By A Correspondent- Farmers financed under Command Agriculture have until November 30 to deliver their maize to the Grain Marketing Board or be blacklisted so they can not access any more Government-guaranteed loans and face losing their offer letters and tenure documents and thus their farms.
The National Enhanced Agriculture Productivity Scheme (NEAPS), commonly known as Command Agriculture, requires farmers to repay their loans, usually in the form of deductions from their crop payments when they deliver.
The Financial Clearing Bureau then records their creditworthiness.
NEAPS was this year sponsored by the CBZ-Agroyield, which as a private banking scheme is baacked by a Government guarantee to banks that raise capital to lend to farmers to enhance local agricultural production through concessionary loans.
Government has assisted to ensure NEAPS is well funded with the ultimate goal of converting repayments from recoveries into a revolving fund, meaning that the money paid back this harvest can be relent to farmers to buy inputs for the next cropping cycle.
This would convert one-off arrangements into a permanent source of funding.
Last month the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement was expecting all farmers who benefited from Command Agriculture to ramp up deliveries and recoveries, Minister Dr Anxious Masuka said, so the proceeds can be rolled over to fund the forthcoming season.
Minister Masuka recently highlighted that farmers with outstanding debts will not be enrolled for the next season until they have made a repayment, and this needs to be done by November 30.
“For the avoidance of doubt, banks that lend to farmers who have not fulfilled the above, will be liable for any defaults. Additional measures will be taken and all national payment platforms will be activated to ensure repayments by defaulting farmers, including submission of names to the Financial Clearing Bureau,” said Minister Masuka.
Without a Government guarantee banks then have to assume the risk entirely themselves, and this was the sticking point that saw the Government moving in with guarantees so the banks could do their job.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry Dr John Basera said the Minister reserved the right to revoke offer letters for farmers who use their offer letters to the detriment of Government-supported programmes, including an intentional failure to settle loans.
“After November 30, we are seriously coming for those farmers defaulting. Farmers be warned.”
Command Agriculture was introduced by Government in 2016 to ensure national food security, accelerate import substitution and as a key driver to economic recovery.
It mainly benefits the A2 resettlement farmers and other farmers with the larger farms. The programme was also targeted at creating employment and uplifting livelihoods.
Command Agriculture has resulted in an increase in production of both maize and wheat and the ministry believes it is a catalyst to the attainment of Vision 2030 and realisation of the National Development Strategy 1.
So far the programme has registered success especially during the last season where over 1 million tonnes of maize was produced.
After initial success, last year the Government changed the model to bring in participation of the financial institutions such as CBZ, Agribank and Stanbic as part of the programme to create a permanent and normal financing arrangement.
Zimbabwe is expected to harvest 2,7 million tonnes of maize during the present summer cropping season, the highest yield in 20 years.
Success was also registered in wheat production during last year’s harvest when the country produced enough cereal to cover nine months’ supply and this harvest is expected with the modest carry-over stocks to see Zimbabwe managing without further imports.
Wheat production has been rising fast. In 2019 farmers produced 220 000 tonnes of wheat from 45 000 hectares but this winter more than 320 000 tonnes of the cereal are expected from the 66 400 hectares put under the crop.
“Eighty percent plus of this year’s winter wheat crop is coming from NEAPS,” said Dr Basera.
Meanwhile, Dr Basera said the next round of NEAPS will be funded partly through AFC and partly through CBZ backed by Government performance guarantees for the contracted farmers through Treasury.
“The scheme is targeting to establish 440 000 hactares. The target is 390 000 hectares of maize and 40 000 hectares soya bean,” he said.
By A Correspondent- Eight financial institutions that were allegedly involved in foreign currency dealings in Harare through EcoCash bulk payer lines, yesterday appeared in court for violating some sections of the Exchange Control Regulations.
Titanium Capital (Pvt) Limited, Dream High Investments (Pvt) Limited, Access Finance (Private) Limited, Tererati (Private) Limited, Vision Credit Source (Private) Limited, Capital Profit Financial Services, Raymond Mudonhi Investment (Private) Limited, Justice Mahuni, Kudzai Mudonhi, and Juso Global Limited, separately appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court charged with illegally dealing in foreign currency.
They were not asked to plead to the charges.
Titanium Capital, which is represented by Tatenda Patrick Musonza, is alleged to have dealt in $210 475 688.
Dream High Investments, represented by Tinasahe Paradise Magada, is alleged to have transferred $143 669 348 while Access Finance (Private) Limited allegedly transacted $185 420 444.
Tererati (Private) Limited owned by Samuel Tererai Chiodze is said to have transacted $125 722 079 while Vision Credit Source (Private) Limited, represented by Takudzwa Godwin Rafamoyo, allegedly traded $192 207 880.
Capital Profit Financial Services represented by Taitus Tapiwa Madzara, allegedly transacted $59 237 733.
Raymond Mudonhi Investment (Private) Limited, Justice Mahuni, Kudzai Mudonhi and Juso Global Limited Justice Mahuni allegedly illegally traded $150 128 765.
According to the State, Titanium Capital (Pvt) Limited traded with 429 agents between January and June 2020 and the institution was allegedly still trading using the EcoCash bulk payer line.
Dream High Investments, is a registered company dealing in buying and selling of groceries, according to the State.
It is said that sometime in February 2019, it opened a corporate banking account with Steward Bank. The court heard that between January and June 2020, Dream High Investments received $143 669 348 from different companies and individuals, which it then transferred using the EcoCash bulk payer line to agents who would buy forex on their behalf from the streets.
Access Finance, which is registered as a bureau de change, is alleged to have bought various Econet lines which it would give to various agents, who in turn used them to buy forex on the streets.
It is alleged that its conduct was against the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe financial regulations that do not allow it to employ or trade outside its premises.
Between January and June 30 last year, Tererati (Private) Limited is alleged to have bought forex using agents from the streets.
Vision Credit Source, which is a registered company, is also alleged to have used the same modus operandi to buy forex from the parallel market through its agents.
It is alleged that between January and June last year the company transferred $2 520 535 from its bank account into various EcoCash accounts before transferring it to various agents.
The agents would then allegedly buy forex on the streets.
All the suspected dealers are expected back in court tomorrow for bail applications. Regional magistrates Mrs Vongai Guwuriro, Mr Ngoni Nduna and Mr Turai Manwere, separately presided over the matters.
By A Correspondent- Nine new judges recommended by the Judicial Service Commission and accepted by President Mnangagwa for appointment as judges of the High Court will tomorrow take their judicial oaths.
The nine were among the 35 aspiring candidates that were interviewed to fill the vacant positions of the High Court after promotion of six senior High Court judges to the Supreme Court bench following consultations with the JSC as required by law.
Chief magistrate Mr Munamato Mutevedzi, Labour Court judge Justice Rogers Manyangadze Foroma, Mutare regional magistrate Chipo Annie-Lucy Mungwari, JSC deputy secretary Mr Elijah Makomo, Industry and Commerce Ministry’s legal affairs director Mr Never Katiyo, former Barclays Bank legal counsel Mr Joseph Chilimbe, Bulawayo-based lawyer Mr Bongani Ndlovu, chief law officer in the Attorney-General’s Office Mr Samuel Deme, who is visually-impaired and veteran Harare lawyer Mrs Catherine Kate Bachi-Muzawazi will be sworn in by Chief Justice Luke Malaba.
The JSC submits its recommended list to the President, who may assent to the names or ask the JSC to submit a fresh set of names.
While a recent amendment to the Constitution allows promotion of judges from the High Court to the Supreme and Constitutional Courts without further public interviews, these are still required for entry to the High Court bench.
The judiciary had seen a number of High Court judges moving to the Supreme Court to close the gap left by five judges that were moved up to the new Constitutional Court, now a stand-alone court.
By A Corrrespondent- The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) on Monday 27 September 2021 announced that police in Beitbridge had arrested three armed robbers who were involved in cross border crimes.
We present a statement that was issued by police national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi.
ARREST OF ARMED ROBBERS IN BEITBRIDGE
The Security Services on operation “No To Cross Border Crimes/ Fhasi Ngamilandu Yamukanoni Yamashango/Mhosva Pamiganhu Ngadzipere/Amacala Kawaphele Emingceleni Yelizwe,” have arrested three (3) armed robbery suspects at Chinyampanze area, Beitbridge.
The suspects, Tafara Moyo (30), Munyaradzi Ncube (27) and Elphus Chigundubudze (34) were monitored while coming from the South Africa side carrying three (3) bags.
The suspects were ambushed, cornered and found with two (2) Vector CPI pistols with no serial numbers and a Beretta Gardone CPX4 pistol, serial number 3181E. The gang had one pistol with empty magazine and another loaded with three (3) rounds of 9 mm paralle-bruim, 2x 12 bore gauge sellier bellol and SPS-70-05
The suspects who are residents in South Africa were targeting a consignment of Remington Gold cigarettes which was due to be smuggled into South Africa by people who are yet to be identified.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police warns criminals involved in cross border crimes and robbery cases within the country that the security services are on high alert and will deal decisively with criminal syndicates.
By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) have arrested three notorious armed robbers in Beitbridge who were involved in cross border crimes.
Below is a statement by the police national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi on the arrest of the three.The Security Services on operation “No To Cross Border Crimes/ Fhasi Ngamilandu Yamukanoni Yamashango/Mhosva Pamiganhu Ngadzipere/Amacala Kawaphele Emingceleni Yelizwe,” have arrested three (3) armed robbery suspects at Chinyampanze area, Beitbridge.
The suspects, Tafara Moyo (30), Munyaradzi Ncube (27) and Elphus Chigundubudze (34) were monitored while coming from the South Africa side carrying three (3) bags.
The suspects were ambushed, cornered and found with two (2) Vector CPI pistols with no serial numbers and a Beretta Gardone CPX4 pistol, serial number 3181E. The gang had one pistol with empty magazine and another loaded with three (3) rounds of 9 mm paralle-bruim, 2x 12 bore gauge sellier bellol and SPS-70-05
The suspects who are residents in South Africa were targeting a consignment of Remington Gold cigarettes which was due to be smuggled into South Africa by people who are yet to be identified.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police warns criminals involved in cross border crimes and robbery cases within the country that the security services are on high alert and will deal decisively with criminal syndicates.
By A Correspondent- A Harare man has lost his brand new Land Rover Discovery vehicle to armed robbers.
According to the police, the victim, aged 42, was attacked and robbed at his homestead by three suspects.
“They also stole US$15 680 cash, 55-inch television, cellphones and a laptop, among other valuables. The stolen vehicle and television were recovered dumped in Chisipite,” said the police spokesperson Paul Nyathi.
“Police in Harare are investigating circumstances surrounding a case of robbery which occurred on September 21, 2021, in Chisipite. Five suspects robbed the complainant aged 38 of US$21 000 cash and five cellphones,” he said.
He said police in Harare were also appealing for information that may assist in investigating another case of armed robbery, which occurred on September 19, 2021, at Pagomo along the Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Road.
By A Correspondent- A Bulawayo woman has told a court that her man has resorted to pounding her with fists because his sexual organ did not have to stay power to give her a good time in bed.
Nonmatter Mlambo (32) approached Western Commonage court to seek legal intervention after her husband, Mqondisi Msipa (45), assaulted her in front of her aunt who had visited them. Mlambo said the problem started when she engaged her husband’s aunt about Msipa’s erectile dysfunction problem. After that their marriage became a sour affair because Msipa constantly accused her of bad-mouthing him with his aunt. Mlambo said the situation escalated as her husband would hurl insults at her before assaulting her and would issue death threats. Fearing for her life, Mlambo applied for a protection order against her husband.
“I’m applying for a protection order against my husband, who physically and verbally abuses me for confiding in his aunt that we are facing a problem in our marriage because he is sexually weak as he quickly climaxes, leaving me sexually starved. “His aunt sold me out because she told him that I approached her. After that, my husband would verbally attack me, and at times, he would beat me up. In addition to that, he is a self-centred man who does not take advice and wants whatever he says to take precedence,” she said. She added: “I fear that he will end up killing me.” The presiding magistrate Jeconia Prince Ncube granted Mlambo a protection order against her husband and ordered him not to physically and verbally abuse his wife.
By A Correspondent- Six other people, including three shop attendants, have lost over US$4 000 to armed robbers in separate incidents in Masvingo.
Cases of armed robberies have been on the increase countrywide, with criminals targeting individuals and business people with cash.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi has since warned criminals involved in robbery cases that their days are numbered, and the law will soon catch up with them.
Asst Comm Nyathi said , “Police in Masvingo are also investigating circumstances surrounding a robbery case which occurred on September 21, 2021 at Madamombe Business Centre, Chivi. Two suspects robbed three shop attendants a total of US$1000 and R 1000 cash and cellphones at Jaka, Asani and Mhonde shops.
“Meanwhile, Police in Chikato are investigating three robbery cases which occurred on September 2021 and September 21, 2021 at Victoria Ranch and Runyararo West, Masvingo. Seven suspects robbed three complainants a total of US$3 715 and cellphones on three different occasions,” he said. Asst Comm Nyathi said anyone with information that might assist them with investigations can contact any nearest police station.
The Zimbabwe Schools Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) has released timetables for the 2020 November candidates which were delayed by the novel coronavirus.
Ordinary and Advanced level exams are set to commence on December 1, while Grade Seven tests begin on December 3.
Grade Sevens complete their examinations on December 17 while the last papers for Advanced Level examination candidates will be written on December 18.
Ordinary Level candidates will break exams for the festive season on December 18, resume on January 5 and sit for the final paper on February 5.
Meanwhile, ZIMSEC announced that it will publish dates for 22 Advanced and Ordinary level practical subjects later. ZIMSEC board chairman, Eddie Mwenje, said:
The practical subjects’ dates will be announced once everything is in place. However, we are working on not shifting the timetable too much because if we do so we might not be able to have Grade Sevens write and have their results this year.
So we are going to stick to the timetable as much as possible. We have parents that need to look for Form One places. Teachers that mark will also need to be given a break so that come next year we will not have too much pressure. – The Sunday Mail
By A Correspondent- An image of the controversial preacher and Zanu PF activist Panganai Java, also known as Passion Java, with piles of bond notes has gone viral on the internet.
In the picture, Java seems to be moving around collecting the old useless Zimbabwe legal tender.
The Zimbabwe Schools Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) has released timetables for the 2020 November candidates which were delayed by the novel coronavirus.
Ordinary and Advanced level exams are set to commence on December 1, while Grade Seven tests begin on December 3.
Grade Sevens complete their examinations on December 17 while the last papers for Advanced Level examination candidates will be written on December 18.
Ordinary Level candidates will break exams for the festive season on December 18, resume on January 5 and sit for the final paper on February 5.
Meanwhile, ZIMSEC announced that it will publish dates for 22 Advanced and Ordinary level practical subjects later. ZIMSEC board chairman, Eddie Mwenje, said:
The practical subjects’ dates will be announced once everything is in place. However, we are working on not shifting the timetable too much because if we do so we might not be able to have Grade Sevens write and have their results this year.
So we are going to stick to the timetable as much as possible. We have parents that need to look for Form One places. Teachers that mark will also need to be given a break so that come next year we will not have too much pressure. – The Sunday Mail
MASVINGO – Zanu PF MP for Bikita East, Jonson Madhuku has been dragged to court by a 75-year-old man he hit and injured in a road accident that happened at Zimuto Camp in Masvingo in July, 2018.
Although court documents could not be immediately obtained, The Mirror understands that David Ndangeni is demanding about US$550 for an operation that needs to be carried out on his left leg. Ndangeni confirmed the case and said that summons have since been served on Madhuku.
Madhuku also confirmed the case to The Mirror and said he helped Ndangeni with medical bills before and added that he only paid this out of compassion because the former was drunk and walking in the middle of the road with his earphones on when he was hit by the car.
Ndangeni who says that he got his hand paralsed after the accident accused Madhuku of having for the last three years refused to pay for the operation to have a metal rod placed in his left leg.
Ndangeni who stays at the Ministry of Transport quarters along Zimuto Road also accused Madhuku of failing to appear in court despite serving him three subpoenas since May 2021. “Ndangeni was drunk when the accident happened.
