Angeline Masuku

Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Correspondent—
Members of Parliament from Matabeleland have protested the “ban” of isiNdebele in Parliament saying it is unacceptable for Ministers to claim they are not conversant with isiNdebelewhich is one of the country’s official languages. On several occasions National Assembly Members and Senators who speak isiNdebele have been forced to make their contributions in English and they have since complained that this is unfair as their Shona-speaking counterparts are free to use their mother language.

Irked MPs said since they were being forced to use English, they were doing so in protest. Some MPs and Senators said it was unjust to be forced to articulate issues in English when Shona-speaking lawmakers were allowed to express themselves better in their own languages.

Recently, Bulawayo Senator Angelina Masuku (Zanu-PF) was forced by Deputy Senate President Chen Chimutengwende to speak in English while posing a question to the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Joram Gumbo.

Chimutengwende said it was improper for Cde Masuku to ask questions in isiNdebele as the minister did not understand the language. Cde Masuku protested at being forced not to use her preferred language.

“Mr President, I will do that in protest because this is a Zimbabwean Parliament and for us as legislators to come here and promote a foreign language and yet we have been voted in by Zimbabwean people phandle laphana besesikhangelana lama ministers (outside there, we would be staring at each saying our ministers) who are Zimbabwean who say they cannot communicate in a Zimbabwean language,” said Cde Masuku.

“I will do that but in protest and I will request Mr President that our ministers make an effort to be truly Zimbabweans.” Matabeleland South proportional representation MP Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga has on several occasions been ordered to speak in English, the most recent time being last Wednesday.

During the National Assembly’s question and answer session, the legislator asked the Minister of Energy and Power Development Cde Samuel Undenge a question, but the Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda ordered her to use English.

“I will just agree, however, it’s painful. I understand Mr Speaker but others speak in Shona and it’s never a problem,” Misihairabwi-Mushonga said.

Cde Masuku could not be reached for comment yesterday but Misihairabwi-Mushonga told The Chronicle that Parliament should employ translators if it wants to solve the issue of free language expression in the legislature. She said what was surprising was that some ministers who were saying they could not speak isiNdebele actually went to school in Matabeleland.

Mishairabwi-Mushonga said some Ministers were deliberately refusing to speak in isiNdebele because they did not want to accommodate other languages. “I’ve insisted that I will speak in isiNdebele and I’ve realised that some of the Ministers now try responding in isiNdebele,” said Misihairabwi-Mushonga.

The legislator said as a matter of principle, ministers should be able to communicate in all indigenous languages. She cited Canadian system of governance saying ministers serving in the government speak French although English is the main language. Cde Mudenda watered down the issue saying parliament does not force isiNdebele-speaking legislators to present their questions in English.

“If they ask in Ndebele we only ask them to repeat the question in English. We don’t force them to speak in English and that is done for clarity purposes,” said Cde Mudenda. The country has 16 official languages.

In July, the former Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Obert Mpofu torched another language storm after responding to a question that was posed in Shona in isiNdebele.

Cde Mpofu now the Minister of Macro-economic Planning and Investment Promotion had been quizzed in Shona by Zanu-PF legislator Monica Chigudu on what progress was being made regarding the dualisation of the Harare-Beitbridge Road.

Responding in isiNdebele Cde Mpofu said: “Honourable Chigudu ubuze umbuzo oqakathekileyo. Kunzima ukulungisa imigwaqo yonke sikhathi sinye kodwa ngiyathemmbisa ukuthi iMasvingo iyabe siledual road ngesikhathi esifitshane. (Honourable Chugudu you asked a very important question. It’s difficult to fix all roads at once but I promise Masvingo will have a dual carriageway soon).”

After that, Cde Mpofu was told to revert to English for the benefit of other lawmakers.

Zvamaida Murwira

First Lady Cde Grace Mugabe (right) with Professor Jonathan Moyo and his wife Beatrice at their home in Harare yesterday

Harare Bureau—
First Lady Cde Grace Mugabe yesterday visited the family of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo, to pay her condolences following the death of their daughter Zanele (20) a fortnight ago in South Africa. Cde Mugabe, who is also the Zanu-PF Secretary for Women Affairs, was in China at the invitation of All China Women’s Federation when Zanele died. She paid tribute to Zanele in the condolence book that she signed at the family’s Borrowdale home: “Zanele, may your soul rest in eternal peace and we know you are with the Lord,” reads the message in the book that was opened at her death.

In an interview after consoling the family, the First Lady said she heard about the death of Zanele from President Mugabe while she was in China. Cde Mugabe said she told Prof Moyo and family that while death was difficult to accept, they had to be strong in their time of bereavement. “I got the news when I was in China where we had gone with women at the invitation of All China Women’s Federation.

“It was really sad when the President broke the news to me. And being a mother, I know that we have children for posterity and I know that as parents they had plans and everyday you get up, you don’t spend a day without thinking about children you brought up.

“Certainly, they were doing that,” said Cde Mugabe.

She told Prof Moyo and his wife that as parents, they had to accept that it was God’s prerogative who to take and when. “I told them that yes, we can come as many people as possible to comfort, but it’s very difficult especially where one has not had this kind of experience. “I know how difficult it is. As human beings, we are God’s flowers and He can come at any time to pluck out the best flower he wants and Zanele was the flower God wanted. I also told them to be strong and accept what had happened,” said the First Lady.

She said it was sad that Zanele’s death occurred at a time when her mother was preparing to visit her in Cape Town where she was studying Political Science, International Relations and Gender Studies at the University of Cape Town.

Zanele, the fourth daughter of Prof Moyo, was found dead in her Cape Town apartment. South African authorities are still carrying out investigations to establish circumstances surrounding her death. She was buried last week at Glen Forest Memorial Park in Harare at a funeral attended by many people from different walks of life.

Lloyd Gumbo in VICTORIA FALLS—
Chinese financial institutions will release $1,1 billion early next month for the expansion of Hwange Thermal Power Station, the first tranche from the mega deals signed between President Mugabe his Chinese counterpart President Xi Jinping during his state visit to China in August last year. The expansion of the power station being carried out by Chinese firm Sinohydro will start in earnest once the funds are released.

When completed, the $1,1 billion project will add 600 megawatts to the national grid. Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa and Energy and Power Development Deputy Minister Tsitsi Muzenda told legislators attending a pre-budget seminar here that the power deficit affecting the country would be a thing of the past in the near future.

“We’ve been working on Hwange 7 and 8 and, it will add 600 megawatts into the national grid,” said Minister Chinamasa. “We’re looking at $1,1 billion to do it and we should get the money for that in early December from Chinese financial institutions. Financial closure will be done in December.”

Minister Chinamasa said there were a number of private power producers at different stages of implementing their projects to increase power generation. Deputy Minister Muzenda told the MPs that the government was also implementing a number of projects that would address power problems bedevilling the country.

“To date, as of September, 30, 2015, 33 percent of work (at Kariba South) has been completed,” she said. “Pre-work at Hwange 7 and 8 has been done. I’m also pleased to say that the financial closure of this project is going to be signed by December. We’ve also to date awarded 300MW solar plants to three companies.”

The envisaged release of the $1,1 billion for Hwange Thermal Power Station will be a major milestone in the implementation of the mega deals signed between Zimbabwe and China. More funds are expected in the near future for deals signed between the two countries, which are meant for various sectors, including transport, energy and mining.

