Tinashe Sambiri|The dreaded Central Intelligence Organization has released a report indicating that the Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa’s support is dwindling.

Top intelligence sources have revealed Mr Mnangagwa is losing sleep over the report.

The report reveals that Mr Mnangagwa will lose the 2023 Presidential Election to President Nelson Chamisa.

“Zimbabwe’s state security agency, Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) says in an internal secret report as things stand Zanu PF may lose the crucial 2023 general elections to Nelson Chamisa’s Citizens Coaliton for Change with its popularity rating down to 45% from above 60%,” said The NewsHawks in a report.

Citizens’ Coalition for Change – Montreal also wrote on Twitter:
“A top secret CIO report to JOC has it that if elections are held today
@nelsonchamisa
will defeat
@edmnangagwa
by over 64%.The report mentioned,ED has to find a quick fix to the economy & government workers salaries if he is to win back the voters_

Does ED have any solutions?”

Citizens’ Coalition for Change has condemned the persecution of its members by the Zanu PF regime in Kwekwe:
“ALERT Chairperson Makombe has been arrested for doing a road show in Gweru which brought the city to a halt. He is detained with 3 other CCC members.”

By A Correspondent– Finance minister Mthuli Ncube has ruled out a return to dollarisation, as he maintained that huge pockets of the market required the free falling domestic unit.

In an interview with Standardbusiness after attending an event to relist Tanganda Tea Company on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange last week, Ncube said companies required local dollars to buy foreign currency on the forex auction system.

He said significant pockets of the economy were still paying taxes in Zimbabwe dollars, making it important to maintain the local unit to trade along with the United States dollar.

The Finance minister spoke amid a groundswell of anger across markets that have seen unsettled by the pace of decimation of the local unit against the US dollar.

He said instead of decommissioning the currency for the second time in a decade, he was working around the clock to stabilise the exchange rate.

“We are dealing with issues about market design in terms of strengthening the auction, fine tuning it and getting rid of the backlog,” Ncube said.

“Also, Treasury, every week  puts into the market about US$15 million so all of that, in my view will go a long way in achieving a stable domestic currency.”

The Zimbabwe dollar has retreated significantly on the parallel market, depreciating from about US$1:$120 in January last year to about US$1:$230 currently.

The bloodbath has also been significant on the foreign currency auction system, where it is trading at US$1:$116,65 this week, from US$1:$108,66 on January 1, 2022.

Zimbabwe dollarised in 2009 after the currency collapsed under 500 billion percent inflation in December 2008.

Ncube reintroduced the Zimbabwe dollar as the main medium of exchange in 2019, but it has had little respite since its return, triggering recent calls across markets for re-dollarisation.

But even if government delays official re-dollarisation, significant sections of the economy are already trading in United States dollars, and experts see the trend continuing in the coming months.

Last week, bank workers became the latest of a growing list of workers demanding United States dollar salaries.

“The current system is just right for Zimbabwe as we transition through this economic reform agenda,” Ncube told Standardbusiness.

“At the moment, we do need both currencies — the hard currency and the soft currency.

“We are acutely aware that some agents try to attract US dollars to themselves, but some also need Zimbabwe dollars.

“You need Zimbabwe dollars to go to the auction.

“There is also demand for Zimbabwe dollars.

“If you look at government taxes, for example, 70% of government taxes are largely in Zimbabwe dollars. Our expenditure follows a similar pattern,” the minister added.

He said most bank deposits were in Zimbabwe dollars, hence  the need to keep the local currency.

“The issue has just been the price discovery process and we have been definitely fine tuning our designing of the exchange rate system so that we can achieve stability,” Ncube said.

“But, we will continue with this system for the foreseeable future.”

However, uncertainty mounted over the effects of a volatile currency last week, with the United States Agency for International Development saying that the prices of goods and basic services had rocketed beyond the reach of many.

Unicef reported last week that 2,4 million people, mostly in urban areas, became food insecure at the end of last year owing to the currency depreciation and high inflation.

However, Ncube told Standardbusiness that the economy was growing.

“Treasury and the central bank are doing a lot to make sure we attain stability in our currency and general macroeconomic environment,” he said.

“First order of business is fiscal stability, just making sure that the government finances balance and that it does not contribute to instability by forcing the central bank to print money or indeed issue excessive Treasury Bills.

“That is the first order of business and we are doing everything to make sure that everything balances.

“On the monetary front, the central bank is instituting monetary targeting, targeting what we call reserve money at 10% and below in terms of growth per quarter, that is a good target.

“That target is consistent with us achieving lower double-digit inflation by year end.

“On the external side, because you need that front as well, we are promoting exports making sure that they are growing.

“We also have healthy remittances flowing through so if you look at it, the currency account is positive and is in surplus.

“So those are three fundamental pillars for a strong economy.

“The economy is growing,” he added.

In a statement released on Friday,  Ncube said privately held foreign currency reserves in Zimbabwean banks had grown to over US$2 billion from just US$300 million in 2018.

He said official reserves also increased to US$1,2 billion from less than US$100 million, which includes the US$960 million equivalent in special drawing rights availed by the International Monetary Fund to Zimbabwe.

“All mining royalties are now payable in Zimbabwe dollars up-to a limit of 50% of royalties due;

“b) All duties and taxes on the importation of designated motor vehicles are now payable in Zimbabwe dollars again up-to a limit of 50% of duties and taxes payable;

“c) All domestic taxes due from exporters on their export receipts are now payable in both foreign and local currency in direct proportion to the approved export retention levels.

“As an example, an exporter who receives foreign currency of say US$1 000 at a 40% surrender ration (60% retention) will pay taxes on the 40% in Zimbabwe dollars and the 60% in foreign currency,” the statement added.

By A Correspondent- A family in Nyanga had to forgo sadza for about two years as a mysterious invisible hand has been seizing cooking sticks from them whenever they try to prepare a meal that requires the utensil.

Josphat Matsidza of Tombo Village which falls under Chief Saunyama’s area said that his family members have left him, accusing him of causing all the problems.

It is alleged that the Matsidza’s woes started after he stole a black satchel from a fellow villager, Collins Choto, during one of Acting Chief Saunyama’s court sessions in 2018.

The bag reportedly contained two stones that Matsidza allegedly thought were pieces of gold.

It however emerged that the pebbles were ritual stones that were picked from where Choto’s father died during the war of independence.

It was alleged that Senior Choto’s remains were recovered on Mapako Mountain and that he had instructed his son (Collins) to collect the two stones and place them on his grave.

Matsidza recently confessed to taking Choto’s bag, which he returned to its rightful owner through Acting Chief Saunyama.

Narrating his ordeal at Acting Chief Saunyama’s court, where Choto was also present, Matsidza said he almost lost his sight. He said:

My wife deserted me after the mysterious hand started grabbing the cooking stick from her hand every time she tried to make a meal.

The mysterious hand does not want anyone to prepare a meal with a spoon or wooden cooking stick.

It just grabs the utensil from you and takes over the cooking. It is scary.

After cooking the food, the hand picks the lid and places it on the pot. No one has the guts to open that pot and dish up.

At first, we would go to our neighbours and extended family’s homesteads to eat, but it just got worse.

He pleaded with the court to help him in resolving the issue saying he is surviving on rice as he can prepare it without stirring the pot.

Matsidza said he did not steal the bag but took it thinking it was his since his bag was similar to Choto’s.

He said he regrets not returning the bag to the court after realising that it did not belong to him.

Choto said they were yet to rebury his father as they could not do so without the stones. He said:

Those stones were supposed to be placed on my father’s grave. We had not yet re-buried him then, and we later had to do so without those stones.

I do not know whether this mysterious hand belongs to my late father or not. All l can do is take the stones to my father’s grave and place them there as planned.

We will wait to see whether Matsidza’s problems will persist.

Acting Chief Saunyama advised the two families to seek spiritual help to ascertain whether the strange happenings were linked to the bag or not.

The matter was adjourned to 11 February.-manicapost

By A Correspondent- Senior ZANU PF officials are reportedly anxious after a recent security report showed that the ruling party had a 45% probability of winning the 2023 elections.

ZANU PF supporters are said to be unhappy over the outcome of internal elections held at the end of 2021 and the Government’s failure to deliver after the 2017 military coup.

Last year, the ruling party conducted a restructuring exercise that culminated in provincial elections in December. However, losing candidates complained of massive rigging during the polls.

The numbers that were reflected after the restructuring exercise could have been inflated by party officials, the report revealed.

ZANU PF has begun the verification of its structures again due to the threat posed by the Citizens’ Convergence for Change (CCC) led by Nelson Chamisa.

Harare provincial political commissar Kudakwashe Damson confirmed to The NewsHawks that they were verifying the structures again. He said:

The current executive verification is part of by-elections preparations; we are doing executive verification for all structures.

We know executive members from the cell to province can win us elections so we just want to know if the structures are genuine.

We also want to make sure that all the executive members are registered to vote because this will help us to win elections.

Sources said that ZANU PF bigwigs are worried after the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) report indicated that the ruling party is headed for defeat in next year’s general elections. Said a source:

The party is being advised to find ways to delay the 2023 elections because according to a recent security report, ZANU PF has a 45% chance of winning.

There is serious discord on the ground, especially in provinces such as Mashonaland East, West, Central and Masvingo because provincial elections there did not go well.

People have made it clear that they will vote with the opposition if the party does not address their grievances which include imposed leaders.

HRDs Alert
7 February 2022

THREE pupils at Gokomere High School are scheduled to stand trial on Monday 7 February 2022 at Masvingo Magistrates Court answering to charges of committing public violence for allegedly protesting against poor diet and learning conditions last year.

The three pupils were recently summoned to appear at Masvingo Magistrates Court to answer to charges of committing public violence as defined in Section 36(1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

The three pupils are part of 40 Gokomere High School students, who were left nursing some injuries when they were severely assaulted by some Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers who arrested them on Sunday 7 November 2021 and on Monday 8 November 2021 after they were accused of staging a demonstration at the school against unsuitable
learning conditions.

