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‘Patients buy fuel for ambulance services at Musiso’

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Brighton Chiseva


ZAKA – Patients at the Catholic run Musiso Mission Hospital say they are being asked to buy fuel for the ambulance when they are in need of its services, TellZim News has learnt.
Patients who spoke to this publication said they were shocked that the institution was asking patients to buy fuel on their own for the ambulance when they are supposed to use it for free or pay a fee for the service not to buy fuel.
“We are now hiring the ambulance, they tripled the money which we used to pay for the ambulance and if you are unlucky they will tell you that here is the ambulance but there is no fuel so you have to buy it.
“I was asked to send the money via Ecocash to the ambulance driver and he drove to Masvingo without going at any fuel station meaning that I was buying fuel that was already in the ambulance,” said one victim who refused to be named.
Another victim concurred and said hospitals have prepaid accounts at fuelling stations so they are paying for fuel that has already been purchased.
However, the hospital matron Dorothy Makuvise refuted the allegations saying people pay for ambulance services at the hospital if there is need and do not buy fuel themselves.
She however said the incident, if there is any, may have happened during the fuel crisis days where even other bigger organisations had no fuel.

Council bosses to get iPhones, Samsung Galaxy S9

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Council bosses to get iPhones, Samsung Galaxy S9

Staff Reporter 


MASVINGO – With the economic situation worsening in Zimbabwe and the populace struggling to pay council bills and putting food on the table, the city council is proposing to buy Apple iPhone 7 and Samsung Galaxy S9 smartphones for its managers.
The finance and general purpose meeting which sat on January 21, 2019, agreed that the city treasurer be instructed to procure conditions of service cellphones for management with heads of departments getting Apple iPhone 7 valued at US$ 3 088 while deputy heads of departments get Samsung Galaxy S9 valued at US$2 708.
Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Alliance (MURRA) spokesperson Godfrey Mtimba said they are appalled on the levels of extravagance showcased by the city council.
“This is the same city council which failed to purchase a small water pump component costing US$4 000 and the city went without water for more than a week.
“It’s just a case of misplaced priorities and outrageous greediness. They say they do not have money and service delivery is plummeting but they want to spend over US$20 000 on cellphones, this is an abomination to say the least.
“The water challenges are refusing to go away and the city is faced with a lot of challenges which require discipline on finances not to be spendthrifts like we are seeing,” said Mtimba.

Council managers demand over US$600 000 back pay

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Council managers demand over US$600 000 back pay

Upenyu Chaota

Following the government’s directive to rationalise salaries and allowances for senior managers in 2015, the Masvingo City Council complied and cut the salaries of its senior management team who have now taken legal action against the local authority filing a lawsuit of over US$618 000 in back pay.
 The council managers were against the directive to have their salaries cut without their consent and through their lawyers from Bhunu and Associates Legal Practitioners, they gave the local authority a seven day ultimatum to reinstate the salaries or square off in court.
A letter from the managers’ lawyers dated November 28, 2018 was read out to council by Town Clerk Adolf Gusha in which the details of the case were highlighted.
Council had been asked to rescind the 2015 resolution on salary rationalisation for senior managers and reinstate their salaries and allowances prevailing as at May 31, 2015, backdated to June 2015.
Council minutes dated December 3, 2018 say that the City Council is trying to negotiate with the managers for an out of court settlement since the local authority cannot afford the cost of suit.
“The house agreed that it would need the guidance from the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing on the matter.
“Council noted that there was a court ruling on an equally similar case between the Bindura Municipality and its senior managers, wherein the courts ruled that the rationalisation was illegal and council should reinstate the remuneration.
“It was however felt that the council should engage the affected senior managers with a view to avoid the case spilling into the courts of law,” reads part of the minutes.
The council pleaded with the lawyers of the managers to have a grace period extended to 21 days as they try to negotiate a deal.
“The members were of the view that council would lose more funds if it tried to defend the case in court, instead the council should try to find an amicable solution to the problem,” read the minutes.