A high-powered Chinese delegation was in Zimbabwe a few weeks ago to put final touches on some of the deals, which are expected to help turnaround the economy. On electricity shortages, Mines and Mining Development Minister Walter Chidhakwa told the legislators that the government was in discussion with South Africa on the importation of about 300MW that will exclusively be for the mining industry.

Minister Chidhakwa said the power shortages being experienced have seriously hampered mining operations, affecting efforts to turnaround the economy. “We recognise that if we don’t sort out power and lose eight hours of power in the mines everyday, all the companies will go under care and maintenance,” said Minister Chidhakwa.

“We can’t afford to do that. We’ve approached the South Africans. We’ve opened discussions and yesterday, I was briefed that we’re very close to concluding an agreement that will enable us to import about 300 megawatts, which will be supplied to mines.” Minister Chidhakwa said mines would pay eight cents per kWh for the electricity from South Africa, compared to 13 cents per kWh which they are paying to Zesa Holdings.

The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy chaired by Gutu Central MP and Zanu-PF Chief Whip Cde Lovemore Matuke said there was need to urgently address the power shortage if the economy was to grow. Meanwhile, the committee on Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment chaired by Gokwe-Nembudziya MP Cde Justice Mayor Wadyajena (Zanu-PF) did not present its report.

Cde Wadyajena told the delegates that the new Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Minister Patrick Zhuwao barred his ministry and youth-affiliated organisations from presenting their budgetary expectations for 2016.

He told participants at the seminar that Minister Zhuwao sent a director in his ministry with the message that his minister was of the view that he was working against President Mugabe. This prompted National Assembly Speaker Advocate Jacob Mudenda to say that he would take up the matter when they returned to Harare.

The committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs chaired by MDC-T MP for Harare West, Jessie Majome complained that efforts to get input from the Judicial Services Commission had been futile in the past two years. Majome said the JSC did not respond to correspondence sent to them and implored Adv Mudenda to intervene.

Pastor Tuturu

Munyaradzi Musiiwa and Elizabeth Tsuro, Midlands Reporters—
A HARVEST House International Church Reverend, Tani Tuturu, has been found hanged in his office at the church’s rented premises in Gweru allegedly over a $15,000 debt.Rev Tuturu, 44, who had over 42 pastors under his watch in the church which has followers all over the world, was found dead at around 4PM on Monday by a church member who had gone for prayers.

A popular man of the cloth in Gweru, Rev Tuturu gave the opening prayer during the official opening of the Gweru High Court circuit in January and has written several Christian books including one titled, I have chosen to be great which was released in August 2013.

Midlands Police spokesperson Inspector Joel Goko said: “I can confirm that we are investigating a sudden death case where a male adult Tani Tuturu was found dead hanging from a roof truss. His body was found at around 4PM on Monday by a church member.

“We are not yet privy to the circumstances surrounding his death hence investigations are underway. We would like to appeal to members of the public to engage other initiatives and interventions whenever they face personal problems rather than taking their own lives.”

At Rev Tuturu’s house at number 38 Kopje, Gweru, friends and fellow congregants were consoling his family. His body was still at a local funeral parlour. Rev Tuturu’s elder brother, Chemai Tuturu, who is also a reverend in the church, could not shed light on the circumstances leading to his sibling’s death.

“I was in Harare when my brother committed suicide. I can’t say much about the whole incident because as a family we’re all shocked with my brother’s untimely death. I’m yet to be furnished with full details on how he committed suicide,” said Rev Tuturu.

A church member who spoke on condition of anonymity said Rev Tuturu’s church in Gweru was in arrears for rentals amounting to $15,000, even though members make contributions. The source said the dire situation was worsened by pressure coming from other church members after his former congregant who later became a pastor managed to raise $100,000 after hosting a conference.

“It seems like personal ego was also at play. The pastor was under pressure because other branches of the church were doing well while he was failing to raise $15,000 to settle his church’s debts,” said the church member.

He said on Monday, Rev Tuturu left home and proceeded to the church. The source said the Rev’s wife had travelled to Harare. “He was later found dead by a congregant hanging from the roof trusses in his office. The congregant had gone to church for prayers,” said the source.

Minister Patrick Chinamasa

Lloyd Gumbo recently in Victoria Falls—
THE Government will get rid of or institute radical reforms in parastatals and State enterprises that continue to be a drain on the fiscus, Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa has said.He made the remarks in an address to Members of Parliament who attended a pre-budget seminar for legislators in Victoria Falls earlier this week. The seminar ran under the theme, “Growing the national cake for national socio-economic development”. Legislators across the political divide hailed Minister Chinamasa for his stance in dealing with State enterprises and parastatals that have become a drain on the fiscus.

“This is our headache and it is an area we have not been addressing as attentively as we should have because we have many other things equally pressing,” said Minister Chinamasa. “They (parastatals) used to contribute 40 percent to the GDP. Right now, every day, we are being called upon as Treasury to support them. We need to get our act right in terms of State enterprises reform,” he said.

“It’s in this area that we are going to need the support of all of you. We need to revamp our State enterprises and to do it in a very bold and sometimes ruthless manner.

“We should not hesitate to put under those parastatals we think are no good to us. That is where we have been lacking some degree of boldness. We’re quiet, we should be able to say, ‘you are not performing, please get away, we are closing shop, go home”.

Minister Chinamasa said a similar approach would be adopted to local authorities that failed to adhere to the 30 percent ceiling of revenue going towards salaries. He hailed Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere for insisting on this position.

Minister Chinamasa said as part of parastatals and State enterprises reform, these institutions would be required to hold Annual General Meetings from next year, where non-performing boards or management could be sacked through a resolution.

He said the meetings would be attended by line ministries and Treasury. “It’s the platform where we can dismiss boards of directors through a resolution. We can also use that platform, if there is no performance by management, we pass a resolution to dismiss them. “Once they know we can dismiss them, they will certainly be on the ball and that is what I think we need all of us,” he said.

Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Jorum Gumbo told the legislators that his ministry was in discussions with various airlines to find one that can partner Air Zimbabwe. He said as part of enhancing revenue flows into the country, they signed a Bilateral Air Services Agreement with Qatar Airways to allow the airline to fly into Zimbabwe.

“The implication of the above is that we need to continue to improve our services to guarantee total safety of our skies and improve the quality of service offered to airlines operating through our airports,” he said.

National Assembly Speaker Advocate Jacob Mudenda said it was important for parastatals and State enterprises to have clean balance sheets if they were to attract private investors to partner them.

“We cannot get a partner for Air Zimbabwe as long as Government does not disinvest in terms of shareholding,” he said. “You cannot keep 100 percent shareholding as Government when you have nothing else to offer. Ethiopian Airways and Kenyan Airways, just to mention two, are at 35 percent shareholding and in that way they have attracted core-sharing with very prominent airlines,” said Adv Mudenda.

He said it was also important for Harare to recapture the market of being a regional hub for refuelling. MDC-T MP for Southerton Gift Chimanikire and Zanu-PF legislator for Gutu South Cde Paul Chimedza said there was a serious need to reform parastatals. Chimanikire said Government must privatise some parastatals and State enterprises as a way of attracting investors.

Cde Chimedza said: “We have seen perennial non-performers in some parastatals. We really need to look ourselves in the eye and ask ourselves, do we need to have these parastatals draining money from the fiscus year in and year out? “We need to be bold about it and dispose of most of these so that we move with a lean and mean Government and make the cake grow for others.

