With President Robert Mugabe looking increasingly frail and unable to stop the factional and succession wars devouring his ruling post-congress Zanu PF, analysts warn that the party’s ugly infighting could turn violent before, during and after its annual conference to be held in Victoria Falls next month.
While such gatherings have traditionally been uneventful and boring, this year’s is promising fireworks as bitterly-opposed factions linked to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Mugabe’s controversial wife Grace jostle to gain decisive advantage in the brutal succession war.
And with the opposing camps ratcheting up their rhetoric against each other over the past few days as tension rises, analysts told the Daily News yesterday that the threat of serious intra-party violence was becoming a distinct possibility, particularly given the past tendency by party hardliners to default to violence when their hold on power was threatened.
As it is, there have been disconcerting threats within ruling party circles this week that unaccredited rival youth groups may be bussed to Victoria Falls, which if it happens, will further raise the chances of violence breaking out at the conference.
The Zimbabwe Youth Action Platform (ZYAP) — a youth group that supports Mnangagwa — has already not only savaged the party’s ambitious Young Turks known as the Generation 40 (G40), who are rabidly opposed to the VP, they have also threatened violence against these alleged mafikizolos (party Johnny-come-latelies) that include national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere and Mugabe’s nephew Patrick Zhuwao.
Another group calling itself the Children of Zimbabwe National War Veterans Association has also threatened the alleged kingpins of the G40, also demanding not only that Kasukuwere apologises unreservedly for having once insulted some war veterans as drunkards, but that he is also ousted from his powerful party position.
The political analysts who spoke to the Daily News yesterday said given this “fraught climate” — as well as the fact that Mnangagwa had recently been reported to have upped his personal security, while some of the ruling party’s stalwarts such as Solomon Mujuru and Border Gezi had died in disputed circumstances — the spectre of bloody disagreements could not be discounted.
University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer, Eldred Masunungure, said a person like Mnangagwa could “ill-afford to be reckless”, especially after reports that his offices had been sprinkled with cyanide in an apparent attempt on his life by alleged party rivals.
“With the succession issue becoming more vicious, nothing can be left to chance. Mnangagwa has been forewarned and given his experience in the party during the liberation struggle where eliminations were a common feature, he wants to ensure that no such thing happens to him,” Masunungure posited.
Academic Ibbo Mandaza said Mnangagwa “probably knows better that … many have died under our watch from the 1970s until today, including the suspicious death of Rex Nhongo … so one cannot rule out anything”.
Afghanistan-based political analyst, Maxwell Saungweme, said there were many incidences of ambitious officials who had died in mysterious circumstances that included “road accidents”.
“That Mnangagwa is reported to have upped his security is testament to what the party is capable of doing,” he said, adding that “cases of violence  involving members are well documented”.
And as paranoia continues to grip the party, the VP’s supporters are pointing out to last year’s car accident and the cyanide attack at his Zanu PF offices as some of those ominous signs that have also made his family, specifically his wife Auxillia, vulnerable.
All this is happening as Grace’s allies are ratcheting up their efforts to “checkmate” Mnangagwa’s presidential aspirations at the ruling party’s annual conference next month.
Well-placed sources linked to the G40 — who are rallying behind Grace as the race to succeed Mugabe hots up — told the Daily News on Wednesday that the embattled VP would face his Waterloo at the increasingly-important Victoria Falls gathering.
“Everyone agrees that it is now time to end all these misguided plots by secessionists (G40 code for Mnangagwa camp) that the president plans to retire soon and that their man will finally be king.
“We will end all this silly excitement once and for all in Victoria Falls, as it will be checkmate time. Just keep watching this space,” one of the sources, a senior Zanu PF official, declared boldly without giving details.
But further investigations by the Daily News showed that just like the VP’s allies are hoping will happen, the G40 faction is also hedging its bets on the Victoria Falls gathering becoming an elective conference.
This would see constitutional changes catapulting Grace to the party’s vice presidency using Zanu PF’s abandoned women’s quota system — which would in turn see Mnangagwa relegated to a lower position, possibly that of party chairperson which was dropped last year.
Under this scheme, the G40 would push for Zanu PF to revert to its old constitution, under whose Article 7 (31) it declared that four members of the party’s central committee were supposed to be a president and first secretary, two vice presidents and second secretaries — “one of whom shall be a woman” — and a national chairperson.
“We will be pushing to see to it that Dr Amai Grace is nominated to the vice presidency post, while Comrade Mnangagwa may become the chairperson, which currently alternates between him and Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko,” a confident women’s league official said, arguing that the old party constitution was “in line with the Unity Accord” which was agreed by Mugabe and the late Father Zimbabwe Joshua Nkomo in 1987.
“VP Mphoko should keep his post by virtue of being the Zapu representative, which will mean that Comrade Mnangagwa has to be accommodated somewhere else,” she said.

By Tinoonga Mawere, Masvingo|The Zanu PF provincial executive here is expected to pass a vote of no confidence on First Lady Grace Mugabe and endorse Vice President Emmerson as President Mugabe’s successor in tomorrow ‘s meeting, it has emerged.
It is also understood Zanu PF members loyal to First Lady Grace Mugabe face expulsion ahead of the Victoria Falls conference if they fail to endorse Mnangagwa as Mugabe ‘s successor.
The provincial executive led by acting chairman Ezra Chadzamira is reportedly campaigning for Mnangagwa by holding a series of meeting across the province. Party sources told ZimEye.com senior officials have been holding caucus meetings at posh venues for that pupose.
“The Provincial executive will meet tomorrow here and it is quite clear they will endorse Mnangagwa as President Mugabe’s successor.Their stance is Grace should concentrate on the Women ‘s League affairs . Meetings are being held across the province -last week we met at Chivi Growth Point and Nemanwa Growth point over the same issue. People respect Grace as the First Lady but they are not happy with the way she is positioning herself,” said a provincial member who chose not to be named.
Chadzamira and provincial secretary Jappy Jaboon who are both MPs are reluctant to comment on the issue for fear of being reprimanded by Grace who is increasingly becoming the force behind the troubled ruling party. It has also emerged Chivi ward 5 councillor Grace Mukungunugwa ironically Grace’s namesake was last week threatened with expulsion by Mnangagwa loyalists.While Zanu PF is splashing money on factional fights, the party is yet to act on the need for urgent food relief in some parts of the province.
Mukungunugwa allegedly told the Mnangagwa apologists Mrs Mugabe would ascend to the presidency and she was threatened with expulsion .
“Mrs Mugabe appears to be losing grip in Masvingo province but we must not rule her out because she is a fighter.Some of her supporters are being victimised here,” said another party official . Although the party denies the beef between Grace and Mnangagwa, it is understood the tussle will see senior officials being sacrificed ahead of the explosive conference.

United States outgoing Ambassador to Zimbabwe Bruce Wharton  has described described President Robert Mugabe as a lion of Africa who has dedicated his whole life to liberating the continent.
Wharton, speaking to journalists in Harare, said he was leaving the country at a time when relations between the US and Zimbabwe were showing some improvements.
He pointed out that there were still some grey areas that needed to be polished before his country removes its sanctions against Zimbabwe. He also commended the country for holding peaceful elections in 2013, that were won by Zanu-PF.
“Robert Mugabe is a lion of Africa. He has dedicated his life to creating a free and independent … a lion of Africa … he is one of the leaders, not only of Zimbabwe’s liberation but of the Frontline States,” said Wharton. He said there were areas in which credit was due for Zimbabwe.
“We do recognise the improvement in the human rights situation in Zimbabwe. Thank God, the election of 2013 was peaceful. It’s a huge step forward,” said Wharton, who is returning to Washington to become the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs at the US Department of State.
Wharton, however, alleged that some people still disregard court rulings.
Wharton said there was need to restore property rights and compensate former white farmers, but added that he believes Zimbabwean authorities were sincere when they say they are presently incapacitated economically to pay compensation.

He also talked about the disappearance of MDC-T activist Itai Dzamara, but was quick to add that he could not prove in a court of law who was responsible for his abduction.
Wharton said he accepts the government’s explanation that people disappear everywhere including in the US, but added that he feels more could be done in Dzamara’s case, including roping in Interpol.
On the economic front he said “a small number of policy reforms” were needed to improve the country’s economy, and praised Zimbabwe’s empowerment policy, though adding that it needed to be made clearer.
“The indigenisation idea is a very worthy concept. All governments have the responsibility to protect their own citizens’ economic rights first, but the implementation of the indigenisation law has remained hard to predict and it seems to change from time to time and that has a chilling effect on an investor’s willingness to put money into a country,” added Wharton.
He said as he leaves Zimbabwe, some of his achievements are that he has been able to
facilitate high level meetings between government officials, adding that people on the sanctions list “were 25 fewer” since he came.He said for the past 12 months, he supported the IMF staff monitoring programme in the country and was supportive of the country’s debt repayment plan, which he said may clear the way for debt relief and new loans.
The US ambassador said as a result of that support the US “did not bang our shoes at the podium and say no, no, no” at the recent meeting in Lima, Peru, where Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa met the IMF and World Bank officials to resolve the debt issue.
“Fundamentally, the most important determinant of Zimbabwe’s future will be the actions of the people and government of Zimbabwe.
“You’ve heard me say the future of Zimbabwe is in the hands of Zimbabweans. I absolutely believe that,” he said.

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AT least eight suspected murderers are on the loose in Matabeleland South and police are seeking information that could lead to their arrestA police schedule of wanted persons gleaned by Southern Eye showed that several murder suspects, allegedly heinously attacked and killed a number of people in different parts of the province before disappearing.
Among the most wanted persons was Peter Phiri of Dulibadzimu in Beitbridge, who allegedly savagely killed his girlfriend near a railway line in Gwanda by stabbing her several times all over the body, before leaving an Okapi knife lodged in the victim’s neck earlier this year.
Another suspect, Zibusiso Mangena of Phakama in Gwanda, who allegedly stabbed to death a police constable at Phakama business centre in 2012 before fleeing, was also being sought by police.
Other suspected murderers, who are on the police wanted list, are Jabulani Dube of Filabusi, Bongani Ndou of Matopo, Mncwonywa Ncube and Frank Gatsheni of Guyu, Nkosilathi Ndlovu of Manonywe Village in Gwanda as well as Jabulani Dube Nyoni of Gwakwe area in Gwanda.
According to the notice, police are urging members of the public with information on the whereabouts of the suspects to approach their nearest police station.-SouthernEye

