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MDC-T Bikita Councillor charged with POSA

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MDC-T Bikita Councillor charged with POSA

Nyasha Marumbi

Councillor Decent Chikunya of Bikita Ward 17 appeared in the Masvingo Magistrates’ Court on Monday for contravening Public Order and Security Act (POSA) Amendment Number 18 of 2017 Chapter 11:17, ‘conveying a meeting without notifying the police or regulating authority’.
It is the State’s case that on March 18, Chikunya who is a MDC-T member, unlawfully convened a political meeting in Bikita East at Mukamba where meetings are often held.
It is on that same day Zanu PF supporters intended to hold a sanctioned meeting.
A Zanu PF member, Chipiwa Chipare, of Nerunhengo village, who is the complainant, reported the case to the police.
The police came but found MDC -T members dispersing from the venue which led to the arrest of Chikunya.
Magistrate Langton Ndokera postponed the case to May 29 for continuation of trial.
Fidelicy Nyamukondiwa represented the State.local

Police officer appears in court drunk

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Police officer appears in court drunk

Clever Taperamoyo
MASVINGO – A Zaka Police officer, who was to testify before magistrate Peter Madiba in a case involving terrorising security guards and the general public with a gun while on duty at Zaka District Administrator’s (DA) offices, showed up in court drunk.
The magistrate remanded Farai Tatenda, who had tried to hide behind spurious claims of a stomach ache, to a later date after noticing his suspicious behaviour.
The court heard that sometimes in November 2, 2017 while he was on duty guarding the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) biometric kits at the DA`s offices, Tatenda left the work place for the beerhall where he got himself drunk.
He later show up at around 01:30 hrs the following day and he allegedly took his gun and started terrorising security guards Isaac Deze, Joshua Dzivakwi, Johanisi Magazini, Handson Machote and Elias Mhara employed by Rogel Security to man the complex.
He also allegedly threatened a pupil who had come to secure a place in the queue for birth certificates and national IDs.
It is also alleged that he threatened the security guards while boasting to be the ‘boss’ who had received better training than all of them.crime

Gweru Provincial Hospital barely coping

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Gweru Provincial Hospital barely coping

Rutendo Chitore
Medical Provincial Hospital Superintended, Dr Fragion Mashingaidze said the referral health institution requires more infrastructure to help it meet the increasing medical needs of the society it serves.
In an interview with TellZim News, Mashingaidze said the hospital was inadequately capacitated, and it needed more clinical labs and theatres if it were to operate more efficiently.
“Our laboratories are in need of proper refurbishment and clinical equipment to help us offer all services in line with pathological services that are needed.
“We also need more theatres space to cope with the increase in the number of specialists because we cannot do without enough facilities. My appeal is that our medical institutions such as our provincial hospital be upgraded for the betterment of work and services to our people,” Dr Mashingaidze said.
He emphasised the need to upgrade facilities so that services can meet the standards expected of modern referral hospitals.
“The hospital you see was built in 1937 and there is no much improvement that was done ever since. So you can see how poor the facilities are.
“We are trying to maintain the infrastructure but much of it needs to be expanded to accommodate new requirements. Even our wards need expansion so that we deal with patients in an efficient way,” he said.
Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs, Owen Ncube earlier this year expressed disappointment over the poor state of medical facilities in the province, saying there was massive work that needed to be done to improve services.local

Manyuchi Dam underutilised, villagers say

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Manyuchi Dam underutilised, villagers say
Manyuchi Dam
Cephas Shava
MWENEZI – Villagers from different villages under Chief Mawarire, who are adjacent to Manyuchi Dam, the largest dam in the district, have bemoaned the underutilisation of the water body.
Several villagers told TellZim News that the dam could better be utilised by the establishment of irrigation schemes to fight poverty.
They complained the non-implementation of the long-awaited Pikinini – Jawanda Irrigation Project which was pegged in the early 1990s.
If executed, the projected would benefit several villages under Chief Mawarire and some areas under Chief Murove.
Chairperson of the Pikinini – Jawanda Irrigation Project, Chizivano Shava said the long wait for the execution of the project had wearied many people.
Shava spoke at a constituency development meeting organised by Mwenezi East Member of Parliament (MP) Joosbi Omar where he said it was high time the project was implemented.
“It’s only people downstream Manyuchi Dam who are engaging in productive irrigation schemes but those who live adjacent to the dam under Chief Mawarire are not allowed to have personal gardens. The delay in the implementation of the Pikinini-Jawanda Irrigation Project is making the dam less beneficial to villagers,” said Shava.
On his part, Omar acknowledged the importance of the irrigation project in efforts that he said are being made to increase agricultural productivity in the area.
He promised to take the matter forward with relevant authorities so that more value could be drawn from the dam.local
 

