Itai Muzondo

MASVINGO – Businesses that have been leasing properties of Masvingo City Council over the past year are struggling to pay their monthly rentals with money owed to council now standing at US$135 908.38.

In 2015, city fathers reached a resolution to lease out some of its properties, mainly council bars, which were making an average loss of US$11 000 per month.

TellZim News is reliably informed that council has since decided to reduce the rentals on condition that debtors sign debt acknowledgements and draw acceptable payment plans for outstanding debts.

“The Deputy Director of Housing and Community Services reported that the prevailing harsh economic climate had put serious challenges on tenants leasing council properties regarding payment of rentals hence need to review rentals downwards since it made no economic sense to continue raising bills which are not sustainable,” reads part of recent council minutes.

Of the 14 properties being leased, Kubatana Preschool is the biggest debtor owing US50, 069.31 while Caravan Park follows at US$23, 009.44.

Sunshine Day Care Centre owes US$18, 036.31 while Chiwororo Beerhall owes US$13, 162.00 with Manhede Beer hall following at US$10, 899.31.

Businesses that owe the least money are First Funeral, Compass Pvt Ltd, Lot 19 Car Park, Sarudzai Beerhall, Lot 37 Car Park, Rujeko Crime Consultative (ZRP) and Lot 45 Car Park owing US9078.93, US$8,280.19; US$1,164.00; US$1,391.24; US$380; US$255.64; US$192 respectively.

With no arrears are Lot 27 Car Park and Farai Beerhall which has no tenant.

If a newly proposed Finance and General Purposes Committee resolution passes, the new rental structures will stand as follows: Caravan Park from US$2 800 to US$1 400; Chiwororo Beerhall from US$1 700 to US$1 000, Manhede Beerhall from US$2 200 to US$1 200; Sarudzai Beerhall from US$3 000 to US$ 1 500 and Farai Beerhall from US$3 000 to U$1 500 per month.

Sunshine Day Care Centre will have their rentals reduced from US$ 900 to US$500; First Funeral from US$1 000 to US$500; Kubatana Pre-School from US$500 to US$250; Rujeko Consultative Committee from US$250 to US$200 and Compass Pvt Ltd from US$300 to US$200.

Indications are that the problematic People’s Shop lease will not be renewed while rentals for all car parks will be reduced to a uniform US$200 per month.news

MASVINGO – Psychomotor Minister Josaya Hungwe and Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Shuvai Mahofa face a battle of their political lives as their rivals who are suspected to be in the Generation 40 (G40) faction are mulling a vote of no confidence against them.

The two have been alleged to have solidly aligned themselves to the rival Team Lacoste faction which is fighting to push vice-president Emmerson Mnangagwa to succeed President Robert Mugabe.

TellZim News is reliably informed that 15 suspected G40 legislators from Masvingo and Zanu-PF national Political Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere were summoned by President Robert Mugabe last week for a closed doors meeting where the issue of succession and factionalism in the province was discussed.

It was said that Hungwe and Mahofa were named as the chief architects of factionalism in the province who had to either shape up or ship out.

Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial chairperson Amasa Nhenjana could neither confirm nor deny the allegations levelled against Hungwe and Mahofa but said factionalism was rife in the province.

“I cannot tell you confidently that Hungwe and Mahofa are the architects of factionalism in Masvingo but people do say that. All I know is that when the President appoints you to be his eyes and ears, you have to deliver on that task and defend him at all cost.

“This is not happening in the province. The people who are the eyes and ears of the President have sided with people who insult the First Family. If people start labelling you as the black sheep, one should not feel offended because your actions will be a testimony,” said Nhenjana.

“You find that Mahofa is always attending meetings with war veterans who want Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa to succeed Mugabe. Those meetings are unconstitutional but she attends them. They are the ones who sponsor those meetings.

“When my predecessor Paradzai Chakona was suspended, Mahofa and Hungwe did not like me and they clandestinely give me a vote of no confidence but I did not fight since I knew it was just a matter of time before they got exposed.

“The late Edson Zvobgo said Zanu-PF inonzi sinjonjo tamba wakachenjera but they played dumb and it has come to haunt them,” said Nhenjana. 

He said the party will work tirelessly to flush out all Team Lacoste elements and bring back sanity in the province.

