Zimdancehall chanter Killer T has been blasted by his fans on his Facebook page yesterday after he posted his picture with First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa wishing her a happy birthday.

The picture was captioned, “l just wanna say Happy Birthday Kuna Amai Mwari akuwedzerei makore akawandisa ekurarama muchengetwe naIshe nhasi izuva renyu enjoy your birthday Momz??.”

The post attracted more than 8k comments with most people reacting negatively.

Bindura mayor Brian Kembo (MDC) said Killer T is seeking hero status which he will not get.

“I know zvawazviitira manje hauiitwe hero,” he said.

“Wakufarisa Killer T,” said one Tete vaNoku.

“Amai vaani? Wakudziirwa manje,” Taku Dzumbunu wrote.

Another fan Priscillar Mtungwazi said, “Izvo ita wega hako.”

Tendai Valentine Ruomba blasted the musician for dining with Mnangagwa.

“Ah makuda kupera mukuru siyana nechembere idzo we listen to your music to escape the pain caused by these same people saka respect our feelings don’t fine navo avo.”

Meanwhile, some fans believed there was nothing wrong in him wishing the First Lady a happy birthday.

“Atadzei Chairman veduwe..Wishing someone good health and many more years imhosva here..Magara hamuuye kumaliveshows ake Chairman vazhinji hamuna help yamunomupa mulife make so don’t control him itai yamunoita imimi,” wrote Tinofara Shango Mushangwe.

Caroline Tafadzwa Mudadi said people should leave Killer T alone since if invited for an event by the first family is money to him unlike the majority who do not buy his music but share it.

“Imi siyai munhu arumbidze mai vake.Akadanwa kuma events ekufirst family hanty imari yaanenge awana.imi munomupei basa kupanana masong ake neshare it.Ndosaka maartist edu achitambura..mungoda kuvajaja sepane zvamomupa…tsengerwai mudzi wemubanana.”

By A Correspondent- Outspoken Independent Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa (Norton) says there was no point in liberating the country from the yoke of white minority rule if 41 years after independence black people are forced off their ancestral land for whites.

This follows the recent gazetting of Statutory Instrument 50 of 2021 by the Ministry of Local Government for the removal of the Chilonga people in Chiredzi from their ancestral land to pave way for a dairy company, Dendairy owned by Darren Coetzee, to run a lucerne grass farming project.

Mliswa claimed that white people are doing as they please under the so-called New Dispensation and this is a reversal of the gains achieved by the nation through the armed struggle. He said:

No one wants to support a system that persecutes people. The whites are having a party in Zimbabwe with the Second Republic.

They’re making more money than everybody, we’re witnessing the reversal of policies and empowerment in their favour.

12 000 people are being removed for what? For one white man? Dendairy what national project are we talking of here?

Mliswa challenged the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage to intervene and ensure that the Chilonga people retain their heritage.

The former ZANU PF Mashonaland West provincial chairman warned President Emmerson Mnangagwa that on a spiritual level, Zimbabwe will become difficult to govern as local people are “crying” because of government policies.

Said Mliswa:

Where’s our culture and heritage [Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage]?

Spiritually it becomes difficult to govern the country when such prevails. People’s tears aren’t good.

What was the point of liberating this country when we’re still oppressed?

By A Correspondent- Health experts have warned that it’s just a matter of time before Zimbabwe experiences a deadly coronavirus third wave following Monday’s relaxation of lockdown restrictions.

The approaching winter, the emergence of new variants of the disease, and the improper wearing of face masks and zero social distancing in public spaces by members of the public are perfect conditions for another devastating COVID-19 wave.

Mpilo Central Hospital acting chief executive Solwayo Ngwenya warned in a tweet that the third wave is brewing.

He wrote:

The third wave is loading, all the ingredients needed for it are being made, new variants, relaxing populations and the winter is approaching.

My predictions are that the third wave will appear suddenly, in a massive form and kill many people, especially in Africa.

In response to those who argue that people need to be out and about in order to fend for their families, Ngwenya said it is better to be hungry alive than to die on a full stomach. He said: It will be like adding fuel to a raging fire. Zupco buses will be overcrowded. That is a recipe for disaster.

I saw many informal traders not practising social distancing and others were not wearing masks properly. That is a bad brew and the third wave of COVID-19 is loading. We are brewing it.

With winter approaching, this will escalate. Vaccines do not stop the infection; they just boost your immunity. The virus is going to find you and infect people. Some will die.

So you are better off being poor and hungry and alive, than being buried with a full stomach six feet under, permanently and prematurely.

Community Working Group on Health executive director Itai Rusike said members of the public should voluntarily comply with appropriate public health measures such as the mandatory wearing of face masks, sanitisation, handwashing, avoiding crowds and social distancing.

Medical and Dental Private Practitioners of Zimbabwe Association president Johannes Marisa called for more vigilance, saying the coronavirus still poses a present danger to the nation.

More: NewsDay

By A Correspondent- Schools will not break for the traditional first school holidays incorporating the Easter and Independence Day holidays.

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education on Wednesday, however, said there would be no classes on these public holidays which run from Friday, 2 April (Good Friday) to Monday, 5 April (Easter Monday) 2021.

The school calendar for this year has not yet been announced but it is likely that there will be three normal-length terms each of 60 teaching days.

This entails that there will be very short school holidays once weekends and public holidays have been taken into account.

Traditionally schools open for the first term early in January, with the first term ending shortly before the late March and April public holidays and the second term ending just before the Heroes and Defence Forces.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the normal school calendar has been set aside and a new calendar is expected to be finalised before the 15th of March.

On Tuesday, the government announced a phased reopening of schools, with examination classes commencing on 15 March while the rest of the learners will resume classes on 15 March.

In her post-Cabinet briefing, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said:

Cabinet agreed that the school calendar for 2021 starts on a slightly phased approach, with the examination classes opening on 15th March and the rest on 22nd March 2021.

Teachers for examination classes should therefore report for duty on the 10th of March, and the rest on 17th March, 2021.

By A Correspondent- Former Vice President Kembo Mohadi, who resigned recently over allegations of improper romantic relationships with married subordinates, will retain his portfolio as Zanu PF’s second secretary, the party has said.

Addressing journalists after the 349th ordinary session of the Politburo at the party’s headquarters in Harare on Wednesday, Zanu Pf national spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said the party had received and accepted Mohadi’s resignation but this will not affect his position in the ruling party.

He said:

The resignation of the former vice president from the government will not affect Cde Mohadi’s position in the party. He will remain the second secretary and vice president of the party.

In his address to the politburo, President Emmerson Mnangagwa who is also the Zanu PF First Secretary thanked Mohadi for the service he rendered while in Government.

He said:

We convene today following the resignation of Col (Rtd) Cde KCD Mohadi from the post of Vice President of the Republic of Zimbabwe. His resignation from the governance architecture of the Republic was unexpected.

On behalf of the Government, the Party Zanu-PF and indeed on my own behalf, I would like to thank former Vice President Col (Rtd) Cde KCD Mohadi for his service to our country.

I commend him for the role he played under the Second Republic in advancing our Government’s national development agenda as enunciated in Vision 2030 and National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1).

Mohadi announced his resignation from Government on Monday following media reports alleging that he had turned his office into a love nest with his married aides.

A few days before his resignation, Mohadi had rejected the claims, insisting that his voice had been cloned and he was being targeted by his enemies.

-newsday

By A Correspondent- Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s estranged wife, Marry, has warned him that power does not last forever, alleging that he is using his political muscle to persecute her since their marriage became strained in 2019.

Posting on Twitter, Marry accused Chiwenga of hypocrisy for taking part in Roman Catholic “Mass” while he denies her access to their children.

Marry also accused her husband of having her thrown into prison and further claimed that Zimbabwe’s judiciary is being compromised. 

She wrote:

When you receive holy communion and lie to God about your intentions and you abuse the children you say you love by denying them access to their mother for 17months, who are you fooling, is God silent to HYPOCRITES. The Beast and the Abused.

I miss my children so much, 17months I have been shut out completely, subjected to imprisonment by my husband to keep me away, the judiciary is compromised…these are young children…power is not permanent.

In 2020, the High Court dismissed Marry’s application to have her bail conditions relaxed so that she could go to South Africa to seek medical treatment.

She is suffering from an ailment that causes swelling of her hands and legs.

The former model has since filed an application at the Supreme Court against Justice Chikowero dismissing her appeal last year.

