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City of Masvingo struggles to explain source of Nyaradzo road funds

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City of Masvingo struggles to explain source of Nyaradzo road funds

Former City of Masvingo Town Clerk, Adolf Gusha

…after US$43 000 goes missing
Upenyu
Chaota
The City of Masvingo is at pains to explain the source
of funds it used to complete a 200-metre stretch of tarred road leading to the
Nyaradzo Life Assurance Company offices after the company had paid the local
authority US$43 000 in 2016 but the project was never started until late last
year.
The former Town Clerk, Adolf Gusha-led management is
said to have arm twisted Nyaradzo to give them the money to tar the road but
the project was never done prompting an inquiry from councillors.
It was established that Nyaradzo had initially offered
to tar the road using their own resources in exchange of land next to their
offices which houses the city’s fire department.
The then Hubert Fidze-led council turned down the
offer but management is said to have clandestinely went behind the backs of
councillors and demanded US$43 000 for them to do the project.
Nyaradzo is said to have given the money to council
management in 2016 in anticipation that the road will be tarred but work never
started.
Realising that the council had not started the
project, Nyaradzo confronted the council and threatened not to pay their bills
until the road has been attended to.
Pressed by councillors in 2019, three years after a
payment was made, city engineer Tawanda Gozo said the project was never started
because of the rains.
“Nyaradzo paid us the money in 2016 but we have not
been able to embark on the project because of the rains. Whenever we wanted to
start the project, we were disturbed by rains,” said Gozo.
After the inquiry, the council began preliminary work
for the project but residents demanded to know where the money was coming from.
There was an outcry from residents after there was a
sudden increase in their water bills, a development sources said was meant to
raise funds for the Nyaradzo road project.
Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Alliance
(Murra) spokesperson Godfrey Mtimba said the council needs to explain where
they got the money for the Nyaradzo road project because what Nyaradzo paid was
blown by management.
“The council received US$43 000 from Nyaradzo and they
were silent about it. The councillors did not even know about the transaction.
“We only got to know about the money when the
councillors quizzed management about it only to be given a lame excuse that it
has been raining,” said Mtimba.
Mtimba said residents woke up to highly inflated bills
for the services they were barely getting.
“The council inflated bills to finance the road
project whose money they had blown. Heads have to roll at the council,” said
Mtimba.
Former mayor Fidze said he was unaware that Nyaradzo
had paid the money for the road project when they had turned down the offer.
“My council turned down the Nyaradzo offer and I am
surprised Nyaradzo paid the money. The council was supposed to use its resources
to tar the road but wed did not have them.
“Nyaradzo had the resources but the land they wanted
in exchange was not a good deal for us,” said Fidze.
Gusha has since retired and the current management led
by current Acting Town Clerk Edward Mukaratirwa has refused to comment on the
issue.
The Nyaradzo road project was completed late last year
but the source of funds remains a mystery.

 

Another judge for Masvingo High Court

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Another judge for Masvingo High Court

Nyashadzashe Mambure
MASVINGO – To
enable swift justice and reduce work load of the existing judges, the High
Court here will receive an additional judge.
The
deployment of Justice Sunsley Zisengwe brings to three the number of judges at the
Masvingo High Court which only had two.
The
revelations were made by Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judge Justice
Paddington Garwe when he officially opened the 2020 legal year here on Monday.
Justice
Zisengwe joins Justice Wamambo and Justice Garainesu Mawadze at the Masvingo
High Court.
The
placement of Justice Zisengwe comes after Justice Joseph Mafusire was
transferred back to Harare.
Justice
Garwe pointed out that the deployment of Justice Zisengwe to Masvingo together
with Justice Wamambo will go along in enhancing the efficiency of the High Court
and ensure that the backlog of cases will be kept under check.
“The
deployment of Justice Zisengwe brings to three the number of judges here at
Masvingo High Court.
“The
idea is to make sure that there is swift justice and the backlog is kept under
check,” said Justice Garwe.
He
said there was need to establish a permanent Labour Court in Masvingo to handle
all the labour disputes in the province
“Here
in Masvingo, I am aware that there is need to establish a permanent Labour
Court to deal with labour matters in the province. It is unfair for the
residents of this province to be made to travel to Harare or Gweru to access the
Labour Court”, said Justice Garwe.
Justice
Garwe implored lawyers to file cases with courts in their areas saying filing
of cases with courts in other areas gives a bad impression of the country’s
justice system.
He
said there are other lawyers who are based in Harare but file their cases with
the Masvingo High Court.
“Our
courts are equal. There is no favoritism. In my view, lawyers in Harare should
use the Harare High Court and not come to flood cases here. It gives a bad
impression of our justice system,” said Justice Garwe. 

