By Tinoonga Mawere Chiredzi | “Open your legs,” a male nurse based at Chizvirizviri Clinic said before beginning to fondle a female patient’s private parts while doing some medical checkups on her.
The male Nurse Believe Mauswa appeared (43) appeared before Masvingo Regional Magistrate Judith Zuyu facing aggravated indecent assault charges. He is accused of fondling the patient’s clitoris and insterting cotton wool into her private parts while rolling it around until it was wet.
The complainant said the whole process lasted for 7 minutes until she realised Mauswa’s manhood was erect. The complainant queried the duration and the manner in which Mauswa conducted the pregnancy test since it was not her first checkup.
She said the accused instructed her to go behind a cupboard in the laboratory and ordered her to remove her pants. She was also instructed to open her legs.
“I lowered my pants to thigh level but I began to query his instructions .He then took some cotton wool and asked me to open my legs wide. He pulled my clitoris and began to fondle my private parts. I told him I was no longer comfortable with the process and I also noticed that his manhood was erect,” said the woman.
Joel Siduna,a senior nurse at the clinic said there was no need for the patient to remove her pants during a pregnancy test since she was supposed to bring her urine without going through such a process
Mauswa has since been suspended from work pending further investigations into the matter.
He also told his superiors that he made a mistake in the process and conceded he went too far although he pleaded not guilty.

By Tinoonga Mawere Masvingo| The broke government defaulted on paying fees for Copota School for the visually impared, creating glaring arrears for the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe run school.

Sources at the school last week said government defaulted on fees payment under the Basic Education Assistance Module(BEAM) resulting in a severe backlog. It is understood the arrears stretch back to more than two terms thereby creating a budget crisis.
The government is unlikely to clear the debt because the Ministry of Primary and Secondary School coffers are empty, sources have said.
A staff member at Copota School last week said: “we are facing problems at the school because the government has stopped paying fees under the BEAM programme. Our efforts to seek clarity on the matter have not materialised and we have been referred to different offices but all did not yield anything. We deal with children who are socially disadvantaged therefore most of them are assisted by the government.”
Several pupils are set to drop out of school since the government’s lack of commitment is frustrating the school authorities. Government services across all sectors are literally ground due to lack of funds as President Robert Mugabe’s administration continues to preside over waning service delivery.

Government says the alleged trapping of six people at Pickstone Mine in Chegutu reported last week is turning out be a hoax and is keen to question the local legislator, Dexter Nduna, over the matter.
It was reported that at least six illegal miners were trapped in a shaft after the owners of Pickstone Mine “forcibly” backfilled the shafts used by the panners while some were still underground.
The matter was reported to the relevant authorities and a rescue team comprising experts from various arms of Government was commissioned to go and excavate the area with a view to retrieving the bodies.
However, their efforts according to Mines and Mining Development Secretary Professor Francis Gudyanga, were frustrated by Nduna with the aid of the illegal miners and the district administrator.
Prof Gudyanga told The Herald that although a rescue team was still on the ground, no shred of evidence had been found to give credence to the alleged trapping.
Sources confided that it had since been established that Nduna was the biggest beneficiary of illegal mining activities at Pickstone Mine and he was using his political influence to protect them.
As such, the alleged trapping saga, according to sources, was a hoax aimed at tarnishing mining operations by Pickstone Mine.
Said Prof Gudyanga: “The local Member of Parliament claimed that there were people who were trapped underground at the mine so we decided to send a team of experts to rescue them.
“We sent the ministry’s chief mining engineer, the inspector of mines and explosives in the province and a director from Mashonaland West.
“They went there on Saturday and decided to excavate somewhere along where the alleged trapping occurred but the MP and the DA stopped the rescue team.
“The team dug up to 22 metres with the assistance of one of the panners, but there was no evidence of bodies or something like clothes to suggest there were trapped bodies underground. There was not even a stench to indicate that there were some decomposing bodies near.
“I personally went there to examine the place and I talked to our experts but we have taken great exception at the conduct of the MP and the DA for blocking our team.”
Prof Gudyanga said contrary to what should be expected from a leader Nduna was encouraging the nomadic panners to block the rescue team.
He said he was keen to talk to Nduna adding that as a legislator, he was not supposed to interfere with mining operations of a legally licensed mine.
Prof Gudyanga said it was the prerogative of the Mines and Mining Development Minister (Walter Chidhakwa) and the President to decide who should mine where in the country.
“He ( Nduna) is the one who was actually directing operations there. He is not the mines minister and he is taking the law into his own hands,” he said.
“I want to talk to this MP because he is misleading the nation because he even went on television dancing with the panners celebrating their success in blocking our team.
“We thought that maybe he was doing that for political reasons and we don’t know if these miners are depositing their gold with Fidelity Printers. I don’t think so and it’s a matter that we are already investigating as a ministry. The matter was reported to Cabinet and we are waiting for their decision.”
Sources said Nduna was protecting the illegal miners at Pickstone Mine for personal enrichment.
It was further submitted that Nduna had a bone to chew with Pickstone Mine because the company refused to give his company a $400 000 road refurbishment contract.
Another source said: “The net is closing on him on various criminal charges including making a false report to the police and inciting people to assault the police. He is also receiving royalties from a consortium of panners every month and recently when he went to the Zanu-PF National People’s Conference the panners contributed $3 000 for the trip.
“Surprising, the Pickstone Mine project is the biggest gold project to be initiated in the province this year, but he ( Nduna) is on a crusade to tarnish it. Pickstone is possibly the second biggest gold producer in the country, after How Mine.” – State Media

