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Robbers tie man with cable, make away with cash

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Tinomutenda Midzi

19 March 2019, MUTARE – Daring intruders who burgled into a house in Murambe Street last Sunday used a cable to tie a man and used rags to stuff his mouth before robbing him of US$415 and other goods.
Thirty-one year old Vosta Zvitete of Stand Number 6 Honde Street Murambe, Mutare, was left shaken by the robbery which happened in the early morning hours last Sunday.
Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa confirmed the incident and called for vigilance.
“In this robbery case, no arrests have been made so far. We appeal to anyone with information to report to the nearest police station. People should make sure that their doors are well-locked before going to sleep. They must make sure they put their money in very safe places to protect it in case of a robbery,” he said.
Two unknown male adults cut the fence and entered the house using unidentified objects. They took two cell phones that were on charge before proceeding to where Zvitete was sleeping.
Brandishing an axe and a machete, the robbers woke the victim up and demanded money.
Zvitete said he had no money but the robbers found US$15 from a pair of trousers which was on the floor before taking another US$400 which fell off the ground from the blankets.
They also made off with a television set, a Samsung DVD player, two pairs of trousers and three pairs of shoes before leaving Zvitete still tied, with his mouth was stuffed with the rags.local

Prominent prosecutor runs home naked

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Upenyu Chaota

19 March 2017, MASVINGO – Prominent prosecutor, James Zvikomborero Murambiza last week ran home naked after two knife – wielding robbers mugged him in his car and took away all his clothes, a laptop, cell phones and cash amounting to US$123.
Murambiza (34), who resides at ZRP Zimuto Camp, was robbed in a bushy area close to Sundown Lodge.
Tawanda Murumbi (21), of Marufu Village under Chief Mazungunye in Bikita, and Kudzai Zibhowa (41), of Kuranga village under Chief Nyajena, stood before Magistrate Victor Muhamad on Monday.
Though they pleaded guilty to charges of armed robbery, they denied the facts supporting the charges, claiming that they did not enter Murambiza’s car while he was away but they entered when he was busy having sex with an unknown woman on the rear seat of the motor vehicle.
They were, nonetheless, sentenced to four years in prison each with one year suspended on condition that they do not commit a similar offense in the next five years.
Murumbi and Zibhowa were represented by human rights lawyer, Collins Maboke of Maboke and Ruvengo Legal Practitioners.
It was the State’s case that on March 8, 2017 at around 2000 hrs, Murambiza was driving his car along Old Great Zimbabwe Road towards the CBD when he stopped his car to relieve himself.
Upon returning to his car, Murambiza felt two knives being pressed on his neck and he noticed that he was being robbed. He was then forced to drive along the dusty road towards Sundown Lodge and ordered to park his vehicle in a bushy area.
It was heard that the complaint was assaulted with clenched fists and was robbed of the items and all his clothes in the process.
The robbers then tied the Murambiza’s hands with shoe laces, disconnected the car battery, took away the car keys from the ignition pot and disappeared into the night.
Murumbi was arrested in Zvishavane the following day while trying to sell the stolen items while Zibhowa was arrested two days later in Runyararo South West, Masvingo.
Fidelis Nyamukondiwa prosecuted.local

Gweru mayoral post tough

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Chikozho (centre) with Town Clerk; Elizabeth Gwatipedza

Itai Muzondo in Gweru

19 March 2017, GWERU – Outgoing chairperson of the commission that has been running the affairs of Gweru after the suspension and ultimate dismissal of Hamutendi Kombayi, Tsunga Mhangami last week warned new mayor, Charles Chikozho, that his new job was by no means a stroll in the park.
Speaking during the inauguration of Chikozho, Mhangami said the post requires tough decision-making techniques and the boldness of a giant.
“Gweru’s dignity can be retained but it needs a bold decision maker. Efforts should be put to improve revenue collection. Your work even starts inside these chambers as you can see they are deteriorating.
“Of urgent attention, however, is a land audit because suspicious land deals have been done all over. Findings by the commission show that there are a lot of dirty land deals across the city. Several stands, some of which have since been developed, are quite questionable,” Mhangami said.
She did not hesitate to boldly advise the new mayor to close down the council-owned yet loss-making Go-Beer brewery which she described as a liability to council.
“The commission suggests the winding up of the Go-Beer project as it is no longer profitable to the city. Council should rather maintain their farming ventures which have remained viable despite the harsh economic climate,” Mhangami.
Chikozho, however, told TellZim News that he will do whatever it takes to return the city to sanity.
“I am ready for the task. I want to bring back the city to sanity. I know it’s so big a task that as I take office, I know what I am going to face. I also believe the report handed over to me by the commission will help me do a perfect job for Gweru,” said Chikozho.local,topnews

