By- In an embarrassing clear political bias, the courts today freed Zanu PF Legislator for Gokwe-Nembudziya, Justice Mayor Wadyajena accused of stealing US$5 Million from Cottco, at a time the same courts denied bail for CCC deputy chairman Job Sikhala who was arrested for demanding justice.

Wadyajena and Cottco bosses are accused of embezzling funds meant for acquiring bale cables and bought more than ten trucks.

Wadyajena was jointly appearing in court with Cottco bosses Pius Manamike, Maxmore Njanji, Chiedza Danha and Fortunate Molai on fraud, money laundering and concealing a transaction from a principal charges.
Wadyajena’s Mayor Logistics and Danha’s Pierpoint Moncroix were also being charged.
Harare Regional Magistrate Mr Taurai Manwere ruled that there was unnecessary delay in completing investigations by the State.

By-Members of Operation Dudula, a South African anti-foreigner group, have demonstrated opposing the Zimbabwe exemption permit (ZEP) extension outside the Pretoria High Court.

The xenophobic groping Monday sang and marched outside the high court leading to the closure of a section of Madiba Street.

TimesLive quoted national deputy chairperson of Operation Dudula Dan Radebe as saying:

We are here to demonstrate our dissatisfaction with the extensions of ZEPs because the moment you extend it for another six months, it means you are saying to South Africans, they have become accustomed to poverty, so they can hold on for another six months, while these foreigners take South African jobs and things like that.

We are here to demonstrate to the court that we are not happy with the extension of the ZEP, and this is not limited to the ZEP.

Today is also about us applying to be part of the proceedings.

Operation Dudula wants to join a court application by the Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF) that seeks a review of the lawfulness of the decision by SA Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to terminate the ZEP.

HSF wants the high court in Pretoria to declare the decision by Motsoaledi to terminate the ZEP and grant a limited extension of 12 months unlawful, unconstitutional and invalid.

Motsoaledi is opposing the application by HSF challenging the termination of the ZEP.

HSF is still pursuing its legal challenge, despite Motsoaledi extending the permit by another six months from the initial 12-months extension that expired on 31 December 2022 to 30 June 2023.

Operation Dudula has applied to the court to join as a respondent in the application.

By- Zanu PF has suspended its Manicaland women’s league boss, Happiness Nyakuyedzwa, for insubordination.

The party’s women’s league secretary Mabel Chinomona wrote to Nyakuedzwa notifying her of the suspension after she reportedly disputed elections held recently in the province.

It is alleged that Nyakuedzwa also insulted the party’s secretary for external affairs, Betty Kaseke, during chaotic party elections, according to NewsDay.

In a letter dated February 2, Chinomona suspended Nyakuedzwa for 21 days from carrying out party activities pending investigations. The letter read:

Take note that the national leadership has resolved to issue you with a prohibition order pending the hearing of your case as per attached charge sheet. As such, you are provisionally barred from taking in any party activity for the next 21 days pending inquiry into the allegations levelled against you. Further take note that you have the right to be assisted in the conduct of your case by a member of the party of your choice in terms of article 10 section 75 of the party constitution.

Be advised that your matter will be heard at the Zanu PF headquarters 21 days after receipt of this letter.

It is alleged that you disrupted elections which were officiated by national secretary for external affairs in the women’s league, comrade Betty Kaseke. On the day of the elections, the report outlines how you allegedly insulted and threatened comrade Kaseke and incited violence against elections officials.

Other crimes include tearing election ballot papers and imposition of members to fill vacant positions.

By- Zanu PF has suspended its Manicaland women’s league boss, Happiness Nyakuyedzwa, for insubordination.

The party’s women’s league secretary Mabel Chinomona wrote to Nyakuedzwa notifying her of the suspension after she reportedly disputed elections held recently in the province.

It is alleged that Nyakuedzwa also insulted the party’s secretary for external affairs, Betty Kaseke, during chaotic party elections, according to NewsDay.

In a letter dated February 2, Chinomona suspended Nyakuedzwa for 21 days from carrying out party activities pending investigations. The letter read:

Take note that the national leadership has resolved to issue you with a prohibition order pending the hearing of your case as per attached charge sheet. As such, you are provisionally barred from taking in any party activity for the next 21 days pending inquiry into the allegations levelled against you. Further take note that you have the right to be assisted in the conduct of your case by a member of the party of your choice in terms of article 10 section 75 of the party constitution.

Be advised that your matter will be heard at the Zanu PF headquarters 21 days after receipt of this letter.

It is alleged that you disrupted elections which were officiated by national secretary for external affairs in the women’s league, comrade Betty Kaseke. On the day of the elections, the report outlines how you allegedly insulted and threatened comrade Kaseke and incited violence against elections officials.

Other crimes include tearing election ballot papers and imposition of members to fill vacant positions.

By-Israel’s ambassador to Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana has been robbed.

 Ambassador Ofra Farhi was mugged on the street in Lusaka, Zambia, last week, with the robbers getting away with her diplomatic passport, her cellphone, and some cash that was in her bag.

Ambassador Farhi was crossing a street in Lusaka on Friday when she was mugged, according to Ynet, as cited by The Times of Israel.

A car pulled up alongside her and the occupants grabbed her bag and dragged her resulting in her sustaining some minor injuries.

Farhi’s bodyguards, who were with her at the time, did not manage to prevent the crime.

She was treated at a local clinic and continued on to her scheduled meetings with local officials.

Zambian Foreign Minister Stanley Kakubo and a presidential adviser both called Farhi to offer their support.

Farhi is a roving ambassador who lives in Israel and makes diplomatic visits to the countries she serves.

By- The Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services (ZPCS) has moved the third group of female offenders from Chikurubi female prison to Marodera Female Open Prison.

The move has decongested the correctional centre, holding more than its recommended capacity.

Marondera Female Open Prison was established in 2021.

To qualify for open prison, the inmate must have served at least one-third of their sentence at a closed facility where they would have demonstrated good behaviour.
Beneficiaries must also satisfy the selection board that they are of a fixed abode and are in contact with their families.

Among other specified offences, repeat offenders do not qualify for open prison.

By A Correspondent- Three robbers pounced at a house in Ascot Extension, Gweru and stole a vehicle and other goods before rɑp!ng two girls.

Midlands provincial police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko yesterday confirmed the incident which occurred on Thursday.

“Police confirms investigating a rɑpǝ and other robbery cases where three unknown persons pounced on a family of four in Ascot suburb and robbed them of cash and cellphones. Two children were also rɑpǝd before the robbers drove away in the family’s Nissan Caravan vehicle,” Mahoko said.

Mahoko said on the fateful day, the three suspects who were armed with an axe, forcibly opened the door and demanded cash before threatening the occupants with death.

They tied the husband and wife with twine and covered them with blankets while demanding cash. The trio ransacked the house and took seven cellphones, two laptops, US$900, hardware tools and a Nissan Caravan vehicle, all valued at US$15 000.

