https://youtu.be/S0FmUmDHlhc

ZimEye is receiving reports that a large gum tree has blocked Seke road between Masotcha Ave and St Patrick.

“Seke road between Masotcha and St Patrick is blocked. There is a gum tree that just fell and has blocked all 4 lanes,” a source said on Twitter.

Contacted for a comment, Harare mayor Ben Manyenyeni told ZimEye he is waiting on Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere’s intervention. LIVE BROADCAST at (Zim time) 5.40pm.

https://youtu.be/LZ_h9VCeAkk?t=5

Ray Nkosi |Controversial Kariba based Pastor who prophesied that President Robert Mugabe would die on the 17th of October has been denied bail.

Ray Nkosi| Former Welshman Ncube led MDC member Bekezela Maduma Fuzwayo has been elected as the new Matabeleland South provincial chairman of the Joice Mujuru led Zimbabwe People First party to replace ousted chairman Leonard Matutu.

According to sources within the party, Fuzwayo was unanimously elected by members of the party’s provincial executive council in an election held on Saturday in Gwanda.

He replaces the founding chairman of the party in the province Leonard Matutu who resigned from the party in December amongst rumours of financial mismanagement and poor leadership skills accusations.

The sources expressed excitement at the election of the double Human Rights Award winning activist who was amongst some of Mujuru’s early strategic recruits into the party from the Matabeleland region.

“We are extremely excited at Fuzwayo’s coming into the party and believe that with his experience and capabilities, the party’s fortunes in the province will begin a turn around,” said the sources.

Fuzwayo’s name is also being peddled by party members in the region for possibly being one of the two of Mujuru’s Vice Presidents in elections at the party’s inaugural elective congress set for March this year.

Fuzwayo could not immediately be reached for a comment on the appointment. His membership to the Mujuru led party has been met with a lot of questions from some Matabeleland activists who accuse Mujuru of Gukurahundi participation.

TWO burglars pounced on Heads and Hooves Wholesale in Bulawayo and got away with cash amounting to about $1 000, R1 800, and P550 in an intrusion that was caught on camera.

A manager at the wholesale who spoke on condition of anonymity said the cash was in a safe in her office. She declined to state the exact amount of money that was stolen, but a police source said the company lost $1 000, R1 800, and P550.

The Heads and Hooves Wholesale manager said the break-in occurred at around 2AM on Tuesday.

“We saw on CCTV that two men broke into our shop through the back windows and ransacked the place, getting away with cash. No one was injured. Unfortunately I cannot disclose much details as this may disturb investigations which are underway,” she said.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango said they were handling the matter.

“We are investigating a case of unlawful entry and theft that occurred at Heads and Hooves Wholesale at Kelvin Industrial Area. Robbers broke into the shop and stole cash from a safe comprising of US dollars, rand and pula.

“We urge companies to engage security guards and if they prefer using electronic security measures, then they should be connected to their security companies for warning in case of emergency,” she said.

The latest incident follows the murder of a security guard at Seventh Day Adventist church-run Pelandaba Primary School by four armed robbers following a raid in which two laptops and cash amounting to $200 were stolen on Tuesday morning.

The security guard died on admission to Mpilo Central Hospital while his colleague survived the attack.

On Friday morning, a woman was found dead in Cowdray Park suburb after she did not return home from a church service held in the same suburb the previous night. – state media

DIPLOMATS at Zimbabwe’s 45 foreign missions might soon find themselves homeless, as they have been issued with eviction notices over rental arrears amounting to $7 million.

This was revealed by Foreign Affairs ministry secretary, Joey Bimha on Monday, when he appeared before the Kindness Paradza-led Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs to speak on his ministry’s budget allocation for 2017, a paltry $32,8 million.

“Zimbabwe’s diplomatic missions (45 missions) require $24 716 672, and annual rentals, which are a major contractual obligation for our diplomatic missions abroad, stand at $13 200 000, but only $3 040 000 was allocated, which is just sufficient to cater for rentals for three months only,” he said.

“The ministry is in a quandary because all missions, without exception, have received eviction notices because we have an outstanding rental arrears bill of $7 million from 2016, which effectively wipes out the allocated 2017 rental budget of $3 040 000.”

Bimha said the ministry was also finding it difficult to maintain its buildings, vehicles, office equipment and furniture at foreign missions.

“The 2017 allocation of $570 000 is 39% less than the previous year’s allocation of $930 000, for instance, the global 2017 average maintenance provision per mission is $12 667 and $570 000 for the 45 missions. The allocation can hardly pay annual maintenance bills for a mission. The allocation is way below the ministry’s requirements of $3 437 500,” he said, adding they were also struggling to maintain their foreign vehicle fleet.

“The mission’s vehicle fleet is old and most vehicles were purchased in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The representational and utility vehicles have exceeded their life-span, hence, are now expensive to maintain.
Ambassadors continue to face embarrassing situations due to the deplorable conditions of the vehicles they use.”

Last year, Paradza played a video in the National Assembly showing the crumbling Zimbabwean Embassy building in Ethiopia.

Bimha said the ministry had expected an allocation of $13 million for projects, but only $2,4 million was made available.

Zimbabwe has for almost two decades been dogged by a political, social and economic crisis that has been exacerbated by President Robert Mugabe’s controversial stay in power. – Newsday

By Staff Reporter |The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, has booted opposition political parties out of the on going polling station making exercise meant to identify areas to be established for people to cast their ballots in their respective wards in the watershed 2018 elections.

The opposition parties working under the National Electoral Reform Agenda, NERA, Wednesday in Harare met with ZEC and was advised that the electoral body had no resources for NERA to partake in the process.

“Although ZEC has failed to provide resources for NERA stakeholders to take part in the verification process, NERA has put together A team which is working on limited and mostly personal resources to ensure that all potential polling station locations are legitimate,”NERA said in a statement.

NERA said ZEC wanted to rig elections through setting up bogus polling stations. “NERA takes the verification process very seriously and will raise issues with ZEC and inform the public about any illegitimate polling locations. “NERA remains steadfast in working with the citizens to ensure free and fair elections in 2018”, said NERA.

AN implosion is simmering in a number of critical industries on the back of a worsening payments gridlock in the financial services sector with imported raw materials running out at some plants around the country, raising the spectre of more company closures and job losses.

The worst hit is the manufacturing industry and the mining sector, which contributes about 40 percent of the country’s export receipts.
Indications are that gold mining companies could mothball operations due to failure to secure foreign currency for raw material imports, with dire consequences on the entire economy.
A drop in volumes in the resource sector could compound an already fragile liquidity situation with jobs getting threatened, and inflows into the fiscus becoming thinner.
Overall, the country’s economy had been projected to register a growth of 1,7 percent this year, predicated on growth in mining and agriculture.
That forecast now appears unlikely owing to the turmoil in industries that should be driving growth, including the armyworm invasion and floods that are threatening to lower yields in agriculture.
The Financial Gazette can report that some mines have had their telegraphic transfers to foreign suppliers held up in the queue for as long as four months.
Suppliers cannot release their orders until outstanding payments have reflected in their accounts.
Foreign suppliers discontinued credit facilities to Zimbabwean customers following the emergence of payment problems late last year. International payments had appeared to normalise around last September after the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) intervened with a US$215 million cash injection, but the wheels have since come off the rails.
Problems confronting miners have worsened from the time the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe (CoMZ) wrote to the RBZ last year, pleading with the central bank to act on international pay
The CoMZ was this week contemplating another letter to the RBZ, beseeching the apex bank to convene an urgent meeting with them in a bid to find a lasting solution to the crisis.
Other industrial lobby groups are also planning separate meetings with the Ministry of Finance and the central bank to present their grievances which, in the absence of an improvement in foreign currency inflows, could be difficult to address.
CoMZ chief executive officer (CEO), Isaac Kwesu, confirmed that the foreign currency crisis has worsened with the lead time for paying suppliers lapsing for some of their members.
“The situation has not improved since last year; it is worsening. It is our hope that the central bank and banks will come up with a solution,” he said.
Mining industry revenue, which averages US$2 billion per year and contributes the bulk of liquidity in the country, is now forecast to drop this year as production plummets.
This could see a return of chaotic scenes reminiscent of the hyperinflationary era of 2007/08, during which time the central bank accumulated debts amounting to US$50 million in unpaid gold deliveries.
Also affected in the same measure are manufacturers, another critical export earner and therefore a major source of desperately-needed foreign currency.
Captains of industries alleged this week that banks were disregarding a foreign currency allocation list availed by the RBZ in May last year that favours raw materials imports.
The country’s largest industrial lobby group, the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI), highlighted that importers of raw materials were not being prioritised in the allocation of foreign currency with some banks accused of processing payment for trinkets ahead of critical raw materials.
Companies that are unable to process payments for their imported raw materials are drifting towards the brink of closure as they are still accumulating heavy salary and wage bills, plus other fixed costs, notwithstanding that there is no production taking place due to the gridlock in payments.
As a result, the country may experience shortages of goods in the coming months.
“We are not saying stop all payments, but if 80 percent (of foreign exchange) is going to non-essentials in some banks, we become concerned,” said Busisa Moyo, CZI president.

“There is no alignment….banks are continuing to pay for finished goods ahead of raw materials. We are importing between US$6 billion and US$7 billion (worth of goods) and only exporting US$3 billion, which has created liquidity challenges. Some of the banks may be allocating foreign currency to non-essential imports. The regulator has said import priority category one are raw materials and other essentials but the bankers are for some reasons not following the list.”
Under the RBZ’s priority list, exporters who import raw materials and industrial machinery to boost exports are supposed to get preference ahead of importers of luxuries such as cellphones and other goods.
Non-exporting importers of raw materials and machinery for local production or value addition are also supposed to be on top of the chain, provided their goods are not available locally.
Recently, RBZ governor, John Mangudya, was quoted saying the apex bank, in consultation with industry players, was crafting modalities on how banks should allocate their 70 percent foreign exchange to deserving pillars of the economy.
In December, the RBZ intervened with a US$160 million facility to secure adequate fuel supplies after shortages emerged, with queues resurfacing at service stations.
Concerns from industrialists seem to suggest that the banks were doing as they please and the regulator might, again, be forced to stretch their hand to ensure justice is done to deserving cases.
The Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) claimed this week that 70 percent of foreign payments by banks were for transactions classified as non-essential.
“The position is ugly. A minimum of US$0,70 cents out of every dollar goes towards consumptive imports,” remarked ZNCC CEO, Christopher Mugaga.
“A number of our members are saying they are failing to access foreign currency when they want to import goods and raw materials. Raw materials are now difficult to import because nostro accounts are dry. The import priority list is no longer being followed…. You cannot reverse this trend overnight. It is not a Mangudya issue,” he added.
Nostro accounts are offshore accounts held by domestic banks to facilitate international payments.
There has been a huge slide in foreign currency stocks in the past five years, during which time imports were dominated by non-essential goods.
According to a ZNCC report, foreign currency inflows dropped to US$6,2 billion in 2015 from an estimated US$7,7 billion at the end of 2013, while foreign currency outflows were estimated at US$8,8 billion in 2013.
The report said foreign currency inflows declined to US$6,5 billion in 2014, against outflows of US$8,7 billion.
Imports have since 2009 been far higher than exports, resulting in a trade deficit of around US$3 billion annually.
In the absence of vital balance of payments support after multilateral lending institutions turned their backs on Zimbabwe in 2000, the country has increasingly relied on foreign currency generated through exports and Diaspora remittances to meet its internal and external obligations.
Contacted for comment this week, Mangudya said while a lot has been done to ensure compliance with the import priority list, there was always room for improvement.

