A SENIOR Zimbabwe Republic Police officer and two Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) employees were arraigned before the Karoi Magistrates’ Court together with four accomplices facing two counts of vandalism of power equipment.

They were remanded in custody to July 6 for bail application.

ZETDC artisan Victor Chirume (30), line worker Chakanyuka Chakanyuka (48), ZRP Assistant Inspector Samson Murivire (48), Lovemore Madzande (31), Michael Tatenda Antonio (28), Crisly Chimuto (34) and Shungu Navaya (34) yesterday appeared before magistrate Lesigo Ngwenya and later before magistrate Solomon Jenya on two counts of contravening section 60A(3) of the Electricity Act.

The State’s outline stated that the accused were arrested at Nyamahomba Farm near Karoi on June 29, 2020 for vandalism and theft of aluminium conductors.

The gang vandalised 11kV line, took the aluminium conductors in broad daylight and hid the loot in a bush.

They later returned in a hired vehicle to collect the loot at around 5pm the same day. Acting on a tip-off, police arranged a trap leading to their arrest.

They were not asked to plead.

Gerald Dhamusi and Temptation Maromo prosecuted.

The government has barred the MDC-T’s court-ordered extraordinary congress that was scheduled for the 31st of this month.

In response to MDC-T leader, Thokozani Khupe’s letter to the Ministry of Health and Child Care which sought clearance to hold the congress, authorities cited the coronavirus pandemic as the reason why the opposition party should not have the congress.

The acting permanent secretary in the ministry of Health and Child Care, Gibson Mhlanga responded to the letter:

Your request for clearance to hold an extraordinary congress on 31 July 2020 is not approved.

We are in a Covid-19 lockdown and one of the requirements is that there must not be any public gatherings of more than 50 people. The delegates that you are indicating exceed the recommended number.

Based on this requirement, it is, therefore, impossible to hold the meeting in this environment.

The congress was expected to have 4500 delegates. Meanwhile, Khupe’s spokesperson Khaliphani Phugeni told the Daily News that the party was consulting its lawyers to chart the way forward.

A social media user has mocked President Emmerson Mnangagwa for spending 53 years waiting to be the President of Zimbabwe only to become incompetent.

Mnangagwa was late President Robert Mugabe’s aide dating back to the days of the liberation struggle and was for long taunted as the successor.

When it appeared Mugabe had shifted focus preferring someone else, Mnangagwa teamed up with the army to stage a coup in November 2017 but that has turned disastrous as the economy is now on a free-fall.

A campaign to unfollow President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Twitter has seen 12 000 social media users dumping the Zanu PF leader, with Information Secretary Nick Mangwana and a mole Matigary also targeted.

Yesterday before the beginning of the campaign, Mnangagwa had 565 000 followers but at the time publishing his number has gone down to 563 000, a 12 000 drop in followers.

Nick Mangwana and Matigary have also been targeted amid threats to unfollow all ‘regime enablers’ who are being accused to destroying people’s lives.

THE Government has revealed that human waste was found in water that was supplied to Luveve suburb in Bulawayo which resulted in the outbreak of Typhoid and Dysentery which has killed 13 people in the suburb.

Local Government and Public Works Minister, Cde July Moyo told Sunday News in an interview in Bulawayo yesterday that Government has since dispatched the Environmental Management Agency (Ema) to conduct more tests.

“Once the outbreak occurred, the underlying causes were identified, these being the water which was not available, there was also contamination where it was demonstrated that some of the water had faeces which was beyond the standards that are allowed by the Standards Association of Zimbabwe.

“We have also dispatched experts from the Environmental Management Agency to conduct its own investigations, to help guide our response. We now know that the treatment of water and that of sewage has largely contributed to the outbreak. The city and the Government are now working to correct the anomaly so that we give comfort to our residents,” said Minister Moyo.

The announcement by the Government comes as the local authority yesterday revealed that to date 13 confirmed deaths have been recorded.

City Health Director Dr Edwin Sibanda said while last week there were reports that 17 deaths had occurred its official figure stood at 13, noting that in some cases there could be community deaths that had to be investigated first.

“So far we have 1 798 confirmed cases and 13 verified deaths. The majority of those that have been affected are of the five to 20 years old age group,” said Dr Sibanda.

To add to the local authority’s woes a Bulawayo based non-governmental organisation has accused the local authority of avoiding responsibility for the typhoid crisis.

Community Action Group for Good Governance (CAGGG) accused council of seeking to apportion blame on other parties while removing themselves from the picture.

CAGGG chairperson Mrs Nikiwe Ncube-Tshabalala said council was trying by all means to avoid liability as shown by their initial efforts to accuse people of using open wells and streams for their water.

“When a Government delegation from Harare came to tour the suburb council officials took them to wells, a sign they were implying these were the causes of the diarrhoea outbreak when people clearly indicated there was something amiss with tap water and they even found tissue particles in tap water.

“While some residents used wells, they have stated that it was only a few,” she said.

Mrs Nikiwe Ncube-Tshabalala said it was critical for the city council to be forthcoming in releasing information about the crisis and has written a letter demanding the local authority be open and transparent in the manner they are going about in solving the outbreak.

She said her organisation had engaged residents and were taking some of the sick to a private surgery, with 24 residents having been assisted by yesterday morning.

The residents under the banner Bulawayo Progressive Residents’ Association (BPRA) had also sought a court order compelling council to release vital information relating to the outbreak, which they had intended to use against the council in a lawsuit. However, the residents last week withdrew their court challenge, saying they had reached an amicable resolution with the council.

-State Media

Farai Dziva|Pressure groups and church leaders in Masvingo have denounced the arrest and detention of MACRAD Trust Director, Ephraim Mutombeni.

Below is a joint statement written by Christian organizations and pressure groups in Masvingo:

On Sunday the 29th of June, the Director of Masvingo Centre for Research and Advocacy (MACRAD) Mr Mutombeni Ephraim in company of his lawyer, Mr Martin Mureri of ZLHR, presented themselves to the police.

Their visit was a response to the warrant of arrest issued against him. The state security alleged that Mr Mutombeni was subverting the authority of the President and posing threats to state security.

However, his visit subsequently resulted in a wanton arrest. Ideally, the malicious, unfounded and disturbing allegations epitomize gross violation of human rights.

It is undeniable that the arbitrary incarceration of Mr Mutombeni on the 29th of June was no coincidence, but a well calculated ploy to disrupt his intended advocacy meeting with the ZHRC.

It follows that Mr Mutombeni through MACRAD was actively pushing for the rights of the minority Shangaan ethnic group who are facing an impending forced displacement from their tribal land by the government.

Ideally, the criminal allegations levelled against him are not substantive and they lack legal backing.

Unfortunately, the subsequent rejection of his bail application (postponed to 13 July) at Masvingo Magistrate Court is treacherous.

Furthermore, the detention is unwarranted and unjust to his character and the well decorated advocacy image of MACRAD.

Painfully, all the efforts to rescue him are not yielding positive results.

By A Correspondent- Two armed men pounced at a woman’s homestead while she was sleeping with her daughter-in-law and violently robbed them of their cash and cellphones before they raped the pair.

The incident occurred in Hope Fountain on the outskirts of Bulawayo last week on Saturday.

A relative who spoke on condition of anonymity to B-Metro said Sonyboy Sibanda (29) and Nhlanhla Tshuma (25) pounced at the home of the woman saying they wanted to buy cellphones.

The source said the mother-in-law did not suspect anything sinister since the accused persons were their regular customers.

While she was showing them the cellphones, Sibanda pushed her inside the room and ordered her to wake up her daughter-in-law.

They demanded cellphones and cash.

“One of the accused hit the mother-in-law with a machete on the head while demanding that she surrenders all the cash. They also hit the daughter-in-law with open hands and a machete,” said the source close to investigations.

They added: “Mother-in-law surrendered four cellphones, three pairs of shoes, three packets of snacks, US$40-00 and $2 200-00.

They were not done yet, as they complained that the items they took were not enough. They ordered the pair to lie down.

“The pair were sexually attacked in the same room at the same time. Sibanda raped mother-in-law twice without protection while Tshuma raped the daughter-in-law without protection saying the money they were given was not enough so they had to compensate with sex,” said the source.

Deputy police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele confirmed the incident:

“We arrested two suspects who robbed and raped a woman and her daughter-in-law in Hope Fountain. We would like to urge members of the public not to entertain any stranger(s) during the night and also not to keep money at home.”

By A Correspondent- A Bulawayo woman dumped her abusive “husband” who was constantly harassing her and at the same time refusing to pay lobola for her claiming she was worthless and useless during their 10-year cohabitation which was also blessed with two children aged five and nine.

After being incensed by his abusive behaviour and reluctance to take their relationship to the next level Patience Mangena (31) filed a protection order against Rodger Mthethwa (55), a teacher based in Swaziland.

In her application in which she labelled Mthethwa a drunkard, womaniser, violent and oppressive man Mangena who is also a teacher in Bulawayo said she was no longer interested in him adding that she was now focused on raising their two children.

She claimed she was living on borrowed time after Mthethwa threatened to kill her if ever she dumped him.

“I am a woman aged 31 and have been in a relationship for 12 years with Rodger Mthethwa aged 55 years. We have two children together aged nine and five. We don’t stay together and he refused to pay lobola saying I am valueless and useless. He is staying with his wife and I am staying with my two children.

“I am doing everything by myself and he has been forcing me to commit to the relationship by threatening me saying that he will kill me and escape to Swaziland if ever I try to end the relationship. Life with him has been difficult because he is a drunkard, womaniser, oppressive and abusive. He has been verbally, emotionally and physically abusing me. I reported him to the police several times but nothing happened to him,” complained Mangena.

She said Mthethwa was forcibly taking her money to pursue other businesses with his wife.

“He never allowed me to engage in business and surprisingly he is demanding all the money that I am raising from selling cakes and Tupperware using it to build his homestead in Nyamandlovu. He also took my money and bought bricks to develop a residential stand that is in his wife’s name,” said Mangena.

She added: “I told him that I am no longer interested in him but he is still coming to my place and even at night trying to break down the doors. I am really scared because he will end up killing me and as a result, I want a protection order to be granted against him so that he stops stalking and abusing me”.

