CONFRONTED by a huge python while out herding goats along a riverbank, a 27-year-old Chivi woman leapt into a river hoping to wade across to safety. Terrified Tsitsi Gwanangara had no way of knowing that she was jumping into the jaws of a crocodile which ripped open her abdomen and chopped chunks of flesh from her legs and arms with its gnashers.
Gwanangara, of Mavhima Village under Chief Madzivire, was yesterday battling for life at Harare’s Parirenyatwa Hospital after the ferocious attack by the reptile at around 2PM on Wednesday.
The State Media reports how Gwanangara bravely fought the crocodile by poking its eyes and punching it in the mouth for several minutes until it let go — but not before stone-throwing villagers joined the rescue effort.
She was admitted to Chivi District Hospital and then later taken to Masvingo General Hospital before being transferred to Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare yesterday after her condition deteriorated.
A nurse who spoke to Gwanangara at Masvingo General Hospital, before her injuries appeared to overwhelm her, said:
“She’s a brave woman. She just refused to die. She told us how she used her bare hands to poke and hit the crocodile in the mouth area until it let go of her.”
Gwanangara, according to the nurse, suffered “horrific” injuries in the abdomen, right arm and right leg.
“She was cut and bruised all over the body. You’d think she was attacked with a chainsaw. She met unimaginable misfortune — running from a python into the mouth of a crocodile. It’s a classic case of jumping from the frying pan into the fire,” said the nurse, who cannot be named for professional reasons.
Before her terrifying ordeal, Gwanangara was herding her goats close to the flooded Runde River with three others when she came across the python.
She fled the snake, which constricts and swallows prey whole, before launching herself into the river intending to walk across to safety.
Ruvarashe Chimbi, 57, who was with Gwanangara when the crocodile attacked, said villagers pelted the reptile with stones until it gave up its human prey.
“We were herding goats together with an eight-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl. We saw a snake near our goats and decided to drive them to safety. The snake became aggressive and we tried to escape to the other side of Runde River,” said Chimbi.
“When we got into the flooded river, we walked in a single file. The crocodile emerged out of nowhere when we were in the middle of the river and clamped its jaws on Tsitsi’s right leg.”
Chimbi said she dragged the children out of the water while screaming for help.
“Tsitsi fought the crocodile, which was huge.
“She poked her fist into its mouth and it let go of her leg but then gripped her abdomen, just below her right breast,” she said.
Chimbi said Gwanangara bravely fought with the crocodile for what seemed like an eternity, until other villagers arrived and pelted the reptile with stones and logs forcing it to let go.
Village head Thomas Mavhima said Gwanangara was rushed to the hospital by her husband, Robson Nyika, and other villagers.
He added: “We’ve heard a lot of stories of this nature from Runde River, although this is the first in 2016.”
Chivi District administrator, Hebert Hadzirambwi, said they had received a report on the crocodile attack and officials would visit the scene with Parks rangers to see if they can locate and kill the crocodile before it strikes again.
Gushungo Bombing: Army Behind Phant
One of the suspects accused of attempting to petrol-bomb the First Family’s Alpha Omega Dairy Farm yesterday maintained that it was a military- sanctioned operation, and he had been tasked by his superiors from the Zimbabwe National Army to monitor and trap the culprit.
Through his lawyer, Mr Exactly Mangezi, Borman Ngwenya (30) said he kept one Major Mashava informed of the activities.
He said Owen Kuchata, who has since been jailed for the offence, was their target in the operation.
While cross-examining State witnesses, Mr Mangezi produced proof in the form of phone records showing communication between Ngwenya and Major Mashava.
However, two police officers who arrested Ngwenya and his alleged accomplices,, said the phone records were irrelevant in the matter saying no one knew what he communicated with Major Mashava.
Detective Sergeant Zorodzai Chatikobo said Ngwenya as a soldier might have indeed communicated with Major Mashava discussing different issues not the one before the court. The officers maintained that Ngwenya had a case to answer since he was arrested at the scene during the night.
“Your Worship, this is a mere phone record. Who knows what they were talking about? We cannot conclude that they were discussing the bombing operation. This is not a voice recording whereby we could listen to what they were discussing,” he said.
He added: “When I was called for briefing at Harare Central, I was told that there were four people who wanted to bomb Gushungo Dairy that we were supposed to ambush. I was not told that Ngwenya was on a military operation. I only got to know that he was a soldier after his arrest.”
Det Sgt Chatikobo said upon his arrest, Ngwenya never mentioned being an undercover agent.
Another cop from ZRP Support Unit department, Artwell Chimanga -who was part of the arresting team – said when the gang was arrested, they all had petrol bombs in their bags.
“At first, they lied that they were going to Mazowe Mine, but later changed their statements and said they were headed to Alpha Omega Dairy Farm,” he said.
He narrated to the court how they ambushed and arrested the quartet after receiving information from CID Law and Order Section.
Prosecutor Mr Michael Reza also called two vendors from Mbare as witnesses.
Shingai Ngilazi told the court that Ngwenya bought the bottles they used from him, while Tawanda Makambaire submitted that the fertiliser they used to make the bombs was purchased from his market store.
Regional magistrate Ms Fadzai Mthombeni heard that on January 22, around 4pm, police received a tip-off that the four were planning to bomb Alpha Omega Dairy’s processing plant and tuckshop during the night.
Acting on the tip-off, police proceeded to the farm and laid an ambush about 100 metres from the quartet’s target. At around 10pm, the detectives saw the men approaching the dairy’s processing plant and immediately arrested them.-State Media
Mystery as “Grace” MP is Found Dead In Hotel Room |BREAKING NEWS
Mystery surrounds the death of Mazowe North legislator Engineer Edgar Chidavaenzi (Zanu-PF) whose dead body was found in a city hotel room.
MP Chidavaenzi presided over the area which Robert Mugabe’s wife, Grace annexed two years ago after she kicked out the then Mazowe South MP Fortune Chasi.
Chidavaenzi was in his 50s at the time of his untimely departure.
His colleagues however told the State Media that Chidavaenzi was a diabetes and hypertension patient.
Sources close to the matter yesterday said that pathologists examined the body and took some samples for investigations, the state broadsheet says.
They alleged that more details are to be released today after a post-mortem.
National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba confirmed the death of Chidavaenzi yesterday, but could not give details.
“I can confirm the death of Mr Edgar Chidavaenzi, and the Zimbabwe Republic Police together with a pathologist are at the scene. Investigations are still in progress,” she said last night.
When The Herald news crew arrived at the scene last night, several Members of Parliament were milling outside the hotel building trying to figure out what could have caused the death of their colleague.
Police details could be seen accompanied by senior hotel management, running around as investigations continued.
The Herald crew was denied access to the room on the sixth floor as police cordoned off the area and its surroundings to stop people from compromising evidence.
However, sources at the hotel said Chidavaenzi’s body was discovered by the housekeeping team in the course of their chores who then alerted their superiors.
Zanu-PF Chief Whip Lovemore Matuke said the death was a blow not only to the ruling party, but to the Government.
He said Eng Chidavaenzi was diabetic.
“He was an engineer and that qualification enhanced Parliament’s oversight, legislative and representative role. He was not controversial but a national builder,” said Matuke, who is also Gutu Central legislator.
Mazowe West legislator Kazembe Kazembe (Zanu-PF) said he was saddened and shocked by Chidavaenzi’s passing on. He said he had received the news from the Clerk of Parliament, Mr Kennedy Chokuda.
“I received a call from the Clerk of Parliament around 6pm. He said there is an emergency and that MP Chidavaenzi has died. Mr Chokuda said he had to alert me because l am the legislator for Mazowe West constituency,” he said.
“We are yet to find out what really transpired and I have noticed that his other relatives are here. His wife is yet to come. I am told she will be arriving soon.”
Wedza North legislator David Musabayana (Zanu-PF) said he was in disbelief since he had spent the previous day with Chidavaenzi in Par- liament.
“It is painful. l was with him yesterday in Parliament during the question and answer session. He rose from his usual sitting position, to make way for one of the deputy ministers and finding an alternative seat in the House. Chidavaenzi looked happy and I am traumatised to hear that he has passed on,” he said.
Mutasa Central MP Trevor Saruwaka (MDC-T) said: “It is sad to lose one of our sociable MPs who interacted with everyone across the political divide.
“Personally, I had a healthy relationship with him and he was also part of the sports team in Parliament. He was one guy who enjoyed sport and I was recently encouraged by him to participate. May his soul rest in peace.”
Cellphone “Thief” Tortured
An Umguza man was kidnapped, stripped naked and his buttocks burnt after being accused of stealing a mobile phone.
Three men Sibangilizwe Dube, 42, Thamsanqa Ncube, 48, and Zebediar Tshuma, 52, all from Billars Farm in Umguza were allegedly trying to get a confession from 23-year old Ntandoyenkosi Sibanda. The trio pleaded not guilty to assault before Bulawayo Provincial magistrate Abednico Ndebele on Wednesday.
Sibanda described how the three tied his hands and legs then poured opaque beer all over his nude body as they tortured him. “Dube tied both my hands and feet. Ncube stripped me naked and advised Dube to bring hot charcoal which they used to burn my buttocks and chest so that I confess. Tshuma poured beer all over my body as he flogged me using a whip.
I was then tied at the back of a pickup truck and taken to Sazini’s homestead were they suspected I had taken the phone. My mother took me to a clinic. From the clinic I was transferred to UBH (United Bulawayo Hospitals) for treatment,” Sibanda said.
Sibanda, who works at Ncube’s farm, is alleged to have traded the phone for mbanje.
“When we beat up Sibanda, he confessed that he had exchanged the phone for three twists of mbanje,” said Dube.
Ndebele remanded the trio out of custody to April 16 on free bail.
Prosecuting, Mufaro Mageza told the court that the phone was discovered missing on February 6 at about 6PM. – State Media
Mnangagwa Quizzed Over Tribalism
Controversial Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been put to task over tribalism.
Mnangagwa on Wednesday defended himself saying government does not use either tribalism or regionalism in awarding liberation hero status to those who would have contributed immensely to the country.
He said this during the National Assembly Question and Answer session when responding to a question by Matabeleland South proportional representation MP Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga.
She had asked the VP on the criteria used by the government to award liberation hero status following one’s death.
She expressed concern over the government’s response following the deaths of three prominent academics last year: former National University of Science and Technology (Nust) Vice Chancellor Professor Lindela Ndlovu, the director of the African Institute of Agrarian Studies Professor Sam Moyo and University of Zimbabwe’s senior lecturer Vimbai Chivaura.
She queried why only Chivaura was accorded liberation hero status yet the three academics’ contributions were all well-known. VP Mnangagwa said the government does not discriminate based on where people come but responds to requests made by provinces.
“I want to assure the honourable member that when we’re talking about this, there’s no tribalism involved. Those who worked were given state assisted funerals and those that you mentioned — it all depends on the province that they come from,” said VP Mnangagwa.
“They would not have approached the government because if you’re working, you will be assisted without any tribalism being involved. When you’re working, it’s for the betterment of the country and not for a particular tribe.”
The VP also explained the difference between a liberation war and liberation hero.
“A liberation war hero is a person who carried a gun. A liberation hero is someone who may have been outside or within the country but did not hold the gun but did some work which is known that he or she was a nationalist who supported the freedom of this country,” he explained.
“So in that manner, there are people who were not of age, like the learned brothers, whom we didn’t think would participate in the war but after independence, we realised that their works are good and have uplifted the country.” – State Media
Goche Chases Away Grace Mugabe Workers
Former Transport minister Nicholas Goche has chased away a group of Zanu PF supporters aligned to President Robert Mugabe’s wife, Grace, which was seeking employment at his farm.
Goche was last year suspended from Zanu PF and subsequently fired from government on allegations of working with the former Vice President Joice Mujuru to assassinate the aging leader.
ZimEye.com can reveal that an 18 member group of pro-Grace Mugabe cadres led by one Mrs Chisvo who leads the area’s Zanu PF women’s league, traveled to Goche’s Ceres farm in Shamva looking for temporary manual work.
Upon arrival at the farm, Goche’s wife did not accommodate them.
“Ndimi maiti murume wangu mugamatox. Iye zvino mavapapi. Maiti hazvisviki. Mauya kuzoshandira magamatox,” she shouted at the group.
Mrs Chisvo tried her best to plead with Mrs Goche but to avail until Goche arrived.
Goche, like his wife had no kind words for Mai Chisvo. He told her and her followers to leave his place.
It was after Mai Chisvo had said “ muromo unorasika unodya sauti ndiregerereiwo”, that Goche later forgave her and allowed them to work on his fields albeit only for one week.
Mujuru Tsvangirai Selfies Torch Storm
Pictures of MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai and Joice Mujuru respectively captured with youngies from the opposite sex have torched storm.
The latest in opposition politics has seen activists from the two fences trading barbs in the form of the photographs of their leaders as they allege that either of them is immoral. Activists from the MDC camp say that Mujuru preys on young boys for sexual affairs, an allegation started by president Robert Mugabe’s second wife, Grace. Those from the former Vice President’s camp say Tsvangirai has continued sexually indulging himself with young girls. The battlefield is the social media front that have seen the below pictures being used for character assassination as the nation prepares for the upcoming national elections in 2018.
Mnangagwa Wife Gives Up
VICE-PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa’s wife, Auxillia, has handed back the title deeds for a co-operative farm she had reportedly confiscated to force the appointment of a pro-Zanu PF executive in her Chirumanzu-Zibangwe constituency, it has been learnt.
The co-operative’s chairperson, Pio Musambasi confirmed receiving the documents from Mnangagwa last Thursday. Initially, Mnangagwa sent an emissary, Simon Sigauke, a Zanu PF district chairperson in her constituency, to return the title deeds for Wadzanai Co-operative Farm, but Musambasi refused to take them, saying he had engaged lawyers to handle the matter.
Mnangagwa then approached Musambasi’s lawyer, Reginald Chidawanyika to resolve the wrangle.
“Yes, I have returned the title deeds after she (Mnangagwa) approached me and asked me to hand them back to the old executive,” Chidawanyika said yesterday, adding the VP’s wife had apologised for interfering in a matter that did not concern her. “She admitted she had erred.”
Two weeks ago, Mnangagwa called a rally at Wadzanai Farm and replaced the Musambasi-led executive with her preferred Zanu PF members, notwithstanding that the farm was a private commercial property.
Mnangagwa then forced Musambasi to hand over the farm’s title deeds.
After Musambasi complained that she had no right to interfere with the co-operative’s operations, Mnangagwa sent Sigauke to hand back the title deeds.
