Home Blog Page 468

Victoria Ranch: A baby with no parents

0

City of Masvingo Mayor Collen Maboke

 

Clayton
Shereni

Some people have for long
blamed Masvingo City Council for failing to bring municipal services to the
sprawling high density suburb of Victoria Ranch but the local authority has now
said it currently bore no administrative responsibility in the area.

Victoria Ranch was built by
land barons on Masvingo Rural District Council (RDC) land but with proper
procedures not being followed.

Masvingo RDC Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) Martin Mubviro was recently quoted in a radio programme saying
the local authority did not have an obligation to service the area as it was
built by private individuals without council’s involvement.

This, therefore, means the
suburb is like an orphan with not parental care from any local authority.

Due to its urban nature and
closeness to Masvingo urban, residents tend to blame the city for erratic piped
water supplies, lack of refuse collection, lack of sewer infrastructure and a
barely maintained dusty road network.

The city has always
maintained that the land barons, most of whom have very close connections to
the ruling Zanu PF party, who grabbed huge chunks of land on the peripheries of
the city and sold residential stands should be held accountable and made to
provide optimum services.

The area has about 16 land
baron companies that refer to themselves as ‘land developers’ but that have
barely developed the area besides allowing people to build their houses even
directly below high voltage power lines and very close to a garbage dumping
ground.

Some of the land barons were
last year subjected to serious questioning during the Justice Tendai Uchena-led
Commission of Inquiry into the Sale of Land in and Around Urban Areas since
2005.

Before the government
appointed enquiry, the national government was conspicuous by its deliberate
failure to take action.

The land barons have made
millions of dollars dividing the State-owned land into residential stands which
are still being sold to desperate home-seekers to this very day.

Since 2005, the land barons
allowed the home-seekers to build their houses without first servicing the land
as is standard procedure in urban development processes.

Speaking during the first
mid-year 2020 budget review held at the Civic Centre on September 07, City of
Masvingo Acting Town Clerk Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa said the city did not
have administrative responsibilities in the area although the matter was of
great bother to everybody.

“Victoria Ranch is still
under the jurisdiction of Masvingo RDC (technically) although government gave
out land to different developers who then sold pieces of land to individuals.
We are having meetings where we discuss the interests of the city in the area.
Last Friday (September 04), we held a meeting in which we discussed that
issue,” said Mukaratirwa.

He expressed optimism that
the area will be incorporated into the city but only when a consensus is
reached with the ‘land developers’.

“We constantly monitor
progress in the area and also play an advisory role. That area will be
incorporated into the boundaries of the city and at one point, all
infrastructure will be handed over to council. It’s not like we are turning a
deaf ear because from time to time, we engage the developers,” said
Mukaratirwa.

However, impeccable sources
claim that land barons have on many occasions rejected City of Masvingo’s
generous terms to be included into the municipality’s commonage.

“They want to be
incorporated into the municipal commonage free of charge even though they made
millions of dollars selling State land. That’s impunity. The municipality
cannot afford to do that because it is failing to provide standard services in
its current commonage,” said a source.

The city has reportedly
demanded that the land barons who made enormous profits selling State-owned
land to private individuals pay a specified amount of money so that water and
sewer reticulation can be expanded into Victoria Ranch.

 

 

Mwonzora’s province vows to stand with Chamisa

0

 

MDC Alliance members in Manicaland


 Felix
Matasva

MUTARE— MDC
Alliance Manicaland province has vowed to support its leader Nelson Chamisa
despite the current turbulence which has left the biggest opposition movement
facing an identity crisis with structures and supporters alike caught in the
confusion.

 The MDC has been torn
between the Chamisa led Alliance and the Thokozani Khupe ‘T’ which has been
endorsed by the Supreme Court as the legitimate party.

Khupe has managed to get
support from former Chamisa allies among them Douglas Mwonzora, Morgan Komichi
and Elias Mudzuri.

Khupe, through Mwonzora,
has declared war on all Chamisa allies with some being send to the guillotine
for refusing to recognize Khupe as the legitimate leader.

MDC Alliance Manicaland
provincial chairperson and former chief whip Prosper Mutseyami, who was recalled from Parliament by Khupe in May,
said that his province stands fully behind Chamisa and his executive is
implementing programmes to strengthen the party in the province.

