The Masvingo school which recently had one of its dormitories burnt down, Mukaro High School in Gutu, has been closed.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Masvingo has closed Mukaro with immediate effect in protest against the continued presence of two teachers accused of having masterminded pupils’ protests in 2012.
The girls only boarding school has an enrolment of more than 700 pupils. Pupils were yesterday caught unaware by the action and were ferried home by buses, some from Catholic schools in Masvingo.
In a statement, the Education Secretary of the Catholic Diocese of Masvingo, Father Raphael Zindova, said the school has encountered challenges since 2012 and the situation remains tense due to the two “stubborn teachers.”
Zindova did not name the two teachers, but four years ago Martin Matenhere and Musana Chirikure were suspended for allegedly inciting pupils to strike but they appealed to the High Court and won their case.
The High Court ordered the school to lift the suspensions and interdicted the institution from transfering them.
The teachers have been reporting for duty but the relationship between them and their employer is said to have irretrievably broken down.
“Mukaro High School has encountered challenges since 2012. The situation has continued to be untenable, tense and disruptive due to the two stubborn teachers at the school. The responsible authority has been co-acted to close the school with immediate effect. Any query should be directed to Mr Zedius Chitiga, the Provincial Education Director of Masvingo Province,” reads the statement.
Chitiga was said to be out of office and his mobile phone rang unanswered yesterday.
His deputy Andrew Chikwange said they were still trying to ascertain the reasons for the school’s closure.
“Mukaro High School has been closed but we’re yet to establish the goings-on at the school. We’re currently seized with the matter. I hope we’ll have a position when my boss, Chitiga is in the office,” said Chikwange.
Sources said church authorities led by the Vicar General, Father Walter Nyatsanza, went to the institution yesterday morning and announced that the school was closing.
They allegedly cited the continued presence of Matenhere and Chirikure as the reason for the closure.
Parents with children at Mukaro High who spoke on condition of anonymity yesterday expressed outrage at the decision to close the boarding school over the stand-off with two teachers.
The parents said it was shocking that their children were ordered to return home from school yet they had paid full fees.
They said the fight by the school authorities was not supposed to infringe on their childrens learning activities.
Problems at Mukaro have been brewing up since July 2012 when over 700 girls staged a protest and walked on foot to Mpandawana Growth point to meet ministry of Education authorities over a plethora of grievances.
The students were unhappy with the quality of food served at the school that was also chronically beset by water problems as three boreholes that supplied the institution were overwhelmed. – state media

ZANU PF leader, Robert Mugabe has issued an order granting thousands of prisoners release on Presidential Amnesty.
The Government Gazette of 23 May 2016 says that President Mugabe has ordered the country’s prisons to release up to 5700 prisoners on his clemency.
However, prisoners serving time for violent crimes such as murder, armed robbery, rape and others alike will not be eligible.
The country’s major prisons started releasing the prisoners on Tuesday. Though official figures of how many each prison is releasing were not available, ZimEye.com is reliably informed that a great number of female prisoners in the country are part of the amnesty.
The country’s prisons are currently holding about 160% prisoners to it’s capacity and battling to sustain the huge population. Starvation, sicknesses and death is the order in almost all of the country’s prisons due to over population and lack of resources.
Until this week, the Justice ministry had for some time been calling on the system to consider merely penalising offenders with non-custodial sentences as the prisons are failing to cope.

By Morgan Tsvangirai| Fellow Zimbabweans, I write to express my heartfelt thanks to you all for the overwhelming support you continue to give me in my temporary period of indisposition.
The personal messages and the support you are giving me and my family is humbling. I want to thank you all for that awesome support to the party and the family, including my loving wife who is by my side as I return to full recovery.
I am equally aware, however, of the morbid wishes of some of my fellow countrymen. But I want to assure them that Morgan Tsvangirai will soon be back to be the usual pain to those at the helm of mis-governance; those who oppress the people and who are turning a blind eye to all this sickening poverty around us. I remain fully aware of and concerned with what we are all going through collectively as a people and as a country.
I am told that they have closed the country down today. All the suffering and struggling vendors have been asked to close shop and join a march to prop up the ego of Robert Mugabe. It is lost on them that it is the country–and not the people–that must be on a brave march to stability and progress.
To friends and foe alike, I want to assure you that I am recovering. I assure you that I must not be the cause of any national uncertainty. The irony is that yes, I may be indisposed, but I am more worried about my country and its economy that seem to be in a far much worse state than my personal state of health. It is the country that we all love that needs urgent healing. It is our country that must be the biggest worry for all of us, not only for our personal sake but for the sake of the legacy we must leave behind for future generations.
Rest assured, I am on the path to full recovery and I will be joining you soon to continue with the struggle for freedom, peace, democracy and national prosperity.
I wish you all a happy Africa Day.

Terrence Mawawa, Bikita| The Zion Apostolic Church(ZAC), Arch-bishop, Felix Peresu Masuka’s car was pelted with stones by a group of youths sent by his younger brother following fierce clashes over congregants.
Masuka was ambushed by his younger, Jacob Masuka and a group of youths while driving home from Chikuku Business Centre, after conducting a church service, church sources told ZimEye.com.
Jacob is accusing his elder brother of snatching his followers.
Jacob and a group of youths blocked Masuka with the former’s wife lying in the middle of the road. “When the archbishop stopped his vehicle, a group of youths planted in the nearby bushes began to pelt the car with stones. The windscreen was badly damaged in the process. The archbishop and his team managed to flee from the scene. The archibishop later mobilised youths who assaulted Jacob at his homestead. Jacob has since vanished and we do not know where he is up to now,” said a church congregant who declined to be named.
However the elder Masuka has vehemently denied the issue.
“As far as I am concerned everything is well in my church so I do not know what you are talking about. I am actually on my way to South Africa ,” he said.
On the contrary, Enos Muroorwa Masuka, a relative of the two brothers told ZimEye: “We are making efforts to unite the two. We even went to Chief Budzi seeking guidance in the same matter.”

President Robert Mugabe has been blotched by ZANU PF youths.
Party youths preparing for the so called 1 million man march today printed a poster with Mugabe’s name mispelt.
Mugabe’s name was printed as “Mubage.”

