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Poor results rock School of Nursing

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Poor results rock School of Nursing

Clayton Shereni

MASVINGO– Controversy and poor results are slowly becoming order of the day at Masvingo Provincial Hospital School of Nursing as students continue to fail amid internal power wrangles raging on at the institution.
Since 2020 low percentage pass rates have been recorded, with sabotage and politics being cited as some of the contributing factors to a poor spate of results.
The pass rate that usually skyrocketed up to over 90 percent over the years was reduced to 50 percent in 2020 and this year recorded below 20 percent.
In May last year, 14 students reportedly sat for their final year examination and only seven passed, a number that translates to 50 percent pass rate.
A paltry 18.8 percent was also recorded when a combined 16 students reportedly wrote their examinations in May this year including some who had failed the previous and only three passed.
The failed 13 students got another chance to repeat where three of them passed, and the remaining 10 had no option but to withdraw translating to a 21 percentage pass rate.
Another group of 14 students that also sat for their exam this year recorded a zero percent pass rate.
Contacted for comment Masvingo Provincial Hospital Public Relations Officer, Mercy Zulu directed all questions to the Provincial Medical Director Doctor Amadeus Shamhu.
Dr Shamhu said the low pass rate was a nationwide problem but also revealed that they were carrying out investigations at Masvingo Provincial Hospital School of Nursing.
“There was a general decrease in the pass rate nation-wide, we did not witness this in our province only, however we are carrying out investigations to establish reasons for the decrease at our school of nursing,” said Dr Shamhu.
However, efforts to get a comment from the school’s senior tutor Catherine Sithole were fruitless, as she did not pick up her mobile phone up until the time of going to print.
Ministry of Health and Childcare Public Relations Officer, Donald Mujiri could not be drawn to comment said his phone’s network reception was bad as he was at the airport.
Inside sources allege that politicking and sabotage was taking its toll at the school after a rotation of the school’s board of management in 2020, a development that has seen a free fall of the pass rate percentage at the institution.
The school that is one of the several government run schools of nursing trains over 40 students every year and has been immensely contributing to the national health system.

Prisoner bites off fellow inmate’s finger

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Prisoner bites off fellow inmate’s finger

Fredrick Moyo

An inmate at Masvingo Remand Prison recently appeared in court for biting off a fellow inmate’s finger during a fight.
Last Makova (33) of Mukosi clinic under Chief Shumba in Masvingo was convicted of assaulting Charlton Mazibuko by Masvingo Magistrate Consepter Ngwerume, which led to the latter losing his finger.
It was the state case as presented by prosecutor Godknows Mugondo that on June 21, 2021, at around 2100 hours, the accused Makova assaulted Charlton Mazibuko (35), in a prison cell they were sharing.
The accused person is said to have been asleep while other inmates were playing draft in the cell and he woke up, sat on a toilet seat and started pouring water on other inmates.
However, other inmates including the complainant Mazibuko tried to restrain him.
Mazibuko grabbed Makova from the front in trying to stop him and while in the process of restraining him, Makova bit him on the right cheek, and in the scuffle bit off his finger.
The matter was reported to prison officers, leading to Makova’s arrest.

From assistant builder to doctorate holder- story of Malilangwe’s ecologist

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From assistant builder to doctorate holder- story of Malilangwe’s ecologist

