Tinashe Sambiri| MDC Alliance leader, President Nelson Chamisa has implored citizens to exercise extreme caution and abide by laid down protocols as COVID-19 continues to cause havoc across the country.

According to President Chamisa, every gathering is a potential superspreader of the deadly virus.

“These past weeks we lost many of our loved ones.

Many have been sharing their experiences with #COVID19. The virus doesn’t move on its own, it needs people.

Fellow citizens, treat yourself as a potential carrier. Every gathering is a potential super-spreader.

Let’s observe Covid protocols! Let’s us steadfastly PRAY to defeat this pandemic. Only God saves,” President Chamisa wrote on his official Facebook page.

Health experts the COVID-19 delta variant is more lethal than the previous infections.

The nation is currently battling to contain the spread of the deadly virus.

By A Correspondent- At least five people are feared dead after a boat capsized in Lake Kariba in the early hours of Friday.

Three people, including two Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) officers, were rescued by a local fisherman, Mr Chenjerai Zambezi.

The boat, which was carrying passengers and goods from Nyaodza fishing camp to Nyamhunga township in Kariba, sank due to suspected overloading.

Sources close to the incident say of the eight passengers who were on board, five were still missing.

This is a developing story. More details follow .

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- A man of questionable sanity was arrested in Epworth this week after he was found in possession of human remains he had exhumed from Zinyerere Cemetery in the neighbourhood.

Pinky Bhekeshita (26) was allegedly found in possession of Jaqueline Mbewe’s remains while roaming around the Stop Over area at around 4 pm.

Mbewe is said to have died on June 15, 2006.
Bhekeshita yesterday appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court charged with violating graves.

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) has announced that it will be closing its offices for two weeks in response to the rising Covid-19 cases countrywide.

In a statement Zec chairperson, Justice Priscilla Chigumba said all Zec offices across the country will be closed from July 26 to August 8.

“It’s here notified for the general public that all Zimbabwe Electoral Commission offices across the country will temporarily close for 14 days from 26 July to 8 August 2021, in response to the rising Covid-19 cases countrywide.

“This is a mitigatory measure to contain further spread of the virus among our internal and external stakeholders. During this period all staff members will be working remotely from their homes, save for critical issues that would require access to the office. The commission encourages its stakeholders to observe the national Covid-19 guidelines, World Health Organisation guidelines and Zec Covid-19 policy during the break,” she said.

Zec is conducting a voter registration exercise across the country.

-State media

By A Correspondent- Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has mourned the late Brigadier General (Rtd) Fidelis Satuku whom he said was a polished officer.

He died on Monday at 3 Field Ambulance Company in Mutare after suffering from kidney-related complications.

Chiwenga worked with the late during his days in the military where the former retired as commander defence forces.

“I was privileged to work with the late Brig-Gen (Rtd) Satuku, following his integration into the Zimbabwe National Army in June 1980 as a Major.
“He was a polished officer whose professionalism was beyond reproach. Due to his dedication to duty and high professional and ethical standards he was therefore seconded to the United Nations to understudy the commanders of the First Battalion Welsh Guards and Pirbright.”

Chiwenga said, “General Satuku was also a versatile officer, a quality that made it easier for the Zimbabwe National Army to task him variously and where it mattered most until 2015 when he retired from the service.”

Satuku was a veteran of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle and the VP also talked about his credentials in the independence war.

“Like many youths of his day and age Brig-Gen (Rtd) Satuku joined the liberation struggle when he crossed the border into Mozambique to join ZANLA forces in 1976. His second Chimurenga name was Cde George Mackenzie.

“The General briefly stayed at Doeroi Base before moving to Takawira 1 Base in 1977for his initial military training. Later he moved to Takawira Base 2 to complete military training.

“Upon completion of his training he was amongst the other comrades who were selected for further military training in Romania in 1978and got deployed to Chilimanzi Detachment of Musikavanhu sector, where he operated up to the end of the war in 1979.”

Chiwenga said thoughts are with the Satuku family as they endure this period of sadness and great loss.

“May they find solace in that the late General had carved a niche for himself through selfless service and become an asset beyond the family realm. His loss therefore is not their alone but also that of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and the entire nation. May his dear soul rest in eternal peace,” said Chiwenga.

-State media

By A Correspondent- The government neglected a Nkayi Hospital mortuary in Matabeleland North province that has reportedly not been functional for close to 13 years following equipment breakdown.
The hospital is in ward 29 in Nkayi district.

Indications were that very little effort has been made by the government to repair the morgue, amid an outcry by locals who now resort to traditional means of preserving corpses before burial in rural areas.

Former Nkayi council chairperson Kufakwezwe Ncube said villagers were in a dilemma over where to take the bodies of their relatives who die at home since the mortuary was not functioning.

He said this was putting them in a difficult position, especially at a time when COVID-19 was causing several deaths.

“Nkayi District Hospital mortuary has not functioned for years now. They now have a heap of skeletal bodies which have not been collected or are difficult to identify and are piled up there,” Ncube said.

“In 2008 when I became a councillor and council chair, I found the same situation. I, however, managed to have pauper burials for some corpses and also got the mortuary repaired. It has since broken down again. The Health ministry and Public Works ministry both do not have budgets to repair it.”

Ncube said as a result, relatives of the deceased failed to view the bodies of their loved ones during funerals due to the decomposed state of the corpses.
“You know these days, people are dying in numbers, and the hospital is not taking any corpses because of the situation. People are now resorting to traditional ways such as use of sand and banana leaves to preserve the bodies before burial,” Ncube said.
Nkayi resident Butholezwe Ndlovu said the situation at the hospital was bad and needed urgent attention.
Nkayi district medical officer Thabani Moyo confirmed that the mortuary was not working.
However, he said it had not been working for the past six months, and not 13 years.
“Yes ,the mortuary is not functioning and this has been so for six months or so. We usually talk to the relatives of the deceased telling them to collect bodies for burial within a day or two after death. The compressor is down and even the mechanism in the facility is not proper. The rollers are not functioning and all this needs urgent attention,” Moyo said.
He said currently, there were no bodies at the mortuary, adding that the Health ministry promised to assist in rehabilitating the mortuary.
Moyo refused to reveal the total cost of the required repairs to the morgue.
-Newsday

By A Correspondent- The government has acknowledged that it was paying ghost pensioners and said that they were now embarking on a biometric life certificate verification exercise of its pensioners to strengthen the pension management.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) in a statement Thursday, said: “As part of the broad public sector reforms, specifically information communication technology and modernisation, the government has observed that the biometric attributes of some of the pensioners, do not appear in the Registrar-General’s database.

