“If you could sit down and negotiate with Ian Smith, what is stopping you from sitting down with your fellow countryman Nelson Chamisa?” ousted Zanu Pf youth leader Godfrey Chamisa has pleaded with President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

By A Correspondent- Ousted Zanu Pf leader Godfrey Tsenengamu has revealed that the leadership should be accountable to the citizens over corruption.

At a press conference held in Harare, Tsenengamu said he is not fazed by being chucked out of the party revealing that a corruption summit is on the cards.

“We want the leadership to be accountable. Come and tell us where the problem is….hose that we have elected into leaders have turned into looters. Its a generational curse which is on either side. We will announce a whatsapp number for this. We will not stop to expose the rot. Even ZACC itself was rotten. We got rid of Mugabe and corruption didnt stop. it is a connection. Kunenge kuri kuatmbisa munyu kurunga matatya. these looters are well connected.

You can sue Tsenengamu but we will see if you can sue the citizens. We are now taking the corruption fight national we are not backing down on the allegations we made to the individuals. We will not just speak without any V11, takadzidza kuti you can only speak without evidence. Just like in a war, you do not use all your weapons, we move stage by stage… and we will move with you until mati eke.”

Watch the live video loading below for this and more…

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa today flew to Kuwadzana in Banket for his monthly clean up campaign.

Said Mnangagwa in a facebook post:

“Ending the week with another National Clean Up day, this time in Banket. This land belongs to us all and we must all take responsibility for keeping it clean. Wishing everyone a blessed weekend.”

By A Correspondent- While giving testimony to the Parliamentary Committee on Health lead by Ruth Labode, doctors said US$3.5 million donated by wellwishers for a cath-lab at Parirenyatwa Hospital disappeared and the cath-lab was never delivered.

Dr Azzah Mashumba, and SHDA President Dr Shingai Nyaguse, who reportedly broke down in parly narrated sad stories of what’s taking place at the country’s largest referral hospital.

A surgeon that spoke to the publication on condition of anonymity reportedly said:

I have been at Parirenyatwa for 37 years and I have never seen a hospital coming to rock bottom because the equipment purchased has no service contracts (guarantee for servicing) and there is no accountability in terms of equipment purchased and drugs.

Capital equipment is disappearing because we are not accounting for it. I asked for a cath-lab to be purchased in 2018 and US$3,5 million was availed by a donor for its purchase, and I saw the money, but that cath-lab has not been delivered and the money disappeared

The senior doctors have also accused deputy health minister of buying non-usable hospital eqquipment in India.

By A Correspondent- Ousted Zanu Pf youth leader Godfrey Tsenengamu has vowed that he will not stop the corruption fight despite being chucked out of the party.

“I am upright ideologically and i will not attend Herbert Chitepo school of Ideology. There are individuals yes who want to pit the leadership against each other… I am not fighting on President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s corner neither am i fighting on the corner of VP Chiwenga…. You are misinformed.

We have these cartels working with the leadership and trust me whoever will come into power, before you are inaugurated, they will be on your doorstep. They go where the power is….”

Watch the live video loading below for this and more…..

By A Correspondent- MDC-T legislator Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga (proportional representation) yesterday said the 2018 elections were handled better than previous elections and praised President Emmerson Mnangagwa as a reformer.

Speaking after meeting visiting Norwegian leader of the standing committee of foreign affairs and defence, Anniken Huitfeldt at Parliament Building, Misihairabwi-Mushonga, who was representing the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs, said even election observers endorsed the 2018 polls as “better than before”.

“I speak from an opposition point of view and want to say this is the first time I had a peaceful election. In previous elections, I used to go into hiding because the situation was risky,” she said.

The MP, from the Thokozani Khupe-led MDC-T, said even international observers were allowed into the country during the 2018 elections.

However, the legislator said there were post-electoral problems like the August 1, 2018 violence, which resulted in the Motlanthe Commission of Inquiry being set up to investigate the shooting to death of six civilians by the military.

She told Huitfeldt that some of the recommendations by the Motlanthe Commission were that there must be political reforms.

Misihairabwi-Mushonga then praised Mnangagwa as a reformer, adding that people must acknowledge him for the work that he was doing.

“The President is one of the reformers and if he moves in a particular direction and if there is no acknowledgement of the changes that he is making, then we are strengthening the hardliners also. The Foreign Affairs minister (Sibusiso Moyo) is one of the reformists we have and he has pushed for reforms,” she said.

Misihairabwi-Mushonga said the international community was hostile to Zimbabwe because they did not like the late former President Robert Mugabe.

“They had a problem with the individual and not the party,” she said.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- The announcement was made by the Energy and Power Development minister Fortune Chasi on his official Twitter account. ZESA Holdings acting chief executive officer Patrick Chivaura has died on Friday morning with details of his death still unknown.

“Sadly, Mr Chivaura an eminent electrical engineer who served as acting CEO at zesa and was due to retire this month passed on this morning. Highly professional, god fearing, honesty MHSRIP. So long Mukanya!” Chasi tweeted.

Arrangements for his funeral are currently underway amid revelations that family members are still being notified of the death. 

ZESA is yet to issue a comment on the matter.

By A Correspondent- The police in Beitbridge have nabbed 3 notorious robbers believed to be behind hammering spikes on the Harare-Beitbridge highway to deflate motorists’ tyres before they pounce on them.

According to a local publication:

Acting on a tip-off soon after some spikes were on Wednesday hammered on the Harare-Beitbridge Highway just 15km outside the border town, police immediately intensified their hunt.

They nabbed a suspect, who reportedly led them into arresting two others in the Tshitauze suburb, where a firearm was recovered.A video of the highway spikes used by the notorious robbers went viral on social media this week.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- While giving testimony to the Parliamentary Committee on Health lead by Ruth Labode, doctors said US$3.5 million donated by well wishers for a cath-lab at Parirenyatwa Hospital disappeared and the cath-lab was never delivered.

Dr Azzah Mashumba, and SHDA President Dr Shingai Nyaguse, who reportedly broke down in parly narrated sad stories of what’s taking place at the country’s largest referral hospital.

A surgeon that spoke to the publication on condition of anonymity reportedly said:

I have been at Parirenyatwa for 37 years and I have never seen a hospital coming to rock bottom because the equipment purchased has no service contracts (guarantee for servicing) and there is no accountability in terms of equipment purchased and drugs.

Capital equipment is disappearing because we are not accounting for it. I asked for a cath-lab to be purchased in 2018 and US$3,5 million was availed by a donor for its purchase, and I saw the money, but that cath-lab has not been delivered and the money disappeared

The senior doctors have also accused deputy health minister of buying non-usable hospital equipment in India.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- In his application for bail, Kadungure said the High Court ordered him to pay US$58 665 to Zimra as additional vehicle import duty which he did, leaving the State with no tangible allegations against him.

Samukange said the order compelled the complainant not to confiscate Kadungure’s vehicle, but the police violated the ruling.

Samkange said Kadungure is on remand over a US$5 million case and could not flee a case involving US$58 665. Socialite and businessman Genius Kadungure, who is accused of fraud, was yesterday remanded in custody to today for his bail ruling. Kadungure, who was represented by Jonathan Samukange, appeared before magistrate Chrispen Mberewere.

The investigation officer Erasmus Mazhawidzi said Kadungure had a propensity to commit similar offences while on bail, but Samukange argued that he never committed any offence because he was currently facing mere allegations.

Samkange said Kadungure is on remand over a US$5 million case and could not flee a case involving US$58 665. But the State opposed the application, saying Kadungure could interfere with investigations in South Africa as he always travels to that country.

But Samukange said the Bentley company, where his client bought the car at the centre of controversy, was an international company and the State must provide the names of people who he must not communicate with.

Samukange said there was no basis to deny his client bail as the accused voluntarily went to the police station despite knowing the charge. Mberewere will deliver his ruling today. The complainant is the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) represented by Lovemore Chigwanda.

Allegations are that sometime in 2019, the accused went to LSM Distributors, trading as Bentley Johannesburg and bought a Bentley for R3 281 784. When he arrived at the Beitbridge Border Post, Zimbabwe side, Ginimbi allegedly connived with his agent Alexander Gumbo and forged the vehicle’s value to read R1,9 million.

They allegedly scanned the forged documents before uploading them on the Zimra Asycuda system for duty processing on December 22 last year. Zimra then acted upon the misrepresentation to charge duty amounting to US$81 000 instead of $139 665, leading to an actual prejudice of $58 665. George Manokore appeared for the State.

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- A teen boy, whose age could not be immediately established was this morning hit by a kombi at Manyame bridge along Seke road while jogging.

The driver of the kombi, which was coming from town, reportedly lost control of his vehicle and ploughed into the side track of the bridge where the boy was jogging and hit him while at the same time destroying iron bars at the bridge.

The boy reportedly fell into the bridge and was badly injured and he was rushed to Chitungwiza referral hospital.

Eyewitnesses claimed that the boy is a student at Zengeza 3 High while others alleged that he had just finished his Ordinary levels in 2019.

Watch the video below for this and more…..

By A Correspondent- Ousted Zanu Pf youth leaders Godfrey Tsenengamu and Lewis Matutu will at 11am hold a press conference at the Media centre in Harare.

The duo, who were suspended from their leadership positions in the party’s youth wing will address the media in what is a potentially explosive statement regarding their party Zanu Pf and developments surrounding their suspension.

Reacting to a statement by Patrick Chinamasa that the duo should attend Hebert Chitepo school of Ideology for their indiscipline, Tsenengamu scoffed at his superiors and said he would only attend Herbert Chitepo school of Ideoplogy as a lecturer and not a student.

He revealed that the latest developments in his party was a clear indication of who needed schooling on what the late Herbet Chitepo stood for as a liberation icon.

“Only as a lecturer will I go to Chitepo school of Ideology for I identified my students yesterday. Chitepo was neither a thief nor a looter.”

