Lovemore Kanyi (19) appeared before magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe for brutally stoning his friend who had refused to give him cigarettes.
The Harare man who was stoned is battling for his life at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.
The prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa had earlier on opposed bail arguing that the victim was still admitted at the hospital.
Allegations are that on July 16, at around 5pm at Parirenyatwa Hospitals, the complainant was approached by Kanyi, who asked for cigarettes from him.
The court heard that the complainant told Kanyi that he had no cigarettes.
It is alleged that this infuriated Kanyi, who then started assaulting the complainant using a wooden log.

A BULAWAYO woman has sued her husband for his huge appetite for sex, dragging him to court yesterday and seeking a protection order.
Elizabeth Mupamba (65) alleged that her husband, William Mupamba (66), has a high sex drive and was in the daily habit of physically and emotionally abusing her. The couple, which has been married for 43 years, was blessed with 11 children, four of them now late.
The granny told Western Commonage Magistrate Mr Abednico Ndebele that Mupamba returns home late at night dead drunk and demands sex.
Mupamba told the court that the granny was his wife and he was entitled to having sex with her, forcing the magistrate to warn him that he could be liable for marital rape.

President Robert Mugabe’s administration has been warned of impending civil unrest if he does not urgently address the current instability in the country.
In a scathing joint statement yesterday, several church organisations — the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Council of Churches, Catholic Bishops Conference, Habakkuk Trust and Christian Alliance — lashed out at Mugabe’s brutal reaction to the #ThisFlag campaign led by cleric Evan Mawarire.
“These grievances must be viewed as the early warning signs, which indicate underlying and simmering tensions that will soon explode into civil unrest if not addressed. We call upon the government to immediately investigate and prosecute law enforcement agents that are alleged to have brutalised people. The government should also urgently act and address these genuine concerns of the citizens to avoid total collapse of the State,” the church groups said.
They further said Zimbabweans had lost confidence in Mugabe’s rule. “Given all this, citizens have lost confidence and trust in our government. Therefore, there is urgent need for national dialogue between the government and different national stakeholders, towards finding a lasting solution than to ignore, politicise people’s genuine grievances and label them as opposition or demonise and harass the church and her leaders,” the statement said.
“We raise concern on growing harassment and arrests of religious leaders, such as the recent arrest of Pastor Evan Mawarire, and also the intimidation of other pastors speaking on behalf of powerless people.”
Mugabe seemed to stoke anti-Mawarire sentiments while addressing mourners at the burial of national hero, Charles Utete on Tuesday and accused the #ThisFlag founder of being foreign-funded.-Newsday

London – A Zimbabwean married nurse who was caught in a sex affair with a murderer, has been ditched by her husband, ZimEye.com is told.
Sources told ZimEye the nurse employed at a high-security mental institution, for extremely difficult violent offenders, Mrs Tendai Zinyemba has been dumped by her husband after revelations of her affair with the mentally-ill patient who is 10 years younger than her surfaced.
Mrs Tendai Zinyemba was caught in a compromising act with Patient A (name withheld) by a colleague and reported to bosses, charges read out by the Nursing and Midwivery Council state.
The violent patient is 25 years old.
Tendai Zinyemba (35) was also found guilty of sending letters to the patient of a highly intimate nature. Zinyemba sent “affectionate, intimate” letters to the 25 year old man, charges concluded at Stratford in London.
The married woman in mitigation, requested for other issues to be addressed in private by her solicitor, Dr Masimba Mavaza. That move led to her receiving a light suspension by the NMC (Nursing and Midwivery Council), of a 12 month period.
Tendai Zinyemba, 35, developed a relationship with the convicted prisoner at the psychiatric hospital at HMP Long Lartin around December 2013.
Inner details of the case were successfully kept hidden with Zinyemba’s solicitor, Masimba Mavaza’s help, who argued they should be dealt with in private.

A local Mvuma headman was “caught in the act stark naked” with his mother’s sister, leading to a guilty verdict.
Headman, Mr Sifile Chiradza is said to have been intimate with his aunt for several times according to a report.
He was found guilty by Chief Chirumhanzu and fined two beasts.
But this week a Mvuma magistrate reversed Chief Chirumhanzu’s verdict and ordered the latter to pay the village head $1,150 as restitution for the two cattle in the case which was of incest.
 
The headman, Mr Sifile Chiradza, had dragged the chief to the Mvuma Civil court last Thursday demanding his beasts that were attached by the chief after he was found guilty of incest.
Chief Chirumhanzu allegedly found the plaintiff guilty of having an affair with Ms Emilia Nyambirai, his mother’s younger sister and fined him four beasts. Mvuma magistrate Ms Vimbai Makora rescinded the Chief’s judgment and ordered him to pay back money equivalent to the beasts.

