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Thieves break into Mucheke bar



Peter Chawapiwa

MASVINGO – Daring thieves last week broke into Rashai Foroma Sports Bar at Mucheke Old Business Centre and made away with an electrical gadget valued at hundreds of dollars.
Masvingo lawyer, Foroma Chakabuda told TellZim News that the thieves gained entry through an open space just below the roofing which lies over the generator room in the bar.
“The thieves helped themselves to a number of beers and they were drinking the expensive Zambezi lager. Some of the lagers were found broken next to the generator room and may have fallen when the thieves made good their escape.
“The thieves stole a flat screen television set that was in the bar. The decoder was on the shelf next to the television set but they did not take it away,” Foroma said.
Foroma added that the generator room stays locked up at night and it is not clear why it was not locked when the thieves struck. He said none of the employees in the bar offered an explanation as to why the room was not locked.
A report was made at Chikato Police Station where investigations are still in progress.
Cases of unlawful entry and theft have been on the rise in Mucheke where thieves have targeted the business community and residents getting away with thousands of dollars’ worth of property.local

Rapist herdboy fakes age to escape jail



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CHIREDZI – A 21-year-old headboy who was facing charges of raping his neighbour could not think of any other way to escape jail sentence than to fake his age.
Shepherd Moyo of Mapindani Village, Chief Tshovani in Chiredzi, amused people at the court when he boldly told the court that he was only 14-years-old when Regional Magistrate Judith Zuyu was about to deliver sentence.
Moyo told the court that he was only fourteen years and had no birth certificate or a national identity card.
The court was later adjourned in a bid to wait for Moyo’s dental medical tests to identify the latter’s age.
The court sentenced Moyo to 15 years imprisonment after the tests showed that he was 21 years old but he will serve an effective 12 years imprisonment after three years were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
The court heard that on April 10 this year, Moyo’s female neighbour confronted that Moyo’s herd had got into his maize filed and destroyed some crops.
The court also heard that during the confrontation, Moyo attacked the woman with stones before driving his cattle away.
The next day the cattle escaped back to the field and grazed more maize crop and the complainant drove the cattle to Moyo who was hiding a few metres from the fields.
He then went to meet the woman whom he then grabbed and took down the stream where he raped her.
Moreblessing Rusere prosecuted.local

Man nabbed with over 20 kg dagga


Beatific Gumbwanda /
Cephas Shava

CHIREDZI – A 23-year old man is languishing in custody while his father and three brothers were on the run after a massive police drug bust recovered dagga weighing many kilogrammes.
Ishmael Mlambo was apprehended by Chiredzi detective inspector Victor Chinone after a tip off over unlawful dealing of dangerous drugs.
Mlambo, of house number 1647 B Molly Road, Tshovani Township was remanded in custody after submissions for bail made by defence lawyer Charles Vhudzi of Zimbodza and Associates was turned down by Chiredzi Magistrate Geraldine Mutsoto.
The magistrate pointed to recurring fears that Mlambo posed a flight risk as his brothers were still at large and that Ishmael had tried to evade arrest before the police finally managed to apprehend him.
The State represented by Doubt Phiri alleged that on the May 5, the accused person together with his accomplices namely Daniel, Trust and Simbarashe Mlambo had in their possession a blue 20 litre drum with 10 taxi bags containing dagga and a large blue trunk with one taxi bag also containing dagga.
The total weight of all the confiscated dagga was 20 kg.
Ishmael was arrested after the police received a tip off that they were receiving dagga from a supplier who was yet to be named.
The supplier was alleged to be their father who was not named in court but the deal went sour when police ambushed them, arresting Ishmael while the others managed to flee.
Ishmael, who was not asked to plead, was remanded to the May 24 for continuation of trial.
In Mwenezi, Tapera Zhou was sentenced to 10 months behind bars or alternatively 350 hours of community service in addition of paying a US$2 000 restitution after he was convicted of poaching a nyala.
Zhou, of Umbono village under Chief Chitanga, pleaded guilty to charges of killing the nyala when he appeared before Magistrate Honest Musiwa.
Prosecutor Willard Chasi said on April 28, 2017, Zhou, an ex-employee of Zimbabwe Bio Energy (ZBE) and his accomplice, Bernard Mangezi, who was still at large, went to ZBE game ranch, set wire snares and caught a one male nyala.
His wife later told TellZim News that the family was on hard times because ZBE owed her husband US$900 in unpaid wages and that he had tried for a long time to get the money but with no success.local

