HARARE - The trial of a driver of a South Africa-registered haulage truck that crashed with a bus at Nyamatikiti River near Chaka in Chirumhanzu on April 5, killing dozens of passengers, will commence on Thursday.

Regis Mungwari, 29 — a driver of Transmech Logistics, a South Africa-registered haulage truck — has been charged with culpable homicide.

His new indictment contains 31 counts.

The death toll rose by 10 from the previously announced 21 following DNA tests.

Mungwari will stand trial at Mvuma Magistrates’ Courts before resident magistrate Tayengwa Chibanda.

The charge of vehicular manslaughter carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

Mungwari was driving to Harare when the vehicles sideswiped and both burst into flames because of the impact, according to a copy of the court papers.

The State prosecutor said Mungwari acted negligently, resulting in the loss of life.

Most of the victims were “burnt beyond recognition”.

The South Africa-bound Proliner bus had over 60 passengers on board, while the truck was laden with tyres.

At least 15 passengers managed to escape through the windows, witnesses said.

Mungwari first appeared before Mvuma Magistrate’s Court last month. He was denied bail and taken to Whawha Remand Prison.

Mungwari has remained in jail since his arrest.

In denying him bail, the magistrate concurred with the State prosecutor who argued that Mungwari was not a proper candidate for bail considering that he did not have a fixed address in Zimbabwe, he was employed in South Africa and was a potential flight risk, and that he could commit suicide.

Mungwari refused to disclose his contact details and residential address to police.

As a South African truck driver, to grant him bail, the court said it required to legalise his residency status while he awaits trial, the court noted.

Authorities have said he was speeding on a winding road and on approaching the 218 km peg, Mungwari allegedly encroached on the path of the oncoming bus.

The officer commanding national traffic, Senior Assistant Commissioner Felistus Chikowore Mjanga and the officer commanding Midlands Province Snr Asst Comm Abigail Moyo attended to the scene of the accident and will testify in the trial.

Authorities have said the identification process carried out revealed that 31 people were killed in the accident.

Identifying some victims was so difficult, according to government pathologist Tsungai Javangwe. However, all the 31 deceased were formally identified.

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HARARE - As the country’s economy continues to die, and cash shortages worsen, the debate on the need or otherwise for Zimbabwe to embrace the South African rand as the country’s anchor currency is gathering momentum.

This comes as the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) encouraged the government at the weekend to enact a law which will allow the prices of goods and services, including salaries, to be denominated in rands — as a way of promoting business competitiveness and the wider use of the South African currency.

“We are not calling for the dumping of the US dollar ... what we are saying is that we need to look at a framework that ensures the little hard currency that we may have is ring-fenced.

“Our argument is that when we adopt the rand, we cannot have an individual coming from say, Pakistan, searching for the rand.

“We can continue importing US dollars, but history has shown that that alone cannot be a sustainable solution to the problem,” CZI president, Busisa Moyo, said.

But some experts warned in interviews with the Daily News yesterday, that the calls by business to peg prices and salaries in rands were akin to trying to adopt the South African rand via the back door — and that this would not help Zimbabwe.

“The cash shortage is not about the currency, but more about the lack of production. As long as we are not producing enough, we will not get enough rands anyway.

“What we need is producing enough to sell outside Zimbabwe for us to get foreign currency. There is also the argument that the rand will not be attractive for people to come in here and take it outside like the United States dollar, but it is not like these people are coming in here and stealing it.

“They are being given the money in exchange for something,” economist Witness Chinyama told the Daily News.

Another economist, John Robertson, also said the proposals to have prices and salaries pegged in rand were misplaced, as the country desperately needed to instil confidence among investors.

“The cash shortage is because we are not earning money. What we need to fix is the lack of confidence in the country. That is what is causing externalisation, as people are taking out their money out of this country.

“So, what we are saying is, let’s fix the confidence issue instead of promoting a currency. The issue is, we can no longer make most of the things we used to make because of investors’ lack of confidence in this economy,” Robertson said.

“There has to be confidence by external banks that if they lend money to Zimbabwe, they will get it back. Right now that confidence is not there.

“If we say let’s go for the rand, it’s like saying let’s not fix the real problem, but see how we can cope with a different currency.

“We need to make money by working, and at the moment we are not working and we are not producing. We need to go back to producing goods that will be good enough for foreign markets,” Robertson added.

Despite authorities injecting more bond notes into the market and increasing their weekly importation of US dollars by 50 percent, the government continues to battle to stem the country’s severe cash shortages, which have seen desperate Zimbabweans besieging overstretched banks as they despairingly try to withdraw their money.

This also comes as banks are reporting a rising demand for cash despite the aggressive push by authorities to promote the use of plastic money and mobile platforms, as part of their measures to promote a cashless society.

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HARARE - The fight to control and succeed mysterious prophet Madzibaba Wimbo is hotting up, with police commissioner general Augustine Chihuri — who is a brother to the revered diviner — now being accused of playing “a negative role” in the deepening saga.

Wimbo — the head of the Mount Darwin-based Johane Masowe Vadzidzi Vajesu Church — is famed for having allegedly foretold 60 years ago that Zimbabwe would be led by a man with the name of an angel, Gabriel, with the prophecy allegedly coming to pass when President Robert Mugabe, whose middle name is Gabriel, rose to power in April 1980.

Speaking in an interview with the Daily News at the weekend, Wimbo’s spokesperson Shepherd Chingwena claimed that a nasty battle to succeed the seer was at the centre of the problems bedevilling their church — and not Zanu PF wars as was being alleged.

He also claimed that Chihuri was influencing some of Wimbo’s children to cause chaos at their father’s shrine, by falsely claiming that he was being kept there against his wish.

“The children want to take over the church and its properties, and so they have been fighting us as leaders appointed by their father to work with him, given his advanced age.

“We suspect that the commissioner general influences them because even when they engage in violent acts, including destroying our homes and property, they are not arrested,” Chingwena said.

“What surprises us further is that when they went to the police at one point, following a case of assault, the commissioner general dispatched a whole assistant commissioner, Chrispen Makedenge, to investigate.

“Is that normal? He did not want the district or the province to deal with the matter.

“Interestingly when one of Wimbo’s gun-totting son, a chief superintendent in the police, came here recently, purporting to want to see his father, but later became violent, no arrests were made and how do you explain that?” Chingwena asked.

He also insisted that “because of their (the children’s) conduct, the church had asked them to first seek permission (from the church) if they wished to see their father.