MDC-T Midlands province wary of primaries

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MDC-T Midlands province wary of primaries
Munyaradzi Mutandavari
…party explores consensus in bid to avoid the Zanu PF experience
Siyabonga Sayi
GWERU – The MDC Alliance has said its prospective candidates will have to negotiate with each other and agree on the most suitable to run in the upcoming harmonised elections, TellZim News can reveal.
The coalition has insisted consensus would have to be fully explored first before candidates are rushed into primary elections that have, by the recent Zanu PF experience, proved to be very divisive.
MDC-T Midlands provincial spokesperson Munyaradzi Mutandavari told Tellzim News that the party wanted to be as united as possible ahead of the general elections.
“We expect all our approved candidates by the 12th of May to have negotiated amongst themselves and come up with the most suitable candidate to deliver victory for the Alliance. Where consensus is not reached, then we go for primary elections,” said Mutandavari.
Mutandavari also outlined that the party expected all its candidates to focus on beating Zanu PF instead of competing against each other.
“We all have one common goal in the alliance, which is beating Zanu PF. We have therefore told our candidates to focus on that opponent and campaign as one family because we do not have room for factionalism, rumour mongering and character assassination.
“We will also treat our alliance partners with utmost respect. We will give them their rightful space to campaign and we will further go and introduce them in areas where they may not be well-known and explain to our members the alliance set-up,” said Mutandavari.
Constituencies like Shurugwi South, Zvishavane Runde, Vungu, Chirumanzu Zibagwe, Mberengwa East have been set aside for alliance partners in Midlands.
Some alliance supporters in Vungu rural constituency say they are ready for a candidate from the MDC that is led by Welshman Ncube to stand against Zanu PF’s Omega Sibanda who won the party’s primaries.politics

Teacher writes poem on political violence

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Teacher writes poem on political violence
Walter Rice

Clever Taperamoyo

ZAKA – Having for many years been haunted by memories of June 2008 political violence during the presidential election run-off, Zaka- Jerera remains one of the areas that still require a comprehensive peace, healing and reconciliation processes, it has been said.
It is against this background that Walter Rice, a teacher at Zibhowa Primary School has written a poem about unity as a way of sending out a message to communities to shun political violence during the upcoming general elections.
In an interview with TellZim News, Rice said he saw it prudent to educate communities about the importance of unity despite political differences especially now that the nation approaches the critical general elections.
“I thought of writing a poem on unity based on the background that areas like Zaka and Bikita are the ones affected by political violence in the previous elections. My message therefore is that communities should avoid violence despite political differences they may have.
“We are not fighting for individuals to gain political posts but rather, our fight is for national development therefore development comes through unity,” said Rice.
He said poetry has always been his passion and has in the recent past written a hard-hitting poem against corruption which he said was a vice which erodes people’s dignity.
For ten years, there has not been any meaningful healing and reconciliation processes in Zaka, with critics saying the perpetrators of the horrific political violence are still walking scot-free, leaving a dark cloud hanging on communities that experienced the brutality first hand.
The country is yet to hold an election in few months to come, the first election in the post-Mugabe era.
President Emerson Mnangagwa has been calling for free and fair elections and people are waiting to see if he will live up to his word for a violence-free poll.local

Primary election rerun looms in Zaka East

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Primary election rerun looms in Zaka East

Talent Chivange
Upenyu Chaota
The Zanu PF primary elections that  have been marred by irregularities particularly in Zaka East where the most popular aspiring candidates have been missing from the ballot paper, sparking a boycott by many party supporters have been given another chance.
The party ordered a rerun of the Zaka East primaries following many protestations from both the candidates and their supporters.
Sources privy to the development told TellZim News that most wards did not vote in Zaka East because their preferred candidates were not on the ballot.
Sources said Talent Chivange was the most popular candidate in the constituency before he was disqualified. After Chivange’s disqualification, another candidate Clemence Chiduwa emerged as the people’s favourite.
However, both Chivange and Chiduwa were not on the ballot paper on voting day, leading to widespread protests throughout the constituency as people accused party leaders of trying to impose a candidate.
Only Nyasha Gavaza and Ringisai Gumbwanda were on the ballot.
A few people who managed to vote on the day preferred little-known Gumbwanda over Gavaza whom they accused of working with the district leadership in disqualifying popular candidates.
“There has been an outcry in Zaka East as the ballot paper came without the names of some candidates who had been on the campaign trail.
“The situation happened in most areas in the province with some voters resorting to writing the missing names by pen on the ballots but that was not the situation in Zaka East where people opted to protest the injustice by refusing to vote and toyi-toying.
“The party has been pressured for a re-run in Zaka East and it seems it has relented,” said a source.
The source said national political commissar Rtd Lt Gen Engelbert Rugeje agreed to have a re-run provided all the candidates including Chivange and Chiduwa were given a chance to contest.
Masvingo provincial chairperson Ezra Chadzamira said he received a petition from Zaka East challenging the outcome of the primary elections but said the national elections directorate had the final say.
“We have received a petition from Zaka East but the national elections directorate is in charge of that. They will decided whether to have a re-run or endorse the results,” said Chadzamira.politics

