Veteran comedian Lazarus Boora, known by his legion of fans as Gringo, has fallen sick again after failing to raise money for medication.

Gringo, who turned 47 last month, is battling tesnel or intestine obstruction and experiencing discomfort in sitting, backache coupled by hearing and talking difficulties.

The actor last year had appendix surgery before he relocated to his rural home in Rusape.

Now, he has returned to Harare where he is staying with his wife Netsai Meki and three children.

When The Herald Arts visited Gringo in Hatfield, Harare, yesterday, he was lying in agony and looking frail.

Sadly, unlike his former self, Gringo failed to crack jokes which he normally does effortlessly whenever he meets the Press or new people.

His wife and two nieces, Eridha Boora and Rhoda Ganga, had to help him onto the couch.

The nieces, who both hail from Chimanimani, came after they were called on Saturday that the veteran actor was now seriously ill.

Barely after five minutes, Gringo, who was clad in white T-shirt and navy blue cargo pants, could not sit up straight and requested to lie down.

“Let me lie down, then I will wake up”, he softly said.

His wife put a pillow behind his back, saying that is now his routine.

“That is how he is surviving now, sleeping and sitting for a few minutes. He is in pain compared to before.

On Saturday we took him to a hospital in Waterfalls because his condition was worsening. They said he was dehydrated. He is failing to eat properly, and if he eats, he vomits and is suffering from diarrhoea.

We give him only a few spoons of porridge and he eats amorsel of sadza, which he sometimes can’t finish. Now he is having back problems. The doctor said he might have an infection in his intestines and needs to go for a scan. The challenge now is finances to go back to his first surgeon,” narrated his wife.-Chronicle

State Media

BULAWAYO residents on Wednesday officially wrote to the local authority tabling their objection to the proposed 2021 budget noting that the process and content of the budget were flawed.

A couple of weeks ago the residents, through the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) demanded that the Bulawayo City Council avails them with a detailed financial statement for the year up to September 2020, among a host of other demands to enable them to fully appreciate the proposed 2020 supplementary budget and the 2021 budget.

The residents had up to end of day Wednesday to table their objections.

In the objection letter to the local authority, signed by BPRA coordinator, Mr Emmanuel Ndlovu, the residents expressed disappointment that to date the local authority had failed to avail the full unabridged draft 2021 budget.

They said that due to the failure by the local authority to avail the unabridged draft budget the residents were thus in no position to make an informed decision on the matter.

“We are of the opinion that the information should have been shared with residents way before the commencement of the consultations so that residents are informed and come up with meaningful contributions.

“Following the documents, we received from BCC, we have analysed the draft budget further which lends balance to the fact that both the process and content of the budget were flawed. Given the foregoing, BPRA is of the view that the budget should not be acceded and outrightly rejects the budget,” said Mr Ndlovu.

The residents further claim that the initiative of having the budget consultation meetings on Whatsapp due to the Covid-19 lockdown regulations, officials did not respond adequately to residents’ enquiries thus leading to the meetings being one sided.

“While we applaud BCC for the novel WhatsApp budget consultations in the context of imposed Covid-19 restrictions, we are of the view that the consultations were one-way as residents never had meaningful contributions. The consultations did not afford residents any meaningful room to engage.

“Some BCC staff members including some councillors who were responsible for communicating with the residents in each respective ward group were failing to answer residents’ questions with some councillors becoming emotional and personalising the process to the point of exiting WhatsApp Budget consultation groups,” said Mr Ndlovu.

Last month BCC proposed a supplementary budget of $550 792 328 and a 2021 annual budget of $16 billion.

Zimbabwe’s Consulate in Johannesburg, South Africa has issued a travel advisory for Zimbabwean citizens intending to return home from the neighbouring country during the lockdown period.

Below is the advisory.

Reference is made to Zimbabwe’s Statutory Instrument 83 of 2020: Public Health (COVIO-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) Order, 2020: permitting the re-entry of citizens and returning residents during the lockdown period.

In order to ensure a predictable, smooth and orderly repatriation process which is compliant with the Covid 19 health protocols: travellers and bus operators should be guided as follows:

• ALL bus operators involved in the repatriation of Zimbabwean nationals from South Africa are; with immediate effect required to obtain travel clearance from the Consulate of Zimbabwe in Johannesburg two days before the intended departure date. This applies to all, except for those travelling from the Cape Provinces who should approach the Zimbabwe Consulate in Cape Town for clearance.

• In order to obtain the Consulate clearance, bus operators are required to submit the following documents; (i) A passenger manifest which is compliant with the 70% carrying capacity. Please note that the number of passengers should NOT Be LESS THAN 70%, (The passenger manifest should contain the following mandatory information; Passengers’ Full Names. Passport/Temporary Travel Document number. Vehicle and Trailer Registration details, Final Destination in Zimbabwe and Driver(s)’ Identification Details).

• Please note that the repartition exercise is strictly on a non-commercial basis.

• AU. passengers and bus crew are required to hove Covid-19 Free Certificates which are within the 48 hours validity for presentation at the port of entry.

• Requests for clearance should be submitted to: [email protected] and should be clearly marked “Request for Repatriation Clearance”.

• To avoid congestion at the port of entry a maximum of five (5) buses will be cleared to travel per day. Requests will be considered on g first come first serve basis.

• Bus operators must ensure that all passengers are in possession of the requisite travel documents prior to the purchasing of travel tickets. (Those without travel documents should urgently visit the Consulate to apply for a Temporary Travel Document (TTD).

• Please note that TTD applicants are not required to make an appointment before visiting the Consulate.

Attached for ease of reference, please find the passenger manifest template to be submitted to the Consulate for the departure clearance. (Annexure I)

PLEASE NOTE

• THOSE BUSES THAT DO NOT MEET THE ABOVE CONDITIONS WILL NOT BE CLEARED FOR ENTRY 8Y THE ZIMBABWE AUTHORITIES.

• THE CLEARANCE OF BUSES IS FREE OF CHARGE

• THE EMBASSY AND THE TWO CONSULATES DO NOT HAVE AGENTS IN SOUTH AFRICA

• CLIENTS ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO USE THE AVAILABLE OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION CHANNELS TO VERIFY AUTHENTICITY OF INFORMATION WHENEVER THEY ARE IN DOUBT.

A FILABUSI man has been arrested after he allegedly fatally struck his neighbour with a brick on the head after accusing him of drinking his beer without permission.

Melusi Ngwenya (32) of Lunyame Village was not asked to plead when he appeared before Gwanda magistrate, Miss Lerato Nyathi facing a murder charge. He was remanded in custody to November 10.

Prosecuting Miss Ethel Mahachi said Ngwenya was drinking beer with Mr Sibusiso Dube (28) and Mr Oliver Ndlovu (29) when a misunderstanding arose between them and Ngwenya struck Mr Dube with a brick on the head.

“On 10 August 2019 at around 8PM Ngwenya, Mr Dube and Mr Ndlovu were drinking beer at Lunyame Business Centre. Ngwenya left his beer and went to relieve himself and left his beer behind with Mr Dube and Mr Ndlovu. When he returned Ngwenya noticed that his beer and been consumed.

“He confronted Mr Dube and Mr Ndlovu over the matter and later learnt that Mr Dube had consumed his beer. Ngwenya and Mr Dube had a misunderstanding over the matter and Mr Ndlovu managed to calm them down and they continued drinking,” she said.

Miss Mahachi said the trio later left the business centre headed for their homes and along the way, Ngwenya confronted Mr Dube again. She said the two started fighting and Ngwenya struck Mr Dube with a brick on the head and fled.

Miss Mahachi said Mr Ndlovu rushed to the business centre to get help. She said Mr Dube was ferried to a clinic where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

State Media

A 27-year-old Harare man yesterday appeared in court on allegations of using the names of President Mnangagwa’s sons to defraud an unsuspecting man of thousands of dollars in an elaborate con.

Warlord Billy Masango appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Judith Taruvinga facing fraud charges.

Prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa opposed bail and the hearing was adjourned to today for the bail ruling.

The court heard that on Thursday last week Hilton Mbano (40) received a call from Masango asking him to assist a son of President Mnangagwa, but did not name the person.

It is alleged that after a while, Mr Mbano received a message from another number saying he had been referred by Masango. Mr Mbano phoned back and the person introduced himself as “Collins Mnangagwa”.

The court heard that the fake Mnangagwa said he was in urgent need of money and asked Mr Mbano transfer the money into his CABS or CBZ account but the supplied details were for a CBZ account in the name of A Mutsango.

It is the State’s case that Mr Mbano asked a friend to transfer $180 000 into that account. A scanned copy of proof of transfer was sent to to the number of the fake Mnangagwa. The alleged con then grew with the fake Mnangagwa now asking Mr Mbano to deposit R60 000 in a South African FNB account and that was followed by a call from South Africa by a person who called himself “Shawn Mnangagwa” who wanted help and R2 500 transferred into another FNB account.

After the transaction, the fake Shawn told Mbano that someone called Moro NFPK, was coming with the money to pay everything back and gave a mobile number.

Since that day, Mbano has been trying the number without success, prompting him to make a detailed report to the police.

State Media

The New Government Complex in Gweru, which houses all the provincial government department heads, was partially closed yesterday for fumigation after Provincial Affairs Minister, Senator Larry Mavima, tested positive for Covid-19.

Sen Mavima is in self isolation at home after he became the latest high profile official to contract the disease.

There was little activity at the double storey complex yesterday, which houses over 500 employees.

The second floor, where the Minister, Provincial Development Coordinator and Provincial Public Service Inspector’s offices are located and all its wings, was closed for fumigation with all employees working from home.

At the Provincial Registrar’s Offices, only a handful of people applying for emergency passports and other documents were being assisted, while the majority were turned away.

Midlands Provincial Public Service Inspector, Mr Andrew Chimanyiwa, said the fumigation of the provincial headquarters was being done in phases and will continue today.

“We have temporarily closed the second floor and the rapid response team was fumigating the offices and everything there, he said. “We are currently operating from outside, so tomorrow (today) the fumigation will continue on the ground floor.

What is encouraging and pleasing is that no one has been taken ill, we are just taking precautionary measures. I have also spoken to the Minister, he is in good spirits. He said he is asymptomatic.”

Sen Mavima, who is also the Provincial Covid-19 Taskforce chair, confirmed on Monday that he had contracted the virus, but quickly allayed fears of serious illness, saying he had no other symptoms and was not even feeling sick.

Sen Mavima said the rapid response team collected samples for his contacts and the results were expected today.

“All my contacts were accounted for and the Provincial Medical Director will advise on the results once they have them,” he said.

