Terrence Mawawa, Buhera | A 72-year-old man was apprehend after he attempted to rape a local woman.

The daring grandpa threatened to axe the 45-year-old woman if she refused to comply.
“The old man threatened to axe me to death if I refused to have sexual intercourse with him,” said the woman. Muchineripi Kuvarega, the 72-year-old man appeared before Magistrate Henry Sande, facing attempted rape charges.

The court heard that sometime in September 2016, around 8am, the woman was fetching firewood in the bush when Kuvarega approached her holding an axe. He allegedly grabbed the woman by the neck and fondled her breasts and buttocks.He tripped the woman and she fell to the ground.

Kuvarega unzipped his trousers and produced his erect manhood. While attempting to insert his manhood into the woman’s private parts there was a scuffle and the woman screamed for help.

She managed to escape and reported the matter at Dorowa Police Camp. “I was shocked by the man’s behaviour. He approached me as I was fetching firewood. He threatened to kill me if I refused to comply. However, I managed to escape.I wish to thank my neighbours who cooperated with me,” said the woman.
Kuvarega was remanded in custody.

A 28-YEAR-OLD Mabvuku woman, who is accused of bedding a 13-year old minor, appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court yesterday facing aggravated indecent assault charges.

The suspect, Memory Mugavhu, is expected to stand the trial today after magistrate, Themba Kuwanda postponed the matter to allow her to prepare her defence.

It is the State’s case that in August last year, the complainant, who is not named to protect his identity because he is a minor, visited Mugavhu’s place to play with her son.

Allegations are that the minor found Mugavhu at home. She called him into her room and promised him a fruit spread if he agreed to have sexual intercourse with her and the minor duly complied.

The State alleges, Mugavhu had sexual intercourse with the minor on several occasions thereafter until November 15 last year.

It is alleged that after each act, Mugavhu would threaten to kill the minor with a knife if he revealed the abuse to anyone. However, on November 19, the State alleges a neighbour informed the complainant’s mother what was happening and the matter was reported to the police, leading to Magavhu’s arrest.

The complainant was referred to Edith Opperman Clinic in Mbare for medical examination and an affidavit was obtained. Valerie Ngoma appeared for the State. – Newsday

A hungry prisoner at Whawha successfully broke out of jail.

The prisoner told a magistrate that he decided to run away because inmates were being made to work hard on empty stomachs.

He was later rearrested in the community.

Washington Timba (20) of Mwanza Village under Chief Bangure, Chirumhanzu, pleaded guilty to escaping from lawful custody when he appeared before Gweru magistrate Ms Judith Taruvinga.

Ms Taruvinga sentenced him to a year in jail that will run concurrently with the previous nine months imprisonment for theft and unlawful entry.

In passing the sentence, the magistrate said Timba acted in an unlawful manner.

“What he did is punishable with a prison term,” said Ms Taruvinga.

In his defence, Timba said hunger and hard work drove him to escape.

“I decided to leave because they were making us do a lot of work on empty stomachs,” he said. “I left and went home because prison life is really hard for me.”

Prosecutor Mr Edward Gwainda told the court that on October 21 last year at Whawha Medium Prison, a prison officer, Kudakwashe Gwasunda, took five Class B inmates to the prison farm to collect firewood.

“At around 2pm, Gwasunda realised that one of the inmates, Timba, was missing from the group,” he said.

“He blew his whistle in order to alert other nearby prison officers to search for the missing inmate.

“Gwasunda proceeded to report the matter to his superiors and a search was conducted and the accused was not found.

“At around 11pm on the same date, five Whawha prison officers made an ambush at Timba’s last known address at Ascot Infill, Gweru.”

The court heard that during that time, Timba arrived home still wearing his prison garb.

He was apprehended and taken back to Whawha Prison. – State Media

THE case in which former Education minister Aeneas Chigwedere is being accused of practicing witchcraft by some family members has taken a new twist after the clan pleaded with the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) registrar to expeditiously come up with a date for the matter to “avoid further loss of lives”.

In a letter addressed to the ConCourt registrar’s office on December 29, 2016, Chigwedere’s son, Mangwiza, said the fact that his father’s siblings had confirmed the practice of witchcraft meant the issue was serious, hence, needed to be dealt with urgently.

“I am the applicant and self-actor in this matter, which I have charge of in prosecuting and writing in application for consideration in case CCZ72/16 to be positioned for the earliest possible set-down date due to the complexity in nature of the case, as there is no known interdict or temporary relief except of disposition of the said cause,” he wrote.

“… confirmations by respondents of possession or being possessed by these harmful things have been confirmed by third, ninth, 12th and 14th respondents, who, none of them, are below the age of 70 and are elders of the clan and fathers of the clan, who have also been left helpless and some maimed through the witchcraft matter in question.”

The witchcraft case is now at the ConCourt after Mangwiza, who is accusing his father of possessing goblins, failed to get recourse at the lower courts.

Chigwedere’s five other siblings have also joined the fight and confirmed that their brother, a Zanu PF stalwart, allegedly practices witchcraft.

According to notice of consent to judgment notice papers filed on November 23, 2016 at the ConCourt, Francis Chigwedere, Shepherd, Getrude Makasa, Godfrey and Fanuel Chigwedere wrote to the ConCourt, seeking justice in the matter.

The Chigwedere clan wants the courts to grant the Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers’ Association permission “to conduct a cleansing ceremony to free the family from the witchcraft bondage”.

“At heart, I am not the only one seeking an early relief from our affliction, but also these submissive respondents. The right to life has been violated and continues to as confirmed by other five respondents and this right is considered as the supreme right that anyone holds within the Constitution of the Republic of Zimbabwe that is being represented and guarded jealously by this very honourable court,” Mangwiza wrote. – Newsday

By Nqobani Ndlovu |Several Zimbabweans in recent years have been beaten or lost lives over lobola (bride price), and some people are calling for the ban of this traditional but still widely practiced custom.

Former Education Minister, historian and educationist and now a traditional leader, Aeneas Chigwedere defines lobola as a form of marriage payment to build relationships and to demonstrate the ability of a man to take care of his family. Chigwedere, in his book Lobola: Pros and Cons (1982), explains the practice thus: the bride’s family receives payment in the form of goods, money, livestock to compensate for the pain the parents of the bride went through in raising their daughter and the children that she would bear into the husbands family.

In the Shona culture, the groom is supposed to also pay the bride’s father to thank him for his patience when his daughter was pulling his beard as she sat on his knees. This is called Matekenyandebvu.

Over the years, the practice has become a gateway to quick riches, and the commodification of women, but in the process it has also become a barrier to marriage for many young men.

And who doesn’t want to get married in Zimbabwe?

It’s as much a dream for young men as it is for the parents to see their daughter get married – but not for free.

“It is no wonder that many of the youth are resorting to cohabitating; they cannot afford what some parents demand as lobola,” said Pastor Anglistone Sibanda.

Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe received over $35,000 in cash and 15 head of cattle as bride price for his daughter Bona. The average price of a cow is $700. Mr Mugabe’s son-in-law Simbarashe Chikore was reported to be a pilot. How many a suitor could afford that figure what with many – still employed – earning less than the poverty datum line that lies at around $540 per month.

Even former prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai has allegedly had lobola-related problems, with some rags claiming he used party funds to pay the bride price. And Big Brother Africa housemates Ghanaian fashion designer Elikem Kumordzie and Zimbabwean socialite Pokello Nare have had to bide their time while Elikem saved up for lobola, reported to be about $25,000.

To Pastor Sibanda, for any suitor to decide to get married is to invite financial punishment. This is how you end up with local headlines like Man steals uncle’s two dogs to pay lobola and Man demands lobola back claiming wife ‘broke his manhood’.

A cultural and traditional practice meant to cement families, and strengthen relationship bonds has been ruined by greed.

“It has been turned into a business and this is the main driver of omasihlalisane (cohabitating) which is against cultural, moral and biblical principles. Cohabitation is also driven by migration and poverty among other things, and it threatens formal marriage,” Sibanda added.

Sex is not free
People need to value their children’s marriages for what they are, not for what they can get out of the union. This is what lobola should stand for. Lives can be lost, otherwise.

In June, 42-year-old Stane Ncube of Gokwe in the Midlands province was jailed 12 year for taking an axe to his father-in-law who had threatened to take back his daughter over non-payment of lobola.

Ncube reportedly axed Tarawedzera Mbiti (may his soul rest in peace) when he came to his homestead demanding lobola and making the threats.

According to men’s rights group Padare/Enkundleni, high cases of domestic violence can be directly or indirectly linked to the commercialisation of lobola. As a result, men are using the payment as justification to oppress and abuse women who they view as bought property.

Such men believe the high charges that some parents demand during lobola negotiations entitles them to own their wives – it’s like they have bought enough shares in a company to more or less own the company.

Marriages have been known to collapse because of parents’ lobola demands. They demand that their daughter be returned if the agreed lobola is not forthcoming, their argument: pay up or no sex.

Earlier this year, Shepherd Gumbo from Harare told the Harare Magistrates Court that he separated with his wife after his in-laws banned him from having sexual intercourse until he paid the balance on the bride price.

Gumbo said his wife Patricia Sabawo was taken away from him by the in-laws saying the comfort he had enjoyed was equivalent to the lobola he had paid so far.

His wife was now demanding maintenance.

Maybe calls for regulation should be supported to preserve the age old lobola practice, especially in this capitalized and modernised society.

Thabani Nyoni, an analyst from Bulawayo, however disagrees.

Nyoni argues that regulating lobola is difficult but introducing the subject in formal and informal educational institutions like churches, schools might foster understanding of the practice and stop its commercialisation.

Khanyile Mlotshwa, a Pan-Africanist and post graduate media studies student, believes that Africans should re-think how this culture of lobola continues in a capitalist world.

“We have to return to the initial aims of paying lobola, then we will appreciate why we need it and why we have to save it from commercialisation and abuse,” says Mlotshwa. online

Four people were killed, while another one was found dead in a maize field in Harare in murder cases recorded between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day countrywide.

This comes as police continue to urge members of the public not to take the law into their hands whenever disputes arise.

Police said most of the murder cases emanated from disputes over petty issues such as fights during beer drinking, domestic violence and disputes over parking space.

In a statement yesterday, national police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi urged members of the public to exercise restraint whenever they were involved in disputes with relatives, friends or strangers.

“It is disheartening to note that despite efforts by the police and community leaders to inform and educate people on the sanctity of human life, some people do not take heed,” he said.

“Of the cases recorded over the festive period, most of them emanated from disputes after drinking binges, domestic violence, parking disputes, while some are due to other causes, particularly where the victims were found dead after being stabbed or assaulted by unknown persons while walking at night.”

Chief Supt Nyathi said on Christmas Day, a 34-year-old man from Mkwasine in Chiredzi was killed following a dispute with his wife after he insisted on slaughtering a family goat.

He said the man persisted and the wife took a log and fatally assaulted him on the head.

He died on the spot.

In another incident which occurred on December 30, 2016 in Southlea Park, Harare, a 29-year-old man had a dispute with his wife after he spent money on beer.

“The man took a kitchen knife and stabbed the wife on the chest,” Chief Supt Nyathi said. “He attempted to cover up for the offence by tying a rope on roof trusses and hanging his wife so that it could appear as a case of suicide.”

Chief Supt Nyathi said on January 1, two people were involved in a scuffle over parking space at a bar in Chegutu.

The scuffle degenerated into a fist fight and one of the men stabbed the other several times with a sharp object resulting in his death.

In a related incident which occurred in Dema, Seke, a 30-year-old man stabbed another man, aged 37, after a dispute over a girlfriend at a shebeen.

The man died on his way to Chitungwiza Central Hospital.

“In Harare’s Kuwadzana suburb, a man was found dead in a maize field and police are investigating the case as there were signs of struggle at the scene though no visible injuries were noted,” said Chief Supt Nyathi.

“In another incident, a 27-year-old Mabvuku man is battling for life after being stabbed nine times by unknown assailants in the suburb.”

Police have urged members of the public to stop whenever they are involved in road traffic accidents.

This follows an incident in Westlea, Harare, on New Year’s Day at around 2am hours, along First Street where a 41-year-old man was hit by a motorist who did not stop. The man died on the spot. – State Media

AN EIGHT-HOUR downpour in Gwanda South left a trail of destruction, leaving communities desperate.

The heavy rain started shortly after 3PM last Thursday and ended after 11PM in Gungwe area under Chief Mathe.

In separate interviews, community leaders said three dams Gungwe, Matulungundu and Makokwe were destroyed by the rains that also killed livestock.

The area’s councillor Johnson Mangwangwa, who is also Gwanda Rural District Council chairperson said they were appealing to the Government and well-wishers for assistance to rehabilitate the dams.

“This is a serious setback. People rely heavily on Gungwe dam for agricultural purposes, their livelihoods and for their animals. We now have to cover 15 km to Tuli River to water our livestock, a situation that will leave our cattle at the mercy of cattle rustlers,” said Clr Mangwangwa.

“We are appealing to Government and non-governmental organisations to come forward and assist in the re-construction of these water bodies.  A total of seven villages namely Gungwe, Malitou, Mselele, Makokwe, Ntshwangu, Mawaza and Simbuka desperately need water for their livelihood.”

He said he would table the issue before a full council meeting to be held soon for possible solutions to be considered.

A former Agritex officer, Mr Isaac Kwela of Ward 16 in Matulungundu said farmers were now counting their losses after the heavy rain.

“The 130mm rainfall left misery to communities as all the people who survived on market gardening downstream have been dealt a blow because all the water was from these dams that have been destroyed. Twenty four goats were killed in Zelezele while six donkeys also succumbed to the down-pour that started at around 3PM and ended at 11PM,” he said.

Mr Kwela said people relied heavily on horticulture using water from Matulungundu and Makokwe dams.

