Only two weeks ago, the ZNLWVA successfully sought an interdict blocking six members of a splinter group — Cdes George Mlala, Charles Mpofu, Joseph Chinotimba, Esther Munyaradzi, Stephen Moyo and Robert Mukwena — from convening a special meeting to elect a new executive.
But, the other seven — Cdes George Matenda, Patrick Nyaruwata, Future Piriyana, Wellington Chitehwe, Rueben Chikono, Thomas Matambe and Thomas Kunaka — stood their ground, attacking the urgency of the matter and the inadequacies that were fraught in the urgent application.
After hearing submissions on the preliminary points raised by the seven’s lawyers, Advocate Garikayi Sithole, T B Ndoro and F F Hwenira, the court ruled in favour of the seven.
Justice Joseph Musakwa ruled that the deponent to the affidavit on behalf of the association Cde Agnes Siyakurima had no legal basis to institute the proceedings.
He also found the certificate of urgency to be invalid because it was “a mere rehash of some portions of the founding affidavit” among other inadequacies.

THREE nurses at Ingutsheni Central Hospital in Bulawayo have been attacked while attending to mental patients as the institution grapples with a shortage of anti-psychotic drugs to stabilise them.
The hospital’s chief executive officer, Mr Nyasha Chibvongodze, told The Chronicle on Wednesday that the hospital only has 10 percent of the required drugs, putting the lives of both patients and staff at risk.
Mr Chibvongodze was speaking on the side-lines of a hand-over ceremony of 37 mattresses donated by the Rotary Club of Bulawayo South. He said due to the shortage of drugs, mental patients become aggressive and abuse nurses.
“Since January we had two incidents where nurses were assaulted by patients while the third one had his spectacles broken by a patient. However, we can’t blame the patients for this because they’re ill. We need the anti-psychotic drugs to stabilise them,” Mr Chibvongodze said.
He said Treasury released only $70 000 in February from the $900 000 that was allocated to the institution in the 2016 budget.

A Harare lawyer, Emmanuel Samundombe, was yesterday jailed for an effective three years for bashing his pregnant girlfriend until she had a miscarriage after accusing her of interfering with his other “mistress”. Samundombe assaulted Zvikomborero Choto who he was staying with following a heated argument in which he accused her of divulging “classified information” to his other girlfriend that he had four children with different women.
Choto later suffered a miscarriage. Samundombe, who was being charged for contravening the Domestic Violence Act, pleaded guilty to the charge but challenged the medical report that stated that the miscarriage was as a result of the assault.
He questioned the authenticity of the report adding that Choto had tried to extort him for her to withdraw the charges. Magistrate Ms Bianca Makwande sentenced Samundombe to 48 months behind bars but suspended 10 months on condition of good behaviour.
She then effected 38 months. In her reasons for sentencing, Ms Makwande said Samundombe, as a legal practitioner who is aware of the law, deserved a custodial sen- tence.
“A deterrent sentence would be the appropriate thing taking into account the above factor. It is a punishment that will ensure that justice is done,” she said. “As a legal practitioner, he is aware of the law regarding domestic violence. He is fully aware that violence is abhorred not only by society but by the courts as well. Domestic violence has no place in our society.”
Ms Makwande added that a life was lost and Samundombe should not be treated like a layperson. “There was a loss of life because the complainant lost her unborn child and according to the medical report there is a possibility of permanent injuries. Therefore, in such circumstances, a custodial sentence is inevitable.”

A Chegutu man accused of murdering a fellow reveller in a drunken brawl has been acquitted, with the court condemning the police for shoddy work.
A High Court judge slammed police for clumsy investigations.
Admire Chidhakwa was cleared of murdering George Komboni at P and J Mining Syndicate Mine, Chegutu, nine years ago after Justice Tawanda Herbert Chitapi ruled that the prosecution failed to make a case against the suspect. Komboni was found dead near Nyambuya Plot, Sable Bush Park, with a deep wound on the scalp in the temporal region.
The trial started in June this year and the evidence adduced in court failed to add up to secure conviction.
“In recent times this court has not come across such shoddy investigations as obtained in this case,” said Justice Chitapi.
The investigating officer, Detective Seargent Ngoni Shayanewako, blamed the economic meltdown of 2007 for poor investigations in his testimony.

Fingaz – THERE is growing acrimony between ZANU-PF cadres whose suspensions were lifted by the party’s National Appeals Committee (NAC) and those who assumed their positions in the wake of a ruthless purge in 2014 that targeted former vice president Joice Mujuru and her allies.
Dozens of ZANU-PF officials were either shown the door or suspended for varying periods for throwing their weight behind Mujuru as their preferred candidate to succeed President Robert Mugabe who, at the age of 92, is now in the twilight of his political career.
Fifty-two officials have lodged their appeals with NAC, created specifically to consider pleadings from cadres who felt they were unfairly treated. The committee has so far reviewed 25 cases of which seven cadres had their suspensions lifted.
Jason Machaya and Chiratidzo Mabuwa, from the Midlands, had their penalties overturned, while Nicholas Goche from Mashonaland Central had his suspension rescinded as well.
In Masvingo, Killian Gwanetsa, Paul Chimedza and Tongai Muzenda — son of the late vice president Simon Muzenda — saw their appeals sailing through.
NAC, chaired by Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, is still to go through a thick file of pending appeals from several other ZANU-PF politicians who were punished for being too close to Mujuru, whose association with the ruling party ended in 2014 after she was accused of plotting to unseat her boss, unconstitutionally.
Among those with pending appeals are Webster Shamu, Tendai Savanhu, Francis Nhema and Flora Buka.
A precedence that has induced friction between the returnees and those who orchestrated their downfall has been set in the Midlands after Machaya bounced back as provincial chairman.
He is however, still to chair a single meeting in the region a month into his reinstatement. Soon after his suspension was lifted in early July, he got involved in a horrific car crash along the Harare-Gweru road while on his way from a NAC meeting that presided over his appeal.
He is currently recuperating in a Harare hospital amid lingering suspicions among his family that his top-of-the-range Land Rover Discovery 4 vehicle could have been tampered with, resulting in one of the wheels coming off while cruising towards the Midlands provincial capital of Gweru, hence the accident.
ZANU-PF insiders said the possibility that cadres being thrown a lifeline may revert to their old positions has created tensions between the returnees and people who benefited from their demise.
The latter are fearful of losing their positions as well as being victimised for persecuting the so-called allies of Mujuru who, at the time of their censure, commanded influential positions in the ruling party.
In order to preserve their positions, they would want the returnees to start all over again from the cell, which is the lowest structure in the party.