— NewsDay

By A Correspondent- A man believed to be dead turned up alive eight months after his cremation in a sh0cking case of mistaken identity.

Deepak Balakrishnan Kandi was officially declared dead following his cremation ceremony before police discovered him alive in the town of Margao in Goa, India.

The 36-year-old was found in a hotel in the old station road area on Tuesday night.

Police was transferred to the custody of Kerala police, who had been searching for the man after it became apparent a body cremated months earlier was not his.

Sources claim Deepak went missing on June 7 last year from the town of Meppayur, which is in the Kerala district and around 540km south of Margao.

A missing person’s report was filed at the local police station before a body of a man recovered from a beach in Kerala in July and wrongfully identified as Deepak.

Deepak’s family performed the final rites, but days later, police discovered the cremated body in fact belonged to Irshad, a native of Panthirkkara in Kerala, who had also gone missing.

A DNA test was then carried out to confirm the remains of the man cremated were not Deepak’s and a major search was launched.

He was then discovered by officers during a routine surveillance of hotels.

— Mirror

By A Correspondent- An alleged attempt to bribe President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Vice President Constantino Chiwenga by executives from the Industrial Development Corporation of Zimbabwe (IDC) using fertilisers is being investigated by the country’s anti-graft body, it has been revealed.

Disgruntled IDC employees triggered the investigation by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) after they presented a dossier of alleged corrupt activities that included the flouting of tender procedures.

They claimed IDC general manager Winstone Makamure and chairperson Tome allegedly purchased fertilisers without following the due tender process and tried to donate them to Mnangagwa and Chiwenga.

Makamure and Tome were allegedly trying to influence the two leaders to give them an audience so that they could defend themselves against corruption allegations rocking the biggest state-owned industrial institution.

ome is pushing to be appointed substantive general manager so that he can cover up his shenanigans,” read part of the dossier submitted to Zacc.

“He favours management instead of general staff in terms of salaries and benefits.

“Resultantly, the chairman and the general manager are in connivance to ensure that their misdeeds are covered up.

“They bought 30 tonnes of fertilisers from (a company named) and donated to HE (Mnangagwa) and VP (Chiwenga) to buy their audience, but both refused to entertain them and just told them to leave the fertilisers in Kwekwe.z

They haven’t met them up to now. The company is struggling to pay for the fertiliser up to now.”

nyway Mutambudzi the chief director for presidential communications, yesterday said he could not comment on a matter that was under investigation.

“It would be improper for me to comment on a matter that is under probe by a constitutional institution,” Mutambudzi told The Standard.

“We would not want to interfere with the investigations. Zacc can answer to that.”

Zacc spokesperson Thandiwe Mlobane confirmed the developments and said the matter was being investigated under case number HCR26/01/23.

“I can confirm that Zacc received the report from IDC staff and like all other reports, it will be investigated,” Mlobane said.

The IDC executives are said to enjoy protection from some named top government officials.

Zacc investigators are said to have descended at the IDC offices on January 24 and served the institution with a warrant of search and seizure.

The aggrieved employees accused Makamure and Tome of abusing power by employing their relatives and giving them influential posts.

They were also accused of allocating company vehicles to their allies within the company and the vehicles were allegedly being used for personal business.

The workers claimed IDC incurred unnecessary costs from overstaffing and vehicle maintenance as the two were allegedly creating new posts in the organisation.

Contacted for comment, Tome said he was in a meeting. He had not responded by the time of going to print.

Makamure also did not respond to questions sent to him.

IDC is mandated to identify, develop and implement new and existing industries and industrial undertakings that promotes decentralisation of sustainable industrial development, equitable employment and empowerment opportunities in Zimbabwe..

The state-owned investment group has vast investments covering vehicle assembling, cement and chemical manufacturing, real estate, fertiliser production, edible oils manufacturing, mining, and industrial engineering among many others.

— The Standard

 By A Correspondent- A major campaign against drug suppliers has been launched by the police with Government backing in Harare, with 10 people arrested in the first hours yesterday.

“No to dangerous drugs and illicit substances” came as Government urged the police to redouble efforts against drug lords supplying unwanted substances to youths.

The Government sees rounding up drug kingpins would help save young people, many of whom were struggling with drugs.

Police in Harare will now man roadblocks and stop and search motorists and even passengers boarding vehicles.

Early in the launch yesterday, more than 10 people were arrested after they were found in possession of dangerous drugs such as mbanje and broncleer cough syrups popularly known as bronco.

The suspects, who are now assisting with investigations, will appear in court soon.

One of the suspects, Munyaradzi Mudyavaranzi, was found in possession of 50 bottles of Broncleer cough syrup while boarding a private vehicle.

He alleged that the couch syrup had been sent to him from someone in South Africa.

Another drug dealer was found with a small bag containing several sachets of mbanje.

Police will also be arresting users, but largely to lead them to where they bought the drugs.

Addressing journalists, permanent secretary for Harare Metropolitan Province Mr Tafadzwa Muguti said during the launch yesterday they were also educating motorists and the public on the dangers of drug abuse among the youths.

“What we have done today (yesterday) is just an awareness campaign,” he said.

“The roadblock was meant to educate the general citizens on the plight of drugs within Harare Province. As you know Harare Province is now becoming a haven of drug lords. This is our response to the drug lords as Harare Metropolitan Province.

“We are fed up and the citizens are also fed up. Together with the Zimbabwe Republic Police we have basically responded not only by raising more awareness, but also by setting up strategic points during this operation where we will be able to basically intercept. As you saw today we have managed to capture a number of drug lords who were actually transporting using passenger vehicles, using commuter omnibuses.”

Mr Muguti appealed to the public to report anyone dealing in drugs at any nearest police station, as some drug lords were using high density suburbs as safe havens, targeting people from the ages of 10 to 40 and 45 years.

“They are targeting even school children and we are also appealing to all headmasters and headmistresses, principals within the province to please report any signs that children might be taking drugs within schools. We are keen to end this pandemic, this evil which has come within our society. We are hoping that together with the media fraternity, together with all stakeholders, we can finally win and chase out this evil outside our homes,” Mr Muguti said.

Authorities were aware that some drug dealers have even gone to the extent of setting up offices and structures so that they can easily distribute drugs.

He appealed to night club owners not to let children below the age of 18 enter their premises as some of them were being introduced to drugs in such places.

Owners who breached the regulations risked being arrested and have their licences revoked, he said.

Mr Muguti said the police were going to arrest anyone found intoxicated so that he or she will provide them with information on where they were buying the drugs.

Officer Commanding Harare Province, Commissioner Wonder Tembo, said they were equally concerned about issues to do with drugs and they had come up with various measures to ensure that there was order.

“So many school children are being involved in drug abuse and we are encouraging them to stop,” he said. “We will not allow that to continue happening because it is destroying our nation. Remember, these are the future leaders and if it continues like that it means we will not have leaders tomorrow.”