“These are the money drainers and we continue to retain them. I propose that we dispose of most of them and save our money from that.” The seminar ended on Monday evening with Minister Chinamasa pledging to consider the recommendations by the MPs.

Mduduzi Mathuthu and Pamela Shumba—
PROFESSOR Jonathan Moyo’s daughter, Zanele, was buried without a heart, The Chronicle can reveal. Just days after Zanele was laid to rest in Harare, the Higher and Tertiary Education Minister’s family has been plunged into fresh agony following the bombshell disclosure. A crack team of Zimbabwean detectives probing the student’s death last month in Cape Town broke the news to the minister and his family last week following a second post-mortem conducted in Harare.

President Robert Mugabe and Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko have called for an urgent and thorough investigation into the 20-year-old’s death. Sources close to the investigation say the family is “extremely distressed” by the findings of Dr Gabriel Alviero Gonzalez and Dr Tsungai Victor Javangwe, both forensic pathologists at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare, who conducted a post-mortem examination of Zanele’s body on October 22.

The post-mortem, conducted at the insistence of the family which suspects foul play in Zanele’s death, was the second following another conducted by Dr Sipho Mfolozi at the Salt River Forensic Pathology Laboratory in Cape Town on October 19. Zimbabwean investigators now believe Zanele’s heart was removed by pathologists during the autopsy in Cape Town and never placed back inside her body before it was released to her family.

Zanele’s body was found lying face-down in the bathroom of her third floor Cape Town apartment on October 17. She was buried at Glen Forest Memorial Park in Harare on October 23, but the family was only told of the discovery of the missing heart days later after Dr Gonzalez and Dr Jabangwe handed their findings to the Criminal Investigations Department, which is leading the Zimbabwe investigation.

Salt River Forensic Pathology Laboratory manager Wayne Mitten declined to comment, after earlier requesting questions to be sent to him through e-mail. Constable Noloyiso Rwexana, a spokesperson for Western Cape Police, responding to e-mailed questions over their investigation into Zanele’s death, said: “Kindly be advised that this office is not in a position to give you a comment at this stage as the investigation is yet to be finalised.”

Zimbabwe’s national police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said: “It must be understood that the investigation into Zanele’s death is being conducted by South African police. We don’t have extra-territorial jurisdiction but what we’re doing is to assist our colleagues in South Africa. They’re best positioned to comment on the issues you’re raising.”

Zimbabwean investigators have ordered rape, toxicology, histology as well as alcohol and drug tests from samples obtained from Zanele’s body during the second post-mortem in their bid to establish what caused her death. Zanele’s missing heart has disturbed seasoned doctors who described it as “unheard of”.

Dr Solwayo Ngwenya, the clinical director at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo, said: “I’ve never heard of a whole body part that is removed and not placed back. “The only time that a whole body part is removed and not taken back is when it’s used for teaching purposes or for organ donation and of course this is always done with the consent of relatives of the dead person.”

Dr Solwayo, who has been practising for 19 years, explained that when a post-mortem examination is carried out, small amounts of tissue samples are taken from body parts such as the brain, liver, heart, kidney and bowels.

“The tiny samples are put in a small container with water and taken to the lab for the autopsy. It’s almost impossible to see that any body part has been tampered with because the tissue samples are tiny. Every body part should be just as it was before the examination,” he said.

Prof Moyo declined to comment, but family friend Phillip Chiyangwa said: “We can’t wrap our heads around what has just happened. We’re still trying to unravel what killed Zanele, and now we must worry about who took her heart and for what reason?” He said they were battling with several possible scenarios, including negligence by the Salt River Laboratory, an attempt to conceal evidence or even witchcraft.

Described by her sister Lungile as a “very happy person who loved to make people laugh” and “very wise for her age”, Zanele was a second-year student at the University of Cape Town and lived off campus.

Her friend Nicole Bento last saw her on Wednesday, October 14, at her apartment. She was in the company of a Zambian man, Stephen Kenneth Newman Chitobolo, 29.

Nicole has told investigators that Chitobolo —whom she had earlier observed smoking cannabis — called her at about 9PM on that same day and said Zanele was “passing out”. He claimed he was leaving for Zambia because his father had died. Nicole, a high school friend of Zanele’s, was unable to go over to her friend’s apartment because her mother had visited.

She tried to reach Zanele on Thursday and Friday without success until Saturday, October 17, when Zanele’s mother, Beatrice, called from Zimbabwe and instructed her to find a locksmith and get inside the apartment.

Zanele’s door had been locked from inside. On finding her, she was dead and lying in a pool of blood. The building’s caretaker, it is said, pulled Zanele’s body along the floor leaving a trail of blood smear on the bathroom floor. A small amount of cannabis was also found in one room.

It remains unclear if Cape Town police have been able to interview Chitobolo, who is thought to be the last person to see Zanele alive. Zanele’s family, according to Chiyangwa, believes Chitobolo holds the answers in solving the mystery of her death.

Investigators in Cape Town have, however, told the family that results of toxicology tests can take up to six years — by which time if criminality is established, it could be near impossible to find suspects and witnesses. The Salt River Laboratory receives between 10 and 15 bodies daily — around 3,300 bodies a year. This explains the inordinate amount of time it takes to get toxicology test results, a state of paralysis that has made Cape Town an attractive destination for “murder tourism”.

Zanele’s family has also expressed concerns with the police investigation in South Africa after they neglected to ask the laboratory to establish the time of death, which resulted in October 17 — the day her body was found — being listed in her death certificate as the day she died. The fact that when her body was found she was dressed in the clothes she was last seen wearing on October 14, according to her family, makes the conclusion that she died on October 17 an absurdity.

Top Harare lawyer Terrence Hussein, who accompanied Prof Moyo to Cape Town to bring Zanele’s body home, said last week: “It would’ve been better to ascertain [the time of death] scientifically. It gives you an accurate picture of what took place and also when connecting individuals to a scene.

“Now, if you want to question people they can simply escape by saying they weren’t there when Zanele died. You literally immunise all suspects, you give a defence. It’s inconsistent with the strict requirements of a criminal investigation, which this one is.”

Walter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent—
A 61-year-old Bikita school headmaster was found on Monday hanging from a tree in an apparent suicide, three days after government auditors discovered that $6,000 was missing from the school. Masvingo deputy provincial education director Andrew Chikwange confirmed the death of Kushingirira High School headmaster Abel Mupfavi, but could not give further details.

“We’re seized with the matter as we speak but we don’t have more details. It’s a sad scenario,” said Chikwange. Acting Masvingo police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Kudakwashe Dehwa said he was yet to receive a report on the matter yesterday. However, a teacher at the school who spoke on condition of anonymity said Mupfavi, of Chidumira village under Chief Mukanganwi was found hanging from a tree in a bush, some few kilometres from the school, three days after the audit.

He said two days before his body was found, Mupfavi left the school under the pretext of going to Masvingo town. The teacher claimed that Mupfavi’s pockets contained a resignation letter and some leave forms. He said his body was taken to Silveira Mission Hospital mortuary.

“On Friday last week, auditors from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary education visited the school after which they carried an audit on school books.

“They then discovered some money amounting to $6,000 was missing from the school coffers and Mupfavi could not explain it,” said a teacher who asked not to be named for professional reasons. He said the case involving the missing funds was reported to the police but no one was picked in connection with the matter.

Mupfavi is said to have used a wire to commit suicide. “It remains a mystery why he decided to take his life as no one had fingered him over the missing money. “There was no suicide note on his body, only a resignation letter and leave forms were the only documents found on him,” he added.

Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent—
A MANGWE woman gave away her daughter, 13, to a fellow farm worker in exchange for $100 bride price in a bid to free herself from looking after the minor. The woman, whose name we cannot publish in full for ethical reasons but is a Ncube from Kwite area married off her daughter to 23-year-old Sheperd Nkomo, from Nkayi.

The girl dropped out of school when she was in Grade Four as her mother could not afford to pay her school fees. Soon after receiving the money, Ncube ordered her daughter to move in with her new “husband” at Gaths Farm in Mangwe District where he works. The couple stayed together for a month with Ncube’s approval until a community member alerted the police about the unlawful arrangement.

Sister Nyarenda who was involved in the marriage negotiations said Ncube approached her seeking assistance in marrying off her daughter. “Ncube is a distant relative of mine and she came to my homestead and told me that she wanted to marry off her daughter. She said she had been approached by a man who seemed suitable for her,” said Nyarenda.

“I queried her decision as I felt that her daughter was still young but she would not listen, NaCabangani (Ncube) told me that she was struggling to sustain her family and Nkomo would help solve her problems as he would look after her daughter.’’ She said in September, Ncube introduced Nkomo to her as her prospective son-in-law. Nyarenda said she then consulted the girl’s mother who indicated that she would accept any amount of money from Nkomo as a bride price for her daughter.

“He then came with $100 and he left it with me. I then passed the money on to Ncube who then advised her daughter to move in with her husband,” added Nyarenda. “The juvenile was also looking after her five cousins and her mother advised her to take the youngest who is three months old to stay with her at her husband’s home.’’

She said at the time she got married, the juvenile was staying with her siblings at their rural home in Kwite area while her mother stayed at her workplace. Nkomo told The Chronicle that he had slept with the juvenile on several occasions before he paid the bride price. The girl was reunited with her family following the man’s arrest, with Nkomo claiming that she was not pregnant.

He said he would visit the girl and spend the night at her homestead while on some occasions he took her to his workplace as her mother was usually absent from home. He said his in-laws had advised him to pay any amount that he could raise in order to get his “wife.” Nkomo revealed that at the time he first made love to the minor in June, he did not know that she was under age.

“I stayed with my wife and her three-year-old cousin sister for one month after I had paid the bride price. At the moment she is now staying with her mother at her workplace,” said Nkomo. “Before paying the bride price I used to use protection when sleeping with her but ever since I married her I’ve stopped as she is now my wife.

“On my part I doubt if I did anything illegal because I married her with the blessings of her mother.” He said he was prepared to fend for the juvenile as his wife. The farm worker said his “marriage” was disrupted by “noisy” villagers who reported him to the police.

He said he was arrested on Saturday but was released pending further investigations. The juvenile’s maternal grandmother, whom we cannot name as well to protect the girl, expressed disgust over her daughter-in-law’s actions. She said Ncube had failed to act like a proper mother since her son (Ncube’s husband) passed away as she always left her children unattended.

“I’m disgusted by what my daughter-in-law did. I wasn’t even told about all these arrangements as I just learnt through the grapevine that my granddaughter was now married. “No matter how stranded you are, a normal person wouldn’t marry off such a young child just to raise money. There is no child that can turn out to be a burden to their parent,’’ she said.

Efforts to get a comment from Ncube who works at Sunridge Farm in Bulilima were fruitless as her employer denied The Chronicle newscrew an opportunity to talk to her. “Ncube is working at the moment and she can’t see you. If she wants the story published she will visit your offices but at the moment you can’t talk to her,’’ said Julia Zelda James as she kept the crew outside her locked farm premises.

Matabeleland South police spokesperson sergeant Thabani Mkwananzi was not immediately available for comment. Chief Tshitshi whose jurisdiction covers Kwite area raised concern over cases of child marriages which were rampant in rural communities. He said a number of parents and guardians were giving their children away in a bid to raise money or to avoid the responsibility of fending for them.

He said such people deserve to be penalised.

Albright Munkuli

Patient Sibanda Chronicle Reporter—
A SEVENTEEN-year-old boy who was reported missing in July has been found at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) after spending more than a month in the intensive care unit. Albright Munkuli from Mbundane suburb, a Form Five pupil at Hamilton High School was found following the publication of his family’s appeal in The Chronicle on Tuesday.

He spent July and August in the institution’s ICU and is still admitted in hospital, unable to speak, after being involved in what appears to have been a hit and run accident. The teenager is said to have lost his memory following the ordeal, making it difficult for hospital authorities or the police to identify him.

Police officers contacted his family on Tuesday after his mother’s appeal was published in that day’s edition of The Chronicle. Police asked him to write down his name and it matched that of the boy whose parents were looking for him through The Chronicle. Albright went missing on July 26.

His mother Varaidzo Munkuli yesterday said she went to the UBH on Tuesday after being notified by the police to go and identify someone whose description matched that of the person she was looking for. “The police phoned me on Tuesday morning and told me that my child was at UBH.

“I also received a call from my nearest police station, Nkulumane ZRP, who told me the same good news. “I rushed to UBH. I found out that it was my son,” said Munkuli. She said the hospital told her that Albright was admitted after he was hit by a car and was not talking, making it difficult to identify him or his family.

Munkuli said they have not heard anything about the driver who hit their son. “They said he lost his memory. He was removed from intensive care unit after one month but still he could not talk by then. “They said he could only write his name. The police said after seeing The Chronicle article on Tuesday they realised that he was my son and they phoned me.

“They said the name that he wrote down was the one in the article,” she said. She added that Albright sustained a broken leg and was still not talking. Munkuli thanked The Chronicle for publishing the article.

Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango said: “The pupil who went missing on July 26 was involved in an accident on the day he disappeared and he was admitted at UBH. “The boy lost his memory. The hospital could not locate his family members.

“He can’t talk and is still admitted at the hospital. We give thanks to The Chronicle.”

Mashudu Netsianda , Senior Court Reporter
A RECKLESS Bulawayo motorist has been ordered to pay a family more than $24,000 in compensation for causing injuries and damaging their vehicle.

Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Kamocha ordered Francis Cummings Albert of Suburbs to pay James Greenland and his siblings, Gerald and Nathan $24,674 for injuries they sustained when he failed to obey a road sign resulting in an accident.

Justice Kamocha’s ruling follows an application by the three Greenland brothers seeking an order compelling Albert to compensate them for medical expenses incurred as well as damages for pain and suffering endured as a result of the accident which occurred last year.

In court papers, the Greenland brothers, who are the applicants in the matter, were claiming $44,134 from Albert who was cited as the sole defendant.

Justice Kamocha reduced the amount to be paid to them to $24,674.

“Judgment be and hereby granted against the respondent to pay James $55 being the actual medical costs and $500 being for pain and suffering endured as a results of the accident. Defendant to pay Gerald the sum of $13,090 for medical costs incurred and $1,529 being future medical costs and $3,500 for the pain and suffering,” ruled Justice Kamocha.

The judge also ordered Albert to pay Nathan $6,000, the value of his car that was damaged beyond repair as a result of the accident. The judge ruled that Albert should pay the money with interest at the prescribed rate calculated from the date of summons to the date of full and final payment and the cost of suit.

According to court papers, Albert flouted traffic regulations by failing to give way to James who had the right of way at an intersection.

The incident occurred on August 21, 2014 along Leopold Takawira Avenue in Bulawayo. James was driving Nathan’s car when the accident occurred.

