President Robert Mugabe yesterday poured scorn at opposition political parties’ efforts to form a grand coalition to contest against Zanu PF in next year’s elections, saying this was nothing but a mirage, which will suffer a “grand” loss.

Officially opening a Zanu PF central committee meeting, Mugabe mocked the opposition saying they were a confused lot, who gift his party through splits and internal fights.

“They have tried this and that, been together, they split again, they talk of coalitions. We shall make them talk all kinds of languages that is what Zanu PF is capable of doing when we are united and doing our own thing,” he said.

“We look with glee, we look with joy as they daily turn on each other, while pretending to chase a mirage they have termed grand coalition, apparently unaware of the grand defeat that stares them in the face.”

Mugabe said the good rains, which point to a bumper harvest, had set his party up for a smashing electoral victory.

He, however, noted his party was facing its own internal squabbles.

“For as long as we think and act in unison, we shall always be the victors bound by common belief and a binding sense of camaraderie,” Mugabe said.

“The promise of a good agricultural performance translates quite naturally to even great support for our party, as we inch towards the 2018 harmonised elections.

“Riled by successive by-electoral blows, the opposition is in a quagmire all the time, clutching on dropped straws in a vain hope of some modicum of political respectability, which routinely eludes them apparently.”

Mugabe’s jibe on the opposition came as Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T and Joice Mujuru’s National People’s Party, which were working towards a coalition they hope will end Mugabe’s 37-year rule, have suffered splits.

Mugabe also waded into the fight, which has seen the National Elections Reform Agenda, a grouping of 13 opposition parties taking on Zimbabwe Electoral Commission accusing it of political bias and refusing to reform, saying this was only an excuse of a confused people.

“Unable to face our mighty party, they have now turned their guns on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission; they are fighting a commission that has no fault,” he said.

“Itself a constitutional body mandated to run elections in our country, afflicted by madness as it were, which knows no bounds they even seek to interfere with the mandate of government tendering process, hoping for some optimistic fissures and little chances that might give them a little respectability.”

Mugabe called on his party to take full advantage of the fights in the opposition to consolidate its position ahead of the pools.

Already confirmed as Zanu PF 2018 presidential candidate, Mugabe turned to his own party and called for a halt on internal demonstrations.

He warned that the public demonstrations targeting the party’s political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere had the effect of playing into the hands of the opposition by cultivating a message of discord and despondency in Zanu PF.

“To all those who have been expressing displeasures through demonstrations in various provinces, we say ‘fine you made your points and your voices have been heard, but please the party has structures and organs designed to handle such matters in a dignified way’.

“Are you aware that Tsvangirai and others are listening and laughing?”-Newsday

A Bulawayo family is grappling to come to terms with the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of their 15-year-old son, who had been admitted at Parirenyatwa Hospital amid reports that gross negligence could have contributed to the death.

Brian Mhlanga, who had leukemia, died on March 14 after staff at the referral hospital allegedly dragged their feet in actioning his treatment, which included receiving three pints of blood.

Brian’s distraught mother, Sikhulile Mahlongwana, is adamant that her son would be alive today had the concerned staff done their part in ensuring that he received the necessary treatment in time.

Narrating her ordeal to the NewsDay Weekender, Mahlongwana said she was disappointed by the way her son’s case was handled by the nurses and doctors at the institution.

“We came on referral from Mpilo Central Hospital to see a haematologist (specialist who works on diagnosis and monitoring of patients with disorders of the blood and bone marrow). My son was put on chemotherapy. He started responding well and even his observation chart records confirmed this,” she said.

However, the teenager started nose bleeding and for two days the condition remained the same.

Mahlongwana was told her son needed more platelets (tiny blood cells that help the body form clots to stop bleeding).

“I was told to buy three pints of blood and I did so. There was a note attached saying that it was urgent,” she said.

However, what was to follow was a nightmare that the family will find it hard to forget.

There were serious delays in getting the blood to Brian, prompting his mother to go to the National Blood Services Zimbabwe (NBSZ) and inquire about the hold up.

“I went to NBSZ, which is just next door to the hospital. They told me they had the blood and it was ready, but could not get through to C3 ward where my son was admitted (so that hospital staff could come and collect it),” Mahlongwana, with raw pain evident in her voice, said.

She hurried back to the ward and alerted a nurse on duty of the situation.

“She (the nurse) was very rude to me and said they would wait for the call from NBSZ. She even said they (NBSZ) should have phoned the next ward,” she narrated .

Mahlongwana went back to NBSZ now agitated by the lack of urgency which was being displayed by the staff at Parirenyatwa Hospital. It was only after 7pm in the evening that one pint of blood was delivered.

“I refused to go home when visiting hour had passed until the blood came,” she said.

Tired and emotionally drained, Mahlongwana eventually, went home only to be awakened by a distressed phone call from her son.

“He was clearly in pain and said he was now very weak and begged me to come quickly,” recalls Mahlongwana.

She rushed to the hospital. Her son was in bad shape. The other two pints had not been administered.

“The nurses said there had been a mix up because the numbers on the tags where not corresponding with their records so the NBSZ could not continue to give him the rest of the blood,” she said.

What surprised her, however, was the fact the one pint that her son had been given had the same numbers with the other two.

Brian told his mother that he had been in such pain throughout the night and had pleaded with the nurses for a pain killer, but none was given as the nurses said they were waiting for the doctor, who would come the following morning at 8am.

“I could hear his cries from the waiting area. I will never forget how he was wailing, calling for something to ease his pain,” she said with a voice laden with emotion.

The doctor, allegedly upon insistence from Brian’s mother, went to his bed side and asked what was wrong.

Brian, a bright Form 3 pupil, passed away that very day without receiving the other two pints of blood. He was buried in Matopos.

“I’m angry because I lost my son. The hospital is a place of recovery, but with such attitudes and negligence how many more are dying,” she said.

Responding to the matter Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals said they had not received any complaint regarding the matter.

“However, in the event that Brian Mhlanga’s parents have a complaint to make to the hospital, they are free to approach us through our public relations office. The hospital is prepared to discuss their concerns with them,” the hospital public relations officer, Linos Dhire said.

Dhire said they were always concerned with the loss of any one of their patients.

“Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals has a robust complaints handling mechanism which is meant to properly and effectively address public concerns with a view to prevent possible recurrences of unfortunate events,” he said.

The NBSZ on being contacted said they would institute their own investigations.

“We acknowledge notification from yourselves (NewsDay Weekender) on the incident at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals. As indicated to you, this is the first time that we are being notified of this issue at executive management level of which we are now looking into,” NBSZ public affairs manager, Esther Masundah said.

She said feedback would be given according to the communication protocols.

Meanwhile, a trustee with a local health watch dog, Citizens Health Watch, Fungisayi Dube said they were concerned about the quality of our health services which compromises our right to health.

“This issue needs to be investigated further and if in any way there was negligence those responsible should be apprehended,” she said.- Newsday

Former Bulilima East legislator, Norman Mpofu (MDC-T) has claimed that the Gukurahundi issue has been hijacked by some elements, with hidden tribal agendas, hence, the push to close debate on the atrocities.

Mpofu said this after Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko recently announced that the government had moved in to assist relatives of the victims to get birth certificates, as part of efforts to bring closure to the issue.

“As things stand, the moment this issue is raised, citizens assume tribal positions. It polarises the nation and real issues surrounding this issue are drowned by tribal noises,” he said, claiming Mphoko had only raised the matter as a public relations exercise for his hugely “tainted” Zanu PF party.

“If the matter was brought up by Zapu, this unhelpful tribal dimension would have been avoided and allowed the issue to be approached objectively and given it a better chance to get justice for the victims. The target of Gukuraundi was Zapu, not Ndebeles. Just before the 1980 elections, a lot of Zapu officials and candidates were slaughtered in Mashonaland. Zanu PF was after power and Zapu was the stumbling block.

“Zanu PF quickly realised the central role Zapu could have played in seeking justice for its supporters. It swiftly neutralised Zapu and harvested the top leadership, who were bribed with positions that gave them access to looting and enriching themselves. That literally destroyed any chance and hope for the victims of the Gukuraundi genocide.”

Mpofu said, in simple terms, Zapu denied Gukuraundi victims justice.

“Currently, it is difficult to raise the issue in a meaningful way. Those who were leaders and some of them, who were directly affected and have the means and capacity to push for justice like Jonathan Moyo are simply not interested, only raising the issue of the murder of his father when it suits his personal circumstances,” he said.

Moyo recently organised for the reburial of his father, who is said to have been killed during Gukurahundi in Tsholotsho.

Mpofu said the opposition, in its current form, had no capacity to handle the issue.

“The best they do is to use the issue as a political football. It is only raised by officials when addressing rallies in the affected areas. The matter is political capital only used to earn voters and never to get justice for the victims,” he alleged.

“The international community could have been handy, but then the Cold War issues were of paramount importance to them. They sacrificed lives for their political and economic interests. Zapu was a threat to them as it was an ally of Russia. They chose to look aside when their better devil aligned to China committed genocide. They now back civic groups after their kith and kin were pushed out of the land.
It makes it difficult to embrace their help as it is coming too late and with dirty hands.”

“The Gukurahundi issue, if looked at from a sober perspective, cannot be solved fairly in the near future. This is basically due to the fact that all the current players involved in finding a solution are contaminated in one form or the other.”

“It will be naive to expect criminals to investigate and prosecute themselves. The solution from this angle can only come when there is change of government or when a new crop of leaders who were not actively involved take over.” – State Media

A man from Bulawayo died allegedly after his neighbour axed him five times in the head, leaving his brains splattered on the ground following a petty misunderstanding.

The two fought after the victim confronted his neighbour demanding to know why he had left him at a bar.

Tapiwanashe Mutakaya (43) died on the spot after Antony Ndlovu (34) allegedly brutally attacked him at around 9PM on Saturday at the RMS Transport Residential Quarters along Old Khami Road.

Ndlovu was arrested at the scene.

Security guards at the compound said they had to separate Ndlovu and Mutakaya after they engaged in a “fierce fist fight” at the gate.

After they went their separate ways, Mutakaya is alleged to have followed Ndlovu to his house and revived the fight.

A neighbour, Mr Mqondisi Maseko told The Chronicle Mutakaya banged on the door at Ndlovu’s home and threatened to kill him in front of his wife.

“He insulted him, accusing him of being a bad friend. He said: ‘I thought you were a good someone, but why did you leave me behind?’ That resulted in the two men fighting again,” he said.

When The Chronicle visited the scene yesterday, shell-shocked residents were still standing in groups discussing the scary incident.

Mr Lovemore Chimhene (53), Mutakaya’s nephew, said his uncle died a painful death.

“I heard Ndlovu screaming. He was acting insane and shouting that he had killed someone. I was shocked to find Tapiwanashe lying on the ground with his skull split open. He had five deep cuts on the head,” said Mr Chimhene.

He said his uncle must have been very drunk because security guards at the RMS premises said he was staggering as he insisted on continuing the fight with Ndlovu after they had been separated.

