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Chiredzi TC Chairperson in ZACC net over irregular employee promotions

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Chiredzi TC Chairperson in ZACC net over irregular employee promotions

By Beatific Gumbwanda

CHIREDZI – The net has closed in on Chiredzi Town Council Chairperson Councillor Jameson Charumbira, who the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission arrested on the same charge levelled against Acting Town Secretary Consider Kubiku, Criminal Abuse of Duty as a Public Officer, in a development that now places the council’s top elected official and its top administrator in the dock together.

Charumbira, who appeared without legal representation, was granted US$500 bail and is set to stand trial on August 13, 2026, the same date Kubiku is due back in court.

The arrest comes barely a week after revelations that Charumbira had allegedly sat on a Ministry of Local Government and Public Works directive ordering corrective action on irregular staff deployments at the council, without ever tabling it before Full Council.

The directive, contained in a letter seen by TellZium News, dated July 2, 2026, and addressed personally to Charumbira, followed a ministerial fact-finding mission into the promotion and deployment of Mr M. Njiri and Engineer I. Muteyaunga.

Signed by Minister of Local Government and Public Works Daniel Garwe, the letter found that while the appointments substantially complied with Council’s Conditions of Service, the process had also revealed opportunities to strengthen organisational efficiency through the optimal deployment of technical personnel in line with qualifications and expertise.

“The Ministry has considered the report of the fact-finding mission. Whilst the investigation established that the appointments substantially complied with Council’s Conditions of Service, it also identified opportunities to strengthen organisational efficiency through the optimal deployment of technical personnel in line with their academic qualifications, professional competencies and technical expertise,” reads part of the letter.

The Ministry directed CTC to place the matter before Full Council and take administrative measures on four fronts: aligning Engineer Irvene Muteyaunga’s deployment with the Water and Sanitation portfolio in view of his specialist qualifications; reassigning Simbarashe Bhasera to a portfolio matching his industrial and manufacturing engineering background; redeploying Njiri to the Security Department where his qualifications could be “optimally utilised”; and initiating a competitive recruitment process to fill the substantive post of Senior Projects Coordinator. Council was given 30 days to report back with resolutions and supporting documentation.

“Accordingly, Council is requested to place this matter before Full Council for consideration and to take the necessary administrative measures, in accordance with its Conditions of Service and applicable legal and administrative procedures, with particular regard to the following: The alignment of Engineer I. Muteyaunga’s deployment with the Water and Sanitation portfolio, taking into account his specialist qualifications and professional experience; The reassignment of Mr Simbarashe Bhasera to a portfolio that more appropriately corresponds with his qualifications and technical expertise in industrial and manufacturing engineering; The redeployment of Mr M. Njiri to the Security Department, where his qualifications and professional background may be optimally utilised; The initiation of a competitive recruitment process to fill the substantive post of Senior Projects Coordinator in accordance with Council’s Conditions of Service and the applicable legal and administrative framework,” the letter elaborated.

However, sources claimed that, Charumbira never brought the directive before Full Council, keeping fellow councillors in the dark about the Ministry’s findings and instructions.

This silence now appears to sit at the heart of ZACC’s interest in his conduct.The antigraft body first moved on July 13, just 11 days after the letter’s date, arresting Kubiku over the promotion of two council employees without the relevant academic qualifications.

According to court papers, in December 2025 Kubiku allegedly caused the creation and adoption of a new council organogram that established two new managerial posts, Assistant Director Operations in the Engineering Department and Senior Projects Coordinator in the Housing Department, despite a job evaluation exercise having recommended that the posts occupied by Muteyaunga and Njiri be abolished and the two redeployed to departments matching their qualifications.

Court papers state that the two posts were never advertised internally, and no shortlisting, interviews, or competitive selection process took place, with Muteyaunga and Njiri instead handpicked by Kubiku in violation of the council’s Human Resource Policy.

The State further alleges that council’s Human Resources policy requires promotions to be initiated by a written request from a Head of Department, and that no such request was made for either promotion.Investigations subsequently found that neither employee met the minimum qualifications for their new posts.

The Assistant Director post in the Engineering Department requires a degree in Civil Engineering; Muteyaunga holds a degree in Agricultural Engineering.

The Senior Projects Coordinator post requires the skills to supervise engineering works; Njiri holds a Diploma in Security Management.Kubiku appeared before Regional Magistrate Judith Zuyu and was granted US$500 bail.

The case has a possible 19 witnesses, with investigations expected to be completed by August 11, 2026.

Charumbira’s arrest today, on an identical charge and with an identical bail amount, now ties the two officials together on the same trial date, raising the prospect that the full circumstances behind the ministerial letter, and why it was never disclosed to councillors, could be tested in open court.

