• republished –

By Simba Chikanza | ANALYSIS| No other politician in human history has talked about people dying and corpses more than Emmerson Mnangagwa-The man who has over a period of over 37 years polluted the human space with immoral banter concerning human suffering going to the level of celebrating dead bodies and offering prizes for coffin-space, has said he urges “excellent levels of personal hygiene.”

It was on 4th April 1983 when Mnangagwa caused the Zimbabwean economy to crash as he described people as cockroaches who deserve to die for supporting protesters, who he labeled dissidents. He said anyone supporting dissidents would have their days on earth reduced. 22,000 from Midlands and Matebeleland areas were killed as a result.

” But woe unto those who will choose the path of collaboration with dissidents for we will certainly shorten their stay on Earth,” he said.

The economy nosedived.

He would after that deny that anyone was killed, and what he told the BBC in 1983, is the same he repeated to France24 36 years later, in February 2019.

And then on 15th May 2015, Mnangagwa said democracy is only found in the World of the Dead. He said election winners are just corpses. (VIDEO)

Mnangagwa: Democracy Is Only Found Among Corpses, All Election Winners Are Mere Corpses | VIDEO V11 https://t.co/u3a0mEVALf via @ZimEye pic.twitter.com/rEtr7NLhld

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 11, 2020

Fast forward to 1st August 2018, he deployed the army onto the streets of Harare and his most senior advisor announced in his presence this was in order to change election results so they match an outcome greater than the one ZANU PF obtained in 1980.

CHRISTOPHER MUTSVANGWA on 15 December 2017 at 1.32pm in MNANGAGWA'S PRESENCE in Harare pic.twitter.com/CvBQli2VxG

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 14, 2020

WATCH: Mutsvangwa Reveals How President Mnangagwa Is Winning 2018 Elections Resoundingly https://t.co/IrD3Ts7lvA via @ZimEye

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) December 16, 2017

And then in February 2019, Mnangagwa celebrated the killing of 17 people and raping of 17 women saying he would do more, to the point of physically attacking doctors and lawyers attending the victims. VIDEO:

RETWEET! – Mnangagwa in Mwenezi clearly threatened brutality against doctors and lawyers also threatening to shorten the lives of people who make noise. pic.twitter.com/fJx5dOemL5

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) September 17, 2019

On the 3rd January 2020, he told people in Harare’s Kuwadzana surbub, still nursing their wounds from beatings by the Zimbabwe national army, that he would re-deploy the army on them once he discovers they are the ones who stopped the rain. This is not a reading from a horror movie or a novel this is real life in modern day Zimbabwe. (VIDEO).

Mnangagwa: "But once we know it is the people of Kuwadzana who do not wish it to rain, we will deploy the army to surround them to beat them up" Video- ZBC pic.twitter.com/apQ05pc4jn

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) January 4, 2020

And now in March 2020, Mnangagwa has announced a prize for the first person to die, literally (VIDEO)

Humour or just childish? pic.twitter.com/pUYCS1XlSF

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 11, 2020

The same Mnangagwa who for a whole 37 years celebrates people suffering and dead bodies rotting, has this time however taken to paradoxical levels announcing that he urges excellent levels of personal hygiene.

He said-

“I urge my fellow Zimbabweans to maintain excellent levels of personal hygiene.

“Wash your hands thoroughly with soap, cover your nose & mouth with a tissue when you cough, & avoid unnecessary travel abroad.

“We must keep our nation, safe, secure & healthy.”

BELOW WERE SOME REACTIONS TO HIS SPEECHES

• 

ECONOMY CRASHING SINCE 1983.

Economy data shows how the country’s GDP crashed down following the operation, and effects were immediately felt from 1983 all the way to 1985.

Fast forward to the period 2004 – 2018 more evidence shows the correlation between economic performance and the rule of law, specifically human rights adherence.

A UK based academic has investigated human rights violations and economic decline. In the graphs below revealed by ZimEye.com, it is displayed that for instance in the 14 years since 2004, investor interest has either risen or declined in a direct consequential correlation with Human Rights.   Dr Admore Tshuma from Kent University was asked by SABC: What were you aiming to achieve?, and he answered as follows: “the study is a socio-economic perspective. The study explores how the future in South Africa may unfold if expropriation of land without compensation goes ahead. “The aim is not to take a side in this argument, but to unpack the perspective, of human rights and economic paradigms. This is the first time that such a question has been examined by social science using an objectively collected data. The main aim is not to diminish claims for redistribution of land, but to highlight the detriment of the expropriation of land without compensation. “In this study I am very mindful of the sensitivity of the issue of land and I am also aware that there is little consensus of what benefit expropriation of land will produce for South Africa.

“Hence the basic aim is to suggest an alternative and progressive policy on what could constitute an economically sensible cause of action if South Africa is to pursue.

“In this case Zimbabwe remains an empirical case study, for such a social policy, a public policy. The primary focus in this study is to illustrate the interaction between human rights and the economy, also to highlight the model of retributive Justice in response to growing calls for the land question in South Africa as what happened in Zimbabwe.

“And some of my objectives basically are to raise awareness of the potential long term social economic harm that may result in the expropriation of land, it is also to show the interaction, the inter-twinement … the globalisation of the world, how world nation states have become smaller: how the international law has become supreme…part of what I am looking into, and basically the project in the end, it demonstrates the growing recognition that deep-rooted problems of Human Rights violation… are most likely to affect the economy, it is a very broad subject…”

By A Correspondent- Former first daughter, Bona Mugabe’s nuptials to Simba Chikore, was the stuff that only fairy tales and royal weddings are made of. 

A new video clip of Bona and Simba’s wedding day has gone viral online, including a never been seen before behind the scenes footage of Bona getting ready for her wedding.

The video captures all the precious moments from the benediction of the ceremony in a Catholic church, Bona’s majestic walk down the aisle to a live trumpet band and the whole preparation which captures Bona in her room getting her to make up done.

We also catch a glimpse of the former late president Robert Mugabe who was the proud father of the bride and his wife former First Lady Grace Mugabe. Bona and Simba’s ‘first meet’ reads like the whole ‘boy meets girl then boy likes girl’ scenario.

Her mother Grace once recounted that the two met during a flight and she noticed Simba staring at her daughter in awe.

Grace then unabashedly asked Simba if he liked her daughter and the rest, as they say, is history. The couple now has 2 kids to date and love keeping their relationship under wraps only making rare public appearances.

Bona stood by Simba’s side when he was arrested and hauled before the courts for unlawfully detaining an Air Zimbabwe employee and for fraud. She was spotted attending his court sessions several times and giving him the moral support that he really needed during the tumultuous time. 

Watch the video loading below….

-wires

By A Correspondent- The new rules were gazetted recently by Finance and Economic Development Minister Prof Mthuli Ncube using his powers under the Banking Act and the three mobile transfer services have to credit the total interest on daily balances at the end of each month.

EcoCash, OneMoney and Telecash must now pay interest on daily balances held by their customers at a rate equivalent to 50 percent of the prevailing yield on Treasury Bills, which these days is between 13 percent and 15 percent a year or around 0,02 percent a day.

For many, this will not come to that much. But someone with $100 in their phone for a day can expect 2c at the end of the month, and if they average $100 a day for the whole month they can expect around 60c. But it will help offset the modest charges the three charge for making payments.

Under the Banking (Savings Interest Rates) Regulations, 2020 you can do better if you lock your money in for 30 days to six months. You then get 75 percent of the Treasury Bill yield. And locking your money in for more than six months gets you 90 percent.

But almost all the money held by the three mobile concerns, in their trust accounts with commercial banks, is designed to be instant cash so those keeping a few dollars in their phone just get the lower rate.

The different rates are normal in banking practice since a banker or quasi-banker has to keep more money on hand for demand deposits although, from experience knows what proportion can be safely invested in assets that are easy to liquidate.

A higher percentage of money that depositors are prepared to tie up for longer fixed periods can be invested, so the depositors can be given a better deal.

By A Correspondent- Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga has called on Kenyans to cooperate with government agencies in a bid to counter the spread of coronavirus in the country.

This comes after Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in Kenya on Friday, March 13.

In a statement, Raila reminded Kenyans that the whole nation was united in containing the virus and ensuring Kenyans’s safety thus there was no reason to be worried or afraid.

“As a country, we are in this together and we appeal to our citizens not to panic but instead cooperate with the government which has factual and science based advice on how we must proceed,” he stated.

Health CS Kagwe announcing government’s decision to suspend all public gatherings. 

Whereas the government was doing everything within its means in regards to the infection, the ODM boss noted the measures will definitely cause disruptions across the nation.

“A raft of measures has been announced by the government…These measures will cause disruptions but we must adhere to them as the best scientific advices that we can rely on to overcome the danger,”he added.

An isolation facility at Mbagathi Hospitals for treatment of coronavirus patients. Kenya has such isolation level five hospitals. Photo: Kenyatta National Hospital.

Earlier on the day, Kagwe announced government’s decision to suspend all public gatherings including inter- school events, prison visits, church crusades and all other public meetings.

He, however, exempted normal churches as long the congregants are provided with hand sanitisers.

“We have suspended all public gatherings, meetings, religious crusades, games and all events that are of a huge public nature. Normal church service can go on, provided they provide hand sanitisers s people go into the worship areas,”he directed.

The patient, a 27-year-old student traveled in from USA via a London flight.

She had been tested in Chicago and Ohio but all results were negative.

“This was a lady who was living on her own, I want to thank her because she has put citizen responsibility to the test. Because the minute she started feeling unwell and she said to us having read what you have been publishing she thought that she took her herself to the hospital,” the CS confirmed.

With the confirmation, Kenya became the first country in Eastern Africa to report the first coronavirus case.

By Friday, March 13, at least 5,082 people out of 138,252 cases had died.-Wires

By A Correspondent- Exiled former Cabinet Minister, Professor Jonathan Moy has recommended the cancellation of Zimbabwe’s Independence bash that is scheduled for the 18th of April at Barbourfields in Bulawayo.

Moyo cites the novel coronavirus as the reason why Zimbabwe should cancel the event.

