HARARE - Mines minister Walter Chidakwa must keep his “dirty hands” off Shabanie Mashaba Mines (SMM), businessman Mutuma Mawere said yesterday.

This comes after Chidakwa told Senators last week that Treasury would soon inject $15 million to resuscitate SMM.

Chidakwa also revealed that his ministry had secured asbestos markets in Russia, Kazakhstan and India.

SMM, in Zvishavane and Mashava, ground to a halt in 2008, three years after the government seized them from Mawere, under a controversial “reconstruction” law that allows the State to take over assets of businesses deemed to be insolvent and incapable of servicing loans and charges owed to State institutions and agencies.

The mines were subsequently placed under the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC), which has been looking for an investor to put up $140 million required to re-open the mines.

“Chidakwa must be a drunk if he says reconstruction is akin to judicial management, he surely cannot come from the same earth that I come from,” a miffed Mutumwa told the Daily News yesterday.

The mothballing of SMM mines have seen workers being paid a paltry $50 a month and students moving into SMM houses in a bid to provide liquidity to the shuttered mines.

SMM at one time was the world’s sixth largest asbestos producer with an annual output exceeding 140 000 tonnes.

“The hearts which caused it to fail are the ones which are bleeding,” Mawere, a former senior investments officer at the World Bank, said.

“In any constitutional State, one would have expected that targeting Mawere victimises innocent people.

“The use of public power to interfere, obstruct and undermine development cannot be condoned in any manner or form.”

The self-exiled businessman lost control of SMM after government, accused him of pillaging the company’s coffers to pay for his shares previously held by Turner and Newall plc, an accusation he strenuously denies.

Parliamentarians have recommended that government restore Mawere’s ownership of SMM to enable the mines to reopen.

But this has not happened.

A United Kingdom court ruled that Mawere’s Africa Resources Limited (ARL) had legitimate title to the mining firm after a government-appointed curator took the dispute to the UK.

“The assertion by . . . Chidakwa is not only mischievous but demonstrates the contempt in which some of these beneficiaries of borrowed power behave when appointed,” Mawere, who is also the vice president of Africa Heritage Society, said.

“What would give Chidakwa standing to misinform, distort and divert attention from the core issues of constitutionalism and respect for the rule of law? Is SMM a parastatal and if not, then under what legal authority does he purport to represent the affairs of SMM?”

Mawere reiterated that a UK court ruled that Mawere’s ARL had legitimate title to the mining firm.

“Chinamasa and Chidakwa seem to operate as if Zimbabwe is an animal kingdom and in any animal kingdom, workers will never get paid because commerce does not matter,” Mawere said.

“As if the ministry has nothing better to do, it would appear that this minister of Mines should not have been elected but appointed as an employee to pretend to run mining affairs, with no experience, no understanding, and no sound mind to run anything of value.

“This is not the Zimbabwe that I expect but a mountain of confusion and stupidity.”

HARARE - Government has tasked the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) to investigate alleged smuggling of contraceptives to South Africa (SA).

According to reports, there is a thriving market for the Marvelon family planning pills in the neighbouring country — where multitudes of Zimbabweans have migrated to — as dealers sell them to women who do not want contraceptives dispensed by South African health authorities.

In SA, the Oralcon pill, which is disbursed for free, is available, but most women, particularly Zimbabwean migrants, prefer the Marvelon.

Health minister David Parirenyatwa said ZNFPC — a parastatal mandated to coordinate, provide and monitor family planning in the country — was expected to give a full report on the issue, which will guide both SA and Zimbabwe on how to address the matter.

“. . . ZNFPC’s . . . full report will enable us to coordinate across the border,” he said.

The family planning council distributes Marvelon — supplied by United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) — to hospitals, clinics and pharmacies.

The pills are then smuggled out of hospitals allegedly by staff and sold to the traders at around $0,50.

They are then resold for between R20 and R30 compared to the around R130 charged by SA pharmacies.

The contraceptives are also smuggled to Botswana and Namibia, according to media reports. 

Back home, ZNFPC is battling the increased selling of family planning pills on the streets.

“Most of them (pills) have already expired or they have been rendered ineffective because of the conditions of storage.

“We are appealing to the public to report those people who are buying and those who are selling the contraceptive pills to the nearest police, ZNFPC officials or Health and Child Care ministry officials,” a statement on council’s website reads.

“ . . . the correct distribution points of family planning commodities are ZNFPC clinics, municipal or city council clinics, rural district councils, mission clinics, rural health centres, hospitals, community health workers and known non-governmental organisations operating in your areas,” it advised.

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HARARE - Harare City Council (HCC) has terminated WellCash Debt Collectors (WellCash)’s contract following mounting pressure from residents and lobby groups.

The resolution comes after Community Water Alliance gave the debt collector a three-day ultimatum to vacate council district offices from where they were now operating.

According to minutes of a full council meeting held last Thursday, the contract between the two parties was valid from November 15, 2016 to November 15, 2017.

“That subject to approval of resolution . . . , the Memorandum of Agreement between HCC and WellCash regarding debt collection services be and is hereby terminated,” read the minutes.

The minutes further stated that after the contract termination, the local authority will create an internal debt collection unit to undertake the city’s debt collection duties.

Harare mayor Bernard Manyenyeni confirmed the development saying they were now looking at the modalities to exit the contract.

He said the cancellation was due to the tough socio-economic conditions prevailing in the country, which had forced many to lag behind in payments.

“The model of using debt collectors has effectively been parked. The reasons behind our exit from the contract with WellCash are clearly stated in the communication I gave the acting town clerk Josephine Ncube some months ago. “

Earlier, Manyenyeni had advised Ncube to stop using debt collectors, arguing that the approach was brutal, arrogant and largely targeted the vulnerable lower income suburbs.

“What we want to do now is capacitate in-house debt collection strategies which we can control. Debt collection is the lifeline of council and where there is no money, the city fails to exist,” he said.

Community Water Alliance programmes manager Hardlife Mudzingwa said the termination was long overdue.

He said though the dues owed to HCC had grown to a very large figure, most of the debts were based on estimates.

“People were being charged for water they did not receive and refuse removal which never happened. We are not saying that people should not pay; however, we want council to ensure that residents pay for the services that they get as per their social contract with the local authority. There has to be an understanding of inability to pay and unwillingness to pay,” Mudzingwa said.