Sakubva man jailed for possession of diamond

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Tinomutenda Midzi in Mutare

19 March 2017, MUTARE – Tawanda Masomera of Murahwa Street in Sakubva was last week slapped with a five year jail term for unlawfully possessing a peace of diamond worth US$47. 53.
Magistrate Tendai Mahwe found Masomera guilty of contravening section 3 (1) of the Precious Stones Trade Act Chapter 21:06 which forbids the dealing in or possession of precious minerals without a licence.
It was the State’s case that on June 1, 2016 around 13:00 hrs, detectives from the Minerals and Border Control Unit received information to the effect that there was a person with one piece of diamond at Stalling Street, Greenside, Mutare.
Acting upon the information, detectives went there, positively identified the accused person and recovered one piece of diamond from his wallet.
The accused person was arrested and brought to the station with the exhibit of the recovered diamond.
The diamond was assayed and weighed 2. 19 carats and valued at US$47. 53.
Matthew Chimutunga appeared for the state.

Victoria Jnr dissolves new executive after 3 days

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Tichaona Chiminya Mharadze

TellZim Reporter

19 March 2017, MASVINGO – Squabbles at Victoria Primary School are far from over as the newly elected School Development Committee (SDC) was dissolved barely three days after assuming office and the school head has since called for an extra-ordinary Annual General Meeting (AGM) to elect a new committee.
The dissolved committee was elected following heated arguments with parents accusing the school head, Lameck Mashuro and the previous committee for mismanaging school resources.
When contacted for comment, Mashuro professed ignorance over the matter saying he does not talk to TellZim News.
“I don’t want to hear anything about that issue; in fact I don’t want to talk to TellZim News,” said Mashuro before he dropping the call.
Mashuro and the previous committee stand were being of coming up with too many projects which reportedly forced the school to apply for a bank loan. Parents have also objected to the purchase of a new luxurious vehicle for the head.
Former SDC chairperson, Pascal Mudzikisi, however, rubbished the claims and said everything the committee did was above board.
“I am a professional and everything that I do is always above board. It’s politics at hand here; Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) members have taken over control of the school and some individuals want to use the committee to launch their 2018 election campaign,” said Mudzikisi.
Tichaona Chiminya Mharadze who was part of the dissolved committee, said he feels that there is violation of the regulations governing SDC and the School Development Association (SDA) in the country.
“I feel there is gross violation of the statutory instrument that governs SDCs and SDAs in the country because nowhere is it indicated that parents of children with fees arrears are not qualified. The ministry is also not supposed to preside over the elections according to the statutory instrument but the District Schools Inspector (DSI) did that instead of the recommended ward councillor. I think they are not acting according to the laws and regulations,” said Chiminya.
“There are people who think because I am an MDC-T official then I am here to represent the interests of MDC-T. I’m only representing my children as a parent. I have a lot of platforms to play my political games and not at the school. I have no interests to contest in Masvingo Urban but in Masvingo West,” Chiminya added.
The extra-ordinary AGM was supposed to be held yesterday evening (Wednesday) and this publication could not get the names of the new committee by the time of going to print.
Parents however said that they were going to make sure that they will put people who will promote the interest of all stakeholders.local