“Manicaland is fully
behind president Chamisa. We will not waver on our resolve. We have been
betrayed but we will not look back. We are moving forward with the people’s
movement.

“We have been doing
programmes with our grass root structures and our people believe it is only
Chamisa who has the ability to move the country forward.

 “There are some people
who decided to be bought and betray the people’s struggle but we will not be
forced to work with them.

 “We are rallying our
people to get ready for 2023. We are very clear on our position. Chamisa is our
president and no court can ever impose a leader on us,” said Mutseyami.

He said Mwonzora will
not get any support from Manicaland even though it is his home province.

“Every leader should be
proud to be supported by people from his home but if you do not have that then
u are as good as lost. Mwonzora is from here but we will not support him
because he is lost. We do not follow a blind person.

“They may have recalled
us from Parliament for supporting our president but in the end the people’s voices
can never be silenced,” said Mutseyami.

There is a crisis in Zimbabwe Cde Ramaphosa

0

 

Dear
readers I hope I find you well and Covid-19 free. Life in Zimbabwe is full of
drama, ups and downs but ukazviteedzera unofa nebp. The only notable thing we
can be happy about is that Covid-19 has shown mercy on us. Kudenga kuna Mwari
and he will not let us walk alone. Imagine if Covid-19 had unleashed its full
wrath on us, taipera tese kuti tsvai. If Covid-19 hits a hungry person who is
being tormented by Zanu PF the end result will be catastrophic kkkkk. But we
have flattened the curve and it is time to remove the curfew and other
regulations which can be abused by Zanu PF for political expediency. People
should now be allowed to move freely and go about their businesses as usual but
knowing that if they are reckless they will pay the ultimate price. We do not
want to see the security forces on our roads on the pretext of enforcing
lockdown when in fact they are protecting one paranoid man who is afraid of his
own shadow. Mapombi can tell you that muchinda anonzi Dambudzo is very paranoid
which is why muchiona the people’s army yabva from barracks and being used on
issues best done by our police. The army will soon lose the respect we used to
give them. The army is the last line of defense and cheapening them by putting
them on our streets and tempting them to be corrupt on our roads will backfire
mirai henyu muone.

Remember
what happened to the police force under Chihuri. They lost all the credibility
and the police uniform was now synonymous to corruption. Regai ndinyarare hangu
ini Mapombi. They say ndiri mupengo but akuruma nzeve ndewako. Let what
happened in Chivhu be an awakening call. We do not want people to have beef
with our brothers and sisters in the military. Some may take the Chivhu
shooting on face value but is vana Mapombi we would like to know what really
happened. Those two guys who shot soldiers inside a police base were not mere
civilians. Ini Mapombi chero mukandipa pfuti I will never point it to a soldier
much less inside a police base, then take their guns and not run away.
Vaitembei vakomana vaya. If it was Mapombi who had in the wildest and
unimaginable of circumstance’s shot at soldiers, I would have walked all the
way across the Limpopo because ndinenge ndichiziva ndarova shumba nembama. The
police tell us their side of the story on how the incident happened but I
believe there is more to the story than they are making us believe. Maybe vanhu
vanga varohwa nemusombodyiya vakafunga kupinda nemwenje mudziva. But why target
the army boys only vachisiya mapurisa aivemo. It seems the shooters were on a
mission. But we will never know because they are not here to tell us why they
did it. They were killed by a joint operation of the army and police. Of course
we knew the military would come out full force and send a statement that their
people are off limits. Musajairira vana mukoma munokuvara kkkk. Chero mabhema
grade rerudzii just know soldiers and police are not punching bags. Munogona
kujairira henyu police but vana mukoma vanorova.

