By A Correspondent- A man from Entumbane suburb reportedly stormed into a spare bedroom where a minor was sleeping alone and undressed before asking to have sex with her.

The man cannot be named so as to protect the identity of the 15-year-old teenager.

A source close to investigations said sometime in November 2019 the minor’s aunt ordered her niece to sleep with her and her husband on their matrimonial bed.

It is said during the night the uncle started to caress the unsuspecting minor while rubbing her buttocks with his manhood.

The source said the minor screamed and jumped off the bed.

“Her aunt who was in deep sleep woke up and her niece told her what her uncle was doing. She inspected her private parts and told her not to be worried since her uncle did not have sex with her. She begged her not to tell anyone about the incident. She then told her to sleep on the floor,” said the source.

The source went on to say on 20 March this year when the minor was sleeping alone in her bedroom her uncle stormed into her bedroom.

“He said he was looking for his stuff. After searching he sat on the chair and undressed, and then asked to warm himself in her blankets. The minor refused and bolted out of the room. He followed her and offered her $20 but she refused to accept it.

After that she phoned her aunt who once again told her not to disclose the matter to anyone and she never told anyone,” said the source.

The source revealed that on 17 June the man sneaked into the blankets of his niece.

“He was stark naked as he sneaked into her blankets, he tried to have sex with her, the minor who was in deep sleep felt her uncle’s organ between her legs and grabbed his hand. She screamed for help. She fled to the kitchen where she sought refuge,” said the source.

On 18 June the minor fled and sought refuge at her friend’s place in Emganwini.

Last week she visited her aunt, and during the night her uncle, still determined to taste her forbidden fruit, reportedly sneaked into her blankets and tried to have sex with her but she refused.

Seeing that her uncle was not giving up the minor reported the matter to the police leading to his arrest.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed:

“We urge parents to be responsible and respect their matrimonial bedrooms and not put the lives of the minors at risk,” he said.

Insp Ncube also urged parents and guardians never to trust anyone with their children saying any laxity exposed their children to rape or indecent assault.

By A Correspondent- A man who bust his wife with her boss while getting cosy in a secluded area, is in a prickly situation after he later fled home stark naked when his wife tried to stab him with a pair of scissors while he was sleeping.

Boniface Makoni from Bulawayo’s Killarney suburb reportedly fought off his wife Sarudzai Makoni before he ran naked out of the house in full view of their six-year-old daughter.

Boniface, who is employed as a fitter and turner by a local bakery and now staying at a friend’s house said before the near tragic incident, he found his wife who works at Trek Petroleum Service along Fort Street with her supervisor Shingirai Nyamaropa at a private area in Glengarry suburb.

It is reported that when Boniface bust the two lovebirds following a tip off, Nyamaropa managed to flee from the scene leaving his ‘partner-in-crime’ to face the consequences alone.

This came out at the Bulawayo Civil Court where Sarudzai was seeking a protection order against her husband claiming he was abusing and embarrassing her in front of her bosses.

“I have been married to Boniface Makoni since 2012 and in terms of the Marriages Act Chapter 5:11. My husband is very violent. He physically assaults me. He does all this in front of our six-year-old child and the abuse has left her traumatised.

“We are currently on separation but he sends people to take pictures of the house where I am staying so that he can make duplicate keys and enter the house. I am afraid that he will harm me, as he is also making false accusations while calling me names and coming to my workplace to embarrass me in front of my bosses,” complained Sarudzai.

She begged the court to stop her husband from going to her workplace.

In his counter argument Boniface Makoni said his wife was ashamed of her actions and her application for a protection order was a plot to stop him from using their matrimonial property.

“I am opposed to her application on the grounds that she is my wife. On 30 June 2020, after a tip-off, I found my wife Sarudzai Makoni parked in a secluded place in Glengarry suburb with Shingirai Nyamaropa with whom she is having a love affair. Unfortunately, Nyamaropa, who happens to be my wife’s supervisor at Trek Petroleum Service, sped off.

“Contrary to her allegations that I am violent, a few days after I bust her with Nyamaropa on 7 July 2020 she is the one who tried to stab me with a pair of scissors.

“While I was sleeping, she stormed into the bedroom holding a sharp pair of scissors intending to stab me. I held onto her hands and asked my daughter to call my neighbour. As she was trying to stab me, I ran out of the house stark naked with my daughter crying,” said Boniface.

He said everyone at his wife’s workplace was aware of Sarudzai and Shingirai’s affair.

“During my absence, she took most of our matrimonial property and went to stay at our newly built house in Hopeville. She is denying me access to that house. In my opinion, the application seeks to restrict me from having access to our matrimonial property we acquired during the subsistence of our 13-year marriage.

“I was the sole breadwinner before she got a job at Trek Petroleum Service Station. This whole application is based on lies. I have never laid a hand on her. She is just ashamed of her actions and is also making efforts to destroy my reputation.

“She just wants to secretly dispose of our matrimonial property,” fumed Boniface.
Sarudzai hit back saying whenever they had a misunderstanding, Boniface took the child with him and threatened to commit suicide with her.

In a bid to save the two parties’ marriage which is now on the verge of collapse, presiding magistrate Nomasiko Ndlovu referred them for counselling and they are expected to come back to court on 8 January 2021.-statemedia

POLITICAL pressure to remove the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) the independent constitutional body created to combat corruption and crime – Loyce Matanda-Moyo (pictured) is mounting, as ruling party bigwigs feel the heat of intensifying scrutiny over their corrupt activities.
Since coming into office in March last year, Matanda-Moyo (whose name on Zacc social media accounts is spelt Loyce and not Loice), has been slowly, but steadily turning on the heat under senior officials’ chairs.
This is despite widespread criticism of Zacc and her team that they are not yet ready to deal with the big fish in Zanu PF and President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s inner circle in and out of government. There
have also been protests that Zacc is being used as an attack dog to settle personal vendettas
and political scores.
However, informed government sources said there was pressure on Mnangagwa from his political allies and other disgruntled voices, as well as aggrieved parties to redeploy Matanda-Moyo, a self-styled corruption-buster, to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) or back to the judiciary bench.
One of the cases which Zacc touched which has ruffled political feathers within Mnangagwa’s inner circle is that of Joram Gumbo, a source said.
Matanda-Moyo, the source continued, had after holding Gumbo’s feet to the fire been pressured from the top to wait with the case or stall it.
“She has come under political pressure on some cases,” the source said. “I know for sure that Zacc and herself were told several times to wait with the Gumbo case, at one point or another. It’s one of those cases which is politically charged.”
Gumbo, a former Transport and Energy minister, was last year arrested and hauled before the courts on criminal abuse of office charges arising from four separate counts of corruption involving US$37 million.
In a subsequent cabinet reshuffle, Mnangagwa demoted Gumbo, but retained him in his office as Minister of State for Presidential Affairs (Monitoring and Implementation of Government Programmes),
showing he still supported him despite the corruption allegations against him.
The sources said Matanda-Moyo, wife to powerful Foreign Affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo who was the face of the 2017 military coup which brought Mnangagwa to power, has of late been hinting that she may or may not be there going forward.
She gave hints on her possible departure during a meeting with opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume on Friday last week and at a meeting with Zacc commissioners on Monday, a key source said.
Ngarivhume said he had a meeting with Zacc on Friday last week and Matanda-Moyo hinted at leaving.
“Yes she hinted on that, but I initially thought it was just an off-the-cuff remark with no particular meaning attached it,” he said.
“She suggested that she may not be there in the next cycle (tenure), and now on reflection she sounded sure-footed about it.”
This has raised fears at No. 872 Betterment Close, Mount Pleasant Office Park – Zacc’s headquarters –that she is under pressure from restless political actors and could thus be facing removal and redeployment. When she came in, she said she was ready to withstand political pressure and intimidation. Zacc has other offices in Harare in Strathaven, Showgrounds, Herbert Chitepo
and Highlands, as well as Bulawayo, Gweru, Masvingo and Mutare.
“There are various forms of pressures for her redeployment or removal. Mnangagwa is under pressure
from his disgruntled allies to remove her. There is pressure from those who fear they would be targeted, those who are scared – the guilty are always afraid – and those who are aggrieved,” a top official source said.
“She could be redeployed or removed anytime due to political and other pressures. Considerations are that she may be sent back to bench or go to the NPA, and swap places with (Kumbirai) Hodzi. These issues are still being considered, but in the corridors of power they are being spoken about more openly. Even at Zacc, some people already know about this issue.”
Hodzi – Mnangagwa’s ally – was controversially appointed to his post in January last year following interviews in December 2018.
In the public interviews, he came 6th, but no reason was given on why he was chosen ahead of the other five better candidates. He has openly indicated he is a Mnangagwa supporter.
Before becoming prosecutor-general, he had acted in that position since July 2018.
In November 2019, during the interviews for the substantive post of prosecutor-general, Hodzi was grilled by the Judicial Service Commission panel on his failure to effectively prosecute high-profile corruption cases in his first 93 days in office and on pre-emptying of investigations through premature press briefings.
Sources said Matanda-Moyo has been giving several clues in meetings on her departure.
“First, she gave a hint during a meeting with Ngarivhume and second, after that in a meeting with commissioners.
That was last week on Friday and also on Monday this week respectively when she said she may or may not be there going forward since she is still a judge and can go back to the bench,” a source said.
“The signals were clear to everyone that she is indicating she might be going.”
After the meeting with Ngarivhume, Zacc said on its Twitter timeline on Monday it was “deeply indebted” to him for his “kind gesture to visit us and we welcome suggestions
from all our people without any bearing on creed, colour or political, religious affiliation on
how best the fight against corruption can be stepped up to higher levels”.
Matanda-Moyo is a High Court judge. She was president of the Labour Court. At one stage she was also Director of Public Prosecution in the Attorney-General’s office.
She worked in private practice previously. Requests for a meeting with her this week to discuss the issue failed as she said she was busy.
She also did not reply to questions sent to her at her own request.

ZIMBABWE’s foreign missions are struggling because they have been neglected, with workers staying in dilapidated houses while vehicles used by top officials are run-down.

This was revealed in the National Assembly by Kindness Paradza, the chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs during debate on the Finance Bill to do with the 2021 National Budget.

The report also discussed the state of embassies.

The committee’s report noted that the diplomatic missions and those manning them risked being kicked out of rented premises and accommodation after Finance minister Mthuli Ncube allocated inadequate funds in the 2021 budget.

The Foreign Affairs ministry requested for $55,2 billion or US$672, 600 but was allocated $9,4 billion (US$114,100), or 17% of its bid.

“Some embassies abroad are dilapidated, while other residences have been abandoned.

“For example, the ambassadors’ residences in New York, South Africa, Zambia and Mozambique,” Paradza said.

“Non-payment of rentals is still a major threat, in some cases; staff have been evicted or locked out,” he said.

Paradza said government’s failure to pay its workers in foreign lands had resulted in perennial salary arrears amounting to US$20,3 million incurred between September 2010 and October 2020 for both home-based and foreign-based diplomats.

“Consequently this means Zimbabwe has been breaching international labour law by not paying workers accordingly,” he said.

Paradza said as a result, morale was low at most embassies as members of staff were failing even to pay school fees and medical bills for themselves and their families.

The Makonde MP said there were inadequate vehicles for embassies in Sweden and Cuba and the employees were resorting to using vans.

He said the vehicles of diplomatic missions were in a deplorable state.

“The ministry will find it difficult to establish new embassies in Abu Dhabi, Ankara and Kigali.

“The ministry will risk losing its land in Zambia, Tanzania, Addis Ababa and Abuja.”

The Foreign Affairs Committee also said the budget for embassies which was in local currency, risked erosion by inflation.

THE family of the late Tapiwa Makore junior who was killed in a suspected ritual murder in September has written to the Commissioner General of the Zimbabwe Republic Police requesting DNA test results for his body parts which are yet to be released.

In a letter dated 3 December and addressed to the Commissioner General of Police and copied to the Prosecutor General, the Makore family through their lawyer Tabitha Chikeya said the DNA test results have taken longer than anticipated after they were promised to get them within 21 days from the date samples were collected.

Ms Chikeya told ZBC News that the results will expedite the delivery of justice and help the family get the closure.

“The family has waited for a long time and we ae requesting the Zimbabwe Republic Police to give us the results after the laboratory indicated that the results were collected by the police,” she said.

The body parts which were sent to the laboratory include legs, a human skull, abdomen and palm.

ZRP National Spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi could not comment on the issue saying he is not yet aware of the existence of such a letter.

In another development, the High court has deferred ruling in the bail application of one of the accused, Thanks Makore who was arrested last month in connection with the case.

Three other suspects Tafadzwa Shamba, Tapiwa Makore senior and Maud Hunidzarira are still in custody awaiting trial.

High Court has reserved judgment in the case in which Marry Mubaiwa is appealing for the return of her passport to enable her travel to South Africa for treatment.

Mubaiwa is facing a slew of charges including attempted murder of her former husband, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, fraud, money laundering and assault.

She is a holder of two passports that are being held by the clerk of court at Harare magistrates’ court as part of her bail conditions.

Mubaiwa unsuccessfully applied for the return of her passport at the remand court to enable her travel to South Africa to seek medical attention. She took the matter up to the High Court on appeal, arguing she required immediate and urgent treatment across the Limpopo.

Mubaiwa said she suffers from “severe lymphoedema of all limbs and multiple wounds on both legs, feet, arms and hands”.