Chiredzi man sodomises six year old boy



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CHIREDZI – A 68-year-old man will spent a great deal of the last days of his old age behind bars after he was convicted of forcing a six-year-old boy to have anal sex with him without the boy’s consent, TellZim News has learnt.
Makasani Gosha Mukondo of Farm 27 Hippo Valley Estates in Chiredzi was last week sentenced to 17-years imprisonment, three of which were suspended after he pleaded guilty of having anal sex with an ECD boy without his consent.
In what Magistrate Judith Zuyu described as aggravated indecent assault, the court heard that on April 14 this year, Mukondo went to the boy’s homestead where he offered to give the boy’s mother some dried vegetables (mufushwa).
The court also heard that Mukondo then said he would go with the boy to his homestead to collect the said dried veggies and when they reached Mukondo’s home, he summoned the little boy into his bedroom.
The court heard that when they were inside the bedroom, Mukondo ordered the boy to bend down then he then lowered the boy’s trousers and inserted his organ into the boy’s anus and ordered him to shut up.
The court also heard that after the act, Mukondo then gave the boy some mufushwa and ordered him to go home and not to tell anyone.
The matter came to light after the boy’s mother asked why the boy took so long, to which he revealed what had happened.
In his defence Mukondo said he was drunk and he was not aware of his actions.
“I am sorry for what I did, I am really ashamed of myself. I was under the influence of alcohol,” said Mukondo, begging for a lighter sentence.
Moreblessing Rusere prosecuted.local

GZU hosts International Gender Conference

Conference delegates


Great Zimbabwe University (GZU)’s Nehanda Centre for Gender and Cultural Studies has organised an International Gender Conference under the theme “Breaking the Nexus between Gender and Poverty.”
The two-day conference, being held at the Elephant Hills Hotel in Victoria Falls has attracted over a hundred local, regional and international delegates.
The conference was officially opened by the Deputy Minister of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development Abigail Damasane who thanked GZU Vice Chancellor Professor Rungano Zvobgo for facilitating the important research forum.
The forum brings together academics to do research and come up with ways of eradicating world poverty and such ideas are not only part of the 2016 Sustainable Development Goals but resonate well with the Zimbabwe’s own economic blueprint ZimAsset.
“The conference is ongoing and academics are sharing ideas as well as presenting papers whereupon a research journal will be published for academic purposes and ideas expanded in order to ensure that the nexus between Gender and Poverty is broken,” said the conference director and organiser, E.F Zvobgo.
Speaking during the official opening, Damasane urged academics to not only conduct research but augment them with practical and policy-oriented approaches in advancing gender issues and eradicating poverty.
She said that the government of Zimbabwe places high importance on research forums of that nature.
 The keynote speaker is Dr Caroline Sweetman from the University of Oxford and it has delegates from as far as America, Nigeria, South Africa and from local Teacher’s Colleges, polytechnics, universities and NGOs.
Dr Sweetman spoke on gender and development in line with the theme and stated that economic inequality was increasing globally especially in the Global North.
She said the feminisation of labour was a key factor and emphasised the need for social change.
She said crises in masculinities lie in job losses or unemployment, leading to domestic violence.
“In order to break the gender – poverty nexus, women need equality, education, employment, marital and family relations,” Dr Sweetman said.
Director for Research and Post Graduate Studies Professor P. Gwirayi said he was very humbled by the response the initiative had generated.
GZU Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr Andrew Chindanya, who will officially close the conference, applauded participants for having the initiative to push forward an agenda for sustainable development with a particular view to ending poverty.local

