By A Correspondent- On this summer day, two years ago, Nyarai Tsvuura cut a lone figure at a Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting in Marondera during Zanu-PF gatherings.

She was the provincial women’s league chairperson but could not occupy the front seat due to the party factional fights.

Instead, Lyn Gororo occupied the position, with the blessings of a group of powerful women in the party.

The late Joel Biggie Matiza, who was the then provincial chairperson, read a letter to the effect that Tsvuura, also a Mutoko legislator (PR) was the substantive women’s league boss.

The decision was made after the politburo had found Tsvuura not guilty of the accusations, which were noted as ‘gossiping’.

But this group of women did not take heed of the decision.

They responded through holding fresh elections claiming that Tsvuura was not voted to the position.

Tsvuura did not participate in the elections resulting in Gororo claiming the posts as planned.

The province disregarded the results but Tsvuura was barred from exercising her duties as the women’s league provincial boss.

The Central Committee (CC) recommended that Tsvuura be reinstated as the provincial women’s league boss in the last conference held in Bindura last year.

The reinstatement was captured in the final CC report.

But her joy was short-lived as the same group of women barred her again.

Senate President Mabel Chinomona, Secretary for Administration (women’s league) Monica Mutsvangwa among others, wrote letters defying the CC order and prevented Tsvuura from taking the reins.

Today, Tsvuura has had the last laugh after she was elected in the provincial basket in Mutoko.

Though tormented, rejected and barred from executing her duties, the politician has shrugged off stiff competition in the just ended provincial elections and waits to be accorded an influential post as the province’s women’s league political commissar.

Across the province lies Wedza District, the home of provincial affairs minister Aplonia Munzverengwi.

She reportedly fell out of favour with influential women in the national women’s league executive where she held the political commissariat post. She was seen as a threat to her colleagues who reportedly crafted frivolous accusations against her before being demoted to a lesser post.

Now nicknamed Deborah in the province, Munzverengwi was assigned to the deputy secretary for lands in the women’s league.

In a bid to show her abilities and influence, the former top cop contested in the provincial elections for the women’s league post.

She defeated incumbent, Gororo by a wide margin and is now back at the top.

“The elections are over, we are now working towards mobilising people to join us so that we achieve the six million votes tag,” Munzverengwi said during victory celebrations in Marondera.

The province was tasked to deliver 800 000 votes come next year’s elections.

The tales of both Tsvuura and Munzverengwi have revealed how Zanu-PF has been imposing candidates or leaders for factional reasons.

Today, the party’s rejects have bounced back boasting of top posts in the province.-standard

By A Correspondent- Bulawayo lawyer and former MDC-Alliance Member of Parliament for Binga North, Prince Dubeko Sibanda has been ordered to allow his wife back into their matrimonial home by a local magistrate.

Sibanda was ordered “not to hinder applicant’s access to the matrimonial home” and “not to physically, verbally or emotionally abuse applicant”.

In an application at the Bulawayo Magistrate Courts for a protection order, Sibanda’s wife, Memory said her husband had been physically aggressive to her for a long time, but his behaviour had increasingly become unpredictable.

She said he had been acting in a menacing way which all came to a head when he threatened to axe her and her mother before throwing them out of the house in the dead of the night.

“I got the feeling that he just wanted me gone. Now I don’t trust that he is of sound mind not to do something that would hurt me given that he has already threatened me with an axe and strangled me with our bedroom door locked,” she told the court.

The marriage has been difficult for years, she told the magistrate, accusing her estranged husband of verbal and emotional abuse coupled with several threats of physical abuse. The threats culminated in threats to kill her and his mother-in-law with an axe after the latter and their children had forced their way into the couple’s bedroom upon hearing her scream for help as Sibanda strangled his wife then picked an axe and threatened to axe her to death.

On a recent night, the wife said he arrived home at their Waterford residence around midnight and seemed very angry.

Sibanda reportedly entered their bedroom where he found his wife sleeping and started shouting at her telling her he was spoiling for a fight.

His wife said she pretended to be asleep to avoid the brewing confrontation with her visibly irate husband. She told the court that the politician then pulled the bed covers back and began to repeatedly pull and push her into the bed before strangling her with both hands.

She said he eventually let one hand off her throat and reached out to grab an axe that was near their bed at which point she was able to scream for help.

“My mum who had visited, my daughter (21) and my step-son (17) all woke up when I cried out for help.

They tried opening the door which was locked from the inside. I then managed to open the door and they all rushed into our bedroom to save me,” she said.

“They stood between us, crying and asking why he was being violent.

In the process, he was trying to get to me with his axe, he pushed my mother and she fell down. Then wamsikiza ngehloka (then he threatened her with the axe).

“As if that was not enough, wasixotshanisa (he chased after us out of the house and yard) until we were all outside the gate.

Then he locked the gate. We had to sleep at a neighbour’s house for a few days after he said he didn’t want me back at home,” said Mrs Sibanda.

Sibanda’s wife told the court that problems for the couple began when her husband began to sell off their properties without consulting her and when she reached out to his family for assistance, he lost his cool.

She said one of his cousins had asked about the properties while they were attending a family funeral in Binga and upon his return, he attacked her and her mother before throwing them and the children out of the house.

The man rarely took a holiday, though when the family did go on holiday some time ago, it was “the most miserable 19 days of my life”. Her husband was now “in a bad place, and the intensity of what has happened in the last weeks is frightening me”.

The magistrate said he was satisfied that the necessary threshold had been reached and issued an interim barring order, with a decision as to what to do in the longer term to go to hearing next week.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Lilian Mdlongwa, 19, a first-time mother from Manomano village, recalls how she almost lost her baby when she went into labour at Nkayi district hospital a month ago, when there was complete shutdown of electricity at the whole hospital as part of load shedding.

“The nurses had only a small rechargeable light that they used to deliver my son and that of another expecting mother that I went into labour with,” Mdlongwa narrates.

“It was tough, and when I had just delivered, the nurse who stitched me noticed that she had almost left some cotton wool inside me.”

“It was dark because the small light had been put at the centre for them to share, and even that lady had a similar tale as they almost stitched her cuts while the cotton wool was inside,” Mdlongwa says.

When The Citizen Bulletin visited the hospital recently, the whole hospital was in complete electricity blackout and none of the administration, theatre and X-ray duties among other day-to-day programmes of the hospitals were being conducted.

Patients that had come for X-ray examinations, for instance, were being told to go back to their homes, or wait until electricity was restored.

But, even for those that waited for up to eight hours, their examination could not be completed as electricity was restored and immediately cut off ten minutes later with the darkness extending throughout the night.

In September the country’s electricity provider, Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETCDC) implemented countrywide 12-hour load shedding due to power generation issues at Hwange coal powered station.

According to the District Medical Officer Thabani Moyo, the problem of electricity the hospital is experiencing started about two months ago, and has seen many expecting or just delivered mothers struggling to nurse their babies successfully, especially at night.

“The challenge, especially to patients and nursing staff, is largely felt at night,” Moyo notes.

“We have tried to purchase four small lights, but we can only give them one per ward, and that light is only used by the nurses on duty, so patients struggle a lot during this time,” says Moyo.

Mdlongwa says during the week she was in hospital following delivery, she relied on her neighbour’s phone torch to change her newly-born nappies, clean the umbilical cord or comfort her wailing baby.

“We breastfed in the dark,” she adds.

“The light that the nurses use services everyone and during that time, there were over ten of us in the ward and the same light was also being used to assist in the labour section, so its use was based on emergencies.”

Moyo says they have tried to rope in the ZETCDC officials from the district without any fruitful outcomes.

He says the feedback that they get is that the hospital is equipped with a solar system, but it also has some issues despite it being only two years old.

“We have a solar system that covers the maternity labour wards, post-natal ward, theatre, mortuary and the pharmacy but even so, we have a challenge with that solar system because it doesn’t pull and the batteries are always too low such that we fail to even use them.” Moyo said.

Provincial medical director Admire Kuretu says the Nkayi solar system has not been connected to the whole hospital and is only meant to cover critical areas like maternity and theatre and the health ministry’s head office is aware of the Nkayi situation..

“The solar system works, the problem is that the installation is not complete and it covers a small part of the hospital,” Kuretu says.