Justice Benjamin Chikowero heard submissions from both parties’ legal counsel and reserved judgment to a later date.

He said he required sufficient time to go through the lawyers’ submissions.

Acting for Mubaiwa, Ms Beatrice Mtetwa told Justice Chikowero that her client was in severe pain and required urgent treatment in South Africa as the health facilities in the country were incapacitated to deal with her problem.

She said there were no specialists in the country to deal with her medical condition, thus it was in the best interest of justice to allow her travel across the Limpopo to get treatment. But in her counter-submission, prosecutor Ms Sharon Fero dismissed the defence contention that there were no specialists in the country.

She said the State got in touch with the Ministry of Health and Child Care which confirmed that Mubaiwa’s diseases had underlining conditions which could be attended to by a multidisciplinary team of specialist doctors locally given the nature of her condition.

Ms Fero urged the court to dismiss the appeal, saying the defence misrepresented to the court when it was clear that there were specialists in the country who could handle Mubaiwa’s condition. Earlier, Justice Chikowero had stood down the matter to the afternoon, demanding to see Mubaiwa’s wounds.

However, when she was brought to court, Justice Chikowero had changed his mind.

NewsDay

PARLIAMENT has exposed government for its failure to address the plight of soldiers by not providing essentials that include medical aid and allowances, as well as adequate food rations, resulting in the military personnel “marching on empty stomachs”.

This was revealed on Wednesday in a report by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Home Affairs chaired by Umzingwane MP Levi Mayihlome (Zanu PF) which was presented during debate on the Finance Bill to do with the 2021 National Budget.

Mayihlome said as a result of poor budgetary support of the army, morale was low, hence, the need to boost determination in the army and equip the soldiers with modern technology as the current one was archaic.

Finance minister Mthuli Ncube, in his 2021 budget statement announced in November allocated the Defence and War Veterans Affairs ministry $23,75 billion instead of their proposed budget of $158,4 billion.

Mayihlome said the 2021 salary allocations showed that the Finance ministry did not take into cognisance the approved military salary concept.

“An army marches on its stomach. Rations are an institutional requirement, but the allocations are so paltry, one would get the impression that someone thinks he is doing the military a favour,” Mayihlome said.

“The most seriously distressed expenditure items in the ministry were employment costs that currently do not reflect the approved military salary concept. On funeral benefits for the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF), no funds were allocated for funerals, yet it is part of their conditions of service,” he said.

The report said ZDF members, their families and war veterans were failing to access healthcare services, posing a danger to the effectiveness of the army.

He said the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) was grossly or not funded on funeral and medical expenses for the military and their dependents.

“Currently, using PSMAS (Premier Service Medical Aid), but the claims are not being honoured. Thinking of PSMAS — can someone tell me how soldiers on operations or on important training exercises are expected to access or benefit from the use of PSMAS?”

Mayihlome said the ZDF had not been paid travel and subsistence allowances (T&S) paid when soldiers were deployed and as a result a huge backlog has been accumulated.

“The ZDF has accumulated a backlog on T&S, medical supplies and services where the war veterans, the ZDF members and their dependents are failing to access free health services,” he said.

On allocation of food, he said it was too paltry to serve that purpose.

He said as a result of Ncube’s paltry allocations to the army, the focus was now on the welfare of soldiers, instead of focusing on their training and acquisition of new combat technology.

“The military need to have the appropriate tools of the trade, when there is peace so that they practice with those tools for there is no room for trial and error in actual combat. The military must not exist to be paid monthly salaries, they must be equipped and trained for war. It follows also that military commanders should not spend most of their time thinking about how to feed and accommodate soldiers, those are given, that is why it is institutional, rather commanders ought to spend most of their time thinking about the immediate and long term threats, making strategy and operational plans, and training their men to meet those plans.”

The Defence and Home Affairs Committee said the dilapidated equipment was a danger to security.

He said Battlefield Recovery and Evacuation (BRE) was last procured over 30 to 40 years ago, adding that there was need to keep abreast with modern security techniques.

In their recommendations, the Defence and Home Affairs committee said that the military salary concept must be fully implemented to fulfil the conditions of service for the ZDF in order to boost their morale.

“Treasury should adequately finance all institutional provisions and inescapable expenditure items to guarantee an efficient discharge of statutory obligations. These relate to, medical supplies and services, payment of travel and subsistence allowances, rations, uniforms and ceremonial dress, research, training and development to enhance self-sustenance,” the committee said.

They also recommended a phased approach to replacement of the ZDF capital equipment as well as support for digitisation.

In June this year, Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri told the committee that morale among ZNA members had hit rock bottom as a result of inadequate provisions, adding that this will force many to engage in corrupt activities to make ends meet.

She said soldiers were facing a myriad of challenges in the discharge of their duties, including hunger, inadequate transport and obsolete machinery.

Paul Nyathi

Highly placed sources within the Thokozani Khupe led MDC-T have indicated that the vengeful leader will next week recall all MDC Alliance women councillors who did not attend ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa’s meeting with women councillors from around the country.

According to the sources, Khupe is very angry at the stance taken by the councillors who she personally sent notices to attend the indaba.

Khupe herself attended the meeting.

In the meeting, Mnangagwa assured the meeting that he will over ride the constitution and introduce a quota for women councillors as is the case with women in parliament.

You are advocating for an improvement in your representation at local government level. We fought for democracy and there was a lot of sacrifice by the girl child and boy child for us to achieve that democracy. Currently councillors are elected on the basis of that democracy,” he said.

“You are now asking me to panel-beat democracy in order to meet our needs rather than our needs to be met through plain democracy. Fortunately, I am in agreement with you, and that is granted, and I will ask the Minister of Local Government to begin the process,” said the President to a thunderous applause from the councillors.

Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) coronavirus/COVID-19 situation report as of 10 December 2020:

• New cases: 74
• Locals: 74
• Returnees: 0
• Deaths: 1
• Recoveries: 106
• PCR Tests Done:1703
• National Recovery Rate: 83.5%
• Active Cases: 1 523
• Total Cumulative Cases: 11081
• Total Recoveries: 9 253
• Total Deaths: 305

Paul Nyathi

Dramatic MDC-T MP Hon Priscilla Misihairambwi on Thursday brought the august house down when she walked across and knelt in front of Finance Minister Prof Mthuli Ncube and thanked him profusely clapping her hands for allocating funds towards the purchase of sanitary pads for school going girls and young women.

She said his allocation of money for pads to girls was an act of compassion never witnessed on previous budgets.

ZANU PF legislators and some opposition legislators joined as Hon Misihairambwi was thanking the Minister.

Her stunt, however, was condemned by other parliamentarians from the opposition MDC Alliance who felt she was taking it too far and could have thanked the Minister without being dramatic. Some of opposition MPs who protested included Mbizo MP, Settlement Chikwinya and Magwegwe MP Anele Ndebele.

But Norton MP, Temba Mliswa supported Ms Misihairabwi-Mushonga, saying she was free to express herself in any manner, just as members of opposition were free to do so.

Critics have said that it sets a bad precedent in the august house as other rituals that are common could end up being used. They add that it treats a civil servant as some god-like status for doing their job.

On the other hand, others insist that Misiharabwi-Mushonga should be allowed to express herself as she pleases in her culture as parliament has many rituals that are rooted elsewhere.

Paul Nyathi

THE Mayor of Harare, Councillor Jacob Mafume has apologised for the “heartless” ongoing demolition of houses in Harare.

Speaking on his official Twitter page, Councillor Mafume said he is sorry for the pain that has been caused to the victims who have been victimised twice.

State Media

The US$100 000 and R250 000 in cash recovered on late Plumtree businessman Ondrej Gombar’s deathbed was recorded in an inventory filed with the Master of High Court, but has reportedly disappeared under unclear circumstances, with interested parties accusing each other of theft.

Gombar, a businessman of South African origin in the borehole drilling sector, died on February 8 last year at his Plumtree home after battling cancer for years.

When he died, it was not in dispute that he had US$100 000 and R250 000 on his bed and that the money was declared when the estate was registered by the late businessman’s lawyer, Mr Bhekithemba Mlauzi.

Gombar had no relatives in Zimbabwe and he was buried by his workers, friends and some community members.

Mr Mlauzi stated in the inventory that the late businessman owned Drill Deep (Pvt) Limited, a house along Dombodema Road in Plumtree, a house in Marlborough West in Harare and a plot in Plumtree along with several vehicles, drilling machinery and equipment.

The inventory also shows Gombar had US$100 000 and R250 000 in cash at the time of

death.

However, the money went missing and the executor has launched investigations to establish the truth. Drill Deep and the law firm are accusing each other of taking over the cash.

Drill Deep Pvt Ltd has written to Kossam Ncube & Partners, the law firm to which Mr Mlauzi is attached, accusing it of benefiting from the cash.

The community, wrote the company last year, suspects that people who first entered the house had taken the money and “your Mr Mlauzi with help of Roman Catholic Community chairperson” had removed the money and registered it as part of Gombar’s estate.

In another letter to the police, the lawyers counter-accused Drill Deep employees and the leadership of stripping the estate of money and assets before finalisation of the estate.

“After burial and in defiance of the law, he (director) took all records, documents, property and monies left by the deceased into his custody without due process. This is in violation of the Administration of Estates Act and is a criminal offence,” reads the letter.

The lawyers, on behalf of Mr Mlauzi, have since written to the police indicating that they suspected their client died of poisoning and they requested an exhumation of the body to enable pathologists to examine the corpse.

“We call upon the Zimbabwe Republic Police’s CID Homicide to act with speed and cause the exhumation of the deceased and subsequent examination of his body. This obviously calls upon the confiscation of all assets and stopping of all activities,” reads the letter to the police.

Law Society of Zimbabwe corporate communications manager Mr Richard Chidza said they were investigating the allegations against Mlauzi although there was no formal complaint raised against him.

“The Law Society of Zimbabwe has instituted investigations into the allegations against Mr Mlauzi although we have not received an official complaint yet. We are trying to piece together the facts of the matter after reading the allegations from some media reports,” said Mr Chidza.

Business came to a standstill at Beitbridge Border Post on Wednesday morning when a suspected illegal migrant slipped and fell into the crocodile-infested Limpopo River, while walking on an engineer’s track under the Alfred Beit-Bridge (Old Limpopo Bridge).

The bridge is 540 meters long and the woman fell into the water when she was halfway through around 9am.

Travellers gathered on the New Limpopo Bridge to catch a glimpse of the woman as she laboured to escape from the crocodiles.

The unidentified migrant was among a group of border jumpers heading to South Africa.

Social media was awash with the video of the border jumper walking finding her way through the river to cross to South Africa.

“It was just her lucky day as that place is infested with crocodiles and sometimes hippopotamuses,” said a witness.

Limpopo police spokesperson, Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe, could not be reached for comment on the matter yesterday.

Meanwhile, in an earlier interview with the state media, Ngoepe said that the South African Police Srvice recently launched a festive season operation named “Zizo Jika Izinto” (Things will change) to combat crimes including illegal immigrants, drug peddlers, smugglers, armed robbers, illegal firearms, and those operating shebeens.

Col Ngoepe said the police hit the ground running from November 16 and that they will continue up to early next year.

Nearly 4 000 people have since been arrested for various offences in Limpopo province.

The people were nabbed for crimes including murder, attempted murder, business and house robberies, rapes and sexual assault, burglaries, assaults, and possession of unlicensed firearms.

A 55-YEAR-OLD Filabusi man went berserk and allegedly axed his wife (34) to death before committing suicide by drinking a pesticide.

Mr Zama Mafu of Sidingimpilo Village under Chief Maduna had a week ago reportedly walked in on his wife, Simelokhuhle Dube, in the couple’s matrimonial bed with one of his neighbours, leading to an altercation.

The couple appeared to have made up, but Mafu allegedly became violent on Tuesday night.

It could not be established if the latest outburst was connected to Dube’s alleged infidelity.

Mafu allegedly viciously axed his wife twice on the head and she is suspected to have died instantly.

Neighbours found her body in a pool of blood in a bush on Wednesday at around 6AM, about 300m from the couple’s homestead.

Neighbours said Mafu could have killed his wife on Tuesday at around 8PM and immediately drank a poisonous dipping chemical.

When police attended the crime scene on Wednesday, they found him home in a critical state and rushed him to Filabusi District Hospital where he died on the same day.

He was not able to explain the motive behind the brutal murder, as he could not speak.

Matabeleland South acting police spokesperson Inspector Loveness Mangena yesterday decried the violent killing and suicide.

She urged members of the public to be civil when handling domestic disputes.

She said people should learn to engage third parties for counselling and advice whenever they face challenges to avoid intimate partner violence.

Inspector Mangena said Dube’s body was discovered by a villager who was walking to his fields.

“We are investigating a murder case where a 55-year-old Filabusi man axed his wife on December 8 about 300 metres from their homestead.

“When the body was discovered, police were notified and attended the scene and found the woman lying in a pool of blood,” said Insp Mangena.

“Police also observed that Simelokhule Dube had two deep cuts on her head and the axe used in committing the crime was recovered next to her body.”

Insp Mangena said police tracked footprints near the body to Mafu’s homestead.

“We managed to arrest him although we learnt that he had already taken poison in an attempt to take his life. He was already critical and was rushed to Filabusi District Hospital where he died,” she added.

Sources close to the family said the couple led a happy and peaceful life until Dube allegedly cheated and was caught red handed with their neighbour.