Staff Reporter | The Exiled #ThisFlag Pastor Evan Mawarire has put his weight behind the combined opposition march slated for Friday, that aims to pressure President Robert Mugabe to open up space for the opposition to operate on fair playing ground.
Mawarire spoke against fear, ” When fear inside the system is greater than the fear outside it, the inside is giving in victory is certain.”
Speaking on Friday Mawarire said, ” We stand with all the Zimbabwean Opposition Parties and join in on Friday as we March for electrol reform! #ThisFlag #NERA.”
He went further to warn his supporters; “People should not listen to lies that this movement is dead that’s a lie this movement is getting stronger and stronger there is no turning back. We want our country back, we want our Zimbabwe back.”
The Friday protest will be the first time in the history of Zimbabwe that opposition parties with one voice have taken to the streets of Zimbabwe, risk life and limb as they demand electoral reforms that will create a level playing field in the crucial forthcoming elections.
In a petition already sent to Mugabe the political parties wrote;
“We, the undersigned signatories to the National Electoral Reform Agenda (Nera), do hereby make the following demands: Clarify whether or not voter registration is underway and if so, how and where it is happening.”
The group also demanded that ZEC avails the current electronic voters’ rolls for inspection by all stakeholders and give an update on the delimitation exercise.
 

Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s elder brother, Phillip Mnangagwa has died.
Mnangagwa (84) died yesterday after a long illness.

ZRP cops were today labelled “stupid” when they threw live teargas into a kombi full of passengers at Ruzende Street bus terminus. While several people were seen by ZimEye battling to wash the intoxicating substance off their eyes, the health condition of those who were teargassed while trapped in the moving kombi (in pictures below), was not clear at the time of writing. A recent ZimEye.com investigation revealed that hundreds of ZRP cops are criminals in uniform. PICTURES BELOW – Also read – LIVE UPDATES: Police Brutality in Harare;   ZRP Salary Thieves Revealed..

STATE MENT OF LEADERS OF CODE ON THE NERA DEMOSTRATION TO BE HELD IN HARARE

26 AUGUST 2016

The leaders of DARE, MDC, MKD, PDP, RDZ, ZAPU and ZUNDE, hereinafter called CODE, met with their counterparts from NERA, on 22^nd August 2016.
The leaders of NERA informed those of CODE of the preparations the NERA group is making for a demonstration to be held on Friday 26 August 2016, to press for electoral reforms.
The leaders also discussed and affirmed the need for cooperation among all organisations working for genuine and lasting change in the country.
CODE adds its voice to calls for comprehensive electoral reforms, covering:

• the status, mandate and composition of the national electoral authority;
• electoral legislation;
• the electoral processes; and,
• the electoral environment.

CODE commends NERA for planning the demonstration scheduled for Friday 26^th August 2016, and wishes it resounding success.
CODE also affirms its commitment and readiness to work with the NERA group and other national organisations in the political, business, civil society and faith sectors, to bring about complete change, leading to an end to the untold suffering afflicting the people of Zimbabwe.
In this regard, CODE leaders will maintain contact with their NERA counterparts, with the view to planning joint actions in future.
 
Gilbert Dzikiti, President of DARE
Welshman Ncube, President of MDC
Simba Makoni, President of MKD
Tendai Biti, President of PDP
Elton Mangoma, President of RDZ
Dumiso Dabengwa, President of ZAPU
Farai Mbira, President of ZUNDE