He adds that they have been pushing the head office to connect the other departments like the wards, the mortuary health information, the administration block and the X-ray department.

By A Correspondent- Jailed MDC Alliance activist Makomborero Haruzivishe has opened up on his “hell” prison experience adding that while it was hell, the time spent behind bars made him determined to fight for democracy and change for Zimbabwe.

We publish below excepts from the exclusive interview with ZimEye:

ZimEye: Can you please comment on your prison experience.

Mako: Prison, you know, it can only be equated to hell…Prison especially if you are a prisoner of conscience like me, it’s a kind of hell, a different kind of hell, with all the pains and everything.

But however because of my strong will and determination, and the will to succeed, succeed in terms of achieving an inclusive and democratic Zimbabwe, in which all citizens’ issues and concerns are addressed, the…physical pain and mental pain I managed to ignore it, and because we know that it is not an easy road and great sacrifices will be made.

Others have made bigger sacrifices, others have paid the ultimate price…you can talk of Itai Dzamara, you can talk of all these victims of the ferrets. You can talk of all those victims of politically motivated violence sponsored by the state.

So this was just prison, and it in no way changed my fuse, if it changed it changed them for the better. Because one thing that we have to remember is that for us to achieve our mission, we will have to remain resolute to demand what belongs to us.

The charges that I got in here for, if you read the Constitution they are Constitutionally guaranteed rights freedom assembly, freedom of expression, and they tried to criminalise that, it is awkward but it only serves to strengthen me more than what they wanted to, to scare me away and one word is with the people we are in charge, and victory is certain.

ZimEye: Did you receive threats while in prison?

Mako: “Definitely, from prison to court, state capture is a reality. And getting into prison for this prolonged period, enabled me to see that we have a bigger fight than what we actually imagined, especially within our Justice system.

We have a bigger fight and we have to pull up our socks and we need to be more concentrated, we need to be even more radical in terms of organising on terms of educating the masses for them to understand the problem that we are in which chiefly emanate from military state capture.

It’s unfortunate that we don’t have much time, it’s a security place and there was riot police all over since yesterday even today, so but I hope we will get more time and I can give you more details about these 10 months 22 days.

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has banned Civic Society Organisation (CSOs) that are not accredited with them from conducting voters education ahead of the 26 March by-elections and 2023 general elections.

On Friday last week, ZEC released a list of 76 CSOs that it has approved to conduct voter education countrywide.

ZEC spokesperson, Joyce Kazembe, on Saturday told The Standard that ZEC has the mandate to approve organisations to engage in voter education as well as the materials that they would be using during the campaigns. Said Kazembe:

The procedure is that anyone who wants to engage in voter education must submit an application to the commission.

They will be stating their particulars and the activities they want to conduct. The content must be approved by the commission.

Those that are not on the list that we submitted, but are conducting voters’ education must not be doing that without permission. They must stop forthwith.

They must do that only after they have been registered with us. Those that are doing that have been doing so illegally.

Project Vote 263, an organisation that recently claimed it had facilitated the registration of 9 635 virgin voters throughout the country in 2021, is not on the ZEC list.

However, Project Vote 263 chairperson Alan Chipoyi said they are constitutionally mandated to conduct voter education.

Said Chipoyi:

We will continue encouraging people to vote. ZEC has no mandate to select the parties that are consulting, but they can regulate the content that is disseminated.

We are conducting a constitutional mandate to encourage citizens to register to vote and no one will stop us from carrying out that mandate.

Last week ZEC came under scrutiny from opposition parties and civic groups after it recently released disputed figures of newly-registered voters.

ZEC announced that only 2 000 new voters were registered in 2021 but later revised the figure to 2 971 after opposition political parties and civic groups challenged its statistics.

More: The Standard

By A Correspondent- Ten (10) armed robbers pounced on Mukuvisi Woodlands in Harare in the wee hours of Saturday morning and went away with over US$17 000 cash and various items valued at US$19 000.

In a post on Twitter, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) said the suspects, who were armed with an unidentified rifle, catapults, hammers and iron bars captured two guards and a caretaker before robbing the premises. The ZRP said:

The ZRP is investigating an armed robbery case that occurred at Mukuvisi Woodlands, Harare on 08/01/22 at about 0110 hours.

10 unknown male suspects armed with an unidentified rifle, catapults, hammers and iron bars stormed the premises before capturing two guards and a caretaker.

The suspects stole US$17 320 cash, laptops and cellphones all valued at US$ 19 040 and fled. Meanwhile, Police recovered US$5 030 scattered on the scene of the crime.

In an unrelated incident that occurred in Chiredzi on the 5th of January, police acted on a tip-off and arrested Admire Magwaza (40), Benard Museki (30) and Ephraim Madausipo (47) for stock theft which occurred at Horse Vale Farm Buffalo Range.

A team of police officers pretended to be buyers of cattle and was shown a herd of 37 stolen cattle by Benard Museki and Ephraim Madausipo at a makeshift kraal in the bush near COTTCO, Chiredzi.

Investigations by the police revealed that Admire Magwaza who is the complainant’s employee connived with the other suspects to steal the cattle.

By A Correspondent- Lawyers representing the founder of Goodness and Mercy Ministries, Tapiwa Freddy, better known as Prophet T Freddy, on Friday played audio of a recorded phone call between him and his accuser, which they said proved the two were lovers.

Freddy denies raping the 33-year-old woman employed as a radio DJ by the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC).

The complainant claims the attack happened at her Mt Pleasant Heights home on a date in November 2020.

Freddy, a married self-proclaimed prophet, insists he had consensual sex with his accuser, claiming that she only reported him for rape when he ended their affair.

His lawyer Everson Chatambudza played an audio recording in court in which the complainant said during a call:

Shaa (dear), I’m sorry. Ye ropa (about the bleeding) and scratches was just a story to spice up things.

Chatambudza told the court that the complainant had told Freddy that she bleeds and has scratched inside her thighs each time they are intimate.

The lawyer argued that if the audio does not prove that the alleged victim is a liar, it does at least prove that they were in a relationship and quite comfortable to discuss their sex life.

During cross-examination, Freddy’s lawyers accused the complainant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, of giving a statement to the police that was different from her testimony in court.

The woman admitted to leaving out a lot of information in the police statement but maintained that all she said was true. Said Chatambudza:

There is nothing in your police statement that you tried to stop him from getting into your bedroom. You said (in court) that Freddy entered your bedroom and lay on your bed.

Much later you say he stood up and locked the door and put the keys under the pillow.

This means the door was still unlocked when you came into the bedroom and found the accused lying in bed.

Why is it that you never took any action, why did you not leave?

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday showered praises on Kwekwe mayor Future Titora (MDC Alliance), an ally of MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora, for providing good leadership to the city.

Titora was elected Kwekwe mayor after Mwonzora’s party recalled Angeline Kasipo on allegations of being sympathetic to opposition leader Nelson Chamisa.

The MDC-T is accused of being used by the ruling ZANU PF party to try to destroy the opposition in Zimbabwe and create a de facto one-party state, a charge the party denies.

In spite of the denials, Mwonzora appears to be cosier with Mnangagwa than with other opposition political figures. The two met at State House as recently as last week.

The MDC-T controlled City of Kwekwe gifted Mnangagwa with two cattle, which prompted the ZANU PF leader to invite Titora for a braai at his Sherwood farm.

Said Mnangagwa:

I have heard that from the central government with the ministry being led by minister Ndlovu (Environment Minister) that Kwekwe, through the leadership of its mayor, has shown great leadership.

Mind you, the mayor is of the same Shumba totem as me, so she is very good. We have realised that Kwekwe is advanced in terms of adhering to the requirements of the central government.

We are, therefore, going to prioritise Kwekwe ahead of other cities and towns as the central government for a waste management site.

After the site would have been established the next phase as government, we are going to give them a plant, a power generation plant which processes waste to generate electricity for the city.

Mnangagwa urged members of the public and local authorities to adopt best waste management practices which include separation and segregation of waste. He added:

I would like to thank Kwekwe for the gifts. We will take them (cattle) to my farm. Mayor, you are free to drop by my farm which is in Sherwood, and we can braai these beasts.

