortunately, the test results are taking quite some time                                        to come out and we cannot wait longer                                                                     as we want to bury the remains of our loved one. We want to put him to rest and we have left everything in the hands of the Lord,” he said.

Jindu told the police that a South African inyanga and unknown Omalayitsha (cross border transporters) allegedly demanded body parts of people with a Ncube surname but were yet to pay him at the time of his arrest.

According to a statement Jindu made to the police, he shot Kudzurunga twice — in the head and chest in a bushy area between Glengarry and Queens Park before carrying the body home in a wheelbarrow.

Police sources say Jindu also allegedly confessed to murdering his neighbour Ncube — a devout Jehovah’s Witness member— on January 12 and selling some of his body parts to the inyanga and omalayitsha after promises of $20 000 in cash and a Toyota Quantum were made.

Jindu allegedly cut the dismembered body of Ncube and set the pieces on fire before burying them in four shallow graves.

The mutilated remains of what Jindu claimed were Ncube’s body were exhumed on February 10 by the police after Jindu made indications. – State Media

Shyleen Mtandwa | Higher Education Minister and MP for Tsholotsho, Jonathan Moyo , has risen to the challenge of saving his drowning and totally devastated constituency, savaged by floods as he summoned the Zimbabwe National Army to a serious rescue mission.

Professor Moyo told ZimEye.com that he had summoned two specialist teams from the military regiment in a serious humanitarian assistance operation not experienced in Zimbabwe to date.

Live footage shows army helicopters in Tsholotsho rescuing desperate villagers. The historical irony in this trajectory is that the very same helicopters that have descended on Tsholotsho today, to save lives, 34 years ago were in the same territory with an opposite agenda of killing every living being.

Said local Mp Moyo, local rescue units are currently attending to the matter. “The Mat North & Tsholotsho Civic Protection Units in coordination with the National CPU are currently seized with the emergency situation in Ward 6 in Tsholotsho to provide the needful to affected households.”

The state media reports that up to 80 families in Sipepa area in Tsholotsho were marooned since Saturday and by last night the Airforce of Zimbabwe was airlifting affected villagers to safety.

The Civil Protection Unit Deputy Director Ms Sibusisiwe Ndlovu said between 60 and 80 families had been trapped in the area by floods.

“We’ve been told that there are 60 families, while others are saying they are 80. We can’t really say how many were affected. But all are coming from Sipepa area. We can’t determine the exact number of people who were injured,” said Ms Ndlovu.

She said the Air Force was engaged as it has resources suiting the situation.

Sipepa is prone to flooding and yesterday disturbing pictures were posted on social media showing mud houses and a school surrounded by water.

Ms Ndlovu said six homes were badly damaged in Dinyane ward 15 on Friday.

Last night, the local CPU led by Tsholotsho District Ms Gladys Zhou said the rescue mission was still on course.

She said people were being airlifted to Sipepa Secondary School and Sipepa Health Centre.

“The helicopter has so far done eight trips and it’s still continuing. We hope by the end of the night to have moved everyone to safety,” she said.

Ms Zhou said they are yet to calculate the number of affected individuals. She appealed for clothing and food for the affected villagers.

Chief Mathuphula described the situation as dire, but said he was happy with the swift CPU response.

He said flooding started after Gwayi River started spilling on Saturday morning, marooning people in nearby communities.

“Yesterday (Saturday) the provincial CPU failed to access the affected areas resulting in it seeking the services of the army. But I’m happy with the swiftness with which they responded to our plight. Our situation is very dire, people need help,” said Chief Mathuphula.

In an interim situation report, the CPU said homesteads, roads, bridges as well as small to medium dams were destroyed in the Midlands and Matabeleland provinces.

The CPU said in Matabeleleland South’s Umzingwane District, several homesteads in Esihlengeni area succumbed to excessive moisture and heavy rains last Friday while in Kezi District three homesteads were encircled by Tuli River on the same day and 21 people were trapped. The report said the local headman mobilised the community and successfully rescued the families.

“Insiza District — the southern parts of the district experienced unprecedented flooding on Friday 17th February rendering it inaccessible as rivers were all full and bridges were overflowing and damaged. The road network was badly damaged in some places. Several small dams failed. Wanezi River burst its banks up to a kilometre in places as a result some families in Mazeya self-evacuated and spent the night at the local school. The water pump at Filabusi Town was submerged,” said the CPU in its report.

In Gwanda District the road network and bridges were badly damaged in some areas.

“Bulilima District — several homesteads in Makhulela Ward 9, Bambadzi Ward 10 and Huwana Ward 8 are badly damaged with water moving freely within homesteads on the night of 18th February 2017. The District Civil Protection Committee is in the field assisting the affected.”

It said in Bulawayo, a number of homes were flooded and the local fire brigade responded. The CPU said some of the affected suburbs include Mahatshula which was affected by the flooded Umguza River.  Kingsdale, Emganwini, Nketa 8 and Cowdray Park were not spared.