‘A’ level results: Pamushana, Gutu High schools in 30 points wonder

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‘A’ level results: Pamushana, Gutu High schools in 30 points wonder

…as Mutendi High leads in Maths
The 2019 Zimsec ‘A’ level results
are out, and a lot was not yet clear by the time of going to print but one
thing that has emerged is the fact that Pamushana and Gutu High schools had one
pupil each with 30 points.
Pamushana boats a 97.86 percent
pass rate with 77 pupils scoring 15 points and above.
Ndarama High School recorded two pupils
with 20 points, two with 19 and three with 18 points. Two pupils had 16, 12
pupils with 15, 15 with 14 points and 16 with 13 points.
Tugwane High in Masvingo Rural district
has three pupils with 15 points while Nyabata had its highest pupil had 24
points; one with 20 and another with 19. The school recorded a number of pupils
with 15 points.
Reformed Church in Zimbabwe
(RCZ)-run Zimuto High has 22 pupils with 15 and above and the highest has 20
points.
Another RCZ school Alheit Chingombe
II High of Gutu district has three pupils with 15 points, three with 14 points,
two with 13 points and five with 12 points with a 100 percent pass rate.
Alheit recorded an improvement in
Pure Maths at 84 percent and has 13 pupils with As in Business Enterprise.
Zaka district has 15 pupils with
15points, with St Anthony’s Musiso High School recorded a hundred percent pass
rate with one pupil scoring 20 points.
Six of its pupils obtained 15
points while 16 obtained 14 points.
Zivavose High, again in Zaka
district, has one pupil with 15 points and five with 14 points while Magura High
has one pupil with 15 points.
Mutimwi and Rudhanda has one
pupil each with 15 points while Chinorumba has three with 15 points.
While the actual numbers were not
yet available by the time of going to print, sources said the Zion Christian
Church (ZCC)-run Mutendi High School is one of the leading schools in
Mathematics, if the current ‘A’ level results are anything to go by.
Results for other best performing
schools like Zimuto High, Gokomere High and Serima High were not yet available
by the time of going to print.

Soldiers shoot dead two in Masvingo

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Soldiers shoot dead two in Masvingo



Cephas
Shava

MWENEZI-
Three
members of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) who shot dead two civilians in
Mwenezi West following a dispute which occurred on Boxing Day at Shayamafudzi Township
have been arrested for murder.
Crispen Maphosa (28),
Tapiwanashe Basopo (35) and Collen Ncube (28), who are attached with the HQ 1
Brigade in Bulawayo, had earlier on been reported for allegedly launching a
reign of terror on innocent civilians in Mwenezi.
The trio were deployed
at Mujingwe Conservancy which is said to be now owned by some high level
military brass.   
The three accused
soldiers made their initial appearance in court on Monday, December 30, 2019
before Mwenezi Magistrate Honest Musiiwa who, upon advising them to apply for
bail at the High Court, remanded them in custody to January 09, 2020.
It is alleged that on
December 26, 2019, the three accused soldiers who were on assignment at
Mujingwe Conservancy in Mwenezi West were approached by one Olman Nyunyani, who
reported to them that his younger brother had been assaulted by Hosia and
Sifelani Matarise.
Armed with their loaded
AK 47 rifles, the three soldiers together with Nyunyani proceeded to
Shayamavhudzi Township looking for the Matarises. Upon reaching the township,
the three soldiers found the Matarise brothers and a dispute ensued.
During the melee, the
three soldiers shot Hosia on the head and Sifelani on the chest. The two
victims are said to have died on the spot as a result of the gun wounds.
Police detectives and
the Police Support Unit section later attended the scene leading to the arrest
of the three accused soldiers who were apprehended two days after committing
the offence.  
Three spent cartridges
and four live rounds of AK 47 ammunition were recovered at the crime scene. It is alleged that
after committing the offence, the three soldiers gave death threats to some
eyewitnesses.
Willard Chasi appeared
for the State.