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo | As the Masvingo City Council battles to supply clean water to an estimated 100 000 residents, the local authority has purchased an expensive vehicle for the mayor, much to the disappointment of ratepayers and residents.
Masvingo City Council town clerk, Adolf Gusha, last week confirmed in an interview with the state owned ZBC tv on Saturday, the local authority did not have the capacity to supply the required mega litres of water per day.
Ironically the council has purchased a luxurious Isuzu KB 300 worth $54 000 for Mayor Hubert Fidze, at a time the residents of the anciety city are drinking poorly treated water.
Fidze confirmed the development adding he had already received the vehicle. “It is true that the council bought a vehicle for me and I am already using it for official council business,” he told ZimEye.
Angry residents described the move as reckless and inconsiderate.
Outspoken Masvingo Residents’ Trust leader, Prosper Tiringindi, said although it was noble to purchase cars for council officials, the buying of the posh vehicle was ill-timed.
As a result of prolonged water cuts, local industries have been forced to scale down operations thereby triggering further job losses.
The council is also owed millions of dollars by parastatals and government departments.
The city council also lost property after losing a series of labour disputes invoving former employees.

A MAN from Pelandaba suburb in Bulawayo allegedly committed suicide after striking his wife with the back of an axe on the forehead, hours after the couple had visited a police station for counselling on their marital problems.
Emmanuel Mapetero, 40, and his wife Tsitsi Kwindingwi allegedly sought counselling services at West Commonage Police Station before going home where they fought again on Saturday.
Mapetero was allegedly accusing his wife of infidelity and after attacking her, she escaped and headed to the police station.
When she returned home with some cops, her husband had already taken his life.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango said it was sad that a life was lost after the couple had sought counselling.
“We’re investigating a sudden death by hanging. The deceased was having challenges with his wife and had earlier sought counselling services from the police,” said Insp Simango.
She urged members of the public not to resort to violence as this does not solve their problems.
Insp Simango said people should seek assistance from elders in their communities, church leaders, and the police among other people who can assist them to solve disputes.
A source said the incident occurred when Mapetero accused his wife of cheating resulting in the couple seeking counselling from the police.
But hours after returning from the police station, a fight erupted again resulting in Mapetero hanging himself.
“They were having marital problems. Mapetero was accusing his wife of infidelity. On Saturday they went to West Commonage Police station where they were counselled. But it seems they failed to understand each other so when they returned to their home they fought again,” said the source.
The source said Mapetero struck his wife with the back of an axe on the forehead but she managed to escape to safety.
“Kwindingwi escaped and went back to the police station where she reported the attack. She went back home in the company of two police officers and found her husband dead,” the source said.
“He had locked the gate and doors of the house. Police officers had to break the door of one of the rooms to gain entry. They found him hanging from the roof trusses in a corridor.” state media

A FORM Four pupil at Njube High School in Bulawayo has been arraigned for allegedly raping three primary school girls.
The 16-year-old boy, whose name cannot be disclosed for legal reasons, allegedly raped the minors aged 8, 10 and 11 years on three different occasions.
The court heard that the three girls, who are not related, all live in Njube suburb. The boy yesterday appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Themba Chimiso facing three counts of rape. He was not asked to plead and remanded out of custody to June 6. The juvenile will be in the custody of his guardian until the matter is finalised, prosecutors said.
Prosecuting, Mufaro Mageza said the boy allegedly raped two of the girls this year and the other one last year. Mageza said in the first incident, the juvenile allegedly asked his 10-year-old victim to accompany him to the shops to buy electricity before he took advantage of her in January this year.
“On January 28, 2016 at around 2PM, the complainant was at her place of residence when the accused person arrived and asked her to accompany him to the grocery shops. The complainant agreed and while the two were walking, the accused person diverted to a certain house where he unlocked the door and got inside with the complainant,” said Mageza. “The accused locked the door and led the girl inside a bedroom where he forced her to lie down before he had sexual intercourse with her.”
He said the boy also lured an eight-year-old girl using mangoes earlier this year. “During the month of January 2016 at around 2PM, the complainant was playing with her friend when the accused person arrived at her place of residence. The accused person asked her to accompany him to run an errand at a house after promising to give her some mangoes and she complied,” said Mageza. “The accused led the girl to a house where they got inside and he locked the door. He then forcibly grabbed the girl and had sexual intercourse with the minor without her consent.”
He said in 2015, an 11-year-old girl was playing with her friends at her house when the juvenile joined them.
“The accused person lured the complainant into a room that is under construction and made her to lie down on the floor. He forcibly removed her clothes and lay on top of her where he had sexual intercourse with her” said Mageza. Chronicle

Residents in the Harare South on Monday afternoon complained of what they described as a loud “explosion blast.”
ZimEye.com was late Monday afternoon inundated with message calls inquiring what could be taking place in the city.
“The explosion shook houses here at this place where I am in Stoneridge. There is a lot of dust all over,” wrote one resident. They posted the below pictures showing rising dust.

They continued commenting, “the pictures I have posted here are from Stoneridge West of waterfalls East of Southly (sic) Park. Dust has engulfed the whole area can’t drive safely.”

Another facebooker, Tatenda Chikanga confirmed the blast saying they ended up assuming it was from stone crushers who use explosives. “My aunt vatoti wats that sound & i was like vanhu vanoputitsa matombo. Aikaka ndozviri kutoitika nhai?,” she said.
Others from the area continued complaining of the same issues.
ZimEye.com was at the time of writing reaching out to the police, fire service and legislators to obtain more information on the source of the alleged explosion.
This is a developing story…. more follows here on ZimEye.com.
Have you been affected? Send us your pictures, videos relating your experiences – +447426863301

By Tafadzwa Musarara| I make reference to the last held edition of the PLATFORM of Monday, 16 May 2016

Ms Parirenyatwa later managed to get through and she personally begged me to appear on the program- despite the short notice. Initially I refused but she pleaded with me to attend until I agreed.
30 minutes later, I met her at the station and she thanked me for coming and briefed on the program, gave me the profile of the other guest and requested me to oppose his views, and that needed an experienced live debater who has competency in economic and political matters.
When Evan Mawarire arrived, we all agreed to my presence and participation in the program. I must put on record that this is not the first time that I have appeared in her anchored programs, albeit, at her invitation and at a short notice.
Radio and television personality Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa
Radio and television personality Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa
I am dismayed, disappointed and aggrieved with her comments stating that she did not invite me to attend the show. By insinuation, I gate crashed into the program? Why did she proceed with a program with an uninvited guest?
ZiFM ,as a media institution, is encumbered, at common law, with the responsibility to protect its sources, guests and interviewees.
With respect, I feel that her conduct in this regard stands as indictment on your institution to rein in on your personnel regarding press/public statements relating to the station programs. More importantly to note is that she is lying.
I, therefore, demand, as I hereby do that the station tell its audience the truth.
I remain,
Tafadzwa Musarara.

