Cephas Shava

MWENEZI – A 22-year-old Mwenezi man paid a cow to his in-laws as part of his lobola obligations but later on returned to steal the same animal, the Mwenezi Magistrate Court recently heard.
Admire Magomana of Village 4 Flora under Chief Maranda was initially facing a charge of stock theft but due to circumstances that influenced his actions, the case was later altered to unauthorised borrowing.
He pleaded guilty to the offence and was sentenced to six months behind bars or to perform 350 hours of community service as an alternative.
The State’s case was that sometime early this year; Magomana paid part of his bride price in the form of a cow to his mother-in-law, Nolance Ndambani, who resides in the same village.
It was further heard that on August 3, Magomana went to the grazing lands and drove the cow away. In reclaiming the cow, Magomana insisted that since Ndambani had taken back her daughter, whom he had been married to, he too deserved to get back his property.
A police report was filed leading to Magomana’s arrest.
The value of the beast was put at US$200.local

Pikisai Mhizha

TellZim News

Reformed Church in Zimbabwe (RCZ) treasurer, Pikisai Mhizha was last week involved in a horrifying road traffic accident after colliding with a haulage truck at Mutangazi along the Harare-Masvingo highway.
Mhizha told TellZim News he had nobody but the good Lord to thank after surviving the heart-wrenching car crash which completely wrecked his Toyota Hilux D4D double cab.
“I am currently at home recuperating. It can only be God who saved me from the clear jaws of death that had visited me. It is after such a traumatic experience that you get to see the how fragile men’s presence on Earth is. All is indeed vanity except the word of the Lord who saved me,” said Mhizha.
The narrow yet busy road claims lives almost every day and it has on several occasions been described as a deathtrap.local

Huruva stands at one of his projects

TellZim Reporter

CHIVI – Newly-elected Chivi Ward 6 councillor, Godfrey Huruva Mukungunugwa is forging ahead with the village electrification programme he initiated long before he became councillor.
Mukungunugwa, who has since been elected Chivi Rural District Council (RDC) chairperson, has been using his own resources to install solar systems at schools in his ward.
One beneficiary of the goodwill is Maramba Primary School where teacher’s houses, the grade seven classroom block and other facilities were recently solar-powered.
Mukungunugwa has also purchased solar systems for the district councillors, such traditional leaders as Headman Madyangove and some village heads. The Mhandamabwe Police base has also been provided with similar systems as a way of improving lighting during the night.
“This is a programme I would continue working on so that all people can eventually have power in their households. We can’t wait for Zesa when we have got abundant sunlight in the district. Solar energy is cheap and renewable so people must have modern lighting during the night and they must also be able to charge their phones without hassles,” said Mukungunugwa.
To spread the service to more ordinary people, the youthful councillor has introduced a ‘pay as you go’ facility whereby villagers can have solar systems installed at their homesteads at a small deposit. They can then pay the rest of the costs at monthly installments of as little as seven dollars.
Besides the solar projects, Mukungunugwa has funded the construction of two new classroom blocks at Maramba Primary School as part of his many other efforts to improve infrastructure at public facilities so as to retain critical skills in the district.local

Brighton Chiseva

ZAKA – The Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFC) Zaka district chairperson Stephen Mkachana has urged the local Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depot to open up selling points around the district so as to cushion farmers from the high transport cost of transporting their grain to Jerera.
Speaking at the Zaka Agricultural Show held at Ferry Training Centre last week, Mkachana said farmers maintaining Jerera as the only depot was bad for those in far-away places.
“As ZFU, we have observed that farmers are facing challenges delivering their produce. GMB this year failed to decentralise buying points. We are therefore urging GMB to open more selling points in wards to reduce transport costs,” said Mkachana.
He also urged farmers to adopt new farming technologies and heed advice and warnings from the Meteorological Services Department (MSD).
“We encourage farmers to adopt new farming technologies and take advice from Meteorological Services Department and our local extension staff. There is also need to diversify to livestock-oriented projects like cattle fattening and goat farming,” Mukachana said.
He lamented partisan distribution of Command Agricultural inputs, saying the practice ha led to reduced yields in the 2017/2018 season.
“We encourage the government to find proper ways to distribute farming inputs, which is the extension staff in consultation of councillors and traditional leaders. This will make our command agriculture to become a successful programme,” said Mkachana
The Jerera GMB depot has of late been in the news all for the wrong reasons related to poor service delivery and corruption allegedly by seniour management.
At the show, Seedco donated one tonne of seeds which was distributed in the form of prizes for winners.
The seed company recently launched a farming application to help farmers with farming news, weather and markets information.local

