By A Correspondent- A prominent Bulawayo lawyer who allegedly committed suicide on Tuesday afternoon was found with a gun in his hand and a gunshot wound on his head, police have confirmed.

Norman Pattison, a managing partner at Webb, Low and Barry law firm, allegedly committed suicide yesterday afternoon at his Bradfield home. He was 64 years old.

Bulawayo Police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the development. He said:

We received a case of sudden death by shooting which is investigated as a suspected suicide case.

Insp Ncube said the information received was that the deceased was not feeling well and he was staying with his wife.

The wife left him around 10 o’clock in the morning in bed but alive and having spoken to him.

Said Insp Ncube:

When she returned around 1300 hours, she found him lifeless in a pool of blood and we received the report and we attended.

He had a gunshot wound and he was holding on to a revolver with four rounds and one cartridge.

… his finger was at the firing pin which we call the trigger.

As opposed to the fact that it was at a business centre, it was at a residential area; he passed on at his residential place.

Insp Ncube said the body was taken for post-mortem. He urged people to seek counselling when they have something worrying them.

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has lashed out at the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) for calling for the suspension of Statutory Instrument 127 of 2021.

ZCTU said CZI is not a victim of a bad policy and its call for the suspension of the SI is motivated by greed as it has been colluding with the government to exploit workers and consumers.

In a statement, the workers’ representative body called for social dialogue, saying business should not be allowed to dictate what must happen. ZCTU said:

The call by [the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries] for immediate suspension of SI 127 without a clear call for an equitable economic policy aimed at addressing the mismatch between RTGS salaries and prices pegged in USD black market rates is irresponsible and motivated by greed.

While it is true that SI 127 has caused serious troubles in the market, these are just symptoms of deeper economic inequalities obtaining in the country.

Businesses and government have been colluding to exploit workers and now is the time to correct this.

We reiterate our position that businesses are not victims but accomplices in exploiting workers and consumers. Therefore businesses must not be allowed to dictate what must happen

We need a new social contract that is a product of inclusive social dialogue.

The government last week gazetted SI 127 of 2021 which compels business to peg prices of goods and services in line with the official exchange rate.

The new regulations penalise those found on the wrong side of the law including businesses refusing to transact in the local dollar.

Meanwhile, CZI has called for the suspension of SI 127 of 2021 to allow for dialogue between government and business.

Warriors striker Prince Dube has extended his contract with Tanzanian club Azam by two years.

Azam announced Dube’s contract extension on Tuesday and declared that they had no intentions of selling the striker anytime soon. The club said in a statement:

We are excited to enter a new two-year contract with our Zimbabwe international striker Prince Dube. That contract will make Dube continue inside the Azam Complex until 2024.

Dube, whom we signed this season, has been our key player so far and is our leading scorer in the Mainland League with 14 goals, and apart from that, he has managed 17 goals for the team in all competitions, with the other three coming in the FA Cup.

Fear those liars outside there, Dube is going nowhere, he is here at Azam Complex.

Highlanders sold Dube to Azam in August 2020 for a reported US$50 000 fee and inserted a clause in the deal that entitles them to 30 per cent of the amount the Tanzanian club sells him for.

Tanzanian premiership champions Simba SC were reportedly interested in the 23-year-old Zimbabwean international following his goal-scoring streak for the “Ice-cream makers”.

Azam sit third on the league table with 60 points with four games left while Simba are left with nine games and lead the pack with 64 points.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- A woman sobbed in the dock as she narrated how her husband has been physically and verbally abusing her in front of their children.

Kealebuha Matibela from Old Magwegwe suburb in Bulawayo has had no peace since 2005 when her husband Edward Ncube married her.

He would accuse her of petty issues and after that he would bash her.

Ncube would not give her money for the upkeep of the children.

Seeing that Ncube was an absent husband because he was failing to give her money for the upkeep of their children, Matibela would search his pockets during the night when Ncube was asleep and take money and buy food.

But her abusive husband would pummel her for that and would even hurl insults at her.

Matibela has been going through a rough patch in her marriage for close to 21 years and has pulled all stops to save her shaky marriage, but her efforts have come to nothing.

She has engaged her aunt in a bid to talk to her husband, but she failed and even her husband’s brother’s efforts came to naught.

Matibela had to move out of the house to rent in Tshabalala suburb. But her estranged husband would follow her and hit her while accusing her of deserting him with his children.

Seeing that her aunt and her husband’s relatives had failed to talk to her husband, Matibela approached the civil court for intervention.

“I’m applying for a protection order against my husband Edward Ncube, he is very abusive. He is in the habit of beating me in the presence of our children whenever we have an argument. He does not give me money for the upkeep of our children. Last week I bought groceries with the money that he had given me for safe keeping.

“He got angry and beat me infront of the children. I then went to rent somewhere, he followed me and beat me and insulted the children. He is also threatening to kill me,” she said in between sobs.

The presiding magistrate Jeconia Prince Ncube granted Matibela the protection order against her husband.

Edward was ordered not to physically and verbally abuse his estranged wife. He was also ordered not to visit her at her place until their differences are resolved.

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Divorce is one of the most difficult chapters that people may encounter in their lives, and it can get much more complicated when estranged couples fail to agree to split assets fairly.

A Bulawayo woman is in a horrible situation after her estranged husband threatened to expose explosive and private details of their failed marriage to the media if she didn’t remove a vehicle and house from their divorce list of assets.

Sitshengisiwe Ndhlovu nee Ncube from Pumula East claimed her estranged husband Khumbulani Ndhlovu was trying to blackmail her after she filed for divorce at the Bulawayo High Court.

The aggrieved Sitshengisiwe, a supplies clerk at the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) last week rushed to the Bulawayo Civil Court to slap her estranged husband, a trainee engineman also at the NRZ with a protection order so that he should not reveal her unsavoury shenanigans.

“I am the applicant in this matter. The respondent is Khumbulani Ndhlovu. We got married in terms of the Marriages Act Chapter 5:11 in 2009. We separated in 2019 and I filed for divorce in April 2021 and it’s still pending at the (Bulawayo) High Court.

“The respondent has been threatening me concerning the proposed sharing of property in the divorce summons that I served him. He is insisting that if I don’t instruct my lawyers to remove the vehicle and house from the list of assets, he will tarnish my image by engaging journalists to defame me,” complained Sitshengisiwe.

She said her husband had also threatened to embarrass her at work.

“He has also threatened to come to my workplace to embarrass me. He has also threatened to burn any property that is going to be awarded to me.

“I am now emotionally and psychologically disturbed as a result of his threats. I also fear that he could physically abuse me because he has always been physically abusive during the course of our marriage,” she said.
Khumbulani, however, disputed his estranged wife’s accusations.

“I have never assaulted her or done anything wrong to her. From her application it’s clear that she is just trying to harass me. I can’t be barred from NRZ premises because that is also where I’m working as a student,” he said.

Sitshengisiwe’s request was dismissed by the magistrate Nkosinomusa Ncube for lack of merit.

Harare City Council has said it is illegal for civilians to control traffic at intersections.

Harare central business district and its feeder roads resemble a traffic jungle not only during peak hours but even during “normal” hours as some motorists create imaginary their and fourth lanes.

Posting on microblogging site Twitter, the local authority those caught doing so will be prosecuted. 

