By A Correspondent- ZANU PF Mashonaland Central Provincial Chairman Kazembe Kazembe suffered humiliation after the party’s commissariat department reversed his decision to co-opt new members into the Provincial executive committee.

The Home Affairs Minister is said to have called for the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) where he chaired and managed to co-opt four members, three of whom are his allies who were allegedly put to fight in his corner.

Kazembe was accused of demoting the provincial political commissar known as Tsine and promoted him to vice-chairperson, a less powerful post.

He also co-opted one Kararira who is his close ally and his right-hand man Mudzingwa was given the vice secretary for security and Mazowe Central member of parliament Sydney Chidamba was also co-opted to deputy secretary for finance.

ZANU PF Acting National Political Commissar Patrick Chinamasa confirmed that the co-options are illegal therefore null and void.

Kazembe is accused of making the co-options in a move to consolidate his power base ahead of provincial elections set to be held in line with the ZANU PF constitution.

The embattled Kazembe faces a stiff challenge from James Makamba, Lazarus Dokora, Sam Parirenyatwa, and Monica Mavhunga who are vying for the Provincial chairmanship.

Mashonaland Central ZANU PF officers accuse Kazembe of using his home affairs portfolio to arrest and intimidate opponents and those believed to be backing his opponents.

“Nicholas Goche fell victim to Kazembe’s wrath after he was arrested on livestock allegations at the behest of Kazembe who is the Minister responsible for police,” a ZANU PF member told this reporter. “Lazarus Dokora the chairman of the ZANU PF mash central working committee for the party’s National People’s conference was also demoted by Kazembe from chairman to coordinator. Kazembe unilaterally demoted Dokora after reports that Dokora was a clear favorite to land the provincial chairmanship.”

By A Correspondent- Police in Bulawayo have gunned down an armed robber and recovered four firearms from the robbers.

The incident happened at the weekend.

On its Twitter handle at the weekend, ZRP said the gunned down robber and the two injured were part of a gang of six armed robbers from South Africa who pounced on a house along Franklin Drive, Fourwinds, Bulawayo.

” 4 firearms have been recovered at the scene”, posted ZRP.

By A Correspondent- The government-funded opposition coalition body, The Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD), said bogus political parties are flocking their offices with applications to join the state resources looting vehicle.

The alleged applications come immediately after President Emmerson Mnangagwa handed over 19 brand new vehicles to POLAD principals, a move that has attracted criticism from some quarters.

Critics feel that the government’s move to award cars to POLAD members was meant to lure more members to the platform and to them into being “submissive” to the government.

POLAD head of secretariat Virginia Mabhiza said most of the applications are from political parties that did not field presidential candidates during the 2018 polls.

Ever since the issuing of vehicles to POLAD principals, I have been overwhelmed by an influx of requests and applications of political parties requesting to join POLAD. Some of the political parties are not even known or registered. I’m overwhelmed right now.

If I just flip my (email) page right now, there are about eight applications. There are more than these that have come forward since the issue of vehicles came out.

Mabhiza singled out LEAD president Linda Masarira as one of the political leaders who have applied to join POLAD long before the donation of vehicles.

In a letter to Mabhiza, The African Democrats (TAD), one of the several opposition parties that participated in the 2018 polls but did not field a presidential candidate, has formally requested to join POLAD.

TAD president Marco Machona who is based in South Africa confirmed the development. Reads a letter recently written by Machona to Mabhiza:

We intend to join POLAD and explore the opportunities to learn, to also share our own ideas, and be catalysts in progressive politics and development in our country.

We would like your assistance in directing our organisation on how it can be part of POLAD.

Machona said POLAD should open its doors to all political parties that did not field presidential parties during the previous election.

Mabhiza confirmed that POLAD’s code of conduct only limits participants to the 2018 losing presidential candidates.

POLAD was formed to address the humanitarian, economic and political crises in the country which some analysts believed was being worsened by the deadlock between ZANU OF and the MDC Alliance.

The platform has also been pushing the engagement and re-engagement agenda the government embarked on in 2017.

Several opposition parties pulled out of POLAD following its formation in May 2019, while others, such as the MDC Alliance, led by Nelson Chamisa, never joined.

By A Correspondent- A Mutasa man ran amock and burnt down his in-laws’ hut before demanding his lobola money back after his wife dumped him.

The bitter man reduced his close relatives’ property to ashes as he demanded a refund for his lobola.

Knowledge Manhanga, 31, destroyed property worth $67 000. He appeared before Mutare magistrate Rumbidzai Kabasa, and he was convicted on his plea of guilty.

The State represented by Ann Chibvongodze proved that Manhanga had a misunderstanding sometime in July with his wife, who then left for her parents’ homestead.

In the State’s case, Manhanga accused his mother of conniving with his wife to desert him. While his mother was away, Manhanga went to his mother’s homestead in Domborutinhira Village and set her hut on fire.

On the same night, Manhanga also went to his in-laws homestead in the same village. He argued with his father-in-law while demanding a lobola refund and threatening to destroy their homestead if his demands were not met.

He later torched a hut at the homestead. Manhanga was arrested after a police report was made, Manica Post reports.

A Harare City Council junior employee in the housing department, who is on suspension over allegations of abuse of office and corrupt parceling out of stands, has become the owner of an expensive low-density suburban council house in Belvedere, meant for rent to a top manager, against all council policies.

This comes when council is overwhelmed with applications by serving senior managers and other staff seeking to be accommodated in council-owned houses and with a general policy that council-owned houses cannot be sold.

Investigations by The Herald revealed that Mr Aaron Tayerera, a clerical officer in Grade 11, who is among several council employees on suspension over corrupt land deals, was allowed to buy 49A Lancaster Avenue (also known as Stand 1448 Belvedere) for an undisclosed amount, stripping the local authority of its assets.

Normally he would be several grades too junior to be even allocated the expensive house as a rented property.

Sources say the property was sold for US$80 000, which raises the question of how the purchase was funded considering a council employee in Grade 11 gets a monthly salary in the region of $30 000, just under US$350 at the current auction rate.

But regardless of the price, which could be on the low side as well as too high for a clerical officer, the house is supposed to remain under council ownership accommodating serving top managers in need.

Access to decent accommodation is often necessary to attract top-end staff into council service.

Harare Acting Mayor Councillor Stewart Mutizwa confirmed the transaction and said it was totally unacceptable but had happened before his appointment.

“I am aware of the case but the position is no one is allowed to buy an institutional property. The circumstances under which the house was sold were unusual. Houses meant for our employees cannot be sold to anyone, no matter what grade the purchaser holds. Institutional houses must remain council property accommodating those employees in need.

“We are actually sitting on a backlog of employees in need of institutional accommodation and stripping council of its assets that way is unacceptable,” said Cllr Mutizwa.

Investigations by The Herald revealed that MDC-A councillors, some jointly implicated in the land deals with Tayerera, approved the sale of the property.

Asked to comment on the case, Tayerera said: “I don’t discuss such matters on the phone,” before hanging up. Further efforts to locate Mr Tayerera failed.

The criteria used in allocating Tayerera the house remains unclear considering he had never stayed at the property before and his grade is too low for renting the house, let alone for special permission to buy it.

In a criminal case pending at the Harare Magistrate’s Court, it is alleged that between 2018 and 2019, Tayerera and former housing director Matthew Marara hatched a plan to irregularly convert a public open space in Strathaven under council ownership into a residential stand and then sell it for personal gain. 

They allegedly demarcated the land, gave it a fictitious stand number and sold it to an unsuspecting land seeker Aaron Gomo, allegedly for US$20 900, the court heard.

To cover up for the offence, the pair, it is alleged, created an offer letter and agreement of sale backdated to 2017, which they signed and handed to Gomo.  The offence was discovered by the City of Harare Investigations department through a tip off.

Allegedly fraudulent and fake documents including a fraudulent file, fake layout plan, offer letter and agreement of sale manufactured by the pair are being held as exhibits. Herald

By A Correspondent- A Chikanga woman contemplated taking her own life after being denied c0njugal rights by her husband for over a year.

