By A Correspondent- Simbarashe Sithole a Zimbabwean journalist was on 6 March 2020 reportedly arraigned before Zanu PF politicians by the party’s provincial chairperson for Mashonaland Central Kazembe Kazembe at a meeting in Mvurwi to explain a story about an alleged rift between MPs and war veterans in the province.

According to NewsDay, the story published by the newspaper alleged a rift between the liberation war fighters and MPs in the area who they accused of abusing food donated to the province to advance personal interests.

“I am being advised that the reporter who covered the story is in here. What is happening to our security, Simbarashe Sithole please stand up and tell us if your story is true because you are here by default,” the newspaper reported in its NewsDay Weekender edition of 7 March 2020.

MISA Zimbabwe Position

This incident clearly constitutes intimidation and harassment of journalists.

MISA Zimbabwe reminds political parties and members of the public that there are civilised ways of seeking recourse whenever one is unhappy with the contents of a published story.

We, therefore, urge aggrieved members of the public or public officials to approach the Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe where they can lodge complaints against the media for recourse. -MISA

By Fanuel Chinowaita – The situation we are in now is so terrible!! Each day, week, month Zimbabwe is loosing value and ‘that’ which it used to have.

Fellow country men, a lot was done and it seems as if nothing is being done. It is because of the careless and diabolic Government which does not respects it’s people

Let’s go back to Morgan Tsvangirai. The man who challenged Robert Mugabe when it was not fashionable to do so. He was beaten, arrested and accused for treason and finally “killed”.

This man, with other comrades who died along the way did a lot, tried every avenue to remove the government of Zanu pf  but up to now we are gripped with an iron hand. We are suffering in our own mother land.

While fighting for a better Zimbabwe we lost comrades like Isaac Matongo, Shepherd Jani, Susan Tsvangirai, Tonderai Ndira, Learnmore Judha Jongwe, Rebecca Mafikeni, Chokuda, Paul Chizuze, Itai Dzamara and so many.

We wrote many statements, did so many press statements calling for the removal of Zanu pf. The message was sent  and received.

However, the message is sent to adamant people who are drunk with power and people who are careless. We have tried almost everything to free ourselves but the government of Zimbabwe is blocking and erasing the little hope we have.

It is the high time we should work with messages which are already in the Zanu pf’s inbox that it must go. I don’t see it necessary to keep on doing Press statements and having new policies as if we are the government.

It is now high time we should unite and confront the regime.

Gone are the days when we praised someone for just issuing a statement that Zanu pf has failed and must go. That was  done long back. The message was delivered.

It’s now time for Action to remove Zanu pf.

TWO men have been arrested for allegedly robbing a tuckshop owner of groceries worth $3 000 and $2 000 cash at gunpoint.

Dumolwenkosi Dube (27) from Filabusi and Mthabisi Moyo (27) from Kwekwe who were armed with a pistol, went to Ms Nodebate Ndlovu’s tucksho at Stanton Mine in Esigodini and found her with two other people.

They allegedly ordered the three to lie down while pointing a firearm at them before robbing Ms Ndlovu.

Dube and Moyo were yesterday not asked to plead when they appeared before Gwanda magistrate, Mrs Nomagugu Sibanda facing an armed robbery charge. They were remanded in custody to March 17.

Prosecuting, Miss Faith Mutukwa said the pair robbed Ms Ndlovu on December 5 last year at around 7PM.

“On 5 December 2019 at around 7PM Dube and Moyo went to Ms Ndlovu tuckshop in Stanton Mine and ordered her to open the door as they wanted to see her. Ms Ndlovu who was in the company of Mr Alfred Ndlovu and Ms Nomalanga Ncube refused to open and ordered the pair to leave,” she said.

“Dube and Moyo began banging the door with logs in a bid to get it open and Ms Ndlovu eventually opened to find out what the accused persons wanted. Dube and Moyo entered the shop while armed with a pistol and ordered the trio to lie down.” 

Miss Mutukwa said the pair then demanded cash from Ms Ndlovu and she handed them $2 000. They further took some groceries from the shop and fled.

In another case, two men have been arrested while their accomplice is still at large for allegedly defrauding a gold and diamond buyer of US$3 000 under the pretext of selling him the minerals.

Philip Mpofu (63) from Nkulumane in Bulawayo and Mandlenkosi Sibanda (33) from Filabusi were not asked to plead when they appeared before Gwanda magistrate, Mrs Sibanda facing a fraud charge. They were remanded in custody to March 16. 

Prosecuting, Mr Mncedisi Dube said the pair and their accomplice only identified as SaThembelani met the complainant Mr Tshiyane Ncube on January 18 and indicated that they were selling gold and diamond pieces.

‘’On 18 January Mpofu, Sibanda and their accomplice met Mr Ncube at Stanmore Business Centre in Gwanda and told him that they were selling pieces of gold and diamond which were in Esigodini.

They convinced Mr Ncube to give them US$3 000 after indicating he would go with SaThembelani to Esigodini to collect the minerals,” Mr Dube said.

He said along the way SaThembelani indicated that he wanted to relieve himself and disappeared. 

Mr Ncube reported the matter to the police leading to the accused’s arrest. 

Mr Dube said Mpofu and Sibanda were arrested on February 6 near Marcs Garage in Bulawayo after being chased by the police for about 50 metres.

-State Media

By A Correspondent- The government of Zimbabwe has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming contaminated meat is on the market.

This was communicated by the Agriculture Minister Perence Shiri after yesterday’s post-cabinet briefing.

Shiri said:

But let me also talk about what has been coming out on social media whereby someone was broadcasting that some infected cattle were being slaughtered in Mhondoro and sold to butcheries in  towns.

We have two to three extension workers in every ward and no report has been received to that effect, especially from Mhondoro, and that now casts doubt on the authenticity and reliability of the report.

Watch the live video loading below:

Shiri also said they were intensifying their inspections all over the country to ensure that clean safe meat is on the market.-ZimEye/ StateMedia

By A Correspondent- Political commentator Pedzisayi Ruhanya has lamented that Zimbabwe is a broken nations considering the fact that some people now buy degrees using their official positions.

Through his twitter account Ruhanya said:

“You know that Zim is a broken society when people buy degrees using official positions and others call themselves medical doctors when they are not and run a ministry they know little about. Professionals resist reporting to a masquerade. That’s another problem in Health sector.”

His remarks come in the woke of claims that Health minister Obadiah Moyo is not a qualified doctor and Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s doctorate is questionable like the one of the former first lady Grace Mugabe.

NetOne Cellular chief executive officer, Lazarus Muchenje, has won a court case in which he was challenging his suspension.

Mr Muchenje was suspended on February 20 for alleged incompetence in the execution of his duties as the CEO of Zimbabwe’s second largest and State- owned mobile phone company.

The board also suspended acting chief finance officer Mr Tinashe Severa. Some of the allegations the board cited include; failure by Mr Muchenje to provide documentation to the company’s auditors, unprocedural procurement of fuel and violation of exchange control rules by NetOne’s bureau de change units.

In challenging the board’s decision, Mr Muchenje argued that the special resolution to suspend him was patently unlawful and a nullity. He further argued that there was no lawfully convened board meeting and there was no lawful resolution passed at the purported board meeting of February 2020.  

He cited Ms Susan Mutangadura, Mr Winston Makamure, Dr Ranganai Mavhunga, Mr Paradzai Chakona and Dr Douglas Mamvura as respondents. However, Dr Mamvura is yet to attend a single board meeting since his appointment in October last year.

Dr Mamvura was appointed on October 18 last year by the then Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Kazembe Kazembe. However, he has never been invited for meetings, despite the board, through company secretary Mr Tinashe (also acting CFO) having been advised about his appointment.

The matter was heard before Justice Chirawu-Mugomba yesterday who ruled in favour of Mr Muchenje, saying the resolution to suspend him was made by an improperly constituted meeting.

NetOne argued that the matter had been brought before the wrong court, saying the Labour Court had jurisdiction to hear the matter.

Justice Chirawu-Mugomba, however, ruled it was a constitutional matter which had nothing to do with labour issues. NetOne also disputed the draft minutes, which had the resolution to suspend the CEO but could not provide alternative minutes.

The state cellular firm had appointed Retired Justice Moses Chinhengo to preside over the disciplinary hearing on Friday last week. Early last month, NetOne chairman Mr James Mutizwa and other two board members resigned.

People with knowledge of the matter believe they were pressured to relinquish their positions by some high ranking officials in the ministry.

NetOne is the oldest mobile network provider in the country.

In light of the resignations, sources said the role of the committees had now been usurped by individual board members who are now carrying out the work of committees as individuals and without any structured meetings.

NetOne, formed in 1996 as the first cellular network in Zimbabwe is the country’s second largest mobile phone operator with about three million subscribers.

