FIRST Lady Grace Mugabe is on Friday set to resume her countrywide rallies, making her first stop over in Buhera North, as she rolls out the roadmap for her husband President Robert Mugabe and the ruling party’s election campaign ahead of next year’s general elections.

Zanu PF Manicaland provincial chairperson, Samuel Undenge yesterday told provincial co-ordinating committee members in Mutare that Grace would be in Buhera, MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai’s home area, on Friday.

“We are here to discuss a number of issues and one of them is that our First Lady Grace Mugabe will be in Buhera on the 17th of this month,” he said.

“I think our Provincial Affairs minister (Mandiitawepi Chimene) can give us a briefing on our First Lady’s visit to the province since the letter came through her office.”

Chimene confirmed the visit, but could not give details, claiming that she was still on leave.

Provincial women’s league secretary for administration, Letina Undenge, said she was expecting a bumper crowd at the rally.

“We love our mother, we are supporting her and we did this at our recently-held conference,” she said.

“This is more like the rally we held at Mutambara in Chimanimani. She is energetic and very keen to empower women.

“She empowered women, including youths, the last time she came to Chimanimani. This is going to be a roadmap going to the elections, come 2018.

“We are preparing to come in numbers. We are delighted because we are also going to celebrate the birthday of our President.”

The sharp-tongued Zanu PF women’s league boss normally uses such platforms to rail against her rivals in the ruling party, and in this particular instance her target could be Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is reportedly eyeing succeeding Mugabe.

Grace, who is believed to be the leader of the G40 faction comprising of the ruling party’s Young Turks, is reportedly also eyeing Mugabe’s seat.

On the other hand, Mnangagwa and his Team Lacoste faction, are believed to have the backing of war veterans and the security sector.

Grace marked her grand entry into mainstream Zanu PF politics in 2014 with a string of campaign rallies that spilled into 2015, culminating in the axing of Vice-President Joice Mujuru and several other former ruling party bigwigs on allegations of plotting Mugabe’s downfall.

Mujuru and her team, which at the time included former Presidential Affairs minister Didymus Mutasa and ex-Zanu PF spokesperson, Rugare Gumbo, later regrouped and formed the opposition Zimbabwe People First before their spectacular break up last week. – State Media

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo| MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai has said his party is making wide consultations regarding the formation of the grand coalition indicating nothing solid has been put in place yet.

Addressing party members at a meeting held at the provincial party offices in Masvingo , Tsvangirai said his party would maintain a cautious approach towards the formation of the grand coalition. Civic organisations and pro-democracy forces are pushing for the formation of a grand formation expected to challenge President Robert Mugabe ‘s tight grip on power.

Tsvangirai and former Vice President Joice Mujuru are expected to spearhead the formation of the much anticipated coalition. Tsvangirai said it was too early to pre-empty facts on the grand coalition since his party was making the necessary consultations.

“We are eager to work with all democratic forces but at the moment we are in the process of consulting our members and supporters across the country.As such we cannot say much about the coalition,”said Tsvangirai. The former premier added:”There are people who are concerned about the conditions guiding the formation of the coalition. Let me assure you that the MDC will not be neutralised by the formation of the coalition. Nothing like that will happen.We are guided by laid down party principles.”

Former MDC provincial secretary, Tongai Matutu who had deserted the party to join Tendai Biti’s PDP attended the meeting after dumping Biti’s party. “Let us embrace those who are coming back home. It happens in politics and let us work with those who are returning to us.We have to bury our differences and move forward,”said Tsvangirai.

 Terrence Mawawa Masvingo Vocal Masvingo State Minister Shuvai Ben Mahofa’s office has submitted more than 60 names of party sympathisers for nurse training at Masvingo Provincial Hospital it has emerged.

Sources at the hospital’s School of Nursing told ZimEye.com the recruitment process was in disarray following the submission of more than 60 names of Zanu PF youths by Mahofa’s office. The sources claimed Mahofa stamped the name list and instructed officials at the government run hospital to consider the party youths for nursing training despite the fact that they did not have the suitable qualifications.

“Minister Mahofa instructed us to consider at least 60 Zanu PF youths for nursing training.The process has become complicated because the majority of the youths do not have the suitable qualifications.This is a difficult situation.

We have been told more names are coming. This makes our job very difficult,”said a senior employee at the hospital. Mahofa was not immediately available to comment on the matter. Officials at Mahofa’s Benjamin Burombo Building offices denied they wrote a letter to Masvingo Provincial Hospital concerning the recruitment of nurses. “It is unheard of – we did not write such a letter to Masvingo Provincial Hospital.Who said that?We are actually hearing it from you,”said a government official who declined to disclose her name.

Church leaders have put up a fight against Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa urging Zimbabweans to resist the proposed first amendment to the Constitution, which is aimed at changing the process of choosing the country’s Chief Justice (CJ), warning this creates room for more alterations to the country’s supreme law.

The church leaders spoke alongside other civil society leaders at a public meeting organised by the Christian Alliance of Zimbabwe (CAZ), Public Policy Institute of Zimbabwe and the Southern African Parliamentary Support Trust to discuss the proposed amendment to the Constitution.

In an open devotion to the workshop, a Roman Catholic priest and convenor of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) in the Matabeleland region, Peter Nkomozana, reminded citizens that they “are the salt of the earth”, pointing to their important role in defending democracy.

“There are times when we have failed to be brave enough to point out where there have been shortcomings,” he said. “As community leaders, there are times when we have become tasteless and are no longer effective. Let us stay as the salt of the earth.”

CAZ leader, Useni Sibanda said the Constitution needed to be defended.

Human rights lawyer, Matshobana Ncube encouraged citizens to lobby MPs to block the amendment when it goes before Parliament.

“There are three arms of government: the legislature, the judiciary and the Executive, and the Constitution says these three arms of government are independent of each other,” he said.

“What is the interest of the Executive in appointing the head of the judiciary arm? The judiciary is supposed to be independent, which means that the Executive is not supposed to be involved in the appointment of its head, the CJ,” he said.

“The ruling party does have a two-thirds majority in Parliament and can amend the Constitution. But I believe that there are people here, who associate with the ruling party somehow, but don’t agree to the amendment. This is a factional issue. If we can, let us lobby some Zanu PF members and MPs. Let us lobby, especially those who are against the amendment.”

A hundred beneficiaries of the Presidential Scholarship left the country yesterday to persue studies at three universities in neighbouring South Africa.

Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Christopher Mushohwe said it had been three years since the Government last sponsored disadvantaged children to further their studies at South African universities.

“This year we are only taking 100 new students to South Africa. For the past three or so years we have not been sending students to universities due to financial constraints.

“Fort Hare made a special request to President Mugabe during their centenary celebrations to send students as the numbers were dwindling. Everything is sorted out for the new recipients and they are leaving today,” said Dr Mushohwe.

He said of the 100 students, 50 were going to University of Fort Hare and the rest were going to University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and University of Johannesburg (UJ).

“We wanted some of the 100 to take some courses which are not offered by Fort Hare. So 25 will be going to (UJ) and the other 25 to Wits where they will study all facets of engineering and accounting,” said Dr Mushohwe who is also the Executive Director of the Presidential Scholarship Department in the Office of the President and Cabinet.

He added that returning students had already left to continue their studies.

“I had to rush to Harare to sort out their visas last week. I also consulted with South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba who helped us a lot to obtain study visas.”

President Mugabe graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and English at Fort Hare University in 1951.

The Presidential Scholarship has seen thousands of disadvantaged children from across the country studying for various programmes at the university. – State Media

A Plumtree man has been granted a protection order against his abusive wife who is in the habit of assaulting and insulting him.

Mr Owen Mlambo told the court that his wife Salome Mutemachini also abuses his late brother’s son (5) whom they live with.

Mr Mlambo said he was now living in fear because of his wife’s violent nature and was also afraid that she would hurt his nephew.

The couple appeared before Plumtree magistrate Mr Joshua Mawere who granted the protection order.

Mr Mawere warned Mutemachini against assaulting, insulting or threatening her husband and the five-year-old child.

Mr Mlambo told the court that recently his wife attacked and injured him on the eye.

“We have been staying together with my wife for the past two years and I have been suffering in silence because she has been beating me up, insulting me and threatening me. As I speak my left eye is painful because she hit me.

“I’m not her only victim because she starves my five-year-old nephew, she doesn’t allow him to sit in our living room, and she insults and assaults him. She doesn’t allow my nephew to play with his peers next door and she also threatens him. My nephew is living in fear because of my wife’s actions,” said Mr Mlambo.

He said his wife was also in the habit of badmouthing him to his workmates and does not want him to visit his relatives.

Mutemachini, however, denied the allegations and said the protection order was a strategy by her husband to evict her from their home.

She said her husband was the one who assaults and insults her and she only retaliates.

“My husband is making up all these lies so that he can frustrate me. He knows that if I’m frustrated I will move back to my parents’ home and that’s what he wants as he has always wanted to get rid of me.

“The truth is that we insult, assault and threaten each other only because he would have started the altercation,” said Mutemachini.

Mr Mawere advised Mutemachini to apply for a protection order if her husband abused her. – State Media

Stunner & Olinda Love Each Other

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) February 12, 2017

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Zimbabwe and Mozambique are both suffering rising casualties and cattle rustling during skirmishes along their border in an area plagued by conflict over scarce resources, officials and villagers say.

The neighbouring countries accuse each other of triggering clashes taking place along the central stretch of their 1 000km frontier, highlighting persisting tension over an unresolved dispute that has seen Renamo — which is also the official opposition in Mozambique — launching a low-level guerrilla campaign against the ruling Frelimo government, that has spilled into Zimbabwe.

The low intensity war in Mozambique, which has killed hundreds of people, is taking its toll on Zimbabwe’s eastern highlands and the south eastern plateau, despite President Robert Mugabe’s vow to stop the hostilities with Afonso Dhlakama’s Renamo armed bandits — who have resorted to cattle rustling from Manicaland villagers to feed its fighters and raise funds after the Mozambique army pushed it out of cities.

And as cattle die of starvation due to drought, opportunists are also mounting night-time raids to replace lost stock from the neighbouring country.

Angry locals have also begun raiding Mozambican cattle pens, inviting revenge incursions.

The fighting along the border has also left dozens of houses and various food stores burned and looted, plus dozens of herds of cattle stolen.

Mugabe has said he wants to stop cattle rustling along the border, at a time Mozambique refugees have been allowed to blend into border communities, instead of refugee camps.

Addressing his Zanu PF supporters in Dande, a northern border community at the end of last year, Mugabe said he had received reports of trans-border cattle theft.

“Let us forge good relations with those beyond the border in Tete. I hear that you take each other’s cattle.

“Leave people’s cattle alone. Are there no cattle here? I thought they were the ones who should have been after our cattle. What is happening? Let’s stop that practice,” Mugabe said.

David Mandimutsira, a cattle trader, said fighters had stolen a 50-strong herd from him and another herd from his brother.

He said the military had failed to stop the raids, with soldiers running into the bush the moment they came under fire.

South of Dande along the border in Chipinge, furious locals are crossing the border to steal cattle, confirmed an opposition Member of Parliament.

“There are some known individuals who are going into Mozambique to steal cattle,” Musikavanhu MDC MP Prosper Mutseyami said.

When about 50 cattle were stolen from Zimbabwean small farmers and driven across the border in Chipinge in December, Mugabe’s deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa reacted by sending in the army.

Acting president then, Mnangagwa told Parliament that some of the cattle had been recovered.

“Some people have been invited to identify their cattle,” he said.

Mnangagwa said provincial security leaders of both countries were constantly meeting to discuss the escalation of cross border incidents and rising tension.

According to a December 10 police intelligence brief from Chisumbanje Police Station, the cattle were stolen by “15 suspected Mozambican soldiers armed with AK 47 rifles”.

When police visited the Zamuchiya area where the cattle were seized, they saw “five suspected Mozambican soldiers and some civilians with machetes and knobkerries”.

And there have been rising killings.

Infact, it was the abduction of a man from his village, who was later killed in Mozambique, which prompted Mnangagwa to deploy the army along the border.

Shockingly, his identity was never established. But investigations by the Daily News on Sunday revealed he was many of Mozambican refugees moving in and settling along the border.

Recently, two suspect Mozambican soldiers and 25 men armed with bows and arrows crossed the border into Nyanga, rounding up four refugees and their cattle from Nyamutenha village, ward 11, where they had settled, locals said.

They were reportedly taken to Nyabutu camp. Their fate remains unknown. Some of the Mozambicans are committing atrocities, then fleeing their homes to settle here as refugees, while others are driven out of their homes.

But in both cases, they do not sit back but organise cross-border revenge attacks, investigations revealed.

“We are in no way screening these immigrants… (we are just) allowing them to settle among ordinary villagers, risking their safety,” a Mapungwana village head who spoke on condition of anonymity said.

