By A Correspondent- A Mutasa villager has left the community dumb-founded after demanding his lobola back from his in-laws before burning his mother’s kitchen hut to ashes following an argument with his wife.

Knowledge Manhanga (31) from Domborutinhira in Mutasa district appeared before Mutare magistrate Rumbidzai Kabasa facing two counts of arson.

He was found guilty and will be sentenced today.

Manhanga also burnt to ashes his mother-in-law’s kitchen following an argument.

It is the State’s case that sometime this month, the accused had an argument with his wife (not named in the State papers) over a domestic issue.

The accused’s wife went back to her parents. On the same day at around 9pm, Manhanga followed his wife at his father-in-law, Charles Kombedzai’s homestead and demanded his lobola back.

After an hour, an irate Manhanga set ablaze his in-laws’ kitchen hut, destroying a set of sofas, 23 live chickens, a wheelbarrow and door frames all worth $37 400.

The accused also burnt his mother Rosemary Manhanga’s kitchen to ashes in her absence.

It is not yet known why he set ablaze the kitchen.

-Newsday

My parents rocked up at my house with flowers first thing this morning! Was really the best thing ever! Kukura kurerwa!❤️ pic.twitter.com/mMZ82wlH0A

— Fadzayi Mahere?? (@advocatemahere) July 30, 2021

Happiest Birthday Fadzai waBantu!

— Prince Emmanuel (@princ3_emmanuel) July 30, 2021

Happy Birthday Spokeswoman

— Dauglas Halimani (@halimanid) July 30, 2021

By A Correspondent- A family in Emakhandeni, Bulawayo, was forced to exhume the purported body of a family member following a mix-up involving the dead body of a suspected COVID-19 patient.

The mix-up was done at Exodus Funeral Parlour in the city.

Ntombiyolwandle Magagula, nee Phiri (74), died on Sunday night after a long illness and burial was expected at Luveve Cemetery.

The other body involved in the mix-up was that of Annah Ndlovu (77) who is said to have succumbed to COVID-19.

The matter came to light when the Magagula family went to claim their body for burial only to discover it had been collected by the Ndlovus and buried at Athlone Cemetery on Tuesday.

Magagula’s body was exhumed on Wednesday.

Speaking to CITE, Magagula family representative Christopher Dube said the family had a funeral policy with Kingdom Blue Funeral Services.

But when they went to Luveve Police Station to notify the police of Magagula’s death, the police reportedly contacted Exodus to collect the body.

Said Dube:

We have a policy with Kingdom Blue, when Ntombiyolwandle (Magagula) died her children went to Luveve police station to report, the police said they did not have contacts for Kingdom Blue Funeral Parlour and they contacted Exodus to collect the body.

Janet Magagula said when they went to collect the deceased’s remains the following day at Exodus, they were charged US$280.

Magagula added that they could not lay the blame on Kingdom Blue as they were not involved in handling the bodies.

The exhumation process took place at Athlone cemetery after all other funeral services which were scheduled for the day at the graveyard were over.

After the exhumation process, the body was taken back to Kingdom Blue where the family positively identified Magagula.

Meanwhile, the Ndlovu family representative Sibongile Ndlovu said their relative had died of COVID-19 and due to regulations, could not conduct body viewing.

Kingdom Blue marketing manager, Andrea Shumba apologised for the body mix-up.

-CITE

By A Correspondent- Independent legislator Temba Mliswa has accused governmen of neglecting former national heroes’ wives adding that the former first lady Janet Banana died a pauper.

We

1/ In news just received I’m deeply saddened to hear of the passing of the first former First Lady, Mai Janet Banana. I’m angered by the fact she died a pauper, once again another example of Govt not looking after our National Heroes’ wives. pic.twitter.com/QorGrSLBZJ

— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) July 29, 2021

2/ After the immense contribution her late husband made to the country, regardless of anything, she died a destitute in Luveve. I thought the 2nd Republic would address issues neglected by the 1st Republic and it’s about time we’re able to move motions in Parly to this effect

— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) July 29, 2021

3/ Govt must account for the welfare of all National Heroes surviving spouses & families.

Last year in November, she lost her son, Micheal and now her. My condolences to the entire Banana family. MHDSRIEP ??

— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) July 29, 2021

By A Correspondent- Four unidentified robbers recently pounced on a forex dealer in Rujeko suburb in Masvingo and went away with over US$4 000 after threatening him with gunshots before assaulting him.

Emmanuel Chidyausavi (29) of Rujeko C lost US$4 260 to robbers who fired gunshots inside his house and later assaulted him with an iron bar, leaving him with injuries on his left leg.

Masvingo Provincial Police spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa confirmed the incident and said police investigations are underway.

“We received the case in which Chidyausavi was robbed of cash amounting to $US 4 260 at his homestead in Rujeko C and police investigations are underway,” said Dhewa.

Circumstances are that four male armed robbers forced their way into Chidyausavi’s house just after midnight while he was sleeping with his family through a screen door.

Chidyausavi allegedly heard some noise and tried to block his bedroom door with his wardrobe to stop the robbers from getting inside.

After attempting to penetrate into the bedroom in vain, the robbers then proceeded to the bedroom window and fired one gunshot, warning Chidyausavi to open the door but he did not comply.

They then returned to the bedroom door and kept pushing until they made their way inside where they took money from Chidyausavi’s wallet in wardrobe.

They then assaulted Chidyausavi on his left leg with an iron bar and fled the scene with a total amount of $US 4 260.

“We encourage members of the public to avoid keeping large amounts of money in their homes,” said Dhewa.

Masvingo is experiencing a high number of robbery cases this year and recently police recovered property worth over US$ 10 000 in Runyararo West and Victoria Ranch.-tellzim

By A Correspondent- A Gokwe man has shocked his community after he “took over” his late father’s second wife and started an intimate relationship with her. Killen Majaji and his late father’s second wife Plackie Duma have horrified their local community with their illicit love affair.

Under African tradition as well as Christianity it is taboo for a father and son to sleep with the same woman. 

The pair’s illicit affair was exposed by Majaji’s wife who was not amused by her mother-in-law’s shenanigans. She is reported to have become incensed since her husband was now neglecting her preferring to be with his ‘mother.’ 

A source who spoke to weekly publication B-Metro said,  

“Majaji’s wife, who felt that her mother-in-law had no right to sleep with her son, confronted her leading to a misunderstanding. Incensed that she had been exposed and in a bid to fix her, Duma went to the police and filed a false assault report leading to the arrest of Majaji’s wife.

“Investigations by police officers later established that Duma had lied against Majaji’s wife.“It was also after some villagers notified the police that Duma acted out of bitterness that Majaji’s wife had confronted her over the incestuous affair.

”The matter was reported at traditional leader Chief Nemangwe’s court. The two are supposed to appear at the traditional court to answer to charges of incest. “I heard about the issue and I have summoned the two-Killen Majaji and Plackie Duma to appear before my court. It is taboo for someone to sleep with his father’s wife and we do not accept that in our culture.

“The matter came to my attention after Majaji who is reportedly on the run assaulted his wife for revealing the incestuous relationship,” he said.  The matter is still pending at the courts

By A Correspondent- Homicide detectives in Mutare are investigating a suspected murder case in which the body of a nak_ed man was found floating in Sakubva River near Hobhouse recently.

Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Inspector Luxson Chananda confirmed the case.

He said the body of the yet to be identified person was discovered by Believe Mandigora (20) who was looking for firewood.

“On July 22, the informant was looking for firewood along Sakubva River when he saw the body of the deceased floating in the river. A report was made to the police and the scene was attended by detectives,” he said.

The body of the deceased was naked and in an advanced state of decomposition.

It was taken to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital for post-mortem.

By A Correspondent- When Wilson Nyoni (35) got wind that his co-tenant, Livingston Gwandira (26), was proposing love to his wife, he asked him to stop, but Gwandira got angry and turned him into a punching bag and stabbed him.

Nyoni, who had been brushing aside rumours that Gwandira was after his wife, decided to act after his close friend confided in him that Gwandira was proposing love to his wife.

“Nyoni fumed at the news after that he waited for Gwandira who came home at around 7.30 pm. When he saw that the light in his room was on, he dashed to Gwandira’s room and asked him why he was in the habit of proposing love to his wife while there were many women out there who are not married or attached to any man,” said an insider.

The situation spiralled out of control as the two traded insults and at the height of the brawl, Gwandira unleashed a heavy blow on Nyoni.

Gwandira who was boiling with anger, rained blows on Nyoni causing him to fall to the ground.

He continued pummelling him with fists and kicked him all over the body.

When their landlord tried to restrain him, the muscular Gwandira violently pushed him away.

A neighbour, who heard the commotion, rushed to the scene and restrained Gwandira from further assaulting Nyoni who was bleeding while trying to evade fists which were coming hard and fast.

Gwandira then stabbed Nyoni with a knife on the head.

Neighbours restrained him and took him to a police station, leading to his arrest.

Nyoni was rushed to Mpilo Central Hospital where he is being treated.

Nyoni said: “I heard on several occasions that Gwandira was proposing love to my wife but I ignored that. I had to confront him after a friend confided in me that Gwandira was proposing love to my wife. When I tried to engage him he got angry and hit me. He also stabbed me with a knife.”

Bulawayo deputy police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele confirmed the stabbing incident: “I can confirm that we arrested a man who stabbed his co- tenant after he asked why he was proposing love to his wife.”

Asst Insp Msebele advised members of the public to seek advice from third parties such as pastors, ZRP’S Victim Friendly Unit (VFU) or elders in the community than to take the law into their hands.

-BMetro

By A Correspondent- Villagers from Magokova in Chipinge who were evicted from their “ancestral land” are reportedly sleeping in the open since their displacement by Green Fuel.

Nine families have to endure the harsh winter as they have nowhere to go since they were evicted from their custodial land by force.

Headman Phineas Chinyamukwakwa confirmed the development to TellZim News, saying 34 people were left without shelter and have no other option.

Said Chief Chinyamukwakwa:

I can confirm that 34 villagers are sleeping outside in the open spaces as they lost their houses during the eviction.

These nine families have nowhere to go because this is the only place they have known since they were born.

Director of Platform for Youth and Community Development (PYCD), Claris Madhuku said they were deeply shocked that the government is not acting to resolve the disaster facing locals.

Madhuku said:

The initiative to challenge these evictions by Green Fuel has been taken and the matter is now before courts.

The community in Chinyamukwakwa and Magokova are defiant and ready for all the unfolding events, knowing fully well that the battle shall be won by the people.

Madhuku also said food and a temporary shelter was being organised for the victims and they are also helping the affected people by interpreting their constitutional rights.