I heard
vamwe vachiti the shooters were shooting at a 45 degree angle but the soldiers
jumped in the way of bullets and got hit kkkk. Zvakamboitika rimwe gore
kuHarare and people died so maybe it’s what happened in Chivhu but again what
do we know zvedu isu vana Mapombi tinorarira maputi nemabanana akaora. In this
country it is difficult to tell between right or wrong and sometimes if you are
wrong you get a lot of praises and if you are right it is the exact opposite.
Vana Hopewell and Chin’ono can testify to this. They languished in remand for
speaking and exposing corruption. There is no freedom after expression but ini
Mapombi havandigoni kkkkk ndiri kutamba hangu. Varume vanotyisa ava. Ndinoswera
ndatsvairwa hangu. At least I am happy Kurauone has been released. 42 days in
remand is not a joke especially uchipomerwa mhosva isina mature ese. Enjoy your
freedom Cde Kurauone. Go back to your wife and kids. A lot of people have
strolled down this path before fighting Zanu PF but they are dead asi Zanu PF
ichingoripo inchingotonga ichingotonga isu tichingotongeka. Rest in peace
Mogiza. Chamatama fought hard against Zanu PF but he paid the ultimate price.
So sometimes it is better to be alive than to be a dead hero. Remember that
Zanu PF is not going anywhere. We may try to do all the gymnastics but as long
as they have the army behind them I am telling you here and now that standing
against them will bring misery and pain to yourself and loved ones. Zanu PF has
so much experience in winning, retaining and consolidating power. Power is so
much more important to Zanu PF than anything else and anyone or anything that
stands in the way between Zanu PF and power will pay the ultimate price.

I hear
a lot of people are hopping that things will change after the South African ANC
high powered delegation visit. Fellow Zimbabweans I am here to tell you that
chakachenjedza ndechakatanga. Rimwe gore kwakamboita yainzi Montlanthe
Commission chaired by the same South Africans but hapana chakabuda. They just
came and had tea with Zanu PF and slept in our hotels and came up with
recommendations which were never implemented. Saka musafarira henyu muchiti
pane zvichabuda. Makudo ndemamwe. To those who listened to the press conference
after the meeting with Zanu PF chefs I am sure you heard that Magashule guy
saying there is no crisis in Zimbabwe. What do you know iwe Magashule? How did
you arrive at that standpoint? You have a one sided meeting and you are already
jumping to conclusions. There is a crisis in Zimbabwe and that’s a fact. What
we are facing are not challenges but a crisis in every sense of the word. We
are in trouble and please go tell Ramaphosa that there is a deep crisis in the
country. Our people are in prison though we are at our homes. We are all under
house arrest. South Africa does not want to see a prosperous Zimbabwe because
that would mean we will no longer be dependent on them. We boost the South
African economy and that’s a fact. They just met with Zanu PF and left
promising to meet the other stakeholders when they come back for yet another
visit.

How
long can we wait for them to come back while we suffer? The ANC would rather
bury its head in the sand and watch Dambudzo destroy our lives. It is naivety
to think that he solution to our crisis will ever come from outside. We are our
own liberators and until we realize that we shall keep suffering. Ini Mapombi
ndakakuudzai kuti I don’t have the guts to stand up to Zanu PF because I am not
yet ready to leave this earth. The only solution to the current crisis is for
Chamisa and Mnangagwa to sit down and have a brother to brother conversation
which will take the country forward. We do not need ANC or anyone to come and
solve our crisis. We do not need Polad to end this crisis. We just have to put
Chamisa and Mnangagwa in one room and lock them in until they resolve their
differences. We need each other despite of our political differences. There is
a crisis in Zimbabwe and ANC cannot come and tell us that we have challenges.
Our crisis needs a home grown solution. Chamisa and Mnangagwa must stop
massaging their big egos and find one another. I have said enough regai hangu
ndinokanga hangu maputi angu for lunch but before I go I want to say good going
to our health minister Generari Chiwenga. No one should go abroad for
medication. Gadzirisai zvipatara zvedu murapwe muno. I hope imi Generari
hatikuoniyi moti tucha tucha makananga China. Mboko imboko.

 

 

Only 37 farms will be returned— July Moyo

0

July Moyo addresses the Zanu PF Masvingo PCC on Sept 06


Upenyu Chaota

The Minister of Local Government and Zanu PF politburo member July Moyo has allayed
fears that there will be land reversal after the government announced that they
will return some farms, which were protected under the Bilateral Investment
Promotion and Protection Agreements (BIPPA), to the former owners.