“Our government is messing up its refugee processing protocol and it may cost the nation its peace.”

Chipinge South Zanu PF MP Enock Porusingazi agrees that the refugees need to be placed in appropriate facilities for their safety and the preservation of peace.

“Once a person flees from war or terror, he is classified a refugee and should be quarantined in a camp for safety and protection,” Porusingazi said.

But until Zimbabwe reins in cattle rustling and implements appropriate refugee handling procedures, it remains on the brink of being sucked into the conflict.

But to keep itself from its strategic neighbour’s internal conflict, Zimbabwe will need to carefully monitor activities along the long border and not just the political impasse between Frelimo and Renamo. – Daily News

Another cop stationed at Dzivaresekwa Police Station in Harare was arrested by members of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission for allegedly stealing over $2 000 and possessing two fake ticket books.

During the process, they realised that Jere’s receipt book had different serial numbers from the ones other police officers were using. After further searches, it was discovered that he had two such receipt books.

Jere was immediately arrested. On further investigations, it was also discovered that the financial records in some of the books he used were not tallying, and had a deficit of $2 300.
During the investigations, it was discovered that two original ticket books were missing from the police station.

By Staff Reporter | High court judge Justice Clement Phiri, said #ThisFlag social movement leader, Pastor Evan Mawarire, is likely to be acquitted when he stands for trial because the state’s case against him is “weak”.

The state is accusing Mawarire of inciting public violence, instigating civil unrest and urging the public to resist public policies “meant in the public interest” through posting videos on social media.

Opposing Mawarire’s a bail application, last week the state represented by Edmore Nyadzema, said the #ThisFlag leader was “a celebrated terrorist” who had roots in America.

“The accused person is facing some very serious charges which we are convinced that will lead to his conviction and because of the fact that his close family members are in America where he has strong contacts, it will be difficult for us to locate him once admitted to bail,” said Nyazemba.

But the presiding judge Justice Clement Phiri, said the state’s case against Mawarire was not convincing adding that the activist had a great chance of being acquitted.

“The state’s case appears to be weak and how does one’s relationship with his family members in America has to do with him escaping?

“And also given the fact that the accused personally handed himself to Zimbabwe via the Harare International Airport surely we cannot say he was obstructing the course of justice,” he said before ordering for the release of Marire’s release.

Staff Reporter | Frustrated doctors have announced that they will this Wednesday carry out nationwide industrial action. Below is their statement;

URGENT NOTICETO: ZIMBABWE HOSPITAL DOCTORS ASSOCIATION MEMBERS
10 FEBRUARY 2017 THE 21-IDA WAS TODAY ENGAGED IN NATIONWIDE CONSULTATIONS WITH ITS MEMBERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AS YOU MAY BE AWARE THE HEALTH SECTOR IS PREGNANT WITH A MULTITUDE OF PROBLEMS EMANATING FROM GROSS NEGLIGENCE AND LACK OF WILL TO IMPLEMENT LOGICAL DECISIONS. TO BUTTRESS THIS ARGUMENT WHERE IN THE WORLD CAN A COUNTRY DECLARE THAT IT CAN NO LONGER EMPLOY WELL TRAINED POST INTERNSHIP DOCTORS DESPITE THE HUGE INVESTMENT IN EDUCATING THESE CADRES FOR TWENTY YEARS!

THE ASSOCIATION REMAINS PUZZLED WITH THE LIPSTICK APPROACH BY THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH TO HONOUR THE AGREED ON CALL ALLOWANCES WITH OUR PREVIOUS LEADERSHIP. IT IS ON RECORD THAT THE ON CALL ALLOWANCE MUST HAVE PROGRESSIVELY BEEN RAISED TO $720.OUR DOCTORS INCLUDING WELL TRAINED CONSULTANTS STILL TRAVEL TO WORK ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT DESPITE THE EARLIER PROMISE TO UNVEIL A MOTOR VEHICLE DUTY FREE FACILITY TO THE SECTOR.OUR DOCTORS WHO ARE FURTHERING THEIR STUDIES HAVE BEEN LEFT TO THE GALLOWS OF THE CAPITAL HUNGRY UNIVERSITY AND ARE BASICALLY DONATING THEIR TINY SALARIES TO FEES.

THESE ARE ONLY BUT A FEW OF THE FRUSTRATING EXAMPLES OF HOW HEALTH WORKERS HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED WHILST ON THE OTHER HAND THE RESPONSIBLE AUTHORITIES SWIM IN BREAD AND BUTTER AS THEIR KIDS ARE FLYING TO SCHOOL.THE LATE PRESIDENT MANDELA ONCE HIGHLIGHTED THAT FREEDOM CAN NEVER BE GRANTED BY THE OPPRESSOR BUT HAVE TO BE FOUGHT FOR BY THE OPPRESSED.

IN LIGHT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS GATHERED FROM THE NATIONWIDE CONSULTATIONS AND GUIDED BY THE NOTICE AND PETITION SERVED TO THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND THE HEALTH SERVICES BOARD MORE THAN TWO WEEKS AGO THE ASSOCIATION WISHES TO ANNOUNCE THAT WITH EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY 15 FEBRUARY,THERE SHALL BE A FULLY FLETCHED, NATIONWIDE INDUSTRIAL ACTION. ALL DOCTORS FROM THE CONSULTANT LEVEL TO OUR NEW JRMOS ARE ADVISED TO TAKE HEED OF THIS CALL.
THE THREE SPECIFIC DEMANDS ARE1. ALL DOCTORS WHO HAVE COMPLETED INTERNSHIP MUST NEVER HAVE THEIR CONTRACTS OF EMPLOYMENT TERMINATED OR ELSE BE GIVEN THEIR OPEN PRACTICING CERTIFICATES UPON COMPLETION OF INTERNSHIP.
2. THE CURRENT ON CALL ALLOWANCE BE REVISED UPWARDS TO A MINIMUM OF $720 FOR THE LOWEST PAID DOCTOR.
3. THE HEALTH SERVICES BOARD URGENTLY IMPLEMENTS THE AGREED DUTY FREE FRAMEWORK FOR ALL GOVERNMENT DOCTORS.THE ASSOCIATION WILL FROM TIME TO TIME BEGINNING THIS MONDAY WILL RELEASE DAILY UPDATES OF THE OPERATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THIS SEEMINGLY LONG BATTLE AND INDUSTRIAL ACTION. ALL DOCTORS ARE ADVISED TO COOPERATE AS THIS HISTORIC ACTION WILL PREVENT THE ENSUING CANCEROUS DESTRUCTION OF OUR NOBLE PROFESSION.YOURS IN DEFENCE OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONZHDA NATIONAL COMMITTEE AND ADVISORY PANEL.

Former vice-president Joice Mujuru’s bid to retain control of her Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) party in the face of a spirited campaign to dislodge her by former Zanu-PF heavyweights received a major boost yesterday when war veterans threw their weight behind her leadership.

Mujuru already enjoyed the backing of nine of the party’s 10 provincial structures who said they supported her decision to fire former State Security minister Didymus Mutasa, ex-Zanu-PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo, Claudius Makova and Margaret Dongo, a veteran opposition politician and one-time Zanu-PF legislator.

The ZimPF leader accuses her former allies of trying to scuttle ongoing talks with MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai to form a coalition to challenge President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu-PF party in next year’s elections.

War veterans are seen as a vital cog in Mujuru’s party as they are responsible for mobilisation and giving the party liberation war credentials that make it attractive to other opposition parties seeking a coalition.

“Indeed, we are fully behind our torch-bearer and brand, the interim president Dr JTR Mujuru and the national leadership for uprooting undesirable and retrogressive elements planted in our midst to cause disharmony in our party for the benefit of our enemy Zanu-PF,” a statement by ZimPF’s Interim Freedom Fighters national executive council reads in part.

“These agents of the Zanu-PF regime promoted factionalism and established parallel structures intended to cause divisions and destabilise the party in an effort to derail our noble vision to become the next government.”

The Elliot Kasu-led outfit pledged its support of the purge, which it said would rid the party of saboteurs.

“As such, we the freedom fighters do hereby unreservedly declare our total commitment and uncompromised stance in support of our president’s well thought out and calculated pre-emptive strike and associated interventions to clear the elements determined to stall progress, steal the people’s leadership and the party,” the statement added.

The war veterans also encouraged Mujuru to continue with her efforts to mobilise a coalition of opposition parties to challenge Mugabe. Mujuru also received the backing of women’s league with interim chairperson Marian Chombo saying they would now work hard to strengthen the party.

“We have programmes that we are rolling out to ensure the women’s wing reclaims ownership of its programmes,” she said.

“We are creating platforms for different women to organise themselves in their wards, identify particular programmes that they want to champion.”

“We will work hard to get sponsorship and resources for our own political programnes as women.

We will reach out to other women in business, civil society, politics, religion, sport and all sectors in order to tap from their skills and experiences.”

Meanwhile, Southern African Political and Economic Series (Sapes) Trust director Ibbo Mandaza said Mujuru appeared to be enjoying an upper hand in the tug of war.

“The group that has the majority of the support will emerge stronger,” he said.

“It will appear that Mujuru has more support from the 10 provincial chairpersons and if that is the case then clearly she is head stark and might be able to consolidate that position.

University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer Eldred Masunungure said all was not lost for ZimPF even though it would emerge weaker from the infighting.

“It is premature to answer the question in a clear-cut way but both might still have political life. The party is clearly disintegrating. It is decomposing though it can be resuscitated,” he said.

He said ZimPFwas sharply divided along two ideologies with the faction led by the so-called elders being nostalgic about the old “good” Zanu-PF ways while those sympathetic to Mujuru appeared to be inclined towards the opposition MDC-T.

Political analyst, Lloyd Sachikonye agreed that the split was not healthy for the party.
“In most cases when we have a split in a party it tends to weaken it. It is very rare that a split will strengthen the party,” he said.

“In this particular case what is likely going to happen is that the party will be weakened.”

Pedzisayi Ruhanya said none of the factions would emerge stronger from the crisis because ZimPF was yet to have elected office bearers.

“The two groups have not yet consummated themselves into a political party by congress where they are given the power by the people,” he said.

“Democracy is government for the people by the people and so the element of the people lack in both groups.

“None of both groups were elected by their membership people, they elected each other and this should be denounced in a democratic environment,” he said.

“Leadership derives its power from the general membership or from the will of the people who make up that political party so that group before it split was yet to go through a democratic internal electoral process so it is difficult to know which group is stronger or weaker in the absence of a properly constituted congress.”

Ruhanya added: “The honest truth is that none of the two groups is stronger because how do we measure the strength of the group outside congress where we see members coming together to elect leadership. Both groups lack legitimacy.”

Mujuru revealed in an exclusive interview with The Standard last month that she was close to clinching a coalition deal with Tsvangirai. – Standard

By Staff Reporter | Zvishavane’s Dadaya High School parents have dragged Primary and Secondary Education minister, Lazarus Dokora to court over the new education curriculum he has introduced.

The parents, through their School Development Committee (SDC) are accusing Dokora of imposing the new curriculum on their children without consultations.

The School’s SDC through its lawyers, Mutendi, Mudisi and Shumba Legal Practitioners, on Friday filed an urgent chamber application at the Bulawayo High Court citing Dokora and the school headmaster as respondents.

The parents are arguing that the new curriculum should be suspended until proper consultations have been done.

In his founding affidavit, the school’s SDC chairperson, Leopold Mudisi, argued that the implementation of the new curriculum compromised the education delivery system.
“The respondents made a complete paradigm shift from the conventional subjects offered at the school.

Subjects such as physical education, sport and mass displays have been made compulsory.
The subject combinations in terms of a circular made available to parents makes it impossible for pupils to fit into the existing system which the respondents are trying to phase out,” he said.

He further stated that the new curriculum was “an ambitious” project which would unnecessarily burden teachers and compromise the future of learners.

“The overhaul of the curriculum is impractical. The learning time for conventional subjects was always not enough and thus to introduce new subjects is ambitious and sounds myopic. There are no qualified teachers at the school to teach the new subjects and inevitably it will affect the pupils’ performance,” he said.

The parents said there was no way curriculum changes can be implemented without consultations.

They said since they were responsible for payment of school fees and the future of their children, they were supposed to be consulted.

“The parents are the guardians of these pupils since they are minors and as such their views and recommendations are of paramount importance. The Government does not offer grants for students and it is the parents who have the burden of financing the education of their children,” said Mudisi.

On Thursday the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe held a stakeholders meeting where it also resolved to sue Dokora.

A COWDRAY Park man who wants to get rid of his wife arrives home at midnight daily and plays loud music in an attempt to make life difficult for her.

Elphina Ndlovu, a teacher, made these revelations when she applied for a protection order against her husband Milton Ndlovu.

