Zimbabwe has become divided on corporal punishment with many teachers ruling it it out as Satanic and a practice that creates a culture of violence in the community.
But other parents and educationists say the recent ban on corporal punishment exposes children to unbecoming behaviour as they ride on the legal cover.

Report by the Standard
Recently, High Court judge, Justice Esther Muremba ruled that it was unconstitutional, and therefore illegal, to use corporal punishment on children. She was making reference to a case of a 15-year-old boy who had been found guilty of sexually molesting a 14-year-old female neighbour and had been sentenced to canning.
Justice Muremba ruled that the new constitution had no room for the “cruel” act which has been described by international humanitarian organisations as barbaric and ancient.
But educationists and some parents feel that the law took away from them the ability to shape their children into good responsible citizens.
“This is so wrong. Even the Bible says ‘spare the rod and you spoil the child’,” said Belinda Musa from Belvedere.
Although all of her children are grown up, Musa says she always used the rod if it was necessary and she is quite happy with what became of her children.
“Dialogue is for a certain age group but when they are too young the rod will fix it and as they grow up they will learn the dos and don’ts,” she said.
A vendor along Seke Road in Harare said if teachers could no longer discipline children, performance grades would slump.
“Our children need that kind of correction and if teachers are not permitted to use a bit of force, the children will not work hard,” she said.
An exploratory study of corporal punishment by Teachers in Zimbabwean Schools titled Issues and Challenges and written by Almon Shumba, Amasa Philip Ndofirepi, and Martin Musengi, says teachers play an important role as educators and disciplinarians.
“To assume their responsibilities, teachers sometimes resort to the use of physical punishment,” the authors observed.
This however is in sharp contrast with international laws on child protection, posing a great challenge to teachers.
Legal expert Alex Magaisa said Zimbabwe was signatory to most of the international laws that do not allow corporal punishment.
“In the old constitution corporal punishment was allowed as an exception but did not have the same protection that is offered by the new provision in the new constitution which is now an absolute right,” he said.
Teachers’ unions are however divided on the ruling with some advocating for the ban while others want it rescinded.
Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association chief executive officer Sifiso Ndlovu said corporal punishment perpetuated a culture of violence.
He called on teachers to instead resort to alternative disciplinary measures which were not degrading.
However, the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) has called for the revoking of the law.
In a petition to President Robert Mugabe, PTUZ secretary general Raymond Majongwe charged that “outright removal of corporal punishment from schools will definitely turn them into jungles”.
“We don’t support the battering of learners but we’re saying keeping corporal punishment hanging in schools, at times without even applying it, has helped to maintain some measure of discipline,” part of the letter read.
The use of physical punishment to chastise wayward children is mostly used by those parents who subscribed to the notion that the act would mould the young men and women into better citizens.
Section 53 of the constitution however states that, “no person may be subjected to physical or psychological torture or to cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment”.
Section 86 (3)(c) states that no law may limit the following rights enshrined in this chapter and no person may violate them, the right not to be tortured or subjected to cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment. – Standard

Business almost came to a standstill at Mutoko Growth Point as venders jostled to witness a council grader which moved to demolish an “illegal structure.”
This happened late afternoon Friday. (continue reading)
[gallery size=”tb_large” ids=”131107,131106,131104,131105,131103,131102″
The structure(building), which is near completion used to serve Mutoko bus terminus as the councils public toilets.
Former senator Jacob and a Mr Mushonga, a politician as well are said to have entered into a fraudulent deal with officials of Mutoko Rural District Council to turn the disused toilet building into “corner shops” at a time the community or terminus does not have proper public toilets. It was during the intervention of the council’s Chief Security Officer a Mr Ganyiwa, that the grader’s operator drove away from the crowd.
Mutoko RDC executive has been mostly criticised for maladministration, haphazard stand allocation and poor service delivery at the expense of rate payers.
The building was finally razed to the ground at around 1500hrs Saturday (pic).

“I would rather sit at home and wait to die in pain from these chronic headaches as I cannot afford medical fees that Mpilo Central Hospital is demanding. I would rather save for a decent burial.”
These are the heart-rending words of 56-year-old Ms Zondie Moyo of Lobengula in Bulawayo who for the past two years has been failing to secure at least $500 that is needed for a CT scan. She has perennial headaches and pus oozes from her nose as the pain intensifies.
Ms Moyo’s problems started in 2013 when she developed a headache and she assumed it would soon fade away. “I started getting serious headaches in 2013 and I dismissed them as just normal headaches but I realised they were getting worse each day. I tried getting tablets for pain but the situation didn’t change,” said Ms Moyo.
“As time moved when the headaches would come they would be accompanied by pus oozing out of my nose and I visited the hospital where I was told to go for an X-ray of the head.”
Ms Moyo then went to Mpilo Central Hospital where she was told she needed to do a CT scan of the head so as to ascertain the cause of the headaches and the pus. She was told that the scan would cost $500.
Ms Moyo told the Sunday News that her condition was tantamount to torture as she could smell rotten meat with every breath.
“Right now the smell inside my mouth and nose is that of rotten meat. I can taste it in my mouth and I always want to vomit because the smell is so awful. It is then accompanied by thick pus that flows out, something inside my head is rotting and I am worried,” she said.
Ms Moyo said one of her neighbours never used to understand her condition until one day she called her to see for herself.
“I asked my neighbour if she was strong enough to take a look at the pus that comes out of my nose and she agreed. After seeing everything she was then convinced that I have a serious problem that needs attention,” she said.
She said people seldom understand when she tells them she has pus oozing out of her nose when she is attacked by a chronic headache. She said it was especially worse when she swallowed the pus that flowed into her throat.
“It is so nauseating when I swallow it. I once decided to start taking umdombo (snuff) so that my nose would run and the pus flows out but this hasn’t worked at all,” she said.
To add on to Ms Moyo’s problems is the fact that no one is employed at her home.
“No one is employed here, some of my children stay here and they do not work so it is difficult to feed them, again my husband died over 20 years ago so no one can assist me. I also stay with my daughter-in-law who has a young baby,” she said.
She said it was very difficult to put food on the table or even purchase medicines. Ms Moyo has over the months been trying to nurse some fruit trees and sell them to eke out a living. She also said she was hoping to get cow hides for resale.
“I asked someone who stays at Fatima Mission to collect some cow hides for me so that I can sell them. I hear the market is there so I am hoping I will get some so that I can feed the family and also buy medicines,” she said.
A part of Ms Moyo femininity has been robbed from her as she cannot do the duties usually performed by a mother.
“I cannot bend on the sink and wash dishes, clothes or even clean the house because my head aches all the time and when I bend it just gets worse. When I do get the strength, I sit on the floor and wash dishes and ask my daughter-in-law to finish off,” she sobbed.
The challenge faced by Ms Moyo is not unique to her alone as thousands of people in the city are failing to access health care due to the unavailability and also high costs of services. Most health services are beyond the reach of the average person, making several people resorting to living with their untreated chronic illnesses.
Services such as kidney dialysis, CT scanning, chemotherapy just to name a few, are very expensive for many people coupled with the fact that a majority of the citizens are not on medical aid meaning that they have to pay cash for services.
In Bulawayo CT scans are available in private practices at high costs with some going for as much $1 000. Many Government hospitals have obsolete machinery that is supposed to service the general public at a subsidised cost.
“Right now I can safely wait for death because I have no clue when I will be able to do a scan to ascertain the problem. I thought I could negotiate for treatment then I pay later but this has failed,” she lamented.
A local doctor said Ms Moyo might have a type of brain tumor that is cancerous and could be rotting from inside, hence the foul smelling pus that comes out of her nose regularly. sunday news

Addis Ababa – Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Saturday shrugged off concerns that his appointment as new African Union chair would harm relations between the pan-African bloc and the West.
“What the West will say or do is not my business,” Mugabe told a news conference at the close of two-day African Union summit held in the Ethiopian capital
“My business is to ensure the decisions we take here are implemented. My concern is on uplifting the life of our people, giving them something that will raise their standard of living,” he said.
“For more that 10 years I have been under sanctions, my country has been sanctions. If they want to continue it’s up to them but these sanctions are wrong,” the president said.
“If Europe comes in the spirit to cooperate and not the spirit to control us and control our ways, they will be very welcome,” he added.
Mugabe, Africa’s oldest president at 90, took over the rotating post of African Union chair on Friday, replacing Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.
Mugabe, a former liberation war hero who is Africa’s third-longest serving leader, is viewed with deep respect by many on the continent.
But he is also subject to travel bans from both the United States and European Union in protest over political violence and intimidation.
Last year Mugabe boycotted an EU-Africa Summit in Brussels after he was given a rare invitation – but his wife was still denied a visa.
Mugabe also spoke on his attitude towards the empowerment of women.
“We are different,” he told reporters. “There are certain things men can do and that women can’t do. And there are things women can do that men cannot do. You can’t bear babies in your tummy, can you? Even the gay ones cannot.”
“But what we have done in Zimbabwe is that our women can become ministers, judges, farmers, pilots. We have three pilots,” he added.
– AFP

A Mberengwa businessman tried to kill himself after he caught his wife in bed with his girlfriend’s brother.
The businessman reportedly attempted suicide by drinking cyanide. The incident happened last Saturday and the businessman, who later recuperated at Mberengwa Hospital operates at Neta Business Centre.
The heartbroken businessman caught his wife busy between the sheets after a tip off from his girlfriend that his wife was having an extra marital affair with her brother.
After being busted, the wife reportedly showed no signs of remorse when she allegedly begged for another session from her boyfriend in the presence of her husband as punishment for sexually starving her.
The wife accused her husband of disturbing her as she was having the best sex of her life.
“For a two-timing man I think it was a bad turn which deserves another when he found his wife in bed with his girlfriend’s brother. From the look of things, it was the small house who tipped him that his wife was going out with her brother.
“The move was probably meant to have him divorce his wife so that she could move in with him as the two are madly in love. After being tipped of his wife’s illicit relationship he quickly rushed home. Upon arrival he could not believe his eyes when he found the lovebirds busy making love on their matrimonial bed.
“In a bid to probably fix her philandering husband, she asked her boyfriend to have another session in the presence of the businessman claiming that he was sexually starving her. This did not go down well with the businessman who quickly took cyanide in a bid to kill himself,” said a source who chose to remain anonymous.
The source further said after the embarrassing incident, the businessman was no longer a common sight at the business centre as his younger brother was now running the show.
After allegedly messing up her marital bliss, the businessman’s wife is believed to have fled to South Africa. b metro

Harare Times : Former Welshman Ncube led MDC Youth Spokesperson Khumbulani Malinga is one of the MDC members who recently joined ZANU PF. He joined ZANU PF last Sunday at Davies Hall were Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko was addressing party supporters.
The Harare Times had a telephonic interview with Mr Malinga and below is the unedited version of the interview.
HT: Mr Malinga, why did you leave the MDC ?
KM: There are number of reasons that led me to leave the MDC train but i will restrict myself to two.
I left the MDC after realizing that the Party did not fully pursue the fundamentals of democracy that it claimed to pursue. You will reckon for example how cadres were accused tried and sentenced in their absence during the post election witch-hunt. I can cite a lot of examples.
The other reason is that like any other relationship when its irreparable you cant force it.
I realised that the party was reneging from its pursuit of a free and just zimbabwe but was full of pretenders to the throne whose only pre occupation was using the name of the people for self satisfaction and personal aggrandizement.
Q. Why did you join zanu pf?
A. After a close interaction with Cdes in Zanu PF Youth like Cde Leo Nyoni and Bright Matonga I realized that inunu esihlala sisethuselwa ngayo is indeed a fairy tail. I realized that my vision for myself and this country resonate with the aspirations of ZANU PF. I realized that the economic turnaround is at the heart of the party and they have practical solutions that they are progressively implementing.
As a Nationalist myself who wants to have a positive role to play in the development of this country i realized that i am better of in the revolutionary and ruling party than spending my energy away opposing for the sake of opposing as is the nature and culture of MDCs.
Q. People say Dr Qhubani Moyo recruited you to ZANU PF is it true?
A. Hahaha my brother in Ndebele we say lapho okulokufa kulomthakathi (where there is death there is witchcraft). People do not want to accept things as they are they look for conspiracy everywhere.
As i said earlier my close interaction with cdes in ZANU PF and my desire to positively contribute in national development made me to join the Revolutionary and Ruling Party.
May I hasten to say Dr Moyo is a brother to me and an inspiration with the Great works he has done for young people and he is among a few other brothers I consult on a number of social and political direction.
Q. Do you want to contest elections under a ZANU PF Ticket in future?
A. You see my brother what i have learnt in ZANU PF is the cardinal rule of discipline and Cadre deployment.
I will accept any corner that the Party feels i can effectively contribute for the greater good of the Movement and the country.
Q. On a parting shot what are your views on the purging and looming split of ZANU PF
A. The Party has officials mandated to pronounce Party Position.
Q. Thank for your time Cde Malinga
A. Thank you for having me.

Zimbabwe Transport Minister, Obert Mpofu’s multi-million Dollar building at the corner of 4th Avenue and George Silundika street in Bulawayo, has been condemned and ordered to be demolished, as the structure was fast tracked without architectural approval.

Sources close to the Minister’s management at York House, one of his buildings which was acquired through indigenisation program, told ZimEye.com on condition of anonymity that the legislator constructed his building without approval from the local government, and that inspectors from the local authority passed a judgement on demolishing the illegally built structure.
According to sources in the council who also refused to be named, the construction of this structure was done before full inspection. The building was also fast tracked without the approval of the relevant authorities, thereby causing the current deadlock.
Efforts to get comment, from the legislator, who is also the proprietor, were fruitless as he was not picking his mobile. Bulawayo City Council’s Public Relations section that is responsible for clearance on matters to deal with the engineering department kept delaying and referring all questions to the same department.
The three storey building’s progress has since been put to a halt and also awaiting demolishing to reconstruct after necessary inspection will complete. The Ministry of construction and public housing’s official who refused to be named for fear of victimisation, asked this journalist to forward all questions in writing and also to wait for a response.