Chiredzi Town Secretary dragged to court by ZACC over irregular promotions

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Chiredzi Town Secretary dragged to court by ZACC over irregular promotions

By Beatific Gumbwanda

CHIREDZI – Chiredzi Town Council Acting Town Secretary Consider Kubiku (47) has been dragged before the courts by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) on allegations of criminal abuse of office after he allegedly handpicked two employees for senior managerial posts they were not qualified for, without following proper recruitment procedures.

Kubiku appeared before Chiredzi Regional Magistrate Judith Zuyu on July 13, 2026, facing a charge of Criminal Abuse of Duty as a Public Officer, in violation of Section 174 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23].

He was granted US$500 bail.

Wellington Muzenda of Muzenda and Chitsama Attorneys represents him.

According to the state outline, the offence occurred sometime between December 2025 and April 2026, with Kubiku, as Acting Town Secretary and CTC’s accounting officer, alleged to have acted contrary to his duties under Section 136 of the Urban Councils Act [Chapter 29:15].

Court papers state that in March 2024, CTC engaged Third Eye Africa Consulting Group (Pvt) Ltd to carry out a job evaluation exercise.

The evaluators recommended that the posts held by the two employees, Irvene Muteyaunga and Munyaradzi Njiri, be abolished and that they be redeployed to departments matching their qualifications – Muteyaunga to the Housing Department’s Parks and Gardens section, given his degree in Agricultural Engineering, and Njiri to the Security Department.

Instead, the State alleges that in December 2025, Kubiku caused the creation and adoption of a new council organogram that established two new managerial posts: Assistant Director Operations in the Engineering Department and Senior Projects Coordinator in the Housing Department.

In January 2026, Kubiku is alleged to have authored and signed recommendation memos to the Human Resource Officer proposing that Muteyaunga and Njiri, whose original posts had by then been abolished, be promoted into the newly created positions.

The State alleges that council’s Human Resources policy requires promotions to be initiated by a written request from a Head of Department, and that no such request was made for either promotion.

It is further alleged that the two managerial posts were never advertised internally, and that no shortlisting, interviews, or competitive selection process took place, with Muteyaunga and Njiri instead handpicked by Kubiku, in violation of the council’s Human Resource Policy adopted under resolution 53/2c(xi)/24 at the 53rd Ordinary Full Council Meeting held on December 19, 2024.

Kubiku’s recommendation was subsequently tabled before the General Purposes Committee and Full Council, which passed a resolution to promote the two employees on the strength of his technical recommendation as Acting Town Secretary and the council’s chief technocrat.

He then signed and issued appointment letters upgrading Muteyaunga from Project Coordinator to Assistant Director Operations (Grade 13), and Njiri from Project Coordinator to Senior Projects Coordinator (Grade 12), authorising salary adjustments to the higher grades in the process.

Investigations subsequently found that neither employee met the minimum qualifications for their new posts.

The Assistant Director post in the Engineering Department requires a degree in Civil Engineering; Muteyaunga holds a degree in Agricultural Engineering.

The Senior Projects Coordinator post requires the skills to supervise engineering works; Njiri holds a Diploma in Security Management.

The State contends the salary adjustments that followed resulted in irregular expenditure of public funds, and that Kubiku’s conduct was prejudicial to the good administration of CTC.

The case, which has a possible 19 witnesses, has investigations expected to be completed by August 11, 2026, and Kubiku is set to appear on August 13 for trial.

Kubiku is not the first senior Chiredzi Town Council official to be arrested by ZACC over abuse of office.

In a previous case before the same magistrate, former council chairperson Francis Moyo was granted US$500 bail over allegations of criminal abuse of office relating to the irregular allocation of 50 commonage stands, which allegedly prejudiced the Ministry of Local Government of US$60,000.

Moyo’s case was later removed from remand after the state failed to build a case against him.In another case, Kubiku himself was arrested together with the late Town Engineer Wesley Kauma in June 2020 on four counts of criminal abuse of office dating back to 2015.

The two were accused of facilitating their acquisition of stands at a ridiculously low price of US$500 which they never paid, and constructing buildings without following proper council procedures.

They were released on bail and later acquitted of the charges.Kubiku has served as Acting Town Secretary at CTC after previously working as the council’s town planner, a role in which he was publicly associated with efforts to formalise CTC’s land holdings, including the long-delayed transfer of 925 hectares donated by the former Hippo Valley Estates.

Runyararo Clinic to offer laboratory services

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Runyararo Clinic to offer laboratory services

By Staff Reporter

MASVINGO – Masvingo City Council has announced plans to establish laboratory services at the newly upgraded Runyararo Clinic in Ward 4, a move aimed at reducing the burden on referral hospitals and bringing convenience to residents who previously had to travel long distances for basic diagnostic tests.