“I am a teacher and I need all the rest I can get but my husband comes home every night and plays loud music. My children and I fail to sleep and relax because he makes so much noise. I can’t take it anymore,” she said.

The stressed woman said her husband started abusing her emotionally and verbally after the death of their son who had cardiac arrest.

“My son died because of a heart problem and now my husband says I killed him. I am tired of insults and the abuse,” she said.

Ray Nkosi | In a rare show of praise for the Morgan Tsvangirai led Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Professor Jonathan Moyo says it is the only viable opposition in the country.

Moyo a senior minister in President Robert Mugabe’s government took to twitter to write, “A grand coalition in Zim is by definition untenable because there are many opposition individuals but only one real opposition party, MDC-T!”

Some of the opposition parties over the weekend sealed another coalition deal, uniting under  Coalition Of Democrats (CODE), at a function held in the capital, Harare.

Tsvangirai has been on a nationwide tour in which he consulted party structures on whether the MDC should enter into a coalition with other opposition parties, coming out with a resounding yes. The veteran opposition leader has also insisted that he be coalition leader since he leads the biggest party.

A Harare woman gave her second child to the church as thanksgiving offering after finally bearing children after four miscarriages that almost destroyed her marriage.

Convictions Mapfumo from Sally Mugabe Heights has given her child, who is now in Grade Three, to Holy Baptist Apostolic Church founder Bishop Susan Ziki Dube, who has assumed the role of the mother while the daughter assists in the church.

The story bears striking resemblance to the Biblical one of Hannah and her son Samuel.

Mapfumo said after going through the painful experience of miscarrying four pregnancies, the leader of Holy Baptist Apostolic Church prayed for her, and she has now conceived three girls born in 2005, 2009 and 2011.

Bishop Ziki Dube is well-known in the area as offering powerful prayers for people with varying needs and ailments.

“After my struggle to conceive, I decided to give this child to God as a tithe to thank Him for answering my prayers. I was prayed for by the leader of the church. I have also given myself to working in this church because there is nothing more I can give to God for what He has done for me.

“I was prompted to give this child because even in conceiving I did not know I was pregnant. In addition during the period of the pregnancy people would come to Mrs Ziki and give her preparation for the child. By the time the child was born she had more than she needed in terms of preparatory items. So I felt convicted in my heart to give her away to the work of God,” said Mapfumo, who is the secretary at the church.

The child has now assumed Bishop Ziki Dube’s surname and addresses her as mother, while Mapfumo has assumed the role of aunt.

“She no longer calls me mother, but auntie. The church leader, who also happens to be my niece, is now her mother. This was agreed upon with the consent of my husband.

“All the responsibilities that concern her have been assumed by Bishop Ziki Dube. Even when she gets married, Bishop Ziki Dube is entitled to get part of the lobola entitled for the mother of the child, and I have no problems with it,” Mapfumo said.

Mapfumo said she registered her church leader as the mother of the child on the birth certificate.

“We did not encounter problems and my husband had also waited to be guarantor so that the process would go on well. And it did. So she is now the legal mother,” said Mapfumo.

“I have given myself to the church. Even when the child used to call me mother I would not answer until the point where she is now used (to calling someone also mother). I see it as a tithe when I count the children I have miscarried and those I now have; hence it’s a befitting gift to God,” she said, adding that she desires to have a son.

“I have been prayed for and I am now pregnant. I have been asking God for a baby boy and I believe I will have him,” she said.

Mapfumo follows the example of the Biblical Hannah who gave up her son, Samuel, to the care of High Priest Eli in the Tabernacle.

In 1 Samuel 1, Hannah promised to give her child to the work of God if God fulfilled her desire to conceive. She later conceived more children. – Agencies

Staff Reporter | Joice Mujuru’s party split over donor funds the state media alleges.

Over the past week Mujuru’s Zimbabwe People First party has been engulfed in an internal turmoil out of which it might not recover, even before its official launch.

The state media claims that  Mujuru fell out with her lieutenants over her failure to account for membership subscriptions and funds donated to the party by foreign elements, our Harare Bureau has gathered.

ZimPF has been unwinding like thread on a spindle since last Wednesday when Dr Mujuru purportedly expelled seven of the party’s founders, accusing them of being Zanu-PF functionaries. The seven — among them Messrs Didymus Mutasa, Rugare Gumbo and Munacho Mutezo — in turn rejected Dr Mujuru’s leadership and said she was an interim head with no power to fire anyone. A day later, three high-ranking officials, Messrs Ray Kaukonde, Sylvester Nguni and Agrippa Mutambara, resigned.

ZimPF insiders told our Harare Bureau that tensions had been simmering for months. They said top officials were initially upbeat about ZimPF’s future under Dr Mujuru, but began to increasingly question her leadership capacity after internal and external interactions exposed her “serious limitations”.

Among their reservations were a proposed coalition with the MDC-T and participating in last month’s Bikita West National Assembly by-election, which the party lost heavily to Zanu-PF. Matters came to a head when Dr Mujuru allegedly failed to account for donations she received in South Africa, Sweden and the United Kingdom on behalf of ZimPF in 2016.

Her “evasiveness” regarding membership subscriptions totalling US$20 000 did not help the situation either, and the stage was set for last week’s showdown. ZimPF spokesperson Mr Jelousy Mawarire failed to comment on this, instead launching a tirade in which he accused Zanu-PF; Secretary for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Mr George Charamba; and The Sunday Mail and its sister paper The Herald, of “trying to destabilise our party”.

He said, “The way you are covering this issue is confirming what we have aways suspected; that George Charamba and your newspapers want to destroy our party. You stupid journalists are being used by Charamba and Zanu-PF. We now know that those old people (Mutasa and Gumbo) are Zanu-PF projects.”

However, an insider told the state media that , “One always saw this coming. Emotions were running high weeks before we contested in the Bikita West by-election. Some did not want us to participate, arguing that the party was not in good stead to take on Zanu-PF. This is where Mujuru’s leadership should have shone, but she appeared bent on pleasing (MDC-T leader Mr Morgan) Tsvangirai blindly and at whatever cost. Tsvangirai wanted to use our performance in Bikita to gauge our strength as a party. Therefore, she wanted to prove a point, something others in ZimPF did not agree with.”

Another added, “This is politics, and such issues could have been sorted out within no time. But the real issue that has caused all this turmoil is control of the purse. She appeared comfortable with keeping everyone in the dark on financial matters.

Remember, she visited three countries last year, managing to secure some donations. However, no one knows what happened to that money or subscriptions we got from membership card sales.The party is broke; people have been using their own vehicles to run party affairs. There are no offices at provincial and district level. The fallout is really all about money and how it was being used. ZimPF coffers are dry and Mujuru is to blame.”

Our Harare Bureau caught up with Engineer Mutezo, Mr Mutambara and former ZimPF women’s affairs leader Ms Margaret Dongo as they explored strategies going forward; alongside Messrs Mutasa, Gumbo and Kudakwashe Bhasikiti and Colonel (Retired) Claudius Makova at ZimPF’s headquarters in Harare last Friday.

Eng Mutezo, who was in charge of finance in the united ZimPF, accused Dr Mujuru of running the party like a “backyard tuckshop” and diverting funds to personal use.

“I was in charge of the party’s funds. Our problems with her leadership qualities started when she left the country with a begging bowl heading to the United Kingdom, Middle East and South Africa without the knowledge of the executive. What I know is we have sold over 20 000 membership cards since the formation of the party, but if you check the balance sheet, you will be shocked. God only knows what happened to that money. At one point, we called for accountability and suggested mechanisms to plug leakages, but she was adamant and did not want to comply as she was also picking from the same cookie jar. Investigations later revealed that she was working with a syndicate of provincial co-ordinators.”

Mr Mutambara chipped in, “She does not respect accountability. She always defended underhand dealers who are using her to source funds. And she has not been open about how much money was raised (from international trips); even to the treasurer of the party. If one questioned her on such matters, she would become hostile.”

Ms Dongo added: “When we said people must account for the money they abused or misused, she would protect those people.

Imagine what would happen if she were to be the President of this country? A person who spends time with street dealers and takes them for advisors cannot surely lead. It’s sad.”

Former ZimPF youth chair Mr Luckson Kandemiri said, “One of her problems is the feeling of entitlement. The party became her personal project. When it came to the issue of money, it was a one-man show. Even the treasurer was not aware of how she was operating and of who was funding her trips locally and internationally. When you asked, you became her enemy.”

GOVERNMENT will cut the civil service wage bill from 90 percent to 55 percent by 2018, a Cabinet Minister has said.

Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa said staff rationalisation was already underway and bearing fruit.

“We are targeting to reduce the proportion of expenditure from over 90 percent to less than 55 percent by 2018-9. I am confident that we will achieve it.

“Government has two avenues to address the wage bill which are staff rationalisation and improving production. We have already started staff rationalisation and the other method is to grow the cake – production, production and more production. We are also dealing with the issue to do with the current account deficit,” said Minister Chinamasa.

The minister added that Government was undertaking fiscal and economic reforms to reduce the cost of doing business and to attract FDI.

“I’m very pleased with the progress made in addressing fiscal reforms and ease of doing business. As we speak Cabinet has already adopted a raft of measures to rationalise the civil service; these raft measures are now implemented.

“We already made some savings in 2016 (due to the rationalisation measures we have taken). Progress may not be fast as we want but it’s being made.”

Government has already abolished 22 000 posts which were deemed excess and saved close to US$100 million.

In line with IMF recommendations, Government is streamlining its 188 070-strong workforce.

In the first half of 2015, Treasury spent US$1,54 billion on labour, against revenue of US$1,718 billion. On a monthly basis, US$120 million is spent on salaries.

According to the 2015 Civil Service Audit Report, dominant labour cost drivers are abuse of overtime allowance facilities and leave days, salary fraud, idle manpower, role duplication and unco-ordinated recruitment.

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr John Mangudya said, “We need to deal with the current practice of using 90 percent of the national budget on civil service salaries.

“That cannot be sustained. It puts too much pressure on the system.”

He said this had resulted in the current cash crunch as Zimbabwe was spending more on salaries than on production that generates foreign currency. – State Media

THE Bulawayo City Council spent US$118 000 in buying a top-of the-range vehicle for its Mayor, Councillor Martin Moyo.

The cost is almost double what the local authority spent when they bought their former Mayor, Mr Thaba Moyo’s vehicle in 2010.

Clr Moyo (pictured) got the vehicle a Mercedes Benz GLE 250 class a couple of weeks ago, replacing his Mazda BT50 which he has been using since his appointment in 2013.

Responding to written questions, the local authority’s senior public relations officer, Mrs Nesisa Mpofu defended the council decision to buy the car revealing that everything was done above board as they had received Cabinet approval hence rubber stamping the purchase.

“The purchase price was $118 000. The Mayoral vehicle was purchased following a council resolution of 6 November 2013 and Cabinet Approval Circular Number 16 of 2011 as well as approval by the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, the Office of The President and Cabinet and the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development,” said Mrs Mpofu. She said the vehicle, which was manufactured last year and is one of the latest ranges of Mercedes Benz, was bought locally at Isoquant Investments Private Limited trading as Zimoco.

In 2010, the local authority raised the ire of residents after they splashed $65 000 towards the purchase of a luxurious Dodge Chrysler for its former Mayor, Mr Moyo at the expense of service delivery. – State Media

A MASVINGO man is battling for life at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare after he was shot at the back and on the thigh by two armed robbers who were attempting to steal from his shop in Pangolin suburb on Wednesday, police confirmed.

Mr Gift Cephas (31) of Mucheke reportedly subdued one of the robbers who was not armed before wrestling with the other one brandishing a pistol. When the unarmed robber realised that his partner was being overpowered, he assaulted Mr Cephas with fists and booted feet.

Sensing danger, Mr Cephas fled into the shop but was shot at the back and left thigh and fell unconscious on the veranda.

National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said the incident happened around 9pm. She said the suspects will soon be arrested as police were on their trail.

“I want to warn these criminals that they will soon be arrested. Our details are on their trail. We, however, urge shop owners to be very cautions of these robbers especially in Masvingo where they are wreaking havoc. We also appeal to members of the public against resisting orders, better give in as per their instructions because they are a dangerous lot,” said Snr Asst Comm Charamba.

A witness at the shopping centre said on the day in question, a man masquerading as a customer entered into Pangolin Mini Market at Pangolin Shopping Centre and asked for cigarettes from Mr Cephas. However, Mr Cephas told the man that there were no cigarettes and he went out, only to return in the company of another man.

“One of them asked for the price of mealie-meal. The other one, who looked tall, slim and dark in complexion and was clad in a three-quarter short and a yellow t-shirt drew a pistol and fired in the direction of Mr Cephas at the same time shouting that he wanted money,” said the witness.

Mr Cephas reportedly responded by punching one of the men on the face before grabbing the other one who was armed with a pistol. He said the armed man fired two shots intending to shoot Mr Cephas and he screamed for help but no one came to his rescue.

