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Drama at Zanu PF Masvingo PCC

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Drama at Zanu PF Masvingo PCC
Dr Paul Chimedza

Upenyu Chaota

MASVINGO – Zanu PF Masvingo province has held its shortest ever Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) and Provincial Co-ordinating Committee (PCC) meetings both of which lasted less than 10 minutes with the province endorsing a resolution for President Robert Mugabe to call for an extra-ordinary congress in December this year.
Led by Zanu PF Masvingo provincial chairperson Ezra Chadzamira, the PEC only endorsed the mooted extra ordinary congress resolution but the meeting ended abruptly to give time to the PCC which also resolved that President Mugabe should call for extra ordinary congress.
“As the PEC we have resolved that we should support the call to have an extra ordinary congress in December to endorse President Mugabe as our candidate for 2018 elections,” said Chadzamira amid ululations of agreement from the floor.
The PCC meeting then ended abruptly without any further deliberations.
Both meetings were led mainly by the Team Lacoste faction which is known for supporting Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa to take over from President Mugabe.
The faction members who led the proceedings did not give any chance to their rivals in the Generation 40 (G40) faction who had planned to smuggle in other resolutions like constitutional amendments to allow the inclusion of a woman in the presidium.
Members of the G40 faction, which is said to be pushing for Grace Mugabe to succeed her husband President Mugabe, were caught unawares by their rivals as both the PEC and PCC meetings ended before they entered the venue.
It emerged that G40 members wanted to copy and paste the Mashonaland West resolutions that included constitutional amendments and the reservation of space for a female figure in the presidium as part of the resolutions. On the other hand, Team Lacoste, which is fighting for Mnangagwa’s survival, insisted that Masvingo should only endorse Mugabe to call for an extra ordinary congress and nothing more.
Coming to the PCC, G40 wanted to deliver a punch to Team Lacoste faction by axing its members from the provincial executive on anticipation that they would refuse to endorse the congress.
To back up their move, G40 bused in youths who would support the move but the plan failed to come into fruition after Team Lacoste agreed to endorse the December congress.
Outside the venue, Zanu PF youths could be heard singing songs of praise to alleged G40 kingpins in the province among them newly-appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs Engineer Walter Mzembi, Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs Dr Paul Chimedza and provincial political commissar Jeppy Jaboon.
Zanu PF chief whip and alleged Team Lacoste follower Lovemore Matuke could be heard arguing with Dr Chimedza whom he was accusing of bussing the youths. Matuke told Dr Chimedza that he was too young to stand against him.
The visibly drunk Zanu PF youths sang songs saying Chimedza, Jaboon and Mzembi could walk on top of water without sinking. They even carried the trio aloft and threw them into the sky as a sign of support.
The PCC meeting which normally stretch for hours only took about ten minutes before members caucused outside the venue.
Mzembi, who arrived at the venue in time for the PCC but never disembarked from his car choosing to simply wait until the meeting was over, later joined the caucus meetings that pushed to edit the resolutions.
When the PCC meeting was over, Jaboon read a WhatsApp message from Mashonaland West province which outlined how they had presented their resolutions regarding the extra-ordinary congress but Team Lacoste members shot it down saying they write their own resolutions.
“We follow instructions from the top and not from other provinces. That is what they (Mash West) agreed on and not what we agreed on here today. What you are reading is not a benchmark which we should all follow so we will write what we ourselves agree on,” said Chadzamira.
A visibly infuriated and sweating Jaboon responded saying he did not care what people who push other agendas say but will use the Mashonaland West resolution as a template to pen down Masvingo’s own resolutions.
“We need a template to see how other provinces presented their resolutions so I do not see why you are not happy about it,” said Jaboon to which Chadzamira responded saying he would not sign the resolutions if Jaboon did not take the views of Masvingo as agreed in the shortest ever PCC.
Another member queried why people kept on saying they wanted to endorse Mugabe at the December congress when they had already done so in 2014.
“We have other issues which are more important than to just say we want to endorse the President. How many times should we endorse him? Didn’t we endorse him in 2014? There are other more important issues that should top the agenda,” said the irritated party member.
Button-stick armed police had to be called in to maintain order as there were fears that the situation could implode.
Team Lacoste fears that if the congress is allowed to realign the party structures and amend the constitution, Mnangagwa would be booted out and replaced by Grace.topnews

Gweru Town Clerk wants to go to Harare

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Gweru Town Clerk wants to go to Harare
Gweru Town Clerk Elizabeth Gwatipedza