The courts have no power to compel couples to remain in marriage when one party insists on divorce, the High Court has ruled. Even if the other party feels he or she is still in love, the fact that one is no longer interested in the marriage should end the union.
Justice Esther Muremba granted a decree of divorce in favour of a Harare woman, Ms Elta Matore, despite the fact that her former husband of 12 years Mr Enock Johannes Matore, was insisting on trying to salvage the marriage through prayer.
Mr Matore was strongly opposed to the divorce, arguing that he still loved his wife and that his wife was only possessed by a spirit of divorce. Ms Matore told the court that the marriage had irretrievably broken down as the couples had differences on financial issues.
She argued that Mr Matore’s mother was running the family’s finances and daily life and he would neglect his immediate family to cater for his father and mother. Ms Matore said she would literally surrender her own salary to the mother-in law and Mr Matore insisted that there was no problem in him taking care of his parents.
The court then ruled that the parties were not prepared to adjust and reach a consensus, they had not been staying together for at least three years, hence their marriage had irretrievably broken down. Ms Matore insisted in court that she was no longer interested and that she wanted a divorce.
To that end, the judge ruled that the court had no legal basis to force Ms Matore to continue in marriage when she personally insisted on divorce and that she had told the court orally and in papers that she had lost love and affection for the man.
“If there is no love and one insists it is the end, the question is: on what basis would a court then order the parties to reconcile and continue to stay together as husband and wife in a normal marriage relationship when one party is unwilling?”
Justice Muremba said the conduct of the parties in court showed that there was no longer room for reconciliation. “Upon considering the totality of the evidence before the court and having considered the law applicable, I find no reason why the divorce as prayed for by the plaintiff should not be granted.
“There is no basis upon which this court can force the plaintiff to remain in love and in marriage to the defendant when clearly, from her stance in court, the issuance of summons and living apart from the defendant, she is desirous to end the marriage,” ruled Justice Muremba.
The court observed that there was hostility between the parties as they gave evidence in court. “The mode of talking in court clearly showed hostility between the parties which supports that the parties had irreconcilable differences and that they are incompatible,” she said.
It was also the court’s finding that Mr Matore was simply trying to impose himself on the woman as a way of fixing her. “I read the defendant to be an ingenuine man who insisted on marriage in form simply to fix the plaintiff….
“The defendant sought to impose himself on the plaintiff under cover of biblical desire to be divorced only by death.
“Self imposition would not amount to marriage as envisaged by the law. The contract has to be between two consenting parties,” ruled Justice Muremba. The court also found that Mr Matore’s evidence was riddled with inconsistencies.
The couple was married on February 21 2003 and the union was blessed with two children who are still minors. Problems started in 2007 when the couple migrated to South Africa for employment. They had challenges in securing jobs in line with their professional qualifications. The couple had financial constraints as well as financial differences.
When it came to budget issues, it was undisputed evidence that Mr Matore would put his immediate family last while he prioritised his mother, siblings and cousins. Mr Matore argued in court that he had an obligation to help his relatives since he was first born in the family.-State Media

A thieving Mbare Musika vendor had luck turning its back on him after he stole a wallet from an unsuspecting ZUPCO passenger and sped off in lightning speed only to be seized by a crowd that responded quickly.
Mob justice was delivered instantly with the thief receiving a thorough beating that also saw some pulling his dreadlocks, fortunately the passenger recovered her wallet with all its contents.
When visiting Mbare Musika clutching on to one’s handbag or wallet is an unwritten rule.
Vendors, travellers, rank marshals, drivers, thieves and others of no fixed aboard mix and mingle and add to the huge numbers that pass though the bus terminus every day.
A young man spotting his dreadlocks and masquerading as a vendor could not escape mob justice after stealing a wallet from an suspecting passenger .
Fortunately, the thief was left alive after a thorough beating but some of his dreadlocks were pulled out and he had to nurse a bleeding nose.
What is interesting though is that those at the fore of reprimanding the thief were vendors.
All this happened in less than five minutes and the ZUPCO passenger recovered her wallet with all its contents but no one dared taking the issue to the police as Mbare has its own way of dealing with thieves.State Media

President Robert Mugabe’s wife Grace, is now the virtual President of Zimbabwe, opposition MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai says.
Grace Mugabe, 50, had taken over in a “palace coup” and no one in government was doing anything about the country’s crisis, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader said in an end-of-year message. “No one in government is thinking of solutions to the national challenges as everyone is preoccupied with issues of who will succeed this tired man steering the ship of State,” Tsvangirai said on Monday.
“There is no boldness to confront the national crisis; what with an aged president and everyone around him fighting to succeed him,” Tsvangirai added, highlighting Zimbabwe’s growing unemployment and hunger.
He said Zimbabwe is faced with a leadership crisis. His own popularity plummeted since a coalition government in which he served as prime minister ended in 2013. “Unless and until we sort out the legitimacy crisis, we will not resolve the confidence deficit this government has suffered from local and international investors,” he said.
Critics warned that Monday’s announcement of a ban on cellphone recharge cards, to be implemented in six months, would threaten the livelihoods of thousands of vendors. Most Zimbabweans are employed in the informal and vending sectors.
Mugabe, who is to turn 92 in two months, has been in power since independence in 1980. He appeared in relatively good health, although he stumbled twice in public in 2015. Tsvangirai lost to him in presidential elections in 2002, 2008, and 2013. Each time the MDC leader claimed Mugabe rigged and intimidated his way to victory.
In the last 18 months, Grace Mugabe has taken an increasingly prominent role in Zimbabwe’s politics, spearheading the fight to get Joice Mujuru removed from her position as vice-president last year. Currently head of the ruling party’s powerful women’s league, Mugabe has denied having presidential ambitions.
The opposition criticised her recent handouts of clothes, washing powder, and agricultural equipment procured using a government loan from Brazil, at rallies. – Guardian

