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

Clever Taperamoyo

The defeat of the opposition in the just-ended harmonised polls by Zanu PF has divided opinion, with many people supporting the yet to be proven rigging allegations by the MDC Alliance while others want the issue to be put to rest.
TellZim News conducted street interviews in Masvingo Urban where the MDC Alliance won the parliamentary seat and retained its majority in council.
Malvin of Mucheke F said Zanu PF’s victory spelled disaster for the country.
“This is bad news for the young generation. Zanu PF has proven beyond doubt that they are incapable of turning around the economy. Five more years with that party in charge means we will grow old without anything of our own and living in the shadows of our parents,” he said.
Robert of Runyararo West said it was true that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) had rigged the election on behalf of Zanu PF.
“They rigged the elections. I don’t think they have anything to prove to us because they have repeatedly failed over the years and they should just let new blood take over,” said Robert.
Miriam Machingura of Chesvingo said she did not believe Zanu PF would ever accept defeat in an election administered by Zec.
“The election results are never determined by those who vote but by those who do the counting. We will vote in our numbers but the result will always shock us. As long as Zec runs the elections, Zanu PF will never lose any election,” said Machingura.
One elderly vendor in Victoria Range, however, defended Zanu PF’s victory and said she believed President Emmerson Mnangagwa will deliver on his promises.
“I believe he can deliver what he promised us. Politicians do lie of course but I am prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt and some time to prove himself,” she said.
Rosemary of Sisk said Zanu PF had cleansed itself and had earned a well-deserved victory.
“People should accept that Zanu PF won. I believe President Mnangagwa is different for the old order and he should be given a chance to prove. The more time we take fighting the result, the longer it will take him to move the country forward,” she said.local

President Emmerson Mnangagwa

Cephas Shava

MWENEZI – The opposition has for the first time managed to secure a council seat in the district after MDC Alliance’s Albert Mashiri beat Zanu PF’s Canaan Moyo to become the new councillor for Ward 18.
Moyo was seeking to secure a third term in office but his dream went up in smoke after Mashiri garnered 929 votes against his 865.
Ward 18 is also the only ward in the district’s two constituencies where the opposition coalition’s presidential candidate, Nelson Chamisa scored more votes than President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zanu PF.
Chamisa got 1058 against Mnangagwa’s 704 votes in the ward which covers Rutenga growth point.
Other results released by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) by the time of writing showed that the MDC Alliance suffered heavy blows in all the other 17 wards where Zanu PF won by wide margins.
The gap was a bit narrower though in Ward 2 and Ward 5 after the opposition coalition put up a remarkable fight and registered great improvement from their 2013 performance.
Meanwhile, Joosbi Omar and Priscilla Moyo, who are both from Zanu PF, have been declared the duly elected Members of Parliament (MPs) for Mwenezi East and West respectively.politics