A view of the Shashe River

Richard Muponde, Gwanda Correspondent
A SUSPECTED border jumper from Gwanda South was last week trampled to death by elephants as he tried to cross into Botswana with two friends.

The incident happened on Thursday in Mawaga area near the new Mlambapheli border Post.

Liseli Makwaiba (28) of Chief Mathe, Mr Motsoalli and Mr Linotsoi Sebata were on their way to Botswana through an illegal crossing point along the Shashe River when the jumbos attacked Makwaiba.

Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Philisani Ndebele yesterday confirmed Makwaiba’s death.

“The police received a sudden death report of an elephant attack. The incident happened around 7PM when Makwaiba and two colleagues who are suspected border jumpers wanted to illegally cross into Botswana,” said Insp Ndebele.

“When they arrived in Mawaga Village along the Shashe River, they encountered a herd of elephants which charged at them. Two escaped but Makwaiba was trampled and died on the spot.”

He said the survivors made a police report.

Insp Ndebele appealed to members of the public to apply for travel documents and desist from illegally crossing the border to avoid such unnecessary loss of lives.

A source who comes from the same village as Makwaiba said the trio were in a drunken stupor when disaster struck. Jumbos have caused havoc in Gwanda South where they have destroyed irrigation fields among other infrastructure.

@richardmuponde

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Mr Munesu Munodawafa (left) at the project launch in Gweru on Monday

Patrick Chitumba/ Crystabel Chikayi, Chronicle Reporters
THE Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) has started erecting a 162km fence along the Gweru-Bulawayo Highway at a cost of $400 000 in a bid to eliminate accidents caused mainly by stray animals.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Mr Munesu Munodawafa, launched the project in Gweru on Monday.

Mr Munodawafa said this was a pilot project that is expected to be concluded by the end of next month.

“We are starting this project in Gweru where we are going to fence both sides of the highway up to Bulawayo, a project that is going to cost $400 000. The project should be done by end of November and we will move to other areas. Close to 150 youths will be engaged from communities along the highway to erect the fence,” he said.

Mr Munodawafa said the community should assume ownership of the fence which is 1, 5 metres high as their livestock – their source of wealth – will also be protected.

“We call upon the people to desist from vandalising the fence, to desist from cutting it down to make traps or fence their fowl runs, such elements will be prosecuted. The fence protects both humans and animals,” he said.

TSCZ Managing Director Mr Obio Chinyere said the programme was part of ZimAsset’s initiative to develop infrastructure.

He said high ranking government officials as well as ordinary citizens have lost their lives in road accidents involving animals.

After the launch in Gweru, Mr Munodawafa went to Insiza where the project is also being implemented.

He said a number of people have been employed and placed in three groups.

One group will work from Gweru to Insiza, the other one from Insiza to Mbembesi and the last one from Mbembesi to Fairbridge.

“The programme has created employment for villagers in Matabeleland South. They earn $18 per day and uniforms have been provided for them.

We have employed 30 people (in each group) and we are expecting to double our numbers to make it possible to meet our deadline,” said Mr Munodawafa.

“The inclusion of villagers was decided after it was realised that this area originally had a fence but it was vandalised. Having the villagers to be part of the programme will ensure that they will have a sense of ownership and they will guard the fence. We also talked to chiefs and urged them to look after the fence.”

@pchitumba1/@cchikayi

Wynne Zanamwe, Midlands Reporter
A 69-YEAR-OLD granny from Shurugwi has died in a hospital from injuries she sustained after she was assaulted by a villager who accused her of gossiping too much.

Julian Mandewo of Muchada Village  was left for dead after she was allegedly severely assaulted by Tichaona Kambuve (33) at her homestead.

Kambuve accused her of gossiping about his mother.  He assaulted the old woman who later died in hospital.

Midlands police spokesperson Inspector Joel Goko confirmed the incident.

“On October 15 at around 7PM Julian was sitting in her kitchen hut with her daughter, Lorraine Mandewo, when the accused arrived. He started shouting at the deceased accusing her of spreading gossip concerning his mother which he did not clarify,” he said.

“Julian ordered Kambuve to go away but he refused. She teamed up with her daughter and they pushed the accused out of the hut. When the accused was outside, he went to the firewood stack where he took a wooden log and rushed back towards Julian intending to strike her.”

Insp Goko said Lorraine stood between the two in order to defend her mother, but the murder suspect managed to strike the old woman once on the right shoulder with the log.

“Lorraine ran away leaving Julian with the accused in the house. The accused assaulted Julian with the log all over her body several times and after committing the offence he fled leaving the deceased lying unconscious.

“When Lorraine returned she found the deceased lying unconscious and alerted neighbours who assisted her to ferry Julian to Svika Clinic where she was further transferred to Shurugwi District hospital,” said Insp Goko.

He said the woman died the following day and Kambuve has since been arrested and will appear in court soon.

“We urge members of the public to seek third parties such as the police or other elders of the community whenever misunderstandings arise,” said Insp Goko.

