A 20-year-old man committed suicide this morning at his girlfriǝnd’s house after she had ended their relati0nship.

Tinotenda Zikonya from Dawnview Park hung himself on a mango tree outside his estranged l0ver’s house in Kuwadzana 6.

Reports are that he clashed with his l0ver, only identified as Memory.

Their differences started in December when Tinotenda chǝated Memory.

“Whenever I wanted to break up with him he threatened me to commit suicide.

“We have been dat1ng since July 2021 and after he cheated on me, I decided to end the relati0nship but he did not take it lightly.

“And, on top of it all akundinyepera hanzi ndatora US$900 dollars.

“He threatened to fix me,” said Memo.

She said, the man was suicidal.

“Akandi chǝater neumwe musikana so that’s why I said I can’t continue naye.”

It is also being reported that Tinotenda came to the house yesterday, at around 10 am, and assaulted Memory’s parents.

— HMetro

A 20-year-old man committed suicide this morning at his girlfriǝnd’s house after she had ended their relati0nship.

Tinotenda Zikonya from Dawnview Park hung himself on a mango tree outside his estranged l0ver’s house in Kuwadzana 6.

Reports are that he clashed with his l0ver, only identified as Memory.

Their differences started in December when Tinotenda chǝated Memory.

“Whenever I wanted to break up with him he threatened me to commit suicide.

“We have been dat1ng since July 2021 and after he cheated on me, I decided to end the relati0nship but he did not take it lightly.

“And, on top of it all akundinyepera hanzi ndatora US$900 dollars.

“He threatened to fix me,” said Memo.

She said, the man was suicidal.

“Akandi chǝater neumwe musikana so that’s why I said I can’t continue naye.”

It is also being reported that Tinotenda came to the house yesterday, at around 10 am, and assaulted Memory’s parents.

— HMetro

Tinashe Sambiri|Young people in Masvingo are determined to remove the Zanu PF leader Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa from office via the ballot box.

CCC youth taskforce spokesperson Stephen Sarkozy Chuma on Friday said: ” We are encouraging young people to register to vote in big numbers. We are glad the clarion call has been heard.”

Chuma also wrote on Twitter:

“NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER!!!

The young people in Masvingo are firm in the clarion call to Register Elect And Protect #REAP_zw .

The agenda is simple: it’s to usher in a prosperous New Great Zimbabwe.”

Tinashe Sambiri|Citizens Coalition for Change ( CCC) leader President Nelson Chamisa has boldly declared he will change the Zimbabwean story after winning the 2023 Presidential plebiscite.

Writing on Twitter, President Chamisa assured the nation of the people’s victory in the coming polls.

“OUR STORY WILL BE GLORIOUS…

We will be a giver & a donor country not a beggar nation. We will change and rewrite the story of Zimbabwe.

In no time, we will restore the glory of this great country! It’s a delayed match!

You will be proud to be a Zimbabwean! #ANewGreatZimbabweplan.”

The 16-year-old Founders High School student, Wayne Ndlovu who was stabbed to death by one of his peers from a neighbouring school has been buried at Umvutsha Cemetery in Bulawayo.

Wayne Ndlovu, who was a Form Four pupil at Founders High School was murdered this Monday during a gang brawl between his school and Hamilton High, a neighbouring school.

As if to let the students have a feel of the consequences of their actions, a funeral service was held at Founders High School this Friday morning where scores of pupils from different schools and parents were in attendance.

“I am in pain. I was talking to him the day before he died. I died know he was going to die. He was a good person he didn’t deserve it,” a classmate said.

Although emotionally distraught, Wayne’s parents said as difficult as it might be to accept the pain of losing their child, they believe his death will bring an end to the endless brawls between schools.

His father said, “Boys and girls no more violence please. Boys and girls, do not even think about revenging. The battle is not yours, if you want to take this physically your fingers are going to get burnt.”
Founders High School head, Ms Dorothea Moyo said Wayne’s death has affected the whole school, with most students still struggling to come to terms with the tragic incident.

She said, “We have lost an enthusiastic young learner. It’s difficult to see my learners looking so depressed, crying and mourning.”

Bulawayo ZANU PF provincial chairperson, Jabulani Sibanda pleaded with students to shun gang fights, bullying and drug abuse.

“Kids must be protected from drugs. They are killing our youths,” he said.

Meanwhile, a 17 year old pupil from Hamilton High School who allegedly fatally stabbed the late learner has since appeared in court facing charges of murder.

The tragic incident comes on the backdrop of an increase in gang brawls at boys’ schools such as Hamilton, Milton and Gifford High schools.

Most of the clashes are reportedly fuelled by the need to control territories in the city centre and generational beliefs of enmity that are passed down to freshman by the seniors during orientation.- ZBC News

A 63-year-old-man drowned in Mabonyane River near Maphisa Growth Point, Matobo District in Matabeleland South province while attempting to cross the river which was flooded.
He was in the company of two other men. The deceased, Nhlanganiso Tshuma, a villager under Chief Fuyana was swept away by the floods on Thursday and his body was found the following day about 5km from the bridge by the riverside. A video of Tshuma being swept away is circulating on social media. Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Loveness Mangena confirmed the incident.

“The incident happened on Thursday as the now deceased attempted to cross a river in flood and when he was halfway through, he was overpowered by the water and swept away,” said Insp Mangena.

Tshuma was allegedly coming from Maphisa Growth Point on his way home. There were cars and people who were waiting for the river to subside when the three decided to cross, and he was swept away halfway through the bridge.

