A Gutu teacher and his brother have appeared in court for accusing the wife of their late father’s brother of witchcraft after she failed to attend their father's memorial service in Chagonda village, Chief Nyamande, Munyikwa last week. 

They were charged under Section 99 of the Criminal Codificacation and Reform Act Chapter 9 (23) for calling Rosemary Mundodzi (40) a witch.

Motion Chagonda (37), a teacher at Nyamande Secondary school and Nicholas Mutukwa (34) pleaded not guilty before Gutu Resident Magistrate Edwin Marecha on the 4th of May.

They argued that they did not call her a witch but they were sent there by their elders to find the reason why she did not attend the memorial service.

"We did not accuse her of killing our father but as our culture, my late father's elder brother, together with his family, was supposed to attend the memorial service. If they did not have anything to do with his death why would they fail to attend such a big ceremony? 

“We decided to find out from them, that is why we went to her house. They refused to talk to us so we ended up speculating but we did not accuse her of being a witch,” said Chagonda.

The court heard that the two went to Mundodzi’s house and insulted her calling her a witch who had killed their father in cold blood and demanded her to move out of the house because the family could not accommodate witches.

The duo was released on a US$50 bail and will appear in court on the 13th of May for continuation of trial.

Chamunorwa Honye prosecuted.news

The opposition MDC-T national executive member, Takanayi Mureyi, who is also shadow Minister of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Small and Medium Enterprises has bemoaned the state of the economy saying the time to celebrate shall come but for now people have to push for reforms in Zimbabwe.

Delivering a speech at the belated World Press Freedom Day celebrations last Saturday, Mureyi said there is nothing for the people of Zimbabwe to celebrate since the economy is on fire.

“Zimbabweans deserve a better life than what the government is giving them. How can we celebrate when we face such hardships, there are queues everywhere with people struggling to get their hard-earned money.

“Everyone has become a vendor and there is no sign of economic recovery in sight. Right now they have decided to introduce bond notes. In their ignorance, they hope that it will help fight the cash crisis the country is experiencing but it will do more harm than good.

“The nation is in a state of mourning over the loss of jobs, lost income and lost relatives who have gone to the diaspora in search of better lives,” said Mureyi.

He slammed the government for enacting oppressive laws that stifle the free flow of information.

“Journalism in this country is a crime. Laws like Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) victimise journalists for merely doing their job. These laws are unconstitutional and they should be repealed as of yesterday.

“Journalists should take action because asking for your rights will not work with this government. Stand up and grab your rights. It is completely unwarranted to torture journalists for making a mistake while doing their jobs.

“Mistakes are made because to err is human but for the government to use an iron fist against such is uncalled for,” Mureyi said.

He said the journalists have nothing to celebrate since most of them are living in poverty and squalid conditions.news

The Minister of Lands and Rural Development, Douglas Mombeshora has distanced himself from the ever increasing number of illegal settlers who have taken over most parts of Masvingo North amid allegations of corruption by provincial land officers and village heads.

Mombeshora said it is the job of the provincial lands officers to see to it that there are no illegal settlers in their areas.

“The issue to do with illegal settlers can best be handled at provincial level. We have our technical teams who have all the mechanisms to ensure that there are no illegal settlers in their areas.

“They also know the definition of an illegal settler and if there is any, they have the power to evict such people. They do not report those matters to me as I don’t have first-hand knowledge of illegal settlers in all parts of our provinces,” said Mombeshora.

According to information gathered by TellZim News, Masvingo North Wards 8b and 32 are the most affected areas with higher numbers of illegal settlers than what government had predicted.

Wards 8b and 32 were designed to have fewer settlers than others since they lie on a catchment area between Popoteke and Mutirikwi rivers which feed into Lake Mutirikwi.

A total of nine farms on the catchment area were reserved for the resettlement of 429 people but the number of illegal settlers has reached over 450, which has seriously reduced the size of the grazing area and caused heavy siltation, posing a threat to Lake Mutirikwi.

Ward 32 councillor, Steven Munyenyiwa said the illegal settlers have taken over all the grazing area and no action is being taken by the responsible authorities to evict them.

“We confronted the then District Administrator, James Mazvidza and planned a demonstration against him in 2014 but we were stopped by the police. 

