By A Correspondent- The MDC Alliance has revealed that President Nelson Chamisa is a man with a plan.

Said the MDC Alliance in a tweet:

“A man or woman who is building a house does not move around showing the plan. Only a mad man will take his plan to a beerhall to show off. Strategy is no longer a strategy if its public knowledge. #ManWithAPlan

By A Correspondent- Beverly Sibanda’s United Kingdom-based husband, Melusi Chambuka Mufudzi decided to break his silence a month after his wife exposed his cheating shenanigans on social media.

In an effort to clear his name, Melusi wrote:

“Having 50-5K Facebook friends does not mean you are dating them and having a selfy with another person does not necessarily mean you are having a sexual relationship with that other person. Idle minds can create horror movies and fabricate ma V11s and the lazy audience never asks questions but run viral false gossip…after all no one cares about the truth as long the storyline gets them a million viewers plus ma love nema likes….Never stop doing whats Good even if Judas put you out for 40coins …. for Judas will always bring false stories yet adya mari”

Before the whole drama started, Bev made a cryptic post on social media in which she implied that her husband may have been cheating on her.

She wrote:

“Munhu anokuwana uchizvihurira okuroora, otanga kukuhurira zvakasimba obva otokanganwa kuti une chipo chawakagarira #kwinofsplits”

This loosely translates to

(Someone marries you fully knowing that you are promiscuous, then goes on to be more promiscuous, in the process forgetting that you have a big talent for promiscuity that you are not utilizing)

However, when she was questioned about the post, Bev played it down and insisted that all was well in her marriage.

A couple of days later, she, however, went all out and exposed her husband alleging that he is cheating on her.

In an explosive post, she wrote:

Hero basa iro iwe ndiwe wekuhuraikoko ini ndini wekuchengeta chiweti changu kuno. ( So this is how it works: you are the one allowed to be cheating and promiscuous that side, while I am supposed to remain faithful this side).

 She accompanied the post with a series of photos that show Mufudzi looking cosy with a woman only identified as Pearl.

Bev also shared screenshots of WhatsApp conversations between Mufudzi and the woman. The screenshots appear to have been taken from Mufudzi’s phone and in most of the conversations, the woman seems to be asking for money from Bev’s husband.

A couple of weeks after threatening to end her year-old marriage, Bev and her husband reconciled and patched things up.

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader President Nelson Chamisa says the MDC Alliance will not be pushed by the Zanu PF regime to disclose key political strategies.

President Chamisa has also pointed out that he is aware of the fact that the cornered former revolutionary party is desperate to neutralize the MDC Alliance strategies.

According to President Chamisa, the popular movement will not be pushed by the regime to “put cards on the table.”

“THERE WILL BE NO CONFUSION…

We don’t put all our eggs in one basket. We don’t clumsily lay all our cards on the table.

We don’t flip the book open for them to counter us. We have a SOLID Plan. There will be real change in Zimbabwe.

Everything NEW! In this game you don’t let the opposite know what the game plan is.We keep them stewing and guessing!#jointhenew,” President Chamisa wrote on his official Facebook page.

By A Correspondent- Beverly Sibanda’s United Kingdom-based husband, Melusi Chambuka Mufudzi decided to break his silence a month after his wife exposed his cheating shenanigans on social media.

In an effort to clear his name, Melusi wrote:

“Having 50-5K Facebook friends does not mean you are dating them and having a selfy with another person does not necessarily mean you are having a sexual relationship with that other person. Idle minds can create horror movies and fabricate ma V11s and the lazy audience never asks questions but run viral false gossip…after all no one cares about the truth as long the storyline gets them a million viewers plus ma love nema likes….Never stop doing whats Good even if Judas put you out for 40coins …. for Judas will always bring false stories yet adya mari”

Before the whole drama started, Bev made a cryptic post on social media in which she implied that her husband may have been cheating on her.

She wrote:

“Munhu anokuwana uchizvihurira okuroora, otanga kukuhurira zvakasimba obva otokanganwa kuti une chipo chawakagarira #kwinofsplits”

This loosely translates to

(Someone marries you fully knowing that you are promiscuous, then goes on to be more promiscuous, in the process forgetting that you have a big talent for promiscuity that you are not utilizing)

However, when she was questioned about the post, Bev played it down and insisted that all was well in her marriage.

A couple of days later, she, however, went all out and exposed her husband alleging that he is cheating on her.

In an explosive post, she wrote:

Hero basa iro iwe ndiwe wekuhuraikoko ini ndini wekuchengeta chiweti changu kuno. ( So this is how it works: you are the one allowed to be cheating and promiscuous that side, while I am supposed to remain faithful this side).

 She accompanied the post with a series of photos that show Mufudzi looking cosy with a woman only identified as Pearl.

Bev also shared screenshots of WhatsApp conversations between Mufudzi and the woman. The screenshots appear to have been taken from Mufudzi’s phone and in most of the conversations, the woman seems to be asking for money from Bev’s husband.

A couple of weeks after threatening to end her year-old marriage, Bev and her husband reconciled and patched things up.

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe has approved the use of the single-dose Johnson and Johnson Covid-19 vaccine in the country.

The vaccine becomes the fifth to be approved for use in the country after the Chinese Sinopharm and Sinovac, the Russian Sputnik V and the Indian Covaxin.

The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe announced the development that followed an assessment of the vaccine’s efficacy and other traits.

Said MCAZ:

Based on the review of the submitted quality, safety and efficacy data and upon performing a benefit-risk assessment thereof, emergency use authorisation has been granted for Ad26.Sars-Cov-S manufactured by Johnson and Johnson.

This authorisation was issued on the basis of section 75 of the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act (Chapter 15:03).

By Ambassador Melanie Robinson| The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted all our lives with education systems all over the world severely impacted, but for women and girls so much more is at stake. At the height of school closures, 1.6 billion children and young people were out of education around the world with girls disproportionately affected. The pandemic compounds and exacerbates the many obstacles they already face to getting a quality education like poverty, gender-based violence, FGM, child marriage, and a lack of access to sexual and reproductive health services.   

Prior to the pandemic, girls were already facing an education crisis. In sub-Saharan Africa, 33.3 million girls of primary and lower secondary school age were out of school. The number rises to 52.2 million when considering girls of upper secondary school age. In South Asia, most of the 20.6 million children at lower secondary level who were out of school were adolescent girls. In the Middle East and North Africa region, one in every five children were out of school with adolescent girls one and half times more likely to be out of school at the lower secondary level. Across Europe and America, 0.4 million girls were out of school.  

There is now a real risk of a lost generation of girls, as many as 16 million disadvantaged children may not return to school at all with secondary age girls most at risk of staying home or marrying early because their families have fallen into poverty. This is a global crisis. We must act as a global community to tackle it.  

That is why the UK, Kenya, and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) are co-hosting the Global Education Summit at the end of this month in London, bringing world leaders together to invest in education and improve access for girls. The aim is to set GPE on a path to raising $5 billion over the next five years to transform education in the world’s most vulnerable countries. This will give 175 million more children the chance to learn. That is not only the lives of tens of millions of individuals improved. That is also millions of communities transformed for the better.  

