Correspondent

A 39-year-old man allegedly bought a mentally challenged woman some corn snacks, commonly known as ‘jiggies’, undressed her before molesting her.

Clemence Phikani of Village 9A Kanyaga, Kenzamba was this week arraigned in court charged with indecent assault.

Magistrate Lisa Mutendereki indefinitely remanded Phikani to allow the 21-year-old complainant (name withheld) to be examined by a psychiatrist to ascertain her mental state.

The State case is that on 1 October 2020 at around 3pm, the woman was watching football at a local soccer pitch.

Court heard that Phikani approached and offered to buy her some ‘jiggies’ at a nearby tuckshop.

The woman accepted the offer and proceeded to accompany Phikani to the tuckshop where they bought some ‘jiggies’.

Phikani then lured his unsuspecting victim to a disused kitchen hut.

Court heard the pair sat on a bench with Phikani proceeding to remove the woman’s blouse and sucking her breast in an attempt to seduce her.

After noticing the unusually lengthy time the two had taken to return, the woman’s relative Christine Murehwa decided to follow them.

Murehwa allegedly caught Phikani red-handed while molesting her.

With the help of other villagers, Murehwa effected a citizen’s arrest and took him to the police station.

Prosecutor Review Nikisi represented the State.

When 36-year-old businessman Genius Kadungure breathed his last a few weeks ago, there were unanswered questions on who was likely to inherit his business empire and multimillion-dollar assets since he neither had a wife nor child.

His family vehemently made it clear that he had not sired any children during his lifetime.

“As far as I know, Genius did not leave behind any children. I heard through rumours that he had children everywhere, but I was never introduced to any of them,” Mr Anderson Kadungure, father to Genius, recently said.

However, The Sunday Mail can exclusively reveal that the showy entrepreneur actually had a son in 2011 with a Gutu-based businesswoman, Miyedzo “Miye” Madondo – daughter to a once-successful Masvingo businessman, Elias Madondo, who is late.

The two lovebirds met in 2006 when she returned from New Zealand.

“They (Genius and Miyedzo) were madly in love. They enjoyed their romance and we all adored it. They both tattooed each other’s names on their arms. That shows the level of affection they had for each other,” said Madondo family members, who elected to remain anonymous.

But, the Romeo-and Juliet fairy-tale unravelled when the baby was born.

It seemed Ginimbi’s head had been turned.

Not interested

Miyedzo refused to open up during an interview at her farm in Masvingo last week, saying the timing – especially when Genius’ estate was being distributed — would likely result in negative connotations about the motive.

“I hope this visit is personal and not about Genius because that is a closed chapter,” said a teary Miyedzo, who was choking with emotions.

“Maybe someday I will tell you all about it, but not now, I just can’t.

“I was born in a family with everything that I needed, so we are OK. We don’t need anything, so please just leave us alone.”

She then referred all questions to her aunt, who lives in Madondo Village in Gutu.

“It is not a secret – everyone knows. Even if you ask people around the village and at the (Gutu) Growth Point. It’s known that Ginimbi is the father of our boy,” said the aunt.

“I was introduced to Genius right here, on this compound, in this hut. He was here all the time. After dumping Miyedzo for another woman, he later tried to be involved in his son’s life.

“We wanted to attend the funeral but the Genius he had become was different from the Genius we knew. We feared his relatives could be hostile as some were likely to think we were after his money.”

Other relatives and family friends in Gutu corroborated the story.

“You are talking about someone you read in the media and I am telling you about someone I knew personally. I drank beer with him and we used to party in some of Gutu’s humble night clubs,” said one Dhunzi, who claimed to be Miyedzo’s niece.

“Everyone here knew that Ginimbi and Miyedzo were inseparable; they were madly in love.”

The Sunday Mail was taken to Madondo Hotel — owned by Miyedzo’s family — where Ginimbi reportedly used to camp for days on end.

“During those days, the guy was broke. He drove Miyedzo’s cars (BMW X5 and Dodge Nitro) and used her money to buy expensive clothes,” added Dhunzi.

“But we loved him because he was kind and generous. From whatever he got from Miyedzo, he would find something to give us. Ginimbi always had exciting ideas.

“The only thing that saddens us is that he milked our sister dry and ran away. It is more painful to think that he went on to enjoy that money with other women.”

A former driver at Kadungure’s Pioneer Gases, who only wanted to be identified as Mike, claimed that Miyedzo also invested in the gas company.

“Miyedzo thought the investment was registered in both their names but she didn’t know that Ginimbi had taken everything.

“At the time, she thought the relationship was growing into something, but the guy left her. She was heartbroken.”

Mike said Ginimbi appeared to have already been involved with the mysterious woman even before the unexpected break-up.

“I vividly remember when I drove her to Greystone Park in Harare where Genius was now staying, only to find people getting down at an all-white party.

“That was the very first all-white party that Ginimbi held. Miyedzo was hurt because she did not know about it and that older woman was there.”

Support

With time, Genius warmed up to his son.

Mike added: “He loved the boy and he did everything for him, from buying expensive cellphones and other gadgets.

“As we speak, he had bought him a drone as a birthday present and it will be delivered anytime soon.

“We drove several times to Harare where he would meet his son and catch-up.”

Several other Madondo family members said Ginimbi used to be one of their own.

In August 2014, the flamboyant businessman posted a photo of himself and the child and captioned it “my son”.

The account was later closed in 2016.

But for the Kadungure family, this seems to be an unknown chapter in Genius’ life.

“I didn’t see any child. As his brothers, we were always moving around together and I never saw any.

“If there were any, then they should come forward because our doors are open. We said no one was going to be chased away,” said Clemence Kadungure.

Last week, Ginimbi’s relatives and other beneficiaries of his estate unanimously accepted an unsigned will recently filed at the Master of High Court, which gives “Kit Kat”, a friend to the deceased, the newly acquired Lamborghini.

All other assets were placed in a Trust, under which will be the bulk of the assets, including the Domboshava mansion, cars and companies.

The mansion will be converted into a hotel.

Ginimbi’s father, according to the will, is entitled to 10 percent of funds generated by the Trust, while Ginimbi’s sisters – Nelia and Juliet — will get 60 percent and 30 percent respectively.

HARARE Mayor Jacob Mafume (44), who is facing abuse of office charges, will spend the weekend behind bars after his bail ruling was rolled over to tomorrow.

Mafume was arrested by the Special Anti-Corruption Unit (Sacu) last week for allegedly forcing city council officials to parcel out housing stands in Harare’s Westlea suburb to his sister and colleague.

Magistrate Bianca Makwande had initially set the bail ruling for yesterday when Mafume appeared in court on Friday but postponed the case to tomorrow as she was away attending to an urgent work-related matter.

The State alleges that on an unknown date between March 1 and March 31, 2020, Mafume called Harare City Council Housing Director Mr Addmore Nhekairo and asked him to allocate residential stands to his sister Rotina Mafume and colleague Rutendo Muvuti.

At the time that Mafume allegedly approached Mr Nhekairo, the Harare City Council had already closed interviews for prospective beneficiaries of the land in Westlea.

The State alleged that as a direct consequence of Mafume’s insistence to circumvent council procedures, Mr Nhekairo then instructed his junior officers to ensure that the two were allocated stands.

“Rotina Mafume was allocated a stand under waiting list number 1317/03/10 with a provisional deposit for intrinsic land price $219 938,” reads the charge sheet.

“The said housing waiting list number does not appear on the Harare City Council Housing waiting list database.

“Rutendo Muvuti was allocated stand number 11565 in Westlea under waiting list number 903/11/16 measuring 600 square meters with a provisional deposit for intrinsic land price of $219 938”.

The said waiting list numberbelonged to Winnie Mandishona NR 59-165352P12 not Rutendo Muvuti.

State Media

Unmonitored airstrips will be closed, while a new radar control system to monitor aircraft flying in the country’s airspace will soon be installed amid concerns some aeroplanes have become conduits to smuggle minerals.

Government is working with the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) to overhaul the radar system and bring it up to date with international standards.

Zimbabwe is reportedly losing up to US$100 million every month in leakages through sophisticated syndicates.

Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said President Mnangagwa had directed that the country’s radar system should be modernised.

“In this era, people use modern technology for all sorts of illegal activities and the President has said we should mechanise and upgrade our systems; hence the introduction of a new radar system.

“There are too many airstrips and we know that there are some small aircrafts which fly very low and are difficult to identify. This is due to the old radar system that urgently needs replacement.”

The new high-tech radar system, she said, will be installed in partnership with CAAZ.

“We are working with CAAZ to close the gaps used by these small aircraft to smuggle minerals, especially gold.

“So we are addressing the issue, and in due course you are going to see the changes. We are on top of the situation.”

CAAZ public relations and corporate communications manager Ms Anna-Julia Hungwe confirmed the ongoing exercise.

“It is our duty to advise Government on issues pertaining to our radar system. It is work in progress.

“Government is our shareholder, so we will continue to work together with them. We will advise on the progress that we will be making,” she said.

Presenting the 2021 National Budget last week, Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said the economy was losing potential revenue due to infrastructure deficiencies and operational arrangements that promote inefficiencies at some border posts and through the airspace.

Treasury accordingly allocated $3,8 billion to refurbish Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, while $200 million was allocated for construction of the tower at the J. M. Nkomo International Airport in Bulawayo.

Further, $550 million was disbursed towards rehabilitation and upgrading of Kariba, Buffalo Range and Grand Reef airports.

“The funds are expected to enhance airspace management in line with global standards.

“The priority in the aviation sector is to ensure that the country complies with the minimum requirements of the International Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the European Union Air Safety Committee.

“Compliance with the above will ensure that our aviation sub-sector moves from category 2 to category 1 that will result in increased access to the international markets.

“This would entail rehabilitation and upgrading of civil aviation facilities, with the ongoing works at the R.G. Mugabe International Airport being the most significant.

“Airspace management and air safety require immediate intervention through procurement and installation of the requisite equipment and leveraging on CAAZ’s cash flows,” he said.

The Deputy Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs, Victor Matemadanda, was yesterday forced to abort a scheduled address at a meeting of former liberation war fighters in Marondera after a rival group organised a parallel event.

Matemadanda who is also the ZANU PF Political Commissar was scheduled to address the war veterans gathered at Mbuya Nehanda Hall for a meeting organised by the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA).

The Standard reports that Matemadanda had to deploy a political commissar, whose identity could not be immediately established, to address the former fighters led by Peter Sigauke after the chaos became apparent.

Speaking to the publication, an anonymous war veteran said:

Disgruntled war veterans led by one Samunda were having their own meeting at the Zanu PF provincial party headquarters.

Cde Matemadanda was supposed to go to the hall, but at the party provincial headquarters, there was another meeting.

He was forced to abort the meeting and deployed a political commissar, who comes from Manicaland, in his place.

Meanwhile, Matemadanda said he was not aware of the meeting.

I was at school, I am not aware of the meetings you are talking about.

The Standard reports that its reporter witnessed war veterans being bussed from the province’s nine districts to Mbuya Nehanda Hall where they waited to be addressed by the deputy minister, who was in a no-show.https://0da38fb1b88b12dfdaf3a3a4bda02dd9.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html

The publication further reports that some war veterans were overhead urging their colleagues to snub the meeting of the rival faction at the party provincial headquarters.

The war veterans are reportedly divided with some accusing their leaders of neglecting their welfare, an issue that made the ex-combatants to revolt against the late former president, Robert Mugabe leading to his ouster in November 2017.

More: The Standard

The late fitness bunny and video vixen Michelle “Moana” Amuli may have lived her last days on earth in the fast lane with easy access to the finest things in life, but none of it followed her to the grave.

Moana died in a horrific car accident that also claimed the lives of socialite Genius “Ginimbi” Kadungure, Malawian businessman Limumba Karim and Mozambican model Alicha Adams, on November 8.

As scores of people gathered in the high-density suburb of Highfield to follow burial proceedings that were led by the Muslim community — as wished by the father, Ishmael — celebrities and artistes she hung around in her lifetime were conspicuous by their absence.

Comedian Madam Boss and businessman Tinashe Mutarisi were the only notable faces that came to pay tribute.

There was no fancy casket or entourage of top-of-the-range cars as her “decomposing” remains, that were burnt beyond recognition in the crash, took a last ride to Warren Hills Cemetery in an ordinary ambulance.

Apart from the humble gathering not reflective of the hedonistic life she is said to have led, one could still feel the tense atmosphere that prevailed between her family members from both the paternal and maternal sides.

The families had been at loggerheads for close to three weeks about when, how and where to bury her. Moana’s parents were separated when she was a little baby and they would not see eye to eye all the way to the grave.

They may have agreed, with the assistance of a High Court decision, to finally lay her to rest, but one could sense that there were still subtle squabbles between the paternal and maternal sides of the family.

Despite the rifts that largely turned into murmurs, the situation did not turn violent.

It is uncertain whether there still will be other publicised episodes of misunderstandings between the two sides that had become a media staple of late.

But, there are certainly bones of contention like the sharing of the late’s property that included cars, furniture and clothes.

Since she had reportedly moved to South Africa recently, where she engaged a secret lover, the fitness trainer is said to have left her daughter and belongings under her mother Yolanda Kuvaoga’s custody.

Over the weeks, Yolanda has come out in defence of her automatic ownership of the property left with her revealing that she had no intention of sharing it with the father, whom she accused of asking about the cars in particular despite not being on talking terms with his daughter in the recent past.

“It’s the cars that he wants. He tells us he wants the cars and I told them she had sold all her cars,” said Yolanda in one of the many interviews with the media.

Efforts to get comment in relation to the issue did not yield results from the maternal side, but Amuli said he did not care about what would happen to the possessions.

“Let them have the property, they thought we wanted some of it, but they can have it. We do not want any of it seeing that this is part of the reasons why they had brought us to court, but we are not interested in that,” he said.

Meanwhile, the public may have to keep on guessing when it comes to other questions about who Moana was beyond social media posts.

Although she had posted a snippet showing an engagement ring on her finger, it is unclear who her other half was and no one has stepped up to confirm involvement with the late beauty.

Could it have been Kadungure or Karim? Even her mother could not determine.

“What I know is she had engaged. She sent me a message saying he proposed and I said yes, but I had never even seen her fiancé’s face. She offered to bring him to me, but I refused because I was angry over the fact that she was relocating to South Africa,” her mother revealed recently.

