Embattled Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa is apparently taking serious strain from the post-congress Zanu PF’s worsening and seemingly-unstoppable factional and succession wars.
Well-placed sources claimed in briefings with the Daily News yesterday that the Midlands godfather was increasingly feeling marginalised from President Robert Mugabe’s inner circle.
So perturbed is the VP, the sources claimed, that he allegedly felt snubbed and humiliated by Mugabe after the nonagenarian appointed co-deputy Phelekezela Mphoko to act as president for the second consecutive time when the country’s long-ruling leader went on his annual leave last month.
As a result, the insiders added, Mnangagwa had allegedly recently sought private audience with Mugabe in the Far East, where the First Family is holidaying, to both affirm his loyalty to the nonagenarian and to curry favour with him.
“Eyebrows were raised in both government and the party when the president named VP Mphoko as acting president for the second time instead of Mnangagwa as has been the custom so far.
“VP Mphoko was the acting president when Gushungo (Mugabe) attended the Sino-African summit in South Africa last year, and was again handed the coveted baton stick when the president went on his annual leave.
“This is why Ngwena (Mnangagwa) is acting like a cat on a hot tin roof and hot-footing it to the Far East to try and pacify Gushungo,” one of the sources claimed.
Mnangagwa, who is identified with a Zanu PF faction doing battle with the party’s ambitious Young Turks known as the Generation 40 in the former liberation movement’s ugly succession war, is said by his allies to have posed for pictures with the first family in the Far East.
“Lacoste (Mnangagwa) went and complained to the president that he is being attacked by Mphoko and (party national political commissar Saviour) Kasukuwere.
“He used the opportunity to lobby the president and affirm his support for him.
“He is clearly keen to make the president realise that he is not the enemy but a loyalist,” another source told the Daily News yesterday.
Other sources close to Mnangagwa claim that the beleaguered VP is feeling particularly threatened by the ominous move by the Zanu PF women’s league to agitate for a woman deputy president — which could see him demoted to a lower position later this year.
The league, which is led by the influential First Lady Grace Mugabe, declared last year that a woman would be the country’s vice president this year and their choice for this position increasingly appears to be Senate president Edna Madzongwe.
Most insiders are agreed that such a move is more likely to impact negatively on Mnangagwa than Mphoko.
“It is now a question of when in 2016, not whether we will have a woman VP. Last December’s (Zanu PF) conference set a clear deadline that 2016 would be the year that gender parity would be realised in the presidium.
“Nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing will stop women from realising their long-cherished dream, and that woman is likely to be Mai Madzongwe, and not Dr Amai (Grace), whom you guys wrongly accused of wanting to succeed the president,” one of the reliable sources recently told the Daily News.
Sources have also told the newspaper, that has accurately reported on the goings-on in the warring Zanu PF over the past four years, that a new wave of purges is looming and that these will target Mnangagwa’s allies such as outspoken legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena.
These allies of the VP stand accused of “disrespecting the first family and fanning factionalism in the party”.
Seemingly unhinged State media columnists have also gone into overdrive over Zanu PF’s deadly infighting over the past few weeks, taking advantage of Mugabe’s absence on holiday.
“Bishop Lazarus is tempted to name names because secret meetings are already being held at that farm but this is the festive season, so I better show some love. But zvikarema ndozvireva,” one of them who writes for the Sunday Times said cryptically.
Another source also claimed that there was a looming Cabinet reshuffle which was sending jitters down the spines of Team Lacoste.
“When the president returns he will shake-up the Cabinet. He wants people who work for the people and not those who are aiming to succeed him and are causing unnecessary tension in the party.
“Watch this space, some top ministers will be removed from their posts,” the source said.

By Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo| Three Buhera brothers burnt their father to death after tying him to a tree and then setting fire on him in a horrific incident that has left ZRP cops scratching their heads for answers and the rest of the local community in shock.
The incident happened in Tenga Village, Nyashanu area on Christmas eve when the three bothers accused their father of witchcraft.

Shocked villagers told ZimEye.com the level of cruelty was shocking.
“We cannot believe what we discovered on Christmas day after the three brothers burnt their father to death.
“It is just unbelievable. They forced him to consult traditional healers and prophets over witchcraft but he refused so they tied him with chains and burnt him to death.It is shocking that the three brothers concurred to kill their father .Everyone is in a state of shock,” a local villager told ZimEye.
Police at Murambinda Growth Point confirmed the incident but said they were not authorised to speak much about the sad event.
It is understood the brothers wanted to invite a Tsikamutanda to cleanse their home but the father refused and the trio, under the influence of alcohol, “decided to fix him”.
Social commentators have attributed the gruesome incident to drug abuse and what they termed “demonic influence”.

A 60-YEAR-OLD Bulawayo man has been arrested for anally raping his ex-wife’s eight-year-old daughter on three occasions last month.
Prosecutors say a medical report will be produced in court to prove that the man abused the girl both ways; forcibly having anal sex with her after each time he had penetrated her privates.
The crime came to light on January 4 after the girl’s brother told his aunt that at one time, the assailant, who we cannot name to protect his victim but of Old Pumula, went with the girl into his house after ordering him to stand at the gate.
The man who is facing three counts of rape pleaded not guilty when he appeared before Provincial Magistrate Abednico Ndebele. He was remanded in custody to January 20 for trial.
He told the court that his ex-wife was framing him to fix him for terminating their relationship of 15 years.
“My ex-wife made up all these lies against me. I don’t know anything about these rape allegations,” he said. “She wanted us to work things out after our marriage of 15 years fell apart but I told her that I had already moved on with another woman. So I told her that we couldn’t get back together and for that reason she’s bitter as hell.”
Prosecuting, Maria John told the court that in December 2015, on an unknown date at around 1PM the girl was sent to Old Pumula “C” shopping centre to buy some meat.
“While at the shopping centre the complainant met the accused person who held her by the hand and took her to his place of residence. Upon arrival he lifted the complainant onto his bed and he ordered her to remove her clothes,” said John.
“The complainant removed her clothes and the accused person had sexual and anal intercourse with her. After the act, the accused person gave the complainant a bucket of water and ordered her to wash herself. The complainant left and went home but she didn’t inform anyone.”
The prosecutor told the court that during the same month the girl again met the suspect at the same shops and took her to his residence and raped her.
“The accused met the girl at the shops in Old Pumula and took her to his house where he removed her clothes and had sexual and anal intercourse with the girl,” said John.
He is said to have met the eight-year-old again while she was in the company of her brother and took her to his house.
“The accused then took the girl and her brother to his house and upon arrival the accused person ordered the brother to remain at the gate and went with the complainant inside the house,” said John.
“Inside the house the accused person removed the complainant’s clothes and had sexual and anal intercourse with her. After the act the complainant left together with her brother she had left at the gate.”
The prosecutor said a medical report can be produced before the court as an exhibit. chronicle

A librarian at Great Zimbabwe University, Mashava Campus, has been ordered to pay $6 000 in compensation and damages after he lured a married woman into an affair in exchange for free WiFi access.
Shepherd Chinofunga of Mashava was taken to court by Tirimukai Madhuku after he caught him having sex with his wife, Muchaneta Muchemwa, whom he offered free use of WiFi when she was supposed to pay since she was not a student.
Madhuku, who was represented by Mr Hebert Tafa of Tafa and Associates Legal Practitioners, was demanding $7 000 from Chinofunga, but Masvingo magistrate Bishard Chineka reduced the amount to $6 000.
It is understood that during the period extending from January to May last year, Madhuku proposed love to Muchemwa fully aware that she was married to Madhuku and offered her free WiFi access at the university in exchange of sex.
The two started dating and Muchemwa would leave the house at around 8pm going to the institution’s library where Chinofunga would then take her to a secluded place and have sex.
The matter came to light in May last year when Madhuku realised that his wife, who was semi literate, had become techno-savvy and became suspicious.
He followed his wife from a distance one night to the institution and saw her with Chinofunga.
The two went to an abandoned building close to the university campus where they started making love.
Madhuku followed the two and caught them in the act.
He then took them to his house where Chinofunga agreed to pay an undisclosed amount in damages to Madhuku and was freed.
Chinofunga did not honour his commitment, prompting Madhuku to institute court proceedings demanding damages.State Media

A resigned assistant truck driver at Alpha Omega Dairy, which is owned by President Robert Mugabe and his family, admitted to stealing from the company as he continued to receive his salary months after his resignation.