The three applicants through their lawyers T Hara and Partners said Albert was liable for the damages they suffered as a result of the accident.

“The defendant is liable for the damages that the applicants suffered as a result of the accident that he caused by failing to adhere to the road sign regulations. One of the applicants lost his car which has been rendered a write-off and its value is pegged at $6,000 being the cost of replacement of a similar second hand car.

The applicants also incurred huge medical bills and x-ray examinations and one of the applicants will not be able to regain his proper fitness due to the serious injuries sustained following the accident,” said the applicants’ lawyers.

Prosecutor General Johannes Tomana

Daniel Nemukuyu, Harare Bureau
Prosecutor-General Johannes Tomana has complied with a Constitutional Court judgment to issue out certificates allowing the private prosecution of Jane Mutasa, Munyaradzi Kereke and Vivek Solanki on various charges.

Mutasa will be jointly charged with three others — Charles Mapurisa, Caroline Gwinyai and Naquib Omar — for allegedly defrauding Telecel Zimbabwe of $1,7 million in an airtime voucher scam while Kereke is accused of raping a minor.

Solanki and Zarina Ebrahim Dudha are accused of swindling African Medical Investments in a Trauma Centre ownership wrangle.

National director of public prosecutions Florence Ziyambi issued the certificates yesterday on behalf of Tomana.

The National Prosecuting Authority declined to prosecute the seven suspects and also refused to issue the complainants with authority to institute private prosecutions.

Last week the Constitutional Court slapped Tomana with a 30-day prison term for defying a High Court and a Supreme Court order to issue the certificates for the private prosecution of Kerere, and Telecel Zimbabwe shareholder Mutasa.

Tomana’s sentence was wholly suspended on condition he issues the certificates within 10 days.

The certificate issued in respect of Kereke reads:

“Whereas Munyaradzi Kereke was accused of committing rape as defined in Section 65 and indecent assault as defined in Section 67 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 09:23 respectively; and whereas a private party, who can show some substantial and peculiar interest in the issue of the trial arising out of some injury which he individually has suffered by the commission of the offence, may prosecute, in any court competent to try the offence, the person alleged to have committed it. Now therefore, I Florence Ziyambi, a delegate of the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Zimbabwe, having been authorised by him in terms of Section 6 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act do as I hereby certify on his behalf and instruction that the Prosecutor General has seen statements or affidavits on which the charge is based and declined to prosecute at the public instances.”

The certificate for the prosecution of Solanki reads:

“Whereas Vivek Solanki and Zarina Ebrahim Dudha were accused of committing 56 counts of fraud as defined in Section 136 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Ac, 19 counts of theft as defined in Section 113(2) (d) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act and 11 counts of forgery as defined in Section 137 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

“And whereas a private party, who can show some substantial and peculiar interest in the issue of the trial arising out of some injury which he individually has suffered by the commission of the offence, may prosecute, in any court competent to try the offence, the person alleged to have committed it.”

A private prosecution is where a complainant is allowed to institute a trial using the existing court structures and staff except the prosecutor, who should be a private individual.

Experts said a complainant may prosecute on his or her own and in some cases the complainant’s lawyer of choice may be the private prosecutor.

The complainant is expected to meet all the legal costs and other costs like witnesse expenses but in the event that the suspect is convicted, he or she pays the costs.

The NPA’s compliance with the judgment saved Tomana from a 30-day prison terms for contempt of court.

Telecel lawyer Isaiah Mureriwa confirmed receiving the certificate saying it was now up to his client to pursue the case or not. “I confirm that we have received the certificate. It is now up to my client as to what they will do with it.

“What is important to me as the chief architect of this concept and argument is that I have set the jurisprudence correct.

“Individuals complying with the statutory requirements can now prosecute those who offend against them on their own in the event the State decides not to prosecute,” he said.

Telecel Zimbabwe had earlier on indicated that it had withdrawn its intention to prosecute  Mutasa.

Charles Warara of Warara and Associates, who acted for the rape complainant in the Kereke case, welcomed the development.

“It is a welcome development although it came a bit late.

“Our desire is that jurisprudence must not be delayed, which may amount to denying it. We are hoping that we will get justice in this case,” he said.

AMI lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa could not be reached for comment.

Commuters foot their way into town after being dropped off along Khami Road by kombi crews fearful of the heavy police presence in the Bulawayo CBD yesterday

Whinsley Masara Chronicle Reporter
Bulawayo traffic police yesterday launched a blitz on commuter ominibuses which saw a number of kombis being impounded thereby leaving commuters stranded.

Some of the kombis were dropping commuters on the city’s periphery in order to evade arrest and scores of commuters could be seen walking to the Central Business District.

The kombi crews claimed that the blitz was sparked by the kidnapping and assault of a police officer by kombi crews at Basch Street terminus popularly known as Egodini.

This was however refuted by Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango who said the exercise was an ongoing police operation meant to rid the city’s roads of kombis without proper documents and unlicensed drivers.

“Police have embarked on a number of operations to restore order in the cities around the country. It’s not a new operation as kombi drivers would want people to believe. Police are on an operation to ensure drivers have licences and that kombis have proper documents,” said Insp Simango.

She said kombis found without proper documents were being impounded and detained at Ross Camp.

“The objective is to prevent unnecessary loss of lives caused by reckless drivers and those without driver’s licences or proper documents for public service vehicles,” she said.

Frustrated Bulawayo residents could be seen walking after being dropped far away from the CBD by kombi operators who feared having their vehicles impounded.

A Chronicle newscrew counted up to 50 commuter omnibuses at Ross Camp that had been impounded by 10AM.

During the evening rush hour just before 5PM, few kombis were at Egodini.

Kombi crews said the police descended heavily on them after a police officer was assaulted at the terminus by some kombi crews who had kidnapped him.

A kombi driver who only identified himself as Blacks told The Chronicle that he witnessed a police officer being assaulted by drivers and touts yesterday morning.

“When they arrested my colleague, a police officer jumped into his vehicle. He instructed him to drive to Ross Camp but he decided to turn and get into Egodini bus terminus and drivers and touts took turns to assault the arresting officer,” he said.

The driver said other officers who were manning a roadblock nearby had to rush to his rescue and the assailants then fled from the scene.

Inspector Simango said they will continue to enforce the law to ensure all kombi drivers are licence holders and all the vehicles have proper documents to operate on the given routes.

A kombi driver, Tapiwa Macheke said what was happening was not good for kombi operators who were losing business and the commuters who were dropped far away from the CBD or were made to wait for long hours to get transport home in the evening as there were few kombis at Egodini.

He, however, conceded that they were many drivers that did not have driver’s liences while some kombis did not have the required documents.

President Mugabe

Mduduzi Mathuthu, Editor
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe’s Office has accused a top American newspaper of attempting to “contrive conflict” between Zimbabwe and Kenya by publishing made-up quotes in which the Zimbabwean leader is shown saying Kenyans have degrees in stealing.

The world-respected New York Times, in a report on corruption in Kenya, lifted quotations attributed to President Mugabe from a spoof website.

Only after publishing did the newspaper try to verify the comments with the President’s spokesperson, George Charamba.

Charamba yesterday laid into Jeffrey Gettleman, the New York Times’ East African correspondent, describing him as “blunderous, if not an outright racist”.

Gettleman, according to Charamba, sent an e-mail after his story had been read around the world stating: “I asked a local [Kenyan] journalist to check the veracity of the quote yesterday [November 4] and he said it appeared to be true. Others, though, have raised doubts. Can you tell me if President Mugabe said this?”