FORMER Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa has said he is ready to appear before a disciplinary committee set to deal with his case, cheekily equating his impending disciplinary hearing to ones he attended to during the colonial era.
Zanu PF has set up a disciplinary hearing to deal with Mutasa’s open rebellion, but the former Presidential Affairs minister said he remained unfazed.
“I will attend the hearing,” he said.
“I attended many like it under the (former Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian) Smith regime.”
Despite the bravado, the committee is made up of people who have openly called for Mutasa’s ouster, among them First Lady Grace Mugabe and political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere.
Mutasa could not be drawn to comment on the composition of the committee, reiterating that he would attend and he was not afraid.
He said he was not aware of warning made against him by National Youth Service graduates popularly known as Border Gezi, who threatened unspecified action against Mutasa for posing a risk to the revolution and to grab farms he reportedly gave to his lovers.
“I have not seen any threats from Border Gezi youths, whatever they are,” Mutasa said.
“I will cross that bridge when I come to it.”
Mutasa was non-committal on when he would launch his much-anticipated court challenge seeking the nullification of Zanu PF’s congress last month.
Despite losing his ministerial post and his lofty Zanu PF position, Mutasa insists he is the bona fide secretary for administration, but President Robert Mugabe has dismissed him as a “stray donkey”.
Mutasa is one of a number of Zanu PF officials who were accused of plotting to kill Mugabe, leading to their ouster from the party and the government.
The former secretary for administration has written to Sadc leaders to intervene in the party’s affairs, a request Mugabe rejected outright.
Former Zanu PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo, however, dismissed the disciplinary committee, describing it as illegal.
“As far as we are concerned and as far as he (Mutasa) is concerned, the so-called team is illegal and he does not recognise the congress that took place in December,” he said.
“His (Mutasa’s) position is very clear that he doesn’t recognise the congress because it was done illegally and there is little they can do.
“That will remain his position until things are rectified.”
Gumbo questioned the composition of the committee, saying it was made up of people who had openly declared war on Mutasa.
“Chinamasa has made his position known on Mutasa and regards him as an enemy,” he said.
“He has his position already.
“There is also Grace Mugabe who is the president’s wife and how can Mutasa be tried by the president’s wife?
“Kasukuwere has made public statements against Mutasa and it doesn’t work.”
Gumbo said they will soon launch the court challenge, although he, like Mutasa, did not reveal when this would be done. – SouthernEye

Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s wife was a CIO operative, it has emerged. A State Media report states she worked as a CIO operative from around 1990.
FULL REPORT:
Zanu-PF candidate for Chirumanzu-Zibagwe Constituency Auxilia Mnangagwa has called for the relaxation of investment laws to allow more Foreign Direct Investment. In an interview, Mnangagwa who is wife to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, said the relaxation of the investment laws was meant to boost investor confidence.
She said there was also need for Government to clarify some indigenisation laws that have been distorted by the country’s detractors.
“Our country is rich in terms of mineral resources and as such we need to ensure that we attract friendly countries to come and invest in the country. They bring machinery and expertise to facilitate beneficiation. Our laws need to be relaxed so that investors understand that our laws don’t undermine their investment,” said Mnangagwa.
She said despite being adversely affected by the illegal sanctions imposed by the West, she managed to set up a community bank to cater for rural women in Chirumanzu-Zibagwe constituency.
Mngangagwa said she was not new in politics as she had worked at grassroots level where she empowered rural communities in Chirumanzu, Gokwe and Silobela.
Born on March 25, 1963 in Mazowe District in Mashonaland Central, Mnangagwa grew up in Chiweshe near Rosa Business Centre where she attained both primary and secondary education.
She later undertook secretarial studies at Silveira House in Chishawasha before joining the Ministry of Manpower and Development then headed by late national hero Edgar Tekere in 1981.
Eleven years later, Mnangagwa joined the then Prime Minister’s office before being seconded to the then Sheraton Hotel as a security officer. In 1997, she resigned from the Central Intelligence Organisation with the intention of going into the tourism sector.
She enrolled at the University of Zimbabwe in 1997 after being accepted to undertake studies in environment and tourism studies but left the institution in 1999 due to political instability. She left the country in order to pursue her studies in Hotel and Tourism Administration in Switzerland where she graduated with a degree in 2001.
Upon her return, she went into the tourism sector as a private player and also worked within the structures of Zanu-PF in Kwekwe in the finance department.
“I have always wanted to play an active role in the politics of my country. You may recall that not so long ago, I submitted my name to represent my party in Mazowe Central where I was born, but was denied the chance when my papers were rejected by the Zanu-PF Mashonaland Central Provincial Coordinating Committee on grounds that I did not understand,” Mnangagwa said.
She said even after that setback, she did not despair but decided to work with her husband with the people of Kwekwe, Zhombe, Silobela and Chirumanzu.
In 2009, she won her way into the party’s Central Committee and again submitted her name last year where she also emerged victorious.
“What has been happening is that I have been working with my husband in Gokwe, Mberengwa and Chirumanzu and we initiated a number of programmes to empower the communities there.
“So my intention is to carry on with these programmes and ensure that I mobilise more votes for Zanu PF.”
She said she was instrumental in the setting up of a community bank in Chirumanzu in 2010 called the Cheese Bank.
Mnangagwa said the party needed to undertake a serious mobilisation exercise to ensure that all potential voters are registered.
She expressed gratitude to Zanu-PF supporters for electing her to represent the party in the Chirumanzu-Zibagwe by-election scheduled for March 27 this year.
President Mugabe recently ordered that new elections be held for Mt Darwin West and Chirimanzu-Zibagwe constituencies after they fell vacant.
The Mt Darwin West Constituency fell vacant following the removal from Government of former Vice President Joice Mujuru, while National Assembly Member for Chirumanzu-Zibagwe Emmerson Mnangagwa was elevated to the position of Vice President of Zimbabwe. herald

The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon Friday took a direct swipe at President Robert Mugabe and DRCongo President Joseph Kabila saying they should leave office as their tenure expires.
Speaking at the official launch of the African Union summit where Mugabe was surprisingly announced chairman, Ki Moon urged African leaders to respect term limits and leave office when their time runs out, adding they should also accept defeat in elections.
He said, “I urge leaders who refuse to leave office when their term expires to please listen to the wishes and aspirations of your people….”
He continued saying that Africa needs to do more to rid the continent of the scourge of violence that he says continues to affect women and girls. He emphasised the need for the continent to empower women adding that ignoring women and their rights can only lead to the downfall of a nation.
This month saw the DRC President Joseph Kabila unilaterally seek to impose a draft law that will delay the 2016 presidential election and enable President Kabila to extend his stay in power beyond his current mandate. This also came at a time when his counterpart Mugabe torpedoed his way in his ZANU PF party by altering the constitution and also ousting successor in the wait Joice Mujuru and several officials accused of siding with the latter, a move analysts say is strategic to extend his reign. He is currently involved in a legal wrangle with bigwigs the likes of Didymus Mutasa who are suing him for the said “sham 2014 congress.”

Chinhoyi – There was chaos in Chinhoyi when Riot Police troops stormed into town to quell a protest caused by dodgy Police owned private transport businesses which have robbed kombi operators of their clients.
The kombi drivers launched their strike yesterday threatening to stop operations in protest over the Police Officers’ illegal activities which has disabled the trade as the ZRP officers are thriving utilising ex-Japanese vehicles to transport passengers. School children and workers at Chikonohono were delayed for hours due to the strike.
Police officers who are untouchable have “fattened themselves” of the illegal pickings as they transport people without licences sometimes even operating vehicles without number plates – (PICTURES).
Violence erupted when Kombi drivers and Hwindis began beating up any Kombi operator ignoring the strike action.

Order only resumed after two hours when riot police descended on the area around 9am when they began dispersing the kombi operators.
Commenting on the development, Indigenous Commuter Operators Association of Zimbabwe President Moses Mutyasira voiced concern over the development saying, “ as the Indigenous Commutter Operators Association of Zimbabwe (ICOAZ), we call for order in the transport industry and condemn in the strongest terms the attempts by police officers to push legal kombi operators out of business through their illegal vans which operate without the required papers.

“While we understand the plight of police officers and the widespread hunger caused by the heartless Mugabe regime,we call upon them to comply with the law and leave our legal operators to do their business. Our icoaz team will be visiting Chinhoyi tomorrow to follow up on reports sent to us.

Addis Ababa – Barely 24 hours after stiff resistance from numerous African Presidents(READ MORE –) , Zimbabwe’s Head Of States Robert Mugabe, has been made African Union Chairperson.
This was confirmed Friday morning by officials as Mugabe readied to ascend the podium.
The development will cast a shadow over the Africa’s international relations with the West, critics warned.
Mugabe took over the post an African Union summit in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa as he made a speech on Friday.

Presidential Spokesperson George Chararamba has confirmed Robert Mugabe has been rejected by several African presidents as earlier revealed by ZimEye.com (READ MORE- Sick Mugabe set to be Blocked from taking African Union Top Job.)
In an interview with the State Media, Charamba indicated Zimbabwe is set to be shocked on Friday when the African Union choice for the chairmanship is to be announced. He blamed the development on western sanctions.
Below was Charamba’s interview with Herald Editor, Caesar Zvayi:
Q: What is the relationship between Zimbabwe, in its campaign and the rest of African member states for this post?
A: The logic of chairmanship of the AU is rotational, what is certain is that the chairmanship has to go to Southern Africa, what is uncertain is which country in Southern Africa is going to take it. What we are fighting for is to make sure that Zimbabwe becomes that country which takes that chairmanship.
So really in terms of regions, the whole campaign was to try and make sure that there is consensus that ecowas endorses us, the East African Community endorses us, sadc endorses us — as indeed it has done — as and then of course the Maghreb region also does the same.
Really given the nature and character of the President I do not see him wanting to be a controversial chairman, in the sense of being a chairman who chairs by minority or by a slim majority. He wants to build that consensual position which, therefore, makes his chairmanship not just solid but also enough to generate a certain momentum which makes it continental, that is basically the intention.
You want to bear in mind that the President has for a long time been complaining about the trajectory of the AU. He thinks that for a long time we have been kowtowing to western interests, he thinks we have been trying as it were bending our policies so as to win the goodwill of the West
He thinks we have not been recognising that by virtue of commanding, maybe three quarters of the world resources that is clout enough, that gives us tremendous leverage in our interaction with the West. What the President visualises is a leadership that recognises the strategic advantage of Africa and then translates that strategic advantage into a leadership bid on the global stage.
So that is basically the change that you will see when the President takes over or if the President takes over, which we hope he will.
Q: We are reliably informed that western countries are trying to shoot down on the basis that Zimbabwe is on sanctions?
A: That exactly is my problem with the West; they don’t interrogate the sense behind the sanctions. They move instead from unilateral sanctions as a fact to trying to make it a precondition for election and I think Africa is understanding enough to know that you can’t start from the premise of an illegality, which is what the sanctions are, we will start from the premise of the leadership that Africa requires to tackle those problems including the sanctions on Zimbabwe. These are not UN sanctions, so no one in the west can have the moral status of starting an argument on sanctions as if the sanctions are legitimate in the first place. But you and me must know that we must always budget for that opposition from the West.
Q: What have we done to counter the western moves?
A: We have done that already, this is why we are optimistic of the result. As before in SADCC they were trying to oppose us and we trounced them, and hey we feel pity for them, they are destined for grief in this matter.
Q: Turning to the ADB, we understand we have some of them in the delegation?
A: Zimbabwe has produced a candidate for sadc and please get me right, this is not a Zimbabwean candidate only, this is a sadc candidate, and essentially what we are trying to do is to provide leadership to that critical bank on the African continent.
We are a member, we have been contributing diligently and we have also drawn from the resources of ADB, and it is only natural that when an opportunity presents itself, we go for it, and we have a well experienced candidate, 36 years of banking experience.
And I hear he also taught the current governor of the Reserve Bank, and he is not just a competent banker, he is also a producer of bankers.
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A-33-YEAR-OLD MDC-T activist has been fined US$200 by a Beitbridge magistrate for smuggling a fire arm from South Africa.
Togarepi Zivanayi Mhetu of Harare was arrested on Wednesday aboard a First Class bus travelling from Johannesburg.
Mhetu is the MDC-T youth wing secretary for projects, labour and development in Harare Province.
He pleaded guilty of violating a section of the Customs and Excise Act before Beitbridge resident magistrate Miss Gloria Takundwa.
Mhetu would be jailed for a month if he fails to pay the fine.
The prosecutor Mr Jabulani Mberesi told the court that Mhetu visited South Africa through Beitbridge Border Post on January 26 and did not declare the firearm he was carrying.
He said Mhetu returned on January 28 aboard a First Class bus heading to Harare.
Mhetu had bought equipment for resale in Harare.
He went through all the immigration and customs formalities, but did not declare the Galesi pistol which was in one of his bags.
The fire arm, which was loaded with eight rounds of ammunition was discovered during a routine search of luggage by detectives from the Border Control Unit, resulting in his arrest.
Further searches led to the discovery of a photocopy of the fire arm certificate number 867620A, which expires on August 1, 2017.
It emerged during interrogations that he did not declare the weapon when he visited South Africa.

Gwanda town is engulfed in a wave of confusion as a mentally ill women living on the streets of the town for the last two years has fallen pregnant.
The mentally challenged woman “staying” on the pavement in front of now closed Gwanda Branch of Minister Obert Mpofu owned Allied Bank, is at an advanced staged of pregnancy which could be in its 7th or 8th month, leaving the community confused as to who would have fathered the woman’s baby. The woman known to the Gwanda Community as MaSibanda, has been spending her days and nights in the public area around the bank which has a busy filling station, a public bar which closes very late and a 24 hour restaurant.
When Zimeye News crew approached MaSibanda who speaks with a heavy Zulu accent to enquire about her pregnancy, the somewhat very kind and polite woman could only smile and say she was impregnated by her “sweetheart”. Asked who the “sweetheart” was the woman only laughed and told the news crew that “he will be back shortly he has gone to buy food and beer at the tavern”.
Trying to pursue the matter further, the news crew interviewed the bank’s security personnel who guard the bank on a 24 hour basis and are positioned hardly 10 meters away from where MaSibanda “lives”. The officer on duty would not cooperate with the news crew telling the crew to get away claiming that the news crew was accusing them of “sleeping with a mad woman.” When the crew persisted, the security guard threatened to beat up the reporter if he continued asking him what he called “stupid questions.’
In snap interviews of members of the public passing around the area, the people interviewed expressed anger at the man who may have made the woman pregnant calling on the police to follow up the matter as anyone who may have had sexual intercourse with the woman is tantamount to have raped the woman. Several of those interviewed queried how the woman would have been raped in full view of the security details who spend 24 hours a few meters away from the woman.
“My brother, ask the security guys at the bank they know better about that woman than all of us here,” said a young man drinking beer at the near by pub. “There is no way anyone would have slept with that woman and the security fail to see it she is always there next to them,” added the young man.
Asked for a comment a lady who trades airtime along the same corridor where MaSibanda “stays” said that she was also shocked when she realised that the woman was pregnant and described it as being barbaric of the man who may have slept with the woman.
“We have been with this lady here for more than two years now she is a very kind woman, never violent and always tries to clean herself and her surrounding. I suspect someone took advantage of her being kind yet vulnerable and slept with her. Its very bad for men to do this. I wish the person responsible could be arrested for this barbaric act,” she said.
Another vendor who also operates from the same street vividly threw the blame on people drinking beer at the near by pub. The vendor who claims to be at the corridors for about 14 hours a day said that she always see men from the bar serving the woman food and drink and says the woman frequently walks from her area to the pub to beg for food and drink and that’s where she may have been taken advantage of according to her.
“I am 100% sure she was impregnated by the merciless drunkards from the pub. I have seen a lot of them give her beer and food especially at night and I am confident they may have slept with her in her drunken state,” she said before also calling on the police to investigate the matter.
No comment could immediately be obtained from the police in Gwanda or the department of Social Welfare on how the woman would be assisted. Zimeye will keep a close eye on the matter.