ZimEye will be live streaming the presser

The development has so far attracted mixed reactions from the community with one wing of the public saying that the youths are not genuine at all they are puppets just like those who work inside the Zimbabwe anti-corruption commission and those in the political actors dialogue club, Polad. A video of the Zanu-pf leader is recalled in which he announces that his party is the army, the police, the air force, and everything that you can imagine.

Another sector of the community however says that the flow of events is real and on Monday the first public impeachment as it were, of the ZANU PF leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa, was read out. This wing explores how the two laid open what is now known as the pyramid of corruption whose base is Emmerson Mnangagwa himself. The two have announced they will confront Mnangagwa head on concerning his support for cartel kingpin Kuda Tagwirei.

ZimEye will be live streaming the presser.

Refresh this page for latest updates on this story and more latest news.

The Zimbabwe Independent has revealed intriguing details of Wednesday’s politburo meeting that expelled youth league leaders Pupurai Togarepi, Lewis Matutu and Godfrey Tsenengamu.

According to the weekly paper, President Emmerson Mnangagwa single handedly pushed for the suspension of his colleagues arguing that their activism against corruption was likely to threaten party unity.

Insiders said Wednesday’s meeting provided the clearest evidence yet of the post-coup fault lines as some top officials like Zanu PF chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, secretary for information communication technology Chris Mutsvangwa, secretary for women’s affairs Mabel Chinomona, secretary for security Lovemore Matuke and committee member Tsitsi Muzenda openly opposed Mnangagwa’s suggestion to expel the youth league leaders from the party, arguing it would signal that Zanu PF was not committed to the anti-corruption fight.

Mnangagwa and his backers were adamant that the youths be dismissed. But other party leaders, most notably Mutsvangwa, argued that the youths had raised valid points which should not be swept under the carpet.

Zanu PF heavyweights, including Mnangagwa, Chiwenga, Vice-President Kembo Mohadi, secretary for administration Obert Mpofu, secretary for finance Patrick Chinamasa and committee member Perrance Shiri suggested that the youths should be expelled from the party.

Mutsvangwa said the politburo should not be seen protecting corrupt people at the expense of its youth, adding that the allegations they had raised “had substance”.

Sources said Mnangagwa set the ball rolling as he came out guns blazing from the outset, accusing the belligerent Young Turks of defying the party’s leadership by failing to adhere to laid down procedures when tackling corruption.

Officials said a visibly irate Mnangagwa reserved his harshest rebuke for Togarepi, whom he personally stripped of his responsibilities during the meeting.
“The President spoke first and he was brutal in rebuking the youths, particularly Togarepi. He openly told Togarepi that he appointed him to lead the youths despite the fact that, at 56, he was not qualified to do so. He told Togarepi that he owed his position to his benevolence and he was expecting him to provide good leadership to the youths, but seeing that he had dismally failed to do so, he was going to relieve him of the duties so that he remains as an ordinary card-carrying member of the party,” a politburo member said.

“The President further said his decisions did not even need to be discussed by the politburo since he served purely at his pleasure.”After he was done with Togarepi, sources said, Mnangagwa then turned to Matutu, telling him that he had gone offside and was going to ask the meeting to recommend an appropriate sanction although he would have personally favoured an outright expulsion from the party. He then opened the matter for discussion.

Sources said Chiwenga, throwing his hands as a gesture of anger, told the meeting that the only befitting punishment for the errant youth league leaders was expulsion.

“He appeared very angry. He told the meeting that he believed the youths could only have acted on behalf of someone and so they deserved to be expelled to send a clear message to their unidentified handler. Mohadi, Mpofu and Chinamasa also concurred with the proposed sanction.”

However, as an indication of the widening fissures, the group opposed to expelling the youths argued that they had a point in raising a red flag over corruption.

They also argued that if the party expels the youths, this would appear to the public as if it was a condonation of corruption.“Muchinguri-Kashiri said while she recognised that the youths had not followed procedure, she was worried about the sort of image the move would give to the country about its commitment to fighting corruption. She said the party cannot afford to ignore the corruption allegations. She got immediate support from Mutsvangwa, who said they party had no history of slapping harsh sanction on errant young people even during the days of the liberation struggle,” a source said.

“Chiwenga, incensed by Mutsvangwa’s argument, suddenly interjected and ordered Mutsvangwa to hold his peace and receive a lecture from him on the history of the party. He told Mutsvangwa that he had no right to lecture them on the history of the party since he only joined the war in 1975 and was therefore a junior. Chiwenga then took a lot of time explaining in detail his own role in the liberation war from the time he received military training at Mgagao Camp in Tanzania,” the source added.

“Basically, all female politburo members spoke against expelling the youths and argued for a more lenient punishment like suspension. It was the women’s league secretary Chinomona who first made that suggestion and got backing from Tsitsi Muzenda and Lovemore Matuke. They said an outright expulsion would be too harsh, considering that they had raised valid complaints which were of concern to many people even outside the party,” another party official said.

However, Shiri weighed in, saying there no need to be lenient with them since they spoke like people who were fed up with the party.“Shiri said he was of the opinion that they should be expelled. He said judging by their fiery language at the press conference on Monday, they spoke like people who were already on their way out of the party and the only thing that could be done was to aid them on the way,” the source added.

At that juncture, Togarepi and Matutu, who were present at the meeting, were asked to give their responses.Togarepi said he only expressed his solidarity with Matutu and Tsenengamu in the fight against corruption without necessarily subscribing to their radical statements.

He, however, received a strong backlash from Mnangagwa for going to the extent of causing the publication of a retraction in the state-controlled Herald, for a story in which the youth league was distancing itself from Matutu and Tsenengamu.

“Togarepi dissociated himself with Matutu and Tsenengamu’s statements but said he made his expressions based on the party and the President’s well-known stance against corruption,” a politburo member said.

“However, the President was not amused by the response. He was clearly incensed and told Togarepi that by causing the retraction in the Herald, he had gone too far and his offence was unpardonable. He then asked him to pack his belongings and leave the room immediately.

“Matutu began his defence by stating that since they had only expressed their own personal views and had not targeted any of their superiors in the party, they had not committed any offence. He then said he believed he was doing the right thing to speak against corruption since the party had a known stance against graft. He said he had expressed his personal opinion and was not asked to do so by anyone.

“This was however strongly rebutted by Chinamasa, who spoke figuratively saying that the only time when someone stands on his own was when he is sleeping in his bedroom and not in a public place.”

When it came to the final discussion, sources said, Muchinguri-Kashiri moved that, at worst, Matutu and Tsenengamu be suspended from the party for a year, which decision was adopted by the meeting.

Rugeje then immediately suggested that as part of their punishment, the two be sent to the Chitepo School of Ideology for a six-month re-orientation programme.
He got support from the school’s principal, Munyaradzi Machacha.

As he left the meeting following the decision, sources said, Matutu was asked to leave behind keys for the official party vehicle he has been using, a luxurious all-terrain Toyota Land Cruiser VX model.

Additional reporting from the Zimbabwe Independent.

Own Correspondent|The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has NOT at all stripped Leopold Takawira of the honour of having one of its major roads named after him as reported in some media.

There has been claims going around that the City Council has renamed Leopold Takawira Street to King Mzilikazi Road with some claiming its been changed to 7th Avenue.

Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Solomon Mguni clarified the renaming of Leopold Takawira Avenue, saying part of the street retains the name.

“For Leopold Takawira it is just the section from Samuel Parirenyatwa Street to Umguza River Bridge along Gwanda Road (renamed King Mzilikazi Rd), it is not the entire road, the other section before Samuel Parirenyatwa remains as Leopold Takawira Avenue,” he said.

The wide road leading to South Africa past the Centenary Park and Ascot mansions – originally known by its colonial name, Selbourne Avenue – was renamed Leopold Takawira Avenue, after the former deputy president of ZANU who rebelled from Joshua Nkomo’s ZAPU in 1963, during the early years of colonialism resistance.

Bulawayo councillors also resolved that all Avenues in the CBD will maintain their numbering format from 1^st Avenue to 15^th Avenue, defying a government directive last year to rename the city’s busiest road, 6^th Avenue, to Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Way.

The road links the city centre to the Western suburbs.

Defying the government directive, the councillors have, instead, resolved to rename George Avenue – which runs from Harare Road to Old Gwanda Road past Holiday Inn hotel – after Mnangagwa.

A FRESH power struggle has erupted in Zanu PF, with senior officials clashing over the suspension of Youth League leaders during Wednesday’s stormy politburo meeting in what insiders have described as the widening of post-coup political fault lines.

Secretary for youth affairs Pupurai Togarepi, his deputy Lewis Matutu and the wing’s firebrand national political commissar Godfrey Tsenengamu were relieved of their duties following a heated discussion about their much-publicised anti-corruption crusade which saw them implicating businessmen and top Zanu PF benefactors Kudakwashe Tagwirei and Billy Rautenbach at a press conference on Monday.

The youths last year also mentioned Tagwirei, a close associate of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, among the people they accused of corruptly destroying the economy.

Togarepi was demoted to a central committee member while Matutu and Tsenengamu were both handed one-year suspensions. They were demoted to ordinary card-carrying members, but will be eligible to contest for positions of their choice at the expiry of their suspension periods, albeit only after having displayed good behaviour and undergone ideological schooling at the party’s Chinese-modelled Chitepo School of Ideology.

They have, however, vowed not to attend the college unless as lecturers. In off-the-record briefings, politburo members told the Zimbabwe Independent yesterday that heated exchanges characterised the explosive meeting, where bigwigs took sharply divergent positions not only on how to sanction the youths but also how to roll out the anti-corruption fight.

Until now, there have only been factional undercurrents pitting President Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga, who is widely viewed as harbouring presidential ambitions. Officials revealed the meeting laid bare the fact that Mnangagwa has lost the support of some of his backers, who were key players in the 2017 coup.

Insiders said Wednesday’s meeting provided the clearest evidence yet of the post-coup fault lines as some top officials like Zanu PF chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, secretary for information communication technology Chris Mutsvangwa, secretary for women’s affairs Mabel Chinomona, secretary for security Lovemore Matuke and committee member Tsitsi Muzenda openly opposed Mnangagwa’s suggestion to expel the youth league leaders from the party, arguing it would signal that Zanu PF was not committed to the anti-corruption fight.