No car for Chiredzi town engineer until water crisis is resolved, says residents

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No car for Chiredzi town engineer until water crisis is resolved, says residents




Beatific
Gumbwanda

CHIREDZI–
In the 2020 budget, the town council here proposed to purchase vehicles for
management but the Chiredzi United Residents and Ratepayers Association
(Chirra) has come out guns blazing attacking the town engineer, Wesley Kauma,
saying he does not deserve the vehicle because he has failed to deal with the
water crisis.
Strangely,
Chirra has not opposed the purchase of vehicles for other council managers but
is only arguing against the engineer from getting his car saying incompetence should
not be rewarded.
Giving
his submissions during 2020 budget consultations at Chiredzi Town Council Civic
Centre, Chirra chairperson Jonathan Muusha said it is high that the council budgets
for the management’s vehicles but the engineer should be excluded until he
addresses the water situation.
“I
don’t reject the budget for the top management vehicle purchases but we have a
strong feeling that the engineer should be excluded from the deal until he has
proven beyond reasonable doubt that he is competent for the office he is
currently holding.
“One
would be forgiven for believing that this town does not have an engineer
because there is absolutely nothing to show for it. It’s safe to say that we do
not have an engineer,” said Muusha.
Muusha
said that the town faced serious water challenges and the town engineer seemed
clueless on how to resolve the crisis.
“The
town is dry most of the times and we wonder what the engineer is doing. We will
not reward someone who just comes to work to warm the chair and do nothing.
“Others
may get their cars because it is part of their perks but the engineer has to
first prove to us that he is worthy to hold that office. We will not watch him
get a new car when he has done nothing to earn it.
“Our
people are relying on water from unprotected sources risking their health on
daily basis. We will not have it and we will make a statement if they buy him
that car,” said Muusha.
Chiredzi
Town Council has proposed to use their share of devolution funds to upgrade the
water system and in 2019 they received $1.1 million from which $500 000 was directed
towards upgrading the water system.
The
water crisis is not unique to Chiredzi alone as the provincial capital, City of
Masvingo, is grappling under serious water shortages and has since effected over
120 hours water rationing schedule which sees most residential areas going for
five days in a week without running tap water.

NAZ brings financial aid to Mwenezi’s most vulnerable

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NAZ brings financial aid to Mwenezi’s most vulnerable

Cephas
Shava

MWENEZI-
Nutrition
Action Zimbabwe (NAZ)’s monthly financial support to 691 households in the
semi-arid Mwenezi district has brought a remarkable reprieve to vulnerable
families which are at the messy of perennial droughts that frequently rock the
constituency.
The cash transfer programme is being funded by the Swedish International Agency (Sida)  through Action Against Hunger and is being implemented in
Mwenezi’s Wards 4 and 12.
Since September last
year, the organisation has been catering for at most five people per poor
household with each person getting US$13.
NAZ acting programs director,
Calvine Matsinde, told TellZim News that in Masvingo province, besides supporting
disadvantaged families through monthly allowances, there are also some on-going
nutritional education programs which are being spearheaded in Chiredzi and in other
provinces.
“Our organisation is
responsive to needs. Besides operating in the two districts, we also have
nutritional education programmes specifically targeting infants and expectant
mothers in two other provinces.
“In Matabeleland South,
we operate in Beitbridge while in Manicaland we have nutritional education
programs in Mutasa and Chipinge districts,” said Matsinde.
Mwenezi East Ward 4 councillor
Passmore Madzudzu expressed gratitude over NAZ’s helping hand in his area.
“In the face of the
current drought, NAZ has come in handy to help our people. Our people are in
dire straits and we welcome any form of assistance that is available.
“We hope NAZ will stay
with us longer and expand their reach to other Wards because as it stands, a
number of people really need help,” said Madzudzu.
An 88-year-old NAZ
beneficiary, Mananga Sando of Chimbudzi village pockets a monthly allowance of
US$39 for his three dependencies.
“I am old and no longer
have the energy to work. Before the intervention of NAZ, I faced challenges to
even get a single meal for my grandchildren. They look up to me for everything
and it was a big challenge.
“I want to thank God
for sending us NAZ because we can now afford to put something on the table. It
is our hope that NAZ will stay with us for much longer,” said Sando.
 