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo | Litigious Masvingo State Minister Shuvai Ben Mahofa, has once again crossed paths with her political bosses after blocking the invasion of a farm owned by white farmers. Mahofa irked her bosses including President Robert Mugabe when she stopped one Gilbert Nyasha from invading a crocodile farm owned by Jeffrey Howard Sommer and Henry Allan Sommer. Last year Mahofa clashed with Mugabe over the invasion of Tongaat Land. Party stalwarts accuse Mahofa of being paid cash to block the compulsory occupation of the farm.
Mahofa claimed the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife department was in a better position to comment on the matter.
“I am aware of the matter and I wonder why the guy (Nyasha) failed to move onto the farm after being given an offer letter in 2012? How can people claim that I am being paid by these white people? That is not true because I only knew them last week. They came to my office to explain their case and I had to listen to their side of the story,”said Mahofa.
Nyasha ,said to be a Zanu PF activist, accused Mahofa of hypocrisy. “Mahofa claims she is concerned about the welfare of 60 employees at the farm yet she supports the invasion of Tongaat Hullet Land where 2000 workers have lost their jobs. This means Mahofa is a hypocrite. Mahofa is protecting the interests of the white farmers because they are paying her,”said Nyasha.

Staff Reporter|Police in Harare have arrested MDC-T youth leader Happymore Chidziva.

According to an alert by the party, Chidziva is being held at Harare Central Police station after being arrested for inciting public violence.
“MDC National Youth Assembly Chairperson Happymore Chidziva, aka, Bvondo arrested is at Harare Central Police Law and Order Section and is accused of inciting violence at #Myzimbabwe Launch sometime last year,”read part of the alert.

More to follow….

FULL VIDEO:

Zimbabweans from all walks in UK and Ireland will converge at The Zimbabwe Embassy in London on the 21st February 2017. This is to register their disgust on the melting down of every social, political, and economic aspect of the country while the Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU PF) are busy looting and splashing tax payers money on the 93 year old nonagenarian Robert Mugabe’s birthday bash.

MZYWCAN invites the public to attend this
event.”You are all cordial invited to the function so as to show Zanu PF that we want our human rights and freedom back. The group comprises of MaZimbabweans Yes We Can (MZYWCAN) who have already sort and have been given a Met. Police Events Department clearance to hold the demo, Movement For Democratic Change (MDC-T), Zimbabwe Human Rights Organisation (ZHRO), MAVAMBO, Restoration Of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Citizens’ Initiative(ZCI), Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) and others. People will be coming from as far as Manchester, Leeds, Bournemouth, Swindon, London and many others.”said David Kadzutu.

This gathering will be blessed by the presence of a prominent actor and activist, Silvanos Mudzvova who has been at the helm of handy cuffing himself and protesting about the appalling conditions in Zimbabwean prisons and the general human rights abuse. He was once abducted by security agencies in Zimbabwe but remains resolute in fighting against oppressive forces.

More details on the flyer below….

A 25-YEAR-OLD South African man who is accused of trafficking four Zimbabwean illegal immigrants to the neighbouring country was yesterday denied bail by a Polokwane magistrate and is set to stand trial on April 12.
Raymond Sithole of Chebeng village in Seshego area, was arrested on January 3 by a team from South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (The Hawks) following a tip off.

Sithole is accused of holding the four Zimbabwean men hostage at his home.

Hawks spokesperson for Limpopo province, Captain Matimba Maluleke said the accused illegally took the victims aged between 15 and 20 years into the neighbouring country after promising them good jobs.

Capt Maluleke said the four were being held hostage at Sithole’s house.

He said sometimes, the man would send his victims to steal and do other jobs without payment.

“He is facing charges of human trafficking. The four men were  allegedly kept under key and lock after being smuggled into South Africa with false promises of good jobs and better lives.

“In some cases the suspect would severely assault them if they failed to comply with his orders,” he said.
Capt Maluleke said the man was arrested by a Hawks reaction team after getting wind of the allegedly exploitation of the Zimbabweans.

The incident came shortly after police from both countries intensified border patrols in light of the increase in the illegal trafficking of children between the two countries.

In December alone, 120 children were intercepted along the border while being taken into South Africa, prompting security agents to re-double their efforts in fighting the crime. – State Media

A 35-year-old Gwanda gold panner allegedly fatally struck his colleague with a spade on the head following a misunderstanding that started while they were on their way from a beer drink in Colleen Bawn.

The suspect, Josphat Nkosi of Matobo allegedly struck Aleck Mwinde once on Thursday morning and he died on the spot.

After allegedly committing the crime, he allegedly fled from the scene leaving Mwinde’s body in a pool of blood with the spade on his side.

Matabeleland South police spokesperson, Inspector Philisani Ndebele yesterday confirmed the incident.
He said Nkosi was on the run.

“The pair was coming from a beer drink at Colleen Bawn Bar with one of their unnamed colleague. They left the bar at around 10:30PM on Wednesday going back to Rubicon Mine where they work.

“Along the way Nkosi and the now deceased Mwinde picked up an argument over an undisclosed matter. The misunderstanding went on up to the time they arrived at the mine. However, their colleague went to sleep while the pair proceeded to their tent still arguing,” said Insp Ndebele.

He said while at the tent the misunderstanding degenerated into a scuffle and Nkosi allegedly picked up a spade and hit Mwinde on the head and he died on the spot.

“After striking him he went to their colleague at around 2AM and advised him that he had seriously injured Mwinde and he disappeared from the mine.

“Their colleague didn’t take action that time but waited until 7AM when he went to the tent and discovered the body of Mwinde lying in a pool of blood and a spade on his side. A report was made to the police,” he said.
Insp Ndebele appealed to members of the public to solve disputes amicably to avoid unnecessary loss of life.
“Members of the public shouldn’t take the law into their own hands as it leads to unnecessary loss of lives. They should seek counselling from elders or come to the police,” said Insp Ndebele.- State Media

By Shiellah Sibanda| A heavily intoxicated chief Mathema of Gwanda last night rammed his BWM 318 vehicle into a shop after a long drinking session at a Bulawayo strip club.

