HARARE - Gate charges for the Commander ZNA Charities Shield dream final between Dynamos and Highlanders set for Sunday at the National Sports Stadium have been pegged at $3 for the rest of the ground with the most expensive ticket going for $10.

The organisers of this tournament, the army’s biggest fundraising event in their quest to help the needy will see the VIP ticket going for $5 while the VVIP is pegged at $10 all tickets payable via point of sale, EcoCash and cash.

In order to take the game to the people, fans will be ferried from four central points in Harare’s Central Business District namely; Copa-Cabana, Fourth Street and Town House.

“There will be swipe, EcoCash and cash facilities at the gates for the convenience of football fans. Buses will ferry fans to the National Sports Stadium…from the…pick up points as from 0830hrs,” Alphios Makotore, army spokesperson said in a statement yesterday.

“Entertainment for the match will be provided by the Zimbabwe Signals Band. The Commander ZNA’s Charities Soccer Shield is one of the major fundraising events lined up by the army in its quest to assist the needy. Other fundraising events for this year are the Charities Ball, the Baker’s Inn and Army Charities Dinner Dance and Golf Tournament and the Charity Horse Race.”

En-route to the first part of the battle of Zimbabwe 2018, Harare giants Dynamos edged rivals CAPS United 1-0 at the giant National Sports Stadium last weekend courtesy of a Kudzanai Dhemere solitary strike.

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Bosso on the other hand endured a 2-1 win rain-interrupted victory over Chicken Inn that was played across two venues — Barbourfields (BF) and Luveve Stadium in Bulawayo.

Initially the match was stopped in the 55th minute on Sunday due to heavy rains and lightning at BF with the 10-man Gamecocks leading 0-1 courtesy of a Clemence Matawu’s fifth minute strike.

Chicken Inn defender Devine Lunga was red-carded in the 27th minute following a foul on Highlanders’ Godknows Makaruse and upon resumption the following day, Bosso capitalised on a man advantage getting their goals through midfielder Adrian Silla and defender Peter Muduhwa to book a final berth against arch rivals Dynamos.

DeMbare coach Lloyd Mutasa said he expects a tough outing against Highlanders tomorrow.

“A Highlanders side is just as good as a CAPS United side when you play a battle of Zimbabwe, it’s no easy feat and we are expecting a good game, we expecting a battle.

“If you look at how we played against them last season in the first game we won it in the boardroom after the game had ended in a one-all draw at Barbourfields,” Mutasa told reporters yesterday.

“We came here (Harare) we played a draw again, we even played those few friendlies with the other youngsters from Bosso as well and some of those games ended in stalemates as well.

“It’s going to be a tough game, a game that probably both institutions would like to come out victorious so it’s going to be a tough assignment but we hope as Dynamos we would always want to come out victorious.”

The ZNA has five charitable organisations which are; Tsanga Lodge Convalescent Centre, Army Widows and Orphans Benevolent Fund, ZNA Benevolent Fund, ZNA Schools Welfare Trust Fund as well as the ZNA Patients Welfare Fund.

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HARARE - Dynamos coach Lloyd Mutasa has welcomed the return to normalcy after senior players ended their 9-day sabbatical over unpaid wages and bonuses to finally report for training at Old Hararians Sports Club yesterday.

The senior players, together with the youngsters and fringe players went through their paces at OH Sports Club giving the Harare giants the much-needed boost ahead of Sunday’s final of the ZNA Commander Charity Shield against bitter rivals Highlanders at the National Sports Stadium.

Players such as Raphael Manuvire, Marvelous Mukumba, Emmanuel Mandiranga, Valentine Ndaba, Ocean Mushure, Obey Mwerahari all reported for duty and so did Cameroonian striker Christian Epoupa who has never missed a session during the nine-day strike by other seniors.

Mutasa was happy with the turn of events and applauded the parties that broke the impasse although he bemoaned the amount of precious time lost in the furore.

“We welcome them back and it’s business as usual. It’s quite a boost, you know you would want to have all your personnel around and probably choose a team from a better pool,” Mutasa told reporters after the team’s training session at OH yesterday.

“I would want to applaud all the stakeholders that made things happen and we are happy as an institution that things have come back to normal…we move on and we hope we will try as much as we can to take it from there until the end of the season.”

While the seasoned players played hide and seek sometimes reporting to the ground but not taking to the field, the youngsters selected to play in the ZNA Charities semi-final gave a good account of themselves by making it to the final following their 1-0 win over CAPS United at the National Sports Stadium last weekend.

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This has brought about a different dimension that the technical department might not have envisaged this early into the New Year and will see some of the returning seniors warming the bench against Bosso.

“…They have been away for some time as well so probably we will try to integrate those who might probably add a new dimension with the other guys who played in the semis,” Mutasa added.

“If you end up having the whole lot who have not been training it might be a disadvantage so it’s a case of probably juggling around mixing those who have been training and those who might give us an edge though they were not training.

“It has been a drawback, you go for nine days without training so obviously you lose out and you are starting all over again but such is the nature of the job, we have to abide by that and we have to move on.

“We will try as much to try and push these guys but not to an extent of probably trying to cover up for that time lost in a few days between now and Sunday…but as we progress here and there we would be able to push ourselves and play catch-up.”

Meanwhile, it has emerged that the players were only paid January salaries while the rest of the outstanding allowances have been agreed in principle with the executive that they will be honoured in due course.

“We only received January salaries, we are being owed $200 winning bonuses times 11 months per player, $200 per month per each player for outstanding salaries and $70 times three games per each player as well,” a player confided with the Daily News yesterday.

But on Wednesday Dynamos president Kenni Mubaiwa claimed to have settled all the outstanding dues the players were owed.

“We had wanted to sack some of the big-headed players who are influencing the rest of the squad but the coach said we should not do that, so we paid them their dues and everyone is now expected to resume training,” Mubaiwa told the Daily News.

“We know there’s section of players who are taking advice from those who want to see this project collapse; we will expose them when the right time comes. As for now, we have settled everything and we no longer owe anyone anything.”

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HARARE - Zimbabwe hosts a key mining conference next week in a bid to attract new foreign investors into the market, which it hopes will stimulate economic growth.

The sudden and rapid developments in Zimbabwe late last year, which saw the military essentially remove former President Robert Mugabe and subsequently elevate Emmerson Mnangagwa to the top post, have ushered in a new opportunity for the country to achieve its economic potential as a powerhouse in the region.

The president has repeated his mantra since his inauguration that "Zimbabwe is open for business".

International investors will get a chance to consider the vast investment opportunities in Zimbabwe’s growing mining sector at the indaba running from February 27 to 28 at The Meikles Hotel in Harare.

Zimbabwe’s over century-old mining industry has always needed not only huge amounts of capital but has also been highly labour-intensive.

But Zimbabwe's foreign currency liquidity constraints are scaring the wits out of capital.

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The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has maintained that remedies will stem from: increased production, merchandise exports, foreign direct investment, diaspora remittances, external loans and implementing measures to protect investors' funds.

The conference is being hosted by the London-based MiningReport in conjunction with the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe and the Mines and Mining Development Ministry.

President Mnangagwa will officially open the indaba, which has attracted interest from over 20 countries. He has pledged to make economics and trade cooperation, rather than politics, his government’s main priority “in order to catch up with the region”.

Over 300 high profile decision-makers representing local, regional and international players involved in Zimbabwe’s mining sector are expected to attend the two-day event.

Liberation Mining, who are the conference’s lead sponsors, will be represented by CEO Victoria Tskhovrebov, while co-sponsors African Chrome Fields will be represented by their national project director, Ashruf Kaka.

“Liberation Mining, together with its partners, has a long-term commitment to Zimbabwe’s economy and social development, welcomes current changes in the country’s business environment and is looking forward to further investing in its growth and the prosperity of the people of Zimbabwe,” Liberation Mining said in a statement:

Speaking to journalists in Harare on Wednesday, Mines and Mining Development minister Winston Chitando said: “The event will be officially opened by His Excellency, President E.D Mnangagwa and has attracted interest from over 20 countries and we are excited to have engagements with the Zimbabwean mining industry and international investors.”