“To strengthen the pension management system in that regard, the government is embarking on a biometric life certificate verification exercise. The benefits of the exercise to government and pensioners are as follows: a) avoiding payment to ghost pensioners; b) enhancing the security of the pension system to curb corruption, and c) enhancing service delivery.”

PSC said all pensioners with metal identity cards, but do not have valid passports, should visit the nearest Registrar-General’s offices to obtain plastic IDs so that their biometric data could be captured.

“Pensioners are requested to present a bank statement or pension payslip to prove that they are government pensioners. We expect this exercise to be completed by August 31, 2021. From October 1, 2021, only those with verified biometric data will be paid their pension,” the PSC said. “All pensioners are kindly advised to ensure that they have registered their biometrics to be compliant with this new requirement.”

By A Correspondent- The United Kingdom has frozen assets of and imposed a travel ban on Sakunda Holdings proprietor and Zanu PF benefactor Kudakwashe Regimond Tagwirei.

Tagwirei, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ally, was named among four others when UK Foreign secretary Dominic Raab announced further sanctions on individuals under Britain’s Global Anti-Corruption sanctions regime.

By A Correspondent- The government has blamed local pastors and church leaders for Covid related deaths the country is experiencing

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Nick Mangwana, said the clergy is to blame for some of the COVID-19 deaths.

Mangwana, however, did not explain how pastors are responsible for the deaths. The inference could be that pastors could be spreading the coronavirus through pastoral visits or by discouraging congregants from getting vaccinated. Said Mangwana:

I am going to be blunt (as usual). Men of cloth are responsible for a number of deaths among the unvaccinated.

So, it is quite helpful when some like Pastor Charamba come out in support of the vaccination programme. They are saving lives.

Mangwana was commenting on a social media post by Rooted in Christ Ministries founder and leader and award-winning musician Charles Charamba.

In the post, Charamba warned Zimbabweans against “experimenting” with death by refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

He said while death will surely visit every person at God’s appointed time, it was better not to “choose” to die before the appointed time. Said Charamba:

Hama, ngatirege kuti ndiri kuda kuona kuti ndikasa vaccinetwa zvinoita sei. Beloved, vaccination is better experimenting with than death.

We shall all die in God’s fullness of time but let’s not choose to do so outside His time. Let’s get vaccinated.

The Good Samaritan in Jesus’ story left the patient under medical care.

Some religious influencers, especially some prominent self-styled prophets and Apostolic sect leaders have advised their followers against receiving the jab, saying the vaccine is “the Mark of the Beast.”

The Mark of the Beast is a cryptic mark in the New Testament’s Book of Revelation which indicates allegiance to Satan.

By A Correspondent- Matabeleland South Provincial Education Director (PED) Lifias Masukume has died, aged 53.

Masukume succumbed to COVID-19 on Friday morning at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) after a brief battle with the virus.

His death was confirmed by the Director of Communication in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Taungana Ndoro. Said Ndoro:
I confirm that we have lost or provincial education director for Matabeleland South, Mr Lifias Masukume.

This is indeed a great loss to the education fraternity, and we are devastated because we have lost a master educationist who dedicated his life and career to service in the fraternity.

We have sadly lost him to the ravages of this pandemic. We are however grateful for his sterling work.
Masukume was appointed PED in 2018, following the promotion of then PED Tumisang Thabela to the Permanent secretary’s post.

By A Correspondent- Two members of the Zimbabwe National Army early Friday survived a boat accident after the boat they were sailing capsized in Lake Kariba.

The soldiers were sailing with six other people who are yet to be found when the two were rescued by a local fisherman, Mr Chenjerai Zambezi.

The boat was carrying passengers and goods from Nyaodza fishing camp to Nyamhunga township in Kariba, sank due to suspected overloading.

Sources close to the incident say of the eight passengers who were on board, five were still missing.

By A Correspondent- At least five people are feared dead after a boat capsized in Lake Kariba in the early hours of Friday.

Three people, including two Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) officers, were rescued by a local fisherman, Mr Chenjerai Zambezi.

The boat, which was carrying passengers and goods from Nyaodza fishing camp to Nyamhunga township in Kariba, sank due to suspected overloading.

Sources close to the incident say of the eight passengers who were on board, five were still missing.

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC MDC Alliance leader, President Nelson Chamisa has implored citizens to exercise extreme caution and abide by laid down protocols as COVID-19 continues to cause havoc across the country.

According to President Chamisa, every gathering is a potential superspreader of the deadly virus.

“These past weeks we lost many of our loved ones.

Many have been sharing their experiences with #COVID19. The virus doesn’t move on its own, it needs people.

Fellow citizens, treat yourself as a potential carrier. Every gathering is a potential super-spreader.

Let’s observe Covid protocols! Let’s us steadfastly PRAY to defeat this pandemic. Only God saves,” President Chamisa wrote on his official Facebook page.

Health experts the COVID-19 delta variant is more lethal than the previous infections.

The nation is currently battling to contain the spread of the deadly virus.

By A Correspondent- Two bodies of three people who disappeared into a small pool along Musogwezi River in Mapanzure in Masvingo Rural during prayers on Friday have been found today.

The bodies were found while a Mirror crew was there covering the scene. The first body was recovered at 9am while the second was seen at 3pm.

The third body is not yet found.

The three people went missing after they plunged into a ‘tiny’ pool whose depth is about a metre during exorcism conducted by Pastor Amos Chituri of the Agness Access Apostolic Church. Sources said people at the prayers started talking in tongues and the three dived into the water and disappeared since Friday.

Police was yet to recover the bodies from the water by late this afternoon because of transport issues.

A villager who declined to be named said the whole village believes that the three were taken by mermaids.

Village head Edward Makasi confirmed development to The Mirror.

By A Correspondent- Government has been urged to avail free data bundles for teachers to enable them to conduct virtual lessons in the absence of face-to-face learning due to the Covid-19 pandemic that has caused havoc globally.

The calls were made by the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) yesterday, where they also demanded a further review of teachers’ salaries before the second term opens.

As schools remain closed, the Primary and Secondary Education ministry outlawed the holding of extra lessons either at school or home classes, saying these were possible Covid-19 super spreaders.

PTUZ president Takavafira Zhou in a statement yesterday said that learning could not be suspended forever and called on government to avail data bundles to teachers to allow them to begin online lessons.

