Itai Muzondo

CHIREDZI – As the Masvingo Zanu-PF factional battles continue raging, 20 Members of Parliament (MPs) who are believed to be supporting Generation 40 (G40) pleaded with President Robert Mugabe to expel provincial affairs minister Shuvai Mahofa and her counterpart in the Psychomotor Ministry, Josaya Hungwe, over the weekend.
A dossier presented to the President ahead of an explosive meeting in Chiredzi last Saturday recommended the expulsion of Hungwe and Mahofa, who are being accused of fronting Team Lacoste faction in the province, which is believed to support Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Involved in drafting the document were 20 out of the Province’s 26 MPs: Daniel Shumba, Jeppy Jaboon, Kalisto Gwanetsa, Paul Chimedza, Tongai Muzenda, Denford Masiya, Paradzai Chakona, Darlington Chiwa, Robson Mavhenyengwa, Kennedy Matimba, Walter Mzembi, Joseph Moyo, Ephraim Gwanongodza, Davis Marapira, Mathias Tongofa, Vincent Mawere, Angeline Chipato, Mafios Utete, Robert Mukwena and Samson Mukanduri.
 “As Members of Parliament who were democratically elected by the people of Masvingo Province, we recommend the following to His Excellency, the President and First Secretary of Zanu-PF, Cde R. G. Mugabe;
“There is need to immediately reassign or remove the current Minister of State for Provincial Affairs in the interest of the Party and government and replace her with a member who is loyal and obedient to His Excellency, the President and First Secretary,” reads part of the paper.
The MPs also asked Mugabe to appoint leadership which will “ensure and assure” a Zanu-PF clean sweep in the province’s 26 constituencies in the 2018 elections.
“The Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Cde Shuvai Ben Mahofa, and Cde Hungwe, who are Presidential appointees, are behind the current wave of political instability in the province. It is therefore imperative that His Excellency, the President, takes steps to nip this problem in the bud as soon as possible,” the document reads.
The paper also requested Mugabe to lift the suspension of MPs who have shown “loyalty” to the President in the face of “false” allegations being leveled against them.
“Members of Parliament and other former Provincial members who were suspended and still serving their suspension who have shown loyalty to His Excellency, the President and First Secretary, Cde. R. G. Mugabe, should have their suspensions lifted to allow them to freely carry out their mandates as Members of Parliament, while those in parliament help in mobilising for the party in view of the impending 2018 harmonised elections,” the document reads.
The MPs also called for the immediate halt of all Team Lacoste activities in the province.
“The on-going land redistribution should be stopped and offer letters should be immediately withdrawn to allow wider consultations with traditional leaders (chiefs) and other stakeholders.
“The current tour of provinces by War Veterans, ZILIWACO and ZIPEDRA members are causing chaos and political instability and therefore should be stopped,” the document reads.politics

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Upenyu Chaota

MASVINGO – Masvingo urban councillors from the Morgan Tsvangirai-led Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) have come under fire from their district disciplinary council on allegations of dining and wining with their Zanu-PF counterparts forgetting to deliver on party principles.
MDC-T has six out of ten councillors at the civic centre and have all been suspended from party activities while investigations are being done on charges of misconduct and tarnishing the party’s image.
The minutes from the district management meeting convened on June 9, 2016 say the six councillors have failed to represent the party values since their election and their incapability has seen Zanu-PF councillors dominating and influencing council policy.
“MDC-T has the majority of councillors at the civic centre but they do not seem to influence any policies and our members are being victimised in their presence. Our councillors have been dragged into Zanu-PF dishonesty and that has to stop.
“They have connived to become land barons. They have allocated themselves commercial stands and have failed to come up with a solution to the labour dispute,” reads the minutes.
“The councillors are the face of the party and if this is happening then the image of the party is being tarnished. Leader Bonface Mazarire was fired without any justified cause and our councillors did not do anything.
“MDC-T councillors are under investigation by the district executive disciplinary committee being led by David Charirwe. The face of President Morgan Tsvangirai at the civic centre is represented by the councillors and if they do otherwise, we are recalling them all and let the commission rule to save the party in the next election.”
The minutes also indicate that the party has since written to Ward 4 councillor Godfrey Kurauone informing him of his suspension from the district youth assembly where he held the post of Secretary for Policy and Research.
“Godfrey Kurauone has already been advised not to participate in party activities due to his proven link to Tendai Biti’s party. If he interferes with the investigation, he will be suspended and recalled,” part of the minutes read.
MDC-T Masvingo provincial chairperson James Gumbi said he has not been briefed of the resolutions by the district but confirmed that the district has the power to suspend and recommend to the province.
“The district has the power to deal with all the branches below it. If the district disciplinary committee has proven beyond reasonable doubt that our councillors are going astray, they can suspend them from party activities then recommend to the province.
“The province will then recommend to the national. I am yet to get the resolutions but if that is what they have decided on, then it stands,” said Gumbi.news,politics

