In 2013, ZimEye.com broke revelations on a shocking loophole in Zimbabwe’s administration of estates as an executor was found to have presided over the signing of a fake will. One of Zimbabwe’s oldest law firms based in Harare, Wintertons Legal Practitioners, was fingered and reported to authorities on a case involving the forgery of the will document of the late, Mr Innocent Katsiga whose assets reportedly worth millions of dollars remains mysterious under their control. READ MORE-
Thousands of potential beneficiaries of estates of deceased people may have been prejudiced of their rightful inheritance through unscrupulous neutral executors.
This could have left genuine beneficiaries homeless following eviction from properties of their late relatives by unscrupulous executors who then sell the assets for a song.
A neutral executor is a registered administrator accredited and licensed by the Council for Estate Administrators (CEA).
He/she is supposed to have a degree in either Law, Accounting or Business, must have administered and finalised at least five deceased estates and be aged 25 and above.
An alleged case in point is that of file DR2389/06, which was given to one Decide Kutyauripo of Guidance Estate Administrators of 9 Peterhead Drive, Eastlea, Harare.
Investigations indicate Kutyauripo does not possess either the prerequisite qualifications or the experience to do the job, and there is no proof he executed the required minimum number of estates.
But after having been cleared by the CEA to do the job, Kutyauripo has attracted the wrath of the Master of the High Court, Mr Eldred Mutasa, who described him as “a rotten apple, someone who is making people suffer for no apparent reason, and must be chucked out of the system”.
On November 26, the family at the centre of the matter (who preferred anonymity) was invited for an edict meeting but asked for an extension to consult and come up with their own executor from within the family.
A few days later the three beneficiaries individually received text messages from Kutyauripo informing them that he had been selected as the neutral executor.
The messages also said he had unsuccessfully tried to call them on their mobile phones and could not locate their given addresses. He was, therefore, inviting them to his office to discuss their late father’s estate.
Two of the three objected and on January 14, wrote a letter addressed to the Master saying: “Please be advised that on November 6, we attended an edict meeting at your offices, but could not appoint an executor dative because some of the relatives we had invited were not able to attend (come) on the day in question.
“We are, therefore, asking your good office to give us a new date so that we can appoint (the) same. We understand you had already appointed one Kutyauripo to be our executor but we, as family members, are in a position to choose a member of our family to be our executor and we are, therefore, going to pray for the next date to appoint the executor. Your urgent co-operation thereto will be greatly appreciated.”
Guidance Estate Administrators, through Kutyauripo, wrote a letter on January 19 insisting they had been duly appointed neutral executors and attached an invoice for US$450 from Light Vale Properties with a call for the family to “urgently contribute some money to pay the bill so that we can avoid the sale of assets”.
The letter did not state how much the estate had been valued at.
Five months into an administration process the victims of the scam described as “a very long stint in hell”, the family has been bombarded with letters giving ultimatums and threats that the property would be sold despite them contributing US$1 080, which was deposited directly into the Sheriff of the High Court’s CBZ Selous Branch (account number 021 23886430037).
The Master’s Office confirmed receipt (serial number 0025440 JSC). The family also paid Guidance Estate Administrators US$150.
The company – whose other directors are listed as S Mukutiri, SE Mukutiri and SM Gowora – notified the family on January 27 that the value of the estate was US$22 000, submitted a different variation of US$23 000 to the Master, and then claimed their executor fees from an estate at US$27 000.
This, the Master of the High Court said, bore “all the ingredients of fraud”.
Despite having confirmed that the Master of the High Court had been paid his fees in full and that part of the evaluation fees had been deposited into their account, Kutyauripo on March 31 wrote: “We are advising you that we are now selling (the property) and are hereby giving you three months’ notice from today to June 30, 2016 to vacate the said property.
“Meanwhile, you are directed to allow our estate agents to view the property with their clients so that they will do their work without disturbances.”
Procedurally, authority to sell such a property is granted by the Master of the High Court who, in an interview last week, said he had never issued the permit as per Section 120 of the Deceased Estates and Inheritance Act.
Asked for his side of the story, Kutyauripo said he was not in a position to verify the exact value of the estate as he was not in office.mOn if it differed from the one he submitted to the Master of the High Court, he said “come to the office”.
Questioned on his credentials to practise, he retorted: “Why should that concern you? Do you have any need to be concerned about my qualifications?”
CEA administrator Simbisai Sithole said Kutyauripo was their member after he wrote two examinations covering Trust Law and Basic Accounting, before undergoing an oral test.
She said her office was not aware of the minimum degree qualification required by the Judicial Services Commission.-ZimEye/State Media

Determined efforts to conceal her anguish were in vain as streams of tears rolled down Josephine Muropa’s cheeks.
She was narrating to us how her daughter, Ruramai, had been sold into servitude.
Hunched on a sofa in her two-room cottage in Chitungwiza’s Unity N suburb, it took a great deal of effort to tell the story.
“My daughter did not do anything wrong to anyone, she was only looking for a better living but they sold her into slavery and she is now suffering,” Josephine said.
This was a few weeks ago and the world was a dark place for mother and child.
Ruramai, like many other young Zimbabwean women, fell victim to a suspected human trafficking ring.
It is alleged she was signed up by a bogus employment agency to do domestic work in Kuwait but discovered soon after arrival in that country that she was going to be an unpaid labourer.
Ruramai tried to escape but she was captured and confined as her handlers demanded US$3 000 for her freedom.
Josephine had neither the money nor the means to help her daughter. Then came an ultimatum: pay the money immediately or Ruramai would “disappear from Earth”.
However, a month after that, Ruramai is coming back home.
After The Sunday Mail Extra of March 20, 2016 published the story of how Ruramai’s plight in Kuwait, the young lady soon got help from the Zimbabwean Embassy there.
“I am happy she is now in safe hands and she is coming back home,” Josephine said last week, bursting with joy. “She is not yet with us but she is at the Embassy and they are treating her well there. I cannot ask for anything more because when she was being held hostage she was being abused but now she is living in a safe place with good people.”
Josephine said they had no option but to raise the money being demanded. With the help of friends and relatives, the US$3 000 is there and only Ruramai’s air ticket remains to be bought.
“With the help of relatives, friends and the embassy we managed to raise and pay the money they were demanding,” Josephine said. “There was no option, they were threatening to sell her and we don’t know what might have happened to her if we had not paid that money. I speak to her and she says she is fine. We are expecting her any moment from now.”
Ruramai said by by phone she says she is staying at Ambassador Mark Marongwe’s house and she might already be in Harare as you read this as she anticipated getting on a flight home last Friday.
“My family managed to raise and pay the money to the agent and right now I am waiting for an air ticket,” she said.
“I am staying at the ambassador’s house, the embassy has been giving me a lot of help and I am grateful. The issue of the air ticket is being sorted and I am likely to board a plane to either South Africa or Mozambique. From there I will connect by bus to Zimbabwe.”
It will be a joyous reunion when Ruramai finally meets her family again after having been subjected to unbearable suffering in a foreign land with no-one to turn to.
Nevertheless, she is just one of the very few fortunate ones who have managed to escape captivity.
Over 200 Zimbabwean women are still believed to be trapped in virtual slavery in Kuwait and other countries, and activists are unhappy with the way the issue of human trafficking is being handled.
Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe last week said Government should treat the issue with urgency and bring back the remaining women that were trafficked to various countries, particularly Kuwait.
“The Government was applauded for repatriating about 13 girls though there is still need for the Government to urgently assist all Zimbabweans in Kuwait and other countries,” said WCoZ members at the Zimbabwe Women’s Resource Centre Network last week.
They also resolved to engage the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Home Affairs and Women’s Affairs, Kuwait’s Embassy in Harare and other diplomatic missions in an effort to help trafficking victims.
A trafficking victim who fortunately made it back home last week expressed a bit of disappointment towards Zimbabwe’s foreign office in Kuwait.
Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Joey Bimha said Government was making progress in repatriating hundreds of young women still trapped in Kuwait.
◆ Note: Ruramai and Josephine Muropa are not their real names. state media