He was running in the middle of the road. I paid for his medication and other expenses when he went to Parirenyatwa Hospital in 2018. I helped him out of the good of my heart and as an elderly person. He has served me with papers to appear in court and I am waiting for the court date,” said Madhuku.
Acting Masvingo Police spokesperson Lloyd Masundira said he cannot comment on a case before the courts.
There are allegations that Madhuku who was driving an unregistered Ford Ranger failed to stop at the scene of accident. He allegedly stopped at the High Court in the CBD which is about 2km from where the accident happened.
“I was taken to Masvingo Provincial Hospital and later transferred to Parirenyatwa Hospital for medication but I cannot afford bus fare for regular checkups.
“Doctors wanted US$550 for them to put an iron rod in my left foot but Madhuku has been avoiding me since 2018. “I lost my job as a security guard after the accident and can no longer provide for my family. My wife sells vegetables in town. I am struggling to buy pain killers and I cannot walk or do any tasks as I now use one hand,” said Ndangeni.- Masvingo Mirror
By A Correspondent- Zanu PF activists are said to have invaded Gweru’s Mtapa market in the Midlands province.
The ruling party activists are also said to be collecting US$2 per week from each of the 600 vendors operating at the site.
The Southern Eye has established that the governing party’s activists grabbed the vending stalls in May this year. The affected vendors described the US$2 weekly fees as daylight robbery considering the state of the economy nationwide. One anonymous vendor who was affected by the development said:
This is a ploy just to milk us of our money as we are already financially overburdened. Zanu PF Midlands provincial spokesperson Cornelius Mupereri said his office had not yet received such reports. Mupereri said: No, the party has not been collecting fees from vendors. But Gweru City Council spokesperson Vimbai Chingwaramusee confirmed having heard of reports that there were some people that were demanding fees from vendors at Mtapa market. She said:
In cases like these, we encourage those affected vendors to go and report the issue to the police. Affected vendors told Southern Eye that they were afraid to report the matter to police for fear of victimisation. The governing party is alleged to have an influence on the allocation of vendors in towns.
Ruling Zanu PF party activists in the Midlands province in May this year reportedly took over vending stalls in Mtapa, Gweru, a local daily has reported.
The activists have since then been collecting US$2 per week from each of the 600 vendors operating at the site.
The affected vendors described the US$2 weekly fees as daylight robbery.
“This is a ploy just to milk us of our money as we are already financially overburdened,” one of the affected vendors said.
Zanu PF Midlands provincial spokesperson Cornelius Mupereri said his office had not yet received such reports.
“No, the party has not been collecting fees from vendors,” Mupereri said.
But Gweru City Council spokesperson Vimbai Chingwaramusee confirmed having heard of reports that there were some people that were demanding fees from vendors at Mtapa market.
“In cases like these, we encourage those affected vendors to go and report the issue to the police,” she said.
Affected vendors told Southern Eye that they were afraid to report the matter to police for fear of victimisation.
LPRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday warned of severe job losses and possible deaths if the country does not immediately act to deal with effects of climate change.
Mnangagwa made the call on his official Twitter handle ahead of next month’s United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) to be hosted by the United Kingdom in Glasgow, Scotland.
He said Zimbabwe could not afford to fail to immediately deal with the issue of climate change as failure to do so would be very costly for the country.
“If climate change continues at its current rate, thousands of Zimbabweans will lose their jobs, homes or even their lives. Ahead of COP26, Zimbabwe has now committed to reducing emissions by 40% before 2030. The time for words is over — we must act now,” Mnangagwa tweeted.
Zimbabwe has over 90% unemployment rate with millions now relying on informal trade to eke out a living.
Recently, Mnangagwa met the United Kingdom ambassador Melanie Robinson where she stated that Zimbabwe was one of the countries that are deemed vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
The Zimbabwean government has been hard hit by an economic crisis that senior officials have blamed on drought, sanctions and floods, among other reasons.
But critics have also accused the Mnangagwa administration of corruption, saying it has affected the country’s economic turnaround strategies.
Zimbabwe was hit by successive droughts, Cyclone Idai and other tragedies in the last few years and remains vulnerable to the effects of climate change.- NewsDay
By Dorrothy Moyo | South Africa’s female startup business penetration, amounts to 26% of industry [i]. What’s more, according to the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, only 10% of the country’s startups have at least one female founder. This is just one of the many examples of gender inequalities that pervade the tech sector of both countries. To address these and other issues such as the lack of mentorship for women in tech, the scarcity of investment into female-owned startups, and barriers to entry due to traditional gender roles, Cape Town / Stockholm Connect (CSC) will be hosting a solution-oriented Women in Tech webinar on Thursday, 30 September 2021.
Female-owned startups are vastly outnumbered by male owned start-ups. This is due to the many structural inequalities that pervade in the tech sector and society at large. Access to venture capital, networks and mentorship. Barriers to entry due to traditional gender roles are some examples of obstacles facing female start up entrepreneurs. To address these issues and identify solutions Cape Town/ Stockholm Connect (CSC) will be hosting a Women in Tech webinar on Thursday, 30 September 2021.
Launched earlier this year, CSC is a co-creation platform with the aim of strengthening ties between the tech industry in both countries.
Topics to be tackled at the event include the latest trends in technology on both continents, whether female tech entrepreneurs receive sufficient support from industries and government, as well as what can be done to create a more equal situation. With the convenors committed to ensuring that the event delivers measurable results, matchmaking and/or networking opportunities will be taking place during the breakout sessions, the foci of which will be raising capital, scaling multi-nationally, and the female quotient.
It is envisaged that, in the long term, the discussions arising from the event will lead to intensified networking and cross-border collaboration between Swedish and South African female-owned startups and entrepreneurs.
“I hope that women tech entrepreneurs from Sweden and South Africa start a conversation that leads to change and hopefully concrete business opportunities too. The digital world sees no borders, we build it together, let’s make sure that we make it gender equal!” says Håkan Juholt, the Swedish Ambassador to South Africa.
Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities in the City of Cape Town, Alderman James Vos, adds: “Connecting Cape Town’s startup businesses with other markets across the globe is an important aspect of growing our local economy and creating opportunities for growth and job creation. Cape Town is the startup capital of Africa and, to build on the possibilities we possess, we need to connect with cities such as Stockholm and share knowledge and insights. Cape Town’s tech industry has boomed in recent years and is on the precipice of even greater things. Last year, about R1.2 billion in disclosed investments were pumped into tech start-ups in the metro, across 46 deals – the highest in the country. But for the Mother City’s tech space to realise its full potential, we must strive to create a more diverse sector that really empowers women.”
“With Cape Town being the ‘Tech Capital of Africa’, it has an important role to play in fostering inclusivity and bringing more women into the tech sector. Although some strides have been made to advance women in tech, more needs to be done, which is why we fully support initiatives such as these. I strongly believe that this will not only help introduce new viewpoints and ideas to the sector but will also impact both countries’ potential for economic growth,” concludes Wesgro’s Acting CEO, Yaw Peprah.
Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader President Nelson Chamisa has described the late Dr Patson Dzamara as a dedicated young citizen who was determined to fight for justice.
Dr Dzamara succumbed to cancer…
He is remembered for challenging the Zanu PF regime to release his brother Itai Dzamara who was abducted by suspected State security agents in 2015.
President Chamisa attended Dr Dzamara’s memorial service in Mutoko on Sunday.
“PATSON DZAMARA…I dedicate this special day to a brother, the late Patson Dzamara.
The family informed us that they are unveiling his tombstone in Mutoko today(Sunday).
We lost a fine young man whose only quest was to find what happened to our still missing brother Itai. Rest In Power PD,” said President Chamisa in a statement.
By Simba Chikanza | The Zimbabwe Republic Police announces it has arrested 3 armed robbers and recovered their guns.
Guns recovered – source: ZRP
Below is the full text of their announcements The Security Services on operation “No To Cross Border Crimes/ Fhasi Ngamilandu Yamukanoni Yamashango/Mhosva Pamiganhu Ngadzipere/Amacala Kawaphele Emingceleni Yelizwe,” have arrested three (3) armed robbery suspects at Chinyampanze area, Beitbridge.
The suspects, Tafara Moyo (30), Munyaradzi Ncube (27) and Elphus Chigundubudze (34) were monitored while coming from the South Africa side carrying three (3) bags. The suspects were ambushed, cornered and found with two (2) Vector CPI pistols with no serial numbers and a Beretta Gardone CPX4 pistol, serial number 3181E.
The gang had one pistol with empty magazine and another loaded with three (3) rounds of 9 mm paralle-bruim, 2x 12 bore gauge sellier bellol and SPS-70-05
The suspects who are resident in South Africa were targeting a consignment of Remington Gold cigarettes which was due to be smuggled into South Africa by people who are yet to be identified.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police warns criminals involved in cross border crimes and robbery cases within the country that the security services are on high alert and will deal decisively with criminal syndicates.
HARARE- Tendai Biti’s client who was seeking to stop a former business partner from selling residential stands on a disputed upmarket piece of land in Borrowdale, has lost his court case. The development comes after Mr George Katsimberis and his company Coolfitch Investments approached the superior court challenging a High Court decision to strike off the court roll his urgent application for lack of merit in a judgment Justice Joseph Mafusire expressed concern over the contractor hiding the fact that another judge had already ruled on the matter. Through his legal counsel Mr Tendai Biti, Mr Katsimberis and his company had sued former business partner Mr Kenneth Sharpe and owner of Pokugara Properties, along with Harare couple Erasmus and Sibusiwe Chindove who bought a residential stand from Pokugara.
However, his bid to overturn the decision of the court of lower level slumped again yesterday, when a three-judge panel of Justices Chinembiri Bhunu, Hlekani Mwayera and Samuel Kudya dismissed the appeal. In its ruling the court agreed with Mr Sharpe’s legal counsel Advocate Tawanda Zhuwarara that Mr Katsimberis had no legal basis to stop Pokugara properties from selling its land. This is another major development in the dispute between Mr Katsimberis and Mr Sharpe and marks the second time the Supreme Court has ruled against Mr Katsimberis. In 2018 the Supreme Court threw out yet another appeal by Mr Katsimberis where he wanted to stop Mr Sharpe and Pokugara properties from selling property that belonged to them.
Yesterday, the Supreme Court also confirmed that the High Court was correct to order Mr Katsimberis to pay costs on a punitive scale because of the bad pleadings he had filed in the High Court and the fact that he had also hidden the fact that there were previous court decisions where he had lost.
Mr Katsimberis lawyer Advocate Tererai Mafukidze, instructed by Tendai Biti Law Chambers, submitted that while Mr Katsimberis wanted an interdict, the facts did not warrant the granting of such an order. This marks the end to a long saga where Mr Katsimberis wanted to get an order stopping Pokugara from selling its properties to the public. Mr Katsimberis had wanted to interdict Pokugara from transferring the property to the Chindove couple until the dispute between him and Mr Sharpe was resolved.
In the lower court Justice Mafusire ruled that the relief Mr Katsimberis sought was not urgent and struck the matter off the roll without hearing arguments on the merit, upholding the preliminary objections raised by Mr Sharpe’s legal counsel who brought to the attention of the judge that the matter was once dealt with by another judge, but was being smuggled back to court disguised as a completely different matter. He ruled that Mr Katsimberis’ application should thus fail since the matter has been dealt with and criticised Mr Katsimberis conduct saying he deserved censure.
In that case, Mr Katsimberis made a monumental blunder when he omitted material facts surrounding his case, with Justice Mafusire saying if that was deliberate then that was the height of misconduct.
“No court can relate to cause of action on the merits when some material facts surrounding it have been concealed from it,” said Justice Mafusire then.
“In no way could (Mr) Katsimberis move the court to deal with the issue of an interdict in these circumstances, when concealed somewhere in his memory box is a whole folder on the judgment of Muzenda J, but which he does not open to share with the court. “I cannot even begin to emphasise the folly and imprudence of a litigant’s failure to take the court into his or her confidence.” – State Media/Additional Reporting
What steps should a school take to keep students and staff safe from COVID-19?
What about vaccination? How can families and communities keep themselves safe as schools reopen? Dr Maria Van Kerkhove explains in Science in 5 this week
By Nomusa Garikai | “Sanctions against Zimbabwe are a setback to stability in our region. Botswana therefore calls on the international community to end sanctions against Zimbabwe,” said President Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana addressing 76th session of the UN General Assembly.
This is music to President Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF cronies’ ears but it is rubbing hot chillis into eyes of every long suffering Zimbabwean out there.
There a mountain of evidence proving beyond all reasonable doubt that the root cause of Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown are 41 years and counting of gross mismanagement, rampant corruption and the rank lawlessness that have earned the country the pariah state status.
A report from Zimbabwe’s own Auditor General revealed that US$890 million of donor funds to help with the corona virus has either been looted or otherwise wasted. Zimbabwe is losing a staggering US$1.2 billion per year to gold smugglers alone.
Ever since the imposition of the sanctions the regime has repeatedly failed to put a definitive figure on the financial loses brought on by the sanctions. The truth is the financial loses are but a tiny fraction to the financial loses caused by corruption and mismanagement.
Indeed, soon after the West imposed sanctions, Mugabe came up with his “Look East” policy which supposedly meant to counter the sanctions. And ever since the regime has boasted of various measure to guarantee national economic prosperity regardless of the sanctions.
The reality on the ground has been one of economic decline before the sanctions were imposed and the decline has continued after the sanctions were imposed. During the 2008 to 2013 GNU when Zanu PF was forced to abandon some of the party’s disastrous economic policies the economy registered a 12% recovery in 2009 up from minus 6% the previous year although the sanctions remain in place. All proving that sanctions are NOT the root cause of Zimbabwe’s economic and political mess!
Indeed, Zimbabwe has been stuck with this corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship for 41 years and counting because the party rigged elections. Ever since the late 1990s Zimbabweans have been calling for democratic change, changes to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections.
The people have risked life and limb to elect Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends on the promise the party would deliver the democratic changes the nation has been dying for all these years. Sadly, MDC leaders have proven to be corrupt and incompetent and have failed to bring about even one democratic change.
Still, every Zimbabwean with half a brain knows that to get out of the mess we find ourselves in, the country must implement the democratic reforms to guarantee free, fair and credible elections.
It is patronising, to say the least, SADC leaders to be parroting Zanu PF propaganda of blaming sanctions for Zimbabwe’s ills when they know Zanu PF corruption and mismanagement are the real causes.
We, in Zimbabwe welcome all the help we can get in our fight to end the Zanu PF dictatorship and will accept and respect those nations and individuals who refuse to lift a finger to help. What we will not accept is the insults of those who decide to side with the Zanu PF thugs. We do not accept Zanu PF’s denial of our basic freedoms and rights.
By denying the 3 million Zimbabweans in the diaspora the vote, Zanu PF is rigging the 2023 elections in advance and elections must be condemned in advance. The attempt to link the denial of the diaspora vote to sanctions is an insult because the right to vote is not a privilege or bargaining chip.
It is us, the people of Zimbabwe, the ruling party, the opposition and us the ordinary people, who must share the blame for the country finding itself stuck in this economic and political mess for 41 years. Still there are some outsiders who have helped us land in this mess and that is intolerable especially from those nations who have routines held free, fair and credible elections and therefore have no excuse for giving a thumbs-up to Zanu PF rigged elections!
The root cause of Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown and political instability is the country’s failure to hold free, fair and credible elections – the west imposed sanctions are just a feeble excuse and scapegoat. – SOURCE: zsdemocrats.blogspot.com
Chivhu – A 77-year-old man caught fire while relieving himself in a bush in Nhema Village under Chief Mutekedza on Sunday and he was burnt beyond recognition. Julius Takaendesa Gwapedza’s body was discovered after a search, Mash East Provincial Police Spokesperson Misheck Denhere said.
Sources said that Gwapedza had visited Nhema Village in Sadza to attend the memorial service of his mother. At around 7am he went into a near-by bush to relieve himself.
He was suddenly engulfed by a bush fire and a young girl saw him as he fought hard to put out the fire that was already on his clothes. The girl sent a mobile text message to the village head Canaan Makone (55).
At around 1pm relatives who had started looking for Gwapedza met Makone and he told them about the text message. They went to the bush and found Gwapedza’s dead. They also found his National Identity Card on him.