Posting on Twitter this Saturday, Moyo said:

If it’s right for #CAF to postpone #Warriors Afcon games to prevent spread of #CoronaVirus & save lives, it must be right to cancel Zim@40 Uhuru bash at BF Stadium in Byo on 18 April to save lives.

His remarks come after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) had announced the postponement of the Women’s 2020 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers that were slated for the first week of April and the Men’s 2021 AFCON qualifiers that were scheduled to be played at the end of this month.

Moyo also speaks after the World Health Organisation country representative, Dr Gasasira has also recommended that gatherings are limited as much as possible urging those with symptoms to self-isolate and visit stipulated health facilities.

Two top Ministry of Health and Child Care employees were yesterday hauled to court charged with fraud after they reportedly misrepresented to their principal claiming fuel worth $27 000 that was not due to them.

The duo of Douglas Enos Mangwanya, 61, and Simbi Raiva, 43, were not asked to plead when they appeared before Harare provincial magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa.

The two were granted $1000 bail and were ordered to report once a fortnight, to surrender their travel documents and not to interfere with State witnesses.

Mangwanya is the Director of Laboratories Services in the Ministry of Health and Child Care and Raiva is his deputy.

The court heard that the duo misrepresented to Crossman Mavayo, the Administrator of National Microbiology Reference Laboratory Department under the Ministry that they required extra quantities of fuel coupons as their monthly allocations.

In fact, the duo was not entitled to receive any fuel coupons from the Department of National Microbiology Reference Laboratory since he had already been allocated from the Ministry Head Office.

The two claimed extra fuel coupons without authority from the Ministry’s accounting officer.

As a result of the misrepresentation, Mangwanya received 80 litres of petrol coupons and 720 litres of diesel coupons which he used for personal benefit casing an actual prejudice of $14 931.

As a result of the misrepresentation, Raiva received 80 litres of petrol coupons and 600 litres of diesel which he used for his own benefit causing an actual prejudice of $12 920.

The offences came to light when an internal audit inspection was carried out by the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

Sabastian Mutizirwa appeared for the State. H-Metro

TWO nurses at Bulawayo’s Mpilo Central Hospital allegedly caused the death of a one-day-old girl after she fell from a maternal bed when they left her mother unattended to give birth.

The nurses allegedly ignored the patient when she told them she was experiencing labour pains, until she gave birth and the baby crashed to the floor.

Sekesai Museka (41) of Parklands suburb and Ntombizodwa Ndlovu (36) of Cowdray Park suburb both employed as general nurses at the hospital allegedly caused the death of Ms Purity Dube’s daughter.

Ms Dube who resides in Cowdray Park suburb is being represented by Mr Bruce Masamvu of Mutatu, Masamvu and Da Silva-Gustavo law chambers.

Museka and Ndlovu were not asked to plead to culpable homicide when they appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Lizwe Jamela yesterday.

They were remanded out of custody on their own cognisance to March 26.

Prosecuting, Mr Denmark Chihombe said on November 20 last year, Ms Dube was admitted at Mpilo Central Hospital where she was due to give birth.

“At around 3AM, the complainant began to feel labour pains and called for help from the accused persons who were on duty but they ignored her.

“She gave birth on her own and the baby fell on the floor through a delivery blood trap hole on the maternity bed,” he said.

It is alleged that after some minutes, the nurses entered the room where Museka cut the umbilical cord from the unconscious baby and took her to a resuscitation room.

Some doctors allegedly attended to the baby but the duo did not inform them that the baby had fallen on the floor.

“At around 5AM that same day, the baby was transferred to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit but died at around 11PM,” Mr Chihombe said.

A post mortem report revealed that the baby died from intracranial haemorrhage and head injuries.

The matter was reported to the police who carried out investigations leading to the arrest of the two nurses.

Political analysts and councillors in Mashonaland Central province have said former ZANU PF provincial chairperson Dickson Mafios was better in mobilizing party Supporters to rallies than the incumbent Kazembe Kazembe.

Kazembe who was co-opted on the post soon after the president Emmerson Mnangagwa coup is reportedly failing to mobilize party supporters there by prompting the presidium in snubbing the province.

Political analysts Gift Mukombwe said Mafio was good at mobilising people as former president Robert Mugabe rallies in the province were all fully packed than those of Kazembe.

“Kazembe  has failed the new dispensation by failing to mobilize people during Mafios tenure not even a single rally flopped but Kazembe soon after the 2018 presidential elections the party has failed to hold a single successful presidential rally.

A councillor who spoke on condition of anonymity said Kazembe is not open in coordinating programs hence people are always caught unaware.

“The problem we have now with our chairperson is he is not open about presidential  rallies we are only told of the rallies a day or two before that is very different from Mafio’s era where everyone was told weeks before and urged to mobilize each other to attend.”

Another analysts Stephen Chawawa said Mafios era was better economically than that of Kazembe.

“Mafios operated in a better economic condition than Kazembe because during Mafios’ era fuel was readily available to ferry people to rallies but now Kazembe is operating in a harsh economic environment where service station are dry,” he said.

Another councillor said Kazembe is a bitter man who works with a few of his allies for his selfish gains which is different from Mafios’ time.

“Mafios worked for the party without segregation but Kazembe only works with his allies there by creating serious rifts in the party.

Meanwhile, Mashonaland Central province is busy preparing for District Development Coordinating Committee elections with a lot of vote buying already in existence especially from the legislators’ who are accused of using presidential food handouts for their selfish gains.

CHIEF Justice Luke Malaba yesterday warned osiphatheleni and other people involved in illegal activities around Tredgold Building, which houses the Bulawayo Magistrates Courts, saying there was an urgent need for them to be permanently flushed out of the area.

In 2018, while commissioning three additional courtrooms at the Bulawayo High Court, the country’s top judge bemoaned illegal foreign currency exchange activities around the environs of Tredgold Building resulting in police clamping down on illegal forex dealers. Police also sealed the parking area around the building. The operation was however short-lived and osiphatheleni have since returned.

Yesterday, CJ Malaba urged Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Minister Judith Ncube and the city council to find a permanent solution to the problem of osiphatheleni.

He said illegal activities being carried out on the doorstep of Tredgold Building compromised the delivery of the country’s justice system.

“There can never be a marriage between illegality and justice so activities of an illegal nature must never be part and parcel of the justice system be it externally or internally. We hope that those activities in the environs or surroundings of Tredgold Building that are not wholesome must be stopped and I don’t think we should have a compromise on that issue,” he said.

“I, for one, want to see the Resident Minister and the powers-that-be of Bulawayo dealing with this illegality once and for all and ensure that this environment is healthy, respects and protects justice.”

CJ Malaba said it was not a healthy situation to have illegal activities taking place on the doorstep of the courts.

“I find it difficult to understand that you can have people allowing illegal changing of money outside this building and sometimes inside the building and it’s seen as normal. This is a fountain of justice; a temple of justice and we all know what Jesus said when he got to the temple and found activities that were not healthy. He put a bit of some switch and I won’t do that, but I think my tongue is enough,” he said.

CJ Malaba, who was on tour of Tredgold Building to assess progress on the ongoing refurbishment of courtrooms and magisterial offices, commended the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works for complementing their efforts.

“The refurbishment of Tredgold is a reflection of Government efforts and we are here to enforce Government policy. The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) is not an isolated organisation working on its own, it is an organisation that embraces all the policies of Government,” he said.

“Access to justice is a fundamental principle and we are saying the speedy delivery of justice, and at the same time in an ambient health environment must reflect the dignity of human beings and their aspirations. There has never been a society without courts in this world and even our own societies have always had courts and mechanisms of delivering justice.”

The Chief Justice said the environment in which justice is delivered should be healthy and attractive to the public.

“It is not JSC alone seeking to deliver justice to other people, we must be symbiotic in that relationship to ensure that we are understood and people are confident of the judicial system. The refurbishments of the courts in the isolation of the whole building is helpless and futile because justice must be holistic. You can’t approach a building and expect it to be a temple of justice only to look for a particular office or court in a sea of chaos,” he said.

The golden couple of Dr Eve Gadzikwa (55), a well-known business person, philanthropist and author, and husband Celestine Gadzikwa, businessman and Varichem financial director, has crashed into divorce, with the two now fighting over how their family assets are to be counted and split.

While all Zimbabwean divorces are no fault divorces, the fight over how Celestine’s company, CM Gadzikwa (Pvt) Ltd, is to be treated and even if the divorce court should see its records, has made the divorce details public and led to both giving explicit evidence of why the marriage has broken down.

Celestine places adultery by Eve with a married boyfriend as the main cause of the breakdown, while she is equally frank in saying her husband has shown zero love and affection for five years, not touching her in this time.

Eve is a well-known public figure.

She is director general and secretary to the Standards Association of Zimbabwe and 13th president of Africa Union standards body, the Africa Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) and is the past board chairperson of the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange and past chairperson of the Institute of Directors (IoD) Zimbabwe. She has won many local and international accolades.

On the other hand, Celestine is an esteemed businessman and Varichem Holdings financial director with his company, CM Gadzikwa, thought to be rather well funded.

So, their divorce is attracting public notice.

Celestine is the one who has applied in the High Court for divorce, giving evidence that the breakdown of the marriage is due to his wife’s alleged frequent adultery with a married man, which he alleges she has confessed to.

Through his lawyers, Dube, Manikai and Hwacha, he waxes almost lyrical over his “extended tolerance, forbearance, mediation and counselling”.

Celestine states he is “continuously haunted and tormented by the fear of being publicly humiliated, considering the real possibility that the women and woman with whom (Eve) is in conflict over her boyfriend have threatened to sue her and expose damaging pictures, audios and videos of defendant in compromising, adulterous and undignified circumstances’’.

In her response, Eve consents to divorce, but is demanding 50 percent distribution of the family property, including shares in CM Gadzikwa (Pvt) Ltd.

She blames the breakdown of the marriage on Celestine, whom she blames of failing to discharge his obligations as a husband over the past five years.

Through lawyer Ms Beatrice Mtetwa, she makes it plain that the marriage has collapsed because Celestine “showed no love and affection in the last five years of the marriage. (He) has generally failed to treat (Eve) with the love, respect, support . . . intimacy as expected between husband and wife.”