Some of the villagers are reported to have fled to Mozambique after losing their land to business mogul Billy Rautenbach who owns Green Fuel.

Green Fuel security guards destroyed crops of over 1 000 villagers demanding that they vacate the land.

By A Correspondent- Media lobby groups have expressed concern over the potential abuse of the Cyber Security and Data Protection Bill by the government to stifle people’s right to information.

The Bill was passed by the Senate without debate on Wednesday and now awaits President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s assent to become law.

Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) Zimbabwe director Tabani Moyo said his organisation made several recommendations to unbundle the Bill which were ignored.

He said:

We are concerned as Misa Zimbabwe with the pro-security approach towards Cyber Security Bill and in our submissions, which tally with the contributions from the public consultative meetings, there were issues, specific recommendations, that they need to unbundle that Bill so that it does not lump complex issues together. They are lumping electronic transactions, cybersecurity and data protection.

Secondly, we were concerned about the issue of creating a monster institution, where Potraz [Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe] became the horse of Potraz itself, data security centre, authority, there is a cybersecurity crime centre and so forth.

This compromises the security of data and creates massive surveillance in society. The issue of remote logging keys, the issue of our failure to feel the whistleblowing protection, among other things.

Those issues, we were still pushing them back and advising the Lower House to attend to those issues that have been raised by the public as reflected in the portfolio commit report on what the public had recommended.

The public had recommended exactly what I said, unbundle them, and do not merge these institutions, the cybersecurity centre, data authority and Potraz. Keep them separate so that you don’t make people’s data vulnerable.

Of course, the cybersecurity centre is a military arm and you cannot lump it together with Potraz because it has access to the back end of mobile network operators which have conventional data for everyone in the country.

Moyo said he hopes that the Bill that has been passed reacts to the need to have a pro-human rights approach toward the regulation of cyberspace.

Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe executive director Loughty Dube had this to say:

The law is more dangerous to journalism where sources, often protected by the law, will no longer be able to give information knowing they are being snooped at.

Once signed into law, it will regulate the use of the internet and social media activities to curb computer crimes such as the spreading of pornographic content, and other internet-related fraudulent activities.

It will prescribe a 10-year sentence for hate speech at a time when some Zimbabweans have, in the past, been arraigned before the courts for denigrating the President.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Hundreds of commuters were reportedly forced to walk to Bulawayo city centre on Friday after illegal kombi operators barricaded a major road.

According to the state media, the banned kombi operators on Friday morning barricaded one of the major roads in Bulawayo- Luveve Road- attacking Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) buses and barring them from loading commuters.

Under the government national lockdown measures, only buses and kombis affiliated with ZUPCO are permitted to operate.

More details follow…….

A Rusape family has confessed to murder, 7 years after the deed after being tormented by the vengeful spirit of their victim, ngozi in local parlance.

The Maziofa family of Masvosva Village under Chief Chiduku have been plagued by a series of misfortunes since 2014. This has forced the family to finally confess to the murder of Bernard Chigwese.

The family is attributing the misfortunes to Chigwese’s avenging spirit. The situation is so bad that the Maziofa family approached the traditional leader, Headman Lazarus Mudyarabikwa and confessed to the murder.  ]

The Manica Post reports that the late Chigwese was a school teacher. Edward Maziofa and Patrick Mupfekeri allegedly abducted and murdered him following a botched cattle selling deal. Mupfekeri is now late. The teacher was allegedly abducted in broad daylight and in front of witnesses. Maziofa and Mupfekeri allegedly killed Chigwese in the bush and performed some rituals on his body.  

When Chigwese’s body was discovered the police arrested Maziofa and Mupfekeri. However, the case did not go anywhere as the two are reported to have only appeared in court twice.

Maziofa’s relatives are alleged to have actively shielded him from justice.  Tobias Maziofa, a representative from the Maziofa family told Headman Mudyarabikwa that since the murder, the family has suffered calamity after calamity. 

Tobias told the traditional leader:

“We are here before this court to represent the Maziofa family. We have been sent to openly admit that it was our relative, Edward Maziofa, together with Patrick Mupfekeri, who killed Bernard Chigwese in 2014. 

“They were arrested but we ensured that the case died a natural death. However, Chigwese’s spirit is now haunting our family, we no longer know any peace. The family is now experiencing misfortunes all the time, while some are developing mental illnesses.

“Last month, one boy started hallucinating, shouting ‘makandiurayirei (why did you kill me)’ before bolting out of the house. We later found him hanging.“We have suffered enough and have decided to come out in the open and appeal for assistance from this court to facilitate dialogue with the Chigweses. We are prepared to pay for our sins.”  

Headman Mudyarabikwa declined to handle the case. Instead, he referred it to Chief Chiduku’s court due to the seriousness of the allegations. He also ordered the alleged murderer, Edward Maziofa, to present himself at the Chief’s court.

By A Correspondent- Harare provincial development co-ordinator (PDC) Tafadzwa Muguti has banned all non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and private voluntary organisations (PVOs) which defied a directive to report to him.

Muguti yesterday said government would unleash law enforcement officers on NGOs, PVOs and civic society organisations (CSOs) that continued operating despite the ban. Only 40 NGOs will remain operating in Harare following Muguti’s action.

Yesterday, Muguti published the names of the organisations that submitted their credentials to his office, giving them the greenlight to continue operating, but under his office’s regulation.

The organisations include ActionAid Zimbabwe, Plan International, Caritas Zimbabwe, Goal Zimbabwe, Youth Advocates and Helpline Zimbabwe among others. Several human rights organisations are not part of the list.

Muguti last month wrote to all NGOS, PVOs and CSOs ordering them to report to his office, a move viewed by NGOs as intended to clamp down on them.

In the letter, he ordered the NGOs to submit monthly work plans of their intended activities and summoned directors of the NGOs to his office.

Two weeks after Muguti’s order, his counterpart in Masvingo, Jefta Sakupwanya also summoned NGOs operating in the province and ordered them to report to him.

But NGO representatives yesterday insisted that they will not comply with Muguti’s directive, claiming that his office was established outside the dictates of the Constitution.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, ZimRights and youth organisations among others, told Muguti that they would not report to him because his directive was ultra vires the Constitution.

“The enlisted NGOs have been permitted to conduct their operations within Harare Metropolitan province subject to complying with the outline procedures,” Muguti said in a statement.

“Those that failed to comply with the request on June 30, 2021, shall with immediate effect be stopped by law enforcement from conducting any operations whatsoever until they fully comply with the policy, in particular obtaining a resolution from the provincial development committee and recognition by the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution.”

A coalition of 10 youth CSOs recently wrote to Local Government minister July Moyo imploring him to rein in his subordinates, vowing that it would not take orders from Muguti.

On several occasions, the Zanu-PF regime has threatened to deregister NGOs accusing them of operating outside their mandates and/or propping up the opposition.

Zanu-PF acting commissar Patrick Chinamasa last month accused CSOs of being sponsored by hostile Western powers to cause regime change in the country.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, while giving a state of the nation address last year, said government would craft laws to regulate NGOs. He also accused them of straying from their core business for which they were registered.-newsday

By A Correspondent- Infidelity is heart-wrenching and being cheated on by someone you love can be devastating.

For a Gwanda man it apparently hit him like a punch to the gut when he stumbled upon sleazy WhatsApp messages in his wife’s phone in which she was arranging se_x romps with her alleged lover.

A distraught Tawanda Kaseke shared his ordeal with B-Metro, sensationally revealing the dirty stuff which his wife Miriam Neshiri was sharing with her unidentified lover.

Besides discovering saucy WhatsApp messages, in which the two were sharing, there were also hordes of photos in the phone of the two “gridded” in cosy mood.

Some of the leaked chats clearly revealed that the pair were having amorous feelings for each other with the boyfriend passionately begging for se_x while also seducing Miriam with some hot, playful and steamy text messages.

The chats also exposed the two lovebirds planning for a place where they were going to meet for se_x trysts.

“Ende mudiwa tichamboramba tichis….** pa WhatsApp kusvika wazonyatsakugutsikana kuti wakuda kundipa be*** rako uye togadzira nzvimbo yekus….**” (dear we will continue se_xting until the time you will be ready to have se_x with me).

The chats also show Miriam warning her lover to be careful of her husband who seemed to have been suspicious of their shenanigans.

“Iribho shars ndine stress. I think comrade is up to something. I can’t even forward ma charts anditumira kwawuri eiiiish shaa kana azvida anogona kukusiya panguva yakawoma plizz be careful kana ukangowona phone call kana kuti mamessages from someone ini hangu handidi kukusiya panguva yakawoma sha ini ndakachata”. (I’m stressed I think the comrade is up to something else. He sent me some chats please be careful if you receive phone or text messages from someone you don’t know. I don’t want to put you into trouble as I’m a married woman).

Speaking to B-Metro, Kaseke said he discovered his wife of 15 years’ unsavoury shenanigans after he managed to get hold of her phone which she was always guarding like a monkey with nuts.

“I discovered the illicit affair after she forgot to lock her phone and when I took it that is when I discovered the chats and the pictures which the two were exchanging.

“Sensing trouble, she quickly came and grabbed the phone before I even took the phone number of her lover,” said Kaseke.

He said when he confronted her about the saucy chats and pictures his wife showed no remorse leading him to send her back to her parents in Bulawayo.

“The discovery shocked me and when I asked her why she was keeping the pictures in her phone as a married woman she was not even remorseful. Fearing that I would end up beating her up, I took her to her parents in Bulawayo who also seemed to have supported her adulter0us behaviour,” said Kaseke.

Spirited efforts to get comment from Miriam through her mobile phone were fruitless

By A Correspondent- She is tasked with dealing with children and keeping them in line and she is damn good at it.

But her tidiness does not extend to her smartphone as her people got more than they asked for, when the headmistress at Kumalo Primary School, Stella Mhlanga, accidentally shared a picture of her shaved privates on her WhatsApp status.

Mhlanga quickly deleted the picture, but not before it was picked up by some of her contacts and reshared.

She apologised for turning her WhatsApp into a mini p0rn site.

“Good evening, sorry for what was posted on the status, someone had borrowed my phone. My sincere apologies people. It’s not my character and I don’t post such in my status. Please delete,” reads the impassioned apology.

The apology did not stop social media police, who had already downloaded it using WhatsApp GB and taken screen shots, from circulating it widely on social media.

“It was an embarrassing and emotionally charged experience for her. It has really depressed her and I pity her,” said a source from the school who declined to be named.

B-Metro could not get a comment from Mhlanga as her mobile phone was not reachable.-BMetro

 By A Correspondent- Fire gutted a supermarket in the city on Tuesday, destroying property worth ZW $500 000.

The fire at Ashy’s supermarket which is located along Lobengula street started just after 6PM on Wednesday.

