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US$25m needed for city road refurbishment

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US$25m needed for city road refurbishment
By Lloyd Shunje/Itai Muzondo

Masvingo Mayor, Hubert Fidze, has said that a total of US$25million is needed for the complete refurbishment of the city’s roads which are currently in a deplorable state with some of them becoming virtually impassable.
This was revealed by the mayor at a breakfast press briefing organised by the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) in the Doug Hill Room at the Charles Austin Theatre on Wednesday.  The revelation came as the mayor expressed that council did not have the capacity to raise the total required for road maintenance in view of the prevailing economic conditions.
“We really plead with the people to come along and co-operate by paying the road levy as a direct injection of money.  Council on its own cannot raise the US$25 million needed to put the city’s roads back in shape. The road levy will definitely give us considerable money to upgrade our road networks,” he said.
The mayor explained that as council they were aware that the city’s roads had become nearly impassable but short of raising US$25m the status quo would continue with council only maintaining the roads instead of resurfacing them. He added that what they expected from ZINARA and what could be raised from the road levy was sufficient only for the maintenance of the roads and the clearance of storm drains.
Fidze’s sentiments echoed the Town Engineer, Tawanda Gozo’s recent sentiments at the full council meeting that ZINARA has not remitted the proposed US$375 000 for road maintenance thus the council’s decision to collect a road levy.


Addressing journalists… Mayor Hubert Fidze

 “The proposed US$375 000 is not yet in the council’s coffers. ZINARA just mentioned their intention to give the money to the council but we have not received anything yet. We also fear that if we fail to collect the road levy, the expected funds from ZINARA may not come in full as what happened in 2014 when we were promised US$115 000 but later only received US$70 000,” said Gozo.
The engineer promised to deliver to the community saying they have already drawn proposals for the disbursement of funds either from ZINARA or from the road levy.
Meanwhile, the full council meeting held on January 19 reported that the US$375 000 promised by ZINARA is not enough for the efficient maintenance of roads  proposing a lump sum of US$5 million for the project. The clarification came at a time when civic organisations like the Masvingo Residents Trust (MRT) had sent a petition to the mayor arguing that residents were not prepared to pay the proposed levy.local

We are ready to host the nation, says NASH Masvingo

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We are ready to host the nation, says NASH Masvingo

By Itai Muzondo

The National Association of School Heads (NASH) Masvingo have said that they are ready to host the national athletics competitions scheduled for between March 19 and 20 2015.

Speaking at a press briefing held at Chevron Hotel in Masvingo last week, NASH provincial Chairperson, Innocent Chuma, said  Masvingo  was ready for the national athletics competitions.


“We wish to notify the province, stakeholders and the nation at large that Masvingo Province will be hosting the national athletics competitions. We thereby invite different stakeholders to come and exchange notes for the success of the competitions.  Schools will compete in both track and field events and we are ready to host the nation,” said Chuma.

Acting Provincial Education Director (PED) Dhiga Mandiudza, urged the province to be honest at the tournament and to avoid cheating at all costs.

“When we make selections let’s select our best but I urge you to desist from cheating. It will be very bad for fellow provinces to point fingers at you saying you won because you cheated. Please do not put us to shame and let’s cooperate and carry out our duties in a professional and efficient manner,” urged Mandiudza.

 

Drug shortage hits epilepsy patients in Gutu

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Drug shortage hits epilepsy patients in Gutu

…over 200 fail to get drugs


Kennedy Murwira

A chronic shortage of the drugs phenorbartone and carbormazapin is negatively affecting epilepsy patients in Gutu district where a sizable number of people are said to have died after suffering from seizures due to a relapse caused by default, the sudden stopping of the ingestion of an approved medicinal drug.

Godfrey Dhina, the chairman of the Gutu Chapter of the Epilepsy Support Foundation of Zimbabwe said the drugs are not readily available in hospitals and clinics around the district. Dhina said when available, which is usually about once after four months, epileptic patients received supplies for only one month. Dhina said the drugs are taken once a day to reduce the occurrence of seizures.

“We now normally meet to pool our resources together to enable us to send one person to our headquarters in Harare’s Hatfield suburb  where at times the drugs are also not available. The drugs help to reduce the risk of sudden attacks and seizures,” said Dhina.