A Bed Full of Foreigners thrills fans


A Bed Full of Foreigners cast after the play

Itai Muzondo

MASVINGO – The Masvingo Drama Circle thrilled theatre goers recently with their impressive performance of British playwright Dave Freeman’s 1973 play ‘A Bed Full of Foreigners’ at Charles Austin’s Theatre.
Speaking to TellZim News after the performance, one of the play directors, Mike Banda said they had followed the advice of Charles Austin’s Theatre patron, Doug Hill who recommended the adaptation of the play.
“The play was recommended by Mr Doug Hill who saw that the play was good and would go well with our audience. It would have been played way back but I was tied up with other commitments but after reading it, we decided to adapt it with the help of Charles Munganasa.
“We knew it would be a winner on stage. We also felt bringing it back home would really be good for the audience and the theatre,” Banda said.
He said the drama circle maintained the original themes and the notion of foreigners as depicted in the original play by bringing on board Malawians who are currently on duty with My Age Zimbabwe; Joseph Nyoka who played Chikatero and Jane Phisso who played Helga.
“We stuck to the original themes of the play knowing that they were universal. We also decided to do a foreign play translated to prove that language barriers should be thrown out of the window when art comes into the picture. Art is a universal language and it should be treated as such,” added Banda.
On the play’s future, co-director Munganasa said they were looking forward to stage the play in other parts of the country.
“There has been good reception of the performance and some audiences have asked that the paly be staged elsewhere. We will look into that and see if we will be able to take it out of Masvingo,” said Munganasa.
The cast also featured local talent including Ngoni Chinovava, Josephine Pedzisayi, Nicole Jamu, Donovan Takaendesa and Mike Banda.entertainment

Mzembi messes up big time


Haa vana Mavhaire mutikwanire imi. Kana mukawana nguva muite mushe hamugute kunyarwa makaita sei? National People’s Party (NPP) supporters sometimes are full of themselves. What’s so special about Joice Mujuru that they think she must lead the coalition? What war credentials do they want to use as trump card? What war credentials do Mavhaire and Sipepa Nkomo have? Christopher Mutsvangwa told us long time ago that it was all lies that Mujuru gunned down a helicopter, so stop talking nonsense about war credentials. After all, Zimbabwe is not comprise war vets only – in fact, the youth now make up a larger portion of the population than war vets saka regerai kutinyaudza apa.
Do you want to tell us kuti NPP ndiyo yega yazoita zvishamiso zvekuva nema war credentials? There are war vets in almost all opposition parties so kana musina zvekutaura nyararai vana Mavhaire.
Whether kuenda kuhondo or kusaenda we don’t care all we want is Morgan Tsvangirai to lead the coalition. Period! If you are not comfortable Cdes the door is open. Mapombi is always a gentleman handivanzi kana zvakukonai endai kwamakabva kuZanu PF uko. Muna 2008 Tsvangirai chematama chakangohwina imi muri kuZanu PF and you only joined opposition politics zuro uno madzingwa kuZanu PF.
Mavhaire and Chipepa or is it Sipepa please shape up or ship out! Ende hatimbokuteverei nekuchembera kwamaita ikoko tinokudiii shuwa nhai nhai? We don’t want to be distracted by ageing people who no longer have a future to worry about. We need young leaders with a vision not kungoti chero pese pese hee-e war credentials hee –e kurwa hondo kkkkkkkk as if makairwa hondo yacho vana Mavhaire nana Chipepa. MDCs can go alone – tinongodzibatanidza MDC Ncube and MDC 99 then Tendai Biti zvobva zvatokwana. We suspect NPP is highly infiltrated and tava kuzviona manje.
Anyway, Mapombi is sorry for diverting a bit chete anotsamwiswa netumadhara tusina direction utwu. By the way Mapombi has a burning question vakomana dai mandipindurawo. Is Walter Muzembi really an engineer? What about his doctorate (PhD)?  Mapombi always wonders if the Toursim Minister has all those qualifications ekuti engineer blah blah. Chete kuZanu PF madoctorates (PhD) anopiwa mahara senge hembe dzemubhero. It’s more difficult to find a Grade 1 dropout in Zanu PF than to find a doctor (PhD), fake of course.
Whether Mzembi is a fake doctor or engineer, Mapombi doesn’t care because I rarely call him with the titles. Tough luck Wale; Mapombi heard you bit the dust at the UNWTO elections. Kkkkkk Mwari vanoziva zvavo chokwadi  dai makahwinha taimhoreswa nezvitanda chokwadi.
Anyway, now that you lost the contest for the UNWTO secretary general post it’s high time you come back to Masvingo South and fulfill the promises you made during the July 31, 2013. Mapombi heard you hardly visit the constituency hanzi munoti basa rakakuwandirai rehuMinister kuHarare ikoko – heya regai tione kuchawira tsvimbo nedohwe.
Masvingo province has benefited virtually nothing from Mzembi as the Minister of Tourism. We have Great Zimbabwe Monuments where the country derives its name but Mzembi did absolutely nothing to market the place. Many people would be tempted to think that Mzembi comes from Victoria Falls and not Masvingo.
Anyway, if you ask people like Jeppy Jaboon, Kasukuwere, Mahofa and vana Ndaarombe they will tell you kuti Mapombi haanyepe. I am not a prophetess but everything that I say would come to pass. And today I would like to tell you that Masvingo South hauchalume Mzembi. Pawakadya pakakwana – the electorate now wants someone who really cares about their issues. But since you are an engineer, I hope you will find something to do. Kkkkkkk engineer Walter Mzembi!
Mapombi however, was saddened by the news that Jaboon was suspended from the party for five year. This simply means Jaboon cannot seek re-election in Bikita South. Zvonzwisa tsitsi izvi. But I have warned many before and those who listened survived asi vaya vakandishora vachiti ndiri murwere wepfungwa vari mupfumvu nhasi uno.
By the way, it’s almost lunch time guys allow me to go ndindokanga hangu maputi angu for lunch. But before I go, vakadzoka here ava vekuenda kuSingapore? Mapombi heard his spokesperson George Charamba lost his wife who passed on over the weekend. I would like to pass my condolences to the Charamba family.
Where is Dr Amai these days? She is too quiet hey, very unusual of her. But pavanobudikira toziva kuti pane anoenda kumusha chete. Kasukuwere watch out! Dr Amai havangonyarare zvenhando she is brewing something. Anyway, izvi handingazvipedze izvi let me go ndinodzvikangira maputi angu for lunch. But chando chava kurova kwedu kwaDr Grace Trading Centre uko chakaipa gore rino mapezi tinofa tikazvirega. Mboko imboko!mapombi