The drunken chief who was in the company of two former Highlanders players, Thabani Masawi and Siza Khoza, rammed his vehicle into a newly renovated shop opposite opposite Cecil Hotel night club famous for it’s stripping women shows.

The chief is believed to have attempted to reverse the vehicle out of the parking bay and instead put the vehicle on forward gear and smashed it into the shop breaking security bars, and a huge window at the shop entrance.

Eyewitnesses told ZimEye the trio immediately pushed the damaged vehicle away from the scene to avoid public eyes as they are popular figures in the city.

Police at Bulawayo central police confirmed receiving a report on the incident but would not shed more details.⁠⁠⁠⁠

By Staff Reporter| Police in Harare’s Mount Pleasant low density suburb, have arrested scores of MDC-T youths who were conducting voter education.

The youths who included the party’s Harare Province Youth Assembly treasurer, Manyungwa Macheso, were on Saturday conducting a door to door voter mobilisation campaign when they were arrested.

They were however released without any charges after the police failed to establish any offence against them.

“The Police and ZANUPF local MP Pasadi were offended by how the Youth Assembly conducted the door to door campaign,” said the MDC-T youth assembly in a statement Sunday .

“We therefore urge our members to continue observing groups of less than 15 People when conducting the door to door campaign( D2D),” they added in a statement.

Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) president Joice Mujuru claims Zanu PF has deployed 500 spies to infiltrate her party’s structures ahead of its inaugural elective convention.

Mujuru accused the ruling party of trying to capitalise on the democratic process of choosing substantive leadership at the party’s inaugural elective convention to infiltrate her party.

Addressing her party’s Manicaland provincial executive committee in Mutare on Thursday, Mujuru said “just two weeks ago, Zanu PF hatched a plan to have 500 of its members infiltrate ZimPF structures in every province.”

“We have to be very careful when we elect members to fill in various positions at the national convention.

“We should select people whose history we know, members who we started the party with and members with a track record in the party.”

Mujuru two weeks ago fired her former allies Rugare Gumbo and Didymus Mutasa on allegations they were plotting to topple her and spied on the party for Zanu PF.

Gumbo and Mutasa have since appointed themselves caretaker ZimPF presidents at a meeting attended by war veterans with links to Zanu PF.

The former VP also promised that her ZimPF government would look at issues of national healing, starting with the Gukurahundi genocide.

“There are people without birth certificates, people who can’t go to school because they don’t have documentation because their parents were killed,” she said.

“The problems are not unique to Gukurahundi.

“Even here in Manicaland, people have been disappearing and Zanu PF uses Border Gezi trained youths to carry out these dastardly acts.”

Over 20 000 civilians were murdered in Matabeleland and Midlands regions in the early 1980s when the North Korean-trained 5th Brigade was unleashed to deal with a few dissidents elements.

Mugabe is yet to apologise for the atrocities, preferring to call the period “ a moment of madness.”

Mujuru said Mugabe could easily say “it was a moment of madness and finds comfortable sleep thereafter because he has no relative that he lost in the massacres.”

The ZimPF leader said she was committed to an opposition coalition that would seek to wrest power from Mugabe in the 2018 elections, adding that nothing would stop the impending pre-election alliance of opposition parties.

Meanwhile, Mujuru told her supporters in Bindura that she survived four coup plots allegedly orchestrated by party elders, Gumbo and Mutasa before she eventually decided to fire them a fortnight ago.

Mujuru fired Gumbo, Mutasa, former Masvingo provincial minister Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, Margret Dongo, and three other members on allegations of plotting a coup against her.

Other party bigwigs who include Sylvester Nguni, Ray Kaukonde, Agrippa Mutambara and Cougan Matanhire resigned in solidarity with the fired elders.

Addressing ZimPF officials in Bindura last week, as part of a nationwide tour aimed at auditing party structures, Mujuru said her life had become hell because of Gumbo and Mutasa.

She alleged the party elders had been sabotaging her to an extent that ZimPF failed to hold an elective convention to select substantive leadership last year.

The former VP said this meant ZimPF could not conclusively negotiate a proposed coalition with other opposition parties, especially Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T.

“Mutambara, when he was still with us, told me that he had been asked for support by Gumbo in his bid to take over from me as party president,” Mujuru told the Mashonaland Central provincial executive.

“They made attempts to oust me. This was the fourth time after the Bikita by-election,” she said.

“They made the decision to go into the polls after being persuaded by [Claudius] Makova.

“When we lost, it became Mujuru’s problem. They had drawn a list of 15 members to be fired. This is when I decided they should go for the growth of the party.”

She alleged Mutambara only turned against her after she blocked the elders’ decision to have national organising secretary Dzikamai Mavhaire reassigned.

Mujuru alleged Gumbo and Mutasa had promised him Mavhaire’s post.

“We had a meeting in which they suggested that Mavhaire be reassigned,” she said.

“But I told them that the issue should be handled by the interim national executive council.

“What I didn’t know was that they had already appointed Mutambara to replace Mavhaire.

“So when I told them that the matter should be referred to the national executive council, this did not go down well with them,” she said.

The former VP said her problems with the elders started a long time back when the youth rejected Bhasikiti as their chairperson.

“But Bhasikiti thought I was the one who influenced the youth to reject him. He started holding clandestine meetings to sabotage me,” she said.

“Our meetings have always been characterised by silly arguments, with the elders trying to derail everything.

“Each time we had a meeting the following day, I would not sleep dreading the petty arguments by these men in the meeting. I went through hell at the hands of these men.”