Police here are hunting down three men who allegedly assaulted, kidnapped and gang-raped a woman who was with her boyfriend before escaping in their victims’ vehicle, which they used to commit other crimes.
The incident happened in Cowdray Park suburb near TM Shopping Centre on Saturday night.
The trio allegedly smashed the windscreen of their victims’ Nissan Drift with an axe before using the same weapon to attack the male victim, hitting him on the forehead.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango urged couples to desist from meeting at secluded places, saying that exposed them to criminals. Insp Simango said the lady was gang-raped by the trio.
“After attacking the boyfriend they forced him into the back seat of the car before driving away to an area near Norwood plots.
“That’s where they stopped the car and took turns to rape the woman. The three then forced the couple back into the car and drove towards Victoria Falls-Nyamandlovu Road,” said Insp Simango.
She said the three suspects stopped the car and made a U-turn after they encountered a police road block.
“When they were approaching Victoria Falls road they saw a police road block, prompting them to a make U-turn back to Cowdray Park. They dumped the couple before driving back into the suburb where they committed more crimes,” she said.
Insp Simango said in Cowdray Park they attacked another woman and robbed her. “They found a woman who was coming from South Africa and was still trying to open a gate of her house. They attacked her and robbed her of groceries, a purse, and other bags.
“The woman screamed awakening her neighbours and she was also heard by police who were on night patrol,” said Insp Simango. She said one of the neighbours managed to take down the vehicle’s registration number.
“They pursued the vehicle together with the police who were on patrol. The suspects drove towards the Nkulumane-Solusi Road where they lost control of the vehicle. The three suspects disembarked and escaped on foot,” she said.
Insp Simango said everything that had been stolen was found in the car, suggesting there could be other victims who had not reported to police. “All the groceries, cellphones, tablets were found in the car.
“However, we are still searching for the culprits and members of the public who may have information regarding their whereabouts must come forward,” said Insp Simango.
She said robberies are getting increasingly common in Cowdray Park, adding that cooperation from members of the public was important in arresting a gang that once terrorised residents in the suburb.
In October police arrested Njabulo Mlalazi (42) from Cowdray Park suburb after he, together with his gang, robbed a couple and forced them to indulge in unprotected sex as they watched. chronicle

President Robert Mugabe says the late national hero, Senator Aguy Georgias, was a real fighter who exposed the evil, brutality, callousness and greed of the west when he used his personal resources to fight western imposed economic sanctions.

President Mugabe said this during the burial of Senator Georgias at the National Heroes Acre in Harare today.
He said the late national hero belonged to the league of men and women who refused to be cowed into submission by colonialists, adding that is the reason he was among those on the western imposed economic sanctions.
“Aguy belongs to the league of man and women who rejected oppression and racial discrimination, that is the legacy he has left. Today we are celebrating a life well lived, at 80 years, the things he achieved makes his life greater than his death,…. Georgias has left us a record which today chides you, chides all of us. It is a record which exalts us all a life worth lived,” said Mugabe.
He also said Senator Georgias’ company, Trinity Engineering and his family suffered greatly as a result of the sanctions.
He revealed that his children who were in Britain were ordered to return home on the orders of the British government but he managed to have that over-turned in the courts of law.
Earlier, the body of Georgias was taken to the traditional stop over for national heroes, the Stodart Hall in Mbare, where President Mugabe lead mourners in body viewing.-State Media

The Harare City Council has served about 20 000 defaulters with summons to attach properties as it moves to recover money owed in unpaid bills by residents.
The council is owed in excess of US$400 million in unpaid bills by residents and industry.
The Harare City Council has served 20 000 households in Borrowdale, Mabvuku, Mt Pleasant, Highlands, Mabelreign, Marlborough and other suburbs with summons to attach properties.
Earlier this year, the city fathers disconnected water supplies to defaulters hoping they would pay their dues but this did not turn out the way they wanted, leaving with no option but to attach properties.
“Indeed, we have issued these households with summons, 10 000 have been served with warrants of execution for attachment while the other half should come forward and arrange for payment plans,” Harare City Council Principal Customer Relations Officer, Dorothy Mavolwane, said.
The city fathers have resorted to incentivising debtors who pay all their dues by offering discounts of up to 30 percent.
The council has also been failing to meet its financial obligations with workers reportedly going for months without getting their salaries.
Service delivery is also at an all time low.

VOA – The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN), which observed the weekend Nkulumane parliamentary by-election won by Zanu PF, says it is worried that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) used two voters’ rolls – one with over 13,000 people and another with more than 20,000 voters.
In a statement, ZESN said this is not acceptable in a democratic society as only one voters’ roll is utilized in free and fair elections.
The by-election was held to fill a seat left vacant after the death of MDC-T lawmaker Thamsanqa Mahlangu. All MDC formations boycotted the polls that featured Zanu PF and two small opposition parties.
According to ZESN, ZEC registered voters in Nkulumane using the polling station-based voter registration system which was recently piloted in the Marondera Central by-election.
“ZESN observers reported on the use of two voters’ rolls namely the main polling station-based voters’ roll which had names of those who managed to register anew during the November 2015 registration exercise in the constituency and a supplementary polling station-based voters’ roll which was extracted from the 2013 ward based voters’ roll. ZEC used two voters’ rolls for the Nkulumane by-election.
“This becomes the second time that the Commission has utilized two separate voters rolls (main and supplementary rolls) under the polling station based voting system prompting some stakeholders to raise questions over ZEC preparedness to fully implement the system for the 2018 harmonised elections.”
ZESN reiterated its position that international best practice encourages the use of a single voters’ roll in order to enhance stakeholder confidence.
The main voters’ roll for Nkulumane had a total of 13,331 registered voters of which 5,121 were male (38%) and 8,234 (62%) female. The supplementary voters’ roll had 20,787 voters of which 11,071 (53%) were males and 9,715 (47%) females.
ZEC chairperson Rita Makarau was not available for comment. According to ZESN, counting procedures were conducted in accordance with the law with all political party agents confirming by signing the V11 forms at the end of the counting. “In line with the requirements of the law the election results were posted outside all polling stations where ZESN observed.”
ZESN observer reports show that the turnout was generally low with voters trickling in throughout the day. Most of those who turned out to vote were mostly women with a significantly low number of youths turning out to cast their votes. “The low voter turnout for the Nkulumane by-election is consistent with trends during all the 2014 and 2015 by-elections. These trends may be attributed to the fact that major opposition political parties have not participated in the by-elections, and also the timing of this by-election which coincides with the festive season where people travels to different holiday destinations. Another contributing factor could be that the by-election was held during the festive season.”
ZESN recommended that government should speed up alignment of electoral-related laws with the Constitution to ensure the creation of a conducive electoral environment that guarantees the respect and enjoyment of universal suffrage and fundamental freedoms.
It also suggested that the continued use of two voters’ rolls reveals the need for ZEC to come up with a more comprehensive voter registration methodology that ensures that all eligible voters are captured by the new polling station based voter registration system.
ZESN also said ZEC should devise voter education programmes that lure the youth and other voters in general to fully participate in electoral processes.