Wadzanai Co-operative Farm, according to Musambasi, was registered in 1983 after about 171 families, who had been displaced from the land by the Rhodesian government, pooled resources and bought the land, where they conducted various business activities. Musambasi said Zanu PF supporters had started pushing to change the property into communal land in 2008 and even appointed seven headmen to take charge of the property. southern eye
Drama as Lion Chases Speeding Car in Kariba|BREAKING NEWS
There was drama Wednesday night when a lioness chased up a speeding vehicle in Kariba.
A local NGO(the Kariba Animal Welfare Organisation) reports that the beast had crossed the road at the bottom of Mucharara over to Baobab Ridge side, Wednesday evening at approximately 7pm.
She soon became extremely agitated due to the traffic noise and began chasing the moving vehicle passing by. The driver (name supplied) however managed to escape by increasing speed.
The drivers following behind seeing the drama, stopped in order not agitate the lioness any further.
During the whole commotion other vehicles also stopped behind unaware at first what the other cars had stopped for. They then took the below pictures.
Neither beast nor human was hurt and the animals dispersed into the bush within minutes.
Meanwhile other lions and their females were heard by nearby residents, making loud sounds calling to the car-chasing lioness from the powerline between Cutty Sark and Baobab residential area, according to The Kariba Animal Welfare Organisation.
Mushore Wins Harare Council Top Job
The ex-banker, who resigned from NMBZ last year, beat 139 other aspiring candidates who included current acting town clerk, Josephine Ncube, and former CoH urban planning director, Psychology Chiwanga, who had made it to the final shortlist.
This followed a painstaking selection process that involved three independent consulting firms, including global accounting and human resources firm, Ernst and Young.
Mushore’s imminent appointment is set to headline discussions in the full council meeting at the end of the month whose motion will be tabled by mayor, Bernard Manyenyeni and council’s human resources committee chairman, Wellington Chikombo, in terms of protocol.
Both Manyenyeni and Chikombo were non-committal when pressed to comment on the matter.
“I am not confirming anything at the moment,” Manyenyeni said. While confirming that the selection process was now complete, Chikombo said an announcement would be made in due course.
“I am not at liberty to disclose the identity of the incoming town clerk, but what I can assure you is that we settled for someone we are convinced has what it takes to turn around the fortunes of the city. He is someone with financial probity and an excellent leader who to us is the epitome of hope for Harare,” he added.
The appointment of Mushore would have to pass through the Local Government Board. The board would then notify the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Saviour Kasukuwere, as a formality. Kasukuwere cannot, however, interfere with the recruitment.
Although Mushore once fled the country following accusations that he had externalised foreign currency at NMB Bank, a banking subsidiary of NMBZ Holdings, he was eventually cleared by the courts after he returned home.
Mushore was arrested in 2007 when he returned to the country after three years on the police wanted list. He was tried in court on allegations of breaching exchange control regulations and violating Zimbabwe’s immigration laws. He was, however, acquitted and returned to NMBZ as CEO.
His brush with the law started when, as deputy managing director for NMBZ, he stood accused of six counts of flouting exchange control regulations by allegedly instructing bank staff to siphon more than US$2,4 million, £285 000, R3-million, 30 000 euros and 800 000 Botswana pula to a bank in London without the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s approval.
He had made a dramatic, movie-style escape out of the country, via Lake Kariba to Zambia, from where he flew to England in 2004 after the authorities indicated he and three other senior NMBZ officials were in trouble with the law.
He was also facing one count of breaching immigration laws related to his escape from the country.
Mushore confirmed he went for the interviews but said he was yet to receive any correspondence from council.
“I went for the interviews but I do not know if I was successful. The city has not yet communicated with me,” he said.
Former economic planning and investment promotion minister, Tapiwa Mashakada, is said to have been among some of the top contenders for the job, but mysteriously pulled out of the race during the final lap of the interviews.
He had been invited to appear before the interview panel which came up with the three final candidates, but chose to abscond the interviews without explanation, raising speculation that he pulled out at the behest of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) president, Morgan Tsvangirai, who might have felt that the move could send wrong signals about the state of his fractious party.
Mashakada is formerly the MDC-T’s former deputy secretary general.
At the party’s last congress in 2014, he contested for the treasurer general’s position, squaring up against Theresa Makone, who trounced him.
He was appointed to the MDC-T executive by Tsvangirai after the congress alongside Nelson Chamisa, a former organising secretary who lost to Douglas Mwonzora.
MDC-T sources said there were widespread fears within the party that Mashakada had no hope in the future of the party and was ready to sacrifice his legislative seat for Harare’s US$10 000 per-month top job.
But Tsvangirai is said to have persuaded him to pullout as this would have seriously have dented his own political fortunes as well as those of his party.
“(Tsvangirai) probably thought that such a move by a senior party member would post a big statement about the stability of the party and its future,” said an MDC-T official who declined to be named.
Mashakada was not answering calls on his mobile phone this week.
Council hired two consultants, global accounting and human resources firm, Ernst and Young and Distinctive Consultative Services, to conduct the selection process on its behalf.
The two firms separately handled 12 candidates from a record 140 initial applications that were reduced to 24 by an unnamed consultant. Financial Gazette
Granny Caught Selling Mbanje
By Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo|An ageing Zaka Woman was caught selling mbanje in an incident which has left the local community stunned.
Evina Nyathi (67) and her accomplice Chipo Chekai(56) were caught with 2kg of mbanje -following a tip off from a neighbour.
Nyathi and her accomplice appeared before Zaka Magistrate Dorothy Mwanyisa last week facing charges of possessing dangerous drugs.
Zaka police details raided the granny’s house and retrieved 2 kilograms of mbanje leading to the duo’s arrest. It came to light that the two had the habit of clandestinely selling the drug to local teenagers and school pupils.
The two were sentenced to 210 hours of community service at Dzoro School after the magistrate took into consideration Nyathi’s advanced age.
In passing the judgement, Mwanyisa urged Nyathi and her accomplice to explore decent means of survival rather than selling mbanje.
“You must find other decent means of surviving and not the selling of mbanje. I have considered your advanced age in passing the sentence because if I send you to prison, you will not last long,” said Magistrate Mwanyisa.
Priscilla Misihairabwi Fires Back | FULL TEXT
By Grace Kwinjeh|MDC legislator Hon. Priscilla Misihairabwi Mushonga today speaks out following attacks by her boss Welshman Ncube. This exclusive interview reveals details previously unknown to the world on her relationship with Ncube.
ZimEye.com talks to Women’s Affairs flame Mushonga, an unapologetic, fearless and determined fighter for women’s rights and the less privileged in society. The committed and determined politician, has years of experience in the women’s movement, a vocal member of the opposition, and is currently the MDC legislator for Umzingwane.
Some of Mushonga’s radical stunts that have led to policy reforms debate have included bringing second hand panties to Parliament in protest against their importation and sale.
She has also fought for the rights of breastfeeding female politicians by bringing a baby into Parliament.
In this interview Mushonga, boldly tackles issues surrounding her fall-out with Ncube. In her own words she reveals that their relationship is beyond the workplace. She also confronts notions of patriarchal power and how women in politics have become unwitting accomplices in its entrenchment and sustenance. She also gives an insight on the roles First Lady Grace Mugabe and Dr Joice Mujuru play in the unraveling political developments in Zimbabwe. Mushonga(PM) talks exclusively to Grace Kwinjeh (GK).
GK: Who is Priscilla Misihairabwi Mushonga?
PM: Priscilla is a girl, by that I mean she loves clothes and shoes, she loves Valentine’s and loves getting roses, she cries and is moody days before her periods.
GK: You have a long track record in political and women’s rights activism, what inspired you to this? Can you tell us about your earlier days?
My inspiration was that I am the only girl in a family of boys, I grew up fighting discrimination, I had the best dad who whilst I was his princess he pushed me and wanted me to excel, so it is that passion that made me into the feminist I am today.
GK: You have held influential political positions over the past decade, for instance you served as Minister of Regional Integration and International Cooperation, as well as having been one of the key negotiators that led to the establishment of the Government of National Unity (GNU), as well as being your party’s chief representative in COPAC.
– As a female politician what has the experience been for you?
– This is mostly a male dominated world with you often cutting a lone figure there, how did you cope?
PM: Firstly it is very lonely in those spaces, you lose your femininity, the guys treat you like you are one of them, in one of our negotiations I had to ask for my own toilet because I could not understand why they (men) could not put the seat down. We had 15 minutes to debate this during the negotiations as I tried to understand that basic fact. I had to make friends with the women in the facilitation team and those friendships continue today. I survived because I did not disengage from my sisters off the table, in-fact the sisters outside did all the work and all I did was speak at the table, both the Global Political Agreement and the Constitution have the best gender sensitive clauses, which were drafted by women outside the table who used me as a courier.
GK: We have watched your journey from the MDC led by Tsvangirai to later on serving as Secretary General in MDC Green, you have since left if we are not mistaken, what are your thoughts on this journey? Do you think the MDC brand will ever be the same again? Given a second chance should the clock be re-winded to years before the split as a leader what would you suggest be done differently?
PM: The MDC brand will never be the same, it lost its inclusively, the 2005 split was devastating, it’s a pity that the mediation process then failed. I meet many people that speak to the original MDC with a sense of nostalgia, more like children from a broken home. The morale of that MDC was that it had been able to harness women with both substance and activism, women of courage and slowly those women became the targets of attacks, the Grace Kwinjeh’s, the Yvonne Mahlunge’s, the Lucia Matibenga’s, the Sekai Holland’s , all these were taken out systematically, and no convention no center, and that is how that brand died.
I don’t know of a party called MDC green, I know of MDC, and yes I resigned as SG, I saw Prof ‘ s (Welshman Ncube) interview and was livid as usual we argued over it and agreed to disagree on what were the reasons for my resignation. I think the way he put it betrays male thinking on women, he did not patronise the guys who left, but felt he needed the world to know that for all my being good I had this major flaw/more like a man who after the woman walks out because of abuse, refuses to acknowledge the abuse but instead blames her for not being able to deal with the mother in law. He sat in spaces where I was abused; accused of nepotism, where youths even after I had resigned held press conferences and threatened to physically bar me from parliament. He has read through the most vicious articles on my person, where I have been accused of being CIO (Central Intelligence Organisation) and yet he sees my resignation in light of my inabilities and lack of capacity to work with people. The reason I was part of the Sibanda group was I saw him as a victim of ethnic attacks and through out my SG tenure I was accused of favouring Ndebele people and unfortunately his article seems to confirm that abuse. It made me very Sad.
I have like a typical woman tried to find explanation to this and have told myself that because he is like a brother to me, I have known him since I was 18, and I was his partner at my brother’s wedding when I was 19, he struggles to see me as a colleague, that way I don’t have to be angry with him. It still remains a very difficult relationship, and he too admits to that fact, I guess we will never agree on why I had to resign.
If I could go back to 1999, I would have pushed for equal representation at the top level of the MDC, without women in the top 6 the project was destined to fail, too much testosterone is not good for anything. I would have pushed for a better, stronger and more supportive sisterhood, we never got time before the split to define our position and took positions in terms of what we saw as our loyalties to men, and ironically when you look how we all gave up on our lives for those men we chose, we all got replaced, men deal with women on the basis of functionality and we deal with men on the basis of loyalty, which is why we wait for them to walk out on us and not vice- versa.
GK: How do you see the politics of the country evolving given the state of the ruling Zanu PF party?
PM: Sadly am not optimistic, I don’t see a change in the way the so called progressive forces are doing business, people seem to think the next election will be the same as 2013.Whilst Zanu PF will have the same presidential candidate, the Zanu PF of today has changed the power dynamics have changed, a grand coalition in the framework and structure of 2013 election won’t work for 2018. In fact electoral pacts discussion at this stage are not only misplaced but naive, what we should be talking to is the kind of Zanu PF we have, and what it will bring in 2018 if we even have an election in 2018. How do you organise an army when you don’t know the nature of the beast we are to face? So again my analysis is we are still not well strategized but if I am to be brutal very very naive.
GK: More women have joined front line politics, in Zanu PF we have First Lady Grace Mugabe who is now the Women’s League chair and in the opposition we have Dr Joice Mujuru leading People First, as a politician yourself who has spent the greater part of her life on the front-line how do you view their entrance?
PM: One cannot deny that the entrance of Joyce and Grace has changed the face of politics, except that in both cases, they will always been seen in the context of the males in their personal spaces. I still don’t see how Grace will continue politically outside her husband (President Robert Mugabe). Given that Solomon is no longer there, perhaps Joyce can set out a brand of her own, but she will have to get out of those who were Solomon’s crowd and set a Joyce group that are with her because they believe in her as a person outside her husband, that includes a new way of leadership and new structures. Without that she will only be a woman in male garments.
GK: Do you think spaces are now more open for women to participate in politics? For instance is there a chance after 2018 Zimbabwe will have a first female president?
PM: I don’t think the question is about a whether a female president in 2018, the question is whether Zimbabwe has a chance for any other president who is not Mugabe in 2018?
GK: Would you consider going back into mainstream politics? Do you have any plans to mentor younger women and encourage them to join politics, as it seems at the moment there is such a generational gap, not many younger women have an interest?
PM: I resigned from being SG but believe am still in the mainstream politics, I will probably stay in politics but I am positive that at the next congress I will not stand for a leadership position, I was too wounded and have no energy for the toxicity of party leadership, I have found I enjoy the work of being a back bencher, it has given me the space and latitude to fund the activist in me. I think that is where my passion is best suited. My biggest regret is not having had a properly organised way to mentor those that think I can do that, sadly a mentorship program that had been set up by the UN WOMEN also fell into the toxicity of resignation, am sure the women who had chosen me as a mentor, couldn’t continue with me after the Women Assembly of my party had publicly
written a statement calling me a traitor and a heroine turned victim, again that has demoralised me.
GK: While campaigning for Senator Hilary Clinton, Former secretary of state Madeleine Albright said there is a special place in hell for women who do not support other women. Your thoughts on this.
PM: I don’t know whether there is hell for women that don’t support other women what I know is that there will be a lot of crying and regret for a lot of women who sacrificed other women on the alter of expediency, when it dawns on us what difference supporting another woman would have meant to our lives to the lives of our children.
GK: Do you think feminists have failed Zimbabwean women given the inability to rise above the patriarchal rhetoric and chart a new path for women and for Zimbabwe, in all spheres of life? Why are Zimbabweans stuck in male centred politics?