Responding to whether or not he had a problem with the granting of the protection order, Mthethwa told the court that Mangena was still his wife because he paid for her education.

“I am not opposed to her application but it should be clear that she is my wife. I don’t mind even if the order is granted in her favour but I was about to go and pay lobola for her,” said Mthethwa.

He also labelled his estranged “wife” a liar.

“My wife is a liar. She claims that we never stayed together but this is due to work commitments than anything else. I never missed coming home on any school holiday. By calling me her boyfriend I wonder if she is acknowledging that she now has a boyfriend when our marriage is still subsisting.

“My wife also describes me as oppressive, suppressive and a dictator when I actually sponsored her education from Ordinary Level to college and she is now a teacher. Education is enlightenment, not oppression and how could she have attended these educational institutions when she is not allowed to step outside the gate,” argued Mthethwa.

Presiding magistrate Tinashe Tashaya, however, ordered Mthethwa to observe Mangena’s peace by not verbally, emotionally and physically abusing her and visiting her place as well as communicating with her in any way.

-bmetro

Thousands of Zimbabweans have unfollowed Emmerson Mnangagwa on Twitter as political tension escalates.

Uninformed forces have been urged to consider their future that is being wasted away by Zanu PF

Watch video below. ..

By A Correspondent- Independent Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has dragged Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda to court challenging a decision to suspend him for six sittings on allegations of disorderly conduct.

Mliswa, in the urgent chamber application, seeks to have the decision set aside with costs and pending the final determination of the application, Mliswa wants his suspension lifted.

Mliswa argued that Mudenda’s actions were ultra vires constitutional provisions that mandate him to abide by standing orders which he had breached by suspending him. He said according to the standing orders, Mudenda is only limited to impose punishment pertaining to a particular sitting of Parliament on that particular day.

Mliswa was suspended by Mudenda almost a fortnight ago.

-DailyNews

Mwonzora 3, Chamisa 12 | WILL DOUGIE MAKE IT?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 4, 2020

https://twitter.com/babachirasha/status/1279485376504217600?s=19

By A Correspondent- A man from Gokwe is cursing himself after his scrotum got swollen after he failed to restrain his sexual appetite and got in between the sheets with a “fenced” woman.

Tendai Moyo who has been in love with Rudo Mapudzi from Kana Mission learnt it the hard way that a married woman has to be respected.

This dawned on him when his secret love cover was blown open by his swelling testicles.

Moyo, the source said, had been sleeping with South Africa-based Thembani Sibanda’s wife.

The source went on to say when Sibanda visited his wife in February this year he got wind that his wife was leasing his velvet cake to Moyo.

The source said the aggrieved man then approached a traditional healer who fenced his wife, a practice whereby herbalists cast a spell over anyone else that sleeps with the woman.

“The discovery didn’t go down well with Sibanda, as a result he sought help from a traditional healer who then fenced his wife. He then left for South Africa. His wife took a chance and invited Moyo to slice the cake,” said the family insider who spoke on condition of anonymity.

But Moyo never knew that his sexual session with a married woman would later turn into a nightmarish encounter.

“After sleeping with her a fortnight ago his left side scrotum started to itch. He scratched it and after that it got swollen. He approached Prophet Estias Takawira of Glory International Ministries for healing and revealed he slept with a married woman whom he has been love with for some time,”said the source.

Prophet Takawira confirmed:

“Tendai Moyo approached me for healing after he told me that he slept with a married woman. I had to pray for him. On Monday he told me he is getting better.”

Contacted for comment Moyo said:

“I have been in love with a married woman for quite some time and I did not know that she was married.

When I slept with her two weeks back my testicle started to itch, after that it swelled. I then approached Takawira who prayed for me and now I am getting better and I can walk well now. During the first days I was walking with difficulty with my legs wide open.”

He added:

“I regret what I was doing. However, this has helped me to alter my ways and strive to live an upright life.”

Mapudzi was coy about the incident and just said:

“I was never in love with him. I sell fish and he was just my customer.”

Sibanda was unreachable by the time of going to print.

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- A man who watched his mother while she was having sex with her lover and on another day watched her bathing has been fined $200.

A court heard that Algernon Antony (24) watched his mother Tiffany Antony (43) while she was enjoying herself with her lover.

Tiffany took to the stand and said: “Your Worship, I was with my boyfriend in my bedroom then Algernon came into my bedroom while we were having sex.”

“I tried to tell him to move away but he would not listen to me. He kept watching us for several minutes,” she said.

She added:

“When I asked him why he was doing that he said there is nothing that I would do to him and slammed the door in my face.”

The court also heard that on a later date Algernon took his weird appetite of watching his mother in a naked state to another level when he peeped through the window and watched her while she was taking a bath.

Tiffany said:

“When I was bathing I noticed him watching me through the window. I then confronted him but he once again asked what I would do to him. I had to report the matter at Mzilikazi police station.”

Algernon pleaded guilty to both counts of criminal insult.

“Your Worship, I’m sorry about what I did. I was going to the bathroom and I didn’t know she was sleeping with somebody. I just bumped into them and I watched them in shock and disbelief. It wasn’t my intention to watch her having sex with her lover. I’m also really sorry that it was a mistake that when I peeped through the toilet window it happened that my mother was bathing,” he said while begging for leniency.

He asked the court to spare him a custodial sentence.

“I kindly ask the court to spare me a jail sentence. I can pay a fine. I make something in the region of $500 a month,” he said.

Magistrate Amanda Ndlovu Ndlovu said: “The accused is the complainant’s son and is contrite. He also pleaded with the court for leniency.

The accused is a first offender and should be spared a custodial sentence. He stated that he is able to pay a fine. In light of that the accused is supposed to pay $200 fine by 30 June failure to do so he has to perform 35 hours of community service at Mzilikazi Police Station which he has to complete within a week.”

Patson Muchingami represented the State.

-statemedia

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance president, Advocate Nelson Chamisa, has defended his Christian approach to politics saying it is effective and influential.

Chamisa was responding to assertions from critics who accused him of being “too soft.”

Said Chamisa: “Varikuyedza all types of machinations and frustrations but haiwa mirai muoone. Ngoma yavakuririsa iyi yave kuda kutsemuka, kumagumo Kune nyaya. Patinoita setapera ndipo patinotangira kutapira ipapo..Take care!”

“Trust the formula. You will never regret!”

The MDC Alliance leader has vowed that he will not abandon his Christian approach to politics.

“I will always confess Jesus Christ …Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed in him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. John 12:42-43.”

By A Correspondent- MDC T Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora says their congress scheduled for the 31st of this month is going ahead without fail despite the threats by some individuals who want to disrupt the event through demonstrations.

Speaking to ZBC News this Friday, Mwonzora said, the MDC T is making final preparations following the Supreme Court ruling that they should have an extraordinary congress which will be held under strict COVID-19 health guidelines.

He said the MDC T is aware of the machinations of the Nelson Chamisa led faction to disrupt the congress adding that the party will plan and thwart these maneuvers.

Mwonzora also said recalled councillors are no longer members of the MDC-T.

Watch Mwonzora speak on ZBC TV….

By A Correspondent- Zanu Pf leaders in Makoni have officially welcomed back former national secretary for administration, Didymus Mutasa, 84 years old, into the party as it revisits a formula to re-strengthen the party.

Mutasa was expelled from the party on charges of undermining the party and its leadership.

Former provincial chairman, Basil Nyabadza who had taken a back seat, and the immediate past vice-chairman, Joseph Mujati were also welcomed back.

Mujati’s suspension was recently lifted.

The meeting, which was held on Sunday, also endorsed the elevation of Stanely Mbawa to the provincial executive and the co-option of Edward Madhume into the youth league.

Politburo, Central Committee members and Members of Parliament, among other leaders from the district, attended the meeting that also discussed the establishment of irrigation schemes in Makoni South and North as well as the resuscitation of a farmers’ training centre in Headlands.

Zanu-PF national secretary for finance, Patrick Chinamasa said the party should pick up the pieces and embrace the cadres.

“Nyati (Cde Mutasa) has rejoined the party and since his return, it has been our wish to meet him officially as Makoni leadership and work together going forward.

“Sometime we see things differently and fight, but that should not separate us. Now that Cde Mutasa is back, we must unite and work together. He laid a strong foundation for the party in Makoni and his return should solidify it. We are amending our constitution to create a Council of Elders where cadres with vast experience like him can sit as advisors,” said Chinamasa.

-Statemedia

Zimbabwe’s coronavirus cases have risen to 625 after eight more people tested positive for coronavirus.

Six infections are returnees from South Africa while the remaining two cases are a returnee from Botswana and a local case.

Three more people recovered from the virus bringing the total of recoveries to 176-Health Ministry

Cracks have emerged in the Thokozani Khupe camp, with the recently reinstated MDC-T national organising secretary, Abednico Bhebhe accusing the recently reinstated MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora of sidelining him in the running of party affairs.

Said Bhebhe in a letter to Mwonzora glimpsed by a local publication:

“I notice with disenchantment how your office has failed, omitted or just neglected to send me notice of sittings of the standing committee, for the entire period stretching up to this moment from the delivery of the Supreme Court judgment.

“Your failure, omission or neglect has consigned me to whims of the rumour mill, getting information either a few minutes before or after the meeting and with no formal briefing of the proceedings.

“As you well know, just like my colleagues which you favour with such courtesy, I am entitled and I demand as such, appropriate notice given on time to allow my effective participation.”

The current opportunistic practices are just untenable and I do not accept that, not even for a split of a second.

“As secretary-general, your office is responsible for sending out invitations to members whose attendance on various party committees is prescribed by the constitution.

“My attendance at sittings of the standing committee, as the national organising secretary cannot, and has never been a matter of the pleasure of your office.

“Your failure, omission or neglect to do so has and continues to prejudice the party of the checks and balances the constitution sought to strike by placing various roles in the hands of a plurality of separate individuals.

“For the record, this misguided attempt to tamper with my agency in the direction of party affairs is superfluous and I reserve the right to assert my interests in this regard through the courts of law.

“I reserve the right to take appropriate steps to assert the exercise of my rights and obligations as the national organising secretary through meetings of party organs to which I must receive proper notice from your office.”

