…stranded N’angas accuse former minister of using and dumping them

Cephas Shava

Mwenezi -A group of self-styled traditional healers (n’angas) who had been housed at former Zanu PF heavyweight and Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Kudakwashe Bhasikiti’s orphanage before their symbiotic relationship turned sour have accused the latter of using and dumping them following their eviction from the facility a few weeks ago.
The group of 28 comprising of men, women and children are accusing Bhasikiti of backtracking on his initial pledges to them.
The n’angas, led by one Sinibio Kakono also known as Gunjeremhute, were a few weeks ago evicted from the orphanage after Bhasikiti successfully applied for a court order at the Mwenezi Magistrate Court which necessitated the ultimate removal of his former consultants.
With their belongings strewn all over an open space in the bush along the Masvingo-Beitbridge road, Tellzim News came face-to-face with the worst nomadic life style which for weeks now had become the group’s everyday life.
Gunjeremhute who claims to be on a mission of fasting for the country blamed Bhasikiti for the group’s current predicament saying it was Bhasikiti himself who convinced him and his group to leave Seke (Chitungwiza) where they were based before even harvesting their crops. Gunjeremhute further confirms that it was indeed Bhasikiti who promised to accommodate them at his orphanage but had now dumped them using the Magistrates Court.
“We were in Seke when Bhasikiti visited our shrine and he consulted us and we helped him to make a fortune out of his gold mines. After visiting us twice, Bhasikiti was impressed by what we did for him and he later on came back with his truck and he carried all of us free of charge to be here in Mwenezi. He himself is the one who volunteered to house us at his orphanage because we worked on a number of his problems.
“Bhasikiti is the one who allowed us to clear and grow crops at the same orphanage but now given that our crops are mid-way for harvesting, owing to the court order, we are being barred from attending to them. We had initially agreed with Bhasikiti that we were going to stay at the orphanage as we please, that’s why we had begun some serious farming activities there,” said Gunjeremhute.
However, in a telephone interview Bhasikiti who admitted having at one point consulted one of the n’angas said the healers later on came on their own to Mwenezi and he only accommodated them after they promised that they were going to stay for only two months.
“I am not the one who brought them here but rather they came on their own. What is correct is that at one point in time I sought the assistance of one of them after one of my surveyors advised that there was need for traditional rites to be performed first for our mining activities to succeed.
“After one of them visited my mine, they later on approached me saying that they have got some prayers for the country which they want to perform here in Mwenezi. They approached me sometime in June last year and I decided to temporarily accommodate them at the orphanage after they promised to stay for only two months. When the two months lapsed, they began to give excuses and that is when we decided to seek an eviction order from the courts,” said Bhasikiti.
The former minister who further opened up on the rapes charges which he is facing said the allegations only surfaced after he served the healers with the eviction order.
He said he was the first person to raise a red flag after he suspected that the minor (who later turned out to be his alleged victim) was sexually abused by one of the traditional leaders.
“Though the rape case is now before the Magistrate Courts, I can safely tell you that the same healers are the ones who framed me after I served them with the eviction order,” he added.
Bhasikiti who was arrested end of December last year over allegations of raping a minor who was based at his orphanage was released on bail pending trial. Soon after his release from remand he immediately initiated the eviction of the n’angas from the orphanage.
The healer’s group which had completely nothing to cover themselves and their loads of belongings from the current incessant rains which Mwenezi district are still stuck in the area.
Following their eviction from the orphanage, the stranded group is now camping in a secluded bush just a few meters from where they were evicted, along the Masvingo-Beitbridge highway just less than three kilometres from Rutenga Growth Point.

…7 CCC councillors boycott event

Emmanuel Chitsika

Masvingo-Zanu PF on March 3, 2023 hijacked the official opening of Masvingo City Council (MCC) run and recently completed medical facility North West Medical Clinic which saw the ruling party’s Vice President and Second Secretary Kembo Mohadi turning up as the official guest.
The decision to have Mohadi as the guest-of-honour stood despite fierce protests by the majority of the local authority’s councillors, with seven Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) councillors boycotting the event stating that they did not want Mohadi to officiate at the event as he was no longer a government official but was only invited on partisan grounds.
A source who was in the official briefing at the Civic Centre prior to the main event in Runyararo West suburb said Mohadi openly acknowledged receiving information of the boycott by the councillors who stood firmly against his invitation.
The source at Town House said the situation was so difficult as management could not decline Mohadi’s being invited and said the official opening was likely to be repeated.
“The situation was so difficult and there was no way council management could turn Mohadi down from coming to the event. Initially, council arrangement was that the clinic be officially opened at provincial level by Minister of State for Devolution and Provincial Affairs Ezra Chadzamira but maybe the invited guest went on to invite his own guest as well and that is why Mohadi turned up. It was not as per council arrangement,” said the source.
CCC councillors including the Mayor Collen Maboke, councillors Selina Maridza, Alec Tabe, Rocky Kamuzonda, Daniel Mberikunashe, Richard Musekiwa and Babylon Beta all did not turn up to the event that saw Zanu PF bussing supporters from peri-urban areas and some from Mashava, Bhuka and other surrounding rural communities.
The aggrieved councillors on March 2 addressed a press conference on their decision to shun the official opening as they felt Mohadi was not the right candidate to do so.
Deputy Mayor Wellington Mahwende, Against Chiteme and Sengerayi Manyanga, all from Zanu PF were the only councillors who turned up for the event.
Mohadi at the health facility said the clinic was a product of devolution which he claimed was all from Zanu PF and its leadership.
“Budiriro yese inouya nani? Inouya nehurumende inotungamirirwa navaMnangagwa (Who is responsible for presiding over developmental projects? The government led by Mnangagwa is responsible).
“Nyika ino inotungamirirwa nevakomana vatatu nemudzimai mumwe chete (This country is led by three men and one lady and do you know them?( referring to Emmerson Mnangagwa, his deputies Constantine Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi and Oppah Muchinguri). The four have brought about development and this clinic is part of it. May you please take good care of the facility for it now belongs to you and it serves you,” said Mohadi.
He had earlier officially led the routine monthly clean up exercise where he addressed scores of Zanu PF supporters at the Civic Centre emphasizing that ‘blood was shed’ for independence while the latter erupted into party songs and slogans.
“Blood was shed for the liberation of this country. Let me remind you that the country is going to have elections either in the first or second half of this year and we are looking forward to Zanu PF victory. Nyika ndeyeropa uye vatungamiriri varipo ndevamwe vakarasikirwa neupenyu (This country saw blood shed and the current leaders are among those who lost their lives during the liberation war).
“Zvinoita here kuti munhu asina kuvhima ouya paurawa mhuka achida kutora chiropa kana chirovadhibha pamhuka yaasina kuuraya (Is it possible for one to come and claim a share of the carcas’s liver or even brisket when he did not participate in its killing). Remember you promised us 5 million votes. We have chanted the slogan for quite some time, now we want it to happen practically
“Someone was talking about good roads and boreholes drilled and I told him that it is Zanu PF doing that work. If the MDC fails to run councils which are smaller as compared to the whole country, how then would they be able to rule the country,” added Mohadi.
The naming of the clinic has also been a subject of debate with Manyanga who chairs the Public Works Committee trying in vain on a number of occasions to name the clinic after national heroes or even the country’s President when he suggested it being named Hlupeko/Dambudzo (Mnangagwa’s second name).
The plaque for the official opening had Mohadi’s name already written suggesting the public works department could have been behind the move.

Brighton Chiseva

ZAKA – Substantive Chief Bota born Tafirenyika Bwazvo was finally installed after seven years, five years past the stipulated time of two years for an acting Chief.
Bwazvo was installed at a ceremony officiated by the Minister of Local Government and Public Works July Moyo.
The last substantive Chief Bota (Chiyo Mugabe) died in 2016 and his son Peter Mugabe, who was reigning on his behalf since he was old, continued but was later removed after allegations of abuse of office.
Speaking during the installation ceremony, Minister Moyo said the chief was mandated to work with the councilors and Zanu PF local leadership to develop the area.
“We appreciate the development that each area has a ward councilor, so chiefs should work with councilors, Zanu PF leadership, his headmen and village heads. The headman should work with the ruling party and if you do, your area develops.
“The Chief works with District Coordinating Committee (DCC) and provincial chairpersons, and if he does that, his area develops so I have come to urge you to work with Zanu PF because I have seen you are from Zanu PF. I was told that all your subjects are Zanu PF,” said Moyo.
Tafirenyika, a 46 year-old staunch supporter of Zanu PF, is among the then youth who were allegedly notorious for causing a reign of terror in 2008.
Bota has two main houses namely Mutatavikwa and Chimbwembwe.
Mutatavikwa has two houses, Bwazvo and Nhenjana while Chimbwembwe has three namely Mawadze, Chipumo and Charuka.
The first recorded Chief was from Chimbwembwe’s Chipumho who reigned from 1937 to 1957 and Mawadze from the same house took over 1958 and acted until 1967.
The throne went to Bwazvo house and the Chief, Mujena, reigned until from 1967 and because of his age, he appointed his son Wilson to reign in his stead. Wilson was later appointed acting chief in 1971 following his father’s death until his own death in 1977.
Mawadze house took over in 1977 to 1980 and Chirikure Mawadze acted from 1980. The throne went back to Mutatavikwa under Chafa who reigned from 1984 to 1994 and his son Lazarus took over on acting basis.
Charuka house took over with Chiyo Mugabe as the reigning Chief in 1995 until his death in 2016.