Bulawayo City Council’s Chief Fire Officer Linos Phiri said they were called to attend to the building that is used as a supermarket and a fast-food outlet.

The fire brigade managed to put out the fire before it could spread and the supermarket was open yesterday at the section that was not affected.

Mr Phiri said the cause of the fire was a result of a chip frier which was left on unattended. The premises were locked and all workers had knocked off when the fire started.

Vendors who saw the building on fire quickly alerted the fire brigade.

“The fire started in the chip fryer and was contained there without spreading to other parts of the building,” said Mr. Phiri.

The chip fryer was well alight with flames gaining momentum and highly visible from outside.

Mr Phiri said the fire brigade used bolt cutters to cut a burglar bar on the window and broke the glass to gain access. “The fire outbreak that consumed property in the Supermarket destroyed an estimated property of ZW$510 000,” said Mr Phiri.

He urged members of the public to switch off electrical gadgets when they are not on their premises or at home.

“People must ensure electrical gadgets are switched off if no one is guarding them at the time also once.

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- A beer brawl ended in tragedy after a 32-year-old man from Bikita was stabbed to death by his drinking partner over a US$1 change.

Maxwell Vengai of Dambo Village under Chief Budzi died after he was stabbed with a knife by his friend Wilson Mudurirwa (32) who had sent him to buy Chibuku Super at Chikuku business centre in Bikita.

Masvingo provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa confirmed the incident saying;

“I can confirm that a 32 year old Bikita man was fatally stabbed by a friend after a dispute over US$1.”

According to the police report, the duo arrived at Chikuku Business Centre around 2 pm and Mudurirwa gave Vengai US$1 so that he can purchase one Chibuku Super.

The two allegedly consumed the Chibuku beer together and spent the whole afternoon drinking and roaming around.

It is further alleged that the duo departed for Mushafamba Business Centre and at around 5 pm, Mudurirwa demanded his change from Vengai who then told him that the Chibuku Super actually cost US$1.

A heated exchange of words between the two erupted and Mudurirwa in the heat of the argument drew a knife from his pocket and stabbed Vengai once in the stomach.

Vengai fell down and upon noticing that he had committed a crime, Mudurirwa fled from the scene.

Mandienga (35) and Admire Dambo (24) who were passing by noticed Vengai lying on the ground and rushed to help him seek medical attention.

Vengai was rushed to Chikuku clinic where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Mudurirwa is still at large and a police manhunt has since been launched.

Inspector Dhewa urged members of the public to avoid the use of violence especially when they are under the influence of alcohol.We urge members of the public to by all means avoid use of violence when there is a dispute especially when intoxicated,” said Dhewa.

By A Correspondent| On 27 July 2021 the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association, (ZimRights) filed a Request for Information on “Tax Holidays” with ZIMRA and the Ministry of Finance.

In terms of section 7 of the Freedom of Information Act, [Chapter 10:33] any citizen can request the disclosure of government policy and other information in the public interest. The law requires that every public entity, public commercial entity or holder of a statutory office SHALL have a written information disclosure policy through which it discloses information in the interests of public accountability or that is required for the exercise or protection of a right.

ZimRights is convinced that both or one of them ZIMRA or/and the Ministry of finance are the custodians of information relating to the granting of tax holidays to certain corporates. It is in this light that ZimRights has written to these public entities requesting the following information;

1. A written information disclosure policy in terms of section 5 of the Freedom of Information Act if any; and

2. Particulars of the tax exemption policy in force especially;

2.1 Type, and business sector of persons, including corporate persons exempt from liability for corporate or other income tax in Zimbabwe in the example format:

(Great Dyke Investments (Private) Limited-platinum mining joint venture- exempt via S.I. 26 of 2021 effective from 1st January 2020);

2.2 The criteria in use to assess eligibility for granting of tax exemption to corporate entities for the period 2019 to date.

2.3 If there is a register of tax-exempt corporate entities or individuals (resident shareholder`s tax payable on dividends);

2.3.1 If yes, to kindly avail an updated copy of the register of exempt persons.

ZimRights believes this information is important for the pursuit of transparency and accountability as envisioned by the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

On 1 July 2021, a US Based group, the Sentry published a report “Shadows and Shell Games: Uncovering an Offshore Business Empire” which exposed potentially corrupt practices by government officials. A follow up family dialogue was convened by ZimRights, ZIMCODD and the Constitutional Law Centre (CLC) in which citizens and experts recommended pursuit of accountability.

Section 194 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe obliges the government to foster transparency by providing the public with timely, accessible, and accurate information. The government and all its agencies are duty bound to keep the public informed

By A Correspondent- A Zimbabwean woman who died in South Africa on Sunday has donated her body to the University of Zimbabwe School of Medicine to be used in advancing the study of medicine.

The woman, Rosalie Majecha Chigariro (64), died after she went into a diabetic coma.

Family members who spoke on condition of anonymity to Masvingo Mirror confirmed the arrangement that Chigariro made with the university.

The donation is one of the few made by Zimbabweans in the cause of the advancement of science.

In one of the audios in Masvingo Mirror’s possession, Chigariro is heard instructing that after body viewing, her body be sent to the University.

She adds that after the studies, the body can then be cremated.

The publication says it has also seen a letter dated 26 July 2021 from the University’s Department of Biomedical sciences requesting Nyaradzo Funeral Services to surrender the body to the school.

Professor Rangarirai Masanganise who is the Dean of UZ College of Health Sciences said that the University receives bodies from time to time for use in the studies.

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe’s Chief Justice Luke Malaba has suspended the filing of new court cases until 19 August in view of the Covid-19 lockdown.

He says this arrangement will be reviewed when the lockdown is either extended or revoked.

By A Correspondent|Former Movement for Democratic Change Change MP for Zaka Central Constituency, Harrison Mudzuri has accused the Zanu PF regime of neglecting teachers.

Mudzuri is the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe national coordinator.

According to Mudzuri, teachers should also be ” vaccinated against poverty.”

“The fact that teachers are not happy with their meagre salaries means that opening or not opening of schools is one and the same thing-no meaningful teaching and learning will take place.

Forcing teachers to be vaccinated against Covid 19 is not a sign of care by the govt of Zimbabwe.

The same teachers still need living salaries that vaccinate them against poverty. Improved living conditions means good food which boosts immunity against all kinds of diseases.

If teachers in Zimbabwe do not fight for salaries they deserve they are encouraging poverty through their silence,” argued Mudzuri.

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe has pledged 304 soldiers to the SADC Standby Force Mission in Mozambique to train an infantry battalion size unit at a time, Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri has said.

Briefing journalists at Defence Headquarters in Harare on Thursday morning, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said the contingent will consist of 303 instructors and one specialist officer to the coordinating mechanism of the SADC Force Headquarters in Maputo.

“While other countries have to deploy combat troops, Zimbabwe pledged to assist in the training of Mozambique armed forces to enhance their capability to combat terrorism,” she said.

She said the contingent will be sent to Mozambique once the Status of Force Agreement has been signed.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said in terms of Section 214 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, Parliament will be informed accordingly.

During the 16-member regional bloc Extraordinary Summit that was held in Maputo, Mozambique last month, SADC member states resolved to deploy a force to help Mozambique contain insurgency in its northern provinces where terrorists have left a trail of destruction that also threatens regional peace.

-statemedia

Tinashe Sambiri|While the Zanu PF regime is desperate to push President Nelson Chamisa to release his political strategies, the MDC Alliance maintains the charismatic leader has the “grand plan.”

Zanu PF is using various platforms to unleash vitriol against the MDC Alliance in a bid to reshape public opinion.

Below is the MDC Alliance response to Zanu PF politicking:

They steal and loot.

We champion wealth for all.

They go abroad for healthcare.

We seek better health for all.

They jail the young.

We let the young lead.

They blame sanctions.

We fight corruption, state capture & the politicization of state institutions.

They refuse to pay teachers.

We champion education, better pay and jobs for all.

They demolish homes and evict villagers.

We champion property rights, investment and economic stability.
They politicize food aid.
We champion skills, food and opportunity for all.

They play catch and release.

We champion accountability, transparency and justice.

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- Fire gutted a supermarket in the city on Tuesday, destroying property worth ZW $500 000.

The fire at Ashy’s supermarket which is located along Lobengula street started just after 6PM on Wednesday.

Bulawayo City Council’s Chief Fire Officer Linos Phiri said they were called to attend to the building that is used as a supermarket and a fast-food outlet.

The fire brigade managed to put out the fire before it could spread and the supermarket was open yesterday at the section that was not affected.

Mr Phiri said the cause of the fire was a result of a chip frier which was left on unattended. The premises were locked and all workers had knocked off when the fire started.

Vendors who saw the building on fire quickly alerted the fire brigade.

“The fire started in the chip fryer and was contained there without spreading to other parts of the building,” said Mr. Phiri.

The chip fryer was well alight with flames gaining momentum and highly visible from outside.

Mr Phiri said the fire brigade used bolt cutters to cut a burglar bar on the window and broke the glass to gain access. “The fire outbreak that consumed property in the Supermarket destroyed an estimated property of ZW$510 000,” said Mr Phiri.

He urged members of the public to switch off electrical gadgets when they are not on their premises or at home.

“People must ensure electrical gadgets are switched off if no one is guarding them at the time also once.

-statemedia

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has mourned the death of Angela Haritatos, the mother to Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Deputy Minister Vangelis Haritatos’.

In a statement this Thursday, President Mnangagwa said it was “heartbreaking” that the Haritatos family was mourning the death of Angela just 18 days after the death of her husband, Peter, Vangelis’ father, who also succumbed to COVID-19. The statement read:

Condolence Message by His Excellency the President, Cde E.D. Mnangagwa, following the death of Mrs Angela Haritatos, Mother to the Honourable Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement, Vangelis Haritatos, Harare, 29 July 2021

I am deeply shocked by the passing on yesterday of Mrs Angela Haritatos, mother of our Honourable Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement, Vangelis Haritatos.

It was only 18 days ago that our Deputy Minister lost his father, our liberation hero, Mr Peter Haritatos.

While the loss alone of his father was a very painful and heartbreaking experience for him and his family, losing their mother before they have recovered from their father’s demise, must be equally heart wrenching and devastating for our Deputy Minister and the Haritatos family.

On behalf of the Party, ZANU PF, Government, my family, and indeed, on my own behalf, I wish to express my deepest condolences to the Haritatos family, especially to the Honourable Deputy Minister Vangelis Haritatos, for the loss of their dear mother, Angela.

May they derive comfort from the knowledge that the Nation shares their pain and sorrow during this their darkest hour of grief and double tragedy.

May her soul rest in eternal peace.