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HARARE - Rape convicted cleric Robert Martin Gumbura — currently serving 40 years behind bars — has been dragged back to court for allegedly failing to pay $74 000 for furniture he purchased more than three years ago.

According to court papers, the Independent End Time Message church founder, who was jailed in 2014, operated a credit account with Idem Trading, which trades as Eurotex.

“Of the goods purchased by the defendant (Gumbura) on that account, $74 700 still remains due and payable and of the various items he purchased includes household furniture such as kitchen ware, lounge and dining suite, 125 kva generator, fish tanks, gym bikes, quad bikes, snooker table, office furniture, executive desk and chair,” the court heard.

Eurotex told the court that Gumbura has defaulted paying since October 2013.

“Despite assurances from the defendant and his wives on various occasions to pay the outstanding amount, nothing has come out of the said assurances to date,” the court heard.

The company is now seeking an order to compel Gumbura to settle the outstanding amount.

In response, Gumbura, through his lawyers IEG Musimbe and Partners, said he bought the said items three years ago on different dates.

He said the leather lounge suit was purchased sometime in 2011, while the fish tank was bought in 2007.

Gumbura told the court that he paid for the two items.

“The plaintiff further gave the defendant the room divider for free and there was no obligation for the defendant to pay for the room divider.

“The plaintiff is making up its claim by pulling out figures from its head. Its claim is said to be based on the purchase and sell of at least nine furniture items. However, when it comes to reconciling the figures, only four furniture items are said to have been paid for,” Gumbura said, querying how the claim amounts to $74 000.

He told the court that he is not in any way indebted to Eurotex to the amount being claimed.

Pursuant to his argument, Gumbura demanded a detailed breakdown of how the amount of $74 700 was arrived at, and the credit facility agreement between him and Eurotex.

He further demanded invoices for the items that he is said to have purchased.

The matter will go for a pre-trial conference tomorrow before the High Court.

Gumbura’s lawyers have since written a letter dated May 9, 2017 to the High Court registrar, stating that they are in the process of securing the clergyman’s attendance from Chikurubi Maximum Prison, where he is doing time.

“We seek the honourable court’s indulgence and directive in the event that our client will be unable to attend the pre-trial conference as scheduled,” the lawyers said.

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HARARE - Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister Mandiitawepi Chimene has approached the High Court seeking to nullify an order that identified Christopher Mutsvangwa as legitimate leader of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA).

This comes after the court in February last year barred Chimene from masquerading as the interim or substantive leader of the association.

Justice Happias Zhou also interdicted her from issuing press statements on behalf of ZNLWVA and its leadership.

In her latest move, Chimene said: “This is an application for rescission of judgment granted against me on the 21st of February 2016 in terms of rule 449 of this . . . court on the basis that the provisional order granted was erroneously sought by the respondent and likewise granted in error in my absence by this . . . court.”

The vocal minister claimed she was never served with court papers, including the notice of set down, which culminated in a default ruling against her not to interfere with ZNLWVA affairs.

“I only got knowledge of the existence of the provisional order through press reports and I then approached my legal practitioners of record who advised me that there was a need to launch this present application but they could only do so upon a perusal of the record of proceedings under case number HC 1673/16.

“Efforts were made by my lawyers to get a copy of the record of proceedings from the registrar of this honourable court on the 18th of August 2016, but they were told that the record was a security file which could not be availed to them,” Chimene said in court papers, adding that they later wrote to the judge president seeking his intervention in the matter.

She said she later got hold of the record on August 24 last year, which assisted her in making the current application.

Chimene and Mutsvangwa’s war erupted after the resident minister and her camp passed a vote of no-confidence in the latter.

Chimene claimed to be the interim leader of the association, resulting in the litigation, which was granted in favour of the Mutsvangwa-led administration.

However, she now wants this ruling to be rescinded and allow her to file her opposing papers within five days from the granting of the order.

ZNLWVA — through its deputy chairperson Headman Moyo — has opposed Chimene’s application, arguing she was served with the court papers.

He said he has never heard of a file being classified as a security record, adding that the present application is meant to frustrate the association.

The matter is still pending before the High Court.

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MUTARE - Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC is leaving no stone unturned in its quest to defeat President Robert Mugabe and his warring Zanu PF in next year’s eagerly-anticipated national elections.

This comes as the MDC has launched an aggressive recruitment exercise, targeting even sex workers as part of its strategy to win the watershed 2018 polls.

It also comes as Tsvangirai is leading efforts to unite the country’s opposition ahead of next year, an alliance which analysts say presents them with the best chance to finally bring down Mugabe and Zanu PF.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Manicaland launch of the “Bereka Mwana Tiende” voter recruitment campaign in Mutare on Saturday, MDC national youth league chairperson, Happymore Chidziva, said the decision to woo sex workers was informed by the fact that they were “the public, glaring face of the government’s failure”.

“They are of importance to the struggle because they have been pushed into commercial sex work due to the hardships they have faced . . . They will speak to the nation about how tough times have become.

“To call them prostitutes is to degrade them. We are targeting the girl child who is being abused by the current government to the extent of being forced to sell their bodies to survive.

“Their voices must be heard. They should be afforded the opportunity to share their stories . . . and we all share the same challenges,” Chidziva told the Daily News.

The “Bereka Mwana Tiende” campaign is a door-to-door voter registration campaign which urges all Zimbabweans, particularly first-time voters, to register ahead of next year’s general elections.

Chidziva said it was very important for young people to have a say in the politics of the country, as they could also decide the course of an election.

“The MDC was formed in 1999 and next year all those who were born at the turn of the century will be eligible to vote. This campaign is aimed at exciting them to register and vote,” Chidziva said.

A fortnight ago, Tsvangirai himself also delivered a warning to youths and first time voters to register and vote in next year’s elections.

“In our last election, only five percent of those between the age of 18 and 35 voted. I am now challenging all these young people because you are allowing us the old people to continue defining your future.

“Are you aware that you are outsourcing your future to the old, even to grandfathers like Mugabe. You are outsourcing your future to that old man. What does that mean?