Mwonzora was not reachable for comment yesterday.

-dailynews

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe has recorded its eight death from COVID-19.

The 21 year old female Zimbabwean from the Harare Province with no history of travel and had no-morbidities tested positive on Saturday, and died on the same day.

The country’s COVID-19 cases are now at 698 following seventy three (73) cases that tested positive this Saturday. 55 of the confirmed cases are from South Africa, 3 from Botswana, 2 from the USA, 1 from Australia, 1 from Zambia and 8 local locally transmitted cases.

To date the country has registered 181 recoveries and eight deaths since the disease was first recorded in the country. 78 465 tests have been conducted to date.

Meanwhile the Ministry of health and child care has urged Zimbabweans not to take anything for granted and remain on high alert as the number of Covid-19 cases continues to rise.

The Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child care, Dr Gibson Mhlanga said though most local cases are linked to people coming from outside the country.

“We want to emphasise to the people of Zimbabwe that this virus is real and people should strictly adhere to the set preventative measures, let’s wear our masks let’s practice social distancing and safe hygiene use of hand sanitisers, avoid handshakes and we also have people who are jumping the borders let’s report them,” said Dr Mhlanga.

JUST IN- 21 year old Harare woman dies from COVID-19 pic.twitter.com/Fk4df4mxYT

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 4, 2020

By A Correspondent- MDC-T leader interim leader Thokozani Khupe and embattled MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa have increasingly demonstrated their lack of capacity to heal their warring party’s rifts, and to give direction to their followers as the crucial 2023 elections beckon.

This comes after the Senate announced the recall of eight senators from Parliament on Wednesday.

The recalled senators are Meliwe Phuthi (Matabeleland South), Helen Zivira (Bulawayo), Siphiwe Ncube (Bulawayo), Phyllis Ndlovu (Matabeleland North), Keresencia Chabuka (Manicaland), Herbert Sinampande (Matabeleland North), Gideon Shoko (Bulawayo) and Tapfumanei Wunganayi (Mashonaland East).

Khupe and Chamisa have been involved in a fierce tussle for control of the country’s main opposition party since the death of its much-loved founding father, Morgan Tsvangirai, from colon cancer in February 2018.

The senseless infighting went a notch up following the March Supreme Court’s judgment which upheld last year’s ruling by the High Court which nullified Chamisa’s ascendancy to the leadership of the party.

The court conferred the party leadership to Khupe and also directed that the MDC reverts to its 2014 structures, in addition to holding an extraordinary congress to elect Tsvangirai’s substantive successor.

Last month, Chamisa’s faction suffered a setback in its bid to bar Khupe from recalling party legislators from Parliament.

Then, High Court judge Justice Tawanda Chitapi ruled that Chamisa’s team was improperly before the courts, as the MDC Alliance was not a juristic person that was capable of suing or being sued.

That ruling paved the way for Khupe to recall nine more legislators last week, after she had successfully recalled four others earlier – including the MDC Alliance’s leader in Parliament Tabitha Khumalo, national assembly and Senate chief whips Prosper Mutseyami and Lilian Timveos respectively, as well as Chalton Hwende (Kuwadzana East).

The nine MPs that were recalled last week were Amos Chibaya (Mkoba), Happymore Chidziva (Highfield West), proportional representatives Bacilia Majaya, Mucharairwa Mugidho, Virginia Muradzikwa, Anna Muyambo, Francesca Ncube, Nomathemba Ndlovu and Murisi Zwizwai (Harare Central).

This also comes after High Court judge, Justice David Mangota, recently dismissed petitions by Chamisa’s MDC faction to repossess Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House, formerly Harvest House – meaning that Khupe and her allies are now officially the legitimate occupants of the iconic building.

Meanwhile, Khupe moved on Wednesday to further weaken Chamisa when she barred 1 050 party delegates said to be sympathetic to her rival from attending the planned extraordinary congress – saying they were bent on fomenting violence on the day.

-DailyNews

By A Correspondent- The government has barred the MDC-T’s court-ordered extraordinary congress that was scheduled for the 31st of this month.

In response to MDC-T leader, Thokozani Khupe’s letter to the Ministry of Health and Child Care which sought clearance to hold the congress, authorities cited the coronavirus pandemic as the reason why the opposition party should not have the congress.

The acting permanent secretary in the ministry of Health and Child Care, Gibson Mhlanga responded to the letter:

Your request for clearance to hold an extraordinary congress on 31 July 2020 is not approved.
We are in a Covid-19 lockdown and one of the requirements is that there must not be any public gatherings of more than 50 people. The delegates that you are indicating exceed the recommended number.

Based on this requirement, it is, therefore, impossible to hold the meeting in this environment.

The congress was expected to have 4500 delegates. Meanwhile, Khupe’s spokesperson Khaliphani Phugeni told the Daily News that the party was consulting its lawyers to chart the way forward.

By A Correspondent- A Bindura based Gtel sales woman was hauled to court after she stole her company’s mobile phones valued at US$1 962.

The matter came to light at Bindura magistrates court where Polite Nyamuzhanje appeared before magistrate Ethel Chichera.

Nyamuzhanje pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to 15 months in prison.

The magistrate however conditionally suspended the sentence and six months of the sentence was commuted to 210 hours of community service.

Prosecutor Shiella  Maribha told the court that during the period extending from August 8 2018 to September 23 last year Nyamuzhanje received some handsets and accessories from G -telecommunications  main stores in trust that she would sell the products and remit income generated to the company and also attend stock take.

She breached the trust bestowed in her by using the received property for purposes other than the condition of trust and thereafter absconded December 2019 stock take.

In May she also failed to turn up for stock take, a police report was filed leading to her arrest.

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) has told the government to reverse the eviction of nurses resident at public health institutions including Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.

The coalition speaks amid reports that Parirenyatwa was evicting nurses who participated in the ongoing industrial action that is meant to compel the government to pay their salaries in United States dollars at the level they were in 2018 when the local currency was at par with the US dollar.

The coalition said since over US$300 million was mobilised towards the coronavirus response, the government should change some resources towards improving the welfare and working conditions of health workers.

Worker’s Rights remain key to development and the vision for a fair and equitable society. The action by Parirenyatwa to pressurise nurses resident on campus to stop industrial action is deplorable and should be reversed immediately!

Health caregivers are also grumbling over poor working conditions while some resigned en masse and joined the private sector citing potential exposure to the coronavirus.

This comes amid reports of abuse of the COVID-19 response fund by senior government officials including the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Obadiah Moyo.

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance co-vice president, Professor Welshman Ncube, has dismissed as mere “borehole talk” claims that there is tension in the opposition party’s Presidium.

Ncube has declared that that the MDC Alliance presidium elected at the Gweru congress held in May 2019 is intact.

According to Ncube, there are no cracks in the party’s presidium.

“The MDC Alliance praesidium elected at the Gweru congress is as strong as the Rock of Gibraltar.

No amount of lies will shake us.

The ZANU PF propagandists are clearly desperate,” Ncube wrote on Twitter.

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance president, Advocate Nelson Chamisa, has defended his Christian approach to politics saying it is effective and influential.

Chamisa was responding to assertions from critics who accused him of being “too soft.”

Said Chamisa: “Varikuyedza all types of machinations and frustrations but haiwa mirai muoone. Ngoma yavakuririsa iyi yave kuda kutsemuka, kumagumo Kune nyaya. Patinoita setapera ndipo patinotangira kutapira ipapo..Take care!”

“Trust the formula. You will never regret!”

The MDC Alliance leader has vowed that he will not abandon his Christian approach to politics.

“I will always confess Jesus Christ …Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed in him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. John 12:42-43.”

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) has told the government to reverse the eviction of nurses resident at public health institutions including Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.

The coalition speaks amid reports that Parirenyatwa was evicting nurses who participated in the ongoing industrial action that is meant to compel the government to pay their salaries in United States dollars at the level they were in 2018 when the local currency was at par with the US dollar.

The coalition said since over US$300 million was mobilised towards the coronavirus response, the government should channel some resources towards improving the welfare and working conditions of health workers.

Worker’s Rights remain key to development and the vision for a fair and equitable society. The action by Parirenyatwa to pressurise nurses resident on campus to stop industrial action is deplorable and should be reversed immediately!

Health caregivers are also grumbling over poor working conditions while some resigned en masse and joined the private sector citing potential exposure to the coronavirus.

This comes amid reports of abuse of the COVID-19 response fund by senior government officials including the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Obadiah Moyo.

A campaign to unfollow President Emmerson Mnangagwa has gathered momentum on Twitter with over 6000 people having already pressed the button to do away with the man they accused of destroying the country through corruption and bad governance.

What started as a mere tweet gained momentum with more and more people posting screenshots after unfollowing Mnangagwa while went as far as blocking him.

At the beginning of the campaign, Mnangagwa has 565 000 followers but the number has gone down to 559 000.

Check below a screenshot of Mnangagwa’s Twitter account before the campaign

MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora said the party will go ahead with the Supreme Court-ordered extraordinary congress on July 31.

Speaking to ZBC News on Friday, Mwonzora claimed that the party’s rivals have made plans to disrupt the congress but his party’s security department will make sure that the undesirable elements will not take part in the indaba. He said:

We are aware that there are plans to disrupt our congress. We have seen some people advertising a demonstration exactly on the day (July 31).

They had to wait until we gave our congress date and then they have put a competing event.

But we have received information as well of a plan to disrupt this congress. A group of 1 050 people has been assembled to come and disrupt the congress.

We know that there are twenty people from each of the provinces outside Harare. We also know the there ate 870 people that are being brought from Harare to disrupt the congress.

In March, the Supreme Court directed Thokozani Khupe, in her capacity as the MDC-T interim president, to organise an extraordinary congress to elect a substantive leader of the Party following the death of Morgan Tsvangirai in 2018.

Reports claim that Mwonzora, Khupe and former Harare mayor Elias Mudzuri will tussle it out for the top post.

The MDC Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa has condemned the recalling of its councillors by the MDC-T led by Thokozani Khupe.

We present the party’s statement in full below.