Mnangagwa and his backers were adamant that the youths be dismissed. But other party leaders, most notably Mutsvangwa, argued that the youths had raised valid points which should not be swept under the carpet.

Zanu PF heavyweights, including Mnangagwa, Chiwenga, Vice-President Kembo Mohadi, secretary for administration Obert Mpofu, secretary for finance Patrick Chinamasa and committee member Perrance Shiri suggested that the youths should be expelled from the party.

Mutsvangwa said the politburo should not be seen protecting corrupt people at the expense of its youth, adding that the allegations they had raised “had substance”.

Sources said Mnangagwa set the ball rolling as he came out guns blazing from the outset, accusing the belligerent Young Turks of defying the party’s leadership by failing to adhere to laid down procedures when tackling corruption.

Officials said a visibly irate Mnangagwa reserved his harshest rebuke for Togarepi, whom he personally stripped of his responsibilities during the meeting.
“The President spoke first and he was brutal in rebuking the youths, particularly Togarepi. He openly told Togarepi that he appointed him to lead the youths despite the fact that, at 56, he was not qualified to do so. He told Togarepi that he owed his position to his benevolence and he was expecting him to provide good leadership to the youths, but seeing that he had dismally failed to do so, he was going to relieve him of the duties so that he remains as an ordinary card-carrying member of the party,” a politburo member said.

“The President further said his decisions did not even need to be discussed by the politburo since he served purely at his pleasure.”After he was done with Togarepi, sources said, Mnangagwa then turned to Matutu, telling him that he had gone offside and was going to ask the meeting to recommend an appropriate sanction although he would have personally favoured an outright expulsion from the party. He then opened the matter for discussion.

Sources said Chiwenga, throwing his hands as a gesture of anger, told the meeting that the only befitting punishment for the errant youth league leaders was expulsion.

“He appeared very angry. He told the meeting that he believed the youths could only have acted on behalf of someone and so they deserved to be expelled to send a clear message to their unidentified handler. Mohadi, Mpofu and Chinamasa also concurred with the proposed sanction.”

However, as an indication of the widening fissures, the group opposed to expelling the youths argued that they had a point in raising a red flag over corruption.

They also argued that if the party expels the youths, this would appear to the public as if it was a condonation of corruption.“Muchinguri-Kashiri said while she recognised that the youths had not followed procedure, she was worried about the sort of image the move would give to the country about its commitment to fighting corruption. She said the party cannot afford to ignore the corruption allegations. She got immediate support from Mutsvangwa, who said they party had no history of slapping harsh sanction on errant young people even during the days of the liberation struggle,” a source said.

“Chiwenga, incensed by Mutsvangwa’s argument, suddenly interjected and ordered Mutsvangwa to hold his peace and receive a lecture from him on the history of the party. He told Mutsvangwa that he had no right to lecture them on the history of the party since he only joined the war in 1975 and was therefore a junior. Chiwenga then took a lot of time explaining in detail his own role in the liberation war from the time he received military training at Mgagao Camp in Tanzania,” the source added.

“Basically, all female politburo members spoke against expelling the youths and argued for a more lenient punishment like suspension. It was the women’s league secretary Chinomona who first made that suggestion and got backing from Tsitsi Muzenda and Lovemore Matuke. They said an outright expulsion would be too harsh, considering that they had raised valid complaints which were of concern to many people even outside the party,” another party official said.

However, Shiri weighed in, saying there no need to be lenient with them since they spoke like people who were fed up with the party.“Shiri said he was of the opinion that they should be expelled. He said judging by their fiery language at the press conference on Monday, they spoke like people who were already on their way out of the party and the only thing that could be done was to aid them on the way,” the source added.

At that juncture, Togarepi and Matutu, who were present at the meeting, were asked to give their responses.Togarepi said he only expressed his solidarity with Matutu and Tsenengamu in the fight against corruption without necessarily subscribing to their radical statements.

He, however, received a strong backlash from Mnangagwa for going to the extent of causing the publication of a retraction in the state-controlled Herald, for a story in which the youth league was distancing itself from Matutu and Tsenengamu.

“Togarepi dissociated himself with Matutu and Tsenengamu’s statements but said he made his expressions based on the party and the President’s well-known stance against corruption,” a politburo member said.

“However, the President was not amused by the response. He was clearly incensed and told Togarepi that by causing the retraction in the Herald, he had gone too far and his offence was unpardonable. He then asked him to pack his belongings and leave the room immediately.

“Matutu began his defence by stating that since they had only expressed their own personal views and had not targeted any of their superiors in the party, they had not committed any offence. He then said he believed he was doing the right thing to speak against corruption since the party had a known stance against graft. He said he had expressed his personal opinion and was not asked to do so by anyone.

“This was however strongly rebutted by Chinamasa, who spoke figuratively saying that the only time when someone stands on his own was when he is sleeping in his bedroom and not in a public place.”

When it came to the final discussion, sources said, Muchinguri-Kashiri moved that, at worst, Matutu and Tsenengamu be suspended from the party for a year, which decision was adopted by the meeting.

Rugeje then immediately suggested that as part of their punishment, the two be sent to the Chitepo School of Ideology for a six-month re-orientation programme.
He got support from the school’s principal, Munyaradzi Machacha.

As he left the meeting following the decision, sources said, Matutu was asked to leave behind keys for the official party vehicle he has been using, a luxurious all-terrain Toyota Land Cruiser VX model.

-Zimbabwe Independent

Correspondent|NetOne Board Chairman Mr. James Mutizwa and 2 other board members have resigned with immediate effect.

The board Chairman who was appointed less than 8 months ago resigned last night under unclear circumstances while two more board members ( names not yet supplied) have handed over their resignation letters.

More details to follow……..

Independent|MILITARY commanders have deployed large numbers of officers from the Zimbabwe Intelligence Corps (ZIC), commonly known as military intelligence (MI), the elite Special Air Service (SAS) and the Special Investigations Branch (SIB) in communities throughout the country to gather intelligence as the rapidly deteriorating economy poses heightened risk to national security.

The deployments come at a time situation reports (sitreps) generated by the security service indicate that there is low morale among the rank and file as a result of economic hardships and unfulfilled promises from the 2017 military coup which toppled president Robert Mugabe and propelled President Emmerson Mnangagwa to power.

Military sources told the Zimbabwe Independent that the troops, who are embedded in the communities, are also gauging Zanu PF support and Mnangagwa’s popularity.

The MI uses information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to assist commanders in their decisions. This is achieved through an assessment of data from a range of sources, directed towards the commanders’ mission requirements or responding to questions as part of operational or campaign planning.

The commanders’ information requirements are first identified before they are incorporated into intelligence collection, analysis and dissemination.

Areas of study may include the operational environment, hostile, friendly and neutral forces as well as the civilian population in an area of interest.

“Information gathered is then used for scenario mapping or scenario planning. The information can be used to predict events, which means it can be used to prepare responses or contingent measures,” a security official said.

“For example, the information can be used to predict that riots are likely to break out if the economic situation continues to deteriorate, and so on. The fact that this is happening shows that the military is worried about the state of affairs.”

The SAS is a highly skilled special forces unit based at Kabrit Barracks along the Harare-Chitungwiza highway.It undertakes a number of roles, including covert investigations, counter-terrorism, direct action, hostage taking and hostage rescue.

It is the most highly trained military unit with cutting-edge expertise in weapon use, parachuting, skydiving and hijack reversal.

“Their deployment in large numbers suggests that the commanders are concerned,” a source said.The SIB is mainly used to conduct probes within the rank and file of the military as well as to carry out what a source described as “localised investigations within camps and in the cantonment proximity”. Each military unit has SIB members.

Security sources told the Independent this week that army commanders are panicking over the widespread apprehension in the country, owing to the deteriorating economic situation, characterised by skyrocketing prices, high cost of living and hyperinflation, which has rendered salaries worthless.

Commanders’ worst fear at the moment, sources said, is that the worsening hardships could trigger civil unrest.“Basically, they have been deployed into the communities to gather intelligence and gauge the national mood given the likelihood of civil unrest. So they have deeply embedded themselves in society and it is difficult to recognise them since they don’t wear army uniforms. In the case of the SAS, it includes relatively mature people with vast experience in intelligence gathering. They are highly trained and very efficient,” the official said.

“They can very easily blend into communities and the majority can speak all local languages and are familiar with diverse cultures. They can carry out covert operations for periods of up to 20 years. SAS is the best-trained in all military skills and they do a lot of covert operations. They are part of the elite forces together with commandoes and the parachute regiment.”

Besides deploying the special forces, the army has also embarked on large-scale internal surveillance of its officers amid concerns over rampant indiscipline and agitation among troops.

The internal surveillance, being undertaken by the MI and the military police, has been necessitated by growing disquiet within the rank and file of the military over the rising cost of living, poor salaries and difficult working conditions.

Commanders fear that there is a realistic possibility of mutiny if the situation is not urgently addressed.“The generals are worried that during this period of a deteriorating economic situation in the country, soldiers are in a desperate condition: ill-disciplined, disorganised, poorly fed and poverty stricken,” an officer in the army said.

Contacted for comment, Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) spokesperson Overson Mugwisi said: “I am not aware of the said deployments. I need to find out from those responsible.”

To survive the hardships, an increasing number of soldiers have turned to money-spinning activities such as gold panning while others have turned to crime, including armed robbery and theft.

In November last year, ZNA commander Lieutenant-General Edzai Chimonyo convened an emergency staff meeting where he read the riot act over rampant indiscipline, theft of rations and criminal activities involving soldiers.

The Independent has been consistently reporting on the rising tension in the military since the start of last year.The army’s Directorate of Signals has over the past 13 months been receiving alarming sitreps from various units, showing growing discontentment among the troops. Reports from the directorate show that morale has hit rock bottom.

At the height of economic turmoil in 2008, restless soldiers looted shops in Harare’s central business district as the country grappled with acute shortages of basic commodities.