This emerged at a Mutare Civil Court where Nyarai Makuyana had dragged her husband, David Wasiwo, seeking maintenance and a protection order against him since their marriage has irretrievably broken down.

Makuyana told Mutare magistrate, Mr Mr Xavier Chipato, that it took the intervention of a stranger to stop her from committing suicide.

She said she also received counselling from her parents following her attempt to take her own life.

The couple has since separated after Wasiwo accused his wife of cheating.

He took custody of three of their four children.

However, Makuyana denied ever having an extra marital affair.

“I never cheated. The man my husband is accusing me of dating was the one who actually intervened when I was about to take my own life.

“I was really depressed as Wasiwo was denying me my conjugal rights for over a year and I wanted to take my life, but that man stopped me. I also got counselling from my parents and other concerned people after that incident,” said Makuyana.

She alleged that Wasiwo destroyed her home.

“This man destroyed the shack I was living in so that he could have custody of the children.

“After reporting him to the police, they advised me to secure accommodation first before getting the children back. His sister offered shelter for me and the children. I pray this court orders him to surrender the children back,” she said.

Makuyanaalso wants Wasiwo to pay $12 000 monthly maintenance for his family’s upkeep.

She also begged the court to bar him from harassing and assaulting her.

Wasiwo told the court that while he can afford to pay for the children’s school fees, he cannot afford to pay $12 000 every month as he is unemployed.

“I am not employed and cannot afford the amount she is asking for. I am only able to pay $2000 as well as the children’s school fees. One of the children’s fees is paid under the Basic Education Module Assistance (Beam) programme. We are also receiving food hampers worth US$70 from donors, but she sells the groceries and converts the money to her personal use.

“I do not know what she wants that the $12 000 for. I am staying with three of our four children and $2 000 should be enough for the one child in her custody,” Wasiwo argued.

However, Mr Chipato ordered him to pay $8 500 to cover school fees, while Makuyana will cater for the groceries.

He also granted the protection order in Makuyana’s favour.-manicapost

By A Correspondent- Four men are on the run after they beat up a man to death at Royal Mine in Filabusi following a misunderstanding.

Police said the suspects Philani Muntanga, Shelton Muntanga, Silent Muntanga and Fortunate Muntanga who were armed with axes and logs attacked the man on July 30.

The man later died while at his homestead on August 5. Said the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in a statement:

The victim (22) died at his homestead on 5 August after he was assaulted with logs and an axe by the suspects on 30 July who accused him of harbouring intentions of assaulting Philani Muntanga. Investigations are in progress. The ZRP is appealing for information which may lead to the arrest of suspects Philani Muntanga, Shelton Muntanga, Silent Muntanga and Fortunate Muntanga.

The police have for long been urging members of the public to solve their issues amicably to avoid loss of life.

By A Correspondent- The government-funded opposition coalition body, The Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD), said bogus political parties are flocking their offices with applications to join the state resources looting vehicle.

The alleged applications come immediately after President Emmerson Mnangagwa handed over 19 brand new vehicles to POLAD principals, a move that has attracted criticism from some quarters.

Critics feel that the government’s move to award cars to POLAD members was meant to lure more members to the platform and to them into being “submissive” to the government.

POLAD head of secretariat Virginia Mabhiza said most of the applications are from political parties that did not field presidential candidates during the 2018 polls.

Ever since the issuing of vehicles to POLAD principals, I have been overwhelmed by an influx of requests and applications of political parties requesting to join POLAD. Some of the political parties are not even known or registered. I’m overwhelmed right now.

If I just flip my (email) page right now, there are about eight applications. There are more than these that have come forward since the issue of vehicles came out.

Mabhiza singled out LEAD president Linda Masarira as one of the political leaders who have applied to join POLAD long before the donation of vehicles.

In a letter to Mabhiza, The African Democrats (TAD), one of the several opposition parties that participated in the 2018 polls but did not field a presidential candidate, has formally requested to join POLAD.

TAD president Marco Machona who is based in South Africa confirmed the development. Reads a letter recently written by Machona to Mabhiza:

We intend to join POLAD and explore the opportunities to learn, to also share our own ideas, and be catalysts in progressive politics and development in our country.

We would like your assistance in directing our organisation on how it can be part of POLAD.

Machona said POLAD should open its doors to all political parties that did not field presidential parties during the previous election.

Mabhiza confirmed that POLAD’s code of conduct only limits participants to the 2018 losing presidential candidates.

POLAD was formed to address the humanitarian, economic and political crises in the country which some analysts believed was being worsened by the deadlock between ZANU OF and the MDC Alliance.

The platform has also been pushing the engagement and re-engagement agenda the government embarked on in 2017.

Several opposition parties pulled out of POLAD following its formation in May 2019, while others, such as the MDC Alliance, led by Nelson Chamisa, never joined.

By A Correspondent- A Mzilikazi man lost his Toyota Corolla vehicle to a fake Makokoba based traditional healer he had consulted to “cleanse” him of bad omens.

The unsuspecting patient was told to leave his car behind after he was told to go back home and bathe using some herbs. On returning, he found the traditional healer had disappeared with his prized possession.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube identified the suspected bogus traditional healer as Kenneth Banda.

The vehicle, whose registration number is ABF 9905, is valued at $213 200.

-standard

By A Correspondent- A 58 year old man from the Killarney suburb in Bulawayo allegedly lost $567 500 to a fake Silo Belmont distribution manager who had promised to sell him rice and mealie at a discount.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident and said the complainant has not recovered anything yet.

It is alleged that the accused, Bothwell Nyabani, who is on the run, called his victim on July 29 and told him to take advantage of the “special” offer and order in bulk mealie-meal at a reduced price of $350 per 10kg and $85-00 for 2kg rice.

Said Inspector Ncube:

Police in Bulawayo are investigating a case of fraud where the complainant was defrauded of $567 500 and nothing was recovered. The accused person is a male adult only known as Bothwell Nyabani who claimed to be a distribution manager from Silo Belmont, Bulawayo.

On 29 July 2021, at around 09 AM the complainant received a call on his mobile number from the accused person informing the complainant that his company, Silo Belmont was running a sales promotion for mealie-meal and rice.

Insp Ncube said the complainant was convinced and agreed to buy 10 tonnes of mealie-meal and five tonnes of rice for a total amount of $567 500.00 which was to be paid through a bank transfer to a CABS account provided by the accused person.

The complainant sent the driver to collect the order from Silo Belmont but the accused person phoned the driver whilst he was on his way informing him that the order was not yet ready.

After trying in vain, on numerous, to collect his order from Nyabani, the complainant became suspicious and proceeded to Silo Belmont where he was told that the company does not have such a worker by the name of Bothwell Nyabani.

He reported the matter to the police who are now handling the case.

Inspector Ncube urged members of the public to be cautious when dealing with such proclaimed company managers as they risk being duped of their hard-earned cash.

He emphasized the importance of insisting on having landlines to call and verify or visit the place, if possible, for due diligence.

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Police in Bulawayo have gunned down an armed robber and injured two other accomplices.

The incident happened on Saturday.

On its Twitter handle at the weekend, ZRP said they shot down robber and the two injured were part of a gang of six armed robbers from South Africa who pounced on a house along Franklin Drive, Fourwinds, Bulawayo.

” 4 firearms have been recovered at the scene”, posted the police.

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader President Nelson Chamisa has described the party’s vice president Hon Tendai as a true freedom fighter.

In his congratulatory message to Hon Biti on his birthday on Friday, President Chamisa said:

Friends and family, please join me in wishing a happy birthday to a brother, a Cde, a freedom fighter, a workaholic and human rights defender Baba vaTawanda
@BitiTendai

We’re together in these trenches to MAKE ZIMBABWE GREAT! We thank God for the gift u a.Tinosvika chete.”

On Saturday, President Chamisa predicted the fall of wicked leadership troubling souls.

“Do you not know that from of old,
since man was placed on the earth,
the triumph of the wicked is brief, short
and the joy of the godless momentary?Though his arrogance reaches the heavens,
and his head touches the clouds, he will perish forever, like his own dung;those who had seen him will ask, ‘Where is he?’Job 20:4-7
Sabbath showers to you dear friends! Happy sabbath.Godisinit”

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

By A Correspondent- A bitter Mutasa man reportedly burnt down his mother’s hut and proceeded to torch his in-laws’ hut after his wife dumped him.