Mujuru said the other source of conflict was their stance not to accommodate members from other political parties except those from Zanu PF.

“And I asked them, how many people from Zanu PF can help us win the elections? We need everyone,” she said.

Gumbo denied allegations that he plotted against Mujuru in an exclusive interview with The Standard. – TheStandard

Government is working on modalities to make February 21 a national holiday in honour of Zimbabwe’s Founding Father. President Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s first black Prime Minister at Independence in 1980 and inaugural executive Head of State and Government in 1987, was born on February 21, 1924.

His birthday has for decades been a landmark date on the national calendar via the efforts of the 21st February Movement, which creates awareness about President Mugabe’s contribution to development with particular focus on youth involvement in socio-economic transformation.

At a meeting to assess preparations for this Saturday’s 21st February Movement celebrations in Matobo, Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration and Home Affairs Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo said the ruling party’s Youth League had recommended that the day be declared a national holiday, and Government consulatations on the matter were at an advanced stage.

Dr Chombo and youth league leader Kudzi Chipanga expressed satisfaction with preparations for the event.

A Chitungwiza kombi driver who caused an accident at a roadblock along New Chitungwiza Road has been sentenced to an effective seven months in prison, and prohibited from driving for the next five years.

Alvin Muringani (31), appeared before Mbare magistrate Mr Stanford Mambanje charged with negligent driving under the Road Traffic Act.

Prosecutor Ms Hilda Huni alleged that on January 8 this year, Muringani was driving a Nissan Caravan along New Chitungwiza Road heading towards a roadblock.

Muringani, who was not pulled over by the police, allegedly accelerated his vehicle passing the road block and rammed the back of another Nissan Caravan forcing it to hit another vehicle.

Several people suffered severe injuries and were ferried to Harare Hospital.

Ms Huni told the court that Muringani acted unlawfully by driving at an excessive speed under those circumstances, disregarding other road users which resulted in passengers getting injured.

In the same court, a Harare man Norman Takadii (21) was slapped with a 15-day jail term after being found guilty of stealing a chicken.

He appeared before Mbare magistrate Mr Stanford Mambanje charged with stock theft.

Allegations are that on February 12 this year, Feddy Taiwa was informed by Takadii’s stepmother that there were feathers in his room, which she suspected were from a stolen chicken.

Taiwa then checked his fowl run and discovered that one chicken was missing and went to Takadii’s room where he discovered feathers similar to that of the missing chicken. – State Media

INCARCERATED Kariba-based Remnant Church Pastor Patrick Philip Mugadza, who is alleged to have committed a criminal offence by saying that President Robert Mugabe would die on October 17 this year, was yesterday further remanded in custody to next Monday.

The pastor did not physically appear in court after presiding magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti-Guwuriro, who was recently transferred to Bindura, failed to bring the suspect’s court file from the Mashonaland Central town.

Mugadza was represented by lawyers from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights Jeremiah Bhamu and Gift Mtisi.

Allegations against Mugadza emanated from a “prophecy” which he revealed during an interview with a local online publication where he caused the publication of a story which said God had told him Mugabe would die on October 17 this year.

Meanwhile, the trial of Patson Dzamara and his four alleged accomplices, who are being charged with disorderly conduct, also failed to kick off as presiding magistrate Gamuchirai Siwardi did not report for duty. – Newsday

SEVENTEEN people have so far drowned in Manicaland Province since the onset of the rainy season in November.

Police said most of the people were swept away while attempting to cross flooded rivers.

Most incidents happened in Chief Saunyama’s area of Nyanga between December 1 and February 6.

Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa, said all the bodies were retrieved.

“We urge people to desist from crossing flooded rivers. We also urge parents and guardians to ensure that their children do not stay or play near water bodies.

“They should accompany their children to school. Water reservoirs should always be secured. It is important to take precautionary measures to avoid unnecessary loss of lives,” said Insp Kakohwa.

Two siblings, Life and Energy Murembwe, aged seven and eight respectively, drowned on December 5 in Fungirai Village in Chief Marange’s area. The two, who were herding cattle along Manguwe Stream, drowned while swimming in a three-metre deep pool. The bodies were seen floating in the dam the following day.

In another incident, a six-year old boy, Paul Kurehwatira drowned in Mukuni River after he slipped while herding cattle with his brothers, Desire and William.

Prominent Nyangunzi lost her 11-month-old daughter, Bridget after she fell in a 20-litre bucketful of water and died instantly.

An illegal gold panner, Happimore Mazonde (28), drowned after he jumped into a flooded river while following an empty two-litre container which had been blown into the river by whirlwind on December 2.

In Buhera, a three-year-old boy, Ngaavongwe Malcom Musapukira drowned in Nyarushanga River in Chief Nyashanu’s area on December 18 after he was left unattended by his sisters, Praise and Sifelani aged nine and 11 respectively.

A one-year-old toddler, Kimberley Jobo, drowned in a two-metre deep well after her mother, Tariro left her unattended. The incident happened in Sekai Village under Chief Makoni in Rusape.

Amon Chiduku (64) of Fiki Village and Agabu Machote (30) also drowned after attempting to cross flooded rivers.

Last week, a four-year-old infant drowned after she slipped into Nyajezi River while attempting to follow her mother.

Alice Ngwaru (39) was on her way home from Village Eight in Chief Saunyama’s area in the company of her daughters, Patience and Nyasha and upon reaching a flooded Nyajezi River, Alice carried Patience and crossed the river leaving Nyasha behind. Alice left Patience on the other side of the river as she crossed back to take Nyasha. Patience followed her, but slipped into the river and drowned.

