By Beatific Gumbwanda

CHIREDZI- Police in Chiredzi have been praised for their swift response when they recovered a seven days old baby that had been stolen at Chiredzi’s Nyore Nyore Shopping Centre in less than 12 hours after the case had been reported.
Masvingo Provincial Police Spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa confirmed the recovery of 18-year-old Epiphania Kwangware’s baby after she had been tricked into trusting a stranger to leave her baby. He urged members to desist from trusting strangers saying such acts can have detrimental effects.
“We want to encourage members of the public to avoid over trusting strangers as such scenarios can be detrimental to the lives of children and even themselves,” said Dhewa.
Circumstances are that on September 2, 2024 at about 0800 hours, the complainant, Kwangware of Manyika compound in Mkwasine, went to Chiredzi General Hospital with her baby for vaccination.
Kwangware left the hospital at around 0900 hours and met Prosperity Hobwane (35) of Chipimbi Village 9 in Mkwasine at Chiredzi General Hospital main gate who accompanied her to Chiredzi Old rank.
On arrival at Nyore Nyore Shopping Center, Hobwane gave Kwangware some money to buy some drinks for both of them. Kwangware went into a supermarket leaving Hobwane outside with her baby.
Upon return, Kwangware discovered that Hobwane had disappeared with her baby and made some searches around but could not find both of them after which she made a report to the police at about 1200 hours.
The police attended the scene and investigations went on until around 09:00 pm. The police picked some information on Hobwane’s whereabouts, made a follow up and found Hobwane and the baby at her homestead in Mkwasine leading to her arrest. The baby was found in good condition.
Two similar cases were reported in March and May in Gweru and Mangwe District respectively.

By Perpetua Murungweni

Masvingo City Council is being owed approximately US$9 million by debtors recording a 9.52 percent increase in debt this year.
This was revealed in the Finance and General Purpose Committee meeting minutes, which revealed that council is being owed ZIG$130, 905, 815.45 which translates to a sum of US$9, 218, 719.40 Million.
“Debtors as at June 30, 2024 is ZIG 130, 905,815.45 which is on the increase owing to non-payment of council bills,” reads the minutes
The debtors are classified as low density and high density residential, commercial and Government departments.
“Covering debtors by category, there is low density and high density residential, commercial and government departments,” read the minutes.
On the other hand, the local authority is also drowning in debt, struggling to pay its service providers an excess of around US$1.2 Million.
The same minutes indicate that the local authority is owing some of its service providers around ZIG17, 884, 667.4 million, which translates to US$1 259 483.62 million.
In the minutes, the committee resolved to increase debt collection efforts in order to settle its own debts to critical service providers.
“On the concerns by the committee to pay off the ZESA debt and current challenges, it was agreed that council should strive to collect its debts from government departments and other institutions and pay off critical creditors,” read the minutes.
Council owes ZIMRA a sum of ZIG 2,111,783.19, NSSA a sum of ZIG 90, 838.14, LAPF a sum of ZI 4, 242, 187.03, ZIMDEF a sum of ZIG 496, 422.09, ZIG 276, 700.95 for, Standards Levy, Workers Unions a sum of ZIG 530, 633.73, owing ZESA a sum of ZIG 7, 545, 489.98 and owing Medical Aid Fund ZIG1, 771, 612.29.

By Tatiana Mhararira

Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) won the inaugural Fiscal Justice and Economic Development Moot Court Competition, recently held at its Hebert Chitepo Law School in Masvingo.
The competition was organized by the Hebert Chitepo Law School in partnership with ZIMCODD, aiming to raise youth awareness about critical issues in Zimbabwe related to public finance, accountability, and transparency.
The GZU team, consisting of Venessa Msipa, Dorcas Makanganisa, and Tinotenda Muyambo, showcased exceptional talent, with Msipa receiving the Best Orator Award.
Participating universities included Africa University, Midlands State University, Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University, and the University of Zimbabwe.
The event attracted high court judges, legal professionals, lawyers, university students, and community members, highlighting its significance in the legal community.
The GZU team has consistently demonstrated their expertise in legal and advocacy competitions, solidifying the reputation of the University of Choice’s law school as a formidable contender at national, regional, and international levels.
Winners of the moot court competition received US$500 each, which will be applied towards their school fees.
ZIMCODD Acting Executive Director John Maketo said the importance of the competition was that it allowed institutions such as universities to shape the students’ career paths and have instilled knowledge to young people on economic development.
“We have achieved much in encouraging youths around issues of economic development and issues of economic governance. It is prudent for more legal practitioners to take up this line of work in the future particularly on economic governance,” said Maketo.
GZU Vice Chancellor Professor Rungano Zvobgo, represented by the Executive Dean of Agriculture and Engineering, Dr. Xavier Poshiwa, said the moot court competitions aligns with Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 1.
“The competition aligns well with Zimbabwe’s NDS1 which seeks to create a prosperous and empowered upper middle-income society by 2030 and one of the key pillars is good governance and the rule of law which are fundamental to physical transparency and accountability,” said Dr Poshiwa.