Rugeje fails primary test

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Rugeje fails primary test
Rtd Lt Gen Engelbert Rugeje
…candidates miss Mugabe days
Upenyu Chaota
The chaotic Zanu PF primaries that saw some heavyweights being humiliated at the hands of some green horns in party politics have left President Emmerson Mnangagwa exposed, with many disgruntled candidates claiming that former president Robert Mugabe was way better at enforcing order and direction in the party during election time.
Disgruntled party supporters and candidates throughout Masvingo province have condemned the newly appointed national political commissar and former army boss, Rtd Lt Gen Engelbert Rugeje for the chaos saying he hurried the party into elections while he knew that he was not prepared for the task.
The shambolic primaries held last Sunday saw President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s top allies being booted out, with some losing candidates rating the internal polls as the worst in Zanu PF history.
Losing Masvingo North candidate, Elton Ziki had no nice words for the commissariat saying they did the worst job ever.
“The commissariat did a bad job and we do not fear saying it. Glaring irregularities, no system for recourse, vote buying, rigging, bad mouthing, blatantly biased police officers, missing names and intimidation.
“We are not amused at all. The only solution is a re-run or else the party will pay dearly,” said Ziki.
Another losing candidate who refused to be named said the party structures were in shambles and most of his supporters were missing from the cell register.
He said Zanu PF had signed its own death sentence by allowing chaos and vote buying to dominate the just-ended primaries.
“Zanu PF has literally signed its own death sentence. The commissariat has clearly failed to run the primaries and much worse the results are going to stand.
“We are likely going to have a rude awakening in the upcoming general elections. We have given the opposition a chance because a lot of people are disgruntled and a bhora musango is looming,” said one disgruntled candidate.
Other losing candidates blamed President Mnangagwa for failing to protect them yet they were in the trenches with him when he was being persecuted by the G40 faction before Operation Restore Legacy.
“This is something which Mugabe would not have tolerated. He always protected his own people not what we have witnessed in these primaries. How do you expect people to have faith in a party which has a losing national chairperson and advisor to the President?
“Rugeje has failed dismally and we cannot accept this primary election. A lot of people could not vote and some candidates were missing from the ballot. The party has clearly been infiltrated by the enemy,” said one disgruntled candidate who was missing from the ballot paper.
Repeated efforts to get a comment from Rugeje were fruitless as his mobile went unanswered.
Masvingo provincial chairperson Ezra Chadzamira defended Rugeje saying the primaries went smoothly despite some few glitches.
“Zanu PF is a popular party and everyone wants to join. The primary elections bear testimony to the overwhelming response we got from people who wanted to be our candidates.
“We had a little problem with our cell structures where some people were not able to vote because they were not in the registers. It is difficult to make all people in cell registers vote because you will never find all the people in one area at any given moment.
“Some candidates cry foul because they went on campaign trail before getting confirmation that their CVs had sailed through. This is the challenge which led to major problems when they found themselves missing from the ballot paper,” said Chadzamira.
Some of the big wigs who fell by the way side last weekend include Paul Mangwana in Chivi, Ailes Baloyi and Ronald Ndava in Chiredzi, former police boss Edmore Veterai in Bikita, Paradzai Chakona in Zaka and Professor Amon Murwira in Gutu.
The worst chaos was witnessed in Zaka East constituency where elections were not held as only two candidates appeared on the ballot paper but presiding officers refused to add names of those who were missing.
In Masvingo North constituency, the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) Davis Marapira was accused of vote buying.
In Chivi North constituency, candidates exchanged blows over anomalies that were being experienced while in Chiredzi West, Gutu North and Gutu East, massive electoral malpractices were recorded, with losing candidates vowing to fight for the nullification of the results.
Taguma Benjaman Mazarire won in Masvingo Urban, Masvingo North went to Davies Marapira, Ezra Chadzamira won Masvingo West while in Masvingo Central Edmund Mhere went uncontested.
Killer Zivhu won Chivi South, Ephraim Gwanongodza retained Chivi Central and Mathias Tongofa won Chivi North.
Chiredzi West went to Farai Musikavanhu while Roy Bhila won Chiredzi North, Danford Masiya won Chiredzi East and Calisto Gwanetsa won Chiredzi South.
Zaka Central went to Davison Svuure, Zaka East was won by Caston Gumbwanda while Zaka North went to Robson Mavhenyengwa.
Elias Musakwa won Bikita West, Johnson Madhuku won Bikita East while Bikita South went to Josiah Sithole.
Mwenezi East went to Joosbi Omar and Mwenezi West went to one Zindari.
Winston Chitando went uncontested in Gutu Central while Pupurai Togarepi won in Gutu South and Gutu North went to Yeukai Simbanegavi.top news