And then comes the reason why the couple did not divorce quietly in a negotiated settlement to be presented to and confirmed by the court.

Eve, argues that though she agreed to an uncontested divorce, she declined to sign the consent paper which she considered to be tilted in favour of Celestine financially.

“I contend that the only way that the divorce court can make a fair and equitable order would be to have the company joined as a party to the proceedings so that its entire operations can be looked into,” she argues.

Celestine, she argues, will not suffer any prejudice if the company is joined as a third party to the divorce proceedings.

Celestine is opposing Eve’s application, arguing that he formed the company before the two got married.

The High Court will now have to decide whether or not any growth in company assets between the marriage and the divorce should be part of the divorce proceedings.

Former workers and their families at Water Vlei Farm along Seke Road in Chitungwiza yesterday attacked staff of the Messenger of Court as they enforced an eviction order.

They said the farm previously belonged to a sand quarrying syndicate called Supersands, whose owners allowed them to stay on the land.

The white owners left the farm during the Land Reform Programme in 2000, but left the workers in the compound.

According to witnesses, the Messenger of Court forced entry into houses by breaking locks using a bolt cutter and dumped possessions and furniture along Seke Road, leaving more than 50 families stranded.

The farm is now owned by Mrs Tambudzai Kachepa, who said she inherited it from her father, Mr Dickson Kachepa, who bought it in 1984 and had all the title deeds.

Mrs Kachepa said the residents were given ample time to pack their belongings in 2017 but had resisted moving on at least two previous occasions.

The eviction became violent when the Messenger of Court dumped goods and property on the side of the road, as is standard practice. The former workers were then barred from entering their “homes”.

The Messenger of Court told residents not to speak to The Herald reporters and pushed one away from the camera. Residents then retaliated by blocking the truck and started beating up staff of the Messenger of Court.

Mrs Dorica Chakoroma said she needed ample time to pack her belongings and find alternative accommodation.

“We didn’t resist eviction but it’s only that we haven’t been given ample time to pack our things and go. Can you imagine how difficult things are nowadays? Where can we go? We don’t have money even to transport our belongings,” said Mrs Chakoroma.

Octogenarian Mr Moyo Faraki (96) stood motionless resting his knuckles on his waist as he gazed at his few belongings strewn by the roadside.

Mr Sylvester Mamhovha had no kind words for the court emissaries’ conduct. “We are not happy with the way these people executed the evictions. They have destroyed our goods. We are now counting our losses,” said Mr Mamhovha.

Another resident, Mr Shadreck Jasi, said he had lost his national identity card and his children’s birth certificates during the eviction.

Watch video downloading below:

State Media|CARTELS comprising butchery owners, rogue elements in the police service and officers from the Veterinary Services Department are corruptly clearing cattle infected with January disease and anthrax before unleashing uninspected beef on the market, state media has also revealed.

Butchers have set up bases for agents in most rural communities like Mhondoro, Buhera and Murehwa.

Infected cattle are selling for as little as US$25 each, while the agents demand commission ranging from $100 to US$10 for every beast sold. January disease, also known as Theileriosis, is a tick-borne disease common between December and March and is spread through the bite of the brown ear tick.

Thousands of cattle have died since last year and the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement is still to establish the actual number of deaths.

An investigation exposed connivance between butcheries and cattle owners. Officers responsible for cattle clearance were also cited as part of the illicit trade.

Most cattle, according to the investigation, are dying after receiving Butachem, a drug used to fight January disease.

The drug, according to animal health experts, can cause cancer if people consume the meat before or within 42 days of treatment.

Director of the Veterinary Service Department Dr Josephat Nyika warned people against consuming products of cattle infected or that would have died of January disease or any other illnesses.

“Please do not ever eat that beef,” he said. “Once a beast dies after receiving a dosage of Butachem, it must be burnt or the owner should do a deep burial. That meat should never be eaten. After giving the cattle the drug, there should be a 42-day withdrawal process, which should occur before the meat becomes safe for human consumption.

“Consuming it before or within those 42 days is disastrous. The drug causes various cancers. To the people of Zimbabwe, I say, do not eat that meat.”

Despite warnings by the animal health experts, uninspected and possibly infected beef still finds its way to the market through corrupt acts.

What makes the matter of more concern is that meat consumers cannot tell if the meat would have been inspected before they buy it from butcheries or other outlets.

Dr Nyika said the only way to prevent cattle from dying of January disease was regular dipping.

“It is not known yet how many cattle have died from this scourge because cattle owners are not reporting all deaths to the authorities,” he said.

“However, provinces are still compiling a list of deaths and we will be able to give out the correct figures soon.”

The investigation covered areas in Mhondoro, Mashonaland West and Buhera in Manicaland, where villagers confirmed the death of cattle and the sale of the uninspected meat to buyers from towns like Harare and Chitungwiza.

At Watyoka Business Centre in Mhondoro, an agent identified as Tawanda, charged $100 commission for any beast purchased.

“Those which show little signs of sickness cost around US$60 each, while others that are visibly affected and dying are selling at prices between US$25 and US$40,” said Tawanda.

“How many do you want my brother? I can assure you that within an hour, we will start receiving the beasts.”

True to his word, Tawanda took the news crew to a Mrs Mahuyo’s place, less than a kilometre from the business centre.

Mrs Mahuyo’s cow, which was visibly sick, was pegged at US$50.

Tawanda said he had connections at the local police station where a police officer (name withheld) charged US$5 for every beast cleared.

“Police clearance is not a problem because I have a friend who clears cattle at the police station,” said Tawanda.

“We simply take the particulars of the seller and those of the buyer to the veterinary office, who can even sign the clearance papers without inspecting the cattle.

“Last week, with the assistance of these officers, I sold 15 cattle to Harare buyers.”

Butcheries at Watyoka and Mubaira business centres have already slashed beef price from $80 to $40, as beef has flooded the market.

Chief Mashayamombe of Mhondoro-Mubaira lamented the death of cattle in the area and the rampant sale of uninspected beef.

He urged Government to urgently address the January disease problem and put in place strict measures to end sale of uninspected beef.

“Most of my subjects are now without any cattle at all,” said Chief Mashayamombe.

“In some areas, people have now switched to using donkeys which are now costing between US$50 and US$70.

“Those responsible for protecting these cattle from diseases should up their game. There should be awareness campaigns to educate the public on the dangers of the uninspected beef.”

Mhondoro villagers are now resorting to buying donkeys from elsewhere to replace the dying cattle as draught power. In Buhera, most households were also left without cattle.

At Nharira Business Centre, some 50 kilometres west of Murambinda, an agent identified as Gweje confirmed the prevalence of “dirty meat deals”.

He said most of his clients were from Chitungwiza.

“I have been into this business of selling cattle and beef for a long time,” he said.

“I have a lot of clients in Chitungwiza. Most of the butchers prefer the infected cattle, which are cheaper.”

Gweje charged US$10 commission for each sell he would facilitate.

“I can organise as many cattle as you want,” he said. “I am charge US$10 for each beast, or equivalent of the amount in bond notes. The prices are reasonable and I can get you good beasts for as little as US$40.”

Just like Tawanda in Mhondoro, Gweje relied on his connections at the local police station and the veterinary officers, saying clearance was not a challenge.

Movement for Democratic Change leader Nelson Chamisa has ripped into President Emmerson Mnangagwa over the remarks he recently made while officially unveiling a mortuary in Gutu, Masvingo.

President Mnangagwa became a subject of social media ridicule over a video in which he was captured describing a new Gutu Hospital mortuary ‘as very cool’ while making reference to his time as a Kwekwe legislator when he paid a prize to the first family to use his donated mortuary. The video has been trending on various social media platforms.

Addressing MDC party Councilors at the Inaugural SMART Councils summit at the party’s headquarters Chamisa said Mnangagwa was out of touch with reality and his days as President were numbered.

“The exchange rate is now at forty something, even if you are an effective councillor, father, mother or husband you cannot plan under these circumstances. When you are organised the state disorganizes you” said Chamisa

Chamisa said the country was struggling for everything and an educated person like Engineer Elias Mudzuri has become an ordinary person.

“Even Engineer Mudzuri has become an ordinary person, if you do not struggle for water you struggle for power and if you don’t struggle for power you struggle for cash…..we are struggling in everything. Zimbabweans lets fight for our rights, let’s not wait for anyone else to tell us to fight. It’s natural to fight when you are being fought”

He said in other countries the Mnangagwa mortuary sentiments would result in someone being burnt.

“In other countries, this talk of mortuaries by Mnangagwa, he would have been burnt because if you see a President celebrating such things it shows that he is out of reality and also his days are numbered” said Chamisa.

-Online

Zizoe Pamyk has reached out to Felistas Edwards better known as Mai Titi soon after their break up thanking her for everything she did for him. Zizoe says he now wants to live a private life.

Below is the chat that Mai Titi shared on social media,

Stay Strong and sorry for letting you down, sorry for saying bad things to you keep going and keep on keeping on. I just want (to say) Thank you for everything you did in my life (.) you take me places and you did the best for me always, sorry for telling you bad words hapana chandakaunza muupenyu hwako kunze kwe marwadzo(.) I always take the blame, I just want my life to (be) private for a while (.) So no problem zvaitika nhasi zvinotokuendesa mudenga (.)

So u have to stay on top of your game like always (.) am not good mukupindurana so I will stay quite tirimo muma teres (.) wish you all the best (.) please handisi pahondo asi iwe handikumise kuita zvaunoda isarudzo yako (.) thanx for this u gve me (,) thanx for ma fans ako(,) thanxs for the joy and happiness (.)

This stays with us you know keep the fire burning and don’t let anyone takes you down like always

CHEERS

Zanu PF legislators Marko Raidza and Dexter Nduna today disrupted proceedings of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting accusing the chairperson Tendai Biti’s party MDC of refusing to recognize President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Following disruptions, Biti asked the press and Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission officials to leave the house while they sort out their issues, with the committee reconvening after an hour with Zanu PF legislators to continue with their disruptions.