Council turn down Dr Mutangiri private hospital application

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Council turn down Dr Mutangiri private hospital application


Monalisa Matongo

The Masvingo city council has turned down an application by Dr Wonderful Mutangiri to establish a private hospital in the industrial area saying the location is not suitable.
Dr Mutangiri had applied for change of use of Stand 695 Industria Road to establish what could have been the second private hospital in Masvingo.
The city fathers argue that the industrial area is a noisy place which can affect the hospital operations.
“The intended business was not compatible in the area since patients may be affected by noise from the abutting properties,” reads the Public Works and Planning minutes of January 10, 2019.
The city engineer reported that the stand was meant and designated for industrial property according to the city’ plan and said that Dr Mutangiri’s application could not be put into consideration owing to the location on the intended project.
It was clarified that patients need a serene environment which the industrial area does not offer.
“In addition it was highlighted that patients may be affected by dust, fumes and smells generated from abutting properties”, reads the minutes.

Zanu PF protesters celebrate MDC mayor

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Zanu PF protesters celebrate MDC mayor

…bay for Kurauone, Mberikunashe blood

Staff Reporter 


MASVINGO – Zanu PF youths on Monday (January 28) stormed the local authority’ offices during a full council meeting protesting against Ward 4 councillor Gofrey Kurauone and Ward 5 councillor Daniel Mberikunashe whom they accuse of stealing council money.
In an interesting turn of events, the protesters who were blocked by armed anti-riot police from disrupting council business celebrated the arrival of the mayor Collen Maboke despite the fact that he belonged to the opposition political party and he was late for the meeting.
Protesters showered Maboke with praises while others ululated as the mayor made his way into council chambers. Some demanded to be addressed by Maboke but he told them that he needed to attend the meeting first.
The incident raised eyebrows from onlookers who were astonished as to why Zanu PF members who were suspected to have been hired by ward 10 councillor Sengerai Manyanga would cheer at the MDC mayor while they protest against his fellow MDC councillors.
However, Maboke downplayed the issue saying he was caught by surprise since he was not aware of what was happening.
“They shouted my name but I was not aware of what was happening. When I inquired, I was told that the people were protesting against my fellow councillors,” said Maboke.
Despite the fact that there were protesters outside, the issue was never discussed in the chambers. The meeting was chaired by deputy mayor Councillor Wellington Mahwende  (Zanu PF) since the mayor arrived late forcing him to participate from the gallery while his deputy was running the show.
Without noticing the anomaly, Maboke said he enjoyed the last full council meeting since he was participating from the gallery like any other councillor as if to suggest that he was handing over the reigns to his deputy who was chairing.
Kurauone and Mberikunashe are being accused of withdrawing $800 from council sometime before 2018  elections on the understanding that they would go and attend a workshop in Kadoma. However, their car broke down along the way and they did not attend the workshop.
Masvingo City Town Clerk said the issue was being handled by the Ministry of Local Government.
“The two were supposed to attend a workshop in Kadoma and they were using Cllr Kurauone’s car, however, they did not attend the workshop because their car broke down along the way. They phoned me advising that they had to use use their allowance so that their car would be diagonised. I understand that since then the car has never been back on the road. However, some people feel that they must return the money. The issue is being handled by the Ministry,” said Gusha.

Wutawunashe launches shutdown compensatory fund

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Wutawunashe launches shutdown compensatory fund

…calls for Chamisa, ED dialogue

Clayton Shereni

Family of God Church founder, Reverend Andrew Wutawunashe on Saturday launched a compensatory fund as a cushion for people who lost property and goods during the national shutdown of January 14-16.
The national stay away action, was in many towns accompanied by violence and looting, leaving many business people counting loses.
Wutawunashe spoke during the Faith for the Nation Campaign (Fana) breakfast prayer meeting at Flamboyant Hotel where he announced the launch of the initiative.
“Today we are launching a 2019 January shutdown victims compensation fund and as Fana, we are pledging $10 000 towards the compensation of these victims of violence and looting. We will work towards engaging the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) which will oversee the fund,” said Wutawunashe.
He called upon President Emmerson Mnangagwa and MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa to reach out to each other and unite for the best interests of Zimbabweans.
“We call upon all our political leaders, and in particular our President Emmerson Mnangagwa and MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa to have the wisdom and courage to start sacrificial dialogue for the sake of our people and find one another again through a mutually respectful rapprochement and dialogue in the same way they found each other in Operation Restore Legacy,” said Wutawunashe.
He also commented the people of Masvingo for not engaging in the kind of violence as that seen in Harare and Bulawayo on the days of the stay away.
 “As spiritual shepherds of the people, we commend the people of Masvingo as well as other centres who stood for peace, law and order, and those in political, civic and other leadership over them for taking a principled stand for peace,” he said.

