The trial of the three civic society activists who are facing charges of charges of filming Prison premises has been set for Tuesday at the Harare magistrates’ courts.
The three, Edgar Gweshe ( Crisis In Zimbabwe Coalition’s information officer)  Donald Makuvaza (Chitungwiza Residents Trust official ), Charles Chidakwa (Occupy Africa Unity Square (OAUS) are facing charges of contravening Section 5 (2) of the Protected Places and Areas Act Chapter 11:12.
They were arrested last July at the Harare Remand Prison where they had visited a group of vendors who were detained at the correctional services centred.
Prison officials alleged that the three were taking pictures outside the remand prison.
The trio however refuted the state allegations when they first appeared in court.
They were granted $50 bail each by the Harare Magistrates Court on July 25.
They were arrested together with other activists, Mfundo Mlilo, Dirk Frey and Nixon Nyikadzino who have since been cleared of the charges.
 

Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku has bemoaned lack of professionalism on the High Court bench which has resulted in the accumulation of case to over 40 000 dating back from 2002.
Officially opening the 2016 legal year in Harare recently Chidyausiku said the number of unsanctioned records was unacceptable.
“These are matters that were filed as way back as 2002 up to 2012 but are lying idle with no one prosecuting the claim or applying to have it dismissed,”he said.
“Twenty thousand of the records are summons of applications that have not been served on the defendants or respondents some people may not know that they have been sued and are part of the High Court statistic even as I speak”.
Last year during the official opening of the 2015 legal year, Chidyausiku bemoaned incompetency on the High Court bench.
But despite the  backlog Chidyausiku said there was a great improvement on the number of fresh cases which the High Court dealt with last year.
“I am happy to report that the performance of the High Court this year has exceeded my expectations and I wish to heartily congratulate judges of that court for the pleasing performance as evidenced by the number of judgments that they have returned during the course of the year,” he said.
“The number of judgments handed down has in turn drastically reduced the number of complaints that I used to receive over delayed judgments”.

The Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) says  MDC-T support base is going to be reduced by deaths as a result of the politicisation of food aid by Zanu PF in the remote parts of the country.
This came out in a report which ZPP posted to the media at the weekend in which the rights lobby organisation noted  increasing incidents of discrimination on political grounds of the distribution of food aid by Zanu PF activists over the past three months.
ZPP says they documented a total of 73 cases of food violations from September to October across the country, where people were being discriminated against and excluded from food distributions.
““Our concern is the livelihoods of these people most of who are from vulnerable groups. Where necessary government is being called upon to intervene,” national director of ZPP Jestina Mukoko said.
“It is actually the role of the government to protect and promote the rights of every citizen. As ZPP we are saying this is what is happening in the communities and unless the government intervenes and follows up on this matter targeted people are really going to starve”.
Mukoko says with the impending drought there are fears that thousands who are politically “wrong” will die if nothing is done by government.
“With this year’s drought threatening more hunger than usual amongst the people particularly for vulnerable groups, it is feared that those discriminated against on political grounds will suffer even more”.
In the report ZPP recorded names and places of those who were denied food aid because they are affiliated to the MDC-T.
“In Manicaland on 15 December, 2015 at Makuvise Village Ward 5 in Buhera and on 17 December 2015 in Buhera Central more MDC-T supporters were denied food aid. In Masvingo on the 17 December 2015 and on 31 December 2015 at Gwenyanya Village in Chivi and Marova Village Vidco 2 in Zaka North more opposi-tion supporters were also denied aid,”the report noted.
“In Midlands Province, on 5 December 2015, MDC-T supporters were denied agricultural inputs in Gokwe at Chireya Business Centre and at Katamba Business Centre”.
 

By Terrence Mawawa, Gutu|Chief Serima, Vengai Rushwaya, has suspended a local primary school head in his area- accusing him of being a Morgan Tsvangirai opposition activist.
 
Rushwaya a Robert Mugabe apologist, told the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education officials to suspend Matizha Primary School Headmaster, William Nhidza after accusing him of being an opposition activist. Nhidza was transferred from the school with immediate effect.
 
Rushwaya stormed the headmaster’s office and announced the head’s suspension before proceeding to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education offices in Mupandawana town where he ordered the officials to suspend Nhidza with immediate effect, sources told ZimEye.com
 
“Chief Serima personally came to the school and announced the headmaster’s suspension. He accused him of being an opposition activist and he also said the head was incompetent. We were shocked by the decision because he proceeded to Mupandawana where he instructed the Ministry of Education officials to suspend Nhidza. The position is the headmaster will be transferred from the school with immediate effect. We wonder how and why a traditional leader can wield authority to suspend a school head,” said a staff member at the school.
 
Mugabe personally presided over Rushwaya’s recent inauguration and the Chief is a well known Zanu PF activist who is regularly seen wearing ruling party regalia despite the fact that the new constitution clearly states traditional leaders are expected to carry out their duties in an objective manner.
 
Rushwaya has also reportedly suspended two Agritex workers working under his area accusing them of being members of the newly formed People First party. Civil servants in the area are now living in fear and uncertainty following Rushwaya’s actions. Others sources claim the Chief is related to Mugabe while others say he is a member of the dreaded Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO).
 
Although Gutu District Education Officer Sonny Chirikure could not be reached for a comment, sources at the school maintain there is confusion at the school following Nhidza’s suspension…