The bitter man reduced his close relatives’ property to ashes as he demanded a refund for his lobola.

Knowledge Manhanga, 31, destroyed property worth $67 000. He appeared before Mutare magistrate Rumbidzai Kabasa, and he was convicted on his plea of guilty.

The State represented by Ann Chibvongodze proved that Manhanga had a misunderstanding sometime in July with his wife, who then left for her parents’ homestead.

In the State’s case, Manhanga accused his mother of conniving with his wife to desert him. While his mother was away, Manhanga went to his mother’s homestead in Domborutinhira Village and set her hut on fire.

On the same night, Manhanga also went to his in-laws homestead in the same village. He argued with his father-in-law while demanding a lobola refund and threatening to destroy their homestead if his demands were not met.

He later torched a hut at the homestead. Manhanga was arrested after a police report was made, Manica Post reports.

By A Correspondent |MDC Alliance leader President Nelson Chamisa is a man of integrity and wisdom.

On Friday he outwitted Zanu PF sympathizers who attempted to persuade him to authenticate Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s biography.

The biography has already been trashed by renowned scholars.

President Chamisa says he has nothing to learn from the book…

Responding to one Tendai Mwakwara’s remarks, President Chamisa said:

He ( Mnangagwa) is not my “college”. I hope you meant colleague. He is neither of both.I learn nothing from that lot.

Reggie Munyaradzi commented:
“You will find a mentor in ED to help you mature. You really need a mature and wise mentor”

President Chamisa responded:
“Honestly, you are joking. How can I have a mentor who has an evil past and present?

We are God fearing and cannot associate with such.”

PUBLIC NOTICE TO THE ZIMBABWE REPUBLIC POLICE

I note with grave concern the ongoing issue about a minor Child who died whilst giving birth in Marange area.

I am writing this statement as a mother of two beautiful daugthers, a woman, and a Zimbabwean who is particular about Child rights.

It is Edmund Burke who once noted that, “The only thing necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing”. I refuse to do nothing.

This statement is a public notice to the Zimbabwe Republic Police to apprehend the suspect Evans Momberume in 24 hours of this notice.

In the event that there is no arrest in stated period, I am driving personally to Marange area and conduct a Citizen arrest against the suspect, and bring him to the nearest Police Station.

I shall be broadcasting from the location so that whole of Zimbabwe sees in real-time the events.

My heart bleeds as I hear plans to send a 9year old to replace the child who is now deceased. Whilst, we are free to pursue our own faiths, any faith and practice that endangers the welfare and security of minor children is a nuisance in our society.

We need to look out for each other, and protect our vulnerable Children.

Yours Mai Tt

By A Correspondent | MDC Alliance MP for Hwange Central, Honourable Fortune Daniel Molokele says he is unmoved by recalls initiated by Douglas Togarasei Mwonzora’s MDC T.

Mwonzora is accused of working with the Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa to dismantle the MDC Alliance.

Commenting on the recalls, Hon Molokele said:

“Yesterday, the MDC T resumed its very unpopular and undemocratic recalls.

The two municipalities of KweKwe and Chipinge were the initial casualties.

It is rumoured that more announcements are expected that will affect other municipalities.

It is not yet clear if the recalls will also spread to the Parliament of Zimbabwe.

On my part, my position has NOT changed at all.

I remain fully loyal and supportive of the MDC Alliance as led by President Advocate Nelson Chamisa.”

MDC Alliance councillor for ward 24, Bulawayo, Arnold Batirai-Dube described the recalls as ” satanic.”

“The satanic recalls have emerged , my position is people driven.

I belong to the people, I belong to MDC ALLIANCE, I will never in my lifetime belong to satanic Mwonzora’s Zanu pf aligned party.

I BELIEVE IN PRESIDENT CHAMISA S LEADERSHIP,” Batirai-Dube wrote on Facebook.

By A Correspondent- Most private hospitals offering Covid-19 treatment are turning the pandemic into an economic and psychological nightmare for patients, with some of the institutions charging admission fees of up to US$1 000 per night.

With most Government hospitals already overwhelmed by Covid-19 patients, the only hope available for those needing treatment is private care, whose costs have spiralled beyond the reach of many.

A survey carried out by The Sunday Mail over the last few days revealed that the cost of admission of a Covid-19 patient at private clinics such as West End and Avenues Clinic is ranging from US$800 to US$1 000 per day in the intensive care unit (ICU). Montagu Clinic, which operates under Avenues Clinic in Harare, caters for five-day admissions and is reportedly charging US$3 500 for a general ward, US$5 100 for its high-dependence unit (HDU), US$4 000 for a private ward and US$7 600 for the intensive care unit (ICU). Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo is demanding a deposit of US$5 000 for patients who need ICU hospitalisation, an eye watering amount.

Most Covid-19 patients now have bills running into thousands of US dollars, while some patients are losing their lives after opting out of the private hospitals.

Chief co-ordinator of the National Response to the Covid-19 in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Dr Agnes Mahomva, said the Government would look into the issue. She said while charging Covid-19 patients was an administrative issue on the part of the Ministry of Health and Child Care, it was the Government that gives permission to private hospitals to test and treat Covid-19 patients.

“Since this is a global pandemic, the Government roped in the private sector to help in treating and testing of Covid-19 patients. We encourage people to go to the public health institutions and follow the correct channels, they will receive help,” she said.

The Medical and Dental Private Practitioners of Zimbabwe Association (MDPPZA), a body of medical practitioners in private practice, said the charges were justified.

MDPPZA president Dr Johannes Marisa said healthcare workers treating coronavirus patients faced extraordinary risks to themselves and their families.

“Inputs needed to manage and treat a Covid-19 patient are very expensive, especially the procurement of oxygen. We are not funded by anybody and in essence we are left with little to nothing after treatment of a Covid-19 patient,” he said.

Dismissing the allegations of profiteering, Dr Marisa said: “We provide research-backed cutting-edge care and our outcomes are comparable to the best. This does make Covid-19 care expensive.”- The Sunday Mail

By A Correspondent- Over 300 settlers who the government evicted have invaded another government property.

The 300 were recently evicted from a local farm by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement.

Most of the settlers are from Mutare and lost money to suspected land barons -Godfrey Mukoko, Mukono Mujeke, Gabriel Chirochepi, Noel and Owen Bvirindi.

The land barons were arrested and are on trial over the issue at Mutare Magistrate’sMagistrate’s Court.

By A Correspondent- People have expressed mixed views over the future of the late Robert Martin Gumbura’s 25 widows.

Gumbura died at the weekend at Chikurubi maximum prison, serving a 40-year jail term for rape.

The jailed late cleric had 25 wives.

People took to social media, airing different views about the future of his widows.

Some said the widows should move, while others say they should stay together at their late husband’s properties.

Some unsympathetic commentators said the 25 widows would break neighbours marriages by falling in love with married people.

By A Correspondent- Suspected opposition politics members are circulating a late old President Robert Mugabe’s interview, which was carried by the state broadcaster many years ago in which the late ruler was denouncing National Constitutional Assembly leader, Professor Lovemore Madhuku.

In the interview, the late President, portrays Madhuku as a greedy person who mobilises citizens, makes them demonstrate against him, get arrested before getting paid for that by the west.

During his heydays, Madhuku gave Mugabe torrid times and staged a series of successful protests against Mugabe’s powers that the late ruler used to abuse.

Madhuku would collaborate with like-minded civil society organisations, university students, and the opposition and shut down the entire nation.

The recycled video is circulating when Madhuku, one of the Political Actors Dialogue members, recently made headlines for receiving a POLAD car from the government.

As if Madhuku is the only one who got the POLAD car, his haters pretend to view the NCA leader as a sellout who is now wining and dining with Zanu PF, the party he used to denounce.

The Constitutional law expert parted ways with the opposition MDC of the late Morgan Tsvangirai in 2008 when the latter decided to form a unity government with Zanu PF.

