Harare – ZimEye.com is receiving reports of a horrific accident at Mvuma (Fairfields) on Wednesday morning, involving a Toyota Hilux and a haulage truck.
One (1) person was killed and two injured, ZimEye.com sources said.
The accident happened at Fairfields, close to Mvuma on the main highway to Harare.
The Toyota Hilux was overtaking a gonyet when it failed to return back int lane”, ZimEye is told.
Fuller details of the circumstances were not clear at the time of writing, and the identity of the the deceased and those of the injured also not released.
Details were sketchy and an official statement from the police unfruitful. DID YOU ALSO WITNESS THIS ACCIDENT? Send in your video, pictures and details of your experience right now to +447426863301

Terrence Mawawa, Chiredzi | A Triangle based cop made a false police report claiming he lost $21 960 and a vehicle in a robbery incident at his house in a bid to avoid payment of debt.
Constable Admire Magodhlo was arrested last week after making the false robbery report at Triangle Police Station since he had accrued an astronomical debt.Magodhlo owns several Ecocash outlets in Triangle and Chiredzi. Magodhlo connived with one Philip Kwangware who works at one of his shops to make the false police report. He told Kwangware he would leave the door at his house open.
Kwangware was also asked to drive Magodhlo’s Honda Stream vehicle to Nuanetsi range where he dumped the car.Magodhlo also instructed Kwangware to apply engine oil on the steering in order to avoid the detection of fingerprints.
The cop promised to pay Kwangware $ 200 after the fake robbery report. However police detectives interrogated Kwangware who disclosed what had transpired, leading to Magodhlo’s arrest.
“The said officer made a false police report in a bid to avoid payment of debt. However after comprehensive investigations we discovered that the whole story was fabricated.We are finalising investigations on the matter,” a Triangle based cop told ZimEye.com

The mother of the Form Four Harare Girls High School pupil, who was recently ran over and killed by a negligent commuter omnibus driver, yesterday collapsed in court and was rushed to hospital.
Evelyn Gomba had attended the court hearing of Wadzanayi Mabika (41), who killed her 17-year-old daughter Jocelyn and seriously injured Odwell Mabanga before he fled to South Africa.
Gomba died on the spot while Mabanga sustained serious spinal injuries and has since been discharged from hospital. Before she could sit down, Evelyn started shivering and collapsed, prompting magistrate Ms Nomsa Sabarauta to adjourn court.
She was taken outside with the help of the court orderly and was rushed to a local hospital by a relative, where she was admitted.
Mabika later appeared before magistrate Mr Elijah Makomo charged with six counts: culpable homicide, reckless driving, failure to stop after an accident, failure to report an accident within 24 hours, failure to ascertain if any person is injured or killed after an accident, failure to render assistance after an accident.
He pleaded guilty to all the six counts and was convicted.
During plea recording, Mr Makomo asked Mabika why he failed to stop his vehicle when he saw the pedestrians and in response, he said he wanted to avoid another vehicle which was reversing in front, and mistakenly accelerated.
“I was not running away from anyone but what happened is that there was another vehicle which was reversing coming towards my vehicle, so when I tried to avoid it, I then accelerated by mistake and failed to control the vehicle,” he said.
Mr Makomo further asked why he failed to stop his vehicle after hitting the pedestrians, and Mabika did not give a satisfactory answer but stammered saying, “I did not know that the now deceased was trapped underneath the vehicle. I thought I had hit her and she had fallen down by the road side.”
“Are you confirming that you were speeding or driving at an excessive speed against one way?” Mr Makomo asked and Mabika confirmed that he drove recklessly.
The matter was rolled over to today for mitigation and aggravation.
The prosecutor Mrs Lionellah Chitanda-Matowa assisted by Mr George Manokore told the court that on May 23 at around 5pm, Mabika was driving his vehicle due south along Leopold Takawira facing oncoming traffic.
The now deceased Gomba and the injured Mabika were walking along a pavement.
When they got to the intersection of Samora Machel Avenue and Park Lane, they were knocked down by Mabika.
Gomba was dragged while underneath the vehicle, and Mabika only stopped after he had hit a pole.
He disembarked from the vehicle and disappeared from the scene.
Gomba died on the spot after sustaining head injuries and had fractures on both hands and legs.
Mabika fled to South Africa and police arrested him at Beitbridge Border Post with the
assistance of his niece Jane Ngano, who lured him back to Zimbabwe on the pretext that he was supposed to collect money from a truck driver.-state media

Terrence Mawawa, Gweru | A man from Mkoba 6 who brutally murdered his father has escaped a jail term after doctors discovered he was a mbanje addict and he was mentally unstable at the time he committed the gruesome offence.
Cloud Alick Banda of Mkoba, Gweru, killed his father Alick Dary Banda on December 8 2012 following a heated argument between the two.
Cloud Banda appeared before High Court Judge, Nokuthula Moyo last Monday facing murder charges.
On the fateful day Cloud Banda returned home late resulting in an argument with his father. He proceeded to take an iron bar and hit his father four times on the head.
His father fell to the floor, bleeding profusely and died instantly.
Cloud Banda went to Mkoba Police Station where he met Constable Muzumbi. He narrated how he had assaulted the deceased.
A post mortem concluded that he died of a massive subarachnoid haemorrhage.
In passing sentence, Moyo noted that Cloud Banda was examined by a psychiatrist who indicated that the accused was suffering from “a mental disorder, epilepsy, alcohol and cannabis abuse”.
Moyo therefore passed the verdict of not guilty because of insanity.
Cloud Banda escaped imprisonment and he was taken to Mlondozi Special Institution for people with mental disorders-where he is being treated.

Pupils lost consciousness and two of them were rushed to hospital after they inhaled bromine gas in an Advanced Level laboratory at St Bernard’s High school in Bulawayo’s Old Pumula suburb.
There was panic at the Catholic-run school among pupils and teachers and an ambulance had to be called.
Sources said some pupils started having breathing problems while others complained of dizziness. Two of them were rushed to the hospital and later discharged.
A teacher at the school said a pupil accidentally spilled the bromine liquid which immediately changed into gaseous form.
“Pupils were moving lab chemicals and equipment to a new lab that has been constructed when one was accidentally hit by a door resulting in the spillage. Everything around that area became yellow causing panic and all the pupils were quickly removed from the lab,” said the teacher who cannot be named for ethical reasons.
The teacher said some pupils immediately began experiencing breathing problems, asthma attacks and some lost consciousness.
The school’s head only identified as Ndlovu confirmed the incident but declined to give details.
“I’m not allowed to talk to the press but what I can say is that we’ve sent a report to the district offices and they’ve been here,” said Ndlovu. Bulawayo provincial education director, Dan Moyo said no pupil had been hospitalised after the mishap.
“The pupils were moving chemicals and equipment to a new laboratory when one hit a door and the bromine liquid spilled on the floor resulting in a hazy smoke,” said Moyo.
He said the pupils we immediately cleared from the laboratory and the affected pupils rushed to hospital for examination.
School sources claimed that some pupils choked on the gas and some fainted.
Immediate signs and symptoms of inhaling bromine gas are coughing, breathing problems, and headaches. Irritation of mucous membranes, dizziness and having watery eyes are other symptoms.
Effects of inhaling bromine are long-term lung problems.
In March this year, a teacher died at Mandwandwe High School in Bulawayo’s Nkulumane suburb after allegedly inhaling poisonous fumes at the school’s science laboratory.
After the science teacher’s death, the school was forced to close its science laboratories.
The school faced accusations of not following recommended procedures and standards for chemical storage. Trust Ncube died after complaining of chest pains and reporting breathing difficulties reportedly from a leakage in the lab. state media

ZANU-PF Youth League has suspended two of its executive members for allegedly misusing funds that were meant for the One Million Man March held in solidarity with President Robert Mugabe on May 25.
Secretary for Transport (Bulawayo) Maqhawe Sibanda and the acting Secretary for Administration Leo Nyoni were suspended on Saturday during a One Million Man March post mortem meeting held in the city.
Sibanda and Nyoni are accused of diverting about $600 which was meant to organise transport for party members who wanted to travel to Harare for the historic solidarity march.
The youth league’s Bulawayo provincial secretary for Information and Publicity, Colleta Shoko, said the two had been suspended and the matter was referred to the national executive for disciplinary action.
She said the provincial executive resolved that it cannot work with members who cannot be trusted with party funds.
“After they presented their report, the figures didn’t add up. Between $300 and $600 was found to be missing. They failed to justify how they used the money as per our agreement as the provincial leadership. The provincial executive resolved that they be suspended. We’ve forwarded our resolutions to the national executive for disciplinary action,” said Shoko.
“Other members suggested that we forgive them but it was resolved that this was a serious matter. Executive members should be accountable with the party’s funds. Last year Mpofu (former youth chair Khumbulani) was suspended for misappropriating $200. So we resolved that they also must be held responsible.”
She said the province was disappointed by the continued abuse of funds by the party’s provincial executive.
Last year provincial youth chairman Khumbulani Mpofu was suspended for misusing provincial Youth League donations raised for the 21st February Movement. Mpofu was subsequently fired for indiscipline.
The youths, however, seem divided over the latest suspensions.
Zanu PF Bulawayo youth chairperson Anna Mokgohloa professed ignorance over the matter. – state media

Harare Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni, who was on Monday reinstated by the acting Local Government Minister Jonathan Moyo, has been removed again.
Manyenyeni was this morning given marching orders by the same minister who lifted his suspension on Monday, this time for not instituting an audit on City Park and Harare Sunshine Holdings.
“I have been suspended again for not carrying out the corruption audit for City Parking and Harare Sunshine Holdings,” the Harare Mayor told Newsday.
Manyenyeni was last month suspended by Local Government Minister, Saviour Kasukuwere, on allegations of illegally appointing banker, James Mushore, to the position of a Town Clerk.
He challenged the suspension in court but

lost the battle.