Statistics made available by the RBZ governor indicate that over US$2 billion went into local banks’ nostro accounts between August and December 2016.
Thirty percent of that was received and disbursed by the central bank through normal banking channels to cater for productive requirements such as fuel, electricity imports, raw materials for the manufacturing sector especially those supported by Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016, medication, grain, fertilizser and the servicing of debts.
The 70 percent balance was disbursed through authorised dealers or banks.
“Our understanding is that 50 percent of the 70 percent was used by banks for raw materials, fuel and electricity while the other half was used for loan repayments, dividends, services and consumer goods including international card transactions and subscriptions,” said Mangudya.
“This matter is being attended to by (the) RBZ through engaging banks in order to improve efficiency in the utilisation of the scarce foreign exchange resources.
“The foreign exchange position continues to improve from last year, including foreign cash deposits going up in the banking sector. Business organisations can also assist by promoting exports in order to enhance foreign exchange resources.
“It is against this backdrop that we have put in place an export incentive scheme that we believe would transform our economy’s capacity to generate foreign exchange,” he added.
One business executive claimed that the RBZ has been avoiding industrialists to iron out these issues.
“The RBZ has been avoiding everyone,” said the executive. “They are not engaging affected partners. We do not want to undermine our ability to generate more foreign currency.
“What we cannot debate is that production will be affected negatively and there will be lower incomes. It may result in closures that affect mining and general economic growth”.

THE Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Information Communication Technology (ICT) has summoned the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) and mobile network operators to appear before it next week to explain issues to do with tariff increases.

ICT minister Supa Mandiwanzira was last week involved in a slanging match with Econet following a stillborn bid to raise data tariffs.

The steep increase was reversed following a public outcry amid accusations the government wanted to use prices as a tool to block citizens’ access to social media in the wake of growing dissent.

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe is set to fly into a fresh Gukurahundi storm, as he hosts his 93rd birthday party at Matopos National Park, a few kilometres from a mass grave of people killed during the massacres in the 1980s.

Activists have said it was insensitive for Mugabe to host his birthday fête a stone’s throw away from unmarked and officially unacknowledged graves of the 1980s killings that claimed an estimated 20 000 lives.

The opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), MDC and pressure group Ibhetshu LikaZulu yesterday described the decision by Zanu PF to hold its festivities close to the mass graves as an insult to the people in the region, particularly relatives and survivors of the atrocities.

“Holding the feast in Matobo would be an insult to the spirits of the dead, which have not been appeased,” Pilate Ndebele, the MDC Matabeleland South provincial chairperson, said.

“It is an insult because some of the people accused of the genocide will be part of this party, while thousands continue to mourn decades on.

“How do you celebrate a party at a funeral? There is nothing wrong with celebrating the birthday anywhere in Matabeleland South, but at least not near Bhalagwe. It’s insensitivity of the highest order.”

Bhalagwe has become synonymous with the 1980s killings, as the camp was allegedly turned into torture chambers that saw scores of people being killed and buried in shallow graves.

The site is near Antelope Mine.

“It is inhuman for Zanu PF to be seen celebrating in an area where there are bones of innocent people.

“This only shows lack of remorse, considering that Zanu PF and its leaders are accused of having been behind the massacres. Matobo people have also lost their ancestral land, but government has not intervened to help them.

“They are a defeated people and how do they feel when the see the party they blame for their problems partying in their backyard?” Mbuso Fuzwayo, the Ibhetshu Likazulu pressure group

co-ordinator, said in reference to the recent mass eviction of villagers in Maphisa to pave way for the expansion of an Agricultural Rural Development Authority farm.

PDP provincial spokesperson, Edwin Ndlovu concurred: “Zanu PF is insensitive to the people of Matabeleland’s plight to wine and dine in Matobo, knowing very well what Gukurahundi did in the area, especially Bhalagwe.

“People of Matobo and other places in Matabeleland are seeking justice. The Gukurahundi issue needs closure, but Zanu PF is unwilling to come clean on it and do what needs to be done.”

Mugabe’s birthday falls on February 21 and is usually celebrated amid pomp and fanfare.

The Zanu PF youth league, which has organised the event since inception in 1986, announced that this year’s event would be held in Matabeleland South province, where thousands of villagers perished during the government-sanctioned Gukurahundi massacres in the early 1980s.

Zanu PF secretary for youth affairs Kudzanai Chipanga scoffed at the accusations of insensitivity.

“I am glad you say these queries are coming from opposition groups. When Zanu PF sits to decide on its policies and programmes, it is never informed by what the opposition thinks. This is our event to which they are welcome if interested. They can stay away and plan their own for their leaders if they so wish. But our choice of venue is informed by the desire to grow domestic tourism. You can check our record in the past few years,” he said.

Mugabe has described the Gukurahundi atrocities as a “moment of madness”, while lately Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa has denied responsibility for the mass killings.

The atrocities ended with the signing of the Unity Accord between Mugabe and the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo on November 22, 1987.

Zanu PF Matabeleland South chairperson, Rapelani Choene was unreachable for comment.

Last year the 21st February Movements celebrations were held at Great Zimbabwe in Masvingo, while in 2015 they were in Victoria Falls. – Newsday

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba on Wednesday said that at the appropriate moment, he would announce the fate of almost 200 000 Zimbabweans residing and working in South Africa on the basis of the Zimbabwe Special Permit (ZSP), which expires this year.

“When we look at what to do with the ZSP, we will take into consideration all of the factors that are necessary. I don’t want, right now, to be dragged into the conversation because it has not been properly processed by myself, and it has not been canvassed with my Cabinet colleagues,” Gigaba told reporters at a media briefing in Pretoria.

“We will do that during the course of the year. We are mindful of the fact that people are anxious about the time lapsing. They have established their lives, and some of them have established families.”

Gigaba, however, said he has been urging holders of the ZSP to apply for mainstream permits, outside the special dispensation.

“The ZSP, by its nature, is a ministerial discretionary permit — that’s why we don’t call it a Visa. It’s given to categories of people on the basis of special circumstances. It cannot qualify for permanent residence or even naturalisation afterwards. It is offered, and it must lapse,” Gigaba said.

“Once it lapses, to continue offering temporary permits establishes a precedence of permanence. People can take us to court and say they have been in South Africa on this special permit for many years, and they now deserve permanent residence [permits]. To offer 190 000 [ZSP holders] people at one go would be unprecedented. It’s unheard of. It’s drastic.”

Gigaba said he needs to apply his mind on the matter without being put under pressure.
“I need to be allowed to exercise my mind fully on the matter without being put under pressure. I’m quite considerate of the anxieties of the individuals concerned and their families,” he said.

Under a special dispensation granted by Pretoria in 2014, Zimbabweans who had previously being granted permits under the Dispensation for Zimbabweans Project were allowed to reregister for the three-year ZSP.

Zimbabweans have been flocking to South Africa following widespread political violence in the wake of disputed presidential elections and a rundown economy.
– African News Agency

ACTING President Phelekezela Mphoko has described Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) president Dr Joice Mujuru as a disrespectful woman with nothing to offer to the nation.

Addressing thousands of Zanu-PF supporters who braved incessant rains yesterday at a star rally held at Gwindingwi High School at Nyika Growth Point ahead of the Bikita West by-election on Saturday, the Acting President said the ZimPF president was expelled from Zanu-PF because she was disrespectful.

He said Dr Mujuru once verbally attacked the late Vice-Presidents, Dr Simon Muzenda and Dr Joshua Nkomo, during the war of liberation and after independence, proving that she was insolent.

“We had Joice Mujuru in government as Vice President; she has nothing to offer together with her ally Dzikamai Mavhaire. Mavhaire is known for disrespecting the President.

“He was the first person from Masvingo to call for President Mugabe’s ouster. Mujuru verbally attacked the late two vice presidents and you all know that.

She has nothing to offer to the people of Zimbabwe. You must vote for Zanu-PF’s candidate, Beauty Chabaya, come Saturday,” said Acting President Mphoko.

Five other candidates Mr Kudakwashe Gopo (ZimPF), Mr Heya Shoko (independent), Mr Madock Chivasa (National Constitutional Assembly), Mr Terence Tanyaradzwa Makumbo (Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe and Mr Innocent Muzvimbiri (independent) are in the contest too.

The Acting President said Zanu-PF was the only party that can solve the people’s problems because it is the governing party with all the machinery including all ministers.

“The whole Cabinet is Zanu-PF and that is our advantage when it comes to developing constituencies. There is no MDC minister in government so all what you want can only be addressed through our party. President Mugabe has sent me to Bikita West to tell you that he is appealing for your votes,” he said.

“No one is forced but we are asking for your votes. When an elderly person, your leader asks, we are expected to respect that. It is against this background that we expect you people of Bikita West not to fail the President.”

Acting President Mphoko took a swipe at Bikita Minerals’ reluctance to develop communities in which the company is operating from yet it was exploiting valuable minerals from the areas.

He said companies should plough back in communities they operate in.

“We have Bikita Minerals here which is mining some of the expensive minerals on the world market — lithium and tantalite. The company has an obligation to develop communities in which it is operating from and not to exploit minerals without ploughing back to the community.

“We have a granite company in Mutoko which has managed to build a school which had been destroyed by natural disasters.

“Likewise Bikita Minerals should start to contribute something back to you,” he said.

He said Government has the power to force the company to give something to the community but the entity should take it upon itself to develop communities and stop plundering the country’s resources for nothing.

Speaking at the same occasion, Zanu-PF’s secretary for administration Dr Ignatius Chombo said the people of Bikita West should rally behind the party’s candidate as the revolutionary party is the only organised political outfit in the country.

Zanu-PF national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere assured Acting President Mphoko that Zanu-PF would win Bikita West resoundingly.

He said 12 000 party members have assured him that they would rally behind the party’s candidate on Saturday.

“Acting President Mphoko, we have done our assessments in Bikita West and got assurance from 12 000 registered voters that they will vote for Zanu-PF, come Saturday. We can safely say it is a foregone conclusion that we have retained Bikita West. We should not worry of Zimbabwe People Fired (ZimPF),” he said.

Secretary for youth Kudzai Chipanga appealed to party members in Bikita West to vote resoundingly for Zanu-PF, saying the victory will be President Mugabe’s befitting 93rd birthday present. The President turns 93 on February 21.

Also present at the Bikita rally were Masvingo Minister of State for provincial affairs,  Shuvai Mahofa, Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development, Dr Joseph Made, ruling party secretary for production Josiah Hungwe, Zanu-PF Chief Whip Lovemore Matuke, Deputy Minister of Lands and Resettlement,  Berita Chikwama, Masvingo MPs, provincial executive representatives, war veteran, Joseph Chinotimba and  Chabaya, among others. – State Media

FIFTEEN people, seven of them children, escaped unhurt after a tree fell on a house owned by the Bulawayo City Council in Makokoba suburb.

Bulawayo Chief Fire Officer Mr Richard Peterson said the Fire Brigade attended the scene on Monday and was relieved that no one was injured.

“We ended up putting a sail to cover the roof so that during the rains they will have something to shelter under as they wait for a permanent solution.

“There were 15 people in the house, eight adults and seven children. There were no deaths and injuries,” he said.

Mr Peterson urged residents to be on the look out for some trees around their premises as they may fall endangering lives.

“Some of the trees are old, they need to be identified so that they can be removed especially those near homes and any other buildings. I think it’s important that we identify those trees and uproot them,” he said.

Bulawayo City Council senior public relations officer Mrs Nesisa Mpofu said the council had been notified of the incident.

She said the council’s insurance team was in the process of evaluating the property to assess the damage that was caused before repairs are made.

Mrs Mpofu said residents should alert council about any trees that they think are a danger to them.

“Normally the council goes around cutting down trees that it thinks may endanger residents.

“But residents are also free to alert the parks team if they think there are trees that are a threat, or nuisance to them so that they can be uprooted,” she said. – State Media

THREE Bulawayo police officers who allegedly solicited a $200 bribe from a man they accused of producing fake Ordinary Level certificates have appeared in court after confirmation from EcoCash that the money was transferred to one of them.

Pedzisai Mugombwi (30) who is stationed at Magwegwe police station, Tanatswa Mortion Prince Jabangwe (25) and Jotham Wangani (28) who are both stationed at Nkulumane police station, appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Stephen Ndhlovu facing extortion charges.