By- A 25-year-old gold panner pelted and injured a lady of the night accusing her of failing to be intimate with him after he had paid her for a pleasurable night.
The man, Thamsanqa Dube of Number 838 Magwegwe West, allegedly threw stones at the sex worker before beating her for allegedly failing to deliver as she had promised.
The incident took place in Emganwini where the complainant has a vending stand and the matter came to light after the complainant was beaten and made a report to the police.
Dube appeared before Mr Shepherd Munjanja at the Western Commonage Magistrate’s Court on Friday last week.
The State was represented by Melisa Dube.

Dube was sentenced to four months in prison or pay a fine of Z$10 000. Three months were, however, wholly suspended since he is a first offender.
Allegations are that on 20 December 2021, Dube paid the complainant US$20 for her to pleasure him for the night.
However, later on, the woman refused to have sex with Dube despite their initial agreement.
That did not go down well with Dube who started throwing stones at the complainant and injuring her in the process.

The woman, however, refuted the allegations in court stating that Dube assaulted her because she asked him to move away from her as he was drunk.
Dube admitted to the court that he was drinking, but argued that it was not the reason why he assaulted the complainant.

B-A 37-year-old man from Bulawayo’s Pumula South allegedly killed his 32-year-old girlfriend by drowning her in a sewage stream on New Year’s Day over an undisclosed misunderstanding.
The man, Josphat Sibanda, residing at house number 20530 Pumula South allegedly killed his girlfriend, Constance Chitete, on 1 January at around 5am.
He allegedly held her by the neck and immersed her in sewer water for minutes and did that several times until she died.
Sibanda appeared at the Western Commonage Magistrate’s Court before Mr Shepherd Munjanja and was remanded in custody to 19 January.

He was advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
Miss Melisa Dube prosecuted.
According to the State outline, the informant, Lwazi Sibanda, and her husband, Witness Sibanda, were doing their morning routine exercise when they heard the now deceased Chitete screaming.
The couple then proceeded to where the screams were coming from, which is a place close to a sewage stream. They saw the accused having a heated argument with the now deceased.
On arrival they tried to intervene by negotiating with Sibanda who was holding Chitete by the shoulders aggressively.

The court was told that it was at that time that Sibanda pushed his girlfriend into the sewage stream and afterwards jumped into the stream where he then held her by the neck and shoulder and immersed her into the water for a period of about two minutes.
He allegedly continued to immerse her without giving her breathing time while she gargled as the sewer water was getting in the nose and mouth.
She fought to free herself, but Sibanda remained steadfast, holding her tightly in the water until she died.
The deceased’s body was taken to United Bulawayo Hospitals where a postmortem was conducted on 3 January by Doctor Juana Rodriguez Gregory, who indicated the cause of death as Asyphixia and drowning.
-State media

By-The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) is set to demolish 12 church structures that are either dilapidated and an eyesore or have been illegally constructed as it ups its fight to rid the city of illegal and dilapidated buildings.

The churches have been issued with demolition notices for their illegal buildings amid revelations that the local authority has listed 47 properties in the Central Business District (CBD) that are dilapidated.

According to the latest council report, 12 churches have been issued with notices to rectify or demolish their illegal structures or risk having the local authority use its own resources to demolish the buildings, with the churches bearing the costs.

The 12 are Zion Christian Church (Emganwini), The Living Gospel World Church (Emganwini), Assemblies of God Church (Tshabalala), Johanne Masowe (Nkulumane), The Same God Apostles ((Pumula East), Holy Apostolic Church in Zion (Pelandaba), Gospel Preaching Ministry (Nkulumane), Potters House Christ Fellowship (Nkulumane), Apostolic Faith Mission of Zimbabwe (Nkulumane), St Lukes United Methodist Church (Nkulumane), Zaoga Church (Nkulumane) and New Birth Fellowship in Nkulumane.

Last year, the local authority upped its surveillance mechanisms of illegal structures in the city, where a number of churches and residential properties were issued with notices.
It is from there that the 47 properties were identified as being derelict with the owners given notices to rectify their structures.

BCC has the authority to repossess such properties as guided by the Titles Registration and Derelict Lands Act (Chapter 20:20).
The Act states that; “Persons having claim on derelict land may apply to High Court or other public body upon immovable property in Zimbabwe and such property is abandoned, deserted, derelict, and the owner thereof cannot be found, it shall be lawful for the person or body claiming such rate or assessment to apply to the High Court, stating the amount claimed to be due and the grounds applying for relief under this Act.”

The local authority revealed that of the identified buildings, 26 were classified as work in progress with the property owners working to fix the anomalies, while there was no action being taken totally by the owners of two other buildings.
“The Director of Housing and Community Services (Mr Dictor Khumalo) reported on 9 December, 2021 that 55 percent of the identified buildings were at various levels of compliance. The department was commencing court processes to obtain repair orders on 15 percent of the buildings,” reads the council report.
Seven of the properties have court process against them and 12 have partially complied with council notices.
The properties that have been red flagged are Number 102 Jason Moyo Street, Number 102 Robert Mugabe Way (Revindra Lalloo Rama), Lot 1 of 484 BT (Zim Cinema Investments), Number 105 Fife Street (TV Sales and Hire), Number 105 Fort Street, Number 105 George Silundika (Kudakwashe Maponga) and Number 107 Robert Mugabe Way (Alasco (Pvt) Ltd).
Other buildings are Number 102 H Chitepo (Dorchester Enterprises), Number 112 Robert Mugabe Way (Beglows Investment), Number 11 115 Robert Mugabe Way (Field Cress Investments), Number 116 Jason Moyo Street (Norab Investment), Number 120 Samuel Parirenyatwa Street, Number 121 Jason Moyo Street, Number 122 Samuel Parirenyatwa Street, Number 124A Samuel Parirenyatwa Street, Number 133/135 George Silundika Street and Number 157-161 Leopold Takawira Avenue.
Other properties that have been red flagged are number 46 Railway Avenue, Number 53 George Silundika Street (Lalla Investments), Number 56 Railway Avenue, Number 58A Robert Mugabe Way, Number 59A George Silundika Street (Ishmael Ahmed Jina), Number 62 Samuel Parirenyatwa Street (The Trustees of Gumtree AME Church), Number 80 Fife Street (R Hassamal Investment), number 96 Robert Mugabe (Grill Mer) and Number 97 George Silundika.

By- A suspected serial armed robber who was also wanted for rape was arrested on Wednesday, as police continue to put their foot down in the fight against rising armed robbery cases.

The suspect, Tinashe Muguti (35) from Glen View 7 in Harare, has been on the run since May 2021 and is believed to have a committed a spate of robberies in Harare, Mazowe, Rusape, Kadoma, Bindura and Zvishavane.
Some of Muguti’s accomplices, who are already in custody, implicated him in several armed robbery cases.

The accused also served time for armed robbery for four years from 2016 until he was released.
On Friday, he appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Yeukai Dzuda facing two counts of robbery.
The State, however, indicated that it will bring more charges.
He was remanded in custody and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
Prosecutor Mr Thomas Chanakira told the court that on May 12, 2021, Muguti and his accomplices, who have already appeared in court, proceeded to house number 24161, Unit O Extension, Chitungwiza, armed with an unidentified pistol and iron bars.
They forced open the main door and confronted two complainants who were sleeping.
They demanded cash, ransacked the house and stole cash and goods worth over US$7 000.
“The accused person force-marched one of the complainants into another room.

“Whilst inside, he forcibly removed her pant and had unprotected sexual intercourse with her without her consent before leaving the scene.
The total value of goods stolen is US$7 000 and nothing has been recovered,” Mr Chanakira said.
On the second count, the accused, in the company of his accomplices, approached the complainant, Stephen Rovha, at his residence whilst armed with an unidentified pistol.
The gang introduced themselves as police officers and accused him of illegally printing textbooks for resale.
The accused then informed him that he was under arrest and force-marched him into the house, where they assaulted him all over his body using open hands, booted feet and a screwdriver, resulting in him sustaining an injury on the left eye.
They ransacked the house and stole US$7 000 cash and a Samsung A30 phone.
During the commotion, the complainant‘s son aged 8 sneaked out of the house and ran to his uncle’s house, which is a few houses away.