The fire was started by Elias Mukono (50) who was clearing a graveside at his homestead. He has since been arrested.- Masvingo Mirror
By A Correspondent- An image of the controversial preacher and Zanu PF activist Panganai Java, also known as Passion Java, with piles of bond notes has gone viral on the internet.
In the picture, Java seems to be moving around collecting the old useless Zimbabwe legal tender.
By A Correspondent- Zanu PF activists are said to be extorting vendors at Gweru’s Mtapa market in the Midlands province.
Reports say that the activists are demanding US$2 per week from each of the 600 vendors operating at the site.
The Southern Eye has established that the governing party’s activists grabbed the vending stalls in May this year. The affected vendors described the US$2 weekly fees as daylight robbery considering the state of the economy nationwide. One anonymous vendor who was affected by the development said:
This is a ploy just to milk us of our money as we are already financially overburdened. Zanu PF Midlands provincial spokesperson Cornelius Mupereri said his office had not yet received such reports. Mupereri said: No, the party has not been collecting fees from vendors. But Gweru City Council spokesperson Vimbai Chingwaramusee confirmed having heard of reports that there were some people that were demanding fees from vendors at Mtapa market. She said:
In cases like these, we encourage those affected vendors to go and report the issue to the police. Affected vendors told Southern Eye that they were afraid to report the matter to police for fear of victimisation. The governing party is alleged to have an influence on the allocation of vendors in towns.
By A Correspondent- Zanu PF has revived consultations on its indigenisation policy which would see foreign nationals barred from operating businesses in some sectors of the economy.
The programme is being spearheaded by the party’s secretary of indigenisation and economic empowerment, Mike Bimha.
Bimha said the governing party wants Zimbabweans “to take charge, we must fully participate in all the sectors”.
In the proposed policy set to be launched ahead 0f the 2023 elections, foreigners will be barred from operating in certain sectors, including the lucrative artisanal gold mining and hair saloons.
In 2016, the Zanu PF government was forced to abandon the economic empowerment law that sought to transfer majority shares of foreign-owned firms to black Zimbabweans.
By A Correspondent- We would like to apologise that we can no longer bring Norton Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa on Zimeye Twitter Spaces tonight because of an urgent engagement the MP has just had.
The outspoken MP was supposed to talk about his private love affairs and political career tonight at 7 PM.
We will advise on another date and time we could bring him on this platform.
By Munengwa Desdemona| Informal traders have lamented how the prolonged lockdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted negatively on their businesses with low sales and closure of Zimbabwe borders being cited as the major impediments to continued operations.
Since Zimbabwe reported its COVID-19 case in March 2020, government has been shifting from a hard lockdown to a relaxed and this has affected informal traders who thrive on daily sales to put food on the table.
One informal trader at Checheche growth point, Clara Mlambo has reported that since COVID-19 started her business has been going down as she is sometimes forced to use her capital to buy food for the household.
When the situation was normal, she would use her daily profits to buy food and re-invest the capital to keep her business running.
In an interview with Vemuganga Community Radio, Mlambo said, “since the beginning of COVID-19, my business has not been performing well, this is worsened by the fact that sometimes our wares are seized by the Council and at times the police would arrest us for breaching lockdown restrictions. This has affected me as I do not know how to fend for my family, my husband is late and I have three children who look after me.”
Another woman who sell vegetables, Rejoice Chipanera said she had to close her business in the hope that she would find a job but without education, it has not been an easy task.
She returned to her informal business but has stock has dwindled yet she does not have money to re-stock.
“These days I barely sell even USD10 and there is very low business and sometimes I would lose the few cents to the council who would be threatening to seize my order,” lamented Chipanera.
85 percent of Zimbabweans are in the informal sector and affected by lockdowns instituted by government to contain the spread of the deadly pandemic.
SHURUGWI- A cheeky baboon in a troop marauding the mining town of Shurugwi lifted up a six-year old girl on Sunday, chewed up her buttocks before throwing her into the air.
Helen Chakauya has deep wounds and doctors had to cut out flesh from parts of her body to fill up the wounds.
Helen’s parents are now appealing for US$200 for the treatment of the child who is admitted at Makarima Hospital in Shurugwi.
Helen’s father, Lesson Chakauya of Ironsides, Shurugwi told The Mirror that his daughter was playing with other children outside the house when baboons came running their way.
The children panicked and ran towards the house but one baboon turned on Helen, lifted her up, chewed her buttocks and threw her into the air. The baboon left her lying on the ground and ran away.
“Helen needs three injections and one is going for US$140 while the other two go for US$30 each. I don’t have the kind of money, I have approached the Social Welfare Department and I am appealing to anyone who can help.
Her wound is so deep that doctors had to cut flesh from some parts of her body to fill up the wound,” said Chakauya. He said that it was the first time in the area that a baboon had bitten a human being.- Masvingo Mirror
SHURUGWI- A cheeky baboon in a troop marauding the mining town of Shurugwi lifted up a six-year old girl on Sunday, chewed up her buttocks before throwing her into the air.
Helen Chakauya has deep wounds and doctors had to cut out flesh from parts of her body to fill up the wounds.
Helen’s parents are now appealing for US$200 for the treatment of the child who is admitted at Makarima Hospital in Shurugwi.
Helen’s father, Lesson Chakauya of Ironsides, Shurugwi told The Mirror that his daughter was playing with other children outside the house when baboons came running their way.
The children panicked and ran towards the house but one baboon turned on Helen, lifted her up, chewed her buttocks and threw her into the air. The baboon left her lying on the ground and ran away.
“Helen needs three injections and one is going for US$140 while the other two go for US$30 each. I don’t have the kind of money, I have approached the Social Welfare Department and I am appealing to anyone who can help.
Her wound is so deep that doctors had to cut flesh from some parts of her body to fill up the wound,” said Chakauya. He said that it was the first time in the area that a baboon had bitten a human being.- Masvingo Mirror
Mighty Warriors coach Sithethelelwe Sibanda has named her travelling squad for the 2021 Cosafa Women’s Championship scheduled for this month in South Africa.
Zimbabwe are in Group B along with 2020 runners-up Botswana, and guest nations Tanzania and South Sudan.
The tournament will happen between September 28 and October 9, and twelve teams will take part.
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has dropped eleven players from his squad to play in the World Cup Qualifiers next month.
The South Africa national team will play Ethiopia in back-to-back Group G games on 9 and 11 October.
Among those dropped for the games are Golden Arrows goalkeeper Sifiso Mlungwana, Thapelo Morena (Mamelodi Sundowns), Vusi Sibiya (Baroka FC), Luke Fleurs (SuperSport United FC), Tercious Malepe (AmaZulu FC) and Thibang Phete (Belenenses SAD).
The list is completed by Sphephelo Sithole (Belenenses FC), Jesse Donn (SuperSport United FC), Luther Singh (F.C Copenhagen), injured Percy Tau (Al Ahly FC ) and Mduduzi Mdantsane (Cape Town City FC).
Here is the 23-man squad for the games.
GOALKEEPERS: Ronwen Williams (Supersport United FC) Veli Mothwa (AmaZulu FC) Bruce Bvuma (Kaizer Chiefs FC)
DEFENDERS: Sydney Mobbie (Sekhukhune United FC) Njabulo Blom (Kaizer Chiefs FC) Terrence Mashego (Cape Town City FC) Sifiso Hlanti (Kaizer Chiefs FC) Rushine De Reuk (Mamelodi Sundowns FC) Siyanda Xulu (Hapoel Tel Aviv) Njabulo Ngcobo (Kaizer Chiefs FC) Mosa Lebusa (Mamelodi Sundowns FC)
By A Correspondent| An ongoing gold mining dispute in Mazowe has sucked President Emmerson Mnangagwa with one of the disputing parties using his alleged proximity to the head of state to muscle out others.
Pius Madzimure who is accused of forcefully taking over Magoronga Mining Syndicate mine five years ago is alleged to be using the name of the first family to elbow out the other party.
A source close the developments told ZimEye that Madzimure is on the disputes list for a long time but is allegedly bribing his way out and threatening people with unspecified action, as he claims to be working with the President.
“Madzimure has been on the dispute list for a long time and surprisingly he has been using the name of the President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) threatening people with unspecified action,” a source revealed.
He is also accused of bragging that he works with Kuda Mnangagwa, a personal aide to the President
“He claims to be having one Kuda Munangagwa who is the President’s personal aid, and he is the one representing the President’s interests at the mine,” added the source
Minister of mines Winston Chitando has since made a judgment against Madzimure but he is adamant that he will not move out.
When contacted for comment, Madzimure denied namedropping the President’s name.
“I have been on this mine since long ago, there are people who are trying to use their political power to wrestle the mine away from me,” he said
Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader President Nelson Chamisa has described the late Dr Patson Dzamara as a dedicated young citizen who was determined to fight for justice.
Dr Dzamara succumbed to cancer…
He is remembered for challenging the Zanu PF regime to release his brother Itai Dzamara who was abducted by suspected State security agents in 2015.
President Chamisa attended Dr Dzamara’s memorial service in Mutoko on Sunday.
“PATSON DZAMARA…I dedicate this special day to a brother, the late Patson Dzamara.
The family informed us that they are unveiling his tombstone in Mutoko today(Sunday).
We lost a fine young man whose only quest was to find what happened to our still missing brother Itai. Rest In Power PD,” said President Chamisa in a statement.
With less than two week before the blockbuster World Cup qualifiers between Zimbabwe and Ghana, all eyes were on Warriors stars abroad, and here is how they fared for their respective clubs.
It continues to get better for Jordan Zemura.
The young left back has made the Bournemouth left back position his after a blistering start to the 2021/22 English Championship season.
He started for the table-topping Cherries in their 2-1 victory over Luton Town.
For Luton, Admiral Muskwe was not in the match day squad due to injury.
In the English League One, Tendayi Darikwa started for and captained Wigan Athletic in their 2-0 win over Cheltenham.
The ever-reliable right back helped his side to move to the summit of the table.
Still in League One, Macauley Bonne captained Ipswich Town for the first time in the 1-1 draw against Sheffield Wednesday, while Brendan Galloway played as one of the three centre-backs in Plymouth Argyle’s 2-1 victory over Doncaster Rovers.
In the Premier League, Marvelous Nakamba was an unused substitute in Aston Villa’s rare victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
In France, Marshall Munetsi started for Stade de Reims in their 3-1 win over Nantes while Tino Kadewere is still out injured and hasn’t featured for Olympique Lyon since his injury during the Warriors’ lifeless goalless draw with South Africa last month.
Nyasha Mushekwi scored an 88th minute equaliser for Zhejiang Greentown in their 1-1 draw with Jiaxing Liansheng on Friday in the Chinese League One, his 18th goal of the season.
He extended his lead at the top of the goalscoring chart in the process. – Soccer24 Zimbabwe
Tinashe Sambiri|Zimbabwe Election Advocacy Trust( ZEAT) has challenged the Zimbabwe Defence Forces to stay out of the country’s political dynamics.
In a statement, ZEAT accused the Zimbabwe Defence Forces of trampling on constitutional principles that spell out the need for professionalism.
In previous elections, military men declared they would not salute anybody without liberation war credentials.
See ZEAT statement below:
AN ARMY FOR THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE, OUR DREAM.
On the 30th of July 2018 historic elections were held in Zimbabwe.
The elections were harmonised that is Presidential, Parliamentary and Council at the same time. As has always been the case with the past elections since 2000 after the formation of the MDC the elections were a sham.
Massive rigging was reported and the fact that The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission released 3 sets of results in the Presidential elections bears crystal clear testimony. As a result of the alleged rigging 2 days after the plebiscite the people took to the streets on 1 August to demonstrate against the sham election.
On this day the people of Zimbabwe and the world were shell-shocked to see soldiers all over the streets and to hear the noise of guns filling the streets. The question of who deployed the army when the country had no president is an issue for another day.
The August 1 post-election shootings saw 6 people dead. Soldiers and anti-riot police were implicated in the deaths. It must be noted that the shootings necessitated the creation of the Monthlanhle Commission which investigated the use of force by security forces to clamp down on post-election protesters.
At the commission the world was shocked to hear six Generals including Anslem Sanyatwe and Phillip Valerio Sibanda denying the involvement of the army in the shootings. The people will remember Sanyatwe because of his ill thought statement that the gun was not pointed at the people but at a 45 degree angle in the air.
The theatrics of the army generals was just but a joke. They even further went on to say that some people broke into army baracks and stole uniforms. For them it was some outlaws who shot at the people and not the military.
It must be noted that the 1 August 2018 event was not the first event the millitary was involved in elections. Zimbabweans will remember the role of the military in the 2008 elections. When harmonised elections were held on 29 March 2008 Morgan Richard Tsvangirai won with 48%. Robert Gabriel Mugabe had 43%.
When Tsvangirai failed to garner a majority vote a presidential run-off had to be held. The presidential run-off was set for 27 June 2008. Robert Mugabe’s campaign prior to the sham was taken over by the military. The headquarters of ZANU PF moved to KGIV. It was the military that was directing the operations of the election which was not an election but brutal war.
The ailing ZANU PF machine which was in the intensive care unit was reinforced by the military. They breath some life into the mortuary ridden ZANU PF comatose and cadavar. The military involvement in the June 2008 elections saw more than 550 peoplw losing their lives. The tortures, kidnappings and brutal killings are still in the minds of many who lost their relatives during this era. It goes without saying that it was during this era that people like Tonderai Ndira and Better Chokururama as well as many more met their last fate at the hands of the ZANU PF militia which was led by the military.
Many would remember how the soldiers would move around with Mitsubishi Trytons tormenting people. It was as a result of that why the Tryton never became a popular car in Zimbabwe regardless of it being a nice car with potential to even outshine the Nissan Hardbody and Isuzu KBs.
As a result of the gruesome acts carried by the authors of the short sleeve, long sleeve it is not surprising that when the majority of Zimbabweans see one of the few doldering remaining Trytons tears will ooze down their eyes. Following his humiliating defeat to Morgan Tsvangirai in the first round on 29 March 2008 rigged elections Robert Gabriel Mugabe wanted to concede defeat and handover power to Tsvangirai. He was not allowed to do so by the military who held him at gunpoint and threatened to him out if he hand over power. The military was all over the country as they were campaigning for Mugabe. Those in Gokwe Mapfungautsi will remember how one Major Ponde terrorised and tormented the people in the area.
The army even had the bravado and tenacity to tell the people during meetings in Karoi Mashonaland West that, “if you vote for MDC in the presidential runoff, you have seen the bullets, we have enough for each one of you, so beware.” The involvement of the army in politics goes back to the words of Vitalis Zvinavashe prior to the 2002 Presidential elections. Zvinavashe was the then commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.
On 9 January 2002 he waa quoted as saying, “We wish to make it very clear to all Zimbabweans citizens that the security organisations will only stand in support of those political leaders that will pursue Zimbabwean values, traditions and beliefs for thousands of lives lost in pursuit of Zimbabwe’s hard-worn independence.” On 10 January 2002 he further said, “Let it be known that the highest office on the land is a “straight jacket” whose occupant is expected to observe the objectives of the liberation struggle.
We would therefore not accept, let alone support or salute anyone with a different agenda that threatens the very existence of our sovereignity, our country and our people.” Basing on this foundation on August 17, 2021 George Charamba saidveterans of the struggle will not allow Nelson Chamisa to rule even if he wins the elections. That tirade angered the majority of Zimbabweans.
When people like Charamba echo those sentiments they fully know that the top brass at Zimbabwe Defence Forces most of them who are veterans of the struggle will not allow that to happen. Zimbabwe is not a Banana Republic so as such the army does not operate in a jungle but there are Constitutional provisions which guide their conduct.
According to section 211(3) The Defence Forces must respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of all persons and be non-partisan, professional and subordinate to the civilian authority as established by the Constitution. The constitution is crystal clear like the azure blue sky that the army must be non-partisan.
Considering how clear that clause is, it now puzzles the sane mind when the army operates like an extension of ZANU PF. Section 212 further states that the function of the Defence Forces is to protect Zimbabwe, its people, its national security and interests and its territorial integrity and to uphold the Constitution. Following the clarity of the constitution majors of jurisprudence will agree with me that the army is constitutionally obliged to respect the will of the people and protect it rather than to force their will or the will of their handlers on the people.
Our military must take a leaf from the Zambian and Malawian forces where elections were recently held democratically.