The MDC Alliance condemns the recall of 4 Harare City Councilors by Minister July Moyo of Zanu Pf on the instruction of the MDCT.

This action is the first step toward the decimation of councils whose mandate comes from the will of the people.

We have noted that Zanu PF is stalling the holding of by-elections because the people will just vote back the recalled councillors. This sideshow will not in any way help service delivery or improve the plight of the ordinary Zimbabwean. It is a move calculated to cause confusion and shift attention from the national crisis.

As the MDC Alliance, we remain resolute and firmly focused on fighting for a people-centred government at local level. We shall continue to make sure that the people in the wards whose representatives have been removed are represented and their service delivery needs are met.

This unnecessary destabilization of the people’s government is a passing phase.

To our councillors, my reminder to you is that you have a covenant with the people in your respective wards. They voted for you and you accepted to carry the load of superior services for the people. This bond between yourselves and the people cannot be broken by anybody. Whether you have been recalled or are awaiting recall, let us remember that we account to the people and we must continue working in our communities unperturbed.

Sesel Zvidzai

Sec Local Gvt and Rural* *Development, MDCAlliance

A Gweru-based prophetess and church leader has been arrested for allegedly fondling, kissing and inserting her fingers in the private parts of a female congregant whom she had accommodated temporarily while she sought a place to stay.

Co-founder of Pray Deliverance and Testimony Ministries International Church, Juliet Masakanire, allegedly inserted her finger in the church member`s private parts while pretending to be a man.

Midlands police spokesperson Inspector Joel Goko confirmed the incident saying Masakanire was assisting police with investigations.

Inspector Goko said the matter came to light when the complainant, a 32-year-old Gweru woman, reported the incident to a church mate, and they both reported the matter to church elders.

“We have arrested the accused Juliet Masakanire after a female congregant whom she stayed with filed a sexual assault report against her,” said Inspector Goko.

He said the woman of cloth had offered the complainant accommodation for a few days as she was looking for a place to stay.

“Sometime during the month of January, Masakanire temporarily accommodated the complainant as she was still looking for a house to rent.

“While staying together, Masakanire gave the complainant a prophecy that she was going to get married to a man named Stanley Chinyonga,” he said.
Inspector Goko said Masakanire would speak to the complainant alleging that she was Chinyonga.

“From the day of prophecy, the accused would speak to complainant in a male voice saying she was Stanley Chinyonga.

“On an unknown date but during the month of February, the accused woke up during the night and started kissing the complainant all over her body and caressing her. She tried to resist but she was overpowered,” said Inspector Goko.
He said the prophetess went on top of the complainant.

“Masakanire mounted the complainant and inserted her fingers in the complainant’s private parts. She did that on four different occasions since they slept on the same bed.

“She threatened the complainant not to report the matter to anyone or else she would not meet her future husband Stanley if she did,” he said.

The complainant told another congregant and the matter was reported to church elders who in turn reported the matter to the police leading to Masakanire’s arrest-B-Metro

Recall of MDCA Councillors

The MDC Alliance condemns the recall of 4 Harare City Councilors by Minister July Moyo of Zanu Pf on the instruction of the MDCT.

This action is the first step toward the decimation of councils whose mandate comes from the will of the people.

We have noted that Zanu PF is stalling the holding of by-elections because the people will just vote back the recalled councilors. This sideshow will not in any way help service delivery or improve the plight of the ordinary Zimbabwean.

It is a move calculated to cause confusion and shift attention from the national crisis.

As the MDC Alliance, we remain resolute and firmly focused on fighting for a people-centred government at local level. We shall continue to make sure that the people in the wards whose representatives have been removed are represented and their service delivery needs are met.

This unnecessary destabilization of the people’s government is a passing phase.

To our councillors, my reminder to you is that you have a covenant with the people in your respective wards.

They voted for you and you accepted to carry the load of superior services for the people. This bond between yourselves and the people cannot be broken by anybody.

Whether you have been recalled or are awaiting recall, let us remember that we account to the people and we must continue working in our communities unperturbed.

Sesel Zvidzai
Sec Local Gvt and Rural Development, MDCAlliance

Fissures within the ruling ZANU PF party have emerged with factions within the war veterans welfare organisation, the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) at each other’s throat over the launch of the party’s war veterans wing.

There is bad blood between ZNLWVA national spokesperson Douglas Mahiya and other officials in the organisation and war collaborators who are accusing him of “unilaterally” launching the ZANU PF war veterans’ wing without further consultations with key stakeholders.

Last month Mahiya launched the Mashonaland Central war veterans’ wing where he presided over appointments into the body — allegedly without consulting his colleagues.

Chairpersons of ZNLWVA from the country’s 10 provinces argued that the league formation was just rushed through the politburo, central committee and (2019 Zanu PF) conference (in Goromonzi) without consulting stakeholders. They said:

Provinces were expecting Mahiya to come to them to explain and update them on the modalities of conference resolutions on the league.

Ever since the period of the conference, Mahiya has not addressed veterans of the liberation struggle in any of the 10 provinces, yet he rushes to launch the league.

One wonders whose interests he is serving, also given the calibre of the people pushing him.

The war veterans demanded the party to reverse the appointments which were made during the (Mashonaland Central) meeting.

Meanwhile, ZNLWVA secretary-general Victor Matemadanda, who is also ZANU PF national political commissar told the Daily News that he was not aware of who organised the meeting. He said.

I don’t know who organised that meeting because the issue of party structures is under the commissariat department and we should have known that there is a meeting to launch the war veterans’ league.

I don’t know what really happened. Maybe he (Mahiya) has special permission to do that.

Vice-chairperson of the Zimbabwe Liberation War Collaborators (ZILIWACO), Josephine Gandiya, accused Mahiya of working against President Emmerson Mnangagwa. She said:

We have nothing to do with Mahiya’s purported launch. He is forming his own league which has nothing to do with the real war veterans.

Mahiya is working against the president. As an association, our duty is to second people who are going to be part of the war veterans’ league.

In our view, the league has not been launched. We totally dismiss what Mahiya did.

More: Daily News

THE trial of former Zimbabwe Broadcasting Cooperation Chief Executive Officer Mr. Patrick Mavhura, former Head Finance, Administration and Human Resources, Benania Shumba together With former Human resources Manager, Stephen Kundishora failed to kick off after the state postponed the matter to the 20th of this month.

The trio is being charged on allegations of criminal abuse of office.

It is alleged that sometime in August 2018, Mavhura together with Shumba using their influential positions directed Stephen Kundishora to write a letter to Central Vehicle Registry to facilitate a change in ownership of ZBC vehicle, a Mazda BT50 into Shumba’s name.

It is alleged that Shumba claimed that the vehicle in question was supposed to be disposed to her name at zero book value.

The trio worked in unison leading to Shumba purchasing her personal issued car at net book value of zero without having a board of survey set up to achieve a maximum financial return for the disposal of the ZBC vehicle. The motor vehicle is valued 11 000 US Dollars.

Postponing the matter the state represented by Mr. George Manokore told the court that there was a policy document that relates to how motor vehicles are disposed of which is yet to be submitted.

Through their defence counsel, the trio opposed the request for postponement sighting that it’s been long with the state making undertakings that the trial was going to start.

In his ruling, the Magistrate ruled that it would not lose sight of the fact that some part of the period was under the COVID -19 pandemic as such it is reluctant to be quick on removing accused persons from remand.

The trio will be back in court on the 20th of this month for the commencement of trial.

In another court case, the judgment of flamboyant businessman Genius Kadungure has been reserved to the 10th of this month after the Magistrate dealing with the matter is on another assignment.

Kadungure is facing two counts, one for allegedly smuggling more than five million kilograms of gas into the country and of failing to submit tax returns to the tax collector in which he exonerated himself in his last court appearance last month.

All Africa

MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa should first address the issue of his legitimacy before he publicly denigrates President Emmerson Mnangagwa who the opposition leader accuses of rigging the 2018 presidential election.

This is the view of Gift Konjana, an MDC candidate who participated in the 2018 Chegutu West parliamentary candidate on an MDC Alliance ticket.

The activist won the election but was cheated his victory by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) after it gave some of its votes to Dexter Nduna of Zanu PF.

On confirming the anomaly, ZEC declined to reverse the final tally and instructed Konjona to seek recourse at the courts. The matter is now before the Supreme Court.

However, Konjana who has dumped Chamisa for Thokozani Khupe’s MDC-T, said the Alliance leader cannot continue to speak ill against Mnangagwa’s legitimacy when the same issue hangs over his head.

The Chegutu district political activist said he could not disown the MDC-T because it was a legal entity, unlike the MDC Alliance.

“I contested the 2018 elections under the MDC Alliance banner since my sponsoring party was the MDC-T,” he told NewZimbabwe in an interview.

“The MDC-T, as one of the seven political parties in the Alliance, seconded candidates to contest in the election. My (party) card and all the other documentation that I signed bear the MDC-T logo and the receipts I have as contributions for membership, all bear that as well,” he said.

Konjana has since reverted to be the chairperson of the Chegutu district elected in 2014 as per the ruling of the Supreme Court in March this year.

“The Supreme Court judgment is welcome in that it would put the leadership wrangle to rest once and for all. The illegitimacy issue that we have against Mnangagwa will subsist if we don’t have a legitimate leader ourselves,” he said.

“This is a golden opportunity for the MDC family which had been fragmented to come together, converge and morph into one strong party. The extraordinary congress to choose a leader is a process long overdue as it will unite the party and emerge as a strong political alternative.

Konjana said any political party that seeks to be an alternative to Zanu PF must be anchored on constitutionalism.

“Once we build a strong party anchored on constitutionalism, we will ultimately build a strong government with strong institutions. If we have a false start on this, I believe we are doomed.

“Since 2018, I have witnessed our own constitution, our own set of rules being set aside and manipulated so as to accommodate certain individuals close to leadership. I saw this as a bad precedent in a party that was once a citadel of democracy, rule of law, and hope for our country,” he said.

Thokozanu Khupe was rejected by Zimbabweans in 2018 elections. She performed dismally in the presidential election. Her party, MDC-T, failed to win even a single local government seat.

MDC-T acting secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora said the party will go ahead with the Supreme Court-ordered extraordinary congress on July 31.