On Monday, Sen Mavima urged members of the public to continue exercising social distancing, as well as putting on masks when in public places, adding that the country was still strictly observing WHO guidelines in the fight against the spread of the disease.

Morning Post

Around 2 000 nurses in Zimbabwe have downed tools after Government resolved to cancel the flexi hours arrangement which would see nurses who fail to report for duty subjected to disciplinary processes.

At least 1 280 nurses across the country have so far “failed” to heed to the call to return to normal working hours in all the public health institutions and have been summoned to face disciplinary hearings.

Zimbabwe Professional Nurses Union secretary-general Chikobvu Douglas said they will continue to defy Government’s position arguing that flexi working hours are a result of a collective bargaining agreement which is still in place.

“Our membership and our profession is under siege from Government after nurses defiantly refused the unilateral ban on flexi hours,” Douglas told ZimMorningPost.

“We now have approximately 2000 nurses up for hearing. Government breached the CBA agreement and went on to summon our nurses for failing to uphold permanent secretary directive to stop flexing. Government is trampling on the democratic spaces of nurses.”

“As nurses we are defiant because the flexi hours were born from the collective bargaining agreement and this agreement still stands.”

“We aborted strike in favour of amicable negotiations but the Government is now instituting punitive measures against our members. Nurses have no other option but to declare incapacitation and call Government to order and stop all impeding unprocedural hearings upon our membership,” Douglas added.

The decision to take measures against “non-compliant” nurses by Government follows an adverse report presented to Cabinet last week by Vice President and Health minister Constantino Chiwenga.

The Health Services Board (HSB) and Health ministry, against the desires of the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (Zina), saw it fit to ban the flexi hours’ system.

Under the flexi hours regime, nurses working for government would rotate coming to work, with the majority at times reporting for duty for as little as two days per week.

The justification for this was so that those in the healthcare system, particularly nurses, would manage well their incapacitation situation.

Nurses, including many within the public health delivery system, complain that their remunerations fall far below expected levels.

This publication understands that at its sitting last week, Cabinet resolved to cancel the flexi hours arrangement and that nurses who failed to report for duty be subjected to disciplinary processes.

Management at public health institutions was also ordered to take down daily attendance registers for nurses so that they be submitted to the HSB and Health and Child Care Head Office.

It was also ordered by Cabinet that the nursing services be restructured to be supported by three pillars; namely contract workers; Health Service Permanent Workers and Secondment from the Uniformed Forces.

State Media

A 37-year-old man was arrested after allegedly evaded a roadblock along Lomagundi Road in Harare and attempted to bribe a security guard who was manning a farm in the area in a bid to avoid police.

Following his arrest, police recovered 17 bales believed to have been smuggled into the country through Chirundu Border Post.

Malusi Chagwedera of Chinhoyi was arrested on Sunday while driving a Nissan Caravan (AFA 6089), which he was using to transport the smuggled goods.

It is alleged that on approaching a roadblock in the Westgate area, Chagwedera evaded the roadblock by turning left into Goodhope Road, which leads to some farming areas.

During the process, he approached a security guard manning one of the farms and offered him a bribe so that he would be allowed passage.

The head of security at the farm, who was passing near the scene, is reported to have heard the conversation and confronted Chagwedera before alerting the police, leading to his arrest.

Police searched the vehicle and recovered the 17 bales of second-hand clothes.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident and said investigations were in progress.

“On November 1, 2020, a Chinhoyi man evaded a police roadblock and tried to bribe a security guard manning a boom gate at a farm in Harare to allow him passage. He was arrested by police after his vehicle was searched and 17 bales of smuggled clothing were recovered,” he said.

Meanwhile, nine people were arrested in Beitbridge last week after they were intercepted by police crossing into Zimbabwe from South Africa.

The nine were charged under the Immigration Act for exiting the country by evasion.

Two of the suspects were additionally charged for importing hazardous substances without a permit after being found in possession of 80 litres of fuel.

On the same date, at the Masvingo-Beitbridge turnoff, police arrested two women who had smuggled nine sacks containing various clothes. They have since paid the requisite duty.

Police in Mahusekwa also intercepted a green Mercedes Benz Sprinter registration number ADC 3834, along the Harare-Hwedza Road, which was loaded with 22 goats on October 24 at around 0230 hours.

The driver of the vehicle was waived to stop by a motorised police patrol team but failed to stop resulting with a high speed chase.

Police said the driver later stopped and together with four other occupants, they vanished into the darkness.

The goats were recovered, but no report that they were stolen has been made.

Farmers missing their goats can contact officers at Mahusekwa Police Station.

Paul Nyathi

Self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri, his wife Mary and co-accused were on Wednesday granted bail in the Pretoria magistrate’s court

They were granted bail of R200 000 each with strict conditions .

As part of the bail condition Bushiri and his wife have to hand in their title deed for their property in Centurion as a guarantee.

They are also not allowed to make any comments in their church services about witnesses, the prosecution team and those involved in the case.

Bushiri and his wife are facing charges of fraud, theft and money laundering.

The other accused in the matter Landiwe Ntlokwana got bail of R100 000 Mudolo Zethu was given bail of R20 000.

All of the accused have to report at a nearby police station on Monday and Friday between 6am and 6pm.

“Accused number four and five (the Bushiris) are barred from travelling anywhere else in the republic of South Africa. They can only travel within Gauteng and North West province until the case is finalized,” said magistrate Thandi Theledi.

State Media

Government is working on modalities to avail funds that will enable the Registrar General’s office to clear the passport backlog.

Home affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe recently said a comprehensive strategy had put in place to deal with the issue of outstanding passports.

He said although funds that had initially been raised for this purpose had been channeled towards fighting the Covid 19 pandemic, Treasury was working on making more funds available.

“The Minister of Finance and Economic Development Professor Mthuli Ncube is now seized with the matter to avail the funds and we will be able to clear the passport backlog,” he said.

“I am happy that we managed to do 200 000 passports during the lockdown period so our backlog has actually come down significantly, but we also take note that no one was applying. I hope the Ministry of Finance will soon avail the funds for us to buy some consumables and machinery as well.”

Minister Kazembe said he was confident that Government would deal with bottlenecks that have been limiting production of travel documents.

For the past few years, the passport backlog has been growing and before the lockdown, production had been seriously affected by increasing applications and foreign currency shortages.

In Manicaland alone, applications for passports had gone up to 50 000 by the time the Registrar’s office stopped taking new ones.

Manicaland Provincial Registrar Ms Joyce Munamati said the province had issued a total of 9 000 passports during the lockdown period.

A Harare man has approached the Harare Civil Court seeking the cancellation of the birth certificate of his child after DNA tests showed that he was not the father.

Edmund Mutambara has made an application for cancellation of the birth certificate of the child after his girlfriend Josephine Nekazhu allegedly lied that the baby was his.

However, the paternity test proved that Mutambara is not the father of the child. In the application, Mutambara, cited Nekazhu and the messenger of court as the first and second respondents respectively.

Circumstances are that, sometime in April last year, Mutambara was involved in an intimate relationship with Nekazhu and in June, Nekazhu fell pregnant and she told Mutambara that it was his pregnancy.

On October 14, 2019, Nekazhu gave birth and her maternity records reflected that she delivered after carrying the baby to full term.

Mutambara started disputing paternity of the minor child since the two had only known each other for only seven months when the baby was born.

According to Mutambara’s affidavit in January 2020, Nekazhu threatened that she will claim maintenance for the minor child if he refused to contribute to the child’s upkeep.

Nekazhu reportedly told Mutambara that she has secured a birth certificate for the minor child through the messenger of court and that it indicated that he was the biological father of the child.

This did not go well with Mutambara since the birth certificate was issued without his knowledge or consent and he had never surrendered his identification particulars to Nekazhu as is the norm.

Mutambara then engaged Nekazhu’s relatives so that DNA tests could be done to determine the child’s paternity.

In March, this year, DNA tests were done after samples were taken from Mutambara and the baby after consent from both parties.

The DNA test results came out on August 25 this year and they indicated that the probability of Mutambara being the father of the baby was zero percent.

The results were explained to the parties and Nekazhu did not dispute them. She pleaded with Mutambara to seek advice on how to cancel the birth certificate so that the matter can be resolved amicably.

The matter has been set down for November 9 for hearing at the Harare Civil Court.

Prisca Mupfumira wants Chief Magistrate Mr Munamato Mutevedzi to recuse himself from the case in which she is jointly charged with former Public Service Commission secretary Ngoni Masoka on criminal abuse of office and concealing a transaction from a principal saying he has dealt and dismissed her other applications and “has already formulated an opinion on the matter”.

Mupfumira and Masoka are alleged to have misappropriated a US$90 000 loan facility and paying for air tickets to South Africa worth more than R10 000 without the authority’s approval.

Through her lawyer, Advocate Sylvester Hashiti, Mupfumira made the application after Mr Mutevedzi dismissed her application to have the trial deferred to another day pending a Supreme Court determination on her appeal against High Court decision to dismiss a review of her application for exception to the charges.

Adv Hashiti had argued that the outcome of the Supreme Court decision will have a bearing on the on going trial since it has already been set down for hearing.

But Mr Mutevedzi dismissed the application saying there was no order from the upper courts that compel him to stay proceedings pending determination of her appeal.

The State was set to call a third witness to testify during Mupfumira and Masoka’s trial.

Mr Jonathan Chingwinyiso and Mr Tafara Chirambira, prosecuting, are expected to respond to the application for Mr Mutevedzi’s recusal.

President Mnangagwa has this afternoon left the country for Tanzania to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President John Magufuli following his re-election for a second five-year term last week.

The swearing-in ceremony is expected to be held at Jamhuri Stadium in Tanzania’s capital city of Dodoma tomorrow.

The President was seen off at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport by Vice Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi, Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Harare provincial affairs minister, Oliver Chidau, service chiefs and senior Government officials.

The President is being accompanied by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Sibusiso Moyo and other senior Government officials.

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader, President Nelson Chamisa, has strongly condemned the persecution of leading journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono.

Chin’ono was arrested by law and order officers on Tuesday evening.He is expected to appear in court tomorrow.

President Chamisa described Chin’ono’s arrest as a desperate move by Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s cornered administration to gag the firebrand journalist.

“Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono has been arrested this evening (Tuesday) for commenting on the judges letter complaing against their work conditions.

This only happens in a Banana republic.

This is a desperate act to shut him down from social media. #freeHope

JournalismIsNotaCrime,” President Chamisa said in a statement.

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader, President Nelson Chamisa, has strongly condemned the persecution of leading journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono.

Chin’ono was arrested by law and order officers on Tuesday evening.He is expected to appear in court tomorrow.