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Upenyu Chaota

MASVINGO – Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC-T) has embarked on the campaign trail ahead of the 2018 harmonised elections, with its primaries expected to be conducted before year-end, TellZim News can reveal.
Jostling for positions has since begun in Masvingo province for the 26 constituencies and Wards, a situation which has resulted in all urban councillors being suspended for various alleged misconducts.
MDC-T national spokesperson Obert Gutu confirmed that party primaries would be held this year and hastened to say the actual dates would be announced soon.
“Primary elections should be held before year-end. We have tasked the national elections directorate to come up with the dates and the guidelines for the elections, so once they are complete, we will start the exercise,” said Gutu.
The 2013 party primaries were marred with chaos, controversy and rigging, with the then MDC-T national organising secretary, Nelson Chamisa, being accused of fuelling factionalism in the party. MDC-T went on to perform dismally in the July 31, 2013 harmonised elections, garnering a paltry 49 parliamentary seats while their rivals Zanu-PF won a cool 169 seats, giving them majority in the August house.
Gutu said they have since decided to conduct the primaries early so that they would have amble time to mend differences that might emanate from the elections before the 2018 general elections.
“We do not want the same situation which happened in 2013 to repeat itself. Everyone knows Zanu-PF rigged the elections but we want to prepare and give our candidates ample time to cover ground mobilising people for an inevitable victory.
“2017 will be a year of extensive campaigning and mobilisation,” Gutu added.
In Masvingo province, MDC-T lost all the constituencies to Zanu-PF in 2013 and the province is also on its toes preparing to reclaim lost glory. Before the primaries, Masvingo province will conduct gap-filling elections for posts vacated by members who have been elevated to national posts.
“On July 23, we will conduct our provincial gap-filling elections so that we get ready for the primaries. There are four positions which are available in the provincial executive; provincial treasurer, deputy treasurer, deputy secretary and deputy secretary of information. The position of treasurer became vacant after Takanai Mureyi was elevated to the national level,” said provincial Chairperson James Gumbi.
Battle lines have been drawn for the candidature of Masvingo Urban seat after Tongai Matutu abandoned ship to join Tendai Biti’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The grass root structures are divided over potential candidates Mureyi and Bonface Mazarire with the former tipped to win due to his suspected financial upper hand.news

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Increase Gumbo

Chiredzi – The Central Africa Building Society (CABS) has entered into a private partnership with Glenwood Investments, a subsidiary of India International Sonalika Tractors, in a deal meant to enable the Zimbabwe Sugar Development Association (ZSDA) to obtain funds from CABS to purchase tractors, TellZim News has learnt.
Addressing hundreds of farmers gathered at Duma city recently, Glenwood manager, Israel Chemai said the company requested CABS to avail funds for sugarcane farmers so that they could lease and purchase Sonalika tractors.
“Through lease finances, we have approached CABS so that the bank will assist the farmers with funds to acquire Sonalika tractors that cost only US$29 450, which is way cheaper than the market average price given that the tractor will do everything from reaping to disking,” said Chemai.
Chemai urged Sugarcane farmers to pull their funds together and purchase the tractors in groups and not to simply wait for funds from CABS if they are to have their tractors in time.
Edmore Veterai, who is the chairman of ZSDA said that most, if not all farmers in the association have welcomed the Sonalika tractors deal and saying tractors will make work easier for all farmers.
“As farmers, we are excited that we will have an opportunity to increase yields with minimal hard labour. A tractor makes the life of a sugarcane farmer easier through carrying out such tasks as ploughing, reaping, ridging, planting and it can also pull 25 tonnes without any hassles,” said Veterai
Meanwhile, Veterai has indicated that ZSDA is working with a local university and another one in India to equip farmers with certificates, diplomas and degrees in sugar production, processing, marketing and management business.agriculture