Blasted Charamba: “I find it incredible that Mr Gettleman can insert a quote he attributes to my President in his story, and then seek to check its veracity only later. What was the idea? And why is he asking me about it now? To suggest an imperious haughtiness?

“I don’t know whether that’s his idea of respecting an African, his idea of competent and truthful journalism. And his hope was to contrive conflict between our two great nations? It won’t happen.”

Charamba said he had told Gettleman to “never reach me again until he gets back his ethics.”

The article in the New York Times, posted on November 5, quoted President Mugabe as having said that “those people of East Africa shock me with their wizardry in stealing. You can even think that there is a subject in their universities called Bachelor of Stealing.”

The African Union chairman, it was further claimed, “told his countrymen to be on ‘high alert’ in case they visited Kenya” because “they might infect you with that disease.”

The New York Times lifted the quotes from a Kenyan parody website spectator.co.ke which is a repository of made-up stories. The website was described on Twitter, by a Kenyan writer, as being run by “a blogger who knows we always react to truth from foreigners”.

A skeptical journalist would have noted that the website carried some hard-to-believe stories, including one which claims “a former adviser to PM on legal affairs Miguna Miguna has vowed to form his own country and become its president by next year June.”

Miguna, the website said, “had initially planned to form his own continent” on the uninhabited Kenyan coast deep in the Indian Ocean “after being disappointed by lack of foresight by AU”, but had decided against the idea fearing Somali pirates “would catch him and behead him or use him for ransom or probably hand him over to Islamic State for immolation”.

The spoof story on President Mugabe, published under the headline ‘Robert Mugabe – God should never have created those thieves (Kenyans) here in Africa’, was purportedly authored by one Clarence Mbagazi.

The report claimed President Mugabe made the comments “while presiding over a funds drive in a city church on Sunday where he was the chief guest”.

It contained giveaway undiplomatic quotes attributed to the African Union chairman, including one where he is claimed to have said: “Sometimes I tend to believe that stealing is in every Kenyan’s blood.”

Charamba said Gettleman and the New York Times, by publishing the fake quotes, had demonstrated unforgivable professional lapses.

He added: “Mr Gettleman is very blunderous, if not an outright racist who should never be entertained on the African continent. By his conduct, it’s a shameful anomaly that a great paper like the NYT finds the boldness to make him a bureau chief.”

Judah Mpofu and his wife Thembelihle Moyo on their wedding day

Thandeka Moyo Chronicle Reporter
AN 83-year-old man from Bulawayo has defied odds and become one of Zimbabwe’s oldest grooms by wedding his long time sweetheart. Judah Mpofu of Magwegwe suburb walked majestically down the aisle to be lawfully wedded to Thembelihle Moyo, 49, at a colourful ceremony at the Pelandaba Seventh-Day Adventist Church last Sunday.

Hundreds thronged the venue to witness Mpofu exchange vows with his sweetheart. Mpofu lost his first wife some years ago and up to now, Moyo was a widow.

“I’m nervous and happy at the same time as I’ve always dreamt of this day. I realised that living a lonely life was becoming stressful and since there’s no law against getting married, I decided to find love again and here I’m ready to take MaMoyo to my home,” an elated Mpofu told The Chronicle, minutes before he walked down the aisle.

“I believe there’s no moment where I can be labelled as too old to marry. I’m looking forward to a great future with my wife and God willing, we will have children.”

Mpofu said it took a lot of convincing to get Moyo to accept his proposal.

He said he proposed the first day he met her during a church service.

“After months of waiting, she finally said yes and the rest is history. I still remember the day she accepted my proposal. It was a dream come true for me,” Mpofu said.

He urged youths to stop having multiple partners but to stay focused even in their pursuit of happiness.

“It saddens me to note that most of our youths enter into relationships just for sex. It’s time they realised the importance of abstinence, investing in marriages and sustaining happy homes. After this ceremony, we will travel and go somewhere private and special for our honeymoon,” Mpofu said.

His nephew, Mongameli Ngwenya, who was one of the groomsmen, said the family was happy his uncle had found love.

“We’ve supported him in everything but we realised there are things that we can’t do for him as his children. Even Abraham in his old age after Sarah, remarried and we’re happy our father will have a friend as he faces life,” said Ngwenya.

Fairchild Mhlophe, the marriage officer, commended Mpofu for his courage.

“It’s motivating to see an elderly man exchanging vows and ready to settle down legally. What he is doing today is Biblically correct as Genesis 2v 18 says ‘it’s not good for a man to be alone’,” said Mhlophe.

“The Bible didn’t put a limit or a cut off age and we’re happy to witness this wedding. I hope both families will unite, live in peace and ensure these two, who’ve been joined by God, are happy.”

• Political maverick trashes People First project
• Pulls race card in bid to return to ruling party
  

Temba Mliswa

Tichaona Zindoga Harare Bureau
MAVERICK politician and former Hurungwe West Member of the House of Assembly, Temba Mliswa, has made a passionate plea to Zanu-PF to take him back following his ouster from the ruling party last year after being linked to a cabal that sought to unconstitutionally unseat President Robert Mugabe.

Mliswa was touted as a vital cog in the intended putsch whose quashing claimed several scalps, including that of former Vice President Joice Mujuru, the leader of the rebels.

Mliswa was the first party provincial chairman to be sacked and since then he has been a wandering spirit, hobnobbing with the opposition and also tried to reclaim his Hurungwe West seat but lost to Cde Keith Guzah in June.

But Mliswa, who has fallen out with the Mujuru-linked People First project, said his heart is with Zanu-PF and he is prepared to return to the ruling party.

He also told our Harare Bureau about the dim prospects of People First which up to date does not have structures and is a “newspaper and social media party”.

He claimed that the rebellion in Zanu-PF and the People First project had withered on the vine because its mastermind and Mujuru’s husand, Solomon, had died.

“You see, the truth of the matter is you’re giving prominence to something which isn’t even registered,” he said.

“I mean, Jim Kunaka said what he said representing People First, as who? I tried to go around looking for the constitution, they’ve no constitution, they’ve no office. Who is the leader of the party? It’s speculative, it’s in the paper.

“And the truth of the matter is I’ve never known of a party which has no leader and which has no address…You see for me to waste time on people speculating on a newspaper party, on a social media party, I’m not like that.

“I believe politics is by going to the ground. Even the BUILD document that they put together, who endorsed it?

“They’re saying that Zanu-PF is very dictatorial. At least one thing that Zanu-PF does is call for a conference and a congress and it makes resolutions. They (People First) didn’t even call for a conference to hear from the people and for the people to endorse it.”

Mliswa said if People First had a constituency, it should have fielded candidates in the intervening by-elections.

“David Butau is People First, why did he not stand as People First in Mbire? Bhasikiti was Mwenezi and he claims to be People First but he is allowing his constituency to go to Zanu-PF but he is People First. I’ve never understood such politics. Politics is about people,” he said.

“The other issue is that who was the brains behind this (putschist agenda)? It was her husband the late General Mujuru who was the strategist, who was the driver of this.

“He is no more unfortunately. So who can replace him? No one. So you know when a project has a strategist and the strategist is not there, why continue with it?

“You’re in a war and the commander isn’t there, he knows the route, do you continue with the war or you abandon the struggle? And if you can’t beat them, you join them and you surrender”.

Mliswa is itching for a return to the ruling party.