“Let’s all go and register to vote. On voting day, we are not supposed to go home without casting our votes.

“And simply going to vote is also not good enough. We must also defend our vote. We must not leave this duty to only a few people,” Tsvangirai said then.

“I am making a final appeal to you. You are the game changers, as 60 percent of those below the age of 40 are the majority of the country’s population . . . unfortunately, you are leaving everything in Tsvangirai’s hands.

“When Zanu PF rigs elections, many of you simply look up to me. Some of you don’t have national identity cards, others do not even make an effort to get these ID cards.

“Yet others don’t even come around on the days to register for elections. So . . . you are in effect saying the old generation must define your future,” he added.

The former prime minister in the stability-inducing government of national unity made his forceful call at a time that he is on the cusp of finalising coalition agreements with other opposition leaders ahead of next year’s eagerly-anticipated polls.

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HARARE - Zanu PF insiders say President Robert Mugabe is in a catch 22 as the warring ruling party’s bigwigs gather in Harare tomorrow for an eagerly-awaited politburo meeting — which is set to deliberate on the political future of embattled national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere.

This comes as the Daily News reported at the weekend that a probe team which was appointed by the wily nonagenarian — to investigate grave allegations against the under-fire Local Government minister — had completed its work.

Ahead of tomorrow’s crunch meeting — where Mugabe will require the biblical wisdom of Solomon to stem Zanu PF’s worsening, mindless bloodletting — Kasukuwere’s backers have claimed that the Jacob Mudenda-led party probe has exonerated him on most of the allegations he faces, including charges that he was working to topple Mugabe from power.

But, and as expected, Kasukuwere’s enemies are insistent that the combative commissar is “a dead man walking”, and that it is now “a matter of time” before he is relieved of his duties in the former liberation movement which is consumed by its ugly tribal, factional and succession wars.

This is the unpleasant climate in which Mugabe will be called upon to make a decisive ruling, as Kasukuwere also comes face to face for the first time with many of the senior party officials — drawn from the party’s 10 provinces — who supported calls for him to be relieved of his duties at both party and government levels.

Well-placed sources confirmed to the Daily News yesterday that after Mudenda recently submitted his report to both Mugabe and Zanu PF secretary for administration Ignatius Chombo, the Kasukuwere matter was now “ready for dissection” at tomorrow’s politburo.

The usually reliable insiders also claimed that Mudenda’s report “cleared” Kasukuwere of the most serious charge that he has been facing — that of plotting to oust Mugabe from power.

“While there are other issues being raised in the petition from Mashonaland Central, the key issue was probably that of the setting up of parallel structures which the PCC (provincial coordinating committee)  failed to identify, and which could prove to be his (Kasukuwere’s) way out of trouble.

“Nevertheless, there are other issues regarding the Kitsiyatota Mine that might not please the president . . . It is now up to him (Mugabe) to decide,” one of the insiders said.

However, one of Kasukuwere’s party rivals told the Daily News that there was “no way back” for him, as all the former liberation movement’s provinces had sent a “clear message that he is no longer wanted”.

“Remember there are other provinces that have passed votes of no confidence against the PC. So, those cases ought to be heard again . . . it’s game on.

“Masvingo, for example, has written a petition to say it no longer has confidence in his (Kasukuwere’s) leadership, and we expect that to be considered.

“How can he therefore be exonerated on the basis of one province, when the calls for his dismissal are nationwide?” the senior party official said.

University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer Eldred Masunungure said while Mugabe would try to appease the Zanu PF heavyweights pushing for Kasukuwere’s sacking, the nonagenarian was unlikely to jettison him.

Masunungure said Mugabe would, in the worst case scenario, re-deploy the Mount Darwin South legislator to another senior party portfolio.

“I doubt he (Kasukuwere) will be chopped . . . but the party may redeploy him to another portfolio and this will be a way of dealing with people’s anger.

“It won’t be another (former vice president Joice) Mujuru case . . . He will survive as a politburo member . . . because as you know, this issue is about factional fights. Mugabe regards Kasukuwere as an asset. He may have messed up, but he will survive the chop,” Masunungure told the Daily News.

Kasukuwere has been fighting to save his political career over the past few weeks, with angry Zanu PF supporters pushing for his ouster from both his party and government positions, over a raft of charges which include allegedly plotting to topple Mugabe from power.

Also under fire has been his brother Dickson Mafios, who is the acting Zanu PF chairperson for Mashonaland Central.

Apart from having to deal with Kasukuwere’s saga, sources say Mugabe and his colleagues are also expected to deal with the contested results of the Masvingo provincial chairmanship election, which was comprehensively won by an alleged Team Lacoste candidate, Ezra Chadzamira — who walloped Mutero Masanganise who had pulled out from the mini internal poll days before polling, citing a number of irregularities.

Masanganise told the Daily News yesterday that he was hopeful the politburo would “deal with” the burning Masvingo issue decisively.

“I am waiting for the politburo to deliberate on the issue. For me, there was no election done to choose the Masvingo chairperson,” he said.

Masanganise — who is linked to the embattled Generation 40 (G40) faction, which in turn is opposed to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa succeeding Mugabe — pulled out of the Masvingo poll re-run  arguing that it was illegal.

Mugabe and the politburo had nullified the results from the initial regional poll, which was won by Chadzamira — amid claims of irregularities, including people not voting in some districts.

Chadzamira, who is the former regional chairman and an alleged Mnangagwa backer, crushed Masanganise then — polling 12 393 votes against his opponent’s 4 888, amid the allegations of rigging and failure by people in Mwenezi and some parts of Chiredzi to vote.

Sources have previously told the Daily News that Zanu PF’s ever-fluid factional and succession politics were changing gear again, as there was now an apparent realignment of alliances within the warring former liberation movement — as Mnangagwa’s allies cranked up their assault on the G40.

Observers have also consistently said Mugabe’s failure to resolve Zanu PF’s thorny succession riddle is fuelling the ruling party’s deadly infighting, which is worsening by the day.

The 93-year-old has studiously refused to name a successor, insisting that the party’s congress has that mandate: to choose a person of their own choice.

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HARARE - Music legend Zexie Manatsa’s legacy appears not to be in danger of dying anytime soon.