PM: You are making an assumption that a vagina equals feminism. The irony of Zimbabwe is feminists are under attack both from patriarchy and from females clothed in patriarchy, in fact patriarchy has realised that the best weapon against feminists are females themselves, they now used the Sea our scouts method, you naively think you have a friend in war when you have an enemy dressed up as yourself. I have had to learn the harsh reality that I am more a danger of female patriarchy than I am of real patriarchy, at least for a man I know the nature of the beast but a woman slowly creeps into you, for years I hated hearing this but with experience I know it’s a fact.
GK: Tell us more about life in Parliament, it seems most politics is taking place at Executive level and a lot of drama in Zanu PF but the legislature seems to be just a place Hon. MP’s meet with no real debate or policy impact, what is going on there in terms of the legislative agenda? Do you see yourselves making an impact in terms of policy direction in the country’s politics things are getting worse for the average Zimbabwean?
PM: One will have to decide what their party and individual focus is, and define success? The legacy I want to leave in parliament is that of a fighter for justice and fairness, in two area s in the area of ethnicity and that of women. I celebrate every little step, the fact that MPS are now proud to debate in parly is a success, that we have a place to breastfeed is a success, today we got concessions against child marriages, we are likely to get age of consent to 18, which we had been denied in December, so I don’t accept that there has been no successes, perhaps not as much but some things are changing albeit slowly
GK: What message do you have for your supporters?
PM: My message to those that support me is that I value their words of encouragement more importantly their prayers. Each day I hear one person speaking about me is like a gallon of fuel to my body, when I am feeling discouraged and a tweet, a smile, a whatsapp comes my way, I get up and take on the fight, Rome was not built in a day. One day we will get there. Let’s keep our eyes on the ball.
PICTURE: Grandpa Rapes Own Granddaughter(13), Impregnates
A 64 YEAR-OLD man from Victoria Falls who turned his 13-year-old granddaughter into a sex slave and impregnated her has been sentenced to 13 years in jail.
Dumiso Ndlovu of Chief Mvuthu’s area was convicted of rape by Hwange regional magistrate Dambudzo Malunga yesterday.
He will serve an effective 10 years after three years were suspended for five years on condition that he does not within that period commit a similar crime. Ndlovu committed the crime between January and June last year.
He took advantage of his wife’s absence to rape his granddaughter, a Grade Seven pupil over a period of six months. He threatened to assault her if she revealed the sexual attacks to anyone.
In her judgment, Malunga said the state proved its case beyond any reasonable doubt.
“There is no dispute that the victim was sexually abused resulting in her getting pregnant. Young as she is, the victim gave her testimony confidently and she was an honest witness who gave her evidence well such that even Ndlovu dismally failed to cross examine her,” said the magistrate.
In passing the sentence, Malunga said Ndlovu was a cruel man who deserved a lengthy prison term.
“You raped a very young girl. You’re a cruel grandfather who actually took advantage of your wife’s absence and raped your own granddaughter. Instead of protecting the victim, you turned into a beast and raped her,” said the magistrate.
“You introduced the victim to sex at a very tender age and were it not for your advanced age, a lengthy prison term would have been the most appropriate one,” ruled Malunga.
Prosecuting, Tawanda Sigauke, said between January and June 30, 2015, the victim was left in the custody of her grandfather by her granny while she visited her relatives.
The court heard that during her grandmother’s absence, Ndlovu would sneak into his granddaughter’s blankets while she was asleep and rape her.
The matter came to light in August last year when the victim visited her mother during the school holidays. Neighbours suspected that she was pregnant and quizzed her in the presence of her mother and she then revealed that she had been raped by her grandfather.-State Media
Two Men Kill Over Maize Cobs
Two men from Harare appeared in court for allegedly killing a man whom they suspected to be a thief who stole maize cobs from their neighbourhood.
23 -year old Thomas Demo and Bothwell Nyikayaramba (56) were charged with murder when they appeared before magistrate Mr Elijah Makomo.
Mr Makomo denied the accused bail and ordered them to approach the High Court for the application.
They will be back in court on March 31. The pair had earlier on complained to the court that they were assaulted with empty bottles and a golf club while in police custody.
Allegations are that on March 9, at a dirt road between Epworth and Msasa, the accused met the deceased, who is yet to be identified, and started accusing him of stealing maize cobs from a nearby maize field.
The court heard that the pair together with their accomplices who are still at large assaulted the now deceased man with unknown objects all over the body. It is the State’s case that the alleged thief died on the spot as a result of injuries he sustained from the beatings.
The court heard that upon realising that they had killed the man, the accused and their accomplices dumped the deceased’s body between some rocks at an open space where it was later discovered, leading to their arrest. – State Media
Mnangawa: We Won’t Please You!
Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa says he is not there to please the public.
Mnangagwa said his administration has no regret whatsoever on the move to seize all diamond companies despite that decision’s adverse effects on the nation’s reputation and the economy at large.
Mnangagwa was responding to questions from legislators during a Questions Without Notice Session in the National Assembly.
Speaking while reacting to a question from MDC-T MP for Binga North, Mr Prince Sibanda, who sought to know if the recent decision by Government to consolidate the diamond industry would not affect its relations with the international community particularly its creditors, Mnangagwa presented a bold exterior.
Mr Sibanda had said there were policy inconsistencies in Government resulting in the international community losing faith in Zimbabwe. “When a Government makes policies, it creates a policy in the national interest, not to please other people,” said VP Mnangagwa.
“I am not aware of inconsistencies of policy. I am aware of policy of Government being consistent with the national interest of the country. In relation to consolidation of the diamond industry, this is the best practice the world over. Those who get aggrieved, let them come and discuss with us and we can show them light as to why we are taking this position.
“It is not an issue that would deter honest investors unless they were investors who were bent on coming to steal when the door of theft has been closed.”
Mines and Mining Development Minister, Walter Chidhakwa, also told MPs that Government was in the process of establishing how much the country lost through illicit dealings by firms and officials who were operating in Chiadzwa.
He said there were different figures being raised by different people on the exact amount the country lost.
Minister Chidhakwa was responding to MDC-T MP for Kuwadzana East, Mr Nelson Chamisa, who sought to know what had happened to the diamond money that was lost through illicit dealings which President Mugabe said could be around $15 billion.
“We have now triggered a process of establishing why, how it happened, how much it is in specific terms. I want to say that once that forensic report has been completed, we will bring it to Parliament to report on the matter,” said Minister Chidhakwa.
VP Mnangagwa said Government was committed to the debt clearance strategy that was struck at the Lima Conference late last year for its external debt.
He said officials from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank were in the country last week to follow up on the strategy, which he said was on course.
VP Mnangagwa said the central bank was engaging local financial institutions to facilitate clearance of the internal debt.
He also said a number of Government projects were under implementation in various sectors of the economy.
VP Mnangagwa said Government would not interfere with internal processes of other countries such as the United States of America despite the fact that the US did so in other countries including Zimbabwe.
He was responding to a question from Zanu-PF MP for Buhera South MP, Mr Joseph Chinotimba, who sought to know if Government would summon the American ambassador Harry Thomas Jnr over violence at campaign rallies addressed by presidential aspirant, Mr Donald Trump (Republican).
Mr Chinotimba said it was important for Zimbabwe to condemn the USA in the same manner they condemned Zimbabwe whenever there were disturbances.
VP Mnangagwa said the statement by Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Christopher Mushohwe on America would suffice. – State Media
Cops Arrested For Stealing $20 Fine
By Terrence Mawawa, Chiredzi| Three cops based at Ndali Police Station are in trouble after stealing assault fine from an offender.
Munyaradzi Maguwa,Liberty Masvande and John Nyambunga who are all constables appeared before Chiredzi Resident Magistrate Constance Mutandwa facing charges of failing to receipt state money. The three officers were on duty when Herbert Munyame was arrested for assaulting his wife Patience Manjira, leading to his arrest.
He was asked to pay $20 fine and he sold his she-goat and brought the money to the police station. One of the three cops ordered him to leave, the charge office and then the police officers shared the money among themselves. The matter came to light when Munyame failed to produce a receipt as proof of payment of the admission of guilt fine and he narrated the ordeal ,leading to the trio’s arrest. Munyame said the cops threatened him after he insisted he wanted to get the receipt for the admission of guilt fine.
Human rights activists in Chiredzi said the country’s police force comprised of unruly and corrupt elements who did not have professional attributes. “Who will police the police then?
Cases of police officers involved in corruption are sadly on the increase.Such kind of behaviour denigrates the police force,” said a Chiredzi based human rights activist.
Kuwait “Human-Smuggler” Freed in Zimbabwe
A Harare Magistrate Elijah Makomo on Wednesday freed an official from the Kuwait Embassy, Brenda Avry May, who was arrested on allegations of human trafficking.
Makomo granted Avry May US$500 bail after advising the both the prosecution and the police that there was no reasonable basis to deny the accused bail.
Mr Makomo reminded the prosecution that seriousness of an offence is not the ground to deny an accused bail, adding that even suspected murderers can be admitted to bail.
He said there is no evidence placed before the court that suggests Avry May can abscond.
Mr Makomo noted that Avry May was released by the police as they wanted to proceed by way of summons and she availed herself after the police requested her, meaning she is a proper candidate for bail.
The accused together with the former Kuwait Ambassador to Zimbabwe Ahmed Al Jeeran are suspected to be the key people behind the trafficking of Zimbabweans to Kuwait.
They allegedly recruited desperate Zimbabwean job seekers purportedly to go and work in Kuwait as waitresses and nurse aids but forced them to become sex slaves.
Removing Mugabe: Jabulani Sibanda Speaks
Axed war veterans chairman Jabulani Sibanda has suggested that the former freedom fighters restructure their association and add a position of president in what is viewed as a covert operation to remove President Robert Mugabe as patron.
There have been reports especially in the private media of plots to try and remove President Mugabe from being the patron of the former freedom fighters body.
Although he denied plots to remove President Mugabe as war veterans’ patron, Sibanda was quoted yesterday in the private media saying that he was working to make sure that he (President Mugabe) loses elections in the 2018 polls.
Addressing war veterans in Bulawayo on Saturday, Sibanda called on former freedom fighters to “come together” and restructure the war veterans body to have the positions of president and national chairman to strengthen it.
“You need to give more power to the position of the person at the top and upgrade it to president and then have a national chairman,” said Sibanda, a member of axed Vice President Joice Mujuru’s Zimbabwe People First Party.
Sibanda was brought to the meeting by war veterans national chairman Chris Mutsvangwa in a move strongly condemned by the Zanu-PF Women’s league.
Yesterday, one of the war veterans who passed a vote of no confidence on Mutsvangwa, Mandi Chimene, said the suggestions were symbolic of the greatest form of treachery.
“That’ll never happen. This is the greatest form of treachery, it doesn’t go beyond this. After all Jabulani is a renegade war veteran and it raises eyebrows how he was allowed to address that meeting,” said Chimene.
“Jabulani wants to pull the people into the dark but we’re very alert. We’ve read their plots a long time ago. Zanu-PF is like a general hospital, when we admit you, we give you a bed but when we discharge you, we keep that bed. Jabulani is trying to walk away with the hospital bed and we won’t accept that.”
Chimene said Sibanda should concentrate on his party and stop trying to sway former freedom fighters.
She also attacked Mutsvangwa, accusing him of trying to cause chaos among war veterans.
Chimene said by liaising with Sibanda, Mutsvangwa revealed that he shares a similar agenda with the axed war veterans’ chairperson.
“That’s why we decided that we can’t work with him and passed a vote of no confidence against Mutsvangwa,” she said.
War veterans secretary general Victor Matemadanda, said they were planning a march to Harare to demand answers over why their colleagues were dispersed by the police using tear gas at an aborted meeting last month.
This is despite clarifications by President Mugabe in his address to the nation that Mutsvangwa had called for an unsanctioned meeting without notifying the head of state and security ministries.
“We want to toyi-toyi to Harare,” said Matemadanda. “We need to prepare. When we go to be de-commissioned everyone should go even our children, vendors, wives and husbands, cross-border traders. We’ll all go and ask . . . we’re talking of a three million men march that is everyone concerned.”
He said they wanted to know why they were tear-gasssed and had what “was said to be water” sprayed to disperse them in Harare when the “weapons we had were newspapers while under trees” when they had “supposedly planned to meet the President”.
Matemadanda said there were some politicians who “think their blood is more precious than that of others”.
“A war veteran isn’t an individual, it’s a spirit,” he said.
He scoffed at recent expulsions of some Zanu-PF members saying this would not do the party any good.
“When you talk of expulsion, it’s a paper expulsion,” he said. “Put it in my blood. Inject expulsion in my blood.”State Media
Mugabe White Tycoon Quits Hwange
Two Hwange Colliery Coal Limited (HCCL) board members representing British businessman Nicholas van Hoogstraten’s interests have resigned, as the 
Company managing director Thomas Makore yesterday confirmed Shingirayi Chibanguza and Ian Haruperi’s departure.
“Their resignation is effective from March 1, 2016, but they did not give reasons (for leaving),” he said.
The development also comes as Harare lawyer Farai Mutamangira resigned as group chairman last October and only to be replaced by Jemmester Chininga in an acting capacity.
As it is, only Chininga, Valentine Vera and Juliana Muskwe are now left on the board.
And as HCCL continues to struggle for viability amid a worsening debt profile, and policy-linked inefficiencies, it would seem shareholder relations have also reached or hit a cooling and workers have even approached the courts in a bid to oust executive management.
As such, the withdrawal of Van Hoogstraten’s representatives might be an indication the maverick tycoon was unhappy with the policy direction of the company and especially after the rejection of his five-year $50 million rescue package loan.
For a man, who claims to have donated much of the shares that President Robert Mugabe’s government holds in the country’s largest coal producer, it was “unusual and the first time” that the property investor had withdrawn his support for HCCL, market watchers say.
In recent years, Van Hoogstraten’s Messina Investments and several other investment vehicles has always been the second largest investor with a 30 percent stake followed by government at 36 percent.
And despite efforts to clean up HCCL’s balance sheet through a debt-to-equity conversion of the government’s $80 million statutory obligations, which will further dilute minority shareholders, the company has remained in the “pits” as demonstrated by its $19 million half-year loss to June 2015.
Apart from the debt-to-equity swap, management has also dangled another turnaround plan — already presented to major shareholders — and based on cutting its head count by 50 percent, and remodelling its business units.
This includes the restructuring of the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange-listed concern into six operating divisions namely Hwange Colliery Holdings, Hwange Coal Mining, Hwange Plant and Equipment, Hwange Coal Processing and Cokeworks, Hwange Properties and Estates as well as Hwange Hospital.
