EIGHT High Court judges vying for four vacant Supreme Court posts will battle it out in public interviews to be conducted in Harare next month.
The judges — six men and two women — have been nominated to participate in the interviews scheduled for September 29.
Only four best performers will make it to the Supreme Court.
The eight candidates are: Justices Francis Bere, Priscilla Chigumba, Alfas Chitakunye, Charles Hungwe, Samuel Kudya, Joseph Mafusire, Lavender Makoni and Nicholas Mathonsi.
In a statement, the Judicial Service Commission said the nomination and interview process was being done in terms of the supreme law of the land.

Following in the footsteps of their counterparts on the African continent who have dislodged entrenched dictatorships through grand coalitions, Zimbabwe’s opposition parties will on Monday make history when they all unite and take a stand against the ruling Zanu PF party.
Recently, Zimbabweans woke up to news that some opposition political parties had decided to form a grand coalition that would face Zanu PF in the forthcoming 2018 general elections as a way of dislodging the ruling party from power. The plan of a grand coalition came about after opposition parties realised that individual electoral challenge to Zanu PF has always been a failure since Independence in 1980.
It was also reported that MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai and Zimbabwe People First leader Joice Mujuru held a joint rally in Gweru last Saturday, showing the envisaged coalition of the opposition parties could become reality. The joint rally has been viewed by some political analysts as a milestone that could possibly see the fall of Zanu PF come 2018.
It was also reported that Zanu PF is uncomfortable with the prospect of a coalition at a time the party seems divided along factional lines. Zanu PF members feel the party needs to put its house in order before it can tackle any opposition coalition.
However, history has shown that coalitions have been a major source of problems to ruling elites and in most instances a winning formula at the ballot.
In 2002, Kenyans voted out the Kenya African National Union (Kanu) which had been in power for 39 years through the National Rainbow Coalition (NRC) led by Mwai Kibaki.
Macky Sall of Senegal resoundingly defeated Abdoulaye Wade in the presidential run-off in March 2012. Abdoulaye’s defeat was a result of a coalition of those who had been defeated in the first round of presidential elections who then endorsed Sall as their main presidential candidate in the run-off poll.
The above examples and many others elsewhere show that coalitions are a danger to ruling parties, hence there is need for Zanu PF to put its house in order as the new coalition truly gathers momentum.
Zanu PF should realise that time is not on its side. The situation in the country, which has seen some social activist groups holding protests against the ruling party, calls on Zanu PF to seriously consider implementing its 2013 electoral promises. It should also address the issue of factionalism within its rank and file.
It must be noted that the economic crisis Zimbabwe is reeling under is a major cause of concern. Zanu PF should focus its energy and time into reviving the economic fortunes of the country.
It is self-defeating that at a time President Robert Mugabe is calling for peace and unity not only in Zanu PF, but in the country as a whole, some senior party members are grouping into camps to destroy the party from within. He has also called on Zanu PF members not to rush into issuing votes-of-no-confidence against other party members as it is counterproductive.
Surprisingly, some of the Zanu PF top leadership in some provinces are not heeding his calls to unite the party. Only recently, 11 party officials in Masvingo were suspended without going through the required disciplinary procedures.
As Zanu PF is facing the prospect of a coalition, there should be no time to create divisions for the sake of settling personal differences-turned-political.
The party should also take heed of the recent call by national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere for peace and unity in Masvingo as the province prepares to host the party’s annual conference in December.
Kasukuwere, who held a meeting with senior provincial party members in Masvingo at Victoria Junior School last weekend, reversed all suspensions that had been imposed on certain officials in the province and called for all Zanu PF members to work together. For that reason it is wise for the ruling party to make sure that they adhere to what Mugabe and Kasukuwere called for so that it avoids facing the same scenario as Kanu or Wade.
It is evident that Zimbabweans are suffering because of the economic crisis brought about by corruption in both public and private sectors with no meaningful arrests of offenders. It would seem the ruling party is more concerned on suspending its officials than making sure the government’s economic blue-print ZimAsset is implemented. So the move taken by Kasukuwere to bring sanity in the party should be welcomed by all peace-loving party members so they can face the coalition of opposition political parties united.

A 43 year old, City of Harare employee, Nahor Mushavi, died on Tuesday after being run over by a reversing refuse collection truck.
The city’s acting communications manager Mr Michael Chideme confirmed the incident.
He said the city has lost a hardworking employee whose contributions will be missed.

There was service disruption at West End Hospital in Harare this Friday morning when some of the workers downed tools over four months’ salary arrears.

Unshaken Joice Mujuru has threatened to expose all of her former boss President Robert Mugabe’s garbage to do with his questionable war credentials.
The Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) leader Mujuru, who has come under intense attacks from Zanu PF, has threatened to ‘‘expose’’ Mugabe and “revisionists” in her former party whom she accuses of trying to rewrite history.
Mujuru has become a subject of Zanu PF relentless attacks after she held joint rallies with MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai in Gweru last week.
Yesterday, Mugabe’s spokesperson George Charamba said Mujuru should zip up and stop provoking history by belittling the role that the veteran Zanu PF leader played during the country’s liberation struggle.
This was after Mujuru claimed her late husband — Solomon ‘‘Rex Nhongo’’ Mujuru — catapulted Mugabe to the leadership of Zanu during the liberation struggle in Mozambique.
“The history of this country should not revolve around Mugabe, what Charamba and other apologists call history is not history at all,” said Mujuru, in a statement issued on her behalf by the party’s spokesperson, Jealousy Mawarire.
“We have a lot of people who have done a lot for this country and need recognition; we are not saying Mugabe has not done anything because we are in the current status because of his misrule.
“He is responsible for all the bad things that have affected this country, Charamba wants to celebrate Mugabe’s stay in Ghana, but the truth of the matter is that Mugabe’s return from Ghana was far from glorious, he was not an ally of Kwame Nkrumah, he is a selfish leader, he was never a socialist,” said Mawarire.
In his autobiography, respected Zanu PF elder Cephas Msipa, who accommodated Mugabe upon his return from Ghana in 1960, insinuates that the 92-year-old strongman, left the west African country under unclear and not-so-rosy circumstances.
“Mugabe supported the idea of a one-party State back then, but did not much about his personal experiences in Ghana. It was as if something had gone wrong while he was in Ghana, which he did not disclose,” Msipa said in his book.
Mujuru served as Mugabe’s deputy for 10 years and was expelled from the ruling party in 2014 on untested allegations of trying to kill the nonagenarian.
Mawarire said Mugabe should not be treated as super hero.
“He is not a trained soldier and he should not be treated as a superhero, if anything the history that Charamba wants to rewrite is something that was happening from where Charamba was, he himself should tell us whether he was part of (Abel) Muzorewa he cannot dispute Mujuru’s account of history, how old was he in 1970,” questioned Mawarire.
On Monday, the State media launched a savage propaganda blitzkrieg against Mujuru and tried to soil the political legacy of her immensely-popular husband Rex — whom they blamed for working with Tsvangirai during his time in Zanu PF.

26-YEAR-OLD Memory Dube, from Nxele Village, faked her father-in-law’s death to defraud a burial society of $219.
 
She approached Batanai Burial Society sometime in February and told them that her father-in-law had died in Nkayi.
She was given $219.
Dube told a court she had been contributing to the burial society for 10 years but had never lost a beneficiary, so she felt it was time for her to benefit.
The treasurer of the burial society, Mrs Marrieta Moyo,  said they discovered that Dube had tricked them three months after giving her the money.
Last month a criminal court sentenced Dube to 315 hours of community service at the social welfare offices at the Plumtree Border Post for defrauding the burial society.
Last week, the society dragged her back to court in a civil claim for the $219.
Plumtree magistrate, Mr Livard Philemon ordered Dube to pay back the money.  He gave Dube a tongue lashing for using such unethical methods to obtain it.

Terrence Mawawa, Mkwasine | In a rare polyandrous marriage that has stunned the local community two men are living cordially with one wife sharing the same bed.
The three even eat their meals at the same table,it has emerged.
The daring woman, Mollen Zvidzai of S Village, Mkwasine, has confirmed her marriage to Mugari Zibuda and the second man identified as Makamure. Neighbours told ZimEye.com they were amused by the polyandrous marriage.
It is understood Zibuda has four children with Zvidzai while Makamure has two children with the same woman. “I have never heard of a woman who has two husbands, even animals give each other a chance.
The husbands need to be mentally examined or they were given love portions.How can a man wait for another man to finish the act ?
If you look at it you can see that it is not normal,”said a neighbour who identified himself as Wills Mujaji. Fadzai Zibuda Chikwanda, the woman’s daughter with the first husband confirmed her mother’s polyandrous marriage.
“Yes everyone knows my mother here .My father works in Hippo Valley and my mother’s other husband is a cane cutter here in Mkwasine,” she said.
It is also understood Makamure dumped his original wife for Zvidzai. “Makamure left his original wife in controversial fashion. We wonder why he did such a thing,”said another neighbour.

Members of the Women of Zimbabwe Arise pressure group on Friday took their fight to Harare, marching to the offices of the Ministry of Education where they demanded free education for their kids.
More than 300 placard-carrying demonstrators handed a petition to the ministry’s permanent secretary, Sylvia Masango, demanding that the government should introduce free education.

Staff Reporter |A three week old baby will have her arm amputated, after nurses at Gwanda Provincial Hospital allegedly mutilated it and left it to rot while trying to insert a cannula.
The Baby’s mother, Patience Chikahamadze (25), told the media that the nurses at the hospital continually complained to patients of being demotivated due to lack of apparatus to use at the hospital over and above their delayed salaries which the family believes could have been the cause of negligence.
The weeping mother explained that her family has engaged lawyers to represent them in demanding compensation from the hospital.
Chikahamadze said Andile was born at the hospital on July 22 when she went to visit relatives in Gwanda. The baby, she said, was admitted for routine observation on July 29 after she was said to be dehydrated.
“We’re devastated as a family. Our happiest moment has turned into a horrible nightmare,” she said, holding back tears.
“A doctor is carrying out tests on my baby here in Bulawayo. However, we’ve been told the arm is likely to be cut off at the shoulder.”
Miss Chikahamadze said she shed tears as she watched nurses pricking her daughter all over her arm in a vain attempt to insert the cannula as they could not locate a vein to put a drip.
“They pricked my baby on almost 10 parts of her body and she wailed piteously. When they eventually forced it in, two pints of fluid were pumped into her arm before the drip stopped flowing and her arm began to swell.”
“We tried to tell the nurses on duty that something seemed amiss but they cut us short. They said they knew better. My baby’s condition began to deteriorate and she cried a lot indicating she was in pain. Nurses that I won’t mention by name turned a deaf ear and instead concentrated on their phones.”
Miss Chikahamadze said Andile’s body temperature shot up to about 40 degrees.
“The cannula was stuck on my baby’s arm for over a week, although we could see that the arm was getting infected. The arm was getting dehydrated and skin on her whole body began to peel off. Still no one was willing to listen to our pleas as they claimed to know better,” she said stifling sobs.
She said baby Andile was eventually transferred to Mpilo Central Hospital on August 8.
Matabeleland South provincial medical director Dr Brian Maponga said he had requested the family to put their complaint in writing to assist investigators.
“I have asked the parents to submit a complaint detailing everything in writing. I will meet them and I have also asked the hospital to give me an update on what transpired. Those two reports will guide us on the next step,” he said.
Meanwhile, sources at the hospital have denied any wrong doing by the nurses instead blaming the mother for refusing to cooperate with the nurses and he hospital.
The nurses claim that the mother actually sneaked out of the hospital without official release from the hospital.

Terrence Mawawa | Zvishavane Zimbabwe Republic Police officers were last week exposed in a gold ore scam after nailing an unlicensed dealer they clandestinely worked with in selling the precious minerals.
Stephen Svova(23), a Zvishavane based gold dealer told Magistrate Story Rushambwa that when he appeared in court, Zvishavane based police officers were aware of his movements and they only turned against him after realising the deal had been exposed.
Svova appeared before Magistrate Rushambwa facing charges of transporting gold ore without a license. He said senior officers based at Zvishavane Police Station were behind the gold ore scam. He said the police loaded the sacks of gold ore in his truck and later plotted his arrest after realising their deal had been exposed.
“The police were aware that I had no license.The police officers loaded the gold ore into my truck but they later threatened me because I had refused to follow their orders,”said Svova. However, according to facts of the state case on August 8 2016, Svova was stopped by the police after a tip off from the public that he was carrying gold ore. Nineteen bags of gold ore were found in the vehicle.
Although Svova was ordered to pay $200 fine, the magistrate urged the police to execute their duties in a professional manner, instead of arresting people on trumped up charges.
He also said the police should not cook up evidence against innocent people. Members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police have been implicated in cases of corruption and gross incompetence across the country. Legal experts have also slammed the partisan manner in which the police execute their duties.

To Donate to the teachers’ cause via Ecocash or WorldRemit, number: 00263776129336  
ZRP cops seeking to imprison teachers from the Rural Teachers Union who are marching to Harare from Uzumba, failed their plot at court today despite the continued  state harassment which led to 5 teachers being arrested yesterday (Thursday).
The five teachers (part of a 16 member delegation) who are on a 10-day 200km protest march to Harare from Uzumba to raise awareness to President Robert Mugabe on urgent issues in the education sector, were arrested at Mrehwa yesterday.

The police changed their charge description from contravention of section 37 of the Criminal Codification Act, shifting it to section 45 of the Criminal Codification Act.
The incarceration was the third in a series of attacks from both the CIO and the police.
The five slept in cells last night only to be released for court today, Friday. Their court case which was not heard until after 5pm, saw all of them being released with only one, Obert Masaraure being remanded out of custody. The RTUZ President, Masaraure was granted $50 bail and told to reside at his house in Wedza.
The police were ordered to release the others and to proceed any future action only by way of summons. The others are Secretary General Robson Chere, National Coordinator Blessing Makunike, Programmes officer Pride Mkono, Spokesperson Robson Ruhanya and the Board Secretary Lynnete Mudehwe, the latter who had just joined in the protest yesterday.
Those who wish to donate to the cause can do so via Ecocash or WorldRemit to number:00263776129336

#ThisFlag campaign has spread into the East African nation of Kenya with scores of Zimbabweans coming out to support the global cause. After South-Africa, this is the second African country to which the campaign has spread its wings. See pictures below;

 

National Vendors Union Chair Sten Zvorwadza who two weeks ago returned from the UK choosing to forsake luxuries of western life and to rather suffer with Zimbabweans on the ground, was this week tortured by ZRP cops and is recovering in hospital. VIDEO by Crisis Coalition of Zim:

Tourism and Hospitality Industry minister Walter Mzembi has received a major boost in his campaign for the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) secretary-general post following the creation of a website to run his campaign online.
The website, which was set up by the Ministry of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, was unveiled yesterday.
Mzembi yesterday left for Egypt as he kick-starts the globalisation of his candidature, following his endorsement by the African Union as its sole candidate for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation.He will also visit Tunisia and Kenya.
Mzembi is gunning for the top post which falls vacant next year.
Speaking at a media briefing in Harare yesterday, ICT, Postal and Courier permanent secretary Sam Kundishora said his ministry created the website to aid Mzembi’s campaign.
“The campaign website, we have tried to make it a hub of information, to make all the information available under one roof,” Kundishora said.
Speaking at the same event, Mzembi said Cabinet approved a fortnight ago to support his candidature for UNWTO secretary-general in 2017.
Mzembi said the campaign was also a platform to promote brand Zimbabwe.
“The government has deployed full weight of their mandate which has been lent towards the task of the campaign. I am fully enjoying government support on the campaign, as this campaign goes beyond the African continent to the world. So we are outsourcing for support and resources from other ministries and we have outsourced from the ICT ministry to come up with the website,” he said.
He said the website would be updated on a daily basis, and managed through the command centre at the Ministry of Tourism.
Mzembi said he would start his international campaign tour tomorrow.
Last month, Mzembi was endorsed by the African Union to gun for the top post.

13 Escape Death Along Gwanda Highway

By Chrispen Tabvura | Thirteen people were badly injured at Mawabeni Bridge near Mbalabala, along Gwanda road, when a Honda fit.
The accident occurred when the vehicle had made a U-turn in face of an oncoming Mazda truck.
Five passengers travelling in the Honda Fit and seven from the truck were ferried to Bulawayo’s UBH hospital. Police on the scene referred ZimEye.com to their police spokesperson for comment.
They however confirmed the casualties although specific details were not available at the time of writing.
According to the ZRP and onlookers at the scene, the Honda Fit suddenly made a Uturn in face of the oncoming truck, and was hit from the behind, resulting in the driver losing control of the car, and landing in the bridge.
Both drivers were also injured.

A taxi driver and his assistant were arrested on allegations of kidnapping, beating and dumping two police officers outside Bulawayo in a bush near Ngozi Mine Landfill Site.
It is alleged that Brilliant Nsingo (25) of Cowdray Park and Nicholas Moyo (25) of no fixed abode allegedly told the cops they wanted to prove to them that they (the driver and tout) were dogs but not human beings.
Reports are the pirate crew allegedly threatened to kill Assistant Inspector Vongai Munyikwa and Constable Bonface Mashora.They appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Stephen Ndhlovu yesterday facing kidnap, assault and resisting arrest charges.
Mr Ndhlovu remanded the pair in custody to today.
Prosecuting, Mr Tony Kamudyariwa said on August 17 along Nketa Drive near Western Commonage Court, the traffic police were carrying out an operation dubbed “No to Honda Fit,” targeting small unlicensed vehicles which he said have caused havoc along the road.
“At a certain point along Nketa Drive the driver picked up two officers, Mashora and Munyikwa based at Bulawayo Traffic West, who were clad in civilian attire and were purporting to be commuters,” said Mr Kamudyariwa.
He added that the officers identified themselves by showing their police identity cards to Nsingo who immediately stopped the car and refunded two other passengers asking them to get out of the car.
The prosecutor said: “Moyo then took over the steering wheel and drove at high speed toward Old Khami Road intersection. He was ordered to drive to Traffic West but did not take heed.”
“He turned into Masiyephambili Drive and drove due north towards Ngozi mine, threatening the officers with death, indicating to them that he wanted to prove that he was not human but a dog.”
The officers only managed to jump off the moving vehicle which had slowed down due to the bad state of the road. — State Media

Two police officers based at Gweru Central station have  appeared in court facing charges of theft.
The two constables, Logistics Muzvuve and Brighton Zimiso Sibanda allegedly stole two pairs of shoes worth $40 which they had recovered as stolen property.
They were not asked to plead as they appeared  before Provincial Magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa facing one count each of theft of trust property, but were remanded in custody to September 15. Mrs Msipa advised the pair to apply for bail at the High Court. Prosecuting, Mr Andrew Marimo told the court that on July 21 Kenneth Keche stole 35 pairs of shoes from a flea market in the city.
He gave two pairs of the shoes to Lameck Toperesu for safe-keeping. Keche was sentenced to six months in prison on July 27 of which two months were suspended on condition he restitutes the complainant of $500.
Mr Marimo said Muzvuve and Sibanda approached Toperesu demanding that he hands over the shoes he had received from Keche.
“It is alleged that Toperesu was ordered by the accused persons to accompany them to Gweru Central Police Station for receiving stolen goods. However, along the way, Cst Muzvuve gave him his cellphone number and told him to go back and use the number in case he came across Keche,” he said.
The court heard the cops took the two pairs of shoes and did not hand them over when they arrived at the police station.
Mr Marimo said Toperesu was later apprehended by another police officer after Keche’s arrest. –  State Media

Happymore Chidziva The (Morgan Tsvangirai) MDC Youth Assembly condemns in the strongest of terms the brutal and arbitrary force used by the police as they descended on  citizens who were exercising their democratic and constitutional right to demonstrate under the banner of Tajamuka/Sesijikile campaign.
Amongst the injured in today’s protest was the Assembly’s Secretary General, Lovemore Chinoputsa and Harare Province driver Mr Jemwa. We view this as a declaration of war and we will not take this brutality lightly.
This only goes to show the level of desperation on the part of Robert Mugabe regiment. We will not sit back while the citizenry is harassed willy-nilly. As an assembly, we call upon the people of Zimbabwe to rise up and face this regime head on. We therefore are warning individual police officers  to desist from being used as tools of oppression.
#MyZimbabwe
Happymore Chidziva

MDC Youth Assembly Chairperson

His finance minister since 2013 is Mr Patrick Chinamasa, formerly a long-serving Justice Minister. In Mugabe’s government, that title has an Orwellian tang. Chinamasa was rewarded for his role in destroying the rule of law with two stolen farms and being entrusted with what is left of the economy. His urgent task this year is to procure an international bailout so that the regime can afford to pay its civil servants, police and army and most importantly, Mugabe’s private army of thugs.

Peter Mandelson has worked for Lazard Bank since 2011. He is described as Chairman of Lazard International. It is terribly hard to discover what this part-time post entails, or the exact size of the bundle of money he gets paid for it.
In February this year he popped into Zimbabwe and, with the help of our ambassador, Catriona Laing, held an unreported meeting with Mr Chinamasa. A few months later Mr Chinamasa was engaged in intense negotiations on a bailout – with Lazard. When Mandelson’s meeting and Chinamasa’s negotiations wereeventually reported in the Sunday Telegraph on August 7 they caused a storm of protest both here and in Zimbabwe, and widespread speculation that the British government had secretly abandoned its opposition to a bailout while Mugabe remained.
A spokesman for Peter Mandelson hastily denied that there was any connection between Mandelson’s visit and the bailout talks with Lazard. No, no, no, he went to Zimbabwe only for the purpose of “meeting representatives of the business community and civil society to encourage them to continue the process of reform.”
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office believe this flannel and flummery and issued statements supporting it. They have assured me that Peter Mandelson paid for the trip himself.
I find this hard to believe – and not from any personal bias against him but because it costs a tidy sum to jet into Zimbabwe and stay there in a top-class hotel. Although I personally paid for my own undercover visits a few years ago very few politicians dip into their own pockets to visit a country just to deliver a bucket of bromides!
I also find it hard to believe that Peter Mandelson gave no report of his encounter with Mr Chinamasa to his employers at Lazard before they entered detailed negotiations with him. If I were a shareholder of Lazard, that would make me query his value to the bank.
I wonder also why the FCO thought there was any value to Britain in Peter Mandelson’s mission. He has no previous relationship with Zimbabwe that I can discover. Certainly he has never attended one meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Zimbabwe which I chair and which has many members from the House of Lords.
Representatives of the surviving business community and civic leaders do not need to be persuaded of the case for reform – they are desperate for it. There is no point in preaching to Chinamasa, who is a creature of Mugabe and has no future in a post-Mugabe settlement.
Why does the FCO see Peter Mandelson as a persuasive advocate in any country? He has not won an election for himself since 2001 nor taken part in a winning political campaign for any party or cause since 1997. In the recent referendum, his public interventions for the REMAIN campaign were eagerly awaited – by the LEAVE campaign.
This episode calls for an urgent response from our new Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson.
On Zimbabwe he must reaffirm Britain’s position in the most robust and colourful language he can command: no money, no bailout until Mugabe disappears from power and influence for ever.
He also needs to review the use of our missions overseas and the whole conduct of British diplomacy.
Our missions must not act as a speed-dating bureau for any passing VIP, whether from politics, or business or any other field.
Our overseas diplomats need to be particularly wary of requests for help from visiting politicians, current or former, since it has become so easy for them to pick up lucrative jobs with outside interests, including foreign companies and even foreign government.
They need to ask: “Why are you really here? Who is paying you? Whom are you reporting back to?” They need answers they can trust. If they cannot be certain that the visitor is not representing some private interest they should tell him to fend for himself.
Apart from Lazard, Peter Mandelson has a relationship with Glencore, the giant minerals conglomerate, which has interests in Zimbabwe. It is a client of his shadowy consultancy, Global Counsel, although this was revealed by the media and has never been declared on the House of Lords Register of Interests. Glencore needs and deserves no help from any of our missions.
More importantly, Boris Johnson should end any assumption that our missions should always help Britons to do business in their host countries.
He should set minimum standards of good governance and observance of the rule of law. When he knows that British business or other activity gives benefit to a corrupt or repressive regime – and makes our country more dependent on it – our missions should not encourage it. Apart from Mugabe’s Zimbabwe, I personally would apply these tests to the regimes in Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, China, Russia and quite a few others.
He should end any comforting pretence that better links with repressive regimes help to promote reform and liberalism. The weight of history is against this idea. It failed with Nazi Germany. It failed with apartheid South Africa. It is failing now with present-day China.
Finally, he should end the use of secret emissaries to conduct diplomacy overseas.
They inevitably encourage host governments to imagine that they are more significant channels than our regular diplomats, and that our government has entrusted them with a private agenda. We taxpayers should not be represented in any country by vain, self-important people– or even competent ones– who are beyond the reach of Parliament and face no assessment of their performance or results.
If we have anything to say to a foreign country, it should be delivered only by a Minister or a trained diplomat not a Peter Mandelson.

• Kate Hoey is MP for Vauxhall and chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Zimbabwe

THE June Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) O-Level and A-Level results are out and will be ready for collection today.
The candidature for the A-level examinations has decreased by 19, 37 percent.
Zimsec director Mr Esau Nhandara yesterday said he was proud that the results were released simultaneously, adding that they are being sent to Zimsec regional offices for collection by the examination centre heads.
“We look forward to the usual smooth and expeditious collection of the results. Candidates who sat for these examinations will be able to collect their results from their respective schools and centres starting Thursday 18 August 2016,” said Mr Nhandara.
He said a total number of 65 380 candidates sat for the O-Level examinations for a range of subjects from one to nine per candidate. “The number of candidates decreased from 81 083 this year to 65 380 last year. Of the 65 380 candidates, 130 were candidates with special needs. The total candidature, however decreased by 15 703 which is 19,37 percent from the previous year.
“The number of school candidates was 8 974 and for private candidates it was 56 406,” said Mr Nhandara.
He added that the number of candidates who sat for five or more subjects was 2 391 which is 3,6 percent of the total candidature of 65 380.
“The remainder, 62 989 (96,3) percent sat for four or fewer subjects.

“The private candidates who sat for five subjects or more were 1 723 and of these 168 passed with Grade C or better, giving a percentage pass rate of 9,75 percent,” said Mr Nhandara.
For the A-Level results, Mr Nhandara said a total number of 4 007 candidates sat for the examinations compared to 4 086 in June last year, a decrease of 1,9 percent.
“The total number of candidates who sat for two or more subjects was 1 844 which is 46 percent of the total candidature of 4 007. The percentage pass rate for school candidates who wrote two or more subjects is 84,13 percent and 60,8 percent for private candidates”.
Mr Nhandara commended the examiners and all Zimsec staff who worked tirelessly throughout the setting, marking and results processing up to the analysis of the results.
The June examinations are meant to provide an opportunity to candidates who need to make good on their previous efforts and complete a full certificate with five subjects at Grade C or better.
A few good candidates who feel confident enough to take some of their subjects before the October and November session also register for the June examinations.

RTUZ 200KM UPDATE- DAY 3
17 August 2016 :22 00 hrs
ZARANYIKA (60KM COVERED) – After the barbaric and desparate attempts by state security agents in Uzumba to scuttle the RTUZ advocacy walk for the betterment of rural education, the Union is finally out of the violent and fear infested area of U.M.P.
Today (17 August 2016) at 2100hrs RTUZ leadership reached Zaranyika Primary School in Murewa to signal the start of the March on Murewa District Education Offices where a petition will be handed on Friday, 19 August 2016 .
What is apparent in the challenges and security risks of the last 3 days which confronted the union, speak to the deplorable state of infrastructure in the rural areas.
Most schools that the RTUZ leadership visited hardly had a library and let alone a science laboratory.This state of affairs exposes the Government’s much hyped STEM program to be a fallacy and further proves that rural schools are not ready for the total implementation of the new curriculum.
It therefore follows that rural schools will not benefit a cent from the so called STEM monies and more precariously mean that rural schools will be left far behind on the implementation of the new curriculum which will result in the further disenfranchisement of rural pupils and teachers.
The so called 20 million gorvenment schools infrastructure bond proposed in the 2016 budget statement has been proved once again part of the many lies and chicenary which the Gorvenment is deliberately playing to confuse and mislead the ordinary masses and other stakeholders.
Even the general public infrastructure which is meant to improve the quality of life of rural areas is in a deplorable state.The internet and general network for mobile phones is either super slow or completely inaccessable in most areas.
This means the life of being a rural teacher is a life of being left out of the broader information world.
It is therefore against this background that the RTUZ leadership marched through the dry forest plains of Uzumba under one of the demands of the Union’s petition which is for Infrastructural development in rural schools and communities.
Released by;
RTUZ Information Dept

Terrence Mawawa, Mberengwa| A local man brutally killed his stepfather last week for failing to provide him with a piece of land to build a house.
In a shocking incident of gruesome murder, Mkhokheli Moyo (36) of Machova Village in Mberengwa hit his stepfather Masvora Hamadziripi Zhou (71) several times with a shovel for failing to allocate him land to build a house. According to a police report, Moyo had just returned from South Africa where he had gone to seek greener pastures. He demanded a piece of land from his stepfather. When his stepfather said the land he had demanded was not available, Moyo lost his temper, picked a shovel and hit his stepfather several times on the forehead.
“Moyo had just returned from South Africa when he demanded land from his stepfather.However his stepfather indicated the land was unavailable.He then attacked his stepfather with a shovel.His stepfather sustained severe injuries after the brutal attack. He died on the way to Mnene Hospital. Moyo has since been arrested,” read the police report. Shocked neighbours told ZimEye.com the incident has shaken the entire community. “It is unbelievable nobody expected such a thing to happen. Moyo shocked all and sundry when he brutally killed his stepfather,” said a devastated neighbour.

Redley Mugabe| ALPHA Media Holdings (AMH) boss, Trevor Ncube says he fears for his life following mysterious visits to his Harare home by suspected members of the military intelligence over the past two weekends.  

Writing on his facebook page Ncube said, “Thank you for your love, support and prayers. Some of you have suggested l beef up my security in Harare. Good advice but is it possible for civilians to protect themselves from the state or from rogue state elements? I doubt it,” adding that God is his protector.
AMH are publishers of NewsDay, Zimbabwe Independent and The Standard.
“We have a duty to speak out against this intimidation and harassment. Could this be the same people that disappeared Itai Dzamara? Nobody knows,” Ncube wrote.
He added the matter has been reported to Highlands Police Station.
“Preliminary indications are that a car registration number, BCB7664, belongs to military intelligence. The military uniform and the beret hats are similar to the Presidential Guard outfit. Strange!,” Ncube said.
“Military intelligence and/or Presidential Guard visiting a civilian residence. Why? We have been warned by those familiar with both the Presidential Guard and military intelligence that this is not a good visit at all.”
Ncube’s sister, Trinity, confirmed the visits and the subsequent police report.
“We are not sure about the identity of the persons who came as they refused to identify themselves. They were asking questions about the ownership of the property. I am just coming from the police to follow up on our report now,” Trinity said yesterday.

Staff Reporter| The Zimbabwe Republic Police has transferred ALL officers from the Beitbridge Police Station for allegedly failing to handle the civil unrest that took place at the border town in July.
According to senior police officers at the town, all officers were served with transfer letters today that are effective immediately and new officers from various stations around the country will resume duty at the station also immediately.
The officers are accused of having been lenient on the demonstrators to an extent that they are alleged to have conspired with the demonstrators.
Included in the transfer list is the Officer Commanding of the district who failed to effectively address the rioters before they went wayward.

ALSO WATCH LATEST VIDEO BELOW:

Teachers on a protest march from Mutawatawa to Harare this afternoon arrive at Mayema. The teachers are on a 200km march in protest at several breaches by their employer which they demand an immediate addressing. They say Robert Mugabe must resign if he fails to satiate the demands. CONTINUE READING – CLICK HERE

The Archbishop also criticised self-ordained pastors like Pastor Evan Mawarire for leading people astray.
Addressing a gathering at the ordination of 38 apostolic bishops in Bulawayo on Sunday, Archbishop Ndanga did not have kind words for Mr Acie Lumumba who recently insulted President Mugabe, saying the youthful politician was only trying to make a name and money for himself.
The ACCZ president said Mr Lumumba was just like prophets Magaya and Makandiwa.
He said the two prophets want the continued use of a basket of foreign currencies in the country as they wanted to use it to pay their spiritual fathers in Nigeria and Ghana to maintain their powers.
“People like him (Lumumba) just want to make a name for themselves and money and yet he does not understand where this country came from. And people who do this are like Makandiwa and Magaya but we don’t have a problem with them but what we fail to understand is why they are refusing bond notes.

ALSO READ: WARNING DISTURBING PICTURES : Police Attack Protesters in Harare– click here to read. 

A HARARE man is denying his sister in-in-law access to her child after she allegedly bedded one of her former hubby’s brothers who she claims infected her with a sexually transmitted disease.
This was revealed at the Civil Court yesterday when Shylet Matoneni made an application for access to her child, who is currently in the custody of her brother-in-law Kenneth Nyaguma.
In her application, Matoneni had indicated that after her husband left for the United States in 2010, her in-laws chased her from her matrimonial home.
“They forced me to sign off my child to them yet they never paid my bride price nor met any of my relatives,” Matoneni said. She also told the court that from the time her husband left, one of his brothers, who was not identified in court, started proposing love to her.
“I used to resist his advances, but one night he came and managed to manipulate me into having sex with him and infected me with an STI,’’ she said. Nyaguma opposed the application saying Matoneni was an unfit mother who was not even welcome at their home.
He alleged Matoneni had turned into a prostitute after her husband left the country, adding for the few days that she had lived with the child she exposed him to different types of men.
Nyaguma said Matoneni had initially dumped the baby claiming she had nowhere to stay.
Presiding magistrate Gamuchirai Siwardi will pass her judgment today.
Meanwhile, a Harare couple has gone for four months without sex amid allegations that the husband brags about his girlfriend’s privates, the Civil Court has heard.
This came to light yesterday when Yevai Zvichauya applied for her child’s custody against her husband Amon Hukasha.
Zvichauya told the court that her husband had since left their matrimonial home to stay with his girlfriend, taking with him their first child. She told the court that whenever he decides to come and spend the night with her, he verbally abuses her in front of their last-born child.
“He comes at dawn and makes sexual advances and if I refuse he insults me,” Zvichauya said. “He also boasts that he has a girlfriend who has much better privates than mine and enjoys oral sex with her.’’
Zvichauya went on to say Hukasha was irresponsible and did not maintain her and the children.
“Since we got married he has never bought even panties for me,’’ Zvichauya said.
In his response, Hukasha said if the court were to grant Zvichauya custody, he would wish to be awarded reasonable access to his children. He, however, said the major problem in their marriage was that Zvichauya was denying him sex.
“The only issue is that she has been denying me sex for the past four months and sometimes when I ask for it, she says I should go and bed my mother,’’ Hukasha said. Hukasha further denied being irresponsible saying he only faced difficulties in paying rentals recently after his contract was terminated at a local beverage company.
Magistrate Gamuchirai Siwardi will pass her ruling today.-state media

THE president of the Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ), Archbishop Johannes Ndanga, has sensationally claimed the Holy Spirit told them about bond notes.

He castigated prophets Emmanuel Makandiwa and Walter Magaya saying their alleged opposition to the introduction of bond notes in the country was motivated by selfish reasons.
The Archbishop also criticised self-ordained pastors like Pastor Evan Mawarire for leading people astray.
Addressing a gathering at the ordination of 38 apostolic bishops in Bulawayo on Sunday, Archbishop Ndanga did not have kind words for Mr Acie Lumumba who recently insulted President Mugabe, saying the youthful politician was only trying to make a name and money for himself.
The ACCZ president said Mr Lumumba was just like prophets Magaya and Makandiwa.
He said the two prophets want the continued use of a basket of foreign currencies in the country as they wanted to use it to pay their spiritual fathers in Nigeria and Ghana to maintain their powers.
Magaya is leader of Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries (PHD) while Makandiwa is the founder of the United Family International Church (UFIC).
“People like him (Lumumba) just want to make a name for themselves and money and yet he does not understand where this country came from. And people who do this are like Makandiwa and Magaya but we don’t have a problem with them but what we fail to understand is why they are refusing bond notes.

By Terrence Mawawa, Chivi| Today marks 10 months, 10 days since First Lady Grace Mugabe first launched her death rallies last year. The meetings saw several people killed in horrific stampedes as Mrs Mugabe dished out goods stolen by ZIMRA from poor citizens at the Beitbridge border post.
Scores of people were injured at Shindi High School as they scambled for First Lady Grace Mugabe’s donations.
Mrs Mugabe’s pickings, distributed in the name of philanthropy, left several people dead during her ‘death’ rallies. (SEE FULL SATELLITE MAP). Critics argue the First Lady has been raiding the Zimra (border confiscated goods) warehouses to dish out to people. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW…

At Shindi High School, villagers were nearly crushed to death as they scramble for maize meal, shoes and grocery items distributed by Chivi Rural District Council Chairman Killer Zivhu, who showered praises on Mrs Mugabe. Zivhu described the First Lady as a woman who had a kind and warm heart for the starving masses.
“We wish to thank our kind -hearted First Lady for giving each household here mealie meal and no one has been left out of the food distribution process.Therefore we should support those who care for us and let us all vote for Zanu PF in 2018,”said Zivhu.
This came at a time when there are reports her party Zanu PF is intercepting food relief bags from various donor agencies in a way to silence perceived opposing voices.
Political analysts believe Mrs Mugabe is using food aid to penetrate the volatile province of Masvingo. The First Lady is working with President Robert Mugabe’s nephew Patrick Zhuwao, Higher Education Minister Jonathan Moyo and National Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere to advance the G40 faction’s cause in the explosive province.

 
South Africa has given Zimbabwe three weeks to roll back the import ban from that country ahead of a meeting of regional ministers later this month. This follows a meeting between Zimbabwe’s minister of Industry and Trade, Mike Bimha and his South African counterpart, Rob Davies in Pretoria last Thursday. The list of goods includes furniture, baked beans, potato crisps, cereals, bottled water, mayonnaise, salad cream, peanut butter, jams, maheu, canned fruits and vegetables, pizza base, yoghurts, flavoured milks, dairy juice blends, ice-creams, cultured milk and cheese.

• South Africa is Zimbabwe’s largest trade partner, accounting for about 70 percent of imported goods in the southern African country and over 60 percent of its total trade. The two countries have to resolve the impasse before a meeting of SADC trade ministers in Botswana on August 24 as failure between the two nations reaching a consensus may result in political unrest hence leading to poor relations between the two countries.

Violet Gonda |For years Zimbabwe’s former freedom fighters brought misery to the citizens, and were among the largest recipients of ZANU PF patronage. In a major twist, the war veterans’ association recently issued a statement denouncing President Robert Mugabe accusing him of having dictatorial tendencies and of destroying the country. The ZANU PF leadership retaliated ordering the arrest and suspension of several senior war veterans from the party. The latest stance by the war veterans has baffled many. Why has it taken the former freedom fighters so long to stand with the people? Have they really come to their senses or is the reason they are now ‘fighting’ the system the succession issue in ZANU PF rather than the national interest? Do they appreciate what Zimbabweans have been going through and will they apologise for the role they played in destroying the country? Journalist Violet Gonda brings you an in-depth interview with a leader of the  war veterans Douglas Mahiya, who was arrested last month following criticism of Mugabe.
Violet Gonda: Hello and welcome to the program Hot Seat, my name is Violet Gonda. In our 2^nd  episode of this new series we talk to Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association spokesman Douglas Mahiya, who was arrested last week following the release of a damning communiqué which described President Robert Mugabe as a genocidal dictator and urged the 92 year old leader to leave office.
Thanks for joining us Mr. Mahiya. Now the war vets  association has been a major voting block for the ruling party but now you are being accused of undermining the authority of president Mugabe.. what can you say about this?
Douglas Mahiya: Violet you need to understand that the prefix-Cde – has been abused in this country by some people who have their own political ambitions. So some of the things that have been registered in the minds of the people and covered in the papers – that are not progressive were not committed by war veterans but by people who we see today protecting those interests that are negative to society. For example, the issue of corruption, the issues of bad governance. We have realized it is not proper for these people to call themselves comrades because they commit crimes against people in the name of comrades. So it’s not the real war veterans who did all those things that are registered by the people.
Gonda: So if that was the case why has it taken the  war veterans association  all this time to come out and stand with the people? Especially during the 2008 violence
Mahiya: Yes, I am happy that you mentioned the 2008 violence and this violence is attributed to the people who wanted to be called war veterans. They did a lot of atrocities in our name but they were not the real fighters. Yes it is true that we have taken so long (to speak out) but you have to understand Violet that ours was a revolution. It was a turning-about of a circle, to turn things around for the benefit of the people and what we did not have was  the political power, which we then got in 1980. And we needed to do these things gradually and couldn’t make changes one time. So it has taken a lot of time and we expected the people with power to deliver. But to date we discover that not much has been done.
Gonda: But Mr. Mahiya this sound hard to believe especially as the people behind these atrocities were said to be war veterans – such as the violence seen in the commercial farms and during election time, and also which people are you really talking about when you say they were not real war veterans?
Mahiya:  Ahh, let me take you back to the liberations struggle. There were people known as vana Mujiba and Chimbwidos. Those people behind the backs of the war veterans could do certain things that were contrary to the operations and regulations of the liberation struggle but still they called themselves war veterans. Let me also take you to the contemporary issue, so that you understand. The corrupt leadership in the government. The ZANU PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere has got a 50-roomed house and he calls himself a Comrade. If someone does not know Kasukuwere he will think those things are being done by war veterans. So people must understand this. Secondly, I don’t think it is important to dwell on the past – it is important to dwell on the future so that at the end of the day people will be able to achieve what they had long wanted to achieve.
GONDA: I think some people will disagree with you. It is important to talk about the past because we learn from this and not  be repeated in the future. There are also calls from many, like exiled judge of the High Court Justice Benjamin Paradza, who say you need to ‘publicly and sincerely apologise for the shameful roles your group  played in bringing misery to Zimbabweans over the years.’ What’s your response to this?
Mahiya: Well if people are more concerned about an apology than a progressive position that will save our people then that is quite different. As long as I am convinced that these things were done by people who were not war vets, or who went about calling themselves war veterans – such an apology will be done simply to be together with the masses. Because we know the majority of the masses and the international community in general are more important to us than the current leadership in the country.
Gonda: Would you say Mugabe or Emmerson Mnangagwa and Joyce Mujuru who have been part of this system are not war veterans?
Mahiya: Well Violet if you are talking about what those people did then those people are high profile members of the party and whatever they did against the people it is not …  or rather the war veterans is not answerable because they are not members of the association at all. Not all war veterans are members of the War Veterans Association. Those have been working and using the government and party apparatus, which we are not responsible of.
Gonda: There is a view that the reason you are now fighting the system is not because there is a governance problem but the fight is over succession… that the war vets’ common agenda about “Mugabe must go” is borne out of selfish interests and not out of national interests.
Mahiya: People must here it from the horse’s mouth. Let me give you this background. I am a son of a mother . I am a son of a peasant farmer. That is where I came from and since I went and came back nothing has changed in terms of their social, economic and political situation.
We are sons and daughters of society. Of the ordinary man that waged a struggle against the Smith regime and managed to grab political power which we thought was going to be used progressively for the benefit of that society and that did not happen. So the people who committed anything against society for the period you were talking about and the high profile people you were talking about – of course they are called comrades and they call themselves comrades but those people were not members of the association. They are members of the government.
Gonda: But Mr. Mahiya that is not what I am asking. How can you convince the masses who feel you are not there because you feel Zimbabweans are suffering but because of the succession issues in the ruling party?
Mahiya: People have to understand it when I say there is no better expression that I can give rather than explain exactly how we feel about it, exactly how we have analysed the situation, and identify the areas that are not proper for good governance. We cannot invent new expressions or words to be able to express.
Gonda: There is a general sentiment that you are aggrieved because the ZANU PF youths were given stands … that your sudden anti-Mugabe reaction is a response to the fact that you felt you were being sidelined in favour of the youths and the women?
Mahiya: War veterans are self reliant. We are against that idea. We are not worried about those residential stands because it’s not the end of the world. We are not worried about that but what we are worried about in that exercise – if ever the government wanted to do,  it was to make sure that land was made available and given to the local authorities for distribution through a legal waiting-list with the local government. But the government has decided to do it another way which we think is not progressive and is an example of bad governance. We are not worried about those stands and we do not need them.
Gonda: How true is that statement really, that you are self reliant.  When your critics say you are the largest recipients of ZANU PF patronage … that you have been given preferential treatment over the years – such as access to land and disability allowances.
Mahiya: For your own information when the land issue was done, it is true that the war veterans got land but that land as we speak is being withdrawn from the war veterans. So you must understand that the land imbalance that was there a long time ago was in the process of being addressed and in that process the masses and the war veterans were the target group. War vets also needed to make use of the land and  that was the reason that we took up arms to fight the oppressors.
Gonda: When you say the land is being taken away from your members, are you saying you have not benefitted from the land reform program?
Mahiya: I wish you had enough resources, my dear to come to Zimbabwe and make an assessment of what is happening. You would discover that not many war veterans benefitted as we anticipated.
Gonda: Can you give us figures. How many of you are there and how many were given land?
Mahiya: Of course I cannot give you the numbers right now but you can believe it from that statement  – that is the real position on the ground.
Gonda: In hindsight would it not have been better to advocate for a more conscious effort, such as fighting for a veterans hospital or veterans pension fund
Mahiya: ummmm the hospital issue and other benefits are issues that are enshrined in the war veterans’ Act or war veterans provisions. So that one is being implemented by government. However, this does not necessary mean that the hospitals will only be for war veterans alone but will benefit the society.
Gonda: Why is the government taking the land from the war veterans right now?
Mahiya: It’s because of the brand new character in ZANU PF – the Generation 40(G40), which is a new bad in that party. They don’t want to see the war veterans. They are the people spearheading this.
Gonda: There is a question that keeps coming up on the issue of sustenance… that is the issue of fees for war vets’ children still going to school…I understand the cash strapped government has to find at least $6million dollars a term to pay towards fees for war vets children… do u have figures of school kids that still need to be sustained?
Mahiya: You have to also understand that the war veterans as an association is a very poor organization and does not have the apparatus to capture information for information precision. But the children of war veterans that are school going today are the ones benefiting from the little amounts from the cash strapped government and this has only been done this year. All the other things have not been paid. It is supposed to be every term but there is no money for that and there is no money for treatment or for the burials. Nothing has been happening for a very long time now.

Zambian police have arrested 133 people protesting against the re-election of President Edgar Lungu after his main opponent Hakainde Hichilema said the vote was rigged, a senior police officer said.
Lungu, leader of the Patriotic Front (PF), won 50.35 percent of the vote, against 47.67 percent for Hichilema, of the United Party for National Development (UPND), according to the Electoral Commission of Zambia.
The opposition party quickly rejected that result, saying that the electoral commission had colluded to rig the result in favour of Lungu.
“They targeted perceived supporters of the ruling party, destroying their property,”  Godwin Phiri, a Southern province police chief, told the Reuters news agency on Tuesday, referring to those arrested.
“It is like this was well planned and they were just waiting for the winner to be declared. Calm has now returned following the arrests.”
Hichilema’s United Party for National Development (UPND) said it will appeal the result at the Constitutional Court, accusing election officials of fraud during the count which began after voting ended last Thursday.
“The PF has effected a coup on Zambia’s democratic process,” Hichilema said in a statement late on Monday.
“We submitted evidence before the declaration of the results regarding the gross irregularities that have taken place. That is why we will not accept the result.”

Terrence Mawawa Masvingo As the factional infighting in Zanu PF gets worse, suspended members have vowed to forge ahead with preparations for the Bikita West Constituency primary election.
The race for the party’s primaries has turned ugly with Elias Musakwa, Everson Machaya, Wellington Mutisi and Tichaona Mandebvu, all members of the Team Lacoste camp said to be backing Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, falling by the wayside.
Zanu PF National Commissar Savior Kasukuwere and First Lady Grace Mugabe and appointed provincial chairperson Amasa Nhenjana are determined to block suspected Mnangagwa sympathisers from participating in the primary election. ZimEye.com can reveal the suspended members are busy campaigning ahead of the primary election. One of the suspended members, Mutisi was spotted driving a vehicle with campaign posters pasted on it. Asked about the said suspension Mutisi indicated he was unfazed by the decision. “I cannot say much at the moment but as you can see, I am busy campaigning for the primaries,” he said.
A party insider also said:”It is going to be a real battle because the members were suspended in an unfair manner. We will see what Kasukuwere and his sympathisers will do.The decision to suspend the aspiring candidates was sanctioned by individuals. It was Nhenjana and Kasukuwere who rejected the four’s papers,” said a senior provincial member. The city fell vacant after former MP Munyaradzi Kereke was sentenced to 14 years in prison for rape.
 

Bulawayo – A man allegedly raped his friend’s sister on a day he had taken her on their first date.
It is reported that Zenzo Nondo (25) from Nketa, asked permission from his friend to take her young sister who is 17, to town. However, It is alleged the girl was not keen to go but her sister insisted, that she should go so as to bring her some fruits.
Nondo appeared in court before Western Commonage Migistrate Ms Nyaradzo Ringisayi and  was not asked to plead to a charge of rape. He was remanded in custody to August 26.
Prosecuting, Mr Mufaro Mageza said Nondo first went to town with the girl and at around 2PM, he took her to his house in Nketa 8 suburb.
“Accused told complainant he wanted to show her where he lives so that she would visit him some time. When they got to his house, accused proposed love to complainant but she refused. He started fondling complainant’s breasts. He lifted her from a couch where they were sitting and lay her on his bed. He wore a condom and raped her once,” said Mr Mageza.
The complainant reported the matter to one of her sisters five days later leading to Nondo’s arrest.
In a statement, the teenager said Nondo first proposed love to her when they were having lunch in town.
“He took me to a restaurant where he bought rice for me and sadza for himself. He told me that he loved me but I turned down his offer. We then went to a china shop where he bought me pumps, secret socks and panties,” reads her statement.
She said when they got to Nondo’s house, he raped her.
“I tried to push him away when he started fondling my breasts but he lifted me from the couch and laid me on his bed. I did not scream when he raped me although I was trying to push him away from me. He then took me home to Tshabalala and left me by my gate. I told my older sister about the ordeal five days later.”

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has reinstated eight of the 19 investigation officers it recently suspended for alleged corruption, insubordination and divulging the organisation’s secrets.
The remaining 11 officers, who all face similar charges, are still under investigation.
The eight, who were suspended for three months, were reinstated after serving only six days of their suspension, raising suspicions that senior managers at the anti-graft body could be vicitimising the workers.
ZACC employees argue that the victimisation emanates from their pursuit of a labour case in which they won an arbitral award of $1,5 million for outstanding allowances and benefits.
They also accuse some managers, led by acting secretary Mr Silas Pondo, of attempting to block the investigation of some high profile cases.
Some of the senior executives at the commission are alleged to be involved in the high profile cases. ZACC chairperson Dr Job Whabira confirmed the reinstatement of the eight officers in letters dated August 5.
“Following your suspension from duty on the 28th of July and subsequent investigations carried out by the Commission, it has been established that you have no case to answer with regard to the allegations,” reads the letter.
“Please be advised that you are required to resume duty with immediate effect.
“You have to notify the human resources office on your resumption of duty.”
ZACC spokesperson Ms Phyllis Chikundura yesterday said those reinstated were Matthew Sithole, Charles Sepe, Esnath Katsamba, Rufaro Kunyenda, Soneni Chavizha, Berstern Matope, Masimba Victor and Forbes Mupotsa.
“The others from the list of those suspended are still under investigation,” she said.
All the suspended workers are on salary.
“Sources yesterday raised queries at the pace and manner in which the suspensions and reinstatements were being handled.
“In the July 28 letter the Commission sent to the workers, the relationship between the two parties was branded as untenable and one wonders how this unsound relationship had changed overnight, inside six days when these reinstatement letters were written,” said the source.
“This is clear evidence that the allegations are unfounded and they simply want to intimidate the workers to withdraw their court case and someone is blocking something here.
“Remember those who indicated that they were not pursuing the court case were spared from suspension.
“The eight have been reinstated without any investigation or hearing as required by the law and one wonders what the reasons for their suspension were in the first place.”
The source said it was surprising that the anti-graft body managers wanted to revive charges which some workers were cleared of by the previous commission years back.
The July 28 suspensions came two days after the affected employees signed letters confirming to management that they were pursuing the $1,5 million arbitral award they won at the Labour Court in 2014.
ZACC acting secretary Mr Pondo in a letter to the workers dated July 26, 2016 demanded that they indicate whether or not they would pursue the labour case.
“It is deemed necessary that you indicate whether you indeed instructed the lawyers to write responding to the memo which was directed to yourself seeking to know your position regarding the matter,” read the letter.
“You are therefore, still required to show your position on the items provided below and then sign on the space provided.”
Six investigating officers who indicated that they were not pursuing the matter were spared while the 19 got suspended.
The suspended investigating officers’ lawyers, Joel Mambara and Partners had written to Mr Pondo telling him that the labour case could not be withdrawn.
Said the lawyers: “We advise that our clients are still pursuing this matter. In fact we are awaiting a hearing date for the quantification application given that our efforts to engage you have been fruitless.
“We also note with concern that you have ejected our clients from their offices and withdrawn the vehicles they were using. Be rest assured that no threats or intimidation of any sort will deter our clients from pursuing what is lawfully theirs.”
Some managers are also alleged to be always demanding documents of high profile cases the investigating officers would be working on.- state media

A woman from Nkayi allegedly tried to kill seven members of the same family by poisoning their 200- litre water drum. The family later suffered severe diarrhoea after drinking the water that was poisoned by the woman’s 12-year-old nephew who she had sent to perform the dirty job.
Silibaziso Ncube (39) is facing seven counts of attempted murder and is set to appear at the regional court in Bulawayo for trial.
Prosecutors allege that Ncube hatched a plan to kill her neighbours and took umligazigani (an indigenous tree) seeds which she gave to her nephew.
Reasons why she attempted to kill her neighbours were not stated in court papers.

“On November 13 last year, Ncube gave her nephew two seeds and some powder wrapped in a plastic paper. She told him to put the seeds and powder in the 200-litre drum used to keep drinking water for their neighbours which was at Jilly Mahlangu’s homestead,” reads the State outline.
“The boy kept the poison until the next day as instructed by his aunt. On the following day around 2PM, the boy proceeded to Mahlangu’s homestead and gained entry through an open space at the corner of the yard.”
It is alleged that the boy put the poison in the 200-litre drum full of water which was outside the kitchen hut.
“Two of the family members saw the shoe print which they traced and were led to the boy’s home. After inquiring, they were told the shoe belonged to Ncube’s nephew,” said the State outline.
Prosecutors allege that the boy was called to Mahlangu’s homestead and confessed that he had entered the homestead.
Investigations led to Ncube’s arrest.— @thamamoe. – state media

Project developer Mr Jimayi Muduvuri said plans were afoot to invite the First Lady to commission the 10 units, which would be handed over to her on the day.
“According to our work plan, the houses should be completed before end of September and we want them to be commissioned by the First Lady before we hand them over to her. They will be hers to do whatever she deems fit,” he said.
The First Lady has been given 20 stands from the project and partners came on board to complement the developer in building the 10 model houses.
The core houses will include a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and a toilet.
The scheme will offer flexible payment terms of up to three years with people paying as little as $80 per month after meeting the cost of the land which has been pegged at around $5 000.
Labour and material costs will drive the total cost to around $9 000.
Mr Muduvuri said the project received overwhelming response from civil servants.
“People will walk into a completed house if they agree to have us do it for them so that the money they were using to pay rentals goes towards finishing their house,” he said.
Speaking at the commissioning of earthmoving equipment and ground breaking ceremony of the housing scheme recently, the First Lady said the success of the Government’s economic blueprint, Zim-Asset, lay solely in the hands of Zimbabweans.
She said it was through good infrastructure that the country would attract investors.- state media

State Media-Schools have been ordered to cancel entrance tests for 2017 Form One pupils and wait for Grade Seven public examination results to enrol.