Investing in girls’ education is a game-changer for everyone. It boosts incomes and develops economies. With just one additional school year, a woman’s earnings can increase by a fifth. $28 trillion could be added to global GDP if women had the same role in the labour market as men. Investing in girls’ education also creates healthier and safer societies. A child whose mother can read is 50% more likely to live beyond the age of 5 years, twice as likely to attend school themselves – and 50% more likely to be immunised.  If every girl went to secondary school, infant mortality could be cut in half, saving three million lives every year.  

If the pandemic has taught us one thing, it is how interconnected we all are. Girls’ education is no different. By giving all girls the chance to access 12 years of quality education, we will have a fighting chance to lift people out of poverty, grow economies, save lives, and build back better from Covid-19.  

The funding we raise from the Global Education Summit will go to GPE, the largest partnership and fund dedicated to transforming education in lower-income countries. This will mean practical support for education in 90 countries and territories around the world. The UK has committed £430 million of new UK aid for GPE which will go towards helping the 1.1 billion children across these countries over the next five years. Since its creation in 2002, GPE has already contributed to getting 160 million more children into school and to the doubling of girls’ enrolment in the countries they work in. 

But we are not done yet. The pandemic risks undoing much of the great progress we have made so far. Now is the time for the global community to step up, fund education and improve access for girls. If we want to change the world for the better, girls’ education is a good place to start.

By A Correspondent- Former Makumbe Mission primary school headmaster, Silas Chitate has been acquitted of raping an orphaned Grade 7 pupil at the school.

Chitate was in September 2018 jailed for an effective 15 years after three years were conditionally suspended.

Aggrieved by the trial court’s decision, Chitate through his legal counsel approached the High Court appealing against both conviction and sentence.

Two judges of the High Court, Justices Pisirayi Kwenda and Benjamin Chikowero—sitting as an appeals court – absolved Chitate of any wrongdoing, finding that he did not commit the offence.

In its ruling, the court accepted  Chitate’s submissions that he was a victim of emotional justice, as the trial court failed to apply its mind to the facts and the law to arrive at an appropriate decision.

Regional magistrate Nyasha Vhitorini presided over the rape case.

However, her verdict did not escape the indignation of the judges who found the entire proceedings to be a travesty of justice and quashed both conviction and sentence.

During trial, the prosecution alleged that in June 2018, the complainant returned to Makumbe Primary School from Marondera with three pupils where they had gone for sports.

Chitate escorted the pupils to their homes but found the gate to the complainant’s house locked.

He persuaded the complainant to sleep at his house and she agreed.

It was alleged Chitate raped the girl around midnight before going to his bedroom. After a fully contested trial, Magistrate Vhitorini ruled that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt to secure a conviction.

The magistrate handed down a long custodial sentence which was later quashed by the higher court, The Herald reports.

By A Correspondent- Another Masvingo Police Officer has allegedly committed suicide by consuming pesticide following a domestic dispute in which he allegedly suspected infidelity.

Sgnt Elias Kutsira who worked in the Police Armoury Section and stayed by Zimuto Camp died at Masvingo Provincial Hospital Tuesday afternoon.

His death comes barely a week after another Masvingo police officer, Kennedy Mange, committed suicide by hanging himself in Victoria Ranch.

The Mirror was told that Kutsira committed suicide after a domestic dispute in which he allegedly suspected infidelity.

Masvingo Provincial Police spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa said he was not aware of the issue.

However, sources told the publication that the deceased took poison on Monday and died On Tuesday.

Kutsira allegedly left his home on Monday and threatened not to return only to come back on Tuesday after taking the alleged pesticide and was rushed to hospital where he died.

-TheMirror

By A Correspondent- Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services minister, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa told parents and guardians of learners to prepare for the reopening of schools.

Schools were set to reopen on the 28th of June for the second term but authorities deferred reopening and face-to-face learning twice due to the third wave of the coronavirus that is wreaking havoc.

This was the second time this year for the government to postpone the reopening of schools as it did the same in January after COVID-19 cases increased.

It is likely that reopening will be postponed further considering that Cabinet extended further the level 4 lockdown measures and also given that new coronavirus cases and deaths are still high.

Speaking during a post-cabinet media briefing in Harare on Tuesday, the minister urged parents and guardians to complement the government in curbing the spread of the coronavirus. She said:

As the nation prepares for the reopening of schools, parents and guardians are expected to complement Government efforts to provide Personal Protective Equipment, sanitisers and other essential requirements for learners.

Stakeholders, including teachers’ unions, are urging the government to delay reopening until coronavirus cases have subsided and until schools have put adequate preventive measures in place.

They cite the outbreak of coronavirus in some schools and the deaths of some educators as the reason why there should be no rush in reopening schools.

Some schools were this year forced to close prematurely after hundreds of learners and teachers had contracted the virus.

-newsday

By A Correspondent| International medical humanitarian organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) yesterday handed over a consignment of TB medication to Zimbabwe’s National Pharmaceutical Company (NATPHARM).

This is part of MSF’s contribution to ending TB in Zimbabwe.

“We are happy that Zimbabwe continues to make huge strides in containing and raising awareness on TB, and we congratulate the country for its removal from the list of countries with a high TB burden,” says MSF Country Representative, Dr. Reinaldo Ortuno.   

The TB drugs donated today include first-line treatment for Drug sensitive TB and treatment for Drug-resistant TB (DR), all with an estimate value of USD 165, 000.

For 11 years until 2017, MSF provided quality HIV/TB/DR-TB treatment, care and support to Zimbabwe and in 2018, MSF, in collaboration with the MoHCC, supported the successful pilot of the short regimen treatment with injectable for DR-TB in Mutare.

“Despite that we handed over these successful projects on HIV/TB/ DR-TB, we have continued to provide support and resources to MoHCC and this donation is part of that.”

“We continue to work with the Ministry of Health and Child Care to provide health care, especially to vulnerable communities. MSF believes that health is a human right and that every person should have access to health services and medicines when they are in need,” says Dr Ortuno.

Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) says it is going to challenge the policy of ‘’no jab no work’’ that is being implemented by the government.

In a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19, the government and its parastatal are blocking unvaccinated workers from coming to work.

The same workers have also been told that they risk losing the COVID-19 insurance allowance.

However, in an interview with OpenParlyZW on Twitter Spaces, ZCTU president Peter Mutasa said the move is unlawful.

Mutasa said his organisation is going to challenge it in court because there is no law that provides for that.

‘’The government has not come up with a law. Each employer is doing what they want, the government departments are doing what they want, and this is clearly unlawful.

‘’Even in instances of public emergencies or health emergency, Section 87 of the constitution is clear. The government must promulgate a written law. It is written that can spell out clearly what is expected from workers and what is expected from employers.

‘’It is only through a written law that can clearly express what are the rights of workers even during the pandemic because workers cannot have all their rights taken away. It is the same written law that can provide the obligation of each part.

‘’Employment relationship is a personal contract so both the employer and the employee have got rights and obligations. So, an employer cannot be allowed to arbitrarily determine that if a worker is not fully vaccinated, they are not going to get a full salary. If a worker is not vaccinated, they are not going to use a company vehicle. If the worker is not vaccinated, they are not going to get allowances, that is not right.

‘’That is unfair discrimination, so as labour we are already going to court. We are going to challenge the constitutionality of those pronouncements and those practices, and we believe we are on the right side of the constitution. This is arbitrarily being done, this is unlawful, and this is unconstitutional,’’ he said.

