A young mother from Mangwe district was rushed to Plumtree hospital after killing her seven-month baby boy and trying to take her own life by drinking termite poison following a dispute with her lover.
Thokozile Ndebele, 18, who stays wit her grandparents at Guqukani Village in Tshitshi area,fed her baby with the termite poison before drinking it herself on Monday evening.
She was saved by her grandparents who rushed her to Plumtree District Hospital but her son, Conwell Mhlanga died.
Chief Tshitshi who is Ndebele’s grandfather confirmed the incident which occurred at his cousin’s homestead around 10PM.
“I was shocked to learn of this tragedy this morning. It appears that Thoko was having problems with the father of her child.
I learnt that before committing this terrible act my granddaughter left a suicide note saying she was having problems with her lover. It’s a pity that the life of an innocent baby was lost in this incident.” said Chief Tshitshi.
Motilia Nyathi, Ndebele’s grandmother described the incident saying she heard her granddaughter screaming while she was asleep and rushed to investigate.
She found the seven month old baby lying on the bed while Ndebele was writhing in pain on the floor.
“There was a bottle of termite poison on the floor and the chemical was all over my grandson’s clothes. I immediately knew that Thokozile had given it to him. The baby was dead and I couldn’t help but imagine the pain he went through before dying.” said Nyathi.
She alerted her husband and other neighbours who assisted to ferry her granddaughter to hospital in the middle of the night.
Ndebele is admitted at Plumtree District Hospital under police guard and has said her lover Kidiboni Mhlanga, had been mistreating her.
The young woman who appeared to be in severe pain as she was struggling to speak, said her lover got angry after she dumped him for being involved with several women.
Ndebele said thereafter Mhlanga started threatening to kill her.
“I was fed up of being tortured and threatened by Kidiboni and I thought killing myself would be the best option. He is always sleeping around with different women and I told him that our relationship was over.
He didn’t want to take it. I took termite poison which was stored at home and drank it together with my son while I was in my bedroom .” said Ndebele.
She said she recalls feeding her son with the poison and thereafter he started crying and wriggling on the bed.
Ndebele said she ignored her baby’s cries and went on to drink the termite poison herself. She said she later woke up in hospital, in great pain.
“I’m struggling to eat and I can’t even sit. I’m in great pain. I just wanted to die and I didn’t want my baby to remain without a mother because I’m also an orphan. I know how painful it feels to live without a mother. I wanted to take him with me,” said Ndebele.
Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Philani Ndebele confirmed the incident.
He said investigations were still underway.
Cases of suicide have become rampant among youths. Recently an 18-year-old boy from Empandeni in Mangwe District committed suicide by drinking a mixture of dip chemical and rat poison after being scolded by his mother.
Another 18-year-old from Magwegwe Suburb in Bulawayo hanged himself at his parents’ house while a 15-year-old from the same area committed suicide by drinking a poisonous chemical after his girlfriend dumped him.
A 19-year-old Plumtree teenager last month committed suicide in a bushy area near his aunt’s house by hanging himself over unclear circumstances.-chronicle

Former Secretary for Administration, Didymus Mutasa and his nephew Hurungwe West legislator, Themba Mliswa have been expelled from the party as First Lady, Grace Mugabe begins to flex her muscle. (Watch VIDEO Grace Mugabe marching in before expelling Mutasa)
But Mudzi South legislator, Jonathan Samkange; Bikita West member, Dr Munyaradzi Kereke and Daniel Garwe were re-admitted into the party. Mutasa and Mliswa were fired for indiscipline, with the former standing accused of a host of transgressions.
Mutasa was on record discrediting the 6th Zanu PF Congress held last December, declaring its outcomes as null and void.
He even wrote to SADC and the African Union (AU) calling on them to intervene in the matter in which he was ousted from party position of Secretary for Administration.
After such acts, the party tasked the National Disciplinary Committee to decide Mutasa’s fate. The committee is led by Grace Mugabe who now wields considerable power in Zanu PF. As soon as she returned home Zanu PF bigwigs are quacking in their boots as a cull is now expected in the Cabinet.
The disciplinary committee highlighted in its report the disparaging remarks by Mutasa against the party leadership and his utterances rubbishing the party’s congress.
The committee treated Mutasa’s case as unique and extraordinary, saying he continued to be unrepentant.
Former Zanu PF Mashonaland West Provincial Chairman, Mliswa was dismissed on an array of charges ranging from insubordination and interfering with party meetings in his province.
The expulsion of the two from the party, their National Assembly seats have been declared vacant and by-elections can be held.
On the other hand, the ruling party readmitted Dr Kereke, who was expelled in 2013 after standing as a candidate in Bikita West constituency contrary to the directive of the party which was rallying behind Elias Musakwa.
Garwe who contested as an independent in Murehwa North in the July 31 elections was also re-admitted together with Samkange.
During the same meeting, President Robert Mugabe in his opening remarks behind closed doors welcomed his wife into the meeting where he was making her maiden appearance after being elevated to lead the Women’s League.
The meeting also received briefs on ZIMASSET from Patrick Chinamasa, transport from Oppah Muchinguri and Saviour Kasukuwere for the commissariat. – State Media

Two Masvingo men are being hunted by police after one of them allegedly impregnated a domestic goat.
The goat was soon conceived a half human creature.
The foetus was noticed after the she-goat was accidentally hit by a passing truck.
The expecting she-goat hit  by a haulage truck at Chivi Growth Point last week, shocked residents when from its womb came out the foetus that had human like features.
Many people at the Growth point said except for the hooves, all other features looked human.
A spokesperson for the Veterinary Department said it was not possible for a goat to give birth to a human being.
He said the human-like features could be a result of deformities in the development of the kid. Below is the foetus that astounded many.  Pic by Martha Leboho/ Mirror

The United States government has poured into Zimbabwe $2.6Billion in the space of just 360 months. The US embassy writes refuting claims in the State Media that the western nation gave $850 million in funds to Zimbabwe NGOs between 2011 and 2014.

FULL TEXT:

The February 16 edition of The Herald newspaper published a page one article that carried a great deal of misinformation regarding USAID support to the NGO sector in Zimbabwe.   One of the greatest pieces of erroneous information was contained in the headline itself, which asserted that the United States provided $850 million in funds to Zimbabwe NGOs between 2011 and 2014.   We would like to set the record straight:

​Fact: In Zimbabwe, ​​USAID provides funding to improve food security, ​increase agricultural production and farmer incomes, ​support economic resilience and develop small businesses, promote civil society and democratic engagement, ​and provide health services to save lives.

Fact: In FY 2014, the U.S. Government provided approximately $160 million in assistance to Zimbabwe, $130 million of which went to improving  health services for  Zimbabweans in areas including HIV AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, nutrition, maternal/child health and reproductive health.

Fact: For more than 30 years, the American people, through USAID, have provided over $2.6 billion in assistance to the people of Zimbabwe, including significant food aid and emergency relief during times of critical need.

Fact: The U.S. Government works with a variety of partners and organizations and adheres to the highest standards for accountability for U.S. funds.  The U.S. Government takes seriously allegations regarding misuse of resources.  The USAID Office of the Inspector General is an independent office responsible for investigating such claims.

Members of the public who are interested in learning about ​the facts regarding USG assistance​ in this country will find accurate information at​ ​the​ official U.S. Government website:  http://www.usaid.gov/results-and-data/budget-spending/congressional-budget-justification#.

The Constitutional Court has set aside judgement on whether the laws which make it a criminal offence for someone said to have infected his or her partner with HIV are constitutional or not.
Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku leading a nine(9) member bench heard the case which was brought by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for human Rights urging the laws were not only vague but also unconstitutional.
ZLHR brought the cases after the conviction of two women on charges of wilfully infecting their partners with HIV.
Advocate Thabani Mpofu instructed by David Hofisi from the ZLHR submitted that there was no scientific evidence to support that “he or she was indeed infected HIV by his or her partner”.
Mpofu urged that the laws should clearly explain how the court would arrive at a conclusion that the accused person would have been intentionally and or wilfully infected his or her partner with HIV without scientific evidence.
Representing the state was Editor Mavuto from the Prosecutor General’s Office who said the contested laws were enacted with the aim of protecting and safeguarding public health.
He however agreed that there were no scientific evidence to prove that the accused person would have intentionally infected his or her partner adding that ‘actions’ and the ‘conduct’ of the accused person when the infection happened could lead to prosecution.
The laws which ZLHR wants to be repealed state that any person knowing that he or she is infected with HIV, or realizing that there is a real risk or possibility that he or she is infected with HIV, intentionally does anything or permits the doing of anything which he or she knows will infect or does anything which he or she realizes involves a real risk or possibility of infecting another person with HIV, shall be guilty of deliberate transmission of HIV whether or not he or she is married to that person and shall be liable to imprisonment for a period not exceeding twenty years.
PICTURES:

More than 100 children selected from the country’s 10 provinces, who share a birthday with President Robert Mugabe, will be flown to Victoria Falls to attend his 91st birthday celebrations scheduled for next week, where elephant and other game meat is on the menu.
Mugabe turns 91 this Saturday and as has become the norm, the 21st February Movement has organised a birthday bash for him in Victoria Falls on February 28.
This year’s celebrations are being held under the theme “Celebrating the birth of Gushungo, the icon of Zimbabwe’s revolution and champion of youth empowerment”.
Matabeleland North Zanu PF youth chairperson, Tamuka Nyoni, confirmed yesterday that the children will be going to the resort town.
“We are prepared to host them so that they enjoy their day with His Excellency President Mugabe,” he said.
“All February 21st children will be well catered for.”
A lot of food has been lined up for the day and an elephant is part of the menu after it was donated by Woodlands Wildlife Conservancy.
The new development comes as hotels and lodges in the resort town are all fully-booked for the duration of the birthday bash.
Tourism operators said Mugabe’s bash had brought them more business than regional summits normally hosted in the resort town. Reports said about 622 government delegates are booked in the resort town ahead of the bash for a period of four days from February 26 to 28.
Delegates will start arriving in the resort town on February 26.
Children will converge at the Victoria Falls Farm School on February 27 for the birthday reception, but Mugabe will only jet into the resort town the following day for the main event at Elephant Hills Hotel.
The crowd expected has doubled, with organisers of the event saying they were expecting about 20 000 people to attend, meaning more mouths to be fed than the previous bashes.
This has brought smiles on the faces of tourism players as the huge influx of delegates for the bash translates into profits for them.
Employers’ Association for Safari and Tourism Operators, president and Shearwater public relations manager Clement Mukwasi yesterday confirmed the development and said it was a real test of their capacity as an industry to handle big events.
“The occasion is a massive one,” he said.
“It’s going to bring domestic tourists into Victoria Falls like never before.
“It’s a real test of our capacity to handle the local market as an industry.”
Mugabe’s 90th birthday bash on February 23 2014 was attended by about 10 000 in Harare and 90 beasts were reportedly slaughtered for the occasion with costs reaching a staggering $1 million.
This year the money needed for the bash could surpass that of 2014 as the birthday bash is being held more than 800km from the capital.

Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries leader, Prophet Walter Magaya, and controversial tourism boss Karikoga Kaseke have received splashes of praises from the Daily News paper.
The paper handed Magaya a Personality of the Year award for 2014.
A statement read stating, “Despite the fact that 2014 was undoubtedly one of the most difficult years Zimbabweans have had to endure since 1980, Magaya proved to a wide cross-section of the population that he was one of a few institutions and individuals that provided a rare ray of hope to many.
“Personality of the year award — Walter Magaya
“The young charismatic preacher managed to attract one of the largest crowds Zimbabwe has ever seen during his Night of Turnaround in November last year.
“An estimated 350 000 people from all walks of life attended the conference, a feat that all the country’s stage-hungry politicians have failed to achieve over the past 35 years of Uhuru.
“The well-known philanthropist also won the hearts of many Zimbabweans when he gave the late Studio 263 actress Pretty Xaba $18 000 to cater for her travel and medical bills at an Indian hospital, in addition to awarding scholarships to several orphans dotted across the country.”
But despite all his good deeds, Magaya did court some controversy during the year, including facing untested allegations of adultery and seeing one of his crusades in Kwekwe ending tragically.
But the publication concluded claiming that “through his ministry, characterised by fervent reports of healing and miracles, he managed to turn many Zimbabweans to God.”
Meanwhile Karikoga Kaseke was handed,
the Tourism personality of the year award.
A reading stated, ‘The strong-willed Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief executive, Karikoga Kaseke, is a hands-on man.
Notwithstanding the fact that he is a regulator, Kaseke, with his team, deserve praise for working so hard to revive the country’s tourism sector.
After realising that Zimbabwe was losing a lot of revenue due to lack of tourists in the country, Kaseke has gone on a successful soft diplomatic offensive — and his efforts are slowly paying off.
Last year, the sector brought close to $1 billion in tourism receipts.
Through his dedication and commitment to the industry, Kaseke personally negotiated with Egypt Air to review its decision to withdraw from Zimbabwe.

The Zanu PF attempts to drag President Tsvangirai’s name into the controversial RBZ Debt Assumption Bill will not wash simply because he is not involved in any scam at all.
The allegations by Marondera East MP Jeremiah Chiwetu that the MDC leader used $3 million of RBZ funds to buy his Highlands House are not only preposterous but defamatory as well. This is a desperate attempt to equalize the doyen of the democratic struggle in Zimbabwe with those who benefitted from the quasi-fiscal activities of the RBZ that included the provision of tractors, scotch-carts and farming inputs.
The facts of the matter are that President Tsvangirai never received $3 million as alleged by Zanu PF. He never got money from the RBZ. He got a loan from government that is just about $1 million to buy the Highlands house but he had put in $400 000 of his own personal money as a deposit before the payment of the full value of the property.
President Tsvangirai is committed to servicing his own loan from government just as the State should also reimburse him $400 000 of personal funds that was used in buying this government property.
It should not be forgotten that President Tsvangirai spent three of his four years as Prime Minister staying in his own house in Strathaven, transacting the business of the State from his own private residence when the State had an obligation to provide him accommodation befitting his status.
For the three years he stayed in his own house, President Tsvangirai did not make the use of his own house an issue because material benefits have never driven his politics.
President Tsvangirai supports the position of the MDC MPs in parliament that anyone who owes the RBZ should pay back so that we do not burden innocent Zimbabweans with debts they know nothing about.
Whoever owes the RBZ should pay. If there was anyone who benefitted from the RBZ funds, then they must pay back and not saddle innocent Zimbabweans who are surviving on less than $1 a day and struggling to make ends meet.
The decision to make Zimbabweans pay for individuals who owe the RBZ is arrant nonsense and no amount of defamatory allegations against President Tsvangirai will divert the MDC focus from the fact that good citizens who owe the RBZ must assume their own debts.
President Tsvangirai fully supports the voice of the party’s MPs in Parliament who have stood firm in defence of the innocent Zimbabweans they represent; Zimbabweans who must now suffer on behalf of Zanu PF fat cats who fleeced the central bank.
Luke Tamborinyoka
Presidential Spokesperson
Movement for Democratic Change

Announcement of the Resignation of Hon. Priscila Misihairabwi –Mushonga from position of Secretary General
On 15 January 2015, the MDC Secretary General Hon. Priscila Misihairabwi –Mushonga announced to the public through the Financial Gazette newspaper that within a period of a few weeks from that date she would be making a decision as to whether she would continue to play a central role in the party.
It is with regret that we advise members of the party and the general public that on Thursday, 12 February 2015, Hon. Priscila Misihairabwi -Mushonga tendered to the President of the party, Prof Welshman Ncube, her written resignation from the position of Secretary General with immediate effect.
The Presidency has accepted this resignation and hopes that Hon. Misihairabwi -Mushonga will continue in her other roles in which she was deployed by the party, such as her role in Parliament.
On behalf of the leadership and membership of the party, we sincerely thank Hon. Misihairabwi -Mushonga for the outstanding and committed service that she rendered to the party in her capacity as Secretary General since her election to that position in February 2011.
Edwin Mushoriwa
MDC Deputy President