“People from this ward (16) rely heavily on these two dams that have been destroyed by the heavy rains and have no one to turn to for assistance since they have been doing mini-irrigation schemes downstream to raise school fees for their children,” he said.

He urged Government to come and assess the damage to reconstruct the dams. – State Media

BABOONS are continuously terrorising residents of Pumula South in Bulawayo as they move from a nearby forest around Khami Dam in search of food.

A number of residents yesterday expressed concern that the baboons are now vandalising their roofs as they hop from one house to the other.  They told a Chronicle news crew that the baboons are also raiding their mango trees for the fruit.

Sometimes the baboons snatch bread from children coming from the shops.

One resident, who identified himself only as Mr Sibanda, said they also fear that the baboons may bring diseases to their neighbourhood.

“We don’t know what diseases these animals bring from the forests. We and our children eat the same mangoes. We are worried that there may be outbreaks of deadly diseases. Most houses have mango trees and only God knows what will happen once the mangoes get finished. We don’t know what they will feed on next,” he said.

Another resident, identified only as Mr Moyo, said his roof was destroyed by baboons. He said the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority must intervene.

“Many houses have been affected. These animals are destroying our property. It’s another expense to replace the destroyed asbestos sheets. May the National Parks people find a way to help us,” said Mr Moyo.

He said women and children are now afraid of going to the shops.

“These animals are taking advantage of children and women. They snatch their groceries. We have since stopped sending children to buy bread from the shops, the bread never reaches home,” he said.

The area’s councillor, Mr Siboniso Khumalo said the wildlife authority was notified of the problem, but no action was taken.

“We once placed a complaint at the National Parks and they promised to come and help us. No one ever came back to say the baboons were still being a problem. We thought they had all been dealt with. I wasn’t aware of the new problems,” said Clr Khumalo.

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority Public Relations Officer Ms Caroline Washaya-Moyo referred the matter to their Bulawayo offices, but efforts to get a comment there were fruitless. – State Media

 

Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Zim People First leader Joice Mujuru are set to clash in Bikita West as the battle for the constituency heats up. Below is an account from Zim People First.

ZIM PF BIKITA WEST | Barely three weeks before the 21st of January Bikita West by-election date, Team Lacoste descends in Bikita West to mobilise the hot constituency which Savior Kasukuwere failed to convince to support Beauty Chabaya, the G-40 Zanu PF candidate. On the other hand, it’s Dydimus Mutasa descending on Bikita West on the same date to address a ward rally in what has been termed the Ebenezer rally Hozvi ward 10 where Zim PF activists were fought by Zanu PF hooligans on the 11th of December 2016.

The Battle of Bikita has turned nasty as Zanu Pf tried all tactics to grab the constituency using goodies and freebies but that alone seemed far from finishing lines.

Seed, fertilizer, and rice under the government scheme was dished in all the wards with some members receiving 2kg fertilizer , a cup of rice and so on.

This seemed to be insulting to the constituency and members were forced to sloganeering for the whole day, tarry from morning to dawn in return of the cupful of rice. What surprised many was that, instead of the members to receive the inputs per allocation, the Zanu Pf candidate Chabaya because of hard times started to resell the fertiliser to boost her campaign; showing that the economic quagmire and trauma is not only ravaging opposition members but also the plunderers are failing to make ends meet.

Not to be outdone, Hon Jaboon had also robbed Bikita South of its due benefits by reselling the same inputs meant for the constituency. It now tends to be a battle of plundering. Speed Spoil Hasten Plunder.

The inputs distribution had left unhealed wounds as some disciples of the inner circle were seen receiving two bags of fertilizer each while general electorate walking away with 2kg fertiliser handout. The likes of Simion Ziwewe of ward 22, who was expelled from Marange Apostolic Church for putting the name of the church into disrepute , Mhurai Jecha who is known for her stripping behavior, Chivende Nicholas of ward 12, had an early Christmas after they successfully managed to connive with their G40 cabal and Chabaya to divert fertilizer meant for the wards and stored at Chabaya’s residence for resell. The Zim Pf intelligence in the constituency managed to capture the team offloading a truck of fertiliser at Chabaya’s house. All this sounds pathetic in the ears of the electorate.

The situation in the constituency forced Team Lacoste to intervene without delay as they claim it’s high time the party lobbies it’s members to vote in defence of the party,  as they blundered in putting a political tourist in the constituency who is married in Murehwa masquerades as a divorcee when it’s public knowledge that Beauty Chabaya stays in Mabelreign with her husband who hails from Mash East.

Intimidation is now at its peak as schools were forced by Jaboon to provide their buses, fuel and lorries to ferry delegates to the rally. The Mafaune traditional dancing crew has been forced to attend the rally after they turned down the invitation following failure to receive a single cent after performance on Heroes day at Duma District Heroes fields, the local teachers has been forced to call school children to sing the national anthem clad in their uniforms and it was up and down as the notice was brought very late to them. One local head’s phone went unanswered as it turns out that the resolution to use the school bus for political events was quashed by the SDA.

Zim Pf Elder Mutasa will be courting ward 10 Bikita west again to mobilise the constituency ahead of the by elections on the same day 4th of January 2017. The visit by Elder Mutasa barely comes two weeks after the visit by Rugare Gumbo popularly known as Dare who addressed a well attended ward 22 rally at Gangarabge on the 18th of December. Coincidentally, ward 10 is the ward where Beauty Chabaya hails and it’s now battle of supremacy ahead of the big day. The Zim Pf mobilisation head will be at the same gathering Hon Mavhaire and the PEC led by Rtd Col Makova CW.

Gopo, the Zim Pf candidate has of now provided several needs in almost all the wards with support from the mother party and members. The projects done so far will be unveiled in the next edition.

Above all, the die has been cast
It’s a never miss event

ZIM PF BIKITA WEST
MASVINGO PROVINCIAL YOUTH BLITZ
@nyahundasd

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo | President Robert Mugabe hates the Karanga people to the core such that he will never hand over power to anyone from the tribe, it has emerged.

Respected and renowned historian Takavira Zhou has described the nonagerian as someone who hates the Karangas with passion, adding the veteran leader will never hand over power to a Karanga speaking person.

Mugabe chose to attend a low key official opening of an information centre after snubbing the official opening of the Simon Muzenda Museum last month.
Political analysts described Mugabe’s stance as a reflection of his bias against the Karanga People.

Zhou said Mugabe did not have any respect for the people of Masvingo and his selection of ministers was biased towards Zezuru speaking people.

“Mugabe opted to go Supa Mandiwanzira’ s low key event because they are related. That is typical of Mugabe. He is selfish and he hates Karangas to the core.This implies that Mugabe will never hand over power to a Karanga speaking person,” said Zhou.

Two factions are fighting to control political affairs in Zanu PF.One faction known as the G-40 is said to be backing the First Lady Grace Mugabe while the Team Lacoste is backing Midlands godfather and Vice President Emerson Mnangagwa.

Mnangagwa, a powerful Karanga speaking politician is positioning himself to succeed Mugabe .

ZANU PF politburo member and Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo took the ruling party’s succession fights to another level yesterday after he reacted angrily to pictures of Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa holding a cup inscribed “I am the boss” which was posted on social media platforms.

Moyo, using his micro-blogging Twitter account, immediately attached political connotations to the message, which he described as “a power grab narrative”.

In one of the pictures, Mnangagwa, who is believed to be President Robert Mugabe’s heir apparent, but facing internal insurrection to his bid, poses with his self-proclaimed ally, Energy Mutodi, toasting a glass of wine with the VP using the labelled cup.

In another picture, Mnangagwa is seen sitting next to an unidentified man holding the same cup and on the table in front of them are two bottles of mineral water.

Moyo, who has publicly expressed his dislike of Mnangagwa’s political ambitions, said it was wrong for the Acting President to parade himself while holding a cup with such words.

“When pictures not only tell more than a thousand words, but also deepen the power grab narrative!” Moyo claimed.

When one of Moyo’s followers urged for a truce between the two politicians, the Tsholotsho North MP retorted: “Siyana neni iwe (Leave me alone). Everybody knows that the Boss is Gushungo (Mugabe). One Boss at a time, please! Kumhanya hakusi kusvika veduwe (There is no need to rush).”

While Moyo continues against Mugabe’s advice to rave and rant at Mnangagwa and other opponents, the VP has scoffed at his adversaries, at one time comparing them to “little puppies”.

“They will continue to bark while we will continue to work,” Mnangagwa was quoted as saying last year as the internal fissures gnawing at the ruling party threatened to tip the former liberation movement over.

Mnangagwa is embroiled in a bitter succession battle with a group of young Zanu PF politicians going by the moniker G40 who are leaving no stone unturned in their bid to block his ascendancy to Zimbabwe’s top job.

G40 is reportedly sympathetic to First Lady Grace to take over power from her ailing soon-to-be 93-year-old husband.

Moyo is a leading proponent of the G40 group that also includes Zanu PF national commissar and Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere. – Newsday

Norton’s independent MP Temba Mliswa has said he does not need to use MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s popularity to lure people to his rallies.

The former Zanu PF official and staunch President Robert Mugabe supporter said he is a “brand on his own”.

Responding to claims that Tsvangirai ordered his members not to attend his solidarity rally after he won the Norton constituency by-election, Mliswa said he has his own strong support base.

“…I don’t have to use the name of…Tsvangirai to have people come to my rally, Temba Mliswa is a brand on his own, he has his own following…,” he said during an interview with Nehanda TV recently.

However, he attributed his victory to the support he got from other opposition political parties, including the MDC.

Mliswa — who beat Zanu PF’s Ronald Chindedza in the fiercely contested by-election — said MDC gets the most mention because of the mere fact that it is the biggest opposition political party in Zimbabwe.

The Norton seat had fallen vacant following the expulsion of war veterans leader, Chris Mutsvangwa, from the ruling Zanu PF party.

“Let me make this very clear, the Norton win was a united nations approach where everybody believed that change was imminent.”

He said his Norton victory had three aspects, which included the need for a courageous candidate who was willing to work and had a strategy.

“…strategy then involves me, bringing all the progressive forces together, MDC being… part of it and other smaller parties. PDP was first in announcing my support before MDC officially did. So I don’t want to say this one was superior to the other,” Mliswa said.

He said the solidarity rally, would have provided an opportunity for Tsvangirai to address people from different political organisations, since he believes he is the right man to lead a coalition of opposition political parties against 92-year-old Mugabe ahead of 2018 elections.

The vocal Mliswa said people were feeding Tsvangirai with false information, alleging he was eyeing to lead the coalition.

He however, said that he does not belong to any political party and that his Youth Advocacy for Reform and Democracy (Yard) was not even one.

Queried on whether he benefitted from Zanu PF’s succession squabbles through Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s faction, Mliswa said, “I am a strong campaigner myself, I am a seasoned politician, I was the chairperson of Mash West and Norton is part of Mash West.”

“I dealt with the structures of Norton as well , I did some work in Norton as chairman in the Kingsdale Housing Development, which is the biggest ward in Norton, which has over 3 000 voters followed by ward 15 which is rural and I won two of those because of my popularity when I was in Zanu PF, because of my popularity of being a worker…”

“I have a track record of representing people properly, I have a record of not wanting to take a car because I believe the people’s welfare is more important than a car,” he said.

Mliswa said he managed to outmanoeuvre Zanu PF — he claimed uses intimidation and vote buying as rigging strategies — because of his hard working principles.

Asked to comment on whether Zanu PF was abusing Mugabe by keeping him in power, Mliswa said, the party “has never been honest and the problem with the president is that he is surrounded by people who patronise him, who are criminals at the end of the day, he is equally protecting them, so they always tell him what he wants to hear because they want his protection.”

“But the truth of the matter is that I would really want him to leave office, guide the next president and at the same time be a statesman, where he can give lecturers to universities…Zanu PF must allow the president to retire, resign and let him go to universities to teach young people because whether you like it or not, Mugabe is an icon…” Daily News

By Ray Nkosi  | The Three MDC-T founder members who were last year convicted of killing a ZRP cop Petros Mutedza, are being held in dark cells at Chikurubi Maximum Prison, ZimEye.com has learnt.

The three, Last Maengehama and Tungamirai Madzokere and Yvonne Musarura are said to be staying in a section of Chikurubi Maximum Prison called FB1, where they are being ‘tortured’ daily because of the inhuman treatment they endure.

According to Prison officers at Chikurubi who can’t be named the section has no running water and electricity where the three spend the whole day under lock and key.

“ This section has no access to natural light since it is all concrete right round that is , floors, walls, to the top, there are neither windows nor air vents,” said the officers.

“They are being allowed outside these tiny cells for only 30 minutes a day. These 30 minutes are time they take a bath, exercise, wash their clothes and blankets, and flash their toilets.

“Most of the time they are in total darkness as electricity is rare to come by”.

Maengehama, Madzokere and Musarurwa are serving a 20 jail term for murder.

Their party has, however, indicated that it was going to appeal against the sentence.

