MUTARE – A member of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) based in Odzi has been slapped with a five-year-jail term for fondling breasts and privates parts of a married woman who had sought for his assistance in connection with her abusive hubby.
Tonderai Chipani (38) of ZRP Odzi was convicted of indecent assault by magistrate Lazarus Murendo. One year of his five-year jail sentence was suspended on condition of good behavior.
Appearing for the State, Brighton Shamuyarira told the court that on April 22 at around 14:00 hrs, the woman approached Chipani seeking his assistance in having her husband arrested for abusing her.
“She again returned at around 20:00 hrs seeking his assistance. Chipani then accompanied her back to her house.
“On their way, Chipani asked her how she was going to pay him for arresting her husband. After some distance, he asked for sexual favours. He went on to grab the woman, forcibly put his hands in her pants and fondled her breasts. He stopped when the woman screamed for help. She reported the matter she led to the arrest of Chipani.local

ZVISHAVANE – A total of 27 African countries that are members of the Coordinating Committee for Development and Promotion of African Handicraft (Codepa) held their 9th conference at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) grounds in Bulawayo.
The conference ran under the theme ‘The national, subnational and continental policies for development and promotion of handicrafts in Codepa member states: appraisal and perspective’.
Codepa started in 1988 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso and its objective is to establish a permanent and close co-operation between the African member countries, to conduct reflections and take actions aimed at improving the craftsmen’s daily life and guaranteeing a better future to African craftsmen.
Weavers, fashion designers, carpenters, wood carvers panel beaters among other handcrafters were part of the conference exhibiting their products.
The conference facilitates interaction between artistes and their ministers so as to promote handcraft as small to medium enterprise.
Each country had a representative who presented on lived experiences, with challenges highlighted being mainly about the welfare of handcrafters and lack of necessary support.
Codepa chairperson Saluman diara Suba, who is a Cote d’Ivoire national, stated that despite existing challenges in the sector, the future was bright.
“The problem we have is of mobilising resources. However, the African Bank assured to give support to handcrafters in African countries. Also as member countries of Codepa, you should be committed in paying affiliate fees to the organisation,” said diara Suba.
Small and Medium Enterprises Minister in Zimbabwe, Sithembiso Nyoni urged handcrafters to unite and form cooperatives so as to come up with quality and best products.
Codepa member countries are Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo, Cote d’lvoire, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Madagascar, Mauritania, Niger, Central Africa, DRC, Chad, Togo and Zimbabwe.
Observers of the conference were from Egypt, Gambia, Sudan, Zambia and Nigeria.local

ZVISHAVANE – Zvishavane entrepreneurs in different business sectors recently exhibited their products and gave knowledge to the public on the use and prices of their goods and services.
This was during the official launch of the 2017 business expo in the city along Zvishavane-Masvingo road.
Entrepreneurs from the many sectors including construction and engineering, insurance, retail and wholesale, services and authorities, uniformed service (ZRP), mining, public services and transport attended the event.
Director for Midlands State University (MSU) Zvishavane campus Professor Advice Vhiriri, who was the guest of honour, encouraged entrepreneurs in Zvishavane to continue working hard to attain the goals set by the ZimAsset economic blueprint.
He also urged council should provide suitable land or showground exhibition centre as a way of putting the town on the map in the same manner that the Gweru Agricultural Show is held.
“Zvishavane is one of the fastest growing town in Zimbabwe. Events such as these will help the business sector and community to meet and share ideas thereby creating long lasting relationships.
“I want to challenge the Zvishavane Town Council to create a conducive environment for these entrepreneurs gathered here so that they can achieve their goals…. This business expo can put Zvishavane on the map and attract more investors into the town,” said Prof Vhiriri.
The show ended with some entrepreneurs being awarded certificates for having performed well in different categories of the business sector.local

MWENEZI – The Mwenezi Rural District Council (RDC) has interviewed six candidates shortlisted for the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
District Administrator (DA) Rosemary Chingwe confirmed the development but could not say when the new CEO will be announced.
“The interviews were conducted and a special full council meeting that convened last week resolved that it will accept the results as per their outcome and no any alterations will be made.
“As for the announcement of the results, I am not sure about the exact dates because the results have to undergo a number of procedures; from the Provincial Administrator (PA) up to the highest level,” said Chingwe.
Preliminary results are however expected to be announced any time from now with the approval of Rural Development minister Abednigo Ncube.
The candidates were grilled by council CEOs from various parts of the country as well as by officials from the DA and PA’s offices among others.
The Mwenezi RDC CEO post became vacant when the then CEO, Stanslas Mavesere retired in February this year.local

Saviour Kasukuwere

Beatific Gumbwanda

CHIREDZI – Chiredzi Rural District Council chairperson Alderman Matsilele has pleaded with ratepayers to pay up their dues, saying the local authority was in a financial fix caused by little revenue inflows.
Presenting his second quarter report in a recent full council meeting, Matsilele said it was now exceptionally difficult to fund recurrent expenditure because people were not paying.
“This year the challenges have begun quite early; in June, which spells a lot of trouble ahead. This was due to late payment by our major stakeholders who normally pay at the beginning of the year.
“Council is supposed to collect about $271 000 every month, but during the month under review, only $77 900 was collected, which is far short of our monthly requirement,” he said.
Matsilele also highlighted that in the month of June, labour costs outweighed what was budgeted for due to staff retrenchments.
“During the period under review, employment costs exceeded what was budgeted for due to the statutory obligations for the retrenched staff,” said Matsilele.
He indicated that this year’s annual performance (January to June) was far much lower than that of previous years.
“As of 30 June 2017, council had collected $994 911 21, which is an annual performance of 30.59 percent. However, the performance for the period from January to June is 61.7 percent from an anticipated budget income of $1 626 349 for the period,” said Matsilele.local

Beatific Gumbwanda

CHIREDZI – The Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (TUZ) has promised Zanu PF its full support ahead of the much-anticipated general election next year, urging its members to do whatever it takes to ensure the ruling party retains power.
This was heard last week at Chiredzi Primary School during the conclusion of an ICT training workshop organised by the union for some 88 of its members in Chiredzi West.
The training was the 13th of a series of workshops being held nationwide ostensibly to help TUZ members understand the Biometric Voter Registration System (BVR) and prepare them for the elections.
TUZ president Timon Tandi said teachers were opinion leaders in their communities and therefore had a duty to campaign for Zanu PF.
He said teachers should spread the message to kids who will then influence their parents to back Zanu PF in 2018.
“We are for Zanu PF and it is your role as teachers to back Zanu PF wherever you are as it is the party which brought education to your doorstep. Pamberi nekuvhotera Zanu, pasi nekutengesa nyika!
“We are doing these courses in all constituencies in order to bring together teachers and their local MPs because a teacher who teaches a class of 40 pupils in class can influence many parents….we will lose votes in 2018 if we fail to do so,” said Tandi.
Chiredzi West MP Darlington Chiwa, who was the guest speaker at the graduation, made it clear that teachers were being used to help sway the new voter registration system to the favour of Zanu PF.
 “We are training you such that you will have the knowledge to win elections for the ruling party in 2018 using the new system of voting,” said Chiwa, warning the teachers not to ‘sell out’ as they did in 2008.local