     

Ex- lover tries to poison food at former boyfriend’s wedding

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Ex- lover tries to poison food at former boyfriend’s wedding




Elliot Jinjika
CHIVHU– The saying ‘all is fair in love and war’ proved to be true after a
jilted ex-lover gate-crushed the wedding of her former boyfriend and allegedly
tried to poison the food but was caught red handed.
Long time sweethearts Christopher Chitongo, an inspector with
Chikomba Rural District Council (RDC), and a Muganyi, a computers teacher at
Runyararo Primary School, had a nasty break up which resulted in the former
seeking a peace order after the latter had refused to let go.
Chitongo, who was customarily married by the time he had an affair
with Muganyi, decided to end the relationship and focus on his marriage.
Chitongo wedded his wife on December 21, 2019 and the news of the wedding
did not go well with Muganyi who is alleged to have sneaked into the wedding
venue in violation of the peace order.
Muganyi is said to have visited Chitongo’s wedding venue as early as
04:00hrs and went straight to the kitchen where the catering team was busy
preparing food.
She is said to have been spotted by one of the people in the
catering team who went on to alert others. The team went and confronted Muganyi
who is said to have been in possession of some poison which she allegedly
confirmed that she wanted to sprinkle on the food.
The police was called and Muganyi is said to have spent the whole
day locked in police cells to allow the wedding to proceed.
Sources said that Muganyi wanted to disrupt the wedding by poisoning
people but her plan was quickly foiled.
“There was a peace order barring Muganyi from coming anywhere near
Chitongo’s place but she violated it. Chitongo himself saw the poison and
called the police on her ex-lover,” said the source.

Drama as Chivhu AFM factions clash at crossover night

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Drama as Chivhu AFM factions clash at crossover night



Elliot Jinjika

CHIVHU – The Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe (AFM)’s royal rumble is
raging on here as there was drama at the Devotional Life Centre where, for the
second time, none of the two factions managed to use the church premises to
hold a crossover night service.
The crossover service from 2019 to 2020 brought the two AFM factions
head on as both wanted to do their service the Devotional Life Centre church
and the police had to intervene by banning both factions from conducting their
services at the church premises.
The AFM church is embroiled in deep factional fights that have seen
the church being divided into two groups, one led by Rev Cossam Chiyangwa and
the other by Rev Amon Madawo and is waiting for the supreme court to decide the
legitimate leader of the church.
Before the crossover night, the police summoned both factions for a
meeting because there were clashes on who will use the church venue for the
service.
The police had a long meeting with both factions but nothing was
agreed upon as both factions refused to bow down prompting the police to ban
both factions from using the church pemises for the cross over night service.
The Reformist faction tried to defy the police directive by forcing
themselves onto the church premises before being dispersed by police officers
armed with button sticks and dogs.
Sources who spoke to TellZim News said that the reformist approached
the police seeking intervention against the anti- reformist who were said to be
planning to bar the former from using the church premises.
“Efforts were made as early as December 15, 2019 to agree on the use
of the venue on the crossover night but the Reformists did not want to discuss
the matter only to report to the police on the day of service that they were
being barred from the church premises,” a source said.
AFM pastor, Tavonga Masawi said that no faction used the church
premises during the crossover night as the police manned the venue.
“We were summoned to the police to deliberate on the matter.  Tuesdays are often meant for the anti-reformists
and we were expecting to see our brothers looking for a separate venue but
their refusal led to this standoff until the police manned the premises with dogs,”
said Masawi.
It is said that the reformists led by elders Sithole and Musarurwa
pushed for the police to lock out both factions to avoid confrontation.