A Chitungwiza teacher who sodomised his 16-year-old pupil after drugging him with unknown tablets, mbanje and Broncleer syrup while conducting extra lessons, was yesterday slapped with a one-year prison term.
The man (22) sexually abused the boy on several occasions and ordered him not to reveal the offences.
He denied aggravated indecent assault charges before Chitungwiza regional magistrate Ms Estere Chivasa, but was however, found guilty of sodomy.
“The State failed to prove the case of aggravated indecent assault charges the accused was facing. This is as a result of the victim who is now over 16 years and is capable of consenting. If the complainant was less than 12 years, accused was going to be convicted of the same charges.
“But in this case complainant had agreed and he is above 16, section 247 makes it very clear under such circumstances,” said Ms Chivasa.
Ms Chivasa sentenced the man to a year prison term after convicting him of sodomy.
Ms Chivasa said it was not clear from the evidence adduced in court if the victim had been drugged as the complainant could have also been abusing drugs.
It was also established that the complainant would frequent the teacher’s house for money and engaged in the act.
The prosecutor Mr Loveti Muringwa proved that from July to November this year, the boy used to go to the man’s house for extra lessons.
While there, the teacher would force the boy to take some tablets, Broncleer and smoke mbanje before abusing him.
This would happen on several times and after the abuse, the teacher gave the boy money to silence him.
On November 26, the man insulted the boy leading to a heated argument that saw the minor reporting the abuse to his mother.
The matter was reported to the police, leading to his arrest. State Media

The bogus doctor on trial for allegedly raping two nurses has disappeared.
The man who is on bail for allegedly raping a student nurse based at Harare Central Hospital and a nurse from a private hospital, was yesterday issued with a warrant of arrest after vanishing from court, the State Media reports.
Lawrence Kutoka (38) of Waterfalls, became the talk of the city when news of his rape charges reached the newsprint. The development was likened to that of a Kenyan doctor who “raped an unconscious woman in hospital”.
Kutoka was granted bail by the High Court and was yesterday back at Chitungwiza court before regional magistrate, Ms Estere Chivasa for trial.
He was not asked to plead to two counts of rape and aggravated indecent assault charges.
Kutoka was seeking a postponement of the matter after his lawyer could not attend trial.
When Ms Chivasa advised Kutoka that the trial was supposed to start, he professed ignorance telling the court that he had paid the lawyer for the services.
“I cannot stand trial because my lawyer is not around. I paid him,” he said.
However, Ms Chivasa refuted the claims.
“Tell your lawyer that he will read the record. If he is busy he should have sent someone.
“You have a right to a legal representative, but that is not absolute.
“I will give you an hour to look for another lawyer since the one you sought services from seems to be unwilling to help after he failed to collect your court papers,” said Ms Chivasa who then adjourned the court.
After the lapse of the granted time, Kutoka was called three times but was in no show prompting the prosecutor Mr Loveti Muringwa to apply for a warrant of arrest.
Ms Chivasa concurred and said: “Warrant of arrest issued.
“I have already endorsed that the accused should be remanded in custody upon arrest.”
Circumstances are that Kutoka raped the pair after he promised to offer them jobs at his “surgery” on November 5.
He met his first victim, a nurse (20) at a private hospital on her way to Eastlea to collect her salary when Kutoka allegedly introduced himself as a doctor.
Kutoka allegedly told her that he opened a new surgery and wanted nurse aides.
They later met in town and handed him her CV, inviting her into his vehicle on the pretext of taking her home to Highfield.
He allegedly drove to Marondera where he raped the woman.
On November 9, Kutoka allegedly met the second victim at Harare Central Hospital, introducing himself as Dr Madiro.
It is alleged that he used the same trick to lure her to Chitungwiza where he raped her.-State Media

A report claiming the Zimbabwean dollar is being introduced by the Reserve Bank, is false.
The central bank has allayed fears over the return of the local currency after panic gripped the banking public yesterday following a fake message circulating on social media platforms which said Government has resolved to re-introduce the local currency.
According to the message, the reintroduction will counter “negative” effects caused by the appreciation of the US dollar against the currencies of the country’s major trading partners.
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Dr John Mangudya however, said such claims “are unfounded”.
Dr Mangudya told The State Media that the message was false and not called for as it will cause panic among Zimbabweans who are already traumatised from the hyperinflationary environment.
While high demand for cash is synonymous with holidays such as the current festive season, banking sources said yesterday the “unusually high demand of cash triggered the message”.
At the height of economic challenges in 2008, Zimbabwe adopted the multi-currency regime anchored in US dollar. This was meant to stabilise the economy and establish a credible nominal anchor. The replacement of the Zimdollar brought the hyperinflation and the currency devaluation to a halt, laying foundations for economic recovery.
Average annual inflation during 2009-2013 was 3,3 percent, while the real gross domestic product grew on average more than 8 percent a year.
The message claimed the Cabinet and Parliament okayed the re-introduction of the local currency, which would be temporarily used as bond notes and bond coins. It said the decision was taken after Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa proposed the return of the local unit to enhance competitiveness of local firms.
The message claimed that local companies had been thrown out of business as a result of continued appreciation of the dollar against currencies of trading partners, particularly the SA rand.
Dr Mangudya said Minister Chinamasa’s statement had been quoted out of context.
“In fact, pensioners received their payments in US dollars yesterday while grant-aided institutions will be paid out on Wednesday (tomorrow).”
The message further claimed the internal devaluation proposed by Dr Mangudya has failed to achieve the desired results, hence the need to re-introduce the local currency. Banking officials said the banking public should not panic.
“This is economic sabotage,” said an official with one of the leading banking institutions.
“While we are making efforts to restore public confidence, we have such things happening.”
Another official said the public should not take the message seriously considering that despite claims that banks will start receiving “notes and coins” yesterday, “there is no such thing”.
Minister Chinamasa and Dr Mangudya have on several forums said the Zimbabwean dollar will only return after all the fundamentals to support the local currency are re-introduced.
Minister Chinamasa said the re-introduction of the Zimbabwean dollar under the current environment would be counter-productive.
The minister said the major reasons for introducing the multi-currency regime were inflation pressures, unsustainable current account position, fiscal imbalance and depressed real sector activities. While some progress has been achieved in some areas, it is not enough to support the return of Zim dollar.