“There is need for new pedagogical methods of learning rather than face-to-face learning. The earlier government embraces teachers’ initiatives of class and subject WhatsApp learning whilst pupils are in their homes, the better,” Zhou said.

“We, therefore, urge the government to provide data bundles to teachers and use the money donated by organisations like United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) to acquire learning gadgets that can assist pupils from poor backgrounds and those living with disability to effectively learn through WhatsApp lessons.”

While virtual learning is seen as a stopgap measure in the absence of face-to-face lessons, the digital divide and high cost of data is seen as militating against the initiative.

Reports last week said government distributed over 200 000 radios to rural communities to ensure that learning continued.

However, Zhou said without adequate telecommunications infrastructure for network coverage, this would be futile in a country where 75% of students have no access to television and radio frequencies.

The PTUZ said e-learning was the way to go as opening of schools now would be a monument of injustice and expose the 136 000 teachers and almost six million pupils and other ancillary staff members at schools to the Covid-19 virus.

“Bloated classes, limited infrastructure, congested hostels and inadequate Covid-19 abatement equipment in schools, has cumulatively contributed to the spread of the virus at learning institutions,” he said.

The PTUZ recommended that schools must open in September 2021 when temperatures would be higher (hot) to adequately suppress the spread of the respiratory virus.

In Parliament, on Wednesday, Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, said government would acquire ICT gadgets to facilitate e-learning at schools.

“The desire of government is that we should have what we call blended learning which incorporates physical and virtual learning. So the Ministry of ICT is looking for gadgets and will be erecting base stations so that those school pupils will be able to learn. Online learning is the in thing worldwide,” Ziyambi said in the National Assembly.

Parliamentarians said e-learning must also accommodate children from remote areas such as Rushinga, Chipinge, Chiredzi, Beitbridge, Dande/Kanyemba, Hurungwe, Plum Tree, Lupane, Tsholotsho, Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe and Binga among others.

-newsday

By A Correspondent- At least 36 Zimbabweans, who stayed behind in the United Kingdom, raised fears of persecution by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government, citing human rights violations in Zimbabwe.

Only 14 out of a possible 50 people touched down at the Robert Mugabe International Airport in Harare.

They were immediately whisked away by Zimbabwe United Passenger Company buses, accompanied by police, who maintained a heavy presence at the airport alongside other State security agents.

The media was denied access to the deportees.

Information secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana said the 14 were taken to ZIPAM, where they will be in isolation for 10 days before meeting their families.

Those who had gathered to welcome their relatives were not afforded the opportunity.

“Fourteen Zimbabweans arrived today,” Mangwana said.

“They have been taken to ZI PAM, where they will have COV ID19 tests and be quarantined for 10 days. After being cleared for Covid-19, they will join their families and communities.”

Mangwana said the safety of the deportees was guaranteed, despite the national broadcaster yesterday stigmatising them as criminals who have come back home with nothing, gushing: “We welcome these fellow citizens home. They will be safe and the same opportunities availed to everyone else will be available to them.”

But reports from the UK suggested that there were growing fears over the safety of the deportees. Most of them claimed they fled Zimbabwe due to human rights violations and were likely to be tracked down and persecuted.

Besides the fear of human rights violations, others failed to travel after they were in contact with Covid-19 positive colleagues. There was an outbreak of the deadly virus at the Brook House near Gatwick Airport in London.

Other UK reports suggested that 75 parliamentarians signed a letter by the all-party parliamentary group on Zimbabwe, raising concerns about what they said was a deteriorating political and human rights situation in Zimbabwe.

“Hours before the flight was due to take off, two detainees due to board it threw themselves from a second-floor, landing at Colnbrook immigration removal centre onto netting below. They are believed to have been unharmed and were not removed,” reports said.

However, an emergency out-of-hours High Court challenge by Duncan Lewis solicitors to halt the whole flight did not succeed.

Bella Sankey, director of the charity Detention Action, said: “The High Court’s landmark intervention rightly recognises the real risk of appalling human rights violations when the Home Office allows the Zimbabwean government to question those it seeks to expel.

“But how horrifying that others subjected to the same practice may have been loaded onto the plane, unable to hear about this judgment or use the precedent to prevent their own removal.”

According to British media, the deportation comes after the British government reportedly struck a secret deal with the Zanu-PF regime last month to extradite hundreds of Zimbabwean asylum-seekers. Although the identities of the people were not made known, the British media claimed most of them could be human rights activists who fled political persecution from the country.

Rosie Huzzard of Walls Must Fall told The Morning Star: “It appears that Priti Patel and her Home Office ministers are happy to strike deals with oppressive governments such as Zimbabwe to put the lives of people with well-established lives in the UK at serious risk, just to make a bit of a splash in the news. De porting 150 black Zimbabweans, many of whom were trade unionists and democracy campaigners – which is why they fled in the first place – is systemic racism. She is leading it.”

But a Home Office spokesperson said: “Foreign criminals who abuse our hospitality should be in no doubt of our determination to deport them. Any foreign national who is convicted of a crime and given a prison sentence is considered for deportation at the earliest opportunity.”

newsday

 By A Correspondent- A fierce argument almost turned tragic when a man threw a petrol bomb into his neighbour’s bedroom and took to his heels.

Jay Luphahla (34) escaped unhurt, but the petrol bomb burnt some of his clothes, said a family member who declined to be named.

Jay screamed for help, prompting neighbours to come to help him put out the fire which almost consumed his bed.

After the life-threatening incident, the petrol bomber Stansilas Mbeki (46) fled to evade arrest and is still at large.

Jay reported the incident at Pumula Police Station.

Police are now on a mission to apprehend Mbeki, said a source close to investigations.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident: “I can confirm that a man allegedly threw a petrol bomb into a neighbour’s bedroom after they had an argument. We would like to advise members of the public to solve their differences amicably than to take the law into their hands because doing so might lead to unnecessary loss of life.”

In an unrelated incident, two teenagers aged 17 and 13 were injured after a 9mm bullet they had picked up exploded in Mpopoma suburb last week.

“Its fragments hit the 13-year-old in the mouth and some remained stuck on his shoulder, the 17-year-old sustained a cut on his hand,” said a source.

The two were rushed to Mpilo Central Hospital for treatment.

Bulawayo police spokesperson advised community members to inform police whenever they see live rounds of ammunition.

“I would like to advise members of the public to inform police whenever they see or encounter a live round. They must not risk their lives by picking it,” he said.