…

Own Correspondent|HEALTH Minister Obadiah Moyo on Tuesday went all out to dismiss Zimbabweans who are worried over the possible existence of Coronavirus in Zimbabwe describing them as being mischievous.

Minister Moyo blasted social media users who have been vocal on the scourge accusing them of spreading lies on the real coronavirus situation in the country.

According to him, there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country yet.

Presenting a ministerial statement in the Senate, Moyo told the legislators that as of Sunday, 60 people who had entered the country through the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, had been placed under surveillance.

“I want to emphasise that there is no case of COVID-19 disease in Zimbabwe,” he told the senators.

“We do not want to have any case of coronavirus in Zimbabwe. We are fighting by all means to make sure that we do not have any case of the virus, yet some people are actually saying ‘it is too late, it (coronavirus) arrived a long time ago’.

“These are very mischievous people. I do not think it is being done on a political basis. It is being done by people who are just mischievous,” said Moyo.

“Let me give you figures Madam President of travellers who are arriving from other countries with confirmed (coronavirus) cases.

“At Robert Mugabe International Airport on Sunday 5 585 travellers came through this airport with 60 people now under surveillance.”

Commenting on an unidentified Mutare woman who returned from China on January 24 and later died, Moyo said the now deceased died before she got to the hospital and her body was immediately isolated and went through all tests which came negative for coronavirus.

Correspondent|Rights groups are renewing their demand that Zimbabwean officials investigate the case of a pro-democracy activist who went missing five years ago. Itai Dzamara was a fierce critic of the late president Robert Mugabe and his former deputy, now president, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

On Monday, Sheffra Dzamara the wife of missing activist and journalist Itai Dzamara delivered a letter to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s offices in Harare.

“My wish is that Mr. Mnangagwa responds to my letter and invites us — the Dzamara family and we sit down,” Dzamara said. “She wants the Zimbabwean leader help her understand what happened to her husband.

“This is important, even to the children, as they need closure or they will grow up with anger, especially the boy. If they really want to do it, within a day we would know where Itai is or what happened to him,” she added.

Itai Dzamara vanished in Harare on March 9, 2015, after going out for a haircut. Rights group Amnesty International suspects he was abducted by state security agencies.

“Imagine not being able to tell your children if they’re father is alive or died,” said Robert Shivambu, the Amnesty International spokesman in southern Africa.

“Someone knows where Itai Dzamara is, but they have chosen to subject his family to five long years of uncertainty. Today, we’re joining [the] family in calling on the Zimbabwean authorities to conduct a thorough independent, effective and transparent investigation into his disappearance,” Shivambu added. “We need to see any inquiry with findings that are made public and suspected perpetrators brought to justice as well as an end to the harassment and intimidation of activists and critics in Zimbabwe.”

On Monday, Ministry of Information Secretary Nick Mangwana released a statement saying the “government feels very strongly that no Zimbabwean should disappear without trace and empathizes with the Dzamara family in their quest for their loved one’s safe return. To this government, every Zimbabwean counts.”

However, there was no indication the government will help the family learn the whereabouts of Dzamara.

After he went missing, Zimbabwe Lawyers For Human Rights obtained a High Court order asking police to locate the missing activist. Charles Kwaramba is one of the organization’s lawyers.

“The best I can sum it up is that it has been a tragic trail of no action,” Kwaramba said. “Nothing has happened. No serious efforts being made to ensure that closure is brought to the matter, in terms of us finding Itai or efforts to recover whatever remains of him.”

Rights groups think Dzamara was abducted because he held protests against then-president Robert Mugabe, who had been in power for 35 years at that point.

Sheffra says her two children, 12-year-old Nokutenda and 8-year-old Nenyasha, still feel their father’s absence.

“My kids are still young and need daddy’s love,” Dzamara said. “Daily they ask me: When will daddy come? The boy at times asks: Mom did daddy die? It pains me as I have no answers, so they get confused. So it pains me as I do not have answers and the government does not give answers too. So it really pains me that they are growing up without their daddy and not knowing what happened to him.”

Several demonstrations to force Harare to reveal what happened to Dzamara have not yielded results. But Sheffra remains hopeful that the government will one day give her an audience — and an explanation of what happened to her husband.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been rapped for joking that he helped build a mortuary in Kwekwe and offered a reward to the first family that put their kith and kin there.

Mnangagwa made the joke as he commissioned a mortuary built by a local businessesman in Masvingo last Friday.

He said when he was MP for Kwekwe, years ago, he helped build a mortuary and offered a prize for the first people to put their families there.

The video of Mnangagwa making what has been described as an embarrassing joke, started circulating on social media on Tuesday.

He was roundly condemned for his behaviour.

MDC Alliance Vice President Tendai Biti said, “Whatever did Zimbabwe do to deserve this?”

Setfree Mafukidze said, “Some of the things our President says are just shocking why does the man not simply stick to prepared speech rather than try to crack jokes which are totally senseless if not insensitive?How many people were killed violently in Mbizo,Kwekwe during his 2 attempts to retain Kwekwe?”

MDC senior member and lawyer Fadzai Mahere said,” What do we call it when the president offers a prize for the family of the first person to occupy a mortuary he has built? We need new leaders.”

Watch video downloading below:

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

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 11, 2020

State Media|Government has put in place a taskforce of skilled detectives to investigate thoroughly the disappearance of Itai Dzamara, who went missing in March 2015.

Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana said the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) was also offering a US$10 000 reward to anyone with information on the whereabouts of Dzamara.

The force was making regular appeals to the public for those with information to come forward, he said.

Mr Mangwana was reacting to comments by the European Union (EU) on its Twitter handle in which it urged the Government of Zimbabwe to “shed light and serve justice” on the disappearance of Mr Dzamara.

He said the police had submitted more than nine reports to the High Court of Zimbabwe in compliance with an order from that court.

The reports are also available for the public to scrutinise.

“Government feels very strongly that no Zimbabwean should disappear without trace and empathises with the Dzamara family in their quest for the safe return of their loved one,” said Mr Mangwana.

He said it was undiplomatic, unhelpful and misleading to insinuate that the Government of Zimbabwe did not intend to shed light on Mr Dzamara’s disappearance, as if it had a hand in lit.

The Government remains open to engagement with all diplomats accredited to Zimbabwe and will provide clarity on any matter of mutual interest using the agreed formal channels, said Mr Mangwana.

GOVERNMENT has introduced a new farming concept called Pfumvudza to maximise productivity per unit area, even during drought periods, to ensure household and national food and nutritional security.

Pfumvudza involves the utilisation of small pieces of land and applying the correct agronomic practices for higher returns.

The approach can be used in marginal areas and still give high yields.

Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri recently said if the new concept was applied by smallholder farmers it would ensure household food security, while large-scale farmers will produce for the Strategic Grain Reserve.

He urged Zimbabwe to emulate other countries that were food secure, yet did not have vast tracts of land.

Minister Shiri said an average family of four to six required a bucket of maize every week and could produce food to last it a whole year on a small piece of land.

“An average of about four to six members consumes a bucket of maize (20 kilogrammes of maize-meal) a week and if you use the potholing method you need 28 holes in which you sow two seed units per hole, you will get a total of 56 cobs and that is enough for one week,” he said.

“Each week the family can feed from 28 holes and with the 52 rows yielding an average of one tonne, while a family of four to six consumes about half a tonne, food security is guaranteed. It is possible to save half a tonne of maize, which can be sold.

“By using this concept, a farmer can also irrigate crops using a bucket and get a bumper harvest as opposed to planting maize on a large area without adequate resources and end up getting one bucket or less per hectare.”

Minister Shiri encouraged farmers to diversify and not only wait to produce maize as there were other highly nutritious crops that could be grown alongside maize.

Crops such as cassava and traditional grains can also boost household food security.

“A farmer can produce other crops the same way using the Pfumvudza concept,” he said.

“A farmer can produce a leguminous crop such as soyabeans that can be sold and meet other family requirements.

“If we embrace this new scientific approach we should be able to produce a bumper harvest. We can have this approach in marginal areas such as Mudzi, Matabeleland North, Masvingo, south of Manicaland and Rushinga, among others.

Minister Shiri said the 1,6 million households benefitting from the Presidential Inputs Scheme and A1 farmers could use this concept for household food security, while A2 farmers could produce for the Strategic Grain Reserve.

This is feasible if we borrow ideas from gurus in agriculture such as the Chinese, the European Union and countries in the Middle East.

Minister Shiri also gave the example of Europe where most farms were less than 10 hectares and in China where most peasant farmers owned less than a hectare each.

“In Israel, farmers own small farms; worse still in desert conditions and have to clear sand dunes to create space to grow crops, yet these farmers are major exporters of various agricultural products,” he said.