Government officials will address the ease of doing mining business, showcase investment opportunities and discuss mineral value addition, among other issues.

Zimbabwe is endeavouring to be among the most attractive and safest mining investment destinations with clear and predictable investment policies and incentives.

In his December 2017 budget statement, Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa said the 51-49 per cent local-foreign shareholding structure shall only apply to diamonds and platinum, allowing foreign investors to now own up to 100 per cent in all other mineral projects.

In a statement, conference hosts MiningReport said: “We are bringing together mining companies, government stakeholders and a broad range of investors including sovereign wealth funds, and the media. Make sure you join us to connect with these key stakeholders. Zimbabwe is on a path to becoming one of the leading mining investment destinations in Africa.”

Zimbabwe’s 800 mines have capacity to earn $18 billion per annum but were only turning out about $2 billion annually since 2009. This represents about a tenth of the sector’s full potential and translates to an incredible opportunity for investors, and the government has pledged to create an enabling environment for investors.

The country’s vast mineral wealth includes the second largest platinum and chrome deposits in the world, and the country is the fifth largest producer of lithium in the world.

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HARARE - Morgan Tsvangirai’s widow Elizabeth was forced to leave Humanikwa Village in Buhera soon after the burial of her husband, unable to attend post-burial ceremonies after suffering relentless abuse at the hands of her late spouse’s family members.

The torment endured by Tsvangirai’s wife has been roundly condemned as “nothing short of a disgrace”.

The widow built the courage to make a public appearance at the burial, even after the family had severed all ties with their vivacious daughter-in-law.

According to Shona tradition, soon after burial of the deceased, precautionary rituals are usually performed to purify those concerned with the funeral, especially the wife, ostensibly to prevent the spirit from returning from the grave to torment those left behind. 

Elizabeth did not participate at all in any core-funeral and post-burial ceremonies.

She was kept in the dark about the parameters on how death, funeral and post-death ceremonies should be held, and any other funeral arrangements.

She was also left out of the programme, arrangements how the proper burial rituals would be done, and all logistical issues, protocol included. No one consoled her as the bereaved.

The funeral ceremonies became a strictly Tsvangirai family activity, where family power was exercised to ostracise her, without any sense of remorse.

He role ended as soon as she brought back her husband’s remains back to Zimbabwe from South Africa where Tsvangirai died in a private hospital.

There was an earlier attempt to ban her from her husband’s funeral by her unforgiving mother-in-law Gogo Lydia Chibwe Tsvangirai, who was captured on State TV during the main news bulletin on Saturday night threatening to commit suicide if Elizabeth was allowed to mourn her husband at the Highlands home. 

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In a no-holds-barred sermon at the Mabelreign Methodist Church during a requiem service for Tsvangirai, forthright Reverend Jimmy Dube slammed the family for abusing their daughter-in-law.

“Vekwa Makuvise, nevekwa Tsvangirai (The Makuvises and the Tsvangirais) we have travelled together the ups and downs of life. Zvekutaura pa public zvemumusha siyanai nazvo (Stop washing your dirty linen in public).  Gogo Tsvangirai vane bhachi re red (Tsvangirai’s mum is an esteemed member of the church)  and we raised you well zvekutaura pa public siyanai nazvo (don’t air your family disputes in public).”

Elizabeth was also barred from accompanying her husband’s body, which was airlifted just after the Harare farewell to Buhera in an Agusta 412 bell helicopter. The helicopter took off from One Commando barracks with Tsvangirai’s mum.

The inconsolable Elizabeth was forced to proceed to her hubby’s burial in a road trip. 

Tsvangirai’s brother, Manase, claimed in State media that Elizabeth was happy with how the family treated her.

“We have to treat all these wives equally,” Manase said.

“Maiguru Elizabeth was with the body from South Africa to Harare, naturally one has to give others a chance.

“When we were preparing to depart from One Commando to Buhera for the burial, we were asked to provide four people to accompany the body and it followed that she had to give others a chance and that is why she travelled by road. It had nothing to do with allegations of ill-treating her.

“When she came here last night, we gave her a room to sleep in and what better recognition do you expect, and she was quite happy.

“If you have three wives, for example, and even if one dies, that symbolic union cannot be taken away, particularly when there are children and when lobola (bride price) was paid. If you do not agree with my interpretation we can ask any elder around.”

Meanwhile, Elizabeth’s role as Tsvangirai’s caregiver was not acknowledged at all throughout the time the grieving widow paid tribute to her husband.

There was no mention of her at his burial, with the family choosing to  acknowledge relatives of Tsvangirai’s first wife, Susan, who died in a car crash in 2009 shortly after Zimbabwe’s inclusive government was sworn into power.

Throughout this abuse, Elizabeth wore that Catholic uniform with grace, behaved with decorum in the face of relentless abuse, cast out into an unkind, unfriendly world of misunderstanding in-laws and her late husband’s overbearing relatives. 

Throughout the ordeal, she maintained her silence, never retaliating.

However, she felt embraced by her family circle, especially her dad, Zanu PF member and former Chitungwiza mayor Joseph Macheka, who tended to his daughter during the difficult grieving process, amid domination of oppressive traditional practices and customary codes.

The Daily News understands Elizabeth left Humanikwa the morning-after the burial, headed back to Harare.

Her departure reportedly caused rancour in the family, but was a bold statement against dictatorial tendencies by the Tsvangirai family, where her exclusivism became the tone of the funeral, and it was apparent she was being systematically sidelined.

She returned to her Highlands matrimonial home, where she has been confined since.

The only time she left her home was on Wednesday when she was invited to escort Kenya opposition leader Raila Odinga to the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.

Odinga, one of Tsvangirai’s best friends, travelled to Humanikwa Village to lay the former prime minister to rest.

Odinga — who is at the centre of controversy in Kenya after he declared himself the “people’s president” at a controversial “swearing-in” ceremony in the capital, Nairobi three weeks ago after his unsuccessful bid for the presidency — met with MDC acting president Nelson Chamisa at the Meikles Hotel on Wednesday.

Chamisa travelled with Odinga to Buhera and back to Harare, where they convened the meeting.

The Daily News understands the meeting discussed “future cooperation, party-to-party cooperation, and carrying forward the legacy of Tsvangirai,” Chamisa told the Daily News in a telephone conversation yesterday.

Asked what Elizabeth was doing at the meeting, Chamisa said: “She was called by Odinga to accompany the family to the airport.”

Odinga came to Zimbabwe with his family, his two daughters and sisters.

The Odinga family was being hosted by Elizabeth.

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HARARE - Hungry supporters of the late MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai looted bread vans, breached security fences and beat up some of the party leaders during his burial on a chaotic rainy day.

With trucks that were supposed to bring food having being trapped in muddy ruts, supporters of the late veteran politician initially started the day by ransacking bread vans and later on descending on the party’s vice president Thokozani Khupe and secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora.

Khupe and Mwonzora were clobbered and took refuge in a hut, with the marauding youths threatening to set the hut alight.

The two have been opposing MDC acting president Nelson Chamisa’s ascendancy.

“Ngaaende, ngaaende (She must go),” sang the angry and hungry mob as they besieged the hut in which Khupe and Mwonzora had sought refuge.

“We don’t want to see Khupe here. She wants to sell out to Zanu PF. She left the party a long time ago,” the crowds shouted.

MDC deputy national youth chairperson Shakespeare Mukoyi, the leader of the so-called Order of the Vanguard, had to intervene to rescue the two VPs.

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“Cde Wamba Dia Wamba gave me an instruction — we know you have the energy and power to defend the principles of the party — but he has instructed me to tell you to release the party leaders who are inside that hut,” Mukoyi, looking resplendent in black military fatigues and a red beret, said.