Bishop Ancelimo Magaya of the Divine Destiny religious grouping says a “tired” and “dozing” leadership is destroying the potential of the country.
Bishop Magaya who was addressing a group of youths in Harare said the country’s needs a youthful leadership for it to realise its full potential.
“It is very funny that most of the political parties in the country have what they call youth wings, but who is who in Zimbabwe? And who composes the greatest number of the population? Is it the aged or the youths?” said Bishop Magaya.
“But it is so funny that you have Politburos and some call them executives that are composed of people who  are always dozing , half the time and these are the people who  are defining your destiny”.
Bishop Magaya said the youths should take advantage of the failing economy and high level of unemployment to challenge the administration and show them how things should be done.
“We need as young people to understand the science of time and we need to understand that what is it that we need to do”, said Bishop Magaya.
Since the beginning of the year there have been riots in Harare and Chitungwiza emanating from disgruntled civil servants and commuter transport operators.
Bishop Magaya said all these things are happening for a purpose.
“The life time impact of any action and or opportunity is gotten when we seize the opportunity during its life time and I feel strongly that at times such as this one is the rightful time”.
“What is happening in the country at the moment requires people to know what to do and thank God for what is happening because it is happening for a purpose”.

By Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo|Newly elected Zanu PF chairman and staunch Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa apologist , Ezra Chadzamira has invaded one of the last few farms owned by a white commercial farmer with the help of the uniformed forces.
 
Chadzamira who was elevated to the top post in the province to beef up the Mnangagwa camp, took over Crest Ibeka Farm, 10 km outside Masvingo owned by Yvonne Goddard(68) ,with the help of soldiers and ZRP cops. Chadzamira is also the MP for Masvingo West Constituency.
 
The farm, situated along the Mashava-Masvingo highway is the hub of cattle breeding in the province and the local community. At least 106 villagers were benefiting from the cattle breeding programme at the farm.
 
Villagers in the area attempted to resist Chadzamira’s move but he called for reinforcement from the police and the army who moved in to beat up the villagers as the hapless Goddard watched in tears.                                       Sources in the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement reveal that Chadzamira, who owns two other farms in Mwenezi demanded an eviction notice from the ministry and ordered Goddard out of the farm.
 
Andrew Mahlekete, a local villager in charge of the heifer project at the farm said at least 100 villagers were benefiting from the cattle breeding programme and they have since written a letter to the Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement Douglas Mombeshora to appeal for help on behalf of Goddard.
 
“Since 12 February 2014 we started the livestock improvement programme to benefit 106 villagers from Heathcote Farm, Idhlala Farm and Ibheka Farm, the withdrawal of the offer will greatly affect the planned long term project ,” read part of the letter of appeal written to Mombeshora.
Several employees are set to lose their jobs following the latest farm invasion. The violent land grab exercise popularly called the third Chimurenga ,has displaced nearly 4000 commercial farmers but ecomomists blame the chaotic programme for grossly affecting agricultural production thereby leading to the current economic abyss.

Despite complaints from many Zimbabweans about the state of the country’s economy, which most people blame on the ruling Zanu-PF party, director Pedzisai Ruhanya of the Zimbabwe Democracy Institute, said they would still likely vote for the party in an election than any of the opposition parties because of their state of disunity and disarray.
Speaking in a recent panel discussion with chairman of the United Kingdom Zanu-PF branch, Nick Mangwana, Dr. Ruhanya, said it’s not that the ruling party itself is any better, but it holds up better than the opposition.
“I don’t think that the failures of Zanu [PF] necessarily mean that the opposition will gain,” said Dr. Ruhanya.
“Zanu can be torn apart, they can run into factions, but I can say that a faction in Zanu [PF] given the complexity between party and state, and how they hold the state through the military, they can still win the election because the opposition is not organized. The opposition is in disarray.”
Dr. Ruhanya said as long as the opposition remains this way, splintering like the once united Movement for Democratic Change, there can be no hope of a strong opposition to Zanu-PF which could force the ruling party into any kind of compromise, for the benefit of the people.
“Look at Zanu [PF] and Zapu [Zimbabwe African People’s Union]. There was a time when they formed the Patriotic Front, to confront a common enemy in Rhodesia, and they won independence, and these guys [opposition] to be frank, if they continue in their disorganizing manner and their mediocrity state as it is, Zanu [PF] can be torn apart, they can differ, but they can still win the elections because of the problems of the opposition.”
Mangwana agreed that there is more his Zanu-PF party can do to improve the standard of living in the country. He also noted his party’s objectives this year.
“We have to deliver good outcomes for our people, we have to focus not on power gains, we actually have to focus on delivering good economics to our people. That as a party is a running call that any well-meaning Zimbabwean should make.”
ZDI Director Pedzisai Ruhanya and Chair of Zanu-PF UK Branch Nick Mangwana
Stressing his party’s various policies to improve people’s livelihoods, such as the Zimbabwe Agenda for Socio-Economic Transformation (Zimasset), Mangwana said though its progress may be slow, it is yielding results.
He said there are more stringent needs that as a country every citizen should be concerned about and help the party address, rather than fighting it.
“This year there is going to be very devastating drought. We need everybody focused on making sure that not even a single person would starve, and not even a single person would go hungry. We have to make sure that the jobs that are there are retained, and more are created,” Mangwana said.
“If people have got a single-mindedness of focusing on those particular goals, we’ll achieve everything we need, and 2016 can be better.”
But with the World Food Program reporting that close to 2 million Zimbabweans are in need of food aid, and the appeal that it has put out for assistance, Dr. Ruhanya said Mangwana and his Zanu-PF party’s concerns are late.
“I don’t know why he [Mangwana] is saying that we will not have anyone starving, people are starving, people have no food, we already have a drought. I think that they’ve told him [Mangwana] from Harare, that the country has a huge food deficit,” said Dr. Ruhanya.
To adequately address the problem, Dr. Ruhanya said Zanu-PF and all the parties in the country should prioritize people rather than their own person needs.
“The problem we have as a country is that we have a problem of the will to power, versus the will to transformation. Everything that is happening here is about grabbing, it’s about capturing power, but transforming our institutions, transforming our economy, transforming our democratic culture, is not part of the discourse, not only in Zanu [PF] but also in the opposition,” Dr. Ruhanya said.
But aside from that Dr. Ruhanya continued, change in the country is a long stretch given the age of President Robert Mugabe, whom he said is not inspiring confidence in investors wanting to invest in the country, and not showing the leadership needed to steer the country out of its current abyss.
“President Mugabe is turning 92 in 7 weeks time,” he stressed. “Surely you cannot have international or domestic economic confidence in a 92-year-old, to do deals with a 92-year-old,” Dr. Ruhanya concluded with a laugh.
But Mangwana said he and his party have confidence in President Mugabe, whom they recently endorsed as the candidate for the 2018 elections, in which he will contest for the country’s presidency, at the age of 94. – VOA

Raping and impregnating a 14-year-old stepdaughter earns a Buhera man 30 years imprisonment.
Tatenda Chawanika (32) of Dhewa Village, Chief Chitsunge who was not represented and was denying ever abusing his step-daughter will, however, serve 25 years in jail after Rusape regional magistrate, Mr Livingstone Chipadza suspended five years on condition of good behaviour.
The stepdaughter has since given birth. Rusape area prosecutor, Mr Tirivanhu Mutyasira, told the court that Chawanika on two occasions took advantage of the absence of his wife who is the girl’s mother to sexually abuse her before threatening her with death if ever she divulged the abuse to anyone.
Sometime in October 2014, Chawanika and the complainant were at home. While the complainant was doing laundry in the kitchen hut, the accused person entered the kitchen and grabbed her by the collar and raped her.
After the rape, Chawanika threatened to kill the complainant if she revealed the matter to anyone. In October 2014, the girl arrived home from school and found the accused person alone seated under a tree.
The girl entered the bedroom in order to change her school uniform. Chawanika followed her in the bedroom and proceeded to rape her. — Manica Post.