The clinic was recently upgraded with a maternity wing, significantly reducing the burden on residents in the ward and surrounding areas who were often referred to Mazorodze Clinic or Masvingo Provincial Hospital for maternal healthcare.

Speaking to TellZim News after the commissioning of the maternity wing on July 15, Masvingo City Director of Health and Environmental Services Suzanne Madamombe said the local authority would designate Runyararo Clinic to offer laboratory services, including blood typing and transfusion, to further ease pressure on Masvingo Provincial Hospital.

“We are going to establish laboratory services here. We are going to set up services that test blood type and offer blood transfusion here. Imagine a woman has lost blood while giving birth here; she has to be transferred for a simple transfusion to the Provincial Hospital. So we want to lessen the burden on the referral hospital as well as bring convenience to our residents,” said Madamombe.

She said the council would start with Runyararo Clinic and gradually extend laboratory services to other clinics in the city.

The establishment of the maternity wing at Runyararo Clinic follows the opening of another maternity unit at the new Runyararo North West Clinic.

The local authority has indicated that it will now shift focus to Rujeko Clinic for the establishment of a maternity wing, to ensure that all clinics offer maternity services.

Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira, who was the guest of honour at the ceremony, said the local authority had a remarkable healthcare record, having recorded zero maternal and neonatal deaths over the past decade.

“I am also pleased to note that the City of Masvingo has maintained an outstanding record over the past decade, recording zero maternal deaths and zero neonatal deaths. This achievement reflects the City’s remarkable and unwavering commitment to excellence in healthcare delivery and is a testament to the dedication, professionalism and tireless efforts of our healthcare workers.

“I therefore commend our doctors, nurses, midwives and all health personnel whose selfless service continues to safeguard the lives of mothers and their newborns. Let us give them a well-deserved round of applause,” said Chadzamira.

He said the new unit would offer a comprehensive range of maternal healthcare services, including antenatal care, safe delivery services, and postnatal care.

The facility has a capacity of 20 beds and is designed to deliver high-quality, patient-centred care.

“I have been informed that the Runyararo Maternity Unit will provide a comprehensive range of maternal healthcare services, including antenatal care, safe delivery services and postnatal care. The facility has a capacity of 20 beds and is designed to deliver high-quality, patient-centred care, ensuring the highest standards of maternal and newborn healthcare for the benefit of both mother and child,” said Chadzamira.

The maternity wing was commissioned alongside a fleet of service delivery vehicles and earth-moving equipment, including an excavator, bulldozer, grader, roller compactor, two Toyota Hilux GD6 single-cab vehicles, and a high-capacity tractor, aimed at enhancing the city’s capacity to develop and maintain critical infrastructure.

Old Mutual donates winter aid to Masvingo Provincial Hospital

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Old Mutual donates winter aid to Masvingo Provincial Hospital

By Tadiwa Shunje

MASVINGO – Old Mutual Zimbabwe has donated 200 blankets, 480 pulse oximeters and 10 oxygen concentrators to Masvingo Provincial Hospital on July 17, 2026 as part of its annual winter campaign aimed at supporting vulnerable groups and strengthening healthcare services.

The donation, handed over at the provincial referral hospital, is part of Old Mutual’s winter initiative launched last year to provide relief to vulnerable communities while fostering long-term partnerships with key public institutions.

Old Mutual Zimbabwe Group Legal and Governance Executive Hardlife Nharingo said the company was pleased to continue the campaign and hoped the donated items would improve patient care.

“We are very pleased to be here as part of our winter campaign, which we started last year focusing on vulnerable groups. We hope these items will be useful for the hospital,” said Nharingo.

He said Old Mutual had toured the hospital to understand its areas of greatest need and would continue assessing how it could strengthen its partnership with the institution.

“We have been taken around to look at areas of need. I think we will continue to assess our partnership,” he said.

Nharingo noted that while the hospital had made notable progress, there was still room for improvement, adding that the company remained committed to supporting the institution where possible.

Receiving the donation, Masvingo Provincial Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Noel Zulu expressed gratitude to Old Mutual, saying strategic partnerships were critical to improving healthcare delivery.”We are grateful for having a corporate organisation that has come to this institution to donate.

One of our key strategic areas is building partnerships, which we encourage everyone to participate in,” said Zulu.

He said the donation had come at an ideal time as the province experiences cold winter conditions and the hospital continues to care for large numbers of patients.

“We are grateful that Old Mutual has come at the right time during winter with sizeable donations that will go a long way in helping. We have many patients who come here, and the blankets will help keep them warm during this winter,” he said.

Zulu said the oxygen concentrators would improve the hospital’s capacity to provide oxygen therapy, while the pulse oximeters would enable healthcare workers to accurately monitor patients’ oxygen saturation levels.

“The oxygen concentrators help patients who require oxygen therapy. The pulse oximeters allow us to monitor oxygen saturation so that we can determine the amount of oxygen a patient requires. We are grateful for these donations,” he said.

He urged other companies and members of the public to support the hospital’s transformation.

“This is your hospital, so be part of the process of transforming it into the kind of institution we all want. We look forward to more partners coming on board to support us,” said Zulu.

The latest donation adds to growing corporate support for Masvingo Provincial Hospital

. In May, Delta Beverages, through its flagship brand Castle Lager, donated 10 state-of-the-art hospital beds under a nationwide programme to strengthen public healthcare.

The beds were part of Delta Beverages’ pledge to donate 100 hospital beds across Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces during the 10th anniversary of the National Castle Lager Braai Day celebrations, with Masvingo becoming the ninth province to benefit.

Receiving that donation, then Acting Medical Superintendent and Clinical Services Director Dr Richard Makoni said the beds had arrived at a crucial time as the hospital was undergoing major renovations aimed at improving service delivery.

He said the equipment would contribute to the hospital’s vision of becoming one of Zimbabwe’s leading public health institutions.

Zimbabwe in US$23 billion external burden, US$10 billion domestic debt

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Zimbabwe in US$23 billion external burden, US$10 billion domestic debt

By Staff Reporter
MASVINGO – Zimbabwe is grappling with a staggering debt burden estimated at between
US$21 billion and US$23 billion in external debt, alongside a growing domestic debt of nearly
US$10 billion, a situation that continues to strangle the country’s development and undermine
citizens’ rights to essential services such as health, education, and social protection.
This came out during a two-day 8 th Annual Debt Conference which ran from July 15 to 16, 2026,
in Masvingo under the theme “Rethinking Sovereign Debt Management in Zimbabwe: Justice,
sovereignty and people-centered socio-economic development in a global polycrisis.
The conference, organized by the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD)
in partnership with TellZim News, brought together representatives from the Ministry of Local
Government, the Ministry of Women Affairs, the Ministry of Public Service, Masvingo City
Council leadership, and experts from various departments.
Presenting the conference declaration at a press conference on July 16, ZIMCODD Executive
Director John Maketo said Zimbabwe’s debt crisis exists within an increasingly complex global
polycrisis characterized by climate change, armed conflicts, geopolitical fragmentation, trade
disputes, and widening inequalities, all of which have compounded the country’s fiscal
challenges.
“We recognize that Zimbabwe’s Public and Publicly Guaranteed debt, estimated at between
US$21 billion and US$23 billion, continues to constrain structural transformation, limit fiscal
space, reduce investor confidence and compromise the State’s ability to fulfil its constitutional
and developmental obligations,” said Maketo.
He warned that the growing domestic debt burden, estimated at nearly US$10 billion, presented
equally significant fiscal risks that required urgent domestic policy responses, adding that weak
public financial management, corruption, procurement irregularities, exchange-rate distortions,
overpricing of public contracts, and accumulation of arrears had continued to worsen domestic
indebtedness.
The conference noted that debt servicing obligations currently consume 11 percent of mobilized
revenues, crowding out investments in productive sectors and critical public services such as
health, education, social protection, infrastructure, and local government development.
Maketo emphasized that unsustainable debt was not just an economic issue but fundamentally a
question of justice, governance, and human dignity.
“Sovereign debt is not merely a macroeconomic challenge but fundamentally a question of
justice, governance, democracy, human rights, intergenerational equity and national sovereignty.
Unsustainable debt undermines citizens’ dignity by diverting scarce public resources away from
essential services including health, education, social protection, infrastructure and local
government development,” said Maketo.