While Chihuri was not immediately available for a comment, Wimbo’s other son, Abinashen Gomo, dismissed Chingwena’s claims yesterday as “mischievous” and “meant to sow seeds of division in our family”.

“The commissioner general is in good books with his brother and has never at any point influenced us to be violent. That is why we have never been violent despite provocation from outsiders who want to stay with our father as if they do not have their own parents.

“He (Chihuri) might not be happy with what is happening, but he has never interfered with the church’s business,” Gomo said.

He also once again accused Chingwena, Ishmael Magodi, Zex Pamacheche and Edison Mukohwa — the so-called four church prefects — of having allegedly abducted Wimbo on June 29 last year, for the furtherance of the warring Zanu PF’s factional and succession interests.

Last week, the Daily News reported that there was gnashing of teeth among Zanu PF’s superstitious bigwigs who are engaged in a deadly dogfight to succeed Mugabe — after Wimbo was believed to have completely ruled out any of them taking over from the wily, but increasingly frail nonagenarian.

The famous prophet was then said to have prophesied that a new leader would emerge in Zimbabwe after next year’s eagerly-anticipated national elections — although this is now being disputed by some church members.

“He has made another prophesy that a new leader will emerge next year, but did not give names.

“However, he said the new leader is not among the current favourites who are engaged in Zanu PF’s succession battles, but is an outsider,” one of the sources at the secretive church said then.

Having correctly predicted Mugabe’s rise to the throne in 1957, Wimbo has emerged as an influential and much-sought-after cult figure in Zanu PF — with party bigwigs firmly of the belief that he will anoint the former liberation movement’s next leader.

“The prophet said the person who will next lead Zimbabwe will have a ‘foreign name’ and that there will be great suffering in the country for some months. He also predicted that the army will intervene in politics,” the source claimed further.

The Daily News has also recently reported that Mugabe’s spirited efforts to “rescue” Wimbo, who is said to have been “abducted” by one of Zanu PF’s factions, were dead in the water, with the prophet’s church also splitting into two due to ugly infighting linked to the ruling party’s deadly succession wars.

Tragically for Wimbo and his family, brawling Zanu PF factions have continued to fight each other viciously over the frail prophet, 95, in the seemingly vain hope that he will have a decisive influence over the ruling party’s toxic factional and succession wars.

At the same time, a number of Mugabe’s top securocrats — including army major general Douglas Nyikayaramba also stand accused of fuelling the sect’s divisions.

Narrating to the Daily News how desperate Zanu PF bigwigs were convinced that Wimbo knows the person who will succeed Mugabe, the prophet’s children said then that they had concluded that the government’s ministerial committee which the president set up last year to secure the cleric’s release from his “captors” had completely failed in its mandate.

“Since they came with a helicopter and landed at the shrine last year, and held meetings with the people there without even talking to us his children, grandchildren and wives, nothing has changed because our father is still there and we still can’t talk to him.

“We have since lost hope as they (Wimbo’s alleged abductors) have defied the president. It looks like even the president can’t do anything about it,” the despondent Gomo said then.

“Now what has happened is that the church has all but split into two, with us and other church members in the village and surrounding areas congregating at home, while they (the other group) do their service at his shrine, with both camps pledging allegiance to Mudzidzi’s (Wimbo) leadership,” he added.

In July last year, Mugabe was forced to intervene in the dispute, including holding a lengthy meeting in Bindura with Wimbo’s family and his security chiefs, in a desperate bid to get to the bottom of, and to resolve the long-running “abduction” saga of the popular prophet.

Mugabe subsequently set up a ministerial committee headed by State Security minister Kembo Mohadi, to try and break the impasse over Wimbo, and to investigate the claims of thuggery by the soldiers at the shrine.

The ministerial team also included the ministers of Defence and Home Affairs, Sydney Sekeramayi and Ignatius Chombo, respectively.

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HARARE - Gallery Delta will host an exhibition of paintings, graphics and three-dimensional object sculptures by young and promising artists on Wednesday.

The exhibition dubbed — Link III: Different Viewpoints Exhibition — will showcase works by Epheas Maposa, Kresiah Mkwazhi, Option Nyahunzvi, Evans Tinashe and Johnson Zuze whose masterpiece “The Dog and the Bone” landed on the 2015 National Arts Merit Awards (Nama) Outstanding Mixed Media category.

The exhibition, to be officially opened by the ambassador of Switzerland to Zimbabwe, Ruth Huber, will run until mid-June.

Last year’s edition of the exhibition featured works by Misheck Masamvu, Shepherd Mahufe,  Lovemore Kambudzi and  Munyaradzi Mugorosa.

Gallery Delta, which was established in 1975, is one of the few remaining art galleries in the country promoting on a big scale contemporary painting, graphics, ceramics and mixed media sculpture.

In the last two decades, the gallery has uncovered talented artists such as the late Luis Meque, Richard Mudariki who is now settled and exhibiting in Cape Town, Masamvu who has exhibited at Goodman Gallery in Johannesburg, Cape Town and at the Sao Paulo Biennale,Virginia Chihota who is exhibiting in London and Gareth Nyandoro, winner of the “Emerging Voices” competition sponsored by the Oppenheimer Foundation.

Despite the success it has registered over the years, it is currently facing serious viability challenges due to declining sales.

In a previous interview, Gallery Delta founder Derreck Huggins told the Daily News that it could be shut down unless it received some aid.

“Gallery Delta is suffering a paucity of sales in the midst of the economic crisis and the new era of bond notes. This is so much so that closure at the beginning of the new year looms ominously unless patronage, sponsorship, donations or benefaction of approximately $50 000 per annum can be found.

“After 42 years of operation, this is a sad reflection of the state-of-the-nation and the economy and bodes severely for art and the arts. If anyone is willing and able to contribute to the continuation of Gallery Delta and its work and exhibition programme for 2017 they can be provided with banking details or make cash donations,” he said then.

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HARARE - As the 2018 watershed elections loom in the country, public broadcaster Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) which enjoys a monopoly on the local airwaves has come under the spotlight as opposition political parties fight for the space currently dominated by the ruling Zanu PF.

Media practitioners, election and political observers interviewed by the Daily News are adamant that the ZBC’s television and radio stations — like they did in previous elections — will not cover opposition political parties’ campaign activities.

They don’t foresee ZBC changing its biased editorial stance in support of the Zanu PF government.

But could it be possible that ZBC might reform ahead of the 2018 elections?

Misa-Zimbabwe national director Nhlanhla Ngwenya said his answer is that it can only be possible if Zimbabweans take ownership of the broadcaster by demanding its freedom from Zanu PF.