Faith Garwi

Stephen Ephraem 
            
Women in business in Chipinge district are set to benefit from a business fair that is due to be held this coming December as a way of encouraging women to unite in business.
The business fair was initiated by an all-women non-profit organisation called Bright Future Women whose Chipinge chapter shall be launched as soon as the requisite registration processes are done. 
Bright Future Women director Faith Garwi, said the fair was open to all businesswomen in the district.
“Every woman who is running a business regardless of how big or small it is, needs to expose herself to the world.
“As Bright Future Women, we are adopting a completely unique business model. We shall hold a business forum discussing how best women can network and share ideas. Women tend to give each other unnecessary competition. That is wrong, networking is the best approach and people should learn to specialise rather than become jacks of all trades,” said Garwi.
Garwi, who is also the representative for the Zimbabwe Women Microfinance Bank (ZWMB) in Chipinge, said she the expo will encourage women to acquire assets.
“Women in business must acquire assets for both their businesses and for their own welfare. This is possible if we develop a culture of banking instead of squandering money,” she said.
Garwi bemoaned bad cultural practices that hinder women from being empowered.
“A lot of married women are discouraged from businesses by their marriage partners. That should be a thing of the past since a family always benefits if a mother gets involved in business,” she said.
Meanwhile, ZWMB has received a warm welcome in Chipinge urban, with a notable number of women having already opened their savings accounts.local

Peter Chawapiwa

CHIVI – The Musvinini irrigation and fishery project in Ward 15 has gone a long way in improving the livelihoods and nutrition of the community, TellZim News has learnt.
The project, which was initiated and financed by Care International three years ago, is situated about 15 kilometres from Chivi growth point.
During construction of the dam, villagers benefited from the food for work programme as they were paid in kind for their labour. After completion of construction work, irrigation plots were given to villagers from a number of villages that include Takaidza, Mapaike, Zimuto, Ruzive and Bvuchete.
Once the irritation project was underway, Care International introduced different fish species in the dam to improve nutrition in the community.
One of the beneficiaries of the projects, Pisirai Ruzive said the community had already started to enjoy benefits from the dam and was grateful to Care International for providing them with a lasting solution to some of their problems.
“Chivi is a semi-arid place, meaning we generally receive below average rainfall. Our irrigation project has immensely contributed to our food reserves. Through fishing activities in the dam, we have seen the diet of the community improve considerably,” he said.
This was echoed by George Tirivanhu who added that some enterprising villagers were already taking advantage of the dam’s water to improve their income.
“We used to go fishing in Tokwe-Mukosi (ranamed Tugwi-Mukosi) but thanks to Care International, we are now doing this locally. We are, however, not happy that the dam’s committee wanted us to pay a nominal fee to fish. We protested and the fee was scrapped,” said Tirivanhu.
Tariro Sibanda said while the dam had come at the most opportune moment, the problem of the baboon population in the area had to be addressed as a matter of urgency.
“Baboons wreak havoc on our crops and I believe once in a while, we should be assisted to scare them off. We have tried everything but due to the terrain, the baboons won’t go away. All plot holders are now paying about a dollar a month as a stipend for hired labour that keeps the baboons away,” she said.
A number of crops have been put under irrigation at Musvinini Dam and when TellZim News visited the dam last week, some plot holders were busy harvesting sugar beans. This reporter was informed that the crops were consumed locally while the surplus was sold.local

