MWENEZI – A 27-year-old mentally-challenged man who sometime back reportedly dug-up the grave of his late mother, recently stole a gun at his father’s work place and fled, the Mwenezi Magistrates’ Court heard last week.
Appearing before magistrate Honest Musiiwa, Jairos Mazana (53) and his mentally challenged son, Leonard Mazana (27) were facing charges of stealing a gun.
The two co-accused were not formally charged and Jairos was remanded out of custody while Leonard was remanded in custody after the State recommended that he undergoes a psychiatric examination.
Giving his side of the story in court, Jairos said he did not know where his son hid the gun after he stole it at his work place.
“My son is mentally-challenged and it started sometime back upon his return from South Africa. He came and dug up his mother’s grave and took part of the cloth that was covering the coffin.
“When he stole the rifle, I ran after him but I did not manage to disarm him. I do not know where exactly he put the gun but it seems he threw it away as I chased him,” said Jairos.
Presented by prosecutor Willard Chasi, State facts are that on January 30 this year, Leonard went to his father Jairos’ workplace at Samina Estates where he is employed as a general hand.
He broke the window to the farm house office and stole a 2.2 rifle belonging to Samina Estates and fled towards Mwenezi River.
After noticing that his son was holding a firearm, Jairos ran after him but was outpaced and he gave up.
When Leonard was later arrested by the police, he implicated his father. He insisted that when he was being chased away, the rifle dropped and Jairos picked it and hid it at unknown place.
This led to the arrest of Jairos. The stolen rifle was not recovered and the matter was postponed to a later date for trial.local

MASVINGO – The heavy rains that were received on the night of Wednesday, February 21, 2018 exposed the extent of the rot in Mucheke River which is corrupted by all kinds of suffocating filth including a massive infestation of water hyacinth.
The river is one of the few sizeable tributaries whose waters feed Lake Mutirikwi, City of Masvingo’s only source of water.
The heavy rains uprooted heavy loads of the river’s water hyacinth, an invasive weed that seems to thrive much in filthy stagnant waters.
A thick blanket of the floating weed was driven downstream under strong current before being heaped against a bridge used by pedestrians going to and from Rujeko.
Efforts to have the weed removed immediately failed to materialise, with officials in the Environmental Management Agency (Ema) saying their officially ascribed duties did not extend beyond monitoring water pollution.
“Our role in that is to monitor and prevent pollution of the environment including pollution of water bodies. I am glad we have managed to stop the discharge of raw sewerage into the river, one of the factors that contributed to the growth of the weed.
“Council used to have a hyacinth removal programme in the past but I don’t know what happened. They are probably facing shortage of the required equipment,” said Somandla Ndlovu of Ema Masvingo provincial office.
City of Masvingo Town Clerk, Adolf Gusha acknowledged it was council’s duty to clean up the river but initially said they usually wait for the hyacinth to reach the lake where it is ‘easier’ to remove.
“I have not yet had a chance to go and check what it is like there, but we normally wait for the weed to reach the lake. It is easier for us to remove the weed when it gets to the lake,” said Gusha.
He however later resisted attempts to get an explanation as to how it was easier to remove the weed when it gets into a vast dam while it is much more difficult to remove the same from a narrow river.
He told TellZim News the matter had already been taken to other ‘relevant’ offices and he was awaiting a decision on the way forward.
Eight days later, TellZim News noticed that the weed deluge was still intact, and had formed a thick mat spreading onto the river banks.
Between 2014 and 2015, the Family and Friends of Rivers and Lakes in Zimbabwe (Faforaliz), an organisation which in the past has led efforts to remove water hyacinth from large portions of the river, designed a hyacinth-pulling tool called the pigato.
Using two pigatos, Faforaliz tugged away about 450 tons of water hyacinth from a 5.7 square-metre section of Mucheke River.
Just as it seemed real progress was being made, Ema reportedly developed sour grapes, and the relationship broke down leading to the work being immediately stopped.
Ema reportedly grabbed the equipment, claiming it was all now part of their inventory and has resisted working with Faforaliz ever since.
Faforaliz information and publicity director, Ngoni Chinovava said his organisation was, nevertheless, willing to volunteer manpower yet again in order to remove the toxic weed once Ema releases the equipment.
“That weed is a danger to human and aqua life so we are ready to resume our voluntary work. We just need the equipment that Ema seized so that we can use it for the good of our rivers and dams. We designed the equipment ourselves and we want to apply for patents because that is our intellectual property,” said Chinovava.
No comment could immediately be obtained from the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) who, by law, are the custodians of the country’s water resources.
The Food and Agricultural Organisation (Fao) lists water hyacinth as one of the worst aquatic weeds in the world, causing a drastic change in the physical and chemical properties of water and in the environment of the water bodies it invades, with detrimental effects on plants and animals.
“This weed represents an environmental problem as well and indirectly a public health problem, since it may create a microhabitat suitable for the breeding of many vectors of human diseases and for hosting poisonous snakes,” reads one of the reports compiled by Fao.local

GWERU – Nkabazwe FM last week joined the rest of the world to celebrate the seventh edition of World Radio Day through an event held at Gweru Memorial Library’s American Corner.
This year’s edition of World Radio Day was held on February 13, 2018 under the theme: Radio and Sports.
All stakeholders in the radio industry including regulatory bodies were invited to celebrate the popular communication medium as well as its contribution to democratic debate through information, entertainment and audience interaction.
Government has consistently ridiculed community radio initiatives and has steadfastly refused to license them.
Community newspapers have, in turn, accused the government of stifling alternative voices by maintaining the monopoly of State broadcaster ZBC and by licensing only private commercial stations with close links to the ruling Zanu PF party.
“Women issues, for example, aren’t being well-articulated at community level. We can’t all stampede for space on national radio and expect to be accommodated in our millions. We want our own Mai Chisamaba’s and Aunt Tilda to broadcast here in Gweru,” said Women Coalition of Zimbabwe (Woza) representative, Florence Guzha.  
Representatives from the disability community also said their section of the population was being deprived of fair coverage, leading to the perpetuation of stigma and hurtful language through ignorance.
“As people with disabilities, we want our issues to be championed through radio but that is not happening. The scant coverage that we are given is not enough to teach society about disability therefore, many people do not even know the proper language to use when referring to us,” said Lizzie Zvenyika from the National Council for the Disabled Persons in Zimbabwe (NCDPZ).
Other people who spoke at the event called for public mobilisation so as to present a unified front against government reluctance to license community radio stations.
 “The government must know that we are determined to fight against its suppression of diversity in the broadcasting industry. We want independent community radios that can advance the interests of the diverse communities that make up our nation,” said one participant.local

MASVINGO – On February 17, Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Alliance (MURRA) in partnership with TellZim News, attracted thousands of residents to their ‘BVR Still On’ roadshow which was meant to give a reminder that the voter registration exercise was still open.
The road show was held at four places starting in the CBD before moving on to Mucheke Bus Terminus, Sisk business centre and Rujeko.
Famous actor and comedian David Mubaiwa, popularly known as Sabhuku Vharazipi, helped to keep the attention of the crowds through his amusing postures and pronouncements.
His colleagues, ‘Mbuya Mai John’ and ‘Chairman’ also proved to be valuable drawcards as people were eager to hear their voices and get closer to them.
Some people who came to the show found themselves lucky enough to be called to the front for various on-stage competitions by which winners took home different prizes among them a current copy of TellZim News, washing soaps, key holders and calendars.
From Mucheke Bus Terminus, the voter mobilisation roadshow headed to Chesvingo Business Centre popularly known as Sisk before making the final journey to Rujeko.
MURRA communications officer Godfrey Mtimba said it was the duty of all responsible citizens to mobilise each other to register to vote.
“Voter apathy remains a big challenge in Zimbabwe. People still do not know the importance of voting so this is part of our voter education efforts.
“We are pleased by the response that this drive has stimulated on potential voters. We have reached out to thousands of people with the goal of encouraging all eligible people go and register to vote in the upcoming general elections. We elect, we pay and they deliver,” said Mtimba
He said people should know that for them to be able to vote in the elections, they should register by the end of the first 12 days after the nomination court.
“Some people thing the registration exercise has ended but that is not correct; the process continues at various ZEC offices until 12 days after the nomination court. We would like to encourage particularly the youth and first timers to go and register to vote so that they will be able to make their voting debut this year,” said Mtimba.local