The pupils spent time detained at Masvingo Rural Police Station and were only released on Monday 8 November 2021 following representations made by Martin Mureri of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, who emphasised the need to engage the students’ parents or guardians to the Officer-In-Charge of Masvingo Rural Police Station rather than keeping them in detention.

Last year, Mureri protested against the conduct of police officers who arrested and assaulted the pupils and left them in bad shape.

Mureri asked ZRP officers to probe the brutal assault of the pupils and furnish him with the names of law enforcement agents who ill-treated the students.

But in response, the Officer Commanding Masvingo Province only identified as Assistant Commissioner Mbengwa, told Mureri that the pupils were injured because they were trying to evade arrest and that they were very violent.

Mbengwa stated that ZRP officers were deployed to quell a disturbance and said video evidence and pictures handed over to law enforcement agents by Mureri is inadmissible as they are from an uknown source and do not reveal the identity of any complainant.

HRDs Alert
4 February 2022

THIRTY-NINE veterans of Zimbabwe’s liberation war on Friday 4 February 2022 pleaded not guilty to charges of promoting public violence as their trial for allegedly singing “Chimurenga” songs commenced before Harare Magistrate Barbra Mateko.

The liberation war veterans are on trial after they were arrested by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers on 26 October 2021 in central Harare and charged with participating in a gathering with intent to promote public violence, breaches of peace or bigotry as defined in Section 37(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

Prosecutors claim that the war veterans gathered at Africa Unity Square singing “Chimurenga songs” with the intention to promote pubic violence or breaches of peace or realising that there was a real risk or possibility of forcibly disturbing the peace, security or order of the public.

The war veterans, prosecutors charged, intended to handover a petition to Parliament and at Munhumutapa Building, which houses President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s offices outlining their grievances but were told to only allow five people to do so but reportedly refused and insisted that they all wanted to present as a group.

The prosecutors claimed that the war veterans refused to heed an order issued by ZRP officers to disperse and started singing “revolutionary songs” and thereby disturbing the peace and movement of pedestrians and some vehicles.

After pleading not guilty at the commencement of their trial, the war veterans filed an application excepting to the charges.

In the application, the war veterans’ lawyers Paidamoyo Saurombe, Idirashe Chikomba and Tinashe Chinopfukutwa of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, asked Magistrate Mateko to uphold their application for exception and acquit the former liberation war fighters.

Saurombe, Chikomba and Chinopfukutwa argued that the charge as set out in the charge sheet and State outline is defective as it does not disclose an offence and also lacks sufficient detail and particularity to inform the war veterans of the case they have to meet.

They also argued that it is not clear from the charge what is meant by the phrase “Chimurenga song” as to whether it refers to the music coined and played by the musician Thomas Mapfumo or to the songs layed during the war of liberation.

The human rights lawyers stated that whatever the phrase “Chimurenga songs” means does not suffice to disclose an offence in terms of Section 37(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act and that Chimurenga songs, in one form or another, are routinely sung and played at national events and during national holidays while people
are gathered hence that on its own does and cannot constitute an offence.

In addition, the lawyers stated that the charge and State outline did not specify the nature and particular lyrics of the Chimurenga songs which the war veterans were allegedly singing which would have created an intention on their part to forcibly disturb the peace, security or order of the public hence gathering and singing Chimurenga songs on its own does not constitute an offence.

The war veterans return to court on 28 February 2022 when Magistrate Mateko will hand down her ruling on the application for exception.

By A Correspondent- Zanu-PF national political commissar, Mike Bimha, has been caught up in the deadly factional firestorm raging in President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Midlands backyard amid reports he received a US$4 000 cash inducement from one of the rival camps to alter results of provincial elections held last December.

The bribery claim was immediately dismissed as “rubbish and nonsense” by Midlands provincial chairman Larry Mavhima who said Bimha would was a “reputable guy of means”.

“That is hogwash and bull sh*t. That is very ridiculous and weak,” Mavhima told NewZimbabwe.com

“I cannot even find a word to describe such kind of rubbish and nonsense. The NPC (national political commissar) is a reputable guy of means. We don’t need to buy anybody at all, except to get the truth and truth will set us free, the truth will make voters happy,” Mavima told NewZimbabwe.com in an interview.

However, Multiple sources from the province said Bimha was given the money during a meeting between him and a delegation led by Mavhima.

The meeting reportedly took place at the Zanu-PF national headquarters in Harare on January 27. Among the delegates were former cabinet minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and Shurugwi North legislator Robsoin Nyathi.

It is said Mavhima and company want Bimha to expunge election results for Shurugwi districts because of anomalies that characterised the provincial polls on in December.

Rivals accuse Bimha of siding with a camp reportedly fronted by provincial heavyweight Joram Gumbo. Gumbo is allegedly diametrically opposed to rival group led by Local Government minister July Moyo.

The two are engaged in a bitter wrangle over who should be considered the provincial godfather and camps have ensembled around them.

Sources said Mavima on January 27 travelled to the Zanu-PF headquarters in Harare, where he met with Bimha and handed over the cash.

Mavima, who doubles up as Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, is reportedly working with former politburo member Mumbengegwi, former provincial chairman Daniel Mackenzie Ncube and Nyathi to alter the set-up of the newly installed provincial coordinating committee (PCC) which sources claim is dominated by July Moyo’s loyalists.

They are reportedly particularly targeting Shurugwi district.

Although efforts to get comment from Bimha were fruitless, Mavima confirmed getting wind of the alleged plot, before shooting down the bribery claims.

He confirmed they met with Bimha and that they are seeking to overturn election results but said this was being done in order to rectify a misnorma.

“Why would we buy people to fake figures? Maybe those that played dirty games are ones trying to soil our names. I have my own ways and means to survive, l work and have businesses, so does the NPC. What is US$4 000? Well, they say it’s a deposit, l saw that. But that is rubbish, absolute rubbish and it doesn’t deserve comment from me, neither does it deserve comment from NPC,” he said.

Disgruntled losing Zanu-PF candidates, Mavima said, must not “take losses to such levels of being mischievous”.

He said those that rigged their way to leadership positions will be kicked out of the party at his instigation.

“We as a party will do the right thing, if somebody cheated we will follow rules, proper ways and they will be chucked out, period! We don’t need to pay anybody money to set the record straight, or getting things done properly, no. It’s very upsetting, but that is politics and that’s how things are to smear people’s names, smear my name, the NPC’s name,” he said.

Contacted for comment, Nyathi also absolved himself from any bribery attempt.

“I wish that law (Data Protection Act) is applied to deter those bent on peddling malicious claims, without authenticity, about other individuals. Surely, the level of evil among man has reached Sodom and Gomorrah proportions. This is a smear campaign, l am a responsible person and l cannot tarnish my name because of money,” Nyathi told NewZimbabwe.com.

Efforts to get comment from Mumbengegwi were unsuccessful by the time of publishing.

But sources from the rival camp insisted money exchanged hands.

“The process started with attempts to distort provincial election results. This process involved trying to rope in Ms Gwazemba-Ushewokunze who was responsible for elections supervision in the Midlands. Ms Gwazemba has since been promoted to work in Bimha’s office at the HQ in order to allow easy consolidation of the plan to force her to doctor the results, a plan she may not know how sustainable it is,” a source close to proceedings said.

“On Thursday (January 27), the money was carried to Bimha by Mavima as part of the scheme that involves former Provincial Chairperson Daniel Mckenzie Ncube. Ncube is a politically wounded soul in the province and feels must be appointed to a ministerial position soon, hence they want Lary Mavima to reward him by appointing Nyathi’s loyalists and to prepare his rise to a ministerial position,” the source said.

“The challenge that is stunning most Zanu-PF supporters in the province is the disruptive nature of their politics and a clearly choreographed act that saw bussing of people to a meeting last weekend, to cause havoc at an inter-district meeting in Shurugwi. The disruptions are used by Bimha as justification for reconfiguring the election results so that a report is made to the province as the president’s directive.”

The Midlands province has lately been hit by deep-seated factional fights that led to the recent removal of Owen “Mudha” Ncube from his position as state security minister after he defied Mnangagwa’s directive to stop involving himself in the province’s affairs.

Ncube was accused of fanning violence at Zanu-PF meetings, commandeering and intimidating senior party officials, among other charges

By A Correspondent- Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has warned ratepayers that it will disconnect water supplies to defaulting residents, adding that it is owed $1,3 billion.

Last month, BCC introduced credit control measures to recover amounts owed by residents, industries, government departments and ministries.

In a notice over the weekend, Bulawayo town clerk Christopher Dube said: “The City of Bulawayo would like to advise its valued customers, ratepayers and stakeholders that we will be intensifying debt collection from the month of February 2022 through service restrictions and other measures to all residential and commercial properties whose accounts are in arrears.”

He said residents could make payment arrangements to avoid penalties.

Last year in November council revealed that its credit control policy was reaping positive results as rate payments had improved from 13% to 71% after a number of ratepayers settled their bills.

The council’s finance and development committee chairperson, councillor Tawanda Ruzive said the new measures had seen an uptick in rates payment.

Ruzive urged ratepayers to make payments every month to avoid penalties.

Bulawayo mayor, councillor Solomon Mguni last year said only 13% of the residents paid their bills in full in 2020.

By A Correspondent- Twelve Mashonaland West Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) officials arrested last year at the party’s Chinhoyi offices while holding a meeting have been acquitted.

Authorities claimed the meeting contravened Covid-19 lockdown regulations.

The 12 are part of the party’s Mashonaland West provincial administrative committee (PAC).

The officials are; provincial chairman Ralph Magunje (50), Tawanda Bvumo (47), Emmanuel Chinanzvavana (48), Edward Dzeka (45), Kuda Mandishona (45), Kudakwashe Chigumo (50), Richard Vitirinyu (40), Wilson Makanyaire (38), Abigail Usai (47), Collen Mapfumo (35), provincial spokesperson Blessing Mandava (43) and Pauline Sibanda (27).

Magistrate Lisa Mutendereki freed the dozen CCC activists following full trial.

During the lengthy trial, the 12 through their lawyer Fortune Murisi, argued they did not commit any offence and described their arrests as unlawful.