ZCTU to challenge ‘’no jab no work’’ policy.

-Open Parly

Government yesterday said at least $119 million has been spent on daily allowances and lunch for health professionals administering COVID-19 vaccination across the country, while only $99 million was used for their personal protective equipment (PPE), raising fears of corruption.

This was revealed during a presentation on the use of COVID-19 funds by the Health ministry before the Ruth Labode-led Parliamentary Portfolio committee on Health and Child Care yesterday.

According to the statement, from a total of $560 435 388,48, daily subsistence allowances and lunch gobbled a huge chunk of about $119 266 955, followed by advocacy and communication, which chewed $104 869 103,75 and data collection and tools, which was allocated $100 562 563. PPE came at fourth with $99 210 000, followed by planning and training, which gobbled $75 165 216,38. Fuel was allocated a measly $1 736 175.

The $560435 388,48 was for the vaccine rollout programme, from February this year until it ends. While responding to a question on disparities in vaccination between urban and rural centres, Health Care ministry secretary Jasper Chimedza said they were on track in the vaccination campaign despite limited resources.

“Despite the limited resources, we are doing the best vaccination programme in Africa. We are working through the provincial medical directors (PMDs) and provincial taskforce teams to be able to mobilise as well as reach hard-to-reach areas,” Chimedza said.

“Existing health centres cater for communities that are geographically dispersed, hence some can be reached through outreach. Secondly, in the context of COVID-19, it is advisable to reach out to people rather than gathering people together justifying the need to vaccinate people in their communities!”

Labode queried lack of fuel in deserving areas despite a huge amount having been allocated for the purpose.

“So much money was put on fuel, but it has not reached the intended areas,” she said.

There have been reports of teams using their own resources to ensure they go to places for vaccination.

“Disbursements were made using an existing government payments system that is in use for all other funds that we are receiving. Detailed budgets were available to assist the managers in the necessary decision-making. Furthermore, where necessary, the finance department had to write emails to the PMDs, informing them of the disbursement,” Chimedza said.

He said follow-ups and verifications were scheduled to be done by head office finance and audit teams though they had been halted due to COVID-19 and will be finalised when the lock-down restrictions are removed. Routine internal audit is being done for all funds disbursed to the various institutions.

Zimbabwe embarked on a vaccination program in February and by yesterday morning, 1 491 493 had received their first doses, while 687 216 have had their second doses. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, government has been under pressure to account for its COVID-19 spending, with fears that a lot of money could be lost to corruption.

Last year, former Health minister Obadiah Moyo was fired over his involvement in a US$60 million COVID-19 tender awarded to Drax International, a company fronted by Delish Nguwaya, a close ally of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s family. There has also been opaqueness on the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines, with government not willing to disclose how much it is spending.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- An Immigration officer was left counting losses after she lost two cars to her ben 10 lover.

Margret Mashongwa (41) of Unit O Seke in Chitungwiza allegedly lost a Toyota Toyoace and a Toyota Belta to Brian Mandofa (32) after she left them in his custody when she returned to her work station at Chirundu Border Post.

Infuriated by her boyfriend’s actions, Mashongwa reported the matter to the police.

The Herald reports that Mandofa appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court charged with theft of trust property.

He, however, was not asked to plead to the charges when he appeared before magistrate Dennis Mangosi, who remanded him in custody today for bail application.

Allegations are that sometime in January this year, Mashongwa gave Mandofa a Toyota Toyoace ( ADP1757) for safekeeping.

Mashongwa gave her boyfriend permission to use the Toyota Toyoace temporarily.

During the same month, Mandofa was given a Toyota Belta (AEM5578), so that he could have the motor vehicle repaired as it was having some mechanical problems.

Mashongwa allegedly asked her boyfriend to bring back the two motor vehicles but he started giving excuses.

The court heard that at times Mandofa would not pick up calls or he would answer and shout at her.

Left with no option, Mashongwa took the matter to the police who arrested Mandofa at his workplace in Warren Park D, Harare

 By A Correspondent- A South African truck driver was yesterday fined $80  000 for smuggling goods worth $2,3 million through the Beitbridge Border Post last week.

Kenneth Phila Vilakazi (38) was convicted on his own plea of guilty to contravening a section of the Customs and Excise Act (smuggling) when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Steven Ndlovu.

The goods were forfeited to the State as part of the sentence. If Vilakazi defaults paying the fine, he will be jailed for 14 months.

The prosecutor, Ms Karen Gundani, said last week on Wednesday, Vilakazi, who is employed by a South African company Net Logistics, crossed into Zimbabwe via Beitbridge Border Post driving an Iveco truck towing two trailers. He only declared goods he was transporting as per his employer’s consignment.

The court heard that he then proceeded to Bulawayo en route to Harare. The following day at around 6PM, the truck was intercepted by police along the Bulawayo-Harare Road near Zuva garage while Vilakazi was trying to offload the goods into another truck heading to Kwekwe.

Vilakazi was asked to produce declaration forms for goods in his possession and he failed to do so.

The matter was referred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Zimra was engaged. It was discovered that Vilakazi’s truck was transporting both declared and undeclared goods.

The seized goods were 496 cases of Maq washing powder, 335 cases of bar soaps, 40 cases of foam bath, 422 cases of Dragon energy drink,145 cases of corned beef, 30 boxes of sweets, 96 boxes of creamer, 95 cases of Nivea body lotion, 261 cases of Koo beans,156 cases of Mayo yoghurt and two by 20 litres of paint. The total value of the goods was $2,3million.

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said pregnant women in communities where the COVID-19 pandemic is widespread could get vaccinated against the deadly virus.

The health mother body said it was necessary for expecting mothers to be vaccinated if the benefits of getting the jab outweighed the risks of contracting the virus.

This followed growing public concerns about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines on pregnant women and lactating mothers.

WHO Africa regional vaccines officer Phiona Atuhebwe in a statement yesterday said: “Pregnant women should get the vaccine when the benefits outweigh the risks. They face a high risk of severe illness from COVID-19. We do not yet have enough data on the safety of the vaccine on pregnant women.

“However data from the United States where around 90 000 pregnant women have been vaccinated mainly with mRNA vaccines like Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna have not raised any safety concerns.”

She added: “Pregnant women should get the vaccine to protect themselves if the virus is widespread in their communities or if they have other conditions that put them at more risk of severe illness. These conditions include diabetes, hypertension, obesity and others.”

Atuhebwe urged health workers to provide the necessary information on the vaccines to women, adding that countries have different guidelines based on their situations.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Finance minister Mthuli Ncube will tomorrow deliver his mid-term fiscal policy review statement amid growing budgetary demands at a time when the country’s tax base is shrinking, and the economy severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since government announced the first COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020, the economy has been partially opened up and some restrictions eased, while others have been tightened to curb the further spread of the pandemic.

The measures have restricted business to operate for as little as six hours daily, while the country’s borders have been closed, which has affected importation of raw materials.

Industry has also been affected by low disposable incomes for employees, which translates to low aggregate demand by consumers amid rising operating costs.

To curb the spread of the pandemic, industry needs to procure personal protective equipment for its employees, sanitisers and temperature check equipment, a situation which has adversely affected balance sheets of companies.