Family members were engaged to solve the dispute days ago and the couple resolved to forgive each other before the gory killing.

The incident comes after the country joined the world in commemorating 16 days of Activism Against Gender based Violence which ended yesterday.

This year’s commemorations were held under the theme: “Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent and Collect.”-Chronicle

A TEENAGE girl who was doing Form Four at Magwegwe High School committed suicide by taking poison after her mother rebuked her for playing with boys fearing that she would fall pregnant.

A family member who spoke to B-Metro on condition of anonymity as she was not cleared to talk to the media said Penny Mlauzi got worried after she observed unbecoming behaviour from her daughter Nokuzola Lakisha Mkhwananzi (17).

The source went on to say Mlauzi scolded her warning her to stop indulging in sex.

“She got worried after seeing Lakisha playing with different boys in the area.

As a responsible parent she had to step in, strongly warning her to stop playing with boys and indulging in sex as that would result in her falling pregnant. She told her to concentrate on her school work,” said the source.

But it seems the teenage girl did not take kindly to wise counsel from her mother. The source went on to say on 2 December at around 5 am Mlauzi who, is an airtime vendor, left for her vending business.

“She left her with the housemaid aged 19 and went to sell her airtime at Magwegwe terminus. Later on at around 8 am their maid went to bath and left Nokuzola alone. She went to her bedroom where it is believed she gulped 100ml of insecticide. An empty bottle of the insecticide was found in her wardrobe,” said the source.

The maid, the source said, found her lying on the floor frothing from the mouth and unable to speak. She informed a neighbour who called an ambulance but she breathed her last in her hands.

“While she was still conducting first aid on her she breathed her last and the ambulance crew pronounced her dead upon arrival,” said the source.

Her mother reported the matter to the police.

A source close to investigations said the late Nokuzola’s friend revealed that Nokuzola had fallen pregnant. However, she reportedly did not want her mother to know.

“Her friend said the late had tested pregnant and warned her friends that if they disclosed the pregnancy to anyone or her parents she would commit suicide and on countless occasions she had threatened to commit suicide,” said the source.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed: “We urge youths to refrain from engaging in sex but concentrate on preparing for their future. They should shun friends who don’t share the same vision with them. The road to your destiny begins now,” he said.-B-Metro

A man who bust his wife with her boss while getting cosy in a secluded area, is in a prickly situation after he later fled home stark naked when his wife tried to stab him with a pair of scissors while he was sleeping.

Boniface Makoni from Bulawayo’s Killarney suburb reportedly fought off his wife Sarudzai Makoni before he ran naked out of the house in full view of their six-year-old daughter.

Boniface, who is employed as a fitter and turner by a local bakery and now staying at a friend’s house said before the near tragic incident, he found his wife who works at Trek Petroleum Service along Fort Street with her supervisor Shingirai Nyamaropa at a private area in Glengarry suburb.

It is reported that when Boniface bust the two lovebirds following a tip off, Nyamaropa managed to flee from the scene leaving his ‘partner-in-crime’ to face the consequences alone.

This came out at the Bulawayo Civil Court where Sarudzai was seeking a protection order against her husband claiming he was abusing and embarrassing her in front of her bosses.

“I have been married to Boniface Makoni since 2012 and in terms of the Marriages Act Chapter 5:11. My husband is very violent. He physically assaults me. He does all this in front of our six-year-old child and the abuse has left her traumatised.

“We are currently on separation but he sends people to take pictures of the house where I am staying so that he can make duplicate keys and enter the house. I am afraid that he will harm me, as he is also making false accusations while calling me names and coming to my workplace to embarrass me in front of my bosses,” complained Sarudzai.

She begged the court to stop her husband from going to her workplace.

In his counter argument Boniface Makoni said his wife was ashamed of her actions and her application for a protection order was a plot to stop him from using their matrimonial property.

“I am opposed to her application on the grounds that she is my wife.

On 30 June 2020, after a tip-off, I found my wife Sarudzai Makoni parked in a secluded place in Glengarry suburb with Shingirai Nyamaropa with whom she is having a love affair. Unfortunately, Nyamaropa, who happens to be my wife’s supervisor at Trek Petroleum Service, sped off.

“Contrary to her allegations that I am violent, a few days after I bust her with Nyamaropa on 7 July 2020 she is the one who tried to stab me with a pair of scissors.

“While I was sleeping, she stormed into the bedroom holding a sharp pair of scissors intending to stab me. I held onto her hands and asked my daughter to call my neighbour. As she was trying to stab me, I ran out of the house stark naked with my daughter crying,” said Boniface.

He said everyone at his wife’s workplace was aware of Sarudzai and Shingirai’s affair.

“During my absence, she took most of our matrimonial property and went to stay at our newly built house in Hopeville. She is denying me access to that house. In my opinion, the application seeks to restrict me from having access to our matrimonial property we acquired during the subsistence of our 13-year marriage.

“I was the sole breadwinner before she got a job at Trek Petroleum Service Station. This whole application is based on lies. I have never laid a hand on her. She is just ashamed of her actions and is also making efforts to destroy my reputation.

“She just wants to secretly dispose of our matrimonial property,” fumed Boniface.
Sarudzai hit back saying whenever they had a misunderstanding, Boniface took the child with him and threatened to commit suicide with her.

In a bid to save the two parties’ marriage which is now on the verge of collapse, presiding magistrate Nomasiko Ndlovu referred them for counselling and they are expected to come back to court on 8 January 2021.-B-Metro

The Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) has criticised the government for making nurses apologise for the industrial action they embarked on over poor salaries and working conditions.

ZINA president, Enock Dongo issued a statement saying the government violated both Zimbabwean and intentional laws to satisfy their interests. He said:

As ZINA we have been left dismayed by the attitude shown by the government of Zimbabwe towards nurses. The attitude is not only in contempt of court but it is also grossly unjust, with the conduct being to coerce nurses into submission to unlawful directives.

It is an undeniable fact that the Zimbabwe Nurses Association took government to court twice in the last month. On both occasions, the High Court ruled that nurses were correct and were entitled as a matter of right to continue with the flexible working hour system. Both judgments are a matter of public record under case numbers HC6507/20 and HC7099/20. Having seen that the courts have declared them wrong, it has now become evidently clear that the government sees itself as if it is above the law. This is the only conclusion to be derived from the actions of a government that ignores two clear court orders.

This happened at Harare hospital on Monday the 7th of November 2020 and currently, nurses at United Bulawayo Hospital are being asked to write apology letters. All this is being done because government can simply ignore a court order if it wants.

State media on its part, instead of reporting the true outcome of the court cases, has been referring to nurses as “defiant” whilst calling ZINA “misleading”. All this has no factual or legal basis and amounts to misleading the nation on the true state of affairs regards the dispute between nurses and government. What they omit to state is that before taking government to court and even after both judgments came out, we have written to government to meet so that we can resolve this issue amicably but on all occassions we have not even received the courtesy of a response.

Dongo said the government should be the one apologising to the nurses for acting in a manner which the court said was incorrect.

He added that the employer should pay nurses their salaries as ordered by the court “rather than put its own conditions on things.”
– Health Times

Tinashe Sambiri|President Nelson Chamisa has described the outcome of the Presidential election in the Republic of Ghana as a sign of a bright future for Africa.

President Chamisa described President Nana Akufa Addo’s victory in the Presidential election in Ghana as a big moment for Africa.

“A BIG MOMENT FOR GHANA…

Congratulations President Nana Akufa Addo for winning the Presidential election in Ghana.

Thank you Ghana for setting the example and leading the way.

Peace is simple. Democracy is viable. Transparency matters. God bless Ghana.

God bless Africa! #Godisinit,” said President Chamisa in a brief statement.

Tinashe Sambiri|President Nelson Chamisa has described the outcome of the Presidential election in the Republic of Ghana as a sign of a bright future for Africa.

President Chamisa described President Nana Akufa Addo’s victory in the Presidential election in Ghana as a big moment for Africa.

“A BIG MOMENT FOR GHANA…

Congratulations President Nana Akufa Addo for winning the Presidential election in Ghana.

Thank you Ghana for setting the example and leading the way.

Peace is simple. Democracy is viable. Transparency matters. God bless Ghana.

God bless Africa! #Godisinit,” said President Chamisa in a brief statement.

In a separate statement President Chamisa denounced the demolition of houses in Harare:

“The heartless and cruel demolition of citizens’ homes is a violation of human rights and an attack and assault on the dignity & security of persons.

This command politics based on iron-fisted governance style must be resisted by us all!Those responsible, Stop it!

EndtheDemolitions.”

Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance has pointed out that Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration is wholly responsible for the demolition of houses in Budiriro, Harare.

In a statement, MDC Alliance described the Harare demolitions as a heartless act.

Read full statement below :

HARARE DEMOLITIONS: A HEARTLESS ACT

The MDC Alliance condemns the callous, disproportionate demolitions of homes
that are currently being carried out by Central Government, in particular the
Ministry of Local Government – Mr July Moyo, the Provincial Minister – Mr
Oliver Chidawu and the Provincial Development Co-ordinator – Mr Tafadzwa
Muguti.

The demolitions have resulted in people losing their homes, savings and
their only available shelter in the middle of the rainy season.

Families with young
children, the old and the infirm have been rendered homeless by this heartless
act.

Before his arrest two weeks ago, the Mayor of Harare, Councillor Jacob Mafume
ordered a stop to all demolitions.

He protested against the grossly unreasonable
timing of the demolitions and in view of the wet season and the ongoing Covid19
pandemic.

He stated that the execution of any court orders held by Council
should be carried out in a humane manner and that Council should weigh in
favour of regularizing settlements as opposed to destroying them.

We are of the
firm view that most of the houses being destroyed can be regularized and should
therefore not be destroyed.

At the centre of the crisis are Zanu PF land barons and illegal co-operatives
whose corrupt conduct has led to the arbitrary allocation of land in a manner that
does not comply with council by-laws.

The current demolitions have been
triggered by Zanu PF in-fighting where urban land is being used as an election
tool as well as a sword against those who have fallen out of favour with the
system.

Unsuspecting members of the public and bona fide buyers who have
been duped by the land barons and are left to bear the brunt of the illegality.

Additionally, it is reported that the Provincial Minister for Harare, Mr Oliver
Chidawu has an interest in the demolition of houses because a large section of
the land which the Zanu PF land barons and co-operatives raided belongs to him.

The Provincial Minister took advantage of the absence of the Mayor over the last
fortnight to push council staff to execute the demolitions.

We demand an immediate end to the demolitions as they are anti-poor and their
timing is causing untold suffering and indignity to people who are already
victims of corrupt land barons. We further demand and end to Central
Government interference in the affairs of the City of Harare.

The Harare
Provincial Minstry must stop giving unlawful instructions to council staff,
particularly when this causes loss and harm to the people whom council are
meant to serve.

We call for the urgent implementation of the devolution clauses in the
Constitution and reform to the Urban Councils Act to enable local authorities to
serve the people without interference from Central Government.

Sesel Zvidzai
Secretary for Local Government

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance Namibia has described Constantino Chiwenga as a political hypocrite.

The party also accused Chiwenga of abandoning local health facilities to seek medical services out of the country.

Read full statement below :

09 DECEMBER 2020

VICE PRESIDENT CONSTANTINO GUVHEYA CHIWENGA’S POLITICAL HYPOCRISY AND SELFISHNESS UNEARTHED, MDC ALLIANCE NAMIBIA NOTED WITH FURY.

Mdc Alliance Namibia is greatly transfixed by the political hypocrisy and selfishness exhibited in the clueless Zanupf regime.

Barely some few some months after publicly banning health tourism , ailing Chiwenga has been flown out to China for his routine medical check up. After pretending to be objective and sensitive to the financial implications of relying on foreign hospitals for medical services, the desperate Zanupf Vice President and Health Minister declared that government will no longer provide foreign currency to assist cabinet ministers to globe trot hunting medical treatment in sophisticated health facilities in the diaspora.

As an external Mdc Alliance district, we want to castigate this futile attempt to hoodwink the unsuspecting masses by paddling political lies. The nation has to know that Zanupf will never transform its corrupt tendencies.

Moreso, it is quite pathetic and illogical for our Health Minister to abandon his own hospitals which are dilapidated in favour of those in the diaspora because they are well taken care of by the host governments. We would like to urge Zanupf morons to revamp the health fraternity to benefit the general citizenry.

The Health Minister must learn to walk his talk, he must realise that it’s no longer time for political rhetoric but real delivery of his intentions to change the ugly face of our health sector. It is imperative to point out that the sorry state of our hospitals and clinics emanate from the stinking corruption and nepotism practised with impunity. Former Health Minister Obadiah Moyo looted US$60 million Covid-19 funds but he was not even detained only to be given 50 000 RTGS as his bail.

The amount could have gone a long way in assisting our people.

Moreover, Moyo Obadiah is walking free as we speak right now. Zanupf leaders must respect the basic human rights which includes basic health care and right to life. They must commence to pay more attention to the sanctity of human life by investing more on renovating the torn and tattered health fraternity to avert unnecessary expenditure by the government through careless financing of hospital bills to Zanupf officials.

Addressing journalists in his capacity as Health Minister, he reluctantly uttered that the state had halted footing the medical bills of all senior government officials in order to maintain the national medical bill. To quote him verbatim he said, “We will not export our patients . We will not make referrals to our patients. Altogether, the export bill was too high and that is what we want to do away with”. This is a clear reflection that some animals are more equal than others and this makes Zimbabwe epitomise “a new Animal Farm” owned by insensitive Zanupf morons where inequality has become a national religion.

