By Beverly Bizeki

Residents in some parts of Bikita District, Ward 9 have gone for months with dry taps due to blockages in some pipelines connecting to the dam, which is their main source.
Sources who spoke to this publication said some areas in Ward 9 have gone for more than six months without tapped water due to blockages resulting in people overwhelming the school borehole.
“The situation is unbearable and heart-rending. People are suffering. The challenge is that there is no water in the central township and surrounding houses. Dozens of people rely on a borehole at Vushe Primary School, some 800 metres from the township,” said a source.
Ward 9 councilor Surprise Pembere confirmed the ordeal and said he had engaged the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) over the matter and they had promised to address the issue promising him that by next week Wednesday (May 15) services will be restored.
“It has been more than six months without water in some sections. It was brought to my attention last month and I have been engaging ZINWA. They managed to fix blockages and pipe breakdowns tracing the line. Now they are at the tank and I have been assured by next week Wednesday there will be water everywhere. It is a dire situation. Local ZINWA has enlisted regional services and I have spoken to regional engineer,” said Pembere.
Bikita Residents and Ratepayers Association (BIRRA) Spokesperson Lucky Mukomondera said they had been notified about the situation and said there was need to capacitate the responsible authority to enable them to respond to challenges quickly.
“We are informed that council has been assured that the issue will be solved by this coming Wednesday. ZINWA is said to be tracing the whole line since there have been blockages all along. BIRRA has made a follow-up through Cllr Pembere who assured us that all is being done to restore water in Ward 9 area that covers Police and Scomption areas. As residents we still feel much should be done to capacitate ZINWA as most times they take long to attend to the water challenges in Bikita. Water is life and the right cannot be contested.
“Our engagement with ZINWA has exposed that they are failing to find the real problem affecting water flow to the affected areas. ZINWA promised to track the 19.4km pipeline from the dam but it is taking long,” said Mukomondera.
Efforts to get a comment from ZINWA at the time of reporting were fruitless as Masvingo Provincial Spokesperson Obert Muchena said he was waiting for his boss’s approval to give responses.

By Brighton Chiseva

Zaka – Mobile network giant Econet Wireless has started works for the construction of a booster near Jecha Business Centre, in Chief Nhema area after the project was abandoned a few months ago on allegations of clashes between Zanu PF and Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).
Work was supposed to have started beginning of November in 2023 but work only started on May 08 2024 to the delight of locals who were bearing the brunt of limited access to mobile networks.
Ward 15 Councillor Simon Chakazani confirmed the latest development and said they were happy with the progress and were hoping that work would be completed early.
“I can confirm that work has started and we are happy as a community that we are finally going to get a network which has been a challenge in the area for some time.
“We hope that it will be completed soon as people can no longer wait to enjoy the connectivity. People used to travel to higher grounds for better communication and often people missed important updates in time because we had no network,” said Chakazani.
Sources had earlier told TellZim News that they suspected Econet could have been put off by political interference where the local headman was accused of having tried to bar a perceived CCC member amongst the contractors.
It was also alleged that the traditional leaders had demanded an undisclosed amount of cash for the booster to be constructed.
Econet engineers were said to have asked if they were going to employ manual workers from homesteads surrounding the site and that is where one Obvious Kwenda was seconded but the local headman went on to report to Zanu PF district officials that Econet had employed a CCC member.
Contacted for comment earlier Kwenda said he was approached by several Zanu PF members who told him that the local party leadership was not happy with him being part of those contracted by the telecoms giant.
“I was approached by several Zanu PF members who told me that they had meetings where I was discussed with the leadership questioning why I was among those nominated to work on the project.
“I am not even sure if I am going to work when they come because we were told that work would start on November 1 but up to now there is nothing and we are still waiting. I am eager to work and this has nothing to do with political orientation,” said Kwenda.
However, sources said Kwenda was among the workers when work resumed at the construction site.
Last year, a highly placed source from Econet however said work was in progress offsite at the time, saying there was some progress and the project was on course with a completion target of April 2024.
“Work is ongoing as we speak, the target is completing the project by April next year. So what happens is people may see no progress on the ground but work is ongoing offsite. Maybe material is being collaged for shipping once, so that work can start once the needed material has been placed on site to avoid ups and downs,” said the source at the time.