Zimbabwe is in the midst of a very slow painful economic recovery following a catastrophic downturn, with millions of Zimbabweans continuing to feel left behind. Some turn their anger to government or its supporters others target Chinese and Nigerian migrant workers. Some charismatic media personalities with a populist message attack mushrooming religious groups. Industries are closing and churches are taking their place. While churches recruit more people than industry but industry pays more while the church pays one. The others denounce the president and his allies for flouting the Constitution and steering the Country towards poverty. Meanwhile, many on the opposition warn that dictatorship is taking root in Zimbabwe.
This may sound like 2008 but in fact it describes the country in 2016.
The parallels between the two eras aren’t perfect, but in the 2008 as today—political rancor, social division, and the threat posed by “alien” ideologies sparked widespread violence or threat of violence And just as politicians and commentators in recent weeks have called for “unity” in the face of political and racial strife, so did they do in the 2008
These earlier Zimbabweans acted on their words.
During the late 2008 and 2009 an array of Zimbabwean politicians elites from business executives and government officials to clergymen launched a variety of efforts to build unity and national consensus. That put together all parties to form a Government of National Unity. These efforts continued into the early 2013.
Indeed, such campaigns are one reason that many today think of the immediate post unity decades as a golden age of harmony and concord and progress.
Anybody who has looked closely at these unity efforts to cement national cohesion, Would believe that while they offer a model, they also offer a warning.
A nation divided but united in a purpose putting all parties together is better than a nation divided in everything.
In July 2013 Zimbabweans went to the polls and awarded ZANU PF an untainted presidential term. It was one of the most lopsided elections in Zimbabwe history, with ZANU PF winning almost 66% of the vote.
Any sense of unity that the election provided, however, rapidly unraveled in the face of a new economic downturn, a party crisis, and emerging divisions in the Ruling party.
The early 2016 was marked by sit-down strikes, violent repression of workers, and attacks by vigilante groups on Demonstrators racial minorities, and leftists.
Pastor Evan Mawarire the charismatic social priest” whose populism had attracted an audience of millions Mawarires followers and members of other groups held mass rallies encouraged stay aways.
Meanwhile, Pastors and prophets preaching a mix of class and racial equality, made inroads in the people among artists and intellectuals, and in communities.
All this alarmed elites across the political spectrum.
People saw in government a busting, blood baiting, and surging intolerance evidence of what The Private press and others called Police Brutality.
Members of all groups urged Zimbabweans to unite around “shared” national values, although they often disagreed on precisely what those values were.
Temporary unity came with the demonstrations and police reactions to such demonstrations.
Opposition responded to this turmoil with numerous initiatives designed to promote social harmony and consensus. They were aided by a new infrastructure of institutions—some public, others private—that emerged immediately before and during Economic problems.
Such unity-building efforts did help to discredit open prejudice against corruption and minorities looting the nothing remaining in national coffers. For the most part, however, they failed to address the structural inequalities of wealth class that have haunted this nation for decades.
By marginalizing dissenters and casting all who questioned corruption as somehow un-Patriotic they protected existing power structures and left intact the social and economic status quo.
Very soon the resulting tensions could no longer be contained. This is a lesson that our current national leaders would do well to remember that change is certain.
Calling for unity excluding the ruling party is like goats uniting against lions. Demonstrations by parties uniting of opposition holding hands in a demonstration by opposition leaders will not change the situation in Zimbabwe.
A proper engagement without pride and prejudice will help our country.
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State Media – A Kwekwe coroner has cleared the leader of Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries Prophet Walter Magaya, his church and the police of any wrongdoing following the death of 11 people in a stampede at the end of a crusade at Mbizo Stadium in Kwekwe.
The inquest started early this year following the stampede that also left 43 people injured in November 2014 after the crusade that was attended by about 30 000 people.
After the event, people tried to force their way out at the same time resulting in the tragedy.
The coroner, Mr Taurai Manwere, said no one was to blame for the accident.
“There is evidence that the church didn’t end abruptly. Some people wanted to meet Prophet Magaya and others were rushing for transport parked outside the main gate to go home.
The pressure caused by people who wanted to exit the stadium at the same time caused the stampede. This stampede was an accident and was unavoidable since it was not reasonably foreseeable that people in the stadium would get out of the stadium at the same time,” he said.
Exonerating the police, the coroner said from the evidence submitted in court, it is clear that no tear gas was ever used by police officers inside the stadium.
He said there was also no evidence to substantiate claims that PHD security officers ordered people to leave the stadium using small gates in order to conduct a head count of people who attended the crusade.
“The evidence remains hearsay and was not confirmed by witnesses who were involved in the stampede,” said Mr Manwere.
“From the evidence there are a number of contradictions with regard to the cause of the stampede, the manner the crusade ended and whether or not the main gate was open or closed and the number of gates that were being used to enter or exit the stadium on the day in question.
“These contradictions make it difficult for the court to make a finding on these issues.”
To avoid deaths of like nature in the future, Mr Manwere recommended that events that attract huge crowds must be conducted in an open space with sufficient ablution facilities.
“If conducted in a stadium, members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police, subject to the Police Act or any other Act of Parliament must take charge of traffic control, crowd control and orderly exit of people from the stadium,” he said.
Those who died in the stampede are Ian Nkomo (40), Tendekai Bafana (9), Tamuka Chivasa (11), Winnie Chikanda (12), Rachel Zvinei (16) Cynthia Jane Katsholo (47) and Juliet Mawere (55) all from Mbizo suburb in Kwekwe.
Albert Ndure (13) and Bridget Mukarati (24) from Gweru as well as Grace Gwinji whose age was not given and Shadreck Kurebwa (59), also died.-state media

A commuter omnibus crew allegedly stoned a passenger (58) and hit him with their vehicle, leaving him for dead, after he complained about loud radio volume, a court heard.
Elipio Garikai Chabata (27) of Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park and Emmanuel Biti (21) of Emakhandeni appeared on Monday before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Stephen Ndhlovu for attempting to kill Mr Thani Ngwenya of Cowdray Park.
Mr Ndhlovu did not ask them to plead and remanded them in custody to tomorrow.
Chabata and Biti attempted to negotiate with the magistrate to remand them out of custody, drawing chuckles from the gallery.
Chabata said: “Please consider that I have a pregnant wife and she is at an advanced stage and cannot cope alone. May I come to court from home on Thursday?”
The magistrate declined his request and Chabata negotiated further, before the magistrate asked prison guards to lead the duo out of the court.
“Okay, how about you grant us bail then. By the way, this man (Biti) was not there when everything happened, can he go then?” pleaded Chabata.