Villagers at Garanyemba Village in Gwanda have expressed concern at the mess made by police officers manning a nearby permanent road block at a bus stop in the area after the cops were caught numerous times relieving themselves in the open thickets.
In a complaint made available to ZimEye, the villagers complained bitterly on the way their surrounding has been smeared with human waste and other waste by the police officers. According to the villagers, members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police have been manning a road block on the spot for the last five years on a daily basis from 6am to 6pm but no ablution facilities are provided at the road block spot.
The villagers claim that police use the near by bushy area as their toilet to an extent that the area is now heavily infested with human waste. The villagers complain more so because the area where the police relieve themselves is around a path that their children use going to school.
Taken to the scene of the allegations the news crew discovered a huge manifestation of human waste, empty cans and lots of plastic paper left around the roadblock site. What shocked the reporter worse was that amongst the waste disposed of in open were used sanitary pads a serious health risk.
Interviewed for comments, the villagers all expressed a disappointment that the police use the spot as a permanent road block site and not bother to erect even temporary toilet structures. The villagers raised serious health concerns particularly for their children who use the area all the time. They also expressed concern on their livestock particularly their goats which have died after consuming some of the waste particularly the plastic matter.
Efforts were made to enquire on the allegations from the police in Guyu where the said officers are based. The junior officers spoken to refused to comment referring the reporter to Gwanda District police information department as they were not allowed to comment.

A Baba Jukwa style mole has emerged on social networking website Facebook sensationally announcing that President Robert Mugabe’s wife, Grace is not ill at all as earlier claimed by her husband, but is only hibernating from an altercation with her husband over his affair with the late Josiah Tongogara’s girlfriend, Higher Education Minister Oppah Muchinguri.
It is claimed that Mugabe has placed Muchinguri’s daughter as an heir to his estate.
When President Mugabe returned from his annual Asian holiday, he said Grace had been struck by appendicitis and was receiving treatment there. But the whistleblower only identified as “Zimbabweans for Prosperity”, said Grace actually refused to return as a reaction to her husband’s decision to include Oppah Muchinguri’s daughter on his will.
“Grace Mugabe is breathing fire. She is in the Far East not because of an operation . Hell no. She refused to come back until Bob (Robert Mugabe) sorts out this issue with his ‘**ch’. There was war between Grace and Robert. The cause of the war is Oppah,” Zimbabwe for Prosperity said on Facebook.
They further went on to say the protest forced Muchinguri to hurriedly announce last week that she was married to Bishop Anthony Kashiri as to pacify the raging First Lady.
They said being married would not stop Mugabe from having Muchinguri in the same way this was allegedly done when she was married to former husband Tapiwa Rushesha, who has since fled Zimbabwe after dumping her.
“So now she (Muchinguri) has to pretend she is not interested in Robert. She has to go to another man but does it change anything?” Zimbabweans for Prosperity said. During divorce proceedings in court, Rushesha gave adultery with Mugabe as the main reason for leaving Muchinguri. He told the court: “Mugabe often sent his bodyguards to pick up my wife for ‘meetings’ in the middle of the night.”
The full post read:
They call him “Bishop” Antony Kashiri, the new boyfriend (manfriend is the right word here since he is not a boy) of Oppah Muchinguri. The media says “they met in church”. We can imagine what happened on that fateful day. As is the norm, all ZANU(PF) mafia leaders who attend church services are given “high table” seats. So Oppah must have been seated in front, with her mini-skirt on, no bhurugwa in and the “Bishop” could only read from Exodus Chapter 3 verse 6! We have had stories, a lot of them of these “men of clothe”. Actually from today we will call them “men of lust” because they like them women dont they. One Magaya had to bribe a husband to a wife that he (Magaya) spent 3 nights with “receiving holly water”. God of the skies!
So Oppah Muchinguri wants to be “married”. She says dont call me Muchinguri no more for I have a darling. Wow. But then this “Bishop” must have all the power to pray for Oppah’s sins to be forgiven. For she is the one who finished off Josiah Tongogara in the same way Elliot Manyika was finished off after that “accident”. The same way that Edward Chindori Chininga was finished off after the “accident”. We know who did dont we? So the God of Antony Shiri must be different from the God we know, for He would not forgive Satan , never. We wait for the wedding. But then Zimbabweans should be wondering why now. Why is Oppah so desperate to be “married” now. Well, its the whole Mnangagwa matrix. The mafia operates with partners. We know of no mafia who was/is a single. They have to have partners but its more to it. Grace! Hear from us Zimbabweans For Prosperity. Grace is breathing fire, moto chaiwao. She is in “far east” not because of an operation. Hell no. She refused to come back until Bob sorts this issue with his “bitch”. There was war between Grace and Robert. The cause of the war is Oppah. So now she has to pretend she is not interested in Robert. She has to go to another man, but does it change anything? This is what her former husband Tapiwa Rushesha said in court at their divorce “Mugabe often sent his bodyguards to pick up my wife for “meetings” in the middle of the night”. Apart from that Simon Chimbetu was in love with her. She denies, “People say I dated Chimbetu, but where would I have seen him he was not on my level?” Wow, so the Bishop is at your “level” Oppah? And what about the earrings that Matibili bought for you which caused you to fight with Grace at the airport. Is Matibili your “level”? And why are you so desperate to force Matibili to include your child on his will which caused all this fight in the “far east”? A fight between Grace and someone in a hospital bed. Asijiki!

Addis Ababa: Plans to install President Robert Mugabe as the African Union chairperson hit a brick wall Thursday after his appointment was blocked due to ill health, ZimEye.com can reveal.
An extraordinary meeting held on in the Ethiopian capital by African heads of State put pressure against Mugabe’s appointment when questions were raised on his ability to represent Africa due to failing health. Continue reading below…
ALSO READ: 
Although proposals were made stating that sanctions against Mugabe in person would compromise Africa’s relations with the West, it emerged that the real issue of concern was poor health and failing capacity attributed to old age. His memory problems, and a failing temperament were also cited as cause for concern. This became obvious when the issue of travelling to Europe or the United States was raised with concerns over those nations’ sanctions. Although Mugabe’s negotiators at the meeting intimated that this [sanctions] would not be a problem because he [Mugabe] would be travelling on official business as he has always done standing in for Zimbabwe.
High level sources inside the meeting told ZimEye.com, “The President was told he will be a hindrance to Africa’s international image and its negotiation power with the rest of the world.”
“For progress a deputy chair can easily take the job,” other heads of State proposed.
Meanwhile Mugabe’s team coming out of the meeting, began crying foul claiming that the Western governments are pressurising the African states against Mugabe ascention.

Bulawayo — THE wives of Zimbabwe’s recently-installed Vice Presidents have been accused of replicating the First Lady for their appetite for lavish lifestyles at the expense of the bankrupt nation.
First Lady, Grace Mugabe, is unpopular among many in the country for leading an extravagant standard of living including what are said to be expensive shopping trips overseas.
It has emerged the wife of Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, Laurinda, and Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s wife, Auxilia, are also aiming for such standards amid the country experiencing financial problems.
Mrs Mphoko is said to have recently rejected the US$3 million house which government offered her husband after he assumed office.She is reportedly scouting for a multi-million-dollar upmarket house in Harare’s leafy suburbs.
Mphoko was initially scheduled to move into a government house left vacant by the late Vice-President, Joseph Msika, in Mandara, but his wife allegedly vehemently refused, saying she wanted “a house of their own.”
The sources said Mphoko’s wife went around shopping in Glen Lorne, Borrowdale Brooke and Ballantyne Park, but was not pleased by some of the properties on offer.
She reportedly rejected one in Glen Lorne that was going for $1,5 million, a $3million one in Ballantyne Park as well as a $2 million property.
Mphoko has not yet commented on the allegations.
Mrs Mnangagwa is also on record telling the Bulawayo High Court that her reputation was worth $10 million because, among other things, she is a wife to a career minister.
This is in a lawsuit in which she is suing Zanu PF Midlands chairperson and Provincial Affairs minister Jasion Machaya, former spy Douglas Kanengoni and Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Kudakwashe Bhasikiti for defamation.
Political parties and commentators hit out at the women’s lavish lifestyles.
MDC Renewal spokesperson, Jacob Mafume, said they were worsening the downfall of Zimbabwe.
“We already have one wife in the name of Grace whose appetite the nation cannot feed,” said Mafume.
“Now it appears we will have three of them. One wonders whether there will be anything left in this country once they are done with primitive accumulation of wealth.”
MDC led by Welshman Ncube’s Secretary for International and External Relations, Kurauone Chiwayi said Mphoko’s wife might be “too excited” with husband’s surprise appointment to the position of Vice President.
“It shows the kind of leaders Zanu PF has,” said Chiwayi.
“President Mugabe’s party is made up of irresponsible and greedy vultures and hyenas. Government has been failing to honour its obligations due to strained resources. Mphoko’s wife demands if that is what she is doing are quite astonishing to all Zimbabweans,” he said.
Former Bulilima East MDC-T MP Norman Mpofu, also lashed at Mphoko.
“Her rejection of the house should be viewed in context with what leadership means in Zimbabwe,” said Mpofu.
“While in a normal democratic set up leaders are supposed to be servants of the people and be humble as a way of being attractive to the electorate, in our situation leaders do not care as the opinion of the electorate is of no consequence since they have other ways of getting into power,” Mpofu added. caj newsafrica

Shurugwi – The investigation into the death of a gold dealer Shurugwi police earlier claimed was an armed robber could see the cops behind bars after they dodged answers before an inquest.
The judicial inquest has unearthed a can of worms that may see two police officers expelled after they gave conflicting evidence in court.
During the hearing, magistrate Tendai Madanhire grilled Shurugwi police station officer in charge, Inspector Regiment Ndlovu, on why a proper search was not conducted on the deceased when he was arrested in connection with a crime that involved use of a firearm.
“It is clear that if the police’s argument of suicide is to be believed, then there was a serious aspect of negligence because every suspect should be thoroughly searched upon arrest especially if it is in connection with an armed robbery case,” said the magistrate.
In response, Ndlovu who has served the force for 22 years, agreed but insisted the deceased took his own life. His subordinate, detective Shepherd Mazhindu, dodged giving direct answers when asked by prosecutor Andrew Marimo if he thought it was possible that a person handcuffed could take a hidden gun from his body, shoot himself in the mouth but die while still holding it.
“I put it to you that if a person shoots themselves, there should be some action which makes the gun to fall away. How is it that the deceased died while still holding it?” the prosecutor asked.
Madanhire blasted the cops saying a police station ought to be a place known for its safety. “Don’t fear anyone. You should emulate me because I only fear God, not a mortal,” said the magistrate.
The inquest was postponed to 11 February when the state will invite a ballistics expert to give evidence. Last year the deceased’s family demanded answers about the death of their son, ruling out the possibility he committed suicide.
 
ZimEye has exclusively revealed that the dead man police officers claimed committed suicide, after smuggling a gun into the police station, was actually a close friend of the same police officers and real circumstances surrounding his death are not as previously reported.
Mr Simbarashe Muchengeti’s body was photographed handcuffed in a pool of blood last year in March with a gun at his side an incident police officers claimed was a suicide. Officers claimed that he had been on a wanted list for multiple robberies at Ngundu business centre.
But investigations here have revealed that Muchengeti was actually a close friend to the same police officers who presided over his sudden death. Close witnesses here have revealed that contrary to claims that he was on the run, Muchengeti actually regularly frequented the police canteen where though an outsider, he was given preferential access. This reporter was also shown Muchengeti’s house which is a few metres across the road from the police station.
“He was known very well at the police canteen were he frequented being friends of almost all police officers,” the source said. They added that if he was a robber, then the officers were clear accomplices.

There is an increase in lightning strikes in Tsholotsho district where three people have been killed, including 18 herd of cattle and six goats since the beginning of the rainy season. Tsholotsho District administrator Nosizi Dube pointed out that lightning has become a cause for concern while speaking about the district’s flood and disaster preparedness yesterday.
“As Tsholotsho district we are ready based on last year’s experience. We have launched a disaster preparedness plan and we trained all wards on all disasters that might befall them. Recently we faced a disaster when 11 people died in Botswana and we managed to bury them last week.” Dube said.
Normally,this district is prone to floods but at the moment there is no immediate danger to this regard but instead, the district had recorded a high rise in lightning incidents.
“The first incident was in Ntulula area in Ward 3 where a bolt of lightning struck a kitchen hut, threw out two children and killed their parents,” narrated Dube.
The two children, aged nine and three, were thrown out and watched helplessly as their parents were burnt to ashes.
Their parents’s ashes Nkulumo Ndebele and his wife Junior Sibanda were buried in a grave on the spot of the incident.
Another incident took place in Ward 19, where an old woman was burnt to death after being struck by a bolt of lightning while in her hut.In the same surprising way her grand children were thrown out and therefore survived the strike.
Lightning also struck seven head of cattle, six goats, and two brothers lost 11 beasts which they had earmarked for a cattle breeding project in Jimila area
In the latest incident that occurred last Saturday a woman lost around $30,000 in cash and property worth thousands of dollars when lightning struck her homestead and reduced the house to ashes.
“We do not know how to assist people who would have lost property and beasts in such incidents,” Dube said.
So far the district civil protection unit chairperson Dube, said they have launched a safety programme in most schools and were working hard to spread it to all parts of the district.

MDC-RENEWAL secretary-general Tendai Biti yesterday called on citizens to confront Zanu PF by challenging its rule, but fell short of calling for overt protests against the ruling party.
In a statement, Biti said Zanu PF had failed and the party should resign, urging Zimbabweans to confront what he described as the party’s dictatorship.
“Zanu PF is not interested in dialogue and in respecting the citizen, therefore, it is up to the people to use their constitutional rights and confront Zanu PF,” he said.
“Section 67 of the Constitution bestows full political rights to every citizen of Zimbabwe. More importantly, Section 59 of the same Constitution bestows on every Zimbabwean the right to demonstrate and petition peacefully.”
Biti’s long-time ally-turned-foe MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai spent the better part of last year threatening protests against Zanu PF, but these never materialised.
The former Finance minister said 18 months after elections it had become clear that Zanu PF had no plan for the economy, as the country was mired in a serious structural crisis.
“It is now 18 months after the July (2013) elections and it is clearly beyond any reasonable doubt that the State is mired in a serious structural crisis reproduced in various forms, including economic collapse, acerbic succession battles, weak and absent leadership,” he said.
Biti said the 35 years of independence had been a trail of dashed hopes, dreams delayed, false starts and missed opportunities for citizens.
“The last 35 years have seen the collapse, demise and destruction of anything functional in this country and this is all reflective of the DNA of Zanu PF defined by one thing alone, destruction and cannibalisation,” he said. Biti said they were concerned about the economy which continued to deteriorate.
“The post-GNU (Government of National Unity) economy can only be described as the new failure, a defining period capitalised by incompetence, corruption, deflation, dishonesty and stagnant growth,” he said.
“The GDP (gross domestic product) growth rate has plummeted to levels below 4% in both 2013 and 2014 from a high point of 12% growth in 2011 and 10,7% in 2012.”
Biti said the growth rate under the new government was indicative of a shrinking economy.
“The failure by the government to pay civil servants’ bonuses in 2014 is an unprecedented act of incompetence and heartlessness,” he said.
“The bonus in a status quo situation of low disposable economy represents a saving to the government employee.”
Biti described the tinkering with the Indigenisation and Empowerment Act through the 2015 Finance Act as both a sham and a comedy.
“A country that asks each potential investor to deal with the relevant ministry is simply decentralising corruption and incompetence,” he said.
“There is no defined criterion and standard system, which each of the ministries will apply, resulting in greater confusion, arbitrage, distortion and corruption.”
Biti said the State was no longer able to meet its normal obligations of social service delivery.
“There are no drugs in clinics and hospitals and in places like Cowdray Park, Dulibadzimu, Mbare, Hatcliffe, Sakubva, Bobo and Dzivarasekwa Extension, Zimbabweans are living in squalor with no water or ablution facilities,” he added.-SouthernEye

UPDATED: 29th January 2015 – the MDC Renewal Team Rally has been postponed indefinitely, according to a press statement by chairperson Lovemore Mazivisa.

