Zanu-PF national political commissar Lieutenant-General Engelbert Rugeje (Retired) speaks at a Matabeleland South inter-district meeting in Gwanda yesterday

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
THE Herbert Chitepo Ideological College is expected to start offering courses today in a drive to orient Zanu-PF members on party ideology and operations.

The party resolved that no person will contest in this year’s elections on its ticket without having received training at the college.

Addressing a Zanu-PF Matabeleland South inter-district meeting in Gwanda yesterday the party’s national political commissar Lieutenant-General Engelbert Rugeje (Retired) said the college was first going to offer courses for trainers and then cascade to every structure of the party.

“The Chitepo Ideological College courses are starting tomorrow. We want to start with courses for trainers that will be teaching other party members and then we will move to different party structures. A number of programmes and courses will be offered at the college.

“We realised that some people were joining the party and even occupying leadership positions without knowledge of the party. Therefore, anyone who wants to occupy a position within the party will have to undergo training and be taught about the party.

“Everyone will undergo this training even those who are already in leadership,” he said.

Rtd Lt-Gen Rugeje said while the college was going to be based in Harare, satellite stations were going to be established in various provinces.

He said in Matabeleland South Province  satellite stations would be established in Beitbridge and Mangwe districts among other areas.

Rtd Lt-Gen Rugeje urged party members to remain united and disciplined to ensure success in the upcoming elections.

He warned party members against imposing one another into positions during primary elections set to be held soon.

Rtd Lt-Gen Rugeje said the party was defeated in some constituencies as unfit leaders were being imposed.

“Elections are nearing and as such you are expected to immediately start working on restructuring from cell level. You are expected to have completed your election process from cell level to district level by February 28 then you will receive a date for provincial elections.

These must be done by mid March then we will move to primary elections.

“Let me note that this year as long as I still hold this position there will not be any imposition of party representatives for elections.

“We want candidates that will represent the party to be those who are elected by people fairly,” he said.

Rtd Lt-Gen Rugeje said some candidates were being imposed by party leaders while others by members.

He said he will closely monitor the elections to ensure that all was done fairly and transparently.

He said he was set to release a circular through the party chairpersons on the criteria that candidates for primary elections should meet.

Lt-Gen Rugeje urged party members to stop gunning for the expulsion of their fellow party members as that would divert the attention of the party from preparing for elections.

He warned those who were pardoned for being aligned to the G40 cabal to utilise the second chance they had been given  wisely.

He said the new era was here to stay and chances for the G40 faction to be revived were close to none.

Speaking at the same meeting, the deputy secretary for Youth Affairs, Cde Lewis Mathuthu apologised for the misbehaviour that was displayed by some youths last year.

He said some members of the league insulted war veterans and party leaders while others were involved in the drive to divide the party.

@DubeMatutu

Chief Fortune Charumbira

Sukoluhle Ndlovu, Midlands Correspondent
President of the Zimbabwe Council of Chiefs, Chief Fortune Charumbira has said traditional leaders are unapologetic about the cars they recently received from the Government.

He said chiefs actually bought the vehicles and did not get them free of charge.

The Government recently handed over 52 vehicles to traditional leaders around the country with more to be delivered shortly.

Speaking at Chief Samuel Samambwa’s installation ceremony in Zhombe on Saturday, Chief Charumbira said the vehicles were necessary for the dignity and respect of the chiefs.

“We are unapologetic about the cars we received from President Mnangagwa recently. Those vehicles are necessary for the status, dignity and respect of the traditional leaders. If anything, we deserve those cars more than anyone else in this country.”

“Contrary to popular belief that we were given the cars for free, we actually bought them with our own money. People are just ignorant about this whole thing. The cars were purchased with the money we have been contributing towards the Chiefs’ Vehicle Scheme since 2004. We did not get them for free,” he said.

Chief Charumbira told hundreds of villagers who were gathered that traditional leaders must be taken care of, as stated by the Constitution.

“It’s you who designed the new Constitution, the same document which states that chiefs should be dignified and exemplary. Now we are given cars, you question why it is done.

“If a politician gets a car you do not question, but a chief, you start saying a lot of things. What is the difference? After all a politician only lasts for a short period of time, yet a chief is there for life,” he said.

He urged villagers in Zhombe to live in unity and peace regardless of one’s political affiliation.

“I urge you all to live together in peace and unity. Violence has no place in this new dispensation and anyone found wanting will be dealt with. This is not the time to fight, but the time to build our communities”.

Dr Obert Mpofu

Nduduzo Tshuma, Political Editor
ZANU-PF is stronger than ever following the clinical execution of Operation Restore Legacy and attempts by former member, Professor Jonathan Moyo and his G40 cabal to denigrate the party will not have any effect, a senior party official said yesterday.