Defence argued they were attending a funeral meeting to make burial arrangements for a deceased member, and that their number was within the prescribed 30 people.

The group was facing charges of contravening the national lockdown restrictions by holding an illegal meeting, knowing that such gathering was prohibited.

The state case, led by Review Nikisi, was that on February 20, 2021 at around 1pm, the accused persons, acting in common purpose with others who are still at large, gathered at the then MDC Alliance party offices at 11048 Fairview, Mzari, Chinhoyi, to hold an illegal meeting.

The accused persons were not exempted to attend such a gathering under the Covid-19 regulations.

Police were tipped off on the gathering, leading to their arrest.

Contacted by NewZimbabwe.com over the acquittal, an ecstatic CCC provincial chairman Magunje welcomed the court’s verdict, describing it as “victory for democracy”.

He added the state’s allegations that there were more than 35 people gathered at the party office buttressed the fact that the arrests of 12 top officials was dramatised persecution.

“Assuming there were more than 30 people as alleged, did the police use black magic to arrest only the 12 provincial administrative committee members in their order of seniority,” Magunje said rhetorically.

He added: “As CCC provincial management committee we are extremely happy with the court outcome. This just goes to confirm that allegations against us were meant to stifle our political performance as the biggest opposition and government-in-waiting.

“Zanu-PF tried to stick charges under the guise of Covid-19 inorder to slow our political activism in the province, but we have been exonerated on the basis of our clear and accurate heads of arguments. The courts found no merit in our arrests, but this was just persecution.”

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) says ZANU PF has been forcing villagers to attend its meetings ahead of by-elections set to be held on 26 March this year.

In its January monthly monitoring report released on Sunday, ZPP said ZANU PF perpetrated 27% of cases of political violence that were recorded in January.

The MDC-T/MDC Alliance led by Douglas Mwonzora is said to be responsible for 1.03 % of the cases recorded. Part of the ZPP report read:

In January, ZANU PF local leaders forced villagers to attend the party’s meetings ahead of primary elections to select ZANU PF candidates to contest in the March 26 by-elections.

ZANU PF ward and district leaders used the same methods of harassment, intimidation and assault.

The party has for long abused its influence in government to manipulate aid distribution processes to deny aid to deserving beneficiaries who do not support it.

As the party drew towards the primary elections, it held several meetings in the respective wards and constituencies to mobilise those who were to choose the party’s candidates for the March 26 by-elections.

ZANU PF is also accused of using government farming inputs to buy votes, while opposition supporters were being denied the inputs.

In one of the incidents reported by ZPP, on 16 January 2021, at Siyawamwaya business centre in Murehwa North constituency, Munyaradzi Munetsi, a ZANU PF activist allegedly threatened villagers with violence if the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) won the Ward 8 council seat. The ZPP report reads:

ZANU PF once again used its coercive methods to mobilise people, and during the meetings, officials threatened attendees, especially in rural areas, that if they failed to vote for ZANU PF, they would be removed from social welfare and agricultural input lists of beneficiaries.

This happened under circumstances where those who chose not to support ZANU PF in the past had been denied agricultural input support under the government’s Pfumvudza agricultural inputs scheme.

However, ZANU PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa dismissed the ZPP report as misleading. He said:The police are there. ZPP should go and report to the police. ZPP is just pining to be in the news as persecutors of ZANU PF.

By A Correspondent- A self-styled prophet was arrested recently in the Chief Musikavanhu area after he allegedly opened fire on a 46-year-old man as he accused him of stealing his goats.

The incident happened in Chidzvururwi Village in Chief Musikavanhu’s area. Villagers and members of the apostolic sect who were present were left in shock.

The self-proclaimed prophet, Bond Junior Gumira Machiya (28), who is from Harare, shot his victim once on the left shoulder.

It is alleged Machaya shot Phineas Muumbe shortly after he had given him (the complainant), US$100 for unknown reasons.

Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) acting spokesperson in Manicaland Province Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the incident. He said:

Machiya who is a Harare-based prophet of an apostolic sect and Muumbe are neighbours and every time Machiya visits his rural home, he would dish out groceries as well as money to his followers.

On this occasion, Machiya assaulted one of the congregants from Harare following a dispute over the church’s leadership.

Muumbe heard screams coming from Machiya’s house and went there to investigate what was happening.

He found Machiya armed with a pistol pointed to the ground. Machiya fired a single shot. He then gave Muumbe US$100 before accusing him of stealing his goats.

He then pointed the firearm at Muumbe and shot him once on the left shoulder.

Muumbe was assisted by Nonsima Mujere who went on to report the matter to the police.

He was rushed to St Peter’s Mission Hospital where he was admitted.

Machiya was arrested.

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) has announced Liquid Petroleum Gas (LP Gas) prices for February 2022.

In a public notice this Monday, ZERA set the price of LP gas at US$2.03 and ZWL$234.15 per kilogramme.

This means that the price of gas in US dollars has fallen by US$0.02 from the January price which was pegged at US$2.05, while in Zimbabwe dollars, the price has increased from ZWL$222.32 set in January. ZERA said in the latest notice:

Operators are advised to display the prices at their retail outlets at a prominent place in clearly legible letters.

Please note that it is permissible to sell LPG at prices below the prescribed prices depending on one’s trading advantages.

The January price was a decrease from the retail price for LPG of US$2.14 per kilogramme or alternatively, ZWL$222.95 per kilogramme announced in December 2021.

This was a significant increase from the November 2021 prices which were pegged at US$2.05 per kilogramme and ZWL$$202.78 per kilogramme respectively

By A Correspondent- Three pupils at Gokomere High School are set to stand trial at Masvingo Magistrates’ Court this Monday on charges of committing public violence.

They were arrested last November for allegedly protesting against poor diet and learning conditions.

According to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), the three pupils were recently summoned to appear at Masvingo Magistrates Court to answer to charges of committing public violence as defined in Section 36(1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

The trio was part of 40 Gokomere High School students who were left nursing some injuries when they were severely assaulted by some Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers following their arrest on 7 and 8 November last year.

The ZRP accused the 40 pupils of staging a demonstration at the school against unsuitable learning conditions.

The pupils spent time detained at Masvingo Rural Police Station and were only released on 8 November 2021 after the intervention of human rights lawyers.

Last year, ZLHR lawyer Martin Mureri asked the ZRP to investigate the brutal assault of the pupils and give him the names of the police officers who ill-treated the students.

According to ZLHR, the Officer Commanding Masvingo Province only identified as Assistant Commissioner Mbengwa, told Mureri that the pupils were injured because they were trying to evade arrest and that they were very violent.

Mbengwa rejected video evidence and pictures handed over to law enforcement agents by Mureri as inadmissible.

He said the evidence was obtained from an unknown source and do not reveal the identity of any complainant

By A Correspondent- A Harare woman was so humiliated that she collapsed several times after her white wedding was stopped by the groom’s first wife in Harare on Saturday.

The groom, Everisto Mukura, who has four wives, intended to wed Anne Ntini Dube.

However, Everisto’s first wife, Sheron Chitowa, stopped the wedding after coming with her two children to the ceremony, and had their birth certificates, to prove her marriage.

Pastor Mathias Madzivanyika and his wife Mildred, who were among the guests, tried to console the bride and spoke to Sheron first before meeting Anne and Everisto.

Some of the invited guests wanted Everisto to hand a token of divorce (gupuro in Shona) to Sheron, so as to continue with the wedding ceremony.

Other guests blamed Everisto for preparing a wedding fully aware that he was attached to four other women. Said a guest:

Everisto deserves to be treated that way because he knew that he has four wives.

We have different types of marriage Acts in our country and he should have chosen one that goes with his beliefs or preferences.

A white wedding is for men who are comfortable with one wife, kwete vebarika (not polygamists).

As for Anne, she wasted our time in preparing two bridal showers when she was aware that Everisto had four wives.

The two have shamed us. They invited us to a shameful wedding.

Reverend Shirichena who was the presiding marriage officer said Everisto and Anne were not his congregants. He said:

The two are not my congregants but engaged me to officiate at their wedding.

They never said anything close to the issues that is why I asked with confidence if there was anyone among guests who had queries about the two.

By A Correspondent- Civic society organisations (CSOs) want government to withdraw the Private Voluntary Organisation (PVO) Bill and allow them to self-regulate to avoid external interference in their work.

Government gazetted the PVO Bill on November 5, 2021, which has been widely criticised by CSOs that say it was targeted at government critics and criminalises some of their work in defending human rights.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) January report titled The Great Gift of Active Citizens – How the PVO Bill Threatens Active Citizenship in Zimbabwe, which was released on Friday said many CSOs believed in self-regulation.

“They believe in self-regulation in order to maintain independence. The government should not have absolute power to control the operations of CSOs because this compromises independence and accountability,” ZimRights said.

“Civic engagement is not about regime change. It is about inclusive governance and economic growth. Citizen engagement can help governments to achieve improved development results in creating links between citizen engagement and improved public service delivery, public financial management, governance, social inclusion and empowerment. Communities are not passive. They are active and creative with the capacity to defend their interests.”

By A Correspondent- Two transformer thieves were shot and killed near Murombedzi Growth Point in a shoot-out with police after they failed to stop at a police checkpoint.

The incident happened on Saturday morning.

The six-member gang had vandalised a 200 kilovolt transformer at 162 Marevanani Zowa Farm in Zvimba, plunging the area into darkness.

According to a police memo, the six were spotted by the farm manager, Mr Brian Mariwa, in the early hours of Saturday while he was assessing the fields.

He noticed a gang of four in a thick bush stashing coils of copper windings in plastic sacks while a white Toyota Axio (AEP 3237) getaway vehicle with two occupants was later loaded with the sacks of copper windings.

Mr Mariwa then contacted Zvimba Police Station and the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) Chegutu’s loss control department.

Mr Mariwa also mobilised villagers who confronted the gang before apprehending Lovemore Murimira of Glen View 1, Harare, while five escaped.

“On the same date at around 0900hours, Chegutu Loss Control and detectives attended the scene where they discovered that a 200 kVA had been vandalised and three coils of copper windings stolen,” reads part of the police report.