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo| An unidentified man was brutally killed at the weekend, sending shock waves across the ancient city of Masvingo.
The man was found murdered near Mucheke bus terminus on Sunday Morning.
The man was found lying half naked with a deep cut on his left ear and police are yet to establish the motive of the murder. The man’s body had other deep visible marks strongly pointing that he was brutally killed.
Masvingo Provincial Police spokesperson, Inspector Charity Mazula confirmed the incident and said the police were carrying out investigations on the matter.
“We are investigating the matter and we are yet to confirm the name of the deceased.We therefore advise people who are missing a male relative to check with the Police at Chikato Camp,” Mazula told ZimEye.com.
The body of the deceased was discovered by Joseph Deredza. The murdered man wore a blue t-shirt and his body was taken to Masvingo Provincial Hospital for a post-mortem.
Masvingo Province has recorded the highest number of murder cases in the past few years with a shocking 3 fatal attacks every month.
With the socio-economic hardships the nation is currently experiencing, cases of ritual murders have also increased. Shocked residents of Mucheke suburb appealed to the police to intensify investigations on the matter. “We hope the police will act swiftly to bring the culprits to book. It is a disturbing incident,” said a local resident.

CHOPPIES Zimbabwe director Siqokoqela Mphoko says businesses and ordinary Zimbabweans should embrace the proposed bond notes and rally behind the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor John Mangudya in stabilising the financial services sector.
The central bank has indicated the notes – set for circulation in October and backed by a $200 million bond loan from Afrexim Bank – would be indexed at par with the US$ value to improve liquidity and buttress the multiple-currency system.
As Zimbabwe grapples with a biting cash crisis which has seen banks reducing daily withdrawal limits, some to $50, leaving scores of depositors stranded, the proposal has sparked widespread debate.
Introducing bond notes, to Mphoko, is a progressive stance and a long overdue necessity.
“Bond notes are a necessity in this country and I personally welcome the move.
‘‘Zimbabwe is using a multi-denominated currency system but what’s happening of late is that everybody has shifted to using the US$ only.
“This has attracted a lot of externalisation of money by foreigners and businesses who take the hard currency out,” said Mphoko. “I’m happy that the bond notes would run alongside the US$ backed by the $200 million loan. ‘‘Mangudya is a very seasoned person; he would not print more than that amount.
‘‘He knows what he’s doing and Zimbabweans should support him.” Mphoko dismissed fears that adoption of bond notes would be an inconvenience to business saying the move was actually healthy in controlling abuse in the handling of cash.
“The coming in of bond notes means that business would continue banking their money in US$ terms and if they want to import or procure something outside the country they’ll have to apply to the central bank stating their need and be given the required cash.
‘‘This is a normal procedure in other countries,” he said. “It’s up to us now as Zimbabweans to have faith in bond notes. ‘‘This system will curb externalisation. People have been coming here to externalise funds and that’s why we’ve $15 billion that can’t be accounted for.”
Mphoko said there was no way the RBZ would gamble with the economy given that it has successfully rolled our bond coins, which have been embraced by all and are positively impacting on the economy.
“The government has proved it with bond coins so we’ve to trust them. ‘‘Moreover, bond notes would assist in improving liquidity and recapitalisation of companies. ‘‘People will have more buying power and small businesses stand to benefit as well. ‘‘The accompanying five percent incentives is also a plus,” he said.-state media

The state broadsheet media, the Herald says the alleged Itai Dzamara picture released by the abducted activist’s brother last week is a mere artistic impression officially commissioned by an NGO two months after the man’s disappearance. FULL TEXT: 
The release of an effigy alleged to be that of missing MDC-T journalist-cum-activist Itai Dzamara by his family last week was meant to coincide with the Occupy Africa Unity Square Movement that has since flopped.

It has also emerged that the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) was busy engaging artists to do Dzamara artwork that they intended to use as a lobby tool to portray what they called: “the state of human rights and absence of rule of law in Zimbabwe”.
Itai’s brother, Patson released a grainy picture at a press conference last week showing a laptop with an image of a bandaged man sitting at the bottom of a staircase, with a white man – whose face is hidden from camera – holding the laptop.
At the press conference, Patson claimed without providing evidence that his brother was abducted by military intelligence, a claim that has since been dismissed by the Zimbabwe National Army.
In a memo by CiZC programmes manager, Memory Kadau to CiZC acting director, McDonald Lewanika on May 6, 2015, she said: “This memo serves to inform you that the programmes department, after a thorough search and adjudication process finally commissioned black Phar-l and Ropafadzo Mutemeri to do the Itai Dzamara artwork, which shall be used locally and regionally as a lobby tool on the state of human rights and absence of rule of law in Zimbabwe. The artwork will also reflect non-respect of constitutionalism by the government of Zimbabwe through enforced disappearances.”
The non-governmental organisation committed to pay $3,000 for the artwork.
Sources said the release of the image purported to be Itai by his brother on Monday last week, was meant to coincide with the Occupy Africa Unity Square campaign staged by activists from the Zimbabwe Activists’ Alliance, Zimbabwe Women in Politics Alliance and members of the Occupy Africa Unity Square Movement that started on Wednesday contrary to claims by coordinator of the event, Lynette Mudehwe, that they wanted it to coincide with the day of the African Child that is commemorated on June 16 every year.
Political analyst and lawyer Tendai Toto said it was clear that the two events were stage-managed. “This is an event that is created to justify resumption of campaigns on the matter in order to put more pressure on government authorities to employ more efforts to investigate the disappearance of Dzamara.
“It’s unfair to Dzamara himself wherever he is, to dramatise his life and liberty. This mocks his right to life and dignity,” said Toto.
Another political analyst Professor Sheunesu Mupepereki said the release of Itai’s alleged picture in detention and the Occupy Africa Unity Square was posturing meant to draw attention for monetary gains. “Instead of being anti-government they should come up with real issues about how challenges of development can be addressed.
“Playing politics like in this case will be dismissed with the contempt it deserves. We respect the dignity of human life but in this case, these people have proved that they can sell their grandmothers to make money. Nothing can stop them from selling Dzamara to make money. In fact, they have proved that they know where he is.
“These people are just trying to raise their profiles because they’ve nothing to offer by way of ideas,” he said.
Mudehwe yesterday said: “The occupation is about the plight of the suffering Zimbabweans that the government must address and not about individuals. We saw the pictures in the media like everyone else.”
Patson said: “There is nothing to say on that. There is no relationship between the two.”
Itai went missing last year in March with the police saying he was allegedly abducted by three male adults who entered a barbershop where he had gone to have a haircut in Harare and advised him that he was under arrest for stock theft.

The National Prosecuting Authority has filed an appeal to the High Court contesting the recent acquittal of a soldier Borman Ngwenya on allegations of attempting to throw petrol bombs at the First Family’s Alpha Omega Dairy Farm.
Ngwenya was last month freed by a Harare magistrate on the grounds that the prosecution had failed to prove a case against him.
The magistrate, Ms Fadzai Mthombeni ruled that from the trial, it was clear that Ngwenya was a spy working for the military and that his arrest was not justified. Ngwenya was facing two counts of possessing weaponry for sabotage and money laundering.
In the notice of appeal filed at the High Court on May 27 this year, Ngwenya and the trial magistrate Ms Mthombeni were listed as respondents. In the filed papers, the Prosecutor-General wants a re-trial, accusing the trial magistrate of failing to properly deal with the matter.
The prosecution argued in appeal that the magistrate erred in throwing out the case on the basis that Alpha Omega Farm was a private property.
“The second respondent erred in fact in holding that the intended target for sabotage or terrorism is a private property when evidence from police witnesses and Owen Kuchata clearly proves that Alpha Omega Dairies is a property owned by the President,” read the papers.
A chief law officer in the NPA Mr Justin Uladi deposed an affidavit supporting the appeal.
Mr Uladi’s analysis of the matter suggested that the magistrate did not properly handle the matter. “I have noted that the evidence led by the State is largely uncontroverted. The evidence against the first respondent is that the first respondent was found in possession of explosives, and that he had actually purchased the material used to make or manufacture the explosives, and that the explosives were intended for use in acts of terrorism,” read the affidavit.
Mr Uladi said the judgment by Ms Mthombeni was flawed. “My view of the second respondent’s judgment is that it is flawed. I say so because the second respondent failed to grasp the fact that at all relevant times, the intended target was the property of the President of Zimbabwe.
“The first respondent’s co-accused who testified as a State witness clearly stated that (they) targeted Alpha Omega Dairy Farm, because it belongs to the President,” said Mr Uladi.
The State wants the magistrate’s decision to be set aside.
It is also the prosecution’s request that the court must order a fresh trial in the matter before a different magistrate.
Ngwenya was arrested together with Solomon Makombe and Silas Pfupa, who both have links with the military, and Owen Kuchata, leader of the little known Zimbabwe People Front political party.
It was alleged that on January 22, at around 4pm, police received a tip-off that the four were planning to bomb Alpha Omega Dairy’s processing plant and a 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

A Harare woman who was allegedly raped and impregnated by her father when she was 14-years-old in 2010 suffered double tragedy after she was also raped by her grandfather three years later, who claimed an inducement for him not to report an incest case to the police.
The woman is now 20-years-old and her father is on the run after one of her brothers reported the abuse to the police through the suggestion box.
The grandfather (70) was arrested and appeared before Mr Tendai Mahwe who remanded him in custody with instructions to apply for bail at the High Court.
When she was raped by her father, the woman, now aged 20, reported the abuse to a relative and the matter was “solved” at family level without involving the police.
When the grandfather raped her, he also tried to convince the family members to solve the matter without reporting to the police.
The prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa alleged that sometime in 2013 the complainant was at home with her child and her grandfather in Epworth.
The grandfather, it is alleged, called her inside the house and ordered her to sit on the bed.
The accused who was also sitting on the bed, reminded the complainant how she had been raped and impregnated by her father who is his son in 2010.
He then requested to have sexual intercourse with her saying it was a way of buying his silence. He said the only way to silence him was to have sexual intercourse with her or else he was going to report an incest case to the police against her and her father.
The complainant was holding her baby and was told to let him go outside and play.
According to the State, out of fear, the complainant gave in and her grandfather raped her.
The complainant later ran away from home and went to stay with her aunt in the same neighbourhood, before moving to Hopley in Harare where she stayed with her brother.
She then told her brothers what had happened and they approached the accused person demanding an explanation.
The accused pleaded with the complainant’s brothers not to report the matter to the police. However, one of them reported the matter to the police through the suggestion box.-state media

Local Government Minister was on Monday left agape as Harare Mayor Ben Manyenyeni who he had suspended bounced back into office.
Below was Manyenyeni’s celebration message:
Back on God’s yoke in the service of the City of Harare.
I returned to Town House this morning on the expiry of the 45-day deadline prescribed by Justice Dube following my legal challenge.
I have a mandate to serve.
I will respect and accept its compelling nature and the undeserved honour of office.
I am most grateful for the support during this turbulence (which may continue!).
Some people were unbelievable in their commitment to this matter – I thank you.
As the last batch of prayer warriors were leaving the mayor’s parlour this afternoon I was handed a letter from the Acting Minister of Local Government Prof. Jonathan Moyo reinstating me as Ward 17 Councillor and Mayor of the City of Harare.”