Mr Chimhene said the two, who were workmates, had been drinking beer in the same bar earlier that night.

“They had played pool in opposing teams and we suspect the fight was over previous grudges because the reason of leaving each other behind at a beer spot cannot result in two elderly men fighting to that extent.

“Ndlovu was walking back home in the company of his brother in-law when Tapiwanashe came running and caught up with them. It is then that he’s said to have accused Ndlovu of being a bad fellow and demanded to know why he had left him behind,” he said.

Mr Chimhene said as they approached the compound, Mr Maseko joined them and tried to stop them from fighting as they walked home.

“When the two fought at the front gate, the guards stopped them and reprimanded Tapiwanashe. After about 30 minutes, Tapiwanashe came banging on Ndlovu’s door, shouting that he wanted to kill him in front of his wife,” said Mr Chimhene.

“Ndlovu told his wife not to open the door. He said he would be forced to axe Tapiwanashe if he went outside to fight him. Eager to know what was going on, Ndlovu’s wife opened the door”.

He said Ndlovu rushed out holding an axe.

“He went straight towards Tapiwanashe who then tried to flee but because of his drunken state, he fell to the ground. The two wrestled for a while before Ndlovu hit him five times on the skull,” said Mr Chimhene.

Ndlovu, he said, threw the axe outside the compound and started screaming that he had killed someone.

“We had to hold him down as he started running around like a crazy person,” he said.

Bulawayo Metropolitan Province police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango could not be reached for comment. – State Media

An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) exercise in Penhalonga’s Tsvingwe village just outside Mutare has heightened speculation that diamonds have been discovered in the area.

Preliminary indications which show that there could be diamond deposits in the area has since left villagers and Zimbabwe Consolidated Mining Company (ZCDC) at loggerheads after a recent emotive meeting was aborted as villagers expressed fear of a cut and paste of the Chiadzwa scenario.

Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs, Cde Mandi Chimene, was however this week quick to dismiss claims that there have been diamond discoveries in Tsvingwe.

“There is nothing like that. It is an Environmental Impact Assessment programme being carried nationwide to determine the extent of mineral deposits in the country. It is a process by which the anticipated effects on the environment of a proposed development or project are measured.

“If the likely effects are unacceptable, design measures or other relevant mitigation measures can be taken to reduce or avoid those effects. Some people failed to understand what is happening on the ground and came up with their own conclusions,” she said.

ZCDC and SIDRC officials recently convened an urgent meeting at Tsvingwe Primary School in Penhalonga to gather views of the villagers on the intended Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) exercise before they proceed to the next stages of prospecting as required at law.

The meeting failed to proceed just after ZCDC officials announced that they ‘suspect’ that there are diamond deposits in the area and irate villagers expressed fear of displacement as well as failure to get adequate compensation.

In an interview this week, Member of the House of Assembly for Mutasa South constituency in which the area falls under, said a meeting has been arranged where the Minister of Mines and Mining Development Cde Walter Chidhakwa together with ZCDC and SIRDC officials are expected to clear the air on the intended mining operations.

“The position from the parent Ministry, which is the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, is that there is suspicion of diamond deposits in the area and as required at law they have to consult the villagers on intended mining operations.

“To this end, a meeting has been arranged at Tsvingwe Primary School on Saturday (tomorrow) where villagers are expected to get full explanation on the intended mining operations. The issue that needs to be clarified is that the diamond deposits have not yet been confirmed at the moment.

“This is the reason the Ministry wants to carry out operations to establish whether the suspicion is really based on fact. No one said there are diamonds already,” said Cde Zindi.

She added that she would not want to see villagers in the area being displaced owing to the intended mining operations.

“As the MP for the area, it is not my wish that people be displaced. Where do we put them? Where do we get the land to place them? After all there are socio-economic aspects connected to their lives in that area. I would advocate for mining operations that do not result in displacement of people,” she said.

In a separate interview, Mutasa Rural District Council chief executive Mr George Bandure said ZCDC were above board in consulting villagers before undertaking any mining operations in the area.

“If anything is discovered in any given area, at law they are required to consult the people living in the given area and that is what ZCDC officials did. That then forms the basis of the Environmental Impact Assessment exercise. In this case we as the local authority were informed of the developments.

“The term used ‘suspect’ warrants further investigations to be done to establish whether there are diamond deposits. It is clear that there are communities that will be affected negatively and positively, if indeed the diamond deposits are there.

There are employment opportunities as well as the investment portfolio of Mutasa Rural District Council increases but it must be remembered that this is an area where there are residential properties, small scale to medium commercial or industrial and social institutions in place. It automatically means that if the diamond deposits are established some people or institutions will be moved.

“Our hope is that a balance will be struck between the interests of the mining company and the interests of the people. We are aware that the issue of displacement is a hot potato but both parties have to meet halfway for the sake of development,” said Mr Bandure.

Repeated efforts to get a comment from ZCDC were fruitless at the time of going to print as the company’s Public Relations Executive Mr Brian Mangwende requested questions in writing a week ago but until Wednesday afternoon no response was issued. – State Media

A 32-year-old man from Bulawayo who allegedly lured his church-mate’s granddaughter to his house during a church service and went on to rape her has been arrested.

A court heard Pervical Beechy (32) of Baptist church in the city centre allegedly spent a night with a 17-year-old girl who cannot be named for ethical reasons at his house in Sauerstown suburb.

Beechy on Wednesday appeared before magistrate Ms Sibongile Msipa-Marondedze facing a charge of rape.

Ms Msipa-Marondedze did not ask him to plead and remanded him in custody to April 19.

Prosecuting, Ms Caroline Matanga said on January 6 this year, Beechy met the girl at Baptist church and asked her to accompany him to his house.

“At the accused`s place of residence, the accused person gave the complainant bread and a soft drink to eat. After that, he told the complainant that he was pleased by her visit and wanted to thank her by having sexual intercourse with her,” she said.

“The complainant refused but the accused person raped her. In the middle of the night, the accused person raped the complainant for the second time.”

Ms Matanga said on the following day, Beechy took the girl with him and spent the whole day roaming the streets so that the police could not find them.

The matter came to light when the victim’s grandmother reported the issue to the police leading to the arrest of Beechy. – State Media

Victoria Falls Municipality has started rehabilitating roads after receiving $20 000 emergency maintenance funds from the Zimbabwe National Roads Agency (Zinara).

In an interview, Town Clerk Mr Ronnie Dube said almost all the roads and storm drains in the resort were severely damaged by the recent heavy rains.

He said while rehabilitation work has already started, the local authority was also carrying out a survey on the road network to come up with the extent and cost of the damage.

The town clerk said the survey is expected to be completed next week.

“We have embarked on a project to clear storm drains and attend to potholes after heavy rains left excessive damage. Most of our road network was destroyed by the rains and we are currently assessing and quantifying the damage,” said Mr Dube.

He said the worst affected areas are residential suburbs such as Mkhosana where there was no proper road network and storm drains.

“We received $20 000 for emergency work as part of a disbursement from the Road Network Fund and already we have started with Syringa Road. We will be doing all roads because as a tourist destination we need to have a good road network that attracts visitors.

“You will notice that while all suburbs were affected, Mkhosana is the worst because at inception the suburb didn’t have properly planned roads.

“We had complaints at Mukali Business Centre where there was water logging because there are no storm drains. Our engineer is doing designs on how water can be directed from that area,” Mr Dube said.

Recently, businessman Mr Silas Maligo, who runs shops at Mukali, complained to council that he was losing business as customers were failing to access the premises which were surrounded by water.

Meanwhile, Mr Dube said the municipality was also clearing water hyacinth from its three major sewer ponds so that it can be able to disinfect mosquito breeding areas. – State Media

As ZANU PF National Commissar continues to enjoy President Robert Mugabe’s protection, his brother, Dick Mafios has been slapped by ZANU PF with a ban.

Zanu-PF Mashonaland Central province has slapped acting provincial chairperson Dickson Mafios and secretary for administration Wonder Mashange with prohibition orders, barring them from carrying out party duties, the state media reports. FULL TEXT:

The same ban was extended to the party’s provincial administrator, Rutendo Nyamangara.

The trio has been ordered not to access party premises and surrender party assets, including vehicles.

The three are accused of working with Zanu-PF National Political Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere in setting up parallel structures in the province, corruption, disrespecting the party leadership and fanning factionalism.

This comes amid reports that various provinces are already compiling reports with grievances against Kasukuwere and his imposed chairpersons in line with President Mugabe’s counsel that they should follow party procedure when raising concerns against fellow comrades.

The reports would be submitted to the national leadership for appropriate action.

It is understood that an attempt by Kasukuwere and his henchmen in Mashonaland Central to call for a PCC meeting on Saturday ostensibly to instil fear in those who protested against him was stopped by the Central Committee to allow due process underway.

A prohibition order on Mafios, signed by provincial deputy secretary for administration George Makunde reads: “Reference is made to the minutes of the Zanu-PF Mashonaland Central provincial executive council and provincial co-ordinating committee meetings held on the 4th and 5th of April, 2017 respectively, with respect to a petition in which a number of allegations were levelled against you.

“Both meetings endorsed the petition and subsequently resolved to prohibit you from carrying any party duties on behalf of Mashonaland Central province until the matter is concluded by due process. Your usual co-operation is sincerely anticipated in this regard.”

The letters were also copied to the Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration, Ignatius Chombo.

The Mashonaland Central provincial executive council and provincial co-ordinating committee endorsed the petition calling for the ouster of Kasukuwere, Mafios and Mashange, following demonstrations against them last Monday.

Mashonaland Central acting deputy chairperson Kazembe Kazembe yesterday said the letters were constitutional.

“The letters are always written by the secretary for administration for the province,” he said.

“In this case, the secretary for administration is one of the accused, therefore, the deputy secretary automatically assumes the duties of the secretary for administration and he is the one who writes the letter, but he derives his mandate from the provincial leadership.

“The authority comes from the provincial executive council (PEC), through a resolution and the same must be endorsed by the most superior provincial organ, which is the PCC. This is exactly what was done in this case. The PEC resolved to issue prohibition orders against the three and the PCC endorsed the resolutions.”

Mafios and Mashange yesterday claimed they had not seen the letters, while Ms Nyamangara promised to phone back.

Mafios and Ms Nyamangara last week allegedly ransacked party offices in Bindura and got away with property worth thousands of dollars. Party officials had to enlist the services of police to recover some of the property.

It is widely suspected that some of the property such as computers contained vital information that could be used to press criminal charges against Mafios.

President Mugabe told the Zanu-PF Central Committee on Friday that provincial structures and organs should look into grievances raised by cadres who demonstrated in various provinces.

The green light has seen disgruntled party members in various provinces approaching provincial structures to present their grievances against Kasukuwere and his cabal.

Zanu-PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo yesterday said: “No one will be muzzled and any grievances will eventually reach the top and action will be taken.”

Wife to the founder and leader of the African Apostolic Church (AAC) Paul Mwazha, Joyce Makaonesu Mwazha, has died.

She was 79.