It said:

Civilians not allowed to control traffic. Law will take its course against such behaviour.

The statement by Harare City Council was received with anger, with Dhara Blessed Mhlanga saying, “When those who are not doing their job have it taken away from them. Happy to tweet from the comfort of their offices. So heartless and heartbreaking. So what’s the crime – haya.”

Twitter user shonaghmwa challenged Council to make sure that all traffic lights are working at all times rather than tweeting. “You should be tweeting that you making sure that every traffic light is working & assigning police to intersections that get busier and would like to thank those that were assisting and that you widening roads…”

Gango Guy said, “I support government initiatives but you should acknowledge kuti those boys helped motorists when you couldn’t. You should have apologized for not being able to do this before. Then thank the civilians that stepped up. And finally notified us of your intentions. We look fwd to seeing u.”

Shylet Maganga said if it were not for civilian traffic controllers, traffic would hardly move at intersections.

“Why do civilians have to control traffic? Will civilians control traffic when responsible authorities are there? Without the help of civilians, you can spend the whole night at an intersection in Zimbabwe. Think before you post?”, she asked.

Simba said: “Misoro yenyu yaka zara manyoka. Street kids have kept order while you are busy munching ratepayers money, with the little bond cash they get they invested in bibs and whistles. What have you done? Just fix the traffic lights not chase the civilians helping you.”

By A Correspondent- Chief Justice Luke Malaba has asked the High Court to throw out an application by a constitutional law activist for his arrest on contempt of court charges, insisting that his stay in office was legal.

Malaba’s term of office as chief justice ended a fortnight ago after the High Court ruled that he had ceased to be the country’s top judicial officer on May 15, the day he turned 70 and that a recent constitutional amendment allowing the President to extend his reign did not apply to him.

Last week, Malaba resumed his duties on the belief that the High Court ruling had been suspended by an appeal filed by Attorney-General Prince Machaya and Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi.

However, Musa Kika, who challenged the extension of Malaba’s term in the initial case, disputed that an appeal against a declarator suspended the operation of a judgment and has asked the High Court to find him in contempt and jail him for six months.

The case is set to be heard tomorrow before High Court judges Justices Webster Chinamhora, Amy Tsanga and Sylvia Chirawu-Mugomba.

Yesterday, Malaba filed his response saying he legally resumed his duties as the top judge following the appeal filed at the Supreme Court by Ziyambi and Machaya against the initial ruling.

“Consequent upon the filing of the appeals, I am advised that regardless of by whom the appeals were noted, the legal effect thereof was to suspend the operation of the two orders relied upon by the applicant (Kika) in this matter,” Malaba said.

“I, therefore, legally resumed my duties as the Chief Justice of Zimbabwe following the noting of appeal by the Minister of Justice … and the Attorney-General on the basis of the interpretation of the law to the effect that the noting of an appeal suspends an order granted by the court, not only for the two appellants but for the world at large.

“The applicant has taken a different view of the legality of my return to office, and seeks an order against me for contempt of this court alleging that I deliberately violated an order of the court while ignoring the facts set out above and the possible conflicting legal positions that can arise on the facts.”

He said the granting of the order of contempt would be presumptive and a miscarriage of justice.

“I deny that the country has an acting Chief Justice. The learned Deputy Chief Justice (Elizabeth Gwaunza) acted as Chief Justice in accordance with the law during the time there was no appeal against the judgment and thereafter, at a time when I was out of office,” Malaba argued.

“The acting capacity ceases upon resumption of duty by the incumbent. I thus deny that my resumption of duty was and continues to be in defiance of this court. I deny, further, that I have undermined and continue to undermine the authority of the court. I have not put the Judiciary into disrepute as alleged.”

He said Kika failed to interpret the law and argued that his application was not based on a good cause as the process that led to his appointment by President Emmerson Mnangagwa was not set aside.

Malaba’s case has gripped the country, and former Cabinet minister in the late former President Robert Mugabe’s government, Jonathan Moyo, claimed on Twitter yesterday that Judicial Service Commission (JSC) secretary Walter Chikwana had arm-twisted judges to hear the Malaba contempt of court case.

“JSC secretary Walter Chikwana approached a judge of the High Court allocated to hear the contempt of court charges against Justice Luke Malaba, to influence other judges on the panel to rule in favour of Luke Malaba.

“This is a judicial scandal and the Judicial Service Commission must investigate JSC secretary Walter Chikwana and the judge concerned. The judge must be exposed and he must recuse himself from the case. Justice Francis Bere was investigated and removed from the bench for a less serious offence involving trying to influence a lawyer.”

Chikwana could not be reached for comment.

Meanwhile, Young Lawyers Association of Zimbabwe and war veteran Frederick Mutanda have filed an urgent chamber application at the High Court seeking an order barring Malaba from executing duties of Chief Justice until finalisation of his case.

“An order granted on 15 May remains in full force and effect notwithstanding the appeals noted against it,” the applicants said through their lawyers, Honey & Blanckenberg.-Newsday

Dear Editor

We are kindly appealing for your assistance regards a teacher from our school who broke his leg while crossing a river in Murehwa. We are kindly appealing that you publicise his plight to the rest of Zimbabweans so that they can assist him financially. He is supposed to undergo an operation as he is currently admitted at Parirenyatwa group of hospitals.

Here is his attached message:

Good day fellow colleagues. Tragedy struck and i had an accident where i slipped and fell while crossing a river and i sustained a broken leg. I am at Parirenyatwa hospital Ward B1 bed 12.

The doctors have advised me that they need to repair the leg but it needs surgery. They need ZW$64094 to perform the procedure.

I am a teacher getting $20000 rtgs per month. I cannot afford it. Apa pandiomera meaning i am nowhere now and it is now difficult for me. Please help me because i am now stuck. We are each other’s keepers hence i am banking on your support for my way forward.

My ecocash number is 0772892104 and the name that appears is Shepherd Kambuwa

By A Correspondent- The Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T is seeking the arrest of opposition leader Nelson Chamisa on contempt of court charges, claiming that he allegedly defied court orders to step down as the MDC Alliance president.

MDC-T is claiming ownership of the MDC Alliance party name.

In a statement, Mwonzora spokesperson Lloyd Damba said Chamisa could not rebuke former Chief Justice Luke Malaba for contempt of court as he had continued to serve as the MDC Alliance party president, disregarding a High Court ruling that nullified his leadership in 2019.

In March 2019, High Court judge Justice Edith Mushore nullified Chamisa’s MDC-T presidency and ordered the party to organise an extra-ordinary congress to choose a new leader within a month.

But the youthful leader pressed ahead with his party’s planned political activities since then pending his appeal against the judgment, which he again lost at the Supreme Court.

“Chamisa is in contempt of court, not once but several times. He is still using the name MDC Alliance even when he knows that the name belongs to senator Mwonzora,” Damba said.

“He is still calling himself MDC Alliance president in clear violation and contempt of the same courts. The very same judge Justice Mushore, who ruled that Chief Justice Malaba must relinquish office because his term had expired nullified Nelson Chamisa’s presidency. But he now wades into the Malaba case and celebrates the judgment. He did so when he himself failed to follow a similar High Court ruling.”

“We are in the process of reclaiming everything, but we will do it strategically and strategies are not for public consumption.”