Economists yesterday told NewsDay that recurrent expenditure such as increases in civil servants’ wages would demand a bigger vote for employment costs, which would be Ncube’s biggest headache.

Economic analyst Batanai Matsika said Ncube should speak to the issue of provision of social safety nets for the vulnerable, and stimulus packages for industry to save it from collapse.

He said Ncube should explain the US$1 billion special drawing rights (SDR), and how they would impact the economy.

“In the wake of COVID-19, we need to know how government is going to deal with the issue of social safety nets. As you know, the lockdown periods have come back again and again, and we need to know what is going to happen in terms of social safety nets, especially for the informal players and small-to-medium enterprises,” Matsika said.

“Secondly, there has been a lot of news around the US$1 billion SDR allocation, and so a breakdown and insights into how that money will be allocated would be imperative. Ncube needs to explain the impact of COVID-19 on government revenues, and also on monetary policy developments.”

Economist John Robertson said the fiscal policy review should be an opportunity for Ncube to announce measures to collect taxes from those that are not paying in order to ensure that taxes for those that are paying are lowered.

“We have very few people being taxed. Out of a population of 15 million, we have about 500 000 being taxed and they are taxed too high. We should open up the economy and have more people to tax and we tax them less,” he said.

Robertson said pay-as-you-earn for the last quarter was high and it affected workers’ incomes as they were overtaxed.

“Ncube must have a re-look at the income tax brackets,” he said, adding that licence fees for informal traders should also be reduced in order to encourage them to formalise.

Robertson said it was cheaper in neighbouring countries like Zambia to set up new businesses than in Zimbabwe.

“There will be pressure to increase wages for the civil service if inflation remains a problem in the second half of the year. Already, Zimbabwe’s civil service head count is too high,” he said.

-newsday

By A Correspondent- A Rushinga family kept its children’s umbilical cords for seven years. Collen Murefu a polygamist reportedly found two umbilical cords in the wardrobe.

This came out of Chief Makuni’s Community Court where Murefu was clearing his name after being fined for the taboo according to traditions.

Murefu got divorced with his wife Ester Kahwiti who he accused of the shameful act while appealing against the fine saying the offence was committed by his wife and he was the one who discovered it.

Murefu argued that the separation from his wife was unjustified saying his wife reacted emotionally after she suffered embarrassment from guilt about her act.

“She just gave me an abrupt alimony after I found the two umbilical cords of both second and third born children in wardrobe,” said Murefu.

The case first appeared at Headman Magaranewe’s court who ordered the couple to pay one beast for the taboo he committed together with his wife apart from their separation.

The wife had pleaded not guilty and the owner of the home Murefu according to tradition was forced to pay.

Kahwiti told the Chief’s Court that Murefu had given her the umbilical cords to keep since he was the head of his own family.

“I did not divorce him because of the umbilical cords but he has become too abusive and absolutely oppressive against me to the extent of always interrogating me about the time of returning home from our butchery,” said Kahwiti.

Kahwiti added: “The first umbilical cord of the first born child was consecrated in our rural area and those two were kept because we were in town and we wanted to do the same in rural areas again but my husband did not take action in time to execute the process as part of his family’s tradition.”

Chief Makuni said the umbilical cords were under the maternal authority and they were shocked to hear that Kahwiti did not have the power to exercise her authority to conceal the sacred parts of her own blood following traditional confirmation.

“The tradition defines that a child can be doomed or either become impotent if his or her umbilical cord is mysteriously involved in such act.

“This is a serious violation of a baby’s traditional fundamental in the society.

“The case became a stalemate as both of them accused each other so it’s anybody’s case,” said Chief Makuni.

He ordered them to resort to either fortune tellers or traditional healers to establish the truth and anyone between them found guilty would pay a number of beasts to both Headman Magaranewe and him as a fine for committing such an act.

-HMetro

By A Correspondent- Police detectives have arrested five suspected armed robbers who stormed a house in Bikita and stole a gun, ammunition and two cell phones before fleeing.

The five, Wonder Mahuni (42), Wirimai Gatsi (37), Christopher Danda (40), Evidence Damu (34) and Peter Jodo (35) were reportedly armed with a pistol, hammer and machetes when they committed the offence.

They also stole cash amounting to US$70 and R700 before they left the complainant’s house.

Police national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest and warned robbery syndicates that operations to account for all suspects are in full swing.

“On 19 July 2021 detectives arrested Wonder Mahuni (42), Wirimai Gatsi (37), Christopher Danda (40) Evidence Damu (34) and Peter Jodo (35) for a robbery case which occurred in Duma location, Nyika, Bikita, on 10 June 2021,” he said.
“The suspects who were armed with an unknown pistol, hammer and machetes stormed the complainant’s house, attacked the complainant and his wife before stealing a safe box containing a malfunctioning revolver, unknown number of ammunition and two cellphones.
“Also stolen was cash amounting to US$70 and ZAR700. The ZRP warns robbery syndicates that operations to account for all suspects are in full swing.”
This comes as police in Plumtree are investigating an armed robbery case which occurred on 20 July 21 along Dombodema Road in Plumtree, where five men armed with an unidentified pistol and spikes attacked two victims before stealing R385 000 cash, a Honda Fit, cellphones and wristwatch.
“The complainants were travelling in a Honda Fit motor vehicle towards Maitengwe border post along Madlambuzi Road when they were intercepted by the suspects who were driving a beige Toyota Granvia motor vehicle,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.
“The Honda Fit was recovered at Hebron, Plumtree.”
-State media

By A Correspondent- Police In Chitungwiza have arrested Johane Masowe leaders for holding a church service in violation of the enhanced COVID-19 level 4 lockdown regulations.

Police confirmed the arrest which occurred on Friday last week. Said the police:
On 23/07/21 Police in Chitungwiza arrested Clyton Makavi (35) and Tendai Zhakata (30) for leading a Johanne Masowe church service at an open space in Zengeza 5 Extension, Chitungwiza with approximately 23 members comprising men and women.
The ZRP warns the public against breaching Covid-19 regulations by holding church services.
Public gatherings including church services remain banned as part of efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Some members of the apostolic sect have, however, continued to conduct services in violation of Covid-19 regulations.

Over a week ago, Police in Hurungwe arrested two Johane Masowe eChishanu apostolic sect leaders for convening a gathering in violation of the COVID-19 regulations.
This is happening when the country is grappling with the third wave of the coronavirus.
New infections and deaths have been on the rise for over a month with authorities blaming complacency and the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus that was first detected in India.

-State media

By A Correspondent- According to a report from an online publication, Margaret Samkange, a manager at Robert Mugabe International airport succumbed to covid-19 this afternoon.

The publication alleged that there was panic at the international airport as colleagues who had come into contact with the late manager feared that they had also contracted the disease.

We publich below reactions to the story, where others alleged that the late Samkange had tested negative hence the allegations that she succumbed to covid-19 were not true.

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance vice chairperson Hon Job Sikhala has said the level of idiocy in Zanu PF is unpardonable and appalling.

This comes after frantic attempts by the Zanu PF regime to blame ” regime change agents” for plotting to discredit Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration also known as the new dispensation.

Zanu PF and government officials are at pains to outline the achievements of the clueless “new dispensation.”

