Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter—
At least 4 500 Grade Seven pupils countrywide, the majority of them girls, dropped out of school this year after falling pregnant or getting married, Parliament heard on Thursday. Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Lazarus Dokora, however, told the National Assembly that the pupils were free to rejoin school at a later stage as young “mothers, wives, fathers or husbands”.

Presenting a Ministerial Statement in the National Assembly on Thursday, Dr Dokora said of the 329 549 candidates who wrote Grade Seven examinations this year, at least 4 500 would not proceed to Form One.

“A total of 305 549 will enrol in day secondary school with effect from Monday, 12th December, 2016. Sadly, 4 500 of our girls and boys will not be seeking Form 1 places in 2017, having regrettably left school owing to pregnancies and marriages,” said Dr Dokora.

“We have said in 2017, the ministry will inaugurate a campaign against early marriages working in conjunction with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development, whose minister is Hon. (Nyasha) Chikwinya. So, we are also mounting a campaign. UNFPA have agreed to work with us and have already been in the field. So, we will heighten that,” said Dr Dokora.

The statement about the 4 500 school dropouts attracted a barrage of questions from legislators who wanted to know what policy framework Government would introduce to curb the scourge. Gweru Urban MP Mr Cecil Zvidzai (MDC-T) said he was concerned that the girls were preyed by unscrupulous people with “fat” pockets.

“The girls might have been taken advantage of by the rich, ‘sugar daddies’ and ‘sugar mummies’ and are going to be consigned into permanent poverty as a result of having been taken advantage of particularly at that early stage. I would have expected the minister to talk to us around how he is going to deal with these 4 500 unfortunate cases,” said Mr Zvidzai.

Matabeleland North MP Dr Ruth Labode (MDC-T) surprised the House when she proposed that pupils be given condoms saying according to the Demographic Health Survey, they were dying because of HIV/AIDS, abortion and early pregnancies.

“A Form 1 child, for me is aged around 12 years or 13 years, but what has happened here, these children were indulging in sex and this is confirmed by the Demographic Health Survey. For me, it raises a policy issue. What should we be doing Hon. Dokora? There is an issue here. We should allow these children to access health services; everything else that you access from the condom to everything. Let them access it because they are dying,” said Dr Labode.

In his response, Dr Dokora said the pupils could rejoin informal learning at a later stage.

“As to the 4 500 boys and girls that I made reference to, the boys left school to marry and the girls left school on account of pregnancy or to also get married. So, the way you treat that has to be differentiated. We have non-formal education stream and in this year, the statistics show that 28 000 have participated in the non-formal education sector. They can come back as young mothers and fathers/husbands and continue, not in the full-time programme but in the part-time educational programme. They are welcome,” said Dr Dokora.

He said Parliament was free to further interrogate on the prudence of giving pupils condoms or not. “As to whether this now leads to say give condoms in the schools, I think that is another debate and I would benefit from the wisdom of the House,” said Dr Dokora.

THEY invaded the Midlands capital like an army of Vikings, in the year Iceland flexed its football muscles with a spectacular show of both force and vociferous support for a club that had seemingly perfected the art of breaking their hearts. And two weeks after that colourful football carnival, residents of Gweru, still talking about the spectacular sights and the incredible sounds, which became — for one unforgettable day — the face of their city as the incredible and impressive power of football paraded its beauty in full bloom.

Not since a blue-and-white army had arrived in the same city and for a similar cause — for their coronation as champions at the same stadium four years ago — had Gweru seen such sights, and heard such sounds from an invading battalion of domestic football’s aristocracy.

And as cruel fate would somehow script it, a city which this year represented the ultimate tragedy for Dynamos, with eight of their fans perishing in an accident on their way to a league match at Ascot, would in December transform itself into a theatre of grand celebrations for CAPS United.

For more than a decade, the majority of these CAPS United fans had waited, their patience being stretched to the limit by the failings of a club that frustratingly kept punching below its considerable weight, transforming its fans into objects of ridicule. Especially for the fans of their biggest rivals, Dynamos, a club whose dominance of the domestic championship was ruthless.

At times they appeared a clone of Manchester United during Sir Alex Ferguson’s golden era, with Callisto Pasuwa guiding them to four on the trot.

David Mandigora also chipped in with a title in 2007 and a CAF Champions League semi-final place the following year, to provide the spice.

But with DeMbare enduring their worst season in the championship race this year, their potency immobilised by a disastrous flirtation with a Portuguese joker disguised as a football coach, with his surname the only closest thing the Glamour Boys got in him providing the silver lining which the giants had hoped for, the spoils of success for Makepekepe tasted even sweeter.

And Ascot, the scene of the Green Machine meltdown last season, which provoked a defining change in the club’s coaching staff with legend Lloyd Chitembwe being recalled from a prolonged stint in the wilderness, where he even ended flirting with an obscure Division One club that almost soiled his reputation, fittingly provided the stage for CAPS United’s overdue coronation as champions.

A 1-2 defeat to Chapungu at Ascot on August 29 last year, coming on the back of a single win in six matches — a 1-0 victory over Flame Lily, a 0-1 defeat at Harare City and three draws against Chicken Inn (0-0); Tsholotsho (1-1); and Dongo Sawmill (0-0), with the last two draws coming at the National Sports Stadium — finally provided the persuasion for the club’s leadership for changes in their coaching staff with Chitembwe returning as head coach.

Such was the spectacular transformation which they underwent under Chitembwe’s surgical brilliance since their last visit to Ascot.

They had lost only four of their 38 league matches when they arrived for their defining showdown against Chapungu that Saturday, with their fate for a ticket on football’s glory fields firmly in their hands.

However, with a point at Ascot not enough to guarantee success, what with a rampaging FC Platinum heavily favoured to beat Tsholotsho, which they did without raising a sweat in a 3-0 roll, CAPS United needed nerves of steel on an afternoon when the burden of expectations would test their character to the very end.

And the ghosts of their 1-2 loss there last year, and a 0-3 hammering in 2014 would weigh down heavily on the players.

Even when Simba Nhivi gave them an early lead, it was difficult to calm the nerves, for statistics provided grim reading for the CAPS United family as they showed that Chapungu usually score at home and, this season, no club had left Ascot with a clean sheet in the entire first half of the league campaign.

It wasn’t until Round 19, when ZPC Kariba came to Gweru and won 1-0, that Chapungu finally failed to score at home in the league this year, and that only three other clubs — Bulawayo City, Highlanders and FC Platinum — subsequently found a way to stop the airmen from scoring in their backyard, provided evidence, if CAPS United needed it, of the tough examination that was in store for them.

But if these fans needed a team with an indomitable spirit, one that could weather a hurricane, one that could be banked upon to withstand the heat even in this treacherous airfield, then this was the perfect group of players.

A group of individuals, certainly short on the kind of raw individual talents that had inspired the Classes of ’79, ’96, 2004 and 2005 to the Promised Land, but certainly long on both ambition and crucially, a never-say-die attitude which had made them unbeatable at home in the league all season, and elsewhere outside Bulawayo in the whole campaign.

A SUCCESS STORY WRITTEN IN THE STARS IN A YEAR OF SUCH REMARKABLE TALES
And when it was all over at Ascot two weeks ago, the mission having been completed in style and in rain by a team whose defensive solidity had given nothing away in three tough final games, all won by 1-0 margins, the party exploded in Gweru with the invading army celebrating their return to the top with song and dance, which provided the Midlands capital with its own version of a Green Machine carnival.

Of course, minus the virtually naked Brazilian samba girls, who come with the package that includes seductive dances and flashy smiles to light up even a gloomy winter evening, on the occasions when this carnival is held in the capital.

In a year that has provided us with a lot of fascinating tales of underdogs like Leicester City challenging the established order to become the most unlikely of English Premiership champions, the Chicago Cubs ending 108 years of waiting to win baseball’s World Series and a host of other lightweights, like Wales and Iceland at Euro 2016, it would only have been fitting that FC Platinum win the domestic championship.

Fitting for Norman Mapeza and his men to finally exorcise the ghost that has stalked clubs from outside Harare and Bulawayo for exactly half a century in which their quest for the league championship has borne no fruit and that this was the 50th anniversary of the year the immortals of St Paul’s Musami achieved that feat in 1966, it would only have been proper for FC Platinum to win.

But as I warned on this blog last week, a team that thrashes Highlanders in Week 29 of the season the way FC Platinum did this year with a 3-0 victory, and the way Harare City did three years ago with a thumping 4-0 victory, usually doesn’t end up as winners of the domestic Premiership title.

Even when my colleagues on ZTV’s Monday night authoritative football magazine programme, “Game Plan”, the legendary Charles “CNN” Mabika and Wellington Mpandare called it in FC Platinum’s favour, in the week leading to the final round of matches, I told them this was a race that would end with CAPS United celebrating despite their last two visits to Ascot having provided the hosts with a 5-1 aggregate victory.

And as it came to pass on that Saturday, some regular viewers of that television programme and readers of the blog started sending me messages across all platforms suggesting — once again — that I was a prophet, something I have repeatedly said I’m not, once again reminding that I’m just a mere journalist and the man who is a prophet is my good brother Walter Magaya.

Chitembwe, a deeply religious man, told me his team’s success was something written in the stars, something our good Lord provided for Green Machine family to help them heal the emotional wounds of more than 10 years of failure, and when one looks back at the just-ended season and all that happened, it’s difficult not to agree with Lodza.

For how does one explain that stunning comeback from the dead, three goals down with just five minutes left in regulation time and three more minutes of time added on against their biggest rivals and, somehow, they find the strength to rise from the canvas and not only score three goals but even get a golden chance to win that match?

How does one explain that show of character by these players refusing to be deflated by How Mine, completing a comeback from two goals down at the giant stadium, with the miners’ second goal coming on the stroke of full-time, and somehow finding the energy to go to the other end and, with the last touch of the game, score the winner through Dominic Chungwa?

How does one explain that excellent performance in Hwange, which certainly deserved three instead of the one point they picked, after they had travelled to the Colliery on an overnight trip following in-house issues in the camp, arriving there just in time for the start of the game and somehow emerging as the better team when many would have been betrayed by the battering the long journey had taken on their bodies?

Yes, Lodza, it was written in the stars and my pastor says it again and again that when God opens a door, no man can shut it and it’s clearly said, loud and clear, in Revelations 3:8 “I KNOW THY WORKS. BEHOLD, I HAVE SET BEFORE THEE AN OPEN DOOR, AND NO MAN CAN SHUT IT. FOR THOU HAST A LITTLE STRENGTH, AND HAS KEPT MY WORD, AND HAST NOT DENIED MY NAME.”