Parkinson’s: What you need to know

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Parkinson’s: What you need to know

Rodney Tinayeshe Mudzenda
Parkinson disease is a type of movement disorder, which is progressive and of unknown cause. Usually it commences between the ages of 45 and 55 years, but can start earlier. It is associated with neuronal degeneration in the substantia nigra and, to a lesser extent, in the globus pallidus, putamen, and caudate nucleus (gray matter inside cerebral hemisphere of the brain). Degeneration results in the cells of the brain failing to produce a chemical called dopamine. This affects the way the brain coordinates movements of muscles in the body.
It is not contagious nor infectious, neither is it curable but its symptoms can be managed. Parkinson’s disease is globally distributed, affecting all cultures and races, with an estimated prevalence of 6(+) million people.
CAUSES
Currently there is no known cause, however, there are many theories as to the causes and it is generally thought that multiple factors are responsible. Medical experts are not yet certain as to what destroys the dopamine secreting cells in the brain or what predisposes some people to develop Parkinson’s disease and not others.
Genetics: Several changes in one’s genetic make-up (mutations) have been identified as increasing a person’s risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease can therefore run in families as a result of these faulty genes being passed on to off springs by their parents. However chances of inheriting this disease in this way are very slim, although it is possible.
Environmental factors: Our surroundings are also thought to play a pivotal role in increasing a person’s risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. Pesticides and herbicides used in farming, traffic chemicals and industrial pollutants may contribute to one developing the condition. Therefore potential environmental risk factors include farming activities, pesticide exposures and a history of head trauma
Other Causes of Parkinsonism
Having the understanding that Parkinsonism is an umbrella term used to describe symptoms of tremors, muscle rigidity and slowness of movement; Parkinson’s disease is the most common type.
Medication (‘drug induced): Symptoms may develop after taking certain medications such as antipsychotic drugs and usually improve once the medication is stopped. It is to be noted that not all antipsychotic drugs bring these symptoms.
Progressive brain conditions: When one gets a severe stroke, multiple parts of the brain die and may cause symptoms manifest.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is in the family of motor system disorders, which are a result of the loss of dopamine producing brain cells. This disease is caused by a loss of nerve cells in part of the brain called substantia nigra. This area sends messages to the spinal cord via the cerebral cortex to control the muscles of the body in a well-coordinated manner. The neurotransmitter, dopamine, plays a vital role in movement regulation and lack its lack means that people will have problems in moving freely and controlling their movements.
PARKINSON’S SYMPTOMS
Can be motor and non-motor and their adverse effects can be of different intensity across individuals and race.
There are four non-motor symptoms namely: pain, depression, dementia and sleeping disorders.
The four main symptoms of Parkinson’s disease affect physical movement:
Tremor:  The most common symptom of Parkinson’s disease is the unilateral, resting tremor in the body and mainly in the limbs.
It is an early symptom seen in about 70% of people presenting with Parkinson’s disease. It begins when a person is not trying to use the limb, and diminishes when the limb is in use. Begins in the limbs and spread to other parts slowly.
Slowness of movement (bradykinesia): Is the most disabling symptom of the condition and refers to slowness, decreased movement amplitude and dysrhythmia. Walking becomes slow as one moves with small steps as well as a shuffling gait.
Muscle stiffness (rigidity):  Stiffness of muscles may not be apparent in an individual with Parkinson’s disease but only a medical person can feel it. Stiffness of muscles makes it difficult to move around and make facial expressions and can result in painful cramps (dystonia).
Postural instability: it is also a disabling symptom which often experienced in the late stages of Parkinson’s disease and is a marker of the disease’s progression. One losses his/her postural reflexes and these postural disturbances contribute to recurrent falls and fall related injuries. In early Parkinson’s the posture may show a slight flexion of the trunk or neck with a slight lean to one side.
Anxiety, anosmia (loss of smell), constipation, depression, fatigue, festination of speech, postural hypotension and micrographia are some the other symptoms.
Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder that progresses with time and symptoms are initially affecting one side of the body. Medication can help manage symptoms but unfortunately, are not implicated for slowing the progression of Parkinson’s disease.
DIAGNOSIS
It is not easy to diagnose Parkinson’s disease (there are no blood test or brain scans) and it is of great importance that diagnosis is made by a specialist, preferably a neurologist. Having one of the mentioned symptoms doesn’t call for immediate concern, however if you have one or two of the following symptoms seek medical attention; small crowded handwriting, loss of smell, tremor, frozen shoulder, change in voice and sleeping problems.
CT (computerized tomography) scan, (magnetic resonance imaging) MRI scan and (dopamine transporter) DaT scan can be performed so as to get a better glimpse of the events taking place in the brain.
TREATMENT
Parkinson’s disease has no cure, but symptom treatment is possible.
Physiotherapist can help relieve muscle stiffness through exercises. Occupational therapist can be of great importance when dealing with movement.
Medication: improves the main symptoms of Parkinson’s disease such as shaking and movement. However, not all medications available are useful to everyone. Most pharmaceutical treatment options focus on restoring balance of dopamine. So most drugs used contain levodopa, dopamine agonist and monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors.
Dopamine agonist function my mimicking the effects of dopamine and monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors they function by inhibiting the degradation of dopamine. This all amounts to a positive treatment of symptoms.
So, in conclusion, Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder characterized by movement disorders and progresses slowly. It has no known cause and there is no cure at the moment, though research is ongoing on how to develop new ways of treating the condition.
Rodney is a medical student at University of Zimbabwe and a member of ZiMSA.education