The Tendai Biti led People’s Democratic Party says “tired” Zanu PF officials in Mashonaland East are failing to improve service delivery to the electorate.
“We have not seen anything tangible they have done for the people since they were elected into office and what we are seeing is the deterioration of service delivery, for example Marondera, Mrewa and Macheke which awarded town status people are living in squalid conditions in these towns which were once growth points,” the party’s Mashonaland East provincial chairman Langton Matuku Matuku told ZimEye.com in an interview.
“If you go to Mrewa centre people are given under serviced piece of land to build houses where at the same portion they are digging shallow wells for drinking water and some few meters on the same land they are digging holes and constructing pit latrines”.
“This is poor service delivery dangerous to the people’s health which we are condemning and believe it needs to be greatly improved,” he said.
Matuku said this is caused by the aging Zanu PF leadership which the party is imposing on the electorate.
“For example in Mrewa north’s ward 16 there is a 78 year old Zanu PF councillor who was recently imposed on the people by Zanu PF after the party had sacked the seating councillor on allegations of siding with the Joice Mujuru camp and this has greatly affected service delivery,”said Matuku.
PDP could not field any candidate because of the “No Reforms No Election” campaign they adopted soon after the 2013 elections.

News Day Journalists who were arrested for publishing a CIO bonus story were on Friday released on $200 bail each by a Harare Magistrate Elijah Makomo.

Releasing the  Journalists ( Nqaba Matshazi (Deputy Editor) and Xolisani Ncube (reporter)   Magistrate  Makomo said they should also, surrender their travelling documents to the Harare Magistrate’s clerk of court, report every Friday to CID Harare and continue residing at their given addresses.
He also ordered them to return to the same court 27 January 2016.
The Office of the Prosecutor General which was represented by Sharon Mashavira was not opposed to the Journalists’ release.
Taona Nyamakura and Mzokhuthula Mbuyiso of Mtetwa &Nyambirai Legal Practitioners who are members of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights indicated that they were going to challenge the constitutionality of the charges which are being leveled against his clients.
The Journalists are being charged with contravening Section 31 (1) (ii) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for allegedly publishing falsehoods.
The charges are emanating from a story they published on Wednesday which claimed that government in December secretly paid the CIO their salaries and bonuses.

Game rangers and ZRP cops have arrested four MDC-T member connected people they blame for rhino poaching in Matobo National Park.
Tsvangira’s legislator for Tsholotsho (Proportional Representation), Ms Lwazi Sibanda was also questioned.
Matobo National Park is located in Matabeleland South.
The four suspects include Munyaradzi Mwonzora, young brother to the MDC-T secretary-general Mr Douglas Mwonzora.
Others are Clement Mazhandu (39), Shadreck Kuvarega (39), and Brighton Nkosilathi Nyathi (26).
They were arrested by Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority rangers on Tuesday afternoon who then handed them over to Matobo police.
Mwonzora is also an MDC-T councillor in Nyanga. The quartet was arrested after they were suspected of tracking a rhinoceros spoor in the park.
It is also alleged that Ms Sibanda was earlier on spotted in the same park conducting surveillance prior to the arrival of Mwonzora and his accomplices. National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi yesterday said further investigations into the matter were underway.
The four are expected to appear in court in Kezi on Wednesday next week. “We arrested the four suspects in connection with poaching activities in Matopo National Park. More information will be provided when we complete the ongoing investigations” he said.
“The MDC-T MP was summoned to Hillside Police Station in Bulawayo where she was questioned and released following her visit to Mwonzora at Matopo police station”.
The suspects’ lawyer, Mr Kholwani Ngwenya, said yesterday that his clients had been charged with criminal trespass and that they would appear in court on Wednesday next week.
He said the four were released on summons and that the MP’s vehicle was also searched as the police suspected that it was carrying a gun, which they intended to use for poaching.
“They were arrested by rangers on Tuesday afternoon who later handed them to the police on Wednesday morning.
“Actually, Mwonzora and others were going to an area called Gulaki where he intended to buy a vehicle. Along the way they came across wild beasts and followed them when one of them said he hadn’t seen them in his whole life,” said Mr Ngwenya.
He said the four then followed a path for some distance unaware that they were following a rhino spoor and they were intercepted by parks rangers.
Mr Ngwenya said at some point which they had passed, there were prints of the butt of a gun which made the rangers believe that the group was on a poaching mission.
Ms Sibanda refused to comment on the matter last night referring all the questions to Mr Ngwenya (her lawyer).
The incident comes a few weeks after the Minister of Environment, Water and Climate, Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, raised concern on the rampant poaching in the country’s national parks saying highly placed people, staff in rural district councils and some safari operators were involved in the vice.

Ten people, including a 16-year-old teenager yesterday appeared in court for fatally stoning a suspected thief after they found him unlocking their neighbour’s door at night.
Pasca Bunya (37), Nota Nota (46), Kuziva Gopo (37), Shungu Ngwaru (33), Prince Magutakuona (44), Gilbert Gocha (38), Nicholas Nyamundanda (34), Caroline Mutandwa (28), Tafadzwa Nota (25) and a 16- year- old boy were charged with murder when they appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Elijah Makomo.
Mr Makomo released the adults on $100 bail each while the boy was released on free bail.
As part of their bail conditions, the 10 were ordered to stay at their given addresses and not to interfere with State witnesses.
They will be back in court on January 29 for trial. Allegations are that on September 9 last year, the 10 teamed up and assaulted the now deceased with bricks and sjamboks alleging that he was a thief after they found him trying to unlock Bunya’s door at around 2am.
The court heard that the 10 assaulted the now deceased who succumbed to injuries sustained from the assault leading to their arrest. Meanwhile, two suspected robbers appeared in court on Wednesday for fatally stoning a man before stealing his valuables and $120 in cash.
Tatenda Gwanda (22) and Saymore Dzimaita (22) were charged with murder when they appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Elijah Makomo. Mr Makomo remanded the two in custody to January 29 for their trial.
Prosecutor Mrs Idah Maromo alleged that on November 8 2014 along Hurst Road, Waterfalls in Harare Gwanda and Dzamaita waylaid Caleb Muzunze along the road as he was coming from work.
The court heard that the two suddenly started stonning Muzunze on the head until he fell the ground. When Muzunze fell down, it is alleged that Gwanda and Dzamaita started searching him and stole a black grey satchel containing groceries, Nokia Asha cellphone and a wallet containing $120.
Muzunze was rushed to hospital by passerbys where he died on admission on November 12 2014. The two were arrested on November 17 and they led police to the recovery of Muzunze’s satchel at their place of residence.State Media

A Harare man reportedly slept with a gun under his pillow to instil fear into his wife whom he accused of being violent. Cuthbert Gweshe allegedly threatened to shoot his wife, Angela Femberwi and their children before killing himself, the Harare Civil Court heard yesterday.
Femberwi who was seeking a protection order against Gweshe yesterday told magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa he also severely assaults her and accuses her of neglecting their children.
“I want the court to stop my husband from coming to my house because he assaults me threatening to kill me and the children are now afraid of him,” she said.
“He is threatening to kill me and my relatives and he sleeps with a gun under his pillow. He said that if I make any silly move towards him he would kill me,” added Femberwi.
Gweshe refuted his wife’s allegations. He told the court that since they separated, he only visited Femberwi once inquiring about the children’s performance at school.
“She is lying,” Gweshe said. “The only time I went to her house is when I wanted to tell her that one of our children was watching pornography.”
“I was concerned about our child because this was affecting his grades at school. I have never abused her or threatened to eliminate her as she is alleging,” he said.
Gweshe told the court that Femberwi was the violent one and the court should protect him instead. Mrs Gofa ordered Gweshe to keep peace with his wife and refrain from threatening her. herald

