Progress at the recently commissioned landfill at Cambria Farm has been slow, with Masvingo councilors blaming management for failure to meet the target they had agreed on.
In a recent full council meeting, councilors accused the engineering department of being incompetent, saying they deliberately misled them on progress at the site.
Mayor Cllr Collen Maboke took the engineering department to task for misleading him in 2021 when they told him about progress at the landfill.
“You lied to me last year when you said that the new land fill will be ready for use by September. I told the media and they are here so you should tell them the truth.
“Right now you are proposing that you will finish work after rainy season, you do not know when the rains will stop and from my own point of view you have failed to that end,” Cllr Maboke said.
Maboke’s sentiments were echoed by Deputy Mayor Cllr Wellington Mahwende who said the state of the old dump site is not pleasing as it presents a likely health disaster to the residents nearby.
“Refuse situation is worsening at the old dump site, it is getting into people’s houses,” said Cllr Mahwende.
Masvingo Acting Town Engineer Kudzaishe Mbetu however stood his ground and convinced the councilors that the situation was under control.
“We cannot do any work as of now since we are in the rainy season. Our tippers will sink in the mud. We are also having financial challenges, but we promise that we will finish work in two months’ time after the rainy season. In terms of progress we are 80 percent complete,” said Eng Mbetu.
The time that the engineering department is suggesting that they would have finished the work at Cambria farm was however said to be unrealistic basing on the fact that they were supposed to have started using it last year.
Council had targeted to finish two cells out of 16 and completing the whole project by 2025.
Confusion reigns supreme in the newly formed Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) as it is set to conduct fresh primary elections in Masvingo Urban’s Ward 4 after the party fielded double candidates when the nomination court sat on January 26. The confusion came about when the national leadership decided in the eleventh hour to replace a female candidate Thokozile Muchuchuti, who had initially been seconded by party members in Ward 4, through a consensus process, with Aleck Tabe who is alleged to have strong links with the national leadership.
Reliable sources told TellZim News that the meeting will be held in Ward 4 today with the national members led by CCC secretary general Chalton Hwende and a re-run will be conducted thereafter.
“We received communication that the national leadership is coming to day for primary election re-run. The candidates will be paraded and the supporters will be asked to go and stand behind the candidate of their choice and the one who garners more votes will be officially announced as the party candidate ahead of the March 26 by-elections,” said a CCC party member in Ward 4.
Hwende confirmed to TellZim News early this morning that he was on his way to Masvingo to have a meeting with Ward 4 stakeholders but chose his words wisely when he was asked if the process they intend to do is a re-run.
“We have a meeting today and I am on my way to Masvingo. I don’t know about that (re-run) but we will have a meeting with all stakeholders in Ward 4 today. Why don’t you come and see for yourself the whole process?” said Hwende.
The national leadership is said to be supporting Tabe who was handpicked by former councillor Godfrey Kurauone who fled the country after he allegedly insulted President Emmerson Mnangagwa and is currently in the United States of America.
Muchuchuti was once elbowed out during 2018 general elections after she defeated Kurauone during party primaries. The party technically knocked her out by declaring that the Ward was reserved for the youths. Interestingly now, the ward is now open since both Tabe and Muchuchuti are no longer under the youths banner.
Party members expressed their worry over the manner females who show interest to contest for higher positions are treated especially in Masvingo province.
“We do not have a female candidate who contested for all the 26 constituencies in the provinces; the candidates were all male. Females who tried to stand were elbowed out and the same is happening in Ward 4 now. Other political parties even Zanu PF are taking serious the issue of women empowerment but we are blocking them from contesting. This kind of dictatorship cannot be tolerated,” said a disgruntled party member.
The provincial and district leadership however, stood their ground and bluntly told the national leadership that it was not proper to force a female candidate out simply because Tabe was being fronted by some national leaders. How the Hwende led team will solve the impasse, party members can only wait and see how the re-run will be conducted today.
Power utility subsidiary Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) has switched off City of Gweru’s water pumping stations at Gwenhoro and Whitewaters over outstanding electrical bills amounting to $247million..