Speaking to ZBC News on Friday, Mwonzora claimed that the party’s rivals have made plans to disrupt the congress but his party’s security department will make sure that the undesirable elements will not take part in the indaba. He said:

We are aware that there are plans to disrupt our congress. We have seen some people advertising a demonstration exactly on the day (July 31).

They had to wait until we gave our congress date and then they have put a competing event.

But we have received information as well of a plan to disrupt this congress. A group of 1 050 people has been assembled to come and disrupt the congress.

We know that there are twenty people from each of the provinces outside Harare. We also know the there ate 870 people that are being brought from Harare to disrupt the congress.

In March, the Supreme Court directed Thokozani Khupe, in her capacity as the MDC-T interim president, to organise an extraordinary congress to elect a substantive leader of the Party following the death of Morgan Tsvangirai in 2018.

Reports claim that Mwonzora, Khupe and former Harare mayor Elias Mudzuri will tussle it out for the top post.

Own Correspondent

ZIMBABWE’S COVID-19 cases are now at 625 following eight cases that tested positive this Friday. Six of the confirmed cases are South Africa, one form Botswana and the other one is a locally transmitted case.
To date the country has registered 176 recoveries and seven deaths since the disease was first recorded in the country. 75 485 tests have been conducted to date.

Meanwhile the Ministry of health and child care has urged Zimbabweans not to take anything for granted and remain on high alert as the number of Covid-19 cases continues to rise.
The Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child care, Dr Gibson Mhlanga said though most local cases are linked to people coming from outside the country. “We want to emphasise to the people of Zimbabwe that this virus is real and people should strictly adhere to the set preventative measures, let’s wear our masks let’s practice social distancing and safe hygiene use of hand sanitisers, avoid handshakes and we also have people who are jumping the borders let’s report them,” said Dr Mhlanga.

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance president, Advocate Nelson Chamisa, has defended his Christian approach to politics saying it is effective and influential.

Chamisa was responding to assertions from critics who accused him of being “too soft.”

Said Chamisa: “Varikuyedza all types of machinations and frustrations but haiwa mirai muoone. Ngoma yavakuririsa iyi yave kuda kutsemuka, kumagumo Kune nyaya. Patinoita setapera ndipo patinotangira kutapira ipapo..Take care!”

“Trust the formula. You will never regret!”

The MDC Alliance leader has vowed that he will not abandon his Christian approach to politics.

“I will always confess Jesus Christ …Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed in him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. John 12:42-43.”

The Movement for Democratic Change Alliance (MDC-A) led by Nelson Chamisa has announced that it will hold an electronic rally on Sunday.

The party made the announcement on its social media pages stating that the rally is dubbed “Fight for Better Livelihoods.” Read the notice:

“On Sunday 5 July, we will host an e-rally under the theme “Fight for Better Livelihoods.” The rally will start at 1400hrs. The keynote address will be at 1500hrs by President @nelsonchamisa. Tune in on all our online channels!”

The rally comes when the country is grappling with socio-economic and political crises characterised by skyrocketing inflation, starvation, and the deterioration of the democratic space.

Two months ago, some MDC Alliance members in the party’s Youth Assembly were arrested for breaking lockdown regulations after they initiated and participated in a flash protest over hunger caused by the COVID-19 lockdown.

This suggests that the online rally is the only possible and legal alternative, for now, since the country is under an indefinite lockdown which prohibits huge physical gatherings.

– MDC Alliance

Zimbabwe’s coronavirus cases have risen to 625 after eight more people tested positive for coronavirus.

Six infections are returnees from South Africa while the remaining two cases are a returnee from Botswana and a local case.

Three more people recovered from the virus bringing the total of recoveries to 176-Health Ministry

State Media

South Africa has started deporting 273 Zimbabweans arrested for violating its immigration laws.

The rapid deportation is driven by the need to de-congest prisons and immigrants detention centres in the midst of Southern Africa’s worst Covid-19 infection rate

A total of 169 arrived in Beitbridge yesterday in police vans while an additional 104 are expected to arrive in Zimbabwe today.

Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to South Africa, Mr David Hamadziripi said yesterday that all those being deported were from holding centres in Limpopo Province.

“The majority of them had been arrested for violation of South Africa’s immigration laws,” said the ambassador.

The latest development brings to 800 the total number of Zimbabweans deported from South Africa since the beginning of April.

The first group of 527 arrived in the country in a convoy of 11 buses in May and these were mostly from Gauteng province.

Among the immigrants were 129 released prisoners. Upon arrival in the country the immigrants are screened and profiled at the National Social Security Hotel, which is being used as a quarantine and isolation centre before being transferred to quarantine centres nearer to their homes.

Before the lockdown, South Africa was deporting around 60 people daily and most of those intercepted immigrants would have overstayed or travelled without valid travel documents.

Under the current South African regulations, Zimbabweans are allowed a stay of not more than 90 days per calendar year and those who are not formally employed are finding it difficult to conduct their businesses in under three months.

The 90 days free visa is awarded to the traveller at the ports of entry at the discretion of immigration officers.

While others chose to overstay in the hope of not being stopped and questioned, some are making use of fake immigration stamps to illegally extend their stay in South Africa.

VOA

Botswana is investigating a growing number of unexplained deaths of elephants, having confirmed 275 had died, up from 154 two weeks ago, the government said Thursday.

The dead elephants were first spotted months ago in the Okavango Panhandle region, and the authorities say they have since been trying to discover the cause. Poaching has been ruled out as the cause of death, as the carcasses were found intact.

“Three laboratories in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Canada have been identified to process the samples taken from the dead elephants,” the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, Conservation and Tourism said in a statement.

In a report prepared for the government and seen by Reuters, Elephants Without Borders (EWB), a conservation organization, said that its aerial surveys showed that elephants of all ages appeared to be dying. The group counted 169 dead elephants on May 25, and another 187 on June 14, according to the report.

The directors of EWB did not immediately respond to phone calls or text messages seeking comment on the report.

“Several live elephants that we observed appeared to be weak, lethargic and emaciated. Some elephants appeared disorientated, had difficulty walking, showed signs of partial paralysis or a limp,” the report said.

“One elephant was observed walking in circles, unable to change direction although being encouraged by other herd members.”

The report said urgent action was needed to establish if the deaths were caused by disease or poisoning.

Africa’s overall elephant population is declining due to poaching, but Botswana, home to almost a third of the continent’s elephants, has seen numbers grow to 130,000 from 80,000 in the late 1990s.

However, they are seen as a nuisance by some farmers, whose crops have been destroyed.

President Mokgweetsi Masisi lifted a five-year ban on big game hunting in May last year but the hunting season failed to take off in April as global travel restrictions meant hunters from many coronavirus-hit countries could not enter Botswana.

Own Correspondent

Four people were arrested in Kutama, Zvimba District, home of the late former President Robert Mugabe, on Monday after they were found in possession of household goods believed to have been stolen from four different houses in the area.

The suspects were arrested while trying to transport the loot to Harare.

Police Spokesman Asst Comm Paul Nyathi said property valued at US$12 321 was recovered after police operatives disguised as passengers in a pick-up truck going to Harare, offered a lift to the house breakers.

The suspects loaded the stolen property from four different homes into the pick-up truck and were eventually arrested.

Own Correspondent

A worker from a Bulawayo-based hardware allegedly lost US$30 000 to thieves after parking a vehicle he was using to deliver the cash to the bank, at a supermarket in the central business district on Tuesday morning.

Police said the circumstances in which the cash was stolen were suspicious and they have since launched investigations to ascertain what transpired.

The employee had been sent by one of the directors of the hardware located in the Belmont area of Bulawayo.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident.

“We are investigating a case in which cash amounting to US$30 000 was stolen from a parked motor vehicle in Bulawayo CBD on June 30, 2020, at about 0800 hours. The complainant had parked his vehicle and entered a supermarket to buy some foodstuffs,” he said.

A report made to the police suggests that when the employee was given the money to take it to a local bank, he stashed it in a khaki envelope and placed it on the dashboard of a Toyota IST he was using. On his way, he parked the vehicle at a supermarket before returning to the vehicle 10 minutes later and discovered that the cash had been stolen in unclear circumstances.

However, police are sceptical about the circumstances under which the money disappeared.

“It is a suspicious case because it is not clear how the money was stolen and police are still investigating the case. We would like, however, to urge company executives to ensure that their money is transported by reputable security companies that provide escort to the bank to avoid such incidents,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

The employee has since been questioned by the police as part of the ongoing investigations.

Own Correspondent

MDC-T Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora has yet again blasted MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa accusing of being a dictator and refusing to follow the party constitution and country’s laws.

In a wide interview with the SABC on The Globe programme on Saturday morning, Mwonzora dismissed Chamisa’s big performance in the 2018 elections claiming that it was him and Morgen Komichi who influenced voters to vote for the MDC Alliance.

Watch the full programme which starts with a report on the ongoing strike by health workers in the video downloading below. Please be patient while the video downloads.

Lovemore Munyoro, a shopkeeper at one of the shops in Chivhu town, was reportedly assaulted by police detectives after he was caught taking a video on WhatsApp recording them taking turns to beat up two suspected thieves, which he shared immediately upon realizing the police had discovered that he was filming them and were charging towards him.

In the 37-second video clip, one of the detectives discharged a firearm on the ground at the Chivhu location shops to threaten the suspects who were refusing to disclose where they had allegedly stolen a refrigerator.

Munyoro, who refused to comment on the matter, heard commotion and rushed to the scene, where four detectives stationed at Chivhu CID were interrogating the suspects.

He started shooting a video of the police officers assaulting the suspects, but trouble began when the police detectives realised he was recording them.

The police allegedly interrogated, assaulted and briefly detained Munyoro for shooting the video and sharing it on social media platforms.

Mashonaland East police spokesperson Inspector Tendai Mwanza said he was yet to watch the video clip. In February this year, a detective stationed at Chivhu CID was accidentally shot by a colleague while arresting an armed robber.

Watch video downloading below, please be patient while the video downloads.

By A Correspondent- An ex-Lupane State University laboratory technician who fatally assaulted his 52-year-old maid whom he was having an affair with after discovering that she was HIV positive, was yesterday sentenced to five years in jail.