The objective is to ensure that the divisions are profitable as individual business units and that they raised capital on the basis of their balance sheets.
The giant coal miner projected production to increase to between 450 000 and 500 000 tonnes per month, boosted by additional contracted capacity..
Another Naked Dead Woman In Harare
An outcry has sparked in Harare West after a woman was found dead in a state of undress.
The incident happened in Greencroft and the woman’s naked body was spotted in a grass patch along Hallingbury Road.
Harare West MP Jessie Mjome says this is the 3rd murder in the small area in two years to date.
The body was discovered around 1.pm on Sunday by two people walking along Hallingbury road.
Nearby residents said they heard a voice of a woman screaming at around 8.pm on Saturday and as they tried to investigate they only saw a vehicle which looked like a Mercedes Benz speeding from the scene.
Wounds could visibly be seen on the back of the body, suggesting that the woman was dragged along the tarred road before she was thrown in the tall grass by the roadside.
Greencroft residents took a swipe at the City of Harare for not cutting the tall grass in the area, saying this aids the activities of thieves and murderers. MP Majome echoed the same worries saying:
“As reported on the link below, residents have every right to blame council for uncut grass and unlit street lights which create havens for criminals who pounce of unsuspecting victims (who are often women). Ironically just two days before an environmental indaba was convened by Cllr Peter Manjoro just a few metres from the crime scene whereat echoed residents’ cries for street lighting and grass cutting. The council promised to deliver these soon.
“In 2013 Zachaeus Nemadire was found dead in the Lavenham Rd, Bluff Hill, Ward 41, a street which did not have street lights. Click here for full story https://www.facebook.com/jessiefungai.majome/posts/312556312237419 . In 2015 the body of Sarudzayi Chindawi was found in a green way in Mabelreign. To my knowledge both murders have not been solved, ” she said.
Police, who attended the crime scene declined to comment, according to the State Media.
They took the body to Marlbereign Police Station for investigations.
Mugabe Resignation
Civil service rot- Mugabe must resign
The MDC is utterly shocked by revelations of massive looting, corruption and abuse of public funds by the civil service commission amounting to billions of dollars annually for several years. As a party we are convinced that this monstrous oversight is enough grounds for President Robert Mugabe to step down. Zimbabweans have just been subjected to a grand theft by their own government and it is time to put a stop to it.
Firstly, the deterioration of corporate governance and accountability in the civil service has played a huge contributing factor to this country’s economic crisis, considering that the civil service wage bill was said to be gobbling over 80 percent of the national purse annually, while in actual fact half of this percentage was being stolen. Secondly, it has become increasingly apparent that there are a number of political considerations motivating the corruption and rot in the public service, all at the expense of the ordinary and suffering Zimbabweans.
It is worrying that as Zimbabwe is confronted with an unprecedented level of corruption, rot and decay, the government continues to loot public funds to fund a ZANU PF patronage system which continues to threaten the stability and prosperity of our nation. And if ZANU PF cadres continue to do as they wish with public resources and funding, without being held accountable for their actions, then the reality is that tomorrow will be far worse than today. Of late we have been waking up to stunning revelations of corruption involving billions of dollars and surprisingly there is no will to act on this vice by President Mugabe and his government. We still await to see action being taken over the 15 billion diamond money that disappeared.
The mandate of the national constitution has been abandoned in practice and substituted with the abuse of the state machinery through nepotism and corruption. If as Zimbabweans we continue to let our guard down, ZANU PF will continue to take this country on a downward slope.
Kurauone Chihwayi
MDC National Spokesperson
Mutsvangwa Kicked Out Of Parliament Soon
Zanu PF Mashonaland West provincial leadership wants the suspended ousted War Veterans minister and Norton legislator Christopher Mutsvangwa recalled from Parliament.
Party provincial chairman Ephraim Chengeta told NewsDay that they are going to meet and deliberate of Mutsvangwa’s fate.
They are accusing the outspoken former minister of associating with the former war veterans’ leader Jabulani Sibanda.
The expelled War Veterans Minister is also under fire from his constituency for neglecting service delivery issues.
They said instead of attending to water shortages and burst sewer pipes Mutsvangwa decided to build a massive industry hub in Norton where he is dreaming of exporting motor parts to overseas.
He is also said to have erected a large television set at Katanga shops. – See more at: https://www.zimeye.net/mutsvangwa-builds-massive-industry-smog/#sthash.9yLIFLpQ.dpuf
“In Norton we still do not have running sewage pipes; the roads are not tarred. There is no water in our taps, at a time when yet Harare is supplied with water which flows from right here in Norton,”said some residents.
“Our Dear Honourable MP jumped to dream of bigger things, yet most of his people here do not have Title Deeds for their properties.
“What kind of grievances do you need to be told of than what we have given you during your campaigns”.
Mujuru Speaks On Pfebve Murder
By Shiellah Sibanda|Former Vice President Joice Mujuru has responded to allegations that she had a hand in the death of Morgan Tsvangirai’s EU envoy, Elliot Pfebve’s brother.
Responding to the matter, the Zim People First leader’s secretariat told ZimEye.com her party’s view that Mr Pfebve’s claims are inconsistent to begin with.
“Please find herewith same allegations by Eliot Pfebve when Elliot Manyika died,” wrote Mujuru’s official secretariat, Bright Matonga and Sylvester Nguni.
They continued scoffing at Pfebve’s claims while twinning his first name with that of the notorious former ZANU PF Commissar, Elliot Manyika, “as their nemesis.”
They then reproduced to ZimEye.com a 2008 published news article quoting Mr Pfebve’s on his brother, Matthew’s death where he did not mention Mrs Mujuru.
The article reads in part, “Elliot Manyika, the ZANU-PF political commissar, notorious for launching a reign of terror against opponents of the Harare regime, perished in a horrific car crash on December 6, and is due to be laid to rest this week. As President Robert Mugabe, ZANU-PF and family prepared to bury him on December 11, his enemies in the opposition expressed scorn for Manyika, 53, who died at a private hospital from injuries allegedly sustained in a car accident. Opposition supporters and officials said they viewed the late ZANU-PF political commissar and minister without portfolio as the architect of the violence in the run-up to the presidential run-off election in June.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change, MDC, pulled out of the run-off after more than 200 of its supporters had been killed. There were impromptu celebrations, mostly in the opposition strongholds in major cities and towns, as word filtered that Manyika had died. Elliot Pfebve, an MDC official who lost his parliamentary seat to Manyika following a bloody campaign in Bindura, called him “ one of the most horrible monsters ever created”.
Pfebve told a Zimbabwean radio station broadcasting from exile in London that Manyika had not left the legacy of a political statesman but rather a culture of fear and terror.
“He has also left behind a traumatised country. This man was the architect of violence in ZANU-PF. He was instrumental in designing and developing the militia to terrorise the whole country,” he said.
Pfebve’s elder brother, Matthew, was killed allegedly on orders from Manyika, as was Matthew Pfebve’s campaign manager, Trymore Midzi. Pfebve said during Manyika’s reign of terror, Mashonaland Central province saw the highest number ever of unexplained disappearances, murders and maiming of innocent civilians.
In July 2001, Pfebve said he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt that he claimed Manyika had plotted. “While my response to the death of Manyika might dismay others who were benefiting from his brutality and hold on power, let me remind them that Zimbabweans in particular will not mourn a brutal leader who has been [responsible for] our deep-rooted poverty,” said Pfebve, now living in exile in England.
“He failed to respect human life when he was alive, he tried to kill me, he murdered my brother and now he is dead. It’s a positive loss rather than a negative loss.
I am not going to mourn him.” Meanwhile, Mugabe praised his fallen lieutenant, saying he had learnt with disbelief and sadness of his death. “We mourn the departure of a committed, hard-working party cadre, an uncompromising activist,” said Mugabe in a condolence message broadcast on national television and carried as headline news on all the state-run newspapers this week.
Mugabe said Manyika had injected creativity into the ZANU-PF commissariat. “He sang, danced, he persuaded, he cajoled – all the time speaking with deep conviction and passion. That spirit and effort ensured the party was kept vibrant and forward looking,” he said.
Mugabe declared that national hero status would be conferred on Manyika; it is the highest award given to mostly ZANU-PF politicians closely linked to the war which won Zimbabwe’s independence from Britain in 1980. Manyika’s death has forced the party to postpone its annual conference to December 16. While it is indeed taboo in the African culture to talk ill of the dead or celebrate their demise, critics of ZANU-PF point to Manyika’s role as the party’s chief election agent. He was in charge of the National Youth Service Programme, which churned out heavily indoctrinated youths who reportedly killed opposition supporters with impunity.
According to reports from human rights defenders and monitors, the youths – derogatorily referred to as Green Bombers because of their military fatigues and notoriety – accounted for the bulk of the murders, rapes, assaults and destruction during the intensely violent period between the presidential elections in March, which the MDC’s Morgan Tsvangirai narrowly won, and the run-off in June, in which Mugabe was the sole candidate. Directly working under the command of the late Manyika, the Green Bombers created no-go areas in former ZANU-PF strongholds which the MDC had won during the first round of elections. Nearly a million people were internally displaced.
Recently, the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, a loose grouping of the country’s non-governmental organisations involved in human rights monitoring, released a report implicating Manyika in the abduction of three activists of the Restoration of Human Rights, ROHR, organisation in Harare’s central business after they attempted to demonstrate against the stalled power-sharing deal in October. Manyika, charges the coalition, was seen directing his party supporters to break up the demonstrations.
The three abducted activists were allegedly forcibly bundled into a truck driven by Manyika. Two days after the first report, the coalition released a follow-up in which it announced the discovery of the body of one of the ROHR activists, identified as Osborne Kachuru, from the poor township of Mbare. Jabu Shoko is the pseudonym of an IWPR reporter in Zimbabwe. ]]>
Chiyangwa Invades Southlea Park
Southlea Park residents are accusing Zanu PF central committee member Philip Chiyangwa of invading Odar Housing consortium offices and converted them into his cash collecting offices.
Chiyangwa is demanding $42 million from the residents as compensation for settling at “his” farm.
President Robert Mugabe’s Nephew is threatening to evict the over 8000 residents whom he wants to pay him $4 500 per house hold.
The residents through Southlea Park Home Owners Association have however taken the businessman to court challenging the ownership of the farm which was acquired by the government in 2006 under Garikai /Hlalani Kuhle programme.
The residents told ZimEye.com that Chiyangwa had no authority of using the housing consortium’s offices which were built with their contributions.
They said Chiyangwa connived with the troubled Odar Housing Consortium chairman Ben Matenga and converted the offices into cash receiving offices.
“This is criminal because residents were not consulted .This property was built with money which residents contributed, “said one of the residents.
“Chiyangwa has no authority what so ever of using these offices. He is interfering with a case which is before the courts and he should be arrested for contempt of the court,” one resident said.
Southlea Park was this week awash with Chiyangwa’s flyers which had some threatening messages.
“It has come to my attention that land baron Nyambuya (President of Southlea Park Home Owners Association) is masquerading as state agents for my land .Odar Housing Consortium led by Mr Ben Matenga is the official appointed by Sensen to oversee processes of stands owners on our behalf.We implore those who have not paid to do so as legal action will be instituted against them,” read the flyers.
Matenga was not available for comment.
Chiyangwa grabbed the land in September last year from Odar Housing Development Project a consortium of 56 companies which was appointed by government to oversee housing developments.
He is claiming that he bought the farm from a consortium of former white commercial farmers who owned the land before it was acquired by government in 2006.
TB Joshua Death Of President: Student’s Arrested
Students arrested for “wishing TB Joshua prophecy would come true.”
Police of Area 3 in Lilongwe, Malawi have arrested two students for uttering a(Nigerian preacher) TB Joshua death prediction as they said that Malawian President Peter Mutharika has failed to run the country and they wished Joshua’s prophecy that the Mutharika will die on or before the 1st April 2016, would turn true.
The two students said this in an Area 25 bound mini bus after a woman got into the bus fully dressed in ruling party DPP regalia displaying a portrait of the beleaguered Malawian President.
The students said that the President “deserved to die as he was killing people through food shortages” at the country’s food storage authority ADMARC.
On reaching a police check point midway through the journey, the woman alerted the police on what the two were saying leading to their immediate arrest.
The pair is yet to appear in court as there is still no formal charge laid against them.
While several officials of the ruling party have tried to denounce the prophecy, the country however remains timid and on high alert. In 2012 the Nigerian preacher “predicted” the death of then Malawian sitting President Bingu Wa Mutharika(brother to the current leader) and it came true despite revelations that Joshua had simply utilised medical expert information profered by Mutharika’s doctors.
Meanwhile Joshua also says Zimbabwe’s economy is going to boom in 2016, as an official report by local preacher and TB Joshua “son” Walter Magaya, said..
ZRP Cop Runs Amok, Bashes Colleagues In Grace Mugabe’s Name
By Terrence Mawawa, Chivhu| A police constable here ran amok and assaulted his colleagues as he resisted arrest after wreaking havoc at a local hotel in Grace Mugabe’s name last week.
Constable Emmanuel Mazuva, based at Chivhu Police Camp ran amok at Zimbabwe Hotel where he assaulted guests accusing them of being unpatriotic. The drunk cop threw empty beer bottles at the patrons claiming they were unpatriotic to Zanu PF and President Robert Mugabe’s wife Grace.
Mazuva, who has appeared before Chivhu Magistrate Denis Mangosi, also assaulted his workmates who attempted to restrain him at the hotel.
“Mazuva assaulted his workmates and escaped from police cells. His reckless behaviour is a disgrace to the entire police force. He will face the consequencies for his reckless behaviour,” a police source told ZimEye.com.
Impeccable police sources however said Mazuva would remain untouched since the matter has political connotations.
Mazuva was remanded out of custody on $100 bail.
Police officers in Chivhu have hogged the limelight for the wrong reasons and a few weeks ago, cops from the same station severely assaulted a motorist, leaving him for dead after he allegedly refused to pay a kickback.
The police have also been accused of executing their duties in a partisan manner such that members of the public have all but lost trust in the ZRP.
HIV Self Test Kit BREAKTHROUGH: Zimbabwe Introduces Gadget
Stakeholders in the health sector have welcomed the introduction of HIV self test kits but have cautioned that people should always go for pre-counselling before testing themselves.
Four Southern African countries Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia and South Africa will from this month roll out an HIV self-testing pilot project.
The project is aimed at evaluating the acceptability and feasibility of self-testing among the populace.