“Mr Cephas wrestled with his aggressor until they came out of the shop.”

It is said on realising that his accomplice was about to be overpowered, the other accused joined in and assaulted Mr Cephas.

Mr Cephas is said to have tried to flee back to the shop but was shot once on the back and once on the left thigh. The two then disappeared without stealing anything.

A shopkeeper from the next shop who had hidden behind the counter went to the scene after the two had disappeared and found Mr Cephas lying unconscious on the veranda. She then called for help and Mr Cephas was taken to Masvingo General Hospital where he was later transferred to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare.

A report was made at Chikato Police. Police also found spent cartridges and two bullet head casings in the shop which had blood stains. Snr Asst Comm Charamba advised members of the public with information on the whreabouts of the robbers to phone on 039-264421 or their nearest police station.-state media

A Zimbabwean ex-secret police officer who murdered for President Robert Mugabe’s regime has entered New Zealand on a fake passport and is trying to set up a life here.

William Nduku, arrived in New Zealand in 2015. Living in limbo, he was refused asylum or the right to work and study and has been forced to survive on handouts from friends and the expat community and could face death if deported back to Zimbabwe.

On arrival to New Zealand, the 31-year-old said he immediately informed Immigration New Zealand that he’d entered the country under an assumed identity and was seeking asylum.

He said at 19, he was forced to serve in Mugabe’s secret police and participated in up to 20 murders, several rapes and multiple tortures.

He escaped Zimbabwe more than a decade ago saying his life was as risk, now he wants to start life anew in New Zealand.

Nduku spent several months in Mt Eden prison. While in prison he alleged members of the Mongrel Mob assaulted him on a regular basis.

“It was awful. I wouldn’t wish that experience on anybody.”

His name is known to Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse, who said he was prevented from discussing the case due to privacy.

A spokesperson for Woodhouse said he stood by all decisions made in relation to this case.

Nduku said he had been living off the generosity of others in Auckland, forced to try and make a living without the right to work.

He admitted to doing odd jobs for cash and even working for a fibre company for several months, who he claimed had underpaid him because of his status.

“It sometimes feels like the Government wants me to steal so that I can survive. I will never take anything that does not belong to me.”

“I once stole a mango out of hunger, and my mother gave me such a beating for it. My mother raised us right.”

Zimbabwe is known for the Mugabe leadership, characterised by rigged elections and the extreme violence meted out by his secret police and the central intelligence organisation in order to crush dissent.

Nduku said he was indoctrinated into this system from an early age. He said he had been forced to join Mugabe’s forces. Born into a life of poverty, he had to scavenge for food and had been unable to get proper access to education.

He lost both his parents and an older sister to HIV/AIDs, he said.

Once in the forces, he was trained in how to torture a person for information.

He recalled being told to drive a car into a large lake.

When they got into the car they found a bag of cement, and soon after realised that somebody was tied-up in the boot.

“Someone was watching us. We could see the glint of binoculars in the distance and it made us nervous. The man in the boot was badly beaten and disfigured. We ended up mixing the cement and pouring it into the boot with him.

“But we never locked the boot as we drove the vehicle into the lake. I guess we hoped it would give the man a fighting chance to try and escape.”

Nduku turned his back and walked away that day, never knowing whether the man survived.

While he had to witness and practice atrocities, he said he also saved lives, he claimed he always offered money from his own pocket to people who were earmarked for torture to aid their escape.

Nduku said it took two years as part of the secret police to realise he would be killed like many of his peers if he didn’t escape Zimbabwe.

He managed to escape to Namibia before he crossed the border into South Africa, where he spent almost a decade.

He alleged that he was illegally handed over to Zimbabwe, but that he’d managed to escape on the Zimbabwean side before members of the Zanu-PF party loyal to Mugabe could pick him up.

“I would simply have disappeared had they found me there,” he added.

He managed to return to South Africa where he ended up buying a fake ID for R15,000 (NZ$1,500). This allowed him to apply for a South African passport.

Human rights attorney Deborah Manning, who represents Nduku, has tried and failed to convince New Zealand’s Government to issue him a work or student visa.

A controversial case, due to Nduku having admitted crime, Executive Director of Amnesty International New Zealand Grant Bayldon said the case was difficult to comment on.

“Despite the nature of this case, the New Zealand Government must ensure a fair process to address his claims, along with a commitment to do so quickly.”

Immigration lawyer Simon Laurent said the Government were not obliged to issue a visa if asylum or refugee status has been declined to a person.

“It might be the case that he is in limbo because our Government is doing nothing because he came over on a fake passport from a third country. They might just not be able to find his real travel documents.”

However, he said usually if somebody had been declined refugee or asylum status they would be deported.

Nduku said he was desperately keen to get on with a life here and he wanted to study.

He was confident he would be able to eventually gain the right to work in New Zealand.

“Speak to me again in eight years and I’ll have my PHD. I just want the chance to make something of myself.” stuff.co.nz

One person died and several others were injured when a commuter omnibus collided with a light passenger vehicle along Samora Machel Avenue near Long Cheng Plaza in Harare this morning (Saturday).

When the News crew arrived at the scene, the wreckage of the two vehicles which collided had been towed away and the injured ferried to hospital but the lifeless body of a middle aged woman who died on the spot was yet to be taken to mortuary.

An eye witness said the light passenger vehicle failed to give way at the intersection resulting in a collision with the omnibus which was speeding.

Residents of the area said the usually busy intersection has become a black spot and called on the city fathers to install traffic lights or grids on the deadly spot.

Police are yet to provide an official statement regarding the accident and the number of injured passengers. – State Media

A man from Bulawayo who allegedly killed his friend and buried him in a shallow grave in Burnside suburb could be a serial killer as he has led police to a second body.

Rodney Tongai Jindu (25) of Glengarry suburb allegedly shot Cyprian Kudzurunga (28) from Queens Park suburb at point blank range with a shotgun on January 29 before burying the body at a vacant residential stand in the leafy Burnside suburb.

Yesterday he led officers from the Criminal Investigations Department Homicide Section to the same piece of land — Number 13 Westmount Road — where the body of his second victim, Mboneli Ncube, was discovered next to the spot where he allegedly buried Kudzurunga.

Ncube, also known as Keith, went missing on January 12 this year. He lived four houses away from Jindu’s home in Glengarry suburb.

There is allegedly a third missing person who was last seen with Jindu.

Sources close to investigations said Jindu told police that he killed Ncube for ritual purposes and went on to kill Kudzurunga because he feared he would expose him after he (Kudzurunga) allegedly stumbled on evidence of the murder.

Police yesterday exhumed Ncube’s mutilated body. The head, a hand and both legs had been cut off.

“He said he killed Ncube after being offered $20 000 or a Toyota Quantum by a group of omalayitsha (names withheld). He said he shot Ncube dead and handed over the body to the cross border transporters who mutilated it and gave him the remains for burial,” said the source.

Ncube (age not established), was reported missing at Queens Park Police Station on January 15.

A source said Ncube’s family was alerted by a report in The Chronicle on February 6 detailing Jindu’s alleged cold blooded killing of Kudzurunga.

Neighbours in Glengarry said Ncube and Jindu were close friends with contrasting characters.

“Keith (Ncube) was a jovial young man, a devout Jehovah’s Witness, but Jindu was a quiet person who kept to himself,” said a neighbour.

It has since emerged that Jindu was targeting people whose surname is Ncube  for the ritual killings.

One of neighbours who identified herself as MaNcube said she became worried after learning from the police that he was targeting Ncubes.

Staff Reporter | The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has literally told embattled Zimbabwe People First rival factions to go and sort out their mess and not bring in the commission.

The commission’s response comes after Didymus Mutasa and Rugare Gumbo, who claim to be the founders of the party, wrote a letter notifying ZEC that they had relieved Joice Mujuru of her duties as leader of ZimPF.

ZEC chairperson Justice Rita Makarau said that her commission does not register political parties nor does it interfere in the leadership of the parties.

“As ZEC, we do not register political parties and whatever internal disputes they have, we do not have a mandate to meddle in them.”

In the letter to ZEC and co-signed by Mutasa and Gumbo, the two said: “This letter serves to notify you that Joice Teurai Ropa Mujuru is no longer the interim president of Zimbabwe People First. She is no longer entitled to represent the party at any capacity nor to use the name Zimbabwe People First. Joice Teurai Ropa Mujuru was appointed as the interim president of Zimbabwe People First pending its inaugural elective convention.

“However, due to irreconcilable differences in ideological thinking and leadership qualities, we advise that we have removed Joice Teurai Ropa Mujuru as the party’s interim president. The founders of the party, Rugare Gumbo and Didymus Mutasa shall in the meantime act as the interim leaders of the party and shall be legitimate representatives of Zimbabwe People First.”

By Staff Reporter | Zvishavane’s Dadaya High School founded by Sir Garfield Todd parents have dragged Primary and Secondary Education minister, Lazarus Dokora to court over the new education curriculum he has introduced.

The parents, through their School Development Committee (SDC) are accusing Dokora of imposing the new curriculum on their children without consultations.

The School’s SDC through its lawyers, Mutendi, Mudisi and Shumba Legal Practitioners, on Friday filed an urgent chamber application at the Bulawayo High Court citing Dokora and the school headmaster as respondents.
The parents are arguing that the new curriculum should be suspended until proper consultations have been done.
In his founding affidavit, the school’s SDC chairperson, Leopold Mudisi, argued that the implementation of the new curriculum compromised the education delivery system.
“The respondents made a complete paradigm shift from the conventional subjects offered at the school.
Subjects such as physical education, sport and mass displays have been made compulsory.
The subject combinations in terms of a circular made available to parents makes it impossible for pupils to fit into the existing system which the respondents are trying to phase out,” he said.

He further stated that the new curriculum was “an ambitious” project which would unnecessarily burden teachers and compromise the future of learners.
“The overhaul of the curriculum is impractical. The learning time for conventional subjects was always not enough and thus to introduce new subjects is ambitious and sounds myopic. There are no qualified teachers at the school to teach the new subjects and inevitably it will affect the pupils’ performance,” he said.
The parents said there was no way curriculum changes can be implemented without consultations.
They said since they were responsible for payment of school fees and the future of their children, they were supposed to be consulted.
“The parents are the guardians of these pupils since they are minors and as such their views and recommendations are of paramount importance. The Government does not offer grants for students and it is the parents who have the burden of financing the education of their children,” said Mudisi.
On Thursday the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe held a stakeholders meeting where it also resolved to sue Dokora

Hundreds of people came to bid farewell to the late Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Mutare right Reverend Patrick Mumbure Mutume who died on Wednesday after suffering for nine years from a kidney ailment.
He was laid to rest at Trials Hills in Mutasa district.

Many people thronged St Dominic`s High School in Mutare for the church service of the late auxiliary Bishop Mutume before the body was taken to its final resting place at Trials Hills.

A family representative Mr Danford Mumbure said the late bishop was a hard worker and pinnacle of the family, describing him as father to the diocese church in Zimbabwe.

A close friend of the late Reverend Mutume Bishop Sebastian Bakare who worked together with the presiding bishop of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Zimbabwe Bishop Trevor Manhanga and the late bishop in mediating during the 2008 elections which led to the establishment of the global political agreement and the subsequent formation of the inclusive government, spoke about Bishop Mutume’s commitment to peace and justice.

The Zanu PF national secretary for administration Dr Ignatious Chombo who was among the mourners said the late Bishop Mutume understood the essence of peace and described him as a reservoir of knowledge, with the Manicaland Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Cde Mandi Chimene underscoring the need for church to play its part in shaping the nation and ensure that peace is established.

The late Bishop Mutume played a big role during the liberation struggle and was incarcerated for his active political involvement by the Rhodesian government.

He was ordained priesthood and subsequently appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Mutare in 1979 after the expulsion of the bishop of Mutare, the late right Reverend Donal Lamont by the Ian Smith government. – State Media

President Robert Mugabe has set April 8, 2017 as the date for the Mwenezi East parliamentary by-election. The seat fell vacant on December 22, 2016 following the death of Joshua ‘Mazebra’ Moyo after a long illness.

The nomination court will be convened at Masvingo Magistrates Court on February 17, 2017.

Recently expelled Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) founding member, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti said the ZimPF ‘brand is ours’ and vowed to contest the by-election on the party’s ticket.

He told TellZim News that ZimPF will hold primary elections to field a candidate for the by-election.

“What Mujuru did does not bother us at all. We are going to Mwenezi and no one will stop us. We will use the ZimPF brand and as for Joyce Mujuru, she will have to look for another name if she is still interested in politics. We are actually going to meet with party members tomorrow (Saturday) and hold our primaries,” Bhasikiti said.

“If people choose me to stand for them, I will do so. It is the people’s voice we should obey,” he added.