FIRST Lady Grace Mugabe and opposition MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai have been fingered as having substantially benefited from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ)’s controversial $1,35 billion debt which the government wants to take over.
This came out yesterday as legislators debated the RBZ Debt Assumption Bill which sailed through the second reading stage amid protests by opposition legislators who demanded that the National Assembly conduct a secret vote in a bid to stop its passage.
Opposition MPs argued that the Bill should not be passed as top Zanu PF and government officials, among them, First Lady, benefited from it. But Zanu PF shot back saying Tsvangirai was also a beneficiary of the RBZ’s benevolence.
Opposition legislators wanted a secret vote on the bill, but Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda thwarted it, ruling that this could only be entertained at the third reading stage before the Bill could be passed into law.
MDC-T chief whip Innocent Gonese and Kuwadzana East MP Nelson Chamisa had proposed a secret vote saying Parliament could not be railroaded to pass the Bill without a clear explanation of how the money was used.
“The people are saying this is a diabolical Bill and they equate it to Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. They are saying the RBZ has assets and must pay its debts and if there are people who benefited they must be made to account,” Gonese said.
“People need to know who benefited at a time when the RBZ was behaving as Father Christmas and to solve the issue of conflict of interest, all MPs who benefited certainly must be precluded from taking part in the vote to pass this Bill,” he said.
Mudenda said: “I made a ruling that at this stage, it does not permit voting.”
Gonese said he had qualms with the way some of the debts were described because Zimbabweans could be paying for money used to buy homes for “small houses” or lobola for second wives of some individuals.
“For example, the Medallion Gold, Anglo American debt and other debts have no clear explanation as to how they were incurred,” he said. “It is only described as a variance. How can Parliament be expected to condone such a debt? We need full disclosure and explanations and those people who benefited must be made to reduce the $1,35 billion debt.”
Gonese said some amount on the RBZ debt was used to pay for electricity debts and fuel for “Zanu PF fat cats”. “You expect the poor impoverished Zimbabweans to pay? I want to challenge Zanu PF MPs that if they have the interests of people at heart they must join us in blocking this Bill so that we ensure those who benefited reduce the amount,” he said.
Nkayi South MP Abednico Bhebe reiterated: “This is a private debt and if Zanu PF MPs insist on the government taking over, then we will require that this House be divided so that Zimbabweans can actually judge who have the interests of the people in this House and who are the people in this House actually sanctioning looting.”
This prompted Marondera East MP Jeremiah Chiwetu (Zanu PF) to hit back saying the $3 million used by the RBZ to buy Tsvangirai’s Highlands house when he was Prime Minister had contributed to the contested RBZ debt.
“If we say Tsvangirai should pay back the $3 million can he manage? He cannot even manage $1 500 per month,” Chiwetu said.
In response, Binga North MP Prince Dubeko Sibanda (MDC-T) claimed that Grace’s Alpha and Omega Dairy project was built using RBZ money and partly contributed to the debt.
Zanu PF proportional representation MP Sabina Mangwende said those farmers who got farming implements sold a lot of maize to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB), but had not yet been paid. She said they would only pay back for the equipment they got after the GMB had paid them for maize deliveries.
After a heated debate, Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa told legislators that a separate Bill would soon be introduced in Parliament for the setting up of a Zimbabwe Debt Office to verify and validate the RBZ debt.
He, however, pleaded with MPs to urgently pass the RBZ Debt Assumption Bill in its current state, saying validation of the debt might take long as the central bank required about $250 million to recapitalise.
The Bill now goes to Committee Stage where Chinamasa promised some amendments. Newsday

FORMER war veterans’ leader Jabulani Sibanda has urged Zimbabweans to pray for divine intervention to put an end to a “dirty corrupt lot” in Zanu PF oppressing fellow countrymen and looting State resources.
Sibanda claimed President Robert Mugabe is now surrounded by corrupt “weevils” that have hijacked Zanu PF, and persecuted the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo during the 1980s.
The firebrand ex-war veterans’ leader took a swipe at the Christopher Mutsvangwa-led association, describing it as a militia created by the army to oppress ordinary Zimbabweans.
“Actually corruption, permitted corruption, has created a ruling class in this country,” he said in a wide ranging interview.
“Zanu PF is no longer led by ordinary people, but by individuals that are able to buy votes out of ill-gotten wealth.
“I urge our people to continue praying. Those that can fast will have to do so because God has a way to put this to an end.
“We can only find the way to end this if we seek spiritual eyes and find determination and courage to save the revolution and our country, and contribute to the peace in Africa and to the world.”
Sibanda was expelled from Zanu PF and deposed as war veterans’ chairperson during a purge targeting suspected allies of then Vice-
President Joice Mujuru.
He courted Mugabe’s ire when he said all able-bodied Zimbabweans should resist a “boardroom or bedroom coup”, in apparent reference to a plot to unseat Mujuru.
Former VP Mujuru, a number of ministers, Zanu PF provincial chairpersons and other officials were booted out on charges of planning to topple Mugabe.
However, Sibanda described those behind the purge and now controlling Zanu PF as a corrupt, repressive and criminal cabal now surrounding Mugabe to loot the nation’s resources.
He said Zanu PF would be cleansed of such a “dirty lot”.
“The late (Joshua) Nkomo was loyal to Mugabe, but he was chased away and persecuted by people who today purport to be very loyal to him, but only for their selfish, personal needs and to get positions at the expense of democracy,” he said.
“What we see today in Zanu PF is people wielding power against the people and using the army against the people. I do not believe in such a party. I believe in Zanu PF that upholds the will of the people, their hopes and aspirations.
“I promise you that Zanu PF will be cleansed of this dirty lot.
“I may not be there when it happens, but this country will be cleansed of this dirty lot that are destroying the party and the country.
“Our minerals have disappeared.
“Mugabe even once asked where the minerals were. Our minerals have been taken by the same people who are destroying the party from within.
He added: “Corrupt weevils have destroyed our industries, looted diamonds, other minerals and undermined democracy.
“There is no democracy in Zanu PF and this is all because of these weevils, but the question is for how long will the nation take this nonsense?”
Sibanda described his ouster as illegal, before labelling the Mutsvangwa-led war veterans’ association as a military militia, created ostensibly by the army to oppress Zimbabweans.
“Our war veterans’ association is an affiliate of Zanu PF and not the army,” he said. “We do not exist anywhere in the Defence Forces Act.
“However, this brand new entity is affiliated to the Defence Forces and they are now using the power of the barracks to threaten war veterans.
“This is not a war veterans’ association, but a military militia that has been set up by the army to extend the arm of repression against our people.
“They don’t have support and will not have it in the foreseeable future.” – SouthernEye

Spirit Embassy Ministries founder Prophet Uebert Angel Mudzanire, convinced a Harare businessman to surrender his Bentley as a way of sowing a seed into his life, but the “man of God” immediately sold the vehicle just after receiving it despite having promised to return it to the owner if he failed to reap the promised harvest within the stipulated period, the court heard yesterday.
Mr Ndabazinengi Shava, the director of Faith Age Holdings Zimbabwe, told the court that Prophet Angel after selling his vehicle to one Phebion, relocated to the United Kingdom and blocked any communication with him.
This was revealed during the trial of Anderson Tagara who is accused of aiding Prophet Angel in defrauding Mr Shava of his vehicle valued at $300 000.
However, Tagara denied the charges when his trial opened yesterday before regional magistrate Mr Noel Mupeiwa.
Mr Shava said he believed the man of cloth when he told him that he would reap three folds.
“Just after relocating to the U.K, Prophet Angel actually called and ordered me to give his brother (Limit) the registration book and I gave it to him without any suspicions, not knowing that my car had already been sold even though the agreed eight months period had not lapsed,” he said.
In his defence through his lawyer Mr Itayi Ndudzo, Tagara denied the charges arguing that he was the owner of the car in question.
Part of the defence outline reads; “In February 2012 accused person (Tagara) purchased his own Bentley using his sole and exclusive funds.
It was only subsequent to the importation and registration of the vehicle in May that accused was approached by his then friend, Shava with an offer for the purchase of the vehicle. After negotiations the accused sold the vehicle to Shava and delivered it to him.”
Tagara told the court that in 2013 Shava approached him with an agreement of sale bearing his (Tagara) name as the seller and Benjamin Mudzanire as purchaser.
“Shava advised me that the vehicle had been sold to Mudzanire and since registration was in my name, the agreement of sale was required to divest me of ownership rights, I then signed it. “Allegations by Shava against me are entirely false and actuated by dishonesty, greedy and malice . . . he gambled his property without my involvement,” he said.
The trial continues on Friday. – State Media

In an unexpected turn of events, former Presidential Affairs minister Didymus Mutasa has called on all democratic forces, including opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC, to join him in the “real Zanu PF” to rescue the country from its current political and economic crises.
In an apparent response to the weekend appeal by MDC national executive member Nelson Chamisa, for Mutasa and other disaffected Zanu PF stalwarts to join hands with the MDC as the only way to defeat what he called the spectre of tyranny in the country, Mutasa said yesterday that this was not the solution.
Speaking in an interview with the Daily News, the Headlands legislator said it did not make sense “to leave a vibrant organisation (the real Zanu PF), notwithstanding the challenges” it was facing at the moment.
“No, we cannot join the MDC. If anything, they should come and join Zanu PF because we are the biggest party.
“Everyone in MDC was once in Zanu PF, including Tsvangirai. So, it should be them who come to Zanu PF, not the other way round,” Mutasa said.
He said even though he and other Zanu PF officials, including former vice president Joice Mujuru, had been treated unfairly by their erstwhile colleagues in the Zanu PF that emerged post the party’s disputed “elective” congress that was held in Harare last December, he would never leave the “real Zanu PF” and join another party.
“I have never left Zanu PF and I will never leave the party. I am in the old Zanu PF and I belong in that Zanu PF. However, I am not in the illegal Zanu PF and that one I do not recognise,” Mutasa said.
Addressing party supporters in Kuwadzana on Sunday, Chamisa said it was good that Mutasa and other prominent Zanu PF members now agreed with the MDC that the ruling party had too many “fatal deficiencies” to be allowed to continue misruling the country.
“We call upon people like Mujuru, Mutasa and all other democratic forces to come and join Tsvangirai. I even told Mutasa come, come, come and unite with us as Zimbabweans to extricate the country from the economic mess that it finds itself in,” Chamisa said.
The Kuwadzana East legislator said all democratic forces should take advantage of Tsvangirai’s massive grassroots support and coalesce around him if they entertained any hopes of dislodging Zanu PF from power.
But Mutasa, who maintains that he is still the bona fide Zanu PF secretary for administration, said opposition parties interested in democracy instead should join the “real Zanu PF” to advance the interests of all Zimbabweans.
Meanwhile, the ruling party’s disciplinary committee, headed by Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, that will decide Mutasa’s fate is set to start its work soon, following the return of First Lady Grace Mugabe from her long Far East sojourn, where she allegedly underwent a minor medical operation.
But even then, there is apparently serious disagreement among Zanu PF hardliners about how to deal with the dissenting former Presidential Affairs minister, who is also contemplating dragging Zanu PF to court.
Although Mugabe and his legal advisors have warned Mutasa against taking the court route, Mutasa is undeterred and insists that the party should repudiate its December congress and return to a more democratic dispensation.
Well-placed sources told the Daily News yesterday that while some of the hawks were agitating for Mutasa’s summary dismissal from the party — as had happened with former war veterans’ leader Jabulani Sibanda and former spokesperson Rugare Gumbo — others were not sure that this would serve the warring party’s interests.
Grace demonstrated the immense power she now wields in Zanu PF when Cabinet ministers, service chiefs and Zanu PF bigwigs scrambled to Harare International Airport to welcome her back to the country on Sunday after she had been away in the Far East for more than two months.
Most observers were agreed that the fact that senior government and Zanu PF officials had felt compelled to converge at the airport to welcome her back to Zimbabwe in the manner that they did spoke volumes about how much political power she now wielded in the country.
President Robert Mugabe himself admitted during the ruling party’s damp squib “elective” congress that was held in Harare late last year that Grace now often directed him what to do.
There was much pomp and ceremony as Grace arrived at the airport, with one senior Zanu PF official who spoke to the Daily News describing her welcome as “fitting for a Queen”.
“She (Grace) is now probably the most powerful politician in Zimbabwe, which is why her welcome back to the country today almost rivalled the treatment that the president gets when he returns from his trips abroad.
“To not go and pay homage to Amai at the moment amounts to virtual political suicide and everyone knows this. Her welcome was fitting for a Queen,” the central committee member who requested anonymity said.
Among the bigwigs at the airport were Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi, Foreign Affairs minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, politburo member Shuvai Mahofa and fast-rising Youth league boss Pupurai Togarepi.
Mugabe himself only came back from the family holiday late last month, claiming at the time that he had left his wife in the Far East recuperating, after she had undergone a medical operation. Mugabe reportedly sneaked out of the country a few days ago so that he would accompany his wife home.
Speaking at the welcome party, Togarepi wasted no time in reminding the gathered Zanu PF bigwigs that it was in fact “Comrade Stop It”, as Grace is now popularly known in party circles, who was in control.
He bluntly told them that the honeymoon was over for those who had taken advantage of her absence to misbehave and frustrate the ruling party’s youths.
“We are happy as the Youth League that mother (Grace) you are back. We were being persecuted when you were away. When a mother is not there, others take advantage and push you, but this is our time to report them to you” he said to loud applause. -DailyNews

The Constitutional Court is on Wednesday going to rule whether the laws which make it a criminal offence for someone who would have infected his or her partner with HIV are constitutional or not.
The argument was bought by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for human Rights last year after the conviction of two Zimbabwean women by the courts two years ago for deliberately infecting their partners, and is based on the constitutionality of the law versus the new constitution promulgated in 2013. The Constitutional Court is on Wednesday going to rule whether the laws which make it a criminal offence for someone who would have infected his or her partner with HIV are constitutional or not.
The argument was brought by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for human Rights last year after the conviction of two Zimbabwean women by the courts two years ago for deliberately infecting their partners preside over the constitutionality of the law versus the new constitution promulgated just before the 2013 general elections.
The law  in context states that any person  knowing that he or she is infected with HIV, or realizing that there is a real risk or possibility  that he or she is infected  with HIV intentionally  does anything or permits the doing  of anything which he or she knows will infect or does anything which he or she realizes involves a real risk or possibility of infecting another person with HIV, shall be guilty of  deliberate transmission of HIV whether or not  he or she is married  to that person, and shall be liable to imprisonment  for a period not exceeding twenty years.
In its (ZLHR) arguments, their case is that there is  no scientific evidence to prove the source of HIV infection which could be brought before the courts when two parties are being tried.
The rights lobby group said the conviction of such persons were done on who first reports  accusing another  as opposed to basing on evidence which is not easy to come by.
Three lawyers Tabani Mpofu,Lizwe Jamela and David Hofisi  have been delegated by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human rights to argue the case.

President Robert Mugabe is set to butcher giant elephants at his birthday celebrations.
Mugabe who turns 91 this week, is set to slaughter Zimbabwe’s endangered species at celebrations held by his party ZANU PF.
A report by the Chronicle said a prominent farmer, Tendai Musasa had pledged to donate two elephants, two buffalos, two sables, five impalas and a lion worth a combined $120 000 towards the president’s birthday bash that will be held on 28 February.
According to The Guardian the conservationists have branded the plans as unethical.
Musasa said this was his way of supporting the function and to ensure a celebratory mood.
He said the donation was “a perfect gesture”, adding that the animals would be slaughtered a few days ahead of the big day with the meat being stored by a local hotel.
“This is totally unethical”
But the chairperson of Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force Johnny Rodrigues said he was not in favour of anyone donating wild animals for a celebration or any other reason.
“They have been doing this for years now. Every time there is a celebration…, several elephants and buffalo are killed for the celebrations. This is totally unethical and should not be allowed,” Rodrigues was quoted as saying.
Mugabe’s government is already under fire for a plan to ship at least 62 baby elephants to China, the United Arab Emirates and France.
The country’s tourism minister last month said the southern African country was overpopulated with African jumbos, adding that Zimbabwe needed to urgently reduce the animals’ population.
According to Huffington Post, at least 20 000 people are expected to attend the lavish celebrations just outside Victoria Falls. News24.com/Additional Reporting

ZANU PF Member of Parliament for Gwanda North Madodana Sibanda and his fellow ZANU PF community leaders in ward 11 of his constituency have celebrated the poor rainfall in the area warning villagers that those aligned to the opposition will starve to death.
Addressing villagers at Ntalale in Gwanda North over the weekend, the legislature supported by his compatriots warned the villagers that the area is bound for a poor harvest this year and government food relief will be needed and only those “loyal to ZANU PF will be accorded the food aid.”
The MP openly told the villagers that those loyal to the opposition MDC factions will be fed by the MDCs not government.
“I hope you can all see that this year is bound to be a drought, so please when we come with food aid those not loyal to us should not even bother coming to us for food aid but go to their MDC As, Ns and Ts,” Sibanda said.
According to people who attended the meeting which was convened as a ward developmental meeting, they were stunned when the MP and his entourage began chanting ZANU PF slogans and speaking ZANU PF business instead of developmental issues.
Some people are reported to have tried to leave the gathering but were forced to remain in the gathering by ZANU PF regalia dressed marshals who threatened them with violence if they left the meeting.
The angry villagers told this media that the communities of Ward 11 in the constituency have been sending numerous complaints about their ZANU PF councillor who has not done “anything” for them since elections but instead get victimised for complaining. According to the villagers they are continuously being exposed to ZANU PF intimidation for them to be loyal to ZANU PF against their will.
ZANU PF won the Gwanda North constituency winning two council wards out of eleven and ward 11 was where the party got its biggest number of votes of close to 2000 voters. Opposition parties claim that ZANU PF bussed in thousands of people from near by ward 12 of Gwanda South to register and vote in the ward.

A Bulawayo Cell phone thug was at the weekend given a “thorough bashing” after he was caught in the act pick pocketing a cellphone from a woman, before handing it over to an accomplice who fled with the gadget from the scene.
The unidentified cellphone robber was then forced to eat a humble pie, after he agreed to help the victim to recover her handset from his accomplice, who had already gone with the handset. The thorough bashing from the surrounding mob left him pleading for mercy.
“Please lingangibulali ifoni yenu iyaphenduka, ngiyacela bantu – please don’t kill me your phone is going to be recovered”. The unidentified thief began to the sizeable crowd as it delivered instant justice on him.
He was captured being whisked away to the nearest police post, but not before he was given a few more bashes, soon after losing his teeth, after receiving several kicks from the mob.