A Zvimba based Ministry of Information official, Johannes Kachikuli has been arrested for sexually assaulting a female journalist.
Kachikuli, who is the Zvimba District Information Officer, has also been suspended from his post as Vice Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) Chinhoyi chapter.
According to the state media, the indecent assault charges against Kachikuli were filed at Chinhoyi Central Police Station under crime report number 64/5/16.
Kachikuli (46) is alleged to have sexually assaulted an intern during a media tour in Karoi, where he is alleged to have held her by the waist and tried to be intimate with her.
The case has since been referred to Karoi for further investigations.
Kachikuli, who was allegedly drunk, demanded to be intimate with the journalism intern in exchange for beer.
Journalists from Chinhoyi and Zanu PF Women’s League Secretary for Gender,  Jennifer Mhlanga have condemned the abuse of journalism interns, saying female journalists should be respected.
Walter Nyamukondiwa of the Herald newspaper has since been elected ZUJ Vice Chairperson Chinhoyi Chapter following Kachikuli’s suspension.

ZIMBABWE’s hospitals have been raided by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority in ways that will see millions of patients failing to access medical treatment from July this year.
Zimra has made sudden demands that every hospital, clinic and medical institution must now pay tax on every unpaid medical claim in their books of accounts (even though unpaid).
Frustrating the already struggling hospitals’ and clinics’ bank accounts, the impact of the raid will be like a bomb affecting every clinic and health institution across the country in catastrophic ways that will leave millions without access to vital health care, analysts warned.
Most workers are on medical aid provided by Premier Services Medical Aid, CIMAS and other health insurance companies.
The Zim Medical Association has issued a warning that from the 1st July, hospitals, private doctors, clinics and other health providers “are to stop accepting medical aid as they have to pay tax on unpaid medical claims…”

@ZimEye this is the sickest, craziest and most sadistic move of this broken, sick State ever!

— Jessie F. Majome (@JessieFMajome) May 23, 2016

As government coffers continue to shrink, the Zimra has intensified its raids on companies, which is speeding up company closures, dealing a further blow to the near comatose economy.
The authority which has so far garnished over US$50 million from companies in the diamond other sectors, and several companies, most of which are struggling, had not until this year turned its “armoury” onto the nation’s health care industry. ZimEye Discussion:  ⚡Should any nation charge tax on medical care?

YOUR COMMENTS:

A primary school in Gwanda, St Christopher Government School — blew more than $10 000 on tea and isitshwala for teachers and staff members in one year as part of incentivising them after the Government scrapped monetary incentives in 2014.
A decision to offer tea and lunch to motivate the 27 teachers and 21 supporting staff was reached by the School Development Committee last year.
According to an SDC account which was audited by officials from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, the school has gobbled $10 281 for the past year, meaning they were using an average of $3 800 per term.
This has, however, angered some parents after the account also showed that $2 578 was used to repair just five classroom doors.
The statement showed that as at 31 December the school raised $176 627.95 during the year and spent $171.951 leaving only $ 4 676.13 in the account. Pupils pay $45 as fees and $10 levy for day scholars.
Parents who attended the meeting which was held last Monday said they were not amused by the expenditure by the school authorities on the teachers’ meals and other expenses.
“How could staff spend such an amount on their meals instead of channelling the money to needy areas at the school? What type of food do they eat which cost all that money,” said a parent who said he was representing the aggrieved and spoke on condition of anonymity for fear his child could be victimised.
Contacted for comment the school’s head a Mr Manda referred questions to the SDC.
However, SDC chairman Mr Brian Masango said there was nothing amiss with the figure as it was according to the budget they got from the canteen.
“Our teachers get their tea and sandwiches at tea break. They then get their lunch and the teacher who will be on duty also gets dinner. We got that budget from the canteen and everything is above board as it was done according to that budget. We also give our borders meals from the same money and they are about 100 of them,” said Mr Masango.
However, verification with the SDC account statement revealed that the money used was for staff members only. It was listed as: “Staff teas and meals” without any mention of pupils.
Mr Masango added that they have since received a directive from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to stop providing meals to teachers except for the tea.
“It’s going to end this term since we have already provided the budget from them,” said Mr Masango.-state media