@wynnezane.

Belated World Habitat Day celebrations held in Pelandaba West in Bulawayo yesterday

Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
THE Government has said 5 000 youths from Matabeleland region have registered for residential stands in Umvutshwa, an extension of Bulawayo.

As part of Government efforts to provide accommodation to its citizens, the Ministry of National Housing Public Works availed about 500 hectares of land for the development of a youth town in Umvutshwa.

There are 8 000 residential stands on the land.

Urban Development Corporation (UDCOR) regional manager Mrs Petronella Nkomazana said youths should move fast to register for the remaining stands.

“The project had been necessitated by a shortage of affordable residential accommodation and the ever increasing rural-urban migration. Over 5 000 people have registered for this project and registration is still ongoing at the Bulawayo UDCORP office in the city centre,” she said.

Mrs Nkomazana was speaking at the belated World Habitat Day commemorations held in Pelandaba West suburb yesterday.

The Umvutshwa housing scheme this year partnered with the Ministry of Local government, Public Works and National Housing on a residential development project during which the Government availed 500 hectares of land for the Umvutshwa B housing project.

“This housing project is a high density residential suburb on a 316 hectare piece of land. It will provide for plus or minus 7 000 households in the form of stands ranging from 200 square metres to 400 square metres and high rise flats,” said Mrs Nkomazana.

“The aim is to create a self-contained town that will decongest our city of Bulawayo. The concept will be replicated in other provinces as well”.

She said the International Development Bank will fund this project through homesaver accounts. Mrs Nkomazana said so far a topographic map has been done and the layout is awaiting approval from physical planning and the Bulawayo City Council has been engaged in terms of water and sewage works development.

She said any person who is over 18 years old and has contractual capacity, is able to pay monthly instalments of $50 towards the servicing of stands and any resident of Matabeleland provinces, is eligible.

Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Cde Nomthandazo Eunice Moyo, in a speech read on her behalf by her personal assistant Mrs Sichelesile Moyo-Ncube, said the issue of housing must be prioritised.

“Provision of shelter is a number one concern among urban dwellers with the cost of land and stands beyond the reach of many poor families which leave them vulnerable to social ills,” said Cde Moyo.

She said through Zim-Asset, the Government is aiming to provide 15 000 residential stands in Bulawayo.

“In line with this policy thrust the social services and poverty eradication cluster seeks to collectively deliver above 15 000 serviced stands in Bulawayo province,” Cde Moyo said.

She said in an effort to ease the plight of the homeless in Bulawayo, the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, launched the Umvutshwa housing scheme project to address the needs of the youths in the province.

The World Habitat Day is commemorated on the first Monday of October annually and was this year held under the theme “Housing at the Centre.”
Government officials, service chiefs, land developers and residents attended the event.

@AuxiliaK

Dr Joice Mujuru

From Walter Mswazie in Masvingo
ZIMPF leader Dr Joice Mujuru has admitted that there are divisions which are worsening in her party in Masvingo.

Addressing mourners, mainly party members at the burial of provincial spokesperson Retired Colonel Kudzai Mbudzi in Murisa Village under Chief Charumbira area in Masvingo yesterday, Dr Mujuru appealed for unity within the beleaguered party’s provincial executive.

Rtd Col Mbudzi died on Sunday morning at West End Clinic in Harare after a short illness.

There is a brewing storm in Masvingo over leadership changes which have seen founding chairman Retired Col Claudius Makova being elevated to a more ceremonial position in the council of elders and replaced by Dr William Zivenge of the Great Zimbabwe University (GZU).

However, Rtd Col Makova has vowed to remain the chairman of the province and has disregarded the election of Dr Zivenge as the new chairman.

The national party spokesperson, Mr Jealousy Mawarire, has also maintained that Rtd Col Makova will remain at the helm and dismissed the leadership change as null and void. As if not to be outdone, Rtd Col Makova has gone ahead and nominated a candidate for the forthcoming Bikita West by-election, Mr Kudakwashe Gopo, despite the national executive saying they don’t have an official position regarding their participation.

The visibly annoyed former Vice President said members should emulate the late Rtd Col Mbudzi who wanted unity.

“There is too much coughing in the ZimPF in Masvingo. Today, we have come to bid farewell to our senior member Rtd Col Mbudzi but I want to appeal to members in Masvingo to be united,” said Dr Mujuru.

“I nearly stroked when I heard of the death of Rtd Col Mbudzi. On Friday we had a meeting with the late Mbudzi in Harare over Masvingo as we know there are some problems bedevilling the executive here.”

She castigated party members for their selfishness and urged them to emulate the late Rtd Col Mbudzi in treating each other as equals.

“Members of ZimPF, why are you fighting? What are you showing to our nemesis, Zanu-PF? What are they learning from us? There is nothing because you are always fighting here in Masvingo. Some members have big egos and they always want to be seen outshining others. The late Rtd Col Mbudzi always wanted to do away with people’s egos,” said Dr Mujuru.

