MASVINGO – A local chapter of Lion’s Club, a humanitarian organisation with an international reach, was launched at Chevron Hotel last week.
The guest of honour at the launch was David Saunyama who is the first vice governor of district 412 (D412) which comprises four countries namely Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi and Mozambique.
The district also has a total of 153 clubs with 30 of them in Zimbabwe.
Saunyama told TellZim News that the organisation’s presence in Masvingo put it in a better position to make a difference locally.
“The launch of the club here in Masvingo means we will be able to help at any time when we have resources. When we donate to the needy, we need to have our club members to do the handover so if an area has no members, it is difficult to stretch our hands,” said Saunyama.
During the launch, Solarax Pvt Ltd donated foodstuffs and other goods to Mucheke Old People’s Home, Ndarama High School and Pioneer Cottages children’s shelter while Chiedza Muchandiona, a member of the club, donated to Alpha cottages and Pioneer Cottages.
The Lion’s Club is a non-governmental voluntary organisation which helps the underprivileged and victims of disasters through fundraising work and partnerships with the corporate world.
The organisation provides grants, food and health care among other basic social needs.
It is headquartered in Chicago, America, and has 1.4 million members with 420 thousand clubs around the world.
Its junior club for young people below the age of 30 is called the Leo Club.
Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) has two Leo Clubs; one at the main campus and the other at Mashava campus.education,local

Cephas Shava

MWENEZI – The Mwenezi Rural District Council (RDC) is set to repossess more than 1000 stands in various places of the district because prospective developers have failed to pay the lease application fees within the expected timeframe, TellZim News has learnt.
The RDC has issued a public notice for the third time to prospective developers at Neshuro, Lundi and Rutenga growth points where more than 900 stands that have not been paid for are set to be reclaimed in the event that the owners do not respond within two weeks.
Mwenezi RDC acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Albert Chivanga confirmed the development and said the local authority has been left with no other option except to withdraw offer letters for all unpaid stands.
“The stands that are set to be affected are 1000 plus. Some of these stands were given to individuals and groups before the full payment of the stands. We have been warning these prospective developers and this is the third and final warning.
“In the event that the prospective developers fail to respond within two weeks, the council is definitely going to reclaim the stands,” said Chivanga.
The operation is set to affect individuals, groups and many civil servants especially teachers who were part of housing schemes like Shine Plus which is said to have more than 200 stands at Rutenga growth point that are set to be reclaimed.local

TellZim Reporter

MASVINGO – Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) will on Friday, September 15, 2017 host its inaugural Fundraising Dinner Dance at Great Zimbabwe Hotel where Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa will be the guest of honour.
Chairperson of the GZU fundraising committee Dr Andrew Chindanya said that after four years of massive growth and expansion GZU was now in a position to make major developmental strides.
He said the new phase of GZU’s growth and expansion will be achieved through a stakeholder-driven resource mobilisation initiative. 
“The stakeholder-driven resource mobilisation programmes are expected to develop the University at an unprecedented rate and in a short period of time. The goal of the stakeholder-driven fundraising initiatives is to raise funds to provide support for capital projects, infrastructure, and academic priorities at the university.
“The first of these initiatives is the hosting of a fundraising dinner dance by the University on September 15, 2017 at the Great Zimbabwe Hotel in Masvingo where the University’s employees, students, Alumni and other stakeholders are being called upon to share a passion for the extraordinary university and the great journey it is embarking upon,” said Dr Chindanya.
“While we have achieved a lot since 2012, there is much more to do as we march towards building a state-of-the-art Main Campus at our natural home adjacent to the Great Zimbabwe National Monuments.
“We believe partnerships with our valued partners on such occasions and in such capital projects will firmly establish Great Zimbabwe University among world-class universities,” said Dr Chindanya.
Since 2012, GZU has transformed and developed itself into a reputable and robust institution of higher learning in the country, region and internationally through the ingenuity and remarkable judgement of its University Council and Management. 
With little resources at its disposal, the university has been transformed from a single facility institution into a magnificent and vibrant multi-campus institution in just over four years.local

