HARARE - Ndumiso Gumede, the former Zimbabwe Football Association Football (Zifa) vice-president, is concerned with the way events are unfolding at the association.

The veteran football administrator has called onto the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) to intervene before it’s too late.

Gumede, one of the longest-serving Zimbabwean football administrators, and now chief executive at Bulawayo giants Highlanders, feels people at the association have turned into politicians and risk destroying the beautiful game.

Gumede, who served in different positions at Zifa, and was Cuthbert Dube’s number two between 2010 and 2014 when he decided said the recent suspensions of councillors and board members is an embarrassment to the national game.

Zifa vice-president Omega Sibanda, board member for finance Bernard Gwarada, together with four all four regional chairmen Willard Manyengavana (Northern Region), Musa Mandaza (Southern Region), Festus Kamambo (Central Region) and Piraishe Mabhena (Eastern Region) were suspended by the association.

Matebeleland North provincial chairman Dennis Mushonga and Sweeney Mushonga, the Northern Region treasurer, were also suspended.

The eight are being charged for taking part in last month’s Assembly meeting that attempted to overthrow under-fire Dube.

Two months ago, Zimbabwe Women’s League boss Miriam Sibanda was also suspended by the Zifa board over frivolous charges.

All these suspended officials have paid the price for falling out with Dube and Zifa CEO Jonathan Mashingaidze.

After these latest purges, only Dube loyalists John Phiri, Tavengwa Hara, Fungai Chihuri and Twine Phiri are member f the Zifa board voted into office in March 2014 left.    

“I think the situation is getting extremely dirty,” Gumede told the Daily News yesterday.

“Football should unite the nation but what is happening now is a cause of concern to the national sport. People at Zifa are beginning to act like politicians.

“In football to go that way is very a sad development. Football has simple and straight forward rules on how to deal with certain issues like these. This is a detrimental development to the national game.”

Gumede added: “With all due respect I think the SRC should now intervene because the situation is slowly getting out of hand. These guys have lost direction.

“This is embarrassing to say the least. I worked for Zifa from 1980 but during my time what is happening now has never happened in the history of our football. This must come to an end.

“The best thing is for SRC to call those in authority and read them the riot act. They have become an embarrassment to the nation. The situation is getting worse and unacceptable and we want answers as soon as possible.”

Dube and Mashingaidze have come under fire for the way they have turned Zifa into a two-man show in recent years.

Any dissenting views are misconstrued as an attempt to topple Dube which has bred a culture of bootlicking at 53 Livingstone Avenue.

While factionalism and politicking have taken centre stage at Zifa, football on the other hand has been relegated to an afterthought.

Only last week, Warriors coach Calisto Pasuwa refused name the squad for the 2017 Afcon qualifier against Malawi as he was owed his salaries since his appointment on an interim basis last year.

Sports minister Andrew Langa eventually intervened and assured Pasuwa that the government would pay his outstanding dues.

The Warriors also refused to travel to the airport to catch their flight to Malawi as they demanded their allowances and match fees.

The team finally left for the encounter after Walter Magaya, leader of the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance ministries, convinced the players to travel.

HARARE – Chimurenga music legend Thomas Mapfumo (70) was born Michael Munhumumwe and only started using his current name at the age of nine, a just-released biography of the iconic artiste written by Banning Eyre claims.

The chimurenga music legend was born to Janet Chinhamo and Tapfumaneyi Mupariwa on July 2 1945 but was raised by his maternal grandparents Hamundidi and Kufera Munhumumwe who lived on a white man’s farm in Marondera after Mupariwa failed to pay lobola.

“…Tapfumaneyi was a Korekore Shona man from Guruve in the remote rugged valleys of Dande. An itinerant musician and “one-man band,” Tapfumaneyi made a scant living driving tractors at farms in Mashonaland.

He was too poor to pay Janet’s lobola so no marriage could occur,” claims the biography that has just been published by Duke University Press.

Mapfumo’s late mother, who is quoted in the 362-page biography, claims that Mupariwa suddenly disappeared from the scene after failing to fulfil the lobola requirements.

“When I was pregnant Thomas’ father paid a little lobola but not enough. And then he went for good,” said Mapfumo’s mother.

Mapfumo only managed to see his father for the first time when he was 17 years old.

According to the biography, the chimurenga music star’s mother was the eldest of Hamundidi and Kufera Munhumumwe’s 11 children who included the late ex-Four Brothers lead vocalist and drummer Marshall Munhumumwe who was the youngest.

In the 1950s Mapfumo’s mother married a car mechanic called John Kashesha Mapfumo who was based in the suburb of Mabvuku in Harare, then called Salisbury.

In 1955 Janet and her new Kashesha Mapfumo invited Thomas (then known as Michael Munhumumwe) to be part of their strict and churchgoing family in Mabvuku .

The future music star  came to the city using the identification papers of Janet’s young brothers.

“The name on those papers was Thomas, and this how Michael Munhumumwe became Thomas Mapfumo,” adds the voluminous biography.

Due to the kindness of his stepfather, who was a son of a Shona mother and European father, Thomas came to think of him “as my true father, the man who looked after me, sent me to school and taught me good manners, to work hard and live well with other kids.”

In his new family, Thomas lived with his four half siblings who were Tabeth, Edith, William and Lancelot. The last two eventually became members of the chimurenga music star’s backing group-The Blacks Unlimited.

Mapfumo went on to become one of Zimbabwe’s most prominent entertainers due to his mbira-derived rhythms. 

The chimurenga music legend, whose music has regularly rubbed the government the wrong way and who has been in the music business for over 40 years, has been based in Oregon in the United States of America for over a decade.

MASVINGO - Sex work is on the rise here, with desperate women who returned home in the wake of attacks on foreigners in South Africa resorting to extreme measures to deal with their financial hardships, civil society groups have warned.