Independent|A FRESH power struggle has erupted in Zanu PF, with senior officials clashing over the suspension of Youth League leaders during Wednesday’s stormy politburo meeting in what insiders have described as the widening of post-coup political fault lines.

Secretary for youth affairs Pupurai Togarepi, his deputy Lewis Matutu and the wing’s firebrand national political commissar Godfrey Tsenengamu were relieved of their duties following a heated discussion about their much-publicised anti-corruption crusade which saw them implicating businessmen and top Zanu PF benefactors Kudakwashe Tagwirei and Billy Rautenbach at a press conference on Monday.

The youths last year also mentioned Tagwirei, a close associate of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, among the people they accused of corruptly destroying the economy.

Togarepi was demoted to a central committee member while Matutu and Tsenengamu were both handed one-year suspensions. They were demoted to ordinary card-carrying members, but will be eligible to contest for positions of their choice at the expiry of their suspension periods, albeit only after having displayed good behaviour and undergone ideological schooling at the party’s Chinese-modelled Chitepo School of Ideology.

They have, however, vowed not to attend the college unless as lecturers. In off-the-record briefings, politburo members told the Zimbabwe Independent yesterday that heated exchanges characterised the explosive meeting, where bigwigs took sharply divergent positions not only on how to sanction the youths but also how to roll out the anti-corruption fight.

Until now, there have only been factional undercurrents pitting President Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga, who is widely viewed as harbouring presidential ambitions. Officials revealed the meeting laid bare the fact that Mnangagwa has lost the support of some of his backers, who were key players in the 2017 coup.

Insiders said Wednesday’s meeting provided the clearest evidence yet of the post-coup fault lines as some top officials like Zanu PF chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, secretary for information communication technology Chris Mutsvangwa, secretary for women’s affairs Mabel Chinomona, secretary for security Lovemore Matuke and committee member Tsitsi Muzenda openly opposed Mnangagwa’s suggestion to expel the youth league leaders from the party, arguing it would signal that Zanu PF was not committed to the anti-corruption fight.

Mnangagwa and his backers were adamant that the youths be dismissed. But other party leaders, most notably Mutsvangwa, argued that the youths had raised valid points which should not be swept under the carpet.

Zanu PF heavyweights, including Mnangagwa, Chiwenga, Vice-President Kembo Mohadi, secretary for administration Obert Mpofu, secretary for finance Patrick Chinamasa and committee member Perrance Shiri suggested that the youths should be expelled from the party.

Mutsvangwa said the politburo should not be seen protecting corrupt people at the expense of its youth, adding that the allegations they had raised “had substance”.

Sources said Mnangagwa set the ball rolling as he came out guns blazing from the outset, accusing the belligerent Young Turks of defying the party’s leadership by failing to adhere to laid down procedures when tackling corruption.

Officials said a visibly irate Mnangagwa reserved his harshest rebuke for Togarepi, whom he personally stripped of his responsibilities during the meeting.

“The President spoke first and he was brutal in rebuking the youths, particularly Togarepi. He openly told Togarepi that he appointed him to lead the youths despite the fact that, at 56, he was not qualified to do so. He told Togarepi that he owed his position to his benevolence and he was expecting him to provide good leadership to the youths, but seeing that he had dismally failed to do so, he was going to relieve him of the duties so that he remains as an ordinary card-carrying member of the party,” a politburo member said.

“The President further said his decisions did not even need to be discussed by the politburo since he served purely at his pleasure.”After he was done with Togarepi, sources said, Mnangagwa then turned to Matutu, telling him that he had gone offside and was going to ask the meeting to recommend an appropriate sanction although he would have personally favoured an outright expulsion from the party. He then opened the matter for discussion.

Sources said Chiwenga, throwing his hands as a gesture of anger, told the meeting that the only befitting punishment for the errant youth league leaders was expulsion.

“He appeared very angry. He told the meeting that he believed the youths could only have acted on behalf of someone and so they deserved to be expelled to send a clear message to their unidentified handler. Mohadi, Mpofu and Chinamasa also concurred with the proposed sanction.”

However, as an indication of the widening fissures, the group opposed to expelling the youths argued that they had a point in raising a red flag over corruption.

They also argued that if the party expels the youths, this would appear to the public as if it was a condonation of corruption.“Muchinguri-Kashiri said while she recognised that the youths had not followed procedure, she was worried about the sort of image the move would give to the country about its commitment to fighting corruption. She said the party cannot afford to ignore the corruption allegations. She got immediate support from Mutsvangwa, who said they party had no history of slapping harsh sanction on errant young people even during the days of the liberation struggle,” a source said.

“Chiwenga, incensed by Mutsvangwa’s argument, suddenly interjected and ordered Mutsvangwa to hold his peace and receive a lecture from him on the history of the party. He told Mutsvangwa that he had no right to lecture them on the history of the party since he only joined the war in 1975 and was therefore a junior. Chiwenga then took a lot of time explaining in detail his own role in the liberation war from the time he received military training at Mgagao Camp in Tanzania,” the source added.

“Basically, all female politburo members spoke against expelling the youths and argued for a more lenient punishment like suspension. It was the women’s league secretary Chinomona who first made that suggestion and got backing from Tsitsi Muzenda and Lovemore Matuke. They said an outright expulsion would be too harsh, considering that they had raised valid complaints which were of concern to many people even outside the party,” another party official said.

However, Shiri weighed in, saying there no need to be lenient with them since they spoke like people who were fed up with the party.“Shiri said he was of the opinion that they should be expelled. He said judging by their fiery language at the press conference on Monday, they spoke like people who were already on their way out of the party and the only thing that could be done was to aid them on the way,” the source added.

At that juncture, Togarepi and Matutu, who were present at the meeting, were asked to give their responses.Togarepi said he only expressed his solidarity with Matutu and Tsenengamu in the fight against corruption without necessarily subscribing to their radical statements.

He, however, received a strong backlash from Mnangagwa for going to the extent of causing the publication of a retraction in the state-controlled Herald, for a story in which the youth league was distancing itself from Matutu and Tsenengamu.

“Togarepi dissociated himself with Matutu and Tsenengamu’s statements but said he made his expressions based on the party and the President’s well-known stance against corruption,” a politburo member said.

“However, the President was not amused by the response. He was clearly incensed and told Togarepi that by causing the retraction in the Herald, he had gone too far and his offence was unpardonable. He then asked him to pack his belongings and leave the room immediately.

“Matutu began his defence by stating that since they had only expressed their own personal views and had not targeted any of their superiors in the party, they had not committed any offence. He then said he believed he was doing the right thing to speak against corruption since the party had a known stance against graft. He said he had expressed his personal opinion and was not asked to do so by anyone.

“This was however strongly rebutted by Chinamasa, who spoke figuratively saying that the only time when someone stands on his own was when he is sleeping in his bedroom and not in a public place.”

When it came to the final discussion, sources said, Muchinguri-Kashiri moved that, at worst, Matutu and Tsenengamu be suspended from the party for a year, which decision was adopted by the meeting.

Rugeje then immediately suggested that as part of their punishment, the two be sent to the Chitepo School of Ideology for a six-month re-orientation programme.

He got support from the school’s principal, Munyaradzi Machacha.

As he left the meeting following the decision, sources said, Matutu was asked to leave behind keys for the official party vehicle he has been using, a luxurious all-terrain Toyota Land Cruiser VX model.

Gweru Provincial Hospital nurses on Monday temporarily downed tools to protest against deteriorating working conditions at the government health institution among other grievances.

The nurses said they were not happy with their working conditions and also accused hospital authorities of corruption and alleged looting of resources at the institution.

Provincial medical director, Simon Nyadundu confirmed the demonstration, but said the nurses had since returned to work after submitting their grievances to the Health Services Board (HSB).

“The nurses demonstrated over their working conditions (on Monday) before writing their concerns to the Health Services Board,” Nyadundu said.

“They, however, went back to work on the same day (Monday).”

Some of the nurses, who spoke on condition of anonymity, however, accused hospital management of diverting resources for personal gain.

They alleged that the hospital officials were ignoring their plight concentrating on “amassing wealth” through the institution’s resources. “Top officials at the hospital are amassing wealth and property using resources at the institution,” alleged one nurse.

“We demand better working conditions, but they are not being addressed by the corrupt top management. We hope government will intervene and address our grievances.”

State Media|PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday assured the international community that Government will accelerate the implementation of the reform agenda this year, but called for patience as the process progresses.

He said this at a luncheon he hosted for diplomats accredited to Zimbabwe at State House in Harare.

The President stressed his position that Zimbabwe will this year focus on productivity.

“The Transitional Stabilisation Programme will now focus on production, trade, job creation and economic growth. As the year progresses, elaborate plans will be implemented to achieve our key objectives.

“Key among these is the acceleration of our reform agenda so that there are visible benefits that accrue to the majority of the people. We urge you all to be patient as we implement these reforms,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said the reforms were dependent on all arms of the State, which sometimes slowed down the pace of implementation.

He said Government’s desire was that economic and political reforms progress in tandem and that this was however, not the case due to several factors.

“You will appreciate that the three arms of the State operate with their own calendars and at their own pace. More importantly, we must carry our people with us, as we reform,” he said.

The President acknowledged the challenges ordinary people were going through, but expressed Government’s determination to continue until the state of the economy improved for the benefit of citizens, even without international financial support.

“You will be aware that most jurisdictions which have undertaken structural macro-economic reforms such as those we have begun, enjoy immense financial support from international financial institutions.

“However, Zimbabwe has not enjoyed the same privilege. My Government shall, however, continue to expedite the various programmes we have begun to turn around the fortunes of our economy,” said President Mnangagwa.

Government aims to engage the international community not as beggars but as partners who are competitive, attractive and a stable investment destination.

“The pursuance of our reforms which consolidate the peace, unity and national cohesion remains at the core of my Government’s agenda. In this regard, the Political Actors’ Dialogue (POLAD) is making notable strides and positively contributing to promoting sustainable dialogue, a culture of peace, tolerance, unity, national healing and reconciliation as well as rebuilding trust and confidence in our national institutions,” he said.