The youths call Chamisa — Wamba Dia Wamba after the commander of the opposition Rally for Congolese Democracy, who is also a prominent academic and political theorist in the DRC. Ernest Wamba dia Wamba was also the vice president of the DRC Senate Permanent Commission on Legal and Administrative Matters in the transitional government.  

As Khupe cowered in fear in the hut, the mob followed Mukoyi’s instruction and stopped the crusade.

Khupe told the Voice of America that she was beaten by clenched fists and even threatened with death.

“When we arrived here we went straight to see Mbuya (Tsvangirai’s mother) and about 10 youths came and started beating us. Then some more people came and they started beating us as well, they called me a dissident from Bulawayo and said you must go back otherwise we will kill you.

“They were chanting Chamisa’s name and then we were taken to a hut were we hid. While we were there, they wanted to burn us while we were inside. They actually lit the thatching but the house did not burn because the thatching was wet since it was raining.

“Instead of burying a hero, they started violence. This is not the first time that we were beaten; we have been beaten before in Bulawayo. As a party, we are clear, we have a constitution and I am the deputy president, it is written that in the absence of the president, the deputy president must act.

“There are two vice presidents who were appointed by the president and served at the pleasure (of the president) but now they want to grab power through violence. These two (VPs) were appointed and served at the pleasure of the president, I was elected at congress,” Khupe said.

After the funeral, people had to walk back home on empty stomachs. There was no food.

And there were no ablution facilities, with people turning to the bush to relieve themselves. Others had bush sex, with condoms strewn everywhere.

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HARARE - ZANU PF’S deposed generation 40 (G40) faction was “within touching distance” of snatching the party’s presidency amid revelations that its vile plan included the capture of several strategic institutions, including public media, just days before the ex-liberation movement’s December 15 extra-ordinary congress.

This also comes as the vanquished group has been mobilising against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government under the National Patriotic Front (NPF) banner and a number of its staunch allies, including ex-police commissioner general Augustine Chihuri, Kudzanai Chipanga and Ignatius Chombo, remain under the cosh over a litany of political and professional indiscretions.

“G40 kingpins had not only set upon a plan to capture key state organs by supplanting tried and tested cadres with their surrogates – across the media spectrum, and numerous parastatals – on the Thursday before the army takeover kicked in, but their trump card was the 10th Dzivaresekwa interface rally and subsequent Zanu PF congress, and where they would have wanted to install Grace Mugabe as acting president as well,” said a source.

"So sinister was the plot that we would have very well seen Robert Mugabe, and Phelekezela Mphoko going on leave and that unhinged woman taking over the reigns for up to three months after the old man would have been forced on an extended vacation. And as the desperation to seize power set in, you will be aware that they even tried to divide securocrats by roping in people like Chihuri on their side with a view of (even) forming a military buffer for the old man,” they said, adding the crafty schemers had also tried to mask their true intentions by throwing in former Justice minister Happyton Bonyongwe’s name.

“Of course, we know that the junta still wanted to put Mnangagwa in charge at congress after sponsoring a spontaneous revolt against their former leader by Zanu PF provinces, but it had to bring forward its intervention after the G40’s increasingly bold manouvres. And like in any situation where such evil plans collapse, there have been many casualties – albeit willing messengers – in the form of the Chihuris, who are now being swept by the tide after a number of dossiers detailing their expedient actions such as the $120 million spot fines and illegal fundraising debacle, failure to deal with Frank Buyanga’s cases and unresolved top cop extortion saga,” the sources said.

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With the ex-Zanu PF women’s league boss’ influence on her 93 year-old husband, analysts polled by the Daily News recently concurred that it was quite possible that the acerbic Gushungo Holdings owner would have gone on a dry run of party and state presidency after the party’s December 15 extra-ordinary congress.

“In the circumstances of the succession struggles in Zanu PF in 2017, one cannot entirely deny the plans and actions of the various factions. While pushing Grace to the presidency appeared a long shot… it may as well tell us how political strategies were becoming amateurish and how seasoned politicians were throwing caution to the wind,” Rashweat Mukundu, a former Freedom House researcher and commentator, said.

Ethiopian-based security expert Maxwell Saungweme also said “anything was possible (with these hawks and) the theory seems plausible given Mnangagwa’s earlier dismissal. Nonetheless, the military might have gotten wind of this hence its coup”.

However, Shakespear Hamauswa disagreed and said G40 kingpins – in the form of ex-Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo, and Saviour Kasukuweres – were just out to create smokescreens for their real motive.

“The fight was for Mugabe to leave office. So the G40 wanted to create a fake scenario where Mugabe would feel safe after his exit. The G40 had someone else other than Grace. They knew Grace was not going to make it so they were just using her for their hidden agenda,” the pro-government analyst said.

And as the Zanu PF leadership contest, and intrigue continues – even after Mugabe’s November 21 ouster – Moyo and the deposed leader’s nephew Patrick Zhuwao have not only sought to continually project the Harare regime as illegitimate, but have escalated efforts to fight Mnangagwa and his military-backed government under the NPF cover.

According to recent media reports and indeed his own twitter posts, the ex-Tsholotsho North legislator still believes the nonagenarian leader was “wrongly, and unjustly” pushed out by the lacoste faction, and its security sector allies.

As such, Moyo and his G40 allies – notably Zhuwao – have set in motion plans to derail Mnangagwa by roping in Mugabe, National People’s Party leader Joice Mujuru, the Movement for Democratic Change and a dissident group called the 2018Resistance.

And in their latest, and nefarious activities to oust the new Zanu PF leader, it is believed that the embittered lot was working “with certain remnants of the old security structure and apparatus” that was behind the former president’s feeble attempt to cling on to power in the after the November 15 military intervention.

Meanwhile, Chihuri and several other Grace allies remain under attack for a number of imprudent decisions, including the alleged looting of state resources that have been exposed by police deductions saga, and messy fight with Bigboy Pachirera.

“You see, Mnangagwa is such a calculative man for he simply lumped the former Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) head’s political sins to his professional indiscretions, which culminated in the latter’s sacking on December 18 last year. In my understanding, the litany of allegations ranged from his dodgy Kuyedza Club activities to the ex-top cop’s refusal to investigate cases reported by Buyanga against five parties and protecting surbodinates implicated in the Delish Nguwaya extortion cases,” said a source.

“Apart from these issues and complaints, his obvious G40 bias also reflected in the police’s failure to arrest Innocent Hamandishe on six assault and kidnapping charges, and where his officers would even claim they could not locate the former youth boss yet he was routinely attending Grace’s interface rallies,” they said.

And with the long-serving police chief under fire for presiding over a generally corrupt force – enmeshed in such hellish, and emotive issues as the spot fines saga – the incoming government not only had enough fodder to boot out Chihuri, but found support even among opposition quarters.

With all these outstanding issues that strike at the core of the force’s integrity, new Home Affairs minister Obert Mpofu has thus sanctioned sweeping changes to improve police conduct and operations – now being spearheaded by police boss Godwin Matanga.

In Manicaland, for instance, Chipanga is accused of grabbing a Headlands farm that had been earmarked for a state university, while Chombo is facing fresh charges of trying to muscle in on a Kariba fish farm.

In the Buyanga case, Chihuri is accused of sitting on dockets for the prosecution of Tawanda and Winnie Jakachira, lawyer Tamuka Moyo, Simon Charewa and Lawrence Muteswa over the flamboyant businessman’s loss of two Harare properties.

On the other hand, the stricken man was sucked into the Nguwaya case after chief superintendent Nyaradzai Majachani, superintendent Shepherd Tachiona, constable Clever Gadzikwa and Vengai Zano failed to appear in court despite arrest warrants having been issued. And this was after the Chinese Business Association had raised complaints over continued harassment by the alleged syndicate.

And despite efforts to clean up the security sector of rogue elements, Chihuri was seen as a hindrance to the operation by ignoring court warrants for the bent cops.