Zanu PF MP for Harare South, Shadreck Mashayamombe, has taken bootlicking to new levels by describing First Lady Grace Mugabe as an angel sent by God to help long-suffering Zimbabweans realise their full potential.
Speaking to party supporters in his constituency last week, Mashayamombe — one of the most vocal supporters of Grace — said it is no wonder that the governing party settled for the first lady to be the women’s league boss.
“Leaders are chosen by God and we were given….Amai by the heavens, she is the one who will end all the suffering and I believe that with people like her Zimbabwe is in safe hands. To me she is like an angel and I believe in her,” said a grovelling Mashayamombe.
Since making a grand entry into the tumultuous political playing field, Grace has divided public opinion — with her opponents describing her as divisive while her supporters regard her as a strategist and philanthropist ever ready to serve the people.
Mashayamombe — who has been holding constituency engagement meetings in his Harare South — told the residents of the sprawling suburb of Retreat that he was not aware of the existence of any faction in Zanu PF especially at the grassroots level.
“We have heard that there are factions in Zanu PF but what I would like to tell the leadership is that on the ground we are united, we are not being led by anyone but the leadership that was chosen by our president.
“We have one centre of power and that is President Robert Mugabe, anyone who wants to challenge him we will show him that Harare doesn’t tolerate dissent,” said Mashayamombe.
Zanu PF is divided along two factions, one led by Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the Generation 40 (G40) faction that is packed with people opposed to the VP presidential ambitions.
“We are going to make sure that we will contribute the highest number towards the one million-man march. As Harare South, we will make a statement and make sure that we are the largest. Anyone who will try to stand in our way will be flattened by the might of the people,” said Mashayamombe.
The march organised by the governing party’s youth league has yet again left Zanu PF divided as some elements in the Team Lacoste faction have been spiritedly resisting the planned procession that will be held on Wednesday.
But Mashayamombe said anyone opposed to the march is against the leadership of Mugabe, who has been in power since 1980.
“There are some people who want to stop the march, why? We are not going to tolerate successionists to destabilise the party.
“Look, they are attacking the commissar (Saviour Kasukuwere). Isn’t that a direct attack on the president who appointed him?” asked Mashayamombe.
The belligerent politician, who is also Zanu PF Harare province political commissar, also brought officials from Harare municipality to help in the regularisation of stands in the area and is also working towards bringing electricity and sewerage to the area. daily

By Dr Tapiwa Mashakada, MDC Shadow Minister of Finance
The current financial crisis is only a symptom of deep seated structural problems embedded in the body politic of Zimbabwe. These range from inconsistent and misaligned macro-economic policies and toxic politics.
The currency crisis, if not addressed, will be the powder keg of political and economic instability in Zimbabwe. Government did not consult stakeholders to hear and know their view on the matter. Ideally, the Reserve Bank should have first presented the issue before the Parliamentary Committee on Budget and Finance which in turn would have sought the views of the public on this important national development moreover, the RBZ neglected to consult the TNF which is the cog of a Social Contract in Zimbabwe. In the circumstances governnent should but heed the dissenting voices of the generality of the masses.
If the governnent wishes to commit the Ostrich’s offence and proceed with bond coins, the market will reject its usage as legal tender. This will be a suicidal move. The political and economic consequences will be dire. Bond notes will trigger another black market of foreign exchange. Government will be tempted to print more bond notes to pay civil servants and this is sure to trigger price hikes and ultimately hyperinflation.
Imports will be harmstrung as importers have to apply for foreign exchange and import licences, a thing which had stopped in 2009. Government is unwittingly turning back the clock to 2008. Zimbabwe imports 60% of its goods from South Africa compared to exports of 40%. While bond notes will reduce the trade deficit which now stands at $3 billion dollars, the unintended consequences include slump in domestic production which will lead to empty shelves, fuel and food shortages. We have walked this road before.
The printing of Zim dollars disguised as bond coins and their circulation alongside the US dollar known as “partial de-dollarization”. The market will be faced with 2 choices – Zim dollar and foreign currencies. In practice there is no choice. Its a one way decision. The market will go for the greenback. Stupid.
Government is gambling with unorthodox policy prescriptions.Partial de-dollarization was attempted in Latin America by countries that had, like Zimbabwe, previously dollarized, examples are Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Chile. The moment they started partial de-dollarization, exports fell and this was followed by price distortions and capital flight. This resulted in serious balance of payments problems.
In our case, partial de-dollarization will lead to unintended consequences such as shortages of basic commodities and hyperinflation. Workers will start to go for short term wage agreements in order to keep pace with the purchasing power parity of bond notes. With such a scenario, riots will begin and there will be socio-economic strife in Zimbabwe. Government will respond with brutal force which according to Karl Marx, is the midwife of a political revolution.
In order to avert all this, government should shelve its bond notes plans and go back to the drawing board.
MDC-T is working on a national convergence of ideas to seek for a long lasting political solution to Zimbabwe’s economic quagmires.
Zimbabweans are not short of ideas. We have proffered many alternatives to government on how to increase liquidity. The first thing is to restore confidence by deleting the indigenization act. This will encourage FDI flows and increase the supply of the US dollar. Once industry is capitalized, capacity utilization will increase and exports too. This way the country gets more foreign currency. When the country starts to produce, imports will fall and the trade balance will improve. But all this is not obvious to Zanu PF which is stuck in its maze of warped dirigistic policies.

ZimEye.com is receiving unconfirmed reports of an accident on the R21 road, in Johannesburg.
20 Zimbabweans were affected in the mishap while aboard a Tenda bus from Beitbridge. Navigate to the satellite map above: ARE YOU AT THE SCENE? Send in your video, pictures and details of your experience right now to +447426863301
Details were sketchy at the time of writing and an official statement from the police unfruitful. ARE YOU AT THE SCENE? Send in your video, pictures and details of your experience right now to +447426863301

Navigate to the satellite map above:

A disturbing accident occurred Saturday morning at Hopley farm, Harare injuring five (5) people.
The five most who were reportedly hired thugs sent to disrupt a Housing Cooperative meeting involving the local MP for Harare South at Ushewekunze, hurriedly fled the scene after noticing police officers descending onto the area.
The local MP, Mr Shadreck Mashayamombe, has also been blamed for hiring 10 kombis from different locations to disturb the anti Cooperative meeting.
Two vehicles were damaged, a Toyota Progress and a BMW.
The five were rushed to hospital for medical treatment.
A comment from MP Mashayamombe was not possible at the time of writing.
More to follow…

Way before his organisation, YARD (Youth Advocacy for Reform and Democracy) has become a party, Themba Mliswa has been roped into national crisis meetings.
A rolling reflection of how crucial the youth are to the future of national politics (youths constitute over 64% of the total electorate), Mliswa was yesterday, Friday, part of the National Crisis Committee meeting at 10am at Rockwood Spiritual and Formation Centre in Hatfield.
A Yard spokesperson said the development ” shows how strategic Yard is placed in the matrix of nation building in Zimbabwe”.
Meanwhile YARD appointed its head of Strategic Research.
Announced Mliswa, “I will take this opportunity to also announce the appointment of Musarurwa Hove as the head for Strategic Research and Implementation. He comes with invaluable experience in Economics and Research,” he said.