Bhasikiti also promised continued support for ZimPF candidate; Rosewetta Madzivire who is battling it out with Zanu PF’s William Shangwa in the Masvingo RDC Ward 12 by-election slated for February 25, 2017.

“ZimPF is going for the Masvingo RDC ward by-election and we are rallying behind our candidate full time,” Bhasikiti said.

In 2015, soon after his expulsion from Zanu PF, Bhasikiti failed to turn up for the nomination court despite having earlier promised to contest the seat as an independent.

Moyo was then declared winner uncontested but he soon fell ill and was unable to attend parliament for much of his time before he eventually passed away. – TellZim

 Staff Reporter | Olinda Chideme is back on Facebook LIVE to tell a growing audience she is done with Stunner.

Olinda says, “I just want to go and pack my things and leave.”

Stunner does not want to give back what Olinda has given him and has threatened to call the police should she arrive in Zimbabwe. “I do not want drama with him, I want my cars, my furniture my everything.”

Apparently this time round Stunner has been recorded in another car sex video with Dion which was leaked to Olinda through her son.

“Dion if you are watching this you can Desmond for the lying cheat he is. He was even telling me you were a mistake and he was just passing through…Desmond just be a gentlement and give me everything that belongs to me and we are done,” said a calm Olinda.

She has threatened to post the girl’s pictures and the video. More to follow…

A 58-YEAR-OLD man allegedly drowned while show-boating swimming skills that he claimed he acquired crossing dangerous rivers in neighbouring Botswana.

Bhekelani Sibanda of Inyathi Cooperative, Ward 14 drowned in Ngwigwizi River in Inyathi at around 1AM on Wednesday while on his way home.

Ward 15 councillor Meluleki Sibanda said Sibanda was drunk at the time.

“He was walking from Mahamba Business Centre with Gugulethu Sibanda (33) of same area and five unidentified people. They were coming from drinking beer at the business centre,” said Clr Sibanda.

“They found Ngwigwizi River flooded and water was flowing above the bridge.

“There were stuck pedestrians on both sides of the bridge and about six commuter omnibuses and two private vehicles waiting for the floods to subside so that they could cross.”

“Sibanda announced to the waiting crowd and his friends that he was proceeding to cross the flooded river as he used to do so when he was resident in more risky places in Botswana,” he said.

Gugulethu and some others villagers tried to restrain him from crossing but he wouldn’t listen and he crossed heading due east.

In an attempt to show off to the rest of the nervous crowd, he got to the other side but tried to cross back. He was swept away by the floods when he was in the middle of the bridge.

A source said: “Police attended the scene and during investigations of the missing person at around 6PM, information was received from Gugulethu that the missing person had been swept away by floods during the night.”

By yesterday afternoon, police had not yet retrieved the body.

In another incident on the same day at Inyathi, Mduduzi Ndlovu (32) of Silas Hope Farm in Ward 14 allegedly drowned in Khoce River as he was coming from work at Joker Mine.

Ward 14 councillor Cookie Moyo said that Ndlovu knocked off duty at around 8AM on Wednesday and was walking home with workmates when the tragedy occurred.

“When they approached a crossing point at Khoce River, they found the river flooded. Ndlovu insisted he wanted to cross the flooded river but his workmates warned him not to.

“He did not take heed and jumped into the river. He was swept away by heavy currents when he was half way through,” she said.

She warned parents to advise school children to be extra careful and stay in one place when it is raining.

“This year’s rains have resulted in a lot of disasters. I urge pupils to stay at home after heavy rains, especially those who cross rivers and streams.

“In case it rains heavily when they’re at school, I advise that parents arrange that their children put up for the night at other villagers’ homes on that side of the rivers,” said Clr Moyo. – State Media

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai is apparently so concerned about the ugly fallout between Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) interim leader Joice Mujuru and the party’s founding fathers, that he phoned one of these stalwarts on Wednesday – Didymus Mutasa – to express his disquiet about the damaging ructions.

But despite his disappointment with the turmoil engulfing ZPF, the Daily News understands that the former prime minister in the government of national unity has also given Mujuru some oxygen of sorts by re-affirming his commitment to working with her in the mooted grand opposition alliance, which is expected to be in place by the end of this year.

Mutasa confirmed yesterday that a concerned Tsvangirai had indeed enquired from him about the farcical ZPF events of Wednesday, in which Mujuru fired her top lieutenants, including Mutasa and Rugare Gumbo – who responded in kind by summarily sacking the former vice president from the fledgling party.

“Tsvangirai phoned me about what is happening and I told him that he should ask Mujuru,” Mutasa said.

Tsvangirai’s spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka, also confirmed to the Daily News yesterday that his boss was very worried about the events unfolding within ZPF, but said there was “no turning back” on the opposition’s planned coalition.

“We cannot comment on what is happening at a neighbour’s house even if that neighbour is a friend, suffice to say that the president sees the developments as unfortunate.

“It is also unfortunate that it is the opposition that is attracting the negative publicity when the real culprit (Zanu-PF) is watching from the sidelines.

“But the decision to form a coalition has been made by the national assembly and we will stand by that,” Tamborinyoka said.

In an unexpected bombshell that shook both the opposition movement and ordinary Zimbabweans alike, Mujuru on Wednesday morning announced that she had expelled the founding elders of the party Gumbo and Mutasa, together with five other party heavyweights – on account of them being alleged Zanu-PF agents and working to topple her from her interim position.

“Having done extensive consultation within the rank and file of the party and also in my capacity as the president with the executive authority to ensure its wellbeing, I hereby announce the expulsion of the following members from Zimbabwe People First with immediate effect: Rugare Gumbo, Didymus Mutasa, Margaret Dongo, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, Luckson Kandemiri, Munacho Mutezo and Claudious Makova,” she said.

But no sooner had she completed her briefing than the situation turned into a complete farce, when Mutasa and Gumbo announced at their own press conference that they had similarly expelled Mujuru from ZPF.

Gumbo said Mujuru had “revealed to all and sundry” that she was incapable of leading an opposition party, and was therefore not fit to hold such an office.

“She has declared war on us and the die has been cast. We don’t think that she is the right person to lead us. We no longer recognise her as the leader of People First,” Gumbo said at the packed media event which was also attended by the other supposedly expelled members.

Weighing in, Mutasa said even though the elders were still to settle for her successor, one thing they were sure about was that they were “tired” of her style of leadership.

“We are not surprised by her irrational and emotional decision purporting to expel us. In fact, at the time she held her press conference, we were waiting for her at the party offices as she had told us that we should wait for her since she was at the Trauma Centre.

“She has no right to expel us. Mujuru was in fact appointed by us the founders of the party to lead the party as the interim president,” Mutasa thundered in remarks that don’t bode well for the still-to-properly-take-off party.

“An intelligent Mujuru would not have expelled VaGumbo and Mutasa. She has not got even a modicum of intelligence,” Mutasa added mockingly.

But a defiant Mujuru said yesterday that the expulsion of the founding elders and five other officials was good riddance, as they were allegedly “damaged goods”.

Her spokesperson Gift Nyandoro told the Daily News that they now felt that they no longer had damaged goods within their ranks and would thus be able to negotiate better with other political parties as they endeavoured to form the mooted grand coalition against Zanu-PF.

“Nothing has changed over the talks. ZPF remains focussed on the talks . . . Mujuru is the face of the party and she is the one who was given the mandate to engage all other progressive opposition leaders to ensure that we confront Zanu-PF as a united front,” he said.

But as Nyandoro spoke, dozens of other party stalwarts were deserting the burning new kid on the political block yesterday, putting its future in doubt.

Amid the chaos, Mujuru has been working behind the scenes with Tsvangirai and other smaller opposition parties towards the formation of the planned grand coalition.

In addition, Zanu-PF apparatchiks have lately been working overtime to discredit Mujuru, in what observers have described as a desperate bid to scupper Tsvangirai’s ongoing coalition talks with her.

Analysts have also consistently said that a united opposition, fighting with one purpose, would bring to an end Mugabe’s long rule – especially at this time when the country’s economy is dying and the increasingly frail nonagenarian is battling to keep his warring Zanu-PF united.

Since Mujuru joined hands with Tsvangirai and marched with him in the streets of Gweru in August last year – in a rare public display of unity among the opposition – there have been growing calls by fed up citizens for the formation of a grand opposition alliance.

Earlier this week, Tsvangirai said Mujuru had proved to be a significant opposition player – and that the two would work together with others to dethrone Mugabe and Zanu-PF from power next year.

Mujuru was expelled from Zanu-PF together with Gumbo and Mutasa in the run-up to the ruling party’s sham “elective congress” in December 2014, on untested allegations of plotting to assassinate and topple Mugabe from power.

Shyleen Mtandwa | President Robert Mugabe’s District Administration officials on Friday instructed local chiefs to block the MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai from meeting with his party supporters in that district.

Tsvangirai is on a national tour where he is engaging with communities in preparation for next year’s crucial elections.

On Friday,Tsvangirai invaded Masvingo on the same mission.

According to his spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka, at Gutu growth point Tsvangirai met only a few people as a result of an order which was given by the DA officials to stop people from attending the MDC-T leader’s meeting.

“So fearful has the regime become of these consultation programmes, particularly with traditional leaders that the Gutu DA called an emergency meeting with chiefs and headmen to scuttle the MDC leader’s engagements.”

“However, the turnout was good as most turned up to discuss the future of the country they love with President Tsvangirai,”said Tamborinyoka.

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo | Outspoken Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe(PDZ) leader, Barbara Nyagomo, has called on democratic forces to unite and thwart President Robert Mugabe’s ploy to destroy opposition parties ahead of next year’s elections.

Speaking after the signing of the Coalition of Democrats (CODE) agreement, Nyagomo said the Mugabe regime was battling to split opposition parties ahead of next year’s crucial plebiscite.

Political analysts have, however, remained largely sceptical of the CODE agreement indicating Mugabe will remain unfazed by the setup. Commenting on the internecine battles in Zimbabwe People First party led by Joice Mujuru’s, Nyagomo said the Zim People First Project was infiltrated by Central Intelligence Organisation(CIO)agents from inception.
“Mugabe wants to weaken opposition parties ahead of the elections.Mujuru’s party has been infiltrated by CIO agents so the project is likely to collapse. However, it is imperative for opposition parties to unite ahead of the elections.

Mugabe wants to make sure that opposition forces are disjointed so let us resist his trickery,” said Nyagomo. Party Vice President Victor Mpofu said the CODE agreement was a milestone move towards the establishment of a united and democratic society ahead of the 2018 polls. “We strongly believe that the fragmentation of opposition parties is the major setback in the struggle for democracy. For so long we have been standing on separate latitudes thereby denying the citizens of Zimbabwe a legitimate government. However the CODE agreement will certainly transform the political situation in the country after more than three decades of suffering under the Mugabe regime,”said Mpofu.
However political analysts have said Mujuru’s decision to fire the seven tired political figures is noble and bold. “Mujuru is right because the seven tired political figures have nothing new to contribute towards the rebuilding of the ruined economy. The guys are past their prime so they have nothing to offer to the people of Zimbabwe,”said Batsiranai Ngugama , a local political analyst.

A ZIMBABWEAN man is suspected to have been “killed” after he died under unclear circumstances while being held at Lindela Deportation Facility in South Africa.

Ntando Ndlovu (36) from Lupane District in Matabeleland North Province is said to have died in December last year and his family only received the disturbing news on Tuesday morning.

Zimbabwe Consular General to South Africa, Mr Batiraishe Mukonoweshuro, said Ndlovu had been arrested for illegal migration.

“Ntando Ndlovu passed away on 8 December 2016 while at the South African deportation holding facility known as Lindela Deportation Facility. The facility houses illegal immigrants that would be awaiting deportation.

“Ndlovu was an illegal immigrant as he didn’t have documents to validate his stay which led to his arrest. The cause of his death is still to be ascertained,” he said.

Ndlovu’s sister, Samukeliso, said the family was informed on Tuesday through the Lupane Registry office that he had died in South Africa two weeks ago.

“Ntando was the last born child in our family and his passing has left us devastated. The most painful part is that we will never know what caused his death or how he died. We knew Ntando as someone who was working in South Africa and then we suddenly hear that he is no more,” she said.

Samukeliso said her elder brother Simon was advised to visit the Registry office to sign an affidavit to enable them to collect their sibling’s body.

She said authorities from the neighbouring country had indicated that they had struggled to locate his brother’s relatives as he did not have any form of identity.

“My elder brother was informed about Ntando’s death on Tuesday morning. This news came as a huge shock to us. They told him Ntando died while being held at a prison in South Africa. We were not informed of the cause of his death, why he was arrested or which prison he was being held in,” Samukeliso said adding that Ndlovu last communicated with his family in August last year.