“If the truth can be said, our farmers are sitting on paradise, yet they do not realise it. We, therefore, need to educate our farmers so that together we transform the agricultural sector.”

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, 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

All is set for this year’s national field day at President Mnangagwa’s Pricabe Farm on the outskirts of Kwekwe, that is scheduled for tomorrow.

The Department of Agriculture, Technical and Extension Services (Agritex), in conjunction with Seed Co, identified Pricabe as one of the best farms in terms of crop production this year.

President Mnangagwa has a thriving maize crop on 400 hectares and another 200 hectares under soyabeans.

The President has a 405-hectare farm, but is leasing some pieces of land from neighbouring farms.

Midlands provincial crop and livestock officer Mrs Madelina Magwenzi said everything was now in place for the big day.

“Pricabe Farm was identified to host this year’s Grand Field Day after assessments that were done found that there was massive land utilisation at the farm and would be an inspiration to many farmers who will be part of the event,” she said.

“It will be good for farmers from across the country to converge at the farm and bear witness to what the President is doing at his farm despite his busy schedule.

“We were organising the event together with Seed Co and everything is now in place for the day tomorrow.”

Pricabe Farm manager Mr Patrick Mnangagwa said they were humbled by Agritex and Seed Co’s decision to hold the Grand Field Day at their farm.

“Our farm was identified as the model farm to hold such an event, but Seed Co and Agritex are organising everything including the logistics,” he said.

Mr Mnangagwa said they were expecting between 12 and 15 tonnes of maize per hectare.

Business executives are being threatened with arrest by criminals pretending to be Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) commissioners and being hoodwinked into believing that their cases will be dropped if they pay bribes.

Zacc is now hunting down the criminals and has advised businesspeople on how the system works, so they can quickly report if they are being pestered by criminals.

Zacc spokesperson Commissioner John Makamure said the anti-corruption body would work closely with mobile phone operators to track down those making the threats.

“The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has received numerous reports of people masquerading as Zacc commissioners and threatening to arrest executives in the public and private sector for corrupt practices.

“Using mobile numbers that we suspect have been registered using the details of deceased persons or lost identity documents, these bogus commissioners claim that files had been opened at Zacc and then demand bribes for the cases not to proceed.”

Comm Makamure said ZACC had clearly laid-down procedures of handling investigations and commissioners were not directly involved.

Investigations are done by staff members who work in the investigation department, not by commissioners whose job is to provide policy direction only.

The procedure of investigations is that when a case is reported, it is assigned a reference number and a team of investigators.

Comm Makamure said it is the investigators who have contacts of suspects and witnesses.

State Media|The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) on Monday denied that it received funds meant for Command Agriculture from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ).

The GMB said it was only a receiving agent for the input programme.

This was said by GMB operations manager Mr Clemence Guta and acting finance director Ms Constancia Dzenga before the Public Accounts Committee, which was chaired by Mr Tendai Biti.

The committee wanted to know how GMB had used the money received from the RBZ in connection with Command Agriculture.

The committee stated that in 2017, $847 million meant for agricultural inputs was paid directly to various service providers.

Mr Guta said GMB was not a procuring authority, but only received inputs at its depots.

“For the 2017/18 payments done by the RBZ, we were a receiving agent,” he said. “Once the inputs were delivered we distributed to farmers through vouchers.”

For the Presidential Scheme, Mr Guta said the role of GMB was to receive inputs and distribute them to beneficiaries on a list that was drawn up by the local leadership with assistance from Agritex officers.

On imports, Mr Guta said the GMB was a receiving agent, but identified suppliers through a tender process and payments were done by the RBZ.

“We were never involved in receiving money,” he said.

“We were signing contracts as a receiving agent and the RBZ would sign as the paying agent. For grain procurement, we received money to pay local farmers from Treasury.”

The legislators expressed concern over the failure by GMB officials to give the value of the inputs they received for Command Agriculture, with others describing this as gross negligence.

“We do not have the value in our records,” said Ms Dzenga.

“We recorded the inputs in terms of the tonnage received and not the value. We were involved in these schemes because of our depot network.”

The duo said although the parastatal charged handling fees, these were based on tonnage and not value.

The legislators wanted the figure so that they could compare it with the one that RBZ had given them.

The committee instructed GMB officials to avail all the relevant documents.

After the GMB, Croco Motors appeared before the same committee to furnish the legislators on the vehicles supplied to Government.

Mr Leslie Chingwena, who was representing Croco Motors, did not bring the required documents and promised to bring them on his next appearance.

Valley Seeds sales manager Mr Tich Maponga and accountant Mr Godwin Tiya also appeared before the same committee to explain how they won the tender of supplying chemicals, seed and knapsack sprayers and why they had gone through the RBZ, which did not have a department that deals with agricultural chemicals.

The pair could not give satisfactory answers and were told to bring the contract documents and proof of supply and payments.

“We supplied chemicals for fall armyworm,” said Mr Maponga.

“For this season we supplied seed, chemicals and knapsack sprayers. We were never paid in foreign currency, but at interbank rate.”

GOVERNMENT has urged people to avoid unnecessary travel to South Africa until the neighbouring country is safe from coronavirus (Covid-19) to minimise the risk of exposure.
Seven South Africans have so far tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the virus closer to home.

So far, no positive case of coronavirus has been recorded in Zimbabwe.

Globally more than 100 000 people have so far tested positive for Covid-19 which has killed more than 3 700 across worldwide.

The virus has been recorded in nine countries on the continent Senegal, Tunisia, Togo, Cameroon, Nigeria, Algeria, Morocco, South Africa and Egypt which has the highest number of cases and first death in Africa.

A number of travel-associated cases of coronavirus have been identified in other countries.

Early this month, President Mnangagwa restricted international travel, especially outside Africa, while civil servants were banned from foreign trips as Government takes measures to minimise the risk of exposure to coronavirus.

Many Zimbabweans work in South Africa and thousands travel there for business.

Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Minister Judith Ncube has since urged residents to avoid unnecessarily crossing the border to the neighbouring country in the face of reported cases in the neighbouring country.

“As Bulawayo we first have to observe that this coronavirus is there, it’s very real.

We should take precautionary measures that have been laid down by the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

We should wash our hands, avoid shaking hands among other things. We should also minimise on our travelling to the neighbouring country as part of measures to ensure that we remain safe from the virus. It is my prayer that the virus does not reach Zimbabwe,” said Minister Ncube.-State media

THE Government of Zimbabwe has put in place a taskforce of skilled detectives to investigate thoroughly the disappearance of Itai Dzamara who went missing in March 2015.

Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Nick Mangwana said the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) was also offering a US$10 000 reward to anyone with information on the whereabouts of Dzamara and was also making regular appeals to the public for those with information to come forward.

Mangwana was reacting to comments by the European Union (EU) on their Twitter handle in which they urged the Government of Zimbabwe to “shed light and serve justice” on the disappearance of Dzamara.

He added that ZRP had also submitted more than nine reports to the High Court of Zimbabwe in compliance with an order of that court. The reports are also available for the public.

“Government feels very strongly that no Zimbabwean should disappear without trace and empathizes with the Dzamara family in their quest for the safe return of their loved one,” said Mangwana.

He added that it was therefore undiplomatically unhelpful and misleading to insinuate that the Government of Zimbabwe did not intend to shed light on Dzamara’s disappearance, as if it had a hand in it.

The Government remains open to engagement with all diplomats accredited to Zimbabwe and provide clarity on any matter of mutual interest using the agreed formal channels, said Mangwana.

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 April 2015, 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

Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi speaks on Marriage Bill in Parliament.Watch video below:

A man from Gokwe last week axed 5 people to death and torched a hut for reasons yet to be ascertained, The Chronicle reports.

The incident happened in Binga ‘s Lusungu area on Friday.

The deceased were identified as
Mr Sibanda’s 7 year old Shan, Mr Admire Nyangarai, his wife Ms Bibeat Munsaka, the couple’s one-year-old baby Loice Compassion Nyangarai, who was axed while on her mother’s back and Ms Chiravigwa Shumba, whose age not given but originally from Makope Village under Chief Sayi in Gokwe.

All of the victims lived in close proximity to 20-year-old Christopher Gotore of Marapira area under Chief Jiri in Gokwe who was living at the Nyangarais when he committed the heinous crime.

ZRP confirmed the incident, Gotore is in custody at the moment.-State media

“We have recently managed to develop a vaccine, against theileriosis, and we are using it …”

By Simba Chikanza| In a story that could be a real relief to many Zimbabweans, the minister of Agriculture, Perrance Shiri has announced a breakthrough saying the government has developed a cure for the disease that has seen many cattle being killed in various parts of the country.

He made these revelations during the cabinet briefing on Tuesday afternoon.

“We have experienced quite a number of cattle deaths and mostly due to 3 causes: anthrax, foot and mouth disease, and theileriosis,” he began.

