MUTARE – What started as a good journey turned tragic after a King Lion bus was involved in a fatal accident which left 43 passengers dead on the spot and 24 injured.
The death rose to 45 as two more passengers died on their way to Karoi Hospital.
Still visibly shaken by the accident, one of the survivors, Paul Chitondwe says he survived for a purpose and blames the driver for overloading and allegedly failing to exercise caution on the road.
Chitondwe and his wife Maria of Chikanga suburb in Mutare were travelling to Zambia after one of their sons got a place at Cavendish University in Zambia so they were going to help him with logistics.
 “My son got a place to study law in Zambia. I and my wife decided to travel to Zambia to do all the logistics.  We left Mutare on June 7 to Harare.
The following morning, we went to Road Port and boarded the King Lion bus.
The bus was overloaded but they continued picking up some passengers on our way.
The driver was approached by some passengers telling him to exercise caution because he was over speeding but he did not take heed,” he said.
Chitondwe said that on approaching the 256 km peg in Nyamakate about 40m outside Karoi along the Harare-Chirundu highway, they suddenly heard a deafening sound of a tyre burst. He said the bus veered off the road and rammed into a tree.
“The driver was driving at an excessively high speed when the tyre burst. I still remember being thrown all over but I don’t know how I got outside the bus.
“When I woke, up my wife was besides me asking if I was well.  I just woke up while I was outside and my whole body was in pain.
“I had injuries on my shoulder, head and both legs and we were rushed to Nyamakate Clinic. Unfortunately, the clinic could not accommodate all of us.  We were put on the floor. We were later transferred to Karoi Clinic for further treatment.
“At Karoi Clinic, there were no x-ray machines so we ended up being ferried to Chinhoyi Clinic before I was again taken to Belvedere Medical Centre together with my wife who suffered head injuries, legs and dislocation on the right hand. I really thank God for preserving our lives as a family,” said Chitondwe.
The accident was declared a national disaster.local

Samukelisiwe Ngwenyama

ZVISHAVANE – The row between MDC-T senator Lilian Timveos and local journalist John Chimunhu has returned to the courts with the senator claiming US$2.5 million in damages after Chimunhu allegedly defied a High Court order compelling him to stop slandering her.
Prosecutor Stanley Ncube alleged that Chimunhu, who resides in Mandava ward 3, was on September 5, 2016, presented with a provisional order from the High Court barring him from publishing unpleasant things against Timveos.
The journalist, who had been provided with a job as a researcher when he was reportedly in dire need of money, later had a fallout with the senator over some issues.
Magistrate Shepherd Mnjanja heard that Timveos owed Chimunhu some money and the two quarreled over the matter and the tension worsened after the senator discovered that Chimunhu was allegedly digging up her confidential information from the laptop they shared.
The journalist had, after discovering the information, went on to question her integrity and the fallout got out of hand leading to the dismissal of Chimunhu.
Out of anger and bitterness, Chimunhu allegedly resorted to parading what he had found to the public and this was when the High Court gave him an order which he allegedly decided to ignore.
He allegedly went on to write even more damaging information on his website called the Now Daily giving the senator all sorts of nasty names and alleging that she was a prostitute who uses a fake identity as Lilian Timveos when she was in fact Lilian Mpofu.
He further allegedly published porn videos which he claimed belonged to Timveos.
“As a legislator, senator, mother to my children and supporters and a wife to my husband, l am appealing to the court to punish John Chinyama for ruining my reputation and now l am walking naked.
“I thought he would comply with the High Court order, apologise and delete what he wrote and we move on but l now want 2.5 million US dollars as a compensation for defamation of character. I owe him money and l will give him but disgracing me is not the best solution,” said Tamveos.
The matter was due for continuation of trial on the July 5.local

Ndarama High School Head Shirley Makausi in a well-equipped Food Technology and Design classroom