TWENTY YEARS LATER, THE DEFINING GAME CAME AGAINST THE OLD ENEMY

I was one of the privileged witnesses of that compelling drama at Rufaro, 20 years ago, when Mphumelelo Dzowa drove home an unstoppable bullet from a free-kick late in the game of a defining match for the CAPS United season, to hand the Green Machine a priceless point against Dynamos that provided a knockout blow to their biggest rivals in what was a gruelling contest for the league championship.

If DeMbare had won that day, which their industry and superb organisation on the afternoon probably deserved, the outcome of the championship race could probably have turned out differently, given doubts would have started to creep into that CAPS United side, weighed down by 17 years of failure, with the Glamour Boys having blown wind into their sails.

I have always maintained that fine collection of Glamour Boys would have won the CAF Champions League the previous year had they not self-destructed at home with a fatal coaching boob that sidelined Moses Chunga to the bench in the second leg of their quarter-final tie against Express of Uganda — has been forgotten and hardly features when people speak about some of the finest ever assembled sides on the domestic front.

But I have fought hard to ensure their memory isn’t forgotten because they were a very special team, better than the Orlando Pirates side that won the ’95 CAF Champions League, and it’s sad their campaign was crippled by a fatal decision to relegate Bambo, the hero of their 1-0 win in the first leg in Uganda, to the bench in the second leg in Harare.

Without Chunga’s influence, that DeMbare side lacked a cutting edge in midfield and Express took full advantage, scoring in the first half to wipe out that deficit, and when Bambo was thrown in at the start of the second half, he reminded his coaches what they had missed in the first 45 minutes, with his first touch producing a goal for the archives — taking the ball on his chest and volleying it into the top corner from a distance for the equaliser.

At that moment, Dynamos were going through to the semi-finals.

But Express scored again and although Chunga crafted a number of very good chances for Vitalis Takawira and Tauya Murewa, looking for the one goal that would have tied the contest in Harare and taken Dynamos into the semi-finals on a 3-2 aggregate, the young forwards failed to convert in that cauldron of pressure.

The following year, in ’96, that DeMbare side were the only club good enough to beat Nigerian powerhouse Shooting Stars, by a two-goal margin, in that season’s CAF Champions League campaign, with Dynamos winning 3-1 in Harare, a match which they could even have won by a rugby scoreline had Stars’ goalkeeper Abiodun Baruwa not produced a man-of-the-match performance in a losing cause.

That Shooting Stars team eliminated Pirates, Algerian giants JS Kabylie before losing the final in a penalty shootout to Zamalek of Egypt.

Back home, DeMbare were beaten to the league title by a very, very good CAPS United side — which some say was the best Green Machine of all-time — by just three points.

Sadly, very few care to remember that had that vintage DeMbare side won the Harare Derby in Round 23, if Mphumelelo’s late screamer hadn’t rescued a point for Makepekepe, things could have turned out differently in a championship race that, at the end, saw the two giants being separated by just three points — having won the same number of games (25), drawn the same number of games (5), with the difference coming in the games which they lost with CAPS losing just three and Dynamos four.

But, it’s something that isn’t said a lot in our game, that Dynamos side outscored a CAPS United side that had Stewart Murisa, the best player that season, Alois Bunjira, who also did enough to lay claim to the best player of the year award, Morgan Nkathazo, Farai Mbidzo and Joe Mugabe.

That DeMbare side scored 79 goals while Makepekepe scored 75 and while the Glamour Boys conceded 25 goals compared to the 26 which the Green Machine conceded that season.

And exactly 20 years after Mphumelelo’s late screamer in the Harare Derby provided a defining championship-winning moment, with the pendulum swinging towards Makepekepe after they inflicted a knockout blow on their closest rivals, history virtually repeated itself this year when CAPS United stormed back from that 0-3 defeat, with just five minutes of regulation time left, to tie the game.

It’s probably the finest comeback, in the history of the Harare Derby, an iconic contest which turns 40 next year, and Chitembwe concedes the deflation his men could have suffered, had they been embarrassed in their backyard by their biggest rivals with just few games left in the campaign, would have had serious repercussions in their quest for glory.

It’s too bad, isn’t it, we didn’t see a lot of that from DeMbare all season and, hopefully, the Green Machine’s success will not only pile the pressure on them, now that their fans are at the receiving end of the sickening jokes, but will also inspire them to rise again because, when they compete in the championship race, it enriches the marathon.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

Come on Warriors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Khamaldinoooooooooooooooooo!

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Zanu PF 1st Secretary President Mugabe addresses delagates at the ongoing Zanu PF16th Annual National People’s Conference in Masvingo yesterday. – (Picture by Believe Nyakudjara)

Takunda Maodza in MASVINGO—

PRESIDENT Mugabe yesterday strongly denounced what he termed a strange culture of indiscipline creeping into Zanu-PF that has seen party officials taking in-house issues to social media and the private Press, saying the party has organs through which grievances are resolved.Officially opening Zanu-PF’s 16th Annual National People’s Conference here, the ruling party’s First Secretary said it was time such deviant behaviour ended.

The conference is being attended by the US-based December 12 Movement led by Cde Coltrane Chimurenga, representatives of Frelimo of Mozambique and South Africa represented by its Deputy President Cde Cyril Ramaphosa, among others.

Read more:

• Politburo bans social media abuse
• Social media ban gets thumbs up
• President speaks on Zanu-PF tiffs
• Editorial Comment: Heed President’s advice on social media use
• Use social media to promote development, says President
• Zanu-PF youths slam social media abuse
• Be born again or face expulsion: President

Some senior Zanu-PF leaders — principally Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Prof Jonathan Moyo — are notorious for taking party and Government issues to social media, even against President Mugabe’s wise counsel.

More stories on Page 2, President’s speech on Page 5 & conference pictures on Page 6

“Let me share with you some of my observations of what happened in the party and Government in 2016. Peace and unity must begin with us. Have we shown enough peace in Zanu-PF?

“I say on this one there has been creeping into our party a new culture of indiscipline. A new culture of indiscipline nevamwe vanoda kupinda nepfungwa kuti muparty vanokwanisa kuita zvavanoda. A culture of disrespect. Havana rukudzo. Arrogance. Kuzvikudza. Kuvhaira,” he said.

“When you are a member of the party, when you join the party we think you are mature enough to know that there are rules to be obeyed. There are ways to be followed, but you cannot dictate how things should be done,” the President said to wild applause.

“There are organs which follow rules and procedures on how it should be done. No one person should stand up and say I want this to be done. VaMphoko hatichavada. Hazviitwe izvozvo. Vamwe vakuti VaMugabe hatichavada, ko zvino zvausingavade unoda zviitwe sei iwe pachako?

“Hanzi ngavanzwe zvatirikutaura. It does not matter kuti uri ani . . . you should always know how things are done. So action was taken against some. Some we were with outside (during the liberation struggle). Hukuru muparty hunouya nesarudzo. Hahuuyi nekuti toda kupindawo. Ko, ndopfungwa dzevanhu here? ”

President Mugabe added: “Saka mugore rino ndozvimwe zvatakaona. Ndofunga maka-zvionawo. Let us ensure that as we go into 2017, we would be united, clear in our mind and abide by the party rules and be principled members and leaders of the party. The stability of the party rests on all its organs operating harmoniously. Our constitution provides various forms on how leaders can be changed and those are the forms that we would follow.”

The President slammed party officials abusing social media and the privately-owned media to discuss party issues.

“As a party we must speak with one voice. We must not settle our grievances through Twitter and those vana Facebook,” he said.

He said grievances were solved through party structures and not via social media and the so-called independent Press.

“Those which are urgent can be dealt with by the Central Committee. For goodness sake, it does not help to have newspapers intervene vana Day this, Day that. Ndodzava nzira dzokutukana nadzo. Aiwa, hatidi izvozvo. Zvirikuitwa nevakuru, kwete vana. Mabopoto anongoisva muzvimapepa zvisina basa izvozvi hazvina dzimwe news . . . torega kusevenzeswa vakashaya izvozvo hapana dzimwe nyaya dzatunganyore twunobva twafa — vanoda kuongorora zvirikuitika muZanu-PF. Regai kufurirwa, nanganayi nezvinangwa zveparty.”

President Mugabe said Zanu-PF was a people’s party and not going anywhere.

“Zanu-PF inoramba yakati twii. People will come back to Zanu-PF, so we are Zanu-PF now and we are Zanu-PF tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.”

He said Zanu-PF remains strong and formidable.

“The party remains strong. There is no doubt about it. In fact, very strong and formidable by any account. Zvimaparty zvirikungomuka zvisina nomusoro wese. Zvinongodzengerera sezvitototo . . . chimwe chozvara chimwe kuti unzwe kuti pfungwa dzavo dzavanadzo dzakadzama dzenyika ndedzipi, hapana. They have practically no ideas, practically no principles. No thinking on how this country can be transformed, how this economy can be transformed,” said President Mugabe.

He reiterated that there would be no regime change in Zimbabwe no matter how Western nations might want it.

“There has not been regime change and there will not be regime change. We still have to fight, to defend ourselves, protect our policies and our programmes so that we are not inhibited in what we are trying to do with Zim-Asset,” said President Mugabe.

Mrs Joyce Mutedza flanked by her daughter Nokuthula and son Ngonidzashe in Ashdown Park, Harare, yesterday.

Fidelis Munyoro Chief Court Reporter—

A section of dilapidated houses welcomes you as you enter the sleepy police compound at Ashdown Park. When we made our way to the house of the widow of slain Police Inspector Petros Mutedza, we found her lingering steadily in front of her house.Mrs Joyce Mutedza had just finished cleaning the house and ensuring the entrance to the house was in order, following a heavy downpour in the morning yesterday.

She welcomed us into her house and offered us seats before we were joined by her last born son, now going to Form One next year.

In a few moments, her daughter who just completed her A Levels joined us.

When I raised my head, I observed the photograph of Insp Mutedza in a golden frame that hung loosely on the wall.

He is just a photograph on the wall now!

We exchanged pleasantries. For a moment a dreary atmosphere enveloped the house. I broke the silence by explaining to Mrs Mutedza the purpose of our visit.

She nodded in the affirmative and gathered her composure.