Mrs Mwazha died on Saturday afternoon at her home in Hatfield, Harare. She is survived by Mr Mwazha, five children, 16 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Mrs Mwazha will be buried at N.C Mwazha Plot, Munyati South in Chivhu, on Wednesday.

In the late 80s, Mrs Mwazha used to run businesses before she started full- time church work at AAC.

Her son, Dr Masimba Mwazha, said his mother succumbed to diabetes that she battled with for a long time.

“Its God’s hands to survive for more than 20 years with diabetes, which had affected her kidneys,” he said.

Mrs Mwazha’s daughter, Tendai, said her mother taught them forgiveness and was a peacemaker.

She said they had lost a resilient, intelligent, caring and loving mother.

AAC publicity and information secretary Bishop Elson Tafa said Mrs Mwazha was the mother supreme of AAC worldwide, a counsellor and a healer.

“She was in charge of the Holy Communion and led all the women of African Apostolic Church worldwide,” he said. “She provided counselling, healing, teaching and deliverance.”

Mr Mwazha is referred to by his followers as “Mutumwa”, a title equated to an apostle.

A drug dealer from Magwegwe North in Bulawayo has been ordered to perform 210 hours of community service after he was found with 1kg of dagga.

On Wednesday last week, police arrested Joseph Tazviona (42) for possession of the dagga worth $1 030.

He pleaded guilty to drug possession before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya who ordered him to perform 210 hours of community service at Magwegwe police Station.

“I was selling dagga to raise money to fend for my family. May this court be lenient when sentencing me,” said Tazviona.

Mr Tashaya sentenced him to nine months in prison but suspended three months for five years on condition that he does not commit a similar crime.

“Six months is converted to 210 hours of community service. You will start doing community service on Monday April 10,” he said.

Prosecuting, Mr Nkathazo Dlodlo said on April 5, police officers received a tip off that Tazviona was selling dagga at a bus stop in Makokoba suburb.

“Armed with the information, on the same day, police officers carried out surveillance. The accused person was observed disembarking from a kombi carrying a red satchel with dagga,” said Mr Dlodlo.

“Inside the satchel there was loose dagga wrapped in a black plastic paper. The police weighed the dagga in the presence of the accused and it had a mass of 1kg with a street value of about $1 030.” – State Media

The deplorable state of the country’s roads continues to be on the agenda of many meetings yet little or nothing is being done to rehabilitate them.

Tarred roads have big, gaping potholes, some which have deteriorated into gullies.

So dangerous have the roads become that motorists often ram into each other as they try to avoid the potholes.

Recently, 14 members of the same family died when a haulage truck hit a pothole and jackknifed, resulting in the trailer colliding with a kombi the family was travelling on.

In another incident, a Bulawayo man died instantly when a vehicle he was driving landed on his head and crushed it after he was thrown out of the car when he swerved to avoid a pothole.

Many have continued to die violently in accidents as a result of the country’s bad roads.

The Pumula-Mazwi Road is one such road whose deplorable state has continued to deteriorate by the day.

“The road from Pumula through to Mazwi then Khami Prison is in a bad state. It has death holes not potholes. It was never perfect but was usable. Now, we just use the road because it’s our only connection to town but using it is a real risk,” said Mr Nicholas Dube, the chairperson of Mazwi village.

“Every time one boards a kombi from Pumula to Mazwi, they get home with back pains after being thrown back and forth countless times. It’s even worse for the elderly, the pregnant and the sick; they struggle to withstand the distance and the uneven road.”

He said it is by God’s grace that the road has so far not recorded any casualties adding that sand poachers have contributed to the dreadful state of the road.

“As if the recent rains didn’t do enough damage to the road, sand poachers flock with lorries to the already bad road and start digging off the sand from it. Now, the road has developed gullies on each side making it difficult for motorists to navigate as they risk falling to either side of the road,” said Mr Dube.

Some children of school-going age have established a niche to fill the potholes with sand and stones for a few coins.

“There’re children from Mazwi village who’re always seated by the roadside. Whenever they see a car coming their way, they stand and start filling their buckets with soil so they can fill the potholes. Drivers sometimes give them coins for their work although it’s not much to go by,” said Mr Dube.

Despite several complaints about the road to the Bulawayo City Council (BCC), he said, nothing has been done to rehabilitate it.

“I’ve told our councillor, Ephraim Ncube, and he promised to present the issue at a council meeting. We plan to write to the BCC as the Mazwi committee asking them to give us quarry so that community members can help fill the potholes,” said Mr Dube.

Authorities say they would migrate to concrete roads arguing that the traditional asphalt ones are prone to cracks and potholes.

It is said that most developed countries have since migrated from asphalt roads which require constant maintenance.

Research also shows that concrete roads are not damaged by oil leaks like asphalt roads.

Concrete roads require low maintenance and in Zimbabwe, cement is readily available as compared to bitumen which is imported from South Africa.

BCC senior public relations officer Mrs Nesisa Mpofu admitted that 70 percent of the roads in Bulawayo are in poor condition.

“Most of the roads have outlived their life span. The service life of our roads (flexible pavements) ranges from 15 years for local streets, to 20 years for major roads. The determination of design life is a factor of materials used, environmental conditions and traffic loading.

“To date, 70 percent of the total network is in poor condition. More than 50 percent of the roads in poor condition require immediate rehabilitation. It is approximated that $690 million is required to bring the roads to good or better condition with $69 million required per year according to our Road Condition Survey,” said Mrs Mpofu.

She said the BCC is set to rehabilitate 53,9km of roads by means of re-constructing, re-sealing, overlaying and re-gravelling.

The police on the other hand urged motorists to drive at reasonable speed considering the ghostly state of the roads.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango advised motorists to drive at 60km per hour on city roads.

“We urge motorists to be cautious on the roads. When it rains, the roads become slippery and the depth of some potholes may not be easy to see as they might be filled with water,” said Insp Simango.

Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructure Development chairman Cde Dexter Nduna said mining houses around the country should be levied a road rehabilitation tax to raise money to maintain and construct roads in the areas within their purviews.

“Part of the mining tax should be directed towards a road rehabilitation fund from the mining houses and multi-nationals so that they can resuscitate and reconstruct the roads that are within their purviews which they use on a day to day basis while moving the resources they’re extracting from the mines,” said Cde Nduna.

“We’re aware of the degradation of road infrastructure. We need to utilise money derived from road user fees for road reconstruction and rehabilitation. A case in point will be parking fees tendered to local authorities; they’re being used for all other issues except road rehabilitation. Billboard fees need to be remitted for reconstruction of roads,” he said. – State Media

Critical parts to the newly acquired $100 000 dialysis machine at Masvingo General Hospital which went missing in January this year in a suspected theft case have been found.

The theft was discovered by a Chinese engineer who had come to install the machine.

In an interview yesterday, Masvingo Provincial Medical Director (PMD) Dr Amadeaus Shamu said the parts resurfaced in a storeroom last week.

He said indications are that the parts – a pump to the dialysis unit plus its components could have been stripped, only for the culprit to sneak them back after realising the seriousness of the matter.

He said despite the recovery of the missing parts, investigations are continuing and “heads will obviously roll.”

“I can confirm that the missing dialysis machine parts were found in the store room last week. We have since notified the police over the matter as we had made an official report when the parts went missing,” said Dr Shamu.

He said the surprising thing is that the missing parts were found in the storeroom yet a number of staff members had thoroughly searched the room.

“There is no corner in the storeroom that was left unchecked. We suspect there is foul play. Heads will roll once the staff member is found. Despite the good news, we will continue investigating,” he said.

Dr Shamu said the machine has already been installed after the Ministry of Health and Child Care replaced the missing parts but the machine is yet to start working.

He said plans to send some nurses for training on how to operate the machine are at an advanced stage.

The dialysis machine was procured under a $100 million government agreement signed between China and Zimbabwe and this will see all 10 provincial hospitals getting the critical machine.

The installation of a dialysis machine at Masvingo General Hospital has brought relief to renal patients who cannot afford private medical services or travel to Harare or Bulawayo to access services from public hospitals. – State Media

A 25-YEAR-OLD man from Bulilima allegedly raped his ex-wife’s 45-year-old mother as “punishment” for ill-treating him during the time he was married to her daughter.

The man allegedly committed the crime in the presence of the woman’s husband who is visually impaired.

The suspect, who cannot be identified to protect the identity of his victim, appeared before Plumtree magistrate Mr Taurai Manwere. He was remanded in custody to April 20.

Prosecuting, Mr Elisha Mazorodze said the man crept into the woman’s bedroom hut on February 29 at around 4AM while she was asleep with her two daughters aged eight and 11-years-old.

“He went into the woman’s bedroom hut where she was sleeping with her two daughters and entered through an unlocked door. The woman heard noises as he entered and woke up to inquire but she couldn’t see anything as it was dark.

“He punched her on her ear and she screamed alerting her husband who was sleeping in a separate hut. Her husband who is blind woke up and proceeded to his wife’s bedroom hut to find out what was happening,” he said.

Mr Mazorodze said the accused person pushed the man to the floor and threatened to stab him with a knife if he tried to stop him.

He said the accused person told the woman that he wanted to punish her for being problematic during the time he was her son-in-law.

Mr Mazorodze said the man dragged the woman out of her homestead for about 200 metres leaving her husband behind.

He said the blind man tried to follow in a bid to rescue his wife but failed. He called out to their neighbours for help but no one turned up.

“He dragged the woman into a bush where he ripped her clothes off and raped her once. After he was done he stood up and the woman took advantage and fled to a neighbour’s homestead where she sought refuge,” said Mr Mazorodze.

He said the matter was reported to the police resulting in the suspect’s arrest. – State Media

Join Dr Nkosana Moyo and three other panelists LIVE on ZIMEYE LIVE BLAST discussing Zimbabwe’s future President Glory or Gory. 7.30 PM UK time.

MVUMA — Alice Hodzi could not wait to see her husband after several months apart and she was very anxious when she boarded the Johannesburg-bound Proline bus on April 5.

The newly-appointed operations director at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH), Mr Richard Sithole, allegedly appeared drunk at a beauty contest held at the institution’s School of Nursing recently.

Witnesses told Sunday News that Mr Sithole walked into the venue of the beauty contest when the event had already started and allegedly gave a free mini-strip tease show to the stunned audience. The beauty contest was held on 31 March.

It is alleged that in the heat of things Mr Sithole removed his t-shirt, much to the amusement and shock of the audience, a majority of the student nurses. Student nurses and qualified nurses who attended the function and spoke to Sunday News expressed shock at Mr Sithole’s antics.

“We have never seen him that way. He removed his t-shirt and started dancing. It was very uncomfortable for us and we did not know what to do. We are still quite shocked. Mr Sithole is like a father to us, a brother to some and to see him dancing waving his shirt in the air was disturbing,” said a nurse who asked not to be named.

Another nurse who also attended the show added, “The only explanation to his behaviour is that he was drunk to a point of no return. He was a different person from what we thought him to be. Considering that he is new at the hospital, we may not know his true character, but we didn’t expect that from him,” said the nurse who requested anonymity.