“A political party is like a club where one is free to join but when I have joined my own club, you should not talk about me or follow me. If I have done something wrong, you should say, Teurairopa, you have done this the wrong way and not to call me names. Do not believe what you have heard about me simply because I won’t be there to defend myself.”

@walterbmswazie2

The late Cde Black Jesus

Walter Mswazie, Masvingo Correspondent
FORMER war veteran’s leader in Masvingo Cde Black Jesus, real name Francis Zimuto, has died.

He was 62.

The controversial national war veterans’ secretary for environment, who was also Masvingo Chief Provincial National Youth Service commandant, succumbed to a liver ailment at his rural home in Gutu at around 3AM yesterday.

Funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.

Mourners are gathered at his rural home in Mugoni Village under Chief Makore.

Masvingo war veterans provincial chairman Cde Tendeukai Chinooneka said: “I can confirm the death of one of our prominent war veterans in Masvingo province and at national level Cde Black Jesus. I received the news in the morning. I am away in Kwekwe on university business. I am supervising students on attachment.

“He had a minor operation in Bulawayo recently and was at his rural home when his condition deteriorated. I visited him on Wednesday last week”.

Cde Chinooneka, who is also a lecturer at Great Zimbabwe University (GZU), said the death of Cde Zimuto was a heavy blow to war veterans.

“Black Jesus was an exemplary leader and we depended on him for guidance. We are deeply saddened to learn of his death as we all thought he would recover. We have lost a cadre as war veterans, both nationally and at provincial level,” he said.

Cde Zimuto participated in the liberation struggle where he was in the high command in ZIPRA before being attested into the Zimbabwe National Army at Independence. While in the army he rose to the rank of captain.

Cde Zimuto was the first person to invade a farm belonging to a white commercial farmer in 2000.

He lost his wife some years ago and is survived by five children.

@walterbmswazie2

Tanaka Mrewa, Chronicle Reporter
ZIMPAPERS has dismissed claims by a local weekly paper and comments on social media insinuating that the company improperly benefited from the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (Zimdef).

The media house’s public relations and corporate affairs manager Ms Beatrice Tonhodzayi said Zimpapers had a long standing business relationship with Zimdef which has seen the fund placing advertisements in its newspapers and radio stations.

“We are a business that thrives on advertising. There is nothing to hide or be ashamed of that our newspapers such as The Chronicle, The Herald, The Sunday Mail and indeed our radio station Star FM got some advertising revenue from Zimdef. That is the reason we are in business. We have to bring in business from as many advertisers as possible,” she said.

Ms Tonhodzayi said the business that Zimpapers got from Zimdef is open to scrutiny from anyone who wishes to establish the true facts, adding that print and radio advertising always leaves a clear trail for people to go back to.

“Whatever advertising was given to radio was played on air. It is easy to establish that business was conducted between Zimpapers and Zimdef, which justifies the payment we received. The same goes for what was printed by manner of public notices, supplements or other print advertising. Readers saw those adverts.”

The Zimpapers spokesperson said the company got more than $200 000 worth of advertising across its platforms since the STEM project started last year.

This includes radio jingles, spot ads and several other forms of advertising.

“These payments are on record and there is nothing sinister about them,” she said.

Ms Tonhodzayi said Zimdef had been advertising on the group’s print and broadcast platforms well before the STEM project started.

Zimpapers’ platforms command the widest reach according to the latest Zimbabwe All Media Products Survey (ZAMPS). Advertisers prefer to advertise where they are guaranteed of reaching the biggest audiences.

Zimpapers has three daily newspapers, four weekly newspapers, two national language publications (all with websites) two radio stations, two magazines, two suburban free sheets, several digital publications, a regional newspaper and vibrant social media platforms.

@tannytkay

President Mugabe

Morris Mkwate in Antananarivo, Madagascar
PRESIDENT Mugabe has built an enduring legacy through his continent-wide push for industrialisation as the rest of Africa is now fast-catching onto that vision, Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi has  said.

To demonstrate the cross-cutting appeal of his vision, the President was yesterday appointed interim Vice Chair of the Comesa Bureau to help steer the bloc’s two-day Heads of State and Government Summit, which ends here today.

Themed “Inclusive and Sustainable Industrialisation”, the Summit targets rapid integration via favourable trade, value-addition and beneficiation — all elements feeding off the course set during President Mugabe’s Chairmanship of Sadc (August 2014 to August 2015), and the African Union (January 2015-January 2016).

Speaking to Zimbabwean journalists here yesterday, Minister Mumbengegwi said Africa was in good stead to industrialise, thanks to the President’s unrelenting and far-sighted advocacy.

“This is one of the legacies that His Excellency, President Mugabe, is bequeathing to the entire continent. You refer to how he masterminded the Sadc Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap as well as the African Union Agenda 2063.

“It was during his chairmanship of both Sadc and the African Union that these historic decisions were adopted, and now Comesa is following with its theme of industrialisation which our President has been championing for quite some time.