Rumbidzai Muswera

CHIREDZI-The story of a Malilangwe Conservation Trust’s ecologist, Doctor Allan Tarugara (34), who began working as an assistant bricklayer in 2008 at Malilangwe and rose through the ranks by attaining a doctorate degree in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation as well as a permanent job in one of the Zimbabwe’s most celebrated wildlife conservancy is one that is inspiring. Malilangwe.
Dr Tarugara began working as an assistant bricklayer for a construction company that was doing renovation work at one of Malilangwe’s tourist lodges then shifted to leopard habituation working as an assistant for a resident wildlife filming crew before he got a scholarship through Malilangwe’s staff development program.
Doctor Tarugara, who comes from Zaka District, grew up in Chiredzi.
“I started as a general hand for a construction company that was doing renovation work at one of Malilangwe’s tourist lodges. I then went on to do leopard habituation work as well as being a lighting assistant for a resident wildlife filming crew that worked at Malilangwe,” he said.
“I got a scholarship through Malilangwe’s staff development program for a Bachelor’s Degree in Forest Resources and Wildlife management at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) from 2012-2016 and a Master’s Degree in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) from 2017-2019 which he then upgraded to a doctorate between 2020 and 2021,” he added.
Malilangwe Conservation Trust General Manager, Mark Saunders also confirmed that Doctor Allan Tarugara rose through the ranks to be a doctor by utilizing the organization’s scholarship through staff development programs.
“We have a guy who began as an assistant builder and rose through the ranks by utilizing one of our scholarships for staff development and now he is permanently employed with us as an Ecologist,” said Saunders.
Currently Tarugara is working under Malilangwe’s Reasearch Department with keen interests in Terrestrial and Aquatic ecology.

Zaka man rapes daughter for seven years

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Zaka man rapes daughter for seven years

Brighton Chiseva

People from Zaka were recently left tongue tied after it emerged that a 41-year-old man had been raping his biological daughter for the past seven years.
The man is said to have been raping his daughter since she was 10 years old.
Sources privy to the incident said the matter came to light after he infected the child with an undisclosed Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI).
Upon being quizzed at the local clinic, she was asked to bring her boyfriend for treatment and that is when she implicated her father.
“He infected her with an STI and she got treated, and then went back after some time with the same problem and that is when the nurses asked her to bring his lover who had infected her so that both of them could be treated. She told the nurses that she could not and when quizzed she revealed that her father had been raping her,” said the source.
The nurses are alleged to have then contacted Zaka police leading to the arrest of the suspect on September 09, 2021.
The man appeared before Chiredzi regional magistrate’s court and was remanded in custody.
Sources said the man had been staying with his daughter and his other wife after separating with her mother.

School suspends lessons due to lack of sanitizer

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School suspends lessons due to lack of sanitizer

Kimberly Kusauka

Madondo Primary School in Zaka is alleged to have suspended lessons recently due to unavailability of hand sanitizers as most parents reportedly failed to pay school fees that were to be used to purchase them.
A parent who spoke on condition of anonymity because of fear of victimization of his child said pupils got the instruction not to come to school since they have not paid up school fees hence the school could not afford to buy hand sanitizers.
“Pupils were sent back home and told not to come back since their parents did not pay school fees and the school has no hand sanitizers.
“It is unfair especially for exam classes who will have to sit for their Zimbabwe School Examination Council (ZIMSEC) very soon. I also have a child who is in grade seven and preparing for examinations,” said the parent.
A close source said the parents are begging government to intervene since there is no more time before grade seven pupils sit for their ZIMSEC examinations.
Zaka District Schools Inspector (DSI), Samson Chidzurira said he has not yet received such information and directed all questions to the school head.
“I did not receive such information, so you can contact the school head for clarification,” said Chidzurira.
School Head Canisio Chaurura said the school did not shut its doors because of sanitizers but called for pupils to attend in groups since they did not have enough sanitizer for large groupings.
“We did not turn away learners but we arranged hot sitting whereby they would attend classes in groups.
“We saw it a danger for pupils to attend classes at the same time whilst the school did not have enough hand sanitizers. However the school has purchased enough sanitizer and classes have resumed with all pupils attending,” said Chaurura.
Recently in Midlands province, schools in Mberengwa namely Masase, Chegato and Mnene high schools were hit by a Covid-19 outbreak.
According to statistics released on September 14, at Chegato 63 pupils and one teacher tested positive with nine pupils at Mnene and 40 pupils at Masase High Schools all testing positive to the virus.
Currently the Ministry of Health and Child Care is working on including children from the age of 14 to 17 in the vaccination program.
This also comes hot on the heels of calls and public outcry over rushed schools opening in which various stakeholders felt government ignored the plight and welfare of learners as educational institutions were not fully equipped to handle the pandemic.