The attacks on foreigners — mainly from Zimbabwe, Somalia, Malawi, Mozambique and Nigeria — started in Durban in April following comments by Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, suggesting that African migrants in South Africa were criminals who should go back to their countries and stop stealing jobs and opportunities from locals.

Machete and gun-wielding South Africans burned foreigners’ businesses and homes, looting goods, and forcing their inhabitants to flee. Six foreign nationals died in the attacks, which spread from Durban to other parts of the country, including Johannesburg.

Two Zimbabweans died in those clashes.

Local growth points and urban centres have been swarmed by females previously based in South Africa who have resorted to commercialising their bodies to eke out a living.

The sharp increase in women sex workers has hugely disrupted the chain of supply and demand, a climate in which competition for business is rife.

Women, jostling for clients, are forced to charge less and less. And, of course, clients have vastly reduced due to Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown. The result is an average fee of about $1 for “short time”.

Some prostitutes are also starting to offer riskier sex services that clients will pay more for, such as unprotected sex — which carries a premium price, but is contributing to the rise in HIV and STI cases.

“We are very worried with the rising rate of prostitution in various centres in the province since the return of our colleagues who fled xenophobia in South Africa,” said Lucia Masekesa, National Association of Non Governmental Organisations southern region board member at a human rights meeting held here last week.

“It’s sad that our young ladies have no option but to sell their bodies because they need to survive.”

There was an influx of commercial sex workers at growth points like Ngundu, Jerera and Mpandawana as well as in Masvingo city, rights groups noted.

“The economy they returned to is so bad that they can’t find employment anywhere and they are facing serious challenges to survive.

“They are young adults who need to take care of their small families in a country with a dying economy,” said Marble Sikhosana of Women Coalition of Zimbabwe Masvingo chapter.

Entrance Takaedza, Community Working Group on Health (CWGH), Masvingo coordinator, expressed fear of a sharp increase in STIs.

“The province, because of the rampant rise of commercial sex work, has left the entire community with fear of an impending outbreak

and rise of STIs,” Takaedza said.

“This is going to affect the entire province and possibly cost the lives of many people.”

Masvingo was last year affected by a drug-resistant sexually transmitted infection attributed to the movement of traders who visit neighbouring countries.

Rights groups said government was ill-prepared to deal with the disaster that faced the victims.

“Most of them came back empty-handed and were not given an option to eke out a living,” Masekesa said.

“There are no jobs in the country and government just dumps people without empowering or giving them an alternative as a means of survival, hence it should be taken to account for ruining the lives of these young people.”

Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Shuvai Mahofa was unreachable for comment.

HARARE - Chimurenga music star Thomas Mapfumo says the illegality of marijuana is an injustice because the ‘weed’ was created by God, according to his just-released biography penned by American ethnomusicologist and guitarist Banning Eyre.

In the 362-page biography titled Lion Songs: Thomas Mapfumo and the music that made Zimbabwe published by Duke University Press, the chimurenga music legend says the illegal status of marijuana is an injustice “oppressing a section of the population.”

The Pamuromo Chete singer, who reportedly banned beer at his home in Oregon, United States of America (USA), says marijuana energises him.

“If I smoke ganja I feel motivated to get into action and start working. I joke with my children and my wife. I say a lot of stories to them, always thinking of my family as the first priority of my life,” he is quoted in the voluminous biography.

The widespread use of marijuana by Mapfumo and some members of his Blacks Unlimited band is reflected throughout the biography.

While on tour in West Berlin in Germany in 1984 the chimurenga’s legend’s beloved marijuana almost turned fatal.

“When Thomas fell asleep one evening with a burning hashish spliff in his hand, (Christoph) Borkowsky (a German music promoter) said he nearly lost his house as well,” part of the biography reads.

In 1986 Mapfumo and Zimbabwean music promoter Mike Mhundwa  briefly left London where the Blacks Unlimited were on tour  for Kingston, Jamaica where Mhundwa was hoping to book Gregory Isaacs for a concert in Harare. They were intrigued by the ganja-smoking in the Jamaican capital city.

“The high-point of their Jamaican sojourn was a ritualistic ganja-smoking encounter with “the Professor,” a Rasta spiritual figure in Isaac’s circle. Thomas was entranced by the scene at the Professor’s compound, with dreadlocked children running around and burly Rastas smoking from an enormous clay chalice,” Eyre wrote.

An ex-Blacks Unlimited manager Bob Coen recalled the frustration that rocked the Blacks Unlimited camp when then the band ran out of marijuana in Kansas during their first tour of America in 1989.

Coen remembered, “There were scary moments on that tour. There was a Kansas show where ganja had run out.” A planned three-week supply had vanished within days, despite Bob’s effort to ration.

Coen added:  “The last joint was smoked around sound check .It’s now the show and Thomas is like, “There is no ganja. There is no show. I can’t go on.”

According to the juicy biography marijuana was very expensive during that tour:

“Marijuana was scarce and expensive during that fall and Bob had found that a $400 bag lasted the band only a couple of days. When this expense exhausted petty cash Thomas would say, “Take it off salary.”

According to Eyre, Mapfumo, however, “acknowledged that marijuana was not for everyone, and he never offered his spliff to someone he considered too young to make a mature choice.”

Interestingly the biography observes, “His songs contain not a single reference to smoking (because) he was never an advocate, only a person born to smoke ganja. Smoking was not an act of partying for Thomas.”

HARARE - A leading rights group has demanded that the Attorney General (AG)’s office publicly provide a timetable for realigning hundreds of pieces of legislation with the new Zimbabwe Constitution.

At least 400 Acts of Parliament are yet to be aligned to the new charter two years after it was adopted in May 2013.

Irene Petras, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) executive director, said Prince Machaya’s office should provide provisional deadlines to prove sincerity in executing the harmonisation process.