According to Hon Sikhala , pursuing regime change is not a crime.

“It is only empty heads like Monica Mutsvangwa & her master ED who think that pursuing regime change is criminal.

Pursuing the change of regime like that of Mnangagwa shld give u pride dear Zimbabweans.

It’s a regime of cockroaches, dullards and swines.

I am a regime change agent,” declared Hon Sikhala.

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) is investigating a case of robbery where a vehicle was stolen from Esigodini.

Police confirmed the incident which occurred in Habane Township on Thursday last week. Said the police:

Police in Esigodini are investigating circumstances surrounding a case of theft of a motor vehicle which occurred at number 26 Habane Township.
On 22 July the victim discovered that his White Honda Fit motor vehicle had been stolen after he parked it at the yard the previous night.
Police are also investigating another case of theft of a motor vehicle where a Toyota Corolla Bubble vehicle was stolen after the victim parked it at the yard on Saturday at Flat 208/210 Second Street Avondale, Harare.
In another incident, a blue Honda Fit vehicle and US$1 500 which was in the vehicle, were stolen after the complainant parked the vehicle at a service station near Glenview 8 Complex.

Police have appealed to members of the public with information that could assist in the investigations to contact any nearest Police Station.
Some of the vehicles are altered and sold to unsuspecting customers while some are later dumped.

By A Correspondent- Police have arrested Johane Masowe leaders for holding a church service in violation of the enhanced COVID-19 level 4 lockdown regulations.

Police confirmed the arrest which occurred on Friday last week. Said the police:
On 23/07/21 Police in Chitungwiza arrested Clyton Makavi (35) and Tendai Zhakata (30) for leading a Johanne Masowe church service at an open space in Zengeza 5 Extension, Chitungwiza with approximately 23 members comprising men and women.
The ZRP warns the public against breaching Covid-19 regulations by holding church services.
Public gatherings including church services remain banned as part of efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Some members of the apostolic sect have, however, continued to conduct services in violation of Covid-19 regulations.

Over a week ago, Police in Hurungwe arrested two Johane Masowe eChishanu apostolic sect leaders for convening a gathering in violation of the COVID-19 regulations.
This is happening when the country is grappling with the third wave of the coronavirus.
New infections and deaths have been on the rise for over a month with authorities blaming complacency and the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus that was first detected in India.

-State media

By A Correspondent- MDC Alliance has fired the Douglas Mwonzora led MDC-T from the Alliance.
In their memorandum to MDC-T, the Alliance partners accused the party of failing to consult the other parties in the alliance before taking substantive decisions.

By A Correspondent- Police In Chitungwiza have arrested Johane Masowe leaders for holding a church service in violation of the enhanced COVID-19 level 4 lockdown regulations.

Police confirmed the arrest which occurred on Friday last week. Said the police:
On 23/07/21 Police in Chitungwiza arrested Clyton Makavi (35) and Tendai Zhakata (30) for leading a Johanne Masowe church service at an open space in Zengeza 5 Extension, Chitungwiza with approximately 23 members comprising men and women.
The ZRP warns the public against breaching Covid-19 regulations by holding church services.
Public gatherings including church services remain banned as part of efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Some members of the apostolic sect have, however, continued to conduct services in violation of Covid-19 regulations.

Over a week ago, Police in Hurungwe arrested two Johane Masowe eChishanu apostolic sect leaders for convening a gathering in violation of the COVID-19 regulations.
This is happening when the country is grappling with the third wave of the coronavirus.
New infections and deaths have been on the rise for over a month with authorities blaming complacency and the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus that was first detected in India.

-State media

By A Correspondent- Police detectives have arrested five suspected armed robbers who stormed a house in Bikita and stole a gun, ammunition and two cell phones before fleeing.

The five, Wonder Mahuni (42), Wirimai Gatsi (37), Christopher Danda (40), Evidence Damu (34) and Peter Jodo (35) were reportedly armed with a pistol, hammer and machetes when they committed the offence.

They also stole cash amounting to US$70 and R700 before they left the complainant’s house.

Police national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest and warned robbery syndicates that operations to account for all suspects are in full swing.

“On 19 July 2021 detectives arrested Wonder Mahuni (42), Wirimai Gatsi (37), Christopher Danda (40) Evidence Damu (34) and Peter Jodo (35) for a robbery case which occurred in Duma location, Nyika, Bikita, on 10 June 2021,” he said.
“The suspects who were armed with an unknown pistol, hammer and machetes stormed the complainant’s house, attacked the complainant and his wife before stealing a safe box containing a malfunctioning revolver, unknown number of ammunition and two cellphones.
“Also stolen was cash amounting to US$70 and ZAR700. The ZRP warns robbery syndicates that operations to account for all suspects are in full swing.”
This comes as police in Plumtree are investigating an armed robbery case which occurred on 20 July 21 along Dombodema Road in Plumtree, where five men armed with an unidentified pistol and spikes attacked two victims before stealing R385 000 cash, a Honda Fit, cellphones and wristwatch.
“The complainants were travelling in a Honda Fit motor vehicle towards Maitengwe border post along Madlambuzi Road when they were intercepted by the suspects who were driving a beige Toyota Granvia motor vehicle,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.
“The Honda Fit was recovered at Hebron, Plumtree.”
-State media

By A Correspondent- MDC Alliance partners say they have fired the Douglas Mwonzora led MDC-T from the opposition coalition.

In their memorandum to MDC-T, the Alliance partners accused the party of failing to consult the other parties in the alliance before taking substantive decisions.

MDC Alliance partners say they have fired the Douglas Mwonzora led MDC-T from the Alliance.

In their memorandum to MDC-T, the Alliance partners accused the party of failing to consult the other parties in the alliance before taking substantive decisions.

Below is the full letter signed by Mathias Guchutu who is a principal of MCD party…

By A Correspondent- Police are investigating a case of robbery where a vehicle was stolen from Esigodini.

Police confirmed the incident which occurred in Habane Township on Thursday last week.

“Police in Esigodini are investigating circumstances surrounding a case of theft of a motor vehicle which occurred at number 26 Habane Township.

“On 22 July the victim discovered that his White Honda Fit motor vehicle had been stolen after he parked it at the yard the previous night.,” said the police.

In another incident a blue Honda Fit vehicle and US$1 500 which was in the vehicle, were stolen after the complainant parked the vehicle at a service station near Glenview 8 Complex. Police have appealed to members of the public with information that could assist in the investigations to contact any nearest Police Station

Police are also investigating another case of theft of a motor vehicle where a Toyota Corolla Bubble vehicle was stolen after the victim parked it at the yard on Saturday at Flat 208/210 Second Street Avondale, Harare.

-statemedia

The Ministry of Health and Child Care has advertised the Primary Care Nurse Training September 2021 Intake saying applications will be accepted not later than 30 July. Said the ministry in a statement:

Ministry of Health and Child Care Primary Care Nurse Training September 2021 Intake

Applications for the Two-year Certificate Primary Care NUM Training to be conducted by the Ministry of Health and Child Health Care (MoHCC) are invited from suitably qualified Adders of the following qualifications:

A minimum of 5 ‘0’ Level subjects with a grade C or better including English and a science subject (practical subjects such as Fashion and Fabrics, Metal Work, Graphic Art, Art and Woodwork are not acceptable) obtained from not more than three sittings with full certificates as Examination Result Slips are not acceptable.

