Home Blog Page 580

Chiredzi is 2018 best cotton-producer

TellZimNews
-
0
Chiredzi is 2018 best cotton-producer


Muzivirwa won a tractor for being the best cotton farmer in the whole country

Beatific Gumbwanda


CHIREDZI – The Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco) has congratulated Chiredzi district for being the top producer of cotton in the 2018 cropping season.
The district produced 35 000 tonnes of cotton, with Ranganai Muzivirwa – who was named best farmer – winning a tractor, a farm trailer and a three-disc plough worth more than $100 000.
Muzivirwa, who has won many merit awards from Cottco over the past years, last season delivered a record 13.3 tons to Cottco from his 3.5 hectare dry plot; the best single production by one farmer among all the country’s 400 000 cotton farmers.
At the prize-giving ceremony in Ward 27, Chiredzi District Administrator (DA), Lovemore Chisema said government was serious about revamping the agricultural sector.
“Cottco has four business units in the whole country which are Sanyati, Honde Valley, Gokwe and Chiredzi. In the last season, more than 400 000 farmers participated in the presidential cotton input scheme in which Mr Muzivirwa was confirmed to be the best farmer of the year,” said Chisema.
 Chisema said the decision to award the price was reached after considering many issues.
 “Cottco considered so many things before giving Mr Muzivirwa this prize. They considered the size of the yield, cotton grade and tonnage per hectare. On the 3.5ha he planted, he produced 60 bales with an average weight of 250kg. This translated to 13 200kg and this happened in the Lowveld which is in natural farming region 5.
“This is a clear testimony that government through Cottco is committed to the upliftment of the lives of our farmers. Good farmers must be supported; Mr Muzivirwa has set an example that even if we are in region 5, it is possible to produce the best cotton yields in the whole country,” Chisema said.
Cottco Chiredzi business manager, Munyaradzi Chikasha urged local cotton farmers to emulate the good work as done by Muzivirwa.
“This is a clear testimony that if you follow what your extension workers teach you, it becomes possible to produce more tonnage per hectare. As we enter into the new season, let us press on and double our production capacity,” said Chikasha.

Machete gang kills miner over hammer

TellZimNews
-
0
Machete gang kills miner over hammer

Tinaani Nyabereka


Shurugwi – Police in Shurugwi are looking for a machete gang of four men who are suspected of murdering Time Terrence Mhere (address and age not given).
Midlands provincial police community relations officer, Inspector Joel Goko appealed to members of the public who might have information leading to the whereabouts of the suspects to report to the nearest police station
According to circumstances given, the incident occurred on the night of August 23, 2018 at a mine claim in Shurugwi.
It is alleged that the four suspects Darlington Mangoma of Hlamba village, Lloyd Jinja of Dondo village, Prosper Zindori of Madongorere village and Breadwinner Mudzingwa of Mudongorere village all under Chief Masunda, assaulted the now deceased with machetes and axes before stabbing him with a knife.
It is believed a misunderstanding arose between the trio and the now deceased on an issue concerning a hammer.
The deceased’s body was found the following day lying in a pool of blood by one artisanal miner (name withheld) who later reported the matter to the local police.