“The AG’s office must publicly provide a time-bound schedule of its alignment priorities and progress, which can be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure compliance and speed up the realignment process,” Petras told a parliament portfolio committee on Justice this Monday.

Machaya took over from Johannes Tomana, who is now the Prosecutor General.

The Justice ministry has said a funding shortfall was hampering the synchronisation of the laws.

Petras said the financial needs of the Justice ministry and other relevant departments should be prioritised by the national budget to facilitate constitutionalism in Zimbabwe.

“Further capacitating may be required for the AG’s office, particularly the drafting department,” she said.

“Measures should be taken to address gaps and weaknesses in a manner which will also monitor and ensure timely progress where additional resources including training, human and or financial, have been provided.”

The AG is, amongst other things, the principal legal advisor to government while the NPA, under the supervision of the PG, institutes and undertakes criminal prosecutions and any other ancillary functions.

JOHANNESBURG - South Africa President Jacob Zuma gave the African Union summit assurances that Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir would not be arrested, President Robert Mugabe has said.

Responding to questions by journalists following the close of the AU summit in Sandton just before midnight on Monday, Mugabe said because Bashir was a wanted man, NGOs were going to court to try to force his arrest.

Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

“This is not the headquarters of the ICC and we do not want it in this region at all,” Mugabe said.

“There is a view that we must distance ourselves from the ICC, but unfortunately the treaty that set it up was done not by the AU, but by individual countries,” he said.

“But those who signed the treaty are now regretting. We didn’t sign it as Zimbabwe. We won’t subject ourselves to justice outside our country’s borders.”

He said NGOs were used by outsiders to go to court to force government to arrest Bashir, “because he is a wanted man by the ICC”.

Mugabe said in court “not all judges think like we do”, and they might dislike “freedom fighters” or the way things are done in a certain country, he said.

AU Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma was a little less outspoken, saying the AU had nothing to say about Bashir’s attendance because it was within his rights to do so.

“This summit here is no different from any other AU summit. This is not a bilateral meeting, it is a multilateral organisation and when a country hosts it, it does so according to the rules of the AU and not according to the rules of the countries,” she said.

Dlamini-Zuma said various host countries signed agreements with the AU on the hosting of the summit. “This venue up to now,” she said with reference to the Sandton Convention Centre where the conference was held, “is an AU venue, it is not a South African venue,” she said.

“It may be located on the geographical space of South Africa, but is an AU venue.”

She added that the AU could not have “any real relationship” with the ICC because it wasn’t a state but a continental body.

Bashir on Monday slipped out of the country despite a court ordering that he should stay until the case by civil society about his arrest was heard. He left while these court proceedings were still in progress.

HARARE - Former National Healing minister Moses Mzila-Ndlovu says Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko is unfit to lead the country’s national healing process as seen in his alleged failure to come to grips with “his own Gukurahundi-era culpability”.

Mzila-Ndlovu said Mphoko’s recent and controversial utterances on the massacres of an estimated 20 000 innocent people by the army in the early 1980s, mainly in Matabeleland and the Midlands, proved that he should not assume responsibility for reconciliation in the country.

Mzila-Ndlovu spoke in the wake of Mphoko telling the National Assembly last week that he would table a law in Parliament soon to promote national healing.

“He is unfit to be there because he is a member of the party that committed one of the worst human rights violations in Zimbabwe during the 1980s. For all what we have gathered, he was part of the system during Gukurahundi.

“So there is no way a perpetrator of Gukurahundi would want to see justice. How then do we talk about healing and reconciliation when the perpetrators are actually leading a pseudo healing process?

“All those who were responsible for the mass murders should be arrested,” Mzila-Ndlovu fumed.

He said Zanu PF was exhibiting “an insensitive and arrogant approach” to Gukurahundi “because the party knows that it is ruling and nothing can happen for now”.

“But that doesn’t mean we have been healed or we have forgotten about the genocide. The wounds inflicted by (Rhodesian leader) Ian Smith have never been swept under the carpet so much so that Zanu PF every time, be it Heroes’ holiday or any other national holiday, they revise that memory and we have nothing against that.

But the problem we have is the hand-picking of issues which we should talk about and forget,” Mzila-Ndlovu said.

He said perpetrators of Gukurahundi should face international criminal law.

“It was interesting to see Sudanese president fleeing from South Africa. That is the treatment that should be given to all genocide proponents. Those who led the Gukurahundi massacres should be arrested and face the music,” he said.

HARARE - Liberation struggle stalwart and spokesperson of the “original” Zanu PF that uses the slogan “People First”, Rugare Gumbo, says the only way positive change will take place in the country is if Zimbabweans agitate for this constitutionally but robustly from President Robert Mugabe and the ruling party — and not employ “empty boycott protests”.

Speaking in an interview with the Daily News yesterday, in the wake of the post-congress Zanu PF’s hollow victories in last week’s by-elections which were boycotted by the main opposition MDC led by former prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Gumbo said Zimbabweans needed to do more to foster democracy in the country.

He also defended his Zanu PF formation’s “moral support” for a number of independent candidates who took part in the by-elections even as they were “always aware that our erstwhile comrades are grand masters in vote manipulation”.

“That was a bogus and sham election full of irregularities and intimidation. The CIO (Central Intelligence Organisation), and post-congress Zanu PF party members were running the show.

“Zec (the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission) failed to conduct a free and fair election. It allowed Zanu PF to supervise the whole process and what really happened was unbelievable — a lot of intimidation and a lot of violence.

“This whole process must be overhauled. It is a rotten system which stinks to high heaven,” the straight-talking Gumbo said.

Asked whether the main opposition was right in boycotting the elections, Gumbo said in his view staying away from electoral processes would not on its own give the “shameless post-congress Zanu PF any sleepless nights” — but would instead allow it to enjoy what it had always dreamt about, “the creation of a one-party state”.