Before parting ways, Madhuku made it clear that the unity government would destroy the country’s opposition.

He also disagreed with opposition on giving in to Zanu PF’s demands of tasking the unity government with the responsibility of writing a new constitution.

Commenting on the old circulating video, political analyst and brother to the NCA President, Claris Madhuku, on his social media platform, said those denouncing the University of Zimbabwe Law lecturer were missing the point.

Below is Claris’ opinion:

It makes Professor Madhuku a very critical player in our local politics.
He is not very ordinary in his approach, i want to argue. He is not in the class of NC. He is more irritating as a critic because of his precision.

Then( when the interview was done), he was the undisputed leader of the Civic society in terms of defiance in Zimbabwe. It reveals how irritating he was to the government of Mugabe.

The reference had very little to do with his personality or greediness but the imagery of western donor support and confrontation politics. Mugabe had problems with the west( sponsors of regime change).

MDC Alliance has not learnt from the past and continues to use the tired approach of confrontation that is budgeted from the western narrative of calling for sanctions.

Madhuku has changed tact and strategy on the basis of reading the current leadership style being applied by ED.

ED can be neutralised by ideas and by engaging. He has also neutralised the west through the same.

By A Correspondent- The death of the incarcerated Robert Martin Gumbura yesterday has left many asking about the future of his 25 wives.

Gumbura was arrested and convicted on charges of rape. He was famous for having 25 wives and a church.

He died from Covid-19 on his way to the hospital from Chikurubi Maximum Prison after contracting the deadly pandemic from his detention cells.

By A Correspondent- The Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) platform set up by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in 2018 yesterday exposed a serious rift in the group over whether the country should postpone the 2023 elections.

Some of its members have also poured cold water on calls by the MDC-T led by Douglas Mwonzora to delay the polls.

This comes after recent reports that Mwonzora approached Mnangagwa and asked him to postpone the harmonised 2023 elections on the premise that they would be costly and divisive.

Some Polad members yesterday told NewsDay that some members had a broader plan to have the elections postponed and to push Mnangagwa to incorporate them in government and Parliament.

President of the little known Republican Party of Zimbabwe, Kwanele Hlabangana, who is also a member of Polad, said such calls were dangerous and should not be entertained.

“Those people that want the 2023 elections postponed are very dangerous because elections in any country are a constitutional matter, and we don’t hold elections based on the wishes of people. We hold elections because we follow the Constitution. I don’t see any argument or debate around elections because we have a Constitution in this country,” Hlabangana said.

“What sort of a country will we be running if we just decide that there are no elections? Polad cannot have a different position to the constitutional position. The only thing we are doing as Polad is we are pushing for electoral reforms. We believe elections should not be disputed like the situation we had in 2018. We want to have free and fair elections where the winners win and we don’t want excuses. We are working on all reforms, security reforms and everything to do with the Constitution,” he said.

But other Polad members said elections were an exercise that would cost the country a lot and were divisive, hence the need to postpone them and appeal to Mnangagwa to incorporate them into government and Parliament.

“That is a more progressive move that we are pushing (Polad). We cannot be perpetually in election mode and with what we have achieved in Polad, we are in the right direction, and so that should proceed,” a Polad member, who preferred not to be named, said.

Last week, National Constitutional Assembly chairman Lovemore Madhuku said Polad was in Zimbabwe to stay as a permanent body. He said it was an important platform to push for electoral reforms.

Polad has been criticised as a Zanu PF and Mnangagwa project meant to hoodwink the international community into believing that there is unity in the country.

The grouping consists of political parties and individuals who contested and dismally lost in the July 2018 elections. Some 19 Polad principals last week received brand new vehicles from Mnangagwa.

They were also pampered with diplomatic passports, and are currently waiting to be allocated farms by government.

– NewsDay

By A Correspondent- The death of the incarcerated Robert Martin Gumbura yesterday has exposed the government’s unpreparedness to protect inmates from health hazards.

Gumbura died from Covid-19 on his way to the hospital from Chikurubi Maximum Prison.

He contracted Covid-19 from his detention cells.

Chikurubi maximum security Prison has become a hot spot for covid 19.

A psychiatric section with 400 psychiatric inmates 257 tested positive to covid 19 during the week, ZimEye can reveal.

The situation has forced the authorities to introduce forced vaccination and testing to officers. No one can enter Chikurubi maximum security Prison gates without a vaccination card and testing certificate.

There has been no running water at the prison complex for two weeks now, forcing the infection rate to surge.

Both officers and inmates are fetching water from unprotected wells.

The development also comes when the prison facility has gone for more than four months without cooking oil for prisoners’ food.

By A Correspondent | At 1pm on Sunday is a Countdown session featuring the respected Chief Felix Ndiweni and his team of technocrats.

The Countdown is a program that carefully follows everything coordinating for Emmerson Mnangagwa’s soon removal.

The live program comes as it is revealed Zimbabweans in the diaspora are voting in the upcoming elections, and that they are to be represented at the United Nations as a nation, the latest in efforts to stop crimes against humanity by the self-boasting-genocide criminal Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The program, which is a Heroes Day Special will be beamed live on ZimEye com

By Dorrothy Moyo | In August, the heroic Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono shut-the-sports on the foul mouthed pastor Passion Java who had spent the weekend throwing a party over his first 2 million views.

Java, is the producer of the Mnangagwa election campaign song, Patati Patata featuring the Congolese Kofi Olomide.

Chin’ono printed out how the numbers are everything from suspicious to discredited.

Said Chin’ono: They don’t just rig elections, they also rig YouTube views! Dear ZANUPF comrades, We went to university in Europe and America, and some of our classmates are now executives at social media companies like YouTube! You can lie and rig to rural people but not to us. Happy weekend

By A Correspondent | The following story narrates how the late jailed preacher Robert Martin Gumbura Ran out of both luck and life as he was to be released from prison this year.

Gumbura’s Lawyer, Lovemore Madhuku tells ZimEye the man was set to be released this year, meaning his sentence of 40 years was being cut down.

Gumbura died today and it was reported that he died due to COVID-19.

The ZANU PF card carrying member, was fighting his conviction for rape passed 7 years ago.

For years he maintained that he was innocent.

Speaking to ZimEye, Prof Madhuku said after getting bail pending appeal, his chances of getting bail were now very high, adding that this was to happen this year.

Below is an exclusive interview with the late preacher’s lawyer Lovemore Madhuku on Saturday evening. Prof Madhuku spoke to ZimEye’s Simba Chikanza.

Madhuku: It’s a very devastating death I am quite sad about it I am still not aware of what exactly happened, because I just got the news; I am out of Harare. I am still to check what happened.

Qu: So you are not aware of these reports that say he died because of covid?

Madhuku: that’s what I just got but that’s only come out at the same time as the news of his death. but we never got to know about the fact that it was because of covid-19.

Qu: when was he due to be released?

Madhuku: yes we had actually succeeded in getting his yes and sentence reduced from the sentence of 40 years to any effective sentence of 20 years and he had served a substantial portion of it.

We had also obtained relief for him to appeal, he had actually filed an appeal and we were now in the process of wanting to get bail pending appeal.

Qu: so that would mean that he would be released this year then?

Madhuku: I missed what you said. What I can tell you is that…

Qu: He was likely to be released this year, then, most likely?

Madhuku: Yes I think we were going to get something like that. Because after Kereke got bail pending appeal, his chances of getting bail were also very high, now.

Qu: Do you know enough about the conditions of the prisons?

Madhuku: under this current COVID situation they are really bad conditions there. I think the death really shows that something has to be done about the conditions, I think they have to improve; we have to attend; that death sends a message about the conditions.

ZimEye.com

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader President Nelson Chamisa has distanced himself from Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s biography.

This follows a photoshopped picture of him purportedly reading the book. In a desperate attempt to authenticate the book, Zanu PF’s Varakashi, produced a fake picture of President Chamisa reading Mr Mnangagwa’s biography.

Renowned academics have already dismissed Mr Mnangagwa’s biography saying it is a “smorgasbord of half-truths and deliberate misrepresentation of facts.”

President Chamisa has declared that he will never read Mr Mnangagwa’s biography.