The uncle teamed up with the other neighbours and proceeded to the scene.
Upon arrival, they confronted the accused person and his accomplices.
The suspects fired three shots and took the chance to run away to their getaway car — a silver Toyota Allion without number plates — before speeding off.
The accused was arrested along Mukuvisi River near Mbudzi roundabout in Harare, with evidence indicating he was planning to commit another robbery in Mazowe.

-State media

By-Harare City Council has destroyed “illegal structures” in Mbare, targeting the Mupedzanhamo Market zone and illegal tuckshops around the bus terminus.

The authority said it wanted to bring sanity to the area.

They also said they wanted to give Mbare a facelift, with the market stalls at Mbare Musika and renovate other structures such as the suburb’s colonial-era flats.

Harare Provincial Development Co-ordinator Mr Tafadzwa Muguti has previously indicated that the Government intends to transform Mbare by unlocking value at the marketplace which is the country’s largest market, particularly for agricultural produce.
When contacted on his mobile phone last night, Mr Muguti said he was not in a position to comment.
Harare City Council spokesperson Innocent Ruwende referred questions to acting Harare Mayor Councillor Stewart Mutizwa whose mobile phone was not reachable.

When The Sunday Mail visited Mbare yesterday afternoon, a council bulldozer could be seen razing down illegal structures such as clothing tables, backyard food outlets and illegal tuckshops.
People that delayed or failed to remove their structures were left counting losses.
Many push carts were seen ferrying some of the wares that were being removed by traders.
Other people were hurriedly removing some valuables such as metal sheets.
Zimbabwe National Organisation of Associations and Residents Trusts president Mr Shalvar Chikomba said restoring sanity to Mbare was long overdue.
He said space barons are mostly to blame for the rot in Mbare.
“There is a lot of money being made in Mbare, but it is falling into the wrong hands. The traders whose markets have been destroyed are not always the ones to blame because they buy the space from space barons who pocket the money without remitting a cent to Council or Government to refurbish the area.
here are also some greedy merchants who manipulate processes so as to buy produce from farmers for a song. Council and Government need to get to the bottom of all this if they are to restore order in Mbare because space barons will continue to illegally sell space to desperate vendors.”

Traders whose wares and stalls were razed down cried foul about how the demolitions were done saying they did not have alternative places to carry out their businesses.
Mr Motion Mabubu, a vendor outside Mupedzanhamo, said: “They should open a new place for us because this place was our source of income. At least if they had told us in advance that they were going to come and demolish our tables we would have removed them nicely ourselves because they are expensive for us to erect,” he said.
Another vendor, Mr Ronald Chita, said they had no option but to rebuild their illegal structures at the same place.
“All we want is a place where we can do our business because that is where we get money for our upkeep. Schools will be opened soon and our children want school fees so the money comes from here. We have no option but to start re-erecting our tables here because we have nowhere else to go,” he said.
Another vendor who declined to be named said: “If we could have Mupedzanhamo reopened that would be better because all we want is a place to do our business. We do not want to be chased by the police or to bribe them, all we want is a safe place to do our work.”

By A Correspondent- MDC-Alliance President Nelson Chamisa has celebrated the release of his party’ top youth leader, Makomborero Haruzivishe, from Prison.

Posting on his Twitter handle at the weekend, Chamisa said the MDC-Alliance was happy to receive back Haruzivishe.

” THE LION IS OUT & ROARING…I’m excited. We have Our God who answers prayers. Thank you Lord! You always take care of your own. You have your own ways. And you never disappoint! Thank you Zimbabwe for your prayers and support,”.

By A Correspondent| University of Kent lecturer and political analyst Alex Magaisa is unimpressed by National Constitutional Assembly leader Professor Lovemore Madhuku’s succesful representation of MDC Alliance activist Makomborero Haruzivishe.

Responding to a Twitter post by one Majaira Majairosi who hailed Madhuku for getting Haruzivishe out of prison free of charge, Magaisa said it was not much about the constitutional law expert’s deep knowledge of the law but the mood of ZANU PF regime.

“I think too much is made of representation. Mako should never have been in jail in the first place. It’s the politics at hand, not law,” said Magaisa.

He further explained that the whole Makomborero Haruzivishe bail application and eventual release was choreographed just “to give the appearance of justice.”

“The questions of who goes to jail and who doesn’t, who gets bail and when they get it depend on the mood at Munhumutapa. Everything else is just choreographed drama to give the appearance of justice. Unfortunately, this is aided by our collective gullibility,” said Magaisa.

Madhuku has not said anything about his decision to accept to represent Haruzivishe and following the bail ruling, he told journalists to speak to Fadzayi Mahere, the party spokesperson who was present in court.

Majaira Majairosi has shared on Twitter, how he spoke to Madhuku about representing Haruzivishe and other behind the scenes processes.

Madhuku has also successfully represented Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume when he was detained after organising his July 31 Anti-Corruption protest.

A 32-year-old Makoni woman recently appeared before a magistrate facing murder charges after she allegedly fatally assaulted a drunk neighbour who was pestering her for sadza.

Mollin Nyakudyara of Nyamukamani Village was arrested after she assaulted her neighbour on 27 December 2021, leading to his death the following day.

She reportedly used five sticks to assault her victim whose identity was not disclosed in the court papers.

Nyakudyara, who had no legal representation, appeared before magistrate Gift Manyika, who remanded her in custody to 14 January 2022.

Manyika advised Nyakudyara to apply for bail at the High Court.

Prosecuting, Oripa Sagandira said the now deceased arrived at Nyakudyara’s homestead in the evening on 27 December and started demanding sadza. Said Sagandira:

On December 27, 2021, at Village 2, Nyamukamani, the accused person was at her homestead.

The deceased victim came to her homestead at around 7 pm and started demanding to be given sadza. He was told to leave her homestead but refused.

A misunderstanding arose between the two, prompting the accused person to use some sticks to assault the deceased all over the body.

The victim sustained injuries on the face, left hand as well as some bruises on the stomach.

The victim passed away the following day at the accused’s homestead.-The Manica Post

The just freed MDC Alliance activist Makomborero Haruzivishe has rallied Zimbabweans to fight for freedom and independence saying his prison experience has helped him realize that there is need to put more effort to defeat the regime.

Speaking just outside Harare remand prison following his release after 10 months and 22 days, Haruzivishe said the fight for freedom in Zimbabwe is bigger than he imagined.

“Getting into prison for this prolonged period, enabled me to see that we have a bigger fight than what we actually imagined, especially within our Justice system, we have a bigger fight and we have to pull up our socks and we need to be more concentrated,” said Haruzivishe.

He called for grassroots education on the problems facing the country which he said emanated from military state capture.

“We need to be even more radical in terms of organising in terms of educating the masses for them to understand the problem that we are in which chiefly emanate from military state capture,” said Haruzivishe.

The former student leader was incarcerated in February last year and it took Professor Lovemore Madhuku to push for his bail application which was finally granted on Friday setting him free from prison walls which had become his new home.

Meanwhile, Madhuku’s representation of Haruzivishe has attracted mixed feelings with some hailing his selflessness while others felt he succeeded because the state was sympathetic to him.

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader President Nelson has said the problems affecting Zimbabweans in South Africa emanate from an immigration crisis in the region.

According to President Chamisa, thousands of Zimbabweans are running away from the political turmoil in the country.

He also blamed the Zanu PF regime for the deepening social unrest in Zimbabwe.

” To all Zimbabweans living in South Africa: we are concerned about you, your challenges and seized with your situation.

We have opened platforms of engagement. Ultimately we must fix our home base and that which has destroyed our beautiful and great country.

The immigration crisis facing the region is as a result of too much diplomacy and too little action on rigging of elections, governance deficits and multiple rights violations.

In order to solve the immigration challenges we must end elections rigging & citizens repression,” said President Chamisa.

He also posted a message of hope to the nation:

“I’ll go in the strength of the Lord God;I’ll make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.O God,You’ve taught me from my youth;And to this day I declare Your wondrous works.…O God, do not forsake me, until I declare your strength to this generation,Your power to everyone who is to come. Psalms 71:16-18 #Godisinit.”

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader President Nelson has said the problems affecting Zimbabweans in South Africa emanate from an immigration crisis in the region.

According to President Chamisa, thousands of Zimbabweans are running away from the political turmoil in the country.

He also blamed the Zanu PF regime for the deepening social unrest in Zimbabwe.

” To all Zimbabweans living in South Africa: we are concerned about you, your challenges and seized with your situation.