Adultery damages are a legal claim meant to protect the sanctity of marriage and they remain part of our laws, a High Court judge has ruled in a direct challenge to the status in neighbouring South Africa.
South African courts last year outlawed adultery damages, a decision that was celebrated by Zimbabweans. Dismissing a constitutional application by a Harare nurse who was contesting a suit against a third party over the breakdown of a marriage, Justice Hlekani Mwayera said decisions of the South African court or other foreign courts to declare such damages unconstitutional were not binding on Zimbabwe.
Justice Mwayera said in terms of Zimbabwean policy and values, adultery remains wrongful and the claim for damages was justified as it serves to compensate the injured party.
Ms Lorraine Matione, a nurse at Harare Central Hospital, wanted adultery to be abolished saying it violated the third party’s rights to privacy and equality before the law.
The nurse is accused of knowingly having an adulterous affair with Mr Lawrence Muzvondiwa that resulted in the birth of a son. Harare lawyer Mr Nyasha Munyuru of Muvingi and Mugadza law firm, on behalf of Mr Muzvondiwa’s wife, Ms Georgina Njodzi, issued out summons claiming adultery damages to the tune of $25 000 from Ms Matione.
In the middle of the adultery hearing, Ms Matione, through her lawyer Mr Wellington Pasipanodya of Manase & Manase Legal Practitioners, raised constitutional issues.
Justice Mwayera said there was nothing unconstitutional about adultery damages.
“The marriage institution is founded upon morals and the Constitution, which is the supreme law of the country that protects the very morality, underpinned relationship,” ruled Justice Mwayera.
“Intrusion in the marriage institution by adultery therefore remains wrongful and there is nothing unconstitutional about an adultery damages claim,” he said.
“Accordingly, it is ordered that the application to have adultery damages claim declared unconstitutional is dismissed with costs. The plaintiff’s claim for adultery damages is properly before the court,” said Justice Mwayera.
He said while a person could not sue his or her spouse at law, the third party or intruder must not get away with an offence. “Whereas the innocent party cannot sue their spouse for adultery for the obvious reason (underlying the marriage relationship), they also have an option to divorce or condone and move on, the fundamental question is what should happen to the third party who would have intruded?
“It is the law which ought to retain a legal outlet to the aggrieved spouse,” he said. The third party who, with knowledge, intrudes into the marriage institution, ought to compensate the innocent spouse for the injury occasioned,” said Justice Mwayera.
“It goes without saying that adultery is almost always debilitating for the victimised spouse who suffers indignity and hurt because of the adultery.” Justice Mwayera said foreign judgments on adultery had no binding force because the issue must be analysed in the Zimbabwean context.
“Whereas it is important to take note and appreciate what is going on in other jurisdictions, it is of paramount importance to apply the principle in the context of our nation as a constitutional democracy,” he said.
Added Justice Mwayera: “It is my considered view that the society which was involved in the constitution-making process still views adultery negatively.
“The legal convictions of our society have not changed so much that adultery could objectively be regarded as reasonable and thus it remains unlawful. The Zimbabwean Constitution and subservient laws still permit redress by claims for adultery damages.”
During the hearing, Mr Pasipanodya submitted that having an affair with a married man was not legally wrong but only wrong on moral grounds. He said it was the duty of the married couples to protect and safeguard their unions and not third parties.
He said if a spouse was aggrieved by infidelity or adultery, the only two remedies were divorce or reconciliation. Mr Pasipanodya told the court that adultery was not the cause of divorce in the case of his client but instead, it was a result of divorce.
He said the law must be amended to make it clear that spouses should be responsible for protecting and safeguarding their marriages. Mr Munyuru opposed the application saying Ms Matione was fully aware of the marriage between Mr Muzvondiwa and Ms Njodzi and must be sued.
He said Zimbabwe must not be guided by decisions of courts in other countries as situations and circumstances were different. Mr Munyuru said in most cases, adultery was the cause of breakdown of marriages and the perpetrators should be punished.
He said granting the constitutional challenge would have the effect of opening the floodgates of promiscuity in these days of HIV and Aids. Mr Munyuru said Zimbabwe was a country dominated by Christianity and a decision legalising adultery would be against Christian values.
Mr Muzvondiwa and Ms Njodzi married in 1996 under the Marriages Act.
The marriage still subsists. It is alleged that in 2012, Mr Muzvondiwa entered into an adulterous relationship with Ms Matione which resulted in the birth of a child on April 9 2014.
Since then, Mr Muzvondiwa and Ms Matione have been living together as husband and wife.-State Media

The ZANU PF aligned Teachers Union of Zimbabwe TUZ says that all teachers in the country must be taken for a mandatory national service training.
Speaking to journos yesterday, the President of TUZ, Ottoman Magaya, said that members of his union have agreed to lobby government to send all teachers in the country for a mandatory psychomotor training at the Border Gezi national youth Training Centres.
Magaya said that the training will help streamline the teachers into understanding challenges faced by the country and government at present. The training will also boost loyalty to government, Magaya said.
“It is important that all teachers undergo this training as it will help them understand the history of the country thereby helping them understand the challenges that the country is going through,” he said.
Magaya’s call comes at a time when the country’s teachers are not happy with the government over delayed salaries and unpaid bonuses, and threatening to go on a strike.
Last week Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association Chief Executive Officer, Sifiso Ndlovu issued a warning that teachers were not happy with their remunerations and will be undertaking a mass labour action.
Two weeks ago members of Zimbabwe Rural Teachers Association were arrested for staging a demonstration against the government on delayed salary payments.
On the political front, the ruling ZANU PF has over the years used graduates from the training centres as a militia against opposition party supporters, a development that earned the graduates the title “green bombers” in reference to their brutality.
The Ministry of Education had not yet responded to the calls at the time of writing..

A 17-year-old boy from Luveve, Bulawayo is lucky to be alive after he was shot once on the right thigh after being mistaken for a thief by a resident of Rangemore who saw him in his yard in the wee hours of Christmas Day. Mthokozisi Ndlovu was shot by Norman Ngwenya (66). Ngwenya appeared before West Commonage magistrate Mr Abednigo Ndebele on Wednesday charged with attempted murder. Prosecuting, Mr Mufaro Mageza said on 24 December 2015 Ndlovu had gone to visit his friend Nkosilathi Ndebele aka Kiwa who had invited him to spend the Christmas Day with him at his parents’ house in Rangemore.
“At around 6pm Mthokozisi went to Rangemore with Ndebele. After some time they left Ndebele’s house and went for a beer drink at Manyonga Sports Bar. At around 1am on 25 December 2015 the two together with Ndebele’s girlfriend decided to go back home. Along the way a misunderstanding arose between Ndebele and his girlfriend resulting in Ndlovu leaving them behind,” said Mr Mageza.
It is alleged that Ngwenya was sleeping at his house in Rangemore but woke up at around 2 am when he heard his dogs barking continuously outside.
“Ngwenya saw someone opening the gate and walking towards another separate hut in that compound and asked who he was. Ndlovu replied and told him his name, his friend’s name and that he had come home to sleep. Ngwenya told him that there was no one called Kiwa in his homestead. When Ndlovu realised that he was lost he quickly asked to be directed at Plot 10 Rangemore where his friend resides,” Mr Mageza told the court.
The court heard that despite pleading that he was lost and seeking for directions to his friend’s place, Ngwenya insisted that he was a thief and had come to his home to steal.
“Ngwenya held Ndlovu and then shot him once on the right thigh with a CZ pistol. The case was reported to the police and Ndlovu was taken to United Bulawayo Hospitals for treatment,” said Mr Mageza. Ngwenya was remanded in custody to 28 January.
In another incident, a 26-year-old man from Entumbane was hit once on the head with an iron bar for allegedly greeting his neighbour’s girlfriend. Thembelani Ncube (26) was hit on the head with an iron bar by Reason Ncube (21) resulting in him sustaining a deep cut. Thembelani was also assaulted for asking Reason why he was holding an iron bar.
Reason appeared before West Commonage magistrate Mr Ndebele and was charged with attempted murder.
Thembelani later withdrew charges stating that he had not fought with Reason and that the assault was an accident.
“I withdrew charges against Reason because we were not fighting and the assault was just an accident. He is also my relative and I am no longer angry at him. The case is being withdrawn with my consent and no one influenced me to do so,” he said.-State Media