“Let us take them head-on. They want to push their programmes without any opposition. But what we have had are mere by-elections. When we go to national elections, it will be difficult for them to cheat as they did in these by-elections,” he said.

In the run-up to the discredited by-elections, the Zanu PF leadership — including Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa — urged the MDC to continue boycotting elections while expectedly ignoring to address needed electoral reforms.

“They have nothing to offer the people… all they do is to boycott elections while we continue to rule. They (MDC-T) have no legacy without calling for election boycott. We shall rule…and rule… and rule while they continue to boycott the elections,” Mnangagwa said at one of his rallies before the by-elections.

Gumbo a former Cabinet minister with intimate knowledge of the modus operandi of Zanu PF said his “power hungry” erstwhile comrades were not easily shaken by “petty resistance” — hence his call for a more robust approach to demands for change.

Commenting on social network site Facebook, political analyst Pedzisai Ruhanya concurred with Gumbo saying by boycotting the recent by-elections, Tsvangirai had only managed to give away power to Zanu PF in his urban strongholds.

“Zanu PF has come to town (Harare, Kwekwe and Bulawayo) courtesy of a clumsy decision by MDC-T. The opposition must now budget for violent bases, torture chambers, and huge patronage networks to be set up by Zanu PF as it defends its seats in 2018!

“As I write there is QUEEN OF GRACE ZIM ASSET TRUST set up by Zanu PF to bring all vendors in the Harare city centre to Zanu PF; all vendors are buying cards to join this group” Ruhanya said.

Obert Gutu, spokesperson of the MDC, said yesterday that the opposition would reclaim its seats and more in the eagerly-anticipated 2018 national elections — on condition that necessary electoral reforms were put in place.

“The MDC is going to resoundingly reclaim its territory as soon as conditions for a free and fair plebiscite are put in place. Mind you, Zanu PF is a crumbling edifice and by the time we get to 2018, there will be virtually no Zanu PF to talk about.

“They are busy decimating each other and at the rate they are self-cannibalising, Zanu PF will soon be as extinct as the dodo of Mauritius,” Gutu said.

Notwithstanding the fact that the main opposition had shunned the by-elections, a rattled Zanu PF — severely weakened by debilitating and seemingly unstoppable factional and succession wars — threw everything at the electorate in its desperation not to lose the seats that were up for grabbing.

Mugabe’s two deputies Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko led massive and expensive campaigns across the country almost on a full-time basis.

“I have never seen anything like this in my life in politics where both of the VPs were campaigning as if those were general elections.

“To have the whole leadership making fools of themselves and saying if you don’t vote for Zanu PF you will not benefit from any development programmes was indeed laughable, albeit expected from the post-congress Zanu PF.

“As People First, we will continue to demand development and we will take part in any future elections because that is the only way the post-congress Zanu PF can be moved,” Gumbo said.

HARARE - Zimbabwe's top rugby playing girls’ schools are set to converge at Royal College this weekend for the third edition of Under-16 girls’ Rugby Invitational Tournament.

Defending champions Vinona High School will be hoping to carry their form from last year which saw them beating Mabvuku High school 5-0 in the final to scoop the title ahead of 13 other schools, which graced the event.

In the semi-finals, Vianona beat Girls High School 15-0 to progress to the finals while Mabvuku had edged the hosts 10-5 in the second semi-final.

For their efforts last year, Vainona walked away with rugby equipment worth $600 and a shield.

Second-placed Mabvuku also received rugby equipment worth $400 while third-placed Royal received equipment worth $200.

Royal College Sports director Herbert Chikuku said this year they are expecting more than 12 schools from across the country.

“We have done everything in terms of preparing for the event, we are looking to host more than 12 schools from across the country,” h said.

“We hope our sponsorship will promote junior development in the country. This will be the future of professional rugby players so there is need to support them.

“We are trying to broaden the base for the national selectors for scouting talent. The time has come for the country to become a rugby powerhouse on the continent again.

“We have noticed that there is a lot of talent being left untapped in the country and the idea is to give an opportunity to those schools that have rugby as an extra-curriculum to fully participate in the sport.

“We want to thank a number of corporates who have come on board this year with various forms of sponsorship.”

Chikuku said the event is set to become one of the biggest girls rugby tournament in the country and plans are underway to invite all rugby playing girls schools from across Zimbabwe during future editions.

Some of the schools which are set to participate at the event this year includes; Roosevelt, Girls High, Goromonzi, and Kuwadzana High school.

HARARE - Despite having a poor 2014/15 season with the bat, Cephas Zhuwao remains committed to the Harare-based franchise this coming season.

The left-handed batsman is currently making waves in the United Kingdom where he is playing Division A cricket for Budleigh Salteron’s in the Devon Cricket League.

The Glen View bred cricketer last Saturday scored his first century in just four matches with an unbeaten159 off 103 that was laced with 12 boundaries and 14 maximums against Bideford.

Budleigh closed on 296 for the loss of five wickets in 39 overs, after the game was reduced to 39 overs due to rain and restricted Bideford to 233-7 to register a 63-run victory.

In his short stint at the Ottermouth Club, Zhuwao has scored two half tons, 88 (79 balls), 56 (43) and 35 (54).

His form in Devon Cricket League is a major contrast to his game last season with Mash Eagles.

He played seven Pro 50 Championship matches scoring a total 96 runs at an average of 13.71. His highest score was only 31.

Zhuwao told the Daily News from UK yesterday that he is scoring a lot of runs because he is enjoying a lot of freedom with Budleigh.

“I would say I’m enjoying my game at this juncture. Here I’m playing with a lot of freedom as opposed to when I’m at home,” he said.

“When I’m home, I’m subjected to a certain way of playing largely premeditated by my coaches’ game plan.

“If you also noticed my contract status in the just ended season, I wasn’t a contracted player. I was only on an earn-as-you-play contract.