“It is now quite clear the entire continent has come to appreciate President Mugabe’s wisdom in pushing for industrialisation at a time that other leaders did not think it was that important.

“(Industrialisation) is virtually the war-cry of the entire continent. Industrialisation, value-addition and beneficiation are the key elements that will get Africa out of the economic difficulties that most of our countries are experiencing.”

Regarding President Mugabe’s elevation to the Comesa Bureau, Minister Mumbengegwi said, “The Bureau of Comesa was elected (yesterday morning), consisting of Madagascar as Chair, Burundi as Vice Chair and Ethiopia as Rapporteur.

“Unfortunately, the President of Burundi did not attend the Summit.

‘‘Under the rules of procedure, only Heads of State and Government can be members of the Bureau.

“So, consultations were undertaken as to who would be most qualified and most suitable to hold the position in an interim capacity; that is for this Summit only.

“It was decided that President Mugabe should be the one to serve as Vice Chair of this Summit, which, of course, is an honour for us in Zimbabwe; for our President to serve in that capacity.”

The Summit opened yesterday with leaders outlining the role of industrialisation in increasing intra-regional trade.

It is thus considering progress in the Comesa, Tripartite and continental free trade areas, and the Comesa Medium Term Strategic Plan.

According to the latest Comesa Macro-Economic Report, the bloc is the fastest-growing globally, though its overall growth declined to 6 percent in 2015 from 6, 5 percent in 2014.

Intra-Comesa exports also dropped to $7, 6 billion in 2015 from $9, 2 billion in 2014.

In his keynote address yesterday, Comesa Chair President Hery Rajionarimampianina of Madagascar undertook to steer key industrialisation-linked initiatives, among them manufacturing stimuli.

He also spoke of the correlation between regional integration and improved economic performance.

Kenya’s Deputy President William Ruto added, “Africa has a trade deficit of $100 billion. We should trade and export as much as we import from the rest of the world.

“With integration, there are no losers. It is a game of winners. We must eliminate bottlenecks and replace them with bridges to investment and business.

“. . . We must continuously reform our processes so that we eliminate matters that undermine manufacturing; industrialisation.”

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
THE Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ) has urged aggrieved members of the public who have been fleeced by lawyers to sue the offending legal practitioners as the organisation’s compensation fund cannot cater for all claims.

This follows a series of cases where lawyers have been found abusing trust funds and corruptly selling properties without their owners’ consent.

LSZ president Mrs Vimbai Nyemba told The Chronicle that their association cannot be responsible for all cases where lawyers have defrauded clients.

She said although the LSZ has a fund meant to address the shortcomings of lawyers, the association cannot be fully responsible for all payments.

“We’ve got a fund, fine, but the fund cannot fully compensate for the sale of a house. Each case is decided on its merits, it depends on the amounts involved,” said Mrs Nyemba.

She urged members of public to sue offending lawyers to recover abused funds, saying the LSZ is worried that a number of lawyers were involved in unscrupulous dealings, thereby tainting the image of the profession.

Mrs Nyemba said the society was taking stern action against lawyers involved in shady deals.

“As the law society, we’re very concerned about cases of abuse of trust funds. We don’t want to see members of the public being duped. And there’re a few lawyers that are doing that. I want to assure the public that most of our lawyers are trustworthy. We don’t take lightly the mishandling of trust funds,” she said.

@nqotshili.

Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
THE BULAWAYO City Council’s (BCC) housing waiting list now stands at 115 000 as demand for residential stands continues to go up.

The waiting list had been pegged at 100 000 for some time but residents have been continuing to register as demand for decent accommodation rises.

The BCC deputy director of Housing and Community Services, Mr Dictor Khumalo, said urbanisation has led to increased demand for residential stands and housing in the city. “As we battle to provide housing, we want to indicate that the demand keeps increasing due to urbanisation to an extent that at the moment we have got 115 000 residents on the housing waiting list requiring accommodation,” said Mr Khumalo.

Speaking at the belated World Habitat Day commemorations held in Pelandaba West suburb on Tuesday, Mr Khumalo said the local authority was on track to providing decent housing through a number of initiatives which  were in line with ZimAsset and the national housing policy. “The Bulawayo city council has a strategic plan for the city which details the implementation strategies for the above stated national policies.

ZimAsset has a target of 15 000 stands to be delivered in five years in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province. Per annum our target as a province is 3 000 stands,” he said.

@AuxiliaK.

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
THE Joshua Nkomo Cultural Movement has started a campaign to teach rural communities on the late Father Zimbabwe’s values on unity and tolerance that will see the launch of the Dr Nkomo Youth Movement.

The campaign as well as the youth movement will be launched in Tsholotsho tomorrow.

The late VP died on July 1, 1999 and has been celebrated for forging the 1987 Unity Accord with President Mugabe that ended disturbances in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces.

JNCM chairperson Mr Mehluli Moyo said the association would be at Tsholotsho Centre tomorrow to interact with members of the public on the late VP’s legacy.