Of globetrotting ED and the Zim crisis

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Of globetrotting ED and the Zim crisis

Can someone tell me what is really happening at the Ministry of Information; Mapombi really doesn’t understand three top officials running the ministry – Mutsvangwa, Mutodi and Mangwana. Mapombis has always been a gentleman, therefore, has never been hesitant of speaking the truth to power. The trio of Monica, Energy and Nick needs our help, vaoda kubatsirwa chaiko because they don’t have a clue on how to run that strategic ministry.
They lie without shame! Kkkkkk hanzi naMutodi internet was never shut down but it was congested kkkkkk – Mapombi thinks this guy is too energetic for nothing; zvasiyana nekutamba ndombolo izvi being a government official comes with responsibility. We cannot tolerate a whole deputy minister lying to the nation when government was forced through the courts to open the internet following Misa’s High Court application.
Kkkkk Mutodi is often caught offside; he lied again that ED’s picture, where he sat blankly in a queer museum as though he was performing some occult ritual, was photo-shopped yet it was an original picture.  He hadn’t even noticed that the same images had appeared on his ZTV the day before. Mangwana anenge achingorasikawo nedivi ukuwo Monica neuko. Monica is always emotional each time she addresses a press conference wotoshaya kuti ko chii mai vakuru. Mapombi can safely tell you that this ministry is the worst!
I heard mukoma wangu Joram has been suspended paHerald apo because of a president’s story which failed to find its way on front page and ended up on page 2. Kkkkk this is the challenge when one has bosses who specialises in ndombolo dance and nursing; they always think story yaED must be on front page all the time.
Mapombi now understands journalists working for Dead BC and Herald – the majority does not like the stories they are writing or telling but ukarega unodzingwa basa. I feel sorry for them!
I hope ED will soon reshuffle and replace this garbage otherwise the ministry of information will be worse than during the time of Pro Jonso. Kkkkk ED wacho ndiyewo umwe ari pamahwani chaipo. I know talking the truth about the president might cost my life and those I work closely with, but inini zvangu Mapombi I don’t care ndakafa kare kare!  I stay at Chitima market surviving on rotten bananas and maputi thanks to ED and his government. I wear mamvemve because I cannot afford to buy decent clothes people end up thinking ndinopenga yet its Zau PF which destroyed my life – my parents were killed during 2008 political violence ndikasara ndava nherera.
Back to that ED museum phot kkkk. I saw ED vakagara akapfunya chisero variko kuchinyika chisingazikanwe ndikangoti nechemumoyo in’anga here dzava kunobvnzwa idzo?  Kana dziri n’anga mungasiya dzedu dzemuno vana Rotina Mavhunga vepaChinhoyi vakomana! Kkkkkk but Rotina so ka haaa ndikafunga dhiziri paChinhoyi gore riye kkkkkk but Zanu chiororo.
Mapombi heard the rift between ED and Kedha is increasing and zvinhu hazvina kutombomira mushe. Mapombi has been on record saying these retired officers should go for political orientation first before joining active politics. Uncle Bob also said complained about soldiers being taken from barracks straight into national politics. I only have one problem with Kedha though; kukasika kutsamwa plus kungotaura uchingorasa rasa maoko haaa its annoying mhani – munhu ndewekutaurawoka akadzikama nhai veduwe.
But from what Terrence Mukupe and Wadyajena have been posting on Twitter, Mapombi can tell you that things are far from being fine in Zanu PF.  I can foresee another factional fight which is as big as the G40 vs Lacoste gore riye.
Mapombi does not understand ED and his government – they have failed to improve the economy for the past eight months but still they are not willing to engage the opposition unotoshaya kuti nhatanana dzacho ndedzei?  ED must walk the talk – he tweets about national dialogue and the nation wants to see him taking a leading role not just posting on Twitter zvekuda kungofadza vanhu. He claims the voice of the people is the voice of God but surprisingly they are going against the voices of the suffering masses.
People are calling for leaders to come together and unite in order to solve the current economic crisis – this is not too much to ask for if we indeed have a caring leadership. If what unites us is really bigger than what divides us, like what ED said, then the president should lead by example by showing maturity and tolerance.
A real father can never fight for attention with his newly born baby! ED should show maturity and tolerance more than the opposition because he is the father of the nation. Mapombi urges ED to initiate dialogue.
Anyway, it’s almost lunch time guys let me go ndindokanga zvangu maputi angu for lunch. But before I go, I heard uniform demasoja nemapurisa zvese nepfuti nendege zvakabiwa and the rogue criminals were the ones brutalizing civilians during the demonstrations. Kkkkkkk Chiwenga was right when he once fired those senior police officers because zvimwe zvinotaurwa hazvina maturo. People must learn to say the truth; when they do something wrong they should accept and apologise not taking people for granted.
People know that the police and army are torturing people and it is pointless for the two institutions to unashamedly lie before the whole nation that those committing the crimes are not serving members. Mapombi knows that the army and police are torturing innocent civilians and they are acting under the instruction of Zanu. I wish if Mphoko was there zvingadaro zvisiri kuitika izvi manje naKedha anything can happen togona kungomuka vanhu vese vafurwa vakafa. Koi ye mboko hanzi hakazosiyana neChoppies kkk. Vakaona kuti hondo yacho havaihwinhi. Mboko imboko!