Prosecutor-general Johannes Tomana is being accused of violating the Constitution after engaging the services of senior army officers to do administration work in his office, the Daily News can reveal.
More than a dozen military officers are working in the Prosecutor-General’s office, including a colonel and four majors. The Daily News understands Tomana requested the army officers’ deployment to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in a letter to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa as Justice minister in 2013, and the request was approved.
“We have close to 20 military people here performing administration work. It’s patently illegal what is happening.
“There’s a lot of friction between lawyers and these soldiers whose presence has never been explained. But what we know for a fact is that they are causing mayhem here,” one NPA official said.
Early signs of the friction first came to public light last year when Colonel Solomon Siziba, who is the director of administration in the NPA, allegedly assaulted Tomana’s deputy, Florence Ziyambi.
The other members of the military recruited by Tomana are Major Garikai Manyeruke and a Major Msipa.
Section 208 of the Zimbabwe Constitution says that “serving members of the security services must not be employed or engaged in civilian institutions except in periods of emergency.”
With Tomana battling to keep his job after criminal charges were filed against him and the Judicial Service Commission separately found him unfit for office and recommended his removal, the Daily News understands the military officers have drawn up a plan to ensure he stays by intimidating prosecutors lining up to testify against him in his criminal abuse of office trial.
The Daily News understands that Siziba, who is reportedly leading the operation, has called for a meeting of the NPA board on Wednesday this week which Tomana will chair — thumbing his nose at the JSC and sending a message that he is still in charge. Siziba’s role as the director of administration in the NPA automatically makes him the NPA board secretary.
Official sources say Tomana’s decision, working with Siziba, to call a board meeting this week is already causing ructions in the NPA with fears that it is the start of a sinister fightback plot by the embattled Prosecutor-General, a key ally of Mnangagwa in Zanu PF’s internecine succession drama.
Last week, Tomana requested the postponement of his trial to July after his lawyer, advocate Thabani Mpofu, told a Harare court that he (Mpofu) was unwell.
Watchers of the trial say the postponement, now gives Tomana time to crack down on prosecutors who will testify in his trial in which he stands accused of dropping charges against two army officers implicated in a plot to bomb a dairy plant owned by President Robert Mugabe and his wife, Grace.
An NPA source said: “Tomana wants to intimidate and scatter the prosecutors, and the military guys are at the heart of it. He has called a board meeting which we understand he wants to use to engineer the transfers of some of the prosecutors involved in his trial.
“For as long as he remains not suspended, it makes it very difficult for those prosecutors to give evidence against him because he has a lot of options at his disposal to make their life hell.”
The board meeting appears to have also been timed to coincide with the absence of Ziyambi, Tomana’s deputy and the vice chair of the NPA board. Ziyambi, who reported being assaulted by Siziba on February 13 last year and is thought to be at loggerheads with Tomana, received government authority to go on an overseas trip this week.
“What has really heightened everyone’s fears about Tomana’s intentions is that the notice for this board meeting went out without an agenda. It simply says ‘the agenda will follow in due course’.
“How can you call a meeting whose agenda you don’t know? Something really sinister is afoot,” an NPA official added. Daily News

A ZVISHAVANE man allegedly kidnapped his neighbour’s teenage daughter and raped her in an eight-day hostage ordeal. Victor Beta, 36, of Kofi village under Chief Masunda in Zvishavane appeared before Zvishavane magistrate Shepherd Munjanja facing kidnapping and rape charges.
He pleaded not guilty, saying he had consensual sex with the 15-year-old girl. “Your worship l didn’t rape her. She agreed to have sex with me on the basis that I was going to give her bus fare to Harare. “It’s unfortunate that she says I raped her, but every time I had sex with her it was by consent,” said Beta.
He was remanded in custody to Friday for the continuation of trial. Prosecuting, Talent Tadenyika said Beta found his victim in a nearby bush crying some time in May. Upon inquiry, the victim told him that she had been chased away from home by her father and her stepmother and she needed $15 to go to her biological mother in Harare.
“Beta then took the girl to his home where he raped her on seven occasions in eight days,” said Tadenyika. The court heard that the matter came to light after the girl’s parents reported to the police that she was missing.
The police then received a tip off from a villager that Beta was living with an underage girl whom he had turned into his wife. state media

A principal lecturer at Hillside Teachers College in Bulawayo who was fired four years ago for allegedly receiving a $200 bribe from two desperate applicants who sought to secure places to train as teachers, has taken Higher and Tertiary Education Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo to court challenging his dismissal.
Maxwell Kumbirai Jahwi, who is the appellant, has filed an appeal at the Bulawayo Labour Court citing Prof Moyo as the respondent.
Jahwi is alleged to have received $40 and R400 from Tinashe Madava in October 2011.
Between November 4 and December 28, 2011, Evidence Zhou deposited $150 into Jahwi’s bank account.
Madava and Zhou had applied for the January 2012 intake to train at Hillside Teachers College and Jahwi had offered to help them secure the places in return for money.
Madava reported Jahwi to the college principal after the deal failed to succeed.
Jahwi was fired after he was found guilty of charges of misconduct (violating provisions of the Public Service Regulation 2000) following a disciplinary hearing.
In his grounds of appeal, Jahwi said the disciplinary authority erred by holding him accountable, arguing that there was no evidence linking him to the offence.
He said the money that exchanged hands was not a bribe, but was held in trust waiting to be deposited with the college’s admissions office.
“I am aggrieved by the penalty prescribed by the board that convened my hearing for misconduct. Although I was not found to have received a bribe, the board nonetheless went ahead and prescribed the ultimate penalty of dismissal. I therefore seek to have the penalty set aside,” argued Jahwi.
Bulawayo Labour Court judge Justice Mercy Moya-Matshanga removed the matter from the roll to allow the Registrar to serve the notice of response to the respondents.

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo| The Ministry of Information is facilitating a meeting between President Robert Mugabe and a demon possessed woman so that the spirit can help revive the ailing economy, ZimEye.com can reveal.
A government employee who claims to be a spirit medium says the said “ancestral” spirit possessing her has instructed her to meet President Mugabe to unveil a strategy for economic revival.
In a case synonymous with the infamous Chinhoyi diesel incident that embarrassed senior government officials, Tsitsi Munyuki who is a civil servant says the Munyuki ancestral spirit has instructed her to meet Mugabe so that she can perform miracles for economic revival.
Zimbabwe’s economy is currently on its knees.
The Ministry of Information has engaged Munyuki for an appointment to meet the veteran leader, who has been blamed for the current economic mayhem the country is experiencing. “I am possessed by the Munyuki ancestral spirit which hails from the Chirumhanzu area, ” she said.
She continued, “the spirit continuously torments me for ignoring the country which is experiencing perennial drought spells and serious cash shortages.
“I must please it by meeting the President. If I meet the President, the economy will be immediately revived,” she said.
She continued saying, “in addition,the country will also receive normal rains.”
She also claimed she left the Johane Masowe Apostolic sect a few months ago after receiving instructions from the same spirit.
“The spirit which reveals itself in the form of a python strives to turn the economy into a source of national pride. I receive frequent instructions to meet the President for the betterment of the country’s economy,” she said.
While government officials at Benjamin Burombo Building confirmed their facilitation on the woman’s journey to Harare, it was not clear at the time of writing if the schedule to meet the president is succeeding and a direct comment from state house not possible at the time of going to press.

Terrence Mawawa, Gutu | A man from Mnangagwa Village in Gutu who was released from prison under the Presidential amnesty programme has committed suicide after suspecting that his wife had boyfriends while he was in prison.
Ishmael Zinyoro who was released from Mutimurefu Prison under the Presidential amnesty programme killed himself on the second day after his release from prison last week. He arrived home last Wednesday after being released under the Presidential amnesty programme.
Zinyoro hanged himself around 9 pm after his wife had gone to fetch water from a nearby well.
It is understood Zinyoro had a heated argument with his wife and he accused her of having several boyfriends. He also accused her of failing to visit him while he was in prison.
Villagers who spoke to ZimEye.com said Zinyoro was overtaken by emotions and took his life without seeking advice.
“It is very sad because the man took his own life without verifying what actually happened while he was away. We do not know what happened while Zinyoro was away but he was overtaken by emotions,” said a local villager.
Masvingo Provincial Police spokesperson, Inspector Charity Mazula confirmed the incident.
Zinyoro was released under the Presidential amnesty programme after being convicted of unlawful entry and housebreaking.
He was buried last Friday in Gutu.