Contacted for comment, Hungwe laughed off all allegations against him saying he does not have any idea of what his rivals are talking about.

Hungwe denied being associated to any faction and said he belongs to Zanu-PF.

“Rumours are circulating with people saying we are the reason behind factional wars in the province but they are nothing but rumours. I am a member of Zanu-PF, that is all I can tell you,” said Hungwe.news

GUTU – IN a typical horror movie style, three neighbourhood police officers from Gutu allegedly torched a rape suspect’s genitals with a burning log as part of “punishment” for the way the suspect had “raped” a young girl aged four, leaving her all bloodied and covered in semen.

The neighbourhood police trio allegedly played “judge and jury” after nabbing the suspect in Village 5, Mushaviri Farm, and decided to scorch his “gear box” so that he would never perpetrate  privates before taking him to Gutu police station.

William Maromo (45), Charles Muzenda (25) and Blantyre Bonzo Phillip have since been locked up in police cells and are facing assault charges as defined in Section 89 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9:23.

The trio changed their plea from guilty to not guilty when they appeared before Gutu Resident Magistrate Edwin Marecha, although they had admitted to committing the offence in a written statement.

The case was postponed to June 30 for further trial and the three were granted an option to pay $100 bail each.

Maromo, Muzenda and Bonzo were arrested after the rape suspect, Washington 

Togo (19), revealed during his initial appearance that something horrible had been done to him during his arrest.

A medical examination later confirmed that Togo suffered extensive burns on his genitals and had bruises all over his body.

It is the State’s case that on June 7, 2016, the three police officers assaulted Togo several times all over his body and under his feet using a wooden stick for allegedly raping his neighbour’s four year old child.

They allegedly burnt his genitals using a burning log after being horrified by the sight of the abused child.

The court heard that Togo had raped the child and left semen on her body.

Togo, who pleaded not guilty to the charge, was remanded in custody to June 29 and was advised to apply for bail at the High Court.

 Agatha Gabriel prosecuted.news

MASVINGO – Masvingo’s fastest growing newspaper, TellZim News Director, Golden Maunganidze has been invited to participate in President Barack Obama’s Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders in the United States of America (USA).

Maunganidze has left Zimbabwe today (Thursday) and is expected to spend the next six weeks at Kansas State University, at the Staley School of Leadership Studies where he will hone his journalistic and leadership skills through interacting with renowned Professors and academics.

At the end of the programme in August, Maunganidze will join 1000 other young leaders from all over Africa in Washington DC where they will be addressed by President Obama.

Maunganidze is the first young leader from Masvingo to be selected to participate in this prestigious programme.

Karen Kelly, the Counsellor for Public Affairs at the United States Embassy in Harare said participants were chosen through a highly competitive application process with more than 1600 candidates having submitted their applications.

Maunganidze, who is also a Media studies lecturer at Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) has over ten years’ experience working in the Zimbabwean media industry. 

Before joining GZU, Maunganidze worked as a journalist and editor of community newspapers in Masvingo and he won several journalistic awards for using the media to champion development in his community. 

Maunganidze is the current provincial chairperson for the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA). He is also the deputy national secretary-general for Journalists And Media Trainers Association of Zimbabwe (JAMTAZ).

In a clear endorsement of his leadership skills, Maunganidze was recently appointed the board treasurer of the Community Tolerance, Reconciliation and Development Trust (COTRAD), a civic organisation based in Masvingo province.

He holds a Master’s degree in Media and Society Studies and several journalism postgraduate diplomas and certificates obtained from Germany, Zambia and America.

“I am sure that I was not selected by mistake, I am going to make use of this opportunity to sharpen both my journalism and leadership skills. I think the fellowship will add value to my profession and go a long way in improving the quality of work at home,” said Maunganidze.news

THE WINNING TEAM … The GZU Moot Competition team, Tawanda Zvobgo (Team Coach), Blissful Dzimiri, Ivy Madziwo and Kudakwashe Muzenda display trophies and shields that they won at the 2016 International Law School Mediation Tournament that was held at Loyola University School of Law in Chicago, United States of America in March.

The Great Zimbabwe University Herbert Chitepo Law School has once again made a tremendous achievement on the international arena by qualifying for the prestigious Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Competition which will be held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland July 18 to 19 2016.