Rusape police accused of lying in court

TellZimNews
-
0
Rusape police accused of lying in court

…as two are arrested for violent shutdown

Shingirai Vambe


RUSAPE – Two Rusape adult males were arrested on January 15 on allegations of participating in violent demonstrations during the national shutdown.
No property was destroyed in Rusape but incidences of road blockades were reported in few areas of the town
On Monday Archford Chari (26) of Number 197 NE Vengere and Leonard Rebanewako (26) of Number 323B Vengere appeared before magistrate Shane Kubonera facing charges of obstructing the free movement of persons and traffic.
The duo, represented by Leonard Chigadza of Chigadza and Partners, pleaded not guilty claiming they did not participate in any illegal activity but were just caught in the crossfire while on their way to Vengere.
The State alleges that on January 15 at around 10:30hrs, the two and their other four accomplices who were still at large, connived and went to the 173km peg along Harare Mutare highway where they placed some burning tyres on the road.
Police constables Tichaona Mereki and Luke Ngaru stood as witnesses after attending the scene with six soldiers.
The defence argued that the police officers were lying in court as their testimonies were out of sync, and claimed that the arrests were in fact done by soldiers who brutally assaulted the two before handing them over to the police.
The trial was due to continue the following day, with the defence set to apply for an in loco site visit and doing cross examinations.
In a related matter, Learnmore Chawatama (46) of MH4 Vengere Hostels, Rusape was arrested for insulting and undermining the authority of the president.
He was arrested on January 15 at Vengere business centre for allegedly insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
It is alleged that Chawatama said “Dambudzo idambudzo zveshuwa zvino aripi president wenyu? atiza kuenda kuRussia apa asiya akwidza mutengo wezvinhu. Zvamakavhotera Dambudzo makapiwei? Maifunga kuti muchawanei vana vadiki? Zvanga zvirinani dai makavhotera Zipp party yangu (Dambudzo is a problem for sure, where is your president? He ran away to Russia after hiking prices. Did you receive anything after voting for him? You would have better voted for my party Zipp).”
Represented by Leonard Chigadza of Chigadza and Partners, Chawatama was granted $80 bail with conditions that he reports to Rusape Police Station every Monday and Friday, does not interfere with State witnesses and continues to stay at his given address until he appears back in court on February 04.

Two judges not enough for Masvingo: Justice Garwe

TellZimNews
-
0
Two judges not enough for Masvingo: Justice Garwe




Brighton Chiseva

Supreme Court judge Justice Paddington Garwe has said the High Court in Masvingo was a busy court that needs more judges to be able to efficiently do its work.
Speaking at the official opening of the 2019 legal year at Masvingo High Court building recently, Garwe, who also sits on the Constitutional Court bench, said the high clearance rate at the local High Court meant there was a lot of work being done.
“The clearance rate at Masvingo High Court for 2018 is 89 and 92 for civil and criminal cases respectively. Clearly this is a busy court and in time there will be need for the current complement of judges to be increased. I say well done to the two judges stationed here. We hope that during this year you will work even harder and reduce the backlog even further,” said Garwe.
Only two judges, Garaunesu Mawadze and Joseph Mafusire, currently sit on the Masvingo High Court bench.
The 2018 legal year opened with Masvingo High Court’s civil division having 69 pending cases and 422 new cases were received making them 491. As at 30 November only 55 cases were uncompleted.
The criminal court had 91 pending cases and 947 new cases were recorded making them 1038 cases combined. Of those, 951 cases were completed and 87 were not yet completed by the same date.
“I am advised that the shortage of office space continues to hamper the smooth operations of the court. I am happy to advice that the matter is receiving attention and plans are underway to construct a police guardroom and an office for the sheriff within the same complex. This should alleviate the current shortage of office accommodation,” he said.
Garwe urged judicial officers and various stakeholders involved in the administration of justice to work even harder so that justice is not delayed.
The 2019 legal year is running under the theme ‘Consolidating and upholding the rule of law’ a theme which Garwe said was deliberate and predicated on the Strategic Plan of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) on access to justice.

Rusape vendors beg MP Tekeshe to help stop harassment

TellZimNews
-
0
Rusape vendors beg MP Tekeshe to help stop harassment


David Tekeshe

Shingirai Vambe


RUSAPE – Vendors in Rusape have bemoaned the continuous harassment and confiscation of their wares by Rusape municipal police and other members of the security services cluster, saying the war on vendors was destroying livelihoods.
Last week Monday, vendors at Vengere Bus Terminus and in the Rusape CBD sought audience with opposition Member of Parliament (MP) David Tekeshe whom they implored to intervene on their behalf.
Dozens of desperate vendors circled the MP and aired their sorrows and everyday battles to survive, and the he took five of their representative for an engagement meeting with council. Junior council officials, however, refused to entertain Tekeshe, saying he should consult with the town chairperson who was, however, not available.
This is the second time Tekeshe felt he had not been treated fairly by Rusape Town Council officials.
“First it was their boss Solomon Gabaza and now his subordinates. I first approached the town secretary as a resident and he showed me arrogance, now I have approached the council as an MP, still they don’t recognise my role in this constituency,” said Tekeshe .
He said the harassment of vendors was not the solution as people were struggling to take their children to school and put food on the table.
“I request that council should build proper vending sites for these people rather than to grab their products and rob them of a chance to earn an honest living,” said Tekeshe.
The Rusape local authority often requests manpower from the Joint Operations Command (JOC) to clamp vehicles as well as to chase and harass vendors.

