Professor Obert Maravanyika

Upenyu Chaota

After the departure of Vice Chancellor Professor Wiseman Magwa in November last year, the Reformed Church University (RCU) began the hunt for his replacement and it came in the form of Professor Obert Maravanyika— an academic luminary, renowned researcher and experienced administrator.
Prof Maravanyika has been associated with RCU from its formative stages in the early 1990s to the present and he was the chairperson of the University Foundation Committee for many years and a member of its first council.
The new RCU Vice Chancellor will be mandated with providing institutional leadership and oversight, developing and driving the vision, mission, and strategy of the university as well as acting as chief its advocate and principal ambassador.
RCU Chancellor Reverend Dr Rangarirai Rutoro said Prof Maravanyika has been the second substantive RCU Vice Chancellor with effect from August 01, 2018.
“On behalf of the church, I would like to welcome the new Vice Chancellor, Professor Maravanyika. As the responsible authority, we look forward to the growth and sustainability of the university,” said Rev Rutoro.
Prof Maravanyika is a holder of a PhD in Curriculum Analysis from the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) and a full professor.
He started his full university career as a junior lecturer at the same university in 1979 and worked his way through the ranks to Associate Professor from 1992 to 2012 and then Full Professor from 2012 to present.
In university administration, Prof Maravanyika was a department chairperson at UZ from 1982 to 1986. He was acting Pro Vice Chancellor at UZ from 1999 to 2002.
He was Acting Vice Chancellor at the then Masvingo State University (MASU) from 2002 to 2005 and Vice Chancellor at Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) from 2005 to 2012.
Prof Maravanyika said was ready to roll and will work towards creating an institution that is research-driven and one that promotes commercialisation, industrialisation and enterprise development in the curriculum for life skills development and entrepreneurship.
“We will work towards the creation of a curriculum that scratches where it itches, where programmes are geared towards exploring real life problems of the common folk with a view of lessening the burden of rural chores especially for women,” said Prof Maravanyika.education

Two biological sisters Alice Murimirwi (51) of Nowood Village Chatsworth and Gladies Murimirwi (35) of Swaaveden village, also in Chatsworth, were ordered to pay US$50 fine each by magistrate Victor Mahamadi last week after they were arrested for fighting over a boyfriend.
It was the State's case as presented by Millicent Azangwe that on August 09 this year at around 14:00hrs, Alice went to Gladies’ homestead and found her sleeping outside her bedroom.
Alice then sat on Gladies and slapped her several times on her face accusing her of being in love with her boyfriend.
Gladies overpowered Alice and managed to free herself and stood up but Alice pushed her down and plucked Gladies’s braids off from her head.
Gladies went on to  bite Alice on her left breast and she sustained a wound.
The two were refrained by their sister Marry Murimirwi who was passing by.
Being asked why she committed the offence, Alice said that she thought she was disciplining a wayward sibling.
 ''Since I am older than her, I was just disciplining her I did not know that I am committing an offence,” said Alice.local