E.D. Mnangagwa

PRESIDENT

29/07/21

By A Correspondent| Harare Provincial Development Coordinator Tafadzwa Muguti has barred defiant non-governmental organisations who did not register with his office to stop operations in what is likely to set the stage for a possible legal battle.

In a statement Thursday, Muguti said those who failed to comply with his directive will be stopped from conducting operations with immediate effect.

“Those that failed to comply with the request on the 30^th of June 2021 shall with immediate effect be stopped by law enforcement from conducting any operations what so ever until they fully comply with the policy,” said Mugutu.

He also listed 40 organisations that complied with his directive who include Action Aid Zimbabwe, Adult Rape Clinic, Birdlife Zimbabwe, Legal Resource Foundation and Goal Zimbabwe among others.

Muguti further instructed the organisations that complied to proceed to sign Memoranda of understanding with respective government ministries and agencies as well as secure a resolution with his office before they commence operations.

“The office of the PDC would like to inform all the above mentioned NGOs, CBOs, Trusts and all respective stakeholders that according to the Policy on Operations of Non-Governmental Organisations in Humanitarian and Development Assistance in Zimbabwe, published on 30 July 2003 by the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare paragraph 5.1.1 (ii) which states that “in order for an NGO to commence operations at any level, they should sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the respective Government Ministry or Agency and also secure a resolution with the Provincial Development Committee that supports the need for its intended operations in the Province.

“The enlisted NGOs have been permitted to conduct their operations within Harare Metropolitan Province subject to them complying with the outlined procedures,” added Muguti.

Muguti’s move to ban organisations that did not comply with his directive from operating is likely to attract litigation.

Following his earlier announcement, a grouping organisations namely Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, Media Alliance of Zimbabwe, National Association of Youth Organisations, National Transitional Justice Working Group, Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Election Support Network, Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, Zimbabwe National Students Union, and Zimbabwe National Council for the Welfare of Children vowed to disregard his directive.

“We submit that the powers that you purport to exercise are not lawful.

“Your directives are unlawful and have no effect at law. In the event that you decide to act upon your illegal letter, then and in that event all and any appropriate legal steps will be undertaken to protect ourselves,” the organisations said.

Nyasa Big Bullets say their head coach Callisto Pasuwa’s absence is because he recently tested positive for Covid-19 alongside some undisclosed players.

The People’s Team chief executive officer (CEO) Suzgo Nyirenda said the Zimbabwean tactician has been isolating for the past two weeks and his assistant coach Peter Mponda has been in charge of the team.

Some undisclosed players and non-technical members also tested positive and have been in isolation.

However, the Bullets CEO yesterday expressed optimism that Pasuwa will be cleared to travel with the team to Tanzania for the 2021 East and Central Africa Club Championship, also known as the Cecafa Kagame Cup.

He said: “He [Pasuwa] is feeling better now and we are confident that he will travel with the team.”The Bullets gaffer is also set to miss tomorrow’s TNM Super League top-of-the-table clash against Silver Strikers at Kamuzu Stadium.

The coach and all Bullets players are expected to undergo a Covid-19 test on Friday, for them to be issued negative Covid-19 test result certificates which are mandatory for those travelling outside the country.

Mighty Wanderers head coach Bob Mpinganjira, who also tested positive while with the Flames last month, is also in isolation.

He tested positive alongside nine Malawi national football team players while preparing for the Cosafa Cup which was held in South Africa.

Meanwhile, Bullets are expected to leave for Tanzania on Sunday for the two-week tournament.Nine teams will participate in the tournament following the withdrawal of APR FC due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Bullets, who are participating at the tournament as guests, have been drawn in Group C alongside Young Africans of Tanzania and Express FC of Uganda.

Group A has defending champions KCCA FC of Uganda, Le Messenger Ngozi of Burundi and KMKM SC of Zanzibar.

Adam FC of Tanzania, Altabara FC of South Sudan and Tusker from Kenya are in Group B.Group winners will qualify for the semi-finals alongside one best runners up.Soccer analyst Felix Ngamanya Sapao described Bullets’ group as tough.

He said: “It’s a group of death.”Bullets want to use the Cecafa Interclub Cup to prepare for the Confederation of Africa Football Champions League.

The champions will pocket $100 000 (about K81.8 million).

VIDEO LOADING BELOW… (please be patient as it uploads)

-ZBC Broadcast

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe’s Chief Justice Luke Malaba has suspended the filing of new court cases until 19 August in view of the Covid-19 lockdown.

He says this arrangement will be reviewed when the lockdown is either extended or revoked.

By A Correspondent- Controversial Norton MP Temba Mliswa (Independent) has claimed that white Zimbabwean farmers benefitted from the Command Farming programme more than their indigenous counterparts.

Without providing evidence to back his claims, Mliswa accused white farmers of double-dipping, saying they “are funded by their own too through certain institutions” and also benefit from government programmes. 

Mliswa wrote in a Twitter thread:

On Command Agriculture, the whites have benefited much more than the indigenous people and yet they are funded by their own too through certain institutions which give them access to many meaning they double-dip. It’s been good for them indeed!

Zim is currently a huge party for most of them as they’re making more money now than during any other time. They’re doing as they please and racism is beginning to rear its ugly head again. They’re the ones who are reigniting these issues.

Minority groups should be reminded that this racism aspect will never be allowed to prevail. Other youngsters coming through are more radical. We’re a peace-loving nation but when the minority starts accumulating excessive wealth&the majority are poor, it’s never a safe position

Local communities must benefit from empowerment drives implemented through corporate social responsibility initiatives. Amenities, schools, clinics, infrastructure etc have been neglected&yet money’s being made, not that I encourage it, but inevitably it’ll backfire at some stage.

Mliswa has, however, been criticised for his sentiments with one Shaun Snyder counter-accusing the former ZANU PF provincial chairman of racism. Said Snyder:

Disappointing tweet thread. Keep playing the blame game and your “indigenous people” will stay poor. You of all people no the cause of the majorities impoverishment. Also, the white minority is hardly as racist as a certain Norton MP.

Ady Preston challenged Mliswa to back his claims with facts and desist from making mere assumptions. Wrote Preston:What’s the basis of your argument Hon. We need facts, not assumptions. Let’s look at the figures of what the so-called white farmers are delivering to GMB as compared to some farmers who are duping the govt by side marketing of maize and some selling the inputs on the black market.

The Targeted Command Agriculture is an agricultural scheme aimed at ensuring food self-sufficiency that was introduced at the start of the 2016 – 2017 farming season following the drought of the previous season.

Tinashe Sambiri|Former Movement for Democratic Change Change MP for Zaka Central Constituency, Harrison Mudzuri has accused the Zanu PF regime of neglecting teachers.

Mudzuri is the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe national coordinator.

According to Mudzuri, teachers should also be ” vaccinated against poverty.”

“The fact that teachers are not happy with their meagre salaries means that opening or not opening of schools is one and the same thing-no meaningful teaching and learning will take place.

Forcing teachers to be vaccinated against Covid 19 is not a sign of care by the govt of Zimbabwe.

The same teachers still need living salaries that vaccinate them against poverty. Improved living conditions means good food which boosts immunity against all kinds of diseases.

If teachers in Zimbabwe do not fight for salaries they deserve they are encouraging poverty through their silence,” argued Mudzuri.

By A Correspondent- A man allegedly shot and killed his preg_nant 28-year-old ex-wife and her boyfriend.

They were both in front of the woman’s two children at a soccer tournament in Harris County in Texas, USA.

The man then took his own life, cops said.

The Daily Mail reported that the gunman approached the couple at about 10am in the parking lot of the Matias Almeyda Training Centre facility on Sunday, 25 July.

When cops arrived on the scene, they discovered that the 35-year-old man was dead while the woman was critically wounded. She was immediately rushed to hospital.

The children were not harmed.

Later on, she and her unborn child were pronounced dead and following that, the police found the man at a house dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

-dailysun

By A Correspondent- Two hot-blooded Malawian soldiers were sent to a peace-making mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Instead of finishing their mission, they were sent packing after they were reportedly caught having se_x in a tent.

Nyasatimes reported the two peace-makers were bust after some soldiers heard strange noises inside their tent.

“When one soldier entered the tent, they found the two b0nking and reported the matter to the authorities who have immediately asked the two to pack their bags ready for the next flight home,” a source told the publication.

According to the publication, the two soldiers from the capital of Zomba are reportedly married.

“They were not sent to the peace-making mission as husband and wife, but as soldiers to help in the keeping of peace. Having se_x when you are at war is gross misconduct. Soldiers ought to be disciplined at all times,” the source said.

-DailySun

By A Correspondent- The body of a Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) officer who went missing following a boat accident on Lake Kariba last Friday has been retrieved.

The remains of the soldier, Tafadzwa Mashingaidze, were retrieved on Wednesday and two of the people who were in the boat when it capsized remain unaccounted for. Mashingaidze’s body was found floating on the lake.

An eyewitness who is part of the rescue mission, Chenjerai Zambezi, told H-Metro that Mashingaidze’s body was found around 7 am.

He said:

His body was found around 7 am floating from where others were rescued. The lake is now calmer than yesterday. I hope we are going to find the other two bodies left.

Mashingaidze’s aunt Elizabeth Chengeta told H-Metro that the body has been identified and they will be on their way to Chinhoyi. She said:

If all goes well, we will be in Chinhoyi today. However, there is going to be a church service at home. He is going to be buried in Mudzimu, Hurungwe.

A fisherman who refused to be identified told the publication that small boats were being used as a form of transport by fishermen, buyers and traders to and from the fishing camps.

However, he bemoaned the overloading of people and baggage in these unlicensed boats as a recipe for disaster.

Five people are believed to have drowned when a boat they were sailing in capsized on Lake Kariba on Friday morning.

The incident occurred around 4 am when the vessel hit turbulent waters, stirred by strong winds, near Ndomo fishing camp.

By A Correspondent- A Zimbabwean woman who died in South Africa on Sunday has donated her body to the University of Zimbabwe School of Medicine to be used in advancing the study of medicine.

The woman, Rosalie Majecha Chigariro (64), died after she went into a diabetic coma.

Family members who spoke on condition of anonymity to Masvingo Mirror confirmed the arrangement that Chigariro made with the university.

The donation is one of the few made by Zimbabweans in the cause of the advancement of science.

In one of the audios in Masvingo Mirror’s possession, Chigariro is heard instructing that after body viewing, her body be sent to the University.

She adds that after the studies, the body can then be cremated.

The publication says it has also seen a letter dated 26 July 2021 from the University’s Department of Biomedical sciences requesting Nyaradzo Funeral Services to surrender the body to the school.

