By A Correspondent- Body parts belonging to a St Mathias Tsonzo High School student Livingstone Sunhwa (19), who has not been seen or heard from since he vanished on December 6 last year have been discovered.

The development was posted by the popular sociallite Madam Boss who said:

“Pacherwa musango takawana mbabvu. Nemusoro Livingston veduweee.”

The development comes as the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) claimed that Sunhwa is on the run.

The teenager’s curious disappearance has been trending on social media under the hashtag #JusticeforLivingstone with many Zimbabweans baying for the school headmaster’s blood.

Livingstone was said to have gone missing after allegedly being tortured by the police and some of his teachers over his claimed involvement in a break-in at the school’s tuck-shop.

Narrating the events surrounding his disappearance on social media, Livingstone’s mother said she was not told about her son’s disappearance by school authorities and only learnt about the development from her daughter who also attends the same school.

She was however, particularly concerned about the alleged involvement of the school head, who was only identified as Sandura, in the saga.

The family has since appealed for help from members of the public saying they were not getting any assistance from both the police and school authorities.

According to some reports, after being tortured in front of other students, Livingstone was taken to Mutasa Police Station where he was detained without the knowledge of his parents.

When his mother got wind of the incident, she phoned the headmaster and requested that her son back to school so he could write his exams.

“The headmaster told me that he had taken him from the police around 5 pm and took him to his dormitory around 9pm but did not disclose that he was missing,” reads the social media post by Livingstone’s mother.

The headmaster was, according the family, the last person to see the teenager.

Manicaland police spokesperson, Inspector Nobert Muzondo acknowledged that Livingstone was missing.

He however, criticised the family “sensationalising the issue which is currently under investigation”.

“You should note that he did not go missing while in the hands of the police,” he said.

“From the police side, he is on the wanted list. He is on the run because he stole from the school.

“Groceries were indeed found stashed under his bed  so we are treating this case on two sides, that he is missing and that he is wanted.”

He added, “As the police we are investigating the matter and we still want him to be found but it is the father who has chosen to blow it out on social media … that person is not a minor, but a major.”

It has also been claimed that the mother fled the country with her son because of the pending criminal case.

However, in her social media post, the mother insisted that she visited the school on December12 to establish what happened to her son.

She said they would go out looking in the surrounding communities but was surprised that the headmaster always insisted that they search during the night.

“What troubled me is the fact that he (headmaster) did not want the company of other teachers when we went to look for my son and we would only do this at night,” she said.

She said she later went to the police station seeking to file a missing person report but was not assisted.

“They said it was impossible because my son was a suspect,” she said.

Tinashe Sambiri|The crisis in the country’s health sector is a reflection of Zanu PF’s incompetence.

This was said by President Nelson Chamisa’s CCC party on Thursday.

CCC slammed the Zanu PF regime’s gross failure to address government workers’ concerns.

See statement below:

We stand in firm solidarity with government health workers who were left with no option but to withdraw their labour on the 20th of June 2022 due to incapacitation and poor working conditions

This is regrettable because the State’s incompetence and failure to address the workers’ concerns and prioritize this critical sector have caused mass suffering to Zimbabweans whose right to affordable, quality health care remains under constant threat.

The health workers issued a public statement on the 17th of June 2022 indicating that they had repeatedly tried to engage the Health Services Board and the Ministry of Health and Childcare over a fourteen-month period to have their plight addressed without success.

They stated that their poor conditions of service had caused chronic brain drain in the health sector with over 4000 resignations in the last three years.

Instead of engaging with the health workers to address their concerns in good faith, draconian measures have been introduced to illegally prevent health workers from leaving the country, including through the refusal to issue certificates of good standing.

We call for the concerns that have been raised to be addressed immediately to ensure that the citizens’ right to health is respected.

As the alternative and a government-in-waiting, we wish to put forward highlights of the alternative CCC health policy approach which will solve the nation’s health crisis at its root.

The ZanuPf govt’s incompetence and failure to address the workers’ concerns & prioritize the health sector, which is critical, have caused mass suffering to Zimbabweans whose right to affordable and quality healthcare remains under constant threat.

By A Correspondent- Bulawayo High Court was on Thursday inundated with twenty (20) cases of people intending to divorce. According to a survey  infidelity has been cited as the major cause of family break-ups in the country with last year’s statistics showing that at least 1 351 couples filed for divorce at the High Court, an increase from 1 117 cases handled in 2020.

Read the full list of cases below extracted from the court role:
10. MANDLENKOSI MOYO vs HAPPINESS MOYO (nee SIBANDA) HC 184/22
(MATHONSI NCUBE LAW CHAMBERS)

11. JOSPHETH HAPAZARI vs PETTY T. HAPAZARI (nee CHANAIWA) HC 1277/21
(NCUBE-TSHABALALA ATTORNEYS)

12. QUIET HADEBE vs OKTAVIA HADEBE (nee NCUBE) HC 515/22 (SELF ACTOR)

13. SAMUKELISO CHITSA (nee SIBANDA) vs FARAYI MOSES CHITSA HC 434/21
(NCUBE-TSHABALALA ATTORNEYS)

14. CHARITY MPOFU (nee MAVIZA) vs ENERST MPOFU HC 1588/21 (MESSRS PUNDU
& COMPANY)

15. EMMANUEL MADABE VS SIPHEPHILE MADABE (nee NKOMO) HC 835/13
(MAZANGO, MATUMBU AND PARTNERS)

16. TSHIBANI NDHLOVU vs PETER NDHLOVU HC 2164/19 (LEGAL AID DIRECTORATE –
HWANGE)

17. NOMSA DUBE (nee KHUMALO) vs MANDLENKOSI DUBE HC 1589/21 (MESSRS
PUNDU & COMPANY)

18. RACHEL HWAMBO vs AUSTIN MUZENDA HC 2217/19 (MAKIYA AND PARTNERS)

19. VIMBAI KUVHEYA (nee KAMBARE) vs CEAPHAS KUVHEYA HC 833/22 (TANAKA
LAW CHAMBERS)

MOREBLESSING MUCHADEHAMA vs MBONISI SIZIBA HC 487/22 (NYAWO RUZIVE
LEGAL PRACTICE)

21. COLLEN S. NDLOVU (nee MLILO) vs SIKHUMBUZO NDLOVU HC 314/22 (MAKIYA &
PARTNERS)

22. BLESSED MOKONE vs SIPHO MOKONE (nee NDLOVU) HC 1690/20 (MORRIS –
DAVIS & CO.

23. PHATHISA NHLANE vs VUYELWA A NHLANE (nee NKOMO) HC 1714/21
(VUNDHLA-PHULU & PARTNERS)

24. INNOCENT KWIDINI vs VIRGINIA KWIDINI (nee NCUBE) HC 1474/21 (LEGAL AID
DIRECTORATE HWANGE)

25. NTULULI MOYO vs PHATHUMUSA MOYO (nee SIBANDA) HC 1148/21 (DUBE-
BANDA, NZARAYAPENGA & PARTNERS)

26. HONEST SEBATA vs CYNTHIA SEBATA (nee MOKWENA) HC 1547/21 (V. CHIKOMO
LAW CHAMBERS)

27. SIBAHLE NYAMUKAPA (nee GUMPO) vs GEORGE NYAMUKAPA HC 143/22
(MASIYE-MOYO & ASSOCIATES)

28. FARAI FARISAYI MUCHATI (nee PERERA) vs JUSTICE MUCHATI HC 278/22 (NCUBE-
TSHABALALA ATTORNEYS)

29. LOVEMORE MATEMA vs SHARAI ZIBWOWA HC 615/22 (LEGAL AID DIRECTORATE
GWERU)

30. FREDDRICK PHIRI vs NONTOKOZO PHIRI (nee NDLOVU) HC 193/22 (LEGAL AID
DIRECTORATE)

By A Correspondent- The ongoing public health professionals’ strike that has crippled major government hospitals is continuing unabated until the demands of the workers have been met, leaving many patients stranded.

This week, health workers in public institutions downed tools citing paltry salaries and pathetic working conditions.

They are arguing that the government is giving a deaf ear to their plight and to the reality that inflation has eroded their meagre earnings. Inflation has since shot up to 137%.  Physician Tapiwa Kusotera told the Zimbabwe Independent that the strike would go on indefinitely.

“This is a matter of survival for the workers. From what I am seeing, the mass action is likely to continue indefinitely. The workers are the ones to decide but their demands have to be met for the strike to end,” Kusotera said.

A visit to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, the largest referral health facility, painted a sorry sight.

Patients at the casualty section were stranded while their relatives could be seen pleading with officials for assistance.

The casualty department is a medical treatment facility specialising in acute care of patients who are admitted without prior appointment, either by their own means or by ambulance.

“I came with my mother this morning and it’s almost lunchtime, she has not yet been attended to. She has been having continuous hiccups and vomiting for several days and we are not sure what the problem is,” Macdonald Ncube told the Independent.

“Government should not treat us as if we are sub-humans. Those in power are there because they have a mandate to ensure that the lives of people are improved not worsened. I do not have money to take my mother to a private hospital. What should I do now?”

Section 76 (1) of the Constitution provides that: “Every citizen and permanent resident of Zimbabwe has the right to have access to basic healthcare services, including reproductive healthcare services.”