The Public Accounts Committee was due to get explanations from parastatals that failed to submit their financial accounts to the Auditor General for audit.

“My point of order is in connection with our issues regarding this committee, particularly our chairmanship that we have been disputing as Zanu PF comrade members of PAC. We have raised the issue in our previous meeting. You in particular as MDC have refused to recognize our President,” Raidza said.

Biti however interjected by asking the ZACC officials led by one of the commissioners, Mr Gabriel Chaibva and the press to take their leave while they sort out their grievances in private.

“No, the issue has nothing to do with ZACC and I would have thought the issue was raised before we had invited our visitors and the press,”

“We were on our own before ZACC came, before the press came. So I’m actually disturbed by the timing of your question. But be that as it may, I will ask comrade Chaibva and your team to excuse us,” Biti said.

This is not the first time the PAC has adjourned its business following a similar stunt by Zanu pf officials who walked out of the meeting when Zanu pf sympathizer and owner of Sakunda Holdings, Kuda Tagwirei had been called for investigation for alleged corrupt tendencies.

The inter-party politics have seriously affected the smooth operations of the committee with some Zanu pf officials constantly coming up with shrewd ways to frustrate investigations into some of the party darlings.

Upon return after having sought guidance from the Clerk of Parliament who restated the committee to continue, Nduna and Raidza continued to disrupt proceedings.

Some MDC members accused the two of being bribed by Sakunda, who are due to give oral evidence to the committee next week to set the precedence.

-263Chat

THE Confederation of African Football yesterday finally bowed to pressure and postponed the 2021 AFCON qualifiers set for this month amid concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.

The CAF leaders this week had given the hint the matches would go ahead as scheduled but, with more countries reporting new cases of coronavirus, they were left with no option but to postpone the matches.

This means that Zimbabwe’s back-to-back qualifiers against Algeria will not be played this month.

It’s also a relief to ZIFA, who had been struggling to find a home for the Warriors to host Algeria, after CAF placed a blanket ban on all the local stadiums from hosting international matches.

The new developments, given that the next international break will be in June, provide the country with a chance to work on both the National Sports Stadium and Barbourfields and present them to CAF as facilities suitable to host the match against Algeria.

ZIFA had also hinted that they would have required a US$200 000 budget to host the Desert Foxes in South Africa.

‘‘Following the growing concerns of the COVID-19 virus and the declaration by the World Health Organisation (WHO) describing it as pandemic, CAF has decided to postpone the following competitions until further notice:

Total AFCON 2021 Qualifiers: Match Day 3 and 4 of the qualifiers scheduled for March 25-31, 2020;

FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup Qualifiers: scheduled for March 20-22, 2020, and March 27-29, 2020;

Total Women’s AFCON 2020 Qualifiers: scheduled for April 8-14, 2020.

‘‘A new schedule shall be announced in due time.’’

Warriors coach, Zdravko Logarusic, had yesterday announced his squad for the matches against Algeria.

But, doubts still persisted about the availability of most of his European-based players, because of the travel restrictions to curb the coronavirus pandemic.

The Algerian and Zimbabwean Governments had also questioned the need to have the matches played amid this global health crisis.

The Algerians, too, were unlikely to be allowed to enter South Africa, which is batting to contain the outbreak of the virus.

The technical team had retained most of the players, who represented the country in the opening two matches, against Botswana and Zambia last year in a glimpse of the players the Croat wants to use for national duty.

Skipper Knowledge Musona had been named to lead a contingent of eight European-based players, who included Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba, Alec Mudimu (Moldova), Marshall Munetsi (France), Teenage Hadebe (Turkey), goalkeeper Martin Mapisa (Spain) and Tino Kadewere (France), who has lit the French Ligue 2 with his goal-scoring prowess.

The technical team had also extended the call to England-based striker Macauley Bonne, who was ruled out the last time because of a medical condition.

However, even as the team was released, it was clear the European teams were not going to release their players because of the travel restrictions imposed by Governments and health authorities.

In Belgium, where Musona plies his trade at KAS Eupen, league games have been suspended after the country recorded 556 cases of coronavirus and three deaths.

The Belgian National Security Council decided to take far-reaching measures by declaring a state of emergency over the entire country.

Under the new emergency measures, all recreational and sporting events will be cancelled or postponed, while public places like restaurants, bars, cafés and discos have been ordered to shut from midnight yesterday until April 3.

Schools, meanwhile, will be closed as of Monday, with a day-care service maintained for working parents with no other alternatives.

Midfielder Nakamba has also suffered a similar fate after the English Premiership matches were suspended until April 3.

Bonne also plays in England at Charlton Athletic. Spain, where goalkeeper Mapisa plies his trade at Zamora CF, may also be affected by the strict travel restrictions in the country after 3 000 cases were reported.

But Zimbabwe were confident, if the matches had gone ahead, of getting their South Africa-based contingent, who make the bulk of the squad.

There were eight players based in South Africa in the Warriors squad, including Khama Billiat, Knox Mutizwa, Butholezwe Ncube, Ovidy Karuru, Kuda Mahachi, Charlton Mashumba and goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze.

Defender Divine Lunga had also returned to the fold after missing the previous qualifiers against Zambia and Botswana.

Tafadzwa Kutinyu, who has been involved in the CAF Champions League football with Guinea giants Horoya AC, had also bounced back into the team.

But, there were no places for Thabani Kamusoko, Cliff Moyo, Kelvin Moyo and Highlanders forward Prince Dube, who had also been dropped from the CHAN squad.

Zimbabwe were scheduled to play Algeria on March 26 at the Mustapha Tchaker Stadium in Blida with the return match set for South Africa on March 29.

The novel coronavirus, which was first detected in China late last year, has wreaked havoc mostly in Europe and Asia and has hit sport hard after several events were either cancelled or postponed.

Zimbabwe’s opponents Algeria have also borne the brunt in Africa after 24 cases were recorded. Algeria has become one of the hotspots in Africa and the Government of Zimbabwe has spoken against sending the team to the North African country at this point.

Algeria lead the group with six points while Zimbabwe are in second place after two rounds of play.

The back-to-back clashes, should they go ahead, are likely to be decisive as Zambia, without a point, and Botswana (one point), also engage in duels to keep their hopes alive.

Apart from the coronavirus threat, Zimbabwe were also facing a headache on their travel arrangements because of the spacing of the back-to-back matches.

-State media

Zimbabwe is not concealing any cases of Covid-19 and no country can do so due to the nature of the disease which manifests and spreads rapidly for anyone to hide, World Health Organisation (WHO) country representative Dr Alex Gasasira has said.

He said if Zimbabwe was hiding cases of Covid-19, which is caused by the coronavirus, positive cases would have come out by now.

In an interview yesterday, Dr Gasasira said in fact, health authorities were actually grappling with misinformation pertaining to Covid-19.

“This pandemic can be contained if countries do the right thing,” he said. “Covid-19 by its nature is too rapid to be concealed by any country. By now, if Zimbabwe was concealing any case, they could have come out.

“While we grapple with containing it, the greatest challenge we face is misinformation, which is making it very difficult to contain the virus.”

Dr Gasasira said it was important for people to rely on reliable sources of information, adding that everyone had a role in containing Covid-19. He said it was not just the Government’s responsibility to contain the pandemic, but individuals and other stakeholders had critical roles to play.

The remarks come at a time when the Government stands accused of hiding positive cases of coronavirus by some sections of society.

The social media went ballistic recently when a Thai man, who was a coronavirus suspect, disappeared from Wilkins Infectious Diseases Hospital, with many people saying he was positive and wanted to intentionally spread the disease.

After a manhunt was launched, the Thai man handed himself in and eventually tested negative.

Dr Gasasira urged African countries to consider minimising social gatherings in the face of increasing cases of Covid-19.

Although Zimbabwe has not yet recorded any confirmed case of coronavirus, neighbouring South Africa has so far confirmed 24 cases.

Fourteen other African countries have confirmed varying numbers of coronavirus.

“Now is the time to minimise social gatherings, Zimbabwe and Africa should act,” said Dr Gasasira. “While there is no need for a lock down for Zimbabwe since it has not recorded any cases, there is need to emphasise on social distancing and reduce gatherings.

“Social distancing is one of the critical measures that a country can use to contain the pandemic. Gatherings should be limited as much as possible and those with symptoms should self-isolate and present at stipulated health facilities.”

Social gatherings include churches, parties, and political gatherings.

Since the first case was recorded in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, the virus has so far claimed nearly 5 000 lives worldwide and infected over 134 000 people.

While official statistics show a decline in cases in China, elsewhere in the world, cases of coronavirus continue to increase with Italy, Iran and South Korea being the hardest hit.

Over 100 countries in the world have been affected by coronavirus, forcing the WHO to declare the disease a pandemic.

As of yesterday, Zimbabwe had not yet reported any positive cases, but had isolated a number of suspected cases and had screened and put 8 700 people under surveillance.

The people passed through Zimbabwe’s different ports of entry, some travelling from the affected countries.

-State Media

By Staff Reporter| MDC deputy chairperson Job Sikhala, who was recently cleared of treason charges, has said Prosecutor-General Kumbirai Hodzi does not have any prospect of succeeding in his intended Supreme Court appeal against the acquittal.

This comes after Hodzi, through Justin Uladi, who is an acting national director of public prosecutors, sought leave to appeal against High Court Judge Garainesu Mawadze’s ruling.

However, Sikhala told the court that the State was going on a fishing expedition, as it lacked sufficient grounds that could help overturn the High Court ruling.

“There are absolutely no prospects of success in any intended appeal as ought to be clear from the State’s poor drafting of both the indictment and the summary of the evidence it proposed to lead.

“From the poor documents presented before the court, which included a truncated utterance by myself which had obviously been edited in what was a clear cut and paste job, the court could not have found that the words complained of violated the provisions of Section 22 (2)(a)(i) of the Criminal Law Codification & Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23),” Sikhala told the court.

The Zengeza West legislator was arrested in October last year on charges of attempting to subvert a constitutionally-elected government, after he allegedly told his party’s rally in Bikita East that he would overthrow President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration before the next elections due in 2023.