Professor Rangarirai Masanganise who is the Dean of UZ College of Health Sciences said that the University receives bodies from time to time for use in the studies.

A letter to the Prime Minister (Boris Johnson), MPs, Councillors, Religious leaders, and any other community leaders who may have communities at heart.
I write this with concern about the current deportations of the Zimbabwean immigrants:

This is something that is really concerning to our communities. Something close to home. The new wave of deportation of Zimbabwean people who are alleged to have committed crimes in the country, regardless of the period they have been living in the UK, and how long ago they committed those crimes has become a thorn in our communities. The average stay for the recently deported individuals is around 20 years. They have invested most of their productive life years in UK. While none of us can condone crime, the one thing that is emotionally wrecking, is the process of the removals of these alleged criminals. This is having a collective trauma on the Zimbabwean communities. The communities are completely unsettled by this development. I am an ex-Chairman of the Zimbabwe Leeds Community, and our community have had such a difficult time recently, resulting in endless community engagement meetings about this subject for the last 3 weeks.

While the Home Office could be right to remove “undesirable elements”, who are causing problems in our society collectively (considering a greater percentage of the crimes committed have been against fellow Zimbabwean community members), this, I believe should also be done humanely, as every society has such people and the law should be applied consistently and fairly. The way these people are being removed has injected so much fear in the Zimbabwean community including children. Children who were born here, of Zimbabwean parentage are asking their parents every day, whether they are going to be removed from the country, even though they have not committed any crimes. This is because of the negative publicity that has come with these deportations, which are being done without consultations with the communities affected.

The Zimbabwean families watch Zimbabwean media, and the government of Zimbabwe has found a perfect opportunity to claim, that, UK was taking people from Zimbabwe on false asylum basis to justify human rights abuse, in order to impose sanctions on their country. The Zimbabwe Government claim that UK used economic sanctions as leverage to force the government to reverse their land reform program, which was meant to promote equality and redressing the historical economic imbalance brought by imperialism. Now the UK are deporting these people because their narrative is no longer sustainable, and desperately want to engage in bilateral relations with Zimbabwe to advance their interests.

While the Zimbabwean diaspora community in the UK welcomes the improvement of the bilateral relations between Zimbabwe and the UK, there are however, concerns in the process. From how things appear, the failed asylum seekers, and people who commit crimes are now the conditional “settlement payments” for the engagement of the two parties. I am a faithful taxpayer in the UK and would question the value of chartering a private plane for only 14 people alleged to be criminals, who were delivered in Zimbabwe on the morning of the 22nd of July 2021. How can 14 criminals have such an expensive privilege to enjoy an exclusive private flight to Zimbabwe, and arriving to an awaiting state media of Zimbabwe to glorify their arrival in the country? This clearly indicates a political podium raised to celebrate the two parties’ engagement at the expense of human life.

The people who have been deported are paraded on social media on each day in Zimbabwe, ridiculed and humiliated. Despite having served their sentences in UK for their crimes, they have suddenly found themselves having to serve new punishment terms again in Zimbabwe, in the form of rejection and being scorned each day. They can’t even be accepted by their families because of the negative publicity they have been exposed to. They also can’t be accommodated by anyone due to the stigma attached to them. Zimbabwe does not have social security in the form of financial handouts and social housing, and the only way to get accommodation is by being kept by relatives or from private landlords. No one is willing to take these deportees.

The way this process is being implemented works to defeat all the efforts we are investing in equality, diversity and inclusion strategies to make the migrant families and their descendants integrate into the UK system. It’s cementing the feeling of “second-class citizens” in the country. It’s been really heart- breaking to witness the Zimbabwean community parents living in the UK, discussing strategies to engage their children on how to make them understand, that they are not “truly British”. This is a complete endorsement of an inferiority badge on British children, who are “unfortunate” to be born of migrant black families. Most of the families are also now questioning the notion of property investment in the UK, because of the uncertainties around their stay. They rather feel that, they should invest in Zimbabwe, which is their country of origin, in case they make mistakes, just as other ordinary citizens could do, but in their case, they would face deportations. This is causing externalisation of money out of the country, which is not economically viable. It also means that children of migrant families remain in perpetual poverty, as they would never be able to inherit property in UK from their migrant parents and families.

What does this mean for the UK system and the Zimbabwean community jointly?

The genuine asylum seekers with pending cases have now stopped going to the reporting centres for signing in fear of being captured and sent back to Zimbabwe, in the same way the other ones have been deported. They abandon asylum accommodation and go underground. They then commit crimes in order to maximise income, and also to survive while trying to prepare for their lives in Zimbabwe, in anticipation of the day they get caught. Some are preferring lengthy prison sentences instead of deportations. So, we have a vicious cycle here, the solution is causing more illegal settlers and criminals within our communities. I think this a political problem than just mere immigration problem, that requires close engagement with the communities in order to reach a collective objective solution.

What should be done going forward?

There should be a systematic repatriation of the “undesirable” deportees alleged to have committed crimes in the UK, and this should be carried out in close consultation with the Zimbabwe communities and other expert stakeholders. Deporting them in a way that is going to increase their vulnerability in Zimbabwe is neither helpful to their country, themselves, and their communities both here in UK and Zimbabwe, including their close families, and their children. In all my engagements with both local authorities and the police in the past, I have stressed out that, when you take in immigrants, you have taken human beings and not products like potatoes. Our people will also make mistakes, just as yours do. There is a small section from our populations which may prove unproductive and this cannot be used to define our entire communities. It should also be borne in mind that refugees are people who already come with a whole baggage of trauma as a result of their past experiences from their countries of origin. The host country should also be prepared to put resources in place for the rehabilitation of these refugees. A greater proportion of our populations are highly productive, and their tax contributions should also be used to rehabilitate their family members who may not be so functional, just as our contributions are also used to rehabilitate your own. We want to create a seamless society, which is not defined by such terms as “us and you”, or “us and them”. The moment our communities are working to indoctrinate their children to understand and accept that, there is “us and them”, then you know we are not building a sustainable future. We fall and rise together. We are here to work with you to build a sustainable future. We understand our people and the problems they may present better, and together we can find lasting solutions.

Please help us work with our communities to restore their confidence with the system. I would be most grateful if you could take on board this advice and explore practicable ways in which we can work with you going forward, and in the meantime stop the deportations, in review of this inhumane way they are being carried out.

Yours Sincerely

Chris Goshomi
PhD Candidate
Politics and International Relations Leeds School of Social Sciences Leeds Beckett University

Former First Lady Mrs Janet Banana, the widow of the late former President Canaan Banana, has died. She was 83.

Internet access and affordability has been a topical issue in Zimbabwe, moreso in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic which has increased the need and use of digital tools and platforms, to access information and communicate.

It is against this background that MISA Zimbabwe in partnership with the International Centre for Not for Profit Law, convened a multi-stakeholder engagement meeting on internet access and affordability.

The discussion raised awareness of the experiences of Zimbabwean stakeholders on issues pertaining to internet access and affordability.

The virtual meeting was live-streamed on the MISA Zimbabwe Facebook platform and can be accessed through this link.

Internet access is a challenge in Zimbabwe
The Deputy Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, Honourable Ability Gandawa, who gave the keynote address, said there is general consensus that internet access is a challenge in Zimbabwe due to affordability issues and limited infrastructure.

It was noted that this is also due to the lack of competition in the telecommunications industry as the requirements are prohibitive for startup companies, of which such competition would promote competitiveness and better pricing.

Pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in framework
Honourable Gandawa said the COVID-19 pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in the internet governance framework in Zimbabwe such as the digital divide.

He said this limited access to information by rural communities, democratic participation by citizens, and, access to employment opportunities.

Honourable Gandawa said Parliament had engaged mobile network operators and internet service providers who highlighted that the cost drivers include operational costs that include fuel and costs for maintaining infrastructure such as base stations.

However, steps had been taken to ensure telecommunication players are allocated enough foreign currency to facilitate the provision of quality service.

Access is critical for fact-checking and information verification
Nkosikhona Dibiti, a journalist and content creator, highlighted how internet access and affordability is impacting on their professional duties. Dibiti said that internet access is critical for content creators for purposes of research, and, communicating with sources faster and easily.

It is also critical for fact-checking and information verification. It was also highlighted that the internet, particularly through social media platforms, allows content creators to engage directly with the consumers.

However, due to poor mobile network services and high costs of data, the work of content creators has been negatively affected, more so as providers of information to the public.

Marginalised communities doubly affected due to other factors
Sandra Gama, who represents the interests of women and girls in rural and marginalised communities, highlighted several factors: economic, technical and social, that are affecting internet access and use.

It was noted that several stakeholders undermine the importance of internet access for people in rural communities which include:

By A Correspondent- A beer brawl ended in tragedy after a 32-year-old man from Bikita was stabbed to death by his drinking partner over a US$1 change.

Maxwell Vengai of Dambo Village under Chief Budzi died after he was stabbed with a knife by his friend Wilson Mudurirwa (32) who had sent him to buy Chibuku Super at Chikuku business centre in Bikita.

Masvingo provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa confirmed the incident saying;

“I can confirm that a 32 year old Bikita man was fatally stabbed by a friend after a dispute over US$1.”

According to the police report, the duo arrived at Chikuku Business Centre around 2 pm and Mudurirwa gave Vengai US$1 so that he can purchase one Chibuku Super.

The two allegedly consumed the Chibuku beer together and spent the whole afternoon drinking and roaming around.

It is further alleged that the duo departed for Mushafamba Business Centre and at around 5 pm, Mudurirwa demanded his change from Vengai who then told him that the Chibuku Super actually cost US$1.

A heated exchange of words between the two erupted and Mudurirwa in the heat of the argument drew a knife from his pocket and stabbed Vengai once in the stomach.

Vengai fell down and upon noticing that he had committed a crime, Mudurirwa fled from the scene.

Mandienga (35) and Admire Dambo (24) who were passing by noticed Vengai lying on the ground and rushed to help him seek medical attention.

Vengai was rushed to Chikuku clinic where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Mudurirwa is still at large and a police manhunt has since been launched.

Inspector Dhewa urged members of the public to avoid the use of violence especially when they are under the influence of alcohol.We urge members of the public to by all means avoid use of violence when there is a dispute especially when intoxicated,” said Dhewa.

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Deputy Minister Vangelis Haritatos’ mother — Angela — has died of Covid-19 related complications.

Mrs Haritatos died yesterday, only 18 days after the death of her husband Peter, who also succumbed to the same virus. Posting on his Facebook page, Deputy Minister Haritatos said: “I always knew that life comes to an end, but for me to lose you both in just 18 days is something I never once thought would happen.