“This (photoshopping) has come to my attention. I have never read and will never read any book about ED. Never ever.

Photoshopping can’t be a solution to our problems,” said President Chamisa.

MDC Alliance Secretary General Hon Charlton Hwende also described the production of the fake picture by Varakashi as desperation of the worst kind.

“Everything about ED is fake! Fake Presidential results, Fake Presidency , Fake Nationality Now they are faking President Nelson Chamisa’s picture reading a book on General Mujuru. Iro book renyu na Eddie Cross verengai Mega,” said Hon Hwende.

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader President Nelson Chamisa has described the party’s vice president Hon Tendai as a true freedom fighter.

In his congratulatory message to Hon Biti on his birthday on Friday, President Chamisa said:

Friends and family, please join me in wishing a happy birthday to a brother, a Cde, a freedom fighter, a workaholic and human rights defender Baba vaTawanda
@BitiTendai

We’re together in these trenches to MAKE ZIMBABWE GREAT! We thank God for the gift u a.Tinosvika chete.”

On Saturday, President Chamisa predicted the fall of wicked leadership troubling souls.

“Do you not know that from of old,
since man was placed on the earth,
the triumph of the wicked is brief, short
and the joy of the godless momentary?Though his arrogance reaches the heavens,
and his head touches the clouds, he will perish forever, like his own dung;those who had seen him will ask, ‘Where is he?’Job 20:4-7
Sabbath showers to you dear friends! Happy sabbath.Godisinit”

By A Correspondent | The late jailed preacher Robert Martin Gumbura’s Lawyer, Lovemore Madhuku has said the man was set to be released this year, meaning his sentence of 40 years was being cut down.

Gumbura died today and it was reported that he died due to COVID-19.

The ZANU PF card carrying member, was fighting his conviction for rape passed 7 years ago.

For years he maintained that he was innocent.

Speaking to ZimEye, Prof Madhuku said after getting bail pending appeal, his chances of getting bail were now very high, adding that this was to happen this year.

Below is an exclusive interview with the late preacher’s lawyer Lovemore Madhuku on Saturday evening. Prof Madhuku spoke to ZimEye’s Simba Chikanza.

Madhuku: It’s a very devastating death I am quite sad about it I am still not aware of what exactly happened, because I just got the news; I am out of Harare. I am still to check what happened.

Qu: So you are not aware of these reports that say he died because of covid?

Madhuku: that’s what I just got but that’s only come out at the same time as the news of his death. but we never got to know about the fact that it was because of covid-19.

Qu: when was he due to be released?

Madhuku: yes we had actually succeeded in getting his yes and sentence reduced from the sentence of 40 years to any effective sentence of 20 years and he had served a substantial portion of it.

We had also obtained relief for him to appeal, he had actually filed an appeal and we were now in the process of wanting to get bail pending appeal.

Qu: so that would mean that he would be released this year then?

Madhuku: I missed what you said. What I can tell you is that…

Qu: He was likely to be released this year, then, most likely?

Madhuku: Yes I think we were going to get something like that. Because after Kereke got bail pending appeal, his chances of getting bail were also very high, now.

Qu: Do you know enough about the conditions of the prisons?

Madhuku: under this current COVID situation they are really bad conditions there. I think the death really shows that something has to be done about the conditions, I think they have to improve; we have to attend; that death sends a message about the conditions.

ZimEye.com

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader President Nelson Chamisa has distanced himself from Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s biography.

This follows a photoshopped picture of him purportedly reading the book. In a desperate attempt to authenticate the book, Zanu PF’s Varakashi, produced a fake picture of President Chamisa reading Mr Mnangagwa’s biography.

Renowned academics have already dismissed Mr Mnangagwa’s biography saying it is a “smorgasbord of half-truths and deliberate misrepresentation of facts.”

President Chamisa has declared that he will never read Mr Mnangagwa’s biography.

“This (photoshopping) has come to my attention. I have never read and will never read any book about ED. Never ever.

Photoshopping can’t be a solution to our problems,” said President Chamisa.

MDC Alliance Secretary General Hon Charlton Hwende also described the production of the fake picture by Varakashi as desperation of the worst kind.

“Everything about ED is fake! Fake Presidential results, Fake Presidency , Fake Nationality Now they are faking President Nelson Chamisa’s picture reading a book on General Mujuru. Iro book renyu na Eddie Cross verengai Mega,” said Hon Hwende.

By A Correspondent | The jailed pastor Robert Martin Gumbura has died in prison, sources say.

Impeccable sources claimed the ZANU PF member, and controversial pastor, has died from COVID-19.

Prison authorities were still to make an official announcement at the time of writing.

He was convicted for rape of several church women in 2014.

Meanwhile, Chikurubi maximum security Prison has become a hot spot for covid 19.

A psychiatric section which has 400 psychiatric inmates 257 tested positive to covid 19 during the week, ZimEye can reveal.

This has forced the authorities to introduce forced vaccination and testing to officers and noone is allowed to enter chikurubi maximum security Prison gates without a vaccination card and testing certificate.

The infections have been worsened by the lack of running water at Chikurubi complex for the past two weeks and both officers and inmates have been forced to fetch water from unprotected wells.

The development also comes at a time when when the prison facility has gone for more than 4 months without cooking oil for-prisoners’ food.

• REFRESH THIS PAGE FOR MORE

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader President Nelson Chamisa has distanced himself from Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s biography.

This follows a photoshopped picture of him purportedly reading the book. In a desperate attempt to authenticate the book, Zanu PF’s Varakashi, produced a fake picture of President Chamisa reading Mr Mnangagwa’s biography.

Renowned academics have already dismissed Mr Mnangagwa’s biography saying it is a “smorgasbord of half-truths and deliberate misrepresentation of facts.”

President Chamisa has declared that he will never read Mr Mnangagwa’s biography.

“This (photoshopping) has come to my attention. I have never read and will never read any book about ED. Never ever.

Photoshopping can’t be a solution to our problems,” said President Chamisa.

MDC Alliance Secretary General Hon Charlton Hwende also described the production of the fake picture by Varakashi as desperation of the worst kind.

“Everything about ED is fake! Fake Presidential results, Fake Presidency , Fake Nationality Now they are faking President Nelson Chamisa’s picture reading a book on General Mujuru. Iro book renyu na Eddie Cross verengai Mega,” said Hon Hwende.

THE ARREST OF CLLR TAITI BUSUMANI PURELY POLITICAL:MDC-A MASH WEST

03-08-2021

The arrest of Cllr Taiti Busumani of Nyaminyami Rural District Council Ward 3 is not only illegal and unlawful but also political.

Councillor Taiti Busumani has excelled beyond expectation and ZANU PF is feeling threatened by the excellence and brilliance exhibited by this hardworking MDC Alliance Councillor hence the plot to scupper his clean record.

It is a shameful lie that Councillor Busumani was not involving the local leadership.For the record,Cllr Busumani has worked with his local leadership from the onset resulting in the fruition of countless projects in the ward.

The Constituency is a pro-MDC Alliance one hence the electorate and the party deployees work hand in glove.It is a fallacy to allege that Our Councillor was working in solitude without the local leadership yet the MDC Alliance lives and survives in the people.

The fact that the police illegally detained Cllr Taiti Busumani for three consecutive days without preferring a charge clearly exposes the political nature of these allegations.They detained him without a cause and were running around like headless chicken hoping to find a charge to nail him with but couldn’t find any.

It’s a shame in this day and age that the police force is reduced to a mediocre police force by some overzealous elements who choose to weaponise the law.

We wonder who could have instituted Cllr Taiti Busumani’s arrest when there was no complainant at all.We understand that Cllr Busumani was audited by the Council Auditors and also Auditors from the Ministry of Local Government and was found clean as a whistle.Arresting and detaining him without prefering charges is therefore a violation of his fundamental human Rights.

It is an open secret that the ZANU is clamouring for a by-election in the MDC Alliance controlled wards hence witchunting shamelessly even when they find no fault.

We therefore maintain our Councillor’s innocence and maintaining that it is nothing but sheer witchunting meant to villify him and a violation of his freedoms and liberties.