As if Mr Sithole’s antics were not enough drama for that night, it is alleged that his car was found seemingly dumped at a bushy area near the hospital the following day.

Contacted for comment Mr Sithole confirmed that he takes alcohol but refuted allegations that he attended the show drunk.

He said it was not possible that he could have attended the show drunk as he had just knocked off from duty.

“I am not refusing that I take alcohol but what I am dismissing is that I was drunk on that day. That is not true. It was around 8pm and I had just knocked off from my duty hence I couldn’t have been drunk at that time,” he said.

He also said that there was no alcohol being sold at the beauty contest such that he could have been drunk. However, Mr Sithole, who claimed to be out of town when contacted for comment, asked this reporter to hold the story as he was prepared to give his full account when he returns to Bulawayo.

“I am attending a workshop in Mutare right now I cannot talk, you can call me after two weeks by then I will be back then we can talk,” he said.

It is said that Mr Sithole assumed the position of operations director early this year following the retirement of Mr Elliot Mashingaidze. – State Media

More than 170 people have died of malaria since the beginning of the year while more than 100 000 cases of the disease have been recorded throughout the country, an official said.

The malaria cases have increased this year compared to last year because of high rainfall occurrence according to the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

National malaria co-ordinator Dr Joseph Mberikunashe confirmed the deaths in an interview saying they recorded 173 deaths and 119 000 malaria cases countrywide since the beginning of the year.

He called on people living in malaria-endemic areas to ensure that their homes were sprayed at regular intervals against mosquitoes. He said they should also make use of treated mosquito nets to protect themselves from malaria.

Dr Mberikunashe said while most mosquito parasites were being washed away by the rains, concerns remained on the ponds of water which provide conducive breeding environment for mosquitos.

“We are concerned that while the rains may have stopped, these ponds will provide an environment that is conducive for mosquito breeding and this could lead to increased cases of malaria,” said Dr Mberikunashe.

He said the national malaria programme ran a risk of not providing the envisaged positive results should communities fail to take necessary preventive measures in view of the incessant rains.

A picture of MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai and former Finance minister Tendai Biti marching together in Harare during a National Electoral Reform Agenda (Nera) demonstration against the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) ignited interest.

A ZBC report that was quickly pulled off air last week stating that President Robert Mugabe had been handed a “mobile chair” as one of his birthday presents caused a frenzy on social media.

Staff Reporter| Close Circuit Television Camera number 21 has been the busiest security camera manning the busy Beitbridge Border and has led to the arrest of 15 border control officials since it was strategically installed at the border post in August last year.

Shockingly, camera 21 is now missing. The theft came to light last Saturday when security agents discovered that the key area covered by the camera and used by smugglers and illegal immigrants had gone off the radar. The camera monitors the area around the duty-free shop, a check- point manned 24 hours by customs and immigration department officials, soldiers and the Police Support Unit.

Security around the area was beefed up after discoveries that corrupt border officials were dealing with con-men, touts, smugglers using bicycles and border jumpers to access the border post.

“We suspect the camera was stolen during a power blackout,” said an official. “The suspect(s) are not known yet, but we are certain this was a well-planned job by the criminals. Investigations are in progress and nobody has been arrested yet.”

Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Philisani Ndebele said he was yet to receive information on the case.

“We are yet to get that report and I cannot give you any information at the moment,” he said.

Staff Reporter| The Greyhound bus accident in South Africa which saw the vehicle going on fire yesterday has been officially confirmed by the company who say the bus driver managed to escape.

The Bulawayo bound Greyhound bus was gutted by fire while parked in Louis Trichardt yesterday.

ZimEye received the first report which has been confirmed by the bus company. A receptionist confirmed the incident early Sunday morning saying, “there was no one in the bus, it was a stationary bus and no one was hurt.”

Questioned on the bus driver and conductor she replied saying, “it was only the driver,” but would not go into details on the driver’s condition.

More details.

More details came out on a second call when another receptionist, a male, said the driver managed to escape. He said, the bus was traveling from Johannesburg to Musina to pick up stranded passengers who were going to Zimbabwe, as there was a breakdown of another Greyhound bus.

“The driver managed to escape unhurt,” he said.

– this is a developing report – REFRESH THIS PAGE FOR UPDATES.  The problem of buses catching fire is not uncommon, and in the UK for instance in December 2016, a double decker bus went on fire and emergency services called upon to bring the blaze under control.

Summarises @FirstWestYorks transport provision #UpInFlames #Bramley pic.twitter.com/LRu6tlNSo3

— Joel Evans (@JoelGEvans) December 1, 2016

ZANU-PF 18790

NCA 482
FreeZim 386
Spoiled 652

Zanu PF Candidate Omar Joosbi declared #MweneziEastByElection winner with 18700.voter turnout 41,9% @tawandachimhini @HealZim @ZimRights1 pic.twitter.com/IGdlFMAkMj

— ERC (@erczimbabwe) April 9, 2017

ROLL UPDATE BY HEAL ZIMBABWE TRUST

Three candidates are vying for the Parliamentary seat and these are Joosbi Omar of the Zanu PF party, Welcome Masuku of the National Constitution Assembly (NCA) and Turner Muhango of the Free Zimbabwe Congress. Kudakwashe Bhasikiti of the Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) withdrew from the by election citing intimidation of his supporters and vote-buying by Zanu PF.

Heal Zimbabwe has deployed a mobile team of observers who are monitoring the by election. Apart from the mobile team, Heal Zimbabwe has also deployed 72 trained human rights monitors at every polling station to monitor the by election. All these efforts are targeted at monitoring the electoral process to see whether it is held in a free, fair, transparent and peaceful manner. Live by election updates will be shared on Heal Zimbabwe Social media platforms that include Twitter (@Healzim) and Facebook (@HealZimbabweTrust).The following are the updates from polling stations.

Tafara Primary School ward 13

A Zanu Pf youth only identified as Chikava is intimidating people outside the polling station saying that they should vote wisely if they want to continue receiving food aid.

Chikwalakwala School ward 6

Voting started on time and many people have casted their votes in a peaceful and free manner.

Negari Polling station ward 13

Polling station opened on time and people are voting in a peaceful manner

Mavambo polling ward 13

Polling station opened time. Voting process is progressing well

St Vitalis Primary school ward 5

Voting process started on time. Voting process progressing well.

Chimbudzi Primary School ward 5

The polling station opened on time and people are coming in their numbers to vote.

Chingami Primary School ward 5

The polling station opened on time. About 200 people present when polling station opened.

Negari Polling station ward 13

Polling station opened on time. There were 16 people outside polling station when it opened

Rutenga Primary School ward 18

Polling station opened on time. As at 9am, 46 males and 40 females had voted.

Matande Primary School ward 2

Polling station opened on time. Voting process is progressing well.

Rata Primary School ward 2

Polling station opened on time. By 9am, 127 had voted (75 female, 52 males). 23 people assisted (5 male and 18 female).

Vilivili polling station ward 13

Polling station opened on time. About 300 people were present when polling station opened. Voting process progressing well.

Mucheni primary school ward 13

Polling station opened on time. Voting process progressing well.

Sagwari polling station ward 13

Polling station opened on time. Voting process progressing well

By Lionel Saungweme| A close-knit quartet, comprising Insiza South Member of Parliament, Malachi Nkomo (also known as Malakhi), Gwanda Magistrate Shiela Nazombe, a former Darcal (Pvt) Ltd. employee, Zenzo Jele, and Zibusiso Ncube, a brother to Filabusi District Administrator, Sithandiwe Ndumo Ncube, is influencing cronies at the Insiza District Land Committee (DLC) to evict Atherstone Ranch residents, ZimEye can reveal.

The evictions violate a tripartite farm-sharing scheme run by the government, Darren Maughan, a major shareholder of Darcal (Pvt) Ltd. that, runs the 2332.06 ha Atherstone Ranch, and a community of 66 people supporting over a hundred and fifty dependants. The property was 6379 ha in size prior to its compulsory listing by government.   

 Atherstone Ranch is situated at West Nicholson, in the Insiza District of Matabeleland South Province, some 194 kilometres south of Zimbabwe’s second City of Bulawayo.

With backing from current Insiza North Member of Parliament, Andrew Langa, alleged to be involved affectionately with Magistrate Nazombe, the group of four invaded the farm in 2013.

Langa and Malakhi were suspended from Zanu PF in June 2015, for allegedly plotting to topple Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe. On 17 September 2015, Langa was sacked as Minister of Sports for associating with a Zanu PF faction known as “The Gamatox.”

A petition to the Minister of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement, by the community, protests that the foursome wants to see “Government Policy on land reform program fail (sic) through the issue of more offer letters than the land can sustain.”

Reads part of the petition:

“During the course of the years we started seeing people coming with offer letters recommended by the Lands Offices Filabusi, saying they have been offered land, this never stopped until the number shot up to 102 stands.” This violates Section 73 (1) (b) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act 2013:

“Every person has the right to have the environment protected for the benefit of present and future generations ….”

The contested farm was bought in 1984, four years after Zimbabwe’s independence, by Darren from Guy Hilton Barber. Darren’s purchase was therefore free from the tainting, pre-independence racial and political encumbrances. What is more, he acquired the land after obtaining a Certificate of No Present Interest, which evidenced Government’s renunciation of its statutory first-buyer of land right. Patrick Maughan, his father, was thereafter employed as farm manager.

However, 66 settlers invaded the 6379 ha Atherstone Ranch in 2000 before Government subsequently listed the property for compulsory acquisition “under Gazette Number 233A of 2000.”   

To mitigate the loss, Patrick wrote to Kembo Mohadi, then Deputy Minister of Local Government imploring Government to invoke the law, de-list and purchase 4046.94 ha in exchange for shared and secure tenure on the remaining 2332.06 ha.

On 6 February 2001, Mohadi and the Ministry of Lands accepted Patrick’s offer. On 9 July 2001, then Governor for Matabeleland South, Steven Nkomo and officials from the Provincial Administrator’s office deliberated further on the offer and resolved that Patrick should “coexist with the newly settled farmers.”

They encouraged Patrick to keep “close dialogue with the new settlers committee of seven [7],” “return all the equipment that is all the engines” removed for “safe” keeping, “provide assistance to the newly resettled farmers by clearing their lands on the offered portion of the farm, provide tillage services to the farmers or alternatively allow the new farmers to plough where they are currently settled,” create a servitude (corridor) “to enable new settlers to pass through your [sic] farm to have access to Umzingwane River as Mbebesi River is not reliable” and “allow the farmers access roads to essential services such as the school.”  

On 21 February 2002, the Ministry of Lands agreed to an installments purchase of 4046.94 ha, at a price of Z$7 750 000, for improvements only, tendering “25% as down payment,” pledging “a further 25% within 2 years, [and payment of the] balance within 5 years of date of signing with an interest of 30% per annum on balance outstanding.”

The sale then, for tens of thousands of Zimbabwe dollars to the United States dollar on the black market, when the official exchange rate pegged the greenback at 55 Zimbabwe dollars, means Darren was deprived of the value of his property.  