Terrence Mawawa, Chiredzi | A Chiredzi based prophet raped a 15 year old minor girl under the deception that this would drive away evil spirits that were tormenting her.
Shirichena, a self declared prophet with Ropafadzo Apostolic Church, raped the minor on December 16 2015, after entering her room and forcing himself on her having fondled her breasts claiming ‘ghosts’ were out to suck them.
He appeared before Regional Magistarate Judith Zuyu last week facing rape charges.
The minor had gone to Samba Business Centre together with a friend seeking spiritual deliverance.
Deceitful Shirichena subsequently told the minor he would visit her parents’ home to conduct the deliverance session.
Upon arriving at the house, Shirichena claimed the place was full of ghosts that wanted to kill the minor and she needed spiritual protection from him.
Shirichena in his abuse of the girl also fondled her breasts claiming ‘ghosts’ wanted to suck them.
He proceeded to rape the minor in the presence of her younger brother claiming it would block the demons.
It is reported that the younger brother is the one who later allerted the matter to their father, after a week of relentless sexual attacks on the girl. The matter was reported to the police leading to Shirichena’s arrest.
He was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

In a bid to curb the menace of corruption by traffic police officers collecting fines in cash at roadblocks, Government has announced that this will soon be a practise of the past.
Home Affairs Minister Ignatius Chombo announced that Government is working on mechanisms to ensure fines are paid through an electronic system.
Minister Chombo also revealed that about 320 police officers were fired last year for various offences bordering on abuse of office through corrupt activities.
He said this in the Senate yesterday during a Questions without Notice Session as he also revealed plans to install satellites at all roadblocks to curb corruption.
Chombo was responding to MDC-T Senator for Matabeleland South, Mrs Sithembile Mlotshwa, who sought to know the purpose of roadblocks and what Government was doing about corruption allegations against traffic police officers.
He said traffic cops played a major role in policing to ensure only roadworthy and registered vehicles brought into the country legally were on the roads.
Minister Chombo said there had been an upsurge in the importation of stolen vehicles from countries such as Mozambique, Zambia and South Africa while others were legitimately bought but smuggled into the country without paying duty.
He said police roadblocks were also meant to guard against speeding.
“Out of all the 50 000 police officers that we have, some of them may not be forthright as you and I may want,” said Chombo.
“Last year, we dismissed 320 police officers for stealing and abusing their offices at roadblocks and other offices. So the police is keen to clean up those police officers who are contravening the laws that they are supposed to uphold.”
Minister Chombo said the issue of spot fines at roadblocks was of concern to Government and mechanisms were in place to stop the rot.
He said people were concerned that some of the money collected at roadblocks was not sent to Treasury as provided for in the law.
“I want to inform this august House that there is a paper circulating in Government whereby roadblocks will be manned by satellite so that from an office in Harare you can see what is happening at a roadblock in Tsholotsho and you can pay using methods such plastic money or mobile transfers.
“There will not be any cash that will be exchanged. Therefore we will be reducing the temptation for police officers to be corrupt. So I am really on your side. The issues you raise are legitimate. Just give us a couple of weeks, it will be a thing of the past,” said Minister Chombo.
Zanu-PF Senator for Manicaland Cde Shadreck Chipanga said there was a recent court judgment that spot fines were illegal.
To that end, he asked Minister Chombo to confirm whether it was now Government policy to defy court judgments by allowing police officers to demand spot fines.
Minister Chombo said he was not aware of the judgment adding that he would check.
He said in the event that there was such a judgment, the police should comply since they were expected to protect the law.
High Court Judge, Justice Francis Bere, last year said the collection of spot fines from motorists by the police and impounding of their vehicles if they failed to pay up was illegal and must be stopped forthwith.
He made the remarks while officially opening the 2015 Masvingo High Court legal year.
Justice Bere said there was neither a legal framework nor law which compelled a motorist to pay a spot fine or empowered police to impound someone’s vehicle.
He said Section 356 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act (Chapter 9:07), which is often cited on the matter, did not give police officers powers to force a motorist to pay a spot fine.
Justice Bere said spot fines and their retention by the police needed to be clarified as the matter had caused a lot of confusion.
However, the police dismissed Justice Bere’ statement saying it was of no legal force since it was not a court ruling but his opinion.

The family of 16-year-old Tawanda Musvipa, killed in March after an accidental discharge of an anti-aircraft machine by soldiers conducting drills near Inkomo Barracks, has accused the army of failing to honour the promises it made to the family following the incident.
Tawanda was shot on the right side of his chest and left lower back by a 12,7mm anti-aircraft gun which travels at 600 metres per second during assembly at Delamore Secondary School.
The bullet also struck 13-year-old Tinashe Awali on the right arm.
Although the army assisted Tawanda’s family to meet funeral costs, it failed to attend his memorial service on May 7 or provide material assistance as promised.
Tawanda’s relatives told Zimbabwe Independent this week the army only offered firewood, and even then, there was a condition that the family finds its own transport to collect the wood. Military bosses said they did not have fuel to transport it to the family.
The Musvipa family, which lives at a farm, did not take up the offer as firewood was readily available where they stay anyway.
Tawanda’s father Tichaona Musvipa said the army let the family down as it had promised to assist during the memorial service. The military had also promised to secure employment in government for some of Tawanda’s relatives as part of their long-term assistance.
“It’s really confusing what is going on. I am actually coming from One Para (near Inkomo barracks) to ask what steps they have taken towards compensating us for the death of our son which was caused by their carelessness. But all I am told is that government has no money and there is nothing much they can do,” said Musvipa on Wednesday.
“It pains me that on May 7 we held a memorial service for Tawanda which they knew about as it was announced at the end of his funeral. We even reminded them on May 5 and asked for assistance to feed relatives, friends and church colleagues who would be attending the service. They told us they didn’t have money and they could only provide firewood but added that they didn’t have transport to bring it. They said if we had a car with fuel we could collect ourselves. Honestly what kind of insult is that?”
Musvipa said the army officials later said they could only give the family US$50 for the memorial service.
“They left the money at Delamore Secondary School where Tawanda learnt. I only received it on May 13, way after the memorial service,” said the angry father. “Besides, what would I have done with the little amount of money. Tawanda had a bright future ahead of him. He is the one I pinned my hopes on. He is surely worth more than just firewood and US$50,” said Musvipa.
“All the promises they made to us about securing jobs for relatives seem to have just ended in empty words. When I asked them about the way forward, they said government had no money and in any case the matter was now before the Norton magistrates’ court and a soldier was arrested.”
Tinashe’s father Nickson Awali on Wednesday said although he was asked to submit written demands, the army had gone quiet. His son is still struggling with injuries from the shooting.
“The last time I spoke to them about compensation, I told them I wanted a lifelong support for my traumatised son because his injury will affect him for his entire life since he is right handed. Tinashe only started going to school today. We had to persuade him to go because he can’t move his hand which is now stiff. We were told he will need physiotherapy exercises for it to be functional,” Awali said.
Questions sent to ZNA spokesperson Alphios Makotore on Wednesday were not responded to by the time of going to print.
Officials in his office said he was out of office until Monday and insisted he was the only one who could respond to the queries. -Independent