The trio of Farai Chigudu, Takudzwa Masese and Fungai Muzhuzha, all from Highfield, Harare, were shot by police at the roadblock after violently attacking the police who had stopped their car.

A digital scale, bolt cutter, pliers and seven plastic sacks with coils of copper windings were recovered from the boot of their getaway car. Mike Tatenda Chigodora of Farm 48 Zowa, Lovemore Murimira of Glen View, Fungai Muzhuzha of Highfield and Jackson Chirindira of Kambuzuma – all from Harare – were taken into custody.

They are held at Zvimba Police Station. The bodies of the deceased were taken to Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital mortuary for post-mortem.

In another incident Takundwa Mutize, Munyaradzi Matongo, Tawanda Magomeri – all from Logan Farm – and Forget Mashonga of Glen Norah B in Harare, were arrested on February 1 at Nyamwanga Farm in Shamva after vandalising a 200kVA transformer at Hope Dale Farm in the area.

Police recovered 136,5kg transformer windings from the bush where they had been hidden awaiting transportation.

The suspects were later interviewed, and admitted to vandalising the transformer.

 A Correspondent- A report by Farm Orphans Support Trust (Fost) has revealed that boys also suffer sexual abuse, yet it was going unreported.

The study was done in collaboration with the department of Social Development, the Zimbabwe National Council on the Welfare of Children, Family Support Trust and Simukai Child Protection programme. It was launched in December last year with the aim of understanding the nature, causes and drivers of sexual abuse and exploitation of boys.

Fost executive director Blessing Mutama told NewsDay that gender norms and masculinity prevented men and boys from reporting sexual violations against them because of the stigma associated with it.

Conducted in Bindura, Harare and Mutare districts, where Fost is working with orphans and vulnerable children, the study provided in-depth insights into social, cultural and gender-related factors influencing sexual abuse of boys.

“It also included how social norms around gender shape and influence the sexual abuse of boys; and the nature and adequacy of support available for boys who are victims of sexual violence, including what is already being done to ensure that these boys grow up in a permanent, safe and caring family, or in quality alternative care where needed,” Mutama said.

He said during the research, they found that most boys were reluctant to report sexual abuse due to stigma, while friends were likely to turn them into a laughing stock.

“Given the high unemployment rate in the country, societal pressure leads some of these boys to venture into livelihood activities where they are vulnerable to sexual exploitation,” the study noted.

For example, the study said in Bindura some boys ventured into artisanal mining, dealing in drugs and engaging in sex work in order to fend for their families.

In Mutare, some boys were said to have reported that some women took them to their homes for sex.

“They ask you to thoroughly bath, and sometimes they give you new clothes and you sleep with them.

“After that, they give you money, so what is wrong with that? We know that they are as old as our mothers but if you are a man and you are offered sex and you refuse, others will laugh at you because you will be a coward,” the study revealed.

Padare programmes officer Melisa Nyoni said COVID-19 negatively affected boys due to family discords.

“We have challenges of poverty, redundancy, peer pressure as most drivers of abuse on boys during the pandemic era,” Nyoni said.

Child Protection advocate Chinga Govhati said: “Boys are being affected by sexual violence over the years and are victims of sexual abuse.”

Young Women Christian secretary general Muchanyara Mukamuri said: “While it is widely believed that women are abused physically and sexually more than men, men often suffer emotionally silently and do not report such abuses.

“This is because societal norms play a part against crying out loud when men are being abused.”

Mukamuri said some male victims of GBV (gender-based violence) end up having mental health problems. In its recommendations, the report urged more research into sexual abuse of boys, as well as community awareness campaigns on the issue

By A Correspondent- Failure to change ownership of vehicles and smuggling of cars is proving costly for some motorists as top-of-the range vehicles recently impounded by police are now gathering dust at Harare City Council’s central stores as owners are desperately trying to provide paperwork.

Three weeks ago, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) launched a blitz that resulted in thousands of vehicles being impounded over registration, tax and licensing issues.

The impounded vehicles were not just the Honda Fit cars used to shuttle passengers in and around the city, but included luxury cars like the Toyota Land Cruiser V8, Toyota Hilux (Revo) double cab, Mercedes Benz and Ford Ranger double cabs.

Now they are gathering dust in the council yard as the owners are struggling to produce the requisite documentation.

For a vehicle to be released, relevant documentation must be provided, one has to pay about US$279, which should not be too much for someone driving the latest Toyota Land Cruiser.

But it is not that easy for some. Most of these vehicles are registered in the names of previous owners because there was no change of registered ownership as required by the law.

This is a simple process that requires taxes to be paid, and the fancier the car, the higher the taxes. So some skip.

Some vehicles were smuggled into the country and there is no paperwork to prove their legitimacy, hence they cannot be released from the yard.

On entry, customs duties have to be paid, but some people circumvent the formal entry and drive through using undesignated dust roads or sneak over a shallow river.

National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, warned that driving vehicles registered in the name of a previous owner hinders investigations and should end.

“The owners of most of the cars, especially top of the range, that have overstayed at central stores and other police stations countrywide, cannot be released because they are registered in the names of some people who are not available to produce some important documents.

“People are buying vehicles in Zimbabwe and the vehicles change hands several times without effecting change of ownership.

“Such cases are hindering investigations and the vehicles end up overstaying at police stations or other yards like council’s central stores in Harare.

“Even when family members die, others inherit without changing ownership and this becomes a problem in facilitating the release of vehicles impounded under operations of this nature.

“We therefore urge people to ensure vehicle ownership change is effected whenever there is a sale,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

Asst Comm Nyathi said some vehicles were smuggled into the country and there is no documentation to show how they entered the country’s borders.

In some cases, Asst Comm Nyathi said, motorists are failing to raise the money required to effect the processes leading to the release of the vehicles.

In Chitungwiza, police yards are full and all the impounded cars are now being parked at Chibuku Stadium in Seke after police struck a deal with Chitungwiza Municipality.

So far police have arrested over 24 000 motorists countrywide in the on-going operation.

Last month, Harare City Council hiked tow away and storage fees, with motorists expected to pay $9 898 from $2 451 or an equivalent of US$100 at the official exchange rate of a few weeks ago to have an impounded car released and $4 949 (US$50), up from $980 (US$10), for storage per day.

The new fees were contained in a circular released by the council’s corporate and communications department.

Towing a 15-seater commuter omnibus will cost $11 878 (US$120), up from $3 268 (US$50), and an 18-seater $13 857 (US$140) up from $4 085 (US$50).

Fees outside the city centre will attract an additional charge of $990 equivalent to US$10 at official exchange rate per kilometre.

Conventional buses, lorries and articulated heavy lorries will pay a private contractor charge plus 50 percent penalty, storage and VAT.

On storage charges, commuter omnibuses will now pay $5 939 (US$50) up from $1 470 (US$15), conventional buses and lorries will now have to fork out $6 929 (70), up from $2 450 (US$25), and articulated heavy lorries $8 908 (US$90), up from $2 940 (US$30).

The city council said the fees were meant to deter people from committing parking offences, rather than generate revenue. They are set high so no one can easily afford them and so refrains from messing around. The charges in Zimbabwe dollars are payable at the equivalent official exchange rate.

Police, however, said they don’t charge storage fees on all unregistered cars that are being impounded during this on-going operation and taken to any police station countrywide.-statemedia

By-Police in Mashonaland West has gunned down two suspected Zesa cable thieves.

Farai Chigudu and Takudzwa Masese both of Highfield, Harare, were part of a six-member gang that vandalised the 200kva transformer at farm 162 Marevanani, Zowa in Mashonaland West.

They were shot dead while attempting to evade after vandalising a transformer.

The other suspects Tatenda Chigodora of Farm 48 Zowa, Lovemore Murimira, Fungai Muzhuzha and Jackson Chirindira, all from Harare were arrested and taken to ZRP Zvimba Police Station in Murombedzi.
Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi could not be reached for comment, but the case was recorded under RRB 4648736 at Zvimba Police Station.
According to a police internal memorandum dated February 5, 2022, which was seen by NewsDay, the thieves were spotted by Brian Mariwa, the farm manager in the early hours of Friday morning while stashing copper coils in plastic sacks.
Mariwa notified the police and mobilised the villagers to confront the gang.
The villagers apprehend Murimira, but his accomplices escaped.
When they got to a roadblock along Marevanani-Zowa Road, the suspects attacked a police officer who had stopped their car, resulting in police shooting dead the two suspects.
Police recovered a digital scale, bolt cutter, pliers and seven plastic sacks with coils of copper windings.
-Newsday

By- Australian-based Zimbabwean healthcare professional Susan Mutami has claimed that President Emmerson Mnangagwa abused her but did not specify how she was abused.

She said the late Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, the late Major General Retired Sibusiso Moyo with whom she was in a relationship, offered to protect her from further abuse.

Mutami who is a former lover of Norton legislator, Temba Mliswa posted on Twitter claiming that even former President, the late Robert Mugabe knew about the issue. Pindula News presents Mutami’s messages:
When I met SB Moyo I had been abused by @edmnangagwa and SB Moyo said i will protect u from today onwards. President Mugabe knew about my issue and before he passed on he even wanted me to come out in the open bt SB Moyo advised me not to as it was not safe.
When we started dating SB Moyo explained to me that he was HIV positive and I loved him regardless of his status. In 2012 SB Moyo had an operation-TB of the spine and I stood by him through it all.
He was not happy in his marriage and couldn’t divorce @matandamoyoZACC Chair) because that wld have bn his 3rd marriage and the divorce wld be costly he said. I agreed w the arrangement and wld fly to Zim every 2-3 months to be w him. I even had trouble w border security because they were wondering why my boyfriend couldn’t visit me here in Australia bt zvimwe zvanga zvisingataurike.

She added that President Mugabe even offered her counselling at the time but she declined the offer as she could not trust anyone adding “but I’m ready to talk now.”

By- Dear colleagues, fellow journalist Mary Taruvinga requires urgent surgery to remove some growth that has developed in her sinuses and drain some fluids that are building up in her left ear.

She has been battling unending headaches and earaches and has been in and out of hospital since last November.

