By A Correspondent | INVESTIGATIVE | Just as ZimEye exclusively revealed in 2021, Zanu PF informer and socialite Susan Mutami has come out into the public with one only child, contrary to previous claims that she has twins with Norton Law-maker Temba Mliswa.

Last year, the controversial Australian-based Mutami went to town claiming that she was having torrid times with pregnancy carrying Mliswa’s twins.

ZimEye.com early 2021 exposed Mutami’s several bedroom scandals, which included  government ministers and top Army Generals.

The below is a trail of event twists that involved high profile ministers caught between two scandals, one on the sale of stands, and one of trappings using a self proclaimed anti-terrorism expert, Susan Mutami.

It was all triggered when earlier in the year, the Special Anti Corruption Unit head, Thabani Mpofu was close to arresting Local Govt Minister, July Moyo over the alleged sale of stands in Harare, Kwekwe and Gweru for his own benefit.

There were several beneficiaries listed on this reported scandal who are in the ministry of Justice; so to hide this, a quick plan was hatched to get Mpofu fired.

Mpofu, who leads the controversial taskforce, was swiftly accused of authoring letters for MDC Alliance Vice President Tendai Biti advising the opposition icon on ways if navigating through the justice system.

Close sources allege that, when this was about to happen, the Norton MP Temba Mliswa went over to president, Emmerson Mnangagwa to advise him to ignore the calls to fire Mpofu, doing this in order to settle scores with the enemy of an enemy (Mliswa had heard that Thabani Mpofu had been set up by July Moyo, Owen Ncube, and Virginia Mabhiza). Mliswa has had several bones to chew with Thabani Mpofu. Mliswa reasoned with Mnangagwa saying: how could Thabani Mpofu author letters for MDC Deputy President Tendai Biti in this age and time when he could simply pick a phone call.

Parallel to all this, Temba Mliswa was the subject of an ongoing probe in which he was entangled with an ex girlfriend Susan Mutami.

Facts became clear mid February that, Susan Mutami, the centre of the axis, was used to incriminate Mliswa.

Mutami is an enigma. She claims she bedded the late SB Moyo, Killer Zivhu, Temba Mliswa. She is even openly  announces saying she has bedded the President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

She says she has Mliswa’s twins, while at the same time naming her son after his arch enemy, Owen Ncube.

5 LOVERS, 2 PREGNANCIES TO 2 DIFFERENT MEN, ALL IN ONE YEAR

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Last year alone she dated at least four different men who include the Foreign Affairs Minister SB Moyo, one after the other:

Polite Kambamura, the Mining Deputy Minister (they were engaged). Walter Chikwana, Secretary for the Judicial Commission (they had a civil partnership in 2020), and ZANU PF MP, Hon Kenneth Musanhi (see pictures).

Furthermore, an affidavit seen by ZimEye states in addition that she was already pregnant way before bedding Mliswa last year.

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The affidavit, certified by the Judicial Services Commission (JSC), shows that as at around March 2020, she was still engaged to another man, who works inside the JSC, Mr Walter Chikwana.

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The man was reached for a comment but wouldn’t speak or respond to questions.

Meanwhile, the affidavit states that Mutami was carrying a pregnancy to another man at the end of March 2020. In the affidavit, her boyfriend, Mr Chikwana says:

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‘ I am Susan Vivian Mutami’s partner and in case of emergency I can be contacted on the above mentioned address or on my mobile number, +263772***********”

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He then goes on to say he is the legal guardian of SB Moyo’s Child (full name redacted-in accordance with the Children’s Act on the paper).

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” I am also the legal guardian of (name withheld), and our unborn child as of date. Attached hereto is a copy of my identification.”

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The affidavit was signed on the 24th March 2020.

The development puts burden on Mutami to explain the timing drama surrounding her two pregnancies (to different men) which are within months of each other.

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She also says that she is the holder of two Australian degrees of which she has none, and also makes false claims that she is the winner of Australia’s CEO awards. During interviews with Mutami, ZimEye reveals how that her claims to university courses are baseless.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW

Asked to state which universities issued her 2 degrees, Susan Mutami says: the @AusEmbZim performed all verification checks. She says: "There is no way a whole embassy would just leave and accompany me to go and donate, and hand out donations without doing proper checks on me…" pic.twitter.com/deBmXUv4St

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) February 27, 2021

Susan Mutami Says Australian Embassy Verified Her 2 Fake Degrees | IS SHE TELLING THE TRUTH?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) February 27, 2021

She is also put to task on her CEO Awards claim, and it is revealed that she was only a passerby at the function who posed in front of a camera holding someone else’s award. (SEE RGM INTERVIEW BELOW)

Her ex lover, Mliswa has maintained his allegations that he was set up by the Central Intelligence Organisation in order to incriminate him using Susan Mutami.

After all this she is lawfully stopped while trying to leave the country, and then she is put under the custody of the Central Intelligence Organisation.
Mutami is held for possessing details on the attempted assassination of the president and killing of three aides at the White City Stadium, then she is whisked out by two powerful ministers who have close links to the president, July Moyo (local governments), Owen Mudha Ncube, minister of state security. After being whisked out without knowledge of the mother body of the CIO, she then starts to attack to the Director General of the CIO, who she claims she once dated, then threatening to release secret information on the cabinet, Politburo and a number of other official secrets, while on the same tweet, absolving the two ministers, July Moyo and Owen Mudha Ncube.

At this time, July Moyo is under investigations for parceling out land, a case being probed by Thabani Mpofu’s SACU organisation.

July Moyo is very close to permanent Secretary Mrs Virginia Mabhiza and Kumbirai Hodzi, the prosecutor General. At the same time, Thabani Mpofu’s SACU is having clashes with the Prosecutor General. There was a collusion between the Prosecutor Gen and July Moyo to get Thabani Mpofu fired. The PG and July Moyo then approached the president Emmerson Mnangagwa to pass allegations that Thabani Mpofu has advised Biti.

The event trail is as follows:

Thabani Mpofu is accused of writing WhatsApp letters to MDC Alliance MP Tendai Biti giving him advice on how to return to parliament, and this makes the president very angry. At this time, Mnangagwa has also been told by Perm Sec Virginia Mabhiza, and Prosecutor Gen Kumbirai Hodzi, to ignore the request to arrest Minister July Moyo on land fraud.

Mnangagwa then summons Thabani Mpofu to State House where he is dressed down. It is reported that Mpofu has been fired. ZimEye contacts Mpofu who tells this news network, it’s not true at all. Are you my employer?, Mpofu fires a question while answering to the report.

Soon afterwards, Temba Mliswa who is naturally against Mpofu, comes to the rescue of Mpofu to tell the President that Mpofu has been set up. Thabani Mpofu also gets support of the CIO DG Isaac Moyo. This angers July Moyo who together with Owen Ncube sponsor Susan Mutami to tweet ‘some dirt’ on Isaac Moyo while absolving July Moyo and Owen Ncube publicly, on the Twitter website.

State security sources report saying Mutami was whisked out of Zimbabwe through the Beitbridge Border post. ZimEye requests paperwork to confirm that the escape was truly through that border post. No date is provided, but by end of April 2021, she is now safely in Australia.

Both Owen Ncube and July Moyo are contacted for a comment, and their phones are put down soon after hearing the interview questions.

Responding to the state security reports, Mliswa denies ever approaching Mnangagwa to assist Mpofu. He tells ZimEye: “Mpofu, Matanga, Mudha, July Moto, and Ziyambi Ziyambi are all one and the same, working hand-in-hand.”

It surfaces that Mutami is an agent of July Moyo and his team to settle their matters with Director General, Isaac Moyo. Thabani Mpofu then suddenly comes out the victim of the two warning camps.

The development has raised questions on how safe Zimbabweans are when ministers and two officials are using a woman to settle their personal scores. Is Zimbabwe is being run by people controlled by bottom power, or is it that Susan Mutami has some ability to capture all these people, or she is so dazzling to control the nation’s top government officials?

By A Correspondent- Police has announced the death of three infants who perished after inhaling pesticides.

In a statement posted on their Twitter handle, Wednesday ZRP said the infants’ parents survived the catastrophe.

” 1/3 Members of the public are urged to be cautious when using pesticides. On 25/12/21, three female infants aged seven, one and five years died in their sleep whilst their parents, aged 42 and 27 escaped death by a whisker at Jowa Village, Inyati,” said the ZRP.

By-MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa has taken time off party activities and headed to his rural home in Masvingo to “re-energise” ahead of the by-elections scheduled for next year.

“I am in the villages, renewing and re-enegising,” Chamisa said in a short message.

The country will have by-elections for 133 local government and parliamentary seats in the first quarter of 2022.

Zanu-PF has said it will use the polls to test its popularity.

MDC Alliance deputy spokesperson Gift Ostallos Siziba said the party would use the polls to “build its mass movement”.

“The by-elections will expose the pretenders and stooges of the oppressors,” Siziba said in an interview.

“We are building our mass movement from the ground, so be rest assured that it will be a season of new strategies, new tactics and new outlook as we brace for the watershed elections in 2023.”

While MDC Alliance leaders appear to have taken a festive break, Zanu-PF has been busy conducting mass mobilisation and provincial elections.

MDC-T’s Douglas Mwonzora said he would use the MDC Alliance tag in the polls, leaving Chamisa with no option, but to adopt a new name.

-Online

By- Zanu PF Insiza North member of parliament, Farai Taruvinga has failed to pay his mine workers their salaries for several months.

Last week his 600 workers at Progress gold mine in Filabusi, Matabeleland South province, protested against the Zanu PF lawmaker, demanding their dues.

The mineworkers also complained about poor working conditions and other unfair labour practices.

“The situation was tense at the mine last week. We have not been paid for two months and just imagine going for Christmas holiday without being paid for two months.

This is absurd,” a mine worker said.

“The workers are owed salaries for November and December and went on holiday without pay.

“There was chaos at the mine as workers wanted to burn offices because of non-payment of salaries.

“We were then told to come back in January to collect our salaries.”

Indications are that the workers earn anything between US$200 and US$400 and an additional $18 000.

A finance department employee at the mine, Patience Tshuma, declined to comment.

Taruvinga was not picking calls despite repeated efforts.

This is not the first time that Taruvinga has been accused of not paying his workers on time,

In December 2018, his workers clashed with management over unfair labour practices, including three months’ failure to clear salary arrears.

Taruvinga was elected MP for the constituency in 2018 and is a popular miner in Filabusi.

-Bulawayo24

By- The Ministry of Home Affairs had that current Zimbabwean passports would remain valid until they expire.

The ministry said the online application for passports was open for both normal and electronic passports.

“The normal passport application procedure is going on and non-biometric passports will work until they expire.

“In line with the COVID-19 restrictions and your convenience, issuance of biometric or e-passports is only done online. Anyone can apply for a biometric passport whether your passport has expired or you have it or you have applied before as long as you are a Zimbabwean citizen.”
Current passports will expire in December 2023.
The e-passport US$20 or $2 400 application fees have to be deposited with CBZ Holdings or First Capital Bank.
This was after the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights challenged a decision by the government to grant CBZ Holdings monopoly to collect the application fees.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa launched the e-passport on December 14. An ordinary e-passport costs US$100 and an emergency one costs US$200.

By A Correspondent- Former Foreign Affairs Minister and G-40 Kingpin Walter Mzembi said it’s possible to vote out President Emmerson Mnangagwa in 2023.

Mzembi, who is exiled in South Africa after running away from the November coup that ousted the late former President Robert Mugabe, said political persuasion is needed.

“2023 is still very significant; let’s all prepare for it; the heart is won naturally by seduction. If forced to surrender, then there is no consent. , political rap is non-orgasmic, its ritualistic non-enjoyable and criminal,” posted Mzembi on his social media platforms.

2023 is still very significant ,lets all prepare for it , the heart is won naturally by seduction , if forced to surrender then there is no consent, political rape is non orgasmic, its ritualistic non enjoyable and criminal.

— Dr Walter Mzembi (@waltermzembi) December 27, 2021

By-Constitutional law expert Professor Lovemore Madhuku has secured bail for the opposition MDC-Alliance activist Makomborero Haruzivishe.

Wednesday, Professor Madhuku and his partner Simon Chabuka successfully convinced the High Court and secured Haruzivishe’s freedom.

Haruzivishe was arrested on 17 February 2021.

On 31 March he was convicted of “inciting public violence and resisting a peace officer”. The State’s case against him was that on 5 February 2020 Haruzivishe “blew a whistle to alert protesters to pounce on police during a protest”.

On 6 April 2021, magistrate Judith Taruvinga sentenced him to 24 months in prison with 10 months suspended. The prosecutor, Moses Mapanga, had argued for this unjustifiable custodial sentence.
Haruzivishe’s then lawyers, Kossam Ncube and Obey Shava, of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, appealed against the conviction. On 3 May, Justice Webster Chinamora heard submissions from both the State and defence, and reserved judgment. Then Justice Chinamora held on to the judgment for more than two months.

Only on 15 July did he rule to grant Haruzivishe Z$10,000 bail as he said his appeal had prospects of success. He was then transferred from Chikurubi maximum security prison to Harare remand prison, but instead of going home, because he has other cases pending for which he was denied bail.

By A Correspondent- Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema has announced that parents with children attending public schools would not pay fees in January 2022.

HH posted this announcement on his Twitter handle on Wednesday.

“Ever imagined that you’d be entering January without worrying about school fees? Jan 2022, if you have a child in public school, you won’t pay anything. This is what we promised & have delivered. When we removed fuel subsidies, this is what we intended for our people. #Zambia“.

Ever imagined that you’d be entering January without worrying about school fees? Jan 2022, if you have a child in public school, you won't pay anything.
This is what we promised & have delivered. When we removed fuel subsidies, this is what we intended for our people. #Zambia pic.twitter.com/b49D9CTigV

— Hakainde Hichilema (@HHichilema) December 29, 2021

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Football Association board has accused the Sports and Recreation Commission of misleading President Emmerson Mnangagwa over their stand-off that could see local football being frozen internationally and want him to intervene.

The SRC, led by Gerald Mlotshwa, suspended the Zifa board in November and Felton Kamambo and crew have been fighting to be reinstated.

Fifa gave SRC until January 3 to reinstate the Zifa executive committee or Zimbabwe face a ban.

The ban would see the Warriors kicked out of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations finals starting in a few days.

Zifa banked on Fifa intervention but so far SRC has remained unfazed by the threat of the ban, with Mlothswa saying, they will only respond to direct communication from the world soccer governing body.

Yesterday, Zifa board members launched a scathing attack on SRC, calling on government to investigate the supreme sports body for abuse of office.

Zifa argued that SRC had failed to provide evidence of allegations of abuse of public funds and sexual abuse of female referees among other transgressions.

“Zifa has been asking for evidence from SRC and still got nothing. Up to this day, nothing close to evidence has been publicly shared by the SRC except defamatory allegations against the Zifa executive committee, council and members,” Zifa wrote in a statement.

Zifa has threatened to release a dossier on SRC “shenanigans” before the end of the week.

“There is no progress that can come out of the current onslaught on football by the SRC backed by some compromised and soiled stakeholders who believe football must only be supported with them at the helm. Further, the board has resolved to now publish a dossier titled the ‘untold story Zifa and SRC’ where all behind the scenes shenanigans by SRC and its advisors shall be exposed and evidence with regards to SRC allegations shall be shared to prove the board’s innocence.

“The detailed document on SRC shenanigans will be shared with senior government officers, media and public together with annexures before the 31st of December 2021.”

Zifa wants government to make its own inquiry into the standoff.

“The committee believes higher well-meaning offices were misled by the SRC into believing that Zifa is guilty of allegations raised by the SRC.

“The executive committee now calls upon those offices to check for themselves and even directly from Zifa if at all any of those allegations can pass any objective test.”

According to Zifa, SRC acted against national interests and sabotaged the country.

“The Zifa board, therefore, calls for an open inquiry into the conduct, motive and decisions of this current SRC board which it believes is anti-development and has acted against national interest. Its actions are tantamount to deliberate sabotage of the sport, persecution of individuals within Zifa by some individuals within SRC, confusion creation and a display of ineptitude in the regulation of sport in our country.”

Zifa begged the government to avert a situation  where the Warriors would be kicked out of Afcon.

“The Zifa board, therefore, calls on government not to be misled by the SRC board and urges it to help the nation evade these potential but unnecessary and avoidable sanctions on our beloved game which are being invited by the SRC.

“We call for urgent intervention by government to stop this SRC sojourn to destruction on a premise which under any circumstances cannot be factually, objectively and legally justified.”

SRC was accused of setting the government against Zifa by misleading it on the conduct of the soccer mother body.

“Further, the Zifa executive committee is well aware of the false gospel being peddled that the suspensions have blessings of the highest office in the land and, therefore, contesting same is fighting the highest office in the land.

“The Zifa executive committee would, however, like to set the record straight, that it is in no way fighting government. Neither is it fighting the highest office in the land.

“The Zifa board respects the government and the country’s leadership and has never acted in ways that suggest otherwise.

“The latest attempt to set the Zifa board against the powers that be are, therefore, only desperate efforts by the SRC and its band of ‘advisors’ to solicit support from the government on their indefensible acts.

“The board is also willing to present itself any day to any government office to show evidence of its innocence and hope the SRC can avail its own proof too including that it has been the best Zifa board so far in more than 30 years of our football.

“The board is very clear that Mlothswa and his fellow board members are not the government, and that opposing their faulty decisions is, therefore, not fighting the government, but legally defending its reputation that is being shattered.

“The Zifa board believes that if allowed to continue, SRC’s actions have an effect of soiling the country and its leadership’s image.”

Following Fifa’s letter to Zifa where the world governing body gave January 3 reinstatement ultimatum, SRC declined to respond saying the letter was not addressed to it.

SRC does not want to engage in any discussion with the suspended Zifa board members.

“We don’t have any official correspondence from Fifa giving us any deadline for re-reinstatement.

“What we have seen in the media is a letter purportedly from Fifa addressed to a suspended member of Zifa,” said Mhlotswa.

Alex Tawanda Magaisa, a former Chief of staff in the office of a late former Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Morgan Tsvangirai has said “the politically homeless must not overestimate their worth.

Without naming any character, Magaisa, a Law lecturer at Kent University in the United Kingdom, makes the remarks at the backdrop of verbal warfare with Professor Jonathan Moyo who is currently in exile after the latter suggested how MDC should use the money donated to buy an armoured vehicle for Nelson Chamisa.

In a series of messages posted on Twitter, Magaisa rebuked those defending “the politically homeless”  urging them to “stop it.”

Moyo is allegedly a member of the defunct G40, a ZANU PF faction that fought with Lacoste that was aligned to then Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The members of the G40 faction were scattered in 2017 following the ouster in 2017 of the late founding leader of Zimbabwe, the late Robert Mugabe. Some are now in exile.

Below are Magaisa’s messages:

We have always stood by the movement. From 1999 we don’t have to tag leaders for approval. We don’t owe them anything & we don’t require their approval. If they lose track we will tell them in a convivial way. We have never hurt them & they know they are dispensable.

The party is the people. That’s why Nelson succeeded Morgan & people approved of him despite the challenges. Those who want to come in & hang on to the leadership are gravely mistaken if they think they can mock the people just because they can blackmail the leadership.

The politically homeless must not overestimate their worth. They must be humble & appreciate the hurt they caused. The system is what it is because of their actions. The human factor. Haikonai kutiudzira zvekuita. You think elite pacts will buy tickets to glory. They won’t.

And you comrades who never stood up to condemn lies, only to stand up to defend known tormentors, please stop it. We work hard to support the cause. They lie & malign & you pretend you don’t see it. Whatever kompromat they have against you, ignore. It doesn’t matter.

In one of his previous Big Saturday Read (BSR) Magaisa defined Kompromat as blackmailing opponents by threatening to or actually exposing private lives they would not have otherwise wished to be in the public domain.

The United Kingdom-based law expert said this is done for bargaining in business and political deals.

By A Correspondent- The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has authorised Ecocash, Zimbabwe’s largest mobile phone-based money transfer, financing and microfinancing service, to exempt Mr Sirizani Butau from Ecocash limits till the end of March next year.

Mr Butau was burnt while trying to rescue people from a Beta bus that was in flames after a head-on collision with a fuel tanker about 20 km outside Mutare on Christmas Eve.

He has been receiving donations from well-wishers and his Ecocash account had reached the limits set by the central bank.

Ecocash then approached RBZ seeking permission to exempt Butai from the limits.

Fungai Mandiveyi, EcoCash Holdings Zimbabwe Spokesperson confirmed the development and said:

I can confirm that we obtained authority from the RBZ to review Mr Sitizani Butau’s weekly EcoCash limit to allow him to pay for urgent treatment, among other things. 

His limit was reviewed from ZWL$35,000 to ZWL$100,000 per week, with effect from Dec 26 2021 until March 31, 2022.  

Mr Butau’s Ecocash account is +263773024849. 

By A Correspondent- Zanu-PF held elections across the country to choose members of its provincial executives, but the polls were marred by chaos amid claims of rampant rigging and vote-buying.

Voting started much later than advertised at most polling stations as ballot papers were delivered late.

In some provinces, riot police had to be called in as tempers boiled over rigging fears.

In some parts of Harare and Mashonaland Central, voting had not begun by midday. Zanu-PF had said voting would take place between 8am and 5pm.

Tensions were high in Harare as party supporters haggled over the validity of ballot papers for over two hours amid allegations of attempted rigging.

In Mashonaland Central, where Kazembe Kazembe is tipped to retain his post as chairperson, ballot papers were delivered late. At Blue Ridge voting centre, ballot papers were yet to be delivered by 5pm.

Zanu-PF political commissar Mike Bimha on Monday promised a flawless election but chaos was the order of the day.

In Masvingo, indications were that Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial chair Ezra Chadzamira would retain his position against his main challenger, Robson Mavhenyengwa.

Masvingo is among the areas where factional fights pitting supporters of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and those of his deputy Constantino Chiwenga are playing out. Chadzimra is said to be fighting in Mnagwagwa’s corner while Mavhenyengwa is linked to the Chiwenga camp.

Several attempts were made to bar party members linked to Chadzamira from voting because of lack of national identification documents.

Concerns were raised by some members over delayed disbursement of ballot boxes and voting material. By 2pm, voting material was still being deployed for Masvingo urban.

Bulawayo, voting also started late. When the NewsDay crew visited Davis Hall command centre at around 11:30am presiding officers were still taking the ballot boxes to various polling stations in the city.

The ruling party set up 61 polling stations for Bulawayo. Former war veterans leader Jabulani Sibanda, former Mpopoma Pelandaba legislator Joseph Tshuma, Bulawayo war veterans chairman Cephas Ncube and incumbent Obert Msindo were contesting for the chairmanship of the province.

Bulawayo provincial elections overseer, Kenneth Musanhi told party members at Davis Hall that Zanu-PF was seeking candidates that would lead the party to an election victory in 2023.

Zanu-PF has been losing elections to the opposition in Bulawayo since the turn of the millennium.

In Midlands, there were reports at Chana Primary School that some aspiring candidates dished out maize meal and US$10 to voters ahead of polls. In Gweru, there were reports of vote-buying and bussing of supporters to polling stations.

In Mashonaland West, there were reports that election results would be delayed due to “logistical” problems.

“We are expecting results around 8pm because we had logistical challenges especially in reaching some areas. We will be expecting communication from the head office on when polling will be concluded,” Zanu-PF secretary for security Lovemore Matuke told NewsDay.

Mary Mliswa-Chikoka, Kindness Paradza and Vengai Musengi are vying for the post of Mashonaland West provincial chairperson. The other candidate, Abia Mujeri withdrew his candidature last night. Mliswa-Chikoka was said to be headed for victory.

In Mashonaland Central, chairperson Kazembe looked set to retain his post.  But in Muzarabani ballot boxes were allegedly stolen by one commissariat director identified as Mharadzano, who was spotted disembarking from Kazembe’s car.

Nzvimbo John Nhamburo, a central committee member who is alleged to be one of Kazembe’s lieutenants was allegedly spotted trying to steal a ballot box, prompting, politburo members to secure them at the Bindura command centre.

In Mutare, voters in several wards left polling stations before ballot papers had arrived after waiting in vain for several hours. Provincial elections overseer Martin Dinha pleaded with supporters at ward 12A poling station not to leave without voting. Riot police were called in at ward 11  polling station where some party members, who were not allowed to vote, threatened violence.

In Gwanda, there was reportedly less chaos at Zanu-PF Matabeleland South provincial offices. But in Beitbridge, voting only started after midday. Tourism minister Mangaliso Ndhlovu was one of the candidates.-newsday

By A Correspondent- A family from Zhombe in Midlands province under Chief Ntabeni last week dumped the corpse of their relative at a house in Emganwini in Bulawayo where the alleged murderer stays.

The family was demanding compensation of 30 cattle in an incident that attracted the intervention of the police and the local leadership.

Kwanele Moyo was accused by the Midlands family of killing their relative in a fight over a woman  at Dundubali in Umguza district, Matabeleland North province last week.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednicho Ncube confirmed the incident yesterday.

“Investigations are in progress. Police have launched a manhunt for five people who are still at large and we are hoping to enlist the services of Chief Ntabeni to assist in the location of these people so that we can interview them before we can prefer charges,” Ncube said.

According to preliminary investigations by the police, five family members were seen dropping the coffin at the house before leaving.

Nketa Emganwini legislator Phelela Masuku also confirmed the incident: “People should not persecute the spirit of the dead, but should resolve their differences amicably.”

Emganwini Residents Association chairperson Janana Ngwenya said it was barbaric for someone to dump a corpse at another person’s house

By A Correspondent | ZimEye | Outspoken activist Makomborero Haruzivishe has finally been granted bail by the High Court after spending nine months behind bars.

Haruzivishe landed in jail after his bail was revoked for skipping court in March this year.

His freedom follows a successful appeal filed through his lawyer, Lovemore Madhuku.

In revoking his bail, Harare magistrate Dennis Mangosi had ruled that he was in wilful default before he took his appeal up to the High Court.

He is expected to be released this Wednesday.

“I can confirm that bail has been granted by Justice Catherine Muzavazi. We expect that he will be released today,” said Madhuku.

Haruzivishe had several criminal charges pending before the courts but was out on bail up until he defaulted early this year.

He had been in contact with a person who tested Covid-19 positive forcing him to self quarantine.

His argument however did not find favour with magistrate Mangosi.

Bail was revoked in a case he is accused of holding hostage Impala Car Rental employees in protest that the company was involved in the abduction of journalism student and activist, Tawanda Muchehiwa.

Following bail revocation he was convicted in a case he was accused of incitement and resisting law officers before he was granted bail pending appeal by the High Court.- ZimEye

Tinashe Sambiri| Political observers postulate that if citizens vote in large numbers, Zanu PF will not be able to steal elections.

What really needs to be done to stop Zanu PF from stealing elections?

However, Mr Wilbert Mukori asserts that the MDC Alliance should not participate in the coming elections but is this the solution the nation needs ?

Tinashe Sambiri|Popular MDC Alliance activist, Terence Dondo was found dead at Huruyadzo Shopping Centre in Chitungwiza on December 26.

Dondo was popularly known as Chimumu because he had speech impairment.

Read statement below:

28 December 2021

St Mary’s has since Boxing Day been mourning Terence Dondo popularly known as “Chimumu” as he was dump and deaf.

He was found dead at Huruyadzo shopping center.

He was a loyal, consistent, dedicated cadre.

Last week this illustrious son of ours was among other people living with disabilities receiving Christmas humpers from non other than President Adv Nelson Chamisa in Harare.

What a loss!!! Mwari ndovanoziva.

Further we are appealing for donations in cash or kind while we await burial arrangements from the family by mid morning tomorrow.

Finally, CCC members and branch chairs are working tirelessly so that all members are geared up to give this Cadre a befitting send-off.

Munhu wese kwachimumu kusvika avigwa pamakuva aripa KC ayo.

By St Mary’s District Chairman Hon Unganai Dickson Tarusenga

By A Correspondent-Embattled Zanu PF Mashonaland Central Provincial chairman and Home Affairs Minister, Kazembe Kazembe, is said to have bribed a senior election monitor at the party provincial election command centre in Bindura so that he twists the votes and reduces his opponent’s imminent victory.

Vote counting in the Zanu PF Provincial Coordinating Committee elections held on Tuesday is underway, with indications that Tafadzwa Musarara has defeated Kazembe,

Kazembe is fighting to retain the Party’s Mashonaland Central Chairmanship position.

Internal Zanu PF security details monitoring the elections in the Province said that Kazembe is working with one Zanu PF director called Mharadzano, who is in charge of vote counting at the provincial command centre in Bindura.

They said Mharadzano is now distorting the votes coming from Mount to Darwin to reduce Musarara’s victory.

” Mharadzano is chasing away security details deployed to assist him count and collet the votes and has told everyone to vacate the ICT room where the vote-counting is happening,” said the sources.

They also said they had recordings of Mharadzano and Kazembe discussing exchanging money ahead of yesterday’s party polls.

” Last night, we heard them (Kazembe and Mharadzano) talking about how they would twist the Mount Darwin votes, and Mharadzano himself promised that he was going to do that while compiling the results.

” There was also talk of US$25,000 which had already exchanged hands in this deal,” the sources said.

Yesterday, Zanu PF supporters in Bindura accused Kazembe’s runners of interfering with the distribution of ballot papers.

They said the incumbent’s campaign team was starving Musarara’s strongholds with ballot papers so that he gets lower votes.

These allegations were confirmed by an alert sent by Zanu PF security personnel monitoring the elections in Bindura to the Party’s headquarters.

Efforts to get a comment from Kazembe and Musarara were fruitless as their phones were not reachable.

By-The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has confirmed the arrest of three suspected armed robbers who shot and killed a 10-month-old baby during an attempted robbery in Macheke on Tuesday morning.

ZRP national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi named the suspects as Ranganai Machipisa (36), Pearson Machipisa (23) and Gift Nhema (32).
The suspects allegedly pounced on a family at Springfield, Macheke at around 1.30 AM today and exchanged fire with their intended target.
During the shootout, the robbers, who were armed with a Star CZ pistol shot the child in the chest and hit the mother on the breast.

The child died on the spot while the mother was ferried to a local hospital where she is currently admitted. Said Asst Insp Nyathi:
The ZRP has arrested Ranganai Machipisa (36), Pearson Machipisa (23) and Gift Nhema (32) in connection with a murder case that occurred at Springfield, Macheke on 28/12/21 at about 0130 hours.
The trio who were armed with unidentified firearms attacked a family in a foiled robbery incident resulting in a shootout with the complainant.
The complainant’s daughter (10 months) was shot in the chest and died on the spot while the wife was shot on the breast and is currently admitted at a local hospital.
Police recovered a Star CZ pistol from the suspects and a Toyota Fortuner vehicle stolen through means of robbery in Murewa.

In an unrelated development, Police in Harare are investigating circumstances surrounding the death of Terence Dondo (32) of St Mary’s Chitungwiza.
On Monday (yesterday) at 0600 hours, the victim’s body, who was a bar attendant, was found lying lifeless on a dust road near Huruyadzo Shops, Chitungwiza with some substances on the mouth and nose.

-Online

By -Prominent Bulawayo businesswoman Beauty Mpofu who founded and owned Sis Bee’s Kitchen chain of restaurants, will be buried on Friday at Lady Stanley Cemetery in Bulawayo.

Sis Bee died from renal failure at the age of 67 at Mater Dei Hospital last Friday.
Her son Mr Alile Yusufu said the family is working out logistics for the Friday burial.
“At the moment we are working on logistics such as the venue for the funeral service and other such issues,” said Mr Yusufu.

During the Kalawa Homecoming, some artistes would eat at Sis Bee’s and her food was also popular with exhibitors and visitors at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.
ZITF Company deputy CEO Ms Stella Nkomo said Sis Bee’s death was a sad loss to Bulawayo and women entrepreneurs in particular.
“She was a business leader who won countless accolades, a confirmation of her business acumen and originality. I also admired her determination and spirit. These are the kind of women that inspire and motivate us to be the best versions of ourselves. May her soul rest in peace,” said Ms Nkomo.
Sis Bee’s eateries are popular outlets, serving traditional dishes such as isitshwala with beef, amalusu, road-runner chicken, amangqina, amasi, ibhobola, ulude and amacimbi, among other traditional delicacies.

Born on September 13, 1954, in Mbaulo in Filabusi, Sis Bee attended Mbaulo Primary School and Matopo High School.
When she came to Bulawayo after school, she worked at Lancashire, which specialised in women’s undergarments.
She retired in 1998 and started her food business operating from home in Emakhandeni suburb.
In 2002 she opened her first outlet along Fort Street between 3rd and 4th Avenue.
In 2010, Sis Bee was selected to provide food for tourists in Limpopo Province during the Fifa World Cup held in South Africa.
She also represented Zimbabwe at the Swaziland Reed Dance in the same year after providing catering services during the Swaziland International Trade Fair, which coincided with the Reed Dance.
She then opened the Parkade Centre branch in 2011 before opening her third branch at Nicoz House at the corner of 8th Avenue and Fort Street in 2019.

Sis Bee has won numerous ZNCC, Mega Fest and Zimbabwe Investment Authority awards. This year she won the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Service Excellence Award in the fast-food sector.
She is survived by four children and 10 grandchildren.
Mourners are gathered at 12 Ellenbogan Road in Ilanda.

-State media

By- A South African man who allegedly killed seven family members on Christmas Day has appeared in the Malamulele Magistrate’s Court on multiple charges of murder.

Azwidohwi Enoch Ndou (52), a nurse from Limpopo Province faces seven charges of murder after he gunned down his relatives on Christmas morning in the Jimmy Jones Village in Malamulele, Limpopo.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA)’s Mashudu Malabi Dzhangi told the court that Ndou shot his family members as they were fighting over a stand that belonged to their father.

The victims have been identified as Mpho Donald Ndou (33), Ndivhuwo Douglas Ndou (33), Portia Mabasa (33), Rendani Winnus Ndou (12), Ronewa Ndou (4), Wanga Ndou (1), Dakalo Makondo Ndou (8) who died on her way to the hospital.

Ndou reportedly handed himself over to the Thohoyandou police station where he was arrested and charged for the murders.

The matter against Ndou has been postponed for further investigations and for him to get a legal representative.

He made a brief appearance before the court and was remanded in custody to 5 January 2022.

More: IOL

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Republic Police has said that 77 people died in road accidents during the Christmas holidays.

The deaths were recorded from 15th-27th December 2021 and were in comparison with those recorded in 2020.

Below is the police statement:

The period encompasses Unity Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
On Unity Day, 22nd December 2021, 120 road traffic accidents were recorded countrywide of which three (03) were fatal, three (03) people were killed while 16 were injured compared to 112 road traffic accidents with four (04) fatal, five (5) deaths while 67 people were injured in the year 2020.
On Christmas day, 25th December 2021, 91 road traffic accidents were recorded countrywide of which 10 were fatal, killing 13 people, injuring 59 compared to 130 road traffic accidents recorded during the same period in 2020 of which three (3) were fatal, with five (5) deaths and 44 people being injured.

On Boxing Day, 26th December 2021, 59 road traffic accidents were recorded countrywide of which 10 were fatal, killing 12 people while 25 were injured.
In 2020, 61 road traffic accidents were recorded which include five (5) fatal which killed five (5) people and injured 45 others.
On 27th December 2021, 60 road traffic accidents were recorded, one being fatal and one person killed whilst 12 people were injured compared to the year 2020 where 58 accidents were recorded, with two (2) being fatal, 17 people killed whilst 43 others injured.
Most of the road traffic accidents occurred on highways as a result of speeding, inattention, misjudgement, following too close and recklessness on the part of drivers.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police urges drivers to be cautious and promote road safety on the roads this holiday.
We remind drivers that road safety is a collective responsibility that needs the cooperation of all motorists.

By A Correspondent- Police is investigating an armed case robbery near Chadcombe at Glenara and Chiremba Roads, Braeside, where a man lost US$45K.

Chadcombe is where Ex-CID official Joseph Nemaisa resides.

“The suspects stopped the victim who was driving a Discovery vehicle at the traffic lights, pointed a firearm before dragging him out of the vehicle, and snatched a box with the cash on the passenger seat,” ZRP posted on their Twitter handle Tuesday.

“1/2 The ZRP warns the public against keeping large sums of cash in their homes, business premises and on their person. On 27/12/21, a Harare businessman lost USD45 000 cash to robbers after he was attacked by unknown suspects who were armed with an unidentified pistol,” said ZRP.

By A Correspondent- Violence in parts of Mashonaland West and allegations of rigging across the country’s 10 provinces characterised Zanu-PF’s provincial elections held Tuesday, with some candidates being accused of fleeing with ballot papers.

Delayed delivery of ballot papers to polling stations was reported in most parts of the country with some members alleging the move was deliberately employed to frustrate rivals’ supporters.

Old women spent the greater part of the day under shades, where there was, waiting for a chance to choose their provincial chairperson, women’s league chairperson, and youth league leader.

In Masvingo voting, which was supposed to have been conducted between 7am and 5pm, only started around 4pm and was expected to proceed until late last night.

In Bulawayo, confusion on whether people were supposed to be given two or four ballots resulted in one polling agent suggesting the challenges will all be addressed by the Politburo, with a potential rerun if necessary.

“Let us accept that after the result, the final decision will come from the Politburo based on the difference, if it means a rerun so be it,” said the visibly irritated agent in comversation with Bulawayo Ward 15 chairperson and candidate Benard Nhata.

Some candidates further questioned why only 45 ballot papers had been delivered at their polling stations yet 120 people were supposed to vote.

In Highfield, Harare, some members of Zanu-PF could be head complaining about assisted voters and those who were assisting them, with more quiries on whether those assisting were doing as they had been asked to.

Mashonaland West had scenes of violence as names of some candidates could not be found on any ballot paper.

What ensured was chaotic, as members pushed, dragged and hit each other in anger and frustration.

Mashonaland Central had its usual cases of vote rigging allegations against incumbent Kazembe Kazembe, whose agents allegedly tried to flee with ballot papers in Muzarabani.

Preliminary results there indicate that his fierce rival Tafadzwa Musarara is leading.

Voting was also delayed for unexplained reasons.

The run up to D-Day had been riddled with numerous cases of violence and vote buying, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa forced to suspend campaign in November as the situation became too tense to bare.

Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga were being pitted against each other in Mashonaland West, Mashonaland Central and Harare where Zanu-PF factional fights were playing out in the open.-newsday

By A Correspondent- A Croatian businessman has appealed for consular protection and diplomatic intervention claiming that he was facing prosecution disclosing that Chikomo Chemhute Cemetery, which is part of Glen Forest Memorial Park, was an illegal enterprise.

Joseph Richard Crnkovic addressed his letter dated November 15, 2021, to the European Union delegation to Zimbabwe, the Croatian consul in Pretoria, South Africa, and British ambassador Melanie Robinson.

In the letter, Crnkovic said he was deported from Zimbabwe on December 21, 2015, and declared a prohibited immigrant after the disclosure.

Crnkovic is a director of Fopuld Investments (Pvt) Ltd Zimbabwe which is said to hold 49% shareholding in Cadrina Investments (Pvt) Ltd, which also owns Chikomo Chemhute.

Chikomo Chemhute is an entity registered for purposes of holding the asset which houses the Glen Forest Memorial Park. Crnkovic wrote:

The farm (is not compliant with) section 35 of Zimbabwe Cemeteries Act.

Furthermore, it is in the catchment area of the Mazowe Dam with no Environmental Management Agency (Ema) approval to establish a cemetery in this area.

Crnkovic said he was seeking protection because he was being charged for a crime that he was not aware of. He alleged that he also received a summons on November 18, 2021, to appear in court for a criminal trial. Crnkovic wrote:

However, I have not been availed the State’s evidence. I am told that a warrant for my arrest has already been issued so I cannot go to Harare to prepare.

I seek your urgent consular protection and intervention in this matter as I have been arrested and detained once already and now cannot return to the country of my first nationality without being arrested again.

On October 12, he also wrote to the British ambassador seeking diplomatic intervention saying Chikomo Chemhute (Pvt) Limited is a farm that was fraudulently hidden from the books of Candrina Investments (Pvt) Limited, trading as Glen Forests Memorial Park. 

He added that an estimated 20 000 to 40 000 people have been buried on the “hidden and illegal cemetery, which is a farm, and there is no EMA approval to bury people on this farm.”

Crnkovic added that the farm is in the catchment area of the Mazowe Dam and right next to Mazowe River.

Fungai Mparadzi, the chairman of Cadrina Investments, through his company representative Marowa Meleki said Glen Forest Memorial Park had all the required documents from the relevant authorities, including Goromonzi Rural District Council and EMA.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Police are looking for a 39 year old Harare woman who allegedly rented out her husband’s guns to armed robbers without his knowledge.

Officers from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) recovered two pistols during a raid at Norest Kufa’s Greendale residence in Harare.

The raid followed the arrest of a suspected armed robber, Edwin Muchagwa (42).

Muchagwa appeared before Harare magistrate Barbra Mateko this Tuesday facing two counts of armed robbery and impersonating a police officer. He also faces three other charges of armed robbery.

Mateko remanded Muchagwa in custody to 28 January 2022.

Kufa is accused of breaking into her husband’s safe and stealing the guns which she allegedly rented out to Muchagwa and other criminals. In return, Kufa allegedly got first refusal on the stolen goods.

The Police recovered two stolen vehicles from Kufa, a Mercedes Benz and a Toyota Allion, which she allegedly bought at giveaway prices from Muchagwa.

Prosecutors told the court that Kufa is on the run after evading the police dragnet.

By A Correspondent- A Kwekwe City councillor, Sherly Mutirwara (MDC Alliance), has died. She died on Sunday at the Kwekwe General Hospital after a long battle with heart disease.

Kwekwe Mayor Councillor Future Titora confirmed Mutirwara’s death.

She said:

She died at Kwekwe General Hospital Sunday after a long battle with heart disease.

This is indeed a blow to Kwekwe residents, and to us at the MDC Alliance.

Mutirwara who was elected councillor in 2018 on an MDC Alliance ticket has been battling ill-health for a long time.

MDC Alliance Kwekwe Central official Judith Tobaiwa said the death of Mutirwara is a huge blow not only to the opposition party but also to Kwekwe residents.

Mutirwara is set to be buried at her rural home in Sanyati, Mashonaland West Province.

Kwekwe has 14 wards in total. In the 2018 general elections, the MDC Alliance won 13 wards with ZANU PF’s Maclean Nyamucherera winning the other ward.

However, the number has been reduced following the death of two councillors this year and the recall of three councillors including former mayor Angeline Kasipo her deputy Melody Chingarande and Washington Moyo by the MDC-T led by Douglas Mwonzora.

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) have bemoaned the involvement of police officers in stock-theft cases in Midlands province, with reports suggesting they are being paid as little as US$10 in bribes to facilitate cattle rustling.

Officer commanding Midlands province, Commissioner Winston Muza said the law enforcement agency had seen a sharp increase in the number of officers involved in stock-theft cases.

“We deploy our officers to clear cattle being sold,” Muza said at a business against crime consultative meeting held last week.

“It’s unfortunate that members of the public give our officers money to clear cattle even when they (public) don’t have evidence of owning such cattle.

“We end up having a situation where cattle are cleared on the streets and in offices.”

Muza said police officers were being offered amounts as little as US$10 to be involved in such stock-theft scandals.

He, however, said the police would not tolerate corruption in its ranks, and urged the public to report corrupt cops.

“We have a zero tolerance to corruption and we urge members of the public to report such rogue elements,” he said.

The province has in recent years witnessed a spike in stock-theft cases amid reports of connivance between some police officers and rustlers.

Some daring thieves, particularly in the Lower Gweru area, steal cattle from pastures in daylight and sell them to butcheries in the city.

Stock theft carries a mandatory 9-year sentence for each beast stolen.

In 2011, a Murehwa man was sentenced to 189 years in jail for stock theft.

By A Correspondent- Police have launched a manhunt for a Beta bus driver who fled the accident scene where the lives of five passengers were lost along the Harare-Mutare Highway on Christmas eve.

In a statement yesterday, police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said Philip Chirongo had not been seen since.

Nyathi named some of the deceased as Delan Ndoro, Admire Mandeya and Rufu Zambezi. Zambezi was driving the fuel tanker which collided head-on with a Beta bus.

Two other victims, who were burnt beyond recognition, are awaiting (results of) forensic tests,” Nyathi said.

“Meanwhile the owner of Beta buses, a Mr Muganda has offered to assist police to locate his driver who disappeared from the scene after the accident. Police are still conducting investigations into the unfortunate fatal road accident.”

Nyathi said 41 accident victims had been discharged while 25 others were still hospitalised.

“The Beta bus was carrying 69 passengers while the Pathera Logistics fuel tanker had two people. Sixty-six people were injured while the death toll remains at five.”

By A Correspondent- A 10-month-old infant was fatally shot during an attempted robbery on a Macheke family in Mashonaland East Province earlier on Tuesday.

Reports claim that seven suspects armed with guns raided a family in Macheke around 1 AM today.

While attempting to rob the family, a scuffle started leading to the suspects shooting the 10-month-old baby and the mother.

The suspected robbers reportedly vanished from the scene.

A team from the police Criminal Investigations Department (CID) tracked the suspects and intercepted them resulting in a serious shootout.

The suspects reportedly abandoned their getaway vehicle and escaped on foot.

One of the suspects was injured during the shootout and was tracked down by the police dog section who then managed to arrest him.

Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the robbery incident.

He said:

Yes, we confirm that there was a robbery incident in Macheke. We will release more details later.

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe currently has two specialist paediatric cardiologists, that is, doctors who diagnose, treat, and manage heart problems in children, including congenital heart disease.

This was revealed by the Brave Little Hearts in Zimbabwe (BHLZ), a local support network that advocates for better health care for children with heart diseases.

BHLZ founder and executive director Tendai Moyo told HealthTimes that there were only two specialist cardiologists for children with one in the public health service and another in the private health sector.

Said Moyo:

We only have about two specialist paediatric cardiologists in Zimbabwe. Only one is attached to a public hospital. The other one Dr Bannerman is in the private sector.

So, we need these specialists to actually work on these heart diseases because we are speaking of one in every 100 births is a child with heart disease leading to about 3000 births per year of these children.

So, with one specialist in a government hospital, it is quite a big strain.

As a result, people with the means are forced to seek and access services abroad mostly as last resort.

Added Moyo:

We are also looking at the right to surgery. Most of these surgeries are done overseas and most of these children’s guardians or parents cannot afford them.

So, we are trying to advocate for local solutions in Zimbabwe so that Hospitals like Parirenyatwa, Mpilo and Ekusileni are equipped for surgeries here locally instead of parents trying to raise money to go overseas.

-HealthTimes

By A Correspondent- Zanu-PF has told Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga’s estranged wife, Marry Mubaiwa to ‘go to hell’ for dragging President Emmerson Mnangagwa and First Lady Auxillia in her fight for the custody of her children.

Marry lost custody of her three minor children over two years ago to Chiwenga, who also doubles up as Health and Child Care minister.

She has often taken to Twitter to describe her emotional pain and struggles. Mubaiwa has also publicly dragged Mnangagwa and the First Lady Auxilliain into the case, alleging that they appeared powerless to intervene in fear of the former army general.

That appears to have irked Zanu-PF, with the party’s director of information Tafadzwa Mugwadi telling her to ‘go to hell.’

“Listen Marry. Hazvishandi (It doesn’t work). Courts don’t administer issues on Twitter. Secondly, what has the President to do with your issues? Leave him out of your issues please,” Mugwadi responded.

“Thirdly do you still have a husband? You want love by ginya (force)? Anyway fambira nyaya dzako wega usiye mazita evasinei newe. (Deal with your issues. Leave out names of those who have nothing to do with you.”

In an interview, Mugwadi accused Mubaiwa of making heinous accusations on Twitter knowing that the people she name-drops could not respond in equal measure using the same platform.

“I don’t have anything to add to what l said on Twitter. Court issues are not discussed on Twitter. She is taking advantage of the fact that some leaders are not on Twitter,” Mugwadi said.

In her latest post, Mubaiwa pleaded with the international community not to allow Chiwenga to set foot on their soils over his behaviour where he has proved that “he is above the law” with Mnangagwa doing little to assist.

Chiwenga argues that Mubaiwa is not mentally fit to be a parent and in need of urgent psychiatric treatment.

Mubaiwa also faces charges of plotting to kill Chiwenga, money-laundering, fraud and assault and is out on bail.

She denies the charges as a fabrication and an attempt deny her access to her children.

“I am so heartbroken by the attitude that my husband Vice-President Chiwenga is presenting, the ‘I don’t care because I am above the law and even the President ED cannot do anything to me’. I want my children and no country in the world should accept him in their country,” Mubaiwa wrote on her Twitter diaries last Wednesday.

Mubaiwa is suffering from severe lymphoedema and spontaneous formation of abscesses whose origins have not been determined.

Her application to obtain a passport to travel abroad for treatment was quashed by the courts.

Harare magistrate Lazini Ncube has ruled that Mubaiwa is fit to stand trial.

Chiwenga recently testified in the case though in camera, a stunt described Mubaiwa’s lawyers as a “class justice”. Last week, pictures of Mubaiwa falling from stairs due to ill health and being assisted to stand up went viral.

The matter was postponed to January 17 for trial continuation.-newsday

President Douglas Mwonzora today presided over the launch of the National Youth Assembly Policy Handbook at MRT House. The handbook will guide the Youth Assembly activities as the party regenerates ©️ MDC-T2021 pic.twitter.com/zXs5L4EHGn

— Our MDC-T (@OurMDCT) December 28, 2021

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) on Tuesday secured the release of a deaf couple in Masvingo after spending the Christmas holiday in remand prison.

Sarah Ndandadzi and Richard Mugove, who are vendors, were arrested last week and charged with assaulting or resisting a peace officer when police officers raided them.

On Tuesday, Masvingo Magistrate Patience Madondo released Ndandadzi and Mugove on ZWL$5 000 bail each.

The magistrate also ordered the couple not to interfere with State witnesses and to continue residing at their given residential addresses.

They return to court in January 2022.

According to ZLHR, the two were remanded to this Tuesday as there was no sign language interpreter to assist them during their initial court appearance on Friday.

Ndandadzi and Mugove were charged with assaulting or resisting a peace officer after they were arrested Wednesday for allegedly assaulting police officers in plainclothes who were grabbing their wares and assaulting them.

There was a communication breakdown between police officers and Ndandadzi and Mugove, owing to their condition as they did not understand the attack on them by police officers and neither did they realise that they were under arrest.

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF supporters in Mashonaland Central Province said Home Affairs Minister and the Party’s Provincial Chairman Kazembe Kazembe, is rigging the ongoing Provincial Coordinating Committee elections.

Kazembe is fighting to retain the Party’s Mashonaland Central Chairmanship position. He is competing against Tafadzwa Musarara, a Harare businessman.

Party supporters in the Province said Kazembe’s runners were interfering with the distribution of ballot papers.

Since this morning, when the elections started, they said the incumbent’s campaign team was starving Musarara’s strongholds with ballot papers so that he gets lower votes.

” His strongholds are being frustrated, and they are doing this by distributing very few ballot papers. This is not the first time this has happened. In 2018 Kazembe used the same tactic and got away with it,” said one supporter in Mount Darwin.

” If the authorities running the elections do not stop, this Musarara won’t win coz rigging has already started. He has ground in most of the rural settings except urban where he is 50/50 with Kazembe,” said another supporter monitoring the elections in Bindura.

An alert sent by Zanu PF security personnel monitoring the elections in Bindura to the Party’s headquarters confirming the alleged rigging and seen by ZimEye.com reads:
” Quick action required there pronto. Raise the issue with the relevant monitoring authorities”.

By A Correspondent- Military commanders at the Air Force Of Zimbabwe’s Josiah Tungamirai (former Thornhill) Air Base in Gweru are alleged to have refused to hand over a soldier who shot and killed a civilian. The commanders are reported to have prevented the police from arresting the soldier in question.

The soldier, Staff Sergeant Evidence Makuyana, was on patrol when he came across Ziyesa Tsvetera’s vehicle, which was parked near the perimeter of the Air Base. When Makuyana and his colleague approached the car to question the driver, Tsvetera panicked and raced away.

The staff sergeant fired three warning shots in the air, but Tsvetera did not stop. After the three warning shots, Makuyana fired two shots at the vehicle. The two soldiers then followed Tsvetera in another vehicle and discovered that he had been hit.

He was transported to Gweru General Hospital, where he was admitted. However, he later succumbed to his injuries. After ferrying the now deceased to Hospital, Makuyana filed a police report at Gweru Central Police Station.

According to a police memo, the military commanders at the airbase partially cooperated with the police as they refused to release Staff Seargent Makuyana into the custody of the law enforcement officers.

Below is part of the police memo:Background

Accused is a member of the Airforce of Zimbabwe Stationed at Josiah Tungamirai Airforce Base, Gweru and was on guard duties armed with a Service AK Rifle folding butt Serial Number ZA 37512 loaded with a magazine of 30 rounds.

Circumstances

On 25 December 2021 at around 0100 hours the accused in the company of his workmate Spencer Chihanga N.R [Redacted] aged 23, Rank: Private, Force number [Redacted] were doing perimeter checks. They spotted the now deceased who had parked his motor vehicle, a Toyota Hiace Omnibus registration number AFF 9797 silver in colour at Lingfield turn off along Gweru-Mvuma Road adjacent to the perimeter fence of Josiah Tungamirai Airbase.

The accused approached the vehicle intending to inquire as to who he was and his business at that site. Upon being approached the now deceased switched on the vehicle in an attempt to drive off.

At that moment accused fired three warning shots into the air ordering the now deceased to stop. The now-deceased ignored the orders and drove the vehicle onto the main road resulting in the accused firing two shots directed at the vehicle. The now-deceased did not stop and drove away from the scene towards Gweru C.B.D.

The accused and his colleague Spencer Chihanga sought the services of Stanley Muvhavhauri N.R [Redacted], male aged 36 of [Redacted], Athlone, Gweru who was driving his Nissan Navara registration number AES 2019 towards Gweru to chase and block the deceased’s vehicle.

They caught up with the deceased at Riverside Roundabout, Gweru and managed to block him. They then realised that the now deceased had been shot at the back and was bleeding from the wound.

They then took now deceased to Gweru Provincial Hospital and later on made a report at Gweru Central Police Station.

 

Investigations Carried Out
• Scene was attended by both CID and DUB members.
• Three spent cartridges were picked from the scene.
• The fire arm used was recovered with a Magazine of 25 rounds.
• Complainant was visited at Hospital and his condition is serious.
• It was noted that complainant’s vehicle had two gunshot holes near the driver’s door.
• Next of kin Vimbai Mutero who is complainant’s wife was advised.

 

New developments

• The accused made indications to police in the presence of his commanders who however have refused to release the accused to police.
• The complainant (now deceased) succumbed to the gun-shot wounds while admitted at Gweru General Hospital.
• No further clues were found at the scenes during indications.

Outstanding

• To send the fire arm and spent cartridges to Ballistics.
• To send the deceased to United Bulawayo Hospital for post mortem.
• To arrest the accused person and compile a court docket.

Matter is being investigated under ZRP Gweru Central CR 330/12/21 and CID Law and Order Gweru DR 01/01/22 refer.

By A Correspondent- Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube is seeking to get into ZANU PF Bulawayo provincial structures as the ruling party holds internal elections this Tuesday.

A total of 61 polling stations have been set up in Bulawayo where Politburo member, Kenneth Musanhi is overseeing the electoral process.

Musanhi is being assisted by Brigadier General (Retired) Walter Kanhanga who is also a Politburo member and four other Central Committee members from Masvingo province.

Among those contesting for the position of ZANU PF chairman in Bulawayo Province, are former Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) leader, Jabulani Sibanda, former Mpopoma-Pelandaba MP, Joseph Tshuma, Bulawayo war veterans’ chairman, Cephas Ncube and the interim provincial party chairperson, Obert Msindo, Douglas Mpofu and Mlungisi Moyo.

Positions in the women and youth wings are also up for grabs, with a total of 205 aspiring candidates in Bulawayo having submitted their CVs.

Addressing presiding officers during the party’s Bulawayo provincial election coordination meeting on Monday at Davis Hall,

Musanhi said:

We have dissolved all the provincial executives to pave way for new elections and this is the reason why we are here in Bulawayo. We are here to make sure that the elections are conducted in a free and fair manner.

In line with the ZANU PF constitution, we are supposed to hold elections for new leadership in every province after five years. Bulawayo province has made tremendous progress in terms of mobilisation.

In 2019 we had only 34 districts and today we have 61, which is almost double and we applaud the leadership for doing well.

Musanhi also applauded the ZANU PF Bulawayo provincial leadership for mobilising supporters ahead of the 2023 harmonised elections.-chronicle

Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance has described the death of Councillor Mutirwara of ward 9, Kwekwe as a devastating blow to the movement.

Burial arrangements have not been announced.

In a brief media statement the MDC Alliance said:

Death Notice –
“The MDC Alliance mourns the loss of Cllr Mutirwara of Ward 9, Kwekwe Central.

We extend our deepest condolences to her family and loves ones during this tragic time.

May her dear soul Rest In Peace.”

Jacob Mafume wrote on Twitter:
“As the local government department and on behalf of all MDC-Alliance we mourn with the kwekwe residents and the nation at .As urban governance is becoming centre stage such a loss is heartfelt.

She was a pioneering woman at local governance.”

Tinashe Sambiri| Zanu PF sympathizers have accused Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa of shielding embattled Masvingo Province chairperson Ezra Chadzamira.

Chadzamira is also the Minister of State for Masvingo Province.

He is accused of looting resources and distributing land to his friends and relatives.

Zvobayana.

Rega zvifumurane !!! pic.twitter.com/F5UOkoL83F

— HON Job Wiwa Sikhala (@JobSikhala1) December 27, 2021

By A Correspondent-The year 2021 started badly for the country’s overstretched health sector as the country battled a deadly second wave of COVID-19.

COVID-19 cases and fatalities only climbed down in March 2021, a situation that saw President Emmerson Mnangagwa relaxing most lockdown restrictions.

A month earlier, the country had embarked on a vaccination drive after receiving 200 000 doses of the Sinopharm coronavirus vaccine donated by the Chinese government.

Winter saw the emergence of a COVID-19 third wave which was equally as devastating as the second, and lasted till September.

In November, a new COVID-19 Omicron variant was detected in South Africa and Botswana, a development that saw travel restrictions being imposed on southern Africa, Zimbabwe included. The variant has been detected in the country and is behind a rising fourth wave.

In spite of all this, the country soldiered on, registering significant progress, particularly on the vaccination front despite earlier hesitancy.

Below is the health sector in retrospect, with input from heads of various areas in the health sector.

Bernard Madzima, National Aids Council chief executive:

NAC’s mandate is to co-ordinate a multi-sectoral response to HIV and Aids programmes in Zimbabwe. NAC is also responsible for other prevention programmes especially in the sexual reproductive health and the non-communicable diseases areas with a special emphasis on cancers particularly cervical cancer and other reproductive health cancers.

NAC, just like everyone else, operating in an era of COVID-19, has tried to be innovative and to adjust to the new normal of COVID-19 restrictions. This calls for it to look at its programmes, especially co-ordinating meetings where we were used to gathering people in the communities having health awareness programmes and various other preventive models which required people to be gathered and NAC has had to observe COVID-19 rules and regulations.

Nonetheless, I think we have adapted, if you look at our 2021 activities, in terms of achievement, we have done well in the area of prevention, we have done well in the area of supportive treatment and care.

We have done well in the areas of advocacy and communication; we have done well in all areas in the aspect of implementing our projects. As we look at our resources against implementation, we have been on track in most programmes.

We think 2021 has been a success given the circumstances. We have also supported the ministry in the fight against COVID-19 by procuring PPE (personal protective equipment). As I speak  we have procured 200 oxygen concentrators for the Health and Child Care ministry for use in the clinics and hospitals as the country battles the COVID-19 pandemic. NAC is there in the mix making sure that we fight both COVID-19 and HIV and also we want to fight inequalities and make sure that everyone has access to good health. This is the only way we can end these pandemics.

Zimbabwe needs to be commended for the good progress it has made with its COVID-19 national vaccination roll-out programme but there is urgent need to address the issues of vaccine equity, vaccine literacy, vaccine hesitancy so that we can increase vaccine uptake and accelerate towards achieving the required herd immunity.

The essential health services in Zimbabwe has experienced significant disruptions due to COVID-19 with  the health system still falling far short of  adequately addressing the high burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Suffice to say the pandemic has really exposed the human costs of fragile health systems and precarious safety nets. A case in point is the high levels of community and institutional deaths, indicating poor access to comprehensive health services and possibly also poor quality of services to those accessing both public and private health services.

It is very unfortunate and quite sad to see our experienced and highly qualified health professionals resigning in high numbers, packing their bags and leaving the country to benefit other nationals without any compensation to the country for the taxpayers money that was used for their training mainly because of our failure to value and appreciate our own healthcare workers by paying them decent salaries and according them good conditions of services.

We see the COVID-19 pandemic and the national response to it so far as both huge challenges but also opportunities for restoring an effective, efficient and resilient health system accessibility to all nationals as an essential part of primary healthcare and leading to universal health coverage and the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals and the country’s Agenda 2030 development  goals.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected more members of the community suffering from non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The ministry concentrated on bringing awareness to this challenge; hence awareness campaigns, were carried out through various platforms.

Commemoration days were held successfully, ie mental health day, diabetes day, breast cancer week, child cancer day.

The Honourable Vice-President and Health minister Constantino Chiwenga has been on the forefront supporting most of these commemorations.

The World Health Organisation PEN supported project is going on very well in Mashonaland Central, two other Districts in Mashonaland East are yet to start, however, resources have been available.

ln Masvingo this project is going on very well being implemented by a donor, SolidarMed in one of the districts.

Also, First Lady Mai Auxillia Mnangagwa has done a lot as our ambassador to bring awareness on NCDs during her meet-the-community tours.

The department has finalised oncology treatment guidelines and we have started working on the NCD strategy and policy, eye strategy awaits printing.

Cervical cancer screening is continuing despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are pleased that the ministry of finance is setting aside funds to support NCDs from SIN taxes.

PAPWC-Zim is a national network of women living with HIV.

2021 was a challenging year for us as women living with HIV. In 2021 we responded to various needs for women living with HIV and our response was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic where we had to change our way of doing things, resorting to mostly virtual meetings and virtual discussions where we produced e-bulletins.

We managed to hold capacity-building workshops for women living with HIV.

As PAPWC-Zim, I would like to say this was a very good year for us in terms of visibility. We also got a lot of support from almost all the media houses in Zimbabwe.

They wrote articles amplifying voices of women living with HIV, the various challenges that we face and the work that we are doing on the ground.

However, when we look at the health sector, as an Aids service organisation, we do not operate in isolation we also operate in the national response, there were challenges, for example, there were members who were also affected by COVID-19 and it also affected our programming, we also got affected.

As we are looking towards the new year we hope we will carry on with our supporters and our funders in the new year to ensure that we strengthen our work.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Girls are still being viewed as a source of income in rural Matabeleland North province, resulting in many being married off before the age of consent.

In Ndebele culture, women are addressed as children regardless of age.  During hunger and drought periods parents would surrender their girl children to a wealthy man in exchange for food.A

Bulawayo-based non-governmental organisation, Wozalethemba said it discovered that the practice was still prevalent after hosting Christmas parties for orphans and widows in Gumtree in Umguza district and other parts of the province.

“As an organisation, we aim at providing sexual information to widows and orphans who reside in rural and remote areas. After having a few sessions of counselling with villagers in Gumtree on Sunday, we noticed that the majority of mothers were forcing their children to get married to old people who are rich so that they can get money,” Wozalethemba secretary Sipho Ndlovu said.

“Some children in Gumtree are forced to be sex workers so that they can supply their parents with money. I noticed that churches and hunger were contributing to increasing child marriages in that area.”

Ndlovu said many women in Matabeleland North were widows and were struggling to pay school fees leading to many school dropouts.

“The concerns of the villagers were that widows were struggling to pay school fees for their children, so they end up dropping out of school. Most girls end up going to the mines where they work as sex workers,” he said.

“Many villagers said gender-based violence was leading to married couples divorcing and leaving their kids with grandmothers who struggled to provide for the needs of the children.”

Wozalethamba promotes access to sexual reproductive health for orphans and widows.

A report presented in Parliament by Women’s Affairs minister Sithembiso Nyoni in March shows that an estimated 2 000 child marriages were recorded in the first two months of the year.-newsday

By A Corespondent- Transport mogul Leonard Mukumba has become the latest candidate to throw his hat in the ring to contest in Zanu PF Manicaland provincial elections set for today.

Mukumba, who owns Inter Africa buses, is eyeing the post of secretary for transport. Mukumba has previously refused to join politics insisting he wanted to focus on his transport empire.

In 2018, Zanu PF supporters pleaded with Mukumba to contest for the Makoni South Member of Parliament seat to no avail.

A Zanu PF central committee member in Manicaland, who refused to be named, confirmed Mukumba’s candidature.

Mukumba was not available for comment yesterday.

In an interview with NewsDay recently at Mapembe shrine in Odzi where thousands of African Apostolic church members were gathered to celebrate church leader Paul Mwazha’s 103rd birthday, Mukumba, who is a bishop in the church, claimed he was one of the biggest transport operators in Zimbabwe.

“I was blessed by Paul Mwazha to become one of the biggest transport operators in the country, I joined the African Apostolic Church in 1989 and I could accompany our leader Mwazha who prophesied that I was going to be a transport mogul,” he said. In addition to Inter Africa buses, Mukumba also owns Blue Horizon trucking company among other businesses.-newsday

By A Correspondent- A 37 year old Harare woman appeared at Harare Magistrates Court yesterday facing allegations of illegally dealing in drugs.

Revai Mangani was caught with crystal meth worth $150 000 on Christmas Day by detectives from the CID Drugs and Narcotics Unit.

Mangani appeared before Magistrate Babra Mateko who remanded her out of custody to today.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent Zimbabweans should brace for a steep rise in school fees next year as learning institutions are pushing for increases of up to 300% to hedge against the depreciation of the local currency against major currencies on the parallel market.

The official exchange rate on the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe auction market is at about $109 to the United States dollar. On the parallel market, however, the local currency trades at $230 to the greenback.

With the official market beset by foreign currency shortages, most firms rely on the parallel market to meet their hard currency needs.

The NewsDay gathered that schools, which have struggled to provide basic stationery and educational materials are seeking approval to increase fees by around 300% to keep up with the parallel market rate.

Some parents told NewsDay that they had received payment advices from schools that were only valid for a few days because of the fast movement of the exchange rate.

“My child has been accepted at a top private school in Gweru. The fees are US$900, but in Zimdollars the fees are pegged at $216 000. If I do not pay within a week, the local currency figure changes to reflect whatever exchange rate movement would have taken place,” said one parent who declined identification.

Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions secretary-general Japhet Moyo predicted tough times ahead for parents and guardians.

“Most school development committees have already told parents that fees have more than doubled coming into the next year while salaries remain low. What it means is that there might be dropouts or children will have to be transferred to cheaper schools, come next year,” Moyo said.

“Those (workers), who went to their rural homes might not come back if they don’t have livestock to sell. The cost of living has just gone up and looking at all the other fundamentals, 2022 is not going to be a stroll in the park.”

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Raymond Majongwe expressed fear that civil servants will fail to send their children to school. He said this after having looked at proposed 2022 budgets for various schools.

“Teachers and civil servants won’t be able to send their children to school in 2022. Already we have noted that most private schools, which are owned by the politicians, are charging fees in US dollars. Those schools run by the government are looking to charge four to five times more than they did last term if they are to offer quality education,” he said.

Majongwe said without US dollar salaries, there was no joy for civil servants in 2022.

“Unless we are paid in US dollars, it is going to be the most torturous journey because the close to a trillion Zimdollar budget by (Finance minister Mthuli) Ncube means nothing when it is not supporting a better life for the down trodden,” Majongwe said.

Civil servants have been pushing for US dollar-denominated salaries, but the government has been pleading incapacitation.

Last month, the government paid its workers US dollar bonuses, a development that unions said was evidence that the government had the capacity to meet their demands.

Government has in the past resorted to freezing school fees increases in public schools and threatening to deregister private schools that demanded schools fees in foreign currency.

MDC Alliance vice-president and former Finance minister Tendai Biti said 2022 looked gloomy for the majority after the parallel market exchange rate shot to $230 for the greenback just before Christmas.

“In a few months, it will hit 500, the rising rate has dramatic inflationary consequences and with half of our people living in poverty and 95% unemployed. This only means the worst for our people and we have Ncube who is the quintessential definition of failure,” Biti said.

Ncube announced a $927,3 billion budget for 2022.

“This is one of the most dishonest budgets ever presented. It’s a technically unsound budget. It doesn’t meet the test for credibility and as I have said consistently this was a man just going through a ritualistic formality simply because section 302 of the Constitution demands that he has to go through the process,” Biti said.

–newsday

By A Correspondent- Government has authorised administering of COVID-19 booster shots beginning with frontline workers, Health and Child Care ministry secretary Jasper Chimedza has said.

Chimedza said frontline workers would be eligible to receive booster shots six months after receiving their second vaccine.

“The 3rd dose booster vaccination proceeds with the same vaccine type used for the 1st and 2nd doses for that individual,” Chimedza said in a statement dated December 24.

“For the avoidance of doubt there shall be no mixing of different vaccine types, there be at least six-month interval between the 2nd dose and the booster dose. The booster dose is recorded on the same vaccination card with the 1st and 2nd doses.”

Health experts said the booster shots could not be avoided in the face of the fourth wave.

“This is the fairest way to go as we are treading on the side of caution and also considering it has been six months after vaccination commenced,” Mashonaland faculty chairperson of the College of Primary Healthcare Physicians of Zimbabwe and director health services at the University of Zimbabwe, Enock Mayida said.

“It is a good way to make sure we boost the system at the same time taking precaution against adverse effects. They also indicated that frontline workers are at risk of contracting the Omicron variant, so it becomes imperative that a booster shot be given.”

Medical and Dental Private Practitioners of Zimbabwe Association’s Johannes Marisa added: “The booster shot vaccination is very important considering that the protection of the vaccines wanes after 6 to 10  months and a booster shot will try to take us to the next level.

“It is a step in the right direction because we want to make sure our immunity is protected. Frontline workers are at high risk of the virus considering we get in contact with patients on a daily basis.”

Only three million people had received both doses as of December 26, according to a situation report from the Health ministry, under half of the 10 million government target at the beginning of the programme in February this year.

Government first announced plans to administer booster shots in early December after the detection of the Omicron variant.

But the programme had not started as there was no clarification on how they would be administered.

More- Newsday

By A Correspondent- A 38-year old man from Chipinge is on the run after he allegedly shot and injured his girlfriend in the early hours of this Monday.

The suspect, Freeman Sithole, shot 30-year old Shingai Magazi from Panganai Village under Chief Mutema, four times in both hands and in the chest.

Magazi was ferried to Birchenough Bridge Hospital where she is currently admitted.

Reports suggest that Sithole and Magazi had a misunderstanding over their relationship status, which resulted in the suspect assaulting the victim before shooting her as she tried to escape.

Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident saying investigations are underway.-statemedia

By ACorrespondent- Traditional leaders in Ntabazinduna, Matabeleland North province have warned people who bought communal land in the area in 2021 under unclear circumstances that they are in possession of illegal property.

This is one of the resolutions made by the traditional leaders after launching an investigation into illegal land sales and allocations in Ntabazinduna.

The traditional leaders, who include headmen, village heads and former Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni started investigating cases of illegal sale of communal land in 2019.

This is revealed in a statement released by Ndiweni.

“The traditional leaders and others of Ntabazinduna began their investigation in 2019 and managed to obtain the first evidence and records, with regard to this matter.

“This process is still continuing to date. In 2021 three separate groups of Ntabazinduna residents formed groups and obtained permission from the Chief (Ndiweni) to separately investigate and gather evidence,” Ndiweni who still has influence in Ntabazinduna, said.

“In 2020, the traditional leaders agreed that no new stands would be issued to outsiders until this matter had been addressed.

“At the beginning of this year in a recorded ZOOM Traditional leaders meeting, with “Chief” Ndiweni it was once again reaffirmed that no new stands were being given out to people from outside of Ntabazinduna.”

Ndiweni said they agreed that any stand sale made in 2021 to outsiders was null and void and would not be recognised by traditional leaders on behalf of the community.

“All stands issued from November 2019 to the end of 2020 are under investigation and strong action will be taken.

“Questionable structures will be demolished through the court system,” Ndiweni said.

“Ntabazinduna is a communal land, which means that the land belongs to the whole community of Ntabazinduna.

“As a result no one has a title deed for any bit of land in Ntabazinduna. The land is owned by the people of Ntabazinduna. Which means no one can buy a virgin piece of Land in Ntabazinduna.”

He added: “The only way one could purchase a stand in Ntabazinduna, is if there are dwellings on that piece of land, some form of development, for want of a better word.

“This would mean that the stand being sold would be old. Not new virgin land.

“One village head was removed because of inappropriate issuance of stands.

“There are a number of recurring adverts for stands being sold in Ntabazinduna.

“These have been traced, their locations visited.

“Some of the individuals having something to do with these activities have been identified.”

Ndiweni said fraudsters were going around claiming to be agents for the traditional leaders to dupe desperate land seekers.

Ndiweni said in Ntabazinduna they would not tolerate illegal settlers. A case in point was the land dispute pitting former commercial farmer, Brian Davies and Floyd Ambrose that sparked controversy in 2019.

Documents show that Ambrose occupied the piece of land in 2004 — a time when the now dethroned Chief Ndiweni was in the United Kingdom where he worked at a local authority as a clerk.

Ndiweni accused the government of attempting to evict Davies from Tabs Induna Farm which houses the Chiefs Lodge to pave way for Ambrose.-newsday

By A Correspondent- Harare councillors want residents who built houses on stands acquired illegally to pay as much as US$10 000 for the regularisation of their stands as a deterrence measure.

The amounts will, however, differ with those who built houses in low-density areas paying more than those in medium-density and high-density areas respectively.

Residents in low-density areas will fork out US$10 000, medium density US$6 000 and high density, US$2 000 to have their houses regularised.

The proposal was made by Councillors during a recent full council meeting.

The Acting Director of Works proposed the following regularisation fees; High Density per Unit ZWL$50 000, Medium Density per Unit ZWL$200 000 and Low Density per Unit ZWL$500 000.

The proposal was shot down by Councillors, who instead, proposed the fees to be US$2 000, US$6 000 and US$10 000 or their ZWL equivalent on the date of payment for high density, medium density and low density, respectively.

The Councillors asserted that houses built on institutional sites reserved for schools, clinics and libraries, as well as on wetlands will also not be regularised.-OpenParly

By A Correspondent- Several church leaders presumed to be sympathetic to ZANU PF on Sunday said that disputed elections are bad as they polarise the nation.

The clerics were speaking at an annual national thanksgiving and dedication service held at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo.

The event was held under the theme “Pursuing Nation Building Initiatives in the Spirit of Godly Patriotism Ownership Unity and Inclusiveness”, and President Emmerson Mnangagwa was in attendance.

The leader of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) Nehemiah Mutendi said there is a need for national unity as it was also the late Vice President Joshua Nkomo’s last wish. Said Mutendi:

Let us all work to achieve peace now, let us find peace with each other. Disputed elections divide our beloved nation.

They derail our development plans, they hinder our progress, there are no winners, we are all losers.

Let us teach the people, let us be one, let us unite. It was the last wish of Joshua Nkomo (late Vice-President).

Pentecostal Assemblies Church of Zimbabwe bishop, Trevor Manhanga, mocked the opposition MDC for several splits that have dogged the party since its formation in 1999.

Manhanga urged exiled G40 politicians to return home and help rebuild the country before criticising Mnangagwa’s move to donate cars to the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD). He said:

There are a lot of opposition parties. The MDC has finished all alphabetical names.

There is only one leader, sit down and follow. Your Excellency, you are making a mistake by giving the opposition parties cars.

Next election there will be no opposition party because they are all coming for cars.

Mnangagwa came under heavy criticism for handing out 19 Isuzu D-Max vehicles to POLAD principals in July.

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF supporters in Mashonaland Central province have expressed concern over rigging attempts on the Provincial elections being orchestrated by incumbent Chairperson Kazembe Kazembe.

Kazembe who is battling to have grassroot support is relying on the disqualified candidate James Makamba who has since thrown his weight on him but voters in Mount Darwin have gone for Businessman Tafadzwa Musarara.

Having assessed the ground Kazembe’s lieutenant John Nhamburo who is a Central Committee member was seen trying to smuggle ballot boxes in a rigging attempt at Nzvimbo growth point.

The move prompted Politiburo members in making sure that the ballot boxes are kept in Bindura.

Efforts to contact Nhamburo were fruitless.

In Muzarabani Energy Minister Zhemu Soda who is also the District Co-ordinating Committee DCC chairperson for Muzarabani has lined up Kazembe’s supporters to be presiding officers.

The ground is not even for Kazembe and a rigging machine has been put in place since Musarara has proved to be more popular on this election,” said the source who declined to be named.

“It is now pay back time for Soda who was supported by Kazembe on his DCC campaign and he has put Kazembe’s supporters to be presiding officers of the election.”

Soda’s mobile phone went unanswered.

Another insider claimed that one director from the Commissariat was spotted yesterday in Kazembe’s car receiving a bribe to push for Kazembe’s victory.

The national party political Commissar Mike Bimha said polling will take place today and in one day.

Voting will commence at 7am and end at 5pm, there shall be no extension on polling time.

The collected results from Administration Districts will be sent to Provincial Command Centre then National for confirmation and announcement.

By A Correspondent- Police officers and soldiers reportedly teamed up and vandalised cars and other property at Mbalabala Shopping Centre near Mbalabala Barracks on Christmas eve after some local beer drinkers had mocked the soldiers.

According to The NewsHawks, the imbibers and soldiers exchanged taunts over beer, resulting in the latter mobilising the Police to attack residents randomly

Eyewitnesses told the publication that trouble started when local residents and soldiers going for a beer drink began taunting each other.

The soldiers reportedly insulted the residents who then responded in kind, saying the security forces members had no money since they were merely civil servants and nothing special about them.

The mockery did not go down well with the soldiers who reportedly mobilised police from Esigodini, 40km southeast of Bulawayo, to come and attack the residents over the taunts.

The group of police officers and soldiers vandalised cars and attacked people indiscriminately. Said a The NewsHawks source:

After the heated exchanges, on 25 December afternoon, a truckload of police officers from Esigodini descended on local residents and shoppers, many of the villagers from Filabusi, vandalising their cars at Mbalabala Shopping Centre, near Mbalabala Barracks.

The police were called in and deployed by the soldiers, and in the process of the attacks, they vandalised property and cars belonging to Innocent Ndlovu, Nhlalwenhle Ndlovu, Wellington Ncube, Lewis Nkomo and Steven Sibanda, among others.

During the heated exchanges soldiers had opined residents couldn’t afford to drink, but they reacted by saying: ‘Lina alila mali vele ngitsho le-cent ngoba lingama civil servants nje angela lutho’ (You don’t have any money at all because you are just mere civil servants).

The police were called by some soldiers who had been taunted by residents and shoppers who were drinking, shouting at them saying ‘alila vele ngitsho le-cent ngoba linga ma-civil servants. Kodwa thina namuhla sizabuhlaba utshwala’. (You have no money, but we are going to drink.

After being taunted soldiers said ‘horayithi manje sizabona ukuthi lizabuhlaba njani’. (Ok we will see how you will drink your beer).

After a little while, Esigodini police arrived and pounced on everyone, damaging cars and property. Ironically, the case was reported to the police.

Mbalabala is a small growth point in Matabeleland South Province on the main Beitbridge-Bulawayo highway situated approximately 67km from Bulawayo.

By A Correspondent- Self-exiled former ZANU PF Politburo member Professor Jonathan Moyo has sensationally claimed that following the November 2017 military coup, the G40 faction worked hard to ensure an MDC Alliance victory in the 2018 elections.

Moyo has been involved in a war of words with some MDC Alliance supporters on social media in recent days after he suggested that the party should convert the US$120 000 raised to buy party leader Nelson Chamisa an armoured car to equip polling agents ahead of the 2023 elections.

Moyo also revealed that he had withdrawn an offer to train 40 000 MDC Alliance polling agents after the party leadership failed to state its position following allegations that the offer had divided the opposition party.

Posting on Twitter, Moyo said the G40 campaigned for the MDC Alliance and later “exposed” vote-rigging not with the intention of joining the opposition party but to build a coalition. He said:

When President Mugabe announced he would vote for @nelsonchamisa, and not @edmnangagwa, on the eve of the 2018 elections; it was on the back of lots of groundwork that had been done by “G40” around the country, in some provinces more than in others, since the Nov 2017 coup!

The “G40” 2018 Chamisa campaign didn’t extend to MDC; as shown by the messaging & the results. Hence ZanuPF won 145 out of 210 parliamentary seats, outperforming @edmnangagwa who got 125. Chamisa won 85, outperforming MDC with 63; he won the poll but it was stolen from him!

In actively & openly campaigning for @nelsonchamisa in 2018; and exposing the stolen vote since then, in various fora including here; President Mugabe & “G40” never said they wanted to join the #MDC; never. IT WAS PURE COALITION POLITICS. Only dogmatic cultists don’t get it!

With President Mugabe no more & MDC-A cultists running amok with their intolerance and immaturity, surely things cannot be like they were in 2018. Just like ZanuPF can’t have a one-party state; a one-party opposition is untenable. No one will beg anyone for anything pre-2023!

By A Correspondent- Businessman James Makamba has reportedly been abandoned by his supporters after he endorsed aspiring Mashonaland Central provincial chairman Kazembe Kazembe ahead of tomorrow’s provincial election.

Makamba’s backers are said to be now rallying behind another businessman, Tafadzwa Musarara, who is believed to be Kazembe’s main challenger.

Last week, ZANU PF’s highest decision-making organ outside congress, the Politburo, disqualified Makamba after his candidature was dismissed by the country’s security chiefs.

His alleged previous romantic affair with former first lady Grace Mugabe was cited as one of the reasons behind the disqualification.

During his campaign, Makamba had drawn up ten points that he used to severely criticise Kazembe.

He characterised Kazembe as a highly divisive, weak, and uncharismatic leader whose chairmanship had divided the province.

Makamba’s supporters accused him of hypocrisy and double standards in their WhatsApp group on Monday following his volte-face. One supporter wrote:

I want to ask you, what has now changed that you are now backing the same man you have been severely criticising?

You are being sadistic in that you want the province to remain divided and despised.

You complained that Kazembe was vindictive and wanted to get you arrested on trumped-up charges.

You complained that your accounts were being closely monitored by Kazembe Kazembe. Tell us cde, were you telling us the truth or lying?

You painted a vivid picture of a bad cde Kazembe in our minds who is unsellable and unmarketable.

By endorsing Kazembe, you have pushed us to endorse Cde Musarara who is representing a new era and epoch in the history of Mashonaland Central.

We will walk with cde Musarara from seed level to flowering and then to fruit level have shared a piece of my mind with you.

Let’s usher in a new way of doing things in our province on December 28. Ichoooo!

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) recovered illicit drugs valued at ZWL$2 821 738.00 in just under three months, that is, from October to December 2021.

The seized drugs include crystal meth (mutoriro), cocaine, ecstasy, dagga (mbanje/ marijuana) and broncleer among others.

In terms of quantity and value, dagga topped the list, with 53.982 kilogrammes worth over ZWL$1.2 million having been recovered.

See the table below:

DRUG	QUANTITY RECOVERED	VALUE RECOVERED (ZWL$)
Crystal Meth	343 grammes	328 946.00
Cocaine	14.32 grammes	109 162.00
Ecstasy	36 tablets	37 323.00
Dagga	53.982 kilogrammes	1 248 467.00
Broncleer	1772 x 100mls Bottles	654 800.00
Adco-Saltarpyn	1394x 100mls Bottles	321 090.00
Benyln	14x 100mls Bottles	7200.00
Histalix	182 x 100mls Bottles	114 750.00