The 73-year-old is the man who belted yesteryear hits such as Makepekepe, Chipo Chiroorwa, Bambo Mwakwatila, Vaparidzi Vawanda, Mwana Waenda and Kuwirirana Kwevanodanana.

Now retired, and full time into his pastoral duties in Zaoga Church, the music legend has passed on the torch to his sons who are steadily making names for themselves on Zimbabwe’s music scene.

Though still far from the lofty heights attained by their father, Tendai, Aaron, Freedom and Green have done enough to earn the respect of fellow artistes and music fans alike.

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This group of Manatsa’s sons, who couldn’t resist the music bug, now has a new member — Zexie Jnr — the music legend’s youngest son.

The young artiste has decided to join his brothers in re-igniting their father’s legacy.

Zexie Jnr, who is based in the United Kingdom, believes he was always destined to be an artiste.

“Growing up in a musical family all my life, I have always wanted to showcase my talent, somehow give back and do something musical that doesn’t just benefit me but can help other people too by sharing what I know and have learnt over the years,” Zexie Jnr  told the Daily News from his UK base this week.

He has lined up a nine-track debut album titled Friends In Christ on which he roped in his wife Sharon, brother Tendai, and acclaimed producer McDonald Chidavaenzi.

“We have titled the project Friends in Christ. Several UK-based Zimbabwean artistes such as Free to Worship, Jane Doka and Carol Nyakudya will perform at the album launch set for July here in the UK,” Zexie Jnr said.

The young artiste is happy with the support he is getting from his wife and siblings.

“I met my wife here in the UK during the first year of Free to Worship concert in 2011 where Aaron and I were helping to direct the project.

“Tendai played all guitars, Green and Freedom made significant suggestions after the first take and we managed to tweak a few things based on their advice.

“I appreciate the love and support from all my siblings, and the entire family. Tendai and Selmor will be here for the launch and the others are rallying behind us. Aaron is based in the UK as well and he will be there too helping with the launch,” Zexie Jnr said.

Even though his father is now retired, the legend also offered his youngest son invaluable advice.

“My dad has achieved and accomplished a lot in his musical journey, he has set the bar high. However, he always has this way of making us feel at ease with his advice . . . he has handed us the torch to go conquer the world.

“He was there throughout the production . . .  We shared with him the vision and he said ‘go for it’. He would join us at the studio at times; re-write some of the verses and choruses for us.

“I remember him saying ‘don’t worry about it being perfect, you start somewhere and with time you evolve and improve.”

The young artiste insisted that being named after his father had not placed pressure on him.

“It is my desire to exceed and go beyond what he achieved. I feel like we can do even more but he will always be the hero to me,” Zexie Jnr said.

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MUTARE - Shabanie Mine coach Takesure Chiragwi believes his side is on the right track to safety after recent good performances.

The Chinda Boys, who returned to the top flight league this season, currently sit in ninth place on the log with nine points from eight matches.

This season, they have already drawn with defending champions CAPS United and beat Bulawayo giants Highlanders in their own backyard at Barbourfields Stadium.

At the weekend, Shabanie battled to a 0-0 draw against fellow Midlands side Chapungu at Maglas Stadium.

With such a solid start upon their return to the big boys club, Chiragwi is confident they can be assured of another season the Premier League next season.

“This is a marathon; we are coming in from Division One and the boys are combining well. I’m not panicking, we have the same objective with the club’s executive to avoid relegation and we are working on that,” he said.

At the weekend, the Chinda Boys have another chance to claim a big scalp when they travel to Harare to take on Dynamos.

Having already gone to Bulawayo and upset Bosso, Chiragwi sees no harm in dreaming of adding another victim to some of the famous results they have managed this season.  

“I respect Dynamos as a club but in the field we are all the same as we play in the same league,” Chiragwi said.

“They are just like any other team we have played before or better still like any other team we are going to play in the future so the respect they can get from us is that of a big club status only, so let the best team on the day win it.”

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BULAWAYO - A Binga man who stole a police uniform from his friend in a bid to get a free kombi ride to the city centre, was yesterday sentenced to an effective two years in jail.

Thembalenkosi Ndlovu, 26 of Kariangwe Village was convicted by magistrate Tinashe Tashaya on his own plea of guilt on charges of impersonating a police officer and unlawful possession of camouflaged uniform.

Two months were added after the State took into consideration Ndlovu’s previous conviction at the Kadoma Magistrate’s Courts again for impersonating a cop.

In passing sentence, magistrate Tashaya said: “You are an unrepentant criminal who has a previous conviction under CRB1258 in Kadoma. This is your second time to impersonate a police officer and clearly your conduct tarnishes the image of police.

“Wearing a police uniform is a very serious offence, which warrants a custodial sentence. You should therefore be taken out from society before you commit serious crimes in police uniform.”

On May 8 around 6am, the complainant Jabulani Mhlanga, a former cop, was driving a minibus when he picked the accused who was in police uniform at Sokusile Terminus in Nkulumane.

When the accused got into the kombi, the complainant observed that he was not properly dressed in his police uniform by police standards.

The court heard that the accused was putting on a blue police riot trousers with a civilian waist belt, grey police shirt with ZRP inspector rank titles, black civilian shoes and had no cap.

After suspecting that he might not be a bonafide cop, the complainant drove his vehicle to ZRP Drill Hall to alert the police.

Upon arrival, sensing danger, the accused quickly opened the front passenger door and scaled the fence before taking to his heels.

The complainant then hurriedly alerted the police officers who then reacted quickly by chasing him, leading to his arrest along Khami Road.

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HARARE - Zimbabwe A cricket side captain Sikandar Raza is pleased with his side’s batting performance during yesterday’s two-wicket win over Canada in the first one-day match.

Canada won the toss and elected to bat first before posting a total of 248 for six in their allotted 50 overs.

Opener Bhavindu Adhihetty (70) and Nikhil Dutta (34) not out top scored for the tourists while Raza was the pick of the bowlers for the home side with figures of 2/41 from 10 overs.

Tendai Chatara, Nathan Waller and Solomon Mire all picked up a wicket apiece.

In response, Zimbabwe had a shaky start to their chase after losing wickets at regular intervals before opener Chamu Chibhabha formed two crucial partnerships.

