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Soldiers, police set camp at restive quarantine centre

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Soldiers, police set camp at restive quarantine centre
Securitu forces a keeping a close eye on the quarantine centre

…as tensions rise over
delayed results, corruption

TellZim Reporter

MASVINGO
–
Soldiers and riot police are now a constant sight at Masvingo Teachers’ College
quarantine centre as a response to the increasing restlessness among people who
are being kept there.

On May 29, tensions
boiled over and a nurse was held hostage for several hours after authorities
had released only 33 people whose Covid-19 test results had come out negative.

The rest of the people
demanded their own results and blocked the nurse who had been sent to call the
names from leaving.

The previous day,
inmates had blocked a Health ministry vehicle from leaving, alleging that
authorities were corruptly facilitating the release of results of people who
came to the centre later while sidelining those who have spent over 21 days
there.

They complain their
continued detention exposes them to even greater risk of catching coronavirus,
saying the centre is the source of at least 12 of the 25 new cases recorded in
Masvingo province last week.

They say there are good
grounds to believe most of those who tested positive were negative when they
got admitted, but contracted the virus at the centre.

“The place is
poorly-managed; almost 300 of us go to the dining hall at the same time and up
to 15 people share a bucket in the bathroom. Meanwhile police officers are
making money here by selling food items and cigarettes to some inmates,” said a
source.

Many people who are
kept there have spent more than the mandatory 21 days of quarantine as they
have not yet received test results.

No official comment
could be obtained because Provincial Medical Director (PMD) Amadeus Shamu
hardly answers calls from journalists nowadays and if he does, he gives the
same lame excuse of being ‘in a meeting’ over and over again.

Chiredzi grass project: Villagers demonstrate at VP Chiwenga

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Chiredzi grass project: Villagers demonstrate at VP Chiwenga

Beatific Gumbwanda

Chiredzi South villagers on
Wednesday raised placards in the presence of vice president Constantino
Chiwenga to protest a lucerne grass farming project which is bound to displace
over 1 000 families from their ancestral land.

Chiwenga visited the Chilonga communal
lands with ministers Perence Shiri (Agriculture), Fortune Chasi (Energy), Ezra
Chadzamira (State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs), July Moyo (Local
Government), John Mangwiro (Health deputy) and Clemence Chiduwa (Finance
deputy).

However, after Chiwenga’s
address, some villagers peacefully protested by raising placards
inscribed with such messages as ‘consult us on lucerne’ and ‘takaramba
investor’.

Members of Chiwenga’s security team
quickly moved to reign in the protesters so that the vice president could not
notice what was happening.

Dendairy, a private milk
producer, wants more than 10 000 hectares of arable land for the grass farming
project in the area which lies south of Runde River in Chiredzi East and South
constituencies.

In his 10-minute address, Chiwenga
promised to resuscitate Chilonga Irrigation Scheme and vowed to push through
the grass project which he said was important for the future.

“We need to create a better
future for our grandchildren as we are not going to live forever. I heard Chilonga
Irrigation Scheme last functioned in 2016, so we suggested it should be
operational by August. We need to open up a huge piece of land to an investor
who is coming but that will be done in consultation with our community leaders.

Without elaborating, he warned
that rural people should expect a new form of societal organisation
post-pandemic, arguing that the current arrangement was not sustainable.

“We need to work together
now. We need you to work together with the team we are going to send back (from
Harare) in order to speed up the process. Because of the coronavirus pandemic,
we will never get back to our traditional arrangement of living. We are going
to start a new living arrangement. Are we together?” said Chiwenga.

Villagers are resisting government
plans to remove them, fearing a repeat of the fate thousands of villagers who dumped
in the semi-arid Chingwizi area of Mwenezi East with no basic amenities during construction
of Tungwi-Mukosi Dam.

A few years ago, hundreds of
families were displaced to pave way for bio-energy company Green Fuel to grow
sugarcane and set-up an ethanol plant in the Chisumbanje area of the
neighbouring Chipinge district.

