Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Liz Throssell
Location: Geneva
Date: 24 July 2020
Subject:Zimbabwe

We are concerned at allegations in Zimbabwe, which suggest that the authorities may be using the COVID-19 pandemic as a pretext to clamp down on freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

Among the latest incidents, investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was arrested on 20 July and charged with inciting public violence, after he tweeted his support for nationwide protests against government corruption and worsening economic conditions.

Jacob Ngarivhume, an opposition leader who has been calling for the protests on 31 July, was also detained and similarly charged.
Merely calling for a peaceful protest or participating in a peaceful protest are an exercise of recognized human rights.

We are concerned at reports of police using force to disperse and arrest nurses and health workers for infringing lockdown restrictions as they were trying to protest for better salaries and conditions of work.

This pattern of intimidation echoes the events in May when three members of the main opposition party were arbitrarily arrested and detained for taking part in a protest.

The women – Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova – alleged that state agents abducted them from the police station, tortured and sexually assaulted them.

The women were then formally arrested in June, charged with participating in the protests and faking their abduction. They were recently released on bail.

It is clear that COVID-19 has added greatly to the challenges Zimbabwe faces amid a deteriorating economy and placed a further burden on an already struggling health sector.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa – highlighting an increase of 600 COVID-19 cases in a week to a total of 1,713 – on Tuesday announced a series of measures that he said were necessary to curb the spread of the disease, including a dusk to dawn curfew and the curtailment and suspension of freedoms that, as he put it, Zimbabweans “have always enjoyed”.

While recognizing the Government’s efforts to contain the pandemic, it is important to remind the authorities that any lockdown measures and restrictions should be necessary, proportionate and time-limited, and enforced humanely without resorting to unnecessary or excessive force.

We encourage the Government to engage with civil society and other stakeholders to find sustainable solutions to grievances while ensuring that people’s rights and freedoms are protected in accordance with Zimbabwe’s human rights obligations.

These include the responsibility of the State to guarantee economic, social and cultural rights.

Farai Dziva|The COVID-19 death toll has risen to 28 in Zimbabwe.

See statement below:

Ninety (90) cases tested positive for COVD-29 today. These include returnees from South Africa (7) and (83) local cases who are isolated.

Nine (9) of the local cases are contacts of known confirmed cases. Investigations are underway to establish the source of infection for the other 74.

Today we regret to report (2) deaths from Harare and Bulawayo Provinces.

The death from Harare is a patient who tested positive for COVO-19 on 20 July 2020 and was symptomatic and with other comorbidities.

The death from Bulawayo is patient who was admitted today with COVID-19 symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19.
Today 1525 RDT screening tests and 1248 PCR diagnostic tests were done.

The cumulative number of tests done to date is 110 560 (65 704 RDT and 44 856 PCR).

Since the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak on 20 March 2020, the total number of confirmed cases 2 124; recovered 510; active cases 1586 and 28 deaths.

A BULAWAYO female police officer was arrested for allegedly whipping her nine-year-old stepdaughter with an electric cord.

Shelita Zulu from Mahatshula North and stationed at Queens Park Police Station is being accused of repeatedly beating her stepdaughter and inflicting injury.

Records say on an unknown date but sometime in June this year a fight ensued between Zulu’s stepdaughter and another minor child who also stays at the same house.

It is reported that Zulu intervened and instead of disciplining the two, she allegedly assaulted her stepdaughter several times all over the body with an electric cord.

It is yet to be proven that the alleged brutal assault was committed on top of the numerous abuses that she was perpetrating on the minor child.

After the alleged abuse the minor child reportedly sustained injuries and it was later discovered by her mother who took her to the hospital for treatment.

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

Zulu has since appeared in court facing a charge of ill-treating a child as defined in section (7) (1) of the Children’s Act Chapter 5:06.

She, however, pleaded not guilty when she appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Marygold Ndlovu. The matter was postponed to 22 July for trial.

This was also after Zulu’s lawyer indicated to the court, that he was not served with State papers including witnesses’ statements:B-Metro

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance deputy chairperson Job Sikhala has revealed the names of state security agents who are behind the torture of citizens.

Sikhala also urged Zimbabweans to unite in the fight for total freedom from repression.

See statement below:

LETTER TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF ZIMBABWE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD :

By Hon Job Wiwa Sikhala :
July 31 Movement Operative

Dear Zimbabweans :

It is with great boldness dear Zimbabweans to share with you that despite oppressive circumstances we are in, never should we give in to the suffocation of our right to speak out against the excesses of the State against its citizens.

Giving in to oppression is rewarding and burying our future to the oppressor. The arrest and incarceration of our colleagues Hopewell Chin’ono and Jacob Ngarivhume for simply speaking against looting and corruption has never been witnessed in modern civilization. It is now clear even to the most daft that the world was sold a charade of the so called new dispensation. Criminalising a cry against looting is bringing our country to the world of the wildlife. Oppressors enjoy looting and all the luxuries of life when they are silencing everyone. 40 years of independence we have suffered indurable oppression in our own country.

From Monday this week the oppressors created a barrack of all its security agencies around my house. The Feret team was deployed at my house, as if speaking against looting and corruption is a crime. The most desperation was the tracking and chasing of my wife on her way to the Church with 3 motor vehicles, two unmarked and the other one a Double Cab Nissan NP300 with false number plates. The Feret team comprises of members of the CIO, MID, PISI and Law and Order. Their purpose is generally abduction, torture and assassinations. Tobaiwa and Javangwe were the PISI members leading the forces of darkness. Our team on the ground kept surveillance on all their movements. Curious cars frequented past my house.

This is exactly what oppressors enjoy. This can not be accepted in modern civilization. It is the duty of all of us as Zimbabweans to speak out on the 31st of July. Wherever you will be just carry your placard and go to the nearest place of the representative of the looters. Whether you are a member of ZANU PF who is not a benefiary of looters, People First, ZANU Ndonga, National Patriotic Front, MDC or Christian Democrats please speak out. Whether you are in Juba, Toronto, Dubai, Nairobi, Qatar, New Delhi, Pretoria, Cape Town, New York, Washington, Francistown, Gaborone, Moscow, Berlin, London, Sydney carry your placard to the Zimbabwe Embassy and speak out. Speaking against looting and corruption is sancronsact. Whether you are a Doctor, Engineer, nurse, teacher, soldier or police just look at your pay slip.

To the Pastors, Prophets, Apostles and all Men and Women of God speak out. The flock you are shepherding on behalf of God is suffering. They need redemption. Let the cry be head. Ooh Lord hear your children.

Speak out Zimbabwe Speak.
Tinotenda
Siyabonga
I Thank you.

Farai Dziva|Tajamuka leader Promise Mkwananzi has said the July 31 protests are about sacrifices meant to emancipate the people of Zimbabwe from poverty and corruption.

In a strong warning to the Zanu PF regime, the former MDC Youth Assembly Secretary General said no form of ammunition would stop the protests.

“This is the time for the people of Zimbabwe to unite and fight for total emancipation.The demo is not about political parties, rather it is about the people of Zimbabwe.

Nobody is supposed to go to work, for once let us unite as Zimbabweans.

We know they want to suppress the protests but our message to them is clear- no form of ammunition will stop us from fighting for freedom.

Those who want to buy food please do so in time because this is not a joke.Nobody should be left out of the programme.We are going to confront the regime,” said Mkwananzi.

Farai Dziva|Tajamuka leader Promise Mkwananzi has said the July 31 protests are about sacrifices meant to emancipate the people of Zimbabwe from poverty and corruption.

In a strong warning to the Zanu PF regime, the former MDC Youth Assembly Secretary General said no form of ammunition would stop the protests.

“This is the time for the people of Zimbabwe to unite and fight for total emancipation.The demo is not about political parties, rather it is about the people of Zimbabwe.

Nobody is supposed to go to work, for once let us unite as Zimbabweans.

We know they want to suppress the protests but our message to them is clear- no form of ammunition will stop us from fighting for freedom.

Those who want to buy food please do so in time because this is not a joke.Nobody should be left out of the programme.We are going to confront the regime,” said Mkwananzi.

Own Correspondent|MDC Alliance deputy chairperson Job Sikhala has castigated Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration for harassing those who are determined to fight corruption.

Sikhala also condemned the persecution of Hopewell Chin’ono and Jacob Ngarivhume.

Watch video below :

Own Correspondent

Econet Wireless has started restoring service to most of its customers, as at 10pm on Friday, after the network broke down at around midnight on Thursday.

The giant mobile phone service provider on Friday afternoon acknowledged that it had been experiencing issues which are affecting voice calls on its network.

Contrary to the statement by the company, much of the Southern region of the country had a complete blackout on the network as all services including internet access were down.

Read the statement:

PUBLIC NOTICE

Dear Valued Customer

We regret to inform you that we are currently experiencing a technical challenge that has affected some voice calls. As a result, some of our customers are failing to initiate calls. However, services such as data, SMS and EcoCash are working well.

Our technical teams are working to resolve the issue and we will inform you once it has been resolved.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused.

Econet Wireless

inspired to change your world

ECONET

Media Statement

The Patriotic Front (TPF) would like to take this time to unreservedly apologize to victims and survivors of Gukurahundi, the people of Zimbabwe’s western region, victims of all past and present attrocities and all progressive and peace-loving Zimbabweans for the comments made by TPF President, Mr Darryl Collet during his address to journalists at the Bulawayo Media Centre earlier during the week.

TPF stance on Gukurahundi and all past attrocities is fully explained in our Founding Document in that there must be a victim-centred approach which affords people a chance to get closure, mourn their loved ones and get the kind of recourse in a way defined by them with the view of allowing for reconciliation with justice.