ZIMBABWE Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) chief executive officer, Mark Mabhudu and finance director Stewart Musekiwa have been fired, a few months after their appointment amid reports that the consolidation of diamond miners in Chiadzwa is now backfiring on government.
Officials at the ministry of mines told The Standard that Mabhudu and Musekiwa were shown the exit on Friday after it emerged that they allegedly misrepresented to government about production forecasts. There were also allegations of corruption and nepotism at the company.
Mines and Mining Development minister Walter Chidhakwa confirmed the ZCDC board met on Friday but said it had not yet given him feedback.
“I haven’t been given the report but the board met yesterday [Friday]. I will be given the report on Monday,” he said.
Officials said the ZCDC was crumbling as all hopes of jump-starting the economy with the diamond sector faded after government withdrew the licences of Anjin, Mbada Diamonds, Marange Resources, Diamond Mining Company, Jinan, Gye Nyame and Kusena
“The official position is that the two failed polygraph tests [tests to determine whether one is telling the truth or lying], but this is just a smokescreen as they were fired for corporate governance issues,” said a Mines ministry official who requested anonymity.
The official said ZCDC acting chairperson and mines ministry permanent secretary, Professor Francis Gudyanga was being accused of shielding Mabhudu since their time at the failed Marange Resources.
“Everyone was surprised that Gudyanga appointed Mabhudu and other executives from Marange Resources as ZCDC bosses yet they knew these guys had failed to run the parastatal which was the worst performer in Chiadzwa in terms of diamond production,” said the official.
“The ZCDC appointments were just about giving jobs to friends and relatives but now the country is paying the price. Gudyanga probably realised that these officials would cost him his job and decided to fire them.”
Gudyanga is reportedly also the acting Minerals Marketing Corporation Zimbabwe (MMCZ) chairperson.
ZCDC has also been accused of misleading Mugabe that up to
$15 billion diamond revenue disappeared, a statement that has come back to haunt the 92-year-old leader and Zanu PF.
Two other ZCDC officials, Takawira Zhou (mineral and exploration manager) and Desire Jam (human resources director) were last month also fired, but Takawira was then recalled a few days later.
Gudyanga’s mobile phone went unanswered while Mabhudu’s was unavailable.
In March Chidhakwa said following the consolidation of mining activities in Chiadzwa, the newly-constituted ZCDC expected that by April 30 it would be selling 500 000 carats every month at an average value of $25 million.
Chidhakwa said the country was projected to earn between $25 billion and $30 billion in the next decade compared to the $2 billion realised since 2006 when private firms were given the green light to mine diamonds at Marange.
The official said it had, however, emerged that ZCDC last month only managed to mine a paltry 120 000 carats of poor quality diamonds which were sold in the May tender, realising only $5,5m.
Of the money realised from the diamond auction, only $1,1 million went to the fiscus while the rest went towards royalties, management fees, administration and marketing costs.
“The country is now facing a serious cash crisis because ZCDC is failing to produce in order to bring in the much-needed foreign currency into the country.
Finance minister, Patrick Chinamasa and others are now putting pressure on Chidhakwa because diamond revenue which used to help sustain treasury has virtually dried up,” said the official.
“It looks like the previous arrangement where different players were mining was better. We actually had one of the companies which used to contribute towards civil servants’ salaries and advancing government with cash.”
Another official said it had also been revealed that ZCDC sub-contracted another company to do the actual mining of diamonds as it had no capacity and this was done without going to tender. According to the Memorandum of Agreement seen by The Standard, ZCDC was paying the sub-contractor in diamonds yet government had directed that all diamonds be sold through the auction system.
“It is unfortunate that the mines minister is non-technical and they take advantage of him,” said a Zimbabwe Mining Development Company official.
“Recently he was in the media glorifying the purchase of an xrt machine by ZCDC at a staggering $2,5 million. But as experts we know that x-ray technology (xrt) is used for mine dumps and those machines are less than that price. They cost as low as $500 000.”
ZCDC reportedly has no mine engineers and geologists who are the most critical in the mining process. The company only has metallurgists.-Standard

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe could have clocked over 200 000km in the air and used over $80 million in flight travel this year alone according to information gleaned from close government sources.
Mugabe has visited Singapore nearly 10 times this year alone covering a total distance of over 160 000km. Mugabe frequents Singapore reportedly to get medical attention.
In April Mugabe covered more than 25 062km to and from New York, making the distance longer by a stopover in Singapore. This was after he had just jetted in from a 25 358km trip to Japan.
In less than a week, Mugabe flew to South Africa, then Singapore to pick up his wife and grandchild landing in Zimbabwe only to proceed to Papua New Guinea covering a distance of 24 350km return.
Mugabe has also been to Uganda for the swearing-in of fellow strongman Yoweri Museveni. He has also been to Russia, India, Ethiopia and Equatorial Guinea tagging along huge delegations.
Former Finance minister Tendai Biti recently told a Crisis In Zimbabwe meeting that each time Mugabe left the country, he carried with him $4 million in cash.
“President Robert Mugabe’s appetite to travel has put a strain on government recurrent expenditure because every time he leaves the country he carries with him $4 million which is physically taken from the RBZ RTGS system and, therefore, worsening the liquidity crunch,” he said.
MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu said the travels have effectively bankrupted the country and cost Air Zimbabwe millions of dollars.
“President Robert Mugabe enjoys travelling, air travel is his number one hobby. This year alone, he has clocked more than 100 000 air miles and in the process, his endless travels have cost the bankrupt national Treasury a whopping $80 million. He is arguably the most travelled leader in the whole world,” he said.
Jacob Mafume of the People’s Democratic Party said Mugabe was in fact at the centre of externalising the scarce foreign currency in the country.
“One of the biggest sources of externalisation of the US dollar has been the President’s travels, therefore, instead of creating bond notes they should stop the President’s plane from travelling,” he said.
Gutu said if Mugabe stops the travels the money could be useful in meeting part of the government wage bill, among other obligations.
“Of course, this is a national tragedy because it is a notorious fact that the national coffers are dry and that the government is even struggling to pay civil servants every month. However, Mugabe always makes sure that his numerous and entirely purposeless foreign trips are adequately funded. He carries with him no less than S$4 million on each foreign trip,” he said.
Mugabe’s unending foreign trips have been linked to the biting cash shortages that have forced the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to introduce bond notes.
First Lady Grace, on the other hand, has also travelled immensely. Insiders claim all those travelling on government business take with them huge sums of cash and in the process have contributed to the crippling cash shortages that have forced fiscal authorities to announce the impending introduction of “bond notes”.
Tourism minister Walter Mzembi, Foreign Affairs minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Patrick Chinamasa (Finance) and Oppah Muchinguri (Environment) also join a list of top foreign travellers who have turned into visitors to Zimbabwe.
Mzembi is currently flying across the world canvassing for support on his bid to be secretary-general of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation.
Mugabe reportedly travels with a delegation of no less than 40 people.
Mugabe early this year embarrassingly travelled to India for what was dubbed a “road show” before aborting the trip over “security concerns” in a cloud of dust.
Biti said Mugabe and his delegation hardly use plastic money and the country will have little reserves of cash to service the economy with the rate of trips continuously increasing.
“At the end of the day our problems are economic and rooted in failure of leadership more than anything else. Mugabe is siphoning out of Zimbabwe $4 million for every trip and this in cash,” Biti said.
Opposition MDC-T policy chief Nelson Chamisa said the cash shortages were an artificial construction by Mugabe and his Zanu PF cronies to send people on a wild goose chase
“When Mugabe and ministers travel the tragedy is they want to travel in the expensive business class. The best way to stop externalisation is to avoid all unnecessary foreign travel. Externalisation is not done by ordinary people, but by the high and powerful and is exacerbated by extravagance,” Chamisa said.
A former Cabinet minister during the Government of National Unity from 2009 to 2013, Chamisa said top government officials bleed the country on allowances.
“Nobody can deny it because if I am not mistaken each time a minister travels they are given not less than $5 000 in allowances and they have turned it into a cash cow, some form of business. There is no better form of economic sabotage than this. Our country has become a danger to investment and capital. Ordinarily it should not be criminal for people to spend their money where they want. Instead we should be criminalising those who have bastardised our economy and turned it into a danger to capital,” Chamisa added.
The Kuwadzana East lawmaker’s claims corroborate revelations by former National Healing co-minister Moses Mzila-Ndlovu who told a recent public discussion that opposition officials joined the gravy train and also partook in bleeding the country’s coffers. -Newsday

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo| Hundreds of school pupils have been forced to drop out of school following the withdrawal of fees related aid by various donor agencies as a result of Primary and Secondary Education Minister, Lazarus Dokora’s controversial policies. Dokora has been widely criticised for introducing a raft of controversial measures in the ministry.
Well placed sources in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education told ZimEye.com yesterday hundreds of school pupils were forced to drop out of school following the withdrawal of the donor driven Basic Education Assistance Module(BEAM).
It is understood hundreds of pupils are dropping out of school because of the withdrawal of donor aid over Dokora’s policies.
Socially disadvantaged and vulnerable children are also failing to pay their school fees as a result of the withdrawal by donors.
“The situation is very sad because donors spearheading the BEAM programme are withdrawing their support as a result of the new policies being introduced by the minister,” said an official in the ministry.
Speaking at a poverty reduction meeting in Masvingo recently, the Director of Public Service Labour and Social Welfare, Nkiwane Muleya said the withdrawal of donor assistance was a huge setback.
“Donors are withdrawing their support we are in a difficult position. We have also been blamed for frustrating donor efforts but some issues are beyond our control,” said Muleya.
The minister recently introduced a cache of random policies which include the banning off humanitarian Christian organisations which have been assisting school pupils for decades.