Moses Ziyambi

For many people, leadership merely entails being in front of others and giving instructions to subordinates, but for Ndarama Government High School head Shirley Makausi, it means much more than that; it means doing things right and setting a precedent.
Within a relatively short period of time, Ndarama High School has become the best government day school in Masvingo province in terms of everything; the quality of learning facilities, cleanliness of surroundings and, most importantly, the quality of academic results.
Makausi became Ndarama High School head in February 2004, when the school had just introduced its first ‘A’ Level class. At that time, public perception of the school was dismal, with classes being difficult to fill as parents opted to send their children to other schools with higher rankings.
In a major turn of the trend, Ndarama High now practices hot-sitting as a way of accommodating the hundreds of children who have been fortunate to get a place at the school.
The public school had never managed even a 20 percent pass rate at ‘O’ Level since at least 1998, when the pass rate fluctuated between eight and 18 percent.
With determination combined with the requisite charisma, Makausi managed to turn things around and made Ndarama High a first choice school even for those who had hitherto juxtaposed government schools with degradation of standards, indiscipline, poor academic results and general decay.
Ndarama High School now boasts a stunning appearance often synonymous with well-heeled private schools only; an attractive aura which extends to an excellent learning environment and culminates in rising academic outcomes.
The school, despite practicing hot-sitting, recorded a 76.25 percent pass rate for its 2016 ‘O’ Level class, an astronomical rise from the around 15 percent when Makausi took over in 2004.
Now, in a society which knows more headmasters than headmistresses, and in a field where celebrated achievements seem to accrue more from the male than female effort, it would be an error of omission to ignore the distinguished work that has been done at Ndarama High School.
Makausi went to Usher Secondary School in Bulawayo, St David’s Bonda High School before proceeding to university where she acquired her teaching qualifications.
Since then, she amassed vast teaching experience over the years, having taught at St Anthony’s Musiso High School in Zaka from 1980 to 1983 before moving to Christian High School in Masvingo.
Between 1996 and 1997, Makausi was acting deputy head at Victoria High School before becoming Chirichoga Secondary School head from 1997 to 2004.
Though she acknowledges that the education sector, like any other sector for that matter, is still largely a dominion of males, she maintains there are opportunities for women too if they choose to widen their scope.
“Getting a good education, working hard and having confidence in oneself is the surest way for people to improve themselves. I was well-equipped for the job when I became head so women should be encouraged to have high self-esteem and apply for promotions when chances come,” said Makausi.
After becoming Ndarama High School head, she oversaw the addition of new classroom blocks and the school is now building a science block for ‘A’ Level pupils as a way of advancing the teaching of science, maths and technology (STEM) subjects.
Regarding the achievements that Makausi has made on behalf of Ndarama High School, the biggest highlight of all is probably winning the 2013 Secretary’s Merit Award, a coveted recognition of a school’s outstanding accomplishments.
“We believe we are still Award material, we got all that it takes to be there again. We want to leave a legacy that will live on long after we are no longer here. I am fortunate to have a team of hardworking teachers who admire what I do. The deputy head Mr Mukawu is very supportive, and the SDC (School Development Committee) is united in making a success of the vision I have for the school,” Makausi said.
Together with her team and the SDC, she has made strides to meet the full requirements of the new curriculum and the school now has a well-equipped Food Technology and Design department where pupils learn such skills as cake making.
The SDC is also pioneering a vibrant agricultural project at the school and is setting up a greenhouse in which quality vegetables are expected to be produced at limited costs.
Sanitary facilities at the school have been upgraded, with restrooms for both staff members and pupils now sparkling clean and are equipped with soap dispensers, electric hand driers and showers.
A devout Catholic who puts God first in her work, Makausi has also nurtured a culture of zero tolerance on littering and disorderliness at Ndarama High School, an approach that has won the school the admiration of many as emphasis is put on the need for pupils to keep the surroundings ever spotless.
On time keeping, Makausi says there is no better way of instilling that virtue into children than by leading by example.
“I have to be here by half past six every morning to get myself ready so that our children can learn the importance of observing time. When I later go and stand in front of them at assembly, I set the tone for the day and everybody feels challenged to make the best out of the limited time we have,” she said.local

Clever Taperamoyo

MASVINGO – John Neruwana (18) of Zvinoitavamwe village under Chief Budzi in Bikita last Monday appeared before magistrate Dambudzo Malunga who sentenced him to five years imprisonment for raping a 10-year-old girl.
The court heard that Neruwana waylaid the minor, who is related to him, one morning in September 2015 when she was on her way to Nebarwe Primary School.
He then requested to have sexual intercourse with her but she refused, but Neruwana grabbed her and forced himself onto her.
She cried for help but no one was there to give her assistance.
He then gave the victim a five rand coin and threatened her with unspecified action if she happened to reveal the incident to anyone.
The complainant later on reported the incident when she was transferred to Chivhunze Primary Pchool in Chipinge, after she discovered that she had developed itchy rash on her genital area.
A close female relative was the first person to know of the issue which she reported to the complainant’s father who then reported the case to Chipinge police, leading to the arrest of the rapist.local

Lawrence Mandava

NEMANWA – The Reformed Church in Zimbabwe (RCZ) – run Morgenster Teachers’ College last week officially opened five magnificent houses for its members of staff.
The new houses were constructed by Robmeck Construction Company starting in 2015 and are now ready for occupation.
Guest of honour at the event to open the houses, Reverend Josphat Zambuko, who is the chairperson of the Synodical Administration Board (SAB), praised hard work and commitment by the church, college principal, her staff and other stakeholders.
“This is a sign of good administration. To the Church, thank you and your administration for leading by example. Surely all our mission institutions must emulate and follow this good path you have shown us,” said Rev Zambuko.
The principal of Morgenster Teachers’ College, Raviro Chipato also expressed satisfaction that the college was working to maintain quality standards of learning and accommodation despite the challenging economic environment.
“I am encouraged by the fact that Morgenster Teachers’ College has always pioneered events in education and we are working hard so that history can repeat itself,” said Chipato.
Morgenster Teachers’ College has 74 lecturers and over 44 non-teaching staff and still has a huge task to provide adequate accommodation for all its employees.local