To begin with elections were held in Malawi in 2019 which were fraud-marred and which returned President Peter Mutharika to office. Following the massive rigging people took to the streets to protest against the rigging.
As a result of the protests violent clashes between the police and protesters erupted in 2019 which led to the millitary getting involved. When the military chipped in they protected the people from the police.
This is contrary to what happened in Zimbabwe where the military joined hands with the police on 1 August 2018 to beat up the people instead of protecting them from the police. Following their intervention Malawi’s army was praised internationally for taking the good move to protect democracy and uphold the constitution.
While deploying forces in August 2019, Malawi Defence Forces (MDF) commander Vincent Nundwe declared that his “priority is to ensure that Malawi is sovereign as well as peaceful.” It is this kind of statement that the people want to hear and not the vitriol from the likes of Zvinavashe which urinates and micturates on the right of the people to select their leaders.
One good thing to note is the fact that that Commander Nundwe’s words were not just mere talk but he proved to be a professional man and walked the talk as evidenced by the role the military played in the 2020 elections which saw Lazarus Chakwera being elected as the President.
In 2020 when the people entered into the streets to demonstrate the army stood firmly by the people. The Malawian army proved to be an army for the people which stood with the people at all cost.
Lessons must be drawn also from the conduct of the Zambian military during the recently held 2021 elections which saw Hakainde Hichilema of the opposition UNPD winning the presidential poll. Taking a closer analysis surgically one is convinced that the Zambian army dud a superb job.
On 1 August 2021the Zambian President Edgar Chagwa Lungu deployed the army to quell violence before the vote. If there is one thing to be noted it is the fact that the Zambian election was tightly contested and as such there was high probability for violence.
As the temperatures were almost reaching the boiling point more and more troops continued to be deployed to reinforce the forces that were in the streets.
The major goal for the deployment was to guarantee the prevailance of peace during the counting process. The Zambian army saw to it that there was a peaceful transition.
This reminds me of a picture that went viral on social media when a member of the ruling Patriotic Front tried to play mickey-mouse games and disrupt proceedings at the National Command Centre.
Two soldiers were equal to the task and whisked him out regardless of him being a ruling party member. Another video also went viral of two men who were caught with a tax full of ballot papers at one polling station in Solwezi Constituency.
The men were detained and beaten up by the members of the Zambian army. If it was in Zimbabwe the writing is on the wall judging from previous conducts that the army would have helped the men to rig. What buffles the sane mind us the fact that on 1 August 2021 the Zambian Army was out protecting the vote and making sure the will of the people was respected. On the same day on 1 August 2018, 3 years ago our beloved Zimbabwean army was out in the streets shooting at people defending their vote. They were busy aiding the ruling party to micturate and defecate on the rights of the people to vote.
Going forward I wish our army will take a leaf from their Zambian and Malawian counterparts and at least allow professionalism to reign supreme in the baracks. I hope and pray God Himself will descend down on our Motherland and let His mighty hand make our beloved military see the light.
I just like my fellow Zimbabweans do not hate the army. We love and respect our men and women of the cloth but we are highly opposed to their conduct when they act as if they are an extension of the Zimbabwean ruling party.
I so much yearn for that environment and period whereby our army will respect the will of the people and allow anyone who would have won the plebiscite to rule.
Until and such a time Zimbabwe will continue to regress towards the medieval era. What we all long for is an army for the people and an army that will protect the will of the people.
By Robson Madakutonga Chikwinya
Zimbabwe Election Advocacy Trust National Coordinator
What steps should a school take to keep students and staff safe from COVID-19?
What about vaccination? How can families and communities keep themselves safe as schools reopen? Dr Maria Van Kerkhove explains in Science in 5 this week
MASVINGO – Zanu PF MP for Bikita East, Jonson Madhuku has been dragged to court by a 75-year-old man he hit and injured in a road accident that happened at Zimuto Camp in Masvingo in July, 2018.
Although court documents could not be immediately obtained, The Mirror understands that David Ndangeni is demanding about US$550 for an operation that needs to be carried out on his left leg. Ndangeni confirmed the case and said that summons have since been served on Madhuku.
Madhuku also confirmed the case to The Mirror and said he helped Ndangeni with medical bills before and added that he only paid this out of compassion because the former was drunk and walking in the middle of the road with his earphones on when he was hit by the car.
Ndangeni who says that he got his hand paralsed after the accident accused Madhuku of having for the last three years refused to pay for the operation to have a metal rod placed in his left leg.
Ndangeni who stays at the Ministry of Transport quarters along Zimuto Road also accused Madhuku of failing to appear in court despite serving him three subpoenas since May 2021. “Ndangeni was drunk when the accident happened.
He was running in the middle of the road. I paid for his medication and other expenses when he went to Parirenyatwa Hospital in 2018. I helped him out of the good of my heart and as an elderly person. He has served me with papers to appear in court and I am waiting for the court date,” said Madhuku.
Acting Masvingo Police spokesperson Lloyd Masundira said he cannot comment on a case before the courts.
There are allegations that Madhuku who was driving an unregistered Ford Ranger failed to stop at the scene of accident. He allegedly stopped at the High Court in the CBD which is about 2km from where the accident happened.
“I was taken to Masvingo Provincial Hospital and later transferred to Parirenyatwa Hospital for medication but I cannot afford bus fare for regular checkups.
“Doctors wanted US$550 for them to put an iron rod in my left foot but Madhuku has been avoiding me since 2018. “I lost my job as a security guard after the accident and can no longer provide for my family. My wife sells vegetables in town. I am struggling to buy pain killers and I cannot walk or do any tasks as I now use one hand,” said Ndangeni.- Masvingo Mirror
Tinashe Sambiri|Zimbabwe Election Advocacy Trust( ZEAT) has challenged the Zimbabwe Defence Forces to stay out of the country’s political dynamics.
In a statement, ZEAT accused the Zimbabwe Defence Forces of trampling on constitutional principles that spell out the need for professionalism.
In previous elections, military men declared they would not salute anybody without liberation war credentials.
See ZEAT statement below:
AN ARMY FOR THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE, OUR DREAM.
On the 30th of July 2018 historic elections were held in Zimbabwe.
The elections were harmonised that is Presidential, Parliamentary and Council at the same time. As has always been the case with the past elections since 2000 after the formation of the MDC the elections were a sham.
Massive rigging was reported and the fact that The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission released 3 sets of results in the Presidential elections bears crystal clear testimony. As a result of the alleged rigging 2 days after the plebiscite the people took to the streets on 1 August to demonstrate against the sham election.
On this day the people of Zimbabwe and the world were shell-shocked to see soldiers all over the streets and to hear the noise of guns filling the streets. The question of who deployed the army when the country had no president is an issue for another day.
The August 1 post-election shootings saw 6 people dead. Soldiers and anti-riot police were implicated in the deaths. It must be noted that the shootings necessitated the creation of the Monthlanhle Commission which investigated the use of force by security forces to clamp down on post-election protesters.
At the commission the world was shocked to hear six Generals including Anslem Sanyatwe and Phillip Valerio Sibanda denying the involvement of the army in the shootings. The people will remember Sanyatwe because of his ill thought statement that the gun was not pointed at the people but at a 45 degree angle in the air.
The theatrics of the army generals was just but a joke. They even further went on to say that some people broke into army baracks and stole uniforms. For them it was some outlaws who shot at the people and not the military.
It must be noted that the 1 August 2018 event was not the first event the millitary was involved in elections. Zimbabweans will remember the role of the military in the 2008 elections. When harmonised elections were held on 29 March 2008 Morgan Richard Tsvangirai won with 48%. Robert Gabriel Mugabe had 43%.
When Tsvangirai failed to garner a majority vote a presidential run-off had to be held. The presidential run-off was set for 27 June 2008. Robert Mugabe’s campaign prior to the sham was taken over by the military. The headquarters of ZANU PF moved to KGIV. It was the military that was directing the operations of the election which was not an election but brutal war.
The ailing ZANU PF machine which was in the intensive care unit was reinforced by the military. They breath some life into the mortuary ridden ZANU PF comatose and cadavar. The military involvement in the June 2008 elections saw more than 550 peoplw losing their lives. The tortures, kidnappings and brutal killings are still in the minds of many who lost their relatives during this era. It goes without saying that it was during this era that people like Tonderai Ndira and Better Chokururama as well as many more met their last fate at the hands of the ZANU PF militia which was led by the military.
Many would remember how the soldiers would move around with Mitsubishi Trytons tormenting people. It was as a result of that why the Tryton never became a popular car in Zimbabwe regardless of it being a nice car with potential to even outshine the Nissan Hardbody and Isuzu KBs.
As a result of the gruesome acts carried by the authors of the short sleeve, long sleeve it is not surprising that when the majority of Zimbabweans see one of the few doldering remaining Trytons tears will ooze down their eyes. Following his humiliating defeat to Morgan Tsvangirai in the first round on 29 March 2008 rigged elections Robert Gabriel Mugabe wanted to concede defeat and handover power to Tsvangirai. He was not allowed to do so by the military who held him at gunpoint and threatened to him out if he hand over power. The military was all over the country as they were campaigning for Mugabe. Those in Gokwe Mapfungautsi will remember how one Major Ponde terrorised and tormented the people in the area.
The army even had the bravado and tenacity to tell the people during meetings in Karoi Mashonaland West that, “if you vote for MDC in the presidential runoff, you have seen the bullets, we have enough for each one of you, so beware.” The involvement of the army in politics goes back to the words of Vitalis Zvinavashe prior to the 2002 Presidential elections. Zvinavashe was the then commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.
On 9 January 2002 he waa quoted as saying, “We wish to make it very clear to all Zimbabweans citizens that the security organisations will only stand in support of those political leaders that will pursue Zimbabwean values, traditions and beliefs for thousands of lives lost in pursuit of Zimbabwe’s hard-worn independence.” On 10 January 2002 he further said, “Let it be known that the highest office on the land is a “straight jacket” whose occupant is expected to observe the objectives of the liberation struggle.
We would therefore not accept, let alone support or salute anyone with a different agenda that threatens the very existence of our sovereignity, our country and our people.” Basing on this foundation on August 17, 2021 George Charamba saidveterans of the struggle will not allow Nelson Chamisa to rule even if he wins the elections. That tirade angered the majority of Zimbabweans.
When people like Charamba echo those sentiments they fully know that the top brass at Zimbabwe Defence Forces most of them who are veterans of the struggle will not allow that to happen. Zimbabwe is not a Banana Republic so as such the army does not operate in a jungle but there are Constitutional provisions which guide their conduct.
According to section 211(3) The Defence Forces must respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of all persons and be non-partisan, professional and subordinate to the civilian authority as established by the Constitution. The constitution is crystal clear like the azure blue sky that the army must be non-partisan.
Considering how clear that clause is, it now puzzles the sane mind when the army operates like an extension of ZANU PF. Section 212 further states that the function of the Defence Forces is to protect Zimbabwe, its people, its national security and interests and its territorial integrity and to uphold the Constitution. Following the clarity of the constitution majors of jurisprudence will agree with me that the army is constitutionally obliged to respect the will of the people and protect it rather than to force their will or the will of their handlers on the people.
Our military must take a leaf from the Zambian and Malawian forces where elections were recently held democratically.
To begin with elections were held in Malawi in 2019 which were fraud-marred and which returned President Peter Mutharika to office. Following the massive rigging people took to the streets to protest against the rigging.
As a result of the protests violent clashes between the police and protesters erupted in 2019 which led to the millitary getting involved. When the military chipped in they protected the people from the police.
This is contrary to what happened in Zimbabwe where the military joined hands with the police on 1 August 2018 to beat up the people instead of protecting them from the police. Following their intervention Malawi’s army was praised internationally for taking the good move to protect democracy and uphold the constitution.
While deploying forces in August 2019, Malawi Defence Forces (MDF) commander Vincent Nundwe declared that his “priority is to ensure that Malawi is sovereign as well as peaceful.” It is this kind of statement that the people want to hear and not the vitriol from the likes of Zvinavashe which urinates and micturates on the right of the people to select their leaders.
One good thing to note is the fact that that Commander Nundwe’s words were not just mere talk but he proved to be a professional man and walked the talk as evidenced by the role the military played in the 2020 elections which saw Lazarus Chakwera being elected as the President.
In 2020 when the people entered into the streets to demonstrate the army stood firmly by the people. The Malawian army proved to be an army for the people which stood with the people at all cost.
Lessons must be drawn also from the conduct of the Zambian military during the recently held 2021 elections which saw Hakainde Hichilema of the opposition UNPD winning the presidential poll. Taking a closer analysis surgically one is convinced that the Zambian army dud a superb job.
On 1 August 2021the Zambian President Edgar Chagwa Lungu deployed the army to quell violence before the vote. If there is one thing to be noted it is the fact that the Zambian election was tightly contested and as such there was high probability for violence.
As the temperatures were almost reaching the boiling point more and more troops continued to be deployed to reinforce the forces that were in the streets.
The major goal for the deployment was to guarantee the prevailance of peace during the counting process. The Zambian army saw to it that there was a peaceful transition.
This reminds me of a picture that went viral on social media when a member of the ruling Patriotic Front tried to play mickey-mouse games and disrupt proceedings at the National Command Centre.
Two soldiers were equal to the task and whisked him out regardless of him being a ruling party member. Another video also went viral of two men who were caught with a tax full of ballot papers at one polling station in Solwezi Constituency.
The men were detained and beaten up by the members of the Zambian army. If it was in Zimbabwe the writing is on the wall judging from previous conducts that the army would have helped the men to rig. What buffles the sane mind us the fact that on 1 August 2021 the Zambian Army was out protecting the vote and making sure the will of the people was respected. On the same day on 1 August 2018, 3 years ago our beloved Zimbabwean army was out in the streets shooting at people defending their vote. They were busy aiding the ruling party to micturate and defecate on the rights of the people to vote.
Going forward I wish our army will take a leaf from their Zambian and Malawian counterparts and at least allow professionalism to reign supreme in the baracks. I hope and pray God Himself will descend down on our Motherland and let His mighty hand make our beloved military see the light.
I just like my fellow Zimbabweans do not hate the army. We love and respect our men and women of the cloth but we are highly opposed to their conduct when they act as if they are an extension of the Zimbabwean ruling party.
I so much yearn for that environment and period whereby our army will respect the will of the people and allow anyone who would have won the plebiscite to rule.
Until and such a time Zimbabwe will continue to regress towards the medieval era. What we all long for is an army for the people and an army that will protect the will of the people.
By Robson Madakutonga Chikwinya
Zimbabwe Election Advocacy Trust National Coordinator
SHURUGWI- A cheeky baboon in a troop marauding the mining town of Shurugwi lifted up a six-year old girl on Sunday, chewed up her buttocks before throwing her into the air.
Helen Chakauya has deep wounds and doctors had to cut out flesh from parts of her body to fill up the wounds.
Helen’s parents are now appealing for US$200 for the treatment of the child who is admitted at Makarima Hospital in Shurugwi.
Helen’s father, Lesson Chakauya of Ironsides, Shurugwi told The Mirror that his daughter was playing with other children outside the house when baboons came running their way.
The children panicked and ran towards the house but one baboon turned on Helen, lifted her up, chewed her buttocks and threw her into the air. The baboon left her lying on the ground and ran away.
“Helen needs three injections and one is going for US$140 while the other two go for US$30 each. I don’t have the kind of money, I have approached the Social Welfare Department and I am appealing to anyone who can help.
Her wound is so deep that doctors had to cut flesh from some parts of her body to fill up the wound,” said Chakauya. He said that it was the first time in the area that a baboon had bitten a human being.- Masvingo Mirror
Chinese mining company, Heijin, has reportedly told villagers in Kaseke, Uzumba district, that they have no capacity to stop their eviction to pave way for granite stone mining as they have no title deeds to the disputed communal land.
Chief Nyajina last Wednesday told a high-powered government delegation tasked to resolve the land dispute that the mining company’s representatives had told them to stop fighting for their ancestral land since they did not have rights to it.
The delegation comprised Local Government minister July Moyo, Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs minister Aplonia Munzverengwi, Mines deputy minister Polite Kambamura, Zanu PF acting Mashonaland East provincial chairperson Michael Madanha, Uzumba legislator Simbaneuta Mudarikwa and Maramba legislator Tichaona Karimazondo, among others.