A five-year-old girl from Sahumani Village under Chief Mutasa was swept away on January 13, at around 12 noon after she attempted to cross a flooded river while heading to school. Her body was found floating in the river the following day.

On January 14, in Murodzi Village in Nyanga, a 66-year-old woman who had left home to Murodzi Farm to sell fruits and vegetables was swept away after she attempted to cross a flooded river. Villagers conducted a search after she had gone missing and found her body trapped in between stones in the river.

Odzi Primary School pupil, Shalom Mutopora (five) drowned on January 17 after she attempted to retrieve her shoe which she had dropped in Mutopora River. Efforts by villagers to rescue her were in vain.

The body of an unknown man believed to be in his early 20s was recently found floating in Dinhidza river in Zamuchiya village in Chipinge District. The body was discovered by a group of school children who were coming from Mariya Secondary School. The children alerted other villagers who went on to make a police report. They attended the scene and retrieved the body from the river. The body which was in a state of decomposition was conveyed to St Peter’s Mission Hospital mortuary for post-mortem.

34-year-old Cynthia Nehwangura’s body was recently found floating along Mutorahuku River in Manyika Village under Chief Mutambara.

Police said Cynthia was a suspected mental patient. She had gone missing on January 17 at around 6pm. A villager, Morgan Manyika found Cynthia’s body on February 7 while he was looking for his cattle.

The body was at an advanced stage of decomposition. The body was conveyed to Mutambara Mission Hospital for post-mortem. Investigations are in progress. – State Media

THERE was an unprecedented drama at the Rusape Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday afternoon when lawyer, Tendai Bvuma and estranged ex- live-in girlfriend, Hazel Mahati were involved in a public fight.

The brawl took place in the corridors leading to the public prosecutors and interpreters offices soon after lunch. The fighting temporarily brought court business to a halt as officials rushed to offer Mahati first aid assistance.

The real cause of the fight was not clear at the time of going to Press as both parties gave conflicting statements.

Fellow lawyer, Mr Taurai Khupe and Public Prosecutor, Mr Tafara Chawatama, had a torrid time restraining the former lovers from fighting.

Mr Chawatama held Mahati, while Mr Khupe battled to control an enraged Bvuma. Bvuma’s jacket and trousers were torn in the scuflle.

Mr Khupe managed to drag Bvuma and shoved him into District Prosecutor, Mr Tirivanhu Mutyasira’s office, but Mr Chawatama was overpowered by Mahati who followed Bvuma in Mr Mutyasira’s office. Another scuffle ensued.

As the two fought, Bvuma punched Mahati on the cheek and she plunged headlong to the ground. She lost consciousness in the process, prompting Mr Khupe to shout: “Tendai unouraya munhu kani” and Bvuma responded saying: “Anofira mumaoko angu uyu, basa rekundiendera kun’anga nemaporofita.”

Mahati was later carried by fellow workmates from Mr Mutyasira’s office into senior interpreter, Mr Binali’s office.

When Bvuma saw this correspondent, he shouted pointing at Mahati: “Correspondent wanga uripiko? Tora news. Anga akuenderera mberi. Ndamudzemura akafenda. (Hey you Correspondent where were you. Record this drama, I thumped her and she fainted.)

For professional reasons, Messrs Khupe, Chawatama and Mutyasira refused to comment.

Asked to comment on what led him to fight his former girlfriend whom he has a two-year-old son with in public, Bvuma alleged that Mahati was visiting n’angas and prophets for him to have misfortunes in life.

He also said he was not worried about the consequences he was likely to face from the no nonsense Law Society of Zimbabwe since their issue was a domestic one and Mahati had provoked him.

“Hazel is consulting prophets to cast a spell on me. She wants me arrested so that I lose my job. She was at a prophet in Headlands last week and I confronted her.

“When I arrived at the court she told me that she wanted to create a scene and humiliate me. She threatened to follow me in court. She wants me out of Rusape. She grabbed my jacket and neck. When I sought refuge in Mr Mutyasira’s office she followed. Khupe and Chawatama tried to stop the scuffle.

“While I was in Mr Mutyasira’s office, she grabbed me by the neck. I retaliated and punched her. She fainted. She is very weak, she almost died. I was never in love with her because she used juju to lure me into the relationship. I do not know what she really wants from me. She is refusing to surrender my clothes that I left at her home. I am paying a lot of debts which she accrued.

“What did you want me to do when she provoked like that. The Law Society of Zimbabwe does not deal with domestic issues and this is a domestic issue. Yes, it happened at court, but it is domestic,” said Bvuma.

Mahati who was recuperating at home claimed that she suffered a broken skull as a result of the scuffle.

She further claimed that Bvuma provoked her when he told her to stop calling his new wife, Fortunate Nyakwenga.

“He is being fed with lies by Fortunate Nyakwenga. Bvuma spends the whole day at court and she thinks I will be with him. After lunch, Bvuma came to me fuming. At first I thought he was at work, but he charged at me as I was about to enter the courtroom.

“It is Bvuma who confronted me saying I wanted to kill him. He is getting that information from Fortunate. He is not even paying maintenance for his child. He was ordered to pay $150 a month, but he has arrears amounting to $2 000. The criminal case emanating from the maintenance default is being heard at Mutasa Magistrates’ Court, but he absconded three times. The police are not arresting him.

“I am at hospital now. I sustained skull injuries. The car he is driving is mine, but he is refusing to surrender it. He is not a licenced driver. For the past one and half years I avoided talking to him. I am yet to return to work, I am at hospital right now,” said Mahati.