President Chamisa described Chin’ono’s arrest as a desperate move by Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s cornered administration to gag the firebrand journalist.

“Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono has been arrested this evening (Tuesday) for commenting on the judges letter complaing against their work conditions.

This only happens in a Banana republic.

This is a desperate act to shut him down from social media. #freeHope

JournalismIsNotaCrime,” President Chamisa said in a statement.

Tinashe Sambiri|Zimbabwe is now a mafia state as a result of brutality and rampant looting of State Resources, MDC Alliance vice president, Hon Tendai Biti has said.

Hon Biti blasted Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration for torturing hapless citizens and stealing State resources.

“In 3 years of their existence they have turned Zim into a gluttonous arena of extraction and embarked on a massive feeding frenzy.

Wether it’s minerals,procurement,FX, agriculture inputs,drugs, buses the Mnangwagwa regime has no restraint nor elasticity.

Zim has become mafia state,” Hon Biti wrote on Twitter.

By A Correspondent- A group of parents has given Government a seven-day ultimatum to resolve teachers’ incapacitation as the situation was violating their children’s right to education.

A Bulawayo parent, Patrick Sande, said 295 parents have already signed the petition, but they were still trying to get more signatures to force the government to resolve the impasse.

Said Sande:

“We are petitioning the Primary and Secondary Education ministry for violating our children’s right to education under section 86 of the Constitution.

We know that there are some labour issues between the employer and the employee but the impact is now violating our children’s rights.

… As parents, we do not care about their fights, but all we want is to see our children being taught at school.

We also wonder what criterion is being used in setting the exams by the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (ZIMSEC) when children have not been learning.

Meanwhile, the National Association of Schools Development Committees acting president Maxwell Mkandla said teachers were also to blame as they are getting salaries without teaching.

Mkandla urged the government to close schools for now and open them next year after recruiting teachers.-newsday

By A Correspondent- A 23 year old Chivhu woman on Monday allegedly struck her husband with a log during a dispute over a towel, which resulted in his death.

Mashonaland East police spokesperson Inspector Tendai Mwanza yesterday said Eneresi Nyandoro of Mutoro area in Chivhu struck her now-deceased husband, Shadreck Phiri (28), with a log during an altercation.

“On Monday, Nyandoro went to Mandadya River for laundry. She took a towel which she shared with her husband and returned late in the evening. A misunderstanding ensued between the two pertaining to why she had spent the whole day at the river with the towel,” Mwanza said.

The following day, they resumed the argument.

It is said that Phiri took a log and struck his wife once on the head.

But Nyandoro then wrested the log from him and struck him on the head.

Phiri later went into the bedroom complaining of a severe headache. His wife informed their employer, who drove from Harare and took him to Nyamhere Clinic.

He was, however, referred to Chivhu General Hospital, but he died before admission. Nyandoro is said to have sustained internal injuries.

The matter was reported to the police, leading to Nyandoro’s arrest.

Barely a month ago, a woman from the Featherstone area of Chivhu was arraigned before the courts on murder charges after she hacked her husband to death with an axe during a domestic dispute.

Mwanza urged the public to resolve domestic disputes amicably to avoid loss of life over petty issues.-Newsday

Tinashe Sambiri|The facilitators of the July 31 Movement Job Sikhala and Jacob Ngarivhume have denounced the persecution of prominent journalist Hopewell Chin’ono by the panicky Zanu PF administration.

Sikhala also “confronted” Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa over violation of human rights.

According to Sikhala, the movement will not allow Mr Mnangagwa to torment citizens at will.

Watch video below:

THIRTEEN suspected MDC-Alliance activists, who allegedly ran amok, destroying windows and cutting padlocks with bolt cutters at Harvest House last week appeared in court yesterday charged with public violence.

The rowdy youths, who are said to have been armed with stones, iron bars and bolt cutters also attacked motorists and pedestrians who passed through the area.

Victor Machavhaira (37), Shame Chidzonga (34), Mafaiti Mubaiwa (32), Angirai Mowotidhi (42) and Forward Sezali (40) initially appeared before magistrate Ms Judith Taruvinga on Monday and were remanded in custody to yesterday for bail ruling after prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa had opposed bail.

The other eight Paul Gorekore (37), Peter Shonhiwa (35), Godfrey Katsaya (24), Lloyd Zhou (36), Richard Dube (21), Onisimo Chaitezvi (30), Sign Chanachimweza (29) and Washington Dzungwa (37) appeared on a separate record yesterday.

They were all released on $1 500 bail each after their lawyer Mr Moses Mavhaire successfully applied for bail. They were ordered to report once a week to the police and not to interfere with witnesses.

It is the State’s case that on October 29 at around 10am, the gang while acting in common purpose with others who are still at large teamed up within the CBD.

They walked towards Harvest House along Nelson Mandela and while on the way, the gang allegedly disturbed the peace and order in the CBD.

It is alleged that they also assaulted members of the public. When they got to Harvest house, they destroyed the front window panes using stones before cutting the key locks on the screeengate using bolt cutters, the court heard.

The police reacted and arrested Machavhaira, Chidzonga, Mubaiwa, Mowotidhi and Sezali while others escaped.

On the same day at around 11 pm, Gorekore, Shonhiwa, Katsaya, Zhou, Dube, Chaitezvi, Chanachimweza, Dzungwa returned to Harvest house leading to their arrest.

According to the state, Mowotidhi and Sizali have pending cases before the same court.

-State Media

Zengeza west legislator Job Sikhala is currently addressing a press conference where he is speaking about the arrest of journalist Hopewell Chin’ono.

WATCH VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Despite their recent clash on social media over the role of musicians in standing for people against dictatorship, musician Jah Prayzah has extended a heart warming message to journalist Hopewell Chin’ono who was arrested yesterday.

Posting on Twitter, Jah Prayzah only said;

“You are always in our prayers mukoma” the lanky crooner said with a picture of Chin’ono.

Chin’ono spend over 40 days in remand prison when he was initially arrested on the 18th of July ahead of their anti-corruption protests.

He wasarrested again yesterday charged with interfering in the work of the judiciary system after he alleged that the Chief Justice Luke Malaba was seen leaving the Harare Magistrates Court on the day he was denied bail.

OUTSPOKEN Norton MP, Temba Mliswa has described the recently introduced government-funded pfumvudza farming programme as another scheme created to loot state resources.

Pfumvudza, the government’s climate proofed presidential inputs programme, is a farming method that was revived by the government for the 2020/21 summer farming season to support small-scale farmers who have limited farming equipment to optimise their production and ensure household and national food and nutrition security.

Small-scale farmers who have been supplied with free farming inputs by the government are expected to produce 1.8 million tonnes of maize and 360 000 tonnes of oilseeds.

However, Mliswa said the much-touted pfumvudza was a failure and a waste of resources. He also claimed the scheme was open for abuse and most of the inputs would find their way onto the black market.

“During this time of the season, you see many shops that sell agricultural inputs being set up. The recent arrest of a councillor and Agritex officers is because of the cartel they have set up to sell government inputs from government,” said Mliswa.

“Agritex must ensure that farmers receiving inputs under the pfumvudza programme have land. They must be able to account for it rather being excited that 1.8 million seed packs have been distributed when half of it is being sold on the black market.”

A Chegutu councillor, two soldiers and a police officer were last week arrested for allegedly diverting $1,1 million worth of inputs meant for small-scale farmers under pfumvudza.

Also, in Chegutu, a general hand at the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depot, two Agritex extension workers, and a transporter were also arrested. They allegedly inflated the list of beneficiaries using names of non-existent farmers before grabbing tonnes of inputs.

Councillor (Independent) for Ward 23 Ngoni Mupfudza (51), two master sergeants at Jason Ziyapapa Moyo Airbase – Perfect Dhliwayo (36) and Talent Chiota, two Agritex employees – Margret Manda (49) and Patricia Chemhazo (53), a general had at GMB Pepukai Mamvura (26), Constable Bridget Mutondoro of ZRP Chegutu and a transporter Dominic Zinyakatira appeared at Chegutu Magistrates’ Court and were freed on bail.

Mliswa said the government, instead of embarking on pfumvudza should have identified farmers with the capacity, provide them with agriculture inputs, and revive obsolete irrigation infrastructure.

“From a food security point of view, we must be identifying farmers with the capacity so that we deal with national food security,” Mliswa told NewZimbabwe.com Tuesday.

“The rainfall pattern has not been good, so how much will be harvested and how much is lost in terms of millions of dollars in buying inputs.

“If those inputs were going to empower farmers with A2 farms, rehabilitating irrigation infrastructure and making sure that farmers given inputs have the capacity, and will be able to see the season through because of the irrigation which is there.”

The politician who is also into large-scale described farming as having irrigation infrastructure.

“We have got water bodies which are plenty but what is lacking is the irrigation facilities which are not there. So it is important that we are seen rehabilitating the irrigation infrastructure for us to be able to make sure that we are food secure.

“We are importing so much when we don’t need to import and priority is important. What the people in the rural areas want is food security.

-NewZimbabwe

Zanu PF Acting Spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa has commented on the ongoing United States elections saying there is nothing to learn from the plebiscite he claimed is marred by incidences including barricading of roads among other issues.

He said there are no observers from Africa in the United States elections saying African countries should not go out of their way to invite the international community to observe elections when they do not do the same to them.

Watch video below….

By A Correspondent- The MDC T leadership is keen to hold talks with President Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF with a view to forming a new government of national unity (GNU).

Acting national chairman Morgen Komichi and secretary general Douglas Mwonzora said that another GNU would help to resolve many of the country’s myriad challenges.

Komichi and Mwonzora confirmed the party was keen on talks with Zanu-PF saying the talks will culminate in a mechanism that will alleviate the people’s suffering just as what happened in 2008.

Mwonzora said that MDC had already put in motion plans to hold talks with Zanu-PF.

Informal talks between Zanu-PF and the party had already begun.

By A Correspondent- The ruling Zanu-PF party has reportedly rejected 3 000 CVs from potential candidates for the party’s district co-ordinating committee (DCC) elections over their alleged association with the vanquished G40 faction.

Exiled G40 kingpins confirmed the development yesterday while former Zanu-PF Mashonaland West provincial chairperson and Norton legislator Temba Mliswa
(Independent) claimed that ruling party members affiliated to his Youth Advocacy for Reform and Democracy (Yard) project were also barred from contesting in the DCC elections.

But party acting spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa rubbished the claims, accusing the G40 leaders of creating a false impression that they still had a lot of influence in the ruling party.

Zanu-PF recently accused the G40 elements of sponsoring candidates to infiltrate its structures ahead of the 2023 elections.