Chibhabha finished his innings with a score of 65 after he had been stumped by Canada’s wicketkeeper Hamza Tariq of Dutta.

The national team batsman combined for a third wicket partnership with Sean Williams worth 84 runs.

Chibhabha’s fourth wicket partnership with PJ Moor contributed 72 runs.

However, after his dismissal in the 37th over, Zimbabwe wobbled a bit before the sixth wicket partnership of 74 runs between Malcolm Waller and Timycen Maruma.

In the end, Zimbabwe crossed the finish line with Wellington Masakadza and Chris Mpofu on the crease with only 11 deliveries and two wickets remaining.             

“As a batting unit, we discussed that we need to be finishing the games more clinically,” Raza said after the match.

“I think the guys will be honest enough to say there was a time when it looked liked we are winning the game convincingly to find ourselves in a bit of bother.

“But having said that, to win a game you need to show a bit of character. Even though it was a tail end; a team is made up of 11 players.

“To see everyone showing faith in every maturing player is good. As you can still here from the noise is still coming down from our changing room; the mood is a bit crazy and happy.”

Chibhabha was pleased with his knock as it set up a good platform for the side to win.

“Scoring some runs in Namibia and coming into this game, my mentality was the same to just try and bat through the innings,” he said

“However, we lost a few wickets at the beginning and I just had to bat as deep as I could but its unfortunate I got out at a crucial stage of the game.

“The most important thing was to try and get partnerships whichever way and it was important for us to do that to give the finishers a platform to win the game.”

Canada captain Tariq said: “I think there is a lot of room for improvement. I think we could have added more runs with our batting. Our field too under pressure was not good; we fumbled a few balls. If we had done those a little bit better, we could have come out on top.”

The next one-day match between the two side is on tomorrow at the same venue.

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HARARE - Two MDC youths reportedly bashed a cop after he parked his car at the MDC headquarters, Harvest House, in central Harare, a court heard yesterday.

Gresham Mpofu, 40, and Muchi Chiwara Muzengesa, 39, denied the assault charges when they appeared before Harare magistrate Nomsa Sabarauta.

Mpofu and Muzengesa told the court that they were “nowhere near the crime scene on the alleged date and do not operate the business of assisting motorists to find parking space in town.”

Mpofu and Mazengesa’s lawyer Jeremiah Bamu will make an application for discharge at the close of the State case today.

The complainant is Isaac Machesa, a cop stationed at Police General Headquarters (PGHQ).

It was alleged that on January 18, Mpofu and Muzengesa were in the company of an accomplice who is on the run controlling vehicle parking and forcing motorists to pay at corner Angwa and Kwame Nkruma Avenue in the capital.

Machesa, who was in police uniform, parked his Nissan Navara at corner Angwa and Kwame Nkrumah Avenue before walking towards QV pharmacy.

The court heard that as Machesa was about to enter the pharmacy, he was confronted by Mpofu and Muzengeza and their accomplice who were holding umbrellas and a spike.

It was alleged that Mpofu and Mazengesa ranted at the cop, demanding that Machesa pay $2 which they had lost because of his vehicle. The cop paid them the $2 parking fee.

The court heard that a misunderstanding arose soon after, and Machesa was assaulted with umbrellas all over his body.

It was further alleged that one of the accused persons then threatened to puncture Machesa’s car tyres with a spike and shatter all windows.

They later left Machesa to proceed into the pharmacy. But when he got out, Mpofu and Mazengesa were waiting for him by the entrance, the court heard.

Machesa rushed back into the pharmacy and reported the case to the police through a phone call.

Police officers rushed to the scene, leading to the arrest of the accused persons.

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HARARE - Castle Lager Premiership side Black Rhinos have made quite an interesting return back to the top flight after playing the last two seasons in the lower division.

The army side returned to the top flight league after winning promotion from the Zifa Northern Region Division One League last season.

Chauya Chipembere coach Stanford “Stix” Mutizwa has chosen continuity as he retained most of the players from last season.

Players like Bruce Homora, Donald Mudadi, Herbert Rusawo, Jameson Mukombwe, Wonder Kapinda and Milton Kureva are some of the first names on Mutizwa’s team-sheet.

Interestingly, this is the core of the team that was relegated from the Premiership in 2014.

However, since their return to the top flight, they have been putting in tremendous performances to lift Rhinos to a third place on the log with 14 points from seven matches with their only defeat coming in the first weekend when they lost 1-0 to log leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars.

Rhinos could find themselves on top of the log if they beat Dynamos at the National Sports Stadium tomorrow evening.

Despite the good start, Mutizwa is not getting carried away and has insisted that their target remains of surviving relegation.

“We are very happy with how things are shaping up,” Mutizwa told the Daily News.

“It means we are on track towards our target of surviving relegation. We remain humble and keep working hard so that we can maintain the same level.”

Mutizwa warned the Glamour Boys to expect a tough match from his side tomorrow as they are highly motivated to do well against the record Zimbabwe champions.

“This is going to be our biggest game so far,” said Mutizwa.

“We are now ready and my boys are looking forward to this game. This will be the biggest game for us so far and we have been psyching up our boys to go and compete.

“One thing for sure is that they must not take us lightly because we are not taking them lightly too. We have been preparing for them and we are now looking to forward to the match.”

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HARARE - The Norton mayoress is asking a judge for a restraining order to block voluble legislator Temba Mliswa from interfering with council business amid allegations he is pursuing a tribal agenda against a municipality dominated by Masvingo office bearers.

Precious Mufahore said in court filings on Tuesday that Mliswa must be barred from getting anywhere near the town’s council offices.

In an interview with the Daily News yesterday, Mufahore said they were flabbergasted by the crusade against their council, and alleged the legislator was pursuing a tribal agenda because the Norton Municipal Council was overwhelmingly dominated by office bearers from Masvingo.

She insisted the fight in Norton has taken a tribal dimension, effectively pursued by a Zezuru, a powerful sub-group within the majority Shona tribe — which comprises 70 percent of the population — against the Karanga sub-group.

But Mliswa said yesterday: “I am Karanga and we have a press conference tomorrow (today) at Media Centre and will respond to this.”