Gweru City Council’s chairperson for Finance Committee, Councillor Martin Chivhoko said the local authority was facing financial constraints as residents were not honouring their part by clearing outstanding bills.
“We are facing serious financial challenges as a local authority caused by non-payment of bills by our customers (residents).
“ZESA has switched us off. We are currently in talks with the power provider and hopefully tomorrow everything will be sorted,” he said.
In a statement earlier, council highlighted that there was a power outage at the Range booster.
“We would like to apologise to ZETDC for earlier advising that there is a power outage at Range Booster.
“The correct information is that as a local authority, we have been cut off by ZETDC at Range Booster, White Waters and Town House for non-payment of electricity bills,” read the statement.
…recommended to ratify critical international instruments
Thabiso Nxumalo
Zimbabwe on January 26, 2022 underwent its third cycle of the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva, Switzerland, where Zimbabwe’s human rights records were being examined by the United Nations Human Rights Council.
The Zimbabwean delegation led by Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi presented their national report and was put on the hot spot while responding to questions that were asked by member states as they also welcomed commendations and recommendations on the country’s human rights record.
Ziyambi said the nation is headed in the right direction in alleviating human rights grievances having met over 60 percent of the recommendations made in the last review held in 2016 and highlighted major challenges responsible for not meeting all the recommendations.
“We are heading towards the right direction as we have seen improvements and amendments of certain Acts that were infringing on human rights of certain groups. As of this date, we have amended the Education Act and the National Disability Policy among others.
“We have however experienced challenges along the way, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change and illegal sanctions amongst others,” said Ziyambi.
Asked on enforced disappearances, lengthy trials and the judiciary’s independence, the minister said the country had gone above and beyond to ensure transparency in the sector and emphasized that no law was made to accommodate any individual in the judiciary and that every personnel in the judiciary was appointed by merit without favor.
“We respect and have put facets to safeguard the independence of the judiciary system in Zimbabwe.
“Every judge and personnel in the judiciary system is appointed based on merit and the judiciary takes every matter seriously, cases such as the attempted bombing of president Mnangagwa in 2018 at the White City stadium in Bulawayo and the disappearance of journalist Itai Dzamara are still ongoing with fortnight updates from the police.
“Some trials have proved to be lengthy owing to the Covid-19 lockdowns and as such we are currently implementing virtual courts in order to panacea this loophole,” added Ziyambi.
On the question of whether, government is exerting force on opposition parties to recall certain Members of Parliament (MP), the minister said that the claims were unfounded and it was the opposition parties’ doings.
“There is no basis for such a concern because this exercise was done by the opposition parties themselves. The law and government did not interfere in this process and it should be noted that it is not for government to allow these recalls or not,” said Ziyambi.
In response to the United States of America representative’s question on whether the government of Zimbabwe is using Covid-19 pandemic as an excuse to avoid constitutionalism and affording human rights to the nation, Ziyambi said that government prioritized people’s lives before anything else, thus, by-elections were delayed as government was focused on fighting Covid-19 and attending to Cyclone Idai hit communities.
“Our primary goal before anything else is to ensure the safety of our people’s lives. Government did not try to deprive the nation of by-elections, but they were simply delayed due to factors such as channeling most of our resources towards the Covid-19 pandemic, attending and re-building communities destroyed by Cyclone Idai amongst others.
“As the nation takes strides from recovering from the lockdown and Covid waves, we have finally set a date for by-elections which will be held on March 26, 2022,” said Ziyambi.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Permanent Secretary, Virginia Mabiza who was part of the delegation said Zimbabwe media space was free and to date, private media is more vibrant than the public and no journalist has been arrested for doing their job.
“Assumptions that Zimbabwe media is oppressed are ill-advised. We repealed some acts that did not promote free media, journalists in the country are free to operate without fear or favor and no journalist has been arrested for doing their job.
“We also gave out licenses to private media organizations that had applied and they make the bigger chunk of media in the country,” said Mabiza.
Results on Zimbabwe’s review will be announced on Friday, January 28, 2022 at 12:30 CAT.
