Residents of Chivi growth point have welcomed the surfacing of some of the roads at the growth point saying it was a welcome development which was long overdue.
Surfacing of the main roads at the growth point, which is being carried out by George Dadirai Kembo Construction of Harare, started in May with construction work expected to be complete by the end of the year.
Lloyd Mufudza, a resident, said the surfacing of the roads was expected to improve the flow of traffic as well as reduce dust emissions from the road surface.
"For a long time, people drove and parked wherever they wished and the surfacing of the roads will clearly define where drivers should drive and park their vehicles.
"The dusty conditions that have always caused various problems for the people, especially market stall holders, will hopefully be reduced," Mufudza said.
Ishmael Ndabambi, a motorist, said roads at the growth point had always been a cause for concern, particularly during the rainy season.
"The roads were all riddled with potholes which held a lot of water during the rainy season. This generally resulted in muddy conditions and driving was a nightmare," said Ndabambi.
However, the general public were dismayed that some motorists were already driving along the road surfaces which were still under construction.
"The road surfaces have been compacted and are awaiting completion yet some motorists are removing the barricades that have been put in place by the contractor and driving along the roads thereby loosening the gravel,” one resident said.local
Chivi RDC in road surfacing drive
NACZ engages Masvingo artists on how to grow industry
The new director of arts in the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ), Nicholas Moyo last week, October 04, visited Masvingo for two hours of face-to-face interaction with local artists at Charles Austin Theatre.
Moyo’s visit was part of a tour of all provinces of Zimbabwe for similar activities of fact finding through interaction with performing, literary, filming and visual artists.
The objective was also centred on learning what stakeholders expected from NACZ, share notes and exchange ideas that will then be channeled to the parent ministry.
Part of the discussions were on how the arts and culture sector can be supported and made to grow for it to contribute more meaningfully to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
There were also words of guidance on the route to follow for artists to be registered with NACZ and get licences that allow them to import equipment duty free.
Currently, artists are paying exorbitant amounts to get equipment from such countries as South Africa and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Some artists called for an audit of derelict facilities and performance centres so that a way to revitalise them could be found.
“I would want you to make an audit on all dysfunctional facilities such as community halls and performance spaces so that we revive them and turn them to creative hubs. I will link up with the National Arts Gallery of Zimbabwe so that as Masvingo, you can have your own gallery where you will display your works of art,” said Moyo.
He challenged artists to be innovative and accept changes, saying in every artistic activity, there was a chance of making a good living. He also said what was needed was quality production among other things.
NACZ Masvingo provincial arts manager, Helen Mudefi later told TellZim News that she was happy to see such critical stakeholders in the arts industry coming together to discuss issues of common interest.
She said she was looking forward to seeing artists coming to register their associations and regularise their acts in order to have access to funds and to benefit from all NACZ programmes.arts
MDC Alliance cllrs lament partisan distribution of inputs in Zaka
File picture
Brighton Chiseva
ZAKA – MDC Alliance councillors in Zaka district have lamented their exclusion in the distribution of farming inputs under the presidential input scheme saying their roles were being overtaken by Zanu PF chairpersons who were directing the distribution.
Ward 11 councillor Elias Mawoneke confirmed the development and said in his ward Zanu PF chairman Kefas Guyo is acting as the councillor and is responsible for input distribution.
“The councillor plays a civic role and is the one who should compile the names of people who are in need in the ward.
“This will be done outside party lines but the situation on the ground is that Zanu PF has taken over in wards won by the opposition while in wards they won, their councillors do everything,” said Mawoneke.
Peter Imbayarwo, Ward 19 councillor, also expressed concern saying only Zanu PF people are benefiting under the presidential input scheme.
“Many people who voted for the opposition come to us complaining that they are being side lined whenever food aid comes. As a voted official, it would be prudent to let all the development come through me so that all people benefit but that is not the case here,” said Imbayarwo.
“In other wards, our Zanu PF counterparts are responsible for everything but we are not consulted when the distribution is done,” said Imbayarwo.