It is a serious crime to take the law into one’s hands by attacking an accused person but efforts to obtain a comment from the crowd on why they were choosing to break the law, were fruitless as emotions continued to rise against the accused.

FINANCE minister Patrick Chinamasa yesterday pleaded with the European Union (EU) to unconditionally lift the economic and travel sanctions imposed on President Robert Mugabe and First Lady Grace to normalise relations between Harare and the European bloc.
Several government, Zanu PF officials and firms linked to them were placed under EU trade and travel sanctions in 2002 for gross human rights violations and electoral fraud, but the EU has lifted the embargo on most of them save for Mugabe and his wife.
“While we have taken these significant steps towards normalisation of Zimbabwe-EU relations, we must remain cognisant of the fact that there was still unfinished business,” Chinamasa said at the official signing ceremony of the 11th European Development Fund National Indicative Programme 2014 to 2020 in Harare.
“Zimbabwe has a chief executive and as long as the chief executive remains under sanctions our relations remain poisoned and unproductive. “I, therefore, take this opportunity to call for the unconditional lifting of sanctions against our head of State and the First Lady.”
Chinamasa said the signing ceremony was a significant step towards normalisation of relations and this would be the first time since 2002 that EU was engaging the government directly with development assistance funds being channelled through Treasury and not through non-governmental organisations as was the case before.
“Following the signing, Zimbabwe and the EU must embark on a political dialogue as provided under Article 8 of the Cotonou Agreement,” he said. “This will be spearheaded and conducted under the auspices of the Foreign Affairs ministry. But dialogue must be between equals.
“For as long as sanctions remain, the dialogue will unnecessarily remain contentious and acrimonious, and may retard progress towards normalisation.” Chinamasa added that Zimbabwe was open to doing business with EU member States.
“We would really appreciate it if we could have the European Investment Bank (EIB) in Zimbabwe,” he said. “So I am happy that EIB will be having another mission to Zimbabwe. “Our productive sector needs support to accelerate economic growth and achieve sustainable development.
“By the way, we started this January to make a token repayment towards liquidation of our indebtedness to the EIB to demonstrate our commitment to do business with the bank.”

THE return on Sunday of First Lady Grace Mugabe from her two-month-long holiday has reportedly sent top Zanu PF officials into a pensive mood, with some fearing for their political lives amid reports of an impending major Cabinet shake-up, officials revealed.
Grace is believed to wield enormous influence on key decisions made by her ageing husband President Robert Mugabe who turns 91 on Saturday.
The government and Zanu PF sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity yesterday, said they were anticipating a major reshuffle in both the ruling party and government structures starting this week following her return.
The officials said the party expected the appointment of new Cabinet ministers and a swift resolution of the disciplinary case involving fired Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa.
Grace is in the seven-member disciplinary panel appointed by Mugabe recently to address Mutasa’s matter.
The committee, chaired by Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko, is yet to meet following its appointment, as Grace was away.
“Remember, the First Lady is now the kingmaker in both the party and the government, and starting this week, there is likely to be a lot of activity, as she takes over from where she left after our resounding congress in December,” a Zanu PF insider said.
“Mind you, Amai is the one credited with the downfall of (former Vice-President Joice) Mujuru and her followers both in the party and the government.
“She is likely to resume her campaign and exert her influence in the appointment of outstanding Cabinet posts.”
In the run-up to the party’s congress last December, Grace led a vicious campaign against Mujuru accusing her of plotting to topple Mugabe.
Although Mujuru denied the charges, she was eventually relieved of both her party and government posts.
Opposition parties and political analysts yesterday expressed similar fears that Grace’s return could spell doom for perceived pro-Mujuru party cadrés.
National Constitutional Assembly spokesperson Maddock Chivasa said: “Her coming back means more chaos in Zanu PF, as she is widely believed to be the chief principal and symbol of hate and divisions.”
Political analyst Takura Zhangazha said Grace’s return was only significant to Zanu PF, with people who led her campaign to land the women’s league post now looking up to her for political ascendancy and the next step after the purges.
“Within the context of their party, it means those that led the ousting of the former VP will look up to her for the next step and action for political ascendancy in Zanu PF,” he said.
“Nationally, her return will not change anything. It’s significant only to Zanu PF. There is no new policy she can review. She can end up in Cabinet, but apart from that, there is nothing much she can do on policy issues.”
MDC-T spokesperson, Obert Gutu, said there was nothing much to expect from Grace, but wished her a speedy recovery.
“Grace should ask herself few very tough questions: Why did she have to travel more than 10 000km away from Zimbabwe in order to undergo a relatively simple operation?” he said.
“Why have her husband and the political party he leads allowed the health delivery system to collapse?
“Why is it that they can afford to wine and dine in high society in the Far East for more than two months at a time when more than 85% of Zimbabweans are living in poverty and destitution and are surviving on less than $2 per day?
“What is the total cost to the taxpayer for chartering an Air Zimbabwe Boeing 767 jet from Harare to Singapore and back?”
MDC-Renewal spokesperson Jacob Mafume said it was worrying that Grace was becoming a new centre of power in Zimbabwe an indication that all was not well with her husband.-SouthernEye

Mafume ruled out re-unification with MDC-T but said they would rather form an electoral pact and fight Zanu (PF) from one corner, since there were no personal differences between Tsvangirai, Biti and any other member of the MDC formations.
“What is important and possible is an election pact by opposition parties to win the 2018 election against Zanu (PF), not to dissolve different political formations.
“Ideally, different political parties would come up with a pact and win elections first, then share cabinet posts and other responsibilities in the subsequent government,” said Mafume, pointing out that the Renewal Team was not competing against MDC-T, but were allies fighting one common enemy, Zanu (PF).
According to Mafume, the MDCs, labour, church, student organisations and civil society among other democratic forces’ roles are complementary to each other and would not be in conflict.
Zimbabwe at this juncture, Mafume noted, would be comfortable with a coalition that sets rules for a common electoral strategy, not reuniting the parties with leaders obsessed with personal power.
He made a call for opposition leadership to have ‘conversation with themselves’ and see where they went wrong.
Mafume urged the opposition to respect multi-party democracy while having the ability to merge interests under a pact and fight the enemy.
Reuniting the MDCs and other opposition parties, according to Mafume, will have problems as those bound to lose positions as a result of the merger might pull out of the struggle, rendering the objective unattainable.
“Besides, reunification would be a long and taxing process, as there would be need to conduct primaries which are divisive if not properly handled.”
Morgan Tsvangirai, MDC-T leader, pinned hopes of change in a grand-coalition.
“I for one, would be prepared to seriously consider a grand coalition. The sooner people sit down together and start discussing how to unite and form a formidable party, the better,” Tsvangirai said in his end of year address.
Promise Mkwananzi, Renewal Team youth national executive member, said divided, the opposition will not remove Zanu (PF) from power.
“Morgan Tsvangirai is welcome in the coalition as long as he comes without the Big brother mentality.
“The coalition of political parties will have no president and leadership would be chosen by the people,” Mkwananzi said.
Charles Mangongera, a political commentator said: “Any coalition by the opposition will be supported by the electorate as it would emerge as a new democratisation initiative.”
Simba Makoni, leader Mavambo/Dawn/Kusile, welcomed an inclusive coalition that takes everybody aboard.”
Observers had reservations about any arrangement meant to form a meaningful common front by the opposition.
They said MDC-T believed that it was the most popular party in the country and had what it takes to go it alone.
Following the reunification of the Renewal Team and MDC led by Welshman Ncube in Harare last November, Obert Gutu, MDC-T spokesperson, said: “Tsvangirai is not losing sleep over the coalition formed by political dwarfs. MDC-T is the most popular party in the country and is seized with the economic challenges facing the nation.”zimbabwean

Bulawayo members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) selected Friday 13th February 2015 to conduct their 13th Valentine’s Day procession. At 245pm, two processions began, one in 9th Avenue and one in 14th Avenue. Both processions had over 550 members taking part and marching through the city to the Mhlahlandlela Government Complex to hand over a petition to the resident minister.
The protest was conducted under the theme – Demanding Dignity – Demanding Women’s Empowerment! The protest followed a civic education programme covering the constitution clauses on the right to earn a living. Members’ demands were written on placards and contained in the Woza Moya newsletter being distributed along with the traditional red roses.
The demands included the creation of jobs, a halt on the relocation of informal traders from Bulawayo city centre and the urgent convening of a country wide consultation to map a collective way forward on how to revamp the economy putting women and youth at the centre of the economic empowerment action plan.
Both protest groups arrived undisturbed at the government complex after a 20 minute march. The police officers in the vehicles merely watched and followed. Upon arrival at the complex, the security guards immediately locked the gate barring the two members due to deliver the demand entry. Undeterred the peaceful members began their Mhlahlandlela programme, singing their composed songs stating their demands and putting across their views. As the final stage of the programme was coming to an end, 15 anti riot police officers who had been dropped off a distance away arrived where the singing and slogan chanting members were located.
They made to surround those by the gates and started to push them away with baton sticks. WOZA leaders Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu both advised the police officers that the protest was now dispersing and asked them to allow for closing slogans for peaceful dispersing. Both were rudely told to shut up and get away, both were manhandled as they tried to stress that police officers were now causing disorder by prodding and threatening to beat members, by now many afraid and beginning to run away. The police officers continued to push the leaders and members down the road towards Herbert Chitepo Street.
As the front group reached this street, they made to turn left to go towards the bus terminus, anti riot officers ran and blocked them once again prodding and manhandling those trying to get to the terminus through this road. With no choice those in this forced procession, and then went towards 12th avenue hoping to once again take a route to the terminus, once again the police officers ran and blocked them. Now perplexed most members kept demanding where they should go and they were answered by baton sticks in the ribs or back respectively depending on which way they were facing.
A police twin cab showed up with an occupant obviously a high ranking officer, both Williams and Mahlangu went to ask him if he could make the orders clear but he ignored both with a stony demeanour. This officer was engaged repeatedly by WOZA leaders but he remained un-responsive and showed no obvious role as an officer sworn to uphold peace and order.
As the members now in some sort of a ‘forced procession’ continued to be shepherded out of town some police officers began to let on that they were pushing members to the industrial sites. Some police officers threatened that they were awaiting the arrival of a vehicle to take members to be dumped in Plumtree, a town 100 kilometres away. For several more city blocks the police officers blocked any exits, using baton sticks and threatening now numbering over 90 members. They refused to allow a slower pace or rest in the shade for anyone, even the elderly.
At the intersection of 15th avenue and H. Chitepo Street, the start of the industrial area, two members fainted. One member, Thabani Nyoni was beaten on her lower back and immediately fell down and was unconscious. The other member was quickly revived but Thabani spent over 10 minutes unconscious. When she came to she could not speak, an ambulance had to be called due to her condition. At this time some police officers had continued to push members for another 30 minutes deeper into the industrial area. Some members managed to stay behind with the unconscious members, until the ambulance had arrived and loaded up Thabani to take her to hospital.
After the ambulance left, 50 members marched back into the city in a final action of defiance exercising their right to protest. As they marched they sang ‘WOZA will never be killed’ right up to the bus terminus where they peacefully dispersed as had been the original plan. The police boss and 6 officers followed in the twin cab but made no further attempt to disrupt the march. As this final contingent came back through the route they had taken forced by police baton sticks, vendors and bystanders who had witnessed the first event clapped hands and ululated.
Five members had to receive medication for soft tissue bruising and Thabani was admitted to the emergency rooms and finally discharged two hours later.
WOZA leadership met on 16 February to discuss police behaviour during the protest. They resolved to write a formal letter of complaint to the police who did not follow their legal mandated procedure and allow member to peacefully disperse. Instead they used cruel , inhuman and degrading treatment forcing members out of town and using violent means to deprive them of their constitutional right to protest.

The European Union (EU) on Monday provided development assistance to Zimbabwe amounting to $270 million marking the resumption of cooperation between Brussels and Harare following the imposition of restrictive measures on President Robert Mugabe and his inner circle over a decade ago.
The EU and the government of Zimbabwe signed the National Indicative Programme, a joint cooperation strategy between Harare and Brussels, that will be funded by the 11th European Development Fund between 2014 and 2020.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Harare, EU ambassador to Zimbabwe, Phillipe van Damme, said he hoped that the resources would be put to good use, adding that he expects Harare to institute some democratic reforms.
However, Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa said the EU should immediately lift sanctions on President Robert Mugabe and his wife, Grace, imposed in 2002 for alleged election rigging and human rights violations to ensure that there was better cooperation between Harare and Brussels. Names of most senior officials of Mr. Mugabe’s administration were struck off the sanctions list by the EU last November but only the president and his wife remained.
Political analyst Earnest Mudzengi, director of the Media Centre, told VOA Studio 7 that the restrictive measures were not serving any purpose towards the revival of the country’s economy.
At the same time, Willard Manungo, permanent secretary in the finance ministry, who is also the authorization officer of the joint strategy signed Monday, said the development assistance provided by the EU will be channeled towards agriculture and health sectors as well as strengthening governance institution in order to strengthen the rule of law through institutional capacity building.
The EU said under this agreement, 6 million Euros was set aside for civil society and the money will be channeled through government.
But Terry Mutsvanga, director of the Coalition Against Corruption, said he fears that some of this money will not reach the non-governmental organizations.
The decision by the EU to channel the funds through treasury also comes at a time when a number of local civil society organizations are being investigated by the Washington administration for misuse of funds allocated to them for their work in Zimbabwe. – VOA

HARARE City council has banned the rearing of chickens in backyards saying this was against by laws.
Director of Health Services Dr Prosper Chonzi insisted that council by-laws (1962) have to be respected.
“No poultry house shall be placed nearer than three metres from any boundary or nearer than six metres from premises used for human habitation,” he reminded residents. “No person shall keep any poultry by reasons of continued crowing, quacking clucking, gobbling or like noise tends to destroy the comfort of neighbourhood.”
He said those found on the wrong side of the law will be prosecuted. Howeversaid the poultry projects were their only source of income adding that not every unemployed person could sell tomatoes and trinkets.
“I lost my job in June last year and, with my $200 retrenchment package I started keeping poultry for sell. This is my only source of income; how do they want me to survive with my family,” said Milton Moyo from Budiriro 5 high density suburb.
A Mt Pleasant resident said the city needs to change its outdated by-laws as life in Zimbabwe has changed.
“They wrote to me saying that if I continue to keep poultry I will be prosecuted but this is my house,” declared Tim Mandishona.
“The said neighbours are my customers and they never complained about any noise. We will meet in court! “This Smith regime law must be abolished to suit our Zimbabwean way of living.”
Mandishona said if the local authority felt residential areas were not ideal then it must provide them with alternative places to operate from.
Most residents in Harare are making a killing by keeping poultry in their backyards as customers shun South African imports which they say are genetically modified and tasteless.