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HARARE - Police yesterday fought running battles with commuter omnibus crews and vendors in and around Harare’s Central Business District (CBD) who were resisting the enforcement of a government decree outlawing ferrying of passengers and vending in the inner city.

Government immediately rescinded its decision following the wild clashes between police and irate members of the public.

Several cars and two Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) buses were damaged in the mayhem which was sparked by touts and kombi crews in the light industrial area near the newly-designated Coca Cola rank.

Government had yesterday started enforcing its ban on kombis picking and dropping off passengers in the CBD as part of its audacious plan to decongest and bring back sanity to the capital.

Hundreds of commuter omnibus drivers who made an early morning dash – hoping to breach the new rules – were met with combined security team comprising police, military and municipal cops who ordered them to drop passengers outside the CBD.

Commuters mainly from Chitungwiza, Hatfield, Manyame, Hatfield, Sunningdale and St Martin’s were forced to disembark in the light industrial area – prompting touts to stone two ZUPCO buses that had been ear-marked to provide shuttle service for the remainder of the journey.

Sympathetic motorists who had tried to spare the passengers from walking the 3 kilometres into the CBD were not spared either as angry touts ran amok indiscriminately throwing stones as passing vehicles.

Police were then engaged in running battles with the touts and some defiant commuter omnibus drivers.

Passengers told our news crew that they did not have money for the shuttle services which the City of Harare and government have introduced –arguing that while on paper this could be a noble idea- in practice it was unworkable as there were many problems.

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The new rule which came into effect on Wednesday means that all affected passengers will have to pay for two fares to complete their journey into town.

Police called for re-enforcements and stormed the CBD where they raided unsuspecting vendors and foreign currency dealers during lunchtime.
The clashes caused serious commotion which forced several shops to temporarily close business as police fired teargas.

At Eastgate shopping mall, foreign currency dealers sought refuge in nearby shops, resulting police firing several volleys towards shoppers. The chaotic scenes spread to Fourth Street and Jason Moyo.

Local government minister July Moyo yesterday made a u-turn on the ban following sharp criticism from pressure and rights groups who slammed the police heavy-handedness in enforcing the new ban.

“My directive (to reverse the ban) has been issued in light of the fact that the council’s decision and action are not in the interest of the inhabitants of the council area and the Harare metropolitan Province, to the extent that they hinder free travel by tourists and the general public and injure the general national and public interest. Accordingly I have conveyed the reversal and the rescission to the city council in writing.

“Kindly note that my directive does not cover unregistered vehicles unlawfully engaged in commuter services ‘mushika-shikas’. Equally the directive does not condone other illegal activities such as vending in undesignated places, littering and illegal money changing. These must be kept off the streets as required by law,” Moyo said.

Yesterday’s chaos was slammed by the Combined Harare Residents Association (Chra) which said the new measures could result increased chaos.

“Decongestion of the city will indeed be welcome but a decision to that effect can only be made after wide consultations with concerned stakeholders have been made. The ill-advised move by the council has come with extra costs for commuters who now have to fork out extra money to get into town after being dropped off from faraway places such as Rotten Row rank, Coventry Road as well as Coca-Cola along Seke Road.

“Besides the extra costs, the move by the council will also result in increased delays of the commuting public as some will be forced to walk long distances into town especially given the current economic situation in the country which has seen the majority living far beyond the Poverty Datum Line (PDL),” Chra said.

Passengers Association of Zimbabwe president Tafadzwa Goliati said they were against the unilateral removal of kombis from the Central Business District arguing that as stakeholders they were not consulted.

“We cannot afford to pay more money for transport fare. Already we are struggling with what we are giving transport operators. If council was serious about their proposal to remove vendors they would have just said the buses would ferry passengers from their various suburbs into town without having to drop off at the peripheries of the CBD.

“The areas were people are supposed to get kombis are hotspots for muggings as there are no street lights. There are not enough ablution facilities for all the traffic that is anticipated at those sites,” Goliati said.

Before government reversal of its ban, Harare mayor Bernard Manyenyeni had called the authorities to suspend the operation arguing that residents would suffer in the long run.

“We are also alive to possible resistance by kombi drivers and the general inconveniences of this planned model. I urge all affected people to exercise restraint in handling any inconvenience faced so far.

“As policy makers we would want to be more involved in any future plans for projects of this nature within Harare. We look forward to an immediate suspension of this exercise,” Manyenyeni said.                                                         

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HARARE - Home Affairs minister Obert Mpofu, who is a former Mines minister, blew his gasket in Parliament yesterday after clashing with Mines and Energy portfolio committee chairperson Temba Mliswa over the country’s missing $15 billion revenue from the gem-rich Chiadzwa diamonds fields.

The burly Zanu PF secretary for administration later vowed never to appear before the Mines and Energy portfolio committee to answer any questions relating to the missing funds as long as Mliswa was presiding over the emotive issue — also suggesting damagingly that the garrulous Norton legislator had at some point sought a bribe from him.

Mpofu’s tantrum sparked anger among the gathered MPs who called for him to be slapped with stiff sanctions which he said, however, would have little effect on him — as he had been in Parliament for more than three decades, and thus knew how to deal with the august House’s procedures.

The fracas erupted after Mpofu had been summoned to Parliament to help explain the missing $15 billion worth of the precious stones from Marange, as the government hunts for elusive answers on the emotive issue.

“I am not the Minister of Mines and I don’t know which precedence has been set where former ministers are subjected to questioning on issues to do with ministries that they have already left. I have no mandate to speak about the Ministry of Mines,” Mpofu bellowed.

The Minister had made it clear from the beginning of proceedings that he had no time for the committee, also telling Mliswa bluntly that he could not be lectured on how Parliament worked.

This prompted Mliswa to ask him to withdraw the statement, which he flatly refused to do.

Mpofu said further that he had taken an oath of secrecy as a minister and would also not accept to be abused by Mliswa, whom he accused of besmirching his image.

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At that point, MDC MP for Zengeza West, Simon Chidhakwa, said if Mpofu did not want to appear before the committee, he was supposed to openly say so — to which the minister responded by saying that he had been in the House of Assembly since 1987 and thus understood what he was saying and doing.

The combative Mpofu also claimed that Mliswa had once travelled 600 kilometres to his house, where the Norton MP had allegedly sought to discuss the same issues.

But Mliswa shot back saying Mpofu was trying to divert from the issue at hand, and adding that the said visit had occurred when Mliswa was still in Zanu PF and the two had simply discussed politics — including former ruling party bigwig Didymus Mutasa’s exit from the former liberation movement.

Mpofu then asked for a break to wash his hands, before coming back and stating emphatically that he would not say anything more as long as Mliswa was chairing the committee.

“For as long as he is sitting in front of me, presiding over this issue, I will not co-operate.  You are even refusing me a chance to say what he had come to do at my house.

“With respect to honourable members, I will never, never be presided over by Mr Mliswa for what has happened and you should allow me to express myself.

“I am not going to talk. I have submitted myself to you and I will not talk about this issue ... no matter what you say, I will never say anything ... you don’t know me …” Mpofu thundered.

He also claimed that Mliswa’s visit to his house had implicated the Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Mudenda — to which Mliswa answered by saying that he would not allow himself to be drawn into Matabeleland North’s political squabbles.

At that point, Chidhakwa asked for Mpofu to be charged with contempt of Parliament for refusing to answer questions.

But Mpofu hit back saying, “You cannot intimidate me on issues of principle”.

The committee later adjourned for lunch, demanding that Mpofu come back in the afternoon, but he refused.

“I am not coming if you (Mliswa) are coming. I came here uninvited. I don’t respect you. I am not coming at 2 o’clock.”

In 2016, Mugabe made startling claims that his government could not account for a jaw-dropping $15 billion that was allegedly lost through nefarious activities by players involved in the extraction of the gems in Chiadzwa.