Comm Tembo said police will also continue to conduct operations and awareness campaigns against drug abuse.

Police had already identified safe houses and suspected drug dealers and will soon raid them, while police intelligence teams have been heavily deployed on the ground.

— Herald

By-Three gold panners miners, who went viral on social media after narrating how they raped sex workers and were jailed, have now been freed.

The three Romeo Chirara, Admire Chirongoma and Thabani Gaza, later known as ‘Tobva Tadii Paya’ after Chirongoma repeatedly used the phrase in the narration, were sentenced to seven years in jail in 2018.

This week, a video circulated on social media showed the trio smiling after being released from prison.
People were even taking pictures with the trio.

By A Correspondent- For 81 year old Nyatsamba Sairos of Budiriro, Harare, his horrific experience at the hands of police on January 14, 2023 has left an indelible mark in his life.

On that fateful day, Sairos woke up early morning as usual planning to tend his crops a distance away from home, but later decided to visit his long-time friend who stays in the same neighbourhood.

This marked the beginning of his real life drama which would last the next 14 days.

He says on his way to see his friend, he was caught up in the crossfire as police swooped on opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party activists attending an unsanctioned meeting at Budiriro legislator Costa Machingauta’s house.

He was arrested alongside the CCC activists and bundled into a police truck charged with disturbing public peace in the suburb.

In a heart-wrenching interview with Heart & Soul Broadcasting Services (HStv), a radio and television web cast run by Alpha Media Holdings, Sairos still insists he was wrongly arrested.

“I was just walking along the street when I noticed a truckload of riot police officers. When I was still trying to figure out what was happening, another police officer grabbed me from behind claiming I was part of the group. I was shaken. He wanted to beat me up with a baton stick, but his colleague restrained him,” he said.

The octogenarian was then bundled into the police truck.

We were taken to Harare Central Police Station in the evening and for the next 14 days, I was in detention,” he said.

Sairos was not alone in that predicament. Another senior citizen, Misheck Nyembe (72), was also accosted and bundled into the same police truck after being found walking in the streets.

“A violent police officer grabbed me from behind and shoved me into the truck. I fell and hurt my back. I can’t even sit up properly now. They took us to Budiriro Police Station and they suggested that we pay bail. I don’t know what happened, we were later instructed to get into the car and we found ourselves being locked into cells at Harare Central Police Station,” Nyembe said.

After their initial remand appearance, they were sent to remand prison.

Sairos said the prison cells were a horror sight.

“The place one sleeps is not good, the water is unhygienic and the food is unhealthy. Any time, you can get a serious illness because of the bad conditions there. One of the people who was arrested with us caught COVID-19,” he said.

Nyembe chipped in saying it was difficult to survive in prison because of his health condition and advanced age.

“Prisoners are sleeping piled up like stones. If you want to go to the toilet at night, you walk on top of sleeping inmates. Since we are already old, we end up messing up ourselves before reaching the toilet. I don’t even know my crime. I was living nicely with my children and grandchildren.

“We were put in D Class. Some of the wardens wanted to beat me up because I kept standing up due to backache. Other prisoners were very understanding, they would give me water to bath. Now I am always scratching because of bites from lice,” Nyembe added.

For Sairos, he says his greatest pain emanated from the fact that he lost income while in incarceration because he survives on menial jobs.

“I survive on menial jobs and for 14 days in remand prison, I have lost income and I do not know how my family has been surviving. I am bitter because the police just picked us randomly without considering our ages,” he said.

Added Sairos: “I am a farmer, I look after my children. I have a big family and I also want change because there are no jobs. I have grandchildren that I look after. The mother of one of the grandchildren died when she (the grandchild) was less than two years old.”

Nyembe said for seven decades, he has been trying hard to stay out of trouble, and prison was a bitter pill for him to swallow.

“What pains me is that our family has a history of staying out of trouble. My grandfather died in 1968 at the age of 115, he was never arrested,” he said.

“My father died in 2021 at the age of 101, he was never arrested and now I am 72 years and had never been arrested.

“This is so painful to me because I did not transgress in any way, but I was arrested, and have broken the family’s tradition of living a crime-free life.”

Their lawyer Chris Mhike, who managed to secure their bail on January 29, said the two should never have been arrested.

“I am happy they are out, but they should never have been arrested. Their arrest was unjustifiable,” Mhike said.

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) yesterday released the 2022 Ordinary Level examination results, with 4 961 candidates having their results nullified for cheating.

The examinations were marred by several irregularities.

Candidates who had pre-access to question papers at different examination centres were identified during the writing of the examinations and also at the marking of scripts and grade review stages,” Zimsec chairperson Eddie Mwenje said in a statement.

“The results of such candidates were nullified for the subjects in question in accordance with the Zimsec Act section 34. Candidates, headmasters and members of the public who were caught posting question papers on WhatsApp and those buying them were arrested and appeared in court.

“All other practices that contravened the Zimsec Act were brought to the attention of Zimsec by respective schools. As a result of the combined investigation reports from schools, and the identification of culprits at the marking and grade reviews stages, a total of 4 961 candidates had results nullified. This number is out of 278 760 who registered for the Ordinary Level examination. The number represents 1,78% of the total candidate entry.”

wenje said the overall pass rate for last year’s examinations increased by 2,62% to 28.96% compared to 26,34% recorded in 2021.

“A total of 278 760 candidates sat for the November 2022 examinations as compared to 249 914 candidates who sat for the same examinations in 2021. There was an increase in the candidature of 28 846, thus translating to an increase of 11,54%.

“In 2022, a total of 183 584 wrote five or more subjects and 53 169 passed five or more subjects with a grade C or better giving an overall pass rate of 28,96% as compared to l63 179 candidates who wrote five or more subjects in 2021, with 42 985 passing five or more subjects with a Grade C or better yielding a pass rate of 26,34%. The statistics show that the 2022 pass rate increased by 2,62% from 2021.”

Mwenje added that school candidates who wrote five or more subjects in 2022 were 162 813 and 49 501 obtained Grade C or better, yielding a pass rate of 30,4 % as compared to that of 2021 where 148 005 wrote five or more subjects with 40 473 obtaining a Grade C or better in five or more subjects.

Private candidates who wrote five or more subjects were 20 771 and 3 668 obtained grade C or better in five or more subjects, which also translates to a pass rate of 17,66% as compared to that of 2021 where 15 174 wrote five or more subjects with 2 512 obtaining a grade C or better in five or more subjects resulting in a pass rate of 16,55%. This shows a 1,11% increase in the 2022 pass rate for private candidates.”

By- The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) said it has 465 dangerous criminals with mental illness against a holding capacity of 150 at its chikurubi maximum security prison.

