THE WINNING TEAM … The GZU Moot Competition team, Tawanda Zvobgo (Team Coach), Blissful Dzimiri, Ivy Madziwo and Kudakwashe Muzenda display trophies and shields that they won at the 2016 International Law School Mediation Tournament that was held at Loyola University School of Law in Chicago, United States of America in March.

The Great Zimbabwe University Herbert Chitepo Law School has once again made a tremendous achievement on the international arena by qualifying for the prestigious Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Competition which will be held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland July 18 to 19 2016.

The international tournament is held every year as a means of strengthening human rights education and awareness.

Attracting over a hundred participants worldwide, the competition is open to law schools from all five United Nations (UN) regions, and is open to both undergraduate and master’s law students.

It is divided into two phases, with the first phase involving the submission of written memorials or heads of argument by competing universities.

Distinguished human rights scholars from various jurisdictions then convene to assess these, and choose 25 best written memorials.

The winning law schools are then invited to take part in the oral rounds, which are the second phase of the competition.

The GZU team comprises undergraduate second year law students; Kudakwashe Muzenda and Blissful Dzimiri.

The duo has been preparing for the tournament under the guidance of team coach Tawanda Zvobgo, a legal practitioner and litigator from leading law firm Dube, Manikai & Hwacha legal practitioners which is based in Harare. 

In a letter to GZU, the Director of the Centre for Human Rights, Professor Frans Viljoen was happy the university was selected. 

“We are pleased to inform you that your team has been selected to proceed to the next phase of the competition – the pre-final rounds – to be held at Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, on 18 and 19 July 2016,” reads part of the letter.

GZU Vice Chancellor, Professor Rungano Jonas Zvobgo, was thrilled by the strides being made by Herbert Chitepo Law School in establishing itself as a household name of excellence in legal education locally, regionally and internationally. 

“The university could not be more proud of the achievements that the Law School is making in placing both the University and Zimbabwe on the world map. The students’ efforts speak for themselves.

“Great Zimbabwe University is a force to be reckoned with. On behalf of the University, I would like to congratulate our students and wish them the very best as they now commence preparations for the second leg of the tournament which shall be held in Geneva, Switzerland,” said Professor Zobgo.

In March this year, the Herbert Chitepo Law School made history after coming third out of 51 participating world teams that competed in the 2016 International Law School Mediation tournament held at Loyola University School of Law in Chicago, United States of America.news

Moses Ziyambi

A Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) Bachelor of Arts Honours in Museum Studies student, Prisca Ropafadzo Chivange has been selected to represent Southern Africa at the World Heritage Youth Forum from June 29 to July 12 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Chivange is currently on Work Related Learning at the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa.

She was selected after she and other young applicants nominated by National Commissions from 35 countries responded to a call by the National Commission of Turkey for Southern African representatives to apply for the World Heritage Youth Forum 2016: At the Crossroads of Multi-layered Heritage. 

Chivange was the only successful applicant from the Southern African region. In Istanbul, Prisca will be the Ambassador for both GZU and UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa.

An elated Prisca said she was excited and proud to be representing GZU, Zimbabwe, Southern Africa and UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa.

"I hope to do my best and raise the flag. Through my participation I hope to embody the aspirations of the GZU community and make a bold statement that the University is truly founded on culture," she said.news

Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) leader and former Vice-President, Joice Mujuru’s number of followers is set be measured in the ongoing game of numbers as she prepares to go on national tour from June to July this year.

ZimPF Provincial Spokesperson Retired Colonel Kudzai Mbudzi told TellZim News that Mujuru is set to meet the people and mobilise supporters during the extensive tours which will also take her to Masvingo.

“ZimPF President Joyce Mujuru will commence her tour with a Bulawayo rally tipped for 18 June, followed Harare; 26 June, Masvingo; 6 July, Mashonaland East; 8 July and Manicaland on the July 9. 

“President Mujuru will then resume her rallies on July 13 in Matabeleland North, July 15; Mashonaland Central, July 16; Midlands, July 20; Mashonaland West, July 23; Matabeleland South and the final launch whose venue is yet to be announced will be on the 30th of July,” Mbudzi said.

After the MDC-T managed to pull considerable numbers in their demonstrations against the worsening political and economic crisis that are blamed on Zanu-PF misrule, the ruling party retaliated with the ‘Million Men March’ but Zimbabweans are looking forward to what Mujuru would bring on the board.

“Yes, people expect to see what numbers we will be able to pull since politics is definitely a game of numbers. As it is a game of numbers, we however do not believe in bussed numbers. We do not push people to our rallies by force because audiences used for stage management will not vote for you,” said Mbudzi.news

If there are economic sanctions to talk about as major stumbling block to our economic growth, surely that sanction is President Robert Mugabe himself, Zimbabwe People First (Zim PF) has said.

Firebrand Zim PF Masvingo Provincial Spokesperson, Retired Colonel Kudzai Mbudzi, has dismissed Mugabe’s sanctions mantra saying it is himself who is the real sanction responsible for the suffering of Zimbabweans, saying the economy will start to perform if he resigns.

Mbudzi also took a swipe at war vets likening them to ‘stubborn flies which go with a corpse into the grave’ after the liberation fighters continue to side with Mugabe.

“For a long time now, Zanu-PF has been hiding behind a finger blaming sanctions over the collapse of the economy when in fact they are the ones who have led us into the abyss. 

“Zanu-PF has made policies which have scared away investors and they blame sanctions. It is time for Zimbabweans to wake up and realise that they are being fooled by the sanction talk.

