Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader President Nelson Chamisa has challenged Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration to stop harassing hapless villagers.

Mnangagwa has blessed the seizure of villagers’ land by Chinese miners in Mutoko and surrounding areas.

President Chamisa also challenged the Zanu PF leader to respect the rights of people in the affected communities.

“ZIMBABWE IS NOT FOR SALE.-Title to land and security of tenure is the soul of the liberation struggle.

-Stop this displacement &abuse. -Repeal the colonial laws on land& minerals.
-Respect the rights of communities.

-Consult,seek consent & compensate.-No to profit ahead of pple,” President Chamisa wrote on Twitter.

By A Correspondent- Zanu Pf’s aspiring Kwekwe central member of Parliament Kandros Mugabe said he is prepared to face his rival Energy Ncube (Dhala) and win election.

Speaking to a local publication Mugabe said, “I am prepared to face Dhala and win this election, the only way we can achieve unity in the party is through the holding of primary elections to end this deadlock which has divided our party.

If the division continue to remain it will be very difficult for Kwekwe district coordinating committee (DCC) to achieve the 5 million votes for our President.

An attempt to come up with a sole candidate last year could not pass through after Dhala’s supporters turned violent and the election was aborted.

The Kwekwe central seat fell vacant following the passing of National Patriotic front legislator Masango Matambanadzo last year.

-Byo24

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF activists are said to have invaded Gweru’s Mtapa market in the Midlands province.

The ruling party activists are also said to be collecting US$2 per week from each of the 600 vendors operating at the site.

The Southern Eye has established that the governing party’s activists grabbed the vending stalls in May this year.

The affected vendors described the US$2 weekly fees as daylight robbery considering the state of the economy nationwide. One anonymous vendor who was affected by the development said:

This is a ploy just to milk us of our money as we are already financially overburdened.
Zanu PF Midlands provincial spokesperson Cornelius Mupereri said his office had not yet received such reports. Mupereri said:

No, the party has not been collecting fees from vendors.

But Gweru City Council spokesperson Vimbai Chingwaramusee confirmed having heard of reports that there were some people that were demanding fees from vendors at Mtapa market. She said:

In cases like these, we encourage those affected vendors to go and report the issue to the police.

Affected vendors told Southern Eye that they were afraid to report the matter to police for fear of victimisation. The governing party is alleged to have an influence on the allocation of vendors in towns.

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Schools Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) has released timetables for the 2020 November candidates which were delayed by the novel coronavirus.

Ordinary and Advanced level exams are set to commence on December 1, while Grade Seven tests begin on December 3.

Grade Sevens complete their examinations on December 17 while the last papers for Advanced Level examination candidates will be written on December 18.

Ordinary Level candidates will break exams for the festive season on December 18, resume on January 5 and sit for the final paper on February 5.

Meanwhile, ZIMSEC announced that it will publish dates for 22 Advanced and Ordinary level practical subjects later. ZIMSEC board chairman, Eddie Mwenje, said:

The practical subjects’ dates will be announced once everything is in place. However, we are working on not shifting the timetable too much because if we do so we might not be able to have Grade Sevens write and have their results this year.

So we are going to stick to the timetable as much as possible. We have parents that need to look for Form One places. Teachers that mark will also need to be given a break so that come next year we will not have too much pressure. – The Sunday Mail

By A Correspondent- A Bulawayo woman has told a court that her man has resorted to pounding her with fists because his sexual organ did not have to stay power to give her a good time in bed.

Nonmatter Mlambo (32) approached Western Commonage court to seek legal intervention after her husband, Mqondisi Msipa (45), assaulted her in front of her aunt who had visited them.

Mlambo said the problem started when she engaged her husband’s aunt about Msipa’s erectile dysfunction problem. After that their marriage became a sour affair because Msipa constantly accused her of bad-mouthing him with his aunt.

Mlambo said the situation escalated as her husband would hurl insults at her before assaulting her and would issue death threats. Fearing for her life, Mlambo applied for a protection order against her husband.

“I’m applying for a protection order against my husband, who physically and verbally abuses me for confiding in his aunt that we are facing a problem in our marriage because he is sexually weak as he quickly climaxes, leaving me sexually starved.

“His aunt sold me out because she told him that I approached her. After that, my husband would verbally attack me, and at times, he would beat me up.

In addition to that, he is a self-centred man who does not take advice and wants whatever he says to take precedence,” she said.

She added: “I fear that he will end up killing me.”

The presiding magistrate Jeconia Prince Ncube granted Mlambo a protection order against her husband and ordered him not to physically and verbally abuse his wife.

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF Mashonaland Central province failed to conduct district elections yesterday in the province due to lack of resources.

Sources familiar with the incident claimed presiding officers who are supposed to move from one district to another do not have cars and fuel to go and conduct elections.

“We are having a serious challenge in conducting these elections because we do not have resources since presiding officers need to travel from one district to another our chairman Kazembe Kazembe is just too weak on mobilization of resources,” lamented a source who spoke in confidentiality.

Other party officials blamed Kazembe for mobilizing his campaign resources instead of the party.

“The chairman was supposed to oversee these elections instead of him mobilizing resources for the party he is busy getting funds from illegal gold buyers to finance his provincial campaign.”

Only part of Mount Darwin voted in Mash Central with some from rural areas lamenting lack of information and accusing the Provincial leadership of trying to have vote apathy in a bid to rig.

“How can we have an election on mid week this is an attempt by the provincial leadership to creat confusion and have vote apathy, we were given up to October 7 to complete these elections so what is the rush to have elections during mid week, some of us live in remote areas and access to information is a challenge people should shun vote rigging shenanigans,” fumed one supporter.

Meanwhile, the chaos in ZANU PF polls across the country shows failure by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to unite the party since he took over the reins from his predecessor the late Robert Mugabe in a November 2017 military coup.

By A Correspondent- The National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) led by Lovemore Madhuku has urged political parties in the country to desist from making empty promises to the people and focus on service delivery.

NCA spokesperson Madock Chivasa said that with the 2023 elections around the corner, there was need for political parties to come up with solutions to the country’s economic challenges instead of chanting empty slogans.

“Election season is slowly and unexpectedly approaching us. I hope that in the general elections Zimbabweans vote for leaders with the capacity to take the country forward,” Chivasa said.

“Voters must be encouraged to scrutinise manifestos and refrain from giving in to cheap empty rhetoric and sloganeering. So far, ‘ED Pfee’ and ‘Chamisa Ngaapinde’ are examples of empty rhetoric and sloganeering, with nothing to offer for poor Zimbabweans who want a better life,” he said.

Zanu-PF and the MDC Alliance are currently embroiled in social media battles for slogans, including hashtags such as #EDtheGameChanger for President Emmerson Mnangagwa and #NgaapindeHakeMukomana for MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa.

The Zanu-PF campaign is centred on Mnangagwa’s achievements since coming into power after a military coup in November 2017, while Chamisa’s followers claim that time is now ripe for the young opposition leader to lead government and address Mnangagwa’s failures.

“I am saying that all candidates — be it presidential, MPs and councillors must show and articulate more on what they want to do for the people if they are voted into office as opposed to mere sloganeering,” Chivasa said.

-newsday

By A Correspondent- The European Union has announced that the duty of all products from Zimbabwe will now be reduced or eliminated under the EU-ESA Economic Partnership Agreement.

In the Official Journal of the European Union number C 390/3 dated 27 September 2021

The EU said:

“Notice concerning the application by Zimbabwe of Article 18(3) of Protocol 1 on rules of origin to the EU-ESA interim Economic Partnership Agreement, use of self-certification for imports into the EU of products originating in Zimbabwe under the EU-ESA interim Economic Partnership Agreement

“This notice is issued for the information of customs authorities, importers and economic operators, which are involved in imports into the EU of products originating in Zimbabwe under the EU-ESA interim Economic Partnership Agreement (the IEPA’).

“Following a notification made by Zimbabwe to the Customs Cooperation Committee of the EU-ESA iEPA activating Article 18(3) of Protocol 1 to the EU-ESA iEPA (9, from 1 July 2021 products originating in Zimbabwe shall, on importation into the EU, benefit from the preferential tariff treatment of the iEPA upon submission of an invoice declaration made out, as provided for in Article 23 of Protocoll, by: (i) a Zimbabwean exporter registered in the EU’s Registered Exporter system (the REX system), or (ii) any Zimbabwean exporter where the total value of the originating products consigned does not exceed EUR 6 000. From that date, paragraphs 1(a) and (b) of Article 18 ceased to apply for imports into the EU from Zimbabwe.

“Therefore, from 1 July 2021, movement certificates EUR.1 and invoice declarations made out by approved exporters are no longer valid to claim preferential tariff treatment under the EU-ESA iEPA.

By A Correspondent- Zanu Pf heavyweight July Moyo is in a fix after he delivered a juju filled birthday present to President Emmerson Mnangagwa at his Kwekwe farm.

This was revealed by former cabinet minister Prof Jonathan Moyo in a tweet where her revealed that Moyo’s succession plot was leaked to ED’s traditional healer who raised the flag before Moyo delivered the juju ladden birthday gift.

Mnangagwa turned 79 on 15 September.

We publish below the full text by Prof Moyo:

JULY MOYO IN A FIX WITH ED: In 2020 he saw a N’anga on how to succeed ED; was advised to buy shoes; he got them in TURKEY; N’anga put juju on shoes and asked July to give ED as B/Day gift. Plot leaked to ED’s N’anga. July delivered shoes in Kwekwe & all OCCULTIC HELL BROKE LOOSE!

AS JULY delivered his birthday gift package to Mnangagwa at his Kwekwe farm, Auxillia intercepted it to see what was in it; when she saw a fancy pair of shoes, she screamed, “shangu dziya, shangu dziya”; Mnangagwa then asked July to leave immediately with the shoes, “buda, buda”!

By A Correspondent- Zanu Pf heavyweight July Moyo is in a fix after he delivered a juju filled birthday present to President Emmerson Mnangagwa at his Kwekwe farm.

This was revealed by former cabinet minister Prof Jonathan Moyo in a tweet where her revealed that Moyo’s succession plot was leaked to ED’s traditional healer who raised the flag before Moyo delivered the juju ladden birthday gift.

Mnangagwa turned 79 on 15 September.

We publish below the full text by Prof Moyo:

JULY MOYO IN A FIX WITH ED: In 2020 he saw a N’anga on how to succeed ED; was advised to buy shoes; he got them in TURKEY; N’anga put juju on shoes and asked July to give ED as B/Day gift. Plot leaked to ED’s N’anga. July delivered shoes in Kwekwe & all OCCULTIC HELL BROKE LOOSE!

AS JULY delivered his birthday gift package to Mnangagwa at his Kwekwe farm, Auxillia intercepted it to see what was in it; when she saw a fancy pair of shoes, she screamed, “shangu dziya, shangu dziya”; Mnangagwa then asked July to leave immediately with the shoes, “buda, buda”!

By A Correspondent- A Chitungwiza couple on Saturday lost US$ 21 700, R 5500 cash, a 42 inch TV set, 5 cellphones and a laptop to six armed robbers.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) took to its Twitter page and said investigations are underway.

The (ZRP) wrote:

Police in Chitungwiza are investigating circumstances surrounding a robbery case which occurred on 25/09/21 at Zengeza 3. Six suspects attacked a couple and stole US$21 700 and ZAR 5500 cash, as well as a 42 inch television, HP 250 laptop, five cellphones and two satchels.

Anyone with information to contact any nearest Police station

By A Correspondent- Zanu Pf heavyweight July Moyo is in a fix after he delivered a juju filled birthday present to President Emmerson Mnangagwa at his Kwekwe farm.

This was revealed by former cabinet minister Prof Jonathan Moyo in a tweet where her revealed that Moyo’s succession plot was leaked to ED’s traditional healer who raised the flag before Moyo delivered the juju ladden birthday gift.

Mnangagwa turned 79 on 15 September.

We publish below the full text by Prof Moyo:

JULY MOYO IN A FIX WITH ED: In 2020 he saw a N’anga on how to succeed ED; was advised to buy shoes; he got them in TURKEY; N’anga put juju on shoes and asked July to give ED as B/Day gift. Plot leaked to ED’s N’anga. July delivered shoes in Kwekwe & all OCCULTIC HELL BROKE LOOSE!

AS JULY delivered his birthday gift package to Mnangagwa at his Kwekwe farm, Auxillia intercepted it to see what was in it; when she saw a fancy pair of shoes, she screamed, “shangu dziya, shangu dziya”; Mnangagwa then asked July to leave immediately with the shoes, “buda, buda”!

By A Correspondent- Former cabinet Minister Lazarus Dokora who was eying ZANU PF Mashonaland Central provincial chairman post to ouster the incumbent Kazembe has stepped down.

Dokora is now eyeing the vice Chairman post giving way to a surprise candidate to battle it out with Kazembe.

“Our candidate Dokora who had shown interest in the chairmanship race previously, has stepped down for a surprise candidate in the forthcoming provincial chairmanship post, this is because he has been too busy in mobilizing resources for the conference hence it needs his full attention,” the source said.

Dokora could neither confirm nor deny saying he was in a meeting and would call back soon after the meeting which he never did up to the time of this publication.

However, Dokora once reported an assassination attempt by Kazembe’s cabal when he clearly declared that he was interested in the post.

Businessman James Makamba is one of the emerging giant who has shown interest on the  post and has  been on the ground for a long time.

By A Correspondent- Zanu Pf heavyweight July Moyo is in a fix after he delivered a juju filled birthday present to President Emmerson Mnangagwa at his Kwekwe farm.

This was revealed by former cabinet minister Prof Jonathan Moyo in a tweet where her revealed that Moyo’s succession plot was leaked to ED’s traditional healer who raised the flag before Moyo delivered the juju ladden birthday gift.

Mnangagwa turned 79 on 15 September.

We publish below the full text by Prof Moyo:

JULY MOYO IN A FIX WITH ED: In 2020 he saw a N’anga on how to succeed ED; was advised to buy shoes; he got them in TURKEY; N’anga put juju on shoes and asked July to give ED as B/Day gift. Plot leaked to ED’s N’anga. July delivered shoes in Kwekwe & all OCCULTIC HELL BROKE LOOSE!

AS JULY delivered his birthday gift package to Mnangagwa at his Kwekwe farm, Auxillia intercepted it to see what was in it; when she saw a fancy pair of shoes, she screamed, “shangu dziya, shangu dziya”; Mnangagwa then asked July to leave immediately with the shoes, “buda, buda”!

Here is the Coronavirus/ COVID-19 Situation Report or Update for Zimbabwe by the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) on 27 September 2021:

• New cases: 294
• Local Cases: 294
• Returnees: 0
• Deaths: 3
• Vaccinations: 14 358 (first dose); 14 549 (second dose)
• Total Cumulative Vaccinations: 3 051 371  (first dose); 2 211 880 (second dose)
• As of 26 September 2021, 01500hrs there were 79 hospitalised cases: New Admissions 10, Asymptomatic 18, mild to moderate 53, severe 4 and 4 in Intensive Care Units.
• Tests: 5 340 (Positivity today was 5.5%)
• Recoveries: 197; National Recovery Rate: 94%
• Active Cases: 2 866
• Total Cumulative Cases: 129 919
• Total Recoveries: 122 446
• Total Deaths: 4 607

By A Correspondent- Botswana’s presidency has ordered an official inquiry into livestock theft on his country’s border with Zimbabwe, the government announced on Monday.

Acting President Slumber Tsogwane named a nine-member commission for the inquiry to be conducted in Bobirwa constituency, across the Tuli River in Matabeleland South which for several kilometres serves as the border between the two countries.

A statement accompanying the appointment of the commission said:

4. The terms of reference of the Commission of Inquiry shall be as follows —

(a) To establish the problem of livestock rustling in the Bobirwa villages along the Botswana/Zimbabwe border, and determine the extent of the problem;

(b) To establish how long the problem of livestock rustling in the area has been in existence, what causes or caused it, and who are the key players;

(c) To further establish, from the perspective of the community what was done to address the problem and any mitigating measures initiated by the community to deal with the problem;

(d) To establish the existence of any cross-border livestock rustling management/mitigation strategy by law enforcement agencies, and what gaps exist in that strategy;

(e) To establish what compromises the effectiveness of the management/mitigating strategy referred to above;

(f) To seek input from the community as to what the socio-economic, political, security risks, etc., that may result from the livestock rustling are; its consequences on the livelihood of people in the area; and the measures that can be put in place to mitigate these risks;

(g) To establish whether or not there has been a displacement of farmers in the area as a result of the livestock rustling and how it has affected the diplomatic relations of the two countries;

(h) To engage the Ambassador of Zimbabwe based in Botswana in recognition of being a critical stakeholder in the matter;
(i) Based on the findings from paragraphs (a) to (g) of the Terms of Reference, make appropriate and long lasting recommendations to His Excellency the President on the mitigation measures to address the problem of livestock rustling in some villages in the Bobirwa constituency along the Botswana/Zimbabwe border;

Tensions among communities on either side of the border have been a common feature over the last decade – but most caused by Botswana’s shoot-to-kill policy when Zimbabwean farmers’ livestock stray into its territory.

Botswana has defended the policy saying it is stopping the spread of foot and mouth disease.

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwean journalist and former editor of The Herald, Ray Mungoshi on Sunday night survived a horror crash in Gauteng province, South Africa.

Mungoshi said he was alone and driving towards Johannesburg when his Isuzu truck veered off the road and somersaulted in Randburg.

“The car is a write off, I am lucky to be alive,” he told NewsDay yesterday.

Mungoshi, who is now based in Bloemfontein, South Africa, said his car’s brakes failed and he found himself off the road and his car overturned.

He worked for the Zimbabwe Information Service in Bikita and Gutu before joining The Herald, where he became editor before leaving for the academia.

By A Correspondent- ZIFA have made another bid to the Confederation of African Football (Caf) to have at least 5 000 fans allowed to watch the Group G World Cup qualifier against Ghana at the National Sports Stadium next month.

This comes on the backdrop of an application to have 10 000 fans watch the game against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana at the National Sports Stadium on September 3, which was thrown out by Caf.

This time around, Zifa spokesperson Xolisani Gwesela said they made an application to Caf which was accompanied by a government supporting letter.

However, Gwesela could not be drawn to reveal the contents of the government letter.

“We have made an application to Caf to have 5 000 fans allowed for the Ghana match. We are waiting for a response from Caf. In our application, we attached a government supporting letter,” Gwesela said.

Dismissing Zifa’s application for the game against Bafana Bafana, Caf said: “Caf analysed and assessed your request from a medical, stadium requirements compliance, and safety and security perspectives in your venue. Accordingly, a decision has been taken not to allow the presence of spectators in the aforementioned match.”

The National Sports Stadium got a waiver to host international matches without meeting all the prerequisites, probably on condition that the World Cup qualifiers would be played behind closed doors.

The stadium still has a number of outstanding issues that include the installation of bucket seats, refurbishment of a venue operations centre, improvement of the pitch itself, renovation of the B-Arena for training, electronic entrances to the stadium and general cleanliness of the facility.

Caf has made several calls to Zifa to attend to the outstanding issues but the owners of the facility, the government has been a major letdown.

In May, Caf okayed the National Sports Stadium for the World Cup qualifiers and earlier in April, the stadium was okayed to host the Africa Cup of Nation (Afcon) matches while Zifa were fined US$2 000 for the deplorable state of the facility.

In a circular last week Caf said the National Sports Stadium was one of the stadia that was cleared to host Group G matches.

By A Correspondent- Zanu-PF yesterday threatened to come down hard on the warring party factions after fights disrupted internal district elections at the weekend and yesterday.

The ruling party was last week forced to postpone polls to choose provincial executive members following the eruption of violence, and the latest fissures show the failure by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to unite the party since he took over the reins from his predecessor, the late Robert Mugabe in a November 2017 military coup.

The party’s district elections are being held at a time when factions reportedly aligned to Mnangagwa and his deputy, Constantino Chiwenga, are gearing for senior party posts ahead of provincial elections.

Following Sunday’s bloody fights in Harare, Manicaland, Mashonaland West and Midlands provinces, angry party youths on Sunday besieged the Manicaland provincial offices baying for provincial chairperson Mike Madiro’s blood.

Over 200 party members, including war veterans, reportedly spent Sunday night at the party headquarters in Mutare demanding that either Madiro or the party acting national political commissar Patrick Chinamasa addresses them.

Madiro was on Sunday whisked away by the police and State security agents assigned to him as the situation got tense.

Yesterday, sources told NewsDay that Madiro met Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa over the disturbances at a hotel in Mutare in a bid to try and contain the volatile situation.

Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Associations national political commissar Joel Mureremba, who was part of the protesters, said they would camp at the party headquarters until their issues were addressed by Chinamasa.

“I am surprised that in Burma Valley, we were forced to have a re-run because comrade Madiro’s candidates had lost,” he said.

“We cannot continue to sleep as the party is being destroyed by one person and that is Madiro. We are now demanding to be addressed by our acting political commissar (Chinamasa) because comrade Madiro has failed to address us. We are camping here at the party headquarters and we don’t fear hunger. In Mozambique, we could go for many days without eating anything.”

Zanu-PF Mutare district co-ordinating committee (DCC) secretary for youth Danmore Mambondiyani weighed in saying Madiro’s behaviour would result in the party failing to attract more membership to achieve the five million votes target.

“What chairman Madiro is doing will not give the party the intended five million votes, and we are not going to remain silent with the party being destroyed by one person. Everywhere, the structures are being manipulated,” he said.

“People, who are here at the party headquarters, are committed to the struggle and they have used their own resources to come from all the eight districts in the province. They are buying their own food and some are even struggling to get food, but they are committed to the struggle as they want the party to win in the 2023 elections.”

Madiro was not immediately available for comment.

But Zanu-PF acting national spokesperson Mike Bimha said the party did not believe in violence and would look into all cases and ensure that “necessary” disciplinary measures were instituted.

“We all know that when there are elections, people jostle for positions, but we don’t accept violence. Any violence of any sort is condemned and we would want to take disciplinary action,” he said.

“We can’t run a party with violent people. There could be elements in our party who are like that, but that is not the picture we want to create. That is not Zanu-PF because Zanu-PF stands for discipline and order.

“Elections have circulars on how things are done and some unruly elements take things into their own hands. We condemn it strongly and we would want to appeal to people wherever that is happening, and say that the disciplinary code should take its course.”

In Gokwe-Nembudziya constituency, local Member of Parliament and Gokwe North DCC chairman Justice Mayor Wadyajena confirmed that skirmishes took place during the voting process, adding that resultantly, some machete-wielding youths were
arrested.

Wadyajena said a driver and aide to one of the party’s senior officials in the district were arrested, adding that he had to go to the police station to rescue a party official who had been falsely accused by a rival camp. He said two officials linked to the senior party official paid admission of guilty fines.

“Ran to the police camp? I went as DCC chairman to solve the dispute between parties and in the process, secured the freedom of a kidnapped guy, falsely accused of hiding papers. The hired machete-wielding criminals were arrested and locked up. Gokwe North says no to violence and intimidation,” Wadyajena said.

In Wedza South constituency, Mashonaland East province, there was chaos in one of the wards after a secondary school teacher brought pupils to vote for him.

The elections had to be postponed.

In Mashonaland Central province, only part of Mt Darwin voted yesterday with the province’s seven districts snubbing the exercise alleging vote rigging.

Supporters told NewsDay that they were unable to vote during the week as they were at work and lamented “poor planning”.

Voting is likely to take place today in the remaining seven districts.

By A Correspondent- The new community radio station in Chimanimani reaffirms Government’s determination to open the media space and enhance freedom of expression, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said yesterday at the handover of donated broadcasting equipment.

The equipment was donated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to one of the 14 licensed community radio stations, the one based in Chimanimani.

Minister Mutsvangwa said in the past 12 months, the Government has made “tremendous progress” in realigning the legal and regulatory framework with constitutional provisions on the right of citizens to information and freedom of expression through the repeal of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA).

Government, she added, has since enacted the Freedom of Information Act and the Zimbabwe Media Commission Act, which together provide the legal framework to realise the rights of freedom of communication enshrined in the Constitution.

“The importance of building a knowledgeable and well informed citizenry needs not be emphasised.

“Our focus as the nation of Zimbabwe this year has been in laying the requisite infrastructural spinal cord as well as a policy and regulatory framework to enable unimpeded access and enjoyment of citizens’ right to know.

“The event here is yet another milestone which reaffirms Government’s commitment to enhance freedom of expression,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

She said the establishment of community radio stations will go a long way in addressing communication challenges during emergencies such as floods.

“The natural disaster-ravaged Chimanimani left scars, both physical and emotional, that continue to haunt people to this day.

“It calls for an efficient national communication system to best manage the negative and most deleterious effects of such natural disasters.

“The availability of a community radio station in this part of the country will go a long way in enhancing early warning systems against destructive natural phenomena such as we experienced with Cyclone Idai,” she said.

Speaking during the same function, Chimanimani District Administrator Mr Joseph Manyurapasi said the broadcasting equipment gives an opportunity for the district to showcase its endowments. The equipment will empower the community.

“This equipment will add to our information infrastructure in the district. As we know, we are in the information era and to have information is to be empowered. This equipment will go a long way in empowering the people of Chimanimani as the community radio will facilitate people to have access to information that relates to their needs in the district.

“In addition, it is an opportunity for the district to showcase its endowments through use of this communication media platform and thus appealing to the local and international markets in relation to the investment opportunities in the district.

“As a district that previously experienced natural disasters, the installation of this radio station for the community will instil positive thinking, positive attitudes and optimism among our communities by broadcasting information that will reorient people away from the traumas caused by natural calamities.

“This is essential for people to recover psychologically and for socio-economic development,” said Mr Manyurapasi.

Apart from handover of community radio equipment, there were other events in Chimanimani that included the International Day of Universal Access to Information as well as the launch of the Information For All Programme, which took place.

Several of those involved in information communication technology and media industries were present.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Farmers financed under Command Agriculture have until November 30 to deliver their maize to the Grain Marketing Board or be blacklisted so they can not access any more Government-guaranteed loans and face losing their offer letters and tenure documents and thus their farms.

The National Enhanced Agriculture Productivity Scheme (NEAPS), commonly known as Command Agriculture, requires farmers to repay their loans, usually in the form of deductions from their crop payments when they deliver.

The Financial Clearing Bureau then records their creditworthiness.

NEAPS was this year sponsored by the CBZ-Agroyield, which as a private banking scheme is baacked by a Government guarantee to banks that raise capital to lend to farmers to enhance local agricultural production through concessionary loans.

Government has assisted to ensure NEAPS is well funded with the ultimate goal of converting repayments from recoveries into a revolving fund, meaning that the money paid back this harvest can be relent to farmers to buy inputs for the next cropping cycle.

This would convert one-off arrangements into a permanent source of funding.

Last month the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement was expecting all farmers who benefited from Command Agriculture to ramp up deliveries and recoveries, Minister Dr Anxious Masuka said, so the proceeds can be rolled over to fund the forthcoming season.

Minister Masuka recently highlighted that farmers with outstanding debts will not be enrolled for the next season until they have made a repayment, and this needs to be done by November 30.

“For the avoidance of doubt, banks that lend to farmers who have not fulfilled the above, will be liable for any defaults. Additional measures will be taken and all national payment platforms will be activated to ensure repayments by defaulting farmers, including submission of names to the Financial Clearing Bureau,” said Minister Masuka.

Without a Government guarantee banks then have to assume the risk entirely themselves, and this was the sticking point that saw the Government moving in with guarantees so the banks could do their job.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry Dr John Basera said the Minister reserved the right to revoke offer letters for farmers who use their offer letters to the detriment of Government-supported programmes, including an intentional failure to settle loans.

“After November 30, we are seriously coming for those farmers defaulting. Farmers be warned.”

Command Agriculture was introduced by Government in 2016 to ensure national food security, accelerate import substitution and as a key driver to economic recovery.

It mainly benefits the A2 resettlement farmers and other farmers with the larger farms. The programme was also targeted at creating employment and uplifting livelihoods.

Command Agriculture has resulted in an increase in production of both maize and wheat and the ministry believes it is a catalyst to the attainment of Vision 2030 and realisation of the National Development Strategy 1.

So far the programme has registered success especially during the last season where over 1 million tonnes of maize was produced.

After initial success, last year the Government changed the model to bring in participation of the financial institutions such as CBZ, Agribank and Stanbic as part of the programme to create a permanent and normal financing arrangement.

Zimbabwe is expected to harvest 2,7 million tonnes of maize during the present summer cropping season, the highest yield in 20 years.

Success was also registered in wheat production during last year’s harvest when the country produced enough cereal to cover nine months’ supply and this harvest is expected with the modest carry-over stocks to see Zimbabwe managing without further imports.

Wheat production has been rising fast. In 2019 farmers produced 220 000 tonnes of wheat from 45 000 hectares but this winter more than 320 000 tonnes of the cereal are expected from the 66 400 hectares put under the crop.

“Eighty percent plus of this year’s winter wheat crop is coming from NEAPS,” said Dr Basera.

Meanwhile, Dr Basera said the next round of NEAPS will be funded partly through AFC and partly through CBZ backed by Government performance guarantees for the contracted farmers through Treasury.

“The scheme is targeting to establish 440 000 hactares. The target is 390 000 hectares of maize and 40 000 hectares soya bean,” he said.

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Eight financial institutions that were allegedly involved in foreign currency dealings in Harare through EcoCash bulk payer lines, yesterday appeared in court for violating some sections of the Exchange Control Regulations.

Titanium Capital (Pvt) Limited, Dream High Investments (Pvt) Limited, Access Finance (Private) Limited, Tererati (Private) Limited, Vision Credit Source (Private) Limited, Capital Profit Financial Services,  Raymond Mudonhi Investment (Private) Limited, Justice Mahuni, Kudzai Mudonhi, and Juso Global Limited, separately appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court charged with illegally dealing in foreign currency.

They were not asked to plead to the charges.

Titanium Capital, which is represented by Tatenda Patrick Musonza, is alleged to have dealt in $210 475 688.

Dream High Investments, represented by Tinasahe Paradise Magada, is alleged to have transferred $143 669 348 while Access Finance (Private) Limited allegedly transacted $185 420 444.

Tererati (Private) Limited owned by Samuel Tererai Chiodze is said to have transacted $125 722 079 while Vision Credit Source (Private) Limited, represented by Takudzwa Godwin Rafamoyo, allegedly traded $192 207 880.

Capital Profit Financial Services represented by Taitus Tapiwa Madzara, allegedly transacted $59 237 733.

Raymond Mudonhi Investment (Private) Limited, Justice Mahuni, Kudzai Mudonhi and Juso Global Limited Justice Mahuni allegedly illegally traded $150 128 765.

According to the State, Titanium Capital (Pvt) Limited traded with 429 agents between January and June 2020 and the institution was allegedly still trading using the EcoCash bulk payer line.

Dream High Investments, is a registered company dealing in buying and selling of groceries, according to the State.

It is said that sometime in February 2019, it opened a corporate banking account with Steward Bank. The court heard that between January and June 2020, Dream High Investments received $143 669 348 from different companies and individuals, which it then transferred using the EcoCash bulk payer line to agents who would buy forex on their behalf from the streets.

Access Finance, which is registered as a bureau de change, is alleged to have bought various Econet lines which it would give to various agents, who in turn used them to buy forex on the streets.

It is alleged that its conduct was against the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe financial regulations that do not allow it to employ or trade outside its premises.

Between January and June 30 last year, Tererati (Private) Limited is alleged to have bought forex using agents from the streets.

Vision Credit Source, which is a registered company, is also alleged to have used the same modus operandi to buy forex from the parallel market through its agents.

It is alleged that between January and June last year the company transferred $2 520 535 from its bank account into various EcoCash accounts before transferring it to various agents.

The agents would then allegedly buy forex on the streets.

All the suspected dealers are expected back in court tomorrow for bail applications. Regional magistrates Mrs Vongai Guwuriro, Mr Ngoni Nduna and Mr Turai Manwere, separately presided over the matters.

By A Correspondent- Nine new judges recommended by the Judicial Service Commission and accepted by President Mnangagwa for appointment as judges of the High Court will tomorrow take their judicial oaths.

The nine were among the 35 aspiring candidates that were interviewed to fill the vacant positions of the High Court after promotion of six senior High Court judges to the Supreme Court bench following consultations with the JSC as required by law.

Chief magistrate Mr Munamato Mutevedzi, Labour Court judge Justice Rogers Manyangadze Foroma, Mutare regional magistrate Chipo Annie-Lucy Mungwari, JSC deputy secretary Mr Elijah Makomo, Industry and Commerce Ministry’s legal affairs director Mr Never Katiyo, former Barclays Bank legal counsel Mr Joseph Chilimbe, Bulawayo-based lawyer Mr Bongani Ndlovu, chief law officer in the Attorney-General’s Office Mr Samuel Deme, who is visually-impaired and veteran Harare lawyer Mrs Catherine Kate Bachi-Muzawazi will be sworn in by Chief Justice Luke Malaba.

The JSC submits its recommended list to the President, who may assent to the names or ask the JSC to submit a fresh set of names.

While a recent amendment to the Constitution allows promotion of judges from the High Court to the Supreme and Constitutional Courts without further public interviews, these are still required for entry to the High Court bench.

The judiciary had seen a number of High Court judges moving to the Supreme Court to close the gap left by five judges that were moved up to the new Constitutional Court, now a stand-alone court.

By A Corrrespondent- The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) on Monday 27 September 2021 announced that police in Beitbridge had arrested three armed robbers who were involved in cross border crimes.

We present a statement that was issued by police national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi.

ARREST OF ARMED ROBBERS IN BEITBRIDGE

The Security Services on operation “No To Cross Border Crimes/ Fhasi Ngamilandu Yamukanoni Yamashango/Mhosva Pamiganhu Ngadzipere/Amacala Kawaphele Emingceleni Yelizwe,” have arrested three (3) armed robbery suspects at Chinyampanze area, Beitbridge.

The suspects, Tafara Moyo (30), Munyaradzi Ncube (27) and Elphus Chigundubudze (34) were monitored while coming from the South Africa side carrying three (3) bags.

The suspects were ambushed, cornered and found with two (2) Vector CPI pistols with no serial numbers and a Beretta Gardone CPX4 pistol, serial number 3181E. The gang had one pistol with empty magazine and another loaded with three (3) rounds of 9 mm paralle-bruim, 2x 12 bore gauge sellier bellol and SPS-70-05

The suspects who are residents in South Africa were targeting a consignment of Remington Gold cigarettes which was due to be smuggled into South Africa by people who are yet to be identified.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police warns criminals involved in cross border crimes and robbery cases within the country that the security services are on high alert and will deal decisively with criminal syndicates.

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) have arrested three notorious armed robbers in Beitbridge who were involved in cross border crimes. 

Below is a statement by the police national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi on the arrest of the three.The Security Services on operation “No To Cross Border Crimes/ Fhasi Ngamilandu Yamukanoni Yamashango/Mhosva Pamiganhu Ngadzipere/Amacala Kawaphele Emingceleni Yelizwe,” have arrested three (3) armed robbery suspects at Chinyampanze area, Beitbridge. 

The suspects, Tafara Moyo (30), Munyaradzi Ncube (27) and Elphus Chigundubudze (34) were monitored while coming from the South Africa side carrying three (3) bags. 

The suspects were ambushed, cornered and found with two (2) Vector CPI pistols with no serial numbers and a Beretta Gardone CPX4 pistol, serial number 3181E. The gang had one pistol with empty magazine and another loaded with three (3) rounds of 9 mm paralle-bruim, 2x 12 bore gauge sellier bellol and SPS-70-05 

The suspects who are residents in South Africa were targeting a consignment of Remington Gold cigarettes which was due to be smuggled into South Africa by people who are yet to be identified. 

The Zimbabwe Republic Police warns criminals involved in cross border crimes and robbery cases within the country that the security services are on high alert and will deal decisively with criminal syndicates.

By A Correspondent- A Harare man has lost his brand new Land Rover Discovery vehicle to armed robbers.

According to the police, the victim, aged 42, was attacked and robbed at his homestead by three suspects.

“They also stole US$15 680 cash, 55-inch television, cellphones and a laptop, among other valuables. The stolen vehicle and television were recovered dumped in Chisipite,” said the police spokesperson Paul Nyathi.

“Police in Harare are investigating circumstances surrounding a case of robbery which occurred on September 21, 2021, in Chisipite. Five suspects robbed the complainant aged 38 of US$21 000 cash and five cellphones,” he said.

He said police in Harare were also appealing for information that may assist in investigating another case of armed robbery, which occurred on September 19, 2021, at Pagomo along the Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Road.

By A Correspondent- A Bulawayo woman has told a court that her man has resorted to pounding her with fists because his sexual organ did not have to stay power to give her a good time in bed.

Nonmatter Mlambo (32) approached Western Commonage court to seek legal intervention after her husband, Mqondisi Msipa (45), assaulted her in front of her aunt who had visited them.
Mlambo said the problem started when she engaged her husband’s aunt about Msipa’s erectile dysfunction problem. After that their marriage became a sour affair because Msipa constantly accused her of bad-mouthing him with his aunt.
Mlambo said the situation escalated as her husband would hurl insults at her before assaulting her and would issue death threats. Fearing for her life, Mlambo applied for a protection order against her husband.

“I’m applying for a protection order against my husband, who physically and verbally abuses me for confiding in his aunt that we are facing a problem in our marriage because he is sexually weak as he quickly climaxes, leaving me sexually starved.
“His aunt sold me out because she told him that I approached her. After that, my husband would verbally attack me, and at times, he would beat me up.
In addition to that, he is a self-centred man who does not take advice and wants whatever he says to take precedence,” she said.
She added: “I fear that he will end up killing me.”
The presiding magistrate Jeconia Prince Ncube granted Mlambo a protection order against her husband and ordered him not to physically and verbally abuse his wife.

By A Correspondent- Six other people, including three shop attendants, have lost over US$4 000 to armed robbers in separate incidents in Masvingo.

Cases of armed robberies have been on the increase countrywide, with criminals targeting individuals and business people with cash.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi has since warned criminals involved in robbery cases that their days are numbered, and the law will soon catch up with them.

Asst Comm Nyathi said , “Police in Masvingo are also investigating circumstances surrounding a robbery case which occurred on September 21, 2021 at Madamombe Business Centre, Chivi. Two suspects robbed three shop attendants a total of US$1000 and R 1000 cash and cellphones at Jaka, Asani and Mhonde shops.

“Meanwhile, Police in Chikato are investigating three robbery cases which occurred on September 2021 and September 21, 2021 at Victoria Ranch and Runyararo West, Masvingo. Seven suspects robbed three complainants a total of US$3 715 and cellphones on three different occasions,” he said.
Asst Comm Nyathi said anyone with information that might assist them with investigations can contact any nearest police station.

By A Correspondent- An image of the controversial preacher and Zanu PF activist Panganai Java, also known as Passion Java, with piles of bond notes has gone viral on the internet.

In the picture, Java seems to be moving around collecting the old useless Zimbabwe legal tender.

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF activists are said to have invaded Gweru’s Mtapa market in the Midlands province.

The ruling party activists are also said to be collecting US$2 per week from each of the 600 vendors operating at the site.

The Southern Eye has established that the governing party’s activists grabbed the vending stalls in May this year.
The affected vendors described the US$2 weekly fees as daylight robbery considering the state of the economy nationwide. One anonymous vendor who was affected by the development said:

This is a ploy just to milk us of our money as we are already financially overburdened.
Zanu PF Midlands provincial spokesperson Cornelius Mupereri said his office had not yet received such reports. Mupereri said:
No, the party has not been collecting fees from vendors.
But Gweru City Council spokesperson Vimbai Chingwaramusee confirmed having heard of reports that there were some people that were demanding fees from vendors at Mtapa market. She said:

In cases like these, we encourage those affected vendors to go and report the issue to the police.
Affected vendors told Southern Eye that they were afraid to report the matter to police for fear of victimisation. The governing party is alleged to have an influence on the allocation of vendors in towns.

By A Correspondent- An image of the controversial preacher and Zanu PF activist Panganai Java, also known as Passion Java, with piles of bond notes has gone viral on the internet.

In the picture, Java seems to be moving around collecting the old useless Zimbabwe legal tender.

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF activists are said to be extorting vendors at Gweru’s Mtapa market in the Midlands province.

Reports say that the activists are demanding US$2 per week from each of the 600 vendors operating at the site.

The Southern Eye has established that the governing party’s activists grabbed the vending stalls in May this year.
The affected vendors described the US$2 weekly fees as daylight robbery considering the state of the economy nationwide. One anonymous vendor who was affected by the development said:

This is a ploy just to milk us of our money as we are already financially overburdened.
Zanu PF Midlands provincial spokesperson Cornelius Mupereri said his office had not yet received such reports. Mupereri said:
No, the party has not been collecting fees from vendors.
But Gweru City Council spokesperson Vimbai Chingwaramusee confirmed having heard of reports that there were some people that were demanding fees from vendors at Mtapa market. She said:

In cases like these, we encourage those affected vendors to go and report the issue to the police.
Affected vendors told Southern Eye that they were afraid to report the matter to police for fear of victimisation. The governing party is alleged to have an influence on the allocation of vendors in towns.

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF has revived consultations on its indigenisation policy which would see foreign nationals barred from operating businesses in some sectors of the economy.

The programme is being spearheaded by the party’s secretary of indigenisation and economic empowerment, Mike Bimha.

Bimha said the governing party wants Zimbabweans “to take charge, we must fully participate in all the sectors”.

In the proposed policy set to be launched ahead 0f the 2023 elections, foreigners will be barred from operating in certain sectors, including the lucrative artisanal gold mining and hair saloons.

In 2016, the Zanu PF government was forced to abandon the economic empowerment law that sought to transfer majority shares of foreign-owned firms to black Zimbabweans.

By A Correspondent- We would like to apologise that we can no longer bring Norton Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa on Zimeye Twitter Spaces tonight because of an urgent engagement the MP has just had.

The outspoken MP was supposed to talk about his private love affairs and political career tonight at 7 PM.

We will advise on another date and time we could bring him on this platform.

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader President Nelson Chamisa has described the late Dr Patson Dzamara as a dedicated young citizen who was determined to fight for justice.

Dr Dzamara succumbed to cancer…

He is remembered for challenging the Zanu PF regime to release his brother Itai Dzamara who was abducted by suspected State security agents in 2015.

President Chamisa attended Dr Dzamara’s memorial service in Mutoko on Sunday.

“PATSON DZAMARA…I dedicate this special day to a brother, the late Patson Dzamara.

The family informed us that they are unveiling his tombstone in Mutoko today(Sunday).

We lost a fine young man whose only quest was to find what happened to our still missing brother Itai. Rest In Power PD,” said President Chamisa in a statement.

SHURUGWI- A cheeky baboon in a troop marauding the mining town of Shurugwi lifted up a six-year old girl on Sunday, chewed up her buttocks before throwing her into the air.

Helen Chakauya has deep wounds and doctors had to cut out flesh from parts of her body to fill up the wounds.

Helen’s parents are now appealing for US$200 for the treatment of the child who is admitted at Makarima Hospital in Shurugwi.

Helen’s father, Lesson Chakauya of Ironsides, Shurugwi told The Mirror that his daughter was playing with other children outside the house when baboons came running their way.

The children panicked and ran towards the house but one baboon turned on Helen, lifted her up, chewed her buttocks and threw her into the air.
The baboon left her lying on the ground and ran away.

“Helen needs three injections and one is going for US$140 while the other two go for US$30 each. I don’t have the kind of money, I have approached the Social Welfare Department and I am appealing to anyone who can help.

Her wound is so deep that doctors had to cut flesh from some parts of her body to fill up the wound,” said Chakauya.
He said that it was the first time in the area that a baboon had bitten a human being.- Masvingo Mirror

By A Correspondent- A 6 year old girl from  Shurugwi was recently hospitalized after she was mauled by a baboon on the buttocks.

Helen Chakauya was reportedly attacked on Sunday by a cheeky baboon in a troop marauding the mining town.

Circumstances leading to the accident are that Helen was playing with other children outside the house when a troop of baboons came running their way. Helen and the other children panicked and ran towards the house but one baboon turned on Helen, lifted her up, chewed her buttocks before throwing her into the air.

The baboon ran away and left her lying on the ground.

Helen was immediately rushed to Makarima Hospital where she is currently admitted. She sustained deep wounds during the attack.

The doctors who attended to her had to cut out some flesh from parts of her body to fill up the wounds.

Speaking during an interview with The Mirror, Helen’s father, Lesson Chakauya said as a family, they are still perplexed by the whole incident as he revealed that this was the first time in the area that a baboon had bitten a human being. He appealed for US$200 so that his daughter can get the necessary treatment.

“Helen needs three injections and one is going for US$140 while the other two go for US$30 each. I don’t have the kind of money, I have approached the Social Welfare Department and I am appealing to anyone who can help. Her wound is so deep that doctors had to cut flesh from some parts of her body to fill up the wound,”  he said.

In an almost similar development, a couple of months ago an 8-year-old boy from Zaka was attacked by a Hyena during an all-night prayer meeting.

Rodwell Ngomazana was under the custody of his grandmother, Martha Sasikayi, 62, at an all-night prayer meeting when he was mauled on his face by a hyena.

He was severely disfigured during the hyena attack.

He recently received a new prosthetic nose following facial reconstruction surgery in South Africa.

By Jane Mlambo| The Zimbabwe Election Support Network has slammed the government’s failure to abide by the constitution by failing to hold by-elections to fill vacant parliamentary and local government seats.

In its Electoral Reform Tracking report from January to July 2021, ZESN described the failure to hold by-elections as the most serious failures by the government to respect the constitution and its legal framework.

The electoral pressure group urged government to abide by the country’s electoral laws.

“The failure to conduct by-elections represents one of the most serious failures to abide by the Constitution and its legal framework, under the guise of seeking to uphold the health of citizens.

“Many countries in Africa and beyond have successfully held by-elections and general elections under pandemic conditions with measures put in place to avoid the spread of the pandemic. Zimbabwe is advised to uphold its electoral laws,” ZESN said.

The organisation also raised concern over the non-implementation of recommendations made by various local and international observers in the 2018 harmonised elections.

“Many of the recommendations that were made by well-meaning international and local election observer missions remain unattended to. Yet Zimbabwe is barely two years away from another set of harmonized elections,” added ZESN.

“The tradition of rushed electoral law changes on the eve of elections is not in the best interest of a maturing democracy. Many of the issues raised in the ZESN petition to Parliament remain outstanding. And yet these issues, if addressed, would contribute to o more credible electoral process,” further noted ZESN.

Government has suspended the holding of by-elections citing health risks due to the threat of COVID-19 currently ravaging the world but other countries including the neighbouring Malawi and Zambia have successfully held their elections in the middle of the pandemic.

There is a general feeling that the suspension of by-elections is a political move by the government to thwart the opposition considering that it has been the most affected due to internal squabbles that saw one faction recalling more than 20 legislators since May 2020.

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday pleaded with the restive civil servants to be more patriotic and drive government’s devolution and decentralisation programmes to ensure uninterrupted service delivery.

The Zanu-PF leader made the call during the burial of former Public Service Commission (PSC) chairperson Mariyo Mariyawanda Nzuwah who died last week.

He also told mourners that government was committed to improving its workers’ conditions of service, capacities, and skills in tandem with the demands of the new normal driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I commend all public servants for their resilience, hard work and perseverance in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Government and its workers have had frosty relations since the switch over from United States dollar-based salaries to the Zimbabwe dollar era, with the latter claiming erosion of their earnings.

“Our public service officials should change their mindset and be up to the task of delivering on their mandates, including delivery of services at every level in both rural and urban areas. They must be an embodiment of unity, and drivers of our devolution and decentralisation agenda,” Mnangagwa said.

“In this way, they will bring dignity to every citizen through ensuring uninterrupted delivery of basic services such as clean water, good roads, timeous availability of inputs, and access to renewable energy, and well-resourced schools, among other aspects.”

He said civil servants should identify with the communities in which they are deployed, and respect their cultures and languages.

“In light of this, it remains incumbent upon the entire civil service to continue upholding the unwavering, patriotic, humble, hardworking character, high degree of professionalism and sense of duty-consciousness, exhibited by the late national hero, Nzuwah,” Mnangagwa said.

He also urged present-day intellectuals, the youth and women to play their part in pursuing various studies locally and abroad in order to enrich themselves in cultural and ideological consciousness.

“As the African intelligentsia, you have the responsibility to engender and propel the political and economic development of our country and the continent as a whole.”

The President said Nzuwah would be remembered for developing a sound civil service in Zimbabwe.

Nzuwah was appointed the first black chairperson of the PSC, then Civil Service Commission, in 1992 and served in that capacity until his retirement in 2018. He is survived by wife Janice Nzuwah (nee Stevenson), four children and eight grandchildren.-newsday

By A Correspondent- Intraparty violence has rocked the ongoing Zanu-PF district elections being held throughout the country as factions aligned to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy, Constantino Chiwenga, seek to outwit each other and land key positions ahead of provincial elections which have been postponed to early next year.

In some instances, party members physically attacked each other amid allegations of voter manipulation and intimidation.

In some provinces, the elections had to be aborted and postponed to today after the provincial leaders observed that the cell registers were in shambles and there was massive rigging.

There were also reports that in some areas, the party was using registers meant for beneficiaries of the Presidential Input Scheme to account for voters.

The Zanu-PF politburo last week announced that it had suspended the divisive provincial elections to allow for the smooth running of its national conference set for end of this year.

The ruling party’s internal elections are being held at a time when opposition parties have been barred from holding campaign meetings to nominate candidates for the 40 parliamentary and over 80 council seats which fell vacant following the recall of MDC Alliance MPs and councillors.

In Harare, supporters of Godwills Masimirembwa and Godfrey Gomwe pelted each other with stones and bricks in Epworth on Saturday.

Both Masimirembwa and Gomwe are eyeing the provincial chairmanship.

The two party officials could not be reached for comment, but party insiders said Gomwe’s supporters provoked the violence.

Zanu-PF acting spokesperson Mike Bimha said he was unaware of the alleged clashes.

“I just arrived from Bulawayo today (yesterday) and from the briefings I have so far received, there is nothing about the alleged fights,” Bimha said.

In Manicaland province, disgruntled party members yesterday demonstrated against provincial chairperson Mike Madiro, accusing him of imposing candidates.

The members, including youths, demonstrated at Mutare Teachers College demanding an address by Madiro, who was at that time addressing a provincial electoral committee meeting.

Madiro had to be whisked away by the police after the protestors became more daring following his alleged refusal to address them.

The placard-waving protesters later demanded to be addressed by provincial political commissar, Gift Kagweda, and acting national commissar Patrick Chinamasa.

They were still camped at the provincial offices at the time of going to print last night.

Some of their placards read: “Madiro must go”, “No to imposition of candidates”, “With Madiro, we can’t achieve the five million votes”.

In the Midlands province, factional fights forced the postponement of the district elections to a later date.

Supporters are polarised between State Security minister Owen Ncube and incumbent chairman Daniel Mackenzie Ncube.

In Gokwe, Gokwe-Nembudziya MP Mayor Wadyajena had to seek police escort after Zanu-PF supporters threatened to attack his vehicle, accusing him of trying to impose candidates in polls supervised by a district co-ordinating committee team from Gweru.

On Friday, while addressing party supporters after touring a community garden benefiting hundreds of women in Gokwe-Nembudziya, Wadyajena said senior Zanu-PF officials should desist from abusing President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s name to land influential positions in the ongoing restructuring exercise.

“No one should force you to vote for a person you don’t want (to vote for). No one should abuse the name of chefs to say the President has sent me. That is selling out and unacceptable,” he said.

In Mashonaland Central province, the district polls, which were scheduled for Friday, will now be held today after concerns were raised over chaotic voter registers.

The chaos was attributed to alleged attempts by incumbent provincial chairperson Kazembe Kazembe to impose his cronies as candidates.

“We aborted the elections because there was confusion in cell registers and ballot boxes (which) were supplied in threes, meaning rigging was already happening, hence we stopped them. This was orchestrated by Kazembe who is fighting to reclaim his seat,” a party insider claimed.

Insiders said Kazembe held a meeting to plot the rigging at his farm on September 18, which was attended by nine allies who hold influential positions in the province.

Kazembe, however, dismissed the allegations.

“People who are creating the confusion are known, that is nonsense as usual. Kazembe doesn’t vote in the more than 400 districts in the province. People are just scared of the elections. Let us allow people to choose their leaders without manipulation,” he said.

In Masvingo province, chaos was swirling following allegations that provincial chairperson Ezra Chadzamira had planned to bus in council workers to vote for candidates loyal
to him.

— Additional reporting by Kenneth Nyangani, Simba Sithole and Amos Batisayi.-newsday

By A Correspondent- Police have launched a manhunt for a group of seven robbers who stole US$600 and three cell phones.

In their twitter page, the police said the suspects attacked the complainants on September 24 at Annadale 17 Mine in Filabusi.

“Police in Filabusi are investigating circumstances surrounding a robbery case which occurred on 24 September at Annadale 17 Mine. Seven suspects attacked two complainants and stole US$600 cash as well as three cellphones.

“Meanwhile police in Masvingo are investigating circumstances surrounding a robbery case which occurred on 21 September Madamombe Business Centre. Two suspects robbed three shop attendants a total of US$1000 and R 1000 cash as well as cellphones at Jaka, Asani and Mhonde Shops,” said the police.

By A Correspondent- A 6 year old girl from  Shurugwi was recently hospitalized after she was mauled by a baboon on the buttocks.

Helen Chakauya was reportedly attacked on Sunday by a cheeky baboon in a troop marauding the mining town.

Circumstances leading to the accident are that Helen was playing with other children outside the house when a troop of baboons came running their way. Helen and the other children panicked and ran towards the house but one baboon turned on Helen, lifted her up, chewed her buttocks before throwing her into the air.

The baboon ran away and left her lying on the ground.

Helen was immediately rushed to Makarima Hospital where she is currently admitted. She sustained deep wounds during the attack.

The doctors who attended to her had to cut out some flesh from parts of her body to fill up the wounds.

Speaking during an interview with The Mirror, Helen’s father, Lesson Chakauya said as a family, they are still perplexed by the whole incident as he revealed that this was the first time in the area that a baboon had bitten a human being. He appealed for US$200 so that his daughter can get the necessary treatment.

“Helen needs three injections and one is going for US$140 while the other two go for US$30 each. I don’t have the kind of money, I have approached the Social Welfare Department and I am appealing to anyone who can help. Her wound is so deep that doctors had to cut flesh from some parts of her body to fill up the wound,”  he said.

In an almost similar development, a couple of months ago an 8-year-old boy from Zaka was attacked by a Hyena during an all-night prayer meeting.

Rodwell Ngomazana was under the custody of his grandmother, Martha Sasikayi, 62, at an all-night prayer meeting when he was mauled on his face by a hyena.

He was severely disfigured during the hyena attack.

He recently received a new prosthetic nose following facial reconstruction surgery in South Africa.

By A Correspondent- Two dangerous inmates escaped from WhaWha Medium Prison in Gweru last week after Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) officers allegedly failed to secure doors to their holding cells.

Shepherd Mubaiwa (29) and Maxwell Vikwepi (20) facing robbery, unlawful entry and theft charges escaped from lawful custody on Friday while awaiting trial.

Two ZPCS officers who were tasked with securing the doors for the holding cells are allegedly in detention as investigations into the alleged escape take place.

ZPCS national deputy spokesperson Principal Correctional Officer (PCO) Peter Chaparanga said:

Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service would like to inform members of the public that on 24 September, 2021, two inmates awaiting trial Shepherd Mubaiwa (29) facing robbery, unlawful entry and theft charges and Maxwell Vikwepi (20) facing charges of robbery escaped from lawful custody at Whawha Medium Prison,” he said.
PCO Chaparanga said circumstances surrounding their escape are still under investigation.

“We appeal to the members of the public to assist with any information that may lead to the recapture of the duo. Meanwhile, the public is encouraged to approach the escapees with caution,” he said.

Sources at the prison said two of their colleagues were in detention as investigations into the escape gather momentum.

They said once a prisoner escapes, the prison officers on duty are automatically brought to task to ascertain whether or not they were involved in the escape.

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- A Chinese mining company, Heijin, has reportedly told villagers in Kaseke, Uzumba district, that they have no capacity to stop their eviction to pave way for granite stone mining as they have no title deeds to the disputed communal land.

Chief Nyajina last Wednesday told a high-powered government delegation tasked to resolve the land dispute that the mining company’s representatives had told them to stop fighting for their ancestral land since they did not have rights to it.

The delegation comprised Local Government minister July Moyo, Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs minister Aplonia Munzverengwi, Mines deputy minister Polite Kambamura, Zanu-PF acting Mashonaland East provincial chairperson Michael Madanha, Uzumba legislator Simbaneuta Mudarikwa  and Maramba legislator Tichaona Karimazondo, among others.

Chief Nyajina said the company’s representatives were disrespectful and claimed to be connected to the highest offices on the land.

“What pained me the most is when this company told us villagers are not important as we do not have title deeds to our land. In other words, that means that those with mining certificates are now the custodians or owners of the land and we do not matter anymore,” he said.

The traditional leader, who is resisting the takeover of the entire village by the company without following necessary procedures, said the Asian miners told him to look for alternative land for his subjects.

“Here are the questions ministers: If we award 300 hectares to one person in the rural areas, where are our children going to stay? Where will I put all those people? A Heijin representative openly told me and my village heads to look for alternative land for our people — and I asked, where? Is this the correct procedure which they followed?

“There should be consultations with the community first. My word to Deputy minister Kambamura is that the way these blocks are being parcelled out is not proper. We only see people coming with letters from the Mines ministry stating that a certain piece of land is now theirs,” he said.

“We have other companies that have invested in our area. They engaged us before they started mining operations. We told them of sacred places that should not be disturbed and they listened. But this company (Heijin) is not like that. I do not know where their powers are coming from. I suggest that their powers be trimmed.”

Chief Nyajina further alleged that the Mines ministry had misrepresented facts to the effect that only 20 households would be affected after 300 hectares were pegged.

“We found out that more than 70 homesteads fall within the pegged area yet a government official claimed that only 20 households would be affected. Moreover, the mine representatives are saying only five households are affected. People should stop lying to the nation,” he said.

Government officials then promised to summon the mining company and Mashonaland East provincial mines officers to resolve the standoff.-newsday

By A Correspondent- National Patriotic Front (NPF) parliamentary candidate for Mhangura constituency in the 2018 elections, Mr Peter Kadambe has defected to the ruling Zanu-PF party, becoming the latest of many people to ditch opposition parties in recent months.

This comes as Zanu-PF has set a target of securing at least five million votes in the 2023 harmonised elections.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Deputy Minister and Makonde District Coordinating Committee (DCC) chairperson, Kindness Paradza confirmed in Mhangura at the weekend that Mr Kadambe and Mr Tongai Nyamasunha had been welcomed into the party.

He said everyone was welcome to join the ruling party.

Mr Kadambe, who is also a former member of the Movement for Democratic Change, contested and against Zanu-PF’s Precious Chinhamo-Masango while Mr Nyamasunha was NPF’s candidate for council Ward 11 in Mhangura.

He lost the election to Ngonani Maseko.

Other political parties to be hit by defections include the MDC-A whose top members, including Mr Blessing Chebundo and Zvishavane Senator Lillian Timveos, crossed the floor to Zanu-PF.

Mr Tongai Matutu from Masvingo province also joined the ruling party last year.

Said Paradza: “The party is open to everyone and the two former NPF members decided to join us following the warm invitation by our President, Mnangagwa.

“Kadambe wrote a letter to be admitted into the party and the Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) accepted his request.

Mhangura constituency is expected to contribute 25 000 towards Makonde’s 75 000 votes to feed into the five million target.

In their remarks, the two admitted members vowed to work for the party for a resounding 2023 election result.

Mr Kadambe pledged allegiance to President Mnangagwa and the Second Republic while Nyamasunha reiterated the need for unity and togetherness in the party as a basis for a good election result.

Deputy Minister Paradza also addressed members of the Mhangura Farmers Association (MFA) during a meeting aimed at fundraising for Zanu-PF’s upcoming 19th People’s conference and other party activities.

The farmers pledged money, grain and beasts with Paradza being one of the farmers to donate five beasts so far.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- The controversy surrounding the late former president Robert Mugabe’s final resting place continues to haunt the country as the battle now shifts to the courts.

When Mugabe died, it took nearly three weeks before he was laid to rest at his Zvimba rural home amid accusations of witchcraft.

President emmerson Mnangagwa and his Zanu-PF party wanted his remains to be interred at the National heroes Acres like most of his colleagues in the liberation struggle, but the Mugabe family stood by his wife, former first lady Grace Mugabe who put her foot down, saying the late veteran politician wanted to be buried at his Kutama home.

That was his death bed wish, she said.

Two years later, those who thought Mugabe’s burial issue was now water under the bridge were shocked to hear that some little known villager of Mugabe’s Gushungo totem, headman Tinos Manongovere from the neighbouring village had approached Chief Zvimba, born Stanley Wurayayi Mhondoro claiming that Zimbabwe’s once longtime ruler was buried against the norms and customs of the area.

he said Mugabe’s remains needed to be dug up and reburied elsewhere.

This development stirred the anger of Kutama villagers in Zvimba who are furious about the proposed exhumation of Mugabe’s remains.

Mugabe’s neighbour who claims to be his aunt, Josephine Jaricha pointed an accusing finger at Mnangagwa whom she accused of trying to manipulate villagers allegedly to satisfy his wish to get access to Mugabe’s body.

Jaricha said the exhumation would not resurrect Mugabe or solve the current problems Zimbabwe was facing, including shortages of medicine in hospitals, inflation and the obtaining economic meltdown.

“even if they exhume his body and rebury him at the National heroes Acres that will not resurrect our child,” Jaricha said.

Jaricha said instead of solving problems being faced by the people in the country, Mnangagwa wanted to waste time and taxpayers’ money to exhume and rebury Mugabe.

“Besides, most people are suffering; (government) should be working towards solving people’s problems. This is a failed leadership.

“Things are worse off than during Mugabe’s time.

“Exhuming Mugabe will not put food on the table and those leading the country should preoccupy themselves with solving national problems rather than engaging in these frivolous things like exhuming Mugabe’s body,” Jaricha charged.

Mugabe’s headman, Camiro Kutama who appeared concerned about being sidelined by the Mugabe family during the burial ceremony said the villagers were shocked by the exhumation saga since it had never happened in his area of jurisdiction.

Kutama said if it was a case of violating customs and norms within Zvimba in general and Kutama in particular, he should have been the first person to be informed, but nothing like that happened.

“The chief erred by presiding over a case that I don’t even know about,” Kutama said.

“The case should have first come to me…besides people are buried at places of their choice and it’s not something out of this world.”

Another Kutama villager, elder Cephas Chioto who sits in headman Kutama’s court said the Mugabe issue was unique in so many ways.

Chioto said it was not new that someone was buried in the courtyard of their homestead.

It’s now “fashionable” in most parts of Zvimba, and interestingly, when Mugabe was buried, most Zvimba chiefs and Manongovere were present, but the issue was never raised.

“My son, go around this village and see for yourself graves at people’s homesteads, but nothing is being said about it,” Chioto said.

“Interestingly all those people involved (Chief Zvimba and Manongovere) were present when Mugabe was buried but none of them raised the issue.”

Chioto said it was very clear that some chiefs and villagers were being bribed to make ridiculous decisions.

“This can only point to people receiving money to make such ridiculous judgements because if they were genuine, they were supposed to raise the issue on the day Mugabe was buried ….but why waiting for two years?” Chioto queried.

Pressed further to reveal names of those involved, Chioto refused to name the people he suspected to be dishing out money to influence Mugabe’s exhumation and reburial.

“I will be required to bring evidence, which can be difficult to get, but these outrageous rulings by people who were part of the burial ceremony point to that direction” Chioto said.

Asked why he did not report the case first to Mugabe’s Kutama as required at law, Manongovere said Kutama was not of the Gushungo totem and did not know the norms and customs of the Zvimba people since he was from Masvingo and of Madyirapanze totem.

“I couldn’t report to Sabhuku Kutama because he doesn’t know our Gushungo way of doing cultural things since he is from Masvingo and of Madyirapanze totem,” he said.

Manongovere also said it was not true that Chief Zvimba and Chief Chidziva were present during Mugabe’s burial, insisting that they were chased away from Mugabe’s Blue Roof house by Grace Mugabe.

“According to our tradition Chief Chidziva and Chief Serima from Gutu representing Mugabe’s mother’s family identified Mugabe’s resting place at the heroes Acre and marked the site (kutema rukawo) in the presence of Mugabe’s children, but Grace Mugabe disregarded all that and chased some chiefs from her Blue Roof residence,” said Manongovere.

He said he was not foolish to arraign the former first lady, a Mugabe family in-law before Chief Zvimba instead of the head of the Mugabe family, but he did so because Grace Mugabe dictated everything to do with the Mugabe burial.

“Grace was bullying everyone at the funeral. That’s the reason I took her to Chief Zvimba instead of the Mugabes,” said Manongovere.

Mugabe’s nephew and family spokesperson Leo Mugabe said it was appropriate for the former Zanu-PF strongman’s to remain in Zvimba since they were in the process of renovating some rooms to be turned into a museum.

“We are constructing a museum befitting the Zimbabwean icon,” said Leo Mugabe.

“He deserved such because the country’s history will not be complete without his immense contribution before, during and after the liberation struggle.”

But some culturists say whether the courts ruled in favour of exhumation and reburial that could not be done without involving the family.

As of now, it is a stalemate.

-standard

By A Correspondent- Former High Court judge Erica Ndewere, who was fired after a tribunal found her guilty of gross incompetence, has failed in her bid to compel President Mnangagwa to pay punitive costs for her suit, in the case she was demanding a copy of the adverse findings.

Ndewere was discharged from the bench in June this year after a three-member tribunal led by retired judge Justice Simbi Mubako — set up to probe her suitability to hold judicial office — recommended her dismissal.

In her urgent application, Ndewere had sued President Mnangagwa, the tribunal bench, Judicial Service Commission and the Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister — under the Administrative Justice Act as read with Section 68 of the Constitution.

She applied for a mandamus to compel the President to issue her with the Tribunal findings and costs on a punitive measure.

She claimed that she was entitled to be given promptly and in writing the reasons why the Tribunal came to the conclusion that it did, arguing that she wanted be able to exercise her right to have the Tribunal’s decision either reviewed or appealed against.

When the matter was brought for hearing before Justice Pisirayi Kwenda in July, the dispute on the merits was resolved without order of court after six days of protracted argument.

The resolution came about as a result of Ndewere’s legal counsel withdrawing her application against the JSC and minister, where upon the legal practitioners acting for them were excused.

Subsequent to that, Ndewere’s lawyer Mrs Beatrice Mtetwa abandoned the application against the Tribunal bench and their lawyer was also excused at Ndewere’s insistence.

During further deliberations Ms Mtetwa conceded that it was not yet the applicant’s case that the President did anything wrong when he removed her from office on the recommendation of the Tribunal.

All she wanted was to be able to peruse the detailed report from which the executive summary had been extracted so that she could consider the options available to her.

The matter was therefore settled on July 22, when Ndewere received the detailed report from President Mnangagwa’s lawyer out of court.

At this stage, it was expected that the resolution of the dispute out of court would bring relief to all concerned after heated deliberations and lobbying in chambers.

That, however, was not to be because Ndewere persisted with the application for a mandamus and costs on a punitive scale as originally sought.

But Justice Kwenda declined to grant the order because there was no outstanding dispute which needed to be resolved by order of court.

Further, at this stage, only Ndewere, her lawyer and President Mnangagwa’s counsel remained since the other parties had been excused by consent.

In his ruling, the judge found that the application for a mandamus was not necessary because Ndewere had already been served with the notice of her removal from office at the time that she launched her application.

“She ought not to have invoked the provisions of the Administrative Justice Act. The claim for costs against the 1st respondent (President Mnangagwa) was therefore not justified,” he said.

“She unreasonably clung to the joinder of the 1st to 4th respondents (Tribunal bench members, JSC and Justice Minister) thereby causing all concerned to incur unnecessary costs.

“I do not accept the argument that the applicant succeeded on any issue before me.”

Justice Kwenda said Ndewere’s prayer for costs necessitated that he schemed through the merits to demonstrate that Ndewere did not succeed on any of the issues that arose at the hearing.

The judge also found that Ndewere could not and did not pursue the mandamus based on common law because she had not specifically pleaded it.

Ndewere, said the judge, abandoned the mandamus under the Administrative Justice Act which is the reason why she abandoned her claim against all the respondents except the President.

“With respect to the 1st (President) respondent she abandoned the mandamus as a constitutional remedy when she conceded that she was no longer impugning the 1st respondent’s conduct in removing her from office,” he said.

“After the concessions she was left with no claim against any among the respondents. That way the dispute on the merits was disposed of.”

In addition, Justice Kwenda noted that Ndewere’s application was convoluted because it adopted the omnibus approach which has already been disapproved by the Supreme Court.

“The inescapable conclusion is that the prayer for costs lacks merit,” said Justice Kwenda adding, “In the circumstances I order as follows . . . There shall be no order as to costs.”

During the hearing, which ensued Ndewere’s lawyer accepted that a court order on the merits was no longer necessary but she immediately moved for costs against all the respondents on a punitive scale in terms of the draft order.

She persisted with the prayer for costs on the punitive scale on the basis that she had succeeded in this matter and costs should follow that result.

She further argued that the respondents had played hide and seek with her and that this caused her to institute litigation which otherwise would have been unnecessary.

She moved Justice Kwenda to exercise his discretion in her favour and award her costs against the respondents as claimed in the application.

She submitted that she had been put out of pocket by the respondents’ intransigence.

But the judge declined the request also sought against the JSC and the Justice Minister saying this was not only inappropriate but incompetent since those respondents were no longer before the court.

“Indeed, could not hear them on the issue of costs. This state of affairs was occasioned by the applicant herself,” he said.

“The audi alteram partem rule enjoins a court to hear the other side before rendering a decision. Resultantly, I could not order costs, worse still, on a punitive scale when it was no longer possible for the particular respondents to address me on that issue. The applicant’s prayer for costs against the 2nd to 6th (Tribunal bench, JSC and Justice Minister) respondents must fail on that basis.”

Ndewere was accused of “conduct inconsistent with being a judicial officer”, including failure to clear her workload in stipulated time and failing to apply due diligence when she reversed a custodial sentence of a repeat offender saying she was a first-time offender.

But she denied the charges saying she was being victimised for releasing Sikhala and defying unlawful orders from Chief Justice Luke Malaba.

Justice Ndewere became the second judge to be fired by the President after Supreme Court Judge Justice Francis Bere, who was given the same marching orders last October.

ByA Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Republic Police has reported that five people died in a horrific road accident that happened early Sunday morning along the Harare – Bulawayo Highway.

Police said there was a head-on collision between a Mitsubishi minibus and a Nissan UD truck and all who were in the minibus died. Reads a police statement:

The ZRP reports a fatal road traffic accident that occurred at the 366 km peg along Hre-Byo road near Kombo area, Fort Rixon where a Mitsubishi minibus had a head-on collision with a Nissan UD truck on 26/09/21 at 0300 hours.

All the five occupants in the minibus, who include two ZRP members, a ZNA member and yet to be identified male adult died in the unfortunate road accident. More details to follow.

Reports of road accidents have been on the surge in recent years with the sorry state of the roads cited as one of the factors contributing.

This year, President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared all roads a state of emergency saying it pains to see so many potholes on once-great highways.

The Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (ZINARA), a government department under the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, has been failing to maintain roads amid reports of grand corruption at the department

By A Correspondent- Two members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police and a Soldier have died in a head-on collision along Harare Bulawayo road.

According to the Zimbabwe Republic Police, the accident happened Sunday morning and also claimed the lives of two civilians.

The ZRP reports a fatal road traffic accident at the 366 km peg along Hre-Byo road near Kombo area, Fort Rixon where a Mitsubishi minibus had a head-on collision with a Nissan UD truck on 26/09/21 at 0300 hours.
All the five occupants in the minibus, who include two ZRP members, a ZNA member and yet to be identified male adult died in the unfortunate road accident. More details to follow.

Reports of road accidents have been on the surge in recent years with the sorry state of the roads cited as one of the factors contributing.
This year, President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared all roads a state of emergency saying it pains to see so many potholes on once-great highways.

The Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (ZINARA), a government department under the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, has been failing to maintain roads amid reports of grand corruption at the department.

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday pleaded with the restive civil servants to be more patriotic and drive government’s devolution and decentralisation programmes to ensure uninterrupted service delivery.

The Zanu-PF leader made the call during the burial of former Public Service Commission (PSC) chairperson Mariyo Mariyawanda Nzuwah who died last week.

He also told mourners that government was committed to improving its workers’ conditions of service, capacities, and skills in tandem with the demands of the new normal driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I commend all public servants for their resilience, hard work and perseverance in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Government and its workers have had frosty relations since the switch over from United States dollar-based salaries to the Zimbabwe dollar era, with the latter claiming erosion of their earnings.

“Our public service officials should change their mindset and be up to the task of delivering on their mandates, including delivery of services at every level in both rural and urban areas. They must be an embodiment of unity, and drivers of our devolution and decentralisation agenda,” Mnangagwa said.

“In this way, they will bring dignity to every citizen through ensuring uninterrupted delivery of basic services such as clean water, good roads, timeous availability of inputs, and access to renewable energy, and well-resourced schools, among other aspects.”

He said civil servants should identify with the communities in which they are deployed, and respect their cultures and languages.

“In light of this, it remains incumbent upon the entire civil service to continue upholding the unwavering, patriotic, humble, hardworking character, high degree of professionalism and sense of duty-consciousness, exhibited by the late national hero, Nzuwah,” Mnangagwa said.

He also urged present-day intellectuals, the youth and women to play their part in pursuing various studies locally and abroad in order to enrich themselves in cultural and ideological consciousness.

“As the African intelligentsia, you have the responsibility to engender and propel the political and economic development of our country and the continent as a whole.”

The President said Nzuwah would be remembered for developing a sound civil service in Zimbabwe.

Nzuwah was appointed the first black chairperson of the PSC, then Civil Service Commission, in 1992 and served in that capacity until his retirement in 2018. He is survived by wife Janice Nzuwah (nee Stevenson), four children and eight grandchildren.-newsday

By A Correspondent- Police have launched a manhunt for a group of seven robbers who stole US$600 and three cell phones.

In their twitter page, the police said the suspects attacked the complainants on September 24 at Annadale 17 Mine in Filabusi.

“Police in Filabusi are investigating circumstances surrounding a robbery case which occurred on 24 September at Annadale 17 Mine. Seven suspects attacked two complainants and stole US$600 cash as well as three cellphones.

“Meanwhile police in Masvingo are investigating circumstances surrounding a robbery case which occurred on 21 September Madamombe Business Centre. Two suspects robbed three shop attendants a total of US$1000 and R 1000 cash as well as cellphones at Jaka, Asani and Mhonde Shops,” said the police.