Dhina added that defaulting in the ingestion of these drugs results in sudden seizures which put epileptic patients at risk of falling into fires, water or other dangerous objects and this results in death. Dhina cited the death of an epileptic patient in Bere Village under Chief Makuvaza who suffered from a sudden seizure, fell into a shallow pool of water and drowned.


 Dhina told this reporter that there were more than 240 registered epileptic patients in Gutu District arguing that the number of unregistered patients was even higher. He said all the unregistered patients could not access the drugs since they were only available by prescription.

He appealed to non-governmental organisations and other well wishers to assist epileptic patients to establish a drug bank at Gutu Rural Hospital which serves people from all over the district.

Councillors Enerst Muzorori of ward 34 and Gabriel Mapepa of ward 37 said they were extremely worried by the situation.

"People often rush to us for assistance but we won't be in a position to help," said Mapepa.

Councillor Muzorori said he has tried to engage the hospital officials but nothing has materialized.

"This is a very serious problem and we are trying our best to have the problem solved," said Muzorori.

Epilepsy is a disease that makes people experience seizures, temporary moments of attacks, convulsions or fits. During seizures people jerk uncontrollably, become unconscious, lose memory or become confused.local

 

Police assault, injure 21 Nandi Primary Pupils

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By Itai Muzondo

Mapanza police base officers near Nandi Sugar Estate in Chiredzi allegedly assaulted and injured 21 Nandi Primary School pupils on Thursday over allegations of theft of sugar cane from war veterans who occupied the area under the land programme.

A Nandi resident, Norman Nyathi, told Tell Zimbabwe that war veterans who reside in the area invaded the school during learning hours with a list of pupils who were reportedly stealing sugar cane from their plantations. The pupils were escorted by the police to Mapanza police base where they were assaulted and suffered from grievous bodily harm. The children were taken to Chiredzi General Hospital where they are receiving treatment for the injuries sustained from the assault.

“It is inhuman when primary school pupils are assaulted and seriously injured by law enforcement agents. War veterans went to the school during learning hours with a list of children who were allegedly stealing sugar cane from their plantations.  These were taken under police escort to the police base where they were later assaulted and seriously injured,” said Nyathi.

Masvingo Provincial Education Director, Zedius Chitiga, said he was not aware of the incident.  He however condemned the wanton attack of school pupils and explained that he knew that anyone can enjoy sugar cane in the plantations as long as they do not carry any away.

“This is a quite worrisome situation. I am, however, surprised as I believe residents of sugar estates are allowed to enjoy anytime as long as they do not take any sugar cane away.

“I urge locals to chastise their children if they act in an unacceptable manner rather than resort to corporal punishment up to the extent that they are hospitalised,” said Chitiga.

Tell Zimbabwe could not get official comment from the police by the time of publication.

A research by the National Centre for Victims of Crime revealed that assault cases on children stand at 41% showing that it is less prevalent as compared to sexual abuse in Zimbabwe.local

Muzenda was Mugabe’s last true friend – Hungwe

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Muzenda was Mugabe’s last true friend – Hungwe
Tell Reporter
The death of Vice President Simon Muzenda robbed President Mugabe of his only true friend and no one can ever replace him, former Masvingo Governor, Senator Josiah Hungwe said today (Wednesday).
Chivi-Mwenezi senator and politburo member Hungwe made the revelations when he addressed scores of people who gathered to welcome Shuvai Mahofa to office as the Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs.

Josiah Hungwe
“The president will never find a true friend like Muzenda. Now Muzenda is dead only rascals are left in the party and government,” Hungwe told the gathering.
Hungwe said the revelation is a secret that he wanted to share with Zanu PF supporters before he dies.
“This is the secret that I want you to know before I pass on,” said Hungwe.
 He recalled the meeting in 2002 between him (Hungwe), the late Muzenda and the President when the late VP urged  him to support Mugabe.
“The vice president prophesied about the Gomatox which first happened in 2002 and the one which recently happened in the ZANU PF where some party members planned to topple the President. He told me never to abandon the President,” added Hungwe.
“Now I urge you also never to let the President down as we did in the 2008 elections. Let’s be like Muzenda who never let the President and the party down,” Hungwe said.local