Man hospitalised after alleged ZRP brutality

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Man hospitalised after alleged ZRP brutality

…’Masvingo police tries to sweep case under carpet’

Courage Dutiro

A Masvingo ‘illegal’ money changer was left ruing his actions to evade law enforcement agents after being hospitalized at Masvingo Provincial Hospital following an alleged attack by a Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officer on Saturday September 11 at Victoria Hotel during a blitz targeting illegal money changers and vendors.
Justice Murambwi (37) of Runyararo West Suburb said he met this fate at the hands of a ‘ruthless’ officer who slid him on the pavement as he tried to negotiate his escape route from their area of operation popularly known as paChicken Inn.
“We were at Victoria Hotel when the police pounced on us. One of the officers tackled me and I fell to the ground leading to severe injuries I sustained on my right leg. X-ray results are showing that the leg sustained two fractures, one on the ankle joint and the other one on the fibula. The doctor said this could cause permanent injury.
“The case was reported at Masvingo Central Police but I am yet to know the name of the officer who injured me though if an identification parade is conducted I would positively identify the guy,” said Murambwi.
When TellZim News crew visited the health institution, a visibly shaken Murambwi expressed agony, anguish and despair as he lied on his hospital bed and said he has no other alternative source of income thereby looking up to fellow workmates to foot the medical bills.
A police report seen by TellZim News dated September 11 2021, showed that the case was reported, stating that Murambwi only fell on the pavement and sustained injuries but it had no CR number.
“The patient fell on the pavement and injured his right ankle,” reads part of the document.
Medical report stamped September 13 2021, stated that the injuries are severe and disability is likely to happen.
“The injuries are likely to have been caused by a blunt object. Serious force could have been used to inflict pain. The injuries are severe and disability is likely to happen,” reads part of the medical report.
Masvingo Provincial Police spokesperson, Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa said the case was reported and investigations are underway.
“The name of the perpetrator is not yet known and we are still investigating the matter”, said Dhewa.
Sources privy to the case said Murambwi was injured by a police officer who was raiding vendors and illegal money changers.
“I was here on Saturday. A police officer tackled Murambwi as he tried to evade arrest and he sustained serious injuries on the leg. It seems the police are trying to conceal the case, when we visited the police station we were taken to different offices but nothing materialised. Most of us here can identify the officer if we see him,” said the source.

Bigger, better Triathlon Africa showpiece gathers momentum

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Bigger, better Triathlon Africa showpiece gathers momentum

Clayton Shereni

HARARE- Preparations are in full swing for the prestigious Bonaqua African Triathlon Cup slated for September 25 this year at the Troutbeck Resort in Nyanga following green light for sporting activities to resume given by government recently.
This year’s 14th edition of the annual event comes at a time when sport fans are thirsty for action since March last year when sporting activities were stopped in a bid to curb spread of Covid-19.
Addressing journalists during the launch of this years’ galore on September 14, Rick Fulton, event organiser of the Bonaqua Troutbeck Triathlon Tournament said the sport was growing each year and attracting international athletes as it continues to grow bigger and better.
“The Bonaqua African Triathlon Cup Troutbeck which is sanctioned by the International Triathlon Union (ITU) is contributing positively towards the development of sports and tourism in Zimbabwe by attracting regional, continental and global athletes,” said Fulton.
Bonaqua has been bankrolling the event for five years now and other Coca-Cola subsidizes like Schweppes have also been face of the tournament before.
Coca-Cola Zimbabwe Frontline Marketing Portfolio Activation Manager, Faith Nehanda expressed her pleasure for collaborating in the ‘ever-growing’ sport especially during the Covid-19 era.
“As the Coca-Cola system which includes our bottling partner Schweppes Zimbabwe Limited, we are delighted to be able to support local sports development through sponsorships like the Triathlon during these challenging times. The Bonaqua African Triathlon Cup Troutbeck is growing with each year, and attracting global athletes,” said Nehanda.
Another prestigious cup, the Junior Triathlon Africa Cup that will see countries like Egypt, Mauritius, Namibia and Tunisia take hosts Zimbabwe head-on will be hosted at the same venue.
This years’ event is a platform for Triathlon Elite Athletes to maximize points as they eye to up their ranking high ahead of Olympics scheduled for Paris, France.