Recently, scans showed that she has some fluids and swelling inside her head.

Doctors have recommended urgent surgery. Kindly find it in your heart to stretch the little you have.

It will go a long way to get her surgery done.

For USD contribution, get in touch with Vivian Mugarisi +263779215530
Ecocash send to ….. Mary Taruvinga +263773459043
@mariah Taruvinga

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

A Gutu family remained stuck with a devouring python for over 3 days last week as the National Parks And Wildlife failed to come remove the animal, Masvingo Mirror reports with video below…

Tinashe Sambiri|Citizens’ Coalition For Change leader President Nelson Chamisa has described Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s “hotchpotch” economic policies as desperate measures calculated to confuse citizens.

President Chamisa also exposed Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube’s policy naivety.

“This policy hotchpotch is a disaster! We advised them to dollarise but they didn’t listen.

Trying to reinforce dedollarization by allowing some taxes & fees to be paid in ZWL using threshold defined here whilst myopically & stubbornly holding on to the USD is policy naivety.

Civil servants must be paid in USD. If government has faith in ZWL it must allow all govt fees & taxes which include toll fees and passport fees and taxes to be in ZWL simple,” President Chamisa wrote on Twitter.

Tinashe Sambiri|Citizens’ Coalition For Change leader President Nelson Chamisa has described Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s “hotchpotch” economic policies as desperate measures calculated to confuse citizens.

President Chamisa also exposed Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube’s policy naivety.

“This policy hotchpotch is a disaster! We advised them to dollarise but they didn’t listen.

Trying to reinforce dedollarization by allowing some taxes & fees to be paid in ZWL using threshold defined here whilst myopically & stubbornly holding on to the USD is policy naivety.

Civil servants must be paid in USD. If government has faith in ZWL it must allow all govt fees & taxes which include toll fees and passport fees and taxes to be in ZWL simple,” President Chamisa wrote on Twitter.

By A Correspondent- A 23-year-old Harare woman, Esther Mugurapfuwa has been charged for her role in the rape of another woman.

It is alleged that Mugurapfuwa took the complainant to her house in Kuwadzana where her male friend was waiting for them, locked the complainant and her accomplice in a room where she was raped.

The accused was allegedly paid 10 United States dollars by her alleged accomplice after the act.

The complainant reported the matter to the police, leading to the arrest of the accused but the suspected rapist is still at large.

More: ZBC News

By A Correspondent- CCCT Secretary-General Chalton Hwende has opened up on his alleged abduction.

There were reports that Hwende was on Saturday abducted by state agents in Chitungwiza.

Responding to the message, Hwende said it was a fake distress call.

“My daughter has just informed me that there is a message circulating alleging that I have been abducted. This is false l have been freely moving around constituencies in Harare monitoring voter registration. The focus is on getting 6 million votes for Nelson Chamisa,” he said.

By A Correspondent- A Harare man has appeared before the courts facing attempted murder charges after allegedly assaulting his seven-year-old son before melting plastic residue all over his body.

Austin Kapulula aged 30 was not asked to plead when he appeared in court and was remanded in custody to the 15th of this month.

The court heard that Kapulula locked his son in the house before he was forced to open the door by the police after neighbours called law enforcement agents.

The motivation behind the assault is not clear. 

The boy is currently in the Intensive Care Unit at Sally Mugabe Hospital in Harare.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Former Deputy Prime Minister, Thokozani Khupe, has announced a new slogan in which she urges members of the public not to vote for the ruling ZANU PF and opposition MDC-T led by Senator Douglas Mwonzora.

Announcing the slogan for the MDC-T faction she leads, Khupe said:

Our slogan going forward is going to be #Beat The Pot: Stop Discrimination Against Women Because Women Can’t Breathe; Don’t vote for ZANU PF, Don’t vote for Mwonzora.

By A Correspondent- A 32-year-old man from Ntabazinduna died after being assaulted after he had proposed love to a 12-year-old girl.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), which is already seized with the matter, said they have since arrested Busani Ncube (40) and Hloniphani Ndlovu (37) in connection with the murder case that occurred on the 2nd of February 2022 at Mavolontiya Village, Ntabazinduna.

The suspects tied the victim, Marvelous Nzima (32) with a rope, before taking turns to assault him with a sjambok after the victim had proposed love to Busani Ncube’s granddaughter (12).

The victim died whilst admitted at Ntabazinduna Clinic on 03/02/22.

In a different case, police in Gokwe are investigating circumstances surrounding a case of murder that occurred on 2 February 2022 at Nyandoro Village, Nembudziya.

It is reported that a 43-year-old man is suspected to have struck dead his daughter (14) and son (07) with an axe over an unknown reason.- ZRP/ Pindula News

When I passed by Bastian Mafio's place in Gutu on my way to the funeral of Nyasha Zhambe Mawere, he ran away. Nyasha was his murder victim.

I shouted at him that he will die nengozi. He thought it was a joke. Where is he nw. Dead.

U don't kill & expect pple to fold their arms.

— HON Job Wiwa Sikhala (@JobSikhala1) February 6, 2022

By A Correspondent- The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) has condemned alleged politically motivated violence by ZANU PF activists targeting opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) supporters in Kwekwe on Friday.

Reports suggest that ZANU PF supporters assaulted the driver of the CCC candidate for Kwekwe Central, Judith Tobaiwa, and removed campaign posters from Tobaiwa’s vehicle. CiZC said in a statement:

As the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, we are concerned that this interparty violence, ahead of the March 26 by-elections, points to bloody elections in 2023.

We are disturbed that despite assurances of a new dispensation, ZANU PF has continued to use violence and coercion during elections.

CiZC has called for peace and tolerance among political parties to ensure free, fair and credible elections.

The civic organisation also urged ZANU PF to desist from terror and shock tactics during elections. It added:

We implore the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to work with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to investigate this case of political violence without fear or favour and bring the perpetrators to book.

It is disturbing that ZANU PF militia continues to act with impunity and this has been fuelling violence against opposition supporters over the years.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission ZHRC) must investigate all cases of politically motivated violence ahead of the March 26 by-elections and proffer recommendations that would lead to peace during election time.

CiZC said it is worried by ZANU PF’s penchant for violence, saying the former liberation movement is now behaving worse than the apartheid supremacist Rhodesian government.- Pindula News

President you won Presidential vote by 73.8% in 2008 but you chose to save peoples lives. You settled for National Dialogue to Confrontation and formed a GNU. Zimbabweans shall always remember YOU!!! pic.twitter.com/804usMTUPc

— Morgen Komichi-MDCt (@MKomichi) February 6, 2022

By A Correspondent- Retired army boss Lt. Gen Engelbert Rugeje sank into political oblivion following his dismissal from the position of national political commissar soon after the 2018 general elections regained clout following the taking over Masvingo province by a faction allegedly aligned to Vice President Constantino Chiwenga recently.

Rugeje has been passive and hardly given chance to address members of the party during Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meetings in Masvingo.

However, the recently held PCC at Victoria Junior School saw a rejuvenated Rugeje speaking authoritatively and stamping authority on various issues that were raised during the meeting.

The new provincial chairperson Robson Mavhenyengwa also publicly showed unwavering allegiance to Rugeje, addressing him as ‘Sir’ all the time.

Rugeje overshadowed even Lovemore Matuke, the most senior politburo member in the province, during the meeting.

“The politburo said they have endorsed Masvingo results. This means the new leadership is the one recognised now. I hear, see, receive phone calls and messages from other people suggesting there will be changes but that will never happen.

“Let us not waste time thinking the chairperson and his team will be removed and get another one. There is nothing like that,” said Rugeje, authoritatively.

The former army boss however, gave a hint that Mavhenyengwa should consider not seeking re-election after his term as he might also want to be the next chair.

“Chairman, I have congratulated you. You will lead us for the next four years. I am a very honest person so let me tell you: yours are only four years. If you want to continue then that’s another issue because I may also want to contest for the position,” Rugeje said.

“A person is given his time, have to work within the stipulated time and give others a chance. Let me reiterate that, no one is given a position for a lifetime like a Chief,” he emphasised.

Sources within Zanu PF said Rugeje had been a spent force politically but bounced back and is now powerful owing to his ties with Chiwenga.

“Rugeje is now powerful. He has been silent since he was dismissed but now has bounced back. The way Mavhenyengwa continuously addressed him as ‘Sir’ shows that he is now a power to reckon with,” said the source.

Chiwenga has lately been a regular visitor to Masvingo province. Last year he came for the national clean-up, a week before the provincial elections that were held on December 28, 2021 and on February 2, 2022 for the World Wetlands Day commemorations, a development which has been interpreted by many as a way of strengthening his grip on the province which has remained the ‘boiling pot’ of Zimbabwean politics.

Rugeje went on to warn former Provincial Political Commissar Jeppy Jaboon whom the PCC recommended for his welcome in the party against contesting for any post before the stipulated time (five years) lapsed.

“There are others who have been welcomed back into the party, we would want to follow the regulations and they cannot hold any post ahead of those who have been loyal to the party,” said Rugeje.

“The Chiwenga faction wants to consolidate its grip on the province through incorporating militant characters like Jaboon who would make the task easier. They also want to use him to fight Energy Mutodi who is eyeing Bikita South seat, threatening the incumbent Josiah Sithole,” said a party source. TellZimNews

Africa needs leaders who stand up for their people. Only when Africa stands united will our continent prosper.

Thank you Prime Minister @AbiyAhmedAli for todays discussion. Ethiopia has a true friend in Zimbabwe ?? ?? pic.twitter.com/35NkiNlUJr

— President of Zimbabwe (@edmnangagwa) February 6, 2022

A 32-year-old man from Ntabazinduna died after being assaulted after he had proposed love to a 12-year-old girl.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), which is already seized with the matter, said they have since arrested Busani Ncube (40) and Hloniphani Ndlovu (37) in connection with the murder case that occurred on the 2nd of February 2022 at Mavolontiya Village, Ntabazinduna.

The suspects tied the victim, Marvelous Nzima (32) with a rope, before taking turns to assault him with a sjambok after the victim had proposed love to Busani Ncube’s granddaughter (12).