The same section on (4) adds that: “The state must take reasonable legislative and other measures, within the limits of the resources available to it, to achieve the progressive realisation of the rights set out in this section.”

However, what is currently prevailing speaks otherwise. The situation has left patients in physical and mental agony. However, health professionals argue that it is for the best as they push the government to act.

“We work in the most deplorable of conditions here,” said a nurse at Sally Mugabe Hospital who refused to be named for fear of victimisation.

“We put up with a lot. But what we get is an insult. I cannot send my son to a good school. I cannot put food on the table, and my salary is inadequate for me to pay bills and provide for my family. This nonsense must stop. If not, we will not be going back to work. If they are going to fire us, so be it!” she charged.

Nurses are getting an average of ZW$30 000 per month which fetches about US$40 on the parallel market.

In comparison, private hospitals are paying nurses between US$500 and US$600 per month.

In Namibia, nurses get an average monthly salary of NAD22 000 which is about US$1 477. In neighbouring South Africa, nurses earn a monthly salary of about R28 470 which translates to US$1 783.

The yawning gap coupled with the high cost of living biting citizens has radicalised workers in the health sector.

Further compounding the problem for patients is the fact that some health workers at Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) hospitals are on a go-slow industrial action because of poor salaries which do not come on time.

A doctor at West End hospital in Harare said: “We last got paid in May and now we are being told that we will be getting 25% of the total salary because they do not have money; 25% of nothing is nothing. How am I supposed to survive on that?”

The same sentiments were echoed by another doctor at a PSMAS health institution in Bulawayo.

He said: “I am supposed to be at work today but I did not report for duty. I cannot go there to work for peanuts.”

“When I joined PSMAS, I used to save an average of 70 patients per day but these days, 20 is enough for me. We advise patients that the system is down and they cannot be entered before seeing the doctor. It is now the norm.”

Most government workers are on PSMAS medical aid, which means they cannot get the attention they require at public hospitals or the medical aid they subscribe to.

Health Apex Council secretary general Lloyd Sarai said workers should not be intimidated, instead they “should remain resolute as we are not committing any crime of misconduct”.

Contacted for comment, director of public relations at the Health Services Board Tryfine Dzvukutu said: “Negotiations with representatives of health professionals started on Monday and I cannot comment before the talks concluded.”-ZimbabweIndependent

Information Alert
24 June 2022

THE opaque procurement of some firefighting trucks is in the public eye after a human rights campaigner asked President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to furnish her with specific details of the agreements authorising the controversial transaction.

Alice Kuvheya, a resident of Chitungwiza, engaged Paidamoyo Saurombe and Jeremiah Bamu of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, who on Thursday 23 June 2022 wrote letters addressed to Dr Misheck Sibanda,

the Chief Secretary to President Mnangagwa and Cabinet, Kennedy Chokuda, the Clerk Parliament of Zimbabwe and Zvinechimwe Churu, the Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, requesting to be furnished with a copy of the Government to Government Agreement between the government of the Republic of Zimbabwe and the Government of the Republic of Belarus relating to the procurement of
fire tenders on behalf of local authorities.

The request followed media reports alleging that government through the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works had circumvented the public tendering system by commandeering both rural and urban councils to use financial resources meant for Devolution to procure fire-fighting trucks from Belarus.

Kuvheya, who said she is acting in the interest of public accountability, asked for the total cost of the fire tender equipment to be procured from the government of the Republic of Belarus, and the quantities ordered, payments made to date for the purchase of the
equipment and outstanding balances.

The human rights campaigner, who is also the Executive Director of Chitungwiza Residents Trust, also want to be furnished with Parliament’s approval of the “Government to Government “Agreement as required by Section 327(3) of the Constitution including copies of all

“Government to Government “Agreements entered into with the Government of the Republic of Belarus and the due diligence conducted by the Government of Zimbabwe relating to the suitability specifications and costings of the fire tenders sought and being procured and comparison in terms  of the suitability specifications and costings  from other
suppliers.

Kuvheya said she is making the request for such information and specifications in terms of Section 62(1) of the Constitution as read with Section 7 of the Freedom of Information Act.

According to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, Dr Sibanda, Chokuda and Churu have a maximum of 21 days within which to respond to Kuvheya’s request.

Members of Parliament are going to have a substantial salary increase with effect from 1 July 2022, Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube said on Thursday.

Legislators will also be put on a contributory medical insurance scheme and their sitting allowance will also be increased.

Ncube disclosed the development after Norton MP, Temba Mliswa (Independent), complained that legislators’ earnings have been severely eroded by inflation.

Mliswa also revealed that MPs were this week locked out of hotels because the Government had not settled their bills.

Below is the full debate in the National Assembly:

HON. T. MLISWA: Thank you Mr Speaker Sir. It is just something that needs to be addressed for certainty.

When Hon. Members of Parliament wanted to check into the hotels this week, they were told they could not.

I am glad that the Minister of Finance and Economic Development is here, I wanted him to pay attention to this one.

It involves the issue of Parliament not paying, but I think it is the Ministry of Finance that has not paid Parliament to pay.

It was quite embarrassing and humiliating for Hon. Members of Parliament to be told ‘you cannot check in.’

I am glad that there was some quick reaction to that.  There was a quick response to that intervention and they were accommodated but it is an issue which really talks about their welfare.

Most Hon. Members of Parliament – if I am not mistaken, we were paid RTGs4 000 after deductions of PSMAS and it is quite something.

If you think of RTGs4 000 for a mother and father to carry home to say this is the money, I do not know how we can comprehend and continue on that.

So I know you have been looking at the welfare of Hon. Members of Parliament but an update would surely help Hon. Members to understand where they are in terms of those negotiations which we once did with the Minister of Finance and Economic Development and the Permanent Secretary pertaining to a number of issues.

Hon. Members are not immune to inflation as well. So I know that they do not have the energy to speak about it, but a response is needed to what is the way forward for the welfare of the Hon. Members of Parliament in spite of the inflation which is there. Thank you.

THE HON. SPEAKER: I am aware of what has been done following the meeting between the Hon. Minister of Finance and Economic Development on the welfare of Hon. Members of Parliament and generally Government at large.

I do not think I will be privileged to announce what has been agreed to and I do not know whether the Hon. Minister may also want to announce that at this point in time.

What I know is a substantial increase has been agreed to as well as an increase in your sitting allowances effective 1st July 2022.

So something has been agreed to. I think at the appropriate time, the Hon. Minister will make some pronouncements, not only for us here but for the entire State. Have I concluded properly Hon. Minister?

THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. You have summarised it well.

Maybe only to add that our three areas of focus for Hon. Members of this august House – they have been awarded a very good increase in the salary and basically putting them on a contributory medical insurance scheme which we are introducing as well as an increase in the sitting allowance. We are going to do those three areas – [AN. HON. MEMBER: When?] – Thank you.

THE HON SPEAKER: Someone is shouting when I had said with effect from 1st July 2022. I have the figures and I have been told and I think they are very reasonable in the circumstances of hyper-inflation.

That is all I can say for the time being but there has been some progress in terms of what the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development has done.

I do not think that I can doubt what I have been told by the Hon. Minister. Let you judge by the action you will see beginning 1st of July, 2022.

HON. T. MLISWA: I thank you for your response which is promising but you know it is difficult for one to really have peace of mind when they do not know what they will get.

Hon. Speaker munenge matinzvenga ipapo. Tirikuda kumboombera kuti tapihwa ipapo tosvitsa maoko.

THE HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Mliswa, if you cannot trust the Hon. Speaker, who are you going to trust?

HON. T. MLISWA: No, I will rest my case, we trust you. So please trust the Hon. Speaker and that everything will be okay, your salaries.

THE HON. SPEAKER: Please do rest your case and if that does not happen, I put my head on the block and then you can come with the guillotine. Thank you

By A Correspondent- CCC interim Secretary for Public Service and Social Welfare has bemoaned the alleged capture of the country’s judiciary and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) by the ruling ZANU PF party.

Kademaunga queried why three CCC members from the Nyatsime area whose homes were allegedly torched by ZANU PF activists were arrested while ruling party members linked to the assault of 21 women at the funeral of Moreblessing Ali were not arrested.

The three CCC members, Precious Jeche (41), Misheck Guzha (62) and Odius Makoma (42) were arrested on Wednesday and appeared before Harare Magistrate Dennis Mangosi on Thursday facing charges of public violence.

The magistrate ruled that the trio is likely to skip bail, hence it is risky to free them on bail pending trial.

Kademaunga also criticised the police for arresting opposition MPs Job Sikhala and Godfrey Sithole on public violence charges while a local ZANU PF MP and councillor were not arrested despite appearing to incite violence. She wrote on Twitter:

Nine citizens have been wrongfully arrested in the continued repression of the people of Nyatsime in the aftermath of the gruesome murder of Moreblessing Ali.

Again we see clear undue political interference forcing police and courts to act as willing executioners of repression.

Police is being abused in the systematic criminalisation and subjection to the harsh reprisal of three CCC members who made police reports after their homes were torched in Nyatsime.

The three were later arrested and in turn, charged with public violence.