 

Chiredzi town planner arrested for corruption

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Chiredzi town planner arrested for corruption

Beatific
Gumbwanda

CHIREDZI
–
Chiredzi Town Council (CTC) executives and councillors have been rattled by the
arrest of council planner Consider Kubiku by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption
Commission (ZACC).

Kubiku is currently in
police custody after being arrested over abuse of office allegations stemming
from the allocation of residential stands.

Late last year, the United
Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association (UCHIRRA) wrote to the commission
urging the investigation of widespread acts of corruption in council, ranging
from the flouting of tender procedures to dubious stands allocation processes.

Last Friday, a three
member team from ZACC descended on council with a court order warranting them
to be availed with whatever information they deemed necessary for their
investigations, leading to the arrest of Kubiku.

A source told TellZim
News that the arrest of Kubiku was not unrelated to his misdemeanors during his
stint as acting housing director in 2014.

“As acting housing
director, he engaged in some shoddy deals and many red flags were raised by
residents. But it is likely that many more people will be implicated since he
did not act alone,” said the source.

The source said some serving
councillors were also involved in corrupt deals in the allocation of
residential stands in the Melbourne Park area.

ZACC commission,
Justice Matanda Moyo had not responded to questions sent to her by the time of
publishing.

Covid-19: In serving each other we become free

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Covid-19: In serving each other we become free
Masvingo People to People donating goods to homeless blind people in Mucheke

….People to People Organization extends help to the homeless visually-impaired

TellZim Reporter

A voluntary organisation made up
of Masvingo journalists and members of the local business community recently pooled
resources together and visited some homeless visually-impaired people who live
a tough life in Mucheke.

During the visit, the Masvingo
People to People Organization donated an assortment of food items valued at $15
000 to the destitute residents.

The organisation’s patron Edward
Mukaratirwa, who is Masvingo City Council town clerk, handed over the food hampers
which comprised sugar, cooking oil, mealie-meal, soap, salt, flour among other
basic items.

In his remarks, Mukaratirwa said
that the Covid-19 pandemic required all Zimbabweans to look after one another.

“We are all on the same side.
This is the time when we have to look after one another as a caring people. We
have to develop a sense of giving. We give not because we have but because it
is the right thing to do.

“I want to applaud what Masvingo
People to People members have done; working together as a team to mobilise resources
to assist underprivileged members of our community. My appeal is for us to
continue with the programme so that more of our people get assistance,” said
Mukaratirwa.

The organisation intends to
expand its humanitarian work and assist more vulnerable individuals and
families to ease their plight under the economic environment that has been
worsened by Covid-19.

The organization is chaired by The Herald journalist George Maponga who
is deputized by Dr Richard Makuni.

Mimosa praised for fight against Covid-19

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Mimosa praised for fight against Covid-19

…as company donates food hampers to frontline health workers



Exsto
Makunzva

ZVISHAVANE
–
Platinum miner Mimosa last week donated groceries hampers to frontline workers
in the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

A total of 1 191 nurses
and members of staff in 54 health institutions in Zvishavane and Mberengwa district
received the food hampers.

Speaking at a handover
function held at Zvishavane District Hospital, the Minister of State for Midlands
Provincial Affairs and Devolution Larry Mavhima applauded Mimosa for the
gesture.

“I am really impressed
with what I have seen here. I am proud of Mimosa because we have always had a
good working relationship from the time I was Member of Parliament (MP) for
Zvishavane-Runde.

“To date, they still
continue with their good work of taking some responsibility in the communities
that surround them. They have extended their hand even beyond Zvishavane and
Mberengwa, and we have heard about the work they are doing in Beitbridge,
Harare and Bulawayo international airports,” said Mavhima.

Speaking at the same
function, Peter Mutombeni who stood in for the General Manager Alex Mushonhiwa,
said the company wanted to reward the sacrifice being done by nurses and other
staff members in hospitals and clinics.

Each hamper comprised
2x10kg mealie meal, 2×2 litres cooking oil, 2×2 litres Mazoe orange crush, 6kg
sugar, soap and many other items.