Harare City Council has offered ousted town clerk, Dr Tendai Mahachi, a $500 000 exit package but Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Ministry has reduced the amount to $100 000.
Sources close to the deliberations said Dr Mahachi, through his representative Mr Chenjerai Daitai of Magwaliba and Kwirira Legal Practitioners, was holding out for a $700 000 golden handshake.
They, however, said a team appointed by Harare Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni, led by Councillor Enock Mupamaonde to negotiate a package with Dr Mahachi’s representatives, had offered $500 000, an amount subsequently agreed to by both parties.
“The team reported to the mayor that they had settled for $500 000 and the mayor in turn briefed the ministry. The ministry felt the amount was hefty and slashed it to $100 000, a figure which Dr Mahachi’s representatives have rejected,” said the source.
Mr Chenjerai Daitai confirmed that they had reached an agreement with the city but that council was dragging its feet on payment.
“We reached an agreement with the city on a certain figure which I cannot disclose but the city has not yet implemented our agreement.
“We have written two letters which the city did not respond to. We will be filing an application at the High Court challenging the city to fulfil its obligations,” he said.
Mayor Manyenyeni was diplomatic saying progress had been slow in negotiations.
“We are still discussing his retirement from council. Progress has been slower than we had hoped for. Nothing has been agreed to yet,” he said.
Council endorsed a decision by the human resources and general purposes committee in September to terminate Dr Mahachi’s employment contract.
Mayor Manyenyeni was authorised to negotiate a package with Dr Mahachi’s lawyers during a special council meeting.
Dr Mahachi had made an application at the High Court arguing that Section 139(2) of the Urban Councils’ Act requires that prior to the termination of a contract of employment in respect of a town clerk, the Local Government Board must approve the termination.
He, however, withdrew the application in which he wanted an order compelling the city to reinstate him following the negotiations.
Prior to making the High Court application, Dr Mahachi had demanded a golden handshake from the city and among his 22 demands he wanted a mansion in Belvedere and two top of the range vehicles.
According to a letter written by his lawyers to Manyenyeni, Dr Mahachi, who earned more than $27 000 per month, wanted the city to pay him more than $100 000 for every year he served the city.
He joined the city in 2007.-State Media

• New Ndebele King coming, VP Mphoko guarantees.
• Revival of the Kingdom, the only way resources can comeback

Staff Reporter| The controversial revival of the Umthwakazi Kingdom of the Ndebeles appears to be gathering momentum following this weekend’s Gadade Battle commemorations.
An estimated 5 000 ethnic Ndebele people gathered at Gadade in Ntabazinduna on Saturday to commemorate the day the last Ndebele Kingdom under King Lobengula Khumalo was destroyed. History records that the point at Gadade is where the last of Lobengula’s bravest warriors were killed off by the cannon gun wielding British forces on their way to burning down KwaBulawayo Lobengula’s palace.

All dressed in Ndebele traditional outfit, the thousands of people who gathered at the event sang and danced to Ndebele war songs calling for the revival of the Mthwakazi Kingdom. Some opportunistic elements in the gathering used the chance to send messages demanding for the cessation of Mthwakazi from the rest of Zimbabwe.
Leaders of the Mthwakazi Kingdom revival groups used the stage to call upon government to immediately facilitate for the crowning of a new King for the Ndebele people. They also demanded that government accords the Ndebele warriors who were killed at the Gadade battle the national heroes status and declare Gadade as a national monument.
Addressing the crowd, Chief Nhlanhla Ndiweni of Ntabazinduna where Gadade falls under, called on government to start respecting the cultures of the people of Matabeleland and have the income generated from the region benefiting the people in the region.
Chief Ndiweni castigated the marginalisation of Matabeleland region by the ZANU PF government since independence claiming that the region fought the toughest battles in the liberation of Zimbabwe but it’s never recognised for its efforts. He also took swipe at people who are bent on dividing Matabeleland into different ethnics groups.
Ndiweni reiterated his recent remarks that he was not happy with having the Police and Prison training depots in his area while they do not employ locals. Ndiweni claimed that his father the late Kayisa Ndiweni had allowed for construction of the depot as a skills training centre to benefit local people but was shocked when it was unceremoniously turned into a Training Depot for the police and prisons services.
Addressing the same gathering, Chief Gumede of the Ndebele people based in South Africa called on the people of Matabeleland to remain focused on fighting for the restoration of the Mthwakazi Kingdom. He claimed that the revival of the Kingdom will be the only way under which the people of Matabeleland can begin benefiting from the resources in the region.
The Gadade commemorations come just a couple of months after the King Mzilikazi commemoration which was attended by a similar crowd including Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko. In his address, Mphoko assured the people that government was working hard in ensuring that the king of the Ndebele people is coronated before the end of this year. Speakers at the Gadade commemorations assured the crowd that the king will be coronated before the end of the year as promised by Vice President Mphoko.

The police in Mrewa have  arrested and detained 35 year-old man Moenda Mberi for allegedly blaming President Robert Mugabe as the author of the country’s economic crisis, which has “brought untold suffering among some of his ruling Zanu PF party sympathisers.”
Mberi (pictured) was been charged for undermining authority or insulting President Mugabe in contravention of Section 33 (2) (b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
The police led by one Detective Sergeant Munotumani of the CID Law and Order Unit in Mashonaland East province claimed insulted President Mugabe after he allegedly accused the 91 year-old ZANU PF party leader of having run out of ideas to arrest the country’s agonising economic crisis.
The police charged that Mberi, who was being represented by Kennedy Masiye of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), and was said to have uttered some unpalatable words at a beer retail shop located at Juru Growth Point in Goromonzi North constituency in Mashonaland East province.
The police alleged that Mberi blamed President Mugabe for the poor fortunes of some ruling ZANU PF party supporters, who are experiencing weight loss despite the promises from their leader who in the run-up to the 2013 general elections had pledged to create two million jobs and help fix the economic crisis.
Mberi was however on Wednesday released at the Murehwa Magistrates Court before he could appear in the courtroom after prosecutors declined to proceed with the matter as they had not secured authority to prosecute the villager from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) head and Prosecutor-General Johannes Tomana as provided under the law.
There has been a dramatic increase in the arbitrary application of Section 33 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23) in recent years, where individuals have been charged with allegedly “insulting or undermining the authority of the President”.
Since 2010, ZLHR has attended to more than 100 cases where clients have fallen foul of this law and the bulk of the victims are residents and villagers residing in the politically volatile Mashonaland Central province.

ZLHR has challenged the constitutionality of Section 33 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23) on several occasions, on the basis that it infringes on freedom of expression, particularly of a public figure, and one who must be subjected to scrutiny as a political candidate.
In courts, the NPA has in recent years and months been withdrawing charges against several suspects after declining prosecution and conceding before Constitutional Court judges that the allegations do not disclose the commission of an offence.
This would be after ZLHR attorneys would have petitioned the country’s apex court seeking orders challenging the constitutionality of the insult law.

Three months after President Robert Mugabe made a cabinet reshuffle, he is still failing to find a suitable person to appoint as Minister of State for Presidential Affairs in Matabeleland South province.
High ranking officials in the ZANU PF Provincial set up claim to ZimEye.com that the President is failing to pick a person for the position in the province because a majority of the high ranking party members in the province are sympathetic to ousted former Vice President Joice Mujuru.
In the reshuffle, President Mugabe removed his self confessed most loyal son Abednico Ncube from being his eye in the politically sensitive province as Minister of state to a new Ministry for Cultural Affairs and Rural Development.
The party sources claim that the President “is at sixes and sevens in trying to come up with Ncube’s replacement” made worse following the ouster of former party Provincial Chairman and strongman Andrew Langa. Langa who is generally credited with helping the ruling party win all the thirteen seats in the province, draws a huge respect from party members who he is now suspected to have dragged with him to the Mujuru People First yet to be launched party.
Mujuru’s project is said to be threatening to totally take over Matabeleland South province as it continues to secretly gather very senior members from all the political parties.
The sources claim that the yet to be unveiled party is making massive inroads in the province which is likely to eventually turn out to be the party’s stronghold.
“Mugabe does not have anyone of trust anymore in the province and will not be able to come up with his best trusted resident Minister from anyone in there,” said the sources.
“This problem is not only with Mugabe but all the political parties no longer have anyone to work with in the province as the Mujuru factor has silently swept through the province,” added the sources.
“People in Mat South must wait for shocking surprises when the party is launched as some very big names from will be unveiled…”
Asked on who the President may likely appoint to the position, the sources claimed that the position is being earmarked for former Gwanda senator Japheth Dube at the recommendation of his trusted aides.

Ex ZIPRA fighter fingers Mphoko in Gukurahundi terror
By Tinoonga Mawere, Gutu | A man who claims to be a former ZIPRA fighter during the liberation struggle has made sensational claims Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko was part of the intelligence system that masterminded the Gukurahundi atrocities.
James Nhongonhema Chamisa (70) of Gutu District further claimed Mphoko was sitting on the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission programme because he was part of the technical team that was behind the Gukurahundi terror.
Chamisa also claimed Mphoko was a CIO operative during the time and he was actively involved in shaping strategies during the terror period that resulted in the death of thousands of Ndebele speaking people in Matabeleland and Midlands.
“I know that chap(Mphoko) -we fought together in the liberation struggle as a ZIPRA soldiers just before independence .He then joined the CIO and that is why he is afraid of the Gukurahundi shadows.
This is the reason behind his reluctance to act on the peace and reconciliation programme.He has been on record defending the government on the Gukurahundi issue because he was part of the system. Many people were surprised when he ascended to the post of vice president but I am not amused.Mugabe also wanted to coax Jacob Zuma-who is close to Mphoko and he wanted to hoodwink the Ndebele speaking people . Mark my words young man Mphoko will continue to drag his feet on the Gukurahundi issue.I have the facts to substantiate my side of the whole story and I am not afraid to meet him (Mphoko),” said Chamisa.
Many Zimbabweans were amazed by Mphoko’s rise but Chamisa claimed he had all the information about his controversial elevation.
The Mugabe regime has reflected a general lack of zeal in addressing the sensitive issue and Mphoko who has been tasked to head the peace commission on Gukurahundi is seemingly reluctant to implement the exercise . The Mugabe administration has been accused of gross violation of human rights.In 2008 hundreds of MDC supporters were murdered while some were maimed ahead of the controversial presidential election run-off and Zimbabweans now fear for the worst following reports of political violence in Harare.

The outgoing US Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Bruce Wharton says Zimbabweans should continue fighting for democracy “because” change is inevitable.

A 37-year-old Zimbabwean sexually attacked a Belfast woman, charges slapped on him allege.
Pondai Bamu, 37, allegedly attacked the woman at Rosemary Street as she waited for a friend to collect her in the early hours of September 24.
The defendant, appeared before Belfast Magistrates’ Court to face charges of rape and sexual assault. He was refused bail amid fears he could flee or potentially re-offend.
Bamu, of Malrborough Avenue in the city, spoke only to confirm he understood the charges. Opposing his release, an investigating detective said it was due to “the predatory nature of the offences”.
She said the alleged attack was carried out in a dark alleyway after the woman’s friend told her he was on his way to pick her up. Police also revealed that he left Northern Ireland and spent a period in the north of England following the alleged rape.
However, a defence lawyer told the court: “His account consistently was that this was a consensual act.”
He added that one of Bamu’s relatives was prepared to let him stay at her address in Co Armagh. But District Judge Fiona Bagnall denied bail based on concerns the accused may leave the jurisdiction.
Citing further reasons for her decision, she said: “Given the nature of the offence and the information put before the court at this stage there’s a predatory nature to the offence.”
Bamu was remanded in custody to appear again by video link on December 9.