The conference also recognised the disproportionate impact of debt on women and young
women, noting that pressure on unpaid care work increases when investment in public services
diminishes due to debt, and that the link between the debt crisis and gender-based violence
should not be ignored.
Delegates observed that women in mining communities face unique challenges that reflect a lack
of real investment in these communities as resources are channelled towards debt servicing, and
that fiscal and monetary policies do not reflect the current state of the economy which has
become largely informal.
Maketo also called for comprehensive ways of giving citizens information about the national
debt, stressing that transparency was essential for democratic accountability and that public debt
must be treated as public business.
“Public debt is public business. Citizens have a right to know how much the country owes, who
it owes, and what the money was used for. We need comprehensive public education and
disclosure so that citizens can hold their leaders accountable,” he said.
Maketo emphasized that debt management should contribute directly to reducing poverty,
unemployment, and inequality, and that citizens must be placed at the centre of debt policy
through meaningful public participation.
“We commit ourselves to advancing transparent and accountable debt governance, strengthening
domestic resource mobilisation, promoting productive borrowing, protecting social investments,
and advocating for a fair and equitable global financial architecture,” Maketo said.
Delegates called for comprehensive debt relief for countries facing unsustainable debt burdens
and demanded that climate finance be provided primarily as grants and highly concessional
finance rather than loans.
They also supported reform of international financial institutions to ensure equitable
representation of African countries, and called for a United Nations Framework Convention on
Sovereign Debt that establishes fair, transparent and legally binding debt restructuring
mechanisms.
On domestic debt management, the conference urged the government to address domestic debt
through comprehensive fiscal reforms, eliminate corruption and financial leakages, strengthen
public financial management systems, combat illicit financial flows and aggressive tax
avoidance, modernise tax administration through digital technologies, and leverage Zimbabwe’s
mineral wealth transparently, including establishing appropriate sovereign and sinking funds for
strategic debt reduction.
Delegates reaffirmed that public debt is public business and urged the government to conduct
comprehensive public debt audits, including identifying odious and non-performing debt, publish
complete information on public borrowing, debt composition, and debt utilisation, strengthen
parliamentary oversight over borrowing, and enhance the independence and capacity of oversight
institutions, including the Public Accounts Committee and the Auditor-General’s Office.

The conference further encouraged the government to protect health, education, social
protection, and local government financing during debt resolution, and to ring-fence social
expenditure, while also continuing the pilot exercise of establishing a social registry to ensure
deserving beneficiaries of cash transfer programmes.
On the private sector, delegates noted that high public borrowing crowds out productive private
sector investment and that government arrears to businesses constrain liquidity and investment,
calling on the government to clear verified domestic arrears owed to businesses in an accelerated
and transparent manner, restructure debt maturity profiles to create fiscal space for productive
expenditure, and improve access to affordable finance.
Delegates also urged the government to contribute to strengthening Africa’s collective voice on
sovereign debt reform through joining the Borrowers Platform and the Debt Managers Network,
and to implement commitments contained in the Lomé and Harare Declarations as well as the
Common African Position on Debt.

Chiredzi Town Council threatens to repossess 250+ undeveloped stands

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Chiredzi Town Council threatens to repossess 250+ undeveloped stands

By Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI – Chiredzi Town Council has resolved to repossess all undeveloped residential,
commercial, industrial and institutional stands that have remained idle for ten years or more
since allocation, in a move aimed at unlocking land for genuine developers amid persistent
housing pressure in the Lowveld town.
The council recently issued a public notice, signed by Acting Town Secretary Consider Kubiku,
notifying more than 250 commercial, industrial and residential stand owners of its intent to
repossess their properties. The decision stems from a resolution passed during the council’s 67th
Ordinary Full Council sitting (Resolution No. 67/3c(ii)/2026).
According to the notice, affected beneficiaries have twenty-one days from the date of publication
to approach the council, declare their intention to develop their stands, and clear any outstanding
dues related to stand purchases and other council bills. Beyond that, stand holders must have
building plans approved and begin construction – reaching at least slab level – within three
months of the notice’s publication.
“Notice is hereby given that Chiredzi Town Council, sitting in its 67th Ordinary Full Council
(Resolution No 67/3c/(ii)/2026) resolved to repossess all undeveloped residential, commercial,
industrial and institutional stands within its jurisdiction that have remained undeveloped for ten
years or more from the date of allocation. To avoid loss of allocated land, all affected
beneficiaries are hereby advised to approach council within twenty-one days from the date of
publication of this notice to declare their intention to develop and clear all outstanding dues
relating to stand purchase and other council bills,” reads part of the notice.
The council warned that failure to comply would result in automatic repossession, with
reclaimed stands reallocated to other beneficiaries on the council’s housing waiting list, in line
with its Housing Policy.
“Moreover, all beneficiaries must have their building plans approved and commence
development to at least slab level within three months from the date of publication of this notice.

Failure to comply will automatically result in the affected stands being repossessed and
reallocated to other deserving beneficiaries on the Council’s Housing waiting list in accordance
with Council’s Housing Policy,” reads the notice.
Chiredzi’s new Central Business District, whose stands were allocated more than 12 years ago,
remains largely underdeveloped and has become a hotspot for robberies targeting passersby, as
trees and grass have overgrown vacant plots. In a recent incident, a child’s body was dumped in
the same area after her transporter allegedly killed her.
The move follows a familiar pattern among Zimbabwean urban local authorities, where
speculative landholding – beneficiaries sitting on serviced or semi-serviced stands without
developing them – has long been blamed for artificial land shortages, even as waiting lists grow.
The council has indicated that a full list of affected stands will be published, and has directed
inquiries to its Housing and Community Services Department at the Chitsanga Sub-Offices.