To wind up, Mdc Alliance Namibia condemns this selective application of the law with all its organs. Zanupf must begin to respect our national coffers.

Our hospitals are being plundered by greedy and the insatiable appetite for personal egos in a frustrated regime that does not want to ensure the existence of equal health facilities for all. We demand that Chiwenga and his cronies should make sure that the basic health facilities are gotten in the country.

ZanupfMustGo

LootersMustGo

NoToForeignHospitals

ChiwengaMustGo

EdMustGo

HealthForAll

FreeLast

FreeTunga

Mdc Alliance Namibia
Rundu Branch Spokesperson
Robson Ruhanya

CHIREDZI – Chiredzi residents have vehemently rejected council proposal to buy three new vehicles for senior officials valued at RTGS$20m in the 2021 budget.

The residents warned council that its coffers are going to run dry if the local authority persists on buying the vehicles because residents will immediately stop paying rates.

United Chiredzi Residents and Rate Payers Association (UCHIRRA) advocacy officer Bernard Dachi told a budget consultative meeting held in the lowveld town that residents will not entertain the idea of new vehicles for senior officials.

He said the proposed budget as it stood ignored the plight of the residents and sustained the lofty lifestyles of council officials. He said council must as of now prioritise on service delivery to residents

Chiredzi Town Secretary Charles Muchatukwa told The Mirror that council is going to consider residents’ input when they review the proposed budget.

In the budget, council proposed to buy vehicles for the council chairman, secretary, housing director vehicles at a cost of $4, 5m $8 2m $6, 7m respectively.

The chairman is Gibson Hwende, secretary Charles Muchatukwa and housing director Emily Paradza.

“We are seriously opposed to the acquisition of new vehicles in the face of the current economic situation. This is a waste of resources. If officials go ahead and buy the cars then they are digging their own grave because that’s the last they will get revenue from rate payers,’’ said Dachi.

Dachi also called for the scrapping of the council policy where vehicles are disposed of to senior officials every five years at book value.

Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association (CHRRA) chairperson, Jonathan Muusha also said vehicles should only be purchased after the condition that senior managers get them after five years is scrapped.

‘’We have no problems with the purchasing of vehicles but at least council should revise its policy. We want the duration of five years before a car is disposed of to be stretched to seven years and after that the vehicle should be auctioned,’’ said Mupamombe.

“We will consider all your inputs and see what we can do when we review the proposed budget,’’ said Muchatukwa at the meeting.

-Masvingo Mirror

The father of a 9-year-old boy who was murdered and his head cooked by his uncle on Friday, 4 December 2020 in Matova Village under Chief Zimuto in Masvingo Province has spoken about the hair raising incident.

Trevor Mapxashike (also known as Mapwashike) was killed by his uncle Clever Chitiga (22) who then shaved his head before cooking it.

Chitiga in a cousin to Henry Mapwashike (48), Trevor’s father. Chitiga and Henry’s homesteads are a few metres apart.

Henry had five children and Trevor (9) was his third child and was doing Grade 2 at Matova Primary School. Speaking to The Herald on Tuesday, Henry said:

I almost collapsed, after forcing the door to one of his rooms, open. A trail of blood, which we believed to be my son’s, led us to his head which was being stewed in a big pot.

The door had been locked from inside and I had to gain entry through the window and opened it from inside.

My mother, who accompanied me to Clever’s homestead, used a stick to shove the head so that we could properly see what was in the pot and to our shock, it was my son’s head which was being stewed.

He had shaved it using a broken beer bottle and pounded it with a pestle and mortar.

… [Trevor] was an intelligent and obedient boy. He was left by his mother when he was only eight months old and was staying with my father since I had remarried.

Henry told The Herald that he harboured no hard feelings towards his brother [cousin] for murdering his son. He said:

My only appeal and prayer are for the family to unite and get to the bottom of this because I think there is something behind this.

We need to sit down and cleanse our family because this is strange and bizarre. It’s unheard of.

When I got to Clever’s homestead, he had already fled from the scene after I had asked him if he had seen my son.

I believe there was juju at play because from what I know, Clever never had a history of mental illness.

In fact, his discreetness and the way he tried to conceal evidence of his diabolic act smacks of someone who is mentally stable.

He (Clever) was dull at school and had a history of violence. He once bit off his younger brother’s finger for restraining him from assaulting his nephew and also torched a car that had been left in the custody of his father for safekeeping by a friend.

… I can not eat food, I am still unable to look at cooked meat after what I saw. I am relieved that we were able to bury my son today (yesterday) at Gokomere Mission cemetery.

The pot, which he was using to cook my son’s head, was taken by the police together with the pestle and mortar, which will be used in court.-The Herald

THE Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has opened online applications for 2021 Form One boarding places.

The Electronic Ministry’s Application Platform (Emap) for Form One boarding enrolment opened on Monday and will run up to January 31.

Parents can now start applying online for their children.

According to the ministry, there are 262 boarding schools with a total capacity to accommodate 320 students.
The Emap platform has had its share of headaches and like most platforms which experience huge traffic once a year. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education director of communication Mr Taungana Ndoro confirmed that Emap had been opened.

“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has opened the electronic platform for enrolling Form 1 boarding places for 2021. Parents and guardians who wish to send their children to boarding schools are advised to start applying through the platform www.emap.co.zw with effect from Monday 7 December 2020 to January 31, 2021,” he said.

“An applicant who has been offered a place at one school will not be eligible to apply or be considered for a place at any other school unless the offer is declined.

“Successful applicants will be notified through a short message service (SMS) by the respective school heads. Parents and guardians are however advised that there are limited boarding places.”

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) said they were looking ahead to 2021 for new negotiations with their employer.

In a statement, Zimta president Mr Richard Gundani said it took both diplomatic persuasion and appeal to “political institutional power” to unlock the last round of talks under the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC).

“True, it was a prolonged campaign which at one time was on the brink of closing the 2020 campaign without any betterment of the levels of remuneration and stalled at ZWL $3500.

“Although the outcomes were not the best from our original demand, we achieved results that had just a palliative effect, allowing for normalcy to prevail in schools,” he said.

Mr Gundani said the last round of talks in November secured for entry level D1 grade teachers a total package of $19 975 from a target of $42 432, representing 47 percent of the targeted income.

“In USD equivalent terms the targeted amount was October 2018 level of USD $520. At interbank rate the entry level award in equivalent is US$245 at the reigning auction rate of 81,6. Government agreed that the next negotiations will move towards the US$520 envisaged target,” he said.

Mr Gundani said current allowances will be built into the future awards, technically meaning they will mataphosise into the salary.

“The 2020 bonus will be inclusive of housing and transport allowances. Work in progress now and way forward. Zimta has continued to do diligent research on 2021 salary demands using available economic data and membership expectations, anchored on 2020 experiences.

“Sector specific allowances are being actively followed given that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education endorsed previously submitted demands and were awaiting treasury concurrence,” he said.-Chronicle

The Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) has criticised the government for making nurses apologise for the industrial action they embarked on over poor salaries and working conditions.

ZINA president, Enock Dongo issued a statement saying the government violated both Zimbabwean and intentional laws to satisfy their interests. He said:

As ZINA we have been left dismayed by the attitude shown by the government of Zimbabwe towards nurses. The attitude is not only in contempt of court but it is also grossly unjust, with the conduct being to coerce nurses into submission to unlawful directives.

It is an undeniable fact that the Zimbabwe Nurses Association took government to court twice in the last month. On both occasions, the High Court ruled that nurses were correct and were entitled as a matter of right to continue with the flexible working hour system. Both judgments are a matter of public record under case numbers HC6507/20 and HC7099/20. Having seen that the courts have declared them wrong, it has now become evidently clear that the government sees itself as if it is above the law. This is the only conclusion to be derived from the actions of a government that ignores two clear court orders.

This happened at Harare hospital on Monday the 7th of November 2020 and currently, nurses at United Bulawayo Hospital are being asked to write apology letters. All this is being done because government can simply ignore a court order if it wants.

State media on its part, instead of reporting the true outcome of the court cases, has been referring to nurses as “defiant” whilst calling ZINA “misleading”. All this has no factual or legal basis and amounts to misleading the nation on the true state of affairs regards the dispute between nurses and government. What they omit to state is that before taking government to court and even after both judgments came out, we have written to government to meet so that we can resolve this issue amicably but on all occassions we have not even received the courtesy of a response.

Dongo said the government should be the one apologising to the nurses for acting in a manner which the court said was incorrect.

He added that the employer should pay nurses their salaries as ordered by the court “rather than put its own conditions on things.”

Source: Health Times

THE family of the late Tapiwa Makore junior who was killed in a suspected ritual murder in September has written to the Commissioner General of the Zimbabwe Republic Police requesting DNA test results for his body parts which are yet to be released.

In a letter dated 3 December and addressed to the Commissioner General of Police and copied to the Prosecutor General, the Makore family through their lawyer Tabitha Chikeya said the DNA test results have taken longer than anticipated after they were promised to get them within 21 days from the date samples were collected.

Ms Chikeya told ZBC News that the results will expedite the delivery of justice and help the family get the closure.

“The family has waited for a long time and we ae requesting the Zimbabwe Republic Police to give us the results after the laboratory indicated that the results were collected by the police,” she said.

The body parts which were sent to the laboratory include legs, a human skull, abdomen and palm.

ZRP National Spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi could not comment on the issue saying he is not yet aware of the existence of such a letter.

In another development, the High court has deferred ruling in the bail application of one of the accused, Thanks Makore who was arrested last month in connection with the case.

Three other suspects Tafadzwa Shamba, Tapiwa Makore senior and Maud Hunidzarira are still in custody awaiting trial.

PROMINENT Bulawayo businessman and Stingrays Swimming Club coach Eddie Cyprianos has died.

Information surrounding his death remain sketchy, but his body was reportedly found in the Matobo area in a suspected case of suicide on Wednesday.

Social media has been awash with news of his passing, with many mourning the electrical engineer, whose kids Andressious, Brendon and Denilson are among the country’s best swimmers.

Cyprianos is a former Matabeleland Amateur Swimming Board chairperson, who together with his wife, Nokuthula, the current chairperson of the Bulawayo Amateur Swimming Board, transformed the sport through their passion evident in their three sons Denilson and Andesious and Brendon.

The three Cyprianos brothers rank among the mainstay of Zimbabwean swimming, and hold a number of junior and senior national records.

Cristian Brothers College (CBC) where Denilson is the current head boy, are among those that have mourned the passing away of Cyprianos.

“The board of governors, headmaster, staff and boys of Christian Brothers college offer their sincere condolences to Mrs Nokuthula Cyprianos, mother of outgoing head boy, Denilson, Andesious and Brendon on the untimely passing away of Edmore Cyprainos. This is a great loss to the whole CBC family. Mr Cyprainos will be remembered for his great passion for swimming, his unwavering support for the college as a whole. Our prayers are with the family,” read the CBC statement.

Controversial MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora has said that MDC Alliance Masvingo Urban Ward 3 councillor Tarusenga Vhembo was expelled from the party by mistake.

Vhembo is among three other MDC Alliance councillors from Masvingo Urban whose seats have since been declared vacant.

In a letter dated December 4 addressed to acting City of Masvingo Town Clerk Edward Mukaratirwa, Moyo declared vacant Wards 3, 4, 5 and 7 led by Vhembo, Godfrey Kurauone, Daniel Mberikunashe and Richard Musekiwa respectively.

Mukaratirwa told TellZim News that he was out of office and could not give an official comment.

Mwonzora told TellZim News that Mberikunashe, Kurauone and Musekiwa deserved to be expelled but the name of Vhembo appeared on the list by mistake.

“The expulsions were effected on September 30. A number of councillors across various municipalities have been expelled. The recent letters from the ministry of Local government are just confirmation of the expulsions.

“It is unfortunate that Vhembo made the list. It was an error. Vhembo was not supposed to be there. It was a mistake,” said Mwonzora.

Mberikunashe, however, said that they have since received the letter from Mukaratirwa informing them of their fate.

“The Town Clerk forwarded the letter to us and I tell you I feel a huge relief. It was only a matter of time and Mwonzora was taking too long.

“If he had not expelled us people would have thought that we were with them. We are fully behind our president Nelson Chamisa and no amount of intimidation can ever move us,” said Mberikunashe.

Though it remains unclear whether the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) would be able to conduct by-elections next owing to financial constraints, Mberikunashe believes that the electorate would vote them back into office again.

“We are confident that the will of the people will never be subverted. We will be voted back again much to the dislike of the enemy,” said Mberikunashe.

Mwonzora has spared City of Masvingo Mayor and Ward 2 councillor Collen Maboke, Ward 1 councillor Selina Maridza and Ward 9 councillor Babylon Beta.

It remains unclear whether or not these three have crossed the floor to join the Khupe camp.

Chamisa had been fighting with Maboke, who assumed the mayoral post against the party’s directive which had opted for Kurauone.

TellZim

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Paul Nyathi

Estranged wife to Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa has told a High Court judge that her client’s health is fast deteriorating and needs urgent attention.

Mtetwa was making submissions during a bail variation hearing for Marry Chiwenga – Mubaiwa before Justice Benjamin Chikowero.