MDC Renewal Secretary General and top Zim barrister, Tendai Biti flies to the United Kingdom for a star rally on Saturday.
The large function will be held just outside London in the UK’s most Afro-populated town of Luton on the 31st January.
Accompanying Biti is Renewal Boss, Sekai Holland who will present her first maiden speech to diasporans. Also present will be former Tsvangirai aide Gorden Moyo.
The function begins at 2PM at the Lewesey Community Centre, LU4 OSW.
POSTER:

A 23-year-old policeman from the Police Protection Unit allegedly raped a mentally-challenged woman in the Avenues area whom he had “arrested” for loitering.
Bornwell Mudunda, who was donning his police uniform, allegedly raped the woman in his car as a way of facilitating her release. According to the State, the incident occurred outside a night club in that area.
Mudunda of 9803 Kuwadzana 3, Harare, yesterday appeared before magistrate Milton Serima charged with rape. He was remanded to February 24 on $50 bail with the State’s consent.
The prosecutor Miss Sharon Mashavira, alleged that on January 25 this year, the victim was approached by Mudunda’s accomplice (name not supplied) at Tipperary Night Club, the court heard.
It is the State’s case that Mudunda’s accomplice grabbed the victim’s handbag and started demanding his $1 back, which he had initially paid for her to enter the club. He started walking back to a parked car while still holding the victim’s bag and the woman followed him.
When they got to the car park, the court heard that the man ordered the victim to get inside the car and she complied. When the complainant got into the car, she then saw Mudunda who was wearing his police regalia sitting in the car.
Mudunda reportedly locked the vehicle and told the woman that she was under arrest.
He allegedly advised the woman that they were going to have sexual intercourse as a way of facilitating her release.
According to the State the woman refused and Mudunda is said to have raped her.
After the act, Mudunda allegedly ordered the woman to disembark from the vehicle.-State Media
She then rushed back into the club and informed her friend who assisted her in reporting the matter to the police.

A 25-year-old self-styled Chiredzi prophet will spend the next 15 years in jail for raping a pregnant woman after lying to her that she had objects in her womanhood that could kill the baby or her during delivery.Thomas Muzira of Village 9, Triangle, pleaded not guilty to a charge of rape when he appeared before Masvingo senior regional magistrate Judith Zuyu on Friday, but was convicted due to overwhelming evidence against him.
The magistrate sentenced him to 18 years in jail, three years of which were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour. Magistrate Zuyu said Muzira put God’s name in disrepute by pretending to be a prophet when he was a criminal.
The man escaped to South Africa after committing the crime in 2010 and was arrested in December last year when he decided to come back home.
“You were on the run and you thought you will never be arrested. You deserve a stiffer penalty because the police had a torrid time looking for you yet you had skipped the border to South Africa. How could you rape an innocent pregnant woman through lying that you’re a prophet? You should rot in jail so that those who use God’s name to commit crime can also learn,” said Zuyu.
Prosecuting, Mukai Mutumhe said Muzira inserted his fingers into his victim’s womanhood as part of the “healing” session.
“On December 15, 2010, the woman visited Muzira where she was told she would die during delivery if she did not seek treatment. The woman was accompanied by her husband and other relatives but Muzira did not do anything on the day. He asked the woman to return the following day for treatment,” said Mutumhe.
Two days later, the woman returned and found Muzira alone. He took her into his room and ordered her to lie facing upwards, before inserting his finger into her womanhood.
“Muzira removed some objects after which he told the woman that there were still some bigger objects inside. He then ordered her to stand up and lean forward while holding a stool with both hands so that he could detect and remove bigger objects inserted by the enemies,” added the prosecutor.
When the woman leaned forward, Muzira lifted the woman’s dress to waist level before raping her once. “When the woman felt that Muzira had inserted his manhood, she tried to get off his grip but he held her tightly until he finished. After the incident, the woman went home and informed her husband after which a formal report was made to Triangle police. Muzira fled to neighbouring South Africa after committing the crime where he stayed for nearly five years but was arrested on his return in December last year, following a tip off,” said Mutumhe.
Muzira claimed he was in love with the woman and she framed him after her husband discovered about their relationship. Chronicle

Health minister David Parirenyatwa has said economic hardships coupled with drug abuse has significantly contributed to the increase in Zimbabweans suffering from mental disorders.
An estimated 1, 3 million Zimbabweans have some form of mental illness, according to government data.
Speaking during the launch of the Zimbabwe mental health strategic plan for 2014-2018 today, Parirenyatwa said it is unfortunate that the illness is still not given the attention it deserves despite its growth.
“Sometimes we do not understand why some people go into some tempers unexpectedly,” he said. “The harsh economic situation, zvikwereti unenge uchitotadza kudaira phone, people asking for money after money that you can’t pay.
“The post traumatic disorders, a lot of our soldiers were not counselled post-war and we just assume it’s over but in reality we still have a lot of problems. Another major problem is drug abuse; we need to deal with the issue of illicit drugs.”
Ministry statistics show that there are 91 390 mentally-ill patients in Zimbabwe.
“7 763 new mentally ill patients were seen in our hospitals from January to October 2014… The problem has been increasing in Africa and Zimbabwe has not been spared,” said the minister.
“We haven’t as a ministry managed to put much emphasis on the condition but we now seek to do that through the plan.”
The four-year strategic plan seeks, among other things, to guide the implementation of the Mental Health Policy of 2004 by harmonising activities, improving drug provision, training more professionals and rehabilitation of infrastructure to improve the quality of life for those living with the condition.
Notwithstanding the stigma and marginalisation of such patients in Zimbabwe’s communities, support and scope of services remain limited owing to serious funding challenges that have left institutions operating with skeletal staff.
The country has two dedicated mental hospitals, Ingutsheni in Bulawayo and Ngomahuru in Masvingo, while other major referrals have units for such patients.
“At Ingutsheni there is one instead of eight psychiatrists and Ngomahuru there is none but they need five. About 20 are needed at both Parirenyatwa and Harare Hospital but they have around 10,” Parirenyatwa said, further appealing to implementers of the plan to engage traditional leaders in the policy implementation.
“We have to deal with the root causes of such illnesses but how are we going to do that with the economic hardships?” queried the minister.
David Okello, World Health Organisation representative, said the organisation has noted with concern the relegation of mental health, prevention and substance control to mediocre subjects.
“I also feel there is need to train a lot more other support professionals and I’m appealing for the expansion of staff retention allowances to psychiatric services,” he said.
Paula Morgan, Centre for Disease Control deputy director, said, “The plan will promote the rights of such people, fight stigma and help the integration of services in Primary Health care and HIV services.”

In a move set to demonstrate the strength of and exonerate the Joice Mujuru (Gamatox) faction, the motion to expel Former Zanu PF secretary for Administration, Didymus Mutasa was squashed by the politburo Wednesday.
Wednesday’s Politburo meeting was chaired by VP Emmerson Mnangagwa instead of President Mugabe.
A committee has since been set up to address Mutasa’s concerns.
But the committee set up comprises of Mutasa’s prominent enemy Grace Mugabe. It will be chaired by Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, and also includes Saviour Kasukuwere (Secretary for the Commissariat), Patrick Chinamasa (Secretary for Legal Affairs), Grace Mugabe (Secretary for Women Affairs), Pupurai Togarepi (Secretary for Youth) and Kembo Mohadi.
Mutasa, who was reduced to an ordinary card-carrying member in last December’s Zanu PF congress, has been accused of attempting to involve SADC and the African Union in Zanu PF’s internal affairs, granting interviews to hostile private media, denigrating the party and the outcome of the 6th Zanu PF congress held in December.
An earlier press release yesterday saw Kasukuwere signalling that Mutasa would be dealt with harshly. See below:

The MDC-T Chivi Central district chairperson, Tyavanai Chibhebhe, was over the weekend assaulted by a soldier at Huruyadzo growth point in Chivi for wearing his MDC T-shirt, the party says.
According to the party’s information department, Chibhebhe sustained head injuries and had to seek medical attention at a local hospital.
He reported the matter to Huruyadzo police but the soldier was not arrested, the report further said adding that,
“the soldier, one Eliphas Gava claims to be part of the Presidential guard in Harare and is always threatening people in the area. This is not the first time that this notorious man has assaulted known MDC members without provocation.”

‎There was drama Tuesday morning outside the official residence of Zimbabwe’s nonagenarian President, Robert Mugabe as he was reportedly hurriedly evacuated for medical treatment.
Sources living a stone’s throw from the Presidential residence described what they called a scene of pandemonium as aides scrambled to get Mugabe out of State House. The cavalcade that transported Mugabe out of his official residence was missing his signature black armoured Mercedes, Zim1‎. Instead security vehicles flanked
‎the President’s ambulance.
Normal protocols for the Presidential motorcade are that it travels at 74miles per hour (120km/hr)‎ in residential areas, however, witnesses living near Chancellor Avenue reported that the cavalcade was burning rubber at speeds exceeding 170 kilometres per hour (106miles).

Also Read – Kasukuwere speaks on Mutasa expulsion meeting.

A highly placed government source has said that the President was indeed taken ill and was exfiltrated to an as yet undisclosed medical facility within Zimbabwe. But efforts to obtain further confirmation from the President’s office were fruitless as the phone number was being abruptly cut when answered.
The source however went on to say that Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe with an iron fist for almost 35 years, was too ill to be flown aboard and medical personnel were being flown into Zimbabwe to treat the 90 year old.
Robert Mugabe’s illness comes at a time when his partner, Grace is receiving emergency treatment abroad which the husband said was appendicitis.
It was not clear how Mugabe was later in the day as communications with State House were failing.
ZimEye.com will continue to update readers as details unfold.

A 16-year-old Rujeko maid allegedly sexually assaulted her employer’s four-year-old son before forcing him to be intimate with his five-year-old sister at knifepoint, police confirmed yesterday.Acting Masvingo police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa said the incident happened on Monday at around 4PM.
“We can confirm receiving a report to that effect but we’re yet to get full details of what exactly transpired. The suspect is expected to appear in court to answer charges of sexual assault,” said Asst Insp Dhewa.
The maid (name withheld to protect the minors) was left in the custody of two minors, a boy, 4, and his sister, 5, while their parents went to work. At around 4PM, the maid called the boy into the spare bedroom where she allegedly removed her panties before forcing him to be intimate with her.
“The maid was doing this in full view of the boy’s sister. After the ordeal, the maid called the two siblings before ordering them to be intimate. The two are said to have resisted but the maid allegedly threatened them with a kitchen knife forcing them to comply,” said a neighbour.
The neighbour who spoke on condition of anonymity, said she was attracted by the girl’s screams and went to investigate.
“I heard the girl screaming and went to investigate what the problem was. Upon arrival, I saw the boy mounting on top of her sister, with the maid standing aside holding a kitchen knife in her hands. I asked what she was doing but she couldn’t give me a satisfactory answer and I learnt later that she had earlier on abused the innocent boy.”
The neighbour said she left the scene and headed straight to Rujeko Police Post and reported the matter leading to the maid’s arrest.
“I reported the abuse at Rujeko Police Post and she was arrested. When police went to arrest the maid, the children’s parents had returned from work and were also told what had happened,” she said. chronicle

IN an incident that has sent tongues wagging, thieves broke into Gwanda Prison on Monday night, stealing cash and cellphones.
Although officials were tight-lipped about the incident, sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said an undisclosed amount of cash and a number of cellphones belonging to inmates were stolen during the break-in.
By the time of going to print prison officials were reportedly still taking stock of what was stolen. The thieves, suspected to be former inmates, broke a window from outside at the front end of the prison, almost 40 metres from the main gate, raising serious security concerns at the prison.
The latest incident comes less than a month after an inmate escaped from the prison, but was later apprehended by members of the public.
It remains a mystery how prison guards could not detect the incident, considering an axe was used to cut the burglar
bars.
The daring thieves allegedly used an axe to cut down the window’s burglar bars before getting inside and ransacking the cashier’s office where property belonging to inmates is kept.
Cash belonging to the prison was reportedly stolen.
The prison runs a number of income-generating projects that include farming, a restaurant and car wash.
The destroyed window was yet to be repaired by late yesterday afternoon. – SouthernEye

Zimbabwe’s recently appointed second vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, has been ruled out from the government role of national healing and reconciliation, after allegations surfaced on his alleged involvement in Gukurahundi terror.
Mphoko has been rendered “unfit for the Government Job” because of his name’s association with the infamous Gukurahundi massacres which has triggered a spell of lack of trust from countless Matabele people who have slapped him with various negative titles.
According to Dzikamai Bere, who is a Human Rights Researcher on Transitional Justice, “if a Commissioner is appointed, he or she must not have a spot on the back, or any allegation. (CLICK HERE for full audio interview)
Now that we have a Vice President who is supposed to be in charge of National Healing, but with allegations from the community he is supposed to be working with on national healing, it is not a good idea to politicise the healing process. Because of these allegations, levelled against him; he is no longer the right candidate to be appointed into national healing commission, thereby automatically not appropriate for the job,” he said.
Bere also added that the Human Rights Commissioners must also be people with a smart track record and a clean record on human rights issues. “The Commissioners must also hold confidence in people’s minds that this process will be a success away from political influence,” he said.
The National Peace and Reconciliation Commission is appealing to victims of the 80s Gukurahundi atrocities, to come in their numbers to register, and openly speak about their victimisation without fear, as this is their only opportunity to heal and move forward.

In Harare, music piracy has become a nagging concern. As the issue continues to intensify, one man has been noted as the chief culprit of this illegal activity and it will not be weeks before he is nabbed. For fear of prejudicing upcoming police investigations, ZimEye have decided to keep the man’s name under lock and key. But many already know the man who drives a Pajero on the streets of Harare and pushes stolen music to the streets using desperate street vendors trying to survive by hustling.
As Zimbabwean musicians continue to cry foul over lack of protection on music piracy issues, the situation has denigrated into an even more depressing situation in Harare where any set of three musical cds can be found on the street for as low as $1 for a set of three. Such give-away prices tend to disrespect the work of the artists while sending a message that the musicians can keep singing for other people to keep harvesting where they never sowed.
According to one of the illegal vendors interviewed by a ZimEye reporter in Harare this week, “The piracy in Harare is now an established chain of conspirators where some top guys steal the music even before official release dates and illegally copy musical cds that are pushed onto the streets at get-away prices. Some desperate street vendors sign up and jump on such offers to help push the music to the thirsty public who will buy anything affordable to entertain themselves.”
Some prominent names in Harare were this week mentioned as evidence for such unscrupulous theft of the work of others.  Many concerned music fans have responded with outrage as to how authorities have looked the other way in the face of such abuse of copyrighted materials that go on sale in public places and streets as vendors take everything as normal.
According to an anonymous street vendor, “Even some have pointed to the Ministry of Arts and Culture as not doing enough to protect musicians. Despite paper policies on plans and goals to contain music piracy, no practical or visible action has been done by the ministry as yet. That has been the reason why most musicians hardly make good sales through cds.”
Maxwell Mugadza a concerned music fan who was shocked to see a music album on the street ahead of official release last Christmas said, “It is quite insulting to find that some dealers have the audacity to steal this kind of music and push it on the streets ahead of the owners’ official album launches. Then we have a Minister of Arts and Culture who must address these issues and keep the situation under control. It now appears like the open theft of some musicians’ talent has become norm. This must be stopped.”
Many other fans have also denounced such an illegal practice of piracy.
One other fan also said, “These musicians take lots of time practicing their music to produce quality music. Someone just appears from around the corner and steals the music to sell it for profit while robbing the owners of the work.”
With such a continued trend, one notable man in Harare has been pointed to as making loads of money by stealing music and selling it through illegal vending on the streets. The same man is now under investigation because most of the interviewed vendors are pointing at him as the supplier of the stolen music. While he brags that he is well connected with authorities, the next few weeks will prove him right or wrong because most musicians have now started putting their heads together to see to it that this man is brought to book.
A well respected ZiFM DJ also added that , “The issue is all about protecting our musicians and giving them value for their efforts so that we all get value for our entertainment as they also are able to feed their families. Imagine widows and orphans left behind by great singers like Leonard Dembo, System Tazvida, James Chimombe, Tongai Moyo or Andy Brown. How are these families going to make it when their breadwinners are no longer alive to perform live shows and maybe cover up for these losses?. This is a sad reality.”