See below account by Albert Matapo;

By The President of UCAD Green Party of Zimbabwe

Attention Everyone

We are all aware that Last Maengehama, Tungamirai Madzokere and Yvonnie Musarurwa were wrongfully convicted and sentenced to 20 years in Prison with hard labour by the ruthless Zanu Judge Justice Bhunu for the murder of a Glen View Policeman. To add salt to injury, l am reliably informed of the following (This is 100% true):

1) Last Maengehama and Tungamirai Madzokere are being kept in a section of Chikurubi Maximum Prison called FB1.
2) They are being kept in penale blocks which are 4m long by 1.4m wide.
3) This section has no access to natural light since it is all concrete right round ie floor, walls, top. There are neither windows nor air vents.
4) These innocent souls are being regarded as terrorists and so are being kept in these cells for 23 and half hours a day, until when can they be living like this? They are being allowed outside these tiny cells for only 30 minutes a day. This 30 minutes is time they take a bath, exercise, wash their clothes and blankets, flash their toilets, etc
5) Most of the time they are in total darkness as electricity is rare to come by, remember no natural light can enter. The darkness in there is one that can be cut by a knife. One cannot tell whether is day or night when inside. When inside even if it is hot outside but inside is very cold.
6) This is the same section where there is Gumbura and team. These guys are therefore staying alongside Gumbura and team.
7) Each man stays in his own cell meaning there is no social interraction at all. In total there are only 11 cells there. What it means is that out of all the thousands of prisoners at Chikurubi Max Prison (about 4000) Last Maengahama and Tungamirai Madzokere are being regarded the worst criminals. Is this proper to people who never committed a crime?
8) The section was meant only for those who are awaiting to be condemned (killed) ie on death penault. Psychologically these guys are waiting to be killed. It is actually the condemn section of this prison. The machine which is used to kill people is just above them. On their side is what is called a Vacuum room which handles dead bodies of those who would have been executed.
8) This is the section where Dumiso Dabengwa and the now late Lookout Masuku were kept, Kevin Woods and team, Simon Mann, Albert Matapoand team, the now late Ndabaningi Sithole, etc were once kept.
9) Kevin Woods in 1994 challenged through the Courts the legality of being kept there. The Supreme Court ruled that the section was unfit for human habitation.
10) l, Albert Matapo also took the regime to Magistrate court over the same issue citing the Supreme Court ruling of 1994, the matter was heard before Magistrate Morgan Nemadire who ruled that it was a violation of the law and l was subsequently removed from there after staying there for 18 months. This is one place where it is so easy for these ruthless Zanu people to kill inmates by poisoning or other means.

My questions to all of you now are; why is the media quiet about this? Why are the opposition politicians (democrats), Lawyers for human rights and everyone else quiet about this? Zimbabweans were quiet when l was there because they cared not about me who was being accused of wanting to remove Mugabe by force, what about these who were convicted of false charges?

May something be done to save these souls. This is cruelity at its best. I suffered a lot while l was being held at this section. One hardly gets enough fresh air to breathe. Guys this is the worst punishment one can ever receive. It is too traumatic an experience. I hope people will take to the streets for these guys.

Albert Matapo.

By Sarah Moses | When do women make most noise during sex? When they’re having an orgasm? Or when their man is about to come? Recent research reveals the truth.

Why do some women literally scream and shout in bed?

Guys, maybe you think that she’s moaning and screaming because you’re such a great lover – you’re pounding away inside her, she’s having a mind-blowing orgasm. Sorry, think again. That’s not why women are so noisy in bed, according to the findings of a British study. Over 85 percent of women make lots of noise simply to boost their partner’s sex self-esteem, the study found.

The researchers asked over 70 heterosexual women whether they were more likely to reach orgasm during masturbation, foreplay, or intercourse. They also wanted to know how noisy the women were during these different sexual activities and the reasons why.

All of the women in the study said they made noise in bed, whether it was screaming out their partner’s name, telling him to go faster or harder, or moaning with pleasure. But the researchers were in for a surprise when they compared how noisy women were when they reached orgasm.

The women were more likely to climax during foreplay – like when their partner gave them oral sex – compared to intercourse. And it wasn’t when they were coming that they were most likely to make noise.

Stroking his ego

When it comes to moaning and screaming, they made a lot more noise when they were having sex, right before and during their partner’s orgasm. Yes, the reason most women make noise in bed is to turn on their partner. In fact, almost 80 percent said they make noise even when they know there’s no chance they’re going to reach orgasm themselves.

All that hollering is mainly to stroke their guy’s ego. It doesn’t necessarily mean a girl’s in ecstasy. In fact, it could mean just the opposite. Women also say that moans and screams are one way to hurry sex along when you’re not particularly enjoying it.

Yup, women can and do use their voice to control how their guy feels during sex and when he climaxes, the researchers conclude. And why do they do it? To ‘manipulate male behaviour to their advantage’.

Boosting her guy’s sex self-esteem by making lots of noise could help strengthen the bond between a woman and her partner, the researchers hypothesise. But there’s also the advantage of speeding up a guy’s orgasm if she’s in pain, just plain bored, or ready to roll over and go to sleep.

Subtle signs

So guys, if you really want to please her, don’t go by the big performance, look for the subtle signs of ecstasy. And girls, nice of you to cheer him on like that, but don’t forget to show and tell what really makes you go wild…

Any hopes that there would be a let-up in Zanu PF’s vicious tribal, factional and succession wars in 2017 have evaporated before the new year has barely got out of first gear, with the ruling party’s two brawling camps going at each other hammer and tongs this week.

On the one hand, the powerful Zanu PF women’s league — linked to the Generation 40 (G40) group, which is rabidly opposed to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa succeeding President Robert Mugabe — confirmed to the Daily News yesterday that it was upping its efforts to regain one of the ruling party’s two vice presidency posts.

On the other hand, Zanu PF supporter and pro-Mnangagwa activist Energy Mutodi, has released his own 2016 ratings of the ruling party’s politburo members, in which he predictably rubbishes Mugabe and all G40-linked bigwigs while praising those who are in the opposite Team Lacoste camp (the Mnangagwa faction).

In an interview with the Daily News yesterday, women’s league secretary for finance Sarah Mahoka said — following last month’s complaint by Mugabe regarding Zanu PF’s lack of implementation of party resolutions — they would be going all out to ensure the re-introduction of the policy that guarantees a woman was one of the party’s two vice presidents.

“The president made it clear (at last December’s Zanu PF annual conference in Masvingo) that he was not happy with a situation where the party makes resolutions that are not implemented,” said the outspoken Hurungwe East legislator.

“So, Amai (influential First Lady Grace Mugabe, who also leads the women’s league) said we should start implementing all our resolutions now by making sure that the women’s quota clause is incorporated in the party’s constitution,” Mahoka said.

The women’s league, which was interestingly the only party organ which was given the chance to present its resolutions at the Masvingo conference, went big on the issue of women’s representation in Zanu PF’s presidium — in a move that party insiders say could torpedo Mnangagwa’s mooted presidential aspirations.

“We are concerned with lack of implementation of party resolutions made in 2015 in Victoria Falls. We made it clear that we wanted the constitution to be changed to allow an earlier provision that one of the two VPs should be a woman. This has not been implemented,” the league’s deputy secretary, Eunice Sandi-Moyo, thundered at the Masvingo gathering.

Mahoka said yesterday that the women’s league was waiting for Grace’s return from her month-long annual holiday with Mugabe, to receive instructions on how it would follow up on this critical issue and other league programmes.

“She is away right now and we are waiting for her return. Remember we take instructions from our leaders and all we do is carry out the work that is assigned to us. We do not talk too much, we act,” she said.

“Amai has said she wants women to participate more in the politics of the country, especially in the 2018 elections. She wants women to vie for elected positions and become MPs, councillors and so forth,” the Zanu PF Member of Parliament said.

“It is clear also what the president wants and we have since endorsed him as our candidate for 2018, despite claims by some sections that he was going to hand over power to someone else at the Masvingo conference, which did not happen,” she said.

“We expected those we hear to be harbouring ambitions to replace him to come forth and declare their interest, but all they do is talk, with no action. We want action that takes the country forward. We want to see our roads rehabilitated, and we want to see our economy picking up, not all this divisive talk they engage in every day,” Mahoka added in an apparent dig at Mnangagwa and his allies.

The Zanu PF Mashonaland West provincial executive has previously launched a stinging attack on the Midlands godfather, accusing him of failing to rein in his allies who are allegedly causing divisions in Zanu PF by pushing for his ascendancy to the presidency.

And her women’s league also accuses party secretary for legal affairs, Patrick Chinamasa — who is linked to Team Lacoste — of deliberately blocking the implementation of the controversial resolution to have a woman become one of the party’s two vice presidents again.

Writing on his Facebook page yesterday, businessman-cum-musician, Mutodi, savaged  Mugabe and all alleged G40 kingpins in his politburo ratings for 2016.

In a move that will horrify many of the increasingly frail nonagenarian’s supporters, he ranked Mugabe only at number four in terms of “performance”, in a list in which he predictably placed Mnangagwa first and Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi number two.

Not surprisingly, his worst 10 politburo members, starting with allegedly “the most incompetent” were Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo, Zanu PF youth league leader Kudzai Chipanga, Indigenisation minister Patrick Zhuwao, Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere, Sandi-Moyo, politburo member Cleveria Chizema, Industry minister Mike Bimha, Labour minister Prisca Mupfumira and Bulawayo resident minister Cain Mathema.

“ . . . Mugabe has shed three places in politburo rankings for the year 2016. The veteran president, who is the country’s only ruler since independence from Britain in 1980, has presided over a dying economy mainly due to his poor policies, corruption and economic mismanagement,” he said.

“Among these polices include the land reform and the indigenisation policies that do not only scare away investors but also breed unemployment and poverty. Zimbabwe no longer has a currency of its own and millions of its people have fled to other countries in search of employment and better standards of living,” Mutodi said.

“Mugabe’s poor rankings in the latest politburo rankings are best explained by his refusal to name a successor despite his old age, as well as his shielding of corrupt ministers from arrest. He has also been accused of nepotism after he appointed his son-in-law Simba Chikore as new Air Zimbabwe boss,” the maverick politician said.

“The president has also recently shown signs of poor reasoning after he fell prey to a G-40 led ploy to isolate him from his support base, mainly war veterans, who delivered the country’s independence,” Mutodi charged. – Daily News

 

A-16-YEAR-OLD herd boy from Zvishavane has pleaded guilty to raping a neighbour’s five-year-old daughter.

The boy, whose name and that of his victim have been withheld for legal reasons, appeared before Gweru Regional Magistrate Mr Morgan Nemadire facing rape charges.

He pleaded guilty and was remanded out of custody to January 10.

The magistrate asked for the accused person’s father to appear in court on that day so that he might explain if the complainant’s family had come to an understanding with the accused person since they did not show up for the hearing.

Prosecuting, Mr Lloyd Mavhiza said on November 7 at around 9AM, the complainant visited her friend at a homestead the 16-year old boy was employed as a herd boy.
“The accused person started to follow the complainant before she met her friend’s mother who told her to wait for her friend under a kitchen hut shade. The complainant was left alone whilst her friend’s mother went into her bedroom hut,” said Mr Mavhiza.

“The accused person approached the complainant and told her to follow him into the kitchen hut.”
The court heard that the accused person raped the minor in the kitchen hut, but was caught in the act.

“The complainant’s friend’s mother came to the kitchen hut and found the complainant sitting on the accused person’s lap with her trousers lowered to thigh level. She called the complainant’s guardian and told her what she had seen,” said Mr Mavhiza.

The court heard that the complainant’s guardian accompanied the complainant to report the matter to the police.

“The complainant was referred to Zvishavane District hospital where she was medically examined and a medical report was compiled,” said Mr Mavhiza. State Media

By Nhau Mangirazi| A Kariba man escaped death by a whisker while battling an abduction, a report by the local Admore Mbonda says.

There was drama when Mr James Mackenzie, who is Bush Safaris Director escaped death narrowly close to his Nyamhunga house.

James Mackenzie was tipped off that he was being stalked by armed men. He said unknown men tried to kidnap him. The said the men followed him from Batonga to Chawara road but they couldn’t get closer to him as it was in the location hence the kidnap failed.

Yesterday at around 9 pm he alleges that he saw two men he claims were holding guns with a blue light at his house and suspected that they were after him. He then took his 458 Bruno fire arm for self defense but due to panic he shot himself once on the left shoulder and the armed men disappeared following hearing the gun shot.

He was quickly taken to Kariba Hospital where he is receiving treatment. – More details to follow…

Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been attacked.

Mnangagwa portrayed himself as somewhat more senior to President Robert Mugabe within hours of Mugabe’s name being printed as number 4 in the hierarchy of power in ZANU PF’s highest decision making body, the politburo. Mnangagwa loyalist and CIO agent, Energy Mutodi filed Mugabe as below Mnangagwa in a salient coup de tat.

Mnangagwa who is positioning himself to take over from President Robert Mugabe in the ruling party’s leadership, was pictured drinking his favourite beverage in a glass inscribed “I am the Boss” at a private festive gathering over the weekend. Coincidentally in the picture Mnangagwa is seen with none other than the same Energy Mutodi, the arch-author of Mugabe’s political demise.

The picture has attracted the wrath of rival G-40 ZANU PF faction which is against Mnangagwa succeeding Mugabe.

To further compound matters Zanu PF’s Energy Mutodi also with close links to the Mnangagwa faction has released a list, in which he claims President Mugabe’s Politburo rankings have fallen. Top of the list is Mnangagwa with Mugabe only assuming fourth position after Sydney Sekeramayi and Christopher Mushowe.

Professor Jonathan Moyo a sworn rival of Mnangagwa’s and part of the team leading the G-40 faction reacted angrily to Mnangagwa’s declaration accusing the Vice President of declaring himself bigger than President Mugabe. Wrote Moyo on twitter, “First Mutodi poses with VP Mnangagwa in a weird photo, then he writes this garbage attacking Pres Mugabe. Enough!” 

Moyo castigated Mnangagwa who leads the Team Lacoste on his twitter page inferring indiscipline on the part of the VP. ZANU PF has in the past dismissed all members who have openly expressed desire to take over from President Mugabe a measure Moyo is suggesting is taken aganst Mnangagwa. Mnangagwa is acting President while President Mugabe is away on leave.

No official comment has yet been made by ZANU PF administration.

TWO local men have taken their Chinese employer to court demanding $50 000 compensation each for sexual abuse during the course of employment at the suspect’s company.

The men, through their lawyers from Mavengano and Company Legal Practitioners, have approached the High Court seeking compensation after they were allegedly sexually abused before being dismissed by Jiafang Zhao.

The two stated in their claim submitted to the High Court that: “It be and is hereby declared that the defendant’s actions were unlawful and that he (Zhao) compensate the first plaintiff $50 000,” the claim read.