Police is being abused to silence and harass justice seekers; Ali family lawyer Job Sikhala1 and legislator Godfrey Sithole who was assisting the family to pursue justice whom they have wrongfully imprisoned and are currently held at Chikurubi maximum prison.

Courts are being abused to aid Judicial Harassment of the arrested whom they have denied bail and will possibly be subjected to lengthy pre-trial detentions as has been the trend.

Police is being abused to promote impunity of perpetrators of human rights violations.

Police have not acted on ZANU PF MP and Councillor who publicly incited violence at the Ali funeral, and ZANU PF Youth who abducted and assaulted 21 women at a funeral.

A free, fair and credible election can only be possible if key institutions like the police, the courts, ZEC, Chapter 12 commissions etc are free from the demonic grip of the tyrannical ZANU PF regime!

By A Correspondent- Four robbers who were part of a six-member machete gang which has been terrorising people in Gweru’s Mkoba and Woodlands areas have been arrested.

The machete robbers stole cash and many other valuables from residents.

Midlands provincial police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko confirmed yesterday the arrest of the quartet Tafara Mabika (23), Blessing Chikomba (22) both from Mkoba, Joseph Moyo (22) and Dither Chigondo (26), both from Woodlands.

They were nabbed following a tip-off from members of the public.

Mahoko said a manhunt for the other two identified as Philani Hove and one Tafara has since been launched.

“The suspects allegedly specialised in breaking into people’s houses armed with machetes and knives. They would use threats and violence to force people to submit while demanding cash and other valuables.

“Police managed to recover seven gas tanks, six cellphones, laptops, wallets and a bunch of keys. Most of the property has since been identified by the owners and we invite the public to come and identify the remaining properties,” Mahoko said.

The four are expected to appear in court soon.

Of late, the Midlands province has been recording increased cases of robberies involving dangerous weapons such as machetes and knives.

On Wednesday, Mahoko urged people to secure their business premises to guard against robberies.-newsday

By A Correspondent- Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has defended the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec), saying the electoral body does not remove voters from their polling stations.

This followed reports that the country’s voters roll is in shambles after independent statisticians, Team Pachedu, in February this year accused Zec of illegally moving 170 000 voters from their original constituencies and wards in the voters roll that was used for the March 26 by-elections.

Responding to queries on the voters roll in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Ziyambi said: “Zec advises that it is not aware of any formal report wherein it has been alleged that it has moved voters from their registered polling stations without their consent. What the commission is aware of are the powers granted to it by section 35 of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13), which provides that a voters roll may be altered by the commission at any time to correct any error or omission, or to change the original name or address of the voter to an altered name or address; which is done by the voter registration officer at any time by correcting any obvious mistake or omission, or by changing on the written application of a voter, the original name or address of the voter to an altered name or address.”

Ziyambi said in terms of the Electoral Act, notice of alteration of a voter is published in the Government Gazette by the commission or voter registration officer.

He said the Act also provides that in the event that the voter is aggrieved, they may appeal against a decision to a designated magistrate of the province on whose voters roll the voter is, or prior to the alteration registered.

“The commission recommends that where there are known incidents of voters being moved from their polling stations without their consent, a formal report must be filed at Zec provincial offices, or an appeal of any decision of an alteration must be made by the commission or voter registration officer to a designated magistrate within the affected voter’s province.”

Ziyambi was also grilled over the issue of the diaspora vote.

“There is currently no legislative framework that regulates voting by citizens in the diaspora. If a person requires to vote, he has to be registered in a constituency within Zimbabwe whereby the residential requirements is among the voter registration requirements provided for by our electoral law,” Ziyambi said.

Last month, the Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda crossed swords with fellow Zanu PF members when he suggested that the Constitution must be amended to allow millions of Zimbabweans in the diaspora to vote in the 2023 elections.

“It is also important to note that the residence requirement is not a requirement strictly for persons in the diaspora as it also affects those who live in Zimbabwe. In this regard, the residence requirements are not directed or targeted to exclude the diaspora vote as is the assumption by many,” he said.

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has vowed that “puppets” will never rule Zimbabwe, saying ZANU PF was the sole custodian of the country’s liberation heritage.

While Mnangagwa did not identify the puppets, ZANU PF has in the past characterised opposition political parties, particularly the MDC, and its successor, the CCC, as surrogates of the United States of America and countries in Europe.

Addressing hundreds of ZANU PF supporters at Bata Shoe Company in Gweru, on 23 June, Mnangagwa said, “we will never allow for puppets to rule this country,” adding:

They sanctioned us because we want to determine our own destiny. Germany, Japan, France and other Western countries are building their own countries.

Can we, therefore, be stupid to have foreigners determine the development of our country?

Yes, they can come with investments, but with no strings attached.

Mnangagwa also castigated the Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) saying the opposition party’s activists were possessed by evil spirits.

He reiterated his stance that Zimbabwe will remain a republic and a unitary State.

In March this year, Mnangagwa warned MRP activists that their lives will be “shortened”.

He issued the chilling warning while addressing a rally in Chitungwiza ahead of the 26 March by-elections.

MRP is pushing for the separation of Matabeleland provinces, Bulawayo and part of Midlands Province from the rest of the country.

During his visit to the Midlands province, Mnangagwa toured Sino-Zimbabwe Cement, Lesaffre and Bata.

By A Corresposndent- Anti riot police on Wednesday reportedly stormed Bindura General Hospital and indiscriminately beat up nurses for joining a nationwide strike by health workers protesting over salaries and poor working conditions.

This came as public hospitals yesterday discharged patients and closed wards as the strike entered day four with no solution in sight.

And there were also strong indications that schools might be forced to close early after a sizeable chunk of teachers downed tools starting Monday demanding improved working
conditions.

On Wednesday, there was drama at Bindura General Hospital when baton-wielding riot police officers stormed the health institution and indiscriminately beat up nurses for downing tools.

A video in possession of NewsDay showed nurses running and scurrying for cover as riot police officers chased and beat them up.

Some of the nurses had to remove their uniforms to escape the wrath of the police. Elderly nurses could also be seen trying to run away with limited success.

But national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said he was unaware of the incident.

Zimbabwe Nurses Association president Enock Dongo condemned the police action as barbaric and deplorable.

“The hospital is deserted; nurses have stayed at home because they fear being beaten. The fear has triggered nurses to boycott their workstation,” he said.

“The overzealousness of the police has worsened the situation because other nurses from other hospitals might also stay at home fearing to be beaten up by the police.”

At Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and Chitungwiza Central Hospital, patients were discharged from wards in a total shutdown of health services.

In other cities, NewsDay witnessed people taking away their relatives from wards because no one was attending to them.

Health Apex leader Tapiwanashe Kusotera told NewsDay that most provincial hospitals were deserted.

“We hope that the government takes this as an urgent matter,” Kusotera said.

“We take job action as the last resort. As we speak, some hospitals have shut down. The situation is not looking good, and we implore authorities to take this seriously. Government has not offered us anything as of today but we keep demanding that the issues we are raising must be addressed.”

Health Service Board executive director Angelbert Mbengwa said the board was still making consultations towards finding a win-win situation.

“At the moment, I can’t really comment on the government’s position on the issue. Once there is a concrete position on what we are going to do, we will notify the public,” Mbengwa said.

Contacted for comment, Public Service Commission secretary Jonathan Wutawunashe said he was in a meeting.

But Community Working Group on Health executive director Itai Rusike warned of loss of lives if government dragged its feet in addressing the concerns of health workers.

“The current impasse between the striking health workers and government over demands for improved working conditions, tools of trade and better remuneration has taken too long to address resulting in the untold suffering to the general public and now causing unnecessary preventable and avoidable deaths,” he said.

“We want to encourage genuine dialogue and long-lasting solutions to the current stalemate instead of intimidation or firing. Both parties should bear in mind that more than 90% of the Zimbabwean population depends on the public health delivery system.”

Civil servants last week rejected a 100% salary hike insisting on United States dollar salaries.

Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (ZCPSTU) secretary-general David Dzatunga said: “The economy has already dollarised. Traders and even government institutions are charging in foreign currency when the government workers are earning in local currency. It won’t work.”

Teachers’ representatives said 55% of their members were not reporting for duty, and accused government of trivialising workers’ grievances.

“Government is using double standards in addressing the teachers’ concerns,” Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Takavafira Zhou said.

“It is very unfortunate that the government has found trade unions who are doing firefighting and distracting the teachers’ efforts in fighting for restoration of the US$540 salaries. The problem is getting out of hand and I don’t see schools remaining open till the end of the term.”

But the Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta) said its member were reporting for duty.

“We have not taken a position yet. We are negotiating for a salary review under the ZCPSTU and we are set to have a meeting this week,” Zimta secretary-general Goodwill Taderera said.

“The outcome of that meeting will determine how we are going to deal with the issue.”

There is also simmering discontent in the private sector as workers demand United States dollar salaries in the face of a devaluing local currency due to skyrocketing inflation.

Source- Newsday

By A Correspondent- Some wholesalers in the country are reportedly no longer accepting the Zimbabwe dollar and insisting on payments in foreign currencies only.

The local currency is shedding value on a weekly basis on both official and unofficial markets.

This week, the Zimbabwe dollar is officially trading at ZWL$350 against the US Dollar while on the parallel market the exchange rate is above ZWL$600.