The fields in Marange are considered to be one of the world’s biggest deposits of diamonds.

While the gems were discovered decades ago, a diamond rush only ensued in 2006, resulting in Mugabe’s government deploying the military to restore order

At the height of the mining of diamonds there, Mbada Diamonds, Marange Resources, Anjin Investments, Diamond Mining Company, Kusena and Gye Nyame were some of the companies which were involved in the extraction of the gems in conjunction with the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC).

The mining companies’ licences were not renewed after Mugabe made his startling claim.

And in a controversial move, the government subsequently replaced the mining companies with the state-owned Zimbabwe Diamond Consolidated Company, which now exclusively carries out all the mining in the area.

In 2012, long before Mugabe alleged that the $15 billion had been spirited away, a watchdog group campaigning against “blood” diamonds had also released a damning report in which it alleged that more than $2 billion worth of diamonds had been stolen from the Marange fields.

It also claimed that Mugabe’s inner circle, together with some international dealers and a large network of criminals had connived in “the biggest single plunder of diamonds the world has seen since Cecil Rhodes”.

“Marange’s potential has been overshadowed by violence, smuggling, corruption and most of all, lost opportunity.

“The scale of illegality is mind-blowing” and has spread to compromise most of the diamond markets of the world,” Partnership Africa Canada (PAC) alleged in its report that was titled: Reap What You Sow — Greed and Corruption in Zimbabwe’s Marange Diamond Fields.

Last year President Emmerson Mnangagwa raised hopes that the government would finally provide answers to the missing $15 billion.

Anti-corruption watchdogs and opposition groups have also welcomed his tough rhetoric against graft, including his three-month moratorium on people who externalised foreign currency — saying it will help the government to recover some of the money that was stolen during Mugabe’s controversial rule.

Before he became president, Mnangagwa had said the government had ordered a forensic audit of the seven companies that were mining in Chiadzwa as part of the investigations regarding the missing $15 billion.

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HARARE - A Lebanese businessman who is locked in a $1,3 million diamond ring wrangle with former first lady Grace Mugabe has filed opposing papers in the High Court, claiming the ex-Zanu PF women’s league secretary was approaching the courts with dirty hands.

Read full story in today's paper.

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HARARE - Harare City Council is set to looking to buy a new asphalt plant at an estimated cost of $250 000.

The revelations were made in an Emergency Road Rehabilitation Program meeting held this week between council and the Zimbabwe National Roads Authority (Zinara).

Harare has been repairing roads across the city following a Zinara disbursement of $12,9 million for repairs and maintenance works for 2018.

“The asphalt plant that is there is over 20 years old and is no longer reliable because of the constant breakdowns. Initially there had been some maintenance works that were done but it is now time for us to get a new plant. We made a request for funding and they said they will set aside $500 000 for replacement.

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“What is left for us now is to get the quotations and procure the new plant. There was an old quotation which was much more expensive than what came out in the meeting. What council had requested was $800 000 for the new plant but in the meeting it was discovered that the new plant could be acquired for $250 000 plus installation it may not be more than $400 000,” HCC director of works Zvenyika Chawatama said.

He said maintenance of the asphalt plant would have extended its lifespan but its constant breakdowns indicate that it now needs replacement.

Chawatama said trunk roads and major traffic routes will be repaired first as they are used by a lot by the commuters.

“The routes that will be of high priority is the major kombi routes so that people can get to work on time. The high density areas have suffered as there are no longer any roads and we want to put emphasis on them,” he said.

Zinara engineer Moses Juma said the steering committee of the road maintenance project had already approved the purchase of the new plant.

“HCC will do the procurement in-house to ensure that it is given the urgency it deserves. We hope that at least we can get pothole free streets in the city as results of efforts being made in road repairs,” Juma said.

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HARARE - A robber has been handed a six year prison sentence for robbing and assaulting a taxi driver before fleeing with his vehicle.

Stanely Stamba, 23, pleaded guilty to the offence. The victim, Learnmore Nyagwindi, 27, employed as a taxi driver, suffered serious injuries after he was assaulted by the convict just after entering a new residential area just after the Masvingo toll gate.

Stamba’s alleged accomplice Ashton Magwere is denying the offence and has been placed on remand pending trial.

Prosecutor Ephraim Zinyandu urged the court to pass a stiff sentence that would deter like-minded offenders.

“This offence is on the rise and a message ought to be sent that our courts do not condone such behaviour. A custodial sentence will justify this offence which was worsened by the bodily harm complainant suffered during the robbery,” Zinyandu said.

Zinyandu proved that on November 21, Nyagwindi parked his Toyota Raum at Zindoga Shopping Center waiting for clients.

Stamba was in the company of his accomplice Magwere who is already on remand for the same allegations and hatched a plan to rob the taxi driver, the court heard.

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The duo approached Nyagwindi and hired his taxi to a new residential area after the Masvingo toll gate.

They negotiated for $20 fare and immediately after the toll gate, Stamba instructed Nyagwindi to turn left and disembarked and went to relieve himself.

When Stamba returned, he occupied the back seat with Magwere and the car was driven for about 10 metres before Stamba grabbed Nyagwindi by the neck and ordered him to stop the motor vehicle, threatening him with death if he did not comply.

The robbers then took turns to assault Nyagwindi with iron bars until he became unconscious and was pushed out of the taxi.

Stamba and Magwere drove off and Nyagwindi was later assisted by two soldiers who found him lying unconscious and took him to Southley Park Police Station.

Nyagwindi was referred to Parirenyatwa Hospital for treatment and a medical report was compiled.

On December 5, detectives recovered the stolen car dumped at Mbare Flats and three wheels and headlights had been detached.

Magwere was later arrested on December 15 by Vehicle Theft Squad detectives who had been tipped of his whereabouts in Mbare.

He implicated Stamba and led detectives to his location.

Stamba was found with keys of the Toyota Raum.

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HARARE - A Harare man appeared in court yesterday for allegedly murdering his wife in a "terrible and brutal" hammer attack after she asked him for a divorce.

The husband, Prosper Mbingo, 34, immediately ingested rat poison after hammering his wife but was rescued by members of the public who rushed to the same medical institution where his wife had been taken to.

Court proceedings for Mbingo were held at the hospital by Harare magistrate Rumbidzayi Mugwagwa yesterday. He was remanded in custody until March 8.

According to State papers, Mbingo is admitting to the offence. There are eye witnesses prepared to testify during trial.

Mbingo is being charged with attempted murder, malicious damage to property and contravening the Domestic Violence Act.

According to State papers, Mbingo has been married to the complainant (name not supplied) since 2013.

The court heard that following a misunderstanding, the woman told Mbingo that she was leaving him.

It was alleged that Mbingo then left the house and later returned and found his wife asleep.

Mbingo used a hammer to strike his wife twice on the face. She sustained a swollen eye and fractured skull. The court heard that Mbingo destroyed a television set, radio, blankets and kitchen ware valued at $800 during the fracas.

After realizing that he had severely injured his wife, Mbingo then attempted to commit suicide.

The couple is still at Harare Central Hospital.

Meanwhile a 77-year-old Harare man told Harare magistrate Amanda Muridzo that he beat his 73-year-old wife in a fight over a television remote control.

Edmund Mangwiro Matambanadzo, 77, of Mt Pleasant Heights in Harare was charged with failure to comply with terms and conditions of a protection order.

The complainant is Edmund’s wife, Regina Faina Matambanadzo, 73.

The State alleged that on February 2 around 10 pm, Regina was home and saw women’s clothes in her wardrobe that did not belong to her.

The court heard that she asked her husband about the owner of the clothes and he responded that they belonged to his ex-girlfriend.

It was alleged that Edmund began shouting at his wife saying she asked silly questions while pinching her nose.

The court heard that Edmund went on to punch his wife’s chest with fists and she fell down.

The matter was reported to the police the following day, leading to the husband’s arrest.