A gang of four ex-convicts went back to court on allegations that they robbed a Hope Fountain miner of his pistol and goods worth nearly $1,000 at gunpoint.
Andrew Mutamba 31, Phillip Mubonesi 35,and Agreement Sibanda 27,appeared before senior Bulawayo regional magistrate Trynos Utahwashe facing armed robbery charges yesterday. The accused gang was only released from prison in 2013 for armed robbery again.
The three pleaded not guilty.
However,Knowledge Mutizwa one of their alleged accomplice pleaded guilty and implicated the three in mitigation after he was charged separately.
Magistrate Utahwashe remanded Mutamba, Mubonesi and Sibanda,in custody to tomorrow.
The court heard that on August 23 last year, the trio hatched a plan to attack and rob Ronald Ngwenya who owns Coronation Gold Mine in Hope Fountain.
When they reached the mine, Mutizwa was the first to come out of the vehicle and he met a herdboy at Ngwenya’s gate.
Mutizwa, who was armed with a firearm and an iron bar, hit the herdboy with an iron bar on the head.
Mubonesi then fired one shot into the air and they tied the herdboy’s hands with a string, before force-marching him to the bedroom where Ngwenya and his wife were having supper.
They forced the herdboy to ask for kitchen keys and although Ngwenya responded saying the kitchen was open, he continued knocking until Ngwenya opened the door.
At that moment, Mutizwa used a metal bar to strike Ngwenya and who fell down. They then used the same metal bar to assault Ngwenya’s wife once on the head and then tied her hands using a string.
They demanded money and were later directed to a container which had $300.
The men then ransacked the house and stole mobile phones, clothes, blankets, bags, door handles, a mirror, a car cleaning spray and a bottle of hair spray. They fled the scene afterwards.
Ngwenya and his wife sustained serious head injuries and were rushed to hospital.
Only property worth $233 was recovered.-chronicle

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Former Zanu-PF secretary for Administration Didymus Mutasa is set to be expelled from the party today following recommendations by his home province, Manicaland.
The Politburo is expected to endorse Mutasa’s expulsion from the party in a special meeting at the shake shake building, party Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere announced.
Mutasa’s expulsion comes only a few days after Mugabe launched a scathing verbal attack describing him as a “stray braying ass who cannot be corrected”, a statement largely interpreted as signalling the end of Mutasa’s membership in Zanu PF.
Mutasa is facing Mugabe’s full wrath after he wrote a letter to SADC challenging the recent Zanu pf congress which sidelined him and others alligned to Joice Mujuru.
Zanu-PF Secretary for the Commissariat Saviour Kasukuwere yesterday confirmed the Politburo had Mutasa’s case high on the agenda, adding there was little chance of survival given the manner in which he had brought the name of the party into disrepute.
Following Mugabe’s unrestrained verbal attack on Mutasa, expelled Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo said their ‘faction’ won’t be silenced.
“We have a legacy of fighting for freedom and bringing the one-man-one-vote principle to the country and that is what we should preserve for the future generations, not this culture of castigating fellow comrades just to stay in power,” Gumbo said.
“We don’t want high positions in the party and neither do we want to oust anyone. What we are simply demanding is accountability, democracy and transparency in our party and, therefore, we stand by the statement that was made by Mutasa,” he said, describing his expulsion from Zanu PF last month as a legal nullity.
“Nobody can just come and fire me from Zanu PF. It is our party, it belongs to the people. Those who think they can just sit and fire us are lying to themselves,” he said.

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Police have arrested a man suspected of murdering a 15-year-old girl from Lupane.
Chief police spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba confirmed the arrest of Casper Mhlanga (29) of Fatima village, under Chief Mabikwa in Lupane.
Mhlanga is alleged to have murdered a female student, Eudisha Ncube (15) at Fatima High School on 21 January 2015.
The student was asleep in one of the rooms in the farm house used as a hostel outside the school premises when the murderer unlawfully entered the room and raped her before strangling her to death.
The suspect stole several items some of which were recovered by police in his possession. – ZBC

ZimEye.com is receiving reports that an untold number of Apostolic Faith Ministries (AFM) church members were on Tuesday afternoon killed and several others seriously injured when their bus bus swerved off on the Mutare – Harare road at the Christmas Pass.
Of the 8 injured passengers about half of them have sustained serious injuries, a source said.
But other sources revealed there was indeed an accident but the claim that people died is not true. A witness, Mr Sydney Barson of the Zim Dialogue Institute told ZimEye.com the claim that 26 people were dead was not true. Other reports even claimed the number was 33.
“There was an accident at the pass but the claim that 26 perished is not true; I am at Mutare Provinial Hospital right now,” he said without going any further.
Witnesses claim that the bus driver lost control due to over speeding.
Meanwhile efforts to obtain a comment from the police hit a snag when cops denied the accident ever happening. Sources at Mutare Provincial Hospital however confirmed that there was indeed an accident and they were attending to casualties. They however could not divulge on the statistics.
ZimEye.com will keep our valued readers informed of developments.

Two women accused of entering South Africa carrying ingredients associated with drug manufacturing appeared in the Musina Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, Limpopo police said.
“The two women, Memory Maphosa, 39, from Zimbabwe, and Vuyiswa Mabasa, 23, from Lesotho, appeared… on a charge of the possession of drugs,” Colonel Ronel Otto said.
The matter was postponed to February 3 for further investigation, and the women would remain in custody.
The two women were arrested at Beitbridge border post on Sunday night, as they entered the country from Zimbabwe.
Otto said they were carrying more than 18kg of a substance believed to be ephedrine.
The substance would be tested to determine exactly what it was.
Ephedrine is a controlled substance with a similar chemical structure to amphetamines, and is sometimes used to manufacture methamphetamine.
Police estimated the value of the substance at about R8 million.
“Investigations to determine where the women were coming from, and where they were heading to, are still being (carried out),” Otto said. –

The Movement for Democratic Change formation led by Morgan Tsvangirai has dismissed as unfounded state media reports that some political parties have snubbed calls for an all-stakeholders conference to tackle Zimbabwe’s social, economic and political challenges.
MDC-T pokesman Obert Gutu says there are plans by some concerned Zimbabweans led by churches, political parties and civic organisations to hold an all-stakeholders’ conference in the next 30 to 90 days to which his party will be invited to participate.
The stakeholders conference is meant to find ways of addressing most problems bedeviling the country.
Gutu says the national convergence will be guided by eminent opinion leaders drawn from churches, business community and student movements who are leading in the planning stages.
Interview With Obert Gutu –

– VOA

Zimbabwe’s National Peace and Reconciliation Commission, has started taking the bull by its horns, by entering the most affected communities of Matabeleland North, South and Midlands.
Matebeleland must be compensated and the murders acknowledged and documented so that these things do not take place again. Until this month when some of Zimbabwe’s finest lawyers announced they are taking the matter up for the first time ever since the atrocities were committed, the healing and reconciliation on Gukurahundi had been a pipe dream for the people of Matabeleland. [-Click to listen – AUDIO: RIGHT Click to download]

The Matabeleland people have been crying foul over the deaths of 22 000 of their relatives, who were massacred by notorious 5^th Brigade, a process carried out in the name of restoring normalcy. Pressure groups and opposition politicians have been lobbied by the people of the region, who demand the offenders to be brought to book.
 
The first consultation which started in Bulawayo today, at the Large City Hall Car Park, has opened the first phase into healing process, as evidenced in this comprehensive interview with Human Rights Researcher on transitional justice, Dzikamai Bere.

Zimbabwe’s Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has caused another stench after he insultingly attacked vendors.
Mphoko who once claimed Gukurahundi was a Western conspiracy, said he did not understand why able-bodied people should engage in subsistence trading.
The VP whose wife recently refused a $3Million house saying it is too small, this time while addressing Zanu PF supporters at provincial party headquarters at Davies Hall during his maiden “Meet the People” tour in Bulawayo on Sunday, went against the concept of self-help vending when he decried the practice which has become a last resort for the growing number of jobless people in towns and cities to eke out a living.
“I have got my own views regarding vending where you find an able-bodied man seated selling tomatoes. There are better things to do for someone who is fit except for those who are indisposed and physically-challenged,” the vice president said.
He was responding to a question by a woman only identified as Ma Sibanda who wanted to know of what help was the VP to the vendors in the city who have had several running battles with municipal police officers and law enforcers.
“You should wake up and see what you can do for a living. We cannot tolerate a man who is fit, sitting down and selling tomatoes. No, let’s do something better,” he said without suggesting an alternative. His utterances come at a time when Zimbabwe has been virtually turned into an informal state as the once thriving industries have been turned into shells due to decades of political and economic mismanagement.
Currently, the country’s unemployment rate is estimated to be hovering above 90 percent. An estimated $400 million is needed if efforts to ensure a complete recovery of Bulawayo, once the hub of industry in Zimbabwe, are to achieve meaningful results.
Last year, during her “Meet the People” tour, First Lady Grace Mugabe became a darling of many after she came out guns blazing against law enforcers whom she ordered to stop harassing vendors. However, speaking on the revival of the second largest city, Mphoko said Bulawayo would rise again.
He said the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) should be booted out of the city if proper roads management has to be achieved. “As for Zinara, it should be there but it should go outside the city and leave Bulawayo alone,” Mphoko said.
“There used to be a Road Department which we grew up knowing. We now pay for vehicle licences at Zinara which is a national institute. Why not let Bulawayo maintain its own roads. We used to pay for vehicle licences at Revenue Hall and that money was used to maintain local roads.”
This comes after the Bulawayo City Council has challenged Zinara over its failure to allocate funds to the former for road maintenance.
Mphoko, who described Bulawayo as a stand-alone city, said it was time everything that belonged to the city should be returned.
This, he said included the Bulawayo Power Station which was compulsorily handed over to Zesa.
“Bulawayo must be Bulawayo again. The electricity generated at power stations here belongs to Bulawayo, therefore it should revert to its original owners as should electricity generated from power stations in Harare and that is the kind of efficiency we know,” Mphoko added. Daily News/Additional Reporting

Reserve

ZANU PF has made a U-turn on earlier threats to expel and recall from Parliament more than 100 MPs reportedly linked to ousted former Vice-President Joice Mujuru.
The recall may have forced President Robert Mugabe to dissolve Parliament and call for fresh elections.
Mujuru, who was stripped of both her government and party positions following allegations she harboured plans to unconstitutionally topple Mugabe, is believed to have the support of more than 100 Zanu PF MPs.
In an interview yesterday, after addressing the Zanu PF Manicaland provincial co-ordinating committee in Mutare, Zanu PF national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere denied that there had been a push to recall and expel the alleged “rebel MPs”.
This was despite the fact that Manicaland acting provincial chairman Samuel Undenge had briefed him about the province’s plans to axe the MPs.
“Our position has been very clear that all those who have not been expelled from the party remain members and will not be recalled from Parliament unless one has been expelled and the party decides to go for a by-election,” Kasukuwere said.
He said no resolution had been made to fire the legislators from the National Assembly, despite calls by provincial party structures to recall the MPs for allegedly identifying with the Mujuru camp.
Kasukuwere, however, said the fate of outspoken former Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa was being handled at the party’s highest level.
“On the Mutasa issue, the province has made a resolution and that will be discussed within the party at the highest level,” he said.
“The rest of the colleagues are members of the party.
“They are being disciplined within the party structures and it doesn’t follow that they are being expelled.”
He cited the example of Chipinge South MP Enock Porusingazi, who was recently suspended, but remains a Zanu PF MP.
Several ministers, provincial chairpersons and top party officials linked to Mujuru were purged in the run-up to, and after the ruling party’s congress in December 2014 after they were labeled traitors.
Kasukuwere later took a dig at Mutasa describing him as a self-proclaimed “godfather” and warning him to zip up or risk facing severe punishment from the ruling party. He warned party members to desist from organising shadowy meetings without following proper channels.
“We did not come to Zanu PF to help our grandmothers to get rich, but we came to build the party,” Kasukuwere said.
“For those who want to organise meetings, whether you are in the central committee or not, you should follow procedures.
“Let your chairman know about it, if you organise your own meeting what will people say about it?
“Zanu PF is not for one person, Nyati (Mutasa), the party is for every district and not Makoni. There is no godfather.
“Yes, we worked with them, but when you go wrong you face the consequences.”
Kasukuwere added: “You gave him (Mutasa) respect where it was not necessary.
“He later came with trumped-up charges against Dorothy Mabika and she suffered because of this.
“It was no longer a party issue, but it was a game.”