Mubaiwa is seeking relaxation of her bail conditions and release of her passport to enable her travel to South Africa for treatment.

Mubaiwa is suffering from lymphoedema, which has caused swelling of her arms and legs including severe puss dripping wounds which are giving her sleepless nights because of pain.

“Her wounds have worsened and we can bring her to court so that you can have sight of her wounds. They are also on her thighs, but she can’t show them to the public.

“It’s so difficult that she has to move around with a machine that drains liquids and puss from the wounds and a container which collects the discharge,” said Mtetwa.

Justice Chikowero demanded that she be brought to court for him to see the wounds physically.

The state, led by Sharon Fero, is opposed to Mubaiwa’s application.

“From the state’s response, it’s clear they have two fears that she might abscond because she has links in South Africa.

“The state says it requires independent opinion on whether the applicant can have treatment in Zimbabwe and has since written to the health permanent secretary to confirm,” she said.

Mtetwa submitted that the state misdirected itself by seeking information from the permanent secretary of health regarding the issue of possibilities that her client be treated locally.

“This court should take judicial notice that the applicant is the current wife of the Health minister and permanent secretary falls under the command of the minister.

“State has to admit that the permanent secretary cannot give an independent opinion especially when he has not examined the applicant. The permanent secretary will never give an independent opinion,” she said.

“The health ministry is not the registrar of health specialists. There is no statutory board. They have no relevant information with regards to registration of specialists. So, the state has gone to the wrong sector to seek information.”

“The state has not in any way contested the information from specialists like Dr Makarau who said there are no specialists in Zimbabwe. The state has not refused that she was receiving medication in SA prior to her arrest. So, trying to seek help from that country cannot amount to her trying abscond.”

“We respectfully submit that there is no basis that she will abscond. She has always abided by her bail conditions. The state cannot say she will abscond without giving basis. Medication in SA is not a recent invention; she was being treated there before her arrest,” Mtetwa said.

Mubaiwa is facing attempted murder, fraud, money laundering and assault charges.

The charges arose following her fallout with VP Chiwenga who also filed for divorce against her.

Whistle blowers have alerted the Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission of a bishop who received US$100 000 as tithe from suspected proceeds of crime.

ZACC chairperson Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo said the commission has since effected investigations on the church leader.

“From investigation right now, we are dealing with curation cases involving two bishops, from different congregations. One is alleged to have received illicit proceeds of crime to the tune of US$100 000 in the name of tithing.

“But there was never an inquiry into how a person can tithe US$100 000 as 10%.

“So, the churches are also guilty of corruption in receiving these proceeds of crime; there is of course corruption in the churches.”

Another bishop is also being probed for allegedly squandering money from schools run by his church.

“They have destroyed mission schools. So, we are also investigating those alleged corruption matters,” she said.

The ZACC boss said her commission has since signed a Memorandum of Understanding with local churches with a Bishop representing the churches in the steering committee.

“We are bringing in the church on board in the fight against corruption. So, what the church is doing is some of them have already started including anti-corruption messages in their services.

“And we have also started encouraging the churches to encourage their congregates to declare acts of corruption.”

Moyo added, “We said if they come to ZACC, we can also deal with the matter, having a soft spot for the bible verses which they believe in. So, we want to encourage the church to fight corruption within that sector and also help build values because the church can do a lot in preventing corruption.”

Moyo said the names of the Bishops will remain confidential until investigations are over to protect whistle blowers and avoid victimisation of congregates.

State Media

PROMINENT Kadoma gold dealer Kevin Magwaza has filed a US$1,9 million claim against his erstwhile business partner Spencer Tshuma, who had booted him out of a joint business venture and assumed control of the rich gold mine on the strength of an unlawful court order.

Magwaza spent a year away from his mining business fighting Tshuma in the courts to regain control of his Etna Estate Mine, on the outskirts of the gold mining town of Kadoma.

Magwaza is the owner of the mine by virtue of a certificate of registration issued on April 5, 2019 in accordance with the provisions of Mines and Minerals Act.

In a claim filed at the High Court last week, Magwaza is seeking an order compelling Tshuma to pay him US$1 693 200 being the net value of gold the former would have realised from his lawful mining operations at his mine from July 22, 2019 to the June 18, 2020 when Tshuma unlawfully barred him from accessing his mining location.

In addition, he wants Tshuma to pay him another US$244 800 being the monetary value of the 4 800 grams of gold Magwaza would have realised from his 400 tonnes of gold ore stockpile at Etna mine, which was unlawfully appropriated Tshuma when he unlawfully took control of the mine.

Before he was ejected from the mine, Magwaza said he was in peaceful and undisturbed productive occupation and carrying out mining operations at Etna Mine producing an average of 120 grammes of gold per day.

At the time he was evicted he had also accumulated 400 tonnes of gold ores at the mining location. On average the gold ore at the mining location yields an average of 12 grammes per tonne.

However, around the July 22, 2019 Magwaza’s operations were abruptly stopped by Tshuma after messenger of court had served an ex-parte order obtained at Kadoma magistrate’s court under case number CGK 718/19 relating to a claim and dispute exclusively between Tshuma and one Sebastian Magodo.

“Subsequent to the service of the ex-parte order, the defendant (Tshuma) on his own accord forcibly ejected and barred the plaintiff (Magwaza) and all his employees from the mining location, notwithstanding the fact that defendant neither had any registered mining rights over the mine nor an enforceable court order against the plaintiff,” said Magwaza in the summons prepared by his lawyers Mutamangira and Associates.

“From the 22nd of July 2019 the defendant was in effective control and carrying out mining operations at Etna Mine registration number 16014 at the exclusion and expense of the plaintiff.

“The defendant also processed all the 400 tonnes of gold ore left at the mine by plaintiff and sold all the gold retrieved there from for his sole benefit.”

Magwaza said he instituted proceedings for the return of his mining location which were vigorously defended and delayed by Tshuma, but ultimately won all his cases to have control and occupation of the mine returned to him on June 18, 2020 through an order granted in his favour by the High Court in case number HC 6272/19.

“As a result of the defendant’s action, the plaintiff lost business as he could not carry out mining operations at his own mining location wherein he had exclusive rights to do so,” argued Magwaza.

“The defendant had no right at law, whatsoever to stop the lawful mining operations of the plaintiff. Furthermore, the defendant had no lawful right to carry out mining operations at plaintiff’’s mine and deplete the mineral resources to his benefit.”

To this end, Magwaza urged the court to allow his claim to the total sum of US$ 1 938 000at the prescribed rate calculated from the date of issue of summons to date of full and final settlement.

Tinashe Sambiri|President Nelson Chamisa has described the outcome of the Presidential election in the Republic of Ghana as a sign of a bright future for Africa.

President Chamisa described President Nana Akufa Addo’s victory in the Presidential election in Ghana as a big moment for Africa.

“A BIG MOMENT FOR GHANA…

Congratulations President Nana Akufa Addo for winning the Presidential election in Ghana.

Thank you Ghana for setting the example and leading the way.

Peace is simple. Democracy is viable. Transparency matters. God bless Ghana.

God bless Africa! #Godisinit,” said President Chamisa in a brief statement.

In a separate statement President Chamisa denounced the demolition of houses in Harare:

“The heartless and cruel demolition of citizens’ homes is a violation of human rights and an attack and assault on the dignity & security of persons.

This command politics based on iron-fisted governance style must be resisted by us all!Those responsible, Stop it!

EndtheDemolitions.”

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance Namibia has described Constantino Chiwenga as a political hypocrite.

The party also accused Chiwenga of abandoning local health facilities to seek medical services out of the country.

Read full statement below :

09 DECEMBER 2020

VICE PRESIDENT CONSTANTINO GUVHEYA CHIWENGA’S POLITICAL HYPOCRISY AND SELFISHNESS UNEARTHED, MDC ALLIANCE NAMIBIA NOTED WITH FURY.

Mdc Alliance Namibia is greatly transfixed by the political hypocrisy and selfishness exhibited in the clueless Zanupf regime.

Barely some few some months after publicly banning health tourism , ailing Chiwenga has been flown out to China for his routine medical check up. After pretending to be objective and sensitive to the financial implications of relying on foreign hospitals for medical services, the desperate Zanupf Vice President and Health Minister declared that government will no longer provide foreign currency to assist cabinet ministers to globe trot hunting medical treatment in sophisticated health facilities in the diaspora.

As an external Mdc Alliance district, we want to castigate this futile attempt to hoodwink the unsuspecting masses by paddling political lies. The nation has to know that Zanupf will never transform its corrupt tendencies.

Moreso, it is quite pathetic and illogical for our Health Minister to abandon his own hospitals which are dilapidated in favour of those in the diaspora because they are well taken care of by the host governments. We would like to urge Zanupf morons to revamp the health fraternity to benefit the general citizenry.

The Health Minister must learn to walk his talk, he must realise that it’s no longer time for political rhetoric but real delivery of his intentions to change the ugly face of our health sector. It is imperative to point out that the sorry state of our hospitals and clinics emanate from the stinking corruption and nepotism practised with impunity. Former Health Minister Obadiah Moyo looted US$60 million Covid-19 funds but he was not even detained only to be given 50 000 RTGS as his bail.

The amount could have gone a long way in assisting our people.

Moreover, Moyo Obadiah is walking free as we speak right now. Zanupf leaders must respect the basic human rights which includes basic health care and right to life. They must commence to pay more attention to the sanctity of human life by investing more on renovating the torn and tattered health fraternity to avert unnecessary expenditure by the government through careless financing of hospital bills to Zanupf officials.

Addressing journalists in his capacity as Health Minister, he reluctantly uttered that the state had halted footing the medical bills of all senior government officials in order to maintain the national medical bill. To quote him verbatim he said, “We will not export our patients . We will not make referrals to our patients. Altogether, the export bill was too high and that is what we want to do away with”. This is a clear reflection that some animals are more equal than others and this makes Zimbabwe epitomise “a new Animal Farm” owned by insensitive Zanupf morons where inequality has become a national religion.

To wind up, Mdc Alliance Namibia condemns this selective application of the law with all its organs. Zanupf must begin to respect our national coffers.

Our hospitals are being plundered by greedy and the insatiable appetite for personal egos in a frustrated regime that does not want to ensure the existence of equal health facilities for all. We demand that Chiwenga and his cronies should make sure that the basic health facilities are gotten in the country.

ZanupfMustGo

LootersMustGo

NoToForeignHospitals

ChiwengaMustGo

EdMustGo

HealthForAll

FreeLast

FreeTunga

Mdc Alliance Namibia
Rundu Branch Spokesperson
Robson Ruhanya

By A Correspondent- Police yesterday nabbed five men suspected of being part of a vehicle theft and smuggling syndicate.

The thieves were caught after they allegedly smuggled a stolen white Toyota Hilux single cab vehicle from South Africa and drove it to Zimbabwe, but they ran out of fuel along the Bulawayo – Beitbridge Road.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday confirmed the arrest.

“A white Toyota Hilux single cab was stolen in South Africa on December 3 and it was driven to Zimbabwe. Police managed to arrest five suspects in Mazunga area,” Nyathi said without naming them.

“The area where they were arrested is 255km along Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road, after the vehicle had run out of fuel. Investigations are still in progress.”

Nyathi said they had received a report from the South African side that a hired car had gone missing.

“We received a report that a white Hilux which belonged to a car rental company had been hired on December 3 and was supposed to be returned on December 4. The car was not returned and on December 5 a report was made to the Beitbridge Police that a vehicle was missing.

“The five were caught when they tried to refuel the car after they had run out of fuel. Investigations are still ongoing.”

In 2018, a 63-year-old South African national Willem Schalk Janzen-Root was jailed for seven years in Zimbabwe over vehicle smuggling charges.

Janzen-Root was believed to be part of a vehicle trafficking syndicate which uses Zimbabwe as a transit route for luxury cars from South Africa for resale in other countries.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday promoted 1 089 Zimbabwe Republic Police junior and senior officers to the ranks between inspector and commissioner.

Reads the police notice:

ZIMBABWE REPUBLIC POLICE: 2020 PROMOTION EXERCISE FOR COMMISSIONED RANKS

The Zimbabwe Republic Police would like to inform the nation that His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Cde E D Mnangagwa has promoted ZRP senior and junior officers with effect from 08 December 2020 as follows;

PROMOTED TO COMMISSIONER:

• Assistant Commissioner Charles Musavengana
• Assistant Commissioner Bazibi Dube
• Assistant Commissioner Steven Kazingizi
• Assistant Commissioner Ndofandaedza Jaboon
• Assistant Commissioner Richard Mahoya Basera
• Assistant Commissioner Winston Muzah
• Assistant Commissioner Nelson Charumbira
• Assistant Commissioner Grace Sundirai Ndou
• TOTAL: 08
• PROMOTED TO ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER TOTAL 24
• PROMOTED TO CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT TOTAL 48
• PROMOTED TO SUPERINTENDENT TOTAL 168
• PROMOTED TO CHIEF INSPECTOR TOTAL 232
  PROMOTED TO INSPECTOR TOTAL 609

The promotions are in line with the Government’s vision 2030 and the Zimbabwe Republic Police’s quest to improve service delivery to Zimbabweans. Vacancies had arisen due to retirements and natural causes

By A Correspondent- A man, his wife and son died on the spot after a vehicle they were travelling in collided with a truck in Mbalabala along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road.

Matabeleland South acting provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Loveness Mangena confirmed the accident which occurred on Saturday at around 3PM at the 66-kilometre peg along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road.