However, Edmund refuted the claims at commencement of trial and claimed his wife of 47 years no longer respected her.

“The clothes she is talking about were for resale and she is aware of that but just fabricated these allegations to fix me. She is actually the one who provoked me but I did not retaliate,” Edmund said.

“We had argued over a remote control for our television set and when I wanted to go the toilet she blocked my way by standing at the door. I squeezed myself and I am actually the one who fell down.”

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HARARE - A bogus State security agent Guthry Chirodzero, aka Madzibaba Guthry, who allegedly breached President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s close security in December last year, will remain behind bars after the High Court dismissed his bail appeal yesterday.

The 40-year-old was arrested in December last year after military police discovered that he had positioned himself close to the President armed with a pistol.

He is facing charges of possession of an offensive weapon at a public gathering, impersonation and forgery.

His efforts to be freed hit a brick wall on Thursday after High Court judge Clement Phiri upheld Harare magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa’s ruling that he was not a suitable candidate for bail.

According to court papers, upon his arrest, Chirodzero were trying to disguise his identify by controlling movement of people at the renaming of King George (KGVI) Barracks to Josiah Magama Tongogara Barracks in Harare.

The court further heard that two days before this incident, Chirodzero had allegedly used the same trick before gaining entry into the State House, where Cabinet ministers were taking oaths of office.

Chirodzero allegedly sneaked into State House on December 4 during the inauguration of Cabinet ministers. He was allegedly masquerading as a State security agent and was spotted near the podium controlling human traffic.

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According to court papers, it was later discovered that Chirodzero had produced a fake Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) identity card at the security checkpoint to gain entry into State House.

He used the same trick on December 6, 2018 and allegedly broke into Mnangagwa’s security team at Josiah Magama Tongogara Barracks, where he arrived at the venue in the company of two unidentified accomplices driving a BMW X5.

Chirodzero reportedly produced a fake CIO identity card bearing his name.

While at the venue, Chirodzero was seen roaming around the front seats before he allegedly positioned himself close to the podium, where Mnangagwa was addressing the gathering.

Chirodzero was intercepted by alert military personnel, who inquired about his presence. He reportedly claimed to be a CIO operative and upon realising that Chirodzero was being quizzed by soldiers, his unidentified accomplices sneaked out of the venue and disappeared.

The court heard that Chirodzero was found in possession of a forged Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission identity card inscribed “Government of Zimbabwe executive director anti-corruption” and a fake metal driver’s licence issued in his name.

The State further alleged military personnel also established that Chirodzero was a bogus CIO operative and he had a 38mm special Amando Rossi South African revolver with three live rounds of ammunition and two spent cartridges.

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HARARE - President Emmerson Mnangagwa has failed to formally approve legislation giving the Zimbabwe Land Commission (ZLC) power to be responsible for the allocation of rights in State land for agricultural purposes and the registration of such rights.

In October last year, Danisile Sibanda Hikwa was appointed as the secretary for the ZLC.

Hikwa’s appointment followed the appointment of a nine-member ZLC in July 2016.

The Commission is mandated with conducting periodic audits of the agricultural land, investigate and determine complaints and disputes regarding supervision, administration, allocation of agricultural land and make recommendations to the government, among other things.

After several months of haggling in Parliament to breathe legal life into the ZLC, the Land Commission Bill was submitted to the president for assent and gazetting after the National Assembly ignored amendments proposed by the Senate.

Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda gave notice early last month announcing that the Bill had been transmitted to the president for his assent and signature.

The bill was sent to Mnangagwa on January 11, who is yet to sign it into law almost two months later.

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While the Bill was first passed by the National Assembly in January last year, it suffered a series of setbacks after Senator Chief Mtshane proposed that it be tweaked to give chiefs authority over agricultural land.

On March 29, 2017, the Senate gave the thumbs up to the proposed amendments, which could not pass the legal lenses of the Parliamentary Legal Committee (PLC), under acting chair Fortune Chasi.

In spite of the PLC’s adverse report, the Senate had proceeded to pass the Bill, nonetheless.

This then led to a hiatus after the National Assembly rejected the amendments passed by the upper House.

Faced with that tricky scenario, David Marapira — the Member of Parliament for Masvingo North — moved a motion to get things moving before the adjournment of Parliament last year.

Marapira who doubles up as Agriculture deputy minister said pursuant to the disagreement between the two Houses, it was crucial that the Bill be presented to Mnangagwa for assent and signature in the form in which it was passed by the National Assembly on January 26, 2017.

“Since the Bill is very urgent for the operationalisation of the Land Committee, I urge members to, as a matter of urgency, resolve that the Bill be sent to His Excellency the president for assent and signature,” said Marapira.

The motion sailed through in the National Assembly.

In terms of the national charter, the National Assembly is allowed to override the Senate when the two Houses cannot reach agreement on a Bill.

Under the fifth schedule, paragraph 6(3) of the Constitution, the national charter imposes a waiting period before the National Assembly could go ahead and overrule the Senate.

The Bill paves way for the establishment of a Zimbabwe Land Commission in fulfilment of section 296 of the Constitution.

It seeks the repeal of the Agricultural Land Settlement Act (Chapter 20:01), the Rural Land Act (Chapter 20:18), and to amend the Land Acquisition Act (Chapter 20:18).

It gives power to the Land Commission to be responsible for the allocation of rights in State land for agricultural purposes and the registration of such rights.

It also empowers the commission with the creation and extinction of servitudes over State land, the settlement of persons on such land, the control of the subdivision and lease of land for farming or other purposes, and the limitation of the number and sizes of pieces of land that may be owned by any individual.

The PLC had rejected the Bill arguing that its attempts to give chiefs authority over agricultural land were ultra-vires the Constitution.

It argued that the chief’s jurisdiction remains confined to communal lands.

“Having considered...provisions of the Constitution, the (PLC) committee was of opinion that the amendments proposed to the Land Commission Bill were ultra vires the Constitution,” Chasi said in the adverse report.

“The roles of the Land Commission are patently clear as are the roles of traditional leaders and the two are not expected to interact.

“The commission has jurisdiction over agricultural land while traditional leaders have authority, jurisdiction and control over communal land or other areas for which they have been appointed noting that the definition of agricultural land in section 72 excludes communal land.”

The adverse report was explained to the Senate on April 4, and Senator Chiefs expressed their disagreement with it.

Senator Chief Charumbira had argued then that the whole basis on which the PLC relied on in making the adverse report was not “quite correct.”

“To say traditional leaders are only in charge of communal land in terms of the Constitution, that is not correct,” argued Charumbira.

“We are saying if you go to the same Constitution, Section 282 (2) is very clear. It says, ‘traditional leaders will be in charge of communal land including any other land which has been given to them.’

“So, when you say they cannot be in charge of resettlement that is not correct in terms of this same Constitution. This clause, in law we say it is permissive; it allows traditional leaders to be in charge of land that is not communal. Beyond that, there should be a law which allows traditional leaders to be in charge, is it not it?

“That law is there and it is called Traditional Leaders Act; it is already there.”

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HARARE - Lawyers and pro-democracy groups yesterday called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to fire his Home Affairs minister — Obert Mpofu for his unprecedented attack on Parliament — which they said was despicable and bordered on gross misconduct.

Mpofu — who is a former Mines minister — blew his fuse in Parliament on Thursday after clashing with Mines and Energy committee chairperson Temba Mliswa over the country’s missing $15 billion revenue from the gem-rich Chiadzwa diamonds fields.

The burly Zanu PF secretary for administration later vowed never to appear before the Mines and Energy committee to answer any questions relating to the missing funds as long as Mliswa was not presiding over the emotive issue — also suggesting damagingly that the garrulous Norton legislator had at some point sought a bribe from him.

Mpofu’s tantrum sparked anger among the gathered MPs who called for him to be slapped with stiff sanctions which he said, however, would have little effect on him — as he had been in Parliament for more than three decades, and thus knew how to deal with the august House’s procedures.