We cannot as a party hope or suggest that people should just forget about painful experiences, especially those in which they lost their loved ones.

We’re currently reviewing the context of the statement made by TPF President, himself a victim who lost his own blood – a daughter and a brother-in-law during that dark period in our country.

It is possible that Mr Collet made this comment about himself as a victim of Gukurahundi.

A full statement will be made in due course once we get the full context.

Mxolisi Ncube
Secretary for Information and Publicity
The Patriotic Front
www.tpfz.org

CITE

A newly formed political party, The Patriotic Front, says Zimbabweans must break from the past, forget wrongdoings and instead focus on the country’s future.

The party formed by expatriates mostly based in South Africa two months ago describes its political vision as futuristic and dwelling on past ills such as colonialism or Gukurahundi would not fix the country.

Addressing Bulawayo journalists recently, leader of the party, Darryl Grey Collett, said the country can move into the future by uniting people and forgetting the past.

“Let’s move to the future and fix things. Forget about colonialism, forget about all those things. There’s Gukurahundi, if that is to live in our minds forever, we are not going to move forward. I lost a 16-year-old daughter and brother in law, at that time. We have to move on, we can’t keep on digging up those graves if we want to fix the country,” he said.

“People out there are struggling. There are bank and fuel queues and people are tired. The only way to fix this is to put the past behind, realise where we are now and see if we cannot move together. We must collect every brain that can think, be it White, Coloured, Black, let’s come together and stop the peoples’ suffering.”

Collet, who will turn 74 at the end of this year, said The Patriotic Front, was a multiracial movement born out of a desire and vision for a better future of the country.

“It has been a milestone in the country’s politics, we can’t be proud of the state and history people find itself in. We are indeed navigating through difficult times filled with fear, economic hardships and Covid-19 making things even worse. Uncertainties of the future dominate the minds of all. My message is one of encouragement and hope as we strive together with your support to convince all that hold authority the need for change and a different approach,” he said.

Collett, elected on an interim basis, said expatriates wanted to return to a better home.

“These are people whose prime objective is trying to change things in their mother country so they can return. People have phoned me as far as Russia, France, the United Kingdom and other European countries. The party has a constitution and is yet to be launched in Zimbabwe,” he said.

The Patriotic Front is self-funded by its members, said Collett, who noted he was a farmer who started farming in the Plumtree area at Ingwizi ranch until the government bought the land after independence.

He then bought another ranch in Mwenezi West constituency, farmed there for 27 years but lost it.

The Patriotic Front has, however, been criticised for lacking logic and coherence while others have castigated the party’s name, saying it sounds familiar to the ruling party.

ZAPU, one of the parties pushing the government to account for its atrocities, dismissed The Patriotic Front.

“We cannot be bound by compromised persons, who benefitted from an oppressive system brought about by their ancestors. They must not tell us to forget sins of the past. We need accountability, reparations, truth and accountability. How can we forget when Gukurahundi graves are still open,” said the party’s southern region communications director, Patrick Ndlovu.

He added the country could not move ahead without putting in systems of good governance.

“We are still fresh from colonisation and its oppressive system was inherited by the post-independence government who have done wrongs that have to be accounted for,” Ndlovu said.

Kwekwe town council housing director Edson Chiyangwa has been hurled before the court facing murder charges after he reportedly shot and killed a member of a machete-wielding gang (MaShurugwi) that invaded his mine in Totororo, Zhombe on Tuesday evening.

Kwekwe magistrate denied Chiyangwa bail and advised him to apply for bail at the High court before remanding him in custody till 6 August 2020.
It is the state’s case that:

On 21 July around 11PM, Chiyangwa was at his Forever Mine in Zhombe with Mr Cornelius Dube where they were overseeing their mining operations.

While they were conducting mining operations, a gang armed with machetes and axes among an assortment of weapons attacked the pair and the mine employees.

While Dube escaped and hid himself in a car, Chiyangwa, the court heard, tripped and fell and the gang continued advancing intending to hack him with machetes.
He then produced a 357 Taurus Pistol and fired a warning shot in the air.

The gang however continued advancing leading to Chiyangwa firing another shot towards the gang, killing one of them instantly.

The gang left him and charged towards the Toyota D4D Hilux where Dube had locked himself inside.

The gang hit the vehicle with machetes and forced open the car, dragged Dube outside the vehicle and attacked him all over the body with machetes leaving him for dead and in a pool of blood.

Sensing danger, Chiyangwa vanished from the scene and made a report to the police. The following day Chiyangwa was picked up by police detectives leading to his appearance in court.

MaShurugwi wreaked havoc in gold-rich areas in Zimbabwe earlier this year-Chronicle

A “golf course” of wheat crop in Zimbabwe. Wheat yields are looking good, as country drives towards flour sufficiency and reduction of wheat imports. pic.twitter.com/06ehNhxbbp

— Prof. Mthuli Ncube (@MthuliNcube) July 24, 2020

Own Correspondent|MDC Alliance deputy chairperson Job Sikhala has castigated Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration for harassing those who are determined to fight corruption.

Sikhala also condemned the persecution of Hopewell Chin’ono and Jacob Ngarivhume.

Watch video below :

On several occasions, after the door of that prison van was closed, while on our way to prison, I would peep through the small windows. I would see people going on with their lives, as always. At times it felt like I had been betrayed & that is exactly why we are still here. pic.twitter.com/idNGfyvT8u

— Patson Dzamara (@PatsonDzamara) July 24, 2020

Customers of Econet Wireless were left stranded on Friday after the service provider experienced dificulties in conducting phone calls and sending SMS.

The Telecoms company attributed the blackout to a technical fault.

The company has since issued the below statement:

Dear Valued Customer

We regret to inform you that we are currently experiencing a technical challenge that has affected some voice calls. As a result some of our customers are failing to imitate calls. However, services such as data, SMS and EcoCash are working well.

Our technical teams are working to resolve the issue and we wall inform you once it has been resolved.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused.

WATCH- "Very definitely we will be appealing against the ruling": Beatrice Mtetwa speaks after Hopewell Chin'ono is denied bail pic.twitter.com/gyZ4AMeGJR

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 24, 2020

Watch- "The struggle against corruption must not stop": Hopewell Chin'ono speaks as he is enters the prison van soon after being denied bail.@RSF_en @RSF_EECA @ICFJ @SAEditorsForum pic.twitter.com/06zBOOZXxW

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 24, 2020

VIDEO- "Journalism has been criminalised": Hopewell Chin'ono pic.twitter.com/FtyNUqursB

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 24, 2020

BREAKING- HARARE MAYOR HERBERT GOMBA DENIED BAIL pic.twitter.com/PbMivqCyQW

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 24, 2020

He was remanded in custody to August 7 2020.

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

Farai Dziva|Tajamuka leader Promise Mkwananzi has said the July 31 protests are about sacrifices meant to emancipate the people of Zimbabwe from poverty and corruption.

In a strong warning to the Zanu PF regime, the former MDC Youth Assembly Secretary General said no form of ammunition would stop the protests.

“This is the time for the people of Zimbabwe to unite and fight for total emancipation.The demo is not about political parties, rather it is about the people of Zimbabwe.

Nobody is supposed to go to work, for once let us unite as Zimbabweans.

We know they want to suppress the protests but our message to them is clear- no form of ammunition will stop us from fighting for freedom.

Those who want to buy food please do so in time because this is not a joke.Nobody should be left out of the programme.We are going to confront the regime,” said Mkwananzi.

Farai Dziva|Tajamuka leader Promise Mkwananzi has said the July 31 protests are about sacrifices meant to emancipate the people of Zimbabwe from poverty and corruption.

In a strong warning to the Zanu PF regime, the former MDC Youth Assembly Secretary General said no form of ammunition would stop the protests.

“This is the time for the people of Zimbabwe to unite and fight for total emancipation.The demo is not about political parties, rather it is about the people of Zimbabwe.

Nobody is supposed to go to work, for once let us unite as Zimbabweans.

We know they want to suppress the protests but our message to them is clear- no form of ammunition will stop us from fighting for freedom.

Those who want to buy food please do so in time because this is not a joke.Nobody should be left out of the programme.We are going to confront the regime,” said Mkwananzi.

Own Correspondent|MDC Alliance deputy chairperson Job Sikhala has castigated Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration for harassing those who are determined to fight corruption.

Sikhala also condemned the persecution of Hopewell Chin’ono and Jacob Ngarivhume.

Watch video below :

Former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor, Gideon Gono, said MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa was not among people who benefited from the controversial Farm Mechanisation Programme, which largely benefitted ZANU PF-aligned people between 2007 and 2008.

Gono said this while speaking during a live program on Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN) on Thursday. He mentioned several MDC officials who benefitted from the scheme in response to claims that Alex Magaisa, a Kent University lecturer, had conveniently omitted some names when he listed the beneficiaries in his Big Saturday Read last week. Said Gono:

Very senior members from MDC were beneficiaries of the programme in question. It is unfortunate that Alex’s list omits some names of people from the party that he was advising at the time.

I’m not here to spell out all the names of beneficiaries neither am I aware of Chamisa benefiting from the program, but I can surely confirm that Welshman Ncube benefited.

In 2019, Ncube, who is the MDC Alliance co-vice president, donated 10 heifers to feed delegates at the MDC congress which was held in the Midlands capital, Gweru.

Ncube is said to be a successful farmer and has a thriving cattle ranching venture in Lower Gweru.

By A Correspondent- More than 1 000 people were arrested on Wednesday countrywide for flouting Covid-19 national lockdown regulations while in Bulawayo, police arrested 170 people and impounded 90 vehicles for lockdown defiance.

