Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader, President Nelson Chamisa, has said the popular movement will remain solid and intact despite frantic efforts by Zanu PF to destroy the people’s project.

President Chamisa has also emphasized that the popular movement is not ashamed of pursuing the peaceful path to the future.

“Our BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT over the years has been to remain standing & keeping the fight for real change.

It’s not easy to fight dictatorship only with open palms, bare hands and on the platform of peace.

We are not ashamed of our non-violence path to the future.

Waging a consistent fight for freedom, democracy & transformation is a major score and no mean achievement.

We have a solid vision, clear policies, precise goals and effective strategies…After the persecution, trials, betrayals and tribulations victory kicks in. Victory is certain! It’s coming,” said President Chamisa.

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader, President Nelson Chamisa, has said the popular movement will remain solid and intact despite frantic efforts by Zanu PF to destroy the people’s project.

President Chamisa has also emphasized that the popular movement is not ashamed of pursuing the peaceful path to the future.

“Our BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT over the years has been to remain standing & keeping the fight for real change.

It’s not easy to fight dictatorship only with open palms, bare hands and on the platform of peace.

We are not ashamed of our non-violence path to the future.

Waging a consistent fight for freedom, democracy & transformation is a major score and no mean achievement.

We have a solid vision, clear policies, precise goals and effective strategies…After the persecution, trials, betrayals and tribulations victory kicks in. Victory is certain! It’s coming,” said President Chamisa.

State Media

ZIMBABWE has upped preparations for a nationwide rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine, with the Government having concluded two extensive studies to assess readiness for the deployment of inoculation jabs, President Mnangagwa has said.

Updating the nation on the country’s Covid-19 response and containment measures at State House in Harare yesterday, the President warned against unnecessary travel and large gatherings over the festive period.

The country, said the President, was staring at losing out on the gains made in containing a widespread outbreak of the coronavirus if Zimbabweans continue to disregard Covid-19 containment measures that include enforcement of physical distancing and wearing face coverings.

Zimbabwe has recorded 12 047 cases of the coronavirus since March, with 316 people having died from the contagion.

The country has witnessed a spike in new infections over the past month, with 3 218 new cases having been recorded between November 16 and December 18.

“While a vaccine is the ultimate preventative measure, it is not available to us just yet,” said the President.

“Preparations for the deployment of a vaccine, once approved, are, however, in progress guided by two national preparedness assessments conducted in October and November 2020.

“Zimbabwe will only roll out vaccines that have been analysed and found to be effective and safe for our population.”

He said Zimbabwe was party to the World Health Organisation led Global Access Facility — Covax — which plans to secure and distribute millions of doses of the vaccine to developing countries, once licensed and approved.

The initiative, which seeks to secure at least 220 million doses, will enable the fast and equitable distribution of the vaccine.

Provisionally, the WHO distribution mechanism seeks to proportionally allocate doses until all countries have enough doses to cover 20 percent of their population.

“The WHO, working with other global immunisation partners, has come up with a Covid-19 Global Access Facility (Covax).

“This is designed to accelerate the development and manufacture of safe, effective Covid-19 vaccines in order to guarantee rapid, fair and equitable access to vaccines for all countries.

“Zimbabwe is participating in the facility.

“In addition to this, Zimbabwe is also participating in clinical trials and vaccine research to ensure that the country’s decision is guided by local science.”

Tinashe Sambiri|Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume is being persecuted for exposing rampant corruption in the Zanu PF structures, MDC Alliance Youth Assembly Gift Ostallos Siziba has said.

Siziba urged the nation to stand in solidarity with political activists who are being persecuted by Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.

See his statement below:
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume is in prison. He is being persecuted for exposing the regime.

I gather there’s chaos in town house.
I stand in solidarity with Jacob for the regime is coming for all of us, if we don’t speak out no one will.

Don’t be misled by the regime’s faceless troglodytes that the mayor is corrupt- it’s a simple narrative to strike moral equivalence between Zanu PF and the alternative.

What a shame!

ZanupfMustGo

FreeMayorJacob

A ZIMUNYA man who was recently convicted of stealing from an accident scene will perform 260 hours of community work.

Gerald Madziro (26) was convicted on his own guilty plea when he appeared before Mutare magistrate, Ms Nyasha Kuture.

Mr Brian Goto prosecuted.

Mr Goto said Madziro was the first to arrive at the scene of an accident which happened at the 11km peg along the Mutare-Chimanimani Highway.

He loaded the property of the Mr Davison Mushaikwa into his vehicle before rushing him to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital.

However, Mr Mushaikwa was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital and Madziro disappeared with his property.

Among the things stolen by Madziro were two diagnostic machines, one laptop, an electric scissors, a computer box, an alternator,a diesel pump and a inverter, all valued at US$2 755 .

Two weeks later, Mr Mushaikwa’s wife — Ms Evas Sithole — received information that Madziro had stolen the property.

Investigations led to the recovery of the property, save for the inverter.-The Manica Post

TEN gun-toting robbers on Sunday pounced on a Rusape farm and assaulted security guards before looting irrigation equipment worth thousands of dollars.

In a well-executed robbery that took place at Tara Farm on December 13, the robbers assaulted the security guards while others loaded their loot in a lorry.

The farm owner, whose name has not yet been established, tried in vain to give chase, but abandoned the mission after his vehicle ran out of fuel. Deputy Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Luxson Chananda confirmed the robbery.

“Ten gun-toting robbers pounced at Tara Farm and disarmed the first security guard who was manning the main gate. They severely assaulted him with logs and sticks before gaining entry into the main premises.

“They assaulted the other two guards before tying up all of them. The robbers stole irrigation centre pivots, 14 tyres, several gearboxes, several electric motors, spanners and the guards’ cellphones. They loaded the stolen goods into their truck and drove off,” said Insp Chananda.

A chief security officer at the farm arrived at the scene just after the robbery and called the farm owner who quickly reacted and followed the robbers in a high-speed chase.

He, however, ran out of fuel.

The 10 are still at large and police are appealing to members of the public for information that will lead to the arrest of the suspects.

Meanwhile, three unknown machete-wielding robbers pounced on a trader in Middle Sabi and made good their escape with portable radios.

“Kayembe Batiyanga was selling his wares in Middle Sabi and upon approaching Farm 31 Compound, the three robbers demanded cash from him. He did not surrender anything and so they assaulted him all over the body. They stole two portable radios and went away. Batiyanga tried to follow them, but they threatened to kill him with machetes,” said Insp Chananda.

The suspects are still at large.-The Manica Post

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader, President Nelson Chamisa, has said the popular movement will remain solid and intact despite frantic efforts by Zanu PF to destroy the people’s project.

President Chamisa has also emphasized that the popular movement is not ashamed of pursuing the peaceful path to the future.

“Our BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT over the years has been to remain standing & keeping the fight for real change.

It’s not easy to fight dictatorship only with open palms, bare hands and on the platform of peace.

We are not ashamed of our non-violence path to the future.

Waging a consistent fight for freedom, democracy and transformation is a major score and no mean achievement.

We have a solid vision, clear policies, precise goals and effective strategies…After the persecution, trials, betrayals and tribulations victory kicks in. Victory is certain! It’s coming,” said President Chamisa.

Tinashe Sambiri|Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume is being persecuted for exposing rampant corruption in the Zanu PF structures, MDC Alliance Youth Assembly Gift Ostallos Siziba has said.

Siziba urged the nation to stand in solidarity with political activists who are being persecuted by Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.

See his statement below:
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume is in prison. He is being persecuted for exposing the regime.

I gather there’s chaos in town house.
I stand in solidarity with Jacob for the regime is coming for all of us, if we don’t speak out no one will.

Don’t be misled by the regime’s faceless troglodytes that the mayor is corrupt- it’s a simple narrative to strike moral equivalence between Zanu PF and the alternative.

What a shame!

ZanupfMustGo

FreeMayorJacob

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader, President Nelson Chamisa, has said the popular movement will remain solid and intact despite frantic efforts by Zanu PF to destroy the people’s project.

President Chamisa has also emphasized that the popular movement is not ashamed of pursuing the peaceful path to the future.

“Our BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT over the years has been to remain standing & keeping the fight for real change.