Sikhala, however, told the court in response to Hodzi’s application, that as a politician, he had clear political rights that entitled him to challenge actions of other political players.

He said while the State claimed that he intended to overthrow the government, he had not mentioned the government in his statement but Mnangagwa.

“In any event, the court could not read ‘government’ into the statement relied upon when government was never mentioned. That Emmerson Mnangagwa and president are separate and distinct from ‘government’ appears to have eluded the applicant,” Sikhala said.

The Zengeza West legislator said Uladi, who filed an affidavit in the application, had no legal standing to do so as he was never part of the court proceedings in the lower court and was not privy to what transpired in the matter.

In the application, Hodzi is challenging the acquittal, claiming Mawadze misdirected himself.

“The learned judge misdirected himself on a point of law by not taking into account that, for attempting to overthrow the government it is not an essential element of the offence to show or prove the attitude of the audience addressed that is whether the audience was responsive or unresponsive to the utterances,” the State argued.

The matter is still pending before the Supreme Court.

President Mnangagwa is happy with the work that the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) is doing to bring solutions to some of the challenges facing the country.

This came out of a meeting of thematic committees that presented reports to the full assembly of POLAD at State House yesterday.

President Mnangagwa was among other POLAD leaders that received reports from the six thematic committees.

Briefing journalists after presentation of the reports, the President said: “I am extremely happy. It was very nice, especially the one that dealt with engagement and the economy, it was very detailed and I think it’s very useful.”

He said the committees raised some issues on which that they were not in agreement with the Government.

The President promised to review the issues.
Another meeting of leaders of political parties in POLAD has been scheduled for next week where President Mnangagwa will give feedback on some of the issues raised yesterday.

The meeting was an opportunity for the six sub-committees to give their reports to the full assembly of POLAD.

“The first one was the economic committee, which hosted the economic forum last time, which in my view, did a sterling work,” said President Mnangagwa.

“It brought together the major stakeholders in our economy; industry, commerce, mining, agriculture, Consumer Council (of Zimbabwe) and labour, were all represented.
“They submitted their reports.

There was the governance and the constitutional legislative committee chaired by Professor Lovemore Madhuku. They also presented their report which was broken into major two components — the process of the constitutional amendments and the content of the amendments.

“The third one was the one on international relations, which is mandated to deal with engagement and re-engagement. They have done a fantastic job, which I was not aware of.”-State media

Farai Dziva|MDC deputy president and former Finance Minister Tendai Biti has described Mthuli Ncube’s economic policies as disastrous.

Biti told Daily News on Wednesday Mthuli Ncube’s textbook policies would trigger further economic chaos.

Biti said:

The move by Mthuli Ncube is an ill-thought one. We are currently facing shortages of foreign currency and we have no productivity in Zimbabwe to support economic growth and the local dollar.

Floating the Zimbabwe dollar will result in the exchange rate shooting up, triggering hyperinflation and price increases.

What Mthuli has done will result in a serious devaluation of salaries. For example, today people who are earning $7 000 with the current parallel market rate of 1:40 are earning around US$200.

In just a few weeks the parallel rate will hit 1:100 and that is when it will be clear that Mthuli has failed.

The other thing that will follow is the shortage of every essential that is imported, including electricity, fuel and medication.

If we do not have these essentials like electricity and fuel then we cannot talk about production and economic growth.

Farai Dziva|MDC deputy president and former Finance Minister Tendai Biti has described Mthuli Ncube’s economic policies as disastrous.

Biti told Daily News on Wednesday Mthuli Ncube’s textbook policies would trigger further economic chaos.

Biti said:

The move by Mthuli Ncube is an ill-thought one. We are currently facing shortages of foreign currency and we have no productivity in Zimbabwe to support economic growth and the local dollar.

Floating the Zimbabwe dollar will result in the exchange rate shooting up, triggering hyperinflation and price increases.

What Mthuli has done will result in a serious devaluation of salaries. For example, today people who are earning $7 000 with the current parallel market rate of 1:40 are earning around US$200.

In just a few weeks the parallel rate will hit 1:100 and that is when it will be clear that Mthuli has failed.

The other thing that will follow is the shortage of every essential that is imported, including electricity, fuel and medication.

If we do not have these essentials like electricity and fuel then we cannot talk about production and economic growth.

Farai Dziva|There is tension in the ancient city of Masvingo as the Movement for Democratic Change prepares to hold a rerun of its district elections in the Masvingo Urban Constituency.

The elections were initially held last Saturday but the whole process degenerated into chaos as rival camps fiercely exchanged blows.

“On Saturday the 14th of March 2020, Masvingo Urban MDC will elect its leadership.

The elections will be conducted at the provincial in offices at 8am,” said the party in a statement.

The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority has announced that it has amended the Petroleum Sector Notice that was issued on Monday 9 March 2020 after some stakeholders raised concern.

ZERA announced that it has scrapped section B of the Monday Notice which among other things stated that licensees were required to have at least 25 service stations.

The section also stated that licensees should provide a performance bond with a value of ZWL$30 million before licensing.

See below both the latest notice and the one which is being amended.

Below is the Notice which is being amended.

Some had argued that it was a strategy by owners of Zuva and Puma to push other players out of business.

Zimbabwean journalist, Hopewell Chin’no claims that President Mnangagwa and Sakunda boss Kuda Tagwirei who have shares in Zuva and Puma respectively must have influenced the decision to have the demands in the first Notice isseued on Monday.

The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has welcomed the decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to postpone all AFCON 2021 qualifiers slated for later this month owing to Coronavirus fears.

CAF made the decision today, meaning the Warriors will not play the Algeria double header, a decision which the country’s football governing body feels is the right one.

“The Zimbabwe Football Association welcomes the decision of CAF to postpone international matches due debilitating effects of the COVID-19 virus .

We wish to inform the football fraternity that as a result of this decision the Under 20 Women team will break camp on Monday 16 March 2020 while the CHAN team will continue in camp in line with Coach Loga’s 10 day preparation plan, pending CAF’s decision on whether the tournament will go ahead or not ,” wrote the Association’ spokesperson Xolisani Gwesela.

Zimbabwe has announced plans to give back land controversially taken over under its controversial fast track land reform programme, which started in 2000.

The programme, which was criticised for being both chaotic and violent, resulted in numerous deaths in the course of land seizures.

On Friday, the Zimbabwean government gazetted new legislation under which former landowners may opt for repossession or monetary compensation. The new regulations will apply to indigenous farmers whose farms were appropriated, as well as to those whose land was protected by bilateral treaties.

Several countries, among them South Africa, Austria, France, Germany, Mauritius, Holland, Sweden and Malaysia, had signed investment protection agreements with Zimbabwe at the time. 

Of those covered by bilateral treaties, South Africans were the worst affected, according to the Commercial Farmers Union in Zimbabwe, as over 200 farmers lost their land.

However, the new legislation does not automatically grant compensation. Any application may be rejected “on the basis that granting it would be contrary to the interests of defence, public safety, public order, public morality, public health, regional or town planning or the general public interest”, according to the gazetted regulations. 

Land ‘waiting to be used’

The South African Embassy in Zimbabwe welcomed government’s decision to return land under Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreements (BIPPAs) and Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) to its former owners.

“We welcome the development, as we believe there is enough land waiting to be used,” a spokesperson from the South African Embassy, speaking on behalf of ambassador Mphakama Mbete, said by phone from Harare. 

“We think the position is in line with the mantra ‘Zimbabwe is open for business’.”

He said commercial agriculture would grow “exponentially” now that land is being availed again to those with expertise and the required capital.

“While we don’t have the numbers, in terms of those likely to benefit, we have spoken to a number of South African farmers who already have their own funding to start agriculture activity in Zimbabwe, so this decision is welcome,” he said. 

Despite droughts that have befallen the southern African country several times since year 2000, land reform has been blamed for Zimbabwe’s failure to feed itself, with the country resorting to imports and international help. 

The United Nations World Food Programme plans to double the number of Zimbabweans that it assists, up to 4.1 million, and will require over $200 million to meet needs in the first half of 2020 alone.

After POTRAZ increased the ceiling for Mobile Network Operator rates, EcoNet has announced their new tariffs which will be effective from tomorrow.

Voice Tariffs

Econet will be charging the same rate for peak and off peak calls. There is no distinction also between pre-paid (Buddie) tariffs and post-paid tariffs. The MNO is charging $1.5019 per minute for Econet to Econet calls. They bill this per second at a rate of $0.0250 per second. These fees are VAT inclusive.

Interestingly, Econet is charging less when you call other networks. Their tariff for that is now $1.4418 per minute. This is again billed per second at a rate of $0.0240 per second. The reason why this is cheaper is that when you call a none Econet number (say NetOne), Econet will be entitled to an interconnection fee from the network you would have called. They will still make the same per minute as if you called another Econet number.

Data

Out of bundle access to the internet will start being charged at $0.3004 per MB of data. There is no difference again between peak and off peak access to the internet.

SMS and USSD

Local SMS is now $0.3805 per message whilst international SMS will be $4.2712 per message.

When you use your bank’s mobile banking facility via USSD for example, your bank will be charged $0.3805 per session.

THE High Court has dismissed an appeal by Bulawayo MDC proportional representation MP, Ms Dorcas Sibanda who was challenging eviction from her rented house in Paddonhurst suburb, Bulawayo over US$1 800 rental arrears.

The rentals accumulated over a period of 11 months. The house from which Ms Sibanda was evicted belongs to former national police spokesperson Mr Wayne Bvudzijena.

Ms Sibanda was served with an eviction order in July 2018 by the Messenger of Court after Bulawayo magistrate Ms Adelaide Mbeure ruled in favour of Mr Bvudzijena under Case Number 2796/18.

Aggrieved by Ms Mbeure’s ruling, Ms Sibanda, through her lawyer Mr Thulani Ndlovu of Sansole and Senda Legal Practitioners, filed a notice of appeal at the Bulawayo High Court citing Mr Bvudzijena and the Messenger of Court as respondents.

Justice Martin Makonese, who was sitting with Justice Thompson Mabhikwa during the civil appeals court at the Bulawayo High Court, yesterday ruled that the appeal lacked merit.

