Shingirai Vambe

CHIPINGE – Many people in the south-eastern district of Chipinge are living in fear after many reported incidences of politically motivated violence, it has been learnt.
All the incidences of violence and intimidation of recent days were perpetrated allegedly by members and supporters of Zanu PF against members and supporters of the opposition MDC Alliance; real or perceived.
MDC Alliance won two out of the five parliamentary seats for Chipinge district; Chipinge West (Sibonile Nyamudeza) and Chipinge East (Mathias Mlambo). Before the elections, the party only held Musikavanhu constituency, which it however lost to Zanu PF this time around.
Zanu PF also won Chipinge South and Chipinge Central.
Elsewhere, a member of the opposition coalition reportedly had his house razed down by suspected Zanu PF supporters in Bikita South. However, no confirmation could be obtained on this incident by the time of going to print.
In Chipinge Central Ward 8, cases of intimidation and violence are reportedly on the rise, with members of the ruling Zanu PF party said to be moving from one house to another either beating or threatening those perceived to be sympathetic to the opposition.
Arnold Chipezano, who works at a farm as a tractor driver, said he was being threatened by ruling party supporters who accused him of being an MDC Alliance supporter.
“At work and in the residential compound, I am being threatened with unspecified action. They warned me to pack my bags and leave, but I don’t have anywhere to go. Besides, how would I earn a living if I just leave my job?
“They are saying they are only waiting for the MDC Alliance’s court application against the election results to be decided after which they will deal with me,” he said.
In Ward 4, many opposition members and supporters have reportedly fled the country to Mozambique fearing reprisals.
Many people said despite some foreign observer groups claiming they deployed teams across the country, Chipinge seemed left out, thereby contributing to what they considered to be disproportionate incidents of violence as compared to what is happening in the rest of the country.
Another opposition supporter who preferred not to be named said there was a known Zanu PF members who was openly intimidating opposition supporters.
“You report him to the police and he is picked up, but he would be back the following day. He was once arrested for tearing down Chamisa’ poster but nothing happened to him,” he said.
However, a nurse at Junction Gate Clinic in Ward 8 said she had not treated any injuries from the alleged political violence cases.
The Human Rights NGO Forum has released its ‘2018 Post-Election Violence Monitoring Report’, a documentation of alleged cases of politically-motivated violence perpetrated against the opposition after the July 30 elections.
Government has however trashed the report, with presidential press secretary George Charamba saying the report was designed to dupe the ‘gullible’ donor community.
“It is not about the state of human rights, in the country as it is for donor funding. In short, if blood is not produced on the streets, it must be produced on paper,” Charamba was quoted by State media as saying.local

Tariro Bwerinofa

Clever Taperamoyo

The Zimbabwe National Youth Service Graduates Association (ZNYSGA) last week lashed out at ‘unwarranted attacks’ on the country’s institutions of governance by various faith-based organisations.
In a strongly-worded statement released by its national public relations officer, Tariro Bwerinofa, ZNYSGA attacks the church groups for being insincere in their work.
“The Zimbabwe National Youth Service Graduates Association would like to express its deep concern over the unwarranted attack on our institutions of governance by the so called Ecumenical Church groups and the so called Civil Society of Zimbabwe on their released statement on Thursday 16th of August 2018,” the statement reads.
Various ecumenical groups recently released a statement demanding judiciary independence in the MDC Alliance’s Constitutional Court application against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s presidential election victory.
Addressing members of the media at Media Centre in Harare, delegates from the Zimbabwe Divine Destiny (ZDD), United Citizens Alliance, War Veterans Peace Initiative Forum (WVPIF) and Zimbabwe Prayer Network (ZPN) blamed Zec chairperson, Priscilla Chigumba for provoking the post-election instability that saw the killing of civilians by soldiers in Harare, saying she was arrogant and unaccommodating to very pertinent concerns.
However, ZNYSGA labelled the church groups as agents of darkness that purport to be agents of light.
“As patriotic members of our society we are forced to issue this statement after realising that we are surrounded by these dubious organisations who dwell in pretence by siding and praising hooliganism. They seem not to see the spirit of unity, peace and progress which was and is being inculcated by the leadership of President Mnangagwa. They seem to enjoy the perpetuation of negativity by their barbarian sectorial membership in our society who are the supporters of the opposition,” the statement reads.
The group also made a veiled attack on the MDC Alliance, saying it was the only party that was stoking tensions in the country when everybody else was preaching peace and unity.
“Zimbabweans on the period starting 1st of July 2018 were afforded an opportunity to exercise their right to choose the leadership which they so wish to guide them for the next five years be it a councillor, MP up to the President. The environment was very conducive and afforded everyone an opportunity to exercise his or her right in a peaceful manner. During this period, we witnessed only one party which was so arrogant and was propagating hate speech and violence throughout the campaign. This party was never condemned by these so called pretenders who today appear to be preaching the voice of reason,” the statement further reads.
The statement also calls for peace, saying people of the country had suffered enough they could not afford to be divided further.
“As Zimbabweans we appreciate a culture of tolerance, respect, selflessness, over and above party affiliations,” it reads.local

Norbert Pithias Tshetu

TellZim Reporter

AB Communications has appointed Norbert Pithias Tshetu as the area manager in charge of Hevoi FM; overseeing all operations under the business unit.
Before his latest appointment, Tshetu was a key accounts manager based at ZiFM Stereo, another AB Communications subsidiary.
He was responsible for managing and overseeing non-corporate accounts and portfolios, for both direct and agency clients, with a mandate of developing and maintaining customer relations with key clients under the portfolio.
Tshetu was also responsible for creating customised solutions for clients with the goal of shifting advertising budgets to the entity so as to increase shareholder value.
He played a pivotal role in creating and managing non-traditional radio initiatives to enhance operational efficiency.
A product of the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) and the British College of Professional Management, Tshetu brings a wealth of experience to the Masvingo-based radio station, having previously worked for many companies including Alpha Media Holdings; publishers of the NewsDay, The Standard and The Zimbabwe Independent as a classifieds supervisor as well as a sales and marketing executive.
He also holds a National Certificate in Print Finishing and Converting from Harare Polytechnic.local

Brighton Chiseva

RENCO MINE – In an unprecedented incident that left the community here tongue tied, a cattle herder took his own life by hanging himself to a tree after his employer had allegedly delayed to give him his salary.
Tinashe Nhamo’s lifeless body was found hanging on a tree at the Manyewe homestead in Changa Village under chief Nyajena on Tuesday.
Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Chief Inspector Charity Mazula could not confirm the incident saying she was yet to receive the report.
However, sources privy to the incident said the boy had been drinking beer with his employer’s son but had a heated argument with his employer when he got home accusing him of not paying him in time.
“He was drinking beer in the evening but they had a quarrel with his employer whom he accused of failing to pay him in time.
“The argument died down and everyone went to sleep but the unfortunate happened,” said a sources who refused to be named.
It is believed that the employer, Manyewe, woke up the following morning and made a trip to Masvingo only to called back after people had discovered the body of Nhamo.local