It’s not easy to fight dictatorship only with open palms, bare hands and on the platform of peace.

We are not ashamed of our non-violence path to the future.

Waging a consistent fight for freedom, democracy & transformation is a major score and no mean achievement.

We have a solid vision, clear policies, precise goals and effective strategies…After the persecution, trials, betrayals and tribulations victory kicks in. Victory is certain! It’s coming,” said President Chamisa.

By A Correspondent- Preparations for the building of a state-of-the-art hospital in the tourist resort of Victoria Falls by International Health Delivery (IHD) have begun with consultations over location of the medical institution currently underway.

The construction of the health centre is expected to begin in a year’s time.

IHD executive director Chitwan Malhotra yesterday said the hospital was being built not only to be a medical referral centre for Zimbabweans, but also for those in the Sadc region.

“We need to boost the health infrastructure in the Victoria Falls and we will be setting up a state-of-the-art hospital in Victoria Falls which will be equipped with the most recent technologies,” Malhorta said.

“It will not only for the people of Zimbabwe, but also for people from neighbouring countries who will be coming for treatment, diagnostics and medication.”

She said the aim was to make the hospital part of medical tourism in the region.

“The hospital is a big project and it has a lot of stakeholders involved. This includes the local authority, Health and Local Government ministries. For this project to be on the ground, it will require a year of work with the ministry and other stakeholders.”

She said the location of the land where the hospital will be set up is yet to be identified. The location, she added, should be strategically placed within the resort town.

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Harare Mayor, Councillor Jacob Mafume was arrested for alleged criminal abuse of office after he had reportedly parcelled out council stands to his sister.

His arrest has triggered varying opinion with some, especially those aligned to the opposition MDC Alliance, saying it was politically motivated.

Following his arrest, his deputy, Councillor Luckson Mukunguma was elevated to the post of Mayor. Ironically, he had been arrested on 16 December but is already back in the office.

Speaking on the matter, Jealousy Mawarire, the spokesperson for the National Patriotic Front suggested that Mafume’s arrest was a strategy to clear the path for Mukunguma’s elevation.

He said:

I thot Harare Deputy Mayor, Luckson Mukunguma was arrested last week, how come he is Acting Mayor? So the arrest of Harare Mayor @JMafume is meant to elevate Mukunguma to the post of Mayor which he lost to Mafume @PoliceZimbabwe & the judiciary in Zim are being abused by Junta-PF

He was arrested last week on allegations of fraud, how come he is not in remand prison like others?

Mukunguma was arrested on 16 December for alleged criminal abuse of office. On the 17th of December, he was already back in office reinstating some of the council officials whose cases are still pending.

This is happening when the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works has issued a directive which notes that council employees facing criminal charges should not report for duty until their cases are finalised at the courts.

Mukunguma, a local businessman who is also the chairperson of the council’s finance committee, is a member of the MDC-T led by Thokozani Khupe.

He contested to replace ousted Harare Mayor Herbert Gomba but lost to MDC Alliance representative, Jacob Mafume, after securing 14 votes while Mafume garnered 19.

MDC-T’s acting spokesperson Tapiwa Mahakada has confirmed the postponement of the party’s extraordinary congress. 

Below is his statement.

19 December 2020

MDC-T Extra-Ordinary Congress: Latest developments

I have to advise all our MDC-T party structures, supporters, and delegates that the much-awaited EOC has been postponed to a date to be soon advised.

This development has been necessitated by logistical challenges that we had underestimated and these are being sorted out so that the party holds a seamless Extra-Ordinary Congress.

We owe it to our members to hold a transparent, democratic and credible Congress that will elect the successor to our late iconic leader, Dr Morgan Richard Tsvangirai. The decision to postpone Congress was arrived at after all the contestants agreed that more preparations needed to be done in order to deliver a credible Congress that will reflect the will of the 4500 MDC-T delegates.

The four contestants are Dr Thokozani Khupe, the Acting President, Engineer Elias Mudzuri, the Acting Vice National Chairperson, Dr Morgen Komichi, the, National Chairman and Advocate Douglas Mwonzora, the Secretary-General.

Yours In Solidarity

Dr Tapiwa Maji-Marefu MASHAKADA MDC-T Acting National Spokesperson

By A Correspondent- The Public prosecutor (PP) Tapiwa Kusema who consented to bail in Musa Abdul’s case and was later arrested on charges of criminal abuse of office, reportedly did not seek approval from his superiors for bail concessions beforehand, The Herald reports.

The matter came to light in court during his bail hearing when the officer investigating his case Detective Assistant Inspector Collius Mushambi gave testimony in court and said:

There are standard operating procedures, clearly outlining how the accused is supposed to operate as far as consent to bail to accused arrested for armed robberies, firearms or violence is concerned.

There is a memorandum dated November 19, 2020 from accused’s superiors reminding law officers how they were to operate in respect of violent crimes.

The section dealing with bail consents made it clear that “all consents must first of all be approved by your superior. No one should file a consent without the knowledge of your superior regardless of the nature of the offence

Det Mushambi also said the police are afraid if Kusema is granted bail he will abscond trial: (The) matter was brought to police on Monday and with a view to arrest the accused, we visited the address which was known to police. Accused did note reside there but it was his parents’ address and we left a message that he was being sought by police

We later managed to obtain the actual address of accused on Tuesday and again a message was left that he was wanted by police. We could not locate him the whole of Wednesday and did not report for work. He came to the police yesterday (Wednesday) accompanied by his defence counsel.

“He said he was consulting legal practitioners when we asked about his whereabouts. We discovered that the coming of accused to police was after he had realised that he could not hide because the matter was on social media. There are submissions prepared by accused consenting to bail for applicants filed at High Court of Zimbabwe, a copy is with police,

He further said if he is granted bail in which he is accused of abusing his office in Musa Abdul’s bail, there might be a public disorder because they have received numerous calls on the issue:

There will be public disorder. There is public outcry over the matter. There were several calls to the police asking what was happening and that alone may cause people not to trust the justice delivery of the country

The hearing will provisionally continue on Monday if the magistrate is available.-statemedia

-statemedia

By Correspondent- The woman who was legally married to Gringo has distanced herself from Gringo’s alleged relative’s statements that Gringo’s son is conniving with her to fix the woman who was now married to Netsai Meki at the time of this death.

Memory Chisinga who is reportedly legally married to Gringo since 2002 spoke to the publication and said she doesn’t want anything from the late comedian’s estate because she is OK.

This was reportedly after Netsai Meki, the woman Gringo was married to when he died tried to register his estate only to be told he is legally married to Chisinga. Chisinga is saying she is being abused on social media as people claim she is behind the chaos marring the late Gringo’s family.

Said Chisinga:

I have a life here in South Africa. I left Gringo when I was seven months pregnant and my boy is now 17 years old. I don’t want anything to do with his so called estate. I am happy with what I have,

I have instructed my relative to send me the marriage certificate to prove to the world but unfortunately the person who knows the whereabouts of  the papers  is not at home. I left Gringo in 2003 because of his insecurities.

Meki should not drag me in their dirty shenanigans rather she should deal with others. I was done with Gringo, 17 years ago and I don’t need anything. I raised my children single handedly. Why claim his properties now? I don’t have issues with Meki as I have never met her.

“Remember if I wanted anything to do with the late I would have sued her for adultery damages because I was legally married when she moved in with him

Chisinga even said she was aware of Gringo’s illness and her friends even helped Gringo during the time he was in dire need:

I am not part of the Boora family but I have children so I hear everything that happens there.

I have a very good relationship with other family members.

I knew about his illness from day one. My friends Jackie Ngarande and Pokello helped in paying for his surgery last year, but ungrateful Meki had the guts to say . . . (Aah taifunga kuti vabatsira because they love Gringo ndaisatoziva kuti ishamwari dzamai Tanaka).

Who does that? I didn’t come to the funeral but my family represented me.

If I was selfish, I would have taken the next flight to Zimbabwe the moment I heard about Gringo’s death.

I would have used my marriage certificate and taken over as the surviving spouse or worse sued Meki for adultery damages, like said before. I have long moved on and don’t stoop that low.