Mwenezi- A 26-year-old Mwenezi man is reported to have taken a 12-year-old primary school learner, who is also his relative, as wife before vanishing into thin air with her to an unknown destination.
Ronald Zireva of Chirongedze village under Chief Chitanga allegedly eloped with the Guramatunhu Primary School grade five pupil on January 26, 2022 before taking her to a destination yet to be established.
The two are also believed to be related.
Sources closer to the developments, said the two were last seen at Rutenga Bus Stop claiming to be destined for Harare.
TellZim News caught up with a brother to Ronalds’ father, John Zireva who confirmed the incident saying they had already filed a police report at Rutenga police post.
“We came to realise that the two were allegedly in love after they eloped. What also boggles our minds as a family is that the two are relatives. Ronald is my late younger brother’s son while the minor girl is my sister’s daughter who was residing with her grandmother in a village faraway from where the man was residing,” said Zireva.
He however appealed for any information from anyone who might spot the two adding that, after Ronald took the girl, he was told that he had allegedly proposed love to the child more than a year back.
Cases of child marriages have been on an increase in the country with most of them attributed to cultural and religious practices as well as idle minds due to lockdown induced school closures.
A 22-year-old Chiredzi man has been arrested for killing his 25-year-old girlfriend following a dispute over a reason yet to be established on January 25, 2022.
Obvious Toruvanda (22) who stayed in Payer Road, Tshovani with his girlfriend Paidamoyo Manyika (25) is alleged to have fatally attacked his girlfriend during the wee hours of January 25.
Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Kudakwashe Dhewa confirmed the incident and encouraged members of the public to solve their issues amicably.
“Members of the public should find amicable ways of solving their differences or seek third part intervention. Use of violence should be shunned,” said Dhewa.
The incident occurred on January 25 at around 0200 hours, when Manyika was overheard by neighbours arguing with her boyfriend Toruvanda.
At around 0300 hours Ruvarashe Jara (25) who lives at the same house arrived and saw blood drops, followed them and they led to Manyika’s room.
She found her unconscious and naked while lying in a pool of blood and reported to the victim’s sister Thokozile Manyika who lived nearby.
The two found out that Paidamoyo had a deep wound on the left thigh but she could not talk.
They took her to Chiredzi Hospital where she was pronounced dead. A report was made to Chiredzi police where they launched an investigation which led to the arrest of Toruvanda who is to appear in court soon.
CHIVI – Jostling for Chivi South House of Assembly seat has already begun after four candidates successfully filed their nominations with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) on January 26 at Masvingo Magistrate’s court.
The nomination followed the recent announcement of by-election dates by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, with the elections to be held on March 26, 2022.
Masvingo province has only two vacant parliamentary seats, Chivi South and Mwenezi East.
Chivi South fell vacant after the recall of Killer Zivhu by Zanu PF for alleged acts of indiscipline while Mwenezi East fell vacant after the death of Joosbi Omar in 2020.
Battle lines for Chivi South have already been drawn between two major rivals businessman Munyaradzi Zizhou representing Zanu PF and Paul Thompson Mhlolo of the newly launched Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) (formerly MDC –Alliance).
Zizhou has an advantage of resources as compared to his rival, as Zanu PF will likely bankroll his campaign as pressure is minimal because it will only focus on two constituencies.
The time is also opportune for the newly elected Zanu PF provincial executive to prove their capabilities as they will likely pull all the stops to retain the seat.
He also has the general advantage of a pro-Zanu PF rural electorate and Chivi South is one of the areas where the party enjoys dominance over the opposition.
His predecessor Killer Zivhu also seems to have support for him after he announced that he will not stand as an independent but would support President Mnangagwa, which can translate to Zivhu’s sympathisers voting for Zizhou.
Born in 1988, Zizhou said he joined politics at the age of 21 as Lundi Cell chairperson. He was later elected deputy secretary for transport for Chivi district. In 2019, he was elected a provincial member where he became deputy secretary for economic affairs, a post he held until December 2021.
Munyaradzi Zizhou
Zizhou was born in Mandava village, ward 22 under Chief Nemauzhe in Chivi district.
He first attempted to run for office in 2018 but failed because he could not qualify to enter into the primary election race against Zivhu and then incumbent Mafios Utete.