Exiled former Zanu-PF national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere claimed they had received reports from their sympathisers on the ground that they were being sidelined as G40 elements.

“Out of about 5 000 applications for the DCC positions, well over 3 000 have been turned down because they are not (President Emmerson) Mnangagwa’s favourites,” he said.

“This includes those removed before the provinces considered their names. It’s been a bloodbath. G40 leaders have called upon those affected to remain within the party and not allow its destruction. The divisions are being perpetuated by people with little knowledge of the party and who are on their way out. Cadres must be patient and ultimately, democracy within the party will be restored. It’s been this unconstitutional behaviour that is causing pain and turmoil within the party.

“Matured and measured response to barbaric behaviour will not last. Unity in the party is essential and in good time it shall be well.”

In Mashonaland East province, some of the top Zanu-PF officials disqualified from contesting in the DCC elections include Lawrence Katsiru and Boniface Mutize, who were eyeing the Marondera and Goromonzi district chairmanship, respectively.

Former Goromonzi West legislator Biata Nyamupinga was also disqualified from contesting for chairperson position for the women’s league in Goromonzi district, while Joyce Chiroodza failed to make it in the same district after bidding for the post of secretary for legal affairs.

Mliswa claimed that Zanu-PF was using DCC elections to purge perceived G40 and Yard members.

“Allegations of this one being aligned to this person are rife to a point where they even accuse certain people of being on my side in Yard, yet Yard is actually a youth movement, it’s apolitical and remains apolitical. The DCCs are really exposing Zanu-PF’s failure to be a democratic party. Campaigns are littered with incidents of vetted lists being submitted to the PCCs with names missing,” he tweeted.

The late former President Robert Mugabe was in 2013 forced to disband the DCCs claiming they were divisive.-Newsday

 By A Correspondent- Zimbabwean government said it will deploy military medical personnel at all State hospitals to avoid disruptions caused by striking civilian nurses and doctors.

Government resolved that nursing services be restructured to be supported by three pillars namely contract workers, health services permanent workers and secondment from the uniformed forces.

Mutsvangwa said the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA), a union representing thousands of nurses, had openly defied the Cabinet’s decision to cancel the flexi hours arrangement while other unions have accepted the decision.

Daily attendance registers will therefore be submitted to the Health Service Board (HSB) and all nurses who fail to report for duty will be subjected to disciplinary processes. Said Mutsvangwa:

Cabinet was briefed by VP Chiwenga, as the Minister of Health and Child Care, on the withdrawal of labour by nurses.

At its 38th meeting held on October 28, 2020, Cabinet was informed that the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) openly challenged the Cabinet decision on the cancellation of the flexi-working arrangement and defied the secretary for Health and Child Care directive for the association to reverse its statement.

Cabinet resolved to cancel the flexi hours arrangement and that nurses who fail to report for duty be subjected to disciplinary processes, that daily attendance registers for nurses be submitted to the Health Service Board (HSB) and the Ministry of Health and Child Care head office, and that nursing services be restructured to be supported by three pillars, namely contract workers, health service permanent workers, and secondment from the uniformed forces.

… A total of 1 280 nurses failed to heed to the call to return to normal working hours.

The flexi-working arrangement was introduced early this year to deal with nurses’ incapacitation and also to mitigate an acute shortage of personal protective equipment (PPEs).-newsday

By A Correspondent- Former chief magistrate Mishrod Guvamombe’s trial on charges of criminal abuse of office and defeating the course of justice resumed at the High Court yesterday with his ex-deputy Elijah Makomo taking to the witness stand.

Makomo told Justice Felistas Chatukuta that contrary to State claims that he was forced to recuse himself in a matter where he was conflicted, he did so of his own volition.

The State had alleged that Guvamombe forced Makomo to recuse himself from a matter involving businessman Nathan Mnaba.

In his testimony, Makomo said he took the decision to recuse himself from handling the matter following complaints raised by both Mnaba, who was the accused in the matter and Nighert Parween Savania who was the complainant.

He was asked to read a report which he authored in response to the allegations that had been raised against him for having failed to properly handle the trial leading to his recusal.

Makomo dismissed allegations that he had received a US$8 000 bribe from Savania and further challenged Mnaba to prove his allegations.

Through his lawyers, Jonathan Samukange and Brighton Pabwe, Guvamombe denied the charges being levelled against him, accusing his former workmates and colleagues of concocting the charges to cover up their sexual abuse cases.

In one of the counts, Guvamombe is accused of allowing former Cabinet ministers Supa Mandiwanzira and Saviour Kasukuwere to be attached at the Harare Magistrates Court from the University of Zimbabwe while facing criminal charges.

In his defence, he told the court that his actions were above board since he delegated the issue of the students’ attachment to Makomo, who then forwarded the matter to the human resources department for implementation.

When the trial started, Judicial Service Commission secretary Walter Chikwanha absolved Guvamombe of any wrongdoing, saying the commission then did not have a proper policy on student attaches.-newsday

By A Correspondent- High Court judge Justice Erica Ndewere, who has taken President Emmerson Mnangagwa to court seeking to interdict him from setting up a tribunal to investigate her for alleged misconduct, has applied for Justice Davison Foroma to recuse himself from the case saying she preferred a retired judge.

Her lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa of Mtetwa and Nyambirai made the application yesterday, but no determination was made.

Justice Ndewere argued that sitting judges would not freely rule against their superiors Chief Justice Luke Malaba, Judicial Service Commission and Judge President Justice George Chiweshe, whom she cited as respondents.

The matter was postponed to today to allow Attorney-General Prince Matshaya to respond to her application on behalf of the State.

NewsDay is also reliably informed that Mnangagwa and Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi have not yet filed opposing papers, a situation which is assumed to indicate their unhappiness with the simmering dispute that is tarnishing the image of the country and the Judiciary.

Justice Ndewere is denying the allegations, which she says were fabricated by Chief Justice Malaba in order to incriminate her after she spurned unlawful orders to deny bail to former Environment minister Priscah Mupfumira and opposition MDC Alliance vice-chairperson Job Sikhala.

Section 165(3) of the Constitution states that: “When making a judicial decision, a member of the Judiciary must make it freely and without interference or undue influence.”

The High Court Act also states that: “In the exercise of his judicial authority, a member of the Judiciary shall not be subject to the direction or control of any person or authority.”

Legal experts say that the allegation of impropriety by a High Court judge against the Chief Justice is unprecedented in the history of the Judiciary in Zimbabwe and cannot be swept under the carpet without an investigation by a tribunal to clear the Chief Justice.

Malaba, who is 69 years old, was due for retirement in eight months, but Cabinet recently approved the extension of his tenure from 70 years to 75 years.

ByA Correspondent- Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has threatened to roll out a nationwide strike to press for United States dollar-based salaries and better working conditions.

ZCTU president Peter Mutasa yesterday said the labour body was mobilising for the national shutdown with the date for the showdown set to be announced soon.

“It’s true we are mobilising for the national shutdown,” Mutasa said.

He also took to Twitter to mobilise for the mass protests.

“Workers and citizens of Zimbabwe arise. Towards a general strike! Our struggle is not going to be one day, one week, one month or a year, but lifetime. Speak up against any form of injustice, oppression or exploitation,” he posted.

“Workers have been demanding that they be paid a living wage. Since February, the labour movement representatives at the Tripartite Negotiating Forum have been clear that workers must be paid in US dollars in order to restore the value that has been eroded by inflation and devaluation,” Mutasa wrote.

“The government and business representatives requested for six months to either stabilise the economy or dollarise. The government has dollarised almost everything, including trade and taxes, except salaries.”

The call for the mass protests came at a time teachers’ unions are divided, with other unions accusing Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta) of selling out the struggle.

This was after Zimta Nicodemously met with President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Monday last week, where they agreed on a US$320 minimum wage, down from their common position of US$520.

Past protests by the labour unions have often turned violent after government unleashed soldiers on protesters. Protests led by ZCTU in January last year resulted in 18 deaths.

 By A Correspondent- The Health Services Board (HSB) has removed 1 032 nurses from the payroll after they refused to resume normal working hours and insisted on the continuation of the flexi-working arrangement.

He said the nurses who are not working the normal hours will not be paid and the board has instituted disciplinary action against them. Said Sikosana:

We have removed 1 032 nurses from the paysheet. They defied a Government directive and we were left with no option.

The affected nurses, most of who were on the staff of central hospitals, face a variety of penalties depending on charges and circumstances.

These include dismissal or being placed on fixed-term contracts if they return as part of a proposed restructuring of the public health sector.

The HSB employees between 16 000 and 18 000 nurses and this imply that less than 8 per cent of the nursing staff will be affected by the twin developments.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa told a post-cabinet media briefing on Tuesday that the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) has defied Government’s directive to terminate the flexi hours arrangement which has left authorities with no option.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- A probe into the alleged secret nostro accounts allegedly held by suspended Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) boss Henrietta Rushwaya has absolved the former football administrator of any wrongdoing.

Rushwaya was suspended from ZMF last Monday following her arrest at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport while trying to smuggle more than 6kg of gold worth US$330 000 to Dubai.

The federation immediately set up a special committee to probe allegations that Rushwaya was operating nosto accounts in the name of ZMF without the knowledge of other members.

ZMF chairperson Makumba Nyenje yesterday confirmed that they investigated the accounts, and established that they were above board.

“Actually, they are not secret accounts, they are accounts which they opened on behalf of the organisation,” Nyenje said.

“We discovered that they were waiting for other signatories to bring their documents. It is above board and no money has been deposited into the accounts.”

ZMF general-secretary Philemon Mokuele last week said miners deposited their fees in the accounts and there were fears that the money could have been abused.

“In the meeting, the treasurer-general highlighted that there were CBZ nostro accounts where miners deposited fees. We then discovered that these accounts were not official, hence our decision to set up a committee headed by the treasurer-general to look into the issue as well as audit all ZMF accounts,” Mokuele said then.

Rushwaya and her accomplices, Gift Karanda, business partner Ali Mohammed, Central Intelligence Organisation operatives Stephen Tserayi and Raphios Mufandauya and two top police officers are languishing in remand prison awaiting ruling on their bail application.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- The husband of a woman who allegedly stole a baby from its mother at a grocery store in Harare last month was arrested in Murombedzi, Zvimba, in Mashonaland West Province on Monday.

Gift Chemhuru (40) was arrested by police at his homestead in Zvimba in connection with the kidnapping of four-week-old Tamiranashe Chadwick at Spar Supermarket, Montague Shopping Centre in Harare on 22 October 2020.