Expelled Rugare Gumbo who was branded a traitor by President Mugabe says he feels sorry for him.
Gumbo told the Daily News that :”Normally these should be allegations that would make someone like me, who sacrificed a lot to liberate this country, very angry but because I know President (Robert) Mugabe very well, having been among the few who had to work hard to convince freedom fighters to accept him in Mozambique. I am bound to feel very sorry for him because he has not grown into the leader that we thought and fought to try and mould him into.
His major problem is that he cannot distinguish between criticism and betrayal and this has been his biggest undoing.
This has led him into making very serious errors of judgment, first in 1977/78 during the liberation struggle when he presided over the arbitrary arrests of nearly all Zipa commanders on trumped up charges of planning a coup d’état and these errors of judgment have continued way into his reign with devastating effects on his standing as a leader and dire economic consequences on the country he is leading.
What I have done in the past, during the war in 1977/78 and what I did in the last politburo meeting that I attended before being summarily expelled by Mugabe, was not betrayal but honest criticism borne out of the need, first to tell the truth, and second, to try and make him see that he, like any individual, makes mistakes and should therefore listen to those around him.
I am proud today and stand vindicated that the interview I gave to the Herald in 1980 clearly shows that I understood Mugabe had shortcomings, was an autocrat and that this country was going to suffer under his leadership.
It is unfortunate that the independence euphoria that engulfed the country then provided a smokescreen that blinded people from seeing the evil in him that they needed to deal with to make him, not only a better leader, but also a better person to live with in a democratic society.
It is true that during the war of liberation, in particular 1977 to 1978, some of us lost confidence in his leadership style which was a departure from the liberation values, which considered leadership as just division of labour not individual status of superiority over the people.
He also exhibited authoritarian and totalitarian tendencies. So as former members of the Dare Rechimurenga, we challenged those tendencies which were clearly a departure from the norms and values of the national liberation struggle, whose objective was one man one vote, true freedom and democracy for the people of Zimbabwe.
In 1980, the experience of 1977/78 which was his authoritarian and repressive response to the genuine and constructive criticism of the “leadership” which resulted in the detention of nearly all the commanders of Zipa and former members of Dare for the remaining 18 or so months before the Lancaster House Conference and the ceasefire was still fresh in my mind hence the emotion with which I described him and anticipated the type of leadership he was going to avail.
It was during this time in 1980 that I warned the people of Zimbabwe about the manipulative tactics that characterise his leadership and I feel vindicated by the history of Zimbabwe from 1980 to now, the events that took place between 1980 and now clearly indicate I was spot on in my description of a Zimbabwe under Mugabe.

Police in Harare on Thursday arrested two News Day journalists for publishing a story in their Wednesday  publication revealing that government in December “secretly” gave members of the Central Intelligence Organisation CIO their bonuses.
The two journalists Nqaba Matshazi (Deputy Editor) and Xolisani Ncube (reporter) were picked up from their Granite-side offices and taken to Harare Central Police Station where they are being detained.
Last year the minister of Media Information and Broadcasting Services Christopher Mushowe gagged the media from reporting  on issues involving state security saying that anyone who chooses to do so should be prepared to finish “what you would have started”.
MORE TO FOLLOW…………………

An Inyathi man who was caught having sex with a donkey and justfied his action by saying he did not have a girlfriend to bed has been sentenced to 12 months in prison.
Bhekimpilo Ngwenya, 20, of Sikhuni Village was convicted on his own plea of guilty to bestiality. Bulawayo magistrate Stephen Ndlovu on circuit at Inyathi court sentenced Ngwenya to 12 months in prison.
Four months of the sentence were suspended for five years on condition he does not commit a similar offence within that period. The magistrate said Ngwenya degraded himself and his family by having sex with a donkey.
“What you did is unimaginable. You’re a disgrace to your family and the whole community and such behaviour makes you deserve to be in solitary confinement,” said Ndlovu. When asked why he committed the offence, Ngwenya told the court that he had no girlfriend and that pushed him to have sex with the animal.
“I resorted to having sexual intercourse with the donkey to quench my sexual appetite because I don’t have a girlfriend. I’ve proposed love to several women but I always get rejected,” said Ngwenya.
Prosecuting, Lungisani Dube, told the court that on September 26, Ngwenya found a female donkey grazing in a field.
“The accused who was alone found a female donkey in the fields. He tied a rope around its neck before tying it to a nearby Mopani tree and mounted it,” the prosecutor said.
“A 14-year-old boy who was passing-by noticed that somebody was making some movements on a stationary donkey and went closer to investigate only to discover it was Ngwenya having sex with the animal.
“The accused ran away after realising that the boy had seen him. He went into hiding and villagers reported the case at Inyathi Police Station leading to his arrest,” Dube said. State Media

Four people were killed while 29 others were injured when the driver of an Eagleliner cross border coach they were travelling in lost control resulting in the bus overturning near Louis Trichardt town in South Africa’s Limpopo Province today. Limpopo police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Ronel Otto said the incident occurred at around 10 am this morning near Witvlag turnoff along the N1 highway.
Lieutenant Colonel Otto said the bus was travelling from Zimbabwe to Johannesburg in Gauteng Province with 65 passengers on board including the bus crew. Lieutenant Colonel Otto said the bus’ wreckage was still in the road adding that they had temporarily closed the highway and urged motorists to use the Witvlag road as an alternative.
“The bus was travelling to Johannesburg and when it reached near Witvlag turn off the driver lost control resulting in it overturning killing four people (two male and two females )instantly. Twenty nine other people escaped with minor injuries while another 32 were unhurt,” said Lieutenant Colonel Otto.
She said the deceased were taken to Makhado government mortuary while the injured were undergoing treatment at Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital.
Lieutenant Colonel Otto said they were yet to notify the deceased’s next of kin. She also confirmed further investigations into the accident were underway.
This latest accident brings to 24 the total number of Zimbabweans who have died in road accidents along the N1 highway in the last 12 months. The N1 highway is one of the busiest roads in South Africa as it links that country to the rest of Africa and it is the route, which handles a lot of commercial cargo movement.
The road has also become a death trap for Zimbabweans and citizens of countries north of the Limpopo and Zambezi rivers. – State Media

Mystery surrounds the whereabouts of Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Shuvai Mahofa, hospitalised on suspicion of food poisoning at the recently-ended Zanu PF national conference held in Victoria Falls, who government this week assigned sick leave.
Govt officials say Mahofa is still recuperating at home and has been granted sick leave.
Although Mahofa could not be reached for comment as her mobile phone has been constantly switched off, Southern Eye established that she did not report for duty yesterday, as her subordinates said she was on leave. Newsreaders however have queried the circumstances surrounding the granting of the sick leave seeing she has been out of work for over a month to date meaning “she should really be on unpaid leave”.
Masvingo provincial administrator Felix Chikovo could also not be reached for comment, as he was said to be out of the office.
A fortnight ago, government officials denied a ZimEye.com investigation revealing that Mahofa had been poisoned, saying she had had a malaria attack.
Mahofa’s daughter Nyengeterai also denied food poisoning claims, saying: “She is out of hospital. She is actually watching television. I don’t know about those allegations and I am truly surprised at that. We, the children, don’t know of the alleged food poisoning.”
Last year, Mahofa had her office shifted to the ground floor at Benjamin Burombo Building when she was appointed Provincial Affairs minister, as she could not climb up the stairs.
She said President Robert Mugabe appointed her to the powerful post in the province because of the trust he has in her, even though she struggles to stand up. – SouthernEye/ZimEye

MDC-T Mabvuku legislator James Maridadi was arrested around 4am today by police detectives at Beitbridge border post after he was found shooting videos of customs officials and other travelers visiting the country through the border.
Maridadi was also accused of entering through the border post without a passport or a valid travel document. Sources at the border said Maridadi went to the border post in the company of a relative, Natasha Jonga (24) who wanted to import a Toyota Fortuner, 2005 model which was bought from Singapore.
“They arrived at the border around 1am and went through all the processes to facilitate the clearance of the vehicle under the returning residents’ facility. The woman, Natasha Jonga was a student at the Free State University in South Africa” said the official.
He said during the processing of the documents, Natasha was requested to provide an affidavit from her parents to confirm here residence in the country as per the requirements of the Customs and Excise Act since she doesn’t own any property in the country.
The official said Maridadi then became emotional threatening the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) officials who were attending to them with unspecified action saying he had got assurance from his associates at the parastatal’s head office in Harare.
“He then started shooting videos of customs officers and other travellers within the border post and was arrested by alert security personnel who took him to the main police station” said the official. Maridadi is likely to be charged with contravening sections of the Immigration and the Protected Places and Areas Acts respectively. The provincial police spokesperson for Matabeleland South Assistant Inspector Nkosilathi Sibanda could not be reached for comment but the legislator is still detained at Beitbridge main police station. – Agencies/State Media