President Mnangagwa also told the diplomats that parties participating in Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) had met in December to review activities held in 2019 and developed a strategic plan for 2020.

He said all parties within POLAD were determined to improve the effectiveness of the platform going forward.

“Our arms remain outstretched to welcome those political actors who are yet to join,” he said.

The President urged the diplomats to continue with their collaborations with Zimbabwe. “I invite you to strengthen your perspective partnerships and collaborations with us as we seek to consolidate our democracy, as well as transform, industrialise and modernise our economy.

“A peaceful, democratic, stable and economically prosperous Zimbabwe is indeed of greater benefit to the people of this country and the broader global community. Let us together, explore ways of boosting trade during the year through greater focus on economic diplomacy between and among ourselves towards a shared future and achieving development which leaves no one behind.

“In doing so, I exhort us to strive to engage with each other on the basis of mutual respect.”

He said Government had achieved most of the set targets under the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP), though there were some challenges brought by the drought and Cyclone Idai.

This affected agriculture production in most parts of the country.

Government’s immediate priority is to guarantee food security by ensuring that all vulnerable households throughout the country have food. President Mnangagwa repeated promises that there shall be no politicisation of food distribution.

In his remarks, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, DRC Ambassador Mwawapanga Mwanananga, thanked President Mnangagwa for hosting the luncheon.

“This ceremony is very important. It is very crucial and very important as you embark on re-engagement,” said Ambassador Mwanananga.

“It might seem a simple thing to do, but it is very important.”

Ambassadors that attended the event later greeted the President to mark the New Year.

State Media|THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has no powers to change street and buildings names but can only submit proposals to Cabinet that has a final say on any name changes, a senior official has said.

On Wednesday, councillors passed a resolution to rename some of the city’s major roads and buildings in a move they said was meant to preserve the pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial history and heritage of the city.

However, this came after Government had announced a number of street name changes in the city.

In an interview last night, the Deputy Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Marian Chombo, said Ministry officials had already contacted the city’s Town Clerk, Mr Christopher Dube, to get to the bottom of the matter.

“The town clerk of Bulawayo City Council was contacted by the chief director in my ministry in connection with the name change issue after it appeared in The Chronicle. The Urban Councils Act gives council power to give names to new roads and numbers to houses but only Cabinet has the powers to make name alterations of roads.

“If council builds a new road, they can give it a name but they can’t change the name of an existing one as they don’t have the powers. Local authorities should submit their proposals for name changes to Cabinet for consideration. They have no power whatsoever to effect the name changes without Cabinet approval. If Cabinet gazettes the name changes then that’s final,” said Deputy Minister Chombo.

She said they were now waiting for the local authority to submit their proposals that will then be transmitted to Cabinet.

However, the city’s Mayor, Councillor Solomon Mguni, defended the move by the councillors, saying they were only carrying out their constitutional mandate and there were no legal loopholes in their move.

“The Constitution of Zimbabwe and the Urban Councils Act clearly state the duties and responsibilities of a councillor. We simply took guidance from these two documents and I can assure you that what we did is legally above board.

“Further we did not make this move as a means of opposing the Government. If you look at our list, we included all the people that were honoured by the government. maybe where we differed were the streets allocated but we indeed used the names that government had mentioned as a guiding principle,” said Clr Mguni.

The Mayor also clarified the renaming of Leopold Takawira Avenue, saying part of the street retains the name.

“For Leopold Takawira it is just the section from Samuel Parirenyatwa Street to Umguza River Bridge along Gwanda Road (renamed King Mzilikazi Rd), it is not the entire road, the other section before Samuel Parirenyatwa remains as Leopold Takawira Avenue,” he said.

Commenting on whether the move to rename a heritage site — Stanley Square — to Liberation Legacy Square, followed the necessary procedures considering that the place now fell under the National Museum and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ) which manages all heritage sites, NMMZ executive director, Dr Godfrey Mahachi, said he was consulting on the legal provisions of the move.

“You will have to contact me tomorrow (today) as I will have the full picture of the whole issue and I can give you a detailed comment,” said Dr Mahachi.

Bulawayo Progressive Residents’ Association coordinator, Mr Emmanuel Ndlovu, said while the move by councillors was bold and commendable there was a need for councillors to consult more on the matter.

“Yes, it is a good move but what councillors have to realise is that they do not operate in a vacuum. They should have consulted their key stakeholders, who are the residents. As it is there is a need for clarity on what now happens since there was already a Cabinet directive on the same issue, residents have to be put in the loop on what the issues are.

“Further, I feel council should also channel some of their funds in building new infrastructure like roads which they will give these honorary names because we risk a situation where with every generation there will be name changes,” said Mr Ndlovu.

In tabling the initial motion for name changes, ward 17 councillor, Sikhululekile Moyo, said in terms of the Urban Councils Act, councillors have the powers to name, re-name, alter or change names of streets and buildings.

“Section 274 as read with Section 276 of the Constitution constitutes, establishes and confers authority on Urban Local Authorities to represent and manage the affairs of people in urban areas throughout Zimbabwe. “A Local authority has the right to govern, on its own initiative, the local affairs of people within the area for which it has been established, and has all the powers necessary to do so. It is also desirable to preserve the pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial history and heritage of the local people of Bulawayo and promote national cohesion, healing, peace and tranquility in a devolved unitary state,” reads part of the motion.

State Media|Two illegal miners died and two others were injured, while more than 20 others are feared trapped underground after a tunnel at Globe and Phoenix Mine in Kwekwe collapsed yesterday.

By the time of going to print, the actual number of trapped illegal miners was not clear, but indications were that about 25 miners were underground at the time of disaster.

Chief Government Mining Engineer Michael Munodawafa, confirmed the accident, yesterday.

He said rescue efforts were ongoing.

Eng Munodafawa said mining inspectors were still trying to gain entry into the collapsed shaft through other channels.

“We can confirm that two artisanal miners died while two others were injured and taken to hospital, after a mineshaft they were working under collapsed,” he said.

“We are still to get more causalities but there is a possibility that those who are said to be missing could have found their way out through other entrances and exit points.

“We are not ruling out the fact that there could be scores others missing, but they could as well have managed to escape; we will give a final update once the operation is over.”

Various groups operating at the mine were trying to account for each other with unconfirmed reports saying at least 20 were still unaccounted for.

It also emerged yesterday that Globe and Phoenix Mine ceased operations in 2007 following an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which showed the shafts, most of which were right underneath Kwekwe central business district (CBD) were posing danger to the city.

Kwekwe District Administrator Mr Fortune Mupungu, who is also the District Civil Protection Unit chairperson, said scores of artisanal miners were operating at the mine illegally.

Some of the artisanal miners were evicted from Gaika Mine.

“We received the sad news that several miners were trapped underground following the collapse of a shaft this morning (yesterday).

“A team which went underground to assess the situation only found two bodies,” said Mr Mupungu.

Police only arrived around 3pm while officials from the Mines and Mining Development Ministry arrived at 4:30pm.

The police were assisted by some artisanal miners to retrieve the bodies from the shaft, before loading them into their van and left.

It was a tense atmosphere with some self-styled security personnel at the scene threatening to beat anyone who dared to take photos.

Some of the artisanal miners who had gathered outside the mine were ordered to leave.

“We don’t want any pictures taken from here. Those who came out of the shafts, please go home. We have stopped operations here. We only want to see relatives of those missing, everyone let’s go,” said one of the security people.

Eyewitnesses said the two miners, whose bodies were retrieved, were crushed by a boulder which fell off the collapsing shaft.

“The two were at the entrance of the shaft so there is a boulder which fell on them as the shaft collapsed, they were cut into halves but we don’t know what became of their colleagues who were inside the shaft, about 20 of them,” said an artisanal miner, Mr Mthokozisi Moyo.

Mr Moyo said the shaft where their colleagues were trapped was over 8km long.

“From outside up to the entrance of the shaft which collapsed, we need to walk for about 4km while underground, but the shaft itself is over 8km,” he said.

Farai Dziva|
Chibi High School head, Bornface Machingauta has died.

The head Reformed Church in Zimbabwe run Chibi High School died on his way to Zvishavane to see a doctor after spending the day with fellow teachers during an athletics zonal competition at Nyaningwe Secondary in Chivi, a source quoted by The Mirror said.

“I met him in the afternoon and he was driving his car although he had difficulties in talking, he was not in his usual high spirits and at around 7pm we heard he died while on his way to hospital…

Machingauta died near Madzivadondo area on his way to Zvishavane,” the source said.

Farai Dziva|Robert Mugabe Way in Kwekwe has been renamed after Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Kwekwe mayor
Angeline Kasipo, quoted by NewsDay said:

Yes, it is true that the street was renamed and there is a sign post on the corner of the street right now.

However, we are going to be discussing that matter to see what happened because we do not have a resolution that paved the way for the renaming.

So at this stage, what I can say is that a position is going to be made at the next full council meeting to see if that development was regular or not.

FORMER Zanu PF Youth League Political Commissar Godfrey Tsenengamu has defied the party’s directive to go for political orientation at the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology.

The directive comes as a recommendation by ZANU PF’s Politburo after Tsenengamu and former deputy Youth Affairs Secretary Lewis Matutu held a press conference Monday accusing President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s close allies of corruption.

“Ideologically I am up there, that is why I was elevated to the position I had. We cannot use Cde Chitepo’s name to protect corrupt elements. I am not going there. Those that made the recommendation should be the ones going to the school of ideology.”

Tsenengamu said he does not see where he and Matutu wronged the party.

“I do not see where we wronged the party. They said we flouted procedure yet they are the ones who tampered with the party constitution by failing to serve us with formal communication and give us an opportunity to defend our position before a disciplinary committee.

“We did this as individuals, and not representing the party,” he added.

The firebrand politician accused the Zanu PF hierarchy of playing the role of the “arresting officer, prosecutor, magistrate and prison official.”

“I do not care what will happen next. I am part of society, live in society and know what corruption is doing to the livelihoods of ordinary people. I cannot go against my conscience,” he said.-Credit :Zimbabwe Voice

Suspended Zanu PF League leader, Lewis Matutu has presented an offer letter as proof that he had not illegally invaded someone’s farm as others had suggested.