“You were the most amazing mother a son could have ever asked for. You were so kind, caring and so loving to everyone who came into contact with you. You looked after dad so well on Earth. Thank you so much Mama. May your Soul Rest in Eternal Peace right next to dad,” wrote Deputy Minister Haritatos.

In a condolence message on social media, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Dr John Basera said he was saddened by the loss of Mrs Haritatos.

“It is with deepest sorrow that I inform you of the death of our beloved Mbuya Haritatos, mom to our incredible Honourable V. Haritatos, today, 18 days after the passing on of Sekuru Haritatos.

“Colleagues, I’m honestly devastated. May the good God comfort you Hon. VPH,” said Dr Basera.

-State Media

By A Correspondent- A 14 year old girl died last week while giving birth at a shrine in Bocha, Mutare.

Relatives of the late Memory Machaya are yet to come to terms with the way they were treated at Johanne Marange church where Memory was receiving prayers.

Family spokesperson Alice Mabika told H-Metro that Memory’s mother Shy Mabika was denied access to the burial of her daughter where bouncers forced her to remain silent as she mourned her daughter.

“Our hearts are bleeding. We are suffering like this because of a church doctrine.” said Mabika.

“We were denied access to witness the burial of our daughter as bouncers silenced us and warned us over spreading news of the death of our relative.

“Ndiko kunamata kwacho here kwekutarisa mwana achifa izvo zvipatara zvakazara kwese kwese kudai.

“Her life could have been saved had she been rushed to a hospital but they were indoctrinated to the extent of watching our daughter dying while speaking in tongues and beating their trumpets.

“Mwana anonzi akatanga kugwinha achizvirovera musoro pasi panguva yema labour pains.

“Akabva asununguka mwana mukomana iye achibva ashaya akabuda ropa mukanwa nemumhino.

“We are threatened over talking about the death and barred from the burial and this did not go well with us,” said Mabika.

Memory, the last born in a family of six children, was having her first birth.

She was buried at the shrine where she was receiving prayers.

Johanne Marange shrine leaders refused to entertain H-Metro.

By A Correspondent- More than 100 pregnant women have been quarantined in Matabeleland North after they tested positive for Covid-19. Matabeleland North Provincial Medical Director Dr Munekai Padingani confirmed that 110 expecting mothers had been quarantined at three hospitals in the province.

Seventy of these are at Binga District Hospital, 37 are at Tsholotsho District Hospital while three are at Lukosi Hospital in Hwange. Dr Padingani said most of the women were in stable condition and what is also positive is that the virus has no effect on the unborn babies.

“Yes we have cases among pregnant women and they are quarantined. They are in a stable condition and many have mild symptoms,” said Dr Padingani.

He said the affected women were negative when they checked into the hospitals and may have contracted the virus while going to buy foodstuffs from business centres near the hospitals. Dr Padingani said as a result, health authorities are now restricting movement as a way of preventing the spread of the virus. He said expecting mothers are tested when they check in to waiting shelters at respective health institutions.

“Those mothers go out to buy food and they meet different people hence they have contracted the virus. When they come in we test them but now we have to keep them inside and restrict movement. The virus doesn’t affect the unborn babies and its only in the event that the mother delivers while positive that measures have to be taken to protect the baby,” said Dr Padingani.

Respective Covid-19 taskforce teams at the affected institutions are now appealing to well-wishers for assistance with food for the women since they can no longer move around to buy for themselves.

Dr Padingani said no pregnant woman has been vaccinated in the province as the country is yet to adopt World Health Organisation (WHO) advice to also vaccinate expecting mothers. WHO recently released guidelines certifying the vaccines safe for use by everyone above the age of 17, including pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women were not being vaccinated as there were fears the drug could have adverse effects on the unborn and breastfeeding babies.

Meanwhile, Dr Padingani said the province had noted an improvement in the uptake of vaccines by the general public after a slow start in the past fortnight. He could not however give updated statistics as he was out of office. As of Tuesday, more than 100 000 people had received their first dose in the province, with close to 60 000 fully vaccinated.

The province was recently given 65 000 doses. Victoria Falls city has already reached herd immunity after more than 60 percent of the population was vaccinated when Government rolled out mass vaccination in the city in March. Health authorities have been concerned about the slow uptake especially in Hwange which is the province’s hotspot.

Hwange district has 556 active cases and 416 of these are in Hwange urban while 140 are in Victoria Falls.

A total of 45 525 had received the first dose in the district on Tuesday while 28 774 had gotten the second dose. Victoria Falls had 22 226 people who had received the first dose on Tuesday while 17 391 had received the second dose-statemedia

The European Union (EU) has urged government to urgently lift the ban on by-elections and ensure that seats left vacant after MDC Alliance Members of Parliament and councillors were recalled by the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T are filled in accordance with the country’s constitutional dictates. More than 40 parliamentary seats and 80 council seats are still vacant after the recalls last year.

The MDC-T quickly filled more than 15 proportional representation seats in Senate and the National Assembly. Section 158(2) of the Constitution provides that a by-election should be held within 90 days of the occurrence of a vacancy, whether in Parliament or in a local authorities.

Vice-President and Health minister Constantino Chiwenga and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) suspended by-elections last year citing the need to adhere to COVID-19 preventive measures.

The EU then held a meeting with government ministers on June 10, 2021 and recommended that government should allow the public to exercise their right to choose their representatives in Parliament.

European Commission vice-president Josep Borrell, who is also EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, said the organisation was following up on the implementation of its recommendations on human rights violations, post-2018 elections.

He was responding to questions by a member of the European Parliament to the European External Action Service in Brussels asking them to explain the action that will be taken by the EU to support civil and political rights in Zimbabwe.

“The EU held a formal political dialogue with Zimbabwe at ministerial level on June 10, 2021, in Harare. On this occasion, the EU raised the issue of the recall of the MDC Alliance MPs from Parliament.

“The EU also calls upon the Zimbabwean government to organise at the earliest occasion the holding of by-elections for all vacant seats in Parliament to uphold the crucial representational role of Parliament by ensuring that all people are at all times represented in Parliament by an elected member of their choice,” Borrell said.

He said the EU was supporting Zec and other private voluntary electoral bodies so that Parliament could effectively perform its constitutional mandate.

“Through the United Nations Development Programme, the EU supports the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission as well as the civic society organisations active in the electoral process. One of the components of the project foresees an effective engagement between Zec and election stakeholders, including political parties. The EU has also contributed to programmes to strengthen the capacity of Parliament to deliver on its constitutional mandate.”

Local opposition leaders and rights activists have argued that the continued ban on by-elections was unjustified since countries that were severely hit by COVID-19 held theirs.

Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said he was not aware of the meeting conducted by the EU and the alleged ministers, but insisted that elections could not be held when COVID-19 was taking its toll.

“The Ministry of Health advised us not to hold elections amid the pandemic,” Ziyambi said.

“People are dying each day due to the pandemic. Citizens will not exercise their constitutional rights when they are dead. Elections cannot be held in one day, but they are conducted through a process. As a government we cannot risk losing more of our people merely to uphold constitutional rights.”

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Parents and teachers yesterday expressed dismay over government’s announcement that parents should provide personal protective equipment (PPE) for students in preparation for the reopening of schools.

This was said on Tuesday during post-Cabinet media briefing by Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa.

“As the nation prepares for the reopening of schools, parents and guardians are expected to complement government efforts to provide PPE and other essential requirements for learners,” she said.

But teachers and parents said government was the key stakeholder in the education sector and should ensure that all learners were provided with PPE.

Some parents said they were reeling in poverty due to the economic situation in the country.

“Fees have been increased and it is the responsibility of government to ensure that schools are fully equipped with PPE and sanitisers before students return to class,” a parent, who preferred not to be named, said.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Takavafira Zhou said parents were struggling to pay school fees and would not afford the extra burden of PPE.

“To expect parents, who are struggling to raise exorbitant fees, to bear the burden of providing COVID-19 abatement to their children is not only ludicrous hallucination, but madness of the worst kind,” he said.

“It is government’s responsibility to ensure the health and safety of pupils, teachers, and ancillary staff in schools. Government must, therefore, never renounce its responsibility.”

Zhou said the greatest challenge was that government was coming up with weak decisions.

“There is need for broad engagement and consensus. We reiterate our view that schools cannot open anytime soon,” Zhou said.

“We envisage that schools may open with effect from mid-September 2021 when high temperatures are expected to cause a decline in COVID-19 cases. Schools can then open for the last term of the year.

“Even then, it would be government’s responsibility to test 136 000 teachers, nearly six million pupils and ancillary staff before they gather in schools, let alone provide them with COVID-19 abatement equipment.”

Zimbabwean Teachers Association acting secretary-general Goodwell Taderera said: “Indeed, parents have to play a role, not only in the provision of PPE, but in the provision of everything that has to do with their children.

“As parents, we already complement by providing school fees, uniforms, monetary benefits like pocket money, and exercise books, but government has a key role to make sure that all the children in the country receive PPE.”
Taderera said child-headed families may not afford PPE.

Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Obert Masaraure said: “Government is mandated through section 75 of the Constitution to provide education to citizens. If parents are now being forced to fund the provision of PPE, among other basics, it means those that cannot afford are basically disenfranchised from their right to education.”

-newsday

By A Correspondent- The race for the Zanu-PF Manicaland provincial chairmanship has intensified, with aspiring candidates holding secret campaigns ahead of the elections to be held in a few weeks’ time.

Transport deputy minister Mike Madiro, the current Manicaland provincial chairman, is reportedly vying to retain the post, but will face stiff competition from Makoni district co-ordination committee (DCC) chairperson Albert Nyakuedzwa, who seems to be popular with party structures.

Others candidates who are reportedly vying for the post are Chipinge South MP Enoch Porusingazi and Information Communication Technology minister Jenfan Muswere.

However, most people in the province, who spoke to NewsDay, touted Madiro and Nyakuedzwa as the main contenders.

Nyakuedzwa is the longest-serving DCC chairperson in Manicaland province after serving all the terms since the inception of the structures that were disbanded by the late former President Robert Mugabe in 2012 before President Emmerson Mnangagwa reintroduced them last year.

He pulled a shocker after he defeated Zanu-PF Makoni South MP Misheck Mataranyika for the DCC chairperson election by a wide margin despite the latter being strong financially.

Mataranyika, who is a reputable lawyer, is brother to Nyaradzo Group boss, Phillip Mataranyika.

In the DCC elections, Nyakuedzwa also defeated former Zanu-PF provincial vice-chairperson Joseph Mujati.

“Madiro might be on his way out because he now has few sympathisers. He is accused of failing to unite the province. There is no way he is going to win in Mutare because of the divisions,” said a Zanu-PF senior official who preferred anonymity.