-BMetro

A FORMER senior Zanu PF official in Mashonaland Central province has called for the impeachment of President Emmerson Mnangagwa for allegedly running down the economy, human rights violations and failure to adhere to constitutionalism.

Goodman Musariri, who was fired from Zanu PF last year for disrespecting Mnangagwa, said the situation in Zimbabwe was now ripe for a “second operation restore legacy” in the form of the November 2017 military coup.

Mnangagwa took over power on the back of a military coup in November 2017, which led to the ouster of his predecessor, the late Robert Mugabe.

The outspoken Musariri is currently on bail facing charges of undermining the authority of the President after he allegedly called for Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga to take over from Mnangagwa, whom he accused of ascending to power through an illegitimate process.

“Now is the time to call for the resignation of ED (Mnangagwa) and an impeachment motion by any faithful servant of the voice of God in Parliament. Walls of Jericho must certainly fall,” he told NewsDay.

“The voice is crying from the wilderness for another operation to restore legacy.

“Zimbabweans, don’t just sit there, but stand up and begin to march again as you did in November 2017.

“You will never notice your chains until you start walking. The voice of the people is the voice of God. The voice does not waver through disbelief. Like Abraham, the voice hopes even where there is no hope.

“So, by faith, the people of Zimbabwe should march once more in a greater solidarity march than the 2017 one, this time targeting criminals surrounding President Mnangagwa himself.”

He said Mnangagwa’s rise to power in 2017 was via an unsanctioned Zanu PF central committee meeting, hence it was null and void.

Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya-Moyo refused to comment on Musariri’s utterances.

“This is why he was expelled from the party because he is a loose cannon. Zanu PF will never lose sleep over such people because they are irrelevant to its norms and values,” Khaya Moyo said.

“Whatever he is saying shows that he is trying to look for relevance. No sane person can dream such things. As Zanu PF, we are not fazed by that. We have a lot of issues which are of national interest which need to be attended to, not this hallucination.”

There are growing fears of a plot to impeach Mnangagwa that started immediately after he took over power.

In May 2018, Mnangagwa told a healing and reconciliation workshop in Harare that there was a plot to impeach him.

“I got intelligence that some of those who have won these primary elections have two minds,” he said then.

“They have gone to join the Zanu PF wagon using various tricks, money included, to be elected with a possible view that once in Parliament, they will band together and move a motion of impeachment.”

-Newsday

A Guruve-based female drug peddler went berserk and stripped naked when male police officers came to arrest her on allegations of selling dagga.

Mildred Muzana (21) ran away naked shouting that police offices wanted to rape her as other police officers shot a video for evidence.

The matter came to light at Guruve Magistrates’ Courts yesterday, where Muzana appeared before magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa who slapped her with a $2 500 fine for indecent exposure and failure to pay would earn her 15 days in prison.

Prosecutor Albert Charewa told the court that on July 8, police officers received a tip off that Muzana was selling dagga at her homestead and went to the place to conduct a search.

When Muzana realised that police officers were close by she stripped all her clothes and showed them her privates, saying “arrest me if you can,” before shouting ”police want to rape me” while running away.

After some minutes, she went to a friend’s place and got dressed before going to the charge office to file a rape report against the police officers.

The officers who were on their way to the charge office were called and informed about the matter. They told their colleagues to lock her up since they had video evidence of what she had done.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent| The opposition MDC Alliance has called President Emmerson Mnangagwa to order over his government move to reject the COVAX facility allocation of Johnson and Johnson vaccines while dragging them into the matter by claiming that they are sitting on half a million doses.

Posting on Twitter, MDC Alliance discouraged Mnangagwa against politicking when people’s lives are at stake due to the pandemic.

“We condemn the attempt by Mr Mnangagwa to politicize their refusal of vaccines under the COVAX facility yet people are dying. They must not drag the MDC Alliance into this matter. This is not the time for politicking. The focus must be on saving lives. #GetVaccinated,” said MDC Alliance.

Early this week, Presidential spokesperson George Charamba using his moniker @jamwanda2 quoted controversy when he claimed that the MDC Alliance had received 500 000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines through the US Embassy.

The MDC Alliance has since refuted the claims.

By A Correspondent- Acting Matabeleland South Provincial Education Director Lifias Masukume has succumbed to Covid-19 at the United Bulawayo Hospitals, Zanu Pf patriots has revealed.

Below is the tweet.

By A Correspondent| MISA Zimbabwe has made two submissions to the third cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on Zimbabwe, where it noted improvements in the legislative environment, but decried clawback provisions in proposed new laws that have the effect of infringing on freedom of expression.

The UPR is a unique process that involves a review of the human rights records of all UN Member States. 

The UPR is a State-driven process, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council, which provides the opportunity for each State to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to fulfil their human rights obligations. 

In the first submission, MISA Zimbabwe collaborated with the umbrella Media Alliance of Zimbabwe (MAZ), where the two organisations noted that as per the UPR second cycle recommendations, the government was forging ahead with the repeal of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA).

In July 2020, the government promulgated the Freedom of Information Act, which is “seen as a positive step”, however, the government is yet to put in place mechanisms that operationalise the law.

“For example, the law compels government bodies to have designated personnel to deal with information requests and produce reports thereof, something that is yet to be put in practice,” reads the MISA and MAZ submission.

“The accountability mechanisms in instances where one would have been denied information remain weak, with some cases that have been brought before the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) yet to be finalised.”

MISA and MAZ were also concerned that laws such as the proposed Cybersecurity and Data Protection Bill had the effect of reversing the gains brought by the Freedom of Information Act.

The Cybersecurity and Data Protection Bill criminalises the publishing of falsehoods, which the Constitutional Court had already declared unconstitutional.

It also imposes surveillance on citizens and this has the potential to infringe on freedom of expression, association and of the media.  

MISA and MAZ also raised concern with attacks on journalists, which was particularly high in 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two media rights advocacy groups pointed out that there is a noticeable sustained culture of violations against journalists and media workers in Zimbabwe.  

“Journalists are subjected to all forms of violence, including verbal threats, harassment, physical abuse, unlawful detentions and arrests,” reads the submission.

“These cases escalate when there are high stakes political contests in the country.  In 2020, MISA Zimbabwe recorded 52 cases of violations of journalistic and media freedoms.  All these crimes against journalists are committed with impunity.”

Among the recommendations, MISA and MAZ urged the government to commit to the principle of co-regulation of the media.

“The enactment of a Media Practitioners Bill will give effect to the co-regulation of the media, as obtained in the draft framework submitted by MAZ and MISA and submitted to the Parliament of Zimbabwe,” implored the two organisations.