Rusape Town Council HR manager up for assaulting subordinate

TellZimNews
-
0
Rusape Town Council HR manager up for assaulting subordinate





Shingirai Vambe

Rusape Town Council human resources (HR) manager, Togarepi Nerwande could be in trouble with the law after he reportedly assaulted one of his staff members whom he accused of breaking protocol by directly approaching Local Government minister July Moyo with complaints about salaries and working conditions.
A nurse employed by the council reportedly approached the ministry recently, angering Nerwande who then allegedly assaulted her for ‘breaking the line and procedure of communication’.
Council chairperson, Lyton Sithole confirmed the assault, saying he was around at council premises when the assault took place.
Nerwande is said to have become very angry after an ally in the ministry alerted him that a nurse had submitted a list of grievances, being the latest in a number of disgruntled Rusape employees to take their grievances straight to the parent ministry.
Rusape town secretary, Solomon Gabaza, Nerwande and the nurse were then asked to report the minister’s office the following day.
Local Government deputy minister, Jennifer Mhlanga confirmed that complaints had been submitted to her ministry, saying she will get fuller details when the trio return to her office for yet another meeting.
“I am still to deal with the issue. I am still waiting for full facts on the matter,” Mhlanga said.
This is not the first time that Nerwande has been accused of assaulting subordinates as he once allegedly bashed a Mr Chipara, an ambulance driver before firing him.

Soldier charged for assault

TellZimNews
-
0
Soldier charged for assault



Precila Takabvirakare


MPANDAWANA – Saul Ndonga (27) of Bhuka village under Chief Gutu, a soldier stationed with One Brigade in Bulawayo, recently appeared before magistrate Victor Mahamadi facing charges of assaulting Denford Mavhima over his beer.
He was remanded in custody to February 04 this year for trial.
Ndonga was charged with contravening with Section 89(1) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 09:23.
State facts as presented by Kudakwashe Muza are that on January 19 this year at around 16:00hs at Mukute Inn bar, Mavhima was drinking beer when Ndonga approached him and took his beer which was on the table and started drinking it.
Mavhima then asked him why he drank his beer and Ndonga replied him that he was a soldier so he had no right to ask him. Mavhima went out of the bar, but Ndonga followed him and grabbed his neck firmly, head butted him once on the forehead and kicked him once on the left leg.
He was refrained by Tatenda Maramba from further assaulting Mavhima.
The matter was reported to the police leading to his arrest.

Who will quench premiership action thirst in Masvingo?

TellZimNews
-
0
Who will quench premiership action thirst in Masvingo?

…as corporate world turn blind eye on local clubs


Clever Taperamoyo /
Clayton Shereni

With other major cities enjoying representation in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL), this unfortunately is not the case with Masvingo which has for the past seven years failed to get representation in the country’s top flight league.
Many teams have come and gone with some of them already defunct, all of them having failed to make it into the premiership.
The city was home to Masvingo United popularly known as Una Una and FC Victoria with other clubs like Setheo FC, FC Don Bosco and Masvingo City all going down without making an impact.
Around the globe, football seems to be the most favoured game that can lure many supporters and followers, but in Zimbabwe and in particular Masvingo, the sectors suffers from lack of support.
Economic difficulties have forced companies to avoid sponsorship commitments, while others have closed shop, leaving poor clubs struggling to maintain themselves.
In Masvingo, the last club to play in the premier league was Una Una in 2011. The club was bankrolled by Petros Mutema of Mutema Brothers and a South African beverages company, Zimanzi.
They had taken over from bus company Mhunga, but they too were to soon pull out and a lawyer, Advocate Phillip Shumba supported the club for some time but his own partners let him down.
Shumba has sponsored various teams in the city including Masvingo United, FC Don Bosco and is the current Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Masvingo Pirates formerly Mucheke Pirates which is affectionately known as Dzinochekwa Baba.
Sharing his experience and opinion for local football, Shumba said the city needed to move towards modern soccer which demands consistent corporate sponsorship.
“In 2019 we must come up with one corporate-funded strong side because. It’s high time we move towards modern football and for us to do that, we must have steady and consistent sponsorship because it is hard for an individual to sponsor a club consistently because he/she will get some family challenges along the way and they will have no option but to channel his resources towards his/her family,” said Shumba.
He also said that many talented youngsters were going unnoticed and stressed the need to come up with a junior league where talent is identified and incorporated into big teams in order to stop player recycling.
“We have endless young talent in the city and these young players are playing social league football which is for the retired players. We must come up with a junior league to make it easy for coaches and scouts to identify young players because teams have been recycling old players and that is another reason why we are not competitive,” Shumba said.
Going into 2019 season, many fans have pinned their hopes on Dzinochekwa Baba since Una Una have failed to make a mark after returning to Division 1 this past season and finishing in the bottom half. They even failed to fulfill other fixtures due to resource constraints.
Tapiwa Gatawa, a football fan, told TellZim News that teams should not just depend on individuals, saying councils and big companies had a role to play.
“What has killed our football is lack of sponsorship, we have raw talent but they are flocking to other paying clubs. Manica Diamonds came and played only one season and they won the premiership ticket because they bought quality players at the beginning of the season.
“We need at least our local authority to chip in just like what Harare City Council and Mutare City Council did in sponsoring football teams. We must not depend upon individuals. Last season, Benjaman Mazarire dumped Pirates during the course of the season and it affected their results at the end of the day,” said Gatawa.
A myriad of challenges including lack of professionalism, poor match attendance, club’s failing to honor contractual obligations and lack of consistent funding are big problems facing local football.
In 2017, the then Local Government minister, Saviour Kasukuwere blocked Masvingo City Council from sponsoring Masvingo City FC, a move which others saw as a politically-motivated as the local council had more opposition than ruling party councillors.
Local football fans are able to name nearly all of the players from most of Europe’s elite clubs and even give clear details about their careers, but ask them to name the teams of their country’s top clubs and see how uninterested they are.
Club proprietors, football federations and the Ministry of Sport are aware of the interest, talent and enthusiasm for domestic leagues, but they turn a blind eye to an area that can generate revenue.
Supporters in Masvingo remain addicted to football action from overseas, much to the detriment of local potential.
On match days, many football lovers often go to betting shops to watch foreign teams playing even tough local clubs could be playing in Muchekeke Stadium.
Instead of just paying a dollar to watch a Division 1 match at Mucheke Stadium, fans opt to spend $3 to $10 watching the European football on TV and this deals a blow to the quest to develop local football.
Local clubs continue losing substantial sponsorships and even big international media organisations have lost interest in acquiring television rights following the declining viewership.
Many players from Masvingo leave for Europe and other African countries as soon as they get the slightest opportunity as few of them wish to stay, play and entertain indefinable fans and receive little incentives in return.
Ovidy Karuru, Costa Nhamoinesu and Simba Sithole are some of the big names that the city prides itself in having produced but they have moved to bigger clubs elsewhere.
Faustino ‘Heydays’ Mugeji who has coached a number of clubs in Masvingo including Masvingo City and Pirates said time had come for everyone to come together and bring back premiership action to the city.
“This is the time we should all come together and form one strong team which competes for the premiership ticket but fans and the executive should not expect instant results from coaches because it takes a financially-motivated group of players and coaches to build a strong squad.
“Players and coaches are professionals who must be well-catered for if we are to see a team playing in the top flight league. We have seen Ngezi Platinum, FC Platinum and Manica Diamonds; clubs that are doing well because they are well-looked after,”said Mugeji.
Who then would want to remain a local player, when they are not considered professional and struggle to earn a living?
The expectations of local fans remain high despites their big interest and enthusiasm to see premiership action at Mucheke Stadium.