The woman suspected of snatching the baby, Mirriam Bwanali, who is Chemhuru’s wife, escaped before police could apprehend her. National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said in a statement:

The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirms the arrest of Gift Chemhuru (40) following the kidnapping of a four-week-old baby at Spar Supermarket, Montague Shopping Centre, Harare on 22nd October 2020.

The baby was rescued from the suspect’s homestead on 2nd November 2020 in Zvimba following a tip-off from members of the public who heard the baby crying incessantly without being breastfed.

The baby was taken to Zvimba District Hospital.

Meanwhile, police are looking for the key suspect in this case, Mirriam Bwanali, the wife of Gift Chemhuru, in connection with the same matter. She escaped during the time police were called in.

Gift Chemhuru was also wanted for Theft and Motor Vehicle related offences.

The baby has since been reunited with its parents after they were called in by the police and positively identified him.

By A Correspondent- Henrietta Rushwaya is now stating that she picked up the wrong bag with four gold bars weighing 6kg, instead of a similar bag with her clothes when she went to the airport over a week ago and that her arrest was being used for political expedience aimed at “soiling” the name of the First Family.

Although she acknowledged owning the gold in question, Rushwaya told the court that there was a “mix-up” of bags when she left home for the airport ending with her picking the wrong bag containing gold instead of the one with her clothes.

Through her lawyer Mr Tapson Dzvetero, Rushwaya said the handbag containing gold was loaded into her car instead of a similar handbag containing the clothes she intended to travel with.

Mr Dzvetero said this was brought to the attention of the investigating officer, who initially handled the matter upon Rushwaya’s arrest at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on October 26.

He said this while cross-examining the investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector Michael Chibaya, during Rushwaya’s bail application.

Rushwaya is appearing before Harare regional magistrate Mr Ngoni Nduna along with Pakistani business tycoon Ali Muhamad, State security agents Stephen Tserai and Raphios Mufandauya, and miner Gift Karanda.

They are facing allegations in various groups of smuggling, illegal possession of gold, criminal abuse of office and obstructing the course of justice.

“The bag was similar to another bag which she was about to carry out of the country. The wrong bag was put into her vehicle and she did not have the knowledge of the contents that she took to the RGM Airport and she realised this at the point the scanners revealed that there was gold. Will you dispute that the investigating officer, one Bruno Chiketo, captured this aspect which is critical to her defence when she interviewed first accused (Rushwaya) upon her arrest at airport,” asked Mr Dzvetero.

Detective chief inspector Chibaya could not dispute the averments saying: “Yes, she could have indicated that.”

Mr Dzvetero went on to say that Rushwaya’s arrest has since been politicised.

“My client is now being played a political victim which explains why once a simple matter was transferred to Law and Order. We hear of name dropping of the First Family and it has now political connotations,” he said.

Mr Dzvetero distanced Rushwaya from the commercial invoice bearing the name of Ali Muhamad’s company, Ali Japan 786 Limited, that the State says was found in possession of Rushwaya upon her arrest at the airport.

He said the document was manufactured.

“She denies ever having given anyone a document that was said to belong to Ali. Without you having seen it you are uncertain to tell the court whether it forms the exhibit. The commercial invoice is a cooked up document which is being used for political expedience,” said Dzvetero.

Detective chief inspector Chibaya in his response said police compiled facts from witnesses’ statements which pointed out that the documents were recovered from Rushwaya upon her arrest.

“There are many witnesses we recorded statements from. There are some police officers arrested for having connived with accused persons to alter some information to the advantage of the accused persons. It was like we were starting investigations. I interviewed first investigations officer (Bruno Chiketo) when she (Rushwaya) indicated that the gold was not hers and it belonged to Ali which was further supported by documents in Ali’s name,” he said.

Answering to why the matter was being handled at the Law and Order unit instead of the Minerals Flora and Fauna Unit and whether her permit was of importance to the case of illegal possession of gold, Detec Chief Insp Chibaya said: “That is an administrative question that should be dealt with at Police General Headquarters.

“I feel this document (commercial invoice) will be of no importance to Rushwaya because there are conditions set and given by the issuing authority as to how the holder should deal with the gold. “I have never seen where it is written giving permission for one to take it for export without RBZ authority taking into cognisance the place where she was arrested.” The hearing continues today.

Meanwhile, two police officers, Douglas Shoko and Paul Chimungu, who are being accused of failing to arrest Ali Muhamad and altering his statements that implicated him in the smuggling deal, were denied bail.

Deputy chief magistrate Mrs Bianca Makwande denied the duo bail saying they were likely to interfere with witnesses. They are expected to appear in court on November 16 for routine remand. Shoko and Chimungu are charged with criminal abuse of office.-statemedia

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

THE six-man armed gang that on Monday robbed a Fawcett Security cash-in-transit van of undisclosed amount of money at the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe (CBZ) branch in Bulawayo, on the same day robbed a Kezi-based gold buyer of US$4 000 after masquerading as police officers.

In Bulawayo, the robbers hijacked a black Mercedes Benz and drove to CBZ where they disarmed security guards before driving away in an armoured Fawcett vehicle with an undisclosed amount of money belonging to Zupco.

The armoured vehicle was later dumped in Woodlands and the robbers hijacked a Nissan Hardbody in Ilanda which they also later abandoned.

It emerged yesterday that the robbers proceeded to Kezi with the hijacked Mercedes Benz where they robbed a Fidelity Printers agent.

It was also revealed that when they pounced at the bank, the robbers were driving two vehicles including the hijacked Mercedes Benz and they split after the robbery.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the robbery in Kezi, 98kms from Bulawayo.

“Police are investigating a case of a Fidelity Printers’ agent who was robbed by four people at gunpoint in Kezi.

“They were driving a black Mercedes Benz that was stolen in Bulawayo and used to rob the cash-in-transit van in the city in the morning. The black Mercedes Benz model C200 has a registration number AFB 0202,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

He said the robbers masqueraded as members of the security services to gain entry into the gold agent’s home.

“The robbers travelled to Kezi and went to the gold buyer’s house and presented themselves as people who wanted to deal in gold. Then they changed their story and said they were members of the security services and she then allowed them in. They produced pistols and force-marched the complainant and her friend into the house before ransacking the home. They took her hand bag which had US$4 000. They tied them up using a rope and threw them on the bed and left,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

He said when the gang robbed the cash-in-transit van at the CBZ, they were driving two cars that included the hijacked Maercedez Benz.

Asst Comm Nyathi urged members of the public who might have information leading to the arrest of the robbers to contact any nearest police station.

“We know that these people are out there and are known. They are hiding somewhere or someone is benefiting from their criminal activities,” said Asst Com Nyathi.

THE Meteorological Services Department (MSD) has warned of violent and destructive thunderstorms as light rains are expected across the country until Friday.

Most parts of the country received rains yesterday and areas such as Matopos in Matobo district, Matabeleland South province had hailstorm.

MSD head of forecasting Mr James Ngoma said the rains would not exceed 50 millimetres.

“We are expecting isolated showers across most of the country until Friday. We will then have a slight break over the weekend and another downpour in the coming week. The downpours are expected to be of at least 50 millimetres (mm) in localised areas. This is a moderate pour because when we speak of heavy downpours it exceeds 50mm,” said Mr Ngoma.

“The rains are not really meaningful but the biggest disadvantage is that the rains might bring a lot of destructive elements such as hail, lightning and strong winds.”

He said members of the public should avoid being outdoors during the rains especially when there is lightning.

Two people were struck by lightning in Gokwe last month.

“We advise members of the public to be indoors when its raining. If you are doing your land preparations it’s not safe to be in the fields when there is lightning. The potential of lightning strikes is very high when you are in the fields.

The easiest way to note whether you are in a safe proximity of lightning storm, is that when you see lightning and can’t count to 30 before you hear the thunder then you know that you are not safe,” he said.

“In terms of strong winds, make sure that your roofing is secure and if there is any chance of lightning and you have no shelter its always not advisable to hide under a tree. You should instead crouch on the ground as low as possible.”

Mr Ngoma urged farmers to follow updates from Agritex officers on the step to follow as they prepare for the 2020/21 farming season.

MSD among other weather experts have projected normal to above normal rainfalls in the 2020/2021 rainy season.

The projections have excited agriculturalists as they hope it would spur better yields in the coming cropping season as the country has received successive poor rainfalls in the past two seasons resulting in drought.

In view of the hazards that come with the projected heavy rains, Cabinet last month approved a US$32 million budget to capacitate the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) in dealing with rain related disasters in the 2020/21 rainy season.

NewsDay

PARENTS have given the government a seven-day ultimatum to resolve the salary impasse with teachers, saying the strike was violating children’s right to education.

A Bulawayo parent Patrick Sande told NewsDay in an interview that due to the impasse, a group of parents had decided to petition the Primary and Secondary Education ministry to press for payment of a living wage to teachers.

He said parents wanted President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to use the country’s mineral resources to improve teachers’ salaries.

Sande said 295 parents had signed the petition, but they were still soliciting for more signatures to force government to resolve the impasse.

“We are petitioning the Primary and Secondary Education ministry for violating our children’s right to education under section 86 of the Constitution. We know that there are some labour issues between the employer and the employee but the impact is now violating our children’s rights,” Sande said.

“The government is not budging and does not want to pay what is being demanded by the teachers. The end result is that our children are not learning. That is a violation of the Constitution. The government should simply pay the teachers as the examinations are by the corner. What will our children write?”

Sande said parents would not tolerate any claims by the government that they were incapacitated in terms of financial resources to pay teachers.

“Zimbabwe has plenty of minerals; the government should prioritise where to allocate resources. If they do not prioritise the education sector, they are violating section 86 of the Constitution,” he said.

“The Primary and Secondary Education ministry and the President Emmerson Mnangagwa should ensure that the right to education is not violated.”

He added: “As parents, we do not care about their fights, but all we want is to see our children being taught at school. We also wonder what criterion is being used in setting the exams by the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) when children have not been learning.”

National Association of Schools Development Committees acting president Maxwell Mkandla said the government should close schools for now and open them next year after recruiting teachers.

“Government should just close schools. There are no teachers. The teachers are also to blame because every month they are getting their salaries but are not teaching,” Mkandla said.

NewsDay

GOVERNMENT has resolved to deploy military medical personnel at all State hospitals to avoid disruptions caused by striking civilian nurses and doctors.

BY BLESSED MHLANGA

The move, which is widely viewed as Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga’s attempts to militarise hospitals in order to deal with striking health personnel, comes at a time the Health ministry announced that there were no vacant posts for doctors at government hospitals and, therefore, graduates seeking employment should consider joining the army and the Zimbabwe Republic Police as clinicians.