We have opened platforms of engagement. Ultimately we must fix our home base and that which has destroyed our beautiful and great country.

The immigration crisis facing the region is as a result of too much diplomacy and too little action on rigging of elections, governance deficits and multiple rights violations.

In order to solve the immigration challenges we must end elections rigging & citizens repression,” said President Chamisa.

He also posted a message of hope to the nation:

“I’ll go in the strength of the Lord God;I’ll make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.O God,You’ve taught me from my youth;And to this day I declare Your wondrous works.…O God, do not forsake me, until I declare your strength to this generation,Your power to everyone who is to come. Psalms 71:16-18 #Godisinit.”

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader President Nelson has said the problems affecting Zimbabweans in South Africa emanate from an immigration crisis in the region.

According to President Chamisa, thousands of Zimbabweans are running away from the political turmoil in the country.

He also blamed the Zanu PF regime for the deepening social unrest in Zimbabwe.

” To all Zimbabweans living in South Africa: we are concerned about you, your challenges and seized with your situation.

We have opened platforms of engagement. Ultimately we must fix our home base and that which has destroyed our beautiful and great country.

The immigration crisis facing the region is as a result of too much diplomacy and too little action on rigging of elections, governance deficits and multiple rights violations.

In order to solve the immigration challenges we must end elections rigging & citizens repression,” said President Chamisa.

He also posted a message of hope to the nation:

“I’ll go in the strength of the Lord God;I’ll make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.O God,You’ve taught me from my youth;And to this day I declare Your wondrous works.…O God, do not forsake me, until I declare your strength to this generation,Your power to everyone who is to come. Psalms 71:16-18 #Godisinit.”

08-01-2022

The spirit of comradeship was in the air and solidarity was on display as the people’s hero, pro-democracy activist and MDC Alliance Youth Assembly NEC member, Makomborero Haruzivishe was today finally released from Emmerson Mnangagwa’s concentration camp of Harare Remand Prison after spending close to a year in the doldrums.

True to our social democratic values, the Assembly leadership attended in full force to welcome a brother, a democrat and a revolutionary.

Despite disturbances and unnecessary threats from rogue police elements to disperse the friends of Cde Mako, the Youth Assembly braved the raining weather conditions to welcome the People’s Revolutionary.

Afte waiting for more than 24 hours since yesterday, Cde was finally released at around 1630 hrs.

Cde Mako is in good spirits and not even the prison walls could break his spirits.

Welcome home the People’s Hero!

DefyorDie

RegisterToVoteZw

NgaapindeHakeMukomana

Stephen Sarkozy Chuma
MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Spokesperson

By-The Doves Funeral Services driver involved in the Nyanga empty coffin scandal, Sam Chitsike, was fired on 31 December on allegations of negligence of duty, a report claims.

When contacted for a comment by H-Metro, Doves Holdings group public relations manager, Innocent Tshuma, said full details would be provided after police investigations are completed. Said Tshuma:

I am not in any position to comment on any development at the moment. As we said, we are letting the police do their work and we all make sure this issue is put to bed.

Doves came under scrutiny last year after it gave the relatives of the deceased Maxwell Chimwamurombe an empty coffin for burial.

The body was allegedly kept in a morgue for six months, between March and August last year, long after the coffin supposedly containing Chimwamurombe’s remains had been buried in Nyanga’s Matoropoto Village.

The body was later given a pauper’s burial, at Granville Cemetery.

Chitsike is being accused of concealing the mix-up and later notifying the Chimwamurombe family of the alleged faulty burial.

He, however, claimed that he was merely a transporter and the fault was with the morticians.

Chitsike said he had collected the body from Parirenyatwa, together with two plastic bags, which contained the deceased’s belongings.

Meanwhile, the body was later exhumed from Granville Cemetery for reburial.

More: H-Metro

By- A 33-year-old man allegedly committed suicide in a holding cell at a Plumtree police station on 30 December last year but his relatives suspect foul play.

Conscious Sibanda was found lying face up with the rope around his neck still intact, suggesting that he might have been strangled.

His relatives are not convinced with claims that he took his own life since the rope that he is alleged to have used to hang himself was not broken.
The deceased’s friends and relatives believe he was murdered and are waiting for the results of a post-mortem, which was conducted at United Bulawayo Hospitals on Tuesday. Talent Sibanda, a relative of the deceased said:
There was some kind of foul play in the whole exercise. Something is not adding up and this is very worrisome. Apparently, they are hiding something from us.
Sibanda had been arrested for shoplifting. He allegedly tried to sodomise a man he was sharing a cell with.
He reportedly killed himself after charges of sodomy were laid against him.
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the case is under police investigation. Said Nyathi:
We are investigating the death of the suspect in police cells. There are reports that he tried to sodomise his cellmates. We are also investigating those allegations.

B-Metro

By- The MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa said they are engaging the South African authorities of the ongoing permit crisis Zimbabweans in that country are facing.

The opposition leader said this Friday on his Twitter handle, adding that they were very much concerned about the plight of Zimbabweans in South Africa.

” To all Zimbabweans living in South Africa: we are concerned about you, your challenges and seized with your situation. We have opened platforms of engagement. Ultimately we must fix our home base and that which has destroyed our beautiful and great country,’ he tweeted.

South Africa recently terminated Zimbabwe Exemption Permits that benefited about 200 000 Zimbabweans living and working in the neighbouring country.

President Cyril Ramaphosa administration on Friday gave Zimbabweans with ZEP up to the end of this year to apply for other Visas.

By- The trial of Goodness and Mercy Ministries founder, Tapiwa Freddy continued with audio in which a man believed to be Freddy is begging the complainant not to report the matter to the police.

The trial which kicked off on Thursday continued this Friday with the state playing a one-hour 38-minute-long audio recording in which Freddy allegedly met the complainant and her aunt in Chendambuya discussing the way forward on the alleged rape case.



In the audio, a man believed to be Freddy is heard repeatedly begging the complainant not to report the matter to the police opting for an out of court settlement.

Freddy is also heard in the audio begging for forgiveness from the complainant and describing the issue at hand as very sensitive.

In his defence through his legal representative, Freddy initially argued that it is premature to use that audio as evidence before questioning the authenticity of the audio.

Freddy is facing two counts of rape and one of assault and the complainant testified this Thursday that she was threatened with a spiritual curse if she refused. 

The court heard that Freddy told the complainant that even if she reports the case, it was going to suffer a stillbirth since he was connected to officials from the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the National Prosecuting Authority. 

More: ZBC News

By- The Civil Protection Unit (CPU) is now examining and assessing more than 60 houses in Chiredzi whose roofs were blown off by the wind during the New Years Eve violent storm.

Chiredzi District Development Coordinator Mr Lovemore Chisema, who is also the district CPU chairperson, said Government modalities are already in place to provide food and tents to the affected households.

“The violent storm winds swept across the district on New Year’s Eve and blew off an excess of 60 rooftops in wards 20,27;and 29.

“The situation is dire and the CPU is almost complete with infrastructural damage assessment, with a view to provide the necessary humanitarian assistance to the affected families,” said Mr Chisema.
Beside rooftops that were blown off, some large trees fell on motor vehicles. Mr Chisema, however assured the district that the situation would soon get to normality.
“Government and its development partners are working tirelessly to restore normality in the district, and people need not panic,” he said.

-State media

By- Police in South Africa said they are worried by reports that Zimbabwean soldiers operating at the Beitbridge border post were accepting bribes from border jumpers and allow them to cross to their country illegally.

This was announced by SABC Friday after SA police intercepted a pickup truck with 14 illegal immigrants, mostly women, from Zimbabwe in Gauteng.

SABC reports that the undocumented immigrants said that they each paid the driver R1 500 to transport them to Johannesburg.

SAPS also arrested the driver for bribery after he allegedly offered the law enforcement a certain amount for them to be allowed to go through. SAPS posted on Twitter:sapsGP 14 illegal immigrants travelling from Zimbabwe to Gauteng were arrested by Gauteng police during operation #OkaeMolao. The driver was also arrested for bribery after he offered law enforcement officials an amount of money for them to be allowed to go through. ML

This comes after South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi last week accused Zimbabwe’s security forces deployed at the Beitbridge Border Post of taking bribes to let undocumented immigrants into that country.
Motsoaledi claimed that South Africa border security authorities told him that Zimbabwean soldiers were receiving bribes from border jumpers to allow them into the neighbouring country.
An SANDF officer told Motsoaledi that they had communicated with the Zimbabwean army commanders about the issue of corrupt soldiers, but apparently, nothing was done to address it.