Stakeholders in the health sector have applauded the move saying it is a demonstration that Zimbabwe is keeping abreast with all HIV and AIDS interventions.
SafAIDS director Mrs Loice Chingandu says self testing can, however, lead to inter-partner violence if not handled properly.
Community Working Group on Health executive director Itayi Rusike noted that self-testing can also lead to psycho-social distress which may lead to self harm or even suicide.
According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, phase 2 of the project will see more than one million HIV self test kits being distributed in the country commencing this month.
The project is envisaged to increase the number of people in the country who know their HIV status.
Countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, Kenya and Hong Kong have legalised self-testing, while in Namibia, Tanzania, Russia and China, self-testing is done informally.
Zimbabwe has more than 1.2 million HIV positive people and over 800 000 are accessing life prolonging medication under the national programme.-State Media
13 000 Workers “Duped” $84 million by Govt-REPORT
More than 13 000 civil servants have been omitted from the government payroll despite rendering their services.
A state media report says the government has not been capturing them on its pay system, creating an obligation of more than $84 million per year in salary arrears to the already cash-squeezed treasury.
The report follows a Civil Service audit report which reportedly “reveals” that 96 percent of the number was found in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.
“At least 12 392 persons were found to be rendering services but not on the payroll, implying a committed expenditure of $6 959 760 per month translating to $83 517 120 per annum. It has been observed that 96 percent (11 813) of these members are from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. This has the effect of distorting the payroll leaving the system open to abuse in the form of members being allowed to provide services without authority,” reads the report.
“Thereafter they will request for payment for services since there is a legal obligation for the State to pay for services provided which, in essence, amounts to committed expenditure on behalf of Government.”
The report said the Public Service Commission had put in place procedures and timelines for appointment and documents to be processed and submitted to the Salary Service Bureau as well as mechanisms to flush out irregular appointments.
“The Commission will identify and charge the members who failed in this exercise to process and submit appointment documents within the set timelines,” reads the report.
It was noted that at least 3 307 members who were on the payroll could not be accounted for amid revelations that some were already working in the Diaspora with some residing as far as Australia.
The audit also noted that the ministry deployed 1 000 classroom teachers to the provincial, district offices, clusters under BEST programmes, Better Schools Programme Zimbabwe, physical education programmes among others creating an unnecessary expenditure of $540 876 per month translating to $6,5 million annually in replacements.
Overstaffing through lower teacher people ratio, relief teachers stood at 5 588 creating an unnecessary expenditure of $2 794 000 per month which translated to $33 528 000 per year.
“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education did not put in place mechanisms to reduce the wage bill and failed to adhere to the stipulated teacher-pupil ratios in schools,” reads the report.
Another observation was that School Development Associations employed teachers without requisite qualifications, yet colleges were churning out educators and this resulted in headmasters and deputy headmasters not teaching.
“Heads, some deputy heads and teachers-in-charge were not teaching despite indications on paper that they had classes contrary to the provisions of the ministry’s circular Number 15 of 2006. Some claimed to be teaching guidance and counselling whilst they were not. They use guidance and counselling as a cover for not teaching,” the report reads.
The audit also noted that there were 121 agricultural extension workers deployed by the parent ministry in urban areas where there were no posts for such activities.
On tertiary institutions, it was noted some teacher training and technical colleges were teaching Ordinary and Advanced Level subjects under the guise of bridging courses with some even offering boarding facilities yet they were actually running normal secondary school lessons.
“It was further noted that the lecturers providing such services were also claiming part-time allowances from Government, incurring expenditure amounting to $161 544 per annum,” the report reads.
Government has been closing all leakages as part of its effort to reduce its salary bill.
Kuwait Envoy Behind Zimbabwe Slavery Crime
Former Kuwait ambassador to Zimbabwe Ahmed Al -Jeeran has been implicated as the ring- leader in the human trafficking syndicate that has seen over 200 female job seekers lured to Kuwait on the pretext they will secure decent employment, when, in actual fact, they will be sold and forced into prostitution and other menial jobs.
Al-Jareen, using his powers as the ambassador, allegedly connived with his secretary, Brenda Avril May, and advertised for nurse aide vacancies in Kuwait.
They indicated that those interested should contact May who would then organise their travel arrangements.
This came out during the bail hearing of May who was re-arrested yesterday. Al-Jeeran and May were implicated by some of the victims who managed to return home with the help of Zimbabwean officials in Kuwait.
May was released on Monday by the Prosecutor-General’s Office and the police were advised to proceed by a way of summons. However, May was rearrested after fresh details emerged.
She is being represented by Mr David Dhumbura. Representing the State, Mr Peter Kachirika and Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa opposed bail and called the investigating officer Detective Sergeant George Garauzive who gave evidence in support of refusal of bail.
Det Sgt Garauzive said if convicted the accused persons faced life in prison or a minimum of 10 years behind bars.
“Your Worship, the penalty might induce fear and force the accused person to flee if granted bail. We are strongly opposing bail because her accomplices, most of them in Kuwait, are yet to be arrested,” he said.
He added: “As the secretary to the ambassador, it was easy for her to process visas for the victims in her personal capacity. She did all this with the blessings of the former Kuwait ambassador to Zimbabwe Ahmed Al-Jeeran whom she connived with.”
He further said that May communicated directly with the victims who were unaware of what was to befall them in Kuwait. During cross-examination, Mr Dhumbura argued that his client was not a flight risk adding that she did not flee when she was released on summons.
He further said that May was not responsible for issuing visas at the embassy.
Mr Dhumbura, however, argued that the police had “smuggled” his client into court after she had been released by the PG’s Office.
He said the facts submitted to the PG’s Office on Monday were the same facts she had been brought to court on adding that there were no fresh details as alleged by the police.
The magistrate, Mr Elijah Makomo, questioned the police as to why they did not bring May on summons.
“Are you still taking instructions from the PG’s Office or you are now doing what you want? What has changed from what you were instructed yesterday (Monday)?”
Det Sgt Garauzive maintained that they prepared a new request for remand form after new details emerged and re-arrested May.
She was remanded in custody to today for bail ruling. It is the State’s case that May recruited Edith Chapo, Stella Jakarasi and Cynthia Dube among others. She told the victims that their travelling requirements were to be catered for by their “employers”.
When they got to Kuwait their passports and mobile phones were confiscated and they were placed under house arrest where they were abused, worked as maids for long hours without food.
They were later rescued by the Zimbabwean Embassy officials in Kuwait who facilitated their return home.
Meanwhile, police have also arrested an employment agent, James Tungamirai Maroodza (30), who runs Employment Engine Global Services.
Maroodza reportedly placed an advertisement in a local newspaper to the effect that maids were wanted in Kuwait at a salary of $600 per month.
Sylvia Chabikwa and her sister, Agness, responded to the advert and were advised by Maroodza to go for HIV tests which they did. Maroodza is said to have facilitated their visas and air tickets.
On arrival in Kuwait, their passports were confiscated by immigration officials who handed them over to an agent identified as Hannan. Hannan took them to a certain place where he forced them to remove their clothes and put on Moslem regalia which he provided.
According to the State, the two sisters were subjected to slavery and all sorts of abuse at the hands of their “employers”.
The pair was also rescued through the Zimbabwean Embassy. Maroodza was remanded in custody to today for bail application. This brings the number to nine of people arrested so far in connection with the case. Seven other accused persons are on $300 bail each.-State Media
Minister Dinha’s Son Accident | THE FACTS
Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs Minister Martin Dinha’s son, Michael has been involved in a horrific road accident.
Minister Dinha confirmed the accident to ZimEye.com Tuesday, “my son Michael involved in a bad accident Bindura -Harare road near Christon Bank on the 68km peg. He avoided a head on with someone who had encroached his lane driving a Honda Cvr.
Dinha however told ZimEye his son is alive and well while recovering in hospital. ” Am currently at Parirenyatwa he is fine but about 3 passengers were injured including our Office Clerk Mrs Elizabeth Muchenjeri,” he said.
MUGABE DEAD TB JOSHUA: Mutharika Rubbishes Prophecy
Mugabe, Mutharika dead by April 1st, TB Joshua alleged prophecy suggests.
Malawian President Peter Mutharika on Sunday attacked popular Nigerian television evangelist, TB Joshua over an alleged prophecy that him and Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe will die before April 1.
“I’m told there is a man in Nigeria called Joshua and he is saying that Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and Peter Mutharika will die before April 1,” he said, referring to an evangelical preacher called TB Joshua.
“Let me tell you, Joshua… you will fail. What you did in 2012 will not happen again this year,” the president told a rally in the capital Lilongwe.
In 2012, Joshua reportedly predicted the death of a president of an unnamed southern African country. Mutharika’s brother, Bingu, who was president at the time, did die within the predicted timeframe, giving the prophesy strong currency in Malawi.
Mutharika did not say when or where Joshua made the latest prophesy.
In January, Joshua reportedly gave a televised prophecy, telling his congregation to pray for the leaders in southern Africa, saying: “End of February to April this year, peculiar months for Southern Africa.”
But Mutharika questioned Joshua’s credentials as a prophet, pointing to the collapse of a guesthouse in his sprawling Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) in Lagos in September 2014, which left 116 people dead, mostly South Africans.
“Why did he not foretell this tragedy?
“This all shows that he is a liar. He just wants to raise money,” said Mutharika, who is in his mid 70s, pledging to be around in 2019 for the next presidential elections, and in also 2024, when — if reelected — he will wrap up his last term.
Mutharika came to power in 2014 after defeating Joyce Banda.
Banda, who succeeded Bingu Mutharika, made several visits to the Nigerian headquarters of Joshua’s church and once described the evangelist as her “spiritual father”. –
BREAKING NEWS IN PICTURES – Double Accident In Harare
By Kelvin Ngwazane|A double accident has just occurred at corner of Samora Machel Ave and 4th street intersection the first one involving a minibus from Missionaries of Charity(Mother Theresa), a Nissan Slphy and an Isuzu KB.
Eye witnesses at the scene told ZimEye.com the accident happened after the driver of
the minibus failed to stop at the red traffic signal and proceeded to crash into the Nissan Sylphy which was oncoming and had right of way, ramming into it at the mid-side causing it to spin round three time before grinding to a halt in the middle of the road facing the opposite
direction from which it was headed.
The police were quick to respond to the accident and proceeded to take statements from parties who included the driver of the minibus and his passengers two elderly nuns, and the lone driver of the Nissan Sylphy, who all seemed to have sustained minor injuries.
The driver of the minibus was instructed to get his vehicle out of the road as it was obstructing traffic. As he was following the instructions, he proceeded at high speed and lost control of the vehicle and smashed into a passing Isuzu KB and then into a building located at the
civil court where his vehicle missed a local fruit vendor and a pedestrian who was crossing at the intersection.
A source at the scene told ZimEye.com “it seems the hand of God played a part in this as no one died and it seems everyone sustained minor injuries.”
Zanu PF Writes “Mahofa Death” Obituary
High ranking Zanu PF officials in Masvingo are warming up for the Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister’s job after the incumbent Shuvai Mahofa remained bed-ridden and failed to report for duty since December last year.
Mahofa has been bed-ridden for close to three months after her health deteriorated soon after the Zanu PF conference in Victoria Falls last December, amid speculation she took poisoned food.
However, close family members have dismissed the narrative, saying she had a heart and kidney problem.
She was conspicuous by her absence at President Robert Mugabe’s 92nd birthday bash in the province recently, amid reports she is unwell and is hospitalised in South Africa.
At the function, held at the Great Zimbabwe Monuments, Mahofa had been slotted in as one of the speakers, but Psychomotor minister Josaya Hungwe stood in for her and announced that she would resume duty by March 5.
Zanu PF insiders told Newsday that some “political vultures” had already started positioning themselves for a possible takeover of the post in the event that Mugabe would need a replacement for Mahofa.
“Jostling for Mahofa’s post has reached fever-pitch with about three candidates subtly canvassing for support,” an insider said, adding that names thrown into the ring were those of provincial political commissar Jeppy Jaboon, women’s league chair Veronica Makonese and the director in Mahofa’s office, Kudakwashe Machako, who is seen at G40 meetings.
Machako, however, dismissed the reports.
“Who told you that? I think you should go and seek a comment from the people who said so,” he said.
Former Chiredzi South legislator Ailess Baloyi alleged in a meeting to counter provincial chair Ezra Chadzamira’s suspension that Jaboon was eyeing Mahofa’s post and wanted to land it through backbiting.
“We know the likes of Jaboon also want to be the next Provincial Affairs minister. But he will not land it through backbiting and maligning others. He is a sell-out,” he said, but Jaboon dismissed the allegations as unfounded.
“I am simply being punished because I chose to support the President (Robert Mugabe) and not a faction. They have a faction, but I support the President,” he said.
Makonese could not be reached for comment yesterday.
But other sources said she once dressed down Mahofa in front of First Lady Grace Mugabe, alleging that the Provincial Affairs minister had stolen some donations in a briefing before a rally at Mushayavanhu High School last year.
Mahofa, dubbed the Iron Lady of Masvingo, set tongues wagging ahead of the party’s conference after she rejected Grace’s presidential bid, saying she only recognised her as the women’s league chairperson and wife of the President.
Grace is locked in a bitter succession war with Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s faction – to which Mahofa reportedly belongs – to replace Mugabe.
Mutsvangwa Builds Massive Industry Smog
“Mutsvangwa’s Norton Industrial hub haze”
Dear Editor,
The expelled War Veterans Minister Chris Mutsvangwa has built a massive industry hub, geographically located at the back of his genius mind. Upon his snatching of the Norton constituency, Mutsvangwa promised his hub would supply motor parts to overseas Japan Toyota motor industries. He then erected a large television set at Katanga shops.
Truly speaking some people can dream but not to the extent of supplying motor parts to Japan Toyota motor Industries. An MP’s tenure of office is just 5 years and he plans to construct industries and manufacturing plants in that five period.
Since the honourable MP rose to power in Norton after his “dirty” campaigns, we have not seen him. People were made to believe that with his great foreign connections we were going to be one of the well developed constituencies in Zimbabwe coupled with the Chinese mega deals, Russian platinum fields and the people in Norton were to be masters internationally.
Among all the MPs and the little money allocated to the Development fund Mutsvangwa has dashed people’s hopes. In Norton we still do not have running sewage pipes; the roads are not tarred. There is no water in our taps, at a time when yet Harare is supplied with water which flows from right here in Norton.