Cattle theft increases in Mberengwa

File pic


Davison Marenga

MBERENGWA – Villagers in Mberengwa West and Insiza South have called upon the government to allow the traditional leadership to be involved in the clearance and selling of cattle so as to curb the increasing cases of cattle rustling in the area.
A number of villagers who have lost their cattle to thieves this year said the government should give the local leadership power to handle livestock sales so as to reduce bureaucracy if the problem of cattle rustling is to be seriously countered.
The concerned villagers also expressed unhappiness with the transportation of livestock at night, saying all transportation matters must be done during the day as thieves were taking advantage of the darkness to steal cattle.
Insiza South house of assembly representative, Malaki Nkomo also said he was worried with the spike in cattle theft cases in the two districts over the past few months.
“It’s painful as many people are losing their cattle to thieves. This month alone, about 20 beasts have been stolen so far and no trace has been established as yet.
“These thieves are targeting mainly the heifers and oxen, leaving farmers in dire situations,” said Nkomo.local

Mutare Poly lecturer up for indecent assault


Teston Manana

TellZim Reporter

MUTARE – Mutare Poly lecturer, Teston Manana appeared in court last week facing indecent assault charges after he allegedly caressed a male student at the campus last week.
Manana, who was represented by Nicholas Nhambura, denied the charges and was granted US$100 bail when he appeared before Mutare Provincial Magistrate Tendai Mabwe.
The court heard that on April 26 this year, the 27-year-old complainant arrived at the college intending to repair furniture at the college during the holiday.
He was referred to Manana who was supposed to arrange accommodation and food for the complainant. Manana took the complainant to his house at the staff quarters where he offered him accommodation.
Manana and the complainant shared the same bed and blankets. Manana caressed the complainant’s cheeks, chest and private parts without his consent. After realising that the accused was unrelenting, the complainant pretended to be going to the toilet. He sneaked and alerted security guards on duty.
The matter will go for trial at the end of this month and Manana was ordered to keep residing at his given address and not to interfere with state witnesses.local