“I think Nyakuedzwa is more popular. He has managed to unite the Makoni district in a short period after winning in the DCC elections and remember, this is one of the biggest districts in Manicaland province.

Recently, Zanu-PF acting political commissar Patrick Chinamasa said there were divisions in Chipinge, Nyanga and Mutare.

Chinamasa told a developmental meeting in Rusape recently that other districts should emulate Makoni district, a statement taken by Nyakuedzwa’s backers as endorsement of the DCC chairman.

Zanu-PF Manicaland political commissar Gift Kagweda was not immediately available for comment.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent= A South African court on Tuesday sentenced members of a gang of armed robbers, including two Zimbabweans, to 22-year jail sentences each.

The notorious robbers had been implicated in several crimes, including throwing spikes at moving vehicles on the N1 Highway.

John Fine (36) and Clifford Mutonhori (34), both Zimbabweans, and South Africans Figos Madisha (34) and Benge Frans Baloyi (48) were each convicted of aggravated robbery and illegal possession of firearms.

The Zimbabweans were also convicted under the Immigration Act after having illegally crossed into South Africa.

The police are yet to account for one robber, Dennis Hove, who fled from justice last week while the law enforcement agents were transporting them to court for sentencing.

The captured robbers are yet to be charged for the escape.

On Tuesday, Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo welcomed the sentences.

“Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe, and her team have greatly welcomed the hefty sentences that were handed down by the Mokopane Regional Court today, Tuesday, July 27, 2021,” he said.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Three women were robbed on Tuesday after getting a lift from three men in Karoi who produced a gun and knife, taking nearly USD$3 000 before being dumped in the middle of a bush, 200 kilometres from Harare.

One of the robbers, Garande Langton (27), has been arrested by police, who said he and his two accomplices turned from being good Samaritans to wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Police said on their Twitter page, the three women were given a lift by the three men on Tuesday.

“Police in Karoi have arrested Garande Langton (27) for a case of armed robbery which occurred in Rydings Farm, Karoi, on 27/07/21. The suspect together with his two accomplices who are still at large, offered a lift to three women in their Toyota Mark X vehicle on the pretext that they were going to Chirundu, at Gazebo bar. Upon reaching 209km peg along Harare-Chirundu Rd the driver stopped the vehicle and the other suspects produced an unidentified firearm and a knife while demanding cash from the complainants.

“The trio robbed the complainants of cash amounting to US$2 990, ZWL$800, cellphones and other valuables before dumping them in a bushy area in Magunje. #notorobbery,” said the police on their Twitter page.

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- The Mutare Civil Court yesterday blocked Royal Family International Ministries bishop Action Komani from gagging church members from going public with the clergyman’s adulterous relationships.

Komani, who had been implicated in numerous adulterous relationships with married women from his church, had approached the court seeking to interdict his congregants from going public with his sexcapades.

But Mutare magistrate Notebulgah Muchineripi dealt a blow to Komani, ruling that Maxwell Kusasira and his wife Patience had a right to publicise any information about the clergyman.

Komani is alleged to have had an adulterous relationship with Patience with whom he sired a child.

However, Kasarira and his wife Patience had agreed to publicise the adulterous affair before Komani filed an interdict to bar them from approaching any media house with the information.

Komani had also applied for a peace order against the couple, saying they were harassing him through text messages.

He had also alleged that the couple was defaming him.

In her ruling, Muchineripi said the pair had freedom of “expression”.

“Defamation is whereby one makes a false statement oral or written about another that harms their reputation. In Zimbabwe every citizen has a right to freedom of speech and expression, however, the right is not absolute it is subject to limitation,” Muchineripi ruled.

“The second respondent (Maxwell Kusasira) cannot be stopped from publishing the truth.

“The evidence on record shows that there were issues between the parties which need to be attended to, the second respondent submitted that the only way to solve this is by publication of the truth. Therefore, this court cannot stop him from publishing the truth.”

She added: “In the affidavit, the applicant (Komani) says the respondents have caused untold suffering in his life, he alleges that the respondents claim that the applicant had an adulterous affair with the first respondent and sired a child with her.

“He further says that the respondents are in the habit of sending him messages insulting and threatening him, their actions are tarnishing his image as a man of God.”

On Tuesday, Komani’s pastors, Abel Chamboko, Tinashe Nzou and Bella Mutandiri, also appeared before Mutare magistrate Xavier Chipato seeking a peace order against Brenda Dheka and Loveness Chaita claiming that they were tarnishing the image of the church.

The peace order was dismissed and it also opened a can of worms, with Dheka telling the court that Komani promised to spoil her despite her being married and was making efforts to lure her back.

“My young sister also told me that the pastor had also tried to propose to her,”Dheka said.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- The cash-strapped Douglas Mwonzora-led opposition MDC-T party has been forced to shut down its offices at the Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House after the Harare City Council cut water supplies over unpaid bills amounting to over $1,9 million.

The party has also failed to pay its workers since December, and they are now threatening to beat up top executives, including treasurer-general Tapiwa Mashakada, once they set foot at the offices.

Insiders told NewsDay that the opposition party yesterday held its standing committee meeting at a church premise in Hatfield which was hired due to the water crisis issue as well as fear of being beaten up by angry party vigilantes.

Sources further said that the party was battling financial woes, which resulted in failure to pay workers and pay for other services.

This follows accusations against Mwonzora that he connived with the party’s finance director, Toddy Mapingire, to loot about $6 million from party coffers, which he allegedly used to buy foreign currency on the parallel market.

The matter is still under police investigation.

Sources told NewsDay that the party failed to clear salary arrears for employees who had gone for months without being paid, despite having received $29 million from government as part of the grants under the Political Parties (Finance) Act.

“The water bill has been accumulating since the party offices were taken over by the MDC-T,” a senior party insider said.

“They can’t convene where there is no water, so they are hiring venues to conduct their meetings. Today (yesterday), they had their meeting in Hatfield at Baptist Church. They are not financially stable to settle the $1,9 million unpaid water bill.”

The source said disgruntled workers were plotting protests against party leaders, but they were being hindered by COVID-19 restrictions.

“There is gross misuse of party funds by the top leaders within the MDC-T,” one of the youths guarding the premises said.

“When the party got money from Treasury, it only paid its workers once, but failed to clear the arrears. Workers have gone for more than six months without getting paid. The party is having challenges in paying other bills for its day-to-day running.”

According to the source, the party received money in December and paid part of the salary arrears.

It received another grant from government under the Political Parties (Finance) Act and Mashakada said he had set aside $3 million for salaries.

The money, however, vanished and Mwonzora kept promising the youths that Mashakada would pay them.

About 25 youths are guarding the premises, fearing that the rival MDC Alliance faction led by Nelson Chamisa would reclaim the building.

The youths are surviving from food handouts from unnamed senior party executives.

Last month, one of the youths wrote to Mwonzora threatening to hand back the building to Chamisa.

Mwonzora, in one of the security meetings, raised the issue that the party headquarters was now a security threat, a move that motivated the change of venue for executive meetings.

Mwonzora’s spokesperson Lloyd Damba confirmed the party had closed its offices, but said the decision was made in compliance with the COVID-19 regulations set by government.

However, in accordance with the current level 4 COVID-19 measures, government permitted a 10% workforce at workplaces.

Damba said he was unaware of the water bill and also insisted that all party workers were paid in full.

“We do not use council water. We have our own borehole at the party offices,” he said.

“We have completely closed the office in compliance with government directive to decongest workplaces. That is why the treasurer-general (Mashakada) is not coming to work. No one is visiting the party offices to contain the spread of the virus.”

However, insiders said there was no borehole at the party headquarters, but a reservoir that is filled up by council water.

Contacted for comment over the party bill, Harare City Council spokesperson Michael Chideme said: “Let me check for you.”

At the time of going to print last night, Chideme had not given an update.

The COVID-19 regulations allow not more than 50 people to congregate indoors.

The building’s second and fourth floors have auditoriums that can accommodate over 100 people each and the standing committee is made up of less than 30 people.-newsday

By A Correspondent- Police in Bulawayo have since the beginning of the month of July arrested 31 000 people for violating Covid-19 regulations and impounded 382 vehicles.

In an interview, Bulawayo Police provincial spokesperson, Inspector Abedinico Ncube said most arrests were mainly for violating the curfew, failure to wear masks properly, running shebeens and operating public service vehicles which are not affiliated with Zupco,

He said police will continue to enforce regulations and those found on the wrong side of the law will be held accountable.

“As from 1 July we have arrested 31 041 people for violating Covid-19 regulations and 382 vehicles have been impounded. Most of the arrests were as a result of violating the curfew, failure to wear masks properly or not wearing masks completely and operating shebeens. The vehicles were impounded mainly because they were being used for pirating whilst not affiliated to Zupco.

“We continue to urge people to comply with regulations as they are meant to safeguard lives. Those who are not complying are not only placing their lives at risk but the lives of other people as well. As police we will continue to enforce regulations and those who are caught on the wrong side of the law will be penalised,” he said.

Inspector Ncube discouraged people from consuming alcohol in their cars, outside bottle stores.

He commended the public for providing police with information about illegal activities happening in their communities.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- The Government will not allow the invasion of farms and grazing lands and land seekers need to follow procedure.

Speaking after a tour of Gandawasvika Clinic which is being constructed by Makonde Rural District Council in Ward 13 using devolution funds, Mashonaland West Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mary Mliswa-Chikoka, said the period of land invasions was over.

The clinic will service at least 10 000 families in Makonde’s ward 4 and 13.

“Land invasions are now behind us and we want people to follow the right procedure of acquiring pieces of land.

“There is a process that one has to follow and the lands committee will verify the applications accordingly. “My office has received complaints of land invasions in the Mhangura area. It is a crime to invade any land,” she said.

Minister Mliswa-Chikoka warned that police in Mhangura and Lion’s Den would arrest land barons.

“The allocation of land is now based on the financial capacity of one to fund his or her farming activities as the Government now prioritises production and productivity. This is in line with Vision 2030 of the President,” she said.

Hundreds of people invaded a farm allocated to the late former Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Mr Charles Utete, Mr Leo Mugabe’s Nangadza Farm in Mhangura and Zvimba legislator Philip Chiyangwa’s citrus farm and have since been evicted by police.

Makonde legislator and Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Deputy Minister, Kindness Paradza, recently deplored farm invasions, saying they were affecting production while Mhangura legislator, Precious Chinhamo-Masango revealed that there was a growing number of invasions across her constituency.

“President Mnangagwa is against corruption and any land invasions should be dealt with by the police. We should support our President by bringing to book anyone involved in invasions, even those aligned to the ruling party,” said Masango.