Emmerson Mnangagwa

Upenyu Chaota

While some people are still struggling to come to terms with the reality that Zanu PF will be in charge for the next five years, reality has since dawned on many others and all eyes are now fixated on the new cabinet which President Mnangagwa will choose to run his government.
The Vice Presidents and parliamentarians have been sworn in amid general consensus from both Zanu PF and opposition that the country is on the brink and would need a fresh cabinet that inspires confidence, not the same old, inept deadwood.
President Mnangagwa’s first undoing was the reappointment of his old deputies whom many had hoped would be reassigned.
Comradeship seems to have influenced Mnangagwa’s decision on his deputies and that has already caused doubts on many who dream of an economic turn-around.
Sources close to the developments say each province will get at least one minister but Mnangagwa has a big pool of candidates to choose from.
“The President has a lot of people whom he is indebted to but not all of them will be rewarded with ministries.
“The plan is to at least give each province a ministry. Other provinces may get two or more but every province has to be represented. The President has to balance between his cronies and the economy.
“He needs a cabinet that inspires confidence while, at the same time, not disappointing his allies,” said the source.
The source said Masvingo was the most troublesome province for Mnangagwa as it houses many people who stood by him during trying times.
“Masvingo has a lot of loyal people who qualify for cabinet posts but most of them do not inspire the much needed confidence. The likes of Lovemore Matuke, Josaya Hungwe, Pupurai Togarepi, Engelbert Rugeje, Winston Chitando, Amon Murwira, Johnson Madhuku and Davison Marapira among others are potential cabinet ministers,” revealed the source.
TellZim News established that Marapira, Chitando and Murwira are the top names to hit Mnangagwa’s cabinet list from Masvingo while Madhuku has been short listed for a deputy minister position.
Political analyst and Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) lecturer Davidson Mabweazara Mugodzwa said Mnangagwa will not rush to announce his cabinet any time soon despite the pressure he is getting from the military.
“Let us wait and see but I do not think he will announce the cabinet any time soon. He is leaving room for negotiation. No one in Zanu PF inspires the much-needed confidence and Mnangagwa in his wisdom knows that.
“The economy has already begun to show signs of negative reaction to Zanu PF so let us wait and see where it will all lead to,” said Mugodzwa.top news

Josaya Hungwe

…Matuke tipped for provincial chairperson post

Upenyu Chaota

The coming in of provincial councils spells an end to offices of ministers of state for provincial affairs, with Masvingo’s Josaya Hungwe – who in May pledged to retire after the July elections only to later make an about turn saying he was joking – facing drastically reduced influence as he is likely to be relegated to being a mere member of a large provincial council.
Provincial councils are established in terms of Chapter 168 of the Constitution and the current set-up of provincial affairs ministers that former president Robert Mugabe stubbornly perpetuated was illegal.
The provincial council will have a chairperson who will be the most powerful person in the province and will have to be voted for.
Masvingo has 10 provincial council members dominated by Zanu PF after the party won 25 out of the 26 parliamentary seats.
Winnie Tafirenyika, Kudzai Mashingaidze, Enita Maziriri, Rennias Muchoko, Rosemary Maswa, Phainos Makwarimba, Chiedza Kuwanda – all from Zanu PF – and Sarah Mwatenga, Muranganwa Chanyawu, Thokozile Mazivoreva from MDC Alliance make up the provincial council.
Senators also constitute the provincial council and in the case of Masvingo, Ottilia Maluleke, Lovemore Matuke, Clara Shumba and Hungwe – a from Zanu PF – and Esnath Rwambirwa and Tichinani Mavetera from MDC Alliance will also be members.
All members of parliament in the province will also be part of the provincial council as well as two chiefs who are members of the senate.
At its first sitting after every general election, the provincial council must elect a chairperson from a list of at least two qualified persons submitted by a political party which gained the highest number of parliamentary seats in the province.
A person qualifies to be a provincial council chairperson if they are qualified to be elected as members of the senate.
Having been at the helm of power in Masvingo province, Hungwe finds himself in a tight spot as his chances of being elected chairperson of the provincial council are slim.
In the provincial council, Hungwe is likely to be a mere member without much influence as he once possessed when he was Minister of State.
Having played a critical role in the reinstatement of President Mnangagwa after he was booted out in November last year, outgoing party chief whip Matuke will likely be rewarded for his loyalty by being given the post of provincial council chairperson.politics