Our Dear Honourable MP jumped to dream of bigger things, yet most of his people here do not have Title Deeds for their properties. What kind of grievances do you need to be told of than what we have given you during your campaigns. Debating and speaking good English in parliament is nothing without coming back to your own people whom you claim to have voted for you. Sewage is flowing here in Maridale – you only have less than 2 years to lie again to retain your seat in Norton, and are you going to rig your way back into our poor Norton.
You told people that you would build fisheries in our backyards. Where are they? From 2013 Mr Mp, you erected a Tv at Katanga shops. It’s not even screening any program and above all you wanted the electrolate to watch the TV at that open space not at the comfort of their homes. Please come back to us. I thank you
2 Italians Killed in Zimbabwe: FULL REPORT
Two Italian residents of Zimbabwe were on Sunday killed in disturbing circumstances during an anti poaching exercise in Mana Pools. Since the deaths of Claudio Chiarelli and his son Massimiliano, ZimEye.com has received the below detailed report from the the Zambezi Society:
Richard Maasdorp and Gary Layard of The Zambezi Society today visited the scene of the tragic incident which took place in Mana Pools National Park on Sunday 13thMarch and resulted in the deaths of Claudio Chiarelli and his son Max Chiarelli.
The two deceased died instantly when caught in the mistaken fire of a National Parks patrol of three rangers at about 3.30p.m in the afternoon of Sunday 13th March.
Claudio and Max, together with Francesco Marconati were providing voluntary support to deploy two National Parks anti-poaching patrols consisting of 6 rangers with the intention of uplifting the three rangers who were in the field following a fresh spoor of poachers.
The group had parked their vehicle on the side of the road in the middle section of the Mana Pools National Park to await the arrival of the three Park rangers who had been tracking poachers in dense bush since 9.00a.m. that morning.
The intention was to meet at the road and hand over three fresh rangers to continue the follow-up.
Claudio and Max Chiarelli with Francesco Marconati took the opportunity to open the bonnet of their vehicle to inspect the engine. Meanwhile, the 6 Park rangers they were transporting had dismounted from the vehicle and arranged themselves next to it while waiting for their three colleagues to arrive.
Unbeknown to them, the vehicle had been parked within just 15 metres of where the poachers’ tracks had crossed the road.
Meanwhile, the anti-poaching patrol in hot pursuit, heard voices, crouched down, and slowly moved forward through the thick undergrowth.
Through a gap in the bushes, they saw part of a blue shirt. They assumed this was a poacher and let off a burst of gunfire.
Tragically, both Claudio and Max were killed instantly.
As the anti-poaching patrol rangers were crouched, they were unable to see the road at all.
Fortunately, the 6 rangers awaiting deployment did not return fire.
Richard Maasdorp, Strategic Director of The Zambezi Society stated: “Today (Monday 14th March 2016), we witnessed a thorough on-site investigation by the Zimbabwe Police CID and members of the National Parks Investigations Branch and Senior Management.
The Zimbabwe Parks & Wildlife Management Authority and other state organs now, more than ever, need support and resources to contain their battle against wildlife poaching.
We, the Zambezi Society, extend our very deepest sympathy to Mrs Chiarelli and her daughter and the family on this terrible tragedy. We posthumously thank Claudio and Max Chiarelli, as a father and son combination, for the years of dedication that they have shown in support of wildlife conservation in Zimbabwe. This tragedy is deeply regretted.”
Prophet Dies While Having Sex with Friend’s Wife
A prophet with a ‘White Garment’ church in Lagos, identified simply as ‘Woli Adesoji’, died while intimate with the wife of his close friend and elder in the church.
Pulse reports that the ‘Woli’ was actually expelled from another church where he was a prophet after he was caught with a member’s wife and he later opened his own church and seemed to continue in his indulgence.
According to Pulse, a church member said, “It was a thing of shame when Prophet Adesoji, a married man with several children, died while making love to another man’s wife. And the woman is married to an elder in the church.
“We all know Woli to be very randy and had been suspected by many but since he was the founder of the church, no one could confront him. It seemed the woman’s husband had planted ‘magun’ (a Yoruba voodoo meant to prevent a woman from committing adultery), on his wife and behold, it was Woli that was caught in the trap.
“He died in a very shameful way in his private room in the church. The woman has since fled the area while church members have been trying to come to terms with the ugly incident.”- Agencies
Grace Mugabe Aide Beaten Up By War Vets
By Terrence Mawawa, Chiredzi|Angry war veterans last week beat up a senior government official and well known Grace Mugabe aide Fortune Chimbishi, accusing him of working with the First Lady to denigrate the former freedom fighters.
Chimbishi, who is the Provincial Lands Officer for Masvingo,was in Chiredzi to address a stakeholders meeting in the company of Deputy Lands Minister Berita Chikwama.
Furious war vets charged for Chimbishi and assaulted him accusing him of working with Mrs Mugabe to dislodge the former freedom fighters.
Chiredzi District war veterans chairperson, Killer Makuni confirmed the development but was quick to suggest that there were many reasons why the former freedom fighters attacked Chimbishi.
A Chiredzi based war icon said Chimbishi was assaulted for working with Mrs Mugabe to weaken the veterans of the liberation struggle.
“As war veterans we are disgruntled because of the manner in which we are being reduced. Chimbishi was therefore caught up in the storm. This battle between the so called G40 and the war veterans is not over yet. We will not be intimidated by whoever is behind this faction,” said the defiant war veteran.
Mrs Mugabe is expected to visit Masvingo province early next month in a bid to coax dissent but CIO agents have warned the president’s wife will not have a stroll in the park given the mounting tension in the province which is boiling for a confrontation with President Robert Mugabe because of his wife.
PICTURES:Tsvangirai Liz Skin Perox to Indian Lass
Dear Editor.
Re: In response to the previous article”Tsvangirai wife in cancer scare,”
Dear Mr Editor. I’ve known Elizabeth since she was a little girl. Below is the Elizabeth I know (also see the video gallery at the bottom):Before and After
Angelina Masuku Out
The ZANU PF dismissal juggernaut is shifting to the otherwise quiet Bulawayo province with Senator Angeline Masuku
set to be the next to fall.
The Bulawayo province of the ZANU PF youth league is pushing for the veteran politician to be kicked out immediately for “undermining President Mugabe,” ZimEye.com can reveal.
In a statement to the media, the provincial chairperson Anna Mokgohloa said the league had lost confidence in Masuku’s leadership after she addressed a war veterans meeting in the company of ousted war veterans leaders Jabulani Sibanda and Christopher Mutsvangwa in Bulawayo this weekend.
The youth claim that Masuku’s association with the two clearly indicate her disobedience of President Mugabe who suspended and dismissed the two respectively.
“Firstly we want to state that her war credentials are questionable as we have never heard her name being pronounced by former liberators.”
“We took notice of her association with former War Veterans Minister and Chairman Christopher Mutsvangwa, Zimbabwe People First and front-runner Jabulani Sibanda,” said Mokgohloa.
“Her loyalty to Zanu-PF is questionable,” she added.
In a separate statement the youth are calling for the Bulawayo Provincial Executive to execute Masuku’s dismissal from the party.
Sources within the party say another of Masuku’s reasons for being wanted out is her alleged loyalty to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The sources claim that the former Matabeleland South Governor is coordinating Mnangagwa’s Presidential moves. At its Annual National Conference in Victoria Falls last year, the ruling party adopted a recommendation by its Women’s League to have President Mugabe appoint a woman as one of his Deputies. That development was a well calculated move meant to kick Mnangagwa out and replace him with First Lady Grace Mugabe who in terms of party hierarchy is the most senior woman, being the Secretary of the Women’s League.
The Mnangagwa faction countered all that by lobbying former PF ZAPU women to demand that they be given the opportunity to provide the female Vice President. That would then see core Vice President and Grace Mugabe ally Phelekezela Mphoko being sacrificed.
Current allegations are that Masuku has been leading in that call and is positioning herself for the post in her claimed capacity of being the most senior PF ZAPU woman in the current ZANU PF set up.
Father, Son Killed by Rangers
By Agence France-Presse| A man and his son have been shot dead by a wildlife ranger while on an anti-poaching patrol in Zimbabwe, in an apparent case of mistaken identity.
The two were killed in the Mana Pools national park in the north of the country on Sunday.
“Claudio Chiarelli, who was an accomplished professional hunter who brought European tourists to Zimbabwe, was accidentally shot with his son and they both died,” Emmanuel Fundira, head of the Safari Operators Association, said on Monday.
“Claudio and some colleagues were on a trip with a parks anti-poaching unit when a ranger came from nowhere and shot at them while they were standing outside their vehicle. We understand it was a case of mistaken identity.”
Fundira said private individuals regularly assisted Zimbabwean anti-poaching activities by providing logistical support for patrols.
Chiarelli, reportedly from Padua, Italy, had lived in Zimbabwe since 1982 and his son was born in the country, an Italian embassy official said.
Italian media reports said Chiarelli was 50, and named his son Massimiliano, aged 20.
“We can confirm it happened yesterday at Mana Pools national park but we are not aware of the exact details,” said the official. “We are in contact with the family. It’s a tragedy. The loss of a father and a son, and also for Zimbabwe for the bad publicity it will generate.”
The government parks department and police said they were investigating the incident.
Chombo Strangles Neighbour in Court Over $200
Controversial “mega-rich” cabinet Minister Ignatius Chombo has taken his neighbour to court over a property damage valued at no more than $200.
The Minister yesterday brought his neighbour to court on allegations of damaging a water drainage system at his Chishawasha Hills home.
Nichodimus Vengayi Takavadi (49) appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Victoria Mashamba. He is facing malicious damage to property charges and was remanded out of custody to March 23.
Chombo’s site manager acting under the politician’s instructions, Mr Luckmore Thom stood in court yesterday. Prosecutor Ms Shambadzeni Fungura alleged that on February 20, Takavadi arrived home and discovered that Thom had already placed stones just before the minister’s precast wall.
The stones were a decoration at the residence, the court heard. It is alleged that Takavadi wanted to park his vehicle next to the minister’s precast wall. He allegedly pushed six stones down a slope and into the stormwater runoff (water drainage).
It is alleged that the drainage was built beside the minister’s precast wall, a few metres from the back gate. The drainage was damaged by the stones. After pushing the stones, Takavadi allegedly parked his vehicle along the minister’s precast wall.
It is alleged that Takavadi has been maintaining the land in front of the minister’s house. The value of the damaged property is $200.
Zuma Visit to Zimbabwe
SOUTH African President Jacob Zuma is expected to visit Zimbabwe this year in fulfilment of conditions of the Bi-National Commission established between the two countries during President Mugabe’s State visit to the neighbouring country last year.
The Bi-National Commission is co-chaired by the two Heads of State and Government and elevates the two countries’ political and economic relations to presidential level from the ministerial rank where they reposed for years.
The Bi-National Commission requires that the presidents meet annually cementing political and economic relations. Prior to President Mugabe’s visit to South Africa political and economic highest bilateral engagements were only done at ministerial level.
During his visit President Zuma is expected to join his counterpart President Mugabe to assess progress made under political and economic agreements signed last year.
Addressing the sixth edition of the Investment and Trade Initiative in Harare yesterday, outgoing South Africa Ambassador to Zimbabwe Vusi Mavimbela said the Bi-National Commission significantly takes the two countries’ relations to a higher level and will be an annual engagement at the level of Heads of State.
“So last year during His Excellency’s visit to South Africa a number of agreements were signed one of which was the Bi-National Commission. What that Bi-National Commission means in practice is that as His Excellency President Mugabe went to South Africa last year President Zuma would be coming to Zimbabwe very soon,” said Ambassador Mavimbela.
“What is good about this is that when that agreement was signed in front of the Heads of State it means that it was endorsed by those Heads of State and the ministers and all of us have got to go and do our work.
“Now on an annual basis the ministers and all of us will have to come and sit in front of the Heads of State and say we signed this and that agreement, what has been the progress? What have we done?
“And we all know the pressure that comes with that responsibility because the ministers and everybody cannot then say we were too busy with this and that when they talk to their principals. I am happy that our relations are at that level,” said Ambassador Mavimbela.
Zimbabwe and South Africa share strategic strengths including geographic proximity, skilled and abundant resources, technological expertise, abundant natural resources among other things, which if leveraged on, could help in addressing the current poor trade balance between the two countries.
From an investment perspective, a number of South African companies continue to operate in Zimbabwe, principally in the mining, tourism, agriculture, banking and retail sectors.
Future investments estimated from South African companies operating in Zimbabwe include the $8,85 million by Tongaat Hulett in the agro-processing sector; Panasonic Business Systems have also committed towards an investment of $1,2 million in advanced manufacturing and $521 million to be invested by Nucoal in the coal, oil and gas sectors.
According to FDI Markets, between 2003 and 2015 South Africa invested R20 billion in Zimbabwe in the mining, agriculture, banking and retail sectors.
A further attestation to the economic activity between the two countries, is highlighted in the ongoing participation of South African companies in the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, where 23 exhibitors participated last year.
This year 33 South African companies representing diverse sectors including agro-processing, mining, health care, infrastructure and ICT among others, are expected to exhibit at the ZITF.
The two countries also share striking similarities in their economic blueprints, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation and South Africa’s National Development plan both of which highlight the same issues relating to food security and nutrition, social services and poverty eradication, infrastructure and utilities and value addition and beneficiation.
These issues reinforce the need for business communities from both countries to synergise efforts in dealing with challenges.
“You are coming here under that broad political and economic framework of agreements and you are actually part of the engine that must make sure that those broad agreements are concretised and have become a reality,” said Ambassador Mavimbela.
He called for urgency in the implementation of the agreements signed last year as the two leaders would require a progress report when president Zuma visits Zimbabwe.
“What is going to happen is that we are going to look back to at the past year and say what is that we achieved after those agreements were signed.
“So we need to move with much more seriousness, urgency and agility to make sure that we make good all those agreements that were signed and be able to report progress,” said Ambassador Mavimbela.
Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to South Africa, Mr Isaac Moyo, said discussions are already underway to facilitate President Zuma’s visit.
“We have already started talking about when that could be,” said Ambassador Moyo.
This year 32 South African companies are in Zimbabwe under the Investment and Trade Initiative and will visit Gweru and Bulawayo for business linkages.-State Media
Load Shedding No More, says Govt
The government says it has put in place measures to ensure the country does not experience power shortages although generation at Kariba has been reduced to an average of 285 megawatts.
Kariba hydro power has an installed capacity to generate 750 megawatts.