One of the detained mental patient inmates is Zimbabwe’s most prolific serial killer, Bright Zhantali, who is also undergoing medical evaluation to determine the state of his mental health.
The Sunday Mail has gathered that about 408 inmates committed to the unit have been classified as criminal mental patients (CMPs), which means their criminal cases are still pending before the courts.
The rest have been classified as detained mental patients (DMPs), a classification reserved for convicted criminals with psychiatric disorders.
About 55 percent of those housed in the unit were involved or are suspected of having committed offences such as murder and attempted murder, while 45 percent are either facing charges or have been convicted of serious offences such as rape and armed robbery.
Zhantali is accused of raping and killing 23 women during a year-long reign of terror that spanned Marondera, Goromonzi, Rusape, Mutare and Macheke.
The suspected serial killer, who hails from Dandamera Township in Concession, Mashonaland Central Province, is believed to have confessed to most of the murders, even suggesting that he may have killed more people.
He is suspected of having committed seven murders between January and March last year.
The Chikurubi prison psychiatrist, Chief Superintendent Christopher Njanjeni, said: “Yes, I can confirm that Zhantali is in the Chikurubi psychiatric unit, undergoing observation and treatment.
“We currently have 465 mental patients in our psychiatric unit against a carrying capacity of 150 patients.
“We have two categories of psychiatric patients — criminal mental patients and detained mental patients.
“Currently, we have a total of 465 mental patients, of which 408 are CMPs and 57 are DMPs.”
He said inmates were only committed to the unit on the orders of a magistrate.
“These people are there for medical investigations after a special ruling by a magistrate when an accused person starts to develop signs of mental illness.
“When a prisoner starts showing signs of mental health problems, the officer-in-charge of the prison reports the case to the nearest magistrate.
“A special board of professionals will then sit to determine whether the patient can be confirmed to be mentally disturbed, in consultation with professional psychiatric medical practitioners.”
He said the inmates are under the care of specially trained security officers.
“On treatment, our manual is the Mental Health Act, which dictates how mental patients are treated, in line with national and international guidelines.
“We have officers who provide physical security and medical staff, who are involved in the management and dispensing of treatment drugs.
“We also have psychologists, who continuously monitor and provide psychological support to the patients.”
The unit, he said, was presently beset by a range of challenges, including inadequate accommodation and clothing for inmates, as well as power outages.
“Medication for the inmates is also a challenge.
“We are currently using first-generation drugs to manage the patients because the modern second-generation drugs are not available.
Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) national spokesperson Chief Superintendent Meya Kanyezi said there are plans to expand Chikurubi’s psychiatric unit.
“Those who are willing can come on board to help us and the mental patients. These inmates are our brothers, sisters and also Zimbabweans like us,” she said.
“When a person is detained, we expect society to visit him or her.
“When people are sentenced and detained, relatives usually desert them and that is also the case with mental health patients in our custody.
“Society and relatives must visit the patients and bring them goodies from home, which also helps as a form of therapy because, as you know, as ZPCS, we take a correctional approach to the rehabilitation of prisoners.”
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Ms Angeline Munyeriwa said the authority was guided by the Mental Health Act when dealing with matters pertaining to mental illness or suspected mental illness in accused persons.
“Where an inmate is on remand awaiting trial or during the course of a trial exhibits signs of mental illness and it is brought to the attention of the prison authorities or the knowledge of the prosecutor, the prison authorities or the prosecutor is enjoined in terms of Section 27 (of the Mental Health Act) to report the fact to the magistrate,” she said.
“The magistrate will then make an order directing the accused person be examined by two doctors.”
The examination is meant to inquire into the accused’s state of mind.
“If the doctors make the same finding that the accused is not suffering from mental illness, then there will be no need for a further examination or psychiatric examination.”
However, if both doctors conclude that the accused person is showing signs of mental illness, “then the accused person will be detained in an institution designated for such a purpose for further care and management by a psychiatrist”.
But, if the doctors arrive at contradictory conclusions, an opinion from a third medical practitioner will be sought, “and the court will be guided by the three reports”.
Only the medical experts are qualified to make a finding that an accused person is genuinely suffering from a mental illness.

By-Zanu PF has started frog-marching villagers to voter registration centres.

The party’s Youth League is leading the coercive programme, which starts Monday.

Youth League’s chairman for Harare province, Emmanuel Mahachi, told state media at the weekend that : “As we are approaching elections, we have seen that a considerable number of youths in Harare are yet to register to vote. Starting on Monday (tomorrow), we will be encouraging youths in all constituencies in the province and offering them transport to register to vote.
“ZEC (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission) has for now closed registration centres in constituencies and wards, so people can now only register in the city centre (Cecil House and Market Square). We have seen that our youths may need assistance in terms of transportation to these registration centres,” he said.

Mahachi said youths are continuing to see the benefits of supporting and joining the party through various youth-centred projects championed by President Mnangagwa.
He urged the party’s youths to refrain from being lured into campaigning for individuals before a directive has been given by the party leadership.
“For now, we are campaigning for our President because we have not yet been instructed to start choosing candidates. So, we are urging the youths to remain steadfast and not be swayed by aspiring primary elections candidates before we have been advised to do so by the party leadership,” said Mahachi.

• Sunday Mail

 By- The Zanu PF-led government may dissolve Parliament and call an early election, a legal think tank Veritas has predicted.

Zimbabwe is supposed to hold general elections between July 27 and August 26 2023 but this may not stop the government from calling for early polls, reported NewsDay.

The government is reportedly fast-tracking passage of the delimitation report as well as election-related legislation in Parliament and this is seen as part of a wider plot to call an early election that will find the opposition unprepared.

Veritas, in its latest weekly Election Watch report, said:

There are straws in the wind which may point to an early election. Government may be trying to get important Bills through Parliament quickly so that Parliament can close for an early election.

Some of the Bills could be seen as strengthening the ruling party’s grip on society in advance of an election: the PVOs [Private Voluntary Organisations] Amendment Bill and the ‘Patriot Bill’, for example.

To say there have been problems with delimitation is putting it mildly.

The preliminary delimitation report that was presented to the President on December 26 was deeply flawed, as we pointed out in our Election Watches 1/2023 and 2/2023 and as Parliament pointed out in its report to the President.

No one seems to like the report, except perhaps the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and her deputy.

Some of the outstanding Bills that are before Parliament include the Judicial Laws Amendment Bill, National Security Council Bill, Prisons and Correctional Services Bill, Child Justice Bill, Police Amendment Bill and the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Bill. Veritas said:

As we explained in our earlier Election Watches, delimitation must be completed at least six months before polling day in an election if it is to be used for that election (section 161(2) of the Constitution) and — unless Parliament is dissolved early — the next general election must be held between July 28 and August 26 this year.

So if this delimitation report is to be used in the mid-year election, it must have been published between January 28 (for an election held on July 28) and February 26 (for an election on August 26).

The report is already too late for a July election, and the deadline for an August election is fast approaching and probably cannot be met.

… If a final delimitation report cannot be produced in time, and existing electoral boundaries remain in place, an early election will be easier to arrange because it will not be necessary to reorganise and relocate polling stations, constituency centres and so on.

On Friday, 03 February, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) chairperson Priscilla Chigumba was at State House to deliver to President Emmerson Mnangagwa the draft of the final report on the delimitation of constituency and ward boundaries which takes note of concerns that he and Parliament raised.

Chigumba said the draft report, which the President will now go through, could be gazetted in the next 14 days.

If you keep on participating in a flawed process… this is a totally vicious cycle… says @WilbertMukori https://t.co/ne8RjUIqxG

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) February 4, 2023

Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday received a draft preliminary delimitation report from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) —

Will ZEC Hold Free And Fair Elections This Year?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) February 5, 2023

which was amended after submissions from both Parliament and the President himself, as per Constitutional requirement — and is expected to favour the elections management body with his comments, after which the statutory body will compile the final document for gazetting, having either taken the comments into account or disregarded them, it has been learnt.

CCC has fallen into a trap of participating in an election that is already rigged, says @WilbertMukori https://t.co/ne8RjUIqxG

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) February 4, 2023

There were erroneous reports that the document that was handed over to President Mnangagwa was the final delimitation report.

Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet (Presidential Communications) Mr George Charamba told The Sunday Mail yesterday that the President will submit his comments to ZEC after studying the draft preliminary delimitation report, as amended.

“Following submission of the preliminary report by the ZEC (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission), that action put in train two sets of reactions: One from Parliament (of Zimbabwe) and another one from His Excellency, the President. Both these are by way of feedback to ZEC’s preliminary delimitation report. Both sets of reactions were given to ZEC, and the first to do so was Parliament of Zimbabwe, through the President, as required by the Constitution. Then the President later sent his own response to the preliminary delimitation report,” said Mr Charamba.

“Out of those two responses, ZEC then produced a draft preliminary report with the new amendments, which means amendments from Parliament and amendments noted by the President. What the chairlady of ZEC (Justice Priscilla Chigumba) gave the President (on Friday) was the preliminary report, as amended by the reactions from both Parliament and from the President.”

ZEC handed over the initial preliminary report to President Mnangagwa on December 26, 2022.

Both the National Assembly and Senate were subsequently summoned last month to debate the report after it was tabled in Parliament.

On January 19, Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda then handed over its comments on the proposed amendments to the delimitation report to President Mnangagwa, who later transmitted it to ZEC as required by the law.

He also submitted his own comments on January 23.

After going through the reactions from both the President and Parliament, ZEC then produced the draft preliminary delimitation report, which was submitted to the former on Friday.

“The President, in turn, will go through that preliminary report, as amended. Depending on how he views it, he will then give ZEC his final comment on that draft preliminary report, as amended,” added Mr Charamba.

“Those would be his final comments on the matter, and ZEC will exercise its Constitutional right to either take them into account or to discard them, because the Constitution gives ZEC the final say on the compilation of what then becomes the final delimitation report. So, the final delimitation report is then what will be given to the President for gazetting.”

This is the first delimitation report that would be produced under the new Constitution adopted in 2013. – state media

Tinashe Sambiri|Speaking during an interview on his 45th birthday, CCC leader President Nelson
Chamisa called for the implementation of reforms before polls.

According the CCC leader, 2023 is a year of citizens victory.

Said President Chamisa:” We want reforms before elections. Our position is firm and clear, we want a credible voters roll.

Many people don’t really understand the fact that God is in it …I am wholly inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Nobody can oppose the will and purpose of God Almighty.”

” We have done a lot to win the coming polls. Mugwazo is yielding effective results.

We are not afraid of feeble attempts by the regime to stop and disrupt the citizens’ struggle.”

Interview with President Nelson Chamisa @45 courtesy of Techmag Tv

Watch the interview below:

Tinashe Sambiri|Speaking during an interview on his 45th birthday, CCC leader President Nelson
Chamisa called for the implementation of reforms before polls.

According the CCC leader, 2023 is a year of citizens victory.

Said President Chamisa:” We want reforms before elections. Our position is firm and clear, we want a credible voters roll.

Many people don’t really understand the fact that God is in it …I am wholly inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Nobody can oppose the will and purpose of God Almighty.”

” We have done a lot to win the coming polls. Mugwazo is yielding effective results.

We are not afraid of feeble attempts by the regime to stop and disrupt the citizens’ struggle.

You see we have leaders who are looting State resources at an alarming rate. When one is asked to swear before assuming office, one is supposed to serve with reverence and sincerity. Unfortunately they ( Zanu PF heavyweights) don’t comprehend the essence of swearing before God.”

Interview with President Nelson Chamisa @45 courtesy of Techmag Tv

Watch the interview below:

 By- The Zanu PF-led government may dissolve Parliament and call an early election, a legal think tank Veritas has predicted.

Zimbabwe is supposed to hold general elections between July 27 and August 26 2023 but this may not stop the government from calling for early polls, reported NewsDay.

The government is reportedly fast-tracking passage of the delimitation report as well as election-related legislation in Parliament and this is seen as part of a wider plot to call an early election that will find the opposition unprepared.

Veritas, in its latest weekly Election Watch report, said:

There are straws in the wind which may point to an early election. Government may be trying to get important Bills through Parliament quickly so that Parliament can close for an early election.

Some of the Bills could be seen as strengthening the ruling party’s grip on society in advance of an election: the PVOs [Private Voluntary Organisations] Amendment Bill and the ‘Patriot Bill’, for example.

To say there have been problems with delimitation is putting it mildly.

The preliminary delimitation report that was presented to the President on December 26 was deeply flawed, as we pointed out in our Election Watches 1/2023 and 2/2023 and as Parliament pointed out in its report to the President.

No one seems to like the report, except perhaps the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and her deputy.

Some of the outstanding Bills that are before Parliament include the Judicial Laws Amendment Bill, National Security Council Bill, Prisons and Correctional Services Bill, Child Justice Bill, Police Amendment Bill and the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Bill. Veritas said:

As we explained in our earlier Election Watches, delimitation must be completed at least six months before polling day in an election if it is to be used for that election (section 161(2) of the Constitution) and — unless Parliament is dissolved early — the next general election must be held between July 28 and August 26 this year.

So if this delimitation report is to be used in the mid-year election, it must have been published between January 28 (for an election held on July 28) and February 26 (for an election on August 26).

The report is already too late for a July election, and the deadline for an August election is fast approaching and probably cannot be met.

… If a final delimitation report cannot be produced in time, and existing electoral boundaries remain in place, an early election will be easier to arrange because it will not be necessary to reorganise and relocate polling stations, constituency centres and so on.

On Friday, 03 February, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) chairperson Priscilla Chigumba was at State House to deliver to President Emmerson Mnangagwa the draft of the final report on the delimitation of constituency and ward boundaries which takes note of concerns that he and Parliament raised.