Masvingo City commissions Runyararo Maternity Wing, US$1.2 million earth-moving equipment

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Masvingo City commissions Runyararo Maternity Wing, US$1.2 million earth-moving equipment

By Staff Reporter
MASVINGO – Masvingo City Council has commissioned a new maternity wing at Runyararo
Clinic in Ward 4 and unveiled a fleet of earth-moving equipment worth over US$1.2 million, a
move officials say will strengthen maternal healthcare and boost service delivery across the city.
The commissioning, which took place on July 14, 2026, also saw the unveiling of two service
vehicles and heavy machinery including a roller, grader, front-end loader, bulldozer, excavator,
and a tractor. The development is part of the council’s broader plan to establish maternity wings
at all its clinics, following the earlier commissioning of a similar facility at Northwest Clinic.


The 20-bed clinic has the capacity to deliver two expecting mothers at the same time, and that
would reduce referrals to Masvingo Provincial Hospital.


Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira, who was the
guest of honor, said the completion of the maternity unit would strengthen quality maternal and
child healthcare services, while the earth-moving equipment would enhance the city’s capacity to
develop and maintain critical infrastructure.
“The completion of this maternity unit here at Runyararo Clinic will strengthen the delivery of
quality maternal and child healthcare services, while the commissioning of the earth-moving
equipment will enhance the City’s capacity to develop and maintain critical infrastructure that
supports sustainable socio-economic development and uplift service delivery standards,” said
Chadzamira.
He said the facility would cater for residents in Runyararo and Victoria Ranch among other
suburbs, who were previously forced to travel long distances to Northwest and Mucheke Clinics.
“The healthcare facility will cater for the residents of Runyararo and Victoria Ranch and other
adjacent suburbs who were being forced to travel long distances to the Northwest and Mucheke
Clinics. Therefore, the Runyararo Maternity Unit is fully aligned with the aspirations of the
National Development Strategy 2, which places great emphasis on strengthening the healthcare
delivery system, improving maternal and child health outcomes,” said Chadzamira.
in his address, Masvingo City Mayor Alec Tabe, detailed the financial breakdown of the
equipment, revealing that the strategic procurement represented a total capital injection of
US$1,247,120.52 into the city’s operational capacity.
He said the heavy engineering component, comprising an excavator, bulldozer, grader, and roller
compactor, represented an investment of US$1,134,120.52.
Two Toyota Hilux GD6 Single Cab vehicles were acquired at a total cost of US$76,000, while a
high-capacity tractor was valued at US$37,000.

“The acquisition of this state-of-the-art equipment is a powerful demonstration of this Council’s
unyielding determination to invest in modern, efficient machinery. Our primary objective is
clear: to drastically improve both the quality and execution speed of Council service delivery,”
said Tabe.


He said each asset had been strategically selected to fulfil critical roles, with the heavy yellow
machines playing a vital role in road construction, structural rehabilitation of existing roads,
storm water drainage works, and landfill development.
The two utility vehicles would enhance operational mobility for technical and supervisory teams,
enabling timely project monitoring, rapid site inspections, and emergency response.
He said the massive investment was made possible without overburdening ratepayers with
external debt, having been financed strictly through internal resource mobilisation using
Council’s Estate Funds and Parking Revenues.
“This demonstrates sound financial governance, strategic asset management, and the direct
reinvestment of Council revenue streams back into tangible, visible community developments,”
said Tabe.
Masvingo City Chamber Secretary Vitalis Shonhai, who was representing the Town Clerk,
Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa, said the government had set minimum service delivery
standards, prompting the council to procure the equipment to meet the call to action.
He said the equipment had been bought using estate funds and parking fees and urged residents
to continue paying for prepaid parking, saying their money was being put to good use.
“Residents should continue paying parking fees. Let us avoid that system where we conflict with
parking marshals refusing to pay because I think this is testament that that little money you pay
goes a long way in promoting service delivery. Some of the equipment will be used at the new
Cambria Farm landfill,” said Shonhai.
He emphasized that the council had saved US$1.2 million from estates and prepaid parking,
demonstrating that internal revenue streams could be effectively reinvested into tangible
community developments.

Meet RCZ’s new finance boss, Chitsika

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Meet RCZ’s new finance boss, Chitsika

By Virginia Njovo

The Reformed Church in Zimbabwe (RCZ) recently appointed seasoned finance professional George Chitsika as its new Chief Finance Officer (CFO), a move expected to strengthen the church’s financial management, reporting systems, and accountability.