Itai Muzondo in Gweru

GWERU – Nomadic Gweru Town Clerk Elizabeth Gwatipedza is desperate to leave the local authority for a similar post with Harare City Council for several reasons including reports that she is angry that Gweru turned down her offer to occupy the mayoral mansion which was part of the packages that attracted her to take the job.
Gwatipedza, who was Redcliff Town Clerk, joined Gweru municipality in December last year following the jettisoning of Daniel Matawu.
Her plans to relocate to Harare comes less than a year after joining City of Gweru where she has been criticised for making outrageous demands for luxury.
She has been shortlisted for the capital city’s top post together alongside other aspirants who include Dr Tapiwa Mashakada and Dr Cainos Chingombe.
Recent reports, however, indicate that City of Harare may not be able to recruit a Town Clerk anytime soon because council disregarded a government directive on the composition of the interviewing panel.
The reports said Harare used councillors to interview the shortlisted candidates instead of the stipulated professionals in accordance with the requirements of the law on separation of powers in local authorities.
Sources said Gwatipedza was desperate to move to Harare because Gweru had rejected her demands for many perks and privileges including a demand for US$30 000 worth of curtains for her house and US$15 000 worth of fuel.
Gweru city fathers clashed with Gwatipedza in August this year after they reportedly resolved to turn the 20-roomed mayoral mansion she had wanted to occupy into a lodge.
Gwatipedza was insisting that she should be allowed to occupy the mansion because it was part of the package that attracted her to join the council.
“There is a lot of talk regarding the mayoral mansion,” she said then. “To begin with, it is a package that made me join Gweru City Council. When I got this job, I was supposed to be booked in a hotel until council found suitable accommodation but I decided to commute while waiting for council to find suitable accommodation.”
City of Gweru mayor, Charles Chikozho in response, said the council was sticking to its 2015 resolution to convert the mayoral mansion into a lodge to boost council revenue.
“As of now, our position regarding the mayoral mansion is to turn the mayor’s house into a guest lodge. As for the Town Clerk, the council is now sorting out her accommodation elsewhere,” Chikozho was quoted as saying.local

Newspaper vendors chased off Masvingo streets

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Newspaper vendors chased off Masvingo streets

Vendors have deserted their stalls after being chased away by the police


Tell Reporter

MASVINGO – Newspaper vendors together with other vendors have been chased out of Masvingo streets by the combined forces of riot and municipal police.
Even those operating at the designated newsstand at Belmont Press were give a one hour notice to vacate the place or face unspecified action.
City of Masvingo Mayor Hubert Fidze said the move was a result of a directive from President Robert Mugabe.
“It is not purely a council affair because there was a directive from the President that vendors have to be moved from the pavements to properly designated sites. That is the order we are following and we hope everything will be done appropriately,” said Fidze.
On why even those at Belmont Press had been threatened with eviction, Fidze said he was about to get into a meeting with other leaders like Town Clerk Adolf Gusha to discuss the issue.
“I am about to get into a meeting with others to see how those people have been operating all along. I know the understanding has been that their place has been designated for that,” said Fidze.
Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Association spokesperson Godfrey Mtimba condemned the impromptu evictions.
“Those vendors are there for the reasons that we all know. The economy is not performing and the promises of two million jobs did not materialise. We as Murra condemn in the strongest terms council and the government’s latest attack on livelihoods,” said Mtimba.
In his capacity as first vice president of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (Zuj) Mtimba said the eviction of newspaper vendors from their selling points was an attack on access to information.
“It violates the people’s constitutional right of access information and it is also an attack on the media institution itself. How will people get the newspapers they want to read?” said Mtimba.
After being given the ultimatum, vendors immediately vacated their favourite points and all the pavements were clear.local

MDC-T charms Mnangagwa

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MDC-T charms Mnangagwa

Emmerson Mnangagwa

. . . Mugabe has never liked you
. . . come let us reason together

Upenyu Chaota

President Robert Mugabe has never liked his most loyal member Emmerson Mnangagwa, the Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC-T) has claimed saying the beleaguered Vice President must dump the nonagenarian and join opposition politics.
Extending the olive branch, MDC-T national spokesperson Obert Gutu said it was high time Mnangagwa considered joining opposition politics after he was early this week humiliated by being stripped off his justice ministry while ministers sympathetic to him were either sacked or demoted.
“Events unfolding in Zanu PF now clearly show that Mugabe never liked Mnangagwa and the reshuffle was only meant to fix him and his supporters. If Mugabe was genuine about his reshuffle he should have first reshuffled himself out.
“We believe in a big tent approach so if Mnangagwa feels like he cannot handle the heat in Zanu PF anymore, which I think that is the point he is now, he is most welcome to join the MDC-T. President Tsvangirai is always on record saying that anyone who genuinely repents from evil  deeds is welcome to join us. I say to Mnangagwa this is the time, come let us reason together,” said Gutu.
Mnangagwa has come under immense pressure left, right and centre since his revelations at the late national heroine Shuvai Mahofa’s memorial in Gutu a fortnight ago that, though it was not food poison, he was indeed poisoned.
The Midlands godfather was then forced to have a press statement to try and correct media reports saying he was misquoted, a situation which did not help much as Mugabe went on to reshuffle cabinet relegating alleged Mnangagwa loyalists to the dustbins.
NPP national spokesperson Jeffreyson Chitando also weighed in saying his party was looking forward to have Mnangagwa joining the party.
“We don’t see the light all at once. Mnangagwa might have a not so pleasant past but if he eventually sees the light and repent, then we are ready to accept him at NPP. Even if Mugabe sees the light someday, we are willing to walk the road with him,” said Chitando.
“We need each other to rebuild. If ever Mnangagwa resigns and wants to challenge the status quo he is welcome to join us. Mnangagwa and all the other people in Zanu PF who are being persecuted for being honest are welcome to join NPP,” said Chitando.top news