A BULAWAYO woman went berserk and stabbed her police officer husband with a fork on his private parts following an argument over WhatsApp messages.
Chengeto Gumbo Kanengoni, 25, who is employed at Mashonaland Turf Club, allegedly went on to stab Joseph Manhokwani once on his right arm and several times on his back before biting him on his left and right upper chest.
She also hit him on the leg with an electric iron. Kanengoni had gone through her husband’s mobile phone and seen a message in which Manhokwani was talking about his mother, with his sister.
The content of the message was not disclosed when Kanengoni appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Marilyne Mtshina facing a charge of domestic violence. Kanengoni was remanded out of custody to February 16.
Prosecuting, Raymond Makhaza told the court that on February 5 at around 7PM, Kanengoni came back from work and found her husband preparing supper when she got inside the house and locked the door.
Makhaza said Manhokwani asked his wife why she had locked the door and Kanengoni told him she went through his phone and came across WhatsApp messages in which they were discussing her mother-in-law.
“The two had a misunderstanding which led to Manhokwani leaving the house for a few hours to avoid quarrelling,” said Makhaza. When Manhokwani came back home the same day at around 10PM they both retired to bed.
The court heard how Kanengoni later woke up and started shouting at her husband. She grabbed a steel kitchen fork and stabbed her husband on his jewels.
Makhaza told the court that Kanengoni went on to bite Manhokwani on his left and right side of the upper chest before hitting him on his right leg with an electric iron.
While Kanengoni was assaulting her husband their neighbour Alouis Chipato came to his rescue and took them to his house where Manhokwani narrated how he was always being threatened by his wife and her sister.
The matter was reported to the police leading to Kanengoni’s arrest. chronicle

An elderly man from Lupane allegedly tied up his teenage niece on different occasions so that his 59 year old friend could rape her.
Philimon Mlindema Sibanda of Gweshanga Village, who was the girl’s guardian, allegedly went on to force his niece to marry Freddy Ndlovu after a series of rapes, in exchange for a cow.
The two allegedly agreed on the marriage terms at a beer drink.
Ndlovu, also known to villagers as Mareza because they allege he is a serial bed-hopper – would have sex with the girl on the floor while his wife slept on a bed in the same room.
The complainant, from Silwane Village in the same area was 16-years-old when the alleged rape occurred in 2007.
The two elderly men were on Friday dragged before Hwange regional magistrate Dambudzo Malunga facing rape charges.
Both denied the crime arguing that the sex was consensual.They were both remanded out of custody to March 4 for continuation of trial.
Ndlovu told the court Sibanda offered him the girl at a beer drink.
“We were at a beer drink with Sibanda when he offered the girl to me. I went to his homestead where he showed me three girls and I chose the complainant and paid a beast as lobola,” he said.
Ndlovu left the court in stitches when the magistrate asked whether the intercourse was consensual.
“Your worship, she agreed because she didn’t pinch me like those other women usually do when they’re forced into sex,” he said.
Sibanda denied tying up his niece and claimed the marriage was consensual as the two were in love.
“I never tied her up, instead she told me she was in love with Ndlovu and they got married properly. I didn’t doubt her since Ndlovu is also called Mareza because of his notoriety with women,” said Sibanda.
The complainant, however, told the court she was forced because her uncle tied her hands so that Ndlovu could have sex with her.
Prosecuting, Tawanda Sigauke told the court that the trial delayed because police could not locate the complainant who had relocated to Botswana with her new husband, after she fled Ndlovu’s homestead.
“On February 2, 2007, Sibanda called the complainant and told her that he had found a husband who wanted to marry her. On February 7, Ndlovu visited the co-accused and Sibanda introduced him to the girl as her husband to be.” said Sigauke
The girl didn’t consent, the court was told.It is alleged that Sibanda demanded and got a beast from Ndlovu.
“On the same night on February 7, Sibanda tied up the complainant’s legs and hands and locked her in the same bedroom hut with Ndlovu. The first accused laid the complainant on the floor, pulled up her skirt,tore off her panties and had sexual intercourse with her without her consent. The accused rested for a while and raped her for the second time without her consent,” said the prosecutor.
The court heard that Sibanda untied his niece in the morning while Ndlovu left for his homestead.
Ndlovu returned to Sibanda’s homestead a few days later.
Sibanda allegedly forced his niece to sleep in the same room with Ndlovu where he allegedly raped her twice at night, it is alleged.
The prosecutor said in the evening the girl fled as Ndlovu wanted to rape her again and she slept at a neighbour’s homestead.
Sibanda followed her and tied her hands before handing her over to Ndlovu who took her to his homestead as a wife.
At home, Ndlovu told the court, he had sex with the girl on the floor while his wife slept on the bed.
The matter came to light when the complainant narrated her ordeal to Lamlela Ncube who then helped her report to the police leading to the two men’s arrest.-chronicle

THE continued dry spell in most parts of the country has seriously affected crops, especially maize, threatening hopes of good yields. The outbreak of armyworms and quelea birds has worsened the situation for maize and sorghum farmers.
The Meteorological Services Department had forecast heavy rains in some parts of the country from Friday last week to tomorrow (Tuesday).
Farmers in the southern parts of the country have lost hope of a harvest and said even if the rains come, the crops would not recover.
Zimbabwe Farmers Union president, Mr Abdul Nyathi, said most farmers in Masvingo, Matabeleland North and South have been severely affected, especially those who planted maize.
“The maize is a write-off and it will never recover even if it rains as we have gone for too long without rains. There is still hope for some small grains if it rains.
“At the moment it is very hot in Gwanda and the crops have wilted.
“The situation is bad and farmers have lost hope.
“The season has been so bad,” he said.
Mr Nyathi said the rains had not been favourable for crop production as they were heavy in some areas causing flooding and leaching while some areas did not receive enough for crop development.
“In some areas maize was affected by leaching and it is yellow and not developing well. This will compromise yields.
“The armyworms have done some damage and now we have received reports of web worm which is affecting maize,” he said.
He said the armyworm outbreak was under control.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Mr Wonder Chabikwa said the crop condition in most parts of the country was good except for the southern regions where maize has been severely affected by the dry spell.
“The southern parts of the country have gone for 10 days without receiving rains and the weather is hot.
“If we get to 14 days without receiving rains most of the crops in the southern region will be a write-off.
“We hope it rains so that those who planted small grains will have food.
“We have encouraged farmers in the dry areas to grow small grains but some of them prefer maize, which they say tastes better,” he said.
Plant Protection and Research Institute director Dr Godfrey Chikwenhere said while the armyworm outbreak was now under control there were new challenges caused by quelea birds and web worm.
“The armyworm is not causing any problems at the moment as the moths are now laying eggs. Quelea birds have wrecked havoc in Mashonaland Central in Muzarabani area and West Nicholson in Matabeleland South.
“We are being assisted by the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Authority in controlling the birds,” he said.
He said the web worm was affecting maize in Mashonaland West, Mashonaland Central and some parts of Mashonaland East, especially areas around Harare.
Dr Chikwenhere said teams from the PPRI and Agritex were on the ground to assess the damage and curb the pest.
He advised farmers to drive away the birds during the day.
Meanwhile, the MSD head of forecasting, Mr Tich Zinyemba, said there will be an increase in rainfall activity across the country, with a bias of heavier falls to the north-east in Mashonaland Provinces; Harare and the North of Manicaland.
“These falls should be increasing gradually as the week progresses with 30mm in 24hrs being expected in some areas. The amounts should gradually decline from north to south.
“Please note that we are experiencing high temperatures at the moment, and therefore these can result in violent storms, in terms of strong winds, hail and lightning. We urge the public to take the necessary precautions to avoid damage to life and property,” he said.
Zimbabwe is expected to receive normal to above normal rains during this season but these are not good for Agriculture.
Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development, Dr Joseph Made, has said there was need to invest in irrigation to aid agriculture.
He said due to climate change, farmers could no longer rely on rain-fed agriculture as the patterns were no longer predictable.-herald

Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson Justice Rita Makarau has urged Government to expedite the alignment of laws with the new Constitution to enable the body to fulfil its duties of preparing and managing the voters’ roll.
Justice Makarau was speaking at a luncheon hosted by the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs on Friday in honour of Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s elevation to the vice presidency.
“All lawyers celebrate your (Mr Mnangagwa) appointment as the Vice President and we have no doubt that your appointment is in recognition of your leadership qualities and immense sense of nationalism.
“Your ministry is saddled with the mammoth task of aligning laws to the new Constitution. It is important that we ensure that ZEC is mandated to prepare, register and keep the voters roll,” said Justice Makarau.
Chapter 12 of the Constitution empowers ZEC to prepare for, conduct and supervise all elections and referendums in Zimbabwe.
It is also the electoral commission’s duty to ensure that the elections are free and fair; to register voters or supervise registration of voters; and to compile voter’s rolls and registers, or supervise the compilation of these, and ensure their custody and maintenance.
Justice Makarau said the realignment of laws with the new Constitution will erase any ambiguity regarding the composition and functions of the electoral body.
Speaking at the same luncheon, chairperson of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Mr Elasto Mugwadi said his commission cherished Vice President Mnangagwa’s pronounced view and advocacy for the removal of the death penalty from the statute books.
“The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission recognises the efforts and contributions you (VP Mnangagwa) have made and continue to make in advancing human rights in Zimbabwe going back to the liberation struggle in which you courageously, unflinchingly and heroically participated to remove an unjust system grounded on racial discrimination and separate development,” Mr Mugwadi said.
Vice President Mnangagwa thanked staff in the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for organising the luncheon that allowed relaxed interaction with staff.
“I have been part of you as the Minister of Justice before my recent appointment to the post of Vice President, and the good thing is that I am still a part of you while I am serving in my new post as the Vice President. I hope that we will continue working well together,” VP Mnangagwa said.-herald

Grace Mugabe jetted back into the country this morning after undergoing surgery in the Far East.
She arrived at the Harare International Airport Sunday morning accompanied by her husband President Robert Mugabe.
Thousands of Zanu PF supporters thronged the airport to welcome Grace who returned home after undergoing surgical procedure to remove the appendix.
Grace told Zanu PF supporters of her medical history saying the latest surgery is the third one after undergoing the first one in 1986 where she had surgery to remove tonsils and the second one in 1996 when she had a gall bladder surgery.
Grace and her family continue to enjoy the luxuries of Asian medical facilities as millions of the country’s woman and girls fail to access affordable medical care in the country.
Grace and Mugabe were welcomed by Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of the Senate Cde Edna Madzongwe, Defence Minister Dr Sydney Sekeramayi, ministers Simon Khaya Moyo, Miriam Chikukwa, Oppah Muchinguri, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and service chiefs.
 

Megachurch preacher Uebert Madzanire who calls himself ‘Angel’, has taunted the Zimbabwean police following an arrest warrant issued on his head.
 
Angel received the warrant for his arrest after he absconded a court hearing in Zimbabwe.
He had been away doing church planting business in Texas, United States, and doing work in the United Kingdom when he was served the warrant in absentia.
Writing after landing in the UK, Angel, lambasted saying, “All my haters this is a dedication to you.”
He also wrote boasting of his whereabouts saying. “If you’re wondering where I am this valentines day – in London with ” Belle”. If it hurts you to know I am OK, I don’t CARE.” PICTURES-

Warrant of arrest for ‘fraudster’ Prophet Angel
A warrant of arrest has been issued for Spirit Embassy Church leader Prophet Uebert Angel Mudzanire after he failed to appear in court to answer to fraud charges involving a luxury vehicle worth US$300 000.
The police Vehicle Theft Unit is looking for the flamboyant preacher who is understood to be shuttling between the United Kingdom and the United States. He left Zimbabwe in May 2014.
Harare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe issued the warrant on Christmas Eve when he did not appear in court to respond to allegations of lying to businessman Mr Ndabazinengi Shava that he would “harvest” several vehicles and money if he “seeded” his Bentley Continental to the preacher.
Efforts to get a comment from Prophet Angel over the last fortnight were unsuccessful while church officials in Harare were tight-lipped.
The warrant reads, in part: “Whereas from the information taken upon oath, there are reasonable grounds of suspicion against Ubert Angel Mudzanire, founder of Spirit Embassy Church with no further particulars known, committed a crime of fraud as defined in Section 136 Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 which occurred sometime in June 2013.
“It is alleged that he intentionally misrepresented to Shava Ndabazinengi. . .being the director of Faith-Edge Holdings (in Harare) that if he cedes his motor vehicle, a Bentley Continental, black in colour on registration number ACO 1759, engine number CKHOO2121, chasis number SCBDH23WOBC68373, complainant would in eight months receive several vehicles, assets and money as blessings and if nothing materialises the accused person would return the same motor vehicle to the complainant when in actual fact all this was not true and instead the accused person sold the car without the complainant thereby converting the proceeds to his own use.
“These are (police) therefore in the State’s name to command you that immediately upon sight apprehend and bring the said person or cause him to be apprehended and brought before the court of a magistrate to be examined and to answer to the said information and to be further dealt with according to law.”
After spending 12 years overseas, Prophet Angel returned to Zimbabwe in March 2011, and his congregation grew rapidly as multitudes embraced his charismatic style and “miracles”.
The church held services in the Harare International Conference Centre auditorium; subsequently in the Rainbow Towers grounds and later at Harare Exhibition Park.
He suddenly relocated to the UK last year amid speculation that he was seriously ill, a fugitive or bankrupt.
Prophet Angel is yet to comment on all these issues, though recent tweets on what is believed to be his Twitter account indicate he is preaching in the US and the UK.
The fraud allegations came to public knowledge in 2014 when Mr Shava approached the courts.
Prophet Angel’s co-accused, Anderson Tagara, a Harare-based businessman, has already appeared in court and will be back in the dock this Tuesday.
At Tagara’s initial appearance, Prophet Angel was named the “main perpetrator of the case”.
Sundaymail

A worker abused by businessman Phillip Chiyangwa through the indigenised Zimbabwe Glass Company, has killed himself.
The victim, a 37-year old Gweru man, committed suicide by downing a poisonous substance after he was kicked out of his in-laws’ house, where he was staying with his wife and two children.
Chiyangwa has abused workers as he stopped paying them for several years while yet splashing money on lavish parties, brand new vehicles, and squandering resources on an untold number of girlfriends who last year he was reported blowing more than $50,0000 per month on.
Some of Chiyangwa’s victims are disabled employees.

The man, Lovemore Munhungei of Mkoba 10, who was employed by Zimbabwe Glass Company in Gweru, committed suicide behind Mkoba Village 1 Police Station in Gweru after having an altercation with his in-laws which resulted in him being evicted from the in-laws’ house.
His in-laws accused him of failing to look after his children after going for over two years without a salary after his company sent him on an indefinite forced leave.
According to neighbours, Munhungei allegedly had a misunderstanding with his in-laws and prior to his death, he is alleged to have sent text messages about his intentions to take his life to all his relatives while advising them to take care of his family. Munhungei also went to his wife’s workplace and told her that he wanted to commit suicide because he was failing to cope with the situation he was in.
Mrs Munhungei, who declined to give her first name, confirmed the tragic incident, saying her husband was staying with his parents in Mkoba Village 2 after the two separated following a misunderstanding.

To many children, the phrase “angry birds” only refers to a video game. To Zhombili Primary School pupils, “angry birds” refers to birds that are in the habit of breaking classroom windows with their long, thick and downward-curving bills. The school in Insiza District, Matabeleland South Province, was closed for a week after southern ground hornbills (insingizi) destroyed classroom and teacher’s cottage windows.
Zhombili Primary School, situated at the border of Matabeleland South and Midlands provinces, had to be closed at the request of parents who complained that their children were now afraid to go to school. Pupils started going to school on Monday last week.
School Development Committee chairperson Mr Douglas Sibanda told the Sunday News that the birds were making life for the entire community miserable. He said the birds had unsettled teachers but vowed that they were going to “deal with the birds with everything in our hands”.
“The big problem we face is that these birds are destroying windows and we are appealing to people who have an idea of how we can deal with them to come forward and assist us. Parents have mooted an idea of having parents on guard during weekends, as that is when these birds come down to the school,” said Mr Sibanda.
A teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the birds were a “menace to the school and the community at large”.
“We thank you for coming to hear our plight. Insingizi are a menace to the school and the community at large. They are destroying both classroom and teacher’s cottage windows,” said the teacher.
“Looking at how big the birds are, early childhood and Grade One to Two pupils were afraid to come to school and parents requested to have the school closed for a while so that they can try to chase them away. The school is not manageable because these birds are now daily phenomenon.
“We cannot afford to hire a caretaker because the school does not have the money to pay. Parents are not paying school fees and the little money we get from donors is not even enough to take us for the whole term. The school cannot also afford to be repairing windows all the time because that means it has to neglect other important issues.”
Our news crew which visited the school on Thursday afternoon saw some pieces of glass around the school.
The same teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the birds usually come and destroy the windows when there is no one at school. Most windows of the three classroom blocks were broken and only a handful had been repaired.
A villager, who resides near the school, Mr Mbuso Mahlangu said insingizi were common in the area. He disputed the belief that the birds might be sending a message to the community.
“We don’t know why insingizi are destroying windows. I do not want to think that this might be something unusual because if that is the case, the community will take action. As it stands, the community just took it as a passing phase which needs to be addressed accordingly so that pupils can go to school without fear,” said Mr Mahlangu.
The southern ground-hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri) is the largest hornbill in the world and features a striking red facial and throat skin that contrasts with its black plumage. This species is named for its habit of walking on the ground as it feeds, and it is less often seen in flight. -Sundaynews