“The appeal (against eviction) by the appellant is hereby dismissed in its entirety,” ruled Justice Makonese. 

In her grounds of appeal, Ms Sibanda said the lower court erred by finding that she breached the deed of settlement.

She argued that the document did not include clauses allowing Mr Bvudzijena to evict her.

In her ruling, Ms Mbeure ordered Ms Sibanda to pay Mr Bvudzijena US$1 803,73 being rental arrears and operating costs for a period extending from April 2017 to March 2018.

The magistrate also ordered Ms Sibanda to pay her landlord holdover damages of US$14 per day calculated from April 1, 2018, to the date of eviction including his legal costs.

Ms Sibanda had been given up to July 2, 2018, to liquidate or settle the full debt failure of which Mr Bvudzijena was entitled to execute the judgment. The evictions were, however, blocked following Ms Sibanda’s appeal at the High Court. 

In her heads of argument, Ms Sibanda said she advanced payment to Mr Bvudzijena as per agreement.

“However, the sums which the first respondent (Mr Bvudzijena) is claiming as remaining arrears were not in existence when the parties entered into a deed of settlement. It is the appellant’s contention that there is no court order which functions in perpetuity,” argued Ms Sibanda’s lawyers.

Mr Bvudzijena, through his lawyer Ms Martha Mazango of R Ndlovu and Company, said initially Ms Sibanda defended the matter before she later on successfully negotiated a settlement, which was reduced into a deed of settlement and subsequently confirmed as an order by consent entered on July 2 in 2018.

“It is clear from the court a quo’s ruling that after having found that appellant breached the deed of settlement and the consent order, the court made a finding that the first respondent was indeed entitled to instruct the Messenger of Court to attach and remove the appellant’s movable property and evict her,” said Ms Mazango.

According to court papers, in terms of the lease agreement signed between the two parties, Ms Sibanda was obliged to pay monthly rentals and operating costs to Mr Bvudzijena through his real estate agent, John Pocock Company on or before the 7th of each month.

However, Ms Sibanda failed or neglected to pay the rentals and operating costs timeously resulting in the arrears accumulating to US$1 803,73. Chronicle

A SOUTHAfrican registered haulage truck overturned in Entumbane suburb in Bulawayo and spilled nearly six tonnes of hazardous substances.

The truck which was enroute to the DRC, was carrying 32,5 tonnes of the hazardous substances, some of which spilled when it overturned on Monday.

The driver of the haulage truck who declined to be named, is a Zimbabwean who probably was visiting relatives in the suburb when the accident happened. 

He immediately reported the acccident to Zimra who then contacted the Environment Management Agency ( EMA) since it involved a hazardous substance.

In an interview, EMA provincial environmental manager for Bulawayo, Mr Descent Ndlovu said he visited the accident scene on Tuesday.

He said it seems residents are ignorant of the dangers of such substances as they did not bother to report the spillage to EMA.

Mr Ndlovu who said the substance that spilled was not very dangerous, said EMA has since Tuesday been supervising the clean up exercise. 

He however urged residents to immediately report such spillage to either EMA or City Council as some substances could be very harmful.

Residents who were at the scene said they were not aware that they should report such spillage to EMA or the City Council.

“I was not sure of what it is but I just thought it’s agricultural lime,” said one of the residents.

Asked to comment, Bulawayo Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube said the truck driver violated the council by-laws by driving the truck to the suburb.

He said trucks carrying such harzadous substances were not allowed in residential areas.

Chronicle

By A Correspondent| As government goes ahead to push through constitutional amendments to turn Emmerson Mnangagwa into a monster leader with powers far greater than President Robert Mugabe’s, just what type of a country is this lovely nation about to turn into? Hard Video V11s show the ZANU PF leader saying he believes that all election winners are mere corpses, literally.

In a chilling warning during the same function where he said if he were God, he would deprive all MDC supporters of oxygen, Mnangagwa told a Masvingo gathering in May 2014, democracy is only found among corpses.

He spoke in the Shona vernacular saying, “to all of us here I always ask where are the majority, among the living or among the corpses?

“They are among the dead.

“Democracy says we must go to the majority. That’s why there is death on earth.

“It’s democracy, those who win elections are the majority.”

"All of us here I always ask where are the majority, among the living or among the corpses? They are among the dead. Democracy says we must go to the majority. That's why there is death on earth. It's democracy, those who win elections are the majority" – Mnangagwa. @TeamZim3 pic.twitter.com/87CIBvLGZ3

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 11, 2020

STATE-OWNED telecommunications firm NetOne chief executive Lazarus Muchenje, whose suspension was lifted yesterday by the High Court on a technicality, is facing numerous charges, in which he is accused of swindling the company of huge amounts of money.

The High Court also ordered the NetOne board of directors not to institute disciplinary proceeedings against him.However, according to the charge sheet, the NetOne board accuses Muchenje of prejudicing the company of at least US$2,6 million and ZW$10,4 million through unauthorised purchases, awarding himself huge allowances outside his terms of employment, and unilaterally allocating himself hefty holiday stipends.

He also allegedly included his personal domestic workers on the NetOne payroll and leased himself a deluxe company house in Harare’s leafy Borrowdale suburb for just a fraction of its market value, further financially prejudicing the company.

The business executive is also being accused of awarding himself a disproportionate bonus of ZW$$510 000 in December 2019 while his monthly salary was pegged at ZW$67 000.

The amount is way above the stipulated threshold for parastatal CEOs.

According to the charge sheet, in November 2019, Muchenje allegedly allocated himself and his wife ZW$895 000 as a holiday allowance although she was not eligible for it. In terms of his employment contract, only Muchenje is eligible for two all-expensespaid holidays, one regional and another international, and his wife is not covered.

“In November 2019, you wrongfully and unlawfully paid to yourself the total sum of ZW$895 000 for air tickets, per diem and entertainment allowance for you and your spouse in contravention of the terms of your contract of employment and without Board approval. You unlawfully encashed the sum of ZW$895 000 in lieu of your vacation holiday contrary to the express terms of your employment contract,” the charge sheet reads.

Muchenje, working with NetOne acting chief finance officer Tinashe Severa, also allegedly prejudiced the company of US$2, 24 million after unlawfully signing an interconnect agreement with Bankai International Private Limited, on December 10 2019.

“In terms of this agreement Bankai purchased nine million minutes for US$1 million contrary to the company’s ruling rate of 36 cents per minute. Further the agreement contravened schedule five of SI (Statutory Instrument) 163 of 2008 (Postal and Telecommunications (international Termination rates) Amendment Regulations 2008. As a result the company was prejudiced US$2 240 000,” the document reads.

It is also the board’s case that Muchenje, on two occasions in June and August 2019, caused NetOne to purchase fuel worth ZW$7 637 382 and ZW$1 242 000 from LED Tours and Travels respectively without seeking board approval.

The board alleges that by so doing, NetOne ended up buying fuel at a price much higher than the officially gazetted pump price.”You did not seek the board’s prior approval before the said fuel purchases. You neglected and/or failed to ensure that the company did not buy from a bulk fuel supplier which did not have Zera (Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority). You caused the company to buy fuel at above Zera gazetted prices from a supplier without first going to tender, using request for quotations method of procurement, as a result of which NetOne paid more than the Zera gazetted pump price,” the board alleges.

In addition to that, Muchenje allegedly leased the company’s fully furnished double storey four-bedroomed Borrowdale house for just ZW$1 000 per month, when its actual market lease value stood at US$2 500 per month on an unfurnished basis and US$3 500 per month when fully furnished.

“After obtaining the market-related rentals for the said house, you proceeded to occupy the fully furnished company house for a nominal rental of ZW$1 000 per month, contrary to the recommended sum of US$3 500 per month for a fully furnished house, thus causing substantial loss to the company,” the charge sheet reads.

Muchenje, the board further alleges, bought household goods and appliances using company funds, at a cost of ZW$623 587 without the board’s approval.
He also added his domestic workers stationed at the property to the NetOne wage bill as well as unlawfully hiring 24-hour security guards at the house at the company’s expense.

Muchenje was also implicated in a second-hand vehicle procurement scandal. The board alleges that on or about February 8 2019, Muchenje allowed Severa to procure 12 pre-owned and problematic vehicles for company use, which have since proven costly to maintain.

The vehicles were over the five-year age limit provided for in the company’s vehicle policy.”The company not only paid out the sum ZW$546 712.50, but has to date paid the sum of ZW$233 625.87 in repairs to the vehicles,” the board says.

In his employment contract, Muchenje agreed to provide his own vehicle to facilitate the fulfilment of his duties. To enable him to do so, the company facilitated a vehicle financing scheme with Stanbic Bank, terms of which he would pay the loan out of his monthly salary.

He accessed the vehicle loan facilitated by the company, resulting in him buying a car which he never used for work purposes in according with his employment contract.

Instead, the board alleges, he allocated himself two motor vehicles, namely a Navara twin cab and a Mazda 3, which was later replaced with a VW Passat CD 20. He is also accused of hiring a Fortuner motor vehicle for personal use in contravention of his contract. Muchenje is also being accused of defying a board instruction for him to hand over documents to auditors during the audit period.

“Following the board’s decision to conduct an audit into the company’s affairs, you were directed to hand over documents to the auditors appointed by the company. You not only failed to hand over the documents but deliberately concealed the documents from auditors,” the charge sheet reads.

Efforts to get a comment from Muchenje were fruitless as he initially said he was on another call while further phone calls to him went unanswered. Muchenje read questions sent to him, but did not respond.

Information Communication Technology and Courier Services minister Jenfan Muswere vowed to root out corruption at the state enterprise.

He said: “Our actions will be guided by the government audit and statutes which stipulate operations of state entities. They will also be guided by the cardinal points of Vision 2030, one of which is eradication of corruption. We will not condone corruption so the law has to take its course. We also want to bring back sanity at NetOne and make it into a telecomms giant.”

Own Correspondent|Dr Nkosana Moyo may really have been the right man to turn Zimbabwe around but he came in at the wrong time.

Watch video downloading below on his expert analysis with Al Jazeera on why Zimbabwe is on a free fall and what can be done.