Mugabe clansmen threaten to occupy Great Zimbabwe

TellZimNews
-
0
Mugabe clansmen threaten to occupy Great Zimbabwe

Samuel Rufu Haruzivishe Mugabe 

… as they are served with
eviction notices from ZERO farm

Theresa Takafuma
/Brighton Chiseva

Scores of people who settled at Zero Farm at the onset of the Land Reform Programme over 18 years ago have threatened to occupy the adjacent Great Zimbabwe monuments as they do not have anywhere else to go, TellZim News can report.
Earlier this month, government served the villagers, most of whom belong to the Mugabe clan of moyo totem which lays historical claim to the world-famous monuments, with eviction notices, saying they irregularly settled at the farm.
In the notices, dated January 08 2019, the government instructs villagers to leave the farm within seven days, claiming the villagers were contravening Section 3 of the Gazetted Lands (Consequential Provisions) Act Chapter 20:28, by occupying the said property without lawful authority.
One of the affected village heads, Henry Makusha said there was no way over 1000 families, most of whom had been living in the area for close to 20 years, were going to vacate without good explanation from the government.
“We are not going to leave. We have nowhere else to go because this is our ancestors’ place. If we are to vacate this area and go back where we came from, then we would have to reoccupy Great Zimbabwe because that’s where our forefathers were laid. We have no other home that we know except this place,” said Makusha.
“The way these letters were served is not the right way because they just came and forced villagers to sign the letters. They even arrested us (village heads) for resisting,” Makusha said.
The Mugabes blamed their woes on National Council of Chiefs president Fortune Charumbira whom they accused of using his political muscle to grab their land claiming that the area was a buffer zone for Lake Mutirikwi.
“They have not done anything to people at Sikato Farm who were put there by Charumbira himself yet they are giving us all this trouble. Sikato Farm is even closer to the dam than our place,” said one villager.
Charumbira belongs to the shumba sipambi clan whose claim to some areas around the world heritage site has for long been problematic in some cultural circles.
One of the Mugabe elders, Samuel Rufuharuzivishe Mugabe said the government would rather shoot all of them if it did not want them to remain on the land that he said was rightfully theirs.
“We gave Zero Farm to our growing families so if that is wrong, then they should find a way of rectifying it rather than evict us. If they continue tormenting us they risk the wrath of our ancestors. We are not going anywhere! If they want to kill us let them do!” said Mugabe.
Evelyne Dovorogwa, who built her home in Chikutuva Village 16 years ago, said the only option she had was to go back to the ruins should they be forcibly removed.
She also said they were forced to sign the eviction notices against their will as they did not understand what was written.
“Why didn’t they tell us long ago when we came here? I spent 16 years here but they have not even called for a single meeting over our settlement here. We pay all taxes, our children get births written Chikutuva Village but now they are saying there is no such village,”  said Dovorogwa.
Other villagers said they would have complied with the order had it been served in time although it would have been difficult for them to lose their crops and building as well as their children’s education since they had already been enrolled at different schools with school fees having been paid already.
Masvingo District Administrator (DA) Ray Hove was quoted in a state newspaper confirming that the villagers were issued with eviction letters and were expected to move, claiming they did not have no offer letters.
Other villagers said Zanu PF had always told them that their stay at the farm depended on how politically loyal they were especially during elections, and they have always been ardent ruling party supporters.
About 1 000 villagers were affected and these come from six villages namely Chikutuva, Makavasa, Marikutirwa, Makasva, Banga and Sithole villages.
Nothing had, however, happened after the expiry of the deadline with villagers saying no action had been taken against them.

Murdered cop laid to rest in Msv

TellZimNews
-
0
Murdered cop laid to rest in Msv
The late Constable Alexio Maune

Shutdown violence: 

Murdered cop laid to rest in Msv


Staff Reporter

Constable Alexio Maune, a Bulawayo-based police officer who was stoned to death by violent protesters during the shutdown last week, was buried in his rural home in Matsikidze under Chief Shumba.
Maune, who was 32 years of age and was based at Entumbane Police Station, died on admission at United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) after he was stoned by angry protesters.
The protesters targeted police stations burning cars and Maune became the only reported fatality from the security sector.
Standing for the Minister of State Masvingo Provincial Affairs, war veterans provincial chairperson, Tendeukai Chinooneka condemned the violence that killed Maune saying a precious life had been needlessly lost.
The protests engulfed many cities though the worst violence was reported in Harare and Bulawayo, with Masvingo recording very few and isolated disturbances.
Nationally, many shops were looted and hundreds of people suspected of looting have since been arrested, with human rights groups accusing the army and police of using excessive force and torturing suspects.

1...579580581...958Page 580 of 958