Insp Mangena said people should never take chances with flooded rivers, saying they risk losing their lives. She said people should always wait for rivers to subside before attempting to cross.

The current rains have also seen a video of a donkey drawn scotch-cart being swept away while trying to cross a flooded river. A video of a donkey drawn scotch-cart surfaced yesterday, showing donkeys and the scotch- cart carrying firewood being swept away by floods at a narrow bridge along the Bulawayo Solusi road. The incident is said to have taken place on Friday and two men who were on board the scotch-cart escaped unhurt. Sources said a scotch-cart load of firewood fetches US$60 in the city, and most fire wood traders come from the Solusi area, about 50km from Bulawayo.

In some videos circulating, bus and private cars drivers will be urged on by onlookers who will be whistling and cheering them on to cross flooded rivers, but police have warned drivers to desist from attempting to cross rivers that are in flood.

The country has lately been receiving significant amounts of rainfall and the Meteorological Service Department has warned the country’s citizens of dangers such as drowning and lightning while it is raining.-state media

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he is attending the 36th Ordinary Session of the African Union summit.

President Mnangagwa left Harare this Friday morning and was seen off at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport by Vice President, General (Retired) Dr Constantino Chiwenga and other senior government officials.

Upon arrival in Addis Ababa, he was welcomed at the Bole International Airport by Ethiopia’s Minister of Culture and Sport Kejela Merdasa, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ambassador Frederick Shava and other officials.

For the next two days, African heads of state will meet to discuss issues affecting the continent, with the summit running under the theme: “The Year of ACFTA: Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area Implementation”.

For the free trade area to be fully operational, air and rail connectivity is key for African countries and in that regard the leaders are expected to discuss infrastructure development.

Conflict that has rocked some African countries like Democratic Republic of Congo is also expected to be discussed.

With a growing population, Africa is facing food insecurity due to climate change and the next few days will see the leaders exploring ways to boost agriculture.

The last few years have seen the Second Republic focusing on building new dams and setting up irrigation infrastructure to ensure the country attains food security.

Among the flagship projects is the Gwayi-Shangani Lake and the Tugwi-Mukosi Dam which has the potential to irrigate 40 000 hectares.- ZBC News

State Media – The govt is set to appoint an Independent Commission of Inquiry to assess the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) following a surge in examination paper leakages as well as “extremely” high grades being scored by pupils at Advanced (A) level, among a number of concerns raised against the examination body.

This was revealed by the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Evelyn Ndlovu, while presenting a Ministerial statement on the management of the leakages of some Ordinary (O) level examination question papers in the National Assembly last Wednesday.

The examining body came under spotlight following numerous leakages that were reported during the course of the public examinations last year.

Following the release of A level results last month, Zimsec was once again on the spotlight as some candidates recorded high grades for more than three subjects, that the public described as results inflation. Some pupils set for as much as ten subjects, against the standard three subjects, while high grades were recorded of up to 50 points. Each A pass grade carries five points at A level, with a B carrying four points and a C carrying three points, D (two points) and E (one point), with grades not carrying points being Ordinary and Fail.

The concerns raised by the public saw Members of Parliament requesting Dr Ndlovu to respond through a ministerial statement. In her presentation, Dr Ndlovu highlighted some of the measures that Government will implement to restore the credibility of the examining body, with the setting up of a Commission of Inquiry being one of them.

“I think we will restore credibility by having a Commission of Inquiry which will assess whether Zimsec is doing the right thing or they are leaking the examination papers. The results and recommendations will guide us accordingly. On legislative changes, I promise that we are going to push for the Zimsec Amendment Bill to go through the relevant committees, it goes through Cabinet then it comes to Parliament. We have a draft amendment Bill in place. That draft must go through the Cabinet process then come to Parliament for approval,” said Dr Ndlovu.

Turning to the high pass grades at A level, Dr Ndlovu said Government will look into regulating the number of subjects written through formulating a policy.

“At A level, how can people believe in people who attain 20 points? I think we need to come up with a policy to limit the number of subjects that are written by our children. We really need to come up with a policy as a Ministry that, at most, a child should register four subjects at A level.

“The issue of writing 10 subjects and all why? There is confusion, so I think; we will come up with a policy so that at least our children can write four subjects. After all, our universities require only three subjects – Yes, they need three. So, the maximum, we will recommend, as a Ministry, that we come up with a policy where we reduce the number of A level subjects.”

She said some examination papers were leaked from a school in Matabeleland South.

“The Zimsec security worked with the Commercial Crime Division of the CID and the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) to trace the source of the leakage after the leakage was reported on 16 October from the Zvishavane area. The team found out that the question papers in three subjects leaked from Thokozane Secondary School in Matabeleland South Province and circulated on WhatsApp and some social media platforms. The question papers were peddled by some ordinary citizens and some Advanced level candidates charging those who needed the question papers,” said Dr Ndlovu.

She said candidates and school officials and ordinary citizens who posted question papers on WhatsApp and those that bought them were arrested and appeared in court.

“The sentences they got, however, were either community service or fines. Mr Kudakwashe Betserayi who fraudulently registered an Econet sim card in Zimsec’s name and sold question papers was arrested in Masvingo and is still on remand. The head and the deputy head of Thokozane Secondary School are still in custody in remand in Filabusi,” said Dr Ndlovu.