Mr Moyo said top among the issues to be discussed is tolerance and unity.

He said the movement has realised that rural communities are always left behind during the annual commemoration held in Bulawayo to celebrate the late nationalist’s life.

Mr Moyo said tomorrow’s programme would be the first to be conducted in rural areas and they are hoping to spread it to other districts.

@nqotshili.

Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Court Reporter
THE High Court has dismissed an application for bail pending trial by two of three serial armed robbers who allegedly raided shops, a service station in Mvuma and a farm at Concession, getting away with more than $18 000.

The ruling by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Lawrence Kamocha follows an application by Ernest Maregedze, Patrick Mutondo and Ngonidzashe Matyora, through their lawyers, Chitere, Chidawanyika and Partners, citing the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) as the respondent.

The judge only granted Matyora $200 bail saying he was not directly linked to the crime.

He ordered him to reside at his given address until the matter is finalised and not to interfere with state witnesses as well as report thrice a week at Harare Central Police Station.

The other two were denied bail.

The lawyers argued that their clients were good candidates for bail, saying the ends of justice would not be prejudiced by their release.

They said there were no compelling reasons to justify the suspects continued detention in remand prison.

The accused persons said their arrest was premised on mistaken identity.

Mrs Sifiso Sibanda, who appeared for the State, opposed the bail application.

She argued that there was overwhelming evidence against the accused persons and there was no guarantee that if granted bail, the accused persons would not abscond.

“The State case is prima facie strong and a conviction is almost guaranteed. With this knowledge applicants are most unlikely to wait for trial whose conclusion would be against them since armed robbery attracts a very long prison term,” argued Mrs Sibanda.

The accused persons are facing four counts of armed robbery and they are currently held at WhaWha Remand Prison.

The court heard that between August 30 and September 2 this year, the accused persons teamed up with other accomplices who are still at large and raided shops and service stations.

The court heard that in one of the raids, they descended on Down Town Petroleum Service Station in Mvuma in the early hours.They confronted two employees and demanded money at gunpoint before force-marching them to an office where they took $123 and two cellphones.

They locked up the complainants and fled from the scene. On September 2, they went to a farm in Concession where they laid an ambush. One of them fired a single shot and injured one of the complainants who was driving his car.

They searched his car and took a bag containing $17 500 before they took to their heels.They also connived and phoned the complainant in Mazowe under the pretext that they wanted to sell gold to him. When he arrived at the scene, they shot him once on the left leg and robbed him of $500 before they disappeared into the bush.

@mashnets.

Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Court Reporter
A GARDENER allegedly fatally hit his 86-year-old employer at Qalisa Village in Suburbs with a metal bar on the head when she fired him as a domestic worker and then stole her money, a laptop and a cellphone before skipping the border.

Josias Mutikani (29) of Zaka under Chief Nyakunhuwa in Masvingo province appeared before Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Lawrence Kamocha facing a murder charge.

Mutikani had worked for Doris Gill for three weeks at her house when his employment contract was terminated.

Mutikani, who is being represented by Mr Nduduzo Dube of Dube, Mguni Legal Practitioners, allegedly killed Gill five years ago.

Three years ago, a judge ordered that his mental state should be established by two doctors, but they gave conflicting reports.

Justice Kamocha postponed the matter to October 31 yesterday after ordering that Mutikani be taken to a qualified psychiatrist for another mental examination.

Mutikani, in his warned and cautioned statement, said after killing Gill, he went on to steal a laptop, a Nokia cellphone, $3 800, R2 000 and 200 pounds from a safe.

Prosecuting, Miss Nokuthaba Ngwenya said on November 27, 2011, Mutikani allegedly armed himself with a metal bar and went to Gill’s bedroom where she was sitting on a bed working on a laptop with the intention of killing her.

He allegedly struck her four times on the head and left her unconscious.

Mutikani covered her bleeding head with a pillow and ransacked the house and took a laptop, cellphone and money.

He allegedly locked the doors and main gate and left for Harare. Some neighbours, who inquired after noticing that Gill was not being seen as usual, found her body four days later.

Mutikani stayed in a lodge in Harare before leaving for Masvingo where he allegedly bought three beasts using part of the money.

He sold the cellphone in Masvingo and the laptop in Beitbridge before illegally leaving the country for Mozambique. from there he proceeded to Malawi. The court heard that Mutikani returned from Malawi on February 2, 2012 and handed himself to police in Nyamapanda.

A neighbour, Mr David Llewellyn Mason, said he and other members of the House Owners’ Association in Suburbs had to cut padlocks using a bolt cutter to check inside Gill’s house and found her decomposed body.

@mashnets

Mike Bimha

Morris Mkwate, Recently in Antananarivo, Madagascar
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) will soon release funds to help Zimbabwean companies retool and expand manufacturing capacity.

The Government is now compiling industry requirements, and will submit the budget to Comesa’s secretariat in the interim. There is also a plan to promote procurement of local goods and services comprehensively via either legislation or policy.