Adding to the mystery is a video showing Moana in a cozy situation with local prophet Edd Branson as well as other flirty videos that have made way to different social media platforms.

Standard

State Media

AIRFORCE of Zimbabwe Officer Cadet Silungile Sweswe, who passed away when a SF 260 Genet trainer aircraft crashed on Tuesday afternoon last week, received an emotional farewell as family, friends and colleagues came together to mourn an aspiring pilot whose life was taken as she was on the cusp of fulfilling the abundant promise she showed.

Silungile (23), a resident of Pumula South in Bulawayo, was buried at Umvutshwa Private Cemetery on Friday.

Silungile died on the spot alongside flying instructor, Squadron Leader Mkhululi Dube after their plane, which was making a U-turn according to witnesses, crashed just outside Gweru in Somabhula.

The two were on routine training from Josiah Tungamirai Airbase.

Speaking after the burial, Silungile’s uncle Mr Kholisani Sweswe described her as a prayerful child who was intelligent and self driven.

“She was just someone that was naturally intelligent and academically no one would ever fault. She went to Dumezweni Primary School here in Pumula South and then proceeded to Pumula High School that is where she was until she finished her A Level. From there she went to work for World Vision for a while before joining the Airforce.

One thing that I can say about her is that she was someone dedicated to our whole family. It did not matter if you were an uncle, an aunt or any other relative, she respected and cared for you equally,” he said.

Mr Sweswe described the tragic circumstances that the family had received news of Silungile’s passing on, saying they first became aware of her death after pictures of the mangled a SF 260 Genet trainer aircraft started making the rounds on social media.

“We did not know because we were yet to get an official report and that came on Wednesday morning. But social media had already delivered the news to us because we had already started seeing pictures of the plane. From there onwards we were really treated very well by the Airforce and they helped the family throughout the whole grieving process. We never saw the plane that took her life because it had been moved by the time we got there,” he said.

Mr Sweswe said the death of Silungile was a bitter pill to swallow for the family, as she was someone, they had pinned their hopes on for the future given her intelligence.

“She was supposed to go for her Pass-out and graduation parade this November but that had been pushed to April because this has been a difficult year. She had asked the family to slaughter a bull specifically for that day. It is really hard to take because when you raise a child and educate her, you’re hoping that she will help elevate the family. Unfortunately, no one can ever know when the Lord will take what is his,” he said.

Mr Sweswe said Silungile had always harboured thoughts of taking her whole family into the sky.

“She always said that she would one day make sure that all of us in the family had a ride on an airplane. That was what she kept saying. From the time when she was young, she looked up to her grandfather who is also a pilot,” he said.

Another uncle, Mr Mengezi Sweswe Mpofu, told Sunday News that Silungile was an ardent Seventh Day Adventist who was a shining example to other girls in the community.

“She was the president of the Junior Cadets and she was about to achieve her ambition of becoming a pilot. She was a Seventh Day Adventist through and through and over the years she had been to all church groups. We saw her grow from being a young pathfinder into a young woman that continued to live by the word of God,” he said.

One of Silungile’s peers from Pumula South, Ms Melissa Dube said the late trainee pilot had been a consistent source of inspiration for young women in their community.

“She was someone that was so driven and dedicated and it is so painful to see that she has been taken away when she still had a lot more to offer. For young women in this community she was a beacon of hope,” she said.

At her funeral, many young women from both the Airforce and the community in Pumula South wore t-shirts emblazoned with her face, with the hashtag #FlyGirl accompanying the image. The third born in a family of six girls, Silungile always believed she should break new ground for women in aviation.

“…You just had to go in such a horrifying manner…I don’t know whether to say it’s awesome or it’s sad that you died doing what you loved the most but its super sad that you’re gone…This is not how you were supposed to make news, you always wanted to break bounds in Aviation and be the first female something great…” a friend, Tshepiso Ndebele, wrote on Facebook in a farewell.

State Media

THE Government has assured the nation that this year’s public examinations will proceed this week with more than 600 000 candidates expected to sit for the exams despite the spiking Covid-19 cases in some schools.

Primary and Secondary Education Director for Communications Mr Taungana Ndoro said examinations would go forward unabated despite the spiking cases in schools, adding that they have prepared adequately. He said pupils who have contracted Covid-19 will write in isolation while the examination rooms will continuously be disinfected to curb the possible spread of the pandemic in schools.

He said more than 300 Covid-19 cases have been recorded among school pupils since the schools opening nationally against a population of more than 4.5 million pupils countrywide. More than 600 000 have registered for the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) examinations. However, those writing practical examinations started two weeks ago.

Mr Ndoro said Zimbabwe was the only country in Africa that had managed to hold the examinations successfully in June at the peak of the pandemic due to robust standard operation procedures implemented by the ministry.

As of last week Friday, there were 184 cases at John Tallach in Ntabazinduna, 57 cases at Chinhoyi High, more than 20 cases at All Souls Mission, 19 cases at Anderson Adventist High, more than 10 cases at Matopo High, three cases at Rujeko Primary, among others. Mr Ndoro said Covid-19 cases recorded in schools was a minor setback.

“We are aware that there may be cases in schools and among school pupils. This is just a minor setback. We are going ahead with the Zimsec examinations despite the pandemic. We are the only country that managed to hold the examinations at the peak of the pandemic. So, we have very efficient standard operation procedures that we have put in place to ensure early detection of cases in schools. So, the pandemic is there as a distraction but as a ministry we will not be defeated by the pandemic. The focus is on the country’s socio-economic development which is driven by the education sector.

The pandemic maybe with us for the unforeseeable future but that does not mean that the learning should stop. We have more than 600 000 candidates that have registered for the November examinations. In total we have a student population of about 4.5 million,” he said.

Mr Ndoro said there were more than 80 percent teachers in schools that have been preparing pupils for the examinations and the pupils have also shown enthusiasm to write the exams.

“There has been commitment shown by teachers in schools. More than 80 percent of teachers are in schools teaching and preparing the learners for the examinations. The students themselves are enthusiastic about writing the examinations. So, we will proceed with them while following the guidelines set by the Ministry of Health and Child Care. Those that have contracted Covid-19 will write in isolation,” he said.

Police yesterday disrupted the MDC Alliance Youth Assembly meeting held in Masvingo to mobilize support under its #MillionVoters campaign.

MDC Alliance Secretary General Charlton Hwende said as a party, they will defy the police and defend their democratic right.

“All organs of the State are now actively and openly participating in the Munangagwa’s plot to dismember and decapitate the MDC Alliance. Our ground Forces however will continue to defy and defend our Democratic Right to organise our Party,” said Hwende.

Below are pictures of the fracas

As ministers hold latenight birthday party for Mutsvangwa, @PoliceZimbabwe disrupt the Bulawayo Arts Awards ceremony @nickmangwana @InfoMinZW https://t.co/LnPqmCk3Yb pic.twitter.com/dx39gcxcIV

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) November 29, 2020

Ministers openly covidizing at Mutsvangwa's party as Police attack @Bulawayo Arts Awards https://t.co/mdvHbLUe7m pic.twitter.com/LmVWnK4AnQ

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) November 29, 2020

A Ntabazinduna farmer was left counting her losses when her 1 000 chickens that were due to be delivered to the market, were struck by a bolt of lightning last week.

This comes amid warnings of more violent storms in the Matabeleland region starting tomorrow by the Meteorological Services Department (MSD). Ms Sidumisile Mathe of Mahaja village in Ntabazinduna last Tuesday saw the world crumble in front of her when a lightning bolt struck her fowl run, killing all her 1 000 chickens. The chickens were due to be delivered to the market last Friday, as she had already got a potential buyer for the entire lot.

“It all happened on Tuesday around 4pm, it began to rain heavily and I was with one of my helpers trying to secure the fowl run. We then left for the main house and that is when a bolt of lightning struck the fowl run, it was like a huge ball of fire. It was scary. I immediately rushed back to the fowl run screaming for help, neighbours came through as they initially thought that maybe the lightning had struck while we were inside the fowl run because we would spend most of our time in the fowl run,” said Ms Mathe.

She also lost all her chicken feeding equipment and chicken feed that were stored in the fowl run.

“I invested US$2 500 for the construction of the fowl run and to date had used about US$1 000 for the feed, as I had purchased 70 bags of chicken feed. What pains me is that I lost these chickens when I had already got a market for them, actually they were now three days from reaching the required six weeks maturity, I was supposed to be delivering them on (last) Friday,” said Ms Mathe.

The area’s councillor, Alexander Mkandla said it was unfortunate that Ms Mathe now had to go back to the drawing board at a time when she was one of the chicken projects success stories in Ntabazinduna.

“Most people were looking up to her, as she was very passionate about this project. For her sweat to be rewarded like this is very painful to say the least. While we really appreciate the rains, our community was hard hit by their violent nature, I was made aware of another family that lost 150 chickens but theirs was because their fowl run was destroyed by the heavy rain which resulted in the roof collapsing on the chickens,” said Clr Mkandla.

Meanwhile, the Met Department has warned that the country will, as from tomorrow, experience heavy rains and in some cases violent storms in the Matabeleland region.

MSD head of forecasting, Mr Tich Zinyemba said the violent storms would be characterised by damaging winds and lightning, warning the public to be vigilant.

“We are expecting heavy rains on Monday (tomorrow), starting in the Matabeleland region and parts of the Midlands and Masvingo provinces, before spreading to the rest of the country. There is a possibility of flash flooding due to these rains and further we expect that there will be damaging winds and lots of lightning. We therefore call on the public not to shelter under trees, avoid the use of cellphones and electrical gadgets, during these storms,” said Mr Zinyemba.-The Sunday News

TREASURY has set aside $123 million for the provision of psycho-social support for pupils who fall pregnant, in a move that reaffirms Government’s position on the observance of their non-exclusion from school.

This was after it was noted that the previous provision that allowed school authorities to expel pregnant pupils was discriminatory to the girl child.

Presenting the National Budget last Thursday, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Professor Mthuli Ncube, said the allocation was to ensure the implementation of the new provision.

“Government allows non-exclusion of pregnant girls in schools and to ensure observance of this provision, psycho–social support will be enhanced at schools and an allocation of ZWL$123 million has been set aside,” said the Minister.

Prior to the amendments of the Education Act, school authorities could expel a girl for falling pregnant but spare the boy responsible for the pregnancy, which was seen as discriminatory against the girl child. The budget allocation follows the approval in August by President Mnangagwa of the amendment of the Education Act.

Under the amendments, “No pupil shall be excluded from school for non-payment of school fees or on the basis of pregnancy.”

The Act also outlaws corporal punishment and school authorities are now required to draw up a disciplinary policy in accordance with standards set out in regulations prescribed by the minister. In terms of the Act, the regulations and any disciplinary policy shall not permit any treatment which does not respect the human dignity of a pupil.

Prof Ncube also said that the Government would up efforts of monitoring schools so as to continuously improve the quality of education provision. He said vehicles would be issued to schools’ inspectors to help ease their duties.

“Monitoring and evaluation of schools will be strengthened to ensure quality education outcomes in all institutions and this will be complemented by the provision of supervision vehicles at a total allocation of $220 million.

Government will also prioritise the teacher on the job re-training in order to meet the requirements of the new competence-based curriculum and introduction of teaching and learning of all 16 languages at schools,” said the Finance Minister.-The Sunday News

CABS Gwanda Branch was reportedly closed after 3 employees tested positive for COVID-19.

This was revealed by CABS Managing Director Mr. Mehluli Mpofu who revealed the branch will be closed until 7 December:

We regret to advise that three of our staff at Gwanda branch tested positive for Covid-19 following PCR tests. Please note that the branch has been temporarily closed until 7 December 2020 to allow for disinfection of the branch and self-isolation of our staff.

We encourage you to make use of our digital channels, internet and mobile banking platforms to reduce the risk of exposure and spread of Covid-19 during this period. We will continue to monitor the situation and implement changes to ensure a high level of safety for all our stakeholders.

Apart from the reports that CABS Gwanda is closed, Gwanda made headlines for running out of isolation space this week. Reports of companies closing down due to COVID-19 have drastically reduced since positive cases have drastically reduced over the last few months.

Zimbabwe has so far recorded close to 10 000 cases and close to 280 deaths since the first case was recorded in Zimbabwe on 20 March 2020.-Chronicle

Tinashe Sambiri|President Nelson Chamisa has said Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube’s National Budget Presentation is empty and meaningless as it does not address issues affecting the people of Zimbabwe.

According to President Chamisa, the only solution to the economic crisis is a return to legitimacy.

“The biggest fundamental in any economy and budget is the politics.

No meaningful budget is possible until this fundamental is fixed. A glorious Sabbath to you saints of the God-kind,” said President Chamisa in a statement.

Tinashe Sambiri|President Nelson Chamisa has said Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube’s National Budget Presentation is empty and meaningless as it does not address issues affecting the people of Zimbabwe.

According to President Chamisa, the only solution to the economic crisis is a return to legitimacy.

“The biggest fundamental in any economy and budget is the politics.

No meaningful budget is possible until this fundamental is fixed. A glorious Sabbath to you saints of the God-kind,” said President Chamisa in a statement.

Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance has accused Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration of being insensitive to the health of teachers and pupils.

Shocking details of how teachers and pupils are using below standard sanitizers in schools have emerged.

“Dishwashers and Multipurpose Cleaners are being used as sanitizers in schools around the country.

Are teachers really safe?

We strongly condemn Mr Mnangagwa’s carefree attitude towards the health of teachers and pupils,” MDC Alliance said in a statement.

A Ntabazinduna farmer was left counting her losses when her 1 000 chickens that were due to be delivered to the market, were struck by a bolt of lightning last week.

This comes amid warnings of more violent storms in the Matabeleland region starting tomorrow by the Meteorological Services Department (MSD). Ms Sidumisile Mathe of Mahaja village in Ntabazinduna last Tuesday saw the world crumble in front of her when a lightning bolt struck her fowl run, killing all her 1 000 chickens. The chickens were due to be delivered to the market last Friday, as she had already got a potential buyer for the entire lot.

“It all happened on Tuesday around 4pm, it began to rain heavily and I was with one of my helpers trying to secure the fowl run. We then left for the main house and that is when a bolt of lightning struck the fowl run, it was like a huge ball of fire. It was scary. I immediately rushed back to the fowl run screaming for help, neighbours came through as they initially thought that maybe the lightning had struck while we were inside the fowl run because we would spend most of our time in the fowl run,” said Ms Mathe.