Meanwhile, Gringo’s memorial service was held at night last week after his son Taurai said he could not attend earlier as he was attending a wedding. 

-statemedia

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa has taken to social media to detail what the opposition has achieved since its formation in the late 90s.

Sharing a picture of him and the MDC founding father Morgan Tsvangirai, on Facebook, the firebrand politician said they have remained strong over the years and they are still standing 2 decades later before adding that it is difficult to fight a dictatorship with open arms.

Said Chamisa:

Our BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT over the years has been to remain standing & keeping the fight for real change. It’s not easy to fight dictatorship only with open palms, bare hands and on the platform of peace. We are not ashamed of our non-violence path to the future.

Waging a consistent fight for freedom, democracy & transformation is a major score and no mean achievement. We have a solid vision, clear policies, precise goals and effective strategies…After the persecution, trials, betrayals and tribulations victory kicks in. Victory is certain! It’s coming.

This comes after some people have started stating that the youthful politician has no strategy to defeat the current administration adding that he has been silent while the Khupe led faction is recalling legislators and councilors and he has no strategy to stop the faction which according to them is working together with the government to silence him. Chamisa during his mother’s memorial service early this month said silence is also a strategy.

By A Correspondent- Mr Nqobani Sithole a lawyer based in Bulawayo is suing the registrar-general(RG)’s office in his personal capacity for misspellings and errors in words and phrases written in Ndebele in the Zimbabwean passport.

In the papers filed by Sithole at the High court which cites the RG as a respondent, he attributed the errors and misspellings to the RG’s offices.

In his founding affidavit, Sithole stated that:

I am a Zimbabwean citizen and entitled to a number of rights and freedoms including the freedom of movement and residence as set out in section 66 (1) (c) of the Constitution, which encompasses the right to have a passport.

The same Constitution in section 6 (3) (a) guarantees every person’s right to the use of a language of one’s choice.

I am a native speaker of IsiNdebele language, which does not only define my culture, but millions of others in Zimbabwe

I am very worried that a trend has developed in Zimbabwe about a seemingly determined effort to decimate, mutilate and generally treat with disdain my language IsiNdebele by the Registrar-General. Recently, police did the same when social media was awash with pictures of a sign post at Magwegwe Police Station showing Magwegwe written as Magwegewe

The single word ‘kayikhululi’ has been wrongly split to appear as if there are two separate words kayi khululi. On pages 46, 47 and 48, in paragraph two after the header of page, the IsiNdebele word ‘akuvunyelwa’ has been wrongly written ‘akuvhunyelwa.

On pages 46, 47 and 48, in paragraph two in line two (after the header to the page, the IsiNdebele word ‘kwalokho’ has been wrongly written as ‘kwaloko.

According to the publication here are some of the words and phrases in the passport that must be corrected by the Registra general’s office:

Some of the phrases that he is challenging include: “Ukuthathelwa labo ababe belayo”, which he wants substituted with “ukuthathelwa lowo ozabe elayo.”

Mr Sithole said the words “okunga fanelanga” must be replaced with a single word “okungafanelanga” with “we pasipoti” being substituted with “wephasipoti.” He argued that the word “ivhiza” was not proper and should be replaced with “iviza” and “ukuphatwa” with “ukuphathwa.”

Other words that Mr Sithole wants corrected are “emphahleni” which he said should read “empahleni”, “kwaloko” should be substituted with “kwalokho.”

He said “isidhindo” should be substituted with “isidindo” and “epejini” with “ephejini.”

The registr-general’s office is yet to respond. Meanwhile the registra general is on suspension on alleged abuse of office charges.-statemedia

Watch the live video loading below…… (please be patient as it uploads)

The family of seven-year-old Murehwa boy, Tapiwa Makore, who was murdered on 17 September has set the 9th of January next year as the burial date for his remains.

The family through their lawyer, Tabitha Chikeya, wrote to the police saying they would have wished to bury him with all his body parts but it seems the other parts can’t be located.

A few days ago, police released some of the DNA forensic results from the case, confirming that the abdomen, legs and palm belonged to the deceased, while results of the skull are yet to be released.

Speaking to The Herald after meeting with Chief Mangwende of Murehwa on the possibility of burying the deceased, Tapiwa’s father, Munyaradzi Makore said:

It was our wish to bury our son with all his body parts but we have finally decided to bury him without his head. We are going to bury what is there on January 9 next year so that we can find closure.

We would like to express our gratitude to fellow Zimbabweans for standing with us during these hard times.

Tapiwa’s mother, Linda Munyori said with three months gone since the murder of her son, she felt that it was high time her “son’s spirit rests. Burying him will also bring comfort to us.”

She added:

As a mother, it pains me to bury my son without his head but there is nothing we can do.

Tapiwa’s uncle, Barnabas Makore, appealed to well-wishers to assist in the burial proceedings saying they won’t be able to manage the funeral on their own.

This is happening as Thanks Makore who was the prime suspect in the apparent ritual murder of his nephew was on Friday released from remand on a ZW$10 000 bail on the basis that there was nothing linking him to the offence.

Thanks was arrested after his co-accused Tapiwa Makore Snr, Tafadzwa Shamba and Maud Hunidzarira who are still in remand, had claimed that he was the mastermind behind the murder.

They claimed Thanks offered to pay them US$1 500 for the head and arms of the deceased.

By A Correspondent- A 41 year old married woman from Mpopoma, a Bulawayo suburb died under unclear circumstances after spending a night at a boyfriend’s house.

Chronicle reports that the woman, Ms Siphilisiwe Nkomo, was rushed to Mpilo Central Hospital where she was pronounced dead after having breathing difficulties while at Mr Jona Chigovanyika’s house on Wednesday morning.

The cause of her death is yet to be established as police are still waiting for a post-mortem report. Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Abednico Ncube, said police were treating the matter as sudden death and investigations were underway.

Ncube said:

I can confirm that a woman identified as Siphilisiwe Nkomo (41) of Mpopoma was pronounced dead on arrival at Mpilo Central Hospital. We are now waiting for post-mortem results to establish the cause of death.

Chronicle was told that Ms Nkomo was drinking beer at a local tavern when Mr Chigovanyika approached her and drank beer together before deciding to spend the night at Mr Chigovanyika’s house.

A relative who spoke on condition of anonymity said:

The woman died at around 10 am after she was rushed to hospital having breathing difficulties.

The relative said Ms Nkomo’s decision to sleep over at Chigovanyika’s place is shocking considering that she was married.

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- A 13 year old girl from Mwenezana estate, a sugarcane compound in Ngundu allegedly got pregnant after sex with a 24-year-old man who she would watch videos with from a laptop at night.

The family of Justice Tsvuke (24) who is alleged to have impregnated the juvenile offered to pay lobola and arrange a marriage.

Tizirai Pedzisai, the juvenile’s brother would however, not contemplate marriage of a 13-year-old and he reported the matter at Ngundu Police Station. He even refused to entertain the matter when the two families were called for discussion at village Head Maride’s homestead.

Milton Rukovo, the accused’s brother said he was not at liberty to discuss family matter with Two Nations.

Efforts to get a comment from Tsvuke were futile.

The juvenile has since given birth to a baby boy.

Pedzisai said the two had sex when the girl’s mother was away. The two would watch movies from the laptop until the juvenile’s siblings fell asleep and then they would engage in sex.

The juvenile’s mother discovered the pregnancy after being tipped off by other neighbors.

-newsday

By A Correspondent- Industry and Commerce minister Sekai Nzenza has admitted that inconsistent and often outdated policies hinder implementation of key government strategies.

Nzenza was responding to Norton legislator Temba Mliswa, who accused the government of having too many economic strategy documents without reviewing or learning from the mistakes of previous blueprints at the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) sixth annual business review conference on Thursday.

“We grow tobacco in this country. Ninety-nine percent of the tobacco grown in this country is going out as raw and the finished product is sold elsewhere,” Nzenza said at the business ZNCC business review.

“Why can’t we make cigarettes inside this country, create jobs and bring in foreign currency inside this country? We now have a strategy which we are working with the Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement ministry. What is required going forward is that we will break down those silos between line ministries and work together cause that has been the problem where we don’t necessarily work together.”