OUSTED Vice President Joice Mujuru’s Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) had its Friday meeting in Chinhoyi banned by police, forcing the party to secure a court ruling to have the meeting proceed.
The meeting, which was set to be held at Pastoral Centre Diocese, Chinhoyi was initially allowed to proceed by police who later withdrew their decision citing manpower problems.
This prompted a High Court challenge by the party which saw Justice Happius Zhou rule in the party’s favour late Friday afternoon.
“It has been granted by Justice Happias Zhou. ZimPF has been allowed to proceed with the meeting until 8pm,” ZimPF lawyer Gift Nyandoro told RadioVOP.
“The Attorney General consented to the order. It has been granted as the final order.”
The ZimPF Mashonaland West province had called for the meeting for Friday between 0900 hours and 1700 hours.
In a letter addressed to the party’s provincial leadership earlier, police officer commanding Makonde District Chief Superintendent Ndou said the meeting could not go ahead and warned the party against breaking the law by decising to proceed.
“This office had granted you the authority to go ahead with the meeting on the said date and time but due to some security issues that have cropped up, it is unfortunate that the meeting cannot go ahead as the police have no enough manpower to provide sufficient security,” Ndou said.
“By way of this letter, I the Regulating Authority for Makonde district have retracted the previously given authority and kindly request you to defer the meeting to a later date.
“It is unfortunate that should you decide to continue it will now be an unlawful gathering.”
ZimPF Mashonaland West provincial chairperson Marian Chombo accused thepolice of acting in bad faith while dealing with the fledgling party which she said incurred up to $3000 in preparing for foiled meeting.
The party comprises disgruntled former Zanu PF politicians who were dislodged for allegedly sponsoring a plot to topple President Robert Mugabe from the helm of Zanu PF.-RadioVop

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo| There is confusion at Chivata Secondary school following the disappearance of US $2020 examination registration fees from the school coffers.
According to details released by the police in Zaka, there is evidence the person behind the crime is familiar with the school system.
It is understood there were no signs of burglary since the door was opened, indicating staff members at the school could be behind the crime.
Angry parents also accused the staff members at the school of clandestinely stealing the examination fees cash. “There is clear evidence that the person who stole the cash is familiar with the school.
There is evidence that the person used spare keys to open the door leading to the room in which the cash box was placed. We hope the police will speed up their investigations so that the culprit will be brought to book.We toiled to raise the examination fees for our children so we also expect the money to be recovered. We are shocked because some keys were used to gain access into the office. The culprit is among the staff members,” said one parent who declined to be named.
Zaka District Education Officer,James Mahofa, confirmed the incident and said the police were investigating the matter.
“The police are investigating the matter and we difinitely hope whoever did that will be arrested,” said Mahofa.

Two years after President Robert Mugabe’s government announced and signed a number of much-hyped “mega-deals” with Zimbabwe’s supposed all-weather friends China and Russia, very little is happening on the ground to suggest that the deals will take off anytime soon.
Investigations by the Daily News this week also suggested that even the equally much-vaunted investment in Zimbabwe by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, remains pie-in-the-sky talk that only occasionally pops up in lapdog State media when propaganda merchants are desperate for a deceptive, feel-good story.
A senior government official said bluntly yesterday that, “We are practically still where we were on all fronts when the deals were announced”, declining to shed further light on what the problems were.
Mugabe signed nine so-called “landmark agreements” with China in August 2014, which were touted by government spin doctors at the time as imminent and massively significant for investment-parched Zimbabwe.
However, there were tell-tale signs last year that all was not well when Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa had to make a follow up visit to Beijing to discuss the multi-billion deals further — as tongues wagged and crisis-weary Zimbabweans questioned whether they were not in fact another ploy by Zanu PF regime to hold on to power by promising “heaven on earth”.
At the same time, economic experts who spoke to the Daily News yesterday said the deals were being hampered by corruption and policy inconsistencies which had seen Chinese firm Anjin Investments being suspiciously booted out of the Marange diamond fields.
In addition, they also cited Harare’s culture of failing to repay loans, as demonstrated by its huge international debt, as well as Mugabe’s bitterly contested succession — where the Asian economic giant reportedly favours Mnangagwa — as further contributing factors to the delay in moving on the deals.
“I’m very sure nothing is going to happen in terms of these developments because as a country we cannot keep our end of any bargain we make. For example, we have even enraged the Chinese due to our failure to honour debts,” renowned economist John Robertson said.
He added that given what had happened over the years, Zimbabwe desperately needed a leadership change to boost investor confidence.
“There is a strong suggestion that the Russians and Chinese do not want to work with the current government. I am also sure that they will reconsider and inject money into the projects if a more reliable administration gets into power,” he said.
Other economists cite the country’s indigenisation laws and the anxiety spawned by the recently announced measures to introduce bond notes as having further undermined confidence in the country’s ability to attract money.
Economist Issis Mwale said the government was “selling dreams” to the country, to pacify its support base.
“The Chinese are not foolish, neither are they stupid. They are very shrewd businesspeople. So, I am very sure nothing will materialise of the deals unless we pay our international arrears,” she said.
While data gathered from the American Enterprise Institute shows that signed Chinese investments in Zimbabwe grew sharply from $100 million in 2010 to nearly $6 billion by the end of 2015, experts say many of these are unlikely to see the light of day anytime soon given political legitimacy questions dogging the country.
Among the mega-deals that are waiting to be rolled out are China Africa Sunlight Energy Limited’s plans to invest $2,1 billion to develop coal mines and build two 100-megawatt coal-fired power plants.
But another senior government official who spoke to the Daily News yesterday said the Chinese were still very keen on doing business with Zimbabwe — in line with their Africa investment focus.
However, he added, China was “wary” of the deadly factional and succession wars ravaging Zanu PF.
“If you look closely you will see that several feasibility studies have been started between China and Zimbabwe, including studies into coal exploration and a 600MW thermal station in Sibugwe, as well as the dualisation of the Beitbridge-Harare, Harare-Nyamapanda, Harare-Chirundu and Mutare-Harare highways.
“But the Chinese’s borne of contention at the moment is whether their investments would be secure after the old man (Mugabe) is gone, considering the fights (in Zanu PF) and that there is no clear succession plan in place.
“Until we sort this critical issue out, it would be difficult for these projects to take off,” the official said.
And while all this is taking place, China is wrestling with its own problems, including a slowdown in its growth rate, as well as growing scepticism by its businesspeople over whether Zimbabwe is a worthy and reliable recipient of their custom.
Just as is the case with Chinese deals, Zimbabwe’s agreements with the Russians, which were projected to culminate in a $3 billion platinum project in Darwendale — 70 kilometres north-west of Harare — are also now shrouded in mystery.
And cement magnate Dangote, who expressed interest in investing in the country last year, has since started to cautiously skirt the conversation on Zimbabwe. Daily News

First Lady Grace Mugabe silenced former Higher and Tertiary Education minister Olivia Muchena from discussing her controversial doctorate in public, Zanu PF politburo minutes seen by the Zimbabwe Independent show.
Grace was awarded a controversial PhD by the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) in September 2014, in what was widely seen as an unprecedented academic scandal of monumental proportions in Zimbabwe. She was among the 3 274 graduands capped by her husband President Robert Mugabe, who is also the chancellor of the UZ, with a PhD in Social Studies.
The Independent then unearthed that the First Lady was awarded the doctorate despite not fulfilling procedures which PhD candidates go through as her records were not available. Her thesis was also not available at the UZ library unlike other candidates, including former vice-president Joice Mujuru, who graduated on the same day with Grace.
According to minutes of a Zanu PF politburo meeting held on October 30 2014, seen by the Independent, Muchena, who was also the Zanu PF secretary for science and technology, was silenced by the First Lady after she made moves to clarify the matter.
According to the minutes, Zanu PF politburo member Jonathan Moyo, then a committee member, expressed concern over private media’s reportage of Grace’s dubious PhD which he even tried to defend in public.
“On a different note, he (Moyo) said that the private media was on a smear campaign to demonise the First Lady. He urged the secretary for science and technology to correct some of the misconceptions surrounding the academic qualifications of the First Lady,” the politburo minutes read.
However, Muchena, responding to Moyo’s request, said efforts to clarify the degree had hit a brick wall as Grace did not want the issue to be discussed.
“In her comments, the secretary for science and technology reported that efforts to put into correct perspective issues surrounding the First Lady’s doctorate were halted after consultations. She said that the First Lady had instructed that the matter should not be discussed in public,” the minutes say.
The decision to award Grace a PhD was strongly criticised by academics, including UZ lecturers, students, the civil society and ordinary Zimbabweans.
Soon after her graduation, the Zimbabwe National Students Union called for a thorough investigation into how she acquired the PhD and demanded the resignations of those involved in the decision, including UZ Vice-Chancellor Professor Levi Nyagura who failed to explain the scandal.
The student’s body also wrote a letter to the Parliamentary Portfolio Select Committee for Higher Education, which was copied to the Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda, Muchena and Nyagura asking for investigations into the circumstances under which Grace was awarded the doctorate.
Academics such as Dr Ibbo Mandaza said Grace’s controversial PhD would damage UZ’s reputation, its academics and its alumni. He challenged the UZ to explain how the First Lady was awarded the doctorate. Neither Muchena nor Nyagura responded to media queries and the public demand for an explanation. It has since emerged that Grace ordered officials to remain silent over the issue hoping the protests would just die down and the scandal forgotten.
Information obtained by the Independent at the time showed Grace initially registered for an MPhil in 2012, but was upgraded by her supervisor to a DPhil programme.
This implies that when Grace registered as an MPhil student, she must have had a good pass in an honours degree with at least an upper second class (2.1) pass. Those close to the issue said after failing at the University of London a few years ago, she enrolled with a Chinese university and obtained an undergraduate degree.
But considering Grace’s poor performance at the University of London where she was eventually deregistered after failing most of her (BA English) examinations in 2004, it is highly unlikely she had an honours degree with quality grades to qualify for an MPhil.
In terms of UZ requirements, for an MPhil a candidate must have a good pass in an honours degree with at least an upper second class or an approved equivalent and the minimum duration of study is two years for a full-time student and three years for a part-time student.
A DPhil candidate requires a good master’s degree. An MPhil student who excels can, however, have his or her studies upgraded to DPhil. This only happens in exceptional circumstances where the student is distinguished.
Even then the minimum for a DPhil full-time student is three years and four years for part-time studies. Senior academics at the UZ said Grace did not meet the requirements, while she also did not spend the basic minimum time studying at UZ, making her acquisition of the PhD unprocedural and fraudulent.
Grace completed her first degree in Chinese Language in 2011 after four years of distance learning with the People’s University of China. independent