She also lost all her chicken feeding equipment and chicken feed that were stored in the fowl run.

“I invested US$2 500 for the construction of the fowl run and to date had used about US$1 000 for the feed, as I had purchased 70 bags of chicken feed. What pains me is that I lost these chickens when I had already got a market for them, actually they were now three days from reaching the required six weeks maturity, I was supposed to be delivering them on (last) Friday,” said Ms Mathe.

The area’s councillor, Alexander Mkandla said it was unfortunate that Ms Mathe now had to go back to the drawing board at a time when she was one of the chicken projects success stories in Ntabazinduna.

“Most people were looking up to her, as she was very passionate about this project. For her sweat to be rewarded like this is very painful to say the least. While we really appreciate the rains, our community was hard hit by their violent nature, I was made aware of another family that lost 150 chickens but theirs was because their fowl run was destroyed by the heavy rain which resulted in the roof collapsing on the chickens,” said Clr Mkandla.

Meanwhile, the Met Department has warned that the country will, as from tomorrow, experience heavy rains and in some cases violent storms in the Matabeleland region.

MSD head of forecasting, Mr Tich Zinyemba said the violent storms would be characterised by damaging winds and lightning, warning the public to be vigilant.

“We are expecting heavy rains on Monday (tomorrow), starting in the Matabeleland region and parts of the Midlands and Masvingo provinces, before spreading to the rest of the country. There is a possibility of flash flooding due to these rains and further we expect that there will be damaging winds and lots of lightning. We therefore call on the public not to shelter under trees, avoid the use of cellphones and electrical gadgets, during these storms,” said Mr Zinyemba.-The Sunday News

Tinashe Sambiri|City of Harare Mayor, Jacob Mafume, has been remanded in custody to Monday November 30.

Magistrate Bianca Makwande who was supposed to preside over Mafume’s bail matter did not appear in court.

“Magistrate Makwande who is handling the bail matter for Mayor
@JMafume
did not appear in court today.

He was remanded to Monday 30 November for his bail ruling,” MDC Alliance wrote on Twitter.

Tinashe Sambiri|City of Harare Mayor, Jacob Mafume, has been remanded in custody to Monday November 30.

Magistrate Bianca Makwande who was supposed to preside over Mafume’s bail matter did not appear in court.

“Magistrate Makwande who is handling the bail matter for Mayor
@JMafume
did not appear in court today.

He was remanded to Monday 30 November for his bail ruling,” MDC Alliance wrote on Twitter.

BENEFICIARIES of Pfumvudza and drought relief programmes should not be coerced into covering transport costs as it is Government’s responsibility to deliver grain and inputs to them, Manicaland Provincial Development Coordinator, Mr Edgars Seenza, has said.

He said those being asked to make such payments must report the cases to the police.

Mr Seenza’s comments come amid revelations that some unscrupulous Government workers in Chipinge and Chimanimani districts were conniving with transporters and village heads to demand US$1 or R20 from beneficiaries of the two programmes, yet that responsibility was being shouldered by the Government.

At least $118 million is being mobilised to transport inputs under the Climate-Proofed Presidential Inputs Programme, commonly known as Pfumvudza, from Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots.

Information gathered by The Manica Post showed that Agritex and Department of Social Welfare officials, truck drivers and village heads were charging unsuspecting beneficiaries in foreign currency for them to be included on the list of beneficiaries.

Proceeds are shared amongst members of the syndicates.-Manica Post

Four armed robbers were caught loitering in a yard at a house in the leafy suburb of Selborne Park in Bulawayo after they entered a “fenced” house.

The robbers scaled over the precast wall but failed to get into the house despite being armed with an iron bar, axe and machete.

The owner of the house, who requested not to be named as she feared being attacked, said she heard footsteps inside the yard and peeped through the window to see four armed men.

“Last week on Wednesday at around 2.30am I heard footsteps in the yard and when I peeped through the window, I saw four men who were armed with an iron bar, axe and a machete,” said the owner of the house, who is a gold miner and a farmer.

She revealed that the thieves loitered around the yard and did not make an effort to break into her house as she had “fenced” her house through the help of Prophet Black Elisha.

The businesswoman said after losing US$35 000 and R21 000 to armed robbers in September this year, she was living in fear and had sought the services of Black Elisha.

“A friend advised me to engage Prophet Black Elisha and I approached him for his services to spiritually lock my yard. I sought his help but I had doubt in my mind that the “fencing” thing would work but to my surprise it worked,” she said.

She said in the latest incident, she had called the police who however, indicated they did not have transport and she ended up calling a neighbour who alerted other neighbours who then came and apprehended the four robbers.

The businesswoman said the neighbours were shocked to find robbers loitering in the yard.

“They could not believe it when they saw four robbers, who seemed clueless about where they were, loitering in my yard.

“My neighbours beat them up and asked them what they were up to but they only wailed and appealed for forgiveness,” said the businesswoman.

She said the neighbours had to keep close watch of the robbers for about two hours.

“Police officers came at around 5.30am and took them,” she said.

Bulawayo acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele said: “We have not yet received such a report.”

Prophet Black Elisha said: “The businesswoman approached me after robbers had robbed her of her substantial savings. I had to spiritually lock her yard. I’m happy because the thieves were caught and they didn’t steal anything.”

Black Elisha is also famed for spiritually locking unfaithful men or women.

bmetro

One of the most talked about mysteries in Gwanda Town is of a mysterious creature which reportedly lies hidden in Mtshabezi River near Mtshabezi Bridge that is said to have claimed the lives of a number of men.

This mysterious being is blamed for a number of drowning accidents.

According to residents from Gwanda Town the target of this creature has of late become men that go to the river to bath.

Some think that the creature could be a mermaid while others think otherwise saying its mannerisms do not fit those of a mermaid. Some residents from the town working with some churches have decided to engage the services of a prophet to unravel the mystery.

Efforts are underway to engage a Gwanda based prophet from the Zion Apostolic Church in Central Africa, Prophet Mehluli Moyo who is known for solving a number of mysteries in Matabeleland South Province, mostly in Gwanda District.

Gogo Meltah Banda who is the Gwanda Zinatha treasurer said the problem which was being experienced at Mtshabezi River started in the 1970s with school pupils that were mysteriously drowning in the river.

“This problem has been ongoing for a long time now but it has never been investigated. It started in the 1970s with male learners that were mysteriously drowning in the river. At that time pupils from Mount Cazalet Primary School which is close to Mtshabezi River used to go there to collect water as the school didn’t have water. While there, learners would claim to have seen a fish in the water and then they will drown. We used to get these reports from other learners who would survive the ordeal and then go back to school to inform their teachers,” she said.

“Now it’s suspected that this creature is now targeting men that will be bathing at the river. Each time someone drowns in the river there are usually a series of funerals which follow which are recorded in the town. It’s like that drowning incident would have sparked or ignited some evil spirit which hovers around the town.”

Gogo Banda said what made the drowning cases suspicious was that all victims were men. She said the river was not too deep which made it difficult to understand how a grown-up man could drown while bathing close to the edge of the river.

She said bodies of all the victims were later retrieved which ruled out chances that the creature was a mermaid. She said there was need to investigate the matter so that it could be resolved once and for all as it was bothering residents.

“The way this creature operates is beyond my knowledge. What we are used to are incidents where a person disappears in a river because of an ancestral calling but a person doesn’t die. A ritual is conducted by the family of the missing person and the person comes back to them alive. In this particular case where people die mysteriously, I also don’t know what kind of ancestral spirit operates in this way,” she said.

A Gwanda pastor from the Zion Apostolic Church in Central Africa Michael Ndlovu said when he arrived in Gwanda in the 1980s, he found residents complaining about mysterious deaths along the river. He said this year about three people had mysteriously drowned in the river. Pastor Ndlovu said they had resolved to invite a renowned prophet from his church to look into the matter.

“There are men who are mostly gold panners from nearby mines who go to take a bath along Mtshabezi River just close to Mtshabezi Bridge. Other people go to the river to collect water or to wash their vehicles. A number of them have fallen victim to this creature.

“We have therefore seen it best to engage someone to look into the matter and see how best it can be resolved. We are working on modalities to invite a prophet from my church who has helped a number of communities to deal with their spiritual problems. We have to go through the correct procedures and inform the relevant authorities,” he said.

Prophet Moyo said he would visit the area and pray so that the Holy Spirit would reveal whether it was an ancestral matter or an act of witchcraft. He said from there he would be informed on how to proceed with the matter.

Prophet Moyo said if it was an act of witchcraft then he could remove the creature and if it was an ancestral issue then appropriate people will be engaged to conduct a ritual to appease the ancestors. He said from there a ritual will be expected to be conducted once a year with the knowledge of the town’s leadership.

“What is puzzling is that even though people are aware that place is dangerous and has claimed a number of lives they still go back knowing the danger which may befall them. Whatever is in the water could be luring people there in order to take lives. If it’s an act of witchcraft it could be the doing of an evil person who planted something in the water in order to gain wealth in exchange for human lives,” he said.

“This mystery has never been investigated thoroughly. Every time someone drowns people call for the matter to be investigated but after a short time they relax. If given an opportunity I can get to the bottom of this matter.” Prophet Moyo said he once intervened in Halale Primary School in Nathisa area in Kezi where goblins were terrorising teachers and since he removed them, he had not received any complaints from the school.

He said he also assisted the community of Garanyemba where he removed a big snake from a dam where people were mysteriously drowning. Prophet Moyo said he recently assisted at Mtandawenema Primary School in Gwanda where a baboon was terrorising teachers and learners.

-newsday

By A Correspondent- Tongogara Rural District Council CEO, Brian Rufasha who was fired last week has refused to surrender a council Toyota Hilux that he was using as his official vehicle.

Rufasha was fired on November 16, 2020 after a tribunal found him guilty on three charges of misconduct.
Bouncing ball

Rufasha insists that the vehicle registration number AAE 7902 is his after allegedly serving a five year term. Council insists that the vehicle remains council property unless officially given to him.

Rufasha told The Mirror that he was not going to surrender the vehicle.

“I don’t know why I should hand over this car to council because the car is now mine after serving my first term of five years. It’s in the council resolutions that after serving the first term, CEOs are entitled to their vehicles. I also haven’t received a letter that instructs me to surrender the vehicle,” said Rufasha.

Council chair Tamiswa Njovana said Rufasha was violating council rules by not handing over the vehicle.

“He is misrepresenting the said council resolution. The resolution says that if a CEO saves council for five years with a good name then he or she would get a vehicle.

“Rufasha does not have that good name; he was involved in an accident with the same car while carrying passengers in 2019 and we agreed for evaluators to come and assess the damage so he pays part of the cost. “He has not paid that cost. He is supposed to handover the car and start from there. Why can’t he follow the procedure?” asked Njovana.

-MasvingoMirror

Acting Netone Chief Executive Officer Chipo Jaisson reportedly stepped down from leading one of the country’s Mobile Network Operators, Newsday reports.

In a memo that was seen by the publication, Jaisson in her letter announcing her departure said she was stepping down due to family constraints:

I am stepping down due to family commitments. Thank you very much for the tremendous support you gave me during my nine months tenure.

The MNO has for the time being appointed Raphael Mushanawani, who was the acting chief technology officer acting Chief Executive Officer.

NetOne over the past 24 months, has been going back and forth with its former CEO Lazarus Muchenje who was the MNO’s CEO for a short time before he was fired, Muchenje was rehired later on only to be fired again.

newsday

Riot Police today disrupted and dismissed an MDC Alliance Youth Congress in Masvingo as they are seen in the following photos with water cannons and riot gear as they are disrupting the small gathering of people.

It is still not clear if the youths sought clearance to gather and the number of the people in attendance was not established.

This was shared by the MDC Alliance on Twitter in a post that reads:

#BREAKING @PoliceZimbabwe have violently disrupted the MDC Alliance Youth Congress in Masvingo.

By A Correspondent- Matabeleland secessionist group Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) has petitioned Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe and Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga over harassment of commuter omnibus operators and malicious damage of vehicles by the law enforcement agents in Bulawayo.

MRP president Mqondisi Moyo handed the petition to Bulawayo Metropolitan Affairs minister Judith Ncube and Police Traffic Section at the Drill Hall in Bulawayo.

The petition was directed to Kazembe, Matanga, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Transport minister Joel Biggy Matiza, officer-in-charge of Bulawayo province, Minister Ncube, the Joint Operations Command (JOC) and Bulawayo Transport Operators Associations.

The secessionist party complained over acts of barbarisms and terrorism by police officers on private taxis and kombi operators.

“This is my second letter to you Kazembe and Matanga.

“On August 25, I wrote the first letter complaining about the conduct of your police officers at roadblocks,” the petition read.

“I advised you to come down to Bulawayo and rein in on the police officers. I would applaud you for coming down on my insistence, to discuss the issues of concern so that you restore sanity on the roads by immediately stop-ping the harassment of citizens at road blocks.”

Moyo said that he wrote this second petition because another wave of madness by irresponsible police officers has emerged.

“On several occasions, I have witnessed your police officers smash windows of emergency taxis in the city and in other places in Bulawayo,” the petition read.

“Public safety is now greatly compromised by the very conduct of security members. The attack on the kombis results in motorists disregarding road rules leading to pedestrians being run over as drivers try to save their vehicles from destruction by police officers,” Moyo wrote.

“Just a week ago, an old lady was knocked down by a kombi as the driver was trying to escape the brutality of your officers.

“We understand that their (police) authority is limited to arresting offending drivers, recording vehicle registration numbers, and even advising on the right conduct without necessarily causing all this damage?”

Moyo said he wondered where the police were getting fuel to race after transport operators, when they are failing to respond to genuine reports of theft and murder reported to them by the public claiming they do not have resources. Moyo asked why the police and the Zanu-PF government were blocking private trans-port operators from operating.

“We strongly call upon your ministry to treat this as a matter of urgency, as we are slowly losing our patience and faith in your compromised police force,” he wrote.

“We are heading towards effecting citizens’ arrest against your dubious officers.

“We are aware that in many instances they make life difficult for transport operators so that they make them to pay bribes. I put it to you that there is no law that was gazetted to stop the private kombis to get into town and that there is no proper gazetted law that prohibits the private kombi operators from ferrying passengers, but the move is politically, rather than COVID-I9-motivated.”