She said there was need for ministries to work together as there was a whole value chain process to be explored.

“One of the key areas we are looking at, ladies and gentlemen, is the sugar industry — and, yes, I will admit that not only have some of our policies been inconsistent, some of them have been outdated,” Nzenza said.

“The Sugar Act, for example, goes back to 1964, but we are working on it and are already getting input from the private sector and the sugar farmers themselves.”

She said other industries they were looking at included dairy, steel and the motor vehicle industries.

In recent memory, this inconsistency has been seen with the removal of the multi-currency regime in June last year in favour of the Zimbabwe dollar through Statutory Instrument (SI) 142 of 2019.

But in March this year, the same officials changed its policies and brought back the United States dollar into the market to be used in tandem with the local currency under SI 85 of 2020.

“We tend to be dishonest with our ministers and I blame you (business community) all. You (government) like writing documents, but we never review the documents,” Mliswa said.

“The economic blueprint, we had ‘ZimAsset’; from ZimAsset without reviewing it we went to the 10-Point Plan, without reviewing it, we went to the Transitional Stabilisation Programme, without reviewing, we went to the National Development Strategy 1 (20212025).”

“There is no country which is serious which survives on five-year plans. A five-year plan, for people in the corporate world here, is what a company does.

“As a nation, you are talking about 20, 25 or 30 years. Look at China. You don’t hear China talking about a five-year plan…you must leave a plan for generations.”

-newsday

By A Correspondent- The Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) yesterday awarded the first three licences to community radio stations.

In a statement, BAZ board chairman Charles Manzi Sibanda confirmed that licences had been awarded to the Mbembesi Development Trust, Ntepe-Manama Community Radio Trust and Nyangani Community Radio Trust.

“The Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe wishes to advise members of the public that the authority has completed the processing of applicants for the provision of community radio broadcasting services in areas that were not being competed for,” Sibanda said.

“The authority has completed the processing of the application for those areas with no competition namely Manama, Mbembesi and Nyanga and wishes to advise that the following three applicants have been awarded community radio services licenses.”

Some applicants were yet to submit information required for the authority to make informed determination on their applications, he said.

“In addition, the authority advises members of the public that Midlands State University and the University of Zimbabwe have also been awarded with campus radio broadcasting services licences,”

Sibanda said the new licenses shall have 18 months to roll out their plans and go on air, in line with section 11(7) of the Broadcasting Services Act.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Association of Community Radio Stations (ZACRAS) said it welcomed the step taken by the BAZ to license the first three community radio stations.

ZACRAS chairperson Perlagia Kapuya said the success of these newly-licensed community radio stations and campus radio stations will only be possible if they are allowed to independently function. Communities should be given the full rights to own and run their stations without interference.

“This latest development also comes against the background of the licensing of the first campus radio, the Great Zimbabwe Campus Radio,”Kapuya said.

“While we remain alive to the fact that the three community radio stations are the first of the 10 community radios that are set to be licensed, we continue to entreat the government of Zimbabwe, through BAZ, to ensure that the broadcasting space is diversified in its entirety through the licensing of people centred and community rooted community radios.”

Kapuya urged the government to ensure that the new licensees get all the technical and start-up support to get the stations off the ground.

Media Institute for Southern Authority (Misa) Zimbabwe urged the newly licensed community radio stations to jealously guard and protect their editorial independence.

“Their editorial policies should be defined and underpinned in pursuit of an inclusive social development agenda,” Misa Zimbabwe said in a statement.

“Their programming should thus be for-by-and about the community as envisaged in terms of the African Charter on Broadcasting.”

newsday

By A Correspondent- Chitungwiza Town Council is being accused of posing a serious health threat to over 650 000 residents in the dormitory town by discharging raw effluent into rivers that provide water to the municipality, the court heard.

The Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association, represented by its director Mutuso Dhliwayo, recently successfully applied for an interdict at the High Court seeking to stop the municipality from causing and permitting discharge of raw effluent and hazardous substances into Muda Dam, Seke, Harava and Nyatsime rivers.

The application was granted by High Court judge, Justice David Mangota who ordered Chitungwiza to repair its water treatment plants and ensure proper treatment of effluent before discharge, within three months.

The court also ordered the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), the second respondent in the matter, to assess the municipality’s compliance with the order and submit a report of the inspection to the registrar of the High Court within three months.

In his founding affidavit, Dhliwayo, who was represented by lawyer Advocate Agyver Sawunyama, stated that Chitungwiza municipality had failed to fulfil its duties of manging sewer systems and ensuring that residents had potable water as prescribed at law.

“This is a case which is absolutely necessary that the relief sought ought to be granted,” he pleaded.

“The harm caused by actions and inactions of the first respondent has created a serious and sustained health risk, which may result to devastating pandemics.

“I would not be exaggerating were I to surmise that the municipal area of Chitungwiza is a ticking time bomb for such mediaeval diseases such as cholera, typhoid, dysentery and others.”

Chitungwiza municipality had appeared before the environmental management board twice and found guilty on charges relating to poor management of effluent.

The council, however, did not follow the recommendations from the board and continued to violate the EMA statutes on waste management, according to the papers filed at the High Court.

“The various remedies adopted in the past therefore have no impact in deterring the first respondent from breaching its statutory duties or from repeating to commit the same offences.

“The applicant has no other remedies than that of seeking a prohibitory and mandatory interdict,” he stated.

In her latest audit report on urban councils, Auditor-General Mildred Chiri revealed that the local authorities were failing to attend to sewer blockages within 24 hours, resulting in raw sewage mixing with drinking water, giving rise to outbreaks of waterborne diseases.

She said the local authorities do not have modern equipment and technologies for sewer system inspection and maintenance.

-newsday

Please be advised that after exhaustive deliberations of the National Standing Committee the Extraordinary Congress that should take place tomorrow, Saturday 19^th December, 2020 has been moved further to a date to be advised soon.

The postponement has been necessitated by a number of technical, logistical and administrative issues some of which have affected the production of a credible and acceptable list of delegates (Electoral College) to EOC. The processes of cleaning up and certifying the Electoral College is ongoing, therefore the EOC cannot go ahead on the 19^th December, 2020 as initially envisaged.

“Equal Opportunity for All ”           1

We apologise for the inconvenience this postponement has caused.

New dates and venues will be communicated as soon as possible.

Stay united!

Senator Morgen Komichi

MDC-T interim leader Thokozani Khupe yesterday allegedly cancelled the extraordinary congress which was slated for today after gross irregularities were identified on the voters roll said to have been brought by interim secretary-general Douglas Mzonzora.

Party elections agents yesterday spend the better part of the day locked in meetings to verify the 2014 party structures, comparing with Mwonzora’s roll.

The roll, party insiders said, was in shambles, with names but without positions which they held at the time.

Party acting spokesperson Tapiwa Mashakada was not reachable for comment, but insiders said he was preparing a statement to announce the postponement of the congress to possibly next year.

“It’s been agreed (to cancel the congress). The party will seek another postponement at the court,” the insider said.

In October, the MDC-T was given up to 30 November to hold the extraordinary congress to select a new leader after missing the July deadline due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Khupe had approached the Supreme Court seeking guidance on the matter after the same court in March ordered the MDC-T to hold an elective congress within three months.

In March this year, the Supreme Court ruled that MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa was not the legitimate leader of the opposition party despite them leading two different formations and reinstated Khupe as interim president with a mandate to lead the party to a congress to select a new leader to replace the late founding MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai.

Khupe is facing off with Mwonzora, party national chairman Morgen Komichi and his deputy Elias Mudzuri.

Mwonzora was reportedly pushing for the use of a new voter’s roll while Khupe’s camp brought a roster of members from 2014.

There were also allegations that transport money was not released on time to allow delegates to travel to the voting centres today, with scant communication on the centres where polls would be held.

Komichi in the afternoon confirmed the disagreements over voters roll, despite claiming he was happy with the preparations of the congress.

“The preparations of the congress are going on well. We have no complaints but we are yet to agree on the voters’ roll. We haven’t seen it but we will give you an update,” Komichi said.

An insider confirmed the rift between Khupe and Mwonzora over the voters’ roll.