“Such an arrangement isn’t really proper for someone who lives his entire life as a professional cricketer.

Zhuwao added: “This obviously had an impact of my game but I love the game, cricket is my life which is why I had to endure the whole season.

“I’m still loyal to my home franchise and just hope this time I may be given a season-long contract but whichever way it goes, I will still take to the field in that famous orange strip even without a contract.”

On Saturday against Bideford, he scored nine maximums in succession which left the opponent captain James Ford a perplexed.

“I have played Devon League cricket for 27 years and haven’t seen an innings like Zhuwao’s. It was absolutely brutal- some of the biggest sixes seen at Westward Ho!” Ford told the Devon Cricket website.

“We had a rain break then had to go back out and bowl 2.5 overs in which he went from 91 to 157. It was an innings of pure class and one I have never seen in the Devon League.

“Hitting nine sixes in a row, clean as a whistle takes some doing. He is a very special cricketer.”

HARARE - Local tennis players Benjamin and Courtney Lock experienced mixed fortunes during yesterday’s second round of the ongoing Zimbabwe F1 Futures Tournament.

Benjamin struggled to overcome Portugal’s Vasco Mensurado 7-6(2), 6-2 in the second round to storm into the last eight of the $10 000 event.

In the first round, the Florida State University student conceded the first set 2-6 against Samuel Bothwell before showing his class by winning the next two 6-3, 6-2 in the first round to proceed to the second round.

“The competition was very tough. Mensurado played very well it was not like a stroll in the park,” Benjamin told the Daily News.

“I just take each match as it comes. I just want to keep on getting better, improving on my performance and playing my normal game.”

The 22-year-old, who recently clinched the Mozambique F1 Futures at Clube de Tenis de in Maputo is hoping to add another trophy to his cabinet.

“I am hoping to have a good game tomorrow just as my recent fine form. I’m not doing anything different and I think it’s just because of my confidence. I would like to think every tournament I play I have a chance to win," he said.

While Benjamin is now preparing for a last eight clash against France’s Romain Bauvy, his young brother, Courtney could not get past the second round.

The 18-year-old bowed out of the tournament after he suffered a  6-1, 6-0 defeat at the hands of Lloyd Harris from South Africa yesterday.

A lot was expected from Courtney, who had put up an impressive performance in the first round to beat the tournament’s second highest-ranked player Arthur Surreaux 6-1, 6-4.

HARARE - The suspended 14 Zifa councillors are hopeful the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) will come to the rescue of the local game.

Zifa president Cuthbert Dube and his henchman CEO Jonathan Mashingaidze on Monday flexed their muscle by wielding the axe vice-president Omega Sibanda and board members finance Bernard Gwarada.

Four regional chairmen Willard Manyengavana (Northern Region), Musa Mandaza (Southern Region), Festus Kamambo (Central Region) and Piraishe Mabhena (Eastern Region) were suspended by the association.

Matebeleland North provincial chairman Dennis Mushonga and Sweeney Mushonga, the Northern Region treasurer, were also suspended.

Martin Kweza the Northern Region vice-chairperson, Southern Region board members Tumediso Ndlovu and Brighton Malandule together with Davison Muchena, board member for Eastern Regional were also suspended.

Central Region vice-chairperson Patrick Hill and Beach Football president Joseph Musaririr were also axed.

The 14 were charged with being the ring leaders of last month’s Assembly meeting that attempted to overthrow Dube.

During the same board meeting which axed these officials, Zifa also changed the date of this weekend’s AGM to next month of August.

The councillors had been calling for an urgent AGM in order deliberate on some of the burning issues like Zimbabwe’s expulsion from the 2018 Russia World Cup for failure to pay former coach Valinhos.

“Now Zifa is saying we are likely to hold the AGM between July or August. According to Fifa the draw for the first round of the African qualifiers is supposed to be held on July 25,” said one of the councillors.

“What guarantee are we going to have that by the time that the draw comes about, would Zifa have paid up the money owed to Valinhos?

“This is one of the reasons why we called for that meeting so that we can discuss Zimbabwe’s expulsion by Fifa.”

The councillor said all their hopes were now pinned on the SRC, who requested Zifa to furnish them with details of all the suspensions.

“They are violating what was prescribed by the SRC when they said we should work together and stop all expulsions,” said the councillor. 

“These suspensions will also be found wanting in terms of the Zifa constitution but being Cuthbert Dube he just goes and throws away the constitution out of the window to achieve his goals.

“We were voted in by the clubs in our respective regions and these are the people who gave us the mandate to hold the AMG because they have noticed our football is in great danger.

“What the Zifa board can only do is recommend to our regions that we must be suspended and if our regions endorse that recommendation then that’s it.”

In a statement on Tuesday, SRC director-general Charles Nhemachena said the commission will review Zifa's actions.

“The SRC notes with concern, the continued turmoil in the governance of football in the country,” said Nhemachena.

“The reported suspensions of some members by the Zifa Board yesterday, in addition to the earlier suspension of the women’s football representative on the Board are but a manifestation of the dysfunctional governance that now characterizes the administration of the beautiful game of football.

“The recent action to suspend some of the Zifa Council and Board members as afore-mentioned is in complete disregard of the advice that the Commission and indeed the Ministry has been giving to the Zifa Board; specifically on the need to work as a team and to desist from engaging in actions that would shift their focus from the primary goal of football development and developing the sport into an industry that is capable of contributing meaningfully to the ideals of youth empowerment, employment creation and growing the economy.”

HARARE - Zimbabwe’s national football yesterday failed to train in preparation for Sunday’s 2016 African Nations Championship (Chan) qualifier against Comoros.

The Warriors are scheduled to take on the Indian Ocean island side in the preliminary round of the tournament to be staged in Rwanda next January.

Warriors coach Calisto Pasuwa on Monday named a 24-member squad for the tie billed for Rufaro Stadium.