GOVERNMENT has given ZIFA an ultimatum to produce audited financial statements of the money they got from Treasury by this weekend or the association will not receive any more funding from the public purse.

This comes as several legislators called for the disbandment of the ZIFA board, accusing them of failing to account for funds they received from either the Government or FIFA.

Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister, Kirsty Coventry, yesterday told the National Assembly the Sports and Recreation Commission had directed ZIFA to bring audited accounts to a meeting to be held tomorrow.

The indaba will be attended by other national associations.

Coventry was fielding questions from legislators, who wanted clarity on a ministerial statement she issued about the state of football in the country.

“On Saturday, national federations have been called for a quarterly meeting. ZIFA has not produced audited accounts and, if they do not produce audited accounts by Saturday, there will be non-compliance,’’ said Coventry.

“They will no longer be able to get any financial assistance from the Government until they have complied.’’

Several legislators said they wanted the Government to dissolve the ZIFA board for alleged bungling, including their failure to advise the Government and other stakeholders about concerns from CAF on the state of stadiums in the country.

Southerton MP, Peter Moyo (MDC Alliance), said it was only proper that Coventry dissolves the ZIFA board so that several issues could be addressed.

Norton MP, Temba Mliswa (Independent), said there have been a lot of financial irregularities at ZIFA which warranted the dissolution of the national association. “After all, we have been losing the matches, so let us ban ZIFA, you have the powers Minister, they should also produce audited statements for the money they got from FIFA,” said Mliswa. Vungu MP, Omega Sibanda (Zanu-PF), said ZIFA had failed to recognise the authority of COSAFA.

Coventry said while she shared the concerns of legislators, disbanding ZIFA would affect players who would no longer play international football since FIFA would ban Zimbabwe from such events.

“Government is allowed to request for an audit of money that they have given, which we have done,’’ said Coventry.

“I cannot request ZIFA to show me what they do with FIFA or CAF money, we will be banned.

“If we want Zimbabwe to be banned, we can do that, but — in terms of coming back — it will be a long process and it does not just take a few years.

“Cricket was a different situation.’’

She castigated ZIFA for failing to inform the SRC and Government about the impending ban of the country’s stadiums.

“I rely on my stakeholders, in terms of the communication, honesty and this has not been happening and I have been let down on numerous occasions,’’ she said.

By A Correspondent- South Africa  has confirmed 8 more cases of coronavirus, bringing the total to 24  at the time of going to press.

More positive tests were confirmed and the ministry will make a further announcement as soon as the statistics are out.

Just yesterday, the country had 16 confirmed cases by the Minister of Public Health.

The figure has seen an almost meteoric rise overnight.

The first patients to be zeroed out included a group of  people who had traveled to Italy, which has become another Coronavirus hotspot, a BMW South Africa Employee who had traveled overseas, a man who contracted it from his Chinese Employer and parent at a Jewish school who had contact with an infected person.

Said Minister of Public Health Zweli Mkhize in a statement:

I wish to announce that as of this morning, South Africa now has a total of 24 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

To be clear, from the 16 that I announced yesterday, 8 more cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed.

Gauteng 4

A 39 year old female who had travelled to Switzerland and Austria
A 50 year old male who had travelled to Austria
A 21 year old female who had travelled to Italy
A 57 year old male who had travelled to Switzerland

KwaZulu-Natal: 2

A 79 year old male who had travelled to Greece and Italy
A 52 year old male who had travelled to Switzerland

Western Cape: 2

A 50 year old male who had travelled to Switzerland and Austria
A 46 year old male who had travelled to Italy

The patients have now been informed and tracing of their contacts is underway.

At this point I wish to also bring it to your attention that there are more positive results that have come out.

The NICD and NHLS are now verifying the information and these results. Thereafter we will make a formal announcement

By A Correspondent- An unfortunate messenger of  Court, bore the brunt of furious former farm workers and their families after he had come to enforce an eviction order.

The dramatic incident took place at Water Vlei Farm along Seke Road in Chitungwiza, where the messenger of court was viciously attacked by the crowd. 

They claimed that the farm previously belonged to a sand quarrying syndicate called Supersands, whose owners allowed them to stay on the land.

The original white owners left during the Land Reform Programme in 2000, but left the workers in the compound.

According to witnesses, the Messenger of Court forced entry into houses by breaking locks using a bolt cutter and dumped possessions and furniture along Seke Road, leaving more than 50 families stranded.

The farm is now owned by Mrs Tambudzai Kachepa, who said she inherited it from her father, Mr Dickson Kachepa, who bought it in 1984 and had all the title deeds.

Mrs Kachepa said the residents were given ample time to pack their belongings in 2017 but had resisted moving on at least two previous occasions.

Things went south when the Messenger of Court dumped goods and property on the side of the road as is standard practice and barred the workers from entering their “homes”.

The residents then retaliated by blocking the truck and started beating up staff of the Messenger of Court.

One worker, Mrs Dorica Chakoroma said she needed ample time to pack her belongings and find alternative accommodation.

“We didn’t resist eviction but it’s only that we haven’t been given ample time to pack our things and go. Can you imagine how difficult things are nowadays? Where can we go? We don’t have money even to transport our belongings,” said Mrs Chakoroma.

One, Mr Sylvester Mamhovha had no kind words for the court emissaries’ conduct.

“We are not happy with the way these people executed the evictions. They have destroyed our goods. We are now counting our losses,” said Mr Mamhovha.

By A Correspondent- At least six people have been set free after they stood trial on charges of participating in anti-government protests staged in 2019 over the country’s worsening economic crisis.

Harare Magistrate Yeukai Chigodora on Wednesday acquitted five Harare residents namely Norman Ngulube, Ngonidzashe Danzwa, Desmond Kanhukamwe, Doubt Gumi and Tafadzwa Moyi after she granted their application for discharge at the close of the prosecution case.

Ngulube, Danzwa, Kanhukamwe, Gumi and Moyi had been on trial after they were arrested by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers on 16 August 2019 and charged with contravening section 37(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for allegedly participating in a gathering with intent to promote public violence, breaches of peace or bigotry.

In their defence, Ngulube, Kanhukamwe, Gumi and Moyi, who were represented by Gift Mtisi of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) all told Magistrate Chigodora during trial that they were alone walking in Harare’s central business district and attending to their normal and legal while Danzwa, who was seated with his grandmother when they were rounded up by some police officers, who arrested them wrongly on false allegations of participating in a public gathering with intention to cause public violence, bigotry or breaches of peace.

In their application for discharge at the close of the prosecution case, the five Harare residents argued that the ZRP officers who apprehended them did so in dragnets arrests based on assumption that they were protestors, who had taken part in demonstrations called for by MDC Alliance party on 16 August 2019, which was suppressed by ZRP officers on the basis that the protest was not sanctioned.

Also in Rusape in Manicaland province, Magistrate Obedience Matare recently acquitted Isaac Juao aged 37, who had been on trial after he was apprehended in January 2020 by some ZRP members, who accused him of participating in the January 2019 anti-government protests held across the country to protest against the unilateral hike in fuel prices.

Juao, who was represented by Taurai Khupe of ZLHR, was accused of contravening section 36(1)(a)(b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, it being alleged that he committed acts of public violence including tearing a campaign billboard of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, burnt tyres and erected barricades across Chiduku road in Rusape.

In acquitting Juao, Magistrate Matare ruled that prosecutors had failed to lead evidence during the trial of the 37 year-old man linking him to the commission of the offence. In Harare, ZRP officers on Tuesday 10 March 2020 set free Chitungwiza Mayor Lovemore Maiko and Wendy Makaza, a resident of Mabelreign suburb, who spent one night in police detention after they were arrested on Monday 9 March 2020 and charged with criminal nuisance as defined in section 46 2 v of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

ZRP officers accused the duo of singing and causing discomfort to a group of some law enforcement agents, who were reportedly stationed outside Morgan Tsvangirai House, the opposition MDC-Alliance party headquarters.

Maiko and Makaza, who were represented by Marufu Mandevere of ZLHR were released into the custody of their lawyer and were advised that police officers would proceed by serving them with summons to appear in court for trial if they intended to pursue with prosecuting them.

Farai Dziva|There is tension in the ancient city of Masvingo as the Movement for Democratic Change prepares to hold a rerun of its district elections in the Masvingo Urban Constituency.

The elections were initially held last Saturday but the whole process degenerated into chaos as rival camps fiercely exchanged blows.

“On Saturday the 14th of March 2020, Masvingo Urban MDC will elect its leadership.

The elections will be conducted at the provincial in offices at 8am,” said the party in a statement.

By A Correspondent- The 15 MDC activists charged with public violence over the skirmishes that rocked Chitungwiza on February 29 this year will spend another weekend behind bars after their bail hearing application yesterday was postponed to Tuesday next week.

The postponement has been done to allow the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to file its response.

Their lawyers, Job Sikhala and Tapiwa Muchinerepi from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), appeared before High Court judge Justice Moses Foroma, who also indicated that he was unable to decipher the handwriting by a Chitungwiza magistrate who entertained the initial bail hearing.

The judge then instructed the State to ensure that properly typed court documents be made available to enable the court to deal with the matter next week.

On Monday this week, the NPA was ordered by a Chitungwiza magistrate to investigate the claims that 12 of the opposition activists were denied access to their lawyers after they were arrested and charged with public violence.

The activists, who include MDC youth spokesman Stephen Chuma, said they were also not notified of their charge until almost eight hours after their detention at St Mary’s Police Station.

Some of the arrested activists include Chuma (32), Nyasha Mutsindikwa (23), Elton Tendai Marimbe (21), Dambudzo Leeroy Mhike (29), Tendai Timuri (40), Jabulani Chatindiara (42), Chris Murecha (35), Terrence Manjengwa (25), John Mulevelengi (43), Brian Mushakwe (26), Tanyaradzwa Zawaire (26) and Taurai Nyamanhindi (36).

All the suspects are accused of participating in a public gathering with intent to promote public violence and the NPA opposed bail on grounds that the group was facing a serious charge and would likely face a custodial sentence if convicted.