By- Police in South Africa has announced that they have intercepted a pickup truck with 14 illegal immigrants, mostly women, from Zimbabwe to Gauteng.

SABC reports that the undocumented immigrants said that they each paid the driver R1 500 to transport them to Johannesburg.

SAPS also arrested the driver for bribery after he allegedly offered the law enforcement a certain amount for them to be allowed to go through. SAPS posted on Twitter:

sapsGP 14 illegal immigrants travelling from Zimbabwe to Gauteng were arrested by Gauteng police during operation #OkaeMolao. The driver was also arrested for bribery after he offered law enforcement officials an amount of money for them to be allowed to go through. ML

This comes after South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi last week accused Zimbabwe’s security forces deployed at the Beitbridge Border Post of taking bribes to let undocumented immigrants into that country.
Motsoaledi claimed that South Africa border security authorities told him that Zimbabwean soldiers were receiving bribes from border jumpers to allow them into the neighbouring country.
An SANDF officer told Motsoaledi that they had communicated with the Zimbabwean army commanders about the issue of corrupt soldiers but apparently nothing was done to address it.

By – The state broadcaster reports that there was audio of Goodness and Mercy Ministries founder Tapiwa Freddy begging a radio DJ accusing him of raping her not to report the matter to the police.

Freddy is accused of rapping a ZBC DJ Rutendo Makuti.

 The trial kicked off on Thursday.

The trial continued this Friday with the state playing a one-hour 38-minute-long audio recording in which Freddy allegedly met the complainant and her aunt in Chendambuya, discussing the way forward on the alleged rape case.

In the audio, a man believed to be Freddy is heard repeatedly begging the complainant not to report the matter to the police opting for an out of court settlement.

Freddy is also heard in the audio begging for forgiveness from the complainant and describing the issue at hand as very sensitive.

In his defence through his legal representative, Freddy initially argued that it is premature to use that audio as evidence before questioning the authenticity of the audio.

Freddy is facing two counts of rape and one of assault and the complainant testified this Thursday that she was threatened with a spiritual curse if she refused. 

The court heard that Freddy told the complainant that even if she reports the case, it was going to suffer a stillbirth since he was connected to officials from the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the National Prosecuting Authority. 

More: ZBC News

By-South Africa has extended the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) granted to Zimbabwean nationals living and working in that country to the end of this year.

The country’s Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi signed off the extension on 29 December. It was published in a government notice on Friday.

The special permits were set to expire on 31 December 2021 after the South African Government announced in late November that it was not going to renew them.

On Thursday the South African cabinet said it had decided to grant the grace period. It said:

During this period the holders of this permit should apply for other permits appropriate to their particular status or situation.

This decision was motivated by our desire to ensure eligible Zimbabweans can regularise their stay in SA.

We appeal to the holders of this permit to use the 12 months to regularise their status in SA.

This entails that the nearly 180 000 Zimbabweans who hold the permit, have been granted a further 12 months (until December 31 2022) to obtain other visas to legally remain in South Africa.

More: TimesLive

By-A Nigerian pastor based in Cotonou, Benin Republic, has shared pictures of an “angel” which he says was captured on camera in his church.
Posting on his Facebook page, Pastor Ekuma Uche Philips said the “angel” was caught on camera during his church’s cross-over service on January 1, at exactly 12:13 am. He wrote;

I have never seen such thing since l was born,.
We are in the day of great WONDERS.
This is God,
Thank you Jesus. For your great visitation and double wonders in Faith foundation ministries Porto Novo. Benin Republic.
Social media users quickly noticed that the “supposed angel” was wearing airforce sneakers. Check the pic below:
While some said the picture was doctored saying angels cannot appear wearing those sneakers, some said those mocking the picture were agents of the devil. In recent years, some other pastors including Pastor Bushiri have done things claimed to be divine that left members of the public divided. Bushiri, known as Major 1 posted a video in which he is seen coming down the stairs at his mansion in South Africa.
The fascinating part is when he gets to the last step to connect with the bottom floor, his feet do not touch the ground and he continues to walk slowly in the air and finally touches the ground.
A South African pastor with an unprintable name and a Zimbabwean pastor, Talent Madungwe, claim they went to heaven, separately, where they dined with God while gold reportedly rained at one of Emmanuel Makandiwa’s services.
Some believe that miracles are happening in this era and age while some say those claiming to be performing them are just fooling their followers to fatten their pockets.

-Agencies

By- Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has paid off all the retirees, farmers, Council and Tazara workers.

HH, also increased salaries for civil servants by 12%, implemented free education from primary to secondary, paid farmers before increasing the Constituency development fund from K1.6 million Kwacha to K25.7 million.

Voice of Africa reports that the UPND administration is set to recruit over 30000 teachers and 11000 health workers.

“The recruitment exercise is a 2022 plan only. Meaning in the second year of 2023, the New Dawn Administration will make insane positive strides that will joyously shock everyone because no government in Zambia or indeed in Africa has crazily performed like the one in Zambia in just months of being in office,” said Voice of Africa.

©️Voice of Africa

By A Correspondent| Government has gazetted has revised its earlier move to have passport application fees paid via CBZ Bank in a move that was unfairly benefitting the Kudakwashe Tagwirei linked financial institution.

This is contained in the newly gazetted Statutory Instrument 3 of 2022 which set the e-passport application fees at US$100 and US$200 for normal and urgent application fees respectively.

In a major change of approach the US$20 that had earlier been gazetted to be paid to CBZ Bank for processing the application forms has been removed in what spells of major victory for citizens who voiced out their disapproval of the move.

Zimbabwe Election Advocacy Trust (ZEAT) Communications

The persecution of Batsiranai Ngugama, a teacher at Serima High in Gutu by Chief Serima, ZANU PF MP John Paradza and CIO operatives makes sad reading.

His “crime” is the democratic right to support a politcal party of choice.

Section 58 of the constitution guarantees freedom of association and assembly as a fundamental right.We once again reiterate our displeasure about the uncouth,and dissident behavior of our traditional chiefs in our rural communities.

Chiefs are supposed to be doyens and custodians of the constitution through the promotion of peace and coexistence of all citizens regardless of politcal differences .In equal measure,the CIO must stop preying on innocent citizens and concentrate on their constitutional obligation.

As ZEAT we view this as ploy to intimidate voters as we move towards by elections in March.We are closely watching this development as we implore relevant authorities to intervene and restore sanity.ZEAT…fostering democratic elections!

RegisterToVoteZim

By A Correspondent| Opposition National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) Spokesperson Madock Chivasa has demanded that the 2023 elections be stopped until electoral reforms are instituted.

Posting on Facebook following the proclamation of by-election dates by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Chivasa said Zimbabwe should have real elections in 2023 not rituals as has become the norm.

Chivasa decried the fact that there are no meaningful reforms put in place despite the country being one year away from the next elections which are due in July 2023.

“Zimbabwe is now one year away from the general election legally due in 2023.If there is no meaningful electoral reform put in place then that election in 2023 must not be boycotted as I hear most stakeholders saying but it must be stopped. Zimbabwe must have a real election in 2023 not mere rituals mistaken for elections,” said Chivasa.

Meanwhile, the NCA is still to come up with a position on whether to participate in the by-elections.

NCA leader Professor Lovemore Madhuku told the state media that his party will meet over the weekend to deliberate on its position but seemed to suggest that they are ill-prepared financially with the major elections a year away.

Tinashe Sambiri| MDC Alliance leader President Nelson Chamisa says those who think he has run out of political strategies are totally lost.

The regime has assigned social media characters to denigrate President Chamisa to no avail.

One such character is a DJ Towers who claims he has chased away President Chamisa from social media streets.

President Chamisa urged citizens to ignore negative comments about the people’s struggle.

“Dear Zimbabwe: When we appear muted we are pressing the buttons, ahead of the game, in charge and in control. Blessed day to you,” President Chamisa wrote on Twitter.

Tinashe Sambiri|Suspected government agents abducted MDC Alliance official John Mupanduki on Friday morning at Nyika Growth Point, Bikita.

According to Media Centre Masvingo, Mupanduki’s whereabouts are unknown.

“MDCA in Masvingo revealed that their member John Mupanduki 29 was abducted by unknown assailants in the wee hours of today at his home at Nyika growth point. His whereabouts a still not known. # political hand suspected.# Human rights violations.
@ProfJNMoyo
@usembassyharare,” Media Centre wrote on Twitter.

Thousands of opposition supporters were murdered by Zanu PF hooligans and State security agents during the 2008 Presidential Election runoff.

The MDC Alliance is making frantic efforts to locate Mupanduki.

By- Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has paid all farmers, retirees, and Council workers.

HH, also increased salaries for civil servants by 12%, implemented free education from primary to secondary, paid farmers before increasing the Constituency development fund from K1.6 million Kwacha to K25.7 million.

Voice of Africa reports that the UPND administration is also set to recruit over 30000 teachers and 11000 health workers.

-Voice of Africa

By – The state broadcaster reports that there is audio of Goodness and Mercy Ministries founder Tapiwa Freddy begging a radio DJ accusing him of raping her not to report the matter to the police.

Freddy is accused of raping a ZBC DJ Rutendo Makuti.

 The trial kicked off on Thursday.

The trial continued this Friday with the state playing a one-hour 38-minute-long audio recording in which Freddy allegedly met the complainant and her aunt in Chendambuya, discussing the way forward on the alleged rape case.

In the audio, a man believed to be Freddy is heard repeatedly begging the complainant not to report the matter to the police opting for an out of court settlement.

Freddy is also heard in the audio begging for forgiveness from the complainant and describing the issue at hand as very sensitive.

In his defence through his legal representative, Freddy initially argued that it is premature to use that audio as evidence before questioning the authenticity of the audio.

Freddy is facing two counts of rape and one of assault and the complainant testified this Thursday that she was threatened with a spiritual curse if she refused. 

The court heard that Freddy told the complainant that even if she reports the case, it was going to suffer a stillbirth since he was connected to officials from the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the National Prosecuting Authority. 

More: ZBC News

By-Top hotel proprietor, Mr Obert Manombe Dube, popularly known for his chain of lodges, Omadu Lodged, has died.
He was 75.

On Tuesday, Mr Dube succumbed to kidney failure at Premier Hospital in Hillside, Bulawayo.

Tomorrow, he will be buried at his rural homestead at Gohole village in Maphisa.

Family’s spokesperson and nephew to the late businessman, Mr Andrew Ncube, said the body of Mr Dube will leave Bulawayo for Maphisa this afternoon.
“We are saddened with the passing on of Mr Dube who had been ill for a while. He will be buried at his homestead in Maphisa. His body will leave from 113 Matopos Road, Famona,” said Mr Ncube.
By the time of his death, Mr Dube was running a chain of lodges in Beitbridge and Maphisa after the one in Plumtree was sold.

Mr Dube is known for his big role in developing small-town lifestyles through taking initiatives of casinos to rural Matobo and Plumtree.

-State media

By-A Nigerian pastor based in Cotonou, Benin Republic, has shared pictures of an “angel” which he says was captured on camera in his church.
Posting on his Facebook page, Pastor Ekuma Uche Philips said the “angel” was caught on camera during his church’s cross-over service on January 1, at exactly 12:13 am. He wrote;
THIS IS DOUBLE WONDERS INDEED.
An ANGLE was captured on Camera during our cross over Night, on Friday 31th Dec,
Exacting 12: 13am,
I have never seen such thing since l was born,.
We are in the day of great WONDERS.
This is God,
Thank you Jesus. For your great visitation and double wonders in Faith foundation ministries Porto Novo. Benin Republic.
Social media users quickly noticed that the “supposed angel” was wearing airforce sneakers. Check the pic below:
While some said the picture was doctored saying angels cannot appear wearing those sneakers, some said those mocking the picture were agents of the devil. In recent years, some other pastors including Pastor Bushiri have done things claimed to be divine that left members of the public divided. Bushiri, known as Major 1 posted a video in which he is seen coming down the stairs at his mansion in South Africa.
The fascinating part is when he gets to the last step to connect with the bottom floor, his feet do not touch the ground and he continues to walk slowly in the air and finally touches the ground.
A South African pastor with an unprintable name and a Zimbabwean pastor, Talent Madungwe, claim they went to heaven, separately, where they dined with God while gold reportedly rained at one of Emmanuel Makandiwa’s services.
Some believe that miracles are happening in this era and age while some say those claiming to be performing them are just fooling their followers to fatten their pockets.

-Agencies

By- forty-six passengers have been injured when a CAG-owned bus overturned in Kamativi last night.

The overloaded bus carrying 97 passengers was coming from Binga and heading to Bulawayo when the accident happened on Tuesday.

The driver is said to have lost control of the bus as he descended part of the treacherous Kamativi road built on a mountain and dropping into a hill.

The road which meanders the slope has claimed many lives over the years.

Matabeleland North provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Glory Banda, confirmed the accident and said the 46 injured passengers were taken to St Patrick’s hospital for treatment.

“On 6 January 2022 at around 2230 hours, Andrew Hlatshwayo was driving a Yutong bus registration number ADC1141 owned by CAG from Binga to Bulawayo with 97 passengers on board. Upon approaching 26km peg on the said road, he lost control of the bus and it veered off the road to the left. It landed on its left side. The driver escaped unhurt and a total of 46 passengers were injured. Injured passengers were taken to St Patricks’ Hospital in Hwange. The police are investigating the cause of the accident,” said Insp. Banda.

He urged drivers to exercise caution when driving at night and avoid overloading passengers saying that increased the risks of an accident.

“Drivers should exercise caution when driving during the night and when it is raining. We urge motorists not to cross flooded rivers. Transport operators should prioritize human life over money and carry only the number of prescribed carrying capacity of the bus.”

Insp. Banda said almost all survivors had escaped with no life threatening injuries.

“Generally there were no life threatening injuries. I only noticed one victim who sustained a broken hand, whilst many had sustained visible different injuries. Some were just complaining of general pains on their bodies.”

A survivor of the accident told CITE that they were lucky to be alive as the bus only fell on its side before they got to the dangerous and slippery areas of the road.

“Everything happened so fast; we were descending the Kamativi slope around a bend when the bus suddenly fell on its side. A lot of people were lucky to have escaped with just injuries as by God’s grace the bus never overturned,” said one passenger.

Another survivor said the end of the holiday season and the need to return to work had put pressure on the transport system resulting in some operators trying to cash in on the development by overloading.
-CITE

By- An online portal reports that the bombings of Gukurahundi memorial plaques at the Bhalangwe mass graves site, Matabeleland South province, could have been plotted by the Central Intelligence Officials (CIO)
The bombings happened Tuesday, and no one has since been held responsible for the explosions.

The plaques, aimed at remembering the victims, were erected by pressure group Ibetshu Likazulu.

Its coordinator Mbuso Fuzwayo told NewZimbabwe.com that the development followed similar destructions last year.

As I speak right now, I am in Bhalagwe. Unknown people used explosives to bomb the plaques. We have already made a formal report to the police.
There has been concern over theft and vandalism of Gukurahundi memorial plaques.
Suspected state security agents have been accused of stealing Gukurahundi memorial plaques erected by Ibetshu Likazulu in Silobela and Bhalagwe in memory of thousands of people who were killed during the atrocities.
The plaques were erected in memory of thousands of people killed by the North Korean trained Fifth Brigade in the Midlands and Matebeleland provinces just after independence.
Commenting on the development, oppopsition MDC Allince said the continued destruction of Gukururahundi plagues and cites is a cause for concern. Added the party:
The regime in Harare cannot treat people in this manner and expect continued silence. The past must be resolved.
An MDC Alliance Govt will formulate a comprehensive programme of Transitional Justice (TJ) and National Healing (NH).
Our programme will be based on: i. Victim-centred approach, and ii. Comprehensive, inclusive, consultative participation of all stakeholders, particularly survivors and victims.
We emphasize the duty of the State to apologise for all atrocities. We further call for truth telling and justice, compensation and reparations in the spirit of national healing and reconciliation.
The party added that its programme will be based on the Victim-centred approach, and will be comprehensive, inclusive, adding that there shall be consultative participation of all stakeholders, particularly survivors and victims.