A prophet fainted when he returned home and found his wife in bed with another man.
Thulani Ncube of Bulawayo who was on A night shift, got sick and returned home without telling his wife Clara Rubaya. He was shocked to find his wife in the arms of boyfriend Ezlamm Sibanda.
Instead of taking action, Ncube collapsed and Sibanda fled from the scene naked. But he was apprehended by neighbours who took him to Western Commonage Police Station.
Ncube explained how it all happened.‘‘While at work I developed a running tummy. As a result my boss said I should go home. When I got home at around 9pm, I was shocked when I heard strange sounds. I tried to listen and thought maybe we had visitors. I then opened the door since I had spare keys. I found my wife bending holding the bed while her lover was on her case. After that I don’t know what happened because I had a blackout. I only woke up to see a lot of people surrounding me,” said the distraught Ncube.
He has since sent her packing. “I had gathered substantial money to pay part of the lobola. I won’t pay anything anymore- I sent her back home,” he said.
Clara Rubaya, the cheating wife that she had a past and strong feelings for Sibanda.
“ I don’t know what got into my head. I failed to stop my previous relationship with Ezlamm because I fail to get rid of him and I believe I still love him,” she said.

Violence broke out in Highfield yesterday as Zanu PF youths linked to vice President Emerson Mnangagwa thrashed the pro-Grace Mugabe faction during a restructuring exercise which the party is conducting ahead of its December  Victoria Falls conference.
Report by Newsday
Journalists visited Highfield, where witnesses said violence erupted after sharp differences over the criteria to be used to vote for the youth leadership in the district and several people were caught up in the fracas.
The situation had returned to normal at a local community hall, but the atmosphere was tense, with eyewitnesses narrating how they dodged stones and several objects that were being thrown from all directions by the fighting party youths.
Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba could not immediately confirm the violence, saying she would check on it.
Highfield West MP Psychology Maziwisa was not available for comment, as his mobile phone was unreachable.
Harare provincial commissar Shadreck Mashayamombe was also not available to comment on the skirmishes, while national spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo was not answering his mobile number.
Witnesses said skirmishes started on Monday evening, forcing the adjournment of the restructuring exercise.
The process resumed yesterday, but officials failed to agree on modalities before the fights broke out.
“They were throwing stones and all sorts of objects at each other,” a witness said.
“We only heard that some wanted to use a book with names of party supporters, while others questioned that and wanted everyone present to vote, hence the violence. One of the troublemakers was taken to the police.
“The stones hit our houses and some cars as the fights turned nasty.”
Several onlookers watched from a safe distance as the elections proceeded.
Last week, Zanu PF national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere reportedly witnessed violent clashes as ruling party supporters fought during a restructuring exercise in Kadoma. Several party members were reportedly injured and rushed to Kadoma General Hospital.
Zanu PF officials are divided along factional lines, with one group allegedly loyal to Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the other to First Lady Grace Mugabe.

Zanu PF Harare provincial political commissar who is also the Harare South MP Shadreck Mashayamombe is tipped to be come the party’s Harare provincial chairmanship in the party’s ongoing restructuring exercise, he is fighting with Mt Pleasant MP Jason Passade.
Mashayamombe is campaigning for  Grace in her national rallies where she is preparing to succeed her 91 year old husband President Robert Mugabe.
He is also the  current Zanu PF Harare province political commissar, while Passade is the deputy secretary for indigenisation.
Charles Tawengwa is the acting provincial chairperson after Godwills Masimirembwa was booted out in June by his provincial executive on allegations that he was fanning factionalism.
Masimirembwa was also accused of disrespecting the party’s top leadership after he reportedly misled Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko that Mavis Gumbo would represent the party in the Harare East by-elections when, in fact, Terence Mukupe had won.
Masimirembwa had sprung to the Harare province top post after the sacking of the late Amos Midzi, who was accused of conniving with former Vice-President Joice Mujuru to oust President Robert Mugabe.
Mashayamombe yesterday said he would contest for the post as soon as the party opened up the floor and was optimistic of victory.
“I am confident of winning,” he said.
Passade also said he was waiting for a directive from the party and would contest as soon as the green light was given by the politburo.
“I was in the race before I lost to Midzi. I got 3 500 votes while Midzi polled 5 000 votes. The people who voted for me are still there and I am sure I will win. I am tried and tested. Mashayamombe is only 31 years old, he still belongs to the youth,” Passade said.
Passade lost to Midzi in 2013 in tightly-contested polls that were marred by factional accusations.
Midzi reportedly belonged to the Mujuru faction that swept eight provinces out of 10.
“We have to follow instructions from the leadership. I will campaign as soon as the post is declared open for contestation,” Passade said.
Other members reportedly eyeing provincial executive positions are Highfield West MP Psychology Maziwisa and Harare East MP Terence Mukupe.(Additional Reporting Newsday)

The Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Saviour Kasukuwere, has appealed against a Bulawayo High Court order directing him to reinstate suspended Gweru mayor Hamutendi Kombayi and 10 councillors.
Last month, Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Nokuthula Moyo, ordered the Minister to reinstate the 11 councillors on the basis that the section of the Urban Councils Act that was used to suspend the city fathers contravened the country’s Constitution.
Justice Moyo’s ruling, which was delivered on October 2, followed an urgent chamber application filed by the 11 councillors who sought an order declaring their suspension null and void.
However, in a move that will keep the councillors away from Town House, Cde Kasukuwere yesterday told The State Media that his Ministry had appealed the order.
“We have appealed against the High Court order to reinstate the Gweru councillors,” he said.
The State Media could not immediately get hold of the appeal papers.
In August, Minister Kasukuwere indefinitely suspended Kombayi, his deputy Artwell Manyorauta and the other councillors on allegations of gross misconduct, incompetence and mismanagement of council funds and affairs.
Justice Moyo said section 114 of the Urban Councils which the Minister used to suspend the councillors and to appoint a tribunal was inconsistent with section 278 of the Constitution.
She said the Constitution provides for the establishment of an independent tribunal to exercise the function of removing from office mayors, council chairpersons and councillors.
The judge said the authority to remove councillors or constitute an independent tribunal was no longer vested in the minister.
“In summary, section 114 of the Urban Councils Act vests all powers to suspend and dismiss councillors, in the Minister of Local Government who is the first respondent. However, section 278 of the Constitution on the other hand gives an impression that the Constitution has taken away the powers that the Minister had in terms of section 114 of the Urban Councils Act and vested the same in an independent tribunal which should be established through an Act of Parliament,” said Justice Moyo.
She said the Constitution is the supreme law of the land and any law or Act that was inconsistent with it has no force or effect.
“The Constitution thus speaks for itself. Any act or practice which is inconsistent with its provisions is invalid to the extent of the inconsistency. It stipulates that the obligation imposed by it are binding on everyone and must be fulfilled by all, including the first respondent as Minister of Local Government,” said Justice Moyo. State Media

Three youth leaders of the Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai were on Tuesday allegedly assaulted by a group of ruling Zanu PF supporters, leaving them for dead.
One of the youth leaders suffered a broken rib and lost four teeth in the attack in Harare’s Mbare high density suburb.
The three, according to party spokesman Obert Gutu, sustained serious injuries that left them hospitalized.
The MDC youth leaders, James Chidhakwa, Rhino Mashaya and Keith Charumbira were attacked while having lunch after earlier attending a court hearing in which 17 party supporters were remanded in custody for alleged violent behavior during clashes with Zanu PF supporters in Harare South Sunday.
Also on trial was the MDC’s Harare provincial chairperson, Eric Murayi.
“The three sustained grave injuries, with Mashaya losing four teeth and a fractured rib, while Chidhakwa and Charumbira sustained deep head cuts,” party spokesman Gutu said.
“The attack was brutal and unprovoked. No doubt Zanu PF has reignited its terror thugs to start terrorizing the people of Zimbabwe, especially those in the opposition. We call on Zanu PF to desist from engaging such violent tendencies.”
The three have been admitted at a Harare Hospital.
Efforts to get a comment from the police or Zanu PF Harare Province were futile.-VOA

 
ANALYSIS – The assassination of General Solomon Mujuru in 2011, part of the incessant factional and succession wars threatening to tear Zanu PF apart are all an indication that internal democracy is well and alive, party spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo has hinted.
What ZANU PF has persistently said were assassination attempts on President Robert Mugabe also resulted in the evidential assassination of Gen Solomon Mujuru and then the subsequent ouster of the late General’s wife, Joice, all culminating in spiral removal of party members nationwide along faction lines (Mujuru and Non-Mujuru).
Khaya-Moyo made these revelations while commenting on the suspensions and counter-suspensions blighting provincial structures countrywide.
Moyo quoted by the Daily News, said the deadly infighting was emblematic of a thriving political party.
“The revolutionary party is the embodiment of democracy and differences are bound to be a common feature in any democratic environment as ours in Zanu PF,” he said.
He accused the media of being obsessed with what is happening in the ruling party.
“You have seen it even in the opposition parties and some have even gone on to split but you do not talk about it,” he said.
In Manicaland, chaos reigned supreme at the weekend as Zanu PF women’s league national spokesperson Monica Mutsvangwa openly traded insults with politburo member and youth league deputy secretary Kudzanai Chipanga.
The clash occurred during a special provincial coordinating committee meeting to resolve the issue of a vote of no confidence recently passed on women’s league boss Happiness Nyakuedzwa.
Mutsvangwa and Nyakuedzwa are both linked to a faction led by Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa in the race to succeed President Robert Mugabe while Chipanga is aligned to First Lady Grace, who is also said to be eyeing the presidency.
Nyakuedzwa’s vote of no confidence was allegedly at Grace’s behest as punishment for the provincial chairperson’s “insubordination”.
Khaya Moyo said the quarrels playing out should not be viewed from a factional point of view.
“In the end, when we have such differences, we are members of one party, we need each other so there is need for those involved in the fights to realise that there are rules in the party. We must amicably resolve our differences guided by the values and virtues of the party which emphasise unity. There is need for unity of purpose,” he said.
The Zanu PF information tsar revealed that the party would be launching an investigation into the disturbances in Manicaland and Mashonaland East provinces in particular.
“We are awaiting detailed reports to the politburo of what is transpiring in the provinces and from there, investigations will begin after the politburo has given direction,” Khaya Moyo said.
“The provinces will have to compile reports which the politburo will look at before dispatching an investigation team.”
He spoke as factionalism exploded in Mashonaland East where the provincial chairperson Joel Biggie Matiza, an alleged Mnangagwa ally, was ousted in a no-confidence vote before regrouping and turning the tables against his rivals believed to be led by a Grace loyalist Lawrence Katsiru.
Even the intervention of party political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere could not douse the flames as the working relations among the party leadership had “irretrievably broken down” as the fiasco left sediments of mistrust, according to Zanu PF insiders.

Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority bosses and their regulatory Authority Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority counterparts were today humiliated by an unscheduled blackout while trying to defend their bad service.
The shameful situation occurred in the presence of officials from the Ministry of Energy and Power Development.
ZERA and CCZ organized a public meeting for domestic consumer education, where the senior officials took turns to defend the electricity supply company on why there are power cuts.
ZESA national senior engineer Mathew Sibindi and the Western Region ZESA General Manager Lovemore Chinaka were at loss of words when ZESA abruptly switched off during the address by Mrs Gloria Magombo who is the Chief Executive Officer.
“Now you can explain to us practically, as we have been telling you in the morning that you cut power without notifying us your consumers. Address us now as to how does this happen!” shouted the crowd who were in the middle of the workshop.
The situation was rescued by ZERA technical department, who diverted the attention of the angry crowd by making group presentation on the solar power and biogas energy.
This did no did not go well with the already livid crowd who demanded that ZESA officials must explain their load schedule.
ZESA’s commercial Manager Western region Sibindi braved the chilling situation by addressing the crowd in admission that their power company was in trying times, adding the power utility owes their external power service providers citing that the situation can only be arrested if consumers settle the outstanding bills.
His sentiment were echoed by those of Mrs Magombo, ZERA CEO, who said that Zimbabwe owes other countries, and they were exporting power to get payments to settle the debt.
“Please bear with us, we are not living in a vacuum, we borrow from others and we need also to repay the debts, that is why we are in this predicament,” she said.