Godson Zondo (40) from Emganwini suburb assaulted his maid Khethiwe Zimba with a plank all over the body in February 2018 after he discovered that she was on antiretroviral therapy (ART).

The maid, who was having an extramarital affair with Zondo, had not told him that she was HIV positive and tricked him into having unprotected sex twice at his matrimonial home. Zondo took advantage of his wife’s absence to indulge in sex with the now-deceased. The offence was committed when his wife was away in Filabusi where she is a nurse.

Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese convicted Zondo of a lesser charge of culpable homicide in connection with Zimba’s death.

Initially, the accused person was charged with murder. He will serve an effective three years in jail after two years were suspended for five years on condition that Zondo does not within that period commit a similar offence. In passing the sentence, Justice Makonese condemned Zondo’s conduct, saying it was deplorable.

“This offence is grave and serious and a life was needlessly lost due to the accused person’s recklessness. The deceased lied about her HIV status and even hid condoms resulting in the two lovers having unprotected sex and it is clear that the accused person got angry upon discovering antiretroviral drugs falling from the deceased’s bag,” he said.

“It is clear that he acted in the heat of the moment due to provocation and lost self-control. He acted irrationally and his actions resulted in loss of life.” The judge said courts discouraged infidelity, saying it undermined the sanctity of marriage.

“The accused person ought to have acted responsibly and exercised caution after the deceased had hidden the condoms. We however, don’t accept accused’s assertion that he was seduced by the deceased when he in fact, failed to exercise self-restraint by engaging in the sexual enterprise and his moral blameworthiness is very high,” said Justice Makonese.

The judge said Zondo deserved a custodial sentence, although it won’t be too harsh given the circumstances under which the offence was committed. Justice Makonese also took into consideration the fact that Zondo compensated the deceased’s family with 18 head of cattle and also assisted with the funeral expenses.

Prosecuting, Mr Blessing Gundani said on February 3, 2018, Zondo and the now-deceased developed a sexual relationship after Zimba had assured the accused person that she was HIV negative and they had unprotected sex.

“On February 11, 2018, the accused and deceased had another unprotected sexual intercourse. However, after sex, the accused person discovered some ARV drugs which had fallen from deceased’s handbag,” he said.

The court heard that Zondo got angry and he confronted the deceased and demanded to know why she lied. The two were involved in a heated argument which degenerated into a fight. He took a plank and indiscriminately attacked the deceased and she fell headlong to the ground and bled profusely.

Zimba, the court heard, died in hospital the following day. According to the post-mortem, the cause of death was severe skeleton-muscular damages, multiple injuries and callous murder.

 In his warned and cautioned statement, Zondo said the deceased seduced him after she opened the door half naked and suggested that they have unprotected sex. Mr Zibusiso Ncube of Ncube and Partners represented the accused person.

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Jemedza High School is reportedly forcing parents to pay for the second term online lessons in forex.

A source privy to the development confirmed that the school had sent communication to parents instructing them to pay second term fees in united states dollars.

We publish below the messages sent to parents on various platforms:

We advise you that every student is required to pay USD150 and USD165 for O level and A level respectively towards tuition for second term. Those who paid for online lessons can deduct the amount they paid and pay the balance. $2750 & $3025 were equivalent to USD 50 & 55 respectively. St Luke Jemedza High School.

ZimEye was in the process of contacting the school headmaster only identified as C Mukupe.

This is a developing story. Refresh this page for latest updates.

By A Correspondent- Government is seeking to raise ZW$500 million (US$5m) through Treasury Bills (TBs) to meet the COVID-19 pandemic expenditure, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has said.

The apex bank has invited banks and building societies to subscribe to the sovereign paper with 270 and 364-day tenures of maturity.

“The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) on behalf of the Government of Zimbabwe hereby invites commercial banks, building societies, POSB and IDBZ [Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe] to subscribe to a Government Treasury Bill Tender amounting to $500 000 000,” the central bank announced yesterday in statement.

The paper is an open tender on a yield basis.

Applications must be for a minimum amount of $1 million and the number of bids per investor is restricted to two per issue.

The tradable paper is tax exempted, has a prescribed asset status and can be accepted as collateral for overnight accommodation by the central bank.

Research shows that although TBs are considered to have very low free credit risk, they are affected by interest rate and inflation vagaries.

Previous over-issuance of TBs created a fiscal imbalance that threatened the financial sector as well as distortions in the foreign exchange market.

Authorities resumed public auction of TBs last August, with prior auctions held in secrecy. Government has since instituted open market borrowing to improve transparency.

According to the Transitional Stabilisation Programme, government would only be issuing medium to long-term securities in view of the limited fiscal space, categorised as liquidity support, infrastructure development among other purposes.

By A Correspondent- Individuals with nostro foreign currency accounts (FCAs) in Zimbabwe are failing to withdraw US dollars from banks, a development which undermines public confidence and trust in the financial system.

FCA holders with Zimbabwean banks have expressed apprehension over what they fear could lead to a raid on their funds by the government.

Forex availability has been a problem in the country, whose productive sectors continue to encounter headwinds amid a Covid-19 pandemic, a huge import bill for fuel, medicines and raw materials for industry.

This has worsened in recent weeks, as FCA account holders have begun facing challenges in withdrawing hard cash.

Harare resident Fidelis Matiashe, who banks with a local commercial bank, said he has been trying to withdraw forex from his bank with little success.

“I went to withdraw my money yesterday (Wednesday) as I have done over the years, but on Wednesday they told me that I will not be able to withdraw my money because it was sent via a transfer,” Matiashe said.

“I tried to engage the bank over the matter with a view to understanding whether it was their new policy to do that, but I couldn’t get a proper answer.”

Another FCA account holder with different commercial bank, Zenzeleni Vuma, said he was also turned away by his bank with “obscure” explanations.

“It’s really frustrating, especially after the government has allowed people to use forex to transact in the country,” he said.

Economist Godfrey Kanyenze said the development would simply undermine public confidence in the banking system. “It simply undermines the confidence and trust because banking normally operates on the basis of the law and numbers such that when you go to a bank you should not be having a challenge getting your money because it’s not everyone who will go at the same time,” Kanyenze said.

“But if everyone is going at the same time to the bank and they are trying to withdraw cash, then it tells you there is a run on the bank, then there is a problem. In Zimbabwe, trust is critical. Trust and confidence are critical issues.”

“It’s very delicate. If they do that (not allowing withdrawals) it basically creates a real challenge for the transacting public because these are free funds. Otherwise it creates a crisis,” he added.

Efforts to get a comment from Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor John Mangudya as well as Bankers’ Association of Zimbabwe president Ralph Watungwa were fruitless.

-Independent

By A Correspondent- A 46 year old Kuwadzana man was last week charged with subversion for allegedly printing fake Zanu PF and Central Intelligence Organisation identification cards at his residence.

Niven Nyarungwe, who appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court, was remanded in custody and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.

He will be back in court on July 10.

Nyarungwe was arrested after he was found in possession of four State security agents fake identity cards, nine fake Zanu PF identity cards, a computer and a printer used to manufacture the cards and three flash discs containing the fake State security identity card templates.

Allegations are that in June, Nyarungwe and accomplices, who are still at large, created a template and manufactured fake CIO identification cards for themselves.

The cards were allegedly inscribed with full names, national identity numbers and pictures of the bearers who were not members or employed by the State security agency.

The State alleges the fake identity cards gave Nyarungwe and his accomplice’s privileges of State security agents and access to classified information as well as access to government security institutions, State executive, possession and handling of weapons.

The gang also made a set of fake Zanu PF identity cards that gave them access to Zanu PF institutions where State executives are office bearers.

The prosecution alleged that their actions compromised State security.

-Online

By A Correspondentt- Two employees at the Zimbabwe Republic Police National Armaments workshop have appeared in court on allegations of conniving with two fellow employees to steal five pistols.

Nhawu Jongwe and Wellington Nata were not asked to plead to allegations of theft when they appeared before Harare magistrate Barbra Mateko. The two were remanded to September 3.

It is alleged that the two, who are stationed at national armaments, Morris Depot in Harare, connived and teamed up with two other workmates Charles Mabhiza – who has since appeared in court on the charge – and Liberty Musindo – who is on the run – and stole the firearms at their workplace.

It is said on June 19, the officer-in-charge at national armaments, chief inspector Madenyika discovered that some pistols were missing from the armoury and carried out a stock-take.

He discovered that four CZ and Tokarev pistols were missing.

Investigations were done, leading to the arrest of Mabhiza which led to the recovery of two CZ pistols.

It is said Mabhiza then implicated the two as his accomplices.

The pistols were valued at US$4 000 and the two recovered are valued at US$1 600.

Prosecutor Sabastian Mutizirwa appeared for the State.

A Zimbabwean court has overturned the conviction of two Mutare residents after they successfully challenged the decision by some Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) members to order them to pay RTGS$1 000 as fine for unnecessary movement during the national lockdown period.

Precious and Privilege Gwatidzo, who are twin sisters and based in Mutare recently petitioned the Mutare Magistrates Court seeking an order to set aside their conviction and to be refunded the fine which they paid to ZRP on 12 April 2020 after they were arrested and charged for unnecessary movement during national lockdown period as defined in section 4(1)(a) of Statutory Instrument 83 of 2020 Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) Order, 2020.

Precious and Privilege, who are residents of Dangamvura high-density suburb in Mutare, were arrested on 12 April 2020 after they left their home with the intention to purchase some prescribed medication at a pharmacy for their grandmother, who is chronically ill.

Although Precious and Privilege had in their possession a supporting letter from their local Councillor confirming that they had an ailing member of the family who needed urgent medication, the ZRP members at Dangamvura Police Station could not entertain their request and proceeded to arrest and detain them overnight without pressing a charge against them.

The twin sisters were only advised of the charge the following day, it being alleged that they contravened section 4(1)(a) of Statutory Instrument 83 of 2020 Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) Order, 2020, which prohibited unnecessary movement of people during the national lockdown imposed by the government in March in a bid to combat the spread of coronavirus.

While in police detention, Precious and Privilege were denied access to sanitary wear and were only released from custody after paying a fine of RTGS$500 each.