“There is a rift between Khupe and Mwonzora over which voter’s roll to use. Mwonzora wanted to use the current voters’ roll but that has been rebuffed by the Khupe camp which brought the 2014 structures voters’ roll,” the insider said.

“The fear in the Khupe’s camp is that the Mwonzora’s roll was full of his backers. The issue has further ignited fissures ahead of the extraordinary congress tomorrow (today).”

Khupe previously ordered that there be no gap filling to the party’s 2014 structures for the congress to block Mwonzora, who was allegedly stuffing the roll with his backers in a process led by Mashonaland East provincial chairman Piniel Denga.

Last week, Khupe’s camp was up in arms against Mwonzora, accusing him of stealing $300 000 from the $161 million the party got from government under the Political Parties Finance Act.

Mwonzora was cleared of wrong doing by the national standing committee on Thursday, giving an impression that Khupe and the former Nyanga MP had buried their hatchet ahead of the congress.

By A Correspondent- There is strong suspicion that there was a leak of Zimsec English Exam Paper 1 after two candidates, one external and another a student at Murambinda B Secondary were caught with answers during a sitting on Wednesday last week.

Both were disqualified.

Buhera Schools Inspector Godfrey Chimbwanda said he is yet to receive a report from the Headmaster.

“I have sent one of my inspectors to the school but unfortunately the head travelled to Mutare today. I will have all the information on Monday,” said Chimbwanda.

Sources told Chipinge Times that, the two were found by invigilators in possession of ZIMSEC answer sheets which were different from the ones disbursed in the exam room.

The sheets contained answered questions which prompted the invigilators to suspect that the paper leaked since the answers were of the same questions in the question paper.

Sources said that the answer sheets had folding lines meaning that the candidates entered the exam room with the answer sheets.-MasvingoMirror

Paul Nyathi

The Thokozani Khupe led MDC-T has inevitably called off its Extraordinary Congress set for Saturday to elect a new party leader purportedly to replace the late founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

The party advised its members that it is calling off the congress due to administrative issues.

Members of the party who were meant to be delegates at the congress on Friday mobilised against attending the Congress.

Below is a memorandum circulated to members in Matabeleland South against the congress. Similar notices were distributed in all the other provinces.

URGENT NOTICE

18/12/2020

ATT:MAT SOUTH EOC 2014 DELEGATES

MAT SOUTH 2014 MDCT Extra Ordinary Congress (EOC) DELEGATES.

This memorandum serves to advise & update

ALL CONCERNED 2014 MDCT MAT SOUTH EOC DELEGATES, that they are strongly and strictly advised & indeed directed NOT TO TAKE PART in the MDCT EOC on 19 December 2020 that the several social media platforms are awash with.

This is a bogus and purely a ZANU-PF/MDC Rebels’ programme that real democrats MUST shun because:

1. Mat South was not accorded a chance to exercise it’s democratic right to nominate it’s preferred Presidential candidate.
2. Neither our MDCT Constitution has, nor our 2014 National Council has made a provision for decentralised National Congresses.
3. The EOC is a Zanu PF project to archieve premaditated results that Zanu-PF will want to use to form bedroom GNU.
4. Many Presidential aspirants were disenfranchised outside the dictates or the party constitution hence the law.
5. The same scenario in (4 above) goes true for several delegates. Many have been fired without due processes being followed.
6. The 2014 National Organising Secretary and his deputy in particular, have been unlawfully expelled from the party and yet there are the ones in charge of structures.
7. The High Court of Zimbabwe has just interdicted the holding of this EOC until 2014 National Organiser Abedinico Bhebhe’s illegal and summarily expulsion is determined as per MDCT party constitution. We therefore expect the MDCT to abide by the same (Latest) High Court of Zimbabwe judgment if the MDCT is as democratic and constitutional as it claims to be or atleast as it should be.

That’s done & undersigned on behalf of ALL- 2014 MDC T MAT SOUTH AUNTHENTIC PROVINCIAL COUNCIL(EOC DELEGATES).

Solani Moyo
(2014 Mat South Provincial Chair).
18 December 2020

CC. MDCT 2014 SC
MDCT 2014 NC
MDCT 2014 SG

The MDC-T circulated the memorandum below to call off the congress.

A MARRIED Bulawayo woman from Mpopoma suburb died under unclear circumstances after spending a night at a boyfriend’s house.

Ms Siphilisiwe Nkomo (41) was rushed to Mpilo Central Hospital where she was pronounced dead after having breathing difficulties while at Mr Jona Chigovanyika’s house in Mpopoma on Wednesday morning.

The cause of her death is yet to be established as police are still waiting for a post-mortem report.

Sources said Ms Nkomo was drinking beer at a local tavern when Mr Chigovanyika approached her. The two agreed to go to Mr Chigovanyika’s place of residence where they spent the night.

A relative who spoke on condition of anonymity said Mr Chigovanyika and Ms Nkomo were drinking beer together before deciding to spend the night at Mr Chigovanyika’s house.

“The woman died at around 10 am after she was rushed to hospital having breathing difficulties,” said the relative.

The relative said the now deceased Ms Nkomo was married and therefore did not understand why she decided to spend the night at another man’s house.

Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said police were treating the matter as sudden death and investigations were underway.

“I can confirm that a woman identified as Siphilisiwe Nkomo (41) of Mpopoma was pronounced dead on arrival at Mpilo Central Hospital. We are now waiting for post-mortem results to establish the cause of death,” he said.

State Media

MPILO Central Hospital has recorded an alarming 74 Covid-19 cases over the past four days which left a nine-month-old baby and 14 staff members infected.

The infected staff members work at Mpilo’s Persons Under Investigation (PUI) ward for Covid-19 while others are from the National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory where Covid-19 tests are conducted.

The rest are patients.

The development comes at a time when Bulawayo province is now accounting for more than 32 percent of the 620 new cases recorded in Zimbabwe during the same time.

One of the 74 people who had Covid-19 died on admission before his results were out. The nine-month-old baby has been referred to United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) for admission.

The Old Bartley Memorial Block at UBH is the only functional public designated Covid-19 centre where positive and symptomatic patients are admitted. Since the outbreak of the global pandemic in March this year, 314 Zimbabweans have died of Covid-19.

A total of 11 866 cases had been recorded in Zimbabwe by Thursday evening with an average of 100 new Covid-19 cases being reported daily.

The country has a total of 1 796 active Covid-19 cases and 561 of these are in Bulawayo province followed by Matabeleland South which has 289.

Since the beginning of the schools Third Term which ended yesterday, a total of 332 pupils tested positive countrywide.

About 185 of those were from John Tallach High School in Matabeleland North while 10 were from Matopo High School in Matabeleland South.

In an interview, Mpilo acting chief executive officer Professor Solwayo Ngwenya said the virus now has its grip in communities which should deter people from dangerous health behaviours.

Prof Ngwenya said the PUI ward at Mpilo used for symptomatic patients who are awaiting results was filling up and soon public institutions will not be able to cope with increased new cases.

He also said the continuous increase in new cases was putting a strain on limited protective personal equipment (PPE) which health care workers use to protect themselves from infection.

Prof Ngwenya said the festive season-related travelling to countries like South Africa and the returning of Zimbabweans from the neighbouring country could worsen the situation as SA was a Covid-19 hotspot.

“We have recorded 74 positive cases in the last four days, 14 of them are staff members and the youngest affected is a 9-month-old baby. This should be a warning to my fellow countrymen. These figures are just a tip of an iceberg as there are lots of unreported cases still to be documented,” said Prof Ngwenya.

He said people should be careful especially now that Zimbabweans working in SA are returning home to be with their families and relatives for the festive season.

“People should just avoid large gatherings such as parties, weddings and other such gatherings to save lives,” said Prof Ngwenya.

He however, said Mpilo figures do not mean that the hospital is a hotspot but it’s a reflection of the Covid-19 reality in communities.

“The infections are from the communities. These are people who are coming to the hospital infected thereby putting our health workers at risk,” said Prof Ngwenya.

He warned people intending to travel to rural areas saying the virus has found its way to many rural communities which in the past had been Covid-19 free.