“The death of my husband sculpted my life into abject poverty,” said Mrs Mutedza as she recounted what she is going through.

“My life is drab compared with the exciting lifestyle when my husband was alive.”

She said poverty had found place in the family and her grief was overwhelming. She also has a burden to handle the grief of her children as well having the hard time with the loss of their father.

At this juncture, her daughter who was quietly following the interview started sobbing.

Clearly, the interview evoked memories of her husband’s death. You could tell that she was struggling to contain emotions as the interview progressed.

“One of the most annihilating and traumatic experience for all children is the loss of a father or parent,” said Mrs Mutedza her voice wobbling with restrained emotions.

“It’s Christmas time and my children were asking, ‘what are you doing for us?’ Here I am struggling to fend for them. I have virtually nothing.”

Mrs Mutedza who is now a vendor ekes out a living selling second hand clothes, peanut butter and sour milk, but the proceeds are not sufficient to meet the family’s basic needs.

With the prevailing economic challenges in the country, Mrs Mutedza said the family was sinking deeper into poverty as she is failing to fend for her children.

The family has pinned its hope for survival on the eldest son, who is now a policeman.

Mrs Mutedza was grateful to Police Commissioner-General Dr Augustine Chihuri who took it upon himself to pay school fees for her children.

After the death of her husband, Mrs Mutedza was given a lumpsum payment, which she used to buy a residential stand at Madziva Growth Point.

She only managed to construct the house up to slab level.

Justice could have finally prevailed when the High Court jailed three MDC-T activists – Tungamirai Madzokere, Yvonne Musarurwa and Last Maengahama to 20 years each, but for Mrs Mutedza it will never be enough to compensate her and the children.

Life will never be the same without her husband and the father of her children who are growing up with grief, though spawning in the stoicism and fortitude.

Mr Deketeke

Herald Reporter—

Zimbabwe Newspapers (1980) Ltd group chief executive officer Mr Pikirayi Deketeke has been named the Megafest Top 20 Business Personality of the Year.The recognition comes at a time when Mr Deketeke has been getting acclaim for his leadership skills from across the board.

Last week the Zimpapers CEO was named Top Business Leader at the Zimbabwe Business Awards.

Speaking on his latest award, Mr Deketeke said he was humbled at the recognition the Zimpapers Group was getting, saying it bore testimony to the faith that the market has in the business.

Mr Deketeke dedicated the award to God, his team at Zimpapers as well as his wife Marlene who he said has supported him over the years.

“The Zimpapers team has continued to work tirelessly to turn our vision of making Zimpapers great again.

“But in all this it is God who has been standing with us.

“I am grateful too for the support of my wife Marlene who has supported me through it all,” said Mr Deketeke who in his first full year in office has managed to turn Zimpapers around from a loss of $12 million to a profit of $2,7 million, the group’s highest profit in five years.

Zimpapers has recently been getting awards of excellence with some of its managers and brands such as The Herald and Star FM getting recognition at the Superbrand, Megafest and the Zimbabwe Businesses awards respectively.

The once traditional newspaper firm has in recent years grown the business by venturing into broadcasting and digital platforms and firmly setting itself on the path to becoming a fully integrated media house.

Lloyd Mutasa

Paul Mundandi Sports Reporter—

LLOYD MUTASA remains committed to Dynamos and wishes to see the side doing better next season and challenging for the Castle Lager Premiership title despite the in-house squabbles that have rocked the Glamour Boys of late.A Dynamos faction led by Ernest Kamba and some former players is fighting to seize control of the club from Benard Marriot and his crew, but appears at the moment, to have failed with both the ZIFA and the Premier Soccer League recognising the later as the leader of the club.

Kenny Mubaiwa, appointed the club’s president by Marriot and his team, is still running the team and is also part of the emergence committee in charge of the PSL.

Mutasa’s contract is due to expire on December 31, but the seasoned coach is hopeful he will be in charge next season and is already planning for life after this year’s misery.

“I am an employee at Dynamos and all I have to do is to work for the club and I will not comment over the issues which are beyond me,” said Mutasa.

“I can admit that at times I have sleepless nights because I always want things to be stable at the club since I have the love and passion for the team

“If parents are fighting in a house the children will get affected but the technical team has been urging the players to focus on matters on the pitch.

“We (the technical department) do not want to get involved in what is happening as regards to the boardroom squabbles.

“We are focused on our work and I have already planned ahead and set my targets and I have a list of players I want if funds are availed to me.”

The coach was handed the responsibility to lead Dynamos after the club plunged into 15th place under the guidance of Portuguese coach Jorge Paulo Silva.

Dynamos are likely to lose the services of Brett Amidu, Ocean Mushure and Tatenda Mukuruva. Amidu might be on his way to either FC Platinum or CAPS United while goalkeeper Mukuruva’s destination is still to be known.

“We are in a Catch 22 situation. As a coach we do not talk about the administration’s budget but you are only forced to do that when you talk about the players you have targeted,” said Mutasa.

“As things stand, I can’t dream of bringing a Ronaldo at Dynamos when you don’t have money.

“I can’t talk of Walter (Musona) from FC Platinum because we do not have the money. Winston (Mhango) is not attached but it’s a tall order to approach him.

“Godknows (Murwira) has promised me that he will stay if his offers from abroad do not materialise. I also have Masimba (Mambare), Obrey (Mwerahari) and Peace (Makaya) who are very loyal to the club.”

Dynamos still have Ashley Reynas, King Nasama, Musa Madhiri, Kudzanayi Nyakasaka, Simbarashe Gorogodyo, Carlos Rusere, Tawanda Macheke, Peace Makaha and Wisdom Mutasa.

But these are largely considered lightweight for a club of DeMbare’s stature.

The Glamour Boys won the league title four years on the spin under coach Callisto Pasuwa, but then finished second last year, under Tonderai Ndiraya, with Chicken Inn being crowned the kings.

Paul Mundandi Sports Reporter—

IT was a day set aside to honour the players and coaches who guided CAPS United to the 2016 Castle Lager Premiership title, but the biggest cheer on the night was reserved for a disabled fan who brought the house down and sent some guests into tears.Augustine Kaswaurere, who walks with the aid of two clutches, is probably the biggest football fan that the Green Machine have today.

And on Thursday night, at the club’s awards ceremony at Harare’s Rainbow Towers, Kaswaurere received the biggest cheer and sent some guests into tears, when he was honoured with the Presidential Award by CAPS United president Farai Jere.

Director of ceremony, Charles “CNN” Mabika, told more than 200 guests, who included bankers, that the special award would go to an individual whom the CAPS United boss felt embodied the true spirit of the club in 2016.

A lot of people thought it would be given to Leonard Tsipa for his 11 goals and more than 15 years of service to the Green Machine, while others also felt it could go to former club president Twine Phiri.

But, instead, Jere felt Kaswaurere, who has barely missed a match which the Green Machine have played both at home and away, deserved that award, which also went with a cash prize of $500.

A week ago, a Ngezi Platinum Stars fan was given $100 in honour of his dedication to the team. On Thursday night, Kaswaurere struck gold.

“I never expected it. I am excited. I thank Mr Jere and the board members for remembering me, remembering a disabled person like me,” he said as he held back the tears.

“A number of people like me are always looked down upon in society.

“I thank God and all the fans who encouraged me to keep living my dream and supporting my team. As long as I am alive I will keep supporting CAPS United.

“I would also like to thank Lloyd Chitembwe for winning the championship for me after 11 years in which we endured a lot of frustration.”

But who is Kaswaurere, a man who has become a common feature at the CAPS United matches.

He was born in a family of four boys and two girls.

His other brother is unemployed and is trying to make a living in Murewa.

His other two brothers are in Rafingora while another oner is late.

He says despite his physical challenges, his family usually looks up to him for support.

“I was born like this in Guruve and I grew up in Rafingora with my parents. I then moved to Harare to look for something that would help me earn a living and be counted among other people in the country,” he added.

He is single but he is planning to marry his sweetheart Racheal Dzawanda ,who is also a soccer fan.

But how does he get the money to travel to all the matches as he is a common sight at all CAPS United games at home and away?

“I sell (compact) discs for my upkeep and that is the only source of income I have. I have to make sure that I put aside money to travel to all the away matches,” he said.

“I gets hurt when my team loses, especially to Dynamos.”

He has big dreams.

“My wish is to make money and marry Racheal and also to keep on raising money to assist the disabled people who fail to travel to watch Makepekepe games when they are playing away,” says Kaswaurere.

His sweetheart, interestingly, is a DeMbare fan.

There are three well-known disabled Makepekepe fans in Harare and at one point another Beitbridge fan Godfrey Nhokwara donated money to them after getting touched by their plight.

Kaswaurere’s love for CAPS United has seen him create his own WhatsApp group, for the CAPS United fans, which he administers and there are scores of members who look forward to him to break news and lead the discussions all centred on their Green Machine.

Jere, the Harare businessman who owns the Green Machine, captured the imagination of many television viewers when, after his team had staged a dramatic comeback from three goals down, in the final five minutes, to hold Dynamos to a 3-3 draw in the greatest Harare Derby of all-time, he rushed to celebrate with the disabled fans.

Sundown’s owner Patrice Motsepe had also done the same, when his team beat Zamalek in the first leg of the CAF Champions League final this year in Pretoria.

The billionaire businessman then sponsored the fans’ trip to Egypt for the second leg of the showdown.

But those who were at the Rainbow Towers on Thursday night will never forget the moment when it was announced that Kaswaurere had won the club’s Presidential Award for his dedication towards the CAPS United cause despite the challenges that he faces in his day-to-day life.

There was a deafening silence when his name was announced and, when people realised who he was, they erupted in celebrations with more than 200 guests all rising to their feet and some even shedding tears.

Jere said it was more than he could take.

“It was very, very emotional and I’m just delighted that the guests appreciated what we did because this guy is a very, very, special fan,” said Jere.

“To us, he is more than a football supporter, he is one of us, and all the players and our coaching staff know him very well because he is always there for them.

“He finds great joy when we win and also gets a lot of pain when we lose but he accepts that’s the way the game is, we can’t win them all, but this year the team provided him with a Christmas present he is unlikely to forget in a hurry and we are humbled by his dedication to our cause.”

Jere said he was happy that the club had cheered Kaswaurere’s spirits.

“For me, that is what football is all about,” said the Harare businessman.

“This game should make a difference in our lives and I’m happy that our coach Lloyd and his troops are touching a lot of lives in this country with their success.”

IF Dynamos fans have been wondering how CAPS United overhauled an 11-point deficit, last year, and turned it into a 17-point advantage over the Glamour Boys in the championship race this year, the events of the past few days might provide a clue to that spectacular transformation.Last year, DeMbare finished second in the championship race, completing the marathon 11 points ahead of the Green Machine, who finished in fifth place, in yet another miserable season of under-achievement for a CAPS side that was still trapped in a sea of mediocrity.

It had become routine for the Glamour Boys to finish ahead of their biggest city rivals, and that they had done it in nine straight seasons — from 2007 to 2015 — made it a very predictable tale that Dynamos would ultimately complete the marathon in a better slot than their city rivals.

And last year, even in a season when DeMbare failed to win the league championship, for the first time in FIVE years, they still demonstrated their superiority over their city rivals by finishing 11 points better than CAPS United — winning FOUR more league games, scoring SEVEN more league goals and conceding THREE goals less than Makepekepe. But, in a remarkable turnaround, the Green Machine overturned an 11-point deficit, in less than a year, into a 17-point advantage over their eternal rivals in one of the biggest turnarounds, in terms of head-to-head analysis between the capital’s two biggest football clubs, as CAPS United were crowned champions.

Makepekepe won SIX more league games than DeMbare, lost FIVE fewer games, scored 13 more goals and had a superior defence even though their rivals were being served in goal by the man considered our best goalkeeper today, by Warriors’ coach Callisto Pasuwa, and is set to be in goals at the Nations Cup finals in Gabon next month.

So, how did CAPS United turn it around, in such spectacular fashion, that in just under a year they didn’t only erase the 11-point deficit that separated them from Dynamos, but went on to establish a 17-point advantage over the Glamour Boys in what my mathematician friends like Spencer Manguwa, Solomon Banda and Samuel Mwale will call a 28-point turnaround?

Well, for me, the events at Dynamos and CAPS United, in the past seven days, provided a clue as to why this happened and, if I’m not wrong, might even see the gap between the two giants grow even bigger when we come to the end of the championship race next year.

Ironically, as fate might have scripted it, five-star hotels provided the setting for the two events which provided a clue to me as to why one club remains trapped to the demons of its past and the other is working tirelessly, even in a difficult operating environment, to free itself from the clutches of primitivity and embrace a future built on a solid foundation of modernity.

On Sunday, a group of Dynamos players from the generation that played for the club between 1963 and 1968, who had parcelled out positions for themselves on an imaginary board of directors the previous day, met at a Harare hotel and — as they had done the day before — parcelled out executive positions to themselves as they declared themselves the new leadership at the club.

Ernest Kamba, the Soccer Star of the Year 43 years ago, was named the leader of the executive just a day after he had been named leader of the board of directors, while George Shaya, Soccer Star of the Year in ’69, ’72, ’75, ’76 and ’77 also emerged out of those meetings, with a leadership role in the bag, to tell the country this wasn’t another meaningless boardroom coup.

Four days later, at another five-star hotel across the capital, CAPS United hosted a glitzy function, as good as they will ever come on the domestic scene, as the Green Machine not only honoured the heroes who helped them end 11 years of waiting for the league championship but, crucially, brought a number of corporate heavyweights to plead for their company ahead of the seasons to come.

Barclays Bank were represented by their managing director George Guvamatanga, who was given the honour to give medals to the CAPS United players and technical staff for their success this year, CBZ Bank, Stanbic Bank and Afreximbank were all represented by senior management staff while Delta Beverages, NetOne and Econet, Nyaradzo Group of Companies, to name but a few leading corporates, all sent high-powered delegations.

Those who spoke on Thursday night, talked about the future, how football and the corporate world could reach out to each other the way such partnerships have turned Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns into commercial heavyweights, the changing dynamics in the partnerships and the best way to handle the challenges.

And those who spoke on Sunday, at the DeMbare meeting, talked about the past, a nostalgic journey back into an era when their club was the dominant bull in the kraal with stories about how they used to rule the roost in the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s and, predictably, not mentioning how landscape had changed and things were not what they used to be back then. Where they had a George, as in Shaya, at the DeMbare indaba, where they spoke about the past, the days gone by in the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, they also had a George, as in Guvamatanga, the Barclays managing director, at the CAPS United function, where they spoke about the future and how they could embrace partnerships, and modern trends, to grow corporate and football brands.

For me that told a big story.

A CLUB DESPERATE TO WALK WITH THE TIMES

Of course, the younger and corporate-embedded George, dressed in a matching business suit — the kind of which you see on the streets of the German city of Frankfurt which is the hub of Europe’s banking services, for Thursday night’s occasion, should know.

After all, the international arm of the bank he manages here helped the English Premiership transform itself into the most successful football league, in terms of its commercial ventures, in the world while, just across the Limpopo, ABSA, a member of the Barclays Group, have been the financial rock on which the South African Premiership has been built.

An English Premiership whose clubs can now pay its best players $300 000 a week, without blinking an eye, thanks to the US$6.22 billion deal which the league, a commercial giant unrivalled on the football terrain, which Sky Sport and BT Sport agreed to pay for the television rights of the sights and sounds of what goes on in the league.

Which, only last month, signed another US$700 million deal for the Chinese market.

And, thanks to ABSA’s partnership, obscure South African clubs like Polokwane City now even have the financial muscle to offer George Chigova the working conditions, and security, where he can raise his family better than playing for a continental giant like Dynamos and we can lose our best player last year, Danny Phiri, to a modest Super Diski club.

The best coach in the country last year, Joey Antipas, even can be tempted by a Division One club in South Africa, which has long lost its way and, possibly, its soul, simply because Amazulu — who can possibly never dream of one day playing in the CAF Champions League — can offer him better working conditions than a Chicken Inn side that played in the Champions League this year.

Nyaradzo managing director, Webster Chikengezha, also graced the function and was given the honour to give one of the awards for the winners, should also know, given that his company provided the buses which are being used by about half the Premiership clubs and have ploughed a considerable fortune into the domestic game.

That Webster is a former Dynamos vice-chairman and secretary-general, before he wisely decided to walk away from the politics at the club that was polluting his corporate image, was very revealing and that he should not only grace the CAPS United function, but give it his endorsement, amid indications of a stronger marriage between the club and the company he was representing, going forward, was quite telling.

Farai Mungazi of the BBC, a journalist who has covered 11 African Champions League finals and is now considered one of the leading voices on African football, was also there to provide CAPS United with a reality check of the challenges that lie in their path, as they seek to make a mark on the continent, next season.

And, Hannah Wright, who in her previous professional roles worked for English Premiership giants Newcastle United and in the fast lane of Formula One, a sporting franchise worth more than US$8 billion and where one sponsor, like Heineken, can pour in US$150 million, as they did this year, without blinking an eye, fittingly brought the curtain down on Thursday night as the final speaker.

The desire within the CAPS United leadership, to do more in terms of turning their club into a success story, was very evident on Thursday night and even though it cost a little fortune, in these tough times, to put together such an event at a five-star hotel, it was important, in terms of their image, and where they want to go, for them to pay that huge bill to suffer now and, hopefully, expect to reap the benefits in due course.

The club’s president, Farai Jere, who wasn’t even born when Ernest Kamba was being crowned the Soccer Star of the Year, repeatedly emphasised the need for his team to look into the future, rather than being fooled by the achievements of this year to rest on their laurels and then wait for another 11 years for the domestic league title.

He said they were set to spend another fortune, in their CAF Champions League campaign next year, but that paled into insignificance when compared to the goodwill his club will attract, simply by flying their national flag on the continent, and if his men did not share his dream that they could make waves in the tournament, then they were at the wrong club and probably should consider their future.

And, fittingly, he paid tribute to Twine Phiri, the man who started this journey when CAPS Holdings divorced the club from its units and suffered considerable financial haemorrhage just trying to keep the club running in tough times before he realised he couldn’t do it anymore and passed the baton to Jere, for providing him with priceless leadership skills.

Phiri, who was in the house seated at the top table, received a standing ovation and was handed the honour to hand over the most important award of the night, the Club’s Player of the Year, in a fitting honour to his contribution to the club.

A CLUB THAT NEEDS TO REMOVE THE CHAINS OF ITS PAST

Stephen Chisango, the goalkeeper of the CAPS United side that won the club’s first league title in 1979, was there on Thursday to grace the occasion, and was also given the honour to hand over one of the awards to the players, later describing it as one of the proudest moments of his association with the Green Machine.

Joe Mugabe, one of the greatest CAPS United players of all-time, provided an audio recording, from his base in England, to wish his old club all the best on their awards night while Andy Hodges, the chairman of the 2004 and 2005 Green Machine team which won back-to-back titles, also provided a congratulatory message, via an audio link, from his base in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The wife of Steve Kwashi, the first coach to lead CAPS United to the league championship after Independence, was also present at the function and was given the honour to hand over one of the awards in honour of her husband’s contribution to the Green Machine cause.

In sharp contrast, while the past characters in CAPS United’s journey appear ready to embrace those who are running, and playing for the club today, and wish them all the success, it’s a totally different story at Dynamos where, it appears, those who founded the club, and played for it, believe it should never escape their clutches.

Yes, Dynamos is a community team, but Pirates also used to be a community team before they saw the light and handed the club to someone who had a vision, and the financial muscle to keep it alive and successful and they have been rewarded with a CAF Champions League winners’ star and commercial success.

It’s not my job to say Kamba and his crew are wrong, or right, and there is no question they have the numbers — in terms of the former players — but as someone who has seen Black Aces go down the drain, Zimbabwe Saints now struggling somewhere in the wilderness, it pains me to realise that these old folks are failing to remove the chains of the past and embrace the future.

Yes, it might be fine to make yourselves the board of directors, but why then also make yourself the ones who run the day-to-day affairs of the club by also taking over the executive duties by appointing yourselves the chairman, vice-chairman etc, etc?

That’s giving your critics ammunition that you’re just a power-hungry people and, sadly, the domestic football world has simply moved on as if nothing happened.

Crucially, you can’t keep living in the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s Mr Kamba because the Swinging Sixties came and went, this isn’t the era of punk, people landing on the moon for the first time, 32 African countries gaining Independence from their European colonial masters, the Vietnam War, the Indo-Pakistan War, the Six-Day War between Israel and its Arab neighbours, the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Politics has moved from the era, back in the ‘60s, when leaders could be routinely assassinated — Martin Luther King, John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Che Guevara and Patrice Lumumba.