The head and deputy head of Thokozane Secondary School who had the keys to where the question papers were are alleged to have broken the keys which belong to the monitor and stole the examination papers and sold them to an attendant at a pharmacy in Zvishavane. The pharmacy attendant is alleged to have sold the question papers on social media platforms. —-Sunday News

Chief Mafala of Zvishavane has appealed for a common understanding between the parents of a 14-year-old Form Two boy who was electrocuted last year while in school at Dadaya High and the school authorities so that the boy can be buried.

The boy, Tanaka Chihwendo’s body has now clocked four months in the mortuary at a Zvishavane parlour with parents and the school authorities failing to find each other to set conditions for burial.

Tanaka, a bright and promising boy who always came tops in his class, was electrocuted in early October last year after he got into contact with a live power line while playing with other boys at Dadaya High School.

Since then, the boy’s relatives have been demanding a full report from the school amid reports that police and the power utility investigations have allegedly since discovered that the power line that electrocuted the boy was an illegal connection by the school.

The school, which has been footing mortuary bills being charged by a private funeral parlour, is still refusing to bow to the parents’ demands for fear of being sued.

The deceased boy’s family spokesperson, Mr Edson Mambo said they have since engaged lawyers to force the school to provide them with a report on the circumstances leading to the boy’s death.

“This is what we are asking for, a report from the school, at law when the kid is in school the school assumes the role of a parent so we are saying the school was the parent when our kid was electrocuted so they should just give us the biological parents a report of electrocution, but they are refusing so maybe there is something behind it and we have now become very curious,” said Mr Mambo.

He said the family lawyers were now handling the matter.

“The boy remains unburied and our lawyers have taken over, they are now handling the matter after which we will then decide on when to bury our departed boy,” he said.

Chief Mafala who has been mediating on the matter said the process has not yielded anything as yet with the boy’s body still unclaimed in the mortuary.

“It’s been a frustrating mediation process with nothing tangible as of yet. The boy’s body remains in the mortuary and this is my biggest worry. We need to put him to his final resting place so my appeal to the two parties is that let’s bury the boy, let us give him rest, and then if there are talks, let them continue after burial as we try to find each other,” he said.

Chief Mafala said the school has been incurring mortuary charges with the deceased family still adamant, sticking to their conditions and denying responsibility. Chief Mafala said it was a fact that the boy was electrocuted and any further investigations can be done even when the boy is buried.

“It was a very unfortunate incident but everyone is in pain but it’s important that we put the boy to rest,” he said.-Sunday News

The 16-year-old Founders High School student, Wayne Ndlovu who was stabbed to death by one of his peers from a neighbouring school has been buried at Umvutsha Cemetery in Bulawayo.

Wayne Ndlovu, who was a Form Four pupil at Founders High School was murdered this Monday during a gang brawl between his school and Hamilton High, a neighbouring school.

As if to let the students have a feel of the consequences of their actions, a funeral service was held at Founders High School this Friday morning where scores of pupils from different schools and parents were in attendance.

“I am in pain. I was talking to him the day before he died. I died know he was going to die. He was a good person he didn’t deserve it,” a classmate said.

Although emotionally distraught, Wayne’s parents said as difficult as it might be to accept the pain of losing their child, they believe his death will bring an end to the endless brawls between schools.

His father said, “Boys and girls no more violence please. Boys and girls, do not even think about revenging. The battle is not yours, if you want to take this physically your fingers are going to get burnt.”
Founders High School head, Ms Dorothea Moyo said Wayne’s death has affected the whole school, with most students still struggling to come to terms with the tragic incident.

She said, “We have lost an enthusiastic young learner. It’s difficult to see my learners looking so depressed, crying and mourning.”

Bulawayo ZANU PF provincial chairperson, Jabulani Sibanda pleaded with students to shun gang fights, bullying and drug abuse.

“Kids must be protected from drugs. They are killing our youths,” he said.

Meanwhile, a 17 year old pupil from Hamilton High School who allegedly fatally stabbed the late learner has since appeared in court facing charges of murder.

The tragic incident comes on the backdrop of an increase in gang brawls at boys’ schools such as Hamilton, Milton and Gifford High schools.

Most of the clashes are reportedly fuelled by the need to control territories in the city centre and generational beliefs of enmity that are passed down to freshman by the seniors during orientation.- ZBC News

By A Correspondent

Journalists in Masvingo are crying foul over the way the provincial elections were held on Thursday.

Journalists are accusing the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) of not following the constitution and ambushing them, which they allege is a violation of the constitution which says elections must be held upon giving a 30 day notice.

“We were told a day before that the elections to choose a new provincial executive would be held.This is a violation of ZUJ constitution and it shows that we are being led by a presidium that is dictatorial,”said a journalist who did not want to be named.

Other journalists said ZUJ also breached the constitution as the provincial elections were not held using a secret ballot.

“The elections were were not held through the secret ballot as per the requirements of the constitution, members were instructed to vote by raising their hands, again a violation of the union constitution.We are not going to recognize the sham elections.”

Another journalist alleged that those who participated in the elections were not paid up members.

In September last year, Chiredzi based journalist Morris Bishi and other scribes in Masvingo lodged a complaint through their legal advisors, Ruvengo Maboke and Company, citing irregularities in the whole process of conducting the provincial congress.

According to Bishi and others, the constitutional provisions which stipulate that a notice of 30 days should be given before such a congress is held, were clearly violated by the ZUJ leadership.

Part of the letter reads:
” We are advised that you sent a letter on WhatsApp group ( news roundup) of journalists who operate in Masvingo wherein you advised members about your intention to conduct an elective congress on September 23 2022 in the afternoon. We have been advised that the said WhatsApp message was sent on the 16th of September…”

Harare’s Hatfield community is still in shock after the brutal murder of a Spar female employee, whose mutilated body was found in a pool of blood this Monday.