National dam levels now stand at just over 48 percent, which represents a 1.40 percentage decline from last week.
Statistics from the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate show that dam storage levels decreased from 49.3 percent as at the 11^th of August to 48.34 percent as at August 18.
The Minister of Environment, Water and Climate, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri says the most critical water stressed areas in the provinces are mainly centres that rely on groundwater where there was a decrease in water levels as well as drying of boreholes.
Bulawayo Metropolitan dams are 33.7 percent full while those in the capital Harare Metropolitan are 74.7 percent full.
Manicaland, Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland East are 44.40, 75.60 and 74.70 percent full respectively.
In Mashonaland West there was a decrease of one percent in dam levels in the past week leaving levels at 78.70 percent, Masvingo has dam levels pegged at 26.50 percent, Matabeleland North at 54.50 percent, Matabeleland South is at just over 50 percent while dams in the Midlands are pegged at 58.40 percent.
Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri says demand management strategies are being employed in light of the low water levels prevailing in most of the supply dams.
Most of the rivers in the country have stopped flowing as the dry conditions persist in the country. state media

A Bulawayo lawyer Mr Ndabezinhle Mazibuko is suing a city supermarket for $25 000 after he bought fruit juice which was allegedly contaminated with a “nauseating and poisonous” foreign body.

Mr Mazibuko, through his lawyers, Calderwood, Bryce Hendrie and Partners, has filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court citing Broadway Spar Supermarket as the defendant after alleging that his health was compromised as a result of drinking the fruit juice.
In papers before the court, Mr Mazibuko is demanding $25 000 from the supermarket being general damages for psychological trauma, physical pain and loss of expectation of life he allegedly suffered as a result of alleged gross negligence when he unsuspectingly consumed the beverage.
“On or about the end of June to the beginning of July 2014, I purchased several varieties of one litre boxes of Spar branded fruit juice from Broadway Spar Supermarket. Sometime towards the end of July, I opened and poured into a glass half the contents of one of the mixed berry fruit juice and returned the other half to the refrigerator,” said Mr Mazibuko.
He said while drinking the remaining half of the juice from the box, he felt something was not right.
“As I drank the juice, there was a soft and sticky substance which was semi-solid but too large to be a berry and I immediately spat the substance back into the box packaging,” said Mr Mazibuko.
The lawyer said he became suspicious and on investigating to ascertain the nature of the substance, he discovered a disgusting, pitch-black and greasy “poisonous” substance.
The object in the juice, said Mr Mazibuko, resembled a piece of a decomposed skin of a mammal with visible traces of meat tissue.
“The defendant was grossly negligent in selling a mixed berry fruit juice containing a disgusting deleterious substance thereby wrongfully breaching the duty of care owed to the customer,” said Mr Mazibuko.
He said he suffered physical pain and discomfort after developing a stomach problem which arose from consuming the contaminated drink.
Mr Mazibuko, a martial arts enthusiast, said he had to cancel a trip to Harare for a week-long karate seminar with his overseas based instructor to seek medical attention.
“I am very sensitive about my well being and good health as a martial arts practitioner and such sensitivity informs my decisions on what products I consume. My health was therefore negligently and wrongfully compromised as a result of consuming the contaminated beverage,” he said.
Mr Mazibuko said despite demand, Broadway Spar has refused or neglected to pay the money for the alleged wrongful conduct.
Broadway Spar, through its lawyers, Dube-Banda, Nzarayapenga and Partners, denied negligence and argued that they were mere retailers who received and sold drinks in sealed packaging.
“The defendant is a mere retailer who has no specialised or practical means, be it expertise or apparatus of finding out the condition and state of the variety of products which it received in sealed packaging and sold without further inspection apart from the shelf life,” said the defendant’s lawyers.
The supermarket queried how the quantified damages of $25 000 were arrived at.
“Even if plaintiff may have suffered damages, which is denied, such would not have been to an extent of $25 000. Plaintiff has failed to quantify such damages and is put to proof thereof,” said the Broadway Spar lawyers.-state media

She said the media and CSOs must work closely to promote transparency in the use of public funds through exposing corrupt activities in councils and state institutions.
Madzongwe said this while addressing a joint capacity building workshop for journalists and members of civil society in Bulawayo yesterday.
The workshop was organised by the Parliament of Zimbabwe with the aim of capacitating journalists and civil society organisations with requisite skills to foster accountability when it comes to public funds, especially in local authorities and state institutions.
Madzongwe’s call comes amid growing concerns over rampant abuse of funds in such institutions.
“CSOs and the media must name and shame corrupt public officials serving in our local, national authorities, as a preventative measure to deter recurrence of the same.
‘‘Our Committee meetings, including those of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), are open to the media. This has ensured greater press coverage, thus enhancing public awareness and stimulating debate,” she said.
Madzongwe also encouraged the PAC to work closely with the press and civil society for it to succeed in exposing graft and malpractices by public officials.

A 24 YEAR-OLD mechanic who was allegedly having sex with a 13-year-old Entumbane High School pupil, was sold out by take away food that he bought for her.
The court heard on Monday that the illegal affair came to light when the minor’s mother saw a box of take away food which the complainant had brought home. She allegedly wrung a confession from her daughter.
Sifeluthando Khumalo of Bulawayo’s Entumbane suburb appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Stephen Ndhlovu, facing charges of having sexual intercourse with a minor, whose name has been withheld for ethical reasons.
The suspect, whose name means dying for love, pleaded guilty and the magistrate remanded him in custody to Friday.
In defence, Khumalo claimed his lover lied to him about her age. Khumalo said: “She told me that she was 16 years old. I didn’t know that she is only 13. When magistrate Ndhlovu asked why he had slept with the juvenile, Khumalo said he viewed her as his future wife.
“I slept with her because I love her and I want to marry her. I was planning to wait for her to finish school before asking her to marry me,” said Khumalo, who is a father of two and recently separated with the mother of his children
Prosecuting, Ms Sibekithemba Dube told the court that Khumalo and the complainant have been lovers since June.
“On July 21 at around 7PM, Khumalo visited the complainant as usual. He then asked her to get into his car before driving off to Hlalo Shopping Centre.
‘‘The accused person parked the car behind Hlalo Shops and had sexual intercourse with complainant, with her consent, before driving her back to her home,” said Ms Dube.
Ms Dube said that Khumalo and the complainant engaged in sexual intercourse for the second time on July 31, at around 7PM at the same scene, with the complainant’s consent.
She said when her mother saw the food box, she was livid.
“Upon being interrogated, the complainant disclosed she was in love with the accused,” said Ms Dube.
A police report was made at Entumbane Police Station after the juvenile’s confession, leading to Khumalo’s arrest.-state media

SCORES of private driving school instructors yesterday besieged the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) Eastlea depot in Harare, blocking learners from being examined as they protested against alleged rampant corruption involving examiners.
The instructors refused to let their vehicles inside the depot demanding the expulsion of the corrupt examiners.
“As Harare driving school instructors, we are here to show our displeasure at some of the VID examiners who are demanding bribe money from learners. Imagine one of my students failed for the ninth time all because she is refusing to give these people some money,” Harare Driving School Instructors’ Association chairperson Prosper Dowa said.
“They demand amounts ranging between $250-$300. That inhibits learner drivers from acquiring licences. We don’t know why this depot is so corrupt. We are aware that things are not well in the country and we reduced our charges from $5 to $3 a lesson. That is what we are charging, but these people are making outrageous demands just to make people pass. Such level of corruption is so worrisome and this is why we have many motorists who are driving without licences.”
Top VID officials at the depot declined to comment on the issue.
Transport minister Joram Gumbo vowed to weed out corrupt elements at VID if the public supplied him with irrefutable evidence.
“I have spoken about that a number of times and I also get numerous calls from people complaining. I have told them to come forward so that we assist each other,” he said.
“I hear a lot of things, but the people do not come forward. The public is letting us down because they are not assisting us to arrest the situation and without the information it will be difficult for us to deal with the issue.”
He also urged aggrieved parties to call using the toll-free lines or drop leads into police suggestion boxes to assist in the investigations. State Media

Zimbabweans were today greeted with good news after OAUS protester Lynda Masarira reportedly won a release from remand for one of her thorny cases she was last month incarcerated for.
Her other colleagues are now free with Masarira remaining in prison as she still has to answer for two other cases.

Scores of Zimbabweans took to the streets earlier to welcome Mr Pak Bean who made a tour of the Central Business District today, welcomed by throngs of cheering crowds.
The Pakistani comedian, Mr Pak Bean [real name: Asif Muhammad] has jetted in Harare for his maiden performance on September 3 at the Harare International Conference Centre.
The look-alike of British comedian, Rowan Atkinson, popularly known as Mr Bean in the popular British sitcom of the same name, Mr Pak Bean arrived in Harare this Monday evening ahead of the comedy show dubbed Splash Comedy Night.

Obert Chaurura Gutu, The MDC would like to express its deep satisfaction with the progress that eighteen (18) political parties under the National Electoral Reform Agenda (NERA), have so far made in jointly pushing for the adoption of electoral reforms. Indeed, without the adoption of electoral reforms as more fully disclosed in the NERA trajectory, it will not be possible for Zimbabwe to hold free and fair elections in 2018.

As President Morgan Tsvangirai has lucidly pointed out to the media, it would be utter and complete folly for the MDC to blindly go into an election without reforms.We have learnt the bitter lesson that the Zanu PF regime will always rig any election that is conducted without electoral reforms. Once beaten, twice shy.

As Election 2018 fast approaches,it is critical for the Parliament of Zimbabwe to play a leading role in setting out a well –defined and precise roadmap to the next election. Zimbabwe cannot afford the luxury of holding another contested election in 2018.

The national economy continues to contract and collapse into a huge mess of a rag tag informal economy that can neither create meaningful jobs nor sustain essential government expenditure.This is the time for all concerned stakeholders to put their heads together and fight for the creation of an environment that is conducive to the holding of elections that will easily pass the test of legitimacy.

We call upon the Zanu PF regime to appreciate that Zimbabwe is for all of us; regardless of race, colour or creed. As such, the deterioration and virtual collapse of the formal national economy adversely affects all the people of Zimbabwe, across the political divide. Now is the time for all of us to draw a line in the sand and declare that never again should Zimbabwe hold elections that are marred by violence,intimidation and all the other forms of vote rigging that have become the hallmark of our political and electoral environment.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) should be adequately capacitated by way of both financial and material resources; way before the holding of the next general elections. In the same breath, the Zanu PF regime should immediately desist from improperly interfering with the operations of ZEC.

ZEC, as provided for by the Constitution of Zimbabwe,should be completely independent and should not bow down to the whims and fantasies of any politician, be it from the ruling party or from the opposition.

The MDC, together with all the other political parties under the NERA platform, calls upon the ZEC secretariat to be totally dismantled to allow for the creation of a professional and non-partisan administration.  All CIO operatives and other State agents who presently constitute the greater component of the ZEC secretariat should be immediately removed.Election 2018 should be an opportunity for Zimbabwe to open a new and fresh chapter of holding free and fair elections.

With the necessary goodwill and support from all stakeholders, this can be done.

MDC: Equal Opportunities For All

A junior policeman Givemore Marara reportedly hired a prostitute for a one-night-stand and gave her his service uniform as surety after failing to raise her $20 charge.
Constable Marara (30) then made a false report that the uniform had been stolen.
Cst Marara, who is based at Chikato Police Station, has since been summoned to appear before the Masvingo Magistrates’ Court facing charges of providing false information to a public officer.
Marara allegedly made a false report that his uniform comprising a pair of boots, belt, shirt, trousers, jersey and cap had been stolen yet he had given the uniform to a suspected commercial sex worker, Mary Gavaza.
He was due for his initial court appearance yesterday, but the matter was postponed to August 31 after one of the key state witnesses failed to turn up.

Zimbabwe was yesterday hit by the first shockwaves of an explosive disaster from the country’s largest mental health hospital, Ingutsheni.
Mental health patients who have gone without medication have begun to “riot”. One patient violently wrestled nurses, stripped naked and jumped onto the roof yesterday afternoon.
Nurses watched helplessly as the patient (name withheld) violently ran about on top of the roof threatening to do “whatsoever” he feels. At the time of going to press the situation had not been subdued.

On the 17th the minister of Health and Child Welfare David Parirenyatwa toured the hospital but his visit brought no change. WATCH AN EARLIER VIDEO COMMENTARY by Tete Rasta:

A Mrewa District Education Officer, DEO, yesterday refused to sign a RTUZ petition with ten demands for the betterment of rural education saying she required clearance from the President’s Office.
RTUZ members that resumed marching yesterday, after a break, following the arrest of six members on Friday, were
asked to wait at the Murehwa District offices as they intended to handover a petition to the District Officer. The DEO, Ms Mazengwe called in three CIO agents that stressed point that RTUZ members needed to obtain clearance from President’s Office.
Our executive members refused to leave the DEO premises before the petition was signed. CIO agents later called in 3 ZANU PF youths who immediately asked the RTUZ leaders to leave the premises or they would be assaulted.
These bully tactics came barely 72hrs after six RTUZ leaders appeared in court on malicious charges of criminal nuisance and contravening POSA.
The actions of the DEO at Mrewa are clearly unconstitutional and manifestly illegal. It goes without saying that attempts to produce a copy of the constitution were fruitless as the irate agents described it as just another ‘piece of paper.’
It is sad that the education sector relies on donors yet it fails to meet some of the basic requirements such as openness and respect for fundamental rights.
It is time that the ministry’s conduct should be scrutinised before resources are given.
Yesterday, RTUZ executive members were marching for the awarding of full school status to the over 1 500 satellite schools in Zimbabwe. The walk is continuing yesterday and will be concluded on Thursday, 25th of August.

LITTLE known Ronald Chindedza and Beauty Chabaya shocked Zanu PF favourate candidates in weekend primary election to win the party’s sole tickets for Norton and Bikita West parliamentary seats, respectively.
Chindedza is now the party’s sole candidate for Norton constituency that was left vacant with the recall of war veterans leader Christopher Mutsvangwa from Parliament.
In Bikita West, Chabaya garnered 1 423 votes to shock perennial aspirant Elias Musakwa who collected a paltry 540 votes. The seat was left vacant following the recall of Munyaradzi Kereke who is serving a 10-year jail term for rape.
Chindedza pulled 907 votes, 300 more than second-placed Bybit Tsomondo. The Zanu PF candidate for Norton yesterday said he would now focus on outfoxing independent candidate Temba Mliswa, who is being backed by war veterans.
“The whole voting process was fair, although a lot many voters were turned away for various reasons,” Chindedza said. “This was just preliminary, now that I have won; my real focus is to deal with Temba head on.”
Mliswa was Hurungwe west MP until he was recalled for working with former Vice-President Joice Mujuru in an alleged plot to oust Mugabe. He stood as an independent and narrowly lost to Keith Guzah.
Nine candidates battled it out in Bikita West. Musakwa was tipped as the favourite, after contesting for the seat in the past two general elections.
In 2008, he narrowly lost to MDC-T’s Heya Shoko before he was tipped-off by Kereke in the 2013 primaries, although Mugabe preferred him to represent the party.
Meanwhile, four party members have successfully won the bid to contest Zanu PF primaries in Chimanimani West constituency formerly held by Munacho Mutezo.
These are Letina Undenge, Nokhutula Matsikenyere, Tasen Dube and John Gwitira .

Terrence Mawawa, Chivhu| A group of female rapists pounced on a senior government official, forced him to drink an unknown drug and took turns to have sex with him.
The man, who is a senior Agritex employee based in Chivhu town was cornered by the group last week as he drove his vehicle from Sadza Growth Point to Chivhu.
While driving he noticed that a vehicle that was trailing him. As he was approaching St Paul Primary School, the driver of the vehicle flashed lights such that he could not see properly. He then reduced speed to allow the car to pass.
When the vehicle was by his side one woman waved her hand and stopped him. The driver of the vehicle disembarked and threatened to kill the Agritex official. The three women forced him to drink an unidentified drug at gun point. They then took turns to rape him and he was left unconscious for two hours.
The trio made off with the man’s semen. When he woke up he discovered that he had been shifted from his seat to the back seat.The zip of his trousers was open and his organ was wet. Mashonaland East police spokesperson Nobert Muzondo confirmed the incident and appealed to the public for information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects.

A ZIMBABWE Revenue Authority (Zimra) official, been arrested for conniving with a suspected smuggler to steal 84 boxes of cigarettes worth $25 620 from a State warehouse in Beitbridge.
Brian Shereni, of Eland road in the border town allegedly stole the cigarettes in batches between 15 and 21 April this year.
Through his lawyer, Mr Reason Mutimba of Nyikadzino Legal Practice, Shereni pleaded not guilty to theft before Beitbridge resident magistrate, Ms Gloria Takundwa.
She granted him $200 bail and remanded him to September 8.
The state led by Mr Lloyd Mupfungidza, alleges that Shereni connived with one Susan Haruperi to steal from the state ware house.-state media

State Media – Children of the late General Solomon Mujuru are wallowing in poverty amid revelations that Dr Joice Mujuru, the surviving spouse and leader of Zimbabwe People First, is allegedly frustrating the execution of the national hero’s estate believed to be running into millions of dollars.
Thirteen children are named as beneficiaries of Gen Mujuru’s estate. Gen Mujuru died in an inferno at his Beatrice farmhouse on August 16, 2011. According to the Administration of Estate Act Chapter 601 Section 5, the estate should have been registered within 14 days of Gen Mujuru’s death.
Lawyers representing some of Gen Mujuru’s children have since written to the executor of the estate Mr Stanley Mufara, highlighting how their clients were living in abject poverty yet Gen Mujuru was a wealthy businessman with interests cutting across various sectors of the economy.
Reads one of the letters dated July 07, 2016: “We are instructed by our clients to enquire as to the status of the estate. Kindly be advised that our clients are now living as destitute and currently they are in debt because of the life they had been exposed (to) by their father, the deceased.”
The lawyers added that Dr Mujuru was deliberately frustrating the administration of the estate.
“It is apparent that the reluctance and attitude of the surviving spouse (Dr Mujuru) is only meant to frustrate the whole estate administration. We are instructed to enquire as to when really our clients should expect to benefit from their father’s estate,” reads the letter from Mutuso, Taruvinga and Mhiribidi Associates on behalf of the children to Mr Mufara.
The lawyers also wrote to the Master of the High Court yesterday accusing Dr Mujuru of being a major stumbling in the administration of Gen Mujuru’s estate.
“We are instructed by our clients to approach your office. Our clients would want to know whether the estate will come to any finality as it seems there is no progress whatsoever towards finalisation.
“The estate was later registered in 2014 after the late Solomon Mujuru died in 2011. Our clients further ask if there is anything you can do on their situation.
“Communication by the executor show that he is not able to execute his duties because of continued resistance by the surviving spouse,” wrote the lawyers.
They proposed a meeting with the Master of the High Court to pave the way forward.
“Our clients being bonafide beneficiaries have got a legitimate expectation on their father’s estate,” added the lawyers.
Dr Mujuru has been reluctant to ensure administration of the estate and at some point disowned some of Gen Mujuru’s children demanding paternity tests. Gen Mujuru had a vast business empire. He was ranked among the richest Zimbabweans with business interests cutting across almost all sectors of the economy from diamonds to chrome.
Gen Mujuru’s will also disappeared under controversial circumstances.
Dr Mujuru was supposed to have registered the estate in her capacity as the closest person to the deceased, although the law does not bar intended beneficiaries from doing so.-state media

ZimEye.com is receiving reports of a Pro-line bus that today caught fire after Chivhu.

The accident reportedly occurred near Feartherstone as it was coming from SA, a ZimEye source said.
Details were sketchy at the time and it was also not clear if there are casualties. More to follow as the story develops.

A BEITBRIDGE clearing agent who impregnated two schools girls after using money as a bait to lure them before later dumping them, has been sentenced to four years in jail.
Rayson Tsvangirai Rushwaya (26) of Dulibadzimu suburb allegedly used his aunt, a Form Four pupil at Vhembe High School to lure her peers into the sex trap.
He lured his victims to his house and hotel rooms where he allegedly gave them either some intoxicating stuff or drugs before sexually abusing them.
Many girls are reported to have falllen victim but only two reported the abuse to the police.
Beitbridge provincial resident magistrate Ms Gloria Takundwa convicted Rushwaya of two counts of kidnapping in terms of section 93(1) (b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, which makes it an offence to detain a child below 17 years of age without the consent of his or her parents. Rushwaya will serve an effective two years in jail after two years were suspended for five years on condition that he does not within that period commit a similar crime.
In mitigation, he pleaded with the magistrate not to send him to jail and offered to pay a fine and compensate the parents of the victims.

MAKOKOBA MP Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube has warned Zanu-PF members in his constituency against holding subversive secret meetings to mobilise people to turn against the revolutionary party.
Speaking during a meeting at MacDonald Hall in Makokoba suburb yesterday where he distributed several goods to vulnerable groups and textbooks to schools within his constituency, Rtd Col Dube said some elements within Zanu-PF want to destroy the party ahead of the 2018 general elections.
“We need to remain united so that we win as a party the next general elections in 2018. As you are aware, the opposition parties MDCs and the Zimbabwe People First have joined hands to fight Zanu-PF in the next general elections.
“As a party, we need to remain united and resolute so that we conquer in the next elections,” said Rtd Col Dube, who is also the Minister of Welfare Services for War Veterans, War Collaborators, Ex-Political Detainees and Restrictees.

The opposition will make history today when all their leaders join hands in a mass
demonstration to push for electoral reforms. The demo will be held under the banner of the National Electoral Reforms Agenda (NERA), in which the parties agitate that for Zimbabwe to return to normalcy a credible election is pivotal. In this vein the parties are demanding comprehensive electoral reforms which they have petitioned government over and threatened more massive demos to force them through.
Among the leaders today will be MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe People First leader, Joice Mujuru, Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe leader, Barbara Nyagomo, MDC Green leader, Welshman Ncube among others.
This is the first time opposition parties have forged cooperation in pushing a common agenda forward. ZimEye will bring LIVE UPDATES of the demo here.

Terrence Mawawa Gutu A local traditional leader has raised the ire of villagers by demanding sexual favours from desperate women in exchange for food aid.
ZimEye.com is reliably informed village head Willy Mukadziwasha of Mukadziwasha Village is demanding sexual favours from desperate women who besiege his homestead in search of food aid. The village head is taking advantage of the women’s desperate need for food to ask for sexual favours. Angry villagers accused Mukadziwasha of rampant corruption and gross abuse of human rights. It is understood Mukadziwasha threatens to evict women who refuse to comply with his sexual demands.
He also demands grain from older women, it has emerged. The villagers from the area have written a letter to Gutu District Administrator Roy Hove appealing for his immediate intervention. A local villager said:”The village head demands sexual favours from younger women or else they get excluded from the food distribution process if they do not comply.” Chief Gutu’s representative Kennias Masanganise said he was aware of the matter but he was afraid of Zanu PF politicians who were protecting Mukadziwasha. “I am aware of the incident but there is nothing we can do at the moment. There are people who are protecting him.We summoned him to the chief’s court but he did not come. He ignores Chief Gutu’s directives because he is being backed by powerful politicians,”said Masanganise. Masvingo Provincial social welfare coordinator Ngoni Jakazi said his department would look into the matter.

State Media – Zimbabwe People First leader Joice Mujuru drank the poisoned chalice by joining hands with the opposition MDC-T, the ruling party’s national political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere, has said.
Mujuru joined MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai at a rally in Gweru a fortnight ago and Kasukuwere said to the Zanu-PF faithful, that was a clear statement that she had sold out and now enjoyed mutual Western support with MDC-T.
“That is enough damage she has done to herself. To people out there she has joined MDC-T and people will not take that lightly as they cannot be associated with the policies of MDC-T and have been rejecting it over the years,” Kasukuwere said on Saturday.
He addressed a joint Mt Darwin South/Shamva North rally at Rukuruwi Primary School in Mt Darwin which Shamva North legislator Nicholas Goche also addressed while a People First official and farmer in the area, Marufu Mukototsi renounced the party and said he was rejoining Zanu-PF. He said he had been irked by People First’s romance with MDC-T which threatened national policies such as the land reform programme.
Mujuru had no capacity to deliver anything to the electorate after failing to do anything notable during her time in Zanu-PF and Government, said Kasukuwere.
“For 34 years she was in Government — the last 10 as Vice President. What came of it? We ask her to show us a single Blair toilet that she constructed, not even schools because that would be too big to ask.
“Now after all these years working with President Mugabe, what can you tell us?” he scoffed.
He said the pedigree of people surrounding Mujuru, the likes of Messrs Rugare Gumbo, Didymus Mutasa and Dzikamai Mavhaire, with whom she was kicked out of Zanu-PF, portended failure for the project.
Kasukuwere said the former VP was adept at making false promises, which saw her failing to deliver even in her own backyard as MP for Mt Darwin.
“People are not interested in politicking. We want development, not false promises, especially from someone who failed here,” he said.
Kasukuwere castigated Mujuru for disrespecting President Mugabe in her widely condemned attempt to rewrite the history of the liberation struggle.
“President Mugabe is the spirit of Zimbabwe. God is not a drunkard and he gave us President Mugabe because he has a mission to fulfil: Let’s follow him,” said Kasukuwere.
He added: “ We don’t just follow him, we believe in him.”
A war veteran, Cephas Kaseke who was in the Zanla High Command, flayed Mujuru for seeking to rewrite history with a tall tale that she downed a chop- per.
He told the story of how she crossed into Zambia.
“The date was March 17, 1974 and there was a battle at Mudzengerere. She was caught up in that battle in which (Joseph) Chipembere died.
“She was carried to Zambia by Dakarai Badza and Thomas Nhari. The story about shooting down a plane was propaganda to encourage more girls to take up arms,” said Kaseke. – state media

The Movement for Democratic Change Vice President, Nelson Chamisa, held a star rally earlier today in his Kuwadzana East constituency attended by hundreds of party supporters, below are some of the pictures. Also present where senior party officials, Vice President Elias Mudzuri, Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora, among others.
 

Transform Zimbabwe Youth Chairman was today hospitalised at Avenues Hospital after an attack by suspected Zanu ( pf ) militia following the party’s structures feed-back meeting at the Head office yesterday.
Mr Kalonga (pictured) was was followed by three guys to his Ruwa home, the party told ZimEye.