In a post-Cabinet media briefing yesterday, Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said government would now replace striking nurses with medical professionals from uniformed

forces.

“Government resolved that nursing services be restructured to be supported by three pillars namely contract workers, health services permanent workers and secondment from the uniformed forces,” Mutsvangwa said.

“Cabinet was briefed by VP Chiwenga, as the Minister of Health and Child Care, on the withdrawal of labour by nurses. At its 38th meeting held on October 28, 2020, Cabinet was informed that the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (Zina) openly challenged the Cabinet decision on the cancellation of the flexi-working arrangement and defied the secretary for Health and Child Care directive for the association to reverse its statement.

“Cabinet resolved to cancel the flexi hours arrangement and that nurses who fail to report for duty be subjected to disciplinary processes, that daily attendance registers for nurses be submitted to the Health Service Board (HSB) and the Ministry of Health and Child Care head office, and that nursing services be restructured to be supported by three pillars, namely contract workers, health service permanent workers, and secondment from the uniformed forces,” she said.

Mutsvangwa said some nurses had continued to defy the government directive banning the flexi hours regime.

“The various nurses’ labour organisations comprising the Zimbabwe Nurses Association, Confederation of Nurses Association, Theatre Nurses Association and the Nurses Educators Association met with the Health Services Board and resolved to comply with the government directive, save for the Zimbabwe Nurses Association. A total of 1 280 nurses failed to heed to the call to return to normal working hours,” she said.

As a result, Mutsvangwa said the HSB has started instituting disciplinary hearings for the defiant nurses.

Nurses have been engaged in strike action since 2018 demanding a living wage.

Their job action was followed by a strike by doctors who demanded an improvement in wages, conditions of service, as well as equipment and other medical materials to ensure safety while performing their duties.

Chiwenga was in September deployed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to take over from fired former Health minister Obadiah Moyo.

Soon after his deployment, Chiwenga promised to deal with the rot in the health sector, but his ministry continues to be riddled with corruption, with recent allegations that his deputy John Mangwiro was involved in a US$6 million COVID-19 procurement scam.

In 2018, Chiwenga fired 16 000 striking nurses and said they would be replaced by newly-trained and retired staff.

At that time, Chiwenga dismissed the nurses in his capacity as the supervisor of the social services cluster.

He described the strike by the nurses as “politically motivated” and as actions that were beyond issues of conditions of service and welfare.

Chitungwiza Mayor Lovemore Maiko allegedly recommended the demotion of the council’s district officer who had been seconded to a ministerial taskforce, which was investigating the misappropriation of State and council land.

Tendai Chinganga, the district officer for Zengeza district, was reportedly reassigned to a non-existing post of revamping council libraries and halls, after Maiko presided over a meeting that recommended the reassignment, without following procedure.

Further to that, the State alleged that Maiko caused the elevation of Alex Mukwewa from being a housing administrator to housing manager, a post which had been frozen.

Mukwewa has a pending criminal abuse of duty as a public officer charge and should have been on suspension.

Maiko yesterday appeared in court before regional magistrate, Ms Estere Chivasa, charged with criminal abuse of duty.

He was remanded in custody to today for bail application.

Mr Alec Muchadehama is acting on his behalf, while Mr George Manokore is representing the State.

Allegations are that on October 27, Maiko learnt that the Chitungwiza Municipality public works committee had resolved to refer the re-assignment of Tendai Chinganga to a non-existing post of revamping council libraries and halls.

On the same date, the State alleged that Maiko disregarded the need for the general purpose committee to deliberate on the matter and hurriedly arranged for a special council meeting without the support of a third of full council or receiving in writing from at least six councillors the urgent need for such meeting knowingly and intentionally disregarding a section of the Urban Council’s Act.

He then directed Mr Godwin Mvere, the chief security officer, to place a notice for the meeting with only two items listed on the agenda.

It is alleged that the following day and a few hours before commencement of the meeting, Maiko directed Mvere to come up with a supplementary agenda where he directed that although not appearing on the agenda, as provided in notice for meeting, the reassignment of Chinganga should top the list of urgent items for discussion in the special council meeting.

He further directed Mvere to include, among other things, the elevation of Mukwewa from the post of housing administrator to housing manager.

Maiko knew that Mukwewa was on trial at the court on a charge of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer. He had allegedly committed the offence while he was the acting housing director of the Chitungwiza Municipality.

By adding matters for discussion in the meeting, Maiko disregarded section 83 (4) of Urban Councils Act chapter 29:15.

He allegedly presided over the meeting and went on to recommend the reassignment of Chinganga and promoted Mukwewa to an already frozen position of housing manager.

According to the State, Maiko’s actions were a deliberate effort meant to disfavour Chinganga who had been seconded by the Chitungwiza Municipality into a ministerial taskforce which was investigating the misappropriation of State and council land.

In addition, he favoured Mukwewa who should have been on suspension pending hearing before the courts.

It was not his duty to unfreeze the post, the court heard.

State Media

THE Health Services Board (HSB) has removed 1 032 defiant nurses from its pay sheets after they declined to resume normal working hours and insisted on either not working or working sharply reduced hours.

Besides not paying those who are not working, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting that the board was now instituting disciplinary hearings for at least 1 280 nurses, who have defied the call to return to normal duties.

While a variety of penalties are possible in such hearings depending on charges and circumstances, including dismissal, there have been suggestions that some of these nurses could be placed on fixed-term contracts if they return as part of a proposed restructuring of the public health sector.

It is understood the board has between 16 000 and 18 000 nurses in its employ, all those in the public sector, implying that less than 8 percent of the nursing staff will be affected by the twin developments.

HSB chairman Dr Paulinus Sikosana last night confirmed the move not to pay nurses who are not working and the start of disciplinary proceedings. Most of the affected nurses were on the staff of central hospitals.

“We have removed 1 032 nurses from the pay sheet. They defied a Government directive and we were left with no option,” said Dr Sikosana.

Nurses had crafted a working schedule where they worked for a few hours a week, but the arrangement proved unsustainable, especially with the threat of Covid-19 continuing to hover over the country, resulting in Government cancelling the plan and ordering a return to normal duty rosters.

Many nurses heeded Government’s call, but others have been using their defiance to push for salary increments during ongoing negotiations between nurses’ representatives and Government.

The resistance has largely been confined to central and provincial hospitals, though very low numbers have not returned to normal duty at provincial level.

Minister Mutsvangwa told journalists last night: “A total of 1 280 nurses failed to heed to the call to return to normal working hours. The Health Services Board has started instituting disciplinary hearings for the defiant nurses.”

The restructuring of the nursing services being designed by the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, which was reported by The Herald last week, was also confirmed.

It was reported that nurses in the public sector are to be held to high professional standards, with those who strike likely to be moved from the permanent staff and having to reapply for fixed-term contracts should they wish to resume work under a revamped nursing service.

“Nursing services be restructured to be supported by three pillars, namely contract workers, Health Service Permanent Workers, and Secondment from the Uniformed Forces,” said minister Mutsvangwa.

Under the exercise, the ministry is looking at having around two-thirds of its nurses as permanent full-time staff, while the other third will be on fixed-term contracts that can be renewed.

The new structure is expected to bring efficiency and encourage nurses to meet and uphold the highest professional standards in the newly-streamlined Health and Child Care portfolio now held by Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga.

Nurses that have been refusing to report for work, pressing for salary increments, will be affected by this development.

Minister Mutsvangwa said Cabinet was briefed by Minister of Health and Child Care Vice President Dr Chiwenga, who gave a report on the withdrawal of labour by nurses.

“At its 38th meeting (of this year) held on 28 October 2020, Cabinet was informed that the Zimbabwe Nurses Association openly challenged the Cabinet decision on the cancellation of the flexi-working arrangement and defied the Secretary for Health and Child Care’s directive for the association to reverse its statement.

“Cabinet resolved to cancel the flexi-hours arrangement, that nurses who fail to report for duty be subjected to disciplinary processes, and that daily attendance registers for nurses be submitted to the Health Services Board and the Ministry of Health and Child Care head office,” she said.

Minister Mutsvangwa said some nurses continued to defy Government directive banning the flexi hours system although the Confederation of Nurses Association, Theatre Nurses Association and the Nurses Educators Association had all complied.

However, the Zimbabwe Nurses Association has defied Government’s directive which has left authorities with no option, but to take corrective measures on the delinquent nurses.

State Media

Emmerson Mnangagwa’s neice, Henrietta Rushwaya who was found out by ZimEye busy walking the streets of Harare at a time when police were claiming she is under arrest, is now stating that she picked up the wrong bag with four gold bars weighing 6kg, instead of a similar bag with her clothes when she went to the airport over a week ago and that her arrest was being used for political expedience aimed at “soiling’’ the name of the First Family.

Although she acknowledged owning the gold in question, Rushwaya told the court that there was a “mix-up’’ of bags when she left home for the airport ending with her picking the wrong bag containing gold instead of the one with her clothes.

Through her lawyer Mr Tapson Dzvetero, Rushwaya said the handbag containing gold was loaded into her car instead of a similar handbag containing the clothes she intended to travel with.

Mr Dzvetero said this was brought to the attention of the investigating officer, who initially handled the matter upon Rushwaya’s arrest at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on October 26.

He said this while cross-examining the investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector Michael Chibaya, during Rushwaya’s bail application.

Rushwaya is appearing before Harare regional magistrate Mr Ngoni Nduna along with Pakistani business tycoon Ali Muhamad, State security agents Stephen Tserai and Raphios Mufandauya, and miner Gift Karanda.

They are facing allegations in various groups of smuggling, illegal possession of gold, criminal abuse of office and obstructing the course of justice.

“The bag was similar to another bag which she was about to carry out of the country. The wrong bag was put into her vehicle and she did not have the knowledge of the contents that she took to the RGM Airport and she realised this at the point the scanners revealed that there was gold. Will you dispute that the investigating officer, one Bruno Chiketo, captured this aspect which is critical to her defence when she interviewed first accused (Rushwaya) upon her arrest at airport,” asked Mr Dzvetero.

Detective chief inspector Chibaya could not dispute the averments saying: “Yes, she could have indicated that.”

Mr Dzvetero went on to say that Rushwaya’s arrest has since been politicised.

“My client is now being played a political victim which explains why once a simple matter was transferred to Law and Order. We hear of name dropping of the First Family and it has now political connotations,” he said.

Mr Dzvetero distanced Rushwaya from the commercial invoice bearing the name of Ali Muhamad’s company, Ali Japan 786 Limited, that the State says was found in possession of Rushwaya upon her arrest at the airport.

He said the document was manufactured.