‘Whole’ MDC-T district executive vie for Bikita West


. . . 20 candidates already jostling for the seat

Passmore Kuzipa

Sometimes people mistake confusion for democracy – for the whole district executive members of one political party to line themselves up for the purpose of contesting for a single parliamentary seat is indeed a sign of confusion, not of democracy.
The Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC-T), however, seems to be unaware of this fact as six of its Bikita district executive members are readying themselves to battle it out at party primaries ahead of the 2018 general elections where the winner would face candidates from other political parties.
Timothy Ndongwe, the MDC-T Bikita district secretary, who lost to Heya Shoko in 2013 primaries, is ready to try his luck again. Ndongwe will battle it out with fellow district executive members Zororo Moyo (deputy secretary for information), Eliot Muposhi (secretary for disabled), Cassiano Chaodza (secretary for defence), Innocent Chemvumi (secretary for elections) and Malvin Mangwayana (deputy treasurer) as well as Pikirai Gutuza who holds no position at district level.
More interestingly, the majority of the candidates are from Bikita West’s Ward 9; that is, Chaodza, Moyo, Chemvumi and Mangwayana while, Ndongwe and Gutuza are from Wards 13 and 19 respectively. I must say Ward 9 has politicians who are too ambitious!
It is a democratic right for MDC-T executive members to battle it out to represent the party in the 2018 general elections but it also exposes the serious levels of disorganisation within the district. They could have engaged each other and come up with a single candidate from the executive who will then contest against other party members like Gutuza who are not in the executive.
While the candidates might hide behind the democracy banner, it is clear that the executive is not united and it exposes them as people with a serious hunger for power.  All the candidates have limited resources that, when combined, cannot match any of the candidates from Zanu PF.
If MDC-T is serious about reclaiming the Bikita West seat from the ruling party, then the district executive should find each other and come up with one candidate who would go to primaries with non-executive members.
The winner will then face candidates from other political parties like Madock Chivasa of the National Constitution Assembly (NCA). Chivasa got over 300 at the Bikita West by-elections held on January 21, 2017 and he would continue from where he left.
Heya Shoko is also eyeing a comeback with the National People’s Party (NPP) ticket after an embarrassing defeat at the by-elections in January this year where he contested as an independent candidate. Hopefully the former MDC-T Bikita West legislator will play his political cards right come 2018, though not contesting for any post is currently the best advice.
Another independent candidate at the January by-election, Innocent Muzvimbiri is also said to be negotiating his way so that he would contest under the MDC-T ticket. Muzvimbiri would be far much better than the other candidates that have emerged in the MDC-T so far though he might not be the best candidate to face Zanu PF.
Beauty Chabaya, after winning the by-elections and tested power for close to two years, will be hoping for another term in parliament come 2018. It will be a stroll in the park for Chabaya as only five other candidates have already emerged from her party.
Elias Musakwa, who lost to Beauty Chabaya in the primaries for the parliamentary by-election which Chabaya went on to win earlier this year, is understood to be very much in the race too. Musakwa, who has become a perennial loser, might stand a better chance this time around.
Bikita South legislator Jeppy Jaboon is said to be eyeing a move to Bikita West in 2018. Jaboon’s chances are, however, now slim after he was last week slapped with a five-year suspension from party activities for allegedly working to divide Zanu PF in Masvingo province. The suspension means Jaboon may not be able to contest party primaries, even in Bikita South where he had chances of seeking re-election.
Everson Machaya, a Masvingo-based businessman is also said to be interested in Bikita West and so is Retired Major-General Gibson Mashingaidze who controversially lost to Chabaya ahead of the by-election.
Wellington Mutisi, a property developer, is also said to have interests in contesting for the Bikita West seat under the Zanu PF ticket. More names are however, expected to emerge especially from Zanu PF ahead of the primary elections expected later this year or early next year.
Candidates education level and political experience
All the candidates vying for Bikita West are not so educated and that might spell doom for the constituency which may end up with somebody who will fail to articulate issues and fully represent the people in parliament.