Further, they recommended that the government should provide a clear timeline on when emergency laws that were promulgated in the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak would be repealed as they have the effect of infringing on freedom of expression.

MISA and MAZ urged the Zimbabwean government to recant the SADC resolution on taking pre-emptive measures against the so-called abuse of social media and ensure that it is not party to resolutions that have the effect of infringing on freedom of expression and of the media.

In the second submission, which centred mainly on digital rights, MISA collaborated with the Small Media and Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA).

The two organisations were supported by Access Now, the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), MAZ, Paradigm Initiative, the Zimbabwe Centre for Media and Information Literacy (ZCMIL), Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZIMRIGHTS) and Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR).

The submission recommended that the government should uphold the right to privacy by enacting a data protection and privacy law in consultation with stakeholders, and to amend provisions of the Interception of Communications Act to provide for judicial oversight on lawful surveillance.

The organisations further recommended that the government should end the practice of internet shutdowns and ensure that restrictions on internet access, online expression, assembly and association are consistent with international and regional human rights standards.

To ensure access to the internet, the organisations recommended that the authorities put in place measures to reduce costs of internet access including the deployment of the Universal Access Fund for increased affordability and digital inclusion of marginalised groups including women, rural communities and persons with disabilities.

 By A Correspondent- A police officer stationed at Khumalo Police Station in Bulawayo was arrested after he allegedly duped his workmate and a student at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) of US$1 800 and US$2 500 in a foiled gold deal.

Prosper Mazokera (35) landed himself in trouble after he allegedly swindled his colleague Tawedzerwa Johane and Patmos Nyavanhu, a Nust student, after allegedly lying to them that he was dealing in gold.

Circumstances are that on 28 April 2021 and at around 10am Mazokera approached Nyavanhu and told him that he was dealing in gold. He is alleged to have convinced Nyavanhu to give him US$2 500 and $5 000 which he alleged would generate US$5 400 after a month.

As if that was not enough, Mazokera on an unknown date, at around 11am, approached his workmate Johane and told him he was into mining.

Using the same modus operandi, he is alleged to have convinced him to give him US$1 800 which he claimed would accumulate every month.
After being smooth-talked and convinced that he had struck a lucrative deal, Johane gave him the amount in question.

The transacting public has been urged to report all business entities rejecting the 10-dollar notes to the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

Barely two weeks after the introduction of the 50 Zimbabwe dollar note, some unscrupulous business entities are rejecting ten-dollar notes, a trend that has irked the transaction public.

However, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has clarified that no policy directive was issued to phase out notes issued since 2016.

“The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe wishes to inform the general public that all notes issued since 2016 remain legal tender and everyone with information that someone or a business entity is rejecting the 10-dollar notes should report them to our financial intelligence unit,” the RBZ Head Communications, Kumbulani Shirichena said.

Zimbabwe basket of local currency notes consists of the 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50-dollar bills.

-State Media

By A Correspondent- For a Bulawayo woman, the immeasurable joy of having her first child turned into the worst nightmare imaginable.

About a week after Mongiwethu Mathe (27) was discharged from Mpilo Central Hospital in December 2019, she was horrified to see excrement coming out of her privates.

Yes! Human waste coming out through her sexual organ, not from its usual orifice.

Her heart pounding in her chest and panic coursing through her system, she rushed to a clinic in Emakhandeni suburb where she lives.

For her, the look on the nurse’s face confirmed the worst.

She was dying.

She was referred to Mpilo Central Hospital as an emergency case.

“My mind in a spin, I decided to first go to a private doctor. The doctor removed more human waste from my privates. He said during a caesarean operation when I was giving birth, the doctor mistakenly cut my rectum and left a hole that now connected it to my vagina,” she said in a quavering voice, tears streaming down her cheeks.

She said a doctor at Mpilo did not mince his words.

“He said the person who operated on me was careless and cut my rectum more than what he was supposed to. He said emergency corrective surgery was needed. Now I poo through a colostomy bag,” she told B- Metro.

Mongi, who is studying towards a Diploma in Education with United College of Education (UCE), needed to go for attachment.

“I had to seek medical help from a private doctor who is a friend to my husband because I needed to go for attachments. From December 2019 the doctor tried to stitch the “intestine”, he finally managed to stitch it in July 2020. The doctor mounted a colostomy bag,” she said.

But the problem was not solved!

“Some of the human excrement discharged through the colostomy bag while some came through my sexual organ. I then returned to the doctor and he said he could have mistakenly missed another hole in the rectum so he stitched me for the second time in October 2020 and said after three months (February 2021) I would be able to relieve myself in a normal way. After that I went to the loo, but the situation had not changed,” Mongi said.

“I went to Mpilo again for the operation in May this year. I was operated on. Sadly when I went for a review I was told the doctor is at theatre since then I have not been attended to. A doctor at the hospital told me to contact doctors from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who usually come to Zimbabwe to offer their services for free. He said they could repair my rectum. I phoned them and they told me that they will come when Corona cases have subsided,” she said.

She said she tried to get redress from Mpilo Central Hospital but has been shuffled from one office to another, to no avail.

“I tried to engage them, but they promised to attend to my problem. Sadly they have been referring me from one office to another. And they are demanding money for the operation. They have been threatening to unleash debt collectors to collect money on their behalf,” she said.

She added: “They are demanding $14 099-87. I cannot raise it. I wonder why they are demanding money when they ruined my life.”

The despair in Mongi’s eyes is palpable as she explains how the problem affects her marital life and how it forced her to stop breastfeeding her baby.

“I feel I’m no longer woman enough to my husband because it’s very painful to use these bags while you are a married person. The problem now is that I do not feel pressure to relieve myself, I see human waste in the bag, usually it spills from the colostomy bag,” she said.

She uses five colostomy bags a week, but when it’s cold she uses seven bags.

“My husband and my father help by buying the bags for me. The bags cost US$5 each,” she said.

Mpilo Central Hospital clinical director and chief executive officer Professor Solwayo Ngwenya said: “This is a natural consequence that could be caused by prolonged labour or big baby. That is a difficult situation but the hospital will try and help her in repairing her rectum.”

He added: “I ‘m aware of her predicament. She must talk to accounts department about her bill.”

By A Correspondent- The Judicial Service Commission (JSC), has postponed the public interviews of candidates nominated for the nine positions of judge of the High Court of Zimbabwe until further notice.