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Chiredzi – The long wait to have new pumps installed at Chilonga irrigation scheme has ended with the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) completing the work as directed by Davies Marapira, who is the deputy agriculture minister.
In a press statement Zinwa Corporate Communications and Marketing Manager, Marjorie Munyonga said the project was now complete.
“ZINWA successfully completed the installation of pumps at Chilonga Irrigation Scheme in Chilonga Communal Lands under Chief Sengwe in Chiredzi South,” said Manyonga.
She said only two of the three procured pumps were installed since the structure could not hold more pumps, and added that the revival of the irrigation scheme will benefit many farmers in the area and has the potential to feed 5 000 people.
Munyonga however revealed that the pumps could not be tested as yet due to the low levels of water in the Runde River, which feeds the irrigation scheme.
“After installation of the first pump was completed over the weekend, the test run only lasted for two minutes as the water level was too low in the wet pit,” said Munyonga.
She said that the community, through its local leadership, has approached Hippo Valley Estates for assistance with earth moving equipment so that water can be diverted to the side of the wet pits to enable full test runs.
Chilonga irrigation Scheme was formed in 1964 and it used to feed 5 000 people until it broke down in 2007 and has been lying in disrepair ever since.
Chiredzi South MP, Callisto Gwanetsa was pleased with the new developments, saying the irrigation scheme will help farmers fight the effects of drought by increasing food production.news
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Davison Marenga

ZVISHAVANE – With the current economic crisis gripping the country, people are fighting just to bring food onto the table with others going to strange extremes to make a living.
This is true for sex workers in Zvishavane who are taking advantage of homeless children by using them as sex slaves.
Investigations by this publication reveal that the sadistic sex workers are recruiting desperate young girls and give them shelter but only force them to entertain usually older men who want to pay for sex.
Being powerless in the whole arrangement, these girls are deprived of the money they bring in, and are provided with only the basics to keep them alive and up to the task.
Some of these girls end up graduating into full time sex work, with places like the garages around Mandava being an overnight habitat for sex workers some of whom are as young as 16.
The garages provide cover for the sex workers who shelter in the numerous broken down cars during the night and roam the streets during the day.
Zvishavane Youth Council (ZYC), an organisation which trains young people several artistic skills as a way of fighting anti-social behaviour, says the exploitation of young girls by seasoned sex workers was a worrisome trend in Zvishavane.
“We know of a 16 year old girl who used to live with her sister before she was forced to sell her body so that they could earn a living, and she fell pregnant,” said ZYC facilitator, Bigboy Murenga.
“The most affected are homeless orphans who are so desperate that they can do whatever they are told so that they can be sheltered and given something to eat,” he said.
The centre is currently housing five girls who were rescued from forced prostitution in various parts of Zvishavane.
The girls receive counseling from pastors in the town and the centre reports that their behavior has changed for the better.
With four members operating on a voluntary basis, ZYC imparts life skills to troubled and desperate youth who wish to make something of their lives.
The centre relies on selling the few artifacts that they make to sustain the operations of their programmes and members often have to fork out funds from their own pockets if they have some.
Speaking to TellZim News, Murenga lamented the general lack of concern for towards the welfare of homeless children in Zvishavane, saying the issue of forced prostitution was a cancer eating away on the social fabric.
“The going is really tough but we can’t give up though we can barely make ends meet. Our thrust is not merely about providing welfare to distressed youth, but to give them skills that will transform their lives for the better,” said Murenga.
Meanwhile, the girls who are sheltered by the ZYC have found a way of supplementing the centre’s meager resources by starting a garden which produces some vegetables that are sold to the community.
“We also sell the painting which we make paintings with one of our stuff, Mr Mupingo conducting musical lessons. We would be grateful if well-wishers can come on board and help make the centre work better,” said the centre’s Clifford Mugiya.news

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MASVINGO – Residents of Masvingo recently joined the rest of the world to commemorate the World Blood Donor Day, an annual event which is aimed at celebrating the lives of blood donors and encourage other people to donate the precious liquid.
The global event is a brainchild of the World Health Organisation and was this year held under the theme ‘Blood connects us all’.
The local commemorations were held at the National Blood Services Zimbabwe (NBSZ) centre with several prolific donors receiving awards in recognitions of their contribution to the national blood banks.
In a speech read on his behalf, Health and Child Care minister, Dr David Parirenyatwa said his ministry was working to make blood more affordable to ordinary people.
“Through the National Aids Council, we injected $700 000 into NBSZ in 2015 and for 2016, NAC pledged $403 000. I am pleased to inform you that NBSZ has managed to reduce the cost of a unit of blood from $135,00 to $120,00 and from $161,00 to $140,00 for all private hospitals with effect from 1 June,” said Dr Parirenyatwa.
Provincial Education Director, Zedius Chitiga, who was the guest of honour, said the education ministry will continue to give the NBSZ access to school-based donors.
“I urge all heads of schools and staff to support blood donation programmes so that blood requirements for health institutions are met,” said Chitiga.
Statistics show that school-based donors form a very critical base of all blood donations in the country.
During the commemorations, guests were taken on a familiarisation tour of different departments of the NBSZ branch, with people expressing satisfaction at the quality of services.
“We would like to recognise the contribution of our regular donors who continue to support us. We also encourage new donors to come and do their part in saving lives by donating blood,” said NBSZ Public Relations Officer, Michael Chakoma.news
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Villagers in Tarusenga village under chief Gadzingo in Gutu are living in fear as goblins (zvidhoma) are reportedly terrorising their families claiming human flesh resulting in the rise of mysterious deaths.
Villagers say they believe the goblins, just like humans, are also suffering from starvation due to the drought. One villager said his wife had recently fallen victim to goblin attacks.
 “The village head does not want to help us. He is the one who is supposed to chase witches from the village but he is saying we must pray harder.
“My wife started complained of a severe headache around nine in the morning and by midday, her mouth had dislocated and we thought she had died. We called Madzibaba Peter who stays in Mbamba for exorcism prayers,” said the villager who refused to be named.
“She then started hallucinating while running towards my neighbours’ homestead with the goblins that attacked her saying they were fed-up with eating mealie-meal and they had been sent to collect more meat since Gonyeti was not enough.
“Gonyeti is one of our neighbors who mysteriously died three weeks ago after a beer drink at Tachiona business centre. He died the same day,” he said.
Other villagers said they are scared of taking the matter to Chief Gutu’s court as their identities would be revealed thus exposing them to the witches’ wrath.
“The goblins always speak through their victims that they belong to a witches committee made up of seven villagers and they stay in one of the witch’s granary. Most people here want to relocate but it’s hard to abandon our fathers’ graves and land because of a few wicked individuals,” another villager.
A representative of Chief Gutu, Kennedy Masanganise, told TellZim News that cases of witchcraft were difficult to deal with as victims are scared to speak out and there is never tangible evidence to merit a hearing.
‘It is an offense to label someone a witch; however we deal with these cases quite often but usually they involve family members. In most cases, they are not mere allegations but true stories. The drought has made it worse. Witchcraft is real,” said Masanganise.news

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Memory Rasa

A 23 year old Gutu man studying electrical engineering at Kwekwe Polytechnical College was recently slapped with an eleven year jail term for illegally connecting electricity directly to his father’s shop at Chihambakwe business centre in Gutu.
Gideon Gweshengwe (23) was charged for contravening Section 60 A (1) (a) of the Electricity Act chapter 13:19 for abstracting and diverting electricity.
The court heard that the college student unlawfully connected electricity at Chengetai Investment Stores in at Chihambakwe business centre from January to May 20.
The offence was discovered by a Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) liaison officer who reported to the police, leading to the suspect’s arrest.
Gweshengwe pleaded guilty before Gutu Resident Magistrate Edwin Marecha and begged for mercy saying he was still a student and was ready to pay the outstanding bill.
“I am sorry your worship, if you may forgive me and let me pay the outstanding bill. I connected electricity because when ZESA people came in January in Chihambakwe, they only connected for our neighbor despite the fact that we had also paid the connection fee and called the same day.
“I was hurt seeing how these people are corrupt and decided to connect for myself since I learnt the skill at school,” Gweshengwe said.
Marecha sentenced the 23 year old to eleven 11years saying there is nothing the court would do to lessen the sentence since such offenses were already recorded.
Marecha however suspended 1 year on condition that Gweshengwe pays US$1 684 to ZESA by November 30 2016 failure of which he will serve the whole 11 years.
Millicent Azangwe prosecuted.news

