Elliot Jinjika

CHIVHU – The solidarity march held in Harare over the weekend to express support for the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF)’s intervention in the political affairs of the country was a blessing for businesses here as people made a stopover of the transit town.
A number of vendors and retail shops who spoke to this publication were delighted as the solidarity march had attracted people from the southern regions of the country who went on to spent thousands of dollars.
“It was ‘business as unusual’ because people from Masvingo, Chiredzi and Gweru had their stopovers here. We pray for a similar event so that we can make good money again,” said one female vendor who operates at Harare Station.
Another said the business boom was symbolic of better days to come once President Robert Mugabe leaves office.
“The solidarity march was not simply about politics, but was about business too. We recorded brisk business but we don’t take that at face value; it was a good sign. Our economy will perform better once the hated dictator is gone,” the trader said.
Big supermarkets and food outlets like Pick n Pay, Chicken Inn, Chicken Rite and Spar also experienced a deluge of customers buying food and refreshments.
“We experienced a business boom over the weekend. We have an advantage because this is a transit town so we have an opportunity to sell to travellers,” said a grocery shop manager.local

Darlington Chiwa

CHIREDZI – Former Tongaat Hullet Zimbabwe agriculture director, Farai Musikavanhu, who was recently slapped with a prohibition order by the Amasa Nhenjana-led executive before the current military-driven political dynamics began, could find himself further ostracised after a letter he wrote trying to curry favour with Saviour Kasukuwere went public.
Musikavanhu was issued the prohibition order alongside other suspected Team Lacoste kingpins like Roy Bhila and Ailes Baloyi for allegedly campaigning for parliamentary seats before the right time.
Tables, however, dramatically turned against the G40 faction – with which Nhenjana and his acting deputy chairperson Dr Paul Chimedza identify – when the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) intervened on November 15 ostensibly to remove criminals around President Robert Mugabe who were causing immense suffering in the country.
The intervention brought immense advantages for Team Lacoste and Musikavanhu would have been in a position to gain had he not written a letter to the now on-the-ropes Kasukuwere who was Zanu PF national political commissar.
In the letter to Kasukuwere, Musikavanhu tries to paint himself in a positive light, highlighting his good relationship with Walter Mzembi, another G40 kingpin who is now on the run.
Musikavanhu is interested in contesting the Chiredzi West parliamentary seat which is at the moment held by Darlington Chiwa, who is also in the G40 camp.
 “Post my meeting with Hon Chiwa last year; I had an opportunity to brief the Party National Political Commissar Hon. S. Kasukuwere who gave me guidance on the do’s and don’ts in respect of my aspirations to be a Zanu PF candidate for Chiredzi West constituency.
“The NPC told me that there was nothing wrong in carrying out developmental projects as long as I did this in consultation with the relevant party leadership and ward councillors,” part of the letter reads.
When TellZim News contacted him for comment, Musikavanhu defended himself and tried to besmirch Chiwa, whom he alleged was still in possession of MDC-T t-shirts from back in 2008 and was in touch with the Mozambican rebel group Renamo.
“I wrote the letter in response to the prohibition but I am purely Zanu PF unlike Chiwa, Gwanetsa and Masiya who are rumoured to be in touch with Matsanga in Mozambique. Those are the G40 people who got me prohibited,” said Musukavanhu.
Kallisto Gwanetsa and Denford Masiya are the Members of Parliament for Chiredzi South and Chiredzi East respectively and are known to be dedicated G40 foot soldiers.
An elated Team Lacoste insider who saw Musikavanhu’s letter, however, said the former Tongaat Hullet executive had shown his true colours and will ‘never again be allowed to cheat the party’.
“We know that he had sympathies for the G40 gang and was hobnobbing with them in the dark behind our back. He won’t stand for the party in 2018 because we now have enough evidence against him and the other sycophants. He must forget about Chiredzi West, we know his obsequious behaviour,” said the source.local

CHIVHU – Two Gokwe men, Kelvin Ndlovu (23), Justice Mukandla (21) and one from Gutu, Simbarashe Mangwanda (19) pleaded guilty to charges of robbery when they appeared before magistrate Fadzai Mtombeni and were sentenced to eight years imprisonment.
Mtombeni suspended two years on each sentence meaning the robbers will each serve an effective six years in prison.
The State, led by Nicholas Mabvongodze, convinced the court that on June 2 this year at around 21: 00 hrs near Dirozvi, the trio manhandled and assaulted Mark Muringagomo and took cash and valuables worth US$81.
The following day, the trio manhandled Stanley Chiradza a security officer at Philjen Country Club and Lodge, tied his mouth with a cloth and carried him to a grassy area towards Chivhu town where they took valuables and cash worth US$73.
The trio continued their criminal exploits on the same day by going to Westwood where they took Mary Kapini’s handbag which had cash amounting US$227 after threatening to handcuff and torture her if she called for help.
The spree went on at an open space between Chivhu General Hospital and Northwood where the trio emerged from the bushes and manhandled a teacher, Forward Madaura before taking his possessions worth US$33 before disappearing leaving their victim injured.
On June 4, 2017 the trio made yet another hit in Mvuma but were later caught by police in Lalapanzi leading to the recovery of some of the stolen property.
All the complainants were summoned at Chivhu Criminal Investigation Department (CID) offices where they positively identified the criminals and their stolen valuables.local

GWERU – Speaking over what had been dubbed a tale of two mayors, the recently reinstated Hamutendi Kombayi and current mayor Charles Chikozho have said they will not be pushed into a fight because of the High Court Judgement that brought back the former into council.
Speaking to TellZim News, Chikozho said the court order only reinstated Kombayi as councillor and not as the mayor.
“If you go through the judgment well, it shows Kombayi was only reinstated as councillor and because of that, the post is not contested. More so, I was legally sworn in through the rightful procedures and that can’t be challenged either.
“I am however happy with the judgment because I was also involved in the fight against injustices that were taking place. Kombayi and I were fighting for the same cause and we will continue fighting for justice to prevail with the vision of safeguarding resident’s interests,” said Chikozho.
Although Kombayi described his reinstatement as an early Christmas present, he made it clear he harboured no ill thoughts against his successor.
“About the High Court judgment, I can say it was a Christmas present that came very early. I thought it was a done deal as political powers were being abused. All those allegations were also false. 
“I also don’t want to waste time fighting for the mayoral post. Isn’t the current mayor from my party? So why should I be seen fighting my own? If I fight, it would only lead to confusion and that will not be good for the city,” Kombayi said.local

17-11-2017 – MWENEZI – Nyengeterai Matengarufu of Matande village under Chief Negari is being accused of burning down her boyfriend’s bedroom hut to punish him for refusing to take her as his wife.
The woman had reportedly eloped to her boyfriend Justice Machava’s place but he rejected her ostensibly on the grounds that she has a child from a previous relationship.
Although Chief Negari said the matter had not yet officially reached his office, he confirmed the incident.
“People who are responsible for submitting a full report of what really transpired are yet to inform me. The incident indeed occurred and is currently being handled by the police. It is said that the girl was not welcomed by what she had hoped to be her future family so she burnt one of the house out of anger,” said Chief Negari.
A source said Matengarufu was angry that Machava impregnated her but did not want to take her as his wife.
“Machava is still a young boy so he refused to marry somebody who already has a child with another man. She had eloped the previous night but everybody had given her a cold shoulder, leading to the arson attack,” said the source.local

MASVINGO – Due to the overwhelming demand for levonorgestrel tablets, popularly known as morning after pills, pharmacies in the city are now often running out of the emergency contraceptive.
Pharmacists who spoke to TellZim News said there is an increase in the demand for the pill such that they often find themselves out of stock.
One pharmacist said though she was pleased with the brisk business that the pill was according her, she was equally worried that people seem to mind pregnancy more than they care about contracting STIs.
“It’s now happening more often than not. The students are our biggest customers and they mop up everything especially when there is a concert in town or when there is a big sporting event.
“This is a pointer to young people having unprotected casual sex and that does not bode well with efforts to achieve an HIV-free generation,” said the pharmacist.
Masvingo is one of the HIV hardest hit province, with recent reports that a new drug-resistant strain of the virus had arrived in the city which acts as a transit for truck driver and cross-border traders.
TellZim News recently checked with all pharmacies in town and established that the pill, which costs an average of US$7, was indeed out of stock.
When contacted Provincial Medical Director (PMD) Dr Amadeus Shamu said he was not worried by the shortage as government has always encouraged safer sex.
“The shortage of morning after pills is not something that one should worry about since there are better alternatives. Family planning pills are also readily available for those who need them,” Dr Shamu said.
Government, through the National Aids Council (Nac) has adopted the global 90-90-90 target by which it is hoped that by year 2030, 90 percent of people must get tested, 90 percent of people living with HIV must be on treatment and 90 percent of people on treatment must have suppressed their viral loads.local