Energy and Power Development Minister Dr Samuel Undenge told students at the Zimbabwe Staff College that 2016 is likely to be the transitional year of no load shedding as the government has increased imports from South Africa and Mozambique.
Dr Undenge added that the government has also maintained very high levels of generation at the four thermal power stations, particularly Hwange to supplement the limited generation at Kariba hydro power station.
“Some large power users embarked on energy efficiency improvements, thereby releasing 25 megawatts to other consumers whilst Sable Chemicals released 40 megawatts since they no longer use the old energy intensive technology of electrolysis in the production of ammonium nitrate,” said Dr Undenge.
Diesel generators which will be installed at Dema substation in Seke will also help according to Dr Undenge who hints the much awaited renewable energy policy will be finalised this year.
Zimbabwe has an enormous solar energy potential which if exploited can supply approximately 10 000 giga watt hours of electrical energy per year.
Last Auction For Sacked Diamond Companies-Govt
Mines and mining development minister Walter Chidhakwa says the country is this week going to hold the last diamond auction for the evicted Chiadzwa diamond mining companies.
Chidhakwa told the state media on Monday that on the auction day which is yet to be announced, the new Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Mining Company is (ZCDMC) expected to put 160 000 carats under the hammer.
Government last month ordered all diamond companies to vacate their various concessions and cease operations after seven months of unfruitful firm consolidation talks between government and the miners.
Government also said the country lost over $15 billion to diamond mining companies since their discovery in Manicaland province in 2008.
Chidakwa accused the mining companies of operating illegally adding that they were to merger with government and “in fact operating illegally as the granted permits had expired and were not renewed over the last four to five years”.
Nurses Use Old Lorry For Transport
Mashonaland East’s Mahusekwa hospital nursing staff is using an old lorry to get to and from the health care facility as the hospital faces serious transport challenges.
Patients seeking treatment at the hospital have urged authorities to ensure the health workers’ dignity is upheld.
Mahusekwa hospital is a state-of-the-art medical institution in Marondera district.
But there is nothing near being state-of-the-art when it comes to the welfare of its staff.
Nurses who stay in Marondera are enduring the humiliating experience of travelling to and from work in an old open truck.
The state media caught up with the sad scene at Munosi Centre in Marondera where the nurses and other support staff were struggling to board the lorry.
For some, boarding the lorry was such a mammoth task that needed assistance.
In the heat of the moment, one female nurse dropped a shoe and never noticed it.
Had it not been the colleagues who noticed, she might have got to work with just one shoe.
Sitting in a lorry can be messy business and to keep up appearances, the female nurses have to carry wrapping material commonly known as “mazambiya”.
Arriving at the hospital, it is once again the arduous task of disembarking.
Patients who were waiting to be treated could do nothing but feel sorry for the nurses.
Most of the hospital staff stay in Marondera as the hospital only has accommodation for doctors.
Mashonaland East provincial medical director Dr Simukai Zizhou was not in office and his mobile phone was unreachable.
War Vets To Challenge Mugabe Over G-40
Former liberation war fighters say they are “very soon” meeting President Robert Mugabe to challenge him to restore “Zanu PF’s lost ideology,” forcing the veteran leader to turn the sword onto the G40 leaders, widely accused of hijacking the politburo.
Victor Matemadanda the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association’s secretary general told the daily Newsday in Harare Sunday Mugabe must change.
The G40 is a grouping of Zanu PF Young Turks believed to be fronted by First Lady Grace Mugabe.
Of late, the grouping has led a systematic purge on Zanu PF founding members and war veterans perceived to be aligned to Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa as part of a wider plot to remove them from the ruling party’s succession matrix.
Both factions are jostling to strategically position themselves in the Zanu PF succession race for the ageing Mugabe who turned 92 last month.
Matemadanda said his executive had launched nationwide mass mobilisation rallies to sensitise members on the gravity of the matter before their no-holds-barred meeting with Mugabe “anytime soon”.
“The party has been hijacked and that is what we want to tell our patron that we feel the party has lost it. We hope he will listen to us. But at the moment, we are busy mobilising and bringing back in the association every war veteran outside there who could have been forced out by this ill-treatment taking place in our party,” Matemadanda said.
Other reported G40 top officials include Zanu national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere, politburo members Jonathan Moyo and Patrick Zhuwao, although they have publicly distanced themselves from the faction.
Matemadanda’s remarks came after embattled war veterans’ chairperson, Chris Mutsvangwa and his predecessor Jabulani Sibanda jointly addressed a rally in Bulawayo over the weekend where they resolved to placate Zanu PF from the jaws of “malcontents who want to destroy it from within”.
War veterans, who have been the vanguard of the governing party since the liberation struggle and had violently campaigned for its victory in past elections, have lately been on the receiving end after being hounded by the G40 faction whose members reportedly now dominate the politburo.
“As far as we are concerned, the politburo should be the secretariat of the central committee, but has been reduced to become a disciplinary committee. More time is being spent on trivial issues while the people are suffering.
“The welfare of the war veterans has been neglected, but we will not sit down and watch. As freedom fighters, this is not what we fought for. We will force the party to do the right thing and those who are causing chaos in the party today will go,” Matemadanda said.
“We are currently going around the country mobilising our membership and uniting the war veterans so that we can approach our patron who happens to the leader of Zanu PF and tell him what we think about this party.
“There is discontent within the war veterans. War veterans feel that the ethos and ideals of the struggle have been missed along the way.”
Matemadanda added: “And it is our duty to ensure we take back the party to its original state. How can you have a politburo handling disciplinary cases meant for a district?
“How can you explain that a member of a cell is disciplined by the politburo? What is the role of the provincial disciplinary committee.”
New War Veterans minister Tshinga Dube, last week disclosed that he had asked Mugabe to delay meeting the war veterans until they have united. This was after ex-Zipra cadres had reportedly threatened to sever ties with the ZNLWVA and vowed to form their own welfare organisation.
Mutsvangwa was, two weeks ago, suspended from Zanu PF alongside his wife, Monica on allegations of causing divisions and factionalism within the party before they both lost their government posts.
Zanu PF spokesperson, Simon Khaya Moyo yesterday refused to comment on the matter and challenged Matemadanda to prove that the party had been hijacked.
“He (Matemadanda) should explain who has hijacked the party and what he means as losing the track.
“I can’t comment on his thoughts, it is his right to think like that as long as he has evidence to back up his statements,” Khaya Moyo said.
Mugabe’s Amigo Flees £40Million Mansion
£41million mansion still being built 31years later
By DailyMail|STRETCHED between rows of ancient trees and sprawling over green fields, this is the so-called Ghost House of Sussex – a massive £40million ($57m) mansion left incomplete after work first began in the 1980s.
Property baron Nicholas Van Hoogstraten, who began the construction of Hamilton Palace, near Uckfield in East Sussex in 1985, has long since left British shores to further his business interests in Zimbabwe.
The controversial businessman, who was once jailed for paying thugs to hurl a grenade into a rival’s home, started building the home – complete with its own mausoleum – in order to house his vast art collection.
It’s not clear if Hoogstraten still owns the property – he long ago claimed to have transferred many of his assets into his children’s names.
However, a local resident has now complained that construction work on the property stopped long ago and it is simply going to waste, The Mirror reported.
Neighbour Richard Baxter told the paper: “With all the housing problems we have in this country surely the building can be put to good use. It’s a disgrace that it is just going to ruin.”
Hoogstraten made his fortune as a slum landlord in Britain but is better known for his court case regarding the gruesome gangland slaying of a business rival, who was stabbed five times before being shot in the head.
Van Hoogstraten was exonerated of any blame in the killing.
Once described by a judge as a ‘self-imagined devil who thinks he is an emissary of Beelzebub’, Hoogstraten was born in Bognor in 1946 and as an 11-year-old schoolboy started selling stamps to noted collectors.
It later transpired that the young Hoogstraten, who claimed to have a stamp collection worth £30,000, had hired classmates to steal the stamps for him from specialist shops.
By the time he was 14, he had taken to wearing a suit to school and would excuse himself from lessons to sit in an empty classroom, where he would read the Financial Times and attend to business deals.
As a teenager, he started a loan-shark business that saw him take property deeds as collateral for loans. He also ran nightclubs in Brighton and once called Rod Stewart, the rock star, a greedy ‘little runt’ in a row over takings.
He also picked up a conviction for organising a henchman to throw a grenade at a priest, as well as the 2002 conviction for manslaughter for the killing of that business rival.
The verdict was overturned on appeal, but he was ordered to pay the victim’s family £6 million (US$8.6m) in a civil case in 2005.
Fireworks As Grace, Kasukuwere Dismantle Masvingo
By Terrence Mawawa Masvingo|First Lady Grace Mugabe and her henchman Saviour Kasukuwere who is the Zanu PF National Political Commissar are on the way to dismantle the Masvingo Provincial Executive, it has emerged.
The Grace led G40 team has lined up a series of meetings and rallies solely scheduled for Masvingo dedicated to weed out provincial members said to be sympathetic to embattled Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The fired up First Lady is expected to henpeck perceived members of the Mnangagwa faction as she seeks to take control of the province’s entire political canopy.
Impeccable sources in the crisis torn Zanu PF have warned Mrs Mugabe risks flying into the middle of a storm since war veterans and State Minister Shuvai Mahofa’s sympathisers openly blame Mugabe’s wife for attempting to weaken the former liberation war fighters. Party sources told ZimEye.com Grace and Kasukuwere would soon physically tour Masvingo province since it had been identified as one of the trouble spots.
The provincial executive has told Mrs Mugabe to her face on the hot presidential succession matter. “The First Lady is pushing for the dismissal of the entire provincial executive. The First Lady and Kasukuwere are coming here very soon to dismantle the entire executive and place an interim committee. All perceived Mnangagwa factions are going to be axed. Rallies and meetings have been arranged and the G40 is coming to Masvingo very soon,”a senior party official told ZimEye.
Grace is expected to address rallies in Bikita, Masvingo and Chiredzi districts. The G40 is said to be working with Bikita South MP and Provincial Commissar, Jeppy Jaboon, to destroy the Team Lacoste in the province. Jaboon recently dumped the Mnangagwa camp to join the G40.
It is understood Mrs Mugabe and Kasukuwere want to replace embattled chairman Ezra Chadzamira with Chiredzi West MP Darlington Chiwa who is a Grace bootlicker.
CIO Boss Caught With Fake Money
By Terrence Mawawa, Chivhu| A senior Central Intelligence boss was spotted on Closed Circuit Television using a fake US $100 dollar note to buy goods at the local Pick and Pay Supermarket branch.
Police officers in Chivhu spotted by ZimEye.com have demonstrated reluctance on the matter. A senior employee at Chivhu Pick and Pay who begged for anonymity for fear, revealed a senior Chivhu based CIO boss was last week caught on camera buying from the giant retail outlet using fake money.
“It is true that a senior intelligence officer was caught on camera purchasing goods using a fake US $ 100 note. The CIO boss also threatened the girl on the till so the situation is very tricky. The police have not done anything since they are afraid of prosecuting the intelligence boss,” he said.
Police details are jittery on investigations and Mashonaland East Acting Police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Tendai Mwanza said the written report on the matter had gone missing from the official tray- adding he had nothing further to comment on it all.
Police details in Chivhu town said the matter was too sensitive, indicating the magnitude of fear, even in the ZRP. It is understood CIO operatives are frequenting the Chivhu Pick and Pay premises to monitor the situation.
IN PICTURES: Hundreds Ditch “Sex” Prophet Wutaunashe Worldwide
Controversial and sex scandal ridden preacher, Andrew Wutaunashe (who prophesies good of the 2013 sham elections saying President Robert Mugabe was by God Almighty given a second chance to finish “what he started”) was yesterday ditched by scores of followers across the world who have now started a new church, the Family Covenant Church. Below are pictures from various church meetings within and beyond Zimbabwe ALSO READ – Wutaunashe deserted by church after sex sleaze.
GUN ATTACK:Cop Shoots Cop at Minister’s House
A POLICE officer allegedly shot a female colleague while trying to sneak into a Government minister’s house she was guarding in order to see his lover, a housemaid, a Harare magistrate heard last Friday.
Constable Lloyd Salobe (29) appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Fadzai Mtombeni facing attempted murder and supplying false information charges after he shot Constable Hazel Mutasa at Marco-Economic Planning and Investment Promotion Minister Obert Mpofu’s Gunhill residence in October last year.
He was remanded in custody to March 22 for trial. Prosecutor Ms Ressy Nyamombe alleged that on October 30 last year Salobe and his colleague in the Police Protection Unit, Mutasa, were together on parade at Harare Central Police Station before being deployed to provide night security services in Highlands and Gunhill, respectively.
While at his station – Justice Lavender Makoni’s home – Salobe decided to visit his girlfriend who was a housemaid at Minister Mpofu’s home where Mutasa was on duty.
At around 10pm, Salobe allegedly called his girlfriend informing her that he was coming over.
The court heard that at around 2am Mutasa heard a knock at the guardroom and asked for the day’s password. Salobe gave the correct password and Mutasa opened the guardroom.
It is alleged that Mutasa was surprised to see that the visitor was wearing a face mask and armed with an AK47 riffle. Salobe ordered Mutasa to follow his orders and she dropped her gun and surrendered.
He kicked Mutasa and she fell to the ground before a scuffle ensued.
Trying to free herself, Mutasa allegedly crawled towards the house intending to alert the residents.
It is alleged that Salobe then shot her on the left side of her abdomen.
Thinking that Mutasa was dead, Salobe scaled the precast wall and fled to his work station.
To cover his tracks, Salobe alleged lytore his uniform and scratched his face, stomach and chest using thorns.
At his work station, Salobe started crying and calling for help. It is alleged that he told residents at his work station that he was attacked by an assailant who stole his firearm and police uniform. He added that the assailant returned the firearm minutes later with two rounds of ammunition missing.
He reported the matter to the police and investigations revealed that he had filed a false report.
Investigations also revealed that the spent cartridge at the crime scene matched Salobe’s service rifle, while his hands tested positive for gunshot residue following a forensic examination.
The face mask was also recovered at his work station.
A medical examination concluded that Mutasa suffered lacerations on her backside and lower abdomen.
Zim Doctor ‘Killed’ in South Africa.
The case has generated debate over the slow pace at which South African police investigate cases of murder of foreigners in that country, and the improper conduct of South African pathologists.
In October last year, Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Professor Jonathan Moyo also expressed concern over shoddy investigations following the death of his daughter, Zanele, who was found dead in her Cape Town apartment.