On Sunday last week, Faith Musonza spent the day working at a local supermarket, serving the community and unaware of the fate that would befall her on her way home.

Days later, the Hatfield community converged for a church service in honour of the family woman, whose mutilated body was found on Monday morning in a pool of blood.

To the relatives, the pain of losing a loved one in such a manner is unbearable.

“It is so painful that my sister is gone. She was a pillar in our family but the way she died is so painful we say rest in peace Faith, till we meet,” a relative mourned.

The community had no kind words for the employer who is allegedly failing to provide transport for workers who knock off late.

“We are calling for you Spar management to provide transport to your workers. Please assist your employees so that we reduce such cases,” a mourner said.

Another added, “This is so sad. Why Spar is failing to provide transport or else they employ the people from this community so that no one can travel during the night?”

Speaking on behalf of Spar management, Hatfield Branch Accounts Administrator, Mr Leslie Muzavazi said he will take up the issue with the top management.

“The situation we are having here is unfortunate and we are going to carry the issue to the management and it is very unfortunate that we have lost one of us in such a sad way,” Spar Hatfield Branch Accounts Administrator, Mr Leslie Muzavazi said.

The deceased knocked off at around 7pm heading home to Cranborne, but she never reached her destination.

Musonza, who is survived by her husband and two children aged 6 and 12, will be buried after a post-mortem.- ZBC News

Acting Gweru Town Clerk and former magistrate Vakai Douglas Chikwekwe was yesterday morning arrested by investigators of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission on allegations of criminal abuse of duty after he allegedly awarded tenders in 2020 for development in Mkoba without following due processes.
He later appeared in court where he was remanded out of custody to March 27 on $100 000 bail.

Chikwekwe (56) was represented by Mr Tonderai Chitere, of Chitere, Chidawanyika and Partners.

He was ordered to report once every fortnight at the ZACC offices in Gweru as part of bail conditions.

The State case against Chikwekwe is, in 2020, Gweru City Council wanted to develop and service Mkoba 21 stands and on 29 May 2020, the Council gazetted an invitation of expression of interest for tender number COG/01/06/2020

Eight prospective bidders submitted their applications and on June 30, 2020, the technical evaluation committee recommended that Sheasham Investments, Casas Properties and Wackdrive Pvt Ltd be short-listed as they were compliant with the mandatory requirements.

On July 3, 2020, the procurement management unit committee chaired by Chikwekwe as acting town clerk approved this short-listing recommendation by the technical evaluation committee and in turn recommended that the tender be submitted to the special procurement oversight committee. Chikwekwe did this on July 29, 2020.

But then, submits the State, Chikwekwe was supposed to obtain clearance from that oversight committee.

Instead, he proceeded to award contracts to the three short-listed bidders on August 18, 2020 without that clearance in contravention of Section 94 (3) of the Public Procurement and Disposal of the Public Assets Act (General) Regulations published as SI 5 of 2018 which required certification by the oversight committee before awarding a contract.

Two days after the contract award, on August 20, 2020, the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe wrote a letter directing the acting Town Clerk to collect bids, extend bid validity, correct the evaluation reports and submit the revised evaluation reports which showed that the special procurement oversight committee had not certified the awarding of the contracts to the three developers.

Chikwekwe allegedly acted inconsistently or contrary to his duties as accounting officer for the City of Gweru by awarding contracts for the servicing of Mkoba 21 stands to the three bidders without clearance from the oversight committee thereby showing favour to the three land developers, the State told the court.

Mr Fredrick Matsheza appeared for the state. -state media

NYAMANDLOVU District Hospital finally has a functioning mortuary thanks to the Minister of State for Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Richard Moyo, who used US$50 000 of his own to bankroll the construction of the morgue which will service over 200 000 villagers in Umguza district.
New mortuary, thanks to the Minister of State for Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Richard Moyo.

Since 2015, villagers had to take the remains of their relatives to Bulawayo mortuaries or were forced to bury the dead before they decomposed after the district hospital mortuary became

Having realised the challenge that villagers from Umguza district were facing, Minister Moyo felt the need to do good for his constituency.

Minister Richard Moyo yesterday unveils a plaque to officially open Nyamandlovu District Hospital As someone who is a leader in the community as well as a resident of the district, I was aware of the challenges that the people are facing. What my people had been exposed to is not healthy and it was no longer in accordance with our traditions and cultures. Having gone for many years without a mortuary I had to step up as a community leader and address the situation, hence the reason I chose to channel my personal funds towards the construction of the mortuary,” said Minister Moyo.

He said the development of Umguza district was the responsibility of everyone in the community and that is what pushed him to lead by example.

Matabeleland North Provincial Medical Director, Mr Admire Kuretu said the commissioning of the mortuary shows that Minister Moyo is the ideal leader of the province.

“We greatly appreciate the great works that our minister is doing in our district, this shows that we voted for the right person and we are being represented well. Such generous works by the minister show that he has truly embraced the spirit of oneness and moving together as one. While the minister could have chosen to do something good for his family, he chose to channel that money towards construction of a state-of-the-art mortuary to the aid of his community,” said Mr Kuretu.

“We are truly grateful as residents of Umguza for what our minister has done for us. It is with great gratitude that we appreciate the works that he has been implementing in our constituency as a whole. This donation of a mortuary will go a long way in solving the challenges that we were facing as people of Umguza.