By Bright Zhou

Morgenster Mission Hospital in Masvingo District has applauded a US$171 000 cash donation they received from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which has enabled the facility to purchase critical medical equipment.
Speaking during a handover ceremony on April 3, 2024, Morgenster Medical Superintendent Tafadzwa Muchengwa said they were happy to receive the donation which helped them to buy some vital medical equipment to be used at the hospital.
“We are happy with the donation of US$171 000 from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which has enabled us to buy medical equipment including laundry machines, theatre lights, 100KVI generator, solar systems, Auto Cleaving Machines, batteries, incubators. Part of the money was used in paving the whole institution, painting, and building,” said Muchengwa.
Muchengwa said the equipment bought was necessary for attending to patients on time, especially the generator and solar system as these would provide power backup for patients in the theatre.
“The equipment we bought is crucial in saving lives for instance in terms of load shedding the hospital will use the heavy-duty generator for power backup in theatres,” said Muchengwa.
Latter Days Church Country Coordinator, Tatenda Chiwore said they had donated to save lives.
“As a church, we donated cash to Morgenster Mission Hospital because we believe in helping others in society, especially in hospitals where patients die due to lack of medicines and equipment for treatment. The church believes that if we help other people we will be remembered by God which is the best thing to do,” said Chiwore.
Chiwore said the donation came from congregants’ offerings and was part of the church’s donations although it was the first donation made to Morgenster Mission.
“We decided to donate cash to the hospital and the money came from the congregants’ offerings. The church often donates to hospitals across the country but this is our first time at Morgenster Mission Hospital,” said Chiwore.
Reformed Church in Zimbabwe Moderator Reverend Dr. Isaac Pandasvika said some equipment will work at maternity wards like incubators, and dryers and washers will be used for their laundry.
Pandasvika said this helped the hospital to clean used materials after operations to avoid doctors getting in contact with blood and to avoid the spreading of diseases such as cholera.
“We have replaced our outdated laundry machines with new ones, this will help especially doctors to wear clean materials and not get in contact with blood before or after operations. This will also go a long way in preventing the spread of cholera in and around the hospital,” said Dr Pandasvika.
Part of the cash was also used to make brick and concrete pavements around the hospital, painting as well as lighting.
“We paved the whole institution as the hospital often gets muddy when it rains and we put street lights around for patients to easily walk during dark hours. Things were critical in several areas but this donation has helped us improve,” said Dr Pandasvika.

By TellZim Reporter

Chiredzi – The Acting Managing Director of Cotton Company of Zimbabwe Limited (Cottco), Munyaradzi Chikasha (46), appeared before a Harare Magistrate facing charges of corruption and money laundering and was remanded out of custody to June 12.
He was granted USD100 bail and part of his bail conditions was not to interfere with witnesses, surrender his passport and report weekly to the police.
Chikasha is accused of concealing a personal interest in financial transactions related to his employer’s operations and was arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.
Circumstances are that, Chikasha, formerly employed as the Business Manager at Cottco’s Chiredzi depot, allegedly planned a scheme in 2021 to financially benefit from Cottco’s transportation contracts without disclosing his vested interests.
He purportedly purchased two trucks which were registered under his nephew’s name, instructing the nephew to open a bank account to receive payments for transportation services rendered to Cottco.
Under this arrangement, contracts for transportation were executed directly with Chikasha’s nephew through the Cottco Chiredzi Depot.
Chikasha’s trucks reportedly consistently received assignments on well-maintained routes, and payments for their services were settled, even while other transporters were allegedly left unpaid.
The money laundering charges cascade from allegations that Chikasha used proceeds from these transportation services to acquire additional trucks and finance the construction of his residence.