“But there seems to be fatigue if not acceptance of the abnormal as normal, just like Zimbabweans do as a copying mechanism.

“Demands for the broadcaster to be independent from the political clutches are in line with the country’s Constitution and regional protocols on freedom of expression. Even the Sadc guidelines on elections place obligations on the public media to act as such.

“In short, I am saying there is enough legislative backup for Zimbabweans to reclaim ZBC and make it a true public broadcaster.”

Ngwenya said Zimbabweans needed to attach a cost to ZBC’s continued violation of its public service mandate and break the culture of impunity where public institutions completely disregard their public service mandate knowing fully well their actions will not attract any consequences.

“This therefore means Zimbabweans should ensure relevant oversight bodies and authorities such as human rights, and elections commissions act on ZBC and its handlers’ abdication of duty.

“Sadly, the opposition that tends to mourn their exclusion during elections has not and is not doing enough to ensure the situation is addressed. Their lackadaisical approach on this matter reflects their insipid media policy agenda.”

Voluntary Media council of Zimbabwe director Loughty Dube said: “The framework to reform ZBC lies with the broad framework to transform all media, the first start will be for reforms to start at re-constituting the Zimbabwe Mass Media Trust (ZMMT) and allow the trust to appoint ZBC boards so that they are not directly under a minister who is a political party functionary.

“ZMMT as representing the public should be accountable to Parliament and not an individual politician. Continued political interference with the editorial independence of the State-controlled ZBC, is largely due to the influence of the minister.

“The next process will be to totally transform ZBC from being a State broadcaster into a truly public broadcaster,” said Dube.

Election Resource Centre director Tawanda Chimhini said the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) has a role to play in ensuring that the state/public media provides balanced reporting of all contesting political parties simply on the basis of the Constitution which says Zec must conduct free and fair elections.

“In fulfilment of this constitutional obligation, Zec must take all necessary measures to ensure fairness, including compelling the public media to operate professionally.

“Not doing so and proceeding with an election where the public broadcaster conducts itself in a clearly biased and partisan manner would be facilitating a potentially unconstitutional election.”

Chimhini said regulatory measures can be used compel the media to report in a balanced, ethical manner and it is within Zec’s mandate to draft such regulations and include penalties in the event of non-compliance.

“All media, public and private, must never operate beyond the limitations of ethics and principles. As such, Zimbabwe is now in the pre-election phase of the electoral cycle.

“The conduct of the media must already be under scrutiny by the election management body. Waiting to conduct such scrutiny and to regulate the media when an election date has been announced falls short of what is expected to influence a credible electoral process. Emphasis to regulate the media in elections must include balance, editorial independence, provision of information and accuracy,” said Chimhini.

Media practitioner Koliwe Nyoni said demanding reforms at ZBC means a number of things.

“Firstly, we need to secure the editorial independence of the public broadcaster. This is not easily achievable given that the current government seems to have a ‘grip’ on State media and this is even more visible now with the infighting within the ruling party.

“It is not a secret that there is political interference that has in the past seen the public broadcaster blacking out on critical coverage such as that of opposition parties during elections. In July, ZBC blacked out on the nationwide stay away and it emerged that the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe had allegedly issued a warning to all broadcasters on its coverage.”

Nyoni said there is need for the law to define the editorial independence of ZBC which is guaranteed in terms of Section 61 of the Constitution.

“Secondly, and very critical at this moment, is that following the 2015 KPMG audit report we have not seen much movement on the recommendations on corporate, functional and operational levels at the public broadcaster.

“The audit was clear that restructuring was necessary in view of the migration from analogue to digital television broadcasting in the country. Despite the fact that there has been near silence on recommendations and little improvement on the quality of productions, government wants to award the broadcaster five more television channels.

“Reforming within this context involves increasing the capacity of ZBC by dealing with accountability by an independent board with a public interest, avoiding reporting and programming in regard to religion, political belief, culture and race.”

Veteran broadcaster John Masuku said: “Chances of the ZBC radio and television giving more positive coverage to opposition parties are very slim. Nothing indicates that such will happen.

“Political parties should fully utilise alternative platforms like ChannelZim which carry programmes from VOA Studio 7, Radio VOP, Radio Dialogue and CORAH among others.

“They should also continue to demand to be heard on public radio and cite relevant broadcast legislation regarding why ZBC should not be a State controlled broadcaster but a public entity that benefits all tax payers.”

Masuku added that the media should also expose private stations that are not impartial as well. “Media advocacy groups like Misa and VMCZ should issue widely circulated alerts about any flouting of best broadcasting practice.”

Southern Africa director at Human Rights Watch Dewa Mavhinga said: “There are very slim chances for ZBC to reform ahead of 2018 elections because they follow directives from an extremely partisan Zanu PF government that actively promotes biased coverage which favours them. Reform is likely under a new administration.”

Media practitioner Rashweat Mukundu said: “I don’t foresee ZBC changing its biased editorial stance in support of the Zanu PF government. If anything at all we will see a continuation of the denigration, hate messaging of opposition parties reminiscence of the past.

“Zec could work with media to develop a code of conduct that enhances professionalism in coverage of elections and that media should adhere to. Otherwise outside this there is no way that ZBC can be forced to be professional.”

Mukundu said past court challenges on ZBC bias have failed, and this calls for a review of laws governing the ZBC to make it a public broadcaster.

“The editorial policies are not the making of staff at ZBC but political directives from Munhumutapa building and the staff either has to comply or be fired. It is the political interference that needs redress.”

Media practitioner Faith Ndlovu said elections are the centrepiece of democracy and political party campaign coverage is crucial because of its power to empower the electorate.

“The media therefore, particularly the public media, indeed have a duty to report on elections and contesting parties in a fair, balanced, accurate, transparent and equitable manner as reflected in the media code of conduct and guidelines such as the Sadc Guidelines Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections.

“While past performance by the ZBC in covering previous elections has been a cause for concern, I hope that the relevant authorities recognise and respect local and regional instruments that Zimbabwe is signatory to on credible and professional media election coverage.”

Ndlovu added that it is therefore imperative for political parties alongside relevant media professional bodies and even regional bodies to continue calling for, and putting pressure on the relevant authorities for the non-partisan coverage of electoral processes.

Information for Development Trust national cordinator Tawanda Majoni said there is no chance that ZBC will shift away from its traditional pro-Zanu PF, anti-opposition stance without being forced.

“As part of the official media, it will always structure its content and approaches to favour the sitting government. That has always been the case, even prior to independence. Attempts have been made by the political opposition and civil society since 2000 to compel the broadcaster to be non-partisan, balanced and objective, but that has been falling flat.