This comes amid an extraordinary weeks-long exchange between the Independent Norton legislator and the mayoress, with the later forced to go to the courts to stop Mliswa from “harassing and threatening” councillors.

And in an emotion-tinged outburst, Mufahore insisted that the targeting of her council by Mliswa was part of his long-term strategy to sideline and terrorise the Karanga tribe.

“We don’t know why he is raising a war against us, hatisi kuziva, hatina mhosva naye, kana patakatadza. Mhosva ndeyeyi (we have no gripes with him, what’s the problem)? Is he fighting our council because the majority of councillors and those in management are from Masvingo?” she asked rhetorically.

Mufahore — a Karanga — said Mliswa was bitter about the ascendancy of Karangas to top positions within the Norton council.

She said they had to seek a restraining order to stop the abuse by the legislator

“We need protection because it’s too much.

“Our security is at risk. He shouldn’t come to our offices; councillors must be free to do meetings without disruptions by Mliswa.

“If a councillor calls a meeting, he also convenes a meeting at the same venue; he burns misika oti i (market stalls and blames the) council. Tashaya kuti mhosva ndeyei (We don’t know what his problem is)?”

She said Mliswa probably has a grudge against the current Norton municipal leadership because its female-dominated as there are seven female councillors and six men.

Former Norton chief executive officer, Winslow Muyambi, said from the ongoing fight, he got a sense that the legislator did not understand his terms of reference.

“From my experience, Legislators don’t understand their role. They want to supervise mayors, chairperson or council,” he told the Daily News yesterday.

“The other problem is that legislators operate on allegations and rumours, I sensed that when I saw the Galloway story,” he said, referring to the Zimbabwe Amalgamated Housing Association (Zaha)’s Galloway housing project, that Mliswa claims has swindled home seekers, but Mufahore has said was above board according to the rules and regulations.

Muyambi said: “Did he (Mliswa) go to council offices to establish the truth about that project, the ministry (of Local Government), the surveyor-general, Deeds office, did he look at the subdivision permits? Zvimwe zvinokonzerwa nekusaziva (Some of this is caused by ignorance). He must check procedures.”

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HARARE - Struggling Harare City will be hoping for change of fortunes when they host Bulawayo giants Highlanders this afternoon in a Castle Lager Premiership match at the National Sports Stadium.

The Sunshine Boys have had an indifferent start to the current campaign managing one win, three draws and three defeats to sit third from bottom with a paltry six points after seven matches.

The poor run has left coach Mike Madzivanyika’s future hanging by a thread with the team’s executive reportedly having lost faith in him.

Some are even suggesting the City hierarchy are already in the advanced stages of finding a new coach.

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Madzivanyika admitted to be under pressure due to the poor run but challenged his players to use their clash against Highlanders get their season back on the road again.

“In terms of performance I’m satisfied but the problem is results are not coming our way and that is one thing that needs to be rectified,” Madzivanyika told the Daily News.

“If we can just get lucky in this game, I tell you things will change completely because that is what we have been lacking. We are only failing to turn our dominance into goals. And I have been telling the boys that this is their chance to turnaround our season.

“This is one game that can go a long way in boosting our confidence going forward and we should be ready for the challenge. The good thing is that the boys are willing and eager to improve. So we are looking forward to a positive outing this time around.”

Madzivanyika however, knows that it will not be easy against a Highlanders side that is also high on confidence having posted some important victories lately.

“We will play a very good side that is also motivated,” Madzivanyika said. “It’s definitely not going to be easy and we need to work hard if we are to come out with a positive result.

“They will definitely not make it easy for us. But if we are to compete then this is one game we need to win at all costs.”

Highlanders on the other hand are desperate to forget events that characterised their last home game against bitter rivals Dynamos at Barbourfields Stadium.

The game lasted only 42 minutes before it was abandoned as Bosso fans reacted violently to Christian Ntouba’s equaliser for the Glamour Boys after the home side had taken the lead on 24 minutes through Rahman Kutsanzira.

Bosso coach Erol Akbay insists that episode is now water under the bridge and they are now focused on picking up maximum points in their clash against City this afternoon.

“We have since forgotten about that match (against Dynamos) and we are looking forward to our next game,” Akbay told the Daily News.

“I’m not worried at all remember that match had nothing to do with players so we are fully focused and looking forward to ma good result.”

Akbay has refused to read much into their opponents’ poor run saying they remain a threat and are treating them with due respect they deserve.

“All teams in the Premier League are difficult and we know what Harare City is capable of doing,” the Dutchman said.

“We cannot afford to underestimate because they remain a good side with quality players. These things do happen in football and we only need to do our best to come up with a win. It’s also an away match and it’s going to be really difficult.”

In another Premier League match set for today, Chicken Inn host FC Platinum at Luveve Stadium hoping to maintain their winning streak having beaten struggling Yadah in their last match.

FC Platinum on the other hand are desperate for maximum points after held to a goalless draw by How Mine in their last match.

Fixtures:

Today: Harare City v Highlanders (National Sports), Chicken Inn v FC Platinum (Luveve)

Tomorrow: Dynamos v Black Rhinos (National Sports), ZPC Kariba v CAPS United (Nyamhunga)

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HARARE - A married military couple that was dismissed from the force after the wife fell pregnant before serving her first three years has dragged army commanders to the High Court challenging the sacking.

Nester Chidembo and Emmanuel Masendeke are suing Zimbabwe National Army commander Philip Valerio Sibanda, Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander Constantino Chiwenga and Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi.

The two were discharged from the force in February 2013, after Chidembo fell pregnant in contravention of the army policy which forbids members to marry or fall pregnant during the first three years of service.

Chidembo told the court that her contract of employment had been extended to 2020 after pregnancy tests were conducted and that she had completed her two-year probation period.

She said prior to the extension of the contract, she had married Masendeke in compliance with Chapter 43 (3) (4) of the standing orders, which allowed members to marry after attaining 18 years of age and to go for maternity leave with pay after serving at least one year.

Chidembo said that when the amended law came into effect, she had already signed her contract, under conditions which allowed one to fall pregnant after completing one year in service.

“There is a presumption against retrospective application of the law. In terms of Section 7 of Statutory Instrument 1989, when one is still under a probationary period, one is supposed to be given one month’s notice before being discharged. Such notice was not given.