The Parliament of Zimbabwe is demanding Police clearance letters from journalists who want to be accredited to cover the 2016 parliament business.
In a statement Wednesday Parliament of Zimbabwe’s Principal Public Relations Officer Tanyaradzwa Linda Manyemba said journalists should undergo police vetting before being accredited.
Journalists have condemned this new accreditation requirement saying it is meant to restrict independent and freelance journalists from accessing parliament.
Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda could not be reached for comment.
Below was the full statement by Parliament Wednesday.
Parliament is inviting all interested journalists who will want to cover parliament business during the year 2016 to come for accreditation at Pax House Public Relations Department 3rd Floor, Office No. 4
The requirements for accreditation are as follows;
1. Copy of your ID / Valid passport
2. 2 driver’s licence size photos
3. Copy of Media commission card
4. Finger prints, forms cleared by Zimbabwe Republic Police
5. Supporting letter from your organisation
Please also bring the original I.D card and media commission card.
Parliament of Zimbabwe
P.O. Box CY 298
Causeway
Harare
04-252936-54 / 700181-9

In an effort to tell the true Zimbabwean story to the world Love Zimbabwe charity a organisation based in Wales, UK has brought in students from the University of Wales: Trinity Saint David (UWTSD), School of Archaeology, History and Anthropology (AHA) to tour the country’s historical and community groups to learn and share different cultural understanding between the two countries.

The visiting six students who arrived on Tuesday and leave Harare in three weeks’ time will be staying in Domboshawa at a community centre which was established by Love Zimbabwe where they will be assisting the Chinamhora community in a brick moulding project.
Martha Musonza Holman, the organisation’s founder and director said this trip is the beginning of more cultural exchange programmes they have lined up.
“Zimbabwe has an admirable culture that we can share with the entire world but most of all we want to promote sustainable development projects which alleviate local people’s lives through social enterprises,”Mrs Musonza Holman said.
“These students are coming to appreciate our arts and crafts and we want them to go back and help us establishing markets in the Wales and during their stay here in Zimbabwe they are going to meet our arts producers, putting value on the finished products and go back and sell for us and the money goes directly to the producers, that’s what is why I invited them specifically”.
Love Zimbabwe was established in 2010 and aims to engage different communities in sustainable living projects which are culturally and environmentally friendly.
Love Zimbabwe has constructed a community centre where different artefacts are being produced by locals. These are then shipped to the UK where they are sold under Fairtrade principles.
Love Zimbabwe has twinned schools in Abergavenny in Wales, with Chinamhora Village, and other schools around Harare.
 

The case against Kariba pastor Patrick Mugadza who in December protested against President Robert Mugabe, saw the State Witness yesterday failing to appear as the trial opened.

A KWEKWE-based prosecutor and a prison officer who were facing charges of accepting $150 bribe from an accused, have been acquitted.
The prosecutor Fortunate Mbizvo, 31, and Norest Makoto, 34, were found not guilty by provincial magistrate Phathekile Msipa.
Msipa said the evidence from state witneses was inconsistent. “The trap wasn’t properly established and there was no trap certificate issued,” said Msipa while acquitting Mbizvo and Makoto.
Allegations against the pair were that on September 15, last year Mbizvo prosecuted a case of contravening the Firearm Act, in which Epimarcko Mauto was the accused person.
Mauto was convicted and remanded in custody to September 16, for sentence. On the same day at around 4.30PM Mbizvo allegedly approached Peter Mutori who is a cousin to Mauto and advised him that he would facilitate for a lighter sentence for his cousin if he gives him a sum of $150.
On September 16, Mutori and his cousin Maxwell Chibogo were allegedly approached by Makoto who informed them that Mbizvo wanted to see them during lunch hour after the court session and they waited.
During lunch hour Mutori and Chibogo allegedly tried to negotiate for the bribe money to be reduced to $100 but Mbizvo allegedly refused.
The two later reported the case to the Criminal Investigation Department who set a trap. Mutori and Chibogo went to Mbizvo with the intention to give him the $150 as per their agreement and Mbizvo instructed them to hand it over to Makoto, it was alleged.
Mutori and Chibogo allegedly gave Makoto the money leading to the arrest of both Makoto and Mbizvo.State Media

A festive season holiday for a Harare family was cut short after their 11-year-old daughter drowned in a swimming pool at Hwange Safari Lodge.
The incident occurred on Thursday last week and the girl has since been buried.
The girl has been identified as Ruvarashe Bianca Gotora from Athlone Avenue in Grendale, Harare.
She was playing with other children near the swimming pool when she suddenly disappeared only for her body to be retrieved from the swimming pool an hour later.
The girl’s uncle who only identified himself as White said he was too weak to speak about the issue and referred questions to the police saying he had made a report about the incident.
“As things stand we reported the matter to the police who handled everything and interviewed everyone who was there. I don’t think I’m in a position to give a statement without the police clearance,” said White.
Police spokesperson for Matabeleland North Inspector Siphiwe Makonese could not be drawn to confirm the incident.
The girl’s other uncle Shepherd Manyenga confirmed the death of his niece in a telephone interview from Marondera.
“She had gone with my brother-in-law (White) for a holiday with other children and on the third day the adults decided to swim.
“From what we were told the girl jumped into an adult swimming pool and my brother-in-law quickly pulled her away to where other children were.
“ He later went to buy drinks and when he came back the girl was nowhere to be seen. They looked for her and no one suspected she could have gone back to the swimming pool after being rebuked,” said Manyenga.
“Later on a grounds man entered the pool and found the body. That’s all we know because we were phoned and all we did was collect the body from Bulawayo.” State Media

A father who allegedly molested his two-year-old daughter has appeared in court facing rape charges. The man was entrusted with the custody of his daughter while the mother stayed behind in South Africa where she was working. Appearing before Mr Elijah Makomo yesterday, the man was not asked to plead. Mr Makomo remanded him in custody to January 21.
He advised him to apply for bail at the High Court as Mr Makomo’s jurisdiction does not grant him powers to give bail in such cases.
Prosecutor Ms Idah Maromo alleged that on November 20 last year, the man travelled from South Africa with his daughter on holiday.
The court heard that the two slept in the same room and bathed together. It is alleged that when the girl’s mother joined them for the holiday, she noticed that the girl’s genitals were swollen but did not take any action.
It is the State’s case that on New Year’s Day the mother noticed that the baby was not wearing her diaper and asked her to retrieve it.
The baby allegedly took the diaper from the bedroom where her father was sleeping. On the same day during the night the mother heard her daughter crying while she was in the bedroom with her father and when she was called out she went to her mother without her diaper on, it is alleged.
The court heard that the mother then noticed that her daughter’s genitals were swollen and had some white fluid on it.
The baby’s mother then suspected that her husband had raped their daughter and reported the matter to the police leading to the man’s arrest on January 3.State Media

The Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (RTUZ) says the Apex Council meeting was today crushed by CIO infiltrators.
Below was RTUZ’s statement on what it called “APEX Madness”
The Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (RTUZ) is saddened by the outcome of the Apex Council meeting which collapsed amid petty jostling for posts and shameless political jockeying by the various yellow unions in the Public Service, the majority of whose leadership has sold their political souls for the proverbial 30 pieces of silver to the employer via the dreaded CIO.
RTUZ did not attend today’s meeting as its leadership was accessing treatment after being bashed on the front line of fighting for teachers and the generality of civil servants, however the union is well informed of what transpired in the botched meeting.
The much hyped meeting which has turned out to be just a dump squib was expected to discuss the collective position of government workers on the crisis facing the civil service which is punctuated by lack of bonuses, massive opaque deductions from pay checks, late payment of salaries and general lethargy of the government towards delivering its mandate.
While the RTUZ never expected anything from this meeting where a few over fed union fat cats gathered to defend their supper what angers the union is the shameless behaviour by one Richard Gundane, from ZIMTA, who is attempting to impose himself as life chairperson of the Apex council. What ridiculous thinking!
While Gundane’s actions are pathetic, those of other unionists present were also far from encouraging as they failed to put Gundane and his madness in their proper place and carry on with the business of the day. To cry like little babies will not help the workers cause, radical action is needed to emancipate the workers and rescue them from the total collapse which the government is precipitating and this calls for serious and revolutionary leadership.
However, the happenings at today’s Apex Council meeting have vindicated RTUZ which yesterday, January 4, took to the streets and sent a clear message that as teachers and government workers we are unhappy with their continued irresponsibility and heartlessness of the current regime. The majority of Unions especially those in the teaching fraternity distanced themselves from the action and even went so much as to condemn the union for taking to the streets.
The basis of the flimsy attack on RTUZ was the vexatious and misplaced argument that today’s Apex Council meeting would be the panacea to the challenges raised by workers. Truth have since come to pass and the confusion, chaos, pettiness and hubris in the Apex Council has been laid bare for all to see.
Now that all can see how cowardly elements who have hijacked unionism can in broad day light betray workers, it remains without question that RTUZ’s proposals of restoration of workers rights via payment of full salaries on time, immediate disbursement of bonuses to all civil servants and strike action in the event of failure is indeed the only practical solution to the current crisis.
The Union will however attend tomorrow’s NJNC meeting and state its unequivocal position. Those yellow unions and unruly elements masquerading as unionists must be warned that if they repeat their dastardly actions which characterized today’s meeting the Union will not tire to name and shame them.
Released by;
Robson Chere
RTUZ Secretary General