Gutu schools urged to be self-reliant

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Peter Chawapiwa

19 March 2017, GUTU – Local schools have been urged to establish projects that can fulfill the demands of their communities as a way to self-sufficiency instead of complaining about lack of resources all the time.
Addressing school heads in Gutu last week, Gutu Business Development Association (GBDA) chairperson, Isaiah Ngwaru, said schools are economic zones that can implement income-generating projects and produce consumer goods for sale.
“The mindset that parents should provide for the school’s budget has to change. Schools should establish projects that generate income. These can be in the form of irrigation projects to sustain the major economic drivers of that community.
“They could also be in the form of shops with groceries, cement, seed, fertilisers or other items that are on demand in the community. Some projects can even produce commodities that can earn the school valuable income on the export market,” Ngwaru said.
Over a long period, he said, he had observed that parents raised school fees for their children mainly through farming but in the face of continuous unfriendly weather patterns, that ability was gradually diminishing.
“When parents fail to pay, the school headmaster has no choice but to rely on the meagre resources that are available. Droughts bring problems in our region hence the need for irrigation projects. As GBDA, we will assist with free advice to all school headmasters who wish to embark on projects.
“This will help to equip school children with sound entrepreneurship skills and open new avenues of economic growth,” Ngwaru said.local

G40 minister flees rally

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Dr Win Mlambo

Beatific Gumbwanda

19 March 2017, CHIPINGE – Deputy Minister of Information Technologies, Postal and Courier Services, Dr Win Mlambo who is allegedly aligned to the Generation 40 (G40) faction, last week fled from a rally he wanted to address in Checheche after youths from a rival faction Team Lacoste threatened to beat him up for belittling Chipinge South legislator, Enock Porusingazi.
Mlambo, who is also the MP for Chipinge East, is reported to have said no kind words for Porusingazi – an alleged Team Lacoste loyalist, and that did not go down well with the party youths who were at the rally who then swiftly moved to attack him.
The Chipinge East legislator confirmed the attack and said he fled the rally for his dear life.
“I had only come to the meeting to welcome members of Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) and the newly launched National People’s Party (NPP) who were defecting to Zanu PF. I was surprised that some people from Zanu PF had hired youth to disrupt the rally. The youths were fuming violently towards me and they damaged a vehicle and the PA system while, they threw away cooked meat and other various food stuffs meant for the people who had come for the meeting,” said Mlambo.
“I realised that they were afraid that those who were repenting and rejoining the party would implicate them and as a result they decided to disrupt the meeting. I had to leave the venue of the rally after realising that tempers were flaring,” he added.
A Zanu PF youth who said is also a member of the  Zanu PF central committee, Betty Kudzai Dhliwayo, however, told TellZim News that the youth were tired of Mlambo whom she said had a tendency of holding secret meetings with chiefs and war collaborators in a bid to malign Porusingazi.
She said the Zanu PF youth who went to the meeting were angered by Mlambo’s alleged campaign against Porusingazi and they wanted to teach him a lesson.
“The youth sang songs while barring Minister Mlambo from entering the meeting venue; we made it clear that he was not welcome,” said Dhliwayo.
She accused Mlambo of using Dr Grace Mugabe and the First Family as a strategy to take down Porusingazi ahead of the 2018 harmonised elections.
“He influenced people to sign a vote of no confidence against Porusingazi claiming that he was following orders from the State House. Last week he was here and he had gathered war veterans for a bogus meeting.
While this drama was taking place, Porusingazi was said to have been in Buhera where Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko was to addressing a meeting.
Porusingazi could not be drawn into commenting by the time of going to print.politics,topnews