Miss Masvingo 2021 auditions draw nearer

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Miss Masvingo 2021 auditions draw nearer

Rebecca Tshoga

Preparations for Miss Masvingo 2021 beauty pageant have reached a climax as aspiring models from the seven districts of the province gear up for district competitions to be hosted at various centers in their respective areas.
Organizers of the event said auditions have been held virtually and physically under strict Covid-19 conditions to avoid spread of the deadly disease as such events attract mass audiences.
Director and founder of Miss Masvingo Donovan Takaendesa confirmed that the event was first organized before strict lockdown restrictions.
“When we organized the event there were no strict lockdown restrictions. However we put in place measures to avert any future inconveniences. We initially wanted to hold the auditions and event online, but the lockdown has been eased, which will ensure smooth running of the event.”
The auditions will determine contestants that are going to participate at district level and scout out the victorious ones to proceed to provincial level.
Contestants are drawn from the seven districts namely Bikita, Masvingo, Chiredzi, Chivi, Gutu, Mwenezi and Zaka.
“We are taking contestants from the district and we are also considering Zimuto although it is not part of Masvingo district but we are making an exception,” said Takaendesa.
For Zimuto and Gutu the auditions will be on September 18 at Gutu council hall, Masvingo district at Caravan Park, Chiredzi at Westwood lodge and Bikita will hold their auditions on 25 September and Zaka and Mashava on October 2 though venues are not yet known.
Measures have been put in place to make sure contestants meet set criteria to participate in the contest.
Contestants have to be vaccinated before auditions or proceeding to the actual contest.
“Considering the pandemic, we have a limited number for contestants. However, auditions will have no limited numbers, and we will choose our specific contestants after the auditions.
After auditions we will take 12 contestants from each district where we will choose two leaving our contestants at 14 from the seven districts.
They will then go for the district level before proceeding to provincial,” said Takaendesa.
Management of events and number of contestants has been done under consideration of the Covid-19 pandemic.
After the completion at district level, the event managers will look for a bigger place to accommodate participants and judges so as to maintain social distancing.
The theme for this year’s pageant is “Fighting Against the spread of Covid-19’ with the aim of campaigning against spread of corona virus.
Takaendesa said their goal is to search and give every hidden talent the opportunity to exhibit and be heard, providing an affordable and fair platform for the models.

Zanu PF factions: The situation reaches another level in Masvingo

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Zanu PF factions: The situation reaches another level in Masvingo

…Mnangagwa, Chiwenga in fierce battle to control provinces

…ED plots to make early party elections date announcement soon

TellZim Reporter

 MASVINGO – “Ladies and gentlemen the situation in our country has reached another level…,” said the late army General Sibusiso Moyo while addressing the nation during  the November 2017 sanitized coup which resulted in the ouster of former President Robert Mugabe.

The Zanu PF factional fights between Generation 40 (G40) and Lacoste then, forced the situation to reach another level with the latter, which supported Emerson Mnangagwa, successfully ousting Mugabe through a military-backed take over. The emerging factions and ever-growing tension in Masvingo if not well managed is definitely leading to a situation more or less the same as November 2017.

Those who care not to remember the history of politics and factional fights will be quick to dismiss the possibility lest they are reminded of how Masvingo has been the mastermind of many successful political settlements in both the ruling party Zanu PF and the biggest opposition,  Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Masvingo therefore plays a pivotal role in the political matrix of Zimbabwe. The late Mugabe knew this and that was the reason he employed the divide and rule tactics choosing the late Simon Muzenda as vice president ahead of Jonas Mudadirwa Zvobgo. Muzenda was docile and senile – he was more of a stooge, no wonder why he spent most of his time rehearsing poems like Nehanda Nyakasikana forgetting to develop the province or even his rural home in Gutu.

On the other hand, Zvobgo was ambitious, too vocal and more importantly the voice of reason for Masvingo Province. Because Mugabe had chosen incompetence and loyalty over reasoning, two serious factions then emerged from Masvingo, passed on from one political generation to another and ultimately resulted in his ouster in November 2017.

Political factions are a sign of illness in a party; we have seen this in Zanu PF as early as the turn of the millennium when Dzikamai Mavhaire publicly demanded that Mugabe be relieved of his duties and go! Similarly, when Morgan Tsvangirai was chased away by Joubert Mudzumwe, Robson Mashiri and team at Masvingo Civic Centre in 2005 leading to the MDC’s split, the same year.

Thus Masvingo is the kingpin in the political matrix of any political party in Zimbabwe and whoever controls this province will eventually become the ultimate winner. Because of this reason every sensible politician would want to control Masvingo province and this is the battle between Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantine Chiwenga now. Though no one in Zanu PF leadership would agree that there are factions in the party, the current developments in Masvingo bear testimony that there are factions threatening to tear apart the party.

Masvingo is so fond of factions and dirty politics that most of the time politicians are engaged in caucus meetings trying to find ways of out-manoeuvring each other. However, factionalism has been the great instrument of sophistry and chicanery in our politics thereby leaving our society very divided and warring factions wanting to devour each other.

Zanu PF is going to have its elective congress in December next year where the party is expected to elect new national executive. The provinces are already preparing for their elections ahead of the congress, with all the leagues including the main, youth and women assemblies’ elections are expected to be held by this October latest, and this is according to reliable sources in Zanu PF.

These sources said ED is ploting to announce this date soon so that he manages the party from further divisions.

However, it is the main wing elections that have exacerbated the formations of factions in the province. So far, there are four candidates that are said to be readying themselves to battle it out for the position of provincial chair.

The most interesting of the four, however is the battle between Ezra Chadzamira and Robson Mavhenyengwa. The two are current chair and vice chairperson of the province respectively. Chadzamira is fronting for a faction loyal to Mnangagwa while Mavhenyengwa is said to have shifted allegiance to Chiwenga. Sources within the ruling party revealed that there is now serious tension and that it is going to be dog eat dog come the elections.

“The activities that are happening in the province are very telling that we are heading for interesting times. Factions are being created; some are forging alliances while others are dividing as we prepare for the elections ahead of the congress next year. We now have two clear factions, one supporting President Mnangagwa and the other one backing VP Chiwenga,” said one Zanu PF provincial member.

Four names have been thrown in the hat so far, and reliable sources have revealed to TellZim that all the four candidates are busy soliciting for votes and elections are expected to be conducted no later than October this year.  Of the four candidates two are said to be posing real threat and these are Chadzamira who is backing Mnangagwa and Mavhenyengwa allegedly supporting Chiwenga.

Ezra Ruvai Chadzamira

Chadzamira is the current Masvingo provincial chairperson who doubles as the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs. He is seeking re-election but is likely to face stiff competition from Mavhenyengwa who is from a rival faction. The other two candidates, Clemence Chiduwa and Rtd Major General Gibson Mashingaidze lack what it takes to compete for honours therefore talking about them is mere waste of time. Chadzamira was elected chairperson during the peak of G40 and Lacoste factional wars when he thwarted the G40s preferred candidate Rtd Colonel Mutero Masanganise in 2017.

Masanganise was Mugabe’s preferred candidate but Masvingo dumped him for Chadzamira sending a clear message that they were backing Mnangagwa for presidency. Masvingo made it clear that it will never be intimidated or coerced into voting someone they do not want.

At some point Chadzamira, Lovemore Matuke and other Lacoste faction members were publicly denounced and humiliated by Mugabe and the G40 cabal, but they remained resolute and determined. They fought tooth and nail with the G40 until they prevailed. President Mnangagwa rewarded Masvingo by appointing more than five ministers from the province including Chadzamira and Matuke in 2018. However, a lot has happened between 2018 and now to an extent that the once united Lacoste faction is now heavily divided with some shifting their allegiance from Mnangagwa to Chiwenga. Of course no one publicly admits to the existence of these factions in Zanu PF just like during the period of G40 and Lacoste when both factions claimed loyalty to the then President.

Chadzamira therefore, has lost some cadres who backed him in 2017 but certainly he has also managed to forge new alliances as he has remained consistent in supporting Mnangagwa. Backing him so far is Matuke, Ministers Winston Chitando and Yeukai Simbanegavi, Women’s League chairlady Amai Mhlanga, Pupurai Togarepi, Masvingo, Chivi, Gutu and Zaka districts. He is also being backed by over 15 MPs in the province.