Jabangwe, who resides in Southwold and Mugombwi and Wangani, who both live in Tshabalala, pleaded not guilty.  They were remanded out of custody to January 26 for continuation of trial.

An EcoCash money transfer confirmation for part of the funds sent to one of the police officers was produced in court as evidence.

Jabangwe who allegedly received $50 via EcoCash allegedly sent the money back through the same platform when he was arrested.

Prosecuting, Mr Busani Moyo said the three approached Mr Brian Shiridzinonwa at his home in Cowdray Park.

“On June 2, 2016, at around 5PM, the accused persons approached the complainant at his place of residence and told him they were CID officers from Bulawayo Central. They told him that he was under arrest for producing fake Ordinary Level certificates,” said Mr Moyo.

He said the police officers allegedly searched Mr Shiridzinonwa’s computer for the fake certificates, but did not find them. “They took the complainant’s computer with them and advised him that they wanted to continue searching. They then loaded the computer into their car,” Mr Moyo said.

He said Mr Shiridzinonwa refused to hand over the Central Processing Unit, saying he had some work to do. The cops then allegedly demanded $200 for his freedom and for them to give him back his CPU.

Mr Shiridzinonwa was allegedly arrested after he told the cops that he only had $5 on him.

He then started phoning his friends looking for money and was allegedly given $50 by a friend, Lovemore Ruwocha. Mr Shiridzinonwa allegedly handed over the money to the cops, who, however, demanded more.

“He received another $50 via EcoCash from his girlfriend, and he sent it to accused person two’s (Jabangwe) EcoCash wallet,” said Mr Moyo.

An EcoCash print-out showing that $50 was transferred to Jabangwe’s account was produced in court.

The trio, who were driving around with Mr Shiridzinonwa, allegedly handed him back his computer but confiscated a card reader, stapler and a pair of scissors.

On June 6, Mr Shiridzinonwa went to Bulawayo Central CID offices to get his property back only to be told that the three did not work there.

He then phoned Jabangwe demanding his money back but he denied knowing the complainant.

“It is the State’s case that the accused persons acted in common purpose and their conduct was unlawful,” said Mr Moyo.

Mugombwi was represented by Mr Kholwani Nyathi of TJ Mabhikwa and Partners legal practitioners.

In his defence, through his lawyer, he said he did not participate in the extortion.

“On the day in question, my client was requested by Jabangwe to accompany him to Cowdray Park where he wanted to collect some money from someone.

My client never introduced himself as a member of CID (Bulawayo Central) and neither did he tell the complainant that he was under arrest. He also denies ever searching the accused person’s computer.”

Wangani and Jabangwe did not have any legal representation, but they denied the allegations.

The former also said he was asked by Jabangwe to accompany him to Cowdray Park to collect his money from someone. He also said he remained in the car with Mugombwi as the latter went to meet the person whom he had said owed him some money. “I only got out of the car to ask for the use of a toilet. I deny receiving any money or exerting any pressure on the complainant,” he said.

Jabangwe told the court that he did not solicit a bribe but Mr Shiridzinonwa owed him $100 he had failed to pay since January last year.

But Mr Shiridzinonwa insisted in court that the cops demanded money from him. – State Media

Ray Nkosi |Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa effectively set Zanu PF structures in Bikita-West on a war path when he warned that opposition supporters in the constituency will be dealt with in a ruthless manner.

Addressing party supporters at a rally held recently at Gwindingwi High School ahead of the Bikita West by-election, Mnangagwa instructed traditional leaders to compile lists of people who do not support the ruling party. By his action and statements the Vice President effectively set the ruling party supporters on a war path against the opposition the first casualties being, the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) candidate, Madock Chivasa, and his election agent, Thomas Mudzamiri.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) has condemned the physical assault on the two.

In a media statement issued on Wednesday evening, the human rights watchdog said that it was concerned at the continued electoral malpractices especially by ruling ZANU PF in the run up to almost all elections in the country.

“The calculated act of political violence by an organised hit squad wearing the ruling party ZANU PF regalia is a slap in the face of the constitutional requirement for free, fair and credible elections,” reads the statement from Zimrights.

Media and election observers on Tuesday reported that the assault was carried out by about 13 people wearing ZANU PF regalia around Nyika Growth Point at about 10 pm in the evening. The armed assailants were reportedly driving a Ford Everest vehicle allegedly belonging to Marondera legislator, Lawrence Katsiru. Chivasa confirmed the assault allegations to media in a brief interview on Wednesday claiming that he was assaulted and was also beaten with the back of a pistol by confirmed ZANU PF supporters.

“They hit me with the back of a pistol on the head and I fell down, breaking my arm. The assailants clearly asked me who I thought I was to oppose ZANU-PF,” he said. Chivasa told the media that they had reported the assault to police at Nyika growth point but the police would not attend to the case.

“We reported the matter at Nyika Growth Point last night, but there was a single police officer who said he could not handle political cases and only promised to inform his superior who was absent from the station,” he said. The assailants reportedly hit Chivasa on the forehead twice with the back of a pistol as he left a supermarket at around 10 pm in the evening, and he fell to the ground before they further lashed him and his election agent with sjamboks and other motley weapons.

 Terence Mawawa, Chiredzi | Zanu PF supporters aligned to Masvingo State Minister Shuvai Ben Mahofa are wreaking havoc at Tongaat Hullet, threatening to beat up workers and senior officials.

About 213 farmers have remained at the Tongaat Hullet plots despite a directive issued by President Robert Mugabe to the farmers to vacate the plots. Although a handful of the farmers have moved out the plots the majority of them who are Zanu PF supporters have vowed to remain on the land they invaded.

The farmers are threatening to assault Tongaat Hullet officials and workers who are trying to negotiate with them to vacate the plots. Sugar Production and Milling Workers Union of Zimbabwe General Secretary Adonia Mutero, said despite the fact that withdrawal letters were issued, Zanu PF supporters sympathetic to Mahofa were threatening to assault Tongaat Hullet workers and officials.

“The company briefly resumed operations in Section 13 of Triangle and other sections and hostile Zanu PF supporters teamed up and and intimidated workers and senior officials.The situation is very tense at Hippo Valley as well.The Zanu PF supporters are obstructing work on the sugarcane fields,”said Mutero.

The adamant Zanu PF supporters have refused to vacate the plots despite Mugabe’s directive. Tongaat Hullet Managing Director, Sydney Mutsambiwa was not immediately available for a comment on the matter.

Party sources have disclosed that President Mugabe has ordered Mahofa to sort out the mess she created at Tongaat Hullet. “The President is furious and he has asked Mahofa to deal with the Tongaat Hullet issue as a matter of urgency .There are fears the issue will impact negatively on the party’s reputation ahead of the 2018 elections,”said a party source.

Vendors have remained on the streets in defiance of a 48-hour ultimatum issued by Harare City Council last week, with the council under Mayor Ben Manyenyeni now starting ‘Operation Kick Out Vendors.’

Council banned food vending last Tuesday in a bid to arrest an outbreak of typhoid, which has so far killed two people in Mbare.

The disease has since spread to other suburbs like Glen View and Budiriro and one case has so far been confirmed in Mutare.

Government on Monday said there were no new cases reported in Harare.

Municipal police were seen yesterday trying to engage vendors to leave the streets, without success.

Some vendors told journalists that they were now used to the “cat-and-mouse game” with council officials, while others claimed they paid municipal cops bribes to sell their goods without hustles.

“The problem we have with council is that if they confiscate our stuff, we know we will always get our goods back but after giving them a bribe. So we are just waiting to see if they will be coming today,” said Tinashe Chikomo.

Another illegal food vendor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, vowed to remain on the streets, describing the council ultimatum as an empty threat.

“We are very aware of the ban made against us, but this is not the first time we are being chased away from the streets and for us it has become a game we enjoy,” said the vendor.

“They are fully aware that we belong on the streets.”

Council tried to remove some vendors at Market Square yesterday, but stopped because of heavy rains that pounded the capital. Several vendors were seen freely selling fruits and other wares along Robert Mugabe Way.

Last week, the vendors claimed they were not solely to blame for the outbreak of typhoid, blaming the Harare City Council for failing to collect garbage and to provide clean portable water to residents.

Council acting spokesperson Mr Michael Chideme told The Herald that although the 48-hour ultimatum had since expired, the vendors would be removed from the streets without fail.

“The order still stands. We are going to implement it in earnest,” he said.

Norton MP Temba Mliswa has dismissed claims that he belongs to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s faction, saying the embattled Midlands godfather is his cousin.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Mliswa said he does not belong to any Zanu PF faction.

“Yes, I am related to the vice president, he is my cousin, but this does not mean that I belong to the Lacoste faction, I have my own resources like in Norton,” Mliswa said.
However, in a sharp response on Twitter to Mliswa’s claims, Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo said: “So he wants his cousin to be president? Is he the only one with a cousin? Foolish!”

Speaking on how he beat Zanu PF’s Ronald Chindeza in the Norton by-election Mliswa said: “I campaigned with my own resources so it doesn’t make sense for people to say I support the Lacoste faction”.

“I am always linked to the vice presidents. First it was (former vice president Joice) Mujuru now it’s Mnangagwa. I think it’s a call from the people for me to be the vice president.”
“I differ with (Zanu PF political commissar Saviour) Kasukuwere on different issues but that doesn’t make him my enemy.”

Mliswa also savaged opposition parties saying they are directionless and warned them that the purported coalition will not work.

“There is a huge mistrust between us and the opposition. Do we need them? No. Do they need us? Yes.”

“Zimbabwe doesn’t need a president who is a politician but it needs someone who represents the will of the people. You cannot win an election without a component of Zanu PF. The coalition won’t work because they don’t have the numbers.”

Mliswa added that his Third Force Project will field a presidential candidate in 2018. daily news

Firebrand Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) leader and former Cabinet minister, Christopher Mutsvangwa, says ex-combatants are working to “finish off” the Zanu PF faction that goes by the moniker Generation 40 (G40) — as the savage war to succeed President Robert Mugabe intensifies.

Speaking to journalists yesterday, Mutsvangwa also revealed that disaffected war veterans could continue with their “strategic” backing of opposition parties working to oust Mugabe from power through the mooted grand coalition, which is expected to be in place by the end of this year.

“We are consulting with all patriots and are giving serious study to the Norton electoral template which delivered victory against a-G40-imposed candidate there.

“That approach resonated well with all patriotic voters, and this can turn out to be a pilot political project,” he said, referring to their campaign against little-known Zanu PF candidate, Ronald Chindedza who lost to former ruling party leader for Mashonaland West, Temba Mliswa in the Norton by-election.

“We will use our impeccable political pedigree and strong bonds with the populace to thwart the machinations of G40 knaves and thieves, and their power-grab ambitions.

“We are there to defend and promote the ethos and values of the second Chimurenga which are being trampled upon by the likes of Jonathan Moyo and his G40 cohorts. We call upon all Zim patriots to fight resolutely to thwart the designs of this vapid and vacuous lot of political charlatans and counter revolutionaries,” the verbose Mutsvangwa added.

The former Norton legislator was fired from both Zanu PF and the Cabinet last year, while many of his ZNLWVA comrades have also since been banished from the imploding former liberation movement, in addition to being hauled before the courts.

Mutsvangwa and a large section of the war veterans have also gone on to publicly back Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa to succeed Mugabe, who turns a mature 93 years old next month.

They have also warned ominously that blood could be shed in the country if Mnangagwa does not succeed the increasingly frail nonagenarian who has studiously refused to name his Zanu PF successor, arguing that the party should rather follow what he sees as a more democratic process to manage his succession — doing so through a congress.

Mnangagwa’s Team Lacoste allies, who include the disgruntled former freedom fighters, have also been ratcheting up their loud calls for Mugabe to retire now and pave the way for his long-time aide to take over the reins at both party and government levels.