“If it’s true that this country is about us being a better people and being a better people means the political party (Zanu-PF) being stable, why can’t the political party extend a hand of reconciliation and say a lot happened?” he said.

“Especially for me, I wrote a letter to say my suspension was not fair. As much as people would say what they want, I wrote because I didn’t believe I had done anything wrong. I believe that it was in the interest of the party that if I’m wrong it (disciplinary action) is done properly and I go back to the people who elected me and say I’m no longer in the party because I was found guilty of ABCD.

“I’ve never been given an opportunity to explain my side other than talking to you in an interview, that’s the only time that I talk about that . . . I mean Zanu-PF forgave the white man who they went to war with and killed. I’m not a white man. I never even went to war and killed anyone. But they fail to forgive me!”

The wreackage of the Honda Fit which crashed in Victoria Falls on Friday night

Adelaide Moyo Chronicle Reporter
A TEENAGER from Victoria Falls sneaked out of home for a beer drink leaving her two-year-old baby unattended, but she will not be able to hold the boy in her arms again.

Pinky Masuku, 18, was among the three people who died on the spot when a Honda Fit they were travelling in veered off the road and hit a tree near the Victoria Falls International Airport at midnight on Friday.

One person suffered serious injuries in the accident that occurred at Chidobe Turn Off along the Victoria Falls-Bulawayo highway.

The driver and only survivor, Nkosilathi Lusaba, a Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe employee, was airlifted in an EMRAS air rescue plane to Harare.

The four were driving from KoPanashe Leisure Spot which they left after it closed to continue drinking at Lupinyu Business Centre.

Masuku was allegedly Lusaba’s girlfriend and they were travelling with two other friends, Nyasha Nyamandi and Andile Moyo, who also died in the accident.

Family members said Masuku left behind a two-year-old baby while Moyo is survived by a pregnant wife.

John Nyamandi, Nyasha’s brother said: “Nyasha left home at 7PM with his friends and usually when they go out, they drink at Shoestrings. We heard that they left with their friend who works at the airport. They were drunk and the accident occurred when the driver tried to overtake another car. He lost control and the car veered off the road and hit a tree killing three of the passengers on the spot.”

Masuku’s uncle, Mkhululi Masuku, said she sneaked out of the house at night leaving her baby unattended.

He said the teenager dropped out of school after she fell pregnant.

Mkhululi said they always told her that Lusaba, her alleged boyfriend, was not good for her.

“We thought Pinky was in her room until we received a call that she had been involved in an accident. We checked in her room and when we could not find her, we rushed to the hospital where we positively identified her body,” he said.

When The Chronicle arrived at the scene of the accident on Saturday morning, the wreckage of the vehicle was still on site.

Both front doors had fallen off while the windscreen was shattered.

There were blood stains around the wreckage.

Bodies of the three are at Victoria Falls Hospital Mortuary and their families said they were waiting for post-mortem results before burial arrangements could be made.

Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri

Lloyd Gumbo Harare Bureau
THE government has adopted a two-pronged approach in fighting elephant poaching that includes roping in the Zimbabwe Defence Forces to complement rangers and the University of Zimbabwe that is expected to come up with a wildlife tracking system.

As such, helicopters and drones will be deployed to the national parks while the wildlife tracking system will be used to monitor animal movements.

Environment, Water and Climate Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri revealed this during the pre-budget seminar for MPs in Victoria Falls last week.

She was responding to suggestions by MPs that the government was supposed to include the security forces in fighting poachers.

“We’ve now roped in the army and you will see a very serious operation which should send a warning to these poachers that we are now very serious,” said minister Muchinguri-Kashiri.

“You will see helicopters in the national parks. I’ve also been advised that drones have already been bought that cover 40km. This means that where we were supposed to have so many rangers, we will just be using one drone.

“We’re also working with the University of Zimbabwe to have tracking equipment so that we can see elephants from Harare. Once we see a suspicious movement, we immediately advise the Air Force to deploy a helicopter right away. We’re very sophisticated now.”

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said Zimbabwe would also continue to export live elephants to reduce the ever growing population that was unsustainable.

“We exported elephants to China and there was backlash from America. But we’re glad that they are also importing. They imported elephants from Swaziland as we speak. So now we can challenge them that they’re barring us from exporting to China yet they’re importing.

“So we will keep promoting the sale of live animals because it’s part of our Act that we must do sport hunting and also export live animals because it’s the most sustainable way of keeping our sizes very low because 80,000 elephants are unsustainable since our environment is being destroyed,” she said.

Buhera South MP Cde Joseph Chinotimba said it was important for the government to deploy the army to the national parks to curb poaching.

“There is peace in Zimbabwe and our security forces are idle in the barracks at a time our elephants are being poached.

“We see our soldiers building schools yet we have critical points that need attention.

“Why can’t we take a 20,000 strong force and deploy them in Gonarezhou and Hwange National Parks to bust these poaching syndicates?

“We’re already paying these soldiers and they’ve the resources such as helicopters that they must use to fight these poachers.

“We want the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate and the Ministry of Defence and that of Home Affairs to deliberate over this and see how they can curb this poaching.

“We want our security forces to go to these critical points,” said Cde Chinotimba.

At least 55 elephants have been killed at the Hwange National Park through cyanide poisoning since early 2015.

Twenty-two of them were discovered on October 25, with three ivory tusks missing.

Globally, poaching and wildlife trafficking are highly lucrative businesses estimated to earn between $23 billion and $47 billion yearly.

They are jointly ranked fourth on the list of large-scale illegal trade after drug trafficking, counterfeiting and human trafficking.

l See Comment on Page 4

Alvord Mabena

Pamela Shumba Senior Reporter
THE chairman of the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) board of directors, Engineer Alvord Mabena, has been fired with immediate effect.

Mabena has been the NRZ board chairperson for the past 17 months and his term was set to expire in 2017.

The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development relieved Mabena of his duties last Friday as part of a restructuring exercise meant to position the ailing parastatal for growth.

NRZ board vice chairperson Brigadier David Chiweza has been appointed acting chairperson.

The rest of the board remains unchanged.

Mabena’s dismissal letter is dated November 5, 2015, and it was signed by the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Cde Joram Gumbo.

“As you may be aware, the ministry has been re-aligning its strategic vision with that of parastatals and state institutions. To that end it has become necessary that I terminate your term of office as chairman of NRZ with immediate effect,” reads part of the letter.

Cde Gumbo declined to comment on the matter yesterday.

Mabena expressed regret over his unexpected axing which he described as a bombshell.

“I received a letter from the minister out of the blue informing me that my services have been terminated with immediate effect. It’s not clear why they’ve decided to do so,” said Mabena.

“I’m disappointed because of these stop-start things. Naturally, I’ve been working with a passion and putting a lot of effort in trying to revive the NRZ. I worked hard not only to serve the NRZ but the nation.”

He said it was unfortunate that each time a new minister was appointed, he brought in his own people and the NRZ had suffered because of that.

Mabena said he would continue serving his country where his services were needed.

He said the letter came as a surprise to him as the minister did not mention anything negative when they met soon after his appointment in September.

“I met him on two occasions and he didn’t mention anything along those lines. He actually commended the board for doing well and we discussed the way forward on reviving the NRZ and future programmes before the bombshell was dropped on Friday,” said Mabena.

Sources within the parastatal said the minister was not happy with the process of appointing a new general manager.

Last month, there was confusion over the selection process with the board adamant that it had completed the process and short-listed three candidates while the ministry insisted that the process must be redone.