Yesterday Mpofu came in for heavy criticism for his show on Thursday, with lawyers and radical pressure groups calling on Mnangagwa to fire his minister.

Constitutional law expert Lovemore Madhuku told the Daily News that Mpofu’s actions were unprecedented in the history of parliamentary democracy that “there is no sensible minister who says to the legislature — in front of the whole world, because the whole world was watching— I will not cooperate”.

“The committee must prepare a report and present it to Parliament, which will in turn set up a Privileges Committee that will investigate if the minister was in contempt.

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“If it recommends that he is guilty of contempt, there are a lot of measures to be taken including barring him from Parliament or recommend him to be removed as minister.

“The best approach would be to report him to the president so that he will be removed from being a minister. They can argue that his conduct was gross and therefore he is not fit to be a minister,” Madhuku told the Daily News.

He said the other option was to fine Mpofu since the new Constitution removed a provision for a jail term.

In 2005, the late former MDC treasurer-general Roy Bennett, then MP for Chimanimani, was jailed after he floored the then Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa.

Radical pressure group — #Tajamuka/Sesijikile which in 2016 fought spiritedly to have former president Robert Mugabe impeached — yesterday waded into the Mpofu debate by imploring Mnangagwa to censure his Home Affairs minister.

Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda told the Daily News that he was awaiting a report from Mliswa’s committee.

“We are waiting for that report to come to Parliament first for tabling then from there we will know what happens.

“It must be noted that the report is not brought to me directly but that it will be tabled by the committee in Parliament so I am not the one to say whether or not the minister acted in contempt of Parliament,” Mudenda said.

Thursday’s fracas erupted after Mpofu had been summoned to Parliament to help explain the missing $15 billion worth of the precious stones from Marange, as the government hunts for elusive answers on the emotive issue.

“I am not the minister of Mines and I don’t know which precedence has been set where former ministers are subjected to questioning on issues to do with ministries that they have already left. I have no mandate to speak about the ministry of Mines,” Mpofu bellowed.

The minister had made it clear from the beginning of proceedings that he had no time for the committee, also telling Mliswa bluntly that he could not be lectured on how Parliament worked.

This prompted Mliswa to ask him to withdraw the statement, which he flatly refused to do.

Mpofu said further that he had taken an oath of secrecy as a minister and would also not accept to be abused by Mliswa, whom he accused of besmirching his image.

At that point, MDC MP for Zengeza West, Simon Chidhakwa, said if Mpofu did not want to appear before the committee, he was supposed to openly say so — to which the minister responded by saying that he had been in the House of Assembly since 1987 and thus understood what he was saying and doing.

The combative Mpofu also claimed that Mliswa had once travelled 600 kilometres to his house, where the Norton MP had allegedly sought to discuss the same issues.

But Mliswa shot back saying Mpofu was trying to divert from the issue at hand, and adding that the said visit had occurred when Mliswa was still in Zanu PF and the two had simply discussed politics — including former ruling party bigwig Didymus Mutasa’s exit from the former liberation movement.

Mpofu then asked for a break to wash his hands, before coming back and stating emphatically that he would not say anything more as long as Mliswa was chairing the committee.

“For as long as he is sitting in front of me, presiding over this issue, I will not co-operate.  You are even refusing me a chance to say what he had come to do at my house.

“With respect to honourable members, I will never, never be presided over by ... Mliswa for what has happened and you should allow me to express myself.

“I am not going to talk. I have submitted myself to you and I will not talk about this issue ... no matter what you say, I will never say anything ... you don’t know me …” Mpofu thundered.

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HARARE - College hip-hop artistes are using music as an educational tool to inspire and motivate youths on life issues.

Nyasha Kawuta, 23 also known as lil CZA and his manager Theophilus Nyanganza said their vision was to change the perception of hip-hop culture in Zimbabwe and infuse it with education.

“Our vision is to talk to the people and change their mentality on hip hop. Our music here in Zimbabwe is more of bubble-gum that trends for a bit and then fades, and then we go to the next. We want to use music to impact positives in people,” Nyanganza said. 

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“And we want to show that music can be a serious profession. We want to show youths that you can even fuse music with education, with intelligence you can sing meaningful stuff.

“We decided to go that route because we are at college, and we want to infuse music with education. We are also targeting the business world for them to take us seriously, we need to bring in a message.”

The two got into music in 2013 and are expecting the release of lil CZA’s first album sometime this year.

Apart from the music the duo said they have also created a clothing line to make it a brand together with the music.

“We have also built a clothing line, to build a hip-hop culture, and we our market is universities. So we have t-shirts, hoodies, caps and shorts. And people can relate to the music,” Kawuta said.

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HARARE - Africa Albida Tourism Group operations and finance director, Nigel Frost, has been named Tourism Personality of the Year by the Zimbabwe Council for Tourism (ZCT).

Frost took home the premier trophy at the annual Tourism Achievers’ Awards ceremony held at Cresta Lodge in Harare on Thursday night.

The Albida Tourism Group operations and finance director landed the top award in recognition of his successful spearheading of the campaign by the travel and tourism sector to reverse the potentially damaging application of backdated VAT to hospitality operations in the country.

The adjudication panel made up of former presidents of ZCT singled out Frost for special praise for “being the sector’s lead person in the recent exercise to persuade the authorities to reverse decisions relating to backdating of VAT on hospitality billings.”

The jury said Frost was the natural choice for 2017 Tourism Personality of the Year gong because his “leadership and action…brought about significant savings to operators and in a number of instances saved certain operators from becoming insolvent.”

Frost was among 19 tourism personalities honoured at the Tourism Achievers’ Awards ceremony sponsored by Havergal Marketing.

The Tourism Achievers’ Awards ceremony, graced by hundreds of travel and tour operators, government officials and media personalities, was officiated by Tourism and Hospitality minister Prisca Mupfumira.

The minister urged Zimbabwe to follow in the footsteps of fellow SADC countries which are determined to make tourism contribute at least 50 percent of GDP.

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“This is something we should emulate, and I am sure I speak on behalf of all of us when I say Zimbabwe has the potential to foster exponential growth in tourism, a potential that requires elimination of obstacles and a commitment to providing infrastructural development necessary to allow for such growth,” said Mupfumira.

The full list of award winners:

Tourism Personality of the Year - Nigel Frost

Tourism Business of the Year - Nyanga-based Far and Wide Zimbabwe.

Tourism SME of the Year - Manna Resorts, Harare

Achievement in Marketing - Africa’s Living Soul Survey, prepared on behalf of the travel and tourism sector by the Africa Albida Tourism Group and spearheaded by Allan Kennedy

Achievement in environmental awareness and action - Chimanimani Tourist Association, for its campaign to create awareness and action on the illegal and destructive mining activities taking place in the Chimanimani National Park

Achievement in the pursuit of service excellence - Cresta Lodge, Harare, for its high service standards

Achievement in Innovation - Victoria Falls Carnival, Wild Horizons and Far and Wide Zimbabwe.

Achievement in Human Resources Development-Joseph Bunga, whose Battle of the Chefs television series have been promoting the culinary arts and the growth and development of chefs’ skills

Achievement in promoting gender equality-Margaret Makadzange, a champion of women’s participation in the travel and tourism sector

Contribution from the public sector-Department of Immigration, for its new stance on supporting tourism through responsible undertaking of its duties at border posts

Services to the Zimbabwe Council for Tourism- ZCT CEO Paul Matamisa.

Services to tourism by a secretariat - Association of Zimbabwean Travel Agents Secretariat, represented by Deliwe Makora

Lifetime Achievement Award-Christopher Gonzo, who has worked in the sector for 45 years and retires this year after being executive chef of Meikles Hotel for almost 20 years.

Lifetime Achievement Award - Philip James, maître d’hotel of The Livingstone Room at The Victoria Falls Hotel.