A missing Zimbabwean man has been found dead under a bridge in Manchester, UK
The dreadlocked man, a 35 year old AFM church member, Charles Munetsi, was homeless at the time of the find, Thursday.
The tragic news has seen ZimEye.com being told he is a scholarship holder who arrived in 2006 but soon caught bad luck. He was unemployed at the time of his departure.
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Details were sketchy at the time of writing but his family in the UK has been informed. More to follow as details unravel.

Two people were critically injured when heavy rains pounded Gwanda yesterday totally destroying a mine owned primary school.
Sabiwa Primary Schools at Vumbachikwe Mine in Gwanda had 13 classrooms destroyed by winds that came with the heavy down-pours late yesterday afternoon.
Two people who at the time of writing could not be identified by ZimEye.com were hit by flying roofing material as they made their way past the school.
Officials at the mine said that the school will take a while to be repaired and brought back to use after the destruction.
The damage leaves a worrying situation on what will be done to the nearly 800 children enrolled at the school.
The school which was build in the early sixties, has been a worry with people complaining to the mine management about the state of the dilapidated infrastructure.
A parent who refused to be identified thanked what he called natural justice for destroying the school with the hope that this will force the mine to build a new one. – ZimEye
No immediate comment child could be obtained from the mine management and ministry of education offices.

Mike Mmpande 35 of Siabuwa in drought stricken Binga has pleaded with a magistrate to be sent to jail with his entire family for fear that they will starve to death while he is in prison.
Mmpande was sentenced to a long 9 year period in prison by Binga magistrate Aeline Munamati for the crime of “being found in possession of a pangolin skin”.
Speaking in mitigation, Mmpande told the magistrate that he is married to two wives and has seven children. He begged with the magistrate that he is the bread winner for his family and he fears that his family will starve to death while doing time in prison.
“I am the bread winner for my family and I am scared that my family will starve to death while I am in prison. At least if they are also sent to prison with me they will also get food from prison.”
Mmpande was arrested on Sunday with a fellow villager Moses Mwinde following a tip off to the police and parks officials that they were in possession of pangolin and python skins. The police approached the pair guised as buyers of the skins and offered each of them a bag of maize meal for the skins.
The two produced the skins leading to their immediate arrest.
Pangolins and pythons are available in large amounts in the Binga area along the Zambezi river and locals have been making a living out of hunting the rare animals. Traditional healers and tourists are a ready market for the animals’ skin.
The two men will serve an effective seven years in jail each for their offences.

GWERU town clerk, Daniel Matawu, has been suspended two days after Local Government Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere instructed the commission running the local authority’s affairs to dismiss all people facing corruption and misappropriation of funds charges.
The Tsunga Mhangami-led commission responded swiftly and suspended Matawu who is accused of presiding over rampant corruption in the city.
Mhangami said yesterday: “We’ve suspended the town clerk Daniel Matawu pending investigations into the alleged misappropriation of council funds and corruption.”
A government audit that was conducted by the Local Government Ministry between July 3 and July 15 last year exposed massive rot in Gweru.
Mhangami said anyone implicated in the audit report would be suspended to pave way for investigations. “We want to investigate these allegations without undue interference from the involved parties.
“As the commission we were tasked to investigate allegations of corruption levelled against people in management and we have started that process,” he said.
Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Jason Machaya, said Matawu’s suspension was a process aimed at cleansing the local authority.
He said Kasukuwere had set the ball rolling by instructing the commission to suspend people implicated in the audit report.
“It’s a process which will result in some in top management being fired. Matawu was the driver of the local authority and there’re problems bedevilling it which need to be resolved to bring sanity,” said Machaya.
Kasukuwere said Wednesday the commission should as a matter of urgency wield the axe on all directors that had been implicated in the audit report for fraud, embezzlement and misappropriation of funds, wasteful expenditure, non-compliance with ministerial directives, non-compliance with statutory laws and failing to manage council’s assets.
Kasukuwere said there were also under qualified managers at the local authority whom he said had no capacity to hold such offices and positions who should be shown the door.
He said such managers should be relieved of their duties and must be replaced by those that have the capacity.
Minister Kasukuwere said there should be no sacred cows. He said the main thrust for the local authority should be service delivery and not unnecessary expenditure by either council or management.State Media

A soldier, McDonald Gava has axed his wife to death before setting his two-roomed house on fire.
The bodies of Gava and his wife were found burnt in the house. Relatives and neighbours say Gava and his wife Patricia had a rocky marriage and were always trading accusations of infidelity.
“The last time I spoke to my uncle he told me they were having marital problems but I never thought he could take such gruesome action,” said Gava’s nephew.
The police were at the scene of the crime and are conducting investigations. Domestic violence continues to be a thorn in the flesh of Zimbabwean society despite spirited efforts and campaigns to bring it to an end.-State Media