The war veterans’ latest move to plot the downfall of the G40 comes as Mnangagwa has been under the cosh in recent days for hosting sacked Zanu PF officials at his rural home during the festive season, which his party enemies allege was in fact a meeting organised to plot the ouster of Mugabe from power.

Last week, a G40-linked group met at the Zanu PF headquarters and issued a statement in which they called for a probe into Mnangagwa for hobnobbing with Mutsvangwa and maverick Harare businessman, Energy Mutodi.

They also called for a meeting with Mugabe, so that they could register their complaints against Mnangagwa and Team Lacoste with the nonagenarian directly.

“As provincial chairpersons and political commissars, we notice with concern the practice by some of our senior party leaders who are now and again, seen in the company of elements of people who were expelled from Zanu PF for gross indiscipline.

“This kind of behaviour puts doubts on those leaders’ commitment and loyalty to decisions that are made by Zanu PF collectively, as party leaders should not be seen to be associating and entertaining people who were expelled from the party for indiscipline which involved disrespect of the party leadership,” the group said in a statement.

Since the images of Mnangagwa holding the much-obsessed about coffee mug emerged in the public domain, the VP’s foes have gone to town about the issue, interpreting it as his open statement that he has unbridled presidential ambitions.

It was in this context that Mutsvangwa told the Daily News yesterday that the war veterans would mobilise massive support among both their own ranks and ordinary Zimbabweans to “crush” the G40 group, which is rabidly opposed to Mnangagwa succeeding Mugabe.

“We are meeting all Zimbo (Zimbabwean) patriots who oppose the G40s and their agenda of economic atrophy, denial of promise and hope to a whole generation of educated youths who see their only avenue of modern actualisation in the Diaspora,” he said.

Previously, Mutsvangwa and his colleagues at the ZNLWVA have tried in vain to pressure Mugabe into sacking G40-linked ministers such as Local Government chief Saviour Kasukuwere and Moyo.

The fallout between Mugabe and the ex-combatants first burst into the open in July last year, after they released a damning communiqué in which they savaged the Zanu PF leader before serving him with divorce papers, and bringing to an end a relationship that dates back to the days of Zimbabwe’s 1970s liberation war.

The fed up former freedom fighters also said pointedly that Mugabe’s continued stay in power was now a stumbling block to the country’s development, adding almost maliciously that the nonagenarian would be “a hard-sell” if he ever contemplated contesting the 2018 polls.

Mugabe responded by warning the war veterans that they would be dealt with severely, including through the use of extra-judicial suppression methods that his former liberation movement incorporated during the country’s independence war — such as incarcerating dissenters in inhuman dungeons where they were forced to live like caged rats.

After this, police duly launched a savage crackdown against the war vets leadership and arrested five officials, who were later set free by the courts.

Over the years, war veterans have served as Mugabe and Zanu PF’s political power dynamos, playing particularly significant roles to keep the nonagenarian on the throne in the hotly-disputed 2000 and 2008 national elections which were both marred by serious violence and the murder of hundreds of opposition supporters.

Analysts have also predicted that Mugabe will not win the 2018 polls without the support of the war veterans, while on their part the ex-combatants have vowed that they will vote for an opposition candidate if the nonagenarian stands in those elections. – Daily News

By Staff Reporter| Violence in Bikita West Constituency last night flared as a Zanu PF agents wielding guns attacked opposition party candidates.

This came as the the Saturday bi-election drew near.

One of the opposition candidates running for the by-election, Madock Chivasa, escaped death by a whisker while his election agent Thomas Mudzamiri was left for dead after being assaulted several times by said “soldiers” and Zanu PF youths on Tuesday.

The two were said to be in a critical condition on Wednesday.

Chivasa was quoted by the Newsday paper saying of the attackers, “they were travelling in an unmarked and unregistered Ford Everest (sports utility vehicle) SUV, and as we were about to leave Nyika Growth point, the youths laid an ambush.

“In the full view of the people at the growth point, the youths, who were armed with a gun, started assaulting us, leaving me with a broken arm and Mudzamiri sustained broken ribs,” Chivasa said.

Chivasa said they have since made a report at Bikita Police Station.

Police were not immediately available for comment.

Chivasa is set to face-off against Zanu PF’s Beauty Chabaya, Chivasa, Terence Makumbo of Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe (PDZ), independent candidate Innocent Muzvimbiri and former Bikita West legislator Mr Heya Shoko.

The seat fell vacant following the conviction of former Zanu PF lawmaker Munyaradzi Kereke of raping a minor for which he is serving a 10 year jail sentence.

Meanwhile, Heal Zimbabwe Trust has condemned the violence that has characterised the run up to the election.

“Heal Zimbabwe has recorded 57 human rights violations in Bikita West since 01 November 2016. These include assault, vote buying, partisan distribution of aid, forced attendance to rallies, destruction of campaign material, hate speech, disruption of rallies, and threats issued to voters/candidates,” the peace lobby group said in a statement.

“The organisation condemns in the strongest terms the violations as they compromise the outcome of the by election. An upsurge in cases of human rights violations, also compromise the electoral playing field and casts doubt and uncertainty over the holding of free, fair and peaceful elections in Zimbabwe.”

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) also condemned the unprovoked assault.

“The calculated act of political violence by an organised hit squad wearing the ruling party Zanu-PF regalia is a slap in the face of the constitutional requirement for free, fair and credible elections,” the rights group said.

ZimRights said the brutal assault was carried out by about 13 people wearing Zanu PF regalia at Nyika in the dead of night. A statement by the group identified the car as “belonging to (Zanu PF) Marondera legislator, Lawrence Katsiru.”.

“They hit me with the back of a pistol on the head and I fell down, breaking my arm. The assailants clearly asked me who I thought I was to oppose Zanu PF. I am on my way to Silveira Hospital to get treatment.

“We reported the matter at Nyika Growth Point last night, but there was a single police officer who said he could not handle political cases and only promised to inform his superior who was absent from the station. We have since notified a person only identified as Mashavave who is a senior ZEC official in Bikita,” ZimRights quoted Chivasa as having said.

A LOCAL designing firm, Mataga Promotions, has written a letter of demand to sungura music maestro, Aleck Macheso demanding payment of over R18 000 for promotional materials and services rendered to Orchestra Mberikwazvo some years ago.

Through its lawyers, Maeresera and Partners, Mataga Promotions wrote to Macheso’s band managing director on December 14 last year expressing concerns over the delayed payment of the amount due, adding summons commencing action were being prepared and would be issued to recover R18 273, if payment was not made within five days from the date the letter was delivered.

“Our client advises us that you contracted it to design a logo and to supply you with duly designed T-shirts, hats, berets, scarves amongst other items and you were supplied with the aforementioned items,” the lawyers said.

“We are advised that of the agreed amount, you have not yet paid R16 612 and the amount has been outstanding for quite a long time. Several promises to settle your indebtedness have been made, but not fulfilled.

“On those premises, we are instructed to demand, as we, hereby, do, payment of the sum of R16 612 in terms of the by-laws of the Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ). The total amount in the sum of R18 273 must be deposited into our trust account within five days from the date of service of this letter, failing which our strict instructions are to issue summons for the recovery of the stated amount as well as cost of suit…”

According to a copy of the letter of demand gleaned by NewsDay, the letter was received and signed for by one Jane Macheso on December 15 last year.

Contacted for comment, Mataga Promotions’ lawyer, Knowledge Maeresera confirmed the development saying Macheso was willing to settle the debt.

“Yes, we wrote a letter of demand and we are yet to receive payment though there has been communication to the effect that payment will be effected. Obviously, if payment is not done, we will proceed to issue summons as per our instructions from Richmond Mataga of Mataga Promotions,” Maeresera said.

Macheso was not available for comment, as his mobile phone was unreachable. – Newsday

THE FAMOUS REMNANT Pentecostal Church leader Pastor Phillip Patrick Mugadza was this morning pushed into court.

The preacher who last week during a ZimEye LIVE program, predicted saying President Robert Mugabe is going to die on October 17th this year, was this morning hurled into the Harare magistrates courtrooms. The preacher last week swore that he is ready to face any consequences for his declaration which he said was from God, SEE VIDEO INTERVIEW. (Story continues below)

https://youtu.be/LZ_h9VCeAkk?t=3

The clergyman spent his second night in police custody after he was arrested on Monday 16 January 2017 and charged with insulting President Robert Mugabe after he said God told him Mugabe will die this year.

Pastor Mugadza, who is represented by Gift Mtisi of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, remains incarcerated at Harare Central Police Station and is in court today, Wednesday.

Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers, who arrested the clergyman claimed that the Remnant Pentecostal Church leader on Friday 13 January 2017 unlawfully acted in a manner which is likely to create a nuisance by giving a prophecy that President Mugabe is going to die on 17 October 2017.

The law enforcement agents charged that Pastor Mugadza contravened Section 46 (2) (v) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23, when he allegedly misrepresented to members of the public that the prophecy was a true prophecy.

However, Pastor Mugadza denies the charge.

Mugabe has helplessly watched as two distinct groups in Zanu PF heckle over who will take over from him, but yesterday Association of Rural District Councils of Zimbabwe (ARDCZ) president, Killer Zivhu told journalists that the 92-year-old leader “must never lose sleep”.

“We have set in motion a process that we see all councillors across the country meeting the President as soon as he returns from his annual leave. We want to tell the President that he must never lose sleep because some people want his position.

“The so-called factions and their leaders are all detached from reality. Even some para-Zanu PF groups that have also been making noise should never be allowed to hold the President to ransom, claiming they have the power to determine whether he retains power next year. We are standing by him,” Zivhu said.

“We want to tell the President about the problems people are facing, the bad state of the roads and growing poverty. But most importantly, we have a message from the rural folk that we support President Mugabe as our leader in the next election. We are going to use our proximity to rural people to fight against the ‘bhora musango’ idea.”

Mugabe has always been accused of using State institutions to retain power and the emergence of ARDCZ as a Zanu PF anchor in hugely-anticipated elections next year gives credence to calls by opposition parties for reforms.

Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, seen as Mugabe’s heir apparent for years now, is facing growing opposition to his bid to take over from Mugabe by a faction pushing for First Lady Grace Mugabe as a possible successor to her ailing husband.

Zivhu said his proposed meeting would include chiefs and chief executive officers of rural district councils. His declaration that his association would not support the existing factions could be seen as a continuation of the struggle for power in Zanu PF and the continued weakening of the G40 group, whose major proponents include Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere.

Kasukuwere doubles as Zanu PF political commissar and was reportedly not happy with Mugabe’s decision to split his ministry that previously superintended over rural councils and traditional leaders.

Traditional leaders have also been accused by opposition parties of frog-marching poor villagers to Zanu PF rallies and threatening them against voting for any other party, but the ruling party.

Zivhu told NewsDay that rural councillors would begin to campaign for Mugabe this year, while war veterans have threatened to dump the veteran politician, accusing him of refusing to hand over power to Mnangagwa.

Mugabe lost the first round of voting in 2008 to MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai after an internal revolt persuaded people to vote against the Zanu PF leader.

War veterans have threatened another rebellion in the coming elections. – Newsday

Mugadza, the founder and leader of Remnant Church, was picked up by police, as he walked out of the Harare Magistrates’ Court, where he was facing a separate charge of abusing the national flag, over which his trial has been set for February 22 and had been expected to appear in court yesterday.

His lawyer, Gift Mtisi, said the cleric remained in police custody and was to appear in court today.

“They decided to keep him in custody and he will only be brought to court tomorrow [today],” he said.

The cleric told journalists in Harare last week that on December 26 last year, God had revealed to him in a “prophecy” that Mugabe, who turns 93 next month, would “die on October 17” this year.

His prophecy caused fissures and anxiety within the government, leading to his arrest.