She said he was staying with some relatives in the neighbouring country but he moved out in August and that was the last they heard from him. Samukeliso said her young brother was not involved in criminal activities but was a quiet and reserved person.

She said they were making plans for the body to be repatriated for burial at his rural home. – State Media

Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) leader Joice Mujuru has effectively boosted the political fortunes of her former boss President Robert Mugabe.

Some Zimbabweans have expressed dismay over the goings-on in the opposition Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) party led by former vice president Joice Mujuru, who expelled some top members Wednesday claiming that they wanted to unseat her.
In turn, the expelled members – Rugare Enock Ngidi Gumbo, Didymus N. E. Mutasa, Margaret Dongo, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti-Chuma, Luckson Kandemiri, Munacho Mutezo and Cloudious Makova, also claim that Mujuru, terminated her links with ZimPF when she made the announcement.
In response to journalists, some Zimbabweans said such friction in opposition parties will assist Zanu PF to retain power in an impoverished nation, which it has ruled for more than 36 years.
One of the respondents, Tinayeshe Sithole said opposition parties in Zimbabwe are a waste of time.
His remarks were echoed by Tinashe Zvidza, who noted that “ … It means Zanu PF is Zimbabwe and it is here to stay.”
According to Paul Gold, another respondent, “(Friction in ZimPF) That’s why opposition parties won’t win (national elections) …”
The same skepticism was expressed by Zamani Nyathi, who only said, “After all that they will tell us that they are going to defeat ZANU PF. Never!!”
Sibangani Ncube noted that Mujuru “is another aspiring opposition leader who will spend more time fighting for her survival as an opposition leader than getting into ruling politics.”
Others expressed skepticism over Mujuru’s party in forming a coalition with opposition parties like the Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai and others, pointing out that her party was now too weak to pose any kind of threat to President Robert Mugabe’s ruling Zanu PF party.
A respondent identified as Perpias Masigale stressed that “I don’t see the reason of MDC should have a coalition with Mujuru as the MDC won the election in 2008 on its own. We cannot trust Mujuru. Please Tsvangirai stop this for the love of your supporters and the nation.”
Ethen Chidziya expressed the same sentiments, saying there were indications that the MDC-T was also facing serious internal squabbles.
“This is very scary and with rumours that the MDC-T is divided with (vice president Thokozani) Khupe defying Tsvangirai. One can’t help but to think we need Plan B.”
Elliot Murevesi said, “Opposition? Grand coalition? Really? Kkkkkk! Maybe Grand ZERO!”
Other respondents said divisions in ZimPF were being fueled by Zanu PF ahead of the 2018 general elections.
Mathews Estone is among repondents thinking that there is a hidden hand in factionalism gripping Mujuru’s party.
“The Zanu PF game plan cannot be ruled out here as dividing every opposition unit is their survival tactic. It’s time to think deeply whether it’s Mujuru or the fired cadres who are playing the game on behalf of Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF.
“Wait and see some of the fired people will have their cases heard in Zanu PF meetings and re-admitted into structures so they give the internal plans of ZimPF and other opposition parties which they shared during (National Electoral Reform Agenda) NERA and other proposed coalition meetings.”
Some Zimbabweans, who responded to the VOA Studio 7 Facebook thread, simply urged Mujuru to endorse Tsvangirai as the leader of any opposition coalition to be formed ahead of the 2018 general elections.
Zanu PF expelled Mujuru and her colleagues alleging that they wanted to topple President Mugabe. – VOA

 Terrence Mawawa, Mwenezi | The First Lady Grace Mugabe’s top aides in the Masvingo Province were thrown out of a Zanu PF closed door meeting in Mwenezi last weekend. The two, Jeppey Jaboon (Provincial Political Commissar) and Amasa Nhenjana (ousted provincial chairperson) were ejected from the closed door meeting held to vet party candidates ahead of the Mwenezi East by-election.

Party sources told ZimEye.com Nhenjana and Jaboon were thrown out of the crucial party meeting by reinstated chairperson Ezra Chadzamira and Gutu Central MP, Lovemore Matuke both strong members of the Team Lacoste Camp.

“Jaboon and Nhenjana were humiliated at the Mwenezi meeting.They were openly told they were not party of the invited officials,”said a party source. Jaboon later returned and pleaded with Chadzamira and Matuke to allow him to attend the meeting.

“Jaboon returned later and distanced himself from Nhenjana claiming Chadzamira’s reinstatement was above board.It practically means Jaboon has switched back to Team Lacoste. Remember Jaboon was a member of the Lacoste faction before joining G-40.He has performed another U-turn,”said a party official. Jaboon was not readily available for a comment on the matter. Zanu PF Provincial Secretary for Administration, Alois Baloyi said Chadzamira’s reinstatement was legitimate.

“It should be known that as a province we have made a decision .Everything was done properly.We respect the will of the people.We forwarded the details to the President last week,”said Baloyi.

A MAN from Bulawayo has landed himself in trouble after he allegedly assaulted his disabled father.

Bhekimpilo Sinyoro (23) of Lobengula suburb yesterday appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Ms Nyaradzo Ringisai charged with assault.

He denied the charges and was remanded in custody to February 13 for trial. Prosecuting, Mr Stewart Madzore said sometime last month, Bhekimpilo assaulted his father Mr Richman Sinyoro (53), who came to court in a wheel chair, after he tried to stop him from assaulting his wife.

“On January 27 this year, the accused person was having an argument with his wife which resulted in him assaulting her. The complainant tried to refrain his son from assaulting his wife. The accused person got angry and turned on his father,” said Mr Madzore.

He said Bhekimpilo assaulted his father with fists and also kicked and slapped him. Neighbours allegedly came to Mr Sinyoro’s rescue and effected a citizen’s arrest. Bhekimpilo was then handed over to the police.

In a statement to the police, Mr Sinyoro said he was assaulted after he attempted to stop Bhekimpilo from assaulting his wife for going to the shops to help her husband’s mother without his permission.

“My son assaulted his wife in my presence and I tried to stop him. I told him that it was disrespectful that he would assault his wife for helping his mother, my wife, at our shop without his permission. He got angry and turned to me and started assaulting me. I could not fight back because I am disabled. I could not even flee from him,” he said.

Bhekimpilo’s wife, Ms Lindokuhle Sebele (18), told the court that her husband assaulted her because she went with her mother-in-law to the family shop.

“My husband’s mother asked for my assistance and I complied. This did not go down well with my husband and he started to assault me. He threw my belongings out of the house and told me to go back to my parents. My father-in-law intervened, but my husband ended up assaulting him too,” she said.

Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has ignored a request for it to intervene in the Mutasa, Mujuru tussle.

The decision on who owns Zimbabwe People First now lies in the hands of the nascent party’s supporters after the ZEC categorically stated that it neither had any part to play in the registration of political parties, nor settling of their internal disputes.

The statement came after Messrs Didymus Mutasa and Rugare Gumbo — who claim to be the founders of the party — said they had written a letter notifying ZEC that they had relieved former Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru of her duties as leader of ZimPF.

In the letter, the two stated that they had since assumed leadership of the party made up mostly of Zanu-PF rejects.

ZEC chairperson Justice Rita Makarau said she had not been in office for this whole week after she lost her mother-in-law.

“I am not sure if that letter reached our offices. I lost my mother-in-law and have not been in office this whole week,” she said.

“As ZEC, we do not register political parties and whatever internal disputes they have, we do not have a mandate to meddle in them.”

Messrs Mutasa and Gumbo said they had parted ways with Dr Mujuru due to “irreconcilable ideological differences”.

Mujuru fired back, describing the two as “old men” who always claimed ownership of all political parties they had once joined.

Although Dr Mujuru tried to wear a brave face, part of her faction’s executive resolutions on Wednesday were evident that she was feeling the heat in her camp.

Smarting from the Bikita West by-election rout, Dr Mujuru announced that her party was no longer going to participate in all future by-elections describing them as “unnecessary distractions.”

In the letter to ZEC and co-signed by Messrs Mutasa and Gumbo, the two said: “This letter serves to notify you that Joice Teurai Ropa Mujuru is no longer the interim president of Zimbabwe People First. She is no longer entitled to represent the party at any capacity nor to use the name Zimbabwe People First. Joice Teurai Ropa Mujuru was appointed as the interim president of Zimbabwe People First pending its inaugural elective convention.

“However, due to irreconcilable differences in ideological thinking and leadership qualities, we advise that we have removed Joice Teurai Ropa Mujuru as the party’s interim president. The founders of the party, Rugare Gumbo and Didymus Mutasa shall in the meantime act as the interim leaders of the party and shall be legitimate representatives of Zimbabwe People First.”

In an earlier interview, Mr Gumbo said they would convene in the next seven days to elect another interim party leader.

He said they preferred a young person to take over the leadership of the makeshift party pending an elective congress.

As a united outfit, ZimPF had in the past two years, failed to elect a substantive leadership.

“What we need to do is to sit down because we don’t want to repeat the same problem when we picked Joice Mujuru simply because she was a Vice President,” he said.

“We want to do extensive consultations to find a young person who will drive this thing to congress. We don’t want to take precipitous actions again and, we are going to sit down possibly in the next seven days.”

ZimPF spokesperson Mr Jealousy Mawarire said they would not be bothered by antics of expelled people.

“Those are expelled members and what we will simply do is to ignore their antics. They once said they are the original Zanu-PF (and) now they claim to own ZimPF,” he said.

“Each and every party they join, they claim ownership of it. They are possessionists who have a warped belief that every political party that they have been once part to is owned by the two. They have done that with Zanu-PF. After their expulsion, they claimed to be the original Zanu-PF.

“We are not surprised at all that they now claim to be the ZimPF founders. It satisfies their egos every time they are expelled from these voluntary organisations to masquerade as their owners. It helps them to manage depression attendant to the expulsions, but surely in practical terms it exposes how politically naïve they are,” said Mr Mawarire.

“They once visited the court trying to claim ownership of Zanu-PF and embarrassingly lost the battle and it surprises everybody that the two old men have surely learnt nothing from the futile attempt in the past to try to usurp ownership of political organisations that are supposed to be mass driven, and not owned by individuals – let alone those who are in the twilight of their checkered political lives.”

However, what is instructive is how the Dr Mujuru camp had decided to dodge elections as a way of managing the embarrassment that comes with electoral defeats.

The party, before its split, was heavily trounced by Zanu-PF in the recent Bikita West by-election.

The Mujuru camp chickened out of all elections yesterday, but the Mutasa/Gumbo group said they would participate – a clear indication that the party had split into two distinct factions.

The Mutasa and Mujuru camps traded expulsions on Tuesday citing diverse reasons.

The Mujuru group accused Mutasa and his camp of being Zanu-PF infiltrators bent on destabilising the party, while Mutasa hit back labeling Mujuru a dictator and incompetent leader.

Meanwhile, Mr Sylvester Nguni, who was leading the administration department resigned from the party and said: “I have resigned from Zimbabwe People First ( ZimPF) and am being asked to explain why.

“I desperately want to see a peaceful and prosperous Zimbabwe and became involved in ZimPF as I believed it would be a good platform to promote the interests of the people, as outlined in the party policy document BUILD (which I crafted ).

“Fundamentally, leaders and people in general, should be able to deal with disagreements by following a process. Here, we have two sides in ZimPF that have clearly shown that they do not subscribe to the view that correct structures can and should deal with opposing views,” said Mr Nguni in his statement.

He added: “I was left with no choice but to leave the party as it was clear to me the leadership did not see things the same way and would not change in their ways.” – state media

By Simbarashe Chikanza| In a move set to take the Zimbabwe People First squabbles to another height, the said “self proclaimed” founders of the party Rugare Gumbo and Didymus Mutasa have today written to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission delisting party leader Joice Mujuru’s name from the government organisation.

The letter submitted this afternoon to the electoral body claims that Mujuru is no longer the bona fide leader of the party and is no longer allowed to deal or transact with ZEC in the name of Zimbabwe People First.

The move is bound to see a protracted court battle for the use of the name which both parties claim to be owning.

ZimEye.com could not immediately get a comment from both parties. An official at ZEC head office in Harare confirmed receiving the letter co-signed by Mutasa and Gumbo. The copy is below:

Staff Reporter| Evan Mawarire has come out with a bang.

Many have been wondering why the #ThisFlag pastor Evan Mawarire last week decided to abandon the United States for Zimbabwe.

The clergyman has announced on the reason why he has returned.

Speaking in a live video feed Friday afternoon, Mawarire said the reason why he decided to jet back into Harare is so that he can build ‘my country.’

He said the sole purpose why he traveled to the US last year was so that his family can be safe. “As I always said I would be back home, it was important thing that my family is safe, and I am glad that they are safe”.