Speaking in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Rushinga legislator, Tendai Nyabani (ZANU PF), said:

We have wholesales like National Foods, Gains and others; we have noted that these companies are receiving money from the RBZ (Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe) so that they assist people but I have noted that they are not taking RTGs and local currency but they only want US dollars.

We have noted that people have to go to the black market to procure US dollars so that they go and buy from these wholesalers.

In his response Finance and Economic Development deputy minister, Clemence Chiduwa said they have also received similar reports. Said Chiduwa:

Indeed, it is very true that we are receiving reports regarding wholesalers and such business entities which come to the auction.

They get money to buy their goods. Such business entities, upon receiving money from the RBZ, then sell their goods in US dollars and do not take local currency.

Working together with the Financial Intelligence Unit, our Ministry has been seized with the issue.

As of Friday last week, we investigated big shops, pharmacies, and some retailers. Out of the 28, those who were complying with the exchange rate were only 11, which means that we have a lot of violations.

The FIU on its own does not have the capacity to cover Zimbabwe as a whole. At the moment, we want to work with the National Economic Inspectorate and different law enforcement agents so that we cover the whole country.

Meanwhile, former Finance Minister, Tendai Biti urged the Government to abandon the auction system, saying it has become a source of arbitrage. Said Biti:

The black market rate is now between ZWL$650 andZWL$700 but the auction is around ZWL$350.

Why not just remove the auction so that we do not have arbitrage and the ZWD will find its own resting place without the arbitrage of the auction.

By A Correspondent- Some wholesalers in the country are reportedly no longer accepting the Zimbabwe dollar and insisting on payments in foreign currencies only.

The local currency is shedding value on a weekly basis on both official and unofficial markets.

This week, the Zimbabwe dollar is officially trading at ZWL$350 against the US Dollar while on the parallel market the exchange rate is above ZWL$600.

Speaking in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Rushinga legislator, Tendai Nyabani (ZANU PF), said:

We have wholesales like National Foods, Gains and others; we have noted that these companies are receiving money from the RBZ (Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe) so that they assist people but I have noted that they are not taking RTGs and local currency but they only want US dollars.

We have noted that people have to go to the black market to procure US dollars so that they go and buy from these wholesalers.

In his response Finance and Economic Development deputy minister, Clemence Chiduwa said they have also received similar reports. Said Chiduwa:

Indeed, it is very true that we are receiving reports regarding wholesalers and such business entities which come to the auction.

They get money to buy their goods. Such business entities, upon receiving money from the RBZ, then sell their goods in US dollars and do not take local currency.

Working together with the Financial Intelligence Unit, our Ministry has been seized with the issue.

As of Friday last week, we investigated big shops, pharmacies, and some retailers. Out of the 28, those who were complying with the exchange rate were only 11, which means that we have a lot of violations.

The FIU on its own does not have the capacity to cover Zimbabwe as a whole. At the moment, we want to work with the National Economic Inspectorate and different law enforcement agents so that we cover the whole country.

Meanwhile, former Finance Minister, Tendai Biti urged the Government to abandon the auction system, saying it has become a source of arbitrage. Said Biti:

The black market rate is now between ZWL$650 andZWL$700 but the auction is around ZWL$350.

Why not just remove the auction so that we do not have arbitrage and the ZWD will find its own resting place without the arbitrage of the auction.

-CITE

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) said the Government should address nurses’ grievances so that they return to work as bringing in the military to stand in for them would never work.

ZINA president Enock Dongo said it is not possible to bring nurses and doctors from the army as there should be a proper handover of patients’ records. Said Dongo:

The number of health workers in the army vis-a-vis our number is incomparable. In short, it will definitely not work.

I do not think it is possible or serve the purpose.

It is very simple and for the government to try and look for other ways of doing things is not fair and it will lead to the total collapse of our health system.

They have done it before, to bring in nurses and doctors from the army but I think they know it well that it will be for politicking not for real work to be done.

This is not a profession that you can take someone to come and replace, there is a need for handover because these patients have records.

He said the Government has an obligation to pay nurses US dollar salaries since it has indexed its services in US dollars. Dongo said:

When the government indexed everything else in US dollars, they forgot about indexing our salaries.

We do not have the basics in hospitals, we do not have bandages, gloves, or paracetamol which is just a pain-stop, we do not have antibiotics, and x-rays so even if health workers were to go back to work today, they would still have to watch people die because of lack of the resources.

The health workers are not demanding something out of this world, they are just demanding basic salaries and medication in the hospitals and equipment.

Zimbabwe’s public health workers have been on strike since Monday, demanding that their salaries should be paid in US dollars, among other things.

NewZimbabwe

By A Correspondent- The rape and murder of an elderly woman by an illegal gold miner have shocked Munetwa villagers in Zhombe, Midlands province.

Chief Gwesela confirmed the incident, saying the woman was buried on Monday. “The elderly woman was allegedly raped and then killed by a gold panner. The matter is now being investigated by the police,” he said.

“The suspect has been arrested and charged with rape and murder, while the victim was buried on Monday.” Chief Gwesela decried the rise in rape and murder cases in the Kwekwe district.

Meanwhile, police have disclosed that Kwekwe residents are living in fear of machete gangs terrorising them, but they are scared to testify against them in court.

Speaking at belated Press Freedom Day commemorations in Redcliff, Kwekwe district police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nkululeko Nduna said without the public’s co-operation, convictions would be difficult.

“Some complainants end up retracting their cases in fear of retribution by the accused persons,” he said.

Nduna urged journalists and the community to work with the police to ensure that machete-wielding gangs are brought to book.

By-The Zanu PF regime, through the Harare magistrate Mrs Munashe Chibanda has for the second time dismissed an application for exception filed by a legal clerk with Tendai Biti Law Chambers who is facing two fresh counts of fraud due to lack of merit.

The magistrate ruled that the trial should commence on June 29.

Constantine Chaza had applied for an exception on amended charges arguing that the charges on the State outline do not constitute an offence.
In dismissing the application, Mrs Chibanda said Chaza’s application lacked merit.
On the first count, it is alleged that on February 26, 2020 at the High Court in Harare, Chaza tendered a fake special power of attorney from Elliot Rogers in the matter in which the complainant, Tendai Mashamhanda, was the other party.

The court acted upon the misrepresentation and allowed Chaza to file the papers.
The matter came to light when Mashamhanda managed to contact Rogers in the United Kingdom, who denied giving Chaza any power of attorney and the matter was reported to the police.
The special power of attorney tendered by Chaza was checked out by the CID Forensic Laboratory for analysis together with other documents that Rogers signed and it was allegedly discovered that the documents were not signed by the same person.
On the second count, it is alleged that on October 18 2021 at the High Court in Harare, Chaza again allegedly tendered a fake special power of attorney from Rogers in another case.

It is further alleged that the matter came to light when the complainant, Piwayi Chiutsi, noted that the signature on the special power of attorney dated September 27, 2015 was different from the signature by Rogers on an affidavit done on October 7, 2014 and a report was made to the police.

Chaza is on $5 000 bail on another matter involving perjury charges after allegedly filing a false statement under oath at the High Court.
-State media

Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has announced saying the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission does not at all edit the voters roll without consent.

Ziyambi Says ZEC Doesn’t Edit Voters Roll | TRUTH or UTTER NONSENSE?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) June 24, 2022

Responding to queries on the voters roll in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Ziyambi said: “Zec advises that it is not aware of any formal report wherein it has been alleged that it has moved voters from their registered polling stations without their consent. What the commission is aware of are the powers granted to it by section 35 of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13), which provides that a voters roll may be altered by the commission at any time to correct any error or omission, or to change the original name or address of the voter to an altered name or address; which is done by the voter registration officer at any time by correcting any obvious mistake or omission, or by changing on the written application of a voter, the original name or address of the voter to an altered name or address.”

Ziyambi said in terms of the Electoral Act, notice of alteration of a voter is published in the Government Gazette by the commission or voter registration officer.

He said the Act also provides that in the event that the voter is aggrieved, they may appeal against a decision to a designated magistrate of the province on whose voters roll the voter is, or prior to the alteration registered.

“The commission recommends that where there are known incidents of voters being moved from their polling stations without their consent, a formal report must be filed at Zec provincial offices, or an appeal of any decision of an alteration must be made by the commission or voter registration officer to a designated magistrate within the affected voter’s province.”

Ziyambi was also grilled over the issue of the diaspora vote.

“There is currently no legislative framework that regulates voting by citizens in the diaspora. If a person requires to vote, he has to be registered in a constituency within Zimbabwe whereby the residential requirements is among the voter registration requirements provided for by our electoral law,” Ziyambi said.

Last month, the Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda crossed swords with fellow Zanu PF members when he suggested that the Constitution must be amended to allow millions of Zimbabweans in the diaspora to vote in the 2023 elections.

“It is also important to note that the residence requirement is not a requirement strictly for persons in the diaspora as it also affects those who live in Zimbabwe. In this regard, the residence requirements are not directed or targeted to exclude the diaspora vote as is the assumption by many,” he said. -Newsday

Tinashe Sambiri| Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration is largely failing to address the concerns of citizens, CCC leader President Nelson Chamisa has said.

The CCC leader also challenged government leaders to perform and deliver expected results.