Chadzamira told TellZim in an interview that they are working tirelessly to ensure that the Mnangagwa and the party win resoundingly in 2023 general elections. He downplayed the issue of factionalism saying those who plan against Mnangagwa are planning to fail.

“President Mnangagwa has managed to resuscitate the economy; implemented a lot of developmental projects under devolution and unlocking investment for our country. He has managed to unite people regardless of political affiliations and because of his clear vision we are fully behind him. Those who are plotting against him are surely planning to fail,” said Chadzamira.

“Elections will come and go; after that we remain Zanu PF so I don’t see the reason why fellow cdes are betraying the struggle by plotting against President Mnangagwa. I want to encourage the province to remain united and rally behind President Mnangagwa. For now we are concentrating on building the party until our leadership announces the dates for the elections,” Chadzamira added.

Reliable sources in the party said Chadzamira is still maintaining grip in the province as five districts, except Bikita and Chiredzi, are fully behind him.

Robson Mavhenyengwa

Mavhenyengwa is the current vice chair for the province. He was co-opted early this year replacing Allies Baloyi who was appointed Chiredzi RDC chief executive officer. There is no love lost between Chadzamira and Mavhenyengwa as the latter was an alleged G40 loyalist before Mnangagwa came into power. Mavenyengwa is said to have then crossed the floor to join Lacoste faction after his G40 fellows (Jeppy Jaboon, Walter Mzembi, Daniel Shumba and others) started to support Phiona Riekert to take over his constituency. Phiona had lots of resources and Mavhenyengwa opted to cross to Lacoste because of frustration. Fortunately for him, G40 lost the battle and Phiona was eroded, a development which saw Mavhenyengwa retaining Zaka North Constituency in 2018.

Mavhenyengwa was then co-opted to become vice chairperson following Baloyi’s resignation. However, checking his history of flip-flopping, it is not surprising that he now allegedly shifted allegiance to Chiwenga. He has since forged alliance with Gutu DCC chairperson Brian Munyoro and Gutu West MP John Paradza who is also vying for the youth league’s chairmanship. Munyoro called for a meeting in Gutu recently soliciting support for Mavhenyengwa and he is said to have managed to convince Paradza after dangling the youth league post.

Mavhenyengwa is also reported to have forged a holy alliance with Mwenezi West MP Priscilla Zindari-Moyo who is also eyeing to chair the women’s league. Amai Zindari–Moyo is the wife of Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) Director General Isaac Moyo. Mavhenyengwa being a former policeman seems to be getting all the support from anyone related to or with interests in the security sector.

However, Mavhenyengwa is facing challenges to fully penetrate Zaka district as he is clashing with the DCC chairperson Clemence Chiduwa who is also the MP for Zaka East. Chiduwa is alleged to have humiliated Mavhenyengwa at one of the meetings with the war veterans in the district when he publicly denounced Mavhenyengwa saying he was now selling out President Mnangagwa.

“Chiduwa openly said pasi naMavhenyengwa nekuti wakapandukira President Mnangagwa and that did not go well with the Zaka North MP. He asked Chiduwa to withdraw his words but he denied prompting Mavhenyengwa to take up the case to the Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting,” said a war vet from Zaka.

Mavhenyengwa is said to have demanded Chiduwa to apologise for his alleged utterances during a PCC meeting but sources said he refused and maintained that Mavhenyengwa had sold out the President.

Mavhenyengwa confirmed the development but vehemently denied being aligned to any faction. He said it boggled his mind how Chiduwa, whom he described as someone who came yesterday, would stoop so low that he thinks anyone who has interests to contest for any position in the province will be selling out.

“He (Chiduwa) told war vets that I have sold out simply because I am said to be interested in contesting for a particular position in the province. For your own information, I do not belong to any faction as they allege but I support our President and the party. I do not want to drag the names of our national leaders in these factional fights,” said Mavhenyengwa.