Chief Nyajina said the company’s representatives were disrespectful and claimed to be connected to the highest offices on the land.
“What pained me the most is when this company told us villagers are not important as we do not have title deeds to our land. In other words, that means that those with mining certificates are now the custodians or owners of the land and we do not matter anymore,” he said.
The traditional leader, who is resisting the takeover of the entire village by the company without following necessary procedures, said the Asian miners told him to look for alternative land for his subjects.
“Here are the questions ministers: If we award 300 hectares to one person in the rural areas, where are our children going to stay? Where will I put all those people? A Heijin representative openly told me and my village heads to look for alternative land for our people — and I asked, where? Is this the correct procedure which they followed?
“There should be consultations with the community first. My word to Deputy minister Kambamura is that the way these blocks are being parcelled out is not proper. We only see people coming with letters from the Mines ministry stating that a certain piece of land is now theirs,” he said.
“We have other companies that have invested in our area. They engaged us before they started mining operations. We told them of sacred places that should not be disturbed and they listened. But this company (Heijin) is not like that. I do not know where their powers are coming from. I suggest that their powers be trimmed.”
Chief Nyajina further alleged that the Mines ministry had misrepresented facts to the effect that only 20 households would be affected after 300 hectares were pegged.
“We found out that more than 70 homesteads fall within the pegged area yet a government official claimed that only 20 households would be affected. Moreover, the mine representatives are saying only five households are affected. People should stop lying to the nation,” he said.
Government officials then promised to summon the mining company and Mashonaland East provincial mines officers to resolve the standoff.
Chinese journalist and activist Sophia Huang Xueqin is feared to have been detained in China after disappearing on September 19. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) expresses concern for Huang’s safety and stands in solidarity with Huang who has faced harassment by Chinese authorities for exercising freedom of expression.
The missing Chinese journalist was due to travel to Britain commence postgraduate studies at the University of Sussex, after being awarded the British government’s Chevening Scholarship
Huang, a freelance journalist and leading campaigner for China’s #MeToo movement, has reportedly not been contactable by friends since September 19, the day before she was supposed to travel from the Chinese city of Guangzhou to London, via Hong Kong.
There are concerns that she and labour activist Wang Jianbing, who was with Huang to see her off, have both been detained by the authorities. Sources familiar with the matter said Wang may have been apprehended over “incitement to subvert state power” because of the gatherings he and friends held at his residence. The reasons for Huang’s suspected detainment remain unclear.
The 33-year-old feminist journalist had originally planned to travel to Britain to commence postgraduate studies at the University of Sussex, after being awarded the British government’s Chevening Scholarship.
Asked to comment on Huang’s reported disappearance, a University of Sussex spokesman voiced concerns. “We are concerned about the safety and whereabouts of our student,” he said. “Our staff are liaising with Chevening to seek further details.”
Huang is known for her role in giving voice to China’s version of the #MeToo movement in 2018 when she wrote a survey report on sexual harassment and assault cases faced by Chinese women working in journalism.
In June 2019, she travelled to Hong Kong to protest the now-withdrawn extradition bill put forth by the Hong Kong government and blogged about her experience. In October 2019, she was subsequently detained over “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” and released three months later.
The IFJ said, “Huang’s disappearance is concerning as detainment has been increasingly used by the Chinese government to suppress political dissent. The IFJ stands in solidarity with Huang, who has faced continual harassment by Chinese authorities for drawing attention to important issues in the public interest.”
By A Correspondent- A 6 year old girl from Shurugwi was recently hospitalized after she was mauled by a baboon on the buttocks.
Helen Chakauya was reportedly attacked on Sunday by a cheeky baboon in a troop marauding the mining town.
Circumstances leading to the accident are that Helen was playing with other children outside the house when a troop of baboons came running their way. Helen and the other children panicked and ran towards the house but one baboon turned on Helen, lifted her up, chewed her buttocks before throwing her into the air.
The baboon ran away and left her lying on the ground.
Helen was immediately rushed to Makarima Hospital where she is currently admitted. She sustained deep wounds during the attack.
The doctors who attended to her had to cut out some flesh from parts of her body to fill up the wounds.
Speaking during an interview with The Mirror, Helen’s father, Lesson Chakauya said as a family, they are still perplexed by the whole incident as he revealed that this was the first time in the area that a baboon had bitten a human being. He appealed for US$200 so that his daughter can get the necessary treatment.
“Helen needs three injections and one is going for US$140 while the other two go for US$30 each. I don’t have the kind of money, I have approached the Social Welfare Department and I am appealing to anyone who can help. Her wound is so deep that doctors had to cut flesh from some parts of her body to fill up the wound,” he said.
In an almost similar development, a couple of months ago an 8-year-old boy from Zaka was attacked by a Hyena during an all-night prayer meeting.
Rodwell Ngomazana was under the custody of his grandmother, Martha Sasikayi, 62, at an all-night prayer meeting when he was mauled on his face by a hyena.
He was severely disfigured during the hyena attack.
He recently received a new prosthetic nose following facial reconstruction surgery in South Africa.
By Jane Mlambo| The Zimbabwe Election Support Network has slammed the government’s failure to abide by the constitution by failing to hold by-elections to fill vacant parliamentary and local government seats.
In its Electoral Reform Tracking report from January to July 2021, ZESN described the failure to hold by-elections as the most serious failures by the government to respect the constitution and its legal framework.
The electoral pressure group urged government to abide by the country’s electoral laws.
“The failure to conduct by-elections represents one of the most serious failures to abide by the Constitution and its legal framework, under the guise of seeking to uphold the health of citizens.
“Many countries in Africa and beyond have successfully held by-elections and general elections under pandemic conditions with measures put in place to avoid the spread of the pandemic. Zimbabwe is advised to uphold its electoral laws,” ZESN said.
The organisation also raised concern over the non-implementation of recommendations made by various local and international observers in the 2018 harmonised elections.
“Many of the recommendations that were made by well-meaning international and local election observer missions remain unattended to. Yet Zimbabwe is barely two years away from another set of harmonized elections,” added ZESN.
“The tradition of rushed electoral law changes on the eve of elections is not in the best interest of a maturing democracy. Many of the issues raised in the ZESN petition to Parliament remain outstanding. And yet these issues, if addressed, would contribute to o more credible electoral process,” further noted ZESN.
Government has suspended the holding of by-elections citing health risks due to the threat of COVID-19 currently ravaging the world but other countries including the neighbouring Malawi and Zambia have successfully held their elections in the middle of the pandemic.
There is a general feeling that the suspension of by-elections is a political move by the government to thwart the opposition considering that it has been the most affected due to internal squabbles that saw one faction recalling more than 20 legislators since May 2020.
By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday pleaded with the restive civil servants to be more patriotic and drive government’s devolution and decentralisation programmes to ensure uninterrupted service delivery.
The Zanu-PF leader made the call during the burial of former Public Service Commission (PSC) chairperson Mariyo Mariyawanda Nzuwah who died last week.
He also told mourners that government was committed to improving its workers’ conditions of service, capacities, and skills in tandem with the demands of the new normal driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I commend all public servants for their resilience, hard work and perseverance in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Government and its workers have had frosty relations since the switch over from United States dollar-based salaries to the Zimbabwe dollar era, with the latter claiming erosion of their earnings.
“Our public service officials should change their mindset and be up to the task of delivering on their mandates, including delivery of services at every level in both rural and urban areas. They must be an embodiment of unity, and drivers of our devolution and decentralisation agenda,” Mnangagwa said.
“In this way, they will bring dignity to every citizen through ensuring uninterrupted delivery of basic services such as clean water, good roads, timeous availability of inputs, and access to renewable energy, and well-resourced schools, among other aspects.”
He said civil servants should identify with the communities in which they are deployed, and respect their cultures and languages.
“In light of this, it remains incumbent upon the entire civil service to continue upholding the unwavering, patriotic, humble, hardworking character, high degree of professionalism and sense of duty-consciousness, exhibited by the late national hero, Nzuwah,” Mnangagwa said.
He also urged present-day intellectuals, the youth and women to play their part in pursuing various studies locally and abroad in order to enrich themselves in cultural and ideological consciousness.
“As the African intelligentsia, you have the responsibility to engender and propel the political and economic development of our country and the continent as a whole.”
The President said Nzuwah would be remembered for developing a sound civil service in Zimbabwe.
Nzuwah was appointed the first black chairperson of the PSC, then Civil Service Commission, in 1992 and served in that capacity until his retirement in 2018. He is survived by wife Janice Nzuwah (nee Stevenson), four children and eight grandchildren.-newsday
By A Correspondent- Intraparty violence has rocked the ongoing Zanu-PF district elections being held throughout the country as factions aligned to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy, Constantino Chiwenga, seek to outwit each other and land key positions ahead of provincial elections which have been postponed to early next year.
In some instances, party members physically attacked each other amid allegations of voter manipulation and intimidation.
In some provinces, the elections had to be aborted and postponed to today after the provincial leaders observed that the cell registers were in shambles and there was massive rigging.
There were also reports that in some areas, the party was using registers meant for beneficiaries of the Presidential Input Scheme to account for voters.
The Zanu-PF politburo last week announced that it had suspended the divisive provincial elections to allow for the smooth running of its national conference set for end of this year.
The ruling party’s internal elections are being held at a time when opposition parties have been barred from holding campaign meetings to nominate candidates for the 40 parliamentary and over 80 council seats which fell vacant following the recall of MDC Alliance MPs and councillors.
In Harare, supporters of Godwills Masimirembwa and Godfrey Gomwe pelted each other with stones and bricks in Epworth on Saturday.
Both Masimirembwa and Gomwe are eyeing the provincial chairmanship.
The two party officials could not be reached for comment, but party insiders said Gomwe’s supporters provoked the violence.
Zanu-PF acting spokesperson Mike Bimha said he was unaware of the alleged clashes.
“I just arrived from Bulawayo today (yesterday) and from the briefings I have so far received, there is nothing about the alleged fights,” Bimha said.
In Manicaland province, disgruntled party members yesterday demonstrated against provincial chairperson Mike Madiro, accusing him of imposing candidates.
The members, including youths, demonstrated at Mutare Teachers College demanding an address by Madiro, who was at that time addressing a provincial electoral committee meeting.
Madiro had to be whisked away by the police after the protestors became more daring following his alleged refusal to address them.
The placard-waving protesters later demanded to be addressed by provincial political commissar, Gift Kagweda, and acting national commissar Patrick Chinamasa.
They were still camped at the provincial offices at the time of going to print last night.
Some of their placards read: “Madiro must go”, “No to imposition of candidates”, “With Madiro, we can’t achieve the five million votes”.
In the Midlands province, factional fights forced the postponement of the district elections to a later date.
Supporters are polarised between State Security minister Owen Ncube and incumbent chairman Daniel Mackenzie Ncube.
In Gokwe, Gokwe-Nembudziya MP Mayor Wadyajena had to seek police escort after Zanu-PF supporters threatened to attack his vehicle, accusing him of trying to impose candidates in polls supervised by a district co-ordinating committee team from Gweru.
On Friday, while addressing party supporters after touring a community garden benefiting hundreds of women in Gokwe-Nembudziya, Wadyajena said senior Zanu-PF officials should desist from abusing President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s name to land influential positions in the ongoing restructuring exercise.
“No one should force you to vote for a person you don’t want (to vote for). No one should abuse the name of chefs to say the President has sent me. That is selling out and unacceptable,” he said.
In Mashonaland Central province, the district polls, which were scheduled for Friday, will now be held today after concerns were raised over chaotic voter registers.
The chaos was attributed to alleged attempts by incumbent provincial chairperson Kazembe Kazembe to impose his cronies as candidates.
“We aborted the elections because there was confusion in cell registers and ballot boxes (which) were supplied in threes, meaning rigging was already happening, hence we stopped them. This was orchestrated by Kazembe who is fighting to reclaim his seat,” a party insider claimed.
Insiders said Kazembe held a meeting to plot the rigging at his farm on September 18, which was attended by nine allies who hold influential positions in the province.
Kazembe, however, dismissed the allegations.
“People who are creating the confusion are known, that is nonsense as usual. Kazembe doesn’t vote in the more than 400 districts in the province. People are just scared of the elections. Let us allow people to choose their leaders without manipulation,” he said.
In Masvingo province, chaos was swirling following allegations that provincial chairperson Ezra Chadzamira had planned to bus in council workers to vote for candidates loyal to him.
— Additional reporting by Kenneth Nyangani, Simba Sithole and Amos Batisayi.-newsday
By A Correspondent- Police have launched a manhunt for a group of seven robbers who stole US$600 and three cell phones.
In their twitter page, the police said the suspects attacked the complainants on September 24 at Annadale 17 Mine in Filabusi.
“Police in Filabusi are investigating circumstances surrounding a robbery case which occurred on 24 September at Annadale 17 Mine. Seven suspects attacked two complainants and stole US$600 cash as well as three cellphones.
“Meanwhile police in Masvingo are investigating circumstances surrounding a robbery case which occurred on 21 September Madamombe Business Centre. Two suspects robbed three shop attendants a total of US$1000 and R 1000 cash as well as cellphones at Jaka, Asani and Mhonde Shops,” said the police.
By A Correspondent- A 6 year old girl from Shurugwi was recently hospitalized after she was mauled by a baboon on the buttocks.
Helen Chakauya was reportedly attacked on Sunday by a cheeky baboon in a troop marauding the mining town.
Circumstances leading to the accident are that Helen was playing with other children outside the house when a troop of baboons came running their way. Helen and the other children panicked and ran towards the house but one baboon turned on Helen, lifted her up, chewed her buttocks before throwing her into the air.
The baboon ran away and left her lying on the ground.
Helen was immediately rushed to Makarima Hospital where she is currently admitted. She sustained deep wounds during the attack.
The doctors who attended to her had to cut out some flesh from parts of her body to fill up the wounds.
Speaking during an interview with The Mirror, Helen’s father, Lesson Chakauya said as a family, they are still perplexed by the whole incident as he revealed that this was the first time in the area that a baboon had bitten a human being. He appealed for US$200 so that his daughter can get the necessary treatment.
“Helen needs three injections and one is going for US$140 while the other two go for US$30 each. I don’t have the kind of money, I have approached the Social Welfare Department and I am appealing to anyone who can help. Her wound is so deep that doctors had to cut flesh from some parts of her body to fill up the wound,” he said.
In an almost similar development, a couple of months ago an 8-year-old boy from Zaka was attacked by a Hyena during an all-night prayer meeting.
Rodwell Ngomazana was under the custody of his grandmother, Martha Sasikayi, 62, at an all-night prayer meeting when he was mauled on his face by a hyena.
He was severely disfigured during the hyena attack.
He recently received a new prosthetic nose following facial reconstruction surgery in South Africa.
By A Correspondent- Two dangerous inmates escaped from WhaWha Medium Prison in Gweru last week after Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) officers allegedly failed to secure doors to their holding cells.
Shepherd Mubaiwa (29) and Maxwell Vikwepi (20) facing robbery, unlawful entry and theft charges escaped from lawful custody on Friday while awaiting trial.
Two ZPCS officers who were tasked with securing the doors for the holding cells are allegedly in detention as investigations into the alleged escape take place.
ZPCS national deputy spokesperson Principal Correctional Officer (PCO) Peter Chaparanga said:
Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service would like to inform members of the public that on 24 September, 2021, two inmates awaiting trial Shepherd Mubaiwa (29) facing robbery, unlawful entry and theft charges and Maxwell Vikwepi (20) facing charges of robbery escaped from lawful custody at Whawha Medium Prison,” he said. PCO Chaparanga said circumstances surrounding their escape are still under investigation.
“We appeal to the members of the public to assist with any information that may lead to the recapture of the duo. Meanwhile, the public is encouraged to approach the escapees with caution,” he said.
Sources at the prison said two of their colleagues were in detention as investigations into the escape gather momentum.
They said once a prisoner escapes, the prison officers on duty are automatically brought to task to ascertain whether or not they were involved in the escape.
By A Correspondent- A Chinese mining company, Heijin, has reportedly told villagers in Kaseke, Uzumba district, that they have no capacity to stop their eviction to pave way for granite stone mining as they have no title deeds to the disputed communal land.