The Harare City Council says it will continue the demolition of illegal structures in all suburbs as efforts to bring sanity in the housing sector intensifies.
“The demolition of unregistered housing cooperatives and the operation of tuck shops which were phased out in 2005 is set to continue,” according the City of Harare Principal Customer Relations Officer, Ms Dorothy Mavolwane told the State Media.
Meanwhile, some Glenview 4 Dare Rechimurenga Housing Cooperative members say they are spending sleepless nights in fear their houses could be destroyed.
They claim to have been in constant communication with the city authorities, whom they say had indicated regularising their stands, but have now turned against them.
A visit by the ZBC News revealed that some of the residents are already moving out while others are still resisting.

Anyone in Zanu-PF regardless of whether they belonged to former Zanu or PF-Zapu before the signing of the Unity Accord, can stand for Presidency when a vacancy arises, party Second Secretary and Vice President, Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.

President Mugabe and the late Vice President, Dr Joshua Nkomo who led their revolutionary parties and armies Zanu and Zanla as well as PF-Zapu and Zipra respectively, signed the Unity Accord on December 22, 1987 which culminated in peace and unity in the country following the disturbances that afflicted parts of the Midlands and Matabeleland provinces soon after Independence.
According to the Unity Accord, whoever is elected as President under the ambit of the united Zanu-PF must appoint two Vice Presidents with one from former Zanu and the other one from former PF Zapu.
Cde Mnangagwa who is also Vice President, said the Unity Accord never stated that only a former Zanu official would be President, while a former PF-Zapu one would be one of the VPs.
In an exclusive interview yesterday ahead of the Unity Day celebrations tomorrow, VP Mnangagwa said it was also up to future generations to decide whether they wanted to continue with the system where two VPs must come from both former Zanu and PF-Zapu.
He said the position of having two VPs from former Zanu and PF-Zapu was meant to make sure that they were both represented. “That was the concept at the time, to make sure everybody is represented at that level but as we go down the line, I don’t know whether that shall continue to be the same. We leave this to the future generation as to how they look at it,” said Cde Mnangagwa.
There have been claims by some quarters that former PF-Zapu could only provide one of the Vice Presidents while former Zanu would provide a Presidential candidate and one of the VPs.
VP Mnangagwa dismissed this claim saying the Presidential candidate could come from either of the two parties. The VP lashed out at secessionists saying Zimbabwe was a unitary State that would not allow itself to be divided.
“Anybody can be President from former Zanu or former Zapu. It’s in the agreement. You must read the agreement. Whoever becomes President, his two Vice Presidents must come from the two former political parties. That is what is in the Unity agreement.
“I sometimes read about things that you people write that there are elements of secessionists, Mthwakazi, something like that, that fringe. You always have people of that nature in every society and that does not stop the revolutionary train to continue its journey. They will shout and bark, the train of development and unity will continue to go,” said VP Mnangagwa.-State Media

Industrialist, economic empowerment advocate and former Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Senator Aguy Georgias has been declared a national hero.
He will be buried at the National Heroes Acre on Tuesday.
Zanu PF National Secretary for Administration, Ignatius Chombo said the decision to confer a national hero status to Georgias was in recognition of his contribution to the economic emancipation of all Zimbabweans.
“The honour is in recognition of his unwavering support and contribution to the country before and after independence. Georgias fought against imperialism, wanted economic empowerment of locals and was generally a fighter for freedom. The country has lost a dedicated cadre,” Minister Chombo said.
The family welcomed the decision and honour bestowed upon Georgias.
Georgias died aged 80 last Friday at A.M.I Hospital in Avondale, Harare after succumbing to heart and kidney failure.
Burial has been scheduled for Unity Day on Tuesday.
Georgias is survived by his wife, Lizzy Georgias, 11 children and 16 grandchildren.
Mourners are gathered at number 14 Rocky Lodge, Browning Drive, Strathaven in Harare.

The Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe Party (PDZ) led by UK based internet protege Barbara Nyagomo, has successfully tailgated ZANU PF coming second in the Nkulumane Constituency by-election.
The PDZ shoved up with a shocking 680 pushing Elton Mangoma’s Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe (RDZ) behind as the latter polled a 397 count.
Zanu PF won the by-election with its candidate, Killian Sibanda polling 2161 votes, beating Mr Ngwalo Nyathi of the PDZ, and RDZ’s Mrs Sibusisiswe Mpofu.
Briefing the media on the outcome of the polls, ZEC Bulawayo Provincial Elections Officer, Mr Innocent Ncube said the country’s electoral body is happy in the manner in which the elections were conducted.
The winner, Sibanda told the State Media his major task is now to work with captains of industry and commerce to revive Bulawayo industries.
The proposed local devaluation, a strategy to lower tariffs and bank interest rates, is one solution in dealing with the current economic challenges, noted Sibanda. He promised that he will not be going to Parliament just to add numbers but wants to make a difference by contributing to debates and co-ordinating development activities in Nkulumane and Bulawayo at large.
Meanwhile commenting on the development, Barbara Nyagomo wrote in the ZimEye newsroom her projections that if this victory is repeated countrywide, her party will get at least 20 seats in the upcoming 2018 elections.