Roy Bhila

Beatific Gumbwanda

CHIREDZI – Newly-elected Chiredzi North Member of Parliament (MP) and successful sugarcane farmer, Roy Bhila was last week dragged to the High Court by a Chiredzi businessman, Denford Chikanyau for allegedly failing to clear US$14 000 in debt accrued when he purchased a  mobile crane in 2014.
Chikanyau, who is being represented by Martin Mureri of Matutu and Mureri Legal Practitioners, filed summons stating that Bhila, who is cited as the defendant in the case, breached their agreement by failing to clear US$14 000 of the US$20 000 debt.
According to the summons, Bhila and Chikanyau entered into an agreement of sale for a mobile crane on March 1, 2014 at a cost of US$20 000. The defendant paid US$6 000 and promised to swop with his Toyota Hiace worthy US$13 000 but failed bring the car forward.
“On the 1st day of March 2014 and at Chiredzi, Plaintiff sold a mobile crane to the defendant for $20 000 and in terms of the written agreement the defendant swopped with a Toyota Hiace Kombi Registration Number ACQ 2284 worth $13 000 and also paid $6 000.
“After the aforementioned proceedings were finalised, the defendant kept the Toyota Hiace Kombi and also the mobile Crane and has refused to either return the Toyota Hiace Kombi, the crane or to pay the outstanding balance. The Plaintiff submits that the Toyota Hiace Kombi is no longer worthy $13 000 as it is being intensively used by the defendant at his farm,” reads the summons.
On his part, Bhila, who is being represented by Emmanuel Chibudu of Kwirira and Magwaliba Legal Practitioners, requested for further particulars to enable them to plead.
“Was the agreement to sale the mobile crane written? If it was written when was it signed by the parties?” reads part of the defendant request for further particulars.local

Gibson Hwende

Beatific Gumbwanda

CHIREDZI – Zanu PF’s Chiredzi Town Council chairmanship candidate, Blessing Mazinyani was recently caught by surprise after MDC Alliance’s Gibson Hwende won the race after scoring more votes than what everybody had expected.
MDC Alliance has three councillors and Zanu PF has four, with one ward taken by and independent Ropafadzo Makumire, who was voted vice chairperson ahead of Zanu PF’s Liberty Macharaga. Makumire got five votes against Macharaga’s three, meaning he most likely got his own vote, three from MDC Alliance and one more from Zanu PF.
Chiredzi has four Zanu PF councillors namely Josphat Nzombe, Obert Ngwenya, Blessings Mazinyani and Macharaga while MDC Alliance has three councillors; Musingashari Musingashari, Rogers Chikonye and Hwende.
Hwende won by five votes against two Zanu PF candidates, Mazinyani, who got two votes, and Nzombe who got one. This most likely means Hwende got all the MDC Alliance councillors votes, independent Makumire’s vote as well as one more from Zanu PF.
The previous council was chaired by Francis Moyo of Zanu PF who left council when he decided to contest for the Chiredzi West parliamentary seat in the party primaries but lost to Farai Musikavanhu who went on to become new MP.
All the four Zanu PF candidates wanted the post but the party took a decision to endorse Mazinyani thereby angering Nzombe and another councillor who then reportedly decided to vote for Hwende.
Speaking after the swearing in ceremony, Zanu PF Masvingo provincial secretary for information and publicity, Ronald Ndava castigated ‘sell-outs’ in the party.
“This is the darkest day of my life. I have never witnessed party cadres behaving like this. They just used their money to get into party positions and yet they don’t belong to the party but belong to themselves,” said Ndava.
In his acceptance speech, Hwende promised to quickly address issues to do with transparency, openness and corruption that haunted the council for the past five years under the Zanu PF leadership.
He said Chiredzi needed to open a new chapter that would see everyone contributing towards the expected standards of development.
“It is indeed my wish to see the welfare of residents and their interests being the number one agenda for our council in the next five years. Chiredzi will never be the same again. This journey which we have started needs everyone to be involved in the running of affairs of our council.
“Chiredzi is going to be a very good town in relation to service delivery but this can only be achieved if all of us are involved. The Chiredzi we want starts with you and it starts with us.
“Corruption, Corruption, we are going to ensure that Chiredzi Town Council will be a corrupt-free council. We want to try by all means to ensure that we do our council business with trust. We want to be responsible, accountable and open and this will address the gap between residents and council,” Hwende said.local