Announcing his prophecy last week, Mugadza said: “It’s not to say that I am glad to announce this, but I am just saying it because that is what the Lord has revealed to me. It was on December 26, when I was in prayer and God said to me this coming year, in 2017, the President is dying. He told me that he is dying on October 17.”

On Sunday, Zanu PF political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere admonished clerics prophesying Mugabe’s death, warning of unspecified action.

This is not the first time prophecies have been made of Mugabe’s “looming death”, but the veteran politician has laughed off the predictions, jokingly saying he had surpassed Jesus Christ’s record, dying and resurrecting several times. – Newsday

IT seems the search by flamboyant businessman Wicknell Chivayo for a wife has yielded results, if yesterday’s picture on his Facebook page of a mysterious woman lying on his chest is anything to go by.

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

Chivayo last year put out a list with criteria for the type of woman that could be his wife on his Facebook page.

The self-proclaimed successful businessman posted 16 requirements for a wife, as if he was looking for someone to fill in a post at one of his companies.

“Looking for a wife….I have finally decided I’m getting married in 2017. Applicants with the following requirements should apply…”

The list is complete with requirements that those who wanted to be considered should have recommendations from their last two boyfriends and from their parents. The deadline was January 1.

The first criteria is for the successful woman to have natural hair, which according to this latest post is not a thing for him as the mysterious woman’s head has a weave.

The mysterious woman seems to fit one of his characteristics of being light skinned, while the other attributes such as being a good cook, having a degree and having a satisfactory income source backed by a bank statement are not yet established.

Naturally, his Facebook post was flooded with comments from his followers who gave their two cents on the matter.

Others congratulated Chivayo for getting someone to love saying it had been a long time coming while others especially women were distraught that he was now attached.

Some questioned why Chivayo had overlooked his first criteria of natural hair while some were not amused that he called her a candidate, as if she was auditioning for a play or sitting for an exam.

The “successful” candidate’s nationality could not be immediately established after Wicknell last year took a dig at Zimbabwean women calling them stubborn and disrespectful. He said he would rather marry a foreigner than a woman from his home country. – State Media

Former Education minister David Coltart has waded into Zanu-pf’s deadly tribal factional and succession wars becoming the latest prominent figure to challenge vice president Emerson Mnangagwa to come clean on his mooted presidential aspirations.

This comes as Zanu-pf’s two major factions have been savaging each other with malicious intent ever since the images of Mnangagwa holding coffee mug with the words “I am the boss” emerged in the public domain a fortnight ago.

But Coltart who was recently quoted by an influential British magazine suggesting that Mnangagwa was the Zanu-PF bigwig who was most likely to succeed president Robert Mugabe said the midlands godfather needed to be upfront about his residential ambitions. – Daily News

 Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo |Three family members from Mushandike area of Masvingo were seriously burnt after a bolt of lightining struck their hut last week.

Mercy Ashley Masvaure (32) and her two sons Anyway (10) and Tatenda (6) were burnt to death after lightining struck their hut. Masvingo Provincial Police Spokesperson ,Inspector Charity Mazula confirmed the incident.

“It is true three family members from Mushandike area were struck and killed by lightining,”said Mazula. Before the tragedy happened, Masvaure had gone to fetch water with her husband Nomore Munemo who ordered her to rush home as there was a storm gathering.

Munemo proceeded to the well to fetch water. Masvaure is said to have called his two sons who were herding goats instructing them to rush home and seek shelter. Unfortunately the three were struck and killed by lightning moments after getting into the hut. Shocked neighbours said the three were seriously burnt.

“We are still struggling to come to terms with what happened.You cannot not imagine the fact that we were talking to each other a few hours before the incident happened.It is really shocking and painful.I don’t know how to describe the incident because of the gravity of the matter,”said a neighbour. The police urged the public to seek shelter near lightining conductors to avoid tragedy.

THE Joice Mujuru-led opposition Zimbabwe People First says it has pulled all the stops to ensure a resounding victory for its parliamentary candidate, Kudakwashe Gopo, in the Bikita West by-election this weekend.

Gopo’s election agent, Desire Nyahunda, told Southern Eye yesterday that losing the by-election, the first to be contested by his party, would signal a death knell for Mujuru’s political project.

He said they were confident of winning the seat despite the widespread intimidation, vote-buying and scare tactics by Zanu PF supporters.

“The campaigns are on, temperatures are rising by the day considering the resentment by the constituency to be cowed by Zanu PF threats and goodies. Attempting to unleash violence proved risky to them and they resorted to threatening the unknown after elections, if they lose,” Gopo said.

POLICE in Botswana have launched a manhunt for 15 Zimbabwean prisoners, some of them dangerous, who escaped from a jail in Francistown after cutting the security fence.

Three of the inmates have since been arrested following their escape from Gerald Estates Centre for illegal immigrants on Saturday afternoon.

Francistown deputy police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Dipheko Motube confirmed the incident yesterday.

He said they had launched a manhunt for 12 Zimbabweans who remain unaccounted for following the escape.

“We’ve launched a manhunt for the prisoners. Police officers, soldiers and intelligence officers have been deployed in and around Francistown, including the country’s borders,” said Snr Supt Motube.

Botswana Prisons Services northern regional commander Senior Assistant Commissioner Sekano Sekano said the prisoners used the lid of a manhole to cut the security fence.

He said three inmates were arrested on Sunday and they are Mlindeli Moyo, Sicelo Sibanda and Methuli Sibanda.

Moyo and Sicelo, Snr Asst Comm Sekano said, were on remand awaiting trial for murder while Methuli was awaiting trial on charges of illegally possessing ivory.

They were arrested at Tati Siding village near Francistown.

He named those still on the run as Rowland Moyo, Godwin Mapunga Nyika, Elvis Ndlovu, Zikhamani Ndebele, Edwin Ncube, Thabani Ncube, Sunganai Batiraushe, Brilliant Thabani, Innocent Nyoni and Charlotte Ndlovu.

The names of two others who also escaped were not immediately available.

“The 15 prisoners destroyed the security fence using a manhole lid before running into the bush at the weekend. We’ve notified the police in Botswana and the security forces in Zimbabwe.

“The escapees were arrested for different crimes in Botswana, which include murder, robbery, possession of ivory, housebreaking and theft,” said Snr Asst Comm Sekano.

Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba could not immediately comment on the matter. – State Media

A SECURITY guard at the Seventh Day Adventist church-run Pelandaba Primary School in Bulawayo died after he was savagely attacked by four armed robbers during a raid in which two laptops and cash amounting to $200 were stolen early yesterday morning.

Buton Skalongo died on admission to Mpilo Central Hospital while his colleague Mr Vusa Tshuma survived the attack.

Four men broke into the school and church, which are located on the same premises, at around midnight yesterday and brutally attacked the two security guards.

They allegedly tied them with ropes and left them in a passage.

The armed robbers escaped unnoticed after stealing $200 and two laptops from the school guard room and the church safe.

Both Mr Tshuma and Mr Skalongo were rescued at around 6AM and rushed to Mpilo hospital.

Mr Skalongo died on admission to the hospital while Mr Tshuma was treated and discharged.

The Chronicle visited the scene yesterday and heard how the four men armed with iron bars raided the premises.

“These men were both guards for the school and church and we found them tied with ropes in the morning. Skalonga was severely attacked and his blood was splashed on the school floor,” said Pelandaba resident Ms Sihle Nyathi.

“It’s so sad that robbers have resorted to attacking churches thereby evoking God’s wrath.

“We will greatly miss Skalongo who had served this church for more than 30 years. I will miss his harmonica pieces he normally delivered during worship.”

SDA West Zimbabwe Conference spokesperson Pastor Tadius Nkanyezi said the church was in mourning.

“We had a break in yesterday night at Pelandaba Primary School and church and two guards who were manning the premises were severely attacked.

Unfortunately, one of them, Skalongo, died at hospital and the other one survived.

“We hope investigations will help us identify the four men. We are working on getting the fuller details,” he said.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango said investigations were underway.

“We attended the crime scene at Pelandaba Primary School and Church where four unidentified men broke in and stole laptops and cash,” she said.

“We urge members of the public to help us to patrol their neighbourhoods and apprehend suspicious characters. They must also desist from carrying dangerous weapons at any time as we will treat everyone as a suspect.”

Insp Simango said people should be careful and report any suspicious activities to the police.

“Once more I will advise people to stop keeping money and valuables in safes or strongrooms as grinder-wielding criminals are on the loose.

“If possible they must even paste notices next to wide open safes and strongrooms advising everyone that they don’t keep cash or keys in those premises,” she said. – State Media

THE Government does not have money to pay civil servants their bonuses yet, but will next week convene a crunch meeting to map the way forward.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Prisca Mupfumira yesterday told The Chronicle that she would meet the Minister of Finance and Economic Development Patrick Chinamasa and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr John Mangudya on January 25 to discuss the way forward on the issue of bonuses.

“The Government doesn’t have money at the moment. This makes it difficult for us to announce dates. We don’t want to make promises that we’ll not be able to fulfill as the Government.

“Minister Chinamasa, myself and hopefully Dr Mangudya will meet on January 25 to map the way forward,” said Minister Mupfumira.

She said she would also meet the Apex Council, the umbrella body that represents all civil servants, to discuss the same issue.

The Minister also confirmed pay dates for January salaries.

The army will be paid today while those in the health sector will be paid on Friday.

Members of the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services and police will be paid on January 24 while those in the education sector will receive their salaries on January 30.

The rest of the civil servants will be paid on February 3.

Pensioners will be paid their allowances on February 7 while those working at grant aided institutions will be paid on February 10.

Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta) chief executive officer Mr Sifiso Ndlovu yesterday said the Government must ensure that they get all what is due to them.

“Right now we’re implementing a new curriculum which is so taxing in terms of work and planning. The least of things you should worry about is your financial concern,” he said.

Mr Ndlovu said civil servants were anxiously waiting to be informed about their bonuses.

“This is what I made reference to at the beginning of the term. The Government must come clean with a plan of paying bonuses to alleviate the issue of anxiety. Our encouragement is that as quickly as possible, the Government should activate the National Joint Negotiation Council. Make it a council that can make decisions not the current status where it is taken as a reference point,” he said. – State Media

Norton independent legislator Mr Temba Mliswa yesterday tipped zanu-pf to win the Bikita West by-election this Saturday.

Mr Mliswa won the Norton seat as an independent candidate last year.

Addressing a Press conference in Harare, Mr Mliswa said opposition coalitions were not effective on the electoral field.

“You cannot win an election without a component of zanu-pf,” he said. “zanu-pf is the ruling party and for the coalition to think, even if they gather, no matter how big it might be, their numbers are not big enough to beat zanu-pf and that is the truth of the matter.”

“MDC has lost before and people should not put pressure on zanu-pf since this was an independent seat and it is up to the MDC to reclaim it,” he said.

“What is the percentage of the 2013 elections? Over 60 percent zanu-pf, less than 40 percent it was the opposition. If you put the figures together, how do you come in (opposition coalition)?”

Mr Mliswa said he respected President Mugabe because he gave him confidence as an African.

“I respect President Robert Gabriel Mugabe for he gave me confidence as a black man so that we do not fear any other race,” he said. “We believe that we are superior. He has a history that we cannot forget.”

Mr Mliswa dismissed opposition party claims of election rigging in Bikita West.

“Ballot stuffing does not happen,” he said. “Do not lie to people. Youth Advocate for Reform and Democracy (YARD) members are trained, they are coached to be polling agents and everyone who will be present there knows there is no such thing as ballot stuffing.”

Yard is Mr Mliswa’s organisation which he formed after being expelled from zanu-pf a few years ago.

Eyeing the Bikita West seat are zanu-pf Masvingo Women’s League provincial executive member Cde Beauty Chabaya, National Constitutional Assembly spokesperson Mr Madock Chivasa, Mr Terence Makumbo of Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe (PDZ), independent candidate Mr Innocent Muzvimbiri and former Bikita West legislator Mr Heya Shoko.