“ADVICE TO GOVERNMENT LEADERS; JUST PERFORM & DELIVER!!

When you perform and lead so well, you render opposition or criticism so irrelevant, meaningless and unnecessary.

The best way to silence opposition or critics is to perform & serve the citizens so excellently .#FakaPressure.”

By-President Emerson Mnangagwa has ignored the striking health workers and proceeded to commission a small shoe-making project.

Zanu PF posted the images of Mnangagwa visiting the small shoe making project;

Zanu PF Posted:

Cde ED has finished touring Bata Shoe Company Zimbabwe and has commissioned machines worth US$800 000.

By-An 18-year-old man has complained to Police Commissioner General Godwin Matanga and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, accusing two senior police officers of looting gold ore at Rosa 10 Mine in Chiweshe despite a High Court order stopping operations at the mine.
Lawrence Shereni, who is a beneficiary to the estate, through his lawyers TK Takaindisa Law Chambers, accused Superintendent Ophius Gadzikwa and Chief Superintendent Enock Masimba of conniving with Yolanda Mututuma, who is a surviving spouse to the deceased, to loot the mine.
“We refer to the above in which we wish to lodge a complaint against two of your senior officers Superintendent Gadzikwa and Chief Superintendent Masimba, who have illegally sanctioned the removal of tonnes of gold ore at Rosa 10 Mine, contrary to the orders issued by the High Court,” he wrote to Comm-Gen Matanga.

“The High Court under case no.3366/22 ordered all mining operations to be stopped at the estate until an executor to the estate has been appointed. It is an order of the High Court that whatever is to happen at the deceased estate should be in consultation with our client, Lawrence Shereni, who is also a child and a beneficiary to the estate Rosa 10 mine (See order under case no HC 2978/22).
“Superintendent Gadzikwa and Chief Superintendent Masimba have been conniving with the other beneficiary of the estate, Yolanda Mututuma, who is a surviving spouse to the deceased, to loot gold contrary to the order of the High Court.”
Shereni said the officers’ acts were tantamount to corruption.
“We wish to state that there is no doubt that your officers are engaging in corrupt practices as these tactics were meant to ensure that they loot the gold ore in cahoots with one Yolanda Mututuma, who is a surviving spouse to the deceased, despite court orders having suspended operations,” he wrote.

Shereni claimed that the two officers had been threatening him against opening a report with the police at Chombira Police Station on the looting of the gold ore.
He stated that Supt Gadzikwa directed the officer in charge at the police station not to get involved in any issues to do with Rosa 10 mine.
“The actions of your police officers have resulted in the looting of gold ore valued at more than half a million US dollars,” he wrote. “We doubt very much that the police legal department sanctioned such criminal activities as the court orders are clear in black and white.”
The complaint was filed by Shereni today and stamped at the Police Headquarters.
Supt Gadzikwa and Masimba haven’t responded yet to the allegations being levelled against them.

By-High Court Judge Justice Pisirayi Kwenda has defended President Emerson Mnangagwa in the state’s persecution of former Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri.

In the civil court case where Chihuri is opposing the forfeiture of his assets, which the Prosecutor General says were probably bought through corrupt deals during the former top cop’s tenure at the helm of the police force, Chihuri, through his legal counsel, has claimed that political victimisation was behind the forfeiture.
But Justice Kwenda was not prepared to accept that allegations of political harassment could be made against the President as he was not a party to the proceedings.

“The President is not a party to these proceedings. He is, therefore, unable to respond to the allegations,” he said.
The judge made the remarks in his judgment that gave Chihuri some relief but not as much as he had sought.
“I did not order his (the President) joinder because the alleged personal vendetta has no bearing on the resolution of the dispute before me,” said Justice Kwenda.
The judge made it clear that the issues for determination were whether Chihuri and his family had placed before the court facts that constitute just cause to nullify the unexplained wealth orders granted by the court in two cases brought by the State.

Under such orders, those affected must show how they obtained the wealth or risk having it forfeited to the State.
While the judge criticised Chihuri for trying to drag the name of the President into the case, he ruled that the former police chief could keep some of the properties he acquired during his 25 years at the helm of the police force.
But other assets and those of his companies fingered in possible corrupt business deals with the police force remained under the unexplained wealth orders.
The properties removed from the unexplained wealth orders include five vehicles, farm equipment for his two farms in Chinhoyi and Shamva and several houses, including a magnificent mansion in Gletwyn sitting on 12ha of land valued at US$7 million. The property combines seven stands all acquired from the State.
“The acquisition of immovable properties in Gletwyn Township is not only explained by the applicant (Chihuri) but is something facilitated by the State,” noted Justice Kwenda. “Such records would, therefore, be available to the State. The papers of first respondent (PG) ironically state the sources of the stands in Gletwyn. The source is the State.”
In this regard, the judge referred to a minute from the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing dated May 29, 2018 that confirmed the allocation of the land to the Chihuri family (True Hope Trust) through a police co-operative, the consolidation of the seven stands and the allocation of a stand to his wife.

This information was not available before the court when it granted the two Unexplained Wealth Orders in 2020.
Chihuri’s sources of income were not contested: the long service spanning over 35 years in the police, large scale commercial farming, savings from government trips, employment by Interpol, conditions of service benefits which included high value vehicles which he could and did sell after holding them for the required period.
“Such information which was not before this court when it granted the Unexplained Wealth Orders ex parte, constitutes good cause if looked at objectively,” said Justice Kwenda.
He noted that Chihuri retired after serving the police force for 37 years and over the period he made savings on salaries, bonuses, savings from foreign trips and conditions of service benefits.
Chihuri was also a delegate and vice president for Interpol in Africa and was salaried in United States dollars.
Justice Kwenda also found that Chihuri acquired all the assets prior to the period during which, the State alleges, he became involved in serious crime in the year 2017.
“Therefore, the State is not justified in insinuating that they are proceeds of crime because they were all acquired prior to the year 2014,” noted the judge finding that some of them were acquired in the 80s, 90s up to 2007.
Documentary evidence was submitted with the application to prove the acquisition, in some cases, disposal and ownership of the various properties.

“Most of the property subjected to the Unexplained Wealth Orders was acquired prior to the period during which the first and second applicants (Chihuri and his wife) are suspected of having committed serious crimes,” said Justice Kwenda.
“Such property cannot properly be considered as proceeds of serious crime in the circumstances of this matter. The period of acquisition is not contested. The title deeds speak for themselves.”
The PG could not dispute that Chihuri was a successful commercial farmer from the year 1996, a period of 21 years, said Justice Kwenda adding that he would not have records of all his produce.
“The law did not impose a duty on him to keep records and if so for how long. The level at which he conducted his commercial farming activities is such that it cannot be said that his income was insufficient to acquire the residential properties listed.”
The judge, however, found that Chihuri had not shown good cause to set aside the rest of the orders in regard to funds received by four of his companies — Croxile Investments, Adamah Enterprises, Mastermedia and Mastaw Investments — from the police force for services rendered.
Chihuri was represented by lawyer Addington Chinake, while the State was represented by Chief Law officer and Head of Assets Forfeiture Unit, Mr Chris Mutangadura, who is now seeking to appeal to the Supreme Court against the judgment releasing some of Chihuri’s property.

-State media

By- The opposition CCC has said that the ongoing strike by health care workers is justified.

Since Monday, doctors, nurses and other staff at public hospitals have been on strike, demanding US dollar salaries, among other demands.

In a statement on Thursday, 23 June 2022, CCC said the nurses and doctors “were left with no option” but to down tools and the Government should address their demands as a matter of urgency. CCC said:
We stand in firm solidarity with government health workers who were left with no option but to withdraw their labour on the 20th of June 2022 due to incapacitation and poor working conditions.
This is regrettable because the State’s incompetence and failure to address the workers’ concerns and prioritize this critical sector have caused mass suffering to Zimbabweans whose right to affordable, quality health care remains under constant threat.
The health workers issued a public statement on the 17th of June 2022 indicating that they had repeatedly tried to engage the Health Services Board and the Ministry of Health and Childcare over a fourteen-month period to have their plight addressed without success.
They stated that their poor conditions of service had caused chronic brain drain in the health sector with over 4000 resignations in the last three years.
Instead of engaging with the health workers to address their concerns in good faith, draconian measures have been introduced to illegally prevent health workers from leaving the country, including through the refusal to issue certificates of good standing.
We call for the concerns that have been raised to be addressed immediately to ensure that the citizens’ right to health is respected.
As the alternative and a government-in-waiting, we wish to put forward highlights of the alternative CCC health policy approach which will solve the nation’s health crisis at its root.

By- Three CCC members arrested at Moreblessing Ali’s funeral have been taken to court.

Police arrested the three instead of arresting Zanu PF activists who caused the havoc at the late CCC activist’s funeral.

Posting on Twitter, CCC said they were worried about the selective application of the law by the police.

CCC posted:

Our members whose houses were burnt to ashes by suspected Zanu PF thugs in Nyatsime will appear at the Harare Magistrate Court at 3pm today on trumped up charges of inciting public violence. Let’s all attend in solidarity with the trio of Jeche, Guzha & Makona.