He continued saying anthrax is very difficult to identify its source.

He went on to say: “The only way around the problem is to vaccinate the livestock in those areas where it would have been identified and that’s exactly what we are doing, thus the statistic of the cattle that has been vaccinated carried out so far.

“And foot and mouth disease, this is a disease which is normally spread by discharges,(sic), they are the carriers of the disease and once they get into contact with the livestock in particular cattle they easily spread that disease, the best way of controlling the mouth disease is by erecting fences, so as to separate the farming areas, and the National Parks areas; we can also carry out vaccinations once there is an outbreak in an area as we have been doing exactly like that.

“Then the last one is theileriosis which has accounted to most of the deaths, this is a tick bone disease, of which the ticks, are the type of tick which causes theileriosis, is prevalent during the rainy season, which is the month of December to March hence farmers are expected to keep their cattle frequenting the dips; we are looking at once every week so as to eliminate the ticks.

“We have recently managed to develop a vaccine, against theileriosis, and we are using it in the affected areas as for the exact statistics for the number involved and where the deaths occurred you can come to the ministry.”

It could not be established at the time of writing how many cattle have been treated using this developed vaccine. The name of the vaccine could neither be established at the time of writing. Furthermore, it was not clear if the vaccine has been professionally peer reviewed. VIDEO:

• HAVE YOU UTILISED THIS BREAKTHROUGH VACCINE? – TELL US OF YOUR EXPERIENCE: ZIMEYE.COM. +447426863301

ZIFA have secured Orlando Stadium as the venue for the Warriors’ 2021 AFCON qualifier against the Desert Foxes while the association continue to sell the nation a dummy that they are battling to have the match played in Zimbabwe.

Authoritative sources in South Africa told The Herald yesterday that ZIFA chief executive, Joseph Mamutse, yesterday sealed a contract with his South African Football Association counterparts for the match to be held at Orlando Stadium in Soweto.

This is in sharp contrast to the song which the ZIFA officials have been singing in public saying they were confident of getting the Confederation of African Football to give the greenlight to Barbourfields to host that blockbuster showdown.

A number of ZIFA officials have, in the past few days, given an impression that they are waiting for CAF to make a decision, possibly this week, amid hopes in their camp that the big game will be played here in Zimbabwe.

However, The Herald can reveal that Mamutse, who is in South Africa on business, signed an agreement with his SAFA counterparts for the match to be held at Orlando Stadium.

‘‘Mamutse is here in SA for a FIFA workshop, he met with SAFA (officials) today and signed the agreement, the match is at Orlando Stadium,’’ said the sources.

‘‘Some ZIFA guys are likely to travel to Johannesburg on Wednesday or Thursday to work on the logistics.’’

ZIFA have been sending signals to the Government, which intervened with a massive programme to renovate the National Sports Stadium and Barbourfields, that they were hoping to get the match played in Zimbabwe.

The Government and other stakeholders have been working overtime with the owners of the stadium, Bulawayo City Council, to get the stadium ready for inspection.-State media

A SOUTH AFRICAN man was sentenced to six months imprisonment for unlawful entry after he was found sleeping in the Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe (AFM) church in Nkulumane 12 suburb.

Cougo Tsenang (31) who was residing in Nkulumane suburb was found asleep inside the baptism post by one of the congregants Ms Clara Tobaiwa (58) of the same suburb.

Tsenang pleaded guilty to unlawful entry when he appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Ms Gladmore Mushove.

The magistrate slapped him with six months imprisonment which was wholly suspended for five years on condition that he does not commit a similar offense within the period.

Prosecuting, Mr Kenneth Shava said on March 4 at around 8PM, Ms Clara and a Mrs Dube went to the church and realised that the window was open.

“The complainant unlocked the main door and entered the church and discovered that the accused person was hiding inside the baptism post,” said Mr Shava.

Ms Tobaiwa and Mrs Dube escorted Tsenang to the police station where they filed a report leading to his arrest.

By A Correspondent- A 26-year-old Thai national who on Sunday evaded health officials at Wilkins Hospital in Harare, Zimbabwe, before he could be tested for COVID-19, has surrendered himself to hospital authorities.

Harare City’s Health Director, Dr Prosper Chonzi told a local publication that the man is being kept until his results come out.

Said Chonzi:

We are keeping him until we get results. Physically his temperature is normal and he doesn’t have any symptoms. The police are happy that he is now back at Wilkins Hospital.

Following the man’s escape from the hospital on Sunday, health officials reported the matter to Marlborough Police Station and police officers had launched a manhunt before the suspect resurfaced at Wilkins.

Own Correspondent|Opposition MDC party has suspended Victoria Falls Ward 10 Councillor Nkanyiso Sibindi making him to be the second councillor to be suspended in as many weeks.

Sibindi was suspended from being councillor in the local authority and also removed from his position as Youth Secretary General for Hwange West District.

He is accused of insulting the party’s Matabeleland North provincial chairperson Prince Dubeko Sibanda.

Sibindi is accused of writing a letter titled, “Dictatorship Signs Emerging,” in which he labelled Sibanda a dictator.

“This is to notify our provincial chairman Dubeko Sibanda that we thought you came to visit Victoria Falls for consultative meetings whilst you came to meet your Zanu-PF colleagues to tell us what to do, and we will never accept such nincompoopery,” reads part of the letter.

“We thought you are a good father, but you have proven beyond doubt that you are full of yourself and you think being a chairman will make you turn Matabeleland North into an army barrack and we won’t listen to you. Go back to the drawing board and revise your leadership skills.”

Sibanda responded by suspending the councillor for undermining his authority.

“Your conduct is prima facie disrespectful and seeking to undermine an elected official of the party and in contravention of section 2 (1) (0) of Annexure C (Disciplinary code of conduct and Regulations of the party constitution,” read part of the suspension letter.

Speaking to journalists on the suspension, Sibindi said Sibanda is still holding a political grudge that he did not support his bid for the provincial chairperson`s post at the party’s congress.

“I have always told him that let’s prioritise service delivery and put politics aside and it seems it’s something hard for him to do,” he charged.

“He has no powers to even suspend me according to the constitution and to me, that is a null and void letter. On Friday instead of him attending the meeting with the residents, he secretly went to meet with the Town Clerk (Ronnie Dube) and other Zanu-PF cadres to impose a candidate to replace Somvelo Dhlamini as mayor.

“I refused that arguing that it was against the constitution and the following day l was told that l have been suspended.”

Own Correspondent|Media has recently been awash with reports that former MDC Vice President Morgen Komichi was unhappy and wanted out of the party.

Komichi has not been attending MDC events across the country, and was recently reported to have closed ranks with the family of party founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai which he visited without the party leadership’s knowledge.

A resignation letter from the party, purportedly written by Komichi was circulated on social media.

The MDC quickly labelled FAKE the letter.

MDC official twitter handle tweeted a photo with the letters FAKE inscribed on top of the letter that was circulating on social media claiming Morgan Komichi has resigned from the party:

In the video downloading below, Komichi has finally opened up on the matter:

Own Correspondent|A national alert has been raised on the disappearance of a Chinese couple on Valentine’s Day after visiting a friend in Eastlea, Harare.

Lei Ding (35) and his wife Chi Lifen (30), went missing after visiting a friend, but their vehicle was later found dumped along Arcturus Road, with keys in the ignition.

Their whereabouts since then remain unknown.

A national alert has since been raised and is being run on national television and radios offering ZWL$1 million to any one who may provide information leading to their discovery, dead or alive.

Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the disappearance of the two Chinese nationals,

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police is investigating a case involving the missing of two Chinese nationals who were last seen on February 14, 2020 in Eastlea after visiting a friend,” Nyathi said.

“We are appealing to (anyone) who may have information on their disappearance or possible location to contact their nearest police station or the national complaints desk.”

Zimbabwe has strongly objected to the European Union’s calls for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to shed light on the fate of abducted pro-democracy activist and journalist, Itai Dzamara, who was abducted by suspected state security agents five years ago.

In a tweet, the European Union in Zimbabwe said, “Five years after his abduction, Itai #Dzamara remains missing. We call on Govt to shed light on his fate & serve justice, and to tackle all human rights violations decisively, in line with #Zimbabwe’s repeated commitment to human rights, freedoms & national healing.”

In a swift response posted on its twitter handle, Zimbabwe’s Information Ministry criticized the E.U, saying its tweet implied that the government had a hand in the abduction of Dzamara, the leader of Occupy Africa Unity Square, who wanted the late former president Robert Mugabe to resign for failing to properly run the country.