Zaka District Administrator (DA) Ndeya Nyede rubbished the allegations saying the distribution was done by Agritex Extension workers and the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) workers not councillors and said it was being done partially.
“Councillors are not responsible for distributing inputs, it is the work of Agritex officers together with the GMB staff. Councillors are there to mobilise people only not distributing the inputs.
“We had a problem with other councillors who want to be directly involved and I heard that report in Ward 19. However, I have talked with other councillors even from the opposition and everything is now being done smoothly,” said Nyede.
Out of the 34 wards in the district, MDC alliance has three councillors Imbayarwo, Mawoneke and Lawrence Jengeta of Ward 22.local
‘We want our vehicle back’
File picture
…residents demand back council vehicle ‘irregularly’ sold to former town chair
Beatific Gumbwanda
Residents have attacked Chiredzi Town Council for approving the sale of a council Toyota Hilux D4D twin cab to former council chairperson Francis Moyo at a loss when the authority is struggling to raise money to improve service delivery.
New town chairperson, Gibson Hwende recetly called for a stakeholder meeting with residents’ organisations, business people and public transport operators in the council boardroom where complaints over the decision were heard.
Speaking during the stakeholder meeting, United Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association (Uchrra) secretary general, Bernard Dhachi blamed council management for failing to protect residents against the ‘self-serving’ decisions of the previous council.
“Residents are complaining over a missing council vehicle registration Number ACO 5921 which we think was given to the former town chairman, Francis Moyo. We demand that the letter which purportedly came from (Local Government) minister July Moyo authorising the sale be read in public. We also demand that the current council makes a resolution to bring the vehicle back,” said Dhachi.
Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association (Chirra) chairperson, Jonathan Muusha also weighed in saying he was prepared to talk to Minister Moyo against the decision.
“I am willing to square off with Minister Moyo concerning the issue of this vehicle. We cannot afford to give away vehicles while we are struggling to make Chiredzi sound. We are currently facing water challenges, meaning we cannot afford to let such an important asset go for no benefit,” said Muusha.
Chiredzi Business Community chairperson, Edmore Makovere said the decision was passed in late July when the nation was busy with elections therefore the new town chairperson should write to the minister requesting that the car be turned back.
“This makes us lose confidence in our council. That circular was supposed to be read to stakeholders before the vehicle had already been issued out. Let’s write to the minister so that the resolution can be reversed because currently, the new chairman is using his own vehicle while other councillors are also struggling,” said Makovere.
The vehicle was sold for around US$5000 after being serviced for US$20 000.local
Losing NPF Chiredzi North candidate corroborates ‘sugarcane voters’ theory
Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI– Losing Chiredzi North constituency National Patriotic Front (NPF) parliamentary candidate in the July 30 harmonised elections, Joseph Chiturumani says he is yet to know the actual number of votes cast for him.
In an interview with TellZim News, Chiturumani alleged there was collusion between Zanu PF and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to rig result in the constituency.
He said his agents, as well as those from the MDC Alliance were chased from more than 10 polling stations and he was also forbidden to verify results before signing for them.
Chiredzi North, with almost 45 000 registered voters, recorded a massive vote for Zanu PF, with its candidate Roy Bila eventually winning the seat against Chiturumani and Faith Machiva of the Zimbabwe Partnership for Prosperity (Zipp). MDC Alliance failed to field a candidate in the constituency.
Chiturumani blames ZEC district officer, Hendrina Mukuvare for working in cahoots with Zanu PF to rig an election in Chiredzi North as they failed to deliver names of their agents to polling stations in time, which led some of their agents to be chased away from polling stations, leaving only Zanu PF agents and election officials.
“Most of our agents were sent away from polling stations by presiding officers who said their names had not been submitted but that was not true. I submitted their names on the same day that Zanu PF submitted its own list of polling agents.
“I even contacted district Zec officer, Hendrina Mukuvare who then referred me to Mai Njitimani, who was the chief elections officer for Chiredzi North but she was not even helpful at all,” said Chiturumani.
He said he was denied an opportunity to verify the results before signing for them after being told that the law had changed.