The State is alleging that the MDC activists allegedly clashed with police, and were, therefore, not good candidates for bail. -Newsday

By A Correspondent- Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe Chairman Tafadzwa Musarara  has urged grain milers not to increase the price of mealie meal due to the current economic challenges obtaining in the country.

In a letter seen by this reporter, Musarara said, “The current prize to retailers of ZWD63/10KG by millers must hold for now so that the retail prize remain at ZWD70/10KG. Government subsidy to millers be ZWD85/10KG.”

Musarara’s intervention comes at a time when the Zimbabwe dollar has lost value and trading at ZWL41.2 against USD1.

The crash of the Zim dollar has caused most of the prices of commodities in shops to skyrocket, a situation that will bite ordinary Zimbabweans.

Maize meal is Zimbabwe’s staple food.

Recently South Africa’s Prophet Shepherd Bushiri announced that he will be supplying maize to GMAZ as a means of assisting the government of Zimbabwe to deal with maize shortages.

Musarara recently appeared in front of the parliamentary portfolio committee on agriculture where he gave oral evidence on the purchasing and supply of grain by GMAZ.

The meeting was attended by millers like National Foods and Blue Ribbon who corroborated the evidence given by Musarara.

The portfolio committee is chaired by Gokwe-Nembudziya Member of parliament Mayor Justice Wadyajena.

Responding to Wadyajena during the hearing, the National Foods group chief executive officer, Mike Lashbrook said that the relationship with GMAZ was helping millers in lobbying to get good terms from Government for their business.

Bakhresa group of companies the new owners of Blue Ribbon Foods’ general manager, Yusuf Kamau, also told Wadyajena that the imported wheat was equitably distributed by the association to all wheat millers.

“We had several meetings as GMAZ members where we agreed that GMAZ as an association acquires the grain on behalf of all of us because our foreign suppliers had refused to supply us because we owe them.

“The imported grain was allocated to us by the whole GMAZ committee made up of all wheat millers themselves those are the ones who allocate the wheat, and the allocations were and are done in accordance with one’s milling capacity and we had no problems with that,” said Kamau.

By A Correspondent- A verification exercise to identify the number of farms earmarked for downsizing following the completion of the land audit has started in Mashonaland East.

The land audit is aimed at identifying land utilisation patterns and optimal farming activities, which will influence appropriate policies for increased agricultural productivity, poverty alleviation and sustainable utilisation of the land.

Youths and women will get the excess land identified in the land audit to empower them so that they participate in the mainstream economy.

Mashonaland East became the first province to work on modalities to embark on the land redistribution exercise soon after the land audit.

Over 37 000 prospective farmers are on the waiting list in Mashonaland East Province.

Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs Minister Aplonia Munzverengwi said they identified farms for downsizing in Macheke, Hwedza, Beatrice and Goromonzi.

In Goromonzi, 10 farms have been identified, and they are at verification stage.

After completing the exercise in Goromonzi, the provincial lands committee will visit Beatrice.

Minister Munzverengwi said the provincial lands committee was verifying the size of farm and production levels.

The farms will be pegged without compromising operations.

“The motive is to identify underutilised farms and allocate it to landless people, especially the youths, who did not benefit from the first phase of the land reform programme,” she said.

Fuel shortages have caused delays in the programme.

Farm owners have been asked to cooperate with the Government’s directive as the exercise is not a witch-hunt, but an attempt to ensure everyone has access to land.

By A Correspondent- A Hatcliffe woman was so hurt when she learned that her married son was having an adulterous affair with a woman whom she does not approve of that she tried to kill herself.

When Susan Mutunha learned that her son Lennox Piyasi was engaged in an extramarital affair with Faith Magadu, she decided to show her disapproval conclusively. Mutunha went to Magadu’s place of residence where downed rat poison. She was rushed to a nearby hospital where spent an entire week recuperating.

Unfortunately for Mutunha, her efforts were all in vain because her son Piyasi still deserted his wife and three children to move in with Magadu. Narrating her ordeal to H-Metro, the hurt mother said,

“I am a mother, all I wanted was for my son to see how serious I was about the issue.

We were once neighbours with Magadu, and I know her very well; she is not good for my son.

I don’t want to see my grandchildren suffering because of poor decisions made by their father.

I was trying to stop the nonsense before it got worse.”

Mutunha insisted that she will never accept Magadu as her daughter-in-law,

“I am optimistic that my son will stop the affair soon. When a man starts cheating, his life and behaviour changes. I am positive that he will listen because I can’t accept Magadu as my daughter-in-law; never!”

Curiously, one of Matanhu’s relatives claimed that they suspected that Magadu was using charms to lure Piyasi because she had once dated his older brother.

“Magadu could have used charms on Piyasi, we need the holy spirit’s intervention here.”

Magadu refused to comment on the matter. However, her mother said that she was relieved that her potential new in-law had survived the suicide attempt. Faith’s mother, Mai Magadu said,

“We don’t want to keep talking about the same incident over and over again. I’m surprised with how the incident unfolded.

“It looked like a joke, now she has recovered and we are hearing she is back at work, its good news. It wouldn’t paint a good picture knowing she died at my house.

“She was like, ‘ndauya kuzofira pano, mwana wenyu akuramba kusiyana nemwana wangu,” according to H-Metro.

“I also tried to hear what my daughter did to her, but she said nothing. I also don’t know why she doesn’t like her. Besides, it is not my daughter who approached her son.

“It is also not my daughter who moved in with her son, it is actually the other way round. Besides these are two grown-ups. They aren’t kids, what can Ido. People always look for someone to blame, I don’t know where I am wrong here,”-HMetro

By A Correspondent- A 21-year-old University of Cape Town student plunged to his death from the 17th floor of the Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare in an apparent suicide, police said.

Kundai Ganjani died on Wednesday after a furious row with his parents.

Police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi told ZimLive.com that they were concerned about a growing number of people walking into tall buildings and jumping to their deaths.

Nyathi said: “I can confirm that our officers attended to an incident at Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare on March 11 following reports of a body discovered on M2 (Mezzanine Floor 2).

“Our investigations established that the 21-year-old male had jumped from the 17th floor of the hotel.”

Nyathi said a review of CCTV showed Ganjani walking into the hotel. He apparently evaded security, ending up on the 17th floor which has some of the hotel’s luxury rooms.

“We know from the CCTV that he spent some 15 minutes in a common room before he jumped to his death. His parents were called to the scene and they identified his body. He was a student in South Africa and it is alleged that he abused some money availed by his parents. When he travelled to Zimbabwe recently, the parents told him he was not going back to South Africa, and that’s when he went to Rainbow Towers,” Nyathi said.

A friend of the 21-year-old said his family was concerned about what he described as an “out of control drug habit”.

“We had a pastor who jumped at Ruzende in September last year, and a Prince Edward student who jumped off from the same buildings two weeks later. When people walk into high rise buildings and commit suicide, it’s a matter of concern,” said the police spokesman.

Rainbow Towers corporate communications manager Pride Khumbula said: “I can confirm there was an incident at the Rainbow Towers Hotel on March 11, 2020. The matter was reported and handed over to the police. As the matter is now under police investigation, we are unable to make any comment on the same.”

She maintained that Rainbow Towers was secure for their guests.

“The safety of our guests is our priority. Our hotels have the necessary safety requirements to ensure guests’ safety,” Khumbula added.

By Jane Mlambo| Political analyst Dr Pedzisai Ruhanya has hinted that former MDC Spokesperson Obert Gutu is set to be appointed POLAD Spokesperson today.

POLAD is an alliance of political parties that participated in the 2018 harmonised elections though MDC led by Nelson Chamisa has refused to be part of a process they dismissed as a ‘choir’.

According to Ruhanya, Gutu who quit the Thokozani Khupe led MDC-T is set to assume the position of POLAD Spokesperson, though it was previously occupied by Khalipani Phugeni.

“Unconfirmed reports say former Khupe VP, @GutuObert will today be appointed POLAD spokesperson at State House meeting of the political outfit,” said Ruhanya.

Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana has confirmed the State House meeting today saying, “POLAD has an Executive Plenary Meeting at State House today. The Co-Convenors are also expected to appoint a Spokesperson today.”

By A Correspondent- A Bulawayo man was dealt a huge blow by his wife of 19-years after she booted him out of the house because he is jobless.

Tensions reportedly had been simmering for some time between Saunders Bongani Moyo and his wife Moureen Cindrela Zulu and things reached a boiling point when Zulu went berserk and chased her husband from their matrimonial home.

Moyo was unfairly denied the chance to be romantic with his wife before putting his finance’s in order.

The matter was heard before the magistrate’s court and saw both parties trading nasty accusations. In the highly charged court proceedings, Zulu called out her husband for allegedly having an adulterous affair which resulted in a child. She also called him a drunk and sensationally claimed that she had lost her social standing because of Zulu’s rowdy drunkard behaviour.

I have been customarily married to Saunders Bongani Moyo for 19 years. During the course of our marriage, he abused me in the following ways: physically, verbally and financially. I am single-handedly supporting the family paying all the rentals, school fees and buying food.

During the subsistence of our marriage, he secretly wedded another woman Venanda Mangisi. The marriage is still subsisting and is blessed with a child. I, however, pleaded with him to annul the marriage and he refused. Because of all these problems bedevilling our marriage, I decided that we go on separation.

In defence, Moyo denied the allegations, saying he did not beat her up or threaten to kill her. I never assaulted her or threatened to kill her. She is the one who assaulted me. We have been together for 19 years and our problems started when I became jobless.

When I was working, I was the one who was taking care of the family. She is accusing me of being a drunkard and useless just because she is now working and I am jobless.

I am aware that she needs financial assistance but I can’t provide for her now since I am not employed.-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- Zimdancehall artiste Zizoe PaMyk has reached out to Mai Titi soon after their recent break up thanking her for everything she did for him boosting his career and fame.

Now fans are confused because Zizoe is still referring to Mai Titi with the pet name he used to call her whilst they were still together as Mai Mkweso.

In the message, Zizoe said that he wanted to live a private life so is it that all the negative social media comments about his relationship with Mai Titi are now too much for him to deal with or he was just using Mai Titi to gain more fans and boost his career.

Below is the letter by Zizoe: