By Andrew Zhou

​MASVINGO – As the curtains close on the multi-sectoral CARE Takunda project, communities in Chivi and Zaka districts are celebrating a transformative four-year journey that has redefined rural livelihoods and climate resilience. 

Since its inception in 2020, the project has moved beyond mere subsistence aid, establishing a robust infrastructure of solar-powered water systems, rehabilitated boreholes, and economic empowerment hubs across 46 wards in the two districts.

​One of the most visible successes of the Takunda initiative is the massive investment in Village Business Units (VBUs). These solar-powered garden schemes have turned arid patches of land into green belts. In Chivi, 26 VBUs were established, while Zaka saw the installation of 31 units. 

Chivi District Agritex Officer Brighton Hadzirabwi confirmed that all VBUs established by CARE Takunda had officially transitioned to Agritex supervision and encouraged leaders to work closely with local authorities and agricultural extension officers to maintain the project’s momentum.

​”The VBUs established by CARE Takunda are now under our (Agritex) supervision. Chairpersons should cooperate with local authorities and our Agritex officers in their respective wards to ensure the continuity of the great work done by CARE Takunda,” said Hadzirabwi.

​Care Takunda Country Director, Charlene Ambali lauded the success of localized intervention programmes in Chivi and Zaka, noting a significant decline in climate-induced vulnerabilities.

“By fostering economic resilience through robust vocational training, the project is effectively equipping villagers with the skills necessary to drive sustainable growth and financial independence in the face of ecological shifts,” said Ambali.

Speaking to TellZim News, one of the beneficiaries from ward 24 in Zaka, Maneta Matingwina, hailed the project as a transformative milestone for her family’s financial stability saying she had managed to settle her son’s tertiary tuition fees independently. 

“The revenue generated from the VBU produce has empowered me to independently settle my son’s tertiary tuition fees.”said Matingwina

Beyond gardening, the project addressed the basic need for clean drinking water through three piped water schemes in Chivi and six in Zaka, bringing water closer to doorsteps.

​A staggering 124 boreholes were repaired or rehabilitated, with 58 in Chivi and 66 in Zaka, ensuring that the most remote villages have access to safe water. 

The project’s reach has been expansive, touching nearly 160,000 lives, 91,652 in Chivi and 67,818 in Zaka including individuals trained in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and members of Village Savings and Lending Associations (VSLAs) who are now running their own small-scale businesses.

The official handover of assets in Masvingo was done in October 2024 and the project is currently in its “wrap-up” phase with the official end date set for April 2026. 

As the Takunda team prepares to exit, the lush gardens and functioning boreholes stand as a testament to what collaborative developmental work can achieve in Zimbabwe’s most drought-prone regions.

By Karen Sibanda

A night out at a popular Masvingo nightspot ended in shock for a 32-year-old Rujeko man after his vehicle was stolen only to be found hours later abandoned at Runyararo West Cemetery.

Masvingo Deputy Provincial Police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Masauso Patinyu, confirmed the incident, which occurred in the early hours of February 22, 2026 and urged members of the public to ensure that they park their vehicles in well-lit areas during the night.

“We have received a report of theft of a motor vehicle after the complainant realized that his Honda Fit had been stolen from outside a popular night spot, Masvingo. Investigations were made, leading to the recovery of the vehicle at Runyararo West Cemetery.

“We urge members of the public to avoid leaving vehicles unattended for extended periods, especially during the night. Motorists should ensure their vehicles are properly secured and, where possible, parked in well-lit and guarded areas. ,” said Assistant Inspector Patinyu.

Circumstances are that the complainant, Tapiwanashe Mapetese of Rujeko A, had parked his white Honda Fit (old shape) outside the night spot at around 10pm on February 21 before going inside for drinks.

Mapetese briefly returned to the vehicle at around 1:30am to collect a jacket. After locking the car, he went back into the bar. However, at approximately 3:00am, when he intended to drive home, the vehicle was nowhere to be found.

The vehicle, valued at approximately US$5,000, was recovered abandoned. No arrests had been made by time of writing and investigations into the theft were ongoing.

By Beatific Gumbwanda

President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently appointed substantive traditional leaders for two chieftainships in Masvingo province, filling vacancies that have left the Bere chieftainship under acting leadership for five years following its historic restoration after 125 years of colonial banishment, while the Tshovani chieftainship has been without a substantive leader for four years since the death of Chief Hlaisi Mundau.

The appointments were made on February 7, 2026, with Petros Murombe Mahweshe taking over the Bere chieftainship and Victor Renias Chiromo assuming the Tshovani chieftainship in terms of Section 283 of the Constitution and the Traditional Leaders Act.

Masvingo acting District Development Coordinator (DDC) Joyce Chikugu confirmed in a statement seen by TellZim News that the President had appointed Mahweshe as substantive Chief Bere, formalising leadership of a clan whose chieftainship was abolished 125 years ago by the Rhodesian settler regime for resisting colonial occupation. 

The Bere chieftainship, of the Shumba totem, stretches from Mashava to the west and Bhuka in the south-east, bordering Zimuto, Charumbira and Chivi chieftainships. The chieftainship was originally disbanded in 1925 by the colonial government to pave way for the Land Apportionment Act of 1930, which saw the seizure of Bere clan land for white commercial farming. 

Following protests against the land grab, the Bere clan was split up by the settler government, with some relocating to Zaka, Gutu and Chirumhanzi, while others remained in Mashava.

The late Phineas Tafirei was installed as the first substantive Chief Bere in 2019 after President Mnangagwa resuscitated the chieftainship, ending nearly a century of vacancy. 

However, his reign was brief. He died in 2021 at the age of 85 after a short illness, and following his death, his son Phineas Tafirei Junior has been serving as acting Chief Bere until Mahweshe’s appointment. 

The resuscitation of the Bere chieftainship has not been without controversy. In 2018, before Tafirei’s installation, some aggrieved members of the Bere clan challenged the appointment process in court.

The chieftainship has also faced boundary disputes with neighboring Chiefs Zimuto and Charumbira, with tensions occasionally flaring at community gatherings like funerals.

In Chiredzi, Victor Renias Chiromo has been appointed substantive Chief Tshovani, filling a position that fell vacant following the death of Chief Hlaisi Mundau in July 2021. 

Chiredzi District Development Coordinator Lovemore Chisema confirmed the appointment in a letter seen by TellZim News dated February 17, 2026 

The chieftainship has experienced a turbulent succession period since Mundau’s death. His eldest son, Felix, served as acting chief before his own death in 2023, after which Eddmore Mundau acted until Chiromo’s appointment.

The Tshovani chieftainship had previously been at the centre of traditional leadership disputes in Chiredzi. In 2019, the area saw tensions when government revived the Neromwe chieftainship in wards that previously fell under Chief Tshovani’s jurisdiction, leading to court challenges.

By Brighton Chiseva
A Zanu PF councillor who was dragged to court for Incitement to commit public violence as
defined in section 187(1) Criminal law (Codification and Reform) Act as read with section
36(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codificationand Reform) Act after fowarding a WhatsApp
message calling for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to step down has been acquitted
Zaka Ward 24 councillor Zivanai Zvada, 44, walked free from the Zaka Magistrates Court on
February 4 after Magistrate Grace Tupiri upheld an application for discharge at the close of the
prosecution case, ruling that evidence presented by three state witnesses was “manifestly
unreliable” to secure a conviction.
The acquittal brings to a close the legal saga that began on April 1 2025 when Zvada was
arrested for forwarding a message that read: “M31 Movement Munhu wese mu road Emmerson
Mnangagwa has to go” in a WhatsApp group called “Ward 24 Development Agenda” where he
is also an admin.
Zvada is not only a Zanu PF councillor but also a constituency coordinator for Zaka South MP
Clemence Chiduwa, placing him firmly within the party’s structure even as he faced charges of
undermining the President.
The message, originally posted on X by activist Never Masweraseyi, was forwarded by Zvada on
March 31 2025 the same day opposition figures had called for demonstrations. Sources, the post
remained in the group for several hours until Zvada deleted it that evening after being warned by
fellow members.
The group was originally created by Zaka Rural District Council CEO David Majaura as a
development forum, but Zvada took over administration after his election as councilor.
Majaura, who reportedly reported Zvada to the police, has had a tense relationship with the
councillor, who was part of efforts to remove the CEO from his position.
During the trial, which commenced on January 29 2026, prosecutors alleged that Zvada’s actions
were meant to “persuade or induce the general public to disturb the peace” and incite violence
against the President. His Samsung phone was seized and sent for forensic analysis at the police
Cyber Laboratory.
Zvada spent over two weeks in detention after being denied bail at the magistrate’s court, which
deemed him a threat to public order. He was only freed on April 17 after the Masvingo High
Court granted him bail.
His lawyer, Frank Chirairo of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, successfully argued
that the state had failed to prove Zvada sent the message.

Magistrate Tupiri agreed, noting that witnesses including Zanu PF Ward 24 Youth Chairperson
Cuthbert Chiguvi, investigating Officer Archbald Muyambi, and digital forensic analyst Nyasha
Mandebvu had made “bold assertions” without providing evidence a reasonable

 
By Tadiwa Shunje

MASVINGO – A 55-year-old man from Mutirikwi died after he was run over while allegedly sleeping on a narrow road near Topora Business Centre on February 20, 2026.

Masvingo Deputy Provincial Police Spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Masauso Patinyu, confirmed that the deceased, Lovemore Vhoko of Zinwa Dam Hall, Lake Mutirikwi, had reportedly been drinking beer at Topora Business Centre earlier that evening.

“We confirm the death of Vhoko from Zinwa Dam Hall,Lake Mutirikwi who was crashed by a motor vehicle while sleeping on the road. We urge members of the public to drink responsibly and avoid sitting or sleeping on roads, particularly at night. Motorists have also should exercise extreme caution and remain alert when driving, especially on narrow and poorly lit roads,” said Ass Insp Patinyu.

Vhoko left for home at around 10:30 PM. His residence is approximately seven kilometres from the business centre and allegedly fell asleep on the roadway as he walked home. 

At around 8:00 pm, Ernest Murumbi (62) of Chief Murinye, Masvingo, was driving along the same narrow stretch of road when he unknowingly ran over him.

Murumbi reportedly did not realise that he had struck a person and continued with his journey.

The following morning, at approximately 5:00 am  on February 21, Vhoko’s body was discovered lying on the road by a fellow worker from Zinwa Mutirikwi Dam Hall, who immediately alerted authorities.

Police attended the scene and transported the body to Masvingo Provincial Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Vhoko sustained an open cut on the left side of the head and cheek. 

After reports of the incident began circulating on social media, Murumbi surrendered himself to the police and has since been charged with culpable homicide.

By Tadiwa Shunje

MASVINGO – The new Mucheke (Chevron) Bridge has reached 93 percent completion, but its opening date remains uncertain after authorities said there were delays in disbursement of funds and failed compaction tests. 

Speaking during a media tour by deputy minister of information, publicity and broadcasting services Dr Omphile Marupi  held recently in the city, the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) official and Masvingo Deputy Provincial Roads Engineer, Shadreck Kativhu concurred that funding for the works was delaying progress as well as the failed compaction tests which need corrections.

“The Mucheke (Chevron) river bridge is now 93 percent complete but there are other issues that are delaying the completion, the contractor is being paid by ZINARA and the Ministry of Finance. The other issue is that some tests did not pass as required and we have redone. Once there is a snag then we have to redo the work and corrections then proceed to the next ,” said Kativhu.

Authorities at the event said it was a matter of quality assurance with completion anticipated at the end of February 2026.

The disclosure comes against a backdrop of repeated delays on the project, which was initially expected to open in late 2025. Earlier government updates had projected completion between October and November 2025, after the bridge was reported to be about 60 percent complete by May 2025.

Despite those projections, the project spilled into 2026 without a firm opening date, fueling frustration among motorists and residents who rely on the crossing for access between Masvingo’s central business district and surrounding suburbs such as Mucheke and Rujeko.

In previous engagements, Kativhu had indicated that corrective works were still required, with tentative expectations that they could be addressed by mid-February, though no definite timeline was provided.

The continued absence of a confirmed opening date has intensified frustration in Masvingo, where the bridge is seen as a critical solution to congestion and safety challenges along the city’s main traffic route.

The Mucheke (Chevron) Bridge forms part of the Harare-Beitbridge Highway rehabilitation programme, one of Zimbabwe’s most critical transport corridors. Its delayed completion has continued to contribute to traffic congestion in the city.

With the bridge now close to completion but key technical issues remaining undisclosed, uncertainty persists over when the long-awaited structure will finally be opened to traffic.

By Tadiwa Shunje

A 25-year-old man from Chivi allegedly took his own life on February 14, after reportedly fearing he would be reported to police following a domestic violence dispute with his wife.

Masvingo Acting Provincial Police Spokesperson Assistant Inspector Masauso Patinyu confirmed the death of George Mutizwa who stayed under Headman Handizvihwi in Chivi following an altercation with his wife(name withheld) after which she threatened to report to the police. 

Assistant Inspector Patinyu expressed concern over domestic disputes ending tragically, urging couples to seek peaceful and lawful ways of resolving conflicts.

“We confirm the death of Mutizwa who was found hanging in a tree after his wife allegedly threatened to report a domestic dispute to the police. We urge members of the public to utilise community leaders, family elders, churches and professional counselling services to mediate in conflicts before they escalate. The public should also be reminded that gender-based violence remains a criminal offence and those found guilty face arrest and prosecution,” said Ass Insp Patinyu.

Allegations are that the couple had an argument on the evening of February 13,  over hygiene issues, with the dispute escalating. 

Mutiziwa allegedly assaulted his wife during the altercation.

The following morning, the wife reportedly left home intending to report the matter to police as a domestic violence case, leaving Mutiziwa alone at the homestead.

A few hours later, at around 1320hours residents discovered Mutiziwa’s body hanging from a Mukwakwa tree branch near his home and alerted authorities the police.

Police officers attended the scene, and no foul play is suspected. The body was taken to the Chivi District mortuary for post-mortem examinations as investigations continue.

By Karen Sibanda

A tragic accident has shaken a community in Chiredzi after a nine-year-old boy was electrocuted while picking wild fruits on February 16, 2025 at Shilo Compound in Mukwasine.

Masvingo Acting Provincial Police Spokesperson Assistant Inspector Masauso Patinyu confirmed the death of Tatenda Dendere and urged communities to remain vigilant around exposed electrical infrastructure as well as report hanging or damaged cables to relevant authorities before more lives are lost.

“We confirm receiving a report of nine-year-old Dendere who died in Mkwasine after he touched a live electric wire and was electrocuted. We advise parents and guardians of children to caution young ones against playing or climbing trees near electrical wires. Communities should promptly report any loose or hanging cables to the relevant authorities to prevent such incidents,” said Ass Insp Patinyu.

It is reported that Dendere was with a 10-year-old friend searching for wild fruits when they passed through a church yard where a loose electrical cable was hanging through a mango tree. 

Dendere allegedly touched the live wire and was electrocuted, collapsing instantly. His friend ran to alert nearby residents.

No visible injuries were observed on the body, and the remains were taken to Chiredzi District Hospital for post-mortem examination.

Police have since warnedInvestigations into the incident are ongoing, as calls grow for improved maintenance of electrical installations in residential areas to prevent similar tragedies.