He then explained on why he has returned home saying, “As Zimbabweans it is important for us to understand that citizens who have committed no crime should never be afraid to build their country. Kana munhu asina kupara mhosva usatya kuvaka nyika yako. And so that’s why I am back…”

Meanwhile he also said the prayers people were making for him they should remember they were praying for the nation.  WATCH VIDEO BELOW:

https://youtu.be/njr9wXC3DAU

LIVE REPORT – 

Video loading….please refresh…

ZRP riot police together with Municipal officers have violently and illegally arrested a woman named Tariro Zhangazha, a member of the National Vendors Union Zimbabwe on the corner of Leopold Takawira and Nelson Mandela Streets.

In a statement National Vendors Union leader Sten Zvorwadza told ZimEye the group of riot ZRP officers and municipal police ganged up to assault the defenseless woman in public.

She was also violently thrown into a truck while being beaten with baton sticks as the duo were moving around confiscating goods from street vendors.

The woman had her child who is about 2 years of age, run behind the police truck. The child was running after the truck as police were throwing teargas on the public in search of her mother whom he saw being thrown in the truck. The whereabouts of Tariro Zhangazha were unknown at the time of writing.

VIDEO BELOW

PREMIER Services Medical Aid Society (Psmas) has demanded to be reimbursed US$1,2 million by former chief executive Cuthbert Dube for money he allegedly drew from the company without authorisation, including funds he channelled to the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa).

The health insurer is also demanding that Dube surrenders a house in Harare’s Glen Lorne suburb which he is accused of buying using the organisation’s funds.

This comes as the Zimbabwe Independent understands that the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) is carrying out investigations to establish if Dube prejudiced the health insurer.
Dube was fired three years ago after his hefty salary and perks sparked public outrage. He was taking home about US$500 000 per month in salary and allowances at a time the company was struggling.
Psmas board chair Jeremiah Bvirindi said the matter regarding Psmas’ demands would soon be taken to court although Dube is already aware of the demands being made.

“He is aware of the demands made by Psmas for what we perceive as unjust enrichment pointing to improper conduct as the then chief group executive that severely prejudiced the society and the impact of which is being felt by the subscribers,” Bvirindi said.

Asked about the Zacc investigations and when Psmas will conclude its own investigations, Bvirindi said: “It is true, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission obtained a search warrant and Psmas has since submitted everything to them but I am not privy to how far they have gone with the matter.”
Documents in the possession of the Independent show that Psmas has been trying to get a refund from Dube since September last year.

Through its lawyers, Psmas wrote to Dube on September 6 demanding the money and the house.
“Our client instructs that while you were in its employ, you wrongfully and fraudulently caused the purchase and transfer of the property commonly called No. 5 Barrington Close, Glen Lorne, into your name when it had been identified and paid for by the society.” reads the letter written by Muzangaza, Mandaza and Tomana legal practitioners on behalf of Psmas.

Psmas also demanded from Dube cash amounting to US$1,2 million.
“Our client also instructs that during the time you were in its employ, you claimed and received varying sums of money, purportedly as reimbursements for medical expenses you had incurred,” the letter reads.

According to the ongoing Psmas investigations, Dube is said to have not submitted any documents to support those claims.

“Our client’s investigations show that those claims were non-existent and therefore fraudulent,” the document reveals.

“So far, our client has unearthed no less than 35 of such instances, whereby the prejudice to the society is US$947 569. Our client is entitled to recover such prejudice from you and in that regard we are instructed to demand from you that the said sum, failing which legal proceedings will be instituted for the recovery of the sum, interest and costs.”

Psmas also wants Dube to pay back money he allegedly channelled to Zifa which had nothing to do with the health insurer.

“It is common knowledge that our client is not involved, directly or indirectly, in the affairs of football administration in Zimbabwe. Our client instructs that while you were in its employ, you fraudulently accessed and withdrew sums of money for use on your trips as a football administrator,” reads the letter.

“To date our client has unearthed instances of such fraudulent withdrawals amounting to US$285 000.”

In his response through his lawyers Venturas and Samukange, Dube dismissed the demands, saying Psmas has to familiarise themselves with his contract.

“We have been handed a copy of your letter addressed to Cuthbert Dube. We were surprised and taken aback that you sought to deal with our client directly when you know very well that we represent the said Dube,” reads the letter dated September 19.

“Our client’s instruction is that it is quite clear you are not familiar with his contract of employment especially as to what benefits he was entitled to.

“Our client denies that he has done any wrong or anything unlawful which is prejudicial to the society. We suggest that you familiarise yourselves with the terms and conditions of his employment.”

Meanwhile, it has emerged that the Psmas board blocked the payment of a hefty exit package to Dube which he was awarded after retiring in 2012 before being rehired.

Documents at hand show that on May 15 2012 Psmas approved an exit package which included full
maintenance of two vehicles for five years. The maintenance included fuel, repairs or service and comprehensive insurance cover and any other costs associated with the roadworthiness of a vehicle.

“In the event of the current group chief executive being offered a consultancy contract by the group, the group chief executive officer shall be entitled to full entertainment allowance including purchase of entertainment cards from the Meikles, the Sheraton (now Rainbow Towers), Rainbow group, Zimsun (now African Sun) and the Cresta group,” reads the document.

Dube’s exit package to be paid over five years included the privilege of employment of two domestic workers (one cook and one gardener) fully paid for by the group; fully paid utility bills for two residential properties; 24-hour security cover at two of his residential properties; a personal driver and one personal assistant whose salaries and benefits shall be paid by the group.

“The group chief executive shall be entitled to holiday allowances of two international holiday destinations per annum, three regional holiday destinations per annum and quarterly local holiday destinations per annum.”

For all the holiday allowances, the former group chief executive was entitled to business class tickets including that of his spouse or partner. He was also entitled to the organisation’s most superior scheme or plan on a non-contributory basis and with all shortfalls being met by Psmas including for his spouse or partner.

Dube, according to the exit package, was to have his telephone and three cellphone bills paid for by Psmas; US$1000 groceries monthly and a house. -Independent

Staff Reporter|ZimEye.com is reliably informed that the ongoing split in the Zimbabwe People First party is based on differences in handling thorny Matabeleland issues between the founding party elders Didymus Mutasa and Rugare Gumbo against President Joice Mujuru.

Inside sources within the party told ZimEye.com that a major feud between Mujuru and her elders is around what the elders describe as Mujuru’s, “failure to uphold the founding principles of the party.”

According to the elders Mujuru also over opened up the party and brought in too much buy in from members from other opposition parties when she was appointed interim President. The elders instead wanted the party not to be a mainstream opposition party but a splinter of ZANU PF against President Robert Mugabe’s control of the ruling party.

The sources further indicate that the elders were particularly never happy with Mujuru’s over incorporation of the Matabeleland regions into the party and its leadership. According to the sources the final spark of the flames between Mujuru and the elders, arose last month after Mujuru allowed for the inclusion of the devolution of power concept and the inclusion of a secretariat in charge of National Healing and Reconciliation issues which have always been barred from the ZANU PF operations.

Both the devolution of power and the national healing and reconciliation clauses in the constitution were brought in by the Matabeleland regions much to the infuriation of the elders.

Mujuru is reported to have been warned several times by the elders of her soft spot for the Matabeleland regions where she has been visiting more frequent than all the other provinces.

According to the sources the elders were due to dismiss Mujuru from her position on Tuesday morning on the grounds of insubordination and failure to uplift the values of the party. Information to the regard found its way out of the cabal which had held a meeting the previous night and got to Mujuru who immediately summoned her provincial chairpersons to seek a resolution to dismiss the elders before they could execute their own dismissal of her.

Top radio and television personality Tichafa “Tich Mataz” Matambanadzo yesterday appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court facing allegations of smuggling after he failed to declare several clothing items he had brought from China.

Harare provincial magistrate Lazini Ncube presided over Matambanadzo’s matter and remanded him to February 27 on $100.

As part of his bail conditions, Matambanadzo was ordered to surrender his passport, report at Harare Central Police Station and not to interfere with known State witnesses.

It is the State’s case that on January 7 at around 10am, Matambanadzo arrived at Harare International Airport aboard Kenya Airways from China.

The State alleges Matambanadzo picked his luggage from the carousels and proceeded to the green route, where he was then stopped by a Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) official, Patrick Mukanganwi, who then directed him to go the red route.

It is alleged Matambanadzo was handed over to another Zimra official, Munyaradzi Mhanda, who was manning cubicle number three of the red route, who then handed him a declaration form.

After making a declaration, Mhanda went through Matambanadzo’s goods and discovered he had several suits, shirts, tracksuit bottoms and shoes, according to the physical examination form. After working out the duty, Mhanda found out Matambanadzo was supposed to have paid $538,75 in duty, which he had not.

The State alleges Mhanda then proceeded to yet another cubicle to capture the information in the system, but upon return, he discovered Matambanadzo had disappeared without paying the required duty.

Francisca Mukumbiri appeared for the State.

Terrence Mawawa, Mberengwa | A 38-year-old local man has blamed a traditional healer for instructing him to fondle his daughter’s private parts.

Gilbert Baloyi (38) of Hlatini Village under Chief Mahlabeza in Mberengwa is being charged with indecent assault. He appeared before Magistrate Sengster Tavengwa last week.

Baloyi left the court in stitches when he claimed he was instructed by a traditional healer to fondle his 18-year-old daughter’s private parts.

He further said the traditional healer instructed him to perform some rituals on his daughter to accumulate wealth.

The court heard that Baloyi called his daughter to his bedroom on November 29 around 10 pm. He took off her blouse leaving her breasts exposed and applied some herbs all over her body including her private parts. He was fully aware there was a possibility his daughter would not consent.

Baloyi took advantage of his wife’s absence and told the girl that he loved her so much. He proceeded to fondle her private parts.

He then ordered his daughter to drink some sour medicine. While wearing an underwear Baloyi ordered his daughter to lie on the floor and her daughter managed to escape as he attempted to force her to have sex with him.

Baloyi followed his daughter to the bedroom and gave her the sum of $2 and ordered her not to tell anyone. “I was instructed by a sangoma to smear some herbs all over my daughter’s body so that I would become rich. I did not intend to have sex with my daughter. I wanted to perform rituals according to the sangoma’s instructions,” said Baloyi.

The girl reported the matter to her mother who alerted the police.

Baloyi insisted he visited a local traditional healer who gave him herbs to apply on his daughter’s body to enable him to amass wealth.

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EDUCATION MINISTER LAZARUS DOKORA is in trouble for forcing his new education curriculum without proper consultations with stakeholders. The Rural Teachers Union and the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) have resisted the man.

The red flag has been raised after a girl (14) from Shurugwi raped her younger brother (6).

The Form 2 pupil (name withheld) from Hurungwe Village in Shurugwi, pleaded guilty to aggravated indecent assault when she appeared before Regional Magistrate Mr Morgan Nemadire.

She was sentenced 2 years’ imprisonment, which was wholly suspended on condition that she does not commit a similar offence.

Prosecuting, Mr Kelvin Guvheya told the court that in September last year, the accused and the complainant slept in the same room but on separate beds.

“The accused person took the complainant to her bed and removed all his clothes.

“The accused told the complainant that they were going to have sexual intercourse after she had removed her own clothes.

“She told the complainant that he should sleep facing upwards and raped him once. After the act the accused person told the complainant to go back and sleep on his bed. The accused person had sexual intercourse with the complainant on several occasions,” said Guvheya.

The court heard that the matter came to light through an anonymous tip-off supplied to a police station. The complainant was medically examined and a medical report was brought to court as exhibit. – state media

The state media reports that an eight-year-old pupil at Bambanani Primary School in Inyathi drowned while trying to cross Mbembeswana River with his three friends on their way from school.

Matabeleland North police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Eglon Nkala said when the three pupils crossed the river, they went home and reported that their colleague had drowned.

The incident happened on Tuesday.

“Inyathi villagers went to the river bank and found the boy’s body. We continue to advise the public to accompany pupils to and from school or allow them to skip attending school if they feel it is unsafe,” Asst Insp Nkala said.

A number of pupils have drowned countrywide since the rainy season started, with education authorities saying it was better for children to miss school than cross flooded rivers.

In another drowning case, Asst Insp Nkala said the body of a man who was reported missing in Lupane has been found decomposing along the Mbembesi River bank.

Shelter Nyathi (20) and his brother allegedly visited a village across the river on January 29, and on their way back home at around 6PM they found the river flooded.

Nyathi’s brother managed to cross and went home but the deceased said he was going back to the village where they had visited earlier. However, he did not reach his destination and it is suspected that he later attempted to cross the river and drowned.

“A man’s body was spotted trapped on a tree on the river bank. Villagers managed to retrieve the body before our sub aqua team arrived and no foul is suspected,” said Asst Insp Nkala.

“Nyathi left home on January 29 with his brother and they visited Lupanda Village until 6PM. On their way back home they discovered that Mbembesi River was flooded as it had rained heavily and his brother decided to cross the river.