Chigumba said the draft report, which the President will now go through, could be gazetted in the next 14 days.

By A Correspondent- A non-governmental organisation, Amnesty International, has pleaded with President Mnangagwa to reject the contentious Private Voluntary Organisation amendment Bill saying it shrinks the democratic space in Zimbabwe.

The PVO amendment bill sailed through Senate, with all senators except Morgen Komichi voting for it to be passed into law.

The bill now awaits the assent of Mnangagwa to become law.

Amnesty International director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah in a statement said the proposed bill will cripple the civic space, derailing efforts to render humanitarian support.

“The PVO Amendment Bill in its current form threatens civic society organizations working on human rights in Zimbabwe. The proposed bill, if it becomes law, will have dire consequences, including restricting civic space and access to humanitarian support services in Zimbabwe as it will immediately render all Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), not registered as PVOs, illegal.

“This bill, if passed by the president, could be used to deny registration of human rights organizations due to the work that they do, including defending rights such as freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.

The bill would also exacerbate the growing crackdown on civil society organizations, increase human rights violations and make it more difficult for the people to hold the government to account. There is a risk that employees and board members of NGOs could be arrested and subjected to punitive measures, including imprisonment, simply for doing their work,” said Chagutah.

The bill will give the government to monitor NGOs’ financial status and how they are used.

Government claims some NGOs are laundering money and supporting opposition political parties.

Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has defended the bill saying the law would improve transparency of NGOs.

However, observers believe the bill will stifle NGOs which have been championing humanitarian aid with estimates saying the country will likely lose US$1 billion annually as a result of the PVO amendment.

Chagutah added: “President Mnangagwa must use his leadership position to reject this bill as it is repressive. The President must ensure that this bill is never signed into law.

Any future law must fully reflect international human rights standards and reaffirm the country’s human rights obligations towards the promotion and protection of the human rights of everyone including those who work to defend the rights of other people. NGOs must be allowed to operate freely and to do their work without any reprisals”

By A Correspondent- What would you do if a person who almost wrecked your mɑrriɑgǝ lies that they have your baby and you are forced to maintain the child for 11 years?

Well, a prominent Bulawayo pathologist Dr Roger Kruger Hendrick Chigangacha tabulated the money he spent maintaining the child, estimated the monetary value of the anguish he went through over the years because of the lie and arrived at US$163 000, which he is now demanding from the woman.

The doctor is suing his foreign-based ex-girlfriǝnd, Natasha Popova Sibanda, a former actress in the TV drama Amakorokoza, for US$163 000 for falsely attributing the patǝrnity of “their” child to him. Natasha starred as AK’s wife in the drama.

Through his lawyers Mashayamombe and Company Attorneys, Dr Chingangacha filed summons at the High Court in Bulawayo citing Sibanda as the defendant under case number HC51 / 23.

The summons were filed on 20 January 2023.

The pathologist accused his ex-girlfriǝnd of faking the paternity of her daughter who is now aged 11 years by claiming that he was the father of the girl.

However, last year in December, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) profiling was conducted on Dr Chigangacha and his purported daughter and the results convincingly disqualified the pathologist from being the girl’s biological father.

In papers before the court, Dr Chigangacha said Sibanda’s actions subjected him to humiliation, stress and a sense of betrayal.

“On 19 December 2022, and through DNA profiling carried out on me and the minor child, the profile results conclusively excluded me as being the biological father of the child. It was reasonably foreseeable or ought to have been foreseen by the defendant that her pr0miscu0us behaviour at the time of concepti0n would have resulted in me being falsely imputed fatherhood of the child,” he said.

Dr Chigangacha said despite the knowledge that he was not the father of the child, Sibanda deceitfully passed off her daughter as his.

“By reason of the defendant’s conduct, I acted on her misrepresentation and paid for all the educational requirements of the child up to December 31, 2022.

I have also expended some money in respect of travels and costs towards the general welfare and upkeep of the minor child,” he said.

Dr Chigangacha wants the court to direct Sibanda to pay him US$100 000 for her wrongful and deceitful attribution of patǝrnity of the child to him.

He also wants the court to compel the former actress to pay special damages of US$63 000 arising from the payment of the child’s education, health, and incident costs including her upkeep and welfare.

Dr Chigangacha wants the money to be paid with interest at the prescribed rate from the date of issue of summons to the date of payment in full.

He said soon after Sibanda gave birth, she granted him the naming rights of the child. Dr Chigangacha also made a sworn declaration at the registrar of births that he was the biological father of the child.

Dr Chigangacha said he was involved in an extra-marital ɑffa!r with Sibanda from 2011 until June 2012 during which they engaged in ƨǝx. Sibanda c0nceived and gave birth on May 20, 2012.

Sibanda is yet to respond to the summons. In 2014, Sibanda made headlines when she was dragged to court by Dr Chigangacha’s wife, Tholakele Ncube who accused the former actress of having an adultǝr0us relati0nship with her husband.

Ncube said Sibanda was in the habit of coming to her matrim0nial house threatening her with marching orders saying she was now the doctor’s new and l0ving wife.

Sibanda openly declared her undying l0ve for the doctor, saying Ncube should come to terms with the fact that they were now both Dr Chigangacha’s wives.

— BMetro

By A Correspondent-Government has started re-registering private schools that it had shut down last year saying the move would help accommodate thousands of South Africa-based pupils likely to join their parents coming back home following expiry of their Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEPs) in June this year.

The returning learners will also undergo a stringent vetting process before they can be admitted into local schools, a top government official said yesterday.

The country, with a student population of six million, has a deficit of 3 000 schools.

Primary and Secondary Education ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro yesterday confirmed that government was regularising deregistered private schools to absorb the returning pupils.

“Processes are underway to put in place measures to adopt the learners into local schools,” he said.

“We have those schools that we call non-governmental or private schools that are in the process of being registered and regularised, and government is building more schools. We are also encouraging private players to play their role and make sure we have enough schools to cater for the deficit, particularly in the highly-populated areas,” he said.

Information ministry secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana said returning students would be assessed before enrolment.

In November 2021, the South African government announced that it would not extend the ZEPs issued in 2017 and ordered the permit holders to renew them following their expiry on December 31, 2021.

The deadline was further extended to end of June this year after only a few ZEP holders sought regularisation of their stay.

A total of 178 412 Zimbabwean nationals were granted exemptions in 2017. Zimbabwean ambassador to South Africa, David Hamadziripi announced early this week that government had launched a mapping system to facilitate identification and transportation of the returnees.

Teachers’ representatives said the returnees would exert pressure on the existing infrastructure.

“We already have a deficit of schools and teachers but more pupils are coming,” Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Takavafira Zhou said.

“We will have bloated classes. Resources like chairs, books and others will also be in shortage. We would have hoped that the government would engage its South African counterpart for a gradual returning of our people instead of a once-off flooding of returnees. We know that an additional number of learners will worsen the plight of learners in schools.”

Zimbabwe Teachers Association secretary-general Goodwill Taderera said: “No doubt those learners will be crammed in classes because already the teacher-pupil ratio was abnormally high. Teachers are very committed but government should now take this issue seriously to avoid worsening the situation.”

-newsday

By A Correspondent- Government has moved to uproot rogue teachers reportedly ill-treating pupils whose parents would have failed to pay for extra lessons.

The latest case happened in Norton, Mashonaland West province, where an unidentified parent revealed that an early childhood development (ECD) class taught by one Mrs Chirombo was divided into groups,  with the teacher only attending to paid-up pupils.

“Those audios are for my child who is doing ECD at Norton 1 School. I don’t know what it means. At first I thought that she was joking, but now the child has reported this for the third time.

“My heart is in pain. I don’t know what I should do but my heart is bleeding. I don’t know how best you can help me. My child is in ECD B Diamond, taught by madam Chirombo,” the affected parent said.

Primary and Secondary Education ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro told NewsDay Weekender that the ministry and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission would investigate the matter.

 “Give us the names of schools, teachers and classes and we will deal with that immediately. If you can do that by Monday morning, our officials will be there. We are now waiting for whistle-blowers to give us names of teachers who are engaging in those underhand and corrupt dealings. We are waiting for people to give us information because sometimes we don’t have enough information as to who exactly is doing what.

“We are going to bring sanity into the education sector by uprooting those rotten tomatoes that have been denying our learners their constitutional right to quality education. The long arm of the law is going to catch up with those unscrupulous teachers and they will be dealt with in terms of the Code of Conduct and Prevention of Corruption Act,” Ndoro said.

He urged parents and guardians to forward names of teachers and schools involved in such malpractices.

Educators Union of Zimbabwe president Tafadzwa Munodawafa said: “Our union notes with concern the reported cases but we blame government for negligence and being short-sighted. We bemoan the decay of educational standards exhibited through classes between parents and teachers. However, we attribute the blame to the government. By failing to pay teachers a living wage, the monster called extra lessons was created.”

By A Correspondent- Four South Africa-based Zimbabweans appeared in court today on allegation of teaming up with six locals and committed a spate of armed robberies in and around Harare.

Deborah Mukambachaza, Gadiel Majaya, Tonderai Shingirai Murapa and Wellington Mushipe, who were all based in South Africa, appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court charged with unlawful entry, robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery.

The quartet is jointly appearing with Simbarashe Chitekete, Locadia Simeti, Alouis and Allen Mususa, Donald Sibanda and Esnath Musingo.

The 10 suspects allegedly broke into offices at Rusununguko High School in Goromonzi on January 27 and went away with laptops and US$1814 cash.

They also allegedly robbed a farm worker at Sunrising Farm in Goromonzi on November 21, 2022 and went away with US$120.

The 10 suspects were nabbed after detectives hoodwinked them into believing that they were also robbers from Beitbridge, who wanted to partner them in crime.

They were then nabbed in Harare’s city centre where they had agreed to meet on February 1 with intentions to go and rob Rusununguko High School in Goromonzi.

By A Correspondent- Police in Mount Darwin are hunting for suspected murderers who allegedly killed Previous Muchena (26) before hanging his body on a tree branch.

Sources close to investigations  said the body was found  on Monday with wounds on foot, chin and occiput.

“We are appealing  for information  which may lead to the arrest of suspected murderers who killed Muchena before hanging his body on a tree branch in a bushy area near Churuma  Business Centre in Mount Darwin,” said the source.

By A Correspondent- The High Court has cleared a Muzarabani woman of murder charges following the couple’s violent quarrel 14 February last year which saw her stab and kill her husband in self-defence.

Lackia Chirwa, 23, walked free after High Court judge, Esther Muremba found her to have acted in self-defence when she stabbed Promise Mukombe once in the stomach.

On the fateful night, Mukombe had allegedly threatened to kill Chirwa whom he had accused of infidelity.

Court heard he arrived home drunk at around 11pm on the day while shouting at Chirwa whom he labelled a prostitute.

Chirwa was asleep in the bedroom hut with the couple’s toddler.

It was proved that Mukombe then started assaulting his wife indiscriminately, and threatening to kill her.

Mukombe then tried to reach for an okapi knife which was in a cardboard box in their hut.

The couple started tussling each other to try and reach for the weapon with Mukombe biting his wife on her shoulder in the process.

During the scuffle, Chirwa was first to reach for the knife which she used to stab her husband once in the stomach.

Mukombe is said to have then exited the couple’s bedroom for his parents’ home and later succumbing to the injuries.

In passing her ruling, Justice Muremba said the fact that Chirwa stabbed her husband once, supports the fact that she was defending herself.

She ruled Chirwa had managed to satisfy the court that she acted in self-defence.

“The deceased was stabbed with the knife by the accused at a time when he was twisting her arm and biting her shoulder. She said she was in excruciating pain.

“Besides, the deceased had made it categorically clear that he wanted to kill her.

“In terms of s253, for the defence of self-defence to suffice, the harm caused by the accused must be caused to the attacker and not to an innocent third party. This is exactly what happened in this case.

“The accused stabbed the deceased who was attacking her and no other person.

“It was just the two of them and their small child in the bedroom.

“The accused managed to satisfy all the requirements of the defence of the person.

“The accused is therefore found not guilty and acquitted,” Muremba ruled.

By A Correspondent- The diarrhoea cases come after typhoid wreaked havoc in Harare, with 19 new suspected cases having been recorded early this week.

SIX people died while over 6 000 diarrhoeal cases were recorded countrywide inside one week last month, with health experts blaming local authorities for the outbreak.

A statement released by the Health and Child Care ministry yesterday states that underage children make up almost half of the recorded diarrhoea cases.

“A total of 6 894 common diarrhoea cases and four deaths were reported this week. The deaths were reported from Sally Mugabe Central Hospital (2), Mangwe District (1) and Gwanda District (1),” read the ministry’s weekly disease surveillance report for the week ended January 22, 2023.

Of the reported cases, 3 076 were from under the age of five. The provinces with the highest number of cases are Mashonaland East province (1 223) and Manicaland province (1 138). The cumulative figures are 20 299 cases and six deaths.”

Zimbabwe Nurses Association president Enock Dongo told NewsDay Weekender that diarrhoeal diseases were not surprising during the rainy season, but blamed local authorities for poor service delivery.

“It has always been the case that during the rainy season, people will be very vulnerable to diarrhoeal diseases. We are not really surprised especially looking at the lack of supplies of clean water by the local authorities across the country. People resort to drawing water from wells which are getting contaminated by what is being washed by the rains. People drink that water. Mangoes also lure houseflies, they are contributing to diarrhoea,” Dongo said.