Civil society organisations are moving to take Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko to the constitutional court for government’s reluctance to establish a National Peace and Reconciliation Commission to deal with Gukurahundi atrocities.
Vice President Mphoko was tasked to oversee national healing programmes in the Zanu Pf government and the establishment of the NPRC falls under his portfolio.
If established the NPRC will deal with human rights violations which happened since the attainment of independence in 1980, most of which were perpetrated by Zanu PF including the Gukurahundi of 1982 – 1987.
Mphoko is on record defending government on the Gukurahundi atrocities which claimed more than 20 000 lives of the Midlands and Matabeleland civilians in the 80s.
Leaders of the civil society who include Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum director Lloyd Kuveya, Gladys Hlatywayo the director of the Zimbabwe Civil education Trust and Heal Zimbabwe Trust director Rashi Mahiya told  reporters in Harare Tuesday they are dragging Mphoko to the courts for failing to create the NPRC.
“If the delay is inordinate we will take the government to the constitutional court for non compliance because the government has a responsibility to uphold and defend the constitution and according to us if that does not happen we will be left with no option than to approach the highest court of the land,” they said.
The NPRC was supposed to be been established at the adoption of the new constitution in 2013 because it has a life span of ten years from the ‘effective date’ of adoption of the new constitution.

By Tinoonga Mawere, Masvingo| Great Zimbabwe University Vice Chancellor Professor Rungano Mudadirwa Zvobgo has passed a motion to rename the Faculty of Education after President Robert Mugabe.
In a move seen by university lecturers and academics as a political gimmick aimed at pleasing the nonegenarian and his wife Grace, Zvobgo has gone into overdrive and proposed to name the faculty The Robert Mugabe School of Education. The move has since angered lecturers and academics who feel Zvobgo intends to consolidate his stay at the university by buying loyalty from Mugabe.
Ironically the development comes at a time Mugabe has presided over a prolonged economic abyss that has led to an alarming rate of unemployment .The bulk of the Mugabe capped graduates have been reduced to street beggars and airtime vendors.
Addressing university staff at the Great Zimbabwe University main campus Zvobgo said:” We will live the president’s dream. The president deserves respect and honour,” he began.
Therefore the Faculty of Education will be named the Robert Mugabe School of Education .We are doing this to honour his legacy,” he continued.
Furious lecturers last week slammed Zvobgo’s utterances as cheap political grandstanding. “We are puzzled by the utterances. The Mugabe regime has caused untold suffering for us and it is really pathetic because these graduates have nowhere to go after completing their programmes-yet one man wakes up in the blankets and names the Faculty of Education after the same man. It is an insult to all academics and students, “said one lecturer in the faculty.
They angrily added:”Zvobgo and his ilk must moot ideas to help the graduates to find jobs instead of spending time speculating about heaping praises on Mugabe”.

First Lady Grace Mugabe’s son Russel Goreraza has been kicked out of the gold rich  Tolrose Gold Mine in  Kadoma.
Report by the News Day
Goreraza, Grace’s son from her first marriage before she married President Robert Mugabe, is locked up in a bitter ownership wrangle of the mine with Jameson Rushwaya.
“About two months ago, the First Family sent an emissary to Rushwaya to find out what was going on. They realised that Goreraza had been drawn into the fight by businessman Patterson Timba after the later realised he was losing the intriguing battle for control of the mine to Rushwaya,” said a sources
“Given the bad publicity the wrangle has attracted, the First Lady has called her son off the feud. She (Grace) is not as bad as people portray her and on realising that her son was being used for a dirty deed, the First Lady pulled the plug.”
But Goreraza has reportedly roped in hawks from the black empowerment lobby group, Affirmative Action Group, in the form of regional presidents Munya Kashambe (Mashonaland East) and Mike Chimombe (Mashonaland West) amid reports the current vicious push has been fuelled by claims the mine is holding a “stockpile of gold ore”.
While Kashambe was not available for comment, Chimombe confirmed he had helped “broker a deal” between Rushwaya and Goreraza.
“We were involved and helped broker a deal between Goreraza and Rushwaya. Rushwaya, unfortunately, is now changing goalposts and we have adopted a wait-and-see attitude. I last had any involvement in that issue around March this year,” Chimombe said.
“We actually helped Rushwaya return to the mine after he had abandoned it for three years.”
Rushwaya confirmed Goreraza’s involvement to NewsDay, but tried to downplay the dispute. “I heard police went to the mine and spoke to my manager as I was not there. I am yet to get full details of what they really wanted. I have no problem with Goreraza or the First Family. But I have a problem with his (Goreraza’s) allies who are abusing their links to those in power and claiming to be representing the First Family,” Rushwaya said.
 

ZANU PF’s crowdsourcing effort for Congress funds engineered by Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa in an attempt to raise over $1million last month has failed “miserably,” as described by insiders.
This came as several MPs bunked the dinner fund raising event on Friday that had ticket offers of $100,000 each.
Only a little over $1 million was raised instead of the budgeted for $2million.
A source told ZimEye.com, raising $2 million in one night was a cheeky ambition as this is impossible during this time of economic tumble.
Report by Newsday:
Zanu PF was reportedly forced to accommodate the bulk of struggling companies – including State entities – at “cheap” tables during its fundraising dinner hosted last Friday, as most could not afford the top tables pegged at $100 000 for 10 people.
The ruling party, which intends to raise $3 million for its December conference, hosted a dinner on Friday, with the cheapest table going for $10 000 for 10 people, while the most expensive was pegged at $100 000.
The conference will be held in Victoria Falls from December 7 to 13 and over 6 000 delegates are expected to attend.
Party insiders told NewsDay yesterday that due to a poor response from the corporate world and other State-owned companies for the expensive tables, the party decided to fill the exorbitantly-priced platinum tables, which were going for $100 000 each, with companies that paid $50 000 and $30 000, to avoid public embarrassment.

 
From the Friday dinner that was addressed by Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, President Robert Mugabe’s party had hoped to raise no less than $2 million, while the balance would be raised by provinces and other party-related business enterprises.
The host province, Matabeleland North, is expected to raise at least $100 000 towards the conference.
However, sources told NewsDay that the dinner, which was also snubbed by most party MPs, who opted to attend Walter Magaya’s Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries’ all-night vigil across town, could only raise around $1 million, half of its target.
“Due to the economic situation, most companies managed to pay for the $50 000 and $30 000 tables, while the bulk of them settled for the ordinary $10 000 tables,” a source said.
“There were two companies seated at the $100 000 tables, while the rest of the platinum tables were occupied by
those who had paid less.”
According to insiders, the party had prepared 50 tables for the night, 10 reserved for the platinum class, 10 for those who were to pay $50 000, and the rest for those who would have paid $30 000 and $10 000.
However, some firms paid as little as $5 000 to attend the dinner dance.
Zanu PF secretary for finance Obert Mpofu told NewsDay that the dinner dance was oversubscribed to the extent that they had to turn away some people.
“We don’t mind what people say or what you guys write, we are very happy with the response we received from the party stakeholders,” he said.
“It was oversubscribed. We even had to turn away some people who wanted to come because we could not accommodate them. We are on course to meeting the target, and we will certainly do so. I can’t tell you how much was raised because we are still tallying, validating and doing our calculations to ascertain how much was raised.
“But maybe by Wednesday (tomorrow) I will be able to know how much was raised from the dinner dance.”
Last week, the party reportedly approached some churches including the crowd-pulling Pentecostal denominations led by Magaya and Emmanual Makandiwa’s United Families International Church for funding.
Zanu PF has always been accused of coercing companies, including financially-troubled parastatals, to contribute towards its private functions.
Several companies were allegedly compelled to fund First Lady Grace Mugabe’s 50th birthday in July, five months after being forced to fund Mugabe’s birthday bash that was held in Victoria Falls.

In a move that has created an increase in accidents in Bulawayo, the ZANU PF controlled police force has turned its energies on motorists in particular commuter buses.

Claims were rife that move is part of the party’s fund-raising for the upcoming congress.
The leadership of Bulawayo’s Transporters Associations are crying foul over the rate at which traffic offence tickets are being issued to their drivers who are now having to play cat and mouse with the Police motor cycles traffic section.
“We are now worried and also praying to God that this congress may pass or rather be transferred to other provinces, because it has become a dog eat dog on our low income transport businesses.
“The traffic police are on our necks, and they told us that they are on a target to make sure that the congress which will be taking place in the resort town fully funded,” said Carlson Dube.
Dube is the chairman of local commuter omnibuses in the city of kings.
Last week three omnibuses collided along Pumula road while trying to escape the police motor cycle, which is now working tirelessly to raise the said cash.
This reporter tried in vain to get comment from the Bulawayo ZANU PF hierarchy that was said to be in a serious meeting concerning the forthcoming congress, which is in need of hundreds of thousands in cash to succeed.
Police motor cycles were captured cruising around the streets in search of traffic offenders. The cat and mouse situation, also led to the attack of a police officer at Bulawayo’s most popular omnibus rank Egodini.
 
Last week three omnibuses collided along Pumula road while trying to escape the police motor cycle, which is now working tirelessly to raise the said cash.
 
Commuter operators blamed the police for milking them their hard earned cash, through what they called corrupt means, but police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango refuted the allegations, saying that the police are on an operation to ensure that drivers are licensed and their vehicles must also have proper documents.
“Police have embarked on a number of operations, to restore order in the cities around the country. It’s not a new operation, as the kombi drivers would want people to believe. Police are on an operation to ensure that drivers are licensed and their vehicles have proper documents,” said Inspector Simango.