Chitsika (58) assumed office in April 2026, succeeding Pikisai Mhizha, who resigned from the position. 

Chitsika brings more than three decades of banking and finance experience, having held senior finance and executive positions in Zimbabwe and across the region.

A committed member of the RCZ, Chitsika has been actively involved in various church leagues, including the Men’s League (Sungano Yevarume), Varwi VaKristu, and Couples.

He was among the pioneers of the National Youth Conference (Chiyedza Chenyika), where he served as Vice Chairperson. Before taking up his new role, he worshipped at Inner City Congregation Ranganohuru Harare under Reverend E. Tsanangura.

His professional career began in 1993 when he joined Barclays Bank Zimbabwe as a Graduate Trainee. During his nine-year tenure, he rose through the ranks, serving as Head Office Accountant, Management Accountant, and later Financial Accountant.

In 2003, Chitsika joined Standard Chartered Bank, where he spent more than two decades in senior roles. He served as Senior Business Analyst before becoming Head of Business Finance. 

He later oversaw regulatory reporting for the bank’s Southern Africa operations, working across countries including Zambia and Mozambique. Before returning to Zimbabwe, he served as Chief Finance Officer and Executive Director based in Angola.

Speaking on his appointment, Chitsika said he intends to use his extensive experience to strengthen the church’s financial systems and promote sound stewardship.

“In my role as Chief Finance Officer, I will oversee critical financial functions that support the work of the Church by ensuring effective budgeting processes, strengthening internal controls, and improving the quality and timeliness of financial reporting.

“I will also provide guidance to departments and institutions under the RCZ, ensuring that church funds are managed with care, transparency, and accountability. My focus is on strengthening financial leadership, promoting discipline, and improving planning across church operations,” he said.

Chitsika also acknowledged individuals who played a significant role in shaping his professional career, paying tribute to former Barclays Bank colleagues Maxwell Garadhi and Witness Muchingami for their mentorship.

“As I progressed in my career, Garadhi and Muchingami mentored and guided me, helping shape the professional I am today. I also appreciate my colleagues at Standard Chartered, particularly Chris Mwerenga and the entire Southern Region finance team, whose cooperation and dedication contributed greatly to my success,” he said.

He emphasized that collaboration remains essential in the accounting profession.

“Accounting thrives on strong controls, and effective controls require collaboration. Success is built through teamwork, and by working together, we can achieve better results while improving transparency and accountability within the organization,” he said.

My Age Africa launches mobile clinic to tackle rising STIs, mental health crisis

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My Age Africa launches mobile clinic to tackle rising STIs, mental health crisis

By Tadiwa Shunje
MASVINGO – My Age Africa has launched a mobile clinic aimed at bringing essential health
services closer to young people in Masvingo and surrounding communities, a move expected to
improve access to healthcare, tackle rising sexually transmitted infections, and address growing
mental health challenges among adolescents.
The clinic was launched on June 3, 2026, at Great Zimbabwe Hotel. Speaking during the event,
My Age Africa founder and executive director Onward Chironda said the mobile clinic was a
response to the health challenges affecting young people, including limited access to services,
increasing mental health problems and low HIV testing rates.
“Today is not just a day on the calendar, but we are witnessing a defining moment in the history
of our organization. More importantly, in the health and wellbeing of young people in Masvingo
and beyond. A clinic on wheels that will carry health and wellbeing directly to the young people
in our communities; it is not a luxury but a necessity,” said Chironda.
He said research conducted by the organization showed that 52 percent of young people did not
know their HIV status, while mental health challenges were contributing to school dropouts. He
added that in 2025 alone, 275 adolescents were admitted to Ngomahuru Psychiatric Hospital for
drug and substance abuse-related cases.
Speaking at the event, Masvingo City Council director of health and environmental services
Suzanne Madamombe said the mobile clinic would help reach key populations, particularly sex
workers, who are often unable to access services during normal clinic operating hours. She
revealed that the city was grappling with a worrying rise in STIs, mainly among sex workers.
“The challenge we have as council is the increase in STIs, which are mainly coming from sex
workers. Because of the nature of their work, they sleep during the day when our clinics are open
and become active at night when our clinics are closed. This mobile clinic will allow us to travel