She said Mbuso Moyo (55) was travelling with his wife Patience Ncube (40) and 13-year-old son Mpumuzi when he lost control of his vehicle and it encroached onto the lane of oncoming traffic.

“I can confirm a fatal road accident which occurred at Mbalabala area along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road where three people died on the spot. Mbuso Moyo was driving a Toyota twin cab along the said road headed towards Gwanda.

“When he got to the 66-kilometre peg, he lost control of the vehicle and encroached onto the oncoming traffic lane where a Hodo Sino Truck was approaching headed for Bulawayo.

“The driver of the truck moved to the extreme left side of his lane in order to avoid the vehicle but without luck, which resulted in a head on collision. Moyo, his wife and child died on the spot and their bodies were taken to Filabusi District Hospital mortuary,” she said.

Insp Mangena said preliminary investigations had shown that the cause of the accident was speeding. She urged motorists to adhere to road regulations and exercise extreme caution when travelling along roads especially during the rainy season.

“We urge motorists to observe road regulations and exercise extreme caution in order to avoid loss of life. Especially now that we are in the rainy season where roads will be slippery and vision will be blurred, drivers have to be very cautious and where necessary they would rather park their vehicles until it’s conducive for them to drive,” she said.

Meanwhile, police in Bulawayo are investigating a traffic accident which occurred on Monday where a pedestrian died on the spot. The accident occurred in North End opposite house number 15 Queens Road at 8.30AM.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube who confirmed the incident yesterday said the victim, whose name has been withheld because her next of kin is yet to be informed, sustained severe head injuries.

“Kudzaishe Blessing Chinyakuza, a male adult aged 24 years, was driving a Nissan Bluebird along Queens Road due north with no passengers on board. A female adult aged 49 years residing in North End Bulawayo was walking along the road due north,” said Insp Ncube.

“Circumstances are that Chinyakuza hit the woman when he lost control of the motor vehicle, which veered off to the left side of the road and hit a precast wall at House Number 13 Heany Road North End, Bulawayo.”

Insp Ncube said the woman’s body was taken to United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) mortuary for post-mortem.

“The cause of the accident was due to excessive speeding and investigations are in progress under Bulawayo Central Traffic department.

“We appeal to motorists to be considerate while behind the steering, roads are slippery during this period and there are high chances of one losing control of the vehicle and putting lives of other road users at risk,” said Insp Ncube.-statemedia

THE Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) was yesterday accused of presiding over “sham” examinations for several ‘O’ level subjects with schools around the country receiving incomplete material or students writing tests under candle light.

Students and invigilators around the country discovered that the Geography question paper, which included questions on map reading, was incomplete and the map missing, leading to panicky schools making last minute enquiries to neighbouring examination centres to find out if they had the correct paper.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general, Raymond Majongwe confirmed the chaos, adding that Ndebele and Mathematics examinations for the visually impaired were also affected by the chaos.

“The Geography examination paper had missing papers countrywide. There was also the Ndebele examination which had a serious mix up between Paper One and Paper Two. It just shows you how shoddy it is and it’s not just this one, there is a Mathematics paper which was written by visually impaired persons last week, who diagrams were badly labelled. The
question papers were inadequate, and pupils had to be dictated the question papers while they typed on braille for them to be able to write the exam,” Majongwe said.

Efforts to get a comment from Zimsec officials were fruitless, but Primary and Secondary Education permanent secretary Tumisang Thabela told NewsDay that she had not yet received the reports.

Thabela, however, said that her ministry was going to investigate the issue.

“I have not received such a report. Let me find out with our director of communications,” Thabela said.

He said there were a lot of blunders which made it difficult to believe that these were just general mistakes.

“It just means people aren’t doing their work and why are we forcing these exams when we are actually not ready for them? The tragedy now is, we are affecting pupils with COVID-19 and we are ultimately going to come up with shoddy processes and shoddy exam outcomes,” he said, adding that the brand Zimsec had gone up in smoke.

Sources in the ministry said that in Wedza district only one school — Rambanepasi Secondary School was not affected after the school authorities managed to get 53 question papers that had the map, while the rest of the schools including Chigwedere, Chemhanza, Mount St Mary’s, St Annes Goto, Matsine and Gumbonzvanda high schools had incomplete question paper, but students proceeded to write the exam.

In other places, the examination papers arrived late with pupils having to write in the dim lights of candles.

In Hurungwe reports are that several schools were affected but the students still sat for the incomplete examination.

“Usually, Geography Paper One has a map for studying and then candidates answer 12 questions. However, at two different centres in Karoi the invigilators discovered that the examination paper had missing pages as the map was not there, with only questions available. The maps are always attached to the examination papers,” an official who declined identification said.

“The whole process is a sham. I think authorities should have postponed the examinations as it is evident that they were ill-prepared to conduct them. The whole process discredits the holding of examinations in the country.”

In Mashonaland East, 90 schools reported a similar problem except for Rambanepasi Secondary School in Wedza which got 53 examinations papers which were complete.

Reports from Chipinge were that the exam paper arrived late and pupils were forced to write under candle light.

“In Chipinge the paper, which was supposed to be written from 2pm to 4pm, arrived late at some examination centres. Pupils at the affected schools were forced to sit for the exam after 8pm using candle light. We don’t know what’s really taking placing at Zimsec,” a stakeholder Marian Mhlanga said.

She also said some pupils, who lived in faraway places, had to leave without sitting for the exam.

“Some schools had to write papers which had already been opened because they had to borrow them from other schools which had already written in the afternoon,” Mhlanga said.

-NEWSDAY

ZANU-PF party chairperson Oppah Muchinguri yesterday announced the first batch of the district co-ordinating committee (DCC) election results, adding that there will be reruns in some parts of the country that they were marred by chaotic scenes.

Some of the big names that won include the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe chairperson Tafadzwa Musarara who won the Mazowe district chairmanship and Energy minister Zhemu Soda who is the new chairperson for Muzarabani.

In Gokwe North, the Gokwe Nembudziya MP Justice Mayor Wadyajena also romped to victory as the new DCC chairperson. He will be deputised by Steven Ngwenya.

Musarara previously lost to Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe who is the outgoing chairperson of the Mazowe District. Musarara will be deputised by Dominic Chimumba.

The Makonde DCC chairmanship was won by legislator Kindness Paradza.

Muchinguri said in some districts vote counting was still on-going, adding that disputes would be dealt with by the party.

In Chimanimani, Brighton Muchiwa won the chairmanship, and he will be deputised by Mavis Tererai. In Makoni district, the DCC chairmanship went to Albert Nyakuedzwa who will be deputised by Phinius Toro.

“I want to say that Zanu-PF is a very democratic party, and where people feel they have not been treated fairly they can go for arbitration. That is why we have different levels of interventions, at district level, provincial level, and we also dispatched national teams from headquarters.

“Over and above that we are the final level, which is the command centre but of course we consult with our principals, which is His Excellency Emmerson Mnangagwa and his two deputies. We have received a number of complains, which have been presented, and one of the reasons why we have withheld results from other districts is because of the contestations which surround certain results,” Muchinguri said.

She said the party had withheld some of the results pending investigation.

“So we still have at least two days to send out teams to investigate, where we feel that there has been some unfairness and also we need to verify some figures which did not tally,” she said

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF is investigating with “highest priority” complaints of vote-rigging, burning of ballot papers and violence in the party’s District Coordinating Committee (DCC) elections held over the weekend.

The DCCs are making a comeback after they were disbanded eight years ago for fuelling divisions in the governing party.

The party held DCC elections in eight provinces except for Harare and Bulawayo, but the polls were marred with controversy.

Speaking to Business Times from the Command Centre at ZANU–PF headquarters in the capital, the party’s secretary for security Lovemore Matuke said his department was seized with the matter and will soon submit a report to the party’s Politburo.

Matuke warned the party would descend heavily on members who caused problems in the weekend contest.

“We are working together with the party’s chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri and the Commissariat department (as we try) to get to the bottom of the matter,” Matuke told Business Times.

We know that they are some party individuals who were linked with the G40 cabal who caused the chaos in the various provinces resulting in the irregularities.

The chairperson has promised that heads will roll on individuals in the provinces and districts that caused problems and we shall look at all scenarios and incidents that caused problems and address them. We will not allow errant behaviour to spoil the elections that were held peacefully and democratically.”

He said some provinces, however, managed to conduct their elections in a “professional and democratic way” and it was commendable work.

It is understood that in several provinces, aspiring candidates who were barred by the Politburo to contest in the elections were the main culprits.

Heavy rains also delayed the elections in other provinces. In the elections many political heavyweights in various provinces were being challenged in their posts and had also wanted their proxies to win the elections.

Muchinguri, at a press conference this week, also confirmed the problems that had rocked the DCC elections and promised disciplinary actions will be taken on the errant party members.

By A Correspondent- ZANU-PF party chairperson Oppah Muchinguri yesterday announced the first batch of the district co-ordinating committee (DCC) election results, adding that there will be reruns in some parts of the country that they were marred by chaotic scenes.

Some of the big names that won include the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe chairperson Tafadzwa Musarara who won the Mazowe district chairmanship and Energy minister Zhemu Soda who is the new chairperson for Muzarabani.

In Gokwe North, the Gokwe Nembudziya MP Justice Mayor Wadyajena also romped to victory as the new DCC chairperson. He will be deputised by Steven Ngwenya.

Musarara previously lost to Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe who is the outgoing chairperson of the Mazowe District. Musarara will be deputised by Dominic Chimumba.

The Makonde DCC chairmanship was won by legislator Kindness Paradza.

Muchinguri said in some districts vote counting was still on-going, adding that disputes would be dealt with by the party.

In Chimanimani, Brighton Muchiwa won the chairmanship, and he will be deputised by Mavis Tererai. In Makoni district, the DCC chairmanship went to Albert Nyakuedzwa who will be deputised by Phinius Toro.

“I want to say that Zanu-PF is a very democratic party, and where people feel they have not been treated fairly they can go for arbitration. That is why we have different levels of interventions, at district level, provincial level, and we also dispatched national teams from headquarters.

“Over and above that we are the final level, which is the command centre but of course we consult with our principals, which is His Excellency Emmerson Mnangagwa and his two deputies. We have received a number of complains, which have been presented, and one of the reasons why we have withheld results from other districts is because of the contestations which surround certain results,” Muchinguri said.

She said the party had withheld some of the results pending investigation.

“So we still have at least two days to send out teams to investigate, where we feel that there has been some unfairness and also we need to verify some figures which did not tally,” she said.-newsday

By A Correspondent- Kuwadzana 3 High School pupils were last Friday barred from sitting for their Ordinary Level Mathematics examination paper after failing to pay US$3 demanded by the school authorities for hand sanitisers.

Warren Park-Mabelreign district schools co-ordinator Jorum Mupunza yesterday confirmed the incident to NewsDay, adding that they had already instituted an investigation into the matter.

“We are in the process of investigations and can only be able to furnish you with the full details through the provincial director as soon we conclude our investigations,” Mupunza said.

One of the affected students, who cannot be named for protection purposes, said they were ordered out of the school premises after failing to pay for the hand sanitisers.

The demand shocked parents of the affected pupils who said they understood the government had provided all materials needed to curb the spread of COVID-19 that has infected over 300 pupils since schools reopened a month ago.

One of the parents said she was shocked to find her daughter crying and upon inquiring, she was told the “sad story.”

“When I came home my daughter started crying and upon inquiring, she told me she had not written her examination because she was sent back together with other pupils because they had not paid the US$3 to buy sanitisers. I accompanied her to the school and approached the headmistress, Mai Munetsi, who professed ignorance on the matter,” the parent said.

“This is really sad, this is torture which is meant to deny my daughter her right to write the examination having fully paid the school fees and the examination fee. This will make it impossible for her to take the next step in life as these are the examinations that will determine her future.”

The parent said the matter was reported to the district officials who were at the school when she went to confront the headmistress.

“How can someone be that greedy to the extent of ruining the life of my daughter? So who is going to carry the burden for her to be able to write that examination? This is cruelty at its worst,” she said.

Efforts to get a comment from Munetsi were fruitless.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) was yesterday accused of presiding over “sham” examinations for several ‘O’ level subjects with schools around the country receiving incomplete material or students writing tests under candle light.

Students and invigilators around the country discovered that the Geography question paper, which included questions on map reading, was incomplete and the map missing, leading to panicky schools making last minute enquiries to neighbouring examination centres to find out if they had the correct paper.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general, Raymond Majongwe confirmed the chaos, adding that Ndebele and Mathematics examinations for the visually impaired were also affected by the chaos.

“The Geography examination paper had missing papers countrywide. There was also the Ndebele examination which had a serious mix up between Paper One and Paper Two. It
just shows you how shoddy it is and it’s not just this one, there is a Mathematics paper which was written by visually impaired persons last week, who diagrams were badly labelled. The question papers were inadequate, and pupils had to be dictated the question papers while they typed on braille for them to be able to write the exam,” Majongwe said.

Efforts to get a comment from Zimsec officials were fruitless, but Primary and Secondary Education permanent secretary Tumisang Thabela told NewsDay that she had not yet received the reports.

Thabela, however, said that her ministry was going to investigate the issue.

“I have not received such a report. Let me find out with our director of communications,” Thabela said.

He said there were a lot of blunders which made it difficult to believe that these were just general mistakes.