“Since we did not have a mortuary we were either forced to send the bodies of our departed to mortuaries to Bulawayo or bury them in a rush. Since the time the minister was sworn into office, he has shown great dedication and will for the people of Umguza. We wish that he continues being the person that he is and continues to develop our constituency,” said Chief Deli.

A villager, Mrs Margaret Masiza said she appreciates the efforts by the minister.

“We are grateful for having a listening leader in our constituency. He has always made efforts in delivering our pleas as a community. The President made the right choice by appointing him as the Minister of State because he has used his position to do good deeds in developing our district. This shows that he has truly adopted the President’s spirit of moving together and leaving no place behind,” she said. -state media

When a group of boys stood by the gate and shouted obscenities at mourners, Simiso Mdlawuzo (28), who was among the mourners at a house in Pumula South suburb in Bulawayo confronted them with the intention of reprimanding them.
He, however, seemed to have got more than what he had bargained for when they fatally knifed him.

Simiso was with his Johane Masowe Wechishanu church members when the drunk boys besieged their gate and chanted slogans demanding that church members must vacate the home. They said they wanted to bury their fellow resident-Cornelius Moyo.

One of the church elders who spoke to B-Metro on condition of anonymity said: “They were insulting us and Simiso confronted the boys to tell them to respect the mourners but when he got there, they manhandled him before one of the boys stabbed him with a sharp object. They accused him of being part of the church members that killed Moyo,” said the elder.

The church elder said within a few minutes Simiso returned clutching his chest and asked to be rushed to the police station. A church mate ferried him there.

“While on our way to the police station Simiso started to experience difficulties in breathing and he was sweating profusely. We removed his jacket before taking him out of the car and made him lie on the ground.

“While he was lying on the ground facing upwards, he once again clutched his chest as he said he was feeling excruciating pain. He died while an ambulance was being called to the scene,” said the

The incident was reported to the police.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident.

“We confirm that a man who was attending a funeral in Pumula South suburb was stabbed and later died while he was being transported to a police station,” he said.

Insp Ncube appealed for information that could lead to the arrest of the alleged killer.

“Anyone who knows the person who stabbed Simiso Mdlawuzo may contact any nearest police station or call us on 229-60358. Even anyone who has information, whether insignificant, may he or she kindly approach any police station or could leave that information at a suggestion box at any police station,” he said. -B Metro

The upsurge in cases of child sexual exploitation has become a major source of worry with statistics indicating that 30 cases of rape and aggravated indecent assault were dealt with at the Harare Magistrates Court last month alone.

The month of January saw the Harare Magistrates Court dealing with 30 cases of sexual exploitation, with 14 of the accused persons being convicted.

Some of the cases include that of a father who raped his teenage daughter and was jailed for 20 years.

Another conviction was that of a self-styled prophet who was jailed for 18 years after raping a teenager at his shrine.

A suspected serial rapist who was targeting teenagers in Harare was also arrested and appeared in court facing 14 charges of rape. He was remanded in custody.

Cases of child sexual exploitation are also prevalent in other parts of the country with a State lawyer stationed in Gokwe having been slapped with an 18-year jail term for raping his friend’s four-year-old daughter.

In Gwanda, a 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her father and another close relative.

However, measures to deal with perpetrators of sexual violence are being put in place, with the provision of a minimum mandatory sentence for rape being one of the amendments sought in the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Amendment Bill gazetted last year.

The amendment proposes a minimum, mandatory sentence for rape to be a 15-year jail term. – ZBC News

Tinashe Sambiri
Hilary Makaya’s sister Yolanda has sensationally pointed out that she was impregnated by controversial preacher Passion Java.

In a video footage, Yolanda accuses Java of manipulating her…

” He preys on unsuspecting women. He ( Passion Java) is a predator. I am totally confused , please help me. I am pregnant for the man of God, the one called Passion Java.

Now he wants to kill our baby.This so called man of God is cunning.”

The upsurge in cases of child sexual exploitation has become a major source of worry with statistics indicating that 30 cases of rape and aggravated indecent assault were dealt with at the Harare Magistrates Court last month alone.

The month of January saw the Harare Magistrates Court dealing with 30 cases of sexual exploitation, with 14 of the accused persons being convicted.

Some of the cases include that of a father who raped his teenage daughter and was jailed for 20 years.

Another conviction was that of a self-styled prophet who was jailed for 18 years after raping a teenager at his shrine.

A suspected serial rapist who was targeting teenagers in Harare was also arrested and appeared in court facing 14 charges of rape. He was remanded in custody.

Cases of child sexual exploitation are also prevalent in other parts of the country with a State lawyer stationed in Gokwe having been slapped with an 18-year jail term for raping his friend’s four-year-old daughter.

In Gwanda, a 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her father and another close relative.

However, measures to deal with perpetrators of sexual violence are being put in place, with the provision of a minimum mandatory sentence for rape being one of the amendments sought in the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Amendment Bill gazetted last year.

The amendment proposes a minimum, mandatory sentence for rape to be a 15-year jail term. – ZBC News

Harare’s Hatfield community is still in shock after the brutal murder of a Spar female employee, whose mutilated body was found in a pool of blood this Monday.

On Sunday last week, Faith Musonza spent the day working at a local supermarket, serving the community and unaware of the fate that would befall her on her way home.

Days later, the Hatfield community converged for a church service in honour of the family woman, whose mutilated body was found on Monday morning in a pool of blood.

To the relatives, the pain of losing a loved one in such a manner is unbearable.

“It is so painful that my sister is gone. She was a pillar in our family but the way she died is so painful we say rest in peace Faith, till we meet,” a relative mourned.