By A Correspondent- An insatiable appetite for a “flashy” lifestyle by a Bulawayo maid attracted the attention of the police, leading to her arrest on allegations of stealing US$23 000 from her employer.

Bulawayo police yesterday confirmed the arrest of Senzeni Ngwenya, 60, and her son Welcome (32) for theft.

The two had bought a Nissan caravan omnibus, building material, and went on a spending spree.

Their lifestyle attracted the attention of law enforcement agents. Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said the accused resided in
Matshobana suburb.

“On February 21, police received information to the effect that the two were living beyond their means. This led to suspicion that they could have been spending stolen money. Investigations were made and it was discovered that the two had indeed stolen,” Ncube said.

He said police acting on the information, proceeded to house number 402 Matshobana and picked Senzeni and her son for questioning.

Senzeni indicated that she picked a plastic bag containing US$23 000 at her employer’s Entumbane house.

Ncube said police recovered the Nissan Caravan omnibus, a mountain bicycle, shovel, wheelbarrow, 10 bags of cement and other goods allegedly bought with the stolen money.

The two will appear in court soon.

-newsday

By A Correspondent- The warrant of arrest for former Cabinet Minister Prisca Mupfumira was cancelled yesterday when she attended court and explained she did not deliberately abscond, but was being guided by the date spelt out in the Practice Direction 4 issued by Chief Justice Luke Malaba during the lockdown period.

Mupfumira, who was being represented by lawyer Mr Admire Rubaya, was then remanded out of custody to May 5 by Harare senior regional magistrate Mr Trainos Utahwashe after he cancelled her warrant.

She is jointly charged with Barnabas Matongera, who was National Social Security Authority (NSSA) ex-director contribution and collections officer. His warrant of arrest was also cancelled.

Mupfumira and Matongera were set to stand trial on allegations of paying US$3,5 million to a local land developing company towards the construction of low-housing units in Gweru without the NSSA board’s approval and following due tender processes.

The money was allegedly paid to Drawcard Enterprises out of the US$6,5 million that NSSA had committed towards construction of 1 000 low-cost houses in Gweru city. It is the State’s case that in 2017, Mupfumira, being Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, mooted the idea of having a flagship project in Gweru where 1 000 low-cost houses were to be built as quickly as possible.

In pursuance of her plan, Mupfumira then allegedly summoned NSSA chief property investment officer Mr Kurauone Chihota and influenced him to sign the Gweru off-take project for 200 stands with Metbank. The State said the decision was made knowing NSSA had no land in Gweru and that there was no board approval, and that tender procedures had not been followed.

Because of Mupfumira’s actions, Draw card Private Limited, which is into land development, and also happens to be Metbank’s client, was awarded the contract to construct the houses.

Drawcard Enterprises, according to the State, had no land in Gweru city council area despite having been awarded the contract to develop the 200 housing units but did have land nearby in Vungu Rural District Council.

Matongera, who was the then acting NSSA general manager and accounting officer signed the housing off-take for Muzenya Gweru housing project on August 3, 2017. He was said to be fully aware that there was no board resolution on the matter.

Drawcard Enterprises is said to have entered into an agreement with NSSA for development of residential stands in Vungu without the city council boundary being moved to incorporate the land.

As a result of Mupfumira and Matongera’s actions, NSSA committed to pay US$6,5 million and $3,5 million had already been paid towards the deal, according to the State.

Meanwhile, Harare City Council officials, Edgar Dzehonye, Tineyi Kurewa, Wellington Tauya and Samantha Museera, who are facing allegations of illegally parcelling residential stands in Harare were also issued with warrants of arrest after they failed to appear in court yesterday.

-statemedia

By Nomusa Garikai- The trouble with people who are shallow, thick and slow is they have the propensity to make mountains out of mole-hills and thus waste not only their time and energy but that of everyone else involved.

MDC has been on the political stage for 20 years, 5 of which in the GNU, they have failed to bring about even one democratic change in all these years. Not even one! 

The party had the golden chance to implement the reforms during the GNU. SADC leaders had got Mugabe and Zanu PF to agree to the democratic reforms by signing the 2008 Global Political Agreement. Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends’ primary task in the 2008 to 2013 GNU was to implement the reforms. They failed to get even one reform implemented and the golden opportunity was lost. 

Having failed to implement the reforms the party has changed tactic; it has been participating in elections knowing fully well that Zanu PF was rigging the elections. The narrative was if the opposition was better organised and united, it will win rigged elections. 

“MDC has stringent measures to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections!” boasted Chamisa before the July 2018 elections. Ever since the elections he has insisted on calling Mnangagwa illegitimate because he “stole the July 2018 elections!” Chamisa has conveniently forgotten that he is the one who boasted MDC would stop Zanu PF stealing the elections. 

Nelson Chamisa and his MDC A, Douglas Mwonzora and his MDC-T and the rest of the opposition entourage are preparing to participate in the 2023 elections. They all know that since the July 2018 election not even one meaningful reform was implemented and therefore Zanu PF is going to once again rig those elections; guaranteed! No doubt, Chamisa, Mwonzora, etc. will all come out with their own Winning In Rigged Election (WIRE) strategies. 

The real reason why MDC leaders have been participating in flawed and illegal elections, especially after the watershed 2008 elections when Zanu PF showed that its power to rig elections was infinite, is to win the few gravy train seats Zanu PF offered as bait. Zanu PF needs the opposition to participate to give the flawed election process so credibility and to give the result legitimacy. The opposition have found the bait irresistible.

After 41 years and counting of rigged elections it is criminal and insane to drag the nation into yet another flawed and meaningless elections. 

Every Zimbabwean with half a brain should be spending all their time and energy on making sure that democratic reforms are implemented before the 2023 elections. If the elections go ahead with no reforms then the plebiscite must be declared null and void. 

Every Zimbabwean with half a brain should be spending all their time and energy reminding the corrupt, incompetent and sell-out opposition that the nation is sick and tired of their deceitful WIRE strategies. 

“It has come to our attention that former MDC Alliance national executive committee members Lilian Timveous and Blessing Chebundo have resigned from the party and joined the ruling party Zanu-PF,” call the statement from MDC A Harare.

“While we wish our former colleagues well at their new political home, we take umbrage at their mischievous attempts to justify their shameful actions by casting aspersions on the MDC Alliance leadership in general and the secretary-general of the party in particular.

“Allegations by former deputy national treasurer-general Timveous against secretary-general Chalton Hwende cannot pass the veracity test as the claims are outright falsehoods concocted to justify her treacherous and selfish decision to abandon the people’s struggle in order to join the Zanu-PF gravy train.”

How tragic that Morgan Tsvangirai and the rest of the MDC leadership sold out big time during the 2008 to 2013 GNU and have continued to sell-out by participating in flawed elections with tragic consequences to the whole nation. And yet, ever to this day, the majority of the MDC A members have continued to sheepish follow these corrupt and incompetent leaders oblivious of the consequences of their own folly. 

The MDC members have always come to life, agitated as bees whose hive is under attack; because, this time, two-party leaders resigned! The consequences of their going, to the party worse the nation, is manicure but you would think so from the commotion in the party. This is just another MDC storm in a tea cup! 

The tragedy here is the nation will be dragged into yet another flawed and meaningless election in 2023 and MDC leaders will participate and give the vote rigging Zanu PF legitimacy! And all because the nation cannot get MDC leaders and their members to stop wasting time on trivial matters and focus on the real important issues – implementing the reforms and ending the curse of rigged elections and bad governance. 

It is not only Zanu PF that is holding the nation to ransom; the party now has junior partners in MDC!

By A Correspondent- Newly appointed Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister Nokuthula Matsikenyere has pledged to work with Mutare City councillors despite their political party differences.

Matsikenyere, who is also Chimanimani West legislator (Zanu-PF), addressed MDC councillors and management on Tuesday where she pledged to co-operate with them to improve service delivery in the city.

“Let’s work as a team regardless of political affiliation. We are going to work as a team so that we make our city and province great,” Matsikenyere said.

“As you are aware, Mutare City is the provincial capital so development starts from here and moves to other areas.”

Mutare City Council is dominated by MDC-T and MDC Alliance councillors.

Matsikenyere said she was happy that the local authority was now up to date with its workers’ salaries.

Under the leadership of former town clerk Obert Muzawazi, Mutare council workers had gone for over 20 months without receiving salaries.

Muzawazi resigned in 2016 amid allegations of corruption involving double allocation of stands, a charge he denied.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Three brothers from Odzi on Tuesday appeared before a Mutare magistrate facing a murder charge after they allegedly killed their brother-in-law following a domestic dispute.