? Our members whose houses were burnt to ashes by suspected Zanu PF thugs in Nyatsime will appear at the Harare Magistrate Court at 3pm today on trumped up charges of inciting public violence.Let’s all attend in solidarity with the trio of Jeche, Guzha & Makona. pic.twitter.com/prbS3uNoVh

— Citizens' Coalition for Change (@CCCZimbabwe) June 23, 2022

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) is appealing for information which may lead to the identification of the biological parents of two children who were rescued from kidnappers in 2020 in Mutoko.

The girl is aged 7 while the boy is aged 6. They are both currently living at a children’s home in Harare. ZRP national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said:

The two infants were rescued by the Police at Chakufuna Village, Mudzi in Mutoko in 2020 after they were kidnapped by the suspect, Gift Chemhuru and his wife, Miriam Bwanali.

The suspects are also linked to another case of kidnapping involving a minor which occurred in Harare in 2020. The minor was positively identified by her mother.

Gift Chemhuru was arrested while Miriam Bwanali is on the run.

Anyone with information to contact, National Complaints Desk on (0242) 703631, or WhatsApp 0712800197 or report at any nearest Police Station.

By A Correspondent- Police in Mashonaland East Province have recovered suspected human remains allegedly belonging to an elderly woman who went missing in April this year.

Beatrice Kunyiminya (75) went missing on 24 April 2022 from her homestead in Marimo Village, Juru.

The human remains were discovered by another villager, scattered in tall grass.

The villager informed Beatrice’s relative Joseph Kunyiminya who then reported the matter to the police.

The scene was attended to by Juru police officers and they recovered a human skull, bones, floral dress, doek, hat and a white blouse.

The remains were taken to Murewa District Hospital for postmortem and DNA testing.

Beatrice’s relatives believe that the remains are that of their missing relative.

By A Correspondent- Munyaradzi Chauraya, who has been trending lately following allegations of sexual abuse, is not a stranger in the corridors of criminal courts.

A local tabloid reports that Chauraya once appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts facing allegations of fraud after he duped a client of US$8 000 in a botched car deal in 2017.

The complainant in the matter was Clara Hambury.

The State failed to prove the allegations leading to Chauraya applying for discharge at the close of the State’s case and the Court ruled that the case was weak and lacked merit.

In June last year, Chauraya appeared at the same court, this time as a complainant after he lost R138 000, in a botched car deal.

It is the State’s case that on June 16, Chauraya came across an advert where one Governor Chirume was advertising cars and claiming to be a car dealer in South Africa.

Chauraya allegedly ordered an Isuzu KB300, which Chirume offered for R138 000, inclusive of driving it to Beitbridge Border Post.

The following day, Chauraya deposited R130 000 into Chirume’s South African account FNS Bank.

He then filed a police report after the accused failed to deliver the car or reimburse the money.

Chauraya is currently facing allegations of child abuse after a video in which he forced a toddler to touch his private parts found its way on social media streets.

Following Chauraya’s recent accusations, his girlfriend Natalie Taruvinga (the mother of the alleged abused child) has said she was threatened with a gun by the dealer if she disclosed the existence of the video and she also prays that justice should prevail.

She said:

“I was physically abused by Munyaradzi and he is the one who sent the video of the minor holding his manh00d to my cellphone,” said Natalie.

“He came to my place of residence to assault me after I decided to dump him following the abuse he subjected me to.

“I kept the video and one of my sisters discovered the video and informed other relatives about it.

Tinashe Sambiri| Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration is largely failing to address the concerns of citizens, CCC leader President Nelson Chamisa has said.

The CCC leader also challenged government leaders to perform and deliver expected results.

“ADVICE TO GOVERNMENT LEADERS; JUST PERFORM & DELIVER!!

When you perform and lead so well, you render opposition or criticism so irrelevant, meaningless and unnecessary.

The best way to silence opposition or critics is to perform & serve the citizens so excellently .#FakaPressure.”

By A Correspondent- The opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has condemned a court decision Wednesday to deny party legislators Job Sikhala and Godfrey Sithole bail.

The duo returned to remand after they were refused bail by deputy chief magistrate, Gibson Mandaza.

The two were arrested a week ago after violence rocked to funeral wake and memorial services for murdered CCC activist, Moreblessing Ali.

Said the magistrate; “It is the view of this court that the State has managed to prove that the two accused should be denied bail.

“Accordingly therefore bail is denied to the two accused person will be in custody.”

CCC national spokesperson Fadzai Mahere said there was no justification for the court’s ruling.

She spoke to the media outside the courts;

Ali was allegedly murdered by one Pius Jamba who has since been arrested.

Prosecutors allege Sikhala posted videos encouraging public violence following the recovery of Ali’s dismembered, decomposing body.

Sithole is accused of acting in connivance with Sikhala by reportedly organising transport which ferried mourners to Ali’s homestead in Nyatsime.

The two lawmakers, who deny the charges, are being represented by Jeremiah Bamu and Alec Muchadehama.

They will be back in court on July 6.

Meanwhile, three other CCC activists also appeared in court Wednesday over the Nyatsime clashes.

Precious Jeche (41), Misheck Guzha (62) and Odius Makoma (42) appeared before Harare magistrate Dennis Mangosi charged with public violence.

They were remanded in custody to Thursday for a bail application.

According to court papers, the trio allegedly conspired to engage in acts of violence to avenge Ali’s while attending her funeral service on June 14, 2022.

It is alleged that the trio and accomplices still at large moved around the Nyatsime area breaking down windows and also burnt down the house of local Zanu-PF chairperson George Murambatsvina.

Prosecutors claim, the trio then proceeded to Chibhanguza shopping centre where they torched down a gazebo, damaged the windows of 13 shops, 4 beer halls and looted groceries.

The trio allegedly destroyed properties and houses of over 53 people in the Nyatsime local area.

The value of property damaged was estimated at ZW$5 800 000.-newsday

By A Correspondent- New details emerged yesterday during the trial of Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) members Joana Mamombe (Harare West MP), Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova who are accused of faking their abduction in 2020.

Andrew Manongore, the owner of the Mercedes Benz C type vehicle which the trio used and was parked at Harare Central Police Station at the time of their alleged abduction, said he had given the vehicle to Mamombe on May 13, 2020, the day the trio was allegedly abducted.

The vehicle is still parked at the Harare Central Police Station.

Giving evidence before Harare magistrate Faith Mushure, Manongore said he could not remember the vehicle’s number plates, but he identified it at the police station.

Prosecutor Michael Reza asked Manongore to confirm if the number plates were registered as AFE 9222, but he said if the registration number belonged to the Mercedes Benz vehicle parked at the police station, then it was his.

Further asked by Reza whether he was in control of that vehicle on the day the trio was abducted, he said Mamombe, Chimbiri and Marova had the vehicle.

In their defence, Mamombe and Chimbiri said they left the vehicle parked opposite Harare Central Police Station after they were arrested by some police officers who instructed them to lock it and get into a kombi which had tinted windows.

Manongore said he voluntarily gave the vehicle to Mamombe, but could not remember whether it had any special features.

He said his vehicle had no tracker, but had a spare key.

Mamombe and Chimbiri’s lawyer Alec Muchadehama asked Manongore to explain whether the vehicle could be opened in the absence of the owner.

But Manongore said he was not the one who assisted the police to park it in their parking lot.

“I was called by the police at a later stage to identify the vehicle at the Harare Central Police Station parking area. I cannot deny nor confirm their abduction as I also learnt about it on social media,” he said. Manongore also told the court that he could not deny nor confirm that the trio parked the vehicle opposite the police station and that they were later abducted, tortured or sexually abused in Muchapondwa village in Bindura where they were allegedly taken.

He is the sixth witness to testify in the matter. Other witnesses, Fortunate Machingauta and Takudzwa Shumbayaonda are expected to testify today.

Last week, Godfrey Mangezi from Econet Zimbabwe confirmed that calls made by the accused showed that they were located at the Harare Central Police Station.

Initially, police had denied arresting the trio

By A Correspondent- In another matter, three CCC activists yesterday appeared before Harare magistrate Dennis Mangosi to face charges of public violence.

This was after violence broke out in Nyatsime, Chitungwiza during slain CCC activist Moreblessing Ali’s funeral wake last week.

The trio, Precious Jeche (41), Misheck Guzha (62) and Odius Makoma (42) were represented by Noble Chinhanu who argued that the CCC supporters were actually victims of the violence, not perpetrators.

Chinhanu further submitted that during the melee in Nyatsime, his clients’ properties were destroyed.

They were remanded in custody to tomorrow for bail ruling.

Allegations are that on June 14, 2022, the trio in the company of other accomplices still at large, attended Ali’s funeral service in Nyatsime, where they connived to avenge, through violence, her brutal murder by suspected Zanu PF activist Pius Jamba.

The accused and their accomplices were reportedly transported from various locations to Nyatsime where they allegedly moved around on foot, stoning houses, breaking window panes and also burnt down the house of Zanu PF chairperson for Nyatsime, George Murambatsvina.

The State further alleges that they also went to Chibhanguza Shopping Centre in Chitungwiza, where they torched a gazebo, damaged windows of 13 shops, four beerhalls and looted groceries and electrical gadgets.

They are also accused of assaulting people and damaging vehicles and properties of 53 people in the Nyatsime area, prejudicing the community of $5,8 million.