“We started supporting the President before he even joined the party and Chiduwa only came recently after 2018 elections. I am busy working for the party as a provincial member and my constituency so I expect him also to concentrate on working for the party as the district chair and his constituency. We stand guided by the party and the party has not announced yet so there is no need to talk about the elections for now,” Mavhenyengwa added.

Minister Davis Marapira is also believed to be supporting Mavhenyengwa because they do not relate very well with Chadzamira. Mavhenyengwa and Marapira are alleged to be covering a lot of ground in Zaka where they are reportedly undermining the authority of Chiduwa who is in charge of the district.

Clemence Chiduwa

Clemence Chiduwa is the MP for Zaka East and the deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Development. Chiduwa was elected MP during by-elections held in 2019 following the demise of Calisto Ringisai Gumbwanda. His Curriculum Vitae (CV) was initially rejected during the Zanu PF primaries in 2018. However, he was later accepted and contested the by-elections.

Chiduwa is then believed to have used his strong links with Christopher Gwatidzo, the principal director in the Office of the President to get appointed as deputy minister of finance. Gwatidzo and Chiduwa are tight buddies and their friendship dates back to the time they were lecturers at the Midlands State University (MSU).

At a meeting allegedly held in Chivi and chaired by Josiah Hungwe, Chiduwa is said to have initially agreed to contest for the chairmanship and some sources in the party confirmed the development.

“Chiduwa is in the race; he called me recently and said if you see my name on the ballot paper for provincial chair elections please vote for me. I think he is new and untainted therefore stands a better chance to win the election. Of course others are sceptical saying he is new so he must give those more senior to him a chance,” said another party source.

However, considering that his friend Gwatidzo’s relationship with Mnangagwa has since soured and is no longer having the same influence as he used to have as before, Chiduwa is likely not going to contest for the chairmanship. It would be best for him to maintain the relationships and alliances he has in the province than to ruffle feathers.

Chiduwa however, allegedly made it clear that he was not interested in contesting for the chairmanship saying he is rallying behind Chadzamira and President Mnangagwa. He is reported to have said he will not be swayed into supporting anyone else who is not loyal to Mnangagwa.

 

Gibson Mashingaidze

 

Major General (Rtd) Gibson Mashingaidze from Bikita is also said to be interested and is being backed by his home district and Chiredzi. Sources also told TellZim that Mashingaidze is backed by Rtd Lt. Gen Engelbert Rugeje who also hails from Bikita. Mashingaidze appears to be a very sensible person, very quiet and well-disciplined former soldier. It is difficult to accuse him of any wrong doing. However, his biggest challenge is that he is a perennial loser having lost several elections before. Bikita district is generally weak and that is one reason only a single MP was appointed deputy minister since 1980.

His backers are also being accused of fighting the Lacoste faction especially the MPs in Chiredzi who were said to belong to the G40 cabal then. Their decision to support Mashingaidze is allegedly because they do not want to align themselves with a faction that is known to support Mnangagwa. Rugeje is also said to be bitter with Mnangagwa following his unceremonious dismissal from the position of national political commissar hence his decision to support a faction loyal to his former army boss Chiwenga.

Mashingaidze is more likely to withdraw his candidature towards elections because besides him there are no other candidates to fill other positions from his faction. Chances are very high that the Bikita team will eventually join the Mavhenyengwa faction.

Indications are that the contest will eventually be between Chadzamira and Mavhenyengwa.

Chadzamira and his Mnangagwa faction seem to be in control at the moment.

The rift between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga is said to be widening every day and whoever manages to control the provinces might strike gold at the party’s national elective congress in December next year. Let us wait and see.

When factionalism becomes hot, many supporters become spectators; they will sit in the stands and watch the factions fight. At the end they will choose, wanting to associate themselves with the winning team. We saw it during the G40 – Lacoste factional fight and we are going to see it again during these emerging factions. Let us watch and see how it goes!

Command Covid-19 vaccination and the doctrine of separation of powers

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Command Covid-19 vaccination and the doctrine of separation of powers

…Executive and Judiciary in conflicting stances

Emmanuel Chitsika

The post cabinet briefing on September 14 regarding government position on baring unvaccinated churchgoers from attending services a few days after a High Court ruling nullifying the decision by Cabinet to do so has raised many questions than answers on the political landscape, especially on the doctrine of separation of powers in a democracy.