This emerged when Industry and Commerce Minister Mike Bimha and Comesa secretary-general Mr Sindiso Ngwenya met on the sidelines of the economic bloc’s 19th Heads of State and Government Summit in Madagascar earlier this week.

The meeting discussed regional integration, broad industrialisation, the state of Zimbabwe’s industry and import controls, and ended with Mr Ngwenya agreeing to loosen the purse strings.

Comesa will also help Zimbabwe establish linkages between large corporates and small and medium scale enterprises.

In an interview with Zimbabwean journalists, Minister Bimha said the funding would target both existing and emerging industries.

“Coming up with a measure like Statutory Instrument 64 is not the solution. It’s only just a component of broader measures that you must employ:

We must now look for funding to enable companies to retool and re-equip.

“I had discussions with the Comesa secretary-general and he has promised that Comesa will be able to assist Zimbabwe retool, particularly as a result of the measures we have put forward.

“Comesa is saying, ‘Yes, we can see the need to support your industry and for re-tooling, and we would like to play our part and assist.’ So, Comesa is coming to assist us in that regard.”

Minister Bimha also said: “Comesa is coming to help us develop linkages between big corporates and small to medium enterprises (SMEs). I think that is an important area for Zimbabwe.

“We now have many players in the SMEs sector, and they need a lot of attention and nurturing so that they can become big corporates tomorrow.

“We can only do that by coming up with interventions. What we are going to promote in the next six months is local procurement. It could be (through) legislation or policy, to encourage linkages between the small and big guys. That’s what Comesa is good at.”

Local industry has been struggling since the hyperinflationary era (2007-8) when manufacturing capacity collapsed, opening the country’s borders to wholesale imports.

Authorities have over the last two years introduced import controls to stimulate production while dealing with an inflated trade deficit.

Minister Bimha said his ministry would soon determine the benefits industry has derived from latest controls under Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016, and then work towards increasing production.

The measures, he said, have the backing of regional economic groupings and individual member states some of which have similar arrangements.

On the Comesa summit, Minister Bimha said, “In the main, there’s that drive and enthusiasm towards better integration. The emphasis is that we have multiple memberships (in regional groupings with free trade areas) so, should we not be talking about one thing?

“The talk is about the Tripartite Free Trade Area (Sadc, Comesa and East African Community) for now. The market is bigger. Zimbabwe has signed, and Summit resolved that others who have not should follow suit.”

The summit, themed, “Inclusive and Sustainable Industrialisation”, explored strategies to expedite regional integration and increase trade within the 19-member grouping.

Among the catalysts identified were efficient border services and general ease of doing business.

President Mugabe returned home from the summit yesterday, and was received at the Harare International Airport by Vice-Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, Cabinet ministers, other senior Government officials and service chiefs.

Professor Jonathan Moyo

Fidelis Munyoro, Harare Bureau
A Harare vendor pushing for the prosecution of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo for allegedly abusing public funds, says nothing stands in the way of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) from bringing the minister to court.

Mr Hardlife Mudzingwa who approached the High Court seeking to compel the police to arrest Prof Moyo, yesterday sought an amendment to his provisional order.

He now wants Zacc compelled to bring Prof Moyo before a court of law.

This emerged during a brief hearing of his urgent chamber application before Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo.

The anti-corruption body is on record saying it has a complete docket of the case.

Justice Matanda-Moyo, however, deferred the hearing to October 25 to allow Prof Moyo to file his opposing papers.

Both parties counsel confirmed the latest development in the matter.

“The judge postponed the matter to allow Prof Moyo to file his papers,” said Advocate Sylvester Munyaradzi Hashiti, instructed by Mr Simon Mupindu of Mupindu Legal Practitioners acting for Mr Mudzingwa.

“She also wants Zacc to respond to the amended provisional order. We are saying nothing can stop Zacc from proceeding with the matter against Minster Moyo if the investigations are complete and thorough as they claim.”

Prof Moyo’s lawyer Advocate Lewis Uriri instructed by Mr Terrence Hussein of Hussein, Ranchhod and Company, said he protested the delay in serving his client with both the application and notice of set down.

“Our client was only served with the papers shortly before the hearing of the matter in the afternoon.

“We also protested the fact that the application and its imminent date of hearing was already public knowledge since the media had written and published it before our client was served.”

Mr Mudzingwa’s lawyers amended the order after the Acting Police Commissioner-General Josephine Shambare said they had not arrested Prof Moyo because no report was made to that effect.

Deputy Commissioner-General Shambare said this in response to Mr Mudzingwa’s application seeking to compel the police to arrest the minister and cause his prosecution.

She stated in her founding affidavit filed in the High Court on Monday that the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act (Chapter 9:07) sets out the parameters within which police perform their duties.

Zacc, she said, was empowered by the Constitution to direct police to investigate cases of suspected corruption or to require assistance from the police service.

The Acting Police Chief also stated that Mr Mudzingwa did not allege or prove that police was directed to investigate Prof Moyo and refused.