Parents want swipe machines for rural schools

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Parents want swipe machines for rural schools


Davison Marenga

ZVISHAVANE – The severe cash crisis and long bank queues being experienced in the country call for all schools to see to it that they put in place alternative fees payment methods in order to spare people unnecessary hassles, parents in Zvishavane have said.
Those who spoke to TellZim News urged responsible authorities to begin providing swipe machines especially in rural schools where the service is lagging behind.
The country is facing cash shortages and most banks have imposed a daily cash withdrawal cap of as little as US$25. This has been more painful especially for rural people who have to travel to town to find banks but only to get back with something that little or nothing at all.
“Because we are facing cash problems in the country, it would be a good move if swipe machines are introduced in rural schools. Having point of sales will make things easy for us as we will be able to pay fees using plastic money into school accounts. Schools must also embrace plastic money as a new method of payment,” said Francis Makore.
Another parent said the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education could make it compulsory for all urban and other better resourced schools to have point of sales while poor rural schools could be subsidised.
“It is time for those schools that can afford it to be made to purchase swipe machines. Parents are busy and they don’t want to spend time in bank queues trying to get cash or making RTGS. We understand that there are poorer schools in rural areas which would need government or local councils to subsidise them so that they too can have swipe machines,” said another parent.
Recently, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education announced that 3 500 swipe machines for distribution in schools throughout the country.local

ZNA charity goes to Mwenezi school

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ZNA charity goes to Mwenezi school

Brig Gen Nyikayaramba cuts the ribbon to officially open the newly-built classroom blocks

Cephas Shava

MWENEZI – The Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA)’s goodwill thrust to improve the learning environment in poor communities reached Mwenezi district where the army constructed two 2 x 2 classroom blocks at Mukume Secondary School in Ward 13 under Chief Chitanga.
The classroom blocks were officially opened last Thursday by ZNA Chief of Staff Major General Douglas Nyikayaramba.
Local labour was also utilised during the construction process after ZNA received funds from the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe (CBZ) and FBC bank to cater for building materials.
Delivering his speech at the occasion, Maj Gen Nyikayaramba chronicled some of the social responsibility work that ZNA was doing in the province and elsewhere and thanked all people who worked to make the project successful.
“The construction of the classroom blocks reflects the army’s role in working with other ministries to help communities to attain development. The army intervened after realising that Mukume Secondary School was in urgent need of assistance.
“Classes were conducted under tree branches. We also thank CBZ and FBC bank for disbursing funds that catered for the building materials for the two classroom blocks,” said Maj Gen Nyikayaramba.
School head Takura Whande acknowledged that before the recent intervention by ZNA, the school’s learning environment was disturbing due to substandard facilities.
On his part, Mwenezi schools inspector Philip Gumbo said the entire district has a total of 172 schools of which 102 are satellite schools.
He said a majority of the satellite schools are in a sorry state such that they also need interventions as was done at Mukume Secondary School.
The ceremony was attended by Commander 4 Infantry brigade Brig Gen Exsebious Tshuma and other various army personnel, Assistant District Administrator (DA) Martin Musakanda, CBZ provincial manager Wishnomore Sikireta and other CBZ staff, Mwenezi RDC representatives, ministry of education staff, various dignitaries and ordinary people.local

We are doing our best on water supply, says Fidze

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We are doing our best on water supply, says Fidze

Mayor Hubert Fidze


Nyasha Marumbi

MASVINGO – City of Masvingo Mayor Hubert Fidze last week promised residents that council was doing everything in its capacity to ensure that residents have optimum water supplies on a daily basis.
Speaking at a meeting hosted by Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Alliance (Murra) at the Civic Centre on Friday, Fidze said though supplies remained lower than demand, the city would continue to work to improve the situation.
He said the city needed 48 mega litres of water per day to meet demand yet only 30 mega litres are being pumped daily.
He said due to the shortfall, those who reside in suburbs such as Rujeko, Runyararo, Hillside and Target Kopje have to do with their supplies being cut between 16:00 hrs and 04:00 hrs every day.
Fidze also said the previous winter season saw a lot of water pipe bursts due to high pressure caused by residents not using as much water.
“In the previous winter, water consumption per household declined substantially because of the cold and that led to an increase in pressure on our pipes,” said Fidze.
He said the continuous rural-urban migration was compounding the problems because the wave was not being equaled with the necessary infrastructural expansion.
People were also urged not to wash their dishes using pit sand and vim in sinks as those two materials were contributing to the clogging of the city’s pipes.
Fidze thanked residents for paying their sewage levy which he said had enabled the city to repair some of the damaged sewer and water pipes.local