Chiredzi titans fall in chaotic Zanu PF primaries

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Chiredzi titans fall in chaotic Zanu PF primaries
Musikavanhu and Chiwa

Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI – Chiredzi West MP, Darlington Chiwa, outgoing Chiredzi Town Council chairperson Francis Moyo and three other Zanu PF provincial members; Ronald Ndava, Ailes Baloyi and Jevas Masosota are licking their wounds after being defeated in primary elections they had confidently considered to be theirs for the taking.
Out of the four local MPs, only Kallisto Gwaneta of Chiredzi South and Denford Masiya of Chiredzi East will take part in the general elections.
Chiwa was shown the exit door by former Tongaat Hulett boss, Farai Musikavanhu after he came second with 1160 votes against Musikavanhu’s 3427.
Chiredzi North MP Robert Mukwena withdrew from the race for unclear reasons when others were busy submitting their CVs. With 9 389 votes, Roy Bhila was pronounced winner in the constituency after defeating 10 competitors including provincial secretary for information, Ronald Ndava who came second with 1918 votes.
Chiwa, a former police detective, survived the chop despite being linked to former vice president Joice Mujuru’s Gamatox faction in 2014. He again survived expulsion from the party after his G40 faction was shuttered by Operation Restore Legacy in 2017.
His stance in defence of both Tongaat Hulett and its workers as well as his work in the community development projects have, however, now failed to save him from.
On the other hand, Moyo’s investment in Ward 28, where he graded a 70 kilometre stretch of road and rehabilitated graves also failed to earn him enough votes.
He, together with Chiwa and Norman Sharara, withdrew from the primaries midway citing massive rigging.
In the recent past, Moyo supported Musikavanhu as a way of getting at his enemy Chiwa, but he then turned against Musikavanhu himself, setting the stage for a long and bruising fight for Chiredzi West.
In Chiredzi South, former Chiredzi Rural District Council CEO and Zanu PF Masvingo provincial deputy chairperson, Baloyi, who has been MP of the constituency before, lost to Gwanetsa despite being the party’s preferred candidate.
Gwanetsa garnered 3488 against Baloyi’s 2110, and Baloyi seems to be headed to another five long years in the trenches.
In Chiredzi East, two former CIO agents, party provincial political commissar Masosota and Masiya clashed but it was Masiya who walked away with the prize despite being disliked by the party for his links to G40.
Popularly known as ‘The Bulldozer’, Masiya took 2 903 votes while Masosota only finished fourth in the crowded race. Abraham Sithole came second with 1 119 while former MP Chauke got 1001.
Some losing candidates in Chiredzi West and North have since wrote a petition to seek the nullification of the results, alleging massive electoral fraud and irregularities.
After the shambolic primaries, anti-Musikavanhu protesters were dispersed by riot police at Chiredzi Town Council offices as they sang songs praising former president Robert Mugabe whom they said handled party processes better than the current dispensation.top story

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