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Media reforms in election season spotlighted

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Media reforms in election season spotlighted


…as Masvingo celebrates World Press Freedom Day

Tiyani Hahlani

MASVINGO – The Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa Zimbabwe), Masvingo chapter last Saturday organised a gathering of media practitioners and other stakeholders at Charles Austin Theatre to celebrate the 2018 World Press Freedom Day.
Celebrations this year were held under the theme, ‘Keeping Power in Check: Media, Justice and the Rule of Law’.
Among many other objectives, the event was meant to remind government the need for media reforms ahead of this year’s general elections in line with the theme ‘Media Reforms Now: Free and Accountable Media Key to Credible Elections’.
Speaking at the gathering, Masvingo Urban Ward 4 councillor, attacked the continued existence of such undemocratic pieces of legislation as the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), Official Secrets Act (OSA) and Broadcasting Services Act (BSA) in the country’s statute books.
“As we head towards elections, there must be a visible commitment on the part of government to ensure the safety of journalists, the independence of the public media as well as a secure working environment for journalists. 
Kurauone encouraged journalists to always question decisions that are taken by council and to request for council minutes as a way of improving accountability and access to information.
“I am a councillor and I acknowledge the importance of media in advancing service delivery. I urge journalists to keep asking questions on the decisions we make,” Kurauone said.
He also criticised government for always talking about free, fair and credible elections when there are is no perceivable political will to effect fundamental media reforms.
“As stakeholders, we condemn violations of journalist rights for example the brutalisation of Daily News reporter Tafirenyika Mugove at the hands of riot police in Harare last year and also the arrest of the NewsDay reporter Kenneth Nyangani for writing a true story that former first lady Grace Mugabe had donated second hand under garments in Manicaland,” said Kurauone.
Other people who spoke at the gathering include Misa Masvingo chairperson, Passmore Kuzipa and Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) Press Club chairperson, Leroy Dzenga.
After the solidarity speeches, the event moved to Masvingo Showgrounds were a friendly soccer match was played between local practicing journalists and GZU media students.local

Gutu woman faints after ‘abused’ daughter turns against her at court

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Gutu woman faints after ‘abused’ daughter turns against her at court


Precila Takabvirakare

MPANDAWANA – A Gutu woman recently fainted and went into a coma for about an hour at the Gutu Magistrates’ Court while waiting for a case of assault involving her daughter’s ex-boyfriend to be heard.
People who were at the court had to carry Zvidzai Gonese into one of her relative’s vehicle and transport her to Gutu Rural Hospital for assistance to bring her back to consciousness.
Eyewitnesses said Zvidzai had accompanied her daughter Ruvimbo Gonese who was supposed to attend a case reported against Calvin Munhamo who had allegedly assaulted Ruvimbo and threatened to shoot her.
Sources said the woman fainted after learning that her daughter intended to withdraw all charges and tell the court that they were fake, having been made simply as a result of pressure from her parents.
“She was shocked to learn that her daughter had planned to turn against her and make a fool out of her in court. She was distraught and shaken. Unbeknown to her, Ruvimbo had secretly been communicating with Calvin through a new sim card and they had hatched a plan to set him free,” said a source.
Zvidzai acknowledged in an interview TellZim News that she had been upset to hear that her own daughter had turned against her when all she was trying to do was help her.
“I was surprised after Calvin’s lawyer, Philip Marava told me that Ruvimbo had sent messages to Calvin saying I had forced her to make-up the allegations and that the messages were going to be used as evidence in court. I was really disturbed,” said Zvidzai.local

Gutu magistrate Marecha transferred

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Gutu magistrate Marecha transferred

Edwin Marecha


Memory Rasa

MPANDAWANA – Gutu Resident Magistrate, Edwin Marecha has been transferred to the Harare Magistrate Court where he is doing traffic court.
He had worked at Gutu Court from February 2015.
Other provincial magistrates that have been moved to Harare are Learnmore Mapiye from Kadoma, Nyasha Lee Vitorini from Mutoko and a Mapfumo from Chitungwiza.
Marecha was replaced by Victor Muhamadi from Masvingo.
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) had transferred magistrates around the country amid reports of heightening corruption within lower courts.
The transfers, that began on May 01, come after Chief Magistrate Mishrod Guvamombe announced in November last year that there were going to be routine transfers of magistrates partly in response to endemic corruption that he said had permeated the bench.
He said some of the magistrates were going to being transferred for their bad records and suspicion that they were involved in corruption.
Other reasons for transfers were said to be the need for experienced and seasoned magistrates in Harare considering the nature of cases and swelling backlog.
Four provincial magistrates replaced juniors at the Harare Criminal Court while many junior magistrates were moved out of Harare.local

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
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