The Chan tournament is a competition reserved for only players who are plying their trade in their respective home countries.

At the last edition of the comepetition in South Africa in January 2014, the Warriors under Ian Gorowa finished reached the semi-finals before losing to eventual winners Libya on penalties. 

“The coach has notified us of the players he wishes to work with and we are currently seized with the process of securing those players for preparations to run smoothly,” Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela said on Tuesday.

“We are expecting the boys to come during the course of the day and we have great conviction that on Wednesday morning the coach will have his whole wish list at the training ground.”

But yesterday, Gwesela was singing a different tune.

“I don’t know where the team is going to train today. You will have to ask the coaches,” he said.

Efforts to get a comment from Pasuwa proved fruitless by the time of going to press last night.

The Daily News, however, established the team did not train yesterday as scheduled to prepare fr Sunday’s encounter.

Most of the players were still with their respective Castle Premiership clubs as they have matches scheduled for this weekend.

All the players based outside Harare were still travelling to the capital yesterday afternoon and would only get into camp by last night.

This disregard of preparations has become the norm at Zifa with Warriors assignments taken lightly.

Only last week, the national team only started training on Wednesday for last Saturday’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) away qualifier against Malawi.

The players refused to travel to Blantyre on Thursday as they demanded their match fees and allowances which resulted in them missing their flight.

In the end, Walter Magaya bailed out Zifa when he agreed to bankroll the players’ outstanding demands.

The Warriors finally travelled to Malawi on Friday afternoon and arrived in Blantyre in the wee hours of Saturday morning.

Despite their lack of preparations, Zimbabwe were able to beat Malawi 2-1 to kick-start their 2017 Afcon qualifying campaign on a positive note.

It seems Zimbabwe is underestimating Comoros ahead of Sunday’s tie hoping that the will again defy odds and get a win.

After arriving from Malawi, Pasuwa said: “I haven’t heard much about Comoros. This is the first time I’ve heard about them. I’ve also not done much research on them.

“I hope Zifa have done the right thing for us so that we go into camp early. Mostly we will consider the Under-23 players.”          

Midfielder Danny Phiri and defender Justice Jangano are the only senior players in the squad with Pasuwa relying on the bulk of the players from the Young Warriors squad.

Squad: Tatenda Makuruva, Bernard Donovan, Takabva Mawaya, Blessing Moyo, Justice Jangano, Teenage Hadebe, Liberty Chakoroma, Ronald Pfumbidzayi, Danny Phiri, Gerald Takwara, Raphael Kawondera, Jimmy Kanono, Nqobizitha Masuku, Wisdom Mutasa, Marshal Mudehwe, Malvin Gaki, Edmore Chirambadare, Tinotenda Kadewere, Thomas Chideu, Prichard Mpelele, Mgcini Sibanda, Evans Rusike, Divine Lungu, Emmanuel Mandiranga

HARARE - Rapper Tehn Diamond says he is looking forward to working with fellow artistes he met at the Festa2H hip-hop festival which took place last week in Senegal.

The Happy hitmaker said the festival which is the biggest hip-hop festival in Africa was an eye-opener for him.

“It was an incredible, well organised and efficiently-run event. The crowds were massive and so receptive. There’s a very genuine and deep love for the culture of hip-hop, the Senegalese youth have embraced and elevated the genre in a fashion that was both inspiring and humbling for me to behold,” he said.

“The artistes I intend to work with include a female emcee from the UK named Phoebe, an emcee from Mauritania named Francoman, an emcee from Canada named Webster and from Senegal I hope to work with Fuk N Kuk (pronounced Fook n Kook), Matador and Nit Doff.”

Tehn Diamond applauded hip-hop artistes from around Africa on their work ethic.

“The biggest lessons I pulled away from there were about what it truly means to work hard. Those people just don’t sleep and they don’t rest until they have produced quality that speaks for itself,” he told the Daily News.

“I also learnt a massive lesson about unity within their music industries and the way that unity is communicated and translated in the support that their audiences give back to them.”

The award-winning rapper said he owes his participation at the Festa2H hip-hop festival to Magamba Network, the organisers of Shoko Hip-Hop festival.

“The good folks over at Magamba Network have been building up a great relationship with the organisers of Festa2H, for a number of years now. They started up this cultural exchange, with them sending over NTM in 2013, Synik in 2014 and then myself this year.

“If you recall Magamba Network are the guys responsible for organising the annual hip-hop and spoken word event here, Shoko Festival. It’s through their network and belief in me that I was selected to represent not just Zimbabwe but southern Africa at West Africa’s biggest hip-hop festival, Festa2H.”

Tehn Diamond also managed to establish contacts which he hopes will help in the advancement of his career.

“There were acts from all over Senegal, Mauritania, France, Belgium, Britain, and Switzerland just to name a few. So I did my best to exchange details and build as many bridges as I could, particularly with some notable TV producers and radio personalities,” he said.

“With the artists I met, because our schedules were all so hectic with the workshops and conferences and performances, we just spent time getting to know each other and get a feel of each other’s craft. Certainly there are going to be several collaborations popping up soon enough. Thanks to the power of the Internet, we can all work and keep in touch despite the distances between us.”

He added that the other highlight of the festival was when people sang along to Simudza Gumbo even when they did not know what the song meant.

“The highlight of the entire experiments would have been when after a few minutes on stage, the mostly French and Wolof-speaking audience were vibing and singing along to tracks like Simudza Gumbo with me,” the award-winning rapper said.

“They didn’t understand all the words, well most of them, but they understood hip-hop and saw in me someone who was not only passionate but dedicated to communicating that passion with my energy. Watching hip-hop bridges gaps of understanding like that was moving for me, this little genre of ours is truly a global language.”

HARARE - Sungura kingpin Alick Macheso says he is in no hurry to release a new album.