Majoni said the Sadc guidelines on elections prohibit partisanship, and so do global best practices on elections. “Strong advocacy must be built around this and a non-partisan ZBC must be among the key demands for free and fair elections, outside which the opposition must just boycott the polls.

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HARARE - South Africa-based gospel artiste Martha Shonhiwa says relocating to South Africa to pursue her music career is turning out to be an inspired decision.

Shonhiwa, who is currently in Zimbabwe to promote her second album titled Grace, is increasingly getting more recognition on the local gospel music scene.

“Since I came back from South Africa to market my second album during Easter time, I have managed to hold several successful shows.

“I held shows at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC), Mufakose, Epworth and Chitungwiza,” said the upcoming songstress.

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She added that she has lined several high-profile shows.

“On May 25, I will share the stage with Togarepi Toggy Chivaviro at Anglican Cathedral and on June 3, I will perform alongside Sabastian Magacha, Leonard Zhakata and Tatenda Mahachi,” Shonhiwa told the Daily News.

Shonhiwa began her singing career in church before she became a vocalist for Chakanetsa Bandimba, whose song Jesu Dombo enjoyed extensive airplay on local radio stations.

“I started off singing in the Family of God Church, and since then I have never looked back. Back then, I was inspired by Family Singers, a group that was from our church. I relocated to South Africa largely because I was inspired by Rebecca Malope,” she said.

Shonhiwa recorded her debut album Ndauya Kuzomutenda in 2011 before dropping her second in March this year.

The second album carries nine songs, Mighty God, Ebenezzer, My Life, Makanaka Jesu, All the Glory, Rapha, Reach Out, Ngobekezela and Alpha and Omega.

On the just-released album Shonhiwa adopted the beat popularised by South African music star Dan Tshanda and Matshikos.

“It (the album) is inspired by my life experience, including what I went through when I recorded the album. It was not an easy journey because I lost my producer Lucky Lekuka before we finished recording the album.

“The album also speaks on how God has been faithful to my life, my family and everything,” she said.

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HARARE - Businessman Nicholas Vingirai has demanded $2,7 million from ZB Financial Holdings (ZBFH) in accruing dividends for the past 11 years.

In a letter written to ZBFH company secretary Charles Kathemba, Vingirai — who was ousted from the financial services group’s board at a tension-filled annual general meeting on Friday — said his investment firm Transnational Holdings Limited (THL) was being prejudiced by the listed group.

“ZBFH has caused Intermarket Holdings Limited (IHL) (where THL has a 16 percent stake) or its subsidiaries to pay excessive and baseless remuneration which payments we contend are, in fact, de facto dividends exclusively paid to ZBFH,” he said in the May 10 missive.

“The de facto dividends paid over the years amount to about $13,4 million of which THL’s share should have been about $2,55 million, subject to verification,” Vingirai added.

This was after the veteran banker was last year given a 19,7 percent shareholding in ZBFH by the government as compensation for the loss of IHL more than a decade ago.

Vingirai’s IHL was bought by ZBFH, with the transaction concluded in 2006. This was after the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe had bailed out IHL’s subsidiaries and later converted the debt into equity under a High Court scheme of arrangement.

The banker was alleged to have fled the country, with the central bank accusing him of externalisation at the height of former central bank chief, Gideon Gono’s crusade to weed the sector of “errant bankers”

Since then, Vingirai had been fighting to reclaim his lost assets. His battle to reclaim the shares intensified after externalisation charges against him were lifted in 2013, bringing to an end one of the longest corporate fights since independence.

Vingirai said ZBFH has caused IHL to pay dividends at the exclusion of THL. He added that his company should have been paid $168 332 out of the total $883 743 paid to the financial services group between 2012 and 2016.

“ZBFH has over the years diverted business from ZB Building Society to ZB bank thereby prejudicing IHL minority shareholders of potential dividends. In the same manner ZBFH also diverted business from Intermarket Banking Corporation Limited with the same prejudicing effect.

“The payments and business unfairly extracted by ZBFH from IHL or its subsidiaries have had the net effect of systematically decimating IHL while at the same time starving THL of dividends,” he added.

Meanwhile, Vingirai’s return to the Zimbabwean banking industry was cut short by shareholders who voted him out of the ZBFH board.

On the day, the banker was also ordered to pay back the $$658 699 dividend that was paid to his investment firm by ZBFH last year.

This was after the National Social Security Authority (Nssa), the majority shareholder in ZBFH with a 37,79 percent stake, had argued that the company erred in paying the dividend to THL after it had already paid the dividend to government.

To compound his woes, Vingirai’s plans to increase his shareholding in ZBFH to 26 percent — as per initial agreement with government — also hit a brickwall after it was rejected by shareholders.

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HARARE - Hollywood-based Zimbabwean actress Sibongile “Sibo” Mlambo starred in the movie, Message From the King that was released last week.

Sibo, who hogged the limelight last year when she was picked as the lead actress in Universal Pictures’ third sequel of Honey, played the role of Bianca who “disappears” after she moves to Los Angeles.

Her brother, South African Jacob King, played by Chadwick Boseman, who will feature in Black Panther alongside Zimbabwean star Danai Gurira, moves to Los Angeles desperate to find Bianca and establish what happened to her.

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Message from the King, which is Belgian Fabrice Du Welz’s first English-language feature, also featured top actors like Luke Evans, Teresa Palmer and Alfred Molina

Sibo, who is currently in Canada on a Netflix assignment, is hopeful her role in Message From the King will take her acting career a notch up.

“Message From the King was the first movie I worked on in Los Angeles and that was two years ago in 2015.

“I was in a new environment and I was nervous but excited. I hope it does take my career to the next level,” she told the Daily News.

Interestingly, when she joined the Message From the King set in 2015, Sibo didn’t realise that Boseman — her brother in the movie — was an actor on the rise.

“I hadn’t worked with Boseman before and I didn’t know who he was. He had just been announced as Black Panther and I didn’t know how big a deal that was either. To me he was a polite, talented actor,” she said.

Though she enjoyed being Bianca in Message From the King, Sibo is not convinced that it is her best role to date.

“I think it would be my role on Teen Wolf (a forthcoming MTV series) which completely surprised me and became my dream role. It just hasn’t come out yet so I can’t say if it was my best role to date but I did thoroughly enjoy it,” the rising Hollywood actress explained.

Apart from Teen Wolf, Sibo will also be part of an upcoming crime thriller called Under the Silver Lake and forthcoming anthology thriller titled Dark/Web.