A MAN from Bulawayo suspected of using umubobobo and indecently assaulting a woman who was queueing at a shop by rubbing his sexual organ on her buttocks, was yesterday sentenced to nine months in jail. Bulawayo magistrate Charity Maphosa convicted Meluleki Moyo, 27, of Morningside suburb, of indecent assault due to overwhelming evidence. The magistrate suspended four months from Moyo’s sentence for five years on condition that he does not within that period commit a similar crime.
He will serve an effective five months in prison. In passing sentence, Maphosa said Moyo’s conduct was morally deplorable and described him as a social misfit who was an embarrassment to himself and society and hence deserved a custodial sentence.
Prosecuting, Kudakwashe Jaravaza said on March 17 this year shortly after 5.30PM, the complainant and her sister were standing in a queue at a shop situated between 6th Avenue and Lobengula Street in Bulawayo’s central business district.
The court heard that Moyo, who was standing behind the complainant, unzipped his pair of trousers, pulled out his manhood and rubbed it on the woman’s buttocks without her knowledge.
Moyo was spotted by a shop employee who then alerted the complainant. “When the complainant turned her back she saw Moyo in the process of zipping his trousers while his organ was still protruding and she screamed for help,” said Jaravaza.
A security guard, who testified in court, said he initially thought that Moyo had stolen from the woman when she screamed. Moyo, in his defence, denied indecently assaulting the complainant, arguing that she was framing him.
In mitigation, Moyo, who is not married and has no children, pleaded for leniency, saying he was looking after his mother and siblings. State Media

Government has declared the Beitbridge road accident which occurred early hours of yesterday morning, a national disaster.
In a statement on behalf of the government, Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere — who visited the accident victims at Beitbridge District Hospital and toured the accident scene alongside his State Security counterpart Kembo Mohadi — said the deceased would receive State-assisted funerals with each family getting $200 cash and transport.
“Subsequent to the road traffic accident involving a haulage truck and a bus belonging to MB Transport, which occurred along the Beitbridge- Masvingo highway at the 46km peg in the early hours of April 15, I have since invoked Section 32 (c) of the Civil Protection Act Chapter 10.06 of 1989 to enable assistance to be rendered to the bereaved.”
“Each bereaved family will receive $200 ‘chema’. Further assistance is being provided by Insurance Council of
Zimbabwe who have undertaken to meet the hospital bills of the injured and mortuary facilities,” said Kasukuwere.
Contrary to early reports claiming that sixty people may have been killed in the accident, twelve people were actually killed, while 45 others injured most of them seriously when the MB Transport bus collided head-on with a haulage truck 45km outside Beitbridge town.
Minister Kasukuwere said Government was seized with the issue of dualisation and upgrading of the Beitbridge-Harare Highway with a view to reducing perennial road carnage.
The police officer in charge of crime in Beitbridge District, Assistant Commissioner Bobby Murwira, said during a Civil Protection Unit meeting
yesterday that the bus was travelling from Harare with 51 passengers on board.
“Upon reaching the 242 km along the Masvingo- Beitbridge Road, the bus hit a donkey and swerved to the side of an on-coming truck resulting in a head-on collision, that killed 10 people on the spot. Two other people died upon admission at Beitbridge
District hospital,” he said.
Asst Comm Murwira said 45 others were injured and taken to Beitbridge District Hospital where 13 were transferred to Bulawayo for further treatment.
Meanwhile, police have released seven names of the 12 victims of the accident, who include a one year, 10 months old baby. Half of them are from Dulibadzimu suburb in Beitbridge.
Those identified are: Mavis Mutizwa (28), Belinda Chapeyama (one year, 10 months baby), Elizabeth Musona (26), Melody Muchaneta Dzongodza (29) all of Beitbridge; Irene Mukuto (30) of Highfield, Harare, Alsum Masvovere (29) of Mbizo, Kwekwe
and Ranganayi Garu (23) of Chitungwiza.
In a statement yesterday, chief police
spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said those who were missing their relatives should proceed to Beitbridge District Hospital and identify the remaining unidentified five bodies.

By Simbarashe Chikanza

The trial of Borman Ngwenya, who is accused of attempting to petrol-bomb the First Family’s Alpha Omega Dairy, continued yesterday with the accused telling the court that he only got to know Zimbabwe People’s Front political party president Owen Kuchata last year at the Zimbabwe Defence Forces celebrations.
In his defence whilst being led by his lawyer, Mr Exactly Mangezi, Ngwenya (30) said Kuchata approaced him on the day in question asking him to link him up with a female soldier identified as Rumbidzai Matsanga who was part of a team he was commanding.
Ngwenya is facing charges of insurgency, sabotage, banditry or terrorism.
“I didn’t know Kuchata was a member of an opposition party until a time when Matsanga who was now in a love affair with him told me that his profile picture was written President 2018,” he said.
Ngwenya told the court that he asked Kuchata several times if he was involved in any opposition political party, but he refused to disclose anything to him saying soldiers were not to be trusted in such things.
“One day, I was surprised to hear that Sergeant Mahachi and Chitimbe came looking for me at my house since I was on leave. I proceeded to my workplace that day and saw Sergeant Mahachi. After about 10 minutes, he came to me with military police and they arrested me,” said Ngwenya.
Ngwenya said he slept in the cells and was taken to 2 Intelligence Company the following day where Sergeant Mahachi showed him a picture in his mobile phone of him and Kuchata.
He said Sergeant Mahachi asked him whether he knew that Kuchata was the leader of an opposition party. “I told Sergeant Mahachi that my communication with Kuchata was centred on the fact that we come from the same rural home,” he said.
Harare magistrate Mrs Fadzai Mtombeni deferred the matter to April 22 for continuation.
Allegations are that police received a tip-off that Kuchata, Ngwenya, Solomon Makumbe (29) and Silas Pfupa (37) were planning to bomb Alpha Omega Dairy’s processing plant and tuckshop during the night.
The dairy’s processing plant and tuck- shop are located at Gushungo Dairy Estate, Jumbo Road in Mazowe. Acting on the tip-off, the police proceeded to the farm and laid an ambush about 100 metres from the quartet’s target.
Around 10pm, the detectives saw the men approaching the dairy’s processing plant and immediately arrested them. They searched them and recovered four Molotov cocktails (petrol bombs), ammonium nitrate, nails and sand in 750 millilitres empty brandy bottles.
In a separae case, a soldier who was on the police wanted list on allegations of raping a 14-year-old maid on two occasions, tried to strike a police officer who wanted to arrest him with a hoe as he attempted to evade arrest, the court heard on Tuesday.
The cop had to unleash a sniffer dog on him in a bid to save his life, but Seven Munetsi (31) also attempted to kill the dog.
Munetsi had gone into hiding after the housemaid had filed rape charges against him.
He was initially charged with rape when he appeared before regional magistrate Ms Fadzai Mthombeni.
After a full trial, Ms Mthombeni was convinced that it was a consensual relationship and convicted Munetsi of a lesser charge of having sexual intercourse with a girl under the legal age of con- sent.
On the two counts, Munetsi was fined $500 (or six months jail).
On the third count of resisting arrest, Munetsi was fined $100 (or one month). In aggravation, prosecutor Ms Ressy Nyamombe had called for a short but deterrent prison term saying that offences of this nature were on the rise, hence a restraining sentence was called for, to send a signal to would-be of- fenders.
She said Munetsi exposed the girl to risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections.
The State was alleging that sometime in October last year Munetsi took advantage of his wife’s absence and entered a room in which the girl was sleeping and took her to his room. He was intimate with the girl on other occasions.
Eventually the girl went to the police station and made a report.-State Media