Government’s decree follows an application to the court by human rights lawyer Obert Kondongwe challenging the constitutionality of the move by government to out-law church attendance to unvaccinated congregants.

“The statement issued by the Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa on the 11th of August on behalf of government following a cabinet meeting on the compulsory Covid-19 vaccination of sit-in congregants in churches and barring unvaccinated sit-in congregants from churches is null and void to the extent that it infringes constitutional rights and freedoms set out in the declaration of rights under sections 51, 52, 58 and 60.

“Arising from the foregoing paragraph 1 of this order, any purported ban on unvaccinated sit-in congregants in churches and any arrests or criminal proceedings of unvaccinated sit-in congregants of churches enforced by Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe is unlawful, null and void and of no force or effect and are set aside,” read part of the court ruling.

On September 14 government defied the court order and ordered unvaccinated congregants not to attend church services which has drawn the subject of democracy into play as the two arms of state namely the Executive and Judiciary are showing conflicting positions.

Political commentators say the move by government to place emphasis on the position to bar and criminalizing church attendance shows how far the Second Republic has gone in violating democratic principles.

Political analyst Dr Wellington Gadzikwa said government has violated the principle of separation of powers in a democracy, which is characterized by their defiance of a court ruling.

“The government has clearly violated the principle of separation of powers by issuing a directive that goes against a court ruling. What they should have done was to appeal against the court ruling.

“This action is not surprising though as the new dispensation has done this before. This move erodes confidence in both the judiciary and the trust by citizens that the law cannot protect them since the executive can do as it wishes,” said Dr Gadzikwa.

Great Zimbabwe University Media and Society studies lecturer Dr Last Alfandika said there is no rule of law in Zimbabwe but rather there is rule by law as the executive simply imposes itself on other arms of state.

“In Zimbabwe we do not have a rule of law, but we have a rule by law. Whether the people like the law or not, that does not concern those who have imposed the law.

“What they simply want is what they have imposed to be followed through and through. But this clearly erodes the doctrine of separation of powers as you are saying because when courts make a pronouncement, whoever is unhappy with the pronouncement must make take the necessary steps such as appealing against the decision or any other available legal route, not to comment at the state level that the decision was improper, or it was unfair,” said Dr Alfandika.

He also said that the executive would always prevail over the judiciary as the latter is expected to uphold what the former wants.

“This means that in Zimbabwe what the government wants must be upheld by the courts and that is the reason why some judges get fired. If a judge gives a judgement that is against government, that judge’s days are numbered.

“They want judges who are pliable, who do what the government wants at all costs, so at the end of the day there is no rule of law but there is rule by law. The doctrine of separation of powers is trashed and in the end, we see government being the judiciary, legislature and executive at the same time, yet in a democracy the three pillars of state must exist differently. I think this incident is unfortunate, legally irrational and improper,” he added.

Government also announced the barring of unvaccinated civil servants from their work places until they are vaccinated a decision reached at on September 14, 2021.

Commenting on the development Public Service Secretary Ambassador Jonathan Wutawunashe said the commission would implement decision by cabinet regarding unvaccinated civil servants.

“The Public Service Commission will implement the Cabinet decision by directing government ministries to ensure that only vaccinated personnel report for duty and interact with the public they serve. This is against the backdrop of a significant majority of civil servants having already been vaccinated.

“Government ministries will also facilitate personnel who missed opportunities to be vaccinated to be vaccinated in the immediate term to enable them to report for work. It is hoped that we will achieve 100 percent vaccination coverage in respect of civil servants all of whom have been categorised as essential staff within the next few days,” said ambassador Wutawunashe.

So much has been said and done concerning the vaccination programme with a host of issues propping up as government tries to work towards achievement of Herd which, immunity that is the vaccination of 60 percent of the national population.

However factors like unavailability of the vaccine at most centres due to administration challenges, vaccine hesitancy based on myths, shortage of human resource at most health centres around the country among others will likely hinder the set goal come December 2021.

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