Beatific Gumbwanda

CHIREDZI – The government has urged Tongaat Hulett Zimbabwe to give its employees fair remuneration and improve their living conditions so as to improve productivity and achieve cohesion, the government has said.
Addressing sugarcane workers at Gibbo Stadium in Triangle last week, the Minister of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement, Rtd Air Marshal Perence Shiri said the salaries being received by sugarcane workers were low and their living conditions were ‘pathetic’.
Zimbabwe Sugar Milling Workers Union (ZSMIWU) had invited Vice President Constantino Chiwenga to address employees but it was Shiri who was then sent to represent him.
“Government is of the knowledge that we have sugar plantations here in Chiredzi with a lot of workers and it is our desire to see to it that that the workers’ wages and living conditions are upgraded.
“We should set the best practices when it comes to taking care of our workers so that other countries in the region can emulate us. If we give a good remuneration to our workers, they will work harder and the company will realise more profits,” said Shiri.
He also said his ministry had received a paper from the sugar company on what can be done to avoid retrenchments.
“We are engaging their management and it is government desire that the company grows so that they will employ more people instead of retrenching. We want local companies to grow bigger than they currently are,” said Shiri.local

Beaula Shambambeva

Brighton Chiseva

ZAKA – Former acting Zaka District Schools Inspector (DSI) Beaula Shambambeva collapsed and died on Sunday, August 05, evening at her rural home at Jerera growth point.
Efforts to get a comment from current DSI, Samson Chidzurira were futile as his phone went unanswered.
Provincial Education Director (PED), Zedius Chitiga, however, confirmed the matter saying he had just received the sad news.
Chitiga said he was also shocked by Shambambeva’s death, saying she had shown no signs of illness when he last met her some few days ago.
“I received the shocking news this morning (Monday) that Mrs Shambambeva collapsed last night. We heard that she was rushed to hospital where she was pronounced dead upon arrival,” said Chitiga.
Other sources said Shambambeva was busy doing her laundry with her daughter watching news on TV when she collapsed.
Shambabeva was the acting DSI for Zaka since 2016 following the transfer of James Mahofa to Gutu. She only left the post a few weeks ago following the appointment of Chidzurira as substantive DSI.
Shambambeva was due to be buried at her homestead in Mahusekwa, Marondera on Thursday, August 9.local

Precila Takabvirakare

MPANDAWANA – Tazvivinga Mapanzure (26) of Masunda village under chief Nyamandi has appeared in the Gutu magistrate court facing the charges of raping a 14-year-old girl.
He was charged for contravening Section 65(1) of The Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 ‘rape’.
Mapanzure was remanded in custody to August 21 and ordered to undergo mental examination by two doctors.
State facts as presented by Millicent Azangwe are that on July 27, Mapanzure was on his way from Nyamandi business centre when he met the girl.
He greeted her and proposed love to her but she turned down the proposal and he did not take it kindly.
He then tripped the girl to the ground, removed her skin tight and pant, dropped his trousers to knee level and had sexual intercourse with her twice without her consent.
After the incident, the girl went home and disclosed the matter to her parents who then accompanied her to the police to make a report, leading to Mapanzure’s arrest.
When asked by magistrate Victor Mahamadi why he committed the offence, Mapanzure said he did not know what had come over him, adding he suspected he was under the influence of evil spirits.
“I do not know what had come over me. Maybe I was possessed by evil spirits. Soon after the committing the offence, I was even shocked by it myself,” said Mapanzure.