CIVIL disturbances that rocked Zimbabwe in the early years of Independence were part of a region-wide conspiracy to destablise Southern Africa and not part of any anti-Ndebele agenda by Shonas, Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko has said. In an interview with The Sunday Mail at his offices in Harare, the VP opened up on what triggered the violence that is commonly referred to as Gukurahundi.
Hostilities formally ended on 22 December, 1987 when President Mugabe and Dr Joshua Nkomo signed the Unity Accord that joined their two parties in today’s Zanu-PF.
VP Mphoko said there was no way Zimbabwe could come to terms with this dark chapter in its history — which President Mugabe has referred to as a regrettable “moment of madness” — if citizens did not speak frankly about what happened.
Key to this healing, VP Mphoko said, was analysing the roots of the problem; which he traced to a wider conspiracy formulated within the context of the Cold War politics that sought to discredit black nationalist rule as informed by Socialist and Communist ideological underpinnings.
“There is one point which has not been articulated to my satisfaction: The issue of Gukurahundi,” said VP Mphoko, who was Zapu Chief of Logistics and the direct link between President Mugabe and Dr Nkomo during the Second Chimurenga.
“Now, there were two Gukurahundis. This must be understood — two Gukurahundis. The first Gukurahundi was a proclamation by President Mugabe in 1975 as a New Year’s message to his advancing forces that let’s turn this year into what he regarded as Gukurahundi.
“That was a proclamation during the war, a revolutionary demand that ‘this is how we should defeat the enemy’. Meanwhile, on the Zapu side, the old man (Dr Nkomo) proclaimed a similar situation as a turning point in the armed struggle. There is Gukurahundi here by Mugabe; there’s a turning point there by Joshua Nkomo. This was a pre-Independence Gukurahundi; pre-Independence turning point by the two leaders.”
He said that first Gukurahundi ended on 18 April, 1980 when Zimbabwe attained Independence via the military and diplomatic onslaught by President Mugabe’s Zanu and Dr Nkomo’s Zapu.
VP Mphoko continued: “Now, I have always said the post-Independence Gukurahundi was a conspiracy of the West. This I maintain . . .
“When Portugal gave up its overseas territory in 1974 . . . the Rhodesians, the South Africans, General (Hendrik van den) Bergh who was head of the BOSS (apartheid Bureau for State Security) and Ken Flower who was head of CIO here, they almost walked to Portugal to protest to the Portuguese.
“‘Why are you doing this? You have opened the gates in Mozambique. ANC terrorists will walk into South Africa. Rhodesian terrorists will walk into Rhodesia. The terrorists of the ANC from Angola will walk into Namibia and into South Africa. Why did you do this? Can’t you reverse this?’
“The Portuguese said, “No, we can’t do that. Find your own solutions’. South Africa and Rhodesia insisted ‘you have opened gates to Communism’.
“So then, what do they do? Information we have is that the Americans, the British, the South Africans and Rhodesians . . . (decided) ‘we need to find a solution to contain the situation’.
“So they came up with a buffer zone in Mozambique and Angola to stop ANC from both sides; to stop ANC and the Patriotic Front forces on this side. They created — in Mozambique — Renamo, which was heavily supported by South African military intelligence.
“And they created Unita in Angola . . . which was heavily supported by the South Africans. Unita was supported by the Americans: $15 million every year for 27 years.
“They were given some of the best weapons to make sure no Communism passes to Namibia, passes to South Africa; no Communism is passed from Mozambique to South Africa and also to Zimbabwe. That is what happened. They created that.
“Now, because their concern was South Africa, they wanted to protect their interests in South Africa from the Mozambican front and the Angolan front that side.
“Come Zimbabwe becomes independent: South Africa gets the same threat now. Zimbabwe is independent; the front is open.
“So what do they do? They create — from a myth, from nothing: ‘Ah, Zapu wants to overthrow you (the Zanu Government)’. (This was) in order to justify, to create something.
“So that is what happened. So the Gukurahundi after the war had nothing to do with Mugabe — nothing! That is a fact. People can say what they want, but that was a Western conspiracy. You can never hear the British condemning that — never! They can’t say anything. They never said anything. They never condemned anything because it was their baby.
“They knew what they were doing because they were protecting South Africa. So that point should be emphasised; it is very important.”
VP Mphoko said greater awareness of this history was crucial for Zimbabweans to stop being divided by external forces.
“Our people should be very careful not to be used . . . the Rhodesians, the British have always wanted a war between the Shonas and Ndebele.
“They have always wanted that and this is historical. And up to now, there is so much suspicion between the Shonas and Ndebele because of these things. We have lost relatives, I was a victim also. The people who were affected will never forgive you and that is what they wanted.
“It is going to go a long way to heal. That is where the problem is. They have achieved it. But we have to be very analytical as a people to understand the source.
“If we don’t do that then we will continue for years and years. But if we understand and be analytical, then you will understand that yes, it was a conspiracy.”
VP Mphoko, who also heads the National Healing and Reconciliation portfolio, said his work was cut out for him in this regard.
“That is a very sensitive area because people lost lives. But we need to solve a situation. We need to heal those wounds. It would be very important that eminent persons in the affected areas participate in the healing system. That’s very important.
“You see, we should avoid the tendency of: ‘Wow, jobs have opened up, this is an interesting ministry . . .’
“No, no, no. It’s a very serious matter. It needs eminent people. There are people who were killed . . . where people have died you have to be very careful.”
VP Mphoko said unity between Shonas and Ndebeles pre-dated the Unity Accord with the first formal and nationwide collaboration coming in 1972 after the Organisation of African Unity meeting in Benghazi, Libya.
“That was the time of Cde Herbert Chitepo and JZ (Cde Jason Ziyapapa Moyo) when we formed the Joint Military Command in Mbeya (Tanzania).
“And I must emphasise here that the Joint Military Command was the first unity between Zanu and Zapu . . . “In the meeting, and we were very clear, we don’t want anyone to have an advantage over the other. This is a win-win situation.
“If Chitepo becomes Chairman, then the Commander of the Army will be from Zipra. If JZ Moyo becomes the Chairman, then the Commander of the Army will be from Zanla. So that’s what happened.
“Chitepo became Chairman, and then Mangena Nikita became Chief of Staff.
“And we were sharing positions. Josiah Tongogara became Chief of Operations. I became Chief of Logistics. And Robson Manyika became Commissar; John Mataure became (Chief of) Personnel and Training and then Gordon Munyanyi became (Chief of) Military Intelligence and so forth . . .
VP Mphoko said thereafter, following an attempt by Bishop Abel Muzorewa, Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole and Cde James Chikerema to take over Zanu in Mozambique, unity between Zanu and Zapu again came to the fore.
When their attempts were rebuffed, the trio approached the OAU Liberation Committee saying no material assistance should be given to Zanu fighters.
“So, everything was completely cut off, and that is when we had a lot of sicknesses in the camps because there was no food, no medical assistance. A number of people died.”
He said during a tour of the camps with Mozambique’s leadership as well as Bishop Muzorewa, Rev Sithole and Cde Chikerema; Cde JZ Moyo witnessed firsthand the dire situation.
“When he got back to report to the Revolutionary Council about the trip, he talked about the problems in Mozambique; affecting our people in Mozambique — Zanla; Zanu people.
“Moyo insisted that we have to rescue that situation because we have identified each other, Zapu and Zanu, as allies, we have to protect the revolution to deny the reactionaries from taking over what is there.
“So, we came up with a plan to rescue that situation. Sithole and others had put a condition that the Zanla (cadres) should join Muzorewa, Chikerema or Ndabaningi. If they don’t, no food; nothing!
“. . . we had to come up with a limited strategy to rescue Zanu from this crisis. The limited strategy was to form Zipa (Zimbabwe People’s Army) on the same lines as we did with the Joint Military Command of 1972.
“Hashim Mbita (head of OAU Liberation Committee) promised JZ Moyo that: ‘If you do that we can rescue the situation. That’s the only way we can do it.
If you don’t do it now, we can assure you that Zanu and Zapu are likely to be de-recognised and then Frolizi and Muzorewa recognised at the next Liberation Committee meeting in Addis Ababa’.
“The most important thing here is that the formation of Zipa was mainly to rescue Zanu from collapse. Any other interpretation is not correct.”
VP Mphoko said as Chief of Logistics, he secured supplies and arms in Tanzania and took them to Zanu fighters in Mozambique.
“Zanla in Mozambique became alive again . . . And when our mission was accomplished, we withdrew as Zipra because we had finished our mission . . . Our mission was to rescue Zanu from collapse and this is what we did.”
He, however, pointed out that finding each other as Zanu and Zapu had not been easy.
“The relationship between the two parties was very hostile in the early days. But those who meet at the front crossing, you cannot try to fight each other because enemies are close. We met John Mutaure on several occasions at the front there and then we had a common approach long before the leadership . . .
“The military people, we had our own relations. You would find a Zanu fellow or he would find you stranded on the way from Tanzania to Lusaka with a tyre puncture. He is going that side; you are coming this side. You would say, ‘Take my spare wheel. Take it to Lusaka, but don’t take it to (your) place’.
“And this is how things were. So, that relationship in the military is older than the unity between the two parties.”
VP Mphoko also singled out the formation of the Patriotic Front as another landmark in Zanu-Zapu ties. “After the withdrawal of our Zipra command in Mozambique, unfortunately when we were planning these things, other people had their own views. They wanted a third force. They wanted to control and so forth.
“Now this is very critical. What happened was when these people wanted a third force, we refused. We came with a mission to rescue Zanu. The people who knew about that were the Zipra Command and Rex Nhongo (General Solomon Mujuru). Not the rest.”
He said there was pressure from the likes of Wilfred Mhanda to depose the leadership, to the point of even claiming that Dr Nkomo was collaborating with the Smith regime.
Through that tense period, President Mugabe emerged as the natural leader, acceptable internally and within the Frontline States; with Dr Nkomo playing a pivotal role in convincing the likes of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere of Tanzania to realise that Bishop Muzorewa, Rev Sithole and company had in fact become destablising factors.
“That’s how those boys lost. From that time, they were told to toe the line and the Frontline Heads of State recognised Zapu and Zanu.
“And when those young fellows left, they were in actual fact told by Nyerere and Samora Machel to toe the line. So they refused. They wanted to exist as a separate entity but they couldn’t and ended up having problems with the Mozambican government.
“So when we went back to Maputo that is when we formed the Patriotic Front on October 30, 1976.
“That’s when we formed the Patriotic Front because the feeling was that we should go to (the) Geneva (Conference) as one.
“Immediately after forming the Patriotic Front, the co-leaders of the Patriotic Front, created a Commission of Inquiry to find out what led to the collapse of Zipa. What was highlighted were the fights that took place in the camps.
“So, the Commission from Zanla was led by (Cde Simon) Muzenda, (Dzingai) Mutumbuka, Rex Nhongo, Josiah Tungamirai and Mark Dube. The Zapu side was led by George Silundika, Dumiso (Dabengwa), Gordon Munyanyi, Ambrose Mutinhiri and I . . .
“That commission went to Tanzania collecting evidence; went to Zambia and the camps in Mozambique to collect evidence. But we knew what was there. Well, we knew about our mission which was limited.
“But there was another element where there were clashes in the camps. That element was a foreign element, which reveals heavy infiltration, the anti-unity element within the liberation struggle.”
VP Mphoko said after that commission, he remained in Mozambique as a Zapu representative after the withdrawal of Zipra, on the instruction of the Zipra command.
“When Mozambique became independent, we wanted a presence as Zipra. We sent a man called Tom Ndebele in 1974 to go and be our man there.
“He disappeared. So when I remained there, one of my tasks was to establish what happened to him. He was arrested. There had been too many Rhodesians . . . So he was arrested, thrown into a prison called Mashava and he died there. They killed him there.
“That was an interest we had. Frelimo was a partner and military ally and so forth. I had worked with Frelimo before. When they opened their Tete front in 1968, I personally delivered weapons to their front there.
“I had worked with them personally from a logistical point of view. And I remained there in Mozambique, as a representative now of Zapu.
“When we went to Tanzania when the leaders had decided to . . . Zapu and Zanu, I was told by the old man, Joshua Nkomo, to go back and represent Zapu.
“And then I said to the old man: ‘Mdala, I have a problem being there in Mozambique. The relationship between Zanu and Frelimo and I am squashed there, sandwiched’.
“The old man said to me: ‘You must go back and make sure that that situation also favours you’.
“Those were his instructions. So, I went back. Now, after the formation of the Patriotic Front that’s when I was co-ordinating the two leaders of the Patriotic Front. That was my biggest mission.” Sunday mail

Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T party has rubbished the Reserve Bank’s new monetary policy for 2015. FULL STATEMENT:
The monetary policy statement by the Reserve Bank Governor smacks of a neo-liberal agenda as among other measures it seeks to cause a general wage freeze in Zimbabwe at a time when minimum wages are far below the poverty datum line of USD450 per month.
The MDC therefore condemns the anti-worker monetary statement. We reject the misplaced view that wages are the only cost drivers. Far from it. Public utilities, imports, corruption and profiteering are some of the causes of inflation not wages. The MDC will fight and resist labour market flexibility which is being introduced by the clueless Zanu PF regime.
The monetary policy statement is clearly anti-worker and not pro-poor. How can millions of Zimbabweans whose Zim dollar bank balances were ravaged by government-induced hyperinflation only get US$5 as compensation? This can only mean that the Governor is bereft of any new ideas to deal with the residual effects of hyperinflation.
The Governor, like his Minister of Finance, are presiding over a comatose economy and no amount of financial engineering is going to reverse deflation and the liquidity crunch. The so-called “rebalancing” of the economy is a pie in the sky. What needs re – balancing is the politics of the country which makes the economy hostage. The talk of competitiveness in the absence of foreign direct investment (FDI) will not work. Competitiveness requires social dialogue and the full consummation of the Kadoma Declaration.
The Monetary Policy Statement is a damp squib. The financial sector is like a jungle without GPS. Most banks are on the verge of collapse and depositors risk losing their savings. The US$200 million borrowed from Afrexim bank for the resumption of interbank facilities is not enough as it will be swallowed by non-performing loans and externalization.
The MDC is of the view that the Governor is biting more than he can chew. He must focus his attention on the odious RBZ debt of USD 1.3 billion and explain to Zimbabweans how the debt was accrued. The MDC rejects the RBZ Debt Assumption Bill and calls upon Governor Mangudya to publish the list of beneficiaries and measures he intends to institute in order to recover public funds.

Nigeria president Goodluck Jonathan has appealed to USA to send troops to fight Boko Haram in Nigeria, raising questions as to the military strength of Nigerian Army.
Speaking to Wall Street Journal, Jonathan said the U.S as friends must help fight ISIS backed Boko Haram.
The 57-year-old president of Africa’s largest democracy said in an interview that he has been asking the U.S. since early 2014 to send combat soldiers along with military advisers to Nigeria to battle Boko Haram. Citing intelligence reports, he said the militants were receiving “training and funds” from Islamic State, the jihadist group whose leadership is based in Iraq and Syria.
“Are they not fighting ISIS? Why can’t they come to Nigeria?” Mr. Jonathan said, in his first interview with Western media this year.
“Look, they are our friends. If Nigeria has a problem, then I expect the U.S. to come and assist us.”

Many prospective A level students are being turned away from various schools dashing any hopes for higher education. Zimpolicy and ZimEye can exclusively reveal that most schools are opting to enroll pupils with 9As and only those that attended O levels at their schools, leaving external students without any hopes of getting places at schools of their choice. The situation is even worse for those students with grades B and C as they are not even considered for selection.
Some parents found themselves in a dilema as they tried to secure A level places for their children in various schools. “I wanted to take my son who got 9As, 3 Bs and a C to St Ignatious school but they wouldn’t take him. Instead, they enrolled about 40 of their own who had 9 As or better, 26 girls and only 3 boys from other schools.
The boys from other schools had 13 As each. The Head explained to me that since there was so much competition for limited places,the fairest criteria for enrollment was the number of As scored.I thought that was only fair and did not take offence.I don’t think anyone will fail to get a place.Its just a question of each one going where they belong.” said one parent.
The allegations are that the head teachers are compelling for bribe money in order to take pupils from outside.This has left parents with no option but to enroll their chidren at those schools which are not their first preference.
Meanwhile a comment from the Education Ministry was not forthcoming at time of writing.

Three Zvishavane boys have been arrested after they forced a Grade One boy to have sex with a dog for fun.
The three two aged 11 and one 13 have been charged with conspiracy to commit bestiality. The matter could not proceed as one of the boys failed to turn up in court. It will now be heard on April 8, 2015.
It is the State case that on November 26 last year, the three minors from Murambadziwa Village under Chief Masunda forced a Grade one pupil to have sexual intercourse with a dog. The three boys were curious to see if a dog’s sexual feelings could be aroused by a human being.
The three accused were playing with the complainant at one of the accused’s home. One of the accused suggested that the complainant have sex with the dog that belonged to the 13-year-old. The owner of the dog then grabbed his dog’s legs and brought it near the complainant.
While this was happening, another accused was busy removing the complainant’s shorts. The complainant said in court documents that he could not fight back because he was afraid of being beaten by the three.
One of the 11-year-old allegedly pinched the complainant and pulled him by the ears as he ordered him to have sex with the dog. He also threatened to shoot the complainant with a catapult if he refused to take instructions.
One of accused caressed the dog so that it would not bite them or run away while the sexual act was taking place. When the dog appeared ready, the three placed the dog on the complainant’s lap and forced the boy to have sexual intercourse with the dog.
The boy then had sex with the dog until the dog started barking. It was then that the three freed the complainant and the dog. The matter came to light after the complainant informed his parents. mirror

BRITISH investors visiting Zimbabwe had “unpleasant disagreements” with a cabinet minister after some of them tried to ask who would succeed the country’s nearly 91-year-old leader, the minister told state TV on Friday.
Ignatius Chombo, the local government minister, told the 19-strong delegation that who Zimbabweans vote for was none of the visitors’ business.
“We… had some little unpleasant disagreements when they wanted to refer to the succession in our own country,” Chombo said in comments carried on the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation’s evening news bulletin.
“So I told them that who we vote for in Zimbabwe is our business and not their business.”
President Robert Mugabe’s government has been pinning its hopes on a spate of recent visits by potential foreign investors to bring cash inflows and avert what threatens to be another major economic downturn.
Fragile after the 2000-2008 crisis, things are not looking good in the cash-strapped country where there are frequent reports of retrenchments.
On Thursday the state-run Herald newspaper was reported to be embarking on a retrenchment exercise. The state-owned bus company has also sent 100 workers on unpaid leave.
Analysts say the country’s indigenisation policy, which compels large foreign and white-owned firms to part with majority shares to local black shareholders, is holding back investment.
Last month Mugabe told a visiting French business delegation that the handover of majority shares only applies to natural resource-based sectors like mining.
Chombo told the British delegation that “it is really up to them to discuss with the relevant ministers and also the minister of indigenisation on what plans would be like for a particular investment,” ZBC reported.
A Belgian business delegation is due in the country in April.