The seat fell vacant following the incarceration of Munyaradzi Kereke for ten years for rape.= State Media

A High Court judge is likely to be brought before a disciplinary committee by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) over poor performance and is now being viewed as a liability in the justice delivery system.

Speaking at a ceremony to mark the official opening of the 2017 legal year on Monday, Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku did not name the judge, but said there was reasonable concern about the judge’s ability to perform.

“There are, however, one or two judges whose performance remains unacceptably poor,” he said. “In one instance, the Judicial Service Commission directed me to write a letter of reprimand to the judge concerned.”

The JSC, said Chief Justice Chidyausiku, dismissed the ‘’flimsy’’ excuses given by the judge who claimed had cleared all the cases assigned.

“The judge in question was warned of disciplinary action in the event of no improved performance,” he said.

The JSC has been criticised for basing its assessment of the performance of the individual judges solely on the written judgments bearing HH (High Court Harare) and HB (High Court Bulawayo) numbers.

But the modern trend is to minimise the writing of formal judgments that may, in fact, satisfy neither of the parties affected.

There is a shift even in the courts towards the use of other equally effective alternative dispute resolution mechanisms such as mediation, conciliations, compromise and arbitration.

A judge with a high degree of success in achieving settlements out of court is no less hardworking than the next judge with a higher number of HH and HB judg-ments.

Apart from dealing with HH and HB judgments, the judges also deal with other matters which the JSC seems not to consider such as trial matters, opposed and unopposed applications, chamber applications, pre-trial conferences, electoral and fiscal matters, civil and criminal appeals and criminal reviews.

In 2015, Chief Justice Chidyausiku torched a storm after he criticised “under-performing” High Court judges during the official opening of the 2015 judicial year.

He claimed that one of the judges had managed to deliver only two judgments during the course of the year.

The High Court judges hit back, saying Chief Justice Chidyausiku was out of touch with the modern judiciary delivery trends. They wrote a petition to him demanding that he withdraw his statement, which they said was made in bad faith.

Two years after the criticism, most High Court judges’ performance has vastly improved.

The outgoing Chief Justice Chidyausiku said he had no regrets over his criticism of the performance by all judicial officers, especially by High Court judges.

He said he was happy that since that date, most judges’ performance had improved remarkably.

“In some instances, the performance of those judges who had previously underperformed has surpassed my expectations,” he said.

Firebrand Norton Constituency legislator, Temba Mliswa has laid into the highly divisive Gukurahundi atrocities matter, claiming the genocide attacks were a political move by the Zezuru tribe, led by President Robert Mugabe against the southern tribes.

Mliswa who since his dismissal from the ruling Zanu PF party has never fallen short of controversy, said the genocide attacks which took place in the early 80s, were  a result of President Mugabe’s plot to eliminate Kalangas and Ndebeles whom he viewed as a threat to his governance.

He said, together with Sydney Sekeremayi who was the Minister of National Security and the late Solomon Mujuru, the then Army General, Mugabe brutally killed more than 20 000 people mainly from the Midlands and Matebeleland provinces.

“We can try and ignore the Gukurahundi issue for as long as we want, but someone has to come out and talk about it. Someone has to be held accountable for the atrocities which killed more than 20 000 of our brothers, mothers, sisters and fathers,”

“To put the record straight, the genocide was caused by the Zezuru tribe which has ruled this country for the past 36 years with an iron grip. The Zezurus have always wanted to eliminate the people from the southern parts of the country, so the Gukurahundi was just there to eliminate other tribes in order for the Zezurus to maintain supremacy over everyone,” alleged Mliswa.

“Do no blame the likes of (Air Marshal) Perrence Shiri for the atrocities, but blame Rex Nhongo (Solomon Mujuru) and President Mugabe for the killings because they were the ones in influential positions. They are the ones who could give orders of the killings,” Mliswa further said.

Despite his alleged influential role, Temba Mliswa distanced Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa from the brutal killings saying he was not and could have not been involved on the basis that he was not in any influential position.

“It is well known that Vice President Mnangagwa was the CIO Boss and that means he had no say in whatever was happening. Those who want to draw his name into this whole mess are misinformed,” said Mliswa.

The outspoken former Zanu PF Mashonaland West Provincial Chairman, said the country cannot be held at ransom by one tribe and that the balance of power must not be on one side adding that the time for a new tribe to rule has come.

He said for 2018 election campaigns, he will discourage people in his village from voting for Zanu PF as the war has turned tribal since the top hierarchy in the ruling party is largely composed of Zezuru people.

“As we go into the 2018 election mode, we are saying it is enough, we cannot let the country be held at ransom by one tribe for 37 years. We cannot be monopolised by one tribe so I will discourage the people in my village from voting. I’m a village head so they will listen to me,” bragged Mliswa.

He blamed the Zanu PF leadership of side lining Ndebeles and Kalangas from holding influential positions in the ruling party as he said “Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko knows he has no power and he does not dream of being a president because those Zanu PF guys do not want anyone from Matebeleland to be in that position,” Mliswa added.

LIVE REPORT at 5.50pm(UK time)  7.40pm (Zim time)   refresh this page for the video.

Nigerian preacher, TB Joshua has been humiliated after his prediction that the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 plane would be found within days flopped, with the search ending yesterday without a trace (nearly) 3 years later.

Millions of dollars have been wasted by the governments of China, Australia and Malaysia after TB Joshua 3 years ago misled the world claiming that (back then on March 15th 2014), the whole plane would be found within days.

“Despite every effort using the best science available … the search has not been able to locate the aircraft,” Malaysian, Australian and Chinese authorities said in a statement.

TB Joshua who is Walter Magaya’s so called “spiritual father” even claimed he was the only “servant of God” God told that the plane would be found within days of his prediction in March 2014, (SEE HIS DIRECT WORDS VERBATIM AND THE VIDEO BELOW).

This classic expose by ZimEye.com, is further evidence on how Joshua not only makes predictions of chance, but preys on simple minds using cunning video editing techniques, SEE THE 3rd VIDEO BELOW.

ZimEye avails below TB Joshua’s false MH370 prophecy as it was in March 2014, and next to it.. the preacher’s new video (click to watch it directly from the man’s Emmanuel TV church channel) uploaded a year later which is heavily edited (SEE BELOW)…

The second video is the preacher’s NEW VIDEO EDIT COPY which has been chopped off the following declarations: “They don’t know where the plane is. I am the only minister if not only me…that God used to speak about this issue. But the whole thing is coming to an end. I say the whole thing has come to an end. Coming to an end in the sense that they will discover the plane. They will discover the particles. they will discover…Everything will end, any moment from now (- April 2014), any moment from now. So this coming week we are not going to talk about it, rather the family concerned will know their fate. From this coming week we will no longer talk about it again. Rather the families concerned will know their fate.”

Meanwhile, ZimEye.com also avails below another video clip on TB Joshua performs his editing tricks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uqpUasnnNg

SIX people who were among villagers attending a funeral in Binga District on Sunday were struck and killed by lightning while three others sustained severe burns. Other reports say they could have been 11 dead.

President Robert Mugabe still rules Zimbabwe at age 92, making him the world’s oldest sitting president.

And while his party, the Zanu-PF, is in strife over who will come after him, the state media’s dilemma is how to report the succession battles – with talking about Mugabe’s succession being an editorial red line.

State-owned news outlets such as The Herald newspaper and the Zimbabwean Broadcasting Corporation remain loyal to Mugabe, but even they are backing one faction in the Zanu-PF – albeit indirectly – by attacking the other.

Mugabe’s message is clear: the media has no place in Zimbabwe’s political future.
But with ripples from last year’s anti-government protests still in the air and instability at an all-time high, the silenced social media campaigns and wary journalists make for a concerning overview of the coverage surrounding Mugabe’s succession.

An example of the uncomfortable relationship betwen the media and the government occurred in December 2016, when President Mugabe was seen struggling to leave the podium after a speech.

“When the minister [of information] was asked about the president’s health, he became very hostile; he asked the reporter who had sent him to ask those questions. This explains the kind of relationship that we have with the minister of information. They suspect that the private media is pushing a foreign agenda against the president,” says Kholani Nyathi, editor at privately owned paper The Standard.

But what does this mean for Mugabe’s successor and how does this affect the Zimbabwean media story in the long term?

Source – Al Jazeera

MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai is dashing into Matabeleland for session-teasers on his coalition plot for the 2018 elections. Below is the official announcement: 

President Morgan Tsvangirai this week kicks off a national programme where he will go out to all the country’s provinces to interact as well as hear from the people themselves their views on a range of issues, among them the key issue of alliance building ahead of the next election.

He kicks off his national tour in Matabeleland South this Friday before proceeding to Matabeleland North, Bulawayo, Midlands, Masvingo and the rest of the provinces. This is a highly interactive tour where he shall be meeting ordinary people, party structures as well as opinion leaders in the country provinces  to hear them out on the crisis facing the country as well as other national issues, alliance building being  key among them.

President Tsvangirai, whom the party has given the responsibility of leading this process of working other political parties ahead of 2018, believes in the mass line and that every party action on this matter must be guided by the views and the direct input from the ordinary people.

The party through the national council, the supreme decision-making body between Congresses, has already adopted the principles for alliance building. The President’s interactive programmes are meant to further enrich the alliance building process so that the leadership proceeds and is informed by the people’s views and input.

President Tsvangirai values people’s participation and input on all important matters and is urging those who can attend the provincial engagement programmes to do so. Zimbabweans can also write in or send in their views to the party through our various social media platforms.

President Tsvangirai wants this all-important process of alliance building to be enriched and enhanced by direct people participation.

Let’s engage.

Luke Tamborinyoka

By Oluhle Sibanda |Since time immemorial beads have played an amazing role as a beauty accessory in the lives of African women. Beads made in various forms have always been used by African women to accentuate their beauty, giving them unique features compared to women from other continents.

However, researchers say the culture of adorning the waist with beads probably began in ancient Egypt where they were called “girdles” and were worn by women as a status symbol.

In West Africa, it is understood that the tradition was made popular by the Yorubas who wore beads for various reasons.

It might be for a good reason though it looks unusual. It might be fulfilling to their wishes, as many Zimbabwean girls are seen openly adorning these.

An elderly woman MaDlamini said; “there is more to it, it might be used as a vodoo/ juju to lure men cause I had a maid who had those. When I accidentally saw them she said she was given by her grandmother and it’s for luck with men.”

Really! Ladies can you keep such a helper in your house working around your husband? One can suggest that it is used in commercial sex work to lure men.

Could this waist belt have some spiritual supremacy? What does Christianity say about it if ever? There is bound to be reservations from the Christian community concerning the use of beads as these are associated with the other forms of spirituality, meaning not many Christian women will accept wearing these.

One male friend of mine said women go to traditional healers and sangomas to get these beads, warning men to beware of such women because they use their waist beads as a sex trap.

Are they for health reasons?

Growing up, many African girls were told tales of women who laced beads with charms and fragrances that made them irresistible to the opposite sex.

Certain in Zimbabwean communities women were famous for their charmed waist beads. In particular in Zimbabwe the Tonga and the Tshangani women are popular for their brazen use of beads in their daily lives. These charms are believed to possess the powers to entice and entrap the opposite sex and even improve their sexual prowess, according to other researchers.

This attribute no doubt contributes primarily to the negativity associated with waist beads.

The most popular perception of waist beads is its sex appeal. It is said that wives often lured their husbands with the rattle of beads or use them to communicate their fertility at certain times of the month.

Sexy is sexier when there’s a lot for the mind to imagine.This practice though now less popular, is perceived to be a major reason some women wear them.

Culture and Beauty

Research in Ghana indicates that it is regarded as the Bead Production Capital of the World perhaps because of the cultural relevance of beads to her people.

Like other west African countries, women have held a long fascination with beads, as symbolic and cultural ornaments of womanhood, sexuality, fertility, spirituality and wealth.