"To this Government, every Zimbabwean counts. It is therefore diplomatically unhelpful and misleading to insinuate that Government does not intend to shed light into Mr Dzamara's disappearance, as if it had a hand in it." pic.twitter.com/LEc8cB5xBR

— Ministry of Information, Publicity & Broadcasting (@InfoMinZW) March 9, 2020

“Government feels strongly that no Zimbabwean should disappear without a trace and sympathizes with the Dzamara family in their quest for their loved one’s safe return. To this government, every Zimbabwean counts. It is therefore diplomatically unhelpful and misleading to insinuate that government does not intend to shed light into Mr. Dzamara’s disappearance, as if it had a hand in it.

“Government remains open to engagements with all diplomats accredited to Zimbabwe and provide clarity on any matter of mutual interest using agreed formal channels.”

Own Correspondent|Missing activist Itai Dzamara’s wife, Sheffra, has expressed dismay over the manner in which the government is handling the issue.

She told reporters on Tuesday that “there is nothing being done by the government to find my husband.

“It appears as if someone can just be abducted like that with the government not doing anything to find the person. It’s very sad. My children are always asking me about their father and I’m at the same time asking the government to provide answers to what happened to my husband.”

She sent a letter to President Mnangagwa on Tuesday appealing for his help to find her husband, who was abducted by people in an unregistered vehicle while he was at a barbershop in Glenview, Harare.

Nick Mangwana, permanent information secretary said since Dzamara’s disappearance on March 9, 2015, a taskforce of “skilled detectives was put in place to investigate the matter.”

The ministry said a reward of US$10,000 from the Zimbabwe Republic Police is on offer on information on Dzamara’s whereabouts.

“The police have regularly issued public appeals for information including in recent times. They have also submitted nine reports to the High Court of Zimbabwe in compliance with the order of that court. These reports are publicly available.”

Joseph Chinotimba attracted ire of Matabeleland Parliamentarians when he came to parliament promoting his Bhuruwayo Roller Meal. He claimed he named the product after his father. "Bhuruwayo" is a name for Bulawayo mostly used by Shona speaking people to the ire of Ndebeles. pic.twitter.com/5zGYxPokPA

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 10, 2020

Own Correspondent|Econet Wireless, the largest mobile telecoms operator in Zimbabwe, has announced that it will be reviewing its internet data prices upwards effective tomorrow, 11 March 2020.

The company advised its customer via SMS:

“Dear Customer. Please take note, bundle prices for Data & SMS will be reviewed effective 11 March 2020. Dial *143# to buy Data or *140# to buy SMS Bundles.“

The foreigners, many of who were Zimbabweans, were allegedly accused of stealing jobs meant for locals.

The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) in Johannesburg has heard how foreign nationals employed as long-distance truck drivers were identified before being attacked during violent protests.

The foreigners, many of who were Zimbabweans, were allegedly accused of stealing jobs meant for locals.

Chair of the Zimbabwe Community in South Africa Ngqabutho Mabhena appeared before an SAHRC inquiry on Tuesday, which was looking into violent attacks in which long-distance truck drivers were targeted.

Mabhena said Zimbabwean truck drivers were identified through their failure to speak isiZulu fluently.

He said in the majority of the attacks, which happened in KwaZulu-Natal, foreign drivers were stopped and asked to produce driving licences and other documents of identity. In most cases, they would produce their Zimbabwean driving licences and passports, leading to them been attacked.

“Some Zimbabwean drivers who couldn’t speak fluent isiZulu would then reply in English. We were also worried that Tshivenda- and Xitsonga-speaking drivers from South Africa would also be in trouble because they could not speak fluent isiZulu,” he said.

“Following an outbreak of violence in the freight industry, we were approached to intervene. Our first point of entry was to have a meeting with Zimbabweans about their challenges. We were informed violence emanated from Africa Truck Drivers Association representing SA truck drivers.

“We were told that there was competition between migrant drivers and South African drivers. We also established that a number of Zimbabweans were working in the industry. What we didn’t establish was why employers preferred Zimbabwean truck drivers.”

Mabhena said they also discovered that Zimbabwean truck drivers were not members of a trade union.

“We then sought a meeting with Africa Truck Drivers Association. We then discussed it telephonically with their representative, who told us that Zimbabwean drivers are not allowed to work in the industry.

“The other issue raised was that Zimbabweans and other migrant drivers preferred to work long hours while South African drivers worked normal hours. Zimbabwean drivers would do more shifts with three drivers exchanging the wheel to earn more hours,” said Mabhena.

They were also told that migrant drivers wanted to perform the work of truck mechanics instead of using freight companies’ mechanics.

Busisiwe Goba from the Road Freight Association (RFA) said they wanted to establish the root cause of attacks on truck drivers.

“We wanted to know about businesses affiliated to the RFA who have employed non-nationals. There is legislation which states that if companies employ non-nationals, they must have proper documents, and are complying. We don’t dictate to companies affiliated to the association,” Goba said.

“Every business entity has its own policies and would comply with legislation. Employees are afforded an opportunity to belong to various labour unions.

“We received 463 reports of violent attacks. About 155 attacks that were not related to non-nationals were also reported.”

She said some business premises were targeted by groups of people who prevented them from operating.

HUNDREDS of illegal money changers marched to Bulawayo Central Police Station yesterday in protest of what they called laxity in police investigations over the death of their colleague who was ambushed and killed by unknown assailants last Thursday night.

The demonstrators, popularly known as osiphatheleni marched along 8th Avenue from Tredgold Building to Bulawayo Central Police Station waving the late Madakwa Admire Mapako’s picture.

Mapako (48), an illegal money changer was killed outside Continental Lodge in Khumalo Suburb, Bulawayo on Thursday.

The demonstrators demanded that the assailants be brought to book while saying police were not doing enough to account for them as the suspects were known.

“Police know the assailants. In fact, the suspect stalked Admire for more than two weeks and they know it because it was reported. They did not arrest the criminals even after he was killed,” said an Illegal money changer who declined to be named.

Mapako’s younger brother and family spokesperson, Pardon, told The Chronicle that police knew his brother’s assailants as a police officer positively identified him on CCTV footage.

He said the footage that was recorded at night on February 21, this year and it shows two masked men armed with a gun trying to lure Mapako out of his house.

“Police know everything. In fact, they positively identified one of the suspects as Dingani when we showed them the CCTV footage. It is painful that this gang is known but they have not been arrested. It’s a gang of 12 guys and on Saturday one of them was seen here in the city,” he said.

Pardon said police removed his brother’s body of from the scene in the absence of relatives, which further infuriated them.

‘What also worries us is that none of the relatives was at the scene when police removed the body. So, we are not sure whether what the police are saying is true because even the alleged woman whom we hear was with my brother is not known. We were only made to identify the body at United Bulawayo Hospital Mortuary’ he said.

Bulawayo Police spokesperson, Inspector Abednico Ncube could not give a comment as he was not in the office.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people who included Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe (AFM) President, Dr Aspher Madzinyire, musician Sandra Ndebele attended a funeral service for Mapako held at Nyaradzo Funeral Parlour in Doninngton, Bulawayo, yesterday.

He will be buried today at Zimuto Village in Masvingo.

Own Correspondent|In a back ground where all pointers point at government’s state security agents for the disappearance of activist Itai Dzamara five years ago, Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Nick Mangwana has unashamedly declared that government is doing everything possible to locate him.

Mangwana said government put in place a taskforce of skilled detectives to investigate thoroughly the disappearance of Dzamara of which the skilled team has not produced anything five years later.

Mangwana said the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) was also offering a US$10 000 reward to anyone with information on the whereabouts of Dzamara and was also making regular appeals to the public for those with information to come forward.

Mangwana was reacting to comments by the European Union (EU) on their Twitter handle in which they urged the Government of Zimbabwe to “shed light and serve justice” on the disappearance of Mr Dzamara.

Five years after his abduction, Itai #Dzamara remains missing. We call on Govt to shed light on his fate & serve justice, and to tackle all human rights violations decisively, in line with #Zimbabwe's repeated commitment to human rights, freedoms & national healing. #EU4democracy pic.twitter.com/fwTlJi2s2c

— EU Delegation to Zimbabwe ?? (@euinzim) March 9, 2020

He added that ZRP had also submitted more than nine reports to the High Court of Zimbabwe in compliance with an order of that court. The reports are also available for the public.

“Government feels very strongly that no Zimbabwean should disappear without trace and empathizes with the Dzamara family in their quest for the safe return of their loved one,” said Mr Mangwana.

He added that it was therefore undiplomatically unhelpful and misleading to insinuate that the Government of Zimbabwe did not intend to shed light on Mr Dzamara’s disappearance, as if it had a hand in it.

“The Government remains open to engagement with all diplomats accredited to Zimbabwe and provide clarity on any matter of mutual interest using the agreed formal channels,” said Mr Mangwana.

Correspondent|Outspoken Zimbabwean preacher Apostle Talent Chiwenga was arraigned before a Mutare Magistrate Nottbuglar Muchineri today facing smuggling charges.