Lifetime Achievement Award - Jealous Tsatsa, a 40-year veteran of the industry; leading food and beverage manager, now retired, who latterly worked for Rainbow Tourism Group.

Lifetime Achievement Award - Daniel Sibanda, 40-year veteran of Cresta Hotels, who retired in 2017 and was latterly a member of the management team of Cresta Oasis Hotel and Apartments in Harare

President’s Special Award - Barbara Murasiranwa, who chairs the ZCT’s Victoria Falls branch, is a “tireless representative of ZCT and of operators in the Victoria Falls area.”

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HARARE - A filmmaker by profession Brighton Munaku, 25 is also into music and recently released his debut album — Bria - Totangira Ipapo.

Munaku, who studied Film and Theatre at Midlands State University said: “I started liking music at the age of 12 years. I would go to the praise and worship team during the church service so that I could get a chance to play a guitar or a keyboard.”

While in Grade 7, he met Thomas Sitashi who used to play for the late Susan Mapfumo and started his journey towards learning how to play a guitar.

“From there on, my passion for music grew. In 2017, I got the chance to record a single entitled, Moyo Wangu, which I wrote after a friend of mine had been cheated on by his girlfriend.

“One of my best friends, Humprey Nyama also features on this song,” said Munaku.

The musician said he got rare reviews from listeners around the Midlands Province who listen to Zvishavane-based YaFm radio station.

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“After the debut release I didn’t stop composing as I carried my acoustic guitar everywhere. So when I was free, I would play something.

“I then recorded Ndichadzoka which I wrote after discovering that at times relationships break-up because of long distance but it’s the love that matters, distance is nothing.

“The other track was Uchandifunga, which reminds those who take advantage of others that a time shall come when I would be gone and people would then look back, but it will be too late.”

Inspired by the tracks he had recorded, Munaku decided it was time to record a full album.

“I got inspiration from my brothers Godknows Chera and Tawanda Musimwa who were also my lecturers at Midlands State University.

“Chera introduced me to Munyaiwashe Shumba who listened to my three tracks and he liked them. Shumba gave me money to go and record other four tracks to make them seven, hence the album.”

Now financially sound, Munaku then recorded a gospel track NaJesu which features Zvishavane gospel artiste Panganai Sithole after which he recorded Maitiro enyu, Paivepo and Wamuona here?

“After recording all these seven tracks I then compiled my debut album, Bria – Totangira Ipapo.

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HARARE - Sport, Arts and Recreation minister Kazembe Kazembe has promised artists that his ministry would craft a policy to assist funding of the arts sector which is underfunded.

This comes as artists have raised complaints that the industry was not well supported.

“They are at the centre stage of the economic revival of Zimbabwe, the arts offer a distinctive brand of benefits that include employment creation and contribution to the gross domestic product — arts can for sure sustain a nation.

“As part of the government priority, my ministry is seriously giving attention to the creation of a funding framework that will not only consolidate what is already on the ground, but establish a new and supportive environment that supports productivity,” Kazembe told several artistes who were attending National Arts Merit Awards (Nama) in Harare over the weekend.

“To ensure sustainability, government has incorporated the arts into economic revitalisation, education system, employment creation, tourism and community livelihoods.

“As a ministry we see that the Nama continues to grow and today we celebrate the 17th edition.”

At the same event, comedian Samantha Kureya, also known as Gonyeti, told the minister to do something to help artists as they were struggling, as she entertained the audience with her jokes.

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National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (Nacz) board member superstar Oliver Mtukudzi had earlier told the Weekend Post sister paper to the Daily News that poor funding had become the major impediment factor on operations of the supreme arts mother body in the country.

“We have convened several meetings as the board but I have realised the council is operating on a shoestring budget a development that negatively affects the organisation to execute its mandate effectively,” Mtukudzi said.

The Nacz is mainly funded by government.

“Of late, I have come to understand how the council operates. That organisation has no money and I can’t blame them for their failure to address all challenges affecting artists fully as they do not have resources. However, as the board, we are trying to make ends meet using few available resources.”

Mtukudzi was included in the Nacz board last year which was set up by the then minister of Rural Development, Promotion and Preservation of National Culture and Heritage Abednico Ncube.

The board was appointed to serve for three years with effect from July 1, 2017 and the board came after the arts council operated for some time without one.

The board is expected to oversee affairs of arts council which serve to foster, develop and improve the knowledge, understanding and practice of the arts.

As an agency of government, it also promotes access, presentation, performance, execution and the exhibition of the arts to all citizens as enshrined in our Constitution.

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HARARE - Mashonaland Eagles big-hitter Cephas Zhuwao and Matebeleland Tuskers all-rounder Sean Williams have joined the Zimbabwe squad for the ICC World Cup Qualifiers scheduled to begin on March 4 across five venues.

The two players were not named in the initial 15-player squad, but have been included in place of Ryan Burl and Tarisai Musakanda.

Harare will have two match venues Harare Sports Club and Old Hararians hosting some of the games while the second largest will also have two venues, Queens Sports Club and Bulawayo Athletic Club with Midlands’ Kwekwe Sports Club being the fifth cricket ground to be used for these games.

Zimbabwe are desperate to book a place at next year’s World Cup in England with only two slots up for grabs in these qualifiers that also features fading giants West Indies and rising stars Afghanistan and Ireland among other teams.

The locals are in Group B along with Afghanistan, Nepal, Scotland and Hong Kong, and will open their campaign against Nepal at the Queens Sports Club on March 4.

It is the inclusion of Big Bully, Zhuwao as he is known in cricketing circles that will come as a relief to the legion of Zimbabwe cricket fans who were restless after he was initially left out of the squad for the qualifiers despite his explosive heroics with the bat in the victorious home series against Kenya.

The Glen View born cricketer scored 131 runs from just 52 deliveries in a cameo made of 10 boundaries and 13 maximums in the first one-dayer against Kenya at Mutare Sports Club. In the second match, the left-handed opener hit 44 runs in 22 balls and 46 from 24 in the third game as he knocked hard on the selectors’ door for recognition.

Zhuwao, 33 played in his only One Day International a decade ago, when he featured against Ireland in Nairobi in October 2008, scoring 16 off 20 balls with three fours.

Williams, the 31-year-old left-arm spinner and middle-order batsman, last played in an ODI in July 2017 against Sri Lanka in Hambantota. In 111 ODIs since February 2005, Williams has scored 2,947 runs and taken 52 wickets.

Despite Zhuwao’s scintillating performances with the bat up the order he was still neglected by the selectors as he left out of the tour of United Arab Emirates against Afghanistan which ended in a humiliating 4-1 defeat against the team that is also vying for a world cup berth.

With the calls for the axing of non-performing seniors in the mould of Solomon Mire, Malcolm Waller and Peter Moor among others in favour of the in-form Zhuwao growing louder and with the head coach’s mandate being to take the team to the world cup a bit tinkering with the team was made which saw the inclusion of Zhuwao and Williams who was nursing a finger injury.

Zimbabwe Cricket managing director Faisal Hasnain earlier declared that it would be business unusual if the team fails to qualify for the world cup.

“...But if we don’t do well in the U19 World Cup, if we don’t do well in the Cricket Qualifiers- let’s say we don’t qualify surely something would have to happen, what has gone wrong? And certainly it will be very unusual if changes are not made,” Faisal told the Daily News in an earlier interview.

“At the end of the day results do matter and if things don’t work out according to plan then it means people will have to have a good hard look at our entire cricketing setup. It will be a disaster if we don’t qualify for the Cricket World Cup.”

ZIMBABWE SQUAD: Graeme Cremer (captain), Tendai Chatara, Tendai Chisoro, Craig Ervine, Kyle Jarvis, Hamilton Masakadza, Solomon Mire, Peter Moor, Blessing Muzarabani, Sikandar Raza, Brendan Taylor, Brian Vitori, Malcolm Waller, Sean Williams and Cephas Zhuwao. . Heath Streak (coach)

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