Matutu was responding to a Twitter post by the Secretary of Education in the opposition MDC led by Nelson Chamisa, advocate Fadzayi Mahere who had suggested that Matutu’s anti-corruption campaign was to fool people since he was also corrupt. Mahere had posted saying:

There’s no such thing as good Zanu & bad Zanu. They are all corrupt. @LewisMatutu who condemns corruption by his team mates is guilty of taking the law into his hands and grabbing someone’s land unlawfully. When they fight, we must never take sides. The whole thing is rotten.

In response, Matutu said:

Police in Harare on Wednesday raided a house being rented out by the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs (Monitoring and Implementation of Government Programmes) Dr Joram Gumbo and recovered illicit brew popularly known as “musombodhiya”.

Musombodhiya is street language used to refer to an illicit brew composed of ethanol or methanol.

The minister’s tenant was arrested while police recovered five drums of ethanol and empty bottles labelled “Two Keys”.

They also recovered a punch imported from Mozambique.

The house at 19 Stellenbosch, Sunridge in Mabelreign had been turned into a brewery.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest of the woman and the recovery of the substances.

He said Minister Gumbo was the one who tipped off the police.

“Minister Gumbo came to us reporting that his tenants were involved in the business of brewing illicit beer.

“Police details raided the house and arrested one woman, who is now in custody.

“The woman is implicating her husband, who is yet to be apprehended,” he said.

In an interview with ZBC News, Minister Gumbo expressed shock at how his tenants had turned his house into an illegal liquor centre.

“This is my house, I left here in the early 1990s and it was being rented by these people who have turned it into a brewery.

“I only discovered this when I wanted to drill a borehole for them, but unfortunately, these people have destroyed my house through these shoddy dealings.

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UPDATED: Two illegal miners die, 20 trapped at Globe and Phoenix
UPDATED: 2 killed, 20 feared dead in mine collapse
“I have come here to clear my name because some may report otherwise.

“The people responsible have been arrested,” he was quoted saying.

Although the actual number of suspects who were arrested could not be ascertained by last night, sources close to the investigations said police received a tip-off.

When they went to the house, they discovered some people who were drunk.

They were all taken to Mabelreign Police Station for further questioning and they are likely to be charged with unlawful possession of harmful liquids.

In 2018, a Chitungwiza man was fined $40 for possessing 240 bottles of “musombodhiya”.

Nyaradzai Mazona (33) pleaded guilty when he appeared before magistrate Mr Oliver Mudzongachiso charged with unlawful possession of harmful liquids.

The prosecutor, Mrs Edith Chitapa, proved that on June 5, 2018 at around 9am, a constable Sithole was deployed at Seke depot, manning a roadblock when she stopped a motor vehicle and searched it.

She found 240 bottles x 200ml of the illicit alcohol brew and immediately arrested Mazona.

CHIEF Justice Luke Malaba has postponed to March, hearing in an urgent chamber appeal filed by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga challenging a ruling by the High Court allowing his estranged wife, Marry Mubaiwa to have custody of the feuding couple’s three minor children.

Chiwenga approached the superior court soon after Mubaiwa was granted access to their matrimonial home including properties and children by Justice Christopher Dube-Banda.

Lawyers representing both parties agreed that the matter should be heard urgently before Malaba postponed the matter.

“The application for the urgent hearing of the appeal in case Number SC26/2020 be and is hereby granted,” said Chief Justice Malaba.

The case was also postponed on the basis that Mubaiwa’s lawyer, Advocate Taona Nyamakura intends to travel to Rwanda and will be back on March 14.

The case was heard in Malaba’s chambers.

Meanwhile, Malaba directed Chiwenga’s lawyers to file and serve heads of argument in case Number SC26/2020 by no later than 4pm on February 19.

He ordered Mubaiwa’s lawyers to file their response not later than March 4.

In addition, the Chief Justice also directed that the matter be heard any time after March 14, when Mubaiwa’s lawyer is expected back in the country.

Chiwenga’s appeal follows Justice Banda’s ruling granting Mubaiwa the relief she sought, after he allegedly barred her from returning to their Borrowdale mansion.

The Vice President also denied her access to their children arguing she was a danger to them.

On Thursday, another High Court judge, Pisirayi Kwenda altered his ruling regarding Mubaiwa’s return to her matrimonial home.

The judge had initially allowed her to go back after granting her bail but now says it will be improper considering that Chiwenga stays at the same address and the allegations that Mubaiwa attempted to kill her husband.

Mubaiwa, currently languishing in remand prison, will reside at her parents’ house until her cases are finalised.

The city of Bulawayo yesterday renamed their roads to replace some of the roads’ pre-colonial era names. Ignoring the cabinet’s road names suggestion Bulawayo renamed their roads as they dimmed fit.

Here is a full list of the new road names:

1. Council resolved to stick to the numbered format for Avenues in the CBD from First to 15th Avenue.
2. Councillors chose to honour the President by renaming George Avenue (from Harare Road to Old Esigodini Road)  Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Avenue
3. Leopold Takawira Avenue (from Samuel Parirenyatwa Street to Umguza River Bridge along Gwanda Road) which is now King Mzilikazi Road,
4. Nketa Drive is now Queen Lozikheyi Dlodlo Drive,
5. Athlone Avenue is now Simon Vengai Muzenda Road
6. 23rd Avenue is now Landa John Nkomo Road
7. Lady Stanley Avenue is now Mama Joanna Mafuyana Avenue,
8. Steeldale Road and Anthony Tylor Road is now Albert Nxele Road,
9. Dunde Drive has been renamed Sikhanyiso Duke Ndlovu Drive,
10. Fife Street is now Nikita Mangena Street and
11. Fort Street has been renamed Lookout Masuku Street.
12. Old Khami Road is now Sydney Malunga Road,
13. Basch Street is Dumiso Dabengwa Road,
14. Waverley Road is now Jairos Jiri Road
15. Fairbridge has been renamed Erick Bloch Way.
16. Hillside Road which is now Sir Garfield Todd Road,
17. Van Riebeck Road is now Joseph Msika Drive,
18. Connaught Avenue is now Cephas Cele Avenue,
19. Collenbrander Road is now Daniel Madzimbamuto Road,
20. Manchester Road is now George Nyandoro Road,
21. Vera Road is now Naison Khutshwekhaya Ndlovu Road,
22. Birkenhead Road has been renamed Sikanjaya Muntanga Road
23. Doncaster Road is now Maria Msika Road.
24. Lobengula Street has been corrected to King Lobengula Street,
25. Moffat Road in Hillside which has been corrected to Robert Moffat Drive and
26. Leander Road in Hillside which is now Dr Leander Star Jameson.
27. Coghlan Avenue which is now Charles Patrick Coghlan Avenue
28. Cecil Avenue which is now Cecil John Rhodes Avenue

COLD Storage Commission (CSC) employees have called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to step in and stop alleged asset stripping by a United Kingdom-based investor Boustead Beef (Pvt), claims that have been dismissed by the firm.

In an open letter, the petitioners, who include retrenchees, pensioners and current workers, pleaded with government to investigate the investor.

“Mr President, if possible, set up a small commission of inquiry into this deal comprising lawyers and finance/investment experts to bust this conman. If, indeed, our assessment is correct that Boustead Beef is a scam, then CSC was transferred cheaply and to the wrong person without proper regard to the massive value and income generation capacity of CSC,” the petition read.

In March 2019, government signed an agreement with the UK-based investor to buy into CSC.

Under the deal, Boustead Beef (Pvt) was to also finance the rehabilitation of some CSC farms, where cattle fattening used to take place.

At the time, Boustead Beef (Pvt) promised to complete the resuscitation of CSC within six months before revitalising the Masvingo, Chinhoyi and Marondera branches.

CSC employees called for an audit of the company’s assets.

“There is need for an independent audit up to a cut off point to establish the state of affairs prior to February 22, 2019, the date on which Boustead took over as per the LJFCP [Livestock Joint Farming Concession Project]. Assets verification and documentation is important to safeguard them from plunder through stripping,” the petition by the CSC employees read in part.

“We suspect that after firing the CSC managers, Boustead Beef seeks to destroy all institutional memory of the company, thereby creating a conducive climate to plunder the properties without a trace. In our view, the government must ensure it keeps an audited record of all assets transferred to Boustead Beef in the LJFCP.”

However, Boustead Beef (Pvt) has expressed confidence the company will resume full operations next month after the installation of a three megawatt solar plant, which will be used to power its main plant in Bulawayo in the face of rolling electricity outages.

The firm, which ceased operations and sent employees on forced leave in September 2019 to allow retooling and refurbishments, said it had taken delivery of the solar panels worth $10 million and other ancillary equipment awaiting installation while antiquated equipment and others which have outlived their lifespan have been removed.

Its tanning operations at its Bulawayo’s Wet Blue Industries have resumed less than two months after it was taken out of judiciary management, NewsDay established during a visit to CSC yesterday.

Reggie Shoko, the company’s consultant, said: “It was a retooling process which was taking place at the main abattoir and the canning factory, where we had to replace some of the malfunctioning equipment with new machinery such as the old compressors.

“We are ready to go, though not at a pace that was widely expected as there is a lot of retooling that had to take place. It’s still baby steps, but we are producing, particularly at our tanning factor.”

He added: “There is a lot that we have to deal with, its institutional legacy as a parastatal among others. We are, however, pleased to announce that we have received export orders with our first scheduled for April.”

The company has promised to bring back to life the struggling CSC after promising to inject US$400 million over the next five years to revive the company, which had become dormant in the last two decades.

Own Correspondent|Former Zanu-PF Youth League leaders Lewis Matutu and Godfrey Tsenengamu have remained defiant saying their suspension from the party will not push them away from their fight against corruption.

Following their Monday press conference in which they accused three local business people of bleeding the economy through corrupt dealings, the two were yesterday suspended for one year and recommended to a compulsory three months enrollment at Herbert Chitepo school of ideology.