By Terrence Mawawa| Members of the dreaded Zanu PF militia, have openly defied President Robert Mugabe’s calls to distribute food aid in a non-partisan manner.
Speaking during his belated birthday celebrations, President Mugabe said: “Food is distributed to people regardless of their affiliations. In the rural areas, you don’t go asking, are you Zanu PF, are you not. No we don’t mind the politics of the people.”
“It doesn’t matter to which party they belong whether it be MDC-T or MDC-Z or what or People First, or People second or people third, we just give them,” he continued.
Cynics have, however, quickly pointed out that Mugabe’s utterances were loaded with cheap political grandstanding meant to hoodwink the nation into believing he was a leader with people’s needs at heart.
In defiance, Zanu PF youths last week, told hundreds of hungry residents at Tsungubvi Community Hall in Glendale that only card carrying party members would benefit from the food distribution exercise despite the dire need for relief in the community.
Further compounded by Zanu PF party members who include, Mathias Tongofa an ex-soldier based in Chivi North constituency, who threatened to kill villagers who frequent his homestead seeking relief.
Glendale residents told ZimEye.com ,the youths erased names of suspected opposition members and replaced them with known Zanu PF activists.
In defiance of President Mugabe’s directive, it is understood that one Blessing and a Mr Malunga (address known) of Glendale spearheaded the vetting process, Zimeye.com can further reveal that the two threatened that ‘sellouts’ meaning opposition members, would be denied food.
“Zanu PF youths are compiling lists on partisan basis. Those who do not belong to the ruling party are being left out of the process. The situation is really tense here,” said one resident.
Those who do not attend Zanu PF meetings are also being left out of the food distribution processes.
“On April 8 , Malunga and Blessing told us that those who do not support Zanu PF should vacate the place since they would not receive food aid,” said a local resident who chose to remain anonymous.
Furthermore, Bikita South Constituency MP Jeppy Jaboon, said opposition supporters would not be considered in the food distribution process, while in Gutu West Constituency, kraal-heads who openly chant Zanu PF maxims have warned that villagers would starve if they don’t join the ruling party.

Terrence Mawawa, Gutu| There was panic at Gutu Police Camp, Mpandawana town last week when two notorious cops woke up bald-headed in mysterious circumstances.
Sources at the camp said the officers were shocked to the heart following the bizarre incident in which the cops’ heads were “shaved” by suspected goblins.
Many CIO and ZRP cops are known for authorising witchcraft charms on their lives bowing down to N’angas instead of Jesus Christ and God, when they think they are creating fortunes, they are in effect bringing misery on their lives, a local pastor warned yesterday.

One of the affected officers expressed extreme shock at the incident. “It also happened to my colleague,” said the cop who declined to be named.
ZimEye.com is reliably informed the two affected cops reported the bizarre matter to the Officer In Charge and a parade was immediately organised.
Sources claimed the parade was aborted after the Officer In Charge was soon afterwards hit by said “invisible things”, suspected to be goblins.
Asked to comment on the incident Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa said he was unaware of the story.
“I have talked to the officers in Gutu and they have not told me about such an incident. So there is nothing of that sort I have heard of and I think it could be mere imagination,” said Dhewa.

Former Vice President Joice Mujuru, now the leader of Zimbabwe People First (ZPF), has spoken out describing her time that she spent being the vice president as the most frustrating part of her political career. She says President Mugabe never listened to her advice and neither did he listen to anyone else.
Mujuru said this on Wednesday at a meeting with ZPF Harare province youths. She told the youths that she was guided by traditional and Christian values and, as such, she was not interested in slogans denouncing other people.
“Pasina na Tsvangirai or someone like that means that person must die. This is what we were taught during the liberation war training and it was meant for the people that we were fighting against and was never meant to be repeated later.
“This is why I am appealing to all the youths who are gathered here to desist from uttering slogans such as being used by Zanu PF. Never use such slogans; they promote hate and disharmony within the country.”Mujuru also said that she was never part of any Zanu PF political dirty games that were played against opposition leaders and their followers.She also told the youths that between April and June ZPF will be registering new members. Mujuru said a membership card similar to a visa card with a chip was being designed and would be unveiled soon.
“In July, there shall be ward elections followed by elections at constituency level in August; come September provincial polls and then October elective congress,” said Mujuru.
The former Zanu PF number two was sacked from the ruling party in December 2014 during the run up to the party’s congress. She alongside other Zanu PF stalwarts, were fired on allegations of plotting to remove Mugabe from power, witchcraft and fanning factionalism. – State Media

A prison guard appeared in court accused of allegedly assaulting and robbing a Bulawayo man at knifepoint and getting away with his mobile phone and $10.
Shylock Tshuma, stationed at Khami Prison, appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Tinashe Tashaya and pleaded not guilty to one count of robbery. He was remanded in custody to April 15.
Prosecuting, Denmore Kasenza, alleged that on April 3 at around 5AM, Nkosizwile Masuku was walking along Herbert Chitepo and 4th Avenue when Tshuma approached him.
“Tshuma was in the company of three accomplices who are on the run. One of the men was armed with an okapi knife which they used to instill fear in Masuku,” said Kasenza.
“As one of the men held the knife, the other three assaulted Masuku and took away his cellphone and $10 and disappeared into thin air. Masuku, however spotted Tshuma.”
The court heard that Masuku met Tshuma during a beer drinking binge five days later and managed to identify him.
“Masuku notified the police leading to Tshuma’s arrest. He failed to recover his phone and the stolen cash,” he said.
Recently, in an unrelated case another prison guard and a former police detective connived with a notorious criminal to steal $45,000 from Filabusi Post Office in Gwanda. The three suspects appeared before the Gwanda magistrates’ court facing unlawful entry and theft charges.
Mondli Dube, 23, a guard at Grey Prison in Bulawayo and Shepard Makwikwi, 39, were each granted $300 bail and ordered to report every Monday and Friday at Bulawayo Central Police Station. – state media

Zimbabweans in the Diaspora Vote Demonstrations in Pretoria
Zimbabweans in South Africa led by Joice Mujuru’s new party, yesterday came out in full force to stage a demo asking for the restoration of their rights to vote whilst they are out of their country.
All Zimbabweans who live and work in the Diaspora have been stripped of their right to vote. Every time they voted apart from the 1980 vote that brought Mugabe into power which was supervised by the British government.
In what might be a sign of Mujuru’s political strength, the marchers were escorted by members of the South African police service and the Pretoria metro. They proceeded from Marabastat to the Zimbabwean Embassy about four kilometers marching and dancing all the way. At the Embassy they were addressed by Lawrence Mavhaire a coordinator of Mujuru’s Zimbabwe People First party.
Mavhaire stressed that Zimbabweans in the Diaspora should be allowed to vote. He also stressed the need for the Zimbabwean Embassy to help its citizens to obtain different services required to make life easier as it was hard to survive without papers such as passports and birth certificates.
However at the embassy they were received by two people who claimed to stand in for the ambassador who said he was in Zimbabwe for a funeral.
The protesters said they will be back next week.