“Presidential and MP results were just declared without us candidates being given a chance to verify them. We were ordered to simply sign for them after Zec officials said it was illegal for us to verify them. I did not see V11 forms from the 13 polling stations where our agents had been turned away.
“After voting day, I sent my people to check the results outside of the polling stations and they found that the results were not displayed outside of the polling stations as required by the law,” said Chiturumani.
When contacted for comment, Makuvare dismissed all the allegations, saying she even went out of her way to accommodate all candidates’ polling agents.
"There was no any agent who was chased away unless he failed to ferry them to their respective polling stations. That is a total lie, we submitted all agents’ names to command centres and we were even soft with them because according to the Electoral Act, agent names should be submitted three days before the election day but for the sake of transparency so we accepted even late comers.
“I even met one of his agents who was claiming his payment from us, meaning he did not even pay those agents," said Makuvare.politics
Zanu PF father threatens to disown MDC Alliance son
Nelson Chamisa
Cephas Shava
MWENEZI – A wedge has been put between father and son over different political views with the former, aligned to Zanu PF, threatening to disown his son who stood as an MDC Alliance council candidate in the July 30 polls.
Edison Mashavele is in a cat and mouse relationship with his son Felix who stood as Ward 7 council candidate for the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC Alliance.
Despite having lost the election to Zanu PF’s Killion Murabarari, Felix is living under constant threats from his father who has since threatened to disown him if he does not mend his ways.
Speaking to TellZim News, Felix said his father harasses him, demanding to know why he chose to support the MDC Alliance and not the ruling Zanu PF party.
“My father is a pastor at his church and has got a soft spot for Zanu PF. Besides the fact that elections are over, he is continuously moving around publicly denouncing me and my political party at almost every gathering.
“He is insisting that if I continue to support MDC Alliance he will take stern measures against me.
“My father is even vowing that very soon he will approach the police to deal with me over the matter. I am being haunted by my own father because of my political party,” said Felix.
Contacted for a comment, Edison refused to talk about the matter saying he does not talk to people he did not know.
“I do not know you so stop calling me. I have nothing to say to you,” said Edison before hanging up his phone.politics
MSU acapella artist inspired by mother’s love.
Batsirai Shasha
Rutendo Chitore
GWERU – A Midlands State University (MSU), Music Science student and his band have released their debut album which they say was inspired by the unconditional mother’s love.
Batsirai Shasha and his Royal Voices band came together long before entering university when they realised that they all shared similar tastes in music.
The album, titled First of Many, was released on Wednesday October 03 to much acclaim within the wide student fan base that the group has gained at the institution of higher learning.
In an interview with TellZim News, the upcoming artist said his acapella serenades were motivated by his mother’s unconditional love to sing acapella.
“My life experiences and the desire to appreciate my mother and all other mothers who are doing a great job of raising families inspired me to come up with a different approach to acapella. The music I sing is tribute to the invaluable role that a mother plays in the life of a child,” said Shasha.
The-22-year-old budding artist said the acapella group was formed during their high school days but they did not gain much popularity on the local music scene until he released his first commercial single titled Nguva Yenyasha which has been trending on local radio station, 98.4 FM.
Shasha, who is a Starbrite 2016 semi-finalist and talented instrumentalist, has released four singles in two months and will be part of the upcoming live jazz festival to held at Francoise in Harare on November 2018.entertainment
Trio beats man to death over missing radio
Tinaani Nyabereka.
GWERU – Three man from Gokwe were recently slapped with a six-year jail term each for man slaughter after they beat up an alleged radio thief to death at his homestead in Gokwe North.
Dzingai Mutonga (59), Reason Mutonga (33) and Elton Mabuto (45) pleaded guilty to charges of culpable homicide when they appeared before High Court judge, Justice Martin Makonese.
Justice Makonese suspended two years on each sentence on condition that the trio will not commit a similar crime for the next five years.
State facts as presented by state council Mirirai Shumba were that on November 8, 2017 at around 1100 hrs, the now deceased; Stephen Muzenda (33), of village 17B under Chief Chireya of Gokwe North was at home in a kitchen hut seated on a chair when the accused persons arrived.