President Mnangagwa on Tuesday announced new measures which include cutting operating hours for businesses from 8am to 3pm as well as the introduction of a 6pm to 6am curfew following a surge in new infections and deaths due to Covid-19.

Also arrested the same day were 11 people at Nyamapanda and at Beitbridge border posts for illegal border crossing and smuggling of goods. The police also reported that one deportee escaped from Standard Hotel quarantine centre in Bulawayo.

People escaping from quarantine centres have been accused of fuelling local infections which today are at 1 046 against imports which are at 988. Police have launched several operations targeting those operating public transport without exemption letters.

In a statement yesterday, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said to date 111 979 people have been arrested for contravening the national lockdown regulations.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police arrested 1 363 people throughout the country on 22 July for various offences related to contravention of the national lockdown regulations, bringing the total accumulative arrest to 111 979.”

Scene from Gweru with police patrolling the CBD enforcing lockdown rules and regulations

“One deportee escaped from Standard Hotel quarantine centre in Bulawayo province on July 22 bringing cumulative number of escapees throughout the country to 284,” he said.

Ass Comm Nyathi said those who escaped and were accounted for remain at 30. He said eight people were arrested at Nyamapanda Border Post for border jumping while three were arrested at Beitbridge Border Post for smuggling. “Total number of arrests made at the two border posts since 16 May is now 574,” he said.

Ass Comm Nyathi said in other operations 305 people were arrested for refusing to accept the local currency.

“To date 305 people have been arrested for contravening Section 4 (1) of Statutory Instrument 175/2008 in terms of Section 48 of the Bank use promotion and suppression of money laundering Act, chapter 24: 04 in the ongoing operation (accept Zimbabwe currency as legal tender),” he said.

Ass Comm Nyathi said 4 382 motorists were arrested for illegally operating public transport.

“These operations will continue as the nation fights the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube, said 170 people were arrested on Wednesday for violation lockdown regulations while 90 vehicles were impounded after motorists were found driving aimlessly. The impounded vehicles are being kept at Ross Camp Police Station.

“A number of police officers have been deployed and we are also conducting road campaigns because we have realised that there is a lot of defiance and motorists in particular think the Covid-19 lockdown is for pedestrians. It is worrying that people are disregarding the rules that have been set for their own safety,” said Insp Ncube.

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor, Gideon Gono, said MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa was not among people who benefited from the controversial Farm Mechanisation Programme, which largely benefitted ZANU PF-aligned people between 2007 and 2008.

Gono said this while speaking during a live program on Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN) on Thursday. He mentioned several MDC officials who benefitted from the scheme in response to claims that Alex Magaisa, a Kent University lecturer, had conveniently omitted some names when he listed the beneficiaries in his Big Saturday Read last week.

Said Gono:

Very senior members from MDC were beneficiaries of the programme in question. It is unfortunate that Alex’s list omits some names of people from the party that he was advising at the time.

I’m not here to spell out all the names of beneficiaries neither am I aware of Chamisa benefiting from the program, but I can surely confirm that Welshman Ncube benefited.

In 2019, Ncube, who is the MDC Alliance co-vice president, donated 10 heifers to feed delegates at the MDC congress which was held in the Midlands capital, Gweru.

Ncube is said to be a successful farmer and has a thriving cattle ranching venture in Lower Gweru

Dear Editor

Vagari vemuHatfield ndatibatanei, pane truck ZRP registration number 3263M ikuita corruption meaning Hatfield residents let us unite against police officers engaging in corruption using a truCk whose registration number is 3263M

Amana vanhu kusungirwa kumaraini edu tanzwa pachitaurwa zita rekuti Manjoro not sure but zvanyanya meaning people are being arrested without a cause . The name that is being mentioned is one Manjoro but i am not sure if this is the correct name for the officer.

Please Forward this to everyone

Please make it go viral.

By A Correspondent- Four Gweru City Council nurses have tested positive for Covid-19 and are now in self-isolation as the municipality is working to convert its vacant mayoral mansion into an isolation centre.

Three of the nurses who tested positive work at Mkoba 1 Clinic and the fourth one is from Senga Clinic.

All the nurses were in contact with known Covid- 19 patients. Plans are underway to trace the nurses’ close contacts at home and at work to prevent the further spread of Covid- 19.

In an interview on Wednesday, Gweru Mayor Councillor Josiah Makombe said the nurses were in a stable condition.

He said the local authority is now in the process of testing all its workers for Covid- 19.

“This Covid- 19 is real and people must be careful. We urge our residents to abide by the lockdown rules and regulations which are aimed at curbing the spread of the virus. As we speak, four council employees, all nurses have tested positive to Covid -19.

“Three are nurses working at Mkoba 1 Clinic while the other one is from Senga Clinic and have been in contact with Covid- 19 cases. Remember we turned our clinics into Covid- 19 isolation centres and these are some of our nurses who were attending to the cases,” said Cllr Makombe.

He said these were the first cases of Covid -19 to be recorded among the local authority’s employees.

Clr Makombe said council is working on converting the 20-roomed mayoral mansion, which has been a white elephant, into an isolation centre for council employees.

He said some employees were staying in homes which were not conducive to be used for self-isolation.

“The mayoral mansion is lying idle. It’s a white elephant and we have seen it fit to convert it in the meantime into an isolation centre for our employees. It’s only prudent that we have a decent place for them. Some like these four nurses have been working hard in attending to imported and local Covid-19 cases,” said Clr Makombe.

On Sunday, 25 nurses and three Registrar General’s (RG) department officers stationed at Zvishavane District Hospital tested Covid-19 positive. The RG’s department has a sub-office at the hospital. The positive cases have been put under isolation to curb the spread of the virus.

The nurses and the RG’s officers tested positive at a time when about 25 nurses who attended to a Covid-19 positive case at Claybank Private Hospital in Gweru have been isolated as test results are awaited. A doctor who attended to the same patient tested negative.

-Statemedia

By A Correspondent- MDC- T acting leader Thokozani Khupe and several party leaders including acting secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora and acting national chairperson Morgen Komichi had physical contact with reportedly a patient who later succumbed to COVID-19 early this week.

Gardener Mukoyi, father to MDCT national youth chairperson Shakespeare Mukoyi, died at a local hospital in Harare on Monday and post-mortem results released on Wednesday, revealed that his death was COVID-19-related.

During his illness, Khupe, Mwonzora and Komichi as well as several other party leaders and some supporters paid numerous visits to the Mukoyis in Kuwadzana 3, Harare last week.

When his health deteriorated, Shakespeare drove his father to a local private hospital in Harare where he later died.

Sources told a loal publication that Khupe and the entire party leadership also visited Mukoyi’s residence to pay their last respects and had physiacl contact with relatives of the deceased who were nursing him. He was buried yesterday in Rukweza village, Rusape.

On Wednesday, ZimEye published a story exposing the whatsapp chat revealing that party stalwarts had been alerted of the development by the MDC-T Harare province on Wednesday.

The message read:

“… Mourners are still gathered at 3506 Kuwadzana 3. Postmortem results are out and it is sad to note that our baba succumbed to COVID-19. The body will leave Harare tomorrow Thursday 23/07/2020 for Rukweza in Rusape for burial the same day.”

Highly-placed sources in the party yesterday said anxiety had gripped the leadership after the post-mortem results were made public.

“The trio of president Khupe and other top officials like Mwonzora and Komichi together with other senior cadres from the women’s assembly, standing committee and youth assembly all took turns to visit the home of “General” Shaky when his father was unwell. However, we have all now been startled that he later died and results of post-mortem say it was COVID-19,” the source said.

“All along people never suspected that the old man had COVID-19. So it’s now a panicky situation in our party. Even “General” Shaky himself may soon be in danger because he took care of his father before he passed on.”

Other officials said the situation could have been worse if the party’s July 31 extraordinary congress had not been deferred as that event could have triggered hundreds of local transmissions in Harare since about 4 500 people were expected to attend.

MDC-T deputy spokesperson, Khalipani Phugeni denied that Khupe had close contact with the deceased.

“Please note that I am not aware of the said post-mortem results,” he said.

“I am not sure about the secretarygeneral (Mwonzora) and national chairman (Komichi), but MDC-T president Thokozani Khupe never had contact with the deceased before death. She only visited the house to pay her condolences, but she did not last more than five minutes there,” Phugeni said.

But insiders accused Phugeni of micro-managing information to avoid panic in the opposition top leadership.

-newsday/ zimeye

Own Correspondent|MDC Alliance deputy chairperson Job Sikhala has castigated Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration for harassing those who are determined to fight corruption.

Sikhala also condemned the persecution of Hopewell Chin’ono and Jacob Ngarivhume.

Watch video below :

#31July
This morning, just before the continuation of Hopewell Chin’ono’s bail hearing, Chief Justice Malaba was seen coming from the section of the Harare Magistrate’s Court which houses the Magistrate’s Chambers. It’s unclear why he was there. pic.twitter.com/5vq4xgQOEi

— Team Pachedu (@PacheduZW) July 24, 2020

Missed him at Harare Magistrates Court only to see Chief Justice Luke Malaba there pic.twitter.com/gI8YLaTj5L

— Pedzisai Ruhanya (@PedzisaiRuhanya) July 24, 2020

By A Correspondent| Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) on Thursday 23 July 2020 filed an application at the High Court seeking an order to set aside government’s decision to rename some streets in the country’s second largest city as this was illegal.

Government through Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo on 17 July 2020 purportedly approved the issuance of Statutory Instrument 167/20, called Names (Alteration) (Amendment of Schedule) Notice whose purpose was to alter the names of some
streets or roads in Bulawayo.