“The virus is now in the rural areas unlike in the past when it was mainly in urban areas. There are places in Mat North that are known Covid-19 hotspots like Nyamandlovu, St Luke’s and Ntabazinduna hence the need to spread the message to our rural people who have been relaxed ,” said Prof Ngwenya.

State Media

The law officer who consented to bail for the suspected leader of a gang of violent armed robbers, Tapiwa Kasema, defied instructions ordering prosecutors to seek higher approval for bail concessions, his remand court heard yesterday.

Kasema is now facing charges of criminal abuse of office for consenting to bail for Taj Abdul and three others, allegedly members of the same gang, when they applied for bail at the High Court. The latest instruction came from Mr Michael Mugabe, employed as Head Setdown Division at the National Prosecuting Authority and details of how law officers are supposed to handle matters pertaining to firearms, violence and armed robbers.

Giving evidence for the State, which is opposing bail for Kasema on the grounds that he might abscond, the investigating officer in his case, Detective Assistant Inspector Collius Mushambi, questioned by Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti who is appearing for the State, said: “There are standard operating procedures, clearly outlining how the accused is supposed to operate as far as consent to bail to accused arrested for armed robberies, firearms or violence is concerned.

“There is a memorandum dated November 19, 2020 from accused’s superiors reminding law officers how they were to operate in respect of violent crimes,” he said.

Det Asst Insp Mushambi said the section dealing with bail consents made it clear that “all consents must first of all be approved by your superior. No one should file a consent without the knowledge of your superior regardless of the nature of the offence”.

Det Asst Insp Mushambi said police were afraid that Kasema could abscond trial considering that he was difficult to locate when they wanted to arrest him. He said Kasema only surrendered himself after realising that the net was closing on him with the social media being awash with news that he was wanted by the police.

“(The) matter was brought to police on Monday and with a view to arrest the accused, we visited the address which was known to police. Accused did note reside there but it was his parents’ address and we left a message that he was being sought by police.

“We later managed to obtain the actual address of accused on Tuesday and again a message was left that he was wanted by police. We could not locate him the whole of Wednesday and did not report for work. He came to the police yesterday (Wednesday) accompanied by his defence counsel.

“He said he was consulting legal practitioners when we asked about his whereabouts. We discovered that the coming of accused to police was after he had realised that he could not hide because the matter was on social media. There are submissions prepared by accused consenting to bail for applicants filed at High Court of Zimbabwe, a copy is with police,” he said.

Det Asst Insp Mushambi told the court that there will be public disorder if Kasema was released on bail considering the number of calls received by police regarding Taj Abdul’s release.

“There will be public disorder. There is public outcry over the matter. There were several calls to the police asking what was happening and that alone may cause people not to trust the justice delivery of the country,” he said.

The matter is expected to continue today or Monday depending on the availability of the magistrate handling the matter, Mr Ngoni Nduna, with Kasema’s lawyer Mr Steady Kachere cross-examining Det Asst Insp Mushambi. Kasema was remanded in custody pending the outcome of his bail application.

Paul Nyathi

The family of murdered seven year old Tapiwa Makore has expressed unhappiness at the High Court for granting bail to a prime suspect in the murder case.

Justice Benjamin Chikowore somewhat granted ZWL$10 000 bail to Thanx Makore who is the prime suspect in the alleged ritual murder.

Thanks is accused of offering US$1.500 for the arms and head of
Tapiwa, his nephew.

He is being charged with his twin, Tapiwa Makore (Senior) and his
herdsman, Tafadzwa Shamba who are still in remand.

A family member told ZimEye.com that the family will on Saturday morning go and picket at the High Court to express their dissatisfaction.

Zimbabwe recorded two COVID-19 related deaths from the 181 new cases reported yesterday, as second wave takes grip on the country.

The cumulative total number of cases reported since the beginning of the pandemic is now 12047.

316 cases have been reported while 9894 people have recovered.

Below is the update from the Ministry of Health and Child Care….

South Africa’s health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has hinted that the second wave of the deadly COVID-19 is being driven by a new variant called 501.

Below is a thread of tweets by Dr Mkhize confirming the new variant….

We have convened this public briefing today to announce that a variant of the SARS-COV-2 Virus- currently termed 501.V2 Variant has been identified by our genomics scientists here in South Africa.

We have convened this public briefing today to announce that a variant of the SARS-COV-2 Virus- currently termed 501.V2 Variant has been identified by our genomics scientists here in South Africa.

This genomics team, led by the Kwazulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform, or KRISP, has sequenced hundreds of samples from across the country since the beginning of the pandemic in March.

Clinicians have been providing anecdotal evidence of a shift in the clinical epidemiological picture- in particular noting that they are seeing a larger proportion of younger patients with no co-morbidities presenting with critical illness.

The evidence that has been collated, therefore, strongly suggests that that the current second wave we are experiencing is being driven by this new variant. #SARSCOV2MediaBriefing

Karim: “What we are seeing now is that the rate of increase in cases is similar as the first wave but the second wave has now over shot the peak of the first wave.” #SARSCOV2MediaBriefing

Karim: “The second wave has now hit all provinces with some early signs of it spreading faster than the first wave.” #SARSCOV2MediaBriefing

Karim: “The second wave is showing early signs that it is spreading faster than the first wave. It is not clear if this second wave has more or less deaths. We have not seen any red flags looking at our current death information” #SARSCOV2MediaBriefing

Karim: This new 501.V2 variant has become dominant in South Africa. This new variant has 3 mutations. #SARSCOV2MediaBriefing

Karim: The higher viral load in swabs may translate to higher efficiency of transmission. #SARSCOV2MediaBriefing

Mkhize: We knew it was coming but none of us expected for it to come as quickly as it did. There was no specific projection. It comes at a time when the behaviour over the festive season is likely to worsen the spread of the virus.

Mkhize: We have noticed a degree of complacency with mask-wearing and hand sanitizing. The second wave is increasing during this season but we believe it is most likely to increase after this season. It may well have another bump where numbers are showing an increase.

A National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) train derailed in Bulawayo early on Friday killing two employees and injuring seven others.

NRZ spokesman Nyasha Maravanyika said the accident happened in Redbank, 30km from Bulawayo close to the highway to Victoria Falls after sand was dumped on the railway tracks following heavy rains.

The goods train travelling to Bulawayo was carrying coal, coming from Sawmills, a railway yard in Umguza district, Matabeleland North.

Maravanyika said: “The derailment happened just after midnight. The accident was caused by sand that covered the rail road level crossing following heavy rains. This caused our locomotive to go off track.”

He said 11 NRZ employees were onboard at the time.

“We are sad, we are sorrowful because this incident took away two lives,” Maravanyika said, noting that fatalities from goods train accidents were very rare.

The NRZ believes farming activities along the railway line loosened the soil, which was then swept onto the tracks following heavy rains.

“As NRZ, we encourage communities not to do agricultural activities along railway lines. We should all protect and preserve railway reserve land and railway equipment to avoid loss of lives through accidents,” he said.

One of the dead men has been named as Tawanda Makombe, who was also the vice chairman of the Bulawayo Volleyball Association.

By Jane Mlambo| Following widespread ridicule and mockery of the Mbuya Nehanda statue as a wrong depiction of the first Chimurenga heroine, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has given in to pressure and ordered that the bronze sculpture be re-done.

After pictures of the statue made rounds on social media, Zimbabweans did not waste time to dismiss it as a mockery to the legendary heroine with some saying she didn’t have the figure and bust depicted by sculptor, David Mutasa.

Now President Mnangagwa has rejected the statue for its youthfulness which he said should be replaced by a wrinkle and old mbuya Nehanda as widely portrayed in her pictures.

“When we have that kind of artistic production there are key features which must ensure that onlookers immediately connect with the production and one key feature has to do with the physical appearance of the real-life figure you are talking about so the President immediately reacted he wanted to understand why artistically VaMutasa had decided to make Nehanda look a lot more youthful.

“Then it emerged that the reality is that VaMutasa had in fact done something that approximated Nehanda in life but the authorities at the monuments and museums were of the different view they thought the artistic production must convey and communicate vigour, permanence, the youthfulness of the spirit which Nehanda incarnates or personifies so they then suggested that Nehanda be made a lot younger to suggest that buoyancy which they wanted to communicate to the onlooker.