The victim died whilst admitted at Ntabazinduna Clinic on 03/02/22.

In a different case, police in Gokwe are investigating circumstances surrounding a case of murder that occurred on 2 February 2022 at Nyandoro Village, Nembudziya.

It is reported that a 43-year-old man is suspected to have struck dead his daughter (14) and son (07) with an axe over an unknown reason.- ZRP/ Pindula News

By A Correspondent- The High Court has granted a provisional order barring the holding of by-elections to election a substantive councillor for Ward 3 in Bulawayo after former Deputy Mayor, Tinashe Kambarami challenged his recall.

In June last year, Kambarami was in the eye of a storm when he turned up at a full council meeting demanding that he be recognised as the Deputy Mayor following his acquittal by the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court had reinstated the former Ward 3 councillor as Deputy Mayor in May, but the ruling was of no effect as he was recalled by the MDC-T.

In the latest order issued last week, High Court Judge Justice Maxwell Takuva ordered that a by-election cannot be declared until the finalisation of the High Court application challenging his recall.

Mr Kambarami had cited the City of Bulawayo as the First Respondent, MDC-T (second respondent), Minister of Local Government and Public Works (third respondent), President Mnangagwa (fourth respondent), the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (fifth respondent) and Bulawayo Town Clerk, Mr Christopher Dube as the sixth respondent. Reads the order by Justice Takuva:

Pending the finalisation of the application for a declaratur in case number HC 989/21, 5th Respondent be and is hereby interdicted from proclaiming or announcing a date for holding by–election for Ward 3 in Bulawayo.

ZEC, last month, had already withdrawn the notice of a by-election at the ward after noting the urgent chamber application challenging the existence of the vacancy.

In his challenge against the recall, Kambarami who is being represented by Mr Maqhawe Mpofu of Samp Mlaudzi and Partners, argues that when he was recalled he was not a councillor so the move was not of any effect.

He said a letter he received on 11 September 2020, did not say that he was being recalled, “it merely said we were expelled.”

He further claimed he was not aware of his expulsion and has never been served with a letter informing him of his expulsion.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Zanu-PF bigwigs accused of rigging January provincial elections have embarked on a witch-hunt to silence dissent in lower structures as infighting in the ruling party boils over following the disputed polls.

But the targeted members are hitting back at the party bigwigs, threatening to expose a choreographed plan to seize the structures and topple President Emmerson Mnangagwa at the December elective congress in favour of Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga.

In provinces such as Bulawayo, Matabeleland North, Manicaland and Mashonaland  ast and Mashonaland Central, there are rumblings of anger following the disputed polls, with disgruntled members warning that Mnangagwa will be the biggest loser, if he fails to step in.

“The five million votes that the president wants here in Matabeleland North, he won’t get anything because of the provincial coordinator.

“He is killing the party,” said a Zanu-PF district official in an audio obtained by The Standard.

“We have done door to door campaigns recruiting people, but at the end you have those people removed from the register.

“The president is not aware that these people and top party officials in the province are removing people from the register to put their people to make it easy to remove him.”

In Binga, party members have expressed the desire to pass a vote of no confidence against provincial chairperson Richard Moyo on allegations that his “team” was involved in massive rigging in the polls.

Moyo is accused of working with Zanu-PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu to undermine the wishes of the people.

The Provincial Affairs minister defeated Believe Gaule Ncube in the provincial polls.

Ncube is said to be a loyalist of Mnangagwa and his supporters say the provincial elections were rigged as part of the alleged plot against the Zanu-PF leader.

In Bulawayo, chairperson Jabulani Sibanda is also under fire on charges of promoting “factionalism” since he was elected into the post weeks ago.

In 2019, Sibanda, a former war veterans’ leader was barred from contesting the Bulawayo chairperson’s post following opposition from some officials in the province, who said he was not in their structures.

In Manicaland, provincial chairperson Mike Madiro is allegedly going for the kill in his “witch-hunt” against perceived rivals, including his main challenger Albert Nyakuedzwa in the provincial polls.

Nyakuedzwa, a Makoni district coordinating committee (DCC) chairperson,  has now been summoned to appear before a disciplinary committee tomorrow charged with fuelling factionalism among other charges.

On January 29, Nyakuedzwa was slapped with prohibition orders alongside his suspected allies in the DCC.

The letter was signed by the secretary of the Zanu-PF provincial disciplinary committee Misheck Mugadza.

Nyakuedzwa lost narrowly to Madiro, but he has accused the latter of vote rigging.

Other party members, who will appear before the disciplinary hearing are Phillip Guyo from Buhera North and Ngonidzashe Mudekunye from Buhera South.

Mudekunye is accused of forming parallel structures in Buhera South, while Guyo is accused of challenging Willom Mutomba.

Sources in Zanu-PF told The Standard yesterday that Nyakuedzwa would be stripped of his powers as DCC chairperson, which will relegate him to an ordinary card-carrying member.

“Madiro is going for the kill, he is aware that if he silences Nyakuedzwa it will be a chilling warning to other perceived rivals in the province,” said the source

Another source said there is an attempt to throw Nyakuedzwa into the political “dustbin”.

Madiro is said to be grooming his loyalist Tawanda Mukodza whom he appointed as his deputy.

Mukodza is the former Manicaland youth leader.

Another source added that Madiro’s  attempts to silence critics will backfire against him.

“Remember Nyakuedzwa had good votes, he was defeated with few votes, so Madiro should lead a healing process instead of what he is doing.

“It will be difficult to reach the five million votes,” he added.

Madiro confirmed that the province has moved in to stop dissent, which he described as gangsterism.

“Should I simply watch when there is indiscipline in the party?

“We need to act on such indiscipline. As a party we don’t allow thuggerism and gangsterism,” Madiro said.

In Mashonaland East, provincial chairperson Daniel Garwe, who is also a minister of National Housing admitted the chaos in the cell structures in some districts.

“We have cell registers that are in bad shape and we need to correct that.

“In Murewa district there is a red flag, Marondera also has a red flag and part of Goromonzi has a red flag.

“We will correct that,” Garwe said during the provincial executive committee meeting held in Marondera.

The party held its restructuring exercise from cell to provincial level.

Vicious fights that erupted during the polls were linked to the alleged factions in Zanu-PF linked to Mnangagwa and Chiwenga ahead of the December congress that will elect new leadership for the ruling party.

The two Zanu-PF leaders have in the past dismissed reports that they were jostling for power.

Meanwhile, Zanu-PF has engaged members of the apostolic sect in Marondera to mobilise support ahead of the March 26 by-election for Marondera Central constituency.

A high-powered delegation visited an apostolic shrine in Marondera that is led by Lawrence Katsiru.

Zanu-PF boasts of support from apostolic sect members.

In his welcome address, sect leader Madzibaba Ecos Chiore told the gathering that Zanu-PF and the apostolic sect were inseparable.

Katsiru pleaded with the delegation to ensure that youths from his church benefit from government projects.

The delegation included National Housing minister and provincial chairperson Daniel Garwe, Youth deputy minister and provincial political commissar Tinoda Machakaire, provincial youth league chairperson Isaac Tasikani and Zanu-PF Marondera Central candidate Ignatius Mateveke.

Mateveke will be contesting against CCC’s candidate Caston Matewu, MDC Alliance’s Witness Muzavazi and independent candidate Carlos Pindire.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- The Government will decentralise electronic passport (e-passport) application centres to all the country’s provinces by June this year.

The Bulawayo Registrar-General’s Office is already being equipped with systems capable of processing e-passport applications ahead of the roll-out over the next few weeks.

Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Permanent Secretary Mr Aaron Nhepera said authorities will expeditiously decentralise the issuance of the travel documents.

“As you are aware, we engaged the Lithuanian company Garsu Pasaulis (GP) and we have been working with them on the issue of e-passports,” he said.

“Currently, work has started in Bulawayo at the Registrar-General’s Office and soon we will be moving to other provinces. We anticipate that by June we will have completed the exercise in all other provinces as well.”

After the successful roll-out of e-passports, Government’s focus has shifted to addressing challenges around the issuance of national identity cards.

“We are still having challenges with consumables for IDs,” added Mr Nhepera.

“Government decided to start with the passport issue and we will soon be moving on to identity cards.

“We have engaged GP; they will also be working with us on the IDs consumables.”

The RG will next month launch a nationwide campaign to issue civic documents.

Last year, Government and GP entered into a build, operate and transfer arrangement that will witness the Lithuanian company produce e-passports for the country.

The partnership will also see the company refurbishing provincial and district registry offices across the country as well as providing consumables for the production of IDs.

Resource constraints plaguing the RG’s Office have made it difficult for people to obtain key civic documents.

A study commissioned by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) in April 2020 focusing on access to civic documentation recommended the development of a national policy on access to documents and decentralisation of the RG’s Office.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- An American think tank on Friday added its voice to growing disquiet by Zimbabweans over resource exploitation claims by Chinese firms, following a week of deep accusations.

The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) said while over US$11 billion in investment and contracts had been signed since 2005, scales were largely tipped in favour of the world power.

AEI, which spoke as Chinese firms controlling massive interests in Zimbabwe clashed with NGOs over resource plunder claims, said deals between Harare and Beijing reached US$11,64 billion last year.

This figure represented about 64,5% of Harare’s gross domestic product (GDP), estimated by the World Bank at US$18,05 billion in 2020.

AEI said of the US$11,64 billion, publicly disclosed investments and contracts worth US$1,37 billion were signed last year.

“The growing investments have not translated into any meaningful development that have benefited the citizens owing to myriad dynamics that perpetuate exploitation and extreme poverty, which include but not limited to rent-seeking, economies of affection corruption, poor negotiations by the government as well as Chinese economic and political muscle (geopolitics),” AEI said in the report titled; ‘China Global Investment Tracker’.

Chinese authorities were last week forced to wade into a standoff between Beijing’s companies operating in Zimbabwe and “superfluous” NGOs, with Beijing boasting that without the world power’s investments, Harare would be “candle lit” and struggling without internet.

China has emerged as the biggest source of investment into Zimbabwe since Harare’s diplomatic tiff with Western powers two decades ago, which led to a damaging embargo.