A GARDENER at a Bulawayo children’s home allegedly raped a seven-year-old girl daily over an unspecified period.
The alleged attacker, Nachiwale Johanes, 28, popularly known as Uncle Officer, lived at the home. He is now a student at the Bulawayo Polytechnic. The abuse allegedly came to light when the child was adopted from Isaiah’s Umuzi Wothando Children’s Home in Hillside suburb by a Bulawayo family two weeks ago.
A court heard that the girl started having nightmares where she would call out the name of her alleged attacker, prompting her foster mother to investigate. The foster mother, who cannot be named to protect the girl, allegedly opened a can of worms when the girl told her that Uncle Officer would sneak into their room and abuse her together with seven other girls at the home.
Uncle Officer has since appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Tinashe Tashaya to answer rape charges. He was remanded in custody to January 14. The State alleges that the girl was raped while sleeping in a room she shared with other girls on an unknown dates last year.
“Uncle Officer would sleep in the same cottage with the girls and during the night he would sneak into the girl’s room where he would remove the complainant’s panties and rape her,” read the State outline.
“Each time he raped her, he would first fondle her buttocks and insert his fingers into her privates. The girl at one point screamed and attracted attention of their caregiver who only peeped through the window but did not investigate, the court heard. On December 5, the girl was adopted and she moved in with her foster mother.State Media

The man who way-laid Vice President Joice Mujuru soon after her husband’s suspicious death, conspiring to destroy her career, Christopher Mutsvangwa, is in trouble and now swallowing his own poison.

Mutsvangwa deliberately infected ZANU PF with the current riotous energy and poison that has seen countless members being kicked out on allegations of conspiring against Robert Mugabe and his wife, Grace.
He at the time barely last year claimed that Mujuru is a cheap, low ranking comrade who fraudulently acquired her hero status of spilling blood and gunning down a helicopter. Mujuru was then labelled a fake chopper shooter.
The same man, Mutsvangwa is now however set to be boted and replaced by Buhera South legislator, Joseph Chinotimba, as newsreaders speculate.
Exiled Chimurenga music guru Thomas Mapfumo’s popular song, Wauraiwa, is a fascinating work of art whose wisdom has remained central to morality.
Analysis By Everson Mushava| Standard

The song captures human behaviour as self-cannibalising with its intrinsic verse that says “one who plays with a sword will die by the sword.”
Indeed, Mapfumo’s visionary eye in the song can never be doubted.
The temptation to think of War Veterans minister Christopher Mutsvangwa’s waterloo each time the song is played is just too irresistible.
Mutsvangwa, “the macho” presented himself as one who almost single-handedly won Zimbabwe’s war of liberation.
The Norton MP played a pivotal role in the “unconstitutional” purges of former Vice-President Joice Mujuru and her perceived allies on allegations of plotting to oust President Robert Mugabe last year.
He fired the first shots, accusing Mujuru of falsifying her liberation war record and plotting against Mugabe.
The campaign against Mujuru was soon joined by First Lady Grace Mugabe, who borrowed some of the outlandish accusations against Mugabe’s then deputy to light fire under Zimbabwe’s first female vice-president’s feet.
After the mission was accomplished, Mutsvangwa was awarded with a ministerial post and the way was paved for him to lead the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association.
For a few months he appeared to be on the ascendancy as an emerging power broker in the faction-riddled Zanu PF.
However, in a seemingly cruel twist of fortune, the tide has turned against Mutsvangwa, who is on the verge of being pushed out of Zanu PF for allegedly underming the first family.
Mashonaland West Province last week passed a vote of no confidence on him, taking a cue from Mugabe’s pointed attack against the minister at the just-ended Zanu PF conference in Victoria Falls.
Mutsvangwa, an alleged loyalist of Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s faction, is walking on a tightrope.
The same axe that he engineered to fall on the “enemies of the party” has turned on him, appropriately justifying the visionary song by Mapfumo.
Ousted Mashonaland West Zanu PF provincial chairperson Temba Mliswa, who was the first victim of purges on Mujuru loyalists before the Zanu PF congress last year, says Mutsvangwa was the author of his own misfortunes.
“War veterans led by Mutsvangwa spear-headed my expulsion,” Mliswa said.
In August last year, Mutsvangwa rubbished the long-held belief that Mujuru downed a helicopter.
He said this was a mere myth created by former party political commissar Webster Shamu to deliberately shore-up her war credentials and elevate her above fellow comrades.
This opened floodgates to attacks on Mujuru; with Grace urging her husband to “baby-dump” the then VP.
Supporting Grace in the Mujuru onslaught was a group of excited youth leaders, among them former Mashonaland Central youth leader Godfrey Tsenengamu, who have also since been made to taste their own medicine.
“Mutsvangwa is a victim of [his] own actions. What he used on others has come back to haunt him,” said political analyst Takura Zhangazha.
“Although the vote-of-no-confidence on him by the Mashonaland West provincial executive will not directly affect him until it is endorsed by the politburo and central committee, the same approach he took on Mujuru and her alleged supporters has been turned on his political career.”
Observers say Mutsvangwa had grown too big for his shoes.
The motor-mouth War Veterans minister had become synonymous with controversy. He knew no boundaries in his unrestrained attacks on fellow comrades.
In a no-holds-barred WhatsApp chat, Mugabe’s spokesperson, George Charamba told Mutsvangwa off.
“Get back your youthfulness you super war veteran, the Rambo who won the war single-handedly. You have a horrible complex, an acute deficiency that overpasses your meagre personality,” Charamba charged.
“For far too long we have allowed you to hide behind the parapet of struggle as if you are the only fighter in town. We will pluck those feathery horns if you take matters too far.”
Mutsvangwa appears to have touched a raw nerve by calling for the removal of Saviour Kasukuwere from the commissariat position ahead of the Victoria Falls conference.
At one of her rallies in Rushinga in October, Grace warned “proud war veterans” that taking part in the liberation war was not a licence to misbehave.
Mliswa said, Mutsvangwa — who has rubbished his suspension claiming it was illegal — presented the party with a challenge to self-introspect on its past behaviour.
“When I was fired, I told them that I was dismissed unconstitutionally, and they [including Mutsvangwa] saw it fit that I go. But today, he is saying the same things I raised when I was dismissed,” Mliswa said.
Mliswa said according to the Zanu PF constitution, in firing an official the provincial executive committee should recommend to the provincial coordinating committee, which then should recommend to the national disciplinary committee, whose decision should be endorsed by the politburo and then by the central committee.
“The national disciplinary committee should give a prohibition order, inviting the suspended person to a hearing,” he said.
“The suspended person even has the right to legal representation.
“All this was not followed in all the purges and reinstating Mutsvangwa would mean reinstating everyone who was suspended and fired before him, including Mujuru.”
However, Mliswa said this would not happen as Mugabe was keen to violate the constitution each time he sees it fit to serve his own personal interests.
“That is why he [Mugabe] is now attacking the security personnel, because they are now posing a threat to his interests and family,” Mliswa said.
“In fact, victims of the purges should unite and pass a vote-of-no-confidence on Mugabe himself. He has failed to protect the laws of the party.”
Zhangazha concurred, saying the purges contravened the Zanu PF constitution.
“Due process was never followed in all the Zanu PF purges,” he said.
But whatever eventually happens to Mutsvangwa, Mapfumo’s words have been brought to life; one who plays with the sword will die by the sword.
His wife Monica is also on the verge of being kicked out of the party for allegedly disrespecting the First Lady.