A Nyoka villager Samson Makwenjere aged 58, under Chief Nemangwe is set to appear before the traditional court for assaulting his wife for erroneously giving his relative a chicken drumstick, which he said was supposed to be in his plate as the father.
Kerina Makwenjere (51) sustained a dip cut on her forehead, after she was struck with a cooking stick, by her husband of more than 30 years, and opted not to take the case to the police, as she sought justice from Chief’s traditional court.
ZimEye.com managed to get comment from Chief Nemangwe’s representative, who confirmed receiving the report and promised to update us on the court dates.
“We are going to preside over Makwenjere’s assault incident and hope to stop all domestic disputes amicably. We have been busy with domestic disputes the whole of last year especially during cotton harvesting period. We are going to preside over this issue before the end of February and handover appropriate justice,” said the Chief Representative.
Makwenjere told ZimEye.com that he was annoyed by her wife’s disrespect by issuing a drumstick to a stranger. “Kerina was so disrespectful, as she is aware that a husband is the person who must eat a drumstick and back of a chicken every time a chicken is prepared for supper or lunch. I know that she was incensed by the assault, but she must also take the culpability for the cause of this altercation,” he said swearing and swinging his hands.
Meanwhile, Kerina is breathing fire with anger, after revealing to ZimEye.com during interviews that her husband has become greedy. “I want him to be tried by the Chief for wounding me. He has become so greedy since last year after he failed to receive his pension. He is angry with everyone at home as if we have caused this problem.
I think he will learn a lesson after the publication of this story in your newspaper, my son. Tell the world that a 58 year old man committed grievous bodily harm to his wife for the love of chicken drumstick, which I gave to his close relative,” she swore.

President Robert Mugabe’s wife Grace under a cloud of thick mystery is nowhere to be seen almost four weeks after her husband returned from holiday without her, amid suggestion at Mugabe’s instigation that she had gone under an operation for appendicitis.
 
When he returned on January 22, he told Zanu (PF) supporters and government officials at the Harare International Airport that his wife had undergone appendectomy and was recuperating in the Far East country.
Close to a month later, Grace has not returned unconfirmed reports say her condition has deteriorated and could be in a coma in the intensive care unit in Singapore.
However, presidential spokesperson, George Charamba, recently dismissed the reports.
“There is nothing like that,” he said. “It is those reports that are in a coma,” said Charamba.
He, however, did not shed light on Grace’s condition, adding to the mystery on her health.
There has be no official word on whether Grace’s two sons, Robert Junior and Chatunga, are with their mother.
It is not clear whether Chatunga passed his A-Level studies that he should have completed a year ago.
Mugabe returned from Singapore alone and did not comment on his children, save to say that they had undergone routine medical checkups.
Government has denied a claim that Mugabe underwent a major operation, while more reports have indicated that he could soon go back for further surgery.
The president, turning 91 on February 21, tumbled to his knees recently on his return from an African Union (AU) summit where he had just been made chairperson of the continental body. – TheZimbabwean

IT never rains, but pours for former Zanu-PF secretary for Administration Didymus Mutasa as the Makoni Chieftainship council of elders yesterday publicly disowned him, saying he was the dynasty’s nephew and not of royal blood.
The council — led by Chief Makoni — said Mutasa was not of royal blood as he wanted everyone in the country to believe.
Mutasa all along claimed to be a Makoni or a Nyati, but for the first time, the clan publicly disputed his kinsmen status, saying he could not assume office as a bonafide member of the clan.
Chief Makoni, who was flanked by Mr Moses Gwasira and Ishe Muchembere during a Press conference at his court in Rusape, said this explained why Mutasa in the early 80s unsuccessfully launched a campaign to clinch the Mutasa chieftainship of the Shumba clan in Manicaland.
His bid crumbled after he failed to elucidate the genealogy and connectivity to that chieftainship.
This has also raised suspicion that he could be of the Shumba totem.
“Didymus Mutasa is not of royal blood because he is a nephew. His great grandmother was a muzvare (daughter of the Makonis called Marutse).
“He is tarnishing the image and integrity of the dynasty by his claims to be a Nyati. Our dynasty is being viewed with suspicions because of him, and this has prompted us to come in the open to expose his roots,” said Chief Makoni.
“He is neither a Nyati or a Makoni. The Mutasas were once our enemies, we fought wars against them to liberate our land and there is no way we could be of the same totem with them. Here is a nephew who adopted the totem of his uncles for lack of or ignorance of his own totem. Didymus Mutasa, thus, has no standing in the determination of matters that relate to the Makoni clan and Makoni Chieftainship. He wanted my throne. He frustrated the whole process for many years. He wanted to be Chief Makoni. He is greedy. He is evil and stops at nothing to grab power,” said Chief Makoni.
It is claimed that Mutasa is a descendant of one “Matambura”, a male born of a female sibling (Marutse) of the family of Chigudu, of the Zendera house.
The Makoni clan stems from its great grandfather Gunguwo, who had five sons, Fusire, Muswati, Zendera, Nyamanhindi and Nyakurukwa.
Marutse was a sister to Zendera who was allegedly killed in 1840.
After his death, Marutse and Zendera’s children were scattered in Mapore and other parts of Mutasa area.
The name Mutasa was derived from a suitor who allegedly rejected paternity.
Mutasa wanted to impose his late brother John Mutasa’s son Tichafara Topira Mutasa, popularly known as Rungutai, as Chief Makoni.
His interference was resisted by the likes of Moses Gwasira, Thomas Vhunduke Gwasira and Makoni District administrator Mr William Mashava.
Mutasa was working with a self-claimed installer and fire kindler of the Makoni dynasty one Paradzai Mukuwapasi.
Mukuwapasi wrote several letters to Mr Mashawa at the instigation of Mutasa, to fast-track Rungutai’s ascendance to the throne.
Rungutai serves as the Headlands constituency Zanu-PF political commissar.
Mutasa dispatched Mukuwapasi to Mr Mashava’s office to fast-track the process on numerous occasions, but the move suffered a still birth as the dynasty elders argued that the Mutasas where not on the family tree, and therefore not of loyal blood.
“He is not of loyal blood as he would want everybody to believe. The central role he played in 2014 as the eldest ‘living father’ of the Zendera family at my inauguration as Chief Makoni was purely political and out of coercion. It was a give and take because we wanted the process to go on as he had stalled it for two years. It was not based on connectivity to the chieftainship,” said Chief Makoni.
Another elder referred the Mutasas, who claim to be ‘Nyati Rutombo’ ‘Nyati Chena’ as ‘Nyati yemubhuku’, not Nyati of Makoni.
Minister of State for Provincial Affairs in Manicaland Mandi Chimene, attended the meeting and thanked the council of elders for biting the bullet and clarifying Mutasa’s true origin.
Mutasa’s political career took a nose dive after being linked to former VP Joice Mujuru’s cabal that wanted to depose or assassinate President Mugabe to facilitate Dr Mujuru’s ascendance to the Zanu-PF and national Presidency.
This was then followed by a series of events including his failure to get a Central Committee seat, being sacked from Government as well as impending disciplinary hearing by a special committee led by VP Phelekezela Mphoko that was recently set up by the Politburo.
Mutasa is threatening to sue Zanu-PF challenging some amendments made to the party’s constitution and that the outcome of the 6th Zanu-PF National People’s Congress was a legal nullity.

A security guard ran amok and shot dead two sisters before turning the gun on himself at Mtimukulu farm near Lake Chivero today.
In a pre-valentine blood bath and a typical Friday the 13th episode, the two sisters Jill and Jean Mahebe were shot dead under unclear circumstances by a guard who was dating one of them.
When the ZBC News arrived at the farm, the two sisters’ bodies were still lying at the scene of the crime while the body of the murderer who has been identified as Tawanda Galasi was lying in a nearby bush guarded by police details.
The elder of the two daughters’ Jean only turned 23 on Thursday the 12th of February.
The motive of the brutal killing is not known and witnesses were baffled as they claimed the three had shared some goodies a few minutes before the incident.
The father of the two girls Joseph Mahebe who was in a state of shock told the ZBC News he cannot imagine life without his two daughters.
The day had started like any other normal day for the girls’ mother, but Friday the 13th of February turned out to be a day of horror.
Though the circumstances are still unclear, initial evidence is leading to a crime of passion.
Most of the people who gathered called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the security of the gun.

School kids and several people were injured on Friday afternoon in separate accidents across the city, Harare. Six people were injured when two commuter omnibuses fleeing from a City of Harare traffic police vehicle veered off the road near the Chicken Slice foud outlet along Chinhoyi street

In a surprising development, Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo has endorsed Bulawayo’s opposition MDC mayor Martin Moyo to be the new Zimbabwe Local Government Association (Zilga) chairman, a move that has courted the ire of the association’s Zanu PF members.
There were suggestions within Zilga’s Zanu PF caucus yesterday that the move was playing out along the ruling party’s ugly factional and succession wars of the past few months, with other sources saying that it may be a desperate bid by government to attract donor support to the country.
Zilga is an association of mayors and other local government leaders, whose mission includes promoting local government and its role in development and the provision of services.
While repeated efforts by the Daily News to talk to Chombo yesterday did not yield positive results, disgruntled Zanu PF Chombo backs MDC mayor.
Zilga members claimed that the newly-installed ruling party secretary for administration was meddling in the association’s business by voicing his support for Moyo — a move they said was outside the minister’s brief.
The minister, who has invited all district chairpersons and mayors for a crucial meeting scheduled for the Rainbow Towers in Harare today, apparently worked throughout the week to build support for the opposition mayor of Zimbabwe’s second largest city.
However, it is still not clear if Moyo, a close confidant of MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, will secure the necessary votes to sail through unopposed at the Zilga ballot, which Chombo wants held before March 1.
Zanu PF has a majority 79 chairpersons and mayors countrywide in the 92-member strong Zilga.
“The disquiet highlights the broader split in the ruling party. Chombo has been persuading the Zanu PF chairpersons to back Moyo, and has told the chairpersons that to him the Bulawayo mayor was unchallenged and has virtually locked up that race.
“Ahead of this weekend’s meeting, the minister has been focused on the chairman’s nomination, and has been calling chairpersons and mayors, rounding up and even strong-arming them to back the Bulawayo MDC mayor, ostensibly because he is appealing to donors, mainly Germans, who can help unlock cash to bankroll the financially-troubled Zilga,” a well-placed source said yesterday.
Chombo had allegedly first met the chairpersons and mayors behind closed doors at a meeting held in Bulawayo last week. Assuming each chairperson and mayor in the 92-member conference participates, a candidate needs at least 46 votes for victory, although Chombo is said to want Moyo to stand unopposed.
The victorious leader will wield significant power in terms of the direction and tenor Zilga will take over the next three years.
That dynamic has frustrated many Zanu PF chairpersons and mayors given that the MDC has only 13 mayors in the 92-strong bloc.
“Chombo is raising fundraising arguments and is keen to build support from ambivalent Zanu PF chairpersons and mayors.
“He is also pledging to ensure a deputy Zilga chairman from Zanu PF.
He is proposing installing Alderman David Mutasa from Makoni as Moyo’s deputy,” another source added.
Chombo’s support of Moyo also comes as the minister is allegedly stitching a deal to introduce Easipark in Bulawayo.
The source said the disgruntled Zanu PF chairpersons were “working the phones” in a bid to derail Chombo’s plans.
“For now, the minister’s plan is short of critical votes, and his strategy risks hitting a brick-wall.
“In practice, democracy is governed by its most popularly understood principle, that is majority rule,” said another unhappy Zanu PF chairperson.
“The side with the most votes must win, and we are surprised why Combo wants us to back an MDC candidate. Many fear opposing him but certainly there is disquiet over this,” he added.
Another disgruntled chairman said, “Why doesn’t Chombo go with his proposal to president Mugabe that we must support an MDC mayor? What is he trying to do? Kutengesa ikoko. (He is a sell-out)”. – DailyNews

Defiant Bulawayo medical practitioner, Doctor Nkonzo Ndebele was yesterday arrested for failing to pay $350 per month maintenance order imposed on him by a Bulawayo maintenance court in September last year.
Appearing before magistrate Tinashe Tashaya and prosecuted by Adelaide Chimbete, Dr Ndebele was remanded into custody until the 2rd of March to answer charges why he has not met the maintenance order since it was issued by the court. A dejected Nkonzo was denied bail by the prosecutor after he had previously failed to appear in court to answer the maintenance charges.
Dr Ndebele who according to his estranged wife makes about $30 000 every month from his numerous surgeries in town, was ordered by the court to pay $350 per month for the upkeep of their six-year-old daughter. He was also ordered to pay all the costs of the child’s school fees and buy uniforms at least once each term.
Since the order was effected in September last year, Ndebele has not adhered to any of the provisions of the order. Instead huge amounts of money have been spent on legal fees as the two continue to fight over the apportionment of the property acquired over their eight year customary marriage.
In recent press reports, Ndebele was quoted to have said he was above the country’s laws and no one would do anything to him. He has since violated a restraint order against his wife issued by the courts and is currently on bail for contempt of court.

THE anti-Mujuru Zanu PF purge has infected Parliament where Ray Kaukonde (Marondera Central MP) and Enock Porusingazi (Chipinge South) were yesterday stripped of their chairmanship of Parliamentary Portfolio Committees and reduced to ordinary members.
The move occurred as Zanu PF threatened to reshuffle its administrative staff both at head office and provincial offices, a move observers described as meant to flush out all workers perceived to be sympathetic to Mujuru
Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda announced the development yesterday, saying it was a normal reshuffle, although it was widely believed to be part of the ongoing purge of pro-Mujuru legislators.
Mujuru was last December dismissed from her party and government posts alongside 16 Cabinet and deputy ministers, nine Zanu PF provincial chairpersons and other senior party officials on allegations of plotting to unconstitutionally topple President Robert Mugabe from power.
Kaukonde, who was chairperson of the Industry and Commerce Parliamentary Portfolio Committee, was immediately replaced by Masvingo Central MP Edmore Mhere (Zanu PF).
The former Mashonaland East Zanu PF provincial chairman, however, remained an ordinary member of the same committee.
Porusingazi’s chairmanship of the Foreign Affairs Portfolio Committee was taken over by another perceived Mujuru ally Epworth MP Amos Midzi (Zanu PF), who was previously the chairman of the Transport and Infrastructural Development Parliamentary Portfolio Committee.
Chegutu West MP Dexter Nduna (Zanu PF) will now chair the Transport and Infrastructural Development Committee. Porusingazi becomes an ordinary committee member.
Other perceived Mujuru camp MPs who chaired portfolio committees like Hurungwe West MP Temba Mliswa (Education, Sport, Arts and Culture) and Mbire MP David Butau (Lands and Agriculture) survived the axe as they were not affected and will continue leading their respective committees.
Dismissed ex-ministers and their deputies were also assigned to committees as ordinary members, save for former Presidential Affairs minister Didymus Mutasa and ex-Justice deputy minister Fortune Chasi (Mazowe South MP) whose future in the House remains unclear following campaigns to have them recalled.
Former Information Communication Technology minister and Zanu PF political commissar Webster Shamu and Mashonaland East’s ex-Provincial Affairs minister Simbaneuta Mudarikwa will now sit in portfolio committees as ordinary members as well as deputy ministers Paul Chimedza, Tongai Muzenda and Petronella Kagonye.
In Senate, ex-Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development minister Olivia Muchena, fired Energy and Power Development minister Dzikamai Mavhaire, and ex-Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Flora Buka were assigned to sit in different committees as ordinary members.
Mudenda also told the House that the Standing Rules and Orders Committee had made a decision to include a clause in the Parliamentary Standing Rules and Orders outlining penalties for offences of truancy by ministers during question and answer sessions.
“Section 107 (2) of the Constitution clearly states that the Vice-President, ministers and deputy ministers must attend Parliament, which is compulsory. Once the House has adopted the new Standing Rules and Orders, we shall proceed in terms of contempt because we as Parliament must protect the Constitution,” Mudenda said.
On Wednesday, party spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo told journalists in Harare that the staff restructuring exercise was the brainchild of secretary for administration Ignatius Chombo.
Khaya Moyo said Chombo had presented a report on staff complement from across the provinces and head office to the politburo, but declined to disclose finer details of the report.
“Cde Chombo gave an exposé on proposed administrative reorganisation at the headquarters and provinces. He gave a detailed staff complement province by province starting with the headquarters, but I can’t, however, give you reports on that,” Khaya Moyo said.
He added that the issues were more administrative and internal party matters which he could not disclose to the media.
However, Zanu PF insiders said the clean-up exercise was targeting workers employed during the Mutasa era.
Mutasa was accused of employing some people to the party without following procedures while ousted former party spokesperson Rugare Gumbo was at one point under fire for employing people perceived to be anti-Zanu PF. Zanu PF insiders said the administration and commissariat departments had been tasked to restructure the party after the divisive congress last December which saw several party heavyweights sidelined.
Meanwhile, Health and Child Care minister David Parirenyatwa told Senate that the Zimbabwean woman who died in Conakry, Guinea, and was initially believed to have succumbed to Ebola, had in fact died of malaria.
Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi also told Senators that Equatorial Guinea footed the bill of Zimbabwean security forces who provided VVIP security at the just-ended Africa Cup of Nations football tournament.