Frustrated Southlea Park residents have taken Zanu PF central committee member Philip Chiyangwa to court seeking for an order to block him from extorting them cash amounting to over $42 million for settling at the government owned Odar farm.
Chiyangwa last year in September shocked Southlea Park residents when he from nowhere claimed that he owns Oder farm which was in 2006 seized from former white commercial farmers by the state for urban development.
The controversial politician in December threatened to evict over  8000 residents residing at the farm  if they fail to pay him $4500 per house hold as compensation.
In an  application which was filed by Southlea Park Home Owners Association to the  High Court through Mudanhi, Mugadza and company attorneys this week the residents said Chiyangwa had no right to demand compensation for the government farm.
“The purpose of this application is to seek for an order to set aside the transfer of the remainder of the farm-Odar to Sensene investments (Chiyangwa’s company) which land vested in the hands of the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe after being duly acquired in terms of the Land Acquisition Act as the transfer was unfair, unreasonable and thus unlawful,”reads part of the application.
The farm was acquired by the government on June 16 2006 under deed of transfer 816/65 under government’s Garikai /Hlalani Kuhle programme.
The government in 2006, through the Ministry of Local Government, entered into an agreement with Odar for the consortium to establish a housing project and the arrangement was that government would compensate the previous farm owner, ZTA, for the improvements made on the farm and then receive its money back within 90 days from the consortium’s beneficiaries.
But despite the existence of these affirmations and the availability of an agreement between the government and Odar Farm, the government entered into another agreement with Zanu PF central committee member Chiyangwa on April 9 2015 to give the farm to Sensene Pvt Ltd, a company owned by Chiyangwa.
 

A Gokwe family allegedly dumped the body of their relative at a neighbour’s homestead on Wednesday demanding 20 head of cattle before burial after a Boxing Day land boundary dispute turned fatal.
The body of Francis Mutsakirwa, 37, of Mutsakirwa Village, Headman Mashame under Chief Chireya in Gokwe North, was only buried yesterday after the family of the murder suspect, Edson Sibanda, 47, parted with 10 beasts and a goat, with promises to deliver the remaining cattle later.
Midlands provincial police spokesperson Inspector Joel Goko confirmed Mutsakirwa’s death on December 26 after he was struck by Sibanda. He could not immediately comment on the compensation issue.
“I confirm the death of Francis Mutsakirwa on December 26. A villager Edson Sibanda has since been arrested in connection with his murder,” he said.
However, the victim’s neighbours told The Chronicle that on the fateful day, Mutsakirwa and Sibanda were in their fields when an argument over the boundary arose.
“In the heat of the moment, Sibanda struck Mutsakirwa on the forehead and he collapsed”.
They ferried him to Mashame clinic where his condition deteriorated before he was transferred to Nembudziya clinic where he was pronounced dead,” said Tinotenda Marange, a neighbour of Mutsakirwa.
He said Mutsakirwa’s body was taken for a post-mortem and was only brought back on January 13. Marange said Mutsakirwa’s relatives took his body and dumped it at Sibanda’s homestead demanding 20 head of cattle as compensation for the loss of their son.
He said after dumping their relative’s body on January 13, Mutsakirwa’s family returned to their homestead. “Because of the hot temperatures, Mutsakirwa’s body quickly decomposed forcing the Sibandas to desert their homestead. They then went to headman Mashame to report the matter,” he said.
The Chronicle learnt that Mutsakirwa’s body stayed at the Sibanda homestead for 24 hours as both parties failed to reach consensus.
Marange said the police were called in but nothing materialised as the Mutsakirwa’s were adamant that they were only going to bury their relative after they were compensated.
He said yesterday, after the intervention of the police and traditional leaders in the village, the Sibandas released 10 head of cattle and a goat to facilitate the burial. “So the 10 head of cattle were in front while the scotch cart with Mutsakirwa’s body was following behind. He was finally buried,” said Marange.
Insp Goko appealed to members of the community to desist from engaging in unnecessary fights which he said were leading to loss of lives. He said church elders, the police, and community leaders should be approached in case of misunderstandings to save life. State /Agencies

Former Education minister and Mashonaland East headman, Aeneas Chigwedere is today expected to appear at the Harare Civil Court to answer to witchcraft charges levelled against him by his son, Magwiza.
Magwiza last year approached the courts, accusing his father of practising witchcraft, claiming he had goblins that were terrorising family members.
Chigwedere is being sued together with his wife, Emilia Zharare, a stepmother to Magwiza. According to court papers, Magwiza wants the Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers’ Association to destroy the goblins and cited the association as a third respondent in the case.
But Chigwedere, in opposing affidavit filed by his lawyer Tendai Masawi, denied the accusations and dismissed Magwiza as a mental patient who needed psychiatric help.
Chigwedere said the matter was frivolous and a waste of the court’s time.
Magwiza, in his application, accused his father’s alleged goblins of causing the death of a number of family members and causing women in the family not to get married or fail to conceive.

By Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo| Thousands of dollars from school fee funds have disappeared in the hands of the Hillside Government School headmaster enflaming the entire Masvingo community into a rage.
 
The development yesterday saw hoardes of ZRP cops siding with the alleged perpetrator and head-teacher (name supplied) as riot police stormed in, assaulting both protester and journalist.
 
Overzealous police details yesterday pounced on suspecting journalists here and confiscated cameras before detaining the scribes for several hours.
 
The journalists were covering a parents demonstration at Hillside Government School when the police suddenly pounced on the reporters and grabbed their cameras forcing them to delete the photographs they were taking. The parents were demonstrating against the squandering of funds by the school administration .
 
Three local journalists Golden Maunganidze,TellZimbabwe editor Passmore Kuzipa and Mirror reporter Sydney Mubaiwa had their cameras confiscated and they were detained for several hours at Chikato Police station where they were later released.
 
“We were covering a parents demonstration at the government school when police details surrounded us and took our cameras. They did not even ask for press cards and our bid to explain ourselves fell on deaf ears. We were subjected to emotional torture and intimidation. We were detained at Chikato Police Station for several hours,” said one of the journalists.
 
The police also reportedly ordered the journalists not to report anything on both the demonstration and the arrest.
 
The police in Zimbabwe have hogged the limelight for the wrong reasons and local journalists have roundly condemned the barbaric behaviour of the police officers who tormented the innocent scribes.