Samuel Takawira|News24|Ladies of the night from Epworth, Harare have begun shunning the use of condoms as long as the customer pays more.
The harsh economy in the country has an effect on their business, and they say they now have to rely on unprotected sex to put food on the table.
One of the prostitutes, Tarisai Nyikadzino, says that they accept anything from as little as five to $10 dollars for unprotected sex.
She said another reason that has fuelled, unprotected sex, which is now a boom in the satellite town of Epworth is a stiff competition from the young and energetic hookers who have flooded the popular Booster area since the day sex work was legalised.
” I prefer unprotected sex because it pays better,” she said stating that on good days one can take home around $25 and $30 from unprotected sex. This has forced most sex workers to resort to dump condoms so they can make more cash.
Most of these hookers believe that after having unprotected sex, there is a pill, they take that will prevent them from getting the deadly HIV virus, even though they don’t know that tablet’s name.
 
“Soon after every sexual encounter, I have to take one of the pills so as to protect myself from HIV/AIDS,” said one hooker, confirming the rampant illegal use of Post Exposure Prophylaxis.
Post-Exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is normally prescribed to people who have potentially been exposed to HIV usually through rape. This form of HIV treatment can prevent the virus from becoming established in the body.
Another commercial sex worker, affectionately known as Sister Nancy, revealed how easy it is to get hold of PEP, as her supply is delivered to her by agents who have ties to medical staff at the government owned Overspill Clinic.
“The guy who bring PEP to us charges US$6,50 for 30 pills,” she said without giving more information on the person.
The agent buys 30 pills for US$5 .There is overwhelming evidence that sex workers have much confidence in PEP.
“I trust PEP,” said Alice, another sex worker. She added that if PEP can be used by rape victims to prevent them from being infected with HIV; they can also use it for the same purpose after having unprotected sex.
“It is a treatment pill to some but to us it is a passport to having more money,” Alice added.
Though they could not directly link the reduction in disposed condoms in their area to an increase in unprotected sex, a cross section of Epworth residents confirmed that their area had less litter.
“In the past you could see a lot of used condoms scattered around but nowadays as you can see there are a few,” said Lloyd Tafirenyika a senior resident in Epworth.
Asked for comment on allegations that PEP pills were being obtained from her clinic, the Sister in Charge at Overspill, (not her real name)Melody Chipenga* refused to attend to this reporter and threatened to have the reporter thrown out of the clinic.
“Go away with your false allegations, I will have you thrown out of my premises,” she said before banging her door.
The abuse of PEP is rife in Epworth and this is replicated in many places around the county’s capital.
PEP is also flourishing on the streets of Harare, popularly known as kumaAvenues, another hub of moral decadence.
Prostitutes in Harare’s avenues who are notorious for forcing men to indulge in sexual activities also use PEP in a bid to ‘protect’ themselves from the HIV virus.
Though PEP is not regarded as a protective measure against HIV and Aids, sex workers are shunning condoms as they believe the drug prevents them from being infected with the deadly virus.
“Most of our clients demand unprotected sex. In such scenarios you have to give in and use the protective pill afterwards,” said Chelsea Moyo a sex worker who operates from the Avenues.
In an environment where the dogma is “unprotected sex pays”, commercial sex workers like, Chelsea have to make sure they carry PEP for use after a business night.
PEP was designed for victims of sexual abuse and is not a recommended consistent protective measure against HIV and Aids.
However, the need to make money from unprotected sex has seen the use of PEP flourishing among sex workers.
Investigations by this reporter revealed that after securing ARV drugs from the donor community, the government owned company, NatPharm stores and distributes the drugs.
The drugs are distributed to various centres according to the number of HIV patients that a centre serves.
A senior worker at NatPharm who requested anonymity said that PEP is distributed to all the hospitals and clinics.
“PEP is distributed everywhere but most of it is channeled to areas where cases of rape are high,’ he said.
Epworth was one of such centres. ZRP victim friendly unit senior staff officer, Assistant Commissioner Isabella Sergio revealed that 2 405 children were raped in Epworth from January to October.
But despite its rampant use, Dr Owen Mugurungi, Ministry of Health and Child Care’s Director of AIDS and TB said t there was no shortage of PEP for victims of rape.
“We have not heard of any report saying we have shortages of the drug. As long as you come out in the open within 3 days you can get help,” he said
Dr Nyaradzo Mugodi, the Project Director of UZ-UCSF (a collaborative research program between University of Zimbabwe and University of California, San Fransisco) said that though PEP can reduce the chances of getting the HIV/AIDS virus, is not completely safe.
“Anti-HIV drugs can reduce the risk of HIV infection if taken within 72 hours of an exposure to HIV and if taken every day for four weeks. The sooner PEP is started after an exposure, the more likely it is to work,”
She, however, advised against taking the drug without seeking advice from a qualified medical practitioner.
‘A person must first discuss their situation with a nurse, doctor or counsellor. There are side effects associated with PEP and these include nausea, fatigue and diarrhea,” she said adding that PEP provides no protection against other sexually transmitted infections.
She also confirmed that a person could develop drug resistance if they become infected with HIV while taking PEP.
“If a person’s HIV becomes resistant to the PEP drugs, the same anti-HIV drugs may not work for treating their HIV,” she said.
Organisations responsible for educating and raising awareness on HIV and AIDS,however, seem to underestimate the magnitude of the rampant use of PEP.
“We do not have evidence that there is abuse of PEP,” said Tadiwa Nyatanga-Pfupa, the Communications Officer of National Aids Council.
She however warned against the use of PEP.
“As NAC we do not encourage irresponsible sexual behavior and taking PEP afterwards. We encourage the use of condoms or abstinence for prevention of HIV transmission,” she said.
According to Pfupa, rape survivors can get PEP from public institutions through the set regulations but evidence gathered from Epworth suggests that no procedures are being followed by commercial sex workers to get PEP.
Peter Marimi of Batanai HIV and AIDS Service organization condemned the abuse of PEP by commercial workers saying that it causes serious shortages of the drugs among rape victims who might need it the most.
“We condemn the illegal way commercial workers are using to acquire the pill and with immediate effect nurses should stop selling drugs which are meant for a specific target group in this case not sex workers,” he said
This is not the first time ARV drugs have found their way on black market in the country. A documentary by Aljazeera unearthed the illegal distribution of ARVs by doctors and nurses. Samuel Takawira