Knowledge Mhlanga

Chipinge residents around Chikore Mission Farm in Ward 17 under Chief Musikavanhu are unsettled by suspected syndicates of burglars who have been troubling the area for nearly a year now.
Local police have warned residents to tighten security at their homes and ensure that isolated homes are not left unsecured for extended periods.
A few Mozambican men have since been arrested in connection with some of the burglaries but ensuing robberies mean they were not the only ones.
Since February, the burglars have been breaking into shops, bars and bakeries stealing money and other valuables.
Last month, the same criminals started breaking into people’s homes where they stole money, property and food items.
The most affected areas are Chikore Mission, Pfidza Township and Chipangara Township where the burglars have been breaking into various businesses during the night and stealing money and property.
A few weeks ago, the burglars pounced on Chikore Mission and stole from some teachers of Chikore High School.
Some of the victims were Farirai Mwerahari, Ishamel Bandama and Mr. Dumbu from the bursary.
Bandama told iTell News that he got back home to see his house swept of most of his valuable household property.
“I went out and came back at night to see the doors open and a number of valuables missing from the houses. The burglars must have been monitoring my movements and they knew that I went out. They then took that opportunity to break into the house and steal my stuff. My wish is to have them caught and arrested and have my property recovered,” said Bandama.
Narrating the break-in at his own place, Dumbu said the thieves broke into his house and stole nothing else but food items.
“The thieves must have been very hungry indeed. They broke into the kitchen and stole only food items and left other things,” he said.local

Beatific Gumbwanda

CHIREDZI – Magistrate Judith Zuyu has sentenced a 37-year-old man from Mateko village under Chief Ndanga to 90 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to raping his own 13-year-old daughter six times.
The victim, who is doing grade seven at a primary school in Zaka, cannot be named in this story as it is unethical to do so.
Her rape ordeal, however, became open when she confided in her guidance and counselling teacher who then helped her to file a police report.
The State, represented by Edmore Mbavaira charged that in February this year, the complainant’s mother, who also cannot be named to protect her child, went to her parents homestead in Muchechetere village and left her daughter and other two children in the company of their father.
The accused person, who too cannot be identified to protect the victim, grabbed the child when the other two children had slept, fondled her breasts before lying her down on the reed mat to have sexual intercourse with her.
On March 2018, the accused person was at home when the complainant arrived from school and asked him to assist her with her school homework. After the accused person had finished assisting the complainant, he held her and laid her on the floor before raping her.
On another day in April, the complainant’s mother visited her parents and left the accused with the complainant and other two children.
The complainant then went to the accused person’s room to collect her book but the accused grabbed and raped her.
In June, the complaint’s mother also left home for a funeral in Chinhuru area, Zaka, and again left the complainant in the care of the accused person who, in the evening, grabbed and raped her twice.
Early last month (August) the accused raped the complainant after assisting her with her homework but the victim revealed everything to her teacher on September 04.
In all the six counts, the accused threatened the victim against reporting the rape to anyone.
On passing the judgement, Zuyu suspended 15 years of the sentence for five years on condition the accused does not, within that period, commit any offence involving sexual conduct, meaning he will serve a solid 75 years in prison.local