The NRZ general manager’s position has been vacant since August 2013 following the death of Retired Air Commodore Mike Karakadzai in a car accident. Engineer Lewis Mukwada is the acting general manager.

The NRZ, which owes its workers more than a year’s salaries, has been on its knees for years.

It is faced with many challenges that include obsolete equipment, lack of rail line maintenance and high staff overheads.

Most of its equipment was purchased in the 1960s and the latest around 1989. The ageing infrastructure has outlived its planned lifespan of 25 years, resulting in low production.

At its peak, the NRZ was one of the biggest employers in the country with an 18,000 strong workforce.

Last month, Cde Gumbo said his ministry was looking at improving and rehabilitating the railway system which is now in a deplorable state.

He said they hoped to sign some Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) with Chinese companies before the end of the year for a number of projects that the Ministry is working on.

Nurses turn blind eye as woman battles to give birth

Manama Hospital under probe after mum, baby die

Marvelous Moyo Gwanda Correspondent
MATABELELAND South provincial medical director, Dr Brian Abel Maponga, has dispatched a team to Manama Mission Hospital to investigate claims that a pregnant woman, 26, died in labour at the institution due to negligence by the hospital staff.

Progress Moyo of Nkalange area, Gwanda District who was expecting her second child, died after more than 14 hours in labour as nurses at the hospital are said to have ignored her during the critical period.

The Chronicle visited the late woman’s parents at their homestead in Nkalange on Sunday and they expressed disappointment over the alleged negligence by nurses who were on duty from the early hours of November 1.

Nurses at the hospital are alleged to have declined to attend to the woman for over 10 hours saying she would be attended to by a doctor, until she died.

Her family said when they complained to doctors over the alleged negligence after her death, they were told to report the matter to the police and they filed a report at Guyu Police Station.

Responding to emailed questions yesterday, Dr Maponga said reports are being compiled at the hospital to aid a team that would be sent there to probe the death.

“We’re sending a team to conduct a formal inquiry into the matter to help us determine the cause of death, and ascertain whether there was negligence or not. The teams on the ground are compiling reports to aid the investigation,” he said.

“Further to that, our overall aim is to ensure that we get to the bottom of this matter, to ensure that pregnant women and all other clients are safe from harmful practices at Manama Mission hospital and the rest of Matabeleland South Province.”

Moyo’s mother, Maria Dube struggled to hold back tears as she narrated the agony her daughter went through.

“I accompanied my daughter to Selonga clinic on October 13 because her time to deliver was nearing. We stayed at the clinic until October 31 around 8PM when she indicated that she had some labour pains. On seeing that the pregnancy could have some complications, MaMoyo a nurse at the clinic referred Progress to Manama Hospital and she accompanied us there and surrendered her to nurses at the hospital at around 2AM on November 1,” said Dube.

“Surprisingly, nurses at Manama never attended to my daughter the whole day. They said she was going to be attended to by the doctor at 6PM. As a troubled mother I kept checking on her but with no support from the medical staff.”

She said she kept checking on her daughter every now and then, with the hope of finding her having delivered but the painful process stretched up to midday with the medical staff still turning a blind eye to her.

Dube said at one time she asked for her daughter to be referred to Gwanda Provincial Hospital, but she was given a cold shoulder.

After going for hours in labour and her energy drained, Progress is said to have indicated to Dube that she no longer felt any movement in her womb.

The aggrieved Dube said the only help she got at the hospital was in bathing Progress at around 2PM when a hospital employee believed to be a general hand wearing a pink uniform, said Progress smelled bad.

“At around 5PM while I was holding her, I felt her losing her breath, tried to wake her up, but to no avail.

“She died while in my arms and that’s when the doctor finally arrived when she took her last breath, but it was too late,” she said.

Dube immediately left and went outside, leaving her daughter’s body lying on the bed.

“I’ll never be able to describe the pain I felt because of the way nurses neglected my daughter.

“Th e whole day she was neither treated nor checked by medical staff at a time she needed attention most until she died. I took her to hospital with hope she would be in safe hands but I was wrong,” she said.

“If only they had saved one life, either my daughter’s or the baby’s, I was going to be comforted but now I’ve lost both.”

Dube’s husband, James Moyo arrived at the hospital accompanied by their Councillor Enock De Souza on learning from his wife that Progress’ condition had deteriorated.

“We got no cooperation from the nurses who told me to get all the information I needed from my wife,” he said.

He said they reported the matter to Guyu Police Station and a postmortem suggested that when Progress died her unborn baby had already died.

“It was all a result of negligence by nurses. They didn’t take their work seriously and didn’t value the importance of life,” Moyo said.

He said police officers recorded statements from them and promised to come back to them on the way forward, but they haven’t heard from them ever since.

Moyo’s family said they wanted the medical staff at Manama hospital exposed so that no other pregnant woman or patient dies due to negligence by the medical staff .

“We doubt if the nurses could treat their relatives in that manner. Our child is gone but we don’t want others to face a similar situation,” said Khulu Moyo, the late woman’s grandfather.

Clr De Souza said there were other reports that had come to his attention concerning negligence at the hospital.

“The hospital is well equipped but lacks dedicated staff because it seems it has turned into a slaughter house for human beings.

“If they no longer want to serve our communities, they better leave because it’s possible that people sometimes die in circumstances that can be avoided.

“Manama should put its house in order to avoid unnecessary loss of lives,” said Clr De Souza.

Efforts to get a comment from Matabeleland South acting police spokesperson Sergeant Thabani Mkwananzi were fruitless.

Pamela Shumba Senior Reporter
A Bulawayo-based soldier blew up his head with an AK-47 rifle while on duty on Saturday night in a suspected case of suicide following alleged problems at home.

Corporal Blessing Munetsi, 31, reportedly told his friends that he was having serious problems with his wife. A colleague later found him dead at Imbizo Barracks.

Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango said: “We received a report of a Bulawayo man who committed suicide. Investigations are in progress.”

When The Chronicle news crew visited Munetsi’s rented home in Nkulumane yesterday, some soldiers barred reporters from speaking to the family.

Family members said they could only speak when Munetsi’s bosses give them the greenlight to do so.

Efforts to get a comment from army spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Alphias Makotore were fruitless.

Sources within the army said Munetsi was guarding the armoury when he decided to take his life at about 7:20PM on Saturday.

“Munetsi went to the toilet behind the armoury and used his AK-47 rifle to shoot himself. He shot himself through the chin and the bullet blew up his head, killing him instantly.

“A colleague rushed to the scene and found Munetsi’s body in a pool of blood. He alerted senior soldiers at the army base and a report was made to Queens Park police station. His body was taken to the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) mortuary,” said one of his colleagues.

He said Munetsi, who was earlier seen drinking with friends at the Highlanders FC clubhouse told his friends that he was frustrated by his wife’s unbecoming behaviour.

“Munetsi said his wife was in the habit of going out at night and coming back in the morning. He said he had tried on several occasions to talk to the wife but she wouldn’t listen to him,” said the friend.

Munetsi, added the friend, said he was tired of arguing with his wife all the time.

Last month, a Bulawayo police officer’s alleged lover died at Mpilo Central Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit after shooting herself with the cop’s service pistol following a domestic tiff.

Marble Chiture, 32, was rushed unconscious to the referral hospital following the incident that is said to have happened at Superintendent Crissen Masuka’s home.

Chiture shot herself in an attempted suicide following an undisclosed marital dispute and later died in hospital.