In September, Moyo and his party petitioned the officer-in-charge of Mzilikazi Police Station, Defence ministry, Home Affairs ministry, Police Commissioner-General, Justice ministry, Judiciary Services, President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Parliament of Zimbabwe.

Two senior officials from the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) accused of transferring their juniors for cooperating with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) officers, who were investigating corrupt activities at the firm, have been granted $10 000 bail each.

Zinara finance director Adam Zvandasara is jointly charged with administration and human resources director Gilfern Moyo on four counts of violating the Prevention of Corruption Act by allegedly trying to sabotage an investigation.

The two through their lawyer Oscar Gasva successfully applied for bail after their application challenging their placement on remand had been declined.

The State had opposed bail on the basis that the two would interfere with witnesses, who are their subordinates.

Regional magistrate Ngoni Nduna ordered the two not to interfere with witnesses and to report once a month at Highlands police station. The two will be back in court on December 17.-Statemedia

A Bulawayo man was left shocked and upset after spotting “flirty” messages and indecent pictures in his wife’s phone that she was exchanging with another man while making an appointment supposedly for a date.

After stumbling on the lewd pictures and messages Thamsanqa Dale failed to control his temper when he allegedly pummelled his wife Grace Dale accusing her of being promiscuous.

So severe were Thamsanqa’s repeated acts of violence on his wife that subsequently she was prompted to approach the Bulawayo Civil Court to seek a protection order against him.

In her papers Grace told the court how her husband’s constant acts of violence and verbal abuse left her distressed and fearful.

“Thamsanqa Dale is my husband of seven years and we have three children together. I am making this application for a protection order because of the physical and emotional abuse I’m subjected to. The abuse has become so unbearable and untenable. I am living in constant fear for my life. He recently seriously assaulted me and I fled and sought refuge at one of our relatives’ house.

“His violent behaviour is spiralling out of control and he is also constantly falsely accusing me of infidelity and continues to insult me while calling me a prostitute in front of our minor children. He is also causing so much pain, discomfort and distress as he continues to threaten and harass me. I pray that this honourable court intervenes and grants me a protection order,” pleaded Grace.

She also begged the court to bar her husband from visiting her workplace.

In response Thamsanqa justified his violent actions saying when he assaulted his wife, he was angered by her alleged flirtatious behaviour.

“I assaulted her because I saw messages, in which she was making an appointment with someone else and she had sent him nude pictures,” protested Thamsanqa.

Bulawayo magistrate Nomasiko Ndlovu who presided over the case ordered Thamsanqa not to physically and verbally abuse his wife as well as not to send her threatening messages. The magistrate also ordered Thamsanqa not to visit her workplace without her permission.

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By A Correspondent- The late socialite Michelle ‘Moana’ Amuli’s paternal and maternal families Saturday put their differences aside to give the fitness enthusiast a send-off at Warren Hills Cemetery, Harare.

Since her death in a fatal car accident almost three weeks ago, both families had a protracted dispute over how she was going to be buried.

The feud spilled into the courts where her father, Ishmael Amuli, a Muslim, was later granted burial rights.

Despite the two families finally coming together, her mother, Yolanda Kuvaonga and father, Ishmael kept their distance during the entire funeral procession. The two are separated.

Moana’s father snubbed proceedings at the Kuvaonga residence in Highfields while her mother, Yolanda came to the Old Highfields mosque and but elected to stay away from the Muslim procession.

At Warren Hills Cemetery, Moana’s maternal relatives could be heard mimicking Muslim chants during the burial procession.

While addressing hundreds of mourners at a mosque in Old Highfields, Moana’s maternal uncle said the two families had already made peace before the High Court judgement was handed down.

“Whatever the outcome was going to be at the court, we had decided that we were still going to consider everyone’s interests as we did today.

“We also have learnt something in terms of the Muslim culture. There are people standing outside because of fear of the unknown. We tend to think Arabs are terrorists but that is not true,” he said.

ZANU-PF youths Friday brought Kwekwe CBD to a standstill when they were marching in solidarity with the party’s youth leader Tapiwa Muto who faces charges of assault, public violence and murder.

On Friday released on bail by Kwekwe Magistrate courts following his arrest.

Muto (36) was arrested Tuesday in an afternoon raid by some police and military intelligence officers while coming from the party’s Kwekwe District offices.

Muto and some party youths are being accused of causing public violence during a Zanu-PF primary election last month.

The election was aimed at finding a party candidate for the Kwekwe Central parliamentary by-election.

The primary election pitted bitter rivals in Energy (Dhala) Ncube and Zanu-PF’s 2018 losing parliamentary candidate Kandross Mugabe.
WATCH: Arrested Zanu-PF Kwekwe youth leader Tapiwa Muto gets bail | midlands news
Ncube is nephew to state security minister Owen Mudha Ncube.

The internal poll was abandoned after fierce clashes between rival camps.

This led to the arrest of Moyo and a handful party youths linked to the skirmishes.

These include Kwekwe councillor Maclean Nyamucherera.

The State is also accusing Muto and his accomplices of causing the murder of Andrew Moyo following the latter’s assault.

It is the State’s Case that, “On December 11, 2020, and around 1600hrs, the accused person, acting in concert with his accomplices namely Tafadzwa Rodgers, Wiseman Ngwenya, Raymond Chiriga, Petros and other two who are still on the run, intentionally caused the death of Andrew Moyo, by taking turns to beat him with switches and open hands all over the body.”

Moyo had to be rushed to Kwekwe General Hospital after the assault and was pronounced dead upon admission.

The State further accused Muto of assault.

It is said that on the 6th of June 2018 and around 1820hrs,”accused person in company of others who are still at large approached the complainant Kennedy Tumwe at Mvuda’s Corner Sports Bar Mbizo 4 Shopping Centre, Kwekwe. An argument over political issues ensued. Accused then assaulted complainant with fists and open hands several times in the face.”

Tumwe reported the matter to the police.

Muto is also accused of assaulting Terrence Jabangwe.

Meanwhile, following his release and addressing party supporters at Kwekwe Zanu-PF District Offices, Muto said he was unmoved by his arrest on allegations he described as fabricated.

“I want to express gratitude to all of you who have come in support of me, it is evident that G40 is still within our midst. However, my resolve is unshaken. I want to urge you to remain united.

“They will come up with spurious charges but that will all count to nothing if we are united. Let us remain united and we will prevail,” Muto said in his brief address before breaking into a song.

Tinashe Sambiri|President Nelson Chamisa has said Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube’s National Budget Presentation is empty and meaningless as it does not address issues affecting the people of Zimbabwe.

According to President Chamisa, the only solution to the economic crisis is a return to legitimacy.

“The biggest fundamental in any economy and budget is the politics.

No meaningful budget is possible until this fundamental is fixed. A glorious Sabbath to you saints of the God-kind,” said President Chamisa in a statement.

A Rusape man who stoned his mother to death following a misunderstanding over tea will spend the next 23 years in jail.

Muzowaka Macheke (47) was convicted of murder as defined in Section 47(i)(a) or (b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23, when he recently appeared before Mutare High Court judge, Justice Hlekani Mwayera.

Prosecutor Ms Jane Rose Matsikidze said the murder was committed on January 27 in Chasaya Village under Chief Tandi.

“Muzowaka, his mother Mrs Monica Macheke and a domestic worker, Ms Margret Bhiza were living at the same homestead when Muzowaka committed the offence.

“On the day in question at around 3am, the accused person returned home and found his mother and Mrs Bhiza sleeping in their bedroom,” said Ms Matsikidze.

He asked for sadza and was referred to the kitchen.

“After eating, Muzowaka asked the domestic worker to make him some tea. The deceased came out of her bedroom with the intention of cooling down her son as he was now demanding the tea. However, Muzowaka did not take heed of his mother’s calls.

“Muzowaka became violent and slapped his mother, before stoning her several times on the head,” said Ms Matsikidze.

Mrs Macheke died on the spot.

Post mortem results showed that her death was due to serious head trauma.

Testifying in court, Ms Bhiza said Muzowaka was drunk when he committed the murder.

Ms Bhiza said when Muzowaka became violent, she rushed to advise Mr Morgan Macheke about the incident but when they returned, Mrs Macheke was already lying in a pool of blood.

The matter was reported to the police, thereby leading to Muzowaka’s arrest.-Manica Post

Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance has accused Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration of being insensitive to the health of teachers and pupils.

Shocking details of how teachers and pupils are using below standard sanitizers in schools have emerged.

“Dishwashers and Multipurpose Cleaners are being used as sanitizers in schools around the country.

Are teachers really safe?

We strongly condemn Mr Mnangagwa’s carefree attitude towards the health of teachers and pupils,” MDC Alliance said in a statement.

Tinashe Sambiri|City of Harare Mayor, Jacob Mafume, has been remanded in custody to Monday November 30.

Magistrate Bianca Makwande who was supposed to preside over Mafume’s bail matter did not appear in court.

“Magistrate Makwande who is handling the bail matter for Mayor
@JMafume
did not appear in court today.

He was remanded to Monday 30 November for his bail ruling,” MDC Alliance wrote on Twitter.

By A Correspondent- A man who was caught indulging in sex in a car with his girlfriend almost died after three unknown men who were armed with a knife and a knobkerrie stabbed him several times all over the body and left him lying unconscious.

They robbed him of a Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and cash all with a total value of US$5 300.

They smashed windows on the passenger’s side and driver’s side before attacking Ngonidzashe Ninge (42) and his girlfriend Nozizwe Khumalo (21) at a bushy area which is between Hyde Park Shops and Nkulumane complex. The source said Ninge had lowered his trousers to knee level with a condom on while Nozizwe had pulled up her skirt while they enjoyed themselves in the car.

Unfortunately, the source said, one of the men grabbed the hapless Ninge and pulled him out of his black Nissan X-Trail car.

The source said he tried to reason with them but they would not listen to his pleas.

Another source who is close to the pair said: “They took turns to clobber Ninge while accusing him of taking advantage of Nozizwe saying she was too young for him,” said the source.

They were not done yet with Ninge as they demanded cash while assaulting him.

A source close to investigations said Ninge sustained three stab wounds on the head, another wound on the right side of the back and bruises all over the body. The accused persons took away his Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and cash.

Nozizwe phoned Pumula police station and made a report. Police attended the scene.

“They found Ninge lying unconscious on the ground. They phoned an ambulance which came and ferried him to Mater Dei Hospital,” said a source close to the pair.

Efforts to get a comment from Ninge were fruitless. Khumalo could neither confirm nor deny as she only said “who told you that” before she terminated the call.

Bulawayo acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele confirmed:

“We are investigating a case of attempted murder where a man was attacked while he was indulging in sex in a car with his girlfriend at around 7.30pm at a bushy area which is between Hyde Park Shops and Nkulumane complex. He was robbed of his Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and cash, all valued at US$5 300. We would like to urge community members not to indulge in sex in the bush because it’s illegal and dangerous.”

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has warned Zanu-PF bigwigs to be loyal to the party or risk being cut loose, as he bids to contain growing divisions in the former liberation movement.

Addressing a Zanu-PF politburo meeting in Harare yesterday, Mnangagwa also warned that authorities would not hesitate to nail party members who were using his name to commit graft.

This comes amid concerns that Zanu-PF is slowly drifting towards the climate that prevailed in the last few years in power of the late former president Robert Mugabe – which was marked by debilitating factionalism and tribalism.

It also comes as the run-up to the reinstated and  highly-divisive District Co-ordinating Committee (DCC) elections has been sullied by vicious infighting, which has seen some bigwigs being accused of fanning party chaos.

The irate Mnangagwa told his lieutenants yesterday that the DCC elections were meant to unite Zanu-PF and not divide the party through the current infighting being witnessed across the country.

“The DCC structures are a system to strengthen party co-ordination, as well as a useful vehicle to entrench party constitutionalism, internal democracy and grassroot mobilisation.

“More importantly, once established, DCCs should co-ordinate and unify our party through constant interaction with political districts, as we journey towards Vision 2030,” he said.

“Our meeting today should remind us that we are a people’s party with the responsibility to advance the emancipation and economic empowerment of our people.

“The need to ingrain the liberation and revolutionary history, ethos and value systems in all our activities is equally important.

“The party constitution requires members to be loyal, patriotic and to promote peace and unity.

“Under the Second Republic, our DNA entails that we serve our people whole-heartedly and promote inclusive development which leaves no one, and no place behind,” Mnangagwa said further.

This comes as the countdown to the DCC elections, whose dates were not finalised by the politburo yesterday, had been marred by allegations of dirty money changing hands – amid unproven claims that remnants of the party’s vanquished Generation 40 (G40) faction were burning the midnight oil to influence the outcome of the elections, in an alleged bid to engineer their group’s political comeback.

The DCC structures elect Zanu-PF’s 10 provincial executives –  from where the party and Mnangagwa draw members of the central committee and the politburo.

The DCCs were disbanded in 2012 after they were deemed to be fanning factionalism during Mnangagwa and former vice president Joice Mujuru’s battles to succeed Mugabe.

Then, Mnangagwa’s group had gained control of most regions, including Mujuru’s Mashonaland Central province.

Yesterday’s politburo meeting approved the compilation of DCC candidates who had gone through the party’s rigorous vetting exercise which was led by the Zanu-PF security department –  although it did not set the dates for the eagerly-awaited polls.

Speaking after the politburo meeting, acting party spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa confirmed that the vetting of candidates for the DCC elections had now been completed.

“On the DCCs, the position at the moment is that the security department has completed the vetting and a schedule of the list of those who qualified is now being compiled.

“As the politburo, we resolved to advise the provincial co-ordinating committees (PCCs) on how to proceed after the compilation of the successful contestants.

“We want to assure our members that irregularities that have occurred will be fairly and impartially addressed by the party. I want to assure members that elections will be conducted fairly.

“We do not want to cripple those who are popular with the electorate because of corrupt elements who want to manipulate the process,” Chinamasa added.

He also revealed that the politburo had been briefed on last month’s violence in Kwekwe Central, where party youths armed with machetes assaulted officials and the police during a primary election to choose a Zanu-PF representative.

“There was an incident in Kwekwe where violence was unleashed.

“The investigations by our security have been completed and this (the ensuing report) will be submitted to the secretary for administration – and where the need arises, it will be submitted to the national disciplinary committee.