Speaking on the sidelines of a party rally in Ntabazinduna, Zanu-PF secretary for administration, Dr Obert Mpofu said the Government under the new administration of President Emmerson Mnangagwa was unstoppable.

In fact, Dr Mpofu said, the party was receiving overwhelming numbers of people who want to join it, including some senior officials fired along former Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru.

He was responding to reports that some members of the G40 cabal expelled from Zanu-PF were working with local pressure groups in a bid to cause unrest in the country.

“We are aware of such moves but they are bound to fail because we are a mass party and not many people would want to go against Zanu-PF.

“Actually those, the radical element of detraction, are pleading to come back,” said Dr Mpofu.

He said he was, on a daily basis, receiving many people who were either expelled or suspended from the party expressing their wishes to be accepted back into Zanu-PF.

“They are coming back and they have written letters including those of the Mujuru factor, they are coming back not as individuals but as big numbers, very senior people. They want to come home.

“We have at the same time the disciplinary committee dealing with those issues but I can assure you, it’s not easy to be out of Zanu-PF and even the opposition knows that Zanu-PF is stronger than ever before, following the developments that took place,” said Dr Mpofu.

“That’s why those that feel affected are doing their best to try and demonise the process but it won’t work.”

Earlier addressing the rally, Dr Mpofu said the former President Cde Robert Mugabe, towards the end of his reign, had been surrounded by criminals from the G40 cabal.

He said Cde Mugabe’s situation was worsened because the cabal used former First Lady Mrs Grace Mugabe to mislead the former president in pursuit of their sinister agenda.

“When the devil enters you through your wife, you will be in a very terrible situation because they will demand that you either choose them or the person they are fighting,” said Dr Mpofu.

“In our African culture, if you see a woman acting in an unbecoming manner in front of men to an extent of insulting other people’s husbands, you know that there is a problem.”

Dr Mpofu said it was embarrassing for President Mnangagwa who was Vice President at the time of the interface rallies to be insulted as he sat with his wife.

He praised President Mnangagwa for remaining calm and composed in the face of the attacks saying the truth always conquers lies.

Dr Mpofu said the G40 cabal wanted to use last year’s extraordinary congress to fire President Mnangagwa and replace him with Mrs Mugabe.

He said the faction however realised that President Mnangagwa would defeat Mrs Mugabe when put head to head and then sent “witches” to poison him.

“Those who poisoned him were very vocal in the media denying that President Mnangagwa had been poisoned,” said Dr Mpofu.

He said some G40 proponents were spread out of the country in flight because of the evil they had committed against the people.

Dr Mpofu said the G40 cabal led by Mrs Mugabe, in their naivety developed confidence “greater than that of a witch” by attacking the military and the generals.

He said the military then intervened to target criminals that had surrounded Cde Mugabe and after the operation returned to the barracks showing that the Zimbabwean armed forces are among the most disciplined in the world.

“Zanu-PF now enjoys massive support, come elections you will see what will happen. Even the MDCs are crying, they want us to delay the polls but we insist that we will follow the constitution,” said Dr Mpofu.

He said Prof Moyo, in his overestimated intellect, failed to reform from his past life by thinking he was more clever than anyone.

“We campaigned for him thinking he had reformed but he was worse. The person at the forefront of the chaos came from Matabeleland North going around destroying provinces but here he failed to implement his shenanigans because we blocked him,” said Dr Mpofu.

“Do not listen to the lies that are being peddled by defeated people.”

The late Cde Mukanduri

From George Maponga in Masvingo
Zaka East Member of Parliament Cde Samson Mukanduri has died.

The ruling party legislator died this morning at his rural home in Chiromo village after reportedly complaining of high blood pressure.

Sources said Cde Mukanduri was found dead on a sofa at his home this morning. Zaka Central Member of Parliament Cde Paradzai Chakona confirmed his Zaka East counterpart’s death.

“Its a sad day for the people of Zaka District and Masvingo at large.His death has come as a shock to us and he will be greatly missed,”said Cde Chakona.

Cde Mukanduri was elected Zaka East MP on a ruling party ticket during the 2013 harmonised elections.

More details to follow…

Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association Bulawayo Provincial chairperson Cde Cephas Ncube addresses journalists during a Press briefing in Entumbane in this file photo

Yemurai Ushamba, Chronicle Reporter
WAR veterans in Bulawayo are set to meet early next month ahead of their indaba with President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association Bulawayo Province chairperson, Cde Cephas Ncube said the province was preparing for the meeting with the President which will be held at a date yet to be announced.

Cde Ncube said this yesterday at the Bulawayo Provincial Heroes’ Acre during the burial of Cde Siphetheni Tshuma.