The trial of Gokwe-Nembudziya member of the National Assembly, Justice Mayor Wadyajena, who is being accused of criminally insulting the First Lady, Grace Mugabe, failed to kick off this Tuesday afternoon after the defence counsel applied for refusal of further remand.
Wadyajena (35) was arrested in Victoria Falls soon after the 15th Zanu PF Annual National People’s Conference for allegedly denigrating the First Lady and appeared in court on charges of criminal insult.
He was later released on US$800 bail.
His lawyer, Mr Givemore Muvhiringi told the State Media the section that his client was charged on, Section 95(1a) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act, was declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court, implying that the accused has no criminal case to answer.
The defence counsel also made an application to allow the accused to be absent from the court when the ruling on the application for refusal of further remand is made on Tuesday next week.
The application was however dismissed and the accused will be expected to appear in court for the ruling.

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The charismatic preacher, who commands a large following across the globe, is famed for prophesying the death of the late Malawian leader, Bingu wa Mutharika, in 2012, a predication which came to pass that same year.
“End of February to April this year, peculiar months for Southern Africa. Organise prayer sessions for the leaders,” TB Joshua said, without elaborating.
He said he would not reveal anything regarding the calamity likely to befall a Southern African leader because the message was highly sensitive.
But the prophecy has ignited panic in Zimbabwe — a country that has its economy on the brink and is under the stewardship of the soon-to-be 92-year-old President Robert Mugabe.
While the prophecy could raise consternation in Zimbabwe, local authorities may take heart that two other Malawian prophets have made similar prophecies that proved to be fake.
First to strike was controversial Malawian prophet, Austin Liabunya, who told his church during a New Year cross-over service in Lilongwe on January 1, 2015 that “Mugabe’s biological clock will not tick beyond this year”.
In February 2015, another Malawian prophet, Kenneth Eagle, of the Holy Tabernacle Ministries in Lilongwe, claimed the Zimbabwean leader would not end last year alive.
Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo yesterday refused to comment on the matter, saying he was now seized with party policy issues and would not respond to “mere matters”.
“This year, I am commenting on policy issues only, not everything that you guys want a comment on,” he said.
TB Joshua also had a good message for South Africans, whose currency has been on a free-fall, saying the instability currently being experienced was temporary.
He, however, warned that the region would experience its worst food shortages in living memory.
“There will be scarcity and shortage of food because of little rain and at wrong times, which is not good for farming. Many farmers will be discouraged,” TB Joshua said.
As advice to the region, TB Joshua said construction of dams and irrigation projects could solve the food crisis.
The well-travelled preacher also warned governments not to surrender their companies to foreigners due to desperation.
He said the crisis bedevilling the region would come to an end by mid-year and that the countries would come out of the problems stronger than before.
TB Joshua’s prophecy is also likely to rouse interest in Zambia, where two presidents have died while in office in recent years.

The new HIV treatment guidelines which have just been introduced by the World Health Organisation are giving  headaches to the country’s struggling health sector, a senior government official has said.
The latest WHO HIV guidelines mandate governments to put on treatment all people who would have tested positive for HIV on treatment within one month.
What this means is that Zimbabwe has to put more people on HIV treatment at a time the country is failing to place all people living with HIV on treatment.
There are at least 1.5 million people who are living with HIV in Zimbabwe and only 850 000 are on treatment.
Dr Owen Mugurungi the director of HIV and TB in the Ministry of Health and Child Care told reporters  attending a Health Journalists Association of Zimbabwe HEJAZ organised health talk show in Harare recently that the new WHO HIV guidelines has bought in an additional 300 000 people who should immediately be administered on  HIV treatment on top of the 905,368 who are in dire need of the life saving drug.
“As a nation we should be prepared to make hard choices to make sure that there is enough resources for the health sector because investment in health is also investment  in the future of your country because if you cannot invest in the health of your country then you have challenges and you run the risk of always be on the lookout and watch out saying what if, what if..,” said Dr Mugurungi .
Dr Mugurungi said they are hopes that the civil society and development partners might extend funding  the health sector.
“On commodity security in terms of medicines we are better and I am happy that the confirmation from the civil society that there are less drug stock outs it is a confirmation that it’s something that is reassuring, but we would want to come to a situation that there are drugs for everyone”.

YOUTH ADVOCACY FOR REFORM & DEMOCRACY (YARD) Press statement on Monday’s Continued Police Brutality Against the Peaceful Protestors who Engaged in a March Against the Government’s Delayed Disbursement of Civil Servants’ Salaries and Bonuses
4th January 2016
The Youth Advocacy for Reform & Democracy (YARD) wishes to express its abhorrence that the epidemic of police violence and brutality continues uninterrupted in our country. Moreso our repugnance overflows to the Government of the day for giving free reign to the perpetrators of such violence. We condemn and protest against the high-handed crackdown of police on peaceful teachers, civil servants and the youth in Harare today, Monday the 4th of January 2016.
The impunity enjoyed by members of the law enforcement agencies is roundly denounced and we rise in solidarity with the thousands of civil servants who have been robbed of their hard-earned salaries and bonuses and further had insult added to injury by being beaten down for daring to illustrate and display their frustrations and sheer hopelessness at the situation.
This is despite the application for the peaceful march having been dutifully and procedurally submitted to the police. The peoples’ right to dissent has been gagged by the authorities and their democratic right to protest against the government, violated. It is shameful that police could not tolerate even a peaceful protest and shockingly tried to disperse the protesters using reprehensible means.
In our observation, YARD recommends that the Judiciary, Government and Parliament immediately:-
* Ensures that there should be an immediate stop on any mode of repression on peaceful Democratic movements.
* Ensures that all instances of police brutality and excessive use of force by law enforcement officers are investigated promptly, effectively and impartially by an independent mechanism with no institutional or hierarchical connection between the investigators and the alleged perpetrators
* Ensures that reforms and the right of freedom of speech and association must be respected as enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
* Prosecutes persons suspected of torture or ill treatment and, if found guilty, ensure that they are punished in accordance with the gravity of their acts.
* Provide effective remedies and rehabilitation to the victims
Today’s display of violence against peace loving Zimbabweans only serves as a prelude to what may be expected come the elections scheduled for 2018 and a reminder of the harshness of the system we advocate against. What is more disappointing is the fact that Zimbabwe chairs the AU and recently chaired the SADC and therefore is held in high esteem and regarded as a country with one of the highest literacy rates and yet it defies logic and is contradictory that we resort to violence and are viewed by the international community as disrespecting human rights.
The unjustified incarceration of Obert Masaraure and Pride Mukono of the Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe, yet again, as well as that of Robson Chere, the YARD Provincial Committee Member for Recruitment & Mobilisation for Mashonaland East is unwarranted and we demand their immediate acquittal and release.
YARD will continue with its support of like-minded unions and organisations and looks forward to the day that will see the youth occupy their space and have 40% representation in local and national elective office.
For and on behalf of the Youth Advocacy for Reform & Democracy (YARD)….
Temba P. Mliswa
Founder & National Coordinator: YARD

Several people were injured, while three were arrested in Harare yesterday, as riot police crushed a protest march organised by the Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (RTUZ) to press the government to urgently release civil servants’ December salaries.