Sibo, who has featured in movies such as Black Sails and Last Face, harbours big dreams.

“In the next five years I will be producing shows for television and have a leading role on a show which means I will be loaded and travelling around the world,” she boldly predicted.

The success that is coming thick and fast to her in Hollywood appears not to have made her forget her roots.

“I am Ndau and come from Mt. Selinda in Chipinge. I am from a family which is very rooted in the arts.

“I have a twin brother called Bongani who is an extremely talented cinematographer and one of my older sisters, Nomsa, was Tamari in the 1995 Zimbabwean  movie Everyone’s Child and my other sister, Busi, was Miss Zim-USA,” Sibo said.

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HARARE - After a bruising and intense battle with the Matabeleland Warriors forwards on Saturday, Old Georgians prop David Makanda praised the vanquished Bulawayo side for a spirited performance.

The Dragons emerged with a hard-fought 26-0 victory over the Bulawayo-based side at Police Grounds to go top of the Intercity Rugby League table.

OGs huffed and puffed in the first half but they could not find a way past the Mat Warriors defence.

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In the end, OGs finally scored four unanswered tries in the second half through wing Stephan Hunduza, Makanda and hooker Graham Cochrane.

It was clear the visitors had begun to run out of fuel in the tank when Grant Mitchell’s side began to punch holes in their defence.         

Makanda admitted that they won the match due to their superior conditioning which meant they continued to press on despite the frustrating first 40 minutes.

“These guys were well prepared; they had a plan and they came at us. As you could see; in the first half we were defending all day and in there second half, here and there, they let us go in and we ended up with the win,” Makanda said of the victory.

“They had us but we wanted it more. I’m sure we work harder than them; I’m not saying they don’t train but since we once played in the Gold Cup and we are aiming to go there again, we were on a bit higher level than them.

“Personally, I do not want to lose because for me losing is not an option. I said to the guys ‘Let’s take it to them. Heads up; this is a game of rugby. It’s a game of 80 minutes and the best team always wins’.”

The former Old Hararians front rower is already having a memorable season with his new side.

Saturday’s five pointer was the tighthead’s fourth of the season and the prop is excited by how he is getting on the score sheet regularly.  

“For a prop to score four tries in four games only this season is a good achievement. Some other clubs can go for a whole season without scoring a try,” he said.

“This season, I’m working hard and I think I’m one of the best mobile props in Zim at the moment.”

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HARARE - The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has turned down CAPS United’s request to shift their match against Algerian side USM Alger to Africa Day.

The Green Machine are scheduled to host USM Alger next week on Wednesday in their second Group B match of the African Champions League.

Makepekepe intended to play the match on Africa Day in order to attract a huge crowd since it will be a public holiday.  

However, the request was turned down in a letter which was written to the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa), who had sent the application on behalf of the Green Machine.

Lloyd Chitembwe’s charges got off their campaign in the Africa Champions League to a false start losing 2-0 to Egyptian giants Zamalek, in Alexandria last Friday.

The reigning league champions had done well to keep the White Knights at bay but were finally undone by two second half headers from Bassem Morsi and substitute Stanley Ohawuchi.

That scenario has left the Green Machine with a must win scenario in their next game against USM Alger to keep their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages alive.

But before they could think of their second Group B match against the Algerians, CAPS have a date against ZPC Kariba in the local Premiership this Thursday.

After Thursday’s match in Kariba, the Green Machine travel to Bulawayo to face Chicken Inn before their clash against USM Alger on Wednesday next week.

CAPS coach Chitembwe is not happy with how the domestic fixture has been structured as it disadvantages them in the fronts they are fighting from.

“Imagine, we are going to play four games in a space of 14 days, it’s not practical; it’s illogical and we begin to wonder if people are really making football decisions but all the same we will just have to manage the situation and continue,” Chitembwe said.

“I think it’s a problem that we have as a nation, instead of incentivising a team that is representing the nation, people still want to find ways to punish that team.

“We begin to wonder, if it is about football or there are other issues involved.

“Because if it’s about football, it is really the wrong way of doing it because in as far as I am concerned you should also look at the health of the players.”

Makepekepe will, however, be hoping that the Premier Soccer League suspends their clash against Chicken Inn to afford them enough time to prepare for their game against Alger.

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HARARE - Highlanders face Premier Soccer League (PSL) sanctions after they were summoned for a disciplinary hearing following their fans’ behaviour during Sunday’s abandoned game against Dynamos at Barbourfields Stadium.

The Bulawayo giants are set to appear before the PSL’s Disciplinary Committee next Tuesday facing charges of breaching the rules and regulations of the game.

Bosso fans threw missiles onto the pitch protesting the Dynamos equaliser scored by Cameroonian forward Christian Ntouba three minutes before the break.

The home side had taken the lead after 24 minutes through a wonderful strike by captain Rahman Kutsanzira.

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Highlanders’ fans were not happy with the decision by referee Munyaradzi Majoni and assistant referee Thomas Kusosa to allow Ntouba’s strike to stand.

The gulf in class and understating between local football fans with the rest of the world came to the fore.

In the English Premier League match between Manchester City and Leicester City at the Etihad Stadium was also overshadowed by high profile refereeing decisions.

However, the Foxes players vehemently protested the decision while their fans took it on the chin without taking the law into their own hands.

Just a few hours after the fiasco at Barbourfields, there was another hotly contested refereeing decision during Spanish Primera Division match between Real Madrid and Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Following a foul on Real’s Alvaro Morata, defender Nacho scored with a quick free kick with the entire Sevilla players off guard.

It was a controversial goal but Sevilla players and fans showed tremendous maturity as they allowed the game to go ahead without any major incidents that could draw the wrath of the La Liga officials.

The ugly scenes at Barbourfields have caused the PSL to call out the behaviour of the Bosso fans while also summoning their club.

“The PSL does not condone acts of violence and hooliganism in football and urges club leaders to capacitate their security officials and educate their fans so as to eradicate violence from our football,” PSL spokesperson Kudzai Bare said in a statement yesterday.

“The PSL has summoned Highlanders to appear before the PSL Disciplinary Committee following incidents of hooliganism that occurred at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday May 14, 2017 at a Castle Lager PSL match against Dynamos resulting in the abandonment of the match.

“Highlanders have been charged for breaching the Premier Soccer League Rules and Regulations.”

The PSL apologised to all their stakeholders and sponsors for the barbaric incidents broadcasted throughout the continent.

“We would like to apologise to all our stakeholders and fans for the unfortunate incident that happened at Barbourfields Stadium. We appeal to all football-loving fans to desist from violence and assist in identifying the perpetrators of hooliganism,” Bare said.