Despite investing the US$11,6 billion, Chinese multinationals have had a frustrating time in Zimbabwe, where they face accusations spanning from labour and human rights violations to environmental degradation, tax evasion and foreign currency externalisation.

Beijing has rebuffed the claims.

Confrontations hit tipping point last Friday after the rebuttal by 27 NGOs, who claimed, in a statement, that Chinese firms were displacing hundreds of villagers from chrome fields, gold claims and coal mines in their hunt for Zimbabwe’s mineral resources.

The Chinese embassy said the “dubious” NGOs’ combative claim “stinks of a hideous agenda from groups that make a living from political advocacy”.

“Were it not for China’s funding support and the work of Chinese companies in ICT and power generation, even the statement in question would perhaps have to be scribbled on a piece of paper, in a candle-lit room, and never find its way on a functioning internet,” Chinese diplomats said in a statement.

The embassy claimed that NGOs’ work pale into insignificance compared to 100 000 Zimbabweans employed by Chinese companies.

“Suffice to say that they are significantly outnumbered by the Zimbabwean employees working in companies established with Chinese investment and outnumbered by the ordinary Zimbabwean citizens who are benefiting from China-Zimbabwe cooperation…Chinese State-owned and private businesses have been making great contribution to the improvement of local people’s livelihoods. Dragging Chinese investors into political sideshows or making them victims of domestic political vendettas hurts the people of Zimbabwe and the development of the country as a whole. It is a way of extending sanctions by trying to force Chinese investment out of the country to make Zimbabwe more vulnerable,” added the embassy.

But as the standoff continued, the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (Zimcodd) separately argued that China was the beneficiary of the two countries’ economic ties.

“The only thing that has been tangible and affected the citizens is the growing external debt which is now hovering at US $13,2 billion,” Zimcodd said.

“It is against this background that citizens and various pressure groups have questioned the utility of mega-deals (between Zimbabwe and China) in bringing about societal transformation and development. In 2012, the government announced that China Railway was going to inject US$1,2 billion, to resuscitate the National Railways of Zimbabwe by developing a high-speed train which was to operate between Harare and Bulawayo. Ten years later, transport crisis has become the order of the day. There is no high-speed route to talk about between Harare and Bulawayo,” Zimcodd argued.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Public school headmasters have joined their subordinates in declaring incapacitation to resume duty as pupils across the country started trekking to their learning institutions across the country Sunday.

This comes after all teachers’ unions in Zimbabwe issued individual and collective statements indicating their members will be able to report to work due to government’s failure to address their concerns, particularly low salaries.

In a letter dated February 3, 2022, Zimbabwe National Union of School Heads (ZINUSH) secretary general, Munyaradzi Majoni informed government that they won’t be able to repeat for duty due to incapacitation.

“Reports coming from our members in the ten provinces clearly show that they headmasters) are largely incapacitated to go to work apart from the fact that they are failing to raise fees for their own children,” Majoni’s letter reads.

“We are convinced that our members can only be capacitated if our salaries are restored to previous levels and in actual United States dollar terms,” it reads.

Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education spokesperson, Taungana Ndoro was not answering calls until the time of publishing.

By A Correspondent- The more things change, the more they remain the same!

In typical late former president Robert Mugabe’s administration fashion, roads from Masvingo City to Renco Mine via Nemanwa growth point, Morgenster Mission and Muchakata business centre received major touch ups to ensure a smooth ride for visiting Vice-President Constantine Chiwenga.

Chiwenga was in Masvingo last Wednesday where he was the guest of honour at the World Wetlands Day commemorations held at the Njovo wetland in ward 18 in Masvingo Central.

A day before the function, officials from the Ministry of Transport were seen busy sprucing up the route that he used from Masvingo city.

They did not go beyond the venue of the annual commemorations.

Even the dust road leading to the wetland, and a community garden was also serviced.

Such deception was common during Mugabe’s visit to Masvingo as roads will be serviced, electricity as well as water supplies would be guaranteed.

Residents said it was wrong for the government to mask its incompetence by servicing pot-holed roads only when the presidency or top government officials visit.

“We are disturbed that local authorities and the responsible government ministries respond to our concerns when top government officials come here,” said Masvingo Residents and Ratepayers Alliance spokesperson Godfrey Mtimba.

“These roads should always be maintained.

“So what it means is that local residents are not important. After all, we elected the top government officials into power.

“Every life matters, even that of the ordinary residents, who are taxpayers and ratepayers.”

Ministry of Transport’s Masvingo roads engineer, Engineer Mukome, was unavailable for comment to establish whether the pothole patching exercise was routine, or merely coincided with Chiwenga’s visit.

By A Correspondent- A Domboshava “fake” witch doctor was arraigned at Mutoko magistrates court on Friday after he allegedly stole a car from his client.

Tinashe Nyambuya (29) of Mungate village, Mutoko pleaded not guilty to the charge before magistrate Elijah Sibanda.

The state prosecutor Nathan Mujuru alleges on January 21 the accused went to Tropical Meats in Mutoko where he met the company director Amanda Anesu Cheke who is a widow.

Nyambuya gave a prophecy on how the complainant’s husband died and on how her one-year-old child was under attack from her husband’s relatives.

The two agreed to go to a mountain for a cleansing ceremony using Cheke’s white Toyota Belta registration number AEJ4166.

Upon arrival on top of the mountain, the accused covered the complainant with a cloth and told her to say all her wishes while covering her whole body.

The witch doctor took advantage of the incident and grabbed the car keys before driving to Murehwa to see his girlfriend.

The complainant later uncovered herself and discovered that the witch doctor was nowhere and her car had been stolen.

She filed a police report leading to the arrest of the accused

In his defence, the accused said he had gone to pick some herbs for the cleansing ceremony.

The shocked magistrate asked if he was to return while his client was still covering herself with the cloth on top of the mountain.

The matter continues on February 16.

By – Zanu PF faction aligned to Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has stamped authority in Masvingo.

This came out last week at the party’s Provincial Coordinating Committee meeting, which was highjacked by Chiwenga faction leader, Retired army boss Lt. Gen Engelbert Rugeje.

Rugeje has been passive and hardly given chance to address members of the party during Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meetings in Masvingo.

However, the recently held PCC at Victoria Junior School saw a rejuvenated Rugeje speaking authoritatively and stamping authority on various issues that were raised during the meeting.

The new provincial chairperson Robson Mavhenyengwa also publicly showed unwavering allegiance to Rugeje, addressing him as ‘Sir’ all the time.

Rugeje overshadowed even Lovemore Matuke, the most senior politburo member in the province, during the meeting.

“The politburo said they have endorsed Masvingo results. This means the new leadership is the one recognised now. I hear, see, receive phone calls and messages from other people suggesting there will be changes but that will never happen.
“Let us not waste time thinking the chairperson and his team will be removed and get another one. There is nothing like that,” said Rugeje, authoritatively.
The former army boss however, gave a hint that Mavhenyengwa should consider not seeking re-election after his term as he might also want to be the next chair.
“Chairman, I have congratulated you. You will lead us for the next four years. I am a very honest person so let me tell you: yours are only four years. If you want to continue then that’s another issue because I may also want to contest for the position,” Rugeje said.
“A person is given his time, have to work within the stipulated time and give others a chance. Let me reiterate that, no one is given a position for a lifetime like a Chief,” he emphasised.

Sources within Zanu PF said Rugeje had been a spent force politically but bounced back and is now powerful owing to his ties with Chiwenga.

“Rugeje is now powerful. He has been silent since he was dismissed but now has bounced back. The way Mavhenyengwa continuously addressed him as ‘Sir’ shows that he is now a power to reckon with,” said the source.
Chiwenga has lately been a regular visitor to Masvingo province. Last year he came for the national clean-up, a week before the provincial elections that were held on December 28, 2021 and on February 2, 2022 for the World Wetlands Day commemorations, a development which has been interpreted by many as a way of strengthening his grip on the province which has remained the ‘boiling pot’ of Zimbabwean politics.
Rugeje went on to warn former Provincial Political Commissar Jeppy Jaboon whom the PCC recommended for his welcome in the party against contesting for any post before the stipulated time (five years) lapsed.
“There are others who have been welcomed back into the party, we would want to follow the regulations and they cannot hold any post ahead of those who have been loyal to the party,” said Rugeje.
“The Chiwenga faction wants to consolidate its grip on the province through incorporating militant characters like Jaboon who would make the task easier. They also want to use him to fight Energy Mutodi who is eyeing Bikita South seat, threatening the incumbent Josiah Sithole,” said a party source. TellZimNews

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

Greatman's wedding Live scenes right now pic.twitter.com/exJDhchOev

— Simba Chikanza (@schikanza) February 6, 2022

By-A Harare man has appeared before the courts facing attempted murder charges after allegedly assaulting his seven-year-old son before melting plastic residue all over his body.

Austin Kapulula aged 30 was not asked to plead when he appeared in court and was remanded in custody to the 15th of this month.

The court heard that Kapulula locked his son in the house before he was forced to open the door by the police after neighbours called law enforcement agents.

The motivation behind the assault is not clear. 

The boy is currently in the Intensive Care Unit at Sally Mugabe Hospital in Harare.

Meanwhile, a 23-year-old Harare woman, Esther Mugurapfuwa has been charged for her role in the rape of another woman.

It is alleged that Mugurapfuwa took the complainant to her house in Kuwadzana where her male friend was waiting for them, locked the complainant and her accomplice in a room where she was raped.

The accused was allegedly paid 10 United States dollars by her alleged accomplice after the act.

The complainant reported the matter to the police, leading to the arrest of the accused but the suspected rapist is still at large.

More: ZBC News

By A Correspondent- Thokozani Khupe’s MDC-T has launched a new slogan that denounces the leader of the other MDC-T, Douglas Mwonzora.

Khupe was recently fired by Mwonzora and subsequently announced that she was leading another MDC-T faction.

Announcing the new slogan, this weekend, Khupe said Zimbabweans should shun Mwonzora and Zanu PF in the next year’s national elections.