“The defendant be ordered to pay $50 000 to the second plaintiff as compensation. If you wish to oppose any of the plaintiffs’ claims you must enter an appearance to defend by making an appropriate entry in the appearance book kept in the office of the Registrar of the High Court of Zimbabwe at Harare within 10 days after service of the summons.”

According to the High Court summons, Zhao allegedly had anal sex with the men without their consent on several occasions before unilaterally terminating their employment contracts. – Newsday

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo | Two Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Cops ran amok and severely assaulted revellers at Mutsetse Bar in Rujeko Masvingo last night.

Although Masvingo Provincial Police Spokesperson, Inspector Charity Mazula could not be reached for a comment, eyewitnesses told ZimEye.com the two cops arrived at the bar and assaulted revellers accusing them of undermining the authority of President Robert Mugabe. The two cops further accused the revellers of inciting public disorder.

Two people were severely injured during the attack.

Despite the fact that the police camp is 50 metres from the shopping centre no efforts were made to apprehend the marauding cops who were in plain clothes.

An MDC Youth Assembly member identified as Tafadzwa was seriously injured after being assaulted by the cops.

“We were drinking beer at Mutsetse Bar last night when two cops stormed the place and began to beat up people. They accused the revellers of undermining the authority of the President.”

“We were amazed by their behaviour. We went to Rujeko Police Station and reported the matter but nothing was done. The police refused to cooperate with us. In actual fact they accused us of provoking their colleagues,” said an eyewitness who declined to be named.

ZRP officers have been widely condemned for harassing innocent Zimbabweans.
At least 15 Rujeko residents gathered at the police camp after the incident, demanding to be addressed by the Officer in Charge.

Prosperity necromancer Emmanuel Makandiwa’s aide and top pastor Donald Savanhu has been implicated in a police case involving an alleged plot to kill another preacher based in Harare, Talent Chiwenga.

The below was an interview with Savanhu following the opening of the case:

A 58-YEAR-OLD Bulilima man has died after a Christmas Day booze binge, police have said.

Bulilima and Mangwe police district officer responsible for crime, Superintendent Pedzai Dzindimu said Themba Moyo from Tjemahale Village drank undiluted spirits on Christmas Day and on December 26 without taking any food.

He said Moyo started complaining of stomach pains and died three days later.

“A man is suspected to have died because of excessive drinking. Themba Moyo consumed undiluted spirits and hot stuff over two days non-stop. Over those two days he didn’t eat anything. He later started complaining of stomach pains but didn’t seek any medical attention. On 29 December he went to work in the fields in the morning together with his family,” he said.

Supt Dzindimu said on their way back home at around 10AM Moyo collapsed and died on the spot. He said Moyo’s body was taken to Plumtree District Hospital Mortuary where it was awaiting post-mortem.

He said preliminary investigations had shown that Moyo had died as a result of excessive drinking.

He urged members of the public to act responsibly during the festive holiday.

Mr Moyo’s cousin, Mr Alfred Nyoni said they had tried to discourage Moyo from drinking excessively to no avail.

“We were all drinking at home to celebrate Christmas Day but my cousin was taking the spirits undiluted. We tried to stop him but he became violent and said he was celebrating the festive holiday. He even refused to eat any food on that day.

“The following day he left home in the morning and spent the whole day drinking with his friends. They told us that he was also drinking undiluted spirits. When he returned we gave him food but he refused to eat,” he said.

Mr Nyoni said Moyo also refused to seek medical attention when he started experiencing stomach pains.

He said on the day that he died, Moyo lied that the pain had subsided and volunteered to go to the fields instead of resting at home.

Mr Nyoni said the family suspected that Moyo had been killed by drinking excessively. – State Media

A 60-YEAR-OLD man who was caught red handed with a married woman is recovering in hospital after he was stoned and left for dead by his lover’s 24-year-old husband.

Qondani Moyo of Nkulumane 11 suburb appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Stephen Ndhlovu and pleaded not guilty to attempted murder. He told the magistrate that he failed to control himself after seeing his wife in the company of her lover at around 2AM a fortnight ago.

Magistrate Ndhlovu remanded him in custody to January 12. Prosecuting, Mr Brian Nkala said Moyo assaulted Mr Shadreck Sithole (60) of Bulawayo’s Nkulumane 5 suburb when he failed to give a satisfactory reason why he was with his wife at night a fortnight ago.

“On December 17 this year at around 2AM, at a house in Nkulumane 11 suburb, the complainant was dropping his girlfriend at her place of residence, in the company of her friends. They were coming from a nightclub and a couple of sports bars,” said Mr Nkala.

The court heard that the woman’s friends left the two lovers in the car and proceeded to their homes. Moyo allegedly came out of the house and demanded to know what was taking place between the two.

“The accused person came out of the house armed with stones and a club. He charged towards where his wife and her boyfriend, who is now the complainant were parked. The accused person stoned the complainant on the face and body several times in an attempt to cause death to the complainant,” said Mr Nkala.

He said Moyo’s victim suffered head injuries and was recovering in hospital. – State Media

A TSHOLOTSHO man allegedly raped a Plumtree woman who was herding goats and left her for dead after he also struck her with an axe.

A Bulawayo magistrate heard that Lighton Ngwenya (25) approached the woman in a bushy area in Madlambudzi and proposed love but was turned down.

He allegedly then raped the woman and axed her once at the back of her head, leaving her unconscious.

Ngwenya pleaded not guilty to rape and attempted murder charges when he appeared before Bulawayo Regional Magistrate Mr Joseph Mabeza.

“I know nothing about this matter Your Worship. I have never met this woman before. My first time to see her was when I met her through the police. I don’t know what she’s talking about,” he said.

Mr Mabeza remanded him in custody tomorrow.

The court heard that his 24 year old victim regained consciousness some minutes later and staggered home where she narrated the ordeal to her uncle.

The woman told the court that Ngwenya threatened to kill her before he raped her.

“He threatened to kill me if I refused to sleep with him. I tried to run away but the place was full of thorns so I couldn’t run. I tried to scream after the sexual attack but he struck me at the back of my head and I passed out,” she said.

Prosecuting, Mr Simbarashe Manyiwa said on August 26, at around 6PM Ngwenya’s victim was rounding up her goats to take them home when he pounced on her.

“Accused dragged victim into a bush and raped her once. He produced a small axe and struck her at the back of her head before fleeing from the scene. She was referred to Plumtree District Hospital and a medical report was acquired,” said Mr Manyiwa. – State Media

THREE family members died while three others were injured yesterday when a vehicle they were travelling in burst a front tyre and overturned at Insuza along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway.

The accident occurred at the 71km peg at about 3.30PM.

Bulawayo Fire Brigade senior divisional officer Mr Linos Phiri yesterday said the car which was involved in the accident had six members of a Harare family on board who were travelling to Victoria Falls on holiday.

“Six family members from Borrowdale in Harare were on board the Toyota Hilux when its front tyre burst resulting in the car overturning at the 71km peg in Insuza along the Bulawayo- Victoria Falls highway.

“Three people died on the spot while three others were injured. One of the injured was trapped in the car and extricated by the Fire Brigade crew at about 4.30 PM,” said Mr Phiri.

He said those who died were aged 10, 12 and 30 years.

The injured were rushed to Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo.

The Insuza accident puts the road accident death toll to seven since New Year’s Day and 35 since Christmas Day.  Police had earlier yesterday said four people died in road traffic accidents on New Year’s Day. One hundred and eighty five crashes have occurred since December 25.

“We recorded a total number of 67 accidents on New Year’s Day as compared to 81 on the same day last year. Four people died this year as compared to eight last year.

“The number of people injured on New Year’s Day were 23 as compared to 55 last year, while the number of vehicles impounded for defects and being unroadworthy also decreased from 125 to 94,” said Chief Supt Nyathi.

He said three road traffic accidents occurred in Harare on the first day of 2017, claiming the four lives.

Chief Supt Nyathi emphasised the need for motorists to observe traffic rules and regulations and to be cautious on the country’s roads.

“Most accidents occurred between 12AM and 6AM. We reiterate that motorists should be careful when driving at night, avoid speeding and stop going through red robots,” said Chief Supt Nyathi.

The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development is on record saying 85 percent of accidents in the country were due to human error.

MPs listed 12 other causes of accidents in the country that include bad state of roads, speeding, drunken driving, fatigue, use of cellphones when driving and going through red robots.

The use of second hand tyres, stationary and defective vehicles as well as stray animals on the roads, inadequate road signage and markings as well as lack of traffic enforcement were also cited.

The committee said the government should increase fines charged for traffic offences so that they are deterrent and introduce traffic courts where routine offenders are charged and licences are endorsed or cancelled. – State Media

By Kagure Mugo | In a world where ‘small houses’, ‘side chicks’ and second wives are a reality a lot of women are feeling increasing pressure to find that ‘18 year old vagina’ again. Globally treatments have gone to surgical extremes and within the continent vagina tightening is a time old tradition that is growing into a possibly dangerous modern market.

Vagazzling, waxing, scented soaps that cause thrush and putting ping pong-like exercise balls in your vajajay during staff meetings. These are just a few of the ways humanity has decided that the vagina should be harassed outside of the joy of periods and child birth.

We live in a world where one can engage in vaginoplasty (vaginal rejuvenation surgery) in order to ‘get your teenage vagina back’. Round here we may not have reached the point of widespread surgery but vagina tightening, like penis enlargement, is quite the business. ‘Everyone wants to tighten their punani,’ says a Nigeria based online sex shop owner who also sells the products on her site.

As a woman, keeping your groin game in top shape is an age old struggle. For centuries there have been many ways devised for ‘keeping it tight.’ During a study of Zaire conducted in 1993, for instance, women used leaves which were crushed and inserted into the vagina several hours before coitus.

Although natural remedies are still widespread the world over there are now a variety of products on the market and the methods themselves have gotten a little more chemical-based. In Kenya you can buy something to keep it tight on Ngara street under the name Mawe ya wa mama.

In Zimbabwe back in the days, the trade of these products used to occur in the shadows. Now you can get your hair relaxed and purchase ‘mushonga weku tightena’ treatments at $1 a pack.

One vendor said he’d originally started selling the product on a trial basis but he decided to expand his enterprise once he started earning $100 a day, with customers ranging from married women to ladies of the night. That comes to a cool 100 people wanting herbs to put in between their legs. But these are not the only options either, there are other products on the market ranging from $5 to $50 depending on where you buy them.

In South Africa the products to tighten your vajajay can be found online with many vendors providing mobile numbers and some even offer free delivery.

Alibaba.com has over 40 vagina tightening products ranging from creams, moulded products spells, to something utilising a chicken that gave very little description. One particularly popular one in the digital sphere is ’18 Again’ which is sold by a variety of providers.

A number of these products claim to be safe and ‘allergen free’ while others punt the ‘natural remedy’ route. These claims are nevertheless doubtful. For one thing these creams and herbs could give you cervical cancer. ‘Intense vaginal washing (douching) with any agent is considered bad practice,’ according to one cancer specialist, because of the effect it has on the body’s natural defences. It’s worrying then to hear some women say that cancer will only affect them later ‘right now they are focused on pleasing their men.’

But then there is the larger, problematic, claim that women are empowering themselves through the use of these products. Yes, vagina tightening does have elements of taking control of ones’ sexual destiny but there is no denying that there is something deeply troubling about women having to use these male-centred ideas of sex to create a sense of agency in terms of their sexual practices.

Thriving insecurities of needing to have the right equipment seem to be what fuel the market for these products. It seems that it is not always about pleasure but upping your desirability stakes. One Zimbabwean woman, speaking anonymously, said that the use of the creams was because men went looking for ‘small houses’. And a vendor in Nigeria ventured to guess that part of the motivation for some women in polygamous marriages is because they want to keep up with the closest rival, be it wife number two or three.

This puts women in a position where they have to up their sex game to keep their men, perpetuating the idea of women’s sex and women’s bodies being for men. In all of this there is the continued sexual subjugation of women.

There is nothing wrong with keeping your sex game tight, some of us swear by kegels, pole dancing and Janelle Monae’s Yoga video, but when it becomes life threatening then it’s a problem.

In a classic scenario of jumping from a frying pan onto the fire, a border jumping Zimbabwean girl landed on the wrong side of the law for allegedly setting two houses on fire.

Kelly Sivarai, who illegally crossed the border into Botswana near Ramokgwebana border post found herself in hot soup after setting ablaze two thatched houses at Tonota village.

Sivarai was subsequently charged with two counts of arson and in addition, she is also facing a single count of entering Botswana through an ungazetted point contrary to the country’s Immigration Act.

It is alleged that between November 28 and 29, at Manyanda ward- the teenage girl burnt two thatched houses belonging to Lucia Masindu and Tendai Kaira respectively.

According to court papers, in both incidents the accused person torched the houses with intent to endanger lives.

At the time of torching the houses, the court heard, the accused person knew that the owners were inside the thatched houses.

It is said the accused person was retaliating to the assaults perpetrated on her after she had stolen a P200 note from Masindu’s wallet. For the theft act, it is said that Masindu and Kaira chastised the accused person, the court heard.

During her initial court appearance before Francistown Chief Magistrate, Gaedupe Makgato, on Monday, Sivarai had her plea to the allegations reserved as investigations into the incident that destroyed goods worth over P30 000, were still at infancy.

State prosecutor, Inspector Faniso Herbert Manyepedza, told the court that some of the burnt goods included a gas stove, double bed, two couches, blankets, pairs of shoes and several clothing items.

“Investigations have just started. We pray that the accused person be remanded in custody,” supplicated Manyepedza, adding that the accused person is a Zimbabwean national who does not have any traveling documents.

Manyepedza expressed fear that the accused person was a flight risk and might skip the country if granted bail. The Voice

State Media| Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries founder Prophet Walter Magaya, says his arrest and subsequent appearance in court in 2016 has opened his eyes and made him wiser.