Three pupils from Chinehasha Secondary School in Chiweshe communal lands have drowned while two others were rescued after a canoe they were using to cross Ruya dam capsized this Thursday morning.
A sombre atmosphere engulfed Chinehasha Village in Chiweshe following the drowning of the three on their way to school.
According to eyewitnesses the disaster occurred around 7 in the morning when the five students from Matepatepa area in Bindura district were canoeing to the school which is across Ruya dam in Chiweshe communal lands.
The deceased have been identified has Adelaide Hwengwa a Form 1 pupil, David Kaviya who is in Form 2 and Rutendo Chikondori who was in Form 4.
Survivors Gelisha Mupandira (15) and Rangarirai Kabunze (16) recounted how the tragedy occurred while relatives of the deceased were at pains to explain their loss.
Mr Felix Murisa, who witnessed the incident and helped rescue the duo, attributed the incident to overloading and strong winds that hit the area in the morning.
The gathered crowd managed to retrieve one of the deceased’s body after it was found floating in the dam.State Media

ZRP Cops were left with eggs on their faces after they were defeated by protesters today.
In what showed to be an open shaming of the law enforcement agents, the Lawyers for Human Rights organisation successfully led seven protesters out of police claws in Bulawayo’s Mpopoma high density suburb, this afternoon.
The police failing to do their draconian profiling work, released seven residents they had picked up for allegedly staging a protest against the increase in the number of minors who are being sexually abused.STORY CONTINUES BELOW
The residents were demonstrating against continued attacks on children after a teenager was sexually abused by a man said to be in his 60s.
The residents were reportedly peeved that the accused person had been granted bail at the Western Commonage Magistrates Court.
Lizwe Jamela of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights who reacted to offer emergency legal services says the seven residents were released by police officers without being charged for committing any offence after they successfully resisted profiling by the police.

By Terrence Mawawa, Harare| Government “has squandered $50 million on brand new vehicles for top shefs while teachers wallow in poverty” with no bonuses and under the burden of delayed salaries. The Zimbabwe Teachers Association(ZIMTA) will tomorrow Friday stage countrywide protests against the government’s failure to pay teachers’ bonuses.
In a circular to its members dated January 10 2016 ZIMTA said the demonstration was a result of government’s lack of commitment towards paying civil servants’ bonuses.
The government has been dithering on the payment of bonuses forcing many civil servants to resort to moneylenders to get loans thereby accruing huge debts.
“As previously directed the expression of the bonus saga will be made by the association and will be organised as follows-Participation:A total of up to 500 participants must attend this march and be drawn from from the following ranks-National members and or at least 15 members of the provincial executive … Provinces are requested to transport their participants to arrive on time for the march on 15 January at least an hour before the commencement of the march,”reads part of the letter.
The broke government is likely to face more job actions with all civil servants sectors unhappy with the non-payment of bonuses.
The protests will be staged in and out of Harare as well as across the association’s provincial centres as teachers press government to address the non-payment of bonuses.
Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa is under pressure to resolve the matter and the government has been making empty promises to that effect since last year.
The demonstration is likely to attract mass attendances with teachers across the country increasingly agitated by the failure to get bonuses.

Tragedy has hit a UK Zimbabwean family as their father Mr Caiphas Kadzutu (87) was sadly hit by pneumonia soon after jetting into the country from Zimbabwe.
 
Mr Kadzutu who had travelled to Britain for his only son’s graduation, is no more and his body now stranded in the UK.

Local government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere says government is “probing” Southlea Park land ownership with the aim of establishing the real owner of Odar farm which Zanu PF central committee member Phillip Chiyangwa is demanding over $45 million in compensation from 8000 residents.
Chiyangwa who has since given the residents 14 day notices to either pay him $5000 per house hold or risk eviction, on 2 January influenced the police to block them (residents) from holding a meeting on which they wanted to deliberate on the eviction threats.
The residents who are resisting compensating Chiyangwa are contemplating to take the case to the High court seeking for clarity over the land ownership.
Responding to questions raised by reporters on who owes the farm which Chiyangwa is claiming to be his Kasukuwere dodged the question saying government was handling the issue.
“This is an issue which is receiving attention from the state in terms of the actual ownership and I think we will not want to comment now because it is a matter that we are looking at and certainly we are aware that Southlea Park deserves our attention and that is what we are going to be doing,”said Kasukuwere.
Chiyangwa controversially took over the land which was being   superintended by Odar Housing Development Project a consortium of 56 companies in September last year.
The controversial Odar Farm was acquired by the government on June 16 2006 under deed of transfer 816/65 under government’s Garikai /Hlalani Kuhle programme.
 

Humiliating medical evidence hit Zanu-PF Bikita West legislator Munyaradzi Kereke yesterday in the case in which he is accused or raping two minors.
The development saw Kereke’s lawyer attacking the private prosecutor, Charles Warara of tampering by adding an extra (medical) document into the court files, but the magistrate ruled that Kereke’s defence had already consented.
Kereke is facing charges of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2010 and indecently assaulting her sister, aged 15 at the time.
Kereke, who is represented by his lawyers Mr James Makiya and Mr Nathaniel Chigoro, asked the court to expunge from the court record a medical report of one of the girls.
“We apply for the document to be expunged on the basis that it was never requested by the police,” said Mr Makiya.
“The complainant self initiated a voluntary visit to Harare Central Hospital and that visit is not related to the present case.
“We noted the document was not among documents handed to the Prosecutor-General. It is an alien paper slipped in court records by the private prosecutor.”
Mr Makiya said he sought a court order to access call history of the two complainant’s Econet and Telecel mobile phones for the year 2010.
In response, Mr Warara said the two applications were destructive and an attempt to carry out investigations while the trial is in progress.
“A private prosecutor does not direct operation of the police neither can the police direct the work of a private prosecutor,” said Mr Warara.
“Counsel fell short seriously on their submissions. The police and Prosecutor-General’s Office were inactive not withstanding the conviction that the case was a prima facie against the accused.
“We never recovered the original documents from the Prosecutor-General’s Office. Why is it proper for the police and Prosecutor-General who assisted the accused not to be brought to justice to be the basis of the application? The defence consented for the medical report to be produced in court.”
In his ruling, magistrate Mr Noel Mupeiwa reiterated that the defence lawyers consented.
“It is the decision of the court at the close of the case if the document implicates the accused. However, the accused should be allowed access to the call history to fully defend himself,” he said.
Mr Warara intended to tender another medical affidavit for the second girl, but Mr Makiya objected saying the examining doctor was off duty on that day.
The trial continued in camera because the second witness is still a minor. Mr Warara alleged that sometime in March 2010, Kereke was alone with the girl.
He grabbed the girl by the waist and pushed her onto the couch before fondling her breasts.
She allegedly screamed, but no one heard her. On August 22, 2010, the younger girl was allegedly asked to baby sit by Kereke’s wife.
When the baby fell asleep the girl sat on the couch in the bedroom and Kereke allegedly started fondling her.
He allegedly pointed a gun at the girl and threatened to shoot her if she did not comply with his orders. He then raped her once.
Both girls later narrated their alleged ordeal to one of their aunts. -State Media/Additional Reporting.