• Must be aged between the ages of seventeen (17) and thirty (37) seven years on the date commencement of training which is 06/09/2021.

• Candidates should not be less than 17 years and not more than 37 years by 06 September 2021.

• Nurse Aides and General Hands already working in the health care delivery system have an added advantage and their applications should be submitted through the Provincial Principal Nursing Officers.

• Only candidates who meet the recruitment criteria will be shortlisted for interviews. Accepted candidates will be deployed to where training posts exist throughout the Country and upon having a full medical examination by a registered Government Medical Doctor.

All applications should be addressed to: The Secretary for Health and Child Care, Attention: Director Nursing Services, P 0 Box CY 1122, Causeway, Harare

The envelope should be clearly marked, “PCN Training September 2021 Intake

Application letters should be posted or dropped at the Ministry of Health and Child Care,3rd Floor, Office Number 100 or in the office of the Principal Tutor/Tutor-In-Charge at the nearest training schools.

Closing date: 30 July 2021

NB: The Ministry does not advertise through any other source except the newspapers.

NO THIRD PARTIES HAVE BEEN REQUESTED TO RECRUIT ON BEHALF OF MoHCC

“Zero Tolerance to Corruption in Student Nurse Recruitment’

The president of Botswana, Mokgweetsi Masisi, on Monday deployed troops to Mozambique as part of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Standby Force.

Masisi saw off the troops at the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport north of Gaborone on Monday morning as Commander-in-Chief of the Botswana Armed Forces and Current Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence & Security.

He said:

A total of 296 BDF soldiers will be deployed in Mozambique, and 70 of them departed yesterday.

Mozambique has for years been grappling with Islamic insurgents who recently killed hundreds of people in Palma in the Northern Cabo Delgado Province

Botswana is sending troops following Rwanda’s deployment of a 1 000-person contingent of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and the Rwanda National Police (RNP) to help Mozambique fight off the terrorists.

-Xinhua

By A Correspondent- Stranded National University of Science and Technology (Nust) students have resorted to begging for food as they are stuck in Bulawayo.

The government recently imposed travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic leaving students stuck in the second-largest city.

The university’s student representative council (SRC) has since launched a campaign aimed at seeking food donations for the stranded students.

Nust SRC legal and constitutional affairs minister, Caleb Ncube told Southern Eye that the stranded students were starving. Ncube said:

Our fellow Nust students in Bulawayo, who did not manage to go home during the lockdown period, are in need of food aid. The pandemic’s devastating effects on the economy have resulted in a severe and sustained level of need in charitable food support.

Currently, there are students that do not have access to basic day-to-day requirements.

There are also people who have excess food such that if they donate it can solve many problems.

A student who spoke to Southern Eye said they were finding it difficult to survive outside the campus as they needed more than US$70 per month. A student who refused to be named said:

We have to buy groceries and data bundles for our online lessons, and so we are struggling.

We are appealing for help, in terms of donations for food, and right now our SRC has managed to get a few food hampers from well-wishers.

Nust spokesperson Thabani Mpofu said the university was yet to receive complaints of students being stranded and as all students are now back home. Mpofu said:

There is no way our students are struggling.

What we know is that currently the university is closed and students are doing their online classes in the comfort of their homes.

He added that the lockdown was introduced when examinations had been suspended.

-Newsday

The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) has announced that there will be a planned interruption of power supply in the Harare region. ZETDC said the power interruption will be for the purpose of carrying maintenance works.

The ZESA subsidiary urged users to treat all circuits as LIVE during that period as power may be restored without notice.

By A Correspondent- Gweru City Council is failing to cope with the demand for graves as Covid 19 takes toll on the country’s third largest city after Harare and Bulawayo.

The Mayor Josiah Makombe expressed the grim picture during his state of the city address delivered to the media. He said the situation is worsened by the fact that the council uses manual means to dig graves. As a result, the ground is sometimes hard or rocky.

He said that the City Council is now planning to buy automated equipment to use in the digging of graves.

He told The Mirror that in June alone 50 bodies were buried in the City’s three cemeteries. This is three times the increase compared to the same period in 2020.

“Covid-19 has raised the demand for graves. We have three cemeteries and our main challenge is that grave digging is done manually and the ground is sometimes hard rocky.

We are still in the process of trying to automate grave digging if funds permit,” said Makombe in a statemen.

Gweru is Covid-19 hot stop with all it’s tertiary institutions having to close down after a number of students tested positive.

— Mirror

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) Makoni District Elections Officer, Mr Joel Mugwagwa Mutambiranwa (61) has died.

Mr Mutambiranwa succumbed to prostate cancer and was buried at Silverbow Cemetery in Rusape on Monday.

He was described by colleagues and stakeholders as a professional and astute leader who will not be easily replaced.

Mr Mutambiranwa earned respect across the political divide for his professional conduct during elections.

Family spokesperson and young brother, Mr Mupfururi Mutambiranwa, said the family was robbed of a unifier, counselor and a mentor who was God-fearing.

“Joel passed on Sunday at his Tikwiri plot. He had been battling prostate cancer since 2018. He went for an operation at Karanda Mission Hospital and we thought he would recover, but God had other plans. He has left behind a wife and three children,” said Mr Mutambiranwa.

Mr Mutambiranwa was born in 1959 and trained as teacher at United College in Bulawayo.

He later acquired a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Zimbabwe.

He taught at Mavhudzi High School before being promoted to be a headmaster at Mugoti Secondary School in Makoni North.

He later moved to Chiundu High School before being promoted to be an Education Officer in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.

He later moved to ZEC as the district head.

-ManicaPost

By A Correspondent- Two Christ Ministries High School employees today appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court on allegations of stealing US$25 000 that was paid as debts to the school.

Lazarus Nhau Makoni (71), who doubled as a cashier and clerk and Eustace Makoni (55), who was employed as a bursar, were not asked to plead to the charges when they appeared before magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi charged with fraud.

Mr Anesu Chirenje, appearing for the State, alleged that between January and July this year Makoni, on behalf of the school, collected US$25 000 from people who owed it.

He then allegedly handed over the money to the cashier.

On July 23, Christ Ministries’ headmaster requested for a reconciliation of the cash transactions and discovered that there was no money in the cash box and took the matter to the police.

By A Correspondent- Police detectives have arrested five suspected armed robbers who stormed a house in Bikita and stole a gun, ammunition and two cell phones before fleeing.

The five, Wonder Mahuni (42), Wirimai Gatsi (37), Christopher Danda (40), Evidence Damu (34) and Peter Jodo (35) were reportedly armed with a pistol, hammer and machetes when they committed the offence.

They also stole cash amounting to US$70 and R700 before they left the complainant’s house.

Police national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest and warned robbery syndicates that operations to account for all suspects are in full swing.

“On 19 July 2021 detectives arrested Wonder Mahuni (42), Wirimai Gatsi (37), Christopher Danda (40) Evidence Damu (34) and Peter Jodo (35) for a robbery case which occurred in Duma location, Nyika, Bikita, on 10 June 2021,” he said.