HOME Affairs minister Kembo Mohadi could be heading into another bruising legal battle after a private pegger gave him mining claims on a wildlife sanctuary, Longueville Farm, in Gwanda, belonging to a war veteran and former police commander, Andrew Mupungu.
The pegger, identified as Brighton Kwaipa, is licensed by the Mines and Mining Development ministry to peg mines in Matabeleland South.
He reportedly pegged five blocks of the wildlife sanctuary, which translated into 50 hectares of land, reportedly without advising Mupungu in April 2014.
To make matters worse, the area Kwaipa pegged the main shaft is inhabited by zebras and a large number of pythons — a protected species under Zimbabwean law.
The farm has large numbers of sables, kudus, elands, impalas, guinea fowls and waterbucks.
Efforts to get a comment from Mohadi and Kwaipa were fruitless as they could not be reached on their mobile phones.
However, Mupungu, a former Bulawayo-based Criminal Investigations Department Law and Order Section commander, yesterday confirmed the developments to Southern Eye.
“Kwaipa is the one who pegged the area without my knowledge,” Mupungu said.
“The law says if peggers are given the right to peg, they should advise the owner of the land if it belongs to a private person like me. If he had informed me I could have spoken to Mohadi.
“I am a war veteran; we meet and he’s my former minister. If I had been given that chance, I was going to tell him that I keep wildlife and that doesn’t go hand in hand with mining.
“The damage has already been done and there is no remedy as the paperwork is now complete.”
Mupungu said he was seeking legal advice to stop the acquisition of his land before Mohadi invests money developing the mining claims.
Mupungu said coincidentally, Kwaipa pegged mining claims for his (Mupungu) Pioneer Syndicate in Filabusi where he also later pegged for another person identified as Eziel Dube, creating a dispute.
“I gathered that last week Mohadi’s brother went to my farm with surveyors to set in motion the mining,” he said.
“I don’t know whether it’s deliberate that Kwaipa created a dispute for us in Filabusi in 2013, which is still ongoing, and in Gwanda he has created a conflict for me with the minister.”
A new legal battle in this matter could weigh heavily on Mohadi’s reputation as he has been at the Bulawayo High Court several times over claims that his family members wanted to grab land from villagers.
He has been linked to company grabs.

THE Zimbabwe National Roads Administration will no longer handle funds collected from tollgates because it did not put the money to good use and, in some instances, failed to account for it, a Cabinet minister has said.
Money collected from tollgates will now be handled by a board constituted by various Government ministries.
Speaking in an interview after addressing students of the Joint Command and Staff Course (JCSC) Number 28 at the Zimbabwe Staff College yesterday, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Obert Mpofu said Government recently appointed the board of experts, who are also helping with restructuring the management of Zinara.
“Also, currently appointed is a board that has been drawn from various stakeholders such as the Ministry of Finance, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing and the District Development Fund and the President’s Office,” he said.
“Funds are scrutinised before disbursement and the board is very effective as proved by our tollgates collections ranging from $1,7 million to $2 million per month.”
The establishment of the board is expected to result in the quick rehabilitation of the country’s road network which has been affected by potholes.
“This initiative has helped a lot as proved by the improvements in our roads, the payment of permits and licences has also risen,” said Dr Mpofu.
Zinara has been accused by several stakeholders of failing to properly handle the money raised from toll gates as the road network continued to deteriorate.
Dr Mpofu said Government was working on 10 toll gates out of the 30 that were on plan for commissioning this year.
“The City–Harare International Airport road will be completed in the next few weeks,” he said. “Government undertook the project single handedly which showed us that the ministry can do its own things without involving outsiders if allowed to implement proposed programmes.”
Dr Mpofu said regional trade corridors needed rehabilitation with the first project being the Plumtree-Harare Road (823km) now at 90 percent completion.
“Our focus is directed on rehabilitating and upgrading Beitbridge-Harare-Chirundu (feasibility study done and estimated cost is $1,8 billion), Harare-Nyamapanda (feasibility study to be done in 2015 with an estimated cost of $360 million) and Beitbridge-Bulawayo-Victoria Falls (feasibility study is under way with an estimated cost of $800 million),” he said.
The minister said the state of the transport system and infrastructure in Zimbabwe was critical in the development of continental trade and in promoting economic linkages.
“Transport is a major component of any economic development in a country,” he said “Our primary strategic thrust is to rehabilitate and upgrade the bulk of the basic infrastructure assets of the country and reinforce the existing integration of Zimbabwe’s infrastructure network with those of the other countries in Sadc region.”
Dr Mpofu said key features of the proposed programme included increased resource allocations for both upgrading and maintenance of the transport infrastructure facilities.
“Government through Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) has undertaken the Harare International Airport runway rehabilitation project which is at 65 percent, acquisition of materials for airfield ground lighting system and will shortly be working on the remaining aero-bridges.” said Dr Mpofu.
He said there was need for a second runway at the airport to ensure that further expansion will not encroach into housing development projects.

An ambulance veered off the road and overturned along Chiredzi-Roy Highway killing a 19-year-old pregnant woman and a nurse while seriously injuring the driver.
Memory Ndlovu of Muhlanguleni Primary School in Chikombedzi was being ferried from Chiredzi District Hospital to Masvingo General Hospital after developing complications with her pregnancy when the accident occurred.
Ndlovu died on the spot, while Julia Shereni (33), a nurse at Chiredzi General Hospital, who was accompanying her, died on admission at Musiso Mission Hospital in Zaka after sustaining severe injuries.
Acting Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa yesterday said the driver of the ambulance, Simon Jengwa was battling for life at Masvingo General Hospital after sustaining severe injuries.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that Jengwa, who was driving the Land Cruiser ambulance failed to negotiate a curve at the 53km peg along the Chiredzi-Roy Highway and lost control of the vehicle which veered off the road to the left side and overturned once before landing on its wheels on the right side of the road,’’ he said.
“Ndlovu died on the spot after sustaining a deep cut on the forehead while Shereni succumbed to serious head injuries upon admission at Musiso Hospital.’’
Asst Insp Dhewa said the ambulance was extensively damaged and taken to the Vehicle Inspection Department depot in Masvingo.
He urged drivers to exercise caution on the roads, saying police were worried about the high number of fatal accidents along the province’s roads.
Last year, Masvingo Province recorded 1 974 road accidents that claimed 31 lives.

A jilted woman broke into her ex-husband’s bedroom and sliced his buttocks with a razor blade while he was asleep, the Harare Civil Court heard yesterday.
Leonard Shumbaimwe claimed Nyaradzo Mahembe was always threatening to kill him with a razor blade each time she visited his house. Shumbaimwe was seeking a protection order against Mahembe whom he was accusing of breaching his peace.
“This woman is violent. I got seriously injured after she broke into my bedroom and sliced my buttocks (with a razor blade) while I was asleep,” he said.
Shumbaimwe told magistrate Ms Ruth Kamangira that Mahembe was also in the habit of verbally and physically abusing him even at his workplace.
“She follows me to my workplace insulting me all the way and at times she physically abuses me in front of my workmates. This is embarrassing me,” said Shumbaimwe.
He told the court that Mahembe was making his life horrible through her violent behaviour.
“I can’t even sleep at night because she is always threatening to attack and kill me with a razor blade,” he said.
Shumbaimwe claimed Mahembe once destroyed his company car at the height of a misunderstanding.
Mahembe denied the allegations that were being levelled against her by Shumbaimwe and accused him of not maintaining their minor children.
“I only go to his house to ask for money to buy food for the children only because he is neglecting them,” she said.
Mahembe claimed Shumbaimwe was trying to avoid her because she is HIV positive.
Ms Kamangira granted the order in Shumbaimwe’s favour which barred Mahembe from verbally or physically abusing him.
She ordered Mahembe to keep peace towards Shumbaimwe at all times. herald

A Matobo man has admitted to raping a 91 year old woman and in mitigation pleaded saying he viewed her as a young woman having been seduced by a mini-skirt the nonagenarian “was wearing”.
Mr Nicholas Ndlovu from the nearby Natisa village area, admitted guilt before Gwanda magistrate Joseph Mabeza when he conceded how he invaded the elderly woman[name withheld]’s house on the 23^rd November last year.
He on that day entered the granny’s property after claiming he needed a glass of water to drink.
After being given the first glass of water, the man then withdrew to take out a knife having begged for a second one. It was at the point of her returning that he then flung the sharp knife towards her threatening to kill her if she protests.
The court heard that he then knocked the elderly to the floor descending there and raped her once.
Upon rising up, he once again threatened her, this time telling her that if she dare told anyone, he would come back and kill her.
But word soon reached Chief Malaki Masuku when two neighbours were alerted by the woman leading to Mr Ndlovu’s arrest.
The prosecutor sounded that there are records that Ndlovu had barely a few weeks before been released from prison having served a seven year sentence for a similar rape attack in 2007.
Magistrate Mabeza ruled that a sentencing will be done tomorrow, Friday.

AT least 20 people were injured, while four cattle were killed at Christmas Pass (Mutare) Thursday afternoon when an ISUZU lorry carrying 15 cattle lost balance after one of its front tyres burst and crashed into a Trip Trans Yutong bus travelling from Harare to Mutare. The lorry was travelling from Chinhoyi to Chipinge.

NehandaRadio|Baba Jukwa bounces back barely 48hours after Jonathan Moyo enters Twittersphere and social networking website Facebook.

 The mystery surrounding controversial Facebook blogger Baba Jukwa grows even more after the popular character resurfaced on Thursday and began posting again. The last time the page was updated was 11 August 2014.
Baba Jukwa taking notes in Nyoka and Kunyepa satire of a cabinet meeting
Baba Jukwa taking notes in Nyoka and Kunyepa satire of a cabinet meeting
“From meetings within and without over here one thing is fixed: There are three animals crawling: The Snake, The Crocodile, and The Hippo. Death is the end of at least two, and only one animal will survive this war before Zimbabwe is set free forever. Didymus is no fool hear me great people,” he posted on Thursday.
This was followed by another post, an hour later saying;
“List of people to disappear in February: You’ll remember I told you of how many officers will die in 2014 before it all happened. Three more junior CIOs are going to disappear between 15 February and 5 March.
“You will not hear much of them and it will be like nothing has happened. But their bodies will be turned into ashes. I will give you the updated full list on Monday and will also tell you where and how this is all to go. Watch your back vafana watch!!!,” the blogger said.
The page currently has over 409 000 followers. It grew in popularity towards the 2013 elections as it delivered juicy reports on Zanu PF politburo meetings and several scandals involving senior government officials. The page also quickly grew into a platform for naming and shaming people involved in corruption, theft, murder and other vices.
Sunday Mail editor Edmund Kudzayi was arrested last year following claims that he was in fact Baba Jukwa. He is facing charges of attempting to subvert a constitutionally elected government, banditry, insurgency and demeaning the office of the President and is jointly charged with his brother Phillip.
Jonathan Moyo and Edmund Kudzayi
Jonathan Moyo and his sidekick Edmund Kudzayi
Since Kudzayi’s arrest the number of posts on the page has declined considerably. In the past the page has been taken offline and come back online again. The latest period, 6 months, is the longest the popular page has been offline.
Last month Kudzayi threatened to take legal action against the police accusing them of dragging their feet in investigating the Baba Jukwa saga.
Through his lawyer Admire Rubaya, Kudzayi wrote a letter dated January 12, 2015, and copied to prosecutor-general Johannes Tomana, the then Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, among others. Mnangagwa is now the Vice President.
“It is common cause that our client was arrested in June 2014, where the State claimed it had ample evidence and would be ready for trial by July of the same year. Seven months have since passed,” Rubaya said.
Interestingly Baba Jukwa is back on Facebook exactly three days after Information Minister Jonathan Moyo officially announced he had joined Facebook and Twitter. It was Moyo in his capacity as Information Minister who appointed Kudzayi to be editor of the state owned but Zanu PF controlled Sunday Mail newspaper.

Investigations into the alleged plots to assassinate President Robert Mugabe are complete and the police are consulting Prosecutor General Johannes Tomana on what to do next.
“The police have done their work concerning the issue but they have to get the opinion the Prosecutor General on the matter before they can proceed. Yes, the investigations were done and now the Prosecutor General has to give his opinion on the matter,” said Home Affairs Deputy Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi in a telephone interview.
He said people implicated in the alleged plot would be arrested should the police find overwhelming evidence against them, and promised action “soon”.
Ex-Vice President Joice Mujuru, former Zanu (PF) Secretary for Administration Didymus Mutasa, ex-minister of Public Service Nicholas Goche and ousted spokesperson Rugare Gumbo stand accused of plotting the assassination.
The alleged plot came to light following a scathing attack on Mujuru by Mugabe’s wife Grace last year. Grace blamed Mujuru for working in cahoots with forces opposed to Mugabe’s rule to unconstitutionally unseat him.
Mutasa reportedly revealed during the run up to Zanu (PF’s) December congress that Mugabe would be shot if he did not allow Mujuru to take over from him. Gumbo stands accused of saying that Mugabe’s fate would be similar to that of late Democrat Republic of Congo (DRC) President Laurent Kabila, who was shot by one of his aides in 2001.
Goche is accused of having approached hit men in South Africa and Israel to plot the assassination of Mugabe. Other allegations against Goche are that in September last year he warned that there would be war before congress.
Once Mugabe’s close confidant, Mutasa has maintained that he is unfazed by plans to have him and other officials arrested for trying to kill the Zanu (PF) leader.
Last month, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Secretary Virginia Mabiza said government officials were living in fear following an attempt on Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s life.
Last year, burglars broke into Mnangagwa’s office at Zanu (PF) Headquarters in Harare and reportedly sprinkled cyanide on furniture and floors in a bid to assassinate him. Three staffers were reportedly affected and later treated.
There has been growing criticism in Zanu (PF) circles of the manner in which the police was handling the issue of the alleged assassins loyal to Mujuru. Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri has been fingered as a Mujuru loyalist.
However, the ZRP is on record distancing itself from factional wars within Zanu (PF) saying that the force was non-partisan in its operations. Police spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba, was evasive when asked about police progress on the alleged plots to assassinate Mugabe. “I am in a meeting at the moment. Call me later when I finish,” she said. Efforts to contact her later proved fruitless as her mobile phone went unanswered.
A source at the PG’s office who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed that the police were making a number of consultations on the way forward. “The Prosecutor General’s office is currently seized with the issue. I think any course of action that the police take would be based on recommendations from Tomana,” said the source. – TheZimbabwean

Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa caused a stir Thursday when he came out opposing Justice Bere on the illegality of spot fines charged by police officers on motorists.
Mnangagwa against the judge, defended spot fines saying they are an administrative process that was put in place for the convenience of the justice delivery system.
His words and direct swipe at a sitting judge came at the peak of wide media coverage this week over spot fines.
In an interview with the State Media on the sidelines of a presentation at the Zimbabwe Staff College, Vice President Mnangagwa, who is also the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, said while the judge made his comment outside a court of law, what is important is whether the payment of spot fines is done in accordance with the law or not.
 
He said the payment of spot fines was “made to ease the administrative processes in the payment of the fines for travelling motorists”.
 
But last week Justice Bere blasted the police for demanding spot fines from errant motorists explaining that “there is no law which compels a motorist to deposit a fine with the police if he desires to challenge the alleged offence. But it looks like the motorists are being forced to pay these fines on our public roads irrespective of their attitude to the charges.
“It occurs to me that any collection made by the police must be made in terms of Section 356 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act (Chapter 9:07). That piece of legislation does not support the manner in which the spot fines are being collected and handled by the police,” Justice Bere said.
 
Police defiance
In response, the police defied Justice Bere’s Monday utterances saying they will continue collecting spot fines.
Senior Lawyer and MDC Secretary for legal affairs, David Coltart, said the outburst from the police was not surprising as spot fines had become a source of revenue for the ZRP.
“I am not surprised by this remark because we all know that the number of road blocks and the rampant fining which takes place at them is a key source of revenue for the ZRP,” said Coltart.
“The Chief Superintendent is correct in saying that remarks at the opening of the High Court are not binding as a judgement would be. However the ZRP should not be so dismissive of the learned Judge’s remarks and a more temperate reply would have been more appropriate.”
Coltart attacked the police for wanting to convict people instead of leaving that role to the courts.
“The ZRP are not there to convict people-they are there to identify crime/infractions of the law and then to bring those to the Courts to decide whether there is guilt or not. That right is entrenched in Section 69(1) of the Constitution which states “Every person accused of an offence has the right to a fair and public trial within a reasonable time before an independent and impartial court”,” said Coltart.
 