“She denies ever having given anyone a document that was said to belong to Ali. Without you having seen it you are uncertain to tell the court whether it forms the exhibit. The commercial invoice is a cooked up document which is being used for political expedience,” said Dzvetero.

Detective chief inspector Chibaya in his response said police compiled facts from witnesses’ statements which pointed out that the documents were recovered from Rushwaya upon her arrest.

“There are many witnesses we recorded statements from. There are some police officers arrested for having connived with accused persons to alter some information to the advantage of the accused persons. It was like we were starting investigations. I interviewed first investigations officer (Bruno Chiketo) when she (Rushwaya) indicated that the gold was not hers and it belonged to Ali which was further supported by documents in Ali’s name,” he said.

Answering to why the matter was being handled at the Law and Order unit instead of the Minerals Flora and Fauna Unit and whether her permit was of importance to the case of illegal possession of gold, Detec Chief Insp Chibaya said: “That is an administrative question that should be dealt with at Police General Headquarters.

“I feel this document (commercial invoice) will be of no importance to Rushwaya because there are conditions set and given by the issuing authority as to how the holder should deal with the gold.

“I have never seen where it is written giving permission for one to take it for export without RBZ authority taking into cognisance the place where she was arrested.”

The hearing continues today.

Meanwhile, two police officers, Douglas Shoko and Paul Chimungu, who are being accused of failing to arrest Ali Muhamad and altering his statements that implicated him in the smuggling deal, were denied bail.

Deputy chief magistrate Mrs Bianca Makwande denied the duo bail saying they were likely to interfere with witnesses. They are expected to appear in court on November 16 for routine remand.

Shoko and Chimungu are charged with criminal abuse of office.

POST CABINET PRESS BRIEFING:
THIRTY-NINTH MEETING: 3RD NOVEMBER, 2020
1.0 PROPOSED ZIMBABWE NATIONAL HUMAN SETTLEMENTS POLICY

Cabinet considered and approved the Zimbabwe National Human Settlements Policy as presented by Vice President Honourable K.C.D. Mohadi, as Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Social Services and Poverty Eradication. The policy is guided by and seeks to inform implementation of the relevant aspects of Agenda 2030 (Sustainable Development Goals), the African Union Agenda 2063, Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030, the national Constitution and national and international resilience frameworks.

The policy will introduce a raft of changes that will ensure that planning, development and management of settlements is in line with national and international disaster risk reduction frameworks, and with environmental and climate change policies, laws and standards. This will help address huge housing and social amenities backlog as well as widening disparities between rural and urban areas. It is also expected to reduce the high costs of building materials and housing finance.

The Policy will provide for, among others, the following:

disaster risk assessments and mapping;
environmental impact assessments and mitigation, and
integrating implications of climate change into aspects of rural and urban settlement planning, development and management.
All state land earmarked for human settlements shall be managed through the Ministry responsible for National Housing and Social Amenities and the respective Local Authorities for ease of co-ordination and for accountability. All Local Authorities will be expected to have Spatial Planning Units manned by registered spatial planners. This Committee and the sub-Council structures will be responsible for development planning, control and facilitation in each local planning area.

Cognisant that land is a finite resource, all productive agricultural land will be preserved as such. To curb settlement sprawl, forty per cent of land for human settlements development will be reserved for the construction of high-rise flats/buildings. Densification of settlements will be promoted. Cabinet approved the Policy and resolved that:

social housing for the destitute as well as social institutions for orphans and the aged should be incorporated whenever human settlements are being planned;
there be a provision for the relocating household displaced by natural disasters to planned settlements, e.g. Cyclone Idai victims;
title deeds be provided, where appropriate, for houses on agro-plots;
partnerships for financing models be incorporated;
social amenities provision encompassing swimming pools, play centres, youth centres and women’s clubs and libraries be incorporated in the Policy and
that a Committee comprising of Ministers of National Housing and Social Amenities; Finance and Economic Development, and Local Government and Public Works come up with an appropriate financing model to operationalise the Policy.
2.0 PRINCIPLES FOR THE ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT COMPLAINTS COMMISSION BILL

Cabinet considered and approved the Principles for the Zimbabwe Independent Complaints Commission Bill as presented by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. The objective is to provide for the establishment and functions of the Zimbabwe Independent Complaints Commission thereby operationalising section 210 of the Zimbabwe Constitution which says an “Act of Parliament must provide an effective and independent mechanism for the receiving and investigating complaints from members of the public about misconduct on the part of members of the security services, and for remedying any harm caused by such conduct”. The Commission will among other responsibilities investigate complaints by the public against members of the security services.

3.0 ZIMBABWE’S RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

Cabinet received anupdate on the COVID-19 pandemic from the Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs, Honourable O.C.Z. Muchinguri-Kashiri, Chairperson of the Ad- HocInter-Ministerial Task Force on the Covid-19 Outbreak.

The country has now recorded eight thousand three hundred and sixty-two (8 362) confirmed COVID-19 cases compared to the eight thousand two hundred and fifty-seven (8 257) reported last week. The recovery rate is 94 per cent with a total of seven thousand eight hundred and eighty-four (7 884) persons having recovered from the virus compared to the seven thousand seven hundred and seventy-one (7 771) recoveries that were reported last week. New cases for week 43 stood at 105, compared to 158 in week 42. The total number of infected health care workers remains at 653, all of whom have since recovered as of today. To date, a total of 242 deaths have been recorded.

A total of five thousand four hundred and fifty-seven (5 457) PCR tests were conducted during the reporting period compared to five thousand four hundred and seventy (5 470) tests carried out the previous week. Deliberate efforts are being made to stockpile testing consumables in preparation for the re-opening of the ports of entry and exit as well as the festive season.

A total of eighty-five (85) new boreholes were drilled, while one hundred and twenty-three (123) others were rehabilitated by Government and partners during the reporting period. This brings the total number of drilled and rehabilitated boreholes to 4 580 since the beginning of the campaign against COVID-19. Water production in the City of Harare, currently stands at the rate of 200 megalitres per day. Furthermore, water purification equipment, valued at about US$ 9.3 million, purchased from Germany by Government has started arriving in the country and is expected to significantly boost the pumping capacity and water pressure at several Harare pump stations, including Alexandra Park, Letombo and Waterfalls.

Regarding primary and secondary education, Cabinet was informed that grade 6, form 3 and lower 6th classes resumed on 26 October 2020, under Phase 2 of the re-opening of schools. The overall learner attendance rate for Phase 2 was 32.02%, with the highest attendance rate being recorded in Masvingo province (54.95%) while Matebeleland North and South had the lowest, with 7.10% and 13%, respectively. The overall teacher attendance rate for the week was 27.16%, representing a 5,71% increase from the 21.45% recorded last week.

Cabinet resolved that an outreach exercise be undertaken by the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce to all provinces to remind and raise awareness among the citizenry and local leadership of the threat of COVID-19 spike during the impending rainy season. Cabinet reiterates the need for the public not to lose vigilance through complacency. The Task Force is currently engaging with their South African counterparts in order to ensure smooth flow of vehicular traffic at the Beitbridge Border Post.

UPDATE ON HEALTH ISSUES: WITHDRAWAL OF LABOUR BY NURSES
Cabinet was briefed by Vice President Honourable C.G.D.N. Chiwenga, as the Minister of Health and Child Care, on the Withdrawal of Labour by Nurses. At its 38th Meeting held on 28 October, 2020 Cabinet was informed that the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) openly challenged the Cabinet decision on the cancellation of the flexi-working arrangement and defied the Secretary for Health and Child Care’s directive for the Association to reverse its statement. Cabinet resolved to cancel the flexi hours arrangement and that nurses who fail to report for duty be subjected to disciplinary processes, that daily attendance registers for nurses be submitted to the Health Services Board and the Ministry of Health and Child Care Head Office; and that nursing services be restructured to be supported by three pillars; namely contract workers; Health Service Permanent Workers; and Secondment from the Uniformed Forces.

Unfortunately, some nurses, have continued to defy the Government directive banning the ‘Flexi Hours’ regime. The various nurses’ labour organizations comprising the Zimbabwe Nurses Association; Confederation of Nurses Association; Theatre Nurses Association and the Nurses Educators Association met with the Health Services Board and resolved to comply with the Government directive save for the Zimbabwe Nurses Association. A total of 1 280 nurses failed to heed to the call to return to normal working hours.

The Health Services Board has started instituting disciplinary hearings for the defiant nurses.

5.0. ENHANCEMENT OF STATE ENTERPRISES AND PARASTATALS PERFORMANCE

Cabinet deliberated at length on the ways of enhancing parastatal performance. From the ensuing wide-ranging discussion, it was agreed that an Inter-Ministerial Committee be established to consider the matter further and profer concrete recommendations that takes into consideration the structure; performance; accountability and governance of the State Enterprises.

Paul Nyathi

About 300 nurses from the two Bulawayo Central Hospitals, Mpilo Hospital and United Bulawayo Hospitals have been suspended from work after failing to comply to orders issued by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga who is also the Minister of Health and Child Care.

The nurses reportedly failed to report for duty following the re-introduction of 40 hour shifts by Chiwenga.

More than 3,000 cases of diarrhoea have been reported in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second city, in the last two months, as residents struggle with water shortages.

Low rainfall and an inability to keep up with the demands of a growing population in a depressed economic environment have left many of Bulawayo’s 1.5 million residents in the grip of water shortages and often having to obtain water from unprotected sources.

The country has been maintaining an average of 250 active Covid-19 cases, with the bulk, 123 of them in Bulawayo.

A total of 57 people succumbed to the global pandemic in the province and 18 of the deaths were recorded in the last two weeks.

In a recent order, Chiwenga ordered all nurses to revert back to the 40-hour working week system after scrapping their flexible working hours system which was introduced over a year ago to allow nurses to manage transport costs to get to work.

Mpilo Hospital got rid of about 200 nurses whilevthe United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) had suspended about 90 nurses.

The suspended nurses will be subjected to a disciplinary hearings where they will either be reinstated or dismissed depending on their individual cases.

The Zimbabwe Nurses Association, ZINA, declined Chiwenga’s instruction insisting that their members will continue with the flexi working system until the government reviews their salaries.

Ministry of Health and Child Care Coronavirus/COVID-19 update: 2 November October 2020

New cases: 21

Locals: 19
Returnees: 2 South Africa and Zambia

Deaths: 1

Recoveries: 12

PCR Tests Done: 745

National Recovery Rate: 94.4%

Active Cases: 222

Total Cumulative Cases: 8 410

Total Recoveries: 7 942

Total Deaths: 246

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance Secretary General, Charlton Hwende has said the defection of Tongai Matutu to Zanu PF is a non-event.