at night and provide services within their areas of work, and we are looking forward to a
reduction in STIs,” she said.
The mobile clinic is fully equipped to travel long distances and operate for extended periods. It
features a consultation room with two beds for staff rest after work, an induction stove, a shower,
solar batteries for power, and a sound system to mobilise young people. The clinic also has Wi-
Fi, a scale, a fridge, beds, and air conditioning. The model was designed so that the clinic can
travel as far as possible, even for up to a month, reaching all districts in the province.
Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira, whose
speech was delivered by Assistant District Development Coordinator Kenneth Madziva, said the
initiative reflected the power of innovation and partnerships in improving healthcare delivery. He
said the mobile clinic demonstrated My Age Africa’s commitment to community-centred
healthcare and showed how collaboration with development partners could transform access to
health services.
Apostle Ngonidzashe Mutume, who was representing My Age Africa board chairperson Dr
Genius Tevera, said the clinic was designed to complement, rather than replace, existing
government health services.
“This clinic is about ensuring that no young girl or anyone is left behind because of poverty or
distance. It is not intended to replace hospitals, clinics or government health programs but to
extend their reach by working together with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the City
Council and provincial and district health authorities,” he said.
My Age Africa said the mobile clinic would also improve safety for young people, particularly
girls who travel long distances to access health facilities. The organisation said some girls risk
sexual abuse while walking through isolated areas to reach clinics, adding that bringing services
closer to communities would reduce such risks while improving access to healthcare for those
living in remote areas.

Bikita author publishes third novel

TellZim News
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Bikita author publishes third novel

By Tadiwa Shunje
MASVINGO- A 52-year-old Bikita-born author has published his third novel, Ndambirira, a
Shona-language fiction book that explores witchcraft allegations, generational differences and
the conflict between traditional beliefs and modern society.
Speaking to TellZim News, the author, Simon Makumbe, said the novel challenges readers to
reflect on social practices that continue to shape communities.
“Ndambirira is a fiction on the evil practices which society, both traditional and international,
has failed to rid itself of. It examines how different generations understand these issues and the
tension between tradition and modernity,” he said.
The novel follows the lives of Maposa and village head Haka whose friendship deteriorates after
accusations of witchcraft emerge following the mysterious death of Maposa’s first wife. Through
discussions involving village elders, pensioners and young people, the story explores contrasting
views on witchcraft, morality and technological advancement.
There are also chapters where the youth and guzzling elders like Mr Manjere gather at the local
township, casually debating the ills of society, including whether witchcraft exists and in what
forms. The debates take a thought-provoking turn when some argue that even if traditional
witchcraft exists, it cannot be compared to the “witchcraft of technology” or the “witchcraft of
the white man.
Makumbe said Ndambirira was his third published book, but the journey to becoming an author
started decades ago. He said getting his first book into print was not easy after several
manuscripts went unpublished because of financial constraints and limited knowledge of the
publishing industry.
With help from a long-time friend and former classmate, Eresina Hwede, who assisted with
editing and advice, Makumbe’s first book, Trials of the Mind, was finally published by
Progressive Publishers in 2021.
Ttrials of the mind reflects on Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle and post-independence challenges
through the experiences of a generation looking back on missed opportunities.
He followed it with Bleeding Wounds in 2023, a novel focusing on relationships, marriage and
the consequences of decisions made by young people. Parts of the storyline were drawn from
ideas contained in his first unpublished manuscript.
Makumbe’s writing journey began decades ago when he was still in Form Three. His first
attempt was Unhealed Wounds, a 96-page A4 manuscript centred on youthful love affairs.
However, frustrated with the vulgarity in some sections when he reread it later, he burnt the
entire manuscript instead of editing it.

“I regretted that decision because some of the ideas were worth preserving. I later captured part
of that content in future attempts,” said Makumbe.
In early 1990, as he waited for his O-level results, he attempted another fiction
entitled Characters of a New Generation. Due to his poor background and lack of exposure, he
had no idea how to get it edited and published. He mailed it to Zimbabwe Publishing House, but
it was returned with the publisher’s comments and the costs involved were prohibitive, especially
since the whole script was handwritten.
In 1993, while a second-year student at the University of Zimbabwe, he tried again with It
Happens (Memories of Yesterdays). He approached the then writer-in-residence, Chenjerai Hove,
for feedback.
“Mr Hove advised me to take the manuscript to him for meaningful feedback, but that was never
done,” said Makumbe.
Breakthrough finally came after guidance from established writer Memory Chirere, who
suggested self-publishing.
“Chirere told me: ‘For a start, try self-publishing instead of agreements with publishers. Look for
an editor you can pay. When your script is ready, then look for someone to do typesetting and
printing,'” said Makumbe.
“The breakthrough came after I received advice to try self-publishing and have my work
professionally edited. That guidance gave me confidence to keep going until Trials of the Mind
was finally published,” he said.
Born in Nhamo Village under Chief Mukanganwi in Bikita District, Makumbe attended
Chitsanga Primary School before studying at Uchere, where he was among the pioneers, Chirima
Secondary School, and later Gutu High School.
He graduated from the University of Zimbabwe with a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in
Politics and Administration before working for the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Rural
Housing, and later joining the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission in 2008.

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