The international tournament is held every year as a means of strengthening human rights education and awareness.

Attracting over a hundred participants worldwide, the competition is open to law schools from all five United Nations (UN) regions, and is open to both undergraduate and master’s law students.

It is divided into two phases, with the first phase involving the submission of written memorials or heads of argument by competing universities.

Distinguished human rights scholars from various jurisdictions then convene to assess these, and choose 25 best written memorials.

The winning law schools are then invited to take part in the oral rounds, which are the second phase of the competition.

The GZU team comprises undergraduate second year law students; Kudakwashe Muzenda and Blissful Dzimiri.

The duo has been preparing for the tournament under the guidance of team coach Tawanda Zvobgo, a legal practitioner and litigator from leading law firm Dube, Manikai & Hwacha legal practitioners which is based in Harare. 

In a letter to GZU, the Director of the Centre for Human Rights, Professor Frans Viljoen was happy the university was selected. 

“We are pleased to inform you that your team has been selected to proceed to the next phase of the competition – the pre-final rounds – to be held at Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, on 18 and 19 July 2016,” reads part of the letter.

GZU Vice Chancellor, Professor Rungano Jonas Zvobgo, was thrilled by the strides being made by Herbert Chitepo Law School in establishing itself as a household name of excellence in legal education locally, regionally and internationally. 

“The university could not be more proud of the achievements that the Law School is making in placing both the University and Zimbabwe on the world map. The students’ efforts speak for themselves.

“Great Zimbabwe University is a force to be reckoned with. On behalf of the University, I would like to congratulate our students and wish them the very best as they now commence preparations for the second leg of the tournament which shall be held in Geneva, Switzerland,” said Professor Zobgo.

In March this year, the Herbert Chitepo Law School made history after coming third out of 51 participating world teams that competed in the 2016 International Law School Mediation tournament held at Loyola University School of Law in Chicago, United States of America.news

Moses Ziyambi

A Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) Bachelor of Arts Honours in Museum Studies student, Prisca Ropafadzo Chivange has been selected to represent Southern Africa at the World Heritage Youth Forum from June 29 to July 12 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Chivange is currently on Work Related Learning at the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa.

She was selected after she and other young applicants nominated by National Commissions from 35 countries responded to a call by the National Commission of Turkey for Southern African representatives to apply for the World Heritage Youth Forum 2016: At the Crossroads of Multi-layered Heritage. 

Chivange was the only successful applicant from the Southern African region. In Istanbul, Prisca will be the Ambassador for both GZU and UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa.

An elated Prisca said she was excited and proud to be representing GZU, Zimbabwe, Southern Africa and UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa.

"I hope to do my best and raise the flag. Through my participation I hope to embody the aspirations of the GZU community and make a bold statement that the University is truly founded on culture," she said.news

Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) leader and former Vice-President, Joice Mujuru’s number of followers is set be measured in the ongoing game of numbers as she prepares to go on national tour from June to July this year.

ZimPF Provincial Spokesperson Retired Colonel Kudzai Mbudzi told TellZim News that Mujuru is set to meet the people and mobilise supporters during the extensive tours which will also take her to Masvingo.

“ZimPF President Joyce Mujuru will commence her tour with a Bulawayo rally tipped for 18 June, followed Harare; 26 June, Masvingo; 6 July, Mashonaland East; 8 July and Manicaland on the July 9. 

“President Mujuru will then resume her rallies on July 13 in Matabeleland North, July 15; Mashonaland Central, July 16; Midlands, July 20; Mashonaland West, July 23; Matabeleland South and the final launch whose venue is yet to be announced will be on the 30th of July,” Mbudzi said.

After the MDC-T managed to pull considerable numbers in their demonstrations against the worsening political and economic crisis that are blamed on Zanu-PF misrule, the ruling party retaliated with the ‘Million Men March’ but Zimbabweans are looking forward to what Mujuru would bring on the board.

“Yes, people expect to see what numbers we will be able to pull since politics is definitely a game of numbers. As it is a game of numbers, we however do not believe in bussed numbers. We do not push people to our rallies by force because audiences used for stage management will not vote for you,” said Mbudzi.news