Lovemore (27), Norest (22) and Eria Musharu (24), who are denying the charges, appeared before Mutare magistrate Tendai Mahwe, who denied them bail.

It is the State’s case that the accused persons went to the son-in-law’s homestead to resolve a misunderstanding between the now-deceased and his wife, Susan Musharu.

They failed to resolve the dispute amicably, resulting in a fight between the accused persons and the now-deceased.

During the fight, the now-deceased was allegedly struck with a log on the head by Richard Musharu, who is still at large, resulting in his death.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- A new political party formed by Zimbabweans in the diaspora, the Patriotic Zimbabweans (PZ), has proposed a financing strategy to revive the country’s deteriorating road, rail, aviation and health and sanitation infrastructure.

The party has developed, as part of its economic policy, a Zimbabwe diaspora bond for infrastructure restoration programme to offer an indigenous solution to capital projects in the country.

Party interim president Charles Muchineripi Mutama (46), who is based in the United States, said his party was development-oriented, hence the establishment of the Zimbabwe diaspora bond to economically empower citizens.

“Currently, the country’s public infrastructure such as highways, railways, aviation, dams, water supply and sanitation and medical facilities, among others, are in a state of disrepair or have collapsed,” Mutama said.

“The country’s infrastructure is in urgent need of rehabilitation in some cases and in others, a major overhaul. The party, will be administered in a fiduciary role by an internationally certified African financial institution,” he added.

“The Zimbabwe diaspora bond for infrastructural restoration and development will ameliorate the historical proclivity to depend on foreign aid resulting in generational debt as well as a tragic continuation of an extractive and exploitative role of our traditional creditors,” Mutama said.

“By their very nature, bonds are financial loans to a company or a government, and most bonds pay fixed interest overtime meaning that every Zimbabwean lender will benefit in this proposed mutually-beneficial process.”

“In Western nations, most capital projects and operations are financed in this way so the party is simply following precedence while giving Zimbabweans an opportunity to invest in their country of heritage,” Mutama said.

“In this mutually beneficial solution to Zimbabweans and the nation State, PZ proposes that this economic blue print needs to be tied with fundamental political reforms such as the enfranchisement of the diaspora among other key areas.”

Zimbabwe has an estimated four billion people working in the diaspora. In 2020, diaspora remittances helped drive foreign currency inflows to US$4,76 billion up from US$4,22 billion.

PZ was formed in January this year, drawing its membership from Zimbabweans living in South Africa, United Kingdom, United States, Australia and New Zealand.-newsday

By A Correspondent- Some teachers’ unions on Wednesday said that teachers are financially incapacitated and would not be able to report for duty until their salaries and working conditions are improved.

Speaking to NewsDay, Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) president Obert Masaraure said the government risks a repeat of what happened in late 2020 when schools were reopened in the absence of teachers. Said Masaraure:

It is very unfortunate and tragic that the government of Zimbabwe is opening up schools without capacitating the teachers who ordinarily teach there.

The teachers will neither be able to show up for duty nor pay the school fees for their own children.

Government is acting like the proverbial fool who repeats the same mistake and expects different results. The crisis of September 28 will haunt us.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Takavafira Zhou echoed Masaraure’s sentiments, saying the opening of schools this month will be “mission impossible” for teachers as they are financially incapacitated.

He said:

As teachers who are nearer the schools and classrooms, we want to tell Mnangagwa that teachers will not be able to report for work on March 15, 2021, as they are grossly incapacitated.

There is no need for the State to be inconsiderate by giving teachers an impossible mission of opening schools on March 15.

Teachers are demanding a basic salary of US$520 or its equivalent in the local currency, roughly ZWL$43 160.00.

However, the government insists that it has no capacity to pay in foreign currency or the equivalent in local currency.

Schools will re-open for the 2021 calendar on a phased approach with examination classes commencing on March 15 while the rest of the learners will resume classes on March 22.

A report circulated yesterday of a supposed ghost walking on the railway line. The incident reportedly happened near Zimphos Country Club.

Preliminary checks performed by ZimEye however established the said ghost to be a mere human being walking with a fire torch. A video conparator is presented below….

https://twitter.com/ZimEye/status/1367354085075275776?s=19

DO YOU THINK THIS IS A GHOST?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 4, 2021

Tinashe Sambiri|Former Harare Mayor Councillor Ben Manyenyeni has said Zimbabweans should not read much into Kembo Mohadi’s resignation.

According to Manyenyeni, Mohadi’s resignation will not change the country’s political dynamics.

He argued:
I resonate with the view that appointments or removals of Vice Presidents are not matters of national impact.

Such matters are internal ZanuPF processes and projects dealing with internal dynamics.

The country will continue to be run the Zanu way.

This has been demonstrated enough times before.

In most of them nothing really changes other than the Joshua Nkomo appointment which stopped the loss of life and brought peace back to the southern regions.

The results of English Premier League have more impact here than the appointment of a Vice President – both are indeed sideshows in our daily hustles as ordinary patriots.

Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance Youth Assembly has condemned the move by Mr Mnangagwa’s administration to evict thousands of Shangaan people from their ancestral land.

Villagers in the area have also vowed to fight for their land.

See the MDC Alliance Youth Assembly statement:

Chilonga Evictions: Mnangagwa In Smith Robes*
MDC Alliance Youth Assembly Condemns Chilonga Evictions

03-03-2021

MDC Alliance Youth Assembly condemns in strongest terms the senseless and heartless capitalistic move by Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime to evict more than 12 000 people of Shangaan origin from their ancestral land.

In this anti-people agenda, the regime is evicting citizens to pave way for a lucerne grass/alfalfa project by Dendairy- a company owned by Mnangagwa’s friends.

Armed with a rotten piece of legislation, the Communal Lands Act, Mnangagwa’s blue eyed boy, July Moyo is evicting Chilonga residents from their ancestral lands for years to pursue crude capitalistic interests.

This latest new low by the regime simply shows that Mnangagwa cares more for grass than the people he purports to represent or lead.

For a person who claims to be a veteran of the liberation struggle, Emmerson Mnangagwa must always remember that the liberation legacy was about addressing the land question.

Mnangagwa must be reminded that our defiance as a people has always been centred on the land question, protecting gains and completion of the unfinished business of the liberation agenda.

At the centre of that agenda is people power and people’s interests first!

Anything else that fronts selfish personal interests against the people’s share of national cake is provocation and calls for defiance.

It is disturbing that successive dictators that took charge of the affairs of our country since the Ian Smith era have this provocative syndrome to dare citizens by removing them from their ancestral lands of years.

In the 1970s, colonial dictator, Ian Douglas Smith stripped the Tangwena people of their Garaesi traditional land, but as always people power reigned supreme.

Remember Grace Mugabe, wife to the late dictator, Robert Mugabe!

Armed with imagined power of his husband’s invincibility, Grace led the evictions of people from Manzou farm for a parochial and petty zebras project at the expense of the people.

As always, people defied and people power reigned supreme.

Fronting the criminal Billy Rautenbach, the same Mnangagwa regime is in another tug of war with the Chipinge community over a bio-energy project that is set to displace thousands from their traditional land.

It is daring that in this day and age, Emmerson Mnangagwa again wants to drag us on this path of stripping people of their traditional land at the expense of petty selfish interests.

What is unmistakable from the Chilonga evictions is the regime’s patronizing and belittling attitude towards minority groups.

It is clear that after causing havoc in urban and town councils, Mnangagwa’s regime is now misdirecting their energies in destroying the rural social fabric which is closely attached to land.

Rural areas remains a doyen of our cultural heritage and the sentimental value of land goes beyond its economic value as there is traditional significance attached to it.

In this regard evicting citizens from their traditional land is akin to uprooting their cultural roots and economically stripping them naked.

For a man of color, Mnangagwa is behaving worse than Ian Smith and risks suffering the same fate as the latter.

People will simply defy privatization of their traditional heritage and Mnangagwa too is not immune to defiance!

Defy or die!

StopEvictions
DefyOrDie

Stephen Sarkozy Chuma
MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Spokesperson

By A Correspondent- Harare East member of parliament, Tendai Biti and Norton constituency lawmaker, Temba Mliswa on Wednesday exploded in parliament challenging the eviction of over 12 500 Chiredzi villagers from their land by the government.

The government last week okayed the forced eviction of the poor villagers through a statutory instrument which was issued by the Local Government Ministry.