Moyo
said that only 37 farms were protected under BIPPA and these will be the ones
to be returned back to their former owners.

The
pronouncement by the government was largely viewed by many as the first step
towards land reversal which prompted Zanu PF to deploy highly powered
delegations to provinces to clarify and iron out the complexities.

Addressing
the Zanu PF Masvingo Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting last
weekend, Moyo said that the gains of the revolution will never be reversed but
they are largely compensating former farm owners while very few will be
returned.

“We
signed agreements with countries we had cordial relations with that guaranteed
that we will never take their investments but during the land reform, we
grabbed all land without putting into consideration the agreements.

“We had
given assurances to other farmers that their investments were safe and
protected but we went on to dishonor our promises. We grabbed the farms. There
are only 37 farms protected under BIPPA and these are the ones we are going to
return.

“This
cannot be reversal,” said Moyo.

He said
they are being guided by the Constitution which he said the whole country
agreed to that there shall be compensation of farms.

Moyo
said if there are people in the 37 farms, the government will relocate them to
other areas.

“We
agreed to this in the constitution and we are simply following what is in the
supreme law of the land.

“Our
people who are in the said farms will be relocated to other areas. We have to
face the problem head on and not sweep it under the carpet.

“The
rest of white farmers are going to be compensated for the improvements and not
on land. That we will never do. If they want compensation for land they should
go to their queen who send them here,” said Moyo.

The
compensation of former farm owners is covered in section 295 of the
constitution of Zimbabwe. There are three categories of farm owners eligible
for compensation in different forms.

Section
295 (1) provides that indigenous Zimbabweans who lost their land must be compensated
for the land and developments thereon.

Section
295 (2) stipulates that those whose land was covered by BIPPAs and bilateral
investment treaties (BITs) are entitled to compensation for the land and
developments thereon.

Section
295 (3) compels the Government to compensate those not covered in Subsection 1
and 2 for improvements on the land only.

 

 

 

Pfumvudza must be embraced early, says Togarepi

 

Pupurai Togarepi

Moses
Ziyambi

Gutu South Member of
Parliament (MP) Pupurai Togarepi has said the pfumvudza initiative being
promoted by government and some developmental partners could improve food
security in the constituency and the whole Gutu district if all people
practiced it.

Togarepi recently told TellZim
News in an interview that it was critical for people in Gutu South to adopt the
initiative early so as to be in a good position to reap the rewards.

“This is an initiative
in agriculture that has been proven to be better suited for drought conditions
that we have experienced over the years. We sit in the natural farming region
four which generally receives less than average rainfall per year.

“We are therefore
working with all community leaders including councillors to encourage our
people to adopt the pfumvudza method of planting starting this farming season.
It is commendable that government has come up with an initiative that is
responsive to climate change in order to improve food security in the
communities,” said Togarepi.

Pfumvundza is a form of
zero tillage and dry planting method that requires farmers to prepare holes on
their pieces of land before the onset of the first rains.

Manure is filled into
the holes early and upon the first rains, the manure is mixed with top soil and
seeds are planted. The method, which requires no draught power, helps preserve
moisture and lessen stress on the plants when no rainfall is received for an
extended period.

Togarepi said he was
encouraging people in Gutu South to fully embrace the farming method since
agriculture is the mainstay of the village economy.

“President Emmerson
Mnangagwa has identified agriculture as vital in the quest to achieve Vision
2030. We therefore cannot hope to fully achieve that vision if we do not uplift
rural agriculture in face of climate change which is characterised by
unreliable rainfall patterns,” said Togarepi.

TellZim News has found
that many families in such areas as Chikwanda, Chimedza and Chiwara have made
some progress in the initiative.

 

 

 

Dismissed village head takes on ‘abusive’ Chief Marozva

0

 

Fani Mudhodhomera

Ratidzo Munembi

BIKITA – A village head who was suspended by Chief Marozva over
five years ago has engaged lawyers to help him challenge the move and be paid
all the allowances that he has been denied since 2014.

Fana Mudhodhomera, who claims to
be the legitimate Chinoira village head, told TellZim News that Chief Marozva,
whose real name is Phillip Mudhe, had overstepped his mandate by authorizing
his suspension and replacement by Prosper Machingambi.