MDC Alliance deputy party spokesperson Clifford Hlatywayo dismissed Damba’s threats describing them as “desperate” measures by the MDC-T to score own political goals through dragging the courts into their rivalry.

“The Judiciary must not be dragged into mud by failed politicians. MDC Alliance is given its mandate by the people. Political prowess should be proven by votes and not the courts.

“Political parties are formed as voluntary association. How can someone boast of a party without supporters? President Nelson Chamisa will not be disrupted to defend the people-driven Constitution by political puppets that have been using State institutions to gain significance in the political arena,” Hlatywayo said.

Legal expert advocate Tawanda Mapuranga said Mwonzora and his allies were failing to correctly interpret the High Court ruling which nullified Chamisa’s presidency in the MDC-T party.

“Chamisa had no case to answer on contempt of court charges as he had ceased to be the MDCT leader. Legislators under the MDC Alliance party were recalled from Parliament on the basis that they had ceased to be members of the MDCT party, which justifies the ruling that Chamisa was not leader of the MDC-T in accordance with the High Court ruling. A contention that he is a leader of the MDC Alliance is now a clear political issue which cannot be settled using the courts. There has to be a clear distinction between legal and political issues,” he said.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Two male suspects were yesterday arrested in Mutare after they were found in possession of 1 080kg of dagga.

Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident.

Nyathi said Larry Clay Manyellah (38) and Probe Zijena (21) were travelling in a green Toyota Granvia vehicle along Mutare-Masvingo Highway when they were stopped by police at Hotsprings, but failed to comply, hit roadblock drums before speeding off towards Mutare.

“The police team gave chase and alerted all police checkpoints in the city to be on the lookout for the suspects,” he said.

“On realising that all police checkpoints were alerted, the two suspects headed to Chikanga location in Mutare, where they were involved in a minor road accident where they abandoned their vehicle and fled into a nearby maize field.”

Nyathi said the police attended the accident scene and found dagga in the suspects’ vehicle.

Nyathi said further investigations led to the arrest of the two, while one suspect is still at large.

“The suspects have since appeared before a Mutare magistrate, where they were remanded in custody pending bail application,” he said.

By A Correspondent- Bulawayo prosecutor Thobekani Nyathi, who was implicated in an alleged corrupt activity involving principal public prosecutor Chris Mutangadura, reportedly resigned after the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) began investigating him for criminal abuse of office, NewsDay reported.

Nyathi had been sucked into Mutangadura’s alleged criminal abuse of office case which is under investigations by Zacc, case number HCR 21/05/2020. The docket is now complete. Mutangadura was summoned by Zacc investigators three weeks ago with the view of detaining him and taking him to court.

But Zacc chairperson Loice MoyoMatanda allegedly intervened and stopped the process, leading to the docket being shelved.

However Matanda-Moyo has denied the allegations.

Mutangadura was under investigation for corruptly aiding his business partner Lungisani Ncube to get a forensic examination of forged papers by a private handwriting expert, LT Nhari, after bypassing government expert, Clara Beatrice Tendai Gombakomba.

The report was made by Lovemore Kutamahufa.

Mutangadura had allegedly lied that Gombakomba had no capacity to examine the samples, an assertion she denied in her statement to the Zacc investigators.

Ncube was accusing his partner Kutamahufa, lawyer Jonathan Tsvangirai and FBC bank manager Tazviona Mutandwa of forging his signature and tendering his property as collateral for a bank loan facility.

It is alleged that when investigations on Mutangadura commenced, Nyathi, who was the trial prosecutor, resigned.

Nyathi confirmed the resignation yesterday

“Sorry, I am no longer a public prosecutor. I used to deal with it (Kutamahufa’s case), but I left prosecution. I left a long time ago. Kutamahufa’s case is now being handled by another prosecutor. I will forward you the contact numbers,” he said.

However, a source in the prosecution said Nyathi resigned after Zacc made investigations concerning Mutangadura’s case.

“He resigned and is now in private practice with a law firm in Gwanda. Remember, there was also a letter of complaint against him which had been written by the accused (Kutamahufa), accusing him of aiding the complainant (Ncube) with documents so that he could take them to a private handwriting expert. He had been asked to recuse himself from the matter,” said the source.

The prosecutor had also been caught in the middle of a storm after he allegedly connived with the complainant, Ncube, to remove one of the accused Tsvangirai from the charge sheet reportedly in a desperate bid to get a State witness against Kutamahufa.

He reportedly took instructions directly from Mutangadura to prosecute Kutamahufa using the fraudulent private handwriting expert’s report.

Tsvangirai had been charged together with Kutamahufa and FBC bank manager Mutandwa in a US$75 000 FBC Bank loan deal following recommendations from Mutangadura.

Tsvangirai had reportedly been engaged by FBC Bank to register the bond.

Kutamahufa is director in Oman Obrie Private Limited, which benefited from the loan.

Reports are that Nyathi, after conniving with Ncube, on January 29 last year approached his lawyers Mathonsi Ncube Law Chambers to write to the prosecution to stop charging Tsvangirai.

“We write to you at the (instance) of Lungisani Ncube, the complainant in this matter, who has advised us that he is not aggrieved by, and is of the view that Jonathan Tsvangirai’s conduct in this matter does not render him crime liable. Our client is, therefore, of the view that it is not necessary that he be prosecuted. We hope you find the above in order,” wrote Mathonsi Ncube Law Chambers.

The move also prompted Kutamahufa on May 21, last year to write a letter of complaint against Nyathi’s conduct to his bosses in Bulawayo and asked for him to recuse himself because of his closeness with Ncube as they reportedly hailed from the same home area in Gwanda.

Nyathi is also accused of aiding Ncube to retrieve copies of the alleged forged documents from the police to the private handwriting expert Nhari so that he could regularise his initial report on Ncube’s alleged forged signature after he was roped in by his former boss, Mutangadura.

However, in their statements to Zacc investigators, National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) bosses distanced themselves from Mutangadura, adding that they were not aware of how he got involved in the case.

In her statement to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), the former head of NPAZ in Bulawayo, Martha Cheda, said she did not know how Kutamahufa’s docket found itself in Mutangadura’s hands.

Acting Deputy Prosecutor General, Justin Uladi, in his statement to Zacc also said according to records at the head office, there was no evidence that the docket was transferred from Bulawayo to Harare.

Director of the Department of Forensic Sciences in the Home Affairs ministry, Bothwell Takura Mutandiro, also told investigators that the final analyses on handwriting samples were not done because the department was awaiting additional samples from police which they had requested.

Government handwriting expert, Gombakomba, who is also deputy director in the Department of Forensic Sciences, told Zacc investigators that she wrote a report to the Officer-in-Charge CID Fraud in Bulawayo requesting additional samples so that an examination could be concluded.-newsday

By A Correspondent= Private security companies contracted to provide cash-in-transit services are ill-equipped to the extent that some of them use toy guns while transporting clients’ money, police have revealed.

Well-armed security companies, on the other hand, have semi-automatic guns which cannot be used during public shootouts as they can leave a lot of casualties.

Following a series of armed robberies in the city, officials said it is surprising that there is no single security company which has had to exchange fire with robbers.

The security companies are said to be living in the past, employing security guards who are too old and unfit to respond to modern security concerns.