An estate dispute between two surviving wives has raised questions in the Supreme Court on what constitutes a marriage, a case that is likely to spark debate about the country’s marriage laws. This follows a case in which a woman abandoned her lawful husband for 23 years and got married twice. Ella Munjeri, whose marriage to the third man still subsists, now claims to be the only surviving spouse of the late Bookwet Jonathan Munjeri.
She was declared the surviving spouse in the High Court. Ella prevailed in the lower court because the judge accepted her claim that she was still married to the late Bookwet Munjeri in terms of the monogamous marriage at the time of his death.
But Supreme Court judge Justice Tendai Uchena, who presided over a chamber application for condonation of the late noting of an appeal, raised questions over Ella’s conduct. “The way she conducted herself prior to his death, and after she registered his estate, tells a different story,” he said.
Justice Uchena allowed the application by the executor, Ms Patricia Darangwa, acting for the late Juliet Munjeri who was Bookwet’s third wife under customary law marriage.
The other surviving spouse is Gladys Gweshe who is cited in the case as the fifth respondent. Justice Uchena concurred with Advocate Garikayi Sithole who was acting for Ms Darangwa that the case should proceed on appeal considering the circumstances around the dispute.
“I am satisfied that this case should be allowed to proceed on appeal and for its importance as it raises serious questions on whether a spouse who abandons or divorces the other for 23 years, and thereafter gets married to two other spouses, can on the death of the abandoned/divorced spouse claim to be the deceased’s surviving spouse and inherit the abandoned/divorced spouse’s estate,” said Justice Uchena.
Ella, who was being represented by Mr Sikhumbuzo Mpofu of Munangati and Associates, abandoned Bookwet between 1979 and 1980 and married a Mr Mupfumira with whom she had a daughter.
That union was terminated in 1985.
It was succeeded by her marriage to Mr David Dzvova with whom she is staying and has children with. Bookwet died on October 13, 2002.
After the death of Bookwet, Ella registered his estate as the sole surviving spouse, but abandoned her claim when the late Juliet Munjeri sent an affidavit to the Master of the High Court challenging her status.
Subsequent to Juliet’s affidavit, Ella waived her rights saying she was no longer interested in the estate. She communicated this in writing to the Master of the High Court after she was invited to edict meetings.
Thereafter, the late Juliet Munjeri registered the estate and administered it until its distribution account was confirmed by the Master of the High Court on September 1, 2006.
Ella kept her silence until soon after Juliet’s death on July 13, 2013, when she resumed her claim to Bookwet’s estate.
During Bookwet’s life time, Ella wrote him letters complaining about him allowing their children to visit her at her matrimonial home with Mr Dzvova. She, on a number of occasions, reminded him of their divorce and her being someone else’s wife. She advised him to go back to court where he had been granted custody if he no longer wanted the children.
In the High Court, Justice Hlekani Mwayera declared Ella the surviving spouse on the grounds that her marriage to the late Bookwet had not been dissolved by a competent court.
“In the absence of the legally-sanctioned marriage being dissolved by a court of competent jurisdiction, the parties who made a choice to have their issues of emotions regulated by monogamous type of marriage regime remained so married,” she said.
Justice Mwayera noted in her judgment that both Bookwet and Ella were living in adulterous relationships. They did not formally divorce up until the time of Bookwet’s death. She said it was clear from documents filed of record and submissions, that the marriage between Ella and Bookwet was contracted first before the subsequent customary unions.
The situation which obtained until the death of Bookwet, Justice Mwayera ruled, did not bring the marriage under the general law at the same footing with the customary marriages for inheritance purposes.-state media

ZimEye.com explores: What truly happened to former ZANU PF empowerment activist, Acie Lumumba, following the embarrassing sex video expose with an unnamed woman. In this exclusive, ZimEye probes hot issues raised by newsreaders which are:

• Was Lumumba’s house truly broken into by the ZRP cops?
• When did this happen and why did he not make it public on the day of the breach.
• Who is this woman Lumumba is seen in the video with and in particular how old is she? Is she not a minor who was abused by the then powerful ZANU PF politician?
• Among these things at the crown of legal matters is the alleged ZRP break in. Lumumba in the interview reveals there is no defacement at all outside his property at the access doors to show proof that his house was forcibly invaded. Lumumba argues however saying the evidence exists rather on the internal door to his office. When queried on this and in particular so he should supply pictures of that said internal door to the office, Lumumba replies ZimEye.com Simba Chikanza saying he is not at home at present.

Below was the snap interview:

Government has ordered Mukaro High School pupils to return to school with immediate effect and resume classes upon arrival.
This follows the closure of the Roman Catholic-run boarding school on May 24 this year by the church in protest over the continued presence of two teachers who successfully applied for a court interdict to stop their transfer.
Speaking at a Press conference yesterday, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Lazarus Dokora said the ministry regarded the interests of learners as central to its mandate.
Dr Dokora said he met with Mukaro High School authorities and the Masvingo Provincial Education Directorate and resolved that normalcy should be restored at the school.
“The purpose of the meeting was to facilitate the resumption of classes in terms of the Education Act and restore normalcy in the interest of the learners,” said Dr Dokora.
“It was resolved that the issue of the teaching personnel is a matter of central Government as the employer and can be dealt with by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in accordance with appropriate regulations,” said Dr Dokora.
The church sought to transfer the two male teachers, Martin Matenhere and Musana Chirikure from Mukaro after they were accused of masterminding a crippling strike that saw pupils walking for over 15km to the Gutu District Education offices in 2012.
The pupils were protesting poor living conditions and only returned to the institution after assurances from the Catholic Church that their grievances would be addressed.
However, after normalcy had returned to the school, the church allegedly tried to force the transfer of the pair.
The two teachers successfully applied for a High Court order arguing they were being unjustifiably victimised for a crime they did not commit.
Roman Catholic Masvingo Diocese vicar general Father Walter Nyatsanza then visited the school to announce its closure.-state media

A CHIKURUBI Maximum Security Prison Old Camp officer allegedly stole ammunition from his workplace, teamed up with armed robbers and shot a security guard manning Deputy Police Commissioner Olga Bungu’s house.
Warren Hazvienzani Katiro (35) appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe on Wednesday facing attempted murder charges or alternatively contravening the Firearms Act.
He was remanded in custody to June 15. Prosecuting, Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa alleged that sometime in May this year Katiro stole a number of 9mm live ammunition from the Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services.
He allegedly supplied the ammunition to his accomplices, Allan Mutemachanai and Rodwell Joe, who are still on the run. Katiro teamed with the pair and went to Arcturus Mine where they acquired a pistol from Samuel Butao.
Armed with the pistol, the trio went to 241 Samora Machel Avenue in Belvedere on May 18 at around 10pm where they approached Yeukai Chimhanda who was guarding Dep Comm Bungu’s home.
Chimhanda was armed with an AK 47 rifle and the trio called him by name. As Chimhanda went outside they opened fire. They allegedly shot him once on the left side of the chest and fled.

A MAN from Madlambudzi in Bulilima District yesterday appeared in court for allegedly raping two pupils after giving them biscuits. Prince Maisa, 23, allegedly raped the Madlambuzi primary school pupils after calling them to his room.
He pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape before regional magistrate Sibongile Msipa-Marondedze. Maisa complained about his lengthy remand period following his arrest in December last year.
“I didn’t commit the crime and I pray that the court deals with this matter soon as possible. I’ve spent a lot of time on remand for something I didn’t do,” he said.
Magistrate Msipa-Marondedze remanded him in custody to June 8 for trial.
Prosecuting, Concilia Ncube alleged that sometime in November last year, Maisa asked the two girls, who are friends, to clean his room.
“The girls swept his room and were given biscuits. One of the girls aged 12 left his room first, leaving behind her friend also aged 12. Maisa then called her into his room and promised to give her another biscuit and the girl complied,” said Ncube.
“Maisa closed the door, grabbed the girl and raped her once. The girl went away and narrated what had happened to her friend.”
Ncube said Maisa called the second girl to his room and proposed love and was turned down.
“On another day, Maisa called the same girl to his room and the girl agreed. When she got in, he lifted her and the girl started screaming. Maisa then reached for a kitchen knife which was on the table and threatened to kill her if she made any noise,” she said.
Ncube said Maisa undressed the girl and raped her once.
“The girl went away and told the first complainant about the incident. The first complainant told her mother when she visited from South Africa on December 17 and they made a report.
“Her friend also opened up to her aunt on the same day and the girls were taken to Plumtree Hospital for medical examination,” she said. -state media

A MAN from Chiredzi allegedly fatally assaulted his mother, 87, in the presence of his father, 101, during an argument over pastures. Daniel Mazvuma, 50, of Village 1 Wana Extension, struck Chenhare Mazvuma with a log on the legs, head and several times on the abdomen leading to her death some hours later. Daniel allegedly accused Chenhare of letting neighbours destroy their pastures.
During cross examination, Daniel who was represented by Dumisani Hwacha of Hwacha and Ndlovu Legal Practitioners denied having used excessive force to assault his mother.
“While I agree that I assaulted my mother following a misunderstanding over thatching grass I didn’t use excessive force. Chenhare insulted me and I got angry leading me to committing the crime but I had no intention of killing her. I had to pick a bigger log and assault her twice as she also fought back. I was also drunk after drinking five litres of traditionally brewed beer,” said Daniel.
Appearing before Justice Joseph Musakwa sitting with assessors Eliphas Gweru and Samuel Mutomba, Daniel pleaded not guilty to murder charges.
He was remanded in custody to today for judgment and sentence. For the State, Elson Chavarika, said sometime in May, 2014, at around 3PM Daniel arrived home from a beer drink.
“Upon his arrival Daniel found the father Fambisai Mazvuma, 101, and mother Chenhare home. There were some villagers, including his aunt Tsitsi Muzodziwa at the homestead, storing their thatching grass. This did not go down well with Daniel and he started accusing Chenhare of letting villagers destroy their pastures,” said Chavarika.
He said Daniel hurled insults at his mother including some of the unprintable words while demanding that she reprimands the villagers for cutting their grass.
Chavarika said at around 9PM, Daniel allegedly pulled a log from a pile of firewood before assaulting his mother while his father watched.
His father, the court heard, attempted to restrain him from further assaulting his mother, but Daniel would not listen and continued striking her.
After realising that she was unconscious, Daniel stopped and briefly disappeared into the darkness. The old woman was pronounced dead on admission to Chiredzi Hospital. -state media

Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa says Zimbabweans must embrace the bond notes set to be introduced into the economy by October.
Addressing Zanu-PF supporters gathered at Sino Cement Company in Gweru yesterday, VP Mnangagwa said the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) would soon introduce bond notes, saying these would boost internal trade, cut on externalisation of the US dollar by individuals and companies and ease cash shortages in the economy.
The planned bond notes are backed by a new $200 million bond facility from AfreximBank.
The facility will be implemented through the medium of bond notes in denominations of $2, $5, $10 and $20.
The US dollar and rand in circulation had been run down to below $300 million, he said.
The bond notes are set to operate as an extension of the current family of bond coins which were introduced in December 2014 to address the challenge of small change in daily transactions.
VP Mnangagwa, who is on a two-day tour of manufacturing industries in Midlands Province, said the public should make use of the bond notes which were to help boost economic activity.
He said at the moment, with depreciation of regional currencies, everyone was after the United States dollar which is in daily use in Zimbabwe.
“We want our economy to get out of the doldrums. We have been under the illegally-imposed sanctions for the past 16 years which affected productivity leading to the closure of companies. As a result, we ended up dumping our Zimbabwe dollar for the multi-currency regime. But because we don’t print the US dollar, all Sadc countries don’t have the US dollar and they are coming to raid Zimbabwe. Even those who trade in tomatoes come here and get the US dollar. If we sell anything in Zambia, we get kwachas, Botswana pulas and that has resulted in the shortage of the US dollar in the economy,” he said.
“In February 2009, we had US dollar, euro, and pound but as time progressed, US dollar gained value and everyone now wants the US Dollar.”
VP Mnangagwa said the bond notes had the same value as the US dollar.
“The Government, with a loan of $200 facility, is introducing bond notes. They will be equivalent or backed by the $200 loan facility. So if they start circulating, they won’t be stolen or externalised since the notes don’t work outside the country. The bond notes will have the same value as the US dollar. They will be banked in the same account as the US dollar,” said the Vice President.
He said it was high time Zimbabweans worked together and accepted that solutions for economic recovery should come from within. Today the VP tours industries in Kwekwe.

ZIMBABWE Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) welcomes the opening of a permanent High Court in Masvingo by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) on Monday 30 May 2016.
The decentralisation of the High Court is long overdue, and will go a long way in facilitating access to justice by many previously disadvantaged vulnerable people residing in Masvingo and other surrounding provinces.
Its proximate location, is particularly compelling as it will further alleviate challenges such as exorbitant travel, upkeep costs that were incurred by potential litigants, witnesses as well as other players interacting with the justice system at this level.
Most people had to travel for long distances to Harare and Bulawayo to access the services of the High Court.
From an administrative perspective, once fully operational, the Masvingo High Court will also help to reduce backlog of cases, minimise delays and hopefully expedite the determination of cases.
The new court will contribute to improving the efficiency of the justice system as a whole as there was substantial pressure on the limited permanent High Court facilities – located in Harare and Bulawayo due to the number of users who previously had no options.
ZLHR encourages stakeholders to offer necessary and relevant support for a functional and effective Masvingo High Court as this will boost public confidence in the justice delivery system. People living within the jurisdiction of this court are also urged to fully utilise its facilities for protection of their social, economic, cultural, civil and political rights provided in the 2013 Constitution. The JSC must continue to work with strategic partners to establish additional permanent High Courts in other provinces such as Manicaland and Midlands.
As a law based organisation that is committed to fostering a culture of human rights in Zimbabwe, ZLHR will continue through its various interventions to promote awareness of the existence of the High Court in Masvingo, and fully utilise this new court in order to advance the protection of human rights.
ENDS
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
6th Floor, Beverley Court

PDP position on the on-going ZESA saga

Minister Samuel Undenge must resign or be fired

It is not new for ZANU (PF) Ministers to interfere in the running of state enterprises which fall under their mandate, in fact that is all they ever do as they scheme on how to make money from any tenders, projects or contracts that are currently in play.
As we at PDP have stated before, in Zimbabwe we have a ZANU (PF) looting machine whose sole business is to plunder our resources with no remorse at all. This looting machine is primarily operative through state enterprise projects where dubious loans are procured clandestinely and project costs inflated so that those in the looting chain can get paid off.
To qualify to be in this chain, you must blindly support the party and Mugabe and never challenge his competency or decisions. That is why all state enterprises CEO’s must be approved by him in the first place and they must also of course continually pay homage to him and wish him long life as their President. Some have even openly confessed how they owe their “rise” to Mugabe.
It is evident to us at PDP that the current shenanigans at ZPC and ZESA are a microcosm of the broader economy which has ceased to be productive, but is now characterised by a ZANU (PF) secret economy of corruption and quick deals. This is why Zimbabweans continue to be shocked at the amount of wealth in this booming ZANU (PF) cabal secret economy, while the majority of citizens have to scrounge on daily basis in order to survive.
The Zimbabwean taxpayer, for generations to come, is already burdened by ZANU (PF) corruption and will continue paying dearly for state enterprise “loans” for the next twenty to thirty years. That will be
the legacy of Mugabe and his predatory cabal whose insatiable greed and profligacy must be funded by poor Zimbabweans.
As PDP we must express our utmost disgust at the failure by Minister Undenge of taking full responsibility of the continuing corruption at ZPC and ZESA. We demand that he resigns or be fired immediately for corruption and undue and unethical interference in the normal course of business at these companies. This is the cancer of corruption that we speak of which can only be addressed by cutting off those limbs that are causing the rot.
Although this is our position, we know that nothing will be done by Mugabe because he would have to fire his whole cabinet and also resign himself because he must also ultimately take responsibility for the
sins of those he has appointed.
We are, however, pleased to note that management at ZPC have now decided to tell it as it is and we expect that the Minister takes full responsibility for his deeds than to continually blame them for the rot.
PDP continues to stress that without substantive economic reforms and the replacement of the ZANU(PF) looting team from government, Zimbabweans can only expect a worsening economic climate characterized by increasing unemployment and therefore decreasing disposable incomes and wide spread poverty.
As the economic situation worsens, we are certainly bound to see more creativity from the looters and their kin as the pressure to maintain their conspicuous lifestyles in the midst of poverty increases. They are all beyond redemption. ZANU (PF) has plundered and bankrupted Zimbabwe and it is now time for us to put a stop to the rot.
We therefore once more call for the immediate resignation of the shameless looting machine called ZANU (PF) from government and the establishment of a national transitional technical council (NTTC) to arrest the socio economic decline and to begin to revive the economy.
Its mandate must include dealing with the emergency social needs now, addressing the liquidity issues and stabilising the financial services sector, dealing with the public debt issue, dealing with corruption within state enterprises, reviving agriculture and industry to create jobs, attracting new long term investment into the country, reducing recurrent government expenditure and doing whatever it takes to stabilise the macro-economic environment.
In our view, this is the only way we can immediately stop the rot and save Zimbabwe from these habitual looters.

Another Zimbabwe is possible!!!

Vince Musewe

PDP Secretary for Finance and Economic Affairs

Terrence Mawawa, Zaka | Hungry and desperate villagers, including people with disabilities, were forced to chant Zanu PF slogans by the local District Administrator in order to access food aid.
The Assistant District Administrator for Zaka District, Gift Machuleke, virtually turned a Social Welfere food distribution exercise at Vanyoro Community Hall, ward 23 Zaka last week, into a Zanu PF rally when he ordered the hungry and desperate villagers to chant slogans praising President Robert Mugabe.
The constitution of Zimbabwe clearly indicates that civil cervants are not allowed to participate in political activities. In a total violation of the consitution Machucheke, chanted the usual Zanu PF maxims before ordering the villagers, including people with disabilities to recite the slogans. Villagers accused the government official of hijacking the non political gathering to campaign for Zanu PF.
“The social welfare food aid programme is for the socially disadvantaged but we were shocked when Machucheke instructed us to chant Zanu PF slogans,” said a local villager.
Despite claims by the government that there is no politicisation of food aid villagers across the country are being denied access to relief if they are not affiliated to Zanu PF.
Machucheke also announced also vetted participants in the food for work programme, eliminating perceived opposition supporters in the process. “Everthing has been politicised. Even the CARE vouchers will be received by Zanu PF supporters,” said another villager.

Zimbabwe’s Meteorological Services has after four days admitted on the snow fall that happened in Gweru last week.
Last Friday, ZimEye.com exclusively published the shocking phenomenon which left villagers stunned.
The department described the “snow” that fell in Lower Gweru as a rare sleet that occurred in the country for the first time in history.
In an interview following a visit to Matshabeleni and Sikombingo Villages in Lower Gweru yesterday, the head of public weather services in the Meteorological Services Department, Tich Zinyemba, said sleet was precipitation in the form of ice pellets created by the freezing of rain as it falls.
He said chances for the country to have snow were next to zero since Zimbabwe was in the hot tropical region.
“We know in Zimbabwe that snow doesn’t happen because we are in the tropical region where temperatures are hot and therefore chances of getting snow are really next to zero. However, the Friday occurrence was very interesting.
“If you recall, we did make a weather forecast on Monday last week that there was likely to be a dramatic change in weather and this is what happened here in terms of thunder storms and very cold temperatures in the southern part of the country including this area here,” said Zinyemba.
“That feature is what causes all this abnormal weather. In as far as my institutional memory is concerned, we have never experienced anything like this and therefore it’s a first I am sure in Zimbabwe.”
Headman Barnabas Fuzane of Matshabeleni said the sleet restricted movement of both people and animals.
He said the sleet started falling on Friday last week at 7pm and lasted for about 30 minutes.
“We lost our vegetables, property and food as the sleet entered our homesteads. Small animals like rabbits and snakes died while trees in general were pruned of their leaves. We appeal for food aid,” Fuzane said.
“The depth of the ice was 30 centimetres and it is a very rare phenomenon in the country and only happened within a short radius of 5km.”