She further stated that the anti-corruption body could at law refer matters to the National Prosecuting Authority for prosecution.

Mr Mudzingwa, she said, has failed to prove that police refused to perform its duty and that there was no other sufficient legal remedy. She would urge the court to throw out Mr Mudzingwa’s case.

“It is clear that this application was manifestly ill-conceived and is nothing but an abuse of court process,” she said.

In his application, Mr Mudzingwa is also seeking an order for the executive to distance itself from Prof Moyo’s prosecution. He said it was his constitutional right as a Zimbabwean citizen to have Minister Moyo “brought before equity”

Prof Moyo, he said, should be given the chance to prove that he is a true Robin Hood and that the law allows him to abuse public funds arguing he cannot plead his cause, before Cabinet, the Politburo or on Twitter.

Mr Mudzingwa attacked Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko’s statement that Prof Moyo could not be arrested without President Mugabe’s consent as wrong and unacceptable at law.

The VP’s conduct, he said, gave the impression that the constitutional ideals underpinning the establishment of Zacc were not high on the State’s agenda. To support his case his case, Mr Mudzingwa cited various sections of the Constitution.

Minister Prisca Mupfumira

Harare Bureau
The Government yesterday released the October pay dates for civil servants which will see members of the Zimbabwe National Army and Air Force of Zimbabwe receiving their dues tomorrow.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Prisca Mupfumira said the health sector would get their salaries on October 25 while members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police and Correctional Services would be paid on October 28.

“The education sector will be the next on the list and they will get their salaries on November 3,” she said.

“The rest of the civil service will be paid on November 8 and pensioners will follow on November 11. Grant-aided institutions are the last to be paid on November 15.”

She said the Government was doing all it could to ensure salaries were paid within the month worked.

“At the moment, the revenue collections are not allowing such a situation but it is our hope that in the coming month things will be back to normal,” she said.

“We will continue talking to the civil servants associations to keep them posted on what will be happening in Government. Recently, we engaged them and it was a very successful workshop and we will continue negotiating and helping each other until the workers’ conditions of service improve.”

The Government, two weeks ago held a three-day engagement with civil servants apprising them of their conditions of service and non-monetary incentives.

The workers were also informed about the on-going civil service rationalisation exercise, the impending introduction of bond notes, the shift in pay dates as well as pensions and medical aid benefits.

The Government invited experts in various fields to the meetings. This culminated into a meeting between the workers and the Minstry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing where modalities to come up with a specific housing scheme for civil servants were worked out.

Wynne Zanamwe, Midlands Reporter
TWO machete-wielding robbers from Kwekwe who were last week apprehended by street kids in Gweru while allegedly trying to rob a businessman of $200 000, have appeared in court.

Lucky Mamvura (34) and Nesbert Banda (28) appeared before magistrate Ms Elizabeth Magomore facing one count of attempted robbery each.

The magistrate did not ask them to plead and remanded them in custody to October 31.

She advised them to apply for bail at the High Court.

Prosecuting, Mr Andrew Marimo told the court that the duo hatched a plan to steal from the businessman and teamed up with seven accomplices who are still at large.

“They drove from Kwekwe to Gweru in a Honda Fit and approached the complainant at his shop.

“Mamvura then held the complainant, Mr Utta Akian, by his neck while choking him and Banda, who was armed with a machete, struck the complainant once on his left ankle, demanding shop keys and cash.

“During the process, the accused persons were disturbed by street kids and members of the public who had heard the complainant calling for help.

“The two accused persons climbed on the shop roof in a bid to escape but were apprehended by members of the public as the other seven accomplices escaped,” said Mr Marimo.

@wynnezane.

Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa

Ruth Butaumocho and Praise Bvumbamera, Harare Bureau
VICE President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday received a copy of the draft amendments on child marriages laws from women organisation representatives and experts on child rights at his New Government Complex Offices in Harare.

Speaking after receiving the draft copy from the head of delegation, MP for Harare West Ms Jessie Majome, Cde Mnangagwa lauded the initiative, saying the Government would take on board progressive sections in the draft and include them in the Marriages Bill to ensure that the problem of child marriages is addressed.

“We are making concerted effort to ensure that child marriages are banned. Our girls should marry when they attain the ages of 18. That would be supported by laws that we are currently working on and the process is ongoing,” he said.

The consortium of experts made draft amendments to some sections of five laws namely the Birth and Deaths Registration Act, Children’s Act, Customary Marriages Act, Marriage Act and the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act.

On the Birth and Deaths Registration Act, the experts propose to reduce the time of notification from 36 hours to 24 hours, while on the Marriages Act; they want all existing state structures from the magistrates’ courts right up to the village head to be allowed to register marriages.

Currently, registration of marriages is done by the courts, ministers of religion and chiefs.

On the amendments to the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, they are proposing the age of consent to be 18 years since sexual relations are usually a precursor to marriages.