He recently instructed Mutendi,
Mudisi and Shumba Legal Practitioners to write to Bikita District Administrator
(DA) Bernard Hadzirabwi to seek redress.

“We are informed that the current
Chief Marozva Joseph Phillip Mudhe wrote a letter to our client purportedly
communicating his suspension and the appointment of Prosper Machingambi as the
new village head. We are also aware that from 2014, our client has not been
receiving, from your offices, his monthly allowance as village head.
Furthermore, we are fully aware that the Chief has no powers to unilaterally
suspend, remove or appoint village heads. As such, the suspension and
subsequent removal of our client from office of village head is a patent
illegality,” reads part of the letter to Hadzirabwi.

The lawyers argue that in terms
of the traditional Leaders Act [Chapter 29:17], the power to appoint a village
head rests with the permanent secretary in the Local Government ministry who
endorses a headman’s nomination with written approval of the chief of the area.

They also say that it rests with
the secretary to appoint an acting village head to serve for a maximum of two
years if there is need.

“The Traditional Leaders’ Act
clearly does not give the Chief powers to unilaterally appoint a village head
of his choice…The Chief thus usurped the functions of the headman and futilely
tried to change the wording of the provision in order to justify his unwarranted
usurpation that resulted in the present illegality,” reads the letter.

In his own letter to Mudhodhomera
dated June 12, 2020, Chief Marozva instructs Mudhodhemera to stop practicing
duties meant for a village head.

“You are not village head of
Chinoira village. Therefore, you have no authority to call for village assembly
meetings. Mr Prosper C. Machingambi is Village Head of Chinoira Village,” reads
Chief Marozva’s letter.

However, in his response to the
lawyers, Hadzirabwi appears to take sides with Chief Marozva whom Mudhodhomera
accuses of abusing his power to victimise him and appoint his puppet.

“Chief Marozva did not suspend
Fana Mudhodhomera, he only applied recommended suspension following acts of
misconduct by Fana Mudhodhomera. On the issue of Fana’s allowances, we stand to
be advised by the Ministry,” wrote Hadzirabwi in his response dated August 13,
2020.

Freedom for Kurauone after 42 days in remand

0

Godfrey Kurauone

…as court acquits him
on charge of blocking traffic

MASVINGO
Masvingo
magistrate Patience Madondo today, September 09, acquitted MDC Alliance national organising
secretary Godfrey Kurauone on a charge of obstructing free movement of traffic.

The magistrate declared
Kurauone, who languished in remand prison for 42 days, not guilty after
indicating that the State had failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that it
was indeed Kurauone whom they claimed to have seen blocking roads and burning
tyres in Mashava on July 31.

She said evidence of the
two State witnesses was on some instances inconsistent, with one of them failing
to assert categorically the colour of the jacket that he claimed he saw
Kurauone wearing on the alleged crime scene.

She said the State’s
submissions were further complicated by the fact it had neglected to check at
Kurauone’s house in Masvingo the moment they supposedly saw him in Mashava to
help dispel possibilities of mistaken identities.

Before his acquittal,
Kurauone had been denied bail first by the same court and then by the High
Court on August 13.

When Kurauone was arrested, he was out on bail on charges of
undermining the authority of the President and the case is still pending before
the court.

In the evening of July 31, Kurauone, in the company of his
lawyer Martin Mureri, reported to the Law and Order Section of Masvingo Central
Police Station as part of his bail conditions and that is when he was detained.

“We had always known that our client was innocent and was
facing fabricated charges as a way of fixing him for political reasons. The
State had no case and they knew it form the very beginning,” said Mureri, who
worked with instructions from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR).