Matutu crossed the great divide on Monday and he told reporters he made a personal and bold decision to leave the MDC Alliance.

Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputies Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi literally went into ecstatic frenzy as they embraced Matutu.

Hwende wrote on Twitter :
Shocked by this level of desperation shown by
@ZANUPF_Official leadership. A whole President and 2 Deputies receiving such a low key new Member. Mr Matutu resigned from the MDC A when he lost to Chair Gumbi
@2019
Congress…”

He also took a swipe at Douglas Mwonzora describing the MDC Alliance as a G-40 project.

“Mwonzora always lies about G40 involvement in MDC Alliance affairs.

This is a narrative that he got from @edmnangagwa
it’s meant to justify the crackdown on us by State Agents and MID operatives.

We have nothing to do with G40 we only take instructions from our Members.”

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance Secretary General, Charlton Hwende has said the defection of Tongai Matutu to Zanu PF is a non-event.

Matutu crossed the great divide on Monday and he told reporters he made a personal and bold decision to leave the MDC Alliance.

Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputies Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi literally went into ecstatic frenzy as they embraced Matutu.

Hwende wrote on Twitter :
Shocked by this level of desperation shown by
@ZANUPF_Official leadership. A whole President and 2 Deputies receiving such a low key new Member. Mr Matutu resigned from the MDC A when he lost to Chair Gumbi
@2019
Congress…”

He also took a swipe at Douglas Mwonzora describing the MDC Alliance as a G-40 project.

“Mwonzora always lies about G40 involvement in MDC Alliance affairs.

This is a narrative that he got from @edmnangagwa
it’s meant to justify the crackdown on us by State Agents and MID operatives.

We have nothing to do with G40 we only take instructions from our Members.”

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC -T Secretary General, Douglas Togaraseyi Mwonzora on Monday embarrassed himself after admitting that MDC Alliance is a political party.

Prior to issuing the statement, Mwonzora has always argued the MDC Alliance is a “coalition not a political party.”

However, in his statement yesterday Mwonzora referred to the MDC Alliance as a political party.

See part of Mwonzora’s statement below:

We have instructed our youths not to fight with these people but to call the police in order to minimize personal injury that will come from fighting.

The MDC Alliance Party has now resorted to sacrificing the youths by inciting them to engage in acts of anarchy and lawlessness.

They take advantage of the poverty of these youths and pay them ridiculously low sums of money and cheap liquor to engage in violence.

These youths are drawn from Mbare and similarly poor neighborhoods were poverty is rife.”

Tinashe Sambiri|President Nelson Chamisa remains the people’s hope despite attempts by Zanu PF to soil his image, an MDC Alliance official has said.

Speaking in an interview with ZimEye.com, MDC Alliance deputy spokesperson, Clifford Hlatywayo said people have confidence in the leadership of President Chamisa.Hlatywayo was commenting on Tongai Matutu’s defection to Zanu PF.

Hlatywayo also said it was sad to note that Matutu elected to join the collapsing Zanu PF House.

“It’s his democratic right to join any political formation of his choice at his own time.

The MDCA is a leading party in the country. We are the government in waiting that won the 2018 Presidential election vote by more than 2.6million.

People have confidence in the leadership of President Nelson Chamisa. He is the people’s Hope and he is ready to lead Zimbabwe to the promised land. Zimbabwe need a People’s Government urgently to resolve the crisis we are facing as a people,” said Hlatywayo.

“It’s very unfortunate that Tongai Matutu joined a collapsing house.

It is an understatement to say that ZANU pf is dead but it is at its later stages of decomposition.

ZANU pf is stinking, that’s where our brother has decided to go. Obvious he is motivated by certain things.

But the things we know in ZANU pf is corruption, abductions, violence, abuse of the people’s rights, intimidation, bleeding the nation, smuggling minerals including gold and diamonds among others. This is the ship where Mututu is joining.

It’s regrettable and unthinkable to find a young person of his stature joining an organization that terrorize the ordinary people.

In politics you must be guided by principles and values. This move is a clear testimony that his values has changed because of lack of principles.

MDCA is solid and focused on the goal that is to win Zimbabwe for change and install a People’s Government.”

Tinashe Sambiri|President Nelson Chamisa remains the people’s hope despite attempts by Zanu PF to soil his image, an MDC Alliance official has said.

Speaking in an interview with ZimEye.com, MDC Alliance deputy spokesperson, Clifford Hlatywayo said people have confidence in the leadership of President Chamisa.Hlatywayo was commenting on Tongai Matutu’s defection to Zanu PF.

Hlatywayo also said it was sad to note that Matutu elected to join the collapsing Zanu PF House.

“It’s his democratic right to join any political formation of his choice at his own time.

The MDCA is a leading party in the country. We are the government in waiting that won the 2018 Presidential election vote by more than 2.6million.

People have confidence in the leadership of President Nelson Chamisa. He is the people’s Hope and he is ready to lead Zimbabwe to the promised land. Zimbabwe need a People’s Government urgently to resolve the crisis we are facing as a people,” said Hlatywayo.

“It’s very unfortunate that Tongai Matutu joined a collapsing house.

It is an understatement to say that ZANU pf is dead but it is at its later stages of decomposition.

ZANU pf is stinking, that’s where our brother has decided to go. Obvious he is motivated by certain things.

But the things we know in ZANU pf is corruption, abductions, violence, abuse of the people’s rights, intimidation, bleeding the nation, smuggling minerals including gold and diamonds among others. This is the ship where Mututu is joining.

It’s regrettable and unthinkable to find a young person of his stature joining an organization that terrorize the ordinary people.

In politics you must be guided by principles and values. This move is a clear testimony that his values has changed because of lack of principles.

MDCA is solid and focused on the goal that is to win Zimbabwe for change and install a People’s Government.”

Tinashe Sambiri| The self confessed killer of the slain MUREHWA 7 year old boy, Tapiwa Makore, Tafadzwa Shamba, was seen carrying what likely body parts wrapped inside a towel to Harare, an impeccable source has revealed.

The latest details link well with those of a n’anga who alleged Tapiwa’s head was taken to Harare’s Dzivarasekwa Surbub, near ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa’s main house since independence 1980.

Last week ZimEye.com carried a lengthy news analysis and investigation exploring this murder and many others that ever happened since 1983.

The latest grissly details concerning the state in which the toddler’s body was found severally dismembered on 17th of September, were narrated on Tete Tilda’s program Tuesday morning.

Another woman who was arrested by the police last week, called Maud Hunidzarira, has the latest trail of detail concerning what happened to the body remains, as alleged.

The Makore family spokesperson, one, Gogo Beaulah, speaking from Murehwa announced saying:

“This Maud Hunidzarira is a resident of the area, at the place where Tapiwa snr and the self confessed killer, Tafadzwa buy Kachasu (dangerous Afro-whisky)beer”

She continued saying, “this is the woman who was taken by police officers yesterday.

“Her relationship with Tapiwa Makore senior, is not known at present,” she added.

“Maud Hunidzarira was arrested in Budiriro, Harare after residents alerted the police when they witnessed her washing a carpet full of blood, that is what she was caught washing.

“Two, others are saying they witnessed the man Tafadzwa being given a towel which Tafadzwa has said he used to carry the slain child.”

This statement correlates well with Tafadzwa Shamba’s own witness statement in which he says he carried the slain toddler in a towel.

Gogo Beaulah continued saying, “so people were seeing these things, so they are the ones who informed the police alerting them that this woman might have something to do with the murder of Tapiwa, so of the police then arrested her.

The development likely means that the killers took the carpet all the way to Harare where they would wash it.

“This is what it means,” Gogo Beaulah said.

Maud brews Kachasu beer and is a Murehwa resident, she is the same also called Mai Katsande who the killer says travelled to to buy Kachasu from after feeding the lad, still alive at that time with sadza meal and fish.

“We continue to thank the police because they are continuing to do their work we know that the truth will come out in the end,” Gogo Beaulah said.

On the whereabouts of the remains, she continued saying,

“We will continue talking until all the body parts have been found.

“The hands are missing, the private parts and the head, are all missing. We are not going to rest until the child has rested,” said the source only identified as Gogo Beula.

On the delay in burial, Gogo Beaulah said:

“What has delayed the burial at the results of DNA, at the same time the police are still conducting their investigations we are still waiting for the police to give word,” she said.

Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Senator Larry Mavima has gone into self-isolation after testing positive for the coronavirus.

Mavima told The Herald in a telephone interview from his home this Monday that he does not have the symptoms of the virus. He said:

I can confirm that I have tested positive to Covid-19 and am self-isolating at home. I would like to quickly inform the entire province and the nation at large that I am not in any immediate danger. I am grateful to a wonderful team of local specialist doctors who have been monitoring my situation. I don’t have any other symptoms.

I am in isolation but in high spirits for there is no stigma to this pandemic as everyone is at risk of contracting it. I am also banking on prayers from all corners.

He joins a growing list of senior government officials and political elites to contract the novel virus. Some of them including the former minister of Agriculture, Perrance Shiri have since died.

Meanwhile, coronavirus cases in the country have been going down in the most recent weeks prompting the government to take steps towards easing lockdown restrictions.-The Herald

Paul Nyathi

Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) coronavirus/COVID-19 situation report as of 2 November October 2020:

• New cases: 21
• Locals: 19
• Returnees: 2 South Africa and Zambia
• Deaths: 1
• Recoveries: 12
• PCR Tests Done: 745
• National Recovery Rate: 94.4%
• Active Cases: 222
• Total Cumulative Cases: 8 410
• Total Recoveries: 7 942
• Total Deaths: 246

Paul Nyathi

Police and family of a newborn who was abducted at a shopping centre in Harare’s Avenues area last week has reported that the baby has been found alive.

Acting on a tip-off, police raided the home in Murombedzi, about 100 kilometres from Harare and discovered Tamiranashe Chadwick.

Police report that the suspect escaped, and her husband is “assisting police with investigations”.

Below is the full police statement:

Paul Nyathi

Civil servants have rejected Government’s salary adjustment offer which would have seen the least-paid earn ZW$13 590 (US$167).

Grade C5 was offered ZW$14 105 (US$174), grade D1 $15 077 (US$186) and grade E1 $16 430 (US $201).

The offer was tabled and rejected during salary negotiations in the capital, Harare, on Tuesday. Instead, the civil servants want the least-paid to get US$520 or the equivalent in Zimbabwe dollars.

In a communiqué after the meeting, their representatives said, “The workers side flatly rejected the offer for falling short of addressing the incapacitation of civil servants.”

The Government side could not be reached immediately for comment. Talks are expected to continue this week