“You must anticipate that heads will roll and justice will be done without fear or favour if there are members of Zanu-PF who have put the name of the party into disrepute.

“No one will be spared. But we have not yet seen that report,” Chinamasa said.

So bad was the fracas in Kwekwe that police had to fire teargas to disburse supporters of Kandros Mugabe and Energy Ncube – the two Zanu-PF officials who were vying to fill the vacant constituency seat that was won by the late Masango “Blackman” Matambanadzo in the 2018 elections.

Armed with machetes and iron bars, youths stormed the party’s Kwekwe district office then, where the election was being held, and assaulted polling officers and voters – damaging vehicles in the chaos.

Zanu-PF has also had to withhold results of its primary elections that were recently conducted in Harare, amid allegations of ballot fraud and massive rigging.

The primaries followed the recent recall of legislators and councillors by the MDC’s interim leader Thokozani Khupe – as she flexed her muscles in her current wars with Nelson Chamisa.

Meanwhile, Mnangagwa also warned yesterday that his government would not hesitate to arrest anyone who was mired in corruption, even where such people had strong links to the ruling party.

“The fight against corruption continues unabated. Zanu-PF under the second republic will never allow the party to be a sanctuary of malcontents.

“To this end, name dropping to camouflage criminal and corrupt behaviour is unacceptable.

“Those using such retrogressive and counter-revolutionary tactics must stop forthwith. “Varikuita izvi cherai chikomba mupfire mate (Those who are doing this must stop forthwith).

“Our revolutionary nature and the ongoing national development agenda demand that we engender a corrupt-free Zimbabwe.

“Let us, therefore, shame, shun and expose all forms of corruption,” Mnangagwa exhorted his party members.

The Zanu-PF leader has consistently declared zero tolerance on corruption, and has since cut loose two Cabinet ministers who were arrested for alleged graft – former Tourism minister Priscilla Mupfumira and her ex-Health counterpart, Obadiah Moyo.

Former Energy minister Samuel Undenge and the principal director in Mnangagwa’s office, Douglas Tapfuma, are also serving jail terms for various cases of graft.

Currently, the deputy minister of Health and Child Care, John Mangwiro, is under probe in a matter relating to a controversial and since cancelled US$5,6 million coronavirus supplies tender.

-dailynews

By A Correspondent- A syndicate comprising vehicle suppliers and senior procurement officials in various State institutions has been milking millions of dollars from state coffers through murky and inflated vehicle supply deals.

Business Times can reveal that some motor vehicle suppliers have been dribbling the government through taking advantage of the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) decentralised system to invoice government departments’ different prices for the same product.

According to the new procurement law all ministries, State-owned enterprises and local authorities are supposed to establish Procurement Management Units (PMUs).

These units are expected to be manned by professional procurement officers who are licenced in terms of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act [Chapter 22:23].

The PMUs are now responsible for the whole procurement cycle in the public sector from the planning, adoption of the appropriate method of procurement, preparing bid notices and shortlisting, managing the bids and evaluation processes, preparing evaluation reports to awarding of contracts and overseeing their management and preparing procurement reports.

This according to well-placed sources at Treasury has seen motor vehicle suppliers invoicing different prices despite delivering the same product with same specifications to State departments.

This publication is reliably informed that the Treasury has since raised a red flag on this potential prejudice and has communicated to various government departments to undertake due diligence on vehicle procurement.

Information at hand showed that what is invoiced to the Zimbabwe National Army on vehicle supply is not the same as what is invoiced to the Zimbabwe Republic Police despite the two being government security arms.

There are also allegations that vehicle suppliers could have put a premium on prices due to the government’s failure to meet obligations in time.

 “Treasury has since raised a red flag and ordered an urgent review on the payments being made by various government departments to vehicle suppliers.

This was after a potential prejudice was unearthed where there are unexplained variances in invoices being issued to different government departments despite getting the same product,” a source said.

“Government has been losing money through this syndicate that is involving senior government officials and procurement officers.

The vehicle suppliers have been taking advantage of the existing decentralised procurement system.”

This has sparked calls for the amendment of the current PRAZ procurement system so that all procurement is done under a consolidated framework agreement to be supervised by Treasury and PRAZ. PRAZ acting chief executive Clever Ruswa told Business Times that price variations were also necessitated by the fluctuation of the exchange rate and there was a directive by the Treasury to synchronise vehicle procurement.

 “The issue of price variations was necessitated by the exchange rate fluctuations and Treasury has since made a directive to halt all vehicle procurement for now until there is synchronisation on the vehicle procurement system,” Ruswa said.

Finance and Economic Development Permanent Secretary George Guvamatanga was not picking calls by the time of going to print.

A car dealer who requested anonymity told Business Times: “Remember the issue of foreign currency is another factor and in this case the price variations may be due to where the dealer got the forex at the time of importing the vehicles. You will find that the price will be bound to be cheaper when the dealer has gotten the forex from the auction while the price will be on a high side if forex has been obtained from the black market. So this is usually a function of the cost of money.”

A procurement expert, who requested anonymity, said the price variations by motor vehicle companies has been a factor of the government’s failure to honour its obligations and therefore end up being charged a premium.

“Government doesn’t have money and car dealers are ending up making various financing arrangements factoring in the cost of money. This has seen motor vehicle suppliers ending up charging different prices depending on every institution and its ability to pay in time,” the procurement expert said.

Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply chairperson, Preston Hwena told Business Times that this was possible on the PRAZ procurement system and going forward there was a need to come up with a consolidated approach on procurement.

“There is a need to come up with a consolidated approach on procurement where state institutions come up with a framework agreement that will set uniform prices on motor vehicles. This will entail bulk procurement of vehicles and pig banking that will mean the same vehicle, same specifications and same price at the end of the day saving money” Hwena said.

He said there was also a need for procurement practitioners of various State institutions to carry out due diligence and research before making procurement decisions.

Procurement in government departments and State enterprises has become the fertile ground for corruption. The fight against corruption has scalps. Obadiah Moyo was fired as Health and Child Care minister in July following his arrest for allegedly engaging in a US$60m shady deal involving Drax International for the supply of Covid-19 materials without following proper government procedures.

He is out on bail and will stand trial on January 11. The ministry’s deputy John Mangwiro is also under probe by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission for allegedly arm twisting the National Pharmaceutical Company to award a US$5.6m tender to Youth Health Care for the supply of Covid-19 laboratory equipment, reagents and consumables.

The below is an exclusive interview with Deputy Defence Minister Victor Matemadanda last Sunday (republished) in which the ZANU PF National Commissar states saying the president had just finished speaking when he was allegedly poisoned.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…
https://www.facebook.com/ZimEye/videos/218950873028209/

This statement suggests that the latter could have also been attacked in Marondera.

• I was forcing myself to be normal,
• It was not an allergy
• It was a gas
• there is no one whose hand I shook.
• President had finished addressing

ZimEye: vaMatemadanda

ZimEye: How are you feeling today?

ZimEye: Did you manage to get that (other) doctor?

Matemadanda: I am still to contact him I was still trying to reach him.

ZimEye: Are you sure this was poison and was not an allergic reaction?

Matemadanda: Aaah, other tests indicate to that [effect].
ZimEye: They indicate to an allergy?

Matemadanda: No, to some poison.

ZimEye: Is there a name for the poison?

Matemadanda: Aaah, it’s a gas they said they will confirm for me by about Tuesday, I don’t know after analysing.
ZimEye: By Tuesday?
Matemadanda: It’s a gas which they are saying entered my body.

ZimEye: And you suppose that gas was released from the assailant’s palm?
Matemandanda: I did not see…it was so swift the person came saying they want to remove something from my cap. Upon that moment that is when I inhaled. At one time I thought they were removing an insect and it was the insect that was smelling, but I later realised that it something else when it began reacting.

ZimEye: And you smelt something strong upon that moment?

Matemadanda: Yes, yes, yes, right there. Not strong to the point of realising what it was.
Do you know these green insects [ zvipembenene]? So I thought that because we are now in November, ~I thought it was that insect.

ZimEye: It was a chipembenene on top of the cap?
Matemandanda: No, I did not see it. The man just said there is something on top of your cap, so I just assumed when I smelt the strong scent, as the man indicated.

ZimEye: And have you ever reacted to a chipembenene?

Matemadanda: Aah, no.

ZimEye: I am just assuming it was.

Matemadanda: Aaah, no. I think it was…It’s just that when it happened it was unexpected, I only realised upon recollection that on top of the cap there was nothing because I had just come out of the hall where the president was addressing. I did not go elsewhere. So I had only escorted him to the car.

ZimEye: So you had gone back to sit down?

Matemadanda: I did not even go back to sit down, I was now going to my own car, when I started feeling funny, I rushed to go sit inside the car. I felt a dizziness, what was like a flue, or something so I thought it was a reaction to the smell; I rushed to go into the car and said to my boys let’s go into the car. But it just continued getting worse, because there developed an element of hunger, so I told them go buy me some sadza at OK Supermarket there, but when I began eating that is when I started vomiting, so ….

ZimEye: But when this person came to touch you were sat down?

Matemandanda: No, President had finished addressing. That is when I escorted him to his car, to see him off, so when I left to go to my own car, that is when this man came saying: Cde there is something on top of your cap, so he opened his palm saying he is removing something; He was enlarging the veranda (of my cap), that is when I inhaled that gas, and I felt it was something unusual, there is an odour which I did not understand, but I was not quick to realise it could be something dangerous, that is when I thought ‘it is a chipembenene, I don’t know.’ But the reaction just developed gradually.

ZimEye: Do you think we could get video footage?

Matemadanda: Aaaah, because president had already left, and the camera people usually only focus on the president, I don’t know but I asked for them . I don’t know if we will find the footage.

ZimEye: Then suddenly you were now hungry; when was the last time you had had some food?

Matemadanda: I had breakfast, when I got to the meeting I had told myself I would not eat in public, but I drank water which I had carried with me to the meeting. And I did not eat anything, and there is no one whose hand I shook, and I did not drink any water there.

ZimEye: But this hunger you insist it came from that smell, that powder?

Matemadanda: I wouldn’t, me I am diabetic, but I am not (sic)…but when I became hungry, I never thought it was something abnormal, because hunger was not as extensive to the point where I would scream for food to be bought, normally I would ask to drive home to eat there.

But I actually bought sadza at OK, but I don’t know how it is connected, for to say what, I don’t know.

ZimEye: Suddenly you are confused?

Matemadanda: Yes, there was some lapsing like as if I want to sleep, or some confusion that is mild, such that if you force to gather strength it could come back, but some laziness suddenly became the order of the day.

ZimEye: And that came from that very moment just after the person had touched your cap, that is when you became confused?

Matemadanda: Aaaaah, I … it was sort of a gradual thing that was happening as I was moving and responding to this thing, but in the final analysis, I could see while walking it’s like I want to forget this and that. I could not make up how that was now happening. So I was forcing myself to be normal, but knowing that there is a dizziness, a confusion, what what what.

ZimEye: If ZBC had published or broadcast especially this statement on poison, do you feel that there would be a more diligent search to establish who did this?

Matemadanda: I had never…in fact I had never because what I know is that these things end up in some hands where a lot of speculation emerges. It might end up creating enemies for me because what happens is people start following scenarios and going …

Even vaChinamasa paya pavakataura (when he said) … I was saying it shouldn’t be a thing that is trying to confirm the speculation that is around. Because what I know is the narratives that will be drawn, will end up creating enmity with people unnecessarily. So even as it is now I was going to respond today, but I would not give them a statement, I don’t want.

ZimEye: You want to wait for the tests on Tuesday?

Matemadanda: I want to see, but all the same I am getting myself treated, so, I don’t see the need and use, otherwise it is just a learning curve where I should try and be more cautious; But otherwise I don’t want to be all hyper about it and the speculative reporting that is accompanying it because in the end there is nothing that it gives me, apart from people creating their narratives; if I once quarelled with someone and so forth.

FULL INTERVIEW AUDIO STREAMED ON ZIMEYE.COM

By A Correspondent- National Assembly Speaker Jacob Mudenda has revealed that Parliament is contemplating crafting a law that will regulate DNA testing in the country amid revelations that there is no such law.

Mudenda said this during a stakeholders meeting with Matabeleland-based civic society organisations and journalists in Bulawayo.

He was responding to concerns raised by the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) officials that the country had no law regulating DNA testing.

“I was at Nust and the university raised questions on the issue of secrecy of the DNA results with major focus on how they are handled or publicised.

“They said a law must be there to pave way for such a process.

“I agree with the university. We shall have a process of coming up with that law,” Mudenda said.

“They did not write a petition, but they presented an oral petition during my visit there.”

The Speakers’ remarks come at a time the government is working on a law that will guide the process of exhumations of the remains of

Gukurahundi victims in Matabeleland and Midlands. Nust is expected to conduct the genetic studies.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa tasked traditional leaders to oversee the exhumations and reburial of Gukurahundi victims.

The genetic studies will assist in exhumations of Gukurahundi victims buried at undignified places across the country.

The Speaker said Parliament would soon have a 24-hour television station dedicated to parliamentary proceedings.

-newsday

By A Correspondent- A Catholic University chief security officer, Brighton Tangwanda, has been arrested for stealing a mattress at Bulawayo Catholic campus and giving it to his girlfriend Morleen Mufandaedza.

Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube yesterday confirmed the arrest of Tangwanda (30).

Ncube said the incident occurred between August and November this year and Tangwanda was arrested Thursday.

“The value of the goods stolen is not yet known, but the incident occurred between August and November. Tangwanda took advantage of his position as the chief security guard and stole the mattress at Catholic University,” the provincial police spokesperson said.

“He stole a single mattress and gave it to his girlfriend, Mufandaedza.

“So far, the mattress has been recovered, but investigations are still ongoing to see if there are other things which had been stolen during that period.”

Ncube urged institutions to employ professionally trained security people as guards.

“My plea is that, organisations and institutions should employ security guards with a track record so as to avoid employing thieves,” he said.

By A Correspondent- The National Blood Services Zimbabwe (NBSZ) was greatly affected by the lockdown imposed following the outbreak of the coronavirus, which restricted movement of people, an official has said.

Donations to the country’s sole blood bank was severely disrupted by the closure of schools during the period as students were its biggest contributors, chief executive Lucy Marowa said.

Marowa was speaking at NBSZ’s festive season campaign launch that was held virtually yesterday.