He said Bulawayo province will hold a preparatory meeting for the indaba with the President next month.

“There is a general meeting on February 3 with the war veterans to see if our welfare is being addressed,” said Cde Ncube.

“The meeting is a preparatory meeting before meeting the President so that we can present our grievances,” he said.

Cde Ncube said he is concerned about failure by Government to meet expenses during the burial of war veterans.

“War veterans are not supposed to use their pensions to pay for funeral policies because burying war veterans is the responsibility of Government,” he said.

@YUshamba

Sylvester Chiramba, Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO man who allegedly struck and injured another man with a stone at a Christmas party last year, is now facing murder charges after his victim died recently.

Mackgiven Mpofu (23) from Mbundane who was out on bail for hitting Mr Gift Mpofu (29) with a stone on the head, has since been arrested for murder following the death of Mr Mpofu.

Yesterday Mackgiven appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Lungile Ncube facing murder charges and was remanded in custody to January 31.

Mr Ncube advised him to apply for bail at the High Court.

Prosecuting Ms Magrate Takawira said on December 25 there was a Christmas party at the deceased’s house.

Many young people including the accused person attended the party.

“At around 10PM the party ended and the radio was switched off and the boys who had attended became violent,” said Ms Takawira

“Mackgiven started throwing stones at Mr Mpofu who was seated at the back of an open truck and he struck him on the forehead. The deceased was rushed to Mpilo Central Hospital and died recently from injuries sustained.

@SlyCee10

President Emmerson Mnangagwa

Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
Zanu-PF under former President Robert Mugabe was going to lose the forthcoming harmonised elections, a senior party official has said.

Addressing a Midlands province inter-district meeting at the Zanu-PF Conventional Centre in Gweru last Friday, the ruling party’s deputy political commissar Cde Omega Hungwe said Zanu-PF was going to lose dismally to the opposition if Cde Mugabe had remained the party leader.

Cde Mugabe turns 94 next month.

“Sure you lied to him that he could lead the party in the coming elections.

“We have some party members in here, you were leading in endorsing his candidature and that was very unfortunate for the party. At 94 where do you think we would have won the election?

“You all lied to him and yourselves,” she said.

“We were going to be trounced left, right and centre by the opposition. Cde Mugabe was going to be the opposition’s ammunition to thrash us.

“Cde Mugabe is now old and should be playing with his grandchildren as he is doing now and not to be actively involved in politics. That’s why you had people like Kasukuwere taking advantage of him as a grandfather.”

Cde Hungwe said a former Minister was tasked by the G40 to hire a hitman to kill Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa using money which was found stashed in his house when soldiers pounced on him.

“Money was stashed in his house. We later learnt that the money was supposed to pay a hitman to assassinate President Mnangagwa.

“They tried by all means to kill the President. They even poisoned him,” she said.

Cde Hungwe said Zanu-PF members were losing focus due to lack of ideology caused by the G40 cabal’s activities.

She said President Mnangagwa will hold mass mobilisation rallies to rejuvenate provinces.

“The President has said elections will be held in five months and we have a short time to prepare for the election. We must use that time wisely. The President is also going to hold rallies in provinces and you should therefore put your structures in order,” said Cde Hungwe.

Cde Hungwe said the issue of co-opting people into the party had worked against the party before.

“It’s rather unfortunate that some of these members belonging to the G40 cabal like Letina Undenge from Manicaland and Daniel Shumba from Masvingo were co-opted into the party and went on to work towards destroying it from within with the likes of Jonathan Moyo and Saviour Kasukuwere. So such co-option should be stopped. If it can’t be avoided such people should first go through the Chitepo Ideological College for orientation,” she said.

Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Court Reporter
THE Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Professor Amon Murwira has dragged Hwange Colliery Company Limited (HCCL) to court for failing to remit more than $157 000 in Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (Zimdef) levies from its wage bill.

In terms of section 3 of the Manpower Planning and Development Act, the Minister is empowered to impose a levy on every employer under Statutory Instrument (SI) 74 OF 1999. The levy is payable to Zimdef.

Prof Murwira, who is the plaintiff in the matter, has filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court citing HCCL as the defendant.

The Minister is demanding a total of $157 254 from the colliery company for levies which have not been remitted from February 2017 to September 2017.

Prof Murwira, in his summons filed through lawyers, Dube-Banda, Nzarayapenga and Partners, said the coal mining giant has continuously neglected or refused to settle the debt despite demand.

“From February 2017 to September 2017 the defendant did not remit its full levy due on monthly basis as required by the regulations,” said the Minister.

According to the court papers, the Minister delegated Zimdef levy inspectors who assessed HCCL wages bill, payrolls and other financial statements for that period during which a total amount of $157 254 was arrived at as the balance of levy due and surcharges.