With the assistance of human rights lawyer Moses Chikomo of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Precious and Privilege wrote a letter of complaint to the Officer in Charge of Dangamvura Police Station registering their displeasure in the manner in which the law enforcement agents had conducted themselves after apprehending them.

The twin sisters also challenged their conviction and the imposition of fines against them by ZRP members and this was granted by Magistrate Sheila Nazombe.

In her ruling, Magistrate Nazombe stated that she was satisfied that the plea of guilty entered by Precious and Privilege when they were arrested in April was equivocal.

The Magistrate ordered ZRP members to refund the total fine amounting to RTGS$1 000 paid by Precious and Privilege and also directed ZRP members to compile a docket and bring the twins sisters to appear in court for a proper hearing and determination of their matter.

A picture of former G40 kingpins Patrick Zhuwao, Saviour Kasukuwere and Walter Mzembi has gone viral on the internet.

The picture shows the three former ZANU PF heavyweights at a restaurant.

The three were exiled in South Africa after the November 2017 coup that ended 37 years of Robert Mugabe’s rule.  

The Zimbabwe Republic Police has said that it is investigating a shootout incident which occurred at Tarkka Forest, Manicaland where two people died.

Below is the police’s statement in full.

03 JULY, 2020, SHOOTING INCIDENT AT TARKKA FOREST, MANICALAND.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police is investigating an unfortunate shooting incident which occurred today at TARKKA forest, Chimanimani where two people died and one was injured when timber poachers clashed with Police officers.

The poachers had left a tractor and trailer when Zimbabwe Republic Police deployed members on 1st July 2020 and grouped on 3rd July 2020 before attacking police officers with a Police Sergeant being trampled upon by thirty suspects before other police officers reacted. They fired warning shots which were ignored until the three suspects were shot and taken to Rusitu Mission Hospital. Two suspects died on admission while the other one is currently admitted at the same institution.

Police are conducting comprehensive inquiries into this regrettable incident and urge members of the public to observe the law at all times.

Dear Dougie: Between from 2011-2014 you were the MDC spokesperson elected in Bulawayo. You became SG from 2014-2019 elected in Harare during Tsvangirai leadership. Its only after Supreme Court ruling in March 2020 that you are now the darling of regime media, why, what happened? pic.twitter.com/CTiIaI5i7j

— Pedzisai Ruhanya (@PedzisaiRuhanya) July 4, 2020

By A Correspondent- An 86-year-old pensioner is challenging the constitutionality of the statutory instrument (SI) that converted United States dollar balances to Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) accounts, which resulted in the devaluation of his savings and pension.

Duncan Hugh Cocksedge is among hundreds of thousands of pensioners in Zimbabwe that have lost millions of dollars as their pensions and savings have been eroded and they risk destitution.

Cocksedge, a structural and civil engineer and one of Zimbabwe’s greatest sportsperson, has approached the courts to recover the US$179 541,45 balance, which was in his CABS account as at December 5, 2016.

Some writers consider him to be the country’s greatest-ever baseball player and he also played rugby, cricket and hockey. Cocksedge played hockey and baseball for the national team in the 1950s and 1960s.

He also wants the Exchange Control Directive RT/120/2018 to be declared null and void and set aside, arguing that it is grossly irrational and unreasonable and that Section 22(1)(b), (d) and (e) of the Finance Act Number 2 of 2019 be set aside.

In the application, CABS is the first respondent while the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) and Finance minister Mthuli Ncube are the second and third respondents respectively.

“My case is simple. I deposited into the bank goats. I expect to be paid my goats. The bank can’t give me cockroaches when I gave them goats,” Cocksedge, who is being represented by prominent lawyer Tendai Biti, said in the application.

“It is my respectful contention that section 22 (1)(b), (d) and (e) are unconstitutional and are a breach of my right to property as protected by section 71 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. The net effect of Section 22 is to devalue my US$ balances into a quasi-currency known as the ‘Real Time Gross Settlement’ which should then be negotiable on a willing buyer-willing seller.”

“I am an 86-year-old man who was looking to those resources for my retirement. The sum of US$179 000 would have looked after me very well. The sum of less than US$2 000 equivalent cannot last me three months.”

He said there is nothing dignified about essentially expropriating the savings of an 86-year-old pensioner who has toiled for the money all his life with the intention of cushioning himself in his twilight years.

The government introduced a basket of multi-currencies, including the US dollar, as legal tender in 2009.

In May 2016, RBZ governor John Mangudya made a major policy announcement indicating that the central bank would introduce an export incentive in the form of bond notes.

Mangudya said the facility was backed by a US$200 million fund.

On October 31, 2016, through an extraordinary Government Gazette, the then president Robert Mugabe enacted the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) Amendment of the Reserve Bank Act on the Issue of Bond Notes Regulations of 2016, which were contained in SI 133 of 2016.

Cocksedge wrote a letter to CABS, asking the bank to preserve his account and not to deposit any more funds into it.

“On the 2nd of June 2020, I wrote a letter of demand to the first respondent (CABS) demanding payment of the said sum of US$179 541,45, but the first respondent has failed or neglected to pay the same.

“I am advised, which advice I take, that on the 22nd of February 2019 the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe enacted the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) Act Amendment of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Act Regulations SI 33/2019. Further, I am advised that on the 24th of June 2019 the 3rd respondent enacted the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Legal Tender Regulations published as SI 142/2019,” Cocksedge said.

He said he also understood that in August last year the Finance Act No 2 of 2019 was passed by parliament, which morphed and incorporated the provisions of SI 33 of 2019 and SI 142 of 2019. And the net effect of SI 33 of 2019 was — among other outcomes — to effectively convert all US dollar balances that existed in Zimbabwe into local RTGS$ at the exchange rate of 1:1.

“The Supreme Court has interpreted SI 33 of 2019 to mean that all indebtedness must now be converted and payable in Zimbabwean dollars. I am aware that through SI 142/2019, Zimbabwean dollar currency was restored as a sole currency in Zimbabwe and the regime of multiple currency was terminated,” Cocksedge said

“I am aware that the Finance Act No 2 of 2019, in Section 21 of the Act, amended Section 44C of the Reserve Bank Act to incorporate SI 33/2019 in making the current currency the RTGS legal tender. I am aware that Section 23 of the Finance Act restates the fact of the Zimbabwean dollar being the sole currency for legal tender with effect from the 24th of June 2019.

“However, Section 44C made it clear that funds that were held in nostro foreign currency accounts would continue being designated in such foreign currency accounts. Nostro foreign currency accounts were defined to mean any foreign accounts designated in terms of the Exchange Control Directive RT/120/2018 held with the financial institution,” he added.

Cocksedge says Exchange Control notice 120 of 2018, issued by the RBZ to separate US dollar balances between those that were classified as nostro foreign currency accounts (FCAs) and nostro RTGS was unlawful, grossly unreasonable and irrational.

“Through the stroke of a pen, the 2nd respondent (RBZ) had enacted a directive whose effect was to have retrospective application in converting our US$ balances into nostro FCA. Respondents knew the impact of their actions and deceptively strove to assure the market about the 1:1 ‘Gedyegedye’ fiction,” he said.

“As I write this affidavit now, the parallel market exchange rate between the US$ and the RTGS is 1:100. Which means that as of today my US$179 000,00 is now effectively worth a mere US$1 790,00, according to the respondents.

“The 3rd respondent (Ncube) himself, acknowledges the erosion of workers’ salaries and savings and pensions, raising by 50% the salaries of civil servants and directing that a US$75 payment would be made to all civil servants in foreign currency nostro accounts. The 2nd and 3rd respondent’s actions have thus contributed to a massive loss of value. They cannot deny this catastrophe.”

Cocksedge said he has contributed a lot to the development of Zimbabwe through his engineering works in the construction of major buildings in Harare, including Bard House, Karigamombe Centre, CABS Millennium Towers, Pegasus House, Harare International School, the European Union office block as well as Chinhoyi Hospital, among others.

He also worked for the Ministry of Roads and was involved in civil works on the Chinhoyi to Makuti road and the Bulawayo to Hwange road and was involved in the design and construction of bridges on those roads.

-ZimIndependent

By A Correspondent- Jemedza High School is reportedly forcing parents to pay for the second term online lessons in forex.

A source privy to the development confirmed that the school had sent communication to parents instructing them to pay second term fees in united states dollars.

We publish below the messages sent to parents on various platforms:

We advise you that every student is required to pay USD150 and USD165 for O level and A level respectively towards tuition for second term. Those who paid for online lessons can deduct the amount they paid and pay the balance. $2750 & $3025 were equivalent to USD 50 & 55 respectively. St Luke Jemedza High School.

ZimEye was in the process of contacting the school headmaster only identified as C Mukupe.

This is a developing story. Refresh this page for latest updates.

The leader of the Labor Economists Afrikan Democrats (LEAD) Linda Masarira has thrown her weight behind the leader of the MDC-T, Thokozani Khupe who is been accused of using her political muscle to take revenge on her former lover.

Khupe recently recalled Gideon Shoko, an MDC Alliance senator who allegedly fathered her child, for siding with her nemesis, Nelson Chamisa in the MDC leadership wrangle.

The move was viewed by some as Khupe’s way to take revenge on her ex-lover. Masarira was clearly not amused by comments on Khupe’s gesture.

She said:

This is the highest level of mediocrity, misogyny & idiocy. I have never seen anyone bring up past lovers of male politicians in Zimbabwe. This trend is getting out of hand & its time that #ZimWomenPoliticians unite to stop this nonsense. There is nothing for women without women.

The use of Khupe’s private life suggests how nasty the leadership crisis in the MDC which started shortly before the demise of the party’s founding leader, Morgan Tsvangirai has become.

Khupe recently sought the services of the army and police to oust MDC Alliance from the Harvest House christened Morgan Tsvangirai House.

The power wrangle reportedly started with “Tsvangirai’s unconstitutional appointment of Nelson Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri” to be his vice presidents and was worsened by “Chamisa’s eventual usurpation of power from Khupe who was the legitimate heir to the throne.”