Nevertheless, Darren discharged his farm-sharing obligations. He delivered a Fordson tractor and two heavy-duty Lister engines to Jele, who doubled as a community member and therefore as a “beneficiary of the alternative farm offer.”

New classroom blocks and a school office, accommodating three teachers and 43 students, were erected on the eastern end of Atherstone Farm. Darren uses his other tractor to assist in ferrying grain, maize seed and fertilizer from either Filabusi Grain Marketing Board (GMB) or Avoca GMB sub-depot, which is about 30kilometres away. He also provides the community with transport and meat during the annual mass independence celebrations.

All was well until Patrick died on 6 October 2011, after which, for two solid years, the quartet made threats to take over the farm. On 23 January 2014, the DLC dispatched offer letters for the allocation of subdivision 2, measuring 700 ha to Nazombe, subdivision 3 presumably measuring 576 ha to Malakhi while Jele and Ncube respectively got subdivision 1 and 4 measuring 523 ha each.

Then to ratify the illegality, on 12 March 2015, the DLC Chairperson issued a “Notice of Withdrawal of Atherstone Farm” to resettle “new allottees.”

In so doing, the DLC seems to have forgotten that it remained subordinate to the Ministry of Lands, which enacted the farm-sharing agreement. The DLC simply wrote that it was “… withdrawing any administration letter once advanced to Darren Maughan and whoever is responsible on the running of Atherstone farm (sic).”

Furthermore, 13 years after 4046.94 ha was sold to the Government; the DLC’s Notice of Withdrawal still referred to Atherstone Farm as “measuring 6379 ha.” This seems to ignore the sacrifices made by Darcal (Pvt) Ltd.  

“It is worth recording that my father and I amicably and willfully gave over 9 000 acres, which consisted of all the property south and east of the main Mberengwa Road, to the local people. We did this professionally and with dignity in conjunction with various Government ministries, including the Minister of Home Affairs. Since then we have acted with the best intentions in living in harmony with our neighbours,” says Darren.

Most settlers agreed with Darren and rose to petition the Minister saying:

“We have seen some Lands Officials from Filabusi pegging the other side which was given to Darren Maughan as per agreement which was signed between (sic) the Government, Darren Maughan and us the community. This also affects us in various ways because we had agreements with Darren Maughan of which he is assisting us with building of new school, our cattle have access to graze on his land and we also have access to Umzingwane [River]. He has also been engaged to the community in various ways like rebuilding of Chief Maduna Hall, The Godhlwayo Culture Centre, the irrigation at Atherstone and also the vegetable garden.”

The protest did not push the quartet off its saddle. Instead, poaching and rapid destruction of valuable property began. A year passed before Jele sold the Fordson tractor. Two heavy-duty Lister engines, given to the community to implement the “alternate offer,” disappeared.

Four thatched huts belonging to the farm were torched on 25 December 2015. Footprints from the scene of suspected arson led scouts to Malakhi’s house prompting a report to be lodged with police. The caused petitioners to cite Section 74 of the Constitution:

“No person may be evicted from their house, or have their home demolished        without a court order made considering all relevant circumstances.

A pump-house electric motor and its main-line cable were blown up causing an abrupt cut in water supplies to the homestead, livestock and farm compound comprising 17 households. With loss of the pump-house electric motor, plans to improve pastures vaporized as did twenty-eight jobs supporting 72 dependents. Tending the 1.5 ha garden, on which onions, garlic, butternuts, leaf vegetables, green pepper and cucumbers are grown for the community, stopped immediately. A massive cutting down of trees ravaged both the farm and loose soil banks of the Mzingwane River. A perimeter fence and a flood-irrigation canal, the mainstay of utility and crop-farming at the ranch, were extensively vandalized. Part of the expensive and lengthy “Class 10 Plastic Water Pipeline,” used in drawing water from Mzingwane River, was stolen. Police investigators are yet to catch those involved in the destruction and theft. The remainder of the “Class 10 Plastic Water Pipeline” was cut and sabotaged. It lies exposed to the sun and other elements.

Seeing the dilapidation, Clinton Rogers, who is caretaking the farm in Darren’s absence on medical grounds, phoned Malakhi in an effort to find a solution. Instead Malakhi reported Clinton to the police, leading to the latter’s arrest and subsequent charge of “Occupying a Gazetted Land without Lawful Authority.”  

Clinton replied in a statement:

“I am not the farm owner. The farm owner is Darren Maughan. I occupy the farm at the pleasure of Darren Maughan [Darcal (Pvt) Ltd.], who to the best of my knowledge has the permission of the government to occupy that portion of farm and this permission has subsisted from 2003 to date and it has not been withdrawn lawfully by the Minister of Lands, the Acquiring Authority.”

“Procedurally,” wrote Clinton, “the Ministry is responsible for the withdrawal of the land and not the District Lands Office.” He noted that the offer letters were issued to the quartet “before the letter cancelling the existing [farm-sharing] agreement … was delivered.”

He argued that “the community are deeply disturbed by this occupation as it affects their securities in the [farm-sharing] … agreements (sic).”

In addition, issues of arson, a “water pump blown [up] resulting in severe crop damage,” a “dramatic increase in poaching and illegal activities on the farm,” Malakhi’s “statement of ‘declaring war’ over the phone to a farm colleague Norman Dhlamini” plus recorded “death threats,” from one of Malakhi’s associates in the Atherstone Ranch-grab, were also raised. The case is still pending.

To pile on more pressure for eviction, Malakhi phoned Clinton on 24 November 2015 and ordered him to “move out of the farm” because in his words “you should realise that you are fighting a losing battle.”

Zanu-PF will press criminal charges against former Women’s League deputy secretary Eunice Sandi Moyo and secretary for finance Sarah Mahoka if they fail to remit the$100 000-plus which they allegedly extorted in Zanu-PF’s and First Lady Grace Mugabe’s names, a senior official has said.

In Mashonaland Central, the revolutionary party’s provincial executive is pursuing a case of possible fraud in which a top official (name withheld) allegedly duped Zanu-PF of thousands of dollars in membership subscriptions and dodgy asset disposals.

These and other grievances from Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association provincial leaders will be submitted to the national Zanu-PF leadership in keeping with President Mugabe’s counsel at a Central Committee meeting in Harare last Friday.

The veretans want National Political Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere and his step-brother, Dickson Mafios, punished for setting up parallel party structures and indiscipline, among other charges.

Zanu-PF national spokesperson Ambassador Simon Khaya told The Sunday Mail that prosecution loomed large for Moyo and Mahoka who resigned last week on the back of charges of undermining First Lady and Women’s League Secretary Amai Mugabe and diverting party funds to personal use.

The duo is said to have collected money from local church leaders in the party’s name and then kept it for themselves.

Muhoka faces extra charges for denigrating Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Presidential spokesperson Mr George Charamba.

Ambassador Khaya Moyo said, “The next course of action rests with the Women’s League because they are the aggrieved party in this matter. Perhaps the National Disciplinary Committee will also look into the issue. However, what is likely to happen is that if they do not pay back, criminal proceedings may have to be followed.”

Ambassador Moyo said the Women’s League executive had a dossier on how Moyo and Mahoka abused the funds.

“I am not aware if there is a deadline for them to pay the money. The (Women’s League national executive) has all the information on the nature of the cases.”

Zanu-PF Women’s League secretary for information Thokozile Mathuthu yesterday declined commenting, saying: “I am attending church. Call SK Moyo since this is matter which was brought before the Politburo.”

Sandi Moyo and Mahoka both dodged questions posed to them by this paper regarding how they intended to pay back the money.

Moyo said: “I really don’t want to say anything. I have nothing to say.”

One the other hand, Mahoka retorted: “I am attending my aunt’s funeral. I don’t want to talk about that now.”

A Mashonaland provincial executive member yesterday revealed that they were auditing their books following strong indications that a top official had helped himself to thousands of dollars in membership subscriptions.

The executive member said the official allegedly disposed of two party vehicles under shady circumstances and has failed to account for donations towards construction of Zanu-PF’s provincial headquarters.

“A decision has been taken in line with President Mugabe’s directive to follow procedure when instituting disciplinary measures against errant party members. The audit will look into, among other issues, the suspicious disposal of party assets, including two motor vehicles suspected to have been sold without following proper procedures.

“There is also suspicion that membership subscriptions could have been abused. The audit also seeks to ascertain the facts after which all grievances will be channelled to our national leadership.”

ZNLWA provincial secretary-general Aggrey Gumisai Mutasa said: “As war veterans, we met and discussed issues affecting this province, including our recommendations on Kasukuwere and Mafios. We have always pronounced our position on the matter of the ‘Matope boys’ – we want them out.

“They are driving personal agendas and not party, people-centred agendas. We have always said their ultimate goal is to topple President Mugabe as was reflected through the infamous Mafioso declaration. Kasukuwere has been busy packing party structures that constitute the Congress Electoral College with his ‘yes’ men and women, and firing all those who oppose him.

“Wherever he failed to do so, he would create a parallel structure to challenge the legitimate leaders of the particular organ. The ultimate goal in this scheme was to call for an extraordinary congress where his ‘yes’ men and women would form the majority in the electoral college and, in turn, vote out President Mugabe.”

According to Section 26 of Zanu-PF’s constitution, an early congress may be convened “wherever it is deemed necessary and at the instance of: (a) the majority of the members of the Central Committee; or (b) the President and First Secretary, at the instance of not less than one-third of members of the Central Committee; or (c) the President and First Secretary, at the instance of at least five provincial executive councils by resolutions to that effect”.

Last week, scores of party supporters demonstrated against Kasukuwere who also stands accused of trying to block earlier protests against Sandi Moyo and Mahoka.

President Mugabe later counselled that aggrieved members should follow proper channels when airing their grievances as demonstrations opened Zanu-PF to abuse by external forces. – state media

The newly-appointed operations director at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH), Mr Richard Sithole, allegedly appeared drunk at a beauty contest held at the institution’s School of Nursing recently.

Witnesses told Sunday News that Mr Sithole walked into the venue of the beauty contest when the event had already started and allegedly gave a free mini-strip tease show to the stunned audience. The beauty contest was held on 31 March.

It is alleged that in the heat of things Mr Sithole removed his t-shirt, much to the amusement and shock of the audience, a majority of the student nurses. Student nurses and qualified nurses who attended the function and spoke to Sunday News expressed shock at Mr Sithole’s antics.

“We have never seen him that way. He removed his t-shirt and started dancing. It was very uncomfortable for us and we did not know what to do. We are still quite shocked. Mr Sithole is like a father to us, a brother to some and to see him dancing waving his shirt in the air was disturbing,” said a nurse who asked not to be named.

Another nurse who also attended the show added, “The only explanation to his behaviour is that he was drunk to a point of no return. He was a different person from what we thought him to be. Considering that he is new at the hospital, we may not know his true character, but we didn’t expect that from him,” said the nurse who requested anonymity.