Efforts to get a comment from Nyakwenga were fruitless at the time of going to Press. – State Media

Allan Wilson pupils yesterday afternoon protested against the new curriculum introduced by Education Minister Lazarus Dokora. VIDEO:

Allan Wilson students protesting against the new curriculum introduced by Dokora in town this afternoon. Your future is in your hands. Aluta pic.twitter.com/sD7jq4ygFT

— #21daysofactivism (@lilomatic) February 17, 2017

US President Donald Trump’s phone call to South Africa President Jacob Zuma highlights neighbouring Zimbabwe’s high political risk and that Washington does not consider President Robert Mugabe a serious factor in Afro-American political and socio-economic relations, opposition and analysts said yesterday.

This comes after Trump spoke with Zuma on Monday this week to discuss ways to expand cooperation and trade between the US and SA.

According to a statement from Zuma’s office, “The two presidents reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the already strong bilateral relations between the two countries. There are 600 US companies in South Africa and strong trade relations between the two countries.”

In a quintessential rebuff of the 92-year-old Mugabe as tensions escalate over Washington’s February 6, 2017 concerns over “the continuing deterioration of the human rights situation in Zimbabwe”, the White House apparently snubbed Mugabe, with the businessman and television persona turned president maintaining a tougher US line against Zimbabwe.

Presidential spokesperson George Charamba has reacted with indignation to US’ damning criticism of Zimbabwe’s human rights record, telling State Department officials they can “go and hang on a banana tree.”

Charamba told the State media Zimbabwe was waiting for an overture from the Trump administration to see how relations will be between the two countries during the Republican leader’s presidency.

“We are waiting for a cue from a new government,” Charamba said.

But Morgan Tsvangirai’s opposition MDC said the snub highlights the deepening of an already toxic bilateral relationship that matters increasingly less to Washington.

“Put bluntly . . . Mugabe has been nothing but a curse to Zimbabwe’s international relations,” MDC spokesperson Obert Gutu said.

“No one, including even the Chinese, no longer trusts Mugabe. He is not a man of his word. He indicates left and then he suddenly turns right.

“Trump doesn’t consider Mugabe as a serious factor in Afro-American political and socio-economic relations.

“Trump knows that Mugabe is yesterday’s man; he also knows that Mugabe is in the political departure lounge, he is on his way out of power.”

Trump and Zuma, according to a White House summary of their call, reaffirmed an “expressed interest in identifying new, mutually beneficial opportunities for trade” and to “deepen the bilateral relations.”

Analyst Takura Zhangazha said people must not read too far into Trump’s snub as it does not change the structural dynamics in a bilateral relationship that is slowly worsening, and slowly fading in importance.

“Trump chose Zuma because the latter leads the largest economy in the region and is a key trading partner with the US and also in recognition of the fact that South Africa is a regional powerhouse, at least economically.

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo | MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai has said he is the only opposition leader capable of leading a united front against President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF.

Although Tsvangirai said consultations on the matter were in progress, he also emphasized that there is no other opposition leader capable of leading the much anticipated grand coalition.

Tsvangirai made the remarks at the party provincial offices in Masvingo Province last weekend. Political analysts say although Tsvangirai has played a pivotal role in the struggle against the Mugabe regime, he has to be prepared to embrace other political figures. “We cannot offer the top post to anyone else. Others have to wait in line. When you arrive at a place you have to familiarise with proceedings.You have to let those you found in the area lead the process while you learn,”said Tsvangirai.

The MDC leader said he was persecuted by the Mugabe regime for 17 years and he was the right candidate to lead the anticipated united front. “The people have suffered for a long time and we know what has been taking place.Therefore, we want the highest office because that is where decisions are made,”said Tsvangirai.

In Zaka District party supporters told Tsvangirai they were sceptical of Mujuru’s sincerity. The former premier however said his party would work with all progressive opposition parties.

THE Constitution Amendment (number 1) Bill sponsored by Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa was yesterday rejected by Harare residents at a public hearing with most people seeing a hidden political motive behind the proposed changes.

MPs, with the Ziyambi Ziyambi led Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice, which is conducting the public hearings on the Bill, were told blankly that the judicial arm of government was critical and should maintain independence.

The crowd, which failed to fit in the venue of the hearing at Parliament Building, did not mince its words, vowing people would never allow the three-year-old Constitution to be tampered with for political advantage, and would not tolerate it being “patched”.

The amendments will affect section 180 of the Constitution to ensure the Chief Justice (CJ), Deputy Chief Justice (DCJ) and the Judge President of the High Court are appointed by the President after consultation with the Judicial Service Commission.

ZimRights boss, Okay Machisa said the Constitution was in its infancy with several laws needing to be realigned. He said the rights of people were already being curtailed by allowing the head of State and the Executive arm of the government to interfere with appointment of the judiciary.

“I am not in support of this amendment, and Parliament must instead push for the outstanding realignment of laws to suit the Constitution,” Machisa said.

Speakers condemned the amendments saying they did not want President Robert Mugabe to decide who to appoint as CJ as that appointee would make biased rulings in his favour whenever he was found on the wrong side of the law.

David Hofisi said the current Constitution provided for interviews for CJ, DCJ and Judge President of the High Court to ensure judicial independence, accountability and diversity, as well as to create a buffer between the Executive and judiciary.

“If the appointment process is entirely on the President, it becomes subject to political whims. Parliament must consider the principles of the independence of the judiciary and safeguard against improper political motives. This Bill is against democracy and must not be passed,” he said.