In what could prove to be the tipping point in the post-congress Zanu PF’s seemingly unstoppable factional and succession wars, the Daily News has reliably learnt that political heavyweight Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri is on the verge of being hit with the party’s infamous vote of no confidence.
This comes as allies of the Water minister, seen as the godmother of Manicaland by virtue of her seniority in the province, are being booted out of Zanu PF one after another as punishment for defending her, and as Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s supporters are under the cosh in the ruling party as the battle to succeed President Robert Mugabe hots up.
The party’s youth league in Manicaland announced on Thursday that they had passed votes of no confidence in their chairperson Kelvin Manyengavana, commissar Washington Ziwiwi and executive member Gertrude Mutandi over their participation in a meeting where Muchinguri-Kashiri was recorded attacking her Zanu PF foes.
Mubuso Chingunu, who announced the ejection of the trio from the party, has since assumed the leadership of the regional youth organ.
“The trio also stand accused of holding unconstitutional clandestine meetings with Comrade OCZ Muchinguri from time to time where they discussed and deliberated matters to do with the youth league, bad-mouthing senior party leaders, and therefore defeating the whole sense of following proper party protocols of the provincial youth league to be answerable to the national youth league as stated in article 25/230,” Chingunu said.
Well-placed sources told the Daily News yesterday that Muchinguri-Kashiri was now “definitely in the firing line” of her party enemies, and that she could “suffer the same fate” as that suffered by former Vice President Joice Mujuru, whose allies were purged one by one last year before her eventual ouster from power.
At the heart of the deadly ructions is the battle to succeed Mugabe, where a faction loyal to Mnangagwa is locked in a bitter battle with ambitious Young Turks known as the Generation 40 faction, who are pushing for the appointment of a woman vice president in place of the beleaguered VP.
Such a move would, if successful, fatally dent Mnangagwa’s chances of ever succeeding the increasingly-frail Mugabe.
Muchinguri-Kashiri’s allies claim that the G40 has instigated the axing of several of her supporters in Manicaland, all of whom are allegedly ultimately loyal to Mnangagwa, in a plot to “incapacitate” the VP.-DailyNews

Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa has paid back US$100 000 extended to his private surgery by Premier Medical Aid Society.
The payment to Dr Parirenyatwa’s surgery had caused an uproar, with his critics saying it was improper as his ministry regulated PSMAS and hence he could have arm-twisted the service provider to extend the bailout to him.
The minister in turn said the payment was above board, a position supported by former Health Minister Dr Timothy Stamps.
PSMAS, under the leadership of former MD Mr Henry Mandishona, authorised an agent transfer of US$100 000 to Dr Parirenyatwa’s private surgery in 2014, prompting calls for him to return the money and quit his Government post.
Last week, Dr Parirenyatwa told The State Media that his private medical practice paid back the money in full and PSMAS owed his business more than US$3 000.
“In March 2014 the medical practice received a lump sum owed to it by PSMAS. The medical practice further negotiated for an advance from PSMAS. The medical practice and PSMAS have since reconciled their accounts. PSMAS now owes the medical practice,” said Dr Parirenyatwa.
“The advance has since been paid up in full. For the record, advances are standard practice by medical insurers and their medical service providers or patients.
“The Parirenyatwa Medical Practice was therefore not ‘overpaid’ by Psmas, and Dr Parirenyatwa did not ‘pocket’ money unprocedurally as some reports have claimed. The process was above board and agreed upon by the medical practice and PSMAS purely on a professional basis.”
Dr Parirenyatwa added: “There was no rule and no regulation, and no code or anything of the sort that was broken, violated or compromised contrary to numerous reports over the past weeks which sought to maliciously distort and misrepresent the facts and the circumstances of the in-famous advance.”
Secretary for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Mr George Charamba said Dr Parirenyatwa’s action was to Government expectation.
“He has paid the money in full. That was the expectation of the Government for him to pay and we are happy he has fulfilled that expectation,” he said.
PSMAS acting MD Dr Nicholas Munyonga confirmed that Dr Parirenyatwa had repaid the money.
According to a letter from Dr Munyonga to Dr Parirenyatwa dated December 15, 2015: “I write to inform you that since the reconciliation of the claims submitted from your practice since January 2014 to date and the subsequent monetary set-off paid to PSMAS, your claims awaiting payment is currently at US$3 190. This amount reflects the amount you are owed by PSMAS as at 16 December 2015.” State Media