The only crime Cllr Taiti Busumani committed according to ZANU is to serve his ward wholeheartedly and to full fill his election promises which has not only pained but also given ZANU PF sleepless nights.

We would like to make it categorically clear and with no ambiguity whatsoever that as The MDC Alliance Mashonaland Best Province we will keep on delivering the best that we promised our electorate.We are relentless in our quest to full fill our election promises.The weaponisation of the Law to detail us will not stop us whatsoever!!!

#CitizensConvergenceForChange
#It’sNotYetUhuru
#FreeMako
#ZimbabweAgenda

By
Mandava Blessing
Provincial Spokesperson

By A Correspondent- Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa has launched a scathing attack on UK-based academic and biographer Blessing Miles Tendi over his criticism of the recently published biography of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
 
The book, authored by former MDC secretary of policy, Eddie Cross, titled A life of Sacrifice was launched at State House Thursday and chronicles Mnangagwa’s life.
 
Tendi, via his Twitter account, criticised the book alleging it has several omissions and historical falsehoods. He said:

Of historical falsehoods and silences:

1. Mnangagwa was not a member of the Crocodile Gang.

2. Silence on the 1980’s Gukurahundi.

3. Silence on the DRC War.

4. Silence on the death of Solomon Mujuru.

5. The 2017 military coup is referred to as a “military assisted transition”.

His remarks attracted criticism from Mutsvangwa, a former advisor to President Mnangagwa, who claimed Tendi himself made errors in the Solomon Mujuru biography – The Army and Politics in Zimbabwe: Mujuru, the Liberation Fighter and Kingmaker.

Mujuru, known by his nom-de-guerre Nhongo until 1992, when he retired from the army, was second in command of the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA).

According to Tendi, Mujuru played a key role in enabling Robert Mugabe to seize the leadership of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) in 1976. He eventually led Zimbabwe’s national army, became a businessman of some note, and continued to play significant roles in ZANU’s internal politics until his unexplained death in 2011.

Tendi chronologically tells Mujuru’s story from childhood, through his years in the liberation struggle and forward into independent Zimbabwe. He also claims Mujuru distrusted now president Emmerson Mnangagwa and opposed his rise within ZANU PF.

Mutsvangwa said:

Blessing Miles Tendi, you are free to write oceans of ink and forests of paper on selected topics of your choice on any historical event. What you cannot do is compel Eddie Cross to write about what he independently thinks.

You simply are just not his brain box. His grey matter is not your real estate. Neither is his writing hand your narcissist pen.

You wrote your rag book extolling an illiterate comrade as the epitome of guerrilla valour and prowess in the most glorious military endeavour of modern Africa’s anti-colonial, anti-racist warfare against the self-anointed Masters of the Universe of the West. In your specious tome, you blinded yourself to the modern African military genius that was General Magama Tongogara.

For reasons of pandering to compromised patronage, your eyes only opt to pick out specks on a big screen.

All said, you can never be a professional photographer to a wedding. Your camera lense will ogle about, registering gatecrashers and scruffy drunkards. Them rather than the folding ceremony and its enthroned bride and groom. Please do spare us your post-event can’t about the Chimurenga-Mvukelo. It will never serve as the substitute of the true historical experience that EDM painfully walked barefoot on smouldering embers.

By A Correspondent- The new Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army is Lieutenant General David Sigauke with President Mnangagwa promoting him from major general and appointing him to the army command with effect from July 30.

Lt Gen Sigauke replaces the late Lt Gen Edzai Chimonyo who died last month.  As part of the reassignments within the top ranks of the army, Brigadier General Emmanuel Matatu was promoted by the President to Major General.

A third promotion came with the retirement of Brigadier General Sydney Bhebhe who moves to the retired list as a Major General. Before his promotion Lt Gen Sigauke was Chief of Staff general staff, the number two post in the army.  

His promotion has seen a general reassignment of senior army officers. Major General Kasirai Tazira moves from Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) headquarters, where he was Inspector General, to Army Headquarters as Chief of Staff general staff.

From left, Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, new Army Chief of Staff Administration Staff Major General Emmanuel Matatu, newly promoted Zimbabwe National Army Commander Lieutenant General David Sigauke and Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Philip Valerio Sibanda pose for a picture at Defence House in Harare yesterday.

In turn Maj Gen Paul Chima moves from Chief of Staff administration staff at army headquarters to ZDF headquarters as Inspector General while Maj Gen Matatu moves from the Zimbabwe National Defence University to Army Headquarters as Chief of Staff administration staff.

Maj Gen Hlanganani Dube remains at Army Headquarters as Chief of Staff quartermaster.

Conferring the new insignia of rank to the three promoted general officers, Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said their promotion was an acknowledgement of the generals’ loyalty, hard work and diligence. She urged the generals to continue demonstrating high levels of professionalism which earned them the recognition.

“I wish to express my sincere gratitude to His Excellency the President and Commander In Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces for promoting these three general officers to the next higher rank,” she said.

To the new ZNA Commander, Lt-Gen Sigauke, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said the appointment was challenging and came with many expectations from superiors.  

“As leader of the ZNA, you will be expected to rally soldiers in implementing Government programmes such as the NDS 1. You will also have responsibility to look after the welfare of the forces inculcating discipline and loyalty as well as capacitating them to adequately defend the country’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” she said.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said the promotion of Maj Gen Matatu was well deserved and would add value to the ZDF in the capacity he would serve. She said the Zimbabwe Defence Forces acknowledged Maj Gen Bhebhe’s immense contribution during his long active service.

“Be reminded that the organisation will call upon you to render service, from time to time, tapping on your wealth of experience.

“It is my sincere hope that these three promotions inspire others as this is a reflection that the organisation rewards hardwork,” she said.

Lt-Gen Sigauke thanked President Mnangagwa for the recognition given to the three generals which he said was a show of confidence and trust. He promised that the work left by the late commander Lt-Gen Edzai Chimonyo would be continued.

“As I take over, I will ensure the vision is brought to fruition. We promise to serve Zimbabwe and ensure its people and territorial integrity are safeguarded at all costs,” he said.

-Newsday

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) is alarmed by media reports that a 14-year old girl, Memory Machaya, passed away recently while giving birth at an apostolic sect church shrine in Marange in Manicaland province, and reports that child, forced and early marriages are increasing in Zimbabwe.

The culture of child, forced and early marriages in Zimbabwe perpetuates gender-based violence and undermines the health, growth, dignity, security and development of the girl child in Zimbabwe.

Child, forced and early marriages are also linked to higher rates of school dropouts, unintended pregnancies due to sexual abuse and also increased risks of miscarriage, unsafe abortions, stillbirth, intrauterine haemorrhage and increased vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections among young girls.

Zimbabwe has a clear obligation under international and regional treaties and conventions and national legislation to take measures to prevent child marriages and address all forms of violence against women and girls.

Sections 78 and 81 of the Constitution provide that anyone below the age of 18 years is a child, and the Constitutional Court has confirmed that marriage with children under 18 years is prohibited. Section 78(2) of the Constitution provides that no person can be compelled to enter into a marriage against their will.

Section 70 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23) provides that any person who has sexual intercourse with a person below the age of 16 years, with or without their consent, shall be guilty of rape or aggravated indecent assault or indecent assault.

The Domestic Violence Act (Chapter 5:16) criminalises abuse derived from any cultural or customary rites or practices, including child and forced marriages that discriminate against or degrade girls and women.

Sadly, in spite of these legal protections, there is an on-going and unabated practice in religious and cultural sects of rape, child abuse, and marrying-off young girls, exposing them to child pregnancies and worse.

It is against this background that ZLHR calls on:

•       Members of the apostolic sect to desist from practising these harmful practices as they expose young girls to sexual predators and is tantamount to rape and child abuse.

•       The Zimbabwe Republic Police and human rights institutions such as the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) and the Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) to investigate this issue and bring the perpetrators to account according to section 245 of the Constitution. Law enforcement agencies should enforce the law without fear, favour or
prejudice.

•       The Parliament of Zimbabwe to pass the Marriages Bill 2019 into law as a matter of urgency, during its current sitting, to align the legislation with sections 78 and 81 of the Constitution by repealing outdated provisions allowing young girls to get married at 16 years, or younger with the consent of the minister.