As if Mr Sithole’s antics were not enough drama for that night, it is alleged that his car was found seemingly dumped at a bushy area near the hospital the following day.

Contacted for comment Mr Sithole confirmed that he takes alcohol but refuted allegations that he attended the show drunk.

He said it was not possible that he could have attended the show drunk as he had just knocked off from duty. “I am not refusing that I take alcohol but what I am dismissing is that I was drunk on that day. That is not true. It was around 8pm and I had just knocked off from my duty hence I couldn’t have been drunk at that time,” he said.

He also said that there was no alcohol being sold at the beauty contest such that he could have been drunk. However, Mr Sithole, who claimed to be out of town when contacted for comment, asked this reporter to hold the story as he was prepared to give his full account when he returns to Bulawayo.

“I am attending a workshop in Mutare right now I cannot talk, you can call me after two weeks by then I will be back then we can talk,” he said.

It is said that Mr Sithole assumed the position of operations director early this year following the retirement of Mr Elliot Mashingaidze. – state media

LIVE-REPORT: SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE are investigating the case of a Zimbabwean man, Kudakwashe Terrence Kaswa who disappeared and his vehicle was found with its keys inside.

Passport and other details were found inside the car as ZimEye reveals, (SEE PICTURES BELOW). The passport says Kaswa is a Chartered Accountant.

Mr Kudakwashe Kaswa was missing when cops pounced on the vehicle unattended at the roadside.

Midrand Police station confirmed the development to ZimEye Saturday afternoon and said relatives should visit the Midrand police station for further assistance. The family should “simply send someone to the Midrand SAPS for assistance,” a staffer told ZimEye.com without going into further details.

Further details such as exactly when the car was discovered and the latest on the passport owner’s welfare were not available at the time of going to press. PICTURES:

President Robert Mugabe’s oldest son, Robert Junior has doffed out of Dubai and is now living in South Africa, it has emerged.  Robert Junior caused a scene last week when pictures of him came out with many Zimbabweans claiming that he looks like a woman while snapped with several male friends. Some began attacking him claiming that he is gay, but during that discourse no one had clarity on which country he is residing.

Mugabe’s two sons have reportedly relocated to South Africa from Dubai and Zimbabwe respectively amid fears their personal security might be “compromised” in the neighbouring country.

The Zimbabwe Independent reports that the two sons – Robert Jr and Bellarmine Chatunga – have been in Johannesburg since the start of the year for studies.

“First Family shifted their kids to South Africa for studies and a better life after Robert Jr was removed from Dubai under controversial circumstances. Chatunga was also reportedly moved to make him focus on his studies, away from Zimbabwe’s suffocating environment and his familiar social scene playground,” the report says.

There were, however, security concerns, with Mugabe’s family and security bosses saying the two could be targeted “not just for crime, but also for political reasons”, it continued.

South Africa is home to millions of Zimbabweans who fled Mugabe’s political repression and economic failure.

Last year, First Lady Grace Mugabe claimed that soldiers and top Zanu-PF officials angling for power wanted to kill Chatunga.

Reports quoted Grace at the time as saying: “Imagine it has got to a stage where they want to kill my son Bellarmine.” – News24/Independent

Join Pastor Mugadza LIVE on ZimEye soon after his court win. The program starts at 1145 British time.

More than 15 families had their homes destroyed by armed police officers at Manzou in Mazowe yesterday, as First Lady Grace Mugabe intensifies her bid to grab Arnold Farm.

At least 16 officers reportedly stormed the farm and burnt down houses, while a family was allegedly arrested after watching its home razed down. Villagers at the farm told NewsDay that they received threats for refusing to vacate to pave way for Grace who is reportedly planning to set up a conservancy.

“After burning our homes, they promised to return at night saying if we don’t leave this area they will deal with us,” said one Japhet Madodo who has been living at the farm since 2000.

Madodo said yesterday the police came as early as 7 am and started to harass the villagers accusing them of being stubborn. The villagers have been fighting for the area since 2012 when the First Family — which reportedly possesses several farms — got interested in the area.
The area is surrounded by gold claims and fertile soils good for agriculture.

Since 2012, the First Lady has launched a spirited fight to evict over 200 families. “We came here in 2000 and from there onwards we have been staying peacefully until the First Lady expressed interest in 2012. From then onwards our lives have never been the same again. We are always harassed and we have lost our livelihoods and are living like paupers now. We don’t know why we are treated like this in a free Zimbabwe,” Titus Chirembo said.

Others said they were sleeping in the open and feared that their children might be affected by the adverse weather as they are sleeping in the open. Some villagers said they were living in fear after they tried to resist eviction.

In some instances some families were going without food while school-going children were forced to drop out of school even before they closed.

On two occasions, the High Court has come to their rescue. Two High Court orders obtained by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights barring the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri from demolishing or evicting the villagers have all failed to help.

The authorities have issued an ultimatum against the villagers to move out of Arnold Farm by the end of the day. – Newsday

Staff Reporter| The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) a division of the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) has warned Zimbabweans on prepaid electricity that prepaid electricity vouchers will not be available through the country from Friday 22:00 hours to Sunday morning at 10:00 hours.

In a notice sent out through its publicity department, ZETDC said that electricity recharge will be restricted due to systems upgrading.

Since the unrolling of the prepaid electricity in the country some five years ago, the ZESA system has been facing numerous breakdowns which denied consumers access to electricity in some instances for up to a week.

With over sixty percent of the country’s electricity consumers on prepaid electricity, the delayed notice by the power utility company is likely to see a huge blackout in the country.

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo|A Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), has been dragged to court for allegedly raping and infecting a minor with a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI), it has emerged.

Constable Hugh Zvidzai Bhunu appeared before Masvingo Magistrate Langton Ndokera facing rape charges last week.

Bhunu is stationed at Chidzikwe Police Camp, Masvingo Rural Section.
He allegedly committed the rape offence on October 13, 2016.

The court heard that Bhunu offered a lift to the 17-year-old girl as she was walking home and she accepted. Bhunu then drove his motor vehicle into a bushy area. He parked the vehicle, jumped to the back seat and forcibly undressed the minor. He then went on to rape her.
The girl said she tried to scream for help but nobody heard her. She then went home and Bhunu followed her. He told the girl’s grandmother he wanted to marry the minor. He further claimed he would take good care of the minor.
“Bhunu initially promised to marry the minor but he later changed his stance when the girl had asked for money to buy medication since he had infected her with an STI. There are strong indications that Bhunu intentionally infected the minor with the STI,” the court heard.

The girl’s condition worsened as she failed to get treatment. Her mother then reported the matter to the police, leading to Bhunu’s arrest.

A woman from Bulawayo is suing her boyfriend for $25 000 for allegedly assaulting her resulting in her losing two teeth following a domestic dispute.

Ms Mary Arifaneti who suffered bruises, a swollen neck and back and lost two front teeth, is demanding $25 657 from her boyfriend Godfrey Maweni for medical expenses incurred, disfigurement, pain and suffering.

Ms Arifaneti through her lawyers, Legal Aid Directorate, has filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court citing Maweni as the defendant.

In court papers, Ms Arifaneti said she suffered bodily injuries and has lost her earnings from her cross-border trade as a result of the assault.

“On February 21, 2016 at around 9PM, my boyfriend paid me a visit at my home. An altercation arose after the defendant failed to answer a phone call from a female caller. I demanded to know who was calling during which a scuffle ensued,” she said.

Ms Arifaneti said her boyfriend turned violent and started to indiscriminately assault her all over the body.
“During the assault, the defendant held me by the neck and banged my face against the tarmac resulting in me sustaining bruises all over the body, a swollen neck and back. I also suffered irreparable damage to two front teeth, which have to be replaced with artificial ones,” she said.

Ms Arifaneti said she could not afford to buy artificial teeth.

She also said as a result of the attack she had stopped crossing borders to buy wares for resale locally.
Ms Arifaneti said her business used to rake in an average of $450 monthly.

“The defendant has ignored my plea for assistance in medical bills even though I withdrew criminal charges against him after he had begged me. He only contributed $40 to have my teeth filled and that is not a permanent solution,” she said.

Ms Arifaneti said despite demand, the defendant had failed, refused or neglected to compensate her for the injuries and damages suffered.

She is seeking an order compelling the defendant to pay $25 657 with prescribed interest. She also wants the defendant to pay the legal costs.

Maweni through his lawyers, Sansole and Senda Legal Practitioners, in his application for further particulars, queried why his girlfriend wants artificial teeth.

“Does the plaintiff have a specialist opinion and does the cause of her injuries a result of the assault?” he queried. – State Media

Experts from the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) Applied Genetic Testing Centre (AGTC), which does DNA profiling, have said it will take about two weeks to identify the bodies of accident victims that were burnt beyond recognition in the Mvuma fatal road crash.

The team yesterday revealed that 21 people, not 20 as earlier reported, were burnt when a South Africa-bound Proliner bus they were travelling in sideswiped with a haulage truck and caught fire at Nyamatikiti River near Chaka in Mvuma on Wednesday night.

AGTC chairperson Mr Zephaniah Dhlamini said his team and pathologists from Harare’s Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals have started their investigations to identify the bodies.

“Today we have started the process to identify the bodies. All of them were burnt beyond recognition, some were dismembered. The pathologist will determine whether the body was male or female. In the DNA section, we will take samples of the bones,” said Mr Dhlamini.

“We are going to extract the DNA from the lab and get DNA samples from relatives then we’ll look for matches. We hope that in two weeks we will be done with the matching process.”

He said such tragedies should serve as a wake-up call to Government to prioritise DNA profiling.
Mr Dhlamini said legislators should consider DNA profiling for every citizen as this will expedite the identification process in case of other disasters.

“The Registrar General’s Office should have a DNA database for citizens. When such disasters occur, we can just pick the body and match it with the information on the database,” he said.
In a statement, Civil Protection Unit (CPU) acting director Ms Sibusisiwe Ndlovu said the victims would receive State assisted burials and $700 courtesy of Government and the Insurance Council of Zimbabwe (ICZ).
Ms Ndlovu said the Government released $200 for each body while ICZ chipped in with $500.
She said ICZ was still investigating the passenger insurance to ensure that proper compensations is given to affected families.

Meanwhile, National chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba has called on relatives of the victims to bring a toothbrush which was used by their deceased relative for DNA testing.
While applauding relatives who have already camped at Gweru Provincial Hospital awaiting the identification process, she encouraged those that haven’t made their way to quickly come to Gweru to speed up the process.
At the accident scene, smoke was still billowing from the trailers of the haulage truck which is believed to have been carrying hundreds of tyres. The road had been cleared and traffic was flowing smoothly.

Forensic experts were still looking for human remains in the rubble that had been swept off the highway.
At Mvuma District Hospital, only three accident victims were still admitted including the driver of the haulage truck Regius Mangwari (29) who is under police guard.

The other survivors are Mrs Alice Hodzi (29) of Eastview Park in Mabvuku, Harare, who escaped together with her 11-month-old daughter, Princess Matoro.