“It just means people aren’t doing their work and why are we forcing these exams when we are actually not ready for them? The tragedy now is, we are affecting pupils with COVID-19 and we are ultimately going to come up with shoddy processes and shoddy exam outcomes,” he said, adding that the brand Zimsec had gone up in smoke.

Sources in the ministry said that in Wedza district only one school Rambanepasi Secondary School was not affected after the school authorities managed to get 53 question papers that had the map, while the rest of the schools including Chigwedere, Chemhanza, Mount St Mary’s, St Annes Goto, Matsine and Gumbonzvanda high schools had incomplete question paper, but students proceeded to write the exam.

In other places, the examination papers arrived late with pupils having to write in the dim lights of candles.

In Hurungwe reports are that several schools were affected but the students still sat for the incomplete examination.

“Usually, Geography Paper One has a map for studying and then candidates answer 12 questions. However, at two different centres in Karoi the invigilators discovered that the examination paper had missing pages as the map was not there, with only questions available. The maps are always attached to the examination papers,” an official who declined identification said.

“The whole process is a sham. I think authorities should have postponed the examination as it is evident that they were ill-prepared to conduct them. The whole process discredits the holding of examinations in the country.”

In Mashonaland East, 90 schools reported a similar problem except for Rambanepasi Secondary School in Wedza which got 53 examinations papers which were complete.

Reports from Chipinge were that the exam paper arrived late and pupils were forced to write under candle light.

“In Chipinge the paper, which was supposed to be written from 2pm to 4pm, arrived late at some examination centres. Pupils at the affected schools were forced to sit for the exam after 8pm using candle light. We don’t know what’s really taking placing at Zimsec,” a stakeholder Marian Mhlanga said.

She also said some pupils, who lived in faraway places, had to leave without sitting for the exam.

“Some schools had to write papers which had already been opened because they had to borrow them from other schools which had already written in the afternoon,” Mhlanga said.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- The late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s son, Vincent has revealed he was behind MDC-T secretary general Douglas Mwonzora’s bid to land the MDC-T presidency, while dismissing the ambitious politician’s challengers as liars.

In a letter shared Wednesday, the youth legislator labels presidential contenders Elias Mudzuri and acting leader Thokozani Khupe as liars for what he perceived as fake love for his late father.

The MDC-T is set to hold its Extraordinary Congress (EOC) this month for purposes of electing a substantive leader to replace Tsvangirai, just over two years after his sad passing from colon cancer.

The defiant Glen View South lawmaker had no kind remarks for Mudzuri whom he said had a tendency of sleeping during party meetings yet promising to re-energise party structures.

He bases his support for Mwonzora on his principles and similar traits to his father who led the original MDC in 1999 upon formation.

“I support Douglas Mwonzora for President of the MDC-T because I believe in his vision for the party and the country.

“DM is a politician who reminds me a lot of some of my late father’s attributes; he is strategic in his planning, he is not selfish, he is seen as both a brotherly and fatherly figure by supporters (famously known as Mukoma Dhagi), he is kind but firm, he is principled, he is not corrupt,” he said.

Tsvangirai added he was disgusted by Khupe’s continued claims she was in good books with his late father while her reputation has been dented beyond repair for someone vying for opposition leader.

Said Tsvangirai:

“Now while she (Khupe) may have her good qualities here and there, her reputation the last 6-7 years has undoubtedly become unbecoming of someone who wants to become the president of a democratic party.

“She rebelled against MT and showed no sign of respect to her president going as far as to point her finger in his face and shouting at him using her fist, the lie that she peddles saying she shared a nice relationship with MT even to his death always leave a bitter taste in my mouth and reminds me why politicians are always viewed in bad light.”

Tsvangirai dumped the Nelson Chamisa led MDC Alliance which won him his parliamentary seat following the death of Vimbai, another Tsvangirai sibling who died in a car crash.

The Supreme Court in March this year nullified Chamisa’s leadership of the main opposition declaring the politician used unconstitutional means to land the top opposition job.

The court ordered MDC to revert back to the party’s 2014 structures to choose a substantive leader to the late former Prime Minister.

In his letter, Vincent goes on to dismiss Mudzuri’s claims Tsvangirai left the party in his hands before Chamisa’s palace coup.

“Like Chamisa, Mudzuri peddles the lie that Tsvangirai left him the MDC-T, he forgets that MDC is a democratic party where a leadership position is not left to a particular person but is democratically elected.

“He likes to call himself a unifier but exposes himself as a hypocrite when he and his people conduct smear campaigns against other candidates and those who support them,” he said.

“Mudzuri sleeps at meetings yet wants to energise the base for 2023.”

However, Vincent spares Komichi of the vitriol, only saying the Senator struggles to convince people to vote for him and has a tainted image from 2018 when he imposed candidates for the MDC Alliance, their electoral vehicle then.-newsday

By A Correspondent- A Bulawayo businessman and a fitness enthusiast Edmore Cyprianos has died.

The Highlander’s super fan’s death was confirmed by one of his sons Brendon on social media in a post that reads:

“As many of you have already heard, today we lost Edmore Cyprianos, my father. I am at loss for words and I cannot even put into words the way I am feeling. A leader, a motivator, an inspiration to me and many within the community.

Dad, my heart is broken. Every night I would pray to the lord to keep you safe on the roads as I knew you traveled a lot for work, but no prayer could’ve prevented this from happening. I’ll always be left with the question of why?

You’ve inspired me to become the man I am today, and I have looked up to you ever since I was a child. My heart is heavy and it is full of pain. Dad I love you and may your beautiful soul rest in eternal peace

According to the publication:

1. Cyprianos was the managing director of Cypriano Electrical,
2. Was a recognised Highlanders supporter
3. Together with his wife Nokuthula founded a swimming academy in Bulawayo, Stingrays Swimming Academy.

Circumstances leading to his death are still sketchy we will update this article if new details emerge.-statemedia

 Hon Temba Mliswa: Thank you Madam Speaker, I think we have to take seriously the COVID -19 pandemic.  I say so because on behalf of many Members, our condolences to ZBC Reporter, the late Janet Munyaka.  

I say so because she was quite dedicated to her duty and was a professional.  What really pains me is she definitely got infected while at work.  What are we doing to ensure that these people who are dedicating their time to serve this country are protected?  

What has ZBC done to ensure that there is some tracing in terms of everybody at ZBC.  We have not read about that. 

The fear is that as Parliament, through our role of oversight, we must be able to encourage institutions to be protected. It is quite sad that we allow our dedicated men and women to work without taking cognisance of the fact that from a health point of view, they have to be protected.

          The same as this Parliament, why can we not have a situation where we are tested monthly or twice a week because we do not know who is positive here. I say so because my own sister and Hon Member for Hurungwe West and Provincial Minister of State, Hon. Mary Chikoka was infected.

It is through the grace of God that she survived. It was acute and in no time she was in ICU under incubation. It is a miracle for her to survive. I have learnt that only until it happens to somebody close to you, can you appreciate it. I am hoping that it does not happen to anybody close to you so that we protect ourselves.

          The staff and the Ministry of Health must be commended. Our health professionals must be commended because they have gotten into that point understanding covid and as a result they are able to treat it. In that ICU unit, three people died. May we not be reckless with life to get to hospital? Let us not try to get to hospital because we are now more or less under people with a profession which we are not sure of. I say so Madam Speaker because we must take it seriously.

          I see Ministers sitting close to each other and yet in the dedication of duty they are exposed– all of us as Members of Parliament are exposed with people. What assurance can we get in this institution that we are all safe?

That is the reason why I am imploring your good office that as of tomorrow – because we do not want to go back home and infect our families, may we get tested so that we know our status and take the necessary remedies that ensure that we are okay and we do not spread it. COVID-19 is real.

Once again condolences to the Munyaka family. She was dedicated to duty and other people in that profession too, want some assurance. How then are they going to be protected and so forth? COVID is real – unless and until somebody close to you gets it can you really understand it is there.

By A Correspondent- SABC News tonight will give an update on Marry Mubaiwa Chiwenga’s health.

This was revealed in a Twitter post by an SABC firebrand journalist Sophie Mokoena who said in a tweet:

Today we will bring you the update on health condition Marry Chiwenga. Watch #sabcnews channel 404 at 8pm tonight.

This came after Marry’s health issues headlined after photos of her wounded hands circulated on social media. Marry’s health condition drew sympathy from many people including her ex-husband Shingi Kaondera who rallied the nation to pray for her in a post that said:

May we all pray for Mary (sic), may God revive her spirit, may she live to see the wedding of our first daughter Destiny. I believe in you Mai D you are stronger than any disease or any court case they can’t afford your peace.

Marry as of last week was also unable to seek medical treatment in South Africa because CBZ Bank froze her bank accounts a move that according to her lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa the bank was not supposed to initiate because they have no legal basis to do so.

A senior Zanu-PF official from Chirumanzu District in the Midlands province drowned after he tried to cross a flooded river to cast his vote during the party’s District Coordinating Committee (DCC) elections.

Cde Muchato Masvinu – the District Chairperson for Chirumanzu – was allegedly swept away while his wife watched in horror as he tried to cross Shashe River to reach a polling station on Sunday.

Because of the heavy rains that have been pounding the country, the ruling party abandoned elections at some polling stations in Gokwe North and Shurugwi North as they had become inaccessible.

The decision to abandon the elections was taken to protect the lives of party members.

Zanu-PF acting national spokesperson, Cde Patrick Chinamasa confirmed the incident in Gweru while addressing a Press conference on Tuesday.

Cde Chinamasa is leading a supervisory team overseeing the Zanu-PF DCC elections in the Midlands province.

“We have received some bad news to the effect that one of our senior party members, Cde Muchato Masvinu, who was the District Chairperson for Chirumanzu drowned after he was swept away as he tried to cross flooded Shashe River. Cde Masvinu wanted to cross the river to get to a polling station that was across to cast his vote during the DCC elections. It is on a sad note that we announce his passing on,” he said.

Cde Chinamasa said Mrs Masvinu rushed to call other villagers who conducted a search which started on Sunday when Cde Masvinu was swept away. They found his body yesterday afternoon downstream.

“Mrs Masvinu who was accompanying her husband to the polling station watched helplessly as he was being swept away. His body was recovered today around 12 midday following a search by fellow villagers,” he said.

Cde Chinamasa said burial arrangements were underway.

“Our deepest condolences are with the Masvinu family and the whole province at large,” he said.

Cde Chinamasa said heavy rains that continued to pound the province had negatively affected the election process.

“The rains have adversely affected the smooth running of our elections and after losing one of our comrades who was swept away by the floods, we were also forced to call off elections at some polling stations in two districts namely Gokwe North and Shurugwi North as the areas were deemed inaccessible.

“With respect to Gokwe North, we also decided to authorise the voting to continue today after the process was disrupted by heavy rains and the polling agents only being able to access some of these polling stations today. We have abandoned voting at two polling stations in Gokwe North that is Gumunyu and Budiriro Schools.

“The areas can only be accessed by a helicopter. In Shurugwi we have only one polling station, Pombe Mine where voters could not access the station to exercise their vote due to incessant rains,” he said.

Cde Chinamasa said the elections were complete in five districts, and were expecting to have received all the results from the other districts by last night.

“We now have election results for Chirumanzu, Kwekwe, Shurugwi and Zvishavane. They are ready and we have since forwarded them to the national command center where the results will be officially announced. We will have received all the results by midnight today and by tomorrow we expect to wrap up our mission in the province,” he said.

Cde Chinamasa said there were a lot of complaints and appeals from various districts which they managed to resolve.

“We resolved all appeals and made recommendations but those who feel they need to appeal to the national command are free to do so and we will not be offended,” he said.

-State Media

MDC Alliance President Nelson Chamisa has told the City of Harare to stop demolishing people’s houses saying the whole operations is a violation of human rights, dignity and security of persons.

Posting on Twitter today, Chamisa urged those responsible to stop it.

The heartless and cruel demolition of citizens’ homes is a violation of human rights and a violation of the dignity & security of persons.This command politics based on iron-fisted governance style must be resisted by us all!Those responsible, Stop it!,” said Chamisa.

Demolitions have continued in Harare with over 4 areas demolished so far while City of Harare have been granted an order by the High Court to demolish over 20 areas which were under the development of cooperatives.

The MDC Alliance has also expressed concern over the demolitions while clearing their name from the operation which has left hundreds of people homeless during this rain season.

By Vincent Tsvangirai

My Position
Let me get straight to the point before going into the details of why I am writing this EOC countdown opinion piece.
I support Douglas T. Mwonzora for President of the MDC-T because I believe in his vision for the party and the country.

Why I support Senator Douglas Mwonzora

Whilst Douglas Mwonzora has shared relations with my late father Morgan Tsvangirai from 1991, I first got to know about him after the 2011 congress were he won the election of the Spokesperson for MDC-T. I found it rather fascinating that a man who had been released from prison (for political reasons) four days before the congress could go on to convince 4,500 people in one day to make him the mouth piece of the party and Morgan Tsvangirai. He would go on to be an amazing Spokesperson and would comically be known as the Studio 7 Spokesperson as the message of the party would reach every corner of Zimbabwe with the still popular Studio 7.