Mposhi is a former Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) southern region coordinator and he has at least a ZJC certificate.  Having worked for the labour union for quite long, Mposhi probably felt he is now ripe for a political position but does he really have what it takes to represent the electorate in the national assembly? A local governance seat would be a more ideal post for Mposhi though.
Moyo is a former police officer and he at least has an O’ Level certificate including Maths and English subjects. Having retired from the police, Moyo is now resident at his rural home in Ward 9. Moyo has does not have enough resources to go around the whole Bikita West constituency soliciting for votes in the event that he wins the party primaries. Hopefully MDC-T would provide assistance to its candidates lest Zanu PF has a walkover in Bikita West. Moyo however, has a traceable history in the MDC-T party where he rose through the ranks to become district secretary for information.
Chaodza is said to be a security guard in Mutare and that speaks volumes about his level of education. His job also foretells the kind of resources Chaodza might have, and whether they are enough to contest for the seat or not, the electorate will decide. He however, has more experience in opposition politics considering that he joined MDC-T during its inception.
Ndongwe is a secondary school teacher with at least a degree in education. It has been an open secret that civil servants are not well paid in Zimbabwe and for one to save enough resources for a vibrant political campaign, they would need to have other sources of revenue. In this case, Ndongwe has no any other viable business and that means he would have a mammoth task against resourceful Zanu PF candidates if he wins the primaries. Ndongwe has been in this game for over a decade now, having lost the 2013 primaries to Shoko but he is still willing to try his luck in 2018 again.
Mangwayana is a primary school teacher with at least a diploma in education.  Just like many teachers in the country, Mangwayana does not have enough resources and that might hinder his ambition to contest for the Bikita West seat.
Chemvumi is a rural businessman with a grinding mill and a kombi. It was not clear by the time of going to print if Chemvumi even has a ZJC certificate and the same goes for Gutuza who is said to be in South Africa.
Zanu PF’s Chabaya at has an ‘O’ level certificate and is said to have some successful businesses in Harare. Chabaya was virtually unknown in Bikita but she rode on her parents’ popularity both in Bikita West and Zanu PF. Zanu PF national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere and Jeppy Jaboon also played a critical role for Chabaya to win the party primaries and subsequently the by-elections. Team Lacoste faction was extremely bitter with Chabaya and many still have that bitterness. Chances are slim that Chabaya will win the party primaries and her woes are worsened by the fact that both Jaboon and Kasukuwere who saved her the first time are under fire in the party. 
Rtd Major –General Mashingaidze has many professional courses he attained during his time with the national army. The former army boss is well resourced but lacks that killer punch in politics. He really needs to understand the different dynamics between his former job and politics if he is to win the party primaries. Politics needs one to be humble and not commanding!
Musakwa is a great musician. The Ngaavongwe hit maker seems to have more understanding of music than politics. He went to the school of music and it would be best if he concentrate more on music than politics. However, he might be rewarded for his patience having been lost the elections in 2008 and 2013.
Machaya is into civil engineering in Masvingo. He has been in Zanu PF for more than 20 years now but his chances of winning party primaries are still slim especially considering his kind of approach to politics. He was duped and later dumped by Jaboon during the run-up to party primaries ahead of the by-elections. Machaya needs to understand power dynamics in Zanu PF and who to associate with if he really wants to win the primaries otherwise it will be a waste of resources.
By and large, Zanu PF stands a better chance of winning Bikita West constituency especially considering the calibre of candidates that have emerged across all political parties so far.
The MDC-T has to work really hard and whip its structures into line otherwise they will suffer an embarrassing defeat in Bikita West. The whole district executive members from Bikita West cannot be seen contesting; fewer candidates, instead, have to compete if the party is to remain united.
The party should also come up with candidates who have resources so that if Zanu PF donates rice they will also come and donate sugar not just watching and criticising. It would be best if the above mentioned MDC-T candidates consider contesting for local government seats than being too ambitious for nothing.

For contributions e-mail pkuzipa@tellzim.com or call 0772 729 937 / 0718 729 937.politics,topnews