“Mugabe is the only sanction we have to talk about and deal with. If Mugabe is out, you will find more investors coming and the economy will be back to its glory days. Investors are afraid of Mugabe that is why no one is coming to invest in this country,” Mbudzi said.

He added that Mugabe is the only person who has bad blood with the international community which has the means to help the country out of the economic chaos created by his party.

“If you want the economy to blossom, you need to come up with friendly policies which attract investors and have a leader who is friendly to the investors, failure of which will result in an economic catastrophe as is our case in Zimbabwe.

“It is time for Mugabe to stop lying to the people about sanctions since he is the only sanction bedevilling this country,” Mbudzi added.’

Mbudzi said war veterans are ‘blind’ and thus Mugabe insults them all the time.

“War Veterans should wake up and smell the coffee. Mugabe doesn’t like them yet they continue to follow him like blind people. We warned them long ago but they did not listen. They thought we are the mad ones but today they are being called dissidents.

“Stubborn flies will be buried with the corpse,” said Mbudzi.

Chiredzi – After operating for several years without a dumpsite, Chiredzi has finally set aside $10 000 to construct a temporary dumpsite while working on preparations for a proper landfill following intense pressure from the Environmental Management Agency (EMA).

The move comes after the town council was slapped with a US$5 000 by EMA for operating without a dumpsite.

Chiredzi Acting Director of Housing and Community Services, Consider Kubiku said council had set aside the money to construct a temporary dumpsite as they work on a proper landfill.

“Construction is already underway and the dumpsite will be used to dump all the refuse while we work on plans for a permanent landfill,” said Kubiku.

He said a suitable site had already been identified along the Ngundu –Tanganda road.

Environmental Management Agency Provincial Manager, Robson Mavondo was happy with the new development, saying the temporary measure will make the town cleaner. 

“Under normal circumstances a temporary dumpsite is not desirable but we are happy with their response which came after the realisation that the situation called for such a measure while preparing for a proper landfill,” said Mavondo.

He praised council for showing commitment to take corrective measures, but he also warned that EMA will monitor the situation closely and make sure garbage is properly disposed of.

He gave council a year to come up with an Environmental Assessment Report on a properly engineered landfill.news

GUTU – A Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officer from Dondo village in Dewure was last week taken to Chief Gutu’s court by her husband, who is member of the Zimbabwe Nation Army (ZNA), over infidelity allegations and was ordered to pay back the bride price in three months time.

The court heard that in May last year, Munyaradzi Nheta (38), a ZNA officer in Kwekwe customarily married Vimbai Dondo (26) who works in Harare and paid US$2000 in lobola.

Nheta said the relationship turned sour in August last year when the two were supposed to start staying together.

“She started making excuses and went back to her two former husbands, Guidence Mugwagwa and a Mugari. She called me names and would not take me in when I visit her and would assault me and call her brother to threaten me,” said Nheta.

He told the court that he twice opened domestic violence charges against Dondo but she in turn applied for a protection order against him.

“She accused me of having an adulterous affair with her elder sister Elizabeth and impregnating her but all I did was discouraging her from aborting her pregnancy. I cannot be denied the right to stay with my wife after paying lobola while she stays with another man,” he said.

Dondo made it clear she no longer wanted anything to do with Munyaradzi and was ordered to pay US$1000 or three beats through Chief Gutu’s court.

“I do not love him anymore because he was involved with my sister. He is not faithful and is arrogant. I will pay his money back but I don’t think that it is fair to pay him all the money,” said Dondo.

The chief, Edmund Masanganise, also rebuked the two saying they were disrespectful and a disgrace before ordering them to apologise to their parents.

ROY – A war veterans meeting held on June 4 in Gutu ended on a sad note with a group of war collaborators getting involved in a fatal accident which claimed 2 lives and injured 32 after the lorry they were travelling in veered off the road and overturned.

Masvingo Provincial Police Spokesperson Inspector Charity Mazula confirmed the accident and warned drivers against speeding to avoid endangering human life on the highways. 

The accident took place near Gutu turn-off along the Masvingo-Mutare highway when the lorry driver, Clifford Musana veered off the road after failing to negotiate a curve as he drove.

One person died on the spot while another died on arrival at Ndanga hospital where the injured were also admitted.

The lorry was carrying 36 people, with 13 of them sustaining serious injuries though they were said to be stable.

The names of the deceased people are Panganai Banda (58) and Sarah Muchipi (60).news

Masvingo Propol Gala soccer finals between Masvingo Central District and ZRP Masvingo Provincial Headquarters (PHQ) ended with 5-4 goals in favour of the former in penalty shoot-outs after the 90 minutes had ended with a 1-1 draw in a match played at Zimuto Camp last Friday.

All eyes were glued on Constable Frank Mageze of ZRP Chikato who was later crowned man of the tournament while his team mates, Sergeant Owen Tatsaukana became the top goal scorer of the tournament.

ZRP Masvingo Central District is going to represent the province in most of the disciplines after it walked home with a collection of trophies.

In most of the games the district took trophies in both men and women soccer categories, volleyball and most of the pool categories while its biggest rival, PHQ dominated in darts.

In women soccer, constable Confidence Mupeti of Mwenezi was the star attraction who was later crowned lady of the tournament after shrugging off competition from Constable Penelope Mugari of Masvingo Rural.

Many people were so impressed by Constable Mupeti’s skills that they said she could still have won the titles in the male categories as well if the categories were to be combined.

Various participants walked away with gold, bronze and silver medals in different disciplines like weight lifting and athletics. 

The Guest of honour was Officer Commanding Masvingo province, Assistant Commissioner Martha Mofolo who thanked the participants of their commendable discipline and spirit of commitment throughout the games.news