The world has since moved on from the time the first heart transplant operation was done by a South African surgeon, Christiaan Barnard, from its first interaction with the female birth control contraceptive, from watching Bonnie and Clyde, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Dirty Dozen, Doctor Zhivago and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.

From listening to the Beatles, and an Elvis Presley fresh from serving in the US army, the Four Seasons, Woodstock Festival and the first time it heard the hit song Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, the so-called soundtrack of love in the summer of ’67 and, now, occasionally, Canadian singer Bryan Adams reminds us of ‘The Summer of ‘69’, how he got his “first real six-string, bought it at the five-and-dime, played it ‘til my fingers bled, me and some guys from school had a band and we tried real hard, Jimmy quit, Jody got married, I should’ve known we’d never get far, those were the best days of my life.”

That was then, this is now!

Ironically, Kamba and his colleagues appeared to forget that this year marks the 40th anniversary of that boardroom coup when the Dynamos players, led by Shepherd Murape, toppled the Morrison Sifelani leadership and took over the running of the club, bringing in young blood into this institution.

They won virtually everything on offer that year, in 1976, and having just won three league titles between ’62 and ’75, DeMbare went on to win 18 more league titles since then.

Life has to move on!

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

Come on Warriors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Khamaldinhoooooooooooooooo!

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Crime Reporter
A Harare woman believed to be a foreign currency dealer lost over $17 800 in cash to three armed robbers who approached her in the city centre pretending to be police detectives on Tuesday.

This comes as police have urged members of the public not to keep or move around with large sums of money.

Sources close to the investigations on Thursday said the woman parked her vehicle near Eastgate Shopping Mall before she was approached by the armed robbers.

It is alleged the robbers jumped into her car claiming to be detectives from Harare Central Police Station who were carrying out an operation targeting vehicles that are being used to commit robberies.

The robbers told her to drive to Harare Central Police Station before diverting to Braeside Police Station.

Along the way, it is said one of the robbers grabbed a bag containing the cash while the other one produced a pistol, ordering the woman to stop the vehicle.

The robbers then jumped into a getaway vehicle, believed to be a Toyota Raum and sped off.

The getaway vehicle had been trailing the woman’s vehicle.

A report was made to police and investigations are in progress.

The ZRP recently urged members of the public not to keep large amounts of cash in their houses and business premises.

This followed recent reports of robbers terrorising residents across the country.

In another case under investigation which occurred in Borrowdale, Harare, three suspected armed robbers broke into a house and stole property worth more than $30 000 in cash and valuables.

The three robbers are said to have cut the burglar bars to the bathroom and gained entry into the house. The robbers are said to have broken into the complainant’s room and tied his legs and hands before covering his face with a blanket and demanding money.

One of the robbers is said to have located a safe containing $30 000, which they stole together with an FN Browning pistol, Sony TV, two laptops and a Nokia mobile phone.

The robbers used a getaway vehicle to escape.

Cde Mphoko

Levi Mukarati in Masvingo
Successionist plots by some individuals in Zanu-PF undermine the values of the 1987 Unity Accord, ruling party Vice-President and Second Secretary Cde Phelekezela Mphoko has said.

He was addressing delegates as he invited President Mugabe to deliver his keynote address to the Zanu-PF 16th Annual National People’s Conference here yesterday.

The conference ends today.

Cde Mphoko said some elements in Zanu-PF were undermining the gains of the liberation struggle because of their selfish quests.

“Your Excellency (President Mugabe), the unity of the people of Zimbabwe that you signed with the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo should keep on reminding us that on the deathbed, Cde Nkomo emphasised the importance of the unity of the people of Zimbabwe under Zanu-PF,” said Cde Mphoko.

“Your Excellency, that unity is now being threatened. The Zanu-PF constitution states very clearly that it was Zapu and Zanu, the two revolutionary parties, that liberated this country.

“The constitution does not say only Zapu or only Zanu liberated Zimbabwe, but it was the two revolutionary parties together.

“Therefore, the succession theory that is being mooted undermines this unity that forms the foundation of Zanu-PF as a revolutionary party.

“In fact, it exposes the spirit of individualism that is divorced from the purpose of unity and undermines the revolution.

“Your Excellency, under your command people died for the independence of this country. Therefore, this individualistic and opportunistic approach which is counter-revolutionary in nature should be resisted.”

President Mugabe has made it clear on several occasions that his successor will be chosen by the people.

Cde Mphoko told delegates to the conference that the gathering was not convened to discuss leadership pos- itions.

He said fruitful deliberations that would result in policies to make Zanu-PF the people’s choice in the next elections should guide the meeting.

“I would like to emphasise to you that this is an ordinary Zanu-PF National People’s Conference in accordance with our party constitution. It is not an elective conference or congress. We are gathered here to review the party and Government performances during 2016.

“We are not gathered here to talk about positions or to elect new people to key party positions. That is the work of the congress.

“We should aim for the best results and outcomes of this conference in preparation for the 2018 general elec- tions.”

The conference is themed “Moving With Zim-Asset in Peace and Unity”.

President Mugabe and First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe arrive at the ongoing Zanu PF16th Annual National People’s Conference in Masvingo yesterday. – (Picture by Chief Photographer Believe Nyakudjara)

From George Maponga in Masvingo
The Zanu-PF Women’s League, led by First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe, has introduced new regalia for the revolutionary party, which – among other things – captures the essence of Zimbabwe’s founding values and socio-economic transformation aspirations.

Explaining the philosophy behind the changes at Zanu-PF’s 16th Annual National People’s Conference at Masvingo Showgrounds yesterday, Amai Mugabe told the thousands of delegates present that the new regalia was more representative of the nation than that previously in use.

Among the main features of the new ruling party regalia is a map of Zimbabwe, shaped like a teacup, and a maize cob representing the country’s staple food.

Zanu PF members (from left) Annacoreta Motsi, Pelagia Kanokangwa and Edina Bhizare,all from Mashonaland West do the slogan while putting on the party’s new regalia

“We had been wearing the same regalia for many years and resolved to come up with new regalia which shows that we are Zimbabweans and we live in Zimbabwe,’’ Amai Mugabe said.

“People do not realise that that on the new regalia there is a map of Zimbabwe, which is teacup-shaped. We drink from the teacup, meaning that we all benefit from our country’s resources.

“We also have a maize cob on the new regalia because maize is our staple food and this also shows that we are agriculturalists. We also have the (national) flower the Flame Lily on the new regalia,” added Amai Mugabe.

The First Lady said all five clusters of Zim-Asset – the Zanu-PF Government economic transformation blueprint – were also incorporated in the new ruling party regalia.

Another outstanding feature on the regalia is President Mugabe’s visage.

‘’We put the President’s face because he is our teacher and to show that we all believe in him,’’ she said.

The Zanu-PF Women’s League Secretary said the new regalia retained the national colours; namely black, green, yellow and red.

Amai Mugabe said besides dresses and shirts, the new design would also be used for T-Shirts and berets that would be sold to raise funds for Zanu-PF Women’s League programmes.

‘’I hope you will like it and those who buy will be supporting us to raise money for our programmes. This is our new party regalia from now on and you will get a lot of things made in the new regalia and I hope you will like it,” said Amai Mugabe.

Some conference delegates who were already decked out in the new regalia paraded their attire before their colleagues and the changed design received a rousing thumbs-up.

Updates by Simiso Mlevu, Vusumuzi Dube and Costa Mano

1633: Official proceedings have come to an end here in the ancient of Masvingo and we also conclude our updates. Thank you for joining us. We will, however, be uploading images from today’s proceedings.

1611: President Mugabe and Amai Mugabe have given delegates 5 kgs rice each. Also, all women, Central Committee and Politburo members to get a piece of new fabric designed by the First Lady.

1607: He adds Masvingo has donated two sheep to First Lady Amai Mugabe.

“If she doesn’t understand the significance of a sheep, I am advising her to read the book of Hebrews. The province has also donated two beasts to President Mugabe,”

1604: In the closing remarks Cde Josiah Hungwe says “nyaya yapera”.

1559: “Now I say, we must go home. The year is ending. Let’s us go and till the land.Those of you from the city and also you from rural areas. We are entering the festive season. I want to say to you, happy festive season. Happy holidays.Merry Christmas and Merry Christmas and Merry Christmas again. Happy and prosperous new year,”

1555: “We are happy that this conference went well. There was no bickering. That is what we call THE ZANU PF way. I am happy that this was a very peaceful conference, there was no fighting or name calling at all….This is the Zanu-PF way . Ndatenda, ndatenda, ndatenda. Ndatenda kusingaperi,”

1551: “You were sent by some who could not attend from your respective provinces to come and deliberate on some.of these key issues. I am told while we had initially targetted at 7 000 delegates, Dr Chombo tells me the figure has reached 9 000 that shows how much Zanu-PF is loved,”

1547: ”The resources above the land and underground are ours. ZimAsset is the one thing which has to bind us together,”

1545: President Mugabe says to delegates, Nyika Ndeyedu. Umhlaba ngowethu.

1543:  Turning to the song sung by Masvingo Province during introductions yesterday, “Kumagumo kunenyaya”, President Mugabe says he hopes the issue was discussed to which part of delegates respond, ‘Haina’.

1542: President Mugabe is praying for good yields in order to avert  drought.

“Our host chose to welcome and accommodate delegates with the humblest of hospitalities,”

He says Masvingo treated people well like they are children and thanks Mai Mahofa for a job well done.

“WE SAY WELL DONE MASVINGO!”

1538: “We came to Masvingo and we found them waiting for us as visitors. Masvingo has been highly hospitable. Masvingo province successfully put aside several of its problems. We pray to our father in heaven that what we have seen during our stay, may it remain like this. May the rains continue to pour.We pray that the rains continue even after we depart this city,”

1535: “Discipline, discipline, discipline. Party leaders have to be respected and party leaders have to respect their juniors.  That is how things should be done. That is how the war was fought and that is how we should continue to carry ourselves. A large part of the success of this conference should be credited to the host province. We came here and found them well prepared to host us,”

1533: “This conference has gone a long way in preparing the party for the 2018 elections. I hope after the conference, the party should now find itself directing more of its energy and resources to being united. We came with grievances. We put our heads together. We came here knowing there were issues. Now we have to go back to our provinces and stop bickering. Lets stop fighting among each other. Let us follow the party’s constitution,”

He has urged party members to abide by the party Constitution.