“I attempted to run for the seat in 2018 but I could not qualify for the primaries as per Zanu PF party’s constitution. I then continued working for the party waiting for my time which I believe is now,” said Zizhou
He said his major attribute as an aspiring MP was his age, which he said was a key tool into modernising the rural community as the country aims to achieve vision 2030.
“As a youthful person, I am the best candidate for Chivi South, we want to modernise the rural areas and that need a young person who is conversant with the new communication technology which is fast becoming a key development driver.
“I stand a better chance to transform the area for the youths who are key players because as a youth, I am well conversant with their needs, since their needs are also mine,” said Zizhou.
He said getting in office will give him the chance to further push for the establishment of network boosters in ward 23 where network is a major challenge and provide communication services and connectivity in key areas.
“I am currently engaging network service providers for the erection of one or more boosters in ward 23, so if I win as I am confident will be better positioned to make that dream a reality,” said Zizhou.
He also promised to make sure that all schools get access to the internet and electricity connectivity so that they can do online learning.
He said he is also targeting the completion of a dam project in ward 32 and start the construction of an already pegged clinic in the same ward and another clinic in ward 29 and make sure that locals benefit from the Tugwi–Mukosi dam.
“There is an on-going dam construction in ward 32; I will give priority to that dam and start the construction of a clinic that has already been pegged. We also have another clinic project in ward 29 which needs urgent attention.
“I will also prioritise road rehabilitation with special interest in Berejena-Maringire, Berejena – Mandiva, Nyahombe-Simudzirai then Mutote-Runesu and make sure that locals especially youths benefit from the Tugwi Mukosi dam in terms of fisheries as well as irrigation scheme when it starts,” he said.
Thompson Mhlolo
The newly launched Citizens Coalition for Change formerly MDC-Alliance will be represented by Paul Thompson Mhlolo.
His major advantage is the current wave and excitement associated with the change of name by his party from MDC-Alliance to CCC.
People in his constituency are also disgruntled by delays in the establishment of irrigation schemes at Tugwi-Mukosi dam and compensation of their relatives who were displaced after the floods and blame Zanu PF for that so voting for Mhlolo could be a way of expressing their displeasure.
The economic situation has also deteriorated after the 2018 elections and their hopes could have been lost so they can do a “Bhora Musango” vote for the opposition.
Mhlolo (51) did his primary at Zunga Primary School before going to Neruvanga Secondary for form one to four.
He is in the Real Estate Industry and runs a signage company and he said he started politics in 2000 as an MDC member having been introduced into it by his late brother Samson Hove who was the secretary general of the catering department during the formation of MDC.
He first ran for office in 2013 but lost in the primaries and went on to contest in 2018 representing MDC.
He is the current organising secretary for Chivi South Constituency and says he was arrested with former Beitbridge Mayor Fanuel Mandebvu after Chamisa’s visit to Ngundu last year but later released without charge.
He said he supports President Nelson Chamisa’s Vision of freeing Zimbabweans from oppression under the current ruling party.
“I support President Chamisa and the will of the people of Zimbabwe who were freed from colonial power in 1998 but continue under oppressive rule economically from the ruling party,” said Mholo
He said if voted into power, he would work together with the people not only to doing lip service. He said he will make sure they benefit from their natural resources like the Tugwi- Mukosi dam as well as bringing more investment into the constituency.
“I promise the people of Chivi South real development and not just a talk. Together we can achieve more and I promise to be with them all the time unlike others who after being voted, disappear only to resurface when they need re-election.
“The people of Chivi South should benefit from their natural resources and Tugwi-Mukosi dam. The highway that passes through the constituency should bring more investment and I will work to achieve that,” said Mhlolo.
He went on to say the people of Chivi deserved better leaders like him because they have continuously been lied to by previous MPs.
“They should vote for me because I understand their problems well and will work out to address them. They have been lied to for a very long time and the long wait is coming to an end on March 26,” said Mhlolo.
