Clayton Shereni

The opposition MDC-T (Khupe faction)’s losing parliamentary candidate for Gutu North constituency, Admire Wakurawarerwa has said his defeat by Zanu PF’s Yeukai Simbanegavi was a result of a playing field that was heavily tilted against him.
He accused Zanu PF of vote-buying, saying the ruling party fielded unaccredited agents who were brazenly campaigning for their masters on election day.
"At Nharira Primary School, we had a case of a woman who claimed to be a Zanu PF agent yet she failed to produce her accreditation and we reported her to the police. Some voters were intimidated and reminded of the 2008 atrocities which claimed a lot of lives.
Wakurawarerwa also said the ruling party wantonly breached other rules set by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) in accordance with the Electoral Act.
"The whole process was not fair especially in Gutu North where Zanu PF held a road show on a Sunday, just a day before election day yet Zec had ordered that no campaigning should be done on the day," said Wakurawarerwa.
Efforts to get a comment from Masvingo Provincial Elections Officer Zex Pudurai (PEO) were fruitless as he was said to be in Harare on national business.
The electoral process has received wide criticism from many losing opposition candidates who claim Zanu PF went into the elections with an unfair advantage over them.
In its preliminary report, the European Union election observer mission cited the ruling part’s abuse of State resources and the biased State media as factors that negatively impacted on the credibility of the harmonised elections.local

Beatific Gumbwanda

CHIREDZI – Residents here have welcomed the initiative by the town council to come up with prepaid parking zones in the town centre, a move which will see the authorities raise funds for the rehabilitation of road infrastructure.
The town council has so far finished marking all the parking zones in the Central Business District (CBD) at TV Sales complex, Banc ABC, Edgars complex as well as at Electrosales complex which are the busiest parking zones.
Chiredzi Town Council Secretary, Charles Muchatukwa, said that markings have been completed and the prepaid parking will be functional very soon as sign posting has already been done.
“Prepaid parking in now functional in all gazetted areas. Markings and sign posts have been completed. The money collected will be channelled towards the rehabilitation of our roads and other forms of service delivery,” said Muchatukwa.
He said parking fees ranged from $0.50 (0-30 minutes), $1.00 (30 minutes – 1 hour) and $2 (1-8 hours).
United Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association (UCHIRRA) chairperson, Josphat Tizirayi said his organisation welcomed the idea, adding however that there should be transparency in the administration of the collected revenue.
“The idea of having prepaid parking is very much noble and we welcome it. The only problem we might face is lack of transparency on how the money is used.
“We just hope everything will go according to plan and there will be openness in the use of the funds,” said Tizirayi.local

GMB Jerera depot

Francis Moyo

Cephas Shava

MWENEZI – Chenjerai Chivarange (38) has been sentenced to 30 months imprisonment after being found guilty of kidnapping an elderly man and taking him to a circumcision camp in the mountains.
Chivarange, of Chiwarure village under Chief Maranda, was given the sentence by magistrate Honest Musiiwa who, however, conditionally suspended six months.
TellZim News reported on two occasions how Chivarange and his gang from the camp pursued a naked Lysias Hlaisi whom they had ambushed as he bathed in the river.
Giving his side of the story in court earlier on, Hlaisi who resides in the same village with Chivarange. said he was corned by Chivarange and his circumcision group while bathing in the river.
He then had to flee home naked in broad daylight with Chivarange, who was the ring leader of the group, in hot pursuit right up to his home. Chivarange and his group manhandled and bashed Hlaisi before taking him to the mountain camp.
Hlaisi further told the court that in the mountain, he was forcefully circumcised and this has negatively affected his sexual prowess.
Appearing for the State, Willard Chasi said sometime in September 2010, Chivarange arrived at Hlaisi’s homestead with a group of about 20 men with the intention of taking Hlaisi to a circumcision camp in Tungunyu Mountain.
Being unwilling to go there, Hlaisi locked himself in his bedroom hut and refused to open.
Chivarange then took an axe which he used to break in, destroying some property in the process. After successfully breaking in, Chivarange and his gang bashed and manhandled Hlaisi before taking him to the mountain camp.
Hlaisi later on fled the camp and filed a police report.
After committing the offence and upon hearing that the police were after him, Chivarange fled to South Africa where he spent some years.
When Chivarange later returned, Hlaisi alerted the police leading to his arrest.local

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