Abuse of Authority
However Mnangagwa said the government is worried about the abuse of authority by some police officers who are demanding bribes saying it requires the participation of all stakeholders to curb the vice. In his presentation to the officers attending the Joint Command and Staff Course Number 28 at the Zimbabwe Staff College, Vice President Mnangagwa said corruption and fraudulent activities are derailing efforts in achieving goals set out in the new constitution.
The establishment of independent commissions such as the Anti-Corruption Commission and the National Prosecuting Authority were deliberate efforts by the country to allow independence in the prosecution of cases.

In a more well-mannered way of appealing to well-wishers, Entembeni old people’s 50 inhabitants are in need of food, clothing and basic medication as their home is struggling to look after them.
This came to light during a drama which was held in honour of the aged and orphaned community in Bulawayo recently.

The Entembeni dwellers, an average age of 80 years old, are impoverished and in dire need of food and basic medical support.
For several years to date, Entembeni people have been surviving on hand-outs from well-wishers who are also struggling. The nurses at the home are fighting tirelessly to work with available resources such as using firewood to prepare lunch for the 50 old folk.
The old people appealed to drama actors to share their pleas to the international world and well-wishers to assist in kind, especially medication.
The old people’s plight was highlighted by the drama after the theme of the drama appealed to the veterans to open their hearts and empty their troubles.
The drama theme entered the hearts of the elderly Entembeni Old People’s home dwellers, who have since begged the group for more shows, which they said are ‘taking them to their heydays’.
The Nurse in Charge, Ms Maphosa, told ZimEye.com of how much they appreciated the drama performances, and the community work carried by the group.
“Please come again with your shows because old people are missing you and your show,” said a Nurse in Charge at the centre.

A Zimbabwean man based in Gwanda decided to convert a $5 note to $50 by adding a zero to it.
A 32-YEAR-OLD man will spend three months in jail for adding a zero to a $5 note to make it look like $50.
Godness Owen Godha, of no fixed abode was arrested as he tried to buy a pint of beer using the fake $50 note.
The $5 note had zeros added on all the corners using a green mighty marker, to make it appear like a $50 note.
Godha admitted he wanted to buy beer using the fake money but denied being the one responsible for adding a zero to the note.
Gwanda magistrate, Arafat Kozanai, convicted Godha of possessing a fake note and sentenced him to an effective three months in prison.
Godha told the court he had been given the fake note by one Maphala, who is a teacher at St Christopher’s School in Gwanda Town.
“I had a bunch of notes and had not realised that I had fake money,” he said in his defence.
However, magistrate Kozanai said in trying to defend himself, Godha had actually raised points that exposed him that he had knowledge of possessing fake money.
“You put these zeros to make it look like $50, but your attempts failed. You have great knowledge of where you found the money. So you should go to prison where you belong otherwise you will end up painting other monies,” said Kozanai.
Prosecuting, Getrude Zvidzai said Godha tried to buy beer at Njula bottle store using a fake $50 but the cashier immediately noticed it.
The matter was reported to some detectives who were at the bottle store leading to Godha’s arrest. – Chronicle

“I killed my own child…” UK Zim woman confesses
On the 30th January a mother of two, Emily Munemo, died after being found stabbed twice in her kitchen in Hillingdon, London. A man who sired two children with the deceased was soon charged with her murder. ZimEye.com was within 24 hours of the arrest contacted by a UK based anonymous woman who complained alleging ZimEye is publishing falsehoods. Today we are herewith joined by this woman who claims to be Gibson’s first wife.
She in this interview says she was troubled by the deceased and confesses killing her own child because of the late Munemo. I am not speaking in Gibson’s defence at all, but I just need to release myself, she tells ZimEye.com
FULL AUDIO :

A woman yesterday told the court that her son was in the habit of demanding to share her bed every time he came home drunk.
Elizabeth Bheka claimed Nathan Takadza also verbally abused her using vulgar words in front of her other children. Bheka made the revelations at the Harare Civil Court where she was seeking a protection order against Takadza whom she accused of breaching her peace.
“He comes home drunk during midnight and knocks on my bedroom door demanding to share the same bed with me,” she said.
Bheka told magistrate Ms Ruth Kamangira that Takadza was trying to chase her out of her matrimonial home which was left in her name by her late husband.
“My son is threatening to set me ablaze or poison my food if I don’t move out of my house where he is chasing me out everyday,” said Bheka.
She told the court that Takadza was in the habit of selling her household property and sometimes exchanged it for alcohol. Takadza did not turn up in court. Ms Kamangira granted the protection order in default which barred Takadza from threatening and verbally or physically abusing Bheka.
She also ordered Takadza to keep peace towards Bheka at all times. herald

The exiled and bed ridden Grace Mugabe has in absentia been handed more than 67 kilometres of prime Mazowe land, ZimEye.com can reveal.
The development means Mrs Mugabe will now own the richest land between Harare and Bindura.

Mrs Mugabe currently in a foreign hospital and recovering from a critical operation, has by proxy utilised the strained police, army and the Department of National Parks to carve for herself 6700 hectares of Mazowe land meaning she now becomes the biggest land owner in Mashonaland Central.
This was revealed through the lawyer for the abused Manzou villagers who have taken Mrs Mugabe to court and won three High Court rulings in a roll against her.
Mr Gift Mtisi of the Zimbabwe Lawyers For Human Rights read out papers to ZimEye.com presented him showing how the government’s has deliberately carved out 6700 hectares for Grace.
Mr Mtisi revealed that the Manzou residents who woke up to the shock of 100 zebras transported from the Zambezi area and offloaded onto their village by the Department of National Parks under Grace’s command, have since been handed offer letters to take new farm lands, and Mrs Mugabe will now move in to take up a total 6700 hectares.
“The area called Manzou is not one farm, it covers a number of farms,” Mtisi said.
He continued, “the lawyers for the authorities were saying…Manzou comprises three distinct farms, and in total they are ranging in size 6700 hectares.”
Mrs Mugabe caused constenation last year when she announced she was evicting 200 whole families including vulnerable children from Manzou farm to make way for her animal farm project.

Chinhoyi- A man who attempted to rescue the late Mavambo Kusile Dawn party official Liberty Mukwakwami killed by a crocodile in December, met bad luck when he was today struck by the same crocodile(according to witneesses).
The man, in his 30s, whose name has been withheld until after relatives are notified, was killed at the same spot that Mr Mukwakwami disappeared last year. [READ MORE –  Horror as Mystery Crocodile Kills Mavambo Leader During Whatsapp Chat].
He was fishing in the river at the time of the attack, ZimEye.com has been told.
The rare 16-foot crocodile which killed Mr Mukwakwami reportedly sneaked in on him while he was snagging a fishing line late Wednesday afternoon.
The large reptile well-known amongst Chinhoyi residents, is said to be still at large in the waters.
 
A Mermaid?
Community superstitious speculation has been rife that because all casualties for years to date are men, the croc it is not real, is actually a mythical mermaid. Last year several people told ZimEye.com the croc attacks are those a mermaid which is backfiring on men. But investigations carried out by ZimEye.com have shown that the crocodiles are now a problem in the area after they were released following a recent farm invasion on a plot previously owned by a white farmer who used  the reptiles for croc farming.
Meanwhile scores of villagers are currently congregated close to the river-side at a place called Muteputepu whre the attack took place.
ZimEye.com will inform our valued readers as events unravel.

Mission schools have this year dominated the ZIMSEC national ‘O’ level top 100, accounting for 75 percent.
The major talking point has been rural and high density schools which are forced to take students who failed Grade 7 yet they are rated together with schools that take the cream.
Another part of the ZIMSEC rating system that has been queried is the failure to recognise schools that have many candidates.
Pamushana in Bikita had 239 candidates but recorded 01.63 percent.
In contrast, the top rated school Monte Casino had only 83 candidates.
Other schools that had high numbers of candidates yet made it into the top 100 are St Dominics (237), Gokomere (236) and Goromonzi (205).
The worst performing schools were in Matabeleland South Province.
Meanwhile, Mathematics and Integrated Science were the most problematic subjects for students who sat for the 2014 ‘O’ level examinations, with the former recording a dismal 21 percent while later has 21,9 percent.
There is a general belief that the subjects are tough but analysts say the problem is linked to the brain drain that has attracted competent teachers to neighbouring countries.
High pass rates were recorded in Literature in English with 82,54 percent, Physics 89,08 percent, Statistics 77,96 percent, Additional Mathematics 79,62 percent, Home Management 82,46 percent and Computer Studies 78,43 percent.
But why do students continue to register low passes in Science and Mathematics subjects?
An analyst, Pardon Mugari cited ill-equipped laboratories, brain drain and unacceptable teacher to pupil ratio as some of the contributors to low pass rate in the subjects.
According to the November 2014 examinations top 100 best performing schools released by ZIMSEC, government schools once again played second fiddle to church schools while private colleges were the worst performers.
The percentage pass rate continued to go down, with the rate for school candidates standing at 22.38 percent while private candidates recorded a mere 8.47 percent.
The total number of candidates examined in the November 2014 ‘O’ level examination session was 316 003.
Candidates who sat for five subjects and above was 173 856 while those who passed five subjects and above with a grade C or better were 36 031.
On a worrying note, male school candidates performed better than their female counterparts with a 27.23 percent pass rate compared with 18.76 percent pass rate for girls.
However, mission schools once again maintained their stranglehold on the top 100, accounting for 75 percent.
The mission schools dominated the top 10 with only ZRP High School in Harare, Nyanga High School and Knowstic Academy spoiling an almost clean sweep.
Schools from Manicaland Province were the top performers with four of the schools making it into the top 5 while the Midlands Province provided Anderson and Regina Mundi into the top 10.
Mashonaland East has St Ignatius College and St Dominics Chishawasha in the top 10.
However, experts are querying the way ZIMSEC is rating the schools, alleging the system is flawed.-ZBC

At least three people are murdered every month in Masvingo, it has emerged.

High Court judge Justice Francis Bere has bemoaned the increase in murder cases in Masvingo province where an average of three people are killed every month mostly over petty issues.
Addressing guests at the official opening of the Masvingo High Court Circuit on Monday, Justice Bere said the statistics were worrisome.
“I have noticed that over the years, we deal with an average of 12 murder cases per circuit which roughly translates to almost three murder cases per month and these figures are too high for a small country like ours,” Justice Bere said.
“We must be concerned as a country with our strange appetite to resort to violence as a way to resolve our differences. We must, as a people, learn to exercise restraint in the event of disputes and seek the intervention of both our traditional and civic leadership in the event of disputes. Spilling blood invariably leads to further complications.
“Always remember animals quarrel and fight to stamp their authority over others, but man must learn to debate and discuss in order to have permanent solutions to their challenges,” he said.
Justice Bere also urged the police to be techno-savvy in investigating matters to be brought before the courts and move with modern policing trends to avoid the culprits walking scot-free due to lack of evidence.
“It occurs to me that there is need for the ZRP as an institution to enthuse itself with modern trends in investigations, especially when dealing with more complex matters such as rape, armed robbery and murder cases.
“We would want to see more use of forensic examinations to avoid the culprits being let off the hook on some other technicalities,” Justice Bere said.
The judge also urged the police to remain cognisant of the people’s rights as laid down in the Constitution in order to avoid litigation. – Newsday

BINGA villagers under Chief Pashu woke up to a horrific sight when they discovered a partly devoured body of a school temporary teacher who went missing last week, reportedly after he was swallowed by a flooded river and attacked by crocodiles.
Reports from Binga district said the teacher, identified as Mlamuli Khumalo, was swept away by the flooded Nakapande River last week and his body had not been found for nearly a week until Thursday.
However, to the shock of villagers the body was discovered devoured by crocodiles with several parts, including bowels missing.
The teacher was recently deployed to teach at Kamalungu Primary School in the district under Chief Pashu.
However, Southern Eye yesterday could not establish where Khumalo comes from or locate his relatives, who have reportedly been informed of his death.
Binga councillor for Ward 4, Elmon Mudenda, confirmed the morbid incident.
“Yes, I heard that he tried to cross a flooded Nakapande River and was attacked by crocodiles, according to the police, but it seems the issue is quite complicated,” he said.
A police source confirmed that Khumalo was trying to cross the flooded river to school when he was swept away.
“He went missing for some days,” the officer said.
“However, his body was later recovered last week mauled by crocodiles.
“It was taken to Binga mortuary,” he said.
Another source said it was like watching a horror movie.
“I couldn’t believe my eyes,” he said.
“You could not look at the decomposing body. Crocodiles left it in bad shape. The scene resembled a horror movie.
“I haven’t seen such horror in real life except in movies.
“It was not a sight for those of a nervous disposition, it was shocking.”
He said Khumalo had recently been deployed to Kamalungu Primary School as a temporary teacher.
Although the roads to Kariangwe and Lusulu are in a better condition, the road network in Binga is generally poor, making it difficult for some of the remote areas to be accessed, especially during the rainy season. – SouthernEye

VENERANDA LANGA|DEFIANT former Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa yesterday turned up in Parliament almost two months after he went out of public life following his ugly fallout with President Robert Mugabe.
Mutasa, who is Headlands MP, sneaked into the House of Assembly shortly before Speaker Jacob Mudenda opened the proceedings and quietly sat next to former Information Communication Technology minister Webster Shamu for approximately 25 minutes before he left.
Mutasa’s stay in Zanu PF now hangs in the balance after top party officials have publicly called for his ouster after he denounced the party’s December congress resolutions as illegal and threatened to take the party to court over the matter.
The former Zanu PF strongman has refused to be silenced and even scoffed at threats to have him expelled from the party.
Mutasa has even defied Mugabe and at one time sought to have him reprimanded by his Sadc and African Union colleagues for “holding an illegal party congress” that endorsed the ouster of former Vice-President Joice Mujuru and several other party gurus.
They were relieved of their government and party posts over allegations of plotting to topple Mugabe from power. Several former ministers who were swept away in the December tide have of late been attending Parliament in their capacity as MPs, but keeping a low profile.
Morale among them seems low, and most of them have been wearing forlorn faces in Parliament.
This comes amid reports that the Zanu PF purge, which started in the run-up to the party’s December congress, is likely to be extended to chairpersons of thematic committees, the majority of whom are perceived as Mujuru allies.
Sources said the Parliamentary Standing Rules and Orders Committee met this week to discuss re-alignment of MPs to different committees and that Zanu PF might remove MPs aligned to the Mujuru faction from chairing parliamentary committees.
The axe is likely to fall on Hurungwe West MP Temba Mliswa (Education, Sport, Arts and Culture), Mbire MP David Butau (Lands, Agriculture and Mechanisation), Marondera Central MP Ray Kaukonde (Industry and Commerce) and Epworth MP Amos Midzi (Transport and Infrastructural Development) — all of whom were booted out of their provincial chairmanship on allegations of supporting Mujuru.
Mudenda announced last week that there was going to be a reshuffle of MPs in committees.
Meanwhile, opposition MPs yesterday continued to resist the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Debt Assumption Bill which is currently in the Second Reading Stage before the National Assembly.
However, Zanu PF MPs said if the opposition MPs described the RBZ farm mechanisation scheme as looting, then they might as well return the vehicles that the central bank bought for them during the government of national unity.
Hatfield MP Tapiwa Mashakada (MDC-T) said although he was in favour of passage of the Bill to enable the RBZ to assume a clean balance sheet, its quasi-fiscal activities which brought about the $1,3 billion debt were an act of recklessness.
Bulawayo East MP Tabitha Khumalo (MDC-T) said the Bill sought to normalise fraudulent activities.
Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya (MDC-T) said failure to force the farm mechanisation beneficiaries to pay back was a violation of the Constitution which demanded transparency and accountability. Mkoba MP Amos Chibaya (MDC-T) said there was need for people to know what debts they would be paying for.
But Zanu PF MP Masango Matambanadzo (Kwekwe Central) said opposition legislators benefited from the RBZ vehicle scheme and should therefore return the cars.
Chegutu West MP Dexter Nduna (Zanu PF) added that part of the debt was accrued in the purchase of MPs’ vehicles by the RBZ. – Newsday

The residents of Emakhandeni suburb in Bulawayo got the shock of their lives as they witnessesd a horrifying incident of a woman who totured her 11-year-old son.Nomalanga Maphosa tied up her son and repeatedly struck him with an iron bar on the head before burning him all over the body using a burning plastic paper.
There was blood every where as the woman was accusing her son of selling her dog.The incident happened on Tuesday around 8pm.
Nomalanga Maphosa, 29, yesterday appeared before provincial magistrate Willard Maphios Moyo facing a charge of ill-treatment /neglect of children and young persons.
She was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody to today for trial.
Prosecuting Kingston Mkanganwi told the court that Maphosa assaulted her son because he had failed to disclose the whereabouts of the dog.
“She assaulted him after failing to disclose the whereabouts of the dog which disappeared sometime last year and she was accusing him of having sold it,” said Mkanganwi.
The court heard that on Tuesday last week around 8PM, Maphosa asked her son about the dog,
After the boy failed to disclose the whereabouts of the dog, she started accusing him of having sold it, the court heard.
Maphosa then allegedly tied the boy’s hands and legs with a rope and struck him four times on the head with a metal bar.
The court heard that Maphosa went on to light a plastic paper which she allegedly used to burn the boy all over the body.
The boy sustained some cuts on the head and blisters all over the body as a result of the torture.