The diarrhoea cases come after typhoid wreaked havoc in Harare, with 19 new suspected cases having been recorded early this week.

A total 63 suspected cases were recently recorded in Glen Norah, while other cases were reported in Glen View and Budiriro, among other high-density suburbs.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF Mazowe ward 16 councillor Munyaradzi Mutauri was humiliated and bashed at a funeral in Glendale where he wanted to give a speech recently.

The matter came to light at Bindura magistrates courts on Thursday were Patrick Chikonye (32) and Rony Wachi pleaded guilty to assault charges before magistrate Samantha Dhlamini.

They hit him with a wooden log on his back.

The duo was fined 30 000 each failure to pay would earn them three months behind bars.

By A Correspondent- A Harare woman took her ex-husband to the Harare Civil Court claiming US$200 as child support for their minor child.

Brenda Gwande told the court that her ex-husband, Bernard Mudimu, is stingy when it comes to supporting his youngest child.

“He spends US$20 on fuel every three days, but is stingy when it comes to his child. He is not cooperating even when it comes to the child’s birth certificate.

Anyway, if he doesn’t man up to his responsibilities, l can do it on my own.

He doesn’t stay with any children, his other children from another wife actually call me asking for money saying their father has abandoned them,” she said.

Bernard said he had custody of two other children whose mother passed away.

l barely earn enough, but l want the best for my child and when l get a stable job, l will apply for an upward variation on my own. When l call her for us to get a birth certificate for the child, she ignores my calls,” he said.

Magistrate Sharon Mashavire ordered Bernard to pay $35 000 and to buy clothes twice a year.

— HMetro

By- Zimsec has announced that they have nullified O-level results for 4 961 candidates who cheated in the 2022 exams.

Pass rates, those with at least five subjects at grade C or better, rose to 28,96 percent although pass rates for boys actually fell, 11,54 percent more candidates wrote the examinations, but Zimsec was determined that cheating could not prosper.
Zimsec chairman Professor Eddie Mwenje announced both the availability of the results, and the nullification of the results of those who cheated, at a Press conference in Harare yesterday.
The cheats amounted to around 1,78 percent of the 278 760 who wrote O-level.
At the end of last year, there were reports that the O-level Mathematics papers 1 and 2, and English Paper 2 might have been leaked, and speculation that some might have seen more. Zimsec has a number of ways of tracking down those who cheated by seeing a paper before the exam.
Prof Mwenje said some were identified during the writing of the examinations but the same prior access was picked up at later stages, the marking of scripts and grade reviews.
“The results of such candidates were nullified for the subjects in question in accordance with the Zimsec Act, Section 34. Candidates, headmasters and members of the public who were caught posting question papers on WhatsApp and those buying them were arrested and appeared in court,” said Prof Mwenje.
He said all other practices that contravened the Zimsec Act were brought to the attention of Zimsec by schools.
“As a result of the combined investigations, reports from school and the identification of culprits at marking and grade review stages, a total of 4 961 candidates had results nullified. This number is out of 278 760 who registered for the Ordinary Level examination. The number represents 1,78 percent of the total candidate entry,” he said.
Zimsec said it reserves the right to withhold results even after the publication date and results which have been issued can be withdrawn upon evidence of malpractice by candidates. More so, any centres which were complicit in the examination malpractice will be de-registered.
The numbers of those punished, said Prof Mwenje, is worrisome but they were careful not to punish the innocent.
“1,78 percent is of course a reason to worry but it’s a figure we say that we have to make sure that we don’t punish other people,” he said.
Legal amendments will allow harsher punishment for cheats.
“In fact, we were lenient because we nullified the very subject that we were concerned about. The system that comes into place through the amendment Act will probably nullify every system that you have results in because we wouldn’t know if you didn’t have access to this. It’s quite a lenient approach but that’s telling you that we are not going to tolerate malpractices in our examination system.” he said.
There was an 11,54 percent jump in the number of candidates to 278 760 in November 2022 last year compared to the 249 914 candidates in 2021.
In 2022, a total of 183 584 wrote five or more subjects and 53 169 passed five or more subjects with a grade C or better giving an overall pass rate of 28,96 percent as compared to 163 179 candidates who wrote five or more subjects in 2021, with 42 985 passing five or more subjects with a Grade C or better yielding a pass rate of 26,34 percent.
The total number of male candidates who sat for 2022 Ordinary Level Examinations was 132 653 and of these 86 018 wrote five or more subjects and 21 645 passed five or more subjects translating to a pass rate of 25.16 percent. The total number of male candidates who sat for the 2021 Ordinary level examinations was 118 918 and of these 77 133 wrote five or more subjects and 20 971 passed five or more subjects translating to a pass rate of 27.19 percent. The pass rate for male candidates in 2022 decreased by 2.03%.
The results started to be accessed online by candidates or authorised personnel from yesterday. The results portal will be open for a window of five days. Candidates can access the results portal on the Zimsec website at www.zimsec.co.zw by clicking on their province for redirection to the results portals. Candidates can collect their result slips from their centres or schools from Monday.

 By A Correspondent- A 51 year old man from Bulawayo’s Lobengula West suburb pulled a sh0cker when he allegedly assaulted his l0ver’s child before bathing her and f0ndling her privɑtǝ parts.

A court heard the man, whose identity cannot be revealed since he stays with the victim, came home unexpectedly and found his l0ver’s 12-year-old child alone at home.

t is alleged the depravǝd man poured water in a dish and called the minor to bath but she refused.

The court heard that the man grabbed the minor by her hand and slapped her several times before thrashing her with a whip and forcing her to str!p nɑʞǝd. He f0rced her to bath while he touched her privɑtǝ parts.

The man, the court heard, whenever he found the minor alone at home he would bathe her and gr0pe her privɑtǝ parts. The man’s misdeeds came to a screeching halt when the minor shared the ordeal with her cousin. The cousin told the victim’s mother about the ƨǝxuɑl attacks. The mother of the victim confronted her l0ver but he denied the allegations.

She reported him to the police leading to his arrest.

The accused’s lawyer Task Viki of Macharaga and Law chambers appeared on his behalf before magistrate Shepherd Mnjanja.

He was remanded out of custody on $40 000 bail to 15 February 2023.

He was ordered to report once after two weeks at Magwegwe Police Station. He was also ordered not to interfere with State witnesses and to continue residing at his home address.

Mellisa Dube appeared for the state.

BMetro

By A Correspondent- A Form three pupil died on Thursday at Maranatha High School in Nketa suburb during sport activities. The learner, who has not been identified, collapsed as she was running.

Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education spokesperson Mr Taungana Ndoro confirmed the incident saying it was deeply saddening.

He said details surrounding the death of the Form 3 girl are still sketchy.

“As a ministry, we would like to pass our condolences to the family, members of the community and members of the school over the death of one of our students,” he said.

— Chronicle