In a statement on Thursday, the JSC said it made the decision following the government’s call for all institutions to further restrict operations due to rising coronavirus infections. The statement read:

The Judicial Service Commission regrets to advise interviewees, the media and members of the public that in view of the continuing upsurge in COVID-19 infections and the Government’s call for all institutions to further restrict operations, the interviews for the positions of Judge of the High Court scheduled for 26, 27 and 28 July 2021 at Rainbow Towers Hotel Harare are postponed until further notice.

The Commission apologies to everyone concerned for any inconvenience that may have been caused by the decision to defer the interviews.

The decision was taken in the of the health of everyone directly involved in the process particularly and all Zimbabweans generally.

In compliance with the requirements of section 180(2) (c) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the public will be informed of the new dates of the interviews in due course

By A Correspondent- A till supervisor with OK Supermarkets’ Chipinge branch has been dragged to court on allegations of stealing groceries worth $12 349 from his employer.

Vhukile Mlambo of the medium density area of Chipinge appeared before Magistrate Elizabeth Hanzi facing theft charges early this week.

He was not asked to plead and was remanded out of custody on his own cognisant to 28 July for trial.

Prosecutor Edmore Manhanganisa alleged on 17 July, Mlambo, who was not on duty, went to OK Supermarket and stole the grocery.

He said:

The incident was caught on CCTV leading to Mlambo’s arrest and recovery of the stolen sugar.

-manicapost

By A Correspondent- Three Zimbabwean armed robbers and a South African man are on the run after escaping from police custody on Wednesday evening while being transported from Polokwane Central Correctional facility to Mokopane in Limpopo province.

The four were being moved pending sentencing for a charge of armed robbery today.

Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the quartet was part of seven others who were being transported in a police vehicle.

He said the police in Westenburg had instituted a search operation for John Fine (39), Dennis Hove (39), Clifford Matonhori (31) all Zimbabweans, and Figos Madisha (40), a South African who escaped with a police service pistol.

“They managed to escape from a police motor vehicle along the R101 road next to Eerstegoud Trading Store around 11.30pm,” said Brig Mojapelo.

“Seven prisoners were being transported from Polokwane Correctional Centre to Mokopane for sentencing when four of them allegedly escaped. The prisoners also managed to grab a service pistol belonging to a police officer during the incident before fleeing into the nearby bushes. The other three prisoners remained in the vehicle.”

He said the suspects had been arrested and convicted for robbery with aggravating circumstances which they committed in April 2019 in the Mokopane policing area.

Brig Mojapelo warned members of the community against approaching the suspects whom he said were considered dangerous.

“Anyone with information that can assist the police to find the four prisoners should contact Westenburg Detective-Commander Captain Tshikudo on 0027825658566 or crime stop number 0027860010111 or the nearest police station,” said Brig Mojapelo.

By A Correspondent- Over 240 nurses have deserted the City of Harare owing to poor remuneration

Harare City said the nurses had abandoned the council to join organisations.
Previously, the council used to be one of the best paying employers but as poor management continues unabated in the city, many technical people are jumping ship to join better-paying companies.

In a recent tweet, the City of Harare said: “Vaccination ongoing at Belvedere Polyclinic. Long queues characterise the vaccination exercise.
“Council is short-staffed. Over 240 nurses have left to join other organisations.”

A number of citizens criticised the council on its Twitter page saying there was no reason for the City of Harare to mourn about the departures of nurses when it is the employer, who can easily recruit some staffers to fill in the gaps.

By A Correspondent- An Epworth man was on Wednesday arrested after he was found in possession of human remains he had exhumed from Zinyerere Cemetery in the neighbourhood.

Pinky Bhekeshita (26) was allegedly found in possession of Jaqueline Mbewe’s remains while roaming around the Stop Over area at around 4 pm.

Mbewe is said to have died on June 15, 2006.
Bhekeshita yesterday appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court charged with violating graves.

He was not asked to plead to the charges when he appeared before Mr Dennis Mangois, who remanded him in custody to July 29.

Mr Mangosi ordered Bhekeshita to be examined by two Government-appointed psychiatrists to ascertain his mental state.

The State led by Miss Monalisa Magwenzi said at the time of his arrest, Bhekishita threatened to dig more graves saying he wanted to search for his relatives.

Miss Magwenzi said on June 21, Bhekishita dug up Mbewe’s grave at Zinyengere Cemetery and exhumed her remains.

He was arrested after being found in possession of the remains

By A Correspondent- Three Zimbabwean armed robbers and a South African man are on the run after escaping from police custody on Wednesday evening while being transported from Polokwane Central Correctional facility to Mokopane in Limpopo province.

The four who were being moved pending sentencing for a charge of armed robbery today.

Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the quartet was part of seven others who were being transported in a police vehicle.

He said the police in Westenburg was now carrying out a search operation for John Fine (39, Dennis Hove (39) and Clifford Matonhori (31) all Zimbabweans, and Figos Madisha (40) a South African who escaped with a police service pistol.
“They managed to escape from a police motor vehicle along the R101 road next to Eerstegoud Trading Store around 2330 hours,” said Brig Mojapelo.
“Seven prisoners were being transported from Polokwane Correctional Centre to Mokopane for sentencing when four of them allegedly escaped.
The prisoners also managed to grab a service pistol belonging to a police officer during the incident before fleeing into the nearby bushes. The other three prisoners remained in the vehicle”.

He said the suspects had been arrested and convicted for robbery with aggravating circumstances which they committed in April 2019 in the Mokopane policing area.
Brig Mojapelo warned members of the community against approaching the suspects whom he said were considered to be very dangerous.
“Anyone with information that can assist the Police to find the four prisoners should contact Westenburg Detective-Commander Captain Tshikudo on 0027825658566 or crime stop number 0027860010111 or the nearest Police Station,” said Brig Mojapelo.

-State media

By A Correspondent- The United States has refuted false statements by the Zimbabwean government that it had provided over half a million vaccines to the opposition MDC Alliance.

In a terse statement following allegations by presidential spokesperson George Charamba to the effect that the US had provided the opposition MDC Alliance with “unregistered COVID-19 vaccines”, the US embassy in Harare, through its public diplomacy section, said it would provide vaccines to African countries in a transparent manner through the Africa Union’s COVAX facility.

“United States government vaccine deployment is very transparent and will come to Africa through the COVAX/AU mechanism. The United States government has not provided any entity in Zimbabwe with vaccines to date,” the embassy said.