“The National Technical Land Committee visited the area in 2014 and wrote a report to the Masvingo provincial Chief Lands Officer recommending the eviction of the illegal settlers but they never took any action,” said Munyenyiwa.

The Environmental Management Agency (EMA)’s 2015 state-of-the-environment report for Stanmore B village suggests that government was supposed to take action since there was rapid land degradation in the Mutirikwi river catchment area.

“Since the community has increased the area it is cultivating beyond the size initially planned and since there are reports of suspected illegal settlers, there is need for other departments like the Ministry of Lands, the District Administrator’s office and the Livestock Production Department to carry out an assessment on whether the human and livestock carrying capacity of the area has been exceeded,” reads part of the report.news

President Robert Mugabe is expected to visit Gutu this Friday where he is expected to meet with incumbent Chief Gutu, Amon Edmond Masanganise, and all the chiefs and headmen from the district.

TellZim News is reliably informed that President Mugabe, who made it known just before the 2008 harmonised elections that he is related to Chief Gutu through his mother was coming to pay his condolences on the death of the last Chief Gutu, albeit three years later. However, further information collected by TellZim News showed that President Mugabe was interested in meeting all the traditional leaders in the district which has led to speculation that he may also be launching his campaign for the 2018 election. Chief Gutu’s secretary, Kennedy Mupambavatyi, neither confirmed nor denied President Mugabe’s itinerary but confirmed that a meeting of all traditional was being convened to discuss issues that would be brought to the President’s attention.

“We are meeting all the traditional leaders here on Monday at Chief Gutu’s Court where we will table the issues that we will take to President Mugabe when he comes on Friday,” Mupambavatyi said.

All the chiefs and headmen were expected to attend the meeting where they were expected to come up with their list of grievances which will be presented to President Mugabe on Friday. The traditional leaders were also expected to address any other issues which they felt should be brought to President Mugabe’s attention. 

President Mugabe is expected to arrive in the morning and leave for Harare on the same day.news

With most areas in Masvingo province experiencing serious food shortages, politicisation of food aid has become rife with Zanu-PF supporters getting first preference while opposition supporters complain that they are being sidelined especially from the presidential relief aid.

MDC-T Masvingo provincial chairperson, James Gumbi said their people are still being left out in the distribution of food aid.

“It is true that our people are not receiving any food aid when hunger is serious like it is right now. Food aid should not be politicised especially when the nation is in a serious food crisis and most people on the brink of starvation.

“It is unfair for people to be asked to recite a slogan to get food aid. People have different political allegiances, but does that mean you have to starve people so that they can come and rally behind your party?

“It is the government’s responsibility to make sure that the people do not starve regardless of their political opinions,” said Gumbi.

He said politicisation of food aid in Masvingo is high because the people in charge of the food distribution are all Zanu-PF people some of whom are using maize as a leverage to garner political ground.

“We cannot be capitalising on people’s hunger to gain political support, it’s just wrong. All people have the right to access donor aid but these politicians hijack everything for their own good.

“As the MDC, we have devised a mechanism to deploy our people at all the food distribution centres to grab the food because they cannot just fold their hands while their families starve,” Gumbi said.

Psychomotor minister, Josaya Hungwe who has been implicated in the politicisation of food aid in Mwenezi recently could not be reached for a comment as his phone went unanswered.news

Unilever Africa has launched the Unilever Africa Idea Trophy in an effort to create an out-of-the-classroom learning experience that focuses on the development of personal and entrepreneurial competencies among students in Africa.

Unilever Africa says the competition, which requires students to write an advert idea with a maximum of 250 words, is meant to make students an idea of how business works.

“It is a challenging and creative experience, where you need to figure out how business works in real life while developing your own skills and competencies. In a maximum of 250 words, students must produce a creative, powerful and inspiring idea for an advert that explores the need for physical closeness. Your idea should be engaging enough to get our consumers to participate and share similar experiences and it should be scalable across the continent of Africa.

“We will be looking for the student’s excitement and passion, creative ideas built on an innovative strategy, great fit with the project brief, applicability to real business life and appeal to Close Up’s target market,” the statement noted.