Prophet Magaya said this early on Sunday morning while fielding questions from journalists on the sidelines of his church’s New Year service dubbed “the crossover.’

Asked how he described the year 2016 in the context of tribulations he went through after he was accused of raping a Midlands State University student who was also a member of his congregation, Prophet Magaya said he was now more focused.

“The persecution sharpened me. The persecution made me a better person hence the breakthrough of being shifted to a better level,” said Prophet Magaya in a brief response to the question.

Pressed to elaborate further particularly his ministry’s 2017 plans, Prophet Magaya said : “That is the main reason why we have shifted. Tested and shifted.”

A new twist emerged a few weeks ago on the criminal case after the complainant wrote an affidavit withdrawing the allegations saying she had misled authorities.

Prophet Magaya’s case has since been referred to the Constitutional Court for determination if his rights were not being violated.

This was after the State insisted on proceeding despite the withdrawal something that the defence strongly contested.

Prophet Magaya described 2016 as a major breakthrough for his ministry considering several projects he completed and some success stories.

“To be honest as a ministry we are satisfied with 2016. It is the same year that we constructed the prayer mountain (big church for prayers), it is the same year we constructed a hotel, it is same year Yadar FC (PHD owned football team) qualified into Premier League, same year we opened offices in six countries, it is the same year we entered into major farming,” said Prophet Magaya.

“So to us as a ministry it was a major breakthrough. It is the same year we entered into a major breakthrough. It is the same year the media lied that we sold cucumbers and maize (to congregants). It is the same year we built major housing projects, we are currently building 1 800 housing units in Bulawayo. To us it is one of the best years. It was better than 2015.”

He said he would continue supporting Government’s empowerment effort in 2017 particularly employment creation and provision of accommodation.

“Yes, a lot of them (projects for 2017), we are going big into farming. I want to try and employ more people, as much as I can. We are also going big in different projects, housing projects so that we can assist our members,” said Prophet Magaya.

He said there would be better fortunes for members of his congregation saying the secret behind success was good attitude.

“Good attitude brings good performance. Good attitude brings high performance. It is about what is inside you that determines how you live. If you change your attitude your performance will also be high in terms of different things. The attitude inside you is the greatest prophet of your life,” he said. – State Media

Joyceleen Mtandwa |The adage ‘When the cat’s away, mice will play’ rings true of the situation unfolding in the ruling Zanu PF party at the moment.

President Robert Mugabe is away in the far east on his annual leave, and has left his deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa in charge, who surprisingly together with his acolytes have used the festive season to poke fun at the 92 year old leader behind his back.

Mnangagwa is first all pictured declaring himself boss in what his opponents within the ruling Zanu PF party have construed to be an attack on his own boss Robert Mugabe. With insinuations of an internal coup d’etat in the absence of Mugabe.

Furthermore, matters might be going out of hand after another close associate of Mnangagwa’s Energy Mutodi, soon afterwards released a list; “MUGABE FALLS IN NEW POLITBURO RANKINGS.”

On Mutodi’s list Mnangagwa tops as the best Politburo member, while President Mugabe gets fourth position after Minister of Defence Sydney Sekeramayi who is second, with the third place taken by minister Christopher Mushowe.

First Lady Grace Mugabe is not spared taking position eight second from last on the list, with Josiah Hungwe taking last place on the best category list. Meanwhile the worst category list features; ministers Jonathan Moyo, Savior Kasukuwere and Patrick Zhuwao all who are linked to Grace’s G-40 faction.

To go further in exposing the factional machinations in the composition of the list published on social media, top of the worst Politburo member list is Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko, an interesting parallel to Mnangagwa topping the best list.

Moyo was quick to make a rebuke on twitter, “First Mutodi poses with VP Mnangagwa in a weird photo, then he writes this garbage attacking Pres Mugabe. Enough!”

Writes Mutodi in explaining his list, “Mugabe’s poor rankings in latest politburo rankings are best explained by his refusal to name a successor despite his old age as well as his shielding of corrupt ministers from arrest.  He has also been accused of nepotism after he appointed his son-in-law Simba Chikore as new Air Zimbabwe boss.  The president has also recently shown signs of poor reasoning after he fell prey to a G-40 led ploy to isolate him from his support base, mainly war veterans who delivered the country’s independence.”

He goes further to write as he campaigns for Mnangagwa to take over from Mugabe, “Mnangagwa has attracted the support of the Chinese, the British and the Americans as a favorite to be Mugabe’s successor.  Due to his loyalty to Mugabe that he has demonstrated for more than half a century, Mnangagwa also has Mugabe’s confidence to become President.
The year 2017 may see Mnangagwa being elevated to President and he is most likely to pick Constantino Guvheya Chiwenga as his deputy and Kembo Mohadi as second Vice President while other security chiefs will be assigned to powerful ministries. Mnangagwa also enjoys a cordial relationship with business leaders and academics from whom he will pick technocrats to run other ministries such as Finance, ICT, industry, agriculture among others.”

 

A TOTAL of 30 babies were delivered on New Year’s Day at Bulawayo’s two major public hospitals — Mpilo Central and United Bulawayo Hospitals.

No deliveries were recorded at Catholic-run Mater Dei Hospital on the same day.

Among the babies born at Mpilo, 13 were male, while eight were female. An official at UBH said a total of nine babies, four boys and five girls, were delivered.

Mpilo Central Hospital’s chief executive officer Mr Leonard Mabandi said all the babies delivered at the institution and their mothers were in good health and awaiting to be discharged.

“Our biggest baby weighed 4,1kg and the smallest weighed 2kg. We did not have twins this time and only two mothers delivered through the Caesarean section,” he said.

One of the mothers who delivered at Mpilo Central Hospital, Ms Loreen Magaya, said she was delighted to be holding her bundle of joy born on the first day of the year.

“We have named my daughter Alvinant Anna and she was born at exactly 3.25 PM,” said Ms Magaya at the hospital yesterday.

Last year on January 1, 22 babies were born at Mpilo while 10 were delivered at UBH.

Meanwhile, in Masvingo, 30 babies were born on New Year’s Day at some of the province’s public and private hospitals.

Morgenster Mission Hospital topped the list with six deliveries.

A senior official at the institution who asked not to be named said the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe-run health centre had five girls and one boy.

At Gutu Mission Hospital three deliveries were recorded, but it could not be ascertained how many were boys or girls.  Silveira Mission Hospital in Bikita recorded four births, all girls.

At Neshuro Hospital in Mwenezi, a nurse said five babies were delivered, two boys and three girls. Ndanga District Hospital in Zaka district had three deliveries, all girls, while Musiso Mission Hospital in the same district had two deliveries, both boys.

Chiredzi District Hospital had four deliveries, two girls and two boys. An official at Chibi District Hospital said they had three deliveries, all boys. – State Media

By Anthony Okoth | Sex in relationships can be a good thing, bringing two people closer together. But is jumping the gun too early ultimately detrimental to the relationship?

We all know the drill: two people meet, have a conversation and find out they are attracted to each other. Where the story goes from here can go in two directions: they have sex or they end up in arelationship. Sometimes they can have sex then end up in a relationship, sometimes they get into a relationship just to have sex, but at some point in time the topic of sex will spring up and demand to be addressed.

There hardly seems to be a separation of sex and relationships anymore. If you’re in a relationship with someone, the assumption is that you are having sex. In fact, it’s seen as an oddity if you aren’t having sex. Though your reasons for this may be valid to you and your partner, the endless questioning and prodding from your friends and those around you can weigh heavy on your mind. But have we ever stopped to think about whether sex too early in a relationship may be detrimental to the relationship itself?

I don’t know you 

A lot of people are in relationships with people they don’t really know. That’s why statements like “I never though s/he would do that to me” are so common when people are talking about rocky patches in relationships. A lot of this can be traced back to the initial interactions between the two people. Did they take the time to find out what makes them happy or sad, what makes them angry, how they deal with stress, what baggage they came into the relationship with?

But have we ever stopped to think about whether sex too early in a relationship may be detrimental to the relationship itself?

The truth is, most of us have been in relationships where we never asked these questions. We’re too caught up in the euphoria of someone new in our lives – and of having sex regularly with someone we are falling deeper and deeper for – that we don’t want to risk it by asking questions that we need to. Sacrificing the long term for the short term eventually leaves us picking up the pieces once it all comes crashing down.

 Regret is not fun 

Humans are creatures of habit, and once habits are formed they are very difficult to reverse. The concessions we give at the beginning of a relationship because we don’t want to rock the boat become the basis of every argument later. We think, “So what if they want to sleep with other people/don’t want to use a condom/insert-other-thing-you-would-never-do-here… It’s probably something they’ll grow out of, right?”

Wrong. So now you’re there in an uncomfortable situation that you cannot change for fear that they may leave you, which was why you didn’t address it in the first place.

It takes a certain level of courage to pull yourself and your partner aside from all the lovey dovey stuff and address real issues. It’s also scary because you don’t know how they will react to it. But you know what’s worse? Feeling like you gave too much too soon, when things start to go sideways. Knowing that you wouldn’t be in this situation if you had just spoken up.

Regret, that’s one thing that’s never fun.

A 2-year-old boy is in a critical condition after he was shot in the head during an attempted hijacking in Olivienhoutbosch on New Year’s Eve, paramedics said on Sunday.

Mr Zephaniah Ruzwidzo Matchaba-Hove born on 26 October 1931 has died.

In an statement provided by his eldest son Doctor Reginald Matchaba- Hove
Veteran educationist and politician, Mr Zephaniah Matchaba-Hove, died at Claybank Hospital in Gweru on 1st January 2017 after a long batt‚le with cancer of the liver.

Mr Matchaba-Hove was the first graduate from Mwenezi District. He did his primary schooling at Gomututu and Mnene primary schools in Mberengwa and his secondary education at Goromonzi High School. He then studied for a BA degree with the University of South Africa whilst studying at the Roma Campus in Lesotho from 1957 to 1959. He did his Postgraduate Certificate in Education with the University of London whilst based at the University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland in 1960.

Mr Matchaba-Hove taught at many schools including Chegato Secondary School in
Mberengwa, Chivi Secondary School in Chivi, Mucheke Secondary School in Masvingo, Ascot
Secondary School and Fletcher High School in Gweru and Mabvuku High School in Harare. He rose to the rank of Deputy Headmaster of Mucheke Secondary School and Headmaster of Mabvuku High School.

After independence he was promoted to become Chief Education Officer for Curriculum
Development, Harare Province Regional Director for Education and then Deputy Secretary for
Educaࢢon and Culture. Amongst the prominent people he taught are Professor Ngwabi Bhebe the founding Vice Chancellor of the Midlands State University, Professor Phineas Makhurane the founding Vice Chancellor of the Naࢢonal University of Science and Technology and the late Minister Dr Witness Mangwende. Mr Matchaba-Hove also served as Secretary of the Rhodesia African Teachers Association (RATA) during the time  late National Hero the Hon. Cephas George Msipa served as RATA President.

From 1990 to 2000 Mr Matchaba-Hove was the elected MP for Mwenezi. During his ࢢme in
Parliament he was Deputy Chairman of Commi‚ees. Mr Matchaba-Hove is survived by six children and several grandchildren. There will be a church service on Wednesday morning at the Lutheran Church in Gweru a[er which the body will proceed to his homestead at Maࢢbi Mission in Mwenezi for burial on Thursday, 5th January 2017. Mourners are gathered at 123 Walkers Rd, Ridgemont in Gweru.

Further details can be obtained from his son, Dr Reginald Matchaba-Hove on 0712200231 or 0772924413or his daughter, Mrs Margaret Vera on 0735252947 or 0782706601.

A top Makandiwa pastor and agent, Donald Savanhu’s name has popped up in a police investigation in which the churchman was implicated for allegedly making death threats and attacking by burning Harare preacher Tariro Chiwenga’s car. Pastor Savanhu in this briefer responds to ZimEye.com on the police matter:

Makandiwa, Magaya “Zimbabwe Economy-Boom” Prophecy for 2016 Fulfilled OR Flopped? @prmakandiwa @christtvchannel @Muzimba1980

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) January 2, 2017

A 28-year-old unlicensed driver nearly rammed into Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s vehicle along Josiah Tongogara Avenue in Harare on Wednesday.

I was driving without a licence because I was rushing a sick person to hospital. I was trying to avoid potholes when I was involved in the near collision,” he said.

Ms Mazhande advised Gwande to obtain a driver’s licence. The prosecutor Mrs Devoted Nyagano-Gwashavanhu told the court that on December 28, 2016 around 1500hrs, Gwande was driving due east along Josiah Tongogara Avenue.

He was driving a Honda CRV registration number ACD 1389. Gwande changed and took the outer lane at the intersection of Josiah Tongogara Avenue and Leopold Takawira Street.

He nearly rammed into Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Range Rover. The Acting President was in the vehicle. Gwande failed to produce a driver’s licence when it was requested and was subsequently arrested. – State Media

What looked like a lovey-dovey wedding turned into a royal rumble when the groom bashed his Seventh Day Adventist uncle and Director of Ceremonies (DC) for denying the bridal team a chance to dance at the function held at Bulawayo’s Douglasdale, Bhenas Villa.

It is said that the groom ignored his relatives’ request and went to one commuter taxi driver and requested that he plays music for his bridal team. The request did not sit well with his family and they complained as chaos kicked in.

“Harsh words and insults were exchanged and police were called to stop the misunderstanding,” the couple’s friend said.

Upon realising that his efforts to have dancers were fruitless, Bhebhe drove off with his bride who was crying.

The couple came back after two hours only to find the DC conducting an unceremonious closing prayer in which he labelled the couple “satanic” and “demonic”.

Bhebhe is said to have lost his temper and ran straight to his uncle and hit him on the face with fists while kicking him all over the body.

“Bheki jumped out of the car and six men tried to hold him but he was so angry that he overpowered all of them, charged straight to the DC and hit him so hard that you could tell he was very upset. His own mother could not even control him,” a church member said.