Faith Chuma
The little known Zimbabwe Patriotic Front will be represented by 46-year-old Faith Chuma who said she is better positioned to win the election by virtue of being a woman who wants to represent women and youths interests as they constitute a larger number of people in the constituency.
Chuma said she was born in Mwenezi but is a resident of Chivi South and stays at Ngundu Business Centre in ward 46.
“If I win I would focus on construction of bridges in the constituency. I have discovered that there are a lot of areas in need of bridges and other areas with bridges that only need to be repaired.
“I will also make sure that the vulnerable members of the community get assistance in terms of food as well as paying fees for orphans,” said Chuma.
Shadreck Mapope
Douglas Mwonzora led MDC- Alliance candidate Shadreck Mapope said that he awaits to deliver what the electorate would have tasked him to.
“When people assign a certain task to me, I would just do what they would have asked me to. Of all the people who have been elected in the past, no one has bothered themselves to go and represent the interests of the ordinary people especially our needs as a constituency.
“We have got a number of issues that directly affect people in Chivi South hence need for the elected person to set aside personal interests and forward people’s needs. Once elected into office, you do not have further party interests but address the needs of people,” said Mapope.
…As the world commemorates International Day of Education
Thabiso Nxumalo
Zimbabwean education sector has for the past few years witnessed a state of chaos, characterized by teachers’ unions and government clashes over ‘peanut-salaries’, exorbitant fees coupled with indefinite school holidays owing to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic seeing the country lose the position it once held on the continent in terms of literacy levels.
Education is a right enshrined in article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the declaration calls for free and compulsory elementary education, while the Convention on the Rights of the child, adopted in 1989 goes further to stipulate that, countries shall make higher education accessible to all.
As the world commemorated International Day of Education on January 24, schools in Zimbabwe are still closed, as they were scheduled to open on January 10, 2022 and Acting President Constantino Chiwenga further increased the Covid-19 national lockdown restrictions by two more weeks, putting the academic calendar on hold.
Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president, Takavafira Zhou said it is high time government invests more in quality public education and restrict the mushrooming of private schools whose main aim is profit making.
“This is a sad day for education, as it marks the fall of public sector education from grace to grace with monotonous regularity because of vandals masquerading as leaders.
“We have witnessed slackening of investment in public education, inaccessible and exorbitant school fees that have made education a preserve for the rich. We therefore call upon African governments in general and Zimbabwe in particular to invest in quality public education and restrict the mushrooming of many private schools whose main thrust is profit making as opposed to life serving skills that can enable children to function beyond the classroom,” said Zhou.
A Masvingo school head, speaking on condition of anonymity said the sector’s integrity is slowly being eroded by politicizing the education system which is draining the will of professionals in the field together with neglect of both administrative and physical structures especially in the rural areas.
“The gains we had made are seriously being eroded due to lack of political will in advancing or maintaining the enviable position we had attained as politicization of the education system has drained the will out of the few dedicated professionals in the field.
“Rural schools suffer neglect from infrastructure to staffing, there is no more moral to talk about in the system due to deplorable working conditions. This is as a result of responsible authority relegating its duty to parents and teachers to run schools,” said the head.
He also added that positively, the government has through initiatives such as Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) assisted the less-privileged in accessing education although the BEAM facility is at times abused.
“We however, applaud government and various stakeholders in their attempts to cushion the vulnerable through initiatives such as BEAM, but the effort is diluted by abuse of the system and lack of funding resulting in schools running on zero budgets, going for years before receiving funds.
“Envisage a situation where three quarters or more of learners are sponsored and there is no money for two years, hence schools struggle with buying supplies, textbooks and paying rates,” added the school head.
Great Zimbabwe University student, Calvin Muvheyi said the standards in most tertiary institutions do not match the fees they are paying.
“The education system in Zimbabwe is depreciating in terms of standards. We know that Covid-19 has dealt a huge blow in the sector and contributed hugely to the prevailing low standards, but makes it unfair as we are paying astronomical amounts of fees for micro semesters.
“The standards simply do not tally with the fees we are paying and hence we call upon relevant bodies to intervene,” said Muvheyi.
This year’s International Day of Education was running under the theme “Changing course, Transforming Education”.