“We were affected by COVID-19 lockdown, our staff, donors were on lockdown, we haven’t recovered, we still feel the effects today and our strategic plan was affected. We had to realign our activities to the new normal,” she said.

She stocks in the blood bank fell to ‘alarming levels’ at one time.

“Movement of our donors was restricted despite our service being an essential one. As we launch this year’s festive season campaign, let me tell you that we have put in place measures and we have resolved not to over-rely on students for blood donations where 75% of our donors were students,” said Marowa.

“The six-month break had a huge toll on us and we are hoping for a 50-50 ratio for schools and ordinary donors so as to shift reliance on schools and we hope 2021 will be better.”

Each year, NBSZ has a festive season blood campaign because of higher demand during an often accident filled period.

As the mum cries at the burial, Moana’s father consoles the late Michelle Amuli’s mother while asking for forgiveness. He says:

‘But what we want, the child’s spirit has rested, that’s what we want.

“It is not right, her spirit was being troubled.

“We feel sad, her soul has rested.

“We are asking for her spirit to be laid to rest, in Jesus’ name, these are our kids.

“In life we forgive each other. We are asking for forgiveness, so that her soul can rest.”

Moana's mum crying at burial site pic.twitter.com/qXYfVL9OoX

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) November 28, 2020

'MOANA'S LAST DAY ON EARTH – EN ROUTE TO BURIAL' https://t.co/5sih3OB2Nq

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) November 28, 2020

Watch the live video loading below……

https://fb.watch/21ZaUhfKsj/

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has announced that 80 pirating taxis were impounded for violating COVID-19 regulations in Bulawayo.

This comes barely two weeks after police in Bulawayo impounded 127 vehicles that were also pirating in defiance of the Government regulations.

The development was confirmed by Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube who said the impounded vehicles included commuter omnibuses (Kombis), Honda Fit and pirate buses. Ncube said:

Police in Bulawayo have impounded 80 vehicles which include 60 pirate kombis, four pirate Honda Fit cars, four pirate buses, two unregistered vehicles and ten cars for violating road laws. These vehicles were banned from ferrying passengers locally or plying the intercity routes.

Since March when Zimbabwe recorded its first coronavirus case, the government banned all vehicles save for ZUPCO buses and Kombis from ferrying passengers as a measure to stop the spread of the virus.

The government seems reluctant to authorise the return of kombis and private taxis even at a time when demand for public transport has risen as the government is slowly reopening the economy.

The Ministry of Local Authority and Public Works ordered owners of privately-owned kombis to register with ZUPCO saying the move was meant to restore order in the public transport sector.

A number of privately-owned kombis have in the recent past been pirating some routes taking advantage of the shortage of ZUPCO buses and kombis.

-statemedia

Twenty-one (21) Kenya nationals were earlier this week arrested over the use of fake “Covid-free certificates” to travel from Kenya to the United Arab Emirates.

Kenya has recorded 80 102 officially confirmed cases of coronavirus and 1 427 deaths since the pandemic began.

Earlier this week, the UAE decided to stop giving visas to citizens of 13 countries, including Kenya, Somalia, Libya, Tunisia and Algeria.

The 21 travellers were attempting to fly to Dubai when they were apprehended at the main airport in Kenyan capital Nairobi on Thursday.

They are accused of using forged medical documents that certified they tested negative for coronavirus in advance of travel.

The world is still grappling with the coronavirus and fears abound that there might be a second wave of the virus.

Some states are considering reimposition of lockdowns as a measure to stop the spread of the novel virus.

Meanwhile, scientists say they are close to finding a vaccine which has fewer side effects to humans adding, however, that more tests need to be conducted to make sure people who use the vaccines are safe.-BBC

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

https://fb.watch/21ZaUhfKsj/

Harare Mayor, Cllr Jacob Mafume was this Saturday remanded to Monday 30 November for his bail ruling after the magistrate who is handling his criminal abuse of office case failed to show up in court.

Mafume was arrested by the Special Anti-Corruption Unit (SACU) on Wednesday, 25 November 2020 for allegedly influencing the Harare City Council housing director to allocate at least two residential stands in Westlea sometime in March 2020.

Commenting on the failure by Magistrate Makwande to appear in court today, a law lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe, Advocate Fadzayi Mahere, who is also MDC Alliance’s spokesperson said the bail process in the country was flawed.

She said:

The courts’ approach to bail hearings requires reform & a shift in approach. Bail hearings must be heard urgently & determined expeditiously. The right to liberty is sacrosanct. It’s regrettable that they would render the Constitution a lifeless museum piece. #FreeJacob

His arrest followed a spate of arrests of fellow councillors in Harare over alleged illegal selling of state and or council land.

The cases are still pending.

Some analysts say the charges are trumped up and are meant to frustrate the opposition MDC Alliance and portray is as a corrupt party.

By A Correspondent- Twenty (20) students at a Gweru-based Anderson High School have tested positive for the coronavirus making the school the latest learning institution to be affected by the novel virus.

This comes amid increased calls for the government to close schools which were reopened in phases since the 28th of September.

The development was revealed by Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Larry Mavhima Friday that results received so far indicated that 20 learners had tested positive for the pandemic.

He said:

Out of the 53 Covid-19 tests initially conducted at the school, 14 positive results were received with 10 girls and 3 boy.

The cases have since risen to 20 with 14 girls and 6 boys. The school has a total enrolment of 394.

Mavhima said immediate action taken by the school includes separation of affected students from the rest, disinfection of all halls of residence in the school, isolation of all positive and symptomatic cases as well as quarantining of negative cases.

The school has also directed day scholars to quarantine at home from Thursday after screening while further restricting movement in and out.

Other schools, John Tallach and Matobo High Schools, both in Matebeleland, have since been sealed off after positive cases were recorded at the institutions.

Health Minister Constantino Chiwenga indicated that Harare-based Prince Edward High School also recorded positive cases.

Still, the government maintains that it will not be closing schools.

-Wires

By A Correspondent- Harare Mayor, Cllr Jacob Mafume was this Saturday remanded to Monday 30 November for his bail ruling after the magistrate who is handling his criminal abuse of office case failed to show up in court.

Mafume was arrested by the Special Anti-Corruption Unit (SACU) on Wednesday, 25 November 2020 for allegedly influencing the Harare City Council housing director to allocate at least two residential stands in Westlea sometime in March 2020.

Commenting on the failure by Magistrate Makwande to appear in court today, a law lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe, Advocate Fadzayi Mahere, who is also MDC Alliance’s spokesperson said the bail process in the country was flawed.

She said:

The courts’ approach to bail hearings requires reform & a shift in approach. Bail hearings must be heard urgently & determined expeditiously. The right to liberty is sacrosanct. It’s regrettable that they would render the Constitution a lifeless museum piece. #FreeJacob

His arrest followed a spate of arrests of fellow councillors in Harare over alleged illegal selling of state and or council land.

The cases are still pending.

Some analysts say the charges are trumped up and are meant to frustrate the opposition MDC Alliance and portray is as a corrupt party.

-newsday

watch the video loading below,,, (please be patient as it uploads)

https://fb.watch/21XWtKDwvP/

Watch the live video loading below…..

https://fb.watch/21W0kbeuZq/

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe and South Africa are working flat out to harmonise management and health systems at Beitbridge Border Post so that more people can cross the Limpopo during the festive season without health risks and without compromising immigration and customs checks.

The border is expected to reopen to vehicular traffic on Tuesday next week after being closed when Covid-19 restrictions started being implemented in March.

Before the restrictions, an average of 35 000 people were cleared at the border daily during peak periods, with 15 000 travellers on a normal day. At present, Zimbabweans coming home need pre-clearance from the embassy and consulates in South Africa to avoid swamping health testing, while the number of buses is limited.

Besides the traffic between the two countries, thousands of travellers a day from Malawi, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola were cleared at Beitbridge, a problem that is intensified as Botswana tightens its lockdown.

Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe and his South African counterpart, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, re-affirmed the need to harmonise the operating environment after meeting in Musina yesterday.

After the meeting, the two ministers along with Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Dr John Mangwiro, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Deputy Minister David Musabaya and law enforcement officials toured the South African side of the border.

Minister Kazembe said preparations had gathered momentum for the continued gradual border re-opening, which will see pedestrians and motorists being cleared this festive season.

Cabinet recently approved the re-opening of Beitbridge, Plumtree, Chirundu, Victoria Falls and Forbes border posts on December 1. The land borders were closed to passenger traffic at the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdowns across the Sadc region in March.

“We have met today with our counterparts in South Africa and we have agreed on a number of areas where we need to collaborate to ensure a seamless movement of traffic during the festive season and beyond,” said Minister Kazembe.

“This is a unique festive season where people have not been able to move due to the Covid-19 pandemic for the better part of the year and there is bound to be more human traffic from next week.”

The two countries would employ the previous border management systems used during peak periods, but with health screening and testing. Minister Kazembe and Dr Motsoaledi agreed to strengthen the capacity of port health officials to screen and test travellers.

Minister Kazembe said Zimbabwe was not leaving anything to chance and security had already been tightened at the border posts and along the Limpopo River to contain criminal activities.

“We have walked this road before,” he said.

“The immigration, security and customs officials have handled huge volumes of traffic before. What we are only doing this time is beefing up staff and improving the capacity of port health officials to screen and test travellers to avoid creating congestion.”

The Ministry of Health and Child Care had already started testing border workers of Covid-19 to establish the numbers ready for duty. Dr Motsoaledi said South Africa had addressed congestion challenges which had dogged their side of the border in the last 21 days.

“We are here today to review our strength on the ground with our brothers from Zimbabwe,” he said.

“You are aware we have had challenges of congestion in the last three weeks. This emanated from the fact that Botswana closed its borders and we are now handling most of the transit traffic at Beitbridge.”

Congestion on the South African side had been worsened by commercial truck drivers disregarding the border protocols, which required them to park in truck stops and only leave for the border after customs clearance.

The South African National Defence Force, Musina municipal traffic police and the Limpopo Provincial Traffic Police had been deployed to restore order on the N1 Highway which leads to the border.

In addition, the South African Revenue Service had removed from its procedures, the use of the Customs Notification Document (CN2), following repeated systems breakdown which caused delays in cargo movement.

“We have also met with relevant border agencies on our side to ensure that we strengthen security for both travellers and manage illegal migration between Zimbabwe and South Africa,” said Dr Motsoaledi.

“We need to maintain the current momentum to eliminate delays of travellers. It’s a tradition that we have many people passing through our land borders every December and hence we continue planning ahead.”

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Beneficiaries of Pfumvudza and drought relief programmes should not be coerced into covering transport costs as it is Government’s responsibility to deliver grain and inputs to them, Manicaland Provincial Development Coordinator, Mr Edgars Seenza, has said.

He said those being asked to make such payments must report the cases to the police.

Mr Seenza’s comments come amid revelations that some unscrupulous Government workers in Chipinge and Chimanimani districts were conniving with transporters and village heads to demand US$1 or R20 from beneficiaries of the two programmes, yet that responsibility was being shouldered by the Government.

At least $118 million is being mobilised to transport inputs under the Climate-Proofed Presidential Inputs Programme, commonly known as Pfumvudza, from Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots.

Information gathered by The Manica Post showed that Agritex and Department of Social Welfare officials, truck drivers and village heads were charging unsuspecting beneficiaries in foreign currency for them to be included on the list of beneficiaries.

Proceeds are shared amongst members of the syndicates.-Manica Post

By A Correspondent- Churches have started lobbying for a parliamentary seat to have issues affecting their constituency debated.

The church representative organisations made the call in Bulawayo on Tuesday during a meeting between civic society organisations (CSOs) and Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda.

CSOs and the media were drawn from Matabeleland North, South and Bulawayo province.

Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) representative, Samuel Mabvundu said the church was socially conscious and should be represented in Parliament.

“Over 80% of Zimbabweans are Christians and therefore there is need for representation in that regard. You find Christianity dominating in public gatherings while it is only the traditional leaders who are given room in Parliament,” Mabvundu said.

“I think we also need representation from the Christianity side. We now need to change that mentality. Instead of the church standing up, we need to be there as it happens, rather than standing up later when things have fallen apart.”

Another ZCC member only identified as Manjengwa said there was need for churches to have a seat in Parliament.

“My issue is on people who are represented in Parliament. You spoke of chiefs, the disabled, but there is no church representatives. Where are they? You never mentioned them? Is it that you do not want them to be represented in Parliament?” Manjengwa asked.

In response, Mudenda said if the church engages into politics, who would help people to turn away from sin?

“You cannot serve two masters. You either serve God or Caesar, but this is not to say you cannot be a politician. What you can do is appeal to the President that of those five ministers selected by the President, one of the reverends then becomes a minister,” Mudenda said.

“When one becomes the minister, he then leaves the collar. Things will not fall apart when the church is not in Parliament. Things fall apart when the church is not praying for politicians. Every Sunday, congregants have to be reminded to stop sinning, so when you are in politics this then becomes difficult.”

Mudenda said it was, however, possible for a pastor to become a politician as portrayed by the Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera.

Last week, Zanu-PF Harare women’s league chairperson Betty Nhambu-Kaseke said there was need for the church to be fully incorporated into the National Development Strategy One launched by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

-newsday

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By A Correspondent- Zanu PF youths have rallied behind party’s youth leader, Tapiwa Muto, who faces charges of assault, public violence and murder.

Muto (36) was arrested Tuesday in an afternoon raid by some police and military intelligence officers while coming from the party’s Kwekwe District offices.

Kwekwe Magistrates court released him on bail on Friday, the day the youths brought Kwekwe Central Business District to a standstill.

Following his release and addressing party supporters at Kwekwe Zanu PF District Offices, Muto said he was unmoved by his arrest on allegations he described as fabricated.

He said:

I want to express gratitude to all of you who have come in support of me, it is evident that G40 is still within our midst. However, my resolve is unshaken. I want to urge you to remain united.

They will come up with spurious charges but that will all count to nothing if we are united. Let us remain united and we will prevail.

Muto and some party youths are being accused of causing public violence during a Zanu PF primary election that was prematurely abandoned after fierce clashes between rival camps last month.

The state alleges that on December 11 2020, Muto and his accomplices namely Tafadzwa Rodgers, Wiseman Ngwenya, Raymond Chiriga, Petros and other two who are still on the run, intentionally caused the death of Andrew Moyo, by taking turns to beat him with switches and open hands all over the body.”