The Statutory Instrument stated in its preamble that in exercising his powers under section 4(1) of the Alteration of Names Act (Chapter 10:14), Moyo had issued a Notice altering the names of certain streets by amending Part VII of the Act by the repeal of certain names of roads and substituting them with new ones.

But in an urgent chamber application filed by BPRA represented by Job Sibanda of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, BPRA argued that Moyo’s actions in passing Statutory Instrument 167/20 runs counter the clear provisions of the Alteration of Names Act, are illegal and go against the grain of what is accepted in a normal society.

BPRA said Moyo did not consider the provisions of section 4(2) of the Alteration of Names Act, before coming up with the raft of names that he sought to impose on Bulawayo City Council (BCC), which was also cited as a respondent to the application and the residents of Bulawayo.

BPRA argued that Section 4(2) of the Alteration of Names Act states that Moyo should not alter any names in terms of subsection (1) unless he has consulted the owner of the land where the alteration is to take place of which BCC owns the land that forms the basis of the alteration.

BPRA protested that Moyo ignored some proposals made by BCC some time ago on street name changes and came up with a list of names that are totally different from the ones the local authority had suggested to the Minister.

BPRA wants Moyo’s actions and Statutory Instrument 167/20 to be nullified and to be declared to be of no legal effect whatsoever for violating section 4(2) of the Alteration of Names Act.

The residents association also wants Statutory Instrument 167/20 to be set aside.

WATCH- BEATRICE MTETWA SPEAKS ON HOPEWELL CHIN'ONO BAIL RULING. "The magistrate says he needs time to write his judgement" pic.twitter.com/dWh3FeBpsN

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 24, 2020

We are concerned at allegations in Zimbabwe, which suggest that the authorities may be using the COVID-19 pandemic as a pretext to clamp down on freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

Among the latest incidents, investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was arrested on 20 July and charged with inciting public violence, after he tweeted his support for nationwide protests against government corruption and worsening economic conditions. Jacob Ngarivhume, an opposition leader who has been calling for the protests on 31 July, was also detained and similarly charged.

Merely calling for a peaceful protest or participating in a peaceful protest are an exercise of recognized human rights.

We are concerned at reports of police using force to disperse and arrest nurses and health workers for infringing lockdown restrictions as they were trying to protest for better salaries and conditions of work.

This pattern of intimidation echoes the events in May when three members of the main opposition party were arbitrarily arrested and detained for taking part in a protest. The women – Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova – alleged that state agents abducted them from the police station, tortured and sexually assaulted them. The women were then formally arrested in June, charged with participating in the protests and faking their abduction. They were recently released on bail.

It is clear that COVID-19 has added greatly to the challenges Zimbabwe faces amid a deteriorating economy and placed a further burden on an already struggling health sector.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa – highlighting an increase of 600 COVID-19 cases in a week to a total of 1,713 – on Tuesday announced a series of measures that he said were necessary to curb the spread of the disease, including a dusk to dawn curfew and the curtailment and suspension of freedoms that, as he put it, Zimbabweans “have always enjoyed”.

While recognizing the Government’s efforts to contain the pandemic, it is important to remind the authorities that any lockdown measures and restrictions should be necessary, proportionate and time-limited, and enforced humanely without resorting to unnecessary or excessive force.

We encourage the Government to engage with civil society and other stakeholders to find sustainable solutions to grievances while ensuring that people’s rights and freedoms are protected in accordance with Zimbabwe’s human rights obligations. These include the responsibility of the State to guarantee economic, social and cultural rights.

By A Correspondent| The Chinese Embassy in Harare has spoken on last month’s shooting incident by a Chinese national at Reeden Mine in Gweru.

Chinese top envoy to Zimbabwe, His Excellency Ambassador Guo Shaochun said the shooter should be prosecuted while stressing that this isolated incident should not soil the good relations between Zimbabwe and China.

“We have made it clear that the shooter should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The isolated incident must not affect the good relations between Zimbabwe and China. We have proposed to the Zimbabwean government that there should be a law to govern operations in the mining sector, we are here not to exploit the resources of this country, our relationship is mutually beneficial,” he explained.

By A Correspondent- MDC-T acting leader Thokozani Khupe and several party leaders including acting secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora and acting national chairperson Morgen Komichi had physical contact with reportedly a patient who later succumbed to COVID-19 early this week.

Gardener Mukoyi, father to MDCT national youth chairperson Shakespeare Mukoyi, died at a local hospital in Harare on Monday and post-mortem results released on Wednesday, revealed that his death was COVID-19-related.

During his illness, Khupe, Mwonzora and Komichi as well as several other party leaders and some supporters paid numerous visits to the Mukoyis in Kuwadzana 3, Harare last week.

When his health deteriorated, Shakespeare drove his father to a local private hospital in Harare where he later died.

Sources told NewsDay that Khupe and the entire party leadership also visited Mukoyi’s residence to pay their last respects and had physiacl contact with relatives of the deceased who were nursing him. He was buried yesterday in Rukweza village, Rusape.

A message to confirm that Mukoyi died of COVID-19 was conveyed to party leaders in their social media group by the MDC-T Harare province on Wednesday.

The message read: “… Mourners are still gathered at 3506 Kuwadzana 3. Postmortem results are out and it is sad to note that our baba succumbed to COVID-19. The body will leave Harare tomorrow Thursday 23/07/2020 for Rukweza in Rusape for burial the same day.”

Highly-placed sources in the party yesterday said anxiety had gripped the leadership after the post-mortem results were made public.

“The trio of president Khupe and other top officials like Mwonzora and Komichi together with other senior cadres from the women’s assembly, standing committee and youth assembly all took turns to visit the home of “General” Shaky when his father was unwell. However, we have all now been startled that he later died and results of post-mortem say it was COVID-19,” the source said.

“All along people never suspected that the old man had COVID-19. So it’s now a panicky situation in our party. Even “General” Shaky himself may soon be in danger because he took care of his father before he passed on.”

Other officials said the situation could have been worse if the party’s July 31 extraordinary congress had not been deferred as that event could have triggered hundreds of local transmissions in Harare since about 4 500 people were expected to attend.

MDC-T deputy spokesperson, Khalipani Phugeni denied that Khupe had close contact with the deceased.

“Please note that I am not aware of the said post-mortem results,” he said.

“I am not sure about the secretarygeneral (Mwonzora) and national chairman (Komichi), but MDC-T president Thokozani Khupe never had contact with the deceased before death. She only visited the house to pay her condolences, but she did not last more than five minutes there,” Phugeni said.

But insiders accused Phugeni of micro-managing information to avoid panic in the opposition top leadership.

By A Correspondent- A Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operative based in Bindura allegedly broke a suspected maize thief’s arm before forcing her to eat 10 raw maize cobs.

The matter came to light yesterday when the State spy agent Shemi Mushambe appeared before Concession magistrate Nixon Mangoti who granted him $10 000 bail and remanded the matter to July 30.

The State alleged that on June 12, the complainant Thokozani Maheu (55) went to Mushambe’s maize field in Glendale to steal maize.

Mushambe’s guards caught her and took her to their employer.

Mushambe allegedly assaulted Maheu with a rifle, forced her to eat raw maize before breaking her arm.

He then ordered the complainant to go. Mushambe later followed her and assaulted her all over the body with switches.

A police report was filed, leading to Mushambe’s arrest.

Last week, a top Zanu-PF official from Mashonaland West province appeared in court on similar allegations.-newsday

By A Correspondent- More than 200 Air Zimbabwe passengers are stranded in Wuhan, China, several weeks after paying airfares to be flown home, while the flag carrier replaces a Boeing 767 engine which developed a fault mid-flight.

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, which will see the global economy shrink by 7,4%, the travel and tourism industry has been the hardest hit, with most airlines grounded.

The passengers, who include Zimbabweans and South Africans, paid airfares a month ago and were promised to be chartered to their destinations by July 15. However, they are stuck at a hotel in Wuhan.

Some of the stranded travellers told the Zimbabwe Independent that they have not received adequate feedback as to when they will be flown home.

Officials are said to have told the group that the plane was being serviced in Bangkok, Thailand.

“After we paid for the airfares, we were told that the airline will ferry us home on 15 July. But, surprisingly, we were later told that the plane is having its engine serviced in Thailand.

“We came from different cities and gathered here in Wuhan since July 8 where we are booked at a hotel. We are stuck here. We really need to go home,” the source said.

Air Zimbabwe spokesperson Firstme Vhitori said the delay arose from the challenges presented by Covid-19.

“It is important to clarify that Air Zimbabwe is not booking any passenger flights due to Covid-19 travel restrictions. We are strictly operating only repatriation and cargo flights on behalf of charterers,” Vhitori said.

“Dates of the charter in question will only be available once all logistical issues have been addressed. We do bear with the concerned charterer and all the passengers who have been affected by the Covid-19 restrictions on movement.”

Vhitori would not divulge the logistical issues experienced by the airline. But an Air Zimbabwe Boeing 767 plane on July 1 experienced a mid-air emergency from Bangkok to Pakistan and was forced to make a u-turn, after one of its engines shut down. Flight uM462 was 40km from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), Thailand, with 17 crew and two passengers onboard the Boeing 767200. The aircraft was scheduled to fly to Islamabad, Pakistan, where it was due to pick up 180 passengers for a special repatriation flight to South Africa and Zimbabwe, Air Zimbabwe said then.

“However, shortly after leaving Bangkok, the flight crew sent an emergency signal (squawk 7700). The Boeing 767-200 left engine reported an abnormal parameter, therefore the pilots were forced to shut it down, as established standard operating procedures require,” the airline explained in a statement later on the same day.