A Bulawayo-based soldier blew up his head with an AK-47 rifle while on duty on Saturday night in a suspected case of suicide following alleged problems at home.
Corporal Blessing Munetsi, 31, reportedly told his friends that he was having serious problems with his wife. A colleague later found him dead at Imbizo Barracks.
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango said: “We received a report of a Bulawayo man who committed suicide. Investigations are in progress.”
When the State Media news crew visited Munetsi’s rented home in Nkulumane yesterday, some soldiers barred reporters from speaking to the family.
Family members said they could only speak when Munetsi’s bosses give them the greenlight to do so.
Efforts to get a comment from army spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Alphias Makotore were fruitless.
Sources within the army said Munetsi was guarding the armoury when he decided to take his life at about 7:20PM on Saturday.
“Munetsi went to the toilet behind the armoury and used his AK-47 rifle to shoot himself. He shot himself through the chin and the bullet blew up his head, killing him instantly.
“A colleague rushed to the scene and found Munetsi’s body in a pool of blood. He alerted senior soldiers at the army base and a report was made to Queens Park police station. His body was taken to the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) mortuary,” said one of his colleagues.
He said Munetsi, who was earlier seen drinking with friends at the Highlanders FC clubhouse told his friends that he was frustrated by his wife’s unbecoming behaviour.
“Munetsi said his wife was in the habit of going out at night and coming back in the morning. He said he had tried on several occasions to talk to the wife but she wouldn’t listen to him,” said the friend.
Munetsi, added the friend, said he was tired of arguing with his wife all the time.
Last month, a Bulawayo police officer’s alleged lover died at Mpilo Central Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit after shooting herself with the cop’s service pistol following a domestic tiff.
Marble Chiture, 32, was rushed unconscious to the referral hospital following the incident that is said to have happened at Superintendent Crissen Masuka’s home.
Chiture shot herself in an attempted suicide following an undisclosed marital dispute and later died in hospital. State Media

The Premier Service Medical Aid Society managing director Mr Henry Mandishona has approached the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare seeking to stop his disciplinary hearing set for tomorrow.
Mr Mandishona, who is facing an array of charges, is arguing that the stipulated time within which he was supposed to be tried lapsed.
In his letter of complaint to the ministry dated November 2, 2015, through his lawyers, Mr Mandishona said he was seeking intervention from the labour officer because the stipulated 30 days had lapsed before his matter was heard.
This is in line with section 101 (6) of the Labour Act chapter 28:01, which provides for either party to refer a matter to the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare should 30 days lapse without a date of hearing being set.
“This matter is being referred to your good offices for the simple reason that more than 30 days have gone without the matter having been heard,” said Mr Mandishona.
“Section 101 (6) allows either party to refer this matter to your good offices if the matter is not determined within 30 days from the date of notification. You will notice from the documents that we have submitted that we have gone beyond the 30 days without a date for the hearing being set.”
The delays were, however, at the behest of Mr Mandishona who initially requested for more details with regards to his charges.
Interference by Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Priscah Mupfumira and Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa, who ordered the unconditional reinstatement of Mr Mandishona, also delayed the hearing.
Mr Mandishona was suspended on September 24 this year and served with notification for a disciplinary hearing on October 2.
His hearing was scheduled to take place on October 8, but through his lawyers, he requested for further particulars to his charges, resulting in postponement of the matter to October 23.
Before Mr Mandishona could stand before that hearing, the two ministers on October 20 ordered the PSMAS board to reinstate him, a move that saw the board budging in to the order.
But a few days after, a Bulawayo based PSMAS member Mr Emmanuel Javane Mwale filed a lawsuit at the High Court seeking to bar the two ministers from interfering with PSMAS affairs.
In his lawsuit, Mr Mwale cited the nine PSMAS board members as second respondents.
This resulted in the PSMAS board rescinding its earlier decision to reinstate Mr Mandishona and set tomorrow as the new date for Mr Mandishona’s hearing.
Mr Mandishona’s request is expected to be heard today. State Media

The family and friends of the abducted democracy activist Itai  Dzamara, say they will be conducting prayer meetings in  Africa Unity Square where the  missing journalist and human rights activist used to stage his anti- President-Robert-Mugabe protests to curse government for failing to bring back “our beloved family man”.
This was revealed in Harare on Monday by the chairperson of Itai Dzamara Trust, Bishop Ancelimo Magaya at a prayer meeting they were hoding in memory of Dzamara.
Today Monday 8th November marks 8 months since the abduction of Itai by members of the dreaded CIO in Harare.
The human rights activist before he was disappeared was challenging President Robert Mugabe to step down  for  failing to fulfil his 2013 election 2.2 million  job  promises he made to the people.
Bishop Magaya said since the police had bared their national prayer meeting they were now resorting  to holding  them  in Africa Unity Square.
“What we are doing today is a beginning and also a continuation in another form and version of an ongoing public demonstration in prayer but also condemnation of such wanton, ruthless display of power of those that think that they control people’s lives,” said Bishop Magaya.
“So we are happy that we have successfully been able to conduct this prayer meeting today and this is going to be an ongoing thing”.

There was drama in Ruwa on Saturday after relatives of a deceased  Caledonia man, Farirai Jera dumped his body at the doorstep of  a Zanu PF land baron Oswell Gwanzura , accusing him of having contributed to the deceased’s death.
Gwanzura is the Chairman of the Goromonzi Housing Scheme which is at the centre stage of land scam in Caledonia.
Jera’s body was dumped at Gwanzura’s Ruwa home at night, amid accusations that the deceased sustained injuries from an attack initiated by the Goromonzi Housing Scheme chairman on June 30 this year.
Gwanzura, however refuted the claims, saying he was never part of the clashes and he only came in to initiate dialogue between the people who clashed on the named date.
Police spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi told the state media that they have taken the dumped body to Parirenyatwa hospital adding that  investigations were in progress on the circumstances surrounding Jera’s death.

Police on Sunday arrested MDC-T Member of Parliament for Highfield East constituency, Eric Murai and 16 party supporters for holding an unsanctioned meeting  and  for violence which happened at Hopely farm last week.
Ironically hoards of armed Zanu PF supporters thronged the MDC-T Hopely rally on Sunday last week and brutalised MDC-T supporters.
Instead of arresting the intruders, (Zanu PF supporters) the police on Sunday pounced on MDT-T supporters who were holding a rally in the same area and arrested them for contravening Chapter 37 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act.
National Police Spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba told the state media that Murai was arrested at Hopely farm together with 16 other MDC-T supporters for holding an unlawful public gathering to promote public violence and breach of peace.
The meeting was attended by more than 2000 MDC-T supporters.
 

By Tinoonga Mawere, Masvingo| Overzealous Minister of State for Masvingo Shuvai Mahofa told Zanu PF supporters at Mucheke Stadium on Saturday there will be bloodshed if unruly elements attempt to unseat President Mugabe’s controversial wife Grace and her husband, Robert.


Standing in for her boss Grace who did not attend the rally which coincided with the ZILIWACO conference,Mahofa said war veterans and war collaborators were prepared to go to war and attack all perceived Mugabe opponents.

Mahofa who last year collapsed while celebrating Grace’s elevation and soon forced government officials at Benjamin Burombo centre to shift her office from the second floor to the ground floor after failing to walk up the stairs, said all those who oppose the First Family would be ruthlessly dealt with.

Mahofa did not say anything about the looming drought in the province as thousands face starvation. She also remained mum on the increase in ritual murder cases across the province.

“We are Freedom Fighters and we are not finished and we know there are some of you who have been given money by western countries to betray the revolution and reverse the gains of the liberation struggle. If you are Gamatox and want to follow (Joice)Mujuru then get out of Zanu PF. If you want to unseat the president we will go to war. Don’t think we are finished we will suddenly become alive. You must stop talking nonsense about the First Lady. We are prepared to defend the First Family by all means necessary,” said Mahofa

The veteran politician has also been accused of unleashing violence against opposition supporters in Gutu district. Local residents here who attended the rally went home disappointed after being subjected to the traditional liberation war rhetoric.

“We went to the rally expecting to hear our leaders addressing issues to do with the welfare of ordinary Zimbabweans but nothing was said to that effect. It is unfortunate and disturbing,” said Mavis Ziki of Mucheke suburb.

A police officer was stabbed with a knife by a gang of robbers as he tried to arrest them after they had broken into a shop in Bulawayo’s Central Business District.He is recovering in hospital
The police officer, only identified as Constable Shonhe, was stabbed twice on the back by one of the four suspects who had broken into Cool Spot Supermarket along Fife Street at the corner of Masotsha Ndlovu Avenue last Monday.
The cop, who was on patrol with a colleague when he was attacked, is recovering at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH).
National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba confirmed the incident and said the suspects are on the run.
“On November 2 at about 1AM, two police constables were on patrol and they arrived at a supermarket along Fife Street at the corner of Masotsha Ndlovu Avenue. They witnessed unlawful entry in progress, with four criminals in the shop,” said Snr Asst Comm Charamba.
“The criminals panicked and three ran away while one remained in the shop. On seeing the police officers, he jumped out of the shop through a window and Cst Shonhe tried to apprehend him. He produced a knife and stabbed the police officer who fell on the veranda.”
She said the suspect escaped and police attended the scene and Constable Shonhe was taken to hospital where he is recovering.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said investigations were underway.
One of the workers at the supermarket who declined to be named said they were shocked to find the shop with broken windows and blood stains when they reported for work.
“We closed the shop at about 7PM as usual on Monday evening. When we reported for work the next morning we were shocked to see blood stains on the wall and broken windows. Police officers who were attending the scene told us that two police officers who were on patrol intercepted four robbers who had broken into the shop,” said the shop employee.
“The policemen noticed that there were people in the shop and rushed to inspect. They tried to apprehend them and one of the robbers produced a knife and stabbed one of the police officers twice on the back.”
She said the robbers fled after the botched robbery and left the police officer in a pool of blood.
“The shop was upside down when we came in the morning. They broke two windows to gain entry before breaking the empty tills and drawers that we had locked before we left. The police officers pounced on them while they were still searching for money in the shop. They left without taking anything,” added the shop employee.
There has been a spate of robberies in the city with supermarkets and schools being targeted.
About two weeks ago, a group of masked burglars blew up safes at Bulawayo’s Bellevue Choppies supermarket (formerly Bellevue Spar) and got away with more than $16,000.
The robbers allegedly used shears to cut through the roof of the outlet during the night.
A few weeks before that, robbers hit Bulawayo’s Richmond Spar and got away with more than $10,000. Last month robbers pounced on six Bulawayo schools and got away with more than $4,000. – Chronicle

Chrispen Tabvura, Bulawayo | Of the hundreds of Zimbabwean children affected by social neglect, I bumped into four children who are living in hell, after their mother abandoned them for her country of birth, Zambia.
This was after the death of her husband who was the bread winner.
The father of Mozambique origin and married to the Zambian woman, were both staying in Bulawayo’s Magwegwe suburb before this sorry situation that left the kids in this state.

The father whose real name was Adrea Fernando, was blessed with four children, Shelton 15, now in grade 3, Yolanda 12, in grade 2, Samuza 9, in grade 1 and Malvin 5 is still to be assisted by well-wishers to go to preschool.
All the four children are without birth certificates, as Zimbabwe’s laws only authorize the biological parents to acquire the documents, leaving the disadvantaged and orphans to struggle.
Councillor Concilia Mlalazi, who is the community leader in Bulawayo’s Ward 18, where the orphans are staying with a sick relative who cannot afford a meal for them, in an interview said the children are in need of help.
“The situation is really bad my son, as you can see for yourself. We are fighting hard to source funding from kind people to rescue this situation. We have more than 500 households who are in total poverty, as their bread winners died and some are child headed, she said.
“All this is taking place while political leaders are feasting and buying expensive cars, and failing to help the disadvantaged,” said Mrs Sikhumbuzile Sibanda a Community Health Worker.
Another resident, who is also a Community Health Worker and a Child Counselor Mrs Joice Moyo told this reporter that until the day government sets aside funds for the aid of these disadvantaged children, the situation will worsen.
The father, Fernando died of the Aids pandemic, leaving the children in the hands of their mother who also could not stand the problems and escaped to Zambia, leaving the children to fend for themselves under Zimbabwe’s harsh economy.

Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries founder Walter Magaya has denied claims that he is engaged in a spiritual warfare with fellow charismatic preacher and leader of United Families International Church (Ufic), Emmanuel Makandiwa.
He described the supposed tiff between the two as a creation of the two prophets’ enemies.
Although he did not name the enemy, Magaya said the supposed tussle between the two was as a result of lack of communication between the two prophets who last met six years ago and hardly spoke to each other over the phone.
“There is no fight at all but I just think that it is the enemy who wants to take advantage of lack of communication between me and my fellow prophet,” Magaya said.
The two preachers, who seemingly compete against each other, were last week at each other’s throat over an advert allegedly sponsored by one of PHD members to congratulate Makandiwa for coming third in a list of Zimbabwe’s most influential youths, in which Magaya was on top.
The Ufic church appeared to accuse Magaya and his ministry of sponsoring the advert although they did not mention him by name. Magaya’s PHD ministry in turn disowned the person who paid for the advert and said they did not know him.
Magaya told journalists who attended the all-night prayer dubbed Night of Turnaround 4 that the incident was unfortunate and blamed it on his enemies whom he said wanted to see the two prophets fighting.
“I was in Nigerian when that happened, when I returned I heard of the issue but there is no fight at all. We are not competing at all, we have different callings and our mission is not to compete, but we complement each other,” he said.
It was not easy to estimate the number of congregants that filled the vast expanse of the area that the PHD ministry headquarters is situated. The area is wedged between Waterfalls, along the Harare-Masvingo highway and Highfield high-density suburb, several kilometres away.
Among the tens of thousands that attended were government ministers Supa Mandiwanzira, Martin Dinha and Chris Mushohwe, deputy ministers Anastasia Ndlovu, Abigail Damasane and Paul Mavhima. There were also dozens of Members of Parliament from across the political divide.
The First Lady Grace Mugabe who had been expected to attend did not turn up.
To keep the multitudes entertained before his arrival and during breaks, Magaya invited Zimbabwe’s music legend, Oliver Mtukudzi, South Africa’s gospel star, Benjamin Dube and the country’s top gospel couple of Charles and Olivia Charamba.
Mtukudzi, who is accustomed to performing at secular hide outs and night clubs, put up a tantalizing act which saw the entire church dancing to his hits especially gospel rhythms.
Songs such as Hossana, Hear me Lord and Shamiso send the crowd into frenzy.
The gospel couple of Charamba and wife did not disappoint either as they paraded a breath-taking act which saw them belting out hits such as Kunamwari kudenga, Rute among other songs.
Sungura senior lecturer and now a member of the PHD praise and worship Nicholas Zacharia and dancehall artists, Shinsoman also had their fair share of the stage. -The Standard

A HWANGE man raped a sex worker he had hired in his haulage truck after he got drunk and forgot about their arrangement.
Hillary Moyo (20) of Kolowa Village in Simangani, Hwange told the court during the confirmation of his extra curial statement that he slept with the 20-year-old sex worker after finding her naked in his bed.
Moyo, who is also facing a charge of theft, denied having taken the self-confessed sex worker’s cellphone.
“Yes, the contents of my statement were given by me and are correct. I had sexual intercourse with her because I found her sleeping in my bed naked. I do not admit to the allegations that I stole her phone because I did not see it,” said Moyo when he appeared before provincial magistrate Mrs Portia Mhlanga-Moyo for initial remand.
The court heard that on 2 November at around midnight, Moyo was on a drinking spree with the woman he had reportedly hired for sex services and her friend. At around 2am, the woman got excessively drunk and informed her client that she could not continue with the binge but wanted to sleep.
Moyo led the two women to a broken down haulage truck horse where he told them to sleep while he continued drinking.
“During that night while she slept, Moyo returned and sneaked into the truck before having sexual intercourse with her, without her knowledge and consent. The complainant discovered the offence when she woke up at around 4am when she noticed that her trousers were pulled down and that there was semen on her private parts,” said Miss Loveness Maseko, while prosecuting.
Unsure of what had transpired during the night, she woke up Moyo whom she found sleeping next to her after failing to locate her friend in the truck. She asked him about the events of the previous night before asking him about the person who had had sex with her.
Moyo is alleged to have confessed to the sex act, arguing that the two had an arrangement. He was remanded in custody to 10 November for plea recording after the case was referred to the regional court.State Media

State Media-Government will begin paying bonuses to its employees this month, with uniformed forces scheduled to be the first recipients, a Cabinet minister has said.
Payment to the rest of the Civil Service could then stretch to January 2016 to allow authorities room to gather further resources against a tide of revenue constraints.
The dates are likely to be tabled before Cabinet as early as this Tuesday, with an announcement expected to follow.
In an interview last week, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Prisca Mupfumira said 2015 Civil Service bonuses were not “a question of if, but when they will be paid”.
This most certainly is good news to civil servants who were keenly counting down to year-end, anxiously awaiting their employer’s position on the matter.
In early 2015, there had been indications that Government would forego paying the 13th cheque due to limited funds.
However, President Mugabe clarified that bonuses were an entitlement, and as such, civil servants should expect a windfall in the festive season.
Yesterday, Minister Mupfumira said Government – in spite of financial constraints – remains guided by this position.
“The uniformed forces will get their bonuses in November. As you know, I don’t deal with uniformed forces but the (Civil Service Commission) Chairperson (Dr Mariyawanda Nzuwa) has confirmed this to me.
“For the other civil servants, the proposal is that we stagger payment because we don’t have the money to pay everyone at once. The proposal will be brought before Cabinet most likely on Tuesday, after which we will be in a position to announce the actual dates of payment.”
She added, “Nothing has changed from the statement made by His Excellency, President Mugabe, in April; we stand guided by that. Yes, we are facing financial problems, but we have to work out ways of making sure that our workers smile.”
Civil servant representatives yesterday welcomed this assurance, though expressing reservations on staggering payment.
The Apex Council chair Mr Richard Gundani implored Government to pay bonuses to all civil servants this year.
“Our expectations are that we must get our bonuses at the end of each year. It’s our entitlement. So, it’s a good and welcome development that what the President assured us is becoming reality.
“What I would, however, like to implore Government to do is to make sure it covers everyone in November and December 2015. While we are not threatening any action, we hope bonus payment will not spill into 2016. In planning the 2016 National Budget, Government should include civil servants’ bonuses so that we won’t have to discuss bonuses again towards the end of the year like we are doing now.”
In 2014, Government promised to pay civil servants bonuses simultaneously, but ended up staggering them due to cashflow challenges.
Some of its employees received their 13th cheque in January 2015.
Government is looking at ways of cutting the Civil Service wage bill, which chews up about 82 percent of national revenue. State Media

Grace Mugabe’s rival for the hotly contested Presidency, Emmerson Mnangagwa, denies revelations that his party is collapsing.
Mmangagwa said details showing serious divisions in Zanu PF are “just wishful thinking”.

The first lady Grace Mugabe’s foot soldiers Saviour Kasukuwere and Philip Chiyangwa are demanding $100 million from residents of Caledonia farm and Southlea Park in Harare and at the same time threatening to evict those who would have failed to contribute to what they are calling the development and compensation fees for the two state properties.
Both Kasukuwere and Chiyangwa are pushing for Grace Mugabe to succeed her 91 year old husband President Robert Mugabe to be the country’s next President.
They are however being resisted by vice President Emerson Mnangagwa who currently has the majority of cabinet ministers beefing his support in government.
Kasukuwere made the demands to Caledonia residents during his tour of the farm where he had gone under the guise of seeing “progress” made by the Harare city council which took over the affairs of the area from disgruntled pro-ousted former vice President Joice Mujuru aligned Zanu PF land barons who were also extorting desperate home seekers of their money.
“For this area to access service delivery, a total of $58 million is needed and that money must come from you,” he told residents after they had complained that they were not able to meet his demands.
“Each resident must pay US$50 monthly without fail if you want to access services such as water, roads and street lighting,” said Kasukuwere .
A similar incident is happening in Southlea Park where Philip Chiyangwa is demanding $42 million from residents as compensation for the area.
Chiyangwa is claiming to own Odar farm which was gazetted by government as state property in 2006.
Home to over 120 people, Caledonia was once a transit camp for 2005 Operation Murambatsvina victims.
 
 
 

A SOLDIER based at Mbizo Barracks in Bulawayo allegedly ran amok and assaulted three police officers, who tried to arrest him after accusing them of being thieves.
This was heard by Bulawayo magistrate Sithembiso Ncube on Wednesday when Richard Mjumi (22) appeared before her, charged with undermining police authority, assaulting and resisting a police officer.
Mjumi pleaded guilty to the charge and the magistrate remanded him to Wednesday next week for sentence.
The court heard that on October 28 this year, Mjumi was playing snooker at Mpilo Central Hospital when a police officer, Solomon Dzingirai, passed by in the company of other officers, only identified as Constables Tabinga and Taruvinga.
The court heard, when Mjumi saw them, he labelled them thieves, in Shona, questioning their presence in the area.
“You are thieves, you want to disturb us from playing snooker. People are being killed and have their property stolen, while you are here,” Mjumi is said to have remarked.
“If you remain here, I will hit you with stones.”
After the brief confrontation, the three police officers approached him intending to arrest him, but he became violent and attacked them with fists and booted feet.
The officers sustained injuries, but eventually managed to arrest him.-SouthernEye

Former Hurungwe West MP Temba Mliswa has dismissed a State Media report that quotes him making a passionate plea to return to the Grace Mugabe controlled party.
Mliswa described the below report as “rubbish..” He did not deny that he is asking to be forgiven by ZANU PF as he is quoted in the article.
He however told ZimEye.com “read the whole story and have it recorded where I am saying I wouldn’t due to the violence.”
FULL TEXT OF THE Herald Report:
MLISWA BEGS ZANU PF FOR RETURN
Former Hurungwe West legislator Temba Mliswa has made a passionate plea to Zanu-PF to accept him back following his ouster last year after being linked to a cabal that sought to unconstitutionally unseat President Mugabe.
Mr Mliswa was touted as a vital cog in the intended putsch whose quashing claimed several scalps, including that of former Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru, the leader of the rebels.
Mr Mliswa was the first party provincial chairman to be sacked and since then he has been a wondering spirit hobnobbing with the opposition and has also tried to reclaim his Hurungwe West seat, but lost to Cde Keith Guzah in June.
But Mr Mliswa, who has fallen out with the Dr Mujuru-linked People First project, says his heart is with Zanu-PF.
He told The Herald about the dim prospects of People First which up to date does not have structures and is a “newspaper and social media party”. He claims that the rebellion in Zanu-PF and the People First Project had withered on the vine because its mastermind and Dr Mujuru’s husband, Solomon, had died. “You see, the truth of the matter is you are giving prominence to something which is not even registered,” he said.
“I mean, Jim Kunaka said what he said representing People First, as who? I tried to go around looking for the constitution, they have no constitution, they have no office. Who is the leader of the party? It’s speculative, it’s in the paper. “And the truth of the matter is I have never known of a party which has no leader and which has no address . . . You see for me to waste time on people speculating on a newspaper party, on a social media party, I am not like that.“I believe politics is by going to the ground. Even the BUILD document that they put together, who endorsed it?
“They are saying that Zanu-PF is very dictatorial. At least one thing that Zanu-PF does is call for a conference and a congress and it make resolutions. They (People First) did not even call for a conference to hear from the people and for the people to endorse it.”
He said if People First had a constituency, it should have fielded candidates in the intervening by-elections. “David Butau is People First, why did he not stand as People First in Mbire? Bhasikiti was Mwenezi and he claims to be People First but he is allowing his constituency to go to Zanu-PF but he is People First. I have never understood such politics. Politics is about people.”
He explained: “The other issue is that who was the brains behind this (putschist agenda)? It was her husband the late General Mujuru who was the strategist, who was the driver of this. He is no more unfortunately. So who can replace him? No one. So you know when a project has a strategist and the strategist is not there, why continue with it?
“You are in a war and the commander is not there, he knows the route, do you continue with the war or you abandon the struggle? And if you can’t beat them you join them and you surrender,” he said.
Mr Mliswa is itching for a return to the ruling party. “(I)f it is true that this country is about us being a better people and being a better people means the political party (Zanu-PF) being stable, why can’t the political party extend a hand of reconciliation and say a lot happened?” said Mr Mliswa.
“Especially for me, I wrote a letter to say but my suspension was not fair. As much as people would what they want, I wrote because I did not believe I had done anything wrong. I believe that it was in the interest of the party that if I am wrong it (disciplinary action) is done properly and I go back to the people who elected me and say I am no longer in the party because I was found guilty of ABCD.
“I have never been given an opportunity to explain my side other than talking to you in an interview, that’s the only time that I talk about that…I mean Zanu-PF forgave the white man who they went to war with and killed. I am not a white man. I never even went to war and killed anyone. But they fail to forgive me!” he bemoaned.