The capital city is once again this weekend going to experience water shortages as the city fathers struggle to maintain and efficiently provide the precious liquid.
The non availability of water to residents for the second time this weekend, according to the city’s spokesperson Michael Chideme, has been caused by the “continued”, rehabilitation works at the Morton Jaffray Water Works.
Chideme told the state media that the planned shutdown from Saturday the 21^st to Sunday the 22^nd, is meant to take advantage of the winter period when water usage will be low.
He said they were confident the capacity of Morton Jaffray would increase by 120 mega litres to about 600 mega litres with the project completion earmarked for year end.
Repair works to Morton Jaffray are part of the multi-million dollar Harare Water and Sanitation Infrastructure Rehabilitation Programme meant to improve water supply which continues to deteriorate.
Harare continues to lose treated water through leakages from obsolete pipes.
According to the local authorities over 60% of treated water from Morton Jaffray is lost in transit leaving 40% being the real amount of water accessed by people.

Terrence Mawawa, Chiredzi|A cunning local man killed his father’s dog and sold the meat to unsuspecting patrons after convincing them it was game he had hunted.
It has emerged that Noel Kujongonya of Mkwasine Chiredzi, killed his father’s dog, last week, and approached nearby revellers who were sitting near traditional braai stand (mbaura) at Mkwasine, and sold the meat to them.
“He told the patrons that he had gone in the forest on a hunt and killed game. He sounded confident such that people scrambled to buy the meat. People went on to braai the meat. I am now disgusted knowing that I ate dog meat,”said a patron.
The matter came to light when Kujongonya’s father woke up the following day and discovered that his dog was missing.
After a few days he found the missing dog’s head and a blood stained knife in the garden. When he further investigated the matter he was told his son was spotted at the shops selling what he claimed to be game.
“When we confronted him, his son did not deny that he had duped people into buying dog meat. Asked why he did it ,he said he had to do it because he was broke and he needed some cash,” a relative of the family explained.
“We took him to the police but he was released after they could not find an appropriate charge against him.
The police said he did not break any law. Noel leads a reckless life and many people know him as an irresponsible young man,”said Kujongonya’s relative.

The Zimbabwe Activist Alliance ( ZAA) issues a Press statement expressing their concern on the forced HIV testing of Primary school pupils:

We are saddened by the bogus exercise of testing primary schools students of HIV. This exercise is being conducted by Harare City Health in conjunction with Child Protection Society (CPS); Rujeko Clinic nurses conduct the testing. To date this testings was conducted at Gombo Primary School in Dzivarasekwa 3 on Monday. DZ 5 Primary & DZ4 primary were supposed to tested on the 18 & 20 May respectively.
We got wind of this issue and we visited DZ5 Primary School yesterday morning with Zimbabwe Women ln Politics Alliance (ZWIPA). We arrived  at the school at 9am being the time the exercise was meant to commence. We talked to parents who were already at the school and other residents. Parents were given letters of consent to sign if they wanted their kids to be tested or not. About 30 parents took their kids for the exercise with many absenting their kids from school to boycott the exercise. The exercise was postponed indefinitely.
As ZAA, we are worried by the government’s continued behavior of not consulting citizens on issues regarding our children. Who did they consult on this ill advised bogus project?
Our children are not guinea pigs. Why do they not test their children learning in the far east?
Our Childrens Rights must be respected. We are the parents & guardians of our children not the state.
This continued abuse of Citizens by the state must come to an immediate end and as ZAA we promise to continue using all peaceful means to stop such ridiculous exercises.
Residents in DZ rejected this exercise by making their children boycott the exercise. We urge citizens of Zimbabwe to remain vigilant and reject anything imposed on them without consultation.
Together United ln Our Diversity for the love of Zimbabwe
Tendayi Lynnette Mudehwe
ZAA National Coordinator

A 17-YEAR-OLD boy has been arrested for allegedly sodomising his 12-year-old brother.
The teenager from Tshabalala suburb in Bulawayo, whose name cannot be disclosed for ethical reasons, allegedly had anal sexual intercourse with the Grade 5 pupil at their parents’ home.
A court heard the teenager woke up in the middle of the night and forced himself on the boy and threatened to kill him if he told anyone.
“Whilst I was asleep, I felt some pain on my behind and I immediately woke up and realised my brother had removed my underwear. His manhood was inside my behind. I tried to get up but I could not,” said the boy.
The teenager appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Themba Chimiso facing an aggravated indecent assault charge. Chimiso did not ask him to plead and remanded him in custody to June 2.
Prosecuting, Mufaro Mageza told the court that on May 16 at around 8PM, the teenager retired to bed after watching television and found his brother sleeping.
“Complainant was asleep and woke up when he felt some pain on his anus and realised that it was the accused person who had inserted his manhood inside his anus.
“Complainant tried to get up from the bed but failed to do so. He asked why the accused was acting the way he was and he responded by threatening him,” said Mageza.
“The complainant revealed the issue to his cousin after he heard that accused person had been arrested for another crime. The cousin later reported the matter to the police.”
The prosecutor said the boy was referred to hospital and a medical report can be produced in court as evidence.-state media

President Robert Mugabe has flown off to South Africa for a university function.
Mugabe who flew out with a large group of hangers-on, arrived in South Africa to attend celebrations at Fort Hare University in South Africa.
He will join other heads of State, alumni and eminent persons from across Africa, to attend the university’s centenary celebrations tomorrow. President Mugabe was invited to the celebrations last month by new South Africa Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Mpakama Mbete when he presented his credentials.
President Mugabe was accompanied by Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Dr Chris Mushowhe and senior Government officials, among them Presidential spokesperson, George Charamba.
He was seen off at the Harare International Airport this afternoon by his two Vice Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, Cabinet ministers and service chiefs.
South Africa President Jacob Zuma will officiate at the celebrations. The celebrations started early this year, but tomorrow will be the main celebrations and hundreds of people from South Africa and across Africa are expected to grace the event.