Meanwhile, the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) has also castigated the behaviour of the Highlanders fans.

SRC acting director-general Joseph Muchechetere said: “The SRC has learnt of the disturbances that took place at Barbourfields Stadium during the league match pitting Dynamos and Highlanders and this led to the abandonment.

“This is unacceptable in sport and more precisely football. Football is supposed to be a family sport and hence violence has no space in the world’s most beautiful game.

“While the facts are still scant, we want to place it on record that violence at football matches or any other sport cannot be tolerated as this negates the values and ethos of sport which promote friendship among other values.”

Muchechetere also urged the football authorities to get to the bottom of the issue while advising fans to restrain from violence.

“We would like to implore Zifa and PSL to get to the bottom of this unfortunate incident and take decisive action against those found on the wrong side of law,” he said.

“This behaviour scares away sponsors and would-be sponsors and as the leader of the sport sector we cannot fold our arms and watch in akimbo while hooliganism rears its ugly head. We shall be engaging both Zifa and PSL with a view to finding a lasting solution to the serious challenge which is threatening our sport.

“We would like to encourage football fans to restrain themselves and respect the decision of the referees since the clubs have a way of seeking recourse if they feel aggrieved.

“Fans should not take the law into their hands, instead they should allow for the due process to take effect.”

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HARARE - The first ever European Union (EU) Film Festival in Zimbabwe begins tonight at The Theatre in the Park in Harare.

Organised by the EU in partnership with 11 of its member States, the inaugural film festival, which will run until May 20, will screen an assortment of acclaimed films from across Europe.

The festival will kick off with Almanya, the German award-winning tragicomedy that questions the sense of identity and belonging of Turkish immigrants and their descendants.

The film reflects on the most pressing issues in current Europe: migration and integration. Throughout the five days of the festival, a minimum of two films will be screened every evening.

Among other films, movie lovers can also look forward to the inspirational movie Eddie The Eagle, presented by the British Council on May 19.

Inspired by true events, Eddie the Eagle — directed by Dexter Fletcher — is a feel-good story about Michael “Eddie” Edwards (Taron Egerton), an unlikely but courageous British ski-jumper who never stopped believing in himself — even as an entire nation was counting him out.

With the help of a rebellious and charismatic coach (played by Hugh Jackman), Eddie takes on the establishment and wins the hearts of sports fans around the world by making an improbable and historic showing at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. Eddie the Eagle stars Taron Egerton as Eddie, the lovable underdog with a never say die attitude.

According to a statement by EU Delegation to Zimbabwe, the film festival will present film enthusiasts with vivid pictures of Europe’s societies in their all-encompassing facets and cultures, a wide scope of stories that engage and pay tribute to the common traits of human nature.

“The diversity in narrative will take you from the sweeping streets of Rome, via excursions into Bolivia, New York and Turkey right into the quaint confines of an apartment in Prague and a depressing hotel room in Romania in the 1980s.

“You will meet illustrious and lovable (or less lovable) characters, such as Eddie the Eagle, little Finn who just lost his mother, control freak Erika, and money thief David, who tries to start a new life on the Azores. 11 screenings —spread out across five days — provide more than 1 000 minutes of entertainment and food for thought,” read part of the statement.

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HARARE - Mbende-Jerusarema dance group, Goromonzi Arts emerged victorious in the Chibuku Neshamwari Traditional Dance Festival Mashonaland East finals held in Murewa on Saturday.

For coming first the Goromonzi-based group walked away with $300 in addition to qualifying for the national finals to be hosted by Bulawayo on August 5.

Murewa-based cultural groups, Zevezeve and Makarekare, who are also into Jerusarema-mbende, came home second and third respectively. Zevezeve pocketed $200 with Makarekare going back home $150 richer.

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Other groups which participated in the Mashonaland East provincial contest were Svinurai (Mutoko) which showcased jiti, Murewa Prison and Shingirirai Jerusarema from the host district who performed Jerusarema and another Murehwa-based group called Dandemutande which who performed Chidzimba.

Zimbabwe National Traditional Dance Association president Kennedy Kachuruka was happy with the way the Mashonaland East provincial finals panned out.

“Other groups failed to make it to the event due to logistical challenges but the event went well and according to plan,” said Kachuruka.

On May 27, Mashonaland Central Province will host its provincial finals in Glendale at Club 007.

“We are not having the Chibuku Neshamwari this Saturday to pave way for the Culture Week celebrations,” Kachuruka said.

The Chibuku Neshamwari Traditional Dance Festival, which has been running since 1963, is a tripartite partnership involving the Zimbabwe National Traditional Dance Association, the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe and Delta Beverages.

According to an advertisement placed in the media by Delta Beverages recently, the winners of the national finals will pocket $7 000 with position number two winning $5 000 while the third-placed one will take home $3 000. Last year, the competition, held at White City Stadium in Bulawayo, was won by three-time winners of the contest, Redwing Beni Arinoti, from Manicaland. The 18-member Penhalonga-based dance group, which won the same competition in 1996 and 2007, took the first prize of $7 000 with Bulawayo’s Sekunjalo MaAfrica pocketing $5 000 after claiming second position.

Harare-based Maramuro Agure landed third position and $3 000 in prize money. Last year’s national contest was dominated by Nyau, Chimtali and Beni Arinoti dance groups which contributed eight of the 10 contestants. The only exceptions were Bulawayo’s Sekunjalo MaAfrica who showcased Umzansi dance and Dzimbabwe T. D from Masvingo who performed Majukwa. Jerusarema Mbende dance, that was proclaimed a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage for Humanity by Unesco in 2005, was conspicuous by its absence at the 2016 Chibuku Neshamwari Traditional Dance Festival finals.

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HARARE - State-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) is currently paying an average of $5 000 per month to liquidate its legacy debt which stood at $478 080 as at April 31, Broadcasting Services deputy minister Thokozile Mathuthu has said.

Mathuthu told the Senate last week that the monthly payments were part of an agreement between the national broadcaster and Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (Zimura) which collects royalties on behalf of musicians.

“It is true that ZBC has a legacy debt with regard to the payment of royalties, which it is currently trying to settle.

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“Please note that in some months, the national broadcaster pays up to $10 000 as it is committed to ending the debt,” she said.

If the current payment plan is maintained, the national broadcaster will take up to eight years to clear royalty arrears.

Mathuthu added that Zimura and ZBC had also agreed to revise downwards the percentage of the revenue payable to musicians.