Councillors turn down ministerial plea

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Councillors turn down ministerial plea
By Itai Muzondo
The Masvingo City Council (MCC) has turned down a plea by the Ministry of  Local Government on behalf of local businesswoman, Mrs Gurwe,  who wanted her water reconnected despite owing the council a hefty US$11 000.
Gurwe approached ministry officials over the matter that later negotiated with the Provincial Administrator to plead with the council to get her water reconnected while she made a payment plan to clear the debt.
Councillors turned down the plea arguing that the businesswoman had undermined their authority and raised fears that if such behaviour is tolerated, more residents will likewise follow the same procedure thereby bypassing the council.
“Why did she go ahead and approach the ministry when councillors are available to serve the people. It will be in our best interests to be principled. This means that we must not necessarily act on the pretext that the issue is coming from the minister’s offices,” said councillor, Garcia Mundondo, whose sentiments were echoed by the whole council.
  Mayor ….Hubert Fidze

Councillor Against Chiteme added that some of the residents from his area, (Ward 8) had approached him seeking reconnections and Gurwe’s approach to the ministry undermined the council’s authority and painted a picture of underperforming councillors.
“This lady never approached me and it is quite surprising that we are getting the issue from the ministry as if we had failed to execute our duties,” added Chiteme.
Town Clerk, Adolf Kumbirai Gusha, pleaded with the councillors arguing that Gurwe’s actions did not constitute disrespect to the council but was a result of the fact that most residents do not know how the council system operates.
The councillors, however, stood firm saying they had no confidence in her as she made the plea dependent on what she would receive from her tenant. In their view, they said, she could come up with a payment plan which she could fail to honour.
“We cannot trust her since any payment plan she makes will be dependent on a tenant’s payment.  The council resolution on this is clear. She has to come up with half of what she owes to council before we can start talking about reconnecting her water or her payment plan,” the councillors concurred.
Meanwhile, a research by the Masvingo Residents Trust showed that the Masvingo City Council disconnected water supplies to more than 1 000 households in the period starting from the 11th of February up to date. 
Masvingo mayor Hubert Fidze could not be reached for comment.local

Zebra strays into town

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Zebra strays into town
Kennedy Murwira
A lone zebra strolled down the streets of Runyararo West on Sunday morning and ended up entering the Ambassadors For Christ Church courtyard where the crowd which gathered to look at the animal nearly disrupted the Sunday service.
Residents of Runyararo West who spoke to Tell Zimbabwe said the zebra entered the residential area in the early hours of Sunday morning from the bushy area that lies west of the suburb but is south to Victoria Ranch.  A crowd of people soon gathered and the zebra was forced to enter the premises of the Ambassadors for Christ Church along Mboroma Street in Runyararo. The residents said for several days last week two zebras had been seen browsing around the cultivated plots on the edge of the suburb. Some of them said zebras had become a common sight on the outskirts of the residential areas to the north and west of the town.  It is believed that the zebras belong to the Mushagashe Game Park on the outskirts of Rhodene suburb which belongs to the Masvingo City Council.
“I saw two zebras on Thursday last week and they were browsing close to my cultivated plot. I believe that this is one of the zebras which lost its partner and ended up wandering into town,” said Tandavanhu Munyaradzi.
Innocent Chikwira said the appearance of the zebra in the residential areas was most probably an omen that may not augur well for the city.  He said it was not an everyday occurrence that a zebra could walk down a street right in the middle of a crowd of people, something which was corroborated by Gilbert Chimombe.  Although the occurrence may have been uncommon it provided entertainment for the people of the suburb who spent the whole day trooping to the church to view the animal over the church’s incomplete durawall.  By late afternoon the zebra pranced about the church courtyard in apparent annoyance at the large numbers who had gathered and looked determined to gallop away.


                                                                                                                     Strange visitor … A zebra which strayed into town
A woman police constable, who was keeping watch over the stray animal said while the Wildlife Management Authority had been advised they had indicated that they would not attend to the problem since the animal in question belonged to the council.
Contacted for comment the mayor, Hubert Fidze, said he was going to investigate the matter.local