“Our slogan going forward is going to be #Beat The Pot: Stop Discrimination Against Women Because Women Can’t Breathe; Don’t vote for Zanu PF, Don’t vote for Mwonzora”, she said.

By A Correspondent- The Police in Nyamapanda said they were investigating a murder case in which a woman’s headless body was found buried in a shallow grave.

ZRP said the deceased had been identified as 65-year-old Juliet Chapfuruka, whose jaw, teeth and hair were found near the body, which was in a state of decomposition.

Below is the statement by the police:
Police In Nyamapanda are investigating circumstances surrounding a murder case in which the body of the victim, Juliet Chapfuruka (65) was found buried in a shallow grave on 02/02/22 at Maruza Village, Mudzi.
The body was discovered in an advanced state of decomposition with no head and with burn injuries. A human jaw, teeth and grey hair were found at about 64 metres from the grave along stream banks.
Investigations are in progress and no arrests have been made in connection with the suspected ritual killing.

By – Former Zanu PF political commissar, Retired army boss Lt. Gen Engelbert Rugeje recently dominated a Masvingo Provincial Coordinating Committee meeting and gave orders to party leadership.

Rugeje has been passive and hardly given chance to address members of the party during Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meetings in Masvingo.

However, the recently held PCC at Victoria Junior School saw a rejuvenated Rugeje speaking authoritatively and stamping authority on various issues that were raised during the meeting.

The new provincial chairperson Robson Mavhenyengwa also publicly showed unwavering allegiance to Rugeje, addressing him as ‘Sir’ all the time.

Rugeje overshadowed even Lovemore Matuke, the most senior politburo member in the province, during the meeting.

“The politburo said they have endorsed Masvingo results. This means the new leadership is the one recognised now. I hear, see, receive phone calls and messages from other people suggesting there will be changes but that will never happen.
“Let us not waste time thinking the chairperson and his team will be removed and get another one. There is nothing like that,” said Rugeje, authoritatively.
The former army boss however, gave a hint that Mavhenyengwa should consider not seeking re-election after his term as he might also want to be the next chair.
“Chairman, I have congratulated you. You will lead us for the next four years. I am a very honest person so let me tell you: yours are only four years. If you want to continue then that’s another issue because I may also want to contest for the position,” Rugeje said.
“A person is given his time, have to work within the stipulated time and give others a chance. Let me reiterate that, no one is given a position for a lifetime like a Chief,” he emphasised.

Sources within Zanu PF said Rugeje had been a spent force politically but bounced back and is now powerful owing to his ties with Chiwenga.

“Rugeje is now powerful. He has been silent since he was dismissed but now has bounced back. The way Mavhenyengwa continuously addressed him as ‘Sir’ shows that he is now a power to reckon with,” said the source.
Chiwenga has lately been a regular visitor to Masvingo province. Last year he came for the national clean-up, a week before the provincial elections that were held on December 28, 2021 and on February 2, 2022 for the World Wetlands Day commemorations, a development which has been interpreted by many as a way of strengthening his grip on the province which has remained the ‘boiling pot’ of Zimbabwean politics.
Rugeje went on to warn former Provincial Political Commissar Jeppy Jaboon whom the PCC recommended for his welcome in the party against contesting for any post before the stipulated time (five years) lapsed.
“There are others who have been welcomed back into the party, we would want to follow the regulations and they cannot hold any post ahead of those who have been loyal to the party,” said Rugeje.
“The Chiwenga faction wants to consolidate its grip on the province through incorporating militant characters like Jaboon who would make the task easier. They also want to use him to fight Energy Mutodi who is eyeing Bikita South seat, threatening the incumbent Josiah Sithole,” said a party source. TellZimNews

By- Zanu PF members in Bulawayo, hired by the ruling party as polling officers for the recently held provincial elections, are demanding payment for coordinating the internal elections, which ushered in new executives in the 10 provinces.

The former liberation movement conducted provincial elections on December 28, 2021 in the 10 provinces which birthed new provincial chairpersons. Youth and women’s league provincial executive positions were also contested.
This week, some polling officers in Bulawayo who spoke to the Zimbabwe Independent said they were owed money.
Indications are that over 100 polling officers in Bulawayo have not been paid and have not been notified of how much they will be paid.
Zanu PF member Sam Dhliwayo said the ruling party has failed to fulfil its promise of paying in three weeks after the polls.
“We conducted the elections and were asked to submit our bank account details. They promised to pay us within two to three weeks but it’s now more than a month and we are yet to be paid,” Dhliwayo said.
“We have a feeling that the money might have been diverted by greedy top officials; this is unacceptable.”
He said the disgruntled officers were exposing the issue to attract the attention of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Another Zanu PF member who spoke on condition of anonymity said the party was not sincere.
“We cannot be treated like this by our political party which is supposed to serve our interests,” he said.
A Zanu PF insider in Bulawayo who also requested anonymity for fear of victimisation said the payment of polling officers for provincial elections was being done at the party headquarters.
“The payment of polling officers is the responsibility of the national office because those people were deployed outside their provinces. The money was supposed to come from the national office, but we hear that some are yet to be paid.
“It is possible that the national office might have sent money to provinces for onward payments,” said a Zanu PF official.
Zanu PF national spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa was not reachable on his mobile phone.
Party national commissar Mike Bimha referred the Zimbabwe Independent to the provincial leadership for comment.
“Please be advised that provincial elections are being directed from the provinces and it’s the provinces that can answer your questions,” Bimha said.
Bulawayo provincial chairman Jabulani Sibanda’s phone went unanswered. Provincial commissar Ruth Shelton declined to discuss the matter.
“I was a candidate during the provincial elections and whatever the arrangement was there, I have nothing to do with it. Maybe I will have to ask those who were the interim executive about this issue,” Shelton said. Zimbabwe Independent

By – Retired army boss Lt. Gen Engelbert Rugeje sank into political oblivion following his dismissal from the position of national political commissar soon after the 2018 general elections regained clout following the taking over Masvingo province by a faction allegedly aligned to Vice President Constantino Chiwenga recently.

Rugeje has been passive and hardly given chance to address members of the party during Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meetings in Masvingo.
However, the recently held PCC at Victoria Junior School saw a rejuvenated Rugeje speaking authoritatively and stamping authority on various issues that were raised during the meeting.

The new provincial chairperson Robson Mavhenyengwa also publicly showed unwavering allegiance to Rugeje, addressing him as ‘Sir’ all the time.

Rugeje overshadowed even Lovemore Matuke, the most senior politburo member in the province, during the meeting.

“The politburo said they have endorsed Masvingo results. This means the new leadership is the one recognised now. I hear, see, receive phone calls and messages from other people suggesting there will be changes but that will never happen.
“Let us not waste time thinking the chairperson and his team will be removed and get another one. There is nothing like that,” said Rugeje, authoritatively.
The former army boss however, gave a hint that Mavhenyengwa should consider not seeking re-election after his term as he might also want to be the next chair.
“Chairman, I have congratulated you. You will lead us for the next four years. I am a very honest person so let me tell you: yours are only four years. If you want to continue then that’s another issue because I may also want to contest for the position,” Rugeje said.
“A person is given his time, have to work within the stipulated time and give others a chance. Let me reiterate that, no one is given a position for a lifetime like a Chief,” he emphasised.

Sources within Zanu PF said Rugeje had been a spent force politically but bounced back and is now powerful owing to his ties with Chiwenga.

“Rugeje is now powerful. He has been silent since he was dismissed but now has bounced back. The way Mavhenyengwa continuously addressed him as ‘Sir’ shows that he is now a power to reckon with,” said the source.
Chiwenga has lately been a regular visitor to Masvingo province. Last year he came for the national clean-up, a week before the provincial elections that were held on December 28, 2021 and on February 2, 2022 for the World Wetlands Day commemorations, a development which has been interpreted by many as a way of strengthening his grip on the province which has remained the ‘boiling pot’ of Zimbabwean politics.
Rugeje went on to warn former Provincial Political Commissar Jeppy Jaboon whom the PCC recommended for his welcome in the party against contesting for any post before the stipulated time (five years) lapsed.
“There are others who have been welcomed back into the party, we would want to follow the regulations and they cannot hold any post ahead of those who have been loyal to the party,” said Rugeje.
“The Chiwenga faction wants to consolidate its grip on the province through incorporating militant characters like Jaboon who would make the task easier. They also want to use him to fight Energy Mutodi who is eyeing Bikita South seat, threatening the incumbent Josiah Sithole,” said a party source. TellZimNews

By A Correspondent- CCCT Secretary-General Chalton Hwende has opened up on his alleged abduction.

There were reports that Hwende was on Saturday abducted by state agents in Chitungwiza.

Responding to the message, Hwende said it was a fake distress call.

“My daughter has just informed me that there is a message circulating alleging that I have been abducted. This is false l have been freely moving around constituencies in Harare monitoring voter registration. The focus is on getting 6 million votes for Nelson Chamisa,” he said.

By A Correspondent- MDC-T faction led by Thokozani Khupe has launched a new slogan that denounces the Douglas Mwonzora led MDC.

Khupe was recently fired by Mwonzora and subsequently announced that she was leading another MDC-T faction.

Announcing the new slogan, this weekend, Khupe said Zimbabweans should shun Mwonzora and Zanu PF in the next year’s national elections.

“Our slogan going forward is going to be #Beat The Pot: Stop Discrimination Against Women Because Women Can’t Breathe; Don’t vote for Zanu PF, Don’t vote for Mwonzora”, she said.

Tinashe Sambiri|Citizens Coalition For Change leader President Nelson Chamisa foresees a bright future for the nation.

President Chamisa, a devout Christian, believes Zimbabwe is a blessed nation that has been ruined by years of corruption and looting of State resources by the Zanu PF regime.

The vibrant leader has also urged citizens to remain optimistic despite the current social and economic challenges tormenting the nation.

“THE LORD WILL DO GREAT THINGS FOR US…The future is exciting.

Other nations shall admire us. We shall be happy again.Although we sow in tears we shall surely reap in joy.

Psalms 126:2,5 Sabbath blessings beloved.#Godisinit,” President Chamisa wrote on his official Facebook page.