Moyo was rushed to Kwekwe General Hospital after the assault and was pronounced dead upon admission.

The state also alleges that on the 6th of June 2018 Muto, in the company of others who are still at large, approached Kennedy Tumwe at Mvuda’s Corner Sports Bar Mbizo 4 Shopping Centre, Kwekwe whom they assaulted after an argument over political issues.

Muto is also accused of assaulting Terrence Jabangwe.

All Africa

HARD-HIT by a shocking 57 pupils that have tested positive for Covid-19, Chinhoyi High School has issued a distress call to government, private sector and non-governmental organisations to chip in with resources to curtail the further spread of the deadly viral disease.

The school, which is one of the elite learning institutions in the town, was Tuesday forced to send back home day scholars, who were in the midst of preparation for their final public examinations.

However, boarding pupils are still holed up at the school with reports that some parents and guardians had tried, without success, to whisk their children to safety after receiving disturbing news of the outbreak.

Those affected are in quarantine at the school’s hostels.

The dire situation at the school prompted the convening of an urgent meeting Thursday by the Covid-19 Provincial Taskforce held at Cooksey Hall.

During the meeting, Chinhoyi High School headmistress, Mary Nyeverengwa raised grave concern over the safety of the pupils on the backdrop of shortages of basic personal protective equipment (PPEs), laxity in adherence to safety protocols, among other issues.

“The school is appealing for urgent assistance so that we contain the situation. We are appealing for PPEs like face masks, knapsacks for spraying disinfectants and fumigants,” said the school head.

“We also appeal for cutlery that authorities can thoroughly sanitise as there is fear the boarders who use their personal cutlery that they bring from home could spread the disease amongst themselves.”

The school is also seeking food for teachers who will be invigilating examinations so that their movement in and out of the premises in search of food is avoided as this could spread new Covid-19 cases.

Mashonaland West provincial medical director, Dr Gift Masocha assured parents and guardians that all systems had been activated to ensure the safety of pupils.

He reiterated that the second wave of Covid-19 was projected to result in more people falling sick as there was now complacency within the public in adhering to laid down World Health Organisation (WHO) prevention and containment protocols such as wearing of face masks, social distancing and hand sanitising.

He said Chinhoyi had become the epicentre of Covid-19 in the province with more residents testing positive for the flu-like ailment.

Masocha said six new cases were recorded Wednesday.

“Yesterday (Wednesday) results that came out revealed that of the 42 that were tested, six came out positive. Of these six, three are from Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT), one from the locality while another one is from Muriel Mine (Banket),” said Masocha.

Douglas Chiwiro, who is deputy director in Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution minister Mary Mliswa-Chikoka’s office, urged the public to be vigilant as more and more cases were being recorded in the province.

Chiwiro also implored law enforcement agencies to arrest those violating the law, particularly bar owners who were disregarding stipulated operating hours, hinting that a curfew should be tightened.

Zimbabwe’s food import bill has expanded exponentially in the first nine months of 2020, reflecting the biting effect of drought experienced over the last two years, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development Professor Mthuli Ncube disclosed in the 2021 Budget Statement presentation on Thursday.

Food imports increased from US$140.5 million in the first nine months of 2019 to US$458.0 million for the comparable period in 2020, representing an increase of 226%. Minister Ncube said this was on account of high grain imports the country had to procure following two consecutive drought years.

Despite the impact of drought, Zimbabwe’s food imports tended to increase substantially through 2000 – 2019 period ending at 8.1 % in 2019. Local productivity has taken a heavy hit following the contentious land reform in the late 90s, with the country now spending a larger bill to import its staple maize grain.

According to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s (RBZ) monthly report, Treasury spent US$1.5 million on maize imports in August, and the figure shot up to US$4 million in September. This is happening at a time where government is providing food handouts and subsidised roller meal, which are part of measures to fight the existing threat of food insecurity among vulnerable social groups.

Internet tabloid, Femine Early Warnings Systems Network (FEWS NET), indicated that the severity of food emergencies are expected to persist across most typical deficit producing areas in the south, west, and extreme north through at least March 2021.

“This is the result of ongoing poor macroeconomic conditions, consecutive droughts, and continued COVID-19 impacts,” said FEWS NET.

The food import bill is likely to close the year even higher amid continued price increases on wheat and maize owing to depleted global yields which have seen the cost of importing grain surge.

The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) earlier this month indicated that it is now working with the central bank to mitigate these increases and consumer spend ahead of the festive season.

Meanwhile, merchandise imports are estimated to have contracted by 4.3% to US$3.2 billion during the period under review from US$3.3 billion for the same period in 2019.

“The declines were mainly witnessed in imports of fuel, raw materials, machinery, manufactured goods and vehicles, on account of the impact of COVID-19 restrictions,” said Minister Ncube while indicating that the COVID-19 pandemic was mainly felt in trade in services with both exports and imports registering sharp declines.

He said, “Services exports sharply contracted to US$245.2 million for the period January to September 2020 from US$422.3 million for the comparable period in 2019, owing to weak travel and tourism, transport and other business services exports. Services imports similarly declined from US$679.9 million in 2019 to US$250.5 million in 2020 for the same period.”

Equity Axis News

POLICE in Bulawayo have impounded 80 vehicles that were pirating in defiance of the Government’s travel restrictions meant to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The vehicles were impounded during a blitz dubbed ‘Covid -19 Enforcement’ that started on Monday. The operation is expected to end when sanity prevails.

About two weeks ago police in Bulawayo impounded 127 vehicles that were pirating in defiance of the Government regulations.

Government in March this year banned public transporters and left Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) as the sole operator.

Commuter omnibus operators have to register under the Zupco franchise to ferry passengers.

Some of the private operators joined Zupco but others are insisting it is unfair.

In banning the private kombi operators, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works said it was rationalising the public transport sector which had become chaotic.

In recent weeks, an increasing number of kombis not registered under Zupco and pirate taxis started to illegally ferry commuters on several routes in Bulawayo.

Zupco kombis are charging $24 per trip while pirate taxis and kombis not registered under Zupco are charging $40 or R10 per trip.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said:
“Police in Bulawayo have impounded 80 vehicles which includes 60 pirate kombis, four pirate Honda Fit cars, four pirate buses, two unregistered vehicles and ten cars for violating road laws. These vehicles were banned from ferrying passengers locally or plying the intercity routes,” said Insp Ncube.

Hope is fading by the day for 40 informal gold miners trapped in a collapsed mine in Bindura for more than 48 hours ago after rescue operations were stalled due to flooding.

The disused mine collapsed late on Wednesday in Bindura town, about 70km (43 miles) north of the capital, Harare, after uncontrolled blasting by informal miners keen on making quick cash in the economically troubled southern African country.

Wellington Takavarasha, the head of Zimbabwe Miners Federation, which represents small scale miners in the country, told Al Jazeera the mine was still flooded, but held out hope for the trapped miners.

“Nothing much has changed on the ground. We are currently dewatering the mine because it is flooded so that rescue operations can resume. The ground is too wet right now and that makes rescue operations dangerous,” he said.

“This is an underground mine so I think the miners could have sought safety in any one of the tunnels. But the mine is flooded.” He added that the number of those trapped underground could be higher because informal miners do not keep a tally of people operating in the mines they occupy.

So far, only six miners have been rescued from the debris and are recovering at a hospital.

Just last week, 10 illegal gold miners were buried alive at Premier Estate, located in the eastern part of the country, when the owners of the mine commenced reclamation – a process of restoring mined land to a natural or economically usable state.

Deepening crisis
Zimbabwe is in the throes of a deepening economic crisis characterised by high inflation at close to 500 percent, foreign currency shortages, a devastating mix of a rapidly weakening currency, and stagnant salaries and high unemployment.

In December last year, the World Food Programme warned the country was facing its worst hunger crisis in 10 years, with half of its population – 7.7 million people – being food insecure.

A combination of unemployment of more than 90 percent and hunger has forced common Zimbabweans to take up risky informal jobs such as illegal gold mining.

The Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) director, Farai Maguwu, said mine collapses are frequent because artisanal mining is now a year-round occupation for many Zimbabweans.

“Big mines have been scaling down over the years. When they stop producing, syndicates linked to politicians invade these mines and they don’t adhere to sound safety measures when mining,” Maguwu said.

“The kind of mining artisans do is dangerous as most of them don’t have mining or engineering knowledge.”

Artisanal mining
Maguwu said the government’s failure to revive the economy has pushed Zimbabweans into artisanal mining.

“In this season, we should be seeing less and less artisanal mining. Instead, people should be working the fields as the ground is wet and risky to mine,” he said.

“Climate change-induced droughts has meant that artisanal mining is now a full-time all-year job because the ground is often dry,” he added.

Most parts of Zimbabwe are currently witnessing a wet spell.

According to the Zimbabwe Miners Federation, about 50,000 small-scale miners are registered in the country, each employing at least 10 workers.

The federation says small-scale and artisanal mining sector in Zimbabwe benefits more than 1.5 million people.

The landlocked southern African country sits on vast gold and mineral endowment, including diamonds and platinum. Gold accounts for 60 percent of the country’s exports.

Zimbabwe’s gold deliveries to Fidelity Printers and Refineries, the sole buyer of gold in the country, plunged 73 percent in September to 1.36 tonnes from 2.8 tonnes in the same period last year, a decline blamed on smuggling by small miners.

Zimbabwe is in debt distress and this could provide the biggest challenge on efforts to recover the economy from the abyss of collapse. Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube presented a ZWL$421.6 billion 2021 National Budget on Thursday, and once again it leaves more questions than answers.

According to the budget statement, the country’s external debt is estimated at US$8.2 billion, as at end September 2020 which is an increase by US$106 million from the end 2019 amount of US$8.09 billion and was mainly on account of penalties and interest arrears.

“Of the total external debt, 17% is owed by public entities through guarantees,” Minister Ncube said.

Government through its National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) launched last week said worsening the country’s debt position was the rapid accumulation of external arrears.

“There is high risk of moral hazard, with many public entities approaching government for debt assumption,” the NDS1 says.

According to the budget statement, total Public and Publicly Guaranteed (PPG) debt is estimated at 78.7% of GDP by end of 2020 and the debt stock is marginally above the SADC recommended threshold of 60% of GDP and the Public Debt Act threshold of 70% of GDP.

Minister Ncube further highlighted that domestic debt as at 30 September 2020 was ZWL$12.5 billion, which is 1.2% of GDP and 1.8% of the total public debt.

While domestic debt has been stable, and seemingly more sustainable to service, external debt is highly unsustainable given the current shortages in forex to service the obligations. Two-thirds of this debt are arrears and with the economy coming from a two-year dip, it is unlikely to see any repayment in 2021.

The domestic economy, which, in 2018-20 was confronted with climatic, macroeconomic and the current Covid-19 shocks, is projected to contract by – 4.5% in 2020 as per the Ministers projections. However, other independent projections like Equity Axis foresee a worse downturn at about -10% in 2020.

For any future financing from IFIs, requires the authorities to clear the arrears first which is unlikely in the near time. It is worthy to note that, Zimbabwe’s debt management legal framework is rated quite strongly by development partners such as the World Bank and the Macroeconomic and Financial Management Institute as one that meets minimum standards for debt management. But, the government has been failing to comply with the law.

The ballooning external debt could prove the major setback in the government’s efforts to revive the ailing economy. While stability has been noticed over the recent months on exchange rate and inflation trends, there are high fears that the stability is highly unsustainable.

If the Zimbabwe dollar further depreciates value, and budget deficit persists in addition to the rapid accumulation of external arrears, toxic as that combination is, the country will by no means manage to safely carry the debt.

Equity Axis News

State Media

Imports of second-hand vehicles more than 10 years old are to be banned to contain the import bill and promote the domestic motor industry, while all vehicles imported from Japan now require prior clearance to ensure they are not contaminated by radioactivity from the 2011 accident at the Fukushima nuclear plant.

The proposal for the ban on older second-hand cars was part of a raft of measures to rebuild Zimbabwe’s assembly industry presented by Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube when he unveiled the 2021 National Budget on Thursday, while the need for radiation clearance was part of a statutory instrument gazetted by President Mnangagwa.

Prof Ncube noted that Zimbabweans had spent about US$1,3 billion on the imports of buses, light commercial and passenger motor vehicles from 2015 to September 2020.

“This is despite the existence of capacity by the local motor industry to assemble the above-mentioned range of motor vehicles,” he said.

“Furthermore, due to lack of effective standards and regulation, unroadworthy vehicles, which, in some instances fail to meet environmental and safety standards, find their way onto the market. In line with the National Development Strategy 1, which underscores value addition, I propose to remove second-hand motor vehicles aged 10 years and above, from the date of manufacture at the time of importation, from the Open General Import Licence.”

Prof Ncube said commercial vehicles such as tractors, haulage trucks, earth-moving equipment and other specialised vehicles used in mining and construction would be exempt from this requirement.

In 2011, Government banned the import of vehicles more than five years old, although the ban was later reversed following an outcry from the public.

In order to stop imports of vehicles contaminated with radioactive debris, President Mnangagwa yesterday gazetted a Statutory Instrument requiring those importing vehicles from countries that have experienced level two and above radiation on the International Nuclear Radiological Event Scale to obtain clearance for radiation contamination.

S1 281 of 2020 is cited as the Radiation Protection (Safety and Security of Radiation Sources) (Amendment) Regulations, 2020 (No. 5).

Japan is the only country that has experienced a radiation event above level two on the INES, notes the instrument, when in 2011 it experienced a disaster at its Fukushima Nuclear Plant following an earthquake and the accident was rated 7 on the INES.

While most cars imported from Japan will not be contaminated, the regulations will prevent vehicles that were near the nuclear power plant being salvaged and exported to Zimbabwe.

According to the SI, any person who does not comply with the regulations or who makes a false statement or declaration or falsifies any documents concerning the country of origin of a vehicle shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 5 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or both such fine and such imprisonment.

State Media

SOCIALITE Michelle “Moana” Amuli, who died in horrific car accident on November 8, is set to be buried today after the High Court resolved a three-week-long impasse between her estranged parents over handling of the funeral and burial site.

Justice Pisirayi Kwenda found no legal basis to stop the burial according to Muslim religion in line with her father’s wishes.