But posting on Twitter, Matutu said his move was a self sacrifice he will willing to die for insisting that the fight against corruption will not stop because of his suspension.

His counterpart, Tsenengamu had prior to the politburo meeting that sealed his fate said he was ready for any outcome also insisting that he stands by what he said.

“Ready for Any Outcome from the Politburo. I stand with what l said. No Regrets #CartelsMustFall,” said Tsenengamu on Facebook.

Meanwhile, the two young politicians have called for yet another press conference on Friday morning.

The country is expected to experience a prolonged wet spell with a likelihood of violent storms and localised heavy falls starting on Friday, tomorrow.

Localised heavy downpours greater than 50mm in 24hours are highly likely and the storms may be violent in places. Because of the prolonged wet spell, some areas might experience flash flooding if they continue to receive heavy falls and river flooding remains highly probable.

In a statement today, the Meteorological Services Department said the wet spell was expected to last until next Wednesday.

“Starting today, most areas in the country are expected to have scattered thunderstorms. Rainfall is likely to intensify from tomorrow to Wednesday February 12. However, the spatial distribution may be variable across the country.

“The bulk of the rainfall should be realised in areas along and to the north of the main watershed,” read the statement.

The department advised people not to cross flooded rivers, to avoid parking cars under trees and stay indoors during thunderstorms.

“Never take shelter in isolated sheds or under trees,” said the MSD.

Senior doctors testified before parly yesterday that Deputy Health Minister Dr Chamunorwa Mangwiro travelled to India and bought hospital equipment which is not usable according to reports.

The senior doctors said, of the equipment, Dr Mangwiro brought from India only 10% of it is usable. The equipment that was brought from Norula Exports based in New Delhi, India, has reportedly caused more problems for the government. ‘

Testifying before parly, Senior Public Hospitals Doctors’ Dr Mbuvayesango said:

What happened with the Indian consignment was that Dr Mangwiro called a member of the Department of Surgery and telling him he was going to India to buy equipment.

Maybe he was in the departure lounge, but the member declined and told him that this was not the way how things were done.

Some people (hospital staff) alleged they got images on WhatsApp from the Minister asking whether the equipment shown on WhatsApp was the correct one.

The endoscopic equipment was not usable and doctors refused to use it. Equipment was not branded. A sticker from a company not known to be a manufacturer Narula Exports from New Delhi was named as the company supplying the equipment.

When the equipment arrived, there was a big ceremony at the Airport in Harare. The President said, ‘I am not a doctor but is this the correct equipment that was bought.

The tendering system does not work. There is brand that we know will last. Some brands are cheap and do not even last for two or three years. We were consulted but when it came to actual purchasing, we were not involved.

I and Dr Mangwiro were put in procurement board, but we were never called in for any meetings because we were said to be very busy. Maybe there is a deliberate ploy to exclude the end user.

Meanwhile, junior doctors have reportedly accepted HigherLife Foundation‘s fellowship for doctors and a bulk of them have reportedly gone back to work.

Pindula

Former Cabinet Minister Prisca Mupfumira and ex-permanent secretary in the Ministry of Public Service and Social Welfare Ngoni Masoka have filed an application at the High Court for review of a Harare magistrate’s decision to dismiss their application for exception to the two counts of criminal abuse of duty and another count of concealing a transaction from a principal.

Mupfumira and Masoka have also filed an urgent chamber application for stay of proceedings in their case at the magistrate’s court pending the High Court’s determination on their application.

Acting Chief Magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi yesterday dismissed Mupfumira and Masoka’s applications for exception to the charges saying they lacked basis. Today, Mupfumira and Masoka also made another application before Mr Mutevedzi seeking for adjournment of the matter pending the High Court’s determination.

The State is yet to respond with the court expected to make a ruling later in the day.

By A Correspondent| Patrick Chinamasa made the announcement Wednesday afternoon and said besides being suspended from Zanu Pf and being reduced to only card carrying members, Lewis Matutu amd Godfrey Tsenengamu were expected to undergo 3 months of ideological training at Hebert Chitepo school of ideology for exhibiting indiscipline.

The duo, were booted out of their positions for hosting a press conference where they announced a couple of Zanu Pf linked heavyweights including businessman Kuda Tagwirei, Tafadzwa Musarara and Billie Rautenbag accusing them of being corrupt.

Watch the video loading below for this and more….

Responding to the announcement, Tsenengamu scoffed at his former seniors and referred to them as students.

He argued that contrary to their statement, him and ousted Zanu Pf youth league cadres 56 year old Pupurai Togarepi and Deputy Secretary Lewis Matutu believed that the late Herbert Chitepo was not a thief, a looter or corrupt as was being insinuated by their superiors.

He said:

By Farai D Hove| The MDC Vice President, Tendai Biti has slammed ZANU PF for firing members who have whistleblown on wrongdoing by non-members, a reference to businessmen Kuda Tagwirei, Billy Rautenbach and others.

Biti threw in a series of Tweets attacking the ZANU PF party leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa saying;

“On what basis is punitive action taken against members who have attacked & exposed wrongdoing by non-members. How does an attack on external players cause internal disharmony? Unless of course as we always argue, you are the Arch Bishop of plunder. His grace, the Pillager.”

He goes on to unleash, what he terms, a fight against state capture.

“It’s time to fight #StateCapture in ZIM: Billy Rautenbach, John Bredenkamp, Afrexim Bank, Kuda Tagwireyi, Trafigura, the Butcher, Anjin, Mbada.”

Youth leader Pupurai Togarepi was kicked out of the politburo, while Godfrey Tsenengamu and Lewis Matutu were suspended from party business for 12 months; and so far Matutu has vowed not to be silenced. The two, Matutu and Ysemengamu are now to make a press statement on Friday.

Own Correspondent|Opposition Movement For Democratic Change, MDC, leader Nelson Chamisa on Thursday met with delegation of civil society leaders in Harare to discuss the state of the country’s political and economic situation.

The non governmental organisations under the auspices of the Crisis In Zimbabwe Coalition presented cluster updates to the MDC leader on the state of the country from human rights issues to service delivery and political issues.

Addressing the group, Chamisa reiterated his call that the MDC is ready for a dialogue anytime with ZANU PF provided an international mediator is found.

Chamisa said that he has no problems with former South African President Thabo Mbeki leading the negotiations.

“I have no problem with Thabo Mbeki meditating in the talks,” said Chamisa.

“The mediator has no problem at all, the issue lies with how the two of us to the negotiating table behave.”

Chamisa also dismissed the Political Parties Actors Dialogue, POLAD, claiming that it is just Mnangagwa’s choir of praise singers and time wasters.

“Dialogue is between two people who are failing to understand each other not to have a choir led by Mnangagwa being called a dialogue,” said Chamisa.

“MDC and ZANU PF are not understanding each other and so they are the two parties that must be in a dialogue not the rest. “

Chamisa told the civil society that they are not intending to negotiate for a unity government with ZANU PF but a transition arrangement which will lead the country to credible elections in 2023.

According to the Crisis In Zimbabwe Coalition spokesperson, Marvellous Kumalo, the civil society grouping will meet with all the political parties represented in the current parliament on the same discussion before coming up with a national roadmap of trying to solve the Zimbabwean Crisis.

Kumalo said they met with the MDC first because it was the first party to express its availability for the dialogue.

FORMER Zanu PF Youth League Political Commissar Godfrey Tsenengamu has defied the party’s directive to go for political orientation at the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology.

The directive comes as a recommendation by ZANU PF’s Politburo after Tsenengamu and former deputy Youth Affairs Secretary Lewis Matutu held a press conference Monday accusing President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s close allies of corruption.

“Ideologically I am up there, that is why I was elevated to the position I had. We cannot use Cde Chitepo’s name to protect corrupt elements. I am not going there. Those that made the recommendation should be the ones going to the school of ideology.”

Tsenengamu said he does not see where he and Matutu wronged the party.

“I do not see where we wronged the party. They said we flouted procedure yet they are the ones who tampered with the party constitution by failing to serve us with formal communication and give us an opportunity to defend our position before a disciplinary committee.

“We did this as individuals, and not representing the party,” he added.

The firebrand politician accused the Zanu PF hierarchy of playing the role of the “arresting officer, prosecutor, magistrate and prison official.”

“I do not care what will happen next. I am part of society, live in society and know what corruption is doing to the livelihoods of ordinary people. I cannot go against my conscience,” he said.-Credit :Zimbabwe Voice

Farai Dziva|Robert Mugabe Way in Kwekwe has been renamed after Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Kwekwe mayor
Angeline Kasipo, quoted by NewsDay said:

Yes, it is true that the street was renamed and there is a sign post on the corner of the street right now.

However, we are going to be discussing that matter to see what happened because we do not have a resolution that paved the way for the renaming.

So at this stage, what I can say is that a position is going to be made at the next full council meeting to see if that development was regular or not.

MYSTERY surrounds the renaming of Robert Mugabe Way in Kwekwe to ED Mnangagwa Street, with council and the government denying involvement in what seems to be a ploy to erase the late former President’s
legacy.

Last year, the Cabinet approved plans to rename roads, places and government buildings across the country, with 10 roads to be named after President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who owns Precabe Farm in Sherwood, near Kwekwe.

Cabinet announced that Enterprise Road (Harare), Sixth Avenue (Bulawayo), A5 Road (Kwekwe), Main Street (Gweru), Chipinge Main Street, Etherton Road (Bindura), Edgar Peacock Road (Mutare), Henry Hartley Road (Chegutu) and Hughes Street in Masvingo would be named after the incumbent President.

Kwekwe mayor Angeline Kasipo yesterday confirmed the renaming of the street, but said councillors were not involved in the development and the matter would be discussed at the next full council meeting.

“Yes, it is true that the street was renamed and there is a sign post on the corner of the street right now. However, we are going to be discussing that matter to see what happened because we do not have a resolution that paved the way for the renaming. So at this stage, what I can say is that a position is going to be made at the next full council meeting to see if that development was regular or not,” Kasipo, who is an MDC Alliance councillor, said.