Biti and Mliswa challenged the Local Government Minister, July Moyo, who was represented by his deputy, Marion Chombo, to explain the legality and moral basis of evicting peasant farmers from their ancestral land.

The evicted 12 500 villagers from Chilonga would make way for a lucerne grass project spearheaded by a local dairy producer.

Lucerne grass, also called alfalfa, is used for making hay or animal fodder.
Dendairy, a private milk producer, is said to be eyeing approximately 10 000 hectares of arable land for the lucerne production project meant for local and international markets.

Biti and Mliswa said the government did not consult the affected, before evicting them.

Chombo failed to answer the two and only to be rescued by her Zanu PF counterpart, Ziyambi Ziyambi who is also the minister of Justice.

The move by the government to evict these poor villager has been condemned by local civic society organisation committed to the development of socio-economic rights and agrarian systems that enhance equitable land rights and distribution — Masvingo Centre for Research Advocacy and Development (Macrad) which has described it as ‘disastrous”.

By A Correspondent- A man whose video went viral being assaulted by a soldier for allegedly cheating with the former’s wife has been identified.

Reward Chaterera, an ardent follower of Christ Embassy Ministries, is the man who was thoroughly beaten by a gunman, only identified as Baba Lolo from Glen Norah

Chaterera said that he is a civil servant and neither a church pastor nor chaplain as reported on social media after his video being assaulted went viral.

He was caught with the married woman, only identified as Mai Lolo, in his car. He said he did not miss work over the incident and most of the reports circulating on social media about him were false.

“Unoziva ndirikumboseka zvangu ndichiverenga zvirikukandwa pa social media about the incident,” said Chaterera.

“I am alive and going to work, not reports circulating that I passed on due to injuries sustained.
“I am not a church pastor or chaplain, but a civilian and I want to believe words are powerful; one day I will be a church pastor.

“Had it not been the issue of protocol, I could have narrated what exactly took place on the day in question and I even wanted the woman to be there as well.

“The incident took place in Glen Norah. That is what I can say for now since I will need permission from my superiors to comment in detail,” said Chaterera.

Chaterera is in the procurement department at Defence House and resides near Ardbennie in Mbare, which is almost 15 kilometres from the place where the incident occurred.

Chaterera never complained about the police against Baba Lolo.
He only lodged a report at the latter’s workplace, which he quickly withdrew for reasons best known to himself.

Baba Lolo is a bus driver under the national army and was not punished for assaulting Chaterera since the latter withdrew the assault charges.
The incident took place near a garage along Zvimba Road in Glen Norah A.

By James Gwati- The President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested a former First lady Grace Mugabe’s G-40 Midlands Queen, Smelly Dube on allegations of illegally selling state land.

Smelly Dube was very active in Grace Mugabe’s anti-Mnangagwa crusades before the November 2017 military coupe when she was working with the G40 team, led by Tapiwa Matangaidze to denounce Mnangagwa in Midlands.

Together with Matangaidze, the Gweru businesswoman influenced votes of no-confidence which were passed on provincial spokesperson Cornelius Mupereri, Justice Mayor Wadyajena, John Holder and Clarisa Mutambisi.

Former Sports minister Makhosini Hlongwane, Anastancia Ndlovu, former Midlands Provincial Affairs minister Jason Machaya, and the late former Kwekwe MP Masango Matambanadzo completed the Grace Mugabe team in Midlands during that time.

According to the state media Wednesday, Dube was arrested while in the hospital where she is being admitted on an ailment yet to be established. National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest of Dube this afternoon.

“Yes, I can confirm that the police working with the Special Anti-Corruption Commission have arrested Smelly Dube on allegations of illegal acquisition and sell of State land,” he said.

By James Gwati- In a shocking development, Zanu PF has announced that it is not worried by the behaviour of the former Vice President Kembo Mohadi adding that the disgraced official will remain the party’s deputy President.

Mohadi resigned this week after he was exposed by the media for having multiple relationships with married women.

This was revealed by the party’s spokesperson, Simon Khaya Moyo when he was briefing journalists at Zanu PF headquarters after the party’s politburo meeting.

Khaya Moyo who is also tipped to succeed Mohadi told journalists that, “Mohadi’s position is not affected in the party by his resignation from the party”, meaning that the sex pest former Vice President remains the party’s second secretary.

Tendering his resignation, Mohadi admitted that his behaviour had also soiled his party.

By James Gwati- In what seemed to be a mockery to the disgraced former Vice President, Kembo Mohadi, Wednesday at their Zanu PF politburo meeting, President Mnangagwa said the former’s resignation was unexpected.

Mohadi resigned this week following several media reports and evidence of his immoral sexual relationships with several married women.

ZimEye.com had earlier before Mohadi’s resignation reported that Mnangagwa and his deputy, Constantino Chiwenga privately held a meeting with the former Vice President and advised him to resign so that he could avoid an embarrassing sake from the government.

Speaking as if he was sympathizing with him (Mohadi)while addressing his Zanu PF politburo meeting this afternoon, President Mnangagwa said he did not expect Mohadi’s resignation.“On behalf of Government, the Party Zanu PF and indeed my own behalf, I would like to thank the former Vice President for his service to our country,” he said.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…..

EXCLUSIVE: Victims of "sex assault' by UK based prophet Uebert Angel finally speak in an investigation that has taken 6 yrs to complete | 5 pm London time | The full investigation covers 3 countries, and it comes as the man says it was just a moral failure on his part & no crime pic.twitter.com/HJCSTjhrrD

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 3, 2021

By James Gwati-Disgraced former Vice President Kembo Mohadi is at the Zanu PF headquarters where he is attending the party’s politburo meeting.

The meeting which is expected to discuss his succession started this morning is still in progress.

Mohadi resigned this week after the media had exposed his sex scandals involving several married women.

By James Gwati- Police in Gweru is breathing fire following the death of a suspect in cells, they had allegedly assaulted.

A family of the deceased is demanding the arrest of the unnamed Gweru police officers who it said is responsible for the death of their relative.

Tatenda Pasinyore Nyale, of Mtapa, Gweru, died in a police cell Sunday evening.

However, Nyale’s relatives and neighbours insist that he was a victim of police brutality.

It is understood that Nyale met his fate when he was approached by a group of policemen enforcing COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.

The relatives alleged that the police asked him what he was doing outside, after which they beat him until his death.

Neighbours posted on social media alleging that police were barring them from seeing Nyale’s remains.

“The Mutapa residents’ group wants to advise you that Tatenda Pasinyore Nyale was bludgeoned to death by the police.

“They are refusing us permission to view his remains and we don’t know what to do,” posted a woman on social media.

Residents of Gweru have launched a website called “Justice for Nyale”, where they are petitioning against police brutality.

The police, however, said the deceased died from injuries he sustained while trying to flee from being arrested.

“People should desist from blaming police where there is no evidence at all. It’s not necessary to create hatred for the police because investigations are pointing to other causes of death. Police reacted to a call where a man was stoning houses and gates. They attempted to arrest this man, who was very violent and evasive, but he scaled walls and fell from one gate. He rose and continued running away from the law officers,” ZRP spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi defended his Gweru colleagues.

Nyathi said Nyale was eventually arrested and found in possession of drugs, whose influence he was under.

“We have witnesses who saw him attacking police and scaling walls. Eventually, he was arrested and put in cells where there were two other people. He became sick and called for help,” he said.

Nyathi said the man was then taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

“We are asking people to allow investigations to take their course and not stir public emotions,” he said.

By A Correspondent- A man from Madziwa district in Mashonaland Central, Max Chauke died after consuming a poisonous substance after accusing his wife of cheating.

Mashonaland Central Police Acting spokesperson Assistant Inspector Naison Dhliwayo confirmed that Chauke’s widow, Tendai Mhlanga had filed physical abuse and malicious damage to property report against Chauke.

“On February 25 at around 0900hrs, the two had a misunderstanding on infidelity issues which led to Chauke assaulting his wife and a report was filed at Mt. Darwin police,” he said.

On February 26 in the morning, Mhlanga left Chauke home alone as she visited her relatives in a nearby village.

Upon her return, she discovered that her bedroom hut was burnt and Chauke was nowhere to be found.

A report of malicious damage to property was made Mt. Darwin police with Chauke being the suspect.

In the afternoon, their daughter Cinderella Chauke (17) was on her way to the borehole and found her father lying on the ground having difficulties in breathing.

Cinderella ran to a nearby homestead and advised Jomo (40) who then rushed to the scene and found out that Chauke had died.

The police came and found a bottle of an unidentified poison in his trousers’ pocket.

The police are appealing to members of the public to seek counseling whenever they experience social or economic challenges.

“Adultery and infidelity is not a new phenomena in this world and when it happens, people must seek third parties for counseling,” Dhliwayo pleaded.

Haruzivishe is accused of failing to appear in court in 2020 at a time when he had been in contact with someone who had tested positive to coronavirus. He is currently in prison after he was arrested last month & charged with kidnapping for allegedly locking up Impala employees.

— ZLHR (@ZLHRLawyers) March 3, 2021

By A Correspondent- The government has lifted the ban on marriages and announced the resumption of normal court operations.

The announcement was made by Chief Justice Luke Malaba on Tuesday, following the relaxation of the COVID-19 induced lockdown by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Monday.

In a statement, CJ Malaba said solemnisation of marriages should be conducted on the condition that only the parties to the marriage and their witnesses attend.

“The filing and processing of new cases, process, documents, pleadings, papers and court orders, including service and execution by the Sheriff and the Messenger of Court, shall be done in terms of the applicable Court Rules, legislation or court order,” he said.

“For the avoidance of doubt, accused persons originally remanded between 5 January 2021 and 1 March 2021, remain automatically remanded to the dates stated in Practice Direction 4 of 2021.

Solemnisation of marriages shall be conducted provided that only the parties to the marriage and their witnesses shall be allowed to attend.”
Entry into courtrooms shall only be limited to litigants, their lawyers, witnesses and identified members of the Press.

• Chronicle

1/2 Latest on @ngadziore @TapiwaChiriga. The magistrate said the bail ruling for the duo is not yet ready pic.twitter.com/CSbLPzXZAQ

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 3, 2021

2/2 The duo are set to spend another night in prison and appear in court at 1115hrs pic.twitter.com/0yrFRYSwqC

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 3, 2021

COMING UP TODAY
Did I have to go through all of those things? Do you know how painful it is to live 'somewhere' where you end up counting how many underpants and braas you have? – @MarryMubaiwa pic.twitter.com/apvE6RY6Xu

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 3, 2021

By A Correspondent- Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s ex-wife, Marry today for the first time speaks out concerning her plight accusing her husband of tormenting her by taking the children away from her while shaking up his concubines.

Eish, gone with the wind…the honorable step was taken
VP, my husband, the one i am married too forcibly took my children from me…
the hurtful part is the that he is not living with my children, he is here shaking up
with concubines at Chinese Kingsmead place in Borrowdale.

— Marry Mubaiwa-Chiwenga (@MarryMubaiwa) March 2, 2021

Marry yesterday revealed she is enduring torrid times from hired military personnel which Chiwenga has instructed to terrorize her.

Marry made the first disclosures via her Twitter handle on Tuesday that Chiwenga was using state machinery to torment her.

“I want to tell my story of the abuse I am suffering at the hands of my husband who is using state machinery and the judiciary to fight me. I have been quiet for too long, I will tell my story to whoever cares to listen, “ said Mary.

The two were involved in a messy divorce last year after Chiwenga had accused his wife of plotting to kill him.

Meanwhile, Marry openly speaks out today on audio for the first time. – Watch ZimEye for the LIVE coverage.

COMING UP TODAY
Did I have to go through all of those things? Do you know how painful it is to live 'somewhere' where you end up counting how many underpants and braas you have? – @MarryMubaiwa pic.twitter.com/apvE6RY6Xu

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 3, 2021

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

MNANGAGWA AT POLITBURO https://t.co/nwsCtOTTFM

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 3, 2021

COMING UP TODAY
Did I have to go through all of those things? Do you know how painful it is to live 'somewhere' where you end up counting how many underpants and braas you have? – @MarryMubaiwa pic.twitter.com/apvE6RY6Xu

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 3, 2021

By A Correspondent- Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s ex-wife, Marry today for the first time speaks out concerning her plight accusing her husband of tormenting her by taking the children away from her while shaking up his concubines.

Eish, gone with the wind…the honorable step was taken
VP, my husband, the one i am married too forcibly took my children from me…
the hurtful part is the that he is not living with my children, he is here shaking up
with concubines at Chinese Kingsmead place in Borrowdale.

— Marry Mubaiwa-Chiwenga (@MarryMubaiwa) March 2, 2021

Marry yesterday revealed she is enduring torrid times from hired military personnel which Chiwenga has instructed to terrorize her.

Marry made the first disclosures via her Twitter handle on Tuesday that Chiwenga was using state machinery to torment her.

“I want to tell my story of the abuse I am suffering at the hands of my husband who is using state machinery and the judiciary to fight me. I have been quiet for too long, I will tell my story to whoever cares to listen, “ said Mary.

The two were involved in a messy divorce last year after Chiwenga had accused his wife of plotting to kill him.

Meanwhile, Marry openly speaks out today on audio for the first time. – Watch ZimEye for the LIVE coverage.

COMING UP TODAY
Did I have to go through all of those things? Do you know how painful it is to live 'somewhere' where you end up counting how many underpants and braas you have? – @MarryMubaiwa pic.twitter.com/apvE6RY6Xu

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 3, 2021

By A Correspondent- Plumtree residents have warned Local Government minister July Moyo against awarding hefty salaries and allowances to councillors, saying the move would cripple service delivery in local authorities.

The warning comes after Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe president, Josiah Makombe, through a communiqué dated January 15 2021, directed all urban councils in the country to pay councillors hefty salaries and allowances as set out at various levels based on percentages that are paid to Members of Parliament.

“Reference is made to the address by the Honourable Local Government minister, July Moyo during the 79th AGM held on December 13 2020 at the Elephant Hills Hotel.

“He pointed out that councillors should be paid levels of allowances set out at various levels based on percentages that are paid to Members of Parliament as enumerated in Circular No 13 of November 11 2019,” the letter read.

“He (Moyo) said that councils must note that adjustments of allowances paid to councillors will have to follow any alterations to those paid to Members of Parliament.

“Councils need not to wait for another circular as long as they have obtained reliable information on the adjustment to the salaries of Members of Parliament.”

“It is against this background that the Presidential Committee at its meeting of January 13, 2021 resolved to recommend that councillors be paid their outstanding allowances backdated from January 2020 up to October 2020.

“Councils must effect the latest adjustment from December 2020 in line with the increase of allowances for the Members of Parliament which is at a rate of $47 002.”

“May councils implement the councillors’ allowances to the letter and spirit of the Circular 13 without further delay and prejudice to councillors’ welfare,” wrote Makombe, who is also Gweru mayor.

However, Plumtree Combined Residents and Development Association (Pcrada) chairperson, Richard Khumalo said the move would cripple service delivery.

“This will disrupt service delivery because all the money will be channelled towards salaries and allowances.

“Ratepayers are struggling to honour their obligations due to a declining economy exacerbated by the outbreak of COVID-19.

“So, this shows that service delivery will be affected as some money set aside for service delivery will be diverted to cover increased policymakers’ salaries and allowances.

“This is not a good move at this time. It can be considered later when the country’s economy gets better.

“Even if the amount is not yet known, we have to give the relevant minister the warning not to give more than we can afford as ratepayers,” Khumalo said.

Plumtree residents have always clashed with the local authority over poor service delivery and corruption, lack of potable water and poor road infrastructure.-newsday

ZINASU leaders #TakudzwaNgadziore and #TapiwaChiriga will be having their bail hearing today at 11.15am at Rotten Row Magistrates court no.6. They are being represented by Jeremiah Bhamu of the @ZLHRLawyers pic.twitter.com/GCYdA9cpW3

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 3, 2021

It’s two weeks after his demise and subsequent burial, but Zimdancehall chanter and liberation hero Soul Jah Love born Soul Muzavazi Musaka continues to make waves from the grave.

Today, Members of Parliament and ministers will deliberate the circumstances surrounding his funeral and the thousands of mourners who defied the COVD-19 lockdown restrictions and thronged his home and Warren Hills Cemetery to bid farewell to their hero.

Just like he attracted attention and controversy in life, he even continues to hog the limelight posthumously.

So action-packed was Soul Jah Love’s funeral that Makoni Central MP David Tekeshe (MDC-T) last week raised the issue in the august House, saying it could not go unchallenged.

“Yesterday (Wednesday last week), we were attending a funeral in Rusape and there was discussion between the deceased’s relatives and Ministry of Health and Child Care officials. The issue is that many people are attending funerals instead of the regulated figures. For example, the funeral of Soul Jah Love, an artiste who died recently and may his soul rest in peace,” he said.

“It seems there is selective application of the law because when a popular figure passes on, a number of people attend their funeral, but the regulations only apply for ordinary people as they are a bit stringent. So my question is on the application of law for particular individuals.’

Speaker of the National Assembly, Jacob Mudenda said Tekeshe had a point of national interest which he should raise during question time.

Question time is held every Wednesday in Parliament, where Cabinet ministers take time to respond to issues raised by MPs.

“It is a point of national interest. Surely, you will have done justice to yourself Honourable Tekeshe if you ask this during question time so that the relevant minister can explain why certain funerals are allowed to have more people while others are not and you will have a better response from the minister concerned,” Mudenda said.

Soul Jah Love succumbed to diabetes two weeks ago and was declared liberation hero by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The mourners, mainly youths who followed his music, walked long distances from as far as Epworth, Mabvuku, Mbare, Highfield and other suburbs to bury their icon.

The four-day funeral wake could have been a super spreader after the mourners blatantly ignored the regulations put in places to contain the virus.

Even national heroes, who under normal circumstances, attract bumper crowds, are receiving low-profile burials as a safety measure against the spread of the disease.-Newsday

We unreservedly apologise to @TembaMliswa & all parties involved for not giving them adequate right of reply before publishing a story on February 1 2021 'philanthropist in messy break up with Temba Mliswa.' We have personally apologised to @TembaMliswa & he has accepted.

— ZimMorning_Post (@ZimMorning_Post) March 3, 2021

Last week, two senior MDC officials, former Midlands senator Lillian Timveous and former Kwekwe Central MP Blessing Chebundo, jumped ship and joined President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ruling Zanu-PF party.

The development was met with fierce criticism from opposition supporters amid allegations of the two being sell-outs.

The Daily News on Sunday Chief Writer Mugove Tafirenyika spoke to Chebundo on Friday on the development and other issues. Below are excerpts of the interview.

Q: As a founding member of MDC, why did you leave the party led by Chamisa to join Mwonzora in the first place?

A:  Indeed I am a founding member of MDC then in its original form in 1999, as led by the late Gibson Sibanda, with the late Morgan Richard Tsvangirai as secretary-general.

At the inaugural congress in February 2000, Tsvangirai became president and Sibanda vice president after a negotiated settlement for these positions, and I was part of those consulted and supported this arrangement.

Following the death of Tsvangirai, MDC split into two factions led by Hon Thokozani Khupe and Advocate Nelson Chamisa. The MDC Alliance; with seven political outfits, claimed to follow the path initiated by the late Tsvangirai. The Khupe group also claimed to follow the path as led by the late Tsvangirai.  As an individual, I aligned with the former outfit.

Then came the Supreme Court Judgment of March 30 2020. The two sides reacted differently as institutions, and individuals also reacted differently, and at different times.

But the stuck reality was that the position of the law had been spelt out – the MDC-T was the party, and MDC Alliance was an election pact. With that reality of the legal position, I chose to follow the law campus, albeit a bit later in December 2020. So, I moved from the election pact Alliance to the legal outfit MDC-T in compliance with the legally interpreted position. I did not join Mwonzora. Even then, Advocate Mwonzora was not its leader.

Q: You are now with Zanu-PF. Why did you leave the MDC led by Mwonzora?

A: I did not leave Advocate Mwonzora, I left the MDC-T party, and I wish the party well.

I respect the current leadership of MDC-T for their efforts approaching national issues of concern in a non-confrontational manner, but offer and argue constructively for better alternatives, and work in a collaborative manner. That is being responsible.

However, there is still a very long way to go for the party to recover the ‘political formula and matrix of Tsvangirai’s leadership’.  The power dynamics; the intra, and inter factional denigrations, blame games, etc, is, but just not healthy for the party.

The pioneering planning meetings leading to the formation of MDC were held in my office, at Saint Andrews House, Leopold Takawira, Zimbabwe Chemical Plastics and Allied Workers Union, where I was the political head for Administration and Finance, and with Remus Makuwaza as secretary-general. I always get disturbed to see the leadership of current MDC groupings leading at different tangents to the ideas of the 12-member pioneer group as led by Sibanda and Tsvangirai.

I always got angry, and frustrated. Hence I began to monologue on how best to contribute, even in a small way, towards the emancipation of the country and its citizens.

Look, I have been in politics for around 40 years, both trade union and party politics counting. We all have our differently acquired experiences. And having gone past 60, I realised that, I need to use the experiences to directly contribute towards national development. Then the big question to me was, from which angle or platform given the obtaining political environment of polarisation in the country, especially in the opposition. Bitter or sweet, I realised that I can only do that as a member of the party driving the developmental agenda of the country.

Indeed it was a difficult decision, given my political background and experiences, but sometimes difficult decisions ought to be made, and made by people in positions if good things for the country are to be realised. Hence I moved.

Q: Are you implying that the opposition is as good as dead in the country?

A: My honest assessment is that the opposition’s power graph has been sliding downwards significantly since the death of Tsvangirai and worsened post 2018 elections due mainly to ‘poor decision matrix by leadership, especially post congress 2019 of the MDC Alliance faction. The Supreme Court judgment also fuelled the situation, though the graph is slightly promising to pick on the MDC-T side.

By the way when we talk about serious opposition in Zimbabwe we are mainly referring to the MDC. So, it’s all about effects of decision making. Zvinhu zvacho hazvidi ‘ndini chete chete ndinoziva’. Dzimwe nhambo nyaudzo singwi haasi maresults (Dictatorship has no room in politics and does not produce results). As they say, a roaring lion kills no one. You cannot achieve anything by just talking proverbs. So, opposition is not dead, but needs serious internal overhaul otherwise it will die.

As a democrat, do you subscribe to the idea of a one-party State?

A: There are more disadvantages than advantages to a one-party state.  In fact, ideas of one-party state system have expired over a period of time. There is a need for continuous checks and balances in governance, and this can only be done in a multi-party system. What is needed is to have all existing parties to be responsible political parties.

Q: What do you think has gone wrong in the MDC?

A: It’s all about leadership failure; poor strategies, factionalism and the I-know-it-all attitude of the leadership.

Q: What are your ambitions in Zanu-PF?

A: My interests are to see Zimbabwe prospering.  Zanu-PF is the governing party, and its policies drive the government’s developmental programmes. We are in the second republic since independence.

And within the ruling party one is able to input into the policies directly and in programmes using one’s expertise and experiences. Currently they have a programme for 2021 – 2025, as well as the vision 2030. If given sufficient chance, I believe I will make meaningful contributions, especially as someone who has been looking at these issues through the lens of the opposition.

Q: Given a chance, would you like to become an MP again or you now have higher ambitions?

A: My moves are informed by the need to contribute to the development of the country. Development comes in different opportunities. It is situational.

Q: What do you think is the solution to the country’s political and economic challenges? Would dialogue and a national unity government be an option?

A: Wherever and whenever there are differences in any given situation, dialogue is the key.  However, Dialogue does not entail production of a government of national unity in all circumstances.

Q: During your campaign for Kwekwe Central, you pointed to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s alleged incompetence, but now you want to work with him as your president? What has changed if you didn’t trust him as an MP?

A: Zimbabwe’s challenges had risen to greater proportions by the end of the first republic. To expect them to be addressed overnight was to expect miracles. Now there are gradual significant improvements much to the credit of the leadership of the second republic.

Issues of currency stability: consistent availability of goods, etc, is testimony. Of course there is still much more that ought to be done, but where good is done, let’s compliment.

Q: When you were in the opposition, you were subjected to violence at Zanu-PF’s hands. How have you suddenly become comfortable working with your former tormentors?

A: As a Christian, I am comforted by the Bible teachings, especially the experiences of Joseph, Daniel, David, etc, where people lived together in harmony in spite of past differences and skirmishes. In these experiences, there was lots of harmony and prosperity that were achieved collectively.

Q: There is a feeling that you had always been a Zanu-PF mole in the opposition. How do you plead?

A: Those are laughable mind-sets. With all the living examples/testimonies of what transpired to me. How could I be part of the founding pioneers of a party to then be a mole in it? It shows how desperate and injured some people are by my personal decision to move on.

Q: Some MDC youths accuse you of betrayal by joining Zanu-PF after they were allegedly brutalised while protecting you during your campaigns, amid claims some died. Do you sympathise with them?

A: Those are misleading fabrications. No youths ever died while giving me protection, not at all!  All acts of violence, including deaths, were recorded by the party.

In fact this morning I was alerted about a message by someone claiming that he was a youth guarding my house in 2003 when it went down in smoke. He is betrayed by his lies because, even his name is alien to the then MDC youths, and besides, the incident was in 2000, and not 2003. I was not staying in Kwekwe from 2000 to 2005.

-DailyNews

By A Correspondent- Chief Justice Luke Malaba has lifted the ban on marriages and announced the resumption of normal court operations, including the offices of the Master and the Sheriff of the High Court following the relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions by President Mnangagwa on Monday.

CJ Malaba suspended all regular court operations, including solemnisation of marriages, and scaled down other courthouse activities following the announcement of the level four lockdown in January by Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga.

The Sheriff and Messenger of Court were also ordered to stop evictions and executions, following the extended lockdown. Courts were operating under a special regime as the country was battling to contain rising Covid-19 cases especially after the festive season.

In a statement, CJ Malaba said solemnisation of marriages should be conducted on condition that only the parties to the marriage and their witnesses attend.

“The filing and processing of new cases, process, documents, pleadings, papers and court orders, including service and execution by the Sheriff and the Messenger of Court, shall be done in terms of the applicable Court Rules, legislation or court order,” he said.

“For the avoidance of doubt, accused persons originally remanded between 5 January 2021 and 1 March 2021, remain automatically remanded to the dates stated in Practice Direction 4 of 2021. Solemnisation of marriages shall be conducted provided that only the parties to the marriage and their witnesses shall be allowed to attend.” Entry into courtrooms shall only be limited to litigants, their lawyers, witnesses and identified members of the Press.

In terms of admission into court premises and offices, all persons will be required to undergo temperature checks, sanitise their hands at entry, wear face masks, avoid handshakes as well as maintaining social distancing.

Members of the public who have no business at court will not be allowed to access the premises. During the period of the extended lockdown, courts were operating under a special regime as the country was battling to contain rising Covid-19 cases especially after the festive season.

The lockdown was extended twice this year in January and February.

Following extension of the lockdown, the courts were required to restrict their activities only to urgent cases such as initial remands, urgent chamber and bail applications.

Proceedings for non-urgent cases both criminal and civil matters were automatically suspended for the extended period of the lockdown which expired on Monday.

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- A Former captain in the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), Solomon Ndlovu, is seeking reinstatement after he successfully appealed his six-year jail term for theft of a motor vehicle, at the High Court in September 2019.

Ndlovu, who was a chaplain at Mbalabala Barracks in Matabeleland South province, was in January 2018 convicted and sentenced to six years in jail for theft of a motor vehicle by a Beitbridge regional magistrate.

Two months of the sentence were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour and five months were set aside on condition he paid US$2 500 restitution to businessman Osfael Mazibuko.

Aggrieved by both conviction and sentence, Ndlovu, through his lawyer Abel Ndlovu of Dube and Associates, filed an appeal at the Bulawayo High Court citing the State as respondent.

Ndlovu argued that the regional magistrate erred and misdirected himself by attaching a criminal liability on him for violating terms of an agreement that allowed him to take lawful possession of the vehicle.

He added that the agreement he had with Mazibuko was purely a civil matter.

The State did not oppose the application, saying both the conviction and sentence were improper.

As a result, two High Court judges, Justices Maxwell Takuva and Thompson Mabhikwa, on September 16 2019, set aside both conviction and sentence, and acquitted him.

He had, however, already served one year and eight months at Khami Maximum Security Prison on the outskirts of Bulawayo.

Following his acquittal, Ndlovu had hoped to be reinstated, but a letter signed by a lieutenant T Sibanda for director legal advisory services and litigation in the ZNA, stated that the ex-chaplain had been discharged, a position which he is disputing.

“We acknowledge receipt of Ref ‘A’ in which you requested that your client be reinstated into the organisation.

“We regret to inform you that the command element abides by the commander’s decision to discharge your client from the ZNA and it is, therefore, unable to restore his commission,” the letter read.

“On a more positive note, the ex-officer will instead be considered to receive a pension cognisant of his service and age.

“Against this background, you are requested to convey the message to the ex-captain before we initiate the processing of his pension benefit,” the army said.

However, Ndlovu, who had served the army for more than 37 years, told Southern Eye that his dismissal was unprocedural.

“The letter was written and signed by a junior officer on behalf of the army which is improper.

“I can’t be discharged because this government erred by employing police officers as public prosecutors.

“I am being discharged on what ground? They should let me know. As far as I know, I am innocent.

“I was incarcerated over nothing and now the army wants to discharge me unprocedurally.

“No. Why can’t they follow the country’s laws? This thing is so painful,” Ndlovu said.

The principles and guidelines on the right to a fair trial and legal assistance in Africa, endorsed by the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, require that victims of wrongful convictions be compensated.

A 2013 report titled: “Study of Victim Experiences of Wrongful Conviction”, noted that when wrongfully convicted cases are exonerated, sometimes decades after the crime has occurred, it could completely disrupt the lives of the victims, disrupt the healing process, and result in re-victimisation.

-newsday

By A Correspondent- The resignation of Vice President Kembo Mohadi has triggered frenzied talk in Matebeleland with political activists and parties expressing different views about who and how the former VP could best be replaced.

Others choose to focus on the porous nature of private communication among individuals in the country as the ex-VP’s sex scandals emerged from alleged phone tapping by Mohadi’s enemies.

Some want to concentrate on whether it was still necessary for a small country like Zimbabwe to still have two vice presidents.

A former PF Zapu politician, Mohadi resigned from his position on Monday when embarrassing audios of the ex-VP inviting married women for sex in his government office and hotels went viral on social media.

He was co-VP who represented the PF Zapu equation of the 1987 unity accord credited for bringing a stop to bloody hostilities between the liberation movement and Zanu back then.

Part of the accord says one of the two VPs and the united party’s national chair shall emerge from some former senior Zapu leaders.

Activist Mbuso Fuzwayo said if the Unity Accord was to be followed in its letter and spirit, Angeline Masuku would replace Mohadi as she was the most senior surviving member from PF Zapu.

Masuku, a former governor for Matabeleland South province, is currently a member of the Zanu-PF politburo as well as the vice chairperson of the Women’s League.

Said Fuzwayo, “The question is the Unity Accord still respected? They (Zapu) lost this traditional position when the current chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, who is from Zanu was given the post ahead of former Zapu cadres.

“Anyway, if President Emmerson Mnangagwa decides to revert back to the Unity Accord, I think umama Masuku is more senior but in terms of health and age, her chances are slim and this paves way for people like Simon Khaya Moyo, Tshinga Dube and former ZIPRA Chief of Intelligence Retired Brigadier General Abel Mazinyane,” said Fuzwayo.

Other senior Zanu-PF Matabeleland based top politicians who have also been tipped to replace Mohadi are Obert Mpofu, Sithembiso Nyoni and Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander Philip Valerio Sibanda.

Zapu acting president, Isaac Mabuka concurred with Fuzwayo that Masuku was the most senior former PF Zapu politician currently within Zanu-PF.

“I think umama Masuku is the most senior, but I do not want to comment on the issue of Vice President Mohadi’s replacement,” he said.

However, Zapu spokesperson Iphithule Maphosa said the unity accord long collapsed in 2009 after a group of former PF Zapu leaders elected to pull out of the arrangement citing unequal treatment.

“it is those who are in denial who still believe certain positions are reserved for former Zapu membership.

“Zapu lives today and there is nothing called former member or senior official outside the party structures as led by President Isaac Mabuka.

“Instead of being naively stuck in a non-existing world of a unity accord, we must be talking and proffering solutions to the uselessness of the vice president who just resigned as well as questioning the necessity of two vice presidents in a country with a population of less than 20 million people,” said Maphosa.

MDC Alliance Bulawayo provincial spokesperson Swithern Chiroodza said he was more concerned about the abuse of the state apparatus to snoop on selected government officials.

“If media reports suggesting that former Vice President, Kembo Mohadi was scandalised by the CIO is anything to go by, we urge government to henceforth make it possible for its workers, particularly those deployed to VIP security, to be able to lodge grievances against their superiors without fear or resultant injury of any kind.

“Such a scenario will deny those who abuse state apparatus a pretext to employ honey traps, telephonic eavesdropping and other state-sponsored plots against high-ranking government officials,” said Chiroodza.

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- A Tshabalala money changer, commonly known as ‘Siphathelelni’, who allegedly went berserk and bit police officers as she resisted arrest in the city centre, was yesterday granted $2000 bail pending trial.

Tendeukai Tsomondo (47) of Tshabalala suburb appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Stephen Ndhlovu facing two counts of assault.

Tsomondo was allegedly spotted by police officers involved in an illegal money transaction in the city center.

When confronted, the accused person allegedly became violent and bit the police officers as they arrested her.

As a result, Constable Sithabile Mthombeni sustained wounds on the hands while Constable Rudolf Ndlovu also sustained wounds on the hands and right side of his chest.

Magistrate Mr Ndhlovu granted the accused bail on condition that she will reside at her given address and not to interfere with State Witnesses until the matter is finalised.

According to court papers, on February 25, at around 9AM along Fort Street between Leopold Takawira and 6th Avenue in Bulawayo, the accused was approached by the complainants who were acting in the course of their duty as police officers.

When the complainants were about to administer a lawful arrest, the accused person became violent.

During the scuffle, the alleged money changer then bit the complainants as she resisted arrest.

The illegal money changer was later arrested.

She will next appear in court on April 29.

By A Correspondent- The resignation of Vice President Kembo Mohadi has triggered frenzied talk in Matebeleland with political activists and parties expressing different views about who and how the former VP could best be replaced.

Others choose to focus on the porous nature of private communication among individuals in the country as the ex-VP’s sex scandals emerged from alleged phone tapping by Mohadi’s enemies.

Some want to concentrate on whether it was still necessary for a small country like Zimbabwe to still have two vice presidents.

A former PF Zapu politician, Mohadi resigned from his position on Monday when embarrassing audios of the ex-VP inviting married women for sex in his government office and hotels went viral on social media.

He was co-VP who represented the PF Zapu equation of the 1987 unity accord credited for bringing a stop to bloody hostilities between the liberation movement and Zanu back then.

Part of the accord says one of the two VPs and the united party’s national chair shall emerge from some former senior Zapu leaders.

Activist Mbuso Fuzwayo said if the Unity Accord was to be followed in its letter and spirit, Angeline Masuku would replace Mohadi as she was the most senior surviving member from PF Zapu.

Masuku, a former governor for Matabeleland South province, is currently a member of the Zanu-PF politburo as well as the vice chairperson of the Women’s League.

Said Fuzwayo:

“The question is the Unity Accord still respected? They (Zapu) lost this traditional position when the current chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, who is from Zanu was given the post ahead of former Zapu cadres.

“Anyway, if President Emmerson Mnangagwa decides to revert back to the Unity Accord, I think umama Masuku is more senior but in terms of health and age, her chances are slim and this paves way for people like Simon Khaya Moyo, Tshinga Dube and former ZIPRA Chief of Intelligence Retired Brigadier General Abel Mazinyane,” said Fuzwayo.

Other senior Zanu-PF Matabeleland based top politicians who have also been tipped to replace Mohadi are Obert Mpofu, Sithembiso Nyoni and Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander Philip Valerio Sibanda.

Zapu acting president, Isaac Mabuka concurred with Fuzwayo that Masuku was the most senior former PF Zapu politician currently within Zanu-PF.

“I think umama Masuku is the most senior, but I do not want to comment on the issue of Vice President Mohadi’s replacement,” he said.

However, Zapu spokesperson Iphithule Maphosa said the unity accord long collapsed in 2009 after a group of former PF Zapu leaders elected to pull out of the arrangement citing unequal treatment.

“it is those who are in denial who still believe certain positions are reserved for former Zapu membership.

“Zapu lives today and there is nothing called former member or senior official outside the party structures as led by President Isaac Mabuka.

“Instead of being naively stuck in a non-existing world of a unity accord, we must be talking and proffering solutions to the uselessness of the vice president who just resigned as well as questioning the necessity of two vice presidents in a country with a population of less than 20 million people,” said Maphosa.

MDC Alliance Bulawayo provincial spokesperson Swithern Chiroodza said he was more concerned about the abuse of the state apparatus to snoop on selected government officials.

“If media reports suggesting that former Vice President, Kembo Mohadi was scandalised by the CIO is anything to go by, we urge government to henceforth make it possible for its workers, particularly those deployed to VIP security, to be able to lodge grievances against their superiors without fear or resultant injury of any kind.

“Such a scenario will deny those who abuse state apparatus a pretext to employ honey traps, telephonic eavesdropping and other state-sponsored plots against high-ranking government officials,” said Chiroodza.

-statemedia

By A Correspondent | Kembo Mohadi’s wife, greeted ZimEye with a loud chuckle Tuesday morning after receiving good news that the man who once nearly axed her to death, has been forced to resign.

“”Alright, thank you, I am in a meeting,” Senator Tambudzani said, soon after a loud, long chuckle, while acknowledging the congrats message.

Senator Tambudzani endured one of the worst treatments against women in Zimbabwe, when her husband in front of police officers held an axe against her body as he openly defied a High Court order.

The violence was reported by the police officers who the then Vice President had taken to his wife’s house, to abuse her and seize property items she was awarded in a divorce settlement.

Mohadi was one of the country’s most powerful men who not only serviced in the Presidium, but was at one time the state security minister, heading the nation’s entire security apparatus.

Mohadi finally stepped down after an undercover meeting of spouses of Vice Presidents was staged for State House on Monday morning leading to the Vice President being fired. He was forced to resign following his string of affairs with several women, who include teenage school kids, and last Thursday, ZimEye’s Simba Chikanza organised for one of his lovers, taken when she was an A Level student, to get ready to travel over to State House for the meeting. She was directed to contact the President’s office for all her needs. The victim was also told to contact lawyers who can assist her. The highly charged telephonic conversations are replayed below.

Presidential spokesperson George Charamba has confirmed that the first ZimEye story on Vice President Kembo’s Mohadi last week, was accurate. .

Last week Thursday Mohadi held a press conference to deny the ZimEye report that he had resigned. Inside sources had however already leaked the story.

Mohadi later resigned on Monday after ZimEye had run an undercover stint that led him to eventually step down on that day.

Commenting yesterday, Charamba wrote on his Twitter portal, @Jamwanda2, where he said: “Contrary to dominant narratives in the media, former Vice-President KCD Mohadi handed in his resignation letter to the appointing authority, His Excellency President, Cde ED Mnangagwa a week ago. Let history record this statement of fact.”

Charamba’s tweet drew a backlash from critics, who accused Mnangagwa of violating the country’s Constitution by not announcing his deputy’s resignation within 24 hours.

Section 96(2) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe (No 20) Act 2013, which Mohadi quoted in his resignation letter, states that: “A Vice-President may resign from his or her office by written notice to the President, who must give public notice of the resignation as soon as possible to do so and in any event within 24 hours.”

Several people, including exiled former Zanu PF politburo member Jonathan Moyo, among others came out guns blazing, saying Mnangagwa was in breach of the country’s supreme law.

But Charamba defended his principal, saying there was no breach of the law.

Constitutional law expert Lovemore Madhuku said Mohadi quoted a wrong section that only applied to running mates, instead of the section on appointment of Vice-Presidents.

“That section doesn’t apply to Mohadi and others. Mohadi quoted the wrong section because that section that the President must inform the nation within 24 hours applies to VPs who are running mates when they take effect,” he said.

“These VPs are just like ministers. They are no more than ministers and can be hired and fired by the President and the President did not breach any law because the law doesn’t apply.” – NewsDay/ additional reporting.

COMING UP TODAY
Did I have to go through all of those things? Do you know how painful it is to live 'somewhere' where you end up counting how many underpants and braas you have? – @MarryMubaiwa pic.twitter.com/apvE6RY6Xu

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 3, 2021

By James Gwati- Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s ex-wife, Marry today for the first time speaks out concerning her plight.

Marry yesterday revealed she is enduring torrid times from hired military personnel which Chiwenga has instructed to terrorize her.

Marry made the first disclosures via her Twitter handle on Tuesday that Chiwenga was using state machinery to torment her.

“I want to tell my story of the abuse I am suffering at the hands of my husband who is using state machinery and the judiciary to fight me. I have been quiet for too long, I will tell my story to whoever cares to listen, “ said Mary.

The two were involved in a messy divorce last year after Chiwenga had accused his wife of plotting to kill him.

Meanwhile, Marry openly speaks out today on audio for the first time. – Watch ZimEye for the LIVW coverage.

COMING UP TODAY
Did I have to go through all of those things? Do you know how painful it is to live 'somewhere' where you end up counting how many underpants and braas you have? – @MarryMubaiwa pic.twitter.com/apvE6RY6Xu

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 3, 2021