Secondary education now more expensive than university education

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Secondary education now more expensive than university education

Gift Gwindingwe

With the cost of living soaring almost daily and the majority of the population redundant, education has become one of the dearest forms of investment to have burdened the common man. With the cost of living sky rocketing and going beyond the reach of many, educational resources such as books, uniforms and fees are becoming too dear to secure for the generality.
Most boarding schools this year are charging between $800-00 and $1200-00 termly in fees. Working with the maximum, it means $1200-00 x 3 =$3600-00 yearly. This is minus uniform fee for form ones which ranges between $300-00 and $500-00. On top of that, most boarding schools create monthly visits where parents/guardians visit their children with groceries purportedly to supplement boarding food. Translated to monetary value these visits cost not less than $300-00 monthly including transport: $300-00 x 3 = $900-00 termly. Multiplied by 3 it gives $2700-00 yearly. $2700-00 in food plus $3600-00 in fees gives a parent a maximum bill of $6300-00 per annum.
Upon graduating after Advanced level, the child proceeds to University to undertake advanced academic and/or professional qualifications. A university has two semesters. At $700-00 at most for an undergraduate per semester, the tuition translates to $1400-00 per year. Food and accommodation added, the student ends up paying between $2000-00 and $2500-00 per annum.
A master’s student pays nearly $100-00 per semester which translates to $2000-00 per year. Even if the cost of other resources such as lap tops (which are bought at the beginning of the first semester first year), at colleges/universities, the high school learners bear a heavier weight than a master’s student. The university student is likely to bear a cost of $3000-00 yearly, all other resources considered.
Considering the above estimate figures ($6300-00 yearly for a form 1 learner and $3000-00 yearly for a masters student), the agonizing conclusion is that it takes two masters students to equate with one form 1 learner at an ordinary boarding school.
Now many questions abound! The tenacity of the fact is that well begun is half done. A well catered for learner is likely to begin well and end highly. This ideal, juxtaposed with the harsh realities of the economy, makes one wonder how the struggling parent community should fairly provide for their loved children. What then does it mean? Is it a re-invented bottle-necking system whereby those who cannot afford quality secondary education should go for quantity but under-provided upper top education? How will learners meet and compete favourably at the apex when their bases are that different?
Or, another unfavourable but fundamental question: which charges are favourable and upon which benchmark?
Many questions of similar nature point to the priorities that our ministers in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education have been taking: an imbalanced grooming of learners. It has always been baffling the mind! Let us reminisce from as close back as the Chigwedere era: school uniforms! That is what we remember him most for! How did this thrust on similar school uniforms aim to balance the exposure of learners to same or equal education facilities? Now, so recent is the new/updated curriculum. The tasks and projects can well be remembered for choking learners more than they enlightened them!
The most basic point is access. Access is made possible through some of the resources like fees. Affordability of education the base is what is basic.

The writer is a school head and PhD candidate.