1530: “As we leave the conference, the delegates should carry home to their people that we are a revolutionary party, united as ever. The party is determined to serve its people . He has urged party members to go to their districts and provinces and encourage people to get ready to work as united as ever.  Nation is blessed with plentiful resources and thus the ability to rejuvenate the economy . To my mind, this successful conference has in fact gone a long way in preparing the party for 2018 general elections,”

1528: “We have come to the end of this conference. Reports from the various thematic committees and resolutions clearly indicate that delegates were seriously engaged on the given task. He commends delegates for the job well done saying they came up with realistic possible turnaround solutions for the country’s economy,”

1525: President Mugabe now giving his closing remarks.

1525: VP Mphoko says all those who did not present today to submit their reports so that they are compiled.

“We do not have time. Time ndeyababa,” says VP Mphoko

1521: Cde Mupfumira presenting on social services cluster.  Government needs to strengthen STEM initiatives. There is need to fund all state Universities. Establishment of a cancer health fund. Government must provide financial support to the Forestry Commission for its research.                         There should be proper planning of urban setups to.avoid illegal settlements.   There should be proper planning to avoid sprouting of undesignated urban settlement like Hopley in Harare. Urges President to declare every Friday a day of cleaning.

1516: Cde Bimha now presenting on value addition and beneficiation calls on Government to ensure that what we get from agriculture and mining has value added for the benefit of our communities and there should be more training. InterMinisterial committee to drive SMEs to ensure more production within the sector.

1514: Cde Chipanga makes a request to Registrar General Tobaiwa Mudede to add a name for President Mugabe. “H.E was born Robert Gabriel Mugabe but as youths we want his ID and Birth Certificate to read President Robert Gabriel Mugabe.”

1514: Compel Government to acquire all the remaining white owned farms. Commend the Government for coming up with a housing stands scheme and call upon the Government to make the stands more affordable for the youth. Party to consider young women when compiling list for women for proportional representation. Calls for the speedy implementation of previous party resolutions

1510: Youth Affairs committee presentation by Cde Kudzai Chipanga and he says they strongly reaffirm the endorsement of President Mugabe and that he becomes life President with unlimited terms. Commends Secretary for Women Affairs Dr Grace Mugabe for her philanthropic work. 21st February Movement be declared national holiday. Party must do away with imposition of candidates. Party must punish and discipline those who engage in factionalism and tribalism. Graduates from youth service be given priority in public service and security services

1507: She says customs, traditional and religious practices that undermine the independence of a girl child should be outlawed.Urge the party to vigorously promote the participation of women in all key structures within the community. To direct Government  to closely monitor the operation of Local Government to ensure effective service delivery. To call upon leadership to deal with corruption in party and government. Urges Government to speed up distribution grain and mechanisation inputs for the farming season.

1504: Cde Moyo says there should be 50/50 representation in decision-making and leadership positions according to the country’s constitution. Representation in all committees that have to do with land distribution in the country  Women should be representative in all committees that deal with the allocation of land in urban and rural areas to address gender parity . Women be given a leading in issues that directly affect them

1501: To reaffirm commitment and support to President Mugabe as the sole candidate of the party in the 2018 elections.Committee reaffirms support and commitment to President Mugabe as candidate for the party for the 2018 election. First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe to continue leading women as Secretary.

1500: Women’s Affairs presentation by Umama Sandi Moyo

1459: Government to broaden command agriculture to include livestock farming.  Government must review levies charged on livestock.  Government is requested to give and deliver a full package of inputs. Inputs to be distributed in a transparent manner. Government to urgently set up an agriculture revolving fund to support agriculture in the country. Government to revive Zunde Ramambo/Isiphala seNkosi.

1457: Government must complete all.dams that are under construction throughout the country.  Government should review Zesa and Zinwa tariffs to make farming viable.

1456: Next is Dr Joseph Made.who led the food security cluster. Government to support farmers with adequate tillage and mechanisation equipment.

1455: VP Mphoko orders Cde Kasukuwere to stop as his time is up but the President has extended time for presentations to five minutes, and wild cheers by party members.

The committee recommended that elected party structures must be respected  The committee urged party leadership to stop interfering with other organs of the party.  Youth must be empowered in order to take up positions of responsibility.  Ministers of State have been urged to work closely with party leadership in the provinces.

1453: Cde Kasukuwere says the party should condemn any imposition of candidates during any elections. It was noted that during primary elections some people bus candidates but when we get to the actual elections we lose. He adds that the state of the party thematic committee recommends that party structures should be actively involved in supervising Government departments operating in their area.

1450: Cde Kasukuwere reaffirms position of the congress for President Mugabe to be the party’s sole candidate for the 2018 elections. The party should promote unity, peace and condemn factionalism. Discipline is the backbone to unity and peace.

1447: Cde Kasukuwere is first to present on state of the party.

1446: VP Mphoko gives presenters two minutes each to report back their deliberations from their respective thematic committees.

1443: VP Mphoko will be the chairperson for today’s sessions. He also emphasises the need to be time conscious.

1441: Dr Chombo urges delegates to stick to time allocated so that the conference ends on time

1434: The National Anthem is now being sung.

1428: Police band entertaining people as delegates settle down ahead of the closing ceremony.

1420: President Mugabe is now at the venue to start proceedings for the day.

1317: President Mugabe has handed over the computers to Chief Charumbira.

1315: “I am so happy with the work that has been done here because it gives our people access to information and technology which is key within any other State,”

1308: “We don’t want to see any school with electricity not having any computers because we want our children to be computer literate. When these information centres were formulated, the idea was to help solve this issue of people travelling long distances just to get access to computers,”

1258: “When computers became popular, we resolved that it would be good to equip our schools. But we faced a challenge because most schools were not electrified,”

1255: The President takes to the podium to make his address.

“I am happy we were brought here to see and officiate at this community centre,”

1254: Minister Mandiwanzira introduces President Mugabe and invites him to give the keynote address. He has asked President Mugabe to hand the computers over to Chiefs Council President, Fortune Charumbira.

1251: Cde Mandiwanzira says as a Ministry, through Potraz, they are donating 90 computers to Masvingo Province.

1249: Min Mandiwanzira says the initiative is part of President Mugabe’s ICT drive.⁠⁠⁠⁠

“By end of 2017 we want to have a community information centre in every district. We are aiming to have at least 210 community centres. We will encourage young people who have programming skills to develop applications for our own use. We need to have our own social media platforms.”

1246: ICT Minister Mandiwanzira is now making his remarks. He says what Min Mahofa said about the information centre will make people think he is Super.

“I am not super Mr President but it’s you who is Super. We dont want people to need transport to get to the nearest information centre we want every constituency to have a community information centre,”

1245: Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs Cde Shuvai Mahofa is welcoming guests. She thanks President Mugabe for coming with rains to the province.

“President, where we are gathered, it used to be a dilapidated place. I never thought this place will look this good. But this clever man, Supa Mandiwanzira has transformed the place for us.

“We are now Masvingo and proudly so. What ICT Minister Cde Supa Mandiwanzira is commendable. From today even grannies will be able to read newspapers online,”

1236: The President has gone into a briefing with the Minister of ICT and other senior Government officials.

1228: President Mugabe now unveiling the plaque at the information centre. His Excellency is accompanied by his two sons, Robert Junior and Chatunga Bellarmine.

Zim1

1224: President Mugabe has arrived at Chikato Community Information Centre.

1201: Government officials and Macheke residents have filled the venue and are waiting for President Mugabe to come and officially open the Community Information Centre.

Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda, Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and ICT deputy minister, Dr Win Mlambo waiting for the arrival of Pres Mugabe at Chikato Community Information Centre, formerly Mucheke Post Office

1136: The two Vice Presidents, Cdes Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko have arrived at Mucheke A where a post office has been transformed to a Community Information Centre.

1129: Chikato Community Information Centre is part of Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Supa Mandiwanzira’s initiative of transforming 70 post offices through out the country.

Second Secretary and Vice President Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa arrives at Chikato Community Information Centre. Picture by Simiso Mlevu

1058: President Mugabe is this morning set to open Chikato Community Information centre.

Zanu-PF Second Secretary and Vice President Cde Phelekezela Mphoko arrives at Chikato Community Information Centre. Picture by Simiso Mlevu

1048: The curtain comes down today on the 16th Zanu-PF Annual National People’s Conference in Masvingo. Members of the various thematic committees are currently in closed door sessions.

Reports from these thematic committees as well provincial resolutions will later  be presented to conference for adoption.

The party’s First Secretary and President Cde Mugabe is also expected to then make his closing remarks.

Below is a collage of pictures from yesterday’s events.

President Mugabe and First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe arrive at the ongoing Zanu PF16th Annual National People’s Conference in Masvingo yesterday. – (Picture by Chief Photographer Believe Nyakudjara)

Vice Presidents Phelekezela Mphoko and Emmerson Mnangagwa at the ongoing Zanu PF16th Annual National People’s Conference in Masvingo yesterday. – (Picture by Believe Nyakudjara)

Zanu PF members in song and dance at the ruling party’s 16th Annual National People’s Conference in Masvingo yesterday. – (Picture by Believe Nyakudjara)

President Mugabe chats with the December 12 Movement secretary-general Cde Coltrane Chimurenga at the ongoing Zanu PF16th Annual National People’s Conference in Masvingo yesterday. – (Picture by Believe Nyakudjara)

Zanu PF National Political Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere chats with South African deputy President Cryil Ramaphosa at the ruling party’s 16th Annual National People’s Conference in Masvingo yesterday. – (Picture by Believe Nyakudjara)

British Ambassador to Zimbabwe Ms Catriona Laing takes picture of Lands and Resettlement Dr Douglas Mombeshora and wife Millicent at the Zanu PF16th Annual National People’s Conference in Masvingo yesterday. – (Picture by Believe Nyakudjara)

Delegates at the ongoing Zanu PF16th Annual National People’s Conference in Masvingo yesterday. – (Picture by Believe Nyakudjara)

Buhera South legislator Joseph Chinotimba engages Senate President Edna Madzongwe, Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda and Psychomotor Minister Josiah Hungwe at the ongoing Zanu PF16th Annual National People’s Conference in Masvingo yesterday. – (Picture by Believe Nyakudjara)

Manicaland Provincial Affairs Minister sing at the ongoing Zanu PF16th Annual National People’s Conference in Masvingo yesterday. – (Picture by Believe Nyakudjara)

A Zanu PF member entertains delegates at the the 16th Annual National People’s Conference in Masvingo yesterday. – (Picture by Believe Nyakudjara)

Justice Hungwe

Takunda Maodza Assistant News Editor—
THE Judicial Services Commission (JSC) proceeded with interviews for the new Chief Justice even though it had been made aware of the Executive’s intention to amend the Constitution to allow the President to appoint the CJ, it has emerged.