“The President didn’t agree and as it turns out that youthful face of Nehanda will be put away and will have a Nehanda who is closer to how the good lady looked in real life which means a lot more wrinkled well past middle-aged but of course showing the strength and stresses of captivity,” said Charamba.

A ZIMUNYA man who was recently convicted of stealing from an accident scene will perform 260 hours of community work.

Gerald Madziro (26) was convicted on his own guilty plea when he appeared before Mutare magistrate, Ms Nyasha Kuture.

Mr Brian Goto prosecuted.

Mr Goto said Madziro was the first to arrive at the scene of an accident which happened at the 11km peg along the Mutare-Chimanimani Highway.

He loaded the property of the Mr Davison Mushaikwa into his vehicle before rushing him to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital.

However, Mr Mushaikwa was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital and Madziro disappeared with his property.

Among the things stolen by Madziro were two diagnostic machines, one laptop, an electric scissors, a computer box, an alternator,a diesel pump and a inverter, all valued at US$2 755 .

Two weeks later, Mr Mushaikwa’s wife — Ms Evas Sithole — received information that Madziro had stolen the property.

Investigations led to the recovery of the property, save for the inverter.-The Manica Post

A 27-YEAR-OLD man has been arraigned before the courts for allegedly sodomising his inmate at Mutare Remand Prison.

Moses Madhure last week appeared before Mutare regional magistrate, Mrs Lucie-Anne Mungwari facing charges of aggravated indecent assault as defined in Section (11) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

He pleaded guilty and will be back in the dock on December 18 for sentencing.

The complainant (name withheld) resides in Machipanda, Mozambique, and is currently at Mutare Remand Prison.

The court heard that on unknown date, but during the month of November 2020, Madhure went into a bathroom where the complainant was bathing and requested to be intimate with him.

When the complainant refused, Madhure forced himself on him.

The matter came to light on November 29 when the complainant, acting under duress, was seen caressing Madhure’s privates by another inmate who went on to inform the prison officer who was on duty.

Madhure was subsequently arrested.-The Manica Post

Tinashe Sambiri|Recalled MDC Alliance John Nyamhoka says he will not abandon the people’s struggle.

Nyamhoka described Thokozani Khupe and Douglas Mwonzora as hopeless political turncoats.

See statement below :

Statement by Councillor John Nyamhoka after being recalled by Khupe cabal

I have received a letter of recalling me by the so called MDC T under their bogus president is Thokozani Khupe.

I want to make it very clear that I will never jump onto a dead train of misguided elements who think power is about money.

When I was voted into power as ward 17 Councillor I used MDC Alliance ticket of which I’m proudly a member. I have no time to listen or follow the Covid-19 judgment by a certain Judge who take orders from Zanu PF.

The only reasons for recalling me is my loyalty to the People’s Party which is MDC Alliance, for not being trapped into Zanu PF agenda and for standing for the people who gave their trust to me.

Mwonzora and Khupe are anti development. They have Zanu PF DNA of trying to fix the people of Zimbabwe. By recalling me they think they are fixing me yet they are fixing the general populace of ward 17 who are over 35 thousand.

I will stand with the people, I will stand with MDC Alliance and I will remain loyaly to President Advocate Pastor Nelson Chamisa.

Yours in Struggle
Councillor John Nyamhoka
Ward 17

Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance Youth Assembly has strongly condemned the conviction of its officials in Midlands.

See full statement below :

18-12-2020

SIX MDC Alliance Midlands youth leaders who were convicted on trumped up charge of “participating in an unlawful demonstration” today were fined RTGS 20 000 each by a Kwekwe magistrate.

The six are:

1.Midlands province Youth Chair Sekai ‘Muchaina’ Marashe

2. Clr Melody Chingarande
   3.Clr Washington Moyo
   4.Cde Lovemore Savanhu
   5.Cde Tinashe Nyamushosho
   6.Cde Leonard Musemwa

It is clear that the latest move by the state is meant to deter other young people from questioning Emmerson Mnangagwa’s corrupt military dictatorship.

As the MDC Alliance Youth Assembly we maintain that our comrades are innocent.

This is another case in point of persecution by by prosecution of opposition members by the junta.

#OneMillionCampaign

YouthVoices4Change

Stephen Sarkozy Chuma
MDC Alliance Youth _Assembly National Spokesperson
_

Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance has accused the Zanu PF government of thwarting development in local authorities.

The MDC Alliance has also indicated that its councillors are being blocked from carrying out their activities independently.

The whole thing is meant to frustrate MDC Alliance and councillors, according to the vibrant movement.

Watch video below :

Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance has accused the Zanu PF government of thwarting development in local authorities.

The MDC Alliance has also indicated that its councillors are being blocked from carrying out their activities independently.

The whole thing is meant to frustrate MDC Alliance and councillors, according to the vibrant movement.

Watch video below :

A TEENAGE girl who was allegedly possessed with an evil spirit has been plunged into deeper trouble after a self-proclaimed prophet reportedly sexually attacked her before assigning a tortoise to suck her breast.

A resident from Pelandaba suburb, Thulani Sibanda, said the self-proclaimed prophet only known as Madzibaba Sadza visited the minor’s granny in Nyanga to exorcise her homestead.

“After exorcising the homestead Madzibaba Sadza convinced the granny that he could secure a job for her 17-year-old granddaughter. The granny agreed and he left with the minor to Nkayi to conduct another exorcism,” said a resident.

Sibanda went on to expose the sex offender’s shenanigans.

“On 12 December 2020 at around 4.30am, after a healing session he ordered his aide known as Madzibaba Mthembo to take the minor to a secluded room which was about 200 metres away from his bedroom hut. The unsuspecting minor went there. He (Madzibaba Sadza) followed them with a packet of chips and gave it to the minor. Madzibaba Mthembo left them in the room.

Madzibaba Sadza undressed and remained naked. He ordered the minor to undress. The minor initially refused but he threatened to stab her with a knife. The teenager unwillingly took off her clothes and he licked her private parts before raping her,” said Sibanda.

He added: “He sexually attacked the minor once again at around midday and once the following morning. He gave her a tortoise and said she should allow it to suck her breast so that she would make money. The minor said the tortoise sucked her during the night.”

On 13 December 2020 they left Nkayi for Bulawayo.

“They arrived at his lodgings in Pelandaba suburb and put up at his rented room where during the night he raped her and let his tortoise suck her breast and insisted that she must let it suck her and when they go to South Africa she would secure a well-paying job and get rich instantly,” said Sibanda.

The minor managed to escape after Madzibaba Sadza went to take a bath.

She narrated her ordeal to a neighbour who informed other residents.

“Unfortunately when we went to apprehend Madzibaba Sadza we found that he had fled. We then took the minor to Western Commonage police station and made a report,” said another resident who only identified herself as Khethiwe.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said: “We are investigating a case of rape where a self-proclaimed prophet allegedly raped a minor several times and also assigned his tortoise to suck the minor’s breast for ritual purposes.

He added: “We are appealing to members of the public to seek understanding of how God’s services are done or provided. Normal and genuine services and prayers are conducted in church.”-B-Metro

Some Ordinary Level students in Zimbabwe are alleged to have failed to write the Agriculture Paper One examination on Tuesday after a mix up on one of the timetables.

According to the master time-table, the Agriculture Paper One was scheduled for Tuesday, but the candidates’ statements of entry indicated the paper was set for January 15 2020.

Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) director Lazarus Nembaware admitted that there was an error but said no students missed the examination. He said:

The standard operating procedure is that if there is a conflict between what appears on the statement of entry, candidates should follow the timetable.

Candidates who wrote Agriculture started to go to their centres from the first of December so they were able to see the timetable at their centres.

So I will be very much surprised where a candidate says that they failed to write because I was reading my statement of entry and not the timetable.

Earlier this month there was another mix up on maps used in the Geography Paper One examination, but ZIMSEC maintains the problem was timeously rectified. Said Nembaware:

Schools that discovered that there were no maps for the Geography examination earlier communicated and they were supplied.

For those who realized it on the day of the examination, they did one of the following; they allowed the examination to continue while the maps were being given to them by our ZIMSEC regional managers or they quarantined the students if the time was over, waiting for the maps to come.