Traditionally, a set of beads for the wrists, neck, ankles, arms and waist formed part of culturally accepted feminine beauty and adornment for the African society.

Let’s suppose it’s for cultural purposes , closely look at the girl in question dressing and the way she displayed her waist beads. Really!

In West Africa, the tradition became such that a lady wears multiple strings of beads around her waist; and the only person allowed to remove them was her husband on her wedding night.Then wedding ceremonies used to be more symbolic than it is now, according to the magazine Nairaland.

The Yorubas particularly, would ask the couple to consummate their marriage on a bed laid with white clothing and show a blood stained fabric as proof that the lady was a virgin.

A stainless white cloth comes with a deluge of shame not only for the lady but her entire family.In other culture, the beads were adorned with bells, which was a signal to let a partner know that the woman was clean- meaning she is at the proper stage where sexual intercourse is allowed.

It’s only now that waist beads are becoming visible. They used to be considered as underwear exclusively worn under garments in Africa.

Staff Reporter |  The country is expected to receive heavy rains this week with a possibility of flooding in some areas, the Meteorological Services Department has warned.

The weather organisation has since advised responsible authorities to be high on alert as many people might need assistance.

The Civil Protection Unit has also warned of possible landslides in hilly slopes in susceptible areas. Farmers are likely to suffer heavy leaching and damage to their crop as a result of flooding and heavy downpours. Below are pics of some floods; 

A 20-year-old Harare housemaid allegedly forced her employee’s son (14) to have sexual intercourse with her after threatening to report him to the police for raping her and threatening his family’s life.

Chukura appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Rumbidzai Mugwagwa facing charges of aggravated indecent assault.

She was remanded in custody to January 30 and advised to make a bail application at the High Court.

Prosecuting, Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa alleged that on December 21 at around 9pm, Chukura went into the complainant’s bedroom and told him that she wanted to teach him how to have sex.

It is alleged that Chukura advanced at the teenager and started kissing him.

It is the State’s case that the complainant told Chukura that he was not interested in having sex with her and ordered her to stop kissing him.

The court heard that Chukura verbally threatened the complainant that she would burn her mother who was her employer, mutilate his six-month-old sister and report him to the police that he had raped her.

It is alleged that the complainant got frightened and opted to give in to her demands resulting in Chukura having sexual intercourse with him without his consent.

It is the State’s case that the complainant finally got the courage to tell Chukura to stop and she stopped.

The complainant did not reveal the matter to anyone.

The matter came to light on January 11 when the complainant’s mother was informed by one of her neighbours that Chukura and the complainant act weird when they are together, the court heard.

The court heard that the complainant was interviewed by his mother and told her what happened. – State Media

ZANU PF political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere has vented his anger at top scribes at the State-controlled Herald newspaper, accusing them of fanning factionalism instead of supporting “the [ruling] party and leadership”.

In a tweet directed at the Herald, Kasukuwere, who is believed to be a member of the Zanu PF G40 faction, said on Sunday: “@Herald Zimbabwe, editorial team has to change. You defend [businessman, Energy] Mutodi at the expense of the party and leadership. In your view he was correct?”

Mutodi, who is a fierce backer of Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Lacoste faction, recently caused a storm after he called on President Robert Mugabe to quit and leave his deputy — Mnangagwa — to take over.

Mutodi’s statements, which came after Mnangagwa hosted Zanu PF “renegades” and suspended party officials at a New Year’s party at his rural home in Zvishavane, were interpreted as having the Vice-President’s backing.

Kasukuwere’s tweet appears to be a direct response to an opinion published in The Herald on Saturday, which insinuated that some politicians were up against the paper for its reportage.

“Someone clearly sees a stumbling block in the ‘State media’ and has been heard many times whining about it and even calling for a change of guard at our newspaper stables,” read the opinion, authored by an anonymous columnist.

After the post, some of Kasukuwere’s followers attacked him for suggesting that the State media — which should be impartial — should support a particular political party.

Opposition politicians have always accused the State media of being the mouthpiece of Zanu PF, used for the party’s propaganda. – Newsday

Ray Nkosi |Reports just in from Nyathi in Bubi District Matabeleland North indicate that a serious tribal war between Ndebele and Shona speaking people is escalating amidst claims that soldiers have been deployed into the area.

About ten people were recently injured following bloody attacks in the area.

Sources told ZimEye.com that the Shona speaking miners referred to as “AmaShurugwi” in the area yesterday woke up to face a huge reinforcement of fellow miners from other areas as far as Nkayi and Kwekwe to help their colleagues defend their mining territory.

So far over twenty people have been brutally injured in the fights between the local Ndebele villagers who are demanding that the Shona speaking illegal miners  leave the area.

Posts circulating on social media also indicate that a group of Ndebele speaking people in Bulawayo has been gathering people to go to the area to fight off the miners. In a post sent to ZimEye.com by sources, the group claims that so far it has managed to fill up ten minibuses and is ready to dispatch the regiment to Nyathi this evening.

Meanwhile, two truck loads of heavily armed soldiers are said to have descended into the area to try and bring peace in the area. Police in the area said to have failed to handle the volatile situation resulting in the call for army reinforcements.

No comment has yet been made by the local Member of Parliament nor the district administration offices.

Joylene Mtandwa | Reports from Gwanda indicate that police are on the hunt for persons who recorded a video of a teenage girl who was being forced to do laundry while naked by a wife who caught her in bed with her husband.

The nineteen year old girl who it has since emerged is a high school student appears in the videos recorded by several people, in tears as she is ordered by an angry woman, who does not appear in any of the videos, to wash the bed linen and clothing she had used while having sex with the woman’s husband.

Witnesses who spoke to ZimEye.com said that the girl arrived at the man’s house apparently being delivered by a “sister” who is a known “lady of the night” for an afternoon session with the man while the wife was away.

The wife acting on a tip off, returned home unexpectedly and found the two in bed with the girl in her birthday suit in her matrimonial bed. The husband is reported to have fled the scene living the girl at the mercy of the angry wife.

The wife stripped the girl naked and ordered her out of the house to wash the linen outside in the open resulting in neighbours and by passers stopping over to enjoy the “drama” and recorded videos of the girl doing the laundry naked.

Unprintable words are heard being said to the girl on the videos by both the wife and members of the public. Sources who claim to know the girl told ZimEye.com that the girl has since disappeared from the Gwanda community and her whereabouts have not yet be established.

Police in Gwanda would not confirm nor deny the incident saying that investigations are underway and if there are valid  facts enough to warrant the arrest of the culprits will be brought to book soon.

Human rights activists on social media he strongly condemned the dehumanizing reaction from the wife.

Ray Nkosi |The government backed cellular phone service provider Netone, has also increased its social media bundles charges following a similar move by competitor Econet Wireless last week.

The giant service provider this week changed its unlimited social media bundles to 80 megabytes data for a weekly bundle on popular social media facilities WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter much to the disappointment of users who were beginning to migrate from Econet to Netone.

Netone was beginning to be the people’s preferred data provider with its unlimited daily, weekly and monthly packages which were not being offered by rival Econet who nearly doubled their charges in the price rise frenzy two weeks ago.

Netone has also removed from its bundles packages combo bundles that offered varied offers of combined social media bundles that were favoured by the consumers.

The changes in the charges follow a Post and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority POTRAZ directive at the end of last year which suggested that the charges were too low leading to massive abuse of social media.

Information and Technology Minister Supa Mandiwanzira however reversed the price increase directive last week leaving consumers confused how Netone was proceeding with the price adjustments regardless of the Minister’s directive not to have any adjustments on the prices.

While Econet Wireless has issued a statement that it has since reversed the price adjustments, Netone has not yet given an official statement on the matter.

Staff Reporter| MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai has said his future is hanging on President Robert Mugabe’s life.

The MDC leader says his right to his Highlands mansion is limited to President Robert Mugabe’s life with whom he has a secret deal, SEE DIRECT WORDS BELOW.

Tsvangirai who has over the past years survived on the sole largess of President Robert Mugabe his boss during the Government of National Unity, is set for a bleak financial future after Mugabe dies.

Tsvangirai has defended his prolonged stay in the government owned Highlands mansion saying that only President Mugabe knows the deal and why he is still there.

When probed by journalists on earlier threats by Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere  to evict Tsvangirai from the  mansion in Highlands, he said: “I am not answerable to Saviour Kasukuwere. He doesn’t know anything about this house. He is just trying to make political hot air out of something that he doesn’t know. He doesn’t know that I have a house which has a contract and I advise him to talk to President Mugabe before he starts uttering something that he doesn’t know.”

To further compound Tsvangirai’s post Mugabe survival strategy, the former PM now also claims that a $70 000 handout from Mugabe was an entitlement, part of his pension benefit.

A weekly newspaper the Financial Gazette, however, pours cold water over Tsvangirai’s claims on many fundamental procedural issues to do especially with the right office that handles pensions.

Tsvangirai it is reported, is receiving benefits directly from Mugabe’s own pocket, that are not recognised in any stipulated Zimbabwean law, to make matters worse for the self proclaimed democrat, are not known even to parliament; meaning that Tsvangirai in the long term will be a victim of the lack of transparency in the handling of important financial matters.

THE Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) has accused “some mobile network operators” of being double faced after they disowned a commonly agreed tariff increase, which has sparked a public outcry.

The telecommunications industry regulator recently gave operators the green light to hike data and voice tariffs to ensure profitability, but the move has met stiff resistance from consumers.

To exonerate themselves from the public fury, some of the operators distanced themselves from the collectively agreed tariff hike, and instead pointed the finger at Potraz.

The regulator’s accusations could be seen as largely directed at the country’s largest mobile network provider, Econet, which hastily hiked data tariffs, but later backtracked and blamed Potraz for the increase.

Potraz set floor prices for data and calls at two cents per megabyte and 12 cents per minute respectively.

The other two providers, Telecel and NetOne, were yet to review their charges amid reports that they were still engaging Potraz.

However, Government intervened on Thursday and suspended the new tariffs pending further consultations.

But on Friday Potraz absolved itself from initiating the new tariff structure, saying the service providers had met prior to the issuance of the directive and proposed even higher floor prices.

“As the sector regulator, we are concerned and disturbed by the conduct, double standards, negative utterances and refusal to take ownership of this decision by some mobile network operators,” Potraz said while announcing the termination of the new tariffs in line with the Government directive.

“It has become apparent to us that the service providers have decided not to own up to the fact that they engaged the regulator regarding declining revenues, which were, according to them, threatening industry viability and service roll out.”

Potraz added; “In its quest to ensure that consumers continue to enjoy quality telecommunication services and maintain the expansion drive towards universal access, Potraz positively received the plea by operators and eventually agreed to the introduction of a moderated floor price, which as envisaged by the authority, would ensure both sector viability and continuous service provision to consumers.”

Leaked minutes of a meeting between Potraz and Telecommunications Operators’ Association of Zimbabwe, show that Econet is said to have proposed a floor price of five cents per megabyte, but the regulator eventually set it at two cents. — New Ziana.

CONTROVERSIAL political activist Acie Lumumba’s claim to be in a relationship with Lerato Hlongwani, daughter to South African business tycoon, Fana Hlongwane, has been met with heated denial by the latter.

Lumumba last Thursday revealed to H-Metro that he was in love with Lerato and was ready to settle but she described the claim as “lies! False information.”

“Please , I am not dating Acie Lumumba ! Never have and Never will. He is, and in this case I guess it’s safe to say, was my friend,” fumed Lerato who said she is “very hurt and upset” by the story.

The controversial activist made the sensational claims moments after a Harare magistrate ruled that he be given back his passport but Lerato insists they were only friends and Lumumba’s claims have dragged her family name into unnecessary shame.

Lumumba’s passport was being held at the Harare Magistrates’ Clerk of Court as part of his bail condition in a matter in which he is being charged with undermining the authority of the President and soon after he got his passport he volunteered information about Lerato claiming she is his girlfriend.