FORMER Zanu-PF secretary for Administration Didymus Mutasa could be arrested anytime from today for alleged theft of named “party documents and files from the office he was using”, which his lawyers used to prepare an application expected to be filed at the High Court in Harare today.
The State Media in a sensational 31 paragraph spit-licking stretch reports stating : the discovery of the theft of the documents comes at a time when mystery abounds over the whereabouts of the letter Mutasa purportedly wrote to Sadc as both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Harare, and the Sadc secretariat in Gaborone, Botswana, do not have a record of the letter.
Except for reports that the letter was lodged with the South African Embassy in London, its whereabouts remains a mystery whose authorship deepens in light of the fact that South Africa has an embassy in New Delhi, India, where Mutasa claimed to be when he claimed to have written the letter.
Mutasa, who was fired as Presidential Affairs Minister for working with former Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru’s putschist cabal that sought to depose President Mugabe, has been threatening to challenge Zanu-PF constitutional amendments and the outcome of the watershed 6th National People’s Congress in court, claiming it was a legal nullity.
Highly-placed sources yesterday revealed that the embattled Mutasa abandoned his Zanu-PF Headquarters office when he lost his bid to have a Central Committee seat in Makoni District, but looted all essential party documents from the office he was using in the President’s Department where he had been generating, receiving and filing party correspondence over the years.
Lawyers yesterday said Mutasa committed a theft case and would be arrested if Zanu-PF reported the matter to the police.
Said a source close to developments; “He took all the documents from the party. He used the party papers for the frivolous and vexatious litigation.”
Zanu-PF has since advised Mutasa to return the documents, failing which a theft charge will be filed with the police.
“When he was defeated in Makoni for the Central Committee seat, he went to the party headquarters where he was not operating from since he was now using the Government offices at Chaminuka Building. He said he was handing over the office to those to come after him, but he did not hand over the stuff, he took it to the Chaminuka offices.
“ Mutasa has been generating, receiving and filing correspondence on party matters from the office he was using at the President’s Department at Chaminuka Building. He had a secretary identified as Mrs Sabina Chiteme, who is also believed to be one of his wives,” said the source.
Zanu-PF director of administration Dickson Dzora, yesterday confirmed the party was handling Mutasa’s theft of documents issue, but declined to disclose more detail.
“I will comment on the matter at the appropriate time. I do not want to geopardise our investigations,” said Dzora.
However, highly placed party sources disclosed to the Herald yesterday that Zanu PF was determined to retrieve the documents stolen by Mutasa amid fears he might be tampering with them to abet his case that legal experts said was thin on the law but thick on political allegations.
“There are documents he has been receiving, we want them. We also want to see the documents that he has been generating after leaving office. He is guilty of theft of party documents and a demand has been made that he return the documents, failure of which a police report will be made,” said the Zanu-PF official.
Prominent city lawyer, Mr Jonathan Samukange, yesterday said the law was clear that taking away some important company documents when leaving the office was a criminal offense.
“The law is very clear. Taking with you company property including documents after your term office is a criminal offence. He stole those documents. He intended to deprive the owner of the documents. Zanu-PF can report him to the police,” said Mr Samukange.
Said another lawyer who declined to be named; “He stole the party’s property; he must return it or risk arrest.”
To prove that Mutasa had been stealing party documents, his lawyers Gula Ndebele and Partners on January 19 this year wrote to him requesting documents to prepare an application (D. Mutasa and others V Zanu-PF).
“I make re reference to the discussion we had this afternoon and wish to state the documentation we need to found our case as below;”-
“1.The facts in sequence and the dates when the events alleged happened. We shall then reduce to supporting or founding affidavits depending on their content.
2.The organs of the party from the lowest level, their hierarchy and functions.
3.The procedure for holding elections at the various levels from the highest to the lowest.
4.A detailed narrative of how these were done this time round at all the relevant levels. This relates with paragraph one above.
5.Events surrounding elections within the party from the low level to the highest level. This ties in with 1 and 4 above.
6.The new constitution, and the old constitution, which we have.
7.Resolutions of the Central committee, the politburo and congress, leading up to the congress of 2014.
8.Resolutions of the congress before last.
9.Any and all supporting documentation to support the factual issues we will raise in court.
10.Any decisions, deliberations and resolutions of an ad hoc committee set up to deal with pre-congress events, and minutes appointing such ad hoc committee.”
Observers say the fact that Mutasa stole these documents last year meant that his court case had been pre-meditated and that he had been criminally-minded all along.
Sources close to developments said the authorities were now treating Mutasa as a suspect in all break-in cases at the Zanu-PF and government offices were various documents were stolen.
In early September last year, thieves broke into the chamber of Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku at the Supreme Court and stole a desk top computer and a television set.
A few days after the break in, four judges reportedly lost keys to their offices.
Vice President and Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs Emmerson Mnangagwa’s offices at the Zanu-PF headquarters were also broken into in September, while there was an attempted break in at Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development Obert Mpofu at his Kaguvi Building office this year.

A Gwanda man, caught in his brother’s bedroom at night chatting to his sister-in-law, stabbed his elder sibling several times with a knife after being asked about his intentions.
James Gandidzanwa, 25, of West Nicholson, was yesterday arraigned before Gwanda magistrate Olivia Mashava Mashaire facing charges of assaulting his brother, Justice Ndlovu, 32. He pleaded guilty and was remanded in custody to today for sentencing.
Prosecuting Getrude Zvidzai told the court that on January 21, at around 8PM, Gandidzanwa approached his brother’s wife demanding his money. Zvidzai said Ndlovu’s wife told Gandidzanwa to wait for her husband’s return as he was not around.
“The accused person then insisted on sleeping with his brother’s wife as a way of recovering his money. Gandidzanwa started quarrelling with his brother’s wife and that is when the complainant arrived and inquired what the noise was all about. This angered Ndlovu who then drew a knife and stabbed his brother several times on the back, twice on the left arm and once on the right hand. Gandidzanwa sustained injuries,” Zvidzai told the court.
The magistrate ordered the State to clarify whether the injuries sustained by Ndlovu would cause permanent disability.
In his defence, Gandidzanwa said he was provoked by his brother into attacking him.
“Your Worship, I admit that I stabbed my brother several times with a knife on his back but he was the aggressor. He attacked me after learning that I’d been chatting to his wife in their bedroom, which angered him.
“My brother’s wife is the one who called me into their bedroom indicating that her husband was away. What I don’t agree with is that I intended to have sexual intercourse with my sister-in-law,” he said.
Gandidzanwa said he had taken the knife from his brother after disarming him.
“He grabbed me armed with a knife and an altercation ensued. I disarmed him but in the process, injured my palm. I can’t remember how many times I stabbed him but it was more than four times,” he said.
He pleaded for the court’s leniency in passing the sentence, saying that he had given his brother $20 for medical attention. Chronicle

State Media: Two lawyers have renounced agency in a case in which jailed RMG Independent End Time Message leader Robert Martin Gumbura, is contesting conviction and the 40-year prison sentence at the High Court.
Advocate Thembinkosi Magwaliba and Ms Rekayi Maphosa, withdrew from the case for undisclosed reasons, a development that resulted in Gumbura instructing new lawyer Mr Tapson Dzvetero.
Justices David Mangota and Felistus Chatukuta, who were set to hear the appeal, deferred the matter indefinitely to allow the parties to file heads of argument.
The prosecutor Mr Editor Mavuto, indicated that the State had been served with Gumbura’s heads of argument on the eleventh hour by the previous lawyers, hence he sought more time to respond before the court hearing.
Adv Magwaliba said Gumbura just decided to choose a new set of lawyers.
“Yes we have renounced agency, but we did not dump the client. The client simply chose an alternative set of lawyers,” he said.
Gumbura was jailed for 40 years for raping women from his church.
He is appealing against both the conviction and sentence imposed on him by the Harare Magistrates’ Court last year.
The man of the cloth, who was denied bail pending appeal, wants the higher court to set aside the lower court’s decision and acquit him of the charges.
Gumbura faced nine counts of raping six women and one of possessing pornographic material. He was cleared of four counts relating to three other women for lack of evidence.
In his grounds of appeal, Gumbura accused the trial magistrate of negating his duties, arguing that he did not evaluate evidence of the witnesses to come up with an appropriate decision.
He insisted that the acquittal was the competent verdict under the circumstances.
Gumbura argues that there was need, on the part of the magistrate, to evaluate each piece of evidence and the position of the appellant, setting out why his evidence was not acceptable compared to that of the complainants.

Zimbabwe’s Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko who once claimed that the infamous Gukurahundi massacre of 22,000 people was a western conspiracy, has denied charges by critics that he participated in the massacre of an estimated 20 000 innocent civilians in the early 1980s, mainly in Matabeleland and the Midlands
Mphoko told Zanu PF supporters gathered at Bulawayo’s Davis Hall yesterday that his hands were clean after he was criticised by a disapora based news reader Nomazulu Thatha.
Mphoko who was on his maiden “Meet the People” tour in the second city, said allegations that he was a member of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) during the Gukurahundi era were both “disturbing and malicious”.
During the speech he passively reinforced his earlier comments that Gukurahundi was a western conspiracy.
“There is a woman called Nomazulu Thatha, I think she is based in the UK. She has really given me a torrid time.
“She alleges that I joined CIO in 1980. I am not a liar, in my entire life, I have killed no one. I repeat no one was killed by these hands,” Mphoko said, displaying his palms.
“I have not killed anyone, direct or indirect,” he said.
The VP said he was a God-fearing Christian who would not dare end someone’s life.
Now grey and looking all of his 74 years, Mphoko further dismissed reports that he was a CIO operative at independence in 1980 — a time that he said he had been unemployed.
Human rights groups accuse President Robert Mugabe’s government of carrying out the much-criticised atrocities in western Zimbabwe —
through the North Korea-trained Fifth Brigade — that left an estimated 20 000 civilians dead, in what has been described as the darkest period in the country since 1980.
The government claimed at the time that it wanted to crush an alleged rebellion in the region by former Zipra combatants — with Mugabe since having described the period as “a moment of madness” in the history of the country.
Government apparatchiks have recently attempted to defend the massacres, in addition to disputing the number of people killed during the offensive.
Curiously, these officials have shied away from giving details about what the offensive was really about, how many people were killed at the time and why a number of reports into the massacres have never been released despite crass threats to do so — with most of this done under the cover of anonymously-written opinion articles in lickspittle State newspapers.
“In 1980, I was not employed. I was staying at my plot where I was farming cabbages,” Mphoko said, going on to briefly narrate his history until 1987 when he was attested into the CIO.
“When I joined the CIO, I joined as a diplomat. Back then in 1987 in the CIO there were many branches of which I fell under the Diplomats Branch,” he said.
Mphoko said that year marked the start of his long journey as a diplomat, which saw him being deployed to Mozambique first and later to other countries such as Austria, Botswana, Russia and South Africa.
Mphoko was appointed second vice president of the ruling party and of the State by Mugabe last month.
Later in the meeting, he also took a swipe at those who were accusing him of being a traitor, after he allegedly jumped ship from Zapu to Zanu.
“We started unity with Zanu PF in 1972, so during that time we regarded each other as comrades and allies. Talk of JMC (Joint Military Command) and I was one of the members in charge of it,” he said.
“From there we joined (James) Chikerema’s party which was a flop. We joined Zipra, then later the Patriotic Front. Zanu had always been seen as an ally, so for people to say I jumped ship and crossed over to Zanu, that’s a grave lie,” he added.
Mphoko accused his enemies of being guilty of trying to tarnish his image since he landed the VP post.
He also told the gathering that his appointment was not going to be a stroll in the park as he faced a mammoth task of working towards the development of the country’s failing economy.
“I have come to thank the people of Bulawayo for placing me on this high position. I am not on leave.
“This is a job that is very tough considering that it was held by a person of such stature like the late John Nkomo,” he said.
However, he said, no problem was insurmountable as long as people worked together for one cause.
He also said that he was going to work tirelessly to ensure that the city of Bulawayo was restored to its lost glory as Zimbabwe’s industrial hub.
He immediately ordered Provincial Affairs minister Sandi Moyo to set up a special meeting with stakeholders, including former mayors, to map a way forward for the revival of the city.
 
Below is Mphoko’s 2009 comments on the Gukurahundi massacre.
 
“When Zimbabwe became independent in 1980, Apartheid South Africa was under threat from the ANC through Zimbabwe. Western intelligence together with the South African intelligence BOSS and the out-going Rhodesian Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) designed a strategy to destroy the lines of military supply of the ANC and MK under the pretext that the newly independent Zimbabwe was under threat of being attacked by former ZAPU/ZPRA in Matebeleland. That falsehood was intended to create a military force to deal with the perceived threat. That is how Gukurahundi was formed and that is how it became a Western conspiracy”  – Daily News/ ZimEye

Harare preacher who last year suffered a brain tumour (CLICK HERE TO READ MORE) is said to have been healed after releasing a book on Finances.
Uebert Angel released his book titled, “What God Told me About Money,” on Friday.
He appeared in a photograph hands-in-pocket standing behind a banner advertising the book.

Efforts to obtain a comment from his UK office were fruitless at the time of writing. He relocated to the United Kingdom seeking vital medical attention last year.

There was drama last week when a 35-year-old Congolese man, Nitta Didier, was arrested after being caught with with over 600 pieces of diamonds worth $31 843.
Police raided Didier’s Eastlea house on Wednesday after receiving a tip off from as earlier claimed “unidentified members of the public”.
However drama unrolled when it emerged that the man who reported him, is a top ZANU PF activist and a business partner actively involved in the illegal trade but who decided to turn against him after an altercation. The man, name withheld, soon went on a run following the raid.
“He disappeared and we haven’t seen him since Thursday,” said an officer only identified as Chuma. It was not clear at the time of writing if police intend to pursue the man.
However Didier appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe facing charges of contravening section 3 (1) of the Precious Stones Trade Act Chapter 21.06 as read with section 3(2) of the same Act which prohibits possession of precious stones without a licence.
Didier, of Number 26 Cumberland Way in Eastlea, Harare, was denied bail.
Didier is an asylum seeker in Zimbabwe whose papers are due to expire in April.
Prosecutor Ms Francesca Mukumbiri told the court that when she perused Didier’s docket, she assumed that he would enter a plea of guilty.
“The accused was caught red-handed and granting him bail will be a ticket to flee.
“He is a flight risk since he is a refugee in Zimbabwe and his expiry date is April this year. He was in Zimbabwe since 2007,” she said.
Ms Mukumbiri alleged that last Wednesday, Minerals and Border Control Unit Headquarters detectives received information that Didier was in possession of diamonds and was looking for buyers.
It is alleged that Didier was driving a light green Nissan vehicle with registration number ADK5638.
The court heard that he later parked the car outside house number 34 Fereday Way, Eastlea in Harare.
Detectives managed to locate the vehicle and pounced on Didier who was in the company of a passenger.
Didier was searched and 678 pieces of diamonds were recovered in his trouser pocket wrapped in a khaki envelope.
Detectives also searched the passenger but found nothing of police interest. Didier failed to produce a licence authorising him to possess the diamonds and he was arrested.
The diamonds were taken to the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe and 675 of them were found to be real diamonds valued at US$31 843,04.

ZANU PF spokesman Simon Khaya Moyo faces a fresh threat to his political career after a group of disgruntled Matabeleland South party members reportedly started circulating a petition for his ouster from the central committee.
Moyo had seemingly survived a purge of party members loyal to ousted Vice-President Joice Mujuru, but the latest twist could be a threat to his floundering political career.
Zanu PF’s national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere on Friday was told of the tension and cheating within Matabeleland South provincial structures, with reports some war veterans wanted Moyo’s election into the central committee reversed.
Baton-wielding cops monitored the meeting that was attended by senior police officers, among them, the officer commanding Matabeleland South, Assistant Commissioner Goodwill Musariri.
Kasukuwere, who is on a countrywide tour of Zanu PF structures and was accompanied by Moyo, warned the party to guard against divisions.
“We lost direction towards congress, but now it is time to take stock,” he said.
“I come with the message of peace, unity and development.”
However, some members of the party said they were not yet ready to forgive those who challenged their nominations to the central committee.
“I understand that you come with a message of peace and unity, but how do we work with those that are challenging our election into the central committee?” Mafesi Ncube of Mangwe district asked.
“The local MP (Obedingwa Mnguni), working with some war veterans, has sent a petition to you challenging the election of Simon Khaya Moyo and myself saying it was unprocedural. How then do we work with such people?”
Mnguni, however, later defended himself saying he had only offered the said war veterans transport and had nothing to do with the petition.
Gwanda senator Alma Mkhwebu said she was shocked at congress to find out that her name had been struck off the list of central committee members and replaced with that of the party’s provincial administrator (PA) Rennie Kibi.
“I campaigned and was elected into the central committee, but when we got to congress the PA’s name was called out,” she said.
“Now l have been suspended for no reason.”
Kasukuwere said Mkhwebu should put her complaint in writing and the matter would be looked into.- SouthernEye

As the First Lady Grace Mugabe illegally offloaded a hundred zebras onto the Manzou farm she grabbed from poor black farmers last week, it has emerged the UK government has become unnerved by her activities.
Last week Grace defied two High Court orders and violently removed small scale farm beneficiaries of the Manzou farm-fields, a move that has led Lawyers for Human Rights to stand in for the victims in an urgent High Court chamber application.
In the latest country analysis, the British government indicated it is highly concerned by Grace Mugabe’s violations beginning with her October threats to shed blood.
“We are particularly concerned by incidents of reported hate speech used by the First Lady Grace Mugabe,” a government announcement read.
It continued, “On 6 October, Grace Mugabe was quoted as saying that she would “spill blood” if anyone attempted to remove her from her Mazowe farm, illegally appropriated from a white commercial farm owner
“We continue to remain concerned by the general lack of respect for the rule of law in Zimbabwe, particularly over property rights and security of land tenure
“Individuals, particularly those with a high profile, remain encouraged to take the law into their own hands
“The UK government remains concerned about politically-inspired violence and harassment, repressive legislation and limited media freedom
“Progress to align legislation with the constitution remains disappointingly slow and limited to less sensitive areas
” We are concerned by the continued use of oppression by police to stop legitimate peaceful protests and to limit freedom of expression.”