“The defendant, despite assessment by levy inspectors, still has the duty to calculate, declare and pay its levy obligation,” said the Minister’s lawyers.

In terms of the Manpower Planning and Development Act as read in conjunction with section 3 of the Manpower Planning and Development (Levy) Notice SI 74 of 1999, every employer is obliged to pay a levy of one percent of its total assessed wage bill and other leviable benefits on employers and directors on or before the first day of each month.

Section 5 of the Manpower Planning and Development (Levy) Notice SI 74/1999 empowers Zimdef to impose a 10 percent surcharge on overdue levy.

Prof Murwira is demanding that HCCL pay the cost of suit at attorney-client scale.

HCCL is yet to respond.

The Ministry has in the past taken several companies and local authorities to court for defaulting in paying Zimdef levies. Some of the organisations which have been sued for varying amounts include Gwanda Municipality and Hwange Local Board.

@mashnets

The Director of Communication and Marketing at the National University of Science and Technology, Mr Felix Moyo, (left), registers to vote using a Biometric Voter Registration kit at the university campus in Bulawayo last year.

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) has registered over five million people ahead of harmonised elections scheduled for later this year.

In a statement, Zec said 5 021 295 people had registered to vote by 4PM on Sunday.

The electoral commission is holding a mobile voter registration mop up exercise to cater for people who failed to register during its mobile BVR blitz that ended on December 19.

The mop up exercise commenced on January 10 and will end on February 8.

“Total voters registered to date is 5 021 295. This figure includes figures from the static registration centres for the period October 18, 2017,” said Zec in a statement.

It said so far, 86 170 people have been turned away from registering after they failed to produce required registration material. The commission however noted that some of the people who were turned away later successfully registered after bringing the required documents.

A valid passport or identity card, long birth certificate for citizens with alien status and proof of residence is required for one to register to vote.

Zec stated that some citizens whose identity cards have alien status are still being turned away because they do not have long birth certificates as required.

The commission said that Bulawayo province still trails in the registration programme with over 400 000 registered voters while Midlands province with over 865 000 people.

Zec said Harare province, with 1 345 818 people, is one of the provinces with the lowest number of registered voters given its big population.

Zvamaida Murwira, Harare Bureau
The Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) was prejudiced of more than $7 million and not the $5 million initially reported through suspected irregular payments to businessman Mr Wicknell Chivayo, legislators heard yesterday.

Government has since instituted forensic audits into several deals undertaken by Zesa Holdings, which include Mr Chivayo’s 100 megawatt Gwanda solar project and the questionable procurement of 11 000 faulty pre-paid meters.

Speaking at a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee of Mines and Energy hearing yesterday, Energy and Power Development Minister Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo, who appeared together with representatives of several entities that fall under his portfolio, said heads will roll at Zesa Holdings and its subsidiaries, as Government tried to clean up the power utility.

The Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy is chaired by Norton Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa (Independent).

Minister Khaya Moyo told the parliamentary portfolio committee that he was not aware of the ZPC audit, as had been communicated earlier by ZPC chair Engineer Stanley Kazhanje.

“In any case, I do not think that the ZPC board can investigate itself,” said Minister Khaya Moyo. “But Government, in any case, will act after the audit is completed.

“We were told of $5 million and I do not know about the $7 million. What we heard was that it was a directive from the Minister (Dr Samuel Undenge), but now ZPC is not clear on what happened and I am quite surprised. I am totally in agreement with what you are doing as a committee, grill them, but after the forensic audit, whoever is responsible heads will roll. We can even dissolve the board; I do not think it is quite fair to take action when there are these investigations.

“The Auditor-General will look into all these issues, including the faulty pre-paid meters that we were reading in the newspapers.”

Minister Khaya Moyo said the Chivayo case was discussed in Cabinet and his predecessor, Dr Undenge, failed to give a convincing explanation on why ZPC effected payment when there wasn’t any movement on the ground at the project site.

Responding to questions from legislators, ZPC board chairman Engineer Stanley Kazhanje said the money paid to the controversial Mr Chivayo was around $7 million.

It was paid in tranches, with the highest instalment being $2 million at one point.

“The total amount that was released was around $7 million, including Value Added Tax; it was disbursed in tranches,” said Eng Kazhanje. “The amount was paid by management and the figures were within their threshold as it did not require board approval.

“As a board, we discovered it from press reports. There was no need for the issue to come to the board.”

Eng Kazhanje failed to tell the committee of the threshold that needed board approval.

ZPC has since suspended managing director Eng Noah Gwariro over the Gwanda solar deal to pave way for an audit.

Making submissions before the same committee, Zesa Holdings chairman Mr Herbert Murerwa said the Chivayo case was never brought to the full board of Zesa Holdings.