After the interview, he went on to shower H-Metro with pictures of him and Lerato as proof that they were an item.

“I am now free to travel. I have been handed back my passport.

“My lover had been worried on whether I would travel to South Africa to see her.

“I have found love in another beautiful woman . . . Lerato Fana the daughter of South African businessman Fana Hlongwane,” he said.

However, a clearly agitated Lerato made it very clear to H-Metro that Lumumba’s claims are not only false but embarrassing to her and her family.

She insisted that the only relationship she had with Lumumba was friendship and suggested that even that friendship was over after the political activist, popular for leaking a sex tape, claimed to be her lover.

The year 2017 has opened with heavy discounts on air tickets, bordering on a fare war of sorts, to woo passengers back to flying.

Average fares have fallen by 50 percent as airlines cut prices to boost market share amid intensifying competition. The cuts come as budget airlines are reporting a rise in net profit.
Traditional airlines have vowed to take market share from rival airlines.

This aggressive discount scheme has seen the country’s largest airlines by market share slashing air fares by half to a number of destinations.

A return arirfare to Dubai now costs $520, to and back from London $880, Sydney $1050, Johannesburg $280, Cape Town $620, and Guangzhou $750, according to Fivebulls Travel Tours & Safaris.

This includes taxes or service fees but are subject to availability. The move literally throws down the gauntlet to budget airline rivals by traditional airline.“This is a normal practice in line with demand,” a spokesperson for Fivebulls Travel Tours & Safaris said.

The move to slash fares by almost half, has seen all airlines follow this pricing strategy, the spokesperson said.

February to April is generally considered a lean period for the domestic travel industry.
An airline executive told the Daily News that the scheme is to sell excess inventory that airlines are sitting on, coming from the holiday season.
Fares will be back to normal soon, he said.

“Airlines are trying to fill up inventory especially for March and April, which is when peak summer travel begins, so that they can plan revenue management better,” he said.

Currently, almost 20 airlines are flying into Zimbabwe from a peak of 48 in 1999 and there are efforts to lure more and grow the tourism sector that has the potential of earning $5 billion annually by 2020. daily news

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has deployed his special envoy to President Mugabe to introduce his country’s candidate for the post of Commissioner for Peace and Security in the African Union Commission.

MORE than 10 people have been hospitalised following a bloody attack by illegal gold panners in Inyathi, Bubi District.

The victims were rushed to Inyathi District Hospital while one was transferred to Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo after being attacked by omakorokoza with machetes, knives and stones.

It is believed that the gold panners were searching for a rival gang when they ended up indiscriminately attacking people at a bar.

The incident occurred at Senco Night Club, Mahamba Business Centre at about 11PM on Friday.

Running battles have been reported in the area allegedly over occupancy of mining claims, most of which have been abandoned.

The Chronicle visited one of those who were attacked, Mr Martin Khabo — a soldier on leave — at Mpilo Central Hospital yesterday and he narrated his ordeal.

Mr Khabo said he passed out after being attacked by a machete and stones.

He said more than 10 people were taken to Inyathi District Hospital with some injuries and he was caught up in a crossfire as he was not involved in mining activities.

“I had gone to the business centre to spend some time with friends as usual. We went to Sencor Night Club and at about 11PM, I decided to go home. As I was going out I was shocked to see scores of people stampeding back into the night club.

“I saw a group of men carrying machetes and knives. Before I knew it, I was attacked with a machete on the back of my head and several other people were also attacked. There was chaos as people screamed and tried to run away,” said Mr Khabo.

He said he tried to escape but was attacked with a stone on the head and he fell unconscious.

Bubi Small-Scale Miners’ Association secretary general Mr Benjamin Ndlovu confirmed the incident.

“I received the information yesterday and I was disturbed. Illegal gold miners from other areas have swamped the mining area and this has created fierce feuds.

“The local leadership, including security forces, political and traditional leaders should tackle this issue as a matter of urgency and bring it to an end,” said Mr Ndlovu.

Ward 11 Councillor Siwela Siwela said the incident occurred when he was away and was yet to get reasons behind the attack.

Acting Matabeleland North provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Eglon Nkala could not immediately comment on the matter. – State Media

Terrence Mawawa, Bikita |Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa shocked local villagers recently when he warned that anti-Zanu PF elements should be dealt with in a ruthless manner.

Addressing party supporters at a rally held at Gwindingwi High School ahead of the Bikita West by-election, Mnangagwa instructed traditional leaders to compile lists of people who do not support the ruling party. The Vice President has been accused of descending hard on opposition supporters, a claim he has denied. Recently Mnangagwa declined he played a leading role in the Gukurahundi atrocities.

The politician said Zanu PF would remain in power despite attempts by opposition and western forces to topple the revolutionary party. “Traditional leaders you know those who do not support Zanu PF in your respective areas, go and compile lists of such people so that they can be dealt with accordingly.We cannot let the opposition candidates win the seat.That will never happen,”said Mnangagwa.

He added:”We know that some of you support opposition parties.We know everything and do not regret when we identify you.” Mnangagwa who is said to be the leader of a faction called Team Lacoste in Zanu PF has been accused of dealing ruthlessly with his foes both in and out of the ruling party. Political analysts also view the Midlands godfather as President Robert Mugabe’s heir apparent.

By Staff Reporter| Dancehall sensation, Soul Jah Love was hospitalised in the UK for 3 whole days, ZimEye has been told.

Soul Musaka’s UK promoter, Donald Chinouya, Monday afternoon claimed the singer went into the hospital for a mere checkup. “He only went on the Tuesday, it was just the family’s concerns that he should go for a check up,” he said.

But it has emerged as ZimEye reveals, the singer was hospitalised for 3 days, raising suspicion that the man who Walter Magaya claimed he had healed, is not well at present after Magaya staged a camera act depriving the singer of his wheelchair. SEE VIDEOS:

War Veterans minister, Tshinga Dube, said the public spats among top government officials have shocked and confused him, as Zanu PF factionalism continues to play out in the open.

Dube’s remarks come as there is seemingly no love lost between Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo and President Robert Mugabe’s spokesman, George Charamba.

“That’s a million dollar question my friend that I cannot answer or comment on until I talk to those two people,” Dube said.

“I thought I understood how Zanu PF worked, but this has confused me.”

Dube’s remarks came after Charamba savaged Moyo in a column he reportedly writes under the pseudonym, Nathaniel Manheru in State-controlled media. Moyo also gave as much as he got, describing Charamba as a “useful idiot”, a jibe he has used before.

Charamba seemed to be doing Vice-President Mnangagwa’s bidding, telling Moyo to stay out of succession debates.

Last year, Charamba warned that Mugabe was about to descend heavily on the G40 faction, saying the grouping was being given a long rope to hang itself.

This comes as critics are questioning whether Mugabe is still calling the shots or whether he has faith in his deputies.

The President is interspersing his annual holiday with official engagements and observers say this shows he has little faith in his deputies, Vice-Presidents Phelekezela Mphoko and Mnangagwa, as he could have easily assigned them those duties and remained on holiday.

Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association secretary-general, Victor Matemadanda, told NewsDay that in light of the circus that has consumed Zanu PF and government since the beginning of January, the former freedom fighters felt vindicated in their earlier call for Mugabe to step down.

“Mugabe is old and while he can be physically present, he is always mentally absent, he should not be allowed to run this country,” he said.

Matemadanda said the public fights were all being caused by Mugabe.

“We worked with Mugabe when he was young, he was a man who did not brook this nonsense, which is going on even after he warned members of his party not to abuse Twitter, he is the reason that his own Vice-Presidents are not even respected locally by his own ministers because he has lost touch,” he said.

“The people of Zimbabwe should wake up from this mirage and confront the real evil. They should go into the streets and demonstrate against massive corruption happening in Zanu PF. Moyo must go to court and face the music.”

MDC-T spokesperson, Obert Gutu said the President decided to go to Mali was clear testimony that he was the be all and end all in Zanu PF and government and he maintained a tight leash on all activities even in his absence.

“Robert Mugabe is Zanu PF and Zanu PF is Robert Mugabe. Sadly, in his scheme of things, Robert Mugabe is Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe is Robert Mugabe. This is a one-man dictatorship,” he said.

“Mugabe is obsessed with political power as an end in itself.”

Gutu said Mnangagwa and Mphoko were only ceremonial figureheads with no real power to make any decisions or represent Mugabe at international level.

“His Vice-Presidents are merely ceremonial figureheads with no executive authority. The buck always starts and stops with Mugabe himself. When he is not in the country, Cabinet doesn’t sit and no major executive decision is made by any Cabinet minister. The man is a fully-fledged dictator. Mugabe will make the North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-un green with envy,” he said.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesman, Jacob Mafume said Mugabe has totally lost power, as proven by the Nigerian movie script playing out in his government.

“To say Mugabe has power is a joke … It is now a full Nigerian movie, where government ministers talk about coffee mugs instead of hungry and jobless people,” he said.

Zimbabwe People First were quick to agree, saying the Mali trip vindicated former Vice-President Joice Mujuru’s public pronouncements that only Mugabe knows what’s happening in his government.

“It is not surprising for a man, who believes that he alone is the man in Zimbabwe and that he has no confidence in both Mnangagwa and Mphoko,” party spokesman, Jealousy Mawarire said.

“This confirms that Zimbabwe is a dictatorship and it also puts away the idea of complicity they put on Mujuru, Mugabe alone knows what is happening and Mugabe alone is culpable for all the problems we are facing because he is a system.”

When Mugabe met Chinese President Xi Jinping, while on leave, Charamba said it would not have made sense to fly a deputy from Zimbabwe to China when Mugabe was already in that country. – Newsday

Outgoing Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku says President Robert Mugabe has the final say on who becomes the new chief justice.

He clarified the current debate on the appointment of his successor while speaking during the official opening of the 2017 legal year at Mashonganyika Building in Harare.

Chief justice Chidyausiku who was appointed in July 2001 replacing Justice Anthony Gubbay, is going on retirement at the end of next month (February) when he reaches the mandatory age of 70.
The official opening of a new legal year is important in the judicial calendar which allows the chief justice an opportunity to review key developments of the previous year.
Chief Justice Chidyausiku highlighted some of the achievements achieved during his tenure that included maintaining the independence of the judiciary, upholding the constitution and the rule of law, separating the administration of the courts from the government and improving gender equality in the judiciary sector.
He applauded the promulgation of the Judiciary Services Act in 2006, which helped set up an efficient administration system that monitored the performance of lower courts and brought about infrastructural development as 30 new Magistrate courts were constructed and others refurbished throughout the country.

He applauded development partners Danida, treasury and the Department of Public Works for supporting infrastructural development in the justice delivery sector.
Justice Chidyausiku, however, bemoaned lack of funding as a hindrance in their quest to improve justice delivery in the country.
He urged his successor to utilise available resources and cultivate fruitful relationships with funding partners. – State Media

OK Zimbabwe suffered a $70 000 hit in their finances after Isaiah Marange, a 33 year old man from Chitungwiza hacked into OK’s Money Wave system.

According to the state media, Marange signed up and opened a Money Wave account making an initial deposit of $5 under the name Kundai Liberty Musamba.

On 26 December 2016 he then allegedly hacked into the system and credited $35 000 to his account claiming to have made the transaction at OK Queensdale till number 5.

Marange went on to credit an additional $35 000 and was joined by some accomplices that he went with on a spending spree swiping at a number of wholesale stores that include National Foods and National Tyre Services.

In some instances Marange is alleged to have looked for customers in these stores with cash and asked to swipe for them and get the hard cash in return.

The issue came to light for OK Zimbabwe after their Queensdale branch received bank statements from CABS that did not tally with the branch’s reconciliation statements.

The issue has since been taken to court and Marange was remanded last Friday until February 14 2017 on $300 bail.

Ok Zimbabwe has since failed to recover any of the money they were swindled. How exactly he performed the crime is still a mystery but this highlights how weak cyber security is in Zimbabwe. – Fingaz