Some government employees who are yet to receive their 2015 bonus have expressed dismay in the manner the government has reneged on the 13th cheque payment initially slated for November 2015 and pushed to January this year.
It still remains unclear if all civil servants will get their bonuses that were promised by President Robert Mugabe after Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa announced that the government was too broke to pay 13th cheques last year.
The Zimbabwe government announced recently that it will stagger bonus payments due to its tight fiscal space caused by a non-performing economy.
This has infuriated state workers who say they should have been paid their bonuses last year.
A Mutare-based teacher, Pardon Mazhambe, said he is unhappy with what the government is doing though indications are that it is almost broke.
Mazhambe said he is now heavily indebted and cannot meet his financial obligations due to the non-payment of his bonus.
“I have so many accounts that need to be settled and my only hope of doing so is through the bonus that still remains outstanding up to now.”
He added that 2016 started on a low note and indications are that this will continue, forcing workers to live from hand to mouth.
Another government employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals as he has no authority to speak to the media without official clearance, said it is highly unlikely that the state will pay workers the promised bonuses.
Some government employees have been shying away from openly discussing the outstanding bonuses as it has suddenly become a hot issue following the arrest of 20 policemen in Bindura district, who created a WhatsApp chat in which they were discussing the non-payment of 13th cheques.
First were journalists, who were sucked into the controversy when it was reported in a local daily newspaper that the government had allegedly secretly paid bonuses of operatives of its spy agency, the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO).
Newsday deputy editor, Nqaba Matshazi, journalist Xolisani Ncube, and Sifikile Thabethe, a representative of their company, Alpha Media Holdings, are facing charges of allegedly writing falsehoods.
This is scaring a lot of government workers though some of them are adamant that they are entitled to the bonuses even if the government’s coffers are in bad shape.
State employee, Charles Garwe, said though most workers doubt that the government will pay the bonuses, they believe that 13th cheques normally boost the morale of workers and their disposable income.
“We would appreciate if the bonus is paid as promised as it has put us in the deep end. We had made so many plans around the money and failure to pay is very suicidal to many of us.”
The situation is not the same with some workers in the non-profit making business, whose contracts do not include any bonus payment.
Louis Kahari, who works for a local non-governmental organization, said his three-year contract does not have any bonus provision since they don’t make any profit.
“We had not been promised any bonus and therefore we had not made any plans on it and its life as usual for some of us in the NGO sector, but I am sorry for my colleagues in government who anticipated it.”
The non-payment of civil servants’ bonuses has suddenly become very political and in the same vein disrupted plans of most government employees, including other downstream beneficiaries of the 13th cheque. – VOA

Special Message to Fidelis Fengu
By R.G Mabhaudi
On the 7th of January a few years ago , God blessed a young baby Fidelis Fengu with the gift of life. Last week Thursday being the 7th of January a few years later Fidelis Fengu celebrates yet another year that he has seen by God’s grace.
The story of Fidelis Fengu is a story known to many, he has been a controversial figure and one of the most talked about personalities on social media. To us in the disability movement Fidelis Fengu has been a crucial team player. He has worked well with others in ensuring that young people with disabilities have a voice that is loud and clear in the corridors of power.
While Fidelis Fengu may have been or allegedly been involved in some scandalous activities, we condemn any acts of dishonesty and while we understand that the economic situation in Zimbabwe is tough and might push other young people to engage in unsavory behaviour, we urge the young people of Zimbabwe to remain principled and to seek the Lord first even in these harsh economic times.
Dishonest gains, corruption and other acts of little integrity will ruin our nation and our future. We are glad that our brother and comrade Fidelis Fengu has since confessed his sins and repented. Others may still want to crucify him but we stand with him and forgive him of his wrongs just like Jesus urged us to forgive. Encouraging him to never conform to this world but to put on his new self and stand as a light for others.
It takes a humble and a strong character to accept your guilt, confess and seek forgiveness and I applaud Cde Fengu. This week as you celebrate your birthday we cherish your support and fight towards the empowerment of young people with disabilities.
In my capacity as Chairman of both the Special Youth Advisory Board on Empowerment and the Steering Committee on Disability under the Office of the President and Cabinet’s Disability desk I wish you a happy birthday, and urge you to continue growing in wisdom and integrity that other young people may be inspired by your story.
Yours Truly
Cde. R. G. Mabhaudhi
Chairman
Steering Committee on Disability under the Office of the President and Cabinet’s Disability Desk.
Special Youth Advisory Board on Empowerment and also Former Special Interest Councillor representing Persons with Disabilities in Harare