On February 25 last year, the same Air Zimbabwe plane delayed a Johannesburg-bound flight from Harare as engineers worked on the left engine.

Two months later, on April 26, last year, the same left engine was affected after a bird strike on take-off from Bulawayo.

Two days later, the same aircraft had a tailpipe fire incident in Johannesburg with its left engine emitting flames.

-Independent

By A Correspondent| Opposition MDC Alliance MP Joana Mamombe and fellow party activists Cecelia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova have been denied access to Harare Magistrates court on the grounds that they were wearing face masks with their party logo.

The visibly angry trio could be heard shouting in disapproval of the police action whom they accused of harassing opposition supporters for no reason.

More to follow…

Former cabinet minister and Zanu PF heavyweight, Professor Jonathan Moyo has revealed that the state is behing all the high profile yet unsolved atrocities in the country.

Moyo said that the Zimbabwean government has created a culture of impunity where serious crimes have been committed without anyone having to account for them.

Speaking to the media this week, Moyo said Zimbabwe’s police force has an impressive record of solving crimes, so when a crime remains unresolved, State agents will be the perpetrators.

He said:

… our police force has an impressive record of solving crimes, murder especially crimes committed by individuals and so forth, but when you find a very serious crime, atrocities committed in Zimbabwe, you don’t have to guess who committed that crime.

All you need to look at is whether the authorities resolve or solve that crime or not. Where they don’t, is without exception, the state would have committed that crime.

If a person is abducted or you don’t get to know who abducted them and if a facility is bombed and you don’t know who bombed it, the answer is very clear; agents of the states would have done it.”

Zimbabwe’s immigration department is engaging its South African counterpart with a view to suspend mass deportations of citizens domiciled there until the Covid-19 pandemic subsides.

South Africa, which hosts an estimated two million Zimbabweans living and working there, has deported 630 Zimbabweans since the outbreak of the pandemic in March for violating lockdown regulations and other offences, according to official figures.
The authorities in Zimbabwe blame the deportations for the spike in Covid-19 cases, which have risen to 2 124 from slightly more than 100 in a month.

The majority of the local cases are transmissions from returnees deported from South Africa and those crossing the border from illegal points..

For instance, on Wednesday alone, Zimbabwe recorded 214 new coronavirus cases with 124 of them being citizens either deported or voluntarily repatriated from South Africa.
Zimbabwe’s immigration department spokesperson Canisia Magaya confirmed they are now engaging their South African counterparts to find ways of temporarily halting the deportations.

“Since the outbreak of Covid-19, Zimbabwe has received a total of 7 845 repatriated citizens from Botswana and South Africa. Six hundred and thirty (630) Zimbabweans were deported from South Africa for various offences,” Magaya said.

“Prior to the outbreak of Covid-19, the Department of Immigration held meetings on a monthly or ad hoc basis, with respective immigration authorities, as part of routine, mutual interactions.

“Obviously, these bilateral engagements and communications which have continued during the Covid-19 times, are done in line with the Standard Operating Procedures.

“Due to the border closures and other restrictive measures which have been put in place to address Covid-19, we have however resorted to virtual interactions, particularly for the relaying of information to facilitate both repatriations and deportations.”

Some of those deported from South Africa have been escaping from the various quarantine centres across the country, spreading the virus.

For instance, last week two brothers who had been deported from South Africa escaped from isolation at a hotel in Beitbridge soon after testing positive for Covid-19 and went on to infect eight relatives at their village home, 90 kilometres east of border town.

Besides deportations, the Zimbabwean authorities are also struggling to contain surges in border jumpers and smugglers who are compounding the situation.

-TheIndependent

Magistrate Ngoni Nduna has indicated that Hopewell Chin’ono’s bail ruling may be handed down later today or tomorrow morning. We have been advised that we will be contacted by the State when the ruling is ready. #FreeHopewell #FreeJacob

— Doug Coltart ✊??? (@DougColtart) July 24, 2020

Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Liz Throssell

Location: Geneva

Date: 24 July 2020

Subject: Zimbabwe

We are concerned at allegations in Zimbabwe, which suggest that the authorities may be using the COVID-19 pandemic as a pretext to clamp down on freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

Among the latest incidents, investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was arrested on 20 July and charged with inciting public violence, after he tweeted his support for nationwide protests against government corruption and worsening economic conditions. Jacob Ngarivhume, an opposition leader who has been calling for the protests on 31 July, was also detained and similarly charged.

Merely calling for a peaceful protest or participating in a peaceful protest are an exercise of recognized human rights.

We are concerned at reports of police using force to disperse and arrest nurses and health workers for infringing lockdown restrictions as they were trying to protest for better salaries and conditions of work.

This pattern of intimidation echoes the events in May when three members of the main opposition party were arbitrarily arrested and detained for taking part in a protest. The women – Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova – alleged that state agents abducted them from the police station, tortured and sexually assaulted them. The women were then formally arrested in June, charged with participating in the protests and faking their abduction. They were recently released on bail.

It is clear that COVID-19 has added greatly to the challenges Zimbabwe faces amid a deteriorating economy and placed a further burden on an already struggling health sector.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa – highlighting an increase of 600 COVID-19 cases in a week to a total of 1,713 – on Tuesday announced a series of measures that he said were necessary to curb the spread of the disease, including a dusk to dawn curfew and the curtailment and suspension of freedoms that, as he put it, Zimbabweans “have always enjoyed”.

While recognizing the Government’s efforts to contain the pandemic, it is important to remind the authorities that any lockdown measures and restrictions should be necessary, proportionate and time-limited, and enforced humanely without resorting to unnecessary or excessive force.

We encourage the Government to engage with civil society and other stakeholders to find sustainable solutions to grievances while ensuring that people’s rights and freedoms are protected in accordance with Zimbabwe’s human rights obligations. These include the responsibility of the State to guarantee economic, social and cultural rights.

END

Lawyer Nkomo: “You already have the memo that you say he used to commit the crime so what further documents do you say he will destroy or interfere with it destroy if granted bail?”

Investigating Officer: “I’m not sure.”

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“We must be respected, we are majority, we are the government, we are the people, we are the army, we are the airforce, we are the police, we are everything you can think of, we determine who can do mining in Zimbabwe, we determine who can construct a railway line, we determine who can build a road in Zimbabwe, no other party can do so.” – Emmerson Mnangagwa

Mnangagwa says ZANU PF is everything in Zimbabwe and must be respected. We are the police the army….we are everything in this country pic.twitter.com/HrRFrSGUoh

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) May 7, 2019

DO YOU RESPECT MNANGAGWA OR HIS PARTY, ZANU PF?

Pictures: Presidential appreciation to the frontline workers in Zim pic.twitter.com/vXhw9uHDKB

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 23, 2020

Latest on Hopewell Chin'ono bail ruling- Harare magistrate Ngoni Nduna says he will need the whole day to peruse all the submissions or might even pass his final ruling Saturday as the submissions have a lot of challenges.

Court adjourns. pic.twitter.com/GGrIvXBrf0

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 24, 2020

y A Correspondent- It was not the most romantic ending a man from Mwenezi District, Masvingo Province imagined when his manhood magically elongated to knee-level after he allegedly romped with a married woman, believed to be fenced with a spell traditionally known as ulunyoka/runyoka.

The spell, (ulunyoka/runyoka) is designed to make sure that if someone other than the husband tries to have sex with the woman in question, his manhood would continue growing until the husband returns to extract his revenge.

According to reports, Itai Mandava from Gonyami Village under Chief Mawarire’s manhood mysteriously grew to knee-level, a few days after he allegedly had sex with a married woman, Tariro Musara.

It is reported that Musara’s husband Albert Matarirano who is based in South Africa and has been suspecting his wife of cheating allegedly put a spell on her so that she won’t entertain other men in his absence.

So painful is the experience that Mandava could not walk or sleep at night.

According to a source from the area Mandava’s bid to “service” Musara taking advantage of the fact that her husband was stuck in South Africa due to the Covid-19-induced travel restrictions ended in agony when he was left “debilitated” and unable to sleep from the pain attacking his manhood.

Although Mandava could not be reached for comment, the source said after experiencing the problem he confessed his dirty deed to his wife and since then, the two have been consulting various prophets and traditional healers seeking a remedy for his (Mandava’s) strange condition.

“His manhood started swelling before it mysteriously elongated to knee-level. They have consulted many prophets and traditional healers but it didn’t change anything.

“Most traditional healers that they have consulted told him that the only person who can reverse the spell is the woman’s husband who is based in South Africa.

“It’s really a tricky situation because Musara’s husband cannot come back home to extract his revenge because of Covid-19-induced travel restrictions,” said the source who asked to remain anonymous.

In a swank of shame and after reports that the story was spreading like veld fire throughout the village, Mandava reportedly fled to an unknown destination.

Spirited efforts to get a comment from Musara also drew a blank as her mobile phone was not reachable by the time of going to print.

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- The public was treated to free drama when a handcuffed suspect with blood-shot eyes kicked a police officer and hit him with fists leaving him wailing in agony on the ground.

The free ‘‘drama’’ that caught the attention of the public happened last week on Tuesday at a car park in Entumbane suburb.

A source close to investigations said the suspect who looked fearful and had seemed to face difficulty in disembarking from a police vehicle suddenly sprung a shock when he turned on an unsuspecting Constable Mgcinimuzi Siziba in full view of members of the public.

“It was an unusual sight that happened too fast, Lungani turned violent as he kicked the unsuspecting police officer on the shoulder while he was disembarking from the car,” said the source who requested not to be named.