Moses Mapanga prosecuted.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Workers from other sectors have started joining a tools down job action by health personnel and teachers who are demanding United States dollar salaries.

The strike entered its third day yesterday, leaving most major public hospitals paralysed,  while critically-ill patients were being turned away.

At Harare’s Parirenyatwa Hospital, the NewsDay crew saw patients lying on pavements unattended to. Some of them had come from far away for reviews for chronic diseases, while others sought treatment for ailments such as hypertension and diabetes.

A desperate patient said: “We have wasted our transport money coming for check-ups as per our scheduled reviews. I am supposed to do blood tests, but was told to come back again because doctors and nurses are on strike.”

In Bulawayo, nurses who have been on a go-slow, joined the strike and were not attending to patients at different institutions.

The health personnel turned up for work, but were not performing any duties.

“We spent the whole day watching nurses and doctors on strike,” a patient told NewsDay.

Zimbabwe Nurses Association president Enock Dongo said doctors and nurses in most parts of the country had joined the strike.

By A Correspondent- Women Excel Trust (WET), has urged parents to monitor their children at all times to protect them from possible sexual abuse.

This follows a viral video of a 2-year-old girl being sexually abused by her mother’s boyfriend.

In a statement, WET expressed shock over the video and demanded that the perpetrator be prosecuted. The statement reads:

Whilst we are still celebrating ‘Day of the African Child’, under this year’s theme: “Eliminating Harmful Practices Affecting Children…” these which include child abuse in all forms, it has come to our attention the video circulating on various social media platforms of a 2-year-old girl being sexually abused by her mother’s boyfriend.

We are appalled and deeply saddened by such a horrendous incident. Adults are supposed to be protectors of children but what has become of the society when they are turning out to be the main perpetrators of abuse?

As Women Excel Trust, we have zero tolerance for such kind of behaviour that impedes the child’s mental, health, moral and social development.

Children’s rights also entail the legal protection of children in conditions of freedom, security and dignity.

As such, we demand justice to be served accordingly. We call upon policymakers to enact stiffer penalties for such perpetrators.

We urge parents to monitor their children at all times and do away with the tendency of putting children at the centre of their conflicts.

By A Correspondent- Civil servants have advised Vice President Constantino Chiwenga to stop interfering in the affairs of the Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS).

In a letter dated 1 June 2022, addressed to Chiwenga, who is also the Health and Child Care minister, the Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (ZCPSTU) decried the Government’s tendency to sideline civil servants on the PSMAS issue. Reads the letter:

Your announcement, Your Excellency is regrettably, yet another example of the employer making a unilateral decision on a matter of collective bargaining nature without consulting its employees at all.

This observation is particularly important in view of the fact that on March 28 2022 we wrote to [Minister] Paul Mavima proposing that instead of Government directly paying subscriptions on behalf of civil servants to PSMAS, it was fairer if Government simply paid an allowance to all employees and leave them scout around and choose medical aid societies of their choice.

This would firstly allow freedom of choice and secondly allow numerous civil servants who are currently not on PSMAS and therefore not enjoying medical aid benefits, to also benefit therefrom.

We have taken note of the rather irrational scenario where we are paying more for funeral assurance than we do for medical aid. Surely, healthcare is more important than a burial.

… An agreement has to be reached between the employer and us, the employees, on new salaries for the civil servants sooner rather than later to avert industrial disharmony.

Our below-inflation wages have impacted our access to affordable quality healthcare and PSMAS is the most affected in this regard.

Civil servants are requesting to meet Chiwenga as soon as possible to address the concerns raised.

They believe the Public Service Commission (PSC) and Public Service and Social Welfare Minister Paul Mavima have failed to address their problems.

More: Business Times

By A Correspondent- A 43 year old man from Gwanda’s Magwe Irrigation Scheme under Chief Mathe and his accomplices have been accused of raiding Poly Packaging Pvt Ltd in Bulawayo at gunpoint and getting away with US$105 410.

The robbery allegedly happened on November 13 last year.

Nkosilathi Ncube from Metropolitan flat, Alexander Street Johannesburg in South Africa, pleaded not guilty to the armed robbery charges when he appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Dambudzo Malunga on Wednesday.

Malunga remanded him in custody to next Monday for continuation of trial.

Prosecutor Naison Chivayo told the court that on November 13, 2020 at 9:30am, Ncube who was in the company of two accomplices who are still at large went to Poly Packaging at Josiah Chimanamo road, Belmont armed with pistols.

On arrival they attacked a Fawcett security guard, Thandolwenkosi Dube, who was manning the main entrance, while one of them remained behind guarding him while they entered the premises and forced open the cashier’s office.

One of them jumped through an open window and gained entry into the office and found Anna Nheta inside.

He slapped her twice on the face, pointed a pistol at her, and opened the locked office door using the keys which he found hanging on the door.

They allegedly force-marched Nheta into the manager’s office where they found the manager, Conditioner Vavashe (30) with another employee Kudzaishe Chabvutagondo and threatened to shoot them and demanded cash and keys to the safe.

The robbers then allegedly took an unlocked small safe which was inside the big safe and emptied all the money into Vavashe’s handbag.

They stole a gold Samsung S7 Galaxy cellphone and then demanded car keys of a Toyota Corolla which they had found parked outside the company premises.

They also disarmed the security guard, Norman Mapfumbe of his service pistol, and a 38 special Rossi revolver.

The robbers locked the company officials into a storeroom before fleeing with the cash in the Toyota Corolla vehicle.

The same day at around 1pm, the stolen vehicle was found dumped at corner Fairbridge way and Blake road, Malindela.

Police from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) crime team attended the scene and uplifted the fingerprints from the vehicle; they also recovered car keys inside a blue overall which was found from the scene.

Investigations by police led to Ncube’s arrest while the other two accomplices are still at large and warrants of arrest have been issued on them.-newsday

By- The government of South Africa has dropped the wearing of face masks.

South Africa’s Health Minister, Joe Phaahla announced the repealing of regulations Wednesday evening.

Phaahla said:

NATIONAL HEALTH ACT, 2003

REGULATIONS RELATING TO THE SURVEILLANCE AND THE CONTROL OF NOTIFIABLE MEDICAL CONDITIONS: REPEAL

I Mathume Joseph Phaahla, Minister of Health hereby repeal Regulations 16A 16B and 16C of the Regulations Relating to the Surveillance and the Control of Notifiable Medical Conditions, made in terms of sections 90(i)(j), (k) and (w) of the National Health Act, 2003 (Act 61 of 2003), and promulgated on 4 May 2022 under Government Notice 2060, in their entirety.

The repeal of the Regulations concerned will come into operation on publication in the Gazette.

By- The Police have arrested five (5) more CCC Five supporters for attending the opposition’s activist Moreblessing Ali.

This takes to 10, including Members of Parliament, Job Sikhala (Zengeza West) and Godfrey Sithole (Chitungwiza North), the number of CCC supporters arrested.

The Harare Magistrate Court denied bail to the CCC MPs and three supporters of the opposition party, Misheck Guzha, Adious Makoma and Precious Jeche.

Sikhala and Sithole, who have been appearing in court in leg irons, were remanded in custody to 6 July.

Magistrate Gibson Mandaza said Sikhala and Sithole are “a threat to public security” and likely to re-offend if released on bail. Mandaza ruled that Sikhala had already disregarded a High Court order that barred him from using Social Media.

The ruling on the trio’s bail application will be delivered Thursady at 3 PM.

Noble Chinhanu, of the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, is representing the trio.

By- A Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) bus ploughed into a Highfield home Wednesday.

ZBC News reports that the family in Harare are lucky to be alive.
ZBC News arrived just after the accident, with family members breaking windows to come out of the house after the bus had blocked the veranda entrance.
The bus driver, which had no passengers, escaped unhurt, but the conductor sustained minor injuries and was immediately ferried to a local clinic for treatment.

By-CCC leader Nelson Chamisa Wednesday led hundreds who attended his party’s deputy chairman Job Sikhala and Chitungwiza North MP Godfrey Sithole’s court hearing.

Ostallos Siziba, the CCC deputy spokesperson, posted pictures of Chamisa at Harare magistrate’s courts on Twitter.

Siziba posted:

Shoulder to Shoulder: In Court today in solidarity with our #NyatsimeTrio together with Hon Job Sikhala and Hon Gody Sithole for their bail hearings. We stand together knowing fully well that one day We Shall Be Free!! Solidarity always! Thank you Champions #FakaPressure

Tinashe Sambiri|CCC leader President Nelson Chamisa has unpacked a comprehensive transformation plan set to revive the ailing economy.

According to President Chamisa, the county’s education system is in the graveyard.

In a statement on Tuesday, President Chamisa bemoaned the demise of the country’s health sector.

See full statement below:

OUR RAPID & ACCELERATED TRANSFORMATION OF THE ECONOMY PLAN

The CITIZENS government will come up with policy framework and turnaround strategy which among others includes the following:

1. Develop demand driven policies informed by inclusive policies and inclusive politics anchored upon an inclusive dialogue with all political actors, economic players, labour, business, civil society and academia with a view to build A NEW CONSENSUS and buy-in.
2. Our policies will be predictable, consistent and guarantee certainty – this will help citizens, economic agents, workers, business and investors to plan with certainty.
3. The corrupt will be an endangered species and extinct. We will eliminate corruption, enforce rule of law, foster political tolerance, constitutionalism and respect of property rights, which, combined, are critical ingredients required to attract investment, savings and production.