Makonde Rural District Council vice-chairperson, Councillor Martha Paul said there was a growing concern of land invasions in her ward while Makonde district development coordinator, Mr Benjamin Zivanai noted that most invasions were occurring on leased land and grazing areas.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s son and namesake this Wednesday visited the Mbare-based Chillspot Records run by prominent music DJ Fantan, and Zimbabweans got furious over the developments labelled Fantan a “repeat offender” after he defended Zanu-PF MP Tino Machakaire last week.

Fantan, real name Arnold Kamudyariwa, was last week hounded by social media fans after he stood on the side of Youth deputy Minister Tino Machakaire when the Wedza South MP was roundly criticized over suspicions he had purchased a US$700,000 Rolls-Royce Phantom from the UK.

However, Fantan seems to have ‘stuck sticks into his ears’ as he today received President Mnangagwa’s son Emmerson at his flourishing studios.

“Emmerson Mnangangwa Jr visited the Mangoma depot, the ghetto buddies,” said a delighted Fantan on social media.

“Such a humbling experience… we never thought would ever be visited by the First Son… Thank you so much… tadzidza zvakawanda (you’ve taught us a lot),” he said.

Immediately after, the comments section was blinking with insults and threats to unfollow the Chillspot Records label as social media police ganged up against the talented music producer.

Some tagged in Hopewell Chin’ono into the comments. A journalist by profession, Chin’ono has also turned into a fierce social media critic of anyone who hangs around Zanu-PF leaders, and led the assault against Fantan last week.

Chin’ono has also lashed out at Passion Java, Madam Boss, Mai TiTi, Jah Prayzah and many other artistes who hang around Government’s top brass.

Fantan last week attracted the anger of anti-ZanuPF activists including Chin’ono who labelled Fantan an “out of touch music producer”. This was after Fantan had said:

“Dear Honourable Machakaire, be strong mukuru, bcoz kune vanhu vanoda kusvibisa mazita evamwe pa social media just for clout. Garai muchiziva kuti ane bhora ndiye anomakwa, strongest soldiers get the hardest fight.

“Ndimi mbinga one isina noise kana show off asi murikurira muma streets zvekudaro. So zvinorwadza vavengi. Now vakufambisa mbiri yekuti makatenga hammer kkk havasikuziva kuti munobatsira hama,” Fantan poured out.

The criticism came crushing on Fantan’s social media platform like tones of bricks as his followers called him out for supporting ‘corrupt politicians’.

Machakaire has previously funded Youths particularly in Zimdancehall. DJ Fantan, real name Arnold Kamudyariwa, runs Chillspot records which is one of the numerous beneficiaries of Machakaire’s benevolence.

By A Correspondent- The family of slain Tapiwa Makore says they continue to be traumatised by the fact that the courts were taking long to conclude the murder case after one of the accused persons was recently granted $10 000 bail.

Tapiwa was murdered in September last year for ritual purposes in his rural home, in Nyamutumbu village in Murewa.

His uncle and name-sake, Tapiwa Makore (Snr, 58), his herdboy Tafadzwa Shamba (41), and a neighbour Maud Hunidzarira (42) were arrested in connection with the murder.

The boy was buried after six months before investigations, which included a number of DNA tests, were concluded.

The deceased’s father Munyaradzi Makore yesterday told NewsDay that one of the suspects was granted bail and is already back in the village, a move that has stirred emotions and refreshed memories.

“The woman, who was arrested alongside Shamba and my brother in connection with my son’s murder, is out on bail. She is here. She was granted $10 000 bail at the High Court. It is hard for the family, our emotions have been stirred again, and memories refreshed. How are we going to live together given the current situation? We are still pained. We should be apart,” he said.

The late Tapiwa was buried without some of his body parts, among them the head.

Efforts to locate the missing head have been in vain despite the family engaging both prophets and traditional healers.

Shamba confessed to having murdered the boy at the instruction of Tapiwa (Snr) claiming that they wanted to use some of the body parts to boost their horticultural project.

Hunidzarira, known for brewing traditional opaque beer in the area and a neighbour of the Makores, was arrested in Budiriro after she was spotted washing a blood-stained carpet.

The deceased’s father said the family was appalled by the delays by the courts as they seek justice.

“The police notified us that the matter will go to court, but we are still waiting. Surely, how can a matter of such magnitude take this long to conclude? We will engage the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights to assist us in our pursuit of justice,” he said.

Tapiwa’s murder angered Zimbabweans who in unison condemned the killing of children for ritual purposes.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- The cash-strapped Douglas Mwonzora-led opposition MDC-T party has been forced to shut down its offices at the Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House after the Harare City Council cut water supplies over unpaid bills amounting to over $1,9 million.

The party has also failed to pay its workers since December, and they are now threatening to beat up top executives, including treasurer-general Tapiwa Mashakada, once they set foot at the offices.

Insiders told NewsDay that the opposition party yesterday held its standing committee meeting at a church premise in Hatfield which was hired due to the water crisis issue as well as fear of being beaten up by angry party vigilantes.

Sources further said that the party was battling financial woes, which resulted in failure to pay workers and pay for other services.

This follows accusations against Mwonzora that he connived with the party’s finance director, Toddy Mapingire, to loot about $6 million from party coffers, which he allegedly used to buy foreign currency on the parallel market.

The matter is still under police investigation.

Sources told NewsDay that the party failed to clear salary arrears for employees who had gone for months without being paid, despite having received $29 million from government as part of the grants under the Political Parties (Finance) Act.

“The water bill has been accumulating since the party offices were taken over by the MDC-T,” a senior party insider said.

“They can’t convene where there is no water, so they are hiring venues to conduct their meetings. Today (yesterday), they had their meeting in Hatfield at Baptist Church. They are not financially stable to settle the $1,9 million unpaid water bill.”

The source said disgruntled workers were plotting protests against party leaders, but they were being hindered by COVID-19 restrictions.

“There is gross misuse of party funds by the top leaders within the MDC-T,” one of the youths guarding the premises said.

“When the party got money from Treasury, it only paid its workers once, but failed to clear the arrears. Workers have gone for more than six months without getting paid. The party is having challenges in paying other bills for its day-to-day running.”

According to the source, the party received money in December and paid part of the salary arrears.

It received another grant from government under the Political Parties (Finance) Act and Mashakada said he had set aside $3 million for salaries.

The money, however, vanished and Mwonzora kept promising the youths that Mashakada would pay them.

About 25 youths are guarding the premises, fearing that the rival MDC Alliance faction led by Nelson Chamisa would reclaim the building.

The youths are surviving from food handouts from unnamed senior party executives.

Last month, one of the youths wrote to Mwonzora threatening to hand back the building to Chamisa.

Mwonzora, in one of the security meetings, raised the issue that the party headquarters was now a security threat, a move that motivated the change of venue for executive meetings.

Mwonzora’s spokesperson Lloyd Damba confirmed the party had closed its offices, but said the decision was made in compliance with the COVID-19 regulations set by government.

However, in accordance with the current level 4 COVID-19 measures, government permitted a 10% workforce at workplaces.

Damba said he was unaware of the water bill and also insisted that all party workers were paid in full.

“We do not use council water. We have our own borehole at the party offices,” he said.

“We have completely closed the office in compliance with government directive to decongest workplaces. That is why the treasurer-general (Mashakada) is not coming to work. No one is visiting the party offices to contain the spread of the virus.”

However, insiders said there was no borehole at the party headquarters, but a reservoir that is filled up by council water.

Contacted for comment over the party bill, Harare City Council spokesperson Michael Chideme said: “Let me check for you.”

At the time of going to print last night, Chideme had not given an update.

The COVID-19 regulations allow not more than 50 people to congregate indoors.

The building’s second and fourth floors have auditoriums that can accommodate over 100 people each and the standing committee is made up of less than 30 people.-newsday

By A Correspondent- Primary and Secondary Education minister Cain Mathema yesterday told Parliament that schools will reopen as directed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, adding that he would soon issue a ministerial statement in the House on the country’s preparedness for resumption of lessons.

This was after MPs grilled him over measures that his ministry was taking to ensure the safety of schoolchildren and teachers before opening of schools.

Last term, children at different schools throughout the country contracted COVID-19.

“We have had this pandemic since last year and within the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, we have done all we could, and we are doing all we can to make sure we protect the children,” Mathema said.

“The ministry will do whatever is required to make sure that children are protected and everybody is protected, and if, indeed, this House wants me to give details as to which route to be followed by which school, if that is what I’m expected to present here, then give us time and I will come back and give those details to the House. I am ready to give a ministerial statement,” he said.

Mathema added: “Once we are given the directive by His Excellency, we will open schools.”

He said the education sector had learnt a lot from the COVID-19 challenges experienced last term.

“We will also learn from other countries, but we want to assure the nation that we will do everything in our powers to ensure the children’s safety,” the Primary and Secondary Education minister said.

“When the time comes, we will go out of our way to make sure that schools are open and children will be protected. We will manage this as we have done in the past.”

On exemption letters for children learning at private institutions, Mathema said they would be issued.

“If there is any need, we will issue those exemption letters depending on what is on the ground.”

However, teachers unions have demanded that Finance minister Mthuli Ncube writes off second term fees as incomes of a majority of people, including teachers, have been hit by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy and loss of livelihoods due to prolonged lockdown periods.

Ncube will today announce the mid-term fiscal policy review and different teachers’ unions suggested that government should take the responsibility for paying second term fees for all learners.

Teachers also proposed that government should come up with a proper grading transition plan to cater for the time that learners lost due to suspension of learning due to COVID-19.

Zimbabwe National Teachers Union chief executive Manuel Nyawo said with four months left to the end of the year, it meant that technically, the second term was a write-off.

“What that should tell us is that if schools are to be reopened anytime in August under the guise of a second term, consideration must be given as to how long the term is going to be,” Nyawo said.

“We can’t have a second term of only two months. That would be naive, preposterous and devoid of logic.”

He said it would be absurd for parents to be asked to pay school fees when there was no learning for a long period.

It would also be cruel, Nyawo said, to subject learners to November examinations without inadequate preparation.

Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Obert Masaraure said: “Government should assume the responsibility of funding basic education as provided for by the Constitution.

“It’s not the responsibility of parents to be paying fees and government should realise that parents have been hard hit by these lockdowns and have lost incomes.”

Masaraure said Ncube had been celebrating budget surpluses and, therefore, should channel the funds towards writing off second term fees.

“There were attempts to do online learning, but this has been very erratic due to poor planning,” he said.

Primary and Secondary Education ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro said: “The idea of waiving fees for teachers’ children is not new, it has been forwarded to us for consideration as a non-monetary incentive. Consultations are still on-going.”

A recent World Bank report on poverty issues estimated that about 7,9 million Zimbabweans were living in extreme poverty due to the effects of COVID-19.

-Newsday