The Tafadzwa singer, whose last offering was the 2012 album Kwatakabva Mitunhu (Kure Kwekure), told the Daily News in an exclusive interview at his Chitungwiza offices that reports that he would drop his long-awaited album this month were far from the truth.

“I strive for the best, therefore I detest working under unnecessary pressure just to beat the deadlines imposed by other people,” said Macheso.

“The phrase ‘due date’ does not exist in my vocabulary. A sungura musician is different from a bubble-gum artist. Vanhu ngavatipe nguva tinyatsovamonera bhodho racho (Fans should be patient to enable us to deliver a good album).”

The popular artiste added that there was no exact date for his next album.

“I enjoy taking my time and pace working on my stuff in order to deliver a better product. I believe music is for life. Musicians such as the late Jordan Chataika committed themselves to their work and even today we are still enjoying songs such as Ndipo Patigere Pano released just before independence in 1979,” said the fabled bassist.

Macheso added that despite the misinformed reports that the album was imminent, none of the songs set for the forthcoming album had been recorded yet.

“I love to work without being pushed and for this reason, I usually prefer to record using my own studio which is still to be set up,” said the ex-Khiama Boys bassist.

“So far, I am still to locate where I can establish my state-of-the-art studio. I already have the studio equipment. I like to work in my own studio and at my own pace as compared to booking for sessions and recordings at studios owned by other people,” said Macheso.

“This is also the reason why I do not usually release music videos because they require a lot of time. If one is pushed to release albums and videos, the end result will leave a lot to be desired. Poor music videos in particular can kill fans’ interest in the songs.”

Macheso boasts of nine albums that include Kwatakabva Mitunhu, Ndezvashe-eh, Vapupuri Pupurai, Zvinoda Kutendwa, Zvido Zvenyu Kunyanya, Zvakanaka Zvakadaro, Simbaradzo, Vakiridzo and Magariro.

During the interview, Macheso proudly boasted about being recently blessed with two grandchildren.“Kuchena musoro haizi sitaera but kukura, I wish my grandchildren well in future such that they can also see theirs as well. To have grandchildren means one is blessed and is living in God’s favour,” said the music star.

HARARE - Atlas Mara Co-Nvest Limited (Atlas Mara) on Wednesday disposed its 10,1 percent stake in Zimbabwe-focused private equity and advisory firm Brainworks Capital Management Limited (Brainworks) valued at $8,72 million.

In a statement, the company said the deal was “consistent” with its focus on sub-Saharan African banking operations and strategy of selling non-core investments acquired in connection with its acquisition of ADC African Development Corporation (ADC).

The deal netted Atlas Mara 1,4 times Brainworks’ reported book value.

“ADC Financial Services and Corporate Development (ADCFS), an indirectly wholly-owned subsidiary of Atlas Mara, has entered into an agreement with a third party whereby ADCFS has agreed to sell its Brainworks stake in exchange for approximately $3,1 million in cash and 665,195 Atlas Mara ordinary shares,” the group said.

Atlas Mara added that the implied price per share of $8,46 was determined based on the 90-day volume weighted average price as at the date initial transaction terms had been agreed by the parties.

“The transaction is subject to selected closing conditions and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2015,” the group said. This comes as in August last year, Atlas Mara — founded by Bob Diamond and billionaire Ashish Thakkar in 2013,acquired a majority stake in pan-African banking group ABC Holdings(ABCH).

Following the completion of the transactions Atlas Mara holds a beneficial interest of 95,84 percent in BancABC, which represents a 58,09 percent direct interest and a 37,75 percent indirect interest through ADC.

The group also announced it was going to be delisted from the Botswana and Zimbabwe bourses after the acquisition.

The completion of the deal by Atlas Mara to increase its stake in ABCH comes as the investment firm remains optimistic in the prospects of financial services growth in sub-Saharan Africa.

It said it has the ability to establish an institution, which, through a combination of experience, operational expertise and access to capital, liquidity and funding, can become a leader in the sector.

Atlas Mara was born out of a combination of Diamond’s Atlas Merchant Capital LLC and African entrepreneur Thakkar’s Mara Group Holdings Limited.

Former Barclays PLC chief executive Diamond is looking to take his former bank’s strategy of focusing on expanding African operations with acquisitions spread across the continent.

HARARE - The Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) has dangled the idea of a corridor master development plan (CMDP) towards the dualisation of the Beitbridge-Chirundu road, which emphasises the upgrading of key constituent elements such as the southern border post.

This comes as the roads manager has complained that a raft of taxes on its $206 million Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) loan have impaired some of its programmes and a key committee on the Joint Ventures Bill (JVB) has called on joint efforts in the development of the major highway.

“Policy direction is that we should pursue full dualisation of this road (Beitbridge) and the requirement of which is in excess of $2 billion. This quantum of financing is not easy to secure and with the problem exacerbated by demands for a return on investment within the shortest possible time,” Zinara board chairman Albert Mugabe told Parliament this week, adding his organisation was, however, still hamstrung by the court case over that project.

“The key, therefore, to enhance the project’s attractiveness is to look at the macro-context and incorporate elements (that can) improve financial viability. This means we cannot just look at the artery from Beitbridge–Harare–Chirundu as a road, but rather an economic corridor, whose principal element is the road,” he said.

“The first step then is to develop a CMDP, which will identify constituent elements that can augment and support the road’s viability. For example, Beitbridge Border Post must be upgraded and expanded, and Zinara recognises this entry point, through our Act to build and expand tolling points as well as ancillary infrastructure,as a tolling,” Mugabe added.

According to the Zinara chairman, such elements include roadside service providers, notably truck-inns, and settlements, while places like Masvingo and the Beitbridge border town itself can be transformed into major participatory engines for that economic corridor.

In his thinking, Mugabe feels places like the southern border town can be used to tap the goods normally found in Musina and other transitory communities around Zimbabwe’s borders for availability in places like Beitbridge, and which will bring increased taxes through enhanced economic or trade activities.