Chibi High crowned National U20 champions

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Chibi High crowned National U20 champions

The Chibi High team (in complete green) stand with match officials and the Hippo Valley High team before the match

…PED hails Proton, Surrey for sponsorship

Beatific Gumbwanda

CHIREDZI – Chibi High School was recently crowned the NASH U20 national champions after pounding hosts Hippo Valley High School 2-0 in the finals.
Hippo Valley High School booked a place in the finals after thumbing the Mashonaland defending champions Mavuradonha High School in the semi-finals while Chibi High School knocked out Oriel Boys High School.
The tournament was sponsored by Surrey Meats and Proton Bakery which gave the champions US$800 while the runners up walked away with US$500.
Provincial Education Director (PED) Zedius Chitiga thanked the sponsors of the tournament which he said advanced the cause of education through sports.
“NASH has been holding these U20 soccer tournaments for many years without sponsorship and the coming in of the Surrey Group and Proton Bakery to support this tournament is a most welcome move.
“It demonstrates that these two companies have a great liking for learners because it is from these learners that they will derive their workforce when they are done with their studies. Proton and Surrey has done us proud by supporting us in this field,” said Chitiga.sport

Tongogara, Whawha, Nichrut in tight premiership race

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Tongogara, Whawha, Nichrut in tight premiership race

Itai Muzondo in Gweru

GWERU – Zifa Central Region Division One teams Tongogara FC, Whawha FC and Nichrut FC are tied in a premiership promotion race with the contenders having 58, 58 and 57 points on the latest log table respectively.
Tongogara FC are on top of the log in week 26 despite suffering a 1 – 0 away defeat to Whawha FC.
Tongogara’s defeat was a great leap backwards because they had hoped to maintain their top performance which peaked with a 6 – 0 defeat of Vumbachikwe.
More action is anticipated in the race, with Nichrut FC set to lock horns against Whawha FC in their backyard this weekend. Nichrut FC is will also clash with Tongogara FC in the near future.
The three teams have been in fine form throughout the season and their anticipated clashes towards the end of season are set to decide those who will get into topflight soccer.
Tongogara FC coach Kelvin Maphosa told TellZim News he hoped his team will not lose at the 11th hour as has happened over the years.
“I believe this is our year though we still have a long way to go until the season ends. We just have to work hard and continue with this form. Last season, we had the same run but our last games were not pleasing. We should avoid losing the battle towards the end. We have been fighting for this promotion for too long and we really need it,” Maphosa said.
Nichrut are also confident of leading the race after signing former premiership players at the beginning of the season but unlike Whawha and Tongogara, they have never played premiership football.
Sitting in relegation zone is Border Strikers FC, Silo United FC, Kwekwe Stars FC and Gwanda United FC all with 25, 21, 11 and four points respectively.sport

Can Mutoda be what Mucheke Pirates need?

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Can Mutoda be what Mucheke Pirates need?

Ezekiel Mutoda
… question asked as Mutare FC remains unstoppable

Clayton Shereni

Mucheke Pirates Football Club last Sunday edged army outfit Mukanya Bullets FC 1 – 0 in a match played at Mucheke Stadium under the guidance of their new mentor Ezekiel Mutoda.
The Masvingo-based side took the lead in the eighth minute thanks to a Washington Ncube diving header assisted by Gift Bhero from a superb right footed cross.
In the first half, it was a one way traffic but Pirates front line could not convert the chances that came their way.
Mucheke Pirates remained fourth-placed on the log standings, 10 points behind unstoppable log leaders Mutare City FC.
The win means Pirates new head coach and former Masvingo united coach Ezekiel Mutoda, who was in charge of the team for the first time after taking over from Johannes Nhumwa a few days ago, could be in for greater things at the new club.
Nhumwa was fired for failing to produce impressive results at a time when the team desperately needs to be promoted into the Premier Soccer League (PSL)
He had, however, guided the team to 41 points, 12 wins five draws and six losses and the team still remain on fourth position with 44 points.
Log leaders Mutare City defeated Renco Mine 2 – 0 while second-placed Buffaloes beat fellow Manicaland side; third-placed Tenax FC 1 – 0.
Mutare City FC seem to have earned the ticket to premiership football basing on their current form but the race is still on, with six games to go and the top four teams doing everything to collect maximum points.sport

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