This came out during a meeting between the police, security companies and the business sector on Monday. The meeting was held in the wake of rising cases of armed robberies that have rocked the city.

Some representatives of security companies said if the security guards are not properly remunerated, robberies will continue to be a problem.

Issues to do with shortcutting by largely small security companies who compromise on quality just to get contracts also topped the discussions.

Officer commanding Bulawayo Province Commissioner Patton Mbangwa said security companies are sleeping on the job and providing shoddy service to clients.

“There is a security company which actually gave its guards a toy gun (when) transporting cash, a toy pistol and it’s your money that is being guarded. We are saying security people should shoot at criminals. If you have guns, pistols, you should shoot at those people, shoot the cars, their tyres, you should disable those criminals,” said Comm Mbangwa.

He said the security companies are not security conscious and need to change their behaviour.

“We want to have a paradigm shift in terms of the way our security teams operate. They should operate in such a way that we safeguard what we are given. Let’s not just be a security company by name but let us be serious security companies. You might be aware that one of our colleagues, Romicon Security, who are the ones who were robbed the other day, were ferrying people’s money in a kombi,” he said.

“Obviously, that alone shows that that security company is not serious. These are things that we want to tackle. We are saying we should have armoured vehicles because we are carrying money and people know that. We should harden the target; criminals should not just take that money by merely approaching your vehicle. That thing (kombi) you could not even make a good escape.”

Comm Mbangwa said cases of security guards sleeping on the job are so rampant in the city and some of them do not seem to know their duties.

“Some of your security personnel have reduced themselves to washing people’s hands at entry points, sanitising hands, as opposed to focusing on security matters. They are supposed to be alert and surveilling what is happening. Be seen and be known for what you are employed for, if you are a security person at a shop be monitoring for suspicious people, suspicious groups. Ask yourself why certain people are in the shop and what is the person doing,” said Comm Mbangwa.

He said the incompetence of security companies could create a negative perception among investors that Bulawayo is not investment-friendly.

Comm Mbangwa said police investigations have also led to the conclusion that most heists are a result of inside information.

He cited four raids that were done in the city including Mukuru Zapalala, saying almost each of the raids and burglary cases point to the fact that robbers and burglars had internal information.

“People knew that there was money coming from Victoria Falls to Access Finance Bureau de-Change, the moment the money arrived at Access Finance they were raided. Who was telling them that the money had arrived? That is why we are saying, are our people properly trained in security issues and matters? My wish is for us to put our houses in order. There might be shortfalls and difficulties but let’s have the police coming in as a support measure. If you know that you are expecting a lot of money, why don’t you contact the police? And we are going to deploy people who are going to shoot at criminals,” he said.

Comm Mbangwa said even the business sector does not seem to be security conscious, citing the robbery at Choppies Supermarket in Parklands as an example of laxity even by internal security.

“The whole thing is, are we security conscious as the business sector? We had a certain gentleman who was in that shop for a very long time, but the people in the shop didn’t care about that. He was moving in the shop from 8AM up until the money came (about three hours later) and when the money came, he produced a pistol. Your closed-circuit television (CCTV) is there but no one is there monitoring who is who,” said Comm Mbangwa.

Business Against Crime Forum of Zimbabwe Bulawayo provincial secretary-general Mr Reggie Sibanda said the business sector has to seriously vet their employees as some of them could be working with criminals

“In as much as we want to see results, as business, let us look at our environment, let’s make sure that before we could look for internal help we are covered. Some of the robberies that are taking place leave a lot to be desired,” said Mr Sibanda.

Following Monday’s meeting, it was resolved that another meeting be held next week.

While Monday’s meeting was mainly attended by companies’ junior officers, it was resolved that the next meeting be attended by senior managers from organisations who can decide on steps to be taken by both business and police in improving security in the city.-statemedia

watch the live video below…..

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) says it has started investigating the black granite mining industry in Mutoko following reports that local authorities were being paid peanuts in taxes by mining companies.

Mutoko Rural District Council claims that it is getting a paltry US$1 per tonne of black granite mined from the area.

This was revealed during a Youth Initiative for Community Development anti-corruption symposium held recently in Mutoko.

Zacc prevention and corporate governance acting general manager Munyaradzi Magiga said there was need to investigate the granite mining industry to plug loopholes and ensure that communities benefit from their natural resources.

“We do have those with loads of money getting claims ahead of those who applied for the same for some time. It is disturbing to hear that the local authority (Mutoko) is getting a dollar per tonne of granite. Surely a dollar? We need to investigate and see if this is not corruption by multinational companies,”
he said.

“The granite blocks are going out and we will never recover them. It is a pity that you see a school with thatched roofs near a granite mine, yet council is getting nothing.”

Mutoko is one of the poorest districts in the country despite being home to several granite mining companies.

The granite blocks are exported to Europe, where they are processed into expensive building materials.

“The whole issue around the black granite is confusing. In Zimbabwe, the granite is being classified as quarry, but in Europe, it is a precious mineral. Our government should look into this matter and declare it a mineral,” said a villager.

The symposium was attended by local traditional leaders and youth representatives.-newsday

By A Correspondent- A mentally ill Zvishavane man, who killed his sister and her five-year-old son last year in a dispute over his National Social Security Authority (NSSA) documents, was acquitted last Friday after the High Court considered his mental condition.

Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Christopher Dube-Banda ruled that Newton Hove of Madhiye village under Chief Mazvihwa in Zvishavane had a documented history of mental illness.

The judge said Hove could not be held legally responsible for his actions leading to the double murder.

It was the State’s case that on January 8, 2020 at around 7pm, Hove asked for his NSSA documents from his sister saying he wanted to travel to town to access his pension.

When the sister failed to cooperate, Hove lost his temper and struck her with an adze, stabbed her repeatedly until she died.

He later turned to the deceased’s son and killed him using the same weapons, leading to his arrest.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Police in Rushinga, Mashonaland Central province arrested a 52-year-old who went beserk and axed a man who confronted her over cutting fire wood in his field on Sunday.

Eustina Lucia Gomwe of Gondo village was arrested after striking Ruchiva Kayanga of the same village three times on shoulders with an axe.

The provincial police deputy spokesperson Assistant Inspector Naison Dhliwayo confirmed the attempted murder.

“I can confirm an attempted murder case in Rushinga where Gomwe struck Kayanga three times with an axe over fire wood dispute,” Dhliwayo said.

Allegations are that Gomwe went to Kayanga’s field to cut firewood but when Kayanga saw her cutting firewood in his field he confronted her.

Gomwe was not happy with the confrontation and charged at Kayanga wielding an axe.

She struck him three times on his shoulders and was restrained from further assault by Temptation Nyamukudza.

Kayanga was rushed to Chimhanda hospital where he is currently admitted and Gomwe was arrested.

Police warned people to desist from violence and urged them to consider dialogue when ever they have differences.

By A Correspondent- A senior lawyer and managing partner at Webb, Low & Barry law firm, Norman Pattison, committed suicide by shooting himself at his Bradfield home yesterday afternoon, police have confirmed.

When a news crew visited the house, the police had collected Pattison’s body.

Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident.

“The police are investigating a case of a male adult who is suspected to have allegedly shot himself at his residence in Bradfield. Further details will be provided in a statement tomorrow,” said Insp Ncube.