By Brighton Chiseva

MASVINGO – Parents whose children go to Mapanzure Government High School are up in arms with the school authorities over the school bus which was involved in an accident while transporting 65 Zanu PF Women’s League members to Victoria Falls for a cooking competition organized by the First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa in May 2022.
The parents are saying there won’t be any sporting activities at the school and the school cannot hire any vehicle using their money to pay for transport services until the bus which was estimated to be worth US$150 000 has been returned.
The School Development Committee (SDC) Chairperson Natiel Chimbuya confirmed the matter and said he was failing to control the parents’ anger, calling for the responsible authorities to intervene and make sure the bus is replaced.
“We were at a meeting today (Thursday, May 9) but we have failed to find a solution to the school bus challenge. Parents are angry and they have resolved that they won’t pay sports fees and learners will not go for sports anywhere until the bus is brought back,” said Chimbuya.
Efforts to get a comment from the District School Inspector (DSI) Ishmael Chigaba were futile as he said he was in a workshop and did not respond to a text message sent to him.
The Provincial Education Director Shyllatte Mhike was not available for comment as her cell went unanswered several times.
He said the school head was in trouble with the parents who accused him of allowing Zanu PF to use the bus which they bought using their own money.
“When we do meetings we try by all means to shield the head because parents are angry, they accuse him of allowing Zanu PF to abuse the school bus. At times we do meetings without him because the angry parents would always want to attack him,” said Chimbuya.
Contacted for comment Zanu PF provincial spokesperson Pepukai Chiwewe said as a party they sympathized with the school and the parents, saying he was not sure of the current state of the matter and promised to look into it.
He said however, schools and any vehicle owners should make sure that their vehicles are insured because accidents happen regardless of who hired the bus.
“I am not sure of the position of that matter now but I will make enquiries to establish if it is the party that should repair or replace the bus because they had hired it. However, we do sympathize with the school and the parents and we would want to see the bus back at school for all to benefit.
“I would also want to urge all vehicle owners to make sure that their vehicles are insured because accidents happen regardless of who is using it,” said Chiwewe.
The accident happened at the 35km peg along Masvingo – Mashava Road and the women were later booked at Maponga Lodge, a few hundred metres from where the accident happened.
The cooking competition is one of the many projects that the First Lady has been carrying out in her outreach to disadvantaged communities. School buses are bought by parents through the SDCs at great cost and headmasters or school authorities with political interests seek favours from Zanu PF by hiring out buses to the party for free.
The accident happened after a landmark ruling made by Justice Joseph Mafusire at the High Court in Masvingo barring political parties from using school buses or taking school children to rallies, also barring political parties from using school premises and furniture.

…promises to tighten screws on illegal forex dealers

By Decide Nhendo

Last week Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr John Mushayavanhu promised to continue tightening screws on illegal forex dealers and other rate offenders as the businesses continue to trade at uneven exchange rates.
Speaking at the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce organized breakfast meeting at Urban Lifestyles Hotel in Masvingo, Dr Mushayavanhu encouraged members of the public to report all offenders to the Financial Intelligent Unit (FIU) as the authorities try to tame inflation caused by black market exchange rates of the local currency.
He strongly warned those selling goods and services using the ZiG black market rate, saying those actions were illegal as the law would catch up with them.
“The onus is on the members of the public to report those who are converting the US$ using the ZiG black market rate to the FIU. The businesses doing that are acting illegally and will be heavily fined so much that it will almost be impossible for them to continue,” said Dr Mushayavanhu.
Dr Mushayavanhu expressed confidence in ZiG saying by 2028 the composition of transactions in the economy would be 80 percent ZiG and 20 percent USD as the country moves towards Vision 2030 when it is expected to have fully de-dollarised.
Despite Dr Mushayavanhu’s stern warning, some supermarkets in Masvingo Central Business District (CBD) like SIMRAC were trading at ZiG15 to US$1, Pick n Pay at ZiG 14.50, OK Mart trading at ZiG14.39, OK at ZiG 14.36 and N Richards trading at ZiG14.27.
A few shops like Power Sales and Bhola the Mega Mart only were only using the official 13.56 bank rate.
This uneven distribution of prizes in supermarkets saw Ngwerewere 10kg mealie meal in supermarkets like OK going for US$7.45 which converts to ZiG106.98 using their ZiG14.36 convention rate, in PicknPay Roller Meal was pegged at ZiG 89, Chibataura 10kg was pegged at ZiG 97.09 and in OK Mart better buy 10kg mealie meal was pegged at ZiG101.42.
Most retail outlets that operate in Masvingo CBD are still using US$ and Rand mainly for their transactions but said they were ready to receive the ZiG.
“We are ready to use the local currency with other currencies for trading, but for now we don’t have much confidence in this ZiG,” said one businessman who refused to be named.
Another business person who operates a clothing shop in the CBD said she was afraid to use ZiG because she was not acquainted with how the local currency is to be exchanged since its operation is uneven in the markets and referenced other local currencies that failed like ZWL and bearer cheque.
“I am afraid of encountering losses because if you take a look at the market you can clearly see that most businesses operate using different rates when trading using ZiG. I fear to repeat what happened when we were trading using the bearer cheque,” said the businesswoman.
The ZiG notes were introduced into the market on April 30, to complement the US dollar as well as other foreign currencies in the market and its acceptance across a broad spectrum of the economy is gaining momentum.