MWENEZI – Headman Chitanga, born Lawrence Chitanga, is in trouble after he allegedly bashed a frail 92-year-old woman who had reportedly promised to bewitch his daughter who later passed on under mysterious circumstances.
The elderly Zvirikure Ruwisai of Chidzanira village under Chief Chitanga dragged the headman to the Mwenezi Civil Court seeking a protection order.
She told the court that at one point in time she was bashed by Chitanga after he accused her of witchcraft.
“He regularly beats me. He always scolds me, alleging that besides bewitching my own child, I also bewitched his late daughter,” Ruwisai told the court.
On his part, Chitanga denied assaulting Ruwisai but admitted making some statements to the effect that Ruwisai practiced witchcraft.
“There is no way in which I can assault such an elderly woman like Ruwisai. Her allegations are baseless. As for the issue to do with witchcraft, I told her point blank. Before the death of my daughter, Ruwisai told her that she will grow underground.
“Literally in our customs such suggestions imply witchcraft. What she had promised my daughter came to pass because she died after Ruwisai had uttered those statements,” said Chitanga.
Magistrate Honest Musiiwa granted Ruwisai the protection order and strongly warned Chitanga to desist from such behaviour or risk the full wrath of the law.
Musiiwa also advised Ruwisai that if she was interested, she could immediately file a police report against Chitanga for labelling her a witch.local

ZAKA – A Zimbabwe Republic Police sergeant, Amos Mandiwadzira recently ran amok and assaulted fellow police officers after being caught having sex with a junior police officer’s wife.
Mandiwanzira (42) was brought before Masvingo magistrate Peter Madhibha for allegedly assaulting Constable Liberty Kashiri who had accompanied Constable Brian Chikono to his house where they found Madhibha in bed with Chikono’s wife.
Chikono is married to Madeline Makonese who had a secret affair with Mandiwanzira. The affair became known in the neighborhood and one of the neighbours tipped Chikono at a local bar where he was watching soccer.
Accompanied by 12 other police officers, Chikono went home and stormed into the room where Mandiwanzira was in bed with his wife.
“When we got to the house, we peeped through some cracks on the door and saw the two lying naked on the bed and my baby was sleeping on the floor. We forced the door open and there was a scuffle as Mandiwanza attempted to run away
“He even assaulted Constable Liberty Kashiri with a fist and Makonese smashed the bulb in the house so that Mandiwanza could escape but we managed to apprehend him,” said Chikono.
Mandiwanzira was apprehended and later on appeared before the court but the case was postponed to a later date for continuation of trial with Makaita Chikamhi representing the State.local

CHIVHU – A bishop with the Kutumwa KwaJohane Apostolic Sect in Chivhu, last week left a gospel crusade midway after his younger brother called to inform him that his wife had hired a lorry and carried all their household property away.
Tawanda Munemo was devastated when he rushed home in the company of five fellow congregants to find Tendai Speka, his wife for many years, gone and their rented house at Number 14 G Extension empty like a deserted football pitch.
“Ndakaenda kuchechi kuManyene ndikasiya mukadzi nekuti mwana ainzwa flu. Taitowirirana vakatofona kuti masvika here kuchechi asi ndakazoshamisika munin’ina wangu ave kundifonera kuti mukoma dzokai ndokuwana imba yese yangoshama property yese hamuchina yaenda nemukadzi,” the distraught Munemo said.
“Property yese yakaenda; mubhedha, fridge, room divider, kitchen unit, chibage 10 bags, mari $400 cash neCBZ bank card raive nemari inosvika kuma $300 kwakungosiya hembe chete asi mablankets nemapoto vakenda nawo kwakusiya vanyepera vavakidzani kuti tave kunogara kuHarare,” said the bishop.
Munemo said he later contacted Speka and she told him that she had left because a local prophetess identified as Mai Huruva had tipped her that Munemo wanted to kill her for ritual purposes so that his church could grow.
“Ndakamufonera kwakunditaurira kuti ndakatiza nekuti takaudzwa nemuporofita kuti unoda kundiuraya kuti kereke yako ikure iyezvino phone yake haichabatike. Ndakaenda kumusha kwavo saka vabereki vake vakati vachauya voona muporofita wacho vachigazirisa nyaya yedu izvo ndozvandakamirira,” Munemo said.
He said he would not take any other action but will wait for the matter to be resolved with the help of his escapee wife’s parents.
Efforts to get a comment from Speka were fruitless as she was not reachable on her mobile phone.local