“Nyathi said he would rather go back to their relatives’ homestead as the river was too full. On the next day his brother discovered that Nyathi did not go back and on February 4, the family filed a missing person report.”

He said on February 6, a girl was looking for mushrooms along the river bank and spotted a body.

She went back to the village and notified her grandfather and other villagers.

“Villagers went to the river and retrieved the body which was in a state of decomposition. Nyathi’s relatives took the body and no foul is suspected,” said Asst Insp Nkala.

On Tuesday, the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) said it was worried that people continue to risk their lives by trying to cross flooded rivers.

The Officer-in-Charge of Mbare Police Station was yesterday trapped and arrested after she allegedly demanded a $60 bribe from a motorist to facilitate the release of his vehicle that had been impounded for a traffic offence.

The senior officer only identified as Chief Inspector Sigauke is still detained at Rhodesville Police Station assisting police with investigations.

Sources close to the investigations said the motorist had his vehicle impounded at a roadblock by police officers and it was taken to the police station.

During the process, the owner is reported to have approached Chief Insp Sigauke for assistance.

Although the details are still sketchy, the officer-in-charge is reported to have demanded a $60 bribe to facilitate for the release of the vehicle.

The owner then alerted some police officers who set a trap.

They went to the police station where Chief Insp Sigauke was handed over the money, leading to her arrest.

It is reported that before she was arrested, she tried to swallow the money, but failed.

She is also alleged to have bitten one of the police officers’ hand in a bid to evade arrest.

Chief Insp Sigauke was taken to Rhodesville Police Station for further investigations.

The incident comes as the force has promised to dismiss any rogue elements tarnishing the image of the police.

Last month, Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri said some of his officers mounting roadblocks were corrupt and a number had been dismissed from the force, but blamed motorists for offering bribes instead of paying fines. – Agencies

First Lady Grace Mugabe  is reported to be eyeing the Harare South constituency, with many speculating that being MP will be just a first step towards her bigger ambition, succeeding her husband as the next President of Zimbabwe. The controversial First lady has set tongues wagging once again.

Why would Gucci-loving, jet-setting Grace Mugabe want to be a humble MP in Zimbabwe’s parliament?

It’s hard to imagine the imperious Zimbabwean first lady jostling with rowdy opposition Members of Parliament on a daily basis. But that’s the future one local newspaper is suggesting.

Some Zimbabweans have reacted with exasperation to a report in the privately-owned Newsday on Wednesday suggesting Grace Mugabe could be planning to contest a parliamentary seat in Harare in next year’s general elections so that she can get into her husband’s cabinet.

Newsday quoted an unnamed Zanu-PF insider saying that the first lady “had made indications she wants Harare South [constituency] and the current MP has already been advised to look for another constituency”.

“Nobody is going to stop her if [that’s what] she really wants,” a second party official told the paper.

Super-fast PhD

There’s been speculation for two and a half years now that Grace may be eyeing the top seat in Zimbabwe when her 92-year-old (actually, about to turn 93) husband dies or steps down.

Her super-fast acquisition of a PhD in 2014 and her elevation to the post of president of the Zanu-PF women’s league are widely seen to be part of that plan.

One way of gaining an upper hand in Zanu-PF’s bitter internal fights would be for Grace to get herself into parliament, into the cabinet and from there, into a vice presidency.

That’s something her women’s league has been pushing for for some time.

Claims rubbished

One of the first lady’s closest confidantes, Sarah Mahoka has rubbished Newsday’s claims, telling the paper that Grace would never “reduce herself to be an MP.”

That’s a sentiment being echoed on Twitter. “Why would she take the demotion from president to MP?” one Twitter user asked, suggesting Grace’s claim on the presidency was a foregone conclusion. After all, under Zimbabwe’s constitution Mugabe has the power to bring a small number of non-elected officials into his cabinet.

Romanticising popularity

But winning a seat in parliament might give the first lady the veneer of legitimacy she craves, says Harare analyst Pedzisai Ruhanya.

“I think she’d want to put the point home that she is electable; that she is loved by the people. You know this romance between politicians and the ordinary people?” Ruhanya said in an interview. “She’d want to romanticise her popularity.”

After last month’s $1.3m diamond ring scandal, it’s hard to imagine Grace submitting herself to an “MP lifestyle audit” of the kind being advocated in the Herald newspaper this week.

But then she could just do what many of Zimbabwe’s MPs are already doing and never really attend parliament. “Most MPs prefer to do their private businesses when the house would be in session,” the Financial Gazette said on Thursday. – News24

A top intelligence officer, Zenzo Ntuliki, has lost his bid to evict a white commercial farmer from a property allocated to him by government in December 2014 as part of the haphazard land reforms.
Ntuliki had in April 2015 succeeded in pushing Timothy Sean White from the property after a magistrate fined him US$300 or 30 days in prison for illegally occupying gazetted land. White was subsequently ordered to vacate Lot 2 of Lot 36 of Essexvale Avalon Farm.

But tables were turned this week after the High Court quashed both his conviction and sentence.
This followed an application by White, challenging the judgment by former Gwanda magistrate, Reuben Mukavhi.

Sitting with Justice Martin Makonese during a criminal appeal, Justice Maxwell Takuva ruled that Mukavhi had misdirected himself in his judgment.

“In my view, it is totally unfair and not in the interest of justice and public policy for a government official charged with administration of particular statutes to give incorrect advice for whatever reason and then unashamedly turn around and recommend and vigorously support prosecution for the innocent recipient of their bad advice. Such conduct should be frowned upon by the courts, for to tolerate it could very well promote abuse of office and corruption by public officials to the detriment of society in general,” ruled Justice Takuva.

Mukavhi, in his ruling, had said White had shown a disregard of the law by continuously occupying the land despite him having been advised by authorities to vacate the farm.
The disputed land measures 142 hectares, of which 30 hectares are mining claims.
The judge said the magistrate failed to appreciate that White’s mining claims gave him a right of occupation entirely distinct from any rights that Ntuliki may have been granted under the land reform programme.

“The net effect of this is that even if the appellant (White) had not been granted any rights of occupation by the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement, the State did not have the lawful authority to deprive him of his mining rights by barring him from the land. Appellant had a right to occupy portion of the land in question and therefore could not be found guilty of occupying its entire extent and consequently, the appeal is hereby upheld, conviction and sentence of the magistrate’s court be and hereby set aside,” ruled Justice Takuva.

In his application through his lawyers, Webb, Low and Barry Legal Practitioners, White sought an order setting aside both his conviction and sentence, arguing that the magistrate misdirected himself by failing to consider representations from officials in the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement that the appellant was lawfully authorised to remain in occupation of Lot 2 of Lot 36 of Essexvale Avalon Farm.
White further argued that the magistrate failed to put into consideration that he had mining claims over a portion of the farm measuring 30 hectares.

“The sentence imposed by the learned magistrate induces a sense of shock. Wherefore the appellant will pray that the appeal be upheld and the conviction and sentence of the magistrate’s court be set aside, and the appellant be found not guilty and acquitted,” said White.
He further argued that he was the rightful owner of the farm, saying he was occupying the farm by virtue of a permit extended to him by the Lands Ministry in 2007 which was confirmed in a letter written to him on May 17 the same year.

White said his permit had not been cancelled, neither had he been issued with a notice to vacate the farm. Allegations against White were that sometime in 2003 a notice was issued in terms of the Land Acquisition Act of the President’s intention to compulsorily acquire Avalon Farm for the purposes of resettlement.
White was allegedly supposed to vacate the piece of land in 2007, but did not comply, leading to his arrest. The farm was allocated to Ntuliki in December 2014 and he was presented with an offer letter.

White and Ntuliki have since 2014 been locked in a series of legal wrangles over the control of the farm with both parties claiming to be the rightful owners of the disputed property.

President Robert Mugabe has set out to hold a meeting for his birthday on top of the sacred graveyard resting place of his victims. In what will become the test of morals against morals, Mugabe has rubbished concerns about his being insensitive by celebrating his birthday party on top of the mass grave area of the Matopo.

The government media reveals that Mugabe has put his signature to the 21^st February Movement celebrations that will be held on the 25^th of February at Rhodes Preparatory School in Matopo district, Matabeleland South province.

Zanu PF Secretary for Youth Affairs Kudzai Chipanga told journalists at a media conference at the party headquarters that preparations for the big day are at an advanced stage.

Chipanga says the youth league is in final consultations with the relevant ministries to declare President Mugabe’s birthday a public holiday and the renaming of Harare International Airport after Mugabe.

The build up to the big day will see a national fundraising dinner being held on the 17^th of February in Harare while national clean-up campaign will be held on the 22^nd of February in all 10 provinces.

More than 10 000 youths are expected to attend the historic celebrations to mark President Mugabe’s 93^rdbirthday.

The 21^st February Movement is in honour of President Robert Mugabe and has a vision to mould Zimbabwean youths to emulate his visionary leadership and nationalist values. – State Media

By Staff Reporter | The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has hammered the ministers of Health and Child Care and Local Government, David Parirenyatwa and, Saviour Kasukuwere for failing to foresee and counter the outbreak of typhoid that has hit the country.

Over 200 cases of typhoid and three deaths have been recorded in Harare since the outbreak of the epidemic three months ago.

The outbreak of the pandemic was caused by poor hygienic conditions a result of un-repaired burst sewer pipes and uncollected garbage which continue to characterize the once sun shine city.

Stakeholders in the health sector say water borne diseases such as typhoid and cholera, should not continue to occur in a modern society like Zimbabwe and blamed the government for their continued recurrence.

ZLHR, senior official Dzimbabwe Chimbga ,told a stakeholders meeting in Harare this week , that the two ministers and other related government heads of departments ,should be ashamed of the recurrence of “this archaic” epidemic and do the honorable thing.

“The law and the constitution are clear on such issues, they tell you that mitigate and put preventative measures to such outbreaks which should not be seen erupting in this day and age,” he said.

“In a problem of this nature there are a number of actors who are involved and all of them must be held accountable, and because of limited time I have here presenting, I cannot exhaust the list but what we need is to see accountability on the local authority, accountability on the ministry of health, the environmental management agency and the ministry responsible for the allocation of land for housing stands,” said Chimbga.

Chimbga said the Human Rights Commission which was present at the meeting should identify various stakeholders involved in causing the typhoid outbreak and hold them accountable.

“This must be done so that we avoid unwarranted deaths of innocent citizens to diseases which could be prevented,” Chimbga said.

The cat is out of the bag! After concerted demands by followers of flamboyant businessman Wicknell Chivayo to reveal the mystery lady who has taken his heart, the mogul on Sunday responded by posting a dazzling picture of the pair on his Facebook fan page.

Chivayo at the beginning of the year sent tongues wagging after posting a picture on his Facebook page of a mysterious woman, face covered, lying on his chest.

The picture captioned: “Sir is chilling at home with the successful candidate…” was posted on New Year’s Eve.

Adding to the anticipation, Chivayo posted another picture of himself with the lady standing at Gandami Secondary School, Chivhu.

Some said this was his rural home and he was introducing his wife-to-be to his relatives.

Now Chivayo’s post of him spotting a beaming smile in a tight cuddle with a light skinned woman disappointed some followers at the new developments in his life.

“She’s beautiful, my crush is gone. I was hoping Sir muchandionawo amana (I thought I was going to be the lucky one) but why? God bless your union,” wrote one Ashleigh Rutendo.

In his usual acidic, humorous style Chivayo shot back: “My Gardener is single, I can link you two guys. Well paid and handsome.”

The comments go on, with many of his followers congratulating Chivayo and wishing him well in his union, while others wanted to know who the lady was and when the wedding will be. – State Media

Zim People First has been hit by 2 more senior resignations.

Mujuru who yesterday expelled 7 key members of her decision making committee, and was early this morning rejected by Mr. Sylvester Nguni, has now been deserted by two others.

Founding members Cougan Matanhire and Prosper Gavanga have in the last few minutes written to Mrs Mujuru telling her they are with immediate effect walking away. Wrote Gavanga who was the party’s Deputy Youth Chairperson, “…I have lost hope in you for a better Zimbabwe and now considering the future … ”

Matanhire wrote his own letter saying, “After careful self- introspection and soul searching I have decided to tender my resignation from the Party of my own volition.”

Meanwhile, ZimEye is reliably told two separate National Council meetings are slated for this afternoon with Mujuru conducting her own at her private residence in Chisipite. She has however garnered support from 9 out of 10 provinces meaning she will likely win over the attempt to wrestle the party from her hands.

More to follow…

The arrest of self-proclaimed pastor Evan Mawarire should be applauded because it is in line with the country’s Constitution which emphasises on the rule of law, a Cabinet Minister has said. This came after British ambassador to Zimbabwe Ms Catriona Laing voiced concerns that Mawarire’s arrest was unconstitutional. She also criticised the cyber crime law that is being drafted by Government.