“The Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23 is amended in section 70 by the deletion in subsection (3) of “sixteen years” and the substitution of “eighteen years’’.

Other amendments include the notification of the rural heads in rural areas or magistrates in urban areas of the parties that want to wed so that they can scrutinise their personal details before the marriages have been solemnised.

Proof of age of the party concerned should be made available before a marriage is solemnised.

This will ensure that marriage officers will not solemnise marriages for girls who are below 18 years.

Presenting the draft, Ms Majome said the decision to draft the amendments was born out of the need to ensure inclusivity from all stakeholders advocating an end to child marriages.

“We are deeply concerned that the practices of child, early and forced marriages are widespread and constitute violations of human rights, prevent individuals from living their lives from all forms of violence that have adverse consequences on the enjoyment of human rights.

“By embarking on this exercise, we want to ensure that the problem of child marriages is eradicated. Saving our girls from child marriages will set women on the path of development, she said.

Sukulwenkosi Dube- Matutu, Plumtree Correspondent
TWO Mangwe teenagers stole a neighbour’s donkey, slaughtered it and went on to eat the meat, a court has heard.

Njabulo Maphosa (19) and Hloniphani Mpofu (18) both of Mayobodo area told Plumtree magistrate Mr Gideon Ruvetsa that they resorted to eating the donkey meat as they were hungry.

They both pleaded guilty to stocktheft charges. They were each sentenced to 12 months imprisonment and six months were suspended on condition that they do not commit a similar offence in the next five years.

Six months were further suspended on condition that they each perform 210 hours of community service at Mathokonyika Primary School.

“We stole the donkey Your Worship as we wanted to eat it. We killed it and cooked the intestines which we then ate in the bushes.

“We hid the meat in a bushy area and we were set to collect it the following day but we were arrested before we could do that. I beg your pardon Your Worship but we were desperate for food,’’ said Maphosa.

Mpofu said he was unemployed and it was not the first time that they had eaten donkey meat.

Prosecuting, Mrs Rose Sibanda said the two teenagers stole a donkey belonging to Mr Austin Ncube on October 14.

She said they slaughtered it and ate the meat.

“Maphosa and Mpofu took the meat and cooked some of it and left some of the meat hidden in the bushes.

“The matter came to light after a villager, Mr Alfred Nyathi, saw vultures flying around.

“He went to inspect and found the carcass of a donkey hidden in the bushes,’’ she said. — @DubeMatutu.

Whinsley Masara, Chronicle Reporter
POLICE in Matabeleland South Province are looking for 18 hardcore criminals that include nine wanted for murder while others are theft and armed robbery suspects.

According to information released by the police, most of the criminals are from Esigodini and Bulawayo.

Matabeleland South Provincial Police spokesperson Inspector Philisani Ndebele said some of the criminals have been on the run for years.

He said the murder suspects are Mnconywa Ncube (34) of Gwanda, Mhlanguli Ncube (33) of Esigodini, Mkhokheli Ncube (30) of Esigodini, Peter Phiri (37) of Beitbridge, Godwell Sibanda (26) from Esigodini, Mathew Njelele (age unknown) from Binga, Mthokozisi Ndlovu (age unknown) from Esigodini, Artwell Bonga (41) from Hwange and Dennis Ndlovu (24) from Bulawayo.

“On the armed robbers’ list we have Farai Tapfumanei whose age is not known and he is from Bulawayo and Joshua Mapisauanga, age not known too, from Karoi.

“Stanford Tshuma (42) of Plumtree is wanted for fraud, while Chirairo Chiza (39) from Masvingo is on the wanted list for theft,” he said.

Insp Ndebele said the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) serious frauds section is investigating the cases.

Meanwhile, police are hunting for Ernest Nxumalo’s five sons who allegedly committed murder in Shangani on Tuesday.

Insp Ndebele said the five were identified as Dumisani (37), Trevor (35), Elphas (29), Busiso (28) and Mduduzi Nxumalo (24).

The six family members from Insiza District chased a suspected serial rapist into a police base where they allegedly stabbed him to death.

The deceased allegedly raped and stabbed a woman from the family last week, leaving her hospitalised.

The alleged serial rapist was on the police’s wanted list for about six counts of rape, theft cases and was a known thug who had several pending cases in court.

The family ambushed Misheck Khanye who had disappeared soon after committing the crime last week. They caught up with him as he disembarked from a truck at Shangani Business Centre and killed him.

The five brothers fled from the scene leaving their father behind, who was then arrested.

Insp Ndebele has discouraged members of the public from engaging in vigilante justice.

“We are encouraging members of the public to desist from mob justice. We advise you to instead assist police by giving them information on the whereabouts of the criminals and police will then do their job of catching them and bringing them to book.

“It is noted that in the event of instant justice, some innocent lives are lost and instead of having a criminal brought to book, a bigger number may end up in jail,” he said.

“Instant justice is not called for no matter what the person might have done.”

Insp Ndebele said the suspects have been evading justice and called on members of the public to assist police in locating them. — @winnie_masara