“The suspects who were armed with an unknown pistol, hammer and machetes stormed the complainant’s house, attacked the complainant and his wife before stealing a safe box containing a malfunctioning revolver, unknown number of ammunition and two cellphones.

“Also stolen was cash amounting to US$70 and ZAR700. The ZRP warns robbery syndicates that operations to account for all suspects are in full swing.”

This comes as police in Plumtree are investigating an armed robbery case which occurred on 20 July 21 along Dombodema Road in Plumtree, where five men armed with an unidentified pistol and spikes attacked two victims before stealing R385 000 cash, a Honda Fit, cellphones and wristwatch.

“The complainants were travelling in a Honda Fit motor vehicle towards Maitengwe border post along Madlambuzi Road when they were intercepted by the suspects who were driving a beige Toyota Granvia motor vehicle,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.

“The Honda Fit was recovered at Hebron, Plumtree.”

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- The recent 50 percent salary hike for civil servants will increase purchasing power but will not result in price increases as the auctions govern the cost of foreign currency used for productive purposes and other inflationary pressures are receding, Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said.

Retailers agreed, saying the only effect they saw from the increase was better business as a very large block of consumers now had more money to spend. 

The Consumer Protection Commission cannot see the increase triggering price rises and agrees with the retailers that the measure will be totally positive in increasing business.

Responding to speculation that prices were north-bound following a 50 percent salary increment for Government workers, Prof Ncube disagreed. 

The exchange rate is a major factor governing inflation but he said the official market constituting around 95 percent of foreign currency trading in the country is stable. 

The far smaller black market was therefore not a worrying factor when looking at inflationary pressures.

“We as Government follow the official exchange rate. This is the exchange rate that is coming out of the auction process, which is a free market. That easily accounts for 95 percent of all the foreign currency trading in the economy. So we cannot base our analysis on the alternative markets.

“When we make decisions about supporting our hard-working civil servants, we follow inflation. You have seen that inflation is dropping on both a year-on-year and month-on-month basis and we expect that by year-end it will be anywhere between 25 to 35 percent year-on-year with month-on-month below three percent.

“Wages and salaries anywhere in the world are set on the back of inflationary expectations, which are headed downwards in Zimbabwe. Inflation is what erodes salaries. That is what you are confronted with in the shops. So it is about inflation.

“Inflation is going down. It is going the right way. It shows that our policies are working. The exchange rate is stable, and the companies will tell you that they are now planning better because there is less price instability and business is booming and we are also positive about economic recovery this year.”-Statemedia

At least 300 vehicles are held at Beitbridge Border Post after eight import licence books were stolen at the Industry and Commerce ministry.

This has resulted in Industry ministry officials intercepting applications for licences from individual importers despite that the vehicles had been processed by Customs officials and their import licences passed as legit.

Industry ministry secretary Mavis Sibanda admitted to the inhouse theft of licences through a letter dated June 30, 2021 to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) acting commissioner-general Rameck Masaire.

“The Ministry of Industry and Commerce is writing to inform Zimra about those following internal investigations. We have discovered that more import licences were fraudulently issued. Further, we have discovered that eight licence books were stolen,” Sibanda said.

She said licence books with serial numbers 059351-049500, 059451-059500, 059701-059750, 059851-069900, 059951-060000, 060001-060050, 060101-060150 and 061451-061500 were missing in their inventory.

Sibanda also said 36 licences bore forged signatures.

At the weekend, the affected importers were planning to make formal complaints saying it was misdirected punishment.

“We applied for our licences and deposited money into the account of the Ministry of Industry and we got our licences,” one of the affected people said.

“Who will foot those storage bills? Why should an error by civil servants affect importers who are paying their duties? The Ministry of Industry and Commerce should deal with its employees and not inconvenience innocent people,” another importer said.

The Industry and Commerce ministry has not yet responded to questions sent to it on Friday.

Of late, only commercial vehicles attracted duty in foreign currency, with the lowest duty paid being US$1 300 per car.

In March this year, the Industry ministry banned the importation of vehicles that are 10 years saying they now require import licences.

Government lost US$3 billion in duty in the first three months after it banned the importation of the old cars.

-Newsday

26 July 2021,

Chirundu – ZIMRA intercepts three transit fuel trucks in Chirundu that are accused of
smuggling fuel into the country which was meant to be transported to Zambia potentially
prejudicing the country of potential revenues through organized crime.

During the period from 17 July 2021 to 23 July 2021, three tankers that had declared fuel at
Forbes Border Post en route to Zambia were intercepted at Chirundu One Stop Border Post all loaded with water instead of fuel as per the declarations made at Forbes Border Post.

The tankers had respectively declared 44 924 litres of diesel, 39 932 litres of diesel and 45 800 litres of petrol destined for Zambia however the three tankers after physical inspections turned out to be carrying water.

“The three fuel tankers were flagged for physical inspection and with the assistance of police, two drivers were arrested and have already appeared in court. The driver of the third tanker is still at large as he disappeared during the physical inspection of the vehicle.

The Authority is currently capacitating the intelligence management unit and will continue leveraging on technology and data matching to fish out fuel smugglers”, explained ZIMRA’s Head Corporate Communications, Francis Chimanda.

The arrested drivers for the two fuel tankers, Godfrey Nyamukondiwa and Joseph Guveya, who appeared in court on Monday the 26 th of July were granted bail worth $30,000 each and are set to reappear in court on the 24 th of August 2021. The bond for the Clearing Agent involved has been recommended for suspension until the duty due for the fuel has been secured.

“Intelligence at hand points to possible connivance between transporters and their drivers as well as some unscrupulous agents. The transit fuel does not exit Zimbabwe and is consumed locally against customs regulations.

The smugglers off-load and sell the fuel in Zimbabwe. Thereafter they load the trucks with water and proceed to Chirundu for the acquittal process. Once acquitted, they enter Zambia where they drain the water and buy cheaper fuel for delivery to their customers.

This ensures that they make a hefty profit in Zimbabwe since they would have brought the fuel into Zimbabwe duty-free,” said Mr. Chimanda.

Transit shipment of fuel occurs when transporters ship fuel from outside Zimbabwe, which
passes through the country destined for another country. Since this fuel is not for local
consumption, no duty is paid on importation. The fuel trucks are sealed at the port of entry
and the seals are removed at the exit point after the acquittal process.

Sealed fuel trucks that transit through Zimbabwe, are monitored by an Electronic Cargo
Tracking System (ECTS) operated by ZIMRA’s Customs and Excise Division. The trucks
use dedicated routes and any departure from these routes attracts a fine of US$2 000.00.
Removal of seals is a serious offence, which also attracts a hefty fine.

By A Correspondent- Two Zimbabwean armed robbers and their South African accomplice were on Saturday re-arrested by police in the neighbouring country following a shootout after they had escaped while being taken to court.

Clifford Mutonhori and John Fine, both Zimbabweans and Figos Madisha, a South African were re-arrested near the city of Polokwane along the N1 highway.

The accused persons along with Denis Hove who is still at large ran away after overpowering and disarming a police officer along the R101 road south of Polokwane.

The incident occurred while the accused persons were being moved from Polokwane to Mokopane for sentencing on a charge of armed robbery, which they committed in 2019.

Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said Madisha, Mutonhori, and Fine were re-arrested on Saturday after hijacking two commercial trucks.