Kurauone, who is also
councillor for Masvingo Urban Ward 4, will go back to court on September 24 for
continuation of his trial on undermining the authority of the President.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New gold rush in Zaka

0
Zaka district is rich in alluvial and underground gold deposits being exploited by both illegal and registered small-scale miners

Mary Timba
Dozens of illegal small scale miners including school children are now working in the Dzoro area of Zaka West Ward 30 under Chief Bota where gold was recently discovered by a group of prospectors.
The first rush in the area was reported in May 2016 but mining activities did not become as widespread as they now seem to have become.
Many of the people working in the area admitted to TellZim News that they did not have documents allowing them to mine but they nonetheless were doing it for the sake of survival.
They said the area was rich in the precious stone which they say was fetching as much as US$60 per gram on the informal market.
“We are delighted to work on virgin mining land which promises to be very rich in gold. I come from one of the surrounding villages but we now have people travelling from as far away as Chiredzi to try their luck. The police and some people from Zaka Rural District Council do harass us at times but we cannot give up,” said one miner.
Others said they feared the area could soon be crime-ridden as more miners from faraway places flock in to dig.
“We have started well but many other places that were lucrative ended up being hotspots of brutal wars as was recently witnessed by the conduct of MaShurugwi in other parts of the country. We hope people will remain civil and respect each other but that is hard because we are not licenced,” said another miner, adding that he feared the police would launch a serious crackdown if miners began to fight each other.
Zaka district is rich in alluvial and other forms of gold deposits though it remains unclear whether the deposits warrant large scale investment.
There is, however, talk that the underground gold belt emanating from Rio Zim’s Renco Mine in the nearby Masvingo district extends deep into Zaka.

Meanwhile, all the mining being
done in the various areas of the district is being conducted by either
registered or illegal small scale miners use basic tools yet cause severe
environmental degradation.

Masvingo Ward 6 complains over poor service delivery

 

Masvingo is conducting 2020 budget review meeting in all wards


Colleen Chitsa

MASVINGO – Residents of Masvingo Urban Ward 6 have complained about
poor service delivery in their area, saying council was not doing enough to fulfill
its mandate.

People who attended the budget
review consultative meeting held at council’s Building Brigade warehouses near
Majange shopping centre said they were dissatisfied with council services.

They lamented the deterioration
of the roads which they said were poorly maintained and heavily potholed.

“They will soon be worse because
the rains are coming. We think council must put more money towards road maintenance
because you can no longer drive on some of the roads,” said one senior
resident.

Other residents also said they
were disappointed that council was failing to adhere to its own refuse
collection schedules.

“We sometimes spend over a week
with our bins not collected. It would be good if council gives us a new refuse
collection timetable which they can implement in full,” said a resident.

The issue of burst sewer pipes
also took centre stage, with many residents saying council took long to respond
to reports, leading to many sewerage pools on the streets.

 “We notify council as soon as we detect bursts
but the response rate is very low. As a result, we are surrounded by many burst
sewerage pipes that pose a danger to our health,” said a resident.

In response, Mayor Collen Maboke,
who led the council representatives at the meeting, promised that council will
look into all the issues raised.

“We have taken note of all the
complaints raised and we are going to sit down, look into it and take
appropriate measures to deal with these complaints,” Maboke said.

Masvingo City Council has been
facing increased difficulties in meeting its service delivery obligations since
the beginning of the coronavirus-induced national lockdown which has seen a
decline in revenue collection.

A budget review document released
by council shows that the local authority is owed ZWL$131.2 million by
residents and ratepayers.

 

 

UFIC donates food hampers to Mucheke Old Peoples’ Home

0

 

Tafadzwa Masunda

MASVINGO – Agape
Family Care last week donated food hampers worth US$3000 to Mucheke Old People’s
Home as a way of celebrating United Family International Church (UFIC) leader
Rev Emmanuel Makandiwa’s wife Ruth’s birthday.

The
charity institution, which houses 14 elderly people, took delivery of such
grocery items as sugar, salt, floor, rice, cooking oil and soap from Agape
Family Care which was formed and is led by Ruth.

Mucheke
Old People’s Home superintendent Rev Matopos Chaka expressed gratitude for the
help which he said will improve welfare at the institution

“I
want to thank Pastor Muzhuzha and wife for coming with this gift which will
help the elderly people that we look after at this place. I would also want to thank
Rev Makandiwa and wife Ruth Makandiwa for remembering us today,” said Rev
Chaka.

Gogo
Chivi, an inmate at the old people’s home, said it was pleasing that church
people were concerned with the welfare of the less privileged people in charity
institutions.

Rev
Chaka also revealed that the institution had recently received a Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE) from the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society.