MP Shumba denies dumping his constituency

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MP Shumba denies dumping his constituency
By Itai Muzondo
Member of Parliament (MP) for Masvingo urban Daniel Shumba has denied accusations that he dumped his constituency opting to stay in the leafy suburbs of Harare saying the talk was part of smear campaigns by his detractors.
The accusations were mainly coming from councilors from both political parties and ordinary citizens who said they did not know the whereabouts of their MP.
Asked why they were not able to address some of the problems haunting the city, councilors who attended Tell Zimbabwe feedback meeting recently said they felt being let down by their MP whom they said should be pushing from another end.
However, Shumba rubbished the accusations saying he was always on the ground with the people. The MP said there was bad blood between him and his councilors whom he said were back stabbing him at a time he needed joint effort to bring development to Masvingo.
Shumba added that  ‘the councilors  were not bringing forward earnest problems’ affecting the people. He also explained that most of them want to tarnish his name since they are from the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
“I am very concerned about my constituency and being silent does not mean I am not doing some work elsewhere. Those who say I care less are of the opposition MDC and  rogue Zanu PF elements in the council “Gamatox” who want to tarnish my name,” said Shumba.
“It’s unfortunate that my councilors are always plotting for my downfall …instead of bringing genuine problems, they rush to newspapers where they tell lies about me. I am here to help people and I am sure very soon everyone will understand that Daniel Shumba is here to serve people,” he said.


                 I wont leave my constituency …. Daniel Shumba
Masvingo urban is currently facing a number of problems, the most prominent being inadequate health facilities at market places, the state of roads and water supply systems in the urban constituency.
Councillors insist that they have not met Daniel Shumba since he was elected into office in 2013.
“I dont know our MP … we only see Tsere his front man here. Some people say he is now residing in Harare …help us to find our MP,” said ward seven councillor Richard Musekiwa.
Zanu PF councillors who refused to be named said their MP is letting them down.local

NGO Forum runs public information Kiosk in Masvingo

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NGO Forum runs public information Kiosk in Masvingo
By ItaiMuzondo
The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum ran a public information kiosk at Pick ‘n’ Pay Supermarket in Masvingo today (Friday), a move meant to create an informed citizen population in Masvingo.
The launch of the information kiosk focused on making the public aware of The National Peace and Reconciliation Commission which, they said, has not been given adequate publicity for too long.

Speaking on behalf of the NGO Forum, Dzikamai Bere, the transitional justice researcher, noted that the public has for long been uninformed on national documents which they feel are vital for development thus the need for the nation to be made aware of pending developmental organisations like The National Peace and Reconciliation Commission.
“Information should be accessible to everyone so that commissions which have pending operations like the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission can commence operations.  This commission was set up two years back to deal with the ills of political violence but everybody has been mum since the commissioning,” said Bere.
Bere further explained that they wished to play a pivotal area with information being distributed for free.
“We also wish to have an information kiosk where the general populace will access important information for free,” added Bere.
The information kiosk also distributed informative documents as the People’s Guide to Transitional Justice and the newly amended Zimbabwean Constitution.local

National Volleyball Player Mpofu dies

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National Volleyball Player Mpofu dies
 Victoria K. Ndavambi

Masvingo-Zimbabwe national volleyball player Bruce Mpofu died and he was buried in Masvingo on Thursday this week. He was 30 years old.
Mpofu who was also working  for Mosweu and Company Legal Practise as a Messenger in Botswana suffered from a severe headache and he decided to come home but he died upon arrival in Masvingo last week. While in Botswana Mpofu also played for Mafolofolo Volley-ball Club in Gaborone.
Mpofu was a distinguished volleyball player in Masvingo. He worked at Masvingo City Council at Fire Brigade where he joined the volleyball team coached by the late Mr. Mazorodze of the Fire brigade.
 National Volleyball Coach, Mr. Arron Mutede said Mpofu joined the national team in 2007.
” I received a phone call from the coach of the Big Six Labels, Mr. Mazorodze that he had a talented boy (Mpofu) in his team who deserved to be in the national team.  I called him Mpofu and he joined the national team in the year 2007 and served up until the year 2009, he then went to Botswana, but he still served as a National Team Player,” said Mutede.

Mr. Mutede added, “I discovered that the capacity of Bruce was of great importance the first time I watched a friendly match that was organized in Masvingo. I realized the potential that he had, he was a well disciplined player who encouraged other players to achieve and excel in the tournament.”
Mpofu joined the Mafolofolo club in Botswana in 2008, at the same time serving as a Zimbabwean National Volley ball Player.
Commenting on this heartbreaking incident that befell the nation, the second president of the national team, Mr. Enias Kondo said that, “Bruce was a role model in Masvingo as well as to other players whom he competed with in Zimbabwe and abroad. None other than Bruce reached that level in the province of Masvingo; he was the most valuable player in most matches played.”
In his lifetime, Mpofu won 13 medals and two most valuable player trophies with regards to his performance as a National Volleyball Player and Mafolofolo player. local
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