4.Resolving the debt crisis in Zimbabwe by engaging the multilateral community and opening Zimbabwe to the world.

5.We will make Zimbabwe an entrepreneurial society- new industries, new factories and new companies and new sectors and employing more.

6.We will embark on radical Central Bank reforms on the back of wide consultation with bankers, business and labour.

7.We will start with full dollarization and then create a conducive environment and the right confidence levels for the adoption of our local currency.

As part of our de-dollarisation road map we will make sure that we meet the following: (i) fiscal consolidation; (ii) current account surplus; (iii) 6 months import cover (forex reserves); (iv) stable exchange rate; (v) single digit inflation; and (vi) productive and competitive economy.

8. On the back of a well functioning economy, powered by production and stable macroeconomic environment, we will provide a dynamic social services which inter alia includes a robust heath and education system, well functioning welfare system and a highly rewarding civil service which will attract workers from the private sector.

The monster and beast we are taming;
9.In 2018 annual inflation was 5% but the regime has guided inflation to 837.5% in July 2020 and somehow managed to drop inflation to 55% in July 2021 after having used hard earn foreign currency from the exporters to bribe the economy by dishing it our at unreasonably controlled rates – now they have run out of steam annual inflation is now raking havoc again and shot to 132% in May 2022 – its not turning back;

9. Prof Mthuli 2019 budget was $8.1 billion but has shot up by 11900% to $960 billion in 2022 – its unprecedented! Fun enough salaries have not risen by the same magnitude.
10. Poverty levels as reported by ZIMSTAT shows that people in extreme poverty has risen from 29% (4.64 million people) to 49% (7.9 million people), that is, an additional 69% of the population was pushed into extreme in the last 4 years.
11. Civil servants were earning US$540 but teachers are now taking home ZWL$30,000 which is equivalent to US$42 …
12. Hospitals are now death traps …women are being asked to buy consumables for them to be registered to give birth;
13. Likewise, the education system is in the graveyard. Parents have assumed the role of government by paying teachers incentives with a view to arrest the situation.
14. War veterans and pensioners have been reduced to beggars.
15. Corruption has reached alarming levels. The recent audit on COVID funds shows that the monies were squandered and the targeted vulnerable people never received anything.

Failure is written everywhere and all over
This time let’s end and fix this !!

FakaPressure

By- The Police have arrested five (5) more CCC Five supporters for attending the opposition’s activist Moreblessing Ali.

This takes to 10, including Members of Parliament, Job Sikhala (Zengeza West) and Godfrey Sithole (Chitungwiza North), the number of CCC supporters arrested.

The Harare Magistrate Court denied bail to the CCC MPs and three supporters of the opposition party, Misheck Guzha, Adious Makoma and Precious Jeche.

Sikhala and Sithole, who have been appearing in court in leg irons, were remanded in custody to 6 July.

Magistrate Gibson Mandaza said Sikhala and Sithole are “a threat to public security” and likely to re-offend if released on bail. Mandaza ruled that Sikhala had already disregarded a High Court order that barred him from using Social Media.

The ruling on the trio’s bail application will be delivered Thursady at 3 PM.

Noble Chinhanu, of the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, is representing the trio.

By-Zengeza West MP Job Sikhala and his Chitungwiza North counterpart Godfrey Sithole have been denied bail.

The two are in prison for demanding justice in the gruesome murder of CCC activist Moreblessing Ali.

A Harare magistrate Wednesday denied the two bail and said they would cause chaos if released.

The two were arrested on Tuesday on charges of incitement to commit violence.

Sikhala, the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) deputy national chairperson and Sithole, the Chitungwiza North legislator, are being accused of mobilising their party supporters to unleash violence in Nyatsime, Chitungwiza, during a memorial service for Moreblessing Ali.
Ali, a CCC member, was abducted outside a nightclub in Nyatsime on May 14, and her dismembered remains were discovered in a disused well at a farm in Beatrice, about 10km away from where she was taken.
The chief suspect in her murder, Pius Jamba (31) was arrested last Friday and was on Saturday remanded in custody.

Magistrate Gibson Mandaza, remanded Sikhala and Sithole in custody to July 6 this year and their lawyers immediately indicated that they would
be launching an urgent appeal at the High Court.
In denying them bail, magistrate Gibson Mandaza said Sikhala and Sithole were “a threat to public security” and were likely to re-offend if
released.

– New Ziana

By- A Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) bus has crashed into a Highfield home.

ZBC News reports that the family in Harare are lucky to be alive.
ZBC News arrived just after the accident, with family members breaking windows to come out of the house after the bus had blocked the veranda entrance.
The bus driver, which had no passengers, escaped unhurt, but the conductor sustained minor injuries and was immediately ferried to a local clinic for treatment.

By-The Zanu PF regime, through the Harare magistrate Mrs Munashe Chibanda has for the second time dismissed an application for exception filed by a legal clerk with Tendai Biti Law Chambers who is facing two fresh counts of fraud due to lack of merit.

The magistrate ruled that the trial should commence on June 29.

Constantine Chaza had applied for an exception on amended charges arguing that the charges on the State outline do not constitute an offence.
In dismissing the application, Mrs Chibanda said Chaza’s application lacked merit.
On the first count, it is alleged that on February 26, 2020 at the High Court in Harare, Chaza tendered a fake special power of attorney from Elliot Rogers in the matter in which the complainant, Tendai Mashamhanda, was the other party.

The court acted upon the misrepresentation and allowed Chaza to file the papers.
The matter came to light when Mashamhanda managed to contact Rogers in the United Kingdom, who denied giving Chaza any power of attorney and the matter was reported to the police.
The special power of attorney tendered by Chaza was checked out by the CID Forensic Laboratory for analysis together with other documents that Rogers signed and it was allegedly discovered that the documents were not signed by the same person.
On the second count, it is alleged that on October 18 2021 at the High Court in Harare, Chaza again allegedly tendered a fake special power of attorney from Rogers in another case.

It is further alleged that the matter came to light when the complainant, Piwayi Chiutsi, noted that the signature on the special power of attorney dated September 27, 2015 was different from the signature by Rogers on an affidavit done on October 7, 2014 and a report was made to the police.

Chaza is on $5 000 bail on another matter involving perjury charges after allegedly filing a false statement under oath at the High Court.
-State media

By-CCC leader Nelson Chamisa Wednesday led hundreds who attended his party’s deputy chairman Job Sikhala and Chitungwiza North MP Godfrey Sithole’s court hearing.

Ostallos Siziba, the CCC deputy spokesperson, posted pictures of Chamisa at Harare magistrate’s courts on Twitter.

Siziba posted:

Shoulder to Shoulder: In Court today in solidarity with our #NyatsimeTrio together with Hon Job Sikhala and Hon Gody Sithole for their bail hearings. We stand together knowing fully well that one day We Shall Be Free!! Solidarity always! Thank you Champions #FakaPressure

By-A Harare magistrate Wednesday denied bail to Zengeza West MP Job Sikhala and his Chitungwiza North counterpart Godfrey Sithole and said the two would cause chaos if released.

The two were arrested on Tuesday on charges of incitement to commit violence.
Sikhala, the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) deputy national chairperson and Sithole, the Chitungwiza North legislator, are being accused of mobilising their party supporters to unleash violence in Nyatsime, Chitungwiza, during a memorial service for Moreblessing Ali.
Ali, a CCC member, was abducted outside a nightclub in Nyatsime on May 14, and her dismembered remains were discovered in a disused well at a farm in Beatrice, about 10km away from where she was taken.
The chief suspect in her murder, Pius Jamba (31) was arrested last Friday and was on Saturday remanded in custody.

Magistrate Gibson Mandaza, remanded Sikhala and Sithole in custody to July 6 this year and their lawyers immediately indicated that they would
be launching an urgent appeal at the High Court.
In denying them bail, magistrate Gibson Mandaza said Sikhala and Sithole were “a threat to public security” and were likely to re-offend if
released.

– New Ziana

By-A Harare magistrate Wednesday denied bail to Zengeza West MP Job Sikhala and his Chitungwiza North counterpart Godfrey Sithole and said the two would cause chaos if released.

The two were arrested on Tuesday on charges of incitement to commit violence.
Sikhala, the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) deputy national chairperson and Sithole, the Chitungwiza North legislator, are being accused of mobilising their party supporters to unleash violence in Nyatsime, Chitungwiza, during a memorial service for Moreblessing Ali.
Ali, a CCC member, was abducted outside a nightclub in Nyatsime on May 14, and her dismembered remains were discovered in a disused well at a farm in Beatrice, about 10km away from where she was taken.
The chief suspect in her murder, Pius Jamba (31) was arrested last Friday and was on Saturday remanded in custody.

Magistrate Gibson Mandaza, remanded Sikhala and Sithole in custody to July 6 this year and their lawyers immediately indicated that they would
be launching an urgent appeal at the High Court.
In denying them bail, magistrate Gibson Mandaza said Sikhala and Sithole were “a threat to public security” and were likely to re-offend if
released.

– New Ziana