Mnangagwa ‘unaware’ of school fees hikes or ignorant?

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Mnangagwa ‘unaware’ of school fees hikes or ignorant?



…as parents groan
under prohibitive increments

TellZim Reporter

President
Emmerson Mnangagwa has proven to be out of touch with reality on the ground as
he professed ignorance over the steep fees increments affected by the majority
of public schools across the country, a move likely to see a growing number of
school dropouts.
Addressing the
public after a clean-up campaign in Kuwadzana 2 in Harare last week, President
Mnangagwa said that he is unaware of the school fees increments by schools and
reads from the newspapers that there is no such thing.
President
Mnangagwa said that his education minister is always in the newspapers saying
the fees have not been increased but the reality on the ground shows that the
majority of public schools have made education a preserve for the elite.
It costs parents
pound and flesh to send their pupils to Form One as most schools are giving
cover charge of uniforms and tuition to the tune ranging from $8 000 to $11
000.
The country’s
universities have also joined the band wagon by increasing their fees to
unimaginable heights.
Teachers, who
are also parents, say that they are not reporting for work when first term
opens because their salaries are peanuts and cannot even buy a set of uniforms
for their children, let alone pay for tuition.
Progressive
Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Dr Takavafira Zhou said that they
are not reporting for work unless their demands are met.
“We agreed we
would not be reporting for work until we get salary increments that resonate
with the prevailing situation in the economy.
“Our present
salaries are not even enough for us to travel to our work stations so how does
the government expect us to survive. Right now schools have increased their
fees to unimaginable amount and we wonder where parents will get that money
from.
“Everything else
is going through and increment phase except our salaries. I will not teach a a
school whose fees i am not able to pay,” said Dr Zhou.
The Amalgamated
Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz) president Obert Masararure said that
schools are now a preserve for the elites and a no go area for the poor.
Masararure
warned the government that it risks mass protests as most of the basic things
are becoming unattainable.
“Schools are now
a preserve for the elites, a no go area for the poor, just like meat. Social
services such as education, healthcare, water are non-negotiable.
“A government
which denies its people basics will be inciting protests,” said Masaraure.

MDC youths up for breaking Mnangagwa portrait

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MDC youths up for breaking Mnangagwa portrait



Emmaculate Mukokoromba

ZAKA – As the economy continues to sink, public anger towards the
President Emmerson Mnangagwa-led administration continues to grow as was
evidenced by two MDC youths who were irked by the ubiquitous Mnangagwa portrait
which was hanging in a bar.

Shepherd Manyanga and
Francis Machisani were facing charges of undermining the authority of the
President when they appeared before Zaka magistrate Florence Nago who granted
them a $200 bail.
The duo was supposed to
receive their judgement on December 30, 2019 but they were nowhere to be found
with some sources claiming they eloped to neighboring South Africa.
Manyanga and Machisani
were drinking beer at Northend Bar in Jerera when they directed their anger and
frustrations towards the President Mnangagwa portrait.
It is said that the duo
reached out for the portrait which was hanging on the wall and they destroyed
it.
Sources said that the
duo was throwing all sorts of obscenities at President Mnangagwa accusing him
of being the chief architect of the people’s suffering.
“People are angry and
everyone knows who is behind their suffering. They are enjoying themselves at
our expense and we all have our limits.
“Manyanga and Machisani
reached their breaking point and they took their anger out on President
Mnangagwa’s portrait which invited trouble to their doorsteps. They shouted at
the portrait and called the President a failure while recognising MDC leader
Nelson Chamisa as the legitimate leader,” said one source.
Another source claimed
that the duo started to denigrate President Mnangagwa before they charged on
the portrait.
“They were drunk and
they started to insult the President. They threw a lot of insults and told the
bartender that they should not hang the portrait of the person who has made
them suffer on the wall.
“They said the portrait
belongs in the bin and they reached out for it and destroyed it. The police
were called and they were arrested,” said another source.



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