“Two truck hijackings that took place along the N1 road on two consecutive days, one on Thursday night, 22 July 2021, next to the area where these convicted criminals escaped and the other on Friday 23 July 2021 at Nyl Plaza, led to the dramatic re-arrest of the escapees,” he said.

Brig Mojapelo said four suspects fitting the description of the ones who earlier escaped from the police van along the R101 road south of Polokwane allegedly hijacked a truck and later abandoned it at Ysyerberg on the N1 road.

“The same suspects allegedly hijacked another truck the next day at Nyl Plaza toll gate and drove it towards Modimolle, with the victims inside. The truck hit one of the barricades at Kranskop tollgate and the suspects jumped off and fled into the bushes,” he said.

Brig Mojapelo said a well-co-ordinated search operation involving members of the Limpopo Highway Patrol (LHP), SAPS Airwing, several SAPS Units, members from the neighbouring stations assisted by trackers from the Heritage Protection Group (HPG), Private Pilot and ordinary community members led to the apprehension of the fleeing suspects.

He said one of the escapees allegedly shot at the police when he was spotted, prompting the police to return fire.

The official said the man was found on top of a tree later during a search in the area.

“He was immediately arrested. The other two suspects were arrested in the vicinity. A search operation continued and a police firearm that was stolen during the escape was recovered in the bushes,” said Brig Mojapelo.

The four suspects were facing several cases of armed robberies and possession of illegal firearms that were allegedly committed along the N1 road under Belabela, Modimolle, Mookgopong, and Mokopane policing areas, targeting motorists.

-statemedia

Zimbabweans have called for the decentralisation of the process of issuing national identity cards which is still a nightmare in Harare.

It is an agonising call of patience for these three gentlemen who are making their 6th attempt at acquiring national identity cards at the registrar general’s office in Harare.

From the information gathered by ZBC News, only 25 people are served per day, a number that is way below the hundreds who brave the cold winter mornings to acquire the important document

Unfortunately for these gentlemen, they will need to make a 7^th attempt, because today is just like the previous attempts.

“I first came in June and was told to come back on the 23^rd of July. I have been told to keep trying everyday as they don’t know when my name will be called. Those who have not booked were told to come in September,” said a Form 4 student.

“I have come here 5 times, they took 25 and closed the gate and we were told to come back,” another said.

Considering the huge backlog and growing population in Harare, some of the national identity card seekers believe a target of 25 people per day is not sufficient.

Another commented: “If we look at how big Harare is and they take just 25 people a day, you wonder. They should also visit the high-density areas and give people ID’s there. Decentralisation will ensure that at least they deal with the back log.”

The latest development has resulted in growing calls for the decentralisation of the exercise for more people to be served.

ZIMBABWE Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has asked United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) to reinstate a nurse who was suspended from a training programme after a pregnancy test returned a false positive result.

Authorities at UBH on 17 May 2021, suspended Sibongikosi Jacoline Dube from participating in a nurse training programme after a pregnancy test conducted on her as a requirement of the programme reportedly returned a positive result.

In a letter written to UBH Chief Executive Officer Dr Narcisius Dzvanga, Jabulani Mhlanga of ZLHR protested against the discrimination and ill-treatment of the aspiring nurse.

Mhlanga said Dube had advised him that on the day the pregnancy test was taken, a certain Ms. S Moyo had informed the group of nursing trainees of a “mix-up” in the test results conducted at a UBH laboratory.

Mhlanga said after receiving the pregnancy results Dube conducted a self-test whose results were negative and she informed officials at UBH of this development.

Dube, Mhlanga said, also undertook further testing at Mpilo Central Hospital and the results were negative.

But despite the outcome of the second set of the pregnancy test results and numerous engagements with some UBH officials as well as some officials from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dube has not been reinstated to continue with the nurse training programme.

Mhlanga charged that the decision taken by UBH to keep Dube out of the training programme was grossly unreasonable and unfair and in violation of section 68 of the Constitution, which provides for the right to administrative justice and also in violation of section 3 of the Administrative Justice Act.

The human rights lawyer said UBH’s policy is contrary to the national objectives of the Constitution in particular section 17 which provides that the State must promote the full participation of women in all spheres of the Zimbabwean society on the basis of equality with men.

Furthermore, Mhlanga said section 56 of the Constitution affords women to enjoy the right to equal treatment including the right to equal opportunities in political, economic, cultural and social spheres and prohibits unfair treatment or discrimination on the grounds of
pregnancy.

Mhlanga asked UBH to reinstate Dube to continue with the nurse training programme with immediate effect and also urgently align its policy to the provisions of the Constitution.

The human rights lawyer said if UBH fails to respond favourably to Dube’s request, he will institute legal proceedings against the state-run hospital to assert and protect her constitutionally enshrined rights.

UBH is yet to respond to Mhlanga’s letter.

By A Correspondent- Three Mwenezi teachers are demanding for the exhumation of the remains of an alleged thief they believe stole their household property worth over R50 000 and was buried together with the property.

The three, Taurai Sithole, Caroline Mlambo and Lamedy Matavire from Dinhe Primary School under Chief Neshuro claim their houses were reduced to empty grounds by the late Tarisai Chihisani of Mashavele Village during school holidays in March this year and they managed to positively identify their property during Chihisani’s burial.

During Chihisani’s burial in May, the three claim, some mourners managed to positively identify some of the stolen blankets and utensils as part of Chihisani’s loot, when they were being placed in the grave, a ritual commonly performed in the area.

Upon seeing some of the teacher’s stolen property being placed in the grave, eyewitnesses allegedly tipped off Sithole, who is one of the teachers, who pursued the matter until he recovered some of their property from some villagers who had bought Chihisani’s loot.

Speaking to TellZim News, Sithole said he is now pushing for the exhumation of Chihisani’s remains so that they recover some of their property which he was buried together with.

“After being tipped off by some mourners at Chihisani’s burial that some of our property was buried together with him, I initiated some thorough investigations and managed to track down some of the people whom the deceased had sold some of the property to which included mattresses, pots, electrical gadgets and several other kitchen utensils.

“We lost property worth R50 000 and so far we have managed to recover only something worth around R15 000,” said Sithole.

Sithole also claimed that flowers that were put on Chihisani’s grave were also stolen from his kitchen, and he is now pushing for the matter to be heard at Chief Neshuro’s traditional court after the matter proved too heavy for the local headman.

“The blankets and several property which Chihisani was buried with are our belongings which he stole. The flowers which are currently decorating his grave were stolen from my kitchen and I bought that flower in Harare sometime last year.

“We are pushing for his exhumation because we need our belongings. We presented our case before Headman Madhongi but we failed to reach a common ground thrice with some of Chihisani family members and the matter is now due to be heard at Chief Neshuro’s Court,” said Sithole.

Chief Neshuro’s secretary Pinias Shoko confirmed the case and said the matter is due to be heard any time soon.

“We received the case from Sithole, whose property was stolen and is said to have been stolen by Chihisani. As a traditional court, we are specifically going to deal with the issue whereby someone was buried with the stolen property.

“On any other issues like that of the exhumation of the body and compensation issues, Sithole can approach the Magistrates Court for redress. The case is due to be heard at Chief Neshuro’s Court anytime soon,” said Shoko.

-TellZim