A source added that, members who had attended the wedding finally managed to pull off Bhebhe, but there were more woes for the DC as the bridal team took matters to their own hands and started beating him up.

The uncle left the scene immediately and that is when the misunderstanding stopped, according to the church member.

When B-Metro arrived at the scene people were standing haphazardly and there was heavy police presence for a wedding.

The couple was not reachable for comment. – State Media

A CHIMANIMANI 61-year-old man who offered 25 cents bond coins to his minor prey after quenching his sexual appetite on her has been brought before the Mutare Magistrates’ court.

Tony Munyongani (61) was not asked to plead to all three counts of rape that he was facing when he appeared before Mutare magistrate, Mr Poterai Gwezhira.

He was however, remanded in custody to January 4, 2017. Mr Gwezhira advised Munyongani to apply for bail at the High Court citing jurisdiction.

He also advised him to seek for legal representation if he wished. Prosecuting was Mr Fletcher Karombe.

Munyongani is being charged with three counts of rape as defined in Section 65 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform)Act, Chapter 9:23.

Allegations were that sometime in September 2016, Munyongani went to his neighbour’s place where he found the minor alone and raped her in a blair toilet.

He allegedly threatened to assault her if she divulged what had happened to anyone. After raping her, he gave her a 25 cents bond coin and left.

He raped her on three occasions and on each occasion, he allegedly gave her a 25cents bond coin.

Sometime in December however, the minor sneaked out of her bedroom after everyone had gone to sleep but her absence was discovered by her mother.

“When she came back, she was asked on where she had gone and on her relationship with Munyongani, since it was being suspected by everyone that they were in love and sleeping together.

“The minor then revealed what happened, a police report was made and the juvenile was referred to Mutambara Mission Hospital,” said Mr Karombe.

Munyongani was subsequently arrested.

Meanwhile, a Zimunya man was advised to apply for bail at the High Court by a Mutare magistrate after he allegedly quenched his sexual thirst on his minor biological daughter.

The accused (name withheld) of Karuza village, Chief Zimunya was not asked to plead when he appeared before magistrate Poterai Gwezhira on Monday.

He is being charged with rape as defined in Section 65 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.

He however, was remanded in custody to January 3, 2017. Mr Gwezhira advised him to apply for bail at the High Court and seek legal representation. Mr Fletcher Karombe prosecuted.

Allegations were that the accused person resided alone with his minor daughter as his wife (her mother) passed away some time back.

The father and daughter shared the same bedroom, only that the minor slept on one end of the room while the accused on the other end.

It was alleged that on December 10, 2016 and at around midnight, he took advantage of the minor and ordered her to remove her panties but she refused.

“He went on to forcibly remove his daughter’s panties and raped her. The juvenile screamed for help but was ordered by her father to keep quiet,” alleged Mr Karombe.

It was further alleged that the accused person repeatedly raped the minor that same night and threatened her not to tell anyone of the incident.

Six days later however, the juvenile told a member of the Child Care after she had been interviewed on how she was living with her father. The accused person was remanded to January 3, 2017. State Media

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo | At least four People have been struck and killed by lightning in Masvingo Province over the past two weeks. A family from Chazika Village in Zaka District was left in tears, after two members were struck and killed by lightning.

According to relatives, Namatirai Chazika and her daughter Ruth Mundudye (15) were struck by lightning as they were winnowing round nuts under a tree at their homestead .

The two were buried at Chazika Village last week.

“The two were struck by lightning as they were winnowing round nuts at their homestead. It was very unfortunate but nobody could do anything to save their lives because it happened suddenly and unexpectedly,” said a relative.

Another couple was struck by lightning at Boss Mine in Mashava on Christmas Day.

Although ZimEye.com could not establish their names, it is understood the couple was struck while walking home.

Ezra Chadzamira confirmed the incident happened in his constituency.
“Efforts are being made to assist the affected family .We urge people to seek shelter instead of exposing themselves to violent thunderstorms,” cautioned Chadzamira.

An eyewitness said: “The two were struck by lightning at Boss Mine. It was a frightening incident. It happened unexpectedly,” said a Mashava man.

Terrence Mawawa, Gutu | A Gutu based Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) soldier has been implicated in the theft of Robert Mugabe’s Command Agriculture Fuel valued at $250.

Thomas Muchemwa, based at 42 Infantry Battalion in Gutu, appeared before Gutu Magistrate, Edwin Marecha, last week. He was charged with contravening Section 113(2)(d) Chapter 9:23 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform Act). The court heard that Muchemwa stole diesel meant for the Command Agriculture Programme at Zvavahera Irrigation Scheme.

Muchemwa was attached to the Command Agriculture Programme by the Zimbabwe National Army. The court also heard that Muchemwa was allocated 40 coupons of diesel meant for Zvavahera Irrigation Scheme and converted them to his own use. On December 12, a team led by another Zimbabwe National Army member, Norman Mudzengi, went to Zvavahera to conduct an audit.The team discovered that Muchemwa could not account for 220 litres of diesel.

Muchemwa was remanded in custody for continuation of trial. Muchemwa’s case epitomizes the massive plundering of state resources by government bureaucrats.

Critics have warned that the much touted Command Agriculture Programme will be a failure due to greed and rampant looting of resources. “We do not foresee the programme becoming successful because of corruption, looting and greed. The whole programme has been marred by selfishness,” said a government official.

AN acute shortage of Compound C — the only blend fertiliser recommended for tobacco production — is being exploited by some unscrupulous dealers to rip-off unsuspecting gold-leaf growers through repackaged, under weighed and overpriced fong-kong products.

The state media reports that the illegal practice, where some dealers are re-packaging either Urea or Compound D fertilisers in original Compound C bags, was rampant in Mutare and Rusape — which attract voluminous buyers as they are traditionally the tobacco growing hubs in Manicaland.

Tobacco Association of Zimbabwe (TAZ) president, Mr David Guy Mutasa said the fong-kong products were under weighed and overpriced with a 30kg, disguised as 50kg, selling at $36.

“They are ripping off farmers by selling the wrong consignments wrapped in proper Compound C bags at exorbitant prices. These dealers are selling fake Compound C to tobacco growers with a 30kg bag, disguised as a 50kg, going for $36.

Urea fertiliser is not ideal for tobacco, it damages the quality of tobacco because it has too much nitrogen. Due to the current shortages, many farmers are falling prey to these unscrupulous dealers and end up using the wrong fertiliser for their crop. I have come across a number of unscrupulous dealers selling these fake products in Rusape and Mutare,” said Mr Mutasa.

Mr Vekina Neru of Kelvin Farm in Headlands said he bought Compound C from the street only to discover that he had been duped.

“It was all fake. I bought two bags of what was sold as Compound C, only to discover that one bag had Compound D and the other had Urea. I bought it in Rusape after being referred there by several other farmers, which means those referees were also duped. As farmers we should stop buying fertilisers from dubious dealers because they are selfish and insincere,” said Mr Neru.

Tobacco Industry Marketing Board (TIMB) spokesperson Mr Isheunesu Moyo warned growers that the use of fertiliser blends, other than those recommended by the Tobacco Research Board (TRB), compromise both quality and yields.

Mr Moyo said farmers should only buy fertiliser blends from recommended dealers.

“Blends that are not recommended by the Tobacco Research Board compromise both quality and yields. We recommend that farmers buy fertilisers blends that have been recommended by the Tobacco Research Board from recommended companies,” said Mr Moyo.

The fertiliser shortages are not only affected tobacco, but other crops, especially maize.

Foreign currency shortages blighting the country have been blamed for fertiliser companies’ inability to meet demand.

The shortages are posing a serious threat to the cereal crop production — amid revelations fertiliser firms’ capacity to meet demand under Command Agriculture and other private farmers due to lack of forex to import raw materials.

The piece-meal distribution of fertiliser under Command Agriculture has courted the wrath of farmers who argue that the noble programme was on verge of unintended consequences.

Fertiliser firms recently told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development that they could not meet demand due to lack of foreign currency to import raw materials.

Some companies have raw materials and fertiliser stocks in their warehouses, but cannot release them before paying their external suppliers as the contrabands are held under collateral management agreement.

For instance, the Zimbabwe Fertiliser Company (ZFC) has delivered only 20 000 tonnes of Compound D, which is half of its target under Command Agriculture while Omnia has supplied 5 000 tonnes out of target of 6 800t.

ZFC managing director, Dr Richard Dafana, said the company needed $6 million to fulfil its target under Command Agriculture.

“We are now producing from hand-to-mouth. Fertiliser companies should get the lion’s share on foreign currency especially now when we have an important cropping programme. It is best that priority is given to save the crop so that we do not end up importing food.

“We have high rainfall this year, which is favourable for crop production. We are afraid we may continue to produce the compound fertilisers when the nutrients will no longer be required by the crops,” said Dr Dafana.

Omia finance director, Mrs Anne Munetsi also cited the same challenge.

“We have been experiencing challenges to access foreign currency to buy raw materials. We also blend fertilisers, but production is being hampered by shortage of raw materials as a result of foreign currency challenges. Our bins, which are supposed to have raw materials, are empty now and normally during this time of the year they would be full,” said Mrs Munetsi. – State Media

Familiarity breeds contempt so goes the old adage.

Commercial sex workers who gathered at a Provincial Sex Workers Advocacy Group workshop at a Masvingo hotel last week made a clarion call for the rebranding of the Panther condoms which they said are being resisted by their clients.

The workshop was organised by Batanai HIV and Aids Services Organisation (Bhaso).
The Panther condoms are Public Sector condoms that are supplied for free and have been on the market for the past three or more decades.

The sex workers said at the two-day workshop that the Panther condoms were being resisted by their well-to-do clients who felt that they were of poor quality because of their lack of some of the characteristics of the condoms that are found on the market.

The commercial sex workers said that they sometimes end up having unprotected sex as clients shun the condoms. “The perception against the Panther is so bad that the sex workers sometimes lose clients who walk away when asked to use these Panther condoms,” said one of the sex workers.

The workshop heard that the Panther which is nicknamed maDembare because of the colour of the pack that is the same as that of the country’s top team Dynamos (Dembare) is also shunned by students at colleges and universities who regard them as cheap and of poor quality. Students are said to have complained against the smell of the condom.

The perception against the condoms, said the sex workers has been worsened by the poor performance of Dynamos this year and the clients would say that this was synonymous with the performance of the condoms.

“As sex workers we know that Panther condoms are as good as any but the perception out there is very bad as many people think that because the commodity has no sweet scent like others and is for free, it is also of poor quality,” another sex worker said.

The sex workers who said the Panther was convenient to them because others are expensive then appealed to organisations that were represented at the workshop that included Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) and the New Start Centre to appeal to the relevant authorities for the rebranding of the condom so that it has an appeal to the market.

Peter Vhoko, the provincial manager for ZNFPC acknowledged the perception problem but however, said the Panther was just as good as any other. He promised that the issue of rebranding will be attended to. The challenge however is that Panther condoms are not manufactured in Zimbabwe and the idea of rebranding would have to be taken to the manufacturers. There was also an acknowledgement at the workshop that the issue of rebranding had been on the agenda for the past five years.
The sex workers also proposed that the condoms should be accompanied by lubricants which makes the vagina wet. In addition to the rebranding of the condoms, the sex workers also called for the manufacturers to bring the condoms with extra jelly or lubricant which they would then use to keep their private parts wet to avoid the bursting of condoms.

The sex workers also demanded for the promulgation of a law that protects their profession and added that if that happens, they would be happy to pay taxes like any other Zimbabwean workers. They pleaded for an arrangement of a pension scheme.

Reproductive Health expert, Herbert Chikosi said the issue of the rebranding of the Panther is one that all players in the sector should be seized with. He also said the call by the sex workers for jelly to accompany the condoms was justified as the sex workers were using vaseline in their place which easily caused the bursting of condoms. – Masvingo Mirror

Christmas Day celebrations in Rusape were marred by a series of violent clashes and fights among imbibers leading to premature closure of bars and night clubs by the police.

Police had to resort to use dogs and throwing tear gas to disperse some violent malcontents who were resisting orders to vacate bars which were operating well beyond their stipulated time.

Most of the violent clashes took place at bars and nightclubs at the Dhliwayo Shopping Centre where there are popular drinking spots such as The Basement, High Flame and Neighbours.

Things got out of control when police who were on night patrol ordered Dhliwayo Bottle Store to close its shop around 0030hrs as they were suppose to close at 10pm. This did not go down well with the patrons who were in the bar who started pushing officers out of the bar. The owner of the bar also refused to close her bar.

Police had to call for reinforcements and that is when the violent clashes escalated to other bars. Some drunkards started attacking police officers with stones and beer bottles. As the situation was going out of hand, police who were armed with dogs and tear gas ordered the closure of all the bars at the Centre.

25 violent men and the owner of Dhliwayo Bottle Store Fortune Matuka were immediately arrested. They were only released on Tuesday after paying $20 fines for disorderly conduct while Matuka paid $40 for permitting drunkenness and riotous conduct.

Manicaland police spokesperson Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa confirmed the incident and said members of the public must always obey police orders as they are meant to protect people and property.

Inspector Kakohwa also warned business owners especially bar operators to adhere to the dictates of their licences. He further said police will remain in full force maintaining law and order this festive and New Year holidays saying they are ready to deal with people who break the law in the name of celebrations.

“Yes those people were arrested for causing public violence that happened around midnight at Dhliwayo Shopping centre. They were resisting police orders to vacate a bottle store that was operating after hours. The owner of the bar was also arrested for inciting violence and operating after hours.

“We want to warn people that it is a crime to disobey police orders. Businesspersons and members must comply with the police. Those who operate drinking outlets must stick to their stipulated opening and closing times.

“The police will remain in full force this festive and the coming New Year holidays maintaining law and order. Being in a celebration mood does not mean you can commit crime and get away with it. Let us be responsible and avoid breaking the law this holiday,’’ he said.