A Bulawayo woman yesterday withdrew rape charges against her cousin’s 26-year-old boyfriend saying she had forgiven him after meeting his family.
The 23-year-old woman told Provincial Magistrate Abednico Ndebele that she had spoken to the accused, Nkosikhona Dlodlo’s family and decided to forgive him.
Dlodlo who is a boyfriend to the complainant’s cousin, his friends, the complainant, the cousin and a friend met on Christmas Eve and went to a party and later slept at Dlodlo’s place. The following morning, the woman woke up and discovered that she had been raped.
She reported the matter to the police and Dlodlo was arrested but she decided to forgive him after meeting his family. She did not reveal her conversation with Dlodlo’s family. “I spoke to his family and I’ve decided to forgive him,” said the woman.
Dlodlo told the court that if the case had proceeded to trial, he was going to deny the charges. “We were both drunk on the day of the alleged incident. We started fondling and caressing each other and one thing led to the next,” said Dlodlo.
Ndebele said Dlodlo was free after the woman withdrew the case. Prosecuting, Mufaro Mageza narrated the events that took place leading to Dlodlo’s arrest. He said on December 24, 2015, Dlodlo who was in the company of his friends met the woman who was in the company of her cousin and a friend.
They then went to a party as a group.
“After the the party they proceeded to Esibayeni, a drinking spot in Mpopoma where they didn’t spend much time and went to the city centre. There they bought meat and beer, and they all went to Dlodlo’s house,” said Mageza.
“When they got to the house the three ladies went to a bedroom and locked themselves in. Dlodlo and his friends then asked the women to open the door and join them, which they did.” The prosecutor said Dlodlo then invited the three women to drink some beer in the kitchen.
“The complainant’s cousin and the friend declined saying that they should call them when the meat was ready and went back to the bedroom leaving the complainant with Dlodlo in the kitchen,” said Mageza.
The prosecutor said on December 25, at around 6AM her cousin together with their friend woke up and discovered the complainant was not in the same bedroom with them.
“They woke up and looked for her and found her in a drunken state and they also discovered that her pair of jean trousers was pulled to the ankle but she was wearing her pant and blouse and Dlodlo wasn’t in the room,” said Mageza.
“Dlodlo came into the room and he helped them dress the complainant who was still asleep. When asked what transpired, Dlodlo said that he had removed the complainant’s pair of jeans after she said she was feeling hot,” said the prosecutor.
Mageza said after waking up, the woman felt some pain and discomfort in her private parts.
“After waking up the complainant felt pain and discovered that there was some fluid on her pant which she didn’t understand. She asked Dlodlo what had happened to her but he couldn’t give a satisfactory answer. She then reported the matter to the police leading to Dlodlo’s arrest,” said Mageza.State Media

A 28-YEAR-OLD man from Matopo in Matobo District has been arrested for fatally assaulting a fellow villager who had stabbed him twice with an okapi knife.
Isaac Tshuma allegedly overpowered Mduduzi Sibanda and struck him several times using a log, leaving him unconscious.
Sibanda was rushed to the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) after he was found three hours later by a passer-by who informed other villagers.
He was pronounced dead on admission.
The incident is said to have occurred last Friday at about 3AM.
Matabeleland South acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nkosilathi Sibanda said Tshuma is in custody and is expected to appear in court soon facing murder charges.
“We arrested a man who is accused of assaulting another villager with a log leaving him unconscious. The assaulted man was pronounced dead upon arrival at UBH. He is facing murder charges and assisting police with investigations,” said Asst Insp Sibanda.
“The accused was coming from Ntunjambili shops and he caught up with Sibanda and a misunderstanding ensued. Sibanda is said to have picked a stone and hit Tshuma on the forehead before stabbing him twice using an okapi knife. He was however, overpowered by the accused who grabbed a log and assaulted him until he fell unconscious.”
Asst Insp Sibanda said Tshuma left him for dead before proceeding to his home.
He said Sibanda was found at about 6AM by a villager who informed others about the incident.
“Sibanda was rushed to UBH where he died on admission. Tshuma was arrested the following day and is in police custody,” he said.State Media

The Victoria Falls Magistrate Court has exonerated Gokwe-Nembudziya National Assembly member, Justice Mayor Wadyajena, who was being accused of criminally insulting the First Lady, Grace Mugabe.
This follows an application by Wadyajena`s lawyer, Givemore Muvhiringi which sought to have the legislator removed from remand on the basis that the charge was unconstitutional.
Victoria Falls magistrate, Ms Lindiwe Maphosa acceded to the defence’s argument that the criminal insult was unconstitutional and eventually placed the legislator off remand.
However, the court dismissed the application on the alternative charge of disorderly behaviour, stated under Section 41 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act.
The accused will then be required to go on trial on the 1st of February.
The defence counsel will study the judgement and make a decision by the trial date with the possibility of submitting an application to have the matter referred to the Constitutional Court.
“True, we are going to take time to study the judgement because it has just been delivered and then will take the instructions from my application with a possibility that we might refer the constitutionality of Section 41 to the Constitutional Court because we have a feeling that it should suffer the same fate as Section 95. So we still have to make a decision as to what we are going to do come the 1st of February,” said Muvhiringi.
Wadyajena (35) was arrested in Victoria Falls soon after the 15th Zanu PF Annual National People’s Conference in December, for allegedly denigrating Dr Mugabe.State Media

Heal Zimbabwe Trust  has approached the Constitutional Court seeking for an order to Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa to urgently establish an Independent Mechanism to deal with complaints against the Police and other Security Services as required by the constitution.
Section 210 of the Constitution provides for the establishment of an effective and independent reporting mechanism for receiving and investigating complaints from members of the public about misconduct on the part of members of the security services, that is, the Police Service, the Defence Forces, the State intelligence services and the Prisons and Correctional Service, and for remedying any harm caused by such misconduct.
Heal Zimbabwe Trust director Rashid Mahiya argues that  government has done nothing “so far” almost two and a half years after the constitution came into force to set up this mechanism hence the Con Court appeal.
“This is a public interest matter and we urge  everyone who is concerned about the conduct of the police and other security service personnel and the use of violence in the curtailment of civil liberties, especially the right of  to demonstrate and to express views freely, to attend the court hearing,” said Mahiya.
He said the case has also been made more urgent by the increasing numbers of public demonstrations such as the recent disrupted teachers’ demo in Harare and the Chitungwiza –Harare commuter operators and police riots.
“Anyone who has seen pictures in the press of police officers apparently beating teachers and commuter omnibus drivers will realise how necessary such a complaints mechanism is,” he said.
“It will also help the police to fulfill their constitutional mandate while respecting the citizens of Zimbabwe”.