In a separate exchange with Zesa Holdings chief executive officer Eng Josh Chifamba, Mr Mliswa rapped him for asserting that payments to Chivayo, which were made before any work was done at the site, were normal.

Eng Chifamba indicated that the only anomaly was that the payments were made without any Government guarantee.

Professor Amon Murwira

Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
GOVERNMENT says it is streamlining the implementation of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) initiative and focusing on infrastructure and manpower development as opposed to sponsoring individuals.

Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister, Professor Amon Murwira said STEM implementation must be beneficial to the country at large rather than individuals.

Prof Murwira last week revealed that Government was scrapping the funding of STEM Advanced Level scholarships but would continue funding pupils already on the programme.

In an interview yesterday, Prof Murwira said the STEM revolution continues but with some changes.

“As a Ministry we want to make sure STEM progresses. The way it will move is such that we are going to support the teaching of science by sharpening the teachers, by sharpening apprenticeships, by sharpening where we can, laboratories.

If I put a lab, it’s like buying a bus, it would be used by more than one person, if you sponsor one person let’s say for $4 000 and sponsor a lab for $4 000 which one is more beneficial?” asked Prof Murwira.

“Number two, payments that were made irregularly we will not repeat or continue, in the interest of the people and country and we do that with a lot of humility and respect of the people of this country.

We cannot have one pupil paying $4 000 per term and another $500 per term, the question would be why is that pupil worth eight people. We can’t repeat that. In actual fact, it’s a scandal”.

He said STEM is critical in the industrialisation and modernisation drive of the 21st century hence it cannot be done away with.

“So let it be got very clearly that this Ministry supports STEM completely because we have no choice, science, technology, engineering and mathematics are the drivers of industrialisation. But the way we implement it must be beneficial to the country, it must be more people centred than individual centred,” he said.

Minister Murwira said his ministry was sticking to its mandate of manpower development.

“We are trying to be streamlined in our action and this Ministry must not try to do over reach. It is involved in training manpower because everybody teaching in primary and secondary schools is a product of this ministry.

“There was controversy when the STEM programme started, so why should we continue with controversy? So the issue basically is not to say STEM is bad. STEM is good and we are trying to strengthen it. It’s just the mode of implementation that changes from time to time,” said Prof Murwira.

He said the STEM initiative was not a scheme for the disadvantaged hence beneficiaries were not entitled to free university education.

“When STEM was launched it was an overall scheme not really targeted for the poor but anyone wishing to do sciences, even my son would qualify when I can afford to pay his fees. I don’t think it’s fair, because this disadvantages a less privileged pupil in the rural areas.

“If there are parents who are disadvantaged who happened to be in STEM we will see what we can do with those students, just like any other student but it cannot be an overall policy to say everyone who was sponsored will have their university fees paid when we know that some of them are from rich backgrounds,” he said.

He added: “People do sciences not because there is a STEM programme but because sciences are important. Let’s get that clear and we encourage parents to urge their children to take up science subjects in high school.”

Minister Murwira said the money used for STEM funding would be channelled towards manpower development in colleges and universities.

The Minister said the ministry was encouraging STEM at university level through innovation hubs meant to enable higher education institutions to translate their knowledge into goods and services.

Prof Murwira said Government was starting a loan scheme where all facing fees challenges at university would benefit.

He said they would soon publish results from the STEM beneficiaries who sat for their Advanced Level public examinations last November.

@AuxiliaK

Snr Asst Comm Charity Charamba

Whinsley Masara, Chronicle Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Republic Police has distanced Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba from an audio and video clip that are circulating on social media platforms where the top cop allegedly goes on a rant about police officers and top Government officials.

In the video, a person alleged to be Snr Asst Comm Charamba denigrates senior officers of the organisation using obscene language.

The audio clip is of a person also alleged to be Snr Asst Comm Charamba, boasting about not being fired when other top cops were retired last week.

In a telephone interview, Snr Asst Comm Charamba said she did not make the clips.

She referred The Chronicle to the official police Facebook page for comment.

A statement on the page read:

“It is worrying that some errant members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police are abusing the social media using it to denigrate and shame some senior officers of the organisation. This follows a spate of shameless behaviour by some members which include the posting of an audio clip where one woman is heard imitating Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba. In the clip the woman wantonly speaks some indecency.

“It should be brought to record that it is not Senior Assistant Commissioner Charamba speaking in that clip. She does not comment on social media and neither is she on WhatsApp.”

Watch Video

It further states that there was also a video that was circulating on social media where voices are heard in the background shouting obscenities.

“Similarly there is video clip circulating on the social media where a person is seen making some markings on the 2018 police calendar putting some X with a red marker on the faces of senior officers and voices are heard in the background shouting obscenities. These acts are malicious and uncalled for as they cause unwarranted alarm in the organisation and damage to our senior officers.