•       All stakeholders such as the civil society, ZHRC, ZGC, traditional and church leaders to coordinate themselves and engage on child, early and forced marriages.

•       All stakeholders to conduct awareness programmes to inform rural and urban dwellers about the dangers of child, early and forced marriages and the laws that are being violated. It is also important to educate society as a whole about gender-based violence and the laws and policies that exist in the country.

•       Communities to report child, early and forced marriages to the police and other stakeholders working in this area. Most cases remain underreported due to fear of retribution

By A Correspondent- Members of the apostolic sect have said they were ready to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but the government should bring the programme right at the shrines to speed up the process.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Marondera herd immunity pro-vaccine campaign to be officially launched today, Johanne Masowe Echishanu (Jerusarema Bethsaida) leader Echoes Chiore said the sect members were ready for the COVID-19 vaccine.

“We are more than ready as Vapostori,” Chiore said. “We are even appealing to the authorities to bring the programme right to the shrines so that we capture all. We are in support of the vaccination programme.”

Chiore, popularly known as Madzibaba Echoes, leads one of the biggest apostolic sects in the country while Zanu-PF stalwart Lawrence Katsiru leads another.

The Marondera COVID-19 vaccination programme was initiated by businesses and residents running under the hashtag #MaronderaForHerdImmunityYesWeCan#.

Meanwhile, the campaign has received a major boost after the police, government and big companies rendered massive support.

Some of the big corporates supporting the initiative include Proton Bakeries, Nyaradzo and Doves Funeral Assurance and Marondera Municipality, among others.

Government through the Health ministry is expected to increase vaccination points today especially in the CBD and main bus terminus.

The COVID-19 campaign leader Emmanuel Danha applauded government and stakeholders for supporting the initiative towards achieving herd immunity in the farming town.

“We are going to officially launch the pro-vaccine campaign tomorrow (today) with a simple road show and processions. We started off using social media platforms and it paid off. We applaud all stakeholders, especially the government and the corporate world for coming forward so that we collectively fight this virus.

“The most important and interesting thing is that we have been assured of vaccine availability and we are expecting to double the number of those already vaccinated in no time,” he said. Marondera district, one of the hotspots in the country, is expected to vaccinate at least 122 000 people to achieve herd immunity.

-Newsday

United States of America Secretary of State Anthony J Blinken has announced the designation of five terrorist leaders in Africa. Among them is Bonomade Machude Omar of Mozambique.

According to Secretary Blinken, Bonomade Machude Omar, also known as Abu Sulayfa Muhammad and Ibn Omar, leads the Military and External Affairs Departments for ISIS-Mozambique and serves as the senior commander and lead coordinator for all attacks conducted by the group in northern Mozambique, as well as the lead facilitator and communications conduit for the group. 

During the March 2021 attack on Palma, Omar led one group of fighters while Abu Yasir Hassan, the leader of ISIS-Mozambique, led another group of fighters, and Omar also led the attack on the Amarula Hotel in Palma.  Omar has been responsible for attacks in Cabo Delgado Province, Mozambique, and Mtwara Region, Tanzania.

Other terrorist leaders sanctioned are Sidanag Hitta of Mali, Salem ouldBreihmatt of Burkina Faso, Ali Mohamed Rage who is involved in attack planning that has targeted areas in Kenya and Somalia and AbdikadirMohamed Abdikadir, also known as Ikrima, is a facilitator and operational planner.  As of November 2019, Abdikadirwas an al-Shabaab senior leader and served as the Head of Operations and Logistics.  Abdikadir had also directed previous attack planning for al-Shabaab.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Secretary said:

As a result of our actions today, among other consequences, all property and interests in property of these individuals must be blocked and reported to the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). In addition, persons that engage in certain transactions with the persons designated today may themselves be exposed to designation.  Furthermore, any foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitates a significant financial transaction or provides significant financial services for the persons designated today could be subject to U.S. correspondent account or payable-through account sanctions.

The United States is committed to disrupting the financing methods of ISIS-Mozambique, JNIM, and al-Shabaab -all of which are designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations and SDGTs -limiting their abilities to conduct further attacks against civilians and supporting our partners in efforts to disrupt terrorism finance.  Addressing the terrorist threat across the continent will require working closely with our partners to degrade the capacity and operations of these terrorist groups, combatting their control and influence in West, East, and Southern Africa.

By A Correspondent- Villagers of Kandeya in Mount Darwin were on Monday shocked after an 82-year-old man was fatally struck with an axe handle by his 27-year-old grandson over allegations of witchcraft.

Owen Kudzai Kutika was dragged to Bindura Magistrates’ Courts yesterday charged with murder.

Kutika appeared before magistrate Samantha Dhlamini and was not asked to plead to a murder charge. He was remanded in custody to August 27.

Prosecutor Edward Katsvairo alleged that on August 2 at Bruton Farm, Mount Darwin, Kutika accused his grandfather of bewitching him.

The now-deceased, who stayed alone at Kandeya village, went to his house and around 7pm, the incensed Kutika pounced on him with a wooden axe handle.

He struck him twice on the left shoulder. He tried to escape, but the charged Kutika pursued him and ordered him to give his last prayer before fatally striking him several times on the head. Tsikiso was severely injured on the occiput and he died on the spot.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- A Gwanda man is lucky to be alive after being shot once by a suspected police officer in Gwanda at Cobra West Mine on Friday morning.

Vumani Moyo was shot once on the hip by an unidentified person clad in police uniform before fleeing and leaving the rifle behind.

According to a police memo seen by this publication, the accused disembarked from commuter omnibus silver in color and tried to arrest the owner of the mine, Thandiwe Moyo.

It is further stated that other workers tried to intervene resulting in the “police” firing and injuring Vumani before fleeing the scene living the rifle behind.

“An unknown male accused person clad in police uniform in possession of a rifle disembarked from the vehicle and called the informant who was at the hammer mill with some of her employees. The informant went close to the accused person who asked her what was happening at the mine. The informant told the accused person that that they were milling their gold ore. The accused person informed the informant that she was under arrest and he handcuffed her.

“This did not go down well with the informant’s employees who queried the arrest asking what the informant had done wrong. A misunderstanding between the accused person and the informant’s employees arose which led to the accused person firing one shot which hit Vumani Moyo,” read part of the police memo.

Police sources claimed that initial investigations revealed that the rifle, an AK 47 serial number ZRP2004 with 29 rounds and one used cartridge belonged to the ZRP. Efforts to get a comment from Police spokesperson Ass Comm Paul Nyathi were fruitless.

Cases of armed robberies are on the rise in the country with robbers mainly targeting mines and shops.

By A Correspondent- United States-based MDC Alliance activist, Freeman Chari has said he expected apologies from ministers in the cabinet of the late former president Robert Gabriel Mugabe for the “wrongs” during their tenure of office but “none” of them apologised.

Mugabe presided over a deepening economic crisis in Zimbabwe, where the majority lived in abject poverty.

The gradual collapse of the economy is attributed to corruption and poor policies. The government blamed sanctions imposed by the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and their allies at the turn of the millennium for alleged human rights abuses.

Chari said he thought the ministers in the Mugabe regime should have apologised for their contribution to the demise of the economy. He said:

I have been waiting for these former Mugabe ministers to just sincerely say… “I am sorry for the things I did or enabled under my watch. I will never do it again”. Nop, they are all clean!

I will keep reminding myself and others that we might have fallen on the same side but we probably do not have much in common. They had disdain for us, they were willing to exterminate us. Have we become so attractive to be worth of camaraderie or we are just convenient…?

Of all the ministers who were appointed by Mugabe between 1980 and 2017, Dr Nkosana Moyo is the only one who resigned, in 2001, citing differences between him and Mugabe.

Most, if not all, of the ministers during the Mugabe era were accused of engaging in underhand dealings at the expense of national development.

Some analysts argue that there is n difference between Mugabe’s cabinets and that of his successor, President Emmerson Mnangagwa while some say the latter is worse as far as corruption is concerned.