Chief Nyajina last Wednesday told a high-powered government delegation tasked to resolve the land dispute that the mining company’s representatives had told them to stop fighting for their ancestral land since they did not have rights to it.
The delegation comprised Local Government minister July Moyo, Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs minister Aplonia Munzverengwi, Mines deputy minister Polite Kambamura, Zanu-PF acting Mashonaland East provincial chairperson Michael Madanha, Uzumba legislator Simbaneuta Mudarikwa and Maramba legislator Tichaona Karimazondo, among others.
Chief Nyajina said the company’s representatives were disrespectful and claimed to be connected to the highest offices on the land.
“What pained me the most is when this company told us villagers are not important as we do not have title deeds to our land. In other words, that means that those with mining certificates are now the custodians or owners of the land and we do not matter anymore,” he said.
The traditional leader, who is resisting the takeover of the entire village by the company without following necessary procedures, said the Asian miners told him to look for alternative land for his subjects.
“Here are the questions ministers: If we award 300 hectares to one person in the rural areas, where are our children going to stay? Where will I put all those people? A Heijin representative openly told me and my village heads to look for alternative land for our people — and I asked, where? Is this the correct procedure which they followed?
“There should be consultations with the community first. My word to Deputy minister Kambamura is that the way these blocks are being parcelled out is not proper. We only see people coming with letters from the Mines ministry stating that a certain piece of land is now theirs,” he said.
“We have other companies that have invested in our area. They engaged us before they started mining operations. We told them of sacred places that should not be disturbed and they listened. But this company (Heijin) is not like that. I do not know where their powers are coming from. I suggest that their powers be trimmed.”
Chief Nyajina further alleged that the Mines ministry had misrepresented facts to the effect that only 20 households would be affected after 300 hectares were pegged.
“We found out that more than 70 homesteads fall within the pegged area yet a government official claimed that only 20 households would be affected. Moreover, the mine representatives are saying only five households are affected. People should stop lying to the nation,” he said.
Government officials then promised to summon the mining company and Mashonaland East provincial mines officers to resolve the standoff.-newsday
Those talking about ageism and maturity in politics must revisit an interview where the late President Robert Mugabe who was only 31 years old in 1961 where he was talking about inequality and education. He was already in leadership.
By Leonard Koni – Maturity in politics is not about age but speaking out on bad governance , corruption and bleeding the country’s resources. This ageism jibe must be thrown away and substitute it with inclusiveness and skills regardless of one’s orientation or age.
A President does not need to understand the intricacies of the economy that is why he is empowered to assign relevant ministers to different portfolios according to their academic qualifications and skills.
Zanu PF was walloped by MDC several times. Just like how Nelson Chamisa floored Emmerson Mnangagwa with a proverbial sucker punch in 2018 election.
Politics is not about how many years one has been into the game. It is about how one articulates their vision and ideas towards driving the people’s aspirations with a sound political team not chosen on nepotism but meritocracy.
I was surprised to hear Geoffrey Nyarota a former Daily News editor undermining Nelson Chamisa what was voted by around two million people that he is not mature in politics and yet Mugabe was just 31 and occupying a very important position.
Zimbabwe is so tiring. All the 70s men and women with their grey hair and maturity on their side have failed to take Zimbabwe out of its economic, political quagmire.
They have failed to answer questions on why the country is still reeling under untold suffering and poverty.
Its unfortunate that those mature in politics are the ones who bombed Nyarota’s Daily News and arrested him more than five times and at one time had his newspaper closed.
Therefore Zimbabwe needs a brand new crop of leaders young leaders because these mature politicians have dismally failed the nation.
All this talk about dialogue with Mwonzora is a sign of fear of impending elections. Interestingly mature people who always steal and rob elections are afraid of those who are not mature. They go around bullying hunting and haunting Nelson Chamisa.
Zanu PF government is spending it’s money on destroying Nelson Chamisa instead of channeling their effort on developing the nation. Since Mnangagwa took over we have been bombarded with incessant propaganda that the country is taking good steps towards economic growth.
Right now many countries have held elections despite the pandemic, including Zambia, South Africa, Malawi, and the United States but those who think they are mature in politics are avoiding by elections citing upsurge of Covid19 cases.
Political leaders who are mature in politics do not have time to fight the opposition through the state sponsored media.
Nearly about 70% of the population is living below the poverty datum line under these so called mature politicians.
By A Correspondent- National Patriotic Front (NPF) parliamentary candidate for Mhangura constituency in the 2018 elections, Mr Peter Kadambe has defected to the ruling Zanu-PF party, becoming the latest of many people to ditch opposition parties in recent months.
This comes as Zanu-PF has set a target of securing at least five million votes in the 2023 harmonised elections.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Deputy Minister and Makonde District Coordinating Committee (DCC) chairperson, Kindness Paradza confirmed in Mhangura at the weekend that Mr Kadambe and Mr Tongai Nyamasunha had been welcomed into the party.
He said everyone was welcome to join the ruling party.
Mr Kadambe, who is also a former member of the Movement for Democratic Change, contested and against Zanu-PF’s Precious Chinhamo-Masango while Mr Nyamasunha was NPF’s candidate for council Ward 11 in Mhangura.
He lost the election to Ngonani Maseko.
Other political parties to be hit by defections include the MDC-A whose top members, including Mr Blessing Chebundo and Zvishavane Senator Lillian Timveos, crossed the floor to Zanu-PF.
Mr Tongai Matutu from Masvingo province also joined the ruling party last year.
Said Paradza: “The party is open to everyone and the two former NPF members decided to join us following the warm invitation by our President, Mnangagwa.
“Kadambe wrote a letter to be admitted into the party and the Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) accepted his request.
Mhangura constituency is expected to contribute 25 000 towards Makonde’s 75 000 votes to feed into the five million target.
In their remarks, the two admitted members vowed to work for the party for a resounding 2023 election result.
Mr Kadambe pledged allegiance to President Mnangagwa and the Second Republic while Nyamasunha reiterated the need for unity and togetherness in the party as a basis for a good election result.
Deputy Minister Paradza also addressed members of the Mhangura Farmers Association (MFA) during a meeting aimed at fundraising for Zanu-PF’s upcoming 19th People’s conference and other party activities.
The farmers pledged money, grain and beasts with Paradza being one of the farmers to donate five beasts so far.-statemedia
By A Correspondent- The controversy surrounding the late former president Robert Mugabe’s final resting place continues to haunt the country as the battle now shifts to the courts.
When Mugabe died, it took nearly three weeks before he was laid to rest at his Zvimba rural home amid accusations of witchcraft.
President emmerson Mnangagwa and his Zanu-PF party wanted his remains to be interred at the National heroes Acres like most of his colleagues in the liberation struggle, but the Mugabe family stood by his wife, former first lady Grace Mugabe who put her foot down, saying the late veteran politician wanted to be buried at his Kutama home.
That was his death bed wish, she said.
Two years later, those who thought Mugabe’s burial issue was now water under the bridge were shocked to hear that some little known villager of Mugabe’s Gushungo totem, headman Tinos Manongovere from the neighbouring village had approached Chief Zvimba, born Stanley Wurayayi Mhondoro claiming that Zimbabwe’s once longtime ruler was buried against the norms and customs of the area.
he said Mugabe’s remains needed to be dug up and reburied elsewhere.
This development stirred the anger of Kutama villagers in Zvimba who are furious about the proposed exhumation of Mugabe’s remains.
Mugabe’s neighbour who claims to be his aunt, Josephine Jaricha pointed an accusing finger at Mnangagwa whom she accused of trying to manipulate villagers allegedly to satisfy his wish to get access to Mugabe’s body.
Jaricha said the exhumation would not resurrect Mugabe or solve the current problems Zimbabwe was facing, including shortages of medicine in hospitals, inflation and the obtaining economic meltdown.
“even if they exhume his body and rebury him at the National heroes Acres that will not resurrect our child,” Jaricha said.
Jaricha said instead of solving problems being faced by the people in the country, Mnangagwa wanted to waste time and taxpayers’ money to exhume and rebury Mugabe.
“Besides, most people are suffering; (government) should be working towards solving people’s problems. This is a failed leadership.
“Things are worse off than during Mugabe’s time.
“Exhuming Mugabe will not put food on the table and those leading the country should preoccupy themselves with solving national problems rather than engaging in these frivolous things like exhuming Mugabe’s body,” Jaricha charged.
Mugabe’s headman, Camiro Kutama who appeared concerned about being sidelined by the Mugabe family during the burial ceremony said the villagers were shocked by the exhumation saga since it had never happened in his area of jurisdiction.
Kutama said if it was a case of violating customs and norms within Zvimba in general and Kutama in particular, he should have been the first person to be informed, but nothing like that happened.
“The chief erred by presiding over a case that I don’t even know about,” Kutama said.
“The case should have first come to me…besides people are buried at places of their choice and it’s not something out of this world.”
Another Kutama villager, elder Cephas Chioto who sits in headman Kutama’s court said the Mugabe issue was unique in so many ways.
Chioto said it was not new that someone was buried in the courtyard of their homestead.
It’s now “fashionable” in most parts of Zvimba, and interestingly, when Mugabe was buried, most Zvimba chiefs and Manongovere were present, but the issue was never raised.
“My son, go around this village and see for yourself graves at people’s homesteads, but nothing is being said about it,” Chioto said.
“Interestingly all those people involved (Chief Zvimba and Manongovere) were present when Mugabe was buried but none of them raised the issue.”
Chioto said it was very clear that some chiefs and villagers were being bribed to make ridiculous decisions.
“This can only point to people receiving money to make such ridiculous judgements because if they were genuine, they were supposed to raise the issue on the day Mugabe was buried ….but why waiting for two years?” Chioto queried.
Pressed further to reveal names of those involved, Chioto refused to name the people he suspected to be dishing out money to influence Mugabe’s exhumation and reburial.
“I will be required to bring evidence, which can be difficult to get, but these outrageous rulings by people who were part of the burial ceremony point to that direction” Chioto said.
Asked why he did not report the case first to Mugabe’s Kutama as required at law, Manongovere said Kutama was not of the Gushungo totem and did not know the norms and customs of the Zvimba people since he was from Masvingo and of Madyirapanze totem.
“I couldn’t report to Sabhuku Kutama because he doesn’t know our Gushungo way of doing cultural things since he is from Masvingo and of Madyirapanze totem,” he said.
Manongovere also said it was not true that Chief Zvimba and Chief Chidziva were present during Mugabe’s burial, insisting that they were chased away from Mugabe’s Blue Roof house by Grace Mugabe.
“According to our tradition Chief Chidziva and Chief Serima from Gutu representing Mugabe’s mother’s family identified Mugabe’s resting place at the heroes Acre and marked the site (kutema rukawo) in the presence of Mugabe’s children, but Grace Mugabe disregarded all that and chased some chiefs from her Blue Roof residence,” said Manongovere.
He said he was not foolish to arraign the former first lady, a Mugabe family in-law before Chief Zvimba instead of the head of the Mugabe family, but he did so because Grace Mugabe dictated everything to do with the Mugabe burial.
“Grace was bullying everyone at the funeral. That’s the reason I took her to Chief Zvimba instead of the Mugabes,” said Manongovere.
Mugabe’s nephew and family spokesperson Leo Mugabe said it was appropriate for the former Zanu-PF strongman’s to remain in Zvimba since they were in the process of renovating some rooms to be turned into a museum.
“We are constructing a museum befitting the Zimbabwean icon,” said Leo Mugabe.
“He deserved such because the country’s history will not be complete without his immense contribution before, during and after the liberation struggle.”
But some culturists say whether the courts ruled in favour of exhumation and reburial that could not be done without involving the family.
By A Correspondent- Former High Court judge Erica Ndewere, who was fired after a tribunal found her guilty of gross incompetence, has failed in her bid to compel President Mnangagwa to pay punitive costs for her suit, in the case she was demanding a copy of the adverse findings.
Ndewere was discharged from the bench in June this year after a three-member tribunal led by retired judge Justice Simbi Mubako — set up to probe her suitability to hold judicial office — recommended her dismissal.
In her urgent application, Ndewere had sued President Mnangagwa, the tribunal bench, Judicial Service Commission and the Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister — under the Administrative Justice Act as read with Section 68 of the Constitution.
She applied for a mandamus to compel the President to issue her with the Tribunal findings and costs on a punitive measure.
She claimed that she was entitled to be given promptly and in writing the reasons why the Tribunal came to the conclusion that it did, arguing that she wanted be able to exercise her right to have the Tribunal’s decision either reviewed or appealed against.
When the matter was brought for hearing before Justice Pisirayi Kwenda in July, the dispute on the merits was resolved without order of court after six days of protracted argument.
The resolution came about as a result of Ndewere’s legal counsel withdrawing her application against the JSC and minister, where upon the legal practitioners acting for them were excused.
Subsequent to that, Ndewere’s lawyer Mrs Beatrice Mtetwa abandoned the application against the Tribunal bench and their lawyer was also excused at Ndewere’s insistence.
During further deliberations Ms Mtetwa conceded that it was not yet the applicant’s case that the President did anything wrong when he removed her from office on the recommendation of the Tribunal.
All she wanted was to be able to peruse the detailed report from which the executive summary had been extracted so that she could consider the options available to her.
The matter was therefore settled on July 22, when Ndewere received the detailed report from President Mnangagwa’s lawyer out of court.
At this stage, it was expected that the resolution of the dispute out of court would bring relief to all concerned after heated deliberations and lobbying in chambers.
That, however, was not to be because Ndewere persisted with the application for a mandamus and costs on a punitive scale as originally sought.
But Justice Kwenda declined to grant the order because there was no outstanding dispute which needed to be resolved by order of court.
Further, at this stage, only Ndewere, her lawyer and President Mnangagwa’s counsel remained since the other parties had been excused by consent.
In his ruling, the judge found that the application for a mandamus was not necessary because Ndewere had already been served with the notice of her removal from office at the time that she launched her application.
“She ought not to have invoked the provisions of the Administrative Justice Act. The claim for costs against the 1st respondent (President Mnangagwa) was therefore not justified,” he said.
“She unreasonably clung to the joinder of the 1st to 4th respondents (Tribunal bench members, JSC and Justice Minister) thereby causing all concerned to incur unnecessary costs.
“I do not accept the argument that the applicant succeeded on any issue before me.”
Justice Kwenda said Ndewere’s prayer for costs necessitated that he schemed through the merits to demonstrate that Ndewere did not succeed on any of the issues that arose at the hearing.
The judge also found that Ndewere could not and did not pursue the mandamus based on common law because she had not specifically pleaded it.
Ndewere, said the judge, abandoned the mandamus under the Administrative Justice Act which is the reason why she abandoned her claim against all the respondents except the President.
“With respect to the 1st (President) respondent she abandoned the mandamus as a constitutional remedy when she conceded that she was no longer impugning the 1st respondent’s conduct in removing her from office,” he said.
“After the concessions she was left with no claim against any among the respondents. That way the dispute on the merits was disposed of.”
In addition, Justice Kwenda noted that Ndewere’s application was convoluted because it adopted the omnibus approach which has already been disapproved by the Supreme Court.
“The inescapable conclusion is that the prayer for costs lacks merit,” said Justice Kwenda adding, “In the circumstances I order as follows . . . There shall be no order as to costs.”
During the hearing, which ensued Ndewere’s lawyer accepted that a court order on the merits was no longer necessary but she immediately moved for costs against all the respondents on a punitive scale in terms of the draft order.
She persisted with the prayer for costs on the punitive scale on the basis that she had succeeded in this matter and costs should follow that result.
She further argued that the respondents had played hide and seek with her and that this caused her to institute litigation which otherwise would have been unnecessary.
She moved Justice Kwenda to exercise his discretion in her favour and award her costs against the respondents as claimed in the application.
She submitted that she had been put out of pocket by the respondents’ intransigence.
But the judge declined the request also sought against the JSC and the Justice Minister saying this was not only inappropriate but incompetent since those respondents were no longer before the court.
“Indeed, could not hear them on the issue of costs. This state of affairs was occasioned by the applicant herself,” he said.
“The audi alteram partem rule enjoins a court to hear the other side before rendering a decision. Resultantly, I could not order costs, worse still, on a punitive scale when it was no longer possible for the particular respondents to address me on that issue. The applicant’s prayer for costs against the 2nd to 6th (Tribunal bench, JSC and Justice Minister) respondents must fail on that basis.”