The community had no kind words for the employer who is allegedly failing to provide transport for workers who knock off late.

“We are calling for you Spar management to provide transport to your workers. Please assist your employees so that we reduce such cases,” a mourner said.

Another added, “This is so sad. Why Spar is failing to provide transport or else they employ the people from this community so that no one can travel during the night?”

Speaking on behalf of Spar management, Hatfield Branch Accounts Administrator, Mr Leslie Muzavazi said he will take up the issue with the top management.

“The situation we are having here is unfortunate and we are going to carry the issue to the management and it is very unfortunate that we have lost one of us in such a sad way,” Spar Hatfield Branch Accounts Administrator, Mr Leslie Muzavazi said.

The deceased knocked off at around 7pm heading home to Cranborne, but she never reached her destination.

Musonza, who is survived by her husband and two children aged 6 and 12, will be buried after a post-mortem.- ZBC News

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

QUESTION: President Kenyatta I know you’re on your last term, perhaps you may have offered tips on how to get a second term? Ramaphosa: I knew you were going to be naughty and slip in a local question when we are on the international stage here. I thought that what happens in Vagas stays in Vagas.

I did say to President Kenyatta that his timing for visiting South Africa is really poor; he should have come on the 1st Nov; as a good friend I know he would have voted for us, so now we have lost, we didn’t have his vote. No, what is unfolding is how democracy works. This is the footsteps if you like of democracy, and we have seen it play out throughout the country, and indeed as president of the governing party, it is disappointing for the African National Congress; but that is how we should accept the clear message of our people on the African national Congress. We have taken heed, we have listened, and this for us is a big setback but it is also a big lesson and we are a party that learns a very quickly…

And we are going to go to the drawing board we are going to reflect on all these setbacks and all we want to see speaking now as president of the Republic I would like to see stability in our local government sector, that whatever coalitions have been formed and are being formed, will result in stable local government, that we don’t have instability and collapse of local govt, and motions of no confidence to a appoint where service delivery will not be given to the people of a country.

So I will call on those who have emerged victorious, to say, ensure that there’s stable govt, and congratulate those who have succeeded, I was particularly pleased to see that the number of female metro-mayors have come to the fore, on the platform and that is good in as far as our agenda to promote the empowerment of women and it behoves well for the State of the Republic of South Africa and we wish those councillors who’ve been elected the very best and may all continue to work well for the people of various communities – ZimEye

A woman from Mashonaland East Province has been arrested in connection with the callous murder of her three-year-old son at a church shrine.

In a statement released by the Zimbabwe Republic Police this Wednesday, the suspect Linnet Takawira aged 31 who is believed to be mentally challenged, allegedly sneaked out of the house with the now deceased while her husband was asleep before taking the child to an apostolic church shrine on the 13th of this month.

According to the police, the victim was found dead the following day with wet ashes stuffed in the mouth, ears, nose and eyes while the suspect was sitting in an ash pit naked with ashes all over her body.

Meanwhile, police have arrested Evans Bhazela in Masvingo in connection with a murder case in which a 75-year-old man Henry Machomba of Masvingo died after being struck on the head with an axe several times on the 14th of this month.

The recent incidents come at a time when the nation is witnessing a surge in murder cases, with more than 10 cases recorded every week countrywide.-
https://zbcnews.co.zw/2023/02/15/woman-arrested-for-allegedly-murdering-3-year-old-son/

ZBC News

When a group of boys stood by the gate and shouted obscenities at mourners, Simiso Mdlawuzo (28), who was among the mourners at a house in Pumula South suburb in Bulawayo confronted them with the intention of reprimanding them.
He, however, seemed to have got more than what he had bargained for when they fatally knifed him.

Simiso was with his Johane Masowe Wechishanu church members when the drunk boys besieged their gate and chanted slogans demanding that church members must vacate the home. They said they wanted to bury their fellow resident-Cornelius Moyo.

One of the church elders who spoke to B-Metro on condition of anonymity said: “They were insulting us and Simiso confronted the boys to tell them to respect the mourners but when he got there, they manhandled him before one of the boys stabbed him with a sharp object. They accused him of being part of the church members that killed Moyo,” said the elder.

The church elder said within a few minutes Simiso returned clutching his chest and asked to be rushed to the police station. A church mate ferried him there.

“While on our way to the police station Simiso started to experience difficulties in breathing and he was sweating profusely. We removed his jacket before taking him out of the car and made him lie on the ground.

“While he was lying on the ground facing upwards, he once again clutched his chest as he said he was feeling excruciating pain. He died while an ambulance was being called to the scene,” said the

The incident was reported to the police.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident.

“We confirm that a man who was attending a funeral in Pumula South suburb was stabbed and later died while he was being transported to a police station,” he said.

Insp Ncube appealed for information that could lead to the arrest of the alleged killer.

“Anyone who knows the person who stabbed Simiso Mdlawuzo may contact any nearest police station or call us on 229-60358. Even anyone who has information, whether insignificant, may he or she kindly approach any police station or could leave that information at a suggestion box at any police station,” he said. —-B Metro

A Seventh Day Adventist Church (SDA) pastor based in Francistow­n, Botswana has been accused over the alleged murder of a suspected Zimbabwean commercial sex worker who was found dead in her house in Maun on Christmas eve.

According to reports by one of Botswana’s popular newspapers, The Voice, the married pastor, Marvin Pelonomi Radihephi (38) is suspected to have killed 48-year-old Warricious Bhunu after he allegedly solicited sex services from her.