“In a meeting held in 2016 between ZBC and Zimura, it was agreed that the national broadcaster should pay off the legacy debt first and then a new agreement for the payment of royalties will be drawn up.

“It was also agreed that the royalties rate of 10 percent of revenue which was agreed upon during the Zimbabwe dollar era was too high, unrealistic under the US$ regime and not in tandem with regional trends.

“The agreed new royalties rate is 2,25 percent of revenue and this will be implemented once the legacy debt has been run down. The new rate is in the range of what other regional broadcasters are paying,” she said.

In a related development, the Broadcasting Services deputy minister described the country’s digitisation programme as “on-going.”

“ZBC is currently in the process of digitising the radio studios . . . replacing analogue equipment with digital equipment.

“It is work in progress whose completion can only be determined by the availability of funding to finish the project,” Mathuthu said.

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HARARE - Zimbabwe's annual inflation rate accelerated to 0,48 percent in April this year from 0,21 percent in March, the national statistics agency said yesterday.

But analysts said the increase had more to do with pricing vagaries than increased economic activity as food prices has been increasing for the past few months as a result of foreign currency shortages.

This has resulted in most businesses resorting to the black market where they pay a premium of up to 10 percent to get the scarce United States dollars. The premium is then passed to the final consumer, which increases the general price level.

The month-on-month inflation rate in April 2017 was 0,05 percent gaining 0,02 percentage points on the March 2017 rate of 0,03 percent.

The year-on-year food and non-alcoholic beverages inflation prone to transitory shocks stood at 1,35 percent whilst the nonfood inflation rate was 0,08 percent.

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HARARE - Zimbabwe is set to refurbish most of its major highways and local roads in an effort to reduce traffic accidents, Transport minister Joram Gumbo (pictured)  has said.

The country requires at least $2,2 billion to rehabilitate the national road network comprising approximately 17 000 kilometres of tarred roads and 71 000 kilometres of gravel roads.

Gumbo said Zimbabwe’s entire road network has outlived its 20-year life span hence the need for major refurbishments.

“We shall always continue to prioritise road safety as evidenced by the completion of the rehabilitation of the Plumtree-Harare-Nyamapanda highway. Unfortunately, this same highway recorded the highest number of fatalities last year due to speeding,” he told delegates attending the commemoration of the Global Road Safety Week in Harare recently.

Gumbo also indicated that the dualisation of the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge Road was “set to be rolled out in a couple of days’ time”.

This comes as the southern African country is experiencing increased traffic accidents due to a rise in motor vehicle population, poor road infrastructure and speeding.

Gumbo said although most of the accidents in Zimbabwe could be avoided, 27 percent of the 38 620 road crashes recorded last year were attributable to speeding.

“The problems of both excessive and inappropriate speed are prevalent on Zimbabwe’s roads. Excessive speed is when a vehicle exceeds the posted speed limit for a particular road. This is illegal.

“On the other hand, inappropriate speed is when a vehicle travels at a speed that is unsuitable for the prevailing road, weather, and traffic conditions but within the speed limit. This is unsafe,” he added.

Speeding has been identified internationally as one of the major causes of the road traffic injury problem. It is the highest contributing factor in the gravity of all road traffic crashes and results in the preventable loss of a life and a limb.

According to research on the causes of road traffic injury, speed contributes to around one-third of all fatal road traffic crashes in high-income countries and up to 50 percent in low-and middle-income countries.

In the United Kingdom, speed is reported to be responsible for 28 percent of all fatal road crashes. Meanwhile, infrastructure experts said while it was desirable for the government to refurbish the country’s road network systems, Zimbabwe’s present economic conditions cannot support a project of that magnitude running into billions of dollars.

“Public-private partnerships road sub-sector projects in Zimbabwe at the present time are inhibited by the low volume of traffic, even on the major highway like the Harare-Beitbridge Road, whose average traffic is around 1 000 vehicles per day, making the roads unviable on a self-financing basis, although they may be economically viable,” said an expert who preferred anonymity.

Funding for roads should normally come from the national fiscus, but because of the economic difficulties experienced by Zimbabwe and with limited funding from multilateral financial institutions and bilateral foreign donors, funding for capital projects has been very limited in the past two decades.

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HARARE - The family of an 11-year-old girl killed in a police chase of a commuter omnibus have spoken of their “strong disappointment” after the driver walked free from court.

Farasi Masawi on October 24 last year around 5am proceeded through a red traffic light at the intersection of Cork Road and King George in Harare and hit a Toyota Ipsum before the vehicle rolled on the tarmac thrice, killing the girl.

The driver picked passengers and as he approached the intersection of Aberdeen and King George Road, and a police vehicle parked on the right side of the road started giving chase.

Masawi did not slow down and exercise caution but instead increased speed.

The police officers then turned their flash lights on and sounded their siren as they followed.

At the traffic lights-controlled intersection at Avondale shops, the commuter omnibus stopped because the lights were red but immediately drove off when the driver realised that one of the police officers had disembarked from his vehicle and was coming after him.

Witness who testified in court said they did not recall events leading to the accident but later realised the girl was injured and unconscious.

At a hearing at the Harare Magistrates’ Court 5 on May 5,  the driver pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving.

Magistrate Ruramai Chitumbura  sentenced him to five years in prison, wholly suspended, banned him from driving for two years and ordered him to carry out 420 hours of unpaid work.

The mother of the 11-year-old girl who was killed wept uncontrollably when the kombi driver escaped jail.

The court’s orderly had to accompany the woman outside the courtroom.

Sam Makaripe, the father of the deceased minor child, wrote a damning letter to the area public prosecutor Jonathan Murombedzi, Harare provincial magistrate Elisha Singano and chief magistrate Mishrod Guvamombe’s offices expressing displeasure at the sentence.

“ . . . as the guardian of the minor child who died at the hands of the convicted person, I find the judgment deplorable,” the letter said.

“The accused person was negligent in the way he drove and did not qualify to drive a public service vehicle.

“I am deeply saddened by the court’s decision and it does not at all balance my needs for justice.

“I feel I should speak on behalf of the other individuals who lost their loved one in the accident that such a judgment is unfair and unreasonable and carries the message that commuter omnibus drivers can get away with killing people.”

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HARARE - A Zimbabwean woman, Beauty Mutashu — who was busted at Harare International Airport hiding 3,8kg of cocaine in her luggage — was yesterday denied bail after the court noted she was a flight risk.

If convicted, she faces up to 15 years in jail.

The 32-year-old, who confessed to being a sex worker, appeared before Harare magistrate Barbra Chimboza charged with possessing cocaine.