Muchineripi granted Chiwenga ZWL$400 bail to March 31

Prosecutor Perseverance Musukuto told the court that on December 11 last year Chiwenga drove from Mozambique to Zimbabwe through the Forbes Border Post in the company of Lovemore Kanyuru and Darlington Moyo.

The court was told that Chiwenga completed the immigration papers and passed through the customs and clearing counter without declaring the goods he was in possession of.

A Zimbabwe Revenue Authority official then asked Chiwenga to take his goods for scanning, where it was discovered that the goods were not declared, leading to his arrest.

The goods which were not declared include five Kenwood two-way communication radios, solar battery chargers and teargas injectors, among others.

Chiwenga was represented by his lawyer, Tariro Paul Machiridza.

Own Correspondent|Cabinet has just completed its weekly meeting for this week and Minister of Information Monica Mutsvangwa is giving a live update of what cabinet resolved.

Watch the live video downloading below:

Own Correspondent|Vice-President Kembo Mohadi’s former wife, Tambudzani Muleya, has lost her US$13 394 per month maintenance claim after the High Court dismissed her application declaring that her motive is nothing but to hit back at her former husband for dumping her.

Mohadi and Muleya’s marriage was dissolved in March last year and soon after the nullification, Muleya approached the court seeking post-divorce maintenance, but High Court judge Justice Ester Muremba would not have any of that.

The judge said there was no need for her former husband to continue maintaining her following the nullification of the couple’s marriage last year.

“… What is evident is that the applicant (Tambudzani Muleya) does not want to live off her own assets, but on the respondent’s (Kembo Mohadi). The impression the applicant creates is that she wants to fix the respondent for leaving her and eventually divorcing her…,” the judge said.

In her claim, Muleya had demanded that Mohadi pays expenses for her driver, gardeners for two houses, domestic workers for two houses, fuel for all her travels, security, groceries, cellphone and airtime allowances; over and above all the other movable and immovable properties that Mohadi had earlier offered her in their divorce consent paper.

However, her demands and assertions were dismissed by Justice Muremba. The judge said Muleya was simply refusing to accept reality.

“The argument by the applicant that respondent’s current wife enjoys all amenities and benefits she is claiming is a clear testimony that the applicant is refusing to come to terms with the fact that respondent is no longer her husband that someone else is now in her former place. She resents the fact that the new wife is enjoying the benefits she ought to have been enjoying,” the judge stated.

“I do not think that the applicant was being truthful with the court. The applicant’s list of expenses shows that she wants the respondent to pay for each and every item of her expenditure. She wants him to pay for her food, fuel, driver, workers, old cars, utility bills, dog feed, medication and holidays … the parties having shared assets by mutual consent, I do not see why the applicant now wants to benefit from the respondent’s assets and not from hers …”

Justice Muremba further said while Muleya is fairly advanced in age and had greatly diminished prospects of marriage, she, however, was awarded capital assets following the divorce.

“She got three pieces of real estate, two of which are developed, more than 500 herd of cattle, a motor vehicle, a Discovery 4 Land Rover, 50% share in a company, more than US$25 000 in value of farm assets and household goods. There is no doubt that these assets can provide her with the income she needs to support herself. She can still live comfortably even if she does not dispose of any of the two houses awarded to her,” she said.

“With the assets awarded to her, the applicant cannot claim that she is now living a miserable life and that she cannot afford a decent meal. She is a legislator and she earns income every month. She has no rentals to pay and she has no dependents at all.”

In a similar dirty divorce, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has also been accused by the court of public opinion of fighting to fix her former wife Marry who he has gotten arrested on several occassions and having been repeatedly dragging each other to court.

• 

• 

By Farai D Hove| The Zanu-PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa does not trust the Zimbabwe National Army anymore, some military sources have maintained.

One source was unequivocal on this going to the point of speaking about the man’s podium layout, saying he has violated all presidential decorum.

“Can you not see how he is now guarded at podiums by air force officers instead of ZNA or ZRP?,” they alleged.

One of the sources said, ” Do you not see that at many times he is now seen being guarded by airforce officers? Why airforce of all? “

“He has broken presidential decorum, this is a clear shift,” they continued.

The development comes as other state agents however said there is nothing unusual because at events such as Gutu, Mnangagwa would have been flown in so the presence of airforce officers is not a surprise.”

When he traveled Gutu, Masvingo Province during his clean up campaign, he was closely guarded by an airforce officer just as he said “very soon village inspectors will start going from house to house, if they find cockroaches, you will be given first warning and on the second we will arrest anyone found with cockroaches.” (See video)

Continue reading “Mnangagwa No Longer Trusts PresidentialGuard, “He’s Now Protected By Airforce” | PICTURES, VIDEO”

By A Correspondent- There was confusion Tuesday afternoon when the Health Minister Obadiah Moyo told the Senate the Wilkins patient who fled the institution yesterday, is missing and needs to be found.

Minister Moyo was addressing the Senate when he said, “So we are looking for that absconded patient. …We still want that patient, we still want him to come back and we want to test that patient. So, on WhatsApp there are some messages coming through saying that someone fitting that description might have been seen at Chisipite and immediately harassed by environment officers to follow up with the police,” he added.

But at the time of the hearing, the man had 2 hours before been re-admitted at Wilkins Hospital.

Obadiah Moyo narrates how Wilkins Patient fled hospital yesterday, but also says they are still to be found. – Video credit @263Chat pic.twitter.com/YThK2aBz0y

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 10, 2020

He was spotted by a ZimEye reader who quickly alerted police.

It could not at the time of writing be established if the police are the ones who influenced or caused him to return to the hospital.

Our contributor told ZimEye: “just to let you know that l am the one who took those pictures and sent … them around. I also alerted the police so they are aware and taking action. Hope l find you well. The pharmacist confirmed that they were buying medicine that linked to the virus and that the pharmacy did not have all of it.

“I alerted the pharmacist that there was a patient who is suspected of having contracted the disease but ran before they were tested and confirmed. The description on the article matched the people l met that’s why l alerted my friends as well as the police. So just for your info and not confirming that this was the patient on the run, l confirm that it’s true an incident like that happened in the morning.”

Meanwhile, the latest development was confirmed by the City of Harare Health Director, Dr Prosper Chonzi who said:
“We are keeping him until we get results. Physically his temperature is normal and he doesn’t have any symptoms. The police are happy that he is now back at Wilkins Hospital.”

Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi speaks on Marriage Bill-see video below :

Farai Dziva|Movement for Democratic Change founding president Morgan Tsvangirai’ s legacy lives on…

The opposition party has released a statement on the late former Prime Minister’s birthday.Tsvangirai was born on March 10, 1952.

“In celebration of his life and unquestionable contribution to the democratic struggle.

Dr Morgan Richard Tsvangirai would have been 68 today,”said the party in a brief statement.

“Yes, my late boss Morgan Richard Tsvangirai would have turned 68 today. A friend, a boss, a father, an icon, a patriot.

Indeed, you left a legacy of service and sacrifice. Rest in power, Pakuru,” posted Luke Tamborinyoka on Facebook.

“We are keeping him until we get results. Physically his temperature is normal and he doesn’t have any symptoms. The police are happy that he is now back at Wilkins Hospital.”

By A Correspondent – The suspected coronavirus patient who escaped from Harare’s Wilkins Infectious Diseases Hospital yesterday has returned to the institution.

The 26-year-old Thai man had earlier on been spotted at a pharmacy in Chisipite looking for medication for coronavirus. He was at the time in the company of his father.

He was spotted by a ZimEye reader who quickly alerted police.

It could not at the time of writing be established if the police are the ones who influenced or caused him to return to the hospital.

Our contributor told ZimEye: “just to let you know that l am the one who took those pictures and sent … them around. I also alerted the police so they are aware and taking action. Hope l find you well. The pharmacist confirmed that they were buying medicine that linked to the virus and that the pharmacy did not have all of it.

“I alerted the pharmacist that there was a patient who is suspected of having contracted the disease but ran before they were tested and confirmed. The description on the article matched the people l met that’s why l alerted my friends as well as the police. So just for your info and not confirming that this was the patient on the run, l confirm that it’s true an incident like that happened in the morning.”

Meanwhile, the latest development was confirmed by the City of Harare Health Director, Dr Prosper Chonzi who said:
“We are keeping him until we get results. Physically his temperature is normal and he doesn’t have any symptoms. The police are happy that he is now back at Wilkins Hospital.”

A man from Gokwe last week axed 5 people to death touched and torched a hut for reasons yet to be ascertained, The Chronicle reports.

The incident happened in Binga ‘s Lusungu area on Friday.