Ndewere was accused of “conduct inconsistent with being a judicial officer”, including failure to clear her workload in stipulated time and failing to apply due diligence when she reversed a custodial sentence of a repeat offender saying she was a first-time offender.
But she denied the charges saying she was being victimised for releasing Sikhala and defying unlawful orders from Chief Justice Luke Malaba.
Justice Ndewere became the second judge to be fired by the President after Supreme Court Judge Justice Francis Bere, who was given the same marching orders last October.
By A Correspondent- The Swazi Lives Matter Global Solidarity Movement and Eswatini Solidary Fund have independently commissioned a documentary on the atrocities committed against innocent civilians by the eSwatini government and the last absolute monarchy .
In the yet to be launched documentary, the victims of the brutal inhuman attacks speak their truth.
Said the organisations:
“The trailer is available and the documentary will be out on 03 October 2021.
The documentary is available to all TV and media broadcasters to broadcast the documentary on their channels and / or social media platforms i.e Youtube and help the people of Swaziland to tell their story wide and far.”
ByA Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Republic Police has reported that five people died in a horrific road accident that happened early Sunday morning along the Harare – Bulawayo Highway.
Police said there was a head-on collision between a Mitsubishi minibus and a Nissan UD truck and all who were in the minibus died. Reads a police statement:
The ZRP reports a fatal road traffic accident that occurred at the 366 km peg along Hre-Byo road near Kombo area, Fort Rixon where a Mitsubishi minibus had a head-on collision with a Nissan UD truck on 26/09/21 at 0300 hours.
All the five occupants in the minibus, who include two ZRP members, a ZNA member and yet to be identified male adult died in the unfortunate road accident. More details to follow.
Reports of road accidents have been on the surge in recent years with the sorry state of the roads cited as one of the factors contributing.
This year, President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared all roads a state of emergency saying it pains to see so many potholes on once-great highways.
The Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (ZINARA), a government department under the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, has been failing to maintain roads amid reports of grand corruption at the department
By A Correspondent- Two members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police and a Soldier have died in a head-on collision along Harare Bulawayo road.
According to the Zimbabwe Republic Police, the accident happened Sunday morning and also claimed the lives of two civilians.
The ZRP reports a fatal road traffic accident at the 366 km peg along Hre-Byo road near Kombo area, Fort Rixon where a Mitsubishi minibus had a head-on collision with a Nissan UD truck on 26/09/21 at 0300 hours. All the five occupants in the minibus, who include two ZRP members, a ZNA member and yet to be identified male adult died in the unfortunate road accident. More details to follow.
Reports of road accidents have been on the surge in recent years with the sorry state of the roads cited as one of the factors contributing. This year, President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared all roads a state of emergency saying it pains to see so many potholes on once-great highways.
The Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (ZINARA), a government department under the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, has been failing to maintain roads amid reports of grand corruption at the department.
By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday pleaded with the restive civil servants to be more patriotic and drive government’s devolution and decentralisation programmes to ensure uninterrupted service delivery.
The Zanu-PF leader made the call during the burial of former Public Service Commission (PSC) chairperson Mariyo Mariyawanda Nzuwah who died last week.
He also told mourners that government was committed to improving its workers’ conditions of service, capacities, and skills in tandem with the demands of the new normal driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I commend all public servants for their resilience, hard work and perseverance in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Government and its workers have had frosty relations since the switch over from United States dollar-based salaries to the Zimbabwe dollar era, with the latter claiming erosion of their earnings.
“Our public service officials should change their mindset and be up to the task of delivering on their mandates, including delivery of services at every level in both rural and urban areas. They must be an embodiment of unity, and drivers of our devolution and decentralisation agenda,” Mnangagwa said.
“In this way, they will bring dignity to every citizen through ensuring uninterrupted delivery of basic services such as clean water, good roads, timeous availability of inputs, and access to renewable energy, and well-resourced schools, among other aspects.”
He said civil servants should identify with the communities in which they are deployed, and respect their cultures and languages.
“In light of this, it remains incumbent upon the entire civil service to continue upholding the unwavering, patriotic, humble, hardworking character, high degree of professionalism and sense of duty-consciousness, exhibited by the late national hero, Nzuwah,” Mnangagwa said.
He also urged present-day intellectuals, the youth and women to play their part in pursuing various studies locally and abroad in order to enrich themselves in cultural and ideological consciousness.
“As the African intelligentsia, you have the responsibility to engender and propel the political and economic development of our country and the continent as a whole.”
The President said Nzuwah would be remembered for developing a sound civil service in Zimbabwe.
Nzuwah was appointed the first black chairperson of the PSC, then Civil Service Commission, in 1992 and served in that capacity until his retirement in 2018. He is survived by wife Janice Nzuwah (nee Stevenson), four children and eight grandchildren.-newsday
By A Correspondent- Police have launched a manhunt for a group of seven robbers who stole US$600 and three cell phones.
In their twitter page, the police said the suspects attacked the complainants on September 24 at Annadale 17 Mine in Filabusi.
“Police in Filabusi are investigating circumstances surrounding a robbery case which occurred on 24 September at Annadale 17 Mine. Seven suspects attacked two complainants and stole US$600 cash as well as three cellphones.
“Meanwhile police in Masvingo are investigating circumstances surrounding a robbery case which occurred on 21 September Madamombe Business Centre. Two suspects robbed three shop attendants a total of US$1000 and R 1000 cash as well as cellphones at Jaka, Asani and Mhonde Shops,” said the police.
By A Correspondent- Intraparty violence has rocked the ongoing Zanu-PF district elections being held throughout the country as factions aligned to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy, Constantino Chiwenga, seek to outwit each other and land key positions ahead of provincial elections which have been postponed to early next year.
In some instances, party members physically attacked each other amid allegations of voter manipulation and intimidation.
In some provinces, the elections had to be aborted and postponed to today after the provincial leaders observed that the cell registers were in shambles and there was massive rigging.
There were also reports that in some areas, the party was using registers meant for beneficiaries of the Presidential Input Scheme to account for voters.
The Zanu-PF politburo last week announced that it had suspended the divisive provincial elections to allow for the smooth running of its national conference set for end of this year.
The ruling party’s internal elections are being held at a time when opposition parties have been barred from holding campaign meetings to nominate candidates for the 40 parliamentary and over 80 council seats which fell vacant following the recall of MDC Alliance MPs and councillors.
In Harare, supporters of Godwills Masimirembwa and Godfrey Gomwe pelted each other with stones and bricks in Epworth on Saturday.
Both Masimirembwa and Gomwe are eyeing the provincial chairmanship.
The two party officials could not be reached for comment, but party insiders said Gomwe’s supporters provoked the violence.
Zanu-PF acting spokesperson Mike Bimha said he was unaware of the alleged clashes.
“I just arrived from Bulawayo today (yesterday) and from the briefings I have so far received, there is nothing about the alleged fights,” Bimha said.
In Manicaland province, disgruntled party members yesterday demonstrated against provincial chairperson Mike Madiro, accusing him of imposing candidates.
The members, including youths, demonstrated at Mutare Teachers College demanding an address by Madiro, who was at that time addressing a provincial electoral committee meeting.
Madiro had to be whisked away by the police after the protestors became more daring following his alleged refusal to address them.
The placard-waving protesters later demanded to be addressed by provincial political commissar, Gift Kagweda, and acting national commissar Patrick Chinamasa.
They were still camped at the provincial offices at the time of going to print last night.
Some of their placards read: “Madiro must go”, “No to imposition of candidates”, “With Madiro, we can’t achieve the five million votes”.
In the Midlands province, factional fights forced the postponement of the district elections to a later date.
Supporters are polarised between State Security minister Owen Ncube and incumbent chairman Daniel Mackenzie Ncube.
In Gokwe, Gokwe-Nembudziya MP Mayor Wadyajena had to seek police escort after Zanu-PF supporters threatened to attack his vehicle, accusing him of trying to impose candidates in polls supervised by a district co-ordinating committee team from Gweru.
On Friday, while addressing party supporters after touring a community garden benefiting hundreds of women in Gokwe-Nembudziya, Wadyajena said senior Zanu-PF officials should desist from abusing President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s name to land influential positions in the ongoing restructuring exercise.
“No one should force you to vote for a person you don’t want (to vote for). No one should abuse the name of chefs to say the President has sent me. That is selling out and unacceptable,” he said.
In Mashonaland Central province, the district polls, which were scheduled for Friday, will now be held today after concerns were raised over chaotic voter registers.
The chaos was attributed to alleged attempts by incumbent provincial chairperson Kazembe Kazembe to impose his cronies as candidates.
“We aborted the elections because there was confusion in cell registers and ballot boxes (which) were supplied in threes, meaning rigging was already happening, hence we stopped them. This was orchestrated by Kazembe who is fighting to reclaim his seat,” a party insider claimed.
Insiders said Kazembe held a meeting to plot the rigging at his farm on September 18, which was attended by nine allies who hold influential positions in the province.
Kazembe, however, dismissed the allegations.
“People who are creating the confusion are known, that is nonsense as usual. Kazembe doesn’t vote in the more than 400 districts in the province. People are just scared of the elections. Let us allow people to choose their leaders without manipulation,” he said.
In Masvingo province, chaos was swirling following allegations that provincial chairperson Ezra Chadzamira had planned to bus in council workers to vote for candidates loyal to him.
— Additional reporting by Kenneth Nyangani, Simba Sithole and Amos Batisayi.-newsday
By Dudzai Mukondorongwe| This week, the US President Joe Biden just announced that the US will double its contributions towards climate change to about $11.5bn. It is said that part of this funding will help developing countries in the fight against climate change.
This is where tinpot dictators like the one we have in Zimbabwe are hoping to cash in. We all know ED is going to this thing in the hope for some funding and the chance to rub shoulders with the rich and powerful as well as enjoy the lavish hospitality.
Perhaps more disturbing is the fact that this trip will give ED a photo opportunity with the UK Prime Minister who is hosting the COP26 summit. The regime will milk this occasion, no doubt. But Zanu PF is basically doing the same thing that they falsely accuse the MDC Alliance which is to go to the West with a begging bowl.
But who in their right mind would trust the Zimbabwean government with money especially money aimed at securing the future of the planet? Zanu PF doesn’t care about the planet even though they view themselves as specialists of soil industry.
Caring about the planet requires caring about human beings and the future, Zanu PF doesn’t engage with the future, it’s a party of the “now” which is why they are looting like they are on steroids. Anyway, we’ll have to wait and see how much funding they will get from this summit.
I suspect it will not be much because there is not much industry going on in our country to warrant concerns about climate change. After all, the country has turned into a giant delta partly because of the countless pot holes that look like swimming pools in the middle of main roads, but also partly because of the numerous holes that are being drilled indiscriminately in search for minerals by this mob. The fact of the matter is, we have no business sending people to a climate change summit.
ED’s presence and him wearing that scarf of his at this summit will be another episode of our embarrassment at the world stage.
By A Correspondent- Norton Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa will tonight be on Zimeye Twitter Spaces, where he will talk about his private love affairs and political career.
Mliswa will be hosted by journalists, Garikai Chaunza and Lynette Manzini.
No matter what he says and does, or how many people he recalls, Emmerson Mnangagwa will never catch up to the Nelson Chamisa brand level, scores of Zimbabweans concluded during the weekend.
Mwonzora Recalls Have Improved Or Worsened Mnangagwa Popularity?
He said Shepherd Dzapasi (29), a taxi driver from Mucheke A, Masvingo fell prey to the antics of a man only identified as Ronald at Nemamwa Business Centre.
“On 15 September Dzapasi around 5pm was in Jerera when he was approached by a man only identified as Ronald and was hired to drive him to Masvingo for US$4. Dzapasi agreed and they came to Masvingo but when they arrived in town Ronald told Dzapasi that he had to take care of some business at Nemamwa. Dzapasi agreed to a US$25 deal to ferry him to the Business Centre. The two arrived at Nemamwa Business Centre around 10pm and they got into a night club and started drinking beer. After some time Ronald told Dzapasi that he was tired and wanted to rest in the car. Dzapasi gave Ronald the keys while he remained behind in the club,” he said.
Sgt Musundire said when the driver later went outside the club, he found Ronald and his car missing. “He waited for some time hoping he would come but to no avail. Dzapasi later called Ronald and told him that he was going to report him to the police and he hung up. When he tried to call him the phone was no longer reachable.” He said Dzapasi reported the matter at Masvingo Rural Police Station. “We are appealing to those who might have information that might help to the recovery of the vehicle or information leading to the arrest of the accused to report to the nearest police station,” he said.
By A Correspondent- Zipra Veterans Association member Jethro Mkwananzi has accused late former President Robert Mugabe and late former Vice President Joshua Nkomo of misleading the nation in signing the unity accord in 1987.
He said it was sad that Nkomo, despite being ZAPU’s number one, chose to be number three in Zanu PF.
He said this has continued to be a template for all the leaders in Matabeleland to shy away from being Presidents and opt for either second or third vice presidents.
“The fact that after the unity accord the symbol of a cock embedded at the Zanu PF headquarters and the name of the party remained the same are signs that Zapu which was purported to be a partner is nonexistent in the matrix,” he said.
He said this is despite its immense contribution to the liberation war which forced the Rhodesian government to the Lancaster House negotiations in 1979.
He questioned why Nkomo signed the Unity Accord when he was a national leader and opted to be number three in Zanu PF?
“This is now affecting us in that no one from this side should aspire to be the first person,” Mkwananzi said.
“The unity accord stipulated that number three, National Chairman, secretary for women’s affairs, a position then held by Thenjiwe Lesabre and the Home Affairs ministry, were given to Zapu,” he said.
“But to date, all this appears to be dissolving, and there is no one from Zapu holding those positions which were entitlement to Zapu at the unity accord signing.”
He lamented that there is no longer a Zapu Vice President, a Zapu national Chair, a Zapu secretary for women’s affairs and a Zapu Home affairs minister. This shows that the unity accord is not what people were told it is.
Zanu PF has one Vice President from Zanu PF side, Constantino Chiwenga after the Zapu side VP Kembo Mohadi was forced to resign from government following a spate of sexual scandals.
The secretary for women’s affairs post is held by Zanu PF cadre Mabel Chinomona, while the Chairpersonship is Oppah Muchinguri also from Zanu PF side.
The Home Affairs ministry is under Zanu PF member Kazembe Kazembe, a development which has disbanded the Unity accord’s significance between the two liberation political movements.
By A Correspondent- On Thursday, police in Bulawayo recovered beds, refrigerators, vehicle engines, washing machines, doors, door frames, and other groceries from a bus along Khami Road.
The bus was coming from South Africa.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the recovery of the goods whose worth is yet to be determined. Said Inspector Ncube:
The Bulawayo Central traffic motorised patrol team was patrolling in the city on Thursday at around 4 PM when they spotted a bus pulling a large trailer with goods loaded on top of it. The police officers drove towards the bus and then asked the driver to stop so that they could check if everything was in order, and the bus driver ignored and continued driving along Khami Road.
He said police had to block the bus driver’s way at the Khami flyover forcing him to stop. Inspector said the bus was then driven to Zimra depot where they discovered that the driver was in possession of smuggled goods. He said the smuggled goods that were taken by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) include a Ford Ranger engine, four new Samsung fridges, two bales of clothes weighing 90kgs each, four Defy fridges.
They also recovered 11 radios, beds, six doors and six window frames, 10 new landline headsets, paint and groceries.
Ncube added that investigations were underway and that Zimra had impounded the bus.
Tinashe Sambiri|The people of Zimbabwe shall enter the “promised land” in 2023, President Nelson Chamisa has said.
Citing the biblical concept of the Israelites entering God’s promised land, the vibrant leader assured citizens that the Zanu PF regime would be defeated in 2023.
“POSSESSING THE PROMISED LAND… We have stayed long enough at this mountain.
We must now turn, break camp, advance, take our journey and go to Canaan.See, now our God has set the promised land before us and we must possess it.
Deut 1:5-8 Canaan here we come!#Ngatipindei #Asingeneni,” President Chamisa wrote on Twitter.
By A Correspondent | The below video is of the Defence Ministry giving support to Senator Douglas Mwonzora saying he must be made the late Morgan Tsvangirai’s successor.
In the footage is the then Deputy Defence Minister Victor Matemadanda announcing that MDC Alliance President Nelson Chamisa: is treacherous
-mustn’t get support from real MDC people
-is violent
-is power hungry -is megalomaniac
-is autocratic
-is clueless
Dep Defence Minister, Victor Matemadanda (June 2020): Mwonzora is Tsvangirai's real successor. Chamisa: is treacherous -mustn't get support from real MDC people -is violent -is power hungry -is megalomaniac -is autocratic -is clueless pic.twitter.com/2deeTudJn8
Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance Youth Assembly leader Cecilia Chimbiri has declared that the 2023 Presidential Election is about rescuing young people from Zanu PF oppression and brutality.
According to Chimbiri, the MDC Alliance Youth Assembly has an obligation to fight for the future of young people in the country.
See statement below:
Chaired the National Council of the People’s Youth Assembly where we resolved to escalate our political effort to save the young person from the tyranny of the regime.
Top on our agenda is to agitate and organise rural and urban youth to win Zimbabwe for change and end joblessness, poverty, poor education & health care systems which have become the mainstay under the Mnangagwa regime.
We also resolved to mount a massive push back against the closing democratic space which has seen many of our young leaders being victimised, including fellow leader Makomborero Haruzivishe who is currently behind bars.
This timely meeting has re-energised and strengthened the young leaders’ resolve and as each return to their province, we will fully deploy in townships, right to the last hut in the village making sure that young people register to vote.
I was particularly inspired by the feedback from all ten provinces on the overwhelming support for our President, the only Hope for change President Nelson Chamisa.
Until Victory we are the fruits that bear the fruits of freedom
Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance Youth Assembly has vowed to fight for the release of human rights activist and party member Makomborero Haruzivishe who was jailed by the Zanu PF regime.
Below is the MDC Alliance Youth Assembly statement on the national council meeting held in Dema, Mashonaland East on Saturday…
MDC Alliance Youth Assembly Holds Successful National Council
25-09-2021
The MDC Alliance Youth Assembly today held a very fruitful National Council meeting deep in Mashonaland East rural area of Dema.
A first of its own kind, the Assembly had to hold the meeting in a rural area set up as a symbol of commitment to go rural ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The Council resolved to escalate the fight against dictatorship by embarking on an intensified voter registration campaign with a deliberate tilt towards mobilization of the rural electorate.
All the Provincial Assemblies reiterated the youth position to make sure that the People’s President, Advocate Nelson Chamisa emerges victorious in the upcoming general elections.
In that regard, the Assembly agreed that they will by any means necessary put an end to the anti people regime of ZANU PF fronted by Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The Council also noted with concern the nervous conditions of the Assembly’s Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Makomborero Haruzivishe whose life is in danger at Harare Remand Prison.
In that regard the Assembly resolved to fight tooth and nail to make sure that Cde Mako is safely released from prison. Mako’s freedom is our number one priority!
FreeMako
RegisterToVoteZw
ChamisaNgaapinde
Stephen Sarkozy Chuma MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Spokesperson
By Farai D Hove | SADC countries are not happy with Paul Kagame’s sudden military involvement in the Mozambique terrorism problem, which has seen a Kagame critic exiled there being sprayed with bullets by unidentified gunmen.
This was said by security expert David Otto during a news discussion on the South African broadcaster, SABC.
Otto who did not reveal his sources, spoke concerning the ongoing intervention that has seen soldiers from various countries entering the coastal nation to help combat terrorism in provinces such as Cabo Delgado.
His comments come at a time when Rwanda was criticised for allegedly assassinating a Paul Kagame critic who has been a refugee in Mozambique. VIDEO:
SADC is quite unhappy…they should have been told that Rwandan forces are being deployed to this region(Moza), says security analyst David Otto @SABCNewsAtOnepic.twitter.com/kkfA1U5Hf6
Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance Youth Assembly has vowed to fight for the release of human rights activist and party member Makomborero Haruzivishe who was jailed by the Zanu PF regime.
Below is the MDC Alliance Youth Assembly statement on the national council meeting held in Dema, Mashonaland East on Saturday…
MDC Alliance Youth Assembly Holds Successful National Council
25-09-2021
The MDC Alliance Youth Assembly today held a very fruitful National Council meeting deep in Mashonaland East rural area of Dema.
A first of its own kind, the Assembly had to hold the meeting in a rural area set up as a symbol of commitment to go rural ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The Council resolved to escalate the fight against dictatorship by embarking on an intensified voter registration campaign with a deliberate tilt towards mobilization of the rural electorate.
All the Provincial Assemblies reiterated the youth position to make sure that the People’s President, Advocate Nelson Chamisa emerges victorious in the upcoming general elections.
In that regard, the Assembly agreed that they will by any means necessary put an end to the anti people regime of ZANU PF fronted by Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The Council also noted with concern the nervous conditions of the Assembly’s Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Makomborero Haruzivishe whose life is in danger at Harare Remand Prison.
In that regard the Assembly resolved to fight tooth and nail to make sure that Cde Mako is safely released from prison. Mako’s freedom is our number one priority!
FreeMako
RegisterToVoteZw
ChamisaNgaapinde
Stephen Sarkozy Chuma MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Spokesperson
1️⃣Mnangagwa promised jobs jobs jobs jobs jobs but i am still unemployed. There are no jobs he created instead more are retrenched as economy fail to turnaround.
Question ❓ I beg any ZanuPF supporter to convince me why i should vote your Presidential candidate who failed to fulfil his promise? The only reason i voted him in 2018 was anticipating for jobs.Is it not convenient for me to try to vote for Change? MDC Alliance are promising “#NgaapindeHake Mukomana” for jobs.Is it not natural that if one fails one has to try the next option?
Former Marondera Central legislator Caston Matewu (MDC Alliance) has described the recall of more than 40 fellow party MPs by the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T party as a major setback for many constituencies, which have clocked almost a year without parliamentary representation.
Mwonzora Recalls Have Improved Or Worsened Mnangagwa Popularity?
Matewu said this during a media training workshop held in Marondera on Friday.
“Parliamentary representation can change a lot of things. Currently, people are not being represented at all. Take for example constituencies like Goromonzi that have an MP. People there can knock on their MP’s door and state their problems. These MPs will then take these concerns to the responsible ministers and solutions can be brought forward,” Matewu said.
He said the recalls would hinder development in cities.
Marondera also lost six MDC Alliance councillors through the recalls, believed to be part of a Zanu PF underhand project to decimate the opposition party leader Nelson Chamisa’s support base.
More than 80 councillors countrywide were recalled, but government has delayed the holding of by-elections citing COVID-19 regulations.
Recently, the recalled legislators filed an urgent application at the High Court in a bid to compel government to facilitate the holding of by-elections.
However, the courts dismissed the application as not urgent.
Matewu said the current political, economic and social crises being experienced in the country could only be addressed through the holding of by-elections to fill the vacant parliamentary and council seats.
“According to the Constitution, elections should be held within 90 days of the vacancy. But it’s almost a year now after MPs and councillors were recalled. Some were recalled more than a year ago. The excuse has been COVID-19, but it is surprising that Malawi and Zambia have successfully held their elections in the COVID-19 era. South Africa will hold its own by-elections. In Zimbabwe it is the other way round,” he said. – Newsday
A 27-year-old man from Gweru was sentenced to 8 years in prison after he was convicted of beating his 16-year-old sister to death after accusing her of being wild.
This was after the brother discovered that the Form 3 teen was dating 6 boyfriends after going through her WhatsApp messages.
Terrence Tarisai of Clifton Park pleaded not guilty to the murder of his sister Tryphine when he appeared before Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Maxwell Takuva.
Following a full trial, however, Justice Takuva dismissed the murder charge against Tarisai. He found him guilty of culpable homicide instead.
In passing sentence, the High Court judge lamented the increase in cases of excessive use of force against minors during disciplining. The Herald reports Justice Takuva as saying:
There is need for parents and guardians to avoid excessive force when disciplining their children because it leads to unnecessary loss of life.
A young life was lost unnecessarily. The accused is found guilty of culpable homicide and is sentenced to eight years in prison. A year of his sentence is suspended on condition of good behaviour.
The court heard that on July 22, 2020, Tarisai returned home and discovered that Tryphine was absent and had left her 10-year-old sister alone.
Tryphine who was a Form 3 student at Ascot High School in Gweru returned home at around 6 PM and told her brother that she had been at the shops.
Tarisai grabbed her phone and went through her WhatsApp messages where he discovered that she was dating multiple boyfriends.
He threatened to beat her up prompting Tryphine to flee home and seek refuge at her aunt’s place in Mtapa Section 7, Gweru.
She came back the following morning in the company of her aunt but Tarisai resolved that he was going to discipline his sister for being loose.
He then proceeded to beat her up with a black cord and ordered Tryphine to call all 6 boyfriends to end their relationships before continuing to assault her.
After the assault, Tryphine complained that she was feeling cold and was put in bed by her aunt. She died in her sleep a few hours later leading to the arrest of Tarisai.- The Herald
Murder cases continue to shoot in Masvingo after an elderly couple was allegedly killed by unknown assailants at their homestead in Murinye communal lands.
Mason Chibonda (79) and his wife Masiline Chibonda (73) of Mugovera Village were found by their domestic worker lying lifeless in their bedroom with severe head and facial injuries in the eaely hours of Friday.
A blood stained axe believed to have been used to murder the couple was found stuck on Masiline’s corpse by their domestic worker Peter Tsuro who was returning from a beer drink around 2am.
Masvingo provincial acting police spokesperson Sergeant Lloyd Masundire said the deceased elderly couple lived with Tsuro and his wife Brenda Kapanga who slept in a separate hut, a few metres from them.
It is alleged that when Tsuro returned from a beer drink and found the door to his employer’s bedroom house open, he checked and found them dead.
He called his wife to witness the horror scene before police arrived at around 5am and took away the corpses. The axe was still stuck on Mbuya Chibonda’s body.
The bodies were taken to Masvingo General Hospital for post-mortem with police having launched a manhunt for the suspects. -Herald
WARRIORS midfielder Marshal Munetsi has revealed the reason behind his failure to make a move to England’s Premier League (EPL) despite reported interest from a couple of clubs.
The 25-year-old Reims midfielder has enjoyed a good spell at the French Ligue 1 club where he made 27 appearances, starting in 21 of them to help his club to a 14th finish on the log standings. This has earned him a one-year contract extension. His deal with the club expires in 2024.
Munetsi has already started in all the four league matches for the club this season.
His impressive displays last term didn’t go unnoticed and there were reports that a number of teams including former EPL clubs Sheffield United and West Brom Albion inquired about his services.
Other reports also suggested that he was the subject of a deadline day approach from Wayne Rooney-managed Derby County in January last year.
Speaking for the first time about the approaches, Munetsi told NewsDay that indeed he received several offers which he turned down.
“There were some offers that came through, but from what we discussed with my agent he said it was not a good time to make a move. That time I had suffered from some injuries so I could not be able to move at that moment,” Munetsi said.
The former Orlando Pirates player is expected to move to a bigger league this year as his stock continues to rise.
“It is something that I always dream of, playing in the top leagues. There are some offers on the table so we will see what the future holds,” he said.
Munetsi has continued to impress for Reims so much that the club’s manager tasked him to man-mark superstar Lionel Messi when the team clashed with Paris Stain-Germain in a league encounter last week.
Messi, who was making his debut for the Paris club, was harassed by the Warriors midfielder.
Despite Reims losing the match 2-0 thanks to Kylian Mbappe’s brace, the Mabvuku-born star stood toe-to-toe with the six-time Ballon d’Or winner.
He also thought he had cancelled out Mbappe’s opener, only for his goal to be ruled out following a VAR intervention.
“Playing against Messi was a great experience for me, growing up watching him and winning six Ballon d’Ors … all the things that he achieved with Barcelona. It was a great opportunity for me and we tried as a team to get a positive result. We have had three draws. Playing Paris Saint Germain was a huge task for us because they have top quality players including Messi, so it was a good experience for me to learn and to see him live in person.”
Messi was on the receiving end of a couple of tough tackles from Munetsi during the match, but the two were seen exchanging some pleasantries at the final whistle.
“Yeah we spoke. It was those usual exchanges and he was just wishing me the best for the season and the usual good luck we always share after the game.- NewsDay
THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) has said people who may be in possession of ill-gotten wealth can surrender it and be granted amnesty.
Speaking during the official opening of the Governance and Accountancy Institute of Zimbabwe 50th anniversary in Victoria Falls on Friday, Zacc chairperson Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo bemoaned the lackadaisical stance by the private sector in the anti-corruption war.
Zacc recently took the anti-corruption drive to churches and Justice Matanda-Moyo said she was happy that members of different churches were now raising awareness against graft.
Justice Matanda-Moyo said Zacc is built on pillars of raising citizen awareness hence the commission had partnered churches to be able to reach every citizen.
She said research shows that more than 80 percent of Zimbabweans are Christians or attend church hence partnering churches makes fighting the anti-corruption war easier.
“Zacc was established to fight all corruption in public and private spaces. We have been concentrating on the public sector, but now we are coming to the private sector and you will be seeing more of us in your circles.
“We shouldn’t be having sinners in Zimbabwe because a majority of people go to church. I am happy that churches are now preaching anti-corruption sermons.
“Those in possession of ill-gotten wealth, bring it back and you won’t be arrested, we will give you amnesty,” said Justice Matanda-Moyo.
President Mnangagwa officially opened the event and spoke about the Second Republic’s efforts and desire to end and prevent corruption in the country.
Justice Matanda-Moyo said corruption is more expensive, undermines service delivery, deprives Government of taxes, and causes capital flight while also making the country unattractive to foreign direct investment.
She said Government is carrying out many projects under the National Development Strategy 1(NDS1) and Devolution Agenda among others, and continuing to allow corruption will result is substandard work being done.
“Zacc led the National Anti-Corruption Strategy launched by President last year and it is sad to note that the private sector has not been coming on board.
The private sector should be part of the steering committees in the strategy but few are coming on board,” said Justice Matanda-Moyo.
She said Zacc signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the private sector and Zacc is visiting parastatals and organisations doing compliance tests.
Justice Matanda-Moyo said Zacc is this year focusing on preventing corruption, which is cheaper than to chase after stolen wealth.
To win the anti-corruption war, there have been calls by various stakeholders for inclusion of anti-corruption studies in the country’s learning curriculum, including at Early Childhood Development. -Chronicle
A 27-year-old man from Gweru was sentenced to 8 years in prison after he was convicted of beating his 16-year-old sister to death after accusing her of being wild.
This was after the brother discovered that the Form 3 teen was dating 6 boyfriends after going through her WhatsApp messages.
Terrence Tarisai of Clifton Park pleaded not guilty to the murder of his sister Tryphine when he appeared before Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Maxwell Takuva.
Following a full trial, however, Justice Takuva dismissed the murder charge against Tarisai. He found him guilty of culpable homicide instead.
In passing sentence, the High Court judge lamented the increase in cases of excessive use of force against minors during disciplining. The Herald reports Justice Takuva as saying:
There is need for parents and guardians to avoid excessive force when disciplining their children because it leads to unnecessary loss of life.
A young life was lost unnecessarily. The accused is found guilty of culpable homicide and is sentenced to eight years in prison. A year of his sentence is suspended on condition of good behaviour.
The court heard that on July 22, 2020, Tarisai returned home and discovered that Tryphine was absent and had left her 10-year-old sister alone.
Tryphine who was a Form 3 student at Ascot High School in Gweru returned home at around 6 PM and told her brother that she had been at the shops.
Tarisai grabbed her phone and went through her WhatsApp messages where he discovered that she was dating multiple boyfriends.
He threatened to beat her up prompting Tryphine to flee home and seek refuge at her aunt’s place in Mtapa Section 7, Gweru.
She came back the following morning in the company of her aunt but Tarisai resolved that he was going to discipline his sister for being loose.
He then proceeded to beat her up with a black cord and ordered Tryphine to call all 6 boyfriends to end their relationships before continuing to assault her.
After the assault, Tryphine complained that she was feeling cold and was put in bed by her aunt. She died in her sleep a few hours later leading to the arrest of Tarisai.- The Herald