She told the court that she was sent by a lady, she referred to as Mildred, to collect the bag in Brazil, unaware that there was cocaine in the luggage.

Chimboza queried why the alleged Mildred had to send Mutashu all the way to Brazil to collect a single bag on her behalf.

Prosecutor Sabastian Mutizirwa said the State had overwhelming evidence against Mutashu because she had been caught red-handed in possession of the cocaine.

“It is not in the best interests of justice to grant bail where there is overwhelming evidence against an accused person. The fact that she was actually caught in possession of the cocaine tears away the presumption of innocence, leaving the accused person exposed,” Mutizirwa said.

“ . . . the cocaine was quite a substantial amount of 3,8kg and clearly shows that it was for dealing, hence the accused person is motivated to flee from trial. The court should also not lose sight of the fact that accused person is of no fixed abode”.

Mutashu then tendered a Waterfalls address in response to Mutizirwa’s submission that she had no known place of residence.

“The accused person must not mislead the court with the address she just tendered. Investigating officers found that her last residence in Zimbabwe was at a lodge and before that she also resided at a lodge in South Africa,” responded Mutizirwa.

However, Mutashu told the court that she had lived at the lodges while performing commercial sex work but her family and property was in Waterfalls, Harare.

Mutizirwa alleged that on May 12 this year, detectives from Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Drugs and Narcotics stationed at Harare International Airport were tipped that Mutashu was coming from Brazil abode an Emirates flight.

It was alleged that when the plane landed, Mutashu proceeded to the Immigration Hall for clearance before tendering her Zimbabwean passport number BN816287 to an immigration officer who immediately identified her and directed her to the detectives for monitoring.

The court heard that she was carrying two bags which were searched in her presence and 11 new shirts each wrapping a silver rectangle aluminium foil containing suspected cocaine were recovered in her bag.

It was alleged that the shirts were packed among several other clothing

The recovered cocaine’s recorded weight was 3,8kg with a value of $304 000.

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HARARE - Government has scrapped duty on the importation of locomotive spares in a bid to revive the cash-strapped National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ).

This comes as government recently waived import duty on air craft spares, a development which indicates that government may be moving to resuscitate moribund parastatals, including national airline  Air Zimbabwe.

NRZ is currently saddled by a $176 million debt.

The troubled parastatal has asked government to develop strategies to deal with the debt.

A Government Gazette published on Friday stated that Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa has in terms of Section 235 of the Customs and Excise Act rescinded duty on engine spares and components for NRZ.

“Subject to this section and to such conditions as the (Zimra tax agency) commissioner-general may fix, a rebate of duty (with effect from 1st January 2017 to 31 December 2017), be granted on engine spares, equipment and components for the NRZ,” reads the gazette.

It further lists numerous engine spare tariff headings which have been approved by Chinamasa to benefit from the rebate.

The ailing rail transporter desperately needs $400 million to turn around its waning fortunes and get back on track.

Giving oral evidence before a parliamentary portfolio committee on transport in February this year, NRZ board chairperson Larry Mavhima said the situation was so dire that they were now relying on letters to communicate with train operators, risking derailment and collisions.

Mavhima bemoaned that the State-owned company had not had any meaningful capital injection in the past 25 years, resulting in poor service delivery and failure to compete effectively.

NRZ currently owes its workers $99 million.

The parastatal’s fleet of 166 locomotives is down to 60, with the fleet aged between 33 and 50 years against a 25-year lifespan.

Out of a fleet of 283 passenger coaches for different classes, only 106 are in use but in very bad state.

Mavhima said the possibility of derailments had become higher due to the recent heavy rains which washed away track ballast — crushed stone which form the track bed upon which railroad is mounted, and the train operator has to negotiate the line at a very slow speed.

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HARARE - Law expert Alfred Mavedzenge is today expected to file a lawsuit in the Constitutional Court (Con-Court) challenging the constitutionality of the Electoral Act, arguing it gives government the power to veto regulations promulgated by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec).

The lawsuit seeks an order to declare Section 192 (6) of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) constitutionally invalid because it gives Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa power to approve regulations or statutory instruments developed by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec).

Mnangagwa, also the vice president, is cited as the first respondent, Zec chairperson Rita Makarau second and the Attorney-General Prince Machaya — cited in his official capacity as the principal legal adviser to the government — is the third.

The Electoral Act has been routinely criticised in recent years by opposition political parties and civil libertarians, who say it lacks punitive measures and sanctions to deal with political violence and intimidation as well as ensure equitable access to unbiased media coverage for all electoral contestants.

Mavedzenge, who argues the ability of Zec to prepare for elections in a manner that is independent is undermined by Section 192 (6) of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) which gives the Justice minister sweeping powers to interfere with Zec operations.

He also argues that Section 192 (6) of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) was ultra vires Section 2 (1), Section 85 (1), Section 67 (1), Section 235 (1) (a), Section 235 (2) and (3), Section 134 and Section 167 (3) as read together with the other ancillary provisions of the Constitution.

“In preparing for these elections, the Constitution guarantees and requires that second respondent (Zec chairperson) must conduct all the preparations in a manner that is independent of control, direction and interference from anyone,” Mavedzenge argued in his main application.

“The purpose of guaranteeing this independence to second respondent is to ensure that she prepares and conducts the elections in a manner that fulfils my constitutional right to a free and fair election.”

This comes as a coalition of opposition parties — collectively the National Electoral Reform Agenda (Nera) — including all major opposition groupings and protest movements, has said the United Nations, African Union and the Southern African Development Community “must immediately establish an independent, tripartite election management body to take over the full functions of Zec”.

But Zanu PF legal secretary and Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa has said Zec reserved the constitutional right to run elections in Zimbabwe.

Plaintiff Mavedzenge, an associate of Maja & Associates in Harare, said he has a constitutional right to choose his government through a regular, free and fair elections run by an independent body and said Zec was now supposed to have begun the preparations for the 2018 elections.

Zimbabwe’s last electoral authority, which critics alleged was packed with President Robert Mugabe’s supporters, took more than five weeks to announce the results of a March 2008 presidential poll that gave opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai victory but not enough votes to assume power.

Tsvangirai boycotted a subsequent run-off poll in June 2008, citing serious violence against his supporters.

Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s ruler since independence from Britain in 1980, denies that he has hung on to power by force or vote rigging.

Zimbabwe’s electoral reform process has stalled over constant squabbling, with the next general election set to be held by August 2018.

Mavedzenge wants Mnangagwa to pay costs of the suit on a legal-practitioner-scale.

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