BIKITA – The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP), in partnership with the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), last week organised a workshop in Ward 13 to help villagers get an understanding of their constitutionally-enshrined rights as well as to give them free legal advice.
The event came at the backdrop of disputes between villagers and the Bikita Rural District Council (RDC) which is accused of unilaterally pegging large chunks of the communal area for the extension of Nyika growth point.
The villagers, most of whom oppose what they consider as blatant confiscation of their ancestral heritage, were enlightened on how to handle such cases before the courts.
There were discussions on such critical freedoms as women’s rights, inheritance matters, freedom of expression and political rights.
Samuel Kufakunesu, who is headman Kufakunesu, applauded the CCJP and the ZLHR for their dedication to the development of a more knowledgeable society.
“I thank CCJP and ZLHR for the commendable work that they did for the people here. As poor peasants, we often lack resources and information on how to handle legal matters and defend our rights against violation by powerful authorities.
“We often get politicians flagrantly violating our rights because they are confident that their victims are nothing but ignorant villagers. It is my sincere hope that interfaces of this nature will continue for the sake of a more informed society,” said Kufakunesu.
CCJP has a close relationship with the Kufakunesu area where it has helped to develop many initiatives that include a community garden and bee project.local

Nyasha Marumbi

The Ministry of Women and Youth Affairs is mulling amending the country’s sexual offenses legislation to give traditional leaders powers to try rape cases in rural areas, TellZim News can reveal.
The ministry held a workshop at Chevron Hotel last week Thursday where stakeholders decried the ever increasing cases of rape as well as reports of offenders getting away with their crimes.
The Ministry of Women and Youth Affairs Midlands provincial development officer, Sithembile Dube promised that chiefs will have the power to try and sentence rapists before the end of the year.
Chief Chitanga, Felani Chauke, of Mwenezi voiced support for the new plans and pledged to work with government to fight sexual offences in his jurisdiction.
“Considering the fact that rape cases are only dealt with by the police and higher courts, most perpetrators in rural areas are getting away with it. We will be glad to deal with such issues and we promise to deliver,” says Chief Chitanga.
Also present at the event was assistant director in the Ministry of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs, Lovemore Chisirimunhu, who urged the police to take rape cases seriously.
He was responding to allegations by one participant that a rape case which happened in Mucheke recently was not being given requisite attention.
The workshop was graced by representatives from My Age Zimbabwe, police, Great Zimbabwe University (GZU), local lawyers, nurses and teachers.local

Cephas Shava

MWENEZI – A 47-year-old jealousy man from Mwenezi assaulted and seriously injured his wife because another man had proposed love to her, the Mwenezi Magistrates’ Court heard last week.
Tafara Nyaku of Zvirikure village under Chief Neshuro was convicted on his own plea of guilty. He was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment six of which were conditionally suspended. The remaining 12 months were set aside on condition that he performed 420 hours of community service at Zvirikure Primary School.
Honest Musiiwa said a lengthy custodial sentence could still have been appropriate but the court opted for non-custodial sentence so that the injured victim could still have somebody to assist her.
Nyaku told the court he was drunk on the day in question and had acted violently in anger because there was a man who had proposed love to his wife.
State facts as argued by prosecutor Willard Chasi are that sometime in January at around 16:00 hrs, Nyaku had a misunderstanding with his wife Prisca Ndoro after she asked him why he was not paying bride lobola for her.
The question angered Nyaku who responded by assaulting Ndoro with open hands several times.
He also took a log and struck her thrice on the shoulder, resulting in Ndoro sustaining a fractured left hand during the assault.
Ndoro was taken to Neshuro District Hospital for treatment. A police report was made to the police leading to Nyaku’s arrest.local

Beatific Gumbwanda

CHIREDZI – A female foreign currency dealer reportedly fell into a coma for around 45 minutes after noticing that a conman had defrauded her of US$900 in bond notes which he took away from her in exchange for fake US$750 bank notes.
People who attended to the distressed woman had to carry her into her car where they poured several litres of water on her in desperate attempts to help bring her back to consciousness.
The deceptive transaction happened outside an Edgars outlet where the trader, Perpetual Chotavengwa usually plies her trade.
“Yes it’s true that I was robbed in daylight. There is this guy, I can’t even remember his face but was formally dressed who came to sell his US$750 at 20 percent interest. I gave him my $900 bond and I later noticed that I was tricked when he was long gone,” said Chotovengwa.
She said the fraudster misrepresented himself to make it appear like he had just got the money from a Mukuru branch close by.
An eye witness said the fraudster walked out of an Electrosales shop counting his fake dollars, flaunting them wisely to entice unsuspecting traders.
The witness said the deeply shocked Chotovengwa fainted after finding out that she had been sold a dummy.
“It’s very sad. The woman was robbed $900 in bond notes after she unknowingly traded them for fake US dollar bills. She only realised her mistake while doing a recount of the notes. The money left a colour on her fingers but the conman was already gone by then,” said the eye witness.local

Job Sikhala