“I was not heard before a decision which has a bearing on my legitimate expectation, that is my career was made,” she said, urging the court to reverse the dismissal.

On the other hand, Masendeke said that he should not have been dismissed, because he had completed the initial three years of service.

“The law is actually discriminatory since an officer who is in the same position with me is not discharged from the service if he impregnates his wife.

“The first applicant (Chidembo) is my lawfully wedded wife and such marriage was actually recognised and we were actually allocated married people accommodation after filing the same at my work place,” he said.

However, the respondents said Chidembo and Masendeke have no basis to be heard before the High Court, as they should have first exhausted internal remedies.

“…matters on the suitability of Defence Forces members should be appealed or reviewed by the Defence Forces Services Commission established by Section 217 of the Constitution,” the respondents said, further urging the court to dismiss the application.

“Applicants overlook that the Zimbabwe Defence Forces has a mammoth task of protecting the gains of our liberation struggle and in so doing high levels of discipline must prevail.

“The Zimbabwe Defence Forces is a sui generic (unique) organisation which aspires to achieve its objectives gloriously, a pregnant army cannot withstand the exigencies of a military struggle if the enemy was to strike today.”

The matter will be heard on Thursday before the High Court.

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BULAWAYO - Highlanders have strongly condemned unruly fans who caused the abandonment of the league match against Dynamos at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.

Irate Bosso fans threw missiles at referee Munyaradzi Majoni and his assistant Thomas Kusosa after they had allowed a controversial equaliser by Dynamos forward Christian Ntouba to stand in the 42nd minute.

After a brief stoppage, play was ready to resume as it seemed the tempers had cooled down but all hell broke loose as Bosso fans invaded the pitch.

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Although both teams wanted to continue with the match, the match commissioner had to order the match to be abandoned due to the safety of the players, match officials and the crowd.

The Bulawayo giants now face Premier Soccer League sanctions after they were summoned to a disciplinary hearing next Tuesday.

Newly-appointed Highlanders chief executive officer Nhlanhla Dube has been thrown into the deep end as he has to manage this crisis created by the thuggish behaviour demonstrated by a section of his club’s fans.

Yesterday, Dube released a statement distancing the club from the unruly spectators who soiled Sunday’s match.

“Highlanders...categorically stands unequivocally opposed to all forms of disruptive behaviour occurring before, during and after football games,” Dube said.

“Our club regards missile throwing, pitch invasion and other acts that disrupt the smooth proceedings of football matches as abhorrent.

“It is our sincere belief that true football fans and genuine Highlanders followers want to see fairness in the game and understand the cost of disruptive behaviour even when they do not agree with a call made by match officials.

“It is our sincere belief that those who threw missiles and invaded the pitch are not genuine Highlanders fans.

“We urge our fans to protect the image of their club, interests of the sponsors, and partners and all stakeholders at all times.”

The former Bosso treasurer said supporters must not take the law into their own hands when they feel match officials have made the wrong call.

“Indeed, we recognise that the goal scored by our opponents during the match raised questions regarding its legitimacy as it appeared to our fans and players to have been scored from a suspected offside position and appreciate that the above stated contributed immensely to the events which led to the match ending prematurely,” Dube said.

“Regardless of all these considerations, the acts of missile throwing and pitch invasion as occurred at the abandoned match are inexcusable and as such we condemn the unfortunate behaviour in the strongest of terms and dissociate the club from all forms of misconduct.”

The Bosso chief reiterated his club’s commitment to engaging their members, fans and football stakeholders as they seek a permanent solution to solve this problem of hooliganism.

Dube also paid tribute to those fans that did not partake in the violence and swiftly exited the venue without causing any further incidents after it had been announced that the match had been abandoned.

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HARARE - More than 20 arts acts will take part in Culture Week celebrations at Glen View 1 Hall in Harare on next Monday.

The showcase is part of countrywide arts related activities run by National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (Nacz).

In Glen View 1, the participating artistes will major in music, theatre, dance and poetry. Most of them are from Glen View 1 and will be supported by other groups from Mbare and Mufakose.

The celebrations which will start at 9am and end at 4pm are being coordinated by Glenbud Arts Association, a local arts institution.

Glenbud Arts Association chairperson Lumen Mubaiwa said: “While Culture Week is an annual event coordinated throughout the country by Nacz, we only started coordinating local events last year,” said Mubaiwa.

“Activities will include traditional dances, marimba music and ethnic culture showcases.”

Meanwhile, preparations for 2017 Culture Week commemorations that will run from next Monday till Friday are at advanced stages in all provinces, organisers said.

The annual week-long programme running under the theme “Consolidating Cultural Identity, Diversity and Heritage” will be punctuated with diverse activities that depict the country’s varied cultures and traditions, courtesy of Nacz.

“The official national launch of the Culture Week is scheduled for Nyava High School in Bindura on Saturday and the event will be graced by the minister of Rural Development, Promotion and Preservation of National Culture and Heritage, Abednico Ncube,” Nacz’s acting communications manager Cathrine Mthombeni said.

Activities lined up for the national launch include praise poems from renowned poet Albert Nyathi and a local poet from Mashonaland Central Panganayi Mutukwa. Traditional dance groups will dish an assortment of dances and the dance groups include Zvido Zvevanhu Arts Ensembe (Harare), Muzarabani Katekwe Dance Group with Katekwe dance from Muzarabani, Diwa Dembe Dance Group from Rushinga will do Tsotsa dance and St Joseph Primary School, 2016 Jikinya Dance Festival champions will showcase Jerusarema Mbende.

Izwi Remhondoro from Mazowe will play mbira and marimba alongside Guruve Marimba Group that is also based in Mazowe.

Various traditional food and herbal medicines will be exhibited as well. Musical bands that will perform include Andy Muridzo and Jeetaz Band popularly known as Baba Keketso, 2016 Chibuku Road to Fame Afro Jazz national winners Blacksight Zim and Bindura sungura-based group Mahindekinde Stars.

“In consolidating cultural identity, diversity and heritage during Culture Week, Nacz encourages Zimbabweans to upscale the consumption of healthy traditional foods at home, in hotels and restaurants.

“As a nation, we have gone full-circle, organic and unprocessed foods have become common traditional food should be supported and Culture Week presents an opportunity to do so,” she said.