A school girl who disappeared after she was sent home from school for non payment of US$15 school fees has been found dead. The  girl  Miriam Chabvuma  from Kondo Village in Guruve and was starting Grade Three at Kondo Primary School, was discovered last Sunday in a small pool near her homestead. She had bruises on the head and shoulders, and a cut on her lips.
The young girl’s underwear had been lowered, raising suspicion she was raped and then murdered. According to family spokesperson Mr Letious Karembera, Mariam’s parents started panicking around 6pm on January 14 when their daughter did not return from school. Her classmates informed the parents that Miriam had been sent home before school ended due to non-payment of fees.
“The parents then reported the matter to the police and a missing person docket was opened,” said Mr Karembera.
It is alleged that four days after the girl went missing a herdboy from the area asked neighbours to help him look for the missing girl.
“What is puzzling is that the herdboy led the neighbours to a small pool and instructed them to conduct a search, but the search party failed to locate the body,” said Mr Karembera.
“The suspect repeatedly instructed the neighbours to look carefully into the ditch until they saw the floating body.” The herdboy was taken in for police questioning but released without being charged. Results of a post-mortem could not establish the cause of death because of the advanced state of decomposition of the body.
“It is worrying to note the doctor wrote that the body had decomposed when pictures taken on the day we discovered the body (shown to The Sunday Mail) show the body was still intact,” said Mr Karembera. Acting Mashonaland Central provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Petros Masikati could not be reached for comment as his phone went unanswered.
Last week Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Prof Paul Mavhima reiterated that no pupil should be sent home for non-payment of fees as access to an education was a constitutional right.
In 2013, Government barred schools from sending pupils away due to non-payment of fees and urged parents to come up with payment plans. -sunday mail

Zanu-PF Politburo member and war veteran Oppah Muchinguri has exposed former Vice-President Joice Mujuru and ex-minister Didymus Mutasa’s dubious Second Chimurenga heroism claims, alleging the duo never engaged in real combat.
Muchinguri made the damning revelations in an address to party supporters at Vengere Hall in Rusape last week, also alleging that Mujuru was at the forefront of coercing young women to sleep with male combatants.
She also said Mujuru never shot down a helicopter during the Second Chimurenga as was often claimed.
“Let me tell you: we were together during our days in Mozambique; Joice came to the war front accompanied by her husband (before she married General Solomon Mujuru). The man is the one who died during an incursion and then she claimed and lied that she had shot down the helicopter,” said Muchinguri.
“Those who aided in peddling those falsehoods of downing a helicopter were Mr (Webster) Shamu and Mr Mutasa. Their agenda was to prop Mujuru’s war credentials.
“When Joice came back from Zambia, in fact she did not undergo any form of training. A few days after she joined us in Mozambique, Joice physically assaulted me. I,  Duri and  Chitsotso, resisted sleeping with the likes of Mr Mutasa, Mr Bhombandiani; and I was whipped for that. Imagine, Joice was there!
“We want you to understand how other young female soldiers suffered as Joice engineered all these abuses,” said Muchinguri.
The Zanu-PF Politburo member said Mutasa attempted to assassinate her when he was State Security Minister by engineering suspicious road accidents involving her vehicle.
She went on, “The late Edgar Tekere is the one who brought Mutasa who was already in Bishop Abel Muzorewa’s camp. He came to Maputo, he never trained saying he was scared that his wife Getty would be killed. He is not part of our liberation struggle.
“He told Tekere to leave the party so that he would join him to form their own party. Mutasa is the one who betrayed Mr Maurice Nyagumbo and lied to us that he was not a good person and in the end Nyagumbo committed suicide. He is the one who got the late Mr Kumbirai Kangai arrested. His war credentials are soiled.”
Muchinguri said Zanu-PF’s leadership was aware of the havoc wreaked by Mutasa during his tenure in public office.
“He was impregnating women and I have my uncle who has a wife who was impregnated by Mr Mutasa. Didymus boasted to me that he impregnated her. He is a man who has no respect for other men,” she said. -sunday mail

Zanu PF Mashonaland Central is resisiting attempts to have ousted Joice Mujuru expelled from the party.
Acting provincial chairman Dickson Mafios told The Standard in an interview yesterday that the province would not recommend Mujuru’s ouster from the party although he said they would stand guided by the politburo’s decision.
Mafios said Mujuru had done nothing to deserve the boot ever since she was emasculated during the party’s December congress, which kicked her from the party’s second top post and subsequently the office of VP.
“We haven’t heard her speak anything contrary to the party position so we are only waiting for the politburo position on that one,” Mafios said yesterday.
Mafios said he would give more detail after yesterday’s provincial meeting in Mt Darwin but efforts to contact him later failed up to the time of going to print. His phone was no longer reachable.
The Mujuru camp has however vowed to fight from within the party, an indication they intend to resist expulsions. It is however not clear how they intend to achieve this as expulsion is the prerogative of the politburo from whence they have already been removed.
Expelled former spokesperson of the party Rugare Gumbo yesterday maintained that the Mujuru camp would not form a party but would live to fight for the restoration of order from within the party. 
“We don’t intend to form a party at all. We are fighting from within and Mai [Mrs] Mujuru has said she is not leaving the party, no one will push her out of the party. Mutasa has said he is not going to be pushed out of the party and my views have always been clear on that one,” said the veteran politician yesterday.
Recent developments in the party however point at more expulsions taking place in the party. Upon his arrival from holiday last Thursday, President Robert Mugabe spoke of possible expulsions telling supporters that had gone to welcome him at the airport that he would advise them of any new expulsions that would take place on recommendations. 
Impeccable sources said yesterday that Mujuru’s political foes, led by the so-called “Gang of Four” was working day and night to permanently remove Mujuru from the party’s succession matrix by stripping her of her party membership.
As of now, Mujuru stands a chance of bouncing back through nomination for election in the event that Mugabe resigns or gets incapacitated. Mujuru is believed to command massive following in the party despite her purging, a situation that threatens her enemies in the party.
Chances of her constitutionally landing the presidency in the event of Mugabe being unavailable to lead the country for any reason are believed to be high – making it an urgent necessity by her enemies to make her ineligible for contest.
Professor Jonathan Moyo, who is believed to be a member of the G4, all but revealed at a Sapes debate series last Thursday that he and a fellow member of the group, Saviour Kasukuwere were scheming to floor Mujuru completely. The Information minister said Mujuru would never resurrect.
Referring to a possibility of Mujuru’s resurrection, Moyo said: “I am very sure, we have a very long way before the next election and those of us like the PC [Kasukuwere] here and others are at work and just watch the space and see what that work is going to be.”
Moyo, whose strategy before the congress included roping in Mugabe’s wife Grace to prevail over Mugabe to fire Mujuru, said he would make sure that the former VP would fall, never to rise again.
“Tactically, the Gang of 4 believes Mujuru has chosen not to respond leaving all the work to Mutasa who would fight to get her sacked from the party,” a Zanu PF insider said. 
“They fear that they can’t manage her from within. The plan now is to push her out so that she is ineligible to contest if Mugabe decides to leave or is incapacitated.” 
Several Mujuru loyalists have been purged from the party and more are likely going to be fired as infighting continues in Mugabe’s party, judging from the president’s tone on Thursday – Standard

ENVIRONMENT, Water and Climate Permanent Secretary Mr Prince Mupazviriwo and suspended Allied Timbers Zimbabwe boss Dr Joseph Kanyekanye are embroiled in a dispute concerning a US$20 000 donation the firm made towards Zanu-PF’s December 2014 National Congress.The money allegedly never reached Zanu-PF.
Dr Kanyekanye accuses the permanent secretary of misappropriating the funds, while Mr Mupazviriwo says the embattled executive should explain what he did with the money.
The ATZ board has suspended Dr Kanyekanye on allegations of corruption, among other issues. Dr Kanyekanye denies the charges.
According to papers submitted on January 16, 2015 to the Labour and Social Services Ministry (Department of Labour Administration) by Dr Kanyekanye’s lawyer Mr Alex Mambosasa, Mr Mupazviriwo allegedly failed to account for the US$20 000 donation.
“I also wish to relate to another recent incident that happened on 26 November 2014, in which again in the presence of a witness, the Permanent Secretary, Mr Mupazviriwo, suggested that donations of US$20 000 released by ATZ for the Zanu-PF Congress be explained as money that went to purchasing dinner tables.
“I listened to him but then immediately wrote a letter confirming the true account of what happened.
“This incident and supporting documents are available from the outgoing (finance director) Caroline Moyo and my (personal assistant) Yollander Chibanda.
‘‘What Permanent Secretary Prince Mupazviriwo asked me to do was falsification of documents. I am curious as to why he wanted me to do this especially when his ministry had written to me indicating that they had not received the US$20 000 donation made by ATZ towards the Zanu-PF Congress,” reads part of the document.
Mr Mambosasa said the ATZ board should launch an independent investigation as to what happened to the money.
Mr Mupazviriwo yesterday denied misappropriating the US$20 000 and said he had documentation proving his innocence.
“Kanyekanye should tell you whom he gave the US$20 000; as a ministry we asked for the donation because we are a shareholder. Documents can be traced to prove what really transpired,” he said. -Sunday Mail

ZANU-PF national commissar Mr Saviour Kasukuwere yesterday warned the party’s Matabeleland North province to avoid unnecessary and divisive fights.Addressing a Provincial Co-ordinating Committee meeting in Lupane, Mr Kasukuwere said the vindictive attempt late last year to oust senior party members in the run-up to the party’s National People’s Congress should not be repeated.
Mr Kasukuwere said he expected order from a province with the double honour o f having the highest number of Zanu-PF Politburo members and hosting President Mugabe’s 91st Birthday celebrations next month.
Ahead of the December 2014 National People’s Congress, some officials tried to withdraw Mr Jacob Mudenda, Sithembiso Nyoni, Fati Mpofu and Elias Mavule from the Central Committee list.
“Let’s turn a new page in 2015. ‘Let’s respect our members of the Politburo, war veterans, ministers and senators but even us, the elders, let us respect those below us,” the commissar said.
“We should unite and respect each other. We must stop being frivolous. The province must not be a frivolous province which pursues trivial matters…
“I’m saying so because I know this province to be a very stable province. We were very pleased when we heard that in Matabeleland North, there were no problems in provincial and Central Committee but at some point problems started to show.”
Mr Kasukuwere urged the province to concentrate on delivery, and expressed satisfaction that Matabeleland North remained loyal to President Mugabe.
“Let’s continue in that good direction. ‘Don’t get swayed. Don’t sell your souls,” he said.
Mr Kasukuwere said Zanu-PF was stronger after ridding itself of elements who thought they were bigger than the party.
“You have one President, how dare you say I have a province. Whose? Yours? The provinces must belong to the party,” said Mr Kasukuwere.
“Those are President Mugabe’s provinces and should support him. As chairman, you belong to President Mugabe – you are not anyone’s. You are chairman of Zanu-PF under President Mugabe.”
He said provinces were being run by “godfathers” with Dzikamai Mavhaire and Didymus Mutasa controlling chairpersons in Masvingo and Manicaland, respectively.
Mr Kasukuwere called on Matabeleland North to ignore attention-seekers like sacked party secretary for information Rugare Gumbo and Mr Mutasa, who were challenging the legitimacy of the 6th National People’s Congress.
The meeting also learnt from the national youth leadership that preparations for the 21st February Movement celebrations were well on course.  -Sunday Mail

STATE MEDIA: Zanu-PF Manicaland province has instituted proceedings to have former Presidential Affairs Minister Didymus Mutasa arrested on allegations of murder, corruption, abuse of office, fraud, and sexual abuse of underage girls. Mutasa, once the influential ruling party secretary for administration, is now an ordinary member of Zanu-PF after being linked to the cabal that last year tried to unseat President Mugabe.
Zanu-PF Manicaland province tasked a team led by Zanu-PF secretary for legal affairs Patrick Chinamasa to investigate and prepare a report to be submitted to the police on Mutasa’s alleged illegal activities over the past few years.
It is understood that Mutasa used his official positions to allegedly act with impunity over the years.
Addressing hundreds of party supporters at Vengere Hall in Rusape last Friday, Chinamasa, a lawyer by training, said his team was probing allegations of sexual abuse, corruption and violence.
He said they had so far unearthed evidence showing Mutasa infiltrated the police in Manicaland to ensure all criminal reports made against him died a stillbirth.
Zanu-PF Politburo member Oppah Muchinguri, who attended the meeting, said once the investigations were complete a police report would be made.
“We have cases of sexual abuse, fraud, and abuse of party and Government funds. He (Mutasa) was allocating A2 farms illegally to his girlfriends and relatives,” said Muchinguri.
“ Chinamasa, who is a legal expert, is heading a special task force that is now finalising its findings on these allegations that has been brought to our attention by the people.
“It is said he was abusing underage girls from the local secondary schools. Police reports were made on these cases and from our findings we have noted that the dockets have disappeared.
“He was so powerful and investigating officers would be transferred from local police stations if they attempted to look into reports made against him.
“He was operating as a mafia boss and people were beaten up around the Makoni area. We understand that his lieutenants are said to have killed a man and the body was later found in a dam at his farm. He is said to be the one who ordered the kill.
“He would adopt young girls and end up sleeping with them, and as we speak one of the girls (name withheld) has sired a child with him. We are also going to look at all the farms he distributed to his lovers and whites.”
Manicaland Provincial Affairs Minister Mandi Chimene said her office, together with other departments, had since repossessed 12 farms Mutasa had illegally allocated to white farmers.
“He was protecting a clique of white farmers around the Headlands area who were staying on gazetted farms. We have since retaken them for proper distribution.
“Mutasa with the aid of his bodyguards who operated under the party’s youth group dubbed Simudza Makoni physically assaulted party members. We have Chitura who was beaten by these thugs; she almost died.
“We have since established that he is collecting US$8 500 monthly from party properties. The money is being collected by one Mandi Majoni, his alleged girlfriend.”
According to information gathered by The Sunday Mail, illegal land allocations to his lovers and friends by Mutasa are said to have begun in 2005 when was appointed Minister of State for National Security, Lands, Land Reform and Resettlement in the President’s Office.
Chinamasa said the Manicaland Province executive was expecting the next Politburo meeting to endorse their call to have Mutasa fired from the ruling party.
“He committed a series of offences. He is probably sick, he still claims to be the secretary for administration. We noted that in his statement published in the private media that our congress was illegal.
“Mutasa further says that we are corrupt and have a record of being a violent party. It is shocking he is the one who has blood on his hands. People in Makoni know who the father of violence is. He is the one butchered people here who soiled the party’s name through his gang Simudza Makoni.
“He is undermining the authority of President Mugabe and we will not sit and watch him continue with his behavior,” he said.
Mutasa’s mobile phone went unanswered when The Sunday Mail sought his comment yesterday. sunday mail