Hospital authorities said other victims had been taken by their relatives to medical institutions close to their home areas.

At Gweru Provincial Hospital — three tents — one manned by ZRP, one by medical experts and the others set for relatives and friends provided by Unki Mine, had been set up.

Twenty one passengers were burnt beyond recognition while 41 were critically injured in the horrific accident that occurred at the 218km peg along the Harare-Masvingo Beitbridge highway at around 9PM.

Mangwari, who was driving to Harare, has been charged with 21 counts of culpable homicide. – State Media

Sukoluhle Sibanda| After a week of waiting National Peoples Party leader, Joice Mujuru has reportedly elected MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai for the 2018 Presidency, as she follows many other opposition stalwarts.

The announcement comes after Mrs Mujuru was pressured by news readers on ZimEye LIVE on when she is going to announce a coalition with Tsvangirai and others.

“Morgan Tsvangirai to lead the coalition in 2018 as the Presidential candidate,” an announcement on Mujuru’s official Facebook account read on Friday.

https://youtu.be/QdOlM6Eb2u0

It continued, “Register to vote and vote in this historic event . One that will bury the confirmed evil once and for all. Be sure to participate in the elections. Have a voice. Your vote is your voice!

“Its time for a New Zimbabwe , A new beginning, A new President and equal opportunities for all!

National People’s Party leader Joice Mujuru has at the last minute cancelled her program slated for this afternoon at 4pm(UK time). Future schedules will be announced in due course.

PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE WILL DROP DEAD BY 17TH OCTOBER 2017 – Pastor Phillip Mugadza has been acquitted.

The Remnant Pentecostal Church leader who had been on trial for allegedly insulting and disrespecting the national flag was today set free at last by Harare Magistrate Lazini Ncube.

The ruling came after Mugadza’s lawyers Gift Mtisi, Obey Shava and Dorcas Chitiyo of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights filed an application for discharge at the close of the State case after arguing that the State had failed to prima facie case against the clergyman.

Pastor Mugadza last year while LIVE video on ZimEye.com declared that Mugabe will be a dead man by the 17th October this year.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights reveal that Zimbabwe Republic Police officers connected to the First Lady have resumed their contempt of court and begun to go ahead with the removal of the Arnold Farm villagers.

Government authorities and police officers are currently demolishing some villagers’ homesteads, assaulting them and evicting them from a place which they have called home for 17 years despite two High Court orders obtained by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights barring the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri from demolishing or evicting the villagers.

The authorities have issued an ultimatum against the villagers to move out of Anold Farm by the end of the day today.

The development comes after the villagers obtained another High Court verdict blocking the government from removing them.

Sydney Barson| Every citizen has a constitutionally guaranteed right to freely participate in elections and to elect national leadership of their choice. Unfortunately, general elections in Zimbabwe have over the years become associated with brutal State sponsored violence and impunity.

Ordinary citizens and members of political parties in particular the MDC-T became targets of a systematic State operation to eliminate and silencing the party. The party has over years lost many comrades through political violence. Many children were orphaned and families were left broken in poverty. The initiative which has just been launched by Kumbirai Muchemwa, is a worthy cause to support.

The initiative is aimed at using his participation in this year’s prestigious Comrades marathon to raise funds to help families of political victims. Kumbirai Muchemwa is a former MDC-T South Africa Province Information and Publicity Secretary and currently MDC- T Johannesburg district Secretary for Home affairs.

Kindly follow the link below to get hold of Kumbirai Muchemwa for support and contributions:

https://candystick.co.za/c/a-thought-for-victims-of-political-violence

The popular Mash Central “Sekuru Bindura” who koasts of killing snakes then flinging them with his own bare hands (see pictures) is today speaking on ZimEye.com

The program will be hosted by the ever humorous Australia based, Mukoma Masimba. TIME: 4pm – British time.

National Peoples Party and former Vice-President Joice Mujuru has hinted on Tsvangirai as as the most suitable person to face President Robert Mugabe in next year’s election as the candidate for all opposition parties that have signed up to the proposed grand coalition.

Mujuru, who now leads the National People’s Party (NPP) following a nasty fallout with Mugabe in 2014, yesterday told female party members in Masvingo that Tsvangirai had the political clout and commanded a large following.

“We agreed with the MDC-T to sit down and discuss,” she said.

“We signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tsvangirai, which has a roadmap that we agreed on which outlines the strategy. We also tabled our differences and resolved them.”

Mujuru then went into the details of the agreement, which could see Mugabe facing a strong coalition for the first time in his long reign.

“We agreed that one opposition presidential candidate, representing all parties, will stand against Mugabe,” she said.

“We also agreed on the leader of the coalition, the qualities, the expectations of that person before and after the polls. That person should be a unifier, someone who does not backtrack or sell out and should carry the ideals of the coalition. And that person should have the confidence of the majority.

“We said the MDC-T is better at mobilising people. There is no other party, apart from NPP and the MDC-T, that can mobilise a lot of people apart from Zanu PF itself.

“There are a lot of parties, but some of the parties were created by some handlers in the government to cultivate a false sense of multi-party democracy, so whatever those parties do, they want to please their boss (Mugabe).

“We know a coalition is the best to stop Zanu PF from rigging. If we go into the polls fragmented, as the opposition, we give leeway to Zanu PF tricks.”

Tsvangirai, on the other hand, has previously confirmed his good working relationship with Mujuru, but intimated that the proposed coalition leader would be chosen by the people.

Several opposition parties have informally endorsed the proposed coalition pact, but are yet to agree on the candidate to stand against Mugabe in the 2018 crunch polls.

The coalition is likely to rattle Zanu PF, which is currently dogged by serious infighting over Mugabe’s successor.-Newsday

Former MDC-T Senator for Gutu, Empire Kufachikati Makamure(centre), has died.
Family members told ZimEye Makamure died of asthma yesterday near Gutu. More details to follow…

As the police yesterday revealed that Regius Mangwari (29) the driver of the haulage truck which sideswiped a South Africa-bound Pro-liner bus has been charged with 20 counts of culpable homicide, calls became louder that buses must be banned from driving at night.

ZimEye readers conjoined to call on government for the blanket ban on night driving for buses. 

The accident occurred along the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge highway on Wednesday night at around 9 PM. The Pro-liner bus was burnt beyond recognition and so far 20 people were burnt beyond recognition while 41 were critically injured. The driver is under police guard at Mvuma District Hospital.

ZRP National chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said, Preliminary investigations indicate that on approaching the 218km peg, Mangwari encroached on the path of the oncoming bus. The bus and the haulage truck sideswiped and both vehicles caught fire.

“Twenty passengers were trapped and burnt beyond recognition. Forty-one passengers were injured. Four escaped without any injuries. The injured were taken to Mvuma District Hospital, Driefontein Mission Hospital, and Masvingo Provincial Hospital. The critical ones were referred to a Harare Hospital.”

Minister Contradicts Self, Concedes Zanu PF In $ 3 Million Debt

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo| The ruling party, Zanu PF, has failed to settle a $ 3 million debt incurred during the Bikita West By-election campaign programme, it has emerged.

After boasting of Zanu PF’ s invincibility in Mwenezi at the weekend, the party’s secretary for administration, Ignatius Chombo, later contradicted himself and conceded the revolutionary party was broke.

Party sources revealed to ZimEye.com Chombo told Zanu PF officials after the rally held at Avhunga Secondary School the ruling party had no cash to settle the debt.

The debt ballooned to $ 3 million due to unpaid printing and transport bills, party officials said.

“Chombo was grilled by Minister (Shuvai) Mahofa over the debt and he said the party was broke and the coffers were empty,” said a party official.

Chombo also conceded the party could not print posters for Mwenezi East Candidate, Omar Joosbi because of bankruptcy.

Ironically Chombo donated $5,000 which he claimed was his personal money.

Angry Zanu PF members accused senior party members of dumping Omar ahead of the Saturday by-election.

“We do not know where the money is going. We are totally confused. Although we understand there are unsettled bills incurred during the Bikita West campaign programme, we feel there is no commitment towards the Mwenezi East By-election,” said a disgruntled party official.

Although Omar could not be reached for comment on the matter, party officials in Mwenezi said the businessman was using his personal resources to bankroll activities in the constituency.

Mpilo Central Hospital’s cancer unit was officially opened yesterday, bringing relief to thousands of people from the country’s southern region who had to travel to Harare and neighbouring countries to seek treatment.

The facility, which had been closed since 2009, has state-of-the-art machines similar to those used for cancer treatment in developed countries.

Speaking before officially opening the radiotherapy centre, Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa urged the Mpilo Central Hospital management to consider the poor when charging for services.

“This is one of my happiest days first as an individual and as a minister because this cancer unit had been a burden for a long time. I hereby ask the chief executive officer Mr Leonard Mabandi and his team to consider the poor when coming up with charges as cancer is the most expensive disease to treat,” said Dr Parirenyatwa.

“We last carried out a thorough cancer research in 2014 when 7 000 new cases were recorded countrywide and I am sure the number has shot up now. I hereby hope Government will avail funds for us to maintain this unit so that even the less privileged can get quality health care.”

A specialist from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is doing quality control for the unit which is divided into two departments — nuclear medicine and radiotherapy.

Nuclear medicine is a medical speciality in which minute quantities of radioactive substances are administered to a patient through injection, inhalation or swallowing in order to diagnose or treat diseases.

Dr Xolani Ndlovu who heads the nuclear medicine department said he was happy that for the first time in Zimbabwe there was a functional nuclear medical facility.

“Today through the support from the Government of Zimbabwe in partnership with IAEA, Mpilo is proud to have the only functional nuclear medical facility in the country. There has been no facility for a long time due to lack of equipment and trained staff and patients all along had been flocking to South Africa,” said Dr Ndlovu.

He said the main challenge was the acquisition of radio pharmaceuticals which can only be purchased in South Africa.

“We hope that as time goes on the procurement system will be more efficient in order to reduce patient waiting time,” he said.

Dr Tatenda Chingonzoh who heads the radiotherapy department said for the first quarter of 2017, the unit had diagnosed 122 new cases.

“The burden of cancer is increasing in Zimbabwe and so far we have carried out 228 chemotherapy administrations at our centre. The administration of chemotherapy may be done here but acquisition of drugs is done by patients at private pharmacies which has resulted in many failing to access treatment due to financial constraints,” said Dr Chingonzoh.

“The cost of a single cycle of chemotherapy can range from $150 to $1 000 or more. It is thus critical that resources be availed to enable chemotherapy drugs to be stocked in our hospital pharmacy to help subsidise the cost to patients.”

Dr Ndlovu and Dr Chingonzoh are the only specialists who have been trained to operate the unit. Experts say at least two people need to operate one machine at any given time for maximum results.

Corruption delayed the opening of the cancer unit by about four years.

Chronicle lifted the lid off the corruption in February 2015, when a $3 million tender, which had been awarded to Bulawayo businessman Mr Ashton Mpofu’s New Planet Company, was cancelled after he allegedly refused to bribe former CEO Dr Lawrence Mantiziba and fired operations director Mrs Regina Duduza Moyo.