The platinum giant has
been at the forefront in the fight against the spread of the Covid-19,
procuring port health surveillance equipment for all ports of entry. The
equipment includes seven Flir C3 Thermal imaging system sets and a Flir E53 EXX
Series set.

Mimosa also donated
Covid-19 related hygiene materials to Zvishavane and Mberengwa district
hospitals, many clinics and to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP).

The materials include
face masks, hand sanitizers, latex gloves, surgical masks, remote IR
thermometers and disposable body suits.   

 

  

Police officer assaults woman at quarantine centre, bites her finger

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Police officer assaults woman at quarantine centre, bites her finger

TellZim Reporter

A male police officer assigned to
Masvingo Teachers College quarantine centre allegedly punched a female inmate
and bit her finger after a misunderstanding over Covid-19 test results.

The incident happened on Saturday,
May 30, after inmates had complained over prolonged delays in the release of
their results.

Masvingo provincial police acting
spokesperson Assistant Inspector Kundakwashe Dhewa said he had not received a
complaint of that nature but promised to investigate.

The woman, who cannot be named
now to protect her identity as she eventually tested positive and got isolated,
sustained a severe injury on her right hand little finger but was not afforded
any medical treatment.  The police
officer was identified only as S. Mashonganyika.

The woman, refused to talk about the
incident when she was contacted for comment saying she feared further
victimisation.

Eyewitnesses, however, said the
woman was left shaken and afraid after the assault.

“There was so much tension on
that day and authorities were not providing the information that people sought.
Some people who had spent only eight days at the centre were released ahead of
those that had spent more than 21 days and nobody bothered to explain so the
woman got caught up in the scuffle. The officer punched her on the face and bit
her finger only to release her after other inmates restrained him,” said a
source.

Another source said there was
nobody to report the incident to since police officers, nurses and social workers
in charge of the facility were ‘rude and uncaring’.

 

 

 

 

Mutilated baby corpse found in garden

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Mutilated baby corpse found in garden

Brighton Chiseva

MASVINGO – Residents woke up to a shock today May 29 morning
when a dismembered corpse of an infant was found in a garden at a homestead in
Mharapara Street, Hillside residential area.

Masvingo Provincial acting police
spokesperson Assistant Inspector Kudakwashe Dhehwa confirmed the matter and said
the police were investigating.

“We appeal to members of the
public who may have information which can help us to investigate to come
forward. Anybody can get in touch with the officer in Charge Criminal
Investigation Department (CID) Detective Inspector Muchedzi on 0775535810 or
visit any nearest police station. You can also call or App the police on
0775996945,” said Dehwa.

Sources said the corpse was discovered
by Blessing Sabarauta in her garden with its left arm and both legs cut off.

The baby is suspected to have
been less than a month old but its sex could not be ascertained due to the
mutilation.

The mother of the child has not
been found and no report of a missing child had been made by the time of writing.

 

 

White farmer faces eviction in Mwenezi

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White farmer faces eviction in Mwenezi
Brad Field's sugarcane has been targetted by 'soldiers'

Cephas Shava

MWENEZI – A
fresh land seizure has happened in the Mpapa area of Mwenezi where four men who
claim to be soldiers on Monday, May 25, invaded a sugarcane plot which belongs
to one Ann Brad Field and declared themselves new owners of the property.

The
four men reportedly forced their way into the premises by hacking off the gate’s
lock and demanded that workers accord them unrestricted access to all
properties at the place.

The
leader of the group was identified only as Chikura who reportedly hails from
Harare.

Plot
supervisor Joram Muvhuzhi said the four men had visited the plot before and had
introduced themselves as soldiers.

“The
four men forcefully drove into the premises by cutting the gate’s locks saying
they were now the new owners of the place. They demanded access to all places
at the plot. As I tried to get hold of the police, I left the place and they
started preparing food for themselves. The owner of the plot was away when all
this happened,” Muvhuzhi told TellZim News by phone.

White
sugarcane plot holders in the area continue to face an uncertain future, with
many of them receiving threats of eviction over the past three years.