Unilever says that victors stand a chance to win paid internship opportunities or a trip to the Global Future Leader’s League.

“By taking part in Unilever Africa Idea Trophy, one could win a trip to the Global Future Leader’s League at one of Unilever’s global hubs and a highly coveted internship at Unilever.”

The Unilever team is currently on an outreach meeting students from different universities in Zimbabwe with Great Zimbabwe University and Midlands State University having already been introduced to the great opportunity.news

Zim Dancehall sensation Winky D, real name Wallace Chirumiko, and Masvingo-born Caleb Tereka popularly known in the music circles as Ras Caleb pulled up a top notch performance at the FC Platinum Club in Zvishavane on Saturday last week.

The duo left the stage with fans yearning for more of the vibrant and energetic live performers from two of the music industry’s most outstanding acts.

 To first take the stage was Ras Caleb who set the fans wild with some of his latest melodies. His fans sang along throughout the performance to his popular songs like ‘Tokwe Mukosi’, ‘Sis Ross’, ‘Toropito’ among his other hit songs.

When Winky D later took onto the stage, he made a spirited performance, unleashing his popular songs like ‘Disappear’, ‘Takaipa takaipa’ and ‘Godo’, sending his fans into a wild frenzy.

The multiple award winner was a marvel to watch as he kept his legions of fans up on their feet throughout the night.

Manager of FC Platinum, Tawanda Pande said although the show started later than scheduled, the artists’ magnificent performances were enough to compensate for the delay.  

“Although the show started a bit late than expected, the performance from the artists was enough to compensate for the delay and the fans turnout was satisfactory;” said Pande.news

Just like at the crucifixion of Jesus in Mark 15 v 24 “and when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take,” was how the Murambwi congregation secured a ticket to the Nyaningwe soccer tournament finals, beating the Zimuto congregation after lots were cast.

Murambwi and Zimuto had all drawn at seven points in the first round of the Nyaningwe semis played at Murambwi last Sunday.

Murambwi and Zimuto drew nil all, with the total number of goals they acquired from previous games also being equal.

Reformed Church in Zimbabwe pastors and the coordinators of the tournament and team officials agreed that if teams had drawn they would be separated by tossing a coin to determine the winner

“In the case of teams having the same number of points, we look at the number of goals for and against and if we still do not get the winner, we then toss a coin in line with what we have agreed. Whatever comes out of that shall be,” Samuel Mavhundu told players before the coin was tossed.

Murambwi sailed to the semis by beating Nyajena by two goals to one, eliminating Mogernster by a goal to nil before a goalless draw against former champions Zimuto who also had won their games by similar score lines.

Murambwi will clash with defending champions Majiri in the finals that will be played later this month at Mucheke Stadium.

This is the fifth edition of the Nyaningwe RCZ soccer tournament, also known as Varume Bhora.news

Theatre goers were given a thrilling treat at the launch of Mayaya Nhaka Ndeyaani at Charles Austin Theatre over the weekend as the popular comedy promises to be yet another successful piece of art to originate from Masvingo.

Starring famous comic, Denice Rusoso popularly known as Mayaya, who broke into fame for his role in another local comedy, Sabhuku Vharazipi, the drama received rave reviews from the crowd who attended its launch.

Speaking soon after the launch, the play’s director, Charles Munganasa said he was overwhelmed by the support and interest that people had shown in the comedy.

“I am pleased by the support given to us by our local fans. The attendance demonstrated how passionate people are in supporting the development of local talent.

“We expect to break sales records of all Zimbabwean-produced comedies and it is for this reason that we have decided to take time strategising on how best to enter the market which is under threat from piracy. By June, the disc will be available on the market.

“The recurrent themes reflect the day-to-day life of an ordinary person; inheritance issues, customary versus contemporary law as well as social conflicts. The drama seeks to promote harmony between the traditional and the modern while denouncing greed and selfishness,” Munganasa said.

Rusoso attributed his current success to the exposure given to him when he appeared in the Vharazipi block buster.

“Some people think there is bad blood between me and the previous crew I worked with just because I have gone solo. Those are the very people that created my character so I appreciate their support. Going solo is a way of growing, not only in my personal capacity, but also for the Masvingo film and theatre industry at large,” Rusoso said.news