For the alleged grisly murder Radihephi has since appeared before Maun Magistrate Court where he was not asked to plead and was remanded out of custody on condition that he reports every two weeks at Francistown Police Station.

Police are reportedly waiting for DNA and postmortem results, which will guide the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on how to proceed with the case.

DNA tests from a used condom are also expected to be used to either link or exonerate Radihephi.

Circumstances as reported by The Voice, are that Bhunu was hired by Radihephi for services for two days and the pastor is alleged to have solicited sex services, two days before Christmas Day when he was visiting his home village of Maun.

Bhunu was alleged to have been found dead in her house located along a street commonly known as Harare at Sanyedi ward the next morning.

“The pastor allegedly travelled from Francistown where he resides with his wife, met a woman friend in Maun and they spent most of the day together. Later on, he is said to have dropped the woman off, but she allowed him to use her car, a VW,” reports The Voice.

Further reports The Voice: “It appears the pastor then went to spend a night with a sex worker at her rented room as the same car was spotted parked outside the house.

“It was seemingly a normal morning as other tenants were going about their morning chores, others doing laundry and some sweeping when Radihephi allegedly emerged from the room and sat in the car on Christmas Eve, which was on a Sabbath.

“Allegedly nobody paid much attention until around six o’clock when one of Bhunu’s friends came around to check on her.”

She greeted Radihephi, whose vehicle was parked right in front of Bhunu’s doorstep, and asked him if the woman was in.

“She asked him where the woman who lived in that room was, and he told her she was inside. She then knocked at the door before going in.”

The paper said a witness, who stays in the neighbourhood of the sex worker, added that she was one of the people that came rushing to the scene when the sex worker’s lady friend who found her dead screamed for help.

“Bhunu was allegedly lying naked and motionless on the floor and beside her were some used condoms.

“Meanwhile, Radihephi, who was said to have been sitting in the parked car, is said to have sped off, but not before witnesses had noted down the car registration numbers,” further reports The Voice.

The matter was then reported to the police and the car owner tracked down. She is said to have told the police that she had lent the vehicle to pastor Radihephi, who was later arrested while in possession of the same car.

Bhunu’s body has since been repatriated back home and was buried last month. —B Metro/The Voice

Harare regional magistrate Mrs Feresi Chakanyuka yesterday postponed the start of Marry Mubaiwa’s trial on charges of attempting to kill Vice President Constantino Chiwenga when he was hospitalised in South Africa to today to allow her to bring proof of her alleged illness to court.

This was after her lawyer Ms Beatrice Mtetwa told the court that she was unfit to stand trial, although there were no reports from medical practitioners to back that assertion.

She told the court that Mubaiwa fell asleep as she was making her submissions, a clear sign that she was ill.

Ms Mtetwa then applied for postponement of the matter to allow Mubaiwa to heal.

The State led by Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti opposed the application unless the assertions of ill health were backed by medical reports and told the court that Ms Mtetwa’s averments should be dismissed.

“There is no record from medical practitioners and without proof we cannot prove that any person is unwell,” he said. “The court is being asked to believe that she allegedly vomited in the dock and she is not able to follow trial, yet there is no proof that she is unwell.

“There is no basis upon which this application can be granted. That comment that doctors are afraid to give her a medical report should be dismissed with the contempt it deserves.” – state media

Fired High Court judge Justice Erica Ndewere has failed to overturn a High Court finding that it has no power to review the recommendations of the Tribunal that resulted in President Mnangagwa removing her from the bench.
Justice Ndewere’s appeal follows the refusal by the High Court to entertain her application for review, especially considering that President Mnangagwa’s action, in terms of the Constitution, completed the process of the judge’s removal from the bench.

A three-member tribunal chaired by retired judge Justice Simbi Mubako, made recommendations for the judge’s removal from the bench for gross incompetence, following an inquiry into her suitability to hold a judicial office.

In her appeal, Ndewere listed as respondents President Mnangagwa, Justice Mubako and the two other members of the tribunal, Advocate Charles Warara and Ms Yvonne Masvora.

The Supreme Court last week knocked down Justice Ndewere’s arguments that the High Court erred in its findings, and dismissed the appeal with costs.

Writing the judgment for the court, Justice Nicholas Mathonsi noted that Justice Ndewere’s legal theories were not in line with the actual law to overturn the High Court’s decision.

The Supreme Court agreed that no valid argument was presented that would have given jurisdiction to the High Court to set aside the President’s final decision after seeing the recommendations of the tribunal.

“Once it is accepted that the court a quo would not have had complete jurisdiction over the application that was before it, this appeal cannot succeed,” said Justice Mathonsi.

In the present case, Ndewere’s appeal was confined to the question of the High Court’s findings on its lack of jurisdiction and Justice Mathonsi noted that the High Court did not exercise jurisdiction which it did not have on the merits of the application, which would have changed the validity of the latest appeal.

“It stuck to the jurisdictional issue which it could lawfully determine,” said the judge.

“In turn, the appeal against the finding as to jurisdiction is valid. Having found that, indeed, the court had no jurisdiction, this appeal cannot be allowed. It must accordingly fail and as such the appropriate order is the dismissal of the appeal.”

Justice Ndewere was fired over gross misconduct in the performance of her duties, including failure to clear her workload in reasonable time and failure to properly study the file on a thief’s conviction and sentence when she set aside a jail term.

She had denied the charges against her claiming that Chief Justice Luke Malaba was pursuing her after she defied his unlawful orders.