Reverend Machaire said: “The Constitution is like the Holy Bible, which must not be amended. We do not want the President to appoint the CJ because why do you always come up with laws to protect your political interests and enrich yourselves? You want to patch the Constitution yet you are failing to patch the roads? Do not forget we voted for you and we will remove you if you do not take our views.”

John Chirenda was surprised that before the Constitution crafted in 2013 had even been fully implemented, the Executive was already talking of amendments.

“I do not think the Labour Court should be subordinate to the High Court because it creates unnecessary bureaucracy. The appointment of CJ, DCJ and Judge President of the High Court must be left to the Judicial Service Commission. If we follow that route it will give public confidence in the Judiciary,” Chirenda said.

Takawira Mashingaidze said: “Why do you want to patch the Constitution before we have even enjoyed the rights in it? By the end of the year, how many patches will it have?”

Brighton Mahuni said political appointments to the Judiciary threaten its independence.

Retired lawyer, Alex Masterson blasted the short notice given to members of the public to attend the public hearings.

Masterson said it would be a big mistake to give more power to the Head of State to appoint judges, adding the correct thing to do was to observe separation of powers and decentralise government.

“Interviews for judges are good because people will know how much time he spends on his farm and at the court.

This amendment should be set aside,” he said.

Different women, who contributed, said the Constitution must not be adulterated and should be left in its current state.

“Who is hurt by that the CJ, DCJ and Judge President must be interviewed? Is it an individual seeking to get political advantage? Zimbabweans say no to amendments,” a member of the public said. – Newsday

Staff Reporter | Heavy rains from Cyclone Dineo which pounded much of Matabeleland South yesterday have left several places marooned and dams destroyed.

Reports being received by ZimEye.com from correspondents in Matabeleland South are that much of the province is now not accessible as all major rivers throughout the province are flooded.

The provincial capital town Gwanda was first to be isolated as all roads leading into the town except the Beitbridge Bulawayo highway went into floods and people can not get into the town from neighboring Gwanda North, Gwanda South and Insiza districts. By late last night even the Beitbridge highway was at the risk of closing up as waters in Umzingwane River were rising to just a few centres below the bridge.

In Filabusi districts reports are that a dam at Wanezi gave in last night and several people in the area have been evacuated and some homesteads within the area have been swept away by the floods.

The Limpopo, Shashi and Tuli Rivers in Gwanda South are reported to be reaching levels that villagers have never seen before. The villagers claim that the water levels are already higher than those seen in the notorious Cyclone Eline of the year 2000.

In Mangwe and Bulilima Districts there are reports that several dams in the area have either collapsed or on the verge of collapsing with the Civil Protection Unit busy evacuating villagers in low lying areas in fear of the risks involved if the dams give in. Thekwane River in Bulilima burst its banks by sunset yesterday as the rains continued to pounce the area.

No deaths or drownings have been reported yet as the police and the CPU remain on high alert and controlling people from trying to get to the flooded rivers and dams.

The rains are expected to continue until Monday. ZimEye.com correspondents in the areas are keeping watch of the situation and updates will be made available as events happen.

A 38–year-old Mberengwa man has been slapped with a three-year imprisonment sentence for applying herbs on his 19-year-old daughter’s breasts and private parts in a ritual to get rich.

The man’s daughter, who was abused when she was 17 years old in 2015, started having problems when she got married as she would see a vision of her father sleeping with her whenever she became intimate with her husband.

The man, from Hlatini Village in Mberengwa whose identity has been withdrawn to protect the identity of his victim, appeared before Mberengwa resident magistrate Mrs Evia Matura facing one count of indecent assault.

He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 36 months imprisonment. In passing the sentence, Mrs Matura said the man had violated his daughter in a manner that would haunt her for the rest of her life.

“You exchanged your cultural values for the love of money. This manifests moral decadence at its heights. You have caused your daughter to suffer hallucinations and it has affected her marital life.
“She sees your cruelty in every man and you didn’t show any remorse or contrition. You are sentenced to three years in prison,” she said.

Prosecuting, Ms Wadzanayi Shayanewako told the court that on November 29 in 2015, the accused ordered his daughter to come to the garden where he was.

“The accused called the complainant into the garden which is situated at their homestead and persuaded the complainant to obey to whatever he wanted her to do saying that she was his beloved daughter. The accused’s wife was not at the homestead and was to sleep out on the same day,” said Ms Shayanewako.

The court heard that on the same date at around 10PM the man, while half naked, went into his daughter’s bedroom hut and lured her to his bedroom hut.
Ms Shayanewako said he then made her daughter sit on his bed before pulling her blouse exposing her breasts.

He also pulled up her skirt. “The accused took some herbs and applied them all over the complainants’ body including her breasts and private parts with his hands. He ordered the complainant to lie on the bed but she refused,” said Ms Shayanewako.

She said the matter came to light in November last year when the complainant revealed the incident to her husband after having some hallucinations. – state media

AN 11-year-old pupil from Shurugwi has been charged with murder for allegedly fatally punching his classmate who was five years older.

The Grade Six pupil who was in a special class at Wida Primary School in Tongogara area, Shurugwi, allegedly felled his 16-year-old classmate with a fist leading to his death.
He has since been charged with murder but was released into the custody of his parents pending his appearance in court.

Acting Midlands provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende confirmed the incident which occurred on Monday. Asst Insp Mukwende said the two boys were attending the same special class at the primary school. She said reasons why they had engaged in the fistfight were still not clear.
“Police are investigating a case of murder which took place on February 13 at around 12.25PM at Wida Primary School in Tongogara, Shurugwi, where an 11-year-old boy who cannot be named for ethical reasons but from Chidende Village, Chief Nhema, fought with a 16–year-old classmate also from the same village,” she said.