The Municipality of Gwanda has resumed eviction of some residents from the Old Jahunda Township council rented houses.
A number of tenants in the town’s oldest township have been served with eviction notices to leave the house by the 5th of March 2015. The notices sent to tenants by council indicate that council passed a resolution HH1531 on the 27th of November 2014 to evict the said “defaulting tenants” from the council houses.
According to the minutes council resolved to evict all tenants who were not complying to the regulations of the lease agreement the tenants entered into with council on occupation of the houses. Most of those affected by the evictions are tenants who have sublet the councils houses against the terms of the lease that prohibit subletting the premises.
Asked for details on how the people to be evicted from the houses were decided, a council employee at the housing department who would not be named said that most of the people being “evicted” from the houses are people who are no longer living in the houses and have let out the houses to other people. According to the council official, council requested the lease holding tenants to report to the offices to renew their leases and all those who failed to turn up in person have been issued with eviction notices as they have failed to renew their lease agreements.
Some of the residents who have been served with notices however dispute the council statement saying that they never received notices calling them to renew their lease agreements. Some claim that they received the notices to renew their lease but there was no deadline when to do so and were out of town at the time the papers were served.
On investigation, ZimEye.com established that indeed some of the occupants in the houses were not the lease holders. Some occupants claimed to be descendants of the original lease holders who signed the lease agreements some thirty years ago. The lease holders were either now deceased or living in rural areas coming to town regularly.
Asked on what they will do in the wake of the eviction notices the occupants said that they will not move out of the houses unless Council has alternative accommodation for them. The occupants claim to have reported the matter to the Gwanda Residents Association which has promised to meet them soon to map a way forward.
Asked for a comment, the spokesperson of the Residents Association Mr Bekezela Maduma Fuzwayo confirmed receiving complaints from the residents about the evictions. He however would not be drawn to comment further saying that the Association is waiting for report from the ward committee and the outcome of the meeting between the affected residents and the committee. Fuzwayo also confirmed knowledge of council notices asking residents to visit the council offices to regularise their lease agreements. He expressed disappointment that some of the tenants did not respond to the call.
“This matter is not a new development, it started last year and we held meetings with council and residents asking the matter to be reconsidered and done more transparently. Council agreed to defer it on condition that residents visited the council offices to regularise their leases. We expected all affected residents to take advantage of that amnesty but if some didn’t then it makes it difficult for us. We will tackle the matter when all the information is made available to us and make sure that those who are not meant to leave the houses are not evicted,” said Fuzwayo.
“We will do our best to advocate for the residents especially those who are occupying the houses as children of the original lease holders as some of them were born and grew up living in those houses,” added Fuzwayo.

As part of security measures to make it suitable for habitation by the “big five” animals, the cash-strapped Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority would have to fork out at least US$1 million to fence Manzou Estate in Mazowe, where First Lady Grace Mugabe is setting up a private wildlife sanctuary.
This comes after Environment, Water and Climate minister Saviour Kasukuwere last week said that the National Parks had taken control of Manzou farm, formerly known as Arnold Farm, and would soon be translocating the “big five” animals from other sanctuaries to Mugabe’s private game park.
Kasukuwere said the authority would soon be bringing the big five (elephants, lions, rhinos, leopards and buffaloes) to Manzou, despite a High Court order stopping the evictions of more than 200 families in the area.
Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force (ZCTF) chairperson Johnny Rodrigues this week said the big five needed high security fencing, which would cost at least US$1 million per 2 000 hectares.
Manzou farm, where 200 families were evicted to make way for the private game park, is estimated to cover over 1 800 hectares.
Rodrigues said two layers of fence would be required for the area to accommodate the big five.
This would put a further strain on the parks authority, which was allocated US$4 539 450 in the 2015 budget.
“Double fencing is needed for such dangerous animals and there has to be three metres in between the fences, with the other being electrified,” he said.
“What I can tell you is it’s very expensive to acquire the fence as it is not ordinary fencing; about 16 lines of wire would be needed from top to bottom although it is still possible for the big five to tear the fence,” Rodrigues said, adding that this would pose a great danger to villagers in the surrounding area.
He questioned where National Parks would get funding to undertake such a huge operation as they are already struggling.
“It doesn’t make sense that National Parks has been failing to pay workers but they want to fence a private wildlife sanctuary; where are they going to get the money from?”
In addition to the financial crunch, the authority faces transport, fuel and staffing problems. Contacted for comment, National Parks spokesperson Caroline Washaya-Moyo asked for questions to be e-mailed to her, but had not responded by the time of going to print.
Rodrigues said Manzou farm is not fit for the big five as Mazowe is highly populated by people meaning such animals could pose serious danger to humans.
“Government should consult ecologists to get advice on which animals are fit for such a place. Animals such as impala, kudu and zebra would be more suitable as they are less harmful.”
One of the villagers facing eviction at Manzou farm, Aspinas Makufa said they have been living in the open and life is more difficult due to the incessant rains.
Makufa also said National Parks had on Tuesday brought zebras which have been destroying their crops.
“The National Parks brought zebras on Tuesday and they have been destroying our crops and even if we are not evicted, we would not harvest anything,” said Makufa.
On Tuesday, police joined the National Parks team which has been camped at the farm since last week. The police, like the parks authority officers, pitched tents close to where the villagers are staying in plastic shacks.
“Takangoona mapurisa auya musi weTuesday and vakaisa matents avo (police came on Tuesday and pitched their tents). Hapana zvavarikutaura, takangotarisana navo (They are not saying or doing much),” said Makufa.
Police demolished properties at Manzou a fortnight ago despite a court order last year. The demolitions only stopped last week on Monday after the High Court granted a provisional order barring the evictions as directed by last year’s court order. – The Independent

ZANU PF youths have warned Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries leader Walter Magaya against attacking apostolic sect members, some of whom have publicly declared their allegiance to President Robert Mugabe and have religiously attended all major party events in their thousands.
Speaking after Mugabe’s address to hundreds of party supporters gathered to welcome him at Harare International Airport on Thursday, Zanu PF Harare provincial youth chairman Godwin Gomwe warned Magaya not to “tread on dangerous ground” by attacking the sect members.
This came after Magaya, in his booklet titled Marine Spirits, Mweya Yemumvura: Teaching by Prophet W Magaya, claimed that members of the apostolic sect derived their doctrine from spirits that reside in the marine kingdom and that they do not believe in the Bible.
“It is from these Orion and Leviathan spirits of the marine kingdom where false, non-Bible believing white garment churches (mapositori ekumasowe) are derived,” Magaya wrote.
“It is also unfortunate that many people have been deceived to follow or visit these kinds of shrines (masowe) in an effort to go over their problems, yet to no avail.
“Many people who have visited these non-Bible believing churches have had their problems worsened, while others have been permanently hooked to them after receiving various continuous serious threats including death (zviga zverufu netsaona), thereby becoming members,” he added.
Gomwe described the narrative in the book as a direct
attack on “Zanu PF’s all-weather friends”.
“You heard President Mugabe say ‘Pamberi neMapostori edu? They made us win elections by their continued support of the party. Magaya blasts them even on the podium. His church is not special. His church is not perfect and he should leave Vapostori alone,” Gomwe said.
“We are not happy with what he said and we are warning him as a party to stop attacking Vapostori.”
Magaya’s controversial remarks have already drawn a sharp rebuke from the Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe — which represents at least 700 Apostolic Christian churches in the country.
Magaya could not be reached for comment yesterday.- Newsday

INFORMATION, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo has communicated a bold denial that he once vocalised that the best way to destroy Zanu-PF was from within.
Moyo told journalists yesterday that he actually stated the opposite, which is that the best way to reform ZANU PF is from within.
He hurled bitter insults at journalists saying his statement on reforming the revolutionary party had been taken out of context by “uneducated media minds”.
Moyo, who is also Zanu-PF Secretary for Science and Technology, said this while officiating at the Zimbabwe National Editors’ Forum annual general meeting held in Harare, as he challenged the journalists present to go into the archives to see if he ever uttered such a statement.
“It will be absolutely nonsensical for a person like me to say the best way of destroying Zanu-PF is from within,” he said.

Mazowe South legislator Fortune Chasi has demonstrated he dreads helping members of his constituency who have been illegally displaced by President Robert Mugabe’s wife, Grace.
Speaking to ZimEye.com, Chasi said ‘I feel’ for the over 150 families who were displaced by the police from Arnold Farm which falls under his constituency to accommodate wild animals but said he could not help the situation because ‘it is before the courts’.
This came as Mrs Mugabe defying two High Court orders offloaded 100 zebras onto the agricultural farmland.
The former Justice Deputy Minister was fired by President Robert Mugabe after he clashed with his Grace over land in the constituency.
“I have never been there since they were displaced, but I can feel pity for them .I can imagine how they are coping especially in this chilly weather,” Chasi told ZimEye.com
He continued,
“Even if I go there I will find no one to address and also because the case is before the court. I think you appreciate that there were court orders and it is my feeling that the courts deal with the case, and if I get involved I will be interfering with the courts, ” he timidly replied.
 
The villagers who are being represented by Tonderai Bharasara of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights are now living in makeshift houses constructed using plastics after their 14 year old houses were demolished with neither notice nor protocol.
 
Government last week claimed it was going to find some alternative land for the villagers, but Chasi said he was not aware of such developments.
 
“I do not know what the plans are at the moment and I am not even aware of what is going to happen to them”, he said.
 
The villagers last week said officials from the National Parks and Wild Life management authority visited the farm and advised them that they were going to drive in some wild animals. This is despite the existence of two court orders interdicting government from evicting the villagers.
 
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights has vowed to continue defending the villagers.

A 15-year-old pupil at Fatima Mission High School was raped and strangled by an unknown assailant who broke into the school on Wednesday night, Radio Dialogue has learnt.
ZRP national police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident and referred further inquiries to Matabeleland North police who are handling the case.
The police said they have since deployed police with sniffer dogs at the scene to carry out investigations.
“The police are busy with sniffer dogs on the scene trying to sniff out the suspect who allegedly raped and killed the 15-year-old girl,” said the police.
However, the police said they will give a full official comment after gathering more facts of what transpired, adding that the body of the deceased pupil has been taken to United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) for postmortem.
Sources at the school say on Wednesday, a suspected rapist cum murderer tripped power at one of the staff quarters where the Form 1 pupil was staying with a relative.
“This happened at about midnight. The rapist got into the house after having tripped power and raped the girl before strangling her to death,” said the official, who declined to be named.
He said the suspect then went into the next room with the intention of raping another girl who was sleeping there.
“As he tried to rape the girl, she managed to scream thereby alerting everyone in the house who woke up to assist the screaming girl. That’s when they discovered that he had raped and killed one of the girls,” said the official.
He said by the time people woke up, the suspect had run away.
“It is still a mystery even up to today. We don’t know how the rapist managed to get into the house,” said the official.
The school’s senior master, Gladness Ndlovu could not shed more light on the matter, referring all questions to the headmaster who was not immediately available for a comment.

Zanu PF will hold primary elections in Mt Darwin West constituency on Sunday the 25th January 2015 in preparation for the March 27 by-election.
In a statement, Zanu PF National Political Commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere said all polling stations will open at 7am and will close at 7pm.
He, however, said voters who will have arrived at the station before closing time and are still awaiting their turn to vote will be allowed to vote.
“Cell/Village membership registers approved by the province are to be used as the voters roll and only those members appearing on the voters roll, having proof of their National Identity Cards and are known by fellow party members, are to vote,” he said.
There are 46 polling stations in the constituency and 11 teams, each comprising of members of the Central Committee, National Consultative Assembly, and Provincial leadership, War Veterans, ZEPPDRA and War Collaborators will be drawn from each Administrative District of Mashonaland Central Province to constitute the core of the Presiding and Polling officers who will be deployed at Ward Command Centres and Polling stations.
The returning and deputy returning officers are Prisca Mupfumira and Edna Madzongwe respectively.
Once voting is complete, counting shall immediately commence and presiding officers shall, after first forwarding results to the party headquarters, announce results at the Polling Station.
In terms of the constitution, the seat became vacant after the elevation of ousted former Vice President Joice Mujuru. – State Media

 
The wait is over for candidates who sat for Advanced Level exams last year and 82, 61 percent of them reserve the right to celebrate after passing two or more subjects with an “E” grade or better.

As a way of celebrating the passes ZimEye.com in this issue, calls on news readers to submit the full names of those who have passed. (Please type the person’s name in the comments section below)

Meanwhile the Zimbabwe School Examination Council (ZIMSEC) said Thursday out of 30, 614 examinees, 25, 291 had passed.
This slightly increased the ZIMSEC “A” Level pass rate from 81,6 in 2013 to 82,6 percent last year.
ZIMSEC director, Esau Nhandara, said in a statement that of the 7,324 private candidates who set for the same exams, 4,217 of them had passed. (VOA/ZimEye)

Zanu-PF Politburo member and Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Oppah Muchinguri, is now officially married to a Pentecostal clergyman – Bishop Anthony Kashiri. With that new matrimonial status she will assume a new title, “Mai Mufundisi”. The two are believed to have been love-birds for some time but did all they could to put the relationship under wraps to avoid unnecessary publicity.
Muchinguri paraded her new-found love around in public last Thursday at Mutare Polytechnic during the provincial co-ordination committee meeting and Headlands Hall where thousands of Zanu-PF supporters from Headlands constituency had converged to petition the party leadership to expel their representative in the National Assembly, Didymus Mutasa, from the party and august House.
She confirmed Bishop Kashiri as the apple of her eye. “Where is he? My better half, where are you? Oh, there he is!  This is my husband, and we are happily married,” said Muchinguri, to some wild ululations and whistling from the jubilant crowd. “I am now Amai Kashiri,” she added. “You continue to refer to me as Amai Muchinguri because probably you did not know that I am now married. “I am now Amai Kashiri,” she said with a radiant smile.
The lovebirds posed briefly for a photo-shoot from journalists. “We have all along been keeping a low profile as we tried to avoid paparazzi.” she said referring to journalists’ snoopy appetite for titillating news.
Reliable sources maintain that a big wedding was on the cards soon for the Cabinet minister after a recent  conclusion of customary proceedings between the two families. Bishop Kashiri has been in the USA for years and is believed to have had his own family as well. Muchinguri was previously married to Botswana-based trader Mr Tapiwa Rushesha and their marriage ended in the late 1990s. She opted to drop her marital last name as she switched back to her maiden name, Muchinguri.