It has since been established that the JSC appealed against Justice Charles Hungwe’s ruling barring the holding of the interviews before the judge had given the grounds for his judgment.

Read more………

• Chief Justice interviews go head
• LATEST: JSC conducts CJ interviews
• Chief Justice interviews suspended
• Bill to amend Constitution on cards
• Chidyausiku succession interviews hang in balance
• 4 top judges eye Chief Justice’s post

The JSC’s appeal now risks legal annulment.

It is still a legal mystery how the JSC noted an appeal in the absence of a full judgment from Justice Hungwe as to why he had granted an application by a University of Zimbabwe law student, Mr Romeo Taombera Zibani, who wanted President Mugabe to appoint a Chief Justice of his choice.

“The Chief Justice (Godfrey Chidyausiku) was privy to the Executive’s intention to amend the Constitution, but proceeded with the interviews,” a source close to proceedings told The Herald yesterday.

“The JSC also noted an appeal without seeing the grounds of Justice Hungwe’s judgment. The JSC acted in contempt of court. That noting cannot stand unless furnished with grounds of the judgment. The panel therefore proceeded on political grounds and not on legal grounds.

“There is also no precedent in other jurisdictions where the Chief Justice is interviewed. They are appointed by the President or Prime Minister.” In the United States of America the President-elect appoints his own bench.

Donald Trump has pledged to “appoint justices …who will protect our liberty with the highest regard of the Constitution…the kind of scholars that we need to preserve the very core of our country and make it greater than ever before”. Even ex-president George W. Bush or his father appointed federal judges.

In the United Kingdom the appointment of the Lord Chief Justice is made by her Majesty The Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and the Lord Chancellor.

In Singapore the Chief Justice is appointed by the President chosen from candidates recommended by the Prime Minister. Closer home in Kenya, the President appoints the Chief Justice in accordance with recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission.

There is therefore no precedent anywhere in the world where the Chief Justice is appointed via interviews. It has also since emerged that it was the MDC-T that pushed for a clause in the Constitution for judges to be interviewed rather than appointed by the President arguing that appointment gave the Head of State and Government too much power.

The interviews were designed to strip the President some of his powers.

“The clause came from the opposition MDC. There was a deadlock on the draft clause at the time of the Constitution making with the MDC pushing for appointment of the Chief Justice through interviews and Zanu-PF arguing for the status quo in the old Constitution. The old Constitution stated that the President, acting on advice of the JSC, appoints the Chief Justice. The MDC argued the President was wielding too much power. Zanu-PF objected but later decided not to uphold its own objection for the sake of making sure the Constitution sailed through. In relenting, Zanu-PF reasoned it would use its majority in Parliament to amend that clause and indeed the 2013 election results gave it the majority to amend that clause in the Constitution,” a source said.

The Constitution is already being amended to empower the President to appoint the Chief Justice. A Bill going through Government motions will soon be tabled before Parliament. Yesterday Zibani’s legal counsel led by Mr Jonathan Samukange of Venturas and Samukange told The Herald their client was weighing his legal options.

“’My client is considering two options. These are – to have the notice (of appeal by JSC) set aside or declared a nullity or to have JSC declared in contempt of court,” said Mr Samukange.

Justice Hungwe granted Zibani’s application on December 11 2016 (Sunday) and indicated he was going to give the reasons later. Justice Hungwe delivered the full judgment on Tuesday. The JSC lawyer Mr Addington Chinake of Kantor and Immerman appealed on Monday before the full judgment was released by Justice Hungwe.”

“As far as I am concerned that appeal is a sham. It is fraudulent and a nullity for the following reasons – in terms of High Court and Supreme Court rules which list requirements for proper notice an grounds of appeal, the grounds of appeal must state in full the grounds. The notice must be accompanied by the judgment appealed against. That notice and grounds of appeal were first announced by Mr Chinake in court after the judge had made one single sentence that “the application is granted”. He stood up and announced that he would be making an appeal the following day. A notice can only be done upon consultation with client. When did Mr Chinake consult the JSC unless they knew the outcome in advance? The JSC is constituted by commissioners in terms of the Constitution – when did the commissioners sit and instructed him to appeal. By that time Justice Hungwe had not given his reasons for granting the application so what were they appealing against? The only conclusion is that the Chief Justice wanted the interview to continue and the notice of appeal was done to misleads the public by saying we are justified in proceeding with the interviews which we all know were a sham,” said Mr Samukange.

Indications are that Samukange will soon approach the High Court or Supreme Court for redress.

“Zimbabwe being a democratic country we believe in the rule of law. The rule of law requires that you follow proper procedures. It does not exempt whether you are a Chief Justice, judge or magistrate. Judges cannot offend the same principles and procedures that they apply to ordinary litigants. They should be exemplary. They have set a bad precedent,” said Mr Samukange.

Patrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
CASES of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have declined by about 47 percent in the Midlands Province in the past four years, from 28 000 to about 15 000.

Ministry of Health and Child Care Provincial Maternal and Child Health Officer Dr Tshebukani Moyo said it was pleasing to note the decrease which he attributed to increased HIV and Aids awareness programmes in the province.

“We are happy to report that STI cases have gone down in the past three years in the province. In 2013 we reported about 28 000 STI cases which decreased to 23 000 in 2015 before going down to about 15 000 last year,” he said in Kwekwe recently.

Dr Moyo said STI cases were linked to HIV.

He said apart from recording successes in the reduction STI cases, the province has also witnessed an increase in HIV counselling and testing between 2013 and 2016 with 260 000 people undergoing the process.

“We had an estimated 160 000 adults living with HIV in 2015 and of those, we have above 140 000 on ART which translates to 71,6 percent access to treatment rate,” said Dr Moyo.

“In terms of covering children on ART, we have about 10 400 below the age of 15 who are HIV positive and 7 810 have been initiated on ART as of the end of September. This translates to 74,6 percent and we hope that with the new guidelines, more people will be initiated on ART,” he said.

The new national guidelines stipulate that a person has to be put on ART as soon as they test HIV positive.

The country continues to make tremendous progress in the fight against HIV and Aids amid indications that new infections among the 15-49 age group have dropped to five per 1 000 people in 2016 from 50 per 1 000 people in 1994.

At the same time Aids-related deaths have declined by 77 percent in the last decade as the country moves towards ending Aids by 2030.

Cassper Nyovest with his Bentley  - Picture from africanhitz.com (picture updated)

Johannesburg. – Rapper Cassper Nyovest’s SA hip-hop Awards celebrations went horribly wrong‚ after a man vandalised his brand new Bentley outside a Johannesburg nightclub during the early hours of Thursday morning last week.

Shortly after the incident Cassper took to Twitter to express his disappointment over the incident.

“I’m in the club celebrating hard work and someone calls me saying they found someone keying my brand new car. Mara why do have to do this? Such a beautiful night?

“To end like this? I worked so hard this year‚ not only to get what I have but to stay out of trouble. Then this?” Cassper tweeted.

When contacted for comment Cassper’s management confirmed the incident‚ but said they could not comment further as the matter was being investigated by the police.

The Doc Shebeleza hitmaker purchased his second Bentley‚ which is valued at R3,7 million just one month ago.

At the time Sandton car dealership‚ Prestige Marques confirmed to TshisaLIVE that it was the second Bentley it sourced for Cassper in a space of six months. – Sowetan.

Cde Nduna

Elita Chikwati Senior Reporter
The Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara)’s partners, Univern Enterprises (Pvt) Limited and Intertoll, have been ordered to introduce an electronic prepaid toll card during the festive season, failing which they will be charged with contempt of Parliament.

The order was made by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructure when the two companies appeared before it for the second time over the same issue yesterday.

Univern Enterprises said it was ready to implement the new technology, but ducked several questions that they referred to Zinara, which did not turn up for the hearing.

Once implemented, Zinara would receive payments upfront and motorists would use an electronic card to pass through tollgates.

However, the pre-paid toll cards might be difficult to use since those issued by Intertoll can only be used on tollgates along the Plumtree-Mutare highway only.

Committee chairperson Cde Dexter Nduna (Zanu-PF) said it was disturbing that for the second time, the two companies were not offering anything new.

“Let this be the last time we are talking of the same thing,” he said.

“We hope you diligently get the message. We want to raise revenue utilisation from the money that Zimbabweans are paying. We are generating funds as a domestic initiative. If the system is not implemented, we will be forced to institute contempt of Parliament charges. We hope we will soon see the implementation of the cashless system within the festive season,” said Cde Nduna.

Univern Enterprises chief operating officer Mr Warren Cohen said they had introduced prepaid toll cards software at 17 tollgates and 60 000 cards although only 6 000 were in use.

He said the pre-paid cards were being used by corporates, transporters and Zinara.

Mr Cohen said they were working with Intertoll to integrate and enable the cards to work at all tolling sites.

“The card is currently not running on any of the Intertoll side. Communication started in July 2015 for integration into their sites. All of the documents have been completed and we have done some developments to give one solution to customers,” he said.

Cde Nduna said the toll gates should also have road traffic stabilisation centres where accident victims could get assistance.

Mr Cohen responded saying although they were informed of this development recently, and they were willing to work on their back offices so they could offer the service.

“We are willing to work on our back offices to establish the stations. We are at an advanced stage with Zinara on some of the back offices at the toll plazas. If this was approved we would start immediately, beginning of the year.”

Intertoll country operations manager Mr Joseph Mafanuke said they were ready to roll out the prepaid toll card and were only waiting for Zinara’s approval.

“If we get the go-ahead, we can avail the card in one day. We were ready to roll out the toll card by September,” he said.

Some of the committee members said motorists were now using detour routes to evade paying toll gate fees while others did not have the cash due to the current liquidity challenges.

Others complained that long queues at the toll gates were compounding the problem of non-payment.

Mr Mafanuke confirmed the decline in the number of cars passing through the toll gates saying approximately 200 cars per day were evading paying.