According to the source, Lungani whose name literally means being polite acted against it as he went a gear up in pummelling the law enforcer.

“He hit him with fists on the face leaving him bleeding. Siziba was saved by his colleagues who grabbed Lungani and took him to a police station. He (Siziba) opened a case of assault against the accused who had been arrested for a case of domestic violence,” said the source. He was rushed to a hospital for treatment.

Police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident: “I can confirm that a police officer was assaulted by the accused who became violent. We would like to urge members of the public to co-operate with police when they are carrying out their duties.”

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- A Bulawayo woman allegedly dumped her husband and eloped with her married lover who also dumped his wife and children.

Nothando Mpunzi, a hairdresser at a salon situated at corner 5th Avenue and Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street allegedly dumped her husband and took off with her married boyfriend Ntokozo Sibanda.

According to Ntokozo’s wife Loveness Sibanda she was left in the lurch after Mpunzi eloped with her husband of 15 years.

Loveness said her estranged husband was refusing to maintain his two children but providing upkeep for his lover’s three children.

An embittered Loveness bared her soul at the Bulawayo Civil Court where she was suing Mpunzi for disturbing her peace and marriage because of her adulterous relationship with her husband.

“I am legally married to Ntokozo Sibanda under the Marriages Act Chapter 5:11 and it’s still subsisting. The marriage is blessed with two minor children aged nine and 14. My husband however, deserted his family to go and stay in Magwegwe with his girlfriend Nothando Mpunzi. His girlfriend also left her husband to co-habit with him.

“Nothando does not respect me despite the fact that she is now staying with my husband of 15 years. And my husband no longer maintains our children but he maintains her three children. She is also harassing and stalking me and my children,” complained Loveness.

She adds: “I don’t want my children to go to her place because of the sleeping arrangement where her 15-year-old son sleeps on the same bed with my 14-year-old daughter. She and my husband sleep with my nine-year-old child on the same bed. I am not happy with that arrangement”.

Surprisingly, Mpunzi’s husband was also in court when Loveness sought reasons from her (Mpunzi) on why she left her husband to stay with hers.

Mpunzi, who indicated that she never harassed Loveness was, however, not opposed to her request for a peace order.

“I am not opposed to her application for a peace order since I don’t talk to her,” she tersely said.

Loveness’ request for a peace order was dismissed by presiding magistrate Nomasiko Ndlovu after Mpunzi indicated that she never harassed her.

The magistrate however, advised Loveness that one of the remedies an aggrieved spouse like her could pursue was a claim for adultery damages.

BMetro

The Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) has filed an application at the High Court in Bulawayo challenging government’s decision to rename streets.

BPRA said that the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing ignored the proposals made by the City of Bulawayo and came up with a list of names that is different from that forwarded to it, which list is captured in the Statutory Instrument in issue.

BPRA contends that the Ministry of Local Government did not consider the provisions in section 4(2) of the ENABLING ACT before coming up with a raft of names that sought to impose on the City of Bulawayo and the citizens of this City of Bulawayo.

BPRA further argues that according to Section 4(2) of the Urban Councils Act, it is clear that the Minister of Local Government shall not alter any names in terms of subsection (1) unless he has consulted the owner of the land before the alteration is to take place. However, having a deep and abiding interest in such matters, Ministry of Local Government did not consult the City of Bulawayo about the alteration of the names.

The alteration of names of streets and buildings in any place is a very sensitive and personal affair which the enabling Act was alive to, by making it a condition precedent for consultations to take place with the owner of the land before it was done, BPRA said in its founding affidavit.

The affidavit concludes by stating that “Such actions and the resultant Statutory Instrument should be nullified for these reasons, at least to the extent that they purportedly affect the City of Bulawayo”.

By A Correspondent- The Ministry of Health and Child Care on Thursday announced that 90 new coronavirus cases were detected from 1 525 RDT screening tests and 1 248 PCR diagnostic tests that were done.

In a statement, the Ministry also revealed that two COVID-19 patients passed away, 1 in Harare and the other one in Bulawayo. This brings to 2 124 cumulative coronavirus cases and a total of 28 deaths. The statement read:

Ninety (90) cases tested positive for COVD-29 today. These include returnees from South Africa (7) and (83) local cases who are isolated.

Nine (9) of the local cases are contacts of known confirmed cases. Investigations are underway to establish the source of infection for the other 74.

Today we regret to report (2) deaths from Harare and Bulawayo Provinces. The death from Harare is a patient who tested positive for COVO-19 on 20 July 2020 and was symptomatic and with other comorbidities.

The death from Bulawayo is patient who was admitted today with COVID-19 symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19.

Today 1525 RDT screening tests and 1248 PCR diagnostic tests were done. The cumulative number of tests done to date is 110 560 (65 704 RDT and 44 856 PCR).

Since the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak on 20 March 2020, the total number of confirmed cases 2 124; recovered 510; active cases 1586 and 28 deaths.

-statemedia

The state owned Herald is pushing a proposal to have City of Harare put under a commission similar to the one led by Sekesai Makwavarara on the grounds that top city officials including Mayor Herbert Gomba have been implicated in land scams.

According to The Herald, a pocket of residents groups have already met Local Government and Public Works Ministry and the Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe pushing for this retrogressive move.

In an interview with The Herald, Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo would neither confirm nor deny that Harare would have a commission.

“There are constitutional procedures that are supposed to be followed when appointing a commission and as Government we are yet to do that,” he said.

Zimbabwe Combined Residents Association (Zicora) president Mr McSteven Nyabvure said while his association appreciated the efforts to fight corruption, a commission was very necessary going forward.More in Home

“A commission should have been in place way back. Our lives are in danger due to corruption. The commission should have been placed like yesterday,” he said.

Zimbabwe National Organisation of Associations and Residents Trust head Mr Shepherd Chikomba said some councillors had been lining their pockets ignoring service delivery to the residents who entrusted them with that office.

“We demand that Government put in a commission to run the affairs of our beloved city; the corruption levels perpetrated by these corrupt councils cannot go unchallenged,” he said. “We will welcome the commission with open hands. Residents are no longer the priority of these city fathers who have failed us.”

Mr Chikomba alleged that stands were being allocated without following laid down procedures.

“This level of corruption is uncalled for and we condemn it in the strongest terms. Maybe if a commission is appointed to run these councils, things will change for the better. Government has to intervene,” he said.

Combined Harare Residents Association director Mrs Loreen Mupasiri-Sani however, opposed the appointment of a commission. She said unlike councillors, who are answerable to residents, the appointed commissioners would be reporting directly to the central Government.

Harare has seen a batch of officials, two at the top director level, arrested over land scams.

The charges emanate from allegations that 150 stands were created in Kuwadzana from open spaces and sold for private gain, along with more stands in other areas.

By A Correspondent- Kwekwe town council housing director Edson Chiyangwa has been hurled before the court facing murder charges after he reportedly shot and killed a member of a machete-wielding gang (MaShurugwi) that invaded his mine in Totororo, Zhombe on Tuesday evening.

Kwekwe magistrate denied Chiyangwa bail and advised him to apply for bail at the High court before remanding him in custody till 6 August 2020.

It is the state’s case that:

On 21 July around 11PM, Chiyangwa was at his Forever Mine in Zhombe with Mr Cornelius Dube where they were overseeing their mining operations.

While they were conducting mining operations, a gang armed with machetes and axes among an assortment of weapons attacked the pair and the mine employees.

While Dube escaped and hid himself in a car, Chiyangwa, the court heard, tripped and fell and the gang continued advancing intending to hack him with machetes.

He then produced a 357 Taurus Pistol and fired a warning shot in the air. The gang however continued advancing leading to Chiyangwa firing another shot towards the gang, killing one of them instantly. The gang left him and charged towards the Toyota D4D Hilux where Dube had locked himself inside.

The gang hit the vehicle with machetes and forced open the car, dragged Dube outside the vehicle and attacked him all over the body with machetes leaving him for dead and in a pool of blood.

Sensing danger, Chiyangwa vanished from the scene and made a report to the police. The following day Chiyangwa was picked up by police detectives leading to his appearance in court.

MaShurugwi wreaked havoc in gold-rich areas in Zimbabwe earlier this year.

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general Raymond Majongwe said authorities were reckless in ordering the reopening of colleges earlier this month against sound advice.

In a post on Twitter, the outspoken trade unionist said the people and officials who made the decision to reopen institutions of higher learning “must pay” for the rise in coronavirus infections. 

Said Majongwe:

If truth be told the People and Officials who insisted on reopening Colleges ignoring the COVID-19 threat should take full responsibility for the cases comi drone [sic] these institutions. Such recklessness must not be tolerated. Surely someone must pay for this.

Earlier this week, the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science, Innovation and Technology Development ordered principals of teachers’ colleges, polytechnical colleges and industrial technical colleges to suspend face-to-face lectures on campus.

The permanent secretary in the Ministry, professor Fanuel Tagwira said all students should vacate halls of residence by Friday, 24 July 2020.

He said the escalating cases of COVID-19 may put the lives of students and members of staff at high risk, hence the closure of the institutions.

-statemedia

Latest on bail hearing for Hopewell Chin'ono. The Magistrate indicates that the ruling may only be ready tomorrow (Saturday) @ShumbaTapiwa @MuzvareBetty @DrNkuSibanda @MakomboreroH @williamzambezi pic.twitter.com/0tTwrbwBZE

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 24, 2020

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe Republic Police officers are reportedly turning away “all” motorists from Harare Central Business District, this Friday morning, 24 July 2020.

A video showed by the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) on Twitter shows police officers manning a roadblock in Harare, turning cars back.