Riot-Police-beat-up-members-of-Rural-Teachers-Union-in-Zimbabwe-after-they-staged-a-protest-againist-the-Government-for-the-delay-of-December salaries and bonus-Pic-Shepherd-Tozvireva.
Riot-Police-beat-up-members-of-Rural-Teachers-Union-in-Zimbabwe-after-they-staged-a-protest-againist-the-Government-for-the-delay-of-December salaries and bonus-Pic-Shepherd-Tozvireva.
Police blocked the placard-waving demonstrators along Nelson Mandela Avenue close to Parliament Building and randomly beat them with truncheons and later arrested RTUZ president, Obert Masaraure, secretary-general Robson Chere and programmes officer, Pride Mkono.
Zimbabwe Activists Alliance (ZAA) national co-ordinator, Lynette Mudehwe was also assaulted in the melee, together with an unidentified woman.
The estimated 30 demonstrators comprised of RTUZ members, ZAA, vendors’ associations and students’ unions.
The demonstrators, who held placards denouncing the Zanu PF government for misgovernance, said they wanted to petition Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa to speed up the payment of civil servants’ salaries and bonuses for 2015.
Passersby were also not spared the police wrath, as they were beaten up while shops close by were temporarily closed, as the police got busy, beating up almost everyone on sight.
Shortly before the march, Masaraure had addressed the group, calling on President Robert Mugabe to cut short his annual holiday in the Far East to return home and address pressing domestic issues.
“President Mugabe is flying in and out of the country while civil servants are suffering. (Vice-President Phelekezela) Mphoko is staying in a hotel at the civil servants’ expense. We are here in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the army, police and civil servants who cannot stand for themselves,” he said.
After his address, the protesters started marching and sang songs demanding Chinamasa, Mphoko and Mugabe immediately provide funds for civil servants’ salaries.
Mkono also addressed the activists saying: “They (government ministers) drive around in cars that breathe as if they are human beings.”
Mkono continued his address even in the presence of police officers, prompting the law enforcement agents to spring into action.
“Rovai vanhu ka vakomana (Beat them up guys),” a police officer, who appeared to be the commander of the troop, was heard shouting.
Moments later, truckloads of armed officers arrived on the scene.
The activists’ lawyer Gift Mtisi said his clients were severely assaulted and he was, by late yesterday, still trying to negotiate that they be taken to hospital for treatment.
“They are being charged with participation in an illegal demonstration. I am not sure whether they will be detained or not, but I am still trying to have them released so that they get medical attention,” he said.
Meanwhile, Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe chief executive, Emmanuel Nyawo described the RTUZ demonstration as ill-timed and meant to gain political mileage by known opposition players masquerading as teachers’ representative organisations.
Nyawo said the Apex Council was meeting today and if those involved in yesterday’s demonstration were genuine, they would have forwarded their grievances for deliberations.
“If they are genuine trade unionists, let us tell them that all unions table their challenges through the Apex Council and any issues synonymous with their perceived concerns are best and formally discussed via that platform. This is why we are having the Apex Council meeting tomorrow (today) in preparation for a National Joint Negotiating Council meeting on the following day,” Nyawo said.
Chinamasa yesterday refused to answer questions on civil servants’ outstanding salaries. -newsday

A SECURITY guard heroically rescued a Bulawayo woman from a man whom he caught allegedly raping her and trying to strangle her on Sunday at around 1AM.
The woman (name withheld) nearly choked in the savage early morning assault that occurred in an apartment at Crescent Court near the Bulawayo Power Station before Dickson Nungu used a sjambok to subdue the suspected rapist.
Nungu of Mpopoma, a guard at Esats Store close to the crime scene said he intervened after hearing the woman screaming for help for more than 30 minutes.
“I heard prolonged screams of a woman at the flat opposite my work place. For a while I thought probably it was some patient from the nearby 24 hour surgery,” he said.
“After hearing the pleading cries begging someone for help for more than 30 minutes, I got worried and stood up trying to figure out where exactly the screams where coming from.”
Nungu said he discovered the screams were coming from a neighbouring apartment when he saw scores of tenants peeping through their windows.
“I went straight to a door on the ground floor where I asked what was happening. Some tenants said they had been involved in skirmishes with robbers countless times and so wouldn’t take the risk of stepping outside to save whoever was in trouble,” he went on.
“I asked where exactly the screams were coming from and they said usually it would be in the corridors heading upstairs.”
The Good Samaritan said he rushed back to his workplace where he armed himself with a sjambok and went straight to the scene. He said he was prepared to save the victim who sounded so much in pain, no matter the risk.
“When I went up the corridor, I found a man who looked in his 30s with his pants below his knees — raping and throttling the woman who was almost unconscious. The woman who said she was 26-years-old was bleeding from the nose, mouth and had a big cut on her shoulder,” said Nungu.
He said the moment the assailant saw him, he tried to take out something from his pockets but he did not give him the chance as he feared he could take out a dangerous weapon.
“I immediately struck him once with the sjambok and he tried to retaliate, coming towards me before I gave him a second stroke.
“By then people were all over the place. Still pants down, he went onto his knees and begged for forgiveness but I quickly handcuffed him,” said Nungu.
“In no time the police were there and arrested him. Upon asking him a few questions, he responded using signs like he was deaf and dumb.”
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango said:“I can confirm receiving a report on rape and investigations are underway.” The victim was said to be admitted to a local hospital.
A neighbour who only identified herself as MaTsha said they felt helpless because they could not open their doors, which were close to the scene to save the woman.
“It’s unfortunate we’re not safe and are endangered at that apartment because of its proximity to bars and night clubs where criminals hide.
“So many times tenants have been left nursing wounds after trying to save people at night,” she said. MaTsha said the woman only revealed her age and that she had been drinking at Waverley Hotel.
“Amongst the crowd were some girls who said they had seen the assailant an hour earlier picking up the woman from the floor in the bar and carrying her on his back.
“They said they thought the two knew each other.
“The woman had begged this man to stop but it’s clear he raped her and she didn’t know him,” she said.
“It’s never wise for women to drink until they pass out because probably had she been sober she could have managed to fight this vicious man. “Imagine had it not been for this brave man, she could have been killed.” chronicle

No improvement at government hospitals.

Gaborone, Botswanwa – Broadhurst police are on the hunt for a Zimbabwean man, Nkosinathi Ndlovu, who allegedly killed his girlfriend on Christmas eve at Ruretse and left a note for the girl’s mother.
Superintendent Bonosi Molapise confirmed the incident but said the suspect was still on the run. “We’re still pursuing the matter and the suspect is still at large. We wish to appeal to members of the public to provide any information that may lead to his arrest,” he said.
The deceased’s mother who was in Francistown at the time is said to have received a call from Ndlovu informing her that he killed her daughter, Neo Mondiya, following a misunderstanding.
She then reported the matter to Francistown police who then alerted Broadhurst police.
Mondiya’s half naked body was found on Christmas day in Ndlovu’s employer’s house who at the time was on holiday in South Africa.
Next to the body the police found a note which read in part: “I am sorry for what happened because I killed my girlfriend, she was lying to me all the time but anyway I killed myself on the river next to the the bridge…”
Mondiya’s body was taken to Princess Marina Hospital but Ndlovu was nowhere to be found. – TheVoice

” 2016 is a year of great harvest as there will be no depression and sorrows,” – Emmanuel Makandiwa
“God said to me, 2016 is the year of overflow and abundance,” – Emmanuel Makandiwa
 