Statw Media-Jailed Independent End Time Message leader Robert Martin Gumbura’s youngest and 11th wife on Wednesday appeared to be pregnant as she attended her husband’s trial at the Harare Magistrates’ Court.
Bester Runyowa (25) appeared at the court with a visible bulge on her stomach, almost two years after Gumbura’s incarceration.The bulge follows revelations in the same court that her husband had unfettered freedom in prison that included his own private corner,bodyguards, a secretary and unquestionable permission that allowed his wives to bring in 960 bricks of cigarettes.
The bulge has heightened speculation on whether Gumbura is also enjoying his conjugal rights while in prison.Gumbura was sentenced to an effective 40-year jail term on four countsof rape involving three women and possessing pornographic material in February last year.
Runyowa was spotted when she came to attend her husband’s jailbreak trial in which he is accused with eight others of masterminding a foiled jailbreak at Chikurubi Maximum Prison on Wednesday.
During the jailbreak trial, State witness Claudius Mutizwa told the court that Gumbura is regarded as a “godfather” and prison officers beg for food from him.
Gumbura’s brother, Wilson, vehemently denied that the pregnant woman is one of Gumbura’s wives.
“The pregnant woman is not one of Gumbura’s wives. She is just a member of the congregation. Remember that a lot of people stay at Gumbura’s house at No. 6 Helena Close in Marlborough, Harare.
“All the 11 wives are there and still waiting for him.”
However, about seven wives are religiously following their husband’s trial.Gumbura went to jail, leaving behind his 11 adoring wives.Three of his wives, who were pregnant at the time he was jailed, have since given birth. State Media

The Bulawayo High Court has ordered suspended Gweru mayor Hamutendi Kombayi to surrender his official car and the mayoral regalia. The provisional order delivered by Justice Martin Makonese on Tuesday following an urgent chamber application filed by the Gweru City Council aimed at compelling Kombayi to surrender the property.


In court papers, Gweru City Council which is being represented by Jumo Mashoko and Partners is the applicant while Kombayi appeared as the respondent. Hamutendi has 10 days to file a notice of appeal and opposition with the registrar of the High Court if he intends to challenge the order. “Pending the confirmation of the provisional order, the respondent be and is ordered to return the vehicle Mazda BT 50, within 12 hours of service of the order.
The Court also ordered the suspended Mayor to surrender the mayoral regalia within the same period, failure of which the Sherriff, will seize the mentioned properties and return them to the council.
According to affidavits in the court’s possession from the town clerk, Kombayi was served with several letters ordering him to return the said property, but ignored and never bothered himself with any response.
Kombayi, who is still the legal Mayor of Gweru, was suspended by Minister Saviour Kasukuwere together with 11 Councillors, and they have since taken action against their suspension, through their lawyer, Chitere Chidawanyika and Partners.

According to suspension letter signed by the Minister of local government Kasukuwere, Kombayi and the 11 Councillors are not going to receive any salaries or allowances, during this period.

Efforts to get a comment from the suspended mayor were fruitless by the time of going to press, as his mobile kept ringing with being picked.

Zanu PF youths have cash-bombed Kariba, raiding the resort town with demands of $6 each mandatory contributions from the public towards fund raising for the fractious party’s annual conference to be held in Victoria Falls in December.
“They are ordering each person to give them $6 which they claim is for the conference which we will never attend, and they are saying they will deal with those who would not have donated,” said an elderly man from Nyamhunga Township.
A Mahombekombe high density suburb woman who declined to be named confirmed that hoardes of Zanu Pf youths were visiting them and forcing “us” to contribute.
“They are moving with books in which they are recording ID numbers and names of people who would have paid including those who are not complying,” she said.
One of the Youths told ZimEye.com that they want “our” party members to fundraise for the conference as opposed to forcing companies.
“It is not true that we are forcing people to contribute. All the people we are approaching are our party members who we are asking to contribute towards the conference,” she said.
“We have over the years been accused of extorting companies and this year we have taken it upon ourselves that our party members raise funds for the event”.
Simon Khaya Moyo could not be reached to establish if it was the party’s official position to extort the public in the name of fundraising for the conference which has been slated for 7 and 8 December. The party on Thursday held a fund raising dinner in Harare for the conference which they said needs $1 million for its success.

FOLLOWING Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s recent remarks in an interview with the London-based New African magazine that the current army commanders are junior and do not pose a threat to his succession bid, it has emerged Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander General Constantine Chiwenga is now firmly backing the veteran politician to succeed President Robert Mugabe.
At separate briefings this week, senior Zanu PF leaders said initially Chiwenga was vacillating between two camps, one led by Mnangagwa and the other by First Lady Grace Mugabe, because as an appointee of the President as commander-in-chief he has to maintain loyalty to him, and by extension to his wife who is now vastly influential, for survival.
They also said he at the same time also needed to remain loyal to Mnangagwa, a long-time ally and boss dating back to the days of the liberation struggle.
At a rally in March, Mnangagwa described Chiwenga as “our commissar”, apparently referring to his role during the struggle, although it also sounded like a coded message to refer to his current manoeuvres behind the scenes.
“The person I want you to meet is our commissar. Do you know Chiwengwa? … Stand up Chiwengwa so that people can see you,” Mnangagwa said.
Zanu PF’s current political commissar is Saviour Kasukuwere. However, by choosing to support Mnangagwa, Chiwenga has reportedly put his career on the line as Mugabe, now hugely influenced by his increasingly powerful wife, has powers to extend his tenure or terminate his contract.
“Since the December congress last year, there has been a new realignment of forces in Zanu PF and state actors: Chiwenga now firmly supports Mnangagwa, while (Vice-President Phelekezela) Mphoko and others like Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi are leaning towards Grace. Other senior army commanders however don’t agree with Chiwenga and thus support Grace to remain aligned with the commander-in-chief. Chiwenga is loyal to Mugabe, but by supporting Mnangagwa he risks being seen as anti-Grace, something which currently is politically suicidal,” a senior ruling party official said this week.
“Even if Sekeramayi is known to be an ally of Mai Mujuru (the ousted former vice-president Joice Mujuru replaced by Mnangagwa), he is now slowly but surely aligning himself with Grace to find a new lease of political life after surviving those ruthless purges before, during and after congress. There are also endless others shifts and changes behind the scenes; the two main rival factions are recruiting frantically, while party officials are also ever-changing, seeking safe accommodation. The internal dynamics are very fluid.”
This comes as the First Lady is intensifying her nationwide campaigns whose purpose remains unclear and subject to speculation, although it is widely understood within Zanu PF that she is campaigning to raise her national profile, thus positioning herself to succeed her increasingly frail husband, now 91.
“Grace and her allies’ strategy is to build an alliance spanning Mashonaland and Matabeleland provinces to isolate Mnangagwa to Masvingo and Midlands, and perhaps Manicaland which is up for grabs,” another official said. “That way he won’t have a national profile and electoral grip, leaving him vulnerable to defeat. But Mnangagwa knows that and he is fighting to stop that plan.”
Grace, who is also the Zanu PF secretary for Women’s Affairs, is expected to address a party rally tomorrow in Mnangagwa’s heartland of Masvingo where she will face a stern test to prove she has a strong political following to challenge the veteran politician, one of the three survivors, together with Mugabe and Sekeramayi, from the Zanu PF 1977 Chimoio congress.
Mnangagwa’s appearance at Mucheke Stadium in Masvingo in April did not attract a huge crowd as was expected, although the province and Midlands region are his strongholds. Grace will also be under media and public scrutiny to see whether she will persist to brazenly abuse state resources for political gain.
Initially it was believed that Chiwenga had presidential ambitions, but latest information shows he has dropped that agenda firmly throwing his weight behind Mnangagwa’s camp. “What is now clear is that two factions have crystalised in Zanu PF post-congress. There is now the Mnangagwa and Grace Mugabe factions, which replaced the traditional Mnangagwa versus Mujuru camps,” another senior ruling party official said. “No amount of denials and protests by anyone can change this: we have factions and they are action, sometimes publicly, daily.”
Chiwenga’s latest position comes after Mnangagwa, in an interview with the New African magazine in August, said: “The current army commanders were very young at the time (during the liberation struggle), and I can guarantee you that there is nobody in the army who is of our generation. Those who are heading the military now were junior officers during the struggle because all their commanders have either died or retired.”
Insiders say the Mnangagwa camp is associated with people who believe in a transitional arrangement in which Mugabe should not be a candidate in 2018.
They say Mnangagwa faction’s strategy is to approach the current situation in Zanu PF as a transitional phase. So it has positioned its leader to stay ready to take over from Mugabe if he leaves offices before the expiry of his term in 2018. The faction strongly believes he will leave before 2018.
However, while the Mnangagwa camp is preparing its leader to take over anytime, the clear message from Mugabe and those around him has always been that he is going nowhere.
Insiders say Grace’s G40 group, which includes senior party officials like Jonathan Moyo, Kasukuwere and Patrick Zhuwao, by contrast, believes it is premature to talk about transition from Mugabe’s rule when he is just two years into his new five-year tenure. Moyo has been fearlessly attacking the Mnangagwa group as the battle for political turf and control escalates.  Independent

By Tinoonga Mawere Chiredzi | Former Masvingo Provincial governor, Titus Maluleke’s son, George Hatilani Maluleke, who is a medical doctor has been dragged to court by a Chiredzi woman for maintenance.
Maluleke whose father was the governor for Masvingo province at the height of political tension and mass victimisation of opposition supporters, allegedly impregnated Suzzy Pennot who was an upper six student at the time. Maluleke reportedly coerced the girl at that time by giving her money and presents.
The former governor’s son however denied the allegations claiming the child was not his. Maluleke also told Chiredzi magistrate Gerald Mutsotso he could not afford the $360 which Pennot -now 22 demanded. Maluleke is a beneficiary of the controversial land reform programme since he was allocated a farm by his father.
However it is understood there is virtually no activity at his farm-indicating the chaotic land reform exercise has destroyed meaningful production in the country. Meanwhile Mary Chipo Saidi who is a local advocacy officer for an Non Governmental Organisation concerned about Children’s rights, condemned paedophilic behaviour.
She said girls were falling prey to older men because of pressing social commitments and economic hardships. She added the current social instability has eroded the moral fabric in the country. “We are worried about the increase in the number sexual abuse involving school girls and older men. This is mainly attributed to social and economic problems. We are even disturbed by the fact that a medical doctor is involved in such issues,” said Saidi.