VIDEO- "Motorists barred from getting into the CBD in Harare" (video credit: ZPP) pic.twitter.com/aFZlSaEfYh

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 24, 2020

This comes after police on Thursday evening chased away commuters from the CBD as curfew hours approached.

WATCH VIDEO- Stranded commuters walk out of town after police details pounced on them at Charge Office in Harare effecting the "curfew" pic.twitter.com/LVNrBBjWgi

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 24, 2020

WATCH VIDEO- Stranded commuters walk out of town after police details pounced on them at Charge Office in Harare effecting the "curfew" pic.twitter.com/LVNrBBjWgi

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 24, 2020

MORE than 1 000 people were arrested on Wednesday countrywide for flouting Covid-19 national lockdown regulations while in Bulawayo, police arrested 170 people and impounded 90 vehicles for lockdown defiance.

President Mnangagwa on Tuesday announced new measures which include cutting operating hours for businesses from 8am to 3pm as well as the introduction of a 6pm to 6am curfew following a surge in new infections and deaths due to Covid-19.

Also arrested the same day were 11 people at Nyamapanda and at Beitbridge border posts for illegal border crossing and smuggling of goods.

The police also reported that one deportee escaped from Standard Hotel quarantine centre in Bulawayo.

People escaping from quarantine centres have been accused of fuelling local infections which today are at 1 046 against imports which are at 988.

Police have launched several operations targeting those operating public transport without exemption letters.

In a statement yesterday, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said to date 111 979 people have been arrested for contravening the national lockdown regulations.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police arrested 1 363 people throughout the country on 22 July for various offences related to contravention of the national lockdown regulations, bringing the total accumulative arrest to 111 979.”-Chronicle

In making calls for public demonstrations, Jacob Ngarivhume used inflammatory language in his tweets aimed at causing violence and breaching peace in the country, a Harare regional magistrate has said when denying bail and remanding him in custody to August 6.

Ngarivhume is being charged with incitement to commit public violence or alternatively incitement to participate in a gathering with the intent to promote public violence.

His charges arose after he allegedly posted messages through his Twitter handle between March 1 and July 20, calling for protests against Government.

Magistrate Mr Trynos Utahwashe said the fears expressed by police leading to Ngarivhume’s arrest and opposing the granting of bail, were “well grounded”, as his language called for confrontational actions.

He said this while making a ruling in Ngarivhume’s bail application before remanding him to August 6 for routine remand.

Mr Utahwashe said the court took judicial notice of the prevailing economic conditions and the coronavirus pandemic when dismissing his bail application. He noted that Ngarivhume leads a small political party without even a seat in Parliament, and questioned how he intended to carry out any countrywide demonstrations.

“How does he intend to control the huge crowds during the countrywide demonstrations?” asked Mr Utahwashe. “How does he intend to carry out the demonstrations without contravening the Covid-19 regulations.”

Mr Utahwashe said police had a constitutional duty to detect and prevent the commission of crimes. Ngarivhume had applied for bail, arguing that the police took him to court after the mandatory 48 hours had lapsed and so he should be unconditionally released.

The State, led by Mr Jonathan Murombedzi and Mr Michael Reza, alleged that while in Harare’s city centre, Ngarivhume posted numerous messages on Twitter in an attempt to influence many people to engage in public violence or participate in a gathering that would disturb peace.

In some of the messages, he said he met and consulted different stakeholders including Mr Ian Makone, Dr Shingi Munyeza, Mr Elton Mangoma and Godfrey Tsenengamu, as part of his efforts to mobilise people.

Political activist, Hopewell Chin’ono, who is facing similar allegations, appeared before magistrate Mr Ngoni Nduna yesterday applying for bail. Chin’ono is expected back in court today for continuation of his bail application.

-statemedia

Zimbabwe African People’s Union, a long standing advocate for the Zimbabwean people’s freedom from the tyrant regime running the country since 1980, wishes to make the following remarks as pertains the planned end of July protests.

We would like to categorically state that the mother party is not an active participant to the said demonstrations that are purportedly against corruption. This is informed by the reluctance by the organisers of the said demonstrations to engage, consult, or better still to invite other opposition players into partnering them.

The mother party is also, as a responsible entity that is sensitive to the safety and well being of the populace, concerns more about the high risk citizens are being subjected to by calling them to converge and mass protest. The lives of a  desperate population are being pawned and deliberately put in firing line from both state security departments and the marauding coronavirus.

Thirdly, and most importantly, ZAPU is dismayed by the display of double standards and selective application of both law and ethics by the organisers, whose considerable number of leaders feature prominently on lists of the corrupt looters who have milked the country dry of its resources at the expense of ordinary citizens. We demand the concerned leaders, before pointing equally dirty fingers at others, must account and subject themselves to due processes to clear their names.

 We believe corruption is as criminal as is treasonous, whether it’s practiced nationally by the ruling regime or practiced at local government level by the main opposition.

We believe looting the state is as treasonous as practiced by a ruling regime official as it is as treasonous as practiced by an official of the so called main opposition. There is no good corruption or looting, so all suspected of the treasonous practices must account without any  pretence in the public eye.

We note with interests different views on the pending demonstration and how it has already made some heroes and others villains, while it has also made others cowards, just to interpret.  However, ZAPU believe in a thorough strategic planning for a holistic and sustainable solution, not only to corruption but all the ills and leadership deficiencies we had to endure the past forty years.

 Piecemeal initiatives, often motivated by individuals searching for instant glory and relevance are totally out of question especially dealing with a regime so ruthless as Zanu-PF.

 Let us also remind everyone that ZAPU, as pioneer of the struggle for freedom, equality, human rights and constitutionalism has been the most victim and uttermost recipient of Zanu-PF’s brutality at worse. Twenty thousand or so bodies are in shallow mass graves right across Matabeleland and Midlands, as we speak, as we suffered one of the many episodes of the ruling regimes violence against an innocent people.

As such, we are certain that instant popularity, gained from a moment of desperation and freedom deprivation, does not carry the magnanimity of the Zimbabwean struggle in its totality.

 Are we just interested in the moment’s popularity or we want a lasting and sustainable solution to the people’s predicament? This is a question every one must ask themselves.
 Don’t we care about the current ravaging pandemic, so long we will be popular for a moment? Is that what the Zimbabwean problem calls for?

 Again the adage, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me still resonates in such events. ZAPU stands ready with a plan for a much sustained and strategic approach that will yield meaningful change for good instead of small victories derived from influence and dictates of internal and factional dynamics of the same regime we fight.

In the spirit of promoting and protecting rights of Zimbabweans as enshrined in the constitution, ZAPU does not infringe on the rights of, or wish to deny those who so wish to participate in this event, they are free to do so. However, as a party we cannot be drawn into an arrangement that is a recipe for disaster in all aspects of health as the world faces the menacing corona virus, also considering the country’s  healthcare infrastructure is not capable of managing the slightest outbreak.

While we acknowledge the existence and entrenchment of corruption and looting in our society, perpetuated by both ruling regime and main opposition, we call for sensitivity to peoples well being, safety from the world pandemic induced by a virus everyone is still to learn how it behaves.

Iphithule Maphosa
National Spokesperson.
zapuinformation@gmail.com
www.zapu.org

By A Correspondent- Magistrates’ courts at Western Commonage Court in Bulawayo have suspended all trials after 12 public prosecutors, among them seven police officers attached to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), were placed on self-isolation for 14 days after one of them tested positive for Covid-19.

All criminal cases were immediately transferred to the magistrates’ court at Tredgold Building.

Public institutions have been hit hard by the global pandemic which left scores of people in Bulawayo infected and many quarantined. On Monday, 43 inmates and 23 prison officers at Bulawayo Prison tested positive for Covid-19.

Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) recently launched its Covid-19 operational plan, which is aligned to the national health guidelines. This comes as local transmissions are rising with the total number now at 2 034 since Zimbabwe confirmed the first case on March 20.

The country has recorded 26 Covid-19 deaths. When The Chronicle visited Western Commonage Magistrates’ Court yesterday, there was no business activity although the courtrooms were open to the public. Prosecutor -General Mr Kumbirai Hodzi confirmed yesterday that a prosecutor at Western Commonage Court had been infected by the deadly virus. He said NPA was now working with health authorities in Bulawayo and the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to track down contacts of the positive case, including visiting their homes.

“As NPA, we are working together with the Judicial Service Commission, the Ministry of Health and Child Care and our parent ministry to come up with a comprehensive response to safeguard the interests of the public. We want to safeguard the health of the public without compromising the administration of justice,” said Mr Hodzi. He said measures were being taken including contact tracing and testing of other members within the institution.

“The local Covid-19 taskforce has been notified to assess the situation so that they come up with the best possible recommendations on what ought to be done. The Ministry of Health and Child Care will give advice on the way forward and come up with the best course of action,” said Mr Hodzi.

He said investigations are underway to establish the source of infection for the positive case although the building is not under quarantine. Sources at Western Commonage Magistrates’ Courts told Chronicle that a list of all prosecutors and their contacts have since been submitted to the Ministry of Health and Child Care for tracing.

Meanwhile, National University of Science and Technology (Nust) has indefinitely suspended all activities at the campus for both staff and students, and ordered all local students to vacate the university halls of residence by tomorrow.

This follows reports that there is a student who shares accommodation outside the campus with a Covid-19 case that is being traced by the rapid response team in Bulawayo. The university also deferred all examinations until further notice.

In a statement, Nust Registrar, Mr Biggy Ngwenya said all teaching and learning will be done 100 percent online after suspending face-to-face lectures, projects consultations and any other physical contact with students. Final year projects will be submitted on line. The Faculty of Medicine clinical classes will however continue with their lectures and examinations as planned.