Charamba claimed on his Twitter handle @Jamwanda2 that the MDC Alliance was stuck with half a million unregistered vaccines sourced by the US government.

He further claimed that the US embassy’s strategy was to “stampede” the Health ministry to force the government to accept importation and administration of unregistered vaccines, using the COVAX facility.
Charamba added that the move would then provide cover to “this political donation”, further alleging that the MDC Alliance had plans to inoculate its supporters only.

Zimbabwe has turned down vaccine donations from the United Kingdom and US, while giving preference to vaccines from eastern countries such as China, Russia and India.

Currently, the government is rolling out a mass vaccination programme that targets to get 10 million people, about 60% of the population jabbed with vaccines from the three countries.

— NewsDay

By A Correspondent- More than 10 passangers are stranded in Musina one of the cross border buses plying Harare -Johannesburg route, Enno Coaches dumped them .

The bus is in the habit of robbing desperate Zimbabweans travelling to South Africa of their hard-earned cash and dump them in Musina.

The bus travels with a six-member crew comprising two (2) drivers and four(4) touts masquerading as conductors who all be having ticket books each.

The touts charge desperate travellers with no passports and other legal travelling documents US$200 promising to take them to Johannesburg.

The notorious touts among the crew are Ronnie Zeze known as Mrewa, Obert, a Mutangadura is also known as Maga Maga, Obert and one Desha.

These touts lure desperate travellers to the bus and charge them US$200 from them as bus fare, inclusive of illegal border crossing fees and South African police checkpoints bribes.

After collecting the money the bus takes the travellers to Beitbridge border post, help them jump the border and then start demanding some top-up fees just after the border.

The bus crew upon crossing the border starts accusing each other of mismanaging the bus fares paid to them by passengers and pleads to the travellers for more money saying they want to pay the South African police so that the passengers would not be deported.

Every time the bus gets to a police checkpoint the bus crew demands ZAR 100 (Rands) from each of the passengers saying they want to bribe the police.

The South African government recently increased police checkpoints because of the riots which took place in Kwazulu Natal and Gauteng Province and from the border to Musina they are now five police checkpoints.

This means that one passenger from the border to Musina would pay 500 Rands on top of his or her US$200 they would have paid in Harare as their bus fare.

This has resulted in many boarding Enno Coaches finding it difficult to proceed to Johannesburg and get alternative transport, leaving behind the bus in Musina.

The bus does not offer any refunds nor does it attempt to help the disgruntled passengers

The Enno bus crew has been using this tactic since the last year when the Covid-19 pandemic called for lockdowns and curfews.

Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance has described the late deputy mayor of the city of Kwekwe, Alderman Shadreck Tobaiwa as a veteran local government practitioner.

Alderman Tobaiwa died on Wednesday in Kwekwe.

He served as the mayor of the city of Kwekwe from 2008 to 2013.

“The MDC Alliance UK and Ireland Province conveys condolences to the Tobaiwa family. May God give them peace and comfort during this difficult time.

A veteran local government practitioner, City of Kwekwe Deputy Mayor, Cllr Shadreck Tobaiwa has passed on. He was Kwekwe Mayor from 2008-2013.

He was ⁦in the Mdc Midlands⁩ Provincial Executive,” MDC Alliance UK and Ireland said in a statement.

By A Correspondent- The United States has refuted false statements by the Zimbabwean government that it had provided over half a million vaccines to the opposition MDC Alliance.

In a terse statement following allegations by presidential spokesperson George Charamba to the effect that the US had provided the opposition MDC Alliance with “unregistered COVID-19 vaccines”, the US embassy in Harare, through its public diplomacy section, said it would provide vaccines to African countries in a transparent manner through the Africa Union’s COVAX facility.

“United States government vaccine deployment is very transparent and will come to Africa through the COVAX/AU mechanism. The United States government has not provided any entity in Zimbabwe with vaccines to date,” the embassy said.

Charamba claimed on his Twitter handle @Jamwanda2 that the MDC Alliance was stuck with half a million unregistered vaccines sourced by the US government.

He further claimed that the US embassy’s strategy was to “stampede” the Health ministry to force the government to accept importation and administration of unregistered vaccines, using the COVAX facility.
Charamba added that the move would then provide cover to “this political donation”, further alleging that the MDC Alliance had plans to inoculate its supporters only.

Zimbabwe has turned down vaccine donations from the United Kingdom and US, while giving preference to vaccines from eastern countries such as China, Russia and India.

Currently, the government is rolling out a mass vaccination programme that targets to get 10 million people, about 60% of the population jabbed with vaccines from the three countries.

— NewsDay

By A Correspondent- One of the local cross border buses, Enno Coaches is robbing desperate Zimbabweans travelling to South Africa of their hard-earned cash and dump them in Musina.

The bus travels from Harare to Johannesburg with a six-member crew comprising two (2) drivers and four(4) touts masquerading as conductors who all be having ticket books each.

The touts charge desperate travellers with no passports and other legal travelling documents US$200 promising to take them to Johannesburg.

The notorious touts among the crew are Ronnie Zeze known as Mrewa, Obert, a Mutangadura is also known as Maga Maga, Obert and one Desha.

These touts lure desperate travellers to the bus and charge them US$200 from them as bus fare, inclusive of illegal border crossing fees and South African police checkpoints bribes.

After collecting the money the bus takes the travellers to Beitbridge border post, help them jump the border and then start demanding some top-up fees just after the border.

The bus crew upon crossing the border starts accusing each other of mismanaging the bus fares paid to them by passengers and pleads to the travellers for more money saying they want to pay the South African police so that the passengers would not be deported.

Every time the bus gets to a police checkpoint the bus crew demands ZAR 100 (Rands) from each of the passengers saying they want to bribe the police.

The South African government recently increased police checkpoints because of the riots which took place in Kwazulu Natal and Gauteng Province and from the border to Musina they are now five police checkpoints.

This means that one passenger from the border to Musina would pay 500 Rands on top of his or her US$200 they would have paid in Harare as their bus fare.

This has resulted in many boarding Enno Coaches finding it difficult to proceed to Johannesburg and get alternative transport, leaving behind the bus in Musina.

The bus does not offer any refunds nor does it attempt to help the disgruntled passengers

The Enno bus crew has been using this tactic since the last year when the Covid-19 pandemic called for lockdowns and curfews.

By A Correspondent- Three people have disappeared during a prayer ceremony at a river in Makasi village under Chief Mapanzure, Provincial Police Spokesperson Kudakwashe Dhewa has confirmed.

Dhewa told The Mirror in an interview that the Police is investigating the case of three persons who went missing on Friday.

The prayer session was led by Pastor Amos Chituri (49) of Agnes Access Apostolic Church and he is said to come from Mutasa District.
The village where the incident happened is about 8km from Nemwana Growth Point or 40km from Masvingo.

Sources said that Chituri came to pray for one of the church members in the village who was not feeling well.

He took church members to the river where one of those who were supposed to be prayed for was a village head by the name Tazvigwira.

A village that declined to be named said the whole village believes that the three were taken by mermaids.

While praying at the stream, three elders of the church were with him when a great sound was heard and the elders and everyone there started talking in tongues and throwing themselves into the river.

• Masvingo Mirror

By A Correspondent- Police details in Bulawayo have arrested a notorious motorbike thief from Nkayi who was in the habit of stealing from unsuspecting owners at night.

Bruce Ndlovu (31) was found in possession of five motorbikes stolen from Bulawayo between October 2019 and May 2021.

The value of the stolen motorbikes is estimated to be $546 000.

Ndlovu ran out of luck when he was recently found in possession of a stolen motorbike in Belmont Township in Nkayi.

Police received a tip off and apprehended Ndlovu who later confessed that he had been stealing motorbikes from Bulawayo and taking them to Nkayi overnight.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednego Ncube confirmed the arrests yesterday saying Ndlovu is facing theft charges.

“During the period stretching from October 2019 and May 2021, members of the public in Bulawayo were retiring for the night leaving their motor bikes outside their houses for lack of space only to wake up and discover that the bikes would have disappeared with no trace,” said Insp Ncube.

“On the 24th of September 2019, first complainant from Magwegwe North who is employed by Veterinary Services got up to learn that his cycle was missing and he was only left with the keys. The motor bike was valued at US$1 500.”

He said the second victim lost his motorbike on September 25 after he parked it at his residence in Nkulumane believing it to be safe while he retired for the night.

Upon waking up he discovered that it had disappeared and it was valued at US$1 600-00.

“The third victim, who is employed by a local security company also parked his motorbike for the night on the 25th of October 2020 in New Lobengula and lost it over the night. The bike was valued at US$1 000. On the 26th of October the fourth complainant lost his cycle valued at US$1 000 at old Lobengula through the same modus operandi,” he said.

Insp Ncube also said: “The fifth motorbike was stolen on the 12th of May 2021 in Lobengula. The motorbike belonged to Hamara and was valued at $132 000. All the cases were being investigated by Criminal Investigations Department known as vehicle theft squad”.

He said on July 20, the team headed by Inspector Clever Munasi received information that there was a suspect held in Nkayi who had stolen a motorbike in Belmont Township of Nkayi.

The team made follow-ups and interviewed the suspect Bruce Ndlovu in cases involving the missing Bulawayo motorbikes.

“The interview led to Bruce volunteering to make some indications and the recovery of five motorbikes with a total value of zw$546 000. It was also discovered during the interviews that Bruce was responsible for a housebreaking case which occurred in Lobengula and television was recovered from him,” said Insp Ncube.

The accused is making his initial appearance in court and investigations are in progress since quite a number of motor bikes are still outstanding.

“The arrest and recovery of the stolen property is but evidence of police commitment to bring sanity to the communities. Members of the public are in the same vein urged to secure their properties before retiring to bed,” he added.

-State media

By A Correspondent- The government has taken 14 Zimbabweans who have been deported by the British government, to a quarantine centre which is in the Zvimba, Mashonaland West province.

The 14 will be caged for 10 days before being released to their communities.

By A Correspondent- In what seemed to be a mockery to the Zimbabwean citizens who have been deported by the British government, Harare said the deportees would be caged for 10 days before being released to their communities.

The mockery was propagated Thursday, by the government spokesperson, Nick Mangwana through his Twitter handle.

By A Correspondent- One of the local cross border buses, Enno Coaches is robbing desperate Zimbabweans travelling to South Africa of their hard-earned cash and dump them in Musina.

The bus travels from Harare to Johannesburg with a six-member crew comprising two (2) drivers and four(4) touts masquerading as conductors who all be having ticket books each.

The touts charge desperate travellers with no passports and other legal travelling documents US$200 promising to take them to Johannesburg.

The most notorious touts among the crew are Ronnie Zeze known as Mrewa, Obert, a Mutangadura is also known as Maga Maga, Obert and one Desha.

These touts lure desperate travellers to the bus and charge them US$200 from them as bus fare, inclusive of illegal border crossing fees and South African police checkpoints bribes.

After collecting the money the bus takes the travellers to Beitbridge border post, help them jump the border and then start demanding some top-up fees just after the border.

The bus crew upon crossing the border starts accusing each other of mismanaging the bus fares paid to them by passengers and pleads to the travellers for more money saying they want to pay the South African police so that the passengers would not be deported.

Every time the bus gets to a police checkpoint the bus crew demands ZAR 100 (Rands) from each of the passengers saying they want to bribe the police.

The South African government recently increased police checkpoints because of the riots which took place in Kwazulu Natal and Gauteng Province and from the border to Musina they are now five police checkpoints.

This means that one passenger from the border to Musina would pay 500 Rands on top of his or her US$200 they would have paid in Harare as their bus fare.

This has resulted in many boarding Enno Coaches finding it difficult to procced to Johannesburg and get alternative transport, leaving behind the bus in Musina.

The bus does not offer any refunds nor does it attempt to help the disgruntled passengers

The Enno bus crew has been using this tactic since the last year when the Covid-19 pandemic called for lockdowns and curfews.

MASVINGO – Three people have disappeared during a prayer ceremony at a river in Makasi Village under Chief Mapanzure, Provincial Police Spokesperson Kudakwashe Dhewa has confirmed.

Dhewa told The Mirror in an interview that Police is investigating the case of three persons who went missing on Friday.

The prayer session was led by Pastor Amos Chituri (49) of Agnes Access Apostolic Church and he is said to come from Mutasa District.

The village where the incident happened is about 8km from Nemwana Growth Point or 40km from Masvingo.
Sources said that Chituri came to pray for one of the church members in the village who was not feeling well.

He took church members to the river where one of those who was supposed to be prayed for was a village head by the name Tazvigwira.

A village who declined to be named said the whole village believes that the three were taken by mermaids.

While praying at the stream, three elders of the church were with him when a great sound was heard and the elders and everyone there started talking in tongues and throwing themselves into the river.

Source : Masvingo Mirror