“However investigations are underway and anyone found wanting will be brought to book. The organisation has channels to be followed when members wish to present their grievances,” read the statement.

In the three minute long audio clip, a voice allegedly matching that of Snr Asst Comm Charamba said in a mixture of Shona and English:

“… Your aunt your sister is back. Thank you guys I was receiving your messages and prayers. I want to thank everyone and I know that I have relatives who love me not others, fa-c-s (sic) who spoke ill of me. You know that your aunt has always been professional, doing my work as expected but for this particular one, it was not only me but these newspapers chose to write my name for reasons that I’m well known and that’s a fact, in fact all senior officers from the rank of Asst Comm and above, we had been retired without the knowledge of the President.”

The voice states that “stupid haters” rushed to celebrate and spread falsehoods that Snr Asst Comm Charamba had been fired, when the decision was reversed that very night.

Audio

Last week, the Government retired 11 top police officers from the rank of senior assistant commissioner and above.

When the news initially broke out, it was said 30 police officers including Snr Asst Comm Charamba had been retired.

There was no official statement released to explain the retirement of these senior officers.

@winnie_masara

Minister Patrick Chinamasa

Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
FINANCE and Economic Development Minister, Patrick Chinamasa has increased the Ministry of Health and Child Care allocation from $454 million to $520 million following an outcry by MPs.

MPs and Zimbabweans in general have been clamouring for more funds to be allocated to the Health Ministry to improve service delivery at public hospitals.

Minister Chinamasa’s decision came after the MDC-T chief whip, Mr Innocent Gonese proposed that the allocation be moved to at least 10 percent of the total budget since the Abuja Declaration states that the Ministry of Health must get at least 15 percent of the total budget.

“You have raised an issue which is also very dear to my heart and I think my officials will bear me out that I have been urging that we should do everything in our power to make our hospitals perform their duty to recover the health of our citizens. I will go along with the proposal to increase it to US$520 million.

“Progressively, next year we could work towards getting it to 12 percent.

So, I accordingly move, Madam Speaker that the Budget Vote be amended to US$520 million from US$454 million,” said Minister Chinamasa.

However, legislators kept on pushing Minister Chinamasa to increase the budget allocation to about 12 percent.

“I cannot dish out money which is not there. Please, we are all very reasonable people. If the revenue is there, I can even get it to $2 billion and then everyone will clap hands but it will not happen.

“Let us work always in a realistic manner. What is going to happen with the compromise that I have done, $520 million, it means something is going to lose out and what that is, it will be something equally important,” said Minister Chinamasa.

He said there were already some interventions to support the Health Ministry among them the air time tax which will cater for equipment and drugs.

“I am pleading with honourable members; let us accept the compromise, $520 million which is already significant.

“What is going to lose out we do not know but it will be something that is equally important but which has to lose out because we are trying to contain our deficit that is the aim and we should not lose sight of that.

“We are trying to change the structure of our Budget and we should not lose sight of that,” said Minister Chinamasa.

Earlier this month, Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa said drug stocks were set to improve as Government had availed $22 million raised from the Health Levy Fund.

He revealed that by December 31 medicines, vaccines and other consumables had been ordered.

@AuxiliaK

Lovemore Zigara, Midlands Correspondent
HEALTH facilities in the Midlands province have 68 unclaimed bodies in their mortuaries, some of which have been there for about 10 years.

Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Cde Owen Ncube said he has since directed the Department of Social Welfare to inter some of the bodies in the next two weeks.

He said out of the 68 unclaimed bodies, police had since cleared 38 for pauper burial.

“We have about 68 unclaimed bodies in mortuaries in public health facilities across the province. I have since directed the Department of Social Welfare to clear some of these bodies from the mortuary because they have stayed there for a long time and some might be decomposing. Out of 68 unclaimed bodies about 38 so far have been cleared by the police and are now awaiting burial.”

“Some of them are still are under police investigations hence we cannot bury them. However, we implore the police to do their work diligently so that some of the bodies are buried,” said Cde Ncube.

He said most unclaimed bodies can be attributed to unidentified victims of road accidents and those from charity homes.

“The two Gokwe Districts, North and South have a number of such cases. The majority of unclaimed bodies come from charity homes, or are the unidentified victims of accidents especially those who are not properly documented,” he added.

The State has an obligation to conduct pauper burials for unidentified bodies.

Most public hospitals simply do not have the money to decently bury unclaimed bodies.

@lavuzigara1

Sylvester Chiramba, Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO man has been arrested for allegedly dragging a woman out of her house at night and sodomising her at a Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church while his accomplice, who is still at large, allegedly raped the woman.