“The university wishes to advise staff and students that it has been contacted by the Covid-19 rapid response team about a student who shares accommodation outside campus with a case that they are tracing. All activities on campus for both students and staff are suspended with effect from end of day, Friday 24th of July 2020 until further notice,” said Mr Ngwenya.

“All students in the university halls of residence, except foreign students must vacate by 10am on Saturday, 25th of July 2020.”

The university said only critical staff including those that are involved in Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-testing, production of sanitisers and personal protective equipment, cleaning and security will be allowed on campus.

-statemedia

We have intervened to save 750 families in Munyokowere village in Chipinge who are facing arbitrary eviction by the government, which has told them to leave the village by 26 July, failure of which police and soldiers will forcefully evict them.

Justice Mwayera at Mutare High Court will at 2:30 PM preside over [the] hearing and determination of an urgent application filed by Tariro Tazvitya of [the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights] on behalf of the villagers seeking to stop Government from evicting them and stop demolishing their homes and stop threatening/harassing them.

We are worried that Government is resorting to self-help by arbitrarily evicting the villagers without a court order and we are also concerned about the manner and timing of the forced eviction, which is likely to impact negatively on the villagers’ food security and livelihoods.

In making calls for public demonstrations, Jacob Ngarivhume used inflammatory language in his tweets aimed at causing violence and breaching peace in the country, a Harare regional magistrate has said when denying bail and remanding him in custody to August 6.

Ngarivhume is being charged with incitement to commit public violence or alternatively incitement to participate in a gathering with the intent to promote public violence.

His charges arose after he allegedly posted messages through his Twitter handle between March 1 and July 20, calling for protests against Government.

Magistrate Mr Trynos Utahwashe said the fears expressed by police leading to Ngarivhume’s arrest and opposing the granting of bail, were “well grounded”, as his language called for confrontational actions.

He said this while making a ruling in Ngarivhume’s bail application before remanding him to August 6 for routine remand.

Mr Utahwashe said the court took judicial notice of the prevailing economic conditions and the coronavirus pandemic when dismissing his bail application. He noted that Ngarivhume leads a small political party without even a seat in Parliament, and questioned how he intended to carry out any countrywide demonstrations.

“How does he intend to control the huge crowds during the countrywide demonstrations?” asked Mr Utahwashe. “How does he intend to carry out the demonstrations without contravening the Covid-19 regulations.”

Mr Utahwashe said police had a constitutional duty to detect and prevent the commission of crimes. Ngarivhume had applied for bail, arguing that the police took him to court after the mandatory 48 hours had lapsed and so he should be unconditionally released.

The State, led by Mr Jonathan Murombedzi and Mr Michael Reza, alleged that while in Harare’s city centre, Ngarivhume posted numerous messages on Twitter in an attempt to influence many people to engage in public violence or participate in a gathering that would disturb peace.

In some of the messages, he said he met and consulted different stakeholders including Mr Ian Makone, Dr Shingi Munyeza, Mr Elton Mangoma and Godfrey Tsenengamu, as part of his efforts to mobilise people.

Political activist, Hopewell Chin’ono, who is facing similar allegations, appeared before magistrate Mr Ngoni Nduna yesterday applying for bail. Chin’ono is expected back in court today for continuation of his bail application.

-statemedia

POLICE in the Midlands Province have launched a manhunt for a man from Mberengwa who allegedly murdered his colleague over a mug of beer.

The fugitive, Zuvarashe Mahohoma, and the now deceased Brighton Hove, both of Chief Maziofa in Mberengwa, were drinking beer at Matekedza Business Centre when the incident happened.

Midlands police spokesperson Inspector Joel Goko confirmed the incident to B-Metro.

“We are investigating a case of murder where Mahohoma struck Hove with an unknown object several times after they had a misunderstanding over a cup of beer and he fell down while bleeding profusely.

The accused went on to assault his victim several times and was restrained by the informant who also reported the matter to the police after discovering that Hove was no longer breathing,” he said.

Inspector Goko said Hove had several cuts on the head and body sustained from the assault.

Meanwhile, another Mberengwa man was stabbed to death by a rival while playing snooker.

Twenty-seven-year-old Emmanuel Zinaka, of Muchado Village under Chief Maziofa, was allegedly stabbed by Tauya Mangwere at Mandava tuckshops in Mberengwa.

Zinaka was in the company of his colleague Kudakwashe Gumbo.

Inspector Joel Goko confirmed the incident saying they had since arrested Mangwere and he was assisting the police with investigations.

“He says while playing, a misunderstanding arose between the now deceased and the accused, leading to the accused drawing a knife which he used to stab the deceased,” he said.

Inspector Goko said Gumbo tried to render Zinaka some assistance but he died on the spot from the injuries sustained in the attack.

Mangwere started threatening to kill Gumbo, before fleeing from the scene into a nearby bush: B-Metro

A BULAWAYO woman who is also a police officer was arrested for allegedly whipping her nine-year-old stepdaughter with an electric cord.

Shelita Zulu from Mahatshula North and stationed at Queens Park Police Station is being accused of repeatedly beating her stepdaughter and inflicting injury.

Records say on an unknown date but sometime in June this year a fight ensued between Zulu’s stepdaughter and another minor child who also stays at the same house.

It is reported that Zulu intervened and instead of disciplining the two, she allegedly assaulted her stepdaughter several times all over the body with an electric cord.

It is yet to be proven that the alleged brutal assault was committed on top of the numerous abuses that she was perpetrating on the minor child.

After the alleged abuse the minor child reportedly sustained injuries and it was later discovered by her mother who took her to the hospital for treatment.

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

Zulu has since appeared in court facing a charge of ill-treating a child as defined in section (7) (1) of the Children’s Act Chapter 5:06.

She, however, pleaded not guilty when she appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Marygold Ndlovu. The matter was postponed to 22 July for trial.

This was also after Zulu’s lawyer indicated to the court, that he was not served with State papers including witnesses’ statements:B-Metro

Kwekwe town council housing director Edson Chiyangwa has been hurled before the court facing murder charges after he reportedly shot and killed a member of a machete-wielding gang (MaShurugwi) that invaded his mine in Totororo, Zhombe on Tuesday evening.

Kwekwe magistrate denied Chiyangwa bail and advised him to apply for bail at the High court before remanding him in custody till 6 August 2020.
It is the state’s case that:

On 21 July around 11PM, Chiyangwa was at his Forever Mine in Zhombe with Mr Cornelius Dube where they were overseeing their mining operations.

While they were conducting mining operations, a gang armed with machetes and axes among an assortment of weapons attacked the pair and the mine employees.

While Dube escaped and hid himself in a car, Chiyangwa, the court heard, tripped and fell and the gang continued advancing intending to hack him with machetes.
He then produced a 357 Taurus Pistol and fired a warning shot in the air.

The gang however continued advancing leading to Chiyangwa firing another shot towards the gang, killing one of them instantly.

The gang left him and charged towards the Toyota D4D Hilux where Dube had locked himself inside.

The gang hit the vehicle with machetes and forced open the car, dragged Dube outside the vehicle and attacked him all over the body with machetes leaving him for dead and in a pool of blood.

Sensing danger, Chiyangwa vanished from the scene and made a report to the police. The following day Chiyangwa was picked up by police detectives leading to his appearance in court.

MaShurugwi wreaked havoc in gold-rich areas in Zimbabwe earlier this year-Chronicle

MORE than 1 000 people were arrested on Wednesday countrywide for flouting Covid-19 national lockdown regulations while in Bulawayo, police arrested 170 people and impounded 90 vehicles for lockdown defiance.

President Mnangagwa on Tuesday announced new measures which include cutting operating hours for businesses from 8am to 3pm as well as the introduction of a 6pm to 6am curfew following a surge in new infections and deaths due to Covid-19.

Also arrested the same day were 11 people at Nyamapanda and at Beitbridge border posts for illegal border crossing and smuggling of goods.

The police also reported that one deportee escaped from Standard Hotel quarantine centre in Bulawayo.

People escaping from quarantine centres have been accused of fuelling local infections which today are at 1 046 against imports which are at 988.

Police have launched several operations targeting those operating public transport without exemption letters.

In a statement yesterday, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said to date 111 979 people have been arrested for contravening the national lockdown regulations.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police arrested 1 363 people throughout the country on 22 July for various offences related to contravention of the national lockdown regulations, bringing the total accumulative arrest to 111 979.”-Chronicle

With 90 patients testing positive for Covid-19 yesterday, 83 of them local infections, the Zimbabwean total reached 2 124 and two new deaths drove the death toll to 28.

The daily number of new infections shows a drop from the three-figure totals of the last few days.

In its daily report, the Ministry of Health and Child Care said just nine of the local infections had known contacts and medical staff were investigating the other 74 to try and find the source of infection.

All seven quarantined returning residents who tested positive had been infected in South Africa.

The first death reported was a Harare resident who tested positive on Monday, but also had other illnesses.

The Bulawayo death was patient admitted to hospital yesterday with Covid-19 symptoms.

The number of Zimbabweans confirmed to have recovered remains at 510.

Harare is rapidly catching up with Bulawayo in confirmed local infections with 60 of yesterday’s batch coming from the capital.

The latest figures show Bulawayo with 551 confirmed local infections and 13 deaths, and Harare with 357 confirmed local infections and nine deaths.

Midlands is third with 68 cases and two deaths.

South Africa remains the regional epicentre with 5 940 deaths from 394 948 confirmed cases, although 229 175 of these, well over half as the rate of infection slows, have now recovered-The Herald