Webb, Low & Barry senior partner Mr David Coltart yesterday said Pattison had been ill and depressed for a while.

“Pattison has been ill for a long time and seemingly depressed. It is with deep sadness on behalf of the partners of Webb, Low & Barry we bemoan the death of our partner. Our sincere condolences are extended to his family and friends,” said Mr Coltart.

He said Pattison last reported for work in April.

An anonymous source said Pattison was alone in the house when he took his life.

“He was alone when that happened, his wife had gone shopping at Bradfield Shopping Mall. At first, she thought that he was sleeping; it was later that she realised that he had shot himself; that’s when she alerted family and friends,” said the source.

According to the law firm’s website Pattison graduated from the University of Cape Town in 1982 before joining Webb, Low & Barry in 1983.

He was admitted as an attorney that same year and became a partner at Webb, Low & Barry in 1985, said the site.

In addition to commercial litigation, the site said Pattison oversaw the Accounting and Estates Departments.-statemedia

Sometimes you have to allow people to think negatively of you, not because you can’t defend yourself but because no matter what you say or do, it will never change their wrong opinion or thoughts about you.

Sometimes you have to pretend as if you don’t know anything, not because you want to deceive anyone but because you want to learn from others.

Sometimes you have to let others win an argument, not because you cannot dispute their point, but so that you can have peace.

When people hurt or betray you, heal quickly and move on. When people leave you, give them a gift of good-bye. Never answer your critics.

When you are broke, act like you own the whole world. Never allow anybody to see you sad or miserable because they don’t care anyway.

Live your life and run your race. It’s all in the Seasons of life and God makes everything Beautiful in His time!!!!!!!!!

Remember…..Seasons Change.

Your season is about to change for the better.

Get ready this is your season of greatness and blessings

WISHING YOU GODSPEED, HAPPY NEW MONTH

ENJOY THE SECOND HALF OF 2021

By A Correspondent- There were horror scenes on Saturday when a baby boy was found dead in a burst sewer pipe at a primary school in Bulawayo.

The body of the dead baby popped out of a sewage pond at Lobengula Primary School. The baby is suspected to have been flushed down the toilet within 12 hours of the discovery in what appears to be a case of infanticide.

The gruesome discovery was confirmed by the police in Bulawayo. Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube told the Chronicle,

“I can confirm that the police are investigating a case of terminating pregnancy where on 29 May, a dead infant was discovered by residents in a sewer at Lobengula Primary School. Investigations over the matter are still in progress and awaiting post-mortem.”

Inspector Ncube appealed to members of the public who may have any information concerning the dumping of the baby to contact the police.

“We are appealing to members of the public who might have information on the case or if you know someone who was pregnant but is no longer pregnant. Please report to the nearest police station. I urge members to desist from killing innocent babies, something can be worked out than killing them,”

Under Zimbabwean law, a woman who kills her baby within 6 months of giving birth is charged with infanticide and not murder. The law states that “the balance of her mind is disturbed as a result of giving birth to the child” and prescribes a sentence of not more than 5 years.

However, magistrates frequently give fewer years with some women usually sentenced to perform community service.  A 33-year-old Mutorashanga woman who made headlines after giving birth to a bouncing baby boy before digging a shallow pit in which she buried him alive, was sentenced to perform 210 hours of community service at a local government school

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF is today holding an urgent meeting at its party head offices.

In a statement yesterday, Zanu PF Secretary for Information and Publicity, Simon Khaya Moyo urged members to be punctual.

“The Secretary for Administration Obert Mpofu wishes to advise all members that there shall be a Politburo meeting to be held on Wednesday 02, June 2021 at the Zanu PF headquarters commencing 1000 hours.
All members should be seated by 09:45 hours sharp,” he said.

Every time Zanu PF calls for a meeting without divulging the agenda, there will be some senior party members who would be under fire.

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services (ZPCS), accused of showing favour to incarcerated ex-Cabinet ministers and other public figures by separating them from other inmates and offering them special treatment, has defended its position saying the practice is meant to protect them against violence and harassment.

Speaking during an all-stakeholder anti-graft Indaba organised by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) and Transparency International Zimbabwe (TIZ) in Harare recently, ZPCS Deputy Commissioner-General Christine Manhivi said such public figures were prone to abuse and harassment in the cells.

Recently, there was a public outcry after reports filtered that a former Cabinet minister Prisca Mupfumira arrested for corruption-related charges was offered five-star treatment in remand prison.

Reports also made rounds that some prison officers had developed relationships with inmates to an extent of allowing them to be intimate with their partners in solitary cells while serving.

Other inmates were reportedly seen attending family funerals when they are expected to be in prison.

Deputy Comm-Gen Manhivi said prisoners are classified differently and ministers and other public figures fall under the class of those who need protection by removal from others.

She said the treatment of such inmates is not a favour, but ZPCS protects them in terms of the law.

“We have different classes of inmates who, all need protection in terms of the law. All of us are potential prisoners and we must protect inmates as required by the law.

“Ministers and other public figures are prone to verbal and physical abuse when in custody by some angry inmates.
“Recently a female minister who was in remand prison was harassed and threatened with violence by some inmates who accused of failing to build proper cells while in Government.

“We had to remove her and place her in a different cell as a way of protecting her from attack,” she said.

Deputy Comm-Gen Manhivi said the isolation of the minister is not a favour, but ZPCS simply acts in terms of the law.

“That is neither favour nor preferential treatment at all. It’s not about giving them preferential treatment, but it’s a matter of classes.
“We simply separate them from the violent ones in terms of the law,” she said.

-State media

By A Correspondent- A prisoner who was released from WhaWha Prison in Gweru under the Presidential amnesty is now on the run after he allegedly attacked and killed a neighbour whom he accused of having an extramarital affair with his wife while he was incarcerated.

Midlands Provincial Police spokesperson said police were now hunting for the former prisoner, Tinashe Taruva of Village 1 Musena Mvuma on murder charges after he on Sunday night, allegedly teamed up with a friend and fatally assaulted Shepherd Chibunda over an alleged extramarital affair with his wife while he was away serving the jail term.

“Taruva and his other accomplice, Jimmy Kutambura confronted the now deceased, Shepherd Chibunda while accusing him of having an affair with his wife whilst he was in jail.

They assaulted him using logs all over the body and he was taken to Mvuma District Hospital where he died upon admission,” said Insp Mahoko.
He said the duo was now on the run

NEHANDA STATUE TO PACIFY THE ALIENATED, EXCLUDED AND MARGINALIZED YOUTH, PROVIDE TWO MILLION JOBS PROMISED BY ZANU PF AND AS ICING FOR THE CAKE, EFFECT LIFTING OF SANCTIONS.

By Valerie Karimakwenda MDC Alliance Youth Assembly Organising Secretary UK and Ireland Assembly

Nehanda was a selfless individual whose life she sacrificed for freedom of her people and their subsequent liberation.

She paid the ultimate sacrifice, such as the burden of leadership against tyranny and oppression. It thus is not tribute nor honorary respect for Zanu pf to immortalize the fearless icon, Nehanda.

It rather is sacrilege and Nehanda must be turning in her grave, for her name to be associated with rapist, thieves and sadistic killers which is Zanu pf. What Nehanda stands for is exactly an antithesis to Zanu pf evil and self-serving philosophy. This raises thus a crucial point about the intention of Zanu pf, despite its futility, just like preceding Zanu pf intentions, designs and strategies meant for realization of a one party state. Exposing the chicken logic intention is thus the focus of this article.

If you are a cotton farmer, got groceries for your cotton deliveries last year, or yet to get the unappreciative payment I the form of groceries, how would an immortalized Nehanda appreciate your investments? Or assuming you are a teacher in Hoyo, Mash Central, remunerated with a salary not reflective of the inflationary and volatile environment, how would that improve your life, the statue that is?

A snake bites you in Dande, venomous, will you reach the hospital on time, given the lack of ambulances? Even if you reach hospital in record time, are there any guarantees that anti-venom will be available and at your disposal? Will the taxpayers fly you to a military hospital in Beijing?

What is the utility of these questions? They serve to highlight the point that Nehanda would have appreciated being immortalized by a government that is legitimate, governing with the consensus of the people and embodying their popular will. She would very much have had liked a government immortalizing her to be sensitive to the needs of their people, prioritizing their welfare of paramountcy proportions.

Zanu pf is neither legitimate, nor does it govern with people’s consensus. Its illegitimacy had to be decided in a captured court overshadowed by a pliant and sycophantic Malaba. So why would Zanu pf take upon itself to immortalize the liberation icon, Nehanda? What is there to gain? Except perpetually guaranteed misery and Zanu pf signature suffering? That is for the sieged Zimbabwean. For Zanu pf, and its clients, the story is entirely different. This is to be taken in the environmental context Zanu pf has begot.

The statue immortalizing Nehanda is a means to a degenerate end for Zanu pf, part of its futile strategy. This is a futile strategy engineered to augment political longevity and survival of Zanu pf so that it can perpetually plunder and pillage people’s wealth.

Zanu pf would thus have futile strategies to address symptoms instead of deep seated problems which it caused by its aspirations of a one party state. These futile aspirations of Zanu pf for a one party state are the causal factors that compelled Nehanda to stand up against tyranny, and to forfeit her life in the fight for freedom and liberation.

It is comforting however unpleasant that her prophecy of hr bones rising up against tyranny and oppression is coming to pass, if one were to consider personalities like the nonpartisan and independent Erica Ndewera, the uncowering and fierce Mamombe. These are the kind of people whose calibre Nehanda would have liked to play a critical role in immortalizing her. Her modern inspired warriors in the face of Zanu pf injustice.

Diversion, what would otherwise be known as deception in military and intelligence circles is the utility of the Nehanda statue. Diversion from what? This is a crucial question whose answer is consequential of a eureka moment.

When you have victims of the destructive cyclone Idai still living in tents, months after the cyclone, sadistic Zanu pf prioritized a statue of a dead woman who would have preferred that the manpower behind the statue building be directed to Manicaland where the cyclone devastated, as well as the material, money used to source the material. But Zanu pf thought otherwise. There was no utility in that. Utility that would give Zanu pf an opportunity of grandstanding.

Grandstanding amidst a sea of poverty compounded by a humanitarian cluster mess. Apparently all is well for Zanu pf, so is everywhere else in Zimbabwe. This is not what Nehanda would think or what the generality of suffering Zimbabweans think.

The diversion or rather the deception mentioned above has crucial utility of serving as blinkers reinforcement on what Zanu pf assumes is an apathetic, misinformed population.

The reinforcement of blinkers maintained by a repressed, centralized media is to keep the people from awakening after realizing that the power Zanu pf illegitimately is retaining, without their consensus, they can recover it from Zanu pf, and consequently loan it the tranquil opposition, sensitive to the welfare of the people, which is of herculean paramountcy. Tranquil transition into power, legitimately, for Zanu pf is an existential crisis.

The opposition gaining the leavers of power with the consent of the people, endowed with popular will is an existential crisis for Zanu pf because it means a prompt return to constitutionalism, a democratized society bulwarked with rule of law, accelerated devolution of power and a promotion of a culture of accountability and transparency, with demilitarization of state institutions and the military returning to barracks. The existential threat against and targeting Zanu pf manifests in the restoration of the rule of law, which will compel Zanu pf to be transparent about the people’s plundered and pillaged wealth, while being accountable for the gross and atrocious human and property rights violations. This is what Zanu pf is trying to avoid, by resorting to futile deterrent measures such as the Nehanda statue against such uncertain developments for Zanu pf.

In Zimbabwean culture, there is a saying that whatever flies will eventually lands and that nothing last forever. This has been proven true many times.

This attitude and nation tearing entitlement of Zanu pf was once characteristic of Smith and his Unilateral Declaration of Independence government, and preceding governments, but where are they now? They flew, and now are landed, never to fly again.

As the anthem of the nature of these articles rest on, that being the futility of Zanu pf attempts to stop, only succeeding to delay the inevitable, they too will land, the opposition will tranquilly gain power, and restore order to the chaos engineered and initiated by Zanu pf ending Zanu pf bloody and tight fisted reign of terror.

Tinashe Sambiri|Although analysts believe Killer Zivhu is a an enigmatic figure, the fomer Zanu PF MP insists he is a neutral political observer.

In a recent tweet, Zivhu described MDC Alliance leader as an intelligent man.

Zivhu also castigated Finance Mthuli Ncube for experimenting with the country’s economy.

“Harvard economics doesn’t work in Zimbabwe can someone tell our Professor. Moda kuti tishaiwe zvinhu muma shop apa Boarder rakavharwa moda kuti vanhu vaite seyi chokwadi.”

“Guys let me answer you straight ,I don’t belong to any political party in Zimbabwe . I support ED no two ways about it, Asi Chamisa I admire his moves politically uye handimuvengi he is a Zimbabwean and have the right to contest elections. Ndofunga kuti mandinzwisisa kwete kutuka

Guys Chamisa is intelligent and popular zvake jealous down , ini handivengi chipo chemunhu. Chaunogona ndorumbidza chete zvichitukisa kana kudzingisa iam a free spirit zvangu pa Chivi pano,” wrote Zivhu on Twitter.

VIDEO BELOW…..

By A Correspondent- A senior lawyer and partner at a prominent Bulawayo law firm reportedly committed suicide by shooting himself at his Bradfield home on Tuesday afternoon.

Police are attending the scene and have cordoned off a section of Calvert Road.

More details to follow…

-State media

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF has called for an urgent meeting at its party head offices.

In a statement this afternoon, Zanu PF Secretary for Information and Publicity, Simon Khaya Moyo urged members to be punctual.

“The Secretary for Administration Obert Mpofu wishes to advise all members that there shall be a Politburo meeting to be held on Wednesday 02, June 2021 at the Zanu PF headquarters commencing 1000 hours.
All members should be seated by 09:45 hours sharp,” he said.

Every time Zanu PF calls for a meeting without divulging the agenda, there will be some senior party members who would be under fire.

By A Correspondent- A prisoner who was released from WhaWha Prison in Gweru under the Presidential amnesty is now on the run after he allegedly attacked and killed a neighbour whom he accused of having an extramarital affair with his wife while he was incarcerated.

Midlands Provincial Police spokesperson said police were now hunting for the former prisoner, Tinashe Taruva of Village 1 Musena Mvuma on murder charges after he on Sunday night, allegedly teamed up with a friend and fatally assaulted Shepherd Chibunda over an alleged extramarital affair with his wife while he was away serving the jail term.

“Taruva and his other accomplice, Jimmy Kutambura confronted the now deceased, Shepherd Chibunda while accusing him of having an affair with his wife whilst he was in jail.

They assaulted him using logs all over the body and he was taken to Mvuma District Hospital where he died upon admission,” said Insp Mahoko.
He said the duo was now on the run

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services (ZPCS), accused of showing favour to incarcerated ex-Cabinet ministers and other public figures by separating them from other inmates and offering them special treatment, has defended its position saying the practice is meant to protect them against violence and harassment.

Speaking during an all-stakeholder anti-graft Indaba organised by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) and Transparency International Zimbabwe (TIZ) in Harare recently, ZPCS Deputy Commissioner-General Christine Manhivi said such public figures were prone to abuse and harassment in the cells.

Recently, there was a public outcry after reports filtered that a former Cabinet minister Prisca Mupfumira arrested for corruption-related charges was offered five-star treatment in remand prison.

Reports also made rounds that some prison officers had developed relationships with inmates to an extent of allowing them to be intimate with their partners in solitary cells while serving.

Other inmates were reportedly seen attending family funerals when they are expected to be in prison.

Deputy Comm-Gen Manhivi said prisoners are classified differently and ministers and other public figures fall under the class of those who need protection by removal from others.

She said the treatment of such inmates is not a favour, but ZPCS protects them in terms of the law.

“We have different classes of inmates who, all need protection in terms of the law. All of us are potential prisoners and we must protect inmates as required by the law.

“Ministers and other public figures are prone to verbal and physical abuse when in custody by some angry inmates.
“Recently a female minister who was in remand prison, was harassed and threatened with violence by some inmates who accused of failing to build proper cells while in Government.

“We had to remove her and place her in a different cell as a way of protecting her from attack,” she said.

Deputy Comm-Gen Manhivi said the isolation of the minister is not a favour, but ZPCS simply acts in terms of the law.

“That is neither a favour nor preferential treatment at all. It’s not about giving them preferential treatment, but it’s a matter of classes.
“We simply separate them from the violent ones in terms of the law,” she said.

-State media

By A Correspondent-MDC-Alliance Harare west lawmaker, Joana Mamombe said she is now feeling well after months of illegal detention and torture by state security agents while in prison.

She said this through her Facebook page Tuesday.

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF will tomorrow hold a Politburo meeting which has no agenda.

In a statement this afternoon, Zanu PF Secretary for Information and Publicity, Simon Khaya Moyo urged members to be punctual.

“The Secretary for Administration Obert Mpofu wishes to advise all members that there shall be a Politburo meeting to be held on Wednesday 02, June 2021 at the Zanu PF headquarters commencing 1000 hours.
All members should be seated by 09:45 hours sharp,” he said.

Every time Zanu PF calls for a meeting without divulging the agenda, there will be some senior party members who would be under fire.

By A Correspondent-MDC-Alliance Harare west lawmaker, Joana Mamombe has announced her return into aggressive politics after months of torture in the country’s filthy prisons.

She announces her return through her Facebook page Tuesday.

From: Daramombe high school students’ Parents
To: The ministry of High and Tertiary Education

Date 26 May 2021

Re: Petition for payment of top-up fees for the first term of 2021

We write as parents of Daramombe high school students to register our petition against the top-up fees for term 1 2021 instituted by the School administration and SDC owing to the following;
a. The call for the virtual meeting was not in accordance with law that stipulates that notice of meeting should be two weeks before the meeting. As such, the virtual meeting quorum was poorly constituted to come up with a binding resolution.
b. Majority parents failed to join the meeting due to internet problems at the school end and lack awareness on the part of parents because of the short notice.
c. The school administration cunningly further requested parents to write their names, name of child and form to substantiate their quest for top up approval application.
d. The school administration and the SDC refused to share the minutes of the meeting with parents and rushed to apply for top-up approval. They resolved that parents should pay an equivalent term 1 fees as top up which as parents we are rejecting.

1. Reason being, if the parents are an equivalent of term one fees to suffice three (3) weeks then how much should we pay for twelve weeks (12)?
2. Mathematically this translates to 15 000 x 4 = 60 000.00, which is beyond reach when our salaries are in the range of 19 000.00 to 25 000.00.
3. The economy has not changed to the levels that the school administration and the SDC pegged school fees top up.
   e. Therefore, as parents we are saying no paying top up fees for this term.

By A Correspondent| Chaos broke out in Mutare between the police and Zanu PF youths who have been pushing for the re-opening of the the Sakubva stadium flea market and Nyadzonya youth empowerment produce market.

Nearly 700 vendors gathered Tuesday morning in a bid to push for the re-opening of these markets but police, working on instructions from [some Zanu PF heavyweights in the province, attacked the youths in the process, arresting some.

The Sakubva Stadium flea market has been closed following the Covid 19 outbreak and hundreds of vendors have had their livelihoods affected.

The fight to re-open the flea markets were being pushed by Zanu PF Mutare District Coordinating secretary youth affairs Danmore Mambondiani.

He too was arrested.

“I have been arrested along with other youths. They don’t want to allow our people to work and earn a living. The police have been indiscriminately assaulting vendors,” Mambondiani said.

As lockdown restrictions were relaxed, President Emmerson Mnangagwa gave the green light to the local authorities to re-open all the informal markets throughout the country under strict health protocols.

After receiving complaints from the vendors, Mambondiani and his team of youths in Mutare resolved to take a stand and push for the re-opening of the markets which play a critical role in empowering the poor.

By A Correspondent- Three community members from Chinyamukwakwa in Chisumbanje have been arrested and detained for trespassing.

The development was revealed by Claris Madhuku, who posted and said:

“Historical boundary provocation stoked as 3 community members from Chinyamukwakwa, including Samson Mugovera are detained at Chisumbanje Police station allegedly for trespassing.

This follows a well known and tired scheming by Green Fuel Pvt Ltd to intimidate community leaders who are combative against the company’s insatiable appetite to continue grabbing more communal land.

There are activities by the company which involves invasion of more communal land. In the last ploughing season 2020/21 the community defied and continued ploughing on their communal land which they are finishing harvesting.

The boundary conflict is very sensitive due to the fact that it involves clandestine arrangements that are being challenged in court by the community.

The initial arrangements were that Greenfuel would seed 10 percent of the land back to the community in the form of irrigable 0.5 – 2 ha based on stakeholder decisions.

The current situation is that,the stakeholders platform has been weakened by using only government linked players who have no independent decisions with Greenfuel Pvt Ltd.”

By A Correspondent- A Chitungwiza woman has blamed her husband and his relatives for trapping her after she was caught red-handed in bed with another man.

Molly Imbayago who is a renowned member of a Pentecostal church in the neighbourhood accused her husband Bernard Matora of sending several men to seduce her as a way of ending their marriage.

The cheating housewife freely admitted to bedding, several men. She argued that she could not resist one of them in particular, because he had a “sweet tongue.”

Ironically, this was not the man that she was caught red-handed with.  Speaking to local publication H-Metro,

Molly said:

“My husband, with the help of some of his relatives, wanted me to move away from this family house,”

“They approached several men to propose to me so as to accuse me of cheating.

“One of the men seduced me with his sweet tongue and I failed to resist his advances and we ended up having sex.

“He is not the one found with me last night; uyu ndeumwewo anonditengesera mashampoo kusalon.”

After the two were caught redhanded, Matora threw out his cheating wife and forced her to sleep outside. He is also alleged to have severely assaulted his wife’s adulterous lover.

“The incident took place at around 9 pm and they severely attacked him that I am not sure of his condition.

“I lodged a report against my husband for forcing my six and eight-year-old children to sleep outside in cold weather.

Following daybreak, Molly packed her belongings and moved to another house within the neighbourhood saying that it was best for her as she was not wanted.

“Ndanga ndisisadiwe pano saka vaituma varume kuzondipfimba saka regai ndibve zvangu,”

Her husband on the other hand said that there was no excuse for Molly’s conduct and revealed that he would have his matrimonial bedroom cleansed by Prophets.

“I caught them red-handed between the sheets in my matrimonial bedroom that she has no excuse at all,”

“She has been bedding several men and taking them into my house.

“I am going to engage prophets to come and clean my defiled bedroom.”

One of the neighbours said that Molly’s shenanigans were well known in the neighbourhood.

“She has finally been caught red-handed by her husband but we have been witnessing several men clashing.

“She is a member of a Pentecostal church and does not miss church services apa achipaza imba yake zvino nhasi zvabuda pachena apa Sisi vake ndipastor zvakaoma”

By A Correspondent- Relatives of the late former President Robert Mugabe say they have already shared his property following his death in 2019.

In a wide-ranging interview, family spokesperson, Leo Mugabe, said it is surprising that Chief Zvimba, who wants Mugabe’s remains to be exhumed from his homestead and reburied at the National Heroes Acre, says some of the late former president’s belongings have not yet been shared.

“We have already shared (his belongings). We’ve done all that. That’s the other responsibility of a nephew, a muzukuru like me. You get my point? That’s where I come in, and we did it. It’s done. Finished.

“We don’t call these people, anashe (chiefs), distant people, you only call close relatives. I have some clothes that used to be his, that were shared on that particular function (homestead event after his death).”

Mugabe claims that Chief Zvimba is not aware that all cultural norms were followed in sharing Mugabe’s property, which includes some farms and clothes.

“Immovable (property) … Some of those things were left for his children. So, basically, it’s normal (for that to happen). It’s normal. Movable things, you know clothes and others, you know, they were all shared. We shared all that.”

Mugabe castigated Chief Zvimba who summoned former First Lady, Grace Mugabe, to appear before a local traditional court facing charges of illegally burying the late former president at his homestead instead of a designated place.

Chief Zvimba says he has given the government the green light to exhume Mugabe’s remains and bury them at the National Heroes Acre where a special enclosure was constructed for him.

At the weekend the Karigamombe clan, related to the Mugabes, held a meeting in which they dismissed Chief Zvimba’s order, noting that he was not supposed to summon Mrs. Mugabe to the traditional court.

The family is vowing to take the matter to the highest court in Zimbabwe in order to block the exhumation of Mugabe’s remains.

Leo Mugabe also insists that Chief Zvimba, who fined Mrs. Mugabe five cattle and a goat for allegedly violating local burial culture, failed to follow laid down traditional norms in dealing with such cases.

He said, “… What he is doing is taking somebody who was married in a family, and he is saying now, you the widow, you must pay. You see, he is suing the wrong person, and this person that he is suing, will then say, you know we are going to take the cattle from the deceased’s estate.

“Who are you punishing? Who are you punishing? The children … Who? People who you did not invite to any hearing, are the ones you are saying, ‘go and pick up the cattle If the cattle were given to the kids, the children, you are now saying go and get the cattle from the children. These children are above 18. They should be cited in many court papers in their own right.”

He said the case will embarrass Zimbabwe.

“I think this whole exercise is an exercise in futility. It will not yield the required results. It will just mess us up as a country, our image and the image of the government and everyone else, because it is not necessary. All this is not necessary.”

Chief Zvimba insists that Mrs. Mugabe should be punished for violating some local traditional rites related to burying people.

She is currently undergoing treatment for an undisclosed illness in Singapore. Mugabe died of cancer in Singapore after ruling Zimbabwe for almost 40 years.

By A Correspondent- If popularity on the soccer pitch could directly translate into political support, then Zimbabwe’s renowned soccer legend, Peter Ndlovu, has a good chance of winning the 2023 presidential elections after he was recently nominated leader of the newly-formed All People’s Party (APP).

Affectionately known as Nsukuzonke during his heyday at Highlanders football Club, Ndlovu is now team manager at Mamelodi Sundowns fC in neighbouring South Africa.

He will not be the first African soccer player to venture into active party politics.

Liberian President George Weah, a former world soccer star of the year, got the most votes in the first ballot in his first contest for the presidential elections in his native land in 2005. However, he failed to secure a majority in Parliament.

There is also Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban who was a footballer who made headlines after he cancelled a Cabinet meeting to play a match for his local club Felcslut FC in 2001.

Although repeated efforts to get a comment from Ndlovu were fruitless, APP vicepresident Sebastian Mubvumbi yesterday told NewsDay that his party was registered with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission on October 31, 2019, but it had not yet done its official launch due to COVID-19 restrictions.

He said Ndlovu had been its leader although this had not been yet announced officially.

The APP said in 2023, Ndlovu would battle it out with the Zanu-PF presidential candidate Emmerson Mnangagwa, MDC Alliance’s Nelson Chamisa, MDC-T’s Douglas Mwonzora and other presidential aspirants for the hot seat.

His popularity in the English soccer league, Mubvumbi said, was evidence that Ndlovu would be able to attract a huge political following.

APP was registered with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission on October 31, 2019, but it was still working out some internal strategies before its president (Ndlovu) could come back to Zimbabwe to take his full leadership role,” he said.

“Ndlovu, one of the greatest football players of all time was preferred to lead the party by a majority of people who call him the flying Elephant. He has not disappointed as a soccer star. Whenever he is called for duty, he is always available, which makes him the rightful candidate to take Zimbabwe into transition.”

Mubvumbi added: “However, he does not have to give up his other commitments in South Africa in order to rush back home to assume his duties as president of the party. It’s not prudent for him to do so, not as yet.”

He said the former Highlanders and Zimbabwe Warriors soccer star was confident of 2023 electoral victory.

Mubvumbi said the APP wanted to change the current top-down approach where the elite dictated development issues to citizens.

“The party would be fully represented in the 2023 elections as it has supporters from grassroot level in all the provinces. They have started building structures and mobilising other supporters,” Mubvumbi said.

“The party’s name speaks about its desire to be a grassroot-oriented party; a party of the subaltern groups in as much as it is the party for all ethnicities, religions and classes. As 2023 beckons, there is not any other time ripe for the people of this great nation to share the same mood to change the current leadership which talks about you, but never to you.

“Zimbabwe cannot continue to be an underdeveloped country at 41 with a few elite individuals enjoying while the rest of the citizens were suffering.”

Ndlovu’s APP party says if it were to be given the mandate to rule in 2023, it would reduce the country’s 10 provinces to five and do away with tribalistic names and tendencies.

-Newsday