The deceased were identified as
Mr Sibanda’s 7 year old Shan, Mr Admire Nyangarai, his wife Ms Bibeat Munsaka, the couple’s one-year-old baby Loice Compassion Nyangarai, who was axed while on her mother’s back and Ms Chiravigwa Shumba, whose age not given but originally from Makope Village under Chief Sayi in Gokwe.

All of the victims lived in close proximity to 20-year-old Christopher Gotore of Marapira area under Chief Jiri in Gokwe who was living at the Nyangarais when he committed the heinous crime.

ZRP confirmed the incident, Gotore is in custody at the moment.-State media

The regional soccer body CAF has reportedly snubbed ZIFA’s plea to reinspect Zimbabwe stadia after it banned the later from hosting any international matches on the banner that they don’t conform to standards.

“Chances of convincing Caf now look very minimal but not all hope is lost.

Consultations are still on going because there’s a feeling that since there was a Government guarantee, evidenced by work that is being done at Barbourfields Stadium , maybe we may get some reprieve,” a source said.

Meanwhile, ZIFA has secured South Africa’s Orlando stadium for upcoming Zimbabwe versus Algeria CHAN 2020 Qualifier to be played early next month.-State media

By A Correspondent- Hundreds of illegal money changers marched to Bulawayo Central Police Station yesterday in protest of what they called laxity in police investigations over the death of their colleague who was ambushed and killed by unknown assailants last Thursday night.

The demonstrators, popularly known as osiphatheleni marched along 8th Avenue from Tredgold Building to Bulawayo Central Police Station waving the late Madakwa Admire Mapako’s picture.

Mapako (48), an illegal money changer was killed outside Continental Lodge in Khumalo Suburb, Bulawayo on Thursday.

The demonstrators demanded that the assailants be brought to book while saying police were not doing enough to account for them as the suspects were known.

“Police know the assailants. In fact, the suspect stalked Admire for more than two weeks and they know it because it was reported. They did not arrest the criminals even after he was killed,” said an Illegal money changer who declined to be named.

Mapako’s younger brother and family spokesperson, Pardon, told The Chronicle that police knew his brother’s assailants as a police officer positively identified him on CCTV footage.

He said the footage that was recorded at night on February 21, this year and it shows two masked men armed with a gun trying to lure Mapako out of his house.

“Police know everything. In fact, they positively identified one of the suspects as Dingani when we showed them the CCTV footage. It is painful that this gang is known but they have not been arrested. It’s a gang of 12 guys and on Saturday one of them was seen here in the city,” he said.

Pardon said police removed his brother’s body of from the scene in the absence of relatives, which further infuriated them.

‘What also worries us is that none of the relatives was at the scene when police removed the body. So, we are not sure whether what the police are saying is true because even the alleged woman whom we hear was with my brother is not known. We were only made to identify the body at United Bulawayo Hospital Mortuary’ he said.

Bulawayo Police spokesperson, Inspector Abednico Ncube could not give a comment as he was not in the office.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people who included Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe (AFM) President, Dr Aspher Madzinyire, musician Sandra Ndebele attended a funeral service for Mapako held at Nyaradzo Funeral Parlour in Doninngton, Bulawayo, yesterday.

He will be buried today at Zimuto Village in Masvingo.-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- A Chivi family woke up recently to find its only two herd of cattle axed to death in their kraal, and a kitchen hut torched in a suspected crime of passion.

The incident occurred on January 30 in Madamombe Village in Chivi North when the elderly Bhogo couple found its two heifers axed to death, and a message scrawled on the walls of the burnt kitchen hut demanding back R 5 000 allegedly spent on the family in anticipation of securing a wife from it.

“Plese 5 000 rand ndoida no fani. Mukadzi regai henyu ndewa sekuru venyu wekwa Purazeni. Ndoenda South (Africa) ndodzoka mari yangu ndoida. By Walasi.” (Please I want my 5 000 Rand and I’m not joking. You can keep the wife because it is apparent she belongs to your uncle from Purazeni area. I’m going to South (Africa) but when I come back I want my money,” read a message signed off as written by Walasi.

“Maindipa Vongai maronga muchiti haana murume wani mukamudzosera kwaPurazeni. Muudze sekuru venyu vekwaPurazeni kuti ndoda kuvauraya nokuti ndovanenge vamakapa wamanga mati ndoenda naye South Africa.” (You arranged to give me Vongai claiming she did not have a husband but went on to return her to Purazeni, so tell your uncle from Purazeni that I want to kill him because he is the one you handed over the wife that you had promised I would take to South Africa,” the message added.

Although the suspected arsonist refers to her as Vongai, a source said at the centre of the matter appears to be the middle aged couple’s granddaughter known as Fungai, who was living with them at a time she was estranged from her husband and father to her child who is from the Purazeni area of Madamombe.

The source said that at the time Fungai was living with her grandmother at the Bhogo homestead, she got romantically involved with another man with the tacit approval of the grandmother, and this new suitor showered the family with presents from South Africa where he lived.

But contrary to the belief by the suspect that Fungai had gone back to her husband from Purazeni, the source said, this was not the case as the woman was instead now living with another man at nearby Mhandamabwe Business Centre along the Masvingo-Zvishavane highway.

“Imagine what women are capable of, she is at Mhandamambwe living it up with another man not her husband from Purazeni; jumping from the arms of one man straight into another man’s.”

The matter was reported to Mashava police who briefly detained Fungai’s former husband for questioning but released him without charge.-Statemedia

– ORIGINAL ARTICLE –

The military taskforce set up by government to oversee Zupco operations following the fuel price protests in January last year, is furious with company bosses over the IT server handling the database for the tapcard system. This comes amid shocking weekly revenue shortfalls detected in an audit conducted by the company’s Risk Department.

ZimEye reveals the massive looting at the current rate showing for instance at at least $22,000 in the snap audit cited 2 weeks ago.

Where do you think they are hiding the Zupco IT server? 

Where do you think Directors are hiding the Zupco IT server?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 1, 2020

– ORIGINAL ARTICLE BELOW –

readers advised – there were frantic efforts from many quarters in both Zimbabwe and UK to stop this report from being published.

By Simba Chikanza | PART 1 | Within 3 days of Emmerson Mnangagwa striking a deal with the Belarusian government on the 17th Jan 2019, revenue money had already started disappearing from the transport company, ZUPCO, an exclusive ZimEye investigation based on the latest internal risk audit reveals.

In this documentary, several offices are probed by ZimEye and they include [see the satellite map below], the company’s Willowvale, and Belvedere buildings. 

 – military taskforce

 –embarrassing cash leaks detected

-shortfalls on scan machines

-machine discovered inside a toilet with no ID number

-Zupco’s Tagwirei speaks to ZimEye [interview]

 

Fearing rising protests, Mnangagwa had launched the “noble” venture of purchasing hundreds of buses in order to lower the burden of transport costs. This would have worked well and the quality of life improved. But the multi million dollar investment is now set for another disappointment, as an embarrassing audit in ZimEye’s possession reveals how more than $22,000 vanished, the looting beginning right within 72 hours of the Belarus meeting. The conclusion from the snap audit are that the company policy on the timing of banking revenue receipts was violated.

At the centre of Zupco’s scandal, is the notorious collusion of two directors, the CEO and the Director of Operations:

– The Acting CEO – [substantive post, Financial Director], Mr Everisto Madangwa.

– The Marketing (Acting Divisions Operations Manager) Tito Chirau … he is Madangwa’s enforcer of corruption.

Chirau has gained the reputation of being the ZUPCO Tagwirei, as it were, – a man who has taken over operations, marketing, and accounting, and the 5th department he is now in charge of is the HR department.

Military led taskforce

There is a task force team in ZUPCO appointed early last year by the minister of Defence through the Ministry of Local Government. The taskforce oversees the safety of buses, and it comprises, the ZDF, the police, and the CIO. The head of the taskforce delegation is Col Richard Mapanda, and he is deputised by Ass Comm Moyo, and DIO Ndabezihle Ndoro. This team was generally effective in the first few weeks of 2019, but from around April time they were rendered inept by a systematic cartel comprising at least three bigwigs: The chairman of ZUPCO, Dr Talon Garikai, is the Vice Chancellor of Harare Institute Of Technology. Everything happening in ZUPCO is now being run from the HIT. The tap card system came from HIT. Stationery supplies are coming HIT. The booking of Intercity buses system, is being run by the HIT, which means that ZUPCO is now literally operating from HIT.

Embarrassing Cash leaks detected

The cash amount of leaks detected from the snap audit are respectively:
– RTGS 19267.00, ZAR 2070.00 and RTGS 378.

In a summary, the report says: “the Accountant and Cashier were invited to explain and justify the departure from the company’s policy regarding the timing of banking revenue receipts. In their written responses, they attributed this departure to the temporary shift of the cash office from Willowvale Depot to Belvedere Depot as well as transport problems to transmit the cash receipts to the bank.