They say Mnangagwa has only paid lip service to fight corruption adding that his anti-corruption institutions – the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and the Special Anti-Corruption Unit – are toothless

By A Correspondent |Former Movement for Democratic Change Change official Eddie Cross shocked all and sundry after penning Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa’s biography.

Prominent academics have described the biography as a collection of lies.

The book, launched on Thursday, attempts to portray Mnangagwa as a political saint.

Professor of History, Sabelo Ndlovu-Gatsheni has described the book as a “a glut of hagiographies masquerading as biographies.”

University of Oxford professor Miles Tendi argued:

Of historical falsehoods and silences:

1. ED was not a member of the Crocodile Gang.
2. Silence on the 1980’s Gukurahundi.
3. Silence on the DRC War.
4. Silence on the death of Solomon Mujuru.
5. The 2017 military coup is referred to as a “military assisted transition”.

MDC Alliance vice president Hon Tendai Biti said:
“It’s hard to measure which is the bigger fool Eddie Cross or Lovemore Maduku.”

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader President Nelson Chamisa has described the party’s vice president Hon Tendai as a true freedom fighter.

In his congratulatory message to Hon Biti on his birthday on Friday, President Chamisa said:

Friends and family, please join me in wishing a happy birthday to a brother, a Cde, a freedom fighter, a workaholic and human rights defender Baba vaTawanda
@BitiTendai

We’re together in these trenches to MAKE ZIMBABWE GREAT! We thank God for the gift u a.Tinosvika chete.”

On Saturday, President Chamisa predicted the fall of wicked leadership troubling souls.

“Do you not know that from of old,
since man was placed on the earth,
the triumph of the wicked is brief, short
and the joy of the godless momentary?Though his arrogance reaches the heavens,
and his head touches the clouds, he will perish forever, like his own dung;those who had seen him will ask, ‘Where is he?’Job 20:4-7
Sabbath showers to you dear friends! Happy sabbath.Godisinit”

By A Correspondent- Two prison inmates who have been serving their sentences at Khami Maximum Prison have been dragged to court after they anally rap_ed a fellow prisoner causing him to have sores on his behind.

It is alleged that while the 38-year-old victim was sleeping in his cell, Culture Sibanda got into his blanket and started to care_ss his testi_cles while rubbing his manhood against his thighs.

The violated man tried to push him away, but he threatened to crush his testi_cles if he resisted his se_xual advances, the court heard.

Fearing for his jewels, the inmate calmed down, Culture then allegedly anally assaulted him and sternly warned him not to reveal to anyone about the sod0my incident.

On the following day another inmate tiptoed into the same victim’s blankets and threatened to kill him if he screamed. He forced him to bend and anally assaulted him, the court heard.

After two days when the abused man was relieving himself in the toilet he felt pain from his “behind” and he noticed that he passed blood-stained stools.

He reported the matter to prison officer Godwin Mahlathini who escorted him to a police station where he made a police report.

Thulani and Culture appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Shepherd Mnjanja facing a sodomy charge.

Mnjanja remanded them in custody to 11 August.

BMetro

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) yesterday exposed massive looting by senior government officials and parastatal bosses, accusing line ministries tasked with playing an oversight role of “sleeping on duty”.

Zacc chairperson Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo told a virtual annual general meeting (AGM) that corruption was rife in government, parastatals and other entities.

She said a probe would soon be instituted to “fish out” those involved in graft.

“As a result of these compliance checks, as Zacc, we have noted that ministries that have an oversight role on State enterprises and parastatals are a cause for concern,” she said.

“Equally, companies run by majority shareholders or family businesses are of serious concern in terms of their adherence to corporate governance principles.”

Successive reports by Auditor-General Mildred Chiri have implicated government ministries and State enterprises in massive corruption that has prejudiced the country of billions.

Matanda-Moyo said the government should urgently review powers of ministries over State enterprises and parastatals under their watch.

“The government needs to urgently review the powers of ministries over State enterprises and parastatals under their purview to stem this culture of looting,” she said.

“It is our wish as Zacc that legislation amendments be made to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act to provide sanctions for non-compliance. It is not a secret that corruption in Zimbabwe is rampant in all sectors of our economy; that is, in government, State enterprises and parastatals, NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and the private sector. In 2019, Zimbabwe was ranked 159/180 on the Corruption Perception Index. Thus, we set ourselves some tough hurdles and challenging targets.”

Matanda-Moyo said Chiri’s reports had given the commission a starting point to deal with corrupt officials in ministries and parastatals.

“We received reports of the Auditor-General of Zimbabwe, tabled in Parliament. The contents of the reports gave rise to reasonable suspicion of incidents of either corruption, theft, misappropriation, abuse of power and/or other improper conduct in the public sector,” Matanda-Moyo said.

“In the circumstances and on the basis of the report of the Auditor-General of Zimbabwe, Zacc opened active investigations in respect of all ministries, government departments and State enterprises implicated in the report with a view of bringing to book all those implicated in any and all acts of corruption, theft, misappropriation, abuse of power and other improper conduct.”

On allegations that the financial books of Zacc itself were in a shambles, Matanda-Moyo said: “When the commission took office, we found that the previous financial statements from 2012 had not been done and neither were they audited.”

Matanda-Moyo said in 2019, Zimbabwe was ranked 159/180 on the Corruption Perception Index prompting them to set some targets to reduce corruption.

“I am delighted to report that we met these targets and indeed, in several areas, we exceeded them,” she said.

“These results were achieved despite some major challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and resistance and interference from some individuals in offices of high authority.  This makes the performance even more pleasing.”

The Zacc chairperson said they have stepped up efforts to curb corruption in line with calls to fight the vice.

“To date, Zacc has received a total of 157 high-profile cases and has investigated 76. Zacc engaged the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) who provided experienced staff to boost investigations,” she said.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has repeatedly threatened to weed out corruption and established an anti-graft unit in his office, the Special Anti-Corruption Unit (Sacu) headed by Thabani Vusa Mpofu to show his resolve to fight the scourge.

But Sacu has been accused of corruption and pursuing a political agenda to persecute Mnangagwa’s political foes.

Both Zacc and Sacu have also been accused of targeting small fish, leaving out government ministers and bosses to public entities who were the main culprits.

While the government claims sanctions imposed on the country by the West over two decades ago were the cause of the economic downturn, observers, who include Western embassies, say corruption was at the centre of the deteriorating economic situation.

-newsday

By A Correspondent- In a real-life shocking case of forced penetration, two Bulawayo women allegedly ‘abducted and gang-rap_ed’ a 31 year old man with autism.

Autism is a serious developmental disorder that impairs the ability to communicate and interact.

The alleged perpetrators Buhlebenkosi Mpofu (24) from Matsheumhlope suburb and her accomplice only identified as Samantha, who is reportedly on the run, allegedly took turns to se_xually exploit the man, whose name is being withheld for legal reasons, after holding him captive at a house in the city.

After “rap_ing” the victim, who stays in Hillside suburb, they reportedly searched him and took away his wallet containing $550 and US$3.

Allegations against Buhlebenkosi and her accomplice are that on 22 July 2021 and at around 6pm they approached the victim who was waiting for transport along Robert Mugabe Way and 13th Avenue.

It is reported that when they reached him, they forcibly got hold of him by his hands and quickly dragged him to a house opposite where he was standing and forced him into one of the rooms.

While in the room they undressed the victim and pushed him onto the bed where they started caressing him and fondling his manhood.

Seeing that his magic stick was now ready for the adult game they then took turns to have se_xual intercourse with him. After the act they reportedly searched him and took away his wallet containing $550 and US$3.

The seemingly traumatised victim was later rescued by a passerby, who later accompanied him to his home, where they found his mother, who had been patiently waiting for him outside the gate.

The victim narrated the ordeal to his mother, who then went and reported the matter at Bulawayo Central Police station.

Investigations by the police led to the arrest of Buhlebenkosi. Buhlebenkosi has since appeared in court before Bulawayo magistrate Stephen Ndhlovu charged with two counts of theft and aggravated indecent assault. She was not asked to plead to both counts and was remanded in custody to 13 August 2021.

-statemedia