“The plaintiff claim is hereby granted and defendant is hereby ordered to pay an amount of $1,150 to the plaintiff,” reads part of the ruling by Ms Makora.
The court heard that on April 5, 2014, Chief Chirumhanzu found the headman guilty of incest and sent his messenger of court and his assistant to Mr Chiradza’s homestead to attach his cattle. Chief Chirumhanzu took possession and ownership of Mr Chiradza’s two cattle.
The other two cattle belonging to Mr Chiradza were given to Ms Nyambira’s husband Mr Martin Dzumbunu. Mr Chiradza felt that it was a travesty of justice since the traditional court failed to prove that he had an illicit affair with his mother’s sister and appealed against the judgment.
Mr Dzumbunu in turn returned the two cattle after he established that Mr Chiradza was being framed by his brother Mr Paul Bandira who wanted to be a village head. The Chief, however, refused to return the two cattle leading to Mr Chiradza approaching the court.

DEBATE in the National Assembly was yesterday disrupted for nearly 45 minutes after Chitungwiza North MP, Godfrey Sithole (MDC-T) turned up during the question-and-answer session with a Zimbabwean flag hung on his shoulder.
Two other MDC-T MPs Trevor Saruwaka (Mutasa Central) and Unganai Tarusenga (St Mary’s) also had the national flags neatly tucked into their shirts as scarves.
Buhera West MP Oliver Mandipaka (Zanu PF) raised a point of order with Deputy Speaker Mabel Chinomona that the opposition MPs were clad in flags as if in support of #ThisFlag cleric, Evan Mawarire.
Chinomona then ordered the MPs to go outside and remove the flags, as Speaker Jacob Mudenda had last month made a ruling that no flags would be allowed in the House.
The three MPs refused to go out, resulting in chaos in the House, with finger-pointing and insults flying between members of the opposition and the ruling party.
National Assembly sergeant-at-arms, Nicholas Marufu tried to eject the flag-carrying MPs out of the House, but they resisted. Defiant opposition MPs then started distributing flags on Parliament benches.
MDC-T chief whip, Innocent Gonese argued the MPs were showing their patriotism.
MDC-T Proportional Representation MP, Bacillia Majaya said even Zanu PF MPs with tiny flags pinned on lapels, must be ejected from the House.
As the chaos in the House continued, Chinomona threatened to expel the defiant MPs, who eventually relented and put the flags under their seats resulting in order being restored. newsday

The Constitutional Court has delivered a landmark ruling on the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Services (Zbc) licencing saga ordering every citizen to pay the broadcaster’s licence fees irrespective of the service provider one may select to use.
The court ruled that citizens were not being asked to pay for the services provided for by Zbc but the legislature came up with the law compelling all citizens possessing gadgets capable of receiving radio and television signals, to pay tax for possessing such gadgets.
The judgement was delivered in a matter involving Bernard Wekare and Musangano Lodge who were both challenging the compulsory payment of Zbc licences arguing it was in violation of the country’s Constitution since citizens were being forced to pay for services they did not want to watch or listen to. Newsday

Terrence Mawawa, Chiredzi | A Zaka teacher has been sentenced to three years in jail for having sexual intercourse with a form two pupil.
Stewart Makoni, who is a teacher at Mutonhori High School in Zaka, appeared before Magistrate Judith Zuyu facing charges of having sex with a minor. He was convicted of the lesser charge of having sex with a juvenile.
Sometime in February 2016 Makoni raped the 15 year old pupil on several occasions.
The matter was discovered after the minor’s brother noticed she had developed the habit of buying expensive food items during lunch time and he became suspicious.
The brother also noticed the girl had a brand new cell phone which he knew their parents could not afford to purchase. When the matter was reported to the police the minor said she was forced to have sex.
In passing judgment, Magistrate Zuyu said evidence produced by both parties indicated that Makoni did not force the minor into having sex- but the two agreed.
She convicted Makoni of a lesser charge of having sex with a minor and sentenced him to three years in prison. The magistrate also castigated Makoni ‘s paedophilic behaviour-which she strongly condemned. However one year was suspended and he will serve an effective two years in prison.