Brighton Chiseva

MASVINGO – The Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) on August 08 handed over a four lecture room block to the Reformed Church University (RCU) to mark the launch of its 2018 defence forces community assistance week.
The guest of honour at the handover ceremony, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said the construction of the block was in fulfilment of ZDF’s constitutional mandate of providing military aid to communities.
“The construction of this block is indeed a clear testimony of mutual co-operation as well as unity of purpose between ZDF and RCU. The new block is expected to improve the quality of education for all students who will have the opportunity to pass through this university,” said Chiwenga.
He also said the ZDF was carrying out a number of similar projects around the country, adding that the gesture demonstrated the organisation’s support and unquestionable commitment to programmes that advance the country’s interests.
The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Development, Professor Amon Murwira said the gesture was a fulfilment of the ministry’s three main pillars.
“We have three main pillars in education namely good teachers, physical infrastructure and good programmes and we accept your gift since it is one of the pillars aimed at improving our country,” said Murwira.
RCU chancellor, Rev Dr Rangarirai Rutoro echoed the same sentiments and thanked ZDF, saying the university appreciated the collective efforts of the church and the armed forces in furthering education development.
Speaking at the same event, ZDF commander, General Philip Valerio Sibanda said the organisation was ready to send artisans to assist where ever needed.
“You need to make sure that all the required resources and labour are available so that the artisans will not spend much time on a single project,” said Sibanda.
Also present was Air Marshal Elson Moyo, Commander ZNA; Lt Gen Edzai Chimonyo, several Members of Parliament (MPS) and traditional leaders.education

Advocate Mpofu addresses journalists during  a press conferance at his law chambers in Harare. Standing behind him is Chamisa's spokesperson, Dr Nkululeko Sibanda

Shingirai Vambe

HARARE – Advocate Thabani Mpofu on behalf of the MDC Alliance presidential candidate, Nelson Chamisa told journalist yesterday, August 08, said President Emmerson Mnangagwa will not be inaugurated before the finalisation of the opposition coalition’s court challenge.
Speaking at a press conference in the capital, Mpofu said the opposition had filed their court application against Mnangagwa’s ‘fraudulent’ victory.
He said they were still within the constitutional time frame needed to challenge the results of the presidential election in court, dismissing indications from government that the inauguration will be held on August 12.
“I am here representing Nelson Chamisa and we have filed our application against the presidential results and this is the evidence (waving a bunch of papers) which shows beyond any reasonable doubt that Chamisa won the elections.
“We cannot, however, put too much weight in our judicial system; it is just the procedure and we will follow it. Yes they have set the date for the inauguration, but it is the court process first then the inauguration later,” Mpofu said.
He also spoke on intimidation that he and other people in the opposition were facing every day in their efforts to defend the vote.
“We will stand for the truth even in the prison cell and on the death bed. We have the evidence that they don’t want to be known. That is why we are being arrested,” Mpofu said.
Meanwhile the MDC Alliance principal and newly-elected MP for Harare East, Tendai Biti has been denied asylum in Zambia where he escaped on Wednesday fearing for his life.
His fate was not yet clear by the time of going to print, with many legal gurus saying international statutes on the rights of refugees and asylum seeker did not allow Zambia to send him back to Zimbabwe. At worst, it was argued, Zambia was expected to allow Biti to choose another country where he wanted to go, rather than hand him over to the same authorities persecuting him.
A video of Biti being roughed up by a mob at Chirundu border post circulated widely on social media, drawing condemnation from many people who felt the former Finance minister had done nothing wrong to deserve such kind of humiliation.
“We are being intimidated; we are being followed around and some are being raided at their places of aboard. We cannot report this to the police as they are the same authorities who are also behind our necks,” Mpofu said.local

Darlington Kanyongo

ZVISHAVANE – Crispen Matongo (33) has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by magistrate Archie Wochiunga after stealing an ox from an 80 year old man.
Matongo was charged for contravening Section 134 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act which defines stock theft.
It was the State’s case that on May 22 this year, Matongo stole an oxen belonging to Muchengete Svusvu (80) of Mhondongori village under Chief Wedza in Zvishavane.
The incident happened in the Mhondongori grazing area near Mimosa Mine where headman Luckson Sibanda was herding cattle.
The headman fell asleep and his cattle went astray.
Matongo together with his accomplices found Svusvu’s ox and slaughtered it before loading the meat onto a Toyota FunCargo vehicle leaving behind the head and carcass.
The remains were discovered the following day and a police report was made.
Matongo then approached Esau Gwatipedza who owns a butchery at Escro Shopping Centre to arrange for storage of the meat as he sought for customers.
Dube informed the police leading to Matongo’s arrest.local