The accomplice allegedly forced the woman to spend a night with him at her house after the sex attack, which occurred in Old Pumula around 10 PM on January 6.

Shepherd Moyo (25) from Pumula South suburb allegedly teamed up with Lloyd Matiza to drag the 24 year-old woman, from the same suburb, to an SDA church in Old Pumula.

The two men allegedly assaulted the woman before violating her.

A court heard the duo knocked at the victim’s house and they grabbed her when she opened the door.

The woman had allegedly never met her attackers before the incident.

Matiza is on the run and Moyo appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Lungile Ncube facing sodomy and rape charges.

He was not asked to plead and Mr Ncube remanded him in custody to this Friday.

Prosecuting Mr Petros Shoko told the court that on January 6 at around 10PM Moyo went to the complainant’s place of residence while in the company of Matiza.

“The two forcibly took the woman to an SDA church in Old Pumula. While on the way Matiza struck the complainant with a brick and Moyo punched and slapped her several times in the face,”

“Upon arrival at the church Matiza ordered the complainant to remove her tights and panties, he further ordered her to kneel down and suck his privates and he later raped her once. Moyo then sodomised the woman.”

Moyo, he said, left the scene while Matiza accompanied the complainant back to her place of residence where he spent the night with her after threatening to kill her.

It was not explained how police tracked Moyo down.

@SlyCee10

Nyaradzo Bakari, Chronicle Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) is working to avail stands in four suburbs, with nearly 900 ready to be handed over to beneficiaries in Luveve 5.

BCC senior Public Relations Officer, Mrs Nesisa Mpofu said the Luveve 5 residential and commercial stands were allocated in 2013 and they were now ready to be developed.

“There are 875 residential stands and 16 commercial stands in Luveve 5. The stands were surveyed in 2013 and the ongoing process is the relocation and replacement of pegs which were removed during servicing and also showing the property owners the pegs. We are now showing the residents their respective stands and once they are shown their stands they can start developing their properties,” she said.

“New stand beneficiaries do not pay for pegging. Once you have been shown the stand you will be required to sign a beacon receipt. Pegs are being shown to people who have fully paid for their stands with confirmation of having cleared their accounts from Housing and Community Services Department.”

Mrs Mpofu said after the Luveve 5 project, council’s attention will shift to new stands in Magwegwe North, Magwegwe West and Emganwini suburbs.

“Thereafter pegging will be done in Magwegwe North, Magwegwe West and Emganwini once servicing has been completed. Council has also been making frantic efforts to complete the servicing as soon as possible,” she said.

Bulawayo’s housing waiting list is pegged at more than 100 000 and demand for residential stands continues to go up.

@NyarieBakie

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
A 31-YEAR-OLD Gwanda woman was reportedly raped before she was murdered and dumped in a bush by an unknown assailant.

Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Philisani Ndebele said Sithandazile Mlilo’s body was found by a passerby on Sunday at around 6PM.

He said the woman was blindfolded using a cloth.

“There is a woman from Masholomoshe area who was found dead in a bushy area in Senondo Suburb around 6PM by a passerby. The informant alerted the police who attended the scene. Indications are that the woman could have been raped before she was murdered.

“She was blindfolded with a cloth and she had bruises on her body. The body was taken to Gwanda Provincial Hospital Mortuary for post mortem. Investigations are underway to ascertain the cause of the woman’s death and no arrests have been made so far,” he said.

Insp Ndebele appealed to members of the public with information on the matter to visit any police station.

Insiza South MP Cde Malachi Nkomo who is also Mlilo’s uncle said his niece was living alone when the incident occurred.

He said she was last seen by a relative who met her in Gwanda Town on Saturday afternoon.

“My niece was now staying alone and she was performing piece jobs to earn a living. A relative met her on Saturday afternoon and they had a little chat. We were shocked when we learnt that she had been murdered.

“Hopefully the post mortem will shed more light on this matter as we are puzzled on who could have attacked her and the motive behind the incident. This incident has really left the family saddened as it was so sudden,” he said.

Cde Nkomo said it was their hope as a family that the assailant would be arrested and brought to book.

@DubeMatutu

Arnold Bhebhe

Nyaradzo Bakari , Chronicle Reporter
A PUPIL from Mpopoma High School in Bulawayo scored 23 points in Science subjects in the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) November 2017 Advanced Level examinations.

Arnold Bhebhe (18), who wrote five subjects, scored As in Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Biology and Bs in Physical Science and Chemistry.

Biology and Further Mathematics were self-taught.

He said he was inspired by Ronald Shereni, a former Mpopoma High School pupil who scored 25 points in the November 2015 exams.