“This ideology brings to the fore (the) otherwise hidden value of the road and thereby enhancing contributions to the… viability of the project,” he said, adding they were currently “compiling information around the CMDP”.

The debate around Zinara’s possible takeover of the Beitbridge Border Post also comes amid incessant complaints about unnecessary bottlenecks at the country’s entry points, which can cause cargo delays of up to two weeks and a major cost driver for consumer goods.

Zinara as a purveyor of logistics must ensure efficiency. This means attending to the long overdue requirement of infrastructural upgrade at the ports of entry while concurrently addressing the disrepair of the arteries that lead to these ports.

HARARE - Nine Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison inmates accused of masterminding a foiled prison break will stand trial on July 20,a magistrate said yesterday.

Robert Martin Gumbura, Blessing Chiduke, 25, Luckmore Matambanadzo, 39, Luck Mhungu,38,Taurai Dodzo, 47, Thomas Chacha, 37, Thulani Chizema, 32, Jacob Sibanda, 28, and Elijah Vhumbunu, 38, are being charged with attempt to escape from lawful custody, incitement, malicious damage to property and incitement to assault or resist a peace officer.

They appeared before Harare magistrate Tendai Mahwe.

Gumbura is being represented by Tapson Dzvetero while his accomplices are represented by David Hofisi from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.

The State alleges that Gumbura told inmates to protest for better quality food.

The message was allegedly passed on to inmates in C and D halls.

The inmates allegedly sang throughout the night, banging on cell iron bars.

The State alleges that on March 13, Chiduke, Matambanadzo, Mhungu, Dodzo, Chacha and Chizema advised inmates in C Hall to reject prison food.

Jacob Sibanda and three other inmates, who are now deceased, allegedly incited inmates in D Hall to also protest.

Around 9am, porridge was served but inmates refused to eat it because it had no sugar.

They allegedly demanded to see the prison chief superintendent.

Towards lunch time, Chiduke, Matambanadzo, Mhungu, Dodzo, Chacha and Chizema allegedly demanded to see the officer-in-charge, who sent his subordinate, one Dumbura, who was told by the prisoners that they could not eat the food before pushing out containers brought with lunch.

The now-deceased Titus Mandikoza allegedly climbed on top of the roof and started shouting that prisoners were not supposed to eat the food.

At that moment, Vhumbunu and Sibanda poured the food on the prison officer and violence erupted.

HARARE - Some areas of Zimbabwe have been hit by ground frost as overnight temperatures dipped below zero, the Meteorological Services Department has said.

“Due to radiational cooling at night, ground frost is expected to occur in susceptible areas, that is vleis and open valleys,” the weather forecaster said in a statement.

Farmers, individuals and organisations in the horticulture industry, poultry and animal breeding were cautioned that occurrences of ground frost will increase across the country as winter is now in full swing.

The Met Department said farmers should seek appropriate advice from Agritex.

“Also, the use of braziers or open fires in rooms with closed windows should be discouraged as there is heightening risk of carbon monoxide poisoning,” it said.

“Vulnerable members of society such as children and the elderly should be encouraged to put on warm clothing as we move deep into the winter season.”

The department said the past week was clear, dry and mild, with occasionally very cold mornings, with minimum temperatures at times hovering between one and five degrees Celsius.

There was a fair amount of frost around the country with Manicaland, Mashonaland East, Midlands, Matabeleland South, Masvingo and Bulawayo at great risk.

“Notably, Sunday and Monday June 15, 2015, Matopos has recorded the severest frost occurrence so far in the country at -6 °C,” the Met Department said.

“This poses damage to the horticulture industry around the area.”However, the Met Department expects plenty of sunshine and haze in Matabeleland South, Masvingo and south of Manicaland in the coming week.

By tomorrow, the weather forecasters expect to see increasing cloudiness affect many provinces as moisture gets pushed into southern Zimbabwe.

Overnight and morning temperatures will remain low, with minimum temperatures averaging six degrees Celsius, while at ground level temperatures as low as -4 °C cannot be ruled out.

In all other areas around the country, the weather was expected to continue being clear, hazy and mild with plenty of sunshine during the day.

HARARE - The Constitutional Court (Con-Court) has said corporal punishment against juveniles in criminal matters remains in force.

This comes after High Court judge Esther Muremba early this year delivered a ruling declaring corporal punishment unconstitutional, adding that the offenders should be rehabilitated instead.

However, the Con-Court yesterday set aside her ruling.

“The matter is postponed sine die and for the guidance of the subordinate court, the order of Muremba J is suspended. The law is as it was before the order,” Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku said.

The State brought the matter before the Con-Court, challenging the confirmation of the High Court ruling.

In the application, the State agreed that the legislation should not be struck off.

This resulted in the court seeking a divergent view on the matter, stating that it was an important subject that needed a different opinion.

Harare lawyer Tendai Biti accepted to file submissions proffering a different view.

In its submissions, the State argued that there was a distinction between corporal punishment and abuse.

“The State does not support the declaration of constitutional invalidity made by the High Court,” the State said.

It further said moderate corporal punishment could not be described as inhuman and that ruling otherwise would be stretching the issue of human rights too far.

The court process comes after a 15-year-old boy was found guilty of raping a 14-year-old girl and appealed against his sentence.

The boy had been sentenced to receive three strokes. However, Muremba said the new Constitution outlawed the canning of juveniles.

“In the new Constitution, the right to freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment is under Section 53, which reads, ‘no person may be subjected to physical or psychological torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment’,” Muremba said.

She added, “My interpretation of Sections 53 and 86 of the new Constitution brings me to the conclusion that corporal punishment is now unconstitutional.”

She said corporal punishment was now internationally regarded as violence against children and a breach of fundamental human rights.