Leonard Tsipa

Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
PREMIERSHIP Golden Boot winner Leonard Tsipa says he has no hard feeling after he was overlooked in the enlarged Warriors squad for next month’s African Cup of Nations soccer finals in Gabon.

The CAPS United hitman was hoping that he could at least be rewarded with a national team call up after a fine season where he finished as the top goalscorer with 11 goals and was also the Soccer Star of the Year first runner-up.

But there was no place for the 34-year-old striker in the Warriors’ 31-member provisional squad for AFCON that was named by coach Callisto Pasuwa on Sunday night.

“We cannot all play for the national team. The selected ones, at any given time, should deliver for the national team and the country.

“Yes, I was looking forward to the call up because it is every player’s wish to play for his country.

“I had a good season and was one of the top players in the league.

“But get me correct, I am not jealous or hurting that I was not selected. I wish the team good luck and want them to perform well at the tournament,” said Tsipa.

However, there was subtle recognition for the veteran forward after he was included in the Warriors B squad which is now expected to travel to Abidjan this week to feature in an international friendly match against Cote d’Ivoire on Boxing Day.

The squad consisting of local based players will now fill in for the regular full strength Warriors squad in Abidjan.

All the foreign-based players are still committed at their respective clubs and they are only expected to arrive home after the team has already left for Abidjan.

While Warriors coach Pasuwa will not be able to assess most of the players he will use at the AFCON finals in this match against the Elephants, he might use the chance to take a closer look at some national team’s fringe players he has not named in the 31-member provisional squad.

Tsipa feels he can still gate-crash into the final squad should he impress in Cote d’Ivoire.

“I am happy that I have been called for this friendly match even though I am yet to be told of the call up by ZIFA.

“But if it is true, I would be happy. It always feels good to represent your country at any level of competition.

“Even though it is just a friendly match, I will do my best. I am ready to play my part and you never know what will happen afterwards,” said Tsipa.

The veteran forward, who was club-hunting in Tanzania for a week, is praying that CAPS United renews his contract after he was unimpressed by the offer in the East African country.

His contract with the Green Machine expires at the end of this month.

However, the December 26 match against Cote d’Ivoire will still present a good chance to the Warriors mentor to assess his team ahead of the AFCON finals as some of his regular players will have real competition against the Elephants.

Warriors’ first and second-choice goalkeepers Tatenda Mukuruva and Donovan Benard, defenders Hardlife Zvirekwi, Elisha Muroiwa and Lawrence Mhlanga, Marshal Mudehwe are some of the players that will make the trip.

The coach has drawn the bulk of his squad from the players that went to the COSAFA Cup in Namibia in May and also took part in CHAN at the start of the year.

There is only one foreign-based player in Pasuwa’s squad after he included Sweden-based forward Tino Kadewere.

ZIFA have secured more friendly matches for the national team and Pasuwa will have the luxury to field all his players in another friendly match against Cameroon on January 10 in Yaounde.

Warriors’ squad for Cote d’Ivoire match:

Donovan Bernard, Tatenda Mukuruva, Hardlife Zvirekwi, Elisha Muroiwa, Lawrence Mhlanga, Teenage Hadebe, Tendai Ndlovu, Ronald Pfumbidzai, Liberty Chakoroma, Lewis Kutinyu, Ronald Chitiyo, Marshal Mudehwe, Talent Chawapiwa, Walter Musona, Malvin Gaki, Pritchard Mpelele, Tinotenda Kadewere, Leonard Tsipa.

Crime Reporter
In a gory murder case that left the Budiriro 5B community shocked, a 52-year-old Harare businessman was on early Sunday morning shot in cold blood before his attackers ran over him with their vehicle, details emerged yesterday.

A visit to Lameck Murimi’s place by The Herald crew yesterday revealed a sombre atmosphere as relatives and friends were still to solve the puzzle as to who killed their beloved one and why.

Lameck’s neighbour who went out to investgate after hearing gunshots outside, is also battling for life after he was shot in the shoulder by the robbers.

He is admitted in the intensive care unit at a local hospital.

Lameck’s brother, Moses, yesterday said they were still shocked by the incident.

“We are still yet to ascertain what transpired. As of now, all the family members do not know what exactly happened. We believe that he was ambushed at the gate,” he said.

He said they were still not sure about the amount of money he was carrying.

“What we discovered missing were the two laptops that he usually moves around with in his vehicle and other documents,” Moses said.

Reports say robbers trailed him from his business premises in Budiriro before fatally shooting him.

Lameck operated bottle stores and a general dealer’s shop at Currant Shopping Centre in Bu- diriro.

National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi said no arrests had been made by late yesterday and investigations were in progress.

“Investigations are still in progress and we are still looking for the suspects. Anyone with information that might lead to their arrest should contact any nearest police station or contact the National Complaints Desk on (04) 703631,” he said.

He said investigations carried out so far revealed that after shooting Lameck, the robbers ran over him using their getaway vehicle before they fled the scene.

Lameck was shot several times all over his body and is believed to have been carrying a bag of cash he had collected from his businesses.

The incident occurred at around 2am near the gate to his house.

Investigations carried out indicated that the businessman could have been trailed by the robbers who were driving in their getaway car.

Lameck will be buried in Rusape on a date to be advised.

Police have been urging members of the public not to keep or move around with large sums of money. The ZRP has also urged people not to keep large amounts of cash in their houses or business premises.

Last Tuesday, a Harare woman believed to be a foreign currency dealer, lost over $17 800 in cash to three armed robbers who approached her in the city centre pretending to be police detectives.

Nyemudzai Kakore

Herald Correspondent

Harare City Council was prejudiced of over $179 000 by three employees from the treasury department, who fraudulently credited several ratepayers’ accounts using fake Real Time Gross Settlement system.This was revealed by an audit instigated by acting town clerk Mrs Josephine Ncube following a tip-off from a concerned ratepayer after his account had been fraudulently credited with $2 000.

According to the recent minutes of the council’s Audit Committee, the employees were recruiting and receiving kick-backs, and they then created fake RTGs, which they later authenticated and caused to be receipted.

“Audit established that Council was prejudiced of at least $178 594,28 through receipting of fake RTGS, crediting several ratepayer accounts,” reads the minutes.

“Two City Treasurers Department clerical officers in collusion with the Error Correction Clerk in charge of the RTGS office asked for huge kick-backs as high as 50 percent of the reduced amount from ratepayers to have their account balances significantly reduced.”

Council also resolved that the acting finance director Mr Tendai Kwenda reports the employees to the police, reverses the identified fraudulent transactions and enforces payments of the outstanding amounts on the involved ratepayers’ accounts.

“Council resolved that disciplinary action be taken against two employers named in the audit manager’s report for their roles in the fraud,” reads the minutes.

“The acting finance director should engage banks and ensure all transactions are adequately narrated to enable proper identification. A register should be put in place immediately for all incoming RTGS vouchers and the identity of the conveyor should be recorded in that register.”

Other recommendations are that all individuals who verify an RTGS should record their names and append their signatures on the face of the voucher.

Audit Committee chairperson Councillor Enock Mupamawonde raised concern on the loss of funds by council through fraud and theft and called on city officials to implement previous Audit Committee resolutions to timeously curb revenue leakages.

Recently, three city employees swindled the city of more than $30 000 through the fraudulent issuance of food handlers and medical examination certificates at Beatrice Infectious Diseases Hospital.

“Council should take action against officials who fail to implement Council resolutions without any reasonable excuse. Officials should be held accountable for any losses attributable to their dereliction of duty,” read the minutes.

The Audit Committee then tasked Mrs Ncube to formulate and implement the whistleblower and non-retaliation policies after she revealed that the whistleblower can only be absolved by the police and the Prosecutor-General.

Mrs Ncube said that request was submitted to the State Procurement Board to be included in the policy for parastatals and was still awaiting feedback.

Council also resolved that Mrs Ncube applaude the whistleblower for his stance against corruption and that the $1 000 cash payment should be written off from his rates account.

Prophet Magaya

Fungai Lupande Court Reporter
The Constitutional Court will, for the first time, have to decide on the constitutionality of prosecuting a rape suspect following the withdrawal of a report by the complainant.

This comes after Harare magistrate Mrs Vongai Muchuchuti-Guwuriro yesterday granted Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries leader Walter Magaya’s application for referral of his rape case to the Concourt.

Mrs Muchuchuti-Guwuriro removed Magaya from remand pending the Concourt’s decision on whether or not his alleged rape case should be referred to the High Court after the complainant indicated that she lied against him.

The State insisted on indicting Magaya for the trial at the High Court, arguing that it never tendered the complainant’s withdrawal affidavits to the court and that the withdrawal was not genuine.

Mrs Guwuriro ruled that the Concourt should decide whether or not the decision by the Acting Prosecutor-General to indict Magaya when the complainant confessed that the rape allegations were false violated his constitutional rights.

“The backbone of the application was that the complainant indicated her intention to withdraw rape charges against the accused,” said Mrs Guwuriro.

“The complainant made an about turn and made a confession that the allegations are false. The application is not frivolous and vexatious and the matter raises constitutional issues. The Concourt has to decide on three issues which are, firstly — was the court in moral defiance in violation of Section 56 (1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

“Secondly, was the liberty of the accused breached in violation of Section 49 (1) (b) and thirdly, is it proper to prosecute him when the complainant said allegations are false?

“Therefore, the application for referral to the Concourt is granted and these proceedings are stayed pending the determination.”

In his application, Magaya, through his defence counsel Advocate Thabani Mpofu said it was a constitutional embarrassment for Magaya to answer to a charge, which was rendered meaningless by the complainant.

“There is no conviction unless there is a testimony of the person who says she was raped. State versus Magaya came because there was a complainant to begin with.

“Now the complainant said I am sorry, I lied. The Prosecutor General’s office does not want to accept the apology. Why does the PG’s office want to go to the High Court? And why at a time when the complainant wants to withdraw the matter?

“State does not disapprove the authenticity of the confession. It is for the Concourt to deal with these issues given that they were never dealt with before.

“When State becomes rogue, it is a constitutional problem, we are not safe with this type of State.”

When the court briefly adjourned, the complainant sobbed uncontrollably while seated in the gallery.

Adv Mpofu intended to call her to the witness stand to substantiate her withdrawal affidavits, but the court objected, saying her withdrawal was already before it through her affidavits.

There was a lighter moment when Magaya complained about a prison officer who was busy taking selfies next to him in the dock during court proceedings.