Hubert Fidze

Adolf Gusha

Moses Ziyambi

City of Masvingo town clerk, Adolf Gusha is stepping down at the end of this month, bringing to an end his 31-year-old date with the council.
Gusha confirmed that he was leaving his job after reaching the legal age of retirement.
“I will be leaving at the end of August to go and rest. I have reached 65 years and I have played my part. It is time to go home and rest,” said Gusha
Gusha joined the municipality in 1987, and served in various capacities before being appointed substantive town clerk in 2004.
Before joining Masvingo town council, he worked for Shurugwi Rural District Council and for the Ministry of Local Government.
His record as the topmost council manager in Masvingo was marked by both ups and downs; many will remember his runs-in with former executive mayor, the late Alois Chaimiti in 2007 and 2008.
He won the city many service delivery awards but was also there when former employees left the council destitute after a costly legal suit for unpaid wages. The legal wrangle resulted in all council vehicles getting attached in 2011.
Gusha, however, presided over a remarkable recapitalisation drive which saw the council buying new service vehicles altogether.
The introduction of a roads levy in 2015 drew the indignation of many residents, but it seems the idea has paid off, with the city last year commissioning its own fleet of earth moving equipment needed for roadworks.
Gusha will mostly be remembered probably for leaving behind a city that boasts arguably the cleanest municipal water in the country.
The city recorded few, if any, incidences of cholera in 2008, at a time when thousands were dying of the waterborne diseases in other urban areas.
He also leaves behind a city with a few hundred people on the official housing waiting list, as thousands of home-seekers of yesteryear are now accommodated in the sprawling new suburb of Victoria Ranch.
Gusha, however, also leaves behind decaying pipes and deep trenches of the botched Mucheke Trunk Sewer project which has cost the ratepayer millions of dollars yet with nothing to show of it.local

Elizabeth Gwatipedza

…many more admitted at hospital

Tinaani Nyabereka

GWERU – There is an outbreak of typhoid in Mkoba, with three people reportedly having died of the waterborne disease by Tuesday, while many others were admitted at Gweru General Hospital by the time of writing.
The outbreak has affected Mkoba 15, 18 and 20 with people in those areas suffering the symptoms after drinking contaminated water.
City of Gweru town clerk, Elizabeth Gwatipedza said the municipality had already declared the outbreak, adding that work was being done to establish the source.
“Yes there has been an outbreak of typhoid in Mkoba 15, 18 and 20 but residents are advised that municipal water is safe to drink. Indications at the moment are that only borehole and well water is contaminated.
“Our valued rate payers, clients and stakeholders are encouraged to desist from using water from the boreholes and wells as it is contaminated. If they decide to use such water, they should then observe all the requisite rules of hygiene,” said Gwatipedza.
Meanwhile a treatment camp has been established at Mkoba 1 Clinic to decongest Midlands Private Hospital and Gweru General Hospital.
Gwatipedza said council had also established teams to raise awareness as investigations continued.
Gweru Residents Forum director, Charles Mazorodze blamed the outbreak on poor sanitation in the city.
“We are deeply disturbed by all this. The affected areas have had perennial water shortages dating back 15 years and council has not done anything concrete to solve the problem.
“They should prioritise investment in water services infrastructure so that we can end this problem once and for all,” said Mazorodze.
A concerned Mkoba 20 resident said she felt not safe as the underlining causes of the outbreak have been there for a long time.
“We are not happy at all as residents because we now fear for our lives and the lives of our children. We cannot depend on council water anymore. As I speak right now, there are three boys who died yesterday after drinking this water,” she said.local