Report By The Standard

Prophetic Healing and Deliverance ministries leader, Walter Magaya and his United Families International Church counterpart, Emmanuel Makandiwa say 2016 will bring better economic fortunes despite indications of a tough year ahead.
Magaya and Makandiwa made the predictions in their New Year crossover events, saying the change in Zimbabwe’s fortune could see an “overflow and abundance” and “a great harvest”.
The two preachers, who command large followings at their separate church gatherings, told their followers that although 2015 was a challenging year, “God has something special for his people in 2016.”
“God said to me, 2016 is the year of overflow and abundance,” Magaya told multitudes of his followers gathered at his Waterfalls Church in Harare, prompting them to break into song and dance.
In Chitungwiza, it was almost a similar message from Makandiwa as he declared 2016 a year of “great harvest.”
“This is a year of great harvest as there will be no depression and sorrows,” Makandiwa said.
“I know you have suffered enough individually and as a country.
“You have sacrificed a lot and the Lord has told me that 2016 is a year of great harvest.
“Whatever you do, great harvest, in your marriages, great harvest in your finances, great harvest and all you wish for it shall come your way.
“The devil has no chance this year in your life. You shall reap in multitudes. Those who don’t know shall ask why; tell them it is a year of great harvest.”
Magaya said before he made the declaration about 2016, he had spent the greater part of December interceding and seeking God’s plans. He travelled to Nigeria for confirmation of his prophecy from his spiritual father, TB Joshua.
“I am not looking at your situation, you are listening to the declaration, God said to me, overflow into your country, overflow in your life, overflow in your marriage, overflow in your finances,” he said as the church burst into song and dance.
“This year, ask your neighbour; how big is your garage? How big is your house? How big is your wardrobe? Because it is a year of overflow,” he shouted.
“I went to ask my spiritual father and he confirmed this. Yes, I know we are going through tough times as a country, but this year, it is a year of overflow.
“I asked him [TB Joshua], my father, this is what the Lord is telling me, but look at our situation as a country, as Africa, is this true? He said it is true.”
The crossover services at both churches were attended by thousands of people drawn from across the country and beyond, including government ministers, legislators and diplomats accredited to Zimbabwe, among others.
At PHD ministries, congregates were treated to song and dance by Matthias Mhere, Blessing Shumba and others.
As the new year approached, Magaya took to the stage, ordering that all lights be switched off and everyone use an “anointed” candle to “light their lives into 2016”.
The candle light ceremony saw the entire arena being covered with little lights from thousands of candles as the electricity-powered lights were switched off for 15 minutes.

The state broadcaster the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation has in its news bulletins, completely ignored informing the nation about the dire situation the nation faces at the country’s major hospitals.
Doctors and nurses at hospitals countrywide have been on a massive go slow labour protest which began on the 1st of January culminating to a near full fledged strike by last night.
According to sources from the Zimbabwe Health Doctors Association and the Zimbabwe Nurses Association, about 90% of their members scheduled to had been at work last night did not report for duty. The few who turned up either just cannot cope with the workload or are on a deliberate go slow.
By late last night the situation at the hospitals was already at critical as reports of increased deaths of patients due to lack of attention began rising.
The state media down played the situation in its reportage yesterday dishing out false and misleading details of the situation on the ground.
Meanwhile, a nurse employed at the United Bulawayo Hospitals who was on duty last night reported the presence of what she described as” strange men” who arrived at the hospital late last night checking on staff who did not report for duty as scheduled. According to the nurse the people were somewhat unkind and intolerant as they demanded names and contacts of all those who did not report for duty.
As of this morning (Monday), several hospitals were reporting a record low number of nurses and doctors.
In a combined statement issued yesterday, the ZHDA and ZINA urged their members not to report for duty this morning.
The doctors and nurses have not been paid their December 2015 salaries and bonuses which government has promised to pay on the 9th of January. In the meantime, government has paid the doctors and nurses on average $20 each which is transport money at public transport rates to get them to work while they wait for their salaries.

By Terrence Mawawa Masvingo|Zanu PF Political Commissar and Local Government Minister, Saviour Kasukuwere has threatened to fire Masvingo City Council bosses over their defiance of a party directive to donate towards his party’s annual conference held in Victoria Falls in December.
Authoritative sources at the City Council told ZimEye.com last week Kasukuwere demanded an explanation from the Town Clerk, Adolf Gusha on the city council’s failure to make donations towards the Zanu PF conference. Gusha is a known Zanu PF sympathiser who has been shielded by the ruling party over the past years.
The Council sources said the city fathers were quaking in their boots since Kasukuwere threatened to visit the troubled local authority to effect disciplinary action on named officials .
“Kasukuwere ordered Gusha the Town Clerk to explain why council failed to donate towards the Zanu PF conference. Now the minister is expected to come to Masvingo on a fact finding exercise.
“He also threatened to dismiss those who defied the ruling party’s directive and the bosses are in a quandary.
“The council is also grappling with a ballooning debt in excess of $4 million dollars,” said a council employee . Zanu PF ordered parastatals, private companies and the informal sector to donate towards the party’s conference where some 300 delegates including President Robert Mugabe were flown to the resort town.
Kasukuwere who is said to be the architect of the G40 faction, is reportedly unhappy with the council management’s defiance of the Zanu PF directive and is expected to weed out those perceived to be against the First Lady Grace Mugabe.
Many local government institutions and also companies are struggling to breathe financially as a result of unfavourable economic conditions in the country.

Harare Water director Engineer Christopher Zvobgo, has been sent on forced leave with immediate effect to pave way for investigations following rampant illegal water connections to the city’s main line.
Eng Zvobgo’s forced leave follows a directive from Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere that he be suspended.
Harare Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni yesterday confirmed receiving the letter and said Eng Zvobgo would be away until mid-January while a report of the investigation was being finalised.
“I can confirm that we received the minister’s communication over that matter, which is already in the public domain. As council, we are considering the contents of the letter,” he said.
“Eng Zvobgo is now on leave pending examination of the matter which exercise is nearly finalised so we expect some position on the matter when council resumes business in 2016.”
This is not the first time Eng Zvobgo has been in trouble. The city dismissed him in 2001 after the Local Government Board approved his firing on allegations of mismanagement.
This resulted in long-running labour dispute in the Labour Court and High Court in which Eng Zvobgo won and was reinstated.
Minister Kasukuwere during a fact- finding tour of some areas where houses were demolished and several co-operatives dotted around Harare recently, said there was need for a shake-up at Harare City Council to restore order in the city, adding that Eng Zvobgo should be in the know of what was going on with regard to water supplies to these areas.
Council then received an official communication from the minister that Eng Zvobgo be suspended as he was the authority behind the connection of illegal housing co-operatives to Harare water.
The minister’s order comes a few weeks after councillors and council officials were fingered in shoddy dealings that involve the siphoning of $200 000 from Harare Municipality Medical Aid Society and the illegal setting up of housing co-operatives and illegal structures.

A 53-year-old Bulawayo barber allegedly raped a mentally challenged woman and gave her a loaf of bread to buy her silence.
Bernard Muronza, of Thorngrove suburb, allegedly bought his 20-year-old victim a bottle of coke and a loaf of bread before raping her.
Muronza appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Tinashe Tashaya facing a rape charge.
He was not asked to plead and was remanded to January 20 on $50 bail.
Prosecuting, Nkathazo Dlodlo said on December 29 last year between 8amand 10am, the complainant left home intending to go for a haircut in Nguboyenja suburb.
“Unfortunately, the barber who does her hair was not available.
“She then proceeded to Burombo where there were other barber men operating under a tree. “Upon arrival at Burombo grounds, she approached Muronza and paid for the hair cut,” said Dlodlo.
The court heard that after the haircut, Muronza offered to buy her food at the shops.
Dlodlo said the woman refused but Muronza grabbed her arm and force marched her to Burombo tuckshop.
“Muronza, still holding her left arm, bought a loaf of bread and 300ml bottle of coke and took her to his place of residence in Thorngrove. He then locked the door before raping her once.
After the rape, the accused gave the complainant the loaf of bread and ordered her to go to her house, the court heard.
Dlodlo told the court that when she arrived home, the complainant reported the rape to her guardian who informed her mother. A report was made to police leading to Muronza’s arrest

Masvingo Minister Shuvai Mahofa is still in a mysterious coma after her hospitalisation just after the ZANU PF conference in December.
Mahofa (74) is currently in secret confinement at a private hospital in Harare, over an mysterious ailment which some ZANU PF sources say is of food poisoning at the party’s Victoria Falls conference.
Beyond those claims however, she has lately been visibly struggling to officiate at State functions due to old age and ill health.
A picture of her revealed by ZimEye.com taken last year (with her grandchildren) shows her body ballooning in weight.