In
the run-up to the 2018 harmonised elections, some politicians made several
attempts to evict one white farmer from his plot.

Mpapa,
which fall under Mwenezi Rural District Council (RDC) Ward 13, is an area
situated between the borders of Triangle and Mwenezi districts.

It
has a total of 17 sugarcane farmers; 13 of them being Blacks while four are
whites. Each farmer has an average sugarcane plot measuring 35 hectares.   

 

 

  

14 quarantined Malawians repatriated after hunger strike

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14 quarantined Malawians repatriated after hunger strike

…as ambassador reacts to TellZim report

TellZim Reporter

A group of Malawians who recently
staged a three-day hunger strike to protest their prolonged detention at
Masvingo Teachers’ College quarantine centre were finally repatriated back to
their country after a long struggle.

TellZim reported on May 17 that
the 14 Malawi citizens, who included a pregnant woman, had staged the hunger
strike because processes to clear them and release them were taking too long.

They had been there for nine days
and they had argued that Zimbabwe had no authority to detain them as they were
in transit to Malawi from South Africa when they got detained.

Though some reports said the
immigrants had been intercepted by Zimbabwe security agents while illegally
travelling to South Africa, one of them told TellZim that they were in actual
fact travelling to their own home country when they got detained.

The TellZim report was picked by
the East African newspaper and also by NewZimbabwe.com, leading Malawi
ambassador to Zimbabwe Anne Kumwenda to work repatriation processes for the
immigrants.

Subsequently, a commuter minibus
was sent to Masvingo in the evening of May 22 to collect the 14 to Harare from
where they were put on a bus to Malawi.

 

Seven Gweru cops up for lockdown-related extortion

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Seven Gweru cops up for lockdown-related extortion

Tinaani
Nyabereka

Some police officers
stationed at Gweru Rural Police Base were recently arraigned before Midlands
Provincial Magistrate Tayengwa Sangster for abuse of office and were remanded
out of custody to June 18 on $1000 bail each.

They were charged for
criminal abuse of duty as defined in section 174(I) (a) (b) and for extortion
as defined in section 134 (I) (a) (b) of the Criminal Law Codification and
Reform Act Chapter 9.23.

Magumise Mugwagwa (42),
Goodhope Chitimbe (31), David Mandimutsira (35), Bruce Chikwanda (35) Freddy
Mahupete (35), Tonderai Gomana (39) and Joyful Magumise (32) were not asked to
plead.

The State’s Margaret
Mukucha says on April 25, the group hatched a plan to swindle Khumbulani
Ngwenya’s shop at Shimrock Mine in Lower Gweru.

Driving an unregistered
private Honda Fit, they accosted Khumbulani’s younger brother Tawanda for
selling beer without a licence.

They seized some
alcohol and loaded it into their car but Tawanda quickly informed his brother
Khumbulani who tried in vain to reason with Magumise whom he knew at personal
level, and he had to pay them $1000 for the stock to be released.

They however demanded fuel
for their car and he gave them 20 litres of diesel

On another day
Chikwanda, Magumise, Freddy Mahupete and Gomana conducted a raid at 5
Kitchenburg Farm Matobo Rd Gweru where they approached Alice Kwangari (a
shopkeeper) and told her they were investigating drug peddling at the property.

Kwangari tried to bar
them from getting into the property but they forced their way and ransacked the
place, threatening to arrest her after finding cases beer.

They ordered her to immediately
take stock of the beer and it amounted to $10 000, and in a bid to be spared
arrest, Kwangari agreed to pay $1000 and she informed the shop owner who later
came and managed to get the figure revised downwards to $500.

On another day
Chikwanda and Magumise approached Dumoluhle Ngwenya at Shimrock Mine and
threatened to arrest and confiscate his beer and that of surrounding shop
operators whom they accused of contravening Covid-19 lockdown regulations by
selling beer.

They ordered the
complainant to go around collecting $150 from each of the six shop owners and
they earned themselves $1050 in the process.

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