Information permanent secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana yesterday said it was false that the street had been renamed and refused to shed light on the matter.

“Robert Mugabe Way has not been changed to ED Mnangagwa Street. You have inaccurate information,” he said curtly.

The Nelson Chamisa-led MDC has a majority of councillors in Kwekwe City Council.

Kwekwe-based human rights defender Nkosilathi Moyo said the general populace in the city was shocked to see the Robert Mugabe Way being renamed and said it seemed the process was irregular because councillors he spoke to in the city expressed ignorance on the re-naming exercise.

“The people of Kwekwe would feel that their rights were trampled upon because they were not consulted on the re-naming exercise. Besides that, we are shocked as to why the authorities chose to target the street named after the late President Mugabe when there are several others with names of former Rhodesian politicians and some whites from the colonial period,” he said.

Soon after the ED Mnangagwa Street sign post was erected, people took selfie photos of it and posted them on social media platforms venting their anger on the development, saying it was better to leave Mugabe’s sign post intact to preserve his legacy.

They said Mnangagwa should, instead, give the people of Kwekwe jobs because they were suffering under his leadership.

Moyo said people were generally unhappy about the name change.

Efforts to get a comment from Local Government minister July Moyo were unsuccessful as his mobile went unanswered.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- A 66-year-old Chipinge woman appeared in court for stealing 12 cattle belonging to another villager.

Eunice Dziyani of Chichichi village under Chief Mutema. denied ever stealing the cattle and said they belonged to her she lost them in 2009.

They are my cattle. I didn’t steal the complainant’s cattle. They belong to me. I lost them in 2009 when they were still seven and recovered them in 2017 in the grazing area.

It is the state’s case that:

On an unknown date, but in July 2017, the complainant Silas Matangi from Samutsa village released his 12 cattle to a grazing land in the woods of Highlands Wattle Company and left them unattended. After some days, he went to collect them, but found them missing.

He searched for them in nearby villages, but could not find them and did not report the matter to the police since he suspected that they had strayed. A month later, he saw them at Matute Business Centre and he sent his employee to collect them.

When his employee was driving off the cattle, he was confronted by Dziyani’s children who asked him where he was taking the cattle. He advised them that they belonged to his employer.

Dziyani’s children went and advised their mother about the issue and she in turn approached her church pastor about the issue. He allegedly advised her to solve the matter without involving the police.

However, she went and confronted Matangi demanding the cattle, arguing that they belonged to her and had lost them in 2009. Matangi then reported the matter to the police, leading to Dziyani’s arrest.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- The Robert Mugabe way in Kwekwe has been renamed to ED Mnangagwa.

Kwekwe mayor Angeline Kasipo confirmed the renaming of the street and said:

Yes, it is true that the street was renamed and there is a sign post on the corner of the street right now. However, we are going to be discussing that matter to see what happened because we do not have a resolution that paved the way for the renaming.

So at this stage, what I can say is that a position is going to be made at the next full council meeting to see if that development was regular or not

Last year the cabinet suggested that roads be renamed. The City of Bulawayo, however, renamed most roads and ignored cabinet suggestions. 

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- A safari and mining firm running the Mujingwe Conservancy in Mwenezi has taken President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Defence Forces Commander, Philip Velario Sibanda, Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri and 12 others to court over the deployment of soldiers into the conservancy.

Apatron Mining (Pvt) Ltd, through Ncube and Partners, filed an application for declaratur at the Bulawayo High Court on January 29.

The application cited Mnangagwa, Sibanda, Muchinguri, Macduff Madega — the Sheriff of Zimbabwe, Tonderai Tsunga — additional Sheriff Masvingo province, Joseph Kudumba, Elliot Muswita, Finger Tapera, Headman Mhizha, Peter Mudhumo, Rafael Shoko, Solomon Ndlovu, Haigwari Safari (Pvt) Ltd, director for Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) and Environment minister Mangaliso Ndlovu as respondents.

In his founding affidavit, Vusumuzi Osfael Mazibuko submitted that he was the managing director of Apatron Mining (Pvt) Ltd.

“This is an application to declare unconstitutional and unlawful, the entry into and continuing presence of armed soldiers at Mujingwe Conservancy Mwenezi. Consequential relief is sought to the effect that the soldiers be ordered to vacate the conservancy,” Mazibuko
submitted.

“The factual background is that on October 11, 2016, the applicant received an offer letter to enter into a joint venture management of Mujingwe Conservancy with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority. The offer letter was signed by the board chairman on October 11 and by the permanent secretary on October 12, 2016. It was, thereafter, approved by the 15th respondent (Environment minister).”

He said on October 12, he received a letter from the ZimParks commercial director, indicating that the partnership agreement was being drafted and would be forwarded in due course.

“Meanwhile, we moved onto the site and commenced work as per the agreement of the parties. The joint venture agreement was for a period of 25 years running from 2017 to 2043. This, therefore, means that the joint venture agreement is still extant. On July 28, 2019, the sixth to 13th respondents obtained an order in default against a non-existent entity known as Vusimuzi Masibuko trading as Apatron Mining Fort Rixon. As is evident from the face of the order, the applicant was never a party to those proceedings.”

He said, however, that order was used to issue a writ of his ejection from the conservancy.

“The applicant was ejected from the conservancy on December 11, 2019. When executing his duties, the fifth respondent (Tonderai Tsunga additional Sheriff Masvingo province) enlisted the services of 10 soldiers, five (of them) were armed with AK-47 rifles. The soldiers wreaked havoc and damaged property. The applicant instructed legal practitioners to lodge a complaint with fourth respondent (Madega, the Sheriff of Zimbabwe), which was copied to the secretary of the Law Society of Zimbabwe and to the respondents and their lawyers.

Mazibuko said on December 23, he went to the conservancy, where he saw an armed soldier who told him that his other four colleagues were patrolling the conservancy.

He said his lawyers again wrote to (the Sheriff) asking for a response to their previous letter.

He added that their letter also indicated that two civilian members of the community had been shot by the soldiers, but the Sheriff did not respond.

Mazibuko said despite complaints to the authorities, the soldiers have remained put in the conservancy.

He said his interests and rights to the occupation of the conservancy had been grossly violated.

The respondents are yet to file their response to the application.-Newsday

MDC official Tracy Mutinhiri has announced her resignation from the Nelson Chamisa-led party.

The letter she wrote to Nelson Chamisa, dated 5th February 2020, says her resignation is with immediate effect.

Since joining the MDC in 2012, Mutinhiri could not realize her wish to become MDC legislator as well as a National Executive Council member. She was also a former spy in the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO).

Below is Mutinhiri’s resignation letter send to MDC leader Nelson Chamisa…

The 64-year-old Mutinhiri was once a Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Welfare under Robert Mugabe, as she was then a Zanu-PF legislator for Marondera East. She also served as the political commissar for the Zanu-PF Women’s League.

She was expelled from Zanu-PF and the Government in August 2011 following allegations of going against party policies and directives. She then joined the MDC-T under Morgan Tsvangirai.

Mutinhiri was married to Zanu-PF official, Retired Brigadier-General Ambrose Mutinhiri.

-Online

MASERU (Reuters) – The Lesotho prime minister’s wife Maesaiah Thabane was released on bail overnight, ahead of her trial for the murder of his previous wife, her lawyer told Reuters on Thursday.

Maesaiah was detained and charged this week for the murder of Prime Minister Thomas Thabane’s estranged wife Lipolelo, who was shot dead near her home in the capital, Maseru, on June 14, 2017. Thabane took office two days after the killing, then two months later he and Maesaiah, now 42, got married.

The trial is currently scheduled for February 18.

Her lawyer Rethabile Setlojoane told Reuters by telephone that Maesaiah would travel to South Africa for a medical examination on Thursday, although it isn’t clear if she will be allowed to leave the country.

The prime minister’s previous wife Lipolelo, then 58, and Thabane, now 80, were going through an acrimonious divorce at the time of her killing.

-Reuters

Former  ZANU PF official Tracy Mutinhiri has  resigned from the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC  with immediate effect.

Mutinhiri is a former Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Welfare and a legislator for Marondera East.

She also served as the political commissar for the Zanu-PF Women’s League.

Read the full letter before:

By A Correspondent- Machete gangs pounced on Masvingo High Court Judge, Justice Garainesu Mawadze’s Waterfalls house in Harare where they severely assaulted his son, and left him for dead. They also stole US$1 500 and other items.

Another machete gang also raided a Kuwadzana forex dealer and stole US$300 and ZWL$18 000.

The two incidents happened on Tuesday.

Reports are that a gang of over 10 men armed with machetes, an assortment of weapons and pepper sprays pounced on Justice Mawadze’s house at around 6pm when there was no one at home.

After getting into the yard, they sprayed his two dogs with pepper spray and tied them to a tree.

They then stripped his Mercedes Benz E400 of its four wheels and a grill after which they broke the French door to his house to gain entry.

On getting into the house, they reportedly ransacked the house, turning everything upside down and stole US$1 500, an iPhone and DVD player.

Reports indicate that the judge’s son arrived while they were still inside the house and they sprayed him with pepper spray before assaulting him, leaving him unconscious.

After the robbery, they disappeared from the scene and are reportedly still at large.

Judiciary Service Commission spokesperson Brian Nkiwane confirmed the robbery without giving more details.

“We confirm receiving such a report and we can’t say much as the matter is under police investigations,” Nkiwane said.

National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said he was attending a workshop.

In the Kuwadzana robbery, reports say a gang of six robbed a forex dealer of US$300 and ZWL$18 000 which was in his EcoCash account.

The gang reportedly arrived at Earnest Mukuzo’s house in Kuwadzana 3 at around 1am wearing masks armed with an iron bar, hammer and a pistol.

They awoke him and demanded cash.

In fear, Mukuzo handed over US$300 and his two cellphones which had ZWL$18 000 mobile money.

The gang also demanded his EcoCash pin code.

After robbing him, they allegedly struck him with an iron bar on both hands.

Mukuzo sustained a deep cut on his right hand.-newsday