In 2014 he did what everyone including my late father thought was impossible. After defeating Nelson Chamisa with 800 votes at what will always be the famous 2014 Congress, with only 1 nomination to his campaign, he would dub his campaign as the 1 nomination 1000 votes in 1 day campaign 1-1000-1. Long story short, that was the congress were Chamisa was defeated and Mwonzora became the Secretary General of the MDC-T. Tsvangirai always had a way to aptly describe Mwonzora. He would say “zvinhu zvaDougie zvinoita semanga-manga but before you know it, he has you in a checkmate.” Consequently, l interpreted this as a great sign of Tsvangirai’s respect for Secretary General Mwonzora.

Mwonzora is a politician who reminds me a lot of some of my late father’s attributes;
• He is Strategic in his planning
• He is not selfish
• He is seen as as both a brotherly and fatherly figure by supporters (famously known as Mukoma Dougie)
• He is kind but firm
• He is principled
• He is not corrupt

Why I don’t support other candidates

Khupe Thokozani

Now, while she may have her good qualities here and there, her reputation in the last 6-7 years has undoubtedly become unbecoming of someone who wants to become the president of a democratic party. She rebelled against Tsvangirai and showed no sign of respect to her president, going as far as to point her finger in his face and shouting at him using his first name. The lie that she peddles saying she shared a nice relationship with Tsvangirai even to his death always leaves a bitter taste in my mouth and reminds me why politicians are always viewed in bad light.
• She dose not listen to people
• She makes bad decisions
• Can not motivate support even in her own region
• Quickly moving away from MDC-T opposition principles

Morgan Komichi

The Senator has a number of good attributes but struggles to motivate the base to support him.
• Suffers from a bad reputation of 2018 candidates selection that has left many disgruntled.

Ellias Mudzuri

Like Chamisa, Mudzuri peddels the lie that Tsvangirai left him the MDC-T. he forgets that MDC is a democratic party were leadership position is not left to a particular person but is democratically elected. He likes to call himself a unifier but exposes himself as a hypocrite when he and his people conduct smear campaigns against other candidates and those who support them.
• Sleeps at meetings yet wants to energize the base for 2023
• Can not motivate the base
• Always found missing in action when needed
• Quick to point out the mistakes of others in the most unconstructive manner.

Your vote is your secret and so is your right to choose who you want. As for me, I believe in Mwonzora and everything he stands for and I know your vote will not be wasted on him. He will get the party back on course to defeat Zanu PF and he will bring democracy back in the MDC. All these malicious allegations against Mwonzora are signs of people getting butterflies before the main fight. If candidates cannot build support at the base, if they cannot handle the heat they must stay out of the kitchen.

#DougieDougieTeseTese
#TeseTeseDougieDougie
D4D. FSF.
Togarasei.

Hon V. Tsvangirai

NewsDay

LATE MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s son, Vincent has revealed he was behind MDC-T secretary general Douglas Mwonzora’s bid to land the MDC-T presidency, while dismissing the ambitious politician’s challengers as liars.

In a letter shared Wednesday, the youth legislator labels presidential contenders Elias Mudzuri and acting leader Thokozani Khupe as liars for what he perceived as fake love for his late father.

The MDC-T is set to hold its Extraordinary Congress (EOC) this month for purposes of electing a substantive leader to replace Tsvangirai, just over two years after his sad passing from colon cancer.

The defiant Glen View South lawmaker had no kind remarks for Mudzuri whom he said had a tendency of sleeping during party meetings yet promising to re-energise party structures.

He bases his support for Mwonzora on his principles and similar traits to his father who led the original MDC in 1999 upon formation.

“I support Douglas Mwonzora for President of the MDC-T because I believe in his vision for the party and the country.

“DM is a politician who reminds me a lot of some of my late father’s attributes; he is strategic in his planning, he is not selfish, he is seen as both a brotherly and fatherly figure by supporters (famously known as Mukoma Dhagi), he is kind but firm, he is principled, he is not corrupt,” he said.

Tsvangirai added he was disgusted by Khupe’s continued claims she was in good books with his late father while her reputation has been dented beyond repair for someone vying for opposition leader.

Said Tsvangirai: “Now while she (Khupe) may have her good qualities here and there, her reputation the last 6-7 years has undoubtedly become unbecoming of someone who wants to become the president of a democratic party.

“She rebelled against MT and showed no sign of respect to her president going as far as to point her finger in his face and shouting at him using his first, the lie that she peddles saying she shared a nice relationship with MT even to his death always leave a bitter taste in my mouth and reminds me why politicians are always viewed in bad light.”

Tsvangirai dumped the Nelson Chamisa led MDC Alliance which won him his parliamentary seat following the death of Vimbai, another Tsvangirai sibling who died in a car crash.

The Supreme Court in March this year nullified Chamisa’s leadership of the main opposition declaring the politician used unconstitutional means to land the top opposition job.

The court ordered MDC to revert back to the party’s 2014 structures to choose a substantive leader to the late former Prime Minister.

In his letter, Vincent goes on to dismiss Mudzuri’s claims Tsvangirai left the party in his hands before Chamisa’s palace coup.

“Like Chamisa, Mudzuri peddles the lie that Tsvangirai left him the MDC-T, he forgets that MDC is a democratic party where a leadership position is not left to a particular person but is democratically elected.

“He likes to call himself a unifier but exposes himself as a hypocrite when he and his people conduct smear campaigns against other candidates and those who support them,” he said.

“Mudzuri sleeps at meetings yet wants to energise the base for 2023.”

However, Vincent spares Komichi of the vitriol, only saying the Senator struggles to convince people to vote for him and has a tainted image from 2018 when he imposed candidates for the MDC Alliance, their electoral vehicle then.

AllAfrica

THE National Social Security Authority (NSSA) has dismissed claims of corruption ignited by the recent disposal of the organisation’s shares held by ZB Bank shares to controversial business tycoon, Kuda Tagwireyi.

NSSA says the deal was procedural and above board.

Reports last week indicated some 57 million NSSA shares, worth over $1 billion, were traded on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE) same day and transferred to a Tagwirei linked company.

Key stakeholders like the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) which has a board member representing workers’ interests in NSSA, have expressed unhappiness with the deal and the unclear circumstances under which it was sealed.

However, in a press statement this week, NSSA acting chief executive officer Arthur Manase dismissed the allegations clarifying that the transaction was carried out legally and without prejudice.

“As part of the due diligence process, NSSA enlisted a reputable financial advisor to do an independent valuation to ensure NSSA had derived the correct value from the transaction.

“The valuators concluded that the deal where the parties agreed to calculate share swap ratio based on a 30 trading day volume weighted average price (VWAP) to September 30 2020 after including a 70 % premium was favorable,” he said.

Manase said based on the formula, VWAP prices for both ZB (11.3183) and CBZ ($43.2858) using 30 trading information from the 20th of August, authorities came up with a fair share swap ratio of 2.25 ZB shares for 1 CBZ share after including the 70 % premium.

“Therefore, for the 50 % NSSA received US$11.6 million which was equivalent to $948 million after factoring transaction costs. This money was invested in an asset that yields foreign currency,” he said.

NSSA said the decision to dispose of the bank shares was reached by the board in May 2020 through resolution 135/39 /08/06/2020 which approved the disposal of the authority’s entire 37.79 % shareholding in ZB Financial Holdings (ZBFH).

This was done in accordance with NSSA’s Investment Strategy guided by the NSSA Investment Policy, The Public Finance Management Act and the NSSA Act with respect to investments classified as significant.

Manase said the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s directive which indexed minimum capital requirements for Tier1 and Tier2 banks at the equivalent of US$30 million and US$20 million respectively also made it impossible for the already overwhelmed NSSA to meet the capital requirements.

TWO prisoners at Mutare Remand Prison are in trouble after they were arrested on Tuesday for sodomy.

The pair, Moses Mabhure from Mutare and Carlos Mafuke from Machipanda in Mozambique appeared before regional magistrate Lucie Mungwari facing aggravated indecent assault charges (sodomy).

They were not asked to plead and were remanded in custody to December 18.

It is the State’s case that sometime in November, Mafuke was bathing at Mutare Remand Prison when he was approached by Mabhure.

Mabhure demanded to have sexual intercourse with Mafuke, who refused.

Mabhure, however, “forcibly” had sexual intercourse with Mafuke.

The matter came to light on November 29 when Mafuke was found caressing Mabhure’s private parts by fellow prisoners who reported the matter to jail guards.

National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) commissioner Geoffrey Chada says the commission would look into the issue of the Gukurahundi genocide next year during public hearings.

Evans Mathanda

Chada said this on Tuesday during an NPRC capacity-building workshop in Harare which discussed the commission’s activities to be rolled out next year, including the public hearings.

He, however, said the commission was facing challenges in that there was lack of dialogue between the NPRC and citizens, adding that people also did not understand its role.

Chada said lack of knowledge on the terms of reference of the NPRC, had hindered progress because people were not presenting complaints to the commission.

“Issues like Gukurahundi are actually things that we expect to be raised during our public hearings, however, Gukurahundi is not the only crisis that the commission is going to be dealing with next year,” Chada said.

“There are a lot of crisis situations in the country like the issue of resettling of the people in Chiyadzwa and other areas like Chimanimani that have been affected by natural disasters. All these issues of need to be well addressed in order to foster national healing”, he said.

Chada said the NPRC was in the process of identifying issues of paramount importance that affected people, including those of electoral violence.

“People are also allowed to come before the NPRC and ask whether the reports on the 2018 electoral violence were properly implemented so that they put forward their complaints before the commission.

“There is nothing that we will leave behind in dealing with the issues.

“We are not going to be challenged by anyone, we will work in accordance with the NPRC Act which empowers us to deal with issues of peace and reconciliation,” he said.

Chada said there were a lot of sensitive things that would be exposed next year when the NPRC public hearings began, adding that some of the issues would be new to the media and the people of Zimbabwe.

COVID-19 positive pupils and those suspected to be infected in Bulawayo are writing 2020 public examinations in isolation in line with standard operating procedures which have been effective in curbing the spread of the global pandemic in schools.

A teacher at one of the schools said affected pupils were writing in seclusion in separate rooms from the rest of the candidates, under Ministry of Health and Child Care guidelines.

He said the isolation rooms were created to afford the pupils a chance to write their exams without the fear of exposing their invigilators and fellow pupils to infection.

Statistics show that since the phased opening of schools, about 332 pupils have contracted Covid-19 countrywide and they are stable.

Under the SOP, hugs, handshakes and sharing of desks are not permitted.

In a case where a pupil tests positive or is suspected to be positive, he or she can continue with examinations in isolation from the rest of the pupils sitting for the examination.

Break and lunch time must be staggered to prevent crowding by learners while sporting activities are banned.

A classroom should only accommodate a maximum of 35 pupils to allow for social distancing.

This follows reports that two teachers tested positive at the Bulawayo Adventist High School (BAHS).

Authorities say the SOPs are in place and the school has been in liaison with the rapid response team to ensure both teachers and pupils are safe.

The director for education at BAHS Dr Christopher Thebe said SOPs are still in place and the rapid response team had already conducted contact tracing.

“The situation is under control at BAHS and all our pupils are in good health as we speak.

“We also have one pupil suspected to be Covid-19 positive writing Grade Seven examinations in isolation at Fairview Adventist Primary School,” said Dr Thebe.

He said despite calls by parents to let non-examination classes stop attending school, there was nothing to be worried about as pupils are safe.

“We will continue to implement the SOPs and ensure that our pupils are protected. We still await results for our Grade Seven pupil which will come after a few days.”

MDC-T president Thokozani Khupe has recalled the mayors of Chinhoyi, Chegutu and Bindura and several councillors for refusing to cross over to her party after they continued to align themselves to the MDC Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa.

The recalls were announced through a letter which was written by MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora to Local Government minister July Moyo.

Bindura mayor Carlos Tokyo was recalled yesterday and immediately an election was held which replaced him with Brian Kembo, another Chamisa loyalist.

Chinhoyi mayor Dyke Makumbi was recalled together with councillors Patricia Chibaya (ward 2), Richard Vhitirinyu (ward 3), Brighton Mhizha (ward 4), and Chipotle Mlotshwa (ward 14).

Chegutu mayor Mukudzei Chigumbura was also recalled together with three councillors Alice Kudhlande (ward 11), Edward Dzeka (ward nine) and Rhydes Machekera (ward 2).

Mashonaland West MDC Alliance spokesperson Blessing Mandava yesterday confirmed the recall of his party’s councillors.

“Mwonzora the embattled and conflicted MDC-T secretary-general has recalled three Chegutu West and six Chinhoyi councillors after failing to arm-twist them to dump the MDC Alliance and join his band of praise singers. The councillors chose to stand with the people who voted for them as they are not in politics for money or positions but to serve and save the people,” Mandava said.

He said Khupe’s MDC-T had been using the carrot and stick approach to lure legislators and city fathers to their party, as well as punish those who were not dancing to their tune.

“The recalled councillors chose to stand with the people than to bask in the MDC-T’s short honeymoon. As a province, we are quite aware of the Zanu PF shenanigans to destabilise not only our councils but also the MDC Alliance through its proxies. We will not lose sleep over these recalls neither shall we retreat nor surrender,” he said.

The party also recalled four councillors in Masvingo namely, Tarusenga Vhembo (ward 3), Godfrey Kurauone (ward 4), Daniel Mberikunashe (ward 5) and Richard Musekiwa (ward 7) for siding with Chamisa in the on-going fight for control of the opposition party. The dismissal of the four means by-elections will have to be held and the MDC Alliance majority in council reduced from seven to three. Zanu PF has three councillors in Masvingo City Council.