The workers of Alpha Omega Dairy which is a Subsidiary of Gushungo Holdings owned by the First Family have appeared in court facing theft charges.
The 13 workers are facing charges of stealing various dairy products valued at $704,50, but all of them are denying the charges.
James Wellington Mugombi (35), who is employed as a factory manager, Zondai Kayinga (28), a security guard, Kenneth Mugabe (40) a truck driver, Jacob Musasa (42), sales representative responsible for the entire management of the company, Abel Mutongerwa (33) assistant sales representative responsible for vendors, Alec Kudangirana (27), Mackenzi Richard Makufa (35), Abraham Chiwurira (36), Ignatius Mubani (34), Tafadzwa Chidzedzedze (25), Joramu Mugundani (25), Takudzwa Muchena (21) and Joseph Muzokura (21) — who are all warehouse assistants — are facing theft charges.
In denying the charges, Chidzedzedze, Mugundani, Muchena and Muzokura said their duties were only to offload goods from the truck. They told the court that they saw the excess goods while offloading the truck and reported the matter to the security personnel.
Harare magistrate Ms Vongai Muchuchuti deferred the matter to April 26 for trial continuation.  Allegations are that sometime this month, Nyoni received information that the 13 were conniving to steal stocks from Alpha Omega depot in Mazowe.
The court heard that Mugombi would instruct Mukufa to load extra goods in the delivery trucks from Mazowe depot to the Harare distribution depot after conniving with Mubani, who is based in Harare.
It is alleged that Mukufa would also team up with Kudangirana and Chiwurira to load extra goods in the presence of Kayinga, who would then certify that the goods loaded tallied with the accompanying invoices.
The goods would be driven to Harare by Mugabe. Upon receiving the extra goods, Mubani and his assistants Chidzedzedze, Magundani, Muchena, Muzokura, Mutongerwa, Musasa and Mugabe would sell the extra goods and the money realised would be shared between the entire team.
The court heard that, acting on a tip-off on December 19, Nyoni and his assistant Oren Hove went to the Harare depot and upon arrival they made an on-the-spot check and discovered variances in stock in the system and the actual stock at hand.
This prompted Nyoni to put an immediate measure that all stock from the Mazowe depot was to be verified upon delivery by him, and this measure was effected without the knowledge of the 13.
It is alleged that on December 20, at around midday, the 13 accused persons, using the usual modus operandi loaded and despatched a truck to Harare distribution depot being driven by Mugabe.
Upon arrival, it is alleged that Nyoni supervised the offloading of the truck and discovered that it was loaded with extra goods, leading to the arrest of the 13. -state media

MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Thursday said he was humbled by the massive turn up of his supporters for a successful peaceful demonstration against the “brutal” Zanu PF regime.
The MDC-T staged a demonstration upon which it was expressing concern on the mysterious “missing” $15 billion diamond revenue.
The demonstration was initially called off by the police and preceded after the Kennedy Masiye and Sharon Hofisi from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights on Wednesday mounted a challenge against the ban.
On his Twitter handle after the march Tsvangirai wrote, “Thank you so much for showing up and demonstrating in peace against this brutal regime”.
Feeling threatened by the huge crowd the MDC-T leader still has Zanu PF propagandist and spin doctor Professor Jonathan Moyo downplayed the former Premier calling the demonstration as anti nationalism.
“MDC-T demonstrations against spirit of independence? Misfits of society. Three days to go before the historic day!,”Moyo wrote on his twitter handle.
The police during the peaceful demonstration arrested MDC-T MP for Bulawayo East, Thabitha Khumalo for unspecified reasons. This came after another senior Tsvangirai lieutenant and Harare West, MP Jessie Majome had received death threats the night before ordering her not to participate in the Harare protest march.
 

Terrence Mawawa Bikita | There was a cloud mystery here when a prominent local businessman last week took his life after failing to cope with a ballooning debt of more than $50 000 (some which he owed dreaded senior CIO agents).
Boniface Mujaji, who was owner of DME Garare at Nyika Growth, drank poison last Friday and died on the same day at Silveira Mission Hospital.
Mujaji who was also a car dealer, could not cope with the mounting debt and decided to commit suicide, his close relatives told ZimEye. They however failed to dispel questions over the role of the CIO in the death.
It is understood his debt was in excess of $ 50 000.
One of Mujaji’s clients, Wibert Chakanyuka, said he was owed $7000 by the late businessman after he gave him the money to purchase a Toyota Granvia vehicle via the internet. Mujaji failed to deliver the vehicle and Chakanyuka took the matter to court.
Mujaji also owed many other people money, including senior (CIO) state security agents.
“It is true that Mujaji had my $7,000. I had since sued him and the case was supposed to be heard at the Bikita Magistrate court. It is unfortunate he took his life before the matter could be settled,” said Chakanyuka.
A shocked relative said it was unfortunate Mujaji decided to take his life.
“We are still disturbed by Mujaji’s untimely death,” said Mujaji’s relative who chose to remain anonymous.
There was pandemonium at the funeral as some angry relatives threatened to beat up individuals thought to be reporters. The incident has left residents of Nyika Growth Point stunned since Mujaji was a prominent figure in the area.

The March Against Poverty and Corruption is going ahead as scheduled :
The MDC-T Secretary General has issued the following below statement about today’s planed march.
We assemble at the Freedom Square and get a briefing from the Organising Department. We emphasise that this is a peaceful march. It is sanctioned by the High Court.
We have nothing to fear but fear itself. Our demands to the government are clear and straight forward. We have won together before and we can still win again today. All we need to have is discipline and unity of purpose. This is no time for hate language among ourselves.
Zimbabwe has suffered enough at the hands of this regime but the people shall prevail. Victory is certain.
From MDC-T Secretary General Hon D Mwonzora

Sheffield, UK-A 22-year-old Zimbabwean woman who died following an incident in Sheffield (Tuesday 12 April), Zanele Leigh-Anne Mahachi, is set to be flown out of the UK to Zimbabwe for burial.
Leigh-Anne Mahachi, was stabbed during an incident in Spotswood Close, Gleadless Valley, at around 8.15am.
Leigh-Anne (pictured), who was living at an address in Spotswood Close at the time of her death, was taken to hospital but died a short time later.
A post-mortem carried out on Tuesday 12 April night found that she died as a result of multiple stab wounds.
A 37-year-old Zimbabwean man, from the Colchester area, known on social media as “Tee Fuz,” has been arrested on suspicion of murder and continues to be interviewed by detectives.
Leigh-Anne’s family have released a photograph of her and have requested privacy at this difficult time.

As the National Railways of Zimbabwe workers’ industrial action enters its third week, a makeshift technical staff manning the parastatal’s locomotives yesterday crashed down a goods training carrying over 80 000 tonnes of drought relief maize.
The train traveling from Harare to Shamva, derailed in Glendale shortly after its departure from the GMB in Harare.
Causes of the derailment were not disclosed by the government at the time of writing, but sources within the parastatal blamed the accident on inexperienced staff running company due to the industrial action by the workers.
Residents in the area quickly helped themselves to the maize before members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police arrived to guard the maize.

Terrence Mawawa, Chiredzi|A headmaster here stole at least $ 6000 cash from the school coffers through forging bank funds transfer documents.
Chibwedziva Secondary School head , Zenda Simbarashe Jackson(53) last week appeared before Chiredzi Magistrate Geraldine Mutsotso facing three counts of fraud and three counts of forgery. Zenda forged the bank funds transfer documents by appending a signature which he purportedly presented to the bank as having been signed by Thulani Siphumise, who is the School Development Committee(SDC) vice chairperson.
On May 30 around 12pm Jackson also forged Siphumise’s signature to withdraw cash from CBZ. He also misrepresented himself on several occasions and withdrew cash from CBZ. Through forging documents, Jackson stole at least $6000 from the school account. Meanwhile SDC sources said there was need to carry out further audits since there were more fraudulent activities yet to be unearthed. “There is need to carry out further audits at the school.We know that a lot of sinister activities took place at the school. It is unfortunate Jackson forged the vice chairperson’s signature in order to withdraw cash from the school account without the SDC’s approval,” said a member of the Chibwedziva SDC.
Cases of school heads involved in the embezzlement of funds have been on the increase and last year a headmaster in Bikita took his own life after failing to account for thousands of dollars.