Zimbabwe People First leader Joice Mujuru has called on opposition parties to rally behind her party’s candidate for the Bikita West, Kudakwashe Gopo, in the 21 January by-elections.

Six candidates are contesting the seat which became vacant after the conviction of Munyaradzi Kereke of rape. He was sentenced to 10 years in jail.

The six candidates contesting are Gopo,  Beauty Chabaya of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, Madock Chivasa of the National Constitutional Assembly,  Terence Makumbo of the Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe, and Heya Shoko and Innocent Muzvimbiri who are both standing as independent candidates.

Mujuru said she supported the idea of a grant coalition but said it should not only quantify votes but should bring people together.

“It should be a process capable of fostering convergence and national healing. A process of such magnitude should be people-driven and guided by the need to build like-minded synergies among various stakeholders,” Mujuru said I her state of the nation address.

“We are of the idea that the process of building the coalition should be an all-inclusive process that is not only limited to political actors but one which would include private citizens, the churches, civic bodies, student movements and any other interested stakeholders genuinely committed to the democratisation of our politics and the holding of free and fair elections.

“We are currently working with other democratic forces in the Bikita West by-election where we fielded a candidate, Kudakwashe Gopo. We urge all democratic forces to rally behind him and vote overwhelming for change on 21 January 2017,” she said.

Mujuru who was Vice-President for 10 years castigated her former boss President Robert Mugabe for taking a holiday to the Far East at this particular time when most people could not access cash to go to their rural homes for Christmas. – The Insider

Former University of Zimbabwe SRC president Paul Chimhosva has died in South Africa.

Chimhosva who is survived by one child is reported to have collapsed this morning in his home in South-Africa and died on the way to hospital.

The student leader icon Chimhosva shot to prominence in 1990-1 after leading several demonstrations at the UZ that resulted in the university being closed for several months.

Social media is awash with condolence messages. More To Follow..

Job Sikhala| The year 2016 in review was the year that witnessed the emergency of citizen resistance against the imperial dictatorship of Robert Mugabe. Citizens coalesced around issues of common concern and took them to the doorsteps of the dictatorship. In our post independence history, only did we witnessed such citizen participation in their affairs of such magnitude since the 1987 to 1999 food riots in the country.

The modern struggle was no longer a class struggle like the one we witnessed in the late 1990s which was spearheaded by the working class and the students movement. The working class and the students movement were organised units that could call upon its constituency into action against the excesses of the state. The 2016 one was citizen driven. Even established political superstructures couldn’t have control over it. The message of coalesce was around issues to do with citizens.

The mass response to the leading actors in the call for citizen participation such as Evan Mawarire, Patson Dzamara, Lynda Tsungie Masarira, Fadzayi Mahere, Sten Zvorwadza, Promise Mkwananzi and others created a new class of social movement activists who have galvanised the national pyche into action. The momentum built in the consciousness of our people provoked astonishing response and support from every citizen of our country. The major impact being the selfless character of the protagonists. Theirs was a mission to alert the citizens to the quagmire of our problems and fate if action is not taken. That was a mark to reckon with in our history.

2017 I predict the worse. There will be more actors joining the citizen social activities. Political parties will also wake up from their deep slumber and become more proactive. There shall be more activity on the ground that the regime will be overwhelmed by multifaceted actions. I foresee the state failure to contain citizen anger. This will be exercebated by the serious fissures in hatred engrossed revolutionary movement. Open conflict will emerge in Mugabe’s personal fiefdom.

The Grace Mugabe fronted G40 will be so suppressed that it will suffocate to death. The Lacoste will be so ruthless against their internal nemesis while on the other hand project the picture of a progressive outfit both to the opposition and to the world. Douglas Mahiya and Matemadanda as megaphones of Chris Mutsvangwa will become more reckless in their pronouncements. New political players will emerge even those unexpected. MDC and People First will also be on the rush to consolidate their footing on the ground. It will be busy bodies everywhere.

Pretenders will also raise their heads to find political space in their various political organisations to strategically position self for the mega 2018 do or die elections. Talks and talks about the so called grand coalition will occupy acres of space both in our print and social media but nothing concrete will emerge until late 2017 or early 2018 after politicians have had enough of sizing up their egos. In the event of anything unforseen to Mugabe happening, ZANU PF will ruthlessly split into two hostile organisations that might lead to blood on the floor.

2017 is the year of defining Future Zimbabwe. Wait and see.

Former vice President Joice Mujuru, who now leads the opposition Zimbabwe People First (ZPF), says the country’s mooted grand coalition — which is set to be in place this year — will bring to an end President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF’s long rule.

In her State of the nation address on Friday, Mujuru also described 2016 as having been a “bleak” year, laying the blame for this squarely on Mugabe and his Zanu PF Cabinet team, which the Daily News on Sunday’s sister paper, the Daily News ranked last week as the worst ever in the country’s history.

Mujuru, who was ruthlessly purged from the warring Zanu PF in late 2014, together with her close allies who included liberation stalwarts such as Rugare Gumbo and Didymus Mutasa — on untested claims of plotting to oust and assassinate Mugabe — also assured Zimbabweans that the mooted opposition alliance would be in place by the end of 2017.

“My fellow citizens and countrymen, the Zanu PF government has failed. It has shown that it lacks the commitment to implement programmes that better the generality of our people.

“We agree with the sentiments which we gathered from the interactive discussions we had with the people during our nation-wide tour. Your message was loud and clear, that it’s time for Mugabe to leave office,” Mujuru said.

“We also take heed of your strong conviction for the need that opposition parties should form a grand coalition to effect change in the regime and bring about a new way that puts people first.

“As ZPF, we believe a grand coalition should not only quantify votes, but should bring our people together. It should be a process capable of fostering convergence and national healing. A process of such magnitude should also be people-driven and guided by the need to build like-minded synergies among various stakeholders,” she added.

Opposition MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai and Mujuru have been working behind the scenes to form an electoral pact which includes some of the smaller political outfits.

Sources close to the ongoing coalition confirmed to the Daily News on Sunday yesterday that there was now “an agreement in principle” between Mujuru and Tsvangirai about the two working together — with talks with another opposition leader, Welshman Ncube apparently set to be concluded soon.

“We are of the idea that the process of building the coalition should be an all-inclusive process that is not only limited to political actors, but one which would include private citizens, the churches, civic bodies, student movements and any other interested stakeholders genuinely committed to the democratisation of our politics and the holding of free and fair elections.

“After touring the country’s 10 provinces, we are more than convinced that the people of this great nation want change and they are ready for it.

“The people in the Diaspora want change in order to come back home to their families and friends, and also to help their country.

“Fellow citizens, we need a renewal of our minds, a change, and a vast paradigm shift in the way we do things. In order for this change to be realised, we need a fresh leadership with the will to work for the betterment of our people.

“We need a leadership with the craft competency to effect a turnaround that we desire, a leadership with a clear vision of making our country a first world,” Mujuru said further in her Friday address.

Tsvangirai and Mujuru are part of the 18 opposition parties which have coalesced under the banner of the National Electoral Reform Agenda (Nera), and which has recently scored a psychological victory by forcing the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to include them in committees tasked with working on the 2018 election preparatory works.

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

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

Lazarus Dokora’s Ministry says the majority of schools in the country are less likely to increase school fees for the first term which begins next week as it has not received any application for the 2017 fees review yet.

Schools will open for the first term on 10 January. Stakeholders in the education sector have also said there was no justification in schools increasing fees as it would only serve to burden the parents.

According to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, no school had applied for authority to increase school fees, as at 30 December 2016.

The Government policy requires all schools to first seek authority from the parent ministry before making any school fee adjustments.

Normally schools announce fees increases at the close of each term for returning pupils, while new pupils get the fees structures upon being enrolled.

With no school yet to apply for permission to increase school fees, nine days before schools open, observers said it was an indication that there may be no school fees increases for the first term of 2017. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Dr Sylvia Utete-Masango confirmed that her office was yet to receive any application for fee increases from schools.

She, however, said it might still be premature to rule out fees increases, as some schools may still apply for authority to increase fees after the festive period.

“We haven’t received any applications yet. It may still be premature so say schools won’t apply. Maybe after the holidays the applications will start coming through.

“Some schools may have projects that they are pursuing and may thus need to adjust fees to fund those projects. The procedure is that they must give justification for the proposed increase and if we are satisfied we approve,” she said.

Zimbabwe Schools Development Associations/Committees secretary General Mr Everisto Jongwe said the fact that no application for fees increases had been made to the ministry yet was indication that there might be no fees increases going into the first term of the year. He said while schools were not coping and needed more funds, the prevailing economic conditions did not warrant any fees adjustment as it would further burden parents.

“I agree with the observation that there may not be any fees increases this coming term.

“It’s highly likely that schools will not increase fees, not because the school are coping themselves but the state of our economy does not warrant any fees increase,” he said.

Added Mr Jongwe, “Parents have not had any increases on their income and if anything their incomes are shrinking, thus no parent is likely to endorse any fees increase”.

Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) chief executive officer Mr Sifiso Ndlovu said there should not be any fees increases in the coming term.

He, however, said if there were any schools that intend to increase fees, they should do so procedurally.

“Economic indications in 2016 are that people are finding it difficult to survive. So I believe that every aspect of the economy should be kept where it was, price wise, to avoid an upsurge of prices.

There is no justification to increase fees and I support a price freezes as the most tenable situation,” he said.

Mr Ndlovu added, “Schools should be sanctioned by Government first before they increase fees.

“There shouldn’t be anyone who increases fees against the law and we encourage our teachers to abide by the laws,” he said.

The Government has been on record warning schools against unilaterally increasing fees without being sanctioned by authorities.

It has also become a tradition that hordes of pupils lose valuable learning time at the start of each term after being turned away for non-payment of school fees, particularly those in private and boarding institutions.

The Government has also warned schools against turning away pupils for non-payment of school fees.- State Media

It’s commonly believed that men are more sexually active as compared to their female partner. But very often, they too encounter several fears related to their bedroom romp, which can in turn cause doldrums in their sexual relationship.

Fears related to their sexual performance, sex position, ejaculation period, a satisfying orgasm and wild acts in bed often end up killing their passion. With these fears running through their mind, men not only fail to satisfy their female partner, but are unable to enjoy the act themselves.

A mentally challenged man from Chiredzi allegedly stabbed his four-year-old nephew with a knife he had taken from his mother saying he wanted to prepare meat for relish, police confirmed.

Nyasha Mutinhe (25) of Village 4 Musapasi Resettlement area, Mkwasine who has a history of mental illness since 2015 allegedly grabbed Jansen Gwinji by the right hand, slapped him on the face once before stabbing him on the abdomen with a knife leaving his intestines protruding.

Jansen’s grandmother who is also mother to Mutinhe, Ms Sekai Gwenzi (52) administered first aid on the boy before rushing him to Mkwasine clinic but he died before arrival.

Masvingo police spokesperson Inspector Charity Mazula said the incident occurred on Wednesday at around 5PM.

She said the suspect fled the scene after committing the crime but was arrested the following day.

“We received a report of murder of a four-year-old boy from Chiredzi by his mentally challenged uncle. The man stabbed his victim on the abdomen with a knife leaving his intestines protruding. He had asked the knife from his mother under the guise of wanting to cut meat for the family’s relish,” said Insp Mazula.

Police said Ms Gwenzi allegedly handed over the knife to Mutinhe in good faith, but armed with the weapon he approached his nephew, Jansen who was playing in the homestead’s yard and forcibly grabbed his right hand.

When Ms Gwenzi observed that Mutinhe was no longer in his sober senses, she pleaded with him to stop holding the boy saying she wanted to bath him but her pleas fell on deaf ears.

Insp Mazula said in a moment of madness, Mutinhe slapped Jansen on the face and he fell down before stabbing him on the abdomen with the knife he was holding and fled the scene.

She said Ms Gwenzi lifted the profusely bleeding boy and rushed him to Mkwasine Clinic but he died on the way.

“A report was made at Mkwasine police who attended the scene and took the body to Chiredzi District Hospital mortuary for post-mortem. The suspect was arrested on Thursday while roaming in a nearby bush. He will appear in court soon facing murder charges,” said Insp Mazula.

Insp Mazula advised members of the pubic to ensure that their mentally challenged relatives take their medication when it was due. – State Media

Witnesses from the Beatrice road (Harare) accident yesterday say that the kombi driver who abruptly pulled into a big bus coming from the opposite direction was likely busy fiddling on WhatsApp on his phone handset while at the steering wheel.

5 people are feared dead from a horrific accident that occurred in Beatrice road Saturday afternoon.

Two people reportedly sustained deep cuts on their heads, while others came out miraculously.

The mishap happened when the kombi (traveling in the opposite direction) turned into an Eagle Liner bus and was crashed into. Several people were swiftly rescued and ZimEye.com releases the video of

…the rescue operation. ZimEye.com interviewed the driver of a vehicle that was behind the Eagle Liner bus, and he told our reporter that the kombi driver was most likely playing with his phone on WhatsApp when he abruptly turned into the Eagle Liner bus. “It was out of sheer luck that the bus driver was not speeding, otherwise passengers in the bus would have been killed”, he said.

More to follow as details unravel…

Police have launched an investigation into an armed robbery case where three suspects raided a broken down bus, assaulted passengers and got away with valuables worth thousands of dollars.

The incident occurred on Friday at the 81km peg along the Harare-Chirundu highway. A King Lion bus broke down in Banket during the night. Three armed men then appeared and threatened to kill the passengers if they resisted to surrender their valuables.

National police spokesperson Chief Superintended Paul Nyathi said the police are investigating the case.

“The ZRP is investigating a case of armed robbery which occurred at the 81km peg along Harare-Chirundu Highway, Banket.

“Circumstances are that on December 30, 2016; the bus was travelling from Chirundu to Harare when it broke down. The bus crew arranged alternative transport for the passengers and as they were waiting for assistance from Harare, at around 2200 hours, three unknown male adults forced the door open using an unknown object.