ZVISHAVANE-A 31-year-old man and his gang members from Gudo village under Chief Mazvihwa appeared before the Zvishavane magistrate Charity Tonongera on January 24 facing three counts of assault after allegedly assaulting three people, one allegedly for no given reason and the other two for denying giving them smoke on different occasions.
Kelly Chawa (31), Watsanai Mupomwe (22) and Costa Hlanga (21) are accused of assaulting three people whom they are not related to or even know them.
It is the state case that Chawa assaulted people using a machete, back of an axe and open hands with the help of his friends.
It is reported that on the first count, that occurred on January 22, 2022 around 0600hrs at Sabi compound, the complainant Mike Gombwe(26) employed at Sabi Valley mining company in Zvishavane was coming home from work when he met the accused and his friends. Chawa started hitting Gombwe’s chest using a machete, forcing him to give a cigarette.
Gombwe fell down and Chawa struck the complainant on the waist while he was on the ground before he managed to escape. They tried to follow him up but did not catch him. Gombwe sustained a cut on the waist and bruises on the right knee.
On the second count, it is reported that on the same day around 8pm at Sabi compound, Chawa and his friend Mupomwe met the complainant Panashe Gwama (21) who was coming from his home. The two started to hit the complainant with open hands and fists all over the face for unknown reasons. Chawa then took his machete and used the flat surface to hit on Gwama’s back. He then struck him once on the back which left him with a deep cut.
Chawa’s third count was done with help of his two accomplices Hlanga and Mupomwe when they assaulted Thompson Murambiwa (28) who was going to Sabi Mine shops on January 22 at around 0900hours.
Chawa and friends forced Murambiwa to buy them dagga (mbanje), but when he refused, Chawa hit him twice on the head. Hlanga was holding a machete and hit Murambiwa’s face several times with machete’s flat surface and pushed him to the ground. Chawa then assaulted the complainant on the buttocks several times with an axe handle. The complainant sustained a cut on the back of the head, on the left thumb, buttocks and on his face.
The case was remanded to February 8, 2022 as the accused who pleaded not guilty were denied bail as the court fears that they could cause harm to people if they are released.
Meanwhile a 21-year-old man from Shiku under Chief Masunda appeared before Zvishavane magistrate Charity Tonongera on January 25, 2022 facing attempted murder charges after he allegedly axed his uncle on the forehead over a misunderstanding.
Samuel Moyo is accused of attempting to kill his uncle Edmore Mugidisa on the January 23 2022 using an axe.
It is reported that on January 23, Moyo had a misunderstanding with his uncle Mugidisa when they were coming from Vengai Beer hall. They started to fight, and Moyo fled to his homestead. He then collected an axe and went back to where he had left his uncle and struck him with it on the forehead before fleeing the scene leaving the axe stuck on the forehead of Mugidisa.
He was then arrested when the matter was reported to police.
Moyo was remanded in custody to February 8 and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
Hilda Sibanda appeared for the State
Mwenezi- A 26-year-old Mwenezi man is reported to have taken a 12-year-old primary school learner, who is also his relative, as wife before vanishing into thin air with her to an unknown destination.
Ronald Zireva of Chirongedze village under Chief Chitanga allegedly eloped with the Guramatunhu Primary School grade five pupil on January 26, 2022 before taking her to a destination yet to be established.
The two are also believed to be related.
Sources closer to the developments, said the two were last seen at Rutenga Bus Stop claiming to be destined for Harare.
TellZim News caught up with a brother to Ronalds’ father, John Zireva who confirmed the incident saying they had already filed a police report at Rutenga police post.
“We came to realise that the two were allegedly in love after they eloped. What also boggles our minds as a family is that the two are relatives. Ronald is my late younger brother’s son while the minor girl is my sister’s daughter who was residing with her grandmother in a village faraway from where the man was residing,” said Zireva.
He however appealed for any information from anyone who might spot the two adding that, after Ronald took the girl, he was told that he had allegedly proposed love to the child more than a year back.
Cases of child marriages have been on an increase in the country with most of them attributed to cultural and religious practices as well as idle minds due to lockdown induced school closures.