Chombwe water scheme to be resuscitated

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Chombwe water scheme to be resuscitated

…project first in line to receive devolution funds

CHIVI – The Chombwe piped water project which stopped working in 2008 will soon be resuscitated for the benefit of thousands of families in the semi-arid Chivi district, it has been learnt.
Many people took part in a recent tour of the Tokwe weir in Tugwane River and the Chombwe Hill which hosts the storage tanks.
The people who took part in the tour include the Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs; Ezra Chadzamira, Chivi RDC chairperson Godfrey Mukungunugwa, Chivi North MP Matthias Tongofa as well as representatives from the District Development Fund (DDF) and Rural Electrification Agency REA (Rea).
Traditional leaders including Chief Chivi, Chief Nemauzhe and Headman Madyangove also graced the occasion.
The purpose of the tour was to get an fuller appreciation of the massive water project that was built in 1972 and served around 10 000 families with potable water until it stopped working 11 years ago due to many factors including mismanagement.
Stakeholders now agree that the project has to be urgently brought back to life and expanded so that it can supply 6 000 more families across wards 6,7, 9, 12 and 30 with water to drink and to start projects.
Speaking at the event, Chadzamira said the project will be the first beneficiary of government’s $31 million devolution budgetary allocation for Masvingo province.
“Chivi is the first district to come up with a livelihoods project this year. Other districts are still struggling to identify their own so I say well done to Chivi. Chombwe will receive part of the devolution money and I am pleased because the rural district council has also set aside $160 000 for this project. MPs will contribute through their Constituency Development Fund (CDF). We have to agree on the timelines so that this plan does not fail. I want to come back and commission this project in a few months’ time,” said Chadzamira.
He praised Mukungunugwa for identifying the project, saying the Muzhwi-Mushandike Canal will also benefit from the money, while the Lands department will identify suitable places to set-up new irrigation schemes.
Headman Madyangove, who stood up to speak on behalf of Chief Chivi, said he was pleased by the prospect of clean piped water making its way into the area once again.
“People and animals here desperately need water. I am happy water is coming and I hope this will not be empty talk. The people want action; all the important people I see here give me confidence that the work will be done. I thank the leadership of the province and the district for working together in this project.
“I also want to urge people to look after public property. There is no gain in breaking pipes and stealing parts. This is our project which we must protect,” he said.
In his remarks, Mukungunugwa said he was humbled by the response the project had received from many important officeholders.
“This is a first for us as Chivi district. The project has received endorsement from all the relevant offices and it is up to all of us to work together to make it a success. There is no other way for us; drilling boreholes is a waste of resources because few places have enough underground water to last us a season,” said Mukungunugwa.
The project, which was initiated in the early 1970s by then Headman Madyangove; Zishe Kranos Nyambi with the help of development partners, draws water from Tugwi River and the pipes run to outlying areas across a distance of around 30km via Chombwe Hill.

Zanu PF youths force down bread price

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Zanu PF youths force down bread price

Upenyu Chaota


MASVINGO – Shop owners last week went into an overdrive raising the price of bread from $1.50 to between $3 and $4 even though the wholesale price had not changed, prompting the Zanu PF youth league led by provincial chairperson Brian Munyoro to intervene and force the prices down.
The shortage of bread has seen many shop owners at Sisk business centre and at Mucheke Bus Terminus cashing in on the crisis by charging exorbitant prices.
 Baker’s Inn regional manager Admire Vhoko said the price hikes were mind boggling.
Members of the Zanu PF youth league took it upon themselves and engaged Vhoko who told them that their recommended retail price remained unchanged.
They then took Vhoko to Sisk and to the shops at the bus terminus where they forced shops to reduce the price of Baker’s Inn bread, much to the delight of ordinary people who also felt the price hikes were unjustified.
Munyoro said some shop owners were trying to sabotage President Emmerson Mnangagwa by unnecessarily hiking prices to make people angry and revolt against Zanu PF.
“The youth league is the last line of defence and we will rise to the occasion when we see selfish people trying to go against our party. We will not tolerate that and this is why we have decided to rescue our people from these saboteurs.
“We are not trying to control prices but we are doing the right thing because there was an outcry by our people caused due to commercial greed.
“How can a loaf, which has a recommended retail price of $1.50 be sold at $4? That is pure day light robbery and it should stop forthwith,” said Munyoro.
The provincial youth league boss also took time to address shoppers that if the price of bread is hiked they should report to the police.
“The situation in the country is tense and someone wakes up and think of adding fuel to the fire while we are busy working to find a solution to the crisis. The President made it clear that all economic saboteurs will be dealt with and we have taken the first step,” said Munyoro.
Zanu PF national youth league boss Pupurai Togarepi once said his youths were under an instruction to confiscate all overpriced goods from all shops.

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