The trio got into the hut and started accusing the deceased of stealing a radio set and an okapi knife belonging to one of them.
The deceased refuted the allegations whereupon they started assaulting him.
Mabuto kicked the deceased on the head with booted feet while Dzingai and Reason assaulted him with fists and booted feet all over the body.
Dzingai and Reason then armed themselves with logs that they used to beat the now deceased all over the body several times.
Mabuto also instructed the duo to beat the deceased below the buttocks.
The deceased started crying and the accused stopped the assault and left deceased person groaning in pain. The deceased sent one of his sons to look for assistance from one of the neighbours, Onias Muchowe, who came and found Muzenda already dead.
A police report was made leading to the arrest of the three accused persons. The body of the deceased was ferried to United Bulawayo Hospital for a post mortem.
The cause of the death was found to be asphyxia and Broncho aspiration damage due to severe assault.
The post mortem report was produced in court as exhibit.court
Sangoma kills woman in attempt to cure barrenness
File pic
Tinaani Nyabereka
GWERU- In a desperate attempt to conceive, a 20-year-old Gokwe woman died after consuming herbs given to her by a sangoma to cure her barrenness.
Atalia Ndlovu of Cripsen Ben village under Chief Mkoba in Manoti, Gokwe, went to consult a traditional healer in the company of her husband Morgan Ndlovu (30) seeking assistance to conceive after they had gone for years trying in vain.
The sangoma who was identified as Sigauke from Chipinge gave the now deceased a concoction mixture to supposedly make her conceive.
After taking the concoction, the now deceased started complaining of severe stomach pains and was given a glass of milk to try and neutralise the effects but it proved futile as she died before she could be rushed to the hospital.
The sangoma fled when he realised that something had gone wrong and the matter was reported to the police by the deceased’s husband at Manoti Police Station.
Acting provincial police spokesperson Inspector Ethel Mkwende said foul play was suspected on the incident but no arrests were made yet.
“Investigations are still ongoing and we are looking for Sigauke who is on the run. We are pleading with members of the public to come forward if they have any information regarding to the whereabouts of Sigauke.
“We urge members of the public to desist from visiting unqualified self-proclaimed health practitioners because when things go wrong, they will not be able to save the lives as was experienced in this case,” said Inspector Mkwende.
Lake October Fest on this weekend
Rudo 'Lulu' Shoko
The inaugural Lake October Festival begins this Friday (today) after several weeks of intense preparations by the organising committee and other stakeholders.
People gathered at New Urban Lifestyle Lodge in the evening of October 11 for the official launch of the fanfare which was graced by many people from the city.
The opening event of the festival is the Two Legends Concert to be headlined by Oliver ‘Tuku’ Mtukudzi on Friday October 19 at Caravan Park, followed by the various exciting activities on the shores of Lake Mutirikwi.
Speaking at the launch, October Festival management committee chairperson, Garikai Garande said the initiative could be a ground breaker in efforts to develop Masvingo’s full tourism potential if all people came to support.
“This is a deliberate plan to bring out the best that our province has to offer in tourism terms. There are so many areas of interest that need us the people of Masvingo to explore and develop for the good of our society. We have, therefore, come up with the October Festival initiative that we feel will give each and every one something exciting,” said Garande.
He said the Two Legends Concert, the half marathon on Saturday as well as other activities like the golf tournament at Masvingo Golf Club, beach ball games and other lake side activities were meant to entertain the people while raising funds for charity.
Garande thanked such corporates as N. Richards Group, Steward Bank, Econet Wireless for supporting the initiative.
Lake October Festival public relations manager, Rudo Lulu Shoko promised that all festival goers will have a nice time as wholesome activities were organized to suit the interests of everybody.
“The activities are meant to recreate the face of Masvingo as a place where people can come and enjoy the little spare time they might have. There will be activities for the whole family and a lot of people downstream will benefit from this charitable cause,” she said.
The launch was attended by many people including City of Masvingo mayor Collen Maboke and other council officials including former mayor Hubert Fidze, as well as staff from the office of the Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs Ezra Chadzamira.local