“It was however established that the temporary shift took place on 20 January 2019. Willowvale cash office resumed its operations on 12 February 2019. Their explanation does not hold water as the delays in banking continued beyond the 12 February 2019 when CIT – cash in transit services were available to the Depot.”

When a decision was passed to bring in the police and the anti-corruption commission, ZACC, to investigate, an accountant was then used to make some diversionary responses, on the 15th October 2019.

• shortfalls on scan machines

• machine which was discovered inside a toilet with no ID number inside it

Further to all this, there was last year a scandal of shortfalls on scan machines, which resulted in machine number 8 which leaked thousands to an unknown receiving account. This happened in October 2019. There is machine number 8 which was stationed at Willowvale Depot, it caused shortages running up to the thousands. That machine was tracked by IT, it was found the machine was not sending money to accounts, it was sending somewhere else. When the audit was being conducted Chirau blocked that investigations. There is a machine which was discovered inside a toilet, and was found without an identification number, and no sim card in it, but found inside a toilet. The identification number and the sim card would have made it easy to track the operator and the account number where the money is being routed.

Zupco has since fired its Risk, & Audit Control Manager, a Mr Chimbanda in the first week of February. Mr Chimbanda who had been appointed Risk Manager on the 1st August 2019, was suddenly fired within 6 months just before commencing a human resources audit. Impeccable sources revealed to ZimEye, he had at the time attempted to do an indepth risk audit, following several scandals in the human resources department, that have seen unqualified drivers being employed. This comes amid the rising spate of accidents. The CEO and the Operations Division blocked the audit and rushed to remove Chimbanda from the post.

The audit comes as it is revealed Chirau drafts what he terms a non renewal list through which long serving employees are randomly lined up for dismissal, and in their place, his own personal handpicks are given the jobs.

After Chimbanda was removed, he (Chimbanda) raised a complaint with the Task Force, but they did nothing at all.

Hot Questions the two ZUPCO bosses must answer are as follows:

– Has the more than $22,000 bankage shortage between Jan and June 2019 been finally restored?

– How come this shortage was not publicly declared?

– Why did you fire the Risk Control manager, Mr Chimbanda at a time when the June audit findings are still to be addressed?

– Why did you block the HR audit when it was needed seeing the number of non qualified drivers and rising number of accidents?

– Why did you block the HR audit and then you start firing people using your own non renewal list not based on an audit?

– Why have you allowed Eng, Talon Garikai to continue holding multiple posts without declaring his asset s according to the Companies Act ?

– In your estimation how many weeks does Zupco have before it requires capital injection from government?

– Why haven’t you addressed the conflict of interest in the TapCard system managed by the ZUPCO Board chairman’s other organisation, HIT ?

– Why did you reject the task force member from the CIO who was appointed to work with the HR officer… and investigate allegations of job seekers being made to pay bribes of 20 USD to get jobs?

– In October 2019, Mr Chirawu and Madangwa you promised the sacked Lewis Matutu that you were going to fire 100 conductors to replace them with 100 Zanu PF youths. Why have you continued in this course of action and is this not abuse of office?

– To Mr Chirau, records show that you on the 22nd January 2020, you telephoned HR department to reinstate Mr Liberty Masomere, (work ID 9083), who is colonel Richard Mapanda’s secretary’s brother, was that not abuse of office?

Zupco’s Tagwirei speaks to ZimEye [interview]

While efforts to get a comment from the demoted Risk Manager were fruitless, ZimEye managed to get a hold of the Operations Director, Mr Tito Chirau who briefly spoke to ZimEye. He at first denied the existence of the audit report, saying the only persons who can be called auditors are external auditors. He also said the Risk & Audit Control Department does not conduct any audits. Towards the end of the interview, he once again discredited the audit report this time however acknowledging its existence saying it was truly prepared by the Risk Department.

Will this money which leaked, the $22,000 be returned?, he was questioned. He replied saying,
“Eeeeh, please speak to the CEO,” he said.

He continued loudly charging, “ you can call the CEO and speak to him.”

But you are the Operations Director Mr Chirau, he was asked, and he went on to reply saying:
“What I can tell you right now is that there is nothing factual from all that you are saying, but anyway, I will just refer you to the CEO.”

The audit is not factual?, he was asked. He said, “yes it’s not factual, everything that you have there it’s people who don’t want to see ZUPCO succeeding, and the funny thing is you are just being verbose and loud, but when we speak about numbers, numbers don’t lie.

“And I can tell you right now that all those things that you are speaking about, if you are humble enough to speak to the CEO and gather facts, then you are going to see that it’s just people who are just trying to smear ZUPCO for their nefarious means.

“ZUPCO is one of the most successful government initiatives and a lot of people don’t like it, and you can tell that from your tone, you seem to have just believed those people who don’t want to see ZUPCO succeed.

“So please go speak to the CEO and I am sure if there is merit at what you are asking, he will be able to prove to you that it is all lies, the bunch of people who are probably aggrieved for wrong reasons, who are peddling these things they are all over the place. Speak to the CEO, and he will help,” he ended.

So the copy of the June audit that you have which one is it?, he was asked.

He answered saying, “the problem that you have is you are trying to be high sounding and clever for nothing. Eeh, what is an audit report? What is an audit report?

“An audit is done by approved auditors and the auditors they produce a report and this is a public company; those reports are there for government they are there for everyone to see.

“So when you speak of an audit, you see … you are trying to fight a battle for people who are aggrieved, and I am shocked I don’t know which country you are living in. ZUPCO is the biggest success story of the government; buses are on the road, and more buses are coming. So when you begin to say these things I wonder what agenda you are trying to drive at.”

Why do you say so? This is an audit by your Risk department, he was asked.

He replied:
“So you see in this conversation all you are mentioning is the Risk department, and the Risk department is the one that has been featuring in all those articles that you are talking about. So you guys are fighting the battle of one aggrieved department, or one aggrieved worker without probably going directly to ZUPCO,” he said.
I am not fighting any battle for a worker, ZimEye’s Simba Chikanza said. To this he hit back saying,
“You are, the thing that you are raising you are trying to be high sounding, but I think you didn’t take time to go through the questions that you want to ask, for example you are talking about an audit, an audit, an annual audit is done by big companies that went to tender and was chosen that’s the company that does audits for ZUPCO. So if you are talking about an internal audit report that was generated by someone, and you are saying that the Risk department generates audit report, which company has got a Risk department that generates audit reports?

“No I am telling you now, I am calling you now, audit reports are done by the office of the auditor, the Risk department does not do audits. So if you come to ZUPCO,” he concluded just before putting the phone down.

Efforts to get a comment from the CEO, and the Zupco board Chair were fruitless up to the time of publishing.

– THIS ARTICLE IS ONLY PART 1 OF THIS SERIES: EXPOSING CRIMINALS STATIONED AT ZESA. JUMP ONTO ZIMEYE.COM FOR MORE

For the full interview:
AUDIO LOADING BELOW – ZIMEYE.COM

THE Parliamentry Portfolio committee on Foreign affairs has visited the United State Embassy in Westgate where they addressed the anti-sanctions lobby group which has been camped at the embassy for 348 days.

Addressing members of the Broad Alliance Against Sanctions Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee Kindness Paradza says their visit to the USA embassy is in response to a petition by the anti – sanctions group to parliament on the adverse impact of illegal sanctions on Zimbabweans.

Paradza says his committee assessment shows that the Broad Alliance Against Sanctions lobby group has a genuine cause which calls for parliament attention.

He said the foreign affairs committee is awaiting the attorney general’s legal advice on how best to address their concerns citing the Vienna Convention which gives guidelines on handling diplomatic intercourses between nations.

Paradza took a swipe at MDC Alliance MPs who were conspicuous by the absence. The committee rescheduled the meeting with the anti sanctions protesters to Tuesday next week.

A South Africa man was sentenced to six months imprisonment for unlawful entry after he was found sleeping in the Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe (AFM) church in Nkulumane 12 suburb.

Cougo Tsenang (31) who was residing in Nkulumane suburb was found asleep inside the baptism post by one of the congregants Ms Clara Tobaiwa (58) of the same suburb.

Tsenang pleaded guilty to unlawful entry when he appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Ms Gladmore Mushove.

 The magistrate slapped him with six months imprisonment which was wholly suspended for five years on condition that he does not commit a similar offense within the period.

Prosecuting, Mr Kenneth Shava said on   March 4 at around 8PM, Ms Clara and a Mrs Dube went to the church and realised that the window was open.

“The complainant   unlocked the main door and entered   the church and discovered that the accused person was hiding inside the baptism post,” said Mr Shava.

 Ms Tobaiwa and Mrs Dube escorted Tsenang to the police station where they filed a report leading to his arrest.