Unbowed clergyman and leader of the #ThisFlag campaign, Pastor Evan Mawarire — who has been leading a peaceful campaign against Zimbabwe’s deepening rot — says he will call for more protests until President Robert Mugabe and his ruling Zanu PF listen to the cries of the people.
Speaking in an interview with a South African television news station, the much-harassed Baptist preacher said despite the growing vitriol that was being directed at him and other pro-democracy activists by panicking authorities, abandoning the struggle was not an option.
Mawarire spoke as former Zanu PF stalwart and intelligence minister, Didymus Mutasa — now a senior official in former Vice President Joice Mujuru’s Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) — told the Daily News yesterday that long-suffering Zimbabweans should abandon their fear if they hoped to bring leadership change in the country and improve their lot.
At the same time, an angry Mugabe savaged Mawarire and other like-minded activist clergymen when he addressed thousands of bussed-in Zanu PF supporters and government workers who gathered at the National Heroes’ Acre in Harare yesterday, at the burial of the late retired top civil servant, Charles Utete.
Mawarire, who is taking a breather in South Africa after escaping the thuggish legal tactics of the government on a technicality last week, said not even the worst police brutality would stop the wave of protests being mounted by fed up Zimbabweans, until all the issues fanning public anger were addressed.
“We cannot back down from this space ever again and our goal now is to go further and further into becoming citizens that speak more and more. I think the future plans for the (#ThisFlag) movement are found in the seeds of the movement and the seeds were to create citizens that are bolder.
“In Zimbabwe over the years, we have been afraid to speak for various reasons, among them being the intimidation, and of course the brutality that we have experienced for many years”.
“We are trying to get our government to realise that the citizens have needs and the reality on the ground is not something that we are just dreaming up … so part of our goal is … just to change things,” he said.
Mawarire also commended the work of fearless pressure group Tajamuka/Sesjikile, which had also been at the forefront of leading campaigns against the government, as well as the stunningly successful general strike of three weeks ago which paralysed the country.
After being arrested early last week on charges of inciting public violence, charges later upgraded to more serious ones when he arrived at court — sparking unprecedented anger among Zimbabweans who swamped the court in solidarity with the popular cleric — Mawarire was later set free on Wednesday.
Had he been convicted, he could have faced a 20-year prison term.
Commenting on claims by the rattled authorities that he had taken off for the United States of America after his close shave with the law, the #ThisFlag campaign leader said this was simply malicious gossip.
“I’m absolutely not running away from home. This (trip to South Africa) was a scheduled visit. I travel to South Africa often and to other parts of the world, and those who know me know that I travel. There is nothing to run away from because I have not committed a crime.
“Everyone knows the government has their way of getting rid of people like me and it does not matter whether I am a government spy or a western ally but the important thing is the government should address the crisis in Zimbabwe.
“It is true that my life is in danger but the bottom line is that I am just a citizen and I don’t have a budget for security and my safety is within the citizens because these are the people that keep me safe, stand for me and fight for me,” Mawarire said.
And as Mugabe was attacking Mawarire at Utete’s burial, his long time confidante and erstwhile friend, Didymus Mutasa, was encouraging people to abandon their fear in their pursuit for change.
“Demonstrations are part of our Constitution. We are protected by the Constitution and we hope those in authority will observe the law. We have got to do everything that is possible and when you want to climb a mountain do not be scared of the slopes. You must climb. And as you climb you may go down one step backward but that is part and parcel of climbing a mountain,” Mutasa told the Daily News after meeting opposition political parties in Harare.
“We have agreed that the current crisis is a national crisis … we want to make sure that the move to solve the current crisis will be peaceful and those who are in authority should not be harsh and beat people like what they are doing now,” he said.
The comments by Mutasa, who was secretary for administration in Zanu PF before his expulsion in the run up to the party’s hotly disputed December 2014 congress, come as the ruling party faces its biggest challenge in its 36 years in power.
The broke government is, in addition to facing growing citizen unrest, struggling to pay its huge civil service on time, as the country has run out of cash in the face of the dying economy.
By late yesterday, it was still not clear when soldiers would get their July pay. But Mugabe skirted the issue of civil servants’ salaries yesterday, choosing to attack Mawarire instead, whom he accused of being funded by the West in his campaigns.
Mawarire helped to organise arguably the biggest general strike in the history of the country when millions of Zimbabweans heeded his call to stay away from work.
Four days before the strike, riots had erupted in the border town of Beitbridge when small traders protested against a government imports ban on South African basic goods, before the disturbances spread to Harare where touts and commuter omnibus drivers clashed with police over extortion at roadblocks. Daily News

ZANU PF youths recently threatened a series of protests against pro-democracy activists starting today in response to a rise in citizen inspired movements that have been successfully using social media to galvanise people to question the government over corruption and the economy.

LIVE REPORT: The popular Kariba based pastor, Philip Mugadza who is praying and fasting to enforce President Robert Mugabe’s fall by the 9th August this year, 2016, speaks to ZimEye on the LIVE-REPORT program at 10.45am Wednesday morning.
To join the discussion, readers need to jump to the ZimEye.com Facebook page – http://www.facebook.com/ZimEye. 

The Government has temporarily evacuated Zimbabwean staff from its embassy in South Sudan capital, Juba due to threats of a civil war in that country.
This was revealed yesterday in a Press statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Policy Research and Training deputy director Ms Sophia Nyamudeza.
“In view of the security deterioration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has temporarily evacuated personnel from our Embassy in Juba. The embassy staff is already in the country,” she said.
Ms Nyamudeza said the Republic of South Sudan is experiencing renewed fighting between opposing armed forces.
“The Republic of South Sudan experienced renewed fighting between opposing armed forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar, from 7 July to 11 July 2016.
“The fighting relapse in South Sudan has raised fears of a return to civil war in the country,” she said.
Even though ceasefire was announced, she said the situation remained uncertain.
“While a ceasefire was announced by President Kiir and Vice President Machar on 11 July 2016, the situation remains uncertain, tense and uneasy.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is aware that some Zimbabwean nationals had been deployed to South Sudan for peacekeeping operations under the UN and AU Missions.
“If the security situation continues to worsen it is expected that their relevant agencies will take care of them,” she said.
At least 272 people have died in the latest clashes between forces loyal to South Sudan’s President Salvar Kiir and his rival Vice President Riek Machar.-state media

An unemployed married man from Plumtree allegedly raped his maid for 19 consecutive days and impregnated her in the process.
Rudolph Chipare (30) would allegedly rape the 20-year-old maid at knife point after his wife left for work. The alleged rape began on June 8 and ended when the woman gathered strength and notified her cousin who reported the matter to the police.
A medical examination was conducted and it revealed that the woman was pregnant.
Chipare is remanded in custody and will appear before regional magistrate Mr Mark Dzira facing 19 counts of rape on August 11.
Prosecutor Mr Tinashe Dzipe alleged that on June 8 at around 6PM, Chipare ordered the woman to accompany him to a “new house” so she could clean it.
“She took his daughter (2) and accompanied Chipare. Upon arrival at Dingumuzi Community Hall, he led her into an empty room. Chipare then grabbed the woman and raped her once,” said Mr Dzipe. “He then threatened to harm her if she revealed the matter to anyone and ordered the woman to go home and tell his wife she was coming from a nearby bush to relieve herself.”
The next day while the woman was sweeping in the man’s bedroom at around 8AM after his wife had left for work, Chipare allegedly ordered her to move closer to his bed.
“Chipare dragged her into bed, tried removing her underwear and the woman resisted. He then pulled a knife from under his blanket and threatened to kill her if she resisted. He eventually overpowered the woman and raped her once,” said the prosecutor.
Mr Dzipe also alleged that on the following day, Chipare raped the woman on his bed while his daughter was next to them crying.
“On June 11 around 7AM when Chipare’s wife had gone to work, he used the same modus operandi and raped his maid while his daughter was crying.
“Chipare continued raping his maid around 7AM for the following 14 days in the presence of his daughter. He would produce a knife to scare the woman before raping her and then threaten to kill her,” said Mr Dzipe.
The matter came to light a day after the woman’s 19th rape ordeal.
“Her cousin took her to the police and they made a report leading to Chipare’s arrest. The woman was taken to Plumtree Hospital and results confirmed that she was pregnant,” said Mr Dzipe. -state media

Media Release |Zimbabweans resident in Australia, will stage a peaceful protest at the Zimbabwean Embassy in Canberra on Thursday 21 July 2016, from 11:00am to 1:00pm in solidarity all with their peace loving compatriots across the globe and with those on the ground in Zimbabwe, to express their profound dismay and strong condemnation of the ZANU PF government of Robert Mugabe for its brutal and barbaric response to the citizens’ rightful and peaceful protest and for failing to address the citizens’ genuine concerns.

Representatives of the Zimbabwean people in Australia who will gather at the Zimbabwean Embassy will present a signed petition to the Zimbabwean Ambassador and will denounce in no uncertain terms the bad political and economic policies of Mugabe and his clueless government.

Among the demands being made by the Zimbabweans worldwide are the following:

1. An end to police brutality and the use of state security agents to crash any dissenting voices.

2. An end to the rampant corruption among government officials and state organs.

3. The resuscitation of the economy by genuinely engaging with the international community and implementing sound economic policies.

4. Restoration of all basic freedoms as enshrined in the new constitution and repealing all repressive legislation

5. An end all human rights abuses including arbitrary arrests, brutal beatings and torture of citizens who dare to air their grievances.

6. Ensuring that all government employees are paid on time.

7. Demilitarising public institutions

8. Provide a platform for free and fair elections and allowing all Zimbabweans in the diaspora to participate in the electoral process.

Zimbabweans are also demanding that if Mugabe cannot do the above, he should immediately step down and pave the way for a transitional and competent authority to run the affairs of the country for a period which will lead to democratic elections that will be supervised by the international community.

Dubbed ThisFlag#, this initiative has gathered momentum and has seen protests all over the world as well as back in Zimbabwe, a clear indication that Zimbabweans are fed up with Mugabe’s dictatorship.

About 250 Zimbabweans are expected to participate in Thursday peaceful protest where the multi-coloured Zimbabwean flag with be the unifying emblem and a symbol of defiance by the Zimbabwean people.

Ends

A 42-year-old Gumford Automotive (Pvt) Ltd employee yesterday appeared in court for converting to own use $110 000 he was given to purchase a bus by Parachute Battalion Primary School.
Samson Madzonga was facing theft of trust property charges when he appeared before magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe. He was granted $200 bail.
As part of his bail conditions, he was ordered not to interfere with witnesses and to stay at his given address. It alleged that sometime in September 2013, the school and parents agreed to raise funds to purchase a bus. From that period up to September 2015, they raised $110 000.
The court heard that the school sourced quotations from various suppliers and finally settled for Madzonga and his company Gumford Automotive (Pvt) Ltd.
It is alleged that the school entered into an agreement with Madzonga and his company in 2015 to the effect that they were going to import a 63-seater Yutong bus from China on behalf of the school for $110 000.
It is alleged that the company pledged that the bus was going to be delivered to the school by end of December 2015. The court heard that the school transferred $110 000 from its CBZ Bank account into the company’s account and Madzonga acknowledged receipt of the money to the school.
It is alleged that from January 2016 to June 2016, the school representative went to Madzonga’s office several times inquiring about the delivery of the bus but were given empty promises.
This prompted the school to file a report with the police against Madzonga and his company.
The court heard that Madzonga and his company converted the money to their own use and nothing was recovered.-state medoa

Terrence Mawawa| Chivhu A local school head squandered over $ 2000 cash at Makumimaviri Primary School before being transferred from the school, an internal audit report has revealed.
It is alleged that Chengeto Mavhondo blew $2253 cash from the school coffers before she was transferred to Northwood Primary School.
According to an internal audit report carried out at Makumimaviri Primary School, Mavhondo failed to account for $2253. “Auditors observed that the school withdrew a total amount of $ 6227 and made payments amounting to $3974, leaving a balance of $2253 that has not been accounted for,” read the audit report.
Mavhondo claimed that the payment vouchers were available but the financial records were missing. However the auditors further indicated that some payment vouchers were just compiled but there no specific dates and they were not signed for authorisation by the Finance Committee members.
It also emerged that when Mavondo was the head the school was operating without a receipt book register, violating the provisions of section 5.3.1 of the Finance and Administration Circular Number 6 of 1994.
Chikomba District Education Officer Ngoni Mujuru confirmed the incident and said investigations were under way. It is understood the matter has also been referred to Mashonaland East Provincial Education Director(PED), Christopher Chihota. Several school heads in Chikomba district have been discharched from duty after being found guilty of misappropriating funds.

Staff Reporter |The ruling ZANU PF party has handed over a list of students to be enrolled as trainee teachers, at the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Teachers’ College in Gwanda, Zimeye.com can exclusively reveal.
Impeccable sources at the college told Zimeye.com that against the college recruitment policy, the party through its Members of Parliament in Matabeleland South, presented names of people to be trained at the college after the college had already completed interviews for prospective students.
According to the sources, the college adminstration has been ordered to stick to the list provided whether or not the persons involved were previously interviewed by the college.
A source within ZANU PF Gwanda structures confirmed that the party had also submitted its list of potential students to the college, claiming that the list was not of final students to be enrolled at the college.
“The party did solicit for qualified young people from around the province through its MPs for consideration at college but never imposed the names to college,” he said.
“The move was basically to curb corruption at the college where authorities were recruiting people unfairly,” he added.
Officials at the college refused to comment on the matter claiming that issues to do with recruitment of students were above their jurisdiction.

The race to replace AU commission chairperson Dr Dlamini Zuma has hit a snag and the African Union has postponed the elections, this was after the three candidates failed to raise the required 2/3 majority.
Former Uganda Vice president Specioza Wandira Kazibwe polled 11 votes against 16 scored by Botswana’s Foreign affairs Minister Pelomi Venson-Moitoi and Equatorial Guinea candidate Agapito Mba Mokuy, who garnered 12 votes. And when the first candidates were eliminated, 23 states voted for Botswana, still short of the two thirds.
More than 28 African countries abstained from the vote and this is being blamed on the west African regional block ECOWAS which had raised objections to the quality of candidates that were competing for the position but failed to stop the elections from going on.
According to sources who attended the voting, when ECOWAS failed to stop the vote, it tried to introduce a last minute candidate and this was foiled so they west African regional block led by Nigeria decided to stop the vote and this led to the deadlock and elimination of all candidates.
In the mean time, a new  interim Chairperson will be appointed when the current Chairperson steps down, and it will possibly be from one of Dlamini Zuma’s deputies. And a new voting round will be held at a later date. News24Africa
 

MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai says he has played his role in the struggle to free Zimbabwe from the Zanu PF “dictatorship” and would not be hurt if he loses the forthcoming presidential race in 2018.
Tsvangirai, who is battling cancer of the colon and has over the past two months been undergoing chemotherapy treatment in South Africa, was responding to United Family International Church leader, Emmanuel Makandiwa’s recent prophecy that President Robert Mugabe’s successor was a Zimbabwean currently based in the Diaspora.
“I don’t know who goes to n’angas (traditional healers) and prophets, but I don’t rely on that. I have a responsibility. God has created me for a purpose and if that purpose is not to be president of the country, that’s fine,” he told a Press briefing in the capital on Friday.
“I have fulfilled what I think I was created to do and I am doing it to the best of my ability. Whether there are prophecies, I think it’s immaterial, as far as I am concerned.
“Who knows, you can wake up one morning dead (sic), and you say, I prophesied that you won’t be president, when you are dead (sic).”
In a recent prophecy, Makandiwa said the country’s next president would emerge from outside the borders, ruling out Tsvangirai and opposition Zimbabwe People First leader Joice Mujuru, who are touted as front runners.
The prophecy also threw spanners in the works for Zanu PF contenders, First Lady Grace Mugabe and Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who are also reportedly angling to succeed President Robert Mugabe.
Tsvangirai has been at the helm of MDC-T since its formation in 1999 and has watched his party split twice, as he lost to Mugabe in three successive presidential elections — 2002, 2008 and 2013.
MDC-T insiders told NewsDay that Tsvangirai’s announcement and body language has triggered panic, fears of an imminent split and fierce jostling to succeed him.
“Most of his standing committee members did not attend the Press briefing at his home. They are unhappy, especially at his choice of Nelson Chamisa and there is going to be a private meeting around Tuesday to discuss a reaction to Tsvangirai’s appointments,” a source said.
However, Tsvangirai, through his spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka, dismissed speculation that the appointments would destroy his party, insisting he followed a directive of the party’s national council.
“In the MDC, party organs are bigger than individuals. Individual whims and caprices are subordinate to the will of the collective,” he said.
“On Thursday, the national council of the party, the supreme decision-making organ in-between congresses, sat. It is that body that gave the president the powers, and even at congress, delegates had said the president can have more than one deputy. We are a democratic party and we do not split simply because we see things differently.”
The camp opposing the move is reportedly led by secretary-general, Douglas Mwonzora, who is in currently in Hungary together with party spokesperson, Obert Gutu. Khupe, too, did not attend the Thursday meeting.
Another source said the rivals to last week’s move are plotting to fire Tsvangirai from the party on allegations that he was being a dictator.
“He has effectively fired himself from the party because his appointments were illegal. Those appointments mean he has formed his own party and left the MDC-T,” the source continued, adding there was no possibility the matter would be solved quietly.
“If someone slaps you in the face, you have to slap back even harder and this is what we are going to do when we meet on Tuesday, hit back even harder.”
Khupe insisted she was not consulted on the appointments and yesterday declined to comment.
“Can you refer all the questions to President Morgan Richard Tsvangirai, because I am not speaking on the issue,” she said.
Party insiders said the appointment of Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri as co-vice-presidents of the MDC-T was meant to spite Khupe, hence, the decision to leave her out of the Thursday meeting.
But Tsvangirai said he does not consult individuals when making “important party positions”.
“The party and its president do not consult individuals. They consult structures, party organs and the constitution and this was duly done. In any case, the principle of more than one VP had been agreed at congress. Even the three out of 12 provinces that were of a different view in council did not disagree with the principle, but some had issues with the timing,” he said. newsday

Midlands Provincial Affairs minister Jason Machaya is battling for life after a serious accident which left him with a deep cut on the head.
He was yesterday admitted at Avenues Clinic in Harare after he was involved in a car accident along the Harare-Gweru Road yesterday.
His wife confirmed the accident, which occurred just outside Chegutu.
She said Machaya was travelling alone from Harare to his Sherwood Farm in Kwekwe. “One of the wheels of his Land Rover Discovery 4 came off and the car rolled over and he is in a serious condition. We are now transferring him to Avenues Clinic,” she said.
A Zanu PF source said Machaya sustained a deep cut on the head. Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said she was yet to get the details of the accident.
“I am yet to get the details, let me check for you,” she said.
Many Zanu PF ministers have died in suspicious car accidents, which have left the nation speculating on the causes.
Machaya narrowly survived a government chop last year, where he lost his post as Zanu PF Midlands provincial chairman after he was linked to former Vice-President Joice Mujuru’s camp.
Of late, he has been linked to Zanu PF’s G40 faction and had his suspension from the party lifted.- Newsday

David Coltart |For all those Christians who believe that Joice Mujuru has no role to play in Zimbabwe’s future because of her past I ask that they prayerfully consider the application of Galatians 1:13-24. I am not equating Joice to Paul, nor am I endorsing Joice in any way. But I seek to challenge those who think that our past irredeemably prevents us from playing a role in the future of our country. If that were the case then not a single person who fought for Rhodesia would have any part to play. I think the important issue is whether a person has turned from their past. If there is a genuine turning, a real repentance of past conduct and clear evidence of a determination to forge a constructive new future for our country, then any person who does that must be able to contribute to our future.

Small-scale gold producers are refusing to be paid in South African rands for gold delivered to Fidelity Printers and Refinery because of differences with the sole gold buyer over the conversion rate used against what is being offered on the black market.
This comes at a time, Government and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe are on an exercise to stamp out gold smuggling in the country. The central bank estimates that 40 percent of gold produced in the country is smuggled out. The producers said their differences with FPR have come about because the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe unit is using a rand rate which is lower than the rate prevailing in the market.
They said as a result accepting the Fidelity Printers rand rate will result in a loss of between $3 and $5. Currently gold is trading at $41 dollars per gram and at R592,59 at Fidelity Printers.
The rand is currently trading at 14,33 to $1.
Zimbabwe Miners Federation national technical advisor Marufu Sithole confirmed the development.
Mr Sithole, who is a gold buying agent and operates Chimona Mining company in Shurugwi said:
“Small-scale gold producers are now facing challenges especially when buying mining accessories and consumables such as explosives, fuel, food and other services. The rate of the rand prevailing in the market is different from that being offered by Fidelity Printers.
“Some buyers in the market are using an exchange rate of $1 to R15 while on the other hand the rand is still being rejected by most businesses. They want the US dollar and this is forcing buyers to go to the black market to source for US dollars,” said Mr Sithole.
“If you compute you will find out that gold will have been traded at $38 per gram, which is $3 less than the market rates. My advice to Government is that they must regulate the trading of currencies in all businesses because the non-regulated miners are refusing to trade their gold as we speak,” he said.
A gold buying agent in Filabusi in Matebeleland South Christine Chikombe said buyers in her area are faced with the same problem.
“They are refusing rand and I am running short of US dollars because Fidelity Printers here only have rand,” she said.
A Fidelity Printers official who preferred not to be named said: “Still no cash, our guys at head office are making frantic efforts to get cash but the situation is getting dire. Rands are available and bank transfers can also be done,” said the official.
Small-scale miners who have been given a priority in terms of getting instant cash are also shunning the new measures put in place by RBZ, particularly Real Time Gross Settlements due to the low withdrawal limits set by banks.- state media

Terrence Mawawa Masvingo |There was mayhem at Chivi Magistrate Court last week when a suspect escaped through the window during trial.
Prosper Chingwende, a local tout bolted out of the court room through the window soon after Magistrate Bishard Chineka had announced he would be remanded in custody to July 20.
Chingwende appeared in court facing assault and touting charges. Chingwende fled from the court room soon after the ruling had been made. Surprisingly the police and prison officers watched as he escaped.
“The accused just bolted out of the court room through the window when he was told he would be remanded in custody,” said a court official. Police and prison officers later chased Chingwende and apprehended him at Silver City residential area, Chivi Growth Point.
Chingwende said he ran away because he was afraid of being remanded in custody during the winter season.
“The incident has left us confused. Although the court windows do not have burglar bars,the police and prison officers just watched helplessly as he ran away. As trained officers they were supposed to take action as Chingwende bolted out of the court room.”
“The police and prison officers only chased him when he had already left the court room.We do not expect such things to happen when the court is in session,”added the official based at Chivi Magistrate’s Court.

Thokozani Khupe |I wish to salute the brave women of Kwekwe, Chitungwiza, Cape Town, the UK and the USA Diaspora who sprung into action with the ‪#‎BeatThePot‬campaign to highlight the devastating hunger that Zimbabweans are facing everyday due to the poor governance policies of President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF. It was a very encouraging sight to see Zimbabwean women’s determination and resolve being tougher than armoured police water cannons, the fully geared riot police, and the intimidating state agents. Women overcame their fear to demand that Mugabe and Zanu PF must make way for a government that will put food on their tables, and a government that will be ushered in by a free, fair and credible elections.

Two men from Gweru landed in jail after they stole meat from a parked car and exchanged it for a bottle of Gold Blend Whisky.
Tinashe Mutondo (36) and Givemore Churu (24) were convicted on their own plea of guilty to theft by Gweru Magistrate Mr Tayengwa Chibanda. In passing sentence, Mr Chibanda said he had taken into account that Mutondo was once convicted of theft while Churu was a first offender.
He sentenced Mutondo to six months in prison and suspended one month on condition of good behaviour and another one on condition he pays the complainant $20.

Staff Reporter |Former Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Charles Utete has been declared a national hero. Utete who collapsed and died on Friday morning, at his home in Harare during breakfast will be buried at the national heroes acre on Tuesday.
In a condolences message sent from Rwanda where he is attending the African Union Heads of States meeting, President Robert Mugabe described Utete as a dedicated public servant. ZANU PF Secretary for Administration Ignatious Chombo, told the media on Sunday that the ZANU PF politburo had voted 100% to grant Utete the national hero status. Utete served as President Mugabe’s secretary from 1981 before retiring from civil service in 2003. After retiring he was appointed to chair a presidential advisory board on civil service a position he was holding at the time of his death.
Utete was born in Chivhu on October 30 1938 and is survived by his wife Verna and five children.

ZRP cops have allowed dance-hall singer Lady Squanda to walk free as they yet hunt down #ThisFlag pastor Evan Mawarire.

TWO siblings are in hot soup after invading a funeral, undressing a corpse and praying for it to come back to life. The self-proclaimed prophets were arrested for violating a dead body.
Harupere Kamudzi (37) and her brother Godknows Kamudzi (32) of Waterfalls, Harare, have since appeared before Mbare magistrate, Mr Stanford Mambanje.
It is the state’s case that on April 15, 2016; the duo told mourners at a funeral in Waterfalls that the deceased, Egfa Mapfumo, was not dead but was just sleeping.
They claimed that God had sent them to awaken the deceased from her sleep. The siblings lifted deceased’s body from the coffin and stripped it naked while making chants.
They went on to lay the naked body on the floor before massaging it with salt and warm water.
The awestruck mourners were assured that Egfa would “wake up soon since she had been affected by the cold mortuary”.
However, a report was made to the police, leading to the pair’s arrest. When the Kamudzi siblings appeared in court last month, they pleaded not guilty to charges of violating a dead body.
In their defence, they said they had been invited by the deceased’s relatives to raise her from the dead.
On Friday, they were supposed to appear before Mr Mambanje but didn’t show up. A warrant of arrest has since been issued for the pair.
Mr Richard Makondo prosecuted.- state media

President Robert Mugabe’s government must continue frustrating the army, newsreaders scoffed saying on Saturday.
As it emerged soldiers have not been paid their salaries on time for the 2nd month(click to read), readers scoffed at President Mugabe and his wife Grace who Finance Ministry sources have claimed blows $4million on every foreign trip. Below were some of the comments:
Domnique Vint:  Let me go get KFC and will wash it down with wine……the army is trained to survive under extreme conditions so 2 slice of bread without margarine is okay for them,Mgabe and Grace with their family are eating healthy in Singapore…..$2000 plate plus a waitress tip of $500 ha ha ha

Internationally acclaimed wildlife expert Mr Ron Thomson has urged African countries to renounce their membership of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), because the club is not serving them any purpose.
He said the international body had been hijacked by animal rights activists who do not have any knowledge on wildlife conservation.
He said the animal rights activists through their non-governmental organisations were making outrageous decisions detrimental to countries engaging in sustainable wildlife business.
Mr Thomson said the US paid Kenya to burn its ivory stock as a way of setting the agenda for the September COP17.
Mr Thomson’s remarks come in the wake of proposals submitted to COP17 to be held in South Africa in September seeking to up-list elephants and lions into Appendix I of endangered species.
Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction and if the proposals succeeded, Zimbabwe will be banned from international hunting and trading of elephants and lions.
Currently, elephants and lions are in Appendix II where hunting and trading is allowed under CITES regulations.
Zimbabwe had already rejected the proposals ahead of COP17.
In his contribution made during the launch of Zimbabwe’s roadmap to COP17, Mr Thomson, who is also the president of the South Africa- based True Green Alliance, said the destiny of African elephants now lies in the hands of foreigners who have no knowledge or interest in the in best practice elephant management programmes.
“My suggestion to Africa that it has to think very carefully about its continued membership in CITES,” he said.
“If I was a head of state in Africa, I will say let us get out of this club. When CITES was first formed, they said our purpose in CITES is to regulate the wildlife trade and to stop the illegal wildlife trade.
“After 41 years, CITES has not regulated wildlife trade and it has not stopped the illegal trade. So what good is it to anybody? It has achieved nothing. What it has only achieved is to give animal rightists a weapon to fight people like Zimbabwe, South and Namibia and these other countries of Africa who want to utilise their wildlife resources on a sustainable basis.
“What good has it (CITES) done us? No good at all. Foreign people who know nothing about Africa and its wildlife are telling Africa what it can do with its elephants, rhinos and all these animals.”
Mr Thomson dismissed the notion of endangered species touted by America and a host of its NGOs said wildlife is managed by population and not at species level.
He said wildlife rules applied in West Africa could not be applicable in Southern Africa.
“You can only manage it at the population level. Rules have to be applied population by population. If there is a problem in West Africa there should be a rule that applies in that particular region and the whole of Africa.
“Nobody is thinking about the habitats and that is very wrong. We must have independence of thought and accountability. We are accountable of what happens to animals here and not CITES,” he said.