By A Correspondent- The government on Friday revised passport fees and set them at US$100 and US$200, respectively.

Kazembe Kazembe, the minister responsible for Home Affairs portfolio, which the passport offices fall under, said the US$100 is for an ordinary passport and US$200 for an emergency passport.

He announced this in Statutory Instrument 3 of 2022 cited as Citizenship (Passport Fees) Regulations of 2022.

By- Beitbridge Regional Magistrate Mr Innocent Bepura has convicted three men believed to be part of an armed robbery gang terrorising illegal immigrants and smugglers along the Limpopo river.

Magistrate Bepura jailed the trio for an effective ten months after they were found in possession of an assortment of firearms and ammunition along the river.

Munyaradzi Ncube (27), Elphas Chigudugudze (34), and Tafara Moyo (30) of Kwekwe, Gwanda, and Buhera respectively were busted by the national security task force while coming from South Africa through an illegal crossing point near the Chinyampanze area.
They had two Berretta Gordon Gardiner pistols, one Vektor CPI Pistol, and an assortment of ammunition.

The trio was convicted on their own plea of guilty when they appeared before Magistrate Bepura.

Ncube and crew have another pending armed robbery case which is set for trial on January 25.
The trio was left with an effective 10 months to serve when the magistrate conditionally suspended five months of the 15-month term for five years.
The firearms and ammunition were forfeited to the State as part of the sentence.

Prosecuting, Mr Ronald Mugwagwa said on September 27 last year, Ncube and his accomplices arrived in the country via the Limpopo River carrying firearms and small satchels.
He said they were then intercepted by the police who were patrolling around the Chinyampanze area who then recovered the three firearms and an assortment of ammunition.
They asked the trio to produce licences, by they failed, resulting in their subsequent arrest.

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) yesterday triggered a storm after announcing plans to remove 35 085 names of deceased persons from the voters’ roll, two months after identifying only 22 000 deceased voters on the roll.

Zec’s new figures announced yesterday sparked a fresh public outcry amid fears that the figures were being “cooked up” to disenfranchise potential voters ahead of by-elections in March, and the 2023 plebiscite.

The uproar over Zec figures came barely a week after opposition political parties and civic groups challenged its statistics on newly-registered voters, after claiming that only 2 000 virgin voters were registered last year, but later revised the number to 2 971.

In a notice on its official Twitter handle yesterday, Zec said: “35 085 files will be removed from the voters’ roll because Zec has been notified that the registrants are deceased. Unless an objection to the proposed removal is received within seven days of the date of the gazetting of the notice. Please find notice and form of objection.”

Zec then attached a Government Gazette to the statement, General Notice 3 561 of 2021, dated December 31, 2021, where the electoral body’s chief elections officer Utoile Silaigwana said people whose names were appearing on the deceased list, but were alive, needed to lodge a complaint at the Zec offices within seven days.

“It is hereby notified in terms of section 33(4) read with section 27(1) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13], that voter registration officers have reason to believe that persons whose names are listed in the First Schedule, and who were registered as voters for the constituencies, wards and polling stations listed therein have died,” Silaigwana said.

“The names of the person will be removed from the voters’ roll unless a notice of appeal is given to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.”

Zec’s inconsistencies pertaining to the voters roll has resulted in calls for an audit before the forthcoming elections.

Opposition political parties have also called for the electoral body to provide them with an electronic voters’ roll to enhance transparency and accountability by the body.

Piers Pigou, a consultant for International Crisis Group, also weighed in on Twitter saying: “Zimbabwe’s voters roll needs to be audited independently. It is as simple as that when the election management body leaves so many serious questions unanswered.”

Last week, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) produced evidence that Zec’s figures of new voters were inconsistent.

Local civic group Project Vote 263, which claimed that it had facilitated registration of 9 635 new voters throughout the country last year, wrote to Zec chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba on Tuesday demanding an electronic and hard copy of the voters’ roll.

Women Academy for Leadership (Walpe), which claimed that it had registered 175 women through its 2,2 million votes for the women election campaign, also castigated Zec over its voter registration figures, saying they did not reflect the true number of people that registered during the whole year.

Zimbabwe Election Support Network chairperson Andrew Makoni said there was need for Zec to open the voter registration system to the public so that they could inspect it to promote transparency.

“It is very worrisome that Zec gives statistics that are inconsistent when the nation is heading for key polls. Zec is giving conflicting figures on the registrants, which becomes problematic on issues to do with transparency and accountability,” he said.

“Zec is currently under a crisis for failing to retain public confidence in its operations. It should open up their system for scrutiny and inspection so that political parties or other interested stakeholders are free to access the voters’
roll.”

Opposition MDC-T also expressed disappointment over lack of credibility on the statistics being released by Zec.

“Zec has it all to do in order to convince the electorate that it is committed to conducting free, fair, credible and legitimate elections,” MDC-T party spokesperson Witness Dube said.

“It is disappointing that they seem to be recklessly throwing around figures on electoral processes without any logical explanations as to why their projections keep changing. This does not endear this body to the confidence of the electorate.”

But Zec insisted that despite the uproar over its inconsistencies on figures, it was satisfied with public confidence over its mandate.

“Contrary to the views on this platform (Twitter), the majority of registered voters have confidence in the electoral commission,” Zec tweeted.

“Zec assures potential registrants being targeted by the voter registration blitz in the next few weeks, all our valued voters who (are) already on the voters roll or have applied to be placed on the voters roll that barring any anomalies, they will be placed on the voters roll in time to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming elections.”-newsday

By A Correspondent- Zanu-PF Makoni district co-ordinating committee (DCC) chairperson Albert Nyakuedzwa, who recently lost to Mike Madiro in the Manicaland provincial chairperson race, has claimed that his rival used intimidatory tactics to win the elections.

Nyakuedzwa, who garnered 14 748 votes against Madiro’s 16 263 votes yesterday said he was in a “state of shock” as his supporters were constantly calling him saying they were being victimised.

“I want to put it on record that I don’t own any supporter in Zanu-PF. People who voted for me are Zanu-PF supporters,” Nyakuedzwa said.

“I am just told that people who voted for me are being victimised in Chipinge. I have received calls that Madiro is removing those people in leadership positions and is putting his supporters. I am further told that even those in leadership positions who won in my basket have received threats that they will be removed. Surely, this is not
democracy.

“In fact, Madiro should also (not abuse) me because I also have powers in the province. All that we want is to unite the province and win the 2023 elections.”

Nyakuedzwa also claimed that Madiro’s electoral victory was assisted by his “rigging of the elections”, a claim that Madiro has disputed.

Efforts to get a comment from Madiro were fruitless while the party’s provincial spokesperson Oliver Mandipaka directed all questions related to the just-ended elections to the party headquarters in Harare.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has said fifty-five journalists and media professionals were killed worldwide in 2021, with nearly nine in 10 killings since 2006 still unresolved.

UNESCO said impunity is “alarmingly widespread.” UNESCO Director-General Audrey said:

Once again in 2021, far too many journalists paid the ultimate price to bring truth to light.Right now, the world needs independent, factual information more than ever. We must do more to ensure that those who work tirelessly to provide this can do so without fear.

Although the number of victims stands at its lowest for a decade, UNESCO underlined the many dangers that reporters face in trying to cover stories and expose wrongdoing.  

In 2021, as in previous years, journalists faced high rates of imprisonment, physical attack, intimidation and harassment, including when reporting on protests. UNESCO said:

Women journalists continue to be particularly at risk as they are subjected to “a shocking prevalence of harassment online.”

UNESCO cited data that showed that nearly three-quarters of female media professionals surveyed had experienced online violence linked to their work. 

According to the UNESCO Observatory of Killed Journalists, two-thirds of victims in 2021 died in countries where there is no armed conflict.  

This marks a complete reversal of the situation in 2013 when two-thirds of killings took place in countries experiencing conflict. 

Most deaths in 2021 occurred in just two regions, Asia-Pacific – with 23 killings, and Latin America and the Caribbean – with 14. 

On Wednesday, Ms. Azoulay condemned the killing of Myanmar journalist Sai Win Aung.

-New.un.org