Kasukuwere warns Omar, mocks Bhasikiti

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Kudakwashe Bhasikiti

….chiefs are on our side, says Mahofa

Cephas Shava

17 March 2017, Mwenezi – Zanu PF political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere last week warned the Zanu PF candidate in the upcoming Mwenezi East parliamentary election, Joosbi Omar, to refrain from the common politician’s culture of abandoning the voter once elected into office.
Addressing a rally at Rutenga Primary School, Kasukuwere said Omar must not betray the people of Mwenezi and urged him to be hands on lest the electorate rejects him.
“Tauya kuzosusukidza muzukuru kuti aende ku parliament…vanomwa doro, vanoputa mbanje muchiita zvinhu zvenyu, slogan ndeyekuti muzukuru chete chete….but when elected, you should remember the people of Mwenezi….usazochonera Harare, dzoka kune vanhu vakakuvhotera,” a beaming Kasukuwere said, exuding the confidence of a person who is assured of victory.
He also took time to attack Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) candidate, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti whom he described as a failure whose tenure in office was characterised by nothing but confusion and betrayal of the electorate.
“Musi wakabuda Bhasikiti mumusangano weZanu PF ndomusi waakabuda mupolitics….if you monitor the way Bhasikiti walks, it is clear that he is totally confused…ndiro rinonzi bhasikiti risina kana zai rimwe chete zvaro.
“Bhasikiti should show us a single toilet that he constructed for the people of Mwenezi so that we can officially open it….ukatamba nemusangano weZanu PF unochema,” said Kasukuwere.
The Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs, Shuvai Mahofa told Kasukuwere that Mwenezi traditional leaders had pledged support for Zanu PF.
“Madzishe nevanhu vomuMwenezi vakandivimbisa support yavo last time…fetiraiza yakauya uye imwe ichauya. Mota dzemafuta nemabhero enhumbi zvirimuzhira. We also want to make sure that the victims of the 2014 Tokwe-Mukosi flood who are at Chingwizi camp are compensated as soon as possible,” said Mahofa in comments smacking of vote-buying.
The by-election, which is slated for April 8, has been described by some as a one-man race due to the alleged uneven playing field which has seen Zanu PF holding a number of rallies while opposition candidates have not held any due to the difficult procedure they are made to follow.
The Free Zimbabwe Congress candidate, Turner Muhango last week complained that he was sent from pillar to post to get clearance just to do a clean-up exercise at Rutenga and Neshuro.topnews,local,politics

Croc shreds school girl’s hand

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Cephas Shava

17 March 2017, MWENEZI – A Grade Seven pupil at Gwamatenga Primary School was last Thursday rushed to Manyuchi Clinic after she was attacked by a crocodile during the early hours of the morning while fetching bathing water in a gully.
A close relative to Mercy Chuma of Thomas village under Chief Murove, told TellZim News that the little girl’s hand was nearly torn off after the sneaky reptile ambushed her.
“There is a small gully that holds some water nearby and that is where the crocodile was hiding. It pounced on the girl’s hand when she was about to fetch water to bath and go to school.
“The girl was alone so it is not clear how she miraculously rescued herself from the jaws of the reptile. The gully is shallow but she could nonetheless have been dragged and killed by the crocodile,” said the relative who preferred anonymity.
The crocodile is suspected to have come from the nearby Mazanhi dam and was reportedly killed by shocked community members who went on to make a police report.local

Health ministry threatens to close Mpandawana bar and market

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Peter Chawapiwa

17 March 2017, MPANDAWANA – The Ministry of Health and Child Care has threatened to close down the council-run Mutamba Beerhall and the nearby Hwiru Market unless renovations are made to ablution facilities and water supplies are restored.
In a letter addressed to the Gutu Rural District Council (RDC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dumisani Nkomo, the District Environmental Health Office says council must attend to the renovations before April 24 failure of which the beer hall and market would be closed down.
The letter was written after concerns were raised by residents in the new town that sanitation facilities in the two places were poor and posed a serious health threat to the people.
“This letter serves as a warning to the City Council to renovate toilets that serve Mutamba Beerhall and takeaway in Hwiru. The water system for the toilets should be reopened and the toilets should be renovated as their state is now dilapidated.
“The ministry has also noted that toilets for Hwiru market should be reopened so that proper disposal of human waste can be implemented so as to curb the spread of typhoid and other diseases,” reads part of the letter.
The letter states that failing to meet the required standards means that council is operating in breach of section 82, 85 (a), (f), (ii), (l) Chapter 15:09 of the Public Health Act.
Gutu RDC CEO, Alexander Mutembwa, was not immediately available for comment but sources within the council said proposals had been made to close down the bar as it was operating at a loss.
Councillors who spoke to TellZim News, however, said they were not aware that such communication had been received by council.
Chairperson of the town board, Gabriel Mapepa, also professed ignorance of such communication but admitted that the situation at the beerhall and market place was a cause for concern.
Last year residents in the town called on authorities to expedite the gazetting of Mpandawana’s new status as a town saying that was the only way to improve service delivery.local