“I was inspired by Ronald Shereni who got 25 points. He made me realise that it’s possible so I wanted to do five subjects. I started doing Biology and when I was in Upper 6, second term I added Further Mathematics. These two I studied on my own because I couldn’t attend classes at school since timetables clashed,” he said.

“I can say I worked hard for these results because I used to go to school over the weekends and stayed late during the week. I used Njube library for sources then I would ask teachers where I didn’t understand as I didn’t have funds to do extra lessons.”

“I am really happy because I managed to make my school proud. I want to thank teachers for their support. They helped me when I had questions and some went to the extent of helping with food and finances. I also appreciate my mother’s support so much. Being a vendor, she pushed hard to see me and my siblings go to school.” The beaming Arnold is looking forward getting a scholarship to study medicine or engineering at university.

“I am planning to go to university so my hope is to get a scholarship to study here or abroad. I want to do either medicine or engineering. So if it would be better if I can get a scholarship to help me pursue my studies. When we were growing up we had accommodation issues and we had to move every now and then, which affected my reading. So I want to do something that will help me to come back one day to the community and help children who need to achieve their dreams,” he said.

@NyarieBakie

Nomthandazo Eunice Moyo

Harare Bureau
Former Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Minister Nomthandazo Eunice Moyo yesterday lost her parliamentary seat after Zanu-PF notified Parliament of her expulsion from the ruling party.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, notified the House that he had been informed by Zanu-PF that Ms Moyo was no longer a member of the party.

“On the 22nd of January 2018 Parliament was informed by Zanu-PF that Honourable Eunice Sandi Moyo proportional representative for Bulawayo had ceased to be a member of Zanu-PF and no longer represented the interests of the party in Parliament,” Adv Mudenda said.

“A proportional representative vacancy has arisen by operation of the law. The necessary administrative measures would be undertaken to inform the President and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission in terms of section 39 (1) of the Electoral Act.”

The expulsion of Ms Moyo followed the ejection of 11 Zanu-PF members from Parliament last week and five others in December.

The 17 legislators were part of the G40 cabal whose expulsion was adopted at the Zanu-PF Extraordinary Congress in December following recommendations made at an extraordinary sitting of the party’s Central Committee in November last year.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly yesterday paid their respects to the late Zaka East legislator Dr Samson Mukanduri, who died at his home on Monday.

Following the announcement of his death by Adv Mudenda, parliamentarians observed a minute of silence in Dr Mukanduri’s memory.

Thandeka Moyo, Chronicle Reporter
FIVE Seventh Day Adventists including a Zimbabwean pastor have been jailed in Angola for kidnapping a native of that country, allegedly without a proper trial.

According to Maka, an Angolan newspaper, the five were sentenced to prison terms ranging between three and five years, without being charged or going for trial on December 29, last year.

The incident has sparked outrage and an online petition for the freedom of the churchmen has been launched.

By 5PM yesterday, 1 100 people had signed the petition.

Pastor Burns Sibanda originally from Bulawayo and his Zambian colleague Passmore Hachalinga were each sentenced to three years and six months.

“African missionaries, Burns Musa Sibanda from Zimbabwe who was serving as chief finance officer and his colleague Passmore Hachalinga from Zambia were both working for the church in Angola. Judge Antonio Francisco sentenced the pair to three years and six months each month for allegedly kidnapping another pastor,” says the online source.

“The executive secretary of the North East Union which is the second figure of the church hierarchy, Pastor Teixeira Vinte was sentenced to five years and one month in prison. Members of the church Garcia Dala and João Alfredo Dala were sentenced to four years and three months in prison.”

According to the statement, the guilty verdict was despite the prosecutor in the case submitting to the court that there was no basis for the case against the five accused as there was no evidence to support the allegations of either a kidnap or a plot to kidnap.

“In order to be aware of the abnormal behaviour of Judge Antonio Francisco, especially after reading the sentence — which he did not allow access to by the defendants’ lawyers — it is necessary to revisit the simulation of the abduction.”

Zimbabwe West Union Conference president Pastor Micah Choga confirmed that Sibanda is imprisoned in Angola.

“I can only confirm that he is jailed in Angola as I am waiting for the next high office for exact details of what is happening on the ground,” he said.

In a statement, the SDA church leadership in Southern Africa, the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division (SID), said an appeal against both the conviction and sentence has been lodged.

“The SID has become aware of a situation involving the arrest and court case against certain pastors, lay-persons and officers of the North-Eastern Angola Union.

“The court case emanates from the accusations and allegations against these individuals, of allegedly kidnapping a former conference president,” reads the statement.

“The matter went to court for trial and after several appearances, the court found the individuals guilty of a crime with which they were not charged and in the opinion of the lawyers involved and other observers there was insufficient and contradictory evidence to justify this conclusion.”

@thamamoe