While Doctors and nurses remained unpaid their salaries at Christmas time, President Robert Mugabe and his top brass — including Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa and several Cabinet ministers — took time off to spend lavishly and make merry in various resorts in Africa and the Far East over the just-ended festive season as the economy continued to sneeze.
As per his tradition, Mugabe and his family travelled to the Far East last month for the President’s annual recess.
According to pictures circulating on social media platforms, the First Family was last week joined by Mnangagwa and his wife Auxillia in some resort place believed to be in the Far East.

By Terrence Mawawa Masvingo|Two Zanu PF councillors here have deserted the ruling party to join Joice Mujuru’s People First in a move that has stunned the party’s provincial leadership.
Although Zanu PF provincial chairman Ezra Chadzamira claimed the two councillors were fired from the party, ZimEye.com has been reliably informed Rosiwita Chinyaure ward 12 Masvingo Rural District Council and Chikotomere, ward 6 Bikita, left the troubled ruling party to join Mujuru in December.
Chadzamira angrily claimed the two were fired for gross misconduct and he hurriedly wrote a letter of dismissal to Chinyaure and verbally announced Chikotomere’s ouster.
Cracks have continued to widen in the ruling party as disgruntled elements continue to express their displeasure in the provincial executive led by Chadzamira who is a confirmed Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa apologist.
“Councillor Chinyaure has been excluded from the list of our councillors with immediate effect,”said Chadzamira.
However Zanu PF Bikita boss,Peter Chibi, contradicted Chadzamira’s utterances claiming Chikotore was still a councillor.
According to party insiders the two were spotted at a People First meeting in December and they left Zanu PF before Chadzamira made the announcement.
The Zanu PF provincial boss is reportedly attempting to pour cold water on the defection of the two councillors despite widening cracks in the troubled revolutionary party.
In his letter dated 17 December 2015 Chadzamira wrote:”This letter serves to advise that Clr Rosiwita Chinyaure of ward 12 Masvingo has ceased to represents of Zanu PF and its people .”

The landmark trial of Bikita West Member of Parliament, Munyaradzi Kereke, opened in the Harare Magistrates Courts on Monday with the legislator denying two charges of indecent assault and rape.
He denied the charges when he appeared before magistrate Noel Mupeiwa. Prosecutors allege that sometime in March 2010 he fondled the breasts of his niece who was 15 and also raped the girl’s younger sister aged 11 three months later.
The incidents allegedly happened at Kereke’s home in Mt. Pleasant, Harare. This becomes the first high profile private prosecution case in the history of the country.
The private prosecution of Kereke was made possible after the constitutional court slapped prosecutor general Johannes Tomana with a wholly suspended 30-day sentence on condition that he issues certificates for private prosecution.
Tomana had defied rulings of the high court and the supreme court compelling him to issue the certificates. Kereke was represented by his lawyers, James Makiya and Nathaniel Chigoro.
Charles Warara is the private prosecutor. Kereke argued that the complainants took too long to report because they were being used by politicians to craft a case against him.
However, when the girl was led by Warara and cross-examined by Makiya, she told the court that she is not related to any politician, nor does she know one, adding that she doesn’t even understand politics.
The trial continues Tuesday and seven more witnesses will testify against the legislator.
Law professor and leader of the opposition National Constitutional Party Lovemore Madhuku told VOA Studio 7 the trial is a significant chapter in the country’s legal history. Madhuku also said he has it on good authority that the state will amend the law to close “loopholes” used by Warara.
Interview With Professor Lovemore Madhuku (2:00)
Direct link (943.5kB)
Last year, permanent Secretary in the ministry of information George Charamba said government is studying the Constitutional Court judgment compelling Prosecutor­ General to issue certificates of private prosecution with a view to addressing contradictions in the Constitution over the power and the rights it gives to individuals and State institutions.
Charamba is quoted in the state controlled Herald newspaper as saying; the matter was beyond Mr Tomana and his office and the Constitutional Court. “The matter before us is much more complicated than has been framed in the media,” he said. “It goes beyond parameters of institutions in question and it certainly goes beyond behaviors of persons involved. There are fundamental principles that are at stake and the remedies may go beyond actions by the conflicting institutions.”- VOA

Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries led by Prophet Walter Magaya has admitted to unlawfully encroaching onto a neighbour’s property popularly known as “Rocks Lodge” next to its Waterfalls chapel in Harare without the consent of the legitimate owners.
The church is now offering to purchase the land to avoid eviction from part of Number 8 Prospect in Waterfalls.
The admission was made in a bid to seek an out of court settlement and to avoid eviction from stand where PHD Ministries is carrying out construction work.
A fortnight ago PHD Ministries was sued at the High Court for ‘invading’ and encroaching onto the property owned by Panabase Consultancy (Private) Limited at Number 8 Prospect in Harare.
This followed an unsuccessful attempt by PHD Ministries to purchase the two-hectare property for $235 000, a price that was turned down by Panabase as too little.
Despite a disagreement over the price, PHD ‘invaded’ the property and allegedly destroyed some structures they had found on the land.
Panabase, through its director and Harare lawyer Mr Shingai Mutumbwa, viewed PHD’s actions as unlawful and a way of arm-twisting the company into selling the property at an unreasonably low price.
To that end, Panabase filed an urgent chamber application at the High Court seeking the eviction of the church, Prophet Magaya, employees and their guests from the property.
More to follow . . . -State Media

Harare city council says it is going to dispossess land from land barons  as a way of protecting the public from being fleeced of their hard earned cash.
There is a proliferation of shanty settlements in Harare emanating from land barons who are selling pieces of land to desperate home seekers on illegal sites.
Most of these housing cooperatives are controlled by the so called former liberation war fighters who give names of late prominent nationalists to these housing cooperatives.
As a result of the illegality of the settlements Harare city council has over the past two years been demolishing these structures leaving thousands in the open.
Harare city council spokesperson Michael Chideme said this year they are reclaiming  their mandate of issuing out stands.
“For the past twenty years we have not been servicing land but now we have realised that to feel the gap that has been created we are going to service land beginning this year and we have also realised that people were being cheated their money by unscrupulous management committees of housing cooperatives,” said Chideme .
“People have been paying money for the past ten years, fifteen years but with no meaningful development on the ground”.
Chideme said Harare city council is not going back on demolishing illegal structures.
“Demolitions are an action of last resort after being civil through giving people some warnings,”he said.

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