A SECURITY guard at Hwange Colliery Company recently strangled a medical doctor in his surgery after accusing him of writing a wrong report about his previous illness.
This was heard by Hwange magistrate Portia Mhlanga Moyo, when Stephen Gwasha (57) of Baghdad, area in Empumalanga, Hwange appeared before her yesterday charged with assault.
He denied the charge and the matter was remanded to November 9 for continuation of trial.
The complainant, Dr Didymus Ngorora of Airport Crescent, Hwange, is employed as a medical officer at Hwange Colliery Hospital.
It is the State case that on October 12 this year at 11:45am, Ngorora was at work attending to patients when Gwasha came to his office. He accused Ngorora of writing a wrong report about his previous illness, but the doctor denied the claim and asked Gwasha to sit down and clarify his problem.
Gwasha allegedly became violent and Ngorora tried to run out of the office, but Gwasha grabbed him by the neck choking him in the process before pushing him back into the office. Patients who were waiting to be attended heard the scuffle and rescued the doctor. Ngorora sustained bruises on the left arm and was treated at the Hwange Colliery Hospital.
Gwasha was then arrested and charged with assault.SouthernEye

Tendai Biti the leader of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) says the troubled Prosecutor General Johannes Tomana should be jailed for refusing to prosecute Zanu PF activists who murdered over 200 opposition supporters in the run up to the bloody 27 June 2008 Presidential runoff election.
According to the MDC over 200 of their supporters were maimed by known Zanu PF activists and security agents.
The party also claimed that thousands more were displaced as a result of the terror which was unleashed on them by President Robert Mugabe’s militia.
The then security chief in the MDC-T Kisimusi Dhlamini compiled a dossier of such victims and names of perpetrators which he presented to the police but was instead arrested.
Last week Tomana was sentenced to 30 day in prison for refusing to release prosecution certificates for Munyaradzi Kereke a Zanu PF MP who is facing charges of raping a minor girl.
He was given the same sentence for also refusing the prosecution of former Telecel chairperson and Jane Mutasa who defraud the telecommunications company $1, 7 million in airtime vouchers.
On Wednesday the state media reported that Tomana was also in trouble for causing the acquittal of Charles Nherera, the former Zupco board chairperson after he was convicted and sentenced for two years.
Tomana and Nherera had worked together at the state enterprise where the he (Tomana) was the company’s legal advisor before the latter committed the crime.
In a statement Wednesday Biti said Tomana must be pressed to compile dockets for the June 2008 political violence perpetrators.
“Tomana refused to act on evidence produced by victims of that year’s political violence, to investigate and compel the police to open criminal dockets to claims the victims made of kidnappings, assault, injuries that were perpetrated by known state security agents and the Zanu PF militia ,”said Biti.
 

President Robert Mugabe’s nephew and one of the key leaders of the secret G-40 grouping, Patrick Zhuwao, has threatened to beat up a vice President Emerson Mnangagwa aide.
Zhuwao made the threats during the launch of the launch of the $10 million Youth Fund in Harare Wednesday, where he was tasked to introduce Tabeta Malinga Kanengoni the Minister of State in vice President Phelekezela Mphoko’s office.
No Tuesday, a youth grouping linked to Mnangagwa the Zimbabwe Youth Action Platform, said it was going to humiliate the G-40 team which include Zhuwao Zanu PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere, politburo member Jonathan Moyo and Zhuwao in public.
The Mnangagwa sponsored youths said the three were also disrespecting war veterans and needed to be disciplined.
“You have not been sent by war veterans, do not come tell me that you have been sent by war veterans, if they are genuine war veterans they will come and speak to me as they have always done.
“Do not think that you can come here and threaten me especially at a press conference; if you are courageous come here and I will deal with you.
The Mnangagwa allies said they will bar the G-40 from attending state factions including the National Heroes Acre.
“You say you will not allow me to visit the Heroes Acre where my mother Sabina was buried, are you serious?,” lashed Zhuwao.
“Go back and tell those who you are representing that they should come here to me and I will deal with them,” he said.
Zhuwayo, Kasukuwere, Moyo and Philip Chiyangwa are pushing for Grace Mugabe to succeed her 92 year old husband President Robert Mugabe.
They are fighting against Mnangagwa and Chris Mutsvangwa who lead another faction.

State Media-Prosecutor-General Mr Johannes Tomana is at the centre of another storm for allegedly abusing the court process to rubber-stamp the acquittal of former Zupco board chairman, Professor Charles Nherera, who was charged with corruption.
The abuse reportedly occurred at the time when Mr Tomana was the Attorney General. Prof Nherera was acquitted by the High Court in November 2009, barely a year after Mr Tomana was appointed to the post of then AG.
He had served a two-year prison term. Following his acquittal, Prof Nherera sued businessman Mr Jayesh Shah for malicious prosecution and demanded damages to the tune of $400 000.
But Mr Shah, through his lawyer Advocate Lewis Uriri, applied for absolution from the instance.
Justice Nicholas Mathonsi, in a judgment delivered yesterday, accepted Adv Uriri’s argument that Prof Nherera was “crucified and resurrected by the same office”, and allowed the application.
Mr Tomana invoked provisions of Section 35 of the High Court Act to quash Prof Nherera’s conviction. Under the Act, the quashing of an appeal is made upon the prosecution consenting to the appeal.
“This is a notice that was given by an Attorney-General’s Office under the leadership of someone very close to the case,” said Justice Mathonsi.
The judge noted in his judgment that Prof Nherera was convicted by the criminal court. The conviction, he said, was supported by the prosecution on three separate occasions when Prof Nherera escalated his effort to secure his liberty.
The court noted that Mr Tomana, who is now the PG, was the legal advisor to zupco, which was involved in the criminal prosecution of Prof Nherera at the time, as well as his legal representative in addition to being a board member of zupco.
Further, Justice Mathonsi noted that Mr Tomana testified in defence of Prof Nherera during trial and made it clear that he had no case to answer.
“Despite his spirited efforts, plaintiff was still found guilty and sentenced aforesaid,” he said.
Justice Mathonsi said Mr Tomana was elevated to the position of the then AG in 2008 and when Prof Nherera’s appeal came to the High Court in 2009, he was now in charge of prosecutions.
He said what made the case exceptional was the fact that at the trial court, the prosecution was successful.
The failure, he noted, came at the appeal stage when the State decided to make an about-turn and refused to support the conviction, depriving the appeal court a chance to make its own view on the merits of the appeal.
“The concession came as a surprise because the prosecution had, prior to that, strenuously opposed the appeal on the basis that it was devoid of any merit. The prosecution successfully argued that point before the trial magistrate when bail pending appeal was sought. It also succeeded before the High Court when bail was launched. An effort by plaintiff at the Supreme Court was also successfully repelled by the prosecution.”
Justice Mathonsi also made a finding that even before Prof Nherera was charged, Mr Tomana had in his capacity as a board member made up his mind about the former’s guilty or otherwise.
The judge said Mr Tomana in his capacity as Prof Nherera’s legal counsel sued Mr Shah on behalf of Prof Nherera in HC157/06 for defamation.
“Now as the Attorney-General his office was tasked to defend the interest of the State and protect a conviction the State had fought tooth and nail to accomplish,” he said.
Justice Mathonsi said justice should not only be done but should be seen to be done in this case.
“It cannot be seen to be done in the circumstances under which the appeal was conceded.”
He said for the appeal to proceed in terms of Section 35 of the High Court Act (Chapter 7: 06) it relies on the notice given by the Attorney-General that he does not support the appeal. The judge said the section of the Act did not provide what the judge “should do when he or she does not agree with the notice”.
But then the notice, said the judge, was given by someone very close to the case and who should not have participated at all.
“Accordingly, the involvement of Tomana in that process has tainted the outcome of the appeal to the extent the requirement that the prosecution must have failed cannot be said to have been satisfied.”
In his case, Prof Nherera, who was represented by Adv Thembinkosi Magwaiba, claimed Mr Shah maliciously caused his arrest, prosecution and imprisonment on unfounded corruption charges.
He wanted $100 000 for malicious prosecution and $300 000 for malicious arrest and detention.
Prof Nherera was in 2006 jailed for two years effective for corruption and after completing his sentence, the High Court heard his appeal and quashed the conviction.
He was being charged for allegedly soliciting for a bribe from Mr Shah, who operated Gift Investments, so that his company could be awarded a tender to supply Mazda Swaraj buses to zupco. herald

Three journalists from The Sunday Mail, arrested Monday for publishing an article alleging a senior police officer was involved in poaching activities, posted $100 bail each Wednesday after the State failed to provide compelling reasons to keep them in custody.
In granting them bail, Magistrate Tendai Mahwe ordered Sunday Mail editor, Mabasa Sasa, Investigations Editor Brian Chitemba and reporter Tinashe Farawo, not to interfere with police investigations, reside at their recorded home addresses and report to the police once week until 27 November when their case will be heard.
Their lawyer, James Muzangaza, was elated by the Magistrate’s ruling to free his clients on bail.
“We are obviously excited by the ruling. We were confident that they were going to be granted bail because the charges, as laid out by the State, were wishy washy,” said Muzangaza.
He said h’s proceeding to challenge the constitutionality of the Criminal Law Codification Act, under which the journalists were charged.
MISA-Zimbabwe national chairman, Kumbirai Mafunda, attended the hearing. He says the ruling confirms what the media watchdog has always said were frivolous charges being brought against journalists by the state.
“This goes to confirm what we had said as MISA-Zimbabwe that this was just persecution of these journalists,” said Mafunda. “We are happy about the ruling, especially when we now have a trend developing of journalists being targeted for doing their work.”
National Assembly media and information portfolio committee member, Nelson Chamisa, said it is sad that journalism profession in the country is being criminilised.
The three journalists’ case attracted the attention of colleagues from both the private and public media who thronged the courts Monday in solidarity.
Herald Editor Ceaser Zvayi and senior editors from the Zimpapers group and their reporters, Daily News Editor, Stanely Gama and dozens of reporters from various newspapers, local and international organizations were also in attendance as were MISA officials and Zimbabwe Union of Journalists executive members.
Meanwhile, another Zimpapers Editor, Takunda Mawodza, was yesterday arrested for allegedly asking for a bribe from wealthy businessman Sam Levy. Mawodza was investigating a story in which he alleged Levy was financially bankrolling former Vice President Joice Mujuru’s People First.VOA