Martin Mureri

The Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Alliance (Murra) recently made an urgent High Court application for an order compelling Masvingo City Council to quickly restore water to all areas that have not had the service or have had erratic supplies since August 22.
The case, in which Murra and Anoziva Muguti were the first and second applicants respectively, while City of Masvingo cited as the sole respondent, was heard by Justice Joseph Mafusire on Tuesday.
Murra was being represented by Martin Mureri while City of Masvingo was represented by Jackson Mupoperi.
The parties were ordered to reach a settlement out of court that will see an equitable distribution of the available little water until normal supplies are restored.
On Wednesday, the parties met and agreed on a water rationing regime until the broken down pumps are repaired and reinstalled.
They agreed that Jojo tanks be installed in various places to complement the bowsers that are currently being used in other areas.
They also agreed that the water which is currently being rationed to the residents should be doubled.
Muguti told TellZim News said the applicants will actively make follow ups on the agreement to make sure that the council met its side of the bargain.
 “We are happy with the development because council has committed itself to avail water as per our agreement. What we now want is for them to follow the schedule religiously so that we are convinced that whatever we discussed and agreed upon is done in good faith,” said Muguti.
Residents of some suburbs have bitterly complained that their areas were not receiving a fair share of the available water.
On Sunday, August 26, City of Masvingo released a statement, signed by outgoing town clerk Adolf Gusha, attributing faults on its pumping equipment at Bushmead waterworks as the cause for the crisis.
“The City is seized with carrying out repairs to the equipment that has been taken to Harare. While every effort is being made to expedite the repairs, we are unable to give a date when supplies will resume at full capacity,” part of the statement reads.
On Sunday, September 02, Gusha released another statement which partly reads: The City managed to send the pump to Harare for repairs. After completing the stripping of the pump, a quotation for the repairs was generated and received on the 29th of August. Payment was made the following day. The repairers have advised that they require 7-10 working days to return the pump to service, and therefore, including collection and installation, the earliest that the city can resume full capacity pumping is Saturday, 8th September, 2018.
The crisis has since sparked fears of a cholera and/or typhoid outbreak similar to that which recently hit Gweru though a suspected typhoid case reported last week tested negative, according to Masvingo provincial medical director, Dr Amadeus Shamu.local

Ndeya Nyede

ZAKA – The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) Jerera depot manager Wellington Shumba was recently summoned by the District Administrator (DA) Ndeya Nyede following a public outcry over alleged corruption at the depot.
Many farmers intending to sell their produce to the State-owned grain buyer have been complaining that they face severe difficulties being served unless they paid bribes to senior official at the depot.
The complained of unnecessary delays that were deliberately being done to frustrate them so that they could pay bribes for the process to being expedited.
TellZim News first reported about the issue a few weeks ago and later gathered that Nyede had then called Shumba to his office to discuss the matter and many more issues that had arisen.
When contacted for comment, Nyede confirmed meeting Shumba over the issue but added that meetings were a regular thing between them.
“We do regular meetings with the manager. I called him after the issue was raised and he told me his side of the story and everything is going on well now. People tend to think that some of the delays they experience are deliberate and malicious, but power cuts also cause delays there,” said Nyede.
“Because of the good prices that GMB is offering this year, some people are bringing last year’s grains most of which, unfortunately, fail the quality tests leading to the farmers being turned away,” he added.
Inside sources, however, maintained that bribes were being demanded by a coterie of corrupt officials who would then direct that only those who complied with the bribery terms and conditions be served expeditiously. The sources also said the power cuts argument did not hold water as there were generators on standby.
When Shumba was contacted for comment when TellZim News first wrote about the issue, he refused to comment saying all communication matters were handled in Harare.
Repeated efforts to get his comment this time around also failed as he neither picked nor returned the calls.
It was, however, learnt that the depot was recently involved in more controversy after initially refusing to release some inputs of the Presidential Input Scheme to farmers outside of such irrigation schemes as Fuwe-Panganai.
Sources said senior management at the GMB depot thought it was a waste of resources to give the inputs to farmers who practiced rain-fed agriculture.
Nyede, however, rubbished the allegations saying the scheme was benefitting all farmers in a fair manner.
“The Presidential Input Scheme and the Command Agriculture inputs distribution is being done fairly. We did wards five and nine before breaking for the elections but we are now carrying on with the work,” said Nyede.local