My report from all regions shows that every candidate who registered for the examination wrote it.
– ZTN News

PRIMARY and Secondary Education Minister Ambassador Cain Mathema has called on pupils to be vigilant and take all necessary measures to prevent contracting the deadly Covid-19 virus during the festive holidays.

Schools have been the latest target of Covid-19 and the Third Term which ends today saw more than 300 pupils contracting the deadly virus.

In his Christmas message, Ambassador Mathema said pupils should enjoy the holiday responsibly remembering that on January 4, schools are opening for the First term.

He also hailed President Mnangagwa for his direction which has led to the socio-economic development of the nation.

Minister Mathema also extended his gratitude to teachers, pupils and all responsible authorities for the support despite challenges brought by Covid-19 during the school year ending today.

He said one of the major successes was being able to contain and manage Covid-19 at 49 affected schools countrywide.

“It has been a challenging year with the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic, which is still among us today. The pandemic forced Government to send all schools into lockdown for at least six months from 24 March 2020. However, I must hasten to applaud that together, we have managed to ride the waves in ensuring that learning and teaching continues in spite of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Ambassador Mathema.

He said Government and school authorities successfully administered the June 2020 ZIMSEC examinations, reopened schools through the phased school calendar and managed the Cambridge examinations.

“The containment and management of Covid-19 cases in 49 of the 9 625 schools with no casualty reported to date was a major success for the Ministry. We also conducted the ZIMSEC examinations for Grade 7, Form 4 and Form 6 without discriminating those that tested positive for Covid-19,” said Ambassador Mathema.

He said that innovative alternative teaching and learning strategies were used for learners to catch-up and cover lost learning and teaching time during the lockdown.-Chronicle

The Thokozani Khupe led MDC’s congress scheduled for Saturday tomorrow has been postponed indefinitely, due to lack of a quorum and following squabbles over the voters roll. This was as the Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora was accused of tampering with the electoral roll. Efforts to obtain a comment from him were fruitless at the time of writing as his phone kept ringing without being answered. At the time of broadcasting, none of the top leadership were picking up their calls just as Khupe herself briefly answered and then quickly disengaged. Her compatriot Elias Mudzuri responded saying he did not want to speak. “Why don’t you talk to the others,” he said. Video loading below…

By A Correspondent- Four men assaulted and robbed a motorist who had parked his vehicle to fix two tyre punctures at night.

The motorist was robbed of an unknown amount of cash in the form of South African rands, United States dollars as well as bond notes and groceries.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the incident occurred on Thursday night along the Masvingo-Beitbridge Road.

He said: On the night of 17/12/20, a motorist parked his motor vehicle along the Masvingo-Beitbridge road when it had developed two same side tyre punctures which he failed to fix.

He was then approached by four men who assaulted and robbed him of his cash in the form of SA rands, US dollars and Zim dollars plus various groceries.

In another incident, police in Beitbridge arrested a group of 40 cross borders who were trying to illegally gain entry into the country from South Africa through undesignated points.

This comes as hundreds of Zimbabweans reportedly cross the border illegally daily to buy groceries or seek medical attention in South Africa.

Some of the border jumpers will be returning home for Christmas but the fear is that uncontrolled cross-border human traffic may spread the coronavirus, with Zimbabwe’s dilapidated public health system not in a position to cope with high infection rates.

In a statement, Ass Com Nyathi warned members of the public against entering or exiting the country through illegal points.

The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) is shocked by Harare City Council Acting Mayor’s decision to reinstate senior Council employees who had been arrested on allegations of corruption.

The circus that is being perpetuated at Town House is a mockery to principles of good governance and accountability.

The Acting Harare Mayor Councilor Mukunguma wrote a letter on the 17th of December to call upon the suspended Town Clerk, Hosiah Chisango stating that, ‘due to exigency of work and the demands of the office of the Town clerk you are hereby notified to proceed with your work in your capacity as the Town Clerk’.

The reasons proffered by the Acting Mayor are not justifiable and this is a sad demonstration of lack of seriousness in terms of dealing with corruption.

It does not make sense to reinstate an employee who has not been proven innocent in the court of law.

In addition, the reinstatement is likely to lead to interference with investigations on the alleged matters.

The Acting Mayor Mukunguma is offside and needs to be reigned in. The office of the Mayor of Harare is ceremonial and the decision to reinstate the Town Clerk, Hosiah Chisango can only be done through a council resolution.

CHRA is also concerned with the interference of the Harare Provincial Development Coordinator, Mr Muguti, who has jumped in to give a directive to Council on this matter.
Our concern arises from the fact that Chapter 14 of the Zimbabwean Constitution is clear on the structural composition of provincial councils and the PDC is not part of that structural composition.

We reiterate that the PDC should not assume a judicial position as the member of the executive arm of the state.

This is against the doctrine of separation of power and the oversight role of the local authorities according to the law which comes from the Minister of Local Government.

As CHRA we are aware that the current chaos at Town House is caused by factional politics from MDC.

These are machinations aimed at imposing a commission on the residents of Harare, which will cripple representative democracy.

CHRA implores the implementation of devolution in the Constitution of Zimbabwe with a clear structural composition which has the authority to make decisions for Local Authorities when such chaos resurge.

Two National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) employees were killed while seven others were injured when a train derailed in Bulawayo early on Friday.

The accident happened in Redbank, 30km from Bulawayo close to the highway to Victoria Falls after sand was dumped on the railway tracks following heavy rains.

Nyasha Maravanyika, the NRZ spokesman said the goods train travelling to Bulawayo was carrying coal, coming from Sawmills, a railway yard in Umguza district, Matabeleland North. He said:

The derailment happened just after midnight. The accident was caused by sand that covered the railroad level crossing following heavy rains. This caused our locomotive to go off track.

Maravanyika expressed sorrow over the fatal accident and noted that fatalities from goods train accidents were very rare.

One of the dead men has been named as Tawanda Makombe, the vice-chairman of the Bulawayo Volleyball Association.

Eleven NRZ employees were onboard at the time of the incident.

More: ZimLive.com

EIGHT illegal diamond panners, among them two soldiers, reportedly fatally assaulted their colleague for allegedly swallowing the syndicate’s diamonds.

The two soldiers are stationed in Chipinge.

The suspects — Gift Gamunorwa (25), Samson Sazwe (29), Kudzanai Lazarus (30), Howard Tongai (32), Gift Mutowo (25), RegaiMukumbiri (25), Melusi Maseko (40) and Langton Ndlovu (27) — were on Monday hauled before Mutare provincial magistrate, Miss Nyasha Kuture.

They were remanded in custody and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.

The accused persons are being charged with murder as defined in Section 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23.

It is alleged that Evans Makowa (31), who hails from Mwapamba Village under Chief Marange, was murdered on December 6 in Chiadzwa, Marange. The late Makowa and the eight accused persons were illegal diamond panners operating in Chiadzwa.

On the fateful day at around 2.30pm, the now deceased was in the company of the accused persons panning for diamonds in Chishingwi when they picked up some pieces of diamonds.

However, the accused persons accused Makowa of swallowing some of the diamonds, resulting in a dispute.

They started assaulting Makowa with logs all over the body, demanding that he produces the hidden diamonds.

The suspects then bundled Makowa into the boot of a car and drove to a Tserukai Rombe’s homestead, where they continued assaulting him.

They put Makowa in the boot again and drove away to an unknown destination.

At this point, other illegal diamond panners alerted Makowa’s father, Stephen Makowa, about the assault.

Later that day, two of the suspects – Gamunorwa and Sazwe – dumped Makowa’s body in a bushy area in Muedzengwa Village.

Two days later, Godfrey Doriro, Pirimidzai Nechipote and Nyasha Nechipote were hunting when they bumped into the body.

Headman Samson Musaamba was advised of the development and a report was made at ZRP Marange.

Homicide detectives attended the scene and their investigations revealed that Makowa did not die at the spot. His body was only ferried and dumpedthere.

The body was conveyed to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital for post mortem.

On December 11, Gamunorwa was arrested by members of the public after he was identified as one of the suspects.

During interrogation, he implicated all members of the syndicate, thereby leading to their arrest.