 
Staff Reporter| The City of Bulawayo has made a passionate plea to churches in the City to pray for divine intervention to save the city from the wreath of Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere.
City Councillor for ward 18 Concilia Mlalazi made the plea at the burial of a Bulawayo City Council Accounting Officer in Bulawayo yesterday.
Councillor Mlalazi told more that 2 000 mourners that included senior City Council officials that Minister Kasukuwere is out to dismiss the entire council in order to block development in the city particularly the proposed Egodini Mall.
According to the Councillor, Minister Kasukuwere is frustrating the project which should already have been started because he wants to bring in contractors from Harare at the expense of locals.
“How can someone block such a massive development for the city just because they want contractors and employees to be people from Harare,”: she said.
Addressing the various church leaders who were at the grave site, Councillor Mlalazi implored on the clergy to seriously pray for the City Councillors as Kasukuwere has sent an investigative team to investigate the council with a plan to suspended the entire council.
“I know that Bulawayo pastors are a deep praying lot. Please pray for us, we need God to protect us against the Ministry,” she said.
Councillor Mlalazi further told the gathering that Minister Kasukuwere’s investigating team has in just two weeks cost the council over $30 000 of residents fund that could have been directed to service delivery.
“They are staying in very expensive hotels and claim huge amounts of money for their subsistence while doing this unwarranted investigation,” she said. “They are claiming a breakfast allowance of $75 while they are sleeping in hotels that provide them bed and breakfast,” added the councillor amidst inaudible comments from the mourners.
Ministry of Local Government despatched a crack audit team to investigate issues of irregularities in allocating residential and commercial stands by the City’s Councillors following mass complaints from the residents of the city.
The Local Government Board also blocked the construction of the Egodini Mall to pave way for investigations on allegations of corruption in the awarding of contractors of the mall.

SkyNews- An EgyptAir flight from Paris to Cairo has disappeared from radar with 56 passengers and 10 crew on board, the airline says.
Flight MS804 departed the French capital at 11.09pm (CEST) before vanishing, according to what the airline described as “an informed source”.
The airline said that the plane, which carried two babies and one child among its passengers, lost contact with radar at 2.45am Cairo time (1.45am BST).
At this point the Airbus A320, which was built in 2003, was about three hours and 40 minutes into the four-hour flight and was at 37,000ft.
The airline said the plane had been 10 miles into Egyptian airspace, over the Mediterranean Sea.
However, Egyptian civil aviation authority spokesman Ihab Raslan told Sky News Arabia that it was about to enter Egyptian airspace when it disappeared. He said the plane had most likely crashed into the sea.
An informed source at EGYPTAIR stated that Flight no MS804,which departed Paris at 23:09 (CEST),heading to Cairo has disappeared from radar.
Ahmed Abdel, the vice-chairman of EgyptAir holding company, told CNN that there had been no distress calls from the plane.
The New York Times quoted Ehab Mohy el-Deen, the head of Egypt’s air navigation authority, as saying that Greek air traffic controllers had told their Egyptian counterparts that they had lost contact with the plane.
He said: “They did not radio for help or lose altitude. They just vanished.”
Egypt’s Civil Aviation Ministry says that search and rescue teams, including those from the Egytian Armed Forces, are looking for the plane.
Greece has also joined the search and rescue operation, sending one C-130 and one early warning aircraft, officials at the Hellenic National Defence General Staff said. They said one frigate was also heading to the area, and helicopters are on standby.
Meanwhile, an aviation source said the Civil Aviation Ministry was working to gather information on the technical state of the missing plane.
The airline said the plane’s pilot had flown 6,275 hours – including 2,101 hours on the same model – while the co-pilot had done 2,766 hours.
Aviation expert Rusty Aimer told Sky News: “Right now, the EgyptAir folks are talking with the Egyptian air traffic control facility.
“They’re in direct contact, trying to get as much information as they can, trying to find out – were there any radar outages in the sector?
“A radar outage…could be a loss of power to the radar station: it could be sabotage, it could be many things.
“That could be one reason they lost control of the aircraft. The other reason could be the aircraft itself disappearing, which could mean not a good ending.”
He added: “There are two scenarios where the radar blip of an aircraft disappears. The first is where the ground radar is not working for some reason and there’s a possibility of that happening.
“The second is if the aircraft itself loses the information it gives to the radar or the transponder.”
Sky News Middle East Correspondent Sherine Tadros said: “There are various airliners that make that indirect flight. EgyptAir is among the only ones that fly direct.
“This is a popular route, this is a time when people would have wanted to make that trip for business reasons, for personal reasons.
“It’s not a very long flight. So really at this point we just have to wait and see what has happened to this flight – where it could be.”
With its ancient archaeological sites and Red Sea resorts, Egypt is a popular destination for tourists.
But its tourism industry was badly hit following the downing of a Russian jet last year with the deaths of all 224 on board, the ongoing Islamist insurgency and a string of bomb attacks in the country.
More follows…

A 21-YEAR-OLD man from Bulilima struck his 16-year-old ex-wife with an axe three times after he saw her with another man.
Nevious Moyo, who is employed as a general hand at Stretton Farm Compound in Figtree area, allegedly armed himself with an axe and struck Sisasenkosi Ndebele inflicting serious injuries on her leg, arm and back before fleeing from the scene.
Moyo appeared on initial remand before Plumtree magistrate Gideon Ruvetsa facing attempted murder charges and was remanded in custody to May 31.
Prosecuting, Elisha Mazorodze said Moyo ambushed Ndebele and left her for dead after the attack.
“On 8 May, Moyo met Ndebele while she was with her boyfriend and he confronted her on why she was with him. Ndebele dismissed the confrontation after pointing out that she and Moyo were now separated,” he said.
“At around 6PM, Ndebele and her sister were on their way home from a well where they had gone to fetch water.
“They came across Moyo who emerged from behind a bush armed with an axe. Moyo struck his ex-wife with the axe three times and then hit her several times with the axe handle. Ndebele’s sister rushed home during the attack and alerted her mother.”-state media

Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere was yesterday under the spotlight again after the sudden firing of Harare City Council’s finance director Justin Mandizha.
Mandizha barely eight months into his contract, has been relieved of his duties on unclear allegations.
The development comes immediately after the suspension of the mayor Ben Manyenyeni the latter who has furthermore been defeated by Kasukuwere at court, so far.
The state broadsheet reported Mandizha has been fired “mainly for his failure to steer the city out of debt and reduce ballooning salary arrears, which now stand at six months”.
The report continued saying, the Human Resources Committee met on Tuesday evening and decided to cut short Mandizha’s performance-based contract.
The decision is expected to be confirmed at a full council meeting.
Mandizha’s appointment was a subject of scrutiny during his short stint at council amid allegations that he was roped into city’s structures by his uncle, suspended councillor, Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni.
He also had his probation extended to six months after failing to meet set targets.
However, councillors who attended the meeting said there was a consensus that Mandizha had failed to meet his set targets.
“He failed to improve revenue collection and he also failed to collect money from places like Mbare Musika which just needs a pre-cast wall to control farmers and get revenue. When he joined council we were three months behind in the payment of salaries, but the figure has doubled,” said one councillor.
He said Mandizha was expected to get a letter terminating his contract soon.
Mandizha joined Harare last year after a short stint with Cashflow Solutions (Pvt) Limited. He joined Cashflow Solutions immediately after his tenure with the United Nations, where he acquired the bulk of his working experience. He worked with the United Nations World Food Programme and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation.
At a recent full council meeting, most councillors blamed Mandizha for worsening the city’s salary arrears.
Human Resources and General Purposes Committee chairperson, Clr Wellington Chikombo, could not be reached for comment yesterday, but last week he said council was disgusted by the failure to pay salaries, saying deserving action would be taken.
“Deserving action will be meted against undeserving individuals; City of Harare is not a safe haven for inept, amateurish and un-proficient people,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Harare Municipal Workers Union has said the $275 000 set aside for salaries daily by the city is “just a drop in a sea full of fish that need food”.
Harare Municipal Workers Union executive chairman Cosmas Bungu said while the union welcomes the city’s efforts, they are not enough to address the dire situation the workers face.
“Of the $15 to $16 million council collects every month excluding collections from council business, the ideal situation that shows seriousness on the part of the employer would have seen the employer setting aside over $600 000,” he said.

Hundreds of Christians from all walks of life today, Wednesday, demonstrated against Primary and Secondary Education Minister for among other things introducing the “National Pledge,” and stopping Christian activities in schools.
Dokora who has become unpopular for several of his “unreasonable” policies now dubbed “the launching of a bloody jihad”, is forcing pupils to recite a Zanu PF poem he calls the National Pledge.
Dokora has ignored calls by the public and church organisations to stop forcing school children from parroting Zanu PF.
In the capital on, Wednesday,  scores of people, staged a massive demonstration in the city centre against him.
The  demonstrators challenged Dokora to resign.
“Zimbabwe’s education system is in a mess! Teachers remain unpaid and instead of addressing these pertinent issues the ministry is violating our children’s freedom of conscience,” read one of the messages carried by the protesters.

A MAN from Pumula suburb in Bulawayo has been sentenced to a year in prison for exposing his manhood to a 12-year-old girl. Norman Sivango, 38, a married father of two, met the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, in a bush where she was picking up plastics to use in making a fire.
Sivango took out his manhood from his trousers, held it in his hands and charged towards the girl who ran away with the accused in pursuit.
Sivango pleaded guilty to a public indecency charge before Western Commonage magistrate Themba Chimiso. He was sentenced to an 18 months jail term with six months suspended.
“Six months are going to be suspended on the condition of good behaviour. You will serve an effective 12 months in prison,” said Chimiso. The girl said when she met Sivango, he instructed her to stop.
“I met the accused in the bush and he instructed me to stop as he held his privates. I started running and he ran after me but failed to catch me,” said the girl. Sivango attributed his bizarre behaviour to evil spirits.
“Your Worship, I wasn’t in my right mind when I acted that way. I was possessed by evil spirits your Worship,” he said.
Prosecuting, Steward Madzore, said on May 12, 2016, at around 7PM, the girl was approached by Sivango in a bushy area behind a church in Pumula suburb.
“The accused instructed her to stop. He ran towards the complainant with his private parts in his hands. The complainant ran away and he continued to follow her. The complainant informed a member of the neighbourhood watch committee who searched for the accused and managed to apprehend him,” said Madzore.-state media

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo|Pupils at Zimuto High School are being forced to clean toilets with bare hands much to the dismay of parents. An anonymous letter written to the school authorities has left officials at the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe(RCZ) run panicking.
It has emerged pupils are being forced to clean the toilets without protective gloves and overalls,posing a serious health hazard in the process.
In the letter it was indicated pupils were likely to be affected by water-borne diseases. “There are reports that pupils at the school are the ones who do the cleaning of the toilets-sadly without protective gloves.There are chances that there will be a disease outbreak,”read the letter.
Several parents whose children are at the RCZ run boarding school have also lodged complaints on the issue. The headmaster of the school, Edson Chihanga said he was aware of the issue and said the School Development Committee (SDC) was handling the matter.
“I cannot comment on the issue because it is being handled by the SDC. You can get in touch with the RCZ education secretary if you want further clarification on the issue,” Chihanga told ZimEye.
Masvingo Provincial Education Director, Zedius Chitiga said he would investigate the matter and take appropriate action.