“It is said the boys exchanged blows and during the fight, the 11-year-old overpowered the 16-year-old who then fell to the ground and became unconscious.”

Asst Insp Mukwende said a teacher tried to render first aid to the boy to no avail. He was taken to Zvamabande Clinic where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
“The body of the 16-year-old boy was taken to Shurugwi District Hospital for post-mortem,” she said.

Asst Insp Mukwende said investigations are in progress.

“We would like to appeal to members of the public to desist from using violence as a way of solving disputes because such acts are now cascading to the children who now view violence as a necessity in solving disputes. The boy is in the custody of his parents,” she said. – state media

Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Mandi Chimene has called on the electorate to elect Members of National Assembly who deliver on promises as some of them are now a liability to Zanu-PF.

Giving her welcome remarks during the First Lady, Dr Amai Grace Mugabe’s rally in Buhera yesterday, Chimene said it was sad that some Members of National Assembly had deserted their constituencies in Manicaland.

“We are all volunteers in Zanu-PF. We are not in the party for monetary gain. When we go out to the electorate we should have programmes that change people’s lives. Some MPs here are not working for the people and they are letting the party down. Amai, you are the mother of the nation, but some of your children who were voted into office are not user-friendly and they are doing a disservice to the parry. It should be made clear that those who do not want to work for the people should step aside. We do not want liabilities in Zanu-PF,” said Chimene.

“I want to urge the electorate to elect people who are easily approachable and not those who abandon their constituencies and give flimsy excuses of being busy. We should also not be ambitious in the party. You should not use your ambitions to create chaos in the party,” said  Chimene.

She said despite its richness, Manicaland had nothing to show for it.

“The province is endowed with gold, diamonds, vermiculate, phosphate, tantalite and copper. Illegal panning is rampant especially in Chimanimani at Tarka Estate where timber is being destroyed. Our mineral resources should not benefit a few individuals, but Zimbabwe as a whole. Corruption is rampant and panners are wreaking havoc. The country is losing a lot through these illegal activities.

“There is no diamond cutting and polishing in the province, yet most of the diamonds are being mined in Chiadzwa and Chimanimani. The merging of diamond companies is highly appreciated, however, the process should move with speed to ensure that our communities benefit from the diamonds. Furthermore, efforts should be made to acquire equipment relevant for deep mining of diamonds,” she said.

Speaking at the same occasion, Zanu-PF provincial chairman, Dr Samuel Undenge, thanked Dr Amai Mugabe for choosing Manicaland as her first port of call for 2017.

“We are honoured to be the first province to host Dr Amai Mugabe this year. The last time she was here, she empowered the Chimanimani community by donating tractors which have helped in changing lives there. She has continued with her generous donations as she recently donated chicks for income generating projects for women in Manicaland. We want to thank our mother for being an exemplary mother,” said Dr Undenge.

He said Zanu-PF was growing in Manicaland, and come 2018 it would sweep all the seats in the province.

“Zanu-PF is strong in Manicaland. The restructuring exercise went on very well and we now have more districts. We are witnessing defections from parties like Zimbabwe People First and all the MDCs. People are coming back to Zanu-PF in their numbers.

“I also want to reiterate that our candidate for 2018 is President Mugabe,” said Dr Undenge.

In her vote of thanks, Zanu-PF national secretary for transport and welfare  Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said there was unity of purpose in Manicaland.

“We want to thank the First Lady, Dr Amai Mugabe for coming to Manicaland where she continued with her gospel of unity.

“Manicaland is a problem province as most of the opposition leaders are from Manicaland, the likes of the late Bishop Abel Muzorewa, Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole, Edgar Tekere, Simba Makoni, Morgan Tsvangirai, Margret Dongo and now Didymus Mutasa.

“We will continue working hard to consolidate our position as the people’s party in Manicaland. We should put aside all our personal differences for the good of the party,” she said. – State Media

A 22-YEAR-OLD woman reported her 41-year-old boyfriend after he allegedly deliberately infected her with HIV.

A Bulawayo magistrate heard yesterday that the couple has been living in Nkulumane suburb for the past two years and have a baby who is 16 months old.

State allegations are that the woman stumbled upon her boyfriend’s medical cards on February 8 showing that he was HIV positive.

The man, whose name has been withheld for ethical reasons, pleaded not guilty to a charge of deliberately infecting another person with HIV.

Bulawayo Regional Magistrate Mr Chrispen Mberewere remanded him out of custody to March 14 for trial.

State representative Mr Simbarashe Manyiwa alleged that the woman asked her boyfriend about the medical cards she had found in his pocket but he laughed off the matter.

“Complainant found cards dated and stamped by OI (Opportunistic Infections clinic) and she asked the accused what they were for. Accused laughed and said he had gotten them from his grandmother. Complainant was not satisfied so she did her own investigations,” said Mr Manyiwa.

He said the woman approached her cousin with the cards but he also displayed ignorance on the matter.

“Complainant’s cousin referred her  to his friend who is a nurse at a local hospital.

“The friend is the one who explained that the cards are used when obtaining HIV treatment,” said Mr Manyiwa.

He said the woman went for testing and found that she was HIV positive.

“She went and confronted her boyfriend again about the issue and her new HIV status and he admitted that he was on treatment. Complainant made a police report leading to the arrest of the accused,” said Mr Manyiwa. – State Media