Despite the presence of legal frameworks which promote the participation and inclusion of women in politics and administrative issues, very few women make it to the top echelons of power due to a number of issues including lack of funding and public perception, both a result of a patriarchal society still prevailing in the country.

Joyce Mujuru, the former vice president of Zimbabwe, stands out as one case that gave hope that the country was moving towards the inclusion of women in decision making positions in the public sector.

By A Correspondent- An ex-Lupane State University laboratory technician who fatally assaulted his 52-year-old maid whom he was having an affair with after discovering that she was HIV positive, was yesterday sentenced to five years in jail.

Godson Zondo (40) from Emganwini suburb assaulted his maid Khethiwe Zimba with a plank all over the body in February 2018 after he discovered that she was on antiretroviral therapy (ART).

The maid, who was having an extramarital affair with Zondo, had not told him that she was HIV positive and tricked him into having unprotected sex twice at his matrimonial home. Zondo took advantage of his wife’s absence to indulge in sex with the now-deceased. The offence was committed when his wife was away in Filabusi where she is a nurse.

Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese convicted Zondo of a lesser charge of culpable homicide in connection with Zimba’s death.

Initially, the accused person was charged with murder. He will serve an effective three years in jail after two years were suspended for five years on condition that Zondo does not within that period commit a similar offence. In passing the sentence, Justice Makonese condemned Zondo’s conduct, saying it was deplorable.

“This offence is grave and serious and a life was needlessly lost due to the accused person’s recklessness. The deceased lied about her HIV status and even hid condoms resulting in the two lovers having unprotected sex and it is clear that the accused person got angry upon discovering antiretroviral drugs falling from the deceased’s bag,” he said.

“It is clear that he acted in the heat of the moment due to provocation and lost self-control. He acted irrationally and his actions resulted in loss of life.” The judge said courts discouraged infidelity, saying it undermined the sanctity of marriage.

“The accused person ought to have acted responsibly and exercised caution after the deceased had hidden the condoms. We however, don’t accept accused’s assertion that he was seduced by the deceased when he in fact, failed to exercise self-restraint by engaging in the sexual enterprise and his moral blameworthiness is very high,” said Justice Makonese.

The judge said Zondo deserved a custodial sentence, although it won’t be too harsh given the circumstances under which the offence was committed. Justice Makonese also took into consideration the fact that Zondo compensated the deceased’s family with 18 head of cattle and also assisted with the funeral expenses.

Prosecuting, Mr Blessing Gundani said on February 3, 2018, Zondo and the now-deceased developed a sexual relationship after Zimba had assured the accused person that she was HIV negative and they had unprotected sex.

“On February 11, 2018, the accused and deceased had another unprotected sexual intercourse. However, after sex, the accused person discovered some ARV drugs which had fallen from deceased’s handbag,” he said.

The court heard that Zondo got angry and he confronted the deceased and demanded to know why she lied. The two were involved in a heated argument which degenerated into a fight. He took a plank and indiscriminately attacked the deceased and she fell headlong to the ground and bled profusely.

Zimba, the court heard, died in hospital the following day. According to the post-mortem, the cause of death was severe skeleton-muscular damages, multiple injuries and callous murder.

 In his warned and cautioned statement, Zondo said the deceased seduced him after she opened the door half naked and suggested that they have unprotected sex. Mr Zibusiso Ncube of Ncube and Partners represented the accused person.

-statemedia

A storm is brewing in Zanu-PF over the ruling party’s newly-launched war veterans’ wing – pitting many former freedom fighters against their national spokesperson Douglas Mahiya.

This comes as there are widening fissures in the former liberation movement, which was split in the middle during the last years in office of the country’s late ex-president Robert Mugabe – who was unexpectedly toppled from power by a stunning and popular military coup in November 2017.

The launch of the war veterans’ league follows the resolutions that were made at Zanu-PF’s December 2019 annual conference, which moved to adopt the ex-combatants’ wing as an integral organ of the party.

Enquiries by the Daily News yesterday showed that the war veterans’ wing is widely seen as crucial in the ruling party’s problematic succession matrix.

Now, a tag team made up of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) and war collaborators is accusing the under-fire Mahiya of “unilaterally” launching the wing without further consultations with key stakeholders.

This comes after Mahiya launched the Mashonaland Central war veterans’ wing last month, where he presided over appointments into the body – allegedly without consulting his colleagues.

“We are extremely surprised to note that Mahiya decided to rush to launch the league even before the party’s constitution has been amended to accommodate that … and without consulting veterans of the liberation struggle.

“The league formation was just rushed through the politburo, central committee and (2019 Zanu-PF) conference (in Goromonzi) without consulting stakeholders.

“Provinces were expecting Mahiya to come to them to explain and update them on the modalities of conference resolutions on the league,” agitated war veterans’ chairpersons drawn from the country’s 10 provinces said yesterday.

“Ever since the period of the conference, Mahiya has not addressed veterans of the liberation struggle in any of the 10 provinces, yet he rushes to launch the league.

“One wonders whose interests he is serving, also given the calibre of the people pushing him.

“The war veterans demanded the party to reverse the appointments which were made during the (Mashonaland Central) meeting,” the chairpersons said further.

“The party procedures are that such occasions are handled by the commissariat department. The absence of the commissariat department on such a crucial occasion raises a lot of questions,” they added.

ZNLWVA secretary-general Victor Matemadanda – who doubles up as Zanu-PF national political commissar – confirmed that the party’s commissariat department was responsible for managing such exercises.

“I don’t know who organised that meeting because the issue of party structures is under the commissariat department and we should have known that there is a meeting to launch the war veterans’ league.

“I don’t know what really happened. Maybe he (Mahiya) has a special permission to do that,” the guarded Matemadanda told the Daily News yesterday.

On his part, the vice chairperson of the Zimbabwe Liberation War Collaborators (Ziliwaco), Josephine Gandiya, accused Mahiya of allegedly disrespecting President Emmerson Mnangagwa by not following the ruling party’s procedures in the establishment of the former freedom fighters league.

“Mahiya was told by the president when we met him last year that he must work with all associations. We are surprised to hear that he has launched the league in Mashonaland Central without consulting anyone.

“We have nothing to do with Mahiya’s purported launch. He is forming his own league which has nothing to do with the real war veterans.

“Mahiya is working against the president. As an association, our duty is to second people who are going to be part of the war veterans’ league.

“In our view, the league has not been launched. We totally dismiss what Mahiya did,” Gandiya told the Daily News yesterday.

Contacted for his view, Mahiya refused to comment. However, he got backing from Zanu-PF secretary for administration – Obert Mpofu – who hailed him for having launched the war veterans’ wing in Mashonaland Central.

“I also want to acknowledge the strides taken by the secretary of war veterans wing comrade Mahiya – in conjunction with the Mashonaland Central politburo members, central committee members and honourable ministers from that province – for the restructuring of the war veterans committee at the historic Atlanta farm in Muzarabani, of which (Richard) Chirongwe was appointed as the interim chairperson,” Mpofu said.

During Mugabe’s last few years in power, Mnangagwa was involved in a hammer and tongs war with the Generation 40 (G40) faction which had coalesced around the nonagenarian’s erratic wife Grace.

The vicious brawling took a nasty turn when Mnangagwa was allegedly poisoned by his rivals during one of Mugabe’s highly-divisive youth interface rallies in Gwanda in 2017.

Mnangagwa’s fate was eventually sealed on November 6, 2017 when Mugabe fired his long-time lieutenant a few days after the then VP’s allies had booed the irascible Grace during a tense rally at White City Stadium in Bulawayo.

However, tables were dramatically turned on Mugabe when the military rolled in their tanks on November 15 of that year and deposed the long-ruling geriatric from power – which saw a number of alleged G40 kingpins fleeing into self-imposed exile soon afterwards.

But despite Mnangagwa’s ascendancy to power, some ambitious bigwigs in the former liberation movement continue to stand accused of plotting to unseat the new Zanu-PF leader.

This comes as political analysts have said a proposed   new law which seeks to empower Mnangagwa to handpick his deputies could see him deciding who takes over after him, both as Zanu-PF’s and the country’s new leader.

Parliament has just held public hearings across the country, ahead of Constitutional Amendment Number 2 Bill being debated in the august House – where it is expected to sail through as Zanu-PF enjoys a super majority.

At the same time, critics say the Bill – which seeks to introduce at least 27 amendments to the Constitution, including dropping the presidential election running mate clause – is retrogressive.

The running mate clause was supposed to become operational from the fast-approaching 2023 general elections, which Mnangagwa has already indicated he will participate in.

The Bill also intends to amend the country’s supreme law to give Mnangagwa the power to appoint the prosecutor-general, extend the terms of retiring judges, increase the women’s quota in Parliament by 10 years, create a youth quota in the National Assembly, and appoint more non-constituency ministers, among other things.

-DailyNews

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe’s coronavirus cases have risen to 625 after eight more people tested positive for coronavirus.

The Ministry of Health and Child Care announced the development in a statement issued on the 3rd of July saying six of the new infections are returnees from South Africa while the remaining two cases were, a returnee from Botswana and a local case.

Three more people recovered from the virus bringing the total of recoveries to 176.

Recall of MDCA Councillors

The MDC Alliance condemns the recall of 4 Harare City Councilors by Minister July Moyo of Zanu Pf on the instruction of the MDCT.

This action is the first step toward the decimation of councils whose mandate comes from the will of the people.

We have noted that Zanu PF is stalling the holding of by-elections because the people will just vote back the recalled councilors. This sideshow will not in any way help service delivery or improve the plight of the ordinary Zimbabwean. It is a move calculated to cause confusion and shift attention from the national crisis.

As the MDC Alliance, we remain resolute and firmly focused on fighting for a people-centred government at local level. We shall continue to make sure that the people in the wards whose representatives have been removed are represented and their service delivery needs are met.

This unnecessary destabilization of the people’s government is a passing phase.

To our councillors, my reminder to you is that you have a covenant with the people in your respective wards. They voted for you and you accepted to carry the load of superior services for the people. This bond between yourselves and the people cannot be broken by anybody. Whether you have been recalled or are awaiting recall, let us remember that we account to the people and we must continue working in our communities unperturbed.

Sesel Zvidzai
Sec Local Gvt and Rural Development, MDCAlliance