Moana’s father Mr Ishmael Amuli and mother Ms Yolanda Kuvaoga desired different funeral ceremonies and different grave sites.

The burial order designated Warren Hills Cemetery as Moana’s resting place, but the mother insisted that she be buried the Christian way at Zororo Cemetery.

Justice Kwenda ruled that the burial order issued to Mr Amuli on November 18, 2020 was correctly issued with the knowledge of the mother, who conceded during the hearing that there was nothing wrong with the manner of its issuance.

“It remains valid. There is no reason to replace a valid burial order with another,” said Justice Kwenda.

“The application for an interdict cannot succeed.”

The Burial and Cremation Act [Chapter 5:03] has no provision that deals with resolution of burial disputes and the judge felt it might be that in the past such a provision was not necessary because of the richness of culture and adherence thereto by the various ethnic communities in Zimbabwe.

Given this novel case, there might be need for legislative intervention prescribing a dispute resolution mechanism that gave prominence to customary law remedies.

But in deciding this case, Justice Kwenda found that there was no evidence that Mr Amuli would exclude Ms Kuvaoga from her daughter’s funeral saying: “The assignment of roles at a funeral as stated in this case, does not amount to a restriction on the applicant’s rights to be participate in activities at her daughter’s funeral which warrants the intervention of the court.

“The applicant has not established the legal basis for the reliefs sought.”

Justice Kwenda said the relevance of what Ms Kuvaoga said was Moana’s worldly lifestyle and her alleged celebrity status was difficult to fathom.

“It appears to me that the applicant does not appreciate the possible implications of over-emphasising the deceased’s secular habits which she believes gave her an elevated social standing in her last days because she could be basking in the grandeur of the perceived status,” said Justice Kwenda.

The judge said Ms Kuvaoga’s oral evidence had no relevance to the relief sought. On the other hand, he found that Moana was born to the Amuli family.

To this end, the court found, the right to family was fundamental and protected in the constitution under Chapter 4 Bill of rights.

In this regard, Justice Kwenda ruled that Mr Amuli raised his daughter from the age of barely a year until she attained adulthood and was her sole custodian and guardian.

Funeral Programme for Mitchelle ( Moana) Amuli

Date Saturday 28/11/2020

8:00am Arrival at Parirenyatwa

9:30am Body arrives at Kuvaoga Family residence (Engineering)

11:30am Body arrives at Highfields Mosque (Old Highfields)

1:30pm Body leaves for Warren Hills (Muslim Section)

2:00pm Burial

Sheikh Yusuf Binali
Family Spokesperson
0772807183

SCIAZ Media Liason

Ibrahim Mpache

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State Media

Zimbabwe and South Africa are working flat out to harmonise management and health systems at Beitbridge Border Post so that more people can cross the Limpopo during the festive season without health risks and without compromising immigration and customs checks.

The border is expected to reopen to vehicular traffic on Tuesday next week after being closed when Covid-19 restrictions started being implemented in March.

Before the restrictions, an average of 35 000 people were cleared at the border daily during peak periods, with 15 000 travellers on a normal day.

At present, Zimbabweans coming home need pre-clearance from the embassy and consulates in South Africa to avoid swamping health testing, while the number of buses is limited.

Besides the traffic between the two countries, thousands of travellers a day from Malawi, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola were cleared at Beitbridge, a problem that is intensified as Botswana tightens its lockdown.

Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe and his South African counterpart, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, re-affirmed the need to harmonise the operating environment after meeting in Musina yesterday.

After the meeting, the two ministers along with Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Dr John Mangwiro, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Deputy Minister David Musabaya and law enforcement officials toured the South African side of the border.

Minister Kazembe said preparations had gathered momentum for the continued gradual border re-opening, which will see pedestrians and motorists being cleared this festive season.

Cabinet recently approved the re-opening of Beitbridge, Plumtree, Chirundu, Victoria Falls and Forbes border posts on December 1.

The land borders were closed to passenger traffic at the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdowns across the Sadc region in March

“We have met today with our counterparts in South Africa and we have agreed on a number of areas where we need to collaborate to ensure a seamless movement of traffic during the festive season and beyond,” said Minister Kazembe.

“This is a unique festive season where people have not been able to move due to the Covid-19 pandemic for the better part of the year and there is bound to be more human traffic from next week.”

The two countries would employ the previous border management systems used during peak periods, but with health screening and testing.

Minister Kazembe and Dr Motsoaledi agreed to strengthen the capacity of port health officials to screen and test travellers.

Minister Kazembe said Zimbabwe was not leaving anything to chance and security had already been tightened at the border posts and along the Limpopo River to contain criminal activities.

“We have walked this road before,” he said. “The immigration, security and customs officials have handled huge volumes of traffic before. What we are only doing this time is beefing up staff and improving the capacity of port health officials to screen and test travellers to avoid creating congestion.”

The Ministry of Health and Child Care had already started testing border

workers of Covid-19 to establish the numbers ready for duty.

Dr Motsoaledi said South Africa had addressed congestion challenges which had dogged their side of the border in the last 21 days.

“We are here today to review our strength on the ground with our brothers from Zimbabwe,” he said.

“You are aware we have had challenges of congestion in the last three weeks. This emanated from the fact that Botswana closed its borders and we are now handling most of the transit traffic at Beitbridge.”

Congestion on the South African side had been worsened by commercial truck drivers disregarding the border protocols, which required them to park in truck stops and only leave for the border after customs clearance.

The South African National Defence Force, Musina municipal traffic police and the Limpopo Provincial Traffic Police had been deployed to restore order on the N1 Highway which leads to the border.

In addition, the South African Revenue Service had removed from its procedures, the use of the Customs Notification Document (CN2), following repeated systems breakdown which caused delays in cargo movement.

“We have also met with relevant border agencies on our side to ensure that we strengthen security for both travellers and manage illegal migration between Zimbabwe and South Africa,” said Dr Motsoaledi.

“We need to maintain the current momentum to eliminate delays of travellers. It’s a tradition that we have many people passing through our land borders every December and hence we continue planning ahead.”

Government has declared readiness to administer public examinations beginning next week after putting in place adequate measures informed by World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, to curb the spread of Covid-19.

In keeping with social distancing rules, examinations will be sat for from more classrooms and spacious halls to minimise chances of spreading the virus.

This week, Government announced the release of a further $150 million to needy schools to improve sanitation.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Ambassador Cain Mathema said the June exams were conducted successfully and this time around, schools had improved their response.

He said they were expecting a similar outcome in the second round of public exams scheduled for this December and assured parents that all the requirements would be adhered to.

“All the measures needed to hold the examinations in a safe environment, have been put in place and examinations will be starting in December as scheduled,” said Minister Mathema.

“Protective clothing for learners and teachers is now in place and we expect to hold exams successfully like we did in June. I want to assure parents, guardians and all stakeholders that everything is in place for holding successful examinations.”

For schools with confirmed Covid-19 cases, Minister Mathema said measures were in place to isolate, as well as take care of any arising cases.

Speaking after this week’s Cabinet meeting, Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said authorities were strengthening protective and preventative measures in boarding school environments.

“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education with technical support from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, is organising logistics for implementing practical measures to minimise the recurrence of the John Tallach School experience in other boarding schools,” he said.

Measures included reviewing the maximum carrying capacity of all boarding hostels, conducting detailed inspection of boarding facilities and targeted training of hostel matrons, boarding masters, as well as kitchen staff.

Calls to proceed with examinations have been growing from various sectors as preventing pupils from going to the next grade would clog their streams.

National Association of Primary Heads president Mrs Cynthia Khumalo said the major challenge was the disrupted learning time for students because of Covid-19 mitigatory measures.

National Association of Secondary Heads president Mr Arthur Maposa said they might not be ready to manage the big numbers of examination classes.

By A Correspondent| MBCA head of Credit Herbert Chingono and Garrison Industries founder Tambudzai Tongofa have been taken to court to settle US$5002 they allegedly swindled Crosstrack Investments, a leading borehole drilling company based in Harare.

Chingono is being sued on his personal capacity.

Facts are that in July this year, Garrison Industries which is based in Bulawayo sub- contracted Crosstrack Investments to drill a borehole at Chingono’s residence since the company had no proper equipment and capacity to carry out the task.

Garrison Industries and Chingono agreed to pay US$5002 including tax.

Despite several demands, the defendants have failed to pay for service rendered.

Investigations by this publication have flagged possible conflict of interest between Chingono and Garrison industries.

Garrison Industries got a credit facility from MBCA where Chingono is the head of Credit. It is under unclear circumstances how Garrison Industries ended up paying for borehole drilling at Chingono’s residence.

“It’s a case of kickbacks that have gone wrong. Garrison Industries were supposed to drill a borehole at Chingono’s residence as a thank you token and they were supposed to foot the bill. Chingono has been helping Garrison Industries a lot using his position at MBCA,” said a source who works in the bank.

Contacted for comment, Chingono said, “I am just checking with our Head of Legal if I can respond to a matter before the Courts to which I have prepared a notice to defend. Once I get the nod, I will do the necessary.”

By A Correspondent| The family of the late socialite Michelle Moana Amuli last night clashed on whether to give a chance to the fitness bunny’s mother to bid farewell to her daughter before she is buried at Warren Hills cemetery.

According to a family source, there were sharp disagreements with some feeling she should have her chance while others opposed the idea on the grounds that she has embarrassed the family by taking the matter to court.

“Some were saying let’s give her while others were against the idea,” said the source.

At the time of publishing, it was not yet clear what they had settled as they could not conclude the burial programme in the absence of their Islamic Church leader who was expected to attend the meeting.

The source said Moana’s was bitter that the whole programme had gone against her earlier plans and had specifically spoken about her “deco” which she was worried about.

“Mai Mitchy vaipopota kuti ko deco yangu ndichaita sei nayo (Michelle’s mother was fuming that her deco had been rendered useless),” said the source.

A local news organisation NewsHawks has published a damning report claiming that Impala Car Rental is owned by the dreaded Central Intelligence Organisation who owns controlling shares in the company.

According to NewsHawks, an investigation over two months into Impala’s affairs and Muchehiwa’s abduction in Bulawayo on 30 July shows the car hire belongs to the CIO. The kidnapping occurred a day before the 31 July protests, preceded by a sweeping crackdown on civic and political activists, including journalists, by state security agents.

Documents obtained during the investigation show that Impala – registered as Impala Carriers (Pvt) Ltd – is now owned by Chilten Trust, a CIO entity, represented by company chief executive Thompson Dondo in the car hire firm’s registration documents. Impala’s registration number is 2519/1989.
Although Impala registration documents have been removed from the company registry in Harare, The NewsHawks managed to meticulously piece together the record.

Investigations reveal Chilten Trust is a CIO entity used for administrative, operational and investments purposes.   The probe unearthed a secret arrangement between Dondo and the CIO on the ownership of the business.

The probe shows Dondo – whose National Identification card Number is 58-132451P-50 – represents CIO interests in Impala. His address was given on the documents as No. 92 McChery Avenue, Eastlea, Harare. A search for the address led to No. 92 McChlery, not McChery.

Dondo’s ID No. – the last two digits 50 – shows he is from Mutasa district in Manicaland province. The digits 58 suggest he obtained his ID from Kwekwe.
The NewsHawks journalists, then working for the Zimbabwe Independent, first came across Chilten Trust in the late 1990s and again in 2003 investigating its ties with Israeli  intelligence-linked entity Nikuv which was hired by government to produce new IDs and passports, and later biometric identity and travel documents. Nikuv, which deals with electrical issues, is infamous in Zimbabwe for election rigging controversies.

Our journalists also later encountered Chilten Trust in 2003 when it was embroiled in a failed CIO plot to frame the late MDC founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai, the party’s then secretary-general Welshman Ncube and the late Renson Gasela, an MDC leader, and implicate them in false allegations that they had conspired to assassinate the late former president Robert Mugabe.

In the plot to frame MDC leaders, Chilten Trust was used by CIO as a conduit to make payments through CBZ Bank and ZB Bank (formerly ZimBank) to dodgy international Israeli public relations consultant Ari Ben-Menashe via his Canadian-based political consultancy, Dickens & Madison, between 30 November 2001 and 5 August 2002.

Documents show that Chilten Trust took control of Impala on 6 September 2017 after it had acquired 16 000 shares at a nominal value of ZW$1 each. At the time the exchange between the United States dollar and the Zimbabwean dollar was 1:1.
An Impala CR2 document, used for creating and issuing new shares or for share allotment in a private company, shows the 16 000 shares gave the CIO outfit a controlling 50.2% shareholding.
The nominal share capital of the company was 32 000 shares going for ZW$1 each. The number of shares previously allotted, including subscriber shares, was 100. This left 31 900 shares available for cash to the tune of ZW$31 900.

After Chilten Trust found its way into Impala through Dondo, on the same day – 6 September 2017 – the balance of the shares went to a company called Gutlomm Trust located on the 7th Floor of Robinson House, Harare. The company was represented by Tendai Gunda whose ID number is 50-173439E-42.

Dondo and Gunda are both from Manicaland. Gutlomm Trust is no longer present at the given address. Checks show that it has now moved to Eastlea along Samora Machel Avenue. The CR6 document says Impala is located on Number 40 Chiremba Road, Hillside, which is public knowledge.

Asked about Impala’s shareholding and CIO connection, Impala company lawyer Jivas Mudimu said: “I don’t want to lie; I’m a lawyer for Impala, but I don’t know what is in its CR14 (information on directors). I don’t think it is any of my business anyway. I don’t know who owns what at Impala.”

Following weeks of endless drama since her death in a car crash on the 8th of November, Michelle Amuli popularly known as Moana will finally be buried today after the High Court dismissed an application by her mother Yolanda Kuvaoga to gain full control of the funeral programme.

Moana who died together with controversial Harare businessman Genius Kadungure, will be buried today at Warren Hills cemetery instead of Zororo Memorial Park which had earlier been announced by Doves.

According to Amuli family members, a service for Moana will be held at Belvedere Islamic Church Hall before burial.

A close family source revealed that a meeting was held last night to deliberate on what to do with Kuvaoga who wanted to have a moment to bid farewell to her child.

“Some felt she should be given upto 2 hours to allow her friends to pay their last respect while some were opposed to the idea,” the source said.

Its not yet clear what they finally agreed on but the source said there was violent opposition to the idea of giving her mother unfettered access to the body due to how she had fought the Amuli family.

More to follow….