“One of the accused persons produced a pistol and threatened to kill two passengers while the other two accused assaulted a passenger with iron bars.

“They stole US$540, K4000, a Samsung cell phone, two 12v batteries, a car radio and a spare wheel; all valued at US$1740.”

The recovery team arrived during the robbery and was also attacked. Chief Sup Nyathi said the robbers smashed the recovery team’s vehicle windscreen with an unknown object before fleeing in a white Mazda truck.

In a separate incident that occurred on Thursday, two women travelling from Beitbridge to Masvingo lost valuables priced at ZAR3 900 to robbers.

The police have urged members of the public to use conventional transport when travelling. They have also expressed concern over the increase in armed robbery cases countrywide. – State Media

THE Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) will absorb more than 3000 employees of the now defunct diamond mining companies in Chiadzwa and the employees will undergo lie detector tests as part of interviews, a cabinet minister has said. Early last year, Government closed most diamond mining companies that were operating in Chiadzwa in an effort to improve accountability and transparency.

Only Marange Resources and Diamond Mining Cooperation (DMC) were left to mine while Mbada, Anjin, Jinan, Kusena, Gye Nyame as well as DTZ-OZGEO in Chimanimani were all ordered to shut down.

The diamond mining companies were later consolidated into one entity to form ZCDC, although some of the companies resisted the consolidation.

Thousands of the employees were rendered jobless. Mines and Mining Development Minister, Walter Chidhakwa recently told The Sunday Mail that the new entity would absorb the former employees subject to thorough vetting.

“ZCDC is obviously going to absorb those employees, but they have to go through lie detectors and a set of interviews before they are taken on board,” he said.

Minister Chidhakwa said the new entity was in need of skills and labour, therefore there was no need for the former employees of the defunct mining companies to panic.

“We need geologists, metallurgists and engineers, among other professions, to drive that company forward in the interests of the country,” he said.

The minister said the former employees of the closed mines cannot be paid when there is no production.

“We understand their plight but I can assure them that once everything is sorted, they will get first preference, but we need skills.

I think expecting to be paid when there is no production is expecting too much. We are doing everything in our powers to ensure that the new entity becomes operational as soon as possible,” he said.

Addressing the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment, Zimbabwe Diamond Mining Workers Union secretary general, Justice Chinhema said it is important for Government to pronounce who is liable to pay the former employees’ outstanding salaries and benefits.

Minister Chidhakwa encouraged them to be patient until the ongoing court process is concluded. He however emphasized that the former employees would get a fair deal.

Government resolved to take over the 150 000 hectare diamond rich fields after companies failed to satisfactorily declare royalties and taxes for the five years they were operating.

Globally, diamond mining is a preserve of the State. Botswana is a success story of that approach. The Botswana multi-billion diamond mining industry employs thousands due to government’s intervention. – State Media

EIGHT more Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) senior managers have been suspended after a forensic audit implicated them in shady dealings feared to have cost the national revenue collector millions of dollars.

The suspension of the senior managers, mainly from the Information Communication and Technology department, is with immediate effect and comes hard on the heels of the suspension of seven managers in May, including Commissioner General Gershem Pasi, over a litany of allegations, among them, the unprocedural luxury vehicle importation.

The Herald yesterday established that more senior managers could be facing the chop.

Zimra instituted yet another audit conducted by Deloitte and Touché chartered accountants, which primarily focused on the revenue collector’s ICT systems and procurement.

The report was presented to the Zimra board this month, hence the latest suspensions.

Those suspended include director of infrastructure and ICT development Mr Tjiyapo Velempini, head of ICT Mr Allen Saruchera, systems development manager Mr Can Goredema and two other officials from the loss control department, one of whom is Mr Benjamin Zenda whose employment was fraught with irregularities as he did not have the requisite qualifications.

Other suspended officials are Mr Moses Madongorere (case manager), Mr Peter Chaparadza (chief loss control officer), Mr Adrian Swarres (head, compliance and risk) and Mr Max Mugari (head, advisory services).

It is alleged that Mr Zenda was hand-picked by Comm-Gen Pasi.

“We are responding to the ICT audit, which picked a number of irregularities, so most of those who are affected are from ICT,” said a Zimra board member who declined to be named.

“The audit picked issues to do with procurement procedures and corporate governance that were fraught with irregularities, particularly those to do with upgrades of Asycuda World and SAP (Systems Applications Products) as well as the Tax Management System.

“The prices were too high especially for tax management systems through Inspur, with the prices up to three times normal prices.”

Zimra board chairperson Mrs Willia Bonyongwe was not reachable for comment.

An earlier forensic audit that was carried out by HLB Zimbabwe Chartered Accountants on the revenue collector’s operations resulted in the suspension of about seven managers, among them Mr Pasi, after it revealed endemic corruption, violation of Government laws and poor corporate governance.

The managers were suspended in May this year after it was discovered that they corruptly imported their vehicles.

It emerged that the revenue collector was losing millions of dollars to dealers who processed counterfeit undervalued import documents to smuggle vehicles and other products into the country.

The audit also showed that Mr Pasi and other members of the executive collectively pocketed about $15 million in salaries and allowances in the last three years.

Some of the benefits were unsanctioned.

Tax evasion by members of the executive are some of the ills reported by the auditors.

There are reports of ordinary people who are harassed and forced to pay exorbitant duty on small items, while some business executives, politicians and affluent people use their positions and influence to evade paying duty when importing luxurious goods, including state-of-the-art vehicles. – State Media

Staff Reporter | Memories still fresh on the bitter fight between government and villagers over Maleme Ranch in Matobo, government appears to be brewing another land war in the area.
Villagers are reportedly grouping up to resist the “Maleme way” a move by government to take over land being used by villagers to expand an ARDA irrigation farm recently taken over by Trek Petroleum.
Government is reportedly in the process of evicting villagers from four villages surrounding the huge Antelope Estate to expand the territory of the estate to some 1962 boundaries.
According to village head Mr Phanuel Ndlovu, ARDA and Government gave the estate to Trek Petroleum who engaged a South African investor Midnight Feast Properties to put funds into the expansion programme without consulting the investors.
Ndlovu claims that this is the third time that the villagers around the estate are being evicted from the land since the sixties.
The four villages affected are Mahetshe, Matankeni, Silawa and Zweyamba. The villagers have vowed not to go down without a fight in defending their land.
Last year villagers from Maleme Village in the same district heavily fought against government’s take over of Maleme Ranch until Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko intervened to block the take over giving villagers victory over state machinery.

Terrence Mawawa, Mwenezi | Desperate villagers here have resorted to baboon meat as the ruling party Zanu PF continues to distribute food aid on partisan basis.
Zanu PF politicians led by Mnanagwa aide Josaya Dunhira Hungwe have openly instructed local villagers to join the ruling party or face starvation.
Traditional leaders here are also working with Zanu PF members to deny villagers access to food aid.
Villagers in Mwenezi District, one of the areas severely affected by drought now survive on baboon meat.
An official in the Parks and Wildlife Department told ZimEye.com yesterday there was grave concern at the increase in the number of villagers killing baboons for meat over the past few months.
The official said the villagers were hunting baboons because they were easy to trap. He said the department was worried about the rapid decimation of the baboon population as a result of hunger.
“We are experiencing a rare form of poaching here as a result drought. This is our first time to realise that people eat baboon meat. This is happening because of drought. The people are doing so because they are facing starvation,” said the official.
Admire Mukono of Negari Village said the villagers were struggling to afford decent meals on a daily basis as a result of the politicisation of food aid by Zanu PF members.
“Our only option is to resort to baboon meat because we are being denied access to food aid by Zanu PF politicians,” he said.

THE Government is working to eliminate fraudulent claims and double dipping in school fees claims for children of war veterans with fresh statistics showing that there are over 14 000 fees claims for the second term.
The Minister of Welfare Services for War veterans, War Collaborators, Ex-political detainees and Restrictees, Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube, said his ministry had introduced a new mechanism to plug loopholes and avoid fraudulent claims.
Responding to a question in Parliament on Wednesday, Cde Dube said half of the applications for the second term had been processed already.
“I want to assure this august House that the Ministry only pays school fees when the money is availed.
From a managerial and administrative perspective, the Ministry is instituting concrete measures to eliminate fraudulent claims, double dipping and ghost beneficiaries,” he told Parliament.
“To this end, starting first term 2016, we introduced a new application form that requires, among other things, the school head to fill and sign a portion of the form dealing with the school fees”.
Cde Dube said all cash payments had been stopped and instead the Ministry now only transacts electronically into bank accounts of schools and colleges.
He said among the measures, his ministry was also monitoring progress of all children receiving Government support through checking the number of years in school or college.
“This means if a child is registered as being in primary school, we expect that child to complete Grade 7 and prove it at the end of seven years. The same goes for secondary, higher and tertiary education.

This eliminates the problem where in a few cases; a child would be receiving support for Form 4 for 14 years, for example. This intrusive management is intended to eliminate such cases and it is working,’” said Cde Dube.
Cde Dube added that the Ministry was working on reducing the school fees bill.
“Finally, the Ministry pays a maximum of $700 per child, per term or semester. We are in the process of consulting line ministries in the education sector to bring the upper limit down, in a graded way for primary and secondary education thus differentiating the two from the tertiary limit.
Through these measures, we are hoping to significantly reduce the school fees bill,” he said.
Cde Dube said his Ministry was waiting for funding to clear the school fees backlog.
“This year, Treasury availed $6 million on 5th of April, 2016, two days ahead of the meeting with the President.
“The Ministry was compelled to use part of this money to host the President’s meeting with the war veterans on the understanding, agreed beforehand with Treasury, that this would be reimbursed. This has not been done due to current economic challenges.
“The Ministry was therefore, able to pay two batches of school fees covering arrears for the First Term 2015. This left a third batch amounting to just over $1, 3 million which is ready for payment as soon as the money used for the meeting is reimbursed.”
“The august house may also be pleased to know that soon after the President’s meeting with war veterans, Treasury appropriated an additional $6 million towards second term school fees,” said Cde Dube.
“This appropriation is yet to be funded by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. The Ministry presently has received 14 500 applications for the second term school fees of which 7 000 have already been processed for payment but are awaiting funding.”

A GOLD panner from Lower Gweru died early yesterday morning after he was stabbed allegedly by four fellow illegal miners in a suspected turf war.
Villagers from Pihli, Ward 7, under Chief Bunina told The Chronicle that the area had become a “war zone” with frequent bloody clashes involving armed gangs vying for control of gold claims.
They said they discovered the bloodied body of Godlove Mgezelwa Sibanda (24) in a ditch soon after midnight.
He had been stabbed on the chest and armpit.
Police have arrested Marvelous Sibanda (20), one of the four people suspected to have attacked Godlove.
The other three are on the run.
Villagers said the quartet had a running rivalry with Goodlove over goldfields.
Detectives recovered an okapi knife with blood stains in Marvelous’ possession.
It is believed to be the murder weapon.
Acting Midlands provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende said investigations into the killing were underway.
“We received a murder report which happened in Lower Gweru involving a male adult. One suspect has been arrested and investigations are in progress”.
The Chronicle visited the area at around 10AM and found villagers gathered around Godlove’s body which was covered with a blanket.
Godlove’s brother — Mlungisi — said he was awoken by a phone call around midnight telling him his younger brother, a father of two, had been killed.

Mlungisi said Marvelous told the police that they attacked Godlove around 11PM on Wednesday as he was leaving Woodpecker night club.
He said Godlove and Marvelous had been involved in previous fights.
Ward 7 councillor Mr Ronald Sibanda said the community was tired of the territorial gang wars.
“These groups are always fighting. They go around carrying machetes and knives. We’re now afraid to send our children to the shops or anywhere unaccompanied,” he said.
Cde Rain Mathulisa, a community leader and a Central Committee member of Zanu-PF, accused the police of turning a blind eye to the crimes taking place in the area.
“When you call the police to clear your cattle they come quickly because they know they will get money. But when we report cases of violence perpetrated by the groups, they don’t come. We’re disappointed with these police officers,” he said.
A villager, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Godlove and Marvelous were bullies who had previous brushes with the law.
He said last week, Godlove had assaulted a fellow villager, adding that the community was shocked to see him roaming the area barely an hour after his arrest.
“You see, this area is close to Gweru River, it’s close to St Faith and Solomon areas where gold panning is rampant. So they carry their grudges from there and bring them home. These two belong to rival groups which are always fighting each other. They move around with machetes and knives saying they are for self defence,” said the villager.
According to court records, Godlove was once convicted of assault which left his victim with seven stitches on the head.
Godlove appeared before Gweru magistrate Mr Tayengwa Chibanda on May 24 facing one count of assault and was sentenced to perform 350 hours of community service which he completed.
On the other hand, Marvelous was in 2014 convicted of rape by Regional magistrate Mr Morgan Nemadire.
He was handed a three-year suspended sentence because he was said to have been under age. state media

Lynda Masarira won her remand release, but has remained Jailed. Below is a statement issued by Lawyers For Human Rights;

THE trial of Masarira and 10 others who were arrested over#SHUTDOWNZIM2016 on 6 July 2016 and are being charged with obstructing the free flow of traffic will continue on Tuesday 6 September 2016 at the Mbare Magistrates Court at 14.15hours.
Although Linda Masarira has been languishing in prison ever since her arrest on 6 July 2016, the other accused persons were remanded out of custody. The Trial of the 11 who are being represented by ZLHR member Kudzayi Kadzere began on the 25th of August 2016.
Meanwhile MDC-T Bulawayo Youth Secretary, Kunashe Muchemwa who was arrested last week and was charged with public violence over the demo on Wednesday 24 August 2016, will appear before a Harare Magistrate on Tuesday 6 September 2016 for bail application. He is being represented by ZLHR member Jeremiah Bamu.