A self-proclaimed prophet of the Johanne Masowe apostolic sect (nguwo tsvuku) inserted his manhood into a woman saying he was performing demonic deliverance on her.
He has been jailed for 12 years for raping the 20-year-old client.
Rickie Mutero of Chinamhora raped the client on the pretext that he was removing something from the woman’s privates that was causing her bad luck. Mutero pleaded not guilty when he appeared before regional magistrate Mrs Sandra Mupindu, but was convicted on overwhelming evidence.
He was sentenced to 15 years in prison, but three were suspended for five years on condition that he does not commit a similar offence. Mrs Mupindu branded Mutero a “wolf in a sheep’s clothing” for his behaviour.
She said Mutero abused God’s name.
“The convicted person pretended to be a prophet when in actual fact he was a criminal. You raped an innocent woman and deflowered her. In this case a stiffer penalty will meet the justice of the offence so that those who use God’s name to commit crimes can also learn that crime does not pay,” she said.
Prosecuting, Mr Gwinyai Shumba proved that on February 16 the victim visited Mutero’s shrine seeking spiritual healing. She was accompanied by her brother. Mutero told her to return the following day alone for cleansing.
He asked the victim to bring a razor and her under garment. When the woman returned the following day, Mutero asked if she was still a virgin. The woman answered in the affirmative and he demanded blood from her private parts saying it was needed for the cleansing ceremony.
He told the woman God had revealed to him that she had a growth in her privates which was the source of her misfortunes. Mutero claimed only sexual intercourse would help drain the blood needed for the cleansing ceremony.
The woman refused to be intimate with him. Mutero then ordered her to go and fetch water from a nearby dam. He followed and raped her. He took her blood and ordered her not to tell anyone saying that the cleansing ceremony would not work if she did.
The victim alerted her father leading to Mutero’s arrest.

At a time when Zimbabwe has not completed the inclusion of local languages the likes of Tonga, Venda and Bemba, Education Minister Lazarus Dokora has moved to introduce Chinese, Swahili, Portuguese and French in the new primary and secondary education curriculum.
Addressing delegates at a Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education stakeholders meeting, Minister Dokora said the new curriculum was at the initial stage as it was being prepared and piloted this year.
“The ministry is going to introduce foreign languages in the new curriculum which include French, Swahili, Chinese and Portuguese in schools.
“Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education undertook a process of updating the Commission of Inquiry into Education and Training (CIET) recommendations in the context of a curriculum review process beginning October 2014.
“The Ministry then developed a Zero Draft Curriculum Framework for Primary and Secondary Education to guide learning and teaching during the next seven years from 2015 to 2022. The New Curriculum Framework was approved by Cabinet on 22 September, 2015,” he said.
Dr Dokora said; “Learning areas for junior school, from Grade Three to Grade Seven, include languages, foreign Mathematics, heritage and life-skills orientation programme (LOP) — social studies, science and technology, agriculture, information and communication technology, visual and performing arts, family, religion and moral education (FAREME) and physical education, sport and mass displays,” he said.
Dr Dokora said the Government was engaged in resource mobilisation to implement the new curriculum.
“The Government calls for joint effort in mobilising resources. Such resources will be required for teacher capacity development, research and development, ICT, infrastructure development among others.
“Some of these resources will go towards the production of learning and teaching materials that address the needs of the new curriculum. It is, however, important that we understand the trajectory of the new curriculum,” he said.
He said the vision and mission of the ministry was to be the lead provider, facilitator of inclusive, quality education for socio-economic transformation by 2020 and to provide equitable, quality, inclusive, relevant and competence-driven infant, junior, secondary and non-formal education.
“The Curriculum Framework is driven by aims that include promoting and cherishing the Zimbabwean identity, preparing learners for life and work in a largely agro-based economy and an increasingly globalised and competitive environment, to foster life-long learning in line with the opportunities and challenges of the knowledge society.
“Preparing learners for participatory citizenship, peace and sustainable development.
“Preparing and orienting learners for participation, leadership and voluntary service,” he said.
Dokora said the curriculum helped children in critical thinking, problem solving, among others.
“The Curriculum Framework prepares graduates of the education system to have exit profiles like critical thinking, problem-solving, leadership, technological skills, communication and team building,” he said

Five opposition parties formed a coalition on Tuesday that will challenge President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF party in the 2018 general elections.
The parties are Mavambo Kusile Dawn led by Simba Makoni, Professor Welshman Ncube’s Movement for Democratic Change formation, Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe led by Elton Mangoma, Democratic Assembly for Restoration and Empowerment and Zimbabweans United for Democracy.
Tendai Biti’s People’s Democratic Party and Zapu led by former Zipra supremo Dumiso Dabengwa say they still need to consult their members before joining the coalition. The parties say other opposition groups like Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T and former Vice President Joice Mujuru’s Zimbabwe People First are also keen to join the coalition.
Zunde leader, Gilbert Dzikiti, who was appointed the first chairman of the coalition called the Coalition of Democrats or CODE, said the coming together of the five political parties was an important milestone in the struggle for democracy in Zimbabwe.
Ncube noted that the parties that signed the agreement are keeping their doors open for other political parties to join the coalition.
These sentiments were echoed by MKD leader Simba Makoni, who contested as an independent presidential candidate in 2008.
Former Finance Minister Tendai Biti, who now leads the People’s Democratic Party and attended the signing ceremony, said his political formation would join the coalition once he gets the nod from his party’s executive committee.
Some opposition parties have formed a coalition in Zimbabwe.
Some opposition parties have formed a coalition in Zimbabwe.
Zapu spokesperson, Mjobiza Noko, said his party was waiting for direction from its congress set for October this year.
Tsvangirai’s MDC-T says it was not invited for the signing ceremony. However, the main opposition party’s spokesperson, Obert Gutu, said the MDC-T was willing to work with all pro-democracy parties and groups in a grand coalition that would challenge Zanu PF’s rule come 2018.
Rugare Gumbo, interim spokesperson of the newly formed Zimbabwe People First party led by former vice president Joice Mujuru, told Studio 7 by phone that his party was also not consulted regarding the formation of the coalition.
Mangoma said the leaders of the parties in the coalition are expected to meet in the run up to the 2018 national elections to select their presidential candidate.
Sources close to the coalition negotiations said the five parties rushed to announce the formation of the coalition so that they would have negotiating power when it comes to fielding candidates.

The Zimbabwe National Army has denied any involvement in the disappearance of journalist-cum-human-rights-activist Itai Dzamara.
This follows allegations made by Itai’s brother, Patson Dzamara, who claimed yesterday that he believed that the military intelligence was responsible for the missing activist.
He told journalists that “incontestable evidence was availed to us and I dare Mr. Mugabe (President Robert Mugabe) and his surrogates to prove me wrong. They can’t, because this is the truth. They thought they would get away with this evil deed as usual, but not this time around.
“They passed the wrong button. I cannot at this juncture state my brother’s fate in the hands of these gangsters but I can categorically inform you that Itai Dzamara was abducted by the military intelligence under the direct instruction and supervision of Zanu-PF.”
But in response to these allegations, Zimbabwe National Army director of Public Relations Lieutenant Colonel Alphios Makotore denied the allegation.
In a statement Makotore said: “The Zimbabwe National Army totally denies any involvement in the disappearance of Itai Dzamara. The claims by Itai Dzamara’s brother Patson are totally false and a figment of his own imaginations.”
He added, “The Army Intelligence does not take orders from any political party. Patson’s claims are just meant to seek media attention and mislead members of the public.”
Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba told VOA Studio 7 yesterday that the police had no comment since Dzamara did not mention that they were involved or invite them to his press conference.
Meanwhile, Patson has been summoned by the police for questioning. VOA

ZANU PF empowerment activist, Acie Lumumba, has opened a can of worms on journalist Itai Dzamara’s brother on the thorny topic of Itai’s geographical location. Patson Dzamara has decided to protect the person who knows the six figure grid of Itai’s location, an analyst wrote in, in response to Lumumba’s defence of Patson.
Lumumba on Tuesday wrote an apologetic on Patson authenticating the latter’s claim of photography revealing Itai’s moments under alleged torture.
But newsreaders reacted angrily saying Lumumba is instead of defending Patson, opening holes in Patson Dzamara’s claims.
Three months ago, ZimEye revealed interview exclusives of Patson Dzamara declaring that he has private cellphone contact with the Happyton Bonyongwe family but has not and will never question or seek help from Bonyongwe on finding Itai.
Below was the full deliberation on the matter by a writer who chose anonymity:
“I am failing to understand why Dr Patson Dzamara could let go somebody who has confessed knowledge to the whereabouts of his brother Itai.
“Under usually expected circumstances, Dr Patson should have caused arrest to the “friend” who gave the pictures which some social commentators are claiming to have identified as previous publication of Boko Horam hostages in Nigeria(sic). The issue about the authenticity of the photo in circulation is not at all important here BUT what continues to poke the mind is why our learned brother, Dr P Dzamara deliberately decides to protect a friend who claims to know the six figure grid of Itai’s location. By correct interpretation, Dr Patson Dzamara is withholding information which has leads to where Itai is.
“In some countries, Dr Patson Dzamara could have been summoned by the police so as to release the information leading to the location of Itai.
“If Dr Patson Dzamara was not a qualified Doctor, I would have joined those analysts who brand Dr Patson Dzamara as an attention seeker”