The tender — according to an audit report — had been illegally and unnecessarily split into smaller tenders.

The auditors said if the contract had been given to one company, it would have cost approximately $1,049 million.

After being split up, it ended up costing about $3 million.

Mr Mpofu was awarded the tender to refurbish the hospital’s radiotherapy centre towards the end of 2012.

The cancer unit was closed for the duration of the project, forcing patients in the southern region to travel to Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare for treatment.

The southern region covers Bulawayo, Masvingo, Midlands, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South. – State Media

A taxi driver from Zvishavane who allegedly lured his passenger aged 17 to his house and sodomised him at knife point has appeared in court.

Tawedzerwa Mashingaidze (46) of Nill Township in Zvishavane appeared before Gweru Magistrate Mr Morgan Nemadire facing two counts of indecent assault.

Mashingaidze pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody to April 13.

Prosecuting, Mr Lloyd Mavhiza told the court that Mashingaidze used to provide transport for the complainant from Zvishavane town to his place of residence.

“On count one, in February last year at around 9PM the accused ferried the complainant home as usual. Whilst they were on their way, the accused person asked the complainant to spend the night at his house and he agreed.

“During the night, the accused person woke up and started fondling the complainant’s manhood,” said Mr Mavhiza.

He said that the complainant asked Mashingaidze to stop what he was doing and he complied, promising that he would not do it again.

“They went back to sleep but after an hour the accused person woke up and put on a condom. He took a knife and threatened to kill the complainant if he did not comply with his orders. The accused person sodomised him once,” said Mr Mavhiza.

The court heard that the complainant did not tell anyone about the matter for some time.

On June 9 last year, he allegedly told his workmate who accompanied him to make a formal report at the police station.

“The complainant was referred to Zvishavane District hospital for medical examination and a medical report was compiled,” said Mr Mavhiza.

THE Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) has fired a pastor who indecently assaulted a prominent Bulawayo lawyer last year.

The disgraced “man of God” Brighton Ndebele (32) was convicted of indecently assaulting the lawyer in October 2016 by Bulawayo magistrate Ms Adelaide Mbeure.

Ndebele was sentenced to 12 months in jail and three months were suspended for three years on condition that he did not within that period commit a similar offence.

The remaining nine months were further suspended on condition that he performs 315 hours of community service at Hillside Police Station.

According to a letter of dismissal dated February 23, 2017, the church voted at a church business meeting that Ndebele should be relieved of his duties as a pastor.

The letter, which was addressed to Ndebele, was signed by one P Ncube who is the SDA’s Bulawayo City Centre head elder and two church clerks only identified as S Hanyane and N Nyathi.

“This letter serves to notify you that on the 18th of February 2017, the church voted at a church business meeting that your name be removed from the Bulawayo City Centre Church records. This follows our letter advising you of the church board recommendation dated January 28, 2017,” reads part of the letter.

The church’s Bulawayo City Centre deputy head elder Mr Daniel Musundire also confirmed Ndebele’s dismissal in papers filed before the High Court last month.

Mr Musundure’s court filing was in response to an urgent chamber application by the abused lawyer’s husband challenging the church’s decision to slap him with a seven month censure without conducting a proper disciplinary hearing.

The censure barred the applicant from participating, by voice or vote, in the affairs of the church.

The lawyer’s husband, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his wife, argued that he was censured by members of the board, deacons and deaconess and elders’ councils for confronting the pastor who indecently harassed his wife and reporting him to the police.

In papers before the court, the lawyer’s husband cited SDA’s Bulawayo City Centre branch and the church’s headquarters, South Zimbabwe Conference of the SDA Church as respondents.

The lawyer’s husband sought an order nullifying the censure.

However, the church leadership said the lawyer’s husband was being silenced for disrupting church activities and perpetrating violence.

Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Nicholas Mathonsi last month blocked SDA from censuring the lawyer’s husband.

However, the church had disputed that the conviction of Ndebele was linked to the censure and said the disgraced pastor had since been fired.

“I can confirm that the pastor (Ndebele), for his actions, has been disciplined by the SDA Bulawayo City Centre. His name was removed from the church register on the 18th of February 2016,” said Mr Musundire.

On April 20 last year at around midday, Ndebele went to the lawyer’s workplace to discuss church business since the complainant was also a head of social committees in the church.

After the discussion and when he was about to leave office, the pastor solicited for a hug from the complainant and she declined.

He then forcibly pulled the woman by the hand and squeezed her to his chest, before holding her waist and caressed her back and buttocks.

The complainant narrated her ordeal to a fellow congregant before she reported the matter to the police leading to Ndebele’s arrest. – State Media

Air Zimbabwe (AirZim) management has made significant cutbacks in route network to curtail serious write-down, triggered by aircraft shortages, plummeting load factors and foreign currency bottlenecks.

Reports say aircraft shortages have forced the airline to quietly pull out of the Harare-Lusaka route.This was one of the routes that AirZim had projected to push passenger numbers and revenue, until the Chinese assembled MA60 plane that it was operating on the route developed technical faults and was grounded in January last year.

In Kariba, low load factors forced chief executive officer (CEO), Ripton Muzenda, to suspend flights after he was appointed last year.

There have been low tourist arrivals in the resort town, which usually drive passengers.

In June 2015, the airline took the bold move to reopen the Harare-Lusaka route to compete with global airlines that have dominated African skies, four years after discontinuing service.

With colossal debts estimated at well over US$300 million, and with new management battling to fulfil the airline’s role as a catalyst for recovery, AirZim has been staggering on since re-launching operations in November 2012.

AirZim chairperson, Chipo Dyanda, declined to comment on operational matters, referring questions to Muzenda, who is said to be battling to prevail over an intense power struggle that has engulfed the airline and disrupted operations.

She also dismissed reports that there were squabbles between board members and management.

“There is no bad blood between board and management or within management. There is so much work to be done at AirZim by both board and management such that the so-called bad blood trivialises the great work that has been achieved so far; commitment and energy that is being put by the shareholder, board, management and employees in general, to revive the company. Second, the so-called bad blood is also a luxury we cannot afford.

Both board and management are clear on their mandate, and that is to revive Air Zimbabwe. Generating bad blood is not one of the mandates; therefore, we would never give it space at AirZim. We are fully occupied and have no time for distractions and detractors,” she said.

There has been a worrying decline in passenger numbers in the past few months, according to sources.

AirZim’s aged fleet comprises of two Boeing 767s, three B737s, three MA60s and two Airbus A320s.

Out of these planes, only two have been flying in the past few weeks, forcing management to hire a B737 aircraft from South Africa’s Star Air as a stop gap measure.

“AirZim suspended Zambia operations and we have closed the offices,” a source said.

Aviation industry experts said many of the routes that AirZim had opened since 2015 require some form of government subsidies before they become self sufficient.

But because government, which controls 100 percent shareholding in the airline, has been struggling to balance its books, there has not been such support.

This is why management has made the decision to pull out of certain routes. – Fingaz

A new President for Zimbabwe is imminent. Join in the discussion as key analysts and stakeholders discuss:

Olinda Chapel is now better than Joice Mujuru and other politicians at pulling people; why is this? Critics and analysts discuss this today. FULL LIVE INTERVIEW:

LIVE-BLAST: This week will forever be on Andy Muridzo’s mind after his estranged lover Bev Sibanda had a miscarriage at the weekend.

ZimEye.com can reliably confirm that Bev had a miscarriage and had to spend day in hospital.

She had a miscarriage last Sunday at Hollys hotel soon after her show.

Bev’s manager, Hapaguti Mapimhidze confirmed the development to ZimEye Thursday afternoon saying she has since recovered. “She is now okay and had to be nursed for six days, had to be cleaned and so on,” he said.

He added saying she is now heading for her latest show tonight upon which our reporter grilled him on health and safety concerns to which he insisted saying “she is now okay, she can now work.” THE LIVE PROGRAM WILL AIRED AT 4pm (UK time) Thursday afternoon.

By Sukoluhle Sibanda| National Peoples Party Spokesman Jelousy Mawarire has called it quits, resigning from both the party and his post, also attacking his boss, Dr Joice Mujuru.

Mawarire says she is responsible for the mess surrounding his physical fight with Dr Joice Mujuru’s personal spokesman Gift Nyandoro last week. Following the brutal fighting which left Nyandoro in a wheelchair, hospitalised, Mawarire announced today he is hitting the streets.

The development also follows Mrs Mujuru’s coming out during her weekly ZimEye program last week Friday to take motherly responsibility for the fighting between “the two boys.”  Below was Mawarire’s letter (BELOW VIDEO):

The Zimbabwe Union of Drivers and Conductors (ZUDAC) has bemoaned the recent introduction of a presumptive tax on commuter omnibuses by Government, saying it could trigger a hike in targets by operators, putting pressure on drivers.

Commuter omnibus operators will now pay $45 per vehicle in presumptive tax.

According to a Government Gazette of March 24, informal traders like commuter omnibus operators, hairdressers and cross border traders are expected to pay a monthly presumptive tax.

“The presumptive tax chargeable in terms of Section 36C of the Taxes Act shall be in the case of . . . (e) operators of omnibuses for the carriage of passengers for hire or reward having seating accommodation for not less than 15 or more than 24 passengers, 45 dollars per month for each such omnibus operated.”

ZUDAC chairperson Mr Fradreck Maguramhinga yesterday said the tax would affect their operations in a big way.

“As ZUDAC we are not in support of the introduction of this new tax that Government has imposed on kombis.

“We have so many other monies being paid to enable us to operate on a day-to-day basis, hence the introduction of this tax will increase the burden,” he said.

Mr Maguramhinga said it was not fair to continue taxing operators without providing a conducive environment for them to operate.

“We do not have proper ranks in town and passengers end up going to the ‘mshikashika’ vehicles while kombis lose customers,” he said.

“For those kombis following the correct channel of being in the ranks, they rarely have three trips a day, which is not sustainable.

“When the time comes for us to pay the taxes, the money is hardly adequate to do so.

“We were not going to have problems with the tax if we were operating on an even ground,” he said. – State Media

Ray Nkosi | Forced out Zanu PF deputy secretary for women’s affairs, Eunice Sandi-Moyo, had been shut out from all party internal communications, including her Ministerial offices it has emerged.

Moyo comes out guns blazing this morning challenging the State Media to name the prophet who gave her $100 000 which is among the list of allegations being leveled against her. Writes Moyo on her newly set up twitter account, “If there is any prophet who gave me $100 00 may he pliz come forward. Why not name him/her.”

Moyo told the local weekly paper Fingaz that she is completely clueless about her situation, but does not blame anyone for the predicament.

Moyo who was yesterday forced out of the Zanu PF Women’s League is accused of attempting to topple her boss; setting up parallel structures in the league and allegedly conniving with secretary for finance, Sarah Mahoka, to steal money and other donations meant for the league’s programmes.

“I read from your paper and other papers. I watch the television. I have no idea what is happening at all. I don’t know where all this came from and I don’t know where it is going,” she said.