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Itai Muzondo

It was blow after blow for embattled Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs; Shuvai Mahofa, Josaya Hungwe and their suspected Team Lacoste comrades last Saturday as the rival G40 faction took turns to attack them in front of President Robert Mugabe at Triangle Country Club.
Discussions to end ongoing factional blows between the two factions appear to have deadlock after Mugabe announced that a follow up meeting to resolve the factional fights will be held in Harare.
Sources said Tongaat Hullet was the epicentre of the factional fights with both factions trading accusations of abusing resources from the sugar giant to further their own factional ends.
Speaking soon after the five hour closed door meeting with Masvingo MPs and senators, Zanu PF Secretary for Administration, Ignatius Chombo said nothing had been resolved, indicating that another meeting will be held at a later date.
“This was a frank and open meeting. We, however, agreed to continue at some point where resolutions to solve the disputes would be possibly passed,” Chombo said.
He however skirted questions on whether the inter-party conflicts were to do with resources or power.
Insiders who spoke to TellZim News soon after the heated engagement said the two sides sought to gain an upper hand in the Tongaat Hullet affairs, with Mahofa and Hungwe failing to clear the air on their alleged acts of corruption in the low veld.
“Pressure is mounting Lacoste members. They failed to get an upper hand in the meeting as most of their stewards whom they rehearsed in Nemamwa theprevious night in preparation for the meeting were barred from attending. We now wait for the extra time in Harare but currently on ball possession, it is Team Lacoste 20 percent with G40 sitting at 80 percent,” said one source.
The source further disclosed how Chiredzi West MP Darlington Chiwa bluntly attacked Hungwe and Mahofa for alleged corruption by extorting thousands of dollars from Tongaat Hullet.
Chiwa is said to have told Mugabe the two have played a role in the crippling strikes by Tongaat workers last year and then paved the way for their alleged proxy, lawyer Paul Mangwana, to be hired to represent the disgruntled workers and rake in thousands of dollars for himself.
He reportedly revealed that Mangwana made more than US200 000 for the pseudo representation he gave to Tongaat Hullet workers last year.
“Hungwe and Mahofa were also put in an awkward position after (provincial Political Commissar) Jeppy Jaboon made the Pamberi naGrace slogan. They looked foolish in the meeting. Jeppy simply stood and repeatedly chanted the slogan, forcing the two to respond to a slogan they have been resisting all along.
“Jeppy then took the chance to tell Mugabe that he was surprised that Hungwe and Mahofa were now supporting the slogan they had termed ‘illegal’ in the province,” said the source.
Hungwe and Mahofa, the source said, also unsuccessfully tried to persuade the President to bar Tongai Muzenda and Paul Chimedza from the meeting, with a bitter Chimedza later attacking the two for scuttling his efforts to develop his constituency.
“He also shocked the President when he said Hungwe once told him (Chimedza) that if Mugabe doesn’t let go of power, they were ready to install a Karanga onto the throne,” he said.
Most suspected Team Lacoste members including Pupurai Togarepi, Mangwana, Livingstone Chineka, Ailess Baloyi were thrown out of the meeting.
Provincial Administrator; Felix Chikovo and Tongaat Hullet Sydney Mutsambiwa were also barred with Chombo saying the President had come not for a rally but only to meet the MPs
Surprisingly, suspected G40 kingpins; Provincial Chairperson, Amasa Nhenjana, Youth Chairperson; Nobert Ndaarombe and Women’s League Chairperson; Veronica Makonese were allowed in the meeting with the rest of the other chairs including Provincial War Veterans leader Tendeukai Chinooneka being blocked.news

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