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HARARE - Government is moving to disenfranchise millions of Zimbabweans in the key 2018 vote by refusing to re-align the Citizenship Act with the new Constitution, opposition parties and civic groups have said.

Declarations by registrar general Tobaiwa Mudede that government will continue to outlaw dual citizenship by amending the new charter to abolish provisions allowing dual citizenship as part of an ongoing ploy to bar Zimbabweans not resident in the country from voting in the 2018 presidential, parliamentary and municipal polls.

This move is clearly designed to deny the opposition millions of votes from mostly illegal immigrants eking out a living in SA and other foreign countries who are decidedly anti-President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF, they said.

Opposition People’s Democratic Party president Tendai Biti said “Toneth Tobaiwa Mudede who hails from the central kingdom of Zvimba” must now be retired.

“Despite the fact that he turned 60 some 20 years ago, he continues to serve masquerading as the registrar general of the country,” Biti, a former Finance minister, said.

“He is in fact the registrar general of the country personally responsible for Nikuv and the Nikuved 2013 election.”

The MDC has claimed that the registrar general’s office paid controversial Israeli-based company, Nikuv Projects International (NPI), over $10 million to assist Zanu PF rig the July 31, 2013 polls, an allegation strenuously denied by the shadowy firm, the ruling party and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.

“This man has a tremendous capability to speak with another part of his anatomy which is not his mouth. This week he postulated that the concept of dual citizenship so proudly entrenched in Chapter 3 of our constitution and indeed one of its real bright spots was anathema that Zanu PF would move to repeal.

“This coming from a mere civil servant, even one that is 20 years past his retirement date is unacceptable and high level madness,” Biti said.

Chapter 3 of the new Constitution states that one may become a citizen of Zimbabwe by birth, descent or registration.

In an address to the Zanu PF parliamentary caucus last week, Mudede said dual citizenship raised the spectre of tax evasion, evasion from justice, involvement in cases of human trafficking, international terrorism and problems in immigration control and called for amendments to Sections 36, 37 and 43 of the new charter overwhelmingly approved by 95 percent of Zimbabwe in a 2013 referendum.

“As the ministry of Home Affairs, we have decided that we are not going for realignment (of the Citizenship Act to the Constitution), but for amendment,” he said.

Mudede also demanded the reinstatement of a provision requiring foreigners who acquired Zimbabwe’s citizenship to take an oath of loyalty.

Zanu PF chief whip Lovemore Matuke promised to move the motion in Parliament.

Zanu PF has 160 seats in the 210-seat chamber, a commanding two-thirds majority, while the opposition MDC has 49 seats.

MDC spokesperson Obert Gutu said dual or even multiple citizenship was there to stay.

“As the MDC, we derive comfort from the fact that even the majority of Zanu PF politicians are happy with the concept of dual citizenship since it also affects members of their own families,” Gutu said.

“Mudede doesn’t speak on behalf of Zanu PF; he is a lost cause who is wondering about in the miserable world of anachronism and negativity. We are pretty confident that the Constitution will not be amended to abolish dual citizenship.”

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition — a conglomeration of Zimbabwean civic groups — said the development indicates an absence of political accountability and political will to speedily re-align the country’s laws to the Constitution including the Citizen’s Act.

“In our view an amendment of Chapter 3 of the Constitution will cause statelessness,” said the coalition, which groups various rights organisations.

“We view the utterances by ...Mudede as part of a bigger ploy to disenfranchise Zimbabweans living in the Diaspora as we head towards the watershed 2018 elections.”

An estimated three million citizens residing globally in countries such as South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Australia, US and the United Kingdom among others are now holders of dual citizenship.

These nationals remit close to $2 billion annually.

“Amending the Constitution to strip them of their Zimbabwean citizenship will not only disenfranchise them in the event that they want to come back home to exercise their right to vote in the 2018 elections but that some of them will be permanently stripped of their Zimbabwean citizenship,” the coalition said.

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HARARE - Leonard "Karikoga" Zhakata (pictured) will for the first time this year perform in the capital, Harare when he dates Jazz 24/7 on Saturday.

Apart from a brief appearance at a charity ‘‘Bring a Shoe Show’’ held earlier in the year, where he impressed, Zhakata has been keeping away from the capital.

“We have been on an outreach programme to take ‘Zora Music’ out of town as we thanked Zimbabweans for voting for Zora Music in the 2016 Radio Zimbabwe Top 50 hits competition, visiting places which the band has not been to for years,” said Zhakata’s manager Ben Zhakata.

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Since the beginning of the year, Zhakata has been touring out of the capital with regular shows as well as participating in community projects that include Plan International’s ‘‘Because I am a Girl Child Campaign’’ and Action Aid’s handwashing project.

He has also been out promoting the Premier Plus Mahewu product. These tours have seen him perform in many places out of Harare, among them Gokwe and Beitbridge.

Zhakata has introduced a new song titled Game Changer which is expected on his forthcoming album. The song has been well received by his legion of supporters.

Jazz 24/7 Manager Yasini Dhala said they had done their part to ensure an explosive concert.

“We feel honoured to be hosting Zhakata’s first gig in the capital this year, and we are happy to work with a seasoned musician like him. He is professional and mature. We expect nothing short of fireworks from him”, said Dhala.

Zhakata has apologised for failing to honour his promise in terms of delivering forthcoming album Mutungadzese Extended.

“I would like to apologise to those who have been waiting for Mutungadzese Extended as I had earlier promised to have it ready for them by the first quarter of this year. There have been some delays due to some unplanned for but unavoidable community and business engagements.

“I will be careful not to give a time-frame this time round, but my fans should be rest assured that they will be enjoying the new album soon. We have completed recording, and we will be embarking on other associated processes soon and hope to give it to them at the earliest possible time,” Zhakata said.

Meanwhile, Zhakata has dispelled the rumour doing rounds that he intends to contest for the country’s presidency in the 2018 national elections.

“The last time I checked I was a musician, not a politician. I have never been a politician, I am not one, and I do not aspire to be one.

“Seriously, how can one rise from nowhere to be president of a country? The people who invented the joke have a bad taste of humour”, the Mubikira hit-maker said.

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