She even made several unsuccessful applications to quash the inquiry, including contesting the legality of the tribunal appointed to probe her suitability to continue in office after she openly accused the head of the Judiciary of employing double standards.

The Constitution provides that a judge may be removed from office for inability to perform the functions of their office, due to mental or physical incapacity, or gross incompetence, or gross misconduct, but only after a complex process that starts with the Judicial Service Commission recommending that the President sets up a tribunal, which has to be high powered legally and chaired by a retired judge, and then that tribunal recommending removal from the bench.- state media

Tinashe Sambiri|The Zanu PF leader, Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa, who rose to power after toppling his long time boss Robert Mugabe, has dismally failed to transform the lives of millions.

This was said by President Nelson Chamisa’s CCC.

Read full statement below:

Zimbabwe is in a crisis. More than 4k nurses & doctors have left the country since 2021 because of the regime’s inability to pay them living wages. There’s an acute shortage of basic equipment & medication in local hospitals. There’s rampant costly corruption & leakages.

Our infrastructure is in bad state. Citizens are spending more than 12hrs without electricity.

Democracy space is shrinking. MPs like Hon @JobSikhala1 have spent 246dys in pre-trial incarceration on trumped up charges. Our members are being banned to conduct private meetings.

Violence against the citizens has become the order of the day.

We need new and transformative leaders. We’ll solve these challenges & usher in a New Great Zimbabwe.

RegisterToVoteCCC to end this crisis.

This is the year!!!!

Tinashe Sambiri
Hilary Makaya’s sister Yolanda has sensationally pointed out that she was impregnated by controversial preacher Passion Java.

In a video footage, Yolanda accuses Java of manipulating her…

” He preys on unsuspecting women. He ( Passion Java) is a predator. I am totally confused , please help me. I am pregnant for the man of God, the one called Passion Java.

Now he wants to kill our baby.This so called man of God is cunning.”

Tinashe Sambiri
Hilary Makaya’s sister Yolanda has sensationally pointed out that she was impregnated by controversial preacher Passion Java.

In a video footage, Yolanda accuses Java of manipulating her…

” He preys on unsuspecting women. He ( Passion Java) is a predator. I am totally confused , please help me. I am pregnant for the man of God, the one called Passion Java.

Now he wants to kill our baby.This so called man of God is cunning.”

A woman from Mashonaland East Province has been arrested in connection with the callous murder of her three-year-old son at a church shrine.

In a statement released by the Zimbabwe Republic Police this Wednesday, the suspect Linnet Takawira aged 31 who is believed to be mentally challenged, allegedly sneaked out of the house with the now deceased while her husband was asleep before taking the child to an apostolic church shrine on the 13th of this month.

According to the police, the victim was found dead the following day with wet ashes stuffed in the mouth, ears, nose and eyes while the suspect was sitting in an ash pit naked with ashes all over her body.

Meanwhile, police have arrested Evans Bhazela in Masvingo in connection with a murder case in which a 75-year-old man Henry Machomba of Masvingo died after being struck on the head with an axe several times on the 14th of this month.

The recent incidents come at a time when the nation is witnessing a surge in murder cases, with more than 10 cases recorded every week countrywide.-
https://zbcnews.co.zw/2023/02/15/woman-arrested-for-allegedly-murdering-3-year-old-son/

ZBC News

[

Tinashe Sambiri|The Zanu PF leader, Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa, who rose to power after toppling his long time boss Robert Mugabe, has dismally failed to transform the lives of millions.

This was said by President Nelson Chamisa’s CCC.

Read full statement below:

Zimbabwe is in a crisis. More than 4k nurses & doctors have left the country since 2021 because of the regime’s inability to pay them living wages. There’s an acute shortage of basic equipment & medication in local hospitals. There’s rampant costly corruption & leakages.

Our infrastructure is in bad state. Citizens are spending more than 12hrs without electricity.

Democracy space is shrinking. MPs like Hon @JobSikhala1 have spent 246dys in pre-trial incarceration on trumped up charges. Our members are being banned to conduct private meetings.

Violence against the citizens has become the order of the day.

We need new and transformative leaders. We’ll solve these challenges & usher in a New Great Zimbabwe.

RegisterToVoteCCC to end this crisis.

This is the year!!!!

Tinashe Sambiri|The Zanu PF leader, Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa, who rose to power after toppling his long time boss Robert Mugabe, has dismally failed to transform the lives of millions.

This was said by President Nelson Chamisa’s CCC.

Read full statement below:

Zimbabwe is in a crisis. More than 4k nurses & doctors have left the country since 2021 because of the regime’s inability to pay them living wages. There’s an acute shortage of basic equipment & medication in local hospitals. There’s rampant costly corruption & leakages.

Our infrastructure is in bad state. Citizens are spending more than 12hrs without electricity.

Democracy space is shrinking. MPs like Hon @JobSikhala1 have spent 246dys in pre-trial incarceration on trumped up charges. Our members are being banned to conduct private meetings.

Violence against the citizens has become the order of the day.

We need new and transformative leaders. We’ll solve these challenges & usher in a New Great Zimbabwe.

RegisterToVoteCCC to end this crisis.

This is the year!!!!

Tinashe Sambiri
Hilary Makaya’s sister Yolanda has sensationally pointed out that she was impregnated by controversial preacher Passion Java.

In a video footage, Yolanda accuses Java of manipulating her…

” He preys on unsuspecting women. He ( Passion Java) is a predator. I am totally confused , please help me. I am pregnant for the man of God, the one called Passion Java.

Now he wants to kill our baby.This so called man of God is cunning.”