Former Radio Three DJ John Matinde told The Southern Times last week that his family was now wondering why South African police were taking time to investigate the death of his brother, Tham, and bring the killers to book despite assurances that the matter would be investigated timeously.
When asked whether the case had been finalised, Mr Matinde said: “Not yet. Far from it. We have not received any response from police on how far the investigations are. No one has been arrested so far. Not yet. Not that we’ve been advised by Milnerton Police, Cape Town, on this crime that happened on 19 July 2015, just over six months ago.”
Dr Matinde, a prominent gynaecologist working in the Western Cape, was found dead at his Sunset Beach Property (7 Cowrie Crescent), Cape Town. The discovery was made by his long-time girlfriend, Thandi Juliet Mabena, in the early hours of July 19.
Events surrounding the death of Dr Tham have been mired in controversy with the family disputing Ms Mabena’s narration. When news about the tragic death of the gynaecologist broke out, mourners, friends and relatives were advised that he had died from a chest infection for which he was undergoing treatment.
According to reports, there was much consternation and uproar as other family members had already been advised that he had been found stabbed in the neck with a kitchen knife.
Information that emerged soon after Dr Tham was found dead suggested he had two stab wounds but when asked for an explanation by the relatives, Ms Mabena is reported to have claimed it was a suicide.
Conflicting details surrounding the death of Dr Tham led to a major fallout with Ms Mabena trying to rush the repatriation process of the deceased (to Harare) which she finally achieved within one week.
Relatives questioned why she was in such a rush to do so. The media reported that the emergence of an erratic handwritten death certificate which was later rejected by Zimbabwean authorities also raised suspicion. When asked what was delaying the inquest, Mr Matinde said: “Our lawyer’s efforts to find out the current state of play have thus far been unable to specifically find out why, except to say investigations are still under way, the autopsy pronunciation had yet to be made by the (South African) state.
“We already had our private pathologist report commissioned on same the week of death. I shall comment at the right time about this as commenting now might interfere with police investigations.” The Matinde family launched a private autopsy after being upset by the pace of investigations.
“We await an official autopsy pronunciation to see if that tallies with our private one, in which case swift progress can hopefully proceed,” said the former Radio Three broadcaster. The police investigation is not the only one under way. There are parallel third party investigations both to do with the case, and circumstances surrounding what has happened since.”
Ms Mabena is said to have told the Matinde family that she was the one who discovered the body with stab wounds but denies ever hearing any groaning sounds or any other disturbances during the night. Mr Matinde said Ms Mabena has not been of much help to the investigations and vowed to continue pursuing the matter.
“We are hoping the police will finalise their investigations sooner so the family and Thandi can have closure on what really happened.” Ms Mabena refused to comment on the matter.
“I am not sure what to say to you other than that I am distraught with grief and have no comments for you,” she said in an emailed response. “My husband was a very private person and I would like to respect that by not taking this painful loss to the media. I kindly request that you respect that too.”-State Media
Woman Helps Hubby Rape 14yr Old Daughter
A Zvishavane woman helped and watched as her husband raped their 14-year-old daughter after locking her in the bedroom.
Philemon Tauze (30) appeared at the Zvishavane Magistrates Court on Wednesday 24 February 2016 facing rape charges and has been remanded in custody. His wife Nestsai Sibanda is charged with rape.
It is alleged that Sibanda of Mhike Village, Chief Mazvihwa Zvishavane was in the habit of finding women for her husband whenever she was not in the mood for sex. Tauze who appeared for initial remand before Magistrate Shepherd Munjanja pleaded guilty to the charge.
It is the State’s case that Tauze in the company of his wife took their 14-year-old daughter into the bedroom where they locked her in for Tauze to have sex with her. Tauze had sexual intercourse with the minor twice without her consent while the mother looked on.
The minor reported the matter soon afterwards and Tauze went on the run.
Tauze hanged his name and places of residence many times in order to avoid detection, according to court documents. He was arrested after massive manhunt. masvingo mirror
Mugabe Exit
By Minenhle Gumede|We must know as a people that a country’s path to prosperity or ruin is often dictated by the character of its citizens,and therefore the solution to our problems lie with no other than you and l as Zimbabweans.
lt is indeed unfortunate that l write this piece 36 years later when we insinuate that we are a liberated country, yet the reality that stares back at us daily is that of our children living in abject poverty under a tyrannical and violent government.
l will not attempt to list the numerous problems which we face as a nation but instead will endeavour to ask a few pertinent questions each and everyone of us must take time to answer in truth,so that when we begin to discuss solutions we know exactly what our challenges are today.
Firstly, can we safely say we are living in a well governed country if our ability to get good health care and education depends on the whims of politicians? Can we say we are governed well when almost a third of our earnings annually goes to taxes aimed at supporting all levels of government? Are we well governed if the system and political class spending keeps piling up national debt which most of us don’t understand that it is to be paid by us,our children and grandchildren to come? Are we well governed if it is impossible to remove poor performing officials from positions? These are the issues we must deal with and witness daily as citizens.
Currently government is struggling to even pay civil servants salaries but we are subjected to this fiscal insanity of the president’s endless spending on all sorts of frivolities which have albeit caused most of these cuts in the budget towards vital human services. The economic meltdown we are experiencing exemplifies an abandonment of democratic principles, which has seen a handful of government leaders making reckless choices at the same time being unable to even accept the consequences.
We are living in the times where we have chosen to be led by a government high on wine which has proven beyond a shadow of doubt that it has lost touch with the needs of its people.This is a corrupt entity that cannot even begin to understand at this stage that for any nation to thrive its people have to be free to make their own choices,to assume responsibility for their own actions and accept the consequences,be it good or bad.
Our country is on the brink of ruin today because we have lost our strength of character as a nation to fight for our values without fear or favor and to defend the very tenets of what it truly means to be a free nation. Zanu PF has trapped us in perpetual poverty instilling a poverty mindset which pervades many and we are stuck in a vicious cycle of poor choices that show only a desire for immediate gratification over long term planning, our myopic thinking has assisted this renegade governance which has divided us with partisan politics, and planting seeds of hatred and intolerance among the people. A case in point to be weary of is the increase in the use of tribalism as a political tactic.
We are watching with much bravado our current vice Presidents being pitted against one another along ethnic lines,and people label you a tribalist nowadays if you disagree with another individual especially if one is a politician.
We have instead taken front seats to watch this destructive behaviour as it escalates, the question is why have we allowed it? Many have also gone on and joined the bandwagon of absurdity to drink from this cup of bitterness and hatred which seeks to openly divide Zimbabwe along tribal, political and other demarcation lines to satisfy Zanu PF selfish agendas to be re-elected again into government.
Notably those who are doing it are not concerned with the damage it has done to the fabric of our country. As we enter a new cycle of the election phase which signals that we are drawing closer to the election period the desperation from Zanu PF politicians to revive their bases has begun taking centre stage, and the entire ruling party has thrown out sensibility, discipline and dignity breeding only hatred and intolerance among citizens.
We must seek to elect leaders of government who are capable of embracing the diversity of our nation unequivocally, and we ought to recognise those individuals who focus only on solving problems rather than fanning destructive tribal politics as an election campaign tactic as seen with the current crop. When will we get tired of being a constant illustration of a nation which found itself in the clutches of a ruthless elite which abuses state power?
We will continue to pay the price for the absence of social justice which equates to no peace and constant turmoil. We must say NO! to governance that holds the opinions of its citizens in contempt and again, governance that is insensitive and subjects untold suffering upon its own people without losing sleep.
Minenhle Sokhela
MDC National Executive Member
Grace Mugabe Youths Weep
ZANU PF youth league members that were instrumental in the purge that targeted former vice-president Joice Mujuru have apologised for their role, saying they have since realised that they were used as pawns.
The youth leaders featured prominently at First Lady Grace Mugabe’s nationwide rallies, which she used to demand Mujuru’s resignation.
Grace accused Mujuru of corruption, incompetence and witchcraft, as well as plotting to kill President Robert Mugabe.
The First Lady is yet to produce any evidence to back the claims a year after Mujuru was fired from both Zanu PF and the government.
The seven Zanu PF provincial youth chairpersons who were recently fired for attacking Mugabe and Grace, said they were being victimised for refusing to back a similar campaign against Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa .
Three of them — Harare’s Godwin Gomwe, Vengai Musengi from Mashonaland West and Godfrey Tsenengamu of Mashonaland Central — told The Standard on Friday that they regretted their role in the Mujuru debacle.
“We didn’t know that if they want to tarnish the image of a person, they create falsehoods like what happened to Mujuru who was accused of demanding 10% from corporates and that she was consulting witchdoctors, all without evidence and we later concluded that all those were lies,” Musengi said. “We want to apologise to her that we were used out of ignorance.”
Gomwe said the seven would mobilise and tell the people about all the allegations against Mujuru and made people believe them.
“Our role was to mobilise on the ground using that information, which we were given by [names supplied] concerning Mujuru,” he said.
“We later discovered that it was false just like what is happening to Mnangagwa right now.”
Musengi said the Zanu PF G40 faction which is fighting to stop Mnangagwa from succeeding Mugabe, was started in Mugabe’s own house through Grace.
Gomwe said those who did not support G40 were being hounded out of Zanu PF.
“We were expelled as seven provincial youth chairpersons because towards end of year last year, we were not attending the First Lady’s tours because we realised the hate speeches at Grace’s rallies were not doing any good to the party,” he said.
Mujuru has challenged Mugabe to prove the allegations he made against her in court. standard
WATCH:Church Awakening in Europe
Pasuwa Announces AFCON Squad
Despite the latest match fixing allegations, Warriors head coach Calisto Pasuwa has today announced his provisional squad that will face Swaziland in an AFCON Qualifier match on the weekend of March 23-25.
The inclusion of Central Defender, Patson Jaure, has already raised eye brows as he is being implicated in the scandal that has seen Edzai Kasinauyo being suspended from his duties.
The Warriors are scheduled to take on Sihlangu in Mbabane on the weekend of March 23-25 before hosting the same side in the reverse fixture four days later in Harare.
PROVISIONAL SQUAD
GOALKEEPERS
Washington Arubi
Tatenda Mukuruva
Donovan Bernard
DEFENDERS
Partson Jaure
Eric Chipeta
Coster Nhamoinesu LawrenceMhlanga
Hardlife Zvirekwi
Bruce Kangwa
Onesimo Bhasera
Tendai Darikwa
Brendon Galloway
Elisha Muroiwa
MIDFIELDERS
Willard Katsande (c)
Marvelous Nakamba
Ronald Chitiyo
Kudakwashe Mahachi
Marshal Mudehwe
Macoully Bourne
Tafadzwa Kutinyu
STRIKERS
Knowledge Musona
Nyasha Mushekwi
Curthbert Malajila
Khama Billiat
Evans Rusike
Matthew Rusike
– SportBrief.co.zw
Mudede: I Was Threatened
REGISTRAR General Tobaiwa Mudede claims he received threats from the media and “high places” while writing his controversial book on family planning.
Mudede launched the book titled, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and Population Control Drugs in Developing Countries in Harare on Friday.
However, the controversial Mudede said threats and intimidation will not deter him and his co-author Richard Hondo from propagating their theories against modern contraception methods in favour of traditional methods because they had fought many fierce battles before.
Addressing over 100 people who had attended the book launch, Mudede said their families feared they would be killed.
“It is a journey in which we have been threatened and our families thought they would lose us and we were warned by MPs to prepare for trouble,” he claimed.
“We are not to be threatened, we are not afraid, because Mudede has fought physical battles in Mbare in stage fights, and I can use a riffle and hit a buffalo at 173 metres.
“I hunt the big five except lions, and so when you face this man who does not have a big tummy, you should know he is not afraid.”
Hondo added: “When we were writing this book, we were given pressure from intimidation, threats, but there is always a price to pay whenever one man tries to do any service for another.”
In his book, Mudede challenged journalists from The Standard and NewDay, Phyllis Mbanje and Veneranda Langa to offer better methods of family planning if they thought his were not good.
“To those who thought differently, NewsDay scribes Phyllis Mbanje and Veneranda Langa being prominent in this group, we say it would have been more helpful if they had offered better methods than we are advocating, rather than just vent their perpetual displeasure with the authors, or advocate the continued use of clearly harmful drugs,” Mudede and Hondo wrote.
Conspicuous by their absence at the book launch were Ministry of Health officials.
In their book, Mudede and Hondo attacked modern family methods like depo-provera, norplant, jadelle, and others, saying they are a threat to women’s health and a ploy by the West to control Africa’s population growth.
The book lists more than 57 defects that it claims were caused by modern family planning methods.
Mudede and Hondo also give advice on how to use traditional birth control methods like withdrawal, abstaining from sexual intercourse during the fertile phases of the menstrual cycle and herbal remedies.
The two also bragged about their slim bodies, saying they never consumed GMOs, which they say are very harmful to health.
Speaker after speaker during the launch praised the book, and women gave testimonies alleging modern family planning methods were bad and harmful to their health, causing excessive bleeding, loss of libido, poor eyesight, headaches, weight gain and a myriad other problems. Standard
Teachers Axed, Stranded in South Africa
THE South African government is not renewing contracts of Zimbabwean teachers working in the neighbouring country, leaving a significant number stranded. (ALSO READ – 300 Zim Teachers Fired By South Africa) Thousands of Zimbabwean teachers left the country for South Africa and other neighbouring countries around 2008 in search of greener pastures. However, in2014 the South African government did not include teaching as part of the critical skills list.
The list was published in June 2014. In the latest development it is reported that some provinces in the neighbouring country are not renewing contracts of Zimbabwean teachers in their system to open up employment opportunities for suitably qualified South Africans.
Confirming these developments, Zimbabwe Teachers Association chief executive officer Mr Sifiso Ndlovu said they had received reports that some Zimbabwean teachers were not retained after their contracts expired.
He said while this was unfortunate, there was a need for the affected teachers to realise that they were best needed back in the country to help revive the education sector. “According to reports which we are receiving, we are told that one province where our colleagues have been most affected, is KwaZulu-Natal where the government did not renew the contracts of these teachers.
“I cannot give you the estimated figures of the affected teachers but we will surely investigate and liaise with them to find out how many have been affected and what we can do to support them,” said Mr Ndlovu.
He further called on the Government to create a conducive environment in terms of welcoming back these teachers and encouraging them to return to the country. “Our affected colleagues should simply accept their fate and come back to the country because their skills are surely needed this side.
“The Government on their part should be encouraged to accept these teachers back into the system as their skills are gravely required noting the shortages which we have especially in Maths and Sciences,” said Mr Ndlovu. Sunday News
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