02 Feb 2017 – ZAKA – Zimbabwe Yadzoka, a pressure group working to mobilise a coalition of political parties to restore democratic rule in the country, last week launched the Nhimbe system, a mass mobilisation strategy, in Jerera.
Among the delegates were the national coordinator, Itai Madataire, vice chairperson Menty Makurumidze and provincial chairperson Wellington Chakona.
Zimbabwe Yadzoka is a non-political organisation advocating for a coalition to defeat Zanu PF.
Madataire said the group supports the case for a single opposition presidential candidate to wrestle power from Zanu PF.
He encouraged everybody to target the millennials and young people as they are a critical voting bloc.
 “I discovered that people in Jerera now need change and are supportive of the idea of the grant coalition with no pre-conditions,” Madataire said.
Coordinator of the campaign, Victor Chimhutu also emphasised the need for all opposition parties to unite behind one candidate.
“I think you may agree that our common problem as Zimbabweans is Zanu PF and if we do not get united, we will split our vote and Mugabe will win again in 2018,” Chimhutu said.
On the same note, Makurumidze said people should be mobilised so that their goals can be achieved.
“What is needed now is enlarge the mobilising team so that the goal can be achieved,” said Makurumidze.
Another member of the pressure group, Lainos Gwanangudza said he was impressed by the new Nhimbe strategy which he said would break new ground in mobilisation.news

Lawrence Mandava

02 Feb 2017 – ZAKA – More than fifty Socio-Economic Champions (SOCHAMPS) in Zaka last week received training under the Vendors Initiative Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) at Jerera growth point.
This was done as a Trainer of Trainers (TOT) workshop conducted on constitutional rights, transparency, accountability, awareness and advocacy.
The training was part of VISET’s Vendors Action for Constitutional Reform (VACRE) Project which was launched in September 2016 with the goal of achieving strategic mobilisation of the informal sector.
It was also aimed at building capacity to demand constitutionalism by public officials.
Seventy-seven people (41 females, 11 males and 25 youth) were trained on the right of street vendors to enhance their ability to trade freely, create a favourable and legislative framework which facilitates access to finance and profitable markets.
Founder and Executive Director of VISET, Samuel Wadzai Mangoma raised concerns about the callous illtreatment of vendors by the police and other arms of government.
“I am troubled that vendors are not recognised as enterpreneurs. They are often  illtreated and harassed like criminals,” Mangoma said.
Mangoma said VISET was doing its best to bring solutions to avoid the harassment of vendors.
“VISET wants a total removal of obstacles that inhibit street vendors from trading freely and profitably,” Mangoma said.
The trained SOCHAMPS are expected to take their knowledge to other places in Zaka in which VISET will be on the ground to assist all SOCHAMPS.
Among other respected figures who attended the event was Councillor Peter Imbayarwo from Zaka Rural District Council.news

Peter Chawapiwa in Gutu

02 Feb 2017 – MPANDAWANA – Willie Mukadziwasha’s wife last week pulled down TellZim News banners which informed the general public that her husband was in trouble for selling land.
She visited Mpandawana and pulled down the banners and stashed them at her market stall at the bus terminus. Her first port of call was Madzvamuse Store where she harassed the workers before ordering them to surrender the banners to her. The workers complied and she took the banners away.
When she visited George Marumbwa’s selling point which is next to Mpandawana Service Station, this reporter was present and she harassed Marumbwa demanding to know the author of the story.
“I only sell newspapers and do not know the author. Perhaps the people in Masvingo are in a better position to supply you with that information,” Marumbwa told her.
She continued shouting at Marumbwa claiming that the newspaper was false and later pulled down the banners and took them away. This was after she had made a scathing attack on incumbent Chief Gutu, Amon Edmond Masanganise.
“Who is Chief Gutu anyway?” she said.
The matter was reported to Mpandawana Police Base where she was summoned and advised that she had committed a serious offence. She was asked to return the banners to the selling points which she immediately did.
Mukadziwasha’s wife was also advised to follow the proper channels if she had any grievances against the newspaper.news

 Jorumu Gumbo

Cephas Shava in Mwenezi

2 Feb 2017 – MWENEZI – An attempt by Douglas Mafuba to kick his adulterous wife out of their homestead failed last week after Chief Neshuro reversed Headman Chirimigwa’s earlier verdict awarding the homestead to him.

The acrimonious divorce process started at Headman Chirimigwa’s court which ruled against Estinah Ngwenya and gave the home to Mafuba.

Ngwenya, however, appealed against the ruling at Chief Neshuro’s court which overturned the headman’s ruling and ruled that the homestead, which the two had used as their matrimonial homestead for the past nine years, belonged to her.

At Chief Neshuro’s Court, Ngwenya defended her adulterous escapades saying she had decided to move on because her husband was no longer fending for her.
She produced council invoices that reflecting that she was the one paying the bills for the home.

Since both Mafuba and Ngwenya are not originally from Chief Neshuro’s area in Mwenezi East but are from Masvingo and Mwenezi West respectively, they acquired a stand in Chief Neshuro’s area using a transfer letter from Chief Maranda of Mwenezi West which had Ngwenya’s name only.

Asked why his own name was not on the transfer letter, Mafuba told the court they had used Ngwenya’s name because at that time, he had lost his identity card.

After full trial, the Chief’s Court ruled that Ngwenya should remain in possession of the homestead while Mafuba looks for another area somewhere else. Mafuba did not welcome the verdict and vowed to appeal.

Ngwenya however told the court that they built the homestead, which is located less than a kilometre from Neshuro growth point, together before the relationship went sour.

The home is made up of two thatched huts and a two-roomed house and another tiled four-roomed house.news