A Mvuma woman assaulted her husband and when he escaped to her mother’s homestead, Siphilisiwe Chivasa, also attacked her mother-in-law accusing her of meddling in her son’s marriage.
Siphilisiwe, 22, and her sibling Easter Chivasa, 24, appeared before Mvuma magistrate, Vimbai Makora, facing assault charges. The mother-in-law, Anna Mutema, suffered bruises all over her body.
The two sisters both of Baru Village in Mvuma pleaded guilty to the assault charge. They were each sentenced to 18 months in prison. Six months of their sentences were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
The magistrate described the duo’s actions as barbaric. Prosecuting, Bernard Nyoni said on March 25 this year at around 7PM, Mutema’s son had a misunderstanding with his wife Siphilisiwe.
Easter who had visited her sister intervened, taking her side. “Siphilisiwe and her sister Easter assaulted her husband who rushed to his mother’s place and reported the matter,” said Nyoni.
He said Mutema went to her son’s homestead in a bid to resolve the misunderstanding.
However, Nyoni said when she got there; the siblings attacked her accusing her of meddling in her son’s marriage.
“Unfortunately Easter who was very aggressive, charged angrily towards Mutema and started beating her up until she fell down,” said Nyoni.
“Siphilisiwe joined in and beat up Mutema and also twisted her right hand. Mutema sustained a fracture and was taken to Mvuma District Hospital for medication.” State Media

Police officers had a hard time tracking a soldier who was fleeing arrest over rape charges that they had to unleash sniffer dogs to apprehend him.
Seven Munetsi, 31, of Glen Norah B in Harare went into hiding after his housemaid had filed rape charges against him.
“After the accused person realised that police officers had put him on the wanted list, he fled (and), he was finally apprehended with the help of a sniffer dog called Tiger,” said the investigating officer.
“When we arrived at the scene of arrest, Munetsi came out holding a hoe and tried to strike us.” Munetsi was sentenced to six months imprisonment wholly suspended on condition that he deposits a $500 fine.
“The court ought to consider that the accused person committed this offence out of ‘greed and not need’ considering that he was a married man entitled to conjugal rights,” said prosecutor Ressy Nyamombe during aggravation.
“Offences of this nature are on the rise and a deterrent sentence is called for to send a signal to like-mined individuals that our courts do not tolerate such conduct. The accused person exposed the juvenile to the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections.”
The complainant, 14, was from the same neighbourhood as Munetsi.
Nyamombe proved that sometime in October last year, Munetsi took advantage of his wife’s absence and entered a room in which the victim was sleeping.
Munetsi then lifted the complainant to his bedroom and forcibly removed her clothes before raping her.
The court heard that the juvenile cried for help but Munetsi threatened to assault her if she divulged the ordeal to anyone.
After that incident, Munetsi regularly forced himself on the juvenile whenever he wished.
On February 25, around midnight Munetsi went into the room where the minor was sleeping with two of his children.
He lifted the girl to his room and ordered her to strip naked but she refused and he forcibly did so. The girl cried for help but no one came to her rescue since it was raining.
The following morning she went to the police station and made a formal report.
Although Munetsi was initially charged with rape Harare regional magistrate Fadzai Mthombeni convicted him of having sex with a minor after considering that circumstances reflected that both parties could have consented.

 
Staff Reporter
Former Vice President now leader of the opposition Zimbabwe People First Joice Mujuru has mourned the late Victoria Chitepo who died on the 8th of April.
In her message, Mujuru describes the sudden death of Chitepo as a shock to her party.
Mujuru described Chitepo as a dedicated fighter for the liberation and development of the country both before and after independence and a rare woman nationalist.
“As Zimbabwe People First (ZIMPF), we learnt with sorrow and sadness about the untimely and tragic death of Gogo Victoria Chitepo…”
Gogo Chitepo contributed immensely to the liberation and development of this country before and after independence. She represented that rare breed of early nationalist women who sacrificed their lives to support their husbands…”
Mujuru who spent several years working with Chitepo in her days in ZANU PF praised the late nationalist for single handedly taking care of her family while her husband veteran nationalist Herbert Chitepo was out leading the liberation struggle or in prison.
She expressed her heartfelt condolences to the Chitepo family on the sad loss of Victoria.
“On behalf of my party, ZimPF, my family and my own behalf, I wish to express my deepest and heartfelt condolences to the Chitepo family on the passing on of Gogo Chitepo, a gallant fighter and patriotic daughter of Zimbabwe.
Our prayers and thoughts are with the children of Gogo Chitepo. May her soul rest in eternal peace,” she said.
Chitepo will be buried at the National Heroes Acre today. Officials within Mujuru’s office however expressed sadness that Mujuru will not be able to attend Chitepo’s burial due to the ZANU PF protocol that would not allow her at the national shrine for the burial.
Opposition parties have expressed concern at ZANU PF’s manipulation of national events such as national heroes declaration and burial.

 
Staff Reporter
As opposition parties pile pressure against the governance of the country by President Robert Mugabe and ZANU PF, the Dumiso Dabengwa led ZAPU has also joined in the massive public demonstrations to send a message of displeasure on the state of the nation.
ZAPU Belfast branch in the United Kingdom will be commemorating the country’s 36th independence by holding a march against the ZANU PF government in the small town, on Independence Day.
According to Sipho Sibanda, a spokesperson for the organisers, the party members will be demonstrating against the ZANU PF government under the theme “Celebration of Zimbabwean National Independence Day – and a call for change.”
Sibanda said that a list of issues against Mugabe’s government will be tabled at the demonstration.
“Zimbabwe, under the rule of ZANU-PF, is a state which is marred by wide scale of human rights abuses, disregard of constitution by the ruling ZANU PF and  the state, in terms of the following,
√Laws of association
√The right to demonstrate
√Freedom of association
√Detentions without trial.
√Demolitions of homes
√Farm invasions.
√High levels of corruption in the government.” said Sibanda in a statement issued to media today.
“Many of the asylum seekers from Zimbabwe in Belfast today have come here fleeing persecution under the Mugabe’s regime.
We are therefore protesting to support democratic voices in Zimbabwe who want change, freedom and all our constitutional Rights,” reads the statement.
Other opposition parties are holding similar demonstrations on several issues against Mugabe’s government.
Morgan Tsvangirai will tomorrow be leading his party in a demonstration in Harare against the failed economy by Mugabe’s government while Joice Mujuru’s Zimbabwe People First South African Province will be marching to the Zimbabwean embassy in Pretoria to demand that Zimbabweans living outside the country be allowed to vote in the next elections.

A protest is underway at the Zim embassy in support of a Zimbabwean boy who is currently “trapped” in the building having fled into it for refuge last week.
The 16 year old boy is complaining of having been abused by British social workers, and is demanding free passage to fly back to Harare, embassy sources told this reporter.
The lad says he has endured months (a whole year) of turmoil under British care workers and has even been forced to seek asylum under the guise of a fake claim “merely so the social workers can satiate their work targets”.
A campaign for donations has since been launched to help sustain the boy and his mother in the building which has neither bathroom nor sleeping facility.
The British authorities are under fire for taking the boy away into their “care” from his mother as they were flying past London en route to Harare, in a case that has sent shockwaves in the Zim diaspora community, as the boy back then took advantage of the British police system, at the time saying that he does not like his home country, Zimbabwe.
What further irked Zimbabweans was the fact that the Zimbabwean and Canadian embassies were not informed of the actions taken by UK(The boy has both Zimbabwean and Canadian citizenship).
Families have raised concern that the lad was taken into British care even though he has no UK residency and was in transit past the island country to Harare. The social workers have obliviously opened a loophole to empower foreign children to obtain an easy way to live on British taxpayer funds.
But the same system does not allow him access to study as he explains in a public video…

Terrence Mawawa, Chivi| Zanu PF Member of Parliament for Chivi North, Retired Brigadier Mathias Tongofa, has threatened local villagers with death for expressing grievances over food distribution.
Chivi North Constituency is one of the areas grossly affected by El nino such that there is imminent need for food relief.
Tongofa has openly threatened local villagers who pester him for food relief with death, much to the shock of the entire local community. His outbursts have come at a time when Zanu PF youths are looting food aid from both the government and donor agencies with Tongofa’s approval.
Concerned villagers told ZimEye.com yesterday, the MP said opposition supporters would not get food aid, despite claims from the government that there is no politicisation of food aid. “Tongofa who is a former soldier has threatened to kill us if we continue to frequent his homestead to express our concerns,” said a local villager.
They continued saying, “it is very sad to note that Zanu PF youths are looting food aid at will and the MP fully supports their actions. We do not know what to do because the MP is ignoring us.”
As a result of selective food distribution, only 50 households out of the 600 families in need of relief have so far received aid, leaving the villagers facing a critical shortage of food.
Tongofa who is also the Deputy Minister of Youth and Indigenisation and is working with Zanu PF militia to intimidate known opposition supporters in the area, was unavailable for comment at the time of writing.

A 70-year-old Harare man allegedly raped two girls on the same day after enticing them by giving them $10 to share, a court heard yesterday. Jeremiah Masimo was facing two counts of rape when he appeared before magistrate Mr Elijah Makomo.
He was remanded in custody and ordered to apply for bail at the High Court. Allegations are that on an unknown date and month in 2015, Masimo met the two 12-year-old girls in the passage of a farmhouse and gave them 40 cents to share.
The court heard that Masimo started fondling their breasts and after that the girls went home and did not tell anyone.
It is alleged that on another unknown day that same year, Masimo followed the girls into the bush where they were relieving themselves and gave them a $1 to share. He allegedly started fondling their breasts and the girls again did not reveal the incident to anyone.
It is the State’s case that in February 2016 Masimo saw the girls coming from the bush to relieve themselves since the toilets were blocked and gave them $10 and told them to share $4 each and give him back the change.
The court heard that Masimo demanded to be intimate with the girls but they refused. It is alleged that the girls followed Masimo into a bushy area where he forced them to lie on the ground.
It is alleged that Masimo raped both the girls and threatened to kill them if they revealed the matter to anyone.
The matter came to light when one of the girls was sent to hospital after developing a rash and it was discovered that she had been raped leading to Masimo’s arrest.

Terrence Mawawa, Zvishavane| An HIV positive man from the small mining town of Zvishavane left the local community stunned after allegedly raping three women.
Ngonidzashe Nhanga appeared before Magistrate Story Rushambwa last week, facing three counts of rape. Nhanga raped the women while he was fully aware of his HIV status.
Sometime in February this year, Nhanga broke into a house in the Makwasha area of Zvishavane and grabbed the first victim by the neck, undressed and threatened to kill her if she refused to cooperate. He raped her once around 2300 hours and disappeared.
On the same night, Nhanga proceeded to a nearby house where he raped a 24 year old woman. He switched off electricity at the house and ordered the woman to undress but she refused. Nhanga then forcibly removed the woman’s clothes and raped her once and ordered her to take a bath while he watched.
The woman managed to see Nhanga ‘s face through the dim light provided by the tower light. She pushed him down overpowering him in the way and ran to the police station where she reported the matter.
On March 26, Nhanga broke into another house where he stole two Nokia cellphones before raping the 17 year old girl who was sleeping. He threatened to kill the teen after raping her.
Upon hearing some noise Edward Maphose, the woman’s neighbour, woke up to investigate and hit a fleeing Nhanga who forgot his red jacket.
Nhanga was later arrested after the police tracked him using his jacket and he was remanded in custody to April 12 (today) after the initial court hearing.

Terrence Mawawa Masvingo| Former Zanu PF stalwart and Zimbabwe People First Official, Dzikamai Mavhaire, has begun blasting out sinister operations run by the Zimbabwe National Army, put in place to rig the outcome of elections.
Mavhaire claimed to journalists that the two election rigging operations, run by ZNA bosses are codenamed ‘Operation maguta’ and ‘Operation Champion farmers,’ as he vowed to confront the military men over these.
“This time around elections should be purely guided by the constitution. Zanu PF has a tendency of deploying soldiers to intimidate villagers but this time we will not allow that to happen. Soldiers must not meddle in politics .They must stay at the barracks,” said Mavhaire.
The outspoken Mavhaire, charged that both operations were used to intimidate villagers ahead of the 2013 polls, further challenging the soldiers to stay in their barracks and let the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) run the polls.
“So we are going to make sure that there will be no intimidation of villagers by soldiers. How can soldiers lead a farming programme yet some of them do not own a garden? We know Zanu PF is using soldiers under the guise of operation Maguta and Champion Farmers to cow villagers into submission,”he continued.
Responding to critics doubting his claims, Mavhaire insisted his ZPF would expose Zanu PF’s election rigging tactics.
Meanwhile, Retired Colonel Claudius Makova said electoral reforms should be implemented before the polls, calling for the need to uphold the provisions of the new constitution.

In a shocking incident, a married woman from Manhubu Village in Zaka under Chief Ndanga was allegedly coercing her two male domestic workers into having sex with her as part of their monthly payments.
The woman, Kesina Rusosa’s shenanigans of regularly paying her herdboys with sexual services were exposed after one of them later turned down the offer claiming he was tired of her services.
Apparently the herdboy started complaining stating that he could not fend for his family with sexual favours, before he reported the matter to neighbours who later alerted Rusosa’s husband Joseph Makwanda.
According to a source from the area, after receiving the shocking news, Makwanda confronted his wife who confessed that she had been paying their domestic workers in “kind” for a long time.
“What was happening is that Rusosa was coercing her two workers into having sexual intercourse with her as part of their payment and one of them who seemed to have been fed up with Rusosa’s sexual services started complaining that he was no longer interested in sleeping with her as he wanted money to buy food for his family.
“His complaint did not however, go down well with his fellow colleague who still wanted to be paid in sex. Following the fallout the disgruntled man told neighbours who later alerted the woman’s husband.
“When confronted by her husband the woman confessed that she indeed slept with their domestic workers as a way of paying them. The shocked husband reported the matter to his in-laws before approaching Chief Ndanga who later presided over the matter,” said a source who preferred anonymity for fear of reprisals.
When reached for comment Chief Ndanga confirmed the incident.
“It is true that I presided over a case of that nature. This was after Joseph Makwanda approached my court saying his wife had been cheating on him with their domestic workers. It was indeed a shocking matter which attracted the attention of villagers who crammed my court during trial. As part of my ruling I ordered the woman to pay two beasts to her husband,” he said. B Metro

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo |President Robert Mugabe ignored the burial of the late former Ambassador Alois Makumure Chidoda last week, triggering widespread outrage.
Chidoda(78) was the former ambassador to Botswana and Ethiopia and he was also the ruling party’s representative in Canada during the liberation struggle. Chidoda also played a pivotal role during the liberation war. Senior Zanu PF officials here surprisingly did not attend the burial of the late former ambassador. The only notable political figures at the funeral were former Zanu PF member and Zim People First senior official, Dzikamai Mavhaire and Maina Mandaba, the latter a Zanu PF official.
An irate Mavhaire said Chidoda deserved to be buried at the National Heroes Acre because of his contributions during the liberation struggle.
“The man deserved to be buried at the National Heroes Acre because of his immense contributions during the liberation struggle. He is the one who mobilised resources and arms of war for the ZANLA forces,” said Mavhaire.
Sources told ZimEye.com Zanu PF turned down the request from the family members to have him accorded national hero status.
Zanu PF National Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere claimed he was unaware of the ambassador’s death reflecting the level of neglect by the ruling party.
“I am not even aware of his death. The province was supposed to forward his credentials if they wanted him to be buried at the national shrine,” said Kasukuwere, indicating he knew little about the late ambassador.
Chidoda’s wife Rugare said the ruling party sat on the request adding Kasukuwere’s claims were baseless.
“We went to the PA’s office and we were advised to write a CV to the party and we did that. We submitted the CV to one Mai Mataruse who promised to come back to us but nothing was effected . What is being said is not true,” said Rugare.
Chidoda died last week after battling with cancer for six years, a period during which the ruling party totally neglected the former ambassador.
Appeals for medical assistance were also turned down by the ruling party.
To many’s surprise, Zanu PF Provincial Commissar Jeppy Jaboon also professed ignorance of Chidoda’s death.

A 44-YEAR-OLD woman from Shurugwi stunned a court when she claimed that her 26-year-old husband is a Satanist who has a snake that gives him power and riches.
Marshal Machona Muzarabani, a barber, had dragged his wife Fillomina Dor Santos to court, accusing her of extortion.
Dor Santos told Shurugwi magistrate Evia Matura that Muzarabani fabricated the charges to fix her after she killed his snake.
Muzarabani said his wife demanded $800 from him when he asked for his clothes after their separation. He said Dor Santos threatened to kill herself and the couple’s two-year-old son to force him to pay.
Dor Santos, pleading not guilty to one count of extortion, said: “My husband is falsely incriminating me because I killed his snake. He’s a Satanist and after I killed the reptile, he started accusing me of taking away his powers. I attend Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries led by Prophet Walter Magaya and through prayers I managed to kill the snake.”
The magistrate acquitted Dor Santos at the close of the State case due to conflicting evidence. Bertha Bore appeared for the state. Meanwhile, Muzarabani has applied for a peace order against Dor Santos from the same court.
Matura is expected to make her ruling on the matter today. In his affidavit, Muzarabani said trouble for the couple started when Dor Santos’ child from another relationship stole his R30,000 and fled to South Africa.
“We had a long standing dispute with my wife after her child some time ago stole my R30,000 and fled to South Africa. Things haven’t been normal. My wife accuses me of not sexually satisfying her. This is said everyday and makes me feel inadequate. My wife is much older than me as I’m only 26 years old and she is 44,” he said. State Media

Eighteen people, most of them Zimbabweans, were injured in a three-car pileup on Friday morning between Musina town and Beitbridge Border Post. Musina police spokesperson Constable Dakalo Ramagweda said the incident occurred at around 6am along the N1 Highway. She said intensive investigations were still in progress though initial indications were a result of an overtaking error.
“A Toyota Quantum travelling from the border post towards Musina was involved in a head on collision with another commuter omnibus which was travelling from Musina.
A few minutes later, another speeding Toyota-metered taxi, which was travelling from Musina rammed into the commuter omnibus. “A total of 18 people were injured as a result of the impact,” she said.
Const Ramagweda said emergency services and the police were alerted and they took the injured to Musina Government Hospital. She said most of the victims suffered multiple body injuries thought they were reported to be in stable condition.
She said the majority of the victims were Zimbabweans although nationalities for some were yet to be ascertained.
“As police, we continue to encourage drivers to always adhere to road traffic regulations and not to overtake when they cannot see clearly.
“We believe this accident was a result of human error which was avoidable,” said Cst Ramagweda.
Last year, seven people were killed near the same spot when a commuter omnibus they were travelling in collided with a haulage truck some two kilometres from Beitbridge Border Post along the N1 Highway.
The two vehicles collided near the weighbridge when the driver of the border post-bound haulage truck made a right turn in front of the speeding kombi, which was travelling towards Musina with 15 passengers resulting in a collision.
Seven people died instantly and nine others were seriously injured as a result of the collision.
A total of 38 Zimbabweans have died in road accidents in Limpopo Province in the last 12 months.-State Media

War Veterans Demands Shocking, Unrealistic-PDZ
Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo| War veterans are demanding school fee allowances, land, mining concessions, government jobs, among a raft of wishes.
The Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe (PDZ)has described the demands made by the war vets as shocking and unrealistic in a nation grappling with economic chaos.
Reacting to the demands, PDZ spokesperson John Anderson Nyawo, said in a statement yesterday the party has noted with sadness the outrageous demands raised by the former freedom fighters adding the conditions, if effected,would plunge the nation into further abyss.
The war veterans are demanding 20% each under the controversial indigenisation policy, 10% in the mining sector, exemption from tax, free allocation of residential stands and clearing of personal debts by the state. In 1997 the war veterans were granted the then $50 000 dollars each in a move that ignited social and economic turmoil.
Nyawo said the demands by the war veterans were ill-timed given the fragile state of the country’s economy. “While we acknowledge and applaud the role played by the war veterans during the liberation struggle, we are saddened by the timing of the demands from the former freedom fighters. We are fully aware of the fact that the liberation struggle’s founding principles were based on sacrifice and selflessness. The liberation struggle was never about monetary gains. Although we fully salute and commend the role they played during the liberation struggle, as PDZ,we have learnt with shock and utmost disapproval the proposal and demands to the government that were put forward by the war veterans. We believe that real war veterans stand for and with the people always ,” said Nyawo.
PDZ president Barbara Nyagomo called on the war veterans to seriously consider the socio-economic turmoil in the country.
“The government is struggling to pay civil servants and any extra financial load will plunge the nation into further economic turmoil. We are not defending the government but we are worried about the plight of ordinary Zimbabweans,” said Nyagomo.
The government has been struggling to pay civil servants and there has been increasing unrest among the government workers.Several government departments have suspended operations due to financial constraints in the wake of escalating unemployment.

ZANU PF has opened the door to all suspended and expelled party members, including former vice-president Joice Mujuru to appeal against the sanctions.
The ruling party’s spokesperson Simon Khaya-Moyo yesterday said Zanu PF resolved at its Friday central committee meeting that all suspended members who felt they were unfairly dismissed from the party were free to appeal to the party’s supreme decision-making body outside congress.
He said the central committee was already inundated with cases where party members who were dismissed approached the organ for review of their sentences. Khaya-Moyo could not reveal officials who had so far applied.
“Those who feel aggrieved are free to appeal to the central committee,” Khaya-Moyo said.
“A number of appeals are coming in; I don’t know who they are.
“The politburo is an administrative body of the central committee and the central committee can overturn the decisions by the politburo. There are quite a number of appeals that will be heard by the central committee.”
Zanu PF fired Mujuru alongside 150 members who included former spokesperson Rugare Gumbo, Presidential Affairs minister Didymus Mutasa and several Cabinet ministers accused of working with the former vice-president in an alleged plot to oust President Robert Mugabe.
They were not given room to challenge their dismissals, let alone appear before the national disciplinary committee (NDC).
Zanu PF launched another round of suspensions in the past three months targeting Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s allies as infighting continued in the revolutionary party, this time pitting the VP’s faction against G40, another faction that enjoys the support of Mugabe and his wife First Lady Grace Mugabe.
On Thursday, Khaya-Moyo said the NDC had been asked to expedite dealing with all the various issues before them that would be determined in the next politburo meeting. Standard

THE late Victoria Chitepo has been accorded national heroine status, with a visibly grieving President Mugabe describing her as an exemplary woman of integrity worth emulating.
Formally announcing the conferment of hero status to mourners at her Harare residence yesterday, Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration Dr Ignatius Chombo said Chitepo (88) was unanimously declared a national heroine after all Politburo members agreed she deserved the honour.
President Mugabe gave an emotional tribute, describing her as a “natural hero” and mother figure always prepared to lend a helping hand. He chronicled the role she played during the liberation struggle from the time she looked after comrades in Tanzania, where she lived with her late husband, founding Zanu Chairman Herbert Chitepo. President Mugabe said after her husband died in 1975, Chitepo remained committed to the liberation struggle and continued to work tirelessly for the party.
“She has gone now but she has written her own page or book of the struggle. She had borne quite a difficult burden pakafa murume, she was shattered but she still felt she did not only have children to look after, she had, also, the party her husband had worked for to care for. What her husband left undone she would do now, the fulfillment of the ambition and the mission which her husband left unfilled, she fulfilled it all.”
President Mugabe said Chitepo, who died at home last Friday as she prepared to attend Zanu-PF’s Central Committee, was steadfastly loyal.
“Tarasikirwa na mai. Vanga vari mai vanyerere asi vari mai vemusangano. Ndakanzwa kuti vakanga vaita shungu yekuti vauye kumusangano wedu we Central Committee nezuro, ndokubva zvakona vakafira mu bathroom.”
President Mugabe called her a graceful peacemaker, full of love and humility.
“I am sure every one of us here has a different story, everyone here has her own story to tell about Mai Chitepo; that story will always have an element of love, an element of her preparedness to assist, (her) charitable disposition, wanting to assist and wanting reconciliation. She never was quarrelsome. No, never. She was never involved in conflicts; she also always encouraged harmony in the party, dialogue in the party and togetherness in the party,” the President said.
He encouraged the Chitepo family to take comfort and reassured them he would stand by them.
President Mugabe said First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe was a close friend of the late heroine but was unable to attend as she was in the Far East with her daughter Mrs Bona Chikore, who is about to give birth.
Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa said he was one of the comrades looked after by Chitepo.
“She was a mother to all of us. In March and April 1963 I was one of the people taken to Panga Tanzania and stayed at her house. She took care of me, just as was the case with many other comrades because she was a mother to all cadres. The family will also be pleased to learn that the journey she travelled with President Mugabe before and after the liberation struggle lasted for close to 70 years,” he said.
In a statement yesterday, Zanu-PF spokesperson Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo said Chitepo was a unifier. A number of ministers, senior government and party officials were at her residence yesterday. Chitepo is survived by her four children, Nomusa, Zanele, Thokozile and Kule. Mourners are gathered at 38 Quorn Drive in Mt Pleasant, Harare.-State Media

State Media-Social media use will soon be regulated in Zimbabwe, with the State already drawing up legal and policy instruments to govern information communication technologies.
Local web developers are also in the process of stitching together products similar to social networking sites such as Facebook, Whatsapp, Youtube, Skype and Twitter so as to enable greater supervision.
These measures are tailored to protect citizens’ rights following a surge in social media abuse through propagating falsehoods, defamation, character assassination and national security threats.
Countries like China have similar regulations and have developed their own social networking sites.
Sina Weibo, the equivalent of Twitter, is one of the most popular networks in China.
Following his return from a Japan working visit on April 2, 2016; President Mugabe advocated for hi-tech systems that engender development instead of abuse and infringement of people’s rights.
The President revealed that the Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Minister Supa Mandiwanizira is seized with the matter.
Last week, Minister Mandiwanzira told The Sunday Mail that internet supervision is imminent.
He said that it will be incorporated into the National ICT Policy.
He also said the Universal Services Fund – established with contributions from telecommunications companies – will be used to spur technological innovation.
“There is an enormous abuse of the internet, particularly social media. Hardly a day passes by without a story alleging scandals involving social media. A vivid example is that of Tafadzwa Mushunje who was condemned by social media users after she was reported to have allegedly injected a toddler with HIV-infected blood.
“It later emerged that the story was absolutely hogwash and a fabrication. But imagine the impact that that had on a young girl like Tafadzwa. That is one classical example of how the internet is being abused and that cannot continue.
“In his statement, the President was saying we need to look at systems that protect the freedoms accorded to all Zimbabweans by our Constitution where those freedoms are being undermined by social media.”
Minister Mandiwanzira said experts are considering technological and legislative means to stop the menace which also extends to the hacking of internet accounts.
He said the broad initiative will result in cheaper and greater internet access.
“We need to put in place laws that protect internet users while also promoting internet usage.”
The minister stressed that the policy is not meant to infringe citizens’ pricacy.
“When we talk of having laws here (social media regulation), we have no interests in snooping on people’s communication. That is not our business, our interest is in protecting people.
“The President is saying let us do something about it and we are doing something about it. He mentioned the example of China which has gone to great lengths to protect the integrity of the internet.
“lt is in the interest of every country to protect the integrity of the internet so that it is a tool for development, not a tool for destruction. Our mandate is to look at various options as instructed by the President, and we are already on it.”
On local innovations, the minister said, “Last month, at the E-Tech Africa Expo, I mentioned that the ministry was working towards a fund that will promote ICT innovation, especially on applications, software development (gaming and education software) and others.
“We are targeting innovations that primarily address local market demands, which, we hope, can be grown for the global market. We want to promote locally-developed software as a step towards import substitution. The software development initiative has the support of all networks.
“It has been agreed that a portion of the cost of every (cellphone) call made will be directed to the Universal Services Fund. We started collecting that money on January 1, 2016; and believe the fund will have US$25 million in the next 24 months.”
“Furthermore, we also want local people to be very creative and talented. We are looking for those who have already developed something that could potentially have a market but don’t know where to go.
“We want to identify such people. The fund will invest in them to develop the product, register the necessary patent and then offer it to telecoms networks. It will thereafter be sold by the networks locally to the 13 million subscribers on local networks, creating local millionaires in the process,” he added.

A Masvingo woman has given birth to a baby without a head. The woman who went into labour on Wednesday evening, left nursing staff at Masvingo provincial hospital’s maternity wing stunned after giving birth to twins, one of them headless.
The other baby who appeared normal, died a few minutes after delivery as the child had an extraordinarily very bighead, a condition medical experts said was incompatible with life. Acting Masvingo provincial medical director Dr Amadeous Shamu, yesterday confirmed the birth of a headless child at Masvingo General Hospital, saying the situation was caused by congenital abnormalities.
“It’s true there’s a case like that (birth of a headless baby) but it’is very rare to have such a situation though it’s generally known as a congenital abnormality, which is basically a deformation that occurs to a foetus during the early stages of pregnancy,’’ he said.  “The headless foetus was incompatible with life after premature birth, while the other twin who was born alive but with a very big head, died after a few minutes,’’ added Dr Shamu. He said the mother of the twins was still detained to monitor her condition.
“We can’t unfortunately disclose the identity of the woman save to say that her condition is stable. It’s very rare for a person to give birth to a child without a head,’’ said Dr Shamu. – state media

A 14-YEAR-OLD girl drowned in Khami River at Nyamandlovu as she tried to save her brother who had fallen into the river.
Villagers identified her as Hlelo Sibanda, a Grade Six pupil at Sikhululeni Primary School.
They said she along with Carlton Dube, 12, and Philisani Sibanda, 9, all of Village 1 Seafield, under Chief Deli, left home last Friday to bath at Khami River.
A villager, Siphetha Ndlovu, said: “Hlelo was in Grade Six while the two boys were in Grade Four. As they were bathing, Carlton slipped and fell into the river where he almost drowned. Hlelo dived into the river and swam towards him, intending to save him, but unfortunately drowned herself”.
She said Carlton was then saved by Philisani.
“The two boys rushed home and told their older brother’s wife, Regina Tshuma that Sibanda had drowned. Tshuma quickly notified villagers and we rushed to the river but we couldn’t find her. We immediately reported the matter to the police who then retrieved the body,” Ndlovu said. State Media

The Welshman Ncube led MDC has condemned the arrest yesterday by the police of Media Centre director Ernest Mudzengi saying the development exposes President Robert Mugabe’s barbarism.
Mudzengi was on Thursday arrested for running an online portal which published a story of President Robert Mugabe’s Gushungo holdings bombing.
Mudzengi was later released without charges after the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights had intervened.
In a statement Friday Kurauone Chihwayi the MDC national spokesperson said the arrest was barbaric.
“The MDC unreservedly condemns the callous and barbaric arrest of Mudzengi and many other media practitioners who have truthfully written about President Mugabe,his ministers and government officials,”he said.
“We are urging the regime to keep away from media houses to enable them to execute their duties without any fear or favour and incessant attempts to zip up the media should stop”.
MDC said the continued arrest of journalists is a ploy by government to frustrate the media so that they stop playing their watch dog role.
“The Mugabe regime should respect